The MacRobert Trust has long-standing links with the Forces.  Many donations are awarded annually to charities with links to serving and retired members of the Armed Services and, from May to October, over Christmas, over Easter and during some winter weekends, Douneside House provides subsidised holiday and respite accommodation in a Scottish country house style for serving or retired commissioned officers of the Armed Services and their families.  For the rest of the year it serves as a commercial conference centre used by organisations in the Aberdeen and Aberdeenshire area.

The swimathon challenge was the idea of a member of the Leisure Centre staff, Mrs Jo Fraser.  The event was launched by Trust Administrator, Air Commodore Bob Joseph, and his wife, Jan, on 1st February when each swam a number of lengths.  The idea is that staff will take turns swimming lengths until they have completed the distance.   To date 7,300 lengths have been accomplished; the team is already well past Aboyne and heading downstream to the mouth of the River Dee at Aberdeen! 

Six-year-old Connie Smith, a pupil at Tarland Primary School pupil and the youngest swimmer in the event, will swim the final lengths.   Connie was born with a hole and weak valve in her heart and had received treatment for her condition from the cardiac experts at the Aberdeen Royal Infirmary.  She has teamed up with her mum, Andrea, who works at Douneside House.  At least two other members of The Trust’s staff have received life-saving treatment in the Cardiac Unit and are taking part.

All contributions are gratefully received, either through www.justgiving.com/dounesideswimsthedee or www.facebook.com/pages/douneside-swims-the-dee/299808143402993

The Trust’s third scholar was selected in January 2012 and is Mrs Heather Wildman of New Cumnock, Ayrshire.  Heather will attend her first Nuffield training in London in late February, immediately followed by attendance at the pre-study International Conference in London with all the other 2012 Nuffield scholars.  Heather will then settle down to shaping her own study and overseas travel programmes and will be formally presented with her Scholarship Award by a representative of The MacRobert Trust at the 2012 Nuffield Conference on 23rd and 24th November.  Steven Jack, The Trust’s second scholar, will present his report at the 2012 Conference.

The Trustees of The MacRobert Trust offer their warm congratulations to Heather on being selected for Trust sponsorship and wish her every success with her studies and future work. 

We believe the new site better reflects The Trust’s busy workload as both landlord and charity, duties which we discharge within a modern context.

A comprehensive section on grant-making has been designed to offer vital information and guidance to potential applicants, and will hopefully reduce the burden on our busy staff by answering the questions we are asked most frequently.

The relaunch coincides with an announcement outlining the new charitable themes and sub-themes decided at the recent Trustees’ meeting. The themes and sub-themes define the scope of The Trust’s charitable work under our Charitable Donations Policy and can now be easily updated by Trust staff whenever they are amended.

Other parts of the site offer a fascinating insight into the history and ethos of The MacRobert Trust, the workings of the Estate and The MacRobert Legacy. A password-protected area gives Trustees access to minutes and other useful documents.

We hope you enjoy the new site. If you have any comments or feedback, please contact us by email.

Michael is a first generation sheep farmer and farm consultant in Perthshire, where he lives with his wife and four children.   He studied at the Harper Adams Agricultural College in Shropshire and has been sheep farming since 2003.  He currently has 700 sheep on seasonal grazing lets in Fife, some 35 miles from his home in Methven, Perth.  His intention is to find a farming tenancy where he can put his experience gained from his travels to optimum use. 

The objectives of the Nuffield scheme, originally set up by Lord Nuffield and the then Vice President of the NFU in 1978, was to select scholars who would be encouraged to bring back to farmers in the UK ideas of good and innovative agricultural husbandry from different parts of the globe.  Michael’s overseas travels in search of ways he might climb the farming ladder took him to the USA, Australia, New Zealand, Cambodia, India and France. 

“This prize was awarded in recognition of how much Michael had gained from his Nuffield experience and the Nuffield process.  It also recognised the support of his sponsors and offered clear guidelines for those wishing to enter farming.  His study ‘The Farming Ladder’ explored the progression from a little to a lot, gaining skills, land, profits and growing equity in a variety of different ways”.  John Stones, Nuffield Director, October 2011

The MacRobert Trust’s second scholar, Steven Jack from Nairn, is engaged on his travels.  The third scholar will be selected in January 2012.

This accreditation is the first of its kind in Scotland and is a significant achievement for The Trust.

Mr Morphew was highly impressed by The Trust’s unique gardens and the exciting opportunities offered for students to train in horticultural principles and practice.

The Trust’s Head of Gardens, Mr Stephen McCallum, said:

“There is a general misconception that anyone can buy a few tools and trade as a gardener, which is far from the truth.

“A successful career as a professional gardener takes years of training and study, and requires the development of a sound understanding of the science and art of horticulture, as well as a broad range of thoroughly practiced gardening skills.

“We are very pleased to have recently introduced training and assessment towards SVQ Horticulture Levels 1, 2 and 3, which is carried out entirely in-house, and are delighted that we are now able to offer the same towards RHS qualifications in practical gardening Levels 1 and 2.”

This accreditation is extremely good news for The Trust and its Horticultural Training Scheme.

Find out more about the gardens and properties on the Estate and The Trust’s Horticultural Training Scheme.