COPE wins Highland award

LOCAL organisation COPE Ltd won the best social enterprise award at the Highland Business Awards for 2015 at the weekend.

COPE, which provides employment and training opportunities for adults with disabilities, had been up against Cantraybridge College and Highland BlindCraft in the category, which is sponsored by Highlands and Islands Enteprise (HIE).

Its chief executive officer Ingrid Webb said everyone at COPE was “delighted” by the news.

“We know that we have been in a category with other excellent social enterprises, and we are very proud of that,” she said. “Everyone at COPE has worked very hard over the last few years to overcome significant challenges. They have done so in a very positive way and we are stronger for it.

The Inverness Chamber of Commerce, which organises the awards, said COPE had stood out for the enterprising manner in which it had overcome challenges.

COPE has also been shortlisted in two categories at the annual Social Enterprise Awards Scotland – one for social enterprise of the year and another for social enterprise champion, in which Webb is shortlisted.

The awards will be announced at a ceremony at the Scottish Parliament on Tuesday 3 November.