Blog: ‘A lot has changed since Wolfie’s Brae but so much has not changed at all’

After spending my childhood in my village of Aberlour, it seems both an odd coincidence and entirely predictable that I would eventually join the charity named after it.

Many decades before that, I remember sledging on Wolfie’s Brae, named after Clarence Wolfe, a former dean of the orphanage, founded in 1875.

It closed in 1967, just three years after I was born, and my only memories are of the demolition site, an amazing adventure playground, and then, a few years later, attending the secondary school built there.

My parents, who still live in Aberlour, and others of their generation, have far clearer recollections of the orphanage and how much the children brought to the community. Time passes but somehow those memories remain in the bricks of the place.

I went onto work for OSCR, the Scottish third sector regulator, and began to hear more about the impressive charity named after the village.  Later still, I joined the board and only then understood how it had evolved while retaining much of the same DNA.

Our Guardianship Scotland service, for example, caring for asylum-seeking unaccompanied children and the Mother and Child Recovery Houses, are very different to what the orphanage did but, at the same time, share the same mission, to care for children in need.

The orphanage clock tower is still standing and a memorial garden behind it has a plaque with a biblical quote about feeding the lambs. That’s what they were doing then, making sure less fortunate children were looked after and fed and that is exactly what we are doing now with the campaign to end school meal debt and our Urgent Assistance Fund.

So many echoes from yesterday can be heard today. The orphanage was innovative and groundbreaking in its day and so too is our work and to be involved is, for me, hugely rewarding.

It is a privilege to be a member of the team, this family of fantastic people with skills, experience and a shared ambition to help children.

My fellow board members are part of that family, of Team Aberlour, so too are SallyAnn Kelly and her talented team of senior leaders, our staff right around the country, our dedicated volunteers, and our generous donors. I’m proud to be part of it too.  

Our staff though are the rock we build on. We work hard to reward and recognise our people, investing in them and their work. Without them, we are nothing and we were delighted that was acknowledged recently when Aberlour was named one of the UK’s 100 best employers by a national newspaper.

We want to recruit and retain the best. Pay and conditions are part of that but it’s also about building a team spirit and a culture where good work is encouraged and appreciated. When I go to staff events, I can feel that spirit, see their achievements, and appreciate their obvious passion and expertise.

We were also delighted to be named UK Charity of the Year in 2023 at the Third Sector Awards. Now an award might not mean much compared to our life-changing work but, as a recognition of our staff and their skills, it matters hugely and is an accolade to be proud of.

At the ceremony, I was slightly surprised to win against some of the biggest UK charities, but I shouldn’t have been because the quality and impact of our work bears comparison with anything being done anywhere by anyone.

The staff would be hamstrung without the support of our donors and volunteers, however. In recent years, we have seen a huge increase in applications to the Urgent Assistance Fund, for example but, thankfully, that was mirrored by the response from donors willing to dig deep, even in difficult times. 

I am still surprised by the amazing generosity of individuals, families, and companies who make donations, often very large donations, quietly, often insisting their generosity remains secret. It is heartening though and very much appreciated.

Our volunteers are our other unsung heroes. The direct involvement of so many in our services and fundraising is key but the interest and engagement of our voluntary trustees is also crucial. Their selfless support is invaluable and helps ensure good governance and stewardship.

From the very beginning, partnerships and alliances have mattered to Aberlour. As much as the charity does, and it does a lot, our family is not an island. We see this most clearly in our campaigning work, where we collaborate closely with organisations sharing our mission.

That spirit, ambition and collaboration has shaped and steered Aberlour’s work for 150 years and I trust it will continue to do so for many more to come. 
Of course, there will always be challenges but this charity, this family, will always overcome them. Our work is too important not to.

David Robb
Chair, Aberlour Children’s Charity

This article was written as part of the 'We are family' special edition supplement with the Sunday Post.