community
Kincardine & Mearns Community Plan
Priority 9 Engaged Communities – 3rd review
Intended Outcomes:
Local residents are actively involved in developing vibrant and resilient communities, of place and of interest, which support the needs of all their members. These communities are increasingly empowered by revitalising and broadening community engagement opportunities. Read the rest of this entry »
Are You A Green Dog Walker?
Aberdeenshire Council has recently signed up to the award winning Green Dog Walking Scheme.
Green Dog Walkers (GDW) is a non-confrontational, friendly way to change attitudes about dog fouling. Volunteers wear GDW merchandise (or their dogs wear the green GDW collar) to show they have “taken the pledge” to always:
- Clean up after their dog
- Carry extra dog waste bags
- Be happy to be approached to ‘lend’ a dog waste bag to those without
- Be a friendly reminder to other dog walkers to clean up after their dog
Community councils work hand-in-hand with local groups to provide the “on the ground” work to sign up pledgers and the council provides the funding for the start-up merchandise and pledge brochures. It is the community volunteers who do the groundwork of signing on pledgers, running booths at local galas and other events.
Aberdeenshire Council will provide a Green Dog Walkers Tool Kit to each community organisation which becomes an official GDW group. The tool kit will include a supply of pledge brochures, dog collars, green doggy bags, posters, lanyards and other items.
Interested?
What to do next…
Contact Gillian Abel, Dog Warden – South, on 01569 768224 or by email at: gillian.abel@aberdeenshire.gov.uk for more information on how to get started!
A New Year and a New Voice for the Third Sector!
Let’s hear from David Rodger, Chief Executive, Aberdeenshire Voluntary Action about his hopes for the New Year and the future for the newly formed AVA.
“Aberdeenshire Voluntary Action (AVA), was officially formed on 1st December 2014 following the merger of CVSA, Bridge CVS and Volunteer Centre Aberdeenshire. We are committed to building on the strong foundations laid down by the three merging organisations, but, as the new single Third Sector Interface (TSI) there is a lot of work ahea
d in shaping this new organisation and establishing our distinct identity, culture and vision. A key part of this will be actively engaging and consulting with our stakeholders and partners, to better define what the TSI strategic priorities will be going forward, and ensuring that AVA is genuinely representative of the sector.
We are operating in challenging times and its evident there is a growing need for us all to balance increasing demands for our services and expertise, within the context of a contracting public finance pot. No easy task, but in my experience this sector is resilient, with an outstanding track record in demonstrating adaptability, responsiveness and creative thinking when tested. These characteristics will underpin the ethos of AVA and how we will work with, and support you, over the coming months and years.”
David is keen to meet with community representatives and organisations from across the Kincardine and Mearns area to discuss how AVA can work with you. If you’d like to arrange a discussion please contact David at david.rodger@avashire.org.uk
Does life begin at the end of your comfort zone?
Peter Drucker famously said “What gets measured, gets managed”. What if you could measure your comfort zone? Would this encourage more people to face their challenges and live more exciting lives?
K & M Public Health Coordinator Fiona Murray knows only too well the benefits of stepping outside your comfort zone.Volunteering with Volunteer Services Overseas (VSO), she has just returned from spending time working with the South Sudan County Health Department, supporting them to deliver important health initiatives, aiming to protect the local communities against avoidable health problems.
So what inspired Fiona to push herself out of her comfort zone and scale the dizzy heights of Mount Kilimanjaro? Why does Fiona do it?
“What I love about a challenge is the sense of purpose it gives me and the opportunity to push myself out of my comfort zone. I would rather say I had tried something but it wasn’t for me than I have never tried it at all. With each challenge I always learn something new whether it is something about myself or a new skill so I always finish the challenge with a positive even if I don’t quite succeed. It’s a win win!!”
How far you want to push your boundaries is totally up to you, and will probably differ depending on what else is going on in your life. So, why not give something new a go… you never know it might be the start of your new life.
VSA Carers Services
VSA Carers Service offers advice, information and support to unpaid carers and has offices across Aberdeenshire. Theservice has a Carers Centre at 52 Evan Street, Stonehaven where a support group meets once a month.
The next group is on Friday 9th January 2015 from 10am-12pm and on the first Friday of the month thereafter.
Among the many things VSA provide are opportunities for carers to get a break from their caring role. For carers interested in learning a new skill or trying something different we have a Thursday group which is led every other week by a volunteer art therapist and at other times by carers themselves sharing their skills and experience in craft activities. Read the rest of this entry »
Everyone has something to share….
Many people in our communities struggle to feel included and appreciated as an individual. Shared Lives offers people the chance to contribute to real friendships and become active, valued citizens with a sense of belonging and confidence in themselves. 
Throughout Aberdeenshire we have Shared Lives Carers who share their home and community with someone with a disability. This could be for a few hours or a few days as a short break. Shared Lives is a flexible, personal partnership between two families.
Shared Lives Carers and those they support are carefully matched for compatibility and shared interests. For the relationship to be successful and valued, time needs to be taken to make an appropriate match. Read the rest of this entry »
Shared Lives – Fiona’s story……
I read about Shared Lives a few years ago and Sue came out and spoke to my parents and I about it. She told us that I would get 1-1 support from a Shared Lives Carer in the carer’s home. I like the idea that the Shared Lives team would get to know me and match me with a Shared Lives Carer who shares my interests. This means that we got on from the start and can share things we both enjoy.
I am matched with two Shared Lives Carers. My Shared Lives Carer, Dot, offers day support. Dot has given me the opportunity to be part a different community which I really appreciate. Dot and I go to the local library. Sometimes we go swimming which I feel gives me a chance to relax and I get to try out and feel comfortable in a different pool. We have been to Castle Fraser and Drum Castle. I like going for a walk in the castle grounds and we went to the plant sales. This began my interest in gardening. We now visit garden centres together and choose plants for the garden. Read the rest of this entry »
Small grants available to improve the local environment
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caring/ˈkɛːrɪŋ/
Do You Care???
adjective – displaying kindness and concern for others.
noun – the work or practice of looking after those unable to care for themselves, especially on account of age or illness.
December in K & M Communities is Caring month.
We’ve all had to care at some point in in our lives, haven’t we?
Babies, children, grandparents or even the family dog!
Caring is such an important part of life. It’s simply part of being human. Carers are holding families together, enabling loved ones to get the most out of life, making an enormous contribution to society and saving the economy billions of pounds.
Yet many of us are stretched to the limit – juggling care with work and family life, or even struggling with poor health ourselves. We often find it difficult to make ends meet if we’re unable to work or if we’ve reduced our working hours to care.
December in K & M Communities is Caring month. Read the rest of this entry »
Memories from Local Councillors – Alison Evison
With our focus on reminiscing this month what better way to introduce you to some of the people work hard in our area than by asking them about their memories of childhood . In the second installment, we asked Councillor Alison Evison for some of her childhood memories.
Who taught you to cook? What are your memories of this?
My mother had a very large “Good Housekeeping” cookery book which she had received as a wedding present – that book was consulted regularly by all of us as a “fount of cookery knowledge.” Read the rest of this entry »
Memories of Another Befriender . . .
Like yesterday, today we have some reflections from one of Kincardine & Deeside Befriending’s befrienders. Read Marilyn’s thoughts about reminiscing and sharing memories as we get older . . .
Not Everyone’s Cup Of Tea…….
Trish Hughes, Volunteer Befriender with Kincardine & Deeside Befriender spends time with Margaret. Going for walks, shopping or visiting the garden centre. However, weather-permitting, one thing loved by both is visiting local cemeteries!
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