GlenWyvis Distillery in Dingwall hands out £10,000 from GoodWill Fund
THE FIRST community-owned distillery in Scotland has started to give back to the community with £10,000 awarded to local projects.
Dingwall-based GlenWyvis Distillery was initially set up in 2015 with a business model aiming to will support the local community.
With their first whisky launched last year and their GoodWill gin being produced and sold since 2018, the distillery gathered money with 5 per cent of each bottle sold going towards the fund.
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They have has selected eight local projects which they will support with grants from the fund.
Dr Jock Ramsay, chair of the GoodWill Fund Committee, said it was fantastic to be able to finally give back to the community.
He said: "It's a brilliant step forward forward in fulfilling one of our core purposes, which is to run a business for the benefit of the community.
"We hope that this injection of new funds will enable more young people to achieve their full potential, make the benefits of local culture and history more widely accessible, and promote sustainable business development."
The projects set to be supported by the scheme are Maryburgh Toddler Group and Strathpeffer Primary School as well as Archaeology for Communities in Highland,The Neil Gunn Trust, Feis Rois, DP Digital and Woodside Croft Flower.
The committee had to choose among 30 different entries who applied for the grants.
"It was a very difficult decision for us to make," said Mr Ramsay.
"Ideally we would have wanted to fund all of the projects that asked for support.
"Our decision went towards requests that supported children from disadvantaged backgrounds for the educational projects, and for the cultural initiatives, we gave priority to those who would develop
"The projects with an entrepreneurial element were chosen on the basis that they would promote the local economy in Dingwall and that had a good business plan with a sustainability element."
Plans are being set for a further round of the GoodWill Fund to be openend in the autumn, with a further of £20,000 to be distributed to projects in Dingwall and the Highlands.
GlenWyvis Distillery also has a new business plan which includes the prospect of a Visitor Centre in Dingwall as well as two new Bond offers for and a new Share offer in the pipeline, which they hope will allow the GoodWill Fund to grow further.
