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The Bridge, edited by volunteers for the people of Dunkeld, Birnam and the surrounding villages since 1974. Thank you for all your support.
Dunkeld & Birnam, The Bridge
The Bridge Newsletter is produced and distributed by Dunkeld and Birnam News CICa Community Interest Company Registered in Scotland SC813544
Editorial
As we step into March, we are reminded of the strength and resilience that define our community. We are fortunate to live in a place where anti-social behaviour is rare, and when it does occur, it shocks us all. However, what stands out most is our collective response—coming together to repair damage, engage with community liaison officers, and raise funds to restore what has been broken. This time, it is our cherished statue of Niel Gow that has been vandalised—an especially painful blow as we approach the 20th Niel Gow Festival. Yet, just as Niel Gow’s music has endured through the centuries, I have no doubt that his bronze fiddle will once again play a fine tune. To those who worked tirelessly to bring the statue to life, especially Pete Clark, we stand with you in sadness but also in determination to see it restored.
Despite this setback, March brings a wealth of cultural and musical celebrations. The Niel Gow Festival promises an inspiring programme of workshops and concerts, ensuring that his legacy remains as vibrant as ever. Additionally, we look forward to a very special event on March 8th—an evening of music, dance, and storytelling with the Atholl Cailleachs, honouring the wisdom and skills of women in our community as we celebrate International Women’s Day.
A heartfelt thank you to everyone who has participated in discussions about the future of Birnam Library. People have shown their support in so many ways—organising petitions, writing letters, engaging with Culture Perth and Kinross, and offering words of encouragement to our dedicated library staff. On Sunday, March 9th, at 3 pm, we have another opportunity to come together as a community to reflect on the outcomes of the Perth and Kinross budget and what it means for our 142-year-old library and meeting room. If you can, please join us.
March also marks Food Waste Action Week (17th–23rd), a timely reminder that approximately onethird of all food produced for human consumption is lost or wasted globally—an astonishing 1.3 billion tons annually. Here in our community, the food share scheme is making a real difference in tackling this issue. The team is looking for more volunteers to contribute just 45 minutes a month to help collect surplus food from the Co-op. If you can lend a hand, please contact Jan Silburn.
As winter gives way to spring, we are reminded once again that even in difficult moments, our community responds with kindness, action, and a shared determination to keep moving forward. Thank you to everyone who plays a part in making our community such a special place.
Sal Robertson
NOTICE TO ADVERTISERS
The Bridge is now available in a new easy to read ‘flip book’ on our website: www.dunkeldandbirnamnews.co.uk
All adverts will be featured there and, in addition, advertisers will be included in our trade directory. We have decided to no longer charge for future on-line adverts. We are, however, increasing charges for adverts from the April edition by 5% to cover these and other increases in our cost base. These changes will be reflected in your invoices from the end of March.
Birnam to Ballinluig A9 Community Group
Working constructively to get the best community outcomes from the A9 dualling proposals
The next A9 Community Group meeting will be on Thursday 27th March, Guide Hall, 7.30pm. All welcome! If there are important developments before that we shall of course be in touch.
Transport Scotland have now published their Consultation Summary Report for the August 2024 Community Engagement Event about the A9 dualling from Pass of Birnam to Tay Crossing. You can find the report on the Transport Scotland website at the following link Consultation Report - August 2024 Community Engagement Events - Pass of Birnam to Tay Crossing - A9 Dualling | Transport Scotland. The report contains detailed responses to each individual piece of feedback which was received in Appendix E. The feedback has been anonymised where necessary to protect the privacy and identity of those who provided it. Where contact details were provided along with the feedback, they intend to provide a specific response via email or letter, which will be issued in the coming weeks.
ANOTHER REMINDER!
There is a hard copy at Birnam Arts for ease of reference, as well as their consultation report on the January-March 2024 exhibit/engagement which was published last August (see Appendix J with 85 written comments , and below)
If you have not received an individual response from them to your comments on either of these consultations please do let me know. Email and phone number below.
TS also report that, since the announcement of their “Preferred Route” Option for the Pass of Birnam to Tay Crossing project in December 2023, the project has been undergoing further development and refinement as part of the Design Manual for Roads and Bridges (DMRB) Stage 3 design development process, which has included consideration of a joined-up approach for improved access to and around the Station. It is proposed to include an extension of the proposed underpass (subway) from the proposed new station car park through to Platform 2.. A number of details are however still to be confirmed.. This update is also available on the project StoryMap. TS are progressing towards the publication of draft Orders and Environmental Impact Assessment for the Pass of Birnam to Tay Crossing A9 dualling project in Spring 2025.
IF YOU SUBMITTED WRITTEN COMMENTS TO TS ABOUT THEIR “PREFERRED ROUTE “ AFTER THEIR JANUARY 2024 EXHIBIT AND HAVE NOT HAD A RESPONSE FROM THEM PLEASE A) LET ME KNOW AND B) LOOK AT THEIR AUGUST CONSULTATION REPORT
For all Transport Scotland contact details/links including their DMRB Stage 2 assessment and Preferred Route, see the June 2024 Bridge, also available on our A9 dualling page in the online Bridge, link below.
As always you can contact us at email: dunkeldA9workinggroup@gmail.com , and to have your details added (or removed from) our mailing list; Also at Facebook page: Birnam to Ballinluig A9 Community Group.
Please Like and Share it. or just phone me! Alasdair Wylie - Coordinator 07927 175121 awylie2002@yahoo.co.uk
Our report on “The Bridge” website is on page 2 at https://www.dunkeldandbirnamnews.co.uk/
Arts News
Volunteering at Birnam Arts
Interested in the cultural heartbeat of the area? If you’d like to volunteer at Birnam Arts, we’d love to meet you!
Exhibition: Stepping Into The Mythic: Claire Hewitt
Sat 8th March (Opening 5pm-7pm) – Sun 20th April: Gallery
Claire shares with us the stories that have guided her through grief and hope, though drawing, sculpture and storytelling.
Claire Hewitt Workshops / Storytelling Session
Please see the website for full details: Felt Your Own Story Pouch: Tues 18th March: 6.30pm-8.30pm Storytelling Gathering: Sat 29th March: 11am-12pm From Heart Through To Hands: Sat 29th March: 2pm-4pm
The Atholl Cailleachs
Sat 8 March 7.30pm – 9.30pm /£8/£10/£12*
Fiona Ritchie MBE presents a celebration for International Women’s Day through Song, Story, Music and Dance, with special guest performance from Scots singer Christine Kydd.
Open Mic Night, Tuesdays, Songs, Poems, Tunes and Tales
Until 18 March: 7.30pm: Café: Free
The perfect opportunity to showcase your talent or enjoy the lively atmosphere. Whether you play an instrument, sing, have a story to tell or simply want to support.
Smoke Sauna Sisterhood: Film
Wed 12th March, Doors 6pm / £16*/£8*
A raw and powerful documentary - In the darkness of a smoke sauna, women share their innermost secrets and intimate experiences.
Winner: Sundance Film Festival 2023. See Website for full details.
Niel Gow Festival
Fri 21st – Sun 23rd March
Concerts and Workshops celebrating the 18th Century local musician, Niel Gow. See website for more details.
Warm Spaces: Free Wednesday Film: Chicago
Wed 19th March: 2pm / Lunch: 1pm (Free for the first 15 to arrive)
Art Club For Adults: Michael Fullerton
Mon 24th March: 1.30pm-3.30pm £25*
Sessions aimed at artists who would like to benefit from expert tuition, exchange ideas and connect with others.
Ignacio Lopez: Comedy
Mon 24th March: 8pm-10pm £20*
“Charming, Charismatic, Hilarious. Will Have You Leaving With A Smile On Your Face”
Branded Spain’s Best Export by the Spanish Embassy and Office of Culture in the UK, Ignacio has appeared on TV shows including Live At The Apollo, Have I Got News For You, Comedy Central Live, and more… don’t miss!
Birnam Arts: Notice of Annual General Meeting
Thursday 3rd April 2025, 7.00-8.00pm Followed by refreshments. Please join us as we review the last year, celebrate the role that Birnam Arts plays in the community and focus on future challenges. This will also be an opportunity to provide any feedback or ask questions to the current Co-chairs of Birnam Arts Board of Trustees, Sarah Yearsley and Andrew Cave.
Contact Elspeth on: Volunteer@birnamarts.com, or ask at Reception! See website for workshops and more: Birnamarts.com / 01350 727674
* Denotes Booking Fee
Niel Gow Festival 21-23 March
The Niel Gow Festival will take place in Dunkeld & Birnam on the weekend of 21st - 23rd March 2025 and is celebrating its 20th year of traditional music concerts, workshops, sessions and more. Niel Gow (1727 - 1807) lived in the area his whole life and is one of the founders of Scottish fiddle music. The festival is a celebration of both him and traditional music which has come since his time. From enjoying some exceptional music in one of the five concerts, to participating in workshops or pub music sessions, there is truly something for everyone. In recent years the festival has expanded its offering to include various workshops for children and adults, as well as hosting an impressive collection of instrument makers and luthiers as part of a selection of stalls based upstairs in the Birnam Arts over the weekend. The Dunkeld Archives (located on the Cross in Dunkeld) will also be hosting a special exhibition in conjunction with the festival weekend. The full programme is available on the festival website (nielgowfestival.co.uk), concert tickets can be booked from Birnam Arts (www.birnamarts.com) and workshop tickets are booked via the festival website. Last year many concerts sold out so please book in advance. Included in this year’s lineup we have Bruce MacGregor (founder of Blazin’ Fiddles), Michael Biggins (2021 Young Traditional Musician of the Year) and local fiddle player Hannah Fisher, as well as some exceptional groups of young musicians who will inspire any youngster with an interest in music. Have a look at the festival programme or website for further information.
International Women’s Day Concert
Sat 8th March @ Birnam Arts 7.30pm
The Atholl Cailleachs return with special guest Scot’s singer Christine Kydd. Presented by Fiona Ritchie MBE.
A celebration for International Women’s Day through song, story, music and dance featuring:
Pianist - Muriel Johnstone; Storyteller - Lindsey Gibb; Piper - Emma Black; Singer/Songwriter - Michelle Rodley; Fiddle - Karys Watt; Dancer - Lyndsey Douglas; Piano and Saxophone - Gill Hunter and Charlotte Caird.
“Cailleachs are women of knowledge and skill within a community - the Dunkeld & Birnam area is bubbling over with talented professional performers, so what better way to celebrate International Women’s Day than for its female performers to showcase their skills…”
All artist proceeds will be donated to RASAC PK and Every Woman Cafe Perthshire.
Tickets from www.birnamarts.com priced £8/10/12
Just Singin’ Community Choir - Spring Term underway!
We had a wonderful start to our term in February. Our singers travelled from far and wide to join together for a lunch in Perth to celebrate a milestone birthday of our superb Secretary/resident diplomat, Eileen. It was great to have the chance to get together at a social event and the opportunity to chat for longer than the usual ten minutes in the middle of our singing sessions!
Our term is underway (5th Feb – 26th March), led by one of our very popular tutors, Emma Neck. We are tackling a variety of songs in harmony, embracing musical styles ranging from jazz, Scottish, modern pop and traditional Swahili – all simply learned by ear in a fun, supportive atmosphere where everyone is made very welcome.
We meet upstairs at Birnam Arts at 7.30 on Wednesday evenings. Further details are available on our website (justsingin.co.uk). Do please come along and give it a try!
Birnam Library
Please join us at Birnam Arts on Sunday, March 9th at 3pm to share your thoughts on the future of Birnam Library.
As many of you are aware, funding for Birnam Library beyond March has been uncertain due to council budget cuts. At a well-attended community meeting on December 14th, strong support emerged for requesting additional time for consultation, consideration, and planning before any final decisions are made. The community has advocated for a transition year of funding to allow for meaningful discussions with Culture Perth and Kinross about shaping the library’s future.
In parallel, community members have been collaborating with the Save Our Rural Libraries (SORL) group to highlight the vital role of Birnam Library and other libraries under threat across Perth and Kinross. By March 9th, we will have clarity on the Perth and Kinross Council budget decisions, and Culture Perth and Kinross has committed to providing information on how these will impact our library. This meeting is an opportunity to hear the latest updates, share ideas, and determine our next steps together. Our goal is to align with community priorities while also considering the strategic aspirations of both PKC and CPK.
We are immensely grateful for the continued support of Culture Perth and Kinross and our three local councillors as we work towards a sustainable future for our cherished 142-year-old library and reading room. Thank you to everyone who has contributed to this effort so far—your dedication and support have been invaluable.
Birnam Library Future Solutions Group
Rivendell provides high quality care and support for you and your elderly relative. Based in Birnam and Dunkeld our homely environment provides a safe and fun community spirit. Our trained staff provide care and support for all your needs 24 hours a day, we are always there.
So, if you are looking for social contact, a safe and supportive environment, support with health or medical needs then contact us. Our mission is to provide a home for life, so come and live life with us.
Please phone 01350 727413 and speak to Gina or email: manager@rivendellcarehome.co.uk.com for more information.
On behalf of BT Digital Voice programme, Neighbourhood Watch Scotland will be at Pitlochry Town Hall, West Moulin Road, PH165EA on Tuesday 4th March 2025 between 10.30-13.30.
At this time they will be explaining what is happening as part of the change over to the new digital telephone network. Please take this opportunity come along and find out more and to ask any questions you may have before the change over happens in your area. We will also be happy to answer any questions you may have about Neighbourhood Watch, improving neighbourliness and creating stronger communities. Everyone is welcome and it would be great to see you there. If you need more information on the BT Digital Voice Programme, please go to: www.bt.com/broadband/digital-voice
NIEL GOW FESTIVAL
Fri 21st – Sun 23rd March
Concerts and Workshops celebrating the 18th Century local musician, Niel Gow.
Go to www.nielgowfestival.co.uk for further information & tickets.
Dunkeld & Birnam Traditional Youth Music Group
We now have our guitar and whistle classes up and running alongside our fiddle and accordion classes. All have had a lovely uptake and have welcomed lots of new budding young musicians. They’re going fast, but we do have some spaces left for those aged P5 –S5 who would like to learn an instrument.
Arts News
All classes are in small groups lasting half an hour each week. They are completely free and we provide instruments, without cost, for our members to take home and use as their own.
Our junior and senior bands are for those who can already play at least a little, and are suitable for most instruments. We welcome accordion, string, wind and brass players, guitarists, pianists and more to join in with our musical adventures and concerts throughout the year. Next concert is part of The Niel Gow festival on Saturday 22nd March. ½ hour group lessons - Mondays 4-6pm Junior trad band (P5-S2) - Mondays 6:30-7:30pm Senior trad band (S3-S6) - Mondays 7:30-8:30pm
All classes and bands run weekly during term time based at Birnam Arts.
Although we are based in Dunkeld & Birnam, we’re open to anyone living in surrounding areas such as Aberfeldy and Pitlochry, Blairgowrie and Coupar Angus, Stanley and Luncarty and everywhere in between.
We rely entirely on funding and donations to keep our group accessible to all and as always, our thanks go to SSE Renewables, National Lottery, Gordon Duncan Memorial Trust, Basil Death Trust, Scops Arts Trust, The Lang Foundation, Hugh Fraser Foundation, Crescendo and Enchanted Forest for their funding, and all of the local residents and groups who have generously donated money and instruments.
If you do have any small guitars, fiddles or piano-accordions hanging around your home and would like them to be brought back to life, we’ll happily put them to good use.
Find us at www.facebook.com/dbtradgroup
Email dbtradgroup@gmail.com or call 07958 324 766 for more info.
Birnam Arts Open 7 Days:
Café: 10.00-16.00 | Shop: 10.30-15.30
Booking Fees apply to all events. Birnamarts.com / 01350 727674
Film Club:
Sunday 9th March 2025
Past Lives 1h 45m Korea 2023
In Korea, Na Young, a girl and Hae Sung, a boy are school mates and good friends. Na Young moves to New York with her parents. Hae Sung continues living in Korea, goes through a short spell of military service and then takes up a job. Both keep in touch periodically through video chats where they talk of their past and general stuff. Meanwhile in New York, Na has changed her name to Nora and is happily married to Arthur, an American. Hae is keen to meet Nora and visits her in New York where he spends some time with her and Arthur. What has the future in store for Nora and Hae in their relationship?
Sunday 16th March 2025
The Outrun 1h 58m UK 2024
After living life on the edge in London, Rona attempts to come to terms with her troubled past. She returns to the wild beauty of Scotland’s Orkney Islands - where she grew up - hoping to heal. Nora Fingscheidt’s poetic, fragmented adaptation of Amy Liptrot’s memoir about her experiences with alcoholism casts Saoirse Ronan as Rona, a young Orkney woman on a jagged path to sobriety.
Dunkeld Cathedral Art Exhibition
We held our AGM on 18th February and plans are in hand for our 55th annual exhibition in August.
Due to unforeseen circumstances with stewards moving away and ill health we do need to recruit new stewards to ensure the exhibition can open every day in August.. For further information please contact Margaret Scott 07474183042 or email dunkeldart@aol.com
The Meeting Place
We meet in the Duchess Anne, our church hall in the Cross, Dunkeld every Friday from 10-12.
On Friday 28th March our Coffee Morning will be in aid of The Brain Tumour Charity.
Please drop in any Friday and join us for some lovely home baking and a chat. Further details from mascott47@aol.com
Community Developments
Dunkeld, Birnam and District Community Development Trust
The Trust continues to be in a strong position delivering for the local community. Lachlan MacEwan decided to resign as a Trustee in early February. The remaining seven Trustees would like to thank Lachlan for his time on the Board and previously his role on the PH8 group.
Development Officer –Beth Taylor
Beth continues to work tirelessly for the Trust on the range of issues identified in the Community Action Plan. She is the key link between the various Trust led workstreams including the Care Group, Local Place Plan, Artisan Village and the key link to the wider community. Beth is also very active in finding out how other Trusts throughout Scotland deal with issues, and with national bodies such as Community Land Scotland and Development Trust Association Scotland.
If there are any issues you would like to discuss with Beth please email her at dbdcdt@gmail.com or drop in to the co-working space to see her.
Local Place Plan
The Local Place plan is a key part of the community input to Perth and Kinross Council’s next Local Development Plan- which in turn defines the planning framework for the next 10 years. It is therefore vital that we submit a plan that reflects the community’s views.
The Development Trust is working with the Community Council and a number of local volunteers to develop the Local Place Plan. The group is currently analysing the responses to the questionnaire which ran until end January. We received 145 replies (which is apparently good for a survey of this nature) which broadly mirror the local age profile, unfortunately except at the younger age group.
We aim to produce a report which will posted on the Trust website. We then plan to engage again with the local community on the outcomes and update the plan accordingly.
The Trust would like to thank everyone who has been involved in this somewhat arduous, but vital, process.
Housing
Having met with the recently formed Community Housing Group, Beth continues to provide support on this issue based on the huge experience gained in the last couple of years.
Artisan Village
The group is currently working on a funding application for Scottish Land Fund in relation to the Community Asset Transfer proposal.
PH8 Caring Support - next steps
PH8 Caring Support is now just over one year old, has met the targets set for it and is now ready for the next stage of development. New Personal Assistants have been recruited locally, others are available if required and our first Befrienders are now in place. As important, our Coordinator, Eilidh, now has good links to a range of other local community groups.
Throughout our first year, the Management Group for the project has been working with colleagues from Kinloch Rannoch Community Development Trust, on how the local model might be extended. Both we and our colleagues in Kinloch Rannoch are keen to extend our activity to include the delivery of Homecare. In planning this development, we have been assisted by national consultants with expertise in this area who have articulated a model which would see the delivery of Homecare vested in a Social Enterprise covering both areas.
Perth and Kinross Council are currently considering how to support funding of this project during its pre-operational year.
As part of what will become a wider Community Engagement exercise, SKS consultants are coming to Birnam Arts to deliver a presentation on how the model would deliver a service which connects more effectively with other local supports. We will be happy to respond to questions from the floor after the presentation.
The session will be held upstairs in Birnam Arts on Tuesday 4 March from 2.00-4.00pm. Teas and coffees will be served and all members of the community are welcome.
AIMS:
Sports, Health and Wellbeing
1: To transform the lives of people in the villages and surrounding areas through sport and leisure.
2: To promote the various sports and leisure activities in the Dunkeld & Birnam area.
3: To support the building and maintenance of sports facilities including a sports hall.
All sports and leisure clubs are invited to join ‘The Sports Hub.’ Membership is free.
Please send details of your club’s activities and events to editor@dunkeldandbirnmamnews.co.uk for inclusion in the hub page of ‘The Bridge.’
Dunkeld and Birnam Sports and Leisure Hub
The Sports Hub (formerly the Rec Club) has overall responsibility for the clubhouse, tennis courts and bowling green and the Covered MUGA. We are a membership organisation and although people can pay per play, we are very keen to encourage locals to join as members at the very reasonable annual fee- you can decide to join just the MUGA or any combination of the clubs. The membership year runs from April but people can join any time during the year. We will confirm membership fees for 202526 in April but please contact dbsportsleisurehub@gmail.com at any time for further information.
Booking for the tennis courts and MUGA can be done online at: https://clubspark.lta. org.uk/DunkeldandBirnamSportsandLeisureHub
We have been extremely pleased by the usage of the Covered MUGA. The MUGA is used by a very wide range of groups including the local primary school, after school club, the Butterstone school, local private nursery, netball team, fitness groups and various football teams. Live Active also provide a range of activities including football, touch rugby and general gym sessions. The tennis club is also providing coaching on a Saturday morning for primary age children and older children and adults are coached throughout the week.
The clubhouse is used during the year by members- after bowling and tennis matches during the summer and for indoor bowls during the winter. It is also available for non club use- please email dbsportsleisurehub@gmail.com for more information.
We have also recently improved the car parking on the ground between the MUGA and Medical Practice. Th new surface should be more suitable throughout the year. We have also built a short path from the car park and will install lighting in the coming months.
Tennis Club News!
The main Tennis Club headline this month is to report on the amazing success of our Awards Night raffle/auction. Immense thanks go to the many wonderful businesses who donated a host of fantastic raffle prizes. We were thrilled that the event raised £750. This money is earmarked for our forthcoming programme of free tennis lessons and tennis racquets for children in the community who have not yet had the opportunity to get into tennis. We hope to support up to 20 local children with this programme, and you never know we might discover the new Andy Murray or Emma Raducanu! We are delighted to be able to offer this opportunity to local children and are very grateful to all businesses who have helped this happen.
Morna Mitchell and Lorna Tripney presenting the men’s singles trophy to Charlie Broughton. Many thanks to them for their leadership of the tennis club over the past decade.
We are planning that the programme will start at Easter and will be issuing a press release to coincide with this. So watch this space – and the Sports Hub website and Facebook page.
In other news, two long standing members of the Tennis Club Committee have taken a well deserved retirement from duties. Lorna Tripney and Morna Mitchell have been the driving force behind the success of the Tennis Club for nearly a decade. We thank them for their devotion to Tennis in Dunkeld and although they are stepping down from the Committee we look forward to seeing them both on the Courts during the coming season. The new committee comprises of Nick Riley, Iain Gordon, Helen Taylor and new member Charlie Broughton. Running the club is not a huge commitment – especially if many hands make light work. So we would be delighted to welcome other new volunteers to help out. Just speak to one of us and we will add you to the Committee Whatsapp group!!!
The new tennis season will be starting in late March early April. Although for some stalwarts tennis never stops. However new membership year starts on the 1st of April, and memberships will be available to purchase from then. Currently the cost of an annual adult membership of the Tennis Club is just £35, and we don’t anticipate this changing for the new season. For this you get free use of the outdoor tennis courts, use of the ball machine, two club nights a week for social tennis, plus the opportunity to get involved in league matches. If you want to also play on the MUGA it’s just another £20 for the year. A total bargain! And you never know, next time the club trophies are presented there might be one with your name on it!!!!
Dalguise Meditation Group
Meditation has all sorts of benefits – increased focus and calmness, the opportunity to see things from a different perspective, a greater feeling of freedom and harmony, among many others. Whether you have never tried meditation before, or whether you have an established practice, why not come to one of our meetings and find out what we do?
Live meetings take place every other Tuesday in Dalguise Village Hall from 10.30 to 12.30. In March these meetings will be on 11th and 25th. We enjoy sitting and walking meditations, discussions and refreshments. There are no charges, no formalities, and we have no religious affiliations – what we do is decided among our members. We also have virtual meetings on zoom on the first Tuesday evening of every month, from 6.30 to 8.30pm. (Thus they sometimes coincide with the days of live meetings and
sometimes not.) In February the zoom meeting is on 4 February. These meetings usually include a guided meditation at the beginning and a silent meditation at the end, with a discussion on the latest topic (mailed to all members, see below) in between. People attending can join in or remain incognito as they wish. If you would like to take part in a zoom meeting, please contact Maragaret margaret.q.lear@gmail.com who will send you the link.
If you aren’t able to attend in person, and are not wanting to join a Zoom session, you might nevertheless be interested in going on our mailing list. Members receive thoughtprovoking and helpful compilations about meditation and mindful living, on the Tuesdays between live meetings. If you would like to know more about our meetings or about meditation in general, please do contact faithanstey@gmail.com
Breadalbane & District Riding for the Disabled (SCO47991)
As this goes to the printers the snowdrops are in full bloom and spring does seem like it is around the corner encouraging us to look ahead to the start of the riding season. Plans are well under way and a training session for all volunteers is in the diary for April 7th. We are delighted that three new volunteers have come forward and the training session will give them a chance to meet the ponies and see how we operate.
As anybody who is involved with running a charity will know the Scottish Government is tightening up the rules and regulations by which charities can be run. Recently two of our officers attended an on-line training session to make sure we keep up to date. Without being complacent , it was encouraging to know that our organisation is compliant.
In February we had a social coffee morning to keep everyone in touch and welcome our new volunteers. We never have too many volunteers so if anyone is interested in joining the group please contact us through our email address breadalbanerda@gmail.com or ring Vicky on 07786262329.
We continue to be on the look out for another pony. Several ideas have been explored without success. Ideally we are looking to borrow a pony who lives in or around Pitlochry and could be transported to Knockdarroch farm where we operate on Monday mornings during the summer and early autumn school terms. We would be SO grateful for any help with this ongoing problem. Please use the contacts as above.
Leadwork
grahamrobb@grahamrobb.co.uk
www.grahamrobb.co.uk
Work & Business Support
4 Things You Can Do for Your Business this Spring
A wide range of support for small businesses, social enterprises and the self employed in rural Perth & Kinross is available from GrowBiz. Here are 4 things you can do this spring that can help you develop your business:
Book a Free 1-1 Support Session
You don’t have to go it alone. Whether you’re looking for assistance with developing your business strategy, budgeting, or digital skills, we have a team member who can help. Email connect@growbiz.co.uk to request a chat.
Attend an Event
GrowBiz runs a programme of free online learning sessions based around topics our clients tell us they need support with. Well-being, marketing, planning ahead and accounting are all regularly covered. We also run in-person networking events that can help you make new connections, share experiences and be inspired.
Join the Mentoring Programme
Is something in your own personal development holding you back? Join our award-winning mentoring programme and we’ll match you with a trained mentor who can help you reach your next step. Or become a volunteer mentor yourself and help someone else discover their full potential.
Make it Happen with SEED
If you’re a young person aged between 18-30 then our SEED programme can help you explore your ideas, develop your plans, and make your self-employed business dreams happen. Take a look at GrowBiz’s free and confidential services for rural businesses at www.growbiz.co.uk
Three Churches in the Community
Thought for the Month
Isaiah 49:16
See, I have inscribed you on the palms of my hands; your walls are continually before me.
Thoughts from a highland snug. Personal Vocation, what does that mean ? It is a question that I have been reflecting upon quite a lot recently, one that has seasons and reasons to appear in my mind.
For my primary vocation is to God, it has been for as long as I can remember, God has always been my companion and that statement is not meant to be pious or boastful, not at all.
I feel God in my bones, God has grown in me strengthening the walls of me. God has revealed Unconditional Positive Regard to me that no human can achieve, and I have Unconditional Positive Regard for God.
That being understood it does not mean that I am without sin; dig a little into my character and there it is, fully human, fully free to make bad choices , fully aware of my annoying habits and emotional roller coaster rides. But, Dig further and you will always find God; called patience, mercy, grace, kindness, love, wisdom, and all of that is as vast as the cosmos and as small as an atom.
My vocation led me through times of stupidity, pain, loss, anger, and the the dark night of the sole written about by St John of the Cross . I have navigated my way through many dark times using a pin prick of light to guide me back to dwell within my walls and each time I returned I noticed my walls were more lovely and felt more like home.
My vocation has taught me a little about God through reflection about how the lack of God might feel. I kept following the light , stumbling, hurting, growing stronger , until God had made stronger the vessel that is me, just right and fit for the purpose God had written upon Gods palm . My vocation will not be ignored, just as breathing cannot be ignored.
To my surprise and to the surprise and annoyance of a myriad of others, I was called at the age of 40 into the priesthood. To be the lowest servant, and to meet others where they are and to show the light in the world for the lost to follow back to God. I am the sheep dog and not a shepherd, the shepherd is God. I watch and listen for Gods instructions and only then do I move.
I feel my vocational pathway is being redirected at present, and spiritual direction is taking up quite a lot of my spiritual life and reading, it gives me a sense of joy as I accompany others who seek from God their own sense of vocational direction. Becoming Mother Superior of a new monastic community will bring joys and heartaches to my life but first I must take this opportunity to thank you all for helping me to grow a better understanding of ministry.
I will wait to hear my LORD and my God and what this growing sense of priestly responsibility toward vocation means for me. If you are being called into ministry of any kind , pray and go well my friend xxxx
Each moment is wondrous
The Story Of Messy Music.
If you happen to be walking past Little Dunkeld Church on a Tuesday afternoon between 3.30 and 4.30 and you hear the sound of children giggling and children’s voices singing then you have found Messy Music. A wonderful time for young hildren and parents.
Messy Music was set up in 2021 for children from nursery age to P4 after school finished. Its purpose was to continue the relationship between the church and families in the area. Parents and children turned up after seeing it advertised on the Cathedral Facebook page or in The Bridge. It began with around eight children but something in the region of twenty children and their parents now attend regularly and the age group is extending, Heading it up is Hazel Murch the inspiring organist in the Cathedral and Little Dunkeld church along with a team of approximately twelve volunteers, without whom Hazel says Messy Music could not function. Seeing the team interacting with three to eight year olds is a real joy, drawing, crafting, trumpet playing,( real and toy trumpets) singing and playing recorders. Peter is at the Lego table and a ship is being built at the moment. Rosie and Alison are playing their imaginary trumpets with great gusto while Gill and Fiona are crafting with mini pompoms making a tree. Carol and Joan are busy getting the snacks and juice ready while mums and dads, aunties, and grandmas are having a great natter. In the last few months the children have built a model of Dunkeld which was displayed at the back of the Cathedral and a Christmas tree showing the birth of Jesus, complete with angels and wise men, was hung in Little Dunkeld church over the Christmas period.
But one amazing initiative which has taken off recently is the provision of meals for a week for Messy Music families who have a new baby. How wonderful is that and there are more babies on the way!
3 Churches Charity Shop
A guide to all that is good in Dunkeld!
I was trying to think of anything unusual that had happened in the shop recently and I couldn’t think of anything in particular. Then I got to thinking of what happens on a daily basis. A few years ago the premises we are currently occupying used to be The Visitor Centre and so we regularly have people coming in to talk to us and ask where the Visitor Centre is now. Of course it is long gone and so we find ourselves quite often taking on the role of advisor and answering such questions as “Where is the best coffee to be found in Dunkeld?” “How do we get to the Hermitage?” “Where is the famous oak tree?” And most commonly “Where is the cathedral?”
A lot of visitors have made many trips to Dunkeld before and like to share their memories of previous visits. So I guess one of our roles in this special Charity Shop is as a guide to all that is good in and around Dunkeld.
Sunday Services
March 2nd 11.00am Communion service in Little Dunkeld
6.30pm Prayers for Help & Healing in Little Dunkeld.
March 9th 11.00am Morning Service in Little Dunkeld
March 16th 11.00am Morning Service in Little Dunkeld
2.15pm Service at Amulree
March 23rd 11.00am Morning Service in Little Dunkeld
March 30th 11.00am Morning Service in Little Dunkeld
April 6th. 11.00am Morning Service in Little Dunkeld
6.30pm Prayers for Help & Healing in St. Mary’s. Every Sunday there is chance to meet together over tea and coffee after the service.
Prayers for Help & Healing
On the first Sunday of the month there is a short service held jointly between the Parish Church and St.Mary’s Episcopal Church at 6.30. This follows the pattern of the weekly service of healing in Iona Abbey and lasts about 45 minutes.
It is a very gentle, quiet time of worship and prayer for specific things people may mention if they want to, or you can simply join in the service and have your own time of prayer.
Lesley-Ann
Priest in charge of St Mary’s Birnam
Ed: Lesley-ann Craddock will be retiring from her ministry at St Mary’s Church on June 8th. We send her our thanks and every good wish for the future.
Talking to parents we discovered that the children are in no way dragged along, in fact they bring the parents and talk about it from when they wake up on a Tuesday .. Kat Moran has had her fair share of anxiety for the last couple of years with her mischievous little daughter having had a diagnosis of Leukaemia. Happy to say that Keira has only one more treatment and the outlook is positive and when you see Keira running around giggling and singing you can see she loves being there. Scott Pullar has three children with him, Abigail, Samuel and Isla and says that Abigail would bring her whole class along if she could. She loves coming to Messy Music and reminds her Dad every Tuesday and talks about it for days.
In all Messy Music is an adventure afternoon for local children and parents happy to be with the dedicated volunteers who make, bake and sing with them. A wonderful initiative from our local church.
The next one will be in Little Dunkeld on the 2nd. of March and then in St. Mary’s on April 6th.
Kirk Session
The next meeting of the Kirk Session is on Tuesday March 11th at 7.30pm. in the Duchess Anne.
Holiday Club
The Parish Church is running a holiday club in the School Easter holidays - The Great Glen Green Welly Garden Show in the Duchess Anne. It starts on Monday 7th April for three days from 10am -12.30 each day. All children from age 4 up to primary 7 are welcome.
The theme we are using is based on the good world that God created and how it has become very damaged. We will celebrate the hope that Jesus brings to restore it. It also highlights our environment’s biodiversity and the need to ensure
Three Churches in the Community
Church
our lifestyles are ethical and environmentally friendly. There will be a small daily charge to cover costs.
Come along to the Duchess Anne at 10am on Monday 7th. April – it will be great to see you.
Fellowship Group
‘Exploring faith and life together’
There are two ecumenical groups which meet on a Tuesday evening and a Wednesday morning for Bible Study and prayer.
The up-coming dates for the Tuesday group will be on March 4th & 18th. and April 1st. at 7pm in the Chanonry.
The Wednesday group will be on March 5th. & 19th. and April 2nd. at 10.15am in the Chanonry. It is possible to join both meetings by zoom too on this link:
Meeting ID: 898 7502 8047
Passcode: 809745
All are welcome and for more information available from John Ferguson (727585), William Hogg (727053) or Fraser Penny (727249)
Men’s Breakfast
Every second Wednesday a group of men meets in the Chanonry to start the day with a cooked breakfast together, discuss events, both local and international, and enjoy each other’s company. Upcoming dates are March 5th. & 19th. and April 2nd. There is no need to book; just turn up and enjoy and all are welcome.
If you would like more details please contact Peter Mackie at Petermackie46@gmail.com
Youth Group
A group for all P.7s and upwards meets during term time in the Duchess Anne on Thursday evenings Each night we start at 7pm. and finish at 8.30pm. More information from Fraser Penny.
Messy Music
Tuesdays after School, Messy music meets in Little Dunkeld Kirk. There are refreshments (usually cakes involved) fun songs, activities and even a bit of recorder playing.
We have all ages from newborn babies up to primary 3 so if you have family in that age group you will be very welcome to join us. It will be on every Tuesday in March - just come over after school.
Booking Halls
Anyone who would like to book either the Duchess Anne or the Chanonry for meetings and events should contact Jill McCrory on chanonrydunkeld@ gmail.com
Weekly Services
Church of Scotland:
Dunkeld Cathedral at 11am.
Every Sunday from Easter Sunday to Remembrance Sunday. Little Dunkeld Kirk at 11am.
Every Sunday from the Sunday following Remembrance Sunday to Palm Sunday.
Scottish Episcopal Church:
St Mary’s Birnam at 10am. Every Sunday.
Roman Catholic:
St Columba’s, Mass 6pm. Every Saturday
Monthly and Occasional Services
Church of Scotland, Amulree Third Sunday of the Month 2.15pm
The Chanonry, 07808 703641 email: office@dunkeldcathedral.org www.dunkeldcathedral.org
St Mary’s Episcopal Church, Birnam
Sunday Service 10 am - Holy Communion with hymns, music and sermon, followed by refreshments.
The church is open daily for visitors, and prayers are said at 5.30pm on Fridays and 9.30am on Saturday.
The Servite service is now held monthly on the last Saturday of each month at 2pm and is led ecumenically by members of the three churches in Dunkeld and Birnam. It is not a communion service.
The Rector: Reverend Lesley-Ann Craddock
Priest in Charge of St Mary’s Birnam and Dunkeld St Mary’s rectory, St Mary’s Rd, Birnam, PH8 0BJ Tel: 07903 020509 email: lesley.craddock@btinternet.com
Part time = Friday, Saturday & Sunday I can also be found dwelling nr Loch Ness 01456486663
Dunkeld is a village with a long history of Christian worship and we are pleased to continue that worship at St Columba’s in Birnam.
Parish Priest: Fr Emmanuel Adindu MSP (Missionary of St Paul)
Tel: 01796 472 174
Email:
stbridespitlochry@dunkelddiocese.org.uk
Serving St Columba’s RC church in Birnam/ Dunkeld, St Bride’s RC church in Pitlochry and Our Lady of Mercy RC church in Aberfeldy. Follow us on Facebook at: St Bride’s RC Church, Pitlochry.
We celebrate the presence of the Risen Lord amongst us during these Masses:
Sunday Masses:-
Saturday Vigil 6pm St Columba’s Birnam
Sunday 9.30 am Our Lady of Mercy Aberfeldy
Sunday 11.30 am St Bride’s Pitlochry
Weekday Masses:-
9.30 am Tue - Aberfeldy
9.30 am Wed, Thur, Fri - Pitlochry
Holy days of Obligation:9.30am Birnam 12.30pm Aberfeldy 6.00pm Pitlochry
The Sacrament of Reconciliation is available prior to mass in St Columba’s. Please phone Father to arrange it.
If there are any parishioners who are housebound and wish the Sacrament of Holy Communion, let Father know and this will be arranged.
St Columba’s, St Mary’s Road, Birnam PH8 0BJ St. Bride’s, Rie-Achan Road, Pitlochry, PH16 5AL Our Lady of Mercy, Home Street, Aberfeldy PH15 2AL Father Emmanuel in.
We can all make a difference to our planet by reducing the amount of food we throw out. Food Waste Action Week runs from 17-23 March and we at Christians Against Poverty (CAP) want to offer some practical tips to help. By reducing food waste, you may be able to save money as well as having positive impact in your home and community.
Organise your food
Try organising your food storage so that you can easily find what food you have available to use. Decanting pantry items like flour and pasta into clear jars labelled with their use-by dates will make it easier to see what you have and when it needs to be used by (you could reuse old coffee jars to save money). Arrange food items by expiry date, with the shorter shelf-life items at the front – this will enable you to use up the ingredients in your meals before they go out of date.
Buy what you’ll use
Although it can sometimes be cheaper to buy in bulk, it may only prove economical if you actually use all the food. If you do buy in bulk, plan a few recipes first to make sure you’re using up the ingredients – and freeze any leftovers.
Do a regular stock-check
Try and get in the habit of looking through your food cupboards every week to check expiry dates and items that have run out or are getting low. You might find it helpful to keep a record in a notebook, or a simple list stuck on the fridge that you can refer to – find a method that works best for you.
Plan for the week
Before you go shopping, plan your meals in advance, and work out exactly what you need to buy. Make a shopping list and stick to it. This reduces the chance of overspending and restricts potential food waste. You could keep a diary or notebook just for meal planning and shopping lists, or if you use an app on your phone, you could also add links to recipes and include notes of any ingredients you need.
Give away leftovers
Leftovers don’t need to be wasted – why not give any surplus food to a friend or neighbour that you know may benefit from receiving food parcels or a home cooked meal? You could also consider donating any tinned/non-fresh food to your local foodbank/community larder.
If you’re struggling to afford groceries visit capuk. org/help to see what free services are available in your area. CAP Moneycoaching as well as debt help is available across Highland Perthshire.
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Home Repairs and Improvements
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WRAP ® Wellbeing Training
Join us for a two day free WRAP® workshop to self-reflect, learn skills and build an action plan for early intervention and prevention, to support your wellbeing.
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Nature and Climate
Repair Cafe
Bin it? No Way!!
Next Repair cafe is Monday 3th March at Birnam Arts in the Arts Studio
3.00pm to 6.00pm
We had a very busy session last month when we fixed 2 chairs, a lamp, a clock which needed a new mechanism and we’re still working on an interesting vertical record player.
No clothes repairs this time but we do those too. Bring along anything you think we might be able to fix or for advice. We’ll also pass on repair skills if you want to learn to mend things. Join us for tea and cake too - all free.
Workshop Coming Up
Handtool maintenance session
Saturday 8th March in The Guide Hut 10am. To 10.45 or 11.15 to 12.00
Bring along 2 max. handtools that needs sharpening, adjusting, oiling and we’ll help you get everything ready and working for the spring garden tasks and any D.I.Y. in the home. Handtools only – not electricals. Booking essential so See Bridge and Repair Cafe Facebook and Nextdoor for link to book on Eventbrite or Contact dbrepaircafe@gmail.com
Dunkeld and Birnam in Bloom
Hopefully the weather will warm up in March and we can get on with cutting back bushes all ready for a summer show in the gardens. It can be a bit tricky to do earlier in the year without standing on all the lovely Spring bulbs that are coming through.
Also in March we will power wash the slabs and spread more gravel on the paths in St Ninian’s.
The heathers in the troughs on the bridge (as picture shows) are looking very good this year and hopefully the deer stay at the North end of the village or that they find better plants to eat before they get to the Bridge! They certainly seem to have pruned the Legion bed for us..
We are having a coffee morning with cake, candy and a plant stall to raise funds for the summer bedding. It will be held in the Duchess Anne in Dunkeld on Friday the 25th April from 10 till 12, so if you are free, please put it in your diary and we will see you there. If the weather is kind we will continue to meet on a Monday morning at 10am in St Ninian’s Garden, Dunkeld and Torwood Park, Birnam, where anyone is welcome to join us.
Thank you, Moira (07931 758 456)
Gardening and Growing Club
Next Meeting Wed 12 March 7pm AGM followed by talk on the History of Dunkeld & Birnam Orchard Talk – Birnam Arts
Whether you potter with a few pots or garden an acre you are very welcome at our friendly Gardening and Growing club. £20 annual membership. Everyone welcome – first meeting FREE. Please come along and ‘try out’ being a member Annual membership £20
The Gardening and Growing Club is a group for anyone interested in learning more about a wide range of matters to do with gardening and growing in a relaxed environment where you can also chat and meet other people in the village interested in gardening and growing. During the year there is a mix of talks, visits to gardens, socials as well as the annual show in August. Whether you tend a few pots on your windowsill or garden a massive plot it really doesn’t matter – you are very welcome to join us.
National Trust for Scotland
NTS The Hermitage are once again holding an Easter Egg Trail on the 18th, 19th, 20th & 21st April. We will have our fantastic nature based clues that the Easter Bunny has prepared - with the help of the
North Perthshire Rangers - and these will be placed on our trail throughout the woodland. Collect the clues, solve the puzzle and claim your chocolatey prize – this year we have either Malteaser or Moo Free eggs so that our trails can be enjoyed by as many children as possible – even “big” children can take part as it’s a great way to learn more about the plants and animals that call the Hermitage ‘home’. One trail map reserves one egg prize. We will also have our fantastic crafts table, badge and fridge magnet maker, face painting and a nature table as well as out popular “name the bunny” competition. Come and meet us at the NTS North Perthshire trailer located in the Hermitage lower car park. Just follow the link here to book – various dates and times are available over the weekend https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/o/ the-hermitage-33796518109
Programme of Events 2025
Wed 12 March 7pm AGM followed by talk on the History of Dunkeld & Birnam Orchard Talk. Birnam Arts.
Wed 9 April 7pm John Mattingley Demonstration on growing Himalayan plants from seed. Birnam Arts.
Wed 14 May Fiona Stewart, Scotland’s Garden Scheme. Birnam Arts.
Wed 11 June 7pm Kate White, Head Gardener, Branklyn Gardens Birnam Arts.
Sun 29 June 2pm Wild Orchids Garden Visit, The Steading at Newmill, Nr Clunie, PH10 6SG.
Paths and Nature Action Group
In late February we will be preparing seed boxes and planting seeds in the Poly tunnels ,we usually start with leeks and broad beans and early brassica. We plant out large areas and this requires thousands of seeds to be sown indoors by hand then planted out as the weather warms up so many hands can make light work.
At this time of year we take stock of the infrastructure at the Field and are also busy building and repairing benches , plumbing, fruit cages, bean supports,,sheds and other structures which have suffered from the elements or are just wearing out. If you like doing that sort of thing come and share your skills with us. Every morning’s work concludes with coffee round a table where conversations range widely from the tasks in hand to local events and entertainment .
We are always glad to meet new folk so come and see how we grow at the Field on Thursday and Saturday mornings any time between 10 am and 1 pm.
Raymond Simpson on behalf of the Trustees @the Field
COMING SOON!
The Evergreen GroupGardening for Everyone
Do you enjoy – or did you used to enjoy gardening –but find it difficult due to your health, age etc?
We will be starting our new, adapted gardening group towards the end of April, based at the Guide Hut in Little Dunkeld but potentially at other locations in Dunkeld & Birnam depending on the activities planned and weather.
Attention turned in February to tackling a bit more of the snowberry patch around the Birnam Oak. Snowberry is a native of North America and widely planted here in gardens - from which it occasionally spreads and escapes. It has some wildlife value - but here it has ousted native vegetation and is encroaching on the roots of the Oak. It may give the Oak some protection from high floods - so we are aiming to replace it gradually over several years with other native, wildlife-friendlier, woody shrubs like the already emerging bird cherry; and encourage the growth of ground-covering vegetation. Thanks to all the volunteers who have bent their backs - and a few digging forks! helping to clear the snowberry.
Riverside walkers will likely have noted some trees having been gnawed by beavers in recent years. We are about to start fitting protective wire mesh guards to about 20 selected trees between Inchewan Burn and the Oak to help ensure the area’s amenity with taller trees is maintained.
If you would like to support action for paths and nature, in whatever way you can, please get in touch. stewartpritchard@aol.com
March at the Field Brae St Dunkeld
We have been busy over the cold weather barrowing dung and compost onto the Field , it keeps you warm and is easier when the ground is frozen! The plots will be ready for ploughing in March and we will then be into serious planting of onion sets then tatties. The tatties can be done in a morning or two with a good squad of helpers but the 5,000 onion sets takes a bit longer so if you have any time to spare on a Thursday or Saturday morning we would be very glad to see you.
Our store of tatties is fairly low but we are still enjoying onions which have kept well and hopefully we will will have enough leeks,swedes and brassica to see us through to the spring.
We’ll be running 10 sessions this year where the focus will be on table-top gardening and some gardening of planters, as well as gardening/nature-related arts and crafts – the activities will be designed to enable you to garden whilst seated if necessary, so that you can continue to benefit from connecting with plants and soil. Each week we’ll choose from activities such as planting seeds and bulbs, pricking out seedlings, dividing and propagating houseplants, making terrariums, growing herbs and micro-greens and others. We look forward to sharing our gardening stories and reminiscences and learning from each other’s experiences whilst we gently work on the week’s project.
Look out for dates, times and the full programme of activities in the April edition of “Bridge” and/or contact Mel on 07876 118625 meantime for more information and/or to register your interest. Thanks to everyone for their interest and support so far.
Want to play a part in landscape-scale regeneration? Join us as a Trustee!
Highland Perthshire Communities Land Trust (HPCLT) is an award-winning, community-owned conservation charity with three core aims: to restore biodiversity, support rural skills development and encourage people of all ages to embrace the outdoors. Located at Dùn Coillich Community Land immediately East of Schiehallion, and at the Wee Birks Field in Aberfeldy, we are a small but committed team - and this is your chance to join us!
We are looking for up to four elected, voluntary Trustees (members of the HPCLT Board), and are particularly keen to appoint enthusiastic people of any age who have experience in conservation, rural education, forestry, fundraising/marketing or financial management.
Nature and Climate
Community Orchard Update
We had our AGM in February. Thank you to the Perth Arms for hosting us. The days are getting longer and daffodil bulbs are peeking through – although it’s still been pretty nippy for the hardy volunteers who have been steadily working away on the winter pruning. We have been trialling a scheme whereby different volunteers “adopt” a row and loosely take responsibility for it. The beauty of fruit trees though is there is very little work involved once they are established. In addition to annual pruning we selectively remove some trees where they are diseased or badly damaged. This makes room for new stock and/or more space for neighbouring trees to thrive.
As we approach spring it’s a great time to reflect on the value of the orchard to the wider local environment and biodiversity, in addition to supplying us with fruit. Apple trees can live for more than 100 years, pears even longer. Our trees have been there since autumn 2008 so are well-established and will be supporting a diverse habitat for birds, insects etc through the food, nest sites and shelter they provide.
Many apple and pear trees need pollinating partner varieties to “set” fruit well. We are very fortunate to have such a diverse range of varieties – over 150 trees
If you are interested and would be able to actively help manage HPCLT, please contact the Chair on info@hpclt.org for more information and to arrange an informal chat. We would like to hear from you by Monday 31st March.
To find out more about us visit www.duncoillich.orgor even better, come and visit us on the hill!
in around 30 varieties! There are apparently over 2000 varieties of apple in the UK – some of the more local include ‘Bloody Ploughman,’ raised at Megginch Castle in the Carse of Gowrie in the 1880’s and ‘Charles Ross’ – named after the Head Gardener at Dalmeny House near Edinburgh. Both have generally been pretty productive for us. Check them out on your next walk through – trees #1 and #143 (‘Charles Ross’) and #35 and #153 (‘Bloody Ploughman’).
Successful pollination needs a good spring as the insects that move the pollen do best when the weather conditions aren’t too harsh. We also hope spring isn’t too damp as that encourages the spread of apple scab disease which can disfigure the fruit.
We would love to welcome more members of the community as volunteers –age and lack of previous experience is no barrier. Many of us began with no understanding of fruit tree care and have been learning “on the job” with the support of more experienced members. Rest assured that we build in tea breaks to our work sessions, often with homemade cakes!
For further information contact Katharine 01350 727048 or email dunkeldbirnamorchard@gmail.com
Save the date: our AGM will be at Tryst Hall in Pitlochry on Saturday 26th April between 2.00 and 4.00pm. Our guest speaker will be Jean Oudney, Trustee of the Scottish Wild Beaver Group, with a talk called ‘Beavers: Nature’s Engineer’.
Dive in to Loch Tay’s natural treasures!
Scottish Wildlife Trust
Want to immerse yourself in the natural wonders of the head of Loch Tay and the Loch Tay Marshes SSSI? Then come along to the next talk hosted by the Pitlochry and Highland Perthshire branch of the Scottish Wildlife Trust on Monday 17th March. Dr John Holland, Upland Ecologist from Scotland’s Rural College (SRUC), will give us an insight into the stunning landscape with an illustrated talk and film.
The area is a fabulous example of an open water transition fen, and it, along with the surrounding woodlands, marshy grassland and open water habitats, are home to a wide range of plants and animals.
150 species of bird have been recorded at the site over the past 25 years, including a number of rare species.
Beavers and otters have also made it their home, along with scarce plants making the most of the specific habitat, including coralroot orchid and creeping subspecies of lesser water plantain. Find out more about this remarkable place and the range of bird, mammal and plant species that can be found if you know where to look!
Date: Monday 17th March 2025
Time: 7.30pm - 8.30pm
Place: The Tryst, Church of Scotland, Church Road, Pitlochry, PH16 5EB. Suggested donation: £3 for non-members, £2 for members (you can donate in person on the day). Contact markandrosie@btinternet.com for more information. Sign up to hear about events and find out more about activities on the numerous reserves in our area and beyond. https:// scottishwildlifetrust.org.uk/signup-to-our-mailing-list/.
Learning and Community History
Connect with Asheville
In January, with an armful of good wishes from Dunkeld and Birnam, I travelled to our twin community of Asheville, North Carolina for their Burns Supper. Approaching the beautiful Blue Ridge Mountains by car, we could see many signs of significant destruction caused by Hurricane Helene, which struck the Southeastern United States last September. This widespread catastrophe brought record breaking amounts of rainfall to the area. Asheville is located at the confluence of the French Broad and Swannanoa Rivers so the rain had triggered a once in 1,000 year flood, destroying infrastructure and causing mudslides. Tragically, over 100 lives were lost in the state. It will take a long time to rebuild and restore this landscape and its shaken people. We drove to Biltmore Village, a charming Asheville district of restaurants, galleries, craft breweries and boutiques. All the businesses remain boarded up, having had thick mud deposited throughout the complex. Nearby at the Swannanoa River, we saw trees, upturned trucks, and parts of destroyed homes deposited along the banks, and the riverside restaurants were completely ruined. Upon arrival at the Biltmore Double Tree Inn, venue for the Burns Supper, I soon learned that barely a soul in the Asheville area wasn’t affected, in some
way, by the disaster of Hurricane Helene. In spite of all this, the town was just as I’d remembered it in the most important ways: welcoming, generoushearted people, with an incredibly strong sense of community. This has only strengthened in recent months. The attendees at the Burns Supper were very touched to know that our community is thinking of theirs, and delighted to receive our messages of friendship and support.
The Burns Supper followed the traditional programme with all the usual toasts, addresses and fine musical performances from piper Alex Stewart and fiddler Andrew Finn Magill. I had the honour of delivering The Immortal Memory and the attendees were greeted via video by Xander McDade, Provost of Perth and Kinross, who extended his invitation to a Civic Reception at Perth City Chambers in 2027 (the 10th anniversary of our twinning) to be held in honour of Asheville Sister Cities. Pete Clark’s video of fiddle playing and poetry, recorded at Niel Gow’s Cottage, was presented on screen at the evening ceilidh, to warm applause for Pete’s annual musical greeting. I travelled with a suitcase of donations from our community for the Burns Supper charity auction, thanks to Kettles of Dunkeld, Dunkeld Community Archive, The Royal School of Dunkeld, Jane Saba (Chattan Tea Room), Lesley Singer, Alasdair Wylie,
and The Gael Spirit Company which was also a sponsor of the event. In previous years, Asheville Burns Supper proceeds were donated to benefit community causes in Dunkeld and Birnam. This year, it felt meaningful to reciprocate and help support ongoing recovery efforts in Asheville. Thank you to everyone in our community for all your the contributions for the auction and raffle, which raised $9,000 for hurricane relief charities. Fiona Ritchie, Chair of Dunkeld and Birnam Friends of Asheville, North Carolina.
Want to get involved? Contact the secretary at 07927 176121 or awylie2002@yahoo.co.uk
Community Noticeboard
Vandalism of the Niel Gow Sculpture in Dunkeld
The sculpture of Scottish fiddle player Niel Gow in Dunkeld has been deliberately damaged by person or persons unknown. Considerable force must have been used to break the neck of the fiddle, which was cast in bronze. The breakage was first discovered on the morning of Sunday 9th February.
It is disappointing when pointless acts of vandalism such as this occur. The artwork, by renowned Scottish sculptor David Annand, has stood at the road junction between Birnam and Dunkeld since its installation in December 2020. It has become a part of the village community, and has in the past been adorned with various items, including scarves and bonnets in the blue and white of St Johnstone FC.
The memorial was created after years of fund raising by the Niel Gow Festival Society, and constantly catches the attention of visitors to the village who, until now, have interacted with Niel showing respect and curiosity. Most days, people can be seen taking photos and selfies of this most famous of fiddlers.
The broken bronze can be repaired, though probably not before the Festival in March, which will attract musicians from all over Scotland and beyond.
Pete Clark, Niel Gow
Festival Society
An Exciting Time At 3 Churches
Charity Shop ... Here comes Spring!!!
We are winding down our winter clothing (great bargains to be had!!!) And
Look out for - lovely summer fashions!!!! Come and See!!!
A Huge Thank You To Our Donors, Our Customers And Our Volunteers.
Food Share
Just to remind you all to check the stalls and fridges at the Duchess Anne and St Marys Church for the food we collect from Livvys around 4pm and the Coop around 8pm every day. Other donations of in date, unopened food are always welcome, as are leftovers from lunchtime meetings or coffee mornings. “Share don’t waste.”
We would welcome help from anyone who could devote about 45 minutes per month to collecting food from the Coop, as part of a flexible team. Please contact Jan Silburn 07881 813835.
Food Bank
Contact the confidential line 01350 700018 or email PH8foodbank@gmail.com. Many thanks to those who leave donations at the Coop.
Learning and Community History
Butterstone School News
What a distant memory Christmas now feels for us here at Butterstone School. We ended December on a high note with our Winter Celebration at Birnam Arts, where, as always, we were made to feel incredibly welcome. Of course, January brought its own challenges, particularly with Storm Eowyn, which forced the closure of our school for the day. This unexpected storm bonus gave our pupils a well-timed extra day off, much to their delight! Now, February has arrived with hints of Spring on the horizon. Our daffodils are beginning to peek through the grass, and the snowdrops are scattered like small, delicate drops of white cotton among the green fields and remnants of autumn leaves. Each day grows brighter and lighter, signalling the changing seasons. On one such bright Spring day last week , we were thrilled to welcome John Swinney, our local MSP and First Minister, to the school. He spent time engaging with our pupils in a lively questionand-answer session that covered a wide range of topics—from the impact of Brexit on Scotland, to the role of First Minister, and even a fun debate about whether or not he liked pineapple on a ham pizza! John
graciously answered some tough questions from our young people who are studying Modern Studies this year , admitting that they reminded him of the challenging debates he faces in Parliament on Thursday afternoons. Afterwards, he posed for photos with a group of eager pupils—and a few teachers too—who were excited to capture a selfie with him! So now we have mid-term and immediately afterwards we are racing towards Easter and the exam season. Whilst on that final run we are also hoping to participate in some more garden designing, our vegetable growing will soon be starting and we are hoping to delve back into a historical search on the building we occupy and any famous past residents . If anyone has any information or photos that they can share on Butterstone house and you would be willing to talk to us or share photos please email us at dunkeld_admin @ moorehouse.org.uk . Please also remember, we are always looking for Volunteers in all fields of work here at the campus so if you want to learn more about volunteer opportunities at Dunkeld Campus email us at info@moorehouse.org.uk
Thank you from Ian Ford,
United Lodge of Dunkeld
A big thank you to all the shop owners in Dunkeld and Birnam, including the Perth Arms, for their donations to Ian ford for his walk along the West Highland Way. He raised £600 and the province of Perthshire West raised over £11,000.
£800 of this will be given to Dunkeld charities and another few thousand pounds will be donated from the United Lodge of Dunkeld.
Thank you
The family of the late James (Jimmy) Drummond would like to thank relatives, friends and neighbours for the kind expressions of sympathy received on their recent sad loss. Thank you as well to the medical staff in Dunkeld and the Perth Arms Hotel for the lovely catering. Doreen
As winter storms swept through our community, they left behind a trail of fallen branches and broken trees. But where others saw debris, Nikolay—one of Moore House Group Dunkeld campus’ maintenance workers—saw possibility. Never one to let a good upcycling opportunity go to waste, Nikolay set out to transform the storm’s destruction into something beautiful. With a craftsman’s skill and a keen eye for creativity, he carefully gathered the scattered wood, inspecting each branch and log for its unique shape and character.
Instead of seeing loss, Nikolay saw potential. Piece by piece, he began shaping the wood, carving and refining it into entirely new handmade wooden planters. Each one is unique, its natural imperfections and weathered textures telling a story of resilience.
These rustic planters, in various sizes and shapes, now serve as homes for seasonal flowers and herbs, bringing colour and life back to the very spaces where the storm once left its mark. What was once storm damage is now a work of art, proving that even in the wake of destruction, beauty can take root and thrive!
BELOW: Nikolay Petrov, Maintenance Worker at The Moore House Group Dunkeld Campus, with his handmade planters.
Notes from a Councillor
Councillor Grant Laing
Councillor Claire McLaren
Councillor Ian James
As this edition of The Bridge goes to press, our three dedicated councillors are in the final stages of setting the budget for 2025/2026, with the final decision to be made at the full council meeting on 26 February 2025. We know this is no small task, requiring careful thought and difficult choices.
On behalf of the community of Dunkeld and Birnam, we would like to express our sincere gratitude to all three of our councillors for their tireless efforts on our behalf. Their hard work, commitment, and dedication to our area do not go unnoticed, and we deeply appreciate all that they do to support and advocate for our community.
We look forward to hearing the outcome of their decisions and, as always, are grateful for their continued service.
Thank you!
News from our Community Council
Dunkeld and Birnam Community Council
The next meeting of the Community Council will be on Monday 10th March at Royal British Legion 19:00 – 21:00
For updates on the Dunkeld and Birnam Community Council please see their facebook posts and Twitter posts on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/DandBCC/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/DandBCC #DandBCC E-mail the community council: dbcc.correspondence@gmail.com
JOHN SWINNEY, MSP for PERTHSHIRE NORTH can be contacted at: 17-19 LESLIE STREET, BLAIRGOWRIE Tel: 01250 876576
12 The Cross, Dunkeld, PH8 0AN. www.historicdunkeld.org.uk manager@historicdunkeld.org.uk
01350 727786
Development
OPENING HOURS
Monday to Friday 10am to 3pm
Liz, our Development Officer, is working hard to secure funding for us and with our plans for our new Heritage Centre. Our Expression of Interest to the Heritage Lottery has been accepted and we are now proceeding with our full application. We will hear in May if this is successful. We would very much like to hear your thoughts about what our new heritage centre should look like, including your views about our hopes to purchase the Duchess Anne building. Please pop into the archive or email us at manager@historicdunkeld.org.uk
Talks
We host monthly talks on a Friday at 7.30pm from September to April in the Duchess Anne Hall. Tickets (£5) are available via Eventbrite or on the door.
Tea/coffee & biscuits will be served afterwards, giving people a chance to mingle and chat with the speaker.
14/03/25 – Paul MacLennan: Dundonnachie ~ The Man Behind the Bridge Toll Riots
11/04/25 – Lesley Wilson: Local Stories from Local People
12/09/25 – Dr Allan Kennedy: Serious Crime in Late 17th Century Tayside
10/10/25 – Dr Andrew Tibbs: Romans
Exhibition
An exhibition of local music will be on display from Friday 21st March for the Niel Gow Festival. Living History Event Reimagined
Following our Public Consultation and our pledge to the Regenerative Tourism model we have reformatted our Living History event. The big weekend event, which was planned for the 3rd & 4th May, has been replaced with 5 smaller events throughout the summer months. These will “spread the load” and consist of single subject re-enactment guided tours and an evening performance in The Taybank. Details will follow next month.
Royal School Of Dunkeld - School Reunion
Annual School Reunion Afternoon Tea
Saturday 12th April 2025 at Birnam Arts
(for pupils who attended The Royal School of Dunkeld during the 1940s, 1950s and 1960s)
Following on from last year’s successful Reunion it is planned to make the Afternoon Tea an annual event when former pupils can gather and meet up with old school friends.
During the Afternoon Tea this year, former pupils will have the opportunity to look at more old school photographs which were recently donated to the Dunkeld Community Archives from the Royal school of Dunkeld as well as individual contributions from former pupils.
Further contributions would be gladly received. (We can scan and copy your original photographs and return them to you.)
Tickets will be available soon from Birnam Arts. A number of tickets will also be available from the Dunkeld Community Archive for those who cannot access online ticket sales.
Please note: There will be a further evening event in the Autumn for those who attended the Royal School of Dunkeld during the 1970s.
Mid-Week Memories Club
The club meets on a Wednesday from 10am to 12pm in the Archive. A lovely group of folk, reminiscing over tea/coffee & biscuits. We do have a taxi funded, so if you need transport please get in touch.
Jess Smith very kindly came along to talk to the group again and stayed for the afternoon for a book-signing of her new publication “Button Bog”, which is available to purchase in the Archive.
Young Archaeologist Club (Age 8 To 16) Fortnightly during school term in the Community Archive at 4pm. The next meeting is Thursday 6th March.
We have an exciting project on the horizon thanks to local Archaeologist, Bob Carchrie (Alder Archaeology). The children will be given the amazing opportunity to excavate an area in Dunkeld to learn all aspects of an archaeological dig.
University Project
Abertay University student are working with us to create a prototype game based on Dunkeld history. This exciting project is led by Dr Andrew Reid, Lecturer in Games production. The students, who are currently on a Masters program, visited the Archive to get a feel for the village and research local history.
Newsletter
To keep up with all our news and what’s on in Historic Dunkeld, sign up for our free monthly newsletter. Sign up at www.historicdunkeld.org.uk
Birnam Library is situated in the Birnam Arts Centre, Station Road, Birnam, PH8 0DS Tel : 01738 459709 Birnam Library is run by Culture Perth and Kinrossa charitable trust bringing art, culture, books, learning, creative communities and local history and heritage to people across the whole of Perth and Kinross. https://www.culturepk.org.uk/
07967 117149
• The Birnam Arts Centre
• North Car Park Toilets Dunkeld
• Brodies Sawmill Inver
• The Community Telephone Box, Butterstone
• The Community Telephone Box, Willowbank, Birnam
• Amulree Village Hall
• Caputh Village Hall
• Dalguise Village Hall
• BASC office Trochry
• Auchnacloich Farm, Amulree
• Dunkeld and Birnam Golf Club
• Office Wall, Erigmore Holiday Park
• Davidson’s Chemist Dunkeld
• Inver Caravan Park
• Sports and Recreation Hub
March ‘Stick on the Fridge’
Local Organisations - Contact Details
Listing for local voluntary organisations are free however The Bridge welcomes donations to cover the cost of these listings. Please send donations to the Advertising Manager, John. B. Gray at Highfield, Brae Street, Dunkeld, PH8 0BA. Many thanks. Please contact the editor with amendments/additions.
Organsiations - General
Hall Bookings
Phone 01350+
3 Churches Charity Shop 07751 593421 Anne Graham
Alcoholics Anonymous (Helpline) 0800 917 7650
Chapter House Museum 727786 Ruth Brown (in Dunkeld Cathedral, open 7 days) archive@historicdunkeld.org.uk
D&B Paths and Nature Action Group stewartpritchard@aol.com
Dunkeld & Birnam Historical Society 07584 434253 Dave Roberts daveroberts132@btinternet.c.om
Dunkeld & Birnam in Bloom 07931 758456 Moira Forbes Forbes50@hotmail.co.uk
Nursery at Royal School of Dunkeld 01738 454470 Royal School of Dunkeld Sunday School – Church of Scotland 727249 Fraser Penny
For Younger People Girlguiding Dunkeld (Rainbows, 07770 324173 Trix Stephen Brownies, Guides, Rangers) (District Commissioner)
The Black Watch Army Cadets 07429 113439 2nd Lt Craig Ross 1989ros@armymail.mod.uk Youth Group (for P7s & 1st years, 727249 Fraser Penny Thurs 7 – 8.30pm)
BA = Birnam Arts Centre, DA = Duchess Anne Hall, The Cross, Dunkeld
March
2 Prayers for Help and Healing, 7 – 7:45pm Little Dunkeld Kirk
3 Repair Café Birnam Arts in the Arts Studio 3 - 6pm
3 Historical Society Talk Paul MacLennan: Dundonnachie ~ The Man Behind the Bridge Toll Riots Duchess Ann Hall 7:30 – 9:30pm £5
4 On-line meditation from Dalguise Meditation Group 6:30 – 8:30 margaret.q.lear@gmail.com
4 PH8 Caring Support Home Care Presentation 2-4pm Birnam Arts
4 Open Mic Night Tuesday, Songs, Poems, Tunes and Tales 7.30pm: Birnam Arts Café: Free 8-20 Exhibition: Stepping Into The Mythic: Claire Hewitt Opening 5pm-7pm Gallery Birnam Arts
8 The Atholl Cailleachs 7.30pm – 9.30pm /£8/£10/£12* Fiona Ritchie MBE presents a celebration for International Women’s Day through Song, Story, Music and Dance,
8 Repair Café workshop The Guide Hall 10 - 10.45 or 11.15 to 12.00 Handtool maintenance session dbrepaircafe@gmail.com
9 Birnam Library - The Next Chapter. Community Meeting Birnam Arts 3pm Everyone welcome
9 Film Club Past Lives 1h 45m Korea 2023 Birnam Arts
11 Dalguise Meditation 10:30 – 12:30 Dalguise Village Hall faithanstey@gmail.com
11 Kirk Session Meeting 7.30pm Duchess Anne.
11 Open Mic Night Tuesday, Songs, Poems, Tunes and Tales 7.30pm: Birnam Arts Café: Free
12 Film : Smoke Sauna Sisterhood: Doors 6pm / £16*/£8* Birnam Arts
12 Gardeners and Growers Meeting History of Dunkeld & Birnam Orchard and AGM Birnam Arts
14 Historical Talk Paul MacLennan: Dundonnachie ~ The Man Behind the Bridge Toll Riots 7:30 –9:30pm Duchess Anne Hall
16 Film Club The Outrun 1h 58m UK 2024 Birnam Arts
17 Scottish Wildlife Trust Pitlochry and Highland Perthshire branch. Talk by Dr John Holland, Upland Ecologist from Scotland’s Rural College (SRUC), 7.30pm - 8.30pm, The Tryst, Church of Scotland, Pitlochry, PH16 5EB. £3 for non-members, £2 for members. markandrosie@btinternet.com
18 Open Mic Night Tuesday, Songs, Poems, Tunes and Tales 7.30pm: Birnam Arts Café: Free
18 Claire Hewitt : Felt Your Own Story Pouch: 6.30pm-8.30pm Birnam Arts
19 Warm Spaces: Free Wednesday Film: Chicago 2pm / Lunch: 1pm (Free for the first 15 to arrive) Birnam Arts
21-23 Neil Gow Festival see nielgowfestival.co.uk for all event information
24 Art Club for Adults: Michael Fullerton 1.30pm-3.30pm: Studios £25* Birnam Arts
24 Ignacio Lopez: Comedy 8pm-10pm £20* Birnam Arts
25 Dalguise Meditation 10:30 – 12:30 Dalguise Village Hall faithanstey@gmail.com
28 Coffee Morning will be in aid of The Brain Tumour Charity. Duchess Ann Hall 10-12
29 Claire Hewitt Workshops : Storytelling Gathering: 11am-12pm From Heart Through To Hands 2pm-4pm
April
1 Minibus Outing for older community members to local place of interest 07729327729 or email dbdcdt@gmail.com
3 Birnam Arts AGM 7-8pm pm, followed by refreshments
5 Historical Society Talk Lesley Wilson: Local Stories from Local People Duchess Ann Hall 7:30 – 9:30pm £5
9 Gardeners and Growers Meeting John Mattingley Demonstration on growing Himalayan plants from seed.7pm Birnam Arts
11 Historical Talk Lesley Wilson: Local Stories from Local People 7:30 – 9:30pm Duchess Anne Hall
12 Royal School Of Dunkeld - School Reunion Tea (for pupils who attended 1940s, 50s & 60s)
15 Minibus Outing for older community members to local place of interest 07729327729 or email dbdcdt@gmail.com
18-21 National Trust for Scotland Easter Egg Trail in the Hermitage. https://www.eventbrite. co.uk/o/the-hermitage
25 Coffee Morning in aid of D&B in Bloom Duchess Anne Halls 10-12
