Dumfries-based homeless support charity, SHAX, recently announced a significant change with the retirement of Joyce Harkness after 10 years of dedicated service. The charity has appointed Colin Callander-Bone as its new social enterprise manager following Harkness’ retirement. Established in 2012 and located at The Crichton, SHAX provides support to individuals and families in Dumfries and Galloway facing crisis due to poverty and homelessness. The charity offers emergency starter packs with home essentials for homeless individuals and those in temporary accommodation.
SHAX is primarily self-funded through the sale of donated quality pre-loved furniture, household items, and clothing at its premises. During her tenure, Joyce Harkness, who has had a 25-year career in the third sector, led the team at SHAX to support over 3,500 local people in crisis, providing experience and qualifications to 240 volunteers and work placements. Impressively, 50 individuals transitioned to employment, while 10 moved into other positive destinations. Additionally, the charity diverted over 750 tonnes of waste from landfill through various reuse, recycle, and repurpose initiatives.
Joyce Harkness successfully secured nearly £885,000 in grant funding and £226,662 in employability funding, alongside increasing donations and retail sales to £1.075 million, ensuring a sustainable future for SHAX. From initially being volunteer-only, SHAX has grown into an award-winning charity with 12 staff members, nine of whom progressed from volunteering or work placement roles. Under Joyce’s leadership, the charity also provided more than 30 placements for unemployed young people through initiatives like Community Jobs Scotland and Kickstart.
SHAX has achieved several accolades under Joyce’s management, including being the first organisation in the region to receive the Volunteer Friendly Award in 2019 and more recently, the prestigious Investing in Volunteers accreditation. Colin Callander-Bone, the new manager at SHAX, brings a wealth of experience from his previous role as home shopping manager at Tesco Extra Dumfries for 12 years. He aims to continue the charity’s vital work, supporting the local community and minimizing landfill.
Colin expressed his gratitude for Joyce’s achievements and committed to maintaining SHAX’s services and relationships with donors, partners, and supporters. He highlighted the importance of improving the working conditions and retail experience at SHAX to enhance the day-to-day operations for staff, volunteers, and customers. The charity looks forward to continued success under Colin’s leadership, building on its established foundations and expanding its impact in the community.