A TRIO of Edinburgh entrepreneurs have received national recognition for their responses to the Coronavirus pandemic.
The business owners have been named as faces of the UK government’s “GREAT Inspirations” campaign, launched on July 1.
Over 80 companies from a range of industries across the UK were selected for the campaign, representing just a small proportion of the businesses that have adapted and delivered for their customers over the past few months.
Roz Colthart, founder of co-working hub Salon Studios is being recognised for her digital platform Salonpreneur, a free service supporting self-employed salon professionals.
She said: “When the pandemic hit, I knew that the salon industry, centered around tactility was going to be one of the worst affected so I created Salonpreneur to support self-employed salon professionals.
“I’m so delighted that we’ve managed to help so many people and I’m honoured to have received this recognition.”
Robbie Allen is being honoured for his initiative, The Thriving Box Company, which delivers goods from local businesses to your door.
He said: “We have delivered over 5,000 gift boxes throughout the UK, generating £200,000 in revenue for small independent businesses.
“We’re so proud to have been able to provide this critical lifeline for businesses across the UK.”
And One Year No Beer helped to tackle alcohol consumption during lockdown by offering their 28-day challenge for free, with the team sacrificing their own salary for three months.
Ruari Fairbairns, founder of One Year No Beer, explained: “Over 7,000 people signed up to our free support service and I’m just so grateful for the incredibly quick thinking, open hearted support and passion that the OYNB team demonstrated during these hard times. This has been such a great opportunity for us to help so many people.”
As businesses across the UK reopen and adjust to operating under social distancing guidance, the “GREAT Inspirations” campaign celebrates those who have gone above and beyond for their customers, employees or communities by innovatively adapting to a new way of working.
Dan Ramsay, Director of the GREAT Campaign, said: “The UK is an incredibly innovative nation and the businesses selected for the GREAT Inspirations epitomise this.
“In an incredibly difficult period they have adapted and found new markets, new customers and new ways of operating as well as helping their communities and keeping them safe.”
