Volunteer Archives - Page 6 of 12

Cat Parade – Purfect Fit For CLAN Cancer Support

Aberdeen City, Information No Responses »

Aug 262016

With thanks to Jessica Murphy, Senior Account Executive, Citrus:Mix.

CLAN Cancer Support is hoping a partnership with an Aberdeen art initiative will prove the purfect match as cat fever takes over the Granite City next month (September).
The Cat Parade has been organised by the city’s Bon Accord rotary club to help mark the 100th anniversary of the Rotary organisation being established in Aberdeen.

CLAN is one of three charities, alongside Unicef and Denis Law’s Streetsport Initiative, that are feline good about their link with the art scheme.

As part of the event, 100 replicas of the iconic Kelly’s Cats, which adorn the parapet of Union Bridge, will be painted by both professional and amateur artists, before being auctioned off to raise funds for the partner charities.

A CLAN cat will be among those that is auctioned off and the charity’s Children and Families team are currently working with clients to come up with a fun design.

Susan Crighton, CLAN’s fundraising manager, said:

“We are absolutely delighted to be involved in such a fun project and would like to thank the Cat Parade for including CLAN as one of their charity partners. We have been enjoying ourselves already thinking of how to decorate CLAN’s cat and are looking forward to seeing all the cats once they are decorated.

“Art trails have proved incredibly popular in recent years and we are sure that the Cat Parade will draw in the crowds. CLAN has a great relationship with rotary clubs throughout the north-east of Scotland, who kindly donate their time to help sell tickets for our annual Mini prize draw. This link makes this partnership even more special to us as we can play a part in marking 100 years of Aberdeen’s Bon Accord rotary club.”

Adrian Blake, one of the Cat Parade organisers, said:

“We are delighted to have CLAN as one of our chosen charities which will benefit from the Cat Parade and I am particularly pleased that they are also participating in the project by decorating a cat.”

An exhibition of the cats will run from September 1 to 27 in the Union Bridge windows of Waterstones.

For more information visit http://www.catparade.co.uk/

CLAN Cancer Support is an independent charity which provides comfort support and information, free of charge, for anyone, of any age, affected by any type of cancer. CLAN aims to support people to reduce anxiety, stress and to increase their ability to cope with the effects of a serious illness.

Based in Aberdeen, the charity covers the whole of north-east Scotland, Moray, Orkney and Shetland. CLAN has a presence in Ballater, Banchory, Elgin, Inverurie, Fraserburgh, Peterhead, Stonehaven, Turriff, Kirkwall and Lerwick.

For further information about CLAN Cancer Support please call (01224) 647 000 or visit www.clanhouse.org

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Walkers And Marshals Sought For CLAN’s Landmark Walk

Aberdeen City, Charity No Responses »

Aug 042016

With thanks to Phil Moar, Account Manager, Citrus:Mix.

Walkers and marshals are still being sought for a popular fundraising event that is set to take in the sights of Aberdeen next month. CLAN Cancer Support’s Landmark Walk will take place in and around Aberdeen on Saturday, September 24, with the charity appealing for walkers to take part on its behalf.

Now in its fourth year, the event will see participants tackle either a 13 or 7.8 mile walk which will take in various landmarks across Aberdeen – from the charity’s own CLAN House, King’s College, St Machar Cathedral, Pittodrie and many others – before participants are welcomed back at the city’s Westburn Park.

There are also various volunteering opportunities on offer for the event and the charity is still appealing for more than 100 marshals to ensure the walk goes ahead. Helping guide walkers around the course, alongside manning water stations and helping with the event village within Westburn Park itself, volunteers play a massive role in aiding the success of the walk and the charity is encouraging anyone interested in helping to apply through its website.

Last year’s event saw more than 800 walkers and marshals don a purple t-shirt in support of the charity, with a sea of walkers taking to the streets of Aberdeen to help raise nearly £50,000.

This year’s walk is generously supported by Macduff Shellfish with various other sponsorship opportunities also available for businesses looking to get involved. All profit from the day will go towards CLAN’s provision of free support services to anyone affected by cancer across the north-east of Scotland, Moray, Orkney and Shetland.

Susan Crighton, CLAN’s fundraising manager, said:

“Preparation for one of our biggest fundraisers of the year continues to grow, with a number of walkers and marshals already signed up and committing their support to the day.

“Despite this, we’re still urgently appealing for another 100 marshals to ensure the walk itself goes ahead and we are encouraging anyone interested in helping on the day to get in touch. Without this help, the event simply cannot go ahead but we’re still confident we’ll reach the required levels for the day.

“As well as the personnel support, the event is always an important fundraiser for the charity so it’s great that we’ve got corporate support from Macduff Shellfish amongst others. Funds raised are integral to our provision of free services to those affected by cancer so your involvement on the day could make a massive difference to an individual, their family and their friends.”

Entry costs £10 for adults (plus £1.50 admin fee) and £5 for children (plus £1.50 admin fee).

Registration can be made online here: https://www.entryhub.co.uk/clan-landmark-walk-2016.

Entries close on September 21 and 12-16 year olds may only participate in the 7.8 mile route and must be accompanied by an adult. The deadline for marshal applications is Friday, August 12 and sign-up can be completed online at www.clanhouse.org by clicking on the Landmark Walk button.

To register an interest in volunteering or for more details on taking part, please contact a member of CLAN’s fundraising team on 01224 647000 or email fundraising@clanhouse.org.

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Bioblitz: Discovering Glen Affric’s Wonderful Wildlife

Environment, Featured No Responses »

Aug 042016

With thanks to Richard Bunting, Director, Richard Bunting PR.

Trees for Life volunteer looking at a lichen.

Conservation charity Trees for Life is holding a public Bioblitz day in Glen Affric on Sunday 14 August, from 10.30am – 3.30pm, for anyone who wants to discover more about wildlife in the famous glen.

Everyone is welcome to call in at The Quarry car park near the end of Loch Beinn a’Mheadhoin, and to join in the free activities.

A group of wildlife specialists will be on the lookout for plants, fungi, insects, birds and mammals, and will be displaying interesting findings during the day.

There will be opportunities to make mini nature reserves, join bug hunts and guided walks, and hear a storyteller recount tales from forest folklore. The Bog Cotton Café will be on site, selling tea, coffee, cake and other delicacies from their village kitchen in Cannich.

Natural history groups joining the Bioblitz include specialists from Butterfly Conservation Scotland, British Dragonfly Society, Forest Enterprise Scotland, National Trust for Scotland and RSPB. Young Scot’s National Youth Biodiversity Action Group will be running activities for people of all ages.

Trees for Life is an award-winning conservation charity dedicated to restoring the endangered Caledonian Forest and to protecting its rare wildlife from extinction, and so far has created 10,000 acres of new forest. It has pledged to establish one million more trees, by planting and natural regeneration, by 2018.

People can support Trees for Life by becoming members and by funding dedicated trees and groves. Volunteers carry out almost all of the charity’s practical conservation work, including through

Conservation Weeks in beautiful locations. See www.treesforlife.org.uk.

The Bioblitz event is part of Trees for Life’s Glen Affric Forest Restoration Project, which won the Outdoor category of the 2014 European Outdoor Conservation Association (EOCA) scheme, securing £20,000 through an online public vote.

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Clan’s Landmark Walk To Return In September

Aberdeen City, Charity No Responses »

Jul 212016

With thanks to Phil Moar, Account Manager, Citrus:Mix.

Walkers will get the chance to explore Aberdeen in the name of charity later this year as a popular fundraising event was officially confirmed to return. CLAN Cancer Support’s Landmark Walk will take place in and around Aberdeen on Saturday, September 24, with the charity appealing for walkers to take part on its behalf.

Within Westburn Park itself will be a family fun day, with food and entertainment keeping supporters going until their family member or friend makes it back on the day.

Last year’s event saw more than 800 walkers and marshals don a purple t-shirt in support of the charity, with a sea of walkers taking to the streets of Aberdeen to help raise nearly £50,000.

There are also various volunteering opportunities on offer for the event, with more than 300 marshals required to ensure the walk goes ahead.

Susan Crighton, CLAN’s fundraising manager, said:

“We’ve been busy putting the final touches to this year’s Landmark Walk and we’re delighted to have confirmation that the event will return again in September; it’s one of our biggest fundraisers of the year so its importance to the charity as a whole is pivotal.

“Like previous years, participants will have the chance to take part in either the 13 or 7.8 mile walk with both routes fully signposted and staffed by our helpful team of marshals – it really is open to anyone of all abilities!

“Given the current economic climate within the north-east, our public fundraising events have taken on an even greater importance than before and we’ve been so lucky to benefit from people’s generosity in previous events. We’re looking for sponsored walkers and volunteers to sign up and help us make this the biggest and best Landmark Walk to date.

“We’re delighted to receive the support from Macduff Shellfish as without support like this from the business community, the event simply wouldn’t go ahead. Funds raised are integral to our provision of free services to those affected by cancer so your involvement on the day could make a massive difference to an individual, their family and their friends.”

Entry costs £10 for adults (plus £1.50 admin fee) and £5 for children (plus £1.50 admin fee). Registration can be made online here: https://www.entryhub.co.uk/clan-landmark-walk-2016. Entries close on September 21 and 12-16 year olds may only participate in the 7.8 mile route and must be accompanied by an adult.

To register an interest in volunteering or for more details on taking part, please contact a member of CLAN’s fundraising team on 01224 647000 or email fundraising@clanhouse.org

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Superdry Donates £12,500 To Save Caledonian Forest

Environment, Featured, Information No Responses »

Jul 212016

With thanks to Richard Bunting, Director, Richard Bunting PR.

TfL’s CEO Steve Micklewright (left) and Paul Thomas, Superdry’s Energy and Environment Manager, at Dundreggan Conservation Estate.

Trees for Life’s work to save Scotland’s ancient Caledonian Forest and its rare wildlife has been given a welcome boost thanks to a £12,500 donation from fashion brand and retailer Superdry.

The donation was raised through sales of carrier bags from the company’s stores across Scotland, with its staff members voting for the funds to benefit award-winning conservation charity Trees for Life.

Superdry’s Energy and Environment Manager Paul Thomas recently spent a day at Trees for Life’s acclaimed Dundreggan Conservation Estate in Glenmoriston near Loch Ness, to present the donation and to see some of the practical conservation action being carried out there – including the charity’s tree nursery where 60,000 native trees are grown each year.

Paul said:

“We are really proud to be supporting Trees for Life’s restoration of the Caledonian Forest, one of the country’s most iconic but endangered habitats. A healthy environment benefits everyone, and it’s inspiring to support this project which is bringing new life to the wild landscapes of the Highlands.”

Steve Micklewright, Trees for Life’s Chief Executive Officer, said:

“Initiatives like this make a real difference, with every £5 allowing us to plant a tree and every £50 enabling us to restore 50 square metres of native woodland. So this donation from Superdry is very good news for Scotland’s equivalent of a rainforest, and it will generate long-lasting benefits for woodlands, wildlife and people.”

Scotland’s 5p charge on carrier bags in stores aims to reduce plastic bag use. Superdry has gone one step further for the environment by ensuring that its bags are made of easily biodegradable paper rather than plastic.

Today only a fraction of the former Caledonian Forest survives, but Trees for Life has planted more than one million trees at dozens of locations, and has created 10,000 acres of new forest. It has pledged to establish one million more trees by planting and natural regeneration by 2018.

People can support Trees for Life by becoming members and by funding dedicated trees and groves. Volunteers carry out almost all of the charity’s practical conservation work, including through Conservation Weeks in beautiful locations. See www.treesforlife.org.uk or call 0845 458 3505.

Superdry (www.superdry.com) is a contemporary brand focusing on high-quality products that fuse vintage Americana and Japanese-inspired graphics with a British style. It has gained an international celebrity following, and has a growing worldwide presence, operating through 515 Superdry branded locations in 46 countries. Superdry prides itself on great customer service and a hassle-free returns policy.

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Tickets Go On Sale For CLAN’s Christmas Cracker

Aberdeen City, Charity No Responses »

Jul 142016

With thanks to Phil Moar, Account Manager, Citrus:Mix.

Tickets for a leading north-east cancer support charity’s biggest fundraising event of the year have gone on sale as preparations continue to gather pace.

CLAN Cancer Support’s annual Christmas Cracker event will take place on Saturday, November 26, at the city’s Ardoe House Hotel and Spa.

The successful event, which sees individuals and businesses from across the north-east come together in support of the popular charity, includes a drinks reception, three-course dinner, entertainment and dancing.

It is the charity’s biggest fundraiser of the year.

Last year’s event saw more than £83,000 raised, with two clients of CLAN, former STV News presenter Margaret Donald and Emily Findlay, sharing their inspiring stories with attendees.

As well as table packages, there are various sponsorship opportunities available for both businesses and individuals looking to play an active part in the evening. Individual tickets to the evening are also available.

As well as the corporate sector, the night is suitable for all to attend and is perfect for a friends and family night out, team building or even an early Christmas get together.

Susan Crighton, CLAN’s fundraising manager, said:

“Many might think that it is far too early in the year to speak about Christmas but preparation for this year’s event started immediately after last year’s evening. We’re busy planning behind the scenes and we’re delighted to be in a position to release ticket and sponsorship details for those looking to be part of the evening.

“We’ve actually had a number of confirmed bookings already which is fantastic and I’d like to say a big thank you to those who have already committed to the evening.

“Our Christmas Cracker is our biggest night of the year and is an event that we’ve really nurtured over the last few years; it has gone from strength to strength but with the current economic climate in the north-east, it has taken on an even greater importance to CLAN this year.

“Last year’s event helped raised more than £83,000 for CLAN with this money playing an integral role in our provision of free support services to anyone affected by cancer across the north and north-east of Scotland. You can see why this evening is of such great importance to us and we really hope you will be able to be part of what is sure to be a special night for all.”

Booking details can be found in full at www.clanhouse.org. The CLAN fundraising team can also be contacted on 01224 647000 or email fundraising@clanhouse.org.

CLAN Cancer Support is an independent charity which provides comfort, support and information, free of charge, for anyone, of any age, affected by any type of cancer. CLAN aims to support people to reduce anxiety, stress and to increase their ability to cope with the effects of a serious illness.

Based in Aberdeen, the charity covers the whole of north-east Scotland, Moray, Orkney and Shetland. CLAN has a presence in Ballater, Banchory, Elgin, Inverurie, Fraserburgh, Lossiemouth, Peterhead, Stonehaven, Turriff, Kirkwall and Lerwick.

For further information about CLAN Cancer Support please call (01224) 647 000 or visit www.clanhouse.org

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Historic Swim To Raise Money For CLAN

Aberdeen City, News No Responses »

Jun 302016

With thanks to Jessica Murphy, Senior Account Executive, Citrus:Mix.

A leading north-east charity is appealing for volunteers to dive into the fast lane and be a part of a new swimming festival.

CLAN Cancer Support has two spaces available for Swim Serpentine, a new mass participation event organised by London Marathon Events which is held in and around the Serpentine in Hyde Park, London.

Swimmers will be recreating a bit of history as the beautiful venue hosted the open water swimming competition at the London 2012 Olympic Games.

The swim on Saturday, September 24, is part of a two day festival, with the British Open Water Swimming Championships taking place the following day.

Participants must complete the one-mile challenge in a wetsuit or tow-float and will be released into the water in 18 groups throughout Saturday.

Susan Crighton, CLAN fundraising manager, said:

“Swim Serpentine is an exciting new event and we are thrilled to have secured places for it. Around 6,000 swimmers will be taking part and it will be so special to have CLAN supporters among that incredible number.

“The swim is taking place a week after the Paralympics finish in Rio so it will be special to be at a previous Olympic venue when Olympic spirits will still be high.

“We expect there to be a lot of interest as this is such a unique event so would encourage people to get in touch as soon as possible to secure a space. Swim Serpentine caters for swimmers of varying strength so this really is the perfect chance to take the plunge for CLAN and help us raise funds for our services across the north-east.”

For more information or to take part in Swim Serpentine please contact Darren Hill at CLAN to register on 01224 651034 or email darren.hill@clanhouse.org.

For further information about CLAN Cancer Support please call (01224) 647 000 or visit www.clanhouse.org

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CLAN Cancer Support Raises Awareness Of Myeloma

Aberdeen City, News No Responses »

Jun 242016

With thanks to Phil Moar, Account Manager, Citrus:Mix.

Diagnosed with a rare form of bone marrow cancer five years ago, John Boylan didn’t know anyone who had been through a similar experience.

With the support of his wife Christine, and his family, John went through treatment and therapy for multiple myeloma, not knowing what to expect or what lay ahead of him.

They often spoke of their wish for a local support group and gave encouragement to a former international athlete and CLAN Cancer Support patron, Mel Edwards, to make this a reality in 2014.

The Aberdeen Myeloma Support Group, led by Mel and supported by Myeloma UK, was established in September of that year and met on a monthly basis.

Mel had to hand over the leadership to John and Christine early this year, due to pressure of work, but he is still involved and helps to source guest speakers.

During Myeloma Awareness Week which runs from June 21 to June 28, John and Christine are hoping to raise the profile of both myeloma and the Aberdeen Myeloma Support Group.

As part of the week, CLAN Cancer Support is holding a Myeloma Awareness Day on Wednesday, June 22, which the couple are supporting.

John said:

“Most people feel overwhelmed when they are told that they have myeloma. It’s a cancer that very few people have heard about and it affects people in different ways. You go through many different emotions when you hear the news and although this is hard on the patient, it is difficult for your carer and your family.

“Christine had to adapt to the new role of carer, making sure that I was taking the proper medication, looking out for symptoms that could arise and generally looking after me. You never know what the next stage will be with myeloma, this can be very difficult.

“It is a tremendous comfort to speak to someone who is going through the same thing and that is one of the many reasons why we were anxious to encourage the setting up of a support group The group continues to help us so much and we would like to take this opportunity to raise awareness of the condition and let those living with myeloma know that there are people locally who can help.”

Multiple myeloma is a cancer which stems from plasma cells and affects multiple places in the body where bone marrow is normally active in an adult.

With around 4,800 new cases diagnosed each year in the UK, it is uncommon and there is currently no cure, however treatment can often help control the condition for several years.

CLAN’s Myeloma Awareness Day will give people access to up to date information, a variety of taster sessions and a guest speaker. Members of the Myeloma Group, which meets regularly at CLAN House, will also be on hand to discuss the condition and answer any queries from visitors.

Taster complementary therapies aimed at relaxation, pain and stress management will be held from 10.30am until 2pm, while ‘Move More’ sessions will take place at 11.30am and 12.30pm. All sessions will last 20 minutes and will be held at CLAN House.

Dr Mohammed Khan, Consultant Haematologist at Aberdeen Royal Infirmary, will also give a talk from 2.30pm about ‘Secondary Immunodeficiency and its Management’ to which anyone is welcome to attend.

Christine, who helps organise the group, added:

“None of us had heard of myeloma before John’s diagnosis. It was hard seeing John so ill, there are good times and not so good times. Sharing your experiences with others going through the same thing can make a big difference and is such a vital line of support at times.

“Meeting up can be a nice break for people and also a chance to find out what has helped others. You find out more about the disease and the kinds of treatment that people are having. People are very friendly and we have all got to know each other.

“There is a lot of trust and support in the group as you end up talking about personal things. It is a very positive environment and we would like to encourage anyone to come along to CLAN for the Myeloma Awareness Day and find out a bit more.”

CLAN’s community bases throughout north-east Scotland, Moray, Orkney and Shetland will also be displaying information about Myeloma throughout Myeloma Awareness Week.

The Myeloma Support group is aimed at helping those coping with a diagnosis and their family members and carers, with the support of Myeloma UK, and meets monthly at CLAN House on the fourth Wednesday of every month at 2.30pm.

For further information please contact CLAN Cancer Support on 01224 647000.

Myeloma UK is the only organisation in the UK dealing exclusively with myeloma, a bone marrow cancer for which there is no cure. Our broad and innovative range of services cover every aspect of myeloma from providing information and support, to improving standards of treatment and care through research and campaigning.

For further information about Myeloma UK, visit www.myeloma.org.uk

For further information about CLAN Cancer Support please call (01224) 647 000 or visit www.clanhouse.org

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CLAN To Mark Father’s Day With Special Walk

Aberdeen City, Information No Responses »

Jun 172016

With thanks to Phil Moar, Account Manager, Citrus:Mix.

A leading north-east cancer support charity is to hold a special walk to mark Father’s Day. CLAN Cancer Support will host its annual Father’s Day event within Aberdeen’s Westburn Park on Sunday, June 19, from 9.30am to noon.

The event gives friends, families and individuals the opportunity to walk a 1km route through the park in memory of a loved one on a day that holds great significance for many.

The walk itself can be completed as many times as an individual chooses, with an opportunity to be sponsored to do so also available for participants.

The Father’s Day event follows a similar walk held on Mother’s Day earlier this year after CLAN was inspired by Macduff woman and CLAN supporter Marjorie Nicholson who organised a sponsored walk after losing her son to cancer on Mother’s Day in 2007.

Susan Crighton, CLAN’s fundraising manager, said:

“Our Father’s Day walk is one of our most touching events of the year which was really born out of a need to offer comfort and support on what can be a difficult day for fathers, mothers and children.

“The aim of the walk is to turn the day into something positive for those who perhaps look upon it with a sense of trepidation. It’s a chance to remember loved ones and to come together with others to celebrate the lives of family members.

“Participants can choose to walk as far as they would like and the can also choose to get sponsored – but the day itself is really more than fundraising; it’s about a sense of togetherness.”

Registration for the walk is £5 and should be completed prior to the event. Children may walk for free but must be accompanied for an adult. For more details and to register, please contact Darren Hill on 01224 647000 or email fundraising@clanhouse.org

For further information about CLAN Cancer Support please call (01224) 647 000 or visit www.clanhouse.org

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Bothy Reborn As Eco-Friendly Rewilding Base

Environment, Information No Responses »

Jun 022016

With thanks to Richard Bunting, Director, Richard Bunting PR.

An iconic but once derelict mountain bothy in Glen Affric has been transformed into an eco-friendly rewilding base by Trees for Life – creating the springboard for an ambitious 25-year programme of forest restoration which will extend Scotland’s Caledonian Forest towards the country’s west coast.

Around 100 people gathered at the remote Athnamulloch Bothy – which lies west of Loch Affric, on the National Forest Estate managed by Forest Enterprise Scotland – on Sunday 29 May to celebrate the building’s £137,000 renovation, which has been funded by generous donations and grants.

Broadcaster, writer and Trees for Life Patron Vanessa Collingridge officially reopened the bothy by unfurling a ceremonial sash featuring the tartan of Clan Chisholm, whose traditional homelands include Glen Affric. Environmental education charity Wild things! laid on activities for children, and guests were able to enjoy behind-the-scenes tours and a guided walk to the first trees planted by Trees for Life, in 1991.

“Saving Athnamulloch Bothy from dereliction – and giving it an exciting new lease of life as a base for conservation volunteering to help rewild one of Scotland’s great natural areas – represents a new era for our restoration of the Caledonian Forest in Glen Affric’s western reaches,” said Alan Watson Featherstone, Trees for Life’s Founder.

“Our sincere thanks go to everyone who has helped make this project succeed. We can now embark on ambitious large-scale forest restoration work in partnership with Forest Enterprise Scotland, in which our volunteers will plant another 250,000 trees – extending Glen Affric’s endangered forests westwards, and creating crucial forest corridors and habitats for rare wildlife.”

Until the bothy became unsafe and was closed in 2008, Trees for Life’s volunteers used it for 17 years as a base for planting the first new Scots pines to grow in the area for centuries. With significant tree planting in the remote location virtually impossible without a place for volunteers to stay, the conservation charity undertook an ambitious fundraising drive to save the bothy.

In a major boost, almost half the costs were covered by a £60,000 award from the Legacy 2014 Active Places Fund, part of the Scottish Government’s Commonwealth Games Legacy 2014 programme.

Trees for Life secured the remaining funds through its Build the Bothy public appeal – fronted by broadcaster and wildlife filmmaker Gordon Buchanan – and further grants, including £20,000 from the Moray-based Gordon and Ena Baxter Foundation, £15,000 from The Robertson Trust, £10,000 from the Garfield Weston Foundation and £1,000 from the James Thin Charitable Trust.

Highland Council was also very helpful in enabling a building in such a remote location to meet today’s stringent building control standards.

The bothy has now been renovated to a high ecological standard while retaining its rustic character. A kitchen, living room, bedrooms, drying room, wood burning stoves, composting toilet and a bathroom with eco-friendly energy and water systems have been installed, new timbers and flooring have replaced rotten woodwork, and a porch now provides for drier entry into the building, which is crucial given the area’s very wet climate.

Trees for Life has signed a 25-year lease for the building with Forest Enterprise Scotland, and the names of those who donated at least £250 are listed on a commemorative plaque in the building.

From Athnamulloch Bothy, Trees for Life is now launching its Back to Our Roots initiative. In partnership with Forest Enterprise Scotland, this will extend the native Caledonian Forest beyond its current stronghold in the east of the glen towards Scotland’s west coast – creating a continuous corridor of woodland across this part of the Highlands, and providing habitats for many species long lost from these deforested landscapes.

Through its Back to Our Roots fundraising appeal, the charity is seeking to raise £18,000 to fund the first phase of this tree planting and habitat creation, and to help achieve its ambition to establish one million more trees by planting and natural regeneration across the Highlands by 2018. For details, see www.treesforlife.org.uk or call 01309 691292.

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