6 minute read
Rotary Branches Out
Volunteers surprised group with their tree-planting speed! writes Peter Vermeulen
Aboyne & Upper Deeside Rotary were very happy to help the River Dee Trust to plant trees at the side of the river earlier this year.
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Rotary approached the River Trust to determine whether we could help each other and it so happened that a landowner had 1,200 trees which needed planting at the side of the River Dee just outside Aboyne on the Glendinnie Fishing Beat.
The Rotary volunteers surprised the River Trust management since we had anticipated planting 400-500 trees through the day, however 12 Rotarian volunteers and two supervisors from the River Trust managed to plant 1,200 trees in March, followed by another 1,150 in May.
Obviously after the bad storms this past winter which brought down so many trees, it is imperative that all our communities do whatever we can to help.
Planting trees was already a huge topic before these storms, so we are replacing trees, and ultimately we hope to plant more trees than were destroyed to help improve our climate.
The trees which we planted will in the years to come help carbon storage and produce oxygen in the process, but these trees will also help to shade the River Dee, which will keep the water cooler which in turn will help the salmon. By increasing salmon numbers we also help our local economy to maintain fishing tourism
Finally, the ‘crowning glory’ of our tree planting is that it is helping the Queen’s Green Canopy reach its goal of planting as many trees as possible in the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee year!
Going forward, Aboyne & Upper Deeside Rotary Club are reaching out to other opportunities in the Upper Dee area to plant more trees when possible, and we hope to work alongside the schools in our area to get our younger people involved with planting trees.
If you are aware of any opportunities for planting trees then please contact Aboyne & Upper Deeeside Rotary club at secretary@aboyne.rotary1010.org
If you would like to know more about Rotary in the Aboyne & Upper Deeside area then again please contact secretary@aboyne.rotary1010.org 27
Governance & Representation
Community County Scotland UK
Mid-Deeside Community Council
Our role is to improve the quality of life for all those living and working in our community. We are a team of local volunteers who together form MDCC, including the areas of Aboyne, Glen Tanar, Dinnet and Kincardine O’Neil.
We meet every month and members of the public are very welcome to join. You can fi nd details of our meeti ngs, minutes and reports on our website or contact us via Facebook or via middeesidecommunitycouncil@gmail.com
Mid Deeside Community Council’s AGM will take place on Thursday 23 June at 6.30pm at Aboyne Library. For more informati on please contact middeesidecommunitycouncil@ gmail.com or the Aberdeenshire Council Marr Area Offi ce at marr@aberdeenshire.gov.uk or 019755 20400. Please join us!
Your MSP in Holyrood
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Alexander Burne� MSP 0131 348 5642 Alexander.Burnett .msp @parliament.scot
Your MP in Westminster
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Andrew Bowie MP 0207 219 2791 andrew.bowie.mp @parliament.uk
Cllr Geva Blacke� Independent
07876 475269 cllr.g.blacke� @ aberdeenshire.gov.uk
Geva has been involved in local politi cs for many years. For this electi on she stood as an independent candidate.
“A massive thank you to everyone who has given me the opportunity to serve you for the next fi ve years – I have to admit that coming fi rst and with no party backing is humbling. I hope everyone has a good summer and thank you again for the confi dence you have shown in me. We have two new councillors in the ward... we have a good logisti cal spread and I am sure we will work well together
I promise to do my very best for you.”
Cllr Sarah Brown Sco� sh Conservati ve & Unionist
07788 400842 cllr.s.brown@ aberdeenshire.gov.uk
Sarah is new to the politi cal sphere. People in Aboyne may know her from her work to improve the village playpark on the green and other projects.
“I feel incredibly honoured to have been elected to serve as one of your councillors for Aboyne Upper Deeside and Donside.
Thank you very much for all of the messages of support and well wishes and for putti ng your faith and trust in me at the ballot boxes and through your postal votes. It is truly overwhelming.” Cllr Anouk Kloppert SNP 07959 003550 cllr.a.kloppert@ aberdeenshire.gov.uk
Anouk is also a new councillor for Ward 15 from the recent Local Government electi ons.
“I feel honoured and grateful being elected into this wonderful, diverse ward.
To get to know your issues, I will att end community councils when possible, and plan surgeries in person/by telephone and virtually.
Feel free to keep in touch via my social media pages. My contact details are also on the Aberdeenshire Council website.”
in Lady V’s Shoes
A column on village life from Victoria Kennedy
At last, summer is back upon us. The sound of birds singing in the trees and the feeling of the warm sun beati ng down on my skin is so incredibly welcome aft er the darker months of the year. I feel myself come alive in the summer, much like Wall:E recharging at the end of a busy day.
One thing I have thoroughly enjoyed doing in my spare ti me now that the nights are longer and the days are hott er is taking a dip (or two) on the wild side.
I get such a rush feeling the coolness of the River Dee washing over my skin. Although, please don’t be fooled by how any of my pictures may look, several tentati ve steps are always taken and a lot of hesitati on inevitably happens before I fi nally succumb to the full, fi nal plunge into the water.
Wild swimming never has a parti cularly graceful start, at least not from me. I have seen countless videos on the internet of would-be-mermaids and mermen easily gliding through the water in a manner more akin to a vessel being lovingly released into the sea. My entry into the water usually comes complete with ungainly splashing and a good smatt ering of words that I am too polite to write here.
But all that aside, it really is a great feeling. And even bett er perhaps than the actual swim in the open waters, is the hot cups of tea that come aft er. They are always more than welcome, and if a chocolate biscuit is also present then who am I to turn that down?
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