Highland and Moray community initiatives encouraged to apply for £8k funding as International Beverage — owner of Balmenach and Knockando whisky distilleries — launches third round of Spirit of Our Community Awards
The company behind several distilleries in the Highlands and Moray has announced the return of a charity initiative this year.
International Beverage, which owns Old Pulteney and Balblair distilleries as well as Balmenach in Speyside and Knockdhu in Aberdeenshire will be running its Spirit of Our Community Awards for the third year, with £8,000 up for grabs.
Launched in 2022, the initiative aims to celebrate and reward the people and organisations working hard to make a difference to others in their local community.
Now a bi-annual initiative, this year’s award scheme is open for entries from any charity or not-for-profit organisation operating within a 35-mile radius of Knockando, Balmenach and Speyburn. There will be a £5,000 award for one standout project, and five runners-up from the award’s Highland and Speyside regions will each receive £600.
The Watermill Foundation, a Nairn-based trust that gives children with physical and developmental disabilities the opportunity to race and ride bikes, was unveiled as the Speyside and Highland region recipient of the last Spirit of Our Community Awards.
International Beverage donated a top grant of £5,000 to the foundation, which has welcomed thousands of young people with serious to severe disabilities to its Highland Cycle Ability Centre near Cawdor over the years. Those who have used the centre report that their cycling experiences left then fitter, happier, more confident and better able to communicate their emotions.
Heidi Barnett, Highland Cycle Ability Centre Manager said: ‘All of us at the centre are deeply grateful for International Beverage’s support. Thanks to their generosity, we have been able to replace essential cycles and continue our mission to support and empower people of all ages, abilities, and disabilities in their journey to better physical and mental wellbeing through cycling.
The work we do is so important to us, and it's only through the compassion of donors like International Beverage that we're able to keep making a difference.’
Interested groups and charities now have eight weeks to submit their entries by midnight on Friday, November 28. Every submission will be reviewed by a panel of judges, made up of members of International Beverage alongside representatives from long standing local charity partners.
As awards organiser, International Beverage Business Support Manager Eileen Rae says that it’s all about ideas that will have a positive impact on local lives.
She commented: “Our business has a long-standing commitment to supporting local communities and our awards scheme is testament to this. We are delighted that it is now in its third year and are extremely proud of its success when it comes to making a tangible difference to people’s lives.
“There are so many fantastic charities and groups that carry out invaluable work in our distilleries’ communities and we really want to hear from them. Any organisation (regardless of their size) that needs a helping hand or has an initiative that needs funding is encouraged to apply.”