The Banchory Fly⎮Community Magazine Issue 19 Summer 2023

Welcome to the latest issue of The Banchory Fly Magazine. We are proud to announce that this issue is printed on 100% recycled paper, in support of our commitment to protecting the environment. This issue is full of inspiring stories of progress being made in the local bicycle trails, as well as articles about environment and sustainability. We’ll also be highlighting the amazing work of the local gardening club, the story of our town's calendar, coffee mornings and impressive sustainable architecture. Plus, we added a colouring page for the little ones to go wild and get CRAZY with their crayons! If you’re looking for something to do, there are plenty of opportunities to get involved in our community. We hope you enjoy reading this issue and that it inspires you to get out and explore the wonderful world that is our community. So, grab a copy and join us in celebrating the 21st anniversary of our beloved Farmers’ Market.

Zita Szekeres

BANCHORY HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY

Banchory Horticultural Society started out in 1919 and, apart from a break during the war years and several years thereafter, has continued, recently celebrating its 100th anniversary.

Records from the early years are incomplete but some of the members will be well known among Banchory historians. The Show schedule for 1929 lists the following:

The Right Honourable Annie Viscountess Cowdray of Dunnecht

Baron & Baroness Bentinck, Banchory Lodge

Sir James G Burnett, Bart of Leys, Crathes Castle (Chairman)

Charles T Cox Esq, Inchmarlo House

A Barclay-Walker Esq, Woodend House

Sir Robert Williams, Park House

A.H.E. Wood Esq, Glassel House

James G Paul, Dalvenie House

There was also nine Honorary Presidents, with eleven Honorary Directors and 16 ‘Ordinary Directors! The annual subscription was 5/- (25p) and prize money from 15/- (75p) for some first prizes to 9d (approx 4p) for 3rd prizes in the Children’s Section.

PRESENT BANCHORY GARDENING CLUB

By Norma Makin

The schedule still has a similar format although the industrial section (now hobbies and crafts) makes interesting reading with classes for needlework ranging from “A dainty nightdress” to “A red flannel hospital bed-jacket” and also, a sign of thrift in those days, “the best use of four flour bags.”

In 1939 the society went into abeyance due to the war and it was not until the late 50’s that, thanks to the financial generosity of the Banchory Branch of the Royal British Legion the Horticultural Society was finally reformed. Three annual shows were eventually amalgamated into one Show which is staged annually during the first weekend in September.

Since 1969 a Floral Art Section has been included which has gone from strength to strength and now forms a substantial part of the Annual Show. Prize money is funded by the annual Plant sale and Coffee Morning held on the last Saturday of May each year.

In 2017 it was agreed to change the name to Banchory Gardening Club as they were not particularly ‘horti’ or ‘cultural’! Bonnie Banchory was incorporated into the Club in 2019.

New members are always welcome. The current subscription is £7 which entitles members to reduced entry fees at the annual evening talks and free entry to the Show in September. More information about all of the Club’s activities can be found on their Facebook page or on their website www.banchorygardeningclub.com

Deeside Bike Collective are embarking on an ambitious £280k project to bring community woodland and bike trails project to Banchory.

By Jamie Ritchie

The project which has been over 10 years in the making is now progressing into the build phase with the hope to be completed later in the summer at a 37 acre site in Corsee woods on the West side of Banchory.

Jamie Ritchie Trustee and funding lead said

”its been a lot of hard work by many members of the group over the past few years, it's great to get to this stage at last and to see things to start happening!”

They had become frustrated at uncontrolled jumps springing up in the woods around Banchory which were unsafe and required dismantling. The idea born out of the discussion was to create an area in Banchory that could be purpose built to satisfy more advanced riders but at the same time to create a facility that would encourage cycling skills development for a wide range of skills. With the help of the BDI the DBC was born!

Following various community engagements including surveys and discussions, and working along side

The project inception was over 10 years ago following conversations with the group and the Forestry Land Scotland.

many other community organisations in the area the project aim broadened to create a multi use community woodland that can become a real asset for the community to use. Banchory’s sporting infrastructure has not kept pace with the growth of the town and this project will go someway to address this, along with many other projects developed, or in the process of development such as the Banchory Skate Park and 4G football training pitch.

The team has worked closely with trail development company CRC over the years to develop the concepts and, following a tender process, selected them as the prime contractor.

CRC have developed a really strong history of projects over the past few years including the Tarland Trails 2 project which has just opened in Tarland. With CRC’s expertise behind the project the group are really excited to see what they can do with the site.

Banchory Woodland trails will include upgrading of the multi use core path that crosses the site for all forest users. The development of 3 cycle trails graded as blue, red and Orange to cater for a wide range of skills and abilities and to allow progression of skills. A skills area will also be installed to help develop core bike handling skills and picnic and multi-use meeting areas to allow various groups to gather and use . Lastly the group hope to install a pump track in phase 2 of the project at a later date.

Deeside Bike Collective are a registered SCIO charity with around 100 members coming from the local community in Banchory and surrounding areas. If anyone from the local community is interested in finding out more on the project or becomming a member of the group they can go to our website: www.deesidebikecollective.co.uk or look us up on our Facebook or Instrgram pages.

It is now easier to access treatment with a new alcohol and drug team for Aberdeenshire. For emergency support the new Step-in service includes a multidisciplinary team of nurses and social workers committed to provide same day support and treatment. The Deeside team can be contacted by phone on 07826 209266 or email stepinstonehavensu@ aberdeenshire.gov.uk

Preserving

with Dehydration

Number One is the Community Pantry and greengrocer in Scott Skinner Square, off the High Street. What do we do? This month we are preserving the excess fruit that is donated by shops and gardens. Apart from our homemade jams, jellies and chutneys we have invested in a dehydrator, thanks to a grant from Aberdeenshire Council. Drying is an ancient method of preserving all food. But as we Scots don’t have the hot sunshine as they do in Spain, where drying grapes into raisins or prunes from plums may be done in the open air, we use a dehydrator. It is time and energy consuming, but it is an alternative for storing excess fruit for longer. Once dried, the fruit can be eaten raw or used in cooking. Popular products are our dried mango and strawberries, which keep their flavour and are a perfect snack instead of sweets. Favourite is the fruit winder which is 100% fruit, mushed to pulp then poured onto silicon sheets. Dried overnight the leather like sheet is cut and rolled into 30cm strips. Ideal for a playtime snack. The dehydrator is available for loan and our team do workshops on food preserving.

Number One Pop-up Greengrocer

Shop is open on Wednesday and Saturday from 9am - 2pm.

10 Years of Support for Locals in Food Crisis

The Aberdeenshire South Food Bank is part of the Trussell Trust, UK-wide network of food banks.

It was set up in Banchory in 2013 and covers the area from Braemar to the Mearns. It operates on a ‘referral basis’, so that food is being given as part of a package of support, and it also signposts to appropriate advice and other support. Referrals come from frontline agencies, such as Council Housing & Social Work, Citizens Advice Bureaux, HomeStart, and health care and support workers.

ASFB links, and gives support to the many local pantries across its area that started during the pandemic and continue to give open access to free or low cost food. It also supports other initiatives, such as food projects at Banchory Primary School. Operations Manager, Fiona Graham, stated “The gratifyingly high level of donations of food makes us well-placed to meet the needs of folk in our area in the coming months, and the generous amount of money we’ve received enables us to buy fresh food and items we may be short of. Our expenses are kept to a minimum, so virtually everything we receive is used to alleviate local food poverty.”

ASFB is run entirely by volunteers, who have checked in over 12 tonnes of donated food over the past twelve months and, over the same period, have packed and handed out over 11.5 tonnes to 1,118 adults and children. The numbers supported have remained at a steady level over the past few years. Ideally these numbers would reduce so there would be no need for the Food Bank, but in the current economic circumstances this appears unlikely, so ASFB will continue to provide support into a second decade.

If you suddenly have no money for food, we can help you through your crisis. Ask for a ‘referral’ from a frontline agency, such as Social Work, CAB, HomeStart, and we can provide you and your family with enough free food for three days.

New showhome launched in Banchory

INCHMARLO

Our new development at Inchmarlo, Banchory, is well underway - AND we’ve launched a brand new showhome!

We’ve officially opened the doors to our grandest showhome to date - the 5 bedroom ‘Gullane’ - at our prestigious Inchmarlo development in Banchory, Royal Deeside!

Boasting an exceptional 297m² of internal floor space, an array of outstanding features throughout and a beautiful internal design by Thomas Fischer Interiors,

‘The Gullane’ truly is the ultimate modern family homeand must be seen to be fully appreciated.

We have a range of 3, 4, 5 and 6 bedroom luxury detached homes available to reserve at Inchmarlo, each enjoying a superior build standard, thoughtful internal design and an impressive standard specification - synonymous with the Kirkwood brand.

To find out more and enquire, visit: kirkwoodhomes.co.uk/developments/inchmarlo

The Butterfly Effect

Zero waste shop and refillery

By Zita Szekeres

Do you love organic ingredients free from harmful chemicals and plastic-free packaging? Or maybe you’re a fan of sustainable, eco-friendly products? Look no further than this unique zero-waste refillery shop in Banchory.

Shopping

buying decisions while than this unique zero-waste

his small zerowaste shop is an outstanding example of how to make a huge difference in protecting our planet. This store provides an array of organic ingredients sourced locally - soap bars, local honey, home bakery. With plasticfree packaging and self-refillable products that promote sustainability customers can pick up items like flour, spices, nuts,

oat milk, oils, pasta, rice, grains in their own containers reducing plastic packaging and eliminating food waste. Shopping here is a great way to make eco-friendly buying decisions while also supporting a local business instead of large stores.

Tan outstanding our

We want to encourage the community to choose this sustainable option of shopping and make a stand for the future of the planet. Not only does it allow us to reduce plastic pollution, but also sets a great example of sustainability for generations to come. Let's make a conscious change and shop at The Butterfly Effect!

ELLINGTON MENNIE

Kitchens & Cookware

Providing a full turnkey service for design, manufacture, and installation of bespoke kitchens and bathrooms in both traditional and contemporary styles. You can visit our new showroom in the centre of Aboyne to see our range kitchen displays, products and discuss your project ideas.

You can also see our full range of premium branded cookware and kitchen utensils available for purchase online and from our showroom.

Northside, Station Square, Aboyne, AB34 5HX

ellingtonmennie

sales@ellingtonmennie.co.uk

01339 887500 or 07788 316144

www.ellingtonmennie.co.uk

Banchory Spinal Health

Campaigning for Community

By Felicity Rogers

Part of my role as clinic owner involves carving out time to learn about the latest news and research that will help us all live healthier lives. Last year, something that kept coming up was the concept of “community”, and how it can affect our wellbeing and longevity.

Did you know: Studies have shown that if we have a good sense of belonging and community, then we will averagely live 7 years longer!

With this in mind, and the news that local café’s were struggling to survive, Banchory Spinal Health headquarters put their heads together, and came up with a great way to support our community this year.

Every month of 2023, we have decided to choose a local café/restaurant, and put a generous tab “behind the bar” so to speak. All you have to do is show up, order a hot drink of your choice, and say “put it on Banchory Spinal Health’s tab please”.

At the time of writing, the clinic has donated nearly £500 to encourage our patients and social media followers to head into a local café and pick up a tea or coffee on us, with the hope of spreading a little happiness and giving our local economy a boost.

I’m so grateful to be able to give back to my community that has been so good to my clinic and I over the last 11 years. Keep an eye out for our next Community Coffee Giveback campaign, coming to a café near you!

Art Gallery, Craft, Gifts

1 Scott Skinner Square

Opening Hours 10am-4pm

Tuesday to Saturday

Open Sundays June-August

Beautiful things, locally made with love

ARCHWAY CHARITY SHOP

Great range of clothing, household items & china

DONATIONS WELCOME

65 High Street, Banchory

Open 10am - 4pm I Mon - Sat

Archway is a local charity supporting almost 200 children and adults with learning disabilities

NEW www.archway.org.uk

Modern Sustainable Building Techniques and Materials in Scotland

By Eoghain Fiddes

Sustainable architecture in Scotland is focused on creating buildings that are energy-efficient, environmentally friendly, and comfortable to live in. By incorporating techniques and materials that reduce a home's carbon footprint, architects and builders are creating a more sustainable future for Scotland's housing stock. Efforts should be made to reduce the amount of greenhouse gas emissions associated with the construction and operation of new homes in Scotland. Materials specified in construction should have lower embodied carbon emissions and reduce the amount of waste generated during construction. There are several sustainable building techniques and materials that are being used in the UK. Here are a few examples: Timber frame construction and using timber in façade cladding can dramatically reduce the carbon footprint of a new build home. Of all the main building materials, timber is the most environmentally friendly, as it has the lowest energy consumption and the lowest carbon dioxide emissions. Timber continues to be grown all over the world and as long as it is replanted it will continue to be available. It does not take very much energy to transfer wood to timber for use in buildings meaning the embodied energy is very low.

Large areas of glazing to main living areas can utilise solar gain to reduce reliance on the heating systems. A thorough assessment of any future climate change overheating risk should be carried out and if any risk is present then mitigation should be implemented.

Insulation & Air Tightness: Proper insulation and air tightness is essential for reducing energy consumption in buildings. There are a variety of sustainable insulation materials available, including cellulose, sheep's wool, and rock wool.

Renewable energy systems: Scotland is home to a growing number of renewable energy systems, including solar panels for both electricity and hot water, wind

turbines, ground & air source heat pumps.

These systems help to reduce a building's reliance on fossil fuels and reduce its carbon footprint.

Green roofs are becoming increasingly popular in Scotland. These roofs are covered with vegetation, which helps to reduce the amount of rainwater runoff, provides biodiversity for insects and helps to improve air quality.

Passive House design: Passive House design is a sustainable building technique that focuses on creating a highly energyefficient building envelope. These homes are designed to use very little energy for heating and cooling and are tightly sealed to prevent heat loss.

Efficient water management: Efficient water management systems, like rainwater harvesting and greywater reuse. These systems can help to reduce water consumption and save money on utility bills.

Banchory Primary School PTA Putting the “Fun” into Fundraising

In the last few years, the Banchory Primary School Parent Teacher Association (“the PTA”) has achieved a great deal. A new School Library was funded and set up in 2019, followed by installation of extensive new playground equipment in 2022. This has been possible thanks to both the generosity of the local community and also the commitment of the teams behind these projects. The PTA is made up of all parents/carers who have a child attending the School. They rely on parents and teachers working together to fundraise and organise events, and are always grateful for more volunteers! This school year has already seen fun events such as a Christmas Fayre, which raised nearly

five and a half thousand pounds, and a Disco held in the Town Hall in April. Thanks to the Banchory Show, the PTA has now also been given the opportunity to hold a “Banchory Ladies Day” fundraiser in the Show Marquee on Friday 21st July 2023.

“It is important to those of us in the PTA to not only raise funds for the School, but to also put on enjoyable events”, said current Chair of the PTA, Kate Robertson. “We hope to welcome along all the ladies of Banchory, whether directly involved with the school or not, to our “Ladies Day” event. It will be a great day of food, entertainment and fun, whilst at the same time raising money for us to spend on improving the school experience for the pupils of Banchory Primary.”

The Banchory Calendar - apologies for not using Pirelli models or posing in the nude, Women’s Institute style - has been produced every year since 2007. Pictures of scenes in and around Banchory, provided by established and budding local photographers, are compiled into an attractive calendar which is very popular with residents and tourists alike. Many of the town’s businesses contribute by advertising and all proceeds from sales, at £5 each, are used to fund community events. Last year £3000 was spent on the Christmas light switch - on when the Cairngorm reindeer made an appearance in the Bellfield car-park, and almost £2000 was spent on Christmas lights.

The 2024 calendar will soon be compiled. If you would like to contribute a photograph the requirements are LANDSCAPE in orientation, and recognisable as Banchory and its environs. Images must be high resolution. Please send to studio1sssq@gmail.com.

and recognisable as Banchory and its environs.

Norma Makin

21 Years of Serving the Public

Banchory Farmers' Market

Ithas been 21 years since Graeme and Linda Clark brought an idea to fruition in Banchory, a ‘concept’ that has grown year after year ever since.

It was to run in Scott Skinner Square every third Saturday, all year round (weather dependent), and involve local producers pitching gazebos to sell their products to members of the public.

The market would spend around 12 years at Scott Skinner Square. In the early stages, it had 10 to 12 stall holders and 300 to 400 visitors on average. Ingrams butchers is one of the long serving businesses that set up shop in 2002.

The location was changed to Bellfield Car Park in 2014 after Banchory Farmers’ Market became the remit of the local enterprise company,

Banchory and District Initiative. The market now has 20 to 25 stallholders and roughly 800 to 1,000 visitors.

“We have greatly increased the range of products that we can showcase, and you really can get your complete meal at the market and many treats,” says David Ritchie, market manager .

“We have also added a street food offer so visitors can get hot drinks, breakfast, and snacks and in the summer months we run musical and dance displays.”

Regular stallholders include Vegan Bay Baker, Ingram’s butchers, Wark Farm, Kincardine Castle Kitchen, Sheridan’s butcher, Granite City Fish and Cove Honey Bees. With a lot of hard work, the market was one of very few who continued to operate through the two COVID lockdowns thanks to David and a small band of dedicated volunteers.

As with many high streets, small businesses have struggled with the change in shopping habits since the rise of out-of-town retail developments and internet shopping. Bringing the market

to the town centre has been pivotal in ensuring the high street has a future.

“Our mantra is shop local, eat local, meet local,”

David went on to say.“As such, it is great to see the community coming out in force to support local producers.”

“This has become more than just a market. It is an event where families, friends, and canine friends meet up and enjoy a social gathering and we are proud that the market has stuck to its principles of quality and value. With the increase in footfall, the market also supports local businesses as they report that market days are usually one of their busiest days now.”

Apart from the increase in numbers of visitors and traders, it has become a bit of a social hub for the community. It allows us to showcase the fantastic produce and promote local events.”

The event continues to be run and developed by Banchory & District Initiative who are continually looking at ways of improving and growing the event. BDI relies heavily on the support of local residents attending these monthly markets and look forward to further success in the years to come.

Garden tasks for flaming June

It’s been a long cold spring, but now that all risk of frost has evaporated, you can plant out bedding and tender perennials. Bring out your hanging baskets and planters and prepare to set sale on an ocean of extravagant colour! Water new plants frequently to encourage consistent growth and add a liquid feed to baskets and planters every few weeks to support greater flowering. If you pinch out the tips of bedding plants such as fuchsia, this will encourage bushier growth.

Don’t remove spring bulb foliage until it has turned yellow: the foliage is feeding your bulbs to support the emergence of next year’s flowers. Consider leaving a margin of uncut grass around your bulb areas to encourage wild flowers and support insects.

If you have tall-growing herbaceous plants, such as delphiniums and hollyhocks, put in supports as they grow and before they need them to prevent any of them falling over. Cut back spring-flowering perennials like pulmonaria to encourage a burst of new growth.

Tie in new stems of climbing roses to horizontal supports to encourage greater flowering.

Hold off on pruning any shrubs that flower in spring or early summer, such as philadelphus and weigela, until after they have flowered to give them time to put on new growth. When you do prune them, thin out any old woody stems.

And lastly, if you grow your own vegetables, keep your beds weed-free and thin your seedlings in order to allow strong plants to develop. Remember to earth up your tatties as they grow.

The team @ Craigievar Gardeners

by Debbie Lee

Namaste. Our property agents’ wisdom will leave you feeling zen.

CAN stands for ‘Climate Action Network’. More specifically, it stands for ‘Care And Nurture’' for our community, environment and planet.

We are a group of people living in and around mid-Deeside in Aberdeenshire, who passionately want to do something to minimise climate change with all its damaging consequences, reduce waste and decrease the loss of biodiversity. We also want to increase our community’s resilience to climate change. Deeside CAN is part of a larger network of like-minded groups across NE Scotland (NESCAN). We share experiences and ideas, lobby decision makers for change, and seek to initiate changes.

We have a core group of about 15 volunteers, a mailing list of over 250, and almost 1,100 likes/follows on Facebook.

We welcome anyone who shares our interests and values; we meet every other Monday 4-6pm. If you’d like to join us, please

WEE FOREST PROJECT

A Wee Forest is a dense, fast-growing, native, mixed woodland, covering an area the size of a tennis court. It brings the benefits of a forest, helping to mitigate the impacts of climate change, as well as providing a nature-rich habitat patch to support wildlife. Our Wee Forest follows the example of planting Tiny Forests, which is a worldwide movement to boost biodiversity and fight climate change, with volunteers planting forests in urban environments all over the world. In the UK, over 150 forests have been planted so far, with over 30 in Scotland.

On April 1st, 2023, over 100 people came to Bellfield Park in Banchory to plant about 480 trees of 23 different species in just over 2 hours. The fence around our Wee Forest is decorated with over 300 flags showing the

contact us on deesidecan@gmail.com. You can also sign up for our quarterly newsletters by emailing us. To find out more, check out our website www.deesidecan.org. uk, or Facebook page https://www.facebook. com/DeesideCAN/.

We are engaged in a variety o projects and initiatives – these are some of our key activities.

range of biodiversity we can expect to find here, made by school children across MidDeeside. The aim is now for the community to help look after the Wee Forest and learn more about our local wildlife. One of the key aspects will be the educational benefits for school children.

We live in a community that is made up not just of the people that live here but also plants, animals, birds, insects, fungi, and bacteria that all contribute to the web of life around us. This biodiversity is under threat and needs our help to value and protect it. We can ALL make a difference by making space for nature. We can protect, enrich, and enjoy our biodiversity in Banchory by creating small wild spaces for nature within our gardens, parks, and community land. Working with Bellfield Rose Garden and Bonnie Banchory, we have identified around 20 small spaces in Banchory to make

more Wildlife Friendly, by planting wildflowers and fruit trees, install bird, bat and hedgehog boxes, and bug hotels. Our aim is to have 20% of all public and private land set aside for nature in our town. At Inchmarlo, amphibian ladders have been installed in targeted road drains where there is a mortality of toads making their way to a nearby pond each year.

We will be hosting our 2nd Open Wildlife Gardens Day on July 1st.

ZERO WASTE DEESIDE PROJECTS

Food waste: This is a joint project with the community hub at Number One. Over 30 volunteers are collecting surplus food from three supermarkets and distributing it for free at Number One three days a week (Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Saturdays), significantly reducing food waste and packaging. Anyone is welcome to drop off surplus food from their gardens or cupboards for sharing with others rather than wasting it. Jams, chutneys, and pies to sell are also being made from the surplus food.

Recycling: The blister pack initiative was so successful that Superdrug was unable to keep up with the volume being collected. We have now started a petition to initiate change at Government level, linking in with other community groups.

No Plastic:

We have been visiting schools to educate students about trash and recycling, with the

aim of having “Wrapper Free Wednesdays” and a “Plastic Free July”. We are planning more engagements at the end of May during the Big Green Week in collaboration with the Co-Op to highlight the importance of eliminating plastics.

Tool & Skills share: A Facebook page (Banchory Tools and Skills Share) has been set up to connect people who want to share their tools and skills. Together with Magpie and Number One, the aim is to assess the need for a Tools Library in Banchory. The page has over 180 members so far.

Repair Café: We are working with Magpie and Number One to set up a monthly Repair Café in Banchory.

In my 25-year career as an NHS physiotherapist, I witnessed time and again the impact of my patient’s stressors – work, relationships, grief and previous trauma – on their health and their symptoms.

As a counsellor I have supported clients through difficult times in their lives and have seen how this has caused issues with sleep, physical pain and worsening of their pre-existing health conditions. After noticing these links between life experiences, emotions and health, I went down a rabbit warren of research which has been a fascinating and still ongoing journey.

Both medical and psychological research now firmly supports the notion that our emotional, psychological and physical health are intricately linked. The idea that our bodies and our minds are separate entities and should be treated as such is therefore outdated.

We have known since the 1920’s that when human beings experience chronic stress (wherever its origin lies) our stress response causes changes to our bodies hormone, immune and nervous systems. Our body doesn’t know the difference between being chased by a sabretoothed tiger and an ever-increasing email box or trauma as a child. The response is the same and the impact is wide reaching. Over time the stress response causes disease. The monumental rise that we have seen in people with autoimmune diseases, chronic pain and chronic fatigue in recent years, particularly in women, supports this knowledge.

So how do we begin to address these issues? Is it inevitable that our fast-paced, modern lifestyles will bring around negative health consequences? How can we change what happened to us in the past? The knowledge that our environment, our life experiences and our emotional landscape can effect our health significantly may feel dauting to examine.

Gaining awareness, processing and expressing difficult experiences and emotions and finding coping strategies all help. I work with people to explore these issues together and find solutions to move forward despite what challenges you may have. I specialize in counselling for anxiety, bereavement, stress and health related issues. I have specialist training in working with people effected by chronic pain.

Please see my website or email me for information or support.

Join us in celebrating the Summer Solstice and International Yoga Day at this unique one-off outdoor event at Potarch. Bringing together three local yoga and meditation enthusiasts, Laura Ross of Banchory Yoga, Lynsey Birnie of X-Hail Meditation & Reiki, and Vikki Cleal Yoga, we are super excited to come together to celebrate the longest day and the shortest night in this beautiful place we live.

Harnessing the power of the Sun, you can expect an energising, nourishing and blissful morning of Yoga, Meditation and Sound Bath under the trees by the River Dee. For those who are keen, there will be an optional river dip afterwards.

Please book via Gymcatch or contact Laura Ross (banchory.yoga), Vikki Cleal (vikkiclealyoga.co.uk) or Lynsey Birnie (lyns.xhail@gmail.com).

Deeside Compassion was launched in 2020 as a branch of the local charity, Grace Church Family. Initially, the charity focused on providing practical support to those who were struggling during lockdown. However, since its launch, Deeside Compassion has grown significantly and now offers a broad range of services to support struggling families in the Royal Deeside area. To date, the charity has supported over 300 people in the local area, many of whom are low-income families that have become members of the innovative Restart Social Supermarket scheme. This scheme allows families to place an online order every week for groceries with a value of up to £10 per family member, which are then delivered to their doorstep for a small weekly

membership fee. In addition to the Social Supermarket scheme, Deeside Compassion also offersa range of other wrap-around services which are intended to support clients as they work towards increased freedom and independence. These services include CAP LifeSkills courses, which equip people with the practical tools needed to live on a low income, Compassion Cafe sessions, which provide a free environment to socialise and are intended to help tackle isolation, Grant Schemes, which support those struggling with food and fuel poverty, and various mental health and wellbeing services which are currently being launched by the charity.

If you are interested in learning more about Deeside Compassion, or any of the other work of Grace Church Family, please visit their website at deesidecompassion.com or get in touch at 01330 828160.

Blast from the Past

Dibble’s Doodles your favourite gardening columnist looks at how to deal with common pests...

1) The neighbour’s cat

2) Slugs

3) The cat from the next street

4) Snails

5) The cat from 2 streets away

6) Greenfly/blackfly/white fly

7) The man who wants to clean your drive

8) The cat from the other side of town

9) Wood Pigeons

Plant Lots of Garlic: Garlic is an effective and natural bug repellent. Plant lots of it in your garden in among other vegetables to protect them from pests. You could also make your own garlic spray by boiling a pint of water, throw in roughly chopped garlic cloves and steep until the water cools. Remove garlic bits then spray on plants frequently. You will also smell wonderful afterwards, particularly if you have any French ancestry.

Some of the pests to watch out for – in no particular order

The best way to eradicate slugs is to encourage lots of natural predators such as birds, beetles, frogs and hedgehogs. Happy gardening.

We’ve been trusted by 100,000 customers to transform their home. It’s no wonder we’re the most recommended on Trust Pilot and Check-a-Trade, so you can rely on us when we say we are the UK’s number one! Our straightforward approach is backed by our trusted local engineers who are on-hand to guide you through the whole process.

Banchory Area First Responers

Deeside Fitness Charity Challenge

Back in December a group of Deeside Fitness participants lead by Personal trainer Rhona Blackhall, took on the 12 days of Christmas challenge. The Group had to run (or walk, cycle, swim) 5 km for either 12 consecutive days, or 12 days during the month of December.

The goal was to help support Banchory Area First Responders, a local charity. These volunteers are on call and dispatched by the ambulance service to provide immediate life saving care, until ambulance crews arrive, they then work with crews to assist. They do a truly amazing job, saving life's in rural locations when ambulance services can take longer to reach patients.

It was very wintry, ice, snow and very chilly conditions. But we didn’t let this stop us! As a group over the month we covered more than 1070 km and climbed over 42177ft!

After the challenge we teamed up with Claire Ellis, Resuscitation Officer, NHS Grampian, to run a CPR Bootcamp. Combining a fitness class with a basic life support training. The event was a great success and participants performed a very high standard of CPR in between shuttle runs and burpees! David Wood, Coordinator of Banchory Area First Responders attended, where a cheque for £1700 was handed over. This amazing sum raised could allow a new kit bag with a defibrillator to be purchased. With the potential to save the life of a friend or family member in our local committee. To find out more or to show your interest please contact the Banchory area First Responders on Facebook.

In adopting a modern and dynamic approach to martial arts training, the popular art of Sooyang Do offers the practitioner the opportunity to acquire a valuable SELF DEFENCE capability, whilst enhancing one’s overall HEALTH and FITNESS within an extremely s upportive environment aimed at maximising the physical and mental benefits for all, rather than fostering elitism or placing undue emphasis on individual competition.

The Sooyang Do classes in BANCHORY are now under the tutelage of 5th Dan Master Instructor Bruce Wood, with a limited number of places available for junior and adult beginners, as well as more advanced levels at the following address

COLOUR THIS PAGE and take it to Studio 1 (Scott Skinner Square) for display or send it to thebanchoryfly@gmail.com. We will post your drawing on The Banchory Fly Community Magazine Facebook Page!

Brain Strain – it’s good for you!

1. You have 56 biscuits to feed to your 10 pets, which are made up of cats and dogs. Dogs get 6 biscuits, while cats get 5. You finish with 1 biscuit remaining. How many cats and how many dogs do you have?

2. What connects the following seven words?

a) Tape, squash, pages, beans, blood, snake, wood

b) Knees, eyes, breakfast, years, mouth, share, ear

What number should replace the question mark?

3. Rebus puzzles

4.

Brain Strain - Answers

1. 5 of each

2. a) The words are connected by the colours of the rainbow:red tape, orange squash, yellow pages, green beans, blue blood, indigo snake, violet wood

b) They are linked to animals/insects:Bees knees, cat’s eyes, dog’s breakfast, donkey’s years, straight from the horse’s mouth, the lion’s share, a pigs ear.

3. Red herring, small print, scrambled eggs, six of one - half a dozen of the other, pretty please, summary.

4. 5. In each square the top left and bottom right numbers are multiplied to give the top right and bottom left.

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Remember that community information is FREE to include in these pages, if you have any news for the Autumn edition (out early September), tell me about it by August 1st.