Christmas Cheer 2023

Thanks to some funding  from The MacRobert Trust  we were able to deliver our Christmas Cheer goody bags to residents in Aboyne , Dinnet, Tarland and Logie Coldstone areas. We had some great help from Aboyne Academy pupils and some volunteers from the community. Our bags have been very well received and we had lots of lovely door step chats with folk. Each bag was carefully packed with christmas treats, useful aids and things to look forward to in the New Year.  Here is a selection of the many photos we took.

We had a wonderful lunch at World Horse Welfare in the middle of December with memebrs from both our Tarland and Aboyne Social Spaces enjoying a fantastic meal. Looking at these photos everyone thoroughly enjoyed themselves.

❤️ We are delighted to tell you that we are launching our Christmas Cheer 2023 campaign. Last year we hand delivered 350 care bundles  to some of our most vulnerable people in our communities. The wee bundles this year will include Christmas gifts, as well as practical presents. We love doing this each year and we know they make a difference it makes, especially to  older people on their own.

In order for it to be its usual success we need your help. If you know of someone in Tarland, Logie Coldtone, Dinnet or Aboyne areas please drop us an email at [email protected] with their name and address or pop it in one of our special postboxes in local shops, and we will do the rest. T h a n k y o u ❤️

We are delighted to have two local authors coming back to talk to us this Autumn/Winter. Both talks will be in Aboyne Library from 4-6 pm. Simon Welfare is talking on Thursday 23 November about his book The Resurrection Days- On The Trail of Aberdeenshire's Bodysnatchers and Suzie Edge will be talking about her new book Vital Organs date to be confirmed. Two fascinating books by two very engaging authors. There will be light refreshments before each talk and a chance to talk to the authors and grab a signed copy of their books. To book your space please email [email protected] now!

Thanks to funding from The MacRobert Trust we had a wonderful day out to Balmoral and Braemar on 20th July. We had a bus load and several cars that spent a lovely day nosing round Balmoral Castle inside and out then tea with scones with jam and clotted cream before heading up to The Braemar Highland Games Centre to explore the Museum and then lunch. The weather managed to stay dry right up until we got back on the bus. 

We have lots of fun in our Social Spaces at Aboyne Library and Cromar Court in Tarland. Aboyne Social Space starts up again on Fridays starting with 25th August after the school holidays and Tarland Social Space continues through the summer at Cromar Court in Tarland on Mondays. Both Social Spaces run 10-12 .

We do many different activities with our members during Social Space including quizzes, games, singing and even VR!

We are delighted to announce that we are opening up a new Warm Space in Tarland starting Monday 9th Janaury 2023. This will take place in the cosy Day Room at Cromar Court in Tarland every Monday and Thursday from 10-12noon up until the end of March 2023. Pop along for a cuppa and a blether, read the papers, meet up with old and new friends. You will be sure of a very warm welcome. Special thanks to Castlehill Houisng Association and The MacRobert Trust.

Thursday 12th January 2023 will stay with us here at Young At Heart Deeside for some time. At Aboyne & Mid Deeside Community shed we met His Majesty the King. We were invited to attend with other organisations who work with vulnerable people to meet the King. Aileen and Hayley spent several minutes chatting with him, explaining what we do and showing him how we do it. He was very interested and informed and put us at our ease immediately. We presented him with a copy of 'Modren Makars' a Scots Poetry book published by Tarland based Poerty Press, Tapsalteerie. He seemed delighted with it. Official Photo credits to Bob Thorp

We are delighted to announce that our Wee Bundle of Christmas Cheer Campaign will be running again this year. we have been very lucky in receiving funding from the AVA Communities Mental Health and Wellbeing Fund to enable us to hand deliver over 300 goody bags to older people in Aboyne and Tarland. Preparation is well underway and we are delighted that our friends at Aboyne Academy will help us deliver these. for more information contact [email protected]

We are delighted to be working with Aboyne Academy and Live Life Aberdeenshire running a twice weekly Warm Space in Aboyne Library. On Tuesdays and Fridays 11.15 - 1pm anyone can pop along for a chat, hot drinks and soup, play a board game, do some knitting or just relax and read some papers. You will be sure of a very warm welcome.

We are back and we cant wait to see you. We have lots planned over the next few months and we want to share it all with you. To kick it off, and to celebrate Aberdeenshire Wellbeing Festival, we will be at the Aboyne Farmers Market on Saturday 14th May along with lots of wonderful stall holders. Come and sign up for some free activities, drop in for a chat, tell us what you've missed and pick up a few treats. You can't miss us in our red gazebo, flags and hoodies. We are there from 10-2 pm. Tell your friends and spread the word!

During December 2021 we were delighted to hand deliver over 300 Wee Bundles of Christmas Cheer to care homes, sheltered housing residents and local residents in the villages of Aboyne and Tarland. We had wonderful support from many local businesses including The Corner House Aboyne, The Paper Shop Tarland, Tarland Toyshop and Post Office, The Seed Box Ltd and Tapsalteerie who helped provide us with goodie to fill our bags. with the help of Aboyne Academy pupils we had a lovely time hand delivering them and stopping for doorstep news with folk. This is the second year we have done this and who knows who we will be delivering to next Year! Thank you to everyone for all the lovely thank you notes and messages we are delighted you like them.