Kavli Trust awards £167,000 to Borders youth charity
Scott Wight of Works+ (far right) and Anette Fondevik of Kavli Trust (second from right) with Works+ participants and staff. Photo: Kavli Trust.
Kavli Trust awards £167,000 to support youth employment in Scottish Borders
Kavli Trust, the Norwegian foundation that owns Scottish food producer Castle MacLellan, has awarded £167,000 to Galashiels-based charity Works+ to help young people in the Scottish Borders into work, education, or training.
The three-year grant, announced on 13 October 2026, aims to support another 150 young people through employment preparation, qualifications, mentoring, and mental health support.
Works+ reports 88.4% positive destination rate
Works+ has operated in the Scottish Borders since 2018, with bases in Galashiels and Eyemouth. Its eight-week Doing It Differently programme helps young people who are not in employment, education, or training, followed by 18 months of continued support.
The charity supported 111 young people during its busiest reported year. It recorded an 88.4% positive destination rate among programme completers in 2025–26, covering those moving into work, further education, or volunteering.
Works+ project manager Scott Wight said the funding would help the charity reach more people.
“Their support gives us long-term stability and means we can expand our programme to more people across a wider area.”
The organisation works with ten local partners, including the Scottish Public Pensions Agency and Asda, which provide work placements and activities.
Scottish food business links to charitable funding
Kavli Trust owns the Kavli Group, whose businesses include Kirkcudbright-based Castle MacLellan in Dumfries & Galloway and cheese brand Primula. The group employs more than 1,000 people across the UK and Scandinavia, according to the trust.
Its ownership model directs business profits towards charitable grants alongside reinvestment in the companies. Kavli Trust says it distributed £1.23 million to good causes across Scotland and the wider UK during 2025.
Anette Fondevik, UK communications and grant manager at Kavli Trust, said:
“Works+ sees the whole person behind the CV, and that’s an approach we want to support.”
The new funding will allow Works+ to extend its employability programme over the next three years.
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