Monthly Archives: July 2021

Get Ready for Chapelton’s First Gala Day

Our very first gala is set to take place on Saturday 14 August and we welcome families to enjoy a fun-filled day of children’s activities, music, food and drink.

In partnership with Grampian Autistic Society, a local charity which provides support to all ages of people with an Autistic Spectrum Condition (ASC), the Gala will be hosted in Burgess Park from 10am – 4pm. A follow-on Comedy Night will also take place that evening in partnership with Rockhopper Comedy, with tickets available shortly.

Children can look forward to plenty of activities including a ‘build your own bear’ workshop, bouncy castles and face painting. Live flyball demonstrations will take place with dogs from local clubs Scratch Squad and Findon. A selection of hot food vendors and stallholders will be in attendance on the day alongside Mearns FM who will be providing the music.

Billy Alexander, CEO of Grampian Autistic Society, said: “We are delighted to be working with Chapelton for the town’s first gala day and comedy night, both of which will be raising funds for our charity and going a long way to help the families we support.”

The Duchess of Fife, Director of Elsick Development Company which is leading the build of Chapelton, also said: “We see galas happening as an annual tradition in many towns across Scotland and with the Chapelton community quickly growing we think this is the ideal time to introduce one here.

“This family-friendly event will be packed with plenty of entertainment and activities that we’re sure all ages will enjoy. And in the evening, adults can head along to the Comedy Night which will continue to raise much needed proceeds for Grampian Autistic Society.” 

Children under two years can attend the Chapelton Gala free of charge, while children aged between two and 15 years are ticketed at £2.50 and adults at £5. Family tickets, which admit two adults and four children aged under 16 years, can also be purchased for a cost of £15. Find out more about the event and book your tickets.

Residents bring vision of ‘live, work and play’ to life with business opening

Our vision to make Chapelton a place to live, work and play is becoming a reality.

We are continuing to add businesses to The Boxes @ Chapelton, our new retail initiative which offers small businesses an affordable place to grow and the community a place to shop locally.

Fiona-Joss-left-and-Karyn-Werninck-from-The-Omnia-at-The-Boxes-@-Chapelton-1024x736 Residents bring vision of ‘live, work and play’ to life with business opening

One of the latest businesses to be joining the retail space is The Omnia, a homeware and gift shop which will boast decorative home accessories, including beautifully scented candles and diffusers, cushions, ornaments, photo frames, greeting cards and gift wrap. Owners Fiona Joss and Karyn Werninck have both lived in Chapelton since 2016.

Fiona, a graphic designer with a lifelong passion for home interiors, tells us about opening the business: “When the opportunity of The Boxes @ Chapelton arose shortly after I graduated from the Interior Designer’s Business School I jumped at the chance. I’ve always wanted to own an interiors gift shop and to be able to work in the same town that I live in is just the dream.”

Karyn, who has a background in accounts, added: “I felt like I needed a new challenge and when Fiona was looking for a business partner to complement her design skills and creativity, it seemed like the perfect pairing.

“We’ve been neighbours and friends for a while and both of our children attended The Croft Nursery in Chapelton. With our children off to school now, it’s the ideal time to embark on a new business venture.”

Speaking of the name for the shop, Fiona said: “My husband and I were on honeymoon in Switzerland and visited a very special restaurant called ‘The Omnia’. I loved the name which means ‘prepared in all things: ready for anything’ and when Karyn and I decided to take this step together in business the name was fitting on more than one level.”

Karyn continued: “There’s been a real change in people’s shopping habits over this past year and with everyone keen to support small local businesses more than ever before, we’re sure that each unit will be hugely successful.

Fiona added: “We’re learning as we go but have the support from the developers behind Chapelton as well as the other businesses located in The Boxes @Chapelton who are opening alongside us. We’ve created a WhatsApp group which is buzzing with ideas for all of our shop fronts and how we can work together to make The Boxes @ Chapelton truly thrive. It already feels like a community within a community.”

We can’t wait to visit The Omina!

To keep up to date with the latest developments at The Boxes @ Chapelton, please visit our social media channels.

Virtual Relay Race Raises Thousands for Local Charities

The latest sporting event at Chapelton, a virtual baton passing relay, has been a huge success, raising over £3K for local charities and groups that usually benefit from the town’s ‘Chapelton of Elsick 10k’ run.

A group of 39 runners covered almost 540km (334 miles) over 48 hours between them, with each running for either one or two hour slots before passing the virtual Chapelton baton. The run took place from 6pm on Friday 9 July to 6pm on Sunday 11 July, meaning that a number of runners had to pace themselves during the night.

Charity-Run_23-1024x683 Virtual Relay Race Raises Thousands for Local Charities

The 1st and 39th runners finished at The Hut in Chapelton which would have been the start and finish of the annual Chapelton of Elsick 10k event. Unfortunately, the event was cancelled this year and last due to COVID-19 restrictions however we hope that the 2022 installment can go ahead.

Rachel Rollo, who is leading the build of Chapelton was one of the 39 runners. She said:

“This is the second year that we’ve turned the event into a hugely successful virtual baton passing relay and we’re so glad to have raised much needed funds once again for Pillar Kincardine and Portlethen Community Ambulance. We even had one runner who, due to the need to self-isolate, completed multiple laps of her driveway, adding almost 9km to the total distance covered.

“We’re extremely grateful to everyone who took part in the event,the spectators who cheered us on and of course those who donated.”

Charity-Run_10-1024x683 Virtual Relay Race Raises Thousands for Local Charities

The relay race and Chapelton of Elsick 10km are part of a calendar of events that take place throughout the year here.

Chapelton has now grown to over 200 households, with builders AJC Homes, Stephen, Places for People, Snowdrop Developments and Brio Retirement Living offering a wide mix of properties to suit all needs and budgets. Find new homes for sale here.

The Boxes @ Chapelton unveils latest additions

We are excited to announce a further three businesses that are set to open later this month at The Boxes @ Chapelton.

Textiles studio ‘Paper Houses Design’, home and gift store ‘The Omnia’ and ice cream shop ‘Everyday is Sundae’ will open late July alongside previously announced barber shop ‘Mr Dun’, greengrocer ‘Clementine of Chapelton’ and ‘Wander & Graze – The Deli’.

Our new retail initiative will offer small businesses a place to grow and will encourage nearby communities to shop locally. The Boxes @ Chapelton is part of the town’s commitment to create a supportive and self-sufficient environment where the community can live, work and play.

Paper-Houses-Design-Logo-1 The Boxes @ Chapelton unveils latest additions
Wander-Graze-Logo-New-1-870x1024 The Boxes @ Chapelton unveils latest additions
The-Omnia-Logo-1 The Boxes @ Chapelton unveils latest additions

We can’t wait to welcome you all to The Boxes @ Chapelton this summer.

Keep your eyes on our blog and social media channels for the latest news on our brand new retail offering. 

Get ready for Chapelton’s Summer Farmers’ Market

This weekend, Sunday 18 July, we are hosting the summer edition of our popular farmers’ market, offering visitors the chance to stock up for BBQs, picnics, family gatherings and much more.

The market will take place as usual in Burgess Park and will boast an array of stalls offering fresh and local produce from across the North East.

Photo-18-07-2020-12-40-09-1-1024x684 Get ready for Chapelton’s Summer Farmers’ Market
Photo-18-07-2020-11-28-37-Copy-1-1024x684 Get ready for Chapelton’s Summer Farmers’ Market
107463985_1560163744154560_3566865716185312585_n Get ready for Chapelton’s Summer Farmers’ Market

We are excited to welcome back many returning stallholders, as well as welcome some new additions, such as The Vintage Koffiecabine, who will be making fresh pancakes and Morningdog coffee. Also look out for local charity CLAN Cancer Support who will be providing parking assistance to help raise much needed funds for the fantastic work they do.

The market will be open from 11am – 2:30pm on Sunday 18 July, with all stallholders and visitors adhering to current physical distancing regulations. Entry to the market and parking is free of charge.

Hedgehogs in Chapelton

Did you know that hedgehogs are the UK’s favourite mammal and one of the most endangered?

Did you know that they’ve moved into Chapelton?

Probably not – because you may never see them! They’re nocturnal which means they will venture out while you sleep in search of food and water. They are a gardener’s friend as they eat the creepy crawlies that like to eat your plants.

Hedgehogs face many dangers and moving into Chapelton while there’s still construction work going on is very perilous for them.  

hedge1-1024x580 Hedgehogs in Chapelton
A rescue hoglet that was released back in the wild in 2020

A few hedgehog facts:

  • They’re listed as endangered and at risk of extinction – within 10 years if things don’t improve for them.
  • They’re rarer than tigers.
  • Hedgehog numbers have fallen by as much as 50% since the year 2000 and it’s estimated that there are less than 1 million hedgehogs in the UK now compared to around 30 million back in the 1950’s.
  • They’re one of only 3 mammals in the UK that hibernate.
  • They have around 7,000 quills (prickles).
  • Their main predators are badgers.
  • It’s a myth they carry fleas.
  • It’s a myth they love snails and slugs – they’re favourite foods are beetles and caterpillars.
  • They can travel up to 2 miles per night in search of food and water.
  • They build a mind map of where they live and will always live within the same area.

Here’s some information about how you can help them and make Chapelton a ‘Hedgehog Friendly Town’.

Create at least one entrance into your garden, preferably linking your garden to your neighbour’s – this is what’s known as a ‘hedgehog highway’. They allow hedgehogs to travel freely and safely between gardens away from roads.

hedge2 Hedgehogs in Chapelton

Get the kids involved and make a fun entrance like above – they will love it.

Create a wild area in your garden where hedgehogs can forage. A wildlife friendly garden need not be messy – as long as there is some dense planting for them to forage through. Bear in mind that slug pellets, herbicides and pesticides can be harmful to wildlife in your garden.

hedge3 Hedgehogs in Chapelton

Get the kids busy making a simple log pile like this:

hedge4 Hedgehogs in Chapelton

Dry kitten biscuits are a real favourite with hedgehogs and provide everything they need.

Water is very important! Remember if there’s no puddles then there’s no water for hedgehogs. Once dehydrated they’re unable to eat and will die.

Never offer hedgehogs milk as they’re lactose intolerant.

Hedgehogs love to nest under sheds and decking, but will also use a hedgehog house. If you’re handy you can build your own and remember to include an inner chamber to keep the hedgehog safe from wind, rain and predators.

hedge5 Hedgehogs in Chapelton
hedge6 Hedgehogs in Chapelton

Place the house in a quiet sheltered spot in the garden, behind a shed or near shrubs is ideal.

The golden rule for hedgehogs is ‘out in the day NOT OK’.

A hedgehog out in the middle of the day is almost always a poorly hedgehog (there are a few exceptions to this rule in summer). If you see one out lying around or looking injured, please put it in a high sided box, (even poorly hedgehogs can be great climbers), cover it over with a hay, straw, an old towel or a sheet of newspaper so it feels safe and seek advice. The New Arc are always happy to advise.

A big thank you to Denise Martin, creator of the Hedgehogs of Portlethen Facebook page, for all of helpful advice. Denise spends her time raising awareness of the plight of endangered hedgehogs.