The fund supported Ythan Cycle Club’s “Balance to Pedal” project by helping them create a small fleet of first pedal bikes. This allowed the club to run regular coaching sessions for young children learning to ride, using a mix of new and pre-loved bikes maintained by the club. The project enabled the group to offer sustainable, year-round opportunities for under-5s and early riders to build confidence on a bike.

The fund supported Cultercullen School by helping them purchase new physical education equipment. This allowed the school to replace outdated items and provide pupils with a wider range of resources for high-quality PE lessons. The project helped the school deliver its required weekly PE provision and encouraged more active, engaging physical activity for all pupils.

The fund supported Fancier Foveran by helping provide two sandstone benches for the newly planted orchard area in Foveran Play Park. These long-lasting, low-maintenance benches enhanced the space and created a welcoming spot for visitors to enjoy the orchard and surrounding play park.

The fund supported Foveran Hall Committee in improving accessibility at Foveran Public Hall. The project included replacing a worn step and installing a ramp to provide easier access for wheelchair users, parents with prams, and others with mobility challenges. This work made the hall more welcoming and accessible for all members of the community.

The fund supported 1st Newburgh Scout Group by helping them replace their old, worn gazebos with two new 3m x 3m units. These gazebos provide a dry, central space for group camps and local events, allowing Scouts to gather, shelter, and safely store equipment even in bad weather. The project ensured the group could continue running activities and community events comfortably and safely.

The fund supported Cultercullen Community Park SCIO by helping them purchase new grass-cutting equipment. This allowed the park to maintain its large grass areas, which are used for school activities, community recreation, and everyday visitors. The new equipment ensured the park remained safe, well-kept, and welcoming for the village and local schoolchildren.

The fund supported Foveran School by helping them purchase new resources for play-based learning. This enabled the school to provide high-quality block play activities, which fostered children’s creativity, social skills, and early development in science, technology, engineering, and maths. The resources enhanced the school’s play-focused curriculum and offered engaging, developmentally beneficial opportunities for pupils of all ages.

The fund supported Foveran Village Hall Committee by helping refurbish the hall flooring. The project included sanding, repairing, updating markings, and resurfacing the floor, improving the hall’s safety, appearance, and usability for community events and activities.

The fund supported Cultercullen Community Park SCIO by helping replace old, dilapidated planters. This refreshed the park’s planting areas, enhancing the appearance of the village and creating a more attractive, welcoming space for the community to enjoy.

The fund supported Foveran School Football by helping them purchase new football training equipment. This provided pop-up goals, corner markers, balls, and bibs, enabling the school to re-establish its football team and offer structured, engaging training sessions for pupils.

The fund supported Udny Station Community Association by helping carry out external repairs to the community centre. The project involved fixing damaged harling on the front and side walls, reducing the risk of damp and helping preserve the building’s structure. The work ensured the centre remained safe and welcoming for all users, including the nursery.

The fund supported Udny Station Community Association by helping carry out external repairs to the community centre. The project involved fixing damaged harling on the front and side walls, reducing the risk of damp and helping preserve the building’s structure. The work ensured the centre remained safe and welcoming for all users, including the nursery.

The fund supported Udny Station Community Association in making energy-saving improvements at the community centre. The project included upgrading roof insulation, installing air source heat pumps, extending solar panels, and adding battery storage to capture excess electricity. These measures reduced energy costs, improved efficiency, and lowered the centre’s carbon emissions, helping to make the building more sustainable and affordable to run.

The fund supported Cultercullen Primary School by helping provide new benches for the playground. The benches, made from recycled plastic, replaced an old, deteriorating seat and offered pupils and the wider community comfortable, sustainable seating while enjoying the play space.

The fund supported Ellon Wheel Park Group by helping provide signage for the new multi-use park. The park, designed for skateboarders, mountain bikers, cyclists, and BMX riders, benefited from clear, durable signage to guide users and enhance safety. This contribution helped make the unique, all-in-one facility more accessible and welcoming for the community.

The fund supported East Grampian Coastal Partnership Ltd by helping provide a “Beach Kit” for community beach cleans. This enabled volunteers to remove litter and plastic pollution along the North East Scotland coast and supported educational outreach at local events. The project helped engage the community in protecting the coastline and promoting environmental awareness.

The fund supported Cultercullen Community Park SCIO by helping replace three old, dilapidated planters in the village. The new planters improved the appearance of public spaces and created a more welcoming environment for residents and visitors.

The fund supported Cultercullen School by helping expand their reading book scheme. This enabled the school to provide a wider range of reading materials, including updated novels and resources from multiple reading schemes, to engage pupils at different levels. The project helped ensure children had access to current, varied texts, supporting their literacy development and fostering a love of reading.

The fund supported Cultercullen Primary by helping provide Yoto audio book players for younger pupils. This allowed children in Primary 1 and 2 to access audio books, encouraging a love of reading from an early age and supporting literacy development alongside older pupils’ ongoing reading progress.

The fund supported Udny Station Preschool & Playgroup by helping replace their outdoor safety barriers with retractable, removable units. This improved the safety of the play area, ensuring children stayed within designated spaces and reducing the risk of unwanted animals entering, while allowing staff and children to continue enjoying the outdoor environment.

The fund supported Udny Station Preschool & Playgroup by helping provide a four-sided clear easel for expressive arts activities. This enabled children to explore creative play individually and in groups, developing problem-solving, imagination, and social skills. The project encouraged collaborative learning and offered engaging opportunities for artistic expression both indoors and outdoors.

The fund supported Udny Station Preschool & Playgroup by helping develop children’s kitchen skills and involvement in snack preparation. The project allowed children to choose, prepare, and serve healthy snacks, while learning about food waste, recycling, and sustainable practices. It provided a hands-on, engaging way for young learners to develop practical skills, responsibility, and awareness of their environment.

The fund supported Newburgh Gala Committee by helping provide aprons and caps for committee members and volunteers. This allowed them to be easily identified and present a coordinated, professional appearance during the annual gala and at future community events, enhancing the experience for attendees.

The fund supported Cultercullen Community Park SCIO by helping replace three dilapidated planters in the village. The new planters improved the appearance of public spaces and created a more attractive, welcoming environment for residents and visitors.

The fund supported Cultercullen Primary by helping expand play resources for Primary 1 and 2. The project enabled young pupils to explore and investigate materials, take the lead in their learning, and engage in play-based activities that support their overall development and curiosity.

The fund supported Cultercullen Parent Council by helping provide a microphone system for hybrid meetings. This allowed parents to participate fully, whether attending in person or online, ensuring all voices could be heard and encouraging inclusive engagement in school discussions and decision-making.

The fund supported Udny Station Playgroup by helping provide STEM toys and modular magnetic tiles for the children. The project enabled pupils to explore construction, engineering, and creative problem-solving through open-ended play. The new resources encouraged fine motor skills, critical thinking, collaboration, and imaginative learning, offering engaging indoor and outdoor opportunities that enhanced STEM development in the early years.

The fund supported Udny Station Preschool & Playgroup by helping provide a new laptop for their Administration and Finance Coordinator. The project ensured the coordinator had reliable, up-to-date equipment to manage administrative and financial tasks efficiently, keeping pace with the expanding demands of the role.

The fund supported Udny Station Preschool & Playgroup by helping provide gardening tools, gloves, and wheelbarrows for children to maintain the green area and planters at the Community Centre. The project allowed pupils to be directly involved in planting, caring for, and learning about plants, vegetables, seasons, and wildlife. It also promoted practical skills, hand-eye coordination, physical activity, and a sense of achievement, while encouraging healthy lifestyles and hands-on learning in a safe, engaging environment.

The fund supported Udny Station Preschool & Playgroup by helping provide Superspace magnetic modular play equipment. This allowed children to engage in open-ended, imaginative play, developing creativity, social and emotional skills, language, critical thinking, problem-solving, and physical coordination. The equipment also introduced early exploration of scientific concepts, such as magnetism, while encouraging collaborative learning and role play.

The fund supported Udny Station Preschool & Playgroup by helping provide floor rugs and electronic learning games for a play-based learning environment. The rugs created a safe, comfortable space for young children to engage in activities, while the games introduced basic ICT skills such as mouse control, shape recognition, hand-eye coordination, and memory development. The project enhanced early learning through play, supporting cognitive, social, and physical development in a welcoming environment.

The fund supported Udny Station Pre-School & Playgroup to purchase a Super Stallette portable sink, providing accessible hot-water handwashing directly within the playroom. This reduced the need for children to leave the hall, minimised the spread of messy materials, and allowed staff to remain focused on learning and play. The sensor-operated sink promoted hygiene, independence, and safe routines. The previous unit had become faulty, so replacing it ensured continuity of play-based learning in a clean, well-managed environment.

Funding supported 1st Newburgh Scout Group to replace their ageing Scout-section tents, which had reached the end of their usable life after many years of camps and expeditions. With over 55 young people across Beavers, Cubs, Scouts and an active Explorer unit, camping is a core part of their programme, giving members opportunities for independence, responsibility and outdoor learning. The group’s annual subscriptions cover weekly running costs and camp fees are kept low to ensure accessibility, meaning equipment replacement could not be funded through normal income. The updated tents ensure the Scouts can continue to take part in safe, enjoyable camping experiences central to their personal development.

Foveran School Parent Council applied for funding to purchase a 9ft x 8ft metal storage shed (including a foundation kit) to house the school’s outdoor play and sports equipment. The school previously had insufficient storage, leaving equipment exposed to the weather and making access difficult for pupils and staff. We supported this application by providing the funds, enabling the school to purchase the shed and ensure their outdoor resources are protected, organised and easily accessible for active play and learning.

Foveran School requested support to refresh and modernise their school library collection. Many of their existing books were purchased or donated over a decade ago and are now outdated, worn, and less appealing to pupils. The school hopes to provide a range of new, engaging titles that will inspire children, encourage a love of reading, and help foster curiosity and learning. This application focused specifically on updating the book stock, with a separate request submitted for improvements to the physical library space.

We supported Cultercullen Primary with funding to purchase an additional SMART TV for the older part of the school building. SMART TVs were already used effectively within classrooms, greatly enhancing learning and teaching, and the school wanted to extend these benefits to group activities, assemblies, and community events held in the gym hall. Due to the layout of the building, existing TVs could not be moved between areas, and the previous pull-down whiteboard and projector setup was no longer meeting the school’s needs. The new SMART TV provides a modern and reliable solution for both school and community use.

We supported Udny Station Community Association with funding to replace the failed solar panel inverter at the Community Centre. The original inverter, installed around ten years ago alongside the solar panels, burned out over the winter, leaving the system unable to generate electricity. Funding enabled the Association to purchase a new inverter and have it professionally installed, ensuring the solar panels could return to full operation and continue providing energy savings for the community facility.

We supported Meldrum Academy’s Enhanced Provision Base to create a wheelchair-accessible path within their Community Garden. The garden, already used by pupils and local community members, provides a safe and practical space for hands-on learning, life skills, and peer-supported activities. Our funding ensured that all pupils, including those with mobility needs, could fully access the garden, enhancing its educational and social value. The project supports a range of practical programmes, from gardening and employability skills to independent travel and the Grow and Learn Award, giving pupils meaningful, inclusive experiences.

We supported The Windsurf Club by funding Stand-Up Paddleboard (SUP) instructor training. The club, a volunteer-led not-for-profit organisation serving Aberdeenshire, had expanded its activities to include SUP lessons to meet growing local demand for water-based leisure and wellbeing activities. Our funding enabled existing windsurf instructors to gain SUP qualifications and allowed new instructors to train, strengthening the club’s capacity to offer safe, structured lessons and social SUP sessions. This support helped the club continue to grow participation and provide valuable fitness, health, and wellbeing opportunities to the local community.

We supported Cultercullen Community Park with funding to install a defibrillator in the village. Prior to this, residents had to travel several miles to access a defibrillator in an emergency, delaying critical care. The funding enabled the purchase and installation of the defibrillator outside the local school, with St John’s Ambulance contributing training for local residents and staff. This project has improved emergency response readiness and safety for the whole community.

We supported Udny Station Playgroup with funding to expand and replace play equipment for pre-school children. The new resources included items for imaginative play, role play, and structured learning through play. This support has enhanced the children’s learning experiences by promoting creativity, critical thinking, hand-eye coordination, and communication skills, helping them explore and understand the world around them in a safe and engaging environment.

We supported Foveran School by providing funding to extend their gym and sports equipment. The new mats and balls are used during PE sessions in the village hall, helping meet the needs of the school’s growing pupil numbers. This support has ensured that all children have access to appropriate equipment for physical education, promoting fitness, coordination, and active participation in school sports.

We supported Foveran School by funding the replacement of a playhouse in the school garden that had been destroyed during Storm Arwen. The new playhouse has restored a popular outdoor play and learning resource, giving children, especially the younger ones, a space for imaginative play and educational activities once again.

We supported Cultercullen Primary School in developing workbench and technical skills for Primary 1/2 pupils. The funding provided resources to introduce practical, hands-on technical learning in the classroom, giving children the opportunity to explore basic engineering and craft skills safely while enhancing problem-solving and creativity.

We supported Cultercullen Primary School in expanding play-based learning resources for pupils in P3–P7. The funding allowed the school to extend the use of creative blocks already used in early years, providing opportunities for imaginative, hands-on learning that enhances problem-solving, collaboration, and engagement across the wider school.

We supported Cultercullen Primary School by providing bikes and scooters to help pupils develop essential cycling and gross motor skills. This allowed children to build confidence and coordination in the playground, ensuring they were ready to participate fully in the school’s Bikeability programme and promoting physical activity and road safety awareness.

We supported Cultercullen Primary School by providing resources to develop pupils’ gross motor skills. These resources allowed teachers to deliver engaging activities inspired by best-practice sessions, helping young children improve coordination, balance, and overall physical development in a fun and practical way.

We supported Cultercullen Primary School by funding the purchase of a school curling kit. This kit allowed teachers to introduce pupils to curling using a structured teaching tool, helping children learn the basics of the sport and develop coordination, teamwork, and sporting skills.

We supported Cultercullen Community Park SCIO by funding the replacement of four planters in the park and village. The new planters revitalised the green spaces, creating a more attractive and welcoming environment for the community and encouraging ongoing gardening and outdoor engagement.

We supported Foveran School by providing funding for Big-Point Recordable Buttons. The buttons were used across a wide range of lessons and wall displays, allowing children to record sounds or explanations and play them back. This enhanced classroom learning, supported interactive activities, and created engaging displays for parents’ evenings and community events, helping to celebrate the pupils’ learning and achievements.

We provided funding for mini hollow loose parts play blocks for Udny Station Playgroup and Pre-School. These blocks allowed the children to engage in creative, open-ended play both indoors and outdoors. They offered endless possibilities for exploration, helping to develop a wide range of skills across all areas of learning and supporting the children’s creativity, problem-solving, and social development.

We provided funding to support the replacement of the old kitchen in Foveran Village Hall. This project allowed the hall to have a modern, functional kitchen, enhancing its usability for community events, group activities, and social gatherings, and ensuring the facilities better meet the needs of all users.

We provided funding to support the purchase of additional Chromebooks for Udny Green Primary School. This project ensured that every pupil has access to their own device, helping to reduce barriers to learning, particularly for children with additional support needs. It has improved equity in the classroom, supported teaching of technology-based lessons, and allowed all children to fully engage with digital learning opportunities.

We provided funding to support the installation of additional seating and tables in Foveran Park. This project has enhanced the park’s facilities for both the local community and Foveran Primary School, providing more space for outdoor learning, PE activities, and community use. The new tables and seating encourage social interaction, outdoor engagement, and enjoyment of the park for all ages.

We provided funding to support the purchase of additional iPads, covers, and charging stations for Cultercullen Primary School. This has enhanced the school’s IT resources, allowing pupils greater access to online learning tools and digital teaching materials. The additional devices enable more targeted and continuous learning, reduce the need for timetabling shared resources, and support pupils in developing essential digital skills.

We provided funding to support the purchase of two new planters and compost for Cultercullen Primary School. The planters enhance the school’s outdoor learning environment, allowing pupils to explore plant growth and soil biology while supporting group work. These new planters replaced older ones that had been in use for nearly 10 years, contributing to a more engaging and sustainable eco-learning space.

We provided funding to support the erection of a tool storage shed at Cultercullen Community Park. The shed allows the safe and secure storage of all park maintenance equipment, helping volunteers manage and maintain the park efficiently while keeping the area organized and accessible.

We provided funding to support the purchase and planting of perennial plants in the flower boxes around Udny Station. This project ensures the village has a lasting, attractive floral display that doesn’t rely on annual council-supplied plants. The chosen perennials, such as geraniums, can be divided and propagated over time, allowing the display to expand and sustain itself year after year.

We provided funding to help Foveran School replace worn and outdated maths textbooks for their upper stages (P4–P7) class. The existing textbooks had suffered wear and tear over the years and were further damaged during periods of remote learning. Replacing these books ensures that pupils have reliable, up-to-date resources to support their learning and practice of new numeracy concepts.

We supported Foveran School by funding the purchase of two additional iPads to ensure every pupil in the class has access to a device. The school had previously purchased tablets as part of an earlier project, which proved invaluable during lockdowns. With two new pupils joining, the extra iPads allow all students to fully engage with digital learning resources and maintain equitable access to ICT in the classroom.

We supported Udny Station Preschool & Playgroup by funding the purchase of a new office laptop for the manager. The previous laptop was over seven years old and struggling to keep up with the demands of electronic documentation and online profiling for the children. The new laptop ensures efficient management of administrative tasks, while the old laptop will be repurposed for children’s use with the setting’s touchscreen TV to support educational games and online learning.

We supported Udny Station Preschool & Playgroup by funding the purchase of a new light box/pad to replace their previous one. The light pad is used across a variety of activities, particularly sensory and messy play, helping children explore light, colour, and textures. It also supports early learning skills such as mark-making, tracing, handwriting, and drawing, while strengthening fine motor skills.

We supported Foveran School by providing funding to help update their ICT resources. The funding contributed towards the purchase of new devices and tablets for the school, helping to ensure that all pupils have access to modern technology to support learning, teaching, and digital skills development.

We supported Cultercullen Primary by funding their final set of resources for outdoor learning. These smaller teaching tools complement previous larger equipment provided and help the school offer a wider variety of outdoor lessons, allowing pupils to spend more time learning outside and engaging with the natural environment.

We supported Foveran School by funding a secure storage and charging unit for their tablets and laptops. This unit allows the school to safely store, charge, and organise their growing number of devices, ensuring they are ready for use each day. It supports the school’s wider initiative to enhance learning through technology, providing a flexible and child-friendly solution that safeguards the devices and maximises their educational benefit.

We supported Cultercullen School by funding a new water boiler to replace their previous broken unit. The boiler provides hot water for up to 100 cups and maintains a set temperature, making it easier to serve tea, coffee, and other hot drinks at school events. It is also used by Friends of Cultercullen School during fundraising activities, helping to support community engagement and school initiatives efficiently.

We supported the Nicer Newburgh Community Gardening Group by funding the purchase of 70 perennial hardy geraniums. These plants replace some of the annual bedding, providing vibrant summer colour while being more sustainable and environmentally friendly for the village green spaces.

We supported Foveran School by funding a range of science-based play resources for their early years pupils. These resources include materials for construction, loose parts, messy play, and a water table for experiments, providing hands-on opportunities to explore scientific concepts in a playful and engaging way.

We supported Udny Station Community Association by funding the replacement of their free-standing cooker. The previous cooker was no longer fully functional, limiting the usability of the hall kitchen for community groups. The new cooker fits the existing space, allowing continued use of the kitchen without additional alterations, and improving the overall experience for hall users.

We supported Udny Station Preschool and Playgroup by funding the purchase of a new wooden storage shed. The shed provides additional space to store outdoor play equipment, including bikes, and features two large doors for easy access. This ensures the preschool can safely and efficiently manage their enhanced outdoor play resources.

We supported Cultercullen Primary School by funding additional classroom resources for the P5–P7 classroom. The resources enhance learning across a range of subjects including maths, literacy, geography, politics, and science. This ensures pupils have access to a wide variety of up-to-date materials, supporting the delivery of the Curriculum for Excellence and stimulating ongoing development and engagement.

We supported Udny Station Community Centre with funding for the refurbishment of the toilet facilities. The upgrade included the addition of an accessible toilet, a baby changing unit, improved ventilation, motion-activated energy-efficient lighting, safer and more accessible sinks and taps, non-slip flooring, and energy-efficient heating. These improvements bring the facilities up to modern standards, enhancing safety, accessibility, and usability for all users of the community centre.

We supported Newburgh Preschool to enhance outdoor learning experiences for their children. Funding was used to develop their existing outdoor area with additional planting and digging spaces, as well as to facilitate trips to local woods and the beach. Resources purchased included a garden trolley to transport essential items safely and a fire wok to enable safe outdoor cooking and fire activities under supervision. These improvements help foster exploration, teamwork, and storytelling in outdoor settings.

We supported Foveran School to further develop their small loose parts play area. Funding was used to provide a safe storage facility to protect the loose parts from the weather and help keep the area tidy. Additional support was provided for hedging and natural signage around the play area, enhancing both safety and the overall outdoor learning environment.

We supported Foveran School to re-establish their school football team by funding the purchase of a full football strip for the players. This enables the pupils to participate in team sports and represent their school with pride.

We supported The Windsurf Club by funding the purchase of a new outboard motor for their safety boat. This ensures the club can continue running regular sessions and community activities safely, in line with RYA guidelines, and maintain a reliable safety presence on the water.

We supported the purchase and installation of a community defibrillator at Foveran Village Hall, housed in a secure, coded cabinet, providing access to life-saving equipment for anyone in the community.

We supported the purchase of gym equipment for Cultercullen Primary School, helping pupils improve their physical education experiences and better prepare for PE at Meldrum Academy.

We supported the purchase of Lego education sets for Cultercullen Primary School, providing each class with resources to explore creativity, engineering, and programming. This also supports the school’s Science Club and helps pupils engage with the updated Education Scotland technology guidelines.

We supported the installation of a free-standing, weatherproof community noticeboard on the main street of Udny Station. This provides a prominent location for local information and announcements, improving visibility compared to the previous noticeboard at the Community Centre. The board is maintained and managed by the Community Centre.

We supported the upgrade of the fire alarm system at Udny Station Community Hall to ensure it meets current safety regulations. This included installation of a 4-zone fire panel, smoke and heat detectors, manual call points, and all necessary cabling and fitting, along with a full fire risk assessment.

We supported Cultercullen Primary School in providing an outdoor Mud Kitchen and associated accessories. This resource enhances the school’s outdoor learning environment, offering children creative play opportunities, role play, and classroom learning activities. The Mud Kitchen is also available for community use outside school hours.

We supported Cultercullen Primary School in updating classroom resources for their P1-P2 classes. This funding ensured that the school could provide sufficient and varied learning materials to accommodate a large intake of P1 children, supporting learning through play, project work, and ongoing development in line with the Curriculum for Excellence.

We supported Cultercullen Primary 1/2 in providing resources for loose parts play, including funding for a storage shed. This allows the pupils to engage in imaginative, self-directed play, supporting cognitive development, while keeping the equipment safe and accessible. The shed also enables the community to access larger items left outside.

We supported Udny Station Ameneties Group by funding the replacement of 13 planters that were in poor repair, helping to maintain the village’s outdoor spaces. This follows last year’s replacement of 18 planters, with plans to replace the remaining ones next year.

We supported Cultercullen Primary by funding the purchase of a third SMART television to ensure all three classes have equal access to enhanced learning and teaching experiences, building on our previous support for the school’s ICT development.

We supported Foveran School to create a creative outdoor ‘mud kitchen’ area. This included preparing the garden space, constructing the kitchen from donated pallets, providing outdoor kitchen resources, filling the mud area with suitable soil/compost, and painting the kitchen with bright, engaging colours.

We supported Foveran School to enhance their newly resurfaced playground by providing professionally painted games, including a court, hop-scotch, and agility course, to encourage active play and support physical development.