Through funding we have purchased a new trike which has contributed to Brogan being a face and voice in her local community, promoting independence and breaking down barriers and stigma. Brogan’s old trike has been given to another young person in the Forres community and it is having a significant impact on their life and family, due to the independence that it has given.

We have found this process helpful and it has been something that has brought the community together, to the benefit of two young people who will now be able to give back in their own way. A huge thank you to the Berry Burn Community Fund for support in this.

    

 

We are grateful for the two years of funding that have been afforded us by the Fund. As a result, our clients have experienced a range of outcome-focused activities, classroom based, community based, and through work placement, all designed to enhance a sense of independence and self-esteem. With sympathetic support, they have had the opportunity to reflect and to try new things for themselves. Our records show their sense of distance travelled, and of positive change. Working in a self-directed manner, through planned activity, personal reflection, and mentoring, clients have enhanced confidence and an embedded sense of achievement.

This year the Berry Burn Foundation assisted the club with the purchase of new goals and nets which were essential to replacement older unsafe ones. The goals are also being used on occasions by the secondary school as the sport continues to grow at that level. We were also able to pay for the costs of the hire of the pitch for the season for all the teams involved in the club. This was a huge benefit as it meant we could continue to offer the sport as a free spectator sport to the community.

  

Grants (Dufftown) Ltd., installed an electrical upgrade at the Rothes Tennis Club’s Clubhouse. Included were extractor fans in the toilets and the kitchen, smoke alarms, fire alarms and fire exit signs. Thanks to the grant from the Berry Burn Community Fund the project was able to go ahead.

  

This was an amazing opportunity to compete at the highest level and to see the best in the world perform. Being part of Team GB at Worlds has encouraged Caitlin to keep training and improving her Poomsae. Following a strong performance in individuals, unfortunately she did not progress, such was the level of athlete she was competing against, mostly older and more experienced. This however has given her determination to keep improving and has set the bar for where she needs to aim. In Teams, giving a great performance, they missed out on progressing to semi-final by just once place.

   

 

Funding from Berry Burn enabled the purchase of two wheelchair-accessible picnic benches for the car park at Spynie Kirk. This allows anyone, from the local community or passing through, to sit and enjoy the views of the Laich of Moray – so gaining the health & wellbeing benefits of quiet reflection and of being outdoors. It’s great to offer that to people.

  

Thanks to the generosity of the Berry Burn Community Fund we have been able to install a second disabled changing room which has made a big difference to the disabled users of the hydrotherapy room. This now means that they have a much easier and quicker access to the pool as they no longer have to wait for a changing room to become available. The temperature of the water in the pool (heated to 34.5C) is of particular benefit to those who are disabled.

    

The Friends of the Falconer Museum’s 2018 Cluny Hill Dig was a highly successful community archaeological excavation on Cluny Hill Forres between 8^th and 23rd September 2018. A team of 10 professional archaeologists supported 21 volunteers, providing experience and training in survey and recording methods. The project uncovered the remains of an Iron Age metal working site and possible trackway that may well have formed part of a larger settlement dating from the first millennium BC. While information will continue to emerge from post-excavational analysis, the hard work of the staff and volunteers has already begun to write a new chapter in the history of Forres.

  

 

The support we received from BBCF for the Riding for the Disabled project was a huge boost to our group. The grant covered the costs of providing ponies and an RDA Qualified Instructor for 28 riding sessions, with 8 ponies in each session, between September 2017 and June 2018; seventeen different children took part. The schools and families of the children reported multiple benefits, for example increased confidence, improved balance and co-ordination and enhanced muscle tone as well as better focus in everyday tasks and learning.

 

 

Nairn synchronized swimming club held a training weekend for all of its swimmers at Tulliallen, Fife, in August 2018. We had enrolled an ex GB coach and swimmer with Commonwealth experience to head the weekend. I t was a full on and busy timetable over the two days which involved land training, gym work and pool time. Every minute was utilised. The swimmers benefitted enormously, covering the importance of nutrition, sports psychology, strength and stamina training to improve their solos, duets and team routines.

A huge THANK YOU to Berry Burn Community Fund for supporting our project.