This interesting document was published recently. The key figure I’ll take from it is that 22% of Aberdeenshire’s population is aged 65 or over. I also tend to forget just how many people live in Aberdeenshire – over 264,000!
Perennials for Pollinators 2024
Festive events 2023
Lots of local events over December. If you want yours included on this list, please let me know.
Tickets going fast! Availability above was at 4pm 3rd December. Centre Stage event tickets from TicketSource.
Science with Santa – Aberdeen Science Centre
Join Santa’s cheeky elves at Aberdeen Science Centre on the 16th OR 17th December as we dream of a white Christmas!
Step into the festive laboratory where we will learn how to make fake snow and get crafty creating your own festive decorations, using scientific processes. Santa’s merry helpers will be guiding you all the way and 
Santa himself will be stopping by the lab! Santa will spend time at each group for family photos and a wrapped gift for each child!
This workshop costs £18 per child and includes: Participation in the Science with Santa Workshop (45 mins), A Christmas gift, A photo opportunity with Santa, 1 hour on the exhibition floor, Two accompanying adult tickets
This event is suitable for children 4+.
Maryculter Trinity Church events:
COSLA – Save our services
Everything you need to know about the impact of the Scottish
Government’s December budget on your council services and
your community in 2023… unless Scottish Government spending
plans change to Save Our Services
Festive Events 2022 – updated 16th Dec
Here are some local festive events – by no means not all, but what I’ve been informed about or found on my FB feed. (Events taking place before the update on 9th December have been deleted, a few more have been added.)
Newtonhill’s Santa Run (10th/11th) has been cancelled.
**17th Cancelled**
Tabletop Portlethen will be having two FREE Christmas party game sessions at Portlethen Church Hall on Saturday 10th and 17th from 3pm – 5pm. Team games and family favourites (think Pictionary and Codenames) will be available to play alongside our regular games. Hot choc and mince pies provided.
The booking link is open for the NVA Kids’ Christmas Party. PLEASE read the information below carefully before you book.
The party is open to all children who go to/will go to/are zoned for Newtonhill Primary school, and is open to all up to and including P7s.
We have 120 spaces at the party for children, 120 for parents and 10 for volunteers. Therefore, we ask that only one adult comes with each child. The Public Entertainment License for the hall sets a limit of 250 people and we cannot exceed this. Therefore you must make sure on the booking form that you name *everyone* who will be coming to the party.
You must accompany your child(ren) for the duration of the party.
This year’s party is free of charge – a gift from the NVA to the kids. The party will still include snacks and drinks and a gift from Santa as usual.
If you feel that you would like to make a donation however, you might consider either a cash donation, or a donation of food, cleaning products or toiletries, which will be donated to The Haven in Stonehaven and the Portlethen Larder.
NVA Kids’ Christmas Party (google.com)
South Aberdeenshire Free Christmas Lunch
We are back bigger and better this year. For Christmas 2022 we are looking not only for those guests that have attended before and who would be on their own but we are also looking for people struggling with the current cost of living crisis.
Times are hard with energy costs and spiralling inflation rises so if you, your family or anyone you know are struggling to afford Christmas dinner this year then please get in contact.
We are also broadening our search across the whole of south Aberdeenshire, From Portlethen to Laurencekirk we are looking for people that would benefit from an invite to our free Christmas dinner. Please spread the word and let us know of anyone to invite or if you want to volunteer.
Winter storms – where to find information
Edit 9/12/22 Grit bin locations: Aberdeenshire Map Layers – Aberdeenshire
For the latest information on any current events – Weather alert – Aberdeenshire Council
Weather warnings – UK weather warnings – Met Office
Flooding Information
Flood warnings – https://floodline.sepa.org.uk/floodupdates/
Council sandbag locations – https://www.aberdeenshire.gov.uk/environment/flooding/sand-bags/
Some community councils also have sandbags and flooding preparations https://www.aberdeenshire.gov.uk/communities-and-events/community-councils/community-council-contacts/
Rain and flooding advice – http://bit.ly/RainandFlooding
School Closures
School closures and transport changes – Aberdeenshire Council
School Closures | Aberdeen City Council
Travel
Traffic Scotland | Trunk road traffic updates & route planner
Winter service | Transport Scotland
Service Updates – Find Out If Your Bus Is Running | Stagecoach (stagecoachbus.com)
Jubilee Plans
There are a few public events in the area to celebrate the Platinum Jubilee, Beacons will be lit across the country, including at Dunnottar Castle.
Events in Newtonhill:
The Bettridge Centre has posted this event:
Remember to get this date in your diary folks! Wednesday 1st June!!
Celebrate the Queens Jubilee in style with a FREE cuppa, fine piece and a chat as part of our ReActive8 project. Please let us know if you’re coming so we can ensure there are enough fine pieces!
We would love to see some new faces, everyone is welcome. Come and join us 
If you are in the Cookney area, you could visit the community hall:
Election Success!
I am delighted to be elected as one of the councillors for North Kincardine. I’ve been working towards this for the past nine months – so getting this job really is like having a baby! All of the effort has paid off – but now the real work begins.
I cannot thank outgoing councillor Ian Mollison enough. From that first phone call asking if I’d consider this, to him being with with me at the count, he’s been a wise and supportive mentor.
I’ve had a brilliant team of Scottish Liberal Democrats around me. We are all striving to be the local champions people need. I intend to do that throughout the next five years. I’ll be out at community events and meetings, I’ll listen, I’ll keep in touch, and I’ll always keep the most vulnerable in mind when making decisions.
A week in the life of a candidate
As I write this, there are only 14 days left of being a candidate. From the initial call to ask if I’d be interested in standing (all the way back in early summer summer last year) through the Lib Dem selection process, sooooo many hours of online group training and one-to-one mentorship from Cllr Ian Mollison, to these last weeks before polling day, it’s been quite the experience!
Here’s a wee rundown of what I’ve been up to in just the past week.
Thanks to some brilliant volunteers (and my husband and kids), we got 5000 Focus leaflets delivered in Portlethen and Newtonhill by Easter Monday.
On Monday I attended the North Kincardine Rural Community Council meeting on zoom. I’ve been going along to these for months and really enjoy them – well run, efficient and very friendly. Cllr Mollison has written up an account of the meeting Focus on the rural area | Ian Mollison (mycouncillor.org.uk)
Wednesday evening was the in-person Newtonhill, Muchalls and Cammachmore Community Council meeting in Skateraw Hall. Again, you can find an account at the meeting here Spotlight on Newtonhill area | Ian Mollison (mycouncillor.org.uk) . Another friendly meeting, though I was slightly discombobulated by the recently-returned Chair (who hadn’t met me before), initially refusing my request to speak on one issue, as he knew I was a candidate. Rest assured, no sales pitch ensued! I shared my experience as a parent in Portlethen of having ‘two schools in one building’ in the run up to a new school being opened. The problems in Portlethen were solely down to the delay in getting the go-ahead to build Hillside School, meaning Portlethen Primary became massively over capacity. Having Hillside School ‘grow’ inside the Portlethen Primary building actually worked really well. The plans for a primary school in Chapelton are well in hand and I foresee a similar, positive experience of sharing premises for Newtonhill and the fledgling of Chapelton when the time comes.
During the Easter holidays other candidates, helpers and Alex Cole-Hamilton came to Portlethen for a morning of knocking on doors and talking to people. From those chats, I’ve then been investigating various issues for people this week – putting them in touch with the right people to help, investigating an issue over dropped kerbs, having face to face chats to see what else can be done.
Also this week:
- Had a response to my letter to Stagecoach about accessibility issues, redirecting my queries to another department. Updated resident.
- Helped at the Fine Piece Cafe on Wednesday, then spent time chatting to folk who had some questions for me before voting day.
- Wrote more literature to go out to some voters in the next week – including to first time voters, telling them what the Liberal Democrats stand for and where to get more information.
- Signed up for the NEAT spring clean coming up on the 30th April.
- Attended a multi-party support session for women standing in these council elections.
- Continued to keep an eye on social media for interesting and/or informative posts to share on my Facebook page (1) Mel Sullivan, North Kincardine | Facebook
This is what I’ve been up to the past week, hope you’ve found it a useful indicator of how I’d be as a councillor, if elected.
Help with the cost of living crisis
Updates 31/08/22
Aberdeenshire Council has a page of handy links Cost of living crisis – Aberdeenshire Council. There is also a UK government site Help for Households – Get government cost of living support.
Jack Monroe is an expert in ‘cooking on a bootstrap’. Their website is here with dozens of excellent, low cost recipes.
If you haven’t heard of Martin Lewis, check out the Money Saving Expert website for advice on finding the best deals, offers and freebies.
Food price inflation, heating costs shooting up, NI rise, tax increases… it’s all getting a bit too much for many of us nowadays. If you are struggling, please know that you’re not alone. Below are links and information on how to get support. I will endeavour to keep this up to date – I expect it will grow and grow. Suggestions welcome.
Home Energy Advice Team (HEAT)
The Home Energy Advice Team (HEAT) provide free and impartial advice on energy efficiency and reducing fuel costs tailored to your property and circumstances.
More information about HEAT and how they can help you is available on Scarf’s website. Or you can call HEAT on freephone 0808 129 0888 or email heat@scarf.org.uk
Energy efficiency improvements: grants and support
Whether you are planning to insulate your home, replace your boiler or install a renewable technology like solar panels, there’s help and advice available. To find out which grants, schemes and incentives are on offer, visit the Energy Saving Trust website, or call Home Energy Scotland on 0808 808 2282 for free, expert advice.
Tax and benefits
You may be able to get a 25% discount on your Council Tax bill if you are the only adult living in a property. This discount reduces your Council Tax, water and sewerage charges. There are several other ways you may be able to reduce your tax burden. Council Tax discounts and exemptions – Aberdeenshire Council
Housing Benefit – Aberdeenshire Council Housing Benefit has been replaced by Universal Credit for working age people. You can only make a new claim for Housing Benefit if one of the following applies:
- You are a pensioner
- You live in temporary (homeless) accommodation provided by Aberdeenshire Council
- You live in supported accommodation where you receive care, support or supervision
Contact Benefits team
Aberdeenshire Council Support and Advice Team can help with Housing Benefit, Council Tax Reduction, Blue Badges, Free School Meals, School Clothing Grants and Scottish Welfare fund enquiries.
The team are available Monday to Friday from 9am to 5pm by:
- Email: asat@aberdeenshire.gov.uk
- Phone: 03456 08 12 00
- Letter: PO Box 18533, Inverurie, AB51 5WX
Emotional support
Mental Health and Psychological Wellbeing Support (nhsgrampian.org)
Food support
The Larder & Covid Support Portlethen & Surrounding Areas | Facebook. Community larder based in Portlethen.
Community Larder – The Haven Community larder based in Stonehaven.
Other support
Debt and money – Citizens Advice Scotland Debt happens. Please reach out.
Home-Start Kincardine (homestartkincardine.org) Support by parents, for parents of children aged 5 and under.