Shoppers at Aberfeldy’s Co-op have successfully raised over £5,000 towards better access to the stunning countryside around the town!

Perth and Kinross Countryside Trust (PKCT) successfully submitted the Aberfeldy countryside as a Co-op Cause in 2019 and intend to use the funds raised to introduce signage and make paths more accessible for everyone.

PKCT will work closely with the Upper Tay Paths Group – a community-led group that focuses on maintaining and improving paths around Aberfeldy – and the wider community to carry out these projects aimed in the Aberfeldy area.

Upper Tay Path Group volunteers working on a bridge ©Upper Tay Paths Group

Andy Barrie, PKCT’s Strategic Routes Officer, who will be managing the access and improvement works, said:

Especially given the situation we all find ourselves in with the Covid-19 pandemic, we at PKCT are incredibly grateful for the generosity of Co-op shoppers in the Aberfeldy area towards our Cause to improve access to the outdoors in the area for everyone.

No one should be denied the opportunity to enjoy the incredible countryside because of ability, so we aim to install self-closing gates, level out paths, improve drainage, and more to ensure everyone can explore outdoors.

Being outdoors is also great for physical and mental health and wellbeing, and wonders like the Birks and River Tay are certainly excellent places to enjoy nature and unwind.

Sections of the access improvement works around Aberfeldy comprise part of the River Tay Way – a new long-distance walking and cycling route between Perth and Kenmore following the mighty River Tay and connecting Perth, Luncarty, Stanley, Dunkeld and Birnam, Aberfeldy and Kenmore through a ‘daisy chain’ of community links to enable low-carbon, active travel and additional local economic income for the area.

The Birks of Aberfeldy

Co-op members that chose to support this cause allocated 1% of their money spent on Co-op branded products to it.

Find out more about PKCT’s Aberfeldy countryside cause by visiting https://membership.coop.co.uk/causes/35735.

£5,316.55 was raised in total!

Thank you everyone who supported our cause!