We Won! - 2023 NatureScot Community Initiative Award
November 2023
We won!
The 12th annual Nature of Scotland Awards, co-sponsored by NatureScot were held last night at the EICC in Edinburgh, hosted by zoologist, TV presenter and RSPB Ambassador Megan McCubbin and TV presenter and nature enthusiast JJ Chalmers. 54 candidates were shortlisted for 10 awards, and the Bailies of Bennachie won the Community Initiative Award.
We are absolutely thrilled to have won this award, and a huge thank you to everyone who voted for us and shared the requests – you helped to make this happen.
Chair of the Bailies Trustees, Peter Stock, and Treasurer Alan Henderson accepted the award on behalf of the Bailies. Peter commented,
"It was a very special night. The event hosted over 400 guests. Our award was the last to be drawn so the adrenaline was pumping by the time they got to us. It was very inspiring to see the range and diversity of the conservation projects underway across Scotland and to see how the Bailies fit into that landscape. Ours was the only award on the night chosen exclusively by the public so this is a testament to our long and diverse history and our profile across both Aberdeenshire, Scotland and around the world."
He added,
"The win feels particularly poignant in the year of our 50th Anniversary. We couldn’t have done this without the passion and enthusiasm of our members, volunteers and Trustees, both past and present! Thank you all. Here is to the next 50 years."
