Farmer Jones Academy CIC’s Firstport investment shortlisted for prestigious Social Enterprise UK award
We are delighted to announce that our investment in Farmer Jones Academy CIC, otherwise known as For You Training, has been shortlisted in Social Enterprise UK’s Social Investment Deal of the Year category, after they secured a £575,000 Catalyst Fund investment in June (as part of a £1.6million funding package) to develop a youth-led innovation campus in Tain.
The Social Investment Deal of the Year category is ‘for an organisation that has been part of a great investment deal in the last 12 months that has helped the social enterprise to grow or the movement as a whole to develop and flourish’.
For You Training was co-founded by Sarah Mckenzie, winner of the SE100 2025 Changemaker award, and Richard Jones – who are both long-standing social entrepreneurs working in youth development and food systems.
The training academy was created to combat rural deprivation by creating positive destinations for youth at risk of unemployment. Their programmes provide a safe and inspiring place for young people. They have supported 2,832 young people over the last 7 years and from this they have certified 728 young people in their senior phase of school to achieve industry recognised qualifications.
Continuing their incredible impact, the Catalyst loan (together with funding from Social Investment Scotland, Highland Council and Highlands and Islands Enterprise) will allow For You Training to set up a ‘first of its kind’ community innovation campus on the outskirts of Tain, which will catalyse sustainable local food production, hospitality, and linked tourism practices – the campus is known as Gro for You (GFY). GFY strives to create grass-roots community solutions to provide acceleration to educational, economic and wellbeing recovery.
The new campus aims to significantly scale For You Training’s impact while deepening local engagement.
Scheduled to open in 2026, the campus will provide a range of learning and training opportunities in areas such as food production, hospitality and green business skills, as well as being a visitor centre with a café, farm shop, play area and gardens. The creation of this transformational and pioneering campus is critical in terms of tackling rural depopulation and boosting local employment through vocational training, sustainable food production, and tourism development.
The campus is expected to create 24 full-time jobs as well as 240 apprenticeship roles, and host over 26,000 annual visitors.
Sarah Mackenzie, co-founder said:
“We are extremely proud to be shortlisted for Social Investment Deal of the Year. There has been an unwavering commitment from our team and investors in securing the much needed investment to turn this pioneering grass-roots project from concept into reality.The Catalyst Fund and the on-going mentorship provided by Firstport has enabled us to plan for substantial future growth and increase our delivery of meaningful impact for our community.
The Gro For You, Community Innovation Campus will offer a unique, interactive learning experience, focusing on cutting-edge net zero technologies while addressing workforce skill gaps in the food and drink, hospitality, and green sectors. Additionally, our visitor centre will serve as a vital hub for tourism in Tain and along the North Coast 500, responsibly stimulating the local economy and enhancing the Tain and District area.”
Lauren, Firstport Investment Manager shared her excitement for the nomination:
“We are delighted that Farmer Jones CIC’s investment deal with Firstport has been shortlisted for Social Investment Deal of the Year. This project exemplifies the kind of bold, community-rooted innovation the Catalyst Fund was designed to support. Farmer Jones CIC’s commitment to youth development, sustainability, and local regeneration aligns with Catalyst’s vision for resilient rural communities.”
Firstport’s support is about more than just money. Our dedicated Growth Adviser will be working closely with the Farmer Jones CIC team to help and support them deliver on their plans for growth.
We wish them the best of luck with their nomination!
Check out all of this year’s Social Enterprise UK shortlist
Find out more about The Catalyst Fund.