BUCHAN Issue 75 December 2019, January, February BULLETIN and March 2020
Well what a busy year 2019 has been for Buchan Development Partnership and 2020 looks like it will be just as busy.
In addition to our work supporting groups, BDP and has worked with partners on local initiatives aimed at tackling child poverty and rural transport issues.
Looking forward to next year’s challenges, we are committed to continuing this worthwhile work, helping to make life a little bit easier for those who are, often through no fault of their own, struggling to make ends Inside this issue meet. Buchan in Bloom
BDP - How can we help After 34 years with the council, Buchan Area Events in Aden Country Park Manager Chris White is retiring. We’d like to take this opportunity to wish Chris all the best and thank him for Ardallie FC his unwavering support and encouragement. Shell Small Grants Community Shares Scotland Our Spring Forum will be held on 5 March 2020, venue Sunrise Partnership to be arranged. Paul Anderson - Community Volunteers Always Wanted Outreach Manager with the Scottish Parliament will FCC Scottish Action Fund be our guest. Beyond the Usual Suspects Aberdeenshire Third Sector Wishing you a Merry Christmas and Prosperous New Support Group Year. Mintlaw Men’s Shed
Production of the Diane, Leona & Alison Buchan Bulletin is kindly sponsored by Shell UK Ltd Buchan In Bloom
This year’s Buchan in Bloom was a nail Following the competition, Lorna Boyle, biting experience for many of the villages chairperson of Kininmonth and New that entered the competition. Leeds Community Group, explained that the group decided to get involved with A total of 17 villages entered the annual volunteering in the village to promote competition which was judged by community spirit, enhance the aesthetics representatives from Aden Allotments of the village and to enter the Buchan in and Buchan Development Partnership. Bloom Competition, she said: “The group gained a great deal from the Stuartfield has dominated the experience, as it brought the community competition for more than 10 years, together. impressing judges with their beautiful displays throughout the village, however the winners of the coveted title this year were New Leeds who wowed the judges with their quirky village romance themed displays and beautiful blooms.
Stuartfield were awarded second place, Hatton placed third and Old Deer were presented with the prize for the most improved village.
New Leeds were also awarded the Aberdeenshire Council award for biodiversity and were presented with a bench for the village. Everyone wanted to help and they enjoyed getting involved and feeling part of a team. The children especially enjoyed it. Everyone enjoyed seeing the village look so pretty and the icing on the cake was winning the Buchan in Bloom competition. Many people benefited from getting involved. Many retired villagers were involved and were always keen to help. Dog walkers were stopped in their tracks often to move a planter or
2 Buchan In Bloom help to lift something. They used to joke Lorna says the residents had such a that they weren’t safe to walk the streets fantastic experience preparing for the now without getting roped in to do competition and highly recommends something. You could tell they enjoyed it others take part, she added: “We would hough and were proud to be involved. definitely recommend other villages to get involved and embrace the opportunity to enter the Buchan in Bloom competition. It certainly changed the way we live our lives in New Leeds. People left their homes to walk round and see what was going on. We saw each other, we spoke to each other. Meaningful friendships have been made and the whole village got behind the competition and everyone has been thrilled to have won first prize.
People from other villages have visited us and have shared a lot of banter between us. It is a fantastic competition Even a resident who was receiving for bringing communities together.” cancer treatments said how being involved with us wifies and our flowers helped him take his mind off his illness. He felt having the village to focus on was a huge benefit to him. It was a real team effort and everyone has benefited from seeing the village looking good and enjoyed the banter associated with the work entailed.”
3 BDP - How can we help? Any not for profit community * Portable PA System organisation based in Buchan can apply to join Buchan Development An important part of our role is Partnership (BDP) and benefit from keeping groups informed and the support services we offer. connected through Facebook, the Individuals who share our aims are Buchan Bulletin and our Quarterly also welcome to apply to become forums. members. All our members receive a copy of Membership is free, so what are you the bulletin. We also circulate it waiting for? Get in touch for more throughout Buchan in libraries and information or to request a local shops. If you want copies to membership application form. Simply distribute in your area, or would like to email us at [email protected] place an article or advert in the bulletin please get in touch with any BDP can offer support with a range of member of the team. issues including: Our forums are a great way to find * Governance and Structure out really useful information from * Applying for Charity Status interesting presenters, and are an * Sourcing funding excellent opportunity to network with *Advice on completing applications other community minded people * Research and Consultation over a cup of tea and a fine piece. * Independent Examination of your Recent forums covered topics on Charity Account (for a small fee) Tackling Poverty and Inequalities, * Project development advice Insurance Essentials for Community Groups, Developer Obligations and We also have a bank of equipment energy saving advice from Resource (funded by Shell UK Ltd) that Efficient Scotland. Copies of some of community groups can borrow free the presentations are available on of charge including: request. Either ring on 01771 613584 * Projector and Screen or email [email protected] * Microphones and mike stands * Wireless Headset Systems * Wireless lapel Microphone
4 Events in Aden Country Park The Friends of Aden will host their BDP will be, once again, holding the popular Christmas Fayre in the Easter Eggstravaganza event in 2020. polytunnels on Sunday 1 December This excellent event will take place on from 11am - 3.30pm. Pop along and Sunday 12 April. Times and tickets will have a browse around the many be announced at a later date on stalls selling gift ideas, homeware, Facebook. jewellery, food and more. Santa will also be taking some time out of his We are excited to announce that we busy schedule to attend. are working with a number of groups from Mintlaw to organise a A good Christmas film is always celebration in the park to mark VE guaranteed get you into the festive day on May 8 2020. spirit, so BDP will be screening Elf on Sunday 8 December in the theatre. The day will be an opportunity to Tickets can be booked online at reflect on the joy felt that day by all www.neatshows.co.uk the people who lived through the worst of times, and also to remember Now is a good time to start planning those who fought for our country. for the Spring so we’d love for you to start collecting seeds for Seedy The event will feature live music, Sunday which will take place on family games and picnics as well as Sunday 15 March. For those of you an opportunity to mark the occasion who have never been to the event, and pay respect. Seedy Sunday is a fantastic gardening, food and drink festival BDP events are always lots of fun to held in the polytunnels. The festival volunteer at and volunteers are features stalls selling local produce, always treated to something to eat environmental agencies providing on the day. If you would like to help free information, local gardeners us with any events at Aden, please sharing tips and advice, and various get in touch as we rely on volunteers cooking demonstrations throughout to ensure the smooth running of the day. There will also be an events. For information on any of opportunity to pick up some free these events please visit the Aden seeds from our seed swop station. Country Park Facebook page.
5 Ardallie Football Club After 5 years, Ardallie football team After over a year of completing had their first home match on 31 applications, the total project cost of March 2019. £15,129 was raised through grants from Buchan Area Committee, Shell Following damage to its drainage, Small Grants, Ellon Rotary, Baxter the pitch flooded and fell into Foundation, and the National Lottery disrepair. After repairs were carried Awards for All. In addition to this Ian out in April 2018, the hard work Mackie and Jackie Cameron’s started to raise the funds needed to contributions to the project were reseed the pitch, extend the car park much appreciated. and erect new fencing. Chair John Finnie describes his project below. Once the work was completed, we wanted to have a special Official We have our own grounds, an Opening day to thank the funders for excellent Pavilion built in 2013 and a supporting our project and everyone very small car park. Our group has else for their hard work. So, on June been in existence since 1952, and the 16th we had a friendly match team has played in the North East between the existing team and Welfare league every year without former players. The match was missing a season, so we are delighted officially opened by ex-Scotland to play on our own grounds again. Manager, Craig Brown who entertained everyone with his In recent years, our local school, anecdotes. The match ended with a Church and Pub have all closed, so surprise 8 – 5 victory to the older guys. the pavilion and pitch were the only community facilities left in our area, BDP were delighted to support this so we were keen to preserve them for project and wish Ardallie Football future generations. Club all the best with their fantastic new facility. Raising money for the works was not easy, but we were determined to do it. We completed lots of applications for funding, and we had a few “No’s” along the way.
6 Shell Small Grants Shell UK Limited has strong ties with The grants can fund activities such as the communities who live close to Start-up costs for a new group, their sites. They support the equipment, training for group communities near to their UK members, encouraging active operations in a number of ways participation in your community and including providing small grants of up improvements to Community to £750 for activities that meet Facilities. community needs or address particular issues. Over the years 251 Buchan based groups have benefited from a total of The scheme is open to any £190,000 worth of funding towards a constituted community groups and wide range of projects. including community-run organisations in the * start up costs Buchan area. *sports projects *hall/building improvements, *the purchase of safety equipment, *noticeboards *creating garden spaces.
There are four rounds of funding throughout the year with deadlines of Consideration will be given to any mid February, May, August and project that can clearly demonstrate November. Groups can only submit it will improve the quality of life of one application per year. local people, will be of long term benefit and has wide community Application forms are available from support. Preference will be given to Buchan Development Partnership on projects where no other source of [email protected] or call 01771 613584. funding is available.
Applications from individuals, from groups not run by volunteers and for transport costs will not be considered under the grant scheme.
7 Community Shares Scotland What are Community shares? The harbour was at risk of being left to rot, but villagers saved it by raising Community Shares can be a great £350,000 to buy it. £125,000 of this way for the people in a community to was raised through Community invest in what matters to them. Since Shares. 2009, almost 100,000 people have invested over £100m in community With Community Shares Scotland shares to support 350 community (CSS) guidance, the local community businesses throughout the UK advertised the opportunity to buy including: pubs, shops, community shares to tourists and locals alike. In buildings, harbours, renewable just three weeks, 554 shareholders, energy initiatives, sports and buying shares for a minimum of £25 recreation projects and arts, cultural each, had raised enough money to and heritage. save the harbour.
Community members buy shares in Can any social enterprise offer enterprises providing goods and community shares? services that meet their community’s needs. In turn, the enterprise is owned Only Community Benefit Societies and managed the by the (CBS) or Cooperative Society’s can community. offer community shares, because these structures enable genuine community ownership.
Community Benefit Society’s exist to benefit the wider and collective interests of its community, with the profits reinvested back into the enterprise itself or into the local community. For social enterprises it provides a source of long-term patient risk capital which helps attract other forms of finance (grant, Case Study - Port Patrick harbour donations and debt) giving the
8 Community Shares Scotland enterprise a good chance of viability strong network of community and sustainability. organisations Scotland-wide.
What is in it for investors? They offer hands on support to guide communities through every step of Community shares don’t offer the the share offer process, and the prospect of capital gain. There is a Edinburgh-based team would be limit on the interest paid on share delighted to chat to you if you are capital, based on the principle that interested in learning more. interest should be no more than is sufficient to attract investment. So, Eligible organisations can also access investors will be people who share funded consultancy to help develop interests with the underlying purpose their business plan and share offer, of the society. and a grant to help promote their share offer within their community. Each shareholder only has one vote, no matter how many shares they buy. More information on the free support This key difference from other kinds of available to enterprises and investors ownership structures prevents large can be found here: investors from taking over. The share www.scotland.communityshares.org. capital can’t be transferred between uk/support people, but shareholders can withdraw their share capital (subject Community Shares Scotland is run on to terms and conditions that protect a day-to-day basis by James Proctor the society’s financial security). (Programme Manager) and Toby Sandison (Programme & About Community Shares Scotland Communications Officer).
This programme is funded by the Contact them on 0131 220 377. National Lottery Community Fund Scotland and the Scottish Government. It is delivered by the Development Trusts Association Scotland, affording access to a
9 Sunrise Partnership
Sunrise Partnership, a local charity “I didn’t think I would ever be able to providing free, confidential support to talk openly to anyone about my grief. children and young people who It just seemed far too difficult and felt have been affected by loss and easier to hide it. I did feel quite bereavement, were delighted to win nervous when I first started getting the best “Small Organisation of the support from Sunrise and I wasn’t sure Year” Award at the recent Celebrate that it was for me. Now I look Aberdeen Awards 2019. forward to meeting up with my support worker and talking about my Loss and bereavement can impact mum and dad. She doesn’t push me on children and young people both to say or do anything, she’s just there emotionally and physically, and our to listen when I do want to talk. I’ve aim is to help them to deal with this in made some really lovely craft things a healthy and positive way, by to keep, in memory of my parents. helping them understand what has The Grief Journal has been by far the happened and to find coping best thing to help me speak about strategies that work for them. my grief and my feelings. I will always miss my mum and dad, but I Our support is tailored for each child am learning to cope with things and can be offered on a one-to-one better now and I can see a future for or group basis. We do not operate a myself”. waiting list and children are seen very soon after referral. Support is not time For further information or to receive limited and continues for as long as it support, please contact: is required. Children can be seen in Sandra Baxter, Area Manager – school, at home, or within a local Aberdeenshire. Tel: 07539 186 669. community setting. We provide Email: shire@sunrisepartnership.org support to children and young peo- ple up to age 18 across the whole of Aberdeenshire as well as Aberdeen city.
Someone who has benefitted from our service have told us:
10 Volunteers Always Wanted
BDP works with so many wonderfully rewarding things you can do and inspiring groups who are running often leads to new friendships, public facilities, creating new gaining confidence, achieving new opportunities in the area and building skills and developing existing ones to resilient communities. name but a few benefits.
These groups are run by volunteers Many of the volunteers we work with who have worked tirelessly to are complete funding applications, source information, learn new skills, retired and come with a wealth of attend meetings and project knowledge, experience, ideas and manage - all in their spare time. skills however we are keen to encourage younger members of the Volunteers really are a credit to community to get on board, share themselves and the communities they the workload, offer additional skills work in and we’d be lost without and enthusiasm and have their them. Volunteers do these selfless voices heard. acts of kindness to make their communities a better place for Find our more by calling BDP on 01771 everyone to live in. They don’t 613584. necessarily have the time but they have the heart and drive to do it and they realise that if they don’t step up these invaluable facilities and opportunities could be lost for future generations.
Unfortunately though volunteers are in short supply and many volunteers who attend our forums sign in to the meetings representing more than 2 groups.
This year BDP are looking to recruit new volunteers to help deliver events in Aden and projects in Buchan. Volunteering is one of the most
11 FCC Scottish Action Fund
The FCC Scottish Action Fund interest which is a place of religious provides grants of between £2,000 worship, or a site of historic or and £40,000 to not-for-profit architectural or archaeological organisations for the following types interest and is open to the public. of projects eligible under Scottish Landfill Communities Fund (SLCF). All grants require applicants to secure a contributing third party (CTP) Land Reclamation (Object A) payment. This is a very specific The reclamation, remediation, payment required to be paid to the restoration or other operation on land landfill operator and should not be to facilitate economic, social or confused with match funding. environmental use. Who can you apply to? - The Register Community Recycling (Object B) of Approved Bodies lists all the Community based recycling, re-use organisations authorised to distribute and waste prevention projects. SLCF funds to projects that meet funding criteria. Projects can apply to Public Amenities and Parks (Object any of the currently Approved Bodies C) regardless of location and can apply To provide, maintain or improve a to any number of Approved Bodies, public park or other public amenity. but can only accept funding for a project or particular phase of a Biodiversity (Object D) project from one Approved Body. The conservation or promotion of Different Approved Bodies can fund biological diversity through the separate phases of the same project. provision, conservation, restoration or www.sepa.org.uk/media/219234/ enhancement of a natural habitat or register-of-approved-bodies.pdf the maintenance or recovery of a species in its natural habitat. Case Study – Buchanhaven Junior Football Club Spectator Railings Historic Buildings (Object E) Buchanhaven Junior Football club The maintenance, repair or replaced their 30-year-old steel restoration of a building, other spectator barriers and gates for new structure or a site of archaeological galvanised ones.
12 FCC Scottish Action Fund
In order to play in the Junior football Graeme Mackie, Chair of league, there had to be appropriate Buchanhaven Football Junior Football pitch perimeter protection. The club said “We cannot thank all the existing steel barrier, erected in 1996, organisations, funders and supporters was in very poor repair due to salt air enough for making this possible. Also corrosion. Despite numerous attempts we’d like to thank WREN and the to repair it over the years, it was in a FCC Communities Foundation, as state of total disrepair and was without their grant award replacing collapsing at points. The barriers were the barriers and gates in time for this becoming a safety issue so the season would simply not have been committee started a fundraising possible. This was important to us the campaign. club is a vital part of community life in Buchanhaven and more widely the Peterhead area.”
FCC Communities Foundation Grant Manager, Sophie Cade, says: “ We are delighted to have supported Buchanhaven Hearts JFC in making safe the pitchside perimeter spectator railings, we know that clubs like this play an important
They approached local companies and organisations for donations, and were successful in getting grant Awards from the Shell Small Grant Scheme and Scottish football Partnership. The group raised £7100 in total, but the majority of the funding for the project came from an application to WREN who operate the FCC Scottish Fund.
13 Beyond The Usual Suspects
Fundraising for the development and The guide entitled ‘Beyond the Usual ongoing management of your Suspects’ provides inspiration to help community asset will be a key part of you generate income which you can your early planning. If you haven’t use without the restrictions placed on done it before it can seem like a funds from grant giving bodies and daunting process. government.
Community Ownership Support BDP is delighted to welcome Service (COSS) has put together a Felix Spittal, an advisor with COSS, fantastic guide which aims to help along to our winter forum to give a you establish a funding package presentation on the work that COSS which encourages the inclusion and does and what the organisation can involvement of your community and offer communities in the way of sup- develops a sense of local ownership. port.
These are challenging fundraising A copy of Felix’s presention will be times and included in the guide are available from BDP after the event. suggestions for alternative methods of raising funds beyond the more For more information about the traditional grants and loans. The guide ‘Beyond the Usual Suspects’ guide visit takes you step by step through the dif- - ferent methods of raising funds from alternative sources, explains the ad- www.dtascommunityownership.org.uk vantages and disadvantages of each method, provides links to other sources of more detailed advice and information.
14 Aberdeenshire Third Sector Strategy Group Mintlaw Men’s Shed The Third Sector Strategy Group aims to Although we are still waiting for planning increase the involvement, influence and permission to allow us access to our contribution of the third sector in making premises in Aden, we have been busy Aberdeenshire a better place to live. with other things.
It aims to act as a gateway between We have done some more work in the Third Sector and the Local Authority, Mintlaw Academy’s Therapeutic ensuring that the Third Sector become Garden and enjoyed a group visit to involved in discussion at the start of the Aberchirder Men’s Shed which this year development of policies that affect the was the winner of the Scottish Men’s Third Sector and Communities, rather Shed of the Year Award. We had a than merely being the consultee at the great tour of their facilities, asked lots of end of the process. questions and came away with many ideas for ourselves. We have also been Currently, the group is a partnership invited to the Men’s Sheds at Ellon and between Aberdeenshire Council, the Peterhead. Third Sector Interface (Aberdeenshire Voluntary Action) and the Following our AGM in August, we now Aberdeenshire Rural Partnership have a full team of office bearers and Federation which has representation board members. Our monthly from all six Rural Partnerships. meetings have continued at the Buchan Indoor Bowling Club, and we The group recently produced its are very grateful to the management Strategy Document for the next three there for the use of their facilities in the years. For a copy or to find out more meantime. information about Aberdeenshire’s Third Sector Strategy Group please contact Men from Mintlaw and the surrounding Jacky Niven at [email protected]. area are very welcome to come along on the second Thursday of the month at 10.30am to enjoy some chat, tea and fellowship together.
Contact Sandy Thom (Chair) 01771 622912 if you are interested in coming along.
15 New Deer Public Hall Conversation Cafes Performances
We have a regular Maud programme of theatre Held every fortnight shows/films during the 9.30 am - 12.30pm year . Old Mart Resource Centre, Deer Road, Maud Please visit and like our Contact 01771 613962 for dates Facebook page for regular updates MACBI Last Monday of the month @NewDeerPublicHall 1pm -3pm Free Contact The Hub on 01771 624593 Tickets for shows/films are
available from the New Pitsligo Pharmacy 01771 644217 Fortnightly on Tuesdays and 1pm - 3pm Food For Thought 01771 The Community Hub 644366 New Pitsligo & St Johns School Further information from or by booking online at [email protected] www.neatshows.org.uk
BDP held their AGM and Autumn Forum at Stuartfield Hall on 18 September. The meeting was well attended and many people said how much fun it was. Many thanks to Resource Efficient Scotland for their informative and Interactive talk.
The evening saw Friends of Mintlaw Academy Rock Challenge receive a Shell Small Grant to help them make a storage container fit for keeping costumes, props and scenery in. Tammy Skinner of Shell UK Ltd made the award to Julie and Don Allan and Debbie Willox of the group. Buchan Development Partnership Maud Area Office, Nethermuir Road, Maud, Aberdeenshire, AB42 4ND 01771 613584 www.bdp.scot [email protected] facebook.com/Buchandevelopmentpartnership Buchan Development Partnership is a Company Limited by Guarantee and is a recognised Scottish Charity. Company No 240119 Scottish Charity No SCO34008