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Introducing Our LaunchMe Spring Cohort 2025

We are delighted to introduce the 19 social enterprises that have secured a place on the Spring Cohort 2025. From the Highlands to the Central Belt, and across diverse sectors like wellbeing, education, climate, heritage, and community connection, these founders bring lived experience, creative solutions, and a shared commitment to making the world fairer, greener, and more connected.

In an exciting development for the programme, LaunchMe Spring 2025 cohort is the first one to experience our brand-new learning platform, LaunchPad. The social entrepreneurs will gain access to expert-led workshops, personalised 1:1 support, and practical tools to help build investment-ready plans. Designed with inclusivity at its heart, LaunchPad creates a supportive space for learning, confidence-building, and real social impact.

Here’s a peek into the amazing ideas being nurtured through LaunchMe 2025:

A. Growing Green Futures

Darroch Nurseries

Anne Kerr – Crossroads Community Hub (Ayrshire): A vibrant, community-led initiative offering a café, farm shop, meeting spaces and a development kitchen to showcase local talent and produce while boosting health, wellbeing, and skills with a sense of togetherness.

Elana Bader – Darroch Nurseries: A tree-growing social enterprise rooted in Scotland’s native biodiversity, cultivating local provenance trees and nurturing a deeper connection between people, land, and wellbeing through every seed planted.

Gina Lundy – We Are Wonder: A nature-based learning community in Glasgow where children and families learn outdoors through play, creativity, and self-directed discovery — creating a culture of consent, inclusion, and deep connection to the earth.

Jessica Thomson – Under The Trees: This organisation breaks down barriers to outdoor education by offering inclusive nature-based experiences to all ages and abilities. Their mission is to make the outdoors accessible, educational, and empowering for everyone.

Tom Kirby – Granton Community Gardeners: A community-run bakery that brings people together through growing, cooking, and sharing food. From gardens and community meals to affordable artisan bread, they re-imagine how local communities can nourish both body and spirit.

B. Mind, Body, and Wellbeing

Bounce OT

These enterprises focus on healing, movement, and supporting better mental health:

Aiden Rusta – Flow Combat Sports CIC: A dynamic martial arts club in Falkirk empowering the community through martial arts, confidence-building, and inclusive fitness.

Callum McKinnon – Bounce OT: A fun, sensory, therapeutic service that helps both children and adults build essential life and movement skills while boosting their confidence and wellbeing.

Maryellen McPhail – O’Shay’s Centre: Championing neurodivergent voices with creative learning and therapeutic support – all designed to help every brain thrive and feel understood, included, and celebrated.

Saskia Singer – Narture CIC: Founded in June 2020 by artist duo Robert and Saskia Singer, Narture began by repurposing empty town spaces for creative use. It thrives as a social enterprise, embracing the idea that “everyone is an artist” and fostering positive change. Narture aims to be an inclusive creative hub, making cultural participation accessible to all. 

Starkeeper Morton – The Haven in Stonehaven: With a mission of ‘wellbeing for social change’, The Haven is a welcoming hub in Stonehaven that nurtures mental health, sustainability, and resilience through a community a wellbeing space, teaching garden, and outreach projects. Starkeeper is also one of Firstport’s trustees!

C. Craft, Culture, and Creativity

Creativity meets community-building in these beautifully woven initiatives:

Lia Jarvis – Polmont Playgroup: A community cornerstone for over 50 years, the playgroup offers a nurturing and fun space for early years learning, where children grow emotionally, socially, and intellectually through guided play and creative exploration.

Sam Henderson – Radical Weavers: The organisation blends traditional textile craft with modern sustainability, using profits to fund community education and skills-building. They’re weaving stronger communities through eco-conscious creativity and empowerment.

Sasha Doyle – Powerhouse Climbing CIC: Powerhouse Climbing is working to revive the iconic Ice Factor centre in Kinlochleven — this time with a mission: to provide climbing opportunities, employability training, and community facilities for residents and visitors alike.

Simon Glendenning – Carraig Connections: Bringing heritage to life in South Ayrshire, transforming old community buildings into lively hubs of history, tourism, and creativity along with quirky local Escape Room and exhibition space in Kirkoswald.

D. Innovation in Inclusion

These projects are pushing the boundaries of what’s possible with bold ideas and fresh perspectives:

Ashley Scotland – Thriving Survivors: A trauma-informed organisation that provides inclusive and restorative support services for men, women, and children worldwide, helping survivors of trauma reclaim their lives through healing-focused programmes.

Clair Simpson – Procrastination Station: Run by and for adults with ADHD, Procrastination Station offers support, coaching, training, and a judgement-free community where neurodivergent individuals in Scotland can learn, connect, and thrive on their own terms.

Helen Carlin – Angus Small Repairs: Small jobs, big impact – a not-for-profit organisation in Angus providing a practical lifeline for elderly and disabled residents, delivers reliable home repairs from plumbing to joinery by trusted professionals, making everyday living safer and more comfortable.

Maryellen McPhail – O’Shay’s Brain Domains: A trailblazing social enterprise supporting neurodivergent learners with tailored education, therapy, and resources – all designed to help every brain thrive and feel understood, included, and celebrated.

Lisa Wright – Bad Boy Barber: This social enterprise barber shop offers a unique safe space as well as good haircuts. By addressing social issues, embracing inclusivity, and diversifying revenue streams, our space can achieve sustainable growth while making a positive societal impact. A barber shop like ours could and should be available in every city & town in Scotland. 

These 19 ventures are just getting started and the LaunchMe will help them from impact investment readiness to business planning to scale their social impact sustainably and strategically.

Keep an eye on our social media as we follow their journeys, share milestones, and celebrate their impact. If you want to stay up to date, subscribe to our newsletter here.