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The Ootsider awarded £40,000 funding to help the homeless
Scottish outdoor-clothing manufacturer The Ootsider is to increase its help for the homeless, after being awarded a grant of £40,000 from social-enterprise charity, Firstport.
The Ootsider, a Livingston-based community-interest company, successfully applied to Firstport’s ‘Build It’ funding programme for the maximum amount.
The Ootsider produces changing robes and coats of the type that are popular with wild swimmers and equestrians, as well as bespoke coats for wheelchair users. All net income is invested into making coats which convert into sleeping bags, to be donated to vulnerable, homeless people living on the streets. So far, 300 coats have been provided.
It has to date relied on volunteers, in its goal to reduce the vulnerability and risk of rough sleeping, through donating its protective garments.
Boosted by the funding, the company will now be able to fund one full-time and one part-time position, as it accelerates its growth plans over the next 12 months.
Founder, John Keogh, devised The Ootsider concept after a chance encounter with a homeless man on Glasgow’s Buchanan Street in December 2021.
Commenting on the funding award, John said: “This will make a genuine difference to how we operate, and more importantly, to those sleeping rough on the streets.
“We have been relying on the goodwill of so many people to get to where we are, but this is a game changer for us and will allow us to put so many plans into place.
“These include updating the approach to manufacturing and distribution to operate at increased volumes, developing more collaboration arrangements with partners and delivering more fundraising events.”
The Firstport initiative aims to help early-stage social enterprises with a track record of trading and social impact, which need funded resource and support to take the business to the next level of financial sustainability.

Image: The Ootsider