Month: February 2015
A Big Blethery Alcohol & Drug Success
The Big Blether on Alcohol & Drug in Kincardine and Mearns this month has been a great success!
We have heard from a Family Recovery event and the Drug Proof Your Kids Project.
You have answered alcohol & drug related questions on our Facebook Page and the local Mens Shed Project even won one of the gift voucher prizes!
This all culminated in a fabulous afternoon at Stonehaven Community Centre on Wednesday 25th of February where the air was charged with hope and recovery. Read the rest of this entry »
How Does Your Garden Grow?
Trellis National Conference
Date: Tuesday 12th March 2015 
Time: 9.30 to 16.00
Venue: Bield at Blackruthven, Blackruthven House, Perth PH1 1PY
Cost: £50 or £40 for Trellis members (including lunch and refreshments) Read the rest of this entry »
Brighter Breaks
A light lunch will be provided and transport may also be available. Those interested can e-mail brighterbreaks@grampianopportunities.org.uk or call VSA on 01779 490894 to book a space. If you are unable to attend a session, but would like to find out more, or you’d like to complete a short questionnaire please use the contact details above.
Mearns Academy, Aberdeen Road, Laurencekirk, AB30 1ZJ
Monday, March 2, 11am-1pm
Station Hotel, Commercial Road, Ellon, AB41 9BDTuesday, March 3, 11am-1pm
The Porty Cabin, Bruntland Road, Portlethen, AB12 4QLThursday, March 5, 11am-1pm
Dawson Court, Victoria Terrace, Turriff, AB53 4FP
Brighter Breaks also involves VSA (Volunteer Services Aberdeen), MS Society, CHSS (Chest Heart and Stroke Scotland), B.I.G. (Brain Injury Grampian) Group and GO (Grampian Opportunities
Latest Progress Update for K&M Community Plan!
We’ve just put the October 2014 progress update for the Kincardine & Mearns Community Plan up on the blog.
The updates capture what has been achieved by working together in the area with local communities during the past nine months. Read the rest of this entry »
Can You Drug Proof Your Kids?
“Parents are the strongest single influence in a child’s life”
If you don’t talk to your kids about drugs, who will? Help your kids make good choices about drugs and alcohol.
Drug Proof Your Kids (DPYK) was created in response to the needs of parents as you cope with the very real and complex issues of alcohol and other drugs. Read the rest of this entry »
Join Scotland’s Fight Against Fire
Fact. 
House fires and casualties increase during winter…..
The Scottish Fire and Rescue Service urge us all to get ready for winter. By following a few simple steps we can all be safer.
Make sure you have working smoke alarms. Consider fitting a heat alarm in your kitchen to give you early warning of a fire in the home.
Take extra care when cooking if you suffer from any illness, disability or are taking prescribed medications that makes you careless or forgetful.
FURTHER INFORMATION
Visit http://www.firescotland.gov.uk for practical fire safety advice, or talk to your local fire fighters at your nearest community fire station. You will find contact details on the website, in your local library and in the phone book.
GET YOUR FREE SMOKE ALARMS
A short visit from the Fire and Rescue Service will help make sure your home is as safe as it can be. They can even install smoke alarms, free, if you need them. It only takes about 20 minutes, and their advice and help could save your life.
To request a free Home Fire Safety Visit,
call 0800 0731 999
visit http://www.firescotland.gov.uk
Or talk to your local firefighters…………..
Addiction isn’t a spectator sport. Eventually the whole family gets to play.
Substance misuse affects us all; many families in our communities have a loved one caught up in alcohol or drug addiction. The lives of these families are overshadowed by despair, worry and isolation.
Recovery is the hope on the horizon that keeps family members going, and it is the whole family that needs to recover.
The good news is, help and support is available, not only for the person battling addiction but for the whole family. However, the fear of being judged by friends and neighbours often consigns families to a life in secrecy and isolation and holds them back from getting the support that could make a difference.
Meeting others in the same situation or talking to someone in recovery from alcohol or drug addiction can help families to realise that recovery is possible and happens a lot more often than we realise.
Recovery – A Family Affair
Making recovery visible in our communities and celebrating the success stories was the aim of a recent Grampian wide event held by Grampian Family Support Forum, a local charity for family members affected by a loved one’s substance misuse. Read the rest of this entry »
see me….
Opportunity for budding writers, poets, and song writers 
Aberdeenshire Youth Council in partnership with a local publisher would like young people to send in any short stories, poems, or songs around mental health issues which young people face.
These could be based on real life events or with a bit of creative writing added. All entries will be anonymous unless the young person clearly states that they would like their name added at the end.
Entries will be chosen to feature in a book which will be published and sent to each person who sends in an entry and also copies will be sent to all schools and community centres.
All young people sending in an article will receive 250 Young Scot points, authors of articles chosen to be included in the book will receive 1000 Young Scot points.
Closing date – 27/02/15
Please send all entries to dialogueyouth@aberdeenshire.gov.uk
or Aberdeenshire Youth Council
Wyness Hall
Jackson Street
Inverurie
AB513QB
February Focus – A Big Blether on Alcohol & Drugs
During February, the South Aberdeenshire Alcohol & Drug Forum is kick-starting local conversations on alcohol, drugs & recovery in Kincardine and Mearns and they are taking over K&M Communities to help them! Happy to have you here guys!
The Forum is a place for local people to come together to discuss local issues pertaining to alcohol and drug use. The South Forum covers Kincardine & Mearns and Marr and anyone living, working, studying or having an interest in alcohol and other drugs issues in these areas is welcome to come along.
They say:
There’s an excitement growing around the knowledge that recovery is possible, that people can change and friends, family and communities are crucial in supporting these changes. We’d like to start a local conversation to promote this and we’d like you to be part of it.
Read more about how YOU can join the conversation. Read the rest of this entry »
Kincardine & Mearns Community Plan
Priority 12 Enable Inclusive, Multi-User Services and Facilities – 3rd review
Intended Outcomes:
Opportunities for the co-location of services/activities/organisations are to be explored and realised to enable greater access and increased sustainability. Moreover, accessible services and information are delivered that encourage social inclusion and integration among everyone in our communities Read the rest of this entry »
Kincardine & Mearns Community Plan
Priority 11 Online Engagement & Information Sharing Supports Our Partnership – 3rd review
Intended Outcomes:
Local partners are confident using social media to meet their needs of their communities and online platforms are developed to strengthen partnership and community engagement. Read the rest of this entry »
Kincardine & Mearns Community Plan
Priority Climate Change – 3rd review
Intended Outcomes:
Communities and partners in Kincardine & Mearns are more resilient and adaptive to current and future effects of climate change, including severe weather. Read the rest of this entry »
K&M Communities 