Meet the person building a community at Spey Green

For the new residents of Spey Green in Newtonmore, settling in has been made a great deal easier by one person - Jacqui O’Rourke, the Tulloch Homes Sales Consultant who has become the development’s welcoming committee.

As families, solo-dwellers, couples and their pets have arrived over the last year, Jacqui has made a point of remembering first names of everyone in the community, where people moved from, and whether they have children or pets, then puts that knowledge to work introducing them to neighbours once they’ve moved in.

Jacqui said: “When you spend enough time in a community, you get to know exactly who’s living where and who shares similar interests. Putting the right neighbours together and seeing connections grow is one of my favourite parts of the job. This is an important part of what we do at Tulloch Homes – we go beyond building houses and help to build the community that grows around its residents.”

For Jacqui, that comes down to understanding what moving home really means for people. “Moving somewhere new is a big step,” she said. “The sooner you feel connected, the easier that whole change becomes. If I can give people even a small head start on getting to know their neighbours, I will.”

One resident who has praised Jacqui’s community networking is Lillias Noble, a resident in her 70’s who made the move to Spey Green after two decades of visiting the Newtonmore area, opting for one of the development’s three-bedroom Heather homes.

Lillias says Jacqui’s manner put her at ease from the start and that the introductions kept coming long after she’d moved in. “Jacqui has a genuine warmth about her and a practical, helpful attitude that she has extended to us all. A new build development brings all sorts of folk together in a concentrated time and, thanks to Jacqui, Spey Green has quickly become a vibrant, spirited community.”

This summer, Lillias hosted an afternoon garden party which brought together over 50 people from 35 households. True to Spey Green’s style, it was a community effort with support from Jacqui, neighbours and the local cafe, Wild Flower.

Beyond neighbourly gatherings, the development has settled into its own everyday rhythms - a fish van calls in on Tuesday afternoons, and residents keep in touch through lively WhatsApp and Facebook groups, swapping news and even creating teams for community quizzes.

The attitude of getting involved carries through into volunteering too, with residents turning up for the swifts nesting project, the Strathspey Steam Railway, litter picking in the wider area, community gardening, the Highland Folk Museum, the Caberfeidh Charity bookshop and speed camera surveys.

Lillias added: “It’s a thoroughly mixed and interesting community, and it gives me great pleasure to be part of it.”

Spey Green sits within the Cairngorms National Park, a short walk from Newtonmore’s shops, cafes and the village’s Highland Games field, with the railway station and the A9 both a few minutes away. Tulloch Homes is selling three-bedroom homes, including bungalows, across the development.

For more information on homes at Spey Green, contact Jacqui O’Rourke on 07867 524354 or visit tulloch-homes.com.