An Aberdeen woman who started a breast cancer charity after the disease claimed her sister’s life was “gobsmacked” when the family-run enterprise won a top national prize.
Maggie Lenahan co-founded Bosies after her older sister was diagnosed with terminal cancer and she runs the charity alongside her daughter Debbie.
All proceeds go towards research into the disease at Aberdeen Royal Infirmary.
Bosies began with a small shop on Justice Street in 2010, before expanding next door to sell furniture and white goods the following year.
Last year a third store was opened a couple of doors up, on the corner looking out onto the Castlegate.
Mrs Lenahan, who is a breast cancer survivor after having a double mastectomy at the age of 45, has now triumphed at Scotland’s Business Awards in Glasgow.
She said: “We’re thrilled to bits because it’s a family charity. It means so much to us, we were gobsmacked.
“It’s made all the hard work and effort everyone has put in worth it.”
Mrs Lenahan hopes the recent recognition will help Bosies get the attention of the business sector in Aberdeen.
After nine years, the charity has had very little corporate help.
But Arnold Clark has become the first major firm to lend a hand – buying and fitting new shops signs and transporting volunteers to the awards ceremony in Glasgow last week.
Mrs Lenahan added: “This has all been done off our own back so far.
“We paid for everything ourselves when we started and our costs are only going up with our third shop.
“It would be nice now we’re charity of the year if one of the big oil firms would come along and help us.”