AVA Magazine: Winter 2023

AVA Magazine
Winter 2023
Photo: Jodie Bews
• Funding Success in Aberdeenshire • Member Spotlight
Member Spotlight •
• Autumn Connections • Warm Spaces •

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AVA Membership
AVA members come in all sorts
of shapes and sizes. From small
community-based organisations
working to support a small
number of people in a restricted
geographic area, to large
charities delivering services within
Aberdeenshire that are sometimes
a small part of a much wider
portfolio. Community and third
sector organisations are invited
to join AVA as full members.
Volunteers are the lifeblood of our
sector and those who volunteer
on a regular basis are invited to
join AVA as individual members.
Apply here H
www.avashire.org.uk/join-ava.html
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following benefits:
• Enhanced communications through
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mailing lists
• Promotion for your organisation and
projects
• Priority access to news, updates and
information
• Free and priority access to AVA
membership and specialist forum events
• Priority access to AVA Training resources
• Priority access to AVA services and
facilities
• Access to discounted rates for AVA
Office Support Services
• Access to professional services offering
discounted rates to members

AVA |Winter 2023 3
Supporting your future...
Dan Shaw
AVA Chief Executive Officer
Dan.Shaw@avashire.org.uk
To coin an often used phrase, ‘there’s
a lot going on at the moment’.
AVA is becoming very aware of the pressure
that continues to increase on Aberdeenshire’s
third sector. More people are needing
support for many different reasons, whilst
human and financial resources are become
harder to secure. We are being contacted
on a more regular basis by organisations who
find themselves unable to keep going due
to a lack of funds, which is heartbreaking.
At AVA we want to support organisations to
become stronger and more sustainable which
is why you’ll notice a focus on organisation
governance and management in this edition
(alongside some examples of the amazing
work that has been going on recently).
With changes having been made to the
Charities & Administration (Scotland) Act,
there is increased scrutiny on charities and
their trustees. Transparency is important, but
this may require increased work by some to
conform (pg.6). Independent Examination of
Accounts is a critical part of that transparency
process and we’re keen to hear from you about
this through our survey (pg.12) and support you
by delivering this service for you (pg.11). We are
here to support you with funding searches to help
your organisation secure more of an income to
cope with the demands (pg.14), and we can
help you with business planning activities that
are about trying to secure income in the longer
term to take pressure off you in the short term
(pg.18). We also have a range of ways that we
can try to help you find more people to work
or volunteer with your organisation through our
jobs and volunteering boards on our website.
Whilst we will be closed from Friday 22nd Dec
and open again on Wednesday 3rd January,
our team will be back to full working capacity by
Monday 8th January after the Christmas break,
so why not think about how we might be able
to support you to plan for the future over the
coming weeks? We can’t wait to hear from you.
We wish you all a happy and peaceful Christmas
(if you celebrate it), and we’re keen to be a
part of a prosperous new year for you and your
organisation.
With very best wishes,
Dan and the entire AVA Team
Contents
4-5
6
8-9
10-11
12-13
14-15
Funding: Community Mental
Health & The Just Transition Funds
Policy: The Charities &
Administration (Scotland) Act 2023
AVA Event: Autumn Connections in
October
Member Spotlight: SensationALL
in search of volunteers to join their
team
Governance: Independent
Examination of Accounts and a
great new resource for village halls
Funding: Fundraising Conference
14-19
21
22
24-25
26
28-29
30
Funding: Funding Success for
local groups and promoting
resilience planning
Children & Families: HENRY in
Aberdeenshire
2024 Aberdeenshire Wellbeing
Festival: Get involved!
Member Spotlight: Scottish
Families Affected by Alcohol &
Drugs
Magpie: Circular Communities
Scotland Conference
Social Enterprises: Support and
Warm Spaces
Support: OSCR’s top tips

PUBLIC VOTE IN DECEMBER!
Congratulations to the Aberdeenshire groups
already awarded level 1 and 2 funding for initiatives
that promote good mental health and wellbeing at a
small-scale, grassroots, community level.
For level 3 applicants - Aberdeenshire residents can vote for
which projects they would like to see funded up to £50,000.
View all 18 projects and cast your votes here:
www.avashire.org.uk/cmhwfundvote
Voting is open from: 12pm on Friday 1st
December to 5pm on 15th December 2023.
Find out more and vote here: www.avashire.org.uk/cmhwfund

AVA |Winter 2023 5
Funding|Success for Just Transition
Fund groups in Aberdeenshire
After receiving over 42,100 votes from 8428 voters across
Aberdeenshire, we are delighted to announce the results of the
Just Transition Participatory Budgeting Fund!
Successful
projects in
Aberdeenshire!
Distributed by Aberdeenshire Voluntary Action with
support from Nescan Hub on behalf of The Scottish
Government, we are excited to reveal the following
third sector groups who have received funding for their green,
eco-friendly projects:
• Aboyne Men’s Shed
• Action for Climate and Environment Newburgh
• Books Abroad SCIO
• Buchan Dial-A-Community Bus
• Deeside Bike Collective
• Fraserburgh South Links Sports Development
• Friends of Magpie Charity Shops
• Friends Of Tarlair
• Inverurie Community Energy Society Garioch District Heat
• Garioch Sports Centre
• Huntly Sports Trust
• Play For All (Banchory)
• SensationALL (SCO43156)
• Strichen Community Park
• Waulkmill.Menagerie
• Woodrecyclability
• Zero Carbon Daviot
Discover all
successful projects
in Aberdeenshire at:
www.jtpbfund.scot/
aberdeenshire
A massive thank you to everyone who voted and had their
say on which projects should receive funding – helping shape
our path towards a net zero future in Scotland.

6 AVA | Winter 2023
Policy|Implementation of the
Charities & Administration (Scotland)
Act 2023
Alasdair Ross
AVA & ACVO Policy &
Consultations Officer
Alasdair.Ross@avashire.org.uk
We previously updated you on the progress
of The Charities and Administration
(Scotland) Act 2023 which is bringing in
new powers to strengthen the role of OSCR, the
Office of the Scottish Charity Regulator.
The Act aims to boost transparency and
accountability within charities and their trustees,
strengthening public confidence in Scotland’s
charity sector. Although several of OSCR’s
existing powers will stay as they are, there will
be enhancements to the ‘charity test’, the
responsibilities of charity trustees, and other
facets related to information transparency. The
Act will also bring Scottish charity law into closer
alignment with comparable regulations in the rest
of the UK.
The main changes brought about by the Act are:
Publishing Information: OSCR will share more data
on its website and the Scottish Charity Register.
This includes unredacted annual accounts for all
charities and a list of trustees barred by courts.
Merged charities will also be recorded.
Increased Inquiry Powers: OSCR’s authority will
expand to include the investigation of former
charities and trustees. Inquiry processes and
information collection will be streamlined. The
new power of ‘positive direction’ will allow OSCR
to give instructions to trustees in specific cases.
Disqualification: Automatic disqualification of
charity trustees will broaden to cover offences
like bribery, terrorist group association, and
sexual offences. This will also apply to senior
managers within charities. OSCR can appoint
interim trustees when necessary.
Charity Removal: OSCR can remove charities
from the Scottish Charity Register if they do not
submit accounts or communicate with OSCR.
Connection to Scotland: OSCR can reject
charity status for those with minimal connections
to Scotland. Existing charities must maintain
Scottish ties to remain on the Register, except
for genuine cross-border charities.
OSCR have now provided some further
information about the implementation of the
provisions in the Act which will be brought in
gradually.
The first measures will be introduced in Spring
2024 and will include:
• Changes to OSCR’s powers of inquiry,
removal of defaulting and persistently non
engaging charities from the register.
• New powers to appoint interim trustees
(temporary trustees which will be appointed
if a charity does not have enough trustees to
make decisions (quorum).
Read more here, and if you have any questions
about the implications of the new measures,
please contact Alasdair Ross for a chat.

the ava
website
H
bringing you more of the
resources you need...
Funding search
We have teamed up
with Funding Scotland
to bring you a fantastic
funding search engine
- from small grants to
funding for big capital
projects, we can help
you track down the
funding you need. It’s
so easy to use, and you
can also subscribe to a
weekly funding bulletin
there too.
Organisation search
Search for Third Sector
groups and organisations
across Aberdeenshire.
Our search engine will
show you a range of
information for each
organisation as well
as any volunteering
opportunities they have
on offer.
Our Magpie website
Visit our Magpie
website to find out
about how our project
promotes sustainable
living. Our shops are
also on Facebook and
Instagram, so give us a
follow.
A-Z of AVA Members
Our A-Z of AVA Members
has links to their websites,
or social media – get an
overview of the scope of
our membership, as well
as useful links with fellow
members.
Volunteering Forms
Let us know if your
organisation has any
volunteering roles
and we can upload
them to our system for
sharing. Subscribe to
our Volunteering Bulletin
published every few
months with the latest
opportunities across
Aberdeenshire.
Nominate a volunteer for
an AVA Award
Use our nomination
form to recognise
individual commitment
to volunteering for 1,
5, 10 and 15 years and
for volunteers who
have given 20 years
or more there is a
Lifetime Volunteering
Achievement Award.
Support Request Form
Get in touch with us via
our Support Request Form
and we’ll make sure the
right person gets back to
you to offer support.
Volunteering
Opportunities
Use our search engine
to search for local and
national volunteering
opportunities.
Resources
Find a range of links
to useful pages and
organisations – and Quick
Guides for new groups.
Find out about our
AVA Office Services for
members, and read past
and present newsletters
and blogs.
Training
We have partnered with
Highland Third Secor
Interface to provide
AVA members with a
discounted extensive
training programme,
including over 30
e-courses in a range of
subjects.
www.avashire.org.uk

8 AVA | Winter 2023
AVA|Autumn Autumn Connections
Autumn Connections – Future Foundations
12th October at World Horse Welfare, Belwade, Aboyne
Aileen Longino
AVA Development Officer
specialising in Social Enterprises
Aileen.Longino@avashire.org.uk
Last month we had a very successful Autumn
Connections event on a glorious October
day, set in the beautiful surroundings of Royal
Deeside at the World Horse Welfare Centre,
Belwade Farm outside Aboyne.
We had a packed venue with a wide range of
organisations including social enterprises who
came along to learn ways in which to future
proof their organisations as best they can. The
theme was ‘Future Foundations’ and our team
of Aileen, Gloria and Alasdair talked through
how to think and plan ahead. We looked at
a range of techniques and group exercises
which generated a lot of noise and chat in the
room with some very lively conversations. The
morning covered a range of areas including
value propositions, business planning essentials,
cashflow forecasting and looking at gaps in
what organisations do and how to fill them.
There were great interactions from everyone
who came and lots of new networking
during group exercises, breaks and lunch.
We thoroughly enjoyed ourselves and hope
everyone that came along did too. A special
thank you to the World Horse Welfare for being
such excellent hosts.
The takeaway for the day, we hope, were
some useful practical tools for delegates to
take back and use in their own organisations,
including a cashflow forecasting template. In
these uncertain times planning and forecasting
is essential and helps in moving forward with
vital funding applications and other sources
of income no matter what size of organisation
you are. Being as prepared as you can be
is something we always recommend. If you
weren’t able to attend and would like support in
this area please email us at enquiries@avashire.
org.uk or complete and Support Request Form
on our website here.
We loved being able to meet with so many
of you in person at Autumn Connections and
look forward to our Spring Connections event in
2024. Watch this space for details!

10 AVA | Winter 2023
Volunteering|SensationALL needs you!
SensationALL is a charity based in Westhill which
provides support and activities for neurodivergent
individuals, those with complex needs and their
families. Their group sessions are based on clinical
principles in order to build each attendee’s social
skills and confidence while giving them access to fun
opportunities that are tailored to their sensory and
behavioral needs.
At SensationALL, volunteers are at the heart of what
they do. They rely heavily on the skills, empathy and
dedication that their volunteers bring to the charity in
order to run their services that are essential for so many
attendees.
SensationALL volunteers regularly speak about the
satisfaction they get from being part of the SensationALL
family. From developing new skills and meeting others,
to growing in confidence and improving employability,
the benefits of taking on one of their volunteer roles are
widespread. Volunteers can expect to be provided
with the training and support required for their role and
to be included as part of the team from day one of
their volunteering journey.
The types of roles they are currently recruiting for
include:
Emma Christie
AVA Development Officer,
specialising in Volunteering
Emma.Christie@avashire.org.uk
Contact volunteering@sensationall.org.uk
for more information on how you can
use your skills to help growing charity.
Visit: www.sensationall.org.uk/
• Session volunteers – help staff facilitate group
sessions by getting involved in activities (crafts,
baking and games), meeting and greeting families
and supporting play.
• Events/fundraising volunteers – support the team
during the calendar of fundraising events like selling
raffle tickets, manning stalls or serving refreshments.
• Skilled volunteers – support the running of the
organisation with key business skills like Marketing,
IT and HR. Also, if you have a skilled hobby, like
photography or an additional language, they
always welcome your support.
If these opportunities sound like something you can help
SensationALL with they would love to hear from you!

AVA |Winter 2023 11
AVA Office Services
AVA members can access office services at very competitive rates.
Payroll services
AVA can provide monthly payroll
services, including production of
monthly payslips, HMRC submissions
and end of year returns, assistance
with auto enrolment compliance and
pension file uploads.
Independent examination
of accounts
Receipts and Payments Accounts
examination is available for noncompany
charities and groups with a
gross annual income of

12 AVA | Winter 2023
AVA Support|
Independent Examination of
Accounts
Are you aware that AVA offers Independent
Examinations (IE) of Receipts and Payments
Accounts, for non-for-profit organisations and
registered charities, (excluding charitable companies)
who have a gross annual income of £250,000 or less,
and where your governing document allows?
Equally, if your organisation does not meet these
criteria, and the preparation to submit your annual
returns and accounts to your respective regulatory
body, (Companies House, OSCR, etc) are likely to be
affected, AVA would like to hear from you, so we can
contribute towards collective solutions.
Rhona Davidson
AVA Development Officer
specialising in Governance
Rhona.Davidson@avashire.org.uk
We are currently involved in a mapping exercise across
Scotland on behalf of OSCR (Office of the Scottish
Charity Regulator), to evaluate the range of difficulties
organisations within the Third Sector are currently
experiencing and can foresee in the future, relating to
the submission of Annual Accounts and Returns.
Issues experienced or predicted could include the
general lack of awareness of the correct standard of
submissions and the responsibilities and consequences
associated with non-submission or delays, the correct
type of accounts prepared associated to the
organisation, difficulty in sourcing suitably trained and
experienced independent examiners and qualified
auditors and any unforeseeable financial expense
incurred by an organisation completing this process.
To allow us to contribute towards a collective solution to
these issues, and equally to the Scottish-wide discussions
on this topic, we would appreciate your input to hear
about your experiences. By completing our short survey
below, we will be able to build a better picture ofthe
issues and needs relating to this subject across the
Third Sector in Aberdeenshire. (Please complete by
Wednesday 20th December).
Complete our survey here
If you are interested in finding out more about
how AVA can help with your Independent
Examination of Accounts, contact AVA’s Finance &
Administration Manager, Jacquie Milne, at:
Jacquie.Milne@avashire.org.uk

AVA |Winter 2023 13
New Community Resource|
Village and Community Halls
Handbook
A
useful resource was recently launched at
the Gathering from SCVO. The SCVO Village
and Community Venue E-handbook is a
centralised information hub, created with input
from the Scottish Rural Network, COSS and DTAS.
It contains lots of useful pointers, and resources for
anyone either directly related to a venue or those
supporting the management of such properties.
Village halls are often at the heart of a community.
They are places to gather, learn, access services
and have fun. Making sure they are well run and
maintained is an important but not always easy
role, often fullfilled by committed volunteers and
workers.
This handbook is for everyone running a village
or community hall in Scotland. From governance
and facilities management to net zero and
digital, it will guide you through what you need
to know.
Find the resource at:
scvo.scot/support/village-community-halls

14 AVA | Winter 2023
Funding|Highlights from the 2023
Scottish Fundraising Conference
Donna Speed
AVA Funding Officer
Donna.Speed@avashire.org.uk
AVA’s Funding Officer, Donna Speed,
attended the 2023 Scottish Fundraising
Conference in September. It was an
inspiring and informative event that brought
together over 400 fundraising professionals
each day from across the country. Held in
Glasgow over 2 days, this year’s conference
offered delegates a wealth of knowledge and
networking opportunities.
The conference kicked off with fresh thoughts
on leadership and the notion that everyone is a
leader, and to be successful there is a need to
be adaptive, self-aware, and authentic.
Next followed a series of interactive workshops
covering topics such as digital fundraising,
individual giving, community and events
fundraising, and donor engagement.
Fundraisers shared what had worked and what
hadn’t, and how they had adapted fundraising
campaigns along the way to meet their targets.
The importance of getting everyone in an
organisation on board with a campaign to build
enthusiasm was highlighted. Whilst building
relationships with donors is key to gaining long
term support.
Other speakers shared their expertise about
how to write a great case for support and how
to devise a competitive grants program. These
hands-on sessions provided practical insights
into the power of storytelling to connect with
donors emotionally.
Keynote presentations delved into the evolving
landscape of charitable giving and ethical
fundraising practices. A session about the latest
trends in philanthropy with three of Scotland’s
top Grantmakers - Corra, National Lottery
Community Fund, and The Wood Foundation -
gave people the chance to ask them questions
about their grant schemes and funding
strategies. The need for grants to cover ongoing
running costs and
multi-year funding
was highlighted
by many in the
audience.
There was an
interesting session
around the
use of Artificial
Intelligence (AI)
in fundraising. AI
can be used to
analyse data and
offer predictive
modelling about
the best way to
target potential

AVA |Winter 2023 15
donors. Delegates saw how ChatGPT, an online
writing tool, offers natural language generation
capabilities. It can be used to simplify the process
of articulating project goals, impacts, and
budget justifications effectively. It can be used
for crafting compelling funding applications,
writing a case for support,
generating marketing
materials, or suggesting
a fundraising slogan etc.
Whether seeking grants,
investments, or donations,
ChatGPT can help create
persuasive proposals that
stand out. Find out more
about this new resource
here.
As well as sharing
knowledge, people had
ample opportunities to
network and collaborate.
From coffee breaks and
chatting to exhibitors
and sponsors in the Expo Hall, to the Scotland
Fundraising Awards ceremony in the evening,
the conference fostered connections and
discussions among like-minded professionals
that may lead to future fundraising success and
partnerships.
Perhaps the most memorable moments were
the personal stories of impact shared by
fundraisers. These heartfelt and inspirational
testimonials served as a reminder of the
profound difference fundraising and the Third
Sector can make in people’s lives. Delegates
left with fresh perspectives, new strategies,
and a shared commitment to creating positive
change through effective fundraising efforts.
The 2023 Scottish Fundraising Conference was
a testament to the resilience and innovation of
the fundraising community.

16 AVA | Winter 2023
Funding Success
in Aberdeenshire
Donna Speed
AVA Funding Officer
Donna.Speed@avashire.org.uk
We love sharing success stories from our
Aberdeenshire Third Sector, here are just
a few:
Aberdeenshire Council has approved £3.4m in
Shared Prosperity funding for 21 local projects.
The fund aims to improve pride in place and
increase life chances across the UK, investing
in communities and place, supporting local
business, as well as people and skills. This
month, Aberdeenshire UKSPF Investment
Plan has enabled a wide variety of activities
to be supported - from the improvement of
community buildings and facilities, business
support schemes and initiatives aimed at
supporting adult numeracy, cost-of-living
advice services and improving skills to enhance
employability. Projects include Aboyne Castle
Woods Path (Mid Deeside Development Trust)
- £111,558, Revitalising Insch (Bennachie Leisure
Centre) - £54,670, Social Enterprise Huntly (Huntly
Development Trust) - £59,313, Lead Scotland
Numeracy (Lead Scotland) - £64,694, and
Barnardos Employability programme (Barnardos)
- £92,995. Read the full list of awards here.
Aboyne Highland Games has donated to
several local groups after raising £12,000 at
their ‘Prosecco Picnic’. They donated to 2367
(Banchory) Squadron (Banchory Air Cadets) -
£500, Aboyne Bowling Club - £500, Scotland’s
Charity Air Ambulance - £500, Friends of Glen
o’ Dee Hospital - £500, Crathie Opportunity
Holidays - £500, Aboyne Paths and Tracks Group
- £500 and Friends of Anchor - £9000.
In addition to the funding success detailed
above, Aboyne Paths & Tracks have also been
voted Path Group of the Year 2023 based on
what was seen as the outstanding commitment
and dedication of their team of volunteers in
improving our local path network. Read more
here.
Search for funding using our
search engine and subscribe
to our weekly funding bulletin
on the AVA website at:
www.avashire.org.uk/searchforfunding
Aberdeenshire Clubsport SCIO have awarded
Buchanhaven Hearts JFC funding from the
Aberdeenshire Clubsport Positive Participation
Grant. The funds will enable the club to buy
training equipment which will not only benefit
the main team but the many hundreds of
youngsters who participate on a weekly basis.

AVA |Winter 2023 17
Twelve Aberdeenshire groups have been
successful in their applications for National
Lottery Community funding. Amoung them
are Aberdeen Cyrenians Limited - £188,192
for a community hub that will support people
experiencing homelessness, isolation, crisis and
financial hardship. There will be access to food,
clothing, showers, a utility room and a digital
literacy section. Staff and volunteers will also
provide support and advice with benefits.
Crathes Public Hall Trust (SCIO) - £9,999 to
replace the soffits and fascia’s and redecorate
the hall as part of a wider renovation overhaul
for their village community space. Networks of
Wellbeing Ltd - £133,389 to deliver and develop
a programme of free, community-based work
supporting people with poor mental health to
become more resilient and re-connect with
others. The services provided will take place in
Huntly and surrounding villages but are open to
people across the NHS Grampian region. Slains
and Collieston Community Council - £6,369
to fund a programme of community drop-in
sessions through the winter months to reduce
social isolation and promote community
wellbeing. The funding will also fund a robotic
lawnmower to assist with maintenance of the
community garden. Royal British Legion Scotland
Oldmeldrum Branch - £10,000 to install insulation
into their Royal Legion Hall in Oldmeldrum.
Ury Riverside Park SCIO - £6,981 to monitor
biodiversity and people numbers, helping to
build a picture of how the development of the
site by the community affects the site overall.
All sorts of community volunteers will take part
and it will be both active social projects, and
educational school and young people projects.
Read the full list of successful applicants here.
Kemnay Community Council have received
£2000 for their running costs from the Robertson
Trust Wee Grants September Awards.
Congratulations to these Aberdeenshire
organisations - there are so
many groups and volunteers doing
fantastic work. Thank you all for making
Aberdeenshire a better place to live!

18 AVA | Winter 2023
Funding Support|Firm Foundations
For The Future: Planning +
Forecasting = Sustainability
Gloria Malcolm,
AVA Development
Officer, specialising in
Funding & Business Planning
Gloria.Malcolm@avashire.org.uk
The recent OSCR Sector Overview Report
dated 03/10/23* noted that there are
roughly 25,000 charitable organisations
on the charities register generating a gross
annual income in the region of £15.14bn; these
organisations also generate in the region of
£15.12bn in expenditure.
34% of those organisations have an annual
income of less that £5,000 and over half those
organisations have an annual income of less
than £25,000. In terms of legal form - 41% of those
25,000 organisations are unincorporated, only
26% are incorporated (SCIO) and the remaining
33% are a combination of companies, trusts,
community benefits societies etc.
Unincorporated organisations carry a risk in
terms of liability, and many are considering
moving to incorporated legal form with good
reason – see Morton Frasers (Lawyers) insight
into the subject: Unincorporated associations -
the facts | Morton Fraser Lawyers | Edinburgh
and Glasgow (morton-fraser.com)
To summarise then, a significant number of
unincorporated organisations with limited
annual income which is potentially very close to
their annual expenditure are leaving little room
for unexpected financial challenges that may
come along.
In a time of more predicable challenges such
as the cost of living crisis, real living wage/fair
living wage requirements, volunteer shortages
and fatigue, it is becoming more and more
important for smaller organisations to be as
robust as possible to ensure the long term future
of their organisation.
A key factor in ensuring the longevity and
sustainability of any organisation is planning –
does your organisation have a business plan
(sometimes called a strategic plan) that projects
the organisations aims in the short, medium
and long term? If it exists, does it include plans
to review your current legal form to ensure it is
fit for purpose, your existing governance, your
policy & procedure, does it identify any gaps
that could be addressed in this area and a plan
for how to do so?
As part of the planning process, is financial
planning a strong feature? Does your financial
planning include the build-up of reserves

AVA |Winter 2023 19
including potential reserves for the future
replacement of big ticket items such as heating
systems and any major refurbishment of key
assets that may be required? Does your
financial planning consider any significant
changes such as accommodating the real
living wage, increases in utilities costs or the
move to governments drive towards Net Zero for
example? Does your organisation have a strong
understanding of how many months running
costs it has and why it’s important to understand
this factor? Are you analysing income streams,
income and expenditure projections and
cashflow with a view to building a strategy
which may include grant funding to address
any gaps? With a strong understanding of these
elements in hand, do you have a grant funding
strategy? Do you have a cashflow forecast
which is regularly reviewed and updated to
identify any potential pinch points so that your
organisation can address them proactively?
If your organisation can say yes to the majority
of these questions, then you can safely say
that your organisation is in a strong position for
the future – well done. If you do not currently
consider these elements then AVA can provide
guidance and support to help you build your
business, financial and forecasting plans to give
you greater confidence in your organisation’s
sustainability. We cannot recommend getting
in contact with us enough, as soon as possible,
even if you feel your organisation is in a
strong position - too often, as a result of these
challenging times, organisations get in touch
when it’s too late to make any significant
changes.
If you would like support in any of these areas
please email us enquiries@avashire.org.uk
or complete a Support Request Form on our
website here.
*OSCR Sector Overview Report - OSCR | Sector
Overview

Thrive
on-line training
E-Learning Hub for groups, clubs and
organisations in Aberdeenshire.
NOW FREE FOR
AVA MEMBERS
AVA offers both members and nonmembers
access to the Highland
and Island e-learning platform.
And AVA members can now access one
free E-Learning user licence per member
organisation!
This online training resource offers over
40 courses which are grouped into topic
areas such as Workplace Development,
Compliance, Finance, Communications,
Wellbeing, Self Management and IT Skills.
The topics covered span a wide variety
of subjects that are suitable for your work
colleagues, including your volunteers.
The online training courses are designed to
be fully intuitive and easy to use. Learners
can navigate the system simply. You can
track and report on your own or you team’s
progress. It allows you to quickly see who
has completed courses, set deadlines and
create reports. As a manager it is easy to
find out how many users need to finish a
module, their score percentage and much
more.
self-management
communications
IT skills
compliance
finance
workplace development
Sign up here
wellbeing
H
AVA can offer one free E-Learning user
licence per member organisation. Cost
for any additional licences will be £40 for
AVA Members and £75 for non-members.
Organisations are free to buy as many
licences as needed. A free trial period
can also be arranged. Please contact
Training@avashire.org.uk for more
information or complete the online user
licence application by filling out the form
here: https://tinyurl.com/vpjm3zy5

AVA |Winter 2023 21
Children & Families|
HENRY in Aberdeenshire!
Shona Reynolds
AVA Development
Officer specialising
in Children & Families
Shona.Reynolds@avashire.org.uk
HENRY provides families with a range of
support to help achieve a healthy lifestyle.
The Aberdeenshire Health and Social Care
Partnership are working together with Home-
Start North East Aberdeenshire to deliver HENRY
Healthy Families - Right from the Start.
Everyone wants the best for their children, but
with so much conflicting advice it can be hard
to know what to do for the best as a parent.
Therefore, trained and accredited HENRY
facilitators are able to provide evidence-based
information through their HENRY programmes.
The HENRY approach focuses on changing
behaviour, helping to build confidence,
knowledge and skills the whole family can
adopt. They include topics such as healthy
eating, portion sizes, age-appropriate activity
ideas, understanding children’s behaviour, and
much more.
From May 2022 to March 23 HENRY had 35
parents/carers complete the 8-week course,
and below is some feedback:
Parent A: “Really good, interesting course. The
little bag of stuff you get is amazing. It’s great
knowing that they’re always there if you needed
anything. “
Parent B: “It was great seeing a different
approach to food and healthy living. Our
bedtime routine is more consistent.”
This FREE programme is available to families
with children aged 0-5 years that live in
Aberdeenshire and are able to commit to the
8-week programme - self referral by the family is
encouraged. They are now booking both online
and face to face groups as well as a range of
1-2 hour workshops taster sessions till the end of
the year.
To refer any families, receive further information
about the workshops or to request a HENRY
information session for your staff/service please
contact: gram.henryaberdeenshire@nhs.scot.
Find out more about HENRY on the website here.

22 AVA | Winter 2023
Mental Health & Wellbeing|
Planning the 2024 Aberdeenshire
Wellbeing Festival
Planning is underway for the 2024 Aberdeenshire
Wellbeing Festival! The Festival will run for the
whole month of May, giving you lots of time to
attend the fantastic activities on offer.
The Aberdeenshire Wellbeing Festival is an annual
event which brings together communities through
activities that promote and support good mental
health and wellbeing. This year there were lots of
face-to-face activities as well as some online ones
making the festival as accessible as possible.
The events really are for everyone and they range
from workshops to help reduce stress in the build up to
exams for youngsters to health walks, creative cafes.
singing groups, relaxation events, health and lifestyle
checks, poetry, cancer support and lots more. Have
a look at the 2023 brochure of events here to see the
range of activities involved.
Heather McKay
AVA Development Officer
specialising in Mental Health
& Wellbeing
Heather.McKay@avashire.org.uk
Many of our Aberdeenshire third sector organisations
are involved with delivering sessions for the festival, so
if you are interested in getting involved, contact the
Public Health team. You can reach them at gram.
shirepublichealthadmin@nhs.scot and they can add
you to their distribution list for further information.

24 AVA | Winter 2023
Member Spotlight|
Scottish Families Affected by Alcohol
& Drugs
As part of my specialism, I have the
privilege of offering advice if required
to this fabulous organisation and had
the opportunity to meet with Carly and Katie
to learn more of their amazing work they do
throughout Aberdeenshire.
Sharon Francis
AVA Development Officer
specialising in Supporting
Independent Living
Sharon.Francis@avashire.org.uk
In the words of SFAD, please find out more
about the fantastic work they do and how they
strive to make a difference in families lives within
Aberdeenshire.
Scottish Families Affected by Alcohol and
Drugs is a national charity that supports families
affected by someone else’s substance use in
Scotland. Through national and local support
services, raising awareness, and advocating for
change, they are dedicated to supporting and
empowering families across Scotland. SFAD
was established in 2003 by family members
themselves who came together
to support each other and to
campaign for recognition. They
are recognised as Scotland’s
leading charity for families
affected by alcohol and drugs,
and each year they support
family members from all 32
council areas of Scotland and
from all walks of life.
Families are at the heart of
everything SFAD do. Their
relationship-based practice with
families focuses on trust, respect,
compassion and time. They meet each family
member where they are and work with them at
their own pace.
SFAD know that families affected by someone
else’s substance use are often unsupported,
excluded, isolated and judged by others. Many

AVA |Winter 2023 25
thoughts and feelings, and helps them
to come up with ideas and solutions to
move forward. Common topics include
improving communication, setting
boundaries, and looking after yourself.
They facilitate an online family support
group every fortnight for any adult
who is affected by someone else’s
substance use. During group sessions
they host an array of different sessions
to suit all needs whether that be selfcare,
arts and crafts and time to talk
sessions as well as sessions provided
by external agencies. There are also
various in-person family support groups
running regularly across Aberdeenshire.
Photo: Sharon with Katie Summers and Carly Patterson.
do not feel able to talk to anyone about what is
going on, due to the secrecy, shame and stigma
of alcohol and drug harm in families. SFAD’s role is
to support and empower them to discover the skills
they have and to help them to see that they can
make choices and move forward in a positive way.
The Aberdeenshire Family Support Service offers
support to anyone over the age of 16 in Aberdeenshire
who is affected by someone else’s substance use.
Team members here are Carly Patterson and Katie
Summers.
They currently offer one-to-one support, group
support, CRAFT (Community Reinforcement and
Family Training), access to naloxone, and support to
access bereavement counselling.
The team offers time and space to explore the issues
affecting family members, lets them express their
Other supports include access to
bereavement counselling, where if you
have lost someone who used alcohol
or drugs, their bereavement service is
available where they can chat and
offer information, including arranging
free counselling sessions with a local
accredited counsellor. SFAD also
provide a naloxone ‘Click and Deliver’
service where they can provide
naloxone directly to anyone living in
Scotland over the age of 16. Naloxone
is a drug that can reverse the effects
of opioid drugs like heroin, methadone,
opium, codeine, morphine and
buprenorphine. You can order a kit on
the SFAD website here.
SFAD accept both self-referrals and
professional referrals. For anyone
referring themselves for support, please
get in touch at aberdeenshirefamilies@
sfad.org.uk or on 01339 336056. You
can get in touch with them using their
webchat at www.sfad.org.uk and
they are also available on Facebook.
Professionals can make referrals by
filling out the online referral form here.

26 AVA | Winter 2023
Magpie|
The Circular Communities Scotland
Conference 2023
Magpie Manager, Marie-Anne Brown attended
the annual Circular Communities Scotland
conference at the Radison Blu in Glasgow in
November and what a fantastic event it was.
The conference aimed to celebrate amazing
examples of partnership working that show the
strength and power that comes with cooperating
for a greater cause, and as always, showcased their
members’ incredible work in Scotland’s circular third
sector.
Photo: Laura McNeil from GRA speaking about
The Bikery.
Marie-Anne Brown
Magpie Manager
Magpie@avashire.org.uk
www.magpieshops.org.uk
The speakers were really interesting and spoke
so passionately about the circular economy and
reuse. Speakers included Lorna Slater MSP, Dr Jane
Beasely from Zero Waste Scotland, and many others
including AVA members, Gordon Rural Action where
Laura McNeil spoke about their Bikery and bike reuse
in Aberdeen and Abereenshire. It’s certainly worth
checking out what they are doing over in Huntly with
bikes and their partnership working with Stella’s Voice
and the Cylce Hub.
Another interesting speaker was Laura Young, or
some may know her better as “lesswastelaura”, on
her campaign to have single use vapes banned due
to the huge impact they have on the environment
and everyday living. Laura is an award-winning
climate activist, environmental scientist, and ethical
influencer and she started, and continues to lead,
the campaign to see single-use disposable vapes
banned across Scotland and the UK. This work has
been nominated for a Holyrood Climate Action
award, and has led the Scottish Government to
launch a consultation on the issue. You can read
more about the campaign here.
It was great to take part in some very good break out
rooms with Zero Waste Scotland and CCS - all very
interesting and Marie-Anne came away with lots of
ideas and thoughts for the future of Magpie and
the reuse sector. Oh and the event was hosted by
Heather From The Weather, Dr Heather Reid OBE!

second hand
furniture
electricals
homeware
bric-a-brac
white goods
clothes
vinyl
& loads more...
Tillybrake Industrial Estate, Banchory AB31 5UN
Tel: 01330 823800 www.magpieshops.org.uk
magpieshops OPEN MON-SAT 9-4
Scottish Charity Number: SC014223 Company Number: SC137343

28 AVA | Winter 2023
Social Enteprise|
Supporting Social
Enterprises in
Aberdeenshire
Photo:
Gloria Malcolm and
Aileen Longino at the
Elevator UK Transform
Business Festival at
Aberdeen Science Centre.
Aileen Longino
AVA Development Officer
specialising in Social Enterprise
Aileen.Longino@avashire.org.uk
Our Social Enterprise specialist, Aileen
Longino has been out and about at
several events recently with another
couple coming up. Aileen attended the
Foundation Scotland - Vattenfall Unlock the
Future event where she talked about AVA.
She also recently spoke at Social Investment
Scotland Funding Social Event at Aberdeen
Foyer and was at the Social Investment Scotland
Leading an Impact Economy day on the 1st
November at Aberdeen Arts Centre. Aileen is
delighted to be asked to be involved at these
events, meeting many new and familiar faces.
On the 14th November she represented AVA
at the Elevator UK Transform Business Festival at
the Aberdeen Science Centre with colleague
Gloria Malcolm who specialises in Funding and
Business Planning, where they had some great
chats with people from the city and shire about
social enterprises, business planning and all
things AVA.
Following on from her August Social Enterprise
Forum which focused on the Circular Economy,
Aileen has also been chatting with Aberdeenshire
Council’s new Circular Economy Business
Officer, Murray Wallace. Murray is encouraging
local businesses to take a circular approach to
identify savings into their business approaches.
This involves working with businesses, third sector
organisations and contractors to reduce the
amount of waste generated consigned to
landfill, reduce consumption, reuse items and
recycle.
We hope to work with Murray along with AVA’s
social enterprise, Magpie, and other social
enterprises and third sector organisations to
explore and establish a working model that
allows items from businesses to be passed
onto the third sector, where appropriate, and
therefore avoiding landfill. We will of course,
keep you posted on any developments.
As usual if you have an idea that you think might
be a social enterprise and you want to talk it
through or if you are an existing social enterprise
needing support on your legal entity or other
queries please don’t hesitate to contact aileen.
longino@avashire.org.uk who, as always, will be
very happy to help.

AVA |Winter 2023 29
Photo: Young@Heart Deeside, Aboyne.
AVA’s Aberdeenshire Warm Spaces Map is back at:
www.avashire.org.uk/warm-spaces-aberdeenshire
As the temperatures start to fall and people still struggle to heat
their homes many communities across Aberdeenshire are setting
up Warm Spaces again, to encourage people to stay cosy and
connect with others in their community. These are free, welcoming
spaces for people of all ages to have a blether, play a board game,
read the paper, and keep warm over a cup of coffee or a bowl
of soup. All sorts of venues are offering warm spaces in
Aberdeenshire such as local libraries, halls, community
centres or churches and here at AVA we are
capturing all these wonderful spaces in one place.
We launched our Warm Spaces interactive map
last year and we have brought it back this year
to show you exactly where and when in your
community these warm spaces are happening,,
how frequently and what’s on offer.
If you know of a Warm Space that’s open to the
public in Aberdeenshire, whether a new addition or
one continuing from last year, please let us know by
filling in this form.
For further support with setting up a Warm Space in Aberdeenshire,
contact Aileen Longino, our Development Officer at: Aileen.Longino@
avashire.org.uk or call: 07824 096531. Thank you!

30 AVA | Winter 2023
Support|OSCR’s Top Tips on what
makes a good, well-managed
Charity
In this video, recorded at The Gathering 2023,
Martin Tyson (OSCR’s Head of Regulation
& Improvement) and Neil Edwards (OSCR
Casework & SRQ Manager) share their top tips
on what makes a good, well-managed charity
and how trustees can effectively deal with
some of the difficulties that often arise when
managing a charity.
The video explains more about:
• What kind of behaviours help the charity’s
trustees and board to work effectively
• The behaviours or actions that can prove
counter-productive or difficult to manage
• The idea of collective responsibility and
ensuring all trustees are fully involved in
managing the charity
• Case study examples with learning points for
charity trustees
• Key areas charity trustees can focus on to
improve their organisation’s governance
If you would like some advice on
Governance and the effective running of
your organisation, contact AVA’s specialist
Development Officer, Rhona Davidson at:
Rhona.Davidson@avashire.org.uk

AVA |Winter 2023 31
H
Read previous editions
Read previous editions
of the AVA newsletters,
bulletins and magazines
on our website at:
www.avashire.org.uk
If you’re an AVA member and
would like to contribute to future
magazines, please get in touch
with us at:
newsletter@avashire.org.uk
Aberdeenshire Voluntary Action is a charitable company
limited by guarantee. Company number: SC137343.
Scottish Charity Number: SC014223
Registered office: 45 Queens Road, Aberdeen, AB15 4ZN
Tel: 03718 110008
Email: enquiries@avashire.org.uk
Website: www.avashire.org.uk
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