Aberdeenshire’s ageing population could be turned into an army of helpers keeping their communities pristine as the cash-strapped council cuts back.
At least, that’s what local authority leader Gillian Owen hopes will happen.
Amid a budget meeting where school crossing patrollers were scrapped and several services drastically reduced, the Ellon councillor held out hope that local retirees could be the region’s secret weapon.
While having one of Scotland’s largest increases in people aged over 65 could be seen as a challenge, this is a potential silver lining.
She praised the “huge contribution” that fit and healthy older residents already make to their towns and villages.
But Mrs Owen reckons more could become community champions, snapping up jobs hit by budget cuts.
And she heralded a group in her own town as an example of this, heaping praise on the active pensioners who give up their time to keep a local graveyard clean.
But what do some of the region’s older residents think about this?
I took a trip out to Ellon to meet the volunteers who keep the town’s cemetery looking neat and tidy to hear their thoughts.
Community empowerment ‘a very strong tool’
Inspired by the Friends of Turriff Cemetery, the group began in 2018.
An initial meeting to gauge interest was held at the town’s academy, attracting around 40 people.
But currently there are just seven “hardcore” Friends of Ellon Cemetery volunteers who assemble at the graveyard on Monday afternoons.
Council needs to support residents ‘a little bit more’
Most of the Friends of Ellon Cemetery volunteers are retired, just one member still works.
But what do they think about filling the gaps left by local authority budget cuts?
Treasurer Muriel Smith believes it is “fine” but said the council needs to support its residents “a little bit more” if they hope to encourage more volunteers.
While chairman Bill Gibb revealed that the group takes on tasks that are currently allocated to local authority staff.
He explained: “We maintain the borders, that’s a job for the council landscapers, but we do it every month or so and I cut down all the bushes at the end of the year.
“We don’t mind doing that, it’s great because we realise they are pushed.”
However, Bill says the public are appreciative and makes the work they do “worthwhile”.
Volunteer Hilda Benzie believes the council could be “a bit more helpful” by carrying out jobs such as lifting the cut grass.
While fellow Friend Margaret Keith said: “I feel I do my bit coming along here.”
How much support does the council give the Friends?
While the Friends of Ellon Cemetery are happy to maintain the graveyard, they do think there is a lack of support from the council.
Muriel explained: “Gillian is right enough in saying they want to encourage community groups, but when you get down to the nitty gritty it really is tough.”
Bill told us that something as simple as getting an extra bin for the graveyard was a “struggle” due to council restrictions.
Just don’t mention the grass cutting “fiasco”, something that is still a “sore point” for the group.
Two volunteers used to cut the whole cemetery but council chiefs told them to stop due to health and safety protocols.
Murial added: “It’s great to think they’d like to encourage these groups but when it comes down the crunch, there is a lot of ‘oh, you can’t do that’.”
How do the Friends maintain the graveyard?
Once the Friends of Ellon Cemetery was established, its volunteers got to work and started from scratch.
The first project they completed was creating the cemetery’s baby memorial for families to grieve their lost little ones.
Its benches were donated and Aberdeen-based miscarriage support service MISS generously gave the group four rose bushes.
Stones were later added for parents to write the names of their lost babies on to allow them to create their own special memorial.
During my tour around the site, the volunteers told me they maintain 19 planters, which were built by Pitmedden Wood Recyclability.
The planters themselves need repainted every year and feature a variety of flowers which add a splash of colour to the graveyard.
‘If it’s good enough for Buckingham Palace, it’s good enough for Ellon Cemetery’
Members lift any dead flowers and even replaced artificial flowers on 48 graves where they had started to look faded.
The Friends have since bought a new sign for the cemetery and have been busy repainting the railings – but that is still a work in progress.
Volunteers added a touch of gold to the railings in 2022 as it tied in with the late Queen’s platinum jubilee.
“We said if it was good enough for Buckingham Palace, it’s good enough for Ellon Cemetery,” Bill said with a smile.
‘A thank you goes a long way’
The Friends regularly update their Facebook page to let everyone know what they are up to.
And to their surprise, they have supporters across the globe.
Muriel explained: “We’ve had some messages from folk who aren’t local, one was from Canada but their family is here.
“We’ve also met the odd person that are up visiting family and say it’s good knowing that there’s somebody looking after the cemetery.”
But the group, like the council, would like to see more residents of all ages and abilities get involved and lend a helping hand.
Muriel said: “We keep saying it’s a bit like a free gym, folk don’t have to be really fit to do it.
“An hour, even just half an hour, anything helps.”
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