Braw Wee Traders announced as first winner of awesome Foundation Glasgow mirco grant

The Awesome Foundation provides micro-grants of $1000 or the local equivalent (£757.80) to people and groups working on “awesome” projects, with the aim of “advancing the interest of awesome in the universe, $1000 at a time”.

The global community’s Glasgow chapter bestowed the first of its micro-grants on Braw Wee Traders, which supports the regeneration of the city’s Barras and Calton area through training and support of local people to create their own opportunities.

The Braw Wee Traders project said it will use its grant to support two local young females to develop their own businesses within the area that they live using the support of an experienced local business. It will support the regeneration of the Barras market through introducing new market traders, with unique products that will encourage new shoppers to the area and ensure that existing shoppers continue to return.

Braw Wee Traders will take on two trainees at the same time so that they can support each other in their journey to becoming traders.

Jennifer from Braw Wee Emporium said: “I’m absolutely delighted to win the grant from the first Awesome Fund! The Braw Wee Traders project is an idea that has been bubbling away for the past 18 months, and receiving the validation from the panel that this is an awesome idea that they wanted to support has given me a huge confidence boost and the funds to finally pilot it. I can’t wait to get started with the plans.”

Beth from Awesome Glasgow said: “We’re so pleased that Jennifer was chosen as the winner of our first Awesome Glasgow grant. Her ambitious plans are inspired by Maggie McIver, the founder of the Barras market and the woman behind barrowlands ballroom, who had her own rags to riches tale in support of female business owners.”

The two runners up, who also pitched their idea to the 10 trustees, were the Back to School Bank, providing school uniforms to children living in poverty, and Evy Craig who wanted to launch a creative project celebrating inspiring mums in Glasgow.

The Awesome Foundation is now back open for applications with the next deadline on 2nd February 2018.

A team of 10 trustees, from all sorts of backgrounds, including the public and private sector, starts ups, business, creative, technology and events, each gives £50 every 2 months and they then use that £500 to give to a project.

Applications can come from anyone, as long as they are local to Glasgow. Each trustee votes on the one they think is awesome and the shortlist has to pitch to the trustees in a bid to take home the money.