Thanks to the Berry Burn Community Fund, Earthtime have been delighted to be able to provide our outdoor, nature based activities for the young families of Aberlour. Our Waddle Toddle sessions have encouraged play and learning in the local environment, and latterly engaged with the local care home to encourage intergenerational relationships and a wider community focus.

The Berry Burn Community Fund has supported the Forres Osprey Bus to give another year of transport availability to the local area. Enabling social inclusion for the young and old, the socially isolated and sensory needs individuals, allowing them to feel part of the community and take part in numerous activities that they would never have available to them otherwise. 

Berry Burn Community Fund supported Grantown Swim Club with the purchase of essential equipment, enhancing safety, training quality, and member experience. Key items included teaching aids, flotation devices, and poolside equipment to support structured sessions. The funding also enabled swimmers to complete a certified teaching course, increasing coaching capacity and ensuring high standards of instruction. As a result of this investment, our community can continue to support confidence in the water as well as health and well-being whilst strengthening long-term sustainability.

Thanks to the Berry Burn Community Fund (BBCF), we’ve had a year of substantial progress in delivering the Anagach Woods Trust’s vision – Project 2033. The funding provided by the BBCF has allowed us to:

• Plan our activities so that volunteer time is used effectively
• Get a detailed understanding of the deer population in the woods
• Develop a fire plan
• Prepare for the introduction of cattle grazing
• Manage non-native trees
• Access longer-term grant funding to maintain the path network in the woods

These actions have provided a firm foundation for the future management of the woods and provided momentum for future delivery.

The Window Of Opportunity (WOO) project connects local people with volunteering opportunities via posters at the Forres House Library corridor and the Credit Union office window. The intention is for the project to eventually expand to other community spaces.

The initiative has raised awareness, supported community groups, and encouraged new volunteers. With ongoing support, the project will continue, building on experience to improve promotion, strengthen partnerships, and make volunteering more accessible to the community.

ReBOOT expanded its operational capacity by installing new shipping containers and specialist soldering equipment at its Forres site. The project has increased storage and workshop space, enabling higher volumes of donated IT equipment to be accepted and processed.

A new soldering setup is supporting the development of specialist repair skills, allowing more equipment to be repaired and reused rather than recycled. These improvements help extend the life of electronic devices, reducing e-waste and environmental impact while supporting a growing number of volunteers and work placements for young people from local schools across Moray.

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.