The Princess Royal visit to Aden Park 8.04
Her Royal Highness The Princess Royal was today (Tuesday) met by a number of community organisation from Buchan as she was given a tour of Aden Country Park in Mintlaw.
During the first leg of Her Royal Highness’s journey in which she visited a number of Aberdeenshire attractions which also included MACBI and the Peterhead Prison Museum, The Princess Royal planted a tree to commemorate her visit to Aden.
The Princess Royal was greeted at the north-east park by Provost of Aberdeenshire Cllr Judy Whyte alongside Aberdeenshire Council Leader Cllr Gillian Owen, local councillors and officers, before being invited to tour a range of facilities and attractions which have recently undergone a multi-million pound package of improvements.
Within the new Bill Cruickshank Visitor Information Centre – named after the former local councillor and prominent farmer in the Buchan area – Her Royal Highness met with his daughter Lorna Stirling who spoke about the significant role her father had played in Aden’s development into a country park in the early 80s.
Her Royal Highness was also given a brief overview of the Book of Deer Project and also viewed a display of historical artefacts uncovered during archaeological digs throughout Aden Country Park.
Aden’s rich farming history was demonstrated through a selection of vintage farming vehicles, heritage equipment and Clydesdale horses which linked to the onsite Aberdeenshire Farming Museum operated by Live Life Aberdeenshire.
A number of Friends of Aden volunteers then met The Princess Royal who explained the work of the volunteer group and how it supports a wide range of activities including running the ‘Aden Craft & Gift Shop’ and the hugely-successful ‘Music at Aden’ performances hosted throughout the year within the country park.
Local Doric historian Gordon Hay MBE provided a brief overview of the Doric language and the various written works on the subject including his own translation of the Bible into Doric before introducing performances by Peter Chapman who sang bothy ballads including ‘The Buchan Plooman’ and by Gavin Grant, the current under-9 Buchan Heritage Society Doric Poetry Champion.
Her Royal Highness also met with members of the Mintlaw Men’s Shed along with Mintlaw Academy S4 pupils who are learning traditional woodworking skills with the group, before discussing the work of various local community organisations including the Buchan Development Partnership, Deer Community Council and the Aden Allotments Society.
The Princess Royal then took time to plant a Prunus ‘Royal Burgundy’ to commemorate her visit to Aden Country Park before meeting with local representatives of the pregnancy and baby loss charity Sands in the tranquil setting of their memorial garden.
Her Royal Highness also met with a number of families who spoke about their involvement with the development of the accessible play equipment and Changing Places toilet block.
Provost of Aberdeenshire Cllr Judy Whyte said afterwards: “We were honoured to welcome Her Royal Highness to Aden Country Park today and I am sure she was impressed with not only the beautiful surroundings but also the incredible community spirit we have here in Mintlaw. It was tremendous seeing the volunteers being so relaxed and talking so enthusiastically about all the wonderful activities they undertake, the events they host and the knowledge, skills and pride in local history they instill in others.”
Council Leader Cllr Gillian Owen added: “I am delighted that all the efforts of our landscape staff, council officers, our band of dedicated volunteers and, of course, our generous funders received such enthusiastic recognition from Her Royal Highness as she toured the various elements of Aden Country Park. During the last five years the Aden redevelopment project has enhanced, promoted and conserved Aden’s rich heritage and will ensure that this impressive visitor destination will have a very bright future for many years to come.”
Aden Country Park is a 230-acre country park offering a warm welcome, beautiful surroundings and a wide range of opportunities for relaxation, recreation, and learning for individuals, families, and groups to enjoy.
Often referred to as “the jewel in the Buchan crown”, Aden continues to be recognised as one of the United Kingdom’s best green spaces, being awarded, year on year, with the prestigious Green Flag Award.
Following recent funding support from the National Lottery Heritage Fund, the Aden Restoration and Redevelopment Project has helped to both create a sustainable, high-quality visitor destination, delivering benefits for people and the communities it serves, whilst its heritage is now better managed, recorded, interpreted, and explained.
The new Visitor Information Centre was developed as part of the £2.13 million project supported by The National Lottery Heritage Fund. The funding has also supported the restoration and redevelopment of Aden’s historic buildings, landscape, and facilities, including improvements to park interpretation, accessibility, signage, and a programme to enhance biodiversity.
The Aden Restoration & Redevelopment Project also attracted funding support from other match funding bodies including the Scottish Landfill Communities Fund, Historic Environment Scotland, private and community organisations and both cash and non-cash contributions from Aberdeenshire Council.
