Welcome to the KDP Bulletin.
The Mill of Benholm Enterprise is the community led charity safeguarding the historic watermill Mill of Benholm. Mill of Benholm is a Category A listed meal mill, which was commercially active until 1982. The current buildings go back to 1711, though there has been a mill on this very spot since the 13th Century.
The Mill of Benholm Enterprise has taken ownership of the site from Aberdeenshire Council via a Community Asset Transfer in April 2024, after it was mothballed for over a decade.
The very dedicated group of volunteers have achieved the unachievable, dealing with ten years of vegetation growth to make the site accessible, make it possible to use some of the paths, open the Mill buildings to the public, re-instating and extending the community garden, restore Alyson’s Memorial Garden, and more.
The Mill of Benholm Enterprise is now leasing the Mill Brae Woods, a registered ancient woodland, from a neighbouring estate. With that the Mill of Benholm Enterprise is now managing approximately 14 acres of beautiful built and natural heritage.
Though the Mill buildings and the Café at the Mill are open Fridays to Sundays from 10am until 4pm and the grounds are open to the public at any time, work is still ongoing to restore the Mill and whole site to its very much deserved former beauty. The Mill buildings will become a visitor attraction displaying a working heritage water Mill, with exhibitions highlighting the milling and farming heritage of the Mearns. There will be further meeting spaces created indoor and outdoor, the event space will be enhanced, all paths will be re-instated through the Mill grounds and the Mill Brae Woods. Plans for the extension of the Café at the Mill are currently at funding application stage and more.
The Mill of Benholm, a Haven of Tranquillity, has already become a vibrant visitor attraction and community hub. With the planned work over the next three to five years it will become an even more beautiful and attractive Gem in the Mearns.
Visit the Mill of Benholm Facebook page to learn more.
Julie Gray, Chairperson of Fair Food Aberdeenshire and The Community Collective (Stonehaven), is undertaking a research project funded by the Aberdeenshire Rural Poverty Fund.
The aim of the project is to gather local evidence of the barriers to accessing healthy, nutritious, affordable food in Kincardine and Mearns post Covid 19 and in the current cost of living crisis.
Julie would be grateful if you complete the online survey on food shopping in K&M and share the link with anyone who might be interested.
Paper copies of the survey for those with barriers to online access are available and Julie will be out and about in K & M in coming months talking to our more rural communities and marginalised groups.
There is a Kincardine and Mearns Food Stories Facebook page which is currently being developed, and food related events in K&M can be shared to the page.
If you would like to discuss the project further or can help Julie engage with any K&M groups, please email kandmfoodstories@gmail.com.
Aviva has partnered with Crowdfunder to support small charities and community groups with innovative ideas that benefit their communities and are looking to raise up to £50,000.
The Aviva Community Fund will match each donation given, up to the value of £250, to support projects that enhance community resilience, with a focus on two main areas: Climate Action and Financial Wellbeing.
Activities could include providing cost-of-living support, community energy schemes, or financial education workshops.
Once applications have been submitted, applicants will create a fundraising page on Crowdfunder, which Aviva employees and the public can donate to.
Applications can be submitted at any time, and more information can be found here.
As part of the Aberdeenshire Council Place Strategy, the Council will be working with communities to create Place Plans for each academy town and the surrounding area.
The Mackie Academy Catchment (Stonehaven area) Place Plan is the first of these for Kincardine & Mearns. It will be built with the participation of people in Stonehaven and the surrounding area and will be delivered together with our partners in the NHS, Fire Service, Police Scotland and community groups.
Aberdeenshire’s towns have their own distinct priorities and identities. These should be recognised, and local actions should reflect local needs.
Aberdeenshire Council will also be holding in-person public engagement events in Stonehaven and other settlements within the catchment area.
This is an opportunity for you to get involved, use your voice and influence the Mackie Academy Catchment (Stonehaven area) Place Plan. If you are unsure whether you are within this area, please check this map.
You can:
- take the survey
- post a picture or photo of something you love where you live
Take part here.
Not-for-profit organisations can apply for funding to deliver projects that improve communities and the environment. The funding is made available through the SUEZ Communities Fund for projects that improve public amenities, repair religious or historic buildings, or support biodiversity in areas surrounding Suez landfill sites.
The maximum grant amount is £20,000, and funding typically covers materials, equipment, and contractors for improvement work.
The application deadline is 10 September for applications.
Find out more here.
The Scottish Council for Voluntary Organisations (SCVO) is providing an opportunity for third sector organisations in Scotland to access free cyber expertise to help them protect their digital systems and data.
The programme will offer practical support from a Cyber Advisor to either improve an organisation’s cyber security through gap-analysis and implementation of the Cyber Essentials controls or assure an organisation that its existing measures align with the Cyber Essentials controls. For further details, and how to apply, go to their website.
The Professional Development Award in Youth Work has been designed for those working with young people in a Youth Work context. It is suitable for people who have experience of youth work in a paid or volunteering capacity but who might not have formal qualifications in youth work.
The PDA in Youth Work offers a nationally recognised, SQA accredited qualification at SCQF Level 6.
The duration of the course is 6 days over a 4 month period.
Click this link to register your interest.
If you would like more information please contact douglas.findlay@aberdeenshire.gov.uk
The MSE Charity gives grants to UK not for profit organisations that deliver activities which make a lasting impact on how people think, behave and manage their money.
Grants of up to £10,000 are available to improve people’s money management skills. Examples of eligible activities include delivering money management workshops, training volunteers to run workshops or provide peer support, upskilling existing staff with financial capability training to better support clients, and offering financial inclusion activities to disadvantaged groups (e.g., by age, disability, ethnicity, gender, etc.)
There is a two-stage application process. Stage 1 applications will be accepted from the 2nd July 2025 to the 10th July 2025.
Visit the website to learn more.
Sustrans wants to make it easier for partners to work with them on a shared plan to fix and grow the National Cycle Network (NCN). They are proud to have launched their Network Development Plan Partner Collaboration Tool, which is intended for anybody working on transport, spatial planning or community development who wants to shape and implement this plan with them.
The Tool gives partners a live view of the plan, showing:
- The status of the current NCN (on road / traffic free, good / poor)
- A description of proposed interventions
- Proposed new alignments for poor NCN
- Proposed new NCN routes by planning horizon (proposed to be in use before 2045 / aspiration)
- Updates from users in their area
If you would like to be a contributor to the NDP Partner Collaboration Tool, please contact NCNDevHelpScot@sustrans.org.uk.
The Naturesave Trust provide grants of up to £5,000 to charities, social enterprises, and community groups for projects that connect communities with nature, aiming to improve physical and mental wellbeing while fostering positive action on climate change.
Eligible initiatives may include arts and cultural activities, community gardening, green gyms, mental health support, conservation volunteering, green skills training, and efforts to enhance access to urban and natural green spaces.
Applications are open until 12pm on 15th July 2025.
Eat the rainbow with Shaun the Sheep. Veg Power has produced resources for Holiday Activities and Food Programmes over the summer to encourage kids to eat more veg.
More information about the cost of these is available on the Veg power website as well as a range of free downloadable resources.
The Scottish Mental Health Arts Festival is currently inviting applications for a small grants scheme to support participatory arts projects taking place as part of the Scottish Mental Health Arts Festival (SMHAF) in Aberdeen, Dundee, and towns and rural areas across Scotland.
With funding from the Baring Foundation and Creative Scotland, they are offering grants of between £750 and £1,250 to support regional participatory arts projects in areas currently underrepresented in the SMHAF programme.
The fund will support between six and eight projects overall. Projects should respond in some way to their theme, ‘Comfort & Disturb’, and the work should be showcased during this year’s festival dates, 20 October to 9 November 2025.
Applications should be submitted through the online application form. The closing date for applications is Wednesday 18 June at 23.59pm.
Find out more and apply here.
Wondering what the circular economy would look like for your charity?
The Zero Waste Scotland hub has resources available for a number of sectors, all easily filterable – helping you to get relevant resources to help you on your sustainability journey.
Explore the hub.
Station House Media Unit (SHMU) offer programmes to individuals in Aberdeenshire who are 16 years and over, not in education, employment or training.
See available programmes here.
To find out more email employability@shmu.org.uk or call 01224 515013.