The business-boosting success of an Aberdeenshire Council team in championing the drive for residents to choose local has been celebrated on the national stage.
Suzanne Rhind and her colleagues in the authority’s regeneration and town centres team have been presented with a judges’ special Scotland Loves Local Award.
The prize is in recognition of the dedication and impact with which the team has promoted the Scotland Loves Local Aberdeenshire Gift Card, which has locked in excess of £1.2m into the region’s economy.
It was presented at the Scotland’s Towns Conference in Perth on Wednesday (November 28th). The event was organised by Scotland’s Towns Partnership (STP), which is also the organisation which spearheads Scotland Loves Local.
STP Chief Officer Kimberley Guthrie said: “You cannot fail to be inspired by the determination which the team in Aberdeenshire demonstrates day in, day out as they encourage the region’s residents to choose local.
“Their work in rolling out and continuing to champion the Aberdeenshire Gift Card as a means by which people can support businesses of all kinds across the region is a shining example of how these cards can lock money into our local economies.
“Every penny spent by local people with businesses across Aberdeenshire – and throughout Scotland – is an investment in the future of their community.
“We are sure that the tremendous work by Suzanne and her colleagues to encourage people and businesses to embrace the local gift card will pay dividends for years to come, protecting jobs, businesses and local services. It’s a pleasure for us to recognise this with the special award.”
People can spend the Scotland Loves Local Aberdeenshire Gift Card at more than 400 businesses across the region.
Cllr Alan Turner, chair of Aberdeenshire Council’s Infrastructure Services Committee, said: “I am delighted to see Suzanne Rhind and the small but incredibly dedicated Economic Development team being honoured for all their efforts in developing the Aberdeenshire Loves Local Gift Card. In just a few short years, this initiative has really sparked the imagination of businesses, residents and visitors to the region.
“We’ve now got more than 400 businesses signed up, we’ve kept £1.2 million in the local economy and the gift card keeps going from strength to strength across our communities. That success is down to all the hard work undertaken by Suzanne and her team and on behalf of everyone at Aberdeenshire Council I applaud them for championing this great initiative.”
Aberdeenshire Council Head of Planning and Economy, Paul Macari, added: “Getting such a significant initiative off the ground is challenging at any time, and never more so as Suzanne and her team were aiming to power the region’s economic fightback from the Covid pandemic.
“Whether it’s been visiting businesses, attending producer markets and a host of other events out-of-hours, I know they have gone and above and beyond the call of duty to make the Aberdeenshire Loves Local Gift Card the triumphant success it is. This special award is rich reward for everything they have done to ensure we have a gift card scheme which brings so much benefit to shops, services and attractions in villages and towns across Aberdeenshire.”
The announcement of the judges’ special prize for Aberdeenshire Council comes on the back of other winners being revealed last month (October).
It saw Oban crowned as Scotland’s Town of the Year, as well as the announcement of local High Street Hero Awards.
The achievements of all of the awards finalists – which included Inverurie in the town of the year category – were celebrated at reception held as part of the conference.
Organised by Scotland’s Towns Partnership (STP), the Scotland Loves Local Awards recognise and reward all that’s great about the nation’s towns and neighbourhoods and the work to ensure they become stronger and more sustainable.
Spearheaded by STP and supported by the Scottish Government, Scotland Loves Local is the movement encouraging people to create a better future for their community by choosing local.
