Former Forres man puts the play back into Brodie Castle

A COUPLE who have funded various projects in the Forres area have given another significant donation - this time to Brodie Castle.

Bill Budge, hails from Forres, but now lives in Aberdeen with wife, Lorraine, although the couple have a holiday home in Findhorn.

Over the years they have supported various projects in the Forres area, including the Forres Highland Games, the Heritage Forres project to restore the Tolbooth and have also given a substantial donation via their family trust to support a project to build an orphanage in Uganda which has been spearheaded by a Forres optical assistant.

This time the couple have authorised a donation to help transform play facilities for youngsters – and bolster visitor numbers – at Brodie Castle.

The Budge Trust is awarding over £80,000 for the construction of a brand new playpark at the National Trust for Scotland property near Forres.

The donation is the largest made to date from the fund, established by Mr and Mrs Budge to support worthy causes in the local area as well as other projects, without geographic restriction, which focus on the wellbeing and or education of children.

The contribution will be used to create a timber-framed playground, offering a range of fun features for families to enjoy, in a woodland setting at the rear of the castle.

Mr Budge is Chairman of Aberdeen-based international shipbroking organisation The Stewart Group.

The donation covers both the construction work and ongoing upkeep of the facility.

Brodie Castle is one of Moray’s most popular attractions, with around 25,000 visitors coming to the castle every year and many more visiting the estate and gardens all year round.

Property Manager Shona Ferguson said they were delighted and grateful for the boost.