The Marr Area Partnership (MAP) works with diverse communities of Marr to encourage and enable sustainable development of their economic,
environmental and social future by obtaining grant funding for community groups, a bi monthly E-newsletter and providing advice and facilitation
Maryculter Primary School - 2002
Organised an energy awareness campaign involving staff, pupils and parents, in association with SCARF to reduce energy and water consumption. Have
links with SPRINTS and recycle mobile phones and printer cartridges from the community, £270 earned for school funds to date. Gained EcoSchool Silver
award. All the activities indicated developed to integrate with the school citizenship curriculum
Marykirk Primary School - 2003
A small rural school with limited and uninteresting grounds, the pupils, staff and community have all been involved in a range of measures to achieve
general environmental improvement in school grounds and around village. The works include planting 300 bulbs, installation of tubs, planters and
winter hanging baskets; planned works include planting of shrubs and trees to further improve the grounds and encourage wildlife. 2 murals have also
been created, celebrating the history and interests of the area, in association with the community.
Meldrum School - 1991 (Green Gordon Award)
The creation of a wildlife garden that improved the school grounds and provided a living teaching resource for all the pupils.
Meldrum School - 2010
An area of the school grounds has been set aside as a wildlife garden, and much work has been carried over the last year by many of the older pupils.
The work has included creating a willow tunnel, a willow hut, wildflower areas, a vegetable bed, tree and shrub planting and maintenance on existing
features. The children also made bird-feeders and log benches. The school has also done a good deal to make sure all the children use the area more
as part of their classwork. It has become a fairly rich haven for wildlife in the middle of Oldmeldrum. A successful exercise in raising
environmental awareness as well as creative wildlife conservation
Mid Deeside Ltd, Aboyne - 2004
Bellwood/Ladywood Community Woodlands project - the woodlands at either end of the town have been used for public recreation for many years, with the
co-operation of the woodland landowners and finance from the Scottish Land fund plus monies raised locally, the woodlands have been brought into
community ownership. A woodlands co-ordinator will lead all abilities access projects and be the focal point in developing plans to improve habitat
and diversity within the woodlands in line with the wishes of local residents. Nature days for primary age children and their families will also be
conducted during holiday periods.
Midmar Primary School - 2010
Creation of 'Millenium Garden' and raised vegetable beds. Hedge of trees planted along wall (accessed from Trees for All) Building of plastic bottle
green house. Recycling rain water to water garden. Building of raised beds - growing vegetables used to develop pupils' culinary skills, sell extra
veg to parents. Build and position bird boxes, feed birds. Compost food from lunch and garden waste
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Monymusk Estate & Biodiesel Project - 2009
Sir Archibald Grant and Nicholas Cowan
The estate at Monymusk has, over the last 30 years, invested in a wide variety of environmentally-friendly projects improving the land and the estate
buildings. One of the latest projects has been to run the estate vehicles on bio-diesel, collected from used cooking oil, cleaned and processed on the
estate; the projects go from strength to strength, and this is currently being extended to take in oil from local residents, reducing both waste and
the carbon footprint of the estate.
Monymusk School - 2001
The pupils have been involved in a long term project creating a wild area and garden at the school. They had an official opening at the end of the
summer term. Pupils have worked on its creation from before the drawing board stage, putting forward suggestions, explaining their ideas and choosing what
would finally be constructed. They worked enthusiastically and with real commitment throughout. Features include a greenhouse made of recycled plastic
bottles, living willow shelter structures, a sculpture which they helped to design, a mural depicting woodland creatures, a mosaic, a garden pond and a
mini-meadow for endangered wildflowers and plants. It is very much a whole school venture and an on-going project as new pupils can maintain and add to it
for many years to come.
We were impressed with the way the school uses the wildlife garden in their curriculum. They have a set programme where the wildlife garden is
included in studies twice in each pupil's time at the school. They also have regulate community wildlife gardening events so that they get the wider
community involved in the project.
Monymusk Thrift Shop - 2009
Started in order to raise funds for the village hall, the Thrift Shop now acts as a processing centre for a wide variety of recycling and re-use,
from books and clothing to plants and produce, and have raised a considerable amount of money towards their goals. With a large group of dedicated
volunteers, the Thrift Shop has become an intrinsic part of the village, helping the environment in a very practical way.
The thrift shop opens two mornings a week - Thursdays and Fridays 9.30am to 12.15pm, has also opened on an occasional Saturday. Originally planned as
a short term project it has been so successful that it continues - and grows. It recently held a sale of donated books in the village hall,
complemented by the sale of home-made soup and bakes. Such events on top of the weekly thrift shop provide popular social opportunities for the
locals, and also bring in outsiders.
In harvest-time offers for donation locally grown fresh fruit and vegetables provided by local gardeners. Excess produce is therefore shared around,
proceeds go to the Thrift Shop or to other charities.
Provides a notice board for events and public information. Any donations, such as furniture, too big to display are advertised on this notice board.
The thrift shop obviously encourages people to clear out their homes, wardrobes and book-shelves, witnessed by the continuing quality and quantity of
donations. This ensures re-use without transport and reduces waste to landfill as it provides an easy outlet for items rather than them ending up in
the residual waste.
The thrift shop ensures that nothing is wasted and collects certain items for special re-use such as: "Books for Abroad"; stationery and office
consumables for schools in developing countries; craft materials for various groups (home and abroad); bras for Africa through Oxfam; video cassettes
for Salvation Army distribution in Eastern Europe; toys and books for local play-groups etc. Textiles that don't sell are collected for fund-raising
by the local Brownies who get paid for weight collected.
Mr Gordon Morris - Portlethen - 1997
It is good to recognise the efforts of individuals and this year the Forum are delighted to have Gordon Morris from Portlethen among the award
winners. Mr Morris has for many years worked away quietly giving up his time voluntarily to the care of the environment. A stalwart member of the
Scottish Wildlife Trust he is the main driving force behind the Drums tree nursery, and has recently established the Portlethen Tree Group.
Mud Pies is an education business running environmental classes for young children to discover nature and explore and play outdoors.
Meeting in north-east woods, children attend weekly 90 minute sessions with their parents to find out about the natural world through exploration and play -
from looking for minibeasts and planting mini-meadows to scrambling over logs and making mud pies, it is the only north-east service offering regular outdoor
educational provision for two to five year olds encouraging them to be active, introducing them to new woodland areas and aiming to induce a sense of wonder
about the natural world, hoping this will instil social responsibility towards the environment into adulthood.
Murray Park, Alford - 1992 (Green Gordon Award)
An area that has been set aside for many years as a site for the people of Alford to enjoy. Well managed for both people and wildlife.
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