Community spirit on show this summer

These gatherings are not just good fun, they are the heartbeat of our communities. In August, I was delighted to attend the Grantown Show. It was a chance to meet people from across the National Park and beyond, to hear directly about their work and experiences, and to celebrate the vital contribution our farmers make. I had the pleasure of speaking with local farmers and crofters about the challenges and opportunities they face, from changing weather to market conditions, and chat about the different ways we can help. It was great to speak to some of the farmers who have received Climate Adaptation Fund support over the past two years and hear about the progress their projects have made.

I also had the pleasure of meeting many of the people working hard to uphold the cultural traditions that find expression in the Highland games at events such as the Lonach Highland Games, the Braemar Gathering and the Abernethy Highland Games.

A highlight for me was the Abernethy Highland Games, where I had the huge honour of serving as chieftain. From the first events of the morning, with children running and laughing their way through the traditional tattie ‘n’ spoon race, to the magnificent sound of the pipes and drums at the close, it was a day filled with smiles, pride and community spirit.  

Another stand out moment was the revival of the Duff Highlanders, marching at the Braemar Gathering for the first time since the 1930s to loud cheers and applause.

These events gave me a valuable chance to meet informally with community leaders and officials, land managers, estate workers, business owners and many other local residents, discussing everything from how best to address the shortage of affordable housing, to the other challenges and opportunities facing some of our more fragile local economies.

Looking ahead, we’ll also be at the Kincraig Fun Day on 27 September - another wonderful community occasion.

These events aren’t just social highlights; they are valuable opportunities for the Park Authority team to get out and about and listen to the views of people across the National Park. Over the summer months we’ve had conversations about everything from housing and jobs to farming, tourism, nature restoration and of course our ambitious Cairngorms 2030 programme, supported by The National Lottery Heritage Fund.  

Consultations such as those on the Local Development Plan give us formal feedback, but equally important are the informal chats we have at shows, games and gatherings. We really do value hearing what matters most to the people who live, work and visit here.

If you’d like to share your thoughts on any aspect of our work, you can always get in touch by emailing [email protected]. I look forward to many more conversations in the months ahead.