Area of Operation:
Parish of Birse, Deeside
North East (Aberdeen & Grampian)
How We Started
Birse Community Trust, BCT, is a local community business "to promote the common good of the inhabitants of Birse parish and deliver wider public benefits". The Trust was set up by the three scattered rural communities in Birse parish (Finzean, Ballogie and Birse) to increase their ability to tackle local issues. Everyone on the electoral registers for the parish is a voting member of BCT and elects the five local Trustees that run BCT on behalf of the local community.
What We Do
The Trust undertakes a wide range of social, economic and environmental projects on behalf of the community. Its main involvement is the management of land and buildings at a dozen sites spread across the parish. These include:
• five local woodlands with a total area of approximately 1,000 hectares;
• two unique nineteenth century water powered wood-working mills;
• three other historic sites (Birse Kirk, a Soutar’s Shop, the parish War Memorial)
• Finzean Old School (community office, business units and local history archive) and Birse Community Hall;
BCT also manages parish wide natural heritage, cultural heritage and footpath programmes, together with a wide range of community development projects and many related activities, including the publication of local books
Our Assets
- BCT owns Finzean Old School, Finzean Sawmill, the Bucket Mill, Birse Kirk, Birse Community Hall and the Ballogie Soutar’s Shop
- BCT holds ancient shared rights over the Forest of Birse Commonty (c.3750 ha) and the native pinewoods there (c.550 ha)
Contact Details
Robin Callander
Project Manager
Last Updated: Thu, 25/03/2010 - 13:07
