The Aboyne Fountain 33 - Summer 2023

George Strachan – 1946-2023

Aboyne has lost one of its favourite friendly characters, and a businessman “committed to his village”, with the demise of George Strachan Snr in April, aged 76.

George ran the Ballater Road shop for the best part of 60 years, heading straight from school into the family business started by his grandfather. He oversaw many changes, including the complete renovation and extension of the popular merchants following a devastating fire in 2009. But George will be most remembered for his love of Aboyne and the Deeside area, and his support for so many local causes, groups, events and initiatives. He was a long-time supporter of the village’s Highland Games, as well as Ballater’s and The Tarland Show. The Children’s Christmas Party benefitted from his generosity every year, as did the Festive Lights. The U12 Football Club wore their kit with pride thanks to him, and anyone who asked for a raffle prize for any fundraising event was never turned away. George was among the first people I approached when I was looking for advertisers to help get The Fountain off the ground. I tootled into his tidy office at the back of the shop, scrappy bit of paper with the first issue’s ad prices in hand, and he said: “How much for the year?” I hadn’t thought that far ahead, so George named his price, and so doing technically ensured that first print run in the summer of 2015, and the next. George didn’t know me from Adam (or Eve) yet he put his faith in something he could see was for the community and could only benefit it. He supported the magazine since 4

that day – there was no moving him off P2 (tho I think he was maybe a little peeved at having missed out on the back page!). George was old school, and insisted on using the phone, paying by cheque (he sometimes liked to make up his own figures for those rather than the ones on the invoice, and only he would get away with that!). In an age of email and unsociable media, it was always a pleasure to go and see George in person. He would silently finish what he was doing on his behemoth PC (impatient me used to wonder, has he not heard me come in?!) before turning to give his full attention, that ever-present twinkle in his eye. He will be greatly missed by his extended family and many friends. Daughter Julie said Strachan’s of Deeside “will continue to be run in the way it has always been”. Away from the shop, George enjoyed his childhood hobby of stamp collecting, and he was a fan of Formula 1. In the race to heaven, my money’s on George. RIP x

George Strachan pictured at The Fountain launch party in June 2015

ALPP what?

A new form of community plan has recently been introduced which gives our community, for the first time, a real voice when it comes to decisions about the future of our village.

What is a Local Place Plan?

This is a community-led plan based on the aspirations and priorities of the people who live and work in the community. To be effective and approved it has to be built on robust and widespread community engagement. This includes residents, businesses, landowners, schools, community groups and visitors who use the amenities and services in the area.

Aberdeenshire Council has recently invited its communities to submit their Local Place Plans for their area. If approved, these plans will feed into Aberdeenshire Council’s 2028 Local Development Plan and thereby make a real difference to future development.

Local organisations and individuals in Aboyne have come together to prepare a Local Place Plan for our village. Creating the plan is a big job, but we think it’s worth the effort.

Why we think Aboyne should have a Local Place Plan...

We believe that creating a Local Place Plan is an opportunity to bring our community together and to make our community a better place by:

• Influencing and informing future planning policy and development in Aboyne

• Developing proposals for the development and use of land in Aboyne

• Identifying, prioritising and delivering community projects

• Developing solutions for issues facing the village

• Increasing our chances of securing grants and developer funding

A Local Place Plan evidences widespread community support, which is why it is so important for you to have your say. We are calling this campaign “Our Village, Our Voice, Our Future” because that is what Aboyne is … Our Village. And we want Our Voice to be heard, so we can shape what Our Future might look like.

Aboyne’s Local Place Plan Our Village | Our Voice | Our Future

What’s next?

We will start by engaging with our community over the summer to explain what the Local Place Plan is all about and why we think we should have one. We will do this in various ways including in-person and online meetings and attending community events such as Aboyne Farmers Markets, the Community Day at the Victory Hall and the Aboyne Games. Please do come along to talk to us and find out more about how we can shape what happens in the community we live in.

In the early autumn there will be a survey, which will be available online and in paper copy. This is really at the heart of how we will make sure we understand what the community thinks. When published, we encourage you to make sure you have your say. We will analyse the feedback from the surveys over the winter and use it to develop a Vision and Actions by early 2024. The community will then have several chances to provide feedback on that and the draft Local Place Plan, as we move to finalise and submit it towards the end of 2024.

Please keep your eyes peeled for further updates and information via posters, and online via facebook and on our website at (insert link)www.aboynelocalplaceplan.info. And if you’d like to help in any way, whether that’s helping man stalls at key community events, delivering the questionnaires or getting stuck into some of the work that needs to happen to make our Local Place Plan as good as it can possibly be, please get in touch. There’s lots to do and all offers of help are very welcome. If you want to know more or can help, please email us at aboyneLPP@gmail.com

CRAIGLICH CABIN

Gifts | Art | Crafts

OpenSat & Sun10am–4pm

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AVA gets Oot&Aboot!

Staff from Aberdeenshire Voluntary Action will be visiting nine locations in Aberdeenshire throughout June to connect with and support community and voluntary groups.

AVA is Aberdeenshire’s Third Sector Interface. Our mission is to promote the growth of strong, resilient communities in Aberdeenshire by connecting, supporting and promoting volunteers, charities, community-led organisations and social enterprises, collectively referred to as the Third Sector.

The AVA team operates across the length and breadth of Aberdeenshire, from Portsoy and St Combs in the north, to Braemar in the west and Laurencekirk and St Cyrus in the south. AVA has a growing membership comprising of volunteers and organisations representing a diverse cross-section of Aberdeenshire.

Oot&Aboot will be at Aboyne Community Shed on June 20th from 9.30 - 2.30.

AVA’s development officers specialise in volunteering, good governance, funding, community asset transfer, charities business planning, children and families, mental health and wellbeing, supporting independent living, social enterprises and policy and consultations. They’re here to support our local third sector, so come along and say hello!

Aboyne Green Spaces with Ruth Emslie

The team making up Aboyne Green Spaces are glad to have Aberdeenshire Council’s annual distribution of plants on their horizon, which will provide summer colour in the village planters and hanging baskets. In the meantime, the polyanthi are blooming brightly, and very soon the Marr Perennials for Pollinators are going to do their job. Which is: look good and attract all the necessary bees, birds, moths, butterflies, beetles, and even bats. But especially bees! There are Geum, Veronica, and Verbena growing in Station Square and on Ballater Road parking area. It will be interesting to notice if they do indeed attract more pollinators than the those plants already, or soon to be, alongside them.

Do you care for someone living with Dementia and would welcome support to allow you a break?

Forget-Me-Not Club

runs weekly drop-off sessions at Aboyne-Dinnet Church Hall

Huntly Road, Aboyne

Mondays 10am-1pm

Information packs available

Contact Eunice Gardyne

eunice.gardyne@forgetmenotclub.co.uk

Sadly, many of our box plants seem to have been badly affected by salt during the winter gritting. The plants that did not survive will be replaced, others showing new growth will be given extra TLC to aid their recovery.

The cherry blossom in the photo may not appear very abundant, however it looked far more gorgeous in reality during its brief display in April. It would be fun to compare and contrast how it looks in 2024.

If you are at all interested in volunteering with AGS, part of Mid-Deeside Community Trust, then admin@mid-deeside.org.uk is one way of finding out more. The other is to come along on Monday evenings at 5pm to Station Square and see if this will be something you’d enjoy being involved with. Fair weather gardeners are welcome!

The Paper Girls

The Douneside Health Club, located in Tarland, near Aboyne offers a range of excellent facilities. These include a 12.5 metre swimming pool, sauna, spa pool, steam room, state-of-the-art gymnasium and all weather tennis court. In addition, there is an range of fitness classes, all run by our team of fully qualified instructors.

If you would like to find out more about our memberships and some of the benefits, from a complimentary lunch for two at Douneside House, orpersonal 1 to 1 inductions (including fitness plan), contact us now.

“I love walking into a bookstore. It’s like all my friends are sitting on shelves, waving their pages at me.”

Come and visit your local book shop...

Open Monday to Saturday 9.30am to 4pm

We are also very happy to accept book orders by email and over the phone if you’d prefer to limit your time in the shop

Thanks to all our loyal customers for their continued support

We look forward to welcoming new customers too

ELLINGTON MENNIE

Kitchens & Cookware

We have recently moved to a new showroom on the north side of Aboyne’s Station Square and have created a relaxed and inspiring space for our customers’ to discuss and develop their kitchen ideas with our in-house design expert. You can take a look at our furniture range and can pull together your own pallet of colours and textures in our dedicated sample area. Our personal and professional service manages the full life cycle of your project from initial concept to a beautifully crafted installation, including bathrooms, bedrooms and home office spaces.

Northside, Station Square, Aboyne, AB34 5HX

ellingtonmennie

sales@ellingtonmennie.co.uk 01339 887500 or 07788 316144

www.ellingtonmennie.co.uk

BallaterRoad

StationSquare

Opening times - Monday to Friday 9:30-17:00, Saturday by appointment

£500 off all taps with kitchens purchased between June to August 2023. T&Cs apply. Ask for more details.

Scotland is introducing a Deposit Return Scheme (DRS) which is due to go live from August 16th 2023.

If you make, import, buy or sell drinks here, you may have legal responsibilities under The Deposit and Return Scheme for Scotland Regulations 2020. There have been some changes made to the scheme recently so to keep up to date and receive updates, it is recommended that you sign up to Circularity Scotland. Go to depositreturn.scot for more information.

Magpie’s eye for a bargain!

Magpie is a social enterprise based in Tillybrake Industrial Estate in Banchory, which seeks to create a sustainable future through diverting furniture and clothing from landfill and instead selling it on to be used again.

Thanks to its customers’ support, the organisation diverts around 22 tonnes of goods from landfill annually, which is invaluable in tackling climate change. The group has been serving Banchory and beyond since 1999, when you might remember them as “The Boxroom”.

Alongside selling furniture, clothes, and collectibles, they also work with partners South Aberdeenshire Foodbank and Aberdeenshire Council Social Work office to deliver food parcels and furniture to those facing hardship.

They always welcome new volunteers and rely on an incredible team to run the project. Volunteering can help you gain valuable new skills, experiences and boost your confidence and they have several opportunities to suit everyone.

Crucially, the funds raised in the shop means that Magpie can continue its valuable work in the community, so when you donate or purchase something from Magpie, remember that you are directly helping to tackle climate change, supporting the Aberdeenshire area and helping people most in need. Every penny raised goes straight back in.

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"Workmanship of a very high quality - it really is a different class""

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Horsing Around

Hello, my name is Katy and I am the new Visitor Officer at World Horse Welfare Belwade Farm. I am looking forward to welcoming everyone to the farm to meet the ponies under rehabilitation and to share more about the work of World Horse Welfare – do introduce yourselves when you arrive as we are proud to be part of a great community and I am really looking forward to meeting everyone soon. In addition to welcoming visitors I am also looking for members of the local community to join our friendly visitor centre volunteer team. There is always lots to do from meet and greet on reception to pointing out the best walks and even helping out in the Bistro – our volunteers are invaluable to help us provide the best experience to our visitors. If you have a few hours a week to spare or if you would prefer to help us on busy event days, please give me a call and pop in for a chat. We have around 50 ponies on the farm for you to meet and of course you can enjoy lovely walks, explore the Fairy Wood then treat yourself to lunch in the Bistro. We also have a private room available to hire if you are looking for a venue for conferences or meetings and even a Stone Circle if you are looking for a unique wedding venue –there is lots to enjoy at Belwade so if I can help you in any way, please get in touch. Email: bfevents@worldhorsewelfare.org or call us on 01339 885398

Picnic anchored in special charity

Ladies and gentlemen, it’s time to get your pals together for a ‘fine afternoon oot’, as tickets for the Aboyne Highland Games Prosecco Picnic are now on sale. This year the Friday afternoon marquee event, which precedes the main Highland Games event on the Saturday, will be supporting Friends of the Anchor Unit, Aberdeen as they have looked after some very special people in the last year who have been associated with the Games over the years. Taking place on August 4th from 1pm to 7pm, the entry price includes a welcome drink, picnic lunch and entertainment. There will also be a raffle and some fun games to be had.

75% of the money raised will go to Anchor with the remaining 25% benefitting local charities.

Tickets cost £30.00 per person and there is no restriction on number of tickets you can purchase. Catering and bar will be run by The Kastille. Dress code is smart casual (no posh hats or frocks required!). Over-18s only. Tables are booking up so be sure to get yours soon from morag@aboynegames.com

Aboyne Arts and Theatre Development

Group currently has three Facebook Pages (Cinema at Aboyne, Shows at Aboyne and Music at Aboyne). After the summer break those three pages will be combined into just one.

From August 2023 the Shows at Aboyne page will be the one to head to for information on all Films, Shows and Live Music events, so Facebook users should head over to that page and like or follow it to ensure you continue to get all the latest information about upcoming events!!

The website www.showsataboyne.co.uk will continue to operate as previously.

Aboyne Breastfeeding Group

Wednesdays

10.30am - 11.30am

Upstairs, Aboyne Community Centre

Whether you are pregnant, breastfeeding or expressing, drop in between 10.30am and 11.30am for a chat.

You do not need to have any questions to attend but if you do, NHS Breastfeeding Peer Supporters are available

It's a great way to grow your confidence feeding out and about and to make new friends

For 1: 1 support or more information, contact gram breastfeedingsupport@nhs scot or call / text 07990541351

Illyria is back! This summer, let the awardwinning company whisk you away to a mysterious coastal kingdom as they present Shakespear’s Twelfth Night, as part of Aboyne and Deeside Festival

Save the date: Thursday 3rd August at 6.30pm on Aboyne Green. Come early to set up your picnic and get the best seats in the house (field).

Could you spare some time to help the Festival? This could be stewarding an event, or helping with social media or perhaps joining the committee to organise events. If you can spare some time just email volunteer@ aboyneanddeesidefestival.org.uk

Local Governance

Who’s in charge here? If you have a problem or would like to see something change or happen in the area, there are a few places from which you can start...

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 Mid-Deeside Community Council (or MDCC), including the areas of Aboyne, Glen Tanar, Dinnet and Kincardine O’Neil.

We meet once a month and members of the public are very welcome to come along.

You can find details of our meetings, minutes and reports on our website or contact us via Facebook.

Aberdeenshire Council will be stocking gift cards for collection at its main office Service Points. In addition, nearly 8,900 of the 11,349 cards issued earlier this year to support households with the challenges around the cost of living have been activated - with more than £528,000 now having been spent in Aberdeenshire stores.

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Email: middeesidecommunitycouncil@ gmail.com Facebook.com/ middeesidecommunitycouncil

Art Aboyne returns this summer

As summer heads our way, an art exhibition of talent from the North East of Scotland arrives in our midst.

With over 40 artists taking part there will be new, unseen before work on show at ArtAboyne this year, including a fantastic line-up of regular committee work and a host of new artists.

When work is sold it is replaced by more of the artists’ work so there is an everchanging selection to view throughout the fabulous, three-week event. Work will include painting, ceramics, photography, jewellery, wood and sculpture.

For more information, seek out the event on social media:

French

students

to enjoy Scottish hospitality thanks to ATA

In June two pupils from Martignas sur Jalle will be spending a fortnight in Aboyne. This educational and cultural initiative involves their attendance at the Academy, and staying with Aboyne Twinning Association members, who have children of similar ages, in their homes.

Travelling with their parents, who will stay separately with other members, the two girls will also be invited to participate in after school sports and activity clubs and see something of our wonderful environment locally and weather permitting a weekend camping trip too. This is a collaboration between Aboyne Twinning Association, Aboyne Academy’s Head, Mr Foy, and his staff.

In February I was delighted to attend the showcasing by some of the school’s first years on their project called a Thinglink. This online app highlighted many places within the Academy catchment area, and was produced and published by the students on their own and was very impressive.

One objective is to foster and encourage links between the schools, in Aboyne and in Martignas.

Our monthly French conversational classes proved to be popular and it is planned to resume them in September. On vous souhaite une belle ete!

FOOT CARE IN YOUR HOME

All relevant C-19 precautions taken

Coming to Aboyne Theatre on Saturday September 9th

The Freddie & Queen Experience

Along with the many fans who mourn the loss of Freddie Mercury, The Freddie & The Queen Experience aims to celebrate the wealth of talent that came together in Queen by recreating, with breathtaking accuracy, the style and excitement of a live Queen concert.

The Freddie & Queen Experience, featuring Ian Adams as Freddie, are the UK’s Premier Queen and Freddie Mercury Tribute Band and are critically acclaimed across the globe.

The band performs all over the world with sell out shows in the UK and abroad, with most recently in UAE and Europe. They deliver a passionate and energy-packed show full of all Queen’s greatest hits!

All being well this will also be a licensed event, and is likely to sell out.

And you can experience it all on your doorstep at Aboyne Community Centre’s Theatre on Saturday September 9th. To book your tickets, priced just £20 each, go to www.showsataboyne.co.uk or search www.ticketsource.co.uk

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www.ticketsource.co.uk/aboyneartsandtheatredevelopmentgroup

Rob Ellis Photography

it pays to advertise

1/4 page - £30

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Full page - £120

Back page - £150