Hope Kitchen’s George Street shop Re_Store was named the winner of the Innovative accolade at the 10th Anniversary ScottishPower Foundation Awards.
The money will be used to help the charity continue its good work in the community, tackling the impacts of poverty by providing affordable food, clothing, and homeware at the same time as significantly reducing waste.
Re_Store gives people the opportunity to learn how to turn their unused items into real valuable pieces. Recently, crafters have turned jeans into draught excluders to donate to the elderly to keep their homes warmer throughout winter.
Since it started in March this year, the shop has attracted the support of more than 25 energetic volunteers and thousands of customers, with even more items donated. Workshops and events are also being run, empowering the community to make a difference.
Hope Kitchen Service Manager Catriona Petit said: "It is so lovely for this collective of local charities to be recognised by the ScottishPower Foundation for our innovation. We do take pride in our ability to turn not a lot into something great, which not only goes for the clothes we repair, but this community spirit that we’ve built up throughout this project.
“This additional support from the ScottishPower Foundation will be invaluable in allowing us to address the real needs of our community, and continue to innovate and improvise for the better of our service users.”
Melanie Hill, Executive Officer and trustee at the ScottishPower Foundation sent her heartfelt congratulations to all the winners at this year’s ScottishPower Foundation Awards saying this milestone 10th year of the awards was a fantastic opportunity to showcase the incredible work these charities do in our communities.
"Choosing this year’s winners was an immense challenge, given the outstanding quality of nominations we received. The dedication and innovation demonstrated Hope Kitchen, truly embodies the spirit of the ScottishPower Foundation Awards. Their unwavering commitment to making a positive difference in people’s lives is inspirational.
"It brings us real joy to celebrate with these highly deserving charities. The additional funding they receive will undoubtedly help them advance their impactful projects even further. Once again, a massive congratulations to all our winners - their phenomenal work continues to make a significant difference, and we are excited to see what they achieve next."