THE ENCHANTED FOREST LAUNCHES CHARITY CHILDREN’S BOOK TO RAISE FUNDS

Scotland’s favourite sound and light show, The Enchanted Forest, has launched its first children’s book telling the story behind this year’s show theme, From the Deep, with all income from sales of the book going to The Enchanted Forest Community Trust.

The book, “An Adventure From the Deep with Solas” which was written and illustrated by local writer and designer Alexander Strong, tells the story of From the Deep’s main character, Solas, and his journey through the oceans to discover his purpose. Alexander worked with fellow designer Strachan Barr on the layout to create a charming short story in rhyme suitable for children up to the ages of 7/8.

The copy, design, layout, print and distribution have all been donated to the charity by a collaboration of contributors to this year’s show, including the show’s creative director and concept originator, Karen Falconer of Wavemakers, Mackay & Inglis Printers, Antalis Papers, and sales by Let’s Eat Group in Glasgow.

One hundred percent of the book’s sales will go to The Enchanted Forest Community Trust which operates a Community Fund and a Discretionary Donations Fund to redistribute the surpluses from the annual event to the local community in Highland Perthshire. In 2022 the Community Fund was open to registered charities operating within Highland Perthshire who could apply for up to £10,000 to finance projects that help tackle poverty in the region and addressed cost of living crisis challenges. It awarded £49,750 to 17 registered charities operating across Perthshire in May this year.

The book’s storyline and illustrations were inspired by this year’s show which sees visitors transported into the depths of an underwater world, transforming Faskally Wood into an underwater forest with a deep watery glow of aqua blue and green. It will be sold exclusively to visitors to the event which runs until 5th November, as well as via the event’s website www.enchantedforest.org.uk.

Nela Popovic, executive director of The Enchanted Forest Community Trust, said: “This is a charming children’s book which really brings Solas’s journey to life for our younger visitors and will make a great stocking filler, as well as a fantastic bedtime story.   As a charity we are really grateful to Alexander for writing it, and to Strachan for creating a beautifully designed book that we’re sure children will love. Copies will be available to purchase at this years show for just £5 and all income from the book will go to The Enchanted Forest Community Trust, the registered charity that operates the event and which supports a number of local charities and initiatives throughout the year.”

Alexander Strong, the writer and illustrator of the book also commented:

“I came up with the idea while I was working on the show behind the scenes, just as a bit of fun, really. Karen spotted my illustrations and thought it was fantastic that I’d captured Solas’s journey in this way. Before we knew it, the printers were on board, The Enchanted Forest Community Trust had agreed to back it and the published book was in my hands, ready for thousands of children to read! It’s more than I’d ever imagined and I’m so grateful to everyone who donated their time and resources to help us create something so special. I really hope that Mums & Dads enjoy reading the story to their children and it becomes a bedtime favourite for everyone – it’s a great way to re-live the magic of the Enchanted Forest at home.”

Tickets are still available for this year’s event, albeit for limited dates. To book, or to find out more information, please visit: www.enchantedforest.org.uk

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ORGANISERS OF THE ENCHANTED FOREST ASK PUBLIC TO BE VIGILENT

Organisers of Scotland’s favourite sound and light show, The Enchanted Forest, have appealed to the public to go through the official ticket sales route when buying or re-selling tickets for the award winning show, to avoid being scammed.

The Enchanted Forest, which launched on 5 October at the magnificent Faskally Woods, Pitlochry, and runs until 5 November, has an official “Fan to Fan Marketplace” service which allows the re-sell of tickets through an official channel. Organisers are encouraging fans to use this official route, which is operated by the event’s official ticketing agent, SEE Tickets, rather than buy tickets privately online, to avoid being scammed.

In the past, a handful of customers have unwittingly lost out to clever online fraudsters who have promised to sell on e-tickets in exchange for money to be sent via PayPal Gifts, who have then not fulfilled their promise or have provided tickets which had already been scanned and were no longer valid. There are even examples of criminals setting up fake ticket sites to sell tickets at different prices via Gumtree.

Tricia Fox, marketing manager for The Enchanted Forest, said:

“Every year it pains me to see people caught out in these opportunistic scams, and I really can’t emphasise enough that people, for their own safety, should only purchase via the official channels. While cheaper tickets might look tempting, it’s not just the fact that the tickets may be fake but that you are perhaps unwittingly giving fraudsters access to personal and financial information that they may take advantage of.

“If you can no longer make the event, and need to resell your ticket, please do not sell them privately on Facebook or Gumtree. Instead, please visit our Fan-to-Fan Marketplace service which will allow you to re-sell your tickets safely and securely and avoid being targeted by scammers.

“Sadly, this kind of fraud is increasingly common, and continues to be an issue for events up and down the country, and we are trying to clamp down on this issue to protect our visitors. We want to avoid any Enchanted Forest fans not being able to access and enjoy the event because they’ve been so desperate to purchase tickets that they’ve fallen foul of some very sophisticated scams.”

If you are no longer able to make the event and wish to resell your tickets, please do this through the official “Fan to Fan Marketplace” service, which can be accessed here: https://enchantedforest.seetickets.com/content/fan-to-fan

If you wish to attend the show, which this year is celebrating its 21st anniversary, and have not yet bought your tickets, tickets are still available and can still be purchased via the Enchanted Forest website: https://www.enchantedforest.org.uk/

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EVE MUIRHEAD OBE ATTENDS ENCHANTED FOREST LAUNCH

Olympic curling skipper Eve Muirhead OBE enjoyed a full house of a different kind last night when she attended the opening of Scotland’s favourite sound and light show, The Enchanted Forest.

Eve, who is local to the Highland Perthshire area where the event is held, attended the opening with several members of her family and was spotted playing on the interactive stepping stones which lit up like targets on a curling rink when stepped upon.

The sound and light spectacle at Faskally Wood, Pitlochry, runs from 5 October to 5 November 2023, and will see visitors transported into the depths of an underwater world this year with its theme: From the Deep.

Tickets are available at www.enchantedforest.org.uk

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SCOTLAND’S FAVOURITE SOUND AND LIGHT SHOW CREATES A SPLASH ONCE AGAIN

Scotland’s favourite sound and light show, The Enchanted Forest, welcomed hundreds of visitors back to the familiar, majestic surroundings of Faskally Wood, Pitlochry, tonight (4 October), with its 21st anniversary show, ‘From the Deep’, designed to create a bigger splash than ever before.

This year’s show, which runs from 5 October to 5 November 2023, sees visitors transported into the depths of an underwater world. Blending light, video, and sound to create a truly unique visitor experience, Faskally Wood has been transformed into an underwater forest with a deep watery glow of aqua blue and green.

Set against the impressive backdrop of Faskally Wood, the 21st anniversary show has been delivered by a collaboration of some of the UK’s leading event production companies and creative talents. Led by Karen Falconer, creative director at event management agency Wavemakers Live, creative design has been a collaborative process between lighting designer Grant Anderson, animation designers Bright Side Studios and composers and sound designers Jon Beales and Rachel Cullen, with technical production for the show provided by Catalyst Event Production Services. Special technical studio services have been provided by DM Audio.

The creative team has succeeded in delivering the biggest, most technically advanced, show in the event’s 21-year history, with more lights and installations than ever before, all helping to transport visitors to a unique and inspirational place, delighting people of all ages. An installation named ‘An Toiseach’ which will serve as an introduction to visitors’ underwater journey around the forest with the unveiling of a very special friend, the protector and guardian of all life, under the surface of the water. Another installation, ‘The Beastie in the Boathouse’, will reveal a massive underwater beastie hiding in the boathouse as visitors make their way around the loch, and ‘Tamu Massif’ offers visitors a chance to explore the world’s largest underwater volcano, with the heat from the spectacle of lava adding to the sensory experience.

There is once again a spectacular light show over Loch Dunmore, ‘Living light on the loch’, which uses music, animation, projection, beams, lights, and lasers to tell the story of bioluminescent creatures that are found throughout marine habitats, from the ocean surface to the deep seafloor. The show culminates in at the final installation ‘Purpose’. It marks visitors’ journey from the deep to the surface of the water, where the forest comes alive in an amazing finale light show. The musical soundtrack to this installation features the voices of local Pitlochry Primary and High School pupils singing a phrase in Gaelic ‘sgaoil an solus’ (pronounced ‘skoo-il na solas’) meaning ‘share the light’, which is included in a vocal harmony choir.

Nela Popovic, executive director of The Enchanted Forest Community Trust, said: “It’s fantastic to see the months of planning finally come to life in this year’s ‘From the Deep’ show. We have been working hard behind the scenes to raise the creative bar even further this year to create a truly original experience where people of all ages can set their imaginations alight. I cannot wait to see the look on peoples’ faces as they walk round the forest and enjoy the immersive experience of the show this year. We very much hope that they enjoy this oceanic spectacle of light and sounds in the magnificent surroundings of Faskally Wood at The Enchanted Forest.”

An independent economic assessment report commissioned by the Enchanted Forest Community Trust found the 2022 Enchanted Forest event was responsible for delivering an impressive economic impact of nearly £10 million to Highland Perthshire last Autumn. It is expected that this year’s show, with more than 80,000 visitors expected, will again deliver a higher impact and a genuine boost to tourism operators in the region. The success of the 2022 show has enabled the Enchanted Forest Community Trust to donate £55,200 to registered charities and community interest groups operating within Highland Perthshire through the Enchanted Forest Community Fund.

While selling very quickly indeed, some tickets are still available for this year’s event. To book, or to find out more information, please visit: www.enchantedforest.org.uk

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NORWEGIAN CHILDREN’S FAIRY LETTER FINDS ITS WAY TO THE ENCHANTED FOREST

In advance of Scotland’s favourite sound and light show, The Enchanted Forest, opening next month on 5 October, a group of Norwegian school children have expressed their delight by writing to The Enchanted Forest fairy at Faskally Wood, Pitlochry, where the award winning show is based.

The collection of letters, addressed to ‘The Enchanted Forest Pitlochry fairy’ at The Enchanted Forest, Loch Dunmore, Faskally Wood, Pitlochry, PH16 5LB, Storbritannia, found its way to the Honest Thistle contemporary arts and gift shop in Pitlochry where it was picked up by a member of The Enchanted Forest’s marketing team who happened to be in the town dropping off posters for the event.

The envelope contains five letters written in English from children in Norway, asking The Enchanted Forest fairy to be their friend, and inviting the fairy to take afternoon tea with them in their garden. The Enchanted Forest Community Trust, organisers of the Enchanted Forest show, are keen to track the children down, as there was no return address included with the letters.

Vicki Burrell, owner of Honest Thistle, said: “The Royal Mail postman dropped the envelope with me as he wasn’t sure where to deliver it, but I’m so pleased for the Norwegian children who went to all this effort, that by chance, the letter has been able to find it’s way to the organisers of the Enchanted Forest, The Enchanted Forest Community Trust.”

Nela Popovic, executive director of The Enchanted Forest Community Trust, said: “We were delighted to receive this letter which shows the show’s appeal goes way beyond Scotland, and even the UK. The Enchanted Forest has become a key destination event in the Autumn and is one of the UK’s most successful cultural events, which has succeeded in putting Pitlochry on the international map, with a reputation that precedes it.

“We believe the children live in Sandefjord in Norway. We’d be keen to find them and invite them to experience the magic of the event for themselves.”

Tickets for the 2023 show ‘From the Deep’ are currently on sale, with this year’s oceanic theme set to transform Faskally Wood into an underwater adventure for visitors, taking them from the metaphoric depths of the ocean to the shorelines of Loch Dunmore as they make their way around the forest trail this Autumn. The Enchanted Forest runs from 5 October to 5 November and to book tickets, or to find out more information, please visit: www.enchantedforest.org.uk.

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LOCAL PUPILS TO STAR IN SOUNDTRACK OF SCOTLAND’S FAVOURITE SOUND AND LIGHT SHOW

In anticipation of Scotland’s favourite sound and light show, The Enchanted Forest, opening next month on 5 October, Pitlochry High School pupils were busy yesterday (21 September) recording part of the musical soundtrack of the finale of the show, which this year is themed ‘From The Deep’.

The group of 23 P5 – S2 pupils gathered in the school’s assembly hall to record part of the show’s musical soundtrack which will feature the pupils singing a phrase in Gaelic ‘sgaoil an solus’ (pronounced ‘skoo-il na solas’) meaning ‘share the light’, to be included in a vocal harmony choir. Their singing will feature in the finale of this year’s popular sound and light show, which attracts 83,000 visitors annually through the five-week run.

The recording of the musical soundtrack of the show’s finale involved both primary and high school pupils at Pitlochry High and The Enchanted Forest’s creative team, a collaboration of some of the UK’s leading event production companies and creative talents, including Karen Falconer, creative director at event management agency, Wavemakers Live, Marcin Buczek, director of DM Audio, and composer and sound designer, Jon Beales.

As the name suggests, this year’s show, which will run from 5 October to 5 November 2023, has an oceanic theme and has been designed to create a bigger splash than ever before. Using captivating visuals and an original music score, this year’s show will see visitors transported into the depths of an underwater world. Blending light, video, and sound to create a truly unique visitor experience, Faskally Wood will transform into an underwater forest with a deep watery glow of aqua blue and green.

As with previous years, this year’s show will include several impressive installations, including a spectacular light show over Loch Dunmore which will use music, animation, projection, beams, lights, and lasers to tell the story of bioluminescent creatures that are found throughout marine habitats, from the ocean surface to the deep seafloor.

Ryan Webber, music teacher at Pitlochry High School, said: “The children are thrilled to be involved in recording part of the musical soundtrack for the finale of The Enchanted Forest’s ‘From The Deep’ show. We have been working hard on their Gaelic to ensure they sound excellent. To be a part of such a hugely successful, well-regarded, and popular local event is fantastic, and they are all looking forward to hearing their voices as part of the show when they visit.”

Nela Popovic, executive director of The Enchanted Forest Community Trust, said: “We’re delighted to have the involvement of local pupils at Pitlochry High School within this year’s show; they will have a fundamental role to play in the finale of the event, and the story of the show, which is weaved throughout every installation.

“With only a few weeks to go, we cannot wait to welcome visitors back to the beautiful Faskally Wood for an extraordinary oceanic themed show. Our team have been working extremely hard behind the scenes to create an event which will create a big splash, encouraging our visitors to soak up the incredible atmosphere. The pupil’s involvement in the musical soundtrack will work to enhance the authenticity of the show’s finale, by bringing a fantastic Gaelic twist.”

The pupils at Pitlochry High School involved in the recording have been provided with complimentary tickets to the opening night of the show on 5 October by organisers, The Enchanted Forest Community Trust, as a thank you for their contribution.

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LOCAL BUS COMPANIES AWARDED ENCHANTED FOREST CONTRACT

The Enchanted Forest Community Trust, organisers behind Scotland’s favourite sound and light show, The Enchanted Forest, has appointed three local bus operators for the 2023 show, From the Deep, reinforcing one of the Trust’s core values of using local suppliers as much as is possible.

The three companies including Auchterarder based Docherty’s Midland Coaches, Pitlochry based Elizabeth Yule Transport, and Bathgate based Harry Ferguson Traveline will be collectively responsible for transporting more than 83,000 visitors to and from The Enchanted Forest event from 5 October to 5 November this year. The buses will depart from the Fisher’s Hotel in the centre of Pitlochry.

Harry Ferguson Traveline will be supplying the event’s accessibility buses this year, which will leave from Blair Athol Distillery on the outskirts of Pitlochry. This service caters for customers who have specific needs, but do not require disabled parking on site which is limited. The buses will not require people to climb stairs to board.

Monique McArdle, event producer of The Enchanted Forest Community Trust, said: “Much like the event itself, the bus companies who help the event run so smoothly every year by transporting visitors to the forest were badly impacted by the pandemic. So, we’re delighted to be able to offer this contract to three local businesses, one of whom is based in Pitlochry itself, and as a result help to provide sustained employment to local people.”

Ricky Morton, Director, and Transport Manager at Elizabeth Yule Transport said: “As a local business based in Pitlochry, we’re pleased to be working with The Enchanted Forest this year and look forward to taking their visitors to and from the forest in October. It’s one of the country’s major events and we’re proud to have been selected as one of their transport partners, proof that collaborating with local businesses is great for the local economy.”

This appointment follows the publication of an independent economic assessment report commissioned by the Enchanted Forest Community Trust that found the 2022 Enchanted Forest event was responsible for delivering an impressive economic impact of nearly £10 million to Highland Perthshire last Autumn.

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THE ENCHANTED FOREST DELIVERS STAGGERING £10 MILLION SHOT IN THE ARM TO PERTHSHIRE ECONOMY

An independent economic impact assessment report commissioned by the Enchanted Forest Community Trust, the organisers behind Scotland’s favourite sound and light show, has found that the 2022 Enchanted Forest event was responsible for delivering an impressive economic impact of nearly £10 million to Highland Perthshire last Autumn.

The report, undertaken by the Tourism Resources Company, affirmed the event’s significant role in delivering an impressive shot in the arm to the local tourism economy in and around Pitlochry every autumn. The 2022 show, which took place between 29 September and 30 October, welcomed over 83,000 visitors from all over the UK and beyond.

As part of the economic impact assessment report, designed to assess the fiscal impact of the event on the Perth and Kinross economy, a visitor survey was conducted online with 5,463 respondents. The visitor survey found the vast majority of visitors (92%) only visited Pitlochry because of The Enchanted Forest event, the majority of visitors (91%) were from outside Perth and Kinross, and 51% had stayed overnight, benefitting local businesses such as Fishers Hotel, Scotland’s Spa Hotel and McKays Hotel and local eateries Victorias, Old Mill Inn and McKays Chip Shop, as well as the numerous independent shops in Pitlochry. In addition, the event uses local suppliers as much as possible.

The overall event was rated highly with over 90% of visitors enjoying their visit, with 83% rated the overall value for money as excellent/very good. The visitor survey also highlighted the continuing popularity of the event, with the number of repeat visits continuing to rise year on year, with 57% of visitors at the 2022 show having visited before, an increase of 41% on the 2018 event.

Monique McArdle, event producer of The Enchanted Forest, said: “This report really underlines the incredible impact that this event has on the economy of Pitlochry and Highland Perthshire every autumn, bringing in £9.9 million last year, and supporting businesses after a period of true economic turmoil and change. It also continues to have a major role to play in showcasing Pitlochry as a tourism destination. As the report shows the majority of visitors would not have considered visiting the area at all if it weren’t for the event.”

Calum MacLellan, owner of Taste Perthshire, said: “The Enchanted Forest has helped Taste Perthshire to propel the month of October to one of the busiest of the year. Being 19 miles south of Pitlochry, we have found the event has increased our afternoon and early evening dining trade. We are massive supporters of what The Enchanted Forest brings, not only to us, but to Highland Perthshire, and we hope that this encourages visitors back to this beautiful area of Scotland throughout the rest of the year.”

Tickets for the 2023 show ‘From the Deep’ are currently on sale, with this year’s oceanic theme set to transform Faskally Wood into an underwater adventure for visitors, taking them from the metaphoric depths of the ocean to the shorelines of Loch Dunmore as they make their way around the forest trail this Autumn. The Enchanted Forest runs from 5 October and to book tickets, or to find out more information, please visit: www.enchantedforest.org.uk.

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ENCHANTED FOREST COMMUNITY TRUST SUPPORTS PITLOCHRY FESTIVAL THEATRE GARDEN TO REOPEN

The summer season in Pitlochry Festival Theatre’s Amphitheatre kicks off on Friday 7 July with its first summer show to take place in 2023, “The Secret Garden”, which also marks the reopening of the Explorers Garden, thanks to financial contributors including The Enchanted Forest Community Trust and underpinned by a significant anonymous philanthropic donation.

The Enchanted Forest Community Trust grant received by Pitlochry Festival Theatre has been specifically allocated towards the theatre’s health and safety programme, enabling vital ongoing maintenance work to take place in The Explorers Garden. The work, which includes the restoration of the paths within the Explorers Garden to keep visitors safe, has accelerated the re-opening of the garden ready for the theatre’s summer season.

Elizabeth Newman, Artistic Director at Pitlochry Festival Theatre, said: “Pitlochry Festival Theatre is grateful to the Enchanted Forest Community Trust for the grant dedicated to support the Theatre to re-open the Explorers Garden for the forthcoming summer season. This grant has been dedicated to making the pathways through the Explorers Garden safe for public access, so that we can welcome in our audience to the Amphitheatre for the two outdoor productions and into the sanctuary of the rest of the Garden too.”

Nela Popovic, Executive Director of The Enchanted Forest Community Trust, said: “We’re delighted the grant funding provided by the Enchanted Forest Community Trust has been able to make a difference to the Garden’s pathways. The Theatre’s Explorers Garden is such a valued community asset, just in time for the summer season at the amphitheatre.

“Our desire is that the Enchanted Forest Community Fund makes a positive impact in the community in which the Enchanted Forest calls its home and it’s great to see this vision come to life.”

There are two shows being performed over the summer in Pitlochry Festival Theatre’s Amphitheatre – ‘The Secret Garden’, running from 7 July to 19 August, based on the children’s classic written by Frances Hodgson Burnett, and ‘Sherlock Holmes’, running from 1 – 22 September 2023.

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ENCHANTED FOREST COMMUNITY TRUST AWARDS NEARLY £4K IN DISCRETIONARY DONATIONS

The Enchanted Forest Community Trust, the charitable organisation behind Scotland’s favourite sound and light show, The Enchanted Forest, established for the economic benefit of the community, has awarded several discretionary donations to worthy organisations and groups within Highland Perthshire, amounting to £3,950, so far.

In addition to the £49,750 the Trust has awarded to 17 registered charities operating in Perthshire, the discretionary donations are for local organisations that are not registered charities or community interest groups and are made at the sole discretion of the trustees, considered at board meetings throughout the calendar year.

Organisations to have received the discretionary donations include the Dunkeld and Birnam Traditional Youth Music Group, Pitlochry in Bloom, Pitlochry Path Group, Perth Minorities Association, Pitlochry Music Festival, Pitlochry Winter Lights, Shopmobility, Perth and Kinross Scottish Women’s Institutes Young Dippers Group and 17th Perthshire Aberfeldy Scouts.

Dunkeld and Birnam Traditional Youth Group provides free weekly tuition and instrument provision in traditional Scottish music at Birnam Arts during term time for budding young musicians, providing the opportunity to play in traditional bands and perform live music. The group is not for profit and runs entirely on funding and donations.

Karys Watt, founder of the Dunkeld and Birnam Traditional Youth Group, alongside Gill Hunter, said: “Dunkeld & Birnam Traditional Youth Music Group is newly established with the aim of providing free tuition and instrument provision in trad music for those aged P5 – S6. Since our project started in April 2023, there have been 28 young people join the group so far, participating in either our group fiddle and accordion classes, or one of our traditional bands. We are a not-for-profit organisation operating on funding and donations, so we were thrilled to receive a discretionary donation from The Enchanted Forest Community Trust. Donations like these ensure we can continue running long term and provide opportunities for young persons in the area to experience all the benefits of playing music in groups and to continue our strong local and national heritage of playing traditional Scottish music.”

Nela Popovic, Executive Director of The Enchanted Forest Community Trust, said: “Thanks to the incredible success of the 2022 Enchanted Forest event we’ve been able to give back nearly £50,000 to registered charities operating in the Highland Perthshire region. But not only that, we’ve also been able to provide discretionary donations to several worthy organisations and groups in Highland Perthshire totalling £3,950.

“It’s been a great to hear how our donation to Dunkeld and Birnam Traditional Youth Music Group has been instrumental in helping these young people develop their skills in traditional Scottish music, enabling them to perform in front of an audience at Birnam Arts at their end of term show. It’s fantastic to see our vision of the Enchanted Forest Community Trust being an agent of lasting positive impact within the community in which the event is based come to life.”

The discretionary donations are separate to the Enchanted Forest Community Fund grants and any organisation wishing to be considered for a discretionary donation should complete an application form available on the website.

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ENCHANTED FOREST UNVEILS 2023 SHOW THEME ‘FROM THE DEEP’ ON WORLD OCEAN DAY

Organisers behind Scotland’s favourite sound and light show, The Enchanted Forest, unveiled the 2023 show theme ‘From the Deep’ at Deep Sea World in Edinburgh on World Ocean Day today (8 June).

On a day designed to unite and rally the world to protect and restore our blue planet, a diver in the Underwater Tunnel at Scotland’s national aquarium Deep Sea World unveiled the new theme by revealing signage with ‘From the Deep’ emblazed on the front in fluorescent ink.

As the name suggests, this year’s show, which will run from 5 October until 5 November 2023, will have an aquatic theme and has been designed to create a bigger splash than ever before.  The event will showcase Scotland’s natural landscape as its Autumnal best. Using captivating visuals and an original music score, this year’s show will see visitors transported into the depths of an underwater world. Blending light, video, and sound to create a truly unique visitor experience, Faskally Wood will transform into an underwater forest with a deep watery glow of aqua blue and green. As with previous years, this year’s show will include several impressive installations, including a spectacular light show over Loch Dunmore which will use music, animation, projection, beams, lights, and lasers to tell the story of bioluminescent creatures that are found throughout marine habitats, from the ocean surface to the deep seafloor.

Nela Popovic, executive director of The Enchanted Forest Community Trust, said: “We’re thrilled to be announcing our new show theme ‘From the Deep’. Our aim is to raise the creative bar year on year by introducing new themes and this year we promise our visitors will be captivated. Our team have been working extremely hard behind the scenes to create an event which will be a big splash, encouraging our visitors to soak up the incredible atmosphere. We can’t wait to welcome visitors back to the beautiful Faskally Wood in October for an extraordinary aquatic themed show.”

Tickets will go on sale for the 2023 event from 10am on Friday 16 June.

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Enchanted Forest Community Trust awards over £49K to 17 Perthshire charities

The Enchanted Forest Community Trust, the charitable organisation behind Scotland’s favourite sound and light show, The Enchanted Forest, established for the economic benefit of the community, has awarded the highest ever figure of £49,750 to 17 registered charities operating in Perthshire.

 

The Enchanted Forest Community Fund was set up in 2015 to redistribute the proceeds from the annual event to the local community in Highland Perthshire. This year the fund was open to registered charities operating within Highland Perthshire who could apply for up to £10,000 from the fund to finance projects. The charity specifically sought applications that helped tackle poverty in the region and addressed cost of living crisis challenges.

 

Grant funding has also been awarded to CheckIN Works and Giraffe Trading, a charity which exist to improve accessibility to job opportunities for adults experiencing a diverse range of disabilities, mental ill-health, homelessness, and other barriers to sustaining meaningful employment. The funding will be put towards food, packaging, and prep costs of the community kitchen the charity also runs to support the trainees and wider community.

 

Gareth Ruddock, Chief Executive at CheckIN Works and Giraffe Trading said: “The funding from the Enchanted Forest Community Trust will allow us to continue to support people in Highland Perthshire through making and distributing healthy, home-made style meals for free to households in need.  These meals are made by our dedicated team of staff and volunteers, supporting autistic people and people with learning disabilities to learn essential life skills and socialisation.”

 

Other local charities awarded grant funding, include the Vale of Atholl Pipers Association to fund tuition and uniform to allow members to perform at events; Breadalbane and Strathtay Youth FC to help provide subsidised football sessions to children during the school holidays, and Pitlochry Festival Theatre to finance a new amphitheatre and bandstand for the community.

 

Nela Popovic, Executive Director of The Enchanted Forest Community Trust, said: “Thanks to the incredible success of the 2022 Enchanted Forest event we’ve been able to give back nearly £50,000 to registered charities operating in the Highland Perthshire region. Essentially, it’s our way of saying thank you to those who have very graciously supported the event from the very beginning; we know that the show would not be the success that it is without the support of the local Highland Perthshire community.

 

“Our desire is that the Enchanted Forest Community Fund is a force for good, creating a lasting positive impact and legacy within the community. Given the current cost of living crisis, we were particularly keen to support projects which were focused on helping people affected.”

 

The Enchanted Forest Community Trust requires that all charities who have received the grant funding report back on how they have used their money in relation to their request, demonstrating how it has helped people in need with the cost of living crisis in the Highland Perthshire area; increased inclusion, enablement, independence, mental health and wellbeing; increased access to employment, volunteering, learning, culture, sport and leisure opportunities and improved infrastructure that benefits the community.

 

To access the full list of the successful charities, please visit: The Community – The Enchanted Forest

 

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