A GREENOCK social enterprise company has received a major cash boost from a supermarket.

Trade Right International (TRI), which supports ex-offenders, has received a £95,750 loan from Asda.

The supermarket uses the money paid by customers for carrier bags to help organisations who otherwise would find it difficult to access funding.

TRI supports people who have been involved in crime and recovering addicts by working in partnership with rehabilitation services and the Scottish Prison Service at Greenock jail.

Chief executive, Trev Gregory, said they work closely with women ‘collectives’ in Ghana, using unrefined shea butter from them to make a range of beauty products at TRI’s manufacturing facility at the prison.

He said: “Our production process is staffed with prisoners reaching the end of their prison terms, and recovering addicts from a nearby rehabilitation centre as part of programmes working to re-introduce these individuals back into society and the world of work.”

Profits are re-invested into the business or into development work in the communities they trade with in Ghana.

Mr Gregory says the loan will make a huge difference.

He told the Tele: “This loan will allow us to expand the business and scale up operations, allowing more people to benefit both in Greenock and Ghana.

“This investment symbolises the growing demand for ethical products from consumers, and represents an acknowledgement that businesses can achieve significant social, ethical, and sustainable good.”