£30k kiln investment fuels future of Stirling social enterprise

09 Jul 2026

Tayside, Central and Fife

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A Stirling-based social enterprise that uses sustainable charcoal production to fund woodland community work has secured a £30,000 loan from responsible finance provider Social Investment Scotland (SIS).

Green Aspirations Scotland CIC, based near Port of Menteith, have used the investment to purchase a new kiln after its existing equipment neared the end of its working life and threatened to disrupt a vital income stream.

Charcoal generates around 30% of the organisation’s revenue, produced sustainably using wood from Scottish community-owned forests or surplus timber left over by local tree surgeons, with income reinvested directly into its wider community work.

The new kiln - which has been named Penelope - represents a major step forward for Green Aspirations Scotland, transforming the way it produces its charcoal. By dramatically reducing turnaround times between burns, it will increase output, improve reliability and give customers greater confidence in supply – allowing the social enterprise to market its Scottish-made fuel more boldly, grow sales and channel more income into work that matters.

“The charcoal side of the business is much more than just an income stream. It helps fund important opportunities for people to get outdoors and learn new skills in nature. When the old kiln became unreliable, we knew replacing it was essential."

Paul Cookson

Director at Green Aspirations Scotland CIC

The investment also speaks to a wider problem. Britain imports around 85,000 tonnes of charcoal each year, often sourced from countries at risk of deforestation including Indonesia, Nigeria and Paraguay. The Earthworm Foundation estimates it is among Europe's top five products driving global deforestation. Green Aspirations Scotland’s model, rooted in community woodland and surplus local timber, offers a direct alternative. The organisation hopes the kiln investment will help raise awareness of British-made charcoal, encouraging consumers to consider the origins of the fuel they use.

Closer to home, the proceeds from Green Aspiration Scotland’s charcoal sales fund green woodworking, craft workshops and outdoor learning sessions, with a particular focus on young people who struggle in mainstream education. In a supportive outdoor environment, teenagers learn at their own pace – splitting logs, developing craft skills, climbing trees or spending time around a campfire with peers, building confidence and practical skills away from screens.

One 17-year-old participant has volunteered every week since completing her Advanced Highers and some parents, first introduced to the company through their children, now attend workshops and craft events themselves. This work sits squarely within Scotland's Community Wealth Building Act, keeping investment and skills development rooted in local communities.

On working with Green Aspirations Scotland, Derek Gardiner, Investment Manager at Social Investment Scotland said: “As soon as we were introduced to Green Aspirations Scotland, it was clear how valuable their work is to the local community. They are doing something genuinely distinctive by building a local timber economy, supporting community woodland and channelling the proceeds into vital work with young people.”

“Every bag of charcoal helps fund hands-on learning and community activity in local Scottish woodlands, while keeping traditional production methods alive and reducing reliance on imported alternatives.”

Paul Cookson

Director at Green Aspirations Scotland CIC

Derek Gardiner, Investment Manager at Social Investment Scotland, said:

"Because Green Aspirations Scotland operates in a rural area, mainstream finance options can be limited, which is where the SIS Community Finance Fund can help. This is exactly the kind of investment that can make all the difference, by stepping in where traditional lenders can’t and ensuring that social enterprises, wherever they are, have access to the affordable finance they need to succeed.”