Granite Heart Annual Review launched at Cults shop opening
Granite Heart has published its first Annual Review, telling the story of how an idea shared between a small group of friends grew into a thriving charity supporting communities across Aberdeen and Aberdeenshire.
First Year of Giving Back
The review, Our First Year of Giving Back, looks back at Granite Heart’s first 18 months, from its establishment in June 2024 through to the end of 2025, and tells the stories of some of the volunteers, supporters and local organisations behind the charity.
During that period, Granite Heart opened its first charity shop in Westhill and launched its grant programme, while generating almost £138,000 in income. By the end of December 2025, it had welcomed more than 14,000 customers, sold more than 31,000 donated items, attracted 104 volunteers who contributed more than 10,000 hours, and awarded £11,778 in grants to 31 local organisations.
Awarded £36,000 in grants!
Since then, the charity’s impact has continued to grow rapidly. Granite Heart has now awarded almost £36,000 in grants to 99 local charities, voluntary organisations and community groups across Aberdeen and Aberdeenshire.
The publication of the Annual Review comes just days after Granite Heart opened its second charity shop, in Cults – its first within Aberdeen City. The new shop opened on Saturday 26th September and received a fantastic response from the local community, with a busy opening weekend and an exceptionally warm welcome from local residents.
Christopher Parkes, Chair and Co-Founder of Granite Heart, said:
“When Granite Heart began, we had no shop, no income and no certainty that the idea would work. What we did have was a small group of people who believed we could create something positive for our local communities.
“When Granite Heart began, we had no shop, no income and no certainty that the idea would work. What we did have was a small group of people who believed we could create something positive for our local communities.
Our first Annual Review is really the story of what happened when other people began believing in that idea too. Volunteers gave thousands of hours of their time, people donated wonderful items, customers supported our shop and local organisations trusted us to help fund their work.
Opening our 2nd Shop in Cults
The result is something I don’t think any of us could have imagined when we started.
Opening our second shop in Cults last weekend feels like the perfect way to begin the next chapter. The welcome and response from the Cults community has been extraordinary. Every item donated and every purchase made in our shops ultimately helps us give more money back to local organisations across Aberdeen and Aberdeenshire.”
Opening our second shop in Cults last weekend feels like the perfect way to begin the next chapter. The welcome and response from the Cults community has been extraordinary. Every item donated and every purchase made in our shops ultimately helps us give more money back to local organisations across Aberdeen and Aberdeenshire.”
Granite Heart’s Annual Review also puts some of the people behind the numbers at the centre of the story, including volunteers and Trustees as well as organisations that have received funding.
Among those featured are SensationALL, where a Granite Heart grant supported dedicated soft-play sessions for children and young people with neurodivergent conditions or additional support needs; Castle Street Coffee CIC in Huntly, whose grant helped create opportunities for young people at its Youth Shed; and Hearts for Jude, where Granite Heart funding contributed towards cardiac screening for seven young people.
Supporting local communities
Christopher added:
“Our purpose hasn’t changed. We want to raise as much money as we sustainably can and put it back into the communities that support us. The Annual Review is as much a thank you to our volunteers, donors, customers and supporters as it is a record of what Granite Heart has achieved.”
“Our purpose hasn’t changed. We want to raise as much money as we sustainably can and put it back into the communities that support us. The Annual Review is as much a thank you to our volunteers, donors, customers and supporters as it is a record of what Granite Heart has achieved.”
The “Granite Heart Annual Review 2024–2025 – Our First Year of Giving Back” is available to read here – Granite Heart Annual Review 2024 2025 – Our First Year of Giving Back
