1 April 2024 - 31 March 2025
Who We Are
The charity ANGUSalive is the culture, sport and leisure trust for the county of Angus.
ANGUSalive offers residents and visitors to Angus a wealth of services which inspire healthy, active and creative lifestyle choices through the use of our sports centres, country parks, theatres and venues, museums, galleries, archives and libraries. We have five service areas which form our culture, sport and leisure offering:
• Libraries & Archives
• Museums & Galleries
• Sport & Leisure
• Countryside Adventure
• Theatre & Venues
ANGUSalive is led by a Chief Executive and Senior Leadership Team. The Chief Executive reports to the ANGUSalive Board of Directors which consists of five independent directors and four council directors who are elected members (see page 17 for more details). The Company is governed by its Articles of Association. Angus Council is the sole member of the company.
ANGUSalive’s core establishment as of 31 March 2025 was 222 employees who together with supply staff and volunteers were responsible for contributing to the delivery of services to the Angus community.
“
“ Changing lives by inspiring healthy, active and creative lifestyle choices.
Where We Are
You might not know it, but we are just about everywhere in Angus - something we’re proud of and showcases how involved in the community we are.
You can see on this map what services we have and where!
COUNTRYSIDE ADVENTURE
• Crombie Country Park
• Forfar Loch Country Park
• Glen Doll Ranger Base
• Monikie Country Park
LIBRARIES & ARCHIVES
• Arbroath including Angus Archives
• Brechin
• Carnoustie
• Forfar
• Kirriemuir
• Monifieth
• Montrose
• Mobile Libraries
• Home Delivery Service
MUSEUMS & GALLERIES
• Arbroath Art Gallery (within Arbroath Library)
• Montrose Museum
• The Meffan Museum & Art Gallery, Forfar
• The Signal Tower Museum, Arbroath
THEATRE & VENUES
• Brechin Community Campus Theatre
• Forfar Community Campus Theatre
• Kirriemuir Town Hall
• Montrose Town Hall
• Reid Hall, Forfar
• The Webster Memorial Theatre, Arbroath
Glen
SPORT & LEISURE
• Arbroath Sports Centre
• Brechin Community Campus
• Carnoustie Sports Centre
• Forfar Community Campus
• Montrose Sports Centre
• Saltire Sports Centre, Arbroath
• Webster’s Sports Centre, Kirriemuir
OFFICES
• Head Office, Forfar
Doll
Kirriemuir
Arbroath
Carnoustie Monifieth
Brechin
Crombie
Monikie
Our Charitable Objectives
We are as committed as we have ever been to meet out charitable objectives and contribute to local outcomes.
We follow the 9 strategic aims for ANGUSalive, of which you’ll see signposted throughout the case studies in our annual report.
1
Ensure strong, transparent governance and demonstrate community benefit
Champion the positive benefits of our services 3
Deliver best value and create investment opportunities 2
Encourage participation for all 4
Promote a culture of diversity and equality 5
6
Improve outcomes through effective partnerships at local, regional and national levels
Recognise the value of our employees 8
Engage and communicate openly 7
Promote use of our spaces as community hubs
Our Mission
With a clear focus on customer service excellence and continuous improvement, our engaged workforce will deliver innovative services providing opportunities for all people to connect with the richness of activity available in Angus.
Demonstrating Community Benefit
Each year, ANGUSalive delivers an extraordinary range of programmes, activities and services for the people of Angus. The scale of this work makes it impossible to highlight every achievement, but in this year’s report we aim to offer a snapshot of the impact our teams create every day across our communities.
The past year has been shaped by a challenging financial landscape. Rising costs, tightening public sector budgets, and the distinct pressures facing ALEOs continue to influence how we operate. In response, we are rethinking and reshaping the way we deliver our services to ensure they remain sustainable, resilient and high-quality long into the future.
Despite these pressures, our team’s dedication to the Angus community has remained strong.
Their creativity, innovation, and passion ensure that local people continue to access outstanding opportunities exactly where they should be: right on their doorstep.
Collaboration also remains central to how we work. Through our commitment to community planning, we are able to evolve our services in line with local needs and strengthen our support for those who benefit from them most. As a key partner within the Angus Community Planning Partnership, ANGUSalive continues to contribute actively to the Community Plan priorities for 2017–2030 in planning priorities including:
• Reducing child poverty
Eradicate child poverty in Angus by 2030 with activities grouped around three drivers of poverty – income from employment, cost-of-living and income from social security benefits and benefits in kind.
• Improving mental health and wellbeing
People in Angus can get the right help at the right time, expect recovery and fully enjoy their rights, free from discrimination and stigma.
• Improving accessibility and connectivity
The rural nature of Angus presents challenges both in terms of the digital and physical access which if supported will help to reduce inequalities across the whole area.
Chair’s Introduction
Kenneth Fraser | Chair
Awarm welcome to ANGUSalive’s Annual Report for the financial year 2024–25.
This past year has been one of continued challenge for the charitable trust sector, particularly for Arm’s Length External Organisations (ALEOs) like ours. Across Scotland, ALEOs are facing unprecedented financial pressures – a combination of ongoing public sector funding constraints, national inflationary trends, and rising operational costs, while discretionary spending across the public has tightened.
For ANGUSalive, as for many of our peers, these external factors have presented significant tests of sustainability and adaptability. We are also heavily affected by the reduction in our management fee from Angus Council who, like all local authorities, have financial challenges.
These are difficult conditions for any organisation, and they are particularly acute for charitable trusts that deliver essential local services like we do at ANGUSalive.
Yet, despite these challenges, ANGUSalive has once again demonstrated its resilience, its creativity, and its commitment to the people of Angus.
As we head towards our 10th year of being a charity, we do so with a continued focus on delivering our original vision of “changing lives by inspiring healthy, active and creative lifestyle choices”. It was an important message then and it’s an important message now that underpins some of the fantastic work you’re about to read about in our annual report.
Among our many achievements, we have reached a huge milestone of 10,000 bACTIVE members – a clear sign of how valued our leisure and fitness services remain within our communities.
In our Theatre & Venues, we have invested in renovations at The Webster Memorial Theatre to enhance the visitor experience from the moment you walk through the door. These improvements will ensure it continues to thrive as one of Angus’ most popular entertainment venues and this is further supported through development of an even more varied programme for local people and visitors to enjoy.
At Monikie Country Park, we have launched plans for an exciting new Aquapark, expanding our successful watersports offering and further developing the county’s outdoor leisure economy. Our Countryside Adventure team hope this will help to turn Monikie Country Park into a go-to destination in Scotland.
Meanwhile, our Libraries & Archives and Museums & Galleries teams have continued to evolve their services to meet community needs - with new opening hours, improved accessibility, and even dog-friendly facilities, helping to create more welcoming spaces for all who visit.
These achievements, delivered against a backdrop of tightening resources, speak volumes about the commitment and professionalism of our teams.
They are proof that, even in a challenging financial climate, ANGUSalive continues to provide outstanding value and impact for the people of Angus.
As a sector, ALEOs across Scotland are navigating uncertain times. Many are reassessing how they deliver services and how they remain sustainable in the long term. ANGUSalive is no exception, and as a Board we continue to work closely with our Senior Leadership Team to ensure that we are planning responsibly, managing prudently, and staying focused on what matters most - supporting the wellbeing and vitality of our communities.
As Chair, I remain incredibly proud of how ANGUSalive has met this year’s challenges. The dedication and innovation shown by our people, the strategic guidance of our Board, and the continued support of our partners - most notably Angus Council - all play a vital role in ensuring that we continue to deliver trusted, high-quality services across Angus.
To the communities who use and support our services, I offer my sincere thanks. Your engagement, encouragement, and participation give purpose to everything we do and your support remains of paramount importance in the next phase of our journey.
Remember, by choosing an ANGUSalive service, you are choosing to reinvest back into your community. And there’s never been a better time to get involved for the right people.
I am continually inspired by the dedication of our Board members, who bring their skills, experience, and passion to help shape ANGUSalive’s future.
Being on our Board at ANGUSalive offers a unique opportunity to make a tangible difference to communities across Angus – contributing to an organisation that promotes wellbeing, learning, culture, and creativity. It offers the chance to work alongside like-minded people, influence strategic direction, and ensure our charity continues to deliver services that change lives.
We welcome applications from individuals who share our values, bring fresh perspectives, and are eager to play a part in strengthening ANGUSalive’s impact for years to come. If this is something you can contribute to you, we’d certainly like to hear from you.
As we look ahead, the landscape for ALEOs will undoubtedly remain testing. But with the professionalism, creativity, and commitment that define ANGUSalive, I am confident that we will continue to adapt and to play a vital role in enriching the lives of people across Angus for many years to come.
Kenneth Fraser
Chair, ANGUSalive
If you are interested in joining our Board, I am happy to have a conversation with you. Please follow this QR code where you can submit your details and why you’d be an excellent fit with us.
Foreword
Kirsty Hunter | Chief Executive
AsI return to ANGUSalive following a period of maternity leave, I do so with immense pride. Becoming a parent has offered me a new perspective on the importance of community, connection, health and wellbeing. It has deepened even further my appreciation for the work we all do every day to provide opportunities across the county which contribute towards making Angus a more healthy, active and creative place to live.
The past year has been one of great change, both personally and organisationally. Stepping back has allowed me to reflect on just how much has been achieved during a complex period for public services. I have been encouraged by the momentum we have built on the back of our strong recovery from the pandemic. Returning to find our organisation has not only sustained itself but continues to move forward with innovation and purpose is a testament to everyone involved with ANGUSalive.
To get a fuller appreciation of the lifestyle choices the charity provides which are changing lives every day, I invite you to find out more in our 2024/25 Annual Report.
In Sport & Leisure, we launched the Provider Accreditation Scheme for Sport (PASS), designed to raise standards and strengthen the foundations of community sport. We transformed underutilised spaces into Elevate Studios and celebrated reaching over 10,000 people having bACTIVE memberships – a major milestone and a reflection of our fitness suite investment strategy.
Libraries have demonstrated new ways to be at the heart of our communities with the introduction of the Green Room at Forfar Library in partnership with Macmillan Cancer Support. Meanwhile Arbroath Library has welcomed Angus Archives and their colocation at the heart of the town brings enhanced accessibility. Next year, we’re excited to progress the refurbishment of Arbroath Library and see the positive impact of Monifieth Library moving into the Monifeith Activity Centre as we relocate to this wonderful new community hub.
Our Museums & Galleries team continue to delve deeper into the Angus Collection through several funded projects to document and accession these treasures. We are grateful to Museums Galleries Scotland for supporting this work and development of a unique retail offer in beautifully refurbished gift shops to complement each of our three museums. Visitors have been enjoying the fabulous exhibitions programme across the year and 2025/26 sees the culmination of our highly anticipated World Cultures project.
We really value the contribution made by our volunteers and appreciate them giving up their time to positively impact the lives of others in their community. Within Countryside Adventure, the Friends of Forfar Loch have been involved in a variety of conservation, maintenance, and environmental improvement projects to transform their country park. Our Health Walk Leaders are also helping people of all abilities to get outdoors for gentle exercise and to meet new friends. I was lucky enough to join a group in Kirriemuir on their weekly walk and see how much the participants enjoy this programme which has grown exponentially in the last 12 months.
Back indoors, our Theatre & Venues team has been working to enhance their customer journey. A new ticketing system has improved the booking experience, and our programme now welcomes an even wider variety of talent to venues across Angus. We have invested in refurbishing the foyer bar and assembly room at the Webster Memorial Theatre to ensure audiences have a wonderful time with us.
I am proud of our achievements whilst remaining realistic about the wider environment in which we operate.
The financial landscape facing local authority Arms Length External Organisations (ALEOs),remains challenging. Rising operating costs, cost of living pressures on discretionary spend within our communities, and reductions in public funding continue to test the sustainability of culture and leisure trusts across Scotland.
Despite our achievements since 2015, ANGUSalive is no exception. The reductions in our Management Fee from Angus Council - while understood within the wider financial context - present ongoing pressures that require us to remain both creative and disciplined in how we deliver our services.
Yet it is in such times that our purpose becomes clearest.
Our work is not, and has never been, simply about operating country parks, libraries or theatres - it is about improving lives of the Angus community we serve. It is about creating opportunities for people to move more, connect more, discover more and become more inspired in their daily lives. These outcomes have never been more important for physical and mental community wellbeing, and our vision of “changing lives by inspiring healthy, active and creative lifestyle choices” remains at the heart of everything we do.
To safeguard that vision we have accelerated our work on Project 2030, our internal strategic programme, to reshape ANGUSalive for the next decade. It challenges us to think differently, innovate, and take a positive, forward-looking approach to financial resilience. Rather than focusing solely on what must be reduced to navigate the impact of a reduced Management Fee, we are in parallel exploring what more we can add - new services, new partnerships and income streams that will strengthen our financial position and enhance our impact.
Looking ahead, performance and accountability will remain central to our strategy. We are embedding a culture that uses data and evidence to inform decisions, ensuring that every choice we make delivers value and aligns with our charitable objectives. This strengthens the confidence our stakeholders, partners and communities place in us.
I also want to recognise our people - the dedicated staff and volunteers who bring our values to life every day.
Their enthusiasm, adaptability and compassion underpin every achievement. Whether welcoming visitors and customers to delivering outreach in communities, they embody what it means to serve with purpose. I am immensely proud to lead such a committed and talented team, and you’ll be introduced to some of those at the beating heart of ANGUSalive in this Annual Report.
While we are acutely aware of the challenges ahead, I remain optimistic. The progress captured within this report demonstrates innovation, determination and community spirit can thrive even in difficult circumstances. ANGUSalive is evolving with purpose, ensuring we remain relevant, resilient and ready to serve the people of Angus for many years to come.
Kirsty Hunter Chief Executive, ANGUSalive
If you do have any feedback that you’d like to give us, or any queries we could help with, please complete this form by following this QR code.
Governance and Board of Directors
To achieve our ambition and continue our journey of becoming an enthusiastic, customerfocussed, forward-looking organisation equipped for the future, we will ensure we have the right people driving our business.
Our people demonstrate a commitment to delivering our vision for the benefit of the people of Angus and understand the need to continuously monitor and report our financial performance, allowing us to invest every penny back into the services we deliver.
We also work closely with local and national partners, in collaborative planning and delivery as well as sponsorship, to improve outcomes for Angus.
Board Structure
The Board of Directors meet on average every eight weeks throughout the year, with the Chief Executive and Senior Managers supported by shared service representatives, to consider the business of the charity.
Recruitment, Induction and Training of Directors
New Directors are recruited and appointed according to vacancies on the Board. Induction information is provided to all new Directors and on-going training is available to all existing Directors as required. Several Board Development sessions are also scheduled every year.
Our Board met from 1 April 2024 to 26 September 2025 (date of signing for the Report and consolidated financial statements for the year to 31 March 2025).
There is also a Finance & Audit Sub-Committee that meets on average four times a year to consider and scrutinise specific items of business and to present formal recommendations to the full Board of Directors.
Decision Making Process
At a Directors’ meeting, unless a quorum is participating, no proposal is to be voted on. The decisionmaking process by Trustees is that any decision must be either a majority decision at a meeting or a decision of the Directors is taken in accordance when all eligible Directors indicate to each other by any means that they share a common view on a matter. If the numbers of votes for and against a proposal are equal, the Chair or other Director chairing the meeting has a casting vote.
Board Governance Review
Scotland’s Third Sector Governance Forum has developed a Scottish Governance Code for the Third Sector. The Code sets out the core principles of good governance for
the boards of charities, voluntary organisations and social enterprises in Scotland. The Code is not a legal or regulatory requirement, but instead is designed to be aspirational, for trustees to reflect on and improve governance.
A ‘Good Governance Checkup’ has been designed to be used in conjunction with the Code to help trustees regularly review their governance. It has five sections which mirror the five core principles in the code: Organisational Purpose, Leadership, Board Behaviour, Control and Effectiveness.
ANGUSalive complete their Board
Good Governance Check-Up annually to ensure we are reaching the high standards our organisation expects from its Board.
The Board is led by two Independent Directors who act as Chair and Vice-Chair:
Mr Kenneth Fraser (Chair)
Mr Derek Waugh (Vice-Chair)
Cllr Ronnie Proctor Council Director
Cllr Serena Cowdy Council Director Council Director
Cllr Lynne Devine
Mr Campbell Archibald Independent Director
Mr Kenneth Christie Independent Director Independent Director
Mr Thomas Ferry Council Director
Cllr Jack Cruickshanks
Financial Year Review
FINANCIAL STEWARDSHIP
An overview of the charity’s financial performance is included in the table below and highlighted on the opposite page via a series of pie charts which provide a helpful breakdown of our income and expenditure.
Year End Position
The Trust’s operational net income (before actuarial pension adjustments required by accounting regulations and after transfers between reserves) for the period ending 31 March 2025 was £819,000.
In terms of strategic planning for financial sustainability, the operational surplus has allowed the Charity to strengthen its previously built-up Investment Fund and maintain its reserves position.
Investment Fund
The Board of Directors approved an investment programme of £81,250 across the county in 2024/25. This covered a broad range of equipment replacement as well as funding development of new initiatives.
Regular equipment refresh is essential as this programme of work contributes to the maintenance and growth of the Charity’s customer base and facility usage through provision of a high-quality customer experience.
It has been possible to contribute further to the Investment Fund from the 2024/25 operational surplus with the Board approving the setting aside of £355,000 for this purpose.
The Investment Fund covers equipment used by customers as well as the Information Technology that supports the provision of services to customers. Since 2022 our Investment Fund has also reflected a broader scope and a more strategic focus. This change allowed for greater flexibility
The operational net income position was achieved despite the ongoing challenging economic climate. This was possible through a pro-active approach to maintaining and growing income levels and close control of expenditure on employee costs, building costs and supplies & services costs.
In terms of strategic planning for financial sustainability, the operational surplus has allowed the charity to strengthen its previously built-up Investment Fund and maintain its reserves position.
in applying the funding across all areas of the organisation, supporting investments that contribute to the delivery of ANGUSalive’s objectives, enhance customer satisfaction, promote growth, and strengthen our sustainability. The ability to perform regular investment is essential to the overall financial resilience of the company.
Reserves
Unrestricted funds carried forward amount to £3,936,091 (2024: £3,592,936). This reflects the continued financial stewardship of the Directors and Senior Leadership Team to maintain the Company’s reserves that the Office of the Scottish Charity Regulator requires to be set aside on a prudent business operation basis. The Company had no reserves when it started trading on 1 December 2015. Through regular contributions to the Company’s reserves since establishment, the Company’s future resilience has been strengthened.
The Company has previously made annual contributions to the Investment Fund since it started trading to ensure resources are available for future investment across its culture, sport and leisure facilities and has been able to contribute again in 2024/25 as noted above.
Going Concern
Reserves also form a significant part of our going concern assessment since they are included in the forecasts for the next 12 months, maintenance of these funds for a ‘rainy day’ protects our ability to continue to operate and prepare our annual accounts on this basis.
In addition, Angus Council’s commitment to the ongoing payment of the Management Fee has been essential to maintain the charity as a going concern.
Our 2024/25 accounts were prepared on a going concern basis following external auditor assessment of forecasts, budgets and a Letter of Comfort from Angus Council which confirms the support package measures available to ANGUSalive next year should these be required.
* ANGUSalive Group position differs from the ANGUSalive Charity and ANGUSalive Trading companies combined due to the exclusion of Gift Aid on consolidation.
Accounts Position
Accounting regulations require actuarial pension adjustments to be made which are notional rather than real in-year cash transactions. Once these adjustments are included, the Company’s consolidated financial position shows a net income of £391,574.
FINANCIAL OUTLOOK
The charity successfully delivered a Management Fee saving of £500,000 in 2024-25.
The overall continued difficult economic environment, particularly the financial pressures on Council budgets, remains challenging. The most recent Council Change Plan agreed in March 2025 confirmed that a further Management Fee saving of £250,000 required to be delivered in 2025/26 and that further Management Fee savings totalling £500,000 would be required in the two-year period 2026-27 to 2027-28. As an organisation whose costs are dominated by staff costs, this is a substantial challenge for the charity.
The impact of the cost-of-living crisis continues to affect our wider operating environment and customer expectations, impacting our ability to generate income as availability of discretionary spend for culture, sport and leisure activities continues to be testing for our communities.
The Angus Council Finance & Change Programme for 2025 - 2028, agreed by elected members on 27 February 2025, includes an ask for savings of £0.750m from the £4.476m ANGUSalive base Management Fee for 2024/25. This saving is to be delivered over the period 2025/26 to 2027/28 and will reduce the level of management fee paid to ANGUSalive.
Together, all these factors have further compounded the immediate situation faced by the charity. Our revenue budget now brings in less income from the Angus Council Management Fee and faces challenges to grow other income streams - at a time of increased expenditure, particularly staff costs.
How We Stack Up
You will find a summary of the services of Libraries & Archives, Museums & Galleries, Sport & Leisure, Countryside Adventure and Theatre & Venues at the start of each section in this report, including an overview of how they stack up for this period.
Business Management and Development
In addition to the five service areas, business support, development and marketing & communications is provided by the business management and development team.
This unit manages all the service level agreements for the support services and contracts that the Charity has with third party providers. This team also supports customer care, safety, health and wellbeing and information governance for the charity.
Customer Care
ANGUSalive has a clear focus on customer service excellence and our Customer Charter outlines our commitments. We actively welcome and value feedback from our customers so we know how well we are doing and what we can do to improve.
Safety, Health and Wellbeing (SHW)
Our SHW framework ensures that all incidents are monitored by the Senior Leadership Team, in conjunction with the Health & Safety Compliance team, to ensure compliance with policy and associated guidance with remedial actions taken where required.
SAFETY, HEALTH & WELLBEING:
Information Governance
As a charity, we have policies and procedures in place covering the key information governance themes as below. The Senior Information Officer and Information Office monitor all requests for information and data breaches with appropriate action taken where required. This information is also shared with the Leadership Team.
As is required by the Freedom of Information (Scotland) Act 2002, we have produced and maintain a publication scheme setting out the types of information that we routinely make available. This is available on our website.
INFORMATION GOVERNANCE
Gender Pay Gap
Under The Equality Act 2010 (Gender Pay Gap Information) Regulations 2017, it is now a legal requirement for any organisation with 250 or more employees to publish and report specific figures about their gender pay gap annually. In accordance with the requirements, our gender pay gap data is reported on the UK Government website. It is also published on our website, accompanied with a written statement from our Chief Executive.
Now, time to take a look at everything we’ve achieved!
Service Wide Initiatives
Before we give you a snapshot of how our ANGUSalive services played their role in serving our community this year, let’s take a look back at some collaborative projects we worked on together as a team.
Supporting Community
Wellbeing through the Are You OK? Campaign
This year, ANGUSalive played an important role in the regionwide “Are You OK?” mental health campaign, delivered in partnership with the Angus Health & Social Care Partnership and Angus Council.
The campaign was designed to encourage people to check in with one another and feel more confident opening up conversations about mental health.
ANGUSalive’s contribution included a series of thoughtful interviews featuring both staff and individuals who have benefitted from our services. By sharing their experiences - ranging from the positive impact of physical activity to the value of supportive local spaces - the campaign helped show that wellbeing is shaped not just by clinical services, but by community connection and everyday interactions.
Featured in our interviews included Ranald McLeay – a man who attributed our Be Active, Live Well programme and attending group exercise fitness classes as having a huge positive impact on his mental health as he recovered from advanced prostate cancer.
It also included Iya Pavola, a Ukrainian national who moved to Montrose shortly after the war began in 2022. Moving to a country where she didn’t know anyone, with just her 18 year old son, she had to change her
entire life. Speaking little English and concerned about what is happening back in her home country, some of our services were vital in helping her build her language skills and meet a network of new people.
Our involvement demonstrated ANGUSalive’s commitment to supporting the whole person and highlighted the important role our facilities, programmes, and staff play in helping people feel seen, supported, and be part of a wider community.
Engaging the Local Business Community at the Chamber of Commerce Summer Social
Strengthening relationships with local businesses is important and ANGUSalive was proud to host the Dundee & Angus Chamber of Commerce Summer Social at Monikie Country Park. The event brought together representatives from a wide range of sectors to enjoy one of Angus’s most scenic outdoor spaces for some networking!
The event also provided valuable opportunities to engage directly with business leaders, explore partnership opportunities, and emphasise the role that we play in the Angus community and beyond.
On a sunny evening, our guests were welcomed by Colin Knight, our Senior Manager for Sport & Leisure and our guests were provided a real taste of some of our outdoor activities. We hosted “Quest for the Monikie Grail”, which they loved!
And we hope to see them again and soon!
Launching Inspire Angus: Reinvesting in Our Communities
Asignificant
service-wide milestone this year was the launch of our Inspire Angus campaign - a bold reminder of ANGUSalive’s core purpose as a charitable trust: every single penny of profit we make is reinvested directly into the communities we serve.
The campaign was developed to help residents understand the full impact of choosing ANGUSalive. Whether someone takes part in a fitness class, visits a museum, attends a live event, or enjoys one of our parks, their support goes straight back into improving facilities, expanding programmes, and creating more opportunities for people across Angus to thrive.
By highlighting real examples of reinvestment and showcasing the positive outcomes of our charitable model, the campaign was designed to strengthen trust and reinforces that ANGUSalive exists to benefit local people first and foremost.
This new initiative sets the foundation for continued investment, allowing us to champion physical activity, cultural engagement, learning, and wellbeing for everyone in Angus as we look to remind the public that by picking an ANGUSalive service, they are picking to invest in their own community!
Disability Inclusion
Breaking down more barriers across Angus!
This year, ANGUSalive continued to make strides in our Disability and Inclusion provision, creating spaces and experiences where everyone can feel welcome and thrive.
Our teams have worked together to open doors and expand opportunities. The result was a year of real growth: more participation, more partnerships and more people discovering their full potential with the help of some our servuces.
Participation and Reach
Don’t take our word for it either, the data speaks for itself – just take a look! Over 2024/25, we have:
• Had 3,788 disabled children, young people and adults take part in ANGUSalive programmes
• Run 572 inclusive sessions delivered across our ANGUSalive services
• Trained 32 staff and volunteers with disability and inclusion training
• Welcomed 493 school pupils in 11 inclusive festivals and events
These numbers are fantastic – of course they are. But these are more than just a number, the reality is they represent thousands of individual moments of achievement and progression for those who took part.
Inclusive Programmes and
Activities
This was our strongest year yet for inclusive physical activity!
From one-to-one swimming lessons to small-group sessions, adapted aquapark access on the new Angus Aqua Splash at Monikie Country Park, multi-sport programmes and adaptive cycling, participants of all ages were able to build skills, confidence and enjoyment at their own pace.
Our Holiday Inclusion Programme continued to be a standout success, with more than 90% of our sessions fully booked.
Families benefitted from multi-sport camps, sensory play, water-based activities and Food & Fun support – all designed to boost wellbeing, reduce isolation and create accessible, affordable opportunities during school breaks.
Working closely with Active Schools and local clubs, we delivered a full calendar of disabilityinclusive festivals and come-and-try events.
The ongoing development of the school-to-club pathway helped young athletes stay active beyond the school day, with several progressing to regional and national competitions.
Athlete Development and Major Events
Preparation for the Scottish Learning Disability Sport National Games 2025 provided a strong focus this year. Through tailored coaching, dedicated facility access and joint working with partners, athletes gained the skills, confidence and support they needed to take the next step. Programmes including boccia, athletics, cycling and swimming helped more participants than ever move from school and community involvement into higher-level performance pathways - proudly representing Angus at regional and national levels.
Inclusive Libraries, Countryside and Workforce Development
The Sensory Library Bags initiative continued to grow, offering families themed resources that support calm play, storytelling and communication. With both in-library and home-delivery options available, families who might otherwise face barriers gained easy access to materials that support their child’s development.
Attendance at sensory sessions for 0–2 and 3–5 year-olds increased again this year, showing how much families value welcoming, inclusive early-years spaces in their own community.
At Monikie Country Park, adaptive bikes, electric-assist options and support from trained ride leaders opened
Workforce and Volunteers
To support this year’s growth, staff and volunteers took part in targeted disability-inclusion training. This investment has strengthened our ability to deliver high-quality, personcentred experiences and ensured that as programmes grow, the team grows with them. Volunteers continued to play a vital role, particularly in multisport and community sessions.
Looking Ahead
This coming year will see continued growth in inclusive cycling opportunities, further improvements to venue accessibility and the introduction of video walkthroughs designed to help participants feel confident before they even arrive. In short, we are planning to do more.
up safe, enjoyable cycling for children and adults with physical, learning and sensory disabilities. New Tactran People & Place funding will strengthen our offer even further, with investment in additional bikes, helmets and storage.
Outdoor programmes also expanded through paddleboarding, kayaking and canoeing, giving participants the chance to build confidence and independence while enjoying Angus’ natural environments.
We also worked closely with Angus Council’s Vibrant Communities team, Active Schools and Education Services, Scottish Disability Sport, Angus Disability Sport, local community clubs and the Scottish Library & Information Council. Each partnership brought its own strengths - from specialist knowledge and coaching support to access to schools, community networks and
Holiday provision for young people with complex needs will be strengthened, while new coaches and volunteers will be supported into disability-inclusion pathways to meet our rising demand.
Performance pathways will also be a priority focus area for us, with increased support for athletes
national pathways. Together, these relationships created a joined-up system where disabled children, young people and adults could find activities that suited them, feel supported to take part and continue progressing in ways that felt right for them. The collective effort made inclusive opportunities more visible, more accessible and more sustainable across the region.
aiming for regional and national competitions.
As ever, our aim is clear: Embedding inclusive design and inclusive thinking in every programme that we offer, in every environment and every experience, ensuring that more people across Angus can participate fully and flourish!
Libraries & Archives
I opened a book and in I strode. Now nobody can find me. I’ve left my chair, my house, my road, my town and my world behind me…
(Julia Donaldson)
How We Stack Up
Total Physical Items Borrowed 23/24 24/25 159, 217 164, 720
Number of activity attendances
23/24 24/25 37,621 36, 701
A new chapter for Angus Archives!
We’ll start our celebration of our Libraries team in just a moment but let’s talk about one big change in our service, shall we?
After 20 wonderful years at Restenneth by Forfar, Angus Archives turned a new page in February 2025 with a move to its bright, modern new home at Arbroath Library. We’re now like two peas in a pod!
The move is one that we’re pleased about as ultimately, it was about improving access for everyone. Being based in Arbroath library will increase the visibility of our fantastic service which comes with improved facilities, better transport links, and more opportunities for collaboration, the new location has opened up the archives to a much wider audience!
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Total number of physical visits 23/24 24/25 193,262 228, 519 9
Number of ACCESS enquiries 23/24 24/25 18,123 22,955
Number of Archives Items Views 23/24 24/25 1, 581 1,660
Bookbug Sessions 23/24 24/25 579 654
But what can you expect?
The new search room on the first floor offers a welcoming, fully accessible space for visitors, researchers, and local history lovers alike.
Our dedicated team worked tirelessly to pack, transport, and reorganise the extensive collections - a massive 3 4 1 6
logistical feat in itself - and the move has already sparked new energy and footfall, helping Angus’s fascinating history reach more people than ever before.
We can’t wait to see what’s in store for our Archives team in their new home in the years to come!
Opening up the past:
ANGUSalive Museums and Archives Online Catalogue
April 2024 marked a huge digital leap for our Museums and Archives teams as we launched the brand-new ANGUSalive Online Catalogue - giving everyone, everywhere, the chance to explore thousands of fascinating items from our collections. From historic documents and vintage photographs to treasured artefacts, this searchable,
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image-rich database puts Angus’s heritage right at your fingertips.
This new platform represents a major step towards democratising access to local history. For the first time, people can connect with the area’s stories without needing to visit in person
Confronting difficult histories: Roseberry – A Legacy of Slavery
AngusArchives was awarded £14,700 from Museums Galleries Scotland to lead an important research and engagement project: Roseberry – A Legacy of Slavery.
This project explores the Langland family of Bogardo’s connections to Jamaican plantations, shedding light on Angus’s links to the transatlantic slave trade. With a dedicated researcher on board and an international partnership with a Jamaican research company, we’re ensuring that every story is told – on both sides of history.
The project encourages honest conversation about Scotland’s past and promotes understanding of how global histories intersect with local communities. It’s an opportunity to listen, learn, and reflect together – acknowledging the complexities of history while building a more inclusive and informed future.
The work will culminate in a public exhibition at Montrose Museum during Black History Month 2025, alongside new educational resources for schools.
This exhibition is a powerful example of how ANGUSalive is creating space for curiosity, empathy, and deeper understanding. It has developed our Archives by making this important piece of Angus history and our connection to the transatlantic slave trade, which which irrespective on how squeamish it may be to some, is important we recognise.
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- a particularly valuable resource for students, family historians, and those with accessibility barriers. It’s also a proud milestone in our digital transformation journey, showcasing how technology can bring the past to life and make learning more inclusive and engaging for all.
Libraries break their Summer Reading Challenge Record…again!
This year’s Summer Reading Challenge – Read, Enjoy and Discover! Saw an impressive turnout from the readers of Angus.
ANGUSalive’s Summer Reading Challenge is an annual initiative designed to inspire reading among children and adults during the school summer holidays. Participants are encouraged to read six books over eight weeks.
The challenge is open to all ages, allowing participants to choose from a wide range of reading materials, including fiction, non-fiction, poetry, joke books, picture books, and graphic novels. This flexibility ensures that readers of all interests and reading levels can engage with the program.
The importance of the Summer Reading Challenge lies in its ability
Creativity, connection, and community: Luminate Workshops at the Lend & Mend Hub
Forfar Library’s Lend + Mend Hub was alive with creativity thanks to our partnership with Luminate Scotland. Funded by the John Lewis Circular Future Fund, these hands-on workshops invited older adults to explore, repair, reuse, and upcyclingoften for the very first time!
More than just a crafting session, the workshops sparked joy, confidence, and connection, helping to combat loneliness and bring new life to forgotten skills (and forgotten items!).
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to combat the “summer slide,” where children’s reading skills can potentially decline over the long holiday period due to a lack of regular reading practice.
During the 8-week challenge, running from Monday 1 July – Saturday 24 August 2024, ANGUSalive Libraries saw a total of 1136 (270 Adult and 866 Junior) residents of the Angus sign up to take part.
This beats lasts year total by 128 participants!
In total, across all seven libraries, two mobile libraries and our home delivery service, a whopping total of 12, 652 reading challenge books were issued during this period.
The sessions also encouraged a sense of purpose and pride, showing that small creative actions can make a big impact - both for people and for the planet.
By combining sustainability with social inclusion, this project proved that libraries can be catalysts for positive change, supporting wellbeing, environmental awareness, and community spirit.
The success of the project saw new faces discovering the library’s wider services and demonstrated how creativity can empower people of all ages to learn, share, and thrive together.
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A space for support: The Macmillan Green Room at Forfar Library
In May 2024, ANGUSalive, in partnership with Macmillan Cancer Support, opened the Macmillan Green Room at Forfar Library, creating a calm and welcoming space for anyone living with cancer.
The Green Room offers a range of non-medical clinics, including wig and prosthetic fittings, alongside holistic and complementary therapies. It also provides a safe meeting place for support groups, combining practical help with emotional wellbeing in a non-clinical, comforting environment.
Libraries as health hubs: NHS Breast Prosthetics Clinics
Building on the success of the Macmillan Room, our partnership with NHS Tayside brought a complementary service directly to Forfar Library, bi-weekly breast prosthetics clinics for women across Angus.
By offering these clinics locally, we’ve helped reduce travel barriers and created a safe, dignified environment for post-cancer support. Nearly 100 patients have benefited from the service during 2024/25, highlighting just how vital local access to care can be for rural communities.
The Green Room is the latest service in a seven-year partnership between ANGUSalive and Macmillan, building on the success of dedicated Macmillan spaces across each of the seven Angus libraries.
ANGUSalive staff recognised the difference a dedicated therapy space could make in the lives of people affected by cancer. Volunteers contribute to the delivery of beauty and complementary therapies, helping to make the space feel personal, inclusive, and supportive. The Macmillan Green Room demonstrates how libraries can play a key role in health, wellbeing, and community care.
Alongside the NHS, partnerships with Voluntary Action Angus, Welfare Rights, and Tayside Improving the Cancer Journey have strengthened wraparound support, helping people medically and emotionally.
If ever we required evidence of how a library is more than the books on the shelves it offers, here it is!
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How we’ve grown
ANGUSalive’s libraries have had an outstanding year. Total visits jumped by 18% to 228,519, while physical items borrowed increased by 3.5% to 164,720. Our much loved Bookbug sessions were up by 13% to 654 and attendances rose by nearly 12% to 17,201. These figures show that our libraries remain vibrant, welcoming hubs for reading, learning, and connecting across Angus!
“ Museums & Galleries
” Give me a museum and I’ll fill it.
(Pablo Picasso)
How We Stack Up
Number of activities attendances
23/24 24/25 1,711 2,424
Collections and Research Enquiries
23/24 24/25 2, 176 2,099 Total number of visitors 23/24 24/25 26,249 25,379
Natural History, Living World Project
ANGUSalive Museums & Galleries received over £12,800 from Museums Galleries Scotland for a Natural Sciences project exploring Montrose Museum as a time capsule of extinction. The project focused on digitising the museum’s extensive Natural Science collections while sparking public engagement around themes of climate change, nature and environmentalism.
Number of exhibitions 23/24 24/25 18 18
Items added to catalogue 23/24 24/25 3,757 1,616
Working with the Scottish Wildlife Trust at Montrose Basin, the team refreshed interpretation in the Natural History gallery and improved collection care behind the scenes. Over 600 new records were added to the Axiell collections database, and the museum’s stores underwent a full clean and reorganisation. New equipment now helps monitor environmental conditions to ensure objects are properly preserved for the future.
The project reached out to the community through creative activities including sea-themed writing workshops, art classes, family events and an urban nature walk. Volunteers joined staff to help reinterpret displays, and new digitisation workflows were developed to ensure this important work continues. The initiative has shone a spotlight on one of Scotland’s earliest natural history collections – making it more accessible and relevant to modern audiences, and inspiring conversations about how museum collections can contribute to tackling climate change locally.
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Montrose High Street Painting Conservation
Following an unexpected radiator leak at Montrose Museum, a much-loved painting – Alexander Milne’s 1826 “View of Montrose High Street” – suffered significant water damage. Thanks to conservation specialists Egan Matthews Rose of Dundee, the artwork has been fully restored. The team cleaned the surface, repaired flaking paint, replaced missing areas, and fitted a new period-style frame with UV-filtering glass for long-term protection.
The painting is more than just a local treasure – it is a vivid record of pre-photographic Montrose, full of life and character. Its restoration has allowed visitors to once again enjoy this snapshot of 19th-century street life at a time when the real High Street is also undergoing regeneration. Its return to public display has been warmly welcomed and has reignited interest in Montrose’s artistic and social history.
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ANGUSalive’s New Acquisitions
Throughout 2024–25, ANGUSalive continued to expand its collections with objects that reflect the county’s rich heritage and its ongoing story. Each new acquisition helps to connect the past with the present, offering visitors fresh ways to explore Angus’s identity and creativity.
Three key additions this year include:
Pitcur Den, Angus – an oil painting by James McIntosh Patrick, one of Scotland’s most admired landscape artists. His depiction of the rural setting near Coupar Angus captures the beauty and precision of the Angus countryside.
A framed map tracing the four voyages of Joseph Hume, a Montrose-born surgeon and Radical MP who played a pivotal role in parliamentary reform and the early Liberal movement.
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A portrait of David White (1752–1833), a local reformer who founded White’s Free School in 1815, ensuring access to education for Montrose children long before it became common practice.
These acquisitions strengthen our collections and celebrate stories of art, politics and social progress that continue to shape Angus today!
World Cultures Project
Our team began an ambitious 20-month World Cultures Project, supported by Museums Galleries Scotland and Creative Scotland. The project is re-examining the museum’s global collections through fresh research, collaboration and creative engagement, exploring how Angus’s local history connects with the wider world.
And believe us when we say, this little pocket of Scotland is connected!
Since January 2024, over 1,000 collection records have been enhanced or created in Axiell, uncovering the stories behind objects and their links to communities across the world. The project has also involved developing a new repatriation policy and contributing to national discussions on ethical collecting and the legacies of empire and colonialism.
Perspectives:
Collecting the World
South and Southeast Asia
Creative micro-commissions, anti-racism training, educational resources and a public programme of events have helped open up dialogue and learning opportunities. The work will culminate in a new exhibition – Perspectives: Collecting the World – launching at Montrose Museum in August 2025.
With a dedicated member of staff in post helping curate this project, there has been no stones (we think!) uncovered in creating this meaningful and culturally significant event to Angus.
This promises to be an inspiring and thought-provoking display, encouraging visitors to see Angus’s collections in a new light and to explore the stories that connect us globally.
Make sure you exit through the gift shop!
As of March 2025, visitors to Angus’s museums can now take a little piece of their experience home with them, thanks to the launch of beautifully refurbished gift shops at Arbroath Signal Tower Museum, the Meffan Museum & Art Gallery in Forfar, and Montrose Museum & Art Gallery!
All three shops were opened alongside extended museum hours from 1 April 2025, welcoming visitors six days a week.
Supported by Museums Galleries Scotland’s small grants funding, the new shops have been carefully designed to complement the museum experience. Each features a handpicked range of unique and locally inspired items – from artisan jewellery and handmade artwork to museum-exclusive merchandise, books and keepsakes that capture the stories, landscapes and creativity of Angus.
The refreshed spaces offer something for everyone, whether it’s a thoughtful gift, a beautiful print by a local artist or simply a lasting reminder of a great day out. Many products connect directly to current exhibitions or the museum collections themselves, helping to extend visitors’ experience long after they’ve left.
One standout example comes from Montrose Museum, where the striking Magpie Moth – a specimen from the museum’s historic natural history collection dating back to the 1890s – has inspired a new range of products. The original moth collection, painstakingly gathered by Dr. Montague Gunning and former curator William Duncan, remains a vivid time capsule of Angus’s biodiversity and a legacy of early scientific curiosity. Now, over a century later, that legacy lives on in creative new ways.
The new gift shops are open during regular museum hours and are accessible to all, whether visiting an exhibition or simply stopping by to browse.
As free museums, these refreshed retail spaces not only help generate vital support for ANGUSalive’s charitable work but also provide a meaningful way for visitors to stay connected to the heritage and creativity of Angus.
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How we’ve grown
How we’ve grown: “Exhibition attendances soared by an incredible 42% this year, reflecting growing community interest and engagement with our museum programmes.”
So, the next time you visit… exit through the gift shop!
“ Sport & Leisure
In short, focus only on what you are doing at that moment and don’t let everything get jumbled up, or you will end up simply going through the motions and not realising your potential
(Sir Chris Hoy)
How We Stack Up
Total number of attendances
23/24 24/25 908, 873 835,168
Total number of group fitness sessions
23/24 24/25 9,762 11, 507
National Athlete Support Awards (NASA) Members
23/24 24/25 33 29
HUGE Milestone Alert: bACTIVE hits 10,000 members!
October 2024 marked a huge moment for ANGUSalive as our bACTIVE membership officially surged past 10,000 members!
The bACTIVE membership has been a staple in our Sport & Leisure offering and it’s fair to say it’s part of the furniture with ANGUSalive. To have 10,000 people (and counting!) have a membership with us throughout Angus is truly humbling.
With modern equipment, brighter spaces, and thoughtfully designed training zones, our new-look gyms have helped create welcoming, energising environments that people genuinely want to spend time in.
Paired with an extensive timetable of group fitness classes, racket sports and a ton of other perks that our members get with being a member with us…we’re proud we have found a winning formula to helping people achieve their fitness with us.
23/24 24/25 123,612 135, 209 bACTIVE memberships total 23/24 24/25 9,629 10,692
Total number of group fitness attendances
Community Sports Hubs 23/24 24/25 6 6
Hitting the 10,000 mark is a nod to many people, our staff, our partners but most importantly: our members. They make the spaces and places what they are.
Throughout the year, our staff embraced a redesigned customer journey, honed their skills, and worked creatively to inspire both new and existing members. Their dedication has strengthened this vital part of our charity and ensured that everyone who walks through our doors feels supported, welcomed, and ready to achieve whatever it is they are looking to achieve!
ANGUSalive closed the 2024/25 year with 10,692 members, meaning over 9% of the Angus population choose to be active with us. That includes 8,252 bACTIVE members, 171 people on our Refer to Exercise pathway, and 1,639 children taking part in Learn to Swim.
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Elevate:
Reaching a new level with our boutique fitness studios! August 2024 saw the launch of Elevate Studios, ANGUSalive’s brand-new boutique fitness experience.
Designed for people who crave functional, coach-led workouts in a motivating small-group setting, Elevate was created with younger adults and Gen Z in mind while still appealing to our wider fitness community.
To bring the concept to life, we transformed two underused spaces: a squash court at Carnoustie Sports Centre and a former Spin Studio at Saltire Sports Centre.
The results? Two high-energy, cool looking studios featuring premium equipment, lighting and sound that oozes class and for those who are looking for that extra special service.
It focuses on functional movements with specialist programming. Elevate offers intimate sessions, giving you more personalised, 1-2-1 coaching from our expert trainers.
Including its own boutique range of programming including Les Mills™️ Ceremony, Elevate is there to help you reach your goals…then obliterate them!
By the end of March 2025, we welcomed 134 Elevate members, including 92 annual members in Arbroath and Carnoustie who now enjoy Elevate as part of their membership with us.
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HubConnect: Bringing Families Together Through Active Play
ANGUSalive launched HubConnect, a new community initiative designed to bring families together through the simple power of being active. Rooted in early work with Planet Youth and the “Healthiest School in Scotland” ambition at Northmuir Primary, HubConnect has grown into a weekly gathering shaped by collaboration between ANGUSalive, Active Schools, Kirriemuir Community Sports Hub, and local primaries.
Every Monday evening at Webster’s Sports Centre, families arrive for an hour of free, playful activity - no booking, no pressure, no structured coaching. Just open space, fun equipment, and the chance to spend quality time together. From racquet sports to skipping to imaginative free play, HubConnect has created a safe, friendly environment where children and parents can reconnect and move at their own pace.
Thanks to LIG funding, the sessions are fully accessible to all, with costs for facilities, staff, training, and equipment covered in full.
Over the year, more than 130 participants joined in, with many becoming weekly regulars. Their growing confidence has been reflected not just in attendance, but in wellbeing too. Using a playful version of the EdinburghWarwick wellbeing scale, we’ve seen meaningful improvements in confidence, self-esteem, and reduced anxiety for both children and parents.
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Local sports clubs have also stepped up in a big way.
Six clubs volunteered their time to introduce families to new activities in a relaxed environment, helping to break down barriers and spark smoother transitions into community sport.
And the impact doesn’t stop there. HubConnect has become a launchpad for young leaders. Six young volunteers have supported the sessions, with two progressing into paid coaching roles with ANGUSalive. Quarterly forums have helped them build skills in first aid, autism awareness, and child wellbeingand by March 2025, the young leaders were confidently running the forums themselves.
Pickleball Arrives in Angus: A New Sport Building Community and Confidence
This year marked an exciting milestone for ANGUSalive as pickleball – one of the fastestgrowing sports in the UK – was successfully launched across Angus.
Pickleball combines elements of tennis, badminton, and table tennis. It is played on a smaller court with paddles and a perforated ball, making it easy to learn and suitable for a wide range of abilities, ensuring it is adaptable and inclusive. Its adaptable nature appeals to beginners trying a new activity for the first time as well as experienced players looking for a fast-paced, social game. Across Angus, the response to the launch has been encouraging. Sessions have quickly become a welcoming hub for participants to stay active, meet new people, and build confidence through regular play.
Following its rollout by the Community Sport Team in July 2024, pickleball began at Brechin and Carnoustie before expanding to all ANGUSalive venues from January 2025. Staff across the sites received training to help them confidently introduce the sport, support new players, and promote opportunities to the wider public.
From launch to the end of March 2025 pickleball attracted 2,343 attendances across ANGUSalive venues, demonstrating a strong appetite for accessible, sociable physical activity. The sessions were intentionally designed to be recreational rather than instructional, offering adults a chance to be active in a relaxed, lowpressure setting.
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A particularly impactful development has been the creation of an LGBTQ+ pickleball session, delivered in partnership with the Active Campus Coordinator at Dundee & Angus College. Hosted weekly at the Saltire Sports Centre, the session was developed in recognition of the barriers that LGBTQ+ individuals can face when accessing sport and physical activity.
Looking ahead, ANGUSalive aims to build on the sport’s early success by establishing a volunteer “ambassador-led” model in partnership with Pickleball Scotland’s education and inclusion teams. This approach will strengthen capacity across venues, support the continued growth of the sport, and help increase participation figures throughout 2025 and beyond.
Launch of the PASS Accreditation Scheme
ANGUSalive’s Community Sport team introduced an important new development for clubs and activity providers across the region: the Provider Accreditation Scheme for Sport (PASS).
Designed to raise standards and strengthen the foundations of community sport in Angus, PASS replaces the former ACE scheme with a more streamlined and supportive approach to safeguarding, governance and operational quality.
The scheme is free and open to any organisation delivering sport or physical activity in Angus, ensuring it is accessible to the wide network of clubs and groups that play such a vital role in keeping our communities active.
By achieving accreditation, providers can demonstrate that they meet key expectations around safety and good practice – helping parents, participants and partners feel confident in the opportunities available to them locally. For many clubs, PASS also offers the reassurance and structure they need to grow sustainably.
Crucially, PASS is not just a tick box exercise. It comes with long-term support.
Accredited providers receive three years of guidance from our team, who can assist with governance, funding, project planning and volunteer development. These are often the areas where clubs most benefit from expert advice, and PASS helps ensure no organisation feels they are facing these challenges alone. Accredited clubs gain priority access to block bookings at ANGUSalive facilities and can work more closely with local Active Schools Coordinators to deliver opportunities in schools, and receive free places on ANGUSalive’s CPD training programme. They also benefit from discounted access to ANGUSalive gyms and Elevate studios - a small but meaningful way to support the health and wellbeing of the volunteers who give so much to local sport.
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ASS
Provider Accreditation Scheme for Sport and Physical Activity
Saving Lives on the Pitch: ANGUSalive Installs Outdoor Defibrillators
ANGUSalive took decisive action in 2024/25 to improve emergency preparedness at outdoor sporting venues. Community organisations highlighted a clear need: while defibrillators were available inside our facilities, they weren’t always accessible during outdoor training or matches - exactly when rapid intervention is critical.
To address this we installed three new Automated External Defibrillators (AEDs) pitch-side at Websters Sports Centre, Forfar and Brechin Community Campus. These devices ensure that, in the event of a cardiac emergency, life-saving equipment is immediately available.
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The project was led by Ross Taylor, Acting Community Sport and Physical Activity Lead, who secured funding and established a partnership with St John’s Ambulance Scotland. Recognising the importance of community safety, St John’s contributed 50% of the installation costs, enabling the AEDs to be installed at key outdoor sports locations.
Alongside the equipment, ANGUSalive has trained staff, volunteers and coaches to use the defibrillators effectively, ensuring readiness in a real-life emergency. We are very proud that we have made this crucial installation because, you simply never know when you might need it.
How we’ve grown
It’s been a year of impressive growth for ANGUSalive’s Sport & Leisure service, with more people than ever getting active across Angus. bACTIVE memberships increased by 11%, demonstrating strong community engagement and a continued focus on health and wellbeing – as well as us hitting that massive milestone of 10,000 bACTIVE members milestone.
The number of group fitness sessions delivered rose by 18%, giving members greater variety and flexibility, while attendances climbed by 9% to over 135,000!
Countryside Adventure “ ”
Nature does not hurry, yet everything is accomplished Lao Tzu
How We Stack Up
Total number of visitors
23/24 24/25
494,069 577,987
Number of activities attendances
23/24 24/25 5,816 5,147
Health walks participants
23/24 24/25
291 1,716
Number of activities
23/24 24/25 982 985
Health walks delivered 23/24 24/25
47 227
Angus Aqua Splash: Making a Splash in Monikie
There was only place to start and it was a cracking (or splashing?) way to start January 2025
This is when ANGUSalive unveiled plans for Angus Aqua Splash, a brandnew aquapark - the first of its kind in Angus - set to open at Monikie Country Park in May 2025. Installed by industry experts Watersports World, this exciting addition to our outdoor activity programme offers a fun, adventurous, and safe way for families, schools, and groups to enjoy the water.
If the £134,740 investment reflected our commitment to encouraging ‘healthy, active, and creative lifestyles’, well…we’re not sure what will!
What it did do, is expand on our outdoor portfolio that already includes kayaking, stand-up paddleboarding, and open water
swimming. Beyond recreation, the project is set to create nine new jobs, including three full-time and six seasonal roles, helping to boost the local economy.
Community involvement has been at the heart of Angus Aqua Splash.
Pupils from Monikie and Newbigging Primary Schools were invited to help name the aquapark, selecting the winning title “Angus Aqua Splash” as part of their “Rights Respecting Schools” work. Their voices helped shape a lasting legacy for them (and us!) and were invited to become our first official ‘Splashers’ on the Aquapark when it opened.
This will be an exciting adventure as we watch the major project unfold in the future!
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Friends of Forfar Loch: Caring for Our Community Park
We were also pleased to see environmental efforts of our Countryside Adventure service continue and this year we have seen ‘The Friends of Forfar Loch’ volunteer group come to life. Local residents, who are passionate about Forfar Loch as much as we are, have come together to actively care for it on a more regular basis.
Meeting monthly at the Visitor Centre, volunteers have been working on conservation, maintenance, and environmental improvement projects, transforming the park while building a strong sense of community and helped contribute to our environmental objectives.
Over the past year, nearly 300 native Scottish trees were planted, connecting woodlands, creating wildlife corridors, and expanding habitats for local species. Volunteers
Nature Restoration Fund: Tackling Invasive Species
In the summer of 2024, we launched a major project to control Rhododendron ponticum at Monikie and Crombie Country Parks, supported by £35,000 from Angus Council’s Nature Restoration Fund. This invasive plant threatens native habitats, and tackling it requires skill, strategy, and some serious dedication.
Thanks to the funding, we invested in a tracked woodchipper and trained staff in safe machinery use and pesticide application, transforming how efficiently our teams could manage the rhododendron. Rangers and countryside technicians, supported by enthusiastic volunteers from schools, community groups, and our Junior Rangers, worked
also tackled the spread of invasive Himalayan Balsam, removed old plastic planting materials for reuse, improved walking paths, and carried out litter picks to keep the park safe and welcoming.
The group includes people of all ages and backgrounds, from retirees to working adults and local representatives. Many volunteers have gone above and beyond, taking initiative between sessions to continue caring for the park.
The Friends of Forfar Loch initiative has not only enhanced biodiversity and visitor safety, but has also given volunteers the chance to learn new skills, connect with nature, and take pride in their local environment!
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together to cut back dense growth, protect biodiversity, and enhance public spaces.
This collaborative approach has already delivered visible improvements to our parks while allowing us to more effectively deal with the challenge in the future. The equipment, training, and active involvement of volunteers mean that invasive species management will continue effectively in the years ahead!
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Trailblazing Through Storm Arwen at Crombie Crombie Country Park suffered significant damage during Storm Arwen in late 2021. Almost two years were required to clear the devastation, leaving the park with an opportunity for renewal.
Local cycling enthusiast Chris Golightly recognised the potential to create a new mountain biking experience for the community and approached our team to see if he could help. He had an idea.
Chris, a long-time visitor to Crombie and former competitive amateur cyclist, led the development of a four-mile cross-country (XC) mountain biking trail. Drawing on his experience in sporting events in Lanzarote and Majorca, he worked alongside Dundee Thistle Cycling Club and collaborated with ANGUSalive and Scottish XC Cycling to design and implement the trail.
Over six months, Chris undertook trail-building activities, including constructing bridges over bogs
Outdoor Activities & Holiday Camps: Adventures for All Our 2024 Outdoor Activity and Environmental Holiday Camps were a HUGE success, with every summer session reaching full capacity. Something we were totally humbled by.
Children and young people from across Angus enjoyed activities such as canoeing, kayaking, standup paddleboarding, and mountain biking, guided by trained instructors in a safe, fun, and supportive environment.
As much as our camps are about having fun, it’s important to note that they do far more than that.
and ditches, ensuring the route was both challenging and safe for riders. While much of the work was completed individually, community volunteers also contributed.
The new trail offers a challenging yet accessible mountain biking experience around the park’s perimeter. Riders from across the region have tested the route and provided positive feedback. The trail is expected to feature on the national mountain biking calendar, promoting Crombie Country Park as a hub for outdoor recreation in Angus.
The first official XC event took place on Sunday, July 28, featuring adult races and taster sessions for newcomers!
When life gives you lemons, you make lemonade.
And when Storm Arwen gives you a bit of destruction…you get a talented person like Chris and some volunteers to make a cycling track!
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These camps offered more than just the thrills the kids (and us!) get on them. They build confidence, skills, and knowledge about important issues such as water safety, environmental issues, and the benefits of physical activity. They also made new friends and memories, and who doesn’t want them!?
The programme also reinforced ANGUSalive’s commitment to sustainability, giving young people first-hand experience of conservation, biodiversity, and the natural world.
Our staff loved it as much as the children did and we can’t wait to have them back!
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Healthy Steps Angus:
Walking for Health, Community, and Wellbeing
Healthy Steps Angus – an initiative we launched back in 2022 – has continued to grow at incredible rate. We are so pleased at its growth and more importantly, delighted with those who are benefitting from it.
Through initiative in 2024/25, we’ve expanded the health and wellbeing opportunities offered across the county, promoting walking as a simple yet powerful way to improve physical and mental health and we’ve continued to grow our team to allow that to happen.
The programme delivered 20 training sessions to 112 new walk leaders, equipping them to lead safe, inclusive, and enjoyable walks. Additional specialist training ensured leaders could support people of all abilities, making walks accessible to everyone.
Volunteers – a crucial element to Healthy Steps Angus success – are always welcome with us and we were so pleased that we welcomed 18 new volunteer leaders, enabling the creation of 11 new walks across Angus, including Forfar, Kirriemuir, Brechin, Montrose, and Arbroath, as well as buggy walks linked to Bookbug sessions. We know our volunteers enjoy this as much as the participants!
Partnership work has also been crucial in our growth where by working with schools, care centres, and community organisations, Healthy Steps Angus has reached new audiences and fostered partnerships that strengthen community health and social connections.
By March 2025, we are proud to say that we are involved in 32 active Health Walks across Angus, 12 of which are led directly by ANGUSalive, providing accessible opportunities for people to connect with nature, improve wellbeing, and meet others in their communities.
Here’s to more next year!
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How we’ve grown
Our Countryside Adventure team has enjoyed a fantastic year of growth. Total visitors rose by 17% to 577,987, reflecting the growing popularity of our parks and outdoor spaces. The biggest success has been our Health Walks, which increased almost fivefold in delivery, with participant numbers soaring nearly to 1,716!
Theatre & Venues
“ ” The adrenaline of a live performance is unlike anything in film or theater. I can see why it’s so addictive.
Gwyneth Paltrow
How We Stack Up
Total number of performances
23/24 24/25 133 143
Pantomime attendances
23/24 24/25 9, 284 ????
Total number of venue hires
23/24 24/25 473 498
Theatre Star School
Steps into the Spotlight
ANGUSalive’s very own theatre and performance academy - Theatre Star School - took centre stage for its second year, continuing its mission to inspire confidence, creativity and collaboration in young performers across Angus.
Designed for children aged 5 to 18, the school offers professional tuition in acting, singing and dance, giving participants the chance to shine both on stage and behind the scenes.
Building on the dazzling success of its debut production Madagascar Jr, the school returned to the Webster Memorial Theatre in March 2025 with their own take on Annie Jr that sold out every seat.
The production marked another major milestone, showcasing not only the talent of our young performers
Total number of attendees
23/24 24/25 32,787 38, 730
but also the growing community enthusiasm for youth theatre.
Through auditions, rehearsals and curtain calls, more than 40 young people experienced every step of the theatrical process, learning teamwork, timing and confidence along the way.
Families and friends filled the theatre with applause – a standing ovation of course!
More to come next year and, you guessed it…we cannot wait!
A Refreshed Stage for a Brighter Future
This year saw exciting changes behind the curtain (…not literally) at the Webster Memorial Theatre, as ANGUSalive invested in a full refurbishment of the foyer bar and assembly hall.
The upgrades included new décor, furniture, lighting and layout – have transformed these spaces into vibrant, flexible areas that set the scene for both unforgettable performances and special events.
These improvements are about more than a lick of paint; they ensure the Webster continues to thrive as a welcoming hub for audiences, artists and the wider community. A refreshed, more functional environment enhances every visitor’s experience and strengthens the theatre’s ability to host everything from local celebrations to private hires – helping to sustain one of Angus’s most beloved cultural venues for years to come!
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Curtain Up on Ticketsolve
In March 2025, the Theatre & Venues team rolled out Ticketsolve, a brandnew ticketing platform designed to make booking your next night out easier than ever. Sleek, user-friendly and flexible, it allows audiences to secure seats, manage bookings and access digital tickets in just a few clicks.
Behind the scenes, the system gives ANGUSalive invaluable insight into audience trends and preferences, helping the team tailor performances, promotions and events to audience demand. It also makes it easier to collect donations and will soon introduce pre-show perks like drinks and snack pre-orders – perfect for a seamless night at the theatre.
The team have went through extensive training on Ticketsolve, allowing us to learn more about our customer and making sure we are serving them up the information they want the most. One of our immediate learnings is that our customers who filled out our feedback form noted that we didn’t serve tea and coffee. Guess what we do now? We serve up tea and coffee!
With Ticketsolve taking centre stage, ANGUSalive is setting the scene for an even more connected, dynamic and customer-focused theatre experience –one where every performance begins the moment the ticket is booked.
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And just look at some of the acts that we’ve had across the year!
We are so proud that in our little county of Angus, we have some truly remarkable performances happen in our venues.
Arbroath’s Webster Memorial Theatre continued to sparkle throughout the year. We welcomed back Gary Meikle - one of Scotland’s top comedians - to a sell-out crowd. We were humbled when he explained to us that the Webster was “one of his favourite theatres to perform in” and who are we to disagree? (We also have the video to prove it)!
Festive season was a smash hit with this year’s pantomime being Beauty and the Beast. Families from across Angus flocked to see it - and judging by the cheers (and boos!), it was a huge hit with audiences of all ages. We also continued to bring more festive cheer to the Reid Hall, with our very own production of “Step in to Christmas!”, belting out some of your favourite Christmas songs!
Scottish football royalty was also in Arbroath when we welcomed an evening with Gordon Strachan – who’s trophy laden career took him to clubs including Aberdeen, Manchester United and Leeds United before managing Celtic and the Scotland National Team.
Meanwhile, over in Montrose Town Hall we welcomed iconic Pop Idol finalist Gareth Gates who wowed audiences with his brand-new show celebrating the timeless hits of Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons - a night full of toe-tapping tunes and the costumes to match, the crowd didn’t go home dissapointed.
The Town Hall also welcomed a dose of comedy gold with Still Game’s very own Mark Cox and Jane McGarry – or Tam and Isa as we better know them – who had the crowd in stitches as they shared hilarious tales from Craiglang. There were laughs about everything from Isa’s gossiping to Tam’s “tightness wi’ the pennies,” and by the end of the night it felt like the audience were at the Clansman sinking a couple of sherries with them (and no, Tam didn’t pay for them either!).
Over at Forfar’s Reid Hall, the venue really came alive. Folk favourites Tidelines headlined ANGUSalive’s first ever “standing only” concert with a near 750 people in attendance. The hall was buzzing from start to finish, with fans dancing, singing, and loving every moment.
Keeping the energy going, The Red Hot Chilli Pipers (no, not those Chili Peppers) brought their signature “bagrock” sound to the Reid Hall, filling the room with guitars, pipes, and pure Scottish spirit. Another sell out at the venue was a magnificent achievement and what a way for the crowd to be entertained during the festive period.
We’ve come a long way with some amazing talent being welcomed right here in Angus and we can’t wait to see who we’re dancing, singing, laughing or even crying to next year!
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How we’ve grown
ANGUSalive’s Theatres and Venues have enjoyed another outstanding year of live entertainment! We have put more performances on for the Angus public and visitors to see, with an increase of 7.5% to 143 which has attracted 38,730 attendees - an impressive 18% rise on the previous year.
HEALTHY | ACTIVE | CREATIVE
How our people have grown
At ANGUSalive, our people are at the heart of everything we do.
Across all of our services and those behind the scenes - we’re proud to support individuals as they develop their skills, confidence, and careers.
In this series, colleagues from across ANGUSalive share how their experiences, training, and the opportunities available within the organisation have helped them grow - both professionally and personally.
Whether starting out in a new role, taking on fresh challenges, or finding unexpected passions along the way, these stories reflect what ANGUSalive is here for.
We hope to inspire others to see the potential within themselves and the opportunities that come from being part of an organisation that values growth, curiosity, and the people who make a difference every day.
Let’s take a look at some of our team and how they’ve grown with us along the way?
Laura Stewart
Celebrating a Career
Dedicated to Libraries and Community
With over two decades in public libraries, Laura’s journey with ANGUSalive reflects both dedication and adaptability in a constantly evolving landscape!
The appeal of public libraries lies in the variety each day brings - from meeting new people to learning and problem-solving – with the opportunity to make a real difference in the lives of the community but Laura’s passion for libraries began long before joining ANGUSalive.
Inspired by a lifelong love of books and a deep dive into rabbit holes of information, Laura pursued a degree in Information and Library Studies at the University of Wales Aberystwyth and became a chartered librarian with CILIP, before joining a library for the first time in 2004.
Throughout her career, Laura has embraced diverse roles and challenges. A notable highlight was the 2018 SAN project, where she was seconded to head office to create a unified file structure across the organisation. This project involved research, policy writing, training, and collaboration with colleagues across all service areas, showcasing the versatility and leadership skills Laura brings to every task.
Professional development has been a key part of her journey. Laura credits supportive mentors and colleagues for guidance over the years, while also embracing opportunities unique to library work, such as author events and literacy programs in local schools. These experiences have enriched her role, allowing her to connect with people of all ages and backgrounds in meaningful ways.
Most recently, Laura has been pivotal in ANGUSalive’s Monifieth Library move into a new building and guiding teams through major organisational changes, to developing a comprehensive children’s library program in Monifieth between 2011 and 2015, she has consistently contributed to improving and evolving library services for the community.
Reflecting on her time at ANGUSalive, Laura notes the richness of the experiences and learning that comes with working in public libraries.
Over the years, she has built lasting relationships, overcome challenges alongside dedicated teams, and continually enhanced the services offered to her customers!
After more than 20 years of service, Laura encapsulates her experience best:
“Libraries provide a safe, welcoming space where people from all backgrounds can access support, join in social activities, and connect with others. There truly is something for everyone, and I enjoy supporting our customers each day.”
Shaun Wilson Finding a Voice Through Heritage
Shaun Wilson’s journey into the world of museums and heritage is one marked by a deep-rooted connection to his local community in Angus.
While studying for his master’s degree in Cultural Heritage at the University of Aberdeen, Shaun began a work placement focused on youth engagement in local heritage. His research explored why younger audiences often feel disconnected from museums and cultural spaces.
It was this work that first brought him to ANGUSalive.
Shaun assisted the Angus Archives team on the “Year of Scotland’s Stories” project and the powerful Forfar Witches exhibition – something that would become very poignant to Shaun as his career progressed.
After completing his degree, Shaun joined the Museums & Galleries team as a supply worker. That initial opportunity has since grown into a full-time role - first at the Signal Tower Museum and, for the past two years, at the Meffan Museum & Art Gallery in Forfar. Most recently, Shaun has stepped into a new post as Exhibition Technician, where he supports installations across ANGUSalive’s gallery spaces.
His journey is all the more remarkable considering the challenges he’s faced along the way.
Diagnosed from a young age with Dyspraxia and ADD - followed by ASD, Dyslexia, and Dyscalculia - Shaun’s academic journey was anything but conventional. After navigating
a difficult school experience, he pursued a route through HNC and HND qualifications at college before advancing to university.
A moment of burnout early in his career could have derailed everything - but instead, Shaun made a decision to chase what he truly felt at home with: history and heritage.
Today, Shaun is known as a passionate voice for the Forfar Witch Trials. a topic that resonates deeply.
“Many of the accused were labelled as ‘different’,” he says. “As someone who’s also felt that in my own life, I connected to their story in a very personal way.” His talks on the subject - often delivered in partnership with his friend and fellow researcher Judith Langlands-Scott - have become community highlights, regularly hosted at the Meffan Museum in Forfar.
Shaun’s work at ANGUSalive has allowed him to grow in confidence and purpose. Once unsure of his voice due to a stutter, he now speaks regularly to public audiences, delivers museum tours, and develops learning
resources. One of his proudest achievements is helping reinvent Witch Week which is now a staple in the ANGUSalive calendar - a dedicated event exploring the legacy of the Scottish witch trials, tying historical injustice to modern themes of inclusion and anti-bullying.
Alongside his current Museums Galleries Scotland apprenticeship, Shaun is also helping reinterpret the Meffan’s Pictish stone collection - drawing on the latest research to make the exhibition more engaging and accessible.
Looking ahead, Shaun has ambitions to pursue a PhD and potentially move into lecturing, with a mission to make history more accessible and engaging for all.
“They’ve really accommodated people like me. I feel seen, supported, and given the freedom to do what I love.”
And we’re right behind you, Shaun!
Sam Nowosielski
From Volunteer to Community Sport Advisor: Sam’s ANGUSalive Journey
Sam’s journey with ANGUSalive began long before he became an employee.
As a young volunteer with Carnoustie Panmure CFC, he spent four years supporting the club’s small-sided teams - an experience that first introduced him to ANGUSalive.
In July 2019, at just 19 years old, Sam officially joined the organisation as a Football and Multi Sports Coach at Carnoustie Sports Centre. His early role focused on delivering afterschool activities for preschool and primary-aged children, providing him with hands-on experience and a deeper connection to the local community.
Sam’s commitment and potential soon led to further opportunities.
In June 2021, he began a funded Kickstart placement as Children and Families Development Advisor - a six-month role that was extended twice due to his strong contribution. By June 2023, Sam had progressed into the permanent position of Community Sport Advisor, marking a significant step in his professional development!
Throughout his time with ANGUSalive, Sam has taken on a variety of responsibilities, many of which he can trace back to his early volunteering experiences. Having once attended ANGUSalive’s smallsided football sessions as a 16-yearold volunteer, he now manages the entire programmean achievement he describes as one of his proudest.
ANGUSalive has supported him through a Level 2 Gym Instructing Modern Apprenticeship in 2022, followed by an HNC in Sports Coaching and Development at Dundee and Angus College, completed in May 2025.
Coming from a home-education background and entering full-time education for the first time, Sam embraced the challenge - finishing with a 92% graded unit and successfully passing all modules. He also credits the mentorship of colleagues, particularly Ross Smith, whose guidance played a significant role in his growth.
Reflecting on the past six years, Sam describes his time at ANGUSalive as “hugely rewarding,” both personally and professionally. What began as a teenage volunteer experience has evolved into a career that has helped shape the person he is today.
Alongside gaining qualifications, experience, and confidence, Sam has also built a settled family life - something he could never have imagined when he first stepped through the doors of Carnoustie Sports Centre!
“My journey with ANGUSalive has been a transformative professional experience - progressing from a coaching role to Community Sport Advisor, supported by training, mentorship, and meaningful opportunities that have shaped both my career and personal development.”
Callum Lyall
From Car Parks to Countryside Ranger: Callum’s Journey Through Angus’s Great Outdoors
For Callum, what began as a summer job has grown into a fulfilling career spent caring for some of Angus’s most beautiful natural spaces. Since joining ANGUSalive, his journey has been shaped by variety, learning, and a deep appreciation for the outdoors.
It all began in 2019, when Callum joined the Countryside Adventure team as a seasonal car park attendant at Monikie Country Park. The main task was simple - collecting parking charges from visitors - but the role offered something much more rewarding. “I was often the first person visitors met when arriving at the park,” he recalls. “It was a great opportunity to provide a warm welcome and share information about what the park had to offer.”
After a short break, Callum returned to Countryside in 2021, this time as an Assistant Countryside Ranger and Outdoor Activity Instructor. The role was hands-on and dynamic, delivering environmental and outdoor activities for schools and holiday groups, maintaining the park’s facilities, and helping with everything from safety checks to painting and repairing benches. Even through the winter months, Callum continued supporting the team on a supply basis, leading weekend sessions and working with schools to bring outdoor learning to life.
In 2023, his career took another step forward when he joined the Estates Team as a Countryside Technician,
focusing on the practical side of park upkeep. “It was all about maintaining and improving the parks - grass cutting in summer, tree work in winter, and everything in between,” he says.
Most recently, in June 2024, Callum joined the Countryside Ranger Team, where his passion for the outdoors and people truly comes together. “Now my role involves welcoming visitors, offering advice on access and wildlife, and supporting education sessions with schools. I also work with volunteer groups on conservation projects and carry out safety and infrastructure checks across our sites - from our three country parks to Glen Doll.”
Alongside this, he continues to lend a hand to the outdoor activities and estates teams whenever neededreflecting the collaborative spirit that defines the Countryside service.
Throughout his time with ANGUSalive, Callum has benefited from a wide range of training and development opportunities — gaining practical qualifications in grounds maintenance
and tree work, including chainsaw, chipper, and mower certifications, and joining wildlife survey training events with organisations such as the Bumblebee Conservation Trust and Angus Raptor Study Group.
Reflecting on his journey so far, Callum describes it as both rewarding and enriching. “Working in Countryside is so varied, and I’ve been lucky to experience every part of what our team delivers. I’ve learned so much — from identifying species to operating machinery — and every day brings something new.”
And when asked what makes the job special, Callum doesn’t hesitate: “It’s great being able to spend most of my time outdoors and call some of the most beautiful places in Angus my office. No two days are ever the same - that’s what keeps the job interesting and exciting!”
Claire Drummie
From Parks to Pantomimes:
Claire’s Journey Through ANGUSalive
For Claire Drummie, her journey with ANGUSalive is one that has truly come full circle.
From her first steps into the world of work as a young trainee to becoming Theatre and Venues Operations Lead at one of Angus’s most vibrant cultural venues.
Claire began her career in 1997 with Angus Council as a skill seeker, training as a clerical assistant within the Recreation & Parks Services at the Town House in Montrose and a year later she was offered a permanent position. Two years on, she progressed to the role of Senior Clerical Assistant in Arbroath, where she handled community centre hires, managed burial and headstone paperwork, and supported Parks & Cemeteries services across Arbroath and Carnoustie.
When the Arbroath office closed in 2006, Claire’s path took a new and unexpected direction - into the world of culture and the arts.
Joining the then Cultural Services, she found herself working more closely with local venues, coordinating hires for a growing list that included Arbroath Community Centre, Reid Hall in Forfar, Inglis Memorial Hall, Montrose Town Hall, Kirriemuir Town Hall, and the Webster Theatre.
It was when the reopening of the Webster Theatre in 2008 marked a turning point.
Claire and her colleague, Audrey Hood, were relocated there to help bring the refurbished venue
back to life. By 2013, Claire had been promoted to Duty Manager, supporting the day-to-day running of the theatre while continuing to oversee bookings for other venues. And it’s fair to say she hasn’t looked back ever since.
As Claire recalls, her growth in the role was shaped by several inspiring mentors. “Patricia McGowan, our Arts Officer, taught me everything about how a theatre runs. I asked a million questions and learned by watching. Then, working with awardwinning writer and director John Binnie on our in-house pantomime was transformative - his passion was infectious and inspired me to produce our own pantomime productions later on.” She also credits her line manager and friend Audrey for encouraging her to pursue new creative skills and believe in her potential.
Today Claire reflects on her career with pride – and so she shouldsaying out as a clerical assistant would lead me here. The Webster Memorial
Theatre has been part of my life since I first performed here at the age of five, and it’s amazing to now play a part in its story.”
When we arrived, there were no desks, no established professional programme - to see it evolve into what it is today has been incredibly special.”
Having been with ANGUSalive since its formation, Claire continues to thrive on the challenges and rewards of her work. She has been influential in the production of ANGUSalive’s Panto and its Theatre Star School, a project which is for children in the Angus area to, hopefully, fall in love with the theatre as much as Claire has.
“I’m as passionate as ever, perhaps even more so in my current role. I feel incredibly lucky to love what I do and to work alongside such a dedicated team. The Webster really is a special place!”
Elaine Millan
From Front Desk to Headlines: Marketing & Communications
Elaine ANGUSalive story is symbolic of marketing as a profession: Change, creative growth and unexpected things happening!
And proof that even a temporary role can lead to something lasting and fulfilling.
Her journey began in November 2017, when she took on a temporary parttime position as Senior Clerical Officer at Arbroath Sports Centre.
Eager to gain more experience and contribute across the organisation, Elaine embraced additional supply roles - stepping into everything from Exhibition Technician in Museums & Galleries to Front of House Assistant at the Theatre.
These varied roles gave her a wide-angle view of ANGUSalive’s operations, and she soon found her niche in customer-facing and communications-based work. In January 2019, she joined the Webster Theatre team permanently, working in the Box Office and supporting as Acting Duty Manager -another opportunity to learn and grow behind the scenes at the Webster Theatre in Arbroath.
But her biggest leap came in Autumn 2020, when she successfully applied for a secondment as Communications Co-ordinator at ANGUSalive.
Recognising the potential for a longterm future in the role, ANGUSalive supported Elaine to undertake an HNC in Business and Marketing, granting her a study day each week to complete the course. She also completed training in Adobe Premiere Pro to boost her video editing skills - bringing her natural creativity to life in a more technical and professional setting.
“I’ve always been a creative person,” Elaine reflects, “and this journey has enabled me to bring that creativity into my everyday work.”
Balancing a return to study with work and family life was no small feat - but it paid off. She’s now a permanent part of the Marketing & Communications team, helping to share ANGUSalive’s story with the public through innovative, engaging campaigns.
Elaine’s proud of the journey so farand especially proud of the support she received along the way.
“ANGUSalive embraces innovation and change, which makes my role both engaging and rewarding. I feel encouraged and supported in my development, and that’s fostered a real sense of commitment and loyalty.”
And we’re very happy to have her with us!
Thank you for reading our annual report - next year we will be celebrating 10 YEARS of ANGUSalive, we can’t wait to see what’s next...!
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ANGUSalive Head Office
50-56 West High Street | Forfar | Angus | DD8 1BA enquiries@angusalive.scot | www.angusalive.scot | 01307 492600
ANGUSalive is a company limited by guarantee registered in Scotland No. SC499155 and is a registered Scottish charity No. SC046133. VAT registered No. 221208657. Registered office: Angus House, Orchardbank Business Park, Forfar. DD8 1AN. All details correct at time of print December 2025