Floral Art Group

Ballater (Royal Deeside) Limited (BRD)

by John Burrows

Celebrating Twenty Five Years of Service to the Community of Ballater In December 1996, the following group of people set up an organisation with which I am proud to be associated in 2021. It is with pleasure I record that some of those mentioned are still residents in Ballater. Bill Houston; Graham Brown; Nigel Franks; Ian Murray; Lesley Davidson; Cllr. Thomas Donoghue; Michael Sheridan; Dorothy Chambers; Jeffrey Purves; Peter Crawford; Sheila Sedgwick; John Mackintosh I asked for recollections, and Bill Houston kindly gave me some insight into the origins, as follows: “The concept of Community-run organisations came from Aberdeenshire Council who were, at the time in the mid 1990's, supporting a number of similar newly-formed organisations around the North East of Scotland to actively promote local Community-led events on a non-profit basis. My involvement came as a result of my charitable work at the time as a Director of Energy Action Scotland, whose HQ was in Glasgow, and of SCARF in Aberdeen, so I was known to the Council. The concept of Ballater (Royal Deeside) Ltd. becoming a Registered Charity, a Company Limited by Guarantee and operating at a local level was acceptable to all concerned. So with the blessing of Aberdeenshire Council and a small Grant, "BRD" was launched. In order to reinforce the principle of the new organisation being a community-led Charity, a public meeting was arranged in the Ballater Halls, and the new concept was presented to the Community at large. The brand-new company, with a sturdy band of volunteer Board Members, then set up a base in the office of a well-known accountant in the village, and set about devising a plan of possible projects aimed at promoting wellbeing in Ballater and providing a welcoming 22 destination for visitors - working with, but not against, existing hostelries, projects and activities. After a period of time, the Board were approached by Aberdeenshire Council, who had been kept appraised of future projects, and who asked if BRD could, with the Council's limited financial support, organise and operate a "Walking Week". The subsequent overwhelming success of the inaugural Ballater Walking Week laid the foundation of what was to become a popular and financially self-sustaining annual event, with visitors from all over the UK. The benefits to local businesses were considerable as Walking Week was timed to start at the very beginning of the tourism season in early May of each year. Another project which I regard as a major plus for BRD was the Ballater Community Bus. I can't remember precisely how BRD obtained funding, but we managed to find enough to buy a very old but serviceable bus, arranged for some able-bodied BRD members, including myself, to sit a driving test by a Council - Approved Examiner, and so the Ballater Community Bus was launched. This service involved the volunteer drivers visiting various locations each week to pick up some elderly and care-home residents and transport them to their weekly social meeting location, and sometime later pick them up again for the journey back to their various residences.” Bill went on to say that numerous other projects were set up in those early days, and possibly the next most famous landmark came in February 2012, when BRD formed Ballater Community Enterprise Limited (aka BCE), better known to residents as the Caravan Park. The Board at that time took over the Councilrun facility and turned it into an excellent asset for both BRD and Ballater. BCE was just starting to contribute funds to the main Board for village projects when Storm Frank struck. However, the BCE Directors, with community support and an excellent team of staff members, rebuilt a product capable of combating the Covid challenge. BCE still cannot fully contribute to village projects as, due to Storm Frank, they have to build up a self-insurance reserve, but is firmly on track to commence substantial donations in the near future. Graham Brown recalled that some interesting local events of the time highlighted the need to bring the village together, and at the inaugural meeting Bill Houston was appointed Chair and he was appointed Treasurer. He mentioned that it was decided the name of the new organisation should be Ballater (RD) Limited, and not Ballater Royal Deeside Ltd, because the royal connection may have caused problems. The present BRD Board, hampered by funding restrictions, has still been able to offer limited support to local projects. One memorable project, after an approach from Aberdeenshire Council, was to assist in raising funds for the reinstatement of the Cambus O May Bridge. The reinstated bridge was opened officially by HRH The Duke of Rothesay this year, attended by Kate Allum, who led that project for BRD. The village centre management was a project we started in 2020 in association with the original Enhancement Group and Shop Fronts Group led by David Cobban, Anne Reid, Ade Scripps, Pat Downie and Neil Henderson, to bring the centre back to its former glory. For several reasons, that project only reached the start line in October 2021, but by the time you read this, some of those plans should have turned into reality. The Ballater (RD) Limited Board do many things quietly behind the scene, from supporting fledgling groups with banking assistance, to managing the £57,000 Hardship Fund created at the start of the Covid shutdown. I would not be doing this article justice if I didn’t recognise all of the Directors on the present Board; Susan Stewart; Ian Ritchie; Bill Braid; Kate Allum; Elaine Adams; Fiona Presslie; Duncan MacAskill; Jennifer Macmillan; Ken Gibson; and Gillian Sinclair (Office Manager). 