Green Aspirations Scotland lands £30K loan to replace ageing charcoal kiln

What's the deal? Green Aspirations Scotland CIC has secured a £30,000 loan from Social Investment ScotlandDealroom has a profile for this one. Try Dealroom → to replace an ageing kiln at its site near Port of Menteith, in the Stirling area. The new kiln, named Penelope, protects a revenue stream that was at risk when the old equipment neared the end of its working life.

Why now? The previous kiln had become unreliable, threatening to disrupt income. "When the old kiln became unreliable, we knew replacing it was essential," said Paul Cookson, director at Green Aspirations Scotland CIC.

What's the endgame? Penelope will cut turnaround times between burns and boost output and reliability. That lets the enterprise scale up sustainable charcoal production, grow sales, and reinvest more into community programmes.

Charcoal accounts for around 30% of the organisation's revenue. It is made from wood sourced from Scottish community-owned forests or surplus timber from local tree surgeons, with proceeds funding green woodworking, craft workshops, and outdoor learning sessions.

Those programmes target young people who struggle in mainstream education. Teenagers split logs, develop craft skills, and spend time around a campfire — building confidence away from screens. One 17-year-old has volunteered weekly since finishing her Advanced Highers.

The signal: Britain imports around 85,000 tonnes of charcoal each year, often from countries at deforestation risk, including Indonesia, Nigeria, and Paraguay. The Earthworm FoundationDealroom has a profile for this one. Try Dealroom → estimates charcoal ranks among Europe's top five products driving global deforestation. A local, community-woodland model offers a direct alternative — and aligns with Scotland's Community Wealth Building Act by keeping investment and skills rooted in local communities.

Read more: Build Scotland

Image credit: Knowles Gallery