The power of ceilidhs will unite all ages in Aberdeenshire after a unique Scottish music project got a £25,000 boost from the owner of a local hotel.
The newly-formed Dee and Don Ceilidh Collective – headed by Tarland fiddler Paul Anderson and Jonny Hardie of the Old Blind Dogs – have received the backing from the Crerar Hotels Trust.
The organisation has launched its first ever community prize, asking all of its hotels to come forward with a project which brings old and young together.
Coming out on top was Ballater’s Deeside Inn with the idea to form the collective – which aims to pass on the traditions of Scottish music to youngsters by promoting ceilidh music in the area.
Yesterday, local musicians gathered in the hotel as they formally accepted the award from Crerar Hotels chief executive Paddy Crerar and prepared to get the ball rolling on the project.
Mr Anderson and Mr Hardie will put on a series of workshops across Deeside and Donside to educate locals in essential ceilidh skills, culminating in six local performances.
Joanna Whysall, general manager of the Deeside Inn, said she and fellow hotel managers had been tasked to establish “a project that was bringing young and old together”.
She added: “Eve hotel put together a proposition. We went down to Glasgow and presented our proposal and won.
“The plans is we are going to harness the experience of some of the best musicians in the north-east of Scotland, one being Paul Anderson and the other JohnnyHardie.
“They are going to set up a series of workshops to teach young people fiddling, piping, story-telling and other ceilidh skills.
“In a way we are about social integration, it is amazing when you all come into a village hall and have an experience like a ceilidh.
“It has come from the fact we have developed a really fantastic music scene around the Deeside Inn.”