The Berry Burn Community Fund has once again been a massive help to the club with recent funding of their Development Officer. The way the club is set up, the Development Officer is essential to bring communities together and connect people to the historic sport. Huge thank you from all at Strathspey Camanachd for your help to continue this role.
Grantown Remakery is a community initiative promoting sustainability, education and resourcefulness. Our innovative space is a hub where individuals learn skills through repair, reuse, and upcycling, fostering a culture of environmental responsibility and skill-sharing.
Education is key. We assist Young People, Young Adults with a Learning-Disability and the unemployed with poor wellbeing, teaching work skills, developing confidence and independence, and supporting individuals into work.
We would be unable to continue this work without the support of the Berry Burn Community Fund and our Board, Staff, Volunteers and users of our services, all to whom we express our heartfelt thanks.
A new project was run in 2025 by Park Ecovillage Trust (PET) at Park Ecovillage Findhorn in support of the community’s goal of becoming Net-Zero.
The Carbon Action Project was undertaken by individuals who want to learn more about climate change and reduce their own carbon footprints. Our idea was that individuals will change their habits when there are good reasons to do so. Learning about their carbon consequences provides those reasons. Ten individuals were invited to meet six times to learn the carbon effects of their habits and lifestyles. At the final meeting they reported many carbon insights and behaviour changes.
Thank you to the Berry Burn Community Fund which enabled the volunteers at Gomde to purchase a new tractor for the charity-owned woodland at Hardmuir. This will help them manage the land safely for biodiversity, ecology and the community.
The local and wider community visit Gomde woodland for weekly events including volunteer days and community meditation days. Visitors also come to use the facilities for retreat, seminars and community days. Having a new tractor means we can sustain and expand these benefits by having a safe, well maintained beautiful woodland to visit.
Thank you, Berry Burn Community Fund, from the team at Anagach Woods parkrun for helping us fulfil our dream of having a parkrun in Grantown. We’re delighted to have the event up and running and plenty of enthusiastic runners, walkers and volunteers coming along to reap the benefits of having access to a free, sociable and active event in the fresh air every week.
Moray Competitive Athletics Hub would like to thank the Berry Burn Community Fund for their support. It has allowed the group to transport our young talented athletes to train at a proper athletics facility in the Aberdeen Sports Village. With training being provided by committed coaches, these athletes have prospered, resulting in personal bests broken and medals won at Scottish Schools and National Championship level.
A recent Scottish Schools call-up for a Home International Pentathlon has topped off a successful year!
Active Travel Forres were delighted to receive this funding which has enabled the group to submit a full planning application for works to improve access to Grant Park from St. Leonard’s Road. This is a significant milestone in seeing this project come to fruition.
The Gaff has been able to invest in a brand new website, thanks to the Berry Burn Community Fund. Our website has already proved to be a great success with young people, families and other local stakeholders. In addition, The Gaff has also been able to purchase a brand new standing banner and some magnetic vehicle decals. This means that The Gaff can spread awareness across Forres and Moray, making us easily recognisable in our local community and region. Thank you, Berry Burn Community Fund!
The projects that have been supported by the Berry Burn Community Fund have hugely benefited Forres Bluefins Swimming Club, allowing automation of processes including registration, administration, financial control and event management. We have also benefited from increased coach and volunteer hours with a new coach and parent volunteers. This has created increased support and experience across our 3 squads in addition to the equipment purchased benefiting over 60 swimmers, this is used within training to improve technique and focus on strength. Overall these projects have significantly improved the club on a day to day basis and for longer term sustainability as we grow.
We recently were awarded a grant from Berry Burn Community Fund to allow us to purchase cattle gates for our annual show which attracts over 200 cattle entries each year. The gates we had were outdated and unsafe for livestock. The new gates will enhance public safety, improve operational efficiency and support our commitment to economic viability, sustainability and environment responsibility.
