Pictured: World’s Strongest Man Tom Stoltman (right) and Martin MacLeod celebrate ILM Highland’s environmental and social achievements over the last 12 months.
A Highland social enterprise and charity showed a display of strength when World’s Strongest Man Tom Stoltman joined in a celebration of the organisation’s environmental and social impact.
ILM Highland has processed an impressive 2,054 tons of waste electrical items in the last 12 months, ensuring they are disposed of responsibly and avoid ending up in landfill.
Stoltman – a passionate supporter of local businesses – dropped by to celebrate the achievement.
The organisation was able to salvage and refurbish almost 500 items throughout the year, which were then sold in its electrical retail shop in Alness and online.
As well as extending the life of appliances and providing high quality, affordable electricals to the local community, each sale funds ILM Highland’s charitable home improvement services which support vulnerable people to be at home.
Highland resident Stoltman, the first Scot to lift the World’s Strongest Man trophy, said:
“It’s been really inspiring to visit ILM Highland and learn about everything they do.
“As a local, I’ve been a customer before but didn’t realise how much impact the business has on the area.
“Their work in our community and for the environment is incredible.
“I would encourage everyone to shop local and support businesses like ILM Highland that are making a real difference in the Highlands.”
ILM Highland’s waste electrical recycling directly funds its charitable home improvement services, which assist older people, veterans and people living with disabilities in the Highlands to stay at home.
The organisation’s Handyperson and Care & Repair services have empowered over 2,400 Highland residents to remain at home for longer by helping with odd jobs, DIY and larger home improvement projects.
In the last 12 months, over 6,600 small household repairs and tasks have been completed by the Handyperson team.
Support has also been provided to homeowners and tenants by the Care & Repair team to adapt 87 homes, utilising £540,000 of private sector housing grant monies.
Martin Macleod, CEO of ILM Highland, said:
“We’re thrilled that Tom Stoltman has helped us celebrate another fantastic year for ILM Highland, and send our congratulations from the whole team on his incredible achievements in the World’s Strongest Man competition.
“We’re proud to have been able to continue providing vital home improvement services to vulnerable people during the pandemic at a time when they were most in need of help.
“As household incomes have been unpredictable over the last year, it has also been so important to continue to provide affordable new and refurbished electrical appliances.
“We are pleased that so many Highland residents have chosen to recycle their electricals – allowing us to reuse, recycle and refurbish them for the benefit of our community and the planet.”
ILM Highland is a social enterprise and charity supporting vulnerable people in the Scottish Highlands to live at home – giving them greater independence and freedom.
It achieves this through its Handyperson and Care & Repair services, providing assistance with small and large home repairs and improvements.
ILM Highland’s charitable services are supported by income generated from its professional and fully certified service for businesses to dispose of their waste electronic and electrical equipment; a domestic small and large electrical recycling service; and its shop in Alness and online, which sells a wide selection of new and refurbished electrical appliances.
