Calendar An icon of a desk calendar. Cancel An icon of a circle with a diagonal line across. Caret An icon of a block arrow pointing to the right. Email An icon of a paper envelope. Facebook An icon of the Facebook "f" mark. Google An icon of the Google "G" mark. Linked In An icon of the Linked In "in" mark. Logout An icon representing logout. Profile An icon that resembles human head and shoulders. Telephone An icon of a traditional telephone receiver. Tick An icon of a tick mark. Is Public An icon of a human eye and eyelashes. Is Not Public An icon of a human eye and eyelashes with a diagonal line through it. Pause Icon A two-lined pause icon for stopping interactions. Quote Mark A opening quote mark. Quote Mark A closing quote mark. Arrow An icon of an arrow. Folder An icon of a paper folder. Breaking An icon of an exclamation mark on a circular background. Camera An icon of a digital camera. Caret An icon of a caret arrow. Clock An icon of a clock face. Close An icon of the an X shape. Close Icon An icon used to represent where to interact to collapse or dismiss a component Comment An icon of a speech bubble. Comments An icon of a speech bubble, denoting user comments. Comments An icon of a speech bubble, denoting user comments. Ellipsis An icon of 3 horizontal dots. Envelope An icon of a paper envelope. Facebook An icon of a facebook f logo. Camera An icon of a digital camera. Home An icon of a house. Instagram An icon of the Instagram logo. LinkedIn An icon of the LinkedIn logo. Magnifying Glass An icon of a magnifying glass. Search Icon A magnifying glass icon that is used to represent the function of searching. Menu An icon of 3 horizontal lines. Hamburger Menu Icon An icon used to represent a collapsed menu. Next An icon of an arrow pointing to the right. Notice An explanation mark centred inside a circle. Previous An icon of an arrow pointing to the left. Rating An icon of a star. Tag An icon of a tag. Twitter An icon of the Twitter logo. Video Camera An icon of a video camera shape. Speech Bubble Icon A icon displaying a speech bubble WhatsApp An icon of the WhatsApp logo. Information An icon of an information logo. Plus A mathematical 'plus' symbol. Duration An icon indicating Time. Success Tick An icon of a green tick. Success Tick Timeout An icon of a greyed out success tick. Loading Spinner An icon of a loading spinner. Facebook Messenger An icon of the facebook messenger app logo. Facebook An icon of a facebook f logo. Facebook Messenger An icon of the Twitter app logo. LinkedIn An icon of the LinkedIn logo. WhatsApp Messenger An icon of the Whatsapp messenger app logo. Email An icon of an mail envelope. Copy link A decentered black square over a white square.

Community launches Enjoy Alford and Donside website and app to boost local tourism

Enjoy Alford and Donside
The Enjoy Alford and Donside online platform aims to showcase the area as an "exciting place to live and visit". Picture by Wullie Marr / DC Thomson

An Aberdeenshire community has launched a new initiative to boost local tourism and create a “long-lasting legacy” for future generations.

The app and website Enjoy Alford and Donside was created to showcase the area as an “exciting place to live and visit” and increase footfall into the town centre.

Members of Donside Community Council first took up the project last year to help local businesses get back on their feet in the aftermath of the pandemic.

The online platform provides a valuable resource for both locals and tourists by offering a wealth of information about attractions, community groups and activities in the area.

It comes after similar initiatives in Stonehaven, Huntly and Banff have proven to be successful in helping local communities recover from the last “very tough” two years.

Project co-leader Kevin McCormick praised Alford teacher Jenny Morley, who collated the content for the new website, and highlighted the importance of having this resource.

He added: “I have been here for over 40 years and I still learn something new about the area every day.

“If you live locally and commute, it can be easy to drive past businesses which you don’t even know exist – yet the skills available in the area are tremendous.

“Alford and Donside is an exciting place to live and visit right now.”

Gordon Gunn of Bridgeton Bookkeeping (one of the early participants in the scheme), Jenny Morley and Kevin McCormick have celebrated the new app. Picture by Wullie Marr/DCT Media.

Enjoy Alford and Donside – an ‘amazing’ resource for all

The project has been funded with cash from the National Lottery Community Fund, Aberdeenshire Charities Trust and Aberdeenshire Council.

The Enjoy Alford and Donside app is free to download and offers users exclusive deals and access to local events calendars and news.

It also includes directory listings of local businesses and community groups to provide a one-stop shop for everything relating to living in and visiting Donside.

Groups and businesses taking part in the initiative will also be able to make use of the platform free of charge for three years in light of the current cost of living crisis.

Mr McCormick added: “This exercise has revealed some amazing local community organisations – from bell ringing and young engineers to photography and pilates, and just about everything in between for all ages.

“I am especially excited about the growing level of visitor attractions in Donside, including our award-winning Grampian Transport Museum, the internationally famous Lonach Highland Games, riverside walks, drives and trails and much more.”

Businesses who wish to be listed on the website and app should contact Jenny Morley by e-mailing info@enjoyalfordanddonside.com

Conversation