Charity marks 25 years by launching Scotland’s first Training and Reuse Village

That this House congratulates Inverness-based charity and social enterprise New Start Highland on marking its 25th anniversary by commencing construction of Scotland’s first Training and Reuse Village; notes that the £500,000 development in Carsegate will include pre-loved retail outlets, a bike repair hub, a tool library, a café, and a training kitchen, creating up to 40 new training and employment opportunities annually; recognises the significant impact New Start Highland has had in supporting over 1500 people each year and serving the local community more than 129,000 times in the past year alone; pays tribute to the vision and leadership of founding chief executive James Dunbar, whose commitment to tackling poverty, homelessness and unemployment has transformed lives across the Highlands; further acknowledges the importance of initiatives like this in addressing the cost-of-living crisis and the unacceptable levels of child poverty in Scotland; commends the charity’s ethos of ethical reuse, which has diverted 10,000 tonnes of furniture from landfill since 2000; and warmly thanks all the generous funders and dedicated staff and volunteers who have made this ambitious and inspiring project possible.