AFTER a period of internal wrangling and resignations, Stonehaven and District Community Council, SDCC, has pulled itself back from the brink of collapse thanks to member Ben Plouviez being willing to take the role of chair.
Mr Plouviez will be supported by fellow member Fiona Tavendale who will act as co-chair. A new member was also co-opted at the meeting with Lisa Mackenzie Elliott being unanimously welcomed to the community council. No-one has yet put their hand up to be treasurer so SDCC will continue without one for the short term.
Taking the chair, Mr Plouviez made it clear he wanted SDCC to become more pro-active in its handling of matters of local concern.
”This must not become a talking shop,” he said.
Mr Plouviez said the issue of roads with potholes and pavements with weeds was so pervasive in Stonehaven that it would feel wrong for SDCC not to discuss the matter – but they had no budget, so there is a real danger that all they could do was sit and discuss the problem. He proposed a group should look at the town and come up with a list of the most important areas to be tackled.
”Then we can work on interrogating the Council and putting pressure on the Council through the Town Centre Improvement Group to get some understanding of what can be achieved and what the constraints are on addressing some of these issues,” he said.
”It is intended to be a way we can proactively have a dialogue with officers, rather than just say this is awful.”
Cllr Alan Turner said the issue of potholes was universal across the Shire. He told the meeting it was important residents used the Fix My Street app to report faults.
”Fix My Street is the only way forward, the only chance of getting things done,” he said.
Feature image – Ben Plouviez and Fiona Tavendale have teamed up to keep the SDCC show on the road
Poets and musicians will gather at the Aberdeenshire homeplace of one of Scotland’s best-loved writers in August to celebrate his enduring influence.
They will share the stage at the Grassic Gibbon Centre in Arbuthnott on Saturday August 15 to mark the 125th anniversary of the birth of James Leslie Mitchell – aka Lewis Grassic Gibbon – author of Sunset Song, which is widely regarded as the greatest Scottish novel of the 20th century.
The free event, which starts at 7pm (doors open 6.30pm), will feature a range of performers who span the generations. The line-up will include teenage all-girl band Berlin 87, 78-year-old Doric maestro Alistair Lawrie, award-winning Scots poet Lesley Benzie, rock/punk performer Len Helsing– lead singer of The Thanes – poets Karen Macfarlane, Marka Rifat, Andrew Urquhart, Neil Young, Gaelic singer Jon Ball, singer/songwriter David Potter and Gloria Potter.
It has been organised by The Wee Gaitherin poetry festival – Stonehaven’s annual poetry festival – and Friends of Grassic Gibbon along with Arbuthnott Community Association.
Born in 1901, and living his formative early years in Arbuthnott, James Leslie Mitchell is best known for the novel Sunset Song, written under his pen-name of Lewis Grassic Gibbon.
The book, which formed part of a trilogy of novels set in Northeast Scotland called A Scots Quair, has been adapted into a celebrated TV serial and a film. Regarded as one of the key works of Scottish literature of the early 20th century, Sunset Song helped to forge a new modern form of Scottish prose writing, whilst chronicling an agrarian lifestyle that was already vanishing by the time of the book’s publication in 1932.
It also brought into being one of the most memorable female figures in Scottish literature in the central character of Chris Guthrie. Uniquely for the time, Mitchell drove the narrative through Chris’s eyes as she navigated the contradictions of a deep love of the land while trying to escape the bonds of traditional values to live more independently.
Lesley Benzie, of the Wee Gaitherin poetry festival, said: “Coming from the Northeast ‘Sunset Song’ was a beacon for my cultural and emotional experience – one of those ‘to know we are not alone’ books. While so beautifully bound to a place and time, it’s magic is its universality.
”I’m delighted to be part of this celebration, where I’ll share one of my prize-winning poems ‘Sunset Song and The Terminators’.”
For more information, please email Charles Roberts-McIntosh friendsofgrassicgibbon@gmail.com; or see the Facebook pages of The Wee Gaitherin, Grassic Gibbon Centre or Arbuthnott Parish Hall & Community Association.
STONEHAVEN and District Community Council, SDCC, meet tonight when it is hoped required office bearers will be elected and a period of internal disruption is be brought to an end.
SDCC was in a state of disarray after its AGM in June which failed to produce a competent set of office bearers. There was – and still is – the possibility Aberdeenshire Council would take action and place the community council in supported measures. This brings the loss of both statutory consultee status and the ability to post news and views on the SDC website and social media channels.
There are however hopes tonight’s meeting might offer a fresh start. The Bellman understands a candidate has come forward for the vacant position of chair – leaving only a treasurer to be found to give the group its full compliment of office bearers.
Wind farm funds, local development plan …
Going forward, SDCC members will have some important matters to discuss. The operators of the proposed Aspen Wind Farm Cerulean Winds are making contact with stakeholders for a Community Investment Workshop to help shape the proposed Wind Farm Legacy Fund.
And Aberdeenshire Council recently published a map showing developer’s bids towards the next Local Development Plan. These will shortly be put to community councils for comment.
Add to this the ongoing development of electrical distribution infrastructure, other offshore wind developments and supermarket applications – there will be much to get teeth into.
You are welcome to attend in person in the Old Court House at 7pm
The hybrid format of meetings will not be in use tonight.
A note accompanying the agenda states: ”The 11th August meeting of the Community Council will not be accessible online. We had a number of problems with the technology which were not resolved at the time of the June meeting, and we have not had capacity to address these issues in the intervening period.
”To avoid disappointment on the evening, therefore, we have taken the decision to suspend hybrid meetings for the time being. The Community Council apologises for any inconvenience caused.”
It’s time to focus on getting your entries in for the Stonehaven Gardening Club Summer Show on August 22. The event is open to all ages and there’s something for everyone who would like to take part.
There are 14 sections, each with several classes to enter – see the list below. There are options available for all ages to enter. We look forward to lots of exhibits across the many different classes.
Section 1 – Cut flowers
Section 2 – Pot plants
Section 3 – Vegetables
Section 4 – Fruit
Section 5 – Baking, Jams & Preserves
Section 6 – Arts, Crafts, Photography & Wildlife
Section 7 – Primary school crafts
Section 8 – Junior school crafts
Section 9 – Senior school crafts
Class 101 – Miniature Garden – upto 16 years old
Class 102 – Community Award – for those in Residential Care
Section 10 – Floral Art – members only
Section 11 / 12 / 13 / 14 Floral Art open to All
Here are the general rules for all competitors
In summary
* Entry is free to all exhibitors
* Entry forms to be lodged by Wednesday 19th August
* Entries be brought to the Town Hall on Friday 21st August between 2pm and 7pm
* Please check the sizes of vases and pots are as stated in the schedule
* Judging is between 8am and 9.45am on Saturday morning – not open to the public
* The show opens to the public at 10.30am
* Presentation of trophies at 3pm
* Show closes at 3.15pm
Don’t forget to get your entries in by Wednesday 19th August, by email or post. The entry form is on the schedule, QR code on the posters or on our Facebook page. We look forward to seeing you on Saturday 22nd August 🌻
There are still a few schedules available with all the information in – at the Stonehaven Library and Kirkton Garden Centre.
If you have any questions about how to enter or what you need to do, please do get in touch by messaging us or email on. stonehavengardeningclub@gmail.com
After the Bulletin’s summer break, we are back with a packed edition full of funding suggestions, training courses, events, surveys and more.
If you can’t find what you’re looking for here, please get in touch. We are here to help.
The Meikle Carewe Wind Farm Community Fund is open for applications until 30th September 2026.
The Fund is for any constituted community group, club, society, charity or other not-for-profit entity that operates and benefits residents living in the following Community Council areas (the Area of Benefit):
Crathes, Drumoak and Durris
Newtonhill, Muchalls and Cammachmore
North Kincardine Rural
Portlethen and District
Stonehaven and District
This year, there is £45,129.92 available in the Fund.
Visit the KDP website for the Guidance Notes and Application Form.
For more information or assistance with completing an application, please contact margo@kdp.scot
The Lady Helen Wood Fund is a new £2 million annual commitment from The Wood Foundation, providing flexible funding to charities supporting young people and improving the lives of older adults across Aberdeen City and Aberdeenshire.
The fund is flexible and can support:
Project delivery
Equipment
Core costs and organisational overheads
Capital investment
Applications are open until 31st August.
More information and the application form are available on the website.
NESCAN Climate Week North East 2026 returns this Autumn from Saturday, 19 September to Sunday, 4 October 2026, and it’s truly a community led festival.
Now in its 12th year, it’s being brought to life by people and organisations, all taking small steps that add up to something big.
Full details of how to get involved are on the website.
The National Lottery Community Fund – Small Eco Awards addresses the climate and nature emergency, which affects us all. Local action can make a real difference. The National Lottery want to fund projects that have environmental sustainability as their main aim.
They will fund projects that meet at least one of these priorities:
help people connect with and care for nature in their area
make a positive difference to the environment
help people tackle pollution in their communities
You can use the funding to:
start a new activity or continue an existing one (if it meets the priorities)
help your organisation or community (or both) adapt to new challenges
run one-off events that have a clear environmental benefit
Applications can be submitted at any time with decisions within 12 weeks.
Every year, the International Tree Foundation (ITF) supports community groups across the UK and Ireland to bring their tree-planting ambitions to life. Whether it’s a small community woodland or large scale rewilding, they want to hear your ideas.
The UK Community Tree Planting Programme aims to support community projects that will:
Create and conserve indigenous trees and woodlands, forests, habitats and associated biodiversity
Foster community engagement in tree planting to promote reforestation and to increase awareness of the importance of trees and forests to environmental and human wellbeing
Encourage social cohesion and inclusion
Projects to range from 100 – 10,000 trees planted per year, with a maximum price equivalent to £2.15/tree (inclusive of tree protection and mulch). In addition, these projects also receive two maintenance grants equivalent to £0.10/tree, both in the first and second summers after planting.
SCVO has launched Trustees for Impact: Practical governance in action – a brand-new practical series of bite-sized online workshops designed to help current and aspiring trustees build the knowledge, skills and confidence needed to govern effectively.
Confident and effective trustees play a vital role in helping charities thrive. From setting direction and managing risk, to overseeing finances and making informed decisions, trustees help ensure organisations can deliver meaningful impact for the people and communities they serve.
Learn from sector experts, explore real-world challenges and connect with trustees from across Scotland, as you develop your understanding of good governance in practice.
The five modules will cover:
Getting ready to govern
Practical financial management
Risk management
Board dynamics
Effective decision making
Running fortnightly, between September and November, the programme will help you feel more confident in your role, understand your responsibilities, and be better equipped to support your organisation to thrive.
There is a cost to participate in this series of workshops, however SCVO members receive a discount.
Unpaid Work, previously referred to as Community Service, is an option available to the courts as part of a Community Payback Order. People who are given unpaid work as part of a Community Payback Order will carry out work across Aberdeenshire in either small groups or in individual placements.
The work is supervised either directly by the service or by another party in agreement with the service.
They are always very willing to discuss potential projects where they may be able to provide help.
The criteria for projects is that they must:
benefit the local community
not take paid work away from others or generate financial profit
be meaningful, constructive and have the potential for people on unpaid work to learn new skills
UK charities can apply for funding of up to £2,500 to enhance their online digital presence through the Fat Beehive Foundation.
Funding is available to help build websites and apps, digitise services, and purchase digital products.
Trustees are particularly keen to support traditionally hard-to-fund organisations, such as those supporting prisoners, refugees, or disadvantaged youth.
Applications can be submitted at any time and are reviewed at trustee meetings in April and October. The closing date for the next round of applications is 30 September 2026.
The Aberdeenshire Alcohol and Drug Partnership (ADP) website is designed to be a central source of information, support, resources, news, and opportunities for individuals, families, professionals, and communities affected by alcohol and drug-related issues.
ADP would be grateful if you could help maximise the reach and impact of this resource by:
Sharing the website link across networks, newsletters, social media channels, and team communications.
Encouraging colleagues, service users, volunteers, and community members to visit the site regularly.
Using the website as a source of up-to-date information on local services, ADP priorities, events, funding opportunities, training, and lived and living experience activity.
By promoting the website, you can help ensure that people across Aberdeenshire can access the information and support they need, when they need it.
Their Facebook page is also used to share information about local support services, awareness campaigns, training opportunities, events and resources related to alcohol and drug use across Aberdeenshire.
The McCarthy Stone Foundation runs a number of grant programmes throughout the year for organisations supporting people over 65:
Aberdeenshire Council is looking for your views on a proposed new Festive Lights Policy that could give communities more flexibility to decide where festive displays are located. The aim is to give local groups more choice while continuing to keep people safe.
If festive lights are important to your town or village, they would love to hear what you think. Read the draft policy and complete the short survey here before the consultation closes on 31 August 2026.
The practical Budgeting for your Organisation workshop will teach you how to construct an income & expenditure budget.
You will also explore key budget issues, how to adapt your budget for use in a funding application and have the opportunity to ask budgeting questions relevant to your organisation.
This workshop is for you if:
you are or will be involved in the budgeting process
you need to learn budgeting skills
you need to include budgets and financial planning in funding applications
This course is fully funded and there is no charge to participants.
The Paristamen Charity offers unrestricted grants between £750 and £1,000 to support the work of charitable organisations in Scotland, through its Responsive Grant Programme. Small and medium-sized charities with annual incomes between £25,000 and £500,000 are welcome to apply, as are churches and other faith-based organisations as long as they meet the criteria.
Trustees’ meetings are typically held three times a year towards the end of June, October, and February. The next closing date for applications is 1st October 2026.
The Scottish Land Commission has published new advice setting out practical steps to expand community ownership across Scotland and help more communities benefit from owning local land and assets.
Next Steps for Community Ownership in Scotland draws on the significant progress already made — more than 500 community organisations now own over 850 assets across the country, generating jobs, delivering homes and supporting vital local services — and identifies what needs to happen next to build on that foundation.
The report recommends increasing the Scottish Land Fund and moving to multi-year funding cycles, giving communities greater certainty to plan ahead. It also calls for improved post-acquisition support, stronger collaboration across public bodies and easier access to legal, planning and technical expertise for communities navigating the ownership process.
Following on from the NHSG Project supporting low income families with the cost of attending appointments at RACH, the Tackling Poverty team have made limited funding available to the wider community. These funds will be managed and distributed by THInC (Transport to Health Care Information Centre), who will provide travel advice to anyone struggling to make their own way to appointments.
The aim of this funding is to support those who may be eligible to reclaim their travel expenses but struggle with the upfront cost; and those who do not meet the current NHS eligibility criteria.
THInC will gather some brief details regarding the patient’s travel needs and work alongside local public transport and Community Transport providers to identify and source the most suitable transport option, based on mobility, location and any other relevant factors.
Should you identify a patient who you feel would merit from assistance, please ask them to call THInC directly. They will be happy to discuss their needs and provide any advice or assistance available.
The Voly Grampian Forest Rally this weekend delivered a spectacular showcase for Aberdeenshire, Kincardineshire and British rallying, as thousands of fans descended on Fetteresso Forest to witness some of the biggest names in world rallying tackle one of Britain’s finest gravel events.
Organised by Stonehaven & District Motor Club, the 2026 event provided a spectacular demonstration of the quality of the region’s roads and the passion of its rallying community, with FIA World Rally Championship stars joining Britain’s leading domestic competitors for a memorable weekend of action.
From the packed Rally Zone at King George V Park in Banchory to the thousands of spectators lining the forest stages, the event created an atmosphere befitting an international-standard rally and provided a powerful showcase for the region to a global rallying audience.
Image credit: Spacesuit Media
At the centre of the action was M-Sport World Rally Team driver Jon Armstrong and co-driver Shane Byrne, who produced a blistering performance to claim victory in their Ford Fiesta Rally2.
Currently competing at the highest level of the sport in Rally1 machinery, Armstrong was another driver using the Grampian to gain valuable experience ahead of the return of the World Rally Championship to Scotland in 2027.
And the Irishman made the most of the opportunity.
Armstrong was locked in a fascinating battle with Romet Jürgenson from the opening stages. The Estonian took the early advantage by setting the fastest time through Friday night’s opening test, but Armstrong steadily hunted down his rival.
By the end of the opening loop on Saturday morning, the M-Sport driver had taken control of the rally lead.
Jürgenson, running first on the road, faced the unfamiliar challenge of sweeping the loose gravel away for the crews behind him. The Estonian fought hard to stay with Armstrong, but the pace of the M-Sport Fiesta behind was relentless.
Armstrong ultimately claimed seven of the rally’s ten stage wins to secure a memorable victory, his first-ever win on gravel.
“It’s pretty crazy, first win for me on gravel!” he said.
“To come here with such a strong entry, we really didn’t know what to expect”.
“When you’re competing against the guys in Rally1, you’re levelling up all the time and I think that’s just a credit to who we’re competing against. Coming back and dropping back into Rally2 we’re right there on pace, it’s emotional and nice.
“When you’re searching for results and you end up getting a win like this, it’s so cool, so thanks to the team, M-Sport, Seacon, MI Rally Academy and Shane on the notes, we’ll be celebrating tonight!”
Jürgenson and Siim Oja secured second place to complete an M-Sport 1-2, with the Estonian able to draw upon his previous Grampian experience after competing on the event as part of the British Rally Championship in 2025.
Despite the additional knowledge of the stages, Jürgenson was unable to match Armstrong’s pace once the M-Sport driver found his rhythm, but second place represented another impressive result for the WRC2 contender.
Nikolay Gryazin and Konstantin Aleksandrov completed the podium in third aboard the new Lancia Ypsilon HF Rally2.
The Lancia crews faced a steep learning curve on the loose Scottish gravel, with both Gryazin and Yohan Rossel adapting to the new Rally2 machinery and struggling to match the pace of the leading Fords.
Arguably the biggest draw for spectators throughout the weekend was FIA World Rally Championship leader Elfyn Evans and co-driver Scott Martin.
The Toyota Gazoo Racing pairing brought their Toyota GR Yaris Rally2 to the event to sample the stages and gather valuable data for Toyota ahead of Scotland’s return to the WRC calendar in 2027.
With Evans currently leading the FIA World Rally Championship outright, his presence created huge excitement among fans, who turned out in force to see one of the biggest names in world rallying tackle the famous Scottish forests.
Evans and Martin were not recorded on the official timesheets as they used the event primarily as a test and data-gathering exercise, but their appearance highlighted the importance of the Grampian as a proving ground ahead of the return of the World Rally Championship to Scotland.
The leading British Rally Championship contenders were not overshadowed by the international stars, with Osian Pryce and James Morgan producing another impressive performance to finish fourth overall and take maximum BRC points.
The Castrol MEM Rally Team pairing delivered a consistent drive in their Toyota GR Yaris Rally2, overcoming pop-off valve issues during the event while carefully balancing their desire to mix it with the WRC stars against the need to protect their championship position.
Pryce’s result further strengthens his position at the head of the British Rally Championship standings as the title battle heads towards its decisive stages of the season.
The Asset Alliance Group Scottish Rally Championship also reached a dramatic conclusion in Banchory, with Garry Pearson crowned champion after a composed performance aboard his M-Sport Fiesta Rally2.
Pearson finished ninth overall to secure the championship, keeping his head after title rival Mark McCulloch suffered a small fire on the opening night.
The result capped an impressive season for Pearson and Hannah McKillop, who combined outright pace with consistency throughout the campaign to secure Pearson the Scottish title.
For Pearson, the Grampian provided the perfect setting for a championship triumph, with the epic forests delivering another demanding test before the celebrations began in Banchory.
Away from the competition itself, the 2026 Voly Grampian Forest Rally will be remembered as a landmark weekend for Stonehaven & District Motor Club and everyone involved in organising the event.
Thousands of fans travelled to the region to watch the action, with the Rally Zone in Banchory proving a huge success as spectators took the opportunity to get close to the cars and crews, meet some of the biggest names in rallying and soak up the atmosphere throughout the weekend.
Fans flocked to Banchory – Image Credit Spacesuit Media
The combination of world championship stars, British and Scottish championship battles and spectacular Scottish forest stages created an event that showcased the very best of British rallying.
For many spectators, the chance to see the current leader of the FIA World Rally Championship competing alongside drivers currently contesting the world championship was a unique opportunity and one they could well see again in 2027.
“This was undoubtedly the best edition yet”, said Clerk of the Course Graham Provest.
“The success of the 2026 Voly Grampian Forest Rally was a collective achievement involving hundreds of volunteers, officials, marshals, partners, landowners, local communities and supporters all helping to deliver a spectacular weekend that put Aberdeenshire and Kincardineshire firmly in the international rallying spotlight”.
“We can’t thank the Voly Group, our partners and supporters enough for all their support, and we hope that everyone enjoyed the spectacle. The Grampian Rally has always been one of the most highly regarded events in the country, and this year we took it up a notch again. A fabulous weekend for us all”.
68 players took part in the Marie Curie Stableford competition on Saturday, each player contributing an entry fee donated to a charity that does such incredible work for those facing the final stages of life Marie Curie | The UK’s leading end of life charity | Marie Curie
Gary Taylor and Ewan Mechie were both amongst the very early starters and each notched creditable 37 point totals. Given their early postings, it seemed likely that they’d be overhauled as the day panned out, and indeed they were, but only by one individual, and by the narrowest of margins. Robert Haddock emerged victorious by virtue of the better back nine. Meanwhile, I was getting owned.
I’m confident that every sport has a way of humbling its participants . The goalkeeper letting a daisy-cutter through the legs, the snooker player missing a black off its spot, the fielder muffing a dolly of a catch. For every moment of glory there’s a moment of misery and in that regard I reckon golf is capable of humiliating its devotees more than any sport. It was my turn on Saturday morning.
Having negotiated the first ten holes with relative aplomb, I proceeded to triple bogey the 11th, doubled the 13th and four-putted my way to an ignominious snowman (8) on the 16th after my short game had abandoned me, again. But the coup de grace was to come on the final hole after I’d blocked my drive so far right it perched itself only a few feet beneath the first tee.
It was my rotten luck that the 3ball alighting on said tee were all well known to me, Messrs McKechnie, Hampson and Smith (R). And it was with an element of gleeful anticipation that these three goons looked on as I stood over my twenty yard pitch to the 18th green, willing me to make a pig’s ear of it, the reprehensible individuals.
In that regard, I didn’t disappoint. Drawing back my 60 degree lob wedge in an effort to usher the ball skyward to flop upon the green with the grace of a butterfly landing on a lily pad, I proceeded instead to knife the ball at right angles into the rough, a full on shank that almost took my ball out of bounds. I didn’t want to give these herberts the satisfaction of seeing my anguish and neither did I wish to find them laughing up the their sleeves, so I didn’t look up at them in that moment. However Smith could not conceal his delight as I walked past him back to the clubhouse moments later, grinning like a Cheshire cat and thanking me for the entertainment provided. McKechnie chimed in with further words of insult and only Hampson had the decency to keep his counsel. Well, it was me who had the last laugh because whilst my paltry return of 27 points found me languishing in 53rd position, Smith finished 55th with his 26 points and McKechnie 59th on 25 points. It’s my pleasure to have the last laugh.
Seven years since setting up here in Stonehaven, Ocean Beauty has relocated to larger premises to better accommodate their increased service offering. Run by sisters Catherine & Jayne, the beauty salon was eager to provide a ‘one stop shop’ and their new home on Mary Street ably facilitates this ambition. Stoney’s townsfolk will henceforth have every reason to look better than ever!
Formerly situated in the old town’s High Street, Ocean Beauty provides a comprehensive range of treatments. The full suite of services can be found here Ocean Beauty Stonehaven – 15 Mary Street – Stonehaven | Fresha with every age and stage of life catered for.
Key to the business is an ocean/waters ethos and many of the treatments are themed as such; Pacific offering a deep cleanse facial treatment, Indian providing exotic aromatic oils, Arctic incorporating ice globes, hot stones and steam. The spirit and vibe provided is one of relaxation, space and time and hundreds of satisfied customers have lavished praise on the business, as online reviews will testify.
The shop’s formal opening hours are 9am – 5pm but Catherine & Jayne can often be found working merrily away beyond 5, the business something of a labour of love to them both. Appointments and walk-ins are welcome, a blessing for time challenged folks dashing from errand to errand or taxiing the children around town. Home visits can also be arranged for those unable to make it to the salon.
With the business expanding, opportunities are available for self employed hair stylists, nail technicians and beauticians who’d like to join the Ocean Beauty family. If you’re interested just get in touch via the salon’s social media channels.
Stonehaven’s residents rightfully claim to be amongst the most beautiful in the land, however a little assistance in maintaining this gorgeousness wouldn’t go amiss. Here’s your chance!
SOME 18 local projects are now benefiting from Hillhead of Auquhirie Wind Farm Community Fund – including The Bellman to the tune of £1,000, which covers almost an entire year’s running costs.
In July, the Hillhead of Auquhirie Wind Farm Community Fund awarded a total of £ 16,743.88 to a range of local groups and projects in the area of benefit.
Successful applicants included Arbuthnott Community Association – £5 10; Catterline School Parent Group – £ 750 ; Kinneff & Catterline Parish Hall – £ 700 ; Catterline Community Benefit Society – £ 380 & £1219.74 ; Drumlithie Bowling Club – £ 1407 ; Howe of the Mearns Youth Outreach Project – £1500; Luthermuir Hall & Park Committee – £ 1500; Auchenblae Parent Council – £750; Stonehaven Sea Cadets & Royal Marine Cadets – £ 450; Cycling Without Age Stonehaven – £1500; Stonehaven & District Lions Club – £795.60; Air Training Corps 1297 Stonehaven Squadron – £771.54; Stonehaven & District Horticultural Society – £360 ; The Wee Gaitherin – £1000; Mearns Writers – £750; The Bellman – £1000 and Grampian Heart & Health – £1400.
The Hillhead of Auquhirie Community Benefit Fund was established in 2014 to support local community groups and projects . Funding is available for the benefit of the communities living in the Community Council areas of Arbuthnott; Mearns; Catterline, Kinneff and Dunnottar; Stonehaven and District. Administered by Kincardineshire Development Partnership (KDP), applications to the fund are assessed by a Decision – Making panel made up of representatives from all four Community Council areas. The fund is available annually for the lifetime of the wind farm which is provided by current owners, Octopus Investments.
The Hillhead of Auquhirie Community Fund will reopen on 1 st April 2027.
For more information please visit, www.kdp.scot or contact the KDP office on 07903 156864 and margo@kdp.scot
Some recent jobs done in Stonehaven by our Shedders include: Community Garden woodwork sanded and stained; Town Hall shed refurbished so new tables and chairs can be stored; beer tables refurbished; assistance given at Horizon polytunnel; Kincardine Community Hospital gazebo refurbished. And then there is they work they do dismantling and recycling prosthetic legs sending the vital component parts to Africa via the charity STAND.
Our Men’s Shed deserves a national accolade and we can all help them get just that …
By Paul Bentley of Stonehaven and District Men’s Shed
WE are delighted to let you know that Stonehaven & District Men’s Shed has been selected as the East Coast regional winner in the Scottish Men’s Shed Association (SMSA) Scottish Men’s Shed of the Year Awards 2026.
Following this success, we have now been shortlisted as one of just three finalists for the overall title of Scottish Men’s Shed of the Year 2026. The finalists are:
Irvine Newtown Men’s Shed
Milngavie & Bearsden Men’s Shed
Stonehaven Men’s Shed
The regional award was based on a detailed submission outlining our ethos, achievements, activities, community involvement, and future plans. Representatives from the SMSA recently visited Stonehaven to produce a short video showcasing our Shed and the positive impact it has within the local community.
The overall winner will be determined by a vote of SMSA members. We have been advised that anyone aged 18 or over can become a member of the Scottish Men’s Shed Association, with membership being completely free and open to both men and women.
If you would like to support Stonehaven Men’s Shed, we would be grateful if you could:
As a community organisation dedicated to reducing social isolation, promoting wellbeing, and providing opportunities for local people to connect and contribute, we are extremely proud to have reached this stage. Any support you can offer, including sharing this information with colleagues and constituents, would be greatly appreciated.
Thank you for your continued support of Stonehaven & District Men’s Shed.
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