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Have you got an idea for a community project in Dufftown and District? Or are you already working on a great initiative that needs financial support? There are currently various different funding opportunities available in Moray:

tsiMoray Just Transition Participatory Budgeting

Deadline: November 14th 2022

Up to £50,000

Capital expenditure of equipment towards Net Zero. Project needs to be completed by the end of this financial year

 

tsiMoray/National Lottery Community Wellbeing

Deadline: November 21st 2022

Up to £2,000

Any project that concerns community wellbeing

 

Dorenell Community Benefit Fund

Deadline: November 30th 2022

Up to £30,000

For community-led, charitable activities and provides benefit to people living in the fund area.

 

Community Led Local Development Fund

Deadline: December 5th 2022

Information and guidance still to be published

 

tsiMoray Mental Health & Wellbeing Fund

Deadline: January 9th 2023

Up to £12,000

Any project that concerns adult mental health and wellbeing

 

Moray Council Town Centre Greening Space

Deadline: February 3rd 2023

Up to £5,000

For purchasing of planting material for green spaces in Dufftown

 

Moray Council Sport and Culture Hardship Fund

No deadline

Up to £300 annually

The fund is to be used to support children & young people under 18yrs to access funding for leisure and recreation opportunities outwith the school setting.  The fund will also support individuals between 18-25 years old to access a training/education course outwith school/further education that can support them into employment or develop key life skills.

 

DDCA microgrants

On a rolling basis

Up to £1000

For ‘charitable purposes to the general benefit of local residents, including individuals and non-constituted groups’.

We strive to continuously improve the ways we communicate with our members and supporters. So from now on, we will have DDCA newsletters to be circulated on a monthly basis! Why not have a read of the November newsletter and see how you can get involved in local community action this coming month.

Click here for the DDCA November newsletter

Want to make sure you don’t miss our newsletters? Go to the very bottom of our website to sign up and receive them straight to your inbox!

 

While I’m writing this, the leaves are turning yellow, insects are finding places to hibernate and the birds are well under way migrating. As the seasons turn, DDCA’s community development leader is taking a little break.

This summer was great. Lots of good weather, beautiful evenings and I got into lots of fun projects in my garden. I also  did some travelling around Scotland to see friends and family I hadn’t seen in a long time. This summer was also pretty busy! Me and the volunteers in DDCA ran lots of fun events like the Dufftown wellbeing week and the Clocktower abseil. A lot has also happened behind the scenes, like working on a business plan for the Clocktower, setting up the DDCA community car and renting out bikes.

As we’re moving into autumn and things start to wind down, I too will take a little break. While I have been writing weekly blogs for nearly 8 months now, they will pause for October and resume in November. My challenge to you all is to take a moment, stop, and notice the changes of nature around you this time of year. If you have any beautiful photos of autumnal Dufftown, please send them our way! As always, you can get in touch with the DDCA on e-mail on facebook.

The Keith and Dufftown Railway Association (KDRA) is working on a very exciting project – a dram tram! This week I went along to have a look at all the progress they have made the last couple of months. 

With the ambition and hard work of the KDRA volunteers, an old carriage is being restored into a whisky-themed dram tram. Every detail has been carefully thought through. During the past months, a carpet has gone in, curtains have been tailored, lamps have been installed, and windows have been painted.

The most exciting addition is the custom-made barrel bar that has finally gone in! One of the volunteers, John, is about to make a bar lamp made out of copper pipes. 

The dram tram will consist of three areas. There will be a whisky snug, suitable for whisky tastings. In the remaining areas there will be barrel-lidded tables and comfy leather seats. If you want to make a financial donation towards a table or seat, get in touch with the KDRA team. Once the dram tram is up and running, it is estimated that it will hold up to 30 people. It is an exciting addition to the KDRA fleet and we can’t wait to see the final result. 

If you want to volunteer at the railway, just get in touch with the KDRA team. 

Interested in trying an e-bike but not quite sure? Come and give it a go!

For the rest of September, we are offering a week hire of our hybrid bikes for £40 and a month hire for £80. 

Dufftown and District offers a great number of paths and trails for cycling. Using an e-bike is a great way of exploring them. For those that have never used an e-bike before, fear not. It is easy to use and we will show you all the details when you collect it from us. All our bikes come with a helmet, bike lock, battery charger, puncture repair kit, pump and a few useful maps of good cycling routes in the area.

Below is a video of the DDCAs latest e-bike led ride in the Cabrach:

The September offer is limited to 4 of our Raleigh bikes:

https://dufftowncommunity.co.uk/…/ebike-motus-tour…/

https://dufftowncommunity.co.uk/…/ebike-motus-tour…/

https://dufftowncommunity.co.uk/…/ebike-motus-tour…/

https://dufftowncommunity.co.uk/…/ebike-motus-centro…/

Book online or call 07498 151441.

Do you need a car sometimes, but not often enough to justify buying one? Do you already have one car, but now and again need a second one? Or do you use public transport but need to go somewhere beyond the bus routes? The DDCA has a community car that you can rent! 

Having access to a car is essential for most people living in rural Scotland. Many of us live in areas where public transport is simply not available. Cars give us freedom in terms of being able to travel whenever you want as well as transporting bulkier items not easy to carry. That said, owning a car is not cheap. Costs include not only fuel but also purchasing the vehicle, insurance, MOT and servicing. That’s where different types of car sharing come in useful. Shared transport can take the form of formal car clubs with memberships. These are becoming more popular, especially in larger towns and cities. Shared transport can also be peer-to-peer models, where several households share one car. Given that research has found the average car in the UK to be parked up 23 hours per day, car sharing can decrease costs while maximising potential use of our resources. 

The DDCA purchased an electric car in February 2021 and we worked with The Moray Council to secure Dufftown’s first electric car charger in the Mortlach Memorial Hall Carpark. Acknowledging the need for sustainable and flexible transport options in Dufftown and District, we have explored different possibilities to make the car available for the community to use. First, we looked at setting up a more formal car club. But we quickly found barriers in terms of getting insurance. Instead, we found a peer-to-peer solution. The DDCA car can now be rented on a car sharing app called Hiyacar. Anyone can register, book the car and collect it from the Memorial Hall car park.

We are still figuring out the best ways to run the community car scheme, and need your help to test it out. Please get in touch if you want to pilot the scheme. We can set up a time convenient for you and go through the booking system and car details with you. 

Thanks to CoMoUK and tsiMoray for supporting our car sharing club with funding.

On Wednesday 31st of August, DDCA organised a public meeting to discuss the options for the clocktower and our next steps. 19 participants attended and it was great to hear everyone’s thoughts and ideas. 

DDCA took ownership of the clocktower from Moray Council in 2020. The priorities are: 1) keep the clock going 2) do something with the inside of the building 3) do something with the outside around the building. During the past year and a half, we have had a fabric condition survey carried out by a heritage architect. The building is in need of some essential repairs, which a quantity surveyor provided a budget estimate for. With this information, we have applied for a couple of grants to carry out the repairs, but the applications have unfortunately been unsuccessful. The feedback on the applications suggests that we need to do more to demonstrate how the building will be financially sustainable in the long run. We have taken on the feedback and with the support from Highlands and Islands Enterprise, we currently have a consultancy to help us with the business plan. They have engaged with both Moray Council and the community. Last night they presented a few different options of what the building could be used for in the future. If you couldn’t attend the meeting last night, the presentation can be found here: Dufftown Clock Tower Community Meeting Presentation.

A key part dictating the options available is building regulations. The clocktower is a listed building and its tall height makes it difficult to meet certain fire regulations. In light of this, the preferred option presented was to use the ground floor as a public, multi-use space for the community and the upper floors as holiday accommodation. We had a great discussion about this option, with lots of useful suggestions and considerations. If you have any thoughts, please get in touch either with ourselves or Delfinity consultancy. The feedback will be anonymous and fed into the business plan. 

The next steps from here are to start up a Clocktower working group. Anyone is welcome to join. We will meet monthly to discuss new information and funding applications. I will also send out monthly updates. Let me know if you want to receive these. If you want to support the project with a written statement, I have created a Statement of support. We will use these in any future funding applications. The clocktower is such an exciting opportunity to do something great for the town and community. I’m really looking forward to the next few months, building on the momentum we started at the public meeting earlier this week. Again, thanks to everyone who came and shared their views and support. 

Last Saturday, August 20th, DDCA together with Outfit Moray organised a day of abseiling from the clocktower. Participants could choose to go off from the rooftop or through the top floor window. 21 brave souls abseiled from the roof and 13 abseilers made their way down from the top window. 

On the morning of the event, the climbing experts and instructors from Outfit Moray set up all the rope work, while the rest of us coned off parts of the street. Participants put on the harnesses and helmets on the ground floor to then climb the long spiral staircase up through the tower to the top. To get on to the roof, participants were guided by the instructors up through a ceiling window. Definitely an adventure in itself! Although the first few abseilers of the day experienced some rain, the clouds cleared quickly and we had glorious sunshine for the rest of the day. 

Rikki Clark was photographer on the day and got some great shots of the abseilers. In the photos, there are lots of good facial expressions as folk prepare to descend the tower. You can have a look at the photos on Outfit Moray’s facebook page. 

Back in spring when Outfit Moray approached the DDCA to start planning the event I said I definitely would not abseil as I am scared of heights. However, after having watched over 30 people do it and seeing their happiness afterwards, I decided last minute to give it a go. I wasn’t brave enough to tackle the roof but I did abseil from the window. As it is a rare chance you get to abseil off the Dufftown clocktower, I’m really glad I did it. 

 

The participants have been fantastic with fundraising money towards Outfit Moray and DDCA. With this financial support, we will be able to tackle some of the most urgent repairs on the clocktower. If you want to get involved with the restoration of the clocktower or hear more about the project, we are organising a public meeting about it next Wednesday 31st of August 7-8pm at the Glassworks Cafe here in Dufftown. We will talk about what we have done so far and the current situation, with time for questions, feedback and opportunities to get involved. It is a big project and the more the community works on it together the better the outcome will be!

As always, I’d love to hear from you. Just get in touch if you have any questions or comments.

Last week we organised a wellbeing week here in Dufftown and District. The aim of the week was to create opportunities for people to meet up, learn new skills and in the long-run improve their overall mental and physical wellbeing. We believe that a person’s wellbeing is connected to their sense of connection with others and feeling empowered to have control over their own lives. Therefore, all the workshops and events during the week were designed to be interactive and confidence-building.

Starting off the wellbeing week, Alison from Chilling Women came over from Huntly to teach us about the benefits of essential oils and alternative therapies. Together, we made lavender-infused hand cream and practised relaxation through hand massage. It was a very informative session and we’d love to have Alison back to Dufftown soon!

Our DDCA Trustee, volunteer and fellow Dufftown resident June ran a workshop on planting up beautiful pots for the garden. With participants ranging from the age of 10 to 70, it is clear that gardening is for everyone. We learned how to make up plant soil and which plants are suitable for pots. Most importantly, we had fun and built confidence in ‘just going for it’!

In a similar fashion, at our nourishing cooking workshop Sandra from Moray Food Plus showed us how to have fun and experiment with cooking. We made three main courses in under two hours. With the current cost-of-living crisis, it was a plus that all ingredients were cheap yet nourishing.

On the Friday, local artist Morag Tweedie led an experimental printing workshop. Using materials that most of us will have at home, like forks and leaves, we created some impressive prints. While I used to play and write music when I was younger, I don’t use my creative part of the brain as much these days and I was surprised at how difficult it was for me to let go and enjoy myself. As adults, I don’t think we spend enough time learning through play as we used to do as kids. However, as the workshop went on I became more and more comfortable with not having to make something look “perfect” and just have fun with it instead. 

The most adventurous event of them all was the Cabrach eBike ride in collaboration with Dorenell Ranger Service, Outfit Moray and Cycling UK. We covered 37 km of varied terrain along the Glenfiddich trails. It definitely improved our confidence levels of what we are capable of on a bike! The weather could not have been better and we took our time exploring the beautiful landscape and features of the Cabrach. I’m really looking forward to organising more led rides with Dorenell Ranger Service, Outfit Moray and Cycling UK.

Last but not least, Donna Dragonfly Yoga ran an all-ability yoga session at the Memorial Hall. Donna showed us how even the smallest of movements can make a difference to how the body feels and moves. A perfectly relaxing way to finish off the wellbeing week.

The wellbeing week exceeded my expectations. It was lovely meeting new people and learning new skills from local tutors and organisations. We want to build on this experience and showcase more of the many local skills we have in Dufftown and District. One of the participants from the week has already started thinking of what skills they can share with the rest of the community at future DDCA wellbeing sessions. Please do get in touch if you have an idea or suggestion on what we should do next to boost wellbeing – I’d love to hear from you. 

Last week I cycled down to the Keith and Dufftown Railway and met with their volunteers. I can easily say it was the highlight of my week!  

The heritage railway is run by volunteers who improve, maintain and run the trains. On top of the regular fares, they also put on themed events, such as a Teddy weekend, fish supper and a 1940s weekend. One of their current projects is the ‘Dram Tram’. The volunteers are completely refurbishing the internals of the carriage to create a whisky inspired experience. They have even sourced a bespoke bar made out of whisky barrels. If you want to support the Dram Tram, you can get in touch with them to donate money towards a table or chairs, which will have your name on them. I look forward to seeing the finished product. 

I also learned that KDRA have recently been upgrading their tracks at the Dufftown station. With the help from RAF engineers and their 3 young workers through the Scottish Government Kickstarter programme, they have now installed a second line at the Dufftown terminus. A lot of hard work and dedication has gone into the work. 

Thanks to the Dorenell Windfarm microgrant delivered through the DDCA, the railway now has a sturdy bike stand on the platform. Why not rent our DDCA eBikes, cycle down to the station and head over to Keith for the day? Don’t forget to treat yourself to something from the Sidings Cafe. I think it would be a great day out. 

The highlight of my visit was of course driving the train. Bruce showed me the ropes (or rather all the spokes) and off we went for about 30 metres to connect the locomotive to the carriage. I have never been so excited driving 5 miles per hour! 

Running a heritage railway requires a lot of work and money. I am well impressed with what the KDRA volunteers have achieved over the years. If you are looking for a great day out while supporting a local community group, head down to the Keith and Dufftown Railway station! 

Trains run twice per day on Friday to Sunday between April and October. Tickets can be booked online or at the station.