Moray Waste Busters has invested Scottish Government Just Transition Participatory Budgeting Funding in a new pick-up and delivery van

A local social enterprise has been awarded more than £40,000 for a new vehicle.

Waterford Recycling Centre-based-Moray Waste Busters (MWB) is investing £41,040 from the Scottish Government’s Just Transition Participatory Budgeting Fund - recipients are decided by a public voting system - in a new van for delivering items free of charge in Forres, Elgin and Nairn.

General manager Phil Mills confirmed the charity reduces waste by saving items for re-use that would otherwise end up in landfill.

He said: “We are grateful to the members of the public who to voted for us. The quote used for the funding application was based on a van order that could no longer be met but we acquired a cancelled order from another supplier.”

The new transporter is a made-to-order low loader - better suited to loading furniture than the existing MWB van.

“We are growing very quickly,” said Phil. “A second van will allow us a dedicated delivery service, rather than trying to fit deliveries in with collections. A fully funded van also allows us to offer free delivery of large items. Our new Volkswagen Crafter is bigger than our Transit Luton. We’ve been using it since the day we got it - we’re able to deliver/uplift jobs much quicker.”

MWB gifts items to community groups, schools and other social enterprises. They also provide supported placements, work experience and volunteering opportunities, as well as free school visits and tours. The Real Living Wage employer currently has 22 staff.

Phil finished: “Items include from our dedicated store of books that teachers can take for free.”

For more information see https://moraywastebusters.org/