The Bridge May 2022 by dunkeldandbirnam

Local

Tickets are now on sale for the Birnam Book Festival!

Patron of the book festival, bestselling author, Fiona Valpy said: ‘We’re very excited to be back at Birnam Arts for live performances this May While we delivered online events during the pandemic, there’s nothing quite like having a live audience This year ’s programme is packed with great authors, panels and performances We’ve also put together free events for children, as we think it’s really important to get our young readers back to engaging and fun book events With our excellent schedule of events, we’re hoping to reignite the buzz of our previous festivals’ See p3 & p13 for more info

Buy your tickets now from www.birnamarts.com/bookFestival or call the box office on 01350 727674

Highland Perthshire Welcomes Ukraine

Are you interested in sponsoring or supporting Ukrainian refugees to find a safe and welcoming haven in our part of Highland Perthshire?

I attended a meeting with the Highland Perthshire Welcomes Ukraine Group in Pitlochry and am now trying to find out what interest there is in the Dunkeld area for supporting Ukrainian refugees in our community

If you think you could help in any way and would like to get involved please contact Iona Lancaster at: ionalancaster12@gmail com

Editorial 2

The Bridge

Edited by volunteers for the people of Dunkeld, Birnam and the surrounding villages since 1974

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Editor: Sally Robertson

E-mail: editor@dunkeldandbirnamnews co uk

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It’s exciting to be welcoming the return of a ‘live’ version of the Birnam Book Festival from 20th – 22nd May after two years of Lockdown Many thanks to the committee for putting together such a wonderful programme Please see page 3 and 13 for more information It is great to see that they have also been successful in getting sponsorship to make the children’s events free Taking down the cost barrier means any child can attend irrespective of available household income – which, let’s face it, is increasingly stretched for many families at present with the cost of living crisis

In his thought-provoking book ‘Poverty Safari’, Darren McGarvey gives compelling reasons as to why books and libraries are so important to communities He makes the point that where households are large, and space is limited libraries provide one of the few places of quiet in the midst of noise They also provide free access to the wonderful world of books We are privileged to have Birnam Library which is open on Thursday 5-7pm; Friday 12 – 5pm and Saturday 9:30 - midday Please try and pop in whenever you can to show your support for this vital community asset

Staying on the book theme please note that the Christian Aid book stall is back at the Duchess Anne on the 14th and 21st May Donations of books are always required They can be dropped off at the Duchess Anne on a Friday morning when it is open for the Meeting Place or left in the Nativity Scene Shed (in bags or boxes) and someone will take them into the hall You can then buy more books to fill the gap on your shelves created by your donations! See page 11 for more information

Like many of you, I’ve been waiting for an announcement from the Highland Games Committee as to whether the Games will run this year and I was delighted to hear that the answer is ‘yes’ See page 6 for more information However, they do need more volunteers and they are on the lookout for a Competition Secretary and Programme Editor Is this something you might be able to take on? If so, please drop Bob Lindsay a line

Last, and by no means least, many thanks to Iona Lancaster for offering to find out who in our community might be interested in supporting Ukrainian refugees to find a safe and welcoming haven in our part of Highland Perthshire Please see her message on the front page and if you think you might be able to help in any kind of way, great or small, please get in contact with her

Sally Robertson

Dunkeld Community Archive

WW1 PADRE’S NOTEBOOK LEADS TO UNKOWN SOLDIER BEING NAMED

In 2019 we investigated a small notebook, written by Rev Wilfred Callin, from our Scottish Horse collection This notebook contained a list of 93 Scottish Horse soldiers who lost their lives in France in October and November 1918 Next to each soldier was a trench map co-ordinate of where he was initially buried, before being exhumed and re-buried in the military cemeteries By looking at the Commonwealth War Graves Commission web site, we checked off each name who had a grave site listed

ONE of these soldiers only had a memorial !

We then got in touch with the War Graves Adjudicator at the National Army Museum They investigated, and gathered further information from exhumation and reburial papers and confirmed that plot III D 5 in Prospect Hill Cemetery, Gouy, France, which had been marked ‘UNKNOWN SOLDIER’ since 1919 (the date of reburial) was that of 2nd LIEUTENANT DAVID BELL of the 13th (Scottish Horse) Battalion Black Watch

In the Scottish Horse war diary on the 7th October 1918, the following was written:-

Masniere-Beaurevoir Line –

2 Officers and 40 Other Ranks sick to hospital 1 Other Rank rejoined Heavy shelling during the day Battalion was relieved in front line at 2300 hrs by 4th

K R R , the Company’s withdrawing to West side of wire and digging in about 100 yards West of sunken road ‘A’ Company extended its right to Guisancourt Farm – Gouy Road Battalion H Q remained in same position Officers casualties killed 2nd Lieutenant David Bell Wounded Lieutenant C Kinloch, 2nd Lieutenant W Forster, Lieutenant A G Heard (M O R C ) Latter remaining at duty Casualties Other Ranks killed 8, wounded 40 Lieutenant T H Buy appointed Acting Captain & Adjutant and takes over duties from today’s date

On 22nd March 2022 there was a ‘Service of Rededication’ held in Prospect Hill Cemetery, Gouy, France for 2nd Lieutenant David Bell The Ministry of Defence’s Joint Casualty and Compassionate Centre invited representatives from our Archive to attend Two of us from the Archive attended, thanks to the Basil D’Eath Trust’s kind offer to fund the trip to France

Prospect Hill Cemetery also contains the graves of 6 other Scottish Horse soldiers to whom we also paid our respects This story sends shivers up my spine every time I think about it It’s comforting to know that the MOD continue to work hard at identifying our fallen soldiers It also emphasises the importance of an Archive and how valuable the treasures within can be

Ruth Brown, Archives

Arts News 3

May is here!

As we move into our summer hours, open daily 10am – 4pm With our new café furniture and our new chef team creating tasty treats every day, why not pop into Birnam Arts for a coffee or bite to eat! There is also a new exhibition to enjoy – we look forward to seeing you soon –––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––

WHAT’S ON –PERFORMANCES & ACTIVITIES

ALBERT LEE – LEGENDARY GUITARIST & BAND

WED 11 MAY | 10am – 4pm

Tickets: £20 + booking fee

Double Grammy Award Winner Albert Lee is undoubtedly one of the finest guitarists the world has ever seen He was a member of The Everly Brothers Band, Emmylou Harris’s Hotband and Bill Wymans’ Rhythm Kings and toured extensively with them He also toured with his own band, Hogan’s Heroes for many years He has appeared and recorded with many of the finest artistes in the music industry, including

Edmunds, Dolly Parton, Bobby

Linda

Caps, Robert Wells and Earl

Join us for a night to be remembered!

Joan

EGG

SAT 14 MAY | 7.30Pm

Tickets: £14 + booking fee

Egg is a powerful and evocative aerial theatre production that offers a highly visual exploration of female fertility, sexuality, and choice

Weaving together personal testimony with live original music, the aerial artistry takes audiences on a deeply personal and political journey, following the true story of a woman who gave her eggs to a friend to have a child "A refreshingly honest, innovative, and truly thought-provoking hour " - Edinburgh Festivals Magazine 5 stars

LITTLE TOP

TUE 17 MAY |

1O.30 – 11.30am

Tickets: £10

Join us for a magical first circus experience for babies aged 0 -18 months and their adults Roll up for a gently thrilling performance which includes spectacular balances, astonishing tumbles, and inventive juggling Little Top will transport you to a playful, joyous, upside down, topsy-turvy world where people can fly, patterns fill the air, and anything is possible

BIRNAM BOOK FESTIVAL

FRI 20 – SUN 22 MAY |

From 6.30pm Friday

Tickets: Various

The Book Festival returns to Birnam Arts with a showcase of literature from Scotland and beyond The Festival is an inclusive event for all ages, where the audience can participate in workshops, lively discussions with authors, or just sit back and listen to inspiring speakers or enjoy great music with a literary theme With events suitable for the whole family, panel discussions, author presentations, creative workshops with Artist-in-Residence Kate Leiper, and the chance to enjoy a Cabaret evening that offers an extravaganza of poetry, spoken word, music, and performance

There is also a growing list of Fringe events, stretching the Book Festival back into the communities of Birnam and Dunkeld

Free Family Events at Birnam Book Festival

Birnam Book Festival is back in person at Birnam Arts from 20th-22nd May 2022

We’re especially excited to announce that all of our children and family events will be free

As it’s our first festival since lockdown we wanted it to be able to make sure as many children as possible can enjoy live book events once again, and experience the buzz of a book festival in their community We’re able to offer free (£1 booking fee per ticket) family events thanks to funding from the Perth &Kinross Council Community Investment Fund

There will be readings from authors, art workshops, illustrators and other activities planned especially for our young readers

Some family highlights are:

James Robertson & Kate Leiper ‘Book of the Howlat’ ‘How to Draw A Dragon’ workshop with Kate Leiper

Nicola Wright ‘James Croll: Climate Pioneer ’

Molly Arbuthnott ‘David the Pizzly Bear ’

Bold & Brilliant Women of Dunkeld & Birnam

Our first Illustrator in Residence, Kate Leiper will be appearing throughout the festival, with workshops for children and adults alike

Kate says ‘I’m really excited to be Birnam Book Festival’s first illustrator in Residence When I’m not in the studio, I love getting out and about to meet fellow book readers and illustrators of all ages Combining this with the chance to spend time in the beautiful surroundings of the Birnam Book Festival felt like a perfect fit

We have some great ideas for the festival to get people excited about books and illustrations I’m looking forward to meeting you!”

The full programme is now available at www birnambookfestival co uk You can buy tickets online or by calling the Birnam Arts box office on 01350 727 674 Mon-Fri 10am-5pm

Keep up to date with our line-up announcements @birnambookfest on Twitter, Instagram or Facebook

JENNY STURGEON – THE LIVING MOUNTAIN

SUN 22 MAY | 7 30pm

Tickets: £15 + booking fee

The Living Mountain is an evocative, uplifting, and compelling audio-visual performance inspired by the celebrated book of the same name, written by Aberdonian Nan Shepherd in the 1940s and still hugely relevant today

Devised and performed live by musician Jenny Sturgeon, The Living Mountain considers human connections with wild places through lyrical and melodic interpretation of the novel, and interweaves song with visuals from the Cairngorm Mountains National Park; filmed by videographer Robyn Spice, rewilding advocacy group Scotland:The Big Picture, and with archive imagery from the National Library of Scotland

“Sturgeon is a wonderful singer who can change the atmosphere in the room with her affecting delivery” (Boo Hewerdine)

IN THE GALLERY:

6 MAY - 26 JUN | 10am – 4pm

Pockets of Experience

Ciara Gibson | Artist in Residence '22

Pockets of Experience is a playful exploration that seeks to identify the moments, connections and memories that have created a sense of entanglement with the landscape and natural world

Join us in the Gallery to see the work that unfolded throughout Ciara's studio-access residency, as well as Meet the Artist sessions, an artist talk and celebratory gathering to discuss and discover the processes behind the installation

Ciara is also planning a few other events through her exhibition time, including a Gathering on SAT 14 MAY, an in-person In Conversation With on TUE 31 MAY, and some Meet the Artist Sessions More details at birnamarts com/Exhibition-Gallery –––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––

CLASSES:

CREATIVE KIDS with Helen O'Brien

THU 3.45pm - 5.30pm – £12 per child

Fun and creative, learner led workshops delivered by professional artists and educators Contact creativecatscot@gmail com for more information

KIDS MUSICAL THEATRE

Thu 4.30 – 5.15pm Age 5 – 8 years

Thu 5.30 – 6.30pm Age 9 – 12 years

£42 per child for the series

Join us again for another series of classes packed full of challenging exercises specially designed to boost selfesteem, confidence, and creativity within your child

EXPLORE THE NATURE OF CLAY

Ceramicist Anna Olson is getting ready to lead her new multi-week course Through the sessions you’ll create expressive ceramics with minimal impact on the environment, looking at the process from scratch to methods of building form and creating texture Tools and Materials will be provided Keep an eye out for Anna’s new course, with more information available on our website: birnamarts com

GUITAR FOR BEGINNERS – ADULT AND KID’S CLASSES

Are you ready to start a guitar journey? Malcolm Devenny – with more than 10 years teaching experience – will give you the guidance to learn basic skills, essential open chords, strumming patterns, and loads of great songs This will be a fun and friendly group for beginners with a max of 5 participants Please contact Steph at arts@birnamarts com for more info on both adult and kid’s classes

REGULAR CLASSES

As well as these special events, our ballet classes, tai chi, yoga, Heels Over Head dance, and Pilates sessions will continue through March, with new terms being planned to work around the Easter break You’ll find the latest information about what’s on, times and costs on our website: birnamarts com

Glen Campbell, Dave

Bare,

Armatrading, Ricky Scaggs, Joe Cocker, Willie Nelson,

Ronstadt, Rodney Crowell, Vince Gill, Travis Tritt, The Blue

Scruggs

Arts News continued 4

VOLUNTEER WITH US

GIFT SHOP & BEATRIX POTTER VOLUNTEERS

From welcoming visitors to the Beatrix Potter area to taking sales in the Shop, can you help us in this busy and much-loved part of the venue? Get in touch today with Gift Shop Manager, Rachael Livingstone at rachael@birnamarts com to learn more

POSTER DISTRIBUTION VOLUNTEERS

With a vibrant programme of events, workshops, and classes, we need some help to get the word out Get in touch with Steph Hand at arts@birnamarts com or come in when we are open and have a chat

We are delighted to have returned to our summer hours and we’re open daily from 10am to 4pm, with the Gift Shop and Beatrix Potter open 10:30am to 3:30pm The Box Office is open 10am to 5pm Monday to Friday

We look forward to welcoming you to Birnam Arts For more information and tickets are available through our website – www birnamarts com –––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––

Dunkeld Cathedral Art Exhibition

Artists, old and new are already beginning to register for our 2022 Exhibition Registration opened on 1st May and will be open until we reach our capacity - as we

are once again in the lower hall, we will have to restrict the number of artists However, we can still cater for around 100 artists, so look forward to welcoming our invited artists along with some new names and our old - long time favourites The Exhibition will run from 4th August - 1st September with a Preview Afternoon on Sunday 31st July Further information from DunkeldArt @aol com

Community News continued

Dunkeld Community Archive

As always, there are lots of amazing projects on the go in the Archive including the continued transcription of the Scottish Horse records, digitisation of our local collection of photographs and documents, research into the many stories about Dunkeld’s past to create content for our digital screens, local and Scottish Horse research requests, organising our forthcoming events and much more Over the last couple of years we have changed what we have to offer in the Archive itself We not only welcome local people in to research their families, houses and ancestors who served with the Scottish Horse, but also visitors to the area Since the closure of our Tourist Office we have been happy to give visitors to the area information about ‘What’s on’, ‘Directions’, ‘Advice & local knowledge’ and maps & guides We also offer unique souvenirs from Dunkeld We also love to share the vast history of Dunkeld with visitors and our digital screens have enabled us to do just that by being able to cram a huge amount of information into a very small space (courtesy of the generous funding from The SSE/Griffin Windfarm)

An exciting new project for us is the potential small extension to our existing building Because we have so many people now coming into and working in the archive, we are literally ‘bulging at the seams’ and have actually run out of storage space We are hoping to gain planning permission to build an extension at the rear of the building This new room will house a locked and completely fire and waterproof archival storage room complete with humidity control to protect our collections to the highest standard This will enable us to open up the public room to create an area for research alone, with computers available to allow the public to search our databases themselves We also intend to use this space for a monthly ‘Family Research Club’ The added space will also enable us to install more ‘comfy’ seating so visitors can sit and look through the huge collection of photographs and newspaper cuttings at their leisure We also plan to have a weekly ‘drop in’ (with cup of tea and biscuit break) for locals to help us identify faces in both film and photographs

We will be holding an ‘open day’ on Wednesday 11th May from 10am to 7pm for anyone wishing to speak to us about the project There will be plans on display so you can see exactly what we would like to create These plans will also be displayed in our rear window for anyone who cannot attend the open day

We are a charity, mainly run by volunteers, so we rely on funding and donations to ensure that the Archive collections are properly cared for and remain in Dunkeld

Forthcoming Events:

Friday 20th and Saturday 21st May (Free entry) –For the Birnam Book festival we will have an exhibition about the Newfoundland Forestry Corps and their huge connection to this area, especially around Craigvinean A book written by Ursula A Kelly called ‘The Foresters Scribe’ will be available and a talk about the research to produce this book will be held at 1pm on the Saturday in the Archive

The Foresters' Scribe is the first comprehensive study of the Newfoundland Forestry Companies (NFC) of the

First World War It adds a long-overdue and essential chapter to the Great War history of Newfoundland and Labrador

Over a century has gone by since the NFC was formed in 1917, yet little is known of this small unit of the Royal Newfoundland Regiment Its members were men recruited for woods work in the United Kingdom Their assignment: to cut and mill Scottish timber to supply wood for the war Jubilee Event (Combination of Free & Ticketed events) - Plans are coming together for our Platinum Jubilee Celebration & Living History weekend on the 4th and 5th June 2022 The following is the line-up so far, but we would be delighted to hear from anyone in the Community who would like to add something, or publicise their event to help make the weekend something to remember The National Trust for Scotland have very kindly allowed us to use Stanley Hill park for our event

Saturday 4th June

15am Parade across the Bridge and into Stanley Hill Park by the Scottish and North Irish Yeomanry including ‘C’ & ‘E’ Squadrons, their Pipe Band, Horses and ‘Jackals’ They will be joined by our very own young Cadet force along with the ‘Scots at War ’ , ‘Great War Society’ & ‘Erskine Regiment’ re-enactment groups

Stanley Hill Park will be open to the public all day where there will be camps set up showing what it was like for the soldiers during the Battle of Dunkeld in 1689, the Boer War, and both World Wars There will also be a Medics tent showing the difference between treatments in WW1 & today The Fire Department will be joining us to show ‘old & new’ equipment There will be an arena hosting a program of events throughout the day including

a Musket Display, Pipes & Drums and Battle reenactments We are also welcoming Vikings from York who will host a ‘War Game’ in the Duchess Anne Tickets will be made available for folk who would like to join them in a battle (Dunkeld was ‘sacked’ by Danes in 904) Craig Herbertson (singer/songwriter) will be performing throughout the day in the park

At 7pm the Birnam Arts will host a play, written and performed by the Birnam Institute Players, about Beatrix Potter Tickets will be on sale soon through Birnam Arts Sunday 5th June

Most of the active Army will retreat, but everyone else will remain to entertain you throughout the day in Stanley Hill park

At 4 30pm Dunkeld Cathedral will host a narrated story of the church, with music from the Scottish Plainsong Choir, the Capella Nova Choir and our very own Handbell Ringers Tickets will be available soon through Birnam Arts

At 7 30pm Birnam Arts will host a narrated story of Niel Gow with music from Pete Clark and Jamie Jauncey Again, tickets will be available through Birnam Arts The Community Archive will be open throughout the weekend with an exhibition about ‘Royals visiting Dunkeld’, including photographs from Queen Victoria’s Jubilee celebrations in Stanley Hill park in 1897 and a home-made banner from this jubilee celebration which went on to be ‘re-cycled’ and used at King Edward VII’s Coronation in 1902 archives@historicdunkeld org uk 01350 727786

12 The Cross, Dunkeld, PH8 0AN

Three Churches

Charity Shop

High Street Dunkeld

Opening hours: Tuesday to Saturday 10-4

Donations welcome during opening hours

Can you spare 3 hours a month to help in our shop?

Call in for a chat or contact:

Anne Graham: 07751 593421

Mara Maggio 01350 727585

Dianne Simpson 07796 920018

Marion Eglinton 07740 877504

Find us on Facebook at 3 Churches Charity Shop

Sports, Health and Wellbeing 5

AIMS:

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 '

For more details see: www dunkeldandbirnamnews co uk/sport ––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––

Boost For Dunkeld Sports Facility In Memory Of Robbie Melvin

A grant of £30,000 has been made by the Dunkeld and Birnam District Leisure Group towards a local covered Multi Use Games Area (MUGA) project

A significant proportion of this was raised in memory of Robbie Melvin, a pupil at the Royal School of Dunkeld who died in a tragic road accident in 2005, by Robbie's mum Kate Brooks and many friends

Kate presented the cheque on behalf of the Leisure Group at a ceremony at the Dunkeld and Birnam Sports and Leisure Hub where the MUGA project is underway, and said:

“It was a very emotional but very proud day to be finally handing over a cheque

Although it has taken a long time I would like to thank the members of the Leisure Group, particularly Kevin Lancaster, Alasdair Wylie and Margaret Scott who have never given up hope of achieving this and constantly kept me updated on progress But mostly I would like to thank everyone who donated to Robbie’s fund, from a large cheque from JK Rowling to Robbie’s friends who donated their £1 pocket money The fundraising got me through a very difficult time and I cannot thank everyone enough for all the kindness and support ”

Since 2015 an annual Robbie’s fund grant has also been made to the Royal School of Dunkeld for sports equipment, and a “good citizenship” cup awarded to a pupil in his memory

The covered MUGA plus associated car park and electrical infrastructure upgrade work is the first stage of an agreed Masterplan which includes an indoor sports facility - for which the Leisure Group has worked since 1995 - and upgrading of the Hub's club house

In addition to the money from the Leisure Group, the Covered MUGA is being funded by the SSE Griffin Calliachar Community Fund, the Gannochy Trust, Sports Scotland, local landowners and other local people

Accepting the cheque, Stuart Paton, Chair of the Hub said: “We are very pleased to receive the extremely generous donation from the Leisure Group, and in particular to receive the cheque from Kate Brooks in person We realise this involved a huge fundraising effort by Kate and many people in the local community We hope that the Covered MUGA facility will be

used by the many children and young people in the local area who love taking part in sport as Robbie did”

Kevin Lancaster, Chair of the Leisure Group, said “I am delighted that the community is now going to see the benefit of the many years of hard work by the many people who have worked towards achieving improved local recreational facilities We look forward to continuing to work with the Sports and Leisure Hub” –––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––

The Duchess Has Arrived!

Thanks to the funding we have received from The Gannochy Trust and the SSE Griffin and Calliachar Fund we have now been able to buy a trishaw for our community and she has been named “The Duchess”

Cycling Without Age Scotland is a movement that started in Denmark in 2012 It is a way of helping the elderly and less mobile enjoy the pleasures of cycling with the help of a trishaw and its “pilot” Cycling Without Age Scotland now generates “miles of smiles” in every part of Scotland and its reach and impact is growing every day, enriching and enhancing lives, unlocking doors, enabling people to once again be an active part of their community We are now lucky enough to have our own trishaw in our community Watch out for the bike and its passengers cycling around locally!

We are going to “launch” the Trishaw at 11am on Friday 13th May at the Duchess Anne - please come along and celebrate this great addition to the community and raise a glass to “The Duchess”

Several volunteers are going through their training at the moment to become “pilots” on the power-assisted trishaw, and if this is something you might like to do, please get in touch with Ken or Graham The team also need volunteer(s) to act as trishaw support That involves taking bookings from passengers and arranging for a pilot to take them out It’s a great opportunity to be involved as a volunteer without having to turn the pedals! This is such a really worthwhile venture, so if you would like to help in any way please do get in touch with us

Ken McLean: 07850 883557 – kenmclean@btinternet com or Graham Rees: 07836 777850 – shoetrees@btinternet com

More information about the trishaw can be found at: www cyclingwithoutage scot

Gentle ‘Move

and Stretch’ class in the Guide Hall....starting Wednesday 11 May

If you'd like to get a bit more active but an exercise class is not for you, then you might enjoy the gentle ‘move and stretch’ class starting in Birnam Guide Hall on Wednesdays from 2- 3pm The class will be mostly chair based (no getting up and down from the floor!) and is aimed at people over 60 who want to maintain and improve their health and mobilty The sessions will be led by Sue Atkinson who is an experienced movement teacher Sue will make sure the class is safe and enjoyable for everyone

Get in touch with Sue if you would like to come along or if you have any questions

Tel/text: 07858 817915 Email: atkinsue93@yahoo co uk

Connect

Linking Asheville, North Carolina, USA and Dunkeld & Birnam

Dunkeld and Birnam were delighted to welcome Jessica Coffield, the new President of Asheville Sister Cities, on a visit in April

Jessica is responsible for nurturing and promoting relationships with all seven of Asheville's connected communities in Scotland, Greece, Nigeria, Mexico (2 cities), Russia, and France She and husband Ryan are great ambassadors for our twinning project and they are already planning to return for a longer visit

For more information: https://ashevillesistercities org/

Greetings from Dunkeld and Birnam, Scotland

My husband and I just visited Dunkeld and Birnam on April 14th and 15th and had the most hospitable reception! From the breathtaking views not all that dissimilar from our own Blue Ridge Mountains to the warm and inviting words and actions of our sister city's citizens we couldn't have felt more at home We were given a private tour of Murthly Castle and Estate from Thomas Steuart Fothringham James Irvine (Manager) led me on a tour of Birnam Arts Center and demonstrated the newly renovated lighting system that ASCI was able to help fund Ruth Brown (Manager) spent time explaining the collection at the Community

Archive along with the resourceful and prosperous young adult work-study program Simon Yearsley, Proprietor of The Scottish Deli, hosted myself, Ryan, Fiona and Alasdair for a tapas and wine dinner and we wrapped up the night with fiddler, James, adding Asheville to his fiddle case sticker collection at the Royal Hotel's traditional music session! I could not have been more honored and excited to share the story of our twinned cities with anyone I met while visiting various shops and restaurants I hope everyone has the opportunity to visit this lovely community along the River Tay ~ Jessica Coffield, ASCI President

Community News continued

Junctions Action Group Junctions update

Local people continue to be concerned about the lack of any further improvements planned for the Birnam, Dunkeld, Hermitage and Dalguise junctions We, the Junction Action Group, are focussed on making Transport Scotland and the Scottish Government, as concerned as we are about the dangers of these junctions in their current configurations We would welcome any ideas you have for action and please contact: pammgreen@btinternet com

Over the winter Transport Scotland have completed work to resurface, re-mark and install illuminated bollards and cat eyes at Dunkeld junction, as well as re-marking and installing illuminated bollards and cat eyes at Bankfoot/Birnam junction, and installing illuminated bollards at the other junctions

However, significant concerns remain about the safety of the junctions, especially as we are now entering the busy tourist season These junctions are the first junctions that most drivers will come across on the A9 northbound, often after driving substantial distances on dual carriageways or motorways

On the 6th March, the Junction Action Group, and the Community Council jointly wrote to our local MSP, John Swinney, and Jenny Gilruth, the new Transport Minister asking for a number of further improvements to the

junction whilst we wait for the proposed dualling of the A9 through this section It appears that this is unlikely to start within the next five years and could be 10 years before it is completed

Amongst other suggestions we put forward were; a temporary roundabout at Dunkeld, a 40 mph speed limit through the single carriageway section (the example at Laurencekirk on the dualled A90 is a good one), lighting of the junctions (similar to the Auchterader junction on the A9), much improved signage warning of the end of the dual carriageway and fixed cameras at each junction

We have also repeatedly made clear to Transport Scotland that we would also welcome any suggestions they may have on improving the safety of these junctions We also continue to seek clarification from them on the likely timescales for the dualling work that is planned

We received a reply on 4th April from Transport Scotland, which was long and detailed We were pleased that they confirmed that the signage at the end of the dual carriageway at the Pass of Birnam is programmed to be renewed and enhanced to highlight more clearly the change from dual to single carriageway This is expected to be completed by the end of April However, we will continue to monitor this and keep pressure on, as we believe this is a key action to improve safety

Disappointingly however, the response did not include any commitments to any of the other improvements we have suggested and no indication about when or if decisions are going to be made about the dualling of this section, apart from the anticipation that a preferred route will be announced later this year

All this is very disappointing and frustrating for local people who are worried about the safety of these junctions For example, there have been two more recent accidents On 1st March at the Birnam/Bankfoot Junction an accident occurred involving three cars and the police and ambulance service attended There was also a further incident on Sunday 10th April involving four cars and the A9 was closed for a period in both directions If anyone has any information on these accidents or other accidents please could you let us know on the email above,

In light of the disappointing response of Transport Scotland and the Scottish Government to our suggestions to date, the question is where do we go from here to ensure they act to minimise the risks at these junctions One possibility is for us as a group to commission an independent safety audit of the junctions in order to verify our concerns There is also an increasing feeling that we need to put further pressure on local and national politicians We would welcome any thoughts you may have before there are further accidents or even fatalities at these junctions

Birnam Highland Games

After an unfortunate absence of 2 years, the Birnam Highland Games committee are delighted to announce the return of the games in 2022 Following the committee AGM it was decided that, in light of lifting the remaining restrictions, we could hold the games this year so mark Saturday 27th August in your calendars and we look forward to seeing everyone again

However, we do need to fill a couple of committee positions to ensure the smooth running of the games Full assistance and guidance will be available to anyone interested and the current unfulfilled positions are;

A Competition Secretary B Programme Editor

If you would like to get involved with the Games and in particular filling either of these positions please get in touch with Bob Lindsay by email: blindsaydunkeld@btinternet com

Many thanks Duncan Sim Chairman Birnam Highland Games

Three Churches in the Community

Thought for the Month

Thomas said to them, “Unless I see the mark of the nails in his hands, and put my finger in the mark of the nails and my hand in his side, I will not believe ” The voice of love

The Easter season is upon us ‘Hallelujah’ and most of us have decided to emerge from our caves of supposed safety into the big wide world, or Birnam and Dunkeld which ever suits I don’t know about you but I am quite blinded by the light; the light of lifted or partly lifted restrictions and rules, I want to put on spectacles that enable me to see through the blinding maze of knowledge about how to live with the presence of Covid How to deal with war in Europe, how to listen to the world news without wanting to put ear defenders on so that I can say to people, ‘yes, I heard it, how awful’, but actually I really want the nicer, muffled, kinder on the emotions, sort of news

I am having a little struggle believing that I can now walk into a space without a mask, and I do a new little dance that is; hand to mask ready to remove it, and then not removing it as that particular space hasn’t got the same masks rule, so the hand comes down, and the action repeats just to make certain that I am making the correct decision I’ve called it ‘The highland fling of the mask’

And so I need to be like Thomas for a while, that most loyal but reluctant disciple who could only take fact as proof that what he had longed for, waited for, had actually happened It took Jesus’ voice of love and His wounds to reveal that the world Thomas inhabited had changed beyond doubt, and that change meant him and all others were free from the fear of sin, loneliness, and mortality Life itself had taken on a voice of love, it was ‘resurrection’

We don’t have Jesus to stand before us with proof that all will be well, that humans won’t be made extinct by a tiny virus, or that a despot won’t push the red button marked ‘World War 3’ or that we are worthy of being loved; However, what we do have are myriads of signs that life will keep going, and it is good The bees in my wall are making their tiny pots of honey again, the birds are waking me at 4 am with their LOUD but lovely songs, the days are longer, and the flowers are once again colourfully appearing from the cold earth Holidays are being booked and taken, families are meeting, and tourists are back! Songs of joy and words of love are being said and sung in our faith places, chocolate eggs are being consumed, the river Tay is still flowing, the children are still laughing, parents are still tired, and work is still happening That wonder of the changing seasons is for me the eternal voice of love and a big sign that God is love itself “All shall be well, and all shall be well, and all manner of things shall be well ” Julian of Norwich

Lesley-ann

Craddock Priest in Charge of St Mary’s Birnam and Dunkeld

Kirk Session

For about a year now, the Kirk Session has been engaged in a Forward Planning process to prepare a kind of route map for what we might do and how we do it in the next few years

It began with a small ‘core group’ who road tested the process before the whole Session went through it All in all nearly 150 ideas were offered, which is exciting and encouraging From that, a survey for the congregation was created and priorities identified The final report is now being finalised and it is planned to present it within the congregation on May 15th The next regular meeting of the Kirk Session is on May 3rd at 7 30pm

Online Services

Online worship continues and can be accessed on our YouTube channel ‘Dunkeld Cathedral online ’

A huge thank you is due to a fantastic team of people who put in a lot of work to produce the end results To take this ministry forward, the Kirk Session has recently employed Karen Kelman, initially until the end of this year, to be our online producer/coordinator

Church of Scotland Services

May 1st 11am – Morning Service in the Cathedral

May 8th 11am – Morning Service in the Cathedral

Including the presentation of long-service certificates to three of our elders and recognition of the service given by two of our choir members who have decided to retire

May 15th 11am – Morning Service in the Cathedral

2 15pm – Service at Amulree Kirk

May 22nd 11am – Morning Service in the Cathedral

May 29th 11am – Morning Service in the Cathedral

June 5th 11am – Morning Service in the Cathedral Sacrament of Communion

Tea and coffee are served after the morning service each week The Kirk Session has decided that, for the time being, this will be in the Duchess Anne as that is a bigger space for the numbers who attend

As everyone will be aware, masks are no longer required, by law, in public places such as churches but obviously, it is up to everyone to make their own decision and quite a number of people feel more comfortable wearing one

The Meeting Place

We are open on Fridays from 10 - 12 for a tea/coffee and some homebaking along with a chat and catch up with friends old and new

It has been good to get back out into the community and have a place to drop into - no need to wonder who will be there - everyone is very welcome

The Coffee Morning on Friday 13th May will be in aid of Christian Aid - no charge, just a donation - hope to see you there

Fellowship Group

An Ecumenical Fellowship group meets fortnightly on Tuesdays at 7pm At the moment the meetings will be hybrid, so those who want to can meet in the Chanonry in person but there will also be an option to join by zoom The contact codes will be sent out each week by email but if you would like to join that way, please get in touch with either Fraser Penny, or John Ferguson (727585)

We have just recently finished a series of studies on 1 Corinthians and a new theme will be starting on Tuesday May 3rd Other dates this month will be the 17th and 31st

Thursday Youth Group

A group meets in the Duchess Anne on every Thursday between 7 and 8 30, once again meeting in person From the start of the summer term, after Easter, people from P6, P7 and S1 (or the equivalent in any school) are welcome to join Games, sports, refreshments, reflection time and a chance to get together with friends and more Entry is £1 per session

For more information, please contact William Hogg (727053) or Fraser Penny (727249)

Men's Breakfast

The sizzle of sausages and the smell of bacon rolls once again emanates from the Chanonry fortnightly on Wednesday mornings The Men’s Breakfast starts at 9am and will be meeting on May 4th 18th and June 1st

If you would like more details please contact Peter Mackie at Petermackie46@gmail com

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

When money affects Mental Health

This May, we want to share some tips for looking after your mental health if you’re under pressure with money Don’t ignore your feelings Stress and anxiety, for example, are your body’s way of responding to pressure and they can sometimes be good things, as they alert you that you’re reaching your emotional limit Ignore the warning and you’re likely to feel more and more anxious and irritable Your mood, self-esteem, relationships and physical health may all be impacted Mind, the mental health charity, can help you understand what you’re feeling and how to deal with it in a healthy way Visit mind org uk

Talk to someone This might be a friend or family member you trust, or a helpline They may be able to point you in the direction of the support you need, or simply be a listening ear to allow you to release the burden you’ve been carrying You can contact Samaritans about anything that’s getting you down by calling 116 123 or emailing jo@samaritans org If you’re supporting someone who is experiencing a mental health problem and you need to talk, you can call SANEline on 0300 304 7000 from 4:30pm to 10:30pm daily If neither of these work for you, there are lots of other helplines and resources that can be found online with a quick search You don’t have to suffer in silence Split up big tasks If a task seems overwhelming and you don’t know where to start, break it down into easily achievable chunks, and give yourself credit for completing each one For example, if you want to put together a budget, your first step might be to simply make a list of the different things you spend money on each month There’s more advice on budget planning at moneyhelper org uk

Make space for positivity Whether you’re experiencing money worries or not, this is something we can all benefit from practising It’s not about pretending that everything in your life is great, but taking the time to reflect on the good parts Every night before you go to bed, get into the habit of writing down one thing that went well that day or something you’re grateful for Don’t wait to seek help Sadly, a quarter of CAP clients wait three years or more before seeking debt help, all the while facing mounting pressure on their mental health There are several excellent organisations out there who provide free debt help, including CAP (capuk org), StepChange (stepchange org) and Citizens Advice (citizensadvice org uk) If you’re not ready to talk about it just yet, there are helpful resources available online to help take the pressure off, like moneyhelper org uk and moneysavingexpert com

Christians Against Poverty (CAP) is a UK charity working with over 580 churches to deliver debt help, budgeting guidance, support to find work, life skills groups and more Visit capuk org to find out more

Three Churches in the Community Church Services and Contacts:

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 Servite

There is a Communion Service in the lounge at Servite at 3pm on the first Sundays of March, June, September and December

St Mary’s Episcopal Church Service Time: 10am

Said Eucharist (communion) every Sunday Beautiful organ music instead of hymns for the duration of the virus

Brilliant sermons too!

All are welcome in this space https://www stmarysbirnam org uk/

Contact Details:

Church of Scotland:

Congregational Office Bearers:

Minister: Rev. R.Fraser Penny,B.A. B.D., Cathedral Manse, Dunkeld, PH8 0AW Tel: 01350 727249

e-mail: r fraserpenny@gmail com

Session Clerk: Mrs C McNicoll Tel: 01350 727500

e-mail: mcnicoll431@btinternet com

Treasurer: Mr. John Gray

Highfield, Brae Stret, Dunkeld, PH8 0BA

Tel: 01350 728697

e-mail: gray john17@sky com

Covenant Officer: Mrs Ann Bryce

Tomnagrew House, Dunkeld PH80BX Tel: 01350 723228

e-mail: j bryce@farmline com

Organist & Choir Leader: Mrs Hazel Murch

Tel: 07867 642954

e-mail: hazel murch@gmail com

Parish Office: Mrs Jill McCrory

The Chanonry, 07808 703641

email: chanonrydunkeld@gmail com www dunkeldcathedral org uk

St Mary’s Episcopal Church, Birnam

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 LochNess 01456486663

Treasurer:

Penny MacGregor and Charles Cox

Vestry Secretary:

Adrian Freer

Tel: 01821 650536

email: adrianfreer@btinternet com

Organist :

John Walker B Mus, FRCO, LRAM, ARCM

Tel: 01350 727755

(www stmarysbirnam org uk)

St Columba’s

Roman Catholic Church

Catholic Church Priest:

Fr Emmanuel Adindu MSP

Tel: 01796 472174

e-mail: stbridespitlochry@dunkelddiocese org uk

St Bride’s Catholic Church

Rie-Achan Road, Pitlochry PH16 5AL

Our Lady of Mercy’s, Home Street, Aberfeldy, PH15 2AL

We celebrate the presence of the Risen Lord amongst us during these Masses:

St Columba’s Birnam, Saturday Vigil Mass at 6 00 pm

Our Lady of Mercy, Aberfeldy, Sunday at 9 30

St Bride’s, Pitlochry at 11 30 pm

Holy Days of Obligation: Mass Times

St Columba’s Birnam, at 9 30 am

Our Lady of Mercy, Aberfeldy at 12 30 pm

St Bride’s, Pitlochry at 6 00 pm

Weekday Masses:

Our Lady of Mercy, Aberfeldy, Tuesdays at 9 30 pm

St Bride’s, Pitlochry, Wednesdays, Thursdays and Fridays at 9 30 am

Lent and Easter

During Lent Stations of the Cross will be observed as follows:

Our Lady of Mercy, Aberfeldy, after the Tuesday Mass

St Bride’s, Pitlochry after the Friday Mass

St Columba’s Birnam, before the 6 00 Saturday Vigil Mass

Christian Aid Week –15th. – 21st. May

Like everything else, the usually Christian Aid activities have been curtailed by Covid However, the problems of poverty have not ended and in fact, have been aggravated by the pandemic The local group is planning a couple of fund-raisers this year

The annual second hand-book sale on Saturdays 14th & 21st May Donations of books are always required and they can be dropped off at the Duchess Anne on a Friday morning when it is open for the Meeting Place, or left in the shed which was the Nativity Scene (in bags or boxes) and someone will take them into the hall Then you can buy more books to fill the gap on your shelves!

Money raised from The Meeting Place on May 14th will be for Christian Aid

Christian Aid supports projects of many kinds to help people of all faiths and none Please give generously to support the world’s poorest communities

Good Friday

On Good Friday I woke up with the need to carry the cross all around Birnam and Dunkeld, it was a heavy load to bear, only a quarter sized and pine cross unlike the one our LORD would have carried

The amazement and joy from all I encountered was more than I expected No one turned away and many have said that they will join me for a walk of witness next Good Friday It is so good to be able to do interesting things again Luckily I had Arnica for my bruised shoulders!

Lesley-ann Craddock, Priest in Charge of St Mary’s Birnam and Dunkeld

Community Noticeboard 12

Clunie Hall Table Top Sale

on May 21, 10am-1pm

Bakes, preserves, plants, crafts, bric-a-brac, you name its, we shall probably have it! All to the orchestrated background of yummy authentic VINTAGE TEAS as organised by local supporters, all dressed for the part For details and to book a table, email: Clunie Hall@gmail com

Jack McNeill

Jack McNeill would like to thank all Perth road and beyond residents, especially Fiona Ritchie who organised a surprise 90th birthday party in Torwood Park on Saturday 23rd April

I was taken completely by surprise and overcome with the welcome from the large turn out Thanks also to Ruby and Dougie for music and dancing display plus all who provided refreshments and decorated the area It is an honour to have the privilege of living in this community

My heartfelt thanks to all who made my birthday so memorable

Support Choices

Support Choices were very grateful to receive a donation of £150 from our local Coop in Dunkeld This will help us to continuing providing free independent support and advice to people and families across Perth and Kinross Support Choices are an organisation that help people all the way through the journey of getting the support and care they need We can help with the application and assessment for funding, understanding SelfDirected Support (SDS), hiring personal assistants, organising group support and so much more! This money from the Co-op really will help people all around Perthshire to live happy healthy lives

For more information about what we do and how we can help, visit: http://www supportchoices co uk

Doctors Surgery

Our Doctors Surgery will be open as normal with telephone consultations with the GP in the first instance

To help keep our phone lines available for the GPs use, please consider using our online prescription service via our website rather than phoning in your requests

Please consult our website for updates on our COVID vaccine clinics

See page 7 for all the latest Doctors Surgery News

Dalguise Meditation Group

Everyone is welcome who would like to learn to meditate, to consolidate a meditation practice they already have, or simply to join our friendly group for a period of quiet contemplation and thoughtful discussion We are non-religious, and non-commercial (i e there is no charge –plus free tea, coffee and biscuits too!) for further information contact: faithanstey@gmail com

Bir nam Library

Opening hours: Thursday: 5pm – 7pm Friday: 12pm – 5pm Saturday: 9 30am – 12pm 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/

RBS mobile bank visits Dunkeld and Birnam. Thursdays: Dunkeld, The Cross 14.50 pm to 15.20 pm and Birnam, Post Office 15.25 pm to 15.45 pm

•

• Laundry

• Equine Rug Wash & Pet Beds

• Holiday Cover Cleaning Service

• Self Catering, Holiday Homes, Private Homes & Small Businesses Any questions or to discuss individual or business requirements, please contact: Kelly or Rosanagh on mob: 07871 695461 email: dunbraantaylaundry@yahoo com Facebook: @dunbraantaylaundry Opening times: Tuesday - Friday 9am to 1pm Perth Road, Birnam PH8 0BH (behind the post office)

Notes from a Councillor 15

As it is an election month, as is the tradition, The Bridge will not carry a councillors column this month. Instead we ask everyone to please remember to vote on May 5th

On behalf of the Community of Dunkeld and Birnam we would like to thank all of our three councillors, Anne Jarvis, Grant Laing and Ian James for all the work they have undertaken on our behalf over the past years

07875 762498

Cath’s Dog Walking

Dog Walking and sitting Service in Murthly, Bankfoot and Dunkeld area

Either group or solo walks daily as well as dog sitting

Prices:

£10 per hour weekdays and £12 per hour weekends

Available 7am until late each day

I am insured, hold Canine First Aid Level 4 and current PVG Clearance

Email:cathhendry@icloud com Telephone: 07934217252

Mon-Fri 8 00am to 5 00pm Sat 10 00am to 11 00am

Struan, Coulterenny, Cairneyhill, Bankfoot, Perth. PH1 4AQ

Email: admin@potterplumbing co uk

JD Cox Plant Hire

Mobile: 07836 615626

Email: diggercox@btopenworld com

JOHN SWINNEY, MSP for PERTHSHIRE NORTH can be contacted at: 17-19 LESLIE STREET, BLAIRGOWRIE Tel: 01250 876576

SCOTTISH PARLIAMENT, EDINBURGH EH99 1SP Tel: 0131 348 5717 e-mail: john.swinney@parliament.scot

Pete Wishart MP: Member of Parliament for Perth and North Perthshire pete.wishart.mp@parliament.uk Perth Office: 63 Glasgow Road, Perth, PH2 0PE. Tel: 01738 639598 North Perthshire Office: 17-19 Leslie St, Blairgowrie, PH2 6AH Tel: 01250 876 576

A World Community 16

Dunkeld and Birnam Climate Café

5th May 7pm

Zoom / Community Coworking Space (Lagmhor Old Doctors Surgery) info@climate cafe for more information

Clunie Climate Café

Clunie Climate Café will launch in May, with monthly gatherings at Clunie Hall Many people are concerned about the climate and what to do about it CCC is a place for us to come together and think, talk and act to make the world a secure and viable place for all life on earth and to bring about climate justice in our world today

We want to create a space to hear different people's perspectives and views, and help them find a community of people who share a concern about the climate crisis in this area For details, c johnson rb@gmail com

The field is springing into action

Over the past few winter months, a team of dedicated volunteers has been working away behind the scenes doing all the tasks that need to be done during the winter months This incudes tidying up, trimming hedges, preparing ground for the year ahead as well as harvesting our remaining crops like brussels sprouts, kale, kalettes and leeks for sale at the field stall We are now entering the hungry gap and there will be no more sales from the gate for a month or two

A team has also been working hard planting seeds in the small polytunnel and these are coming on well and when the weather starts warming up we can start planting out the large polytunnel is also ready for spring The winter salad crops are all finished and the ground has been cleared and prepared for the summer crops We are also preparing the ground for another small multi purpose polytunnel

The Kitchen Garden has not been ignored and we have nearly everything ready for planting and this year besides the old favourites, we are continuing with some no dig beds This principle has also been adopted in Plots 8 and 9 and the whole approach has been made easier by ready supply of horse dung locally and a lorry load of compost from Binn Farm Many thanks are due to all concerned as it all helps improve the soil fertility The flower garden is already looking good and will be superb this summer All our fruit trees and cages have received special care and attention and are looking good

This is our busiest time of the year and we have welcomed some new volunteers but, if you would like to join in, you are always welcome to come up and help We are there on Thursday and Saturday mornings from 10am and there is also someone there most days We have volunteers of all ages who really enjoy spending time in the field, thank you to you all In addition after our work sessions we are hoping to reinstate time for tea, coffee, cake and a catch up chats that are enjoyed by all Have a look at our website www dunkeldfield co uk or our Facebook page @ The Field Dunkeld & Birnam Better still, if you want more information, ring Dave Amos (01350 727763) or Dave Roberts (01350 728926) or drop us an email: dblandtrust@btinternet com We look forward to seeing you at the field

May at Loch of the Lowes

May is a glorious month for wildlife, making it a fabulous time to visit Loch of the Lowes

Watch great crested grebes displaying their incredible courtship rituals and nest building, red squirrels bounding, nuthatches, woodpeckers and loads of woodland birds raising young and visiting our feeding station As a keen photographer said the other day ‘I never thought I’d see so many species close up, I’m spoilt for choice!’

This year we are celebrating the 50th Anniversary of having a visitor centre on the banks of the loch Back in 1969, Lowes was the first wildlife reserve the Scottish Wildlife Trust purchased outright For the first 5 years of the Trust’s existence, it carried out conservation on areas owned by others or partially owned reserves When Loch of the Lowes came on the market, the stunning natural beauty and diverse species on its freshwater habitat made it very special, now officially recognised as a SSSI (Site of Special Scientific Interest) By taking the tree-fringed loch under its wing, the views and wildlife have not only been protected for the future by the Trust but also made accessible for the public to enjoy

To mark the centre’s 50 year milestone, we will be having a celebration in June: look out for more details in next month

We are delighted to have our ospreys back in residence once again For his 11th year, our male, LM12, flew into the reserve on 13th March, the earliest return of an osprey in our 53 years of records He was joined by his mate (since 2020) ringed NC0, and their first egg was laid on 19th April At the time of writing, we are keeping our fingers crossed for more eggs and a successful breeding season ahead Al going well, their chicks will be hatching towards the end of this month We hope you come up and see them or/and watch them on the Loch of the Lowes webcam

As always, our ospreys are given 24/7 protection by staff and a large band of volunteers Ospreys have the highest legal protection and any interference, disturbance or damage to them or their nest (intentional or not) is a criminal action Therefore, please note and tell friends (or your clients in B&Bs etc ) that approaching their eyrie, entering the water or any water sport is strictly prohibited and could be detrimental to the ospreys’ breeding season

Optics Fair, Saturday 7th May 10am-4pm. This is a great opportunity to try and buy Viking binoculars and telescopes with friendly, expert advice on hand to answer all your questions (Remember to make sure of your 10% discount if you’re a Scottish Wildlife Trust member!) There are lots of other wildlife

related gifts in our shop, from bird seed and feeders to beautiful wildlife themed greetings cards, jute bags and books

Loch of the Lowes Visitor Centre and wildlife reserve is open every day 10 30am-5pm

Adults £4 50 Concession £4 00, Children under 16 and Scottish Wildlife Trust members - Free

Update note: Pine martens in Craigvinean Forest

Dear The Bridge readers,

It was recently brought to my attention, following the reporting of a dead pine marten in the forest behind Dalguise that there is some potential misunderstanding following recent press releases regarding pine martens in Craigvinean Forest and along the A9 corridor

Please be assured that FLS are not releasing any pine martens or any other species in Craigvinean or any other A9 Forest block The project is simply installing den boxes in areas where we know pine martens are already well established, to try and retain them for longer in very locaised locations by providing quality breeding and resting sites in areas where grey squirrels are able to get a foothold and have been trapped regularly over the past few years

Locations have been identified looking at grey squirrel trapping records, tree species and habitat types that most suit grey squirrels Locations have considered potential impacts on our neighbors, for example we will not be putting any den boxes up above the community so that we do not indirectly affect any chicken keepers by increasing pine marten populations above the community At the most, three den boxes will be installed along the eastern edge of Criagvinean Forest between the hermitage and the northern end of the forest above Dalguise House

Given the size of pine marten territories it is highly unlikely that the eastern edge of Craigvinean will see a significant increase in the numbers of pine martens, although the den boxes may help juveniles make it through their first winter in order to fully disperse into the wider forest, so there may be seasonal increases The aim is to hold territorial animals in the grey squirrel habitat to help control them and reduce the potential for spread further north The impact on pine marten populations is likely to be more pronounced in some of the smaller east coast forest blocks around Aberdeen, where pine martens are only just colonizing in small numbers and where natural denning sites are much rarer than the eastern edge of Craigvinean Forest If anyone has any concerns, please do not hesitate to contact me directly

Kind Regards, Gareth

Environment Forester

Gareth ventress@forestryandland gov scot

Photo: Scottish Wildlife Trust

News from our Community Council 17

Dunkeld

& Birnam Community Council

Community Council Matters

Chris Claydon Community Councillor

If you would like to contact the Community Council you can do so by emailing: dbcc correspondence@gmail com

You can also contact us via the messaging system on our facebook page

Of course, if you have the opportunity, then please do chat to any member of the Community Council if you bump into them while out and about Meetings are held monthly at 7pm on the second Monday of the month Date of next meetings: 9th May 13th June

11th July

Venue: Online zoom meeting

Please email us on the above address if you would like to attend and we will send you a zoom invitation

To read the minutes of previous meetings and to find the agenda for forthcoming meetings, see:

www dunkeldandbirnamnews co uk/community-news/ community-council

Goodbye, April! Hello, May!

Here’s hoping the weather turns a little more spring like this month

As the summer months approach, we must all brace ourselves for a further increase in traffic

Lately, when I’ve introduced myself to people and told them where I live, I’ve been met with a somewhat worried and sympathetic expression ~ several of them have commented on the number of vehicles, particularly in Dunkeld, and have described the village as being destroyed by cars

It’s so sad to think that this may be how others are starting to see our lovely community

The volume of traffic and the determination of vehicle owners to park wherever they can to access the villages has become a terrible eyesore and dangerous to boot ~ the parking along the Boat Road last summer being a prime example

Grass verges have been destroyed and emergency access routes are frequently blocked I’m sorry to say that some of those that are parking illegally and without consideration are local residents

The Community Council have been working closely with members of the community and with PKC in the hope that we can tackle this ever-increasing problem along with other road safety issues across the villages and in outlying areas

A very successful and worthwhile “walk around meeting” was held in February with a large group of local residents, PKC representatives and a local councillor in attendance

It was a great opportunity for the PKC representatives to see first-hand the issues that residents in Dunkeld & Birnam are experiencing

For further detail of what was discussed on the walk around please take a look at our DBCC minutes from our March meeting which are available to view on The Bridge Website and our facebook page

As many of you may already know, Andy Cave, who put a great deal of time and effort into the roads group, has now stepped down from the Community Council

Thanks to Andy for everything he achieved

His successors, who will now take the lead on the road safety and parking are Laura Graham and Alan Wylie

We are particularly keen to ensure that we are reaching all areas of our community so, if you live in one of the outlying areas and, if you have a road safety or parking issue, please do not hesitate to contact us

And finally, the Community Council needs YOU! We are looking for new members to join the Community Council ~ anyone over 16 is eligible to join Please do get in touch if you would like to join our little team, you would be made most welcome

Looking forward to brighter weather, less traffic and more considerate parking

Yours hopefully,

Chris

PH8 Community Matters

Looking to the future in Dunkeld and Birnam

When the community spokewe listened! R

group of people got together to help local residents unable get out as usual with practical issues like shopping or medicine deliveries As things slowly returned to ‘normal’ members of the PH8 Community Group spent the last twelve months asking local people what mattered to them and how they’d like to see the area develop in the future The ideas from the consultation were gathered into the ‘PH8 Community Action Plan’ with clear themes emerging such as:

Safe and active travel

Affordable housing for local people

Helping communities connect through road access and better broadband Care and independent living for younger and older residents

Developing a ‘greener future’ with initiatives to help tackle climate change

Improving our environment for local people and managing visitors

Helping local communities develop activities and facilities like sports, arts and culture - with local active village halls

Developing the local economy to support responsible tourism and encourage new local businesses

Hopefully you’ve had the chance to be involved and contribute, along with the hundreds of local residents who have through surveys, consultation events and on-line, but if not, there’s still time to make your views heard and to shape what comes next, because everyone’s views matter

T h i s l a s t

community owned energy generation and tackling food waste Keep a look out for further details of upcoming group meetings for these and other Community A

a s n i n e n e w members that are working on taking the Community Action Plan forward I f y o u ’ r e i n t e r e s t e d i n j o i n i n g t h e s t e e r i n g g r o

projects please get in touch with us on ph8communitymatters@gmail com Further information can be found on: www dunkeldandbirnamnews co uk/community-council/ph8-community-matters @ph8communitymatters on social media –––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––L

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s a n d D e m a n d A s s e s s m e n t S u r v e y i s S u n d a

P l e a s e

www chtrust co uk/surveys If you know anyone looking for a house here please pass this on and ask them to fill it in too!

In partnership with the Communities Housing Trust (CHT), the survey looks to

community, and will help ensure future sustainability It is really important that as many people as possible complete the survey so that we can get a realistic picture of the need and demand for housing in our area

Find out more about the Housing for All theme and the PH8 Community Action Plan at: www dunkeldandbirnamnews co uk/community-council/ph8-community-matters

May ‘Stick on the Fridge Page’

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

Local Organisations - Continued

Health Community & Services

Infinityblu Dental Care, Pitlochry 01796 470001

Infinityblu Dental Care, Dunkeld 01350 729198

Dentist

Phone 01350+

Dunkeld & Birnam in Bloom 01350 727288 Linda Speirs

Guide Dogs for the Blind 727346 / 727657

Friends of the Cathedral 01350 728697 John Gray

Probus Club 01738 787930 Sandy Love

Email: slove59@aol com

Horticultural Society 727255 Jan Silburn

Historical Society daveroberts132@btinternet com Dave Roberts

National Trust for Scotland North Perthshire Ranger Service - Office: 01350728641

The Meeting Place (Fridays DA) 727382 Jean Dickson

SWRI Email: evelyn menzies@sky com Evelyn Menziesl

SWRI Amulree 01350 723203 Jane Anderson

Chapter House Archive (Mon 10-12 & 7-9, Wed & Fri 10-12) 01350 727786 Bridge Club (Tuesday 6 45pm BI) 727294 Vilma Morison

Royal British Legion 01350 728884 W Forsyth

Tourist Association 01350 723297 Adrian Blundell

WRVS 01738 633975 Kathleen Coffey

German Shepherd Rescue, Scotland 01738 710111 Liz Bowers

Staffie Smiles Rescue 07743 180228 Shiona Cameron

The Orchard 727048 Katharine

@thefield 728926 Dave Roberts Email: dblandtrust@btinternet com

3 Churches Charity Shop 01350 727237 / 07751593421 Anne Graham Alcoholics Anonymous 0141 226 2214

Community Learning & Development

PKC CLD Staff 01738 459701 Email: dunkeldcomlearn@pkc gov uk Cat Gordon/Kim McBain/Alison May U3A 01796 483281 Meg Ross Email: megross@btinternet com

Sport

Dunkeld & Birnam Angling Association Secretary Russ Jobson dunkeldangling@gmail com DBAA@live co uk

Bowling Club Gael Shaw 07977 911068 Gaelshaw@btinternet com

Badminton johnrmoy@googlemal com

Field Archery 07786 073686 01350 727911

Glendelvine/Spittalfield Cricket Club (all ages) Neil Wimberley

Website: www glendelvinecricketclub com Email: wimbo32@hotmail com

Golf Club (Visitors Welcome) 727524

Highland Perthshire Clay Shooting Club 07821 940252 Secretary Ted Carr Email: thecarr@waitrose com

Leisure Group (Sports Centre Project) 727361 Alasdair Wylie

Curling 01738 454700 Claire Milne

Tennis Club m: 07740 586064 or 01738 710484 Shona Smith Email: shonamh@googlemail com

Tayside Orienteers 727048 Bill Melville

Running Club adrianrdavis@hotmail com Adrian Davis

Netball 723269 Tiffy Shedden

Yoga 728773 June Mitchell

Yoga 2 728783 Sue Atkinson

Uver 35's Rugby 07738 006738 iainhg@aol com

Tai Chi 07551029076 John Connelly

Music & Arts

Cathedral Tower Bell Ringers 724218 Iona O’Connor

Film Society 727740

Handbell Ringers 01828 628109 Margaret Davidson

Birnam Arts 727674

Just Singin’ 7 30 Weds BI 07545 219529 Carole Reid www justsingin co uk BIPS howemarilyn@hotmail com Marilyn Howe

Birnam Youth Theatre Mon 5 00-6 30pm 727207

Dunkeld Strathspey & Reel Society 07531 520476 Duncan Thomson duncanwthomson@yahoo co uk

Birnam Arts Ballet Mon-Thu age4up 727674

Scottish Country Dancing 01738 561676 / 01350 727380 Helen or Dinah

Annual Events

Highland Games (August) www birnamhighlandgames com

Christian Aid Week 727867 Jim McCafferty Flower Festival (bi-ennial) 724255 Sheila Mannion

Art Exhibtion (June - August) 01738 710399 Margaret Scott Arts & Crafts Fair (June & Nov) 01350 727968 Na an Meikleour Niel Gow Festival - Weekend close to March 22nd - petethefiddler@btinternet com

For Children

Baby & Toddler Group

07546 128902

Lesley Singers

Playgroup 9 20-11 40 Tues and Thurs Playleader: dbplaygroup@gmail com Nursery at Royal School 01738 454470 Royal School Dunkeld Puddleduck Nursery 727117 Heather Morton Royal School of Dunkeld 01738 454470 Kids Club - After school care 07930 462944 Supervisor Sunday School - Church of Scotland 727249 Caputh Baby and Toddler Group Tues 10-11:30am - Lorna 07832 235 607

For Younger People

Girlguiding Dunkeld Trix Stephen, District Commissioner (Rainbows, Brownies, Guides, Rangers): Tel 07770324173 Email guider@girlguidingdunkeld org uk Youth Café 727760 Linda McDougall Youth Club Wednesday pm DA 727259 Fraser Penny

The Black Watch Army Cadets 07429 113439 Staff Sergeant Craig Ross Beaver, Cubs, Scouts 07766 071854 Martina Wolfe

Messy Church last Sunday in month 727259/727594 Fraser Penny/Deidre Gerrie

For Older People

Servite

07595 651446 Ivan Russell

Working Hours: Mon,Tues,Thurs,Fri: 09:00 – 13:30

Senior Citizens 727311 Ronalda Pattullo

Friends of Rivendell 728885 Fiona Ritchie

Hall Bookings

Duchess Anne 07808 703641 chanonrydunkeld@gmail com Jill McCrory

Chanonry 07808 703641 chanonrydunkeld@gmail com Jill McCrory

Birnam Arts 727674

Dalguise Village Hall 07746 392268

Amulree Village Hall www amulreehall org uk Caputh Hall caputhhall@gmail com 01738 710 848

728826 Mr Greig, PS, BDS

Doctors 727269 Craigvinean Surgery

Chemists 727210 Davidsons

Chemist on Sunday 01738 643791 Asda, Dunkeld Rd, Perth

P&K Environmental Services 01738 476476

Library 01738 459709 Margaret Quigley

PKC Roads Dept 01738 625411

Community Council

dbcc chair@gmail com Stuart Paton

Registrar (3/5 High St Perth) 01738 475121

Police (Tayside Non-Emergency) 101

Dates for your Diary

BA = Birnam Arts Centre

DA = Duchess Anne Hall, The Cross, Dunkeld May 2022

1 Dunkeld & Birnam Spring Art & Crafts Fair - the Drill Hall, The Cross, Dunkeld 10am to 5pm Free entry

Climate Café 7pm Zoom / Community Coworking Space

Optics Fair at Loch of the Lowes 10-4pm

Albert Lee – Legendary Guitarist & Band 10am – 4pm

Little Top 1O 30 – 11 30am Tickets: £10

20-22 Birnam Book Festival 2022 see www birnambookfestival co uk for full programme

Book Festival Exhibition at the Archives ‘The Foresters Scribe’ by Ursula Kelly

Christian Aid Book Stall Duchess Anne

Jenny Sturgeon – The Living Mountain 7 30pm Tickets: £15 + Booking Fee Birnam Arts

AGM Dunkeld and Birnam in Bloom 2pm at Birnam Arts

Film Club Tom Jones 1963 2:9m X 7:30pm Birnam Arts

June 2022

2 Climate Café 7pm Zoom / Community Coworking Space 4-5 Living History Weekend & Queens Platinum Jubilee Celebrations Archives 4 JParade across Bridge to Stanley Hill 10:15am Jubilee Event Archives 4 Stanley Park Events Jubilee Event Archives 4 Play about Beatrix Potter at Birnam arts Jubilee Event Archives 5 Dunkeld Cathedral events Jubilee Event Archives

5 Play about Niel Gow at Birnam Arts Jubilee Event Archives

6 - 26 Exhibition 10am – 4pm Pockets Of Experience Ciara Gibson | JUN Artist In Residence '22 Birnam Arts

24th Dunkeld & Birnam Art & Crafts Fair the Drill Hall The Cross Dunkeld to 26th 10am to 5 pm each day free entry

July 2022

7 Climate Café 7pm Zoom / Community Coworking Space

July 2022

4 Climate Café 7pm Zoom / Community Coworking Space

4-1st September Dunkeld Cathedral Art Exhibition Duchess Anne every day 10-4pm and 12-4pm on Sundays

27 Birnam Highland Games

For dates further ahead see: www.dunkeldandbirnamnews.co.uk

PETS Lost and Found

If you have lost or found a dog, cat or other pet

Missing Pets, Perth and Kinross 07432 368792 info@dogfriendlyperthshire.co.uk

Heated Kennels Day & Long Term Stays

Elizabeth & Keith Lumsden 01350 728849

E-mail: bizzabooks@gmail.com This space could be

Contact the Advertising Manager adverts@dunkeldandbirnamnews.co.uk 07967 117149

0777 546 0373

Call: Mon-Fri 8am-8pm Text: 7 days 8am-8pm FREE

Grass cutting, Hedge cutting, Strimming, Leaf collection, Weeding/dig over, Edging, Gravel footpaths, Aerating, General tidy-up.

All General Garden Maintenance work carried out to the highest quality on every job, everyday

Gillian Vaughan Painter Decorator Interior / Exterior Feature walls Tel: 07841 116458 Email: thegirlcalledwill@gmail.com www.facebook.com/GillianWVaughan