LAST year’s Scottish Design Agency of The Year – Form Digital – has announced a new charity initiative called the Octopus Fund to celebrate their 8th year in business. The Octopus Fund is a generous £20,000 pro-bono pot of design and branding support that’s being allocated to groundbreaking community and third sector recipients across Aberdeen and Glasgow.
The new initiative created by multi-award-winning agency Form Digital, aims to make a positive impact on local communities by providing brand, print, and digital support to historic organisations that need support to empower and uplift their marketing efforts.
After a call for entries earlier this year which saw over 50 organisations apply for the fund, Form has selected a number of third sector organisations to benefit from their inaugural support. These include Glasgow’s iconic Govanhill Baths Community Trust, the Pyramid at Anderston, local radio station Sunny G, and social enterprise the Big Cran. Alongside Aberdeen non-profit WeToo! and the Gathimba Edwards Foundation.
Form Digital, has racked up an impressive 34 awards since 2014 and work with clients including the impressive Tartan exhibition to mark V&A Dundee’s fifth anniversary, Glenmorangie, Glenrothes Whisky, Atholl Estates, Six by Nico, TAQA & Finn Thomson Whisky to name a few.
Guided by ideas and feedback from their acclaimed charity work, the modern creative agency’s goal is to establish a long-lasting legacy for historic projects within the cities they serve. With offices in both Aberdeen and Glasgow, Form Digital, specialises in visual identity and design, and by donating their time and talent they hope to give back to these deserving communities and the people that operate within them.
The inaugural recipients for the Octopus Fund in Glasgow are:
- Govanhill Baths Community Trust – An iconic institution in Glasgow, Govanhill Baths Community Trust has been a symbol of community spirit for years. Form Digital will collaborate with them to enhance their brand and digital presence, ensuring their mission reaches a broader audience. More information about Govanhill Baths Community Trust can be found at https://www.govanhillbaths.com/
- The Pyramid at Anderston Committed to building community wealth and wellbeing from its iconic building, The Pyramid at Anderston provides a huge range of activities, events and support. Form Digital will assist them in developing their brand and promoting their work, allowing them to reach a wider audience and create a lasting impact in their community. To learn more about The Pyramid at Anderston, please visit www.thepyramid.scot
- Sunny G Radio – A local community radio station, Sunny G Radio plays a vital role in providing a voice to underrepresented communities. Form Digital will collaborate with Sunny G Radio to revitalise their digital presence, enabling them to connect with their listeners more effectively. Further information about Sunny G Radio can be found at https://www.sunnyg.org/
- The Big Cran – As an innovative social enterprise, The Big Cran supports local businesses and entrepreneurs in Glasgow. Form Digital will work closely with The Big Cran to develop their brand identity and create a compelling digital presence, empowering them to drive positive change in the community. For more details about The Big Cran, visit https://bigcranco.co.uk/
In addition to Glasgow, Form Digital is extending its support to Aberdeen-based organisations through the Octopus Fund. The selected recipients in Aberdeen are:
- WeToo! – A nonprofit organisation dedicated to empowering survivors of domestic abuse, WeToo! will receive branding and digital support fromForm Digital. This partnership aims to raise awareness about their crucial work and strengthen their outreach efforts. To learn more about WeToo!, please visit https://www.wetoo.org.uk/
- Gathimba Edwards – Committed to transforming lives in Kenya, Gathimba Edwards Foundation is a charity that focuses on providing education, shelter, and support to vulnerable children. Form Digital will collaborate with them to enhance their marketing efforts, enabling them to make an even greater impact. Further information about Gathimba Edwards can be found at https://gathimbaedwardsfoundation.org/
Cameron Fraser, Managing Director Form Digital, said:
“Eight years in business is a massive milestone for us and we wanted to mark this occasion by giving back in the communities where we’re based. We have been truly inspired by the people we’ve met along this journey, the people involved in these organisations are truly selfless and donate so much of their time and energy to making their programmes and initiatives a success.
Fraser continued: “We’ve been lucky to really be able to spend time with them to understand the organisation itself and the potential areas which we can help with. This was a key aspect to delivering the Octopus Fund and didn’t want to appear to come at the projects purely from an aesthetic perspective and truly deliver something that would be of value to the organisations we work with rather than something that would have a shelf life.
“This is an extremely exciting time for both organisations as they look to revitalise buildings which have such a prominent place in Glasgow’s community and we are so delighted to play a small part in those coming to life.”
Fatima Uygun, Govanhill Baths Community Trust manager, said:
“We are absolutely delighted to have been chosen to receive support from the Octopus Fund. Form Digital’s Octopus Fund is a fantastic initiative and a great opportunity for us. It’s not everyday that a local charity gets to work with an award winning world class company!”
