The
BULLETIN A Community Magazine for Alford
FREE! issue 25 spring 2022
STRACHAN’S Serving Royal Deeside for Four Generations
Newsagents
Pet Foods Ice Cream
Confectionery
Photocopying & Laminating
Wines & Spirits
Hardware & DIY
By appointment to HM The Queen General Merchants
Toys and Puzzles
Malt Whiskies
Lottery
Electrical Goods
Main St Aboyne AB34 5HT 013398 86121
Haberdashery
Stationery
Grocery
Calor Gas
Light Bulbs and Fittings
Balloons & Party Gifts
Paints
Gardening
Delicatessen Fishing Supplies
and lots more...!
2 Golf Rd Ballater AB35 5RE 013397 55452
www.georgestrachanltd.com
By appointment to HRH The Prince of Wales General Merchants
Want in the BULLetin?
For adver�sing and editorial, please note the copy deadlines below and use the contacts listed at the bo�om of the page DEADLINES . FEB 1 . MAY 1 . AUG 1 . NOV 1 PUBLISHED MAR JUNE SEPT DEC
Welcome to Issue 25 of The BULLetin I HAVE A NEW EMAIL ADDRESS! It’s only taken me six years (yes, that’s how long we’ve had a BULLetin) to finally ditch Yahoo and acquire something vaguely resembling a business email address. Been a bit busy. You can still reach me on the Yahoo address, but if you can add myriadprocat@outlook.com to your contacts instead, all good. Remember that community information is FREE to include in these pages, so if you have any news for the Summer edition (out early June), tell me about it by May 1st if you can. Enjoy!
Cat Houston Design/Editor Cover photo from SG Tree Services Thank you!
Contents News Ar�st in Residence Spring Gardening DCC Contacts/News RVS Appeal Tullynessle Hall Thank you, Santa Adver�sers’ Index How to Adver�se
7 8 9 12/13 14 20 25 26 26
because
not everyone
is on facebook
get in touch via email to MYRIADPROCAT@OUTLOOK.COM call Cat on 07805 731401 | find us on facebook (cos we are!)
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Kitchens | Extensions | Maintenance Roofing | Fencing & Decking | Finishings Taping & Plasterboard | Bathrooms Carpentry & Joinery | Windows & Doors Refurbishments | Flooring Loft Conversions and much more call now for a free no obligation quote
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Sign up, sign up! Two organisations need just a small commitment from you to help reach their goals
There are lots of exciting things coming up for Haughton Park this year including a possible summer family event, new signage, and of course the ongoing Bike Pump Track and All Ability Trail project. The committee is involved in several large grant applications to get the funding we need. But it can’t happen without you! We need more signed up members so we can lease the area of land for the bike track project. You don’t need to get involved in the committee if you don’t want to... but we do need signed up members to get more community involvement. Members can be as active as they wish (or not) and will get a say in what happens in the park. Further projects will not happen without signed up members... we need you folks! Please get in touch at secretaryfohp@gmail.com
Would you like to become a member of Alford Valley Community Railway? If so why not sign up to be a member for the very small sum of £1? Forms can obtained from the following locations: Lonenwell Garage, MacDonalds of Alford, Alford Bistro or KMS Railtech (beside the new Gym). Forms can be completed and returned to the same location. Or if you contact the railway at avcrinformation@gmail.com they will email you a copy to print off and complete. Payment can be made via bank transfer (details on the form) or by sellotaping a £1 coin to the Membership form.
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Second phase beginning for Community Artist in Residence Artist in Residence Deeside and Donside is entering its second funding phase with further opportunities for adults to develop their creativity for FREE! Held at the fabulous facility that is Aboyne and Mid Deeside Community Shed, with artist Stephanie Vandem, you can choose from drop-in sessions on Mondays and Tuesdays from 10am to 12 noon. Here you can watch the artist at work, browse some art books, get some inspiration and experience some one-toone support with whatever project you may be working on already. Art classes will be held on Mondays and Tuesdays 12.30-3pm and there will also be a variety of workshops through the year. Classes are small and will explore portraiture, landscape, still life among other forms and mediums. For further information or to book, contact admin@mid-deeside.org.uk or call 013398 85222.
artist in residence deeside and donside
FREE ART classes ABOYNE COMMUNITY SHED
drop-in mon/tue 10-12 classes mon/tue 1230-3
workshops
throughout the year developing creativity to foster wellbeing through art
open to all aged 16+ from february 28th
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to book call 013398 85222 or
email admin@mid-deeside.org.uk
Getting Ready for SPRING... Wendy Simpson of Craigievar Gardeners offers seasonal tips to help you get the best from your patch, large or small... This winter’s storms will have wrought havoc in many of our gardens. The first thing to do is to prune back damaged trees or shrubs in order to make clean wounds. Then, assuming you have cleared up the debris, prepare your borders and vegetable patches by digging in a 5-cm layer of compost or well-rotted manure. Apply mulch around trees and shrubs and feed hedges with a slow-release fertilizer. Cut back any cornus or salix that have provided your winter colour. Then, on to the fun stuff. Now is the time to split clumps of snowdrops to encourage them to spread. Split overgrown clumps of perennials and disseminate them. Insert supports for perennials as they begin to grow because it’s much easier to do it now than later! This is your last chance to prune apple and pear trees. You can also prune your roses, but don’t be tempted to do this until any danger of late frost has passed. Prune raspberry canes by cutting out dead or spindly canes and tie the rest of them into row supports. Prune hydrangeas by cutting each stem back to a healthy bud. Cut back buddleia and late-flowering clematis. Clear ponds of weeds and winter debris. Prepare your vegetable beds so that you can sow as soon as the soil temperature reaches 6°C. Start with onions, shallots, carrots, leeks, spring onions, beetroot, spinach, lettuces and rockets. Leave potatoes until mid-April. Plant summer-flowering bulbs like gladioli and lilies in pots so that they are ready to plant out as soon as any danger of frost has passed. Plant nerines for autumn colour.
If you have a heated propagator, sow seeds for pelargoniums, begonias, delphiniums, foxgloves and antirrhinums in it. They need a longer and warmer startup.
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01975 571775 07792 830780 10
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LLA is rightly proud of three local athletes who competed at the Winter Olympics in Beijing in February: Andrew Musgrave and Andrew Young (Huntly Nordic athletes) and Alexandra Tilley (an Alford Ski Centre athlete). Could you be a future Olympian? Their sessions at the Huntly Nordic and Outdoor Centre and Alford Ski Centre are suitable and fun for the whole family. Both centres have a variety of sessions on offer including family, beginner, and more advanced. For more information and to book, go to www.livelifeaberdeenshire.org.uk
Golf swings for AVCR (in a good way!)
Alford Golf Club captain Derek Ross and new club manager Iain Affleck met with John Fincham (Chairman of The Alford Valley Community Railway) to sign the Land Lease and Operational Agreement between the Club and AVCR. The momentous moment for both the club and village will allow the current project to progress, bringing the railway back into service in 11 the future. Result!
It has been a difficult two years and although COVID is still with us there are signs that things are getting easier for most of us and it is time to start looking forward to 2022. RESILIENCE PLANNING The recent storms have shown us how vulnerable we are. Donside Community Council will be looking at how they can help the communities in our area in the event of future emergencies. Building on some ideas we have discussed previously and with the help of other organisations throughout Donside, we hope to have our resilience plan in place soon. BECOME A COMMUNITY COUNCILLOR There are currently quite a few vacancies for Community Councillors throughout our area : Alford (5); Strathdon/Corgarff and Glenbuchat (2); Craigievar, Leochel Cushnie and Muir of Fowlis (1); Tullynessle (2); Lumsden (1); Montgarrie (1); Glenkindie and Towie (1). With elections in May we will soon be looking for volunteers to represent their community. If you are interested in becoming a Community Councillor and want to find out more you can join our meetings which are open to the public. They are held on ZOOM at the moment but this will change to in person meetings soon we hope. You can read more about becoming a Community Councillor and what they do on the Aberdeenshire Council website www.aberdeenshire.gov.uk/communitiesand-events/community-councils/) Get in touch if you are interested in joining our meetings and we can give you more details. Email chair@ donsidecommunitycouncil.org.uk or via our Facebook page. PLATINUM JUBILEE Keep an eye out for how Donside will be taking part in the Platinum Jubilee. We will be revealing our plans soon.
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Donside Community Council ENJOY ALFORD AND DONSIDE Donside Community Council is pleased to be a supporter of this exciting new website and App. The website is aimed at local residents and visitors alike and will showcase the best of our area. The website and App will list businesses, community groups, events, amenities, walks and drives, local news and even the weather. If you would like to join the list, which is free, please email the team at info@ enjoyalfordanddonside.com who will be happy to help. If you want to see how this is taking shape, visit the website www. enjoyalfordanddonside.com
When do we meet? Every 2nd Tuesday of the Month (except July and Dec) What Time? 7.30pm – 9.30pm Tea/coffee from 7.15pm Where? Alford Community Campus
Councillors' Contacts
These are your Ward 14 councillors
Cllr Moira Ingleby
Cllr Gwyneth Petrie
07770 410539 cllr.m.ingleby@ aberdeenshire.gov.uk
Cllr John Latham
07891 296064 cllr.g.petrie@ aberdeenshire.gov.uk
Cllr Robbie Withey
07876 475038 cllr.j.latham@ aberdeenshire.gov.uk
07388 956147 cllr.r.withey@ aberdeenshire.gov.uk
This is your MP and MSP S������� P��������� Alexander Burne� MSP 0131 348 5642 Alexander.Burnett.msp @parliament.scot
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Andrew Bowie MP 0207 219 2791 andrew.bowie.mp @parliament.uk
Are you looking for a new challenge and want to help your community? Do you need help or do you know anyone who needs help with transport or shopping? Royal Voluntary Service are currently recruiting for volunteers and open to receiving referrals for those who need help with transport, shopping, or social companionship. During the pandemic we continued to support vulnerable people in the community and our aim is to keep on reaching those in need.
Our dedicated volunteers help take people to medical appointments or social appointments. This can be to a hospital appointment; your GP; dentist; opticians or to visit a family member in a care home; a social group or hairdressers! We can take someone further afield to a hospital appointment such as to Aberdeen Royal Infirmary. We can also help with shopping by a volunteer doing your shop (shop and drop) or you can go with a volunteer (assisted shopping). If you would like to be linked to a friendly volunteer to call you regularly for a chat, RVS can find someone for you. How do I refer: We accept self-referrals or from any organisation/family member/friend/neighbour. We are happy to consider referrals from people of any adult age. There is a charge to using the transport or assisted shopping service. How do I volunteer: To join our volunteer team, we are committed to ensuring our volunteers are trained to the highest standard and provided with ongoing support including COVID-19 safety guidance; PPE and expenses are reimbursed for mileage. Please contact the Grampian Team on 01467 626012 or 01224 937110 or email grampiansupport@royalvoluntaryservice.org.uk and a member of the team will be delighted to speak to you.
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ERIC PROCTOR GROUNDWORKS With over 30 years’ experience in the construction industry, we pride ourselves on the quality of workmanship that we can provide to our customers on a residential or commercial basis
. Agricultural Buildings + Repairs . . Bricklaying . Concrete Work . Drainage . . Foundation Reinforced + Bolt Sets . . Driveways . Patios . Eric Proctor t/a E-S Proctor | Craigshannoch | Alford | AB33 8EE 07711 507717 | eric.proctor17@gmail.com
The BULLetin relies on advertising to pay for design and printing and it means a lot that so many regular customers have continued to advertise during the Covid calamity. Always delighted to welcome new advertisers, I have opened up opportunities with a new value ad size, see p30. At Myriad Pro Publishing, advertisers are not just a space on a page. All advertisers benefit from featuring in a Facebook album every quarter, and where advertisers’ own posts are seen on that social media pla�orm, they will be shared. Feel free to tag The BULLetin to make sure. New customers can also benefit from introductory features, and there are perks to being a long-term advertiser too, as well as discounts for featuring in the Aboyne and Banchory publications. The business landscape and publicity methods are changing all the time, and especially at the moment! So if you have any ideas on how The BULLetin can further support you, do let me know. No matter if you are on the main street, out in the sticks, working from your spare room or just operating online, I can help. Have you started a new business in the Aboyne area? Want a mention? Get in touch.
your name in print! The BULLetin represents a unique opportunity for you to promote your business to a targetted area at reasonable cost. Ad rates start at just £28 for a quarter page Around 1,500 copies are distributed through the doors of residences in the village, prominent spots in the local community and within businesses willing to stock it. Geographically it covers Alford and the surrounding areas. All Myriad Pro Publications are also available to read online at issuu.com
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Drop-in, pay-as-you-go yoga Suitable for all Torphins | Aboyne Alford | Keig | Tullynessle Please get in touch for further info Or check Facebook Facebook: tuttifruttiyogaclasses
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23
news from Hall Secretary Edna Harris 50/50 Club What a huge success this has been. Thank you to everyone who has joined us during the last 12 months. We now have 78 numbers in the monthly draws. Each month there are three winners and the Hall funds benefit too. Win/win…50/50! The 1st Prize in the January draw was £92.50. We have room for more members so get in touch if you’d like to join. Blended Meetings All the equipment is now in place for hirers to hold blended meetings, thanks to our grant from the Adapt and Thrive Fund. This means some will attend in person and some will join in via Zoom. Ask for more info. Help and support will be given. FILM CLUB Following the cancellation of film showings over the Christmas and New Year period due to Covid conditions, the Film Club have resumed film presentations. Films will be shown during February, March, and with the last showing on 14th April. There will also be a Community Film presentation on 21st April. All films are yet to be confirmed, so please see the Tullynessle Hall website at h�p//tullynessleandforbeshall.co.uk/ filmclub.asp to check showings and current Covid regulations. The Film Club will soon be looking for suggestions for films that members would like to view next Season. The suggestions and voting should be completed by 29th April. If there is a film that you would like to submit for consideration, please contact the Commi�ee at tullynesslehallfilmclub@ gmail.com for further details.
Tully Bus If you are arranging an event, party or class at the Hall we can offer transport for your attendees to and from the Hall from Alford village. No cost to you but small donations are always welcome. Members As we are now an Incorporated Charity we invite you to join us as Members. This means you can contribute to decisions made about the Hall without becoming a Trustee/ Committee Member. No cost involved. 2022 Events organised by the Committee May 20th: The Living Mountain, a new project by our very own, highly talented, Jenny Sturgeon, inspired by the book by Nan Shepherd. May 28th and October 29th: Producers’ Markets. We hope to plan some child-centred activities in the Hall. If you have any suggestions please do get in touch. Keep an eye on our Facebook page for upcoming events. Contact details: Hall Secretary, Edna Harris 019755 63548 secretary@tullynesslehall.org
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Thank Yo-ho-ho from Xmas Festival Folk
The Alford Christmas Festival would like to say a big thank you to everyone involved in putting together our mini event in the heart of the village after Storm Arwen stopped our original planned event! Thanks to The Cairngorm Reindeer Herd for agreeing to coming back, Lonach Pipe Band and Chic Choir for performing for us, special thanks to KMS Railtech for allowing us to put a Santa’s grotto in their new shop and all their support, thanks to Santa and his helper and Alfie Wright’s fun fair! It was a fun afternoon with lots of visitors to the village! All this couldn’t be done without our hard-working committee members and community helpers who also put up the Christmas lights, which were damaged due to the storm. With the dedication of our Sparky Elf Ally C, we managed to get them working in time for Christmas, but we will need to purchase new lights for our big tree this year! We were very lucky to have our tree donated by Lord Forbes and kindly transported by W&M Mackie so huge thank you to all involved in helping and special thanks to the Alford Men’s Shed for helping trim and prepare the little trees for all the local businesses who support us. This could not be possible without ongoing support from KNC groundworks, Forbes Access Hire and all the community volunteers, who give up their time and equipment every year. We will be holding our AGM in spring time and if anyone would like to join our committee to help, especially with lots of hands-on help, please get in touch via email or our Facebook page. Here’s to big Christmas celebrations in Alford this year, fingers crossed... Contact secretary kerryjhenderson@hotmail.co.uk
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24 18 24 31 8 5 4 27 23 21 9 17 15 22 21 10 19 17 6
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15 18 19 6 27 28 6 10 23 18 16 17 21 2 22 23 19 19 17
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