A local community-orientated project is cultivating a new relationship with one of Aberdeen’s landmark hotels.
Camphill Wellbeing Trust’s Compass Project has just started supplying nearby Macdonald Norwood Hall Hotel with fresh, locally grown produce in a new initiative that connects growers and consumers.
The new alliance sees seasonal, organically-grown produce from the Compass Project gardens at the former Waldorf School buildings in Cults, Aberdeen, make the short journey along the road to the kitchens and tables of Macdonald Norwood Hall Hotel, where it is incorporated into dishes by the hotel’s culinary team.
The agreement is a landmark moment in the development of the Compass Project which since December 2020 has been transforming the once disused site and its buildings into a community-orientated centre for healthy, sustainable living.
Planning permission was recently granted for the latest phase of the project which will turn the former kindergarten and science block into the multi-purpose East Point Health & Enterprise Hub incorporating therapy and consultation rooms, a café and play café, a charity shop, volunteer hub and craft rooms for use by Compass Project. The £1.6 million third phase of the project is expected to commence before the end of this year.
Pictured, from left, are Dr Stefan Geider (Chairperson & Clinical Lead , Camphill Wellbeing Trust), Katrina Wardrop (Manager, Macdonald Norwood Hall Hotel) and Craig Strachan (CEO, Camphill Wellbeing Trust).
Commenting on the partnership with Macdonald Norwood Hall Hotel, Craig Strachan CWT CEO said: “This is an excellent example of what we want the Compass Project to be about because it creates connections between people, place and the wider community.
“Finding such a notable outlet for our produce in close proximity and creating a relationship with Norwood has been exciting. Not only does it meet our sustainability aims by reducing food miles and putting local produce on the menu, but it adds further to the purpose of the garden whichdevelops skills and creates meaningful, therapeutic activity.
Macdonald Norwood Hall Hotel manager Katrina Wardrop added: “We are delighted to be working with the Compass Project and to be sharing produce that is literally grown on our doorstep. We really couldn’t be serving anything more local!
“The seasonality and range are exactly what our chefs look for when it comes to creating exciting menus for our guests, but this is about more than what ends up on the plate. This partnership is also about supporting the Compass Project in its endeavours to be a positive and integral part of the local community, and we look forward to supporting the team in their ambitions as the project continues to advance.”
Camphill Wellbeing Trust is a Scottish charity supporting the wellbeing of patients and their families through an integrated, person-centred approach to health, education and social care. It is part of the worldwide Camphill Movement which began in Aberdeen in 1940 and now extends to more than 100 Camphill communities worldwide, all of which are committed to enriching lives and enabling people to make meaningful contributions to society. To find out more visit, www.camphillwellbeingtrust.org.uk or email admin@cwt.scot
To find out more about the Compass Project, visit www.compassaberdeen.org.uk