FAMILY FIRM RAISES £11K IN CROWDFUNDING BID FOR NEW STUDIO

A firm which makes unique gifts for whisky lovers has raised more than £11,000 for a state-of-the-art glassblowing studio in a Crowdfunding appeal.

Stirling-based Angels’ Share Glass launched the appeal in a bid to increase production and keep alive a traditional skill.

They had hoped to raise an ambitious £25,000 for the new studio and reached £11,360 (approximately 45%) of that total following a two-month campaign.

The remainder of the funds will now be secured via grants and investment loans and the studio, which will allow space to train new apprentice glassmakers, should be up and running towards the end of this year.

Karen Somerville, Managing Director of the award-winning firm, said she and her father, co-founder Tom Young, had been overwhelmed by the generosity of those who contributed to the campaign.

She said: “It was the first time we’ve tried a Crowdfunding campaign and we really had no idea what to expect.

“It was exciting and nerve-wracking at the same time but it was amazing when contributions began to come in from friends, family, business colleagues and people we’ve never met.

“There were a whole range of contributions and people were just phenomenal in the way they supported us.

“We’re now looking forward to moving on and getting the rest of the funding organised and then we can achieve our dream of creating a new studio.

“It’s wonderful to know this long-awaited goal is now within our reach and we want to sincerely thank everyone who has helped us.”

Contributions to the appeal came in from all over the world including Qatar, Canada, Denmark, Greece, Chile, Germany and the United States.

The individual amounts donated ranged from £5 to £1,000 and some backers opted for the various perks available in return for funding.

These included having their names engraved on a glass plaque in the new studio, a whisky tasting evening and a day spent glass-blowing with the firm’s world-renowned Master Glassmaker Tom Young.

Angels’ Share Glass is run by Karen and Tom who has been making glass by hand using traditional methods for nearly 60 years.

He currently works out of a home workshop where he trains an apprentice but that unit is now too small to keep up with rising demand for the firm’s products.

The new studio and equipment, which will be housed at the firm’s headquarters in Bridge of Allan near Stirling, will mean more space to increase production and train a new generation of glassmakers to continue the company’s legacy.

Tom says: “It means a lot to me to know that – thanks to the amazing support from our local community and people much further afield – we can now create a new studio and have more space to work in.

“For me it will be a great help in terms of passing my glassblowing skills onto a new generation of young glassmakers so that we can keep the tradition alive.”

More information on Angels’ Share Glass can be found at www.angelsshareglass.com 

chandelier featuring whisky-filled drops

Notes:

Angels’ Share Glass is a family-run business based in Bridge of Allan, near Stirling. The firm is co-directed by Karen Somerville and her father Tom Young – a world-renowned Master Craftsman who has been glassblowing and making lamp-work glassware for 60 years. More information about the company can be found on the website at http://www.angelsshareglass.com/