Pitmedden and 2010 Beautiful in Bloom

The next 15 pages outline the progress of the Udny and entry and our aspirations and plans for the coming year. Pitmedden and Udny Green Looking back to measure progress Last year we said we improve the park in Bloom schools with completing planting of beech competition starting this year. hedging. Despite some vandalism by The PUT community composting older people who really should ave project has acquired 3 polytunnels of a known better, we have planted and commercial size with a view to completed the planting. expanding the community use and We said we would improve fencing and creating a financially sustainable project despite the management difficulties with based on using the compost. The the Council, we have compost itself is now of a improved the fences and PAS 100 equivalent and we removed older, faulty will be testing for all metals areas. and toxins again to ensure I Our plans for the Park stays that way. have taken the step We have set about forward with designs for improving the southern play equipment and the preparation of a entrance to Pitmedden ( a switch of National Lottery Bid. However, Council priority from Udny Green) with new funding difficulties mean the re- flower beds and created a larger planted arrangement of the car park will go area in a former grass desert in from of more slowly than anticipated. But we an elevated row of cottages call St will continuing to work towards creating Medden’s terrace. a village centre. Our community has invested in a wind We prepared to improve the park by turbine as we indicated last year. This putting in new drainage need for both social enterprise has raised 1.5 million the car park plan and better play areas. pounds in grants and loans to fund a The drove road project has identified 77metre tall 850kw generator. This will both funding and plans are progressing bring major income into the village for with agreements on access now in place community projects, environmental around Cloisterseat Croft and tentative improvements and energy saving agreements on a path route to Udny measures. Green. The projects to be funded are a long New seating in Udny Green and way from being firmly decided yet, but improved planting. the turbines is set to be ordered and We have involved the children more and construction in late summer of 2011. both schools are entering the Pitmedden and Udny Green

The Drove road project - a connecting path to the Formartine and way - part of the national cycle network.

The project sees a new path, cleared levelled and surface with possible shelters and floral, fruit planting along its length. It will link with the path network to and a future project to develop a safer cycle and footpath to Udny Green. Pitmedden and Udny Green Drove Road A lot of clearing and planning work Pitmedden and Udny Green

New planted path to Cloisterseat already done... Pitmedden and Udny Green Wood RecyclAbility As Part of the Community in Udny Around Pitmedden and Udny Green we have an award winning social business project.

Wood RecyclAbility provides meaningful employment in a realistic workshop environment for 45 adults with learning difficulties and minor physical disabilities. In order to provide this service thy accept deliveries or collects clean uncontaminated wood and pallets for recycling. In 2007 they processed more than 2500 tonnes of wood which would otherwise have gone to landfill.

Where possible the wood is remanufactured into a wide range of garden furniture, planters, fence panels, etc or protective habitats for most furry or feathered wild animals. Wood which cannot be used for this purpose is sold to DIY enthusiasts or shredded and sent off to be made into floorboards for the building industry. We are also investigating the use of our chipped wood as a carbon neutral fuel. Pitmedden and Udny Green

The Pitmedden Udny Tarves Community Co- operative (or PUT as it is known locally) is one of of that main driving forces by which the Community has got things done locally. Co-operative covers the two communities of Udny and the Community of Tarves. The PUT co-operative is a funds for sustaining the not-for-profit social project and improving local Set up nearly four years business. Part of its aims is amenity. ago it is composting green to use accumulated funds to garden waste to produce a encourage community Currently PUT provides a high quality soil improver action locally and has been polytunnel for bringing on to the equivalent of PAS instrumental in encouraging both annuals and perennials 100 standard. Nearly 250 the entry into beautiful for the floral displays. But tonnes will be processed Scotland in Bloom. also use this for testing the this season. All of the growing medium of the Community's flower beds, PUT has recently acquired compost with vegetables as hanging baskets and tubs three former commercial a demonstration. use the compost from polytunnels to add to its PUT. existing Community The site for composting is polytunnel as part of a at Mill of Allathan Quarry Compost from PUT has project to extend the use of which serves both also been used to fill the compost produced at Pitmedden and Udny flower tubs and so displace PUT. A business plan is in Green. Besides making in many neighbouring preparation. compost it also has a villages, encouraging them recently planted community to compost for themselves Part of the project will be orchard utilising the steep in , , to allow community ground around the quarry. , , allotments under In time it will provide , , and polytunnel as well as to pleasant landscaping for the . encourage community project while being effort to grow vegetables productive. and produce for sale within our community, raising Pitmedden and Udny Green Pitmedden and Udny Green

Community Litter Pick

On the 17th April we started with a Community litter pick. Over 40 people attended including well- equipped people to clear out the red or fechel Burn where it flows through the village.

This year, First School organised a large contingent for her clear-up day on there 17th but also undertook a systematic litter pick of the main Community Park over today's during there following week.

10 people were recruited for the litter initiative. The various areas around the village are now kept clear by people looking after their own small ar- ea on a regular basis. Ali provided reflective jackets instructions and a litter picker for each participant of the scheme.

Even a pile of house bricks, found dumped by the litter pick team were sold for re-cycling. Where there’s muck there’s brass as they say !! Pitmedden and Udny Green

Planting bulbs and getting involved

This year we have taken the planting total for bulbs to the 40,000 mark.

Spring is an important time of year for the community in Udny. A strong show of colour in the spring was a definite objective of the community groups.

This year, local girl guides got stuck in by planting thousands on the walk between Pitmedden and Cloisterseat Croft (Wood Recyclability) to link with the proposed new Drove Road Walk project.

We had worked with the Council to get a new path which ran from Udny Post Office up to Wood Recyclability. Many of those who work at Cloisterseat Croft have learning difficulties and it was a dangerous walk along a busy main road. The new path needed brightening up and therefore this was our priority planting area.

Wood Recyclability is a social business which helps clients with learning disability. It not only recycles and make things from used wood but also trains people in polytunnel gardens and a willow plantation. They have provided a number of the planters and displays around the community. Pitmedden and Udny Green Udny Green Eco School

Udny Green Primary school has been particularly successful in gain awards in the Eco Schools Program. The school has a section of native woodland garden which it uses for outdoor teaching of natural science. It has installed bat and bird boxes and takes children to monitor special water vole sites locally. Udny Green school has created a small water pond which has naturally attracted wildlife including frogs. The grounds are litter picked and maintained by the children. The school, alongside Pitmedden primary school has an allotment in the old walled garden at Udny Castle which is the historic house and grounds which forms the centre of the settlements. The school composts its green waste from its gardens and school grounds. It has two green flags and is working on its third. Pitmedden and Udny Green Polytunnel projects for recycling and sustainability - allowing us to do this....

Less vandalism New beds for floral Wood RecyclAbility - showing the way in displays at entrance growing sustainability in social enterprise.

More planned colour

Created new features of planting have both formal and informal areas as indicated in last years assessment.

Our polytunnel set to be expanded with 3 others for community use. More effort from local business to join in

Creation of seasonal features with strong spring theme. Pitmedden and Udny Green Tackling Blackspots Working to improve the grot spots in our area. We have places that are hard to make pretty or attractive. Its just the nature of the space. How do you make recycling bins attractive. Do you just hide them? And if you do does that mean we recycle less?

To address this we are underway with a new project to remove, tired and poorly maintained shrubs by a car park which the Council has little resources to keep attractive and by redesign and modelling, we intend to make the area both visible AND attractive AND maintains parking spaces for residents..

The project material is being is recycled paving from Aberdeenshire Council. The Council are assisting with dropped kerbs. The work is being done with a team from the local Pitmedden Bar and businessman Kenny Florence.

It has been difficult to get all Council to agree but we can intend to show that it is possible to still have visible recycling and attractive spaces.

Our plans to the left, illustrates the work to be done this summer. Pitmedden and Udny Green Pitmedden School and our Community Park Pitmedden School is full to overflowing as the community keeps growing. The School has no playing fields or green areas but instead relies upon the Community New Notice Boards at Park Trust owned Park next door. The School has made use of raised beds in the previously waste concrete areas around the building.

The School is actively assisting with litter picks in the Park as well as it’s own School grounds.

The Park is not owned or fully maintained by the Council which has led to some considerable difficulties in recent years. This Planting of native hedging of park boundary ongoing problem is in negotiation with the Council, so at present little can be done to regenerate the Park in the absence of financial agreements.

However, the Community has been keeping the grass cut and the place tidy within limits. A Park Committee and Trustees have plans for new play equipment and planting including the possible creation of a village centre The school have adopted floral displays and baskets revolving around a re arranged car in term time to soften the stark school frontage. park and floral displays. Pitmedden and Udny Green

Pitmedden News - getting the word out

To get the word out about helping the Pitmedden News is also developing a web community look and feel better one group site which will keep people involved with of residents have revived the Pitmedden what is going on locally. Messages about News, a Community newsletter which was looking after the environment will be delivered to every house in Pitmedden and regularly available for local people alongside Udny Green as well as most houses in the all the other the parish news. surrounding rural area.

Pitmedden News advertised the local spring clean up on its front page and provided information inside about keeping the village tidy and helping the bin lorries collect waste reminding people to to ensure the bins face the right direction.

The newsletter aims to strengthen the links between the schools and the Communi- ty, getting people involved with encouraging the pupils to look after their environment.

Volunteers are being advertised in the editions to get people involved with the various projects - Park, composting, flower beds, litter and other activities.

There newsletter is entirely sustained from local advertisers and now makes a small surplus which goes towards Community funds. Pitmedden and Udny Green National Trust and The Clean dog walkers scheme Every community has Pitmedden is famous for their National problems with dog Trust owned Pitmedden House and waste. Udny Gardens. Many people from around the Community Council and abroad visit the has perpetual house and gardens during the season. It discussions about dog has been a key factor in focusing local dirt and dog owners people into wishing to regenerate their responsibility. village with so many visitors in the area. This year the Community was inspired by an initiative from Falkirk That Community Council and other a Council. In an attempt to get to groups have been working closely with grips with the problem, Community the managers offer Gardens to help each Council members invited other reach our goals. The Community Aberdeenshire Council officials to has been working to reduce vandalism meet with them and the National and encourage better dog-walking in the Trust in Pitmedden. Gardens area as well as promoting the house and grounds. The National Trust The Community proposed a scheme has being giving advice and based on the Falkirk model. This encouragement; this year providing would help both Pitmedden and surplus plants from the Garden Nursery. Udny Green but also all of the woodland areas controlled by the The village has a small number of National Trust. Aberdeenshire allotments owned by the National Trust Council officials have agreed to fund and are keen to help expand provision this Community led initiative in locally. trying to develop a model for other Aberdeenshire communities. The Council are in the process of printing material, producing special dog for tags and making signs. the Community is organising a launch event with local schools, using Pitmedden News and the website as an well as using the Council sponsored material.