Stonehaven Horizon Project

Stonehaven Horizon Project brightens the town centre by planting and tending floral displays – tubs, planters and hanging baskets. At last count the group had over 200 displays.

The group also takes care of various community sites around the town – keeping them well presented with shrub and flower displays. The volunteers undertake litter-picks, street weeding, wash the seafront picnic benches during the summer months and sweep the seafront boardwalk when needed.

The group holds a weekly work party outing, offering exercise, job satisfaction and a social opportunity for those attending. It is a great boost to the well-being of many. Not least there is much pleasure to be gained from nature, enjoying the natural and outside world.

In 2022, Stonehaven Horizon Project won the Beautiful Scotland Discretionary Year of Stories Award: As part of their contribution to the 2022 Beautiful Scotland  theme of Scotland’s Year of Stories, members of Stonehaven's local writing group - The Mearn's Writers, wrote a series of narrations relating to aspects of the town: its views, its facilities, its flora and fauna, its history, its connections to the land and the sea, all of which combine to tell something of the story of Stonehaven itself. These were then recorded, and an impressive walking tour leaflet created which takes people around thw town. QR codes at each site enable an auditory and visual explanation that ties in each location historically. During the judges’ tour, an exceptional performance, in character, of John Duncan, an eminent Botanist, was given in Doric - luckily one of the judging pair was able to interpret!

In 2021, Stonehaven Horizon Project won the Haddington 700 Award for their Burns Memorial Garden restoration project: The group focused on restoring and redeveloping the garden, created in memory of Rabbie Burns who had links to the town. Working with other local groups and the school, QR codes have been added, with access to a variety of music, drama and poetry, and there has been an innovative approach taken to plant choice reflecting the Baird, as well as artwork and agricultural heritage pieces, again which link to Rabbie Burns.