Community - Aberdeen Voice

St Fittick’s Community Garden Set To Flourish

Community, Events, Information No Responses »

Jun 172013

With thanks to Ed Walker.

With the help of local community support and our Roots and Shoots team, Aberdeen Forward is about to launch the long awaited St Fittick’s garden project with a week of activities from Monday 17th to Friday 21st.

The local charity will begin to transform an area of wasteland into a community garden for everyone in the Torry community thanks to a grant of over £50,000 from the Landfill Communities Fund.

Andy Devine, Project Officer with Aberdeen Forward’s Roots and Shoots team said:-

“‘With the help of the Roots and Shoots team at Aberdeen Forward and community groups such as the Grampian Police Cadet’s, we are going to build and install a set of raised beds as part of the community garden which, when finished, will be an asset to the area as a whole.

“However, we also need your encouragement, help and support to make the project a reality and that is why we are running a community day on Thursday 20^th June from 10am-2pm.”

The day will be a great opportunity for individuals, relevant community groups and organisations to come along and show support for the project and help out with small tasks such as bed filling, litter picking and stone picking. Other groups from around Aberdeen will also be present so aside from helping move the project forward, it will be a great chance to meet up with like minded groups from the neighbourhood.

Andy added:-

“Aberdeen Forward we believe in investing in the future of Aberdeen and that’s why we are giving the area over to the community so that they can take ownership of the garden and ensure it is looked after for the community to enjoy in the future.”

If you feel that your community group could perhaps get involved with helping out preserving the gardens for the future, or maybe you just want to express your thoughts on the project, get in touch with us at admin@aberdeenforward.org or 01224 560 360.

Beacon Community Centre: What’s In A Name?

Community, Information No Responses »

May 172013

With thanks to Anne Florence.

The many changes that have taken place in the Beacon Community Centre over the past couple of years have left many in the Bucksburn community wondering if we still have a building to call our own.

The inclusion of our community centre in the 3Rs project left us with a refurbished building, but with a smaller programme of activities as many did not continue after the building re-opened and much of the time and space was given to Sport Aberdeen.

The management committee (the only four remaining) have been faced with meetings (across the present and last Administration) while the Council try to work out how volunteers can take the place of the community learning staff that they have effectively disbanded.

The Council also expect these groups to maintain their “lifelong learning” programme in centres across the city. The remaining committee would like to see the centre used for all the activities it served before – sports for all ages and abilities and crafts and learning for adults and children – but we do not have the time between us to put in the work that that would entail.

We have had a very constructive talk with Sport Aberdeen and were pleased to learn that they share our view that the centre should once again provide a wide range of activities. They are prepared to help that happen and, for our part, we have agreed to do all we can to find out what the community would like to see happening in their centre and help bring it about.

You can do that by e-mailing beaconcommcentre@gmail.com or by leaving a letter for the management committee at reception in the centre. Tell us what activities and groups you would like to see, or better still become a part of the local forum that will continue to have a role in the centre.

It is now called the Beacon Centre – it’s up to you to put the community back into it.

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Crisis In Care for the Elderly

Aberdeen City, Opinion 2 Responses »

Feb 142013

This article by Jonathan Russell is dedicated to Bill Knight, relentless campaigner and founder and Chair of Grampian Senior Citizens Forum, a great example to us all. Bill Knight died on February 7th aged 92.

The crisis in care for the elderly is a national one, both at UK and Scottish levels.
Aberdeen has a particularly worrying situation due to high employment and a high cost of living which means that there is a shortage of the low paid staff who do this outstanding and highly undervalued work.

We have an increasing ageing population. Policies like free personal care – though good in themselves – have led to an increased deficiency in other resources to support the elderly.

Aberdeen used to have a home care service which was second to none but what has happened here, as in all parts of the UK, is that the majority of services have been outsourced to private companies who pay less and often provide poor support to their workers.

To have 13 companies providing care is also highly inefficient in covering a city the size of Aberdeen. We have a situation where all these companies are trying to provide services across the city. This is madness. The culture has changed from one of providing services to rushing round to find services of any kind.

The introduction of individual budgets, again aimed at cost cutting, will further complicate this process. We have to ask ourselves: do we value the elderly in our society and the staff who care for them ? Are we willing to increase taxation to pay for services that provide good value not only in terms of money but in terms of care?

We need to create a management culture and direct service culture which is about service and services that are localised rather than spread out around the city. More localised services allow greater flexibility in terms of need and less time would be wasted in the form of travel.

The problem is primarily a national one and has been avoided for much too long. Aberdeen has extra challenges and no doubt local politicians and staff do their best but without increased money and a change in the way we are providing services we are heading for an ever increasing problem with disasters on the way.

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The Spirit O Steenhive

Aberdeenshire, Creative Writing No Responses »

Dec 272012

By Bob Smith.

Some fowk doon in Stoney
Woke up tae flooded hoosies
Watter flowin a fyow fit deep
It flushed oot ony moosies
.
Rain cam poorin oot the sky
Rinnin doon fae field an park
The Carron burst ower it’s banks
Faar wis yon Noah wi his Ark?
.
Aroon Brigfield and the High Street
War hames fit wur warst hit
Drains they jist cwidna cope
Wi the watter, gunge an grit

Some local fowk war on TV
Like Alan Smith an Isla Duncan
In Isla’s food caterin placie
Her stock it took a dunkin
.
Ithers in iss bonnie place
Jist sooth o Aiberdeen toon
Showed gran community spirit
Gien grub, an the odd nichtgoon
.
So raise a gless o Glenfiddich
Tae thae gweed Steenhive fowk
As a toast tae aa their spirit
An tae annoy yon Trumpie gowk

Music And Poetry Night To Fund Trees For Palestine

Aberdeen City, Events No Responses »

Dec 112012

Aberdeen Scottish Palestine Solidarity Campaign (AbSPSC) has organised an evening of protest/political tunes and poetry to help fundraise for the Plant-a-Tree in Palestine project. With thanks to Mike Martin.

Thousands of Palestinian families in the West Bank are being displaced, losing their land to make way for illegal settlers supported by the Israeli state.
Tens of thousands of olive trees have been destroyed in the process, many of which have been cared for by the same Palestinian families for generations.

The Plant-a-Tree in Palestine project seeks to assist Palestinians in their struggle to rebuild their livelihoods by providing the means to plant trees indigenous to Palestine’s natural environment and agricultural life.

Plant-a-Tree in Palestine is a joint project between the Middle East Children’s Alliance, the Palestinian Grassroots Anti-Apartheid Wall Campaign (Stop the Wall) and the Palestinian Farmers Union

The evening will feature the music of Mark Ayling, Simon Gall and Maze McPunklet as well as the poetry of the marvellous Hilda Meers!

Entry: £6 – and for an additional £6 you will also receive a certificate to say you’ve donated a tree to Palestine.

Thursday 13th December
From 7:30pm

Cellar 35
Rosemount Viaduct
Aberdeen

SURFing the Don

Aberdeen City, Creative Writing, Featured No Responses »

Dec 102012

With thanks to Peter Thomson

The River Don is celebrated in a new book from the Woodside Writers Group. With support from the SURF (Sustainable Urban Fringes) Aberdeen project, The Don: from Source to Sea is now available.
An anthology of poems and prose in English and Doric, Aberdeen Voice brings you the first in a short series of extracts.

Gates Shut

Gates shut, canna go in
Nae job
It floated doon i Donny
Sic a shock
Employed the day, nae the morn
Fit wye?
Dinna ken mate, letter on the way, explain it aa
Union ill sort it oot
Nae made redundant, jist unemployed.
Sorry chaps, mill’s gid bust
Bit niver mind, the best o luck.
Beater hoose empty
nae manly chat, joke or jibes
cups o coffee or fags or moanin aboot the wife
spenin a yer sillar.
Idle musty levers, dusty buttons
Empty hollow reels, nae birling or
whirling wi reams o paper.
Pied ma dues, now beggin bowl in haun,
state benefits
Apply for jobs ye say?
Hid een the ither day, nae the attitude sorry mate
nae yer fault
bit sad an doon in i dumps
Thirty five years makin paper
seems unfair, nae just
niver mind, I’ll get on wi life…
as fit I must.

May Ritchie

The Don: from Source to Sea is available from WH Smith and Books ‘n’ Beans for £5.00, and also from Mark Lovie at the Woodside Fountain Centre: tel: 01224 524926, email: mark@fersands.org

Twenty per cent of any profits from the book will go towards a Don educational project; the rest will help to fund future Woodside Writers Group projects.

The idea of a book came up when the Woodside Writers Group realised the river appeared in much of their writing, and further material was gathered from as far afield as Alford.

The Don corridor has a great history and the SURF Aberdeen project aims to bring communities, organisations and ideas together to initiate a renewed focus and collaborative management to this area at a time of significant change.

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‘Sponsor a Swing’ Initiative Raises £15,000 Within Days

Aberdeen City, Featured, News 2 Responses »

Oct 182012

Steve Bothwell tells Aberdeen Voice about an exciting initiative about to be realised.

All the while campaign group Common Good Aberdeen were lobbying hard in the fight to save and enhance Union Terrace Gardens, they were organising and running events in the city centre park such as the Christmas party and children’s art competition and Jubilee Tea Party.

They have continued to liaise with Aberdeen City Council officials and councillors, progressing a number of initiatives which will soon bear fruit.

Common Good Aberdeen are over the moon having achieved their goal of raising £15,000, in less than a week, to install play equipment in Union Terrace Gardens.

Fund Raiser Steve Bothwell said:-

“‘I am truly heartened by the generosity of people who have dug deep to assist in this wonderful cause. There is lots of information that inform us of the importance of health, well being, happiness and interaction for children.

“Common Good Aberdeen listened intently to people who inform us of their wish list and what they consider to be beneficial to them and what they would like to see in Union Terrace Gardens.

“There are 4 main things: A café, disability access, toilets and play park facilities. Common Good Aberdeen has already set the ball rolling on all four initiatives. We have already secured planning permission for the Co Operative Café and await the tendering process. Once the Café is open, we have over 60 people registered to volunteer with all proceeds going directly into a garden fund for improvements.

“The play park will appeal to so many families and therefore increase the footfall in the gardens, thus providing more customers for the Café. When the fund increases, we will then hopefully instigate a ‘Disability eco path’ that will allow wheelchair users unassisted access into the gardens.

“When all of these initiatives are started, Common Good Aberdeen will then concentrate on purchasing a high quality automated toilet to ensure the public have an essential facility and use the gardens more.

“Providing there is enough money in the fund to deliver the above initiatives Common Good Aberdeen will begin planning events for the public to enjoy for free.

“We believe these initiatives are truly embracing for all the public and we are looking forward to their fruition.”

Further information, donations: commongoodaberdeen@groups.facebook.com

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Youth Councillor Says Library Review Is For The Better

Aberdeen City, Featured, News No Responses »

Sep 212012

With thanks to Kenneth Watt.

A senior youth councillor in the city, has supported plans to reconsider the current set-up of libraries in Aberdeen, claiming that resources can be focused in order to meet demand and modern needs for citizens.

Drawing reference to the report going before the Education, Culture and Sport committee on Thursday, Mr Watt highlights that:

“There are more community libraries in the city than are needed to adequately serve the population. Not all libraries are in ideal locations to meet the needs of the local communities they serve.”

Kenneth believes that possible library closures should not be ruled out and that the reviews should coincide with the schools estate dialogue which is starting in September. He said:

“Libraries are an integral part of communities and serve all generations. We need to be realistic about usage, though. In 2012, more and more people need to use the internet, especially with changes to the way that benefits and council services are delivered.

“At the moment, we have an estate with a surplus of facilities. Almost a half of our libraries have a poor suitability rating. Resources need to be better focused.

“Particular praise and notice needs to be directed at the success of Bucksburn 3Rs estate which has seen a fantastic new secondary join forces with the library and leisure centre. I’d be supportive of similar projects. The council are looking at new primaries being built to match demand and sustainable, modern-day, libraries could be paired with these.

“Library closures in the past have been controversial nationally. We need to look at what the modern citizen needs and how those wants can be met. Modernisation needs to be embraced and if done correctly will be for the better.”

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Fame: A Big Song And Dance In Laurencekirk

Aberdeenshire, Events No Responses »

Sep 072012

Laurencekirk Amateur Musical Society will perform “FAME” the musical in the St Laurence Hall, Laurencekirk from Tuesday 11th – Saturday 15th September. With thanks to Susan Hughes.

After the huge success of “Bad Girls” the musical last year, they are returning this year with their most ambitious show to date. “FAME” is an even bigger production with more dancing, a larger cast and an even bigger live band.

The company transformed the St Laurence Hall last year for “Bad Girls” to the amazement of the audience. They thrilled and delighted the local community, leaving them stunned by the high standard of production and the wealth of talent within the cast. This year will not disappoint, with the stage being extended and a platform being built 7 feet high for the cast to perform on.

This vibrant company have been rehearsing for the past 5 months and the effort and sweat has definitely paid off with a slick professional show that is usually only ever seen in the larger cities.

This promises to be an excellent night out for young and old with memorable songs and dances that you will undoubtedly go away singing. It is not very often that a small community like Laurencekirk has the opportunity to enjoy such shows right on their door step, so come along and support LAMS and enjoy a fantastic night out.

Tickets are priced £10 and £8.50 concession and are available from Charles Michie Chemists, Laurencekirk High Street, or through email to laurencekirkdrama@hotmail.co.uk or by calling 07512 309235. The show starts at 7.30pm and the doors will open from 7pm with a bar available before and during the interval.

We look forward to seeing you all there and hope you enjoy the show.

Users Vote Disability Sports Hub A Success

Aberdeen City, Sport No Responses »

Jul 062012

Scotland’s first ever Disability Sports Hub, launched in the spring at Aberdeen Sports Village, is proving to be a great success with extremely positive feedback from organisers and users. With thanks to Dave Macdermid.

The community initiative, run and organised by Scottish Disability Sport (SDS), Sport Aberdeen and Aberdeen Sports Village, supports sportscotland’s contribution to the Scottish Government’s 2014 legacy plan, in creating exciting and innovative approaches to the development of local sporting clubs across Scotland.

The SDS vision is to lead the development of sport and physical recreation for disabled people in Scotland and contribute to UK and international initiatives.

SDS annually organises national events in bowls, athletics, football, swimming, boccia, wheelchair curling and cross country and association branches organise complementary qualifying events.

Andrinne Craig, Scottish Disability Sport’s Regional Manager in Grampian, commented,

“Although it’s still early days, we have been extremely heartened by the feedback from everyone involved, including participants, parents and coaches. Inclusive athletics sessions have been up and running for several weeks, on Wednesday afternoons, and the numbers attending are encouraging.”

These programmes are geared towards developing new and existing sports and helping athlete members to realise their full potential through sport. SDS has a particular commitment to children and young people and to ensuring that it demonstrates best practice in relation to equality.

The Disability Sports Hub offers people with disabilities, and their families and friends, opportunities to participate in a range of recreational activities, tailored to suit all ages and abilities. It will provide a home for a number of inclusive sports clubs and will be a place where participants can attend, try out and get involved in these activities.

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