2011 Parade Participants

Aberdeen Arts Centre

Aberdeen Arts Centre is a registered charity and a community theatre – a cultural hub for both amateur and professional performance and rehearsal with a 350 seat auditorium, licensed café bar and conference rooms.

We work with over 20,000 children and young people - many disadvantaged or from regeneration areas in the City - through our Easter, Summer and Autumn arts-based carnivals, theatre schools, drama groups and Saturday workshops.

Run by a small team of enthusiastic staff backed up by an amazing 80 strong band of volunteers the Arts Centre is proud to have won the Queens Award for Volunteers.

Our mission statement is: “everyone is entitled to an enriching cultural life, regardless of age or social circumstance.”

Aberdeen Chinese School

Aberdeen Chinese School is a charity which provides lessons on Chinese langauge and culture at weekends to both children and adults from different communities.

With a history of over 10 years, it is running the unique SQA Mandarin Exam Programme in Aberdeen to prepare students for sitting SQA Mandarin exams. It regularly organises educational and cultural activities such as Chinese New Year Festival and Chinese Moon Festival to promote Chinese language and culture, social inclusion and community cohesion.

It works in partnership with different mainstream schools to focus on educational, cultural and health work. In Aberdeen and Aberdeenshire, it acts as a focal point of contact to the public and mainstream schools particularly for Chinese learning & teaching, SQA Chinese exams and Chinese culture & tradition.

Aberdeen Citizens Advice Bureau

The Scottish CAB Service is united by two aims:

Aberdeen City Centre Parishing Group

The grouping comprises three city centre churches - St Mark's, Queen Street Church and the Kirk of St Nicholas Uniting.

We are the distribution centre for Big Issue vendors in Aberdeen city and shire and around 55 grouping volunteers staff the Big Issue distribution office in the Queen Street chapel six days a week (Monday 12pm-2.30pm and Tuesday-Saturday 9.30am-2.30pm).

The work is part of the grouping's homelessness outreach, with all income going to local charities that work with homeless and isolated people. The grouping is currently looking at ways of expanding this outreach in partnership with other organisations.

Aberdeen Cyrenians

The Cyrenians aim to meet the needs of people who are homeless or affected by homelessness in any way. They listen to people’s difficulties, understand needs, share burdens, provide professional care and strive to identify permanent solutions. Over the last 40 years the range of services offered by The Cyrenians has expanded.

These services focus on :

Last year 2,200 people received a service from the organisation, including families with children, single homeless people and ethnic minorities.

Aberdeen & District Fibromyalgia Support Group (ADFM Group)

ADFM Group is a support group for fibromyalgia sufferers, family, friends and carers.

Fibromyalgia is a chronic condition characterised by wide spread pain and profound fatigue. Although symptoms are not restricted to pain there are a variety of symptoms which can vary between sufferers. Symptoms can include sleep problems, headaches and poor co-ordination.

ADFM support group meets on the last Saturday of every month at Aboyne Terrace sheltered housing complex in Garthdee. Our monthly meetings are informal, where members can come along and have a coffee in a friendly environment. We try to keep members up to date with information, new medications available and latest research.

One of our main aims is to raise awareness of fibromyalgia and we do this by distributing leaflets and information in doctors surgeries and hospitals in and around Aberdeen.

Aberdeen & District Multisports

We are a disabled sports group who take part in competitions home and abroad in such places as Norway, France, Ireland, and Germany.

We have been around for 14 years and have been to Norway five times and taken part in the Norvick Games where we compete against Norway, Denmark, Sweden and Finland.

The games we play are Boccia, table tennis, curling, shooting and swimming.

We are now heading to France in August this year to take part in an International competition against France, Norway, Germany and Ireland. We hope to do some shooting, Boccia, table tennis, new age curling, and two French games that we have never seen before.

We hope to have 34 people going to France, including one doctor, eight carers and 25 athletes.

Aberdeen F.C. Ladies

We provide football training and games for girls and ladies in the Aberdeen area. We also provide coach education for our volunteer coaches and run as a volunteer organisation.

Aberdeen Forward Ltd

Aberdeen Forward is an environmental charity and emerging social enterprise with around 400 community members. The company was established in 1999 by Shell, Forward Scotland and Aberdeen City Council with the remit of receiving and distributing Landfill Tax Monies within the local community.

The express aim of the company at that time was to divert waste from landfill through community engagement. In 2003, Aberdeen Forward achieved charitable status and broadened its aim to cover work across the field of sustainable development.

Aberdeen Forward supports and develops projects with partner organisations from the private and public sector and the local community. Projects may cover any aspect of sustainable development and as such are likely to cover such areas as sustainable waste management, energy conservation, wildlife gardening or the development of urban amenities. Aberdeen Forward’s role in these projects will include some or all of the following, project planning, fundraising and project management.

Aberdeen Forward endeavours to respond to the ever-developing environmental situation, both locally and nationally, and to meet the needs of all its partners. Our areas of work are therefore fluid and organic all the while maintaining a strong focus on local priorities.

Aberdeen International Youth Festival (AIYF)

We produce an annual multi arts youth festival that has over 1,000 participants from across the world, UK and the North of Scotland.

We programme over 100 performances from major theatres to community venues across the 10-day event as well as running workshops and educational courses. AIYF stretches across Aberdeen City, Aberdeenshire and as far South as Fife and West as Inverness.

AIYF is also involved in many year-round events both locally and nationally, including partnerships with organisations and events promoting music, theatre and dance for young people in the North-east of Scotland.

Aberdeen and North East of Scotland Music Festival (ANESMF)

ANESMF is an annual event which provides a unique opportunity for participants to perform in public and receive a critique of their performance from qualified adjudicators. Entry is open to all, and all performances are open to the public.

Aberdeen Safer Community Trust

Aberdeen Safer Community Trust exists to advance safety, stop accidents and save lives.

We help more than 15,000 people a year – not bad for a small organisation staffed by three dedicated people.

Each year we:

• Provide up to 1,000 personal attack alarms
• Distribute more than11,000 crime bulletins
• Give out over £11,000 in grant funds to local communities
• Deliver safety education to over 2,000 primary 7 pupils
• Present safety talks to over 300 people
• Teach health and safety awareness to around 30 vulnerable people, helping them return to work
• Work with over 20 companies to deliver vital safety advice to their staff.

Each year more children die from accidents than illnesses like leukaemia and meningitis. In 2008, 37 people died on North-east roads. One fatal collision costs the local economy £1.7 million. Crime costs each UK household £5,000 per year.

We dream of safer roads, safe homes and a reduction in crime. Risk Ready, a purpose built, interactive safety centre, will help us provide vital services and education to thousands more people every year. Help us raise £3 million to build Risk Ready, so we can build a safe, successful and happy Aberdeen.

Aberdeen Samaritans

We offer emotional support to those who are in distress, despair or experiencing feelings of suicide.

Aberdeen Sports Village

The North East of Scotland has had a major boost with the creation of this modern, vibrant new facility which provides a variety of sports for all.

This venture is the realisation of a vision first discussed in 2003 by funding partners the University of Aberdeen, Aberdeen City Council and sportscotland.

Our joint efforts were realised with the grand opening in August 2009. We believe in delivering high quality sports services and opportunities for all at the home of sport in the North East.

Aberdeen Street Pastors

Aberdeen Street Pastors is an interdenominational church initiative that endeavours to respond positively to the issues facing Aberdeen city centre and those that visit it at night.

Over 20,000 people frequent Aberdeen city centre at weekends, the vast majority enjoying the numerous restaurants, pubs and clubs - but it is often excessive drinking or anti-social behaviour that makes the headlines.

Young women stagger home alone; young men who are ready to vent frustration and anger, struggle to control tempers. Others who have kept a lid on their personal issues all week open their hearts, looking for answers, for direction, or just a listening ear.

Aberdeen Street Pastors certainly don’t have all the answers but we want to play our small part in being present and available. Hopefully being in the right place at the right time will make a difference to those we meet. This year we have celebrated with many and we have comforted and mourned with those who have lost loved ones. We’ve calmed those who may have lost perspective and helped many who have just simply over-done it. We aim to get alongside people and show them we care, to be an ear when no one else is listening, and to offer our hands when there is no one else around to help.

Aberdeen Unitarians

Unitarians support their local communities in the spirit of their free and tolerant faith, for we believe in living life to the full.

Our Terrace Café runs throughout the year on Wednesdays and Saturdays and provides a friendly meeting place for around 40 people, with reasonably priced refreshments. We are a Fairtrade church and take part in all Fairtrade City activities. Our Women’s League gives members the chance to contribute to fundraising projects both at home and in the wider world and enjoys talks, concerts and outings throughout the year.

Every week our Scottish Country Dancing evening attracts a good crowd and we also have a monthly walking group, the Felix Club. Our premises are host to a Buddhist meditation group, a Scrabble club, yoga classes and the very well attended meetings of the local Family History Society. We are also pretty good at running events ourselves and we have concerts, beetle drives, afternoon tea events and craft fairs throughout the year – once people have come to one Unitarian event, they tend to come back.

In fact, for a small church, with only around a score of fully active members, our outreach activities touch a great many lives in Aberdeen.

Aberdeen University Students' Association

Aberlour Child Care Trust

Aberlour is the largest, solely Scottish, children’s charity, providing help to over 6,000 of Scotland’s most vulnerable children, young people and their families each year. Through the provision of additional care and support our dedicated team helps each child to achieve their potential and to live, a safe fulfilling life.

Primrosehill Family Centre provides a range of services to families in Aberdeen with children aged between 0 and 12 and in which one or both parents have a learning disability. The service offers both individual and group work programmes such as infant massage, parenting programmes and small, joint group work for parents and children who need support to build confidence and to enhance their family relationships. The work is based both within the Family Centre and on an outreach basis in the families' own homes, depending on individual needs.

Families First is a dual agency service incorporating Aberlour and Drugs Action and works with families with children under 13 years who are affected by parental substance use. Families are offered support in a variety of ways, incorporating all family members. Interventions include self esteem/confidence work, relationship building, forward planning, parenting support, stress management, promoting positive lifestyles and relapse prevention.

Access to Training and Employment

Access to Training and Employment is a local charity which has been operating for 12 years. It is run by and for people with disabilities and its prime function is to provide training services with a view to helping people with disabilities to get employment.

The two main projects currently running are a social business called Crafty Things which produces high quality sewing and craft goods, and Cafe Cairncry which provides a meal once a week for up to 30 senior citizens.

Crafty Things meet on a Monday and Thursday at Rubislaw Church Hall and Cafe Cairncry allows four young people to be trained in catering skills each Monday at Cairncry Community Centre.

We have also provided training in computing, jewellery, photography, and media studies and run classes in confidence building, social dynamics, personal presentations as well as running a job club.

We are proud to have Dame Anne Begg MP as our patron and the charity meets every second Friday afternoon at the Belmont Cinema. New members and volunteers are always welcome.

Action for Children Aberdeen Families Service

Action for Children is a national children's charity whose aim is to improve the quality of life of the most vulnerable children and young people. Our purpose is to help the most vulnerable children and young people break through injustice, deprivation and inequality, so they can achieve their full potential. Aberdeen Families Service works in collaboration with Aberdeen City Council in providing a holistic and person-centred service for families who are at risk of losing their tenancies because of anti-social behaviour.

Some families may already be homeless and living in temporary accommodation when they are referred. The aim of the service is to assist families to address issues which led to antisocial behaviour, and to support them to make changes which will allow them to sustain mainstream tenancies. The project can offer three types of services to families: residential - moving a family into our core block in order to provide more intensive support; dispersed tenancy and outreach providing support and appropriate guidance.

Aberdeen Families Service is staffed 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Support offered includes tenancy management, parenting skills, school attendance, promoting healthy lifestyle, budgeting, confidence, anger management and communication.

Active Schools Aberdeen

The fundamental aim of Active Schools is to offer all school aged young people the opportunity and motivation to adopt active, healthy lifestyles now and into adulthood.

We believe that by increasing opportunities for young people we can help to provide a lifetime involvement in sport, contribute to improving the health of the nation and provide a pathway for youngsters to progress in their chosen sport.

Our activities are offered in all schools and communities throughout the city; before school, at lunchtime, after school and during school holiday periods. In order to deliver this activity we work with coaches, volunteers (parents, senior pupils, teachers, students) and local sports clubs. By providing individuals with the skills through specific training we can continue to increase the sports opportunities available to youngsters here in Aberdeen City. In 2009/10 we provided over 67,000 participant sessions in 22 different sports ranging from football to horse riding and will increase this in 2010 - 2011.

Through promoting our work at Celebrate Aberdeen we hope to celebrate the success of some of our groups, encourage more youngsters to get active and support more volunteers to get involved so that we can ensure that youngsters in our city “Start Active and Stay Active”.

ACVO

ACVO is the Single Interface for the Third Sector in Aberdeen - developing, supporting and representing charities, community groups, volunteers and social enterprises working or based in the City. There are approx 4,000 such organisations in the City and 44,000 volunteers giving their time. Our organisation encompasses the Volunteer Centre for Aberdeen and we are members of Aberdeen's Community Planning Partnership.

Addaction Scotland

Addaction offers support, advice and information to those with an alcohol dependency, their partners and families.

We operate a referral service to and from other agencies, both statutory and third sector; self referral and drop in services, with a dedicated outreach team.

We are funded by NHS Grampian and Aberdeen City Council, working with the ADP, Grampian Police, HMP Aberdeen and health and social work teams across the city.

Alcohol Support Ltd

ASL Ltd delivers counselling services to adults with an alcohol dependency as well as children affected by alcohol dependent relatives.

They have a designated place where people who are under the influence of alcohol and incapable are brought by police for their own safety. Staff monitor each individual throughout the night.

ASL Ltd is also responsible for delivering drink drive courses to offenders who have committed drink drive offences.

Alzheimer Scotland

Alzheimer Scotland is Scotland’s foremost voluntary organisation working for people with dementia and their carers. Dementia affects around 80,000 people in Scotland and almost half of the country’s families are touched by the illness. Alzheimer’s disease is the main form of dementia (60% of cases). The second most common is vascular dementia (17%). As yet there is no cure.

Our charity:

Apex Scotland (Grampian)

Apex Scotland is the specialist organisation that for over 20 years has contributed to a safer Scotland by working with ex-offenders and young people and adults at risk to give them the necessary skills to help them secure and stay in work or access further education and training.

ARCHIE Foundation

The ARCHIE Foundation is the official charity of the Royal Aberdeen Children’s Hospital, the Children's Wards in Inverness and Elgin and Community based Child Health throughout Grampian, Highland, Orkney and Shetland.

All monies donated to the ARCHIE Foundation go directly towards ‘making the difference’ for sick children and their families in the North of Scotland.

Archway

Archway is an Aberdeen based charity set up by parents and carers over 20 years ago to provide a new respite care for children, young people and adults with moderate to profound learning disabilities. We have grown and developed into an innovative organisation providing a range of caring services including shared and permanent care as well as a host of social and recreational opportunities to help all our service users build self confidence, life and social skills. We ensure all our service users remain part of, and not apart from, the local community.

Barnardo's Scotland

Whatever the issue, from drug misuse to disability; youth crime to mental health; sexual abuse to domestic violence; child poverty to homelessness; Barnardo’s believes we can bring out the best in every child. We run 415 projects across the UK.

Befriend a Child

We are Aberdeen's only 1:1 befriending service for vulnerable young people aged 5+. We match adult role models with young people, and they spend a few hours each month taking part in activities aimed at raising their self confidence and self esteem, introducing new skills and interests, and providing a few hours of fun away from their difficult backgrounds.

Bethany Christian Trust

Bethany Christian Trust seeks to relieve the suffering and meet the long term needs of homeless and vulnerable people across Scotland.

Bethany Christian Trust started in Edinburgh in 1983, where it now has a wide range of projects. The organisation is now operating in West Lothian, Dumfries and Fife and has been running in Aberdeen since October 2008 when it amalgamated with the Aberdeen City Mission.

As well as running the Winter Care Shelter in partnership with Aberdeen City Council, Bethany CT is involved in various drop-in projects in Aberdeen as well as a community integration and befriending project called ‘Passing the Baton’.

Blue Horizon

Blue Horizon is a voluntary organisation delivering three inter-related projects:

Blue Horizon is an inclusive, values-driven community provision by an ecumenical initiative based in the neighbourhoods of Kincorth and Cove and supported by the local churches and members of these neighbourhoods.

Blue Horizon serves amongst "at risk" teenage young people who are disadvantaged in social development, disengaged from formal education, at risk of alcohol and drug misuse, and presenting challenging behaviour at home and on the street. Blue Horizon also serves parents of teenage young people needing support and advocates rewarding and responsible parenting. We are guided by our motto of "Seeing Worth, Building Confidence, Expanding Horizons and Realising Potential".

The Boys' Brigade

The Boys’ Brigade is a Christian Youth Organisation staffed by volunteers for the benefit of young people in the Aberdeen area. It helps to develop young people in a fun way, being both educational and helping to stimulate leadership skills.

Brain Injury Grampian (BIG) Group

The Brain Injury Grampian Group was established in 2001 to raise awareness of brain injury and alleviate some of the problems of those who have suffered the effects of a brain injury, their families and carers.

Major effects of acquired brain injury can be amongst others: loss of mobility, limitation of communication skills and resulting social isolation. The involvement of our client group in social events and regular activities encourages participation and helps to increase self confidence.

Working with Momentum Scotland, National Lottery funds were applied to the setting up of an Outreach project named Transitions employing two full time workers. BIG can call on these professionals to act for us in setting up and running events particularly where their knowledge of individual needs and circumstances are important factors in the ability of our user group to take part.

BIG is an affiliate of Headway, the National Brain Injury Charity; in many areas of Scotland local Headway branches provide centres for those with a Brain Injury staffed by volunteers and professionals. We are investigating the possibility of developing our service- it needs money, time and resources. The impact of brain injury on the lives of individuals and families demands a compassionate response.

Camphill School Aberdeen

Camphill School Aberdeen is a forward-looking provider of individualised programmes of residential and non-residential education and care, therapeutic intervention services, emergency care for children and their families, of ongoing support and guidance to families within their homes and specialist training for parents, foster carers and professionals.

Camphill Wellbeing Trust

Camphill Wellbeing Trust, founded in 1989, promotes health in the community by providing an integrated service of quality anthroposophic therapies, treatments and education which treat the whole person, helping many people in the North-east of Scotland to enjoy a better quality of life in the widest and deepest sense.

In order to achieve this, Camphill Wellbeing Trust researches, develops and promotes its therapies and treatments, provides its services to anyone, regardless of their financial circumstances and raises funding in appropriate ways.

Camphill Wellbeing Trust is the only centre in Scotland providing an anthroposophic healthcare approach, which is an extension of conventional healthcare, not an alternative. This approach places the uniqueness of the individual at the centre through promoting health and treating illness by recognising the importance of physical, psychological, spiritual and social well-being for personal development.

The Trust’s main service partner is Camphill Medical Practice NHS. Together the organisations offer a range of healthcare services to people, with specialist provision in special needs, learning disabilities, long-term illness, dementia, cancer and chronic pain.

Our other partners include Tor-na-Dee Care Centre, Craig Court, The Bread Maker and The Robert Gordon University. Your involvement with us and your donations are greatly appreciated!

Cats Protection

We help more than 215,000 cats and kittens every year through our network of over 250 volunteer-run branches and 29 adoption centres. Our work doesn’t stop there, however: we also provide an array of cat care information via our publications, website and Helpline; promote the benefits of neutering to prevent unwanted litters from being born and becoming the abandoned cats of tomorrow and seek to educate people of all ages about cats and their care.

Chest Heart & Stroke Scotland (CHSS)

As one of Scotland’s leading medical charities, Chest Heart & Stroke Scotland is dedicated to improving life for people affected by these devastating illnesses.

Stroke is the greatest single cause of severe disability in Scotland, we have one of the highest rates of heart disease in the world and chronic chest illness is our country’s fourth biggest killer. CHSS funds medical research, influences public policy, provides advice and information and offers support in the community to people living with these conditions.

The charity provides a range of local services in Grampian including Volunteer Stroke Service groups and outreach services which support people who have had a stroke, particularly those left with communication difficulties. There are also affiliated local chest, heart and stroke groups as well as stroke nurses working in Aberdeen Royal Infirmary and Woodend Hospital.

Fundraisers and volunteers work tirelessly to raise the £6 million needed to fund its services each year. Events like the popular Dee Don Walkathon and exciting new Granite Challenge - as well as local initiatives by supporters - all contribute towards this challenging target as do all profits from charity shops throughout the country, including Aberdeen.

The charity operates an advice line – 0845 077 6000 - staffed by specialist nurses which offers confidential advice to patients, carers and health professionals on all aspects of chest, heart and stroke illness. Each year the advice line handles around 2,000 calls, all of which are charged at local rates. CHSS advice line nurses also respond to written, faxed, e-mail and text enquiries and send out helpful publications.

Children 1st

At Children 1st, our vision is a happy, healthy, safe and secure childhood for every child and young person in Scotland.

We have 125 years experience of working with children and families, previously as the Royal Scottish Society for Prevention of Cruelty to Children (RSSPCC). Today, we support families under stress, protect children from harm and neglect, help them to recover from abuse and promote children's rights and interests.

Children's Hospice Association Scotland (CHAS)

The Children’s Hospice Association Scotland (CHAS) is a charity that provides the only hospice services in Scotland for children and young people with life-shortening conditions.

CHAS runs two children’s hospices, Rachel House in Kinross and Robin House in Balloch. The hospices support the whole family by offering short planned breaks, emergency support, end of life care and a range of bereavement services.

CHAS also provides a home care service, called CHAS at Home, staffed from both hospices and with a dedicated team in Inverness. The service offers care to families in their own homes when they need it most.

CHAS supports over 250 families, as well as a significant number of families who receive bereavement support. The services are funded mainly through the generosity of the many supporters who help raise over £6 million needed each year to provide these vital hospice services.

CLAN Cancer Support

CLAN Cancer Support is an independent charity for anyone affected by any type of cancer at any time from diagnosis onwards. The charity’s services are available to anyone affected by cancer, whether personally, as a carer, family member or close friend.

Based at CLAN House in Aberdeen, the charity covers the whole of Grampian, Orkney and Shetland. Some of its services are available to people living outside these areas, specifically CLAN Haven and the CLAN Holiday Home.

CLIC Sargent

Every day in the UK, 10 families are told that their child has cancer.

CLIC Sargent, the UK’s leading children’s cancer charity, is the only charity that offers them all round care and support. We support children and young people with cancer, and their families, throughout their cancer journey – at diagnosis, during treatment, and through the course of their recovery. We provide Specialist Nurses, Social Workers, Homes from Home, research, financial support and advice, as well as UK holidays for children with cancer and their families.

Here in Aberdeen we support families with two members of staff at Aberdeen Royal Children’s Hospital; a CLIC Sargent Social Worker and a Paediatric Oncology Nurse Specialist. Every family we support costs an average of £3,500, bringing our annual spend in the region to more than £100,000. We are funded solely by donations so every penny we receive counts towards providing our vital services to families and their children!

Celebrate Aberdeen with CLIC Sargent, and help us to achieve our vision of a world where all children and young people with cancer live life to the full.

Community Food Initiatives North East (CFINE)

CFINE improves health and wellbeing, contributes to community regeneration, increases employability and creates employment in and with disadvantaged and excluded geographical and interest communities. This is achieved by promoting the consumption of fruit, veg, pulses and other healthy products and encouraging and supporting volunteering which brings a range of personal, family and community benefits.

The particular activities employed to support the above are Community Food Outlets, FareShare and the Fast Fruit Scheme. CFINE is now operational in Aberdeen City, Aberdeenshire and West Lothian.

Cornerstone

At Cornerstone our aim is simple, ‘to enable the people we support to enjoy a valued life’. Every day across Scotland we support people with disabilities and other support needs to become more independent and be active in their community. Established in 1980 we have grown to support nearly 1,300 children, young people and adults each year. By providing a range of high quality services, designed to meet and respond to the needs of individuals, we are now one of the largest voluntary sector providers of social care in Scotland.

Our highly skilled and motivated staff and volunteers are dedicated to providing individuals, families and communities with a better future and our person-centred approach ensures we keep the people we support at the heart of everything we do.

Create Aberdeen

Create Aberdeen provides support and activities for adults with learning and physical disabilities in community settings. These include dance, drama, music, exercise and social events and are led by qualified and experienced staff and volunteers. Create is a small local charity, based in Aberdeen.

Crossroads Caring Scotland - Aberdeen

Crossroads Caring Scotland is a national charity which is based in Aberdeen, giving respite care in the home.

Dadswork

The group works to support dads to take a more active role in parenting and provides support for single dads.

DAWGS (Dog Action Working Group Scotland)

Your local dog rehoming charity based in the Lang Stracht; we have rehomed over 3,000 dogs in last 17 years.

Our aim is to find the correct home for any dog which requires to be rehomed through no fault of their own. All dogs are "interviewed" prior to being advertised for re-homing and all potential new owners are home checked prior to meeting the dog.

We are totally self-funded by way of jumble sales, coffee mornings, bingo nights etc. and our annual fun day dog show "DAWG Day" is held in August at Hazelhead Park to continue to raise the public profile of the charity and provide a great day out for our supporters, new owners and their four legged friends.

Dee Boys Club

Dee Boys Club was formed 12 years ago as a youth football team. They currently have eight teams ranging in age from under 8 to under 19 year olds. They are developing plans to construct football pitches in the Torry area to allow them to play games in the Aberdeen & District Juvenile Association leagues.

Dee Boys Club is affiliated with the Scottish Youth Football Association and is at an advanced stage of developing the infrastructure required to receive the SFA Quality Mark Award. This is the first stage of a project to create a community-owned and community-run multi sports centre. The Torry area has a lack of activities aimed at helping youths to develop their sporting skills. Dee Boys Club aims to address this shortage and in doing so help prevent youths from engaging in anti-social behaviour and encourage them to participate in worthwhile health and fitness activities.

Disability, Inspiring, Sports & Social Club (DISSC)

DISSC moved from the Summerhill Education Centre last August to the Mastrick Community Centre and changed its name from Summerhill Disabled Club. The group has been going for around 50 years and we cater for people with differing disabilities who take part in carpet bowls and table tennis as well as play different sports at our venue. Our group has local, regional, national, Scottish and Olympic champions. We now have a logo and a motto, which is "Where Everyone Should Be Able to Join in the Fun.” We give the members trips, Christmas dinner & dances and also presentation of trophies and recently gained a patron, STV's North newsreader Norman MacLeod.

Disabled Persons Housing Service Aberdeen

Disabled Persons Housing Service Aberdeen is a local charity which provides housing information, advice and advocacy to disabled people their families and carers. The information provided includes private and social housing options.

The charity is managed by a voluntary committee of local people and has one member of staff and three volunteers. Based at Raeden Court, Aberdeen the service offers home and hospital visits to clients unable to call in to the office.

Drugs Action

Drugs Action provides a range of services to drug users, ex users and their families.

The overall aim of Drugs Action is to reduce the harms associated with drug use to the individual, the family and the community. Interventions range from advice and information regarding 'safer' drug use through to intensive work with dependent drug users to support positive changes in their drug use and related areas.

A range of services is also available to family members from information and advice through to intensive one to one counselling.

Dyslexia Scotland North East

As a branch of Dyslexia Scotland we are a group of local, friendly, volunteers who aim to provide support and information for families and individuals living with dyslexia in the Grampian area.

Most of the group have had their lives touched by dyslexia in some way, whether that is due to having dyslexia themselves, knowing a family member with it or may work with people affected with dyslexic issues.

This recently re-launched branch is a motivated group, increasing in numbers and developing it's involvement into new fields (i.e. youth events, making a DVD, contributing towards Aberdeen City Dyslexia Professional Guidelines and information leaflets etc).

For more info: http://www.dyslexiascotlandnortheast.org.uk

Fishermen's Mission

The Royal National Mission to Deep Sea Fishermen (Fishermen’s Mission) exists to provide spiritual and practical support to fishermen, their families and those connected with the fishing industry (regardless of race or creed).

The “mission man” is a weel-kent figure in the fishing communities in the North East and while Aberdeen’s fishing fleet is a shadow of its former self it was once the premier port in the UK. This means there is a large retired fishing community and the Aberdeen centre is mainly involved in assistance to the retired, widowed, disabled, and hospitalised who have connections to the fishing and merchant fleets. Its remit includes all fishing ports down the east coast as far south as the Firth of Forth.

We act as agents for a number of maritime societies and those we can help include fishermen, merchant mariners and their families; and ex Royal Navy via SSAFA. We help access regular, half-yearly grants and one-off or specific grants for items such as washing machines or carpets.

Friends of ANCHOR

Friends of ANCHOR was formed in 1997 to raise money on behalf of the ANCHOR unit whose support area extends throughout the North-east of Scotland, including Orkney and Shetland.

The Aberdeen & North Centre for Haematology, Oncology & Radiotherapy (ANCHOR) unit is a fully funded NHS department at Aberdeen Royal Infirmary which brings together experts and specialist nursing support to co-ordinate the care of patients with all forms of cancer, leukaemia and benign blood disorders such as haemophilia.

The charity funds the purchase of non NHS provided equipment for the ANCHOR unit and provides additional care, comfort and support for ANCHOR patients and their families. It also funds vital groundbreaking cancer research at the University of Aberdeen and is committed to funding over £0.5m research over the next three year period.

Friends of ANCHOR is unique in that every penny donated makes a difference as all administration costs are funded by their main sponsor Balmoral Group.

Future Choices

We are a group of disabled people who got together to form Future Choices so we could help other disabled people to come together. We host coffee mornings and meetings every month and are hoping to arrange more regular events for our members.

Girlguiding Aberdeen

Girlguiding UK is the United Kingdom's largest voluntary organisation for girls and young women, with around half a million members including about 100,000 trained volunteer adult leaders and supporters.

With Girlguiding UK girls can just be themselves - making friends, learning new skills and having fun.

Give Kids a Chance

Give Kids a Chance has supported over 1200 disadvantaged young people between the ages of 10 – 18 years in Grampian to access sport and leisure activities since the project was launched in 1997. Access to activities is co-ordinated on a weekly basis with a maximum capacity for 100 young people from Aberdeen to be involved at any time. The range of activities includes dance, drama, ice-skating, music, snooker, cooking, swimming, martial arts and singing. Young people can be involved with the project for a few months or for up to seven or eight years.

Support is provided on an individual basis depending on the specific needs of the young person. Give Kids a Chance provides over 900 activity sessions each year for young people in Aberdeen. Involvement in sport and leisure activities is used as the tool to develop or improve self confidence, self esteem, social and practical skills in order that young people can be supported to reach their full potential in life.

Glencraft (Aberdeen) Ltd

Glencraft is a manufacturer of high quality mattresses and beds, handcrafted at our factory in Aberdeen, Scotland.

We are a Social Enterprise that secures employment and training for around 30 blind and disabled people from the surrounding area. We have a long history, dating back to 1843, and pride ourselves on our heritage, our finely crafted products, and most of all our people. Our aim is simple ‘a good bed, made better’ by people who care for people who care.

Grampian Cardiac Rehabilitation Association Ltd (GCRA)

We are a self-help group whose interests and aims are directed at encouraging people within the Grampian area with cardiac problems to improve their quality of life by adopting a healthier lifestyle.

With the cornerstone of such a lifestyle being the participation of the individual in regular safe exercise programmes, GCRA currently operate 33 exercise classes (10 within the city) with a total membership approaching 650, of which approximately 420 exercise every week. As such GCRA is the largest single voluntary provider of accredited cardiac rehabilitation exercise classes in Scotland.

Grampian Child Bereavement Network

The Grampian Child Bereavement Network is a registered charity whose aim is to achieve the best possible level and quality of support for children and young people, within the Grampian area, who have experienced bereavement.

We aim to raise awareness of the impact of bereavement on children and young people and to help those who are bereaved to access appropriate support. We also aim to provide information, resources and practical help to families, carers and professionals who are supporting a bereaved child or young person.

While we believe that bereavement is a normal part of everyday life and that children and young people are resilient, we also believe that every child and their circumstances are unique and their reaction to bereavement will also be unique. Children and young people should be able to have their loss acknowledged and to receive the appropriate, age related, level of support that they need to enable them to manage their grief.

Grampian Regional Equality Council (GREC)

For 26 years, GREC has been the principle organisation in the voluntary sector responsible for leading the way towards a fairer and more equal society, working to eliminate prejudice in the north east of Scotland. GREC works in close partnership with its Local Authority and Public Sector funding partners and operates with a small team of paid staff supported by approximately 60 regular volunteers.

Our main areas of work include; Policy Consultation and Development work for Local and National Public bodies, Equality Research, Equality Case Work, ‘Me Time’ Counselling for children and young people, Gypsy Traveller Liaison, Diversity and Equality training, the ‘Employability Project’ for adults whose first language is not English, Interpreting and Translation services for individuals and public bodies and a Bi-Lingual Health Link Worker operating in the Buchan area.

GREC maintain close links with Schools in Grampian, regularly offering support and advice and undertaking Equality and Diversity work with staff and teachers. Annually GREC holds the Anne Frank Awards, a Grampian wide school competition promoting inclusion and diversity. GREC values the diverse qualities and attributes which our cross cultural volunteers bring to the organisation. To find out more, visit our website www.GREC.co.uk.

Grampian Women's Aid (GWA)

GWA provide support and accommodation to women and their children (if any) who have been exposed to domestic abuse. We have a main office in Aberdeen City where we support women not living in refuge accommodation. GWA operates four refuge accommodations housing up to 21 women. Two of the refuge's are in Aberdeenshire and two in Aberdeen City.

Grandparents As Parents (G.A.P)

We are a charity set up in 2003 to provide support to grandparents who have permanent care of their grandchildren for various reasons.

We meet weekly for a chat and organise good quality outings for the children in our care. Our aim is to provide them with pride in themselves and their community.

Guarana

We are a community, street drumming band, open to all ages and abilities. We also support a kids drumming band 'Big Bang'. Our work for charities and community groups keeps us busy the year round. We perform at many festivals including Belladrum and Wizard and a number of local and national galas and events.

Home-Start Aberdeen

"Helping parents build better lives for their children".

Home-Start offers emotional and practical support to families through a network of home visiting volunteers. Our volunteers, who are usually parents themselves, are matched with a family and visit weekly. Common issues facing families are isolation, ill health, disability, depression, substance misuse and domestic violence.

Home-Start aims to support families to raise confidence and self esteem and help families access the best services possible in the area to meet the needs of their family.

Iceberg Community Interest Company

Provides employability options for those disadvantaged by their social or personal circumstances. Currently operating a print and design business which contributes profits to Aberdeen Cyrenians and provides work experience for those furthest away from the labour market.

Independent Age

Independent Age is a unique charity, which was established in 1863, and provides lifelong support to older people on very low incomes. We provide information and advice, practical help and emergency financial aid through our network of staff and dedicated volunteers across the UK and the Republic of Ireland.

Just as importantly, we offer friendship and the chance to socialise to those who are lonely and isolated. Supported by Independent Age, thousands of older people are able to maintain their independence, contribute to their communities and enjoy a good quality of life, secure in the knowledge that our help lasts as long as they need it.

Inspire

Inspire is now one of Scotland’s leading charities, employing over 450 people and offering support to hundreds of children, young people and adults with learning disabilities and additional support needs throughout North-east Scotland.

The organisation provides a range of more than 60 services throughout Aberdeen city, Aberdeenshire and Moray, including 24 hour residential care, day services and respite care. We provide the people who use our services with the right amount and type of support so that they can broaden their horizons and access opportunities and experiences that many people take for granted.

Inspire Ventures is the social enterprise arm of Inspire and includes Café Coast, a stylish and contemporary restaurant, based on Aberdeen’s Beach Boulevard. Inspire operates a unique training for employment scheme within Café Coast. Through this scheme, Inspire aims to open opportunities into mainstream employment, increase social and economic independence, and break down barriers that are experienced by individuals with learning disabilities and additional support needs.

Integrate

Integrate was established to formalise and add solid structure to voluntary work that was already being carried out. Integrate is the operating name of Community Chaplaincy Scotland, a limited company registered in Scotland (SC331 275) and registered charity (SC039013).

Our mission:

"To relieve the needs of those in Scotland who have experienced disadvantage as a result of their offending behaviour by providing support, information and advocacy, as a practical outworking of the Christian faith."

We are passionate about providing offenders with a positive support network as they seek to break away from a life of crime. This support can start within the prison as they prepare for release and continue as they return to society.

We are dedicated to helping members of the public feel safe and positive about the re-integration of offenders into the community. We emphasise the need for everyone to assist with the rehabilitation of offenders as they develop appropriate life skills and avoid offending behaviour.

We provide support and advice to faith groups as they seek to care for offenders.

Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation

Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation (JDRF) is the leading charitable funder of type 1 diabetes research in the world. Its mission is to find the cure for type 1 and its complications, through the support of world class medical research.

Scotland has the fifth-highest incidence of type 1 in the world, with over 27,000 people with the condition. About 350,000 people live with type 1 across the UK, including over 25,000 children. With rates increasing by about four percent each year, particularly in children under five, it is more important than ever that we continue to fund the research that will find the cure.

Kidney Kids Scotland

Kidney Kids Scotland was founded as a Charitable Trust in July 2000 to help children with renal illness and their families. The charity's main objective is to enable children to receive treatment as close to home as possible, minimizing the disruption to the family unit.

We achieve this by working closely and relying on the expertise of consultants, medical and welfare personnel to identify where we can best provide help. The charity supports hospitals all over Scotland supplying them with much needed equipment and funding for posts recognized as being essential.

In addition to support given to hospitals the charity has contibuted a great deal to individual families who have been financially disadvantaged by their child's renal illness. These families come from ALL over Scotland. Kidney Kids Scotland has been instrumental in funding and developing The Paediatric Renal Network in Scotland.

Over the past ten years Kidney Kids Scotland has distributed well over three quarters of a million pounds towards the treatment of children in Scotland.

The Latter Day Saints

We are a Worldwide Church involved in a number of activities including:

The Living Well Project

The Living Well project is a relatively new initiative which aims to improve the physical, emotional, social and spiritual wellbeing within the local community of Newhills and Bucksburn.

We seek to enter into partnership with local agencies to provide appropriate support to a community with elderly, vulnerable and needy people. As a result of much discussion with various local and city groups, we believe we can work with our partners to make a difference within the Bucksburn/Newhills community. At a time when services are being cut, we see ourselves as ideally placed to listen and respond to the needs of the community.

In 2011 we launched our new initiative. The Newhills Church Befriending Service sits under the umbrella of The Living Well Project and is an expression of care and concern for some of the most vulnerable people in our community. We employ a part time Team Leader, who has responsibility for training our Befrienders and for carefully matching them to Befriendees referred to the service by local agencies.

In the future, we wish to develop other projects which would benefit the community. To do this, we require further funding and help in identifying suitable accommodation within the area to progress with these endeavors.

Macmillan Cancer Support

Macmillan Cancer Support improves the lives of people affected by cancer. We provide practical, medical and financial support and push for better cancer care.

People need practical support at home, so we provide anything from some precious time off for a carer, to a lift to hospital. People need emotional support, so we listen, advise and share information through our telephone support line, website, support groups and trained professionals. People need financial help to cope with the extra costs cancer can bring, so we give benefits advice, and financial grants for anything from heating bills to travel costs. Together we listen, we learn, we act to help people live with cancer. We make a difference when it’s needed most.

We help people from the very moment they suspect they have cancer and continue to support them throughout their cancer experience. We help everyone from children to the elderly, no matter what type of cancer they have.

Macmillan wants to reach and improve the lives of everyone who has been affected by cancer. Currently we are not able to be there for everyone who needs our support, which is why we need your help to reach more people.

Mannofield Church

We are situated in the West End of Aberdeen and have a large congregation of 1,400 people. Our Vision is to be a church that cares for the community around us, as an expression of God's care for everyone.

In our activities we seek to support and encourage people of all generations and in whatever circumstances. We provide the meeting place for Parents and Toddlers groups in our community and through Boys Brigade and Brownies and Guides we support over 100 young people in their formative years. We employ a Youth Worker who works with the Youth in our community at a Youth Club and weekly Drop-In Youth Cafe. For many years we have run a Youth Theatre Group that puts on shows at Christmas and early summer.

Older people living in our community are looked after through the monthly Lunch Club and through a Befriending Scheme that matches volunteers to elderly housebound living in our community. We provide activities of interest for a cross-section of the community such as Bowling, Sowing, Bridge, County Dancing, Singing and Music and our buildings are used by partners such as Guide Dogs for the Blind, Jazzercise, Scottish Slimmers, Weight Watchers, Rambler Associations.

Mannofield Church is a key facility in the community and with our hard work we seek to improve the quality of life for those who live beside us.

Mental Health Aberdeen (MHA)

Established 1950, MHA (Mental Health Aberdeen) - one of the earliest local mental health associations - still has the same objectives:

The organisation was among the first to provide community care. Our first residential project, a group home for discharged psychiatric patients, was opened more than 40 years ago and was the first in the area.

Since then we have been providing day services continuously for over 30 years and ACIS, our counselling and information service, was the first of its kind in Scotland.

Our services were developed in response to perceived needs and have evolved over the years. Proposals were often initially turned down for funding because the ideas were ahead of those of funders (e.g. day centre; crisis beds; single supported tenancies) but were frequently taken over by the statutory sector after successful integration, including the involvement of service users in the management of projects.

Other key areas to our work include campaigning; research evidence; representation at local and national levels and organising information events (e.g. Mental Health Week – until 1994).

MHA seeks to influence policy at local and national levels - 23 years ago MHA was the first voluntary organisation in Grampian to be invited to join a local joint planning group for mental health services.

Middlefield Community Project

Middlefield Community Project is a voluntary organisation with charitable status which is run by local people on behalf of the community. The project provides a variety of service to the Middlefield area, including four part-time nurseries (an all day, fee paying nursery for the Aberdeen area).

It also provides support to parents, either individually, or within parenting groups or adult education classes, as well as providing U12's groups, street play and play schemes over the school holidays and involving local people in volunteering to support the local community.

For some volunteers this gives them the confidence to go back in to work or college. The project also has a youth flat for young people, aged 12 to 25 years old, which is open 40 hours per week to provide the support that they might not get at home and help them to develop their social skills and confidence and enable them to make good decisions for their future.

MND Scotland

MND Scotland is the only charity in Scotland which provides care, support and information to people affected by Motor Neurone Disease.

There are roughly 44 people in the Aberdeenshire area who have MND. The services which the charity offers locally includes a care team specialist who visits clients in their homes and assesses their care needs, whilst liaising with other health and social care specialists to ensure that the person receives the care package that they require. We provide an equipment loan service for specialist equipment which can be delivered to the client when required.

We have a huge range of books, journals and e-materials in our library which can be borrowed and anyone can download fact files about the disease from our website. We hold family information evenings and have a support group in Aberdeen for people affected by the condition. We also offer counselling and a welfare and benefits services.

Recently started in the Aberdeenshire area is our home based complementary therapy programme for patients and their carers. This year is special as it is our 30th anniversary and we would like to raise greater awareness of the condition as well as the services we can offer.

Momentum

Momentum Skills Grampian delivers specialist training and support for adults with brain injury who want to return to employment, further training or education.

Service users are assisted to set achievable goals through group work and take part in specialised cognitive and vocational modules, as well as working closely with experienced employment development officers to attend work experience placements. The ultimate goal of the programme is that individuals retain, or enter employment.

Momentum's Transitions service delivers an outreach programme which offers support to people with a brain injury and their families throughout Grampian. By getting involved at an early stage, Transitions ensures service users and their carers receive appropriate support to understand the injury and where to get the range of services that are available to people with acquired brain injury.

Monty's Maggie's Appeal

Maggie's are a network of cancer caring centres across the UK who provides emotion and practical support and information for anyone affected by cancer, their family, friends and carers at any point in their cancer journey.

The Monty's Maggie's Appeal, in partnership with the Press and Journal and the Elizabeth Montgomerie Foundation, are working to bring a Maggie's Centre to Aberdeen, which is currently the only major city in Scotland not supported by a Maggie's Centre.

Music 4 U

Established in 2003, Music 4 U's aims were to offer music and music related projects to children and young people across Aberdeen City and Shire, without prejudice.

Music 4 U grew considerably and gained charitable status in 2005 - continued growth allowed us to work with young people who have musical talent as well as those with additional support needs, from areas of social and financial deprivation and those at risk of anti-social behaviour.

Music 4 U is currently undergoing another development process whereby the organisation will expand into a company limited by guarantee to allow capacity growth and additional services. We also operate a successful Youth Chorus, school holiday workshops, community projects and an Integrated Stage School.

North East Scotland Credit Union

NESCU is a financial co-operative serving the communities of Grampian. We have a main office in Poynernook Road and 30 collection points staffed by 110 volunteers throughout Aberdeen City, Aberdeenshire and Moray. We operate in local primary schools with our junior savers scheme.

Our membership of 1500 members have combined savings of over £500,000 and we loan out £450,000.

This keeps money in the local economy and saves our members over £400,000 in interest on loan accounts every year compared to doorstep lenders.

North-East Scotland Disabled Veterans Association (NESDVA)

NESDVA is a self-help group set up nearly four years ago by a number of individual veterans of the armed forces in the North-east who were experiencing disability either through their service or otherwise.

There are now 40+ members who have served in every conflict around the world from Korea to the Falklands, including three who served in World War 2.

Financed completely by their own fundraising efforts they meet in the Phoenix Centre in Torry and provide social activities, comradeship and friendship, chaplaincy, counselling, alternative therapies, computer studies, the opportunity to take part in memorials locally and nationally as well as providing honour guards at funerals of their members.

They have taken members who were prisoners of war in WW 2 back for the first time to their place of battle and capture, enabling the veterans to seek for the first time some form of closure after all these years. Day to day they are an understanding support mechanism drawing disabled veterans out from years of exclusion and loneliness to the support of those who share their experiences.

North East Sensory Services (NESS)

North East Sensory Services (NESS), formerly Grampian Society for the Blind, is the leading provider of sensory services in the North East of Scotland, providing advice and support to over 3,000 people with sight loss, hearing loss and the deaf community in Grampian.

We offer people affected by sensory loss and their families practical and emotional support, the development of daily living skills and opportunities to achieve social integration and independence.

On behalf of Moray and Aberdeen City Councils NESS provides social work and rehabilitation services to enable people to increase their independence and safety.

NESS charitable services throughout Grampian include support for children and young people age 0-18 and their parents through key transitions; Volunteer Befriending Service for visually impaired individuals; employment support in Aberdeen; social and activity groups; in-house magazines, newsletters and newspaper recordings in accessible formats; transcription service into audio and Braille formats or BSL DVD; ICT demonstration and training in Aberdeen and Elgin; walk-in and postal library of audio books and audio-described videos; fully accessible meeting facilities and resource centres of aids for daily living in Aberdeen and Elgin.

NESS offers ample opportunities for volunteering. More than 150 volunteers provide much needed support to NESS activities.

Northsound Cash for Kids

Cash for Kids Aberdeen is a children’s charity helping to support underprivileged, sick and disabled children in Aberdeen and the North-east.

NSPCC Scotland

We are here to end cruelty to children in Scotland by fighting for their rights, listening to them, helping them when they need us and making them safe.

Last year, the NSPCC's ChildLine service in Scotland provided more than 27,000 children and young people in distress and danger with a counselling service.

The NSPCC is inspired by a belief that we can make a difference for all children. That’s why we aim to end cruelty to children in the UK. Even if it takes many generations to realise it, we achieve much more for children by having this inspirational vision.

PAMIS

PAMIS supports people with profound and multiple learning disabilities, their families and professionals involved with them.

We offer one to one support to family carers, advocate on their behalf or support them at meetings. We also offer family carer training on issues relevant to people with PMLD. We campaign for better services, such as adult sized changing facilities and are part of the Changing Places Consortium. We are also a member of the Scottish Consortium for Learning Disabilities.

PEER Project/Family Learning

PEER Project (Parental Engagement towards Education and Recruitment) was established in 2009 to provide volunteering opportunities for parents within the 10 schools that Family Learning currently work in partnership with.

Many of the parents that have and continue to access courses run by Family Learning, were keen to get involved, so PEER project was set up to support individual development, through training, community and office-based learning experiences.

Phoenix Futures

Phoenix Futures is a leading provider of services for people with drug and alcohol problems. We offer services within community, prison and residential settings in Scotland and England.

Through our expertise we are able to support our service users at every stage of their recovery.

Our Aberdeen project is part of the Integrated Drug Service - Community Rehab (IDS-CR) and works in conjunction with Drugs Action, Foyer and Cyrenians supporting people in Aberdeen City on their journey of recovery from substance addiction.

Polish Association Aberdeen

Polish Association Aberdeen is a voluntary charity organisation aiming to help people integrate and network with others in a friendly environment and help people get involved in local community life.

The Polish Association was established in Aberdeen 16 years ago. The Association is formed from Polish nationals and their friends living in Aberdeen and the North-east region of Scotland.

We are a non-profit charity organisation (SC041396) with the main aim to integrate the Polish community and to promote Polish culture, history and language.

Rape and Abuse Support (R.A.S)

R.A.S. is a female voluntary organisation run by women for women. R.A.S. provide vital support and advocacy to female survivors of rape and sexual violence and challenge attitudes towards violence against women.

Survivors can access information on legal and medical issues. Although primarily our work is with female survivors, we also provide information and support to families, friends and partners to enable them to support the survivor in the long term.

REACH

Successful matching of volunteers with skills with opportunities that meet their needs and requirements.

We help skilled people take on new challenges, broaden their experience and make a difference to their community. We find volunteers with the right management, professional, technical or business expertise to help voluntary organisations achieve their full potential. We help trustees and organisations through the trustee journey. We help volunteers keep their skills and experience active, to build their CVs and at the same time gain new knowledge within the Third Sector organisation with which they work.

Red Cross

The British Red Cross helps people in crisis, whoever and wherever they are. We are part of a global voluntary network, responding to conflicts, natural disasters and individual emergencies.

We help vulnerable people in the UK and abroad prepare for, withstand and recover from emergencies in their own communities.

On average, each year in Scotland, the Red Cross:

Redemption International for the Blind

Redemption International for the Blind works towards the advancement of the education of the blind, mainly in Nigeria, for a start.

This we do by promoting the teaching of braille as a form of reading and writing for the blind, translating relevant study materials used in Nigerian schools into braille, teaching the blind on the use of the computer to improve on their computer literacy, helping those who are unable to proceed further in academics to acquire one skill that can make them self reliant and less dependent on the society.

Here in Aberdeen, we intend to run a recreation facility where blind people within the locality can find relaxation with soft music which will help relieve them of loneliness and depression and encourage social and cultural integration with blind people from every part of the world. There will also be an advisory unit and a special line for people within and around Aberdeen to call in and be guided on any eye related problem.

RGU Union

Located in Aberdeen city centre, the RGU Union deals with every aspect of university life. It provides help and advice to students and puts them in contact with clubs and societies and can help get them involved in student politics.

The Student Association currently has over 30 registered societies for students to get involved in, ranging from the academic (Law Society) to the charitable (RGU RAG) and the plain good fun (School Trip Society).

The Richmond Fellowship Scotland

The Richmond Fellowship Scotland provides care and support to 139 people in the Aberdeen area who have mental health difficulties, learning disabilities and autism. Our support helps people to live the life they want and to be healthy and safe. Many of the people we support live in their own homes, others in our care homes. They all receive person centred support which promotes the choices and improves their quality of life.

We are a registered charity, and with our history going back to 1993, we are one of Aberdeen's longest established social care providers. We work closely with families, carers, health, social work and our voluntary sector partners to provide the best support possible.

Our average Care Commission Grade for care and support is 5 (very good). This reflects the high quality of our support and the dedication of our staff teams. Our staff have extensive training to build their knowledge and skills, including formal qualifications in care.

The Richmond Fellowship Scotland has expanded to support many people and employ many staff throughout Scotland. However we always retain our local focus and pay attention to the details that make all the difference to each individual's life.

RSCDS Aberdeen

We run Scottish country dancing classes for children and adults in the Aberdeen area. We also organise dances on a regular basis and run summer socials from May to August. Adult classes are a mixture of both graded and social dancing.

Scottish Country Dancing is a very social activity but good for the brain as well as the body!  We promote Fun, Fitness and Friendship.  It is also, of course, part of your Scottish Heritage.  Introductory classes start every September and everyone is welcome!

For more information please go to www.aberdeenrscds.co.uk

The Sailors' Society

Founded in 1818, the Sailors’ Society is a not-for-profit Christian Society.

As an Island nation, 95% of the consumables we use enter Britain via our ports on ships. Seafarers can serve for nine months or more with only three months at home with family.

We have a professionally trained Chaplain based in Aberdeen, Rev Howard Drysdale, providing welfare support to merchant seafarers.

Our Chaplain boards the ships in port and extends a friendly welcome to all, irrespective of nationality or faith, reaching out to thousands of seafarers each year to enhance their well-being. We are able to relieve the seafarers loneliness, isolation and sometimes distress, and we can assist them when they require help.

Exchanging book and DVD libraries, providing news from home and facilitating cheap calls home to loved ones is part of the ministry of Chaplains who not only look after the needs of serving merchant seafarers, but also those who have retired and of cadets hoping to take up a life at sea.

The Sailors' Society provides a personal lifeline for merchant seafarers on board ship and when they step ashore in port.

The Salvation Army

The Salvation Army is a Christian church and charity which provides practical aid to those in need – including the homeless, vulnerable and elderly – in many forms, eg. food parcels, clothing, furniture, feeding programmes, Christmas parcels and meals.

Our community cafe provides voluntary opportunities for many people, including those with special needs and our facilities are widely used by the voluntary sector, business and council for conferences/training.

Satrosphere

Satrosphere is a not-for profit organisation with a mission to be an important and valuable education resource for the whole community where people of all ages, backgrounds and abilities can come and engage with science and be enthused and inspired.

Scottish Culture & Traditions Association (SC&T)

SC&T's aim is to promote awareness and growth of Scottish traditional culture, and to do so in a way which brings enjoyment, encouragement, enthusiasm and a sense of community.

Scottish Association for Mental Health (SAMH)

With a proud heritage dating back to 1923, SAMH now support over 3,000 people with mental health problems every day. We have strengthened our influence at senior levels of Government through our dedicated policy and campaigns and we work to raise awareness of positive mental health through the development of our national programmes including 'see me' and ‘respect me’.

SAMH is a membership organisation with our service users at the heart of everything that we do and as Scotland's leading mental health charity, we are dedicated to providing help, information and support; to campaign on behalf of people with mental health problems and to raise money to fund our vital work.

Scottish Marriage Care

Scottish Marriage Care provides relationship counselling services in Aberdeen, Ayrshire, Dundee, Edinburgh, Falkirk, Fife, Glasgow, Inverness, Motherwell and Paisley.

Scottish Marriage Care believes that positive relationships are at the heart of a successful Scotland. Whether we are single, married, cohabiting, with or without children, our lives are stabilised, enhanced and energised by healthy relationships. However, relationships can easily become a source of conflict, distress and regret.

Through either FOCCUS Marriage Preparation, Counselling service, Stepfamily Helpline or Early Intervention programmes, the charity works with you to strengthen and improve your relationships and family life.

SMC's counselling is for Families, Couples, Individuals and Young People. The charity’s relationship counselling offers support, encouragement and reduces relationship stress.

SMC's counselling services are complemented by our other relationship work. The charity run relationship workshops in schools, peer education projects, a Stepfamily Helpline, FOCCUS Marriage Preparation Programme and relationship MOT's. These useful relationship development tools can help you build stronger, healthier relationships and reduce the risk of relationship crisis in the future.

Scottish Spina Bifida Association

At the Scottish Spina Bifida Association (SSBA) we’re adding quality to life, everyday. We are the only Scottish charity providing advice, support and information to over 3,000 children, young people and adults, across Scotland, who are affected by spina bifida and/or hydrocephalus. Both conditions cause life-long complex disabilities of which there is no cure.

Every year the SSBA support includes: Intensive support at home or in hospital, parent–toddler groups, health check clinics, lo-call helpline, personal fitness programmes, adult social groups, training, conferences, information days, and subsidised holidays in adapted accommodation.

It costs £1 million every year to maintain our high level of services and we rely almost entirely on fundraising challenges, events, donations and the goodwill of volunteers to raise these much needed funds.

Scout Association

Scouting provides an opportunity for children aged 6-18 to take part in a wide range of exciting activities. All the adult members in Aberdeen are volunteers and are provided with relevant training to give the youth members an adventure.

Send-it

Send-it is a social enterprise that provides work skills and training to adults recovering from mental health problems.

Shopmobility Aberdeen

Shopmobility Aberdeen provides independence and choice to people with disabilities, their families and friends.

Silver City Surfers

The Silver City Surfers Charity provides free one to one tutoring, for over one thousand people, who are over fifty five in how to use the computer and surf the internet safely.

Silver City Surfers was set up six years ago by a group of older people for older people. We have approximately 20 volunteers of all ages and run four popular sessions a week, in the city centre, Torry and Seaton areas. Our sessions link a social aspect with learning in a supportive and encouraging environment tailored to the individual.

Through learning basic computer skills in a social setting our 'clients' become more cheerful; confident; connected and continuously develop their interest in computing. The benefits to people have included keeping in contact with family overseas, saving money by buying/booking services online, being able to type a letter on the computer; broadening horizons by researching topics as diverse as health, card making, employment opportunities and family history online. There is also the feeling that they are not alone in being new to computing.

Silver City Surfers has been running for over six years and we enthusiastically provide a unique, free and life enhancing service to the over 55's and to our volunteers who gain a sense of pride, confidence and satisfaction in helping others. We look forward to growing and developing for the future.

Simeon Care for the Elderly

Simeon Care for the Elderly is a registered care home for 17 older people. We are part of Camphill Aberdeen City and Shire.

Our aim is to provide a home where the older person can find security and companionship, care and support through meeting individual needs and enabling residents to participate and make a contribution to daily life in the home. For most residents, Simeon is able to provide lifelong care including end of life care in the home.

Somebody Cares Trust UK

Aberdeen's largest organisation providing free food, furniture, household goods, clothing and much more to the poor, the vulnerable and the marginalised people of the city. We work with over 70 agencies in the city and provide the necessities of life for thousands of families and individuals every year.

We run work schemes for large numbers of unemployed people, training the unemployed and developing large retail and recycling projects.

The Sound of Many Waters (SOMW)

The Sound of Many Waters - Mega Gospel Concerts. Experience the excitement of contemporary, praise, soul and African hip-hop music / dance performances.

SSAFA Forces Help Aberdeen, Aberdeenshire & Kincardine Branch

We help and support those who serve in our Armed Forces and those who used to serve - even if it was only for a single day. We also care for the families of both.

Last year our trained volunteers provided a reliable, caring and trusted service to more than 200 people in Aberdeen and the surrounding area. We helped to make a real difference to many lives.

St Andrew’s First Aid

Our Vision:
"To deliver excellence in everything First Aid to Scotland."

Our Mission:
"To provide everyone in Scotland with the highest standards in First Aid skills, services and volunteering opportunities."

We aim to achieve this through:

Training:
We provide First Aid training throughout Scotland.

Event services:
We provide First Aid cover wherever it is needed, from local community events to T in the Park, SPL and SFL football matches and international sporting fixtures.

Youth Development:
We provide opportunities for young people to get involved through our Badgers and Cadets, as well as providing training and support to other youth schemes such as the Duke of Edinburgh Awards and the SYFA.

St James’s Place Foundation

The St James’s Place Foundation was started by the St. James’s Place Wealth Management Group and since its outset it has been keen to support small charities that can substantially benefit from relatively small grants. Hundreds of small charities have benefited as a result.

The focus of the Foundation is on helping children and young people who have special needs and supporting the hospice movement throughout the UK. Funds come from primarily two sources – our community (i.e. members of our partnership and employees) and the Company, the St.James’s Place Wealth Management Group. Various fundraising events take place throughout the year. In addition more than 80% of our partners and staff commit to monthly covenant contributions.

Station House Media Unit (SHMU)

SHMU is one of the foremost Community Media organisations in the UK, focusing its services on Aberdeen's seven regeneration areas, identified as among the most disadvantaged communities in Scotland. The organisation also works with other disadvantaged and vulnerable groups on as favourable a basis as possible.

The organisation supports over 100 volunteers each week to produce more than 120 hours of live radio programming for its 24 hour radio station, shmuFM.

Volunteers are also supported to produce six quarterly community magazines which are delivered free to every home across the regeneration areas through the shmuDESIGN strand of the organisation’s work. SHMU also runs a thriving video production unit, producing over 30 films a year. The aim for this area of work is to broadcast community TV on its own Digital TV Channel.

The organisation offers free Internet access to target communities through its Wi-Fi initiative - shmuONLINE and runs a range of courses for target communities with the aim of enhancing their opportunities in securing employment, training or further education through its shmuTRAIN strand.

Sue Ryder

Sue Ryder provides support and care for people living with neurological conditions such as Huntington’s disease, multiple sclerosis, acquired brain injury and stroke at their care centre, Dee View Court, in Kincorth.

Thai Buddharam Temple and Cultural Centre

The Thai Buddharam Temple and Cultural Centre (TTCC) is an organisation set up by a group of dedicated volunteers in the North-east of Scotland.

Our primary charitable aim is to establish a Buddhism Temple in Aberdeen as a place for Thai and Buddhism communities to gather together and work towards achieving the objectives of the foundation, which are:

Torry St. Fitticks Parish Church Lunch Club

We run a fortnightly lunch club for the community of Torry and beyond. There is no age restriction and in fact we often have some kids from Walker Road School who have church family connections. We also have the residents and staff from the Torry Nursing Care Home who enjoy the outing as well as the meal.

We provide a three course, nutritional meal, plus tea or coffee for £3 - apart from two special meals free - a Christmas meal and one before the summer break which is followed by entertainment. Our average attendance is around 70.

If there are any people in Torry who are unable to come on their own we have volunteer car drivers. Our voluntary team of helpers is headed by Mrs Ellen Mair, who plans the menu and does most of the cooking. Apart from the food, we provide a friendly and caring atmosphere for our guests, which is very much appreciated as most of the folk who attend live on their own.

Torry Youth Cafe

We are a charity that work with youths aged 10-17 years old. We offer a save haven for the youths away from drugs, drink, anti-social behaviour. We run various projects through out the year where the youths can pick up new skills and build on their confidence.

Transition Extreme

Transition Extreme is a multi award-winning youth charity and social enterprise dedicated to engaging with young people via participation in extreme sports and related art and music activities. Its facilities for skateboarding, BMX, inline skating and climbing are open to everyone. By using the centre, participants are helping the organisation to help young people channel their energy, develop their skills and maximise their potential.

Turning Point Scotland (TPS)

Turning Point Scotland provide person-centred support to adults with a range of complex needs.

We learn from service and service users and seek to influence social policy. Last year we supported over 14,000 adults in Scotland and at any one time support around 150 people in Aberdeen City. TPS is not committed to any one model of support or treatment. Instead it works in a person-centred way and has many different types of service.

Rosie’s Café in Rosemount and Rosie’s Framers and Crafts shop in Holburn Street are TPS’ social enterprise services in Aberdeen. They promote the independence of individuals who are disadvantaged in the labour market through the provision of training, work experience and employment.

STABLE and SHAPE offer flexible and consistent support to people living in their own homes throughout the city. They provide person-centred support for people who have or have had mental health issues and people living with a long term neurological condition including Huntington’s Disease.

Our goal is to support individuals to take control of their own lives and make their own positive choices. We assist people on their individual paths towards coping with their condition or moving forward with their recovery.

UCAN

UCAN needs your support to achieve our aims.

UCAN has been set up as a charity dedicated to raising awareness of urological cancers, and improving support and quality of life for people and families who are affected.

It will do this by creating a centre of excellence in the North of Scotland to spearhead a vigorous programme encompassing all the following:

Health promotion work and awareness raising of urological cancers in businesses and communities throughout the north of Scotland, with the aim of encouraging earlier diagnosis in the future, resulting in more positive prognoses for more people;

Improve information for everyone on awareness and prevention, benefit of early diagnosis, deciding about treatment and coping with the unwanted effects of treatment;

Evaluate new technologies for diagnosis and treatment;

Study the best ways to treat patients with urological cancers, and to manage the unwanted effects of treatment;

Assess the effectiveness of different treatments and use this to help patients make decisions about their own care;

Give patients information and skills to help them be actively involved in decisions about their own treatment and care;

Work with patients, their families and the wider public to better understand the problems experienced by patients as they go through their ‘journey of care’;

Create a support network for newly-diagnosed patients and their families.

VSA

VSA is Aberdeen's major social care charity and is the largest city social care charity in the UK. Its success lies in its innovative approach to merging and bringing other local charities together to ensure that people in Aberdeen are provided with the best of care. The VSA vision is to build a strong and caring community.

The work they do to realise this vision is their mission to provide the best care and support to enable the community to fulfil its potential. The vision and mission are based on shared values they believe in as an organisation.

VSA service users’ needs are at the heart of its policies, planning and work. They will work to provide the best care to meet service users’ needs. They will embrace, promote and foster partnerships to deliver our services in the most appropriate way for our service users. They will respect and value our service users, partners, volunteers and staff.

The ‘philosophy’ for service provision is a reflection of the above agency vision, mission and values.

Workers' Educational Association (WEA)

The WEA is a long established voluntary organisation that provides learning opportunities for people who missed out on their first chance of education.

We run a variety of projects in the City and Shire which provide a diverse variety of courses and classes designed to support learners who are often facing barriers and complex issues move on to employment, discover new talents and have fun in a positive learning environment.

All ages are catered for from babies, in PEEP courses, to the more senior, in Tea and Talk. Subjects are very varied, designed to motivate and stimulate those who have not enjoyed learning in the past. We cover everything from confidence building and IT to environmental art and bushcraft.

The Zoe-Lee Foundation

Our aim is to provide practical, financial and emotional assistance to children suffering from leukaemia and other life-limiting diseases and their families in Cape Town, South Africa. Our ultimate goal is to provide a house close to the Red Cross Children's Hospital where families can stay while their children undergo treatment.

In the meantime we are pleased to be able to arrange family reunions and help other families by providing financial assistance.