BEAR Scotland has donated £1,000 on behalf of all staff to Dundee-based charity Transform Community Development, an organisation dedicated to supporting the needs of vulnerable people by finding solutions ranging from temporary accommodation to sheltered employment.

The charity’s FareShare project aims to reduce food poverty amongst people suffering from social and economic distress. Transform also has a furniture project which collects donated furniture from the public which is then either redistributed to homeless individuals taking up their first tenancy or sold in the organisation’s retail shops to generate income.

Transform Community Development is the fourth local cause to receive a £1,000 boost on behalf of BEAR Scotland staff in 2022 after employees were invited to nominate worthy causes that were important to them.

Members of BEAR Scotland’s Charity Committee met with Transform Community Development Head of Operations, Bryan Smith, at the Dundee depot and got a guided tour around the warehouse space, which offered an insight into the scope of the charity.

Bryan said: “We’d like to thank BEAR Scotland for both their very kind donation and the interest that they’ve taken in the organisation.  BEAR Scotland’s donation will help Transform Community Development in supporting individuals with complex needs to be an active member of their community.

“It’s great to see BEAR Scotland backing a group of individuals that is often marginalised and it helps us carry on our housing support, food re-distribution and furniture re-use operations and expand opportunities.”

Iain Murray, BEAR Scotland’s Managing Director said: “Transform Community Development is an excellent charity in Dundee, an area we’ve worked in for twenty years, and we appreciate the hard work that Bryan and the rest of the team do to help provide support to those that are vulnerable.

“Hearing first-hand how this donation will help make a difference underlines why we launched this £1,000 charity initiative which specifically supports regional and local causes throughout the country in areas where BEAR Scotland operates.”

Each month, information will be shared about each of the remaining regional charities and how BEAR is supporting them.