Thanks to funding from the Strathdearn Community Charitable Trust, residents of Strathdearn can enjoy the 2026 Moy Country Fair on Friday 7 and Saturday 8 August at a special discounted price.
Adult tickets (ages 16+) have been reduced from £20 to just £12 per person.
Strathdearn Community Developments (SCD) Appoints Helen Gerlings as New General Manager
SCD is delighted to announce the appointment of Helen Gerlings as its new General Manager following a rigorous and extensive recruitment process.
The recruitment campaign attracted a strong field of high-quality candidates from across the sector. Following a comprehensive and transparent selection process, including shortlisting, interviews and detailed assessment, Helen was unanimously identified as the outstanding candidate to lead the organisation into its next chapter.
A resident of Tomatin, Helen currently serves as SCD’s Project Manager and brings with her a wealth of knowledge of the organisation, its partners and the communities it serves. During her time with SCD, she has played a key role in delivering projects that have supported local economic development, strengthened community resilience and advanced the organisation’s strategic objectives.
The Board of Directors is delighted to welcome Helen into her new role and is confident that her leadership, experience and commitment to the area will build on SCD’s strong foundations.
Chair of the Board, Graeme Ferguson, said:
“We are delighted to appoint Helen as SCD’s new General Manager. The recruitment process was thorough and highly competitive, attracting an excellent calibre of applicants. Helen impressed the interview panel with her strategic vision, proven leadership and deep understanding of both the organisation and our communities. As a Tomatin resident and an integral member of the SCD team, she has already demonstrated her passion for supporting local people and delivering meaningful change. We are excited to see SCD continue to grow and thrive under her leadership.”
Helen Gerlings said:
“I am honoured to have been appointed as General Manager of SCD. Having worked with the organisation over recent years, I have seen first-hand the difference that community-led development can make. I look forward to working with our Board, staff, partners and local communities to build on SCD’s achievements and help deliver opportunities that benefit people across the area.”
The Board would like to thank everyone who applied for the position. The exceptionally high standard of applications reflects the strength and reputation of SCD, and we are grateful to all candidates for their interest and engagement throughout the recruitment process.
Helen will take up the position of General Manager on August 10th , and the Board looks forward to supporting her as she leads SCD through the next exciting phase of its development.
I hope this message finds you well. My name is James, and I volunteer with the 2050 Climate Group, a youth-led charity dedicated to educating, engaging, and empowering young people to lead the transition to a just and sustainable society.
We are excited to announce the launch of our 3rd Climate Action Leadership Programme (CALP)! This initiative reflects our volunteers’ dedication and hard work, and we are thrilled to share it with you.
I am reaching out to all the community councils in Scotland that I can with the hope to increase our connections all over Scotland and especially outwith the central belt. Below gives all the details about us and the programme. It would be great if you can share it with the young people within your organisation and in your community.
About the Programme
The Climate Action Leadership Programme (CALP) is a free and flexible opportunity designed to equip young people aged 18-35 with the leadership skills and climate change knowledge needed to take meaningful action. CALP builds on a decade of experience to offer our most comprehensive, inclusive, and accessible learning experience yet. The programme includes:
Free for All: Everything for our learning programme is free and we also offer support through our participation fund to reduce financial barriers.
Flexible Learning: A mix of in-person and online content.
Field Trips: Hands-on experiences to see climate action in motion.
Skill Building: Workshops and activities to develop practical leadership skills.
Community Connection: Opportunities to connect with a supportive network of like-minded peers.
Why This Matters
The programme is open to young people aged 18-35 in Scotland who are eager to enhance their leadership skills in climate action. It is designed to be accessible to everyone, of all backgrounds and experience levels. Unlike many personal development opportunities that target those with university-level qualifications or more disposable income, CALP is free to attend, with financial support available to remove any cost barriers.
How You Can Help
We would greatly appreciate your support in promoting this opportunity to the young people within your networks, and any promotion of the programme online would be greatly appreciated. Our goal is to reach a diverse audience, especially young people who have yet to become active in the climate movement. By sharing this programme, you can help empower the next generation of climate leaders.
For more details and the application form, please visit our website: www.2050.scot/calp
We also have promotional materials available on our social media platforms:
Application Deadline:Wednesday, 12th of August 2026
If you need any further information or would like to discuss this opportunity in more detail, please feel free to contact me. Additionally, answers to frequently asked questions can be found on our website.
Thank you for your support in helping us inspire and engage young people across Scotland.
[posted on Facebook by Graeme Ferguson (Chair, Strathdearn Community Developments Co.)]
Following last year’s Dava moor fire the SCD Board engaged (local) specialist consultants to advise and produce emergency planning advice and documentation.
The main drive for this was that if the wind had been from a different direction then we would have been in the path of the fire. The process highlighted that both in the Board and wider Strathdearn we have numerous people with knowledge and experience of both emergency planning and major incident command. Last but very much not least we also have local experts with extensive experience of fighting this type of fire.
SCD still have work to do to further develop our plans and procedures but it is something that is being worked on.
[The following was added by Maureen Macdonald-Cooke, SCD Consultant)]
A good start was made on the plan.
The next stage would be the wider community & all of the community bodies within Strathdearn to collaborate with neighbouring communities which border. This would strengthen the resilience & establish agreed protocols.
We achieve more together.
The Strathdearn area is very fortunate to have such skilled & experienced people within its community to feed into this process.
Scottish Land & Estates, who are taking a leading role in helping fight the Cairngorms wildfire, have praised the response to their earlier appeal for equipment. Ross Ewing (Director of Moorland & Strategic Projects) said “Further to our emails earlier this evening, we have been informed that the response has been superb and no further plant hire machinery is required. We would like to relay our sincere thanks to everyone who has been involved.”
Their earlier appeal read as follows:
Wildfire – Request to muster firefighting equipment
Dear Member
Please find below a message from Firebreak Services Ltd which requests a general muster of firefighting equipment and trained operators to assist with the wildfire which has flared up near Aviemore. I am advised that heavy plant machinery – bulldozers, diggers, etc – is particularly needed.
The wildfire near Aviemore has flared up again and could threaten Nethybridge village. A general muster for Estates with firefighting equipment and trained operators has been requested at the following muster point:
Nethybridge village Football Pitch – Next to the Nethy Bridge Visitor Centre, Dell road, Nethy Bridge, PH25 3DG
What3Words: autumn.cafe.exhaling
If you are available to assist or can bring any useful resources, please make your way to the muster point as soon as you can.
Understanding the various roles that different community organisations play can sometimes be tricky – we are very grateful to community member Steve Cormack for creating this design to help explain how it all fits together.
We have also added the relevant contact email addresses should anyone in the community wish to get in touch with any of the organisations directly.
New Board Composition
We are delighted to welcome Alison Martin and Libby-Jo Dempster, who joined the SCD Board in May 2026. We look forward to working with them and benefiting from the experience and insight they bring.
SCD Board
Graeme Ferguson (Chair)
George Macleod (Vice Chair)
Gordon Noble (MSC Representative)
Kevin McKnight (SCC Representative)
Alison Martin
Libby-Jo Dempster
WRT Board
Liz Campbell (Chair)
Graeme Ferguson (SCD Representative)
Thank You
A very sincere thank you to Steve Knott, who has stepped down from the WRT Board. Steve has generously volunteered his time and expertise on both the SCD and WRT Boards since November 2022, including serving as Chair of both organisations. During his time in these roles, he has helped drive forward a number of successful initiatives. Steve brought forward the Community Fun Run, Community Bonfire and Fireworks Night and Hogmanay celebrations. He also led the board through the installation of our superfast EV-chargers and solar panels, the purchase of Hazelbank Community Woodland, bringing the shop and cafe back in-house and agreeing the financing package to take forward the community housing project.
Another huge thank you to Frank Roden, who has stepped down from the Board. Frank has been a dedicated member of the community and has served on and off the Board since 2013. Throughout his time with SCD, he has been a passionate advocate for his community, while always bringing humour to meetings. Frank was also a driving force behind the recently completed community housing project, helping to turn a long-held ambition into a reality.
General Manager Position
We have received a strong response to our recruitment for the General Manager position, and interviews are scheduled to take place in July. We hope to have our new General Manager in post by September and look forward to welcoming them to the team.
Scholarship Fund opportunity
Stronelairg & Dunmaglass Scholarship Fund – Now Open!
Are you studying a STEM subject at university? You could receive a £5,500 award towards your student loan through the Stronelairg & Dunmaglass Wind Farm Scholarship Fund.
This fund supports individuals from the local community who are pursuing careers in science, technology, engineering or mathematics-related courses.
The fund is open to students living in Strathdearn, Strathnairn, Stratherrick & Foyers, Fort Augustus & Glenmoriston, Laggan, Glengarry, and Spean Bridge, Roy Bridge & Achnacarry who are studying for a degree, or equivalent qualification, in the coming academic year. Priority will be given to applicants who live closest to either Stronelairg or Dunmaglass wind farms.
We are pleased to announce that Highland Council Access Rangers team have confirmed Moy will have a ranger this season – Andy Coghill – who will be doing the rounds Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays.
Andy has already met with some of the locals, and carried out number of inspections and maintenance tasks across the local area.
The firesite by the lochside has been cleared, and new signage has been installed to encourage responsible use of the area.
He has also requested that the lay-bys to the north are included as part of his regular inspection route. These areas will also be monitored over the coming weeks.
Unfortunately, Andy discovered evidence of a recent fire being lit right beside a birch tree at a popular fishing spot. This serves as a timely reminder of the importance of taking care in our natural spaces and only lighting fires where it is safe and permitted.
As we move into the busy summer season, regular monitoring will continue, and a monthly report will be provided to keep the community informed. If you notice anything of concern in the meantime, please do not hesitate to get in touch.
Tree Planting at Community Homes
Wonderful to see the fruits of our labour coming along so nicely at the Community Homes! 🌱🌳
Thanks to support from the Highland Council Nature Restoration Fund, we have planted heritage apple trees, silver birch, Jacquemontii birch trees, and beech hedging around the site.
It’s fantastic to see them settling in well and beginning to flourish, with some already showing their first blossoms. We look forward to watching them grow and enhance the area for years to come.
A big thank you to everyone involved in helping bring this project to life – particularly Torbreck Orchard for suppling the apple trees and doing a wonderful job planting. 😊
Hazelbank Woodland🌿 What’s been going on?
We had John Orr, Highland Council Ranger in working with the after-school club in the wood. The group did a sterling job transforming a stack of bland pallets, which is hiding an IBC for watering our newly planted trees, into a fantastic bug hotel. They gathered fallen twigs, lichen, pine cones, moss and other natural materials from around the woodland, creating imaginative “rooms” including a Moss Garden and Pine Cone Mania! It was fantastic to see just how creative everyone was, and the children really seemed to enjoy getting hands-on while learning about the importance of providing habitats for insects and other wildlife. We found all sorts of bugs from worms to baby frogs but the highlight was when one of the children found a four spotted chaser dragonfly!
Following the Arboricultural Survey on tree health last month, we will need to carry out some tree work within the woodland. We are currently in the process of obtaining quotes and will let everyone know when the work is due to take place once everything has been finalised and a date has been arranged.
The wildflowers are absolutely thriving with this lovely mix of sunshine and showers, putting on a fantastic display throughout the woodland. Not only do they look lovely by the paths, but they also provide a valuable source of nectar and pollen for our pollinators.
A little reminder that our Tree of the Month and About Me stories are displayed at both entrances to the woodland for everyone to enjoy – these are available in English and Gaelic. Please feel free to take one out, have a read, and return it for the next visitor. These beautiful stories were written by Claire Hewitt and were inspired by the flora and fauna of Highland Perthshire. Each story was created during the month associated with that particular tree in folklore, making them a lovely way to connect with nature and the changing seasons.
We have also been looking into how we can clear fell the non-native spruce plantation while retaining the magnificent surrounding “Wolf” trees that stand proudly within the woodland. At the same time, we are exploring options for thinning the Scots pine in a way that has the least possible impact on the local community and the woodland itself.
We know there will be questions about these plans, so we’ll be arranging an open evening soon where everyone can come along, hear more about the proposals, ask questions and discuss the work in more detail. We will share the date as soon as it is confirmed.
As always, volunteers are always welcome! Whether you can spare a couple of hours or would like to get involved more regularly, we would love to have you join us. If you would like to find out more, please email Louise at louiseramsay@strathdearn.org.
Youth, Health & Wellbeing News
Highlife Summer Camp 2026
Our Summer Camp days are filling up quickly, and it is shaping up to be another fantastic summer at Strathdearn! ☀️🎉
We are delighted to welcome disc golf expert Lloyd Wells to the club on 5th August, where he will be running an exciting session at the Hub and in the Community Woods.
We are also looking forward to welcoming John Orr back. John will be helping the children build and decorate more bird and bat boxes before installing them in the woods, creating lasting benefits for local wildlife and the community.
If you’d like your child to join us, be sure to book soon as places are filling fast!
Monday 3rd August – Friday 7th August
9am – 3pm daily
Class: P1 – P7
To book email: matthew.allan@highlifehighland.com
Kidz Club (term-time only)
New High Life Lead Coach
We are delighted to announce the appointment of our new High Life Lead Coach, Daniel, who will begin his new role after the summer holidays.
Daniel has been involved with the club for several years and is already a familiar face to many of our young people and families. His enthusiasm, experience and commitment to the club make him an excellent fit for the role, and we are looking forward to seeing him build on the fantastic work already underway.
Kidz Club Explores Hazelbank Woodland
As mentioned in our Hazelbank Woodland update, the Kidz Club enjoyed a fantastic afternoon with John Orr, Highland Council Ranger, build a bug hotel and learning about woodland habitats, local wildlife and the importance of supporting biodiversity. The session gave everyone the opportunity to explore the woodland, discover more about the natural environment and understand how we can all help to care for it.
Baby & Toddler Group
Last Session of Term! ☀️
We had a wonderful final session before the summer holidays, and what a lovely way to finish! With the sun shining, everyone enjoyed heading outside for a picnic and some time together.
A huge thank you to all of our volunteer parents who help keep the group running. Your time, dedication and enthusiasm are greatly appreciated, and we couldn’t do it without you. We hope everyone has a fantastic summer and look forward to seeing you all again next term!
General information
Bring your little ones along for playtime while you enjoy a cuppa and a chat with other local parents and carers!
📅 Every term-time Thursday morning
🕚 9.30am – 11.30am
📍 The Strathdearn Hub
Each term we have Bookbug sessions, Child Smile visits and the Primary 7 children come to visit to read to the tots.
Teen Social Group (term-time only)
All 11 – 19 year olds welcome! Come along and challenge your pals to a game of badminton, pool or table tennis, or just enjoy having a space to hang out and chill.
Tasty snacks available 😋
Please note the club now runs as one combined group.
📅 Every term-time Friday evening
🕚7pm – 9.30pm
📍The Strathdearn Hub
The Snug paused for the summer
We will be pausing The Snug throughout July and August due to a significant drop in attendance during these months.
We will look forward to welcoming everyone back in September!
Zumba at The Strathdearn
This fun, energetic session is family-friendly, with children aged 8+ welcome to join in.
📅 Every Wednesday
🕚 7pm – 8pm
📍 The Strathdearn Hub
Pilates at The Strathdearn
Pilates with Marina and Morna continues to be a community favourite! ✨
Come along to strengthen your core, improve flexibility, and enjoy a full-body workout – suitable for all ages and abilities.
📅 Every Monday
🕚 11:15am – 12:15pm
📍 The Strathdearn Hub
Otago at The Strathdearn
Otago with Val is a gentle movement programme designed to help prevent trips and falls. It’s ideal for older adults and anyone returning to exercise. The class focuses on leg-strengthening and balance-retraining exercises that gradually progress in difficulty, and it also includes a walking plan that can be followed at home or in a group setting.
📅 Every Friday
🕚 10am – 10:45am
📍 The Strathdearn Hub
Pricing for High Life classes
✅ First class free for anyone who’d like to give it a try!
High Life Highland Membership – Over 50% Discount for Families and Individuals
As a wellbeing member, High Life Highland will provide a 10% discount off the standard membership price as they would like to support and contribute to the Strathdearn Community’s health and wellness. Further to this, Strathdearn Community Developments have committed to fund 50% of your High Life membership, to support their residents residing in the postcode area of IV13.
This reduces the price of a family membership to £20.25 per month and £13.50 for an individual membership per month.
The highlife membership offers you and your family access to range of health and fitness opportunities in 28 leisure centres throughout the Highlands. The membership includes the following access/use:
• Swimming pools
• Leisure waters
• Fitness suites
• Strength and conditioning areas
• Fitness room/ Strength and conditioning inductions
• Swimming lessons for adults and children (term time)
• Extensive range of group fitness classes for all abilities and interests
• Running track
• Climbing walls
• Saunas, steam rooms and spa pools*
• Dynamic wellbeing activities and classes in partnership with NHS Highland
• Children’s activities
• Single court activities – badminton, pickleball, squash, table tennis etc.
• Discounts on personal training, private swimming lessons and small group fitness.
• Early entry to the popular School’s Out Activity Programme
*Please note there is an additional charge for the use of the Health Suite at Inverness Leisure.
Please note: All membership addresses will need to be verified as IV13 postcodes (i.e. utility bill dated in last 3 months) to benefit from SCD subsidy.
Bannatyne Health Club membership subsidy
IV13 residents can enjoy over 50% off for Bannatyne Health Club all-inclusive membership!
An all-inclusive membership with Bannatyne provides the opportunity for you to take advantage of their extensive health club facilities including swimming pool, sauna, steam room, and jacuzzi. There are several personalised services, including access to expert personal trainers and complimentary fitness evaluations when you join.
Further discounts include:
• 10% discount in the spa (Spa Days, Products, and Treatments)
• 10% discount in the café
• 10% discount on retail products
• 50% off the first spa treatment
Price: £20 / month (discounted from £46.99 / month + no joining fee)
Please note: All membership addresses will need to be verified as IV13 postcodes (i.e. utility bill dated in last 3 months) to benefit from SCD subsidy.
Community eBikes
Explore the area on one of the community’s eBikes – for free!
Thanks to our partnership with The Strathdearn, SCD is continuing to fund a 2-week free trial for all local residents. Just pop into the Hub and take an eBike out for a spin!
Already used up your free trial days? No problem – locals can still enjoy discounted rates at just £15 per day.
We now have handy route cards available, showcasing some of the best local day trips – perfect for a bit of adventure.
And for families, we have got Kids Ride Shotgun attachments (suitable for ages 2–5), so your little ones can come along for the ride too!
SCD team have collaborated with Badenoch & Strathspey Community ConneXions (BSCX) to help support this important service which extends to the people of Strathdearn. Local volunteers are required for BSCX to be able to accept referrals within our area.
If you think you could spare an hour or two to help your community who may need just a chat or a call to say hello, please contact the BSCX office on 01479 810004 or visit Community Transport | Badenoch And Strathspey Community Connxions | Aviemore (bscx.co.uk) (https://www.bscx.co.uk/)
Community Events
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Bounce in the MUGA – Thursday 2nd July 2026:
School’s out for summer! All Strathdearn children are invited to the MUGA on Thursday 2nd July from 12pm to bounce to their hearts’ content as soon as the school bell rings for the summer holidays.
Free entry Come celebrate the start of the holidays with us
Hoedown At The Hub – Saturday 15th August 2026:
🤠🎉 YEE-HAW! HOEDOWN AT THE STRATHDEARN 🎉🤠
Get ready to dust off your boots and join us for a fantastic day of country fun!
📅 Saturday 15th August 2026
⏰ From 4PM
📍 The Strathdearn, Tomatin
✨ What’s on:
🎤 Dolly & Shania Tribute Acts
🐂 Rodeo Bull
💃 Line Dancing
🌭 Hot Food (included in your ticket!)
🍻 Licensed Bar
🎟️ Tickets:
£15 Adults | £5 Children
(*includes hot food*)
This is set to be a brilliant family-friendly event you won’t want to miss 🤩
👉 Interested in coming along? Secure your place by completing the form below:
Tag your friends, share the post, and let’s make it a hoedown to remember! 🤠🔥
Flower Show – Saturday 5th September 2026
Strathdearn Primary School are joining up with Strathdearn Community Developments for this year’s Flower Show!
Venue: Strathdearn Primary School
We’re excited to invite you to our Flower Show Fundraiser in support of Strathdearn Primary School! Come along for a great community day full of colour, creativity, and tasty treats.
Entry Details (Local Residents Only)
Entries accepted: 9:30am – 10:30am
Judging begins: 11:00am
Open to the public: from 12:00pm
Food & Refreshments:
~ Soup & Sweet: £5 per person
~ Tea/Coffee: £2 per person
Trophy Presentation & Raffle: 1:30pm
Optional Sales Table:
All entrants will have the opportunity to put their items up for sale after judging. Every penny raised will go directly to supporting Strathdearn Primary School.
Bring your blooms, enjoy a bite to eat, and help us raise funds for a brilliant local cause.
June remained a very positive month for Tastes of Tomatin Café & Shop, with trading continuing significantly ahead of the same period last year.
While activity eased slightly from the exceptional levels experienced in May, both the café and shop continued to perform strongly throughout the month. Support from local customers and workmen remained important, while visitor, tourist and distillery-related trade increased further.
This growing visitor market continues to make a valuable contribution to the overall performance of the business.
Menu Highlights
Our fresh homemade sausage rolls remain one of the café’s most popular products.
Made fresh every day using quality sausage meat from Grants of Speyside Butchers, they continue to be extremely popular with local customers, workmen and visitors alike.
Fresh baking also remains an important part of the café offering. Scones are produced regularly by Ryan and Kyle, with Lindsay and Shannon supporting the range by making homemade favourites such as brownies and other traybakes.
The team continues to work hard to maintain a varied selection of homemade food alongside the demands of daily service.
New Bon Accord Drinks
A new range of Bon Accord soft drinks has been introduced, including:
🥤 Rhubarb Soda
🥤 Cream Soda
🥤 Lemonade
Bon Accord is a well-known Scottish “old school” brand, with its drinks naturally sweetened and made using quality ingredients. The range provides another distinctive Scottish option for customers visiting the café and shop.
Monday Operations
Reduced Monday operations have continued successfully throughout June.
Although the main kitchen remains closed, the café continues to offer:
✔️ Sandwiches
✔️ Fresh sausage rolls
✔️ Soup
✔️ Cakes and traybakes
✔️ Hot drinks
Trading has remained very strong despite the reduced menu, demonstrating that the format continues to meet customer demand.
The arrangement also provides the team with valuable time for preparation, cleaning and operational catch-up while still allowing customers to enjoy a good range of food and drinks.
Staffing and Community Meals
Chris Junor has continued to support the kitchen during June and has taken responsibility for preparing fresh meals for the pensioners’ lunch.
These meals have been very well received and represent a positive addition to the café’s community offering.
Catering and Community Support
The café has continued to provide a number of smaller catering orders throughout June, both independently and in conjunction with the Hall.
These arrangements remain a valuable additional income stream and help strengthen links with local groups, organisations and events.
Tastes of Tomatin also remained open as normal during the Bounce in the MUGA event, helping to cater for visitors attending on the day. The event brought a welcome uplift in trade and provided another opportunity to support activity within the local community.
Customer Feedback and Social Media
Customer satisfaction remains extremely high, with consistently positive feedback received both in person and online.
Customers continue to respond particularly well to the quality of the food, friendly service and welcoming atmosphere.
Social media activity has also continued throughout June, helping maintain the café and shop’s online visibility. Further details on engagement and performance will be covered separately by Helen.
Looking Ahead
Plans are currently being developed for a possible Indian-themed evening in July, potentially alongside a quiz.
Further details will be shared once arrangements are confirmed.
Coffee Loyalty Card
Don’t forget to pick one up next time you’re in.
Collect 6 stamps and receive a free coffee.
Local Loyalty Card
Residents can enjoy 10% off with a valid community loyalty card — don’t forget to use it.
Tastes of Tomatin – Opening Hours
Shop: 8.30am – 5pm
Café: Monday – Sunday, 9.30am – 4pm
🕞 Last food orders at 3.30pm
☕ Coffee and cakes available until 4pm
📞 To get in touch, call 01808 517230 and a member of the team will be happy to help.
Join the Board!
We are looking for new volunteers to join the Strathdearn Community Development / White River Trading boards. If you care about what is happening locally and want to help shape future projects, we would love to hear from you!
The commitment is now very manageable — just a 2hour meeting every two months, along with keeping on top of emails between meetings. No special experience needed, just enthusiasm and a willingness to share your ideas.
We are particularly keen to welcome younger adults and more women onto the board so we can make sure a wide mix of voices and perspectives are represented when making decisions for our community.
If you are interested, or even just a bit curious, you can apply or ask for more information by emailing info@strathdearn.org (mailto:info@strathdearn.org) . It would be fantastic to have some new faces around the table!
A quiet moment in the Strathdearn Community Woods, where native wildflowers provide an important source of food for our pollinators. These busy bumblebees were captured visiting the thistle heads on a summer afternoon, a reminder of the rich biodiversity thriving on our doorstep. Every visit to the woods offers something new to discover.
A lazy bumblebee drifts low, Where thistle crowns and wild weeds grow. Along the path by a stream so clear, The warmth of summer settles here.
Past young and newly-planted apple trees, That dance in the soft, green river breeze, Beneath the ancient, towering line Of a watchful, rusted Scots pine.
The community of Strathdearn, which includes the Tomatin and Moy areas, expresses deep concern at the ongoing wildfire in the Glenmore area of the Cairngorms National Park and reports of limited resources being available to tackle it.
As neighbouring communities with similar terrain and environmental risks, we stand in full support of the concerns raised by Mr McCook, Chair of Nethy Bridge Community Council.
Lessons Must Be Learned
Recent wildfires have demonstrated the scale of the threat facing rural communities, protected landscapes and nationally important habitats.
The 2025 Dava Moor fire, now recognised as the UK’s first megafire, should have been a decisive warning that current arrangements are not sufficient to deal with the speed and intensity of modern wildfire events.
When large wildfires take hold, specialist aerial support, wildfire units and coordinated resources must be available within hours, not days.
Reliance on local fire crews, land managers and volunteers alone places too heavy a burden on communities and risks avoidable damage to homes, businesses, wildlife and fragile ecosystems.
Protecting the Cairngorms and Communities
The Cairngorms National Park is a landscape of national importance, valued for its wildlife, culture, heritage and economic significance.
As development extends further into rural and upland areas, including wind farm infrastructure and associated access routes, the risk and complexity of wildfire incidents will continue to increase.
Our Call to Government
We call on both the Scottish Government and the UK Government to work together urgently to establish a robust national wildfire response capability.
This should include:
Rapid access to specialist wildfire equipment and trained personnel.
Clear arrangements for aerial firefighting support when required.
Coordinated UK-wide contingency planning for major wildfire incidents.
Proper support for local fire services, land managers and community volunteers.
Long-term planning to protect rural communities, habitats and critical infrastructure.
Warnings, fines and public messaging are not enough on their own.
Scotland and the wider UK need a resilient, properly resourced wildfire response system that reflects the reality of a changing climate and the growing risk to communities such as ours.
We thank the firefighters, emergency services, land managers, volunteers and local organisations currently working in difficult conditions to protect people, property and the natural environment.
Following the serious wildfire near Aviemore this week, and with many of us still remembering the devastating fires on Dava Moor last year, the Strathdearn Community Shop has taken the voluntary decision to stop selling portable BBQs for the time being.
There is currently no wildfire ban in place for Strathdearn, and no requirement for local businesses to stop selling these products. However, given the exceptionally dry conditions and the heightened wildfire risk across the Highlands, we believe this is the responsible thing to do.
The wildfires of recent years have shown just how quickly a single spark can have devastating consequences for our landscapes, wildlife and communities.
Visitors and residents are reminded to pay attention to local signage regarding fires and barbecues and to follow all advice issued by the emergency services and land managers.
We know that the overwhelming majority of people use portable BBQs safely and responsibly, but it only takes one accident to cause lasting damage.
Thank you to everyone for continuing to exercise caution when enjoying the outdoors this summer.
Visit Document Library if you are looking for any of the following: Newsletters; Minutes of meetings; Application forms; Accounts, projects and other info on SCD and SCCT.
We are excited to screen our 2-minute film showcasing our local attractions and The Strathdearn Complex. Journey from the wild high glens and their wonderful nature, along the River Findhorn, to the Tomatin Distillery on to Loch Moy and the excitement of the Moy Games.
Walk-through and aerial footage of The Strathdearn Hub
