ate Aberdeen Aberdeen’s Third Sector Saturday 24th ......popular fun-packed event, which promotes volunteering, community spirit and civic pride is a firm fixture in the city’s

Your guide to Celebrate Aberdeen

Shining A Light On Aberdeen’s Third Sector

Saturday 24th & Sunday 25th August 2019

@celebrateaberdeen @celebrateabdn

2 | Celebrate Aberdeen August Programme 2019

Celebrating Aberdeen 2019!Welcome to Celebrate Aberdeen 2019, a weekend of activities which celebrate and recognise the enormous contribution which the Third Sector makes to all our lives.

The first Celebrate Aberdeen parade took place in 2011, bringing together more than 3,500 people supporting and representing 130 organisations. Celebrate Aberdeen continues to grow and flourish and the parade is now the flagship event of a weekend of activities which take place across the city centre.

Kicking off this year’s event once again are the highly popular Union Street Mile races which will see 100+ runners from primary 6 boys and girls right through to senior and veteran runners enjoy the rare opportunity of a mile-long race along a city centre street.

The parade itself begins at 11am with the walkers coming from Albyn Place onto Union Street to a finishing point on Queen Street.

Escorting the parade along its route will be our own team of volunteers who come together each year for the event and without whom none of this weekend’s event could take

place. Included in this group are Aberdeen Lions and The Church Of Jesus Christ Latter Day Saints who help us with our stewarding.

Along the length of the parade you’ll see our volunteers shaking their collection buckets – please give generously to show your support for our Third Sector.

The full amount of what is collected during the parade goes directly to one of our parading organisations to support a very worthwhile project.

When the parade ends, the rest of the entertainment begins with a variety of events taking place in five venues in the city centre.

Please show your support for the organisations taking part in this event which recognises our unsung heroes. Enjoy the parade and all the events which are taking place throughout the weekend. If you’d like to find out how you can take part next year, please contact us via celebrateaberdeen.org

Where it all started... Celebrate Aberdeen started, like so many other good things, as an idea and a desire to do something.

During a family holiday to the US in 2010, Morven Mackenzie, the driving force behind Celebrate Aberdeen, saw a parade which was all about recognising the contribution which local charities made to the wider community. Returning home, fired with enthusiasm she wondered why Aberdeen couldn’t do something similar.

The next year it did.

From that gem of an idea, Morven gathered together a team of volunteers who worked together to make it happen. The parade in 2011 was followed by parades in 2012, 2013

while 2014 saw an altered Celebrate Aberdeen format which turned the focus on performers and community groups taking to stages across the city centre to provide a weekend of entertainment.

The parade returned in 2015 and has been a key part of the weekend ever since. Last year, a new event was added to the Celebrate Aberdeen calendar when the Celebrate Aberdeen Awards were launched. One of the first events to be held at the new P&J Live, the awards will recognise and celebrate individuals and charitable organisations who have made an outstanding contribution to life in Aberdeen.

What’s next for Celebrate Aberdeen? Watch this space.

Image courtesy of Haston Creative

Celebrate Aberdeen August Programme 2019 | 3

The weekend includes Union Street mile running races, a huge parade and live entertainment at locations throughout the city centre.

Every year Celebrate Aberdeen gains in size and popularity and with more than 130 charitable and voluntary organisations due to take part in the parade it provides a great opportunity for us to go along and show our support, and to salute all that they do for people in the city.

We are very fortunate in Aberdeen because we have a marvellous Third Sector, which continues to receive great support from residents, businesses and partners across the city.

Celebrate Aberdeen is not just an opportunity for us to thank local charities for all they do, but it also provides the

organisations involved the chance to promote their services.

It’s amazing to think that Celebrate Aberdeen – an award-winning event – is organised and run entirely by volunteers, supported by the City Council’s events team since the first parade back in 2011.

For anyone who hasn’t been involved with Celebrate Aberdeen before, I would urge you to come along and watch the parade and enjoy some of the performances over the two days.

The Great Aberdeen Run will be held on Sunday 25 August which will add to the carnival atmosphere as we celebrate all the wonderful people and talent in our great city this weekend.

Barney Crockett, Lord Provost of Aberdeen

Aberdeen City Council is a proud supporter of Celebrate Aberdeen. As Lord Provost I am delighted that this popular fun-packed event, which promotes volunteering, community spirit and civic pride is a firm fixture in the city’s events calendar.

A message from the lord provost

Businesses – your Third Sector needs you!We say it every year because every year it’s true – Celebrate Aberdeen couldn’t happen without the support of the North East’s business community.As a non-profit organisation, planned and run entirely by a small team of volunteers, Celebrate Aberdeen is completely reliant on the external financial support it receives from the business community. Without that, the parade and other weekend activities on August 24th/25th and the Celebrate Aberdeen Awards on September 14th could not take place.

Sponsors (along with volunteers!) are the lifeblood of Celebrate Aberdeen and we, along with all the Third Sector organisations, voluntary groups, social enterprises, sports groups and musicians, Union Street Mile runners involved in this, would like to say thank you.

You’ll find the full list of our sponsors and supporters listed in this programme. They range from our platinum sponsor CNOOC International and our gold sponsors, CNR International, Wood and Chrysaor through to our awards night sponsors and our parade sponsors. Each and every one of them has made an invaluable contribution to the Celebrate Aberdeen activities.

The crucial importance of collaboration between business and the Third Sector cannot be overestimated. The relationships are a lifeline for charities and help businesses work towards their CSR activities.

They can also lay the foundations for long-term partnerships. Many of the businesses which have aligned with a particular volunteer organisation or social enterprise have continued that relationship over the years. That’s not only provided much-needed support for the organisation or enterprise, but it has provided businesses with staff development opportunities through volunteering and other support options.

If you would like to be involved in the Celebrate Aberdeen story, promote your support to a wider audience and reap the benefits, please get in touch.

If you’d like to find out how you can take part next year, please contact us via celebrateaberdeen.org


What’s on in the cityThe conclusion of the Celebrate Aberdeen parade down Union Street heralds the start of a weekend of live entertainment across the city centre. There are five main venues – Broad Street, Bon Accord Roof Garden, Union Square and Trinity Centre.

Let us entertain you!The weekend entertainment programme has become a big part of the Celebrate Aberdeen’s weekend of activities. Introduced for the first time in 2014, the live entertainment programme keeps the celebrations going throughout Saturday afternoon and again on Sunday afternoon.

If you’ve come along to enjoy the Union Street Mile races and the parade itself, there’s plenty to keep you in the city centre – and to bring you back next day.

The first band takes to the main stage on Broad Street at noon on Saturday, soon after the last participants have brought the 2019 Celebrate Aberdeen parade to a close. Opening this year’s entertainment programme is Scottish blues band, Otis Green & The Blues Machine whose set begins at noon.

Live music on the Bon Accord Roof Garden begins at 1.15pm with The Shackles, an Indie band from Stonehaven, while the Aberdeen Chorus of the Sweet

Adelines, one of the top women’s barbershop choruses in the UK, give us a very different style of music when they start the Union Square programme also at 1.15pm. If you’re looking for something completely different, The Academy of Expressive Arts will begin their performance at the Bon Accord Centre at the same time and Aberdeen Ukes, ukulele players, kick off the Trinity Centre programme at 1.30pm.

That signals the start of an eclectic mix of weekend entertainment, where music takes in everything from rock and pop, to country and blues with a diverse range of dance styles and demonstrations including roller derby completing the programme.

All the entertainers taking part have a local connection, so please come along and support them. If you’d like to find out how you can take part next year, please contact us via celebrateaberdeen.org

ReCHarge Café Participant Offer!

Pop in to ReCHarge Café in Bon Accord to claim your free Celebrate Aberdeen participant cupcake and coffee/drink.

Snap a pic of yourself during the parade and show it to a member of staff to

claim this offer*

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Saturday 24th AugustParade starts at 11am from Holburn Junction to Queen Street.

1 Broad Street

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Bon Accord Roof Garden

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Bon Accord Centre

4

Union Square

5

Trinity Centre

Otis Green & The Blues Machine

Rock Choir

The ShacklesAcademy of

Expressive ArtsAberdeen Chorus Of

Sweet AdelinesAberdeen Ukes

The Ghost Tape One VoiceTOD – Mathieson School

of DanceShay & Chris – “The Script Buskers”

El Dueto

The Vapour Trails Granite City Brawlers Rebecca Dunn

Crowe Country UK

PAGES JD Sings Monza Express AccoustifiedConnor Clark & the

Matador Kings

Haan

Finn HP

1 Broad Street

2

Bon Accord Roof Garden

3

Bon Accord Centre

4

Union Square

5

Trinity Centre

Full Fat

Broken Rivers FlaxmanNatalie Tough

School of DancePam Dignan Dancers

Amanda Penny

Bliss Vansleep Step Up Dance Studio Create Aberdeen

David Angus

Winston Smith The Ruptured Ducklings Adam (Angry Man Carpark) The Valkyries

Tess Moir Band Gypsy Roots Aly Macpherson Cameron Brown Mojo

Silver City Soul Revue Sunriders

12.30

12.30

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4.30

4.30

12.45

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4.45

4.45

12.15

12.15

1.15

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12pm

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1pm

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Special service at St Mark’s Church, starting at 11am

Sunday 25th August


Our Paraders!

Saturday 24th August

Parade starts at 11am from Holburn Junction to Queen Street.

Aberdeen Academy of Dance Aberdeen and District Battalion The Boys’ Brigade Aberdeen Baseball Club Aberdeen Bhangra Crew Aberdeen Chorus Of Sweet Adelines Aberdeen City Youth Council Aberdeen Cyrenians Aberdeen Division The Girls’ BrigadeAberdeen FC Community Trust Aberdeen In RecoveryAberdeen Lynx ice hockey club Aberdeen Play Forum Aberdeen Riding for the Disabled Aberdeen Sands Aberdeen Seafarers Centre Aberdeen Taexali Rugby Club Aberdeen YMCA AbernecessitiesAcademy of Expressive Arts ACVO TSI All Shapes and Sizes Archway Asthma and Allergy Foundation Autism and Other Conditions Aberdeen AV Cheer & Dance Bangladesh Association North East Scotland

BECSBefriend a Child Belmont Filmhouse British Heart Foundation Scotland Cancer Research UKCanine Concern Scotland Trust - Therapet Charlie HouseCHAS Chest Heart & Stroke Scotland CLAN Cancer Support Class * Act Drama Confucius Institute of the University of Aberdeen CornerstoneCreate AberdeenDANCE United Dates N MatesDeeside Bandits Dodgeball Denis Law Legacy Trust Dezibel Street Drummers DISSCDowns syndrome scotland Filipino Community Of AberdeenFour Pillars Friends Of AnchorFriends of the Neo Natal Unit Friends of the Neuro Ward

Future Choices Gathimba Edwards Foundation Girlguiding Aberdeen Grampian Cardiac Rehabilitation Association Grampian Haemophilia group Grampian Hospital Radio Granite City Brawlers Granite City Roller Derby Granite Guardian Gals Guide DogsHamish Dear’s Warm Hugs HANDSS Group HCPT Group 118 Home-Start Aberdeen Inspire PTL Interfaith Aberdeen LA Dance and Cheer Lala Lights with Scott School of Dancing! Logan’s Fund Love Rara Ltd MacmillanMaggie’s Aberdeen Make-a-Wish UK Marie Curie Me Too! Mental Health Aberdeen MISS


Momentum ScotlandMrs Murray’s Cat and Dog Home Natalie Tough School of Dance Nepalese Himalayan Association Scotland NESDVA Newtonhill PipebandNorth East Rider Volunteers Scotland (NERVS) Northsound Cash for Kids LaLa LightsNorthstar United 2009 NSPCC, Childline Oxfam Chapel Steet, AberdeenPam Dignan DancersPolice Scotland Youth Volunteers Aberdeen Polish Association Aberdeen Polska Szkola im sw S. Kostki Maggies AberdeenPoppyscotland Powis Community Centre Association Pulse Health Improvement Rape Crisis Grampian Red Rox Events & Fundraising Royal Voluntary Service SACRO Scott School of DancingScottish Association for Mental Health (SAMH)

Scouts Aberdeen SensationalShazam Theatre Company SCIO Shelter ScotlandSomebody Cares Spikin Autism and More St. Andrew’s Cathedral, Aberdeen Street Friends helping the homeless Sue RyderSunnybank Community CentreTeam Jak Thai Buddharam Temple & Cultural CentreThe ARCHIE Foundation The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter - Day Saints The Granite City Guerrillas Dodgeball ClubThe Living Well Cafe The Salvation Army Theatre of Dreams dance school Turning Point Scotland Victim Support Aberdeen VSAWalker Road Dancers WEAWomen Against State Pension Injustice (WASPI) WrestleZone Rock Choir

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How you support local projectsWe’re often asked what happens to the money which is raised from the collecting buckets which you’ll see some of our volunteers carrying as they parade down Union Street.

In the years since the parade started, we have raised thousands of pounds from the generosity of members of the public and one hundred percent of that has been used to support projects run by parading organisations which benefit the people of Aberdeen.

Last year, the money we raised was used to buy two new wheelchairs for Shopmobility Aberdeen. The organisation has been involved with Celebrate Aberdeen from the outset. They not only parade under their own banner, but each year they support other participating charities by providing equipment for anyone else who needs mobility assistance to enable them to take part in the parade.

In any one year they provide up to 20 individual pieces of mobility equipment, primarily self-propelled wheelchairs and mobility scooters for other charities and for Veterans taking part in the parade. Their staff and supporters, along with Celebrate Aberdeen volunteers, also assist with pushing the chairs if required.

“It was fantastic to be chosen as the recipient of last year’s charity donation,” said Barbara McGregor, Chairperson of Shopmobility Aberdeen. “Wheelchairs have to be replaced regularly as they are in high demand and are well used so this time last year we were starting to run out of chairs. The donation of two wheelchairs from Celebrate Aberdeen meant so much to us. Not only can they be used to help people take part in the parade, but they have helped service the mobility needs of people from Aberdeen throughout the year.”

Shopmobility, which is based in Union Square helps anyone with a mobility difficultly whether that be temporary or permanent. This year, they have introduced a new mobile unit, Abledeen, which will take mobility equipment out to local communities in Aberdeen giving people with mobility problems the chance to visit their local shops and parks and attend medical appointments.


Thanks to all our wonderful sponsors



Shining A Light On Aberdeen’s Third Sector

P&J Live, Saturday, September 14th, 2019Large Charity Of The Year

CHAS

Sport Aberdeen

The Archie Foundation

Small Charity Of The Year

Charlie House

Shazam Theatre Company

Sunrise Partnership

Young Supporter Of The Year

Ryan Bannerman

Emily Findlay

Thorfinn Raeburn

Staff Member of the Year

Katrina Michie, Shopmobility

Frances Rae, PAH Scotland

Suz Strachan, SensationALL

Volunteer Of The YearGeorge Berstran, NSPCC Scotland - Childline Aberdeen

Heather Dalgarno, Friends Of ANCHOR

Kirsten Farquhar, Friends Of The Neuro Ward

Fundraiser Of The YearAhphun Allan Rossiter, Me Too!

Evan Christie, The ARCHIE Foundation

Alana Stott, PAH Scotland

Event of the YearCancer Research UK, Relay For Life Turriff

Friends Of ANCHOR, Courage On The Catwalk

Inspire, Happily Never After Pantomime

Campaign Of The YearAsthma And Allergy Foundation, My Breathe Is LifeNorthsound Cash For Kids, Mission ChristmasSue Ryder, Dee View Appeal

Team Of The YearCharlie HouseInspireSensationALL

Corporate Partnership Of The YearBaird Family Hospital & Aberdeen SANDSEquinor & TechFestSport Aberdeen & Me Too!

Heart Of The Community

Marion DouglasMichelle HerdBryan MackenzieNorma Thomson

Thank You NESAP!

The North East of Scotland Athletics Partnership was formed more than 20 years ago to bring together clubs in the North East of Scotland.The purpose is to share ideas, promote local events, help fund coaches and club officials and the purchase of equipment, such as electronic timing.

The partnership has brought East District Cross Country Championships to Aberdeen on a couple of occasions and also supports the Winter Cross Country Series and the Union St Mile.

Members include all of the North East’s running clubs, Aberdeen University, Scottish Athletics, Disability Scotland and ASV.

They give runners, from primary 6 pupils right up to senior and veteran runners, the rare opportunity to run a full mile, unhampered by traffic, down the length of a city centre street.

Capped at a total of 250 participants, race entries are open to three groups – primary 6 & 7 pupils; secondary 1-4 pupils; and secondary 5 up to senior and veteran runners. The target time to beat for male and female seniors is 4 minutes 11 seconds set by Robert Russell in 2011 and 5 minutes 01 seconds set in 2016 by Naomi Lang.

But if Aberdeen’s historic Granite Mile, which runs from the Mercat Cross at Castlegate to Holburn Junction is, as popularly believed, a mile long, why do the runners start their race at the Music Hall?

It’s because running, and distances in particular, is a pretty exact science. The route which the runners will follow from the Music Hall, to Holburn Junction then down the length of Union Street to the finish line at Brewdog has been accurately measured out by Jones Counter and is ratified by Scottish Athletics. The measurement takes into account that at 0.8 miles, sadly Union Street isn’t quite a mile long and that the finish line is before the Mercat Cross.

That aside, it’s still a unique opportunity to do a city centre one-mile dash rather than a 10K or half or full marathon.

“It’s an iconic race,” said Peter Jennings, co-race director of the Union Street Mile. “The opportunity to run down Union Street without any traffic is very appealing to runners and we have had some Scottish national class runners take part just for opportunity to do that.

“The kids taking part get really excited. There’s a real buzz in the street in anticipation of the parade which is fantastic, and the kids love it. The adults just really want to do the race. This would not be possible were it not for Celebrate Aberdeen. The logistics of shutting down the street for this without their support would be impossible for us.

“It’s a brilliant partnership and we are really proud and delighted to launch the Celebrate Aberdeen weekend in this way.”

At the awards ceremony at the finish line, awards are presented to 1st, 2nd and 3rd male and female finishers and to the 1st finishers in age categories Junior U18; O40, O50 and O60. Awards also go to the 1st boy and 1st girl in each of P6 and P7 and S1, 2, 3 and 4. All runners from P6 to S4 will also receive participation medals.

Money raised by entry fees for the race goes directly to the North East of Scotland Athletics Partnership to help support athletics clubs in the North East, particularly with coaching costs.

The Celebrate Aberdeen Union Street Mile Races are as popular with runners as the parade itself is with participating charities.

Race schedule, Saturday August 24th, from the Music Hall

• 10:30am - Start of P6 & P7 race

• 10:40am - Start of S1-4 race

• 10:50am – Start of S5 and upwards, senior and veteran race.

Athletes would run a mile to take part in this


Printed by Discovery Print. Designed by

Without their hard work and dedication, the August weekend of activities and the Celebrate Aberdeen Awards in September simply would not happen.

Headed up by Celebrate Aberdeen founder Morven Mackenzie, the volunteers are responsible for everything related to organising the events themselves and all that entails.

Planning for the relatively small group of volunteers begins in January and it’s all go after that. Between them, the volunteers source the crucial sponsorship and funding support without which there would be no Celebrate Aberdeen; they deliver PR campaigns, run social media channels, develop the website, write and design the promotional material, liaise with the participating shopping centres, contact and register parading organisations, administer the award application process, source entertainment and one hundred and one other things.

Everything they do is done after their day jobs have ended and often continues long into the night.

Along the way, they get additional support and help from other volunteers who offer their services to help bring everything together. During the August weekend, their ranks more than treble, when they are joined by many other volunteers who give up their time to help coordinate the parade marchers, distribute banners and marshal the event as it makes its way down Union Street. You’ll then find them, distinguished by the bright pink high-viz jackets helping out at the entertainment points across the city.

Vicki McLeod, Volunteer Coordinator, said: “Given the scale of the events, I think people would be surprised just how few people make up the core team of volunteers. Several have been involved with Celebrate Aberdeen since it first started in 2011 and many of the volunteers who come along to help with the parade and weekend activities have also been part of the wider team since the beginning.

“It can be hard work but its also very rewarding – and there’s nothing better than seeing it all come together on the

day. The parading organisations start lining up at 10am when Albyn Place is closed to traffic from Holburn right up the Queen’s Cross roundabout and the excitement starts building.

“It’s fantastic to see the mile runners racing down Union Street ahead of the parade and then, after eight months of planning we set off. The atmosphere on Union Street itself is just brilliant.

“Celebrate Aberdeen is all about saying thank you and recognising the thousands of volunteers who give their time to organisations of all shapes and sizes and to the hard-working, dedicated staff who have chosen this as their vocation. It’s great to be part of the move to showcase what they do.

“A couple of weeks after the August weekend, we have the Awards ceremony and it’s very rewarding to be involved in that and to hear the great stories of all the finalists. So, yes it’s hard work and can eat up a lot of your personal time but we all love working on Celebrate Aberdeen and we’re very proud of what has been achieved under its banner.”

It might surprise many people to know that all of the Celebrate Aberdeen activities are organised and run entirely by volunteers.

Celebrate Aberdeen volunteers

Thank you to our main sponsors, our kind supporters and our wonderful volunteers!

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ate Aberdeen Aberdeen’s Third Sector Saturday 24th ......popular fun-packed event, which promotes volunteering, community spirit and civic pride is a firm fixture in the city’s