Udny Community Trust Events
Our regular events are as follows. Please also see our Events Page
Although we have our regular events, we are very reactive to requests from the community. Whether it be from people who have a skill that they would like to share or if there is a demand for something such as a support group, we always do our best to incorporate them into what we do.
Please note that we now have a new Office Manager and we are in the process of updating all our publicity. We welcome Ruth Cluness to this new role and she can be contacted by telephoning 01651 843776 or by emailing manager@udnycommunitytrust.org.uk for all things Trust related!
Baby & Toddler Stay & Play. TERM TIME ONLY. Every Monday, 10.00am to 12noon, Quarry Room. Re-starts Monday 26th August! We are delighted to have joined forces with our local Health Visitor, a representative from NHS Grampian for Breast Feeding and an NHS Grampian Nursery Nurse who drop-in on certain sessions to provide support and advice.
Open Doors. TERM TIME ONLY. Every Tuesday, 2.30pm to 4.30pm, Quarry Room. Re-starts Tuesday 3rd September! Open Doors was started to provide the Community with a welcoming and warm meeting space. It regularly attracts 30 to 40 people each week across the generations. Have a cuppa, blether, laugh, play with games or do some crafts. Children must be accompanied by an adult.
Udny Health Walk. Every Tuesday, 10.00am to 11.45am. Meet in the front garden of The Medan Centre. These run throughout the year thanks to our great team of Volunteers. What is a Health Walk? Click here to find out! Udny Health Walk began in early 2017 and has grown in numbers and popularity ever since! Join this friendly group for a gentle walk around Pitmedden followed by tea, coffee and a fine piece from Cafe48 in the Quarry Room afterwards. Even if you not able to walk, a warm welcome awaits you in the Quarry Room to join the chat afterwards.
Quiet Games Afternoon. TERM TIME ONLY. Every Tuesday, 1.30pm to 3.00pm, Quarry Room. Re-starts Tuesday 20th August! Fancy playing a game, maybe Rummikub, whist or a card game. This is an adults only group. Everyone welcome.
Waist Watchers. Thursdays, 9.15am to 9.45am, Quarry Room. An informal support group for those looking to lose weight or simply improve their health.
Conversation Cafe. Head to our Local Events page for more information! A different speaker with a different topic each Cafe. Tea, coffee and a fine piece from Cafe48 served afterwards.
Guided Walks. Head to our Local Events page for more information! Join us for a guided walk around the area. Please note that these walks are longer and are a faster pace than the Udny Health Walk.
Swap Shop. Head to our Local Events page for more information! We are delighted to have partnered with Udny Climate Action for what is now very successful community swap shop events.
Repair Cafe. Head to our Local Events page for more information! We are delighted to have partnered with Udny Climate Action for this new event for 2024.
Craft Workshops. Head to our Local Events page for more information! We are delighted to have partnered with Threads & Yarns, Udny Climate Action and Udny Community Shelf to offer craft workshops using items left over from our Swap Shops! See below for 2024 dates.
Community Summer Fayre. Date for 2025's yet to be released. Yearly. We held our first Community Summer Fayre on Saturday 1st July 2023 and it was a great success with 2024's building on that!
Community Christmas Fayre. Saturday 30th November. We held our first Community Christmas Fayre in December 2022 and it was a great success!
Please also like our Facebook page to keep up to date with all our events Udny Community Trust Facebook Page
Other Things Happening at The Medan Centre
Peterhead Fish Company. Fridays, 2.30pm to 2.45pm in The Medan Centre car park.
Udny Community Shelf. Saturdays, 9.30am to 1.30pm in their trailer in The Medan Centre car park.
Other Bits and Pieces
Community Noticeboard and Book Swap. In the Quarry Room we have created a community noticeboard which displays all manner of community information. We have also created a Book Swap where you can swap with a book that you have read or simply pick one up. A small supply of jigsaws are also available. We are grateful to a small team of Volunteers who run this on our behalf.
Kate's Childminding Community Library. We were approached by Kate and the children that she looks after, asking if they could place a re-purposed rabbit hutch with children's books in our grounds. And of course we said yes! It can be found at the bottom of the steps of the Trust Office door. There's even a picnic blanket if the weather is fine to sit and read on our front lawn! Available Spring to Autumn.
Litter picking. We have litter picking equipment available if you fancy giving Pitmedden a wee tidy. Just pop-in past when Cafe48 is open and ask us to borrow a litter picker and we will also provide bags and gloves.
We have registered with NEOS, North East Open Studios, and would welcome any local artist who would like to use The Medan Centre during this popular yearly event. We also stock a supply of directories so please pop-in past for one!
Imagine Udny
In 2018 with the help of a grant from the Scottish Government, we commissioned a large community consultation and the report Imagine Udny was produced which has since been used to help demonstrate the wishes of the community to key decision makers. We continue to use Imagine Udny as a tool to keep on track as to what the community wants.
To view and / or download the Imagine Udny report please click below.
Imagine Udny Update
Imagine Udny was a report produced back in 2018 which was the result of a large community consultation which has been used to help demonstrate the wishes of the community to key decision makers. Since 2018 we have used the Imagine Udny report as a tool to keep on track as to what the community wants.
We interviewed several students who were interested in delivering the Update and Kai Dutton was the successful candidate. Kai settled well into the Trust and from day one engaged with the community, created a questionnaire, promoted it, and then analysed the results.
And below are the findings! There's also a brief note on how to interpret the tables and graphical information!
Click here to view the questionnaire that was created.
Click here to read the Imagine Udny Past Present Future report.
The results of each section of the questionnaire are below.
Click here to view demographics results.
Click here to view The Udny Community Trust, Cafe48 and The Medan Centre results.
Click here to view the paths results.
Click here to view the parks results.
Click here to view the green spaces results.
Click here to view the facilities results.
Click here to view the public transport results.
Click here to view the schools results.
Click here to view the sustainability results.
Click here to view the activities results.
The Medan Centre
The Medan Centre and it's refurbishment and re-development has been our main project since we purchased it in March 2020, the week before lockdown! And it will continue to be so for the foreseeable future.
The building which was previously in use as a small hotel, restaurant and bar, had been empty for more
than a year before we bought it. It's interior was dated and was in desperate need of updating and the grounds and garden were neglected and overgrown.
All we could do in March 2020 was arrange the change-over of utilities and secure the building until lockdown restrictions began to ease in August 2020 and we could then slowly began to breathe life back into the building.
A large majority of the work has been carried out by Volunteers. We will forever be indebted to them for giving us their time, expertise and dedication in helping us to getting The Medan Centre to where it is today.
So far we have, in no particular order!
Established a new Trust Office.
Established Cafe48. Refurbished the 2 front rooms creating a brand new servery and brought the kitchen back to life.
Established a new Cafe Manager's Office.
Re-decorated the Cafe toilets.
Created a new accessible toilet for the Cafe on it's level.
Created a utility room for the Cafe from part of the old bar area.
Installed an accessible lift at the Cafe front door.
Created the Quarry Room from the old restaurant area. Used for additional Cafe48 seating and Trust events.
Created a new accessible entrance to the Quarry Room.
Created 3 meeting rooms for hire and a kitchen from the old upstairs bedrooms.
Restored the garden and grounds including major tree surgery works.
Created a thriving productive vegetable patch.
Installed a bike shelter and tool station.
Re-surfaced the car park.
Current projects that we are working on
Creation of a new accessible ramp at the Cafe front door.
Replacement of the Quarry Room flat roof. We are on borrowed time with this roof!
Development of the Gilmorton Suite. A multi-use are where the bar once was.
Have a look at this video that we were featured in to find out more (scroll to 33:05). It features our previous Development Officer Yvonne McLeod who played an important part in securing funding for The Medan Centre and was instrumental in the early days of getting The Medan Centre open after Covid.
The Medan Centre Garden
Our dedicated Volunteer Wullie has transformed the grounds of The Medan Centre ever since he joined us not long after the Covid restrictions began to ease in August 2020.
So far Wullie has, in no particular order!
Tidied up and every corner of The Medan Grounds grounds.
Planted new plants to attract the bees and butterflies.
Restored the front lawn to a lush green area of grass.
Set-up a composting system.
Provided feeding stations and bird boxes for the birds.
Set-up and established a small productive greenhouse.
The biggest difference that Wullie has made has to be the creation of a thriving and productive vegetable garden out of a neglected and overgrown border at the very front of The Medan Centre. Wullie can be found most days tending to this and if you are ever passing by he is more than happy to have a chat with you about it or even answer any of your own gardening questions that you may have!
So what happens to Wullie's produce? Well, the majority of it goes to Cafe48 who incorporates it into their dishes. Whether it be lettuce for the salads or courgettes for a delicious quiches! Wullie also pops any extra produce into the Udny Community Shelf trailer which is situated in our car park. And if there's still left over the Staff will get a boiling of tatties for their supper that night!
We will be forever indebted to Wullie for his time and expertise that he has given us.
Supporting Local Groups
A Place to Meet
We provide meeting space for local community volunteer groups. We acknowledge and understand that it is not always practical to meet in people's personal spaces. We have therefore provided meeting space for local community volunteer groups that are run for the benefit of the community.
Pitmedden Nursery
We have created a safe and secure environment for the children of Pitmedden Nursery in the garden area at the school side of The Medan Centre. We love seeing the children enjoying the garden.
Pitmedden Tiny Tots
In the past we worked very closely with what was then Pitmedden Playgroup to change to Pitmedden Tiny Tots. We helped them with various issues including their governance and continue to support their work through our grant fund.
Pitmedden Xmas Lights Trust
We work with the Pitmedden Xmas Lights Trust and Udny Community Council each year to ensure that the required paperwork for the local Christmas lights is completed and submitted on time to Aberdeenshire Council.
Udny Climate Action
We have developed a strong connection with Udny Climate Action and have established the now very successful Swap Shops with them. We have also helped them to set-up regular Repair Cafes which are growing in popularity.
Udny Climate Action Facebook Page
Udny Community Shelf
We have provided a home for Udny Community Shelf in the form of our trailer which is situated in our car park. They have transformed it into a welcoming space where all manner of items are saved from being thrown away. They are a Co-op Food Share Partner and are open every Saturday from 9.30am to 1.30pm. We also support their work through our grant fund.
Udny Community Shelf Facebook Page
Ythan Cycle Club
We have provided a home for Ythan Cycle Club's container. In return they hold yearly cycle events using The Medan Centre as a start and finish point and Cafe48 to provide participants with some much needed refreshments and nourishment!
Current / Ongoing Projects
Paths Improvements and Map
We support Udny Paths Group and enthusiastic landowners and help them to improve paths and access throughout Udny. We produced a paths map in early 2020 which was very well received and was particularly welcome during the Covid lockdowns which occurred later in that year. We have since produced a second version which continues to be very well received. We would like to acknowledge the hard work and dedication of Udny Paths Group for continuing to improve the paths within Udny.
Udny Paths Group Facebook Page
Paths Around Pitmedden and Udny Leaflet
Pitmedden in Bloom
We support PUT with keeping the flower beds and barrels in Pitmedden looking blooming lovely! They also provide The Medan Centre with a beautiful display of hanging baskets in the spring and summer months.
Past Projects
As well as distributing grant funding to local organisations and community groups, we have been working within the community to bring forward a range of projects since 2011. During that time, we have worked with volunteers, community groups and partner organisations, to help turn good ideas into reality.
Some stand out projects that we think have made a real difference to the community are as follows.
Community Public Access Defibrillators
We worked with local Community Councils, Grant Funders, Property Owners and Volunteers to have 5 public access defibrillators installed at locations throughout Formartine.
Pitmedden Christmas Lights Switch-on Event
We took over this popular community event from the Pitmedden Xmas Lights Trust after we received a request of help from them. Our format for the event was an opportunity for local community groups to fundraise and raise awareness of their work. Santa attended each year with a free gift for every child and the highlight of the event was the switch-on of the Pitmedden Christmas Lights followed by fireworks. It took place each year since 2011 except for a couple of years when Covid restrictions meant that it could not safely take place. We re-vamped this event in 2022 re-naming it the Community Christmas Fayre and holding it at The Medan Centre.
Scottish Football Partnership Containers for Pitmedden Park
Our first Development Officer, Eleanor Morris, worked closely with Pitmedden Park and Formartine Youth Academy to secure the use of two containers from the Scottish Football Partnership. After months of hard work they were installed in Pitmedden Park in August 2017 and are still there to this day. They provide a much needed storage and changing facility to Formartine Youth Academy for both their boy and girl sections.
Pitmedden Park Path
Our first Development Officer, Eleanor Morris, worked closely with Pitmedden Park to upgrade part of the path that goes around the Park as well as adding a new path to complete a loop around it and away from the road. Eleanor was successful in getting the project enrolled with the Tesco Bags of Help in Ellon and £2,000 was awarded to the project.
Fit for Friday
We funded and arranged for a weekly chair-based exercise class to be held in Pitmedden Public Hall. The class grew in popularity and was eventually taken over by another organisation. Unfortunately, due to a number of factors and Covid, this class no longer runs.
Education and Training
Over the years, we have organised a varity of education and training course such as first aid, food hygiene, path maintenance and drystone dyke building which have all been very well attended by the local community and which have helped groups to increase their capacity to complete their own projects.
Items Funded by us for the Community
