The Lord Provost of Aberdeen, Councillor Dr David Cameron, visited Aberdeen Lads Club Community Project’s (ALC) Tillydrone facility on Wednesday, January 15, as the charity marked a major milestone in its history - the unveiling of a new brand identity.
Representatives from the Lads Club, which celebrated its 100th
anniversary last year, showed the Lord Provost around its recently renovated Dill Road building before revealing the new branding.
Founded in 1924 to promote the moral, social, and physical wellbeing of young men in the east end of Aberdeen, the charity, fondly known as 'The Ladzer', has evolved over the years and now offers a wide range of childcare, youth engagement and family support services. These include two early years nurseries, an after-school club, junior and senior youth clubs, and a variety of holiday clubs.
For many years, the Lads Club was also known for its football section, with players such as Denis Law, Dave Smith and Ron Yeats having spent time at the club. The football section came to an end in 2019 as the organisation decided to focus on its community-based charitable work.
The Lord Provost Charitable Trust, an independent fund which supports local charities, recently donated £8,000 to ALC to help fund a project aimed at creating a safe play surface for the ALC Little Learners Nursery, operating within the Tillydrone Community Campus.
Angie Johnston, ALCs charity manager, who has been with the charity for more than 33 years, explained the rationale behind the rebranding project.
She said: “It was time to update our branding, as we needed an identity that would better reflect our service offering, while also aligning with our core values.
“We wanted something fresh, modern, and innovative that would support our mission to inspire success in the next generation.
“Our new brand will also help eliminate any confusion about the term ‘lads’, as we are open to everyone, not just boys and young men."
Mrs Johnston continued: “Having recently celebrated 100 years of supporting Aberdeen’s young people, we’re really excited about this next chapter.
"Despite the challenges we face, including the ongoing cost of living crisis, we are confident in the positive impact we continue to have on our community.
“We still maintain the same goals as those who started the charity had all those years ago, namely supporting, inspiring and encouraging the next generation of young people to reach their full potential.”
The Lord Provost said: “ALC has been a cornerstone of support for children and young people in Aberdeen for more than a century, and it’s clear that its impact continues to grow.
“We were delighted to being able to donate much-needed funds to the charity in the latter part of last year, helping the team there continue its invaluable work.
“I wish the charity all the best as it embarks on this exciting new phase with its refreshed brand. It is inspiring to see the positive difference the team is making to so many young lives, as they and their predecessors have done for so many years now.”
For more information about ALC visit www.alcaberdeen.org