BOOSTING MORAY’S ECONOMY has led to a private school becoming the winners of the coveted top local business award.
At the Moray Chamber of Commerce annual awards on Friday, the efforts of Gordonstoun School to boost the local economy was recognised when it received an award that had previously been won by local industry leaders such as Johnston’s of Elgin and Buckie’s Parklands nursing home.
The school, employer of 306 people and with nearly 600 pupils aged between seven and 18-years-old, had a gross turnover £17.8million – with exports accounting for £7million of that total.
Receiving the school’s prize at the awards in Elgin’s Mansfield Hotel was the school’s principal, Simon Reid, and director of finance, Hugh Brown.
Mr Reid said that not many people in Moray were even aware that the school employed over 300 people – all of whom live in Moray. He added: “We use local suppliers whenever we can – including investment in capital projects and outside suppliers.”
Mr Reid added that the school’s contribution to Moray was not just an economic one, pointing out that it was the Gordonstoun ethos that their students gave back to the community: “We works as part of the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service and Coastguard Service locally while the schools facilities are used by many outside groups.”
While around 33% of Gordonstoun pupils are from Scottish families, the same number are from other parts of the UK while the remainder are sent to the school from throughout the world. Only 10% of pupils at Gordonstoun live in the immediate area, the remainder are boarders.