Monthly Archives: January 2020

Cocktails to Enjoy Right Here in Chapelton

We have worked together with our friends at Aberdeen’s Orchid to put on a fantastic cocktail event right here in Chapelton.

The fun shouldn’t stop there though, why not shake things up the next time you have friends over and show off some mixology skills of your own?

This recipe from Orchid will be sure to wow guests and make staying in that little bit more special.

Chai Highball

Ingredients:
– 40ml Glasshouse Whisky
– 15ml chai vanilla tea syrup
– Ginger Ale

Method:
First of all you’ll need to make the chai vanilla tea syrup. Boil the kettle then mix 150ml of water in a bowl with 150g of sugar and stir until the sugar is dissolved. Next, put one tea bag of chai vanilla into the sugar water and leave to brew for 10 minutes. After the tea has brewed, remove the tea bag and put the mix in the fridge to chill.

Once your syrup has chilled, take a tall glass and fill it with ice. Pour the Glasshouse Whisky and your chai vanilla tea syrup into the glass and top up with ginger ale. Give your drink a quick stir, serve and enjoy.

Design Competition Launched for Chapelton of Elsick 10K

The amazing Chapelton of Elsick 10K run returns this July and we’re launching a very special competition to go with it.

We’re looking for someone to help us design the medals that will be awarded to this years’ runners. This is a great way to get involved in an event that is important to the community here in Chapelton without having to dust off your running shoes.

Whether you’re a budding young designer, a local resident, happy visitor or anything in between, we want to hear from you.

Of course a competition has to have a prize. As a winner you will receive:  

  • Your medal design produced and presented to potentially 400 race finishers
  • A £60 gift card for Slate & Grain Brasserie and Bar right here in Chapelton
  • A medal for yourself to keep
  • Plus, get the chance to signal the start of the race by blowing the horn on the day

To enter the competition, send your design to info@runchapelton.co.uk by midnight on 8th March 2020. You can make your design in specialist software or draw on paper.

Requirements: Dimensions of the medal: 60mm x 60mm, one sided. Must state ‘Chapelton of Elsick 10K’ and ‘2020’ on the medal and also include the iconic Chapelton phone box. The main colour of the medal will be silver with an option to include one or two colours of enamel (e.g. red for phone box.)

Meet the Woman Behind Sustainable Style in Chapelton

Following the success of our clothes swap event highlighting the environmental impact fast fashion has we sat down with the ‘new to you’ fashion guru behind it. Between a busy career in the energy industry, a growing Instagram account (@swishsb) and two toddlers at home, Amanda Fullerton has still found the time to help people fight fast fashion while looking fabulous.

We wanted to know what drives her passion for sustainable style and what advice she has for people in Chapelton and beyond.

How did you get into clothes swaps?

I had two maternity leaves pretty much back-to-back. Maternity pay meant curbing my shopping habit and l learned to ‘wear my wardrobe’.  I realised I had a LOT of clothes I had forgotten about, some of which no longer fitted as my body shape had changed post-babies.

 I had heard about clothes swapping and decided to organise my own to freshen up my own wardrobe, I never dreamt people would love it as much as they do!

What is the best thing that you’ve ever found at a swap?

I am always super impressed at the amazing pieces that are brought along to each swap, but the best thing is often the stories behind the clothes, I LOVE hearing the history of a piece of clothing. 

Clothes can have such important memories attached to them, be it a dress you wore to your graduation, a top you can’t wear again because that colleague you can’t abide has it too or an ‘out out’ dress that, if it could talk, you would tell it to ‘shhhhhhhhhhhhhh’

Why should someone choose a clothes swap or ‘new to you’ fashion over the high street or online retailers?

It is estimated that £30billion of unused clothing hangs in UK, which equates to an average of £447 in each of our wardrobes. Traditionally we’ve kept adding to this but unfortunately at the fast fashion end of the market clothes are often not made to last and workers’ pay and conditions leave a lot to be desired. 

At my clothes swap I don’t allow any clothes from fast fashion brands so you know what you’re getting will last and only cost you the price of your ticket.  Fashion is a bigger contributor to climate change than international flights and maritime shipping combined. So swapping rather than buying new, reduces the impact on your bank balance, workers and the environment.

If you could give one piece of advice to someone looking to cut back on fast fashion what would it be?

Take some time to understand the impact fast fashion has on the environment, garment workers’ rights, and your pocket before you buy that next £3 t-shirt. Instagram has LOADS of profiles dedicated to the topic.

What would you say to someone who has never been to a clothes swap?

You DO have clothes other people would like and you WILL find something you like.  Everyone always goes home smiling with some pre-loved beauties and that feeling of doing something good.

Chapelton’s 2020 Starts in Style

Chapelton’s event calendar is up and running with a sellout sustainable clothes swap leading a year-long offering of celebrations, festivals and gatherings.

The first event, hosted by Aberdeen’s own Swish Swish Bish, will see eco-conscious fashionistas get together to help reduce the carbon footprint of their wardrobes, without giving up the thrill of a fresh new look.

That’s not all though, keep an eye out for announcements of even more events planned throughout the year right here in Chapelton.

Next on the agenda is February’s drinks tasting get together where residents and visitors alike will come together to sample some of the North East’s most delicious creations.

Fun for all the family lies in store this April with Chapelton’s very own Easter Egg Hunt. A great way to explore the town’s wonderful outdoors and a delicious reward at the end.

Speaking of the events, The Duchess of Fife, Director of Elsick Development Company which is leading the build of Chapelton, commented: “Every year our events are becoming more and more popular. We’ve hosted a wide range of exciting and different events in the past – from chocolate making and wreath decorating to bike rides and farmer’s markets – and we are sure that this year’s events will be just as well received.

“Whether you live in Chapelton or are just visiting for the day, the events are a great opportunity to get to know the community whilst meeting new people and learning new things.”

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Sustainable Living in 2020

From recycling to upcycling, interest in sustainable living has never been higher. Here in Chapelton we’re keen to play our part and judging by the huge interest in our January Cosy Clothes Swap event you are too.

Moving away from fast fashion is one way we can all maintain a sustainable lifestyle and although most of us like the idea of making our lives that bit greener, it can be hard to know where to start. Here, we’ve put together a list of five simple ways to encourage a sustainable lifestyle, and make your life more environmentally friendly.

Re-use and Recycle

Finding new ways to recycle clothing or household furniture is the first step in creating a sustainable lifestyle. From charity shops to online sellers like eBay, Gumtree and many more there are lots of ways to buy things second hand. This means less energy is used making new products and less of the plastic packaging that often goes with them.

Look to loan

Going one step further than buying used, you might not even need to buy at all. For things that you’re likely to use only a handful of times, like kitchen gadgets, tools for a spot of DIY or books, borrowing might be an option. Before buying it is worth asking friends and family if they have what you’re looking for and if they would be happy to loan it to you.  

Make compost at home

Composting is a good way to make use of any food waste that is produced. It is an easy and environmentally friendly way to make use of what might otherwise end up in landfill. As well as being the best way to deal with food waste it can also help your garden flourish. Chapelton’s community of keen gardeners and allotment group are often on the lookout for fresh and nutritious compost.

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Love local produce

Shopping locally is a great way to live more sustainably. Buying local products has a lower carbon footprint than those flown from all over the world and also supports local businesses. Aberdeenshire is lucky to have a wealth of fantastic food and drink producers on our doorstep. You can find a lot of these in the area’s shops and at our own farmers’ market here in Chapelton.

Stay sustainable with meal prep

There are lots of ways to make your food more sustainable in addition to buying locally. One of the easiest steps is planning meals. Planning meals for the week ahead is an effective way of reducing food waste. It not only helps the environment but also ensures that you’re not spending money on food that ends up in the bin. If you’re looking for meal prep inspiration to encourage a sustainable lifestyle, you can find some of our recipes and ideas here:

Spicy Squash and Apple Soup from the Liberty Kitchen

Foodie Quine’s Banana Strawberry and Honey Muffins

Haggis Lasagne with Bannerman Butcher

December in Chapelton

December was a busy month in Chapelton with lots of festive fun.

The switching on of the Christmas lights was great for all the family, despite the weather, and even saw a visit from Santa Claus.

Crafts were the flavour of the month with a lino printing class from Juniper Press and a wreath-making workshop hosted by This is 36 Florals both proving very popular.

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