South Marr CSG title
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Road Safety for School
South Marr CSG has provided bike lights for pupils at a local Primary School Read more
First On Scene Donation
South Marr CSG has received a funding boost for the First on Scene project.

South Marr CSG is offering funds for local Community Safety Projects.
working together
School Parking Banners
Funding has been provided for banners to highlight dangerous parking outside schools in the Marr area. Read more
Banchory First Responders
South Marr CSG donated £1600 to the Banchory Area First Responders for the purchase of 2 defibrillators. Read more
Local Policing information
Read about police priorities and activities in your area. Use the link and click on your local area when you get there.Local Policing Team.
Drunk & Dangerous
Pupils learn how the effects of alcohol can affect driving.
Message in a Bottle
A reminder about the scheme intended for use by ANYONE with a medical condition and who feels vulnerable while living at home.
Read more
Public Access Defibrillators
Details of the locations of Public Access Defibrillators in the South Marr area are available online.
Mid Deeside PDF file   Banchory PDF file
Bikeability 1
The South Marr CSG purchased some bike lights as part of the Bikeability 1 Project for primary school children.
Ready Steady Drive
Ready Steady Drive helps school pupils to become safe and responsible road users.
Courses to make young drivers safer
The South Marr CSG has funded courses for young drivers.
Be Safe Be Seen
Be Safe Be Seen encourages all children to wear something bright and take extra care when out and about near roads in the dark.

Completed projects | Individual CSGs page | CSG Home page | Email the South Marr CSG Email the South Marr CSG

South Marr CSG Page



The South Marr Community Safety Group is currently not functioning.

If you need to make contact on Community Safety in South Marr please email the Aberdeenshire Community Safety Team Leader


Office-bearers: ChairmanPadding space VacantPadding space
Vice-Chair Vacant
Secretary & Treasurer Vacant
Minutes Secretary Vacant


Bike Lights for Primary pupils| Top of South Marr page

Picture of bike lights presentation

Braemar Primary School has received bike lights funded by the South Marr Community Safety Group so that the children can cycle to and from school safely during dark mornings and afternoons.

The Chair of Braemar Primary School Parent Council, Charles Chamberlain, presents some of the bike lights to the Chair of the Pupil Council.

Norma Makin, Secretary of the South Marr Community Safety Group said:

"South Marr Community Safety Group are delighted to fund bicycle lights for the pupils of Braemar Primary School. We hope that the lights we have purchased for three Deeside Primary Schools, Aboyne, Kincardine o'Neil and Braemar School will make a real contribution to cycling safety."


Bikeability| Top of South Marr page

Bikeability thumbmnail

As part of the Bikeability 1 Project at Aboyne Primary school, the South Marr Community Safety Group purchased some bike lights to encourage the children to cycle in the winter months.
Read more



Ready Steady Drive | Top of South Marr page

Think Road Safety logo

The South Marr Community Safety Group have donated £200 this year towards the cost of this road safety project designed to teach school pupils how to become safe and responsible road users.

Read more



Banchory First Responders | Top of South Marr page

First Reswponder logo The South Marr Community Safety Group has recently donated £1600 to the Banchory Area First Responders for the purchase of 2 defibrillators as part of the Sandpiper Wildcat project. This project is a joint initiative between the Scottish Ambulance Service, BASICS-Scotland and the Sandpiper Trust.

Recent research studies have shown that the use of trained First Responders equipped with defibrillators rather than reliance on members of the public using Public Access Defibrillators is considered to be the more efficient option when dealing with out of hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA). The Banchory group aim to provide training and equipment for 10 first responders.


First on Scene | Top of South Marr page

First on Scene Donation

First on Scene is a series of four DVDs designed to help young people react correctly at the scene of an emergency. The four emergencies are; a road traffic collision, a casualty of a binge drinking session, a person who has lost consciousness and a water rescue.

A recent 50th fancy dress birthday party for Marcus Shearer was held in the Douglas Arms Hotel in Banchory. A collection on the night raised the excellent sum of £325 for the "First on Scene" project. The photo shows Marcus handing over the cheque to Norma Makin, treasurer of the South Marr Community Safety Group who finance the project. On the right is Roddy Lees who is Project Leader for "First on Scene".

First on Scene logo The videos are now available on-line. Go to the First on Scene web site

Completed Safety Projects: | Top of South Marr page

Police get on their bikes

Police bike & link to more information


The South Marr Community Safety Group has helped to fund specialised bikes for local Police patrols.

Click on the logo for more information

RoSPA Home Safety Booklets

RoSPA Home Safety Book photo: link to a larger photo

Once again the South Marr Community Safety Group has donated copies of the RoSPA Little Book of Home Safety to all pupils in S1 and S2 at both Banchory and Aboyne academies. This means that at both schools every pupil from S1 to S6 has received the booklet since 2001.

The photo shows Norma Makin, Group Treasurer, with pupils from Banchory Academy.

The book is full of home safety tips and information which can help prevent accidents in the home.

RoSPA Home Safety Booklet image

Click on the photo to see a larger version.





Hill of Banchory Kick-about Group




The commitment and dedication of a group of pupils at Hill of Banchory Primary School was rewarded recently at a meeting of the South Marr Community Safety Group.

The group, known as the Hill of Banchory Kick-about Group, have been raising funds to provide a football and basketball wall on ground earmarked for a kick-about pitch by local developers, Bancon. Bancon had said they would donate £2000 towards the equipment if the young people match-funded the sum. The Community Safety Group gave £500 towards the funds and the rest was soon raised through such events as car washes and cake stalls.


Click on the thumbnail images to see a bigger versions.





Urban Roadeo



"When did you last read your Highway Code?" was one of the questions asked during the Baldy Bane Theatre Company's perfomance of "Urban Roadeo" at the Douglas Arms Hotel in Banchory last week. The event was hosted by the South Marr Community Safety Group and the audience was entertained by the play which is aimed at road users over the age of 55. It showed a humerous exchange between Jack Dawson and his Mother-in-Law, Davina. Jack is fiercely proud of his driving ability as an experienced road user. Davina, as a happy pedestrian, is determined to make him aware of the changes that accompany the ageing process - a fact he doesn't want to face!

Road Safety Scotland, sponsors of the play, say:

"In an amusing and informative manner, the play demonstrates how we should adapt our pedestrian and driving habits as we grow older. Making simple adsjustments to existing habits can make the way we use the road safer and more enjoyable for a long time to come."

Click on the thumbnail image to see a bigger version.








St Ternan Day Fair



Some of the members of the South Marr Community Safety Group manned a stall at the Banchory St Ternan Day Fair on 9th June 2007.

Click on the thumbnail image to see a bigger version.

Banchory Football School

Football logo & link to information on the Banchory Football School


Grampian Police, the Scottish Ambulance Service and Grampian Fire & Rescue Service along with the South Marr CSG are supporting a Football School in Banchory designed to reduce youth nuisance problems in the town.

Click on the football logo to get more information.





Aspire Golf Club

Aspire Golf Club photo and link to bigger picture

Youngsters from the Hill of Banchory have teed-off with North-east golf great Harry Bannerman, Grampian Police and Stagecoach Bluebird in a bid to drive down anti-social behaviour in the area.

The former Ryder Cup star will be helping steer youngsters from the wrong way to the fairway over the next few weeks. Hill of Banchory resident Harry came up with the idea of giving the youngsters, from a new housing area, world-class tuition to introduce them to the sport as an alternative to hanging around the streets at weekends.

Click on the photo to see a larger version.




Children & Alcohol

Drink abuse poster & link to bigger picture

In July 2004 the South Marr Community Safety Group funded the hard-hitting "Buying a child booze.. it's child abuse" aimed at adults who buy alcohol and pass it on to under 18 year olds.

Click on the photo to see a larger version and to get more information.

Personal Attack alarms

Picture of personal attack alarm




25 personal attack wrist alarms have been donated to the local Police for distribution to elderly residents.


Get Your Flamin' Lum Swept

get your lum sweptPicture: Get your lum swept poster



One of the first projects of the South Marr Community Safety Group, in partnership with Grampian Fire Brigade, was the distribution of a leaflet which drew the attention of residents in Deeside to the dangers of not having their chimneys swept regularly. The leaflet was compiled by two members of the Fire Brigade and designed to be very eye-catching. 5000 copies were distributed in the Deeside Piper and Herald. Grampian Fire Brigade attend around SIXTY chimney fires each year in the Deeside area.



Safety & Safe Parking for Hill Walkers

Picture of Safe parking sign - link to more information
In 2002, the South Marr Community Safety Group were awarded £420 to provide Grampian Police with 12 notice boards aimed at drawing the attention of motorists and hill-walkers to the problems of parking vehicles and walking in remote areas. These signs have been installed at several well known tourist areas around Deeside.

Click on the notice to find out more.

Bobbies on bikes

Photo of young driver training & link to bigger photo

Two new bicycles have been donated to the Police to allow officers to carry out patrols and be more accessible to their communities. Constable Gordon Brown, Aboyne Community Beat Officer and Special Constable Neil Middleton, who lives on Deeside, are the first officers to take to the streets. The bikes will be used in communities all over Deeside.

Banchory Community Beat Officer, Constable Andrew Cruickshank, said:

"Presently, anti-social behaviour amongst youth is a major concern for us all and over the last few months we have been developing strategies to tackle such behaviour. We see the bikes as playing a pivotal part in this."
Click on the photo to see a larger version.










Anti-Social Behaviour posters

Anti-social behaviour poster (PDF) & link to enlarged version

Anti-social behaviour poster photo & link to larger version


Deeside businesses, Community Safety and the emergency services have joined forces to tackle the problem of anti-social behaviour in the area. South Marr Community Safety Group and Grampian Police have been working together to highlight the issues to the communities on Deeside and are looking for their support in educating those involved away from such unacceptable behaviour

Click on the poster to see a larger version (this is a PDF file, you will need the PDF file reader to view it). A new window will be opened in your browser.




Click on the photo to see a larger version.


Young Driver Fatalities

Photo of young driver training & link to bigger photo

Photo of PassPlus presentation & link to bigger photo

Photo of PassPlus driver & link to bigger photo

One of the Community Safety Partnership's biggest concerns has been the appalling loss of life of young drivers. The South Marr Community Safety Group recently sponsored a skid car during the Deeside Young Drivers Day organised by Aboyne & Banchory Community Learning. The programme also included a brake reaction tester, a demonstration drive with a Police Instructor and presentations from both the Police and Fire Services.

Click on the photo to see a larger version.



The Group are also actively promoting the Pass Plus Initiative which is partly sponsored by Aberdeenshire Council. By taking a series of six training sessions a young driver can gain experience of what it really is like to drive a car, not just pass a driving test, and get reduced insurance premiums as reward.

Click on the photo to see a larger version.





Angie Funnell, a pupil of Banchory Academy, recently completed a Pass Plus course which was paid for partly by Aberdeenshire Council and partly the South Marr CSG.

Click on the photo to see a larger version.












Smoke alarms for the deaf

Photo of Smoke alarms for the deaf - link to a larger photo

South Marr Community Safety Group have now purchased and installed six smoke alarms for the deaf and hard of hearing. All the Community Safety Groups within Aberdeenshire have been allocated funding to purchase smoke alarms for the deaf. These alarms have a smoke detector which is connected to a plastic disc which fits under a pillow. During the night, the disc vibrates to warn the deaf person when smoke is detected. During the day, the smoke alarm sets off a bright strobe light in the living area to provide the warning. The detectors have been made available with cash help through the Aberdeenshire Safety Project.

The devices are earmarked for people who are deaf or hard of hearing and are hardwired into domestic electrical systems.

Click on the photo to see a larger version.







Engraving Pen

Logo of Safety engraving
An electric engraving pen has been purchased to security mark bicycles, skateboards and anything else someone happens to bring along! The South Marr Community Safety Group are going to work with Community Education staff to provide this facility in their 'Youth Information Centre' in the Bellfield Car Park in Banchory. This engraver is available to any group which may want to borrow it.



Top of South Marr page | Individual CSGs page | CSG Home page

Ongoing Safety Projects:

Safe Summer on the River

Safe Summer on the River logo and link to more information

The South Marr Community Safety Group recently funded the printing of the posters and leaflets for the "Safe Summer on the River" campaign launched recently. This was in response to the rescue of a young girl from the River Dee one year to the day after the drowning of Zoe Skea at the Linn of Quoich.

Click on the logo to see the poster PDF file(LARGE PDF file).



Skateboard Safety

Skateboard logo and link to more information



Pupils from Banchory Academy compiled a Skateboard Safety leaflet outlining the dangers of not wearing the correct protective gear, particularly for those children under the age of 10, as their skulls are still forming and growing. Copies of the leaflets have been distributed to the local schools.

Click on the logo to see the Skateboard Safety leaflet PDF file(LARGE PDF file).



Discount Vouchers for Bicycle Helmets

Bike helmet logo

For the past 3 years the South Marr CSG has been offering £5 off the purchase of either helmets or bicycle lights at the local BikeLife shop in Banchory. Vouchers were printed in the Deeside Piper & Herald during the run up to Christmas and the discount was given on production of the voucher at the shop. This is a project which will be repeated every Christmas for the foreseeable future.



Midnight Football League

Football logo & link to information on the Midnight Football League

The Bank of Scotland Midnight League is a national award winning 5-a-side community football development initiative. It is aimed at keeping boys and girls aged between 12 and 16 off the streets on Friday and Saturday nights and reducing youth crime levels and anti-social behaviour.

With the help of Community Constable Andy Cruickshank the league is being run every Friday evening between 6-10pm for 6 weeks, starting 13th April at Banchory Academy or Banchory Sports Centre. The South Marr CSG have donated £240 for the hire of the venue.







Drunk and Dangerous Kit

Drunk and Dangerous Kit logo







The South Marr CSG has purchased a drunk and dangerous kit for use by the Police or Fire & Rescue Services. The glasses in the kit dramatically simulates the effects of alcohol. Because the glasses' simulation of drunkenness is so real and intense, wearers can't help but be struck by the reality that alcohol really does make driving dangerous. Glasses create blurred vision and simulate unsteady motor skills when the wearer tries to manoeuvre the model car.

The South Marr CSG contributed to the purchase of a Wii console and games for Grampian Police. This is to be used in conjunction with the drunk and dangerous goggles purchased last year. Sixth year pupils can learn how the effects of alcohol can affect driving by wearing the goggles while playing the driving game on the Wii.

Click on the photo to see a larger version.



Personal Attack Alarms

Personal alarm photo


Following the total sell-out of the popular personal attack alarm the South Marr CSG have purchased more for sale at no profit. For more information, Email the South Marr CSG email the Treasurer.



Tax Disc Holders

Tax Disc Holder



The high incidence of road deaths, particularly among drivers under the age of 25, is always cause for concern. The South Marr CSG have purchased tax disc holders with the message "Speed Kills" in large red letters. They will be handed out free at the AGM on 24th May.



Home-Start Deeside

Home Start logo



Home-Start's informal and friendly support for families with young children provides a lifeline to thousands of parents and children in over 337 communities across the UK and with forces families in Germany and Cyprus. The South Marr Community Safety Group recently gave £200 to provide equipment such as car seats and safety gates for less well off families.





"Take Control" Initiative

Home Start logo

The initiative has been put together by Inspector Ian Kirkwood of Grampian Police. It is directed towards pupils in 4th year which is an age group previously left out as they're too young to drive. However the Police are now focussing on the 4th years' responsibilities as passengers. It is a very hard hitting talk with graphics of actual crashes/injuries.

The presentation, along with input from members of the local Fire & Rescue Service, has taken place at Mackie Academy with great success. The plan is to roll out the talk to all the secondary schools in Kincardine and Deeside - Portlethen, Mearns, Aboyne and Banchory Academies.

Both the South Marr and Kincardine & Mearns Safety Groups have contributed £600 each for the purchase of the equipment necessary to carry out these presentations.











Be Safe Be Seen Campaign

Be Safe Be Seen Products

The Be Safe Be Seen campaign was launched on Wednesday 25 October in preparation for the end of British Summer Time on Sunday 29 October. As the nights draw in, children are more vulnerable as they are less visible to motorists. In order to encourage all children to wear something bright and take extra care when out and about near roads the South Marr Community Safety Group gave £250 to Banchory Primary School for the purchase of reflective slap-wraps and reflectors.



Community Safety Awards 2002-2003



Youth 2000 Project photo: link to a larger photo
The Youth 2000 Project, based in Banchory, was recently awarded Runner-Up prize in the Annual Community Safety Awards Competition. The award was given in recognition of the efforts a group of local young people who have raised over £11,000 towards facilities for young people. Two shelters, where young people can meet, have been erected as phase one of the project. The winners were announced at the very successful Community Safety Seminar held in Woodhill House at the end of March. The photograph shows Treasurer, Norma Makin, presenting the award to members and sponsors of the Youth 2000 group.

Click on the photo to see a larger version.









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Banchory Farmers' Market

Photo of the South Marr CSG Stand at the Banchory Show

The Group manned a stall at the Banchory Farmers' Market held in April. The aim was to promote the organisation and inform the public of the aims and objectives of the Partnership.

Free UV marker pens were handed out to interested parties. There were also personal attack alarms for sale which proved quite popular.

The Grampian Fire and Rescue Service's booklets "Frances the Firefly" and "The Broons" proved particularly popular.

The photo shows Safety Group member Fiona Stalker talking to a Banchory resident.







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