Site maintained by Community Stakeholders

Newmachar Culture and Learning Association - Quiz Night - Sunday 14th Dec, Beekies Neuk 

There will be cash prizes !! Max team size 5. Contact Lindsay Ritchie (Kilts Wi Hae) or Beekies to get your table booked. If you would like to take part but don't have a team, you are welcome to have a go on your own, or we can find a team for you!

The November Quiz Night was a roaring success!

The first quiz night run by the NCLA at Beekies Neuk raised £130 towards the upkeep and running of the village library.  The evening was a lot of fun, with rounds for all ages and interests.  So get revising on your general knowledge for the next event! 

Newmachar Culture and Learning Association - Granted Charity Status

This is great news and a step on the way to completing the Community Asset Transfer of the Library Building to the Community!

• OSCR have confirmed our charity status and registration number SCO54521

• You may have noticed that the library service has not yet moved into the primary school building as intended.

• With the support of the Axis Centre, NCLA are applying for a License to Occupy which will allow  the service to continue form the existing building!

• But we will need to cover the utility bills, rates broadband etc...

• We are interested in hearing from any clubs or groups which would like to use the library space for regular meetings!  (newmacharlibrary@gmail.com)

• We will also be running fundraising events to support the Community Library - More info coming soon!

Newmachar Library - Community Engagement Meetings

We would like to hear from you!

• What would you like from a community run library?

• What activities and services would you be interested in?

• Would you be interested in volunteering at the library?

• Would you support us by becoming a member of the charitable organisation that would run the Library?

Newmachar Library - 1st & 2nd Community Engagement Meetings

It was great to see lots of the community coming past to offer thoughts and input on what they might want from a Community Library:

Newmachar Library - Community Asset Transfer

At the June 5th Communities Committee Aberdeenshire Library decided to close the Newmachar Library Building, and that it would become surplus to requirements, as part of their Operation Oyne initative to reduce the number of buildings owned and maintained by Aberdeenshire Council, and particularly those of single use:

"Newmachar Library: Services will be co-located within Newmachar Primary School, supporting book browsing and activities for pupils and library users. The neighbouring Axis Centre will provide opportunities for additional activities, such as Bookbug sessions. The existing library building will be declared surplus to requirements by the service."

https://www.aberdeenshire.gov.uk/news/2025/jun/library-services-agreed 

Progress to date

• An Expression of Interest (EOI) has been submitted to Aberdeenshire Council and initial feedback received.

• A community engagement sessions are taking place (see above).

• Support has been sought and pledged by local residents and businesses

• A Scottish Charitable Incorporated Organisation (SCIO) constitution has been drafted

• And an application to Office of the Scottish Charity Regulator (OSCR) to form Newmachar Culture and Learning Association has been submitted.

• We are also in discussions with the SLF for submitting a Stage 1 grant to support the costs of a feasibility and associated studies.

Next Steps

Community engagement meeting - we need to sign up at least 20 members to the Newmachar Culture and Learning Association who will have voting rights and agree what the Board of Trustees are to do in order to complete the CAT process for the Newmachar Library Building.

We also need as much community input as possible so that the Community Library provides what the community is looking for from such a service.

You can sign up as a NCLA member now: here