Today (Friday 26 October 2012) VSA, the UK’s largest city social care charity, launches its silent auction ahead of next week’s VSA Diamond Ball (Saturday 3 November 2012).
The charity also hopes to raise up to £50,000 on Saturday 27th October, when loyal VSA supporter Garreth Wood will donate a full day’s takings from four of his city centre bars.
For the last three years Garreth’s company, The Speratus Group, has supported VSA through its Ball and associated fundraisers, as well as contributing staff time through corporate volunteering.
Garreth traditionally marks the Ball date by donating monies from several of his Aberdeen bars and this year all four city centre hotspots – Amicus Apple, Illicit Still, Paramount and NOX – are taking part in the initiative.
As in 2010 and 2011, The Speartus Group is also the main sponsor for the VSA Ball which this year has a diamond theme to celebrate the Diamond Jubilee of Queen Elizabeth ll, the VSA’s Patron. In Her Majesty’s honour, a diamond necklace, donated by Garreth and supported by Finnies the Jewellers, will be raffled at the Ball on 3rd November.
Garreth said:
“We recognise the amazing work that VSA carries out in the city and shire and are proud to be associated with them. We look forward to a strong continued relationship with VSA and supporting the tremendous work they carry out every day.”
Karen Barlow, director of fundraising and communications, said:
“We’re so grateful for Garreth’s generous commitment to VSA, raising hundreds of thousands of pounds in the past few years. I’m delighted to have him and his team on board. This weekend’s fundraiser will be their biggest yet. I urge as many people as possible to support it.”
Items in the online silent auction, which concludes during the VSA Ball on Saturday 3rd November, can be viewed, and bids made, by texting DIAMOND to 88850 and following the instructions, or by registering atwww.diamond.auction-bid.org
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Awards for All have approved a grant of £2854 to Bucksburn and Newhills Community Council, to establish a herb garden for the use of residents. The garden will comprise a series of raised beds, and it’s to be on the site of the former library, just off Kepplehills Road.
A wide variety of hardy herbs will be grown, with labels to identify them.
Car parking is available nearby and the beds will be suitable for disabled access.
Rhonda Reekie, who chairs the Community Council, said:
“The intention is that once the garden is established and the herbs are growing well, residents will be invited to take modest quantities for use in their cooking. We also hope to have events to tell people about herbs and their uses.
“The garden is being established in partnership with Bucksburn Academy and we hope that members of the community will volunteer to help too.”
Work will begin on the site on Saturday, 10th November, from 10am to 12 noon. The garden will be marked out and a start made on preparing the ground to take paving slabs and raised beds.
Senior school pupils, parents and members of the wider community will hopefully join in these preparations.
To volunteer to help in the project, phone Aberdeen 712605.
Buckburn and Newhills Community Council have also produced the first Beautiful Bucksburn Calendar. It shows a month per page and includes photos donated by local residents featuring beauty spots in and around Bucksburn, Newhills, Stoneywood and Forrit Brae.
Calendars will be on sale for £5.00, from Monday 15th October. All sales go towards funding local improvements. Contact Lesley, tel 01224 712605
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As Wednesday 15th August this year marked National Relaxation Day, a free service that promotes serenity by giving children a chance to keep in touch with both parents after relationships break down is appealing for volunteers. With thanks to Claire McBain.
VSA, the UK’s largest city social care charity supporting people in Aberdeen and Aberdeenshire, runs the Richmondhill-based Family Contact Centre.
It is a calm, safe and neutral ground where separated mothers, fathers and grandparents can stay in a youngsters’ life without them having to see one another.
The centre, one of the oldest meeting places of its kind in Scotland, recently celebrated its longest serving volunteers by highlighting the achievements of people who have dedicated as much as 20 years to the service.
But increased service demand means an urgent need to recruit the next generation of volunteers.
Cathy Maxwell, family support co-ordinator at VSA’s Family Contact Centre, said:
“It may sound clichéd but, without them, maintaining the service really won’t be possible.
“It’s a welcoming place where people don’t feel they’re being judged. I’m looking for family-friendly volunteers, both male and female, to join the team that welcome people to the centre on a Saturday. Parents aren’t supervised, but volunteers are on hand to offer assistance if necessary.
“Usually, it’s a case of offering refreshments and providing reassurance about the principles of the centre. Often it just means emphasising the fact that parents don’t have to come face-to-face. Essential volunteer qualities are a sense of humour, a desire to help and a clear understanding of confidentiality.
“On-the-job training is provided and credible, local volunteering experience is a great way for people to boost their employability, particularly if they have an interest in working with children or families. Once they decide this type of volunteering is for them, I’d urge our new recruits to make a commitment to stay with us for up to a year.”
There are more than 45 child contact centres in Scotland. Last year, 1650 children met their non-resident parent, or other significant family member, at one of these centres. This was an increase of 22% on the previous year. More than half of these children were under five years old and 85% aged below eight.
Cathy continued:
“Some parents find it very difficult to agree to share their children’s time with their ex-partner. But visits need not be awkward and distressing.
“Visits facilitated by a contact centre can lead to improved communication between the non-resident parent and their children, reduction or prevention of conflict and, in many cases, decision by parents to work together in the best interests of their children.”
VSA’s Family Contact Centre is based at the Maisie Munro Centre, 18 Richmondhill Place, Aberdeen, on a Saturday.
To find out more about becoming a volunteer or using the service contact Cathy Maxwell, family support co-ordinator, on 01224 358638 or e-mail her at cathy.maxwell@vsa.org.uk
For more information, photographs or to get the perspective of a current volunteer, contact Claire McBain on 01224 358611 or e-mail her at claire.mcbain@vsa.org.uk
The Friends of Duthie Park will continue their monthly gardening activities in the park on Sunday 18th September from noon until 2.00 pm. On the third Sunday of every month, during the summer season, the Friends of Duthie Park meet up to undertake gardening tasks to complement the staff in the park. With thanks to Dave Macdermid.
On Sunday, the Friends will complete the planting of a new Sensory Bed at the west side of the park.
A class from local primary school, Ferryhill, designed the bed as part of a competition and the Friends secured sponsorship for the plants from local garden centre Ben Reid & Co. In addition, herbaceous plants will be planted in other areas of the park.
Current and new members are invited join members of the committee meeting at the entrance to the David Welch Winter Gardens.
The Friends of Duthie Park, the group responsible for the resurrection of‘Spike’ the talking cactus in time for last month’s successful inaugural Open Day, is also on the lookout to bolster its committee numbers, with certain specific skills being sought, as Chairman Tony Dawson explains.
“As a group, I believe we’ve achieved a great deal in a short space of time but if we are to continue to progress as we would like, we do need to supplement our committee numbers. While we are keen to hear from anyone who is interested in assisting, there are areas where we do require specific assistance, namely the development of our website, marketing & sponsorship, research & history and education & learning.
“In addition, the return of Spike was more of a success than we could ever have hoped for, resulting in a huge demand for regular appearances from him. Consequently, we would like to hear from anyone who would be interested in becoming one of the pool of people that we will require to call on to be the voice of Spike.
“With the forthcoming restoration work at Duthie Park, this is a hugely exciting time for the Friends and it would be fantastic to get some more people on board.”
Anybody interested in finding out more about any aspect of the Friends, including joining the committee, should, in the first instance, e-mail info@friendsofduthiepark.co.uk with their contact details and the area they would like to get involved in.
It has been a busy summer down at Sunnybank Park. Philip Sim reports.
Just six months have passed since the park, formerly known as the St Machar Outdoor Centre, was taken over by the Friends of Sunnybank Park community group.
Already, major structural changes are underway to breathe new life into the previously run-down site, with the newly-built allotments looking full of life.
One of the most visually impacting changes has been the removal of the large metal fence across the middle of the park, which has made the whole area feel much more open and spacious.
The fence removal was funded by Aberdeen Greenspace Trust, who have pledged around £60,000 to the park. They have now completed the bulk of their work, including re-surfacing the existing paths and installing some benches and a new stairway and path leading to the park.
Meanwhile BTCV Scotland volunteers have also been hard at work picking litter, building benches and trimming down the undergrowth. They have also built compost bins for the allotment holders and other green-fingered locals.
There has even been some political interest in the project. Former City Council leader John Stewart has provided funds for signage and a notice board, while North East MSP Lewis MacDonald toured the site last week.
The park was formerly home to a bowling green, but Aberdeen City Council decided to mothball the site after the pavilion was burned down in 2009.
The area was left to fall into disrepair until local community groups rallied round and put together a business plan, complete with funding, to save the park. With many major developments now complete and a few more still to come, the future certainly seems bright at Sunnybank Park.
New Arc’s KeithMarley talks to the Aberdeen Voice about New Arc’s activities and ways the public can get involved.
While some of Aberdeen’s great and good are spending their time and our money getting their portraits painted and throwing parties to celebrate the great occasion, the entire spectrum of people and animal charities are suffering cuts, and it will get worse.
There is no time like now to get involved with a charity of your choice, and The North East Wildlife & Animal Rescue Centre, better known as The New Arc would like your help.
The Northeast of Scotland has an abundance of wildlife and domesticated animals – but very few resources to cope with abused, injured and/or abandoned animals. Willows in New Pitsligo is one, and the New Arc in Ellon is another.
Keith Marley from New Arc attended the Tullos Hill picnic in June arranged by Fred Wilkinson of Aberdeen Voice. He entertained many of us with tales of rescued animals of all kinds. He had once been called to a council flat – only to find it overrun with dogs, rabbits, cats, a parrot and the animal to be taken into care: a very large pig. He had to smuggle it out in a blanket to try and avoid embarrassment for its former owners; it was squealing, and kids on the crowded street asked what it was, and he said it was a sick dog.
Unfortunately not many of his stories are amusing. People who are feeling the economic pinch are abandoning animals – some most cruelly. A recent news story was that of a cat left in a locked box on the side of the road. It would have surely been killed or starved to death in its small cage if not for a very eagle-eyed and caring passer-by. The people who did this are still being sought by the Scottish SPCA. Just as a reminder – animal cruelty and abandonment are completely illegal (as well as unacceptable to any thinking person)
Animal abandonments are increasing; the cost of driving out to rescue animals has risen with the cost of fuel, and the cost of feeding the hungry mouths at New Arc has risen as well. Animal charities are in a lose/lose situation at the moment.
Keith would love volunteers to contact The New Arc; he would also love donations. And ideally, he
would like people to get involved with fundraising:-
“We are asking for volunteers to form a fund raising group – Friends of The New Arc. FONA Ideally we would like 2 groups, one based in Aberdeen and one covering the rural areas.
“The responsibilities of the fund raising groups will be to raise awareness of the work we do here and generate fundraising ideas and assist in the coordination, management and implementation of those ideas into reality.
“If you feel this is something you could assist with either by sitting on the committee or by volunteering your time to assist in carrying out the activities then please contact us by phone on 0796 2253867 or by e-mail at thenewarc1@aol.com”
The New Arc will not destroy healthy animals; it seeks to rehome animals where possible or return to the wild as appropriate. They are, unfortunately unable to take dogs, and at the moment cannot take any more cats. They have a good number of animals which need homes, so if you can offer a suitable home to one, please do get in touch.
There are many animals which need to stay at the shelter for the rest of their lives – these animals desperately need sponsors. New Arc also features a lost/found pet section on their website. The website also offers useful tips as to how to assess and react to an animal in the wild.
There is no government funding – New Arc runs on volunteers and donations: all monies donated go directly on maintaining the sanctuary and caring for the animals. Here is a video of New Arc in action:-
Most young wild animals will have a parent or parents somewhere nearby; it is almost always best to leave a young wild animal alone – if you touch it, the odds are the parents will abandon it. What might seem like an injured or abandoned wild animal to you or me may just be a fledgling.
If you do encounter an injured animal, there is also good guidance on what to do. The New Arc seem to take calls ‘round the clock; I once needed Keith’s help and despite having a hospital appointment on the same day, he showed up to assess the problem I reported as soon as he could.
Please do visit the website at: http://www.thenewarc.org/ and if you can help the New Arc, then please get in touch.
