Dufftown Community

Magnifying glass icon used to toggle visibility of search.
  • Home
  • DDCA
    • About Us
    • Strategic Aims
    • Current Projects
    • Meet the Team
    • Get Involved
    • Microgrants
  • Community
    • Community
    • Bikes
    • Groups, Clubs & Organisations
    • Halls & Venues
    • Clock Tower Fundraising Club
    • Household support
  • Discover Dufftown
    • Discover Dufftown
    • Stay
    • Eat & Drink
    • Shop
    • Things to Do
  • Local Business Directory
  • Events
  • News
  • Contact Us

Viktoria Eriksson

Are you in the mood for some goat cuddles?

18 February 2022 by Viktoria Eriksson

This week’s blog post is about my visit to the Wee Ferm and the value of unexpected friendships.

With the unpredictable weather this week I decided to stay put in the Dufftown and District area. I looked at our website’s local business directory and decided to visit the Wee Ferm!

Kirsteen, Leon and their two kids run the Wee Ferm at Spring Croft between Dufftown and Craigellachie. It’s a croft of just under 3 acres and they moved here 5 years ago. With neither Kirsteen nor Leon having grown up on a farm themselves, they told me that these past years have involved lots of learning from books, the internet and the helpful vets in Aberlour. What started as a hobby in the hope of becoming more self-sufficient has now turned into a petting farm and woodcarving lifestyle. They are open for group visits on an online booking-basis and do larger events like Santa’s Grotto and Halloween scavenger hunts. 

While they have lots of lovely animals like rabbits, pigs, and ponies, my favourites were the goats. As soon as we walked into the field they came running towards us for cuddles! Below is a photo of Oscar and Oswald saying hello. 

I grew up with chickens, dogs, fish and even the odd turtle. My visit to the Wee Ferm brought back childhood memories of the joy that animals bring. Kirsteen sent me a photo of Filo the pony giving Oscar the goat a kiss, and it made me think about how we too often put up barriers and divisions between different groups in our communities. In the next week, I challenge you to reach out and speak to someone you normally wouldn’t speak to. It could be someone much younger or older than yourself, or someone from a different place or background than yourself. Try it and maybe you’ll find an unexpected friend just like Filo and Oscar have. 

As all the animals were eagerly waiting for their dinner, I left Kirsteen and her family to it. 

PS: If you run a business and would like to add it to our website listings, fill out this form!

Filed Under: Uncategorised

Say hello to our new community development leader!

11 February 2022 by Viktoria Eriksson

Our first employee, Viktoria Eriksson, started this week and is keen to get to know you all.

Hello Dufftown and District!

On Monday, I started my new job as a Community Development Leader with the DDCA. I am really excited to be starting in this new role and look forward to meeting people and groups from the community. I moved to Dufftown last July and am impressed with the warm welcome I have received so far. While I spent the past seven years in Aberdeen, I am originally from a small town in Sweden not much different from Dufftown. It is nice being back in the countryside where we get to enjoy the beautiful Scottish outdoors and where people look out for each other. 

It has been an action-packed first week that involved going to events and meeting interesting people from the area. 

On Tuesday, I went along to the weekly Dufftown Health Walk. The group meets up by the Clock tower at 10am to go for a walk suitable for all abilities. Then they have a cup of coffee at the Dufftown Glassworks. Please come along in the next few weeks and say hello! 

June, one of our Trustees, has shown me the ropes of running the Community Food Larder. Every morning, she puts donations from the local Coop and other generous donors in the cupboards at the Legion. You can also swap books there. On Thursday, Tesco from Keith came out and delivered a Community Grant going towards additional top-ups of food and toiletries for the Community Larder. We are so grateful for the 9000+ votes we got from Tesco customers! Below is a photo of June receiving the big check. 

Dufftown is a great town and I aspire to see where I can lend a helping hand and facilitate ideas from individuals and groups alike. I have previously worked with a charity in Aberdeen to improve NHS services for ethnic minorities. I have also worked for the Scottish Government in their Equalities team, and am just finishing up a PhD in sociology. Now I am excited to use my experience for the benefit of the community.

Make sure to keep checking in on the DDCA website as I will be writing a blog post every Friday afternoon. Here, I will tell you what I’m up to, including the places I go to and the people I meet. 

In the meantime, message me and say hello! viktoria@dufftowncommunity.co.uk

Filed Under: DDCA

  • « Go to Previous Page
  • Page 1
  • Interim pages omitted …
  • Page 5
  • Page 6
  • Page 7

Primary Sidebar

Are you passionate about community development and the success of Dufftown & District. Get in touch with us to learn more.

Get involved

Sign up to our newsletter

Keep up to date with everything that we’re working on within Dufftown.

  •  
  •  
  •  
  •  
Go back to top of page

Footer

Dufftown and District Community Association Scottish
Charitable Incorporated Organisation (SCIO) SC023622

Facebook

Get in touch
hello@dufftowncommunity.co.uk
Copyright © DDCA 2020

About Us
Contact Us
Privacy Statement

Subscribe to our newsletter