29 August 2006
SHETLAND DEVELOPMENT TRUST SUPPORTS NEW LOCAL SPRING WATER COMPANY
Shetland Development Trust is supporting Shetland Spring Water Company, a trading subsidiary of COPE Ltd, by providing a loan of £100,000 to assist with the setting up of the social enterprise business and equip its water bottling plant to produce and sell exclusive Shetland spring water products.
Chairman of Shetland Development Trust, Josie Simpson, said: "This is an innovative development for COPE Ltd that will not only expand the employment and training opportunities that it currently provides for disabled people, it will also bring a brand new product to the marketplace that will be synonymous with quality and carry the 'Shetland' name.
"The company has already established the excellent quality and quantity of the natural source of water from the Heglibister Springs. Coupled with its experience in the retail sector, it has all the essential ingredients for developing a successful new enterprise."
Commenting on the success of the application, general manager of COPE Ltd, Frank Millsopp, said: "We are delighted that Shetland Development Trust has agreed to provide support so that we can take this project forward. This investment will go directly to establishing a new Shetland product with the added benefit of providing new jobs and training opportunities in a rural area.
"We have now begun excavating the site and hope to have the factory built by the end of the the year with the first bottle of Shetland spring water coming off the line in spring 2007."