Our story so far

The key moments, decisions and people that have shaped The Wood Foundation from 2007 to today.

2007

Launch of The Wood Family Trust

Launched with a £50m commitment, the Trust begins its work with a focus on developing young people in Scotland, supporting livelihoods in Sub-Saharan Africa and creating opportunities for young people in the UK to volunteer overseas.
Get Into programme launches

The Wood Family Trust backs the launch of Get Into, an employability programme for young people that went on to support 622 participants over its initial three-year investment period.
2008

SCOTLAND

YPI Scotland launches

The Youth and Philanthropy Initiative begins in Scotland, going on to become a recognised part of school life and engage more than 390,000 young people.
Supporting the 14:19 Fund

The Wood Family Trust contributes to Inspiring Scotland’s 14:19 Fund, supporting long-term work with Scottish charities helping young people move towards more positive futures.
Backing young people to volunteer overseas

The Wood Family Trust invests in Project Trust, helping strengthen its capacity to support more young people to volunteer in developing countries.
2009

AFRICA

WFT Africa is registered

WFT Africa is formally registered as a Scottish charity, creating a dedicated structure for the Foundation’s work in Africa.
Chai launches in Tanzania

The Foundation begins its first major tea sector initiative in Tanzania, supporting smallholder farmers and working to strengthen the competitiveness of the industry.
YPI reaches more Scottish schools

In its second year, YPI expands across 25 schools, with young people in Edinburgh and Aberdeen taking part in the programme.
Positive Coaching Scotland begins

The Foundation supports the early roll-out of Positive Coaching Scotland, helping bring a more positive coaching culture into sport across the country.
2010

SCOTLAND

Enterprise Education pilot launches

Ellon and Kincorth Academies take part in a new pilot with Aberdeen City and Aberdeenshire Councils, exploring how enterprise education could support young people in and beyond school.
Bank of Scotland supports YPI

Bank of Scotland provides three-year support to help bring YPI to more schools across the greater Glasgow region.
2011

AFRICA

Imbarutso launches in Rwanda

A second major Africa project begins, with a $9m commitment to support tea farmers and strengthen Rwanda’s tea industry.
YPI recognised as a leader in citizenship education

An interim evaluation by York Consulting highlights YPI’s role in strengthening young people’s skills and connection to their local communities.
Chai shows early impact

Smallholder farmers see stronger returns from made tea, with profits per hectare increasing significantly between 2009 and 2011/12.
2012

SCOTLAND

Global Learning Partnerships begins

The Foundation launches Global Learning Partnerships, giving Scottish educators immersive professional learning through placements in Rwanda and Uganda.
Rwanda Tea Investments takes majority ownership

Through Rwanda Tea Investments, The Wood Foundation and Gatsby begin work with 12,000 smallholder farmers to transform Mulindi and Shagasha into farmer-owned tea businesses.
The Wood Foundation name is introduced

As its work grows in scale and profile, The Wood Family Trust becomes The Wood Foundation.
2014

SCOTLAND

New science and engineering facilities at Albyn School

The Wood Foundation contributes £400,000 towards new science and engineering facilities at Albyn School.
2014

Njombe Greenfield is launched in Tanzania

A $44m investment to construct Kabambe Tea Factory and the Njombe Outgrowers Services Company (NOSC) which will plant out 2500 hectares of smallholder tea, with Unilever developing 1000 hectares of estate.
The Wood Foundation Africa name is introduced

WFT Africa becomes The Wood Foundation Africa, reflecting the growing focus and structure of the Foundation’s work across the continent.
Chai receives a five-year extension

Continued support from The Wood Foundation allows Chai to enter its next stage, strengthening Tanzania’s tea sector and improving outcomes for smallholder farmers.
Supporting science and technology at Robert Gordon’s College

A £2.25m donation from The Wood Foundation supports a major new science and technology teaching facility at Robert Gordon’s College.
Unilever joins the mission in Rwanda

The Wood Foundation Africa’s work in Rwanda expands with Unilever, supporting new smallholder tea farmers in the Southern Highlands.
2015

SCOTLAND

Opportunity North East is established

Backed by a 10-year £64m commitment from The Wood Foundation, ONE is established to help diversify North-east Scotland’s economy.
Investment in primary science education

The Foundation commits £900,000 over three years to support better science teaching and learning in primary schools.
The Wood Foundation Centre is officially opened

HRH Princess Anne opens The Wood Foundation Centre for Science and Technology, marking a major investment in STEM education.
2016

SCOTLAND

RAiSE begins as a pilot

Created with support from The Wood Foundation and Education Scotland, RAiSE begins work to strengthen STEM learning in primary schools.
2016

2016 Nyaruguru Greenfield is launched in Rwanda

A $100 million investment to build the Kibeho and Munini Tea Factories and establish the Services Company Outgrowers Nyaruguru North and South (SCONN and SCONS). Together, they will provide finance, agronomy support, and production logistics for more than 7000 new smallholder farmers.
YPI reaches 200 secondary schools

The Wood Foundation’s YPI programme grows to 210 schools, involving 26,000 pupils and directing £630,000 to charities across Scotland.
ONE helps secure City Region Deal funding

With The Wood Foundation’s support, ONE plays an important role in securing £210m of innovation funding through the Aberdeen City Region Deal.
Supporting paediatric surgery in Africa

The Wood Foundation supports the development of three paediatric operating theatres in Malawi and Tanzania.
2017

SCOTLAND

YPI reaches every Scottish local authority

YPI, led by The Wood Foundation, reaches schools in all 32 Scottish local authorities for the first time.
Rugabano Greenfield launched in Rwanda

A $47m investment that would establish the Rugabano Tea Factory and the Rugabano Outgrowers Services Company (ROS), enabling the planting of 4000 hectares of smallholder tea and providing finance, agronomy support, and production logistics for 12,000 new smallholder farmers.
2018

SCOTLAND

The Lady Helen Parking Centre opens

A £10.75m donation from The Wood Foundation funds a new multi-storey car park at Aberdeen Royal Infirmary.
RAiSE evaluation shows teacher confidence growing

Evaluation by the University of Glasgow highlights the impact of RAiSE, supported by The Wood Foundation, on primary teachers’ confidence in science education.
2019

SCOTLAND

Excelerate investment begins in Aberdeenshire

The Wood Foundation introduces Excelerate in four pioneer schools, supporting new approaches to learning, culture and collaboration.
TWFA takes a co-majority stake in Gisovu, Pfunda, and Rugabano Tea Factories with Luxmi Tea

TWFA takes a co-majority stake in Pfunda, Gisovu, and Rugabano tea factories through Silverback Tea Company. Once fully developed the three majority-smallholder supplied gardens will produce over 15 million kilos of premium made tea.
TWFA invests in Transmara Sugar Company in Kenya

TWFA provides Transmara Sugar Company with a $3.15m loan and $500K grant to train and plant out 3500 Hectares of sugar cane with 4000 farmers.
2021

SCOTLAND

Energy Transition Zone is established

Supported by The Wood Foundation, ETZ Ltd is created to help drive North-east Scotland’s energy transition ambition.
North East Wellbeing Fund opens

The Foundation establishes a new fund to support young people and local organisations as communities recover from the effects of lockdown.
ONE receives further investment

The Wood Foundation commits a further £33m to ONE, extending its support for regional economic diversification through to 2026.
Global Learning Partnership reaches 100 teachers

The Foundation’s Global Learning Partnerships network continues to grow, with more than 100 teachers sharing learning despite the pause in international travel.
YPI continues to grow

More than 250 secondary schools take part in The Wood Foundation’s YPI programme, a 25% increase from five years earlier.
2022

AFRICA

Mulindi tea factory becomes smallholder-owned

The Wood Foundation Africa and Gatsby Africa hand over shares in Mulindi and Shagasha, making the businesses fully owned by smallholder farmers.
TWFA enters the vanilla sector

The Wood Foundation Africa becomes a co-majority shareholder in Enimiro Products Uganda Limited, working with 3,000 smallholder farmers, and marking its first work in vanilla and in Uganda.
2022

TWFA and Gatsby exit Mulindi factory handing over business to 5000 farmers

This makes it the first 100% smallholder owned tea factory in Rwanda, with annual revenues exceeding $10m
Sugar cane research concludes

The Wood Foundation Africa concludes its smallholder sugar cane action research project in Kenya, informing future thinking on sector-based livelihoods work.
2023

SCOTLAND

ONE BioHub opens in Aberdeen

Supported by The Wood Foundation’s long-term investment in ONE, the £40m BioHub opens at Foresterhill to support life sciences innovation.
TWFA acquires another tea factory

As part of the deal the business will plant out 1,250 hectares of additional smallholder tea bringing 2,500 additional smallholder farmers into the tea value chain.
2024

AFRICA

Tea planting begins at new Rwandan factory

Tea planting begins at a Rwandan factory acquired by The Wood Foundation Africa the previous year.
2024

TWFA takes a co-majority stake in Nshili Kivu Tea Factory
2025

Sir Ian Wood steps back as Chair

Sir Ian Wood steps back as Chair of The Wood Foundation after 18 years, remaining closely connected as Founder and President.
2025

ONE SeedPod opens

The Wood Foundation’s investment in ONE supports the opening of SeedPod, a £27m food and drink innovation hub at SRUC Craibstone.
2025

RAiSE concludes

RAiSE, supported by The Wood Foundation, concludes with a Glasgow event bringing together more than 100 people from across Scotland.
2026

SCOTLAND

Excelerate concludes

The Wood Foundation’s Excelerate programme concludes, following work with schools to explore new approaches to learning and school culture.
2026

TWFA takes a co-majority stake in Mushubi Tea Factory

In partnership with Rwanda Mountain Tea, Mushubi will plant 1000 hectares of additional smallholder tea bringing 2000 smallholder farmers into the tea value chain.

See where the Foundation's work is today

The milestones above have shaped how The Wood Foundation works now - through long-term programmes, partnerships and investments across Scotland and Africa.