Good day to all our followers.  A few items to update you on.

Aviva Community Fund

We got 1148 votes – good work by all, and thank you, considering at present we have a limited number of Shed members.  But have heard today we didn’t get to be a “Finalist”.

Basically, we don’t understand any more how it works!  Aviva’s web page wording is a little confusing and to date we had understood at our funding application level (£5,000) and at £1,000 there would be direct awards.  But the wording can be read as £5,000 projects don’t get direct awards, only a qualification as Finalists; this appears now to be the case.

But to muddy the waters anew, projects at the £1,000 level have been listed as finalists. Further, a number of projects at the £5,000 funding level have gone forward as finalists with, for example, 782, 810, 908 votes, well below our level.  Why were we not in the “252 more finalists” we are unsure.  Confused? We are. But our Phase 2 funding is coming along and there is better news below.

Phase 1 Build & Lease

Firstly, the above disappointment with Aviva does not affect our Phase 1 build (Workshop and initial social area); the Aviva funds were slated for the phase 2 build (social area).  Phase 1 funds are already in the bank and we can start building as soon as we get a lease signed.  The final final final Lease wording is currently with Solicitors awaiting issue of the Lease paperwork to sign.  So it doesn’t quite look as if we will make an “Autumn” build, but we are nearly there.  🙂

Banchory Community Fund

Although we have had a disappointment with Aviva, we learned on 13th November that we have had success with the Banchory Community Fund (Banchory Community Council, Fred Olsen Renewables and Midhill Wind Farm), to the tune of £8,500.

This grant is subject to confirmation that full funding for Phase 2 have been procured, however, this grant is of the nature to allow us to seek funding from sources which only provide “matching” funds – i.e. which match another source.  There are several of these we are investigating but have to date been prevented for applying.

We are now counting our total Phase 2 funding to date as £14,500, as per the fundraising thermometer on our home page.

Men’s Shed Christmas Meal

We are holding the Banchory Men’s Shed Christmas Meal on Tuesday 11th December, at 12:00 for 12:30 at the Tor-na-coille Hotel.  We are thankful to Alan Pumfrey for organising this and if you have not already booked, Alan can be contacted at next Tuesday’s BMS meeting (4th December) at the Legion between 10:30 and 12:00 or via e-mail to membership.bms@gmail.com , for menu and costs.