Aberlour children’s charity is marking its 150th anniversary in 2025 with a year of celebration and reflection. The organisation began as an orphanage in the village in north east Scotland it’s named for, and has grown to become a vital support in the lives of children and young people experiencing a range of challenges, from poverty to discrimination and beyond across the country.

Tangent have been commissioned to create a logo to mark the milestone, but one which does more than just reflect the values of the charity or the lives they impact — we’re working with a group of Aberlour’s young people to co-design a mark that’s for them and by them. We were even interviewed by one of the young people in order to win the job, with Tangent’s own Lizzy and Lewis grilled on everything from their secret skills to the animals they’d adopt if they could.

We’ve had our first session with the group, with most attending our studio and a few taking part over Zoom. We got them thinking about branding and logo design, sharing their thoughts about Aberlour and its work, and creating starting points with drawing, collage and more. We were blown away with the creativity and curiosity of the group, and we can’t wait to continue working with them to make something they, we, and Aberlour can be really proud of. Thanks to all involved for your enthusiasm and your ideas!

Co-design work brings lots of challenges, and lots of opportunities too. We’re looking forward to sharing more of our knowledge, and learning much more about how these young people think about their world as well as the charity and the people in it who have so positively impacted their lives.

Keep an eye on our Instagram account for updates, and we’ll share the final results here too.