The 5th biennial Findhorn Bay Festival took place over ten days, between the 20th and 29th of September 2024, radiating from the town of Forres and the communities around the bay of Findhorn.

We welcomed the world to Moray to celebrate the very best of local, national and international cultural experiences in music, theatre, dance, circus, exhibitions and family events for all to enjoy.

The 2024 festival attracted total audiences of 8,986 – 3,871 at ticketed events and 5,115 across open-access and free events with around 58% of the audience coming from Moray, 34% from the rest of Scotland, 5% from elsewhere in the UK, 2% international audiences and 1% unknown.

An estimated £687,202 was brought back into the local economy – £515,355 through a combination of estimated visitor spend (calculated using the Visit Scotland Economic Calculator) and £171,847 from the allocation and local spending of the festival and associated project budgets.

“There is a feeling that everyone feels invested in what is going on… the artists, the organisers, the
audience and the local community. It is exhilarating to be a part of it all.”

Thank you to the Berry Burn Community Fund for the grant of £5,000 towards our mileage costs. In March 2024 we celebrated the 20^th Anniversary of the Scheme and with financial support such as this and our very willing volunteers, we were able to help our members make 3,786 journeys covering 54,964 miles over the last year. We have fulfilled medical and social needs which may have otherwise led to deteriorating physical and mental health and helped our members to live more independent lives.

The Berry Burn Community Fund has supported our role of the development officer over the last four years. The support we have had has allowed the role to continue and the club to grow over the years. We have been able to offer the sport of shinty to more people in the local area, in particular children, and as a result membership has more then doubled over the last few years. Huge thank you to the Berry Burn Community Fund for their support.

The Sacred Circle Sisters Retreat, run by Tessa Brock, at Marcassie Farm, provided local women a powerful day of connection and self-care. All of the participants reported feeling safe and supported throughout the retreat, more connected to other women, and would also recommend this experience to other women. Many shared that they felt “relaxed and uplifted,” with one woman expressing it “would be nice for other women to feel this way too!” Another attendee noted how “it’s hugely needed, particularly in a remote community and post COVID-19”. The day included yoga, art, and nature connection which left each woman feeling supported, reconnected, and empowered. Heartfelt thanks to the Berry Burn Community Fund for enabling this transformative experience, which has positively impacted these women and our wider community!

The Forres&District-Vienenburg&Goslar Twinning Association hosted 60 visitors from their twin-towns (Goslar and Vienenburg) in the Harz Mountains in Lower Saxony for a week to celebrate the 40^th anniversary of the partnership. The formal highlight of the visit took place in the Forres Tolbooth courtroom where a Charter of Reaffirmation was signed by representatives of Goslar Council, Moray Council, the chair of the Vienenburg Twinning Association and the chair of the Forres Twinning Association. A variety of cultural, historical and sporting events were included in the week-long programme. It was the first time we had received an official visit from Goslar which had incorporated Vienenburg in 2014 and the Lord Mayor was there to celebrate the occasion.

Our trip to Ireland to play Shinty/Camogie was an unforgettable experience. Our girls gained confidence, got to explore another country and fully embraced themselves in Irish Sport. A huge thank you to the Berry Burn Community Fund for helping us achieve this and make such great memories.

Fiddler of Strathspey Festival 2024 – thank you Berry Burn Community Fund for helping it to be another thoroughly enjoyable and inclusive Festival, involving local amateur and professional musicians of the highest quality, with opportunities for everybody to take part in one way or another. A variety of events and activities, many with no entrance fee, provided different ways to entertain, to be entertained, to be involved and learn about the rich musical heritage of Grantown on Spey and Strathspey. Don’t miss the expanding programme of events for the Fiddler of Strathspey Festival 2025.

Hello, Summer! Festival is a one-day family arts festival providing opportunities for creativity and connection in Speyside. Held in the grounds of Aberlour House on the first weekend of the school holidays, the festival is designed to offer quality arts experiences for children and caregivers in a beautiful outdoor setting. Local artists ran sessions for families to participate in drumming, dance, circus, storytelling and visual arts alongside performances by Frozen Charlotte (children’s theatre company) and Performance Collective Stranraer. The event culminated in an early evening, family-friendly DJ set.

The Sanquhar Dam Restoration Group is extremely grateful for the support of the Berry Burn Community Fund over the years. The recent project will enhance and bring pleasure to all who visit the site for many years to come. Thanks, on behalf of Forresians, in helping to maintain a site that is much loved by all who value the unique facility that is Sanquhar Pond.

In the UK, suicide is the leading cause of direct death in the year following pregnancy; that is why LATNEM provides a mental health peer support service for mothers and birthing people in Scotland.

With the support of the Berry Burn Community Fund, two new volunteers were trained, and mental health peer support meetings were launched in Forres. We welcomed 58 new service users in the area who received support to improve and maintain their mental wellbeing.

Feedback from a Service User: “The meetings are the only parent groups I have felt comfortable enough to attend. The advice and guidance towards mental health services have felt lifesaving.”