Based in Forth Valley, Braveheart SCIO is a well-established charity focused on improving public health and wellbeing through community-based interventions. From walking groups to wellbeing courses, its services are designed to promote active ageing and reduce health inequalities.
But one of its most vital services tackles a surprisingly overlooked issue: toenail care.
For many older or disabled people, basic foot care such as cutting their toenails becomes difficult or impossible to manage. Yet this essential task is no longer available on the NHS for most people unless they have specific medical conditions. Left untreated, overgrown toenails can lead to pain, infection and reduced mobility. In turn, this can increase social isolation, reduce confidence, and create knock-on effects for other aspects of health and wellbeing.
To address this growing gap, Braveheart created Top Toes, a low-cost, volunteer-led toenail cutting service operating across Forth Valley. By training local people to deliver the service and offering appointments in accessible community settings, they provided a simple but effective way to help people stay mobile, independent and well.
By 2023, however, the service was under increasing pressure.
Too Much Demand, Too Few Resources
Top Toes had proved to be a lifeline for many, but the model was becoming unsustainable. The number of people requesting appointments continued to grow, but there weren’t enough volunteers to meet demand. At the same time, the service was struggling to generate the income needed to keep going long term.
Like many social enterprises trying to meet a clear community need, Braveheart was caught between its social mission and the financial realities of delivering the service. Without support to rethink the model, the team knew the service could be at risk.
That’s when they turned to Just Enterprise.
Specialist Advice, Tailored Support
Braveheart was already familiar with the Just Enterprise programme and made an enquiry for support focused specifically on the Top Toes service. An initial in-person meeting was arranged to clarify the issues and determine what kind of help would be most useful.
Generic business advice and off-the-shelf solutions would clearly fall short of the type of support required to successfully turn things around for such a unique service. Our business adviser was able to bring in specialist knowledge of the sector, help the team explore different options, and provide a fresh pair of eyes at a critical moment. They worked closely with both staff and board members, taking the time to understand Braveheart’s values, their service delivery model, and the operational challenges the team was facing.
Clear Recommendations and Practical Tools
Together, the adviser and the Braveheart team developed a sustainability plan designed to protect and strengthen the Top Toes service. This included:
- New volunteer recruitment pathways, with clearer messaging and better support
- Improved financial modelling, giving the organisation a better grasp of costs and income
- A more strategic approach to stakeholder engagement, particularly with NHS and local authority contacts
- A planning template that helped turn ideas into manageable, structured steps
The support was comprehensive but focused. Rather than trying to do everything at once, the adviser helped Braveheart prioritise the actions that would make the biggest difference. This brought clarity and focus at a time when capacity was stretched.
Building Confidence and Gaining Momentum
Change didn’t happen overnight, but the impact of the support was felt quickly.
Volunteer recruitment improved, thanks to clearer messaging and support structures. Staff and board members were able to work more effectively together, with greater alignment around what needed to change and why. Braveheart also began to explore new opportunities to extend the service into neighbouring areas, supported by stronger planning and a more confident outlook.
A Service on Stronger Footing
Today, Top Toes has become a sustainable service. One that represents what can be achieved when communities come together to solve problems. Whilst improved internal processes have put the organisation on a steadier footing, the true measure of success is every person who can now walk safely, every family member who worries less, and every volunteer who finds purpose in service.
In many ways, Top Toes represents all that is powerful about social enterprise – people focused, practical solutions delivered with care.
In a sector where funding is limited and community needs are rising, the story of Top Toes shows what’s possible when tailored support meets local commitment. With help from Just Enterprise, Braveheart has not only safeguarded a much-needed service but also built the capacity to make it thrive.
Testimonial
“The support we received has helped our organisation to review the Top Toes service and to be clear about actions to be taken to improve income generation. The approach included bringing board and staff together to review the issues and consider solutions collaboratively.
The main areas of focus were development planning, income generation, volunteer recruitment, full cost recovery, and funding. The clear understanding and business support was very helpful and valuable to the organisation, and we achieved some measure of success in volunteer recruitment.
Overall, the support has assisted the organisation in many ways to take an objective view of the Top Toes service and to better understand and consider what changes need to be made to establish long-term sustainability.”