A new retail outlet, helping young people in Peebles turn the produce they’ve grown into food they can sell and preparing them for the world of work, is proving a hit with customers.
The Leaven Deli in Newby Court is the latest project spearheaded by PeeblesCAN, a social enterprise created in 2011.
With a 12-strong team of staff and trainees, the shop produces a range of value-added breads, soups, sandwiches and cakes and, next month, it will launch a home-delivery service.
Sophia Nicholson, PeeblesCAN’s food co-ordinator, said: “Since we started four years ago, our community garden, local food market and food waste project have all been very successful.
“We also run a youth enterprise project which, thanks to funding from Community Jobs Scotland [CJS], has allowed us to employ five young people.
“Earlier this year we decided a deli would help us generate an income to keep the youth project running, and it, too, has been a great success.”