Cash boost for mighty seven in Inverness Dragons' Den-style event
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Good samaritans took to the stage to pitch their ideas in a bid to win grants for their projects, which were set up to reduce crime or help victims.
Votes were cast from an audience made up of the 17 organisations in the running for the cash, plus public agency staff, including firefighters, police officers and staff from NHS Highland.
An Inverness group set up seven years ago by a determined woman who had to rebuild her life after domestic abuse was among the winners.
Liberty Bligh (47) was overjoyed to win a share of the fund to develop her Denny Street social enterprise called The Libertie Project.
The scheme runs arts and craft activities for offenders at Porterfield Prison and there are hopes to set up a Libertie business which could see some prisoners step into a real job at the firm the moment they get out of jail.
Ms Bligh said: “There were so many excellent pitches, we were not quite sure how it would go but we’re delighted with the outcome.”
Also walking away with a cheque was an Inverness drop-in support group called Serenity.
The venture run by Carlie Borthwick and Viv Mackie was praised by police for the work it does to help support women living with Borderline Personality Disorder.
The winning list also included Suzann Barr from the Abriachan Forest Trust.
The little group works with “hard-to-reach” families to run workshops on how to use the outdoors as a fun playground for their children and to make crafts including toys and broomsticks from sticks and twigs.
Ms Barr said: “We’re trying to get them to go outside with their kids wherever they are, whether it’s the local nature reserve at Merkinch or the play park at Hilton.
“And in all of our past sessions, no matter the weather, the families took part.
“You can see the parents build in confidence by doing things outside and allowing their imaginations to help fire the children’s play.
“It really just needed that bit of encouragement.”
Apex Highland, The Crocus Group, The Rape and Sexual Abuse Service, and Skye and Lochaber Council For Voluntary Organisation also scooped a share of the £25,000 pot under the scheme called Small Change for Justice.
The fund was set up by the Highland Community Justice Partnership group, which is made up of public sectors organisations and charities and social enterprises, known as the third sector.
Manager Margaret McShane said she was proud of the scheme.
“The fact that we are, to the best of our knowledge, the only Community Justice Partnership in Scotland trying to engage with our community, charity and voluntary organisations in this way, stems from our unique approach of ensuring the third sector are a true partner in the development of our work.”
