234 March 2014 - Gryffe Advertizer

March 2014 No.234 No.234

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NEWS & FEATURES

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advertiser directory business classified deadlines property classified sales & wants

Bishopton, Bridge of Weir & Langbank 31-34 Brookfield, Crosslee & Houston 40-41 Howwood & Elderslie 41 Kilbarchan & Lochwinnoch 38-40 Kilmacolm & Quarriers 35-37

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Bishopton: Post Office, Woodrow’s Store, Keystore, Library Bridge of Weir: Gibb Stuart, Bernie’s Cafe/Deli, Lochnagar, The Bridge, Library Erskine: Library, Garden Centre, Sports Centre Houston: Co-op, Carrick Centre, Post Office, Newsagent Howwood: Village Store, St Vincent’s Hospice Johnstone: Henderson Kilts, Papa Mac’s, Library Kilbarchan: Sheridan’s Store, Campbell’s Newsagents, Bobbins, Old Library Centre Kilmacolm: Village Newsagent, Market Place Newsagent, Pieri’s, Cross Café, Gibb Stuart, KNCC, Library Langbank: Village Store, Finlaystone Visitor Centre Lochwinnoch: Keystore, Newsagent, Post Office, McKillop Centre, Library, Castle Semple Centre Quarriers: Three Sisters Bake PLEASE TAKE A

ADVERTISING

VILLAGES

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Next deadline Friday 14th March!

where to pick up a copy

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The Advertizer is the ideal platform to tell the community your news as we reach over 14,000 homes and businesses in the Gryffe area. Send in your news and photos to: info@advertizer.co.uk, or by post to The Advertizer, Kilmacolm PA13 4QF.

Book a table of ten for £550 or buy individual tickets for £60. Call 0141 814 4567 or visit the Erskine website to book your tickets.

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Remember the clocks go forward one hour on Sunday 30th March!

in this issue

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I’m sure I can recall a time when the local council had a team of workmen who were on-call to fix the roads, clear the drains, cut the hedgerows, etc… Nowadays though, I guess possibly for cost saving reasons, all these maintenance jobs seem to be outsourced and subject to a tendering process. With potholes, we have someone quantify the job and highlight the proposed repair areas with coloured paint. Then nothing appears to happen for months, other than nature doing its utmost. Invariably by the time the work commences the job has grown in magnitude, but the contractor is only able to deal with their specific remit and the beautifully repaired pothole now has several unrepaired neighbours. And so it goes on, and on, and on; or am I just being cynical. But why are the roads falling apart? There must be a logical reason. Is it simply that the gulleys and roadside drains are blocked and the water now trapped under the road undermines the subsurface?

If so, here’s an idea; maybe we should have a team of guys dealing with regular maintenance to keep the ditches clear!!!

Guests will enjoy a glass of fizz on arrival followed by a sumptuous threecourse dinner with wine. Eight stars from the world of sport, comedy and journalism go head to head in a bid to be declared champions. So join Peter Shilton OBE, Doddie Weir, Willie Thorne, Gordon Smith and more for an outstanding evening of entertainment, all in aid of Erskine.

April 2013

I was hopeful that the impending closure of the A761 for a week would result in a much improved road surface between Kilmacolm and Bridge of Weir.

Sadly, the new surface, a heavenly driving experience though it is, only stretches for a few hundred metres out of Bridge of Weir; thereafter it’s back onto the rumble strip. The improved section has to be commended, but it was clear from Social Media just how frustrated drivers have become, with various comments: “to be closed for that length of time to do what they did!

Now the back road is horrific with potholes!” and “shocking that the road was closed for so long and how little has been fixed grrrr”.

This year’s event takes on a quizzical nature as two teams of big names face off in aid of veterans.

your LOCAL community No.224 magazine

The drainage works at Brookfield have now been completed and a new 30MPH limit exists from the road end at Brookfield Cemetery all the way through to the junction at Gowanlea Nursery, which some drivers still seem to be unaware of.

Friday 28th March Glasgow Hilton

May 2013

When I put together last month’s piece, the main theme was roadworks.

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business news church listings dental health gryffe spotlight it blog local history local news on the road outdoors pet blog pets schools news sports & clubs news travel blog village news what’s on

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Where there’s a will…

Kingsley Wood & Co’s offices in Kilmacolm and Bridge of Weir took part in Will Aid 2013, and are delighted to announce having raised a total of £1376 for Will Aid, the UK’s leading charity will writing scheme.

The donations are shared between nine well-known UK charities: ActionAid; Aid UK; The British Red Cross; Christian Aid; NSPCC; Save the Children; Sight Savers; SCIAF (Scotland) and Trocair (Northern Ireland)

National Womens Register

We meet fortnightly to have discussions, share opinions, outings and friendship. For further details, phone MaryAnne 612472.

As part of the Will Aid campaign, Kingsley Wood & Co prepare basic wills for local people without charging the usual fee. In return for this service, the clients make a donation to Will Aid. Leanne McSherry, a Partner in the firm, commented:“We have had a very successful campaign and were able to advise a number of local people on their Wills, Powers of Attorney and generally in relation to protecting their assets. We are pleased to have been able to do this and to have had the opportunity to support the charities involved. Thanks to all who took part and donated so generously to make our fundraising efforts such a success.”

The scheme runs again in November 2014, but in the meantime if you are in need of a Will or a Power of Attorney to sort out your affairs and protect your assets, it is never too early to call.

For further information, contact Kingsley Wood or Leanne McSherry on 01505 874114.

www.advertizer.co.uk for weekly updates

Beith Arts Sunday Afternoon Concerts

Our March concert will feature a favourite group with our regular audience, namely “Opera on a Shoestring”, who will be presenting a programme entitled “Opera Ahoy!” No prizes for guessing that we shall be hearing music on a watery theme, with solos, duets and the whole group singing from many different operas which have something to do with the sea. This ensemble will sing sad songs and funny ones, and will have fun with any item which invites it - so there will be a fair amount of laughter as well as applause. We invite everyone to come, hear and enjoy this appealing group.

Our concerts are held in Beith Community Centre, Kings Road, Beith at 2.30pm on Sunday afternoons. The above concert will be on 9th March much earlier in the month than most of our concerts, but we had to fit in with the artistes’ existing arrangements. So make a note of the date, and we look forward to seeing you for a great concert!

New visitors are specially welcome: refreshments are available at the interval, and these are chatty, social occasions. Prices are very reasonable - adults £9/£7, students and children £2.

We hope to see you there.

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Travel blog

by Maureen Horton of Travel a la Carte

WINTER MAGIC

After all the excitement of the Olympics has passed, many will wish to try for themselves one of the various winter sports featured on our screens. Curling rinks will no doubt see a surge of interest and new players after the fantastic achievements of team GB’s Scottish men and women players. The thrill of outdoor curling can be experienced in many places particularly in Switzerland in resorts such as Wengen and St Moritz as examples.

Valentines weekend saw long traffic jams and enormous lift queues in Glenshee as an unprecedented amount of snow and the Olympic factor brought skiers out in their thousands.

For those who have never been on a ski holiday and dream of swishing down pristine sun kissed snowy slopes there is plenty of choice.

Flights from Glasgow or Edinburgh to Geneva, Chambery, Turin, Salzburg or Innsbruck are usually at weekends and from any of these airports you can be transported to the beauty and splendour of the Alps.

Choosing the right resort for the time of year is essential eg at Easter it is essential to aim high where you will find the best quality snow and at the beginning of the season ie December and early January resorts with south facing slopes will ensure warmer runs.

This is a holiday for all the family to be together, doing their own thing during the day and congregating in the evenings to relate the days events while sipping a glass of mulled wine round a roaring log fire and sharing lovely mountain meals of fondue or raclette.

Next season’s brochures are already out, but there is still plenty of availability for the end of this season with Inghams selling a selection of 2 for the price of 1 and Crystal offering free lift passes.

If you would like to try this exhilarating sport and experience a bit of Winter Magic .........we will help make it happen!!

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‘Hogwarts or Bust’ by Kilmacolm Camera Club St Vincent’s Hospice are celebrating successfully reaching their £1m fundraising target at the end of their 25th anniversary year.

The news follows a year long appeal for £1m to maintain and develop services at the Renfrewshire hospice which offers specialised care to all those affected by life-limiting illness. Support has come from all over the local community and has included fundraising such as a bath of beans, marathons and runs, and high profile events such as the Sandy Stoddart architectural tours, a gala ball and celebrity hosted quiz.

St Vincent’s Hospice services are available to all, completely free of charge, thanks to the generosity of local communities, it costs £5,000 per day to run the hospice and community services, over half of which comes from voluntary donations.

The teams work together to support the physical, psychological and emotional needs of our patients and their loved ones and services include day services, specialist home visits and an 8 bed in-patient unit.

St Vincent’s Hospice benefits hugely from the support of over 200 dedicated volunteers, who assist with everything from our hospice shops to admin roles, catering support to gardening. Whether you are able to give a few hours every now and again or a few days per week, we have voluntary opportunities in all aspects of St Vincent’s Hospice. Come and join the team!

Hospice Shops; join one of our local shops, raising over £400,000 every year for patient care. No experience necessary.

Events; from the Gala Ball to bucket collections can be part of our exciting events calendar. Totally flexible and perfect for those unable to give a regular time commitment.

Furniture pick-up & delivery; out & about in the van assisting with donated furniture for our busy furniture shop.

Kitchen; assist the team with basic food preparation for patients’ meals plus maintain a clean kitchen.

Reception; be the welcoming face of St Vincent’s Hospice, manage calls, greet visitors. Weekday evenings and Saturday in particular.

Plus many more roles available including new clinical roles coming soon!

Contact 01505 705635 or info@svh.co.uk or download an application form from www.svh.co.uk St Vincent’s Hospice is offering supporters free Wills from 10th-21st March at local solicitors across Renfrewshire. The campaign, called Make A Will Fortnight, gives everyone the opportunity of a free Will and asks people to consider leaving a gift to St Vincent’s Hospice after family and friends have been taken care of. To register for a FREE Will with your nearest solicitor contact info@svh.co.uk or 01505 705635.

Cut out this exclusive voucher for a free hot drink at the Barn Tearoom at St Vincent’s Hospice, valid until the end of March. The Barn is open Monday to Friday, 10am to 4pm, and has soup, sandwiches and freshly baked cakes also available.

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Choir Of Paisley Abbey Sunday 2nd March at 7.30pm in Paisley Abbey Directed by George McPhee.

Gerrard

Organ - David

French Choral Music: Cantique de Jean Racine Op.11 - Fauré, Messe “Cum Jubilo” Op.11 - Duruflé, Litanies à la Vierge Noire Op.9 - Poulenc, Laudate Dominum Op.9 - Dupré, Requiem Op.9 - Duruflé Tickets: £10 (Nave) £12 (Gallery) available at the Abbey Shop; Abbey Office - 0141 889 7654; at the door. Information at www. paisleyabbey.org.uk Charity Number – SCO 07633

Paisley Abbey Recitals

Saturday 15th March at 3pm - St Salvator’s Chapel Choir University of St Andrews - Tickets: £5 at the door. www.paisleyabbey.org.uk - Registered Charity No. SCO 07633

Thursday to Saturday, 1st to 3rd May

The Johnstone Phoenix Theatre Group will be performing Calamity Jane in The Tweedie Hall, Linwood. Doors open 7pm, with curtain up 7.30pm.

Friday evening theme night: sing-a-long with us and dress up, with a prize for the best costume. Also, a special Saturday matinee with doors open 1.30pm and curtain up 2pm.

Prices are adults £10 and concession £9. Booking hotline: 07748 827 727 or 0141 880 8349.

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Creative Stitches & Hobbycrafts Thurs 6th to Sun 9th March SECC, Glasgow 9.30am - 5pm (5.30pm on Sat) - Tickets £9, £7 Tel: 01425 272711. Web: www.ichf.co.uk

Keep it in the family Samantha Todd from Kilmacolm is following in the family footsteps and will be performing in her first show in The King’s Theatre, Glasgow.

Samantha and her mum Maureen are both performing in Annie in The King’s Theatre from Tues 8th April to Sat 12th April 2014. Performances are 7.30pm each evening with 2.30pm matinees on the Wednesday and Saturday.

A bus is running from Kilmacolm to the matinee performance on Wednesday 9th April. The cost for the ticket and the bus is £20.

Tickets for the rest of the performances are between £12 and £22 for adults and some performances have £10 child prices. For ticket and bus bookings please contact Maureen Todd on 872094 or 07789 077749. Here they are modelling their Annie T-shirts!

Events at Ingliston Country Club, Bishopton Wedding Open Day - Sunday 16th March - 12pm-4pm

Admission free. Come along and see how our perfect venue will match your perfect day. Call 0845 301 1010 for further information.

Southern Flava - Friday 11th April 7pm for 7.30pm

Soul music at its best! A special tribute to the biggest legends of Soul and Motown. Salerno Suite. £29.95 per person. Price includes a 3 course meal - tea/coffee (dietary options available). Booking essential.

Wedding Show - Sunday 27th April 11am-5pm

Over 40 fabulous suppliers; Free glass of bubbly during the catwalk.

Catwalk at 12pm and 3pm; Sample dress sale - grab a bargain!. Goody bags & Excellent offers. Call 07595 176837 for further information.

Ingliston Country Club, Old Greenock Road, Bishopton 0845 301 1010 or email: general@ingliston.com

Exhibition of Wool Art

Running until Saturday 15th March in The Bridge, Main Street, Bridge of Weir. A small exhibition by local artist Katrin Eagle, of wool art pictures and a few smaller pieces at the Bridge (the old library) in Bridge of Weir. Opening hours - Mon 9am-5pm, Tues 1pm-5pm, Wed 10am-2pm, Thurs 10am-2pm, Fri 1pm5pm and Sat 9am1pm.

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The Big Lunch - Sunday 1st June

Dig out your bunting it’s time for The Big Lunch! This annual UK get together for neighbours is on the first Sunday in June each year.

Funded by the Big Lottery, the Eden Project is encouraging neighbours everywhere to order a free Big Lunch Pack at www.thebiglunch.com and give The Big Lunch a go in our own streets and communities on Sunday 1st June 2014.

A Big Lunch can be any size and can be held anywhere people can get together. The key ingredients are food, friendship and fun.

Her Royal Highness The Duchess of Cornwall became patron of The Big Lunch in 2012; when it was an official part of the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee. In 2013 over 3.65 million people participated and this year organisers are aiming for 4 million or more joining in.

212th Lecture Series - RPSG

Wednesday 5th March - Lord (David) Wilson of Tillyhorn Former Governor of Hong Kong. Napoleon worried about China awakening - should we?

Wednesday 19th March - Karyn McCluskey - Co-Director of the Scottish Violence reduction unit. Medics against violence.

Wednesday 26th March - Members Talks.

All Royal Philosophical Society of Glasgow meetings take place on Wednesdays at 7.30pm in the Main Lecture Theatre (3.25), John Anderson Building, Strathclyde University, Rottenrow East, Glasgow, G4 0NG. Non-members welcome.

Disabled access.

Eden is helping neighbours make it happen by making planning simple. Your free Big Lunch pack includes invitations, posters, competitions, tips and advice, and seeds to help grow your lunch! Join in now to be a part of The Big Lunch for 2014.

Marie Curie Daffodil Appeal Can you spare an hour or so this March?

Just a small amount of your time will help Marie Curie care for even more terminally ill people.

You can choose when and where you collect, and all the materials you need will be provided.

Visit the website to register at www.mariecurie. org.uk to register.

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PCPC 2nd Bimonthly Competition Results Paisley Colour Photographic Club were very pleased to welcome experienced Event/ Commercial photographer Andrew Stark from Kilbarchan to judge the second of the session’s three bimonthly competitions held recently at the McMaster Centre in Renfrew.

In this competition club members could submit up to three images and Andrew gave detailed and careful consideration to each of the eighty two images submitted in the three sections: Introductory, Intermediate and Advanced. He shared his technical

knowledge with the members and gave encouragement highlighting the strengths of each image in turn and where appropriate he would give his expert opinion on how an image may be improved for example, by the photographer making a slight alteration to his/her point of view a significant improvement to the image can result.

There was a wide range of photographic styles and subjects on show and the standard of entry was high throughout each of the three sections making Andrew’s task of ranking the top images challenging.

In the Introductory section third place was awarded to Irene Young or her image “Wayside Flower”. For the second bimonthly in a row, the top two positions this section were awarded to Pauline Smith for her images “Nuthatch” and for her winning image “Spider on Grass”.

In the Intermediate section third place was awarded to Karen Noble for her portrait image “Natalie”. Second place was awarded to Linda Rodgers for her image “Treat Time” and in the top place in this section and again for the second bimonthly in a row was Karen Noble for her portrait “Megan”.

Third place in the Advanced section was awarded to Mike Cruise for his image “Red Squirrel in Autumn”.

In second place for his Parisian street scene “Walk On By” was David Smith whilst the top image of the 2nd Bimonthly Competition for 2013/14 was judged to be Robert Fulton’s outstanding monochrome image “Winter Trees”.

For further details about PCPC and updated members galleries please view: www.paisleycolour. co.uk

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Angel Voices Angel Voices, St Fillan’s Community Children’s Choir sang at the Inverclyde Music Festival for the first time. As their performance met the standards required they were awarded the Peter Pan Cup and Certificate for their class. As a new mixed choir for under 11’s, the adjudicator was impressed and gave them much encouragement and helpful advice. Helen Knight is the Musical Director and Clare Eagle accompanist.

The choir rehearses on Fridays at 6pm in St Fillan’s Church hall and we welcome new children between the ages of 6 and 10 years – please contact Maureen Russell on 01505 872905.

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Dinner Dance Saturday 8th March - River Inn, Houston - 7.30pm til late

Adults £35, Under 18s £25. Fizz on arrival and a 2 course meal. Auction, raffle and lots of dancing!

Call Sheila on 07808 895123 for further information and tickets.

Please Donate Blood St Mirin’s Cathedral House, Incle Street, Paisley PA1 1HR Tuesday 4th March - 2pm - 3.45pm & 5.15pm - 7.30pm

Visit the Scotblood website at www.scotblood.co.uk The only thing you will feel is good about yourself!

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WHAT’S on until Thu 27 March Coats Observatory Winter Viewing

Sat 1 March

Pancake Morning

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regular events every monday Baby Soft Play and Music Kidston Hall, Kilmacolm 10am - 11am All wee ones welcome.

Kilbarchan West Church Hall. 10am to 12noon Paisley Museum, High St, Paisley. 6.30pm to 9pm Winter viewing evenings every Tuesday and Thursday, 6.30pm 9pm (last entry 8.45pm)

untilTue 25 March St Columba’s Community Classes

Please come along and enjoy pancakes, tea and coffee as well as meeting friends for a chat. You will be made most welcome. £2

Sun 2 March

Choir Of Paisley Abbey

Sky Parks building, Elliot Square, Glasgow All proceeds from sales will go to the Teenage Cancer Trust. There will be works on display by art students and local artists as well as Jewellery and Crafts. www.facebook.com/TCTexhibitionglasgow If you are interested in donating a piece to the exhibition, please contact us though the Facebook link above.

until Sat 15 March Exhibition of Wool Art

A small exhibition by local artist Katrin Eagle, of wool art pictures and a few smaller pieces. Open - Mon 9am-5pm, Tues 1pm-5pm, Wed & Thurs 10am-2pm, Fri 1pm-5pm and Sat 9am-1pm.

Fri 28 February

Gala Queen Selection closing date for entry forms BoW Festival Committee

Suitable for children up to Age 3.

Strathgryffe Motorcycle Club The Trust Inn, Kilbarchan 9pm-10.30pm

every Tuesday Bridge of Weir Walking Group Outside the Co-op, BoW 10.30am Paisley Abbey 7.30pm Directed by George McPhee. Organ - David Gerrard. French Choral Music. Tickets: £10 (Nave) £12 (Gallery) available at the Abbey Shop; Abbey Office - 0141 889 7654; at the door.

Information at www.paisleyabbey.org.uk Charity No SCO 07633

Tue 4 March

Shrove Tuesday Coffee Morning St Fillan’s Church, Moss Road, Kilmacolm 10am to 12noon All welcome.

The Bridge, Main Street, Bridge of Weir

Kidston Hall, Kilmacolm 1pm to 2pm

Visit www.strathgryffe.org for details.

Classes will include Art, Bridge and Chinese. See the School website for full details. www.st-columbas.org

until Sun 2 March Art Exhibition and Sale

Kidston Kids Toddler Soft Play

1 hour walks. Call Senga on 0141 842 3000.

Baby Social Three Sisters Bake, Quarriers Village 11am Meet mums, drink coffee & eat cake.

Owl Yoga Seasonal Flow Cargill Hall, Bridge of Weir 6.15pm - 7.45pm www.owlyoga.co.uk

every Wednesday Knitting Group

Thu 6 - Sun 9 March

Three Sisters Bake, Quarriers 10am - 12noon

Creative Stitches & Hobbycrafts

Kidston Kids Gym Club

SECC, Glasgow

Kidston Hall, Kilmacolm 1pm to 2pm

9.30am - 5pm (5.30pm on Saturday) £9, £7 Organiser Details:International Craft & Hobby Fair Ltd Tel: 01425 272711 or Web: www.ichf.co.uk

For children aged 3-5 years.

Fri 7 March

Bishopton Primary School 7pm - 8.30pm

World Day of Prayer St Columba Church Hall, Bridge of Weir Road, Kilmacolm 1.30pm Afternoon tea following the Service and everyone is warmly welcomed. Contact Maureen Russell 872905.

Open to girls who are currently in P6 & P7 and live in the PA11 postcode area. Forms must be signed by a parent or guardian and returned to the schools.

Renfrewshire RSPB Meeting

Sat 1 March

An illustrated talk on Scottish Wildlife Trust Reserves in Renfrewshire and Ayrshire by Gill Smart.

McMaster Ctre, Donaldson Dr, Renfrew 7.30pm

Coffee Morning

Knitters of all levels welcome!

Line Dancing All abilities welcome. Call Mellissa on 07970 396212.

every Thursday Kilmacolm Walkers Birkmyre Park Pavilion, Kilmacolm 10am Walk in and around Kilmacolm. Tel: David Goddard 01505 874192 or email kilmacolmwalkers@talktalk.net

Owl Yoga Intro to Ashtanga Gryffe High School, Houston 7pm - 8pm www.owlyoga.co.uk

1st tuesday monthly

Kilmacolm New Community Centre 10am to 12noon

Scotland West Business Networking

Supporting M N D (motor neurone disease) Ticket £3.

Three Sisters Bake, Quarriers 9.30am - 11am Share ideas, listen to our speakers and meet new people.

1st & 3rd thurs monthly ‘Outlook’

Kidston Hall, Kilmacolm 2pm-4pm

Wanted ……..

Old bikes, prams, bogies, go-karts, trikes for charity pram races. Call Chris on 07785 242444 for local pick-up.

The Pram Race is to try and repair the jetty at Kilchoan, a crofting and fishing village in Ardnamurchan.

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A social group for the community of Kilmacolm. Varied programme aimed at the active over 60’s, but everyone is welcome!

2nd Wednesday monthly Inverclyde Carers Outreach Cargill Centre, Kilmacolm 11am-2pm Email enquiries@inverclydecarerscentre.org.uk or call: 01475 735180.

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3rd Friday monthly Hearing Aid Clinic

Sat 8 March

Gala Queen Selection

MARCH 2014

Tue 11 March

BoW Festival Meeting

The Bridge, Bridge of Weir 1-2pm

Cargill Hall, Bridge of Weir 7.30pm

Personnel are at The Bridge for the issue of hearing aid batteries and hearing aid checks.

Bridge of Weir Festival Committee meeting - all welcome.

Wed 12 March

2nd Saturday monthly

‘Brunch & Browse’ St Fillan’s Hall, Kilmacolm

10am-2pm

Home made soups, home baking, tea, coffee, books & lots of stalls. Great value! Disabled access. £4.

1st Sunday monthly

Messy Church®

Freeland Church Hall, Br of Weir 4.30pm-6.30pm Hot meal provided, along with a warm welcome.

farmers markets

No Smoking Day Cargill Hall, Bridge of Weir 7pm Entry forms from the local Primary Schools. Open to girls who are currently in P6 & P7 and live in the PA11 postcode area. Forms must be signed by a parent or guardian and returned to the schools before Friday 28th February.

Dinner Dance

Nearly New Sale Kidston Hall, Kilmacolm 10am to 12noon

Sunday Afternoon Concert Beith Community Centre, Kings Rd, Beith 2.30pm “Opera on a Shoestring” , presenting “Opera Ahoy!” Refreshments available. Adults £9/£7, students and children £2.

Tue 11 March

Evening with Sally Magnusson

10am-2pm (“The Square”)

1st & 3rd Sunday Loch Lomond Shores last Paisley Cross

Sat

10am-2pm Tel: 01655 770217

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Advertizer Deadline

Deadline for our April 2014 issue - please make sure we get your news and advert bookings by this date!

Sat 15 March

Charity Concert Freeland Church, Bridge of Weir 7.30pm With Graham Murnane and friends in aid of Well Fare, a charity supporting children in rural Uganda. Entry is free, with a collection for Well Fare.

Sat 15 March Daffodil Fair

St Columba’s Church Hall, Kilmacolm 10am-1pm Kilmacolm Guiding Association are holding their Daffodil Fair to get us in the mood for Spring. There will a variety of stalls run by our local Rainbows, Brownies and Guides, together with some wonderful home baking, coffee, tea and bacon rolls - fun for all the family.

Paisley Abbey Saturday Recitals

10am-3pm Tel: 07977 179 861

2nd Thur &

Fri 14 March

Adults £35, Under 18s £25. Fizz on arrival and a 2 course meal.

Auction, raffle and lots of dancing! Call Sheila on 07808 895123 for further information and tickets.

Sun 9 March

Cargill Centre, Kilmacolm

In the battle against cigarettes - we can help you win! Contact nosmokingday.org.uk or call 0800 84 84 84. British Heart Foundation Scotland - Fight for every heartbeat!

River Inn, Houston 7.30pm til late

Entry £2. If you have any Baby Equipment, Toys, Books or Children’s Clothes you would like to donate/sell, please contact us via our website www.kidstonkids.co.uk. Grab a Bargain!

1st Saturday

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Kilmacolm New Community Centre 7.30pm

University of St Andrews 3pm

Sally will speak on dementia, her new book ‘Where Memories Go’ and her charity Playlist for Life. Afterwards enjoy a glass of wine, a chat and have a book signed. Tickets £5, available from The Village Newsagent, Kilmacolm, any club member or e: angusmat@ btinternet.com www.gryffevalley-rotary.org.uk

Paisley Abbey 3pm

St Salvator’s Chapel Choir, University of St Andrews. Tickets: £5 at the door. www.paisleyabbey.org.uk SCO 07633 St Andrews University Chapel Choir Tickets: £5 at the door

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THE ADVERTIZER Mon 17 March

Book Launch - ‘Three Sisters Bake: Delectable Recipes for Every Day’

T: 01505 613340 Fri 28 March

Pre-Mother’s Day - Parent & Child Pamper/Shopping Evening Bishopton Primary School 6.30pm Get pampered with Nails, Hair , Make up for your little ladies, and for the Mums, Grans, Aunts, Sisters etc there will be a variety of treatments available… Massage, Nails, Eyelash Tint, Shape, etc..

All children must be accompanied by an adult. Teens are welcome too…. £5 per adult and £2 per child.

Erskine Sportsman’s Dinner Published by London publisher, Hardie Grant. The book will be available to purchase from Three Sisters Bake website and café as well as bookstores and Amazon. www.threesistersbake.co.uk

Mon 17 - Sun 23 March

SSPCA Rehoming Week Throughout Scotland Would you like to help raise funds to care for Scotland’s abused, abandoned and injured animals? Email: fundraising@scottishspca. org or call 03000 999 999.

Tue 18 March

Kilmacolm Civic Trust AGM Cargill Centre, Kilmacolm 7.30pm to 8.15pm Formal AGM business followed by 8.30pm – 9.30pm: An Illustrated talk by Prof Frank Walker on Charles Rennie Mackintosh

Wed 19 March

Former Pupils’ AGM St Columba’s Senior School, Kilmacolm, 7.30pm All former pupils, former staff and friends of the Former Pupils’ Association are welcome to attend the Annual General Meeting.

Sat 22 March

Eat Lochwinnoch Food Fayre

Glasgow Hilton This year’s event takes on a quizzical nature as two teams of big names face off in aid of veterans. Book a table of ten for £550 or buy individual tickets for £60. Call 0141 814 4567 or visit the Erskine website to book your tickets.

Fri 28 - Sun 30 March

Art Exhibition - Rab Wilson Kilbarchan Old Library Fri 28th (7pm-9pm), Sat 29th (12noon-4pm) and Sun 30th. (12noon - 4pm) by local artist Rab Wilson. Music will be performed at the opening of the exhibition on the Saturday. Further details www. rabwilsonartist.com

Sat 29 March Spring Fair

St Columba Church Hall, BoW Rd, Kilmacolm St Columba Church Playgroup and Toddlers - Come along to make your mothers day cards and buy gifts. 10am to 12noon.

Sat 29 March

Former Pupils & School Hockey/ Rugby matches St Columba School - Hockey - 09.30 at the Astroturf Rugby - 10.00 at Birkmyre Park All welcome.

Sun 30 March

Mothering Sunday Go on - treat your mum (or someone else’s) today!

Tue 1 April Outside The McKillop Institute, Main Street, Lochwinnoch 10am to 3pm

Weaver’s Cottage - Opening Day

Join us for a celebration of locally produced food!

Point to Point Overton Farm, Crossford, Carluke ML8 5QF First race - 1pm (pony races beforehand) Admission £10 includes racecard, ample free parking. Prize draw on day.

Kilbarchan

Bishopton Art Group’s Spring Art And Craft Fair

Preparations for the new season at the National Trust for Scotland’s Weaver’s Cottage, Kilbarchan, are complete. The cottage will open from 1pm to 5pm Fri to Tues until the end of September.

Bishopton Community Centre, Gledstane Rd, 10am to 3pm, Free entry Between 8pm & 9pm on Fri 21st Mar, there will be a pre-view of the paintings. Access is free. Soft drinks and nibbles will be available.

Tea, Coffee and delicious home baking will be available. Perfect for anyone looking for a special gift for Mother’s Day.

Sun 23 March

Brookfield Art Club Show & Sale Brookfield Village Hall 12noon to 5pm

Tea room with home baking. Admission just £1. All welcome.

Mon 24 March

Thu 3 April

Lady Captain’s Charity Fashion Show Ranfurly Castle Golf Club, Bridge of Weir 7.30pm All welcome. Tickets £5 which includes refreshments.

Sat 5 April

Grand Opening of Three Sisters Bake - Ice Cream Café Finlaystone Country Estate, Langbank

Freeland Church, Bridge of Weir 8pm

The local girls will be bringing their blend of simple, fresh, colourful food and delicious baking to the existing tea room premises at the heart of Finlaystone. See the website at www.threesistersbake. co.uk for full details.

Tea & coffee will be served afterwards. Any queries, please phone either Rosemary 01505 614252 or Lorraine 01505 612202.

Sun 6 April

Bridge of Weir History Soc AGM

Tue 25 March

Leah Abramson The Old Library Centre, Kilbarchan 7.30pm As this promises to be a very popular night early booking is advised.

This is a BYOB. More details are on www.kipcokil.com £12

Thu 27 March

Access Forum AGM Castle Semple Centre, Lochwinnoch 7pm The Forum advises Renfrewshire Council and any others consulting it on outdoor access issues and helps solve any outdoor access disputes. For more information about the AGM, email pt@ renfrewshire.gov.uk

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Spring Field Fair Castle Semple, Lochwinnoch.11am to 4pm Stalls selling food, cakes, books, bric-a-brac and plants; activities like bouncy castle, coconut shy, hook a duck, thwack the rat and beat the goalie, trips around the loch, sailor knot tying and best rowing machine times for different age categories. Website: www.ssap.co.uk

Thu 1 - Sat 3 May Calamity Jane

The Tweedie Hall, Linwood. Thur/Fri/Sat: doors open 7pm, curtain up 7.30pm. Saturday matinee: doors open 1.30pm, curtain up 2pm.

Adults £10, concession £9. Johnstone Phoenix Theatre Group.

Booking hotline: 07748 827 727 or 0141 880 8349.

E: INFO@ADVERTIZER.CO.UK

Beacon Arts Theatre, Greenock, Tel: 01475 723723 Triple Bill - Thursday 6th March - 1pm: IDEPENDANCE 4. A fresh, young inclusive dance quartet creating inspirational and challenging dance!

Price: £8 to £10 How to make a killing in Bollywood - Friday 7th March - 7.30pm: A band new comedy about two best friends (Raza and Gurjit) who decide to quit their jobs in a takeaway restaurant and head to India to pursue their Bollywood fantasies.

Price: £10 Voodoo Room - Friday 7th March - 8pm: The UK music scene of the late sixties was melting pot from which Classic Blues/Rock emerged, establishing the power trio as the driving force of the era. Price: £8 to £10 Within This Dust - Wednesday 12th March 7.30pm: Smallpetitklein’s critically acclaimed, sell out show Within This Dust is fresh from performances in New York City, Brazil and the Edinburgh Festival Fringe.

Prices: £8 to £10 Derek Acorah - Enlightenment Tour - Sunday 16th March 7.30pm: Voted Britain’s Favourite Male Medium by the prestigious Soul & Spirit Magazine. Price: £17.50 The Secret Life of Suitcases Wednesday 19th March - 3.30pm: Larry works at the Suitcase Station, and he likes it very much.

Every day he inspects funnels and fixes pipes.

Prices: £5 to £7 Busch Ensemble - Thursday 20th March - 7.30pm: A London-based chamber music group founded in November 2010. Prices: £10 to £12 Bongos & Brass - Saturday 22nd March - 2pm: Owen and Olly are back at the Beacon!

Bongos and Brass is an action-packed interactive concert brought to you by family favourites Children’s Classic Concerts. Price: £5 Butterfly Kiss - Sunday 23rd March - 7.30pm: A Punch & Judy stall on a Scottish seaside front.

Prices: £10 to £12.

Dare to Care Wednesday 26th March - 7.30pm: Arriving for a spell behind bars, where there are no secrets or boundaries, and carrying their life’s baggage, a group of women tell their stories in a sometimes crazy, often poignant insight into their lives and the price they’ll pay. Prices: £8 to £10 Jerry Sadowitz - Comedian, Magician, Psychopath Thursday 27th Mar - 8pm: Not only an offensive comedian, but he is also one of the world’s most skilled and creative card magicians. Price: £22.50 A Slow Air - Friday 28th March - 7.30pm: Morna and Atholl are brother and sister but they haven’t spoken to each other for 15 years. Now Morna’s son, Joshua, is turning 21 – and he’s planning a party. Prices: £10 to £12

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THEATRE

events

MARCH 2014

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Paisley Events for March

Rantin - Sat 1st March - Paisley Museum, 7.30pm: Tickets: £10 (£6 conc) May contain strong language. A retired American steps off the plane at Prestwick, hoping to discover the land of his fathers; An old drunk man in Methil has a mystical vision at the harbour; A supermarket checkout girl in Port Glasgow approaches work with a golf club...

Alex Horne - Friday 7th March - Paisley Arts Centre, 8pm: Tickets: £12 (£10 conc) May contain strong language. On the back of yet another sell-out stadium tour, the triple Perrier-winning comedian, original host of Blockbusters and former Mr Universe Alex Horne presents a show packed full of jokes, impressions and...lies!

Dorothy - A Brand New Show - Sunday 9th March - Paisley Town Hall: 7.30pm. Tickets: £15 (£13 conc). Dorothy Paul, the undisputed queen of Scottish comedy is back with a brand new show, written specially for the Glasgow Comedy Festival with a sneak preview for Paisley.

Within This Dust - Monday 10th March - Paisley Arts Centre, 7.30pm: Tickets: £10 (£6 conc) Suitable for ages 14+. A hauntingly beautiful programme of dance.

The work combines text and subtle story-telling to deliver an inherently emotive piece of dance theatre.

Wendy Hoose - Tuesday 18th March Paisley Arts Centre, 1.30pm: Tickets: £10 (£6 conc) Suitable for ages 16+. The creative forces of Birds of Paradise and Random Accomplice come together for the first time to bring you a frank and hilarious sex comedy.

Fred Morrison - Saturday 22nd March - Paisley Arts Centre, 7.30pm: Tickets: £10 (£6 conc). Scottish piper Fred Morrison is justly famed for his passionately expressive style, rooted in the Gaelic traditions of his father’s native South Uist, and enriched by influences from far and wide, which has seen him dubbed “the Jimi Hendrix of the pipes”.

A Buddy Good Laugh

- Thursday 27th March - Paisley Arts Centre: Doors 8.15pm, show starts 8.30pm.

Tickets: £10 (£8 conc). For ages 18+. Cammy Sinclair, Jamie Dalgleish, headliner: Phil Kay

A Slow Air - Saturday 29th March - Paisley Arts Centre, 7.30pm: Tickets: £10 (£6 conc) Suitable for ages 14+. A Slow Air is the story of Atholl and Morna, brother and sister from Edinburgh, who haven’t spoken for 14 years.

Booking for the above events: 0300 300 1210

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THE ADVERTIZER

T: 01505 613340

BUSINESS news

E: INFO@ADVERTIZER.CO.UK

‘Dawn Mist’ by Pat Cook from PCPC

iT blog

with Colin Fyfe of Colcom Routers are central to our digital connected life, certainly at home. Of the many brands I have used, Netgear, D-Link, ZyXel, Dreytec and others stand out for their quality. As ever, you tend to get what you pay for – with one overpriced exception - Belkin. I have honestly never been 100% satisfied with their kit.

The ISP provided kit, BT, Talktalk, Sky and others was recently subject to a ‘Which?’ survey and test. The new BT Homehub 4 Infinity and the Sky Hub stand out being the newest hardware out there. The BT router gets a decent review although I have serious misgivings about the parental controls and the unyielding inbuilt software. Same goes for the Sky Hub although significantly more people seem to be getting replacements sent out as a result of faults developing over time or out of the box.

The wee black Talktalk Essentials router did the worst out of all the routers on test but I must say, the score was brought down significantly by TT’s customer service. I personally think their device, as small as it is, packs a decent punch.

all done well. As it happens, I was delighted to learn that these routers did as well as they did because these are the same that I provide with Utility Warehouse.

The best buy award went ultimately to the router supplied by Plusnet. The brand is Technicolor and any time I have seen it, increasingly often these days, I have been somewhat impressed by the plain looking device; its wireless coverage, ease of use and no nonsense setup and features are

You may not have a crying need for this info just now, but as our homes become more connected, with more data flowing and connected devices, the wee box may have such a big role in our lives that buying cheap may not be an option worth taking.

Ecoclips Competition

Over 70 young people registered for the #Ecoclips short film competition and we are looking forward to announcing the local and national winners soon. A great big thank you to everyone who helped us spread the word and key partners including the local secondary schools, pupils at Johnstone High who took part in the LEAP Futures programme pilot and helped promote the #Ecoclips competition, The Bike Station in Glasgow, Young Scot who were great at spreading the competition far and wide across Scotland, and the Junior Climate Challenge Fund. Look out for links on the Lochwinnoch forum and Facebook pages as well as the LEAP website and social media showing off some of the work that the young people involved put in. Watch this space.

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MARCH 2014

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Clever Thinking: Relevant Life Cover If you run a business and you have life cover, it’s possible you’re paying more tax than you have to.

Insurance is one of life’s necessities but, in some case, it’s possible to organise the cover you need in a more tax efficient way, cutting your costs. For example, with a relevant life policy you can find a way to get the protection your family needs at a significant saving.

Although your company makes the payments, they’re not treated as a benefit in kind, and so would not be included in your income tax assessments. Obviously each person’s situation is different and that’s why it’s important to talk to an expert about the best way to go ahead.

Stewart Independent Financial Advice Ltd can offer advice on this and other tax-efficient insurance solutions for your business. They’ve been established for 22 years and have two offices in the heart of Bridge of Weir.

Financial advisor Elaine Currie said: “If you have a company there are ways of setting up your life cover (relevant life policy written under trust) through your business which is tax efficient and can save you money. This arrangement can also benefit high-earning employees or directors.

“If you’re a sole trader, it’s worthwhile coming to talk to us to see if we can offer advice on tax-efficient ways to plan ahead.”

If you wish to know more, please call the office on 01505 610005 to make an appointment with Elaine or Neil Stewart to discover ways of giving your finances a makeover.

Elaine Currie - Elaine moved to Stewart IFA this summer bringing with her 15 years of experience with global insurance provider Unum whose office is in Glasgow. While she was there she specialised in business and group cover which makes her ideally placed to help you with both your business and your personal cover.

The purpose of this article is to provide technical and generic guidance and should not be interpreted as a personal recommendation or advice.

Stewart IFA Ltd is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority.

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THE ADVERTIZER

T: 01505 613340

Off The Wall

The West of Scotland Drystone Wallers first project is another drystone bridge at the Kilsyth Lennox Golf Club. The members were so pleased with last years project that they asked us back again. Last years bridge has already become an icon for the Club and has been a feature in many photographs of wedding receptions held at the clubhouse.

The first of our famous Beginners Training Weekends at Kilbarchan will be held on the weekend of March 29/30th. A few places are still available for anyone who wants to learn this rural craft in a relaxed & fun environment.

For further details and an application form go to our website http://www. wsdswa.org.uk/#/training.

Other interesting projects for this year include our annual attendance at Kilmacolm Show on May 10th ,where we will be continuing the renovation of the wall round the Knapps Loch, and a demonstration garden at the Gardening Scotland Show at Ingleston Showground, Edinburgh over the weekend of May 30th - June 1st. This year we have teamed up with garden designer Jayne Whitehead from Ivy Maud Design and will be re-creating part of an Edwardian Garden on the theme will be “Remembrance”. Jayne was the designer of the very successful Callander Friendship Garden which we helped to build last year.

Will we feature on this years Beechgrove Garden show again, who knows? For those gardeners attending the Show, drop in at our stand next to the West Gate entrance and see this years garden themed exhibit and try a sample of our delicious tablet.

People who have completed the Beginners courses and are wanting to hone their skills may be interested to know that we will be running courses on building retaining walls, steep slope dyke construction and cheek (or wall) end construction at our test site at Kilsyth.

These are the natural progression from simple field walls and enhance the basic skills already learned.

Other projects within the West of Scotland area are being planned and will be announced when finalised.

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E: INFO@ADVERTIZER.CO.UK

Local Energy Action Plan ‘Free’ Boilers We were contacted by a concerned Lochwinnoch resident regarding a phone call she had received from company promising to replace her elderly boiler free of charge. She was naturally very interested, but became suspicious when they insisted that a £199 fee had to be paid before the surveyor would visit and required this to be paid by credit card (they wouldn’t accept a cheque).

At this point, she very sensibly declined the offer of their services. There are a couple of schemes that are currently installing boilers free of charge to households that qualify. One is funded by the Scottish Government and the other by the energy companies as part of the Energy Company Obligation. There will be no survey charge for either of these and both can be accessed by having a LEAP Home Energy Check. We then refer on to Home Energy Scotland, who can establish eligibility.

There is also the Green Deal, which is a way for households that do not qualify for either of the above schemes, to pay for a new boiler (and other energy saving measures) through their energy bills. Access to this is through a Green Deal Assessment, for which there is usually a charge of between £100-£200.

For details of any of these schemes, or for advice on other ways you can reduce your fuel bills, please pop into the LEAP office (22 Church Street, Lochwinnoch or Advance Place, Main Street, Bridge of Weir), or phone us (01505 842530/612034) to arrange for one of our Energy Advisers to contact you.

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MARCH 2014

21

ON the road

Are your tyres past it?

Tyres are fantastically engineered products, keeping your car on the road come rain or shine. However, like everything else, age can take its toll on tyres, so it could be time to get yours checked by an expert.

The National Tyre Distributors Association recommends that tyres fitted to vehicles over 10 years old are checked for damage, wear and other signs of old age.

Is your car 10 or more years old?

Do you have a touring caravan?

Do you have a trailer or a camping trailer?

If the answer is ”yes”, then read on.

Although, just because your tyre is 10 years old does not automatically make it unsafe, but it is still worth getting it checked, as tyres work very hard, day in, day out. Tyres should be checked regularly for signs of damage and tread wear. Excessive or irregular wear can indicate problems such as mis-alignment — your NIDA expert will recognise the warning signs and recommend corrective action.

Tread Depth — 3mm for improved safety. Regular examinations by both tyre specialist and motorist should be carried out taking particular notice of tread depth and damaged side walls.

Collins Tyre Services in Johnstone is a member of the NIDA and can provide any advice on tyres and competitive pricing for replacement tyres.

Also, as fully qualified mechanics, the team can perform most mechanical jobs and arrange for your car’s annual MOT.

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gryffe spotlight

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MARCH 2014

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this month we feature: • Gibb Stuart’s • Wild Rose • Corum Estate Agents • Three Sisters Bake

Gryffe

spotlight

Mum’s the word...

Mothering Sunday is the fourth Sunday of Lent, and traditionally, it was a day when children, mainly daughters, who had gone to work as domestic servants were given a day off to visit their mother and family.

photo: Gary Ramanathan’s snow capped highland scene

This Mother’s Day, show your mum just how much she means to you with exquisite flowers from Wild Rose.

Our beautiful range of flowers and plants, from elegant floral arrangements and bouquets to quaint vintage teacups, delicate jam jars with posies and chic flower filled hat boxes are a perfect way to say ‘I love you mum’.

Every unique Wild Rose order is lovingly crafted, beautifully presented and completed by being tied with exclusive Wild Rose ribbon. Delivery is free on all orders over £35 and on every order within Kilmacolm.

Make your Mother’s Day special this year with the help of Wild Rose Flowers.

One of the biggest traditions these days on Mother’s Day is giving flowers. Mums around the world are often treated to bouquets of their favourites by sons and daughters showing their appreciation. In centuries gone by children picked their own flowers to give to their mothers or decorate the local church for Mothering Sunday services.

Other gifts are popular too for celebrating Mother’s Day, including boxes of chocolates, framed family photographs, pampering products or handmade presents from the kids. Millions of Mother’s Day cards are also sent every year, whether delivered by hand or posted home by those who can’t make it to spend the day with their beloved mums. But the other thing that many mother’s really relish about their special day is simply being able to relax while they are spoiled and looked after all day long.

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gryffe spotlight

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in the spotlight

with so many wonderful photos sent in each month, it is hard to choose one as a feature cover - our pick is on p23

animal prints Kilmacolm Camera Club held one of its internal competitions recently, the subject matter being “Animals”, and judged by Guy Phillips from Helensburgh. Our most successful “David Attenborough” was David Addison.

Not content with winning the Print Competition, with “Curly Horns” (that’s the title of the print, not some ovine attribute of Mr Addison!), he won the Digital Competition, with “Up and Over”. The two winning images are shown here, together with “Puffin Portrait”, by Bill Ham, which was second in the Digital Competition.

open shutter Gryffe Camera Club’s fourth round internal competition had a good number of entries. The title was “Open” so there was a wide range of subject matter-always making choosing a winner trickier. Among the winners were: Glenfinnan - Andy Stark (photo above left) Sail Power - Fiona Morrison,(photo bottom left) and Red Kite - Pat Allan (photo below) We also had “friendly” print competition against Hub Singer Camera Club with 20 prints from each club being assessed by Gordon Ballard.

Gordon said he thoroughly enjoyed viewing some high quality images from both clubs. It was lucky for us it was a “friendly “ though, as Hub Singer won!

We were more successful in the George Simpson Memorial competition when we up against Skelmorlie, Greenock, Cowal, and West Kilbride.

Each club presented 6 prints and 6 digital images. Cowal were defending their title of several years, but after a close and exciting battle - GRYFFE won !!

Coming up in March we have the next round in our internal league competition - this time a themed competition entitled “Landscapes”. There is also our third and final Renfrewshire league match to look forward to against Beith, as well as an audio-visual match with Paisley Colour and Ayr Camera Clubs.

As mentioned last month we are lucky enough to have landscape photographer Simon Butterworth coming to the club on Wednesday March 12th. Non club members are very welcome and tickets are still available £3 from : secretary@gryffecameraclub.co.uk.

And so as ever there is a lot going on at Gryffe, and new members are always welcome Finally here’s a thought......a photograph is a secret about a secret; the more it tells you, the less you know. Diane Arbus.

Bill and Val Crookston, of Diaporama, enlightened us on the basics of producing audio-visual sequences and club members appreciated the wealth of advice they provided.

In this year’s Simpson Competition (the annual 5-way battle between camera clubs in the Firth of Clyde area) Cowal took the honours this time. Thanks to Skelmorlie for hosting the competition.

Got a new pup to photograph? Just booked your holidays? You’ll need to brush up your photo techniques, won’t you? Drop in and see us – you’ll be made very welcome. We meet in Kilmacolm’s Cargill Centre, Room 1.01; Tuesday evenings at 7.30pm. Contacts: Billy Blair, Tel: 873383; Janice Stevenson, Tel 873595.

winter landscapes The February competition theme at Langbank Camera Club was ‘Winter Landscapes’ Members entries were all of a high standard and Gary Ramanathan’s picture of a beautiful snow capped highland scene (on page 23) took first place, with John Huston’s photo taking second place and Campbell Watson’s forest track scene in third.

There was a good turn out at the February meeting, which is encouraging, as we like to see new faces at the club. A demonstration and presentation of how to restore old photographs was provided by one of the members.

The club is a small but friendly group of enthusiastic amateur photographers who want to improve their craft. None of us is perfect so we are learning all the time. Remember this is a hobby that has more to do with capturing the right moment than the technology behind it. So come along to our monthly meetings and hang out with fellow enthusiasts and learn something new. Your poor old camera will get a ‘click’ out of it as well by seeing more of the world throughout the year as opposed to only making appearances on holidays or special occasions.

Next month’s meeting will be held on Monday the 11th March at 7.30pm in the Langbank Church halls, with the competition subject of Architecture.

Please visit the club’s website to get all the news and also to view the many wonderful images produced by the Langbank Camera club members, at www.langbankcameraclub.weebly.com.

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gryffe spotlight

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Three Sisters branching out...

e: info@advertizer.co.uk

Three Sisters Bake have announced plans to open a second café premises. Gillian (34), Nichola (32) and Linsey Reith (29), all from Bridge of Weir, will be launching Three Sisters Bake ‘Ice Cream Café’ at Finlaystone Country Estate by Langbank on April 5th 2014.

We love the place and we want our customers to love it too! By creating an ice cream café, we will be doing something quite exciting and different from our café at Quarriers Village. We can’t wait to see our ideas brought to life!”

The local girls will be bringing their blend of simple, fresh, colourful food and delicious baking to the existing tea room premises at the heart of Finlaystone. In addition, they will also be offering a fantastic range of artisan ice creams, guaranteed to cool down adventurers of all ages after a day of running through the forests!

As well as launching their second café, the girls have also completed work on a cookbook ‘Three Sisters Bake: Delectable Recipes for Every Day’ which will be published by London publisher, Hardie Grant on March 17th 2014. The book will be available to purchase from Three Sisters Bake website and café as well as bookstores and Amazon.

Following the success of Three Sisters Bake at Quarriers Village over the past two and a half years, the Reith’s have decided the time is right to begin expanding the business. They currently employ 15 people from the local area and will continue to create jobs across the kitchen and front of house functions.

Nichola, middle sister and Three Sister’s Bake chief baker, said “We couldn’t believe it when we got the call from Hardie Grant asking us if we would be interested in making a cookbook with them! It was a huge amount of hard work, more than we could ever have imagined but seeing the finished book has made it so worthwhile. We shot much of the food photography and scenic images around Quarriers Village and on the Isle of Arran so the book has a really contemporary Scottish look.”

Gillian said, ‘”We spent much of our childhood running around the forests and rivers at Finlaystone.

For us, it is a magical place that epitomises childhood, fun and adventure.”

She added “ We are so excited to be bringing Three Sisters Bake to Finlaystone as it holds such amazing memories for us.

Finlaystone House

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Linsey, who trained as a chef at Edinburgh School of Food & Wine added “Because we source many of our ingredients locally and try to use as much fresh produce in our cooking, many of the recipes have a very Scottish feel which we are really proud of. Our customers will recognize many of their favourite dishes and cakes as the book contains lots of our signature baking recipes! The book also has a number of light, healthy recipes as this is the way we like to eat and many of the dishes on our menu reflect this philosophy. We can’t wait to see it on the bookshop shelves on March 17th!”

Three Sisters Bake ‘Ice Cream Café’ will open at Finlaystone Country Estate on April 5th.

See www.threesistersbake.co.uk for full details.

BOOK LAUNCH

‘Three Sisters Bake: Delectable Recipes for Every Day’ which will be published

by London publisher, Hardie Grant on March 17th 2014.

The book will be available to purchase from Three Sisters Bake website and café as well as bookstores and Amazon.

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MARCH 2014

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History

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this month, a history of Craigends estate in Houston, by Renfrewshire Local History Forum

John Cunninghame of Craigends (1759 – 1822) J

ohn Cunninghame, Laird of Craigends, when he was in his midfifties, wrote a personal diary covering the years 1814-15. More than one hundred years later, in 1919, the diary was published by James Durham, his great-grandson. As one would expect, the dairy includes entries about his estate and business duties including haymaking, sheep shearing, pruning vines, checking his hothouse, buying Highland cattle at the June Thorn Fair in 1814 and at Johnstone Fair the following year, engaging and dismissing staff, collecting rent from his tenants, attending to his property in Port Glasgow and going to Paisley to ‘bank my West India income’. There were also entries noting his public duties such as attending heritors and session meetings to distribute the poor funds, inspecting Hardgate Toll and attending meetings concerning local toll roads in need of repair or alteration.

But business entries are far outnumbered by numerous entries about his health and the weather. Although John Cunninghame was a devout Christian, either a minor ailment or inclement weather seems always to have occurred on a Saturday justifying his non-attendance at church the following day.

He suffered from numerous minor ailments and, more seriously, from gout. The ‘running off of the last of the wine’ (58 dozen and two bottles) in March, 1814, may have contributed to his gout! However, despite his painful illness he still frequently managed to go hunting with friends at Formakin, Barrochan Mill and Kilmacolm on his favourite horse, Empress.

John Cunninghame of Craigends and his wife Margaret were married in 1800 and by 1815 had eleven children.

Their family social circle, as one would expect, was largely confined to local gentry of his own class and Mr John Monteith, the Houston and Killallan minister. Mrs Monteith, ‘a kind good woman’ was a close friend of Margaret. She even stayed over at Craigends to help when new babies were born.

Milliken, who at that time were renting Alexander Spiers’s Glentyan House in Kilbarchan. On a visit to Glentyan, John Cunninghame was introduced to William Milliken Napier’s new bride, Elizabeth Stirling, whom he described as ‘very agreeable, tho’ not such a beauty as I had been led to think she was’. These families frequently visited each other for dinner. The main modes of transport used to visit friends were horseback or private horse and chaise for short distances, post horses on occasion for longer journeys and boats on the Johnstone Canal.

John Cunninghame had a keen interest in the lives of his children. This personal involvement of a father with his children seems more in keeping with the present day than the early nineteenth century. Entries in the diary record the birth of his youngest son, Boyd, on 11th March 1814, with intimate details on problems with the wet nurse, and an entry on the nineteenth of March saying ‘Mrs C slept well. Baby going finely’.

The diary details John Cunninghame’s arrangements for the younger children to go on holiday to Largs ‘for ‘sea bathing’.

He and his wife journeyed to Largs at the end of May to book a holiday house at the cost of £11 for the season. He also noted calling the doctor when the children had chickenpox, when Lillie cut and bruised her cheek and when Willie fell from a horse. Another entry mentions taking his eight year old daughter, Fanny, to Paisley to have a haircut. His older boys were educated in Edinburgh under ‘the care and instruction’ of Robert Smith until December 1814, when he became the minister in Lochwinnoch, and was replaced by David Brown. John Cunninghame mentions sending a watch to his eldest son, thirteen year old Willie, in Edinburgh.

he described her as "very agreeable, tho' not such a beauty as I had been led to think she was".

Other family friends mentioned in the diary include the Flemings of Barochan, Lady Stewart at Torr, the Porterfields of Duchal, the Alexanders of Soutbar, Sir John and Lady Maxwell of Pollock, the Napiers of Blackstoun, Mr Douglas (Kilbachan parish minister) and the Napiers of

The diary surprisingly makes no mention of politics or the Battle of Waterloo. John Cunninghame’s Diary is simply a very ordinary day to day account of the family life of a country laird who suffered from ill health, loved his family and attended to his immediate estate and public duties. He died in 1822 and was buried in Kilbarchan. His gravestone is displayed high on the wall inside the entrance tower of Kilbarchan old Parish Church.

© 2014, Helen Calcluth

Quarriers - new book

Two Good Men and True by Helen Milne is a new Kindle book which might be of interest to many people living in Renfrewshire, particularly in Bridge of Weir and Kilmacolm. Central to this astonishing story is the promising tuberculosis and cancer research by Robert (Bertie) Hunter and Dr Ernest J. Peill at William Quarrier’s Sanatorium, Bridge of Weir in the 1930s and 1940s, before the advent of antibiotics.

A successful treatment was developed from this research and patients, once considered to be hopeless cases of tuberculosis, were able to be discharged from hospital with clean bills of health.

This book is much more than a dry medical history. As in any community, there were a diverse number of characters, like a young doctor from a wealthy background who landed up in all sorts of scrapes. There were people with special skills such as Willie the rat charmer, a patient from Quarriers Epileptic Colony, who played his part by helping out in the medical laboratory – a situation that would not be allowed by Health and Safety nowadays. Some of the forgotten social lives of the medical staff who lived in the Sanatorium, the way in which they spent their leisure time and how they coped during the difficult war years have been explored in this book. More than that, the history of Quarriers is incomplete without it.

Drug-resistant tuberculosis is now touching millions of people world-wide, and cancer continues to do the same. It is now timeous to tell the story behind the research papers, which were written at the Sanatorium. More than 70 years after the papers were first published in Tubercle and The Journal of Pathology, they are being sold on the Internet by American companies.

Two Good Men and True by Helen Milne is a tribute to all the dedicated staff who worked at Quarriers Sanatorium, Bridge of Weir, and is available as a Kindle/iPad book at Amazon.co.uk priced at £1.80.

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VILLAGE news

MARCH 2014

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‘Beach Walk’ by Graeme Dewar from PCPC

bishopton, langbank & bridge of weir Bridge of Weir TARA There was strong representation from our local councillors, the police and Renfrewshire council services at our last meeting. Councillor Mike Holmes let it be known that although Bull’s Garage is completely fenced off pending sale, any development on the site will have to adhere to the footpath right of way on the land, as it meets the criteria for the council register.

The police are concerned about a growing number of incidents in Bridge of Weir regarding cold callers who are supposedly looking for work regarding roofs and gutters, etc.. As always it is advised that I.D. is requested when dealing with anyone offering services at your door, if you’re suspicious at all, phone the police. Youths on trail bikes are continuing to ride illegally throughout the village and any sightings should be reported to the police on 101 or to Renfrewshire wardens service on 03003000380.

A contractor has been chosen to install the LED street lighting on Houston Road and it is hoped that the work will begin early in the new financial year. The work should take about four weeks from start to finish.

Following Mike Lawrie’s petition to Renfrewshire council regarding vehicles speeding on Kilmacolm Road and representation from the council and police, a number of speed calming measures are currently being looked at, with possibly countdown markers approaching the village.

The lack of bus services to, from and around Bridge of Weir is an ongoing problem and representatives of TARA are looking to meet with the councillor within Renfrewshire responsible for transport matters to discuss what the public transport plan, if any, is for the area.

The next meeting of the Association will be on the 18th March at 7.30pm in the Pirie Centre at Freeland Church, with new faces always welcome.

Langbank Village Lunch Many thanks to all the residents who supported the Village Lunch. The raffle raised £233 for Macmillan Nurses, thanks to the generosity of all the guests.

A dedicated team of cooks and kitchen helpers produced an excellent meal, and wine was donated by local businesswomen. It was a lovely event, supported by Langbank Primary Pupils, and all the hard work in the planning and delivery of food was rewarded with nice comments and clean plates.

Langbank Village Lunch Committee.

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It’s Laserlight’s 1st Birthday!

It has been an amazing first year and I’m so grateful for all the support I’ve had. I’ve enjoyed every minute of my new venture.

To celebrate, I’m offering another chance to save 40% on all IPL/Laser Treatments during March.

Also, I am extending my range of treatments to include microdermabrasion. This will be available at the special introductory price of £40 during March and just £30 when taken in addition to a course of Dermajet microneedling.

So whether you are an existing client or would like to try Laserlight’s services, why not book today!?

Just call 01505 228095 and we will arrange an appointment for you.

Bridge of Weir Embroiderers’ Guild - 30 Years in Stitches 2014 sees the Bridge of Weir Branch of the Embroiderers’ Guild celebrate their Pearl (30yr) anniversary. To mark the occasion, from Monday 17th March for 2 weeks we will have on display some of the pieces which have been produced during this period at The Bridge on Main Street.

Items will include ‘Visitors Choice’ from a selection of past exhibitions, Celebratory Hangings and a specially designed piece for the anniversary with a beautiful Pearl beaded centrepiece.

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bishopton, langbank & bridge of weir BoW Festival Committee At the AGM of the Bridge of Weir Festival committee held Tuesday 11th February, it was decided that this years theme for the parade, “Best Dressed Window” and the front cover of the programme will be “The Commonwealth” this is open to own interpretation of national dress, flags, games, countries etc.

Gala Queen Selection

We would like to announce that the selection night for the Gala Queen and her attendants will be held in the Cargill Hall on Saturday 8th March at 7pm. Entry forms can be obtained from the local Primary Schools but is only open to girls who are currently in P6 & P7 and live in the PA11 postcode area. Forms, signed by a parent or guardian must be returned to the schools before 28th February.

Gala Day Pitches

Any one wishing to take a pitch at £15 for a 12’ x 12’ area on Gala Day Saturday 14th June should contact Meg Millar on 07931 302689 to get a booking sent out. All booking forms must be received before Friday 6th June and the booking fee is paid when you return the booking form. All cheques or postal orders made payable to “Bridge of Weir Festival”.

We would also like to says that over the 15 night that Santa was out in December that he greeted at least 1420 children (if you go by the number of bundles of sweets handed out!!)

The next meeting of the Bridge of Weir Festival Committee is on Tuesday 11th March at 7.30pm in the Cargill Hall.

Langbank SWRI Our penultimate evening of this session will be a `Members Night` on Thursday 20th March in The Village Centre at 7.30pm. Competitions are: 1) A starter .your choice.

2) Photograph of a local view. 3) A handwritten household tip.

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The Bridge,

Bridge of Weir Time does not stand still in The Bridge. Spring is upon us and we are planning for Christmas 2014.

Alison Bannerman is drawing our much acclaimed, individually designed Christmas card and members of the Paisley Colour Photographic Club are taking photographs for the 2015 Calendar.

Greeting Cards: Even with our thoughts on festive preparations we must return to the present. Mother’s Day is celebrated on the 30th March. Show how much your Mum means to you by sending a card from our selection.

Easter falls later this year, with Easter Sunday celebrated on 20th April. Brighten up someone’s day by sending an Easter Greetings card from our colourful display.

Centre Users: We are pleased to announce that many residents of Bridge of Weir are making use of the expertise of our two new service providers – the Citizens Advice Bureau and Colcom’s Computer Clinic. The Hard of Hearing Clinic continues to be well attended preventing trips to the RAH. Post Office: The usual postal services are provided during opening hours by Donald, Pat and Anne.

Volunteers: Do you have a spare 4 hours once a month? If so, please consider becoming a volunteer in The Bridge. You can be assured old friendships will be reignited and new friendships formed. Do not worry about lack of experience as another friendly volunteer will be only too happy to assist.

Trustees Annual Report: the report and accounts for the second year of The Bridge were approved by the trustees on 22nd January. A copy is available at The Bridge for your perusal.

We look forward to meeting up with you in The Bridge – Your Community Centre, Shop and Post Office.

Opening Hours: Mon – 9am to 5pm (PO closed 12 noon to 12.30pm), Tues & Fri – 1pm to 5pm, Wed & Thu – 10am to 2pm, Sat – 9am to 1pm

Charity Concert

On Saturday 15th March Freeland Church, Bridge of Weir is hosting a charity concert with Graham Murnane and friends in aid of Well Fare, a charity supporting children in rural Uganda.

The concert will see the launch of a CD of gospel songs, “In This Place”, sales of which will also benefit Well Fare.

The concert starts at 7.30pm at Freeland Church, Main Street, Bridge of Weir, and entry is free, with a collection for Well Fare.

Bridge of Weir History Society

The 25th AGM of the Bridge of Weir History Society will take place on Monday 24th March. (Please note the date has been rearranged & is different from that printed in the programme).

The meeting starts at 8pm and is held in the large hall of Freeland Church, in Bridge of Weir. Tea & coffee will be served afterwards.

Any queries, please phone either Rosemary 01505 614252 or Lorraine 01505 612202.

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MARCH 2014

33

Looking on the Brighter Side!

Who would be a weather forecaster? Only a couple of years ago, snow lay on the ground around Bridge of Weir from October through to March. This year (at least, at the time of writing) we’ve had about half an hours’ worth. Last year spring had something like three false starts, this year so far, hardly even a frost. And wet as it surely has been, in this area, we certainly escaped the worst of it.

Yet it once seemed to be so predictable. For instance, according to folklore March was windy and April was showery. That’s what gave us flowers in May, they said. Well, let’s see what happens this year.

Meanwhile, about three weeks ago we saw the first green shoots break through in the barrier baskets along Main Street. And that in turn brought forth the seeds of enthusiasm for the volunteers of Brighter Bridge of Weir (not that they’ve been dormant throughout the winter - far from it). Plans have been agreed for the supply and delivery of plants, shrubs, trees and planters to further enhance the village throughout the coming seasons.

The success of Brighter Bridge of Weir’s previous efforts has been acknowledged by the local MP, MSP, Councillors, visitors, residents and businesses in many different ways. The group has even been contacted by residents of surrounding villages for advice on starting up similar projects. That recognition is very rewarding for them.

As the group’s Chair, Alice Johnstone, said: “It’s hard work at times, but when people come up to us in the street to say how much they appreciate what we‘re doing, that makes it all worthwhile.”

If you have any thoughts about areas that Brighter Bridge of Weir could brighten up, please let them know. You can contact the volunteers through their website - www.brighterbridgeofweir.org/contacts - or you can call Alice Johnstone on 01505 613679, or Dougie McNicol on 07810 722806. You could even help them make it happen.

Spring Art And Craft Fair Between 10am and 3pm on Saturday 22nd March at Bishopton Community Centre, Gledstane Road, Bishopton, Bishopton Art Group will host their annual Spring Art and Craft Fair. Local amateur artists and crafts people will offer for sale a variety of products that will make ideal gifts for someone special. This year’s event will feature some new artists. Visitors can vote for their favourite painting.

Between 8pm and 9pm on Friday 21st March, there will be a pre-view of the paintings in the Community Centre. Access is free. Soft drinks and nibbles will be available.

Admission to the Spring Art and Craft fair on Saturday is also free.

Tea, Coffee and delicious home baking will be available. The venue is a 5-minute walk from Bishopton railway station. There is ample free car parking.

The date of the event is perfect for anyone looking for a special gift for Mother’s Day, that this year falls on Sunday 30th March.

Mr William Stewart, organiser of Bishopton Art Group’s Fair said; “The Spring Art and Craft Fair is an event run by the community and for the community. Admission is free. Tea coffee and home baking is also available at a nominal cost. There is always a large selection of arts and crafts available for sale and at very reasonable prices.” “We are also having a preview of the paintings on the Friday evening. There is good access, for all, to Bishopton Community Centre and free parking.”

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Kerasilk Keratin Treatment with Kerashape Technology …... * transforms unmanageable & damaged hair into smooth & soft hair * Makes your unruly, frizzy hair manageable * Softens your waves and smoothes overall hair structure * Reduces your daily styling time significantly * Turns your hair into silk for up to 5 months

Kerasilk Keratin Treatment will take up to 2-3 hours for the whole service, depending on the hair structure and length, but will make your hair smooth, frizz free and more manageable for up to 5 months.

When you have your Keratin Treatment applied in the salon, you will receive the correct shampoo and conditioner free of charge.

Don’t miss out on this fabulous product and many more within the salon. Bring along the above advert to receive a 10% discount off this and all our other hair services.

Come along and discover the first customised Keratin Treatment Service at JRS Hairdressing, 5 Windsor Place, Main Street, Bridge of Weir. Tel: 01505 614466.

Looking forward to the Future Three informal evenings are planned at Langbank Village Church for all the villagers to get involved in a discussion about our village church. Invites will be delivered to your house, for the evenings of 11th, 17th and 19th March, in Langbank Church Halls at 7pm.

Tea coffee and delicious cakes will be served at 7pm, then everyone will be invited to participate in an informal chat about our church, the building, the congregation, and a vision for our future.

Look out for your invite arriving, and make this a date in your March diary.

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Bridge of Weir Community Council The February meeting of the Community Council was a lively affair with a number of residents from the village in attendance.

Sergeant Phil Moir who gave the Police Report highlighted a considerable increase in crimes of vandalism in January, 13 in total of which 11 occurred on one occasion involving four persons.

The majority of residents attending the meeting were neighbours of the vacant Bulls Garage site. Cllr MacLaren informed the meeting that there has been no official approach to the Council regarding any change of use.

The Community Council was asked to alert the Scottish Government’s Independent Reporter assigned to the Renfrewshire Local Development Plan that a change in circumstances has occurred at the Bulls Garage site since the development plan was approved by Renfrewshire Council in that it is now currently not in commercial use. The meeting heard from residents that the protective boundary fencing erected at the Bull’s Garage site had closed off the right of way from Glengowan Road to the River Gryffe. Cllr Holmes agreed to take this matter on board.

A request for resurfacing works on Kilmacolm Road from entry to village to the set of lights at Houston Road corner and Mimosa Road was submitted to rid the road of potholes. Severe potholes (craters) at the village car park have been reported to the roads department.

The Community Council has given support to a local resident who is to address the Scrutiny and Petitions Board of Renfrewshire Council requesting more adequate speed measures on the Kilmacolm Road approach to the village.

Bridge of Weir SWRI The next meeting of the Bridge of Weir SWRI will take place on Thursday 6th March at 7.30pm in the British Legion where our speaker will be Shane Williams talking on an Antiques Roadshow.

Pre-Mother’s Day - Parent & Child Pamper & Shopping Evening Just before Mother’s Day, Bishopton Primary School are hosting a parent & child Pamper & Shopping event on Friday 28th March at 6.30pm.

You and yours can get pampered with nails, hair, make-up for your little ladies, and for the Mums, Grans, Aunts, Sisters etc there will be a variety of treatments available… massage, nails, eyelash tint, shape, etc.

On arrival you will get the non alcoholic Pink Lady Cocktail, and little cake - there after BYOB. All children must be accompanied by an adult. Teens are welcome too…. Its £5 per adult and £2 per child.

The meeting heard Renfrewshire Council is considering placing speed bumps on Warlock Road to combat speeding at the School. This stimulated considerable discussion. It was felt that speed was not the specific problem, but bottle necks caused by the road layout and inappropriate and inconsiderate parking at school times were the real problems. It was suggested that an island on Houston Road at the bottom of Warlock Road would alleviate some of the traffic problems, it was felt that the speed bumps suggested would not be required if this were done. Cllr Holmes agreed to take these suggestions to council.

As usual, whilst in between treatments, you will be able to pick up some Mother’s day gifts from the stalls available on the night. As always, the treatments are on a first come basis and start from £5 - cash only.

It was decided that the Community Council would not become involved in the Scottish Rural Parliament.

The main work to be performed is Howard Goodall’s moving “Eternal Light” described by the composer as ‘like the Requiem of Brahms - for the living, focusing on the consequences of interrupted lives’. The concert will also include an excerpt from the Brahms Requiem.

An approach has been made to the Community Council for enhancement of the Christmas Lighting display at Livery Walk it was agreed to investigate this further. The next meeting of the Community Council will be held on Tuesday the 4th March at 7pm in the Cargill Hall. As always this is an open meeting.

Bridge Of Weir Choral Society Choir members have travelled through the wind and rain every Tuesday evening in January and February to rehearse items for their April concert which this year will have a distinctly English and German theme.

As a contrast the choir will sing another Brahms work, the Neue Liebeslieder waltzes and the evening will also include a Schumann piano piece for two hands. Soloists will be Kirsty Williamson, soprano; Josh Baxter, tenor; Steven Mackie Bass and guest pianist will be Chris Baxter The concert will take place in St Columba Church, Kilmacolm on Saturday 26th April. More info at www.bridgeofweirchoralsociety.org.uk.

Langbank

The flooding on Station Road is proving more stubborn to fix than officers had hoped. A silted up drain was cleared but that did not sort the problem.

Officers are awaiting information regarding a nearby electricity sub-station before further examination work can be safely undertaken. Hopefully this will soon lead to an improvement in the situation.

Bishopton

In Bishopton in relation to the flooding problems I have been advised by officers that a list of sites for attention should be completed soon. I will keep chasing! I hope the council will pay heed to the perils of neglecting these problems. We need to be prepared for increasingly frequent exceptional weather.

Bridge of Weir

I am awaiting feedback from officers regarding having the padlock replaced on the gate into Houston Road Park. It was raised as an issue at the Bridge of Weir Tenants and Residents Association in January. The habit of people driving their dogs to the park and then allowing them to “do their business” without collecting and disposing of the effluent is justifiably considered intolerable by locals. I am pleased that the major potholes on Locher Road have been attended to so promptly. I hope the repairs are effective.

Surgeries: I am changing my surgeries with effect from March.

In Bridge of Weir my surgery on the first Tuesday of the month at Cargill Hall will now be from 11am to 11.30am. My surgery at Bishopton library on the second Wednesday of the month from 6.15pm to 6.45pm will now cover both Bishopton and Langbank as there has proved to be little demand for a Langbank based surgery. I can also be contacted at any time by e-mail on cllr.maria.brown@renfrewshire.gov.uk or by phone, either to my office on 0300 3001259 or to my mobile on 07534 148734.

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Kilmacolm-Mérignies Twinning

kilmacolm &

quarriers As I write my article for the March edition of the Advertizer me and my SNP council colleagues are putting the finishing touches to our proposals for the 2014/16 budget. From the £3.9 million of reserves funding that we have been told is available by council officials, the SNP group will be putting forward several spending proposals that will be beneficial to many constituents within Inverclyde. One of the proposals, which I am sure many Kilmacolm and Quarrier’s residents will be interested in, is to invest £175,000 towards the drainage and repair of the two rugby pitches at Birkmyre Park which become unplayable due to the poor drainage.

The Inverclyde Music Festival as always was very well organised and ran

by Isabel Lind and her colleagues in this it’s 100th year. I had the great pleasure of hearing St Columba’s and St Stephen’s Schools orchestras alongside other school children and ensembles. Again it was so evident to see that Inverclyde has an abundance of musical talent. Being a James Bond buff I was particularly pleased to listen to St Columba’s rendition of the theme from Skyfall.

I attended a public meeting last month held by KCC to seek residents opinions concerning the planning application to develop the site of the Institute building. The meeting was attended by about 100 members of the public expressing their concerns around the design of the new development, numbers of flats proposed, car spaces available and about deliveries of stock to the shops.

My next surgeries in March 2014 will be advertised on my surgeries posters.

Anyone wanting to contact me in between surgeries can do so by phoning me through my office on 01475 712727 or on my mobile number on 07747 765 839 or by emailing me at jim.macleod@inverclyde.gov.uk or writing to me at Inverclyde Council, Municipal Buildings, Greenock, PA15 1LY.

A short update regarding the twinning project. Over the long month of January and into February our Steering Committee has been quietly but steadily adapting the twinning agreement with our friends in Mérignies.

Following the resounding success of the visit of the French delegation to Kilmacolm last November, we were faced with the essential task of drawing up a formal twinning framework that would work for both villages. This has now been completed and we are hopeful that a signing of the agreement can take place on 10th May at the Kilmacolm Agricultural Show.

Assuming this happens we will be serving cheese and wine, with visitors having the opportunity to partake of “le verre de l’amitié” (the friendship toast)! A further signing ceremony will take place in Mérignies hopefully to correspond with the Bastille Day celebrations around 14th of July!

We are very grateful to those of you who have continued to support us. In particular, we would like to thank the Kilmacolm Community Council for their generous donation to the twinning project.

In the meantime we are continuing to raise awareness and drive the project forward through our Facebook page (Twinning Kilmacolm-Mérignies). In late February we also conducted a live interview with Inverclyde Radio in which we had the opportunity to share not only the story behind the twinning but also the values and vision that underpin the entire project.

I had the great honour of officially opening the new Port Glasgow Community Campus on 29th January. The feedback from those who have visited the campus so far is very positive.

Following on from the closure of the previous secondary campus I was pleased to assist Quarriers United obtain a surplus set of goal posts for their home pitch.

The Council’s two-year capital programme approved last month contains provision of £2m towards the estimated £3.7m cost of refurbishing Kilmacolm Primary School. Work is anticipated to start in July 2015 and be completed by October 2016.

My surgery this month is on Tuesday 25th March, 6-7pm in Kilmacolm Community Centre. You can also contact me directly to discuss any matters that are of concern to you by telephone on 01475 712020 (during office hours) and 871368 (home) or by email to Stephen.McCabe@inverclyde. gov.uk. Alternatively you can write to me at 10 Victoria Gardens, Kilmacolm PA13 4HL. You can keep up to date with my work as a Councillor by visiting my blog: http://councillorstephenmccabe.blogspot.com/ or following me on Twitter @ kilmacolm1

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kilmacolm & quarriers OUTLOOK Kilmacolm Civic Trust AGM

This will take place at The Cargill Centre, Kilmacolm on Tuesday 18th March, starting at 7.30pm.

7.30pm - 8.15pm - Formal AGM business. All members are invited to attend.

This will then be followed by an illustrated talk by Prof Frank Walker on Charles Rennie Mackintosh from 8.30pm - 9.30pm.

The talk on Charles Rennie Mackintosh is open to all members of the KCT and to residents of Kilmacolm, Quarriers Village and the surrounding countryside. The latter are very welcome and should aim to join us at 8.15pm.

OUTLOOK - the social community group for Kilmacolm meets in the Kidston Hall on 1st and 3rd Thursdays of each month, 2pm til 4pm.

Firstly we hold a Topic of Interest usually with an invited speaker, then its time for afternoon tea, ending with discussion of any community issues, a short film, or an activity.

OUTLOOK is for the community to ‘get together’, make new friends, join in discussions, relax in a friendly atmosphere where everyone is welcome.

On Thursday 6th March Anne McGregor will share her stories of Inverclyde Music Festival, with photographs. On Thursday 20th March members of Kilmacolm Amateur Dramatic Society will recall highlights of their previous productions, and encourage us to support their Spring play in May. OUTLOOK has something to offer to everyone. Two coach Outings are planned in May and June. We look forward to having you join us. Further details from Jill Russell on 01505 872393

Kilmacolm & Quarriers Christian Aid Committee FAIRTRADE Fortnight throughout the country takes place from 24th February to 9th March.

We are a FAIRTRADE Zone, for twelve years now the people, shops, businesses, community groups in Kilmacolm and Quarriers have fulfilled their promise to buy FAIRTRADE, (look for the logo on goods) to help bring a fairer, more just system of growth and sales by farmers and industries in the world’s poorest countries. Now coffee, tea, chocolate, sugar, bananas, wine, cereals, and so much more, produced under the FAIRTRADE logo, are available in all our supermarkets. We all have a choice, to support the under-privileged in their chances up against the major western conglomerates, or to go with the easy option that jumps off the best-placed shelves. We need to look out for the ‘logo’.

In the world’s poorest countries life is precarious, unrelentingly hard, and short, fraught with all manner of health problems, including malaria and malnutrition. But we can make a difference, if we try, so please, let’s try during FAIRTRADE fortnight.

On 20th February, the Council set a revised two-year budget covering the period 2014-2016. Among the new investments approved was £100,000 towards the costs of upgrading the rugby pitches at Birkmyre Park in Kilmacolm. An additional £500,000 was allocated to address road defects and drainage issues across Inverclyde. This means there will be an extra defects team to deal with potholes, bringing the total to three.

This is in addition to the £12m investment in roads and lighting improvements included in the Council’s capital programme over the next two years. I will provide details of the works planned for Kilmacolm and Quarrier’s Village in April’s report.

As Inverclyde’s Young Persons’ Champion, I am pleased to report that Inverclyde Leisure will now give students a discount no matter what time of the year they access leisure facilities. Previously the discount was only applicable during the Inverclyde schools’ term time. This arrangement was unfair to students at colleges and universities outside Inverclyde as their term times differ.

My surgery this month is on Tuesday 4th March in St Francis’ Primary School from 5.30pm to 6.30pm. You can reach me on 01475 712727 (during office hours) and 07881280016 (anytime) or by emailing me at james.mccolgan@ inverclyde.gov.uk. Alternatively you can write to me at Inverclyde Council, Municipal Buildings, Greenock PA15 1LY. You can keep up to date with my work as a Councillor by visiting my website: http://jamesmccolgan.com. You can also follow me on Twitter @ jamesmccolgan.

World Day of Prayer The World Day of Prayer is on Friday 7th March and is organised this year by the Christian Women of Egypt with the theme ‘Streams in the Desert’. The Kilmacolm WDP Service is organised by representatives of five churches in the local area and will take place in St Columba Church Hall, Bridge of Weir Road, Kilmacolm at 1.30pm. We will be joined by Kilmacolm Primary School Choir. There will be afternoon tea following the Service and everyone is warmly welcomed. Contact Maureen Russell 872905.

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Kilmacolm Dramatic Society Our Spring production, ‘Play On’, by Rick Abbott, has now been cast & is in rehearsal. It’s good to see some of the ‘old hands’ back, particularly John Watson, & some newer members to our stage, including Linda Lyon, Pauline Simpson & Anne Crawley. This is well cast & well directed by Alison Holliman, who directed ‘Calendar Girls’ last year, & promises to be a very funny play, if the cast can stop corpsing* long enough to get their lines out!

Rick Abbot is one of several pen names for prolific playwright Jack Sharkey.

He was born on 6th May, 1931 in Chicago, Illinois and began writing when he was 10 years old. In 1958 he went to New York to begin a full-time freelance writing career & wrote Science Fiction stories and novels, humour articles, and mystery novels. In 1961, he returned to Chicago where he worked as joke editor for Playboy Magazine and then was Editor of the Allstate Insurance Company Magazine for 11 years from 1964-75. He has 83 published plays written under his own name and four others - Rick Abbott, Monk Ferris, Mark Chandler, and Mike Johnson who wrote only stage thrillers. All the other plays are comedies and/or musicals. Jack Sharkey died on 28th September, 1992.

Jamie Settles In Well At Arlene’s Jamie has settled in well at AM Hair & Beauty and has now been in the salon now for a couple of months. He has previously worked in Glasgow hair salons and is highly experienced.

For the month of April, Jamie will offer 20% off all hair treatments (except Tuesday or Wednesday) - please bring in this advert for this offer.

There is also 20%

off all jewellery & scarves at the moment.

And if you still fancy losing some of those Christmas pounds, the Flabelos 1-month course is now reduced from £30 to just £20!

The salon has four experienced stylists, a full time beauty therapist and part time podiatrist. Please call AM Hair & Beauty on 01505 871280 for an appointment.

*Play fact - Corpsing is British theatrical slang for unintentionally breaking character by laughing. The origin of the word corpsing is unclear, but may come from (provoking an actor into) breaking character by laughing while portraying a corpse.

Angus Black, President

Exhibition of Paintings For Sale Oil, acrylic and watercolour This year, the Kilmacolm Art Class Exhibition will be held in the Kilmacolm New Community Centre on Friday 11th and Saturday 12th April. Opening times, Fri 11th 10am-5.30pm & Sat 12th 10am-4pm. Entry & catalogue Adults £1, children over 5 50p & under 5s free.

Once again, artists have produced a wonderful selection with so many different styles, there is something to suit everyone’s taste and budget.

Please drop in - you will surely be impressed and may be tempted to buy.

Kilmacolm Community Council

The Kilmacolm Community Council Christmas Hamper Raffle which was drawn at the Christmas Tree Light Up was very well supported – thanks to all those who bought tickets. The net proceeds of £116 were donated in equal share to Colourful Kilmacolm and the Kilmacolm Mérignies Twinning Society. The winner of the Best Dressed Christmas Window competition was the Cross Café and the runners up were Threads and The Village Bakery. The KCC thanks all those shops who competed and entered into the spirit of things.

Daffodil Fair

Saturday 15th March in St Columba’s Church Hall, Kilmacolm from10am - 1pm. There will a variety of stalls run by our local Rainbows, Brownies and Guides, together with some wonderful home baking, coffee, tea and bacon rolls - fun for all the family.

“For somebody who hates having her feet touched, I found it difficult to bring myself to even make an appointment at a Podiatrist, but Laura at ‘Sole Solution’ has certainly changed my mind.

I really enjoyed my session with Laura, not only does she know about feet and how to help you, but she also has a kind and caring demeanour, which put me at ease right away.

She excels in so many areas and genuinely cares about her patients and the quality of work she offers is second to none.

Laura at ‘Sole Solution’ can treat any foot problems that you may have. I would definitely recommend Laura to my friends – she left me walking on air!

My feet have never been in better hands!”

Linda from Houston

Pancake Coffee Coffee Morning Supporting M N D (motor Morning neurone disease) St Fillan’s Church Moss Road, Kilmacolm Shrove Tuesday Coffee Morning is on 4th March 10am – 12noon

Saturday 1st March in Kilmacolm New Community Centre 10am - 12noon Ticket £3.

Nearly New Sale Come along to the Kidston Hall on Saturday 8th March - 10am-12noon.

Entry £2. If you have any Baby Equipment, Toys, Books or Children’s Clothes you would like to donate/sell, please contact us via our website www.kidstonkids. co.uk. Come and Grab a Bargain!

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kilbarchan & lochwinnoch Lilias Day 2014

Access forum AGM

Exciting plans are well underway for this years Lilias Day taking place on Saturday 7th June.

Thursday 27th March at 7pm at Castle Semple Centre, Lochwinnoch.

Renfrewshire’s outdoors offers many attractive opportunities to get out and enjoy the scenery. Whether you’re a rambler, a cyclist, a horse-rider or disabled, there is something for everyone to enjoy.

An all new committee is now in place to take the event forward and the main focus will continue to provide fundraising opportunities for good causes. As well as the historic parade, stalls, competitions and activities there will be a range of events in Kilbarchan park throughout the day including some fresh new additions!

The committee are currently inviting applications from charities and local organisations to take a stall on the day and will be having a sign up session on Tuesday 18th March at 7pm in the Old Library Kilbarchan.

The costume fitting for individuals taking part in the historic parade will take place on Sunday 23rd March from 12-3pm again at the Old Library.

Just turn up on the day.

For further information or if you would like to get involved and help organise the day email liliasday@ yahoo.co.uk or phone Graeame on 07768 433 183. You can also “Like” Kilbarchan Lilias Day on Facebook to see the latest news and developments as they happen.

Kilbarchan NWR During March, we shall be discussing the book “Gone Girl” by Gillian Flynn and enjoying a “Grumpy Old Women” evening, discussing all the things which we don’t like in modern-day living! For further information, visit the website: www.nwr.org.uk Following a recent consultation regarding the use of village buildings as polling stations, Council officers are now considering alternative options to Kilbarchan primary school as a polling station. A number of parents have raised the issue of the school closing for elections with the consequence of children missing a days education and additional child care costs. The idea to look for an alternative seems is a good one and at the time of writing, it is intended that proposals will be put before the February Council meeting.

I am pleased to report that following my representations to the police, there has been increased monitoring of speeding traffic through Kilbarchan. This is a particular problem with through traffic in Shuttle Street. I will press for these measures to continue, and hope that they will help to discourage those responsible for the problem.

Work has began on improving access for disabled passengers at Milliken Park station, which will be welcomed, however Lochwinnoch residents have rightly raised with me the need to provide the same at Lochwinnoch station.

Sadly, Transport Scotland who are responsible for funding the Access for All project has given the station a low priority, and I have asked my colleague Hugh Henry MSP to urge Keith Brown, Transport Minister in the Scottish Government, to help rectify this unfairness, and give Lochwinnoch the priority it deserves.

The road repair resurfacing programme is an important part of the Council plan year on year and I welcome feedback from villagers on what they see as priorities.

My surgeries are the first Saturday of the month except January and July at 9am at the McKillop Institute and 10am at the Steeple Hall.

Alternatively please contact me at anytime at cllr.derek.bibby@renfrewshire. gov.uk phone 0300 300 1274 or 05734156007.

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The Renfrewshire Local Outdoor Access Forum brings together the key stakeholders in access to the outdoors for discussion, understanding and improvement of responsible access in Renfrewshire.

The Forum advises Renfrewshire Council and any others consulting it on outdoor access issues and helps solve any outdoor access disputes. For more information about the AGM, email pt@renfrewshire.gov.uk

East Church Guild Our meetings during March, 2014 will take place in the church hall at 7.30pm. All welcome.

11th March - Mr Garry Ward will be taking us on a journey through Kilbarchan and area by bus over years past. This will be a joint meeting of East and West churches guild members. 25th March - Annual General Meeting.

Lochwinnoch’s Art Festival

Art Exhibition In the Library Room of Lochwinnoch Library Wednesday 19th March until Saturday 29th March 2014

Artists in the local surrounding area are invited to submit works for this now very popular exhibition. Full details and instructions are available from the Calder Gallery & Framing, 8 High Street, Lochwinnoch.

Weaver’s Cottage Preparations for the new season at the National Trust for Scotland’s Weaver’s Cottage, Kilbarchan, are complete. Opening day is Tuesday 1st April. The cottage will open from 1pm to 5pm Fridays to Tuesdays until the end of September. In the photo is volunteer Beryl Baillie with an information board she created, which describes the Battle of Bannockburn commemorative tartan, designed by Christine MacLeod, who wove the prototype on the Weaver’s Cottage loom. The tartan has been commercially produced for the National Trust for Scotland by Johnson’s of Elgin, and a variety of items are available in the new tartan.

Customers can explore the NTS shop in the cottage free of charge.

Lochwinnoch Community

Buyout Group LCBG is sorry to say that we have been told that the Scottish Ministers have refused consent for LCBG to buy the Struthers site, deeming it not to be in the public interest. Obviously this is very disappointing, as it was a great idea to use the site for the benefit of the village but it was just too large and complex a project for a small group of volunteers to pull off in their spare time, and in such a short period of time. So, this means LCBG does not have the right to buy the site. The Alfano Brothers Pension Fund Trustees will therefore be able to sell it on the open market to whoever they please.

The LCBG directors, Alyson, Peter, Dave, Allan and Lesley, would like to thank everyone who worked on, helped or supported the project over the past 4 or 5 months – it’s been quite a roller-coaster!

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Lochwinnoch Gala Day Gala Day will take place on Saturday 14th June 2014. Preparations for this event are now in full swing and this year’s theme is “Commonwealth Games”. The day will start with the traditional parade from Auld Simon, starting at 12.30pm and proceeding through the streets to the Public Park.

It’s hoped that St Columba’s School Pipe Band will lead the procession, as they were very popular last year.

In the next few weeks, details regarding the parade, the making of costumes, etc will be going out to parents in the local area. In the meantime, if you have a child of primary school age, living in the Lochwinnoch catchment area, and would like your child to take part in the parade, then please register your interest by contacting Gala Day Convenor, Jane Owens details provided below. Simply provide your name, the child’s name and your contact details.

The parade is open to all children of primary school age, irrespective of the school they attend. Children taking part in the parade must be accompanied by a responsible adult, who will be responsible for their child’s safety.

On arrival at the park, there will be an afternoon of live music, dancing, arena events, football, funfair shows, variety of stalls, snacks, refreshments, ice cream and much more. Lochwinnoch Fun Run, start and finish will take place in the Public Park and there will be plenty for all the family to enjoy on the day.

Hurry, if you would like a memento of last year’s event, photographs are available on CD by application to Jane Owens (details given below). In addition, a CD of Gala Day 2014 will also be compiled and can be purchased from Jane after this year’s event.

Finally, it’s always good to have the help and support of local people on Gala Day. If you would like to volunteer some time to assist the team on the day, then please get in touch with Jane. Many hands make light work, so help us put on a great show again this year. Contact details for Jane Owens: Mobile No: 07789 506062 or e-mail: janeowens@hotmail.co.uk

Eat Lochwinnoch Food Fayre Join us on Sunday 22nd March for a celebration of locally produced food!

The Food Fayre will be running from 10am-3pm, outside the McKillop Institute, Main Street, Lochwinnoch.

There are still a few stalls available for local food businesses and local organisations.

To find out more, or to book, email susie@ myleapproject.org, or phone the LEAP office (01505 842530).

The Old Library, Kilbarchan It is proposed to start a new venture in The Centre. The idea is to start up a Computer Club/Users Group. The sessions would be on a Wednesday or Thursday afternoon or a Thursday evening and the session would cover the groups chosen interests possibly Hardware – building, repairing and upgrades or Software – backing up, installations, updates and troubleshooting. Anyone who is interested in attending should contact 01505 706070, email: kipcokil@hotmail.com or call into The Centre.

We would welcome more people to come to the Yoga classes on Wednesday mornings or Pilates on Monday mornings/Wednesday afternoons. We have been asked give an explanation of Pilates. It is a conditioning routine that may help to improve flexibility, muscle strength and endurance in the legs, abdomen, arms, hips and back. It offers a low impact workout and the class is suitable for most levels of ability.

Our next gig will be Leah Abramson on Tuesday 25th March. Tickets are £12, door opens 7.30pm for 8pm. BYOB As this promises to be a very popular night early booking is advised.

More details are on www.kipcokil.com

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I have been advising David Blair and the Kilbarchan Scout Troop in relation to the clearing of the area around the very popular Scout Hut, and assisting them to liaise with council officers in relation to the same project. I was also very pleased to recently attend the 40th anniversary Burns Supper of the Kilbarchan General Society, and very good it was too, and a fine tribute to the National Bard.

Lochwinnoch constituents are extremely annoyed at a decision by the current administration in Renfrewshire to transfer the current Librarian at Lochwinnoch Library. I have met with the Head of Libraries to tell him so. I believe there is a petition circulating in Lochwinnoch to tell the Council Hands Off our Librarian, and I will certainly be signing it.

Renfrewshire Council has set its new budget for the year. The Street scene budget is being cut so that street cleaning in Lochwinnoch and Kilbarchan will be even worse than it has been over the last two years, and there is a massive 10% hike in cemetery charges. £2 million has been put into heritage tourism in Paisley alone but no budget or commitments for heritage tourism for villages like Lochwinnoch and Kilbarchan.

My advice surgery in Kilbarchan is on the 2nd Wednesday of the month in the Steeple Hall at 7.45pm. M advice surgery in Lochwinnoch is on the 4th Wednesday of the month in the McKillop at 7.30pm, excluding July. I am also available to constituents who can call me on 07534 148224, or email: cllr.andy.doig@renfrewshire.gov.uk.

Lochwinnoch SWRI The March meeting of Lochwinnoch SWRI is on Wednesday 19th at 7.30pm in the McKillop Hall. The speaker is Mr Jim Hunter , who will be talking about “Roses” The winners of the January Competitions are:Potato scones - 1. Aileen Cochrane; 2. Pat Matthews; 3. Katrina Brunton: Tea Cosy (any craft) - 1. Katrina Brunton; 2. Elma Richmond; 3. Joyce Galbraith We look forward to welcoming members and friends. Please bring a mug/ cup for a cup of tea. If you wish more information please contact Elma Richmond Telephone 01505 843193 or email richmond32@tiscali.co.uk

Pancake Morning Saturday 1st March Kilbarchan West Church Hall - 10am – 12noon - £2

Please come along and enjoy pancakes, tea and coffee as well as meeting friends for a chat. You will be made most welcome.

West Church Guild

Our final two meetings of this session are on Mondays 3rd and 17th March. On the 3rd we will hear about ‘Riding for the Disabled’ and this meeting will be in the Session House at 7.30pm. On the 17th we will meet in the hall at 2pm and this will be our AGM and Afternoon Tea.

With sadness and sympathy Andrew Dempster, known to most of us as Drew, will be sadly missed. He served, as a member and Secretary, on Kilbarchan Community Council for many years. He was a founder member and Director of Kilbarchan Improvement Projects who gave many hours of his time assisting in the setting up of The Old Library Centre. Drew’s input to discussions was always valued. He had very positive ideas which he expressed without taking offence if the group did not agree with him. Drew received an M.B.E. for his services to Victim Support Scotland, an organisation which he passionately supported, attending conferences in many countries, speaking regularly to meetings of young people and latterly was the chairman of the Paisley Area Committee. Our sympathy goes to his family.

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houston, crosslee & brookfield Un1te Dance Company We are a dance school based in Houston, Houston Village Hall, Main Street. We offer boy’s only Hip Hop/ Streetdance for ages 5 to 8years and 9years plus as well as Break Dancing classes all ages. All classes are taking by experienced male teachers. We aim to bring a fresh approach to streetdance and teach the boy’s basic foundation moves and styles from popping, locking, bounce & groove, liquid movement, breaking/ bboying, gymnastics as well as routines for annual show and events in local area’s and national competitions.

Class times are as follow - Fridays in Houston Village Hall: Streetdance class 3.30pm till 4.30pm age 5 to 8yrs £4.50, Break dance class 4.30pm till 5.30pm all ages £4. Streetdance class 5.30pm till 6.30pm age 9plus £4.50 Also new class on Saturday’s - Streetdance class 2pm till 3.30pm age 9plus £4. Call Gary Fay 07814 582989 - email un1tedance@hotmail.co.uk - Facebook Un1te.dance

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HOST - The Carrick Centre, Houston

What’s on March 2014

MON to FRI: Woodlands After School 01505 615438

MON: Young Farmers 10th AGM - 7.30pm; Embroiderers’ Guild (weekly) - 10am; Galaxy Dancing (weekly); WRI Craft Class 24th - 10am; Diaporama 10th - 7.30pm; Yoga (weekly) - 1pm M Laidlaw 01505 842877.

TUE: Paint Pot Tots - 10am D Campbell 07789 262350; Farmers Discussion Society 11th - 7.30pm; WRI Craft Class 25th - 10am; Yoga (weekly) - 7pm M/s Lawson 01505 613690.

WED: Community Council 19th - 7.30pm; Councillors Surgeries 19th -6.30pm; French class - Madame McDevitt 0141 886 6282; Dancerise (exercise) - 1.30pm D Campbell 07789 262350; Galaxy Dancing - 4pm; Gryffe Camera Club - 7.30pm; Melody Makers 12th, 26th, - 7pm THU: Quilting Group 13th/20th /27th; French Class; Embroiderers’ Guild Class 6th - 9.30am; Crafty Friends 6th/20th - 7.30pm; Folk Club (weekly) - 8pm.

FRI: Embroiderers’ Class 7th - 9.30am; Galaxy Dancing - 3.30pm SAT: Galaxy Dancing - 9.30am SUN: Baptist Church 11am & 6pm

Kirk Extension Fundraising

Booking enquiries to Ian Simpson 01505 612203 or Sandy Young 01505 331488 or The Coffee Shop

The good people of Houston and Killellan Kirk are running around daft creating amusement and mayhem for the community – and most of it is all about raising funds for the Kirk Extension Fund.

There’s family fun on Saturday 1st March at our Beetle Drive! This is at the Kirk Halls. Tickets are adults - £3 / children £2, and are available from the Social Committee after Sunday Service.

Pancakes? We’ve got them at the Wee Blether Pancake Morning on Saturday 8th March from 10am till 12noon. There will be various stalls.

Tickets are £2 or pay at the door!

Ceilidh dancing? Put a note in your diary! Keep Saturday 26th April free for our Easter Bonnet and Bunnet Ceilidh, where prizes will be awarded for the most original headgear. Fun, dancing, games and good food are promised at a price of £8 for adults and £4 for children under 12 years.

kilbarchan & lochwinnoch Spring Field Fair Only a month to go to the SSAP* Spring Field Fair! If you haven’t already put Sunday 6th April, 11am-4pm, Castle Semple loch in Lochwinnoch in your diary then now is the time to do so. Its a great start to the school holidays with something for everyone: things to buy, things to eat, things to do and prizes to be won. We have stalls selling food, cakes, books, bric-a-brac and plants; activities like bouncy castle, coconut shy, hook a duck, thwack the rat and beat the goalie, trips around the loch, sailor knot tying and best rowing machine times for different age categories.

To make the occasion something to remember we’ve submitted an application for a Guinness World Record attempt and there will be a balloon race at 2pm, releasing up to 2000 balloons with a prize for the furthest one found. We have a web-site https:// www.ssap.co.uk where you can keep up to date with the activities on offer and where anyone wanting to sponsor the event can have their logo displayed. *Semple Sports Access Partnership. A registered charity made up of all of the water sports clubs at Castle Semple Loch working together to raise funds for a new water sports hub.

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Houston & Crosslee SWRI The Handiwives will meet on Monday 3rd March when Christine Anderson we will give us Tips on Showing. At our meeting, in the Compass Centre, on 12th March, we will welcome Tulip Hairdressers who will make us feel pretty.

Visitors will be made most welcome. If you wish more information please contact Elaine Johnston: Telephone 01505 324827 or email jemjohnston@ tiscali.co.uk.

Fairtrade Stall Houston & Killellan Kirk Sunday 16th March after morning service (approx 12noon)

Quality foodstuffs and crafts for sale. Coffee, tea and dumpling loaf (made with Fairtrade ingredients, of course!)

We organise regular Fairtrade stalls to increase awareness of Fairtrade and also to sell good quality fairly traded goods to help fight poverty through trade. Our church has supported Fairtrade stalls as a practical response to address inequality in the world and as part of the steps we have taken to be a Fairtrade Church.

“A poor man’s field may produce abundant food, but injustice sweeps it away.” Proverbs 13:23 Please come along and support us. Buy local products too - Fairtrade applies to Scottish producers and farmers too. Support them and reduce carbon emissions from transport by buying local products.

Art Exhibition - local artist Rab Wilson Kilbarchan Old Library Friday 28th March (7pm-9pm)

Saturday 29th March (12noon-4pm) Sunday 30th March (12noon - 4pm) The exhibition includes work linked to Rab’s five months stay in Ethiopia (called “The Ethiopian Diary”).

Along with this work there will be performance of music linked to the Ethiopian visit. The music will be performed at the opening of the exhibition on the Saturday.

Further details www.rabwilsonartist.com

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Diaporama Our February meeting was the ‘Gerry and Hugh night’. Gerry started the evening. His first two sequences used his sound track combined with images from Peter Harkness. We saw exotic animals in their natural surroundings in the Hwanga Game Reserve in Zimbabwe and then went to the Franchhoek Motor museum with its beautiful classic cars. We visited Essacuira in Morocco with a great combination of colourful images and atmospheric music. He ended with a look at the Fyfe Regatta run from Fairlie. After tea and cakes(!) Hugh took us on a trip through western France, then kayaking up the upper Clyde and to Paisley - a very different view to normal! In his own style he produced a story combining his and Andy Stark’s images and words, about Hieldegard, a viking warrior looking for his lost-love Freya and who eventually the gods turned into ‘The Old Man of Storr’. He finished with a trip across North America from west to east. It was a fabulous evening enjoyed by all - members and visitors.

Our next meeting is ‘Kenny’s night’ on Monday 10th March, 7.30pm in the Carrick Centre, Houston. Visitors very welcome.

howwood & elderslie As we go to print there is no word from the Scottish Government about where Howwood features in their plans for improvements in Broadband. The consultation on the future of St Anthony’s has now finished with a report going to the council in May. I will update you on these items as soon as possible.

The 5th and 6th April will see the annual clean up of the village organised by the Community Council. A good turnout by locals is hoped for on this weekend.

Renfrewshire Council’s Revenue Budget was approved at the meeting on 13th February. The Council Tax has again been frozen for the next financial year with rents for Council house tenants increased by 3.5%. A number of savings approved include a £451.000 reduction over the next two years in the specification and number of employees for Street Cleaning in residential, commercial and industrial areas with priority given to Town Centres, main arterial routes and known litter hot spots. There is also an increase in the Special Uplift charge to £30 from 1st April, a 10% increase in adult cemetery charges again from 1st April and a re-scoping of the number of free swimming lessons for primary 6 pupils from eight to four sessions to ensure all children learn one stroke. The Capital Investment programme (£120 Million) highlights the provision for 24 new build properties in Paisley and future plans for a further 100 new Council houses in Bishopton and the Johnstone area.

There have been changes to the speed limits in and around our villages.

On the B790 a 30mph limit is now in place from behind Gryffe High School through to a point 50metres past Ardgryffe Crescent. On the A761 through Brookfield the limit has been reduced from 40 to 30mph from Kilbarchan Cemetery through Deafhillock r/about to the existing 30mph sign before St Benedict’s High School and on the B789 Barochan Road the national speed limit commences beyond Magnus Road through Darluith junction to a point 230 metres from Deafhillock r/about..

Surgeries: 2nd Tuesday monthly, Brookfield Village Hall, 6pm to 6.30pm and Houston Village Hall, 7pm to 7.45pm.

Contact: tel: 01505 610018 e-mail: cllr.allan.noon@renfrewshire.gov.uk or through Renfrewshire Council on 0300 300 1265

Amongst the new initiatives in the Council budget is a scheme that will see all S1 pupils given £10 to open a Credit Union account. The point in this is to encourage youngsters to use their money wisely and what better way is there than to save with a Credit Union? Hopefully this will make our young people more financially aware. As many of us know it is so easy to get ourselves into difficulty with money.

Many of you have contacted me about the difficult parking situation at the sports centre at Johnstone High. During the summer holidays a number of improvements will take place including an additional 51 parking places which will help alleviate the problems.

I will close by reminding you of my surgery which is held on the 4th Thursday of the month in the Village Hall.

Howwood Primary School - Spring Fayre Saturday 8th March, 10am - 12noon - £2.50 (inc tea/coffee + cake) Kids free.

With fantastic homebaking, a book stall, face-painting, tombola, games for children and much more. Howwood Primary School spring fayre is an event not to be missed.

Howwood WRI Howwood Village Hall - Tuesday 18th March - 7.30pm. Baking Demonstration by Mrs Janette Cousar. Competition: Favourite Cup and Saucer. Hostesses: Mrs Alison McLeod & Mrs Ellen Osbourne. Vote of Thanks: Mrs Alison McLeod.

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This year we are also offering portraits from a professional photographer, at only £5 for individuals and £10 for a family, a massive 90% saving on regular prices. We also have our Grand Prize Draw, with prizes including a family cruise on Loch Lomond, a spa experience for two and stadium tours of both Celtic Park and Ibrox up for grabs. Tickets are £1 each and can be purchased in advance from the school.

For more information go to our facebook page www.facebook.com/fundsrus

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PETS news

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‘Jacana on Water Lily’ by PCPC

Diarrhoea in Healthy Dogs We are often asked for advice with regards to home treatment of diarrhoea in dogs. There are many common causes in otherwise healthy dogs including dietary indiscretion, viral or bacterial infections and food intolerances.

If your pet is an adult, otherwise healthy, and behaving normally except for the diarrhoea, it is recommended that you withhold food – NOT WATER – for 12 hours.

At the 12-hour mark, offer a bland, fat-free diet. We recommend cooked plain chicken and boiled rice, scrambled egg with no milk, or small pieces of plain pasta. The chicken should be boiled to remove grease and extra fat. Pureed pumpkin or sweet potato is another option.

If your pet has gone missing & you would like to place a notice in The Advertizer, please call 01505 613340 or email info@advertizer.co.uk. We can also put updates on our website & Facebook. This service is free of charge!

Wildlife Crime

Strathclyde Police has a team of Wildlife Crime Officers who, as part of their normal policing duties, specialise in investigating wildlife-related crimes. If you wish to report a suspected wildlife crime and/or speak to a Wildlife Crime Officer, please contact: Your local Police Office or Strathclyde Police HQ, 173 Pitt Street, G2 4JS or call 0870 050 1999.

Feed 2 to 3 small meals a day until your dog’s stools are back to 100% firmness.

This should happen within approx 72 hours.

We also recommend you add in a good quality pet probiotic, available over the counter at your vet or a teaspoon of natural plain yoghurt once the stool starts to firm.

If after 3 days the diarrhoea persists, it’s time to check in with your vet, as more treatment may be needed.

If your dog is under the age of 3 months, has blood in the diarrhoea, is off colour and being sick, or has any other disease concerns you should not withhold food without speaking to your vet. Puppies in particular can get dehydrated and low in energy very quickly and need special feeding if they are suffering from diarrhoea.

The best way to prevent diarrhoea and keep your dog healthy is to vaccinate, worm every 3 months and feed a good quality dog food, without sudden changes to the diet.

Johnstone Cat Rescue Fund raising is very slow at this time of year and we are struggling to cope - Your help would be most appreciated.

Call Sheena on 01505 337321.

If you have any concerns about your pet’s health, then feel free to give us a call for advice. Tel 01505 800366.

Rescue Centres Dogs Trust Glasgow: 0141-773-5130 - www.dogstrust.org.uk Hessilhead Wildlife Rescue: 01505-502415 - www.hessilhead.org.uk Johnstone Cat Rescue: 01505 337321 Renfrewshire Cat Protection: 0141-876-4133 www.renfrewshire.cats.org.uk Scottish SPCA: 0141-882-1688 - www.scottishspca.org These centres are always on the lookout for donations and fundraising.

If you can help please get in touch with any of the centres above.

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SSPCA Rehoming Week 17th - 23rd March

Would you like to help raise funds to care for Scotland’s abused, abandoned and injured animals?

If so, we are looking for fundraising volunteers during Rehoming Week, which runs from 17th 23rd March, to shake a collection tin in their local area either by door to door collections Monday to Friday or collecting on their nearest high street on Saturday 22nd March.

Re-homing Pets

Can you offer a home to any of our featured pets?

Urgently looking for a new home - Molly is nearly 10 years old. She is a longhaired black and white female. Molly loves to play with string and a laser pen and she just loves a bit of Tuna. Molly needs a home where she can go outdoors. Ref: O To contact the Renfrewshire Branch on 0141 876 4133. All rehomings are subject to a successful home visit.

Scottish SPCA Chief Superintendent Mike Flynn said, “As an animal welfare charity, we receive no government or lottery funding, which means we depend on public donations to continue our vital work.

“During Scottish Animal Week we have opportunities to fundraise throughout the country.

Even if someone can only spare an hour or two to shake a collection tin, their help would be greatly appreciated.

Harvey (8ball) - A Crossbreed Male - 8+ Years

“It’s something we always say because it’s true - every pound and penny raised really does make a difference and helps give animals in desperate need of our help a second chance in life.”

Harvey has basic housetraining and is children friendly (over 10s)

For further information, please contact fundraising@scottishspca.org or call 03000 999 999.

He is a quick learner! Loves treats/will work for food. Loves cuddles. He is always on the go, into everything and very active. Harvey is a handsome chap who loves getting a treat for learning something new.

Dogs Trust Rehoming Centre, 315 Hamilton Road, Uddingston, Glasgow, G71 7SL. Open: 12noon - 4pm (including weekends); 12noon- 7.30pm on Tuesdays; closed: Wednesdays Darcy - 1 year old female crossbreed rabbit Darcy is a lovely girl with a sweet nature.

She is slowly gaining confidence at been handled. Darcy would not be suited to a home with very young children as she’s looking for someone who has the time and patience to spend grooming and socialising her.

She has been neutered.

Jack - an 8 year old male Horsefield Tortoise Jack is a nice boy who enjoy life in the slow lane. He is looking for a new, experienced owner who can provide him with the right dietary and care requirements he needs. Jack is friends with Victor and they would need to be homed together as they are very close and love each others company.

To contact the centre about any animals, please call 03000 999 999 or visit www.scottishspca.org/rehoming

Tollcross Children’s Farm The Courtyard, which dates back to the 19th century, was restored in the late 1990’s with help from the Heritage Lottery Fund and Historic Scotland.

The old East Lodge buildings were developed as the Visitor and Environment Centre, the Children’s Farm was refurbished and the Courtyard was repaved with traditional cobbles conserving the image of bygone days.

Tollcross Children’s Farm is home to a wide variety of animals, from the usual farmyard favourites such as sheep, pigs and chicken to the more unusual, such as the colourful lovebirds and the llama.

There are ample car parking facilities in the Sport centre car park, immediately adjacent to the Courtyard entrance.

The Courtyard also has disabled toilet and baby changing facilities.

The farm is open every day:- Sat - Thur: 10am - 3.30pm & Fri: 10am - 3pm Contact Details: The Courtyard, Tollcross Park, 254b Wellshot Road, Glasgow, G32 7AX - Phone: 0141 276 0931 E-mail: les@ glasgow.gov.uk

Inverclyde Feral Cats Any cat who we feel can be domesticated, we will actively seek a good home for.

Where kittens are young and healthy enough to be domesticated, we will care for them and then actively seek good homes. Visit our website at www.inverclydeferalcats. org, email: inverclydeferalcats@gmail.com or call: 07860-847257 for information.

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OUTDOORS news

CMRP Regional Park Round Up Duke of Edinburgh Programmes

We’re currently working on new opportunities for 14 – 25 year olds, no matter what their ability, to do their Duke of Edinburgh at Clyde Muirshiel. There are new offerings contributing mainly to the skill, physical and expedition sections of the award. Candidates already work toward the volunteering section of the award at our Sunday morning youth volunteer group based at Castle Semple.

Look on our website for details.

Events

Every Monday (put not public holidays) - Lochwinnoch Community Walks meet 10.30am at The Cross, Lochwinnoch.

Every Thursday - Slinky Strollers Parents with pushchairs meet for a walk at 10.30am at Castle Semple Visitor Centre.

Weekly Volunteer Groups - Newcomers always welcome!

Thursdays Castle Semple Conservation Volunteers, Adult group, from 12.30pm – 3.30pm: Saturdays Greenock Cut Conservation Volunteers, Adult group, 10.30am - 2.30pm: Sundays Youth Volunteer Group ages 12 – 18 years, Castle Semple 10am - 1pm.

Fri 14th Mar - Stargazing Evening

The last evening of the season with staff from the Coats Observatory in Paisley at one of the few dark sky sites in Renfrewshire. Tonight’s topic will be ‘Jack Parsons’. Indoor lecture if poor weather. Muirshiel Visitor Centre - 7pm - 9pm - tel 01505 842 803

Sat 15th Mar - Signs of Spring

It’s nearly the Spring Equinox so time for a walk through Parkhill Wood to witness nature waking up after the short days of winter. Castle Semple Centre - 1pm - 3pm. Tel 01505 842 882 Ex 20

Wed 19th – Sun 30th Mar - Lochwinnoch Arts Festival

The annual Arts Festival is a great time to visit the village with lots of music, art, dancing and drama going on! www.lochwinnochartsfestival.co.uk

Sat 22nd Mar - Bird Ringing Demo

Our WoW officer is a BTO ringer & will be mist netting for passerines and wrangling swans. Castle Semple Visitor Centre - 7am - 10am approx finishing time. Tel: 01505 842 882 Ex 20

Sat 22nd Mar - Leave No Trace Awareness Training

Learn about the seven principles and how to apply the ethics in a hands on way to show you care. Castle Semple Visitor Centre - 10am - 4pm - Cost £30/£25 Tel 01505 842 882 Ex20, advanced booking essential.

Sun 23rd Mar - Lantern Making

A short procession of lights along the Greenock Cut to celebrate winter’s end. Greenock Cut Visitor Centre - 1pm - 3pm - Tel 01475 521 458.

Sat 5th April -

Open for Summer

Summer opening hours begin at all Visitor Centres, drop in and chat to a Ranger or stop for a coffee and admire the beautiful countryside.

Castle Semple 10am - 5pm daily.

Muirshiel and Greenock Cut 11am - 4pm daily

Booking essential for all events, contact the centre to book your FREE place.

Charges apply for outdoor activity courses.

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The Garden in March Hostas are useful for planting in damp or shady borders.

Grown for their lush foliage, they can really enliven a gloomy corner of the garden. Divide large clumps in spring before their leaves start to grow. Dig the clump up, and then use a spade to slice your clump into several sections, replanting them at their original level.

Hosta Gold Edger [Plantain Lily] This charming small hosta spreads rapidly, making it ideal for ground cover. It has thick heart-shaped leaves that are greenish-yellow at first, turning rich soft yellow with age. In mid-summer, it produces a good show of pale lavender, bell-shaped flowers.

Add plenty of organic matter to the soil before planting. Both the Anemone Sylvestris and Pulmonaria ‘Blue Ensign’ complement Hosta plants.

Anemone Sylvestris [Snowdrop anemone] This beautiful perennial is grown for its large, fragrant, slightly drooping, satiny white flowers which appear in late spring. These are followed by white woolly seed heads which contrast attractively with the green foliage of hostas. They prefer a partially shaded spot in humus-rich soil. Dig in plenty of leafmold or compost before planting and mulch around plants every spring. Divide in March.

Pulmonaria [Blue Ensign] Pulmonarias are wonderful plants for spring, producing flowers in an attractive range of pastel colours, complemented by green foliage. Blue Ensign is one of the earliest varieties to flower, creating a good display of bright blue blooms throughout March and April.

These fade gradually to purple with age. Plant in full sun/partial shade, in well-drained light soil, which is rich in organic matter. Divide in September/November.

Bridge of Weir Horticultural Society A popular visitor to the Society, John West from Uplawmoor, gave The Elmer Wallace Memorial Lecture. His talk was on plants which will do well in our area.

Graphics illustrating UK conditions were broken down to show that levels of rain and temperature can vary more than we think. Ayrshire, for example, is far drier than neighbouring Renfrewshire and plants that thrive in West Kilbride might fail in East Kilbride.

Bridge of Weir’s wet and acid conditions are ideal for rhododendrons such as ‘Cynthia’ and ‘Mrs Furnival’ which are long established, reliable shrubs.

Magnolia ‘Leonard Messil’ does very well in wet conditions as do M.sieboldi, M.wilsoni and ‘M.Wadda’s Memory’.

In the herbaceous border Iris sibirica will thrive, as will Campanula persicifolia var. alba, Phlox paniculata and Japanese Anemones, in particular Anemone ‘Honorine Jobert’. The Day Lily, Hemerocallis ‘Sammy Russell’, likes this region as does the Trout Lily, Erythronium ‘Pagoda’. John recommended the yellow form of Dicentra spectabilis which, despite its fragile appearance, is tough and ideal under-planting for dark-leaved rhododendrons. The white flowers of Clematis ‘Miss Bateman’ can be relied on to flourish. For those struggling with roses, he recommended Rosa ‘Celestial’, which dates back to the 15th century and Rosa ‘Mme Isaac Pereire’ from the 19th century.

These are robust and retain their perfumes, something modern roses often fail to do. Dates of introduction are good indicators of endurance and John emphasised the need to conserve old, familiar varieties which have survived through reliability and robustness. This gene pool is vital for producing new plants. Had it not been for one bag of seeds, the magnificent Russell Lupins would have disappeared forever when the nursery was dug up for vegetables during WWII. He recommended we buy from local nurseries where plants are acclimatised to our conditions and swop plants as we do at our Spring Plant Sale and Autumn Flower Show. Many smaller nurseries specialise in older varieties. John reminded us to check plant labels, especially the signs which identify sun-lovers from shade-happy plants and choose the right plant for our border conditions. John’s advice to us was to “enjoy the legacies from the past, which others have conserved, and do our bit for the future”. Our evening was most enjoyable, thought-provoking and informative and we were left with many good suggestions and ideas to enhance our problem borders.

This month we will be welcoming Jim Truscott and you if you would like to come and hear him speak about, “Gardens of Scotland” – 8pm Royal British Legion Scotland.

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Garden Report

At last, the days are (slowly) getting longer again and the snowdrops are in flower. Many woodland creatures will be becoming more active.

Hedgehogs may be finishing hibernation as the temperature increases, and while the Grey Squirrel doesn’t’ hibernate in winter, it will have used up much of the stores of nuts and seeds buried to last through the cold, lean times of winter. They will now be able to forage for fresh food to feed their first litter of 3 to 4 kittens.

There are a large amount of molehills appearing on grassy areas in the woods, the reason for this is that it has been a bumper year for worms (the moles food source) with mild rainy weather. The mole population has expanded so young moles are spreading out to find new territories.

For any photographers among you, the mist and low angle of the sun can make for some dramatically beautiful scenes in the early morning or evening and there are some fine views over the Clyde from the gardens.

Kilmacolm Horti. Society

Wed 19th March - New Cargill Centre Kilmacolm at 7.30pm.

Lecture by Paul Matthews, recently retired as senior curator at Glasgow Botanic Gardens, who will tell us of the Plants originating from mountains to our own gardens. The Spring Bulb Competition will be judged at the end of the evening, and the Jimmy Whittet Trophy will be awarded.

Please bring along your exhibits of potted daffodils, tulips, spring bulbs on the evening. Refreshments.

Everyone welcome.

DATE FOR DIARY: Coffee Morning on 26th April in the Cargill Centre - stalls, plant sale, entertainment, special raffle and tombola for the Society’s 135th Anniversary.

After the Snowdrops have flowered, we will have our bulbs (in the green) for sale, which can be planted immediately, ensuring a good start to their establishment and a good show of flower next year. As the demand for these is very high, it is advisable to phone in your order in advance or place it at reception; we sell both single and double varieties.

Events

Spring Watch – Sunday 2nd March 2pm-4pm Is there some life out there yet? After a cold winter join this ranger led walk seeking out the first signs of spring.

Den Building and Survival Skills – Sunday 23rd March 2pm to 4pm Join the Rangers building dens and learn some basic survival skills, bring boots, a waterproof coat and enthusiasm.

Tea Room “Fabulous News”

Finlaystone are proud to announce that the “Three Sisters Bake” are taking over the Finlaystone Tea Room. We are currently carrying out a refurbishment of the facilities and on 1st April the grand opening by “The Three Sisters Bake” will take place. They will be offering a selection of drinks including freshly ground coffee, hot & cold snacks, homemade soups, a range of homemade healthy meals and a selection of wonderful home baking. We at Finlaystone are delighted to have someone as accomplished as the Three Sisters Bake join our band of happy workers.

Contact us by email at: info@finlaystone.co.uk, by telephone or fax on: 01475 540505 or by mail at: Finlaystone Country Estate, Langbank, Renfrewshire, PA14 6TJ

Renfrewshire Access Forum AGM Thursday 27th March - 7pm Castle Semple Centre, Lochwinnoch

Renfrewshire’s outdoors offers many attractive opportunities to get out and enjoy the scenery. Whether you’re a rambler, a cyclist, a horse-rider or disabled, there is something for everyone to enjoy.

The Renfrewshire Local Outdoor Access Forum brings together the key stakeholders in access to the outdoors for discussion, understanding and improvement of responsible access in Renfrewshire.

The Forum advises Renfrewshire Council and any others consulting it on outdoor access issues and helps solve any outdoor access disputes.

For more information about the AGM, email pt@renfrewshire.gov.uk

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Windows on Wildlife Project The Windows on Wildlife Project aims to bring people closer to wildlife, gaining a unique insight to the furry & feathered inhabitants of Castle Semple Country Park. Project Officer Hayley Douglas gives us an update.

The Scotland’s Gardens Guidebook is published annually and contains particulars of all of the gardens opening during the year including costs of admission and directions of how to get to them.

In addition there are interesting features, details about Scotland’s Gardens and events that are being held during the year.

The Guidebook is available NOW for £5.50 at leading book shops, and other appropriate retail and tourist outlets or you can buy directly from Scotland’s Gardens website by visiting the website at www.scotlandsgardens.org/ buy-the-book and clicking on the “Buy Now” button where you will be taken to the PayPal site where you can complete your order and make your payment.

When ordering from Scotland’s Gardens there is a £2 post and packaging charge for orders shipped within the UK.

Event Updates - March will see the delivery of the final two events of the WoW winter programme. Both will be on Saturday 22nd March with a Bird Ringing Demonstration starting at 7am. Booking is essential for this event as numbers are limited. Please contact Castle Semple on 01505 842 882 ex 20. Swan Chat will take place later in the afternoon at the car park entrance at 1pm. The Spring/Summer programme will be out soon with the return of Badger Watches, Otter Spotter, Kids Photography Workshops and more, so watch this space.

Wildlife News - Temperatures have been a bit lower recently but there are plenty of signs that spring is on the way. All of the cameras have been visited by tits who have been investigating them to see if they will make suitable nesting sites. These poor birds don’t seem to realise that the black screens of the cameras are not nesting holes and repeatedly try to get inside the security cases!

We’ve also had some exciting otter footage (see photo) and can reveal that the male otter that we have been filming is one of the cubs that dispersed at the end of 2012. He has a very distinctive marking on his neck and I hope we will be able to keep following him.

Further details can be found on the Parks website. Volunteer with WoW by emailing wow@clydemuirshiel.co.uk. Footage can be viewed on the Park’s Youtube channel or on the WoW Facebook page. Talks to groups & schools can be arranged.

The Windows on Wildlife Project is part of the Semple Trail Heritage Project and is jointly funded by LEADER and the Heritage Lottery Fund.

FOR MORE INFORMATION PLEASE CONTACT: HAYLEY DOUGLAS Windows on Wildlife Project Officer – CMRP tel 01505 842 882 Ex 25.

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SCHOOLS news Gryffe High School

Presentation of Royal Environmental Health Institute of Scotland Certificates

Duchal Nursery School

There have been lots of noodles and chopsticks in Duchal recently, both proving a great hit with the children while celebrating Chinese New Year.

Continuing our 6 Nations Theme, we have been on a virtual journey to France via the Euro Star and visiting Paris and Burgundy, learning all sorts of great French facts, historical, gastronomic and dancing to French songs along the way!! It’s been quite an adventure!

If you would like to find out more about what we do at Duchal please come and visit us one morning - contact Head Teacher Jean McCarthy on 874358 to arrange a convenient time or keep up to date with all the latest news on our website duchal. com

Gryffe High School, Health, Food & Technology Department were delighted this week when 51 third year pupils from three classes were presented with their certificates for successfully completing and passing the Royal Environmental Health Institute of Scotland (REHIS) ‘Elementary Food Hygiene Course’.

Certificates were presented by Head Teacher Mr Colin Johnson and Depute Mr Peter Holsgrove. Beside the pupils are their very proud teachers Mrs Lesley Holligan and Mrs Ruth Thomson and classroom assistant Mrs Sharon Taylor.

Bishopton raises funds for iPads Bishopton Primary Parent Council were delighted to hand over a cheque for £4000 to the school last month. This donation together with money from the school IT budget will allow the school to purchase 32 iPad minis 32G, plus the server storage/charging unit. This is one of the first schools to be able to provide this to their pupils and the BPPC would like to thank everyone for their contributions to make this possible. This is going to be a portable class in a box which can be used in any of the classes & enhances the education experience for all.

Langbank Playgroup

Langbank Playgroup continues to be busy on a Friday morning and here we are practising our balancing with Christine from Inverclyde Gymnastics.

The stepping stones are fun to move along and her tunnel must be the longest ever but a great challenge to crawl through. We have a varied term coming up with covering a few popular themes, more Gymnastics plus visits to and from the local Primary. Playgroup is a wonderful opportunity to make friends and try new activities plus can be combined with other nursery places. Children from 2yrs 6mths from Langbank, Castlebank and the surrounding areas welcome so please give our Chair, Jacqueline, a call on 01475 540728.

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We are all looking forward to the Annual Duchal Ceilidh taking place on 15th March, limited tickets are still available if you would like to join us for some “Strip the Willow” just email info@duchal.com for more information.

With Spring finally on it’s way we are looking forward to spending more time in the Duchal garden and in our lovely surroundings of Birkmyre Park.

St Columba Church Playgroup and Toddlers

We had lots of fun exploring our senses at Playgroup earlier this term and it was very noisy during Hearing and Sound Week! As you can see, the children spontaneously put their own band together which was lots of fun and involved some good turn-taking, negotiation and experimentation. We also enjoyed new tastes during Chinese New Year with rice, noodles and prawn crackers going down well. The climbing frame has been out recently to help burn off some two and three year old energy so lots going on. Not forgetting dancing with Liz and Gymnastics with Christine, it’s turning into a very busy term! We are also enjoying spending our Big Lottery Fund grant so some lovely new resources too to keep everybody busy. Don’t forget to get in touch for an August 2014 onwards space! Visits are welcome at any time so if you are interested in a place on Monday, Tuesday or Thursday morning email Laura our membership secretary laura.hannah@ hotmail.co.uk to arrange a visit.

Our toddler group runs on Wednesday’s between 10am and 11.30am for children from birth to 3 years, and is a great chance for your little ones to try out different toys and make new friends and for parents and carers to have a cuppa and a chat, we look forward to welcoming new faces to the group.

Call our Toddler secretary Anya for more information on 07772 269840.

Our Spring Fair will be take place on Saturday 29th March from 10am in the main hall, come along to make your Mother’s Day cards and buy gifts. Keep up to date with this and other future events by liking us on Facebook - St Columba Playgroup & Toddlers Kilmacolm for further information.

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St Fillan’s Primary School P7 had a tea dance for parents, grandparents and people with memories from World War 2. They dressed in WW2 outfits greeting the guests and asking them if they had brought their gas masks. P7 did role-plays of evacuees, sang Run Rabbit Run and many more songs from that era. They then tucked in to tea and sandwiches.

Our older visitors said that it had brought back some happy and sad memories for them.

This term the children from P3P7 will have the opportunity to become involved in afterschool clubs. The children are currently developing their Drama talents with Mrs Roddy and Miss McCabe. Mrs Meyers, meanwhile, is supporting the other children in a very valuable homework club. We also have a PE specialist who is coming into school to give the children gymnastics. All the children so far have agreed that this has been very enjoyable.

P2/3 children have currently been enjoying working toward creating a space station in their classroom whilst learning all about the planets within our solar system. P1 have been enjoying their Jack in the Beanstalk topic whilst primary 3/4 have been learning all about the Egyptians. This will be rounded off with a trip to The Burrell. P5 and P6 are about to start novel studies of George’s Marvellous Medicine and Street Child.

Kilbarchan Community Nursery

The children were very excited to have the opportunity to visit the ‘Play, Talk, Read’ bus when it visited Kilbarchan and Johnstone recently.

Children, along with staff and parent helpers, walked down to the bus when it came to Kilbarchan and later in the week a group visited the bus in Johnstone town centre. While they were there, the children listened to stories and took part in lots of craft activities.

We have been learning about looking after garden birds in the cold weather and have made bird feeders with pine cones to take home. We also took part in the RSPB school’s bird watch to find out how many different kinds of birds we see in our own and the nursery gardens.

Kilmacolm Primary Inverclyde Music Festival

After arduous rehearsals, both at home and in school I know many of you never again want to hear some of the pieces. However, without all the hard work we would not have achieved as much success! Our thanks to: all staff, Mr Kirkpatrick, Mr Digger, Jo James and Anne McGowan all the mums and dads who came along to support us and to those who helped to get us to Greenock Town Hall and back. Our preschool Nursery children and our P1 classes both took part in the singing Games. Mr Kirkpatrick’s music group played beautifully in the Group Music Making and were just pipped at the post, earning second place.

We continued to have great success with our brass ensemble who gained second place and our solo brass player, Oliver Gregory received very positive feedback on his performance.

Week two brought the start of the verse speaking. Again this year we were delighted when P.4 and P.6 won their classes and P.2 were second in their class. Bringing the fortnight to a close was Prepared Reading, Inventive Story Telling and Girls solo Singing. We had several P.6 & P.7 entries to these classes who all performed beautifully and who should be very proud of themselves. Special mention for Katie Nawrath and Katie Lyle who earned first and second places respectively in the Prepared Reading class. The four girls who sang on Saturday morning: Sara Ingram, Laurie Struthers, Molly Rose and Mia Kirk deserve a special mention for their polished performances. To end the fortnight P.4 were invited along to the final concert and were part of the parade with the piper at the beginning and then they performed their poem wonderfully. Thanks to all helpers on the night.

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Kilbarchan Primary School The Golden Table!

Since January, from Monday to Thursday Kilbarchan Primary School hands out 6 golden tickets to people who follow the Lunchtime Golden Rules. The lunchtime Golden Rules are: 1. We line up calmly; 2. We walk carefully through the hall; 3. We speak quietly to those around us; 4. We keep our table clean; 5. We are polite to everyone; 6. We use good table manners.

Every Friday the six people who received a golden ticket pick a friend and they go to lunch early and sit at The Golden Table. The Golden Table is one of the lunch tables with a shimmering sheet of gold tablecloth. Not only that, you have your plate, knife, fork and a cup laid out for you, and there is also a big jug of ice cold, gleaming fresh water. You get to listen to music and are given a Golden sticker too! Everyone tries very hard to be one of the six people to sit at The Golden Table.

Wellbeing Day

On Thursday 6th February, Kilbarchan Primary School held our annual Wellbeing Day. It’s a day all about how you feel! We had lots of fun things happen in school such as Yoga, Zumba, Orienteering and Massage. Pupils in each class were then allowed to decide what else they did, as long it was something which was good for their wellbeing! This included art work, computer work, extreme reading and PE. Amber Kissell, P7 said, “It was like a chill-out day and I wish every other day was like that!” Amy Dunn also P7 said, “I had a great day, it was so much fun!”.

The pupils of P7 brought in something special to them to show to the rest of the class. Rachel Hay brought in an angel charm which reminded her of her great grandma. Amy Dunn brought in pictures of her two dogs, Meg and Tipsy. Amber Kissell brought in a netball because she loves to play!

Everybody enjoyed Wellbeing Day and can’t wait until next year!

By Chloe Lafferty and Rachel Hay

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Houston Primary School

Houston Primary School enjoyed a successful ‘Burns Celebration’. Scottish Poetry, Writing and Art awards were given out for 1st, 2nd and 3rd place.

Talented pupils provided music and dancing. The afternoon ended with a rousing rendition of “Auld Lang Syne” Scorch the dragon visited P2, to give them the task to turn their classrooms into a fairytale land.

They recently read “Jack and the Beanstalk” to begin the task. The children recently visited the Glasgow Science Centre and had great fun! P3 are going to visit Kelvingrove Museum and Art Gallery as part of their Ancient Egypt topic. They are also visiting the Synagogue.

They also are busy planning an open afternoon to show parents all their hard work. P4 will be hosting an open day so that their parents can see all of their enterprises from their topic, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. P4 and 5 choir are looking forward to performing soon for the school. P6 allocated four pupils to participate in the Euro quiz competition and received joint 3rd place. Well done to Beth Moglia, Daniel Hatfield, Lewis McGeachin and Hannah Bain, who tested their general knowledge of the European Union. P7 are continuing their World War II topic and have enjoyed learning about evacuation, rationing and old money. Mrs Dawson, a very well known former pupil of Houston Primary School, captivated the children with stories of what life was like in Houston during the war.

By Katie Harrison, Laura Workman and Rowan Johnson

Kilmacolm Nursery

For St Valentine’s Day, we learned about heart shapes and created them with hand prints and foot prints…..messy and cool! Discussions about who we love and how we show our love for each other was very enlightening and if we put into practice some of the ideas described then all will be well!

Hayley from RSPB Starling group brought binoculars on her visit to nursery and helped the children to identify the birds in our playground. She taught us a song so that we could identify some of the black birds.

Paths is new to the nursery and we are delighted with the response from parents. Initially a questionnaire was sent home to focus on how children deal with their feelings. A very positive response from parents will help us to gauge the way forward for our children. We hope to give parents useful feedback and create a focus group.

Our children were marvellous at the Inverclyde Music Festival – singing out with actions to match. Unfortunately the sound system let all participants down by playing intermittently. The fairest way this was dealt with was to award the same certificate to everyone – we know KPS nursery was the best but don’t tell anyone else!

Kidston Kids Thanks to everyone from Lodge Sir Michael.

Kidston Kids received a visit from the Grand Master, Paul Docherty who popped in to see us at and presented little Archie Reid with a cheque for £300 to help support our group.

Archie did a grand job of accepting the cheque on behalf of Kidston Kids. Meanwhile Archie’s little sister, Gracie enjoyed her first day at the new Kidston Baby Group.

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Lochwinnoch Primary

Pupils at Lochwinnoch Primary have been busy learning and performing Scottish poems for our Burn’s Competition. The winners of the Burn’s poetry competition were awarded certificates and given a chance to recite their poems to a special assembly. Before that the assembly was entertained by Gavin Pratt reciting the Address To A Haggis complete with props including a haggis freshly cooked by his wife Angela. Some of our pupils also visited Corseford School for their B u r n s Assembly.

T h e y danced, played the piano and recited poems.

In class, pupils have also been busy working with people from outside school to enhance their learning. David Murdoch who is a member of the Great Britain curling team visited P7 to introduce his sport and tell them about his hopes of winning a Gold Medal to add to his medal collection in the Winter Olympics in Sochi, Russia.

P4 took part in a Glow meet with the National Museum of Scotland and were able to look at and investigate artefacts found in a Viking grave discovered on an Orkney beach.

Scouts, Cubs and Beavers Dragon Appears At Kilmacolm

At Kilmacolm Beavers, the children learned about the Chinese New Year, traditions and made their own dragon. They each also received a red envelope containing a chocolate coin - again relating to a tradition carried out in China. They all had a great time!

Commonwealth Excitement Builds For The 70th

The 70th Group have been getting started on some of the activities building up to this summer’s Commonwealth Games. The Cub Scouts designed and then made their own Commonwealth mascots using dough while the Beaver Scouts used a variety of sweets to build their own events stadia.

The Beavers had the added enjoyment of eating their creations after photographing them!

Happy Easter to All our Families and Friends, hope to see you at our Nearly New Sale in Kidston Hall - Saturday 8th March - 10am-12noon.

Entry £2. If you have any Baby Equipment, Toys, Books or Children’s Clothes you would like to donate/sell, please contact us via our website www.kidstonkids.co.uk.

Healthy Active Kidston Kids!

The new sessions are going well and the children are enjoying the new equipment.

Our Pre-school Gym Class starts on Wednesday 5th March at 1pm for children age 3-5years. Why don’t you bring your child along and join the fun?

Baby Soft Play with Music, Mondays at 10am Toddler Soft Play for children age 1 – 3 years, Mondays at 1pm Gym Class, for children age 3 – 5 years, Wed at 1pm.

Our Playgroup and Stay & Play sessions are still running on Monday, Wed’sday & Friday mornings at 9.45am. Enrol now: www.kidstonkids. co.uk

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Abbey Nursery

It’s official – Abbey Nursery have again been awarded Very Good (Grade 5) across all four key areas at our recent Care Inspection and everyone is delighted that the report reflects the high standards we operate to over the year and endorses the fact that we were continuing to meet the high expectations of our parents. We believe that this had a lot to do with the level of interest for our Open Day and we were pleased to welcome so many parents and that they could talk to the staff in such a relaxed manner.

Meanwhile the playrooms have started the year with great enthusiasm, following the children’s interests with a wide variety of activities.

The Grasshoppers room will be very busy challenging the children in their own learning, with literacy and numeracy continuing to be a key focus area, particularly for those children leaving for school this year. The children’s ‘Enterprise Initiative’ this month gives them lots of scope for buying and selling, using money and measurement. Children in the Busy Bunnies have just finished their night time experience sharing “Mr Moon” and “There’s a wide eyed Owl” with their friends while in the Little Ladybirds room the sensory room is being completely redesigned to provide new experiences for the little ones.

Despite the awful weather the children have been outdoors as much as possible, and Grasshoppers proudly showed off their Abbey branded waterproofs which kept them very cosy & dry.

St Columba Church Holiday Club

St Columba Church, Kilmacolm is running a free children’s holiday club from Mon 7th to Fri 11th April, 10am till 12 noon. This year is a Commonwealth Games themed holiday club called “Fit For a King”.

Fit for a King is for everyone who is in P1 to P7 and will include games, songs, juice and fruit, crafts, challenges, stories and lots of other fun things. For more information or to preregister, contact Peter on peter@ youthscc.plus.com.

1st Houston Girls’ Brigade All sections are now working on and hopefully enjoying their badge work. The explorer section have been learning all about Jesus, his friends and also having fun making lots of sticky mess whilst decorating cakes and biscuits. The Junior section have been learning about nature and God’s creatures. They made bird feeders using various seeds and lard – mashing it all up with their hands!!!! They are currently learning different forms of communication including sign language and braille. The Brigader section have completed their collage of Adam and Eve, had a shot at cake decorating and are currently learning how to play the drums – I’m sure their parents must love that one!!! We have three girls working towards their Bronze Duke of Edinburgh (good luck Beth, Charlie and Sarah). As a special treat all sections had a visit from the animal man who brought along a variety of animals including a duck, a rabbit, rats, a snake and even a giant cockroach - Officer Jacqueline Thompson enjoyed this one in particular as she had one crawling over her face!

We have a very busy few months ahead of us at GB as this month the Explorer and Junior sections are going to Frankie and Bennys Restaurant for a pizza making party and also taking part in the superleague competition.

Then in April we will be having our annual sleepover which will be chocolate themed – there goes the diet again!!

I’d like to say a huge thank you to Rev Campbell, Sandra Griffith, Helen Dunn, the church elders and of course the officers/helpers of our company for all their help and support this year.

If you are interested in your daughter becoming a member of company please don’t hesitate to contact me or if you can spare a couple of hours of your time to help out on a Monday night – the rewards are tremendous.

Helen Cameron, Captain

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Bridge of Weir Primary School

On Friday 31st January we were delighted to welcome local senior citizens and grandparents to our annual Scottish Concert. This is a wonderful opportunity for pupils to learn about our country’s heritage, through poetry, song and dance. Many among our audience had travelled quite a distance for the occasion, with one Gran making the journey from Ullapool! And while we know that grandparents can be biased, several did say the performances moved them to tears (in a good way, we think). Every pupil in the school took part, performing old favourites, like P5’s The Wee Kirkudbright Centipede, which tells the tale of a dancing centipede whose legs end up in a very complicated tangle. Our nursery children sang Mairi’s Wedding, while P2 pupils gave a resounding rendition of The Welly Boot Song. P6 recited some traditional poems by Robert Burns along with a less well-known one written by Mary Queen of Scots. The afternoon finished with an outstanding performance of Caledonia, sung by our 70-strong school choir. We were delighted that so many were able to join us afterwards for tea, coffee and Mrs McIlear’s famous shortbread, and we would like to say a big “thank you” to everyone who attended and to teachers and pupils for all their hard work. Have a look at our school website for more photos.

The dusting down of all those kilts and tartan ribbon was not wasted, with the Parent Council Family Cèilidh attracting some 100 enthusiastic revellers.

Please keep an eye out for notes at the bottom of schoolbags, on the school website, and on our brand new Bridge of Weir Primary School and Nursery Parent Council Facebook page for information on more fabulous events to come.

St Columba School Inverclyde Music Festival

Congratulations to both the Senior Ensemble and Intermediate Choir who won their choral classes at the Inverclyde Music Festival. The Senior Ensemble won the Ranfurly Trophy in the SATB 18 and Under class. The Intermediate Choir won the Linda Conn Memorial Trophy in the 15 and Under School Choir class. We are delighted that the School Orchestra also won their class.

Creative Communities

In late 2013 pupils from St Columba’s Junior School and Kilmacolm Primary School wrote haiku to celebrate ‘Year of Natural Scotland’. The four best haiku were illustrated by artist Tori Gray. These are now available for purchase as a pack of four postcards with envelopes. Funds raised will go to support the work of the Scottish Wildlife Trust, which is celebrating 50 years. See www.creativekilmacolm.org for full details. Congratulations to the winning writers, Julia Smith and Eilidh Lindsay (St Columba’s Junior School) and Ruari Buchan and Laurie Struthers (Kilmacolm Primary School).

Development

The Board is delighted to announce that planning permission has been granted, unanimously, to the School for the refurbishment and development of its existing properties, Cromdale and Kilmorack, on Gryffe Road, along with alterations to the existing Science Block. Now that the application has been approved, the School’s architect Page Park will begin the detailed design process. It is the Board’s intention to complete the project by the start of the academic year 2015.

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KGC Ladies win 3 in a row!!

Following a lengthy break, the Kilmacolm GC ladies re-joined the West Renfrewshire Evening League in 2011. Designed to accommodate working schedules; it gives the ladies access to matchplay competitions which they play in the lighter evenings, though not always in warm sunny conditions!!!

Renfrewshire Courses Selected For Major Tournament

Scottish Golf Union has confirmed that the Scottish Area Team Championship will be hosted by the two Bridge of Weir Courses – Old Course Ranfurly and Ranfurly Castle. The Championship requires two courses for the 36 hole stroke play qualifying rounds. The event will be played over three days in mid May. The field of 96 players will be the top six players from each of the sixteen areas in Scotland and, as such, it is anticipated that the team selections will include Scottish Amateur Champion, Alexander Culverwell, Scottish Boys’ Champion, Bradley Neil, who was joint runner up at the Alfred Dunhill Pro Am tournament last year and Ewan Ferguson who is the current British Boys’ Champion. The majority of our International squad are expected to be selected so golf fans in Renfrewshire will have the chance to watch the highest quality of amateur golf.

Both course managers, Ian Morrison (Old Course Ranfurly) and Kerr Rowan (Ranfurly Castle) are determined to have their courses at their best although the date is relatively early in the season. Ranfurly Castle, which will be the course used for the match play battles between qualifying area teams leading to the 36 hole final on 18 May has lengthened the course with the addition of four tiger tees.

The venue should give the Renfrewshire Golf Union team a slight advantage as both courses will be well known to the team.

2011 saw them return to Division 3 which they won and were promoted to Division 2. Following yet another successful year, they started the 2013 season in Division 1 and won the hat trick lifting the WREL Cup under the management of Rena Simpson. Well done ladies!!!

Old Course Ranfurly ladies section Over 80 ladies enjoyed a super evening, organised by lady captain, Moira Galletly.

The ladies were given advice on their best colours and styles by an image consultant .

Bridge of Weir River Angling Club 140 years old - Established 1874 - one of the oldest angling clubs in Scotland. The Club has a proud history in competitive angling with many members representing Scotland in the international fly fishing team.

In the late 19th Century, the River Gryffe was a renowned salmon river, due to the industrial revolution.

In the early 1900s the River Gryffe was heavily polluted by the cotton mills and tannery’s resulting in the decline of salmon. Salmon started returning to the river around 1976, when the factories closed, pollution decreased resulting in improvement in water quality. The river is now in great condition with good runs of salmon.

There are vacancies for local members within the postal area of Bridge of Weir, Kilmacolm, Houston and Crosslee. Local membership Senior £40 per year, entry £15, Local Junior membership £3. This is fantastic value for the quality of fishing.

To download membership forms, go to our website at www.bowracfishing.com

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MARCH 2014

Events at RCGC

Ladies Section RCGC

Burns Supper

Ranfurly Castle Golf Club Ladies Section held the 84th AGM on Thursday 16th January in the Clubhouse. Around 50 ladies were present to hear outgoing Ladies Captain, Sheila Biggart, review a very successful year and welcome Eileen Walker to the role of Ladies Captain for 2014. Eileen presented all competition winners for 2013 with their Trophies and the 2013 Club Champion, Natasha Qayum, gave the vote of thanks.

At our recent Burns Supper, we were thoroughly entertained by Ronald Aitchison as he performed ‘Holy Willies Prayer’. The evening was a complete sell-out and a great success.

The Chaplins

Best new band Celtic Connections Saturday 15th March £15 inc hot snack The Chaplins are: Jill Jackson (lead vocals, guitar, banjo, ukulele, harmonica), Lisa Tring (drums, percussion, vocals, ukulele) and John Allan (double bass, vocals).

With their timeless feel, The Chaplins will appeal to all - you will find yourself mesmerised by this distinctive trio.

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Anne Judge, Greenlees Competition Convener, delivered the Greenlees Team Report for the year. This was another successful one for Ranfurly Castle Ladies with the team retaining their position in Division One. The West of Scotland Scratch League for the Greenlees Trophy was first introduced in 1931 with 10 teams playing in one division. There are now three divisions with 9 teams of 9 players in each. Ranfurly Castle Ladies have performed at a very high level over the years, remaining in Division One since the late 1970’s and winning this prestigious trophy in 2004.

A special presentation was made to Nancy MacGadie in recognition of her dedication and loyalty to

Date for your diary:Lady Captains Charity Fashion Show Ranfurly Castle Golf Club

Thursday 3rd April at 7.30pm Tickets £5 includes refreshments

For further information please contact the Club on 01505 612609.

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RCGC, having first played for the Greenlees team in 1964. She is still playing in the team and winning – a wonderful achievement over 6 decades. Fiona Rodger and Carol Fell were also given a special mention for having played in the team for 5 decades.

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Mini Morton Kitted Out Budding primary school football stars attending Mini Morton sessions across Inverclyde are now kitted out in training tops thanks to Greenock based company, ‘2020 Renewables’. More than 170 kids attend the sessions which are now into a second successful term.

Mini Morton sessions take place weekly at St Columba’s, Kilmacolm, Clydeview Academy and Inverclyde Academy. The sessions allow boys and girls to learn new skills using the Coerver method of teaching football in a fun and friendly environment.

Specific individual skills are introduced throughout the course to increase players’ confidence.

Karen Welsh, PR & Fundraising Manager at Greenock Morton Community Trust said, “We are delighted to have funding from ‘2020 Renewables’. The additional funding has allowed us to issue every child that attends Mini Morton with a free training top, making the kids feel like part of a team.” For more members and further information can be found on our website www. mortoncommunity.net.” Alasdair MacLeod, Development Director at ‘2020 Renewables’ said “I recently visited one of the Mini Morton sessions and was impressed with the enthusiasm of the kids and we are delighted to be able to support them.”

Quarriers United FC Quarriers United FC are always looking to add new players to our squads and to start new age groups. We have teams at all age groups from 1997 to 2006 but we would like to start new age groups at 2007 and 2008.

Quarriers United FC was founded in 2004 with one of our main aims to make local football accessible to all. We want young people of all abilities to play and improve their football in a friendly team environment. Over the years since we started we must be doing something right, because so far we have seen over ten Quarriers players go on to play pro-youth football and two of them to be given the chance to play within the Scotland set up at their age group.

The club is Quality Mark Registered and our experienced SFA qualified coaches look to develop each player within their squads to bring them on.

Not all of us can play for Scotland but one thing’s for sure we can have great fun playing football and trying.

We now have two 11-a-side pitches and a 7-a-side pitch here in Quarriers and with our new changing rooms it gives a great environment to play football. All the coaches are parent volunteers who just want to see young people playing and enjoying team sports. So if you would like to help to start one of the new age groups at 2007 or 2008 please just give us a ring!

So if you want to join one of our teams or help start one and really enjoy your football please contact our Head Coach Graham Robertson – 07764 287005 who will gladly help you.

Ever fancied trying curling?

Why not join Lochwinnoch Curling Club on Saturday 15th March at 3pm, Greenacres Ice Rink, Howwood. (You don’t have to be from Lochwinnoch to join us!) Please phone Jennie on 07752 431135 for more information and to register your interest.

Fri 21st - Sun 23rd March On your marks, get set, fundraise

The best way to fundraise is by getting sponsored to enter an event at the Sainsbury’s Sport Relief Games, but if that’s not for you, you can make a difference in any way you like. Either way, we have ideas and tools to make fundraising really easy, plus top sponsorship tips to help you raise loads of life-changing cash. Just go to our website for loads of ideas and to get a fundraising pack - www.sportrelief.com/fundraise If you would like to donate, or to sponsor someone, then please visit www. sportrelief.com/sponsor-and-donate and click on the appropriate bit! Take a minute to help change someone’s life forever!

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Strathgryffe Squash & Tennis Club Strathgryffe Squash and Tennis Club received a welcome boost recently with the selection of two promising junior squash stars, Calum Carswell and John Meehan, to represent Scotland at the Under 13 Five Nations event, being held in Dublin over the 28th-30th March. The tournament will see them pitted against the best players from England, France, Ireland and Wales. The boys sealed their places in the team after a very successful National Junior Championships, in which the boys finished 3rd and 4th respectively. Although their first time representing their country, the boys are no strangers to high level competition, having successfully played for the West of Scotland at Inter-regional level and having attended the Danish Junior Open last September.

Both boys started squash approximately three years ago, through the Strathgryffe School Squash programme at St Fillan’s Primary. They now train every Tuesday at Scotsoun Sports Campus as part of the Scottish Squash Regional Performance Network and every Thursday at Strathgryffe, in addition to their normal matchplay and competition programme.

Strathgryffe Head Squash Coach Martin Woods said; “This is a fantastic achievement for both boys are they both fully deserve it after putting in so much hard work and effort into their training. Everyone at the club is immensely proud.”

Commonwealth Games Funding

Susan Weanie, Tennis Development Manager of Strathgryffe Tennis & Squash Club and Brian Knox, Head Coach at Bishopton Tennis Club were thrilled to be presented with funding by Councillor Jim Harte at the Renfrewshire Commonwealth Games Presentation Evening held at Paisley Town Hall. Strathgryffe and Bishopton Tennis Clubs have joined forces and, in partnership with Renfrewshire Active Schools, a team of coaches will now be able to deliver tennis coaching to 14 schools in the Renfrewshire area.

The local primary schools in Houston & Bridge of Weir have had regular coaching from Strathgryffe for the past eleven years and this funding will allow the coaches to deliver tennis to a wider community.

In the Elite Athlete category 10 Strathgryffe juniors (9 tennis & 1 squash) were delighted to be awarded funding towards their busy playing and training schedules. Pictured here along with Susan & Brian are Cameron Kehoe and brother & sister Cameron & Abbie Kerr who also collected their awards at the Presentation Evening.Strathgryffe will be holding Easter Camps from the 7th – 11th April and also 14th- 18th April. For more information on coaching or membership at Strathgryffe please visit www.strathgryffe .net or call reception on 01505 615100.

Spring Fair at Castle Semple

Sunday 6th April is the day of the Semple Sports Access Partnership (SSAP) Spring Fair at Castle Semple, Lochwinnoch.

We will be holding a world record attempt on the Guinness Book of Records for the longest sitting dance line to ‘oops up side your head’, The current record for this event is 250 people which we’re sure we can beat.

Additionally we are holding a balloon launch aiming for around 1,000 balloons and other events will include water sports try out sessions and cruises round the loch.

Semple Sports Access Partnership is an OSCR registered charity made up of the five water-sports clubs that use Castle Semple Loch (fishing, kayaking, rowing, sailing and windsurfing). The event is in aid of the new purpose built water sport club centre which the group are aiming to build in the very near future.

In our efforts to raise funds and also help local businesses, we propose that advertising space is available on the day for all the visitors to read.

We have two proposals one to have an A3 size space on our board for a weather protected poster with a pocket for business cards so that the public can take the cards away and remember your details. The second would be space on the fence during the day to tie up large banners advertising your business. If you would be interested in either of these options please contact fundraising@castlesemplerc.co.uk.

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Gryffe Hillwalking Club

After weeks of almost constant torrential rain and high winds, we were extremely fortunate to experience near perfect walking conditions for our recent outing on Sunday 16th February. We saw a fair bit of sunshine, some blue skies and fairly light winds. Temperatures were hovering around or below freezing but everyone was well prepared. The main group headed up Glen Cononish, some tackled the corbett of Beinn Chuirn others continued to the foot of Ben Lui into fairly deep snow, before returning to Tyndrum.

One group climbed the corbetts Beinn Bhreac-liath and Beinn Udlaidh from the A82 and a third, the munro, Ben Challum. The demand for places on the bus was such that a larger vehicle was organised (quite luxurious by our standards). It was nice to see so many new people and it is hoped that they will become regular members.

If you fancy joining us to try a walk over or among the hills our next club meeting is on Monday 10th March at 8pm, in The Fox & Hounds, Houston to finalise the outing to Ben Lomond on Sunday 16th March. That outing will be by car, arrangements will be discussed at the meeting.

The meeting after that is Monday 21st April to arrange a car trip to Glencoe on Sunday 27th March.

Newcomers are always welcome, whether experienced or not.

Further details can be had from John Maclean 01505 326887 johnalexmaclean@hotmail.co.uk or from the club website: www.gryffehillwalkers.co.uk/

West Highland Way Challenge Two Lochinyeuchans, an Incomer and a Sassenach are going for long a walk! 96 miles of the West Highland Way to be exact to raise money for two very good causes, “The Maggie’s Centres” and “Finding Your Feet” Lochwinnoch natives Jennie Cochrane and Alison McNeil are teaming up with their good friends Gloria Murray and Naomi Greenland to take on the challenges of the West Highland Way at the end of March, (23rd – 30th).

The way we look at it - It’s going to be cold, but there won’t be any midges!

Maggie’s Centres - Do such great work with individuals and their families dealing with cancer. They are warm and welcoming places built alongside NHS hospitals.

The Glasgow Maggie’s was, and still is, a great support and help to Alison, who can’t praise the team at Maggie’s highly enough. www.maggiescentres.org Finding Your Feet - a relatively new charity set up by the family of Corrine Hutton, who is a quadruple amputee, designed to help Corinne ‘find her feet’ (and hands) and to help her and others achieve everything they are capable of. Read her inspiring story at: www.findingyourfeet.net If you would like to sponsor us for our challenge we would be most grateful of your support, please catch us round the village with our sponsor sheets or go to our team Just Giving page at: www.justgiving.com/teams/ gingerbreadgirls

Point to Point Saturday 22nd March, Overton Farm, Crossford, Carluke, ML8 5QF. First race - 1pm (pony races beforehand).

Admission £10 includes racecard, ample free parking. Prize draw on day.

Kilbarchan Athletic Club Interested in taking up jogging/running?

Why don’t you come and join us, we meet Monday and Thursday Nights 7pm at On-X. Linwood. We cater for all abilities. Tel: 07941 686990.

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dental health A “Typical” Day at the Dentist

by Sheila Macintyre, Practice Owner, Kilbarchan One of the things that I enjoy about Dental Practice

being a dentist in a busy practice is that one day is never the same as another! Patients needs vary massively ranging from a simple dental check-up and teeth clean and polish to more complex procedures or cosmetic dentistry. One minute we can be giving advice to a new mother whose baby hasn’t got their first teeth yet and the next to an octogenarian!

We generally have a mix of existing and new patients. A lot of the existing patients are families coming together at the end of the day once school has finished. A check-up for a new patient takes a bit longer as we need to take a full dental history.

Some patients need x-rays which is where having the latest equipment comes in. We are fully digitised so the x-rays show up within seconds on screens next to the chair. This means we can explain any treatments to the patient immediately and also gives us a record of anything that we want to keep an eye on at the next appointment or make before and after comparisons.

We also try to accommodate emergency patients into any gaps in the day. These emergency treatments can be something as simple as a crown replacement, but we never know until they arrive!

We are also very fortunate to have sedation and radiology qualified nurses who carry out some of procedures like taking full histories and gaining consent for the nervous sedation patients. We also make great use of our dual qualified therapist as this again frees the dentist for more complex treatments as well as the emergencies and examinations.

The days might all be very different, but they are always busy and hugely satisfying!

Birkmyre Girls

Birkmyre girls spent an exhausting day in Tranent on the 16th February as they fought for a place in the final of the Brewin Dolphin U15 Bowl.

Taking part in the competition for the first time as a Birkmyre squad, they were always going to struggle when pitted against some of the more experienced teams, and so it proved as they were beaten by eventual finalists Crieff HS. The girls narrowly lost their first game as a combination of game day nerves and the lack of game time as a result of the recent weather causing so many cancellations combined to produce a weak performance.

New girl Ellie Houston is seen here with Kirsty Steel forcing a turnover against Crieff which led to a well worked try

by Elis Martin.

Kirsty’s tackling and determined carries into contact were highlighted by the Scotland coaches, she clearly has the potential to progress far in ladies rugby. The final game of the day was against a strong combined team from Balfron/McLaren which the Birkmyre girls ultimately put to the sword with trys coming in both halves.

Unfortunately the team picked up a number of injuries and we wish speedy recoveries to Charlotte, Kelly, and Kirsty. The day was supported by many of the Scotland Ladies and a couple of players from Edinburgh Gunners, no prizes for guessing who the girls wanted to get selfies with!!

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The Business Advertisements (Disclosure) Order 1977

NOTICE TO ADVERTISERS

COMMERCIAL PROPERTY

HOLIDAY HOMES FLORIDA: superb selection of hand-picked villas and condos near Disney and Gulf Coast.

Rates from £250 per wk - also property purchase service with rental support. Call Hazel on 01505 613603. www. floridaselectvillas.com

ADVERTISE YOUR BUSINESS HERE FROM ONLY £15.84 PER MONTH (incl. VAT & discounts)

The Law requires that Advertisers selling goods in the course of a business MUST include the word Trader, Dealer, Agent, Breeder or appropriate wording in the Advertisement to distinguish from private advertisers.

councillors RENFREWSHIRE COUNCIL: www.renfrewshire.gov.uk Ward 7 - Johnstone South, Elderslie, Howwood Cllrs John Caldwell, John Hood, Stephen McGee and Iain McMillan Ward 8 - Johnstone North, Kilbarchan and Lochwinnoch Councillors Derek Bibby, Andy Doig and Christopher Gilmour Ward 9 - Houston, Crosslee and Linwood Councillors Stuart Clark, Audrey Doig, Anne Hall and Allan Noon Ward 10 - Bishopton, Bridge of Weir and Langbank Councillors Maria Brown, Mike Holmes and James Maclaren

Kilmacolm Guide Hut

INVERCLYDE COUNCIL:

Is available for let for weekly slots at very attractive rates. Central to the village, but with easy parking, kitchen facilities and plenty of space, it is an ideal base for use by the local community. We also take bookings for birthday parties and special occasions. For information call Jackie on 01505 873488.

Ward 1 - Inverclyde East (P.Glasgow, Kilmacolm and Quarriers Village) Cllrs David Wilson, Jim MacLeod, Stephen McCabe and James McColgan

community halls to let • Bridge of Weir, Freeland Church. Tel: 612245 • Brookfield, Village Hall. Tel: 321031 • Houston, Carrick Centre. Tel: 612203 / 613613 • Houston, Compass Centre. Tel: 615441 / 612617 • Kilbarchan, Guide Centre. Tel: 702758.

• Kilbarchan, Old Library Centre. Tel: 706070 • Kilmacolm, Cargill Centre. Tel: 873994 • Kilmacolm, Brownie/Guide Hut. Tel: 873488 • Kilmacolm, Masonic Hall. Tel: 873059 • Linwood Masonic Hall. Tel: 07825 222944 • Quarriers Sommerville Hall. T: 614513 / 612300 • Please add your community hall details to our list - email to info@advertizer.co.uk

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www.inverclyde.gov.uk

community council Visitors are welcome at these monthly meetings.

BISHOPTON: Primary School: 1st Thurs at 7.30pm www. bishoptoncouncil.com BRIDGE OF WEIR: Cargill Hall: 1st Tues at 7pm (NB: Last Tues of June, No Aug meeting) www. bridgeofweir.org BROOKFIELD: Brookfield Village Hall: Last Thurs at 7.30pm (NB: No meetings: July or Dec) HOUSTON: Carrick Centre: 3rd Wed at 7.30pm www. houstoncommcouncil@yahoo.co.uk HOWWOOD: Village Hall: 2nd Tues at 7.30pm. www. howwood.com/community-council.php KILBARCHAN: Steeple Hall: monthly at 7.30pm. www. kilbarchan.info/community_council.html KILMACOLM & QUARRIERS: Last Tues at 7.30pm, Kilmacolm Cargill Centre (NB: No meetings: July or Dec) www.kilmacolmcc.co.uk LANGBANK: Church Hall: 2nd Wed at 7.30pm LOCHWINNOCH: Parish Church: 1st Tues at 7.30pm

church lists BRIDGE OF WEIR

HOWWOOD

Freeland Church, Rev KN Gray BA BD. Morning Service 10.30am.

Crèche, Sunday School, Lynx and Cornerstone. Evening Service 7pm Web site www. freeland.org.uk S t M a r y ’s C h u r c h S c o t t i s h Episcopal Church. Delighting to praise God; Showing Christ’s love; Growing in faith. Services Sundays at 10am. We have a regular cycle of prayer for those who live and work in Bridge of Weir. The dates of prayers for local roads are as follows: 2nd Mar - Bonar Crescent & Lane, 9th Mar - Bridge of Weir Road, 16th Mar - Broom Place, 23rd Mar - Carruth Road, 30th Mar - Castle Road & Terrace, 6th Apr - Church Road. For further information, to ask for special prayers, or in pastoral emergency please call 01505 612807/01505 842629 or 01505 613402.

St Machar ’s Ranfurly Church Rev Suzanne Dunleavy BD DipEd. Sunday services at 10.30am. Hearing aid loop system. All welcome. www. stmacharsranfurlychurch.org. uk Hope Hall, Sun 1pm Sunday School, 4.30pm Gospel Service; Mon 6.30pm Investigators for Kids, 8pm Bible Study and Prayer.

From the Baha’i writings: “Love is the one means that ensureth true felicity both in this world and the next.” For details of meetings call 615641.

Howwood Parish Church, Sunday Service will start at 10am and there will be a prayer meeting at 3 Bowfield Way on Fridays at 7.30pm.

ELDERSLIE

Elderslie Kirk, Main Road, Elderslie: Sunday service every week at 11am. Minister - Rev Robin Allison. All welcome.

Weekly meetings:- Monday Club every week from 12noon - 2.30pm. Light lunch and a varied activity programme.

Midweek Fellowship will meet every Wednesday from 10.30am for Tea & Coffee followed by a short Service of Worship at 11am. All Welcome.

HOUSTON

Houston Baptist Church at Carrick Centre; 11am Family services with SS for children age 5-12; 6pm Eve Service; Mid-week Home Bible Study; For more information contact; Rev D Snelson 01505 612722.

Houston and Killellan Kirk www. houstonkirk.org. 26th Jan 9.45am Early Service; 11am Morning Worship, 2nd Feb - 9.45am Early Service; The Sacrament of Holy Communion; 11am Morning Worship, 9th Feb - 11am Morning Worship.

Church of the Nazarene, Houston, at the Village Hall, Main street, Houston. PA6 7EL. Rev Benito S Coetzee. Family services at 10.30am with full toddler, children and youth activities running concurrently with the service. Youth meets at 6.308pm on Sundays. Word and Table Quiet Service held from 9am - 9.30am every 3rd Sunday.

Visit our website: www.houston. nazarene.org.uk St Fillan’s, Main St, Houston.

Sun Masses: Vigil (Sat) 5pm, 9.30am & 11am. Weekday Mass: Tues-Sat 9.30am except Thurs, 7pm. Reconciliation: Sat 10-10.30am and after Vigil Mass; Thurs 7.30-8pm. Exposition: As announced. Baptisms: 1st & 3rd Sunday of the month by arrangement. Parish Priest: Rev Daniel J McLoughlin, Dip.Th.,MA Pastoral Assistant: Sr Mary Frances Collett, RNDM (Tel 01505 613514). “Abbotsfield”, St Fillan’s, Main St, Houston, PA6 7EL. Tel: 01505 612046, Fax: 01505 610556. Email: parish@stfillan.org.uk. www. stfillan.org.uk

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KILBARCHAN

As we work towards the union of the West and East Churches in the village our united services will be as follows for the month of March. Sunday 2nd – East Church, Communion at 11am and 2pm. Sunday 9th – West Church, 11am.

Sunday 16th – East Church, 11am. Sunday 23rd – West Church, 11am. Sunday 30th – East Church, 11am. All the services will be conducted by the Rev Stephen Smith and everyone will be made most welcome.

KILMACOLM

St Colm’s Catholic Church The Very Rev William Canon McDade – Sunday morning family mass 10am.

Kilmacolm Old Kirk Church of Scotland (Charity n o . S C 0 0 9 2 9 1 ) . w w w. kilmacolmoldkirk.org.uk.

Minister Rev Dr Peter McEnhill (01505 873174).

Morning Worship - Sundays 11am, all welcome Sunday School & Crèche available.

St Columba Church of Scotland (charity no SC007992) Minister Rev Douglas Cranston.

Morning Worship Sundays at 11am. Wednesday break 10.30am. Thursday Bible Study 7.30pm – 8.30pm.

Thursday Prayer Meeting 8.40pm – 9.15pm.

Gospel Services in The Scout Hall, Kilmacolm - Sundays 4.30pm, Thurs 7.30pm.

St Fillan’s Episcopal (Anglican) Church Sundays 11.30am

LANGBANK

Langbank Parish Church - Rev Andrew McLean. Sunday Services 10am with Sunday School, Creche and young people’s group, the Welcomers. Tea/coffee after the service. The Church service starts at 10am.

Come along and meet in the Hall from 9.50am. Charity registered in Scotland, No SC015085.

LOCHWINNOCH

Lochwinnoch Parish Church - Rev Mhairi Breingan.

11am Morning Service with Sunday School and Crèche.

Calder United Free Church (Church St Lochwinnoch) Sunday: 11am Morning worship with Sunday School and Crèche. 6.30pm Evening Fellowship group, 7.30pm ABC’s Teen group. Wed 6.30pm-7.30pm.

QUARRIERS

Mount Zion Church, Rev Andy Lunn Bsc. 10.30am in Bethesda, Junior Church and Bible Class.

20/02/2014 13:09:51

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sales & wants Items For Sale Baby Equipment Mazi-Cosi Priori Childs Car Seat.

Five point harness, 9-18Kg (9 mths - 4 yrs approx.) Fit into car using seat belt or Isofix, £30.

Tel: 07932 641733.

Clippasafe Walking Harness and Reins Pink x 3 and Clippasafe Wrist Link Pink, as new, £2 each. Tel 01505 874870.

Stair gate Lindam white, fits opening from 75cm - 100cm, attached to wall in VGC. £20 Tel 01505 874870.

Bricks trolley, good cond. £10.

Tel: 01505 874870.

Mamas and Papas Twin Aria double buggy dark brown incl. PVC twin rain cover, two foot muffs and matching baby changing bag. Suitable fr birth. Sell for £30. Tel: 01505 874870.

Britax Baby Safe Car Seat black, height adjustable, suitable fr birth until appr. 2 yrs old, 5 point safety harness works with 3-point seat belt, Britax Babysafe Belted Base or Britax Babysafe Isofix Base. Exc cond. £30. Tel 01505 874870.

Britax Eclipse car seat 9-18 kg, £15. Tel: 01505 874870.

Mothercare car seat universal 0-13kg/9-18kg. £15. Tel: 01505 874870 Britax Adventure High Backed Booster Seat group 2/3 Black Thunder, not used still in box £30. Tel: 01505 874870.

Clothes & Shoes Ladies Blackwatch Authentic Kilt & pin. 30” waist x 25” length.

As New. £40. Tel: 0141 581 1741.

Bridal veil, 2 tier, ivory with crystal droplets. Cost £95. sell for £30, as new. Tel: 01505 326230 Girls clothes bundles. Beautiful dresses, tops, trousers, fleeces. Ages 1-5 years. Good names e.g. Monsoon, Gap, Next, M&S. Exc cond. Smoke free home. £10 upwards per bundle. Tel: 07904 543977.

Antartex Sheepskin Jacket Ladies, size 18. Grey with grey lining. Good cond. Mittens incl. £50 ono. Tel: 07887 841613.

Antartex Sheepskin Jacket Gents, size 44”. Brown with cream lining. Good cond. £50 ono. Tel: 07887 841613.

Household & Garden Double Divan Bed. As New. £85.

Tel: 01505 873361.

1&2 seater leather couches, blue in VGC. £150. Mahogany wall unit, TV unit, coffee table & computer desk and chair all £60 ono, must be able to collect. Tel: 07877 273524.

Ikea ‘Aspelund’ Chest of drawers in white, VGC with 2 deep drawers. Length 88cm x depth 42cm x height 79 cm, £20. Tel: 07932 641733.

Large 3 seater dark navy leather sofa. Good cond. £40. Must collect. Tel: 07758 370044.

Compact single folding guest bed in exc cond. 116h x 22d x 80w (closed). £35. Tel: 01505 327496.

6ftx2ft 6ins single bed with truckle bed stored under. Truckle bed can be used separately or joined to make a 5ft wide double bed. Comfortable sprung mattresses. Exc cond.

Hardly used. £120. Tel 01505 873139.

Bedroom Pine Furniture:- Dressing Table 4’9”x1’6” £75; Mirror 2 drawers £20; Matching stool 1’6”x1’3” £35; 2 bedside tables 1’7”x1’8” £80; 1 chest drawers 2’6”x3’11” £85. All £295.

Collect Langbank. Tel: or text 07841 646948.

Super King Bed. Solid base. 2 mattresses both covered layer of foam ,comfort for spine L6’6” W 6’. £175. Collect Langbank.

Tel or text 07841 646948.

Parker Knoll reclining chair with matching stool. Mustard yellow colour. £175. Tel or text 07841 646948 Collect Langbank.

3 seater couch, tartan look, pink/ reds blue and beige colour. £200 ono. Collect Langbank.

Tel or text 07841 646948.

3 metal filing cabinets 4 drawers in each with locks Height 4’4” Width just over 1’16”. £105ono. Langbank Tel: 07841 646948.

Bedroom suite in dark wood VGC comprises of King size bed & mattress, wardrobe, two bedside tables £290ono. Tel: 01505 874870.

Two seater settee and 2 chairs, traditional upright style with dark wood arms, heathery tones, VGC, £150. Tel: 07954 364125.

Dobbies Grey garden furniture:Rectangular Table 5’3”x2’11” 4 wicker chairs with matching cushions. Large Parasol unopened. Owner moving to flat.

Collect Langbank. Tel or text 07841 646948. Was £700 14 months ago, now £350 ovno.

Large Bottle green parasol with wrought iron solid base £40 ovno. Tel or text 07841 646948.

Electrical & Gas Zanussi washing machine. VGC £65. Tel: 01505 871282.

Bosch Fridge Freezer (White) Good condition £80. To be uplifted. Tel 01505 358710 or 07786 105978.

Domena steam ironing press, one year old. £95. Collect. Tel: 07792 473523.

Humidifier. £35. Tel: 01505 871282 Dyson vacuum cleaner VGC only 1 year old. Was £250, sell for £120 ono. Tel: 01505 874870.

Meile novotronic Prestige plus washing machine, exc cond.

Moving house. £195. Tel or text 07841 646948 Langbank.

Meile condenser tumble dryer novotronic T234C. Exc cond.

Moving house. £195. Tel or text 07841 646948 Langbank.

Sports Univega Gents Mountain Bike, aluminium. £70. Tel: 01505 326462.

Ladies Mountain Bike. Unwanted gift. As New. £25. Tel: 01505 326462.

Pro Fitness Non-Motorised Treadmill. As-new cond. Folds away for easy storage, 5 display functions, walk or run on gentle incline. Was £79.99, sell for £40. Tel: 01505 872442.

Golf Clubs, 65i Performance, graphite shaft, as new, some still in wrapper. Includes golf bag £65. Tel: 07954 364125.

Bowls, Taylor Ace, size 3, medium weight, exc cond, bag incl. £70. Tel: 07954 364125.

Bike, white & red, 18’’ wheels, suit 7-10 yr old approx. Good cond. £30. Tel: 07954 364125.

Toys/Games/DVD Vtech Sit & Spin Zebra (pink).

Exc cond. Hardly Used. In original box. £15. Tel: 07904 543977.

Disney Princess Kitchen & utensils (cake, teapot etc).

Good cond. £20. Tel: 07904 543977.

Tigger Aeroplane (ride/push along). Unisex. Age 1yr+.

Makes Tigger & aeroplane sounds. Propeller spins. £15.

Tel: 07904 543977.

Peppa Pig Toys-various incl spaceship, house, Playpark, Grandpas Train, Treehouse, Campervan & lots of figures. Good cond. Over £150 new, sell for £30. Tel: 07904 543977.

Early Learning Rosebud Cottage with figures, café with table/ chairs, pets. Hardly used. Cost new £80. Sell for £20. Tel: 07904 543977.

Battery operated ride on car with charger. Pink Beetle. Age 2+. £50 ono. Tel: 07824 997210 Lochwinnoch.

Leapfrog learning toy £8. Tel 01505 874870.

Mothercare Safari Wooden Activity Cube, new £35 sell for £15.

VGC. Tel 01505 874870.

Thomas & Friends Engine Rideon, new £30 sell for £15. Good cond. Tel 01505 874870.

Boys red Raleigh Scooter 12” wheels. Good cond. £30. Tel: 01505 706855.

Remote Control Tarantula. £10.

Tel: 01505 706855.

7 Zibits with Lighteningball Arena and powerlab playset. £25.

Tel: 01505 706855.

Kids Bike suit ages 4-6. Exc cond. £10.Tel: 01505 690658.

John Deere Kids Tractor & Trailer Ride On (ideal age 3-7) - cost £200 sell for £20. Tel: 01505 690658.

Other Items

Bandurria, (Spanish 12 String Mandolin) Made in Valencia by Vicente Sanches. Usual dings and scratches for its age, but in good cond and plays well, £100 ono. Tel: 07949 262883.

3 summer tyres, (2 off Pirelli P7, 1 off Bridgestone Turanza).

205/55 R16. Approx. 5-6 mm tread remaining. £20 each.

Reason for sale - sold car with winter tyres on. Tel 01505 873553.

Marina Fish Tank & stand. Style 35, Goldfish Aquarium. 35 ltrs.

50cmx25cmx30cm. Incl pump & lighting. Brand new still in box. RRP £150. Sell for £95.

Tel: 07788 694925 after 6pm.

Hammond Dolphin 9722 3 Manual Electronic Organ. Exc cond.

V good instrument & nice piece of furniture. Stool & instruction books incl. £100ono. Tel: 01505 322854.

Samsung Galaxy Tab 3, 7” White Leather Case Cover & Flip Stand, incl Screen Protector & Stylus Pen, Duplicate Gift from Amazon £5.99 still in packaging. Sell for £5. Tel: 07967 118735.

Solid Black Bumprider buggy board. Multi-award winning universal fit buggy board in exc cond. Original parts & instructions. Paid £60, sell for £30.

Tel: 07772 173910.

Outdoor Photography magazines £1 each. Tel: 07954 364125.

ADVERTISING sales & wants ad rates:

UP TO £200 ....... FREE £201 to £500 ..... £5.00 £501 to £1000 ... £10.00 OVER £1000 ..... Call for details.

Use our Sales & Wants form below and post to The Gryffe Advertizer, Neva Place, Bridge of Weir, PA11 3PN. or email your items to info@advertizer.co.uk The Business Advertisements (Disclosure) Order 1977

NOTICE TO ADVERTISERS The Law requires that Advertisers selling goods in the course of a business MUST include the word Trader, Dealer, Agent, Breeder or appropriate wording in the Advertisement to distinguish from private advertisers.

234_MAR14_56-59 CLASSIFIED.ind.indd 58

Acorn Straight Stair lift. 2 months old. £1,285 Incl delivery, fitting, warranty. Ref 205991. Tel: 0800 073 9793.

Venus 4 mountain tent 4 man. £80. Tel: 01505 613033.

HiFi Stereo Separates: Sony STSE520 Tuner £15; Cambridge D100 CD Player £40; Cambridge A1mk3 Amp £50; Gale Mini Monitor Mk2 Speakers (1 x pair) £15; Wall mounting brackets for speakers (1 x pair) £8; Cambridge audio cables for connecting amp to cd and tuner £8 each, or both for £14.

All in full working order, CD player LCD backlight doesn’t work, functionality unaffected.

Exc sound. Cambridge Audio Symphony 200 speaker cable incl, All instruction manuals incl. Price for everything £130.

Can email photos. Tel: 01505 325652/07875 565648.

Mabef 7ft adjustable lyre easel £120. Collect. Tel: 01505 613675.

Casio Full Size Electronic Keyboard CTK 4000. 570 total on-board tones. 180 Rhythms.

Reverb Plus chorus digital effects. Same keyboard used for practical music exams. £50.

Tel: 07837 529791.

Wanted Items Old records Wanted 45`s & LP`s CASH Paid. Tel: 07710 777571.

Cash paid for Music CDs ( a few or a lot ). Tel: 0141 882 5594 or 07765 115347.

Yamaha DT 175 MX & DT 125 MX. Yamaha RD 250, 350 & 500 - running or not. Cash waiting. Free collection. Tel: 07951 227767.

Old bikes, prams, bogies, gokarts, trikes for charity pram races. Call Chris on 07785 242444 for local pick-up. The Pram Race is to try and repair the jetty at Kilchoan, a crofting and fishing village in Ardnamurchan.

CONTENT OF THE GRYFFE ADVERTIZER CANNOT BE REPRODUCED WITHOUT PRIOR CONSENT FROM THE PUBLISHER The Gryffe Advertizer is a magazine published by The Gryffe Advertizer Ltd

Advertising throughout The Gryffe Advertizer: Definitions: “Standards” means the British Code of Advertising Practice and the provisions of any law applicable to advertising including, but not limited to, the Trade Descriptions Act, 1968, the Consumer Credit Act 1974, the Control of Misleading Advertisements Regulations 1988, the Financial Services Act 1986, the Business Advertisement (Disclosure) Order 1977 and all amendments and replacements.

It is hereby agreed that: • The placing by the Advertising Client of an Advertisement is deemed to be acceptance of these Conditions of Acceptance of Advertising.

• All Advertisements in this Publication must not contravene the Standards.

• Insertion of Advertisements and/or Editorial is strictly at the discretion of the Publisher.

• The Publisher shall not be liable for any loss or damage incurred by the Advertising Client as a result of any failure, negligence or omission by any party in the course of the distribution or circulation of the Publication in which the Advertisement is scheduled to appear.

• In the event of any error, misprint or omission by the Publisher in the printing of an Advertisement, the Publisher will either re-insert the advertisement, adjust the cost or provide a refund. This does not apply if the Advertisement has been approved by the Advertising Client prior to publication. The total liability of the Publisher for such an occurrence shall not exceed the amount of a full refund for that particular Advertisement.

• The Advertising Client agrees to indemnify the Publisher in respect of all costs, damages or other charges falling upon the Publisher as the result of legal actions or threatened legal actions arising from the publication of the Advertisement, or any one or more of the series of Advertisements, published in accordance with the copy instructions supplied to the Publisher.

• Readers are reminded that when purchasing items or services advertised in the Publication that the Publisher cannot be held in any way responsible for the quality or correctness of the items or services included in the Advertisement.

Editorial throughout The Gryffe Advertizer: The opinions of the Contributors to this Publication are not necessarily the official views of the Publisher. The Publisher reserves the right to edit or refuse any material submitted for publication.

20/02/2014 13:09:55

business directory by category

Advertizers - A to Z

Accountants & Financial

Funeral Services

Painters & Decorators

Affluent Financial Planning . . 19 Cheetham & Co . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18 Fergusons CA . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18 Fiona Christie Accounting Serv . . 19 Stewart Independent Financial . . 19

Beaton Brothers . . . . . . . . . . . 32 John Roach Funeral Directors . . 3

A Gallagher Painter&Decorator . . 35 Clyde Coast Décor . . . . . . . . . 35 Gary Forbes Painter Decorator . . 32 Ian Livingston Decorating . . 2 James Martin - Painter & Decor . . 3 John H Barney . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33 John Morgan . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12 M&E Painters . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17 Ranfurly Decor . . . . . . . . . . . . 5

Architectural Services Architectural Drawings . . . . . 19 BOW Design Architect . . . . . . . 2 Casa Homes & Gardens Architect . . 7 Grid Design Ltd . . . . . . . . . . . 7

Art, Gifts & Flowers Crafts of Calder Gallery . . . 12

Auctioneers & Valuers Collins and Paterson Auctionee . . 3

Automotive Services Canal Garage . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21 Chips Away . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21 Collins Tyres . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21 Gryffe Garage Motor Engineers . . 21

Bathrooms Affordable Luxuries . . . . . . . 7 Bathroom Solutions by MPH . . 11 G Woods Bathrooms . . . . . . . . . 6

Bedrooms Burndale Workshop . . . . . . . . . 9

Blacksmith & Metalwork McLaughlan Metal Fabrication . . 7 The Iron House . . . . . . . . . . . . 14

Building Services A O’Hare - Building Services . . 5 BOW Stone Works . . . . . . . . . . . 46 Bridge of Weir Roofing . . . . . 6 Construction & Property Servic . . 9 Craig Joinery Services . . . . . 12 DLN Services . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5 I & J Building & Roofing Serv . . 2 James Kerr Joiner . . . . . . . . . 17 JWK Property Maintenance . . . 34 Kilellan Roofing . . . . . . . . . . 13 M Addison Joiners & Builders . . 3 MBS Roofing & Building Contrac . . 12 RPH Joinery . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6 SMG Roofing & Building Contrac . . 17 SW Scott - Joiners & Builders . . 13 Taylor Made Joinery . . . . . . . . 8 Thomas McMaster & Son Ltd . . 49

Business Services MacLennan Stewart Services . . 18

Care Services & Homes Confident Care Ltd . . . . . . . . . 33

Catering Gadds Gourmet . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6 Karen Rankin Catering . . . . . . 6

Cleaning & PowerWash AL Domestic & Office Cleaning . . 5 CleanDryCarpets . . . . . . . . . . . 3 Come Clean . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4 DS Cleaning (Windows) . . . . . . 13 Gryffe Roofing Services . . . . 15 MattVac Carpet & Upholstery Cl . . Bk Nutech Cleaning . . . . . . . . . . . 2 Old Mill Chimneys . . . . . . . . . 36 Omni Housekeeping . . . . . . . . . 35

Coffee Shops Bernie’s Cafe Deli . . . . . . . . . 31 Three Sisters Bake . . . . . . . . . 29

Computer, IT & Web ColCom . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18 Computer Repairs . . . . . . . . . . 1 Laptop and PC Repairs . . . . . . 18

Council Notices Inverclyde Council Xmas Waste . . 36

Driveways A&G Driveways . . . . . . . . . . . . . Bk

Driving Instructors Alistair Stewart - Driving Ins . . 12 Crosslee Driver Training . . . 5 Paul Ferguson - Confidence . . 7

Electricians Bell Alarms . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12 Delta Electrical Services . . 37 GasMan Energy . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11 JDPS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 Lamont Electricians . . . . . . . . 3 MAS Electrical & Security . . 2

Fencing Boundaries . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 47 JWK Property Maintenance . . . 34 McLaughlan Metal Fabrication . . 7

Firewood & Logs Caledonian Wood Fuels . . . . . . 17 W B Smith & Son . . . . . . . . . . . 44

Framing Crafts of Calder Gallery . . . 12

Garage Doors & Gates Powerdoors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Bk

Garden Service & Design 3D Garden Design . . . . . . . . . . 46 A Peebles Landscape Contractor . . 44 Apple Tree Garden Design . . . 45 Casa Homes & Gardens Architect . . 7 Craig Kennedy Gardening . . . . 45 Crawford Landscapes . . . . . . . . 46 DMG Garden Services . . . . . . . . 46 Garden Services . . . . . . . . . . . 45 Glenmoss Landscapes . . . . . . . . 46 Gowanlea Nurseries . . . . . . . . . 10 I & J Building & Roofing Serv . . 2 John Smith Turf Supplies . . . 47 MJ Lawnmowers . . . . . . . . . . . . . 44 R Williams Tree Surgeon & Grou . . 46 SP Groundcare . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8 W B Smith & Son . . . . . . . . . . . 44 West of Scotland Landscape . . 44

Gas & Heating Services A&J Plumbing Heating & Gas . . 31 C Hunter Plumbing Heating Gas . . 10 GasMan Energy . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11 I D Plumbing & Heating . . . . . 15 John McKay Gas & Heating Eng . . 31 Mackie Plumbing & Heating . . 13 Phoenix Gas Services . . . . . . . 1

Glazier 1on1 Double Glazing . . . . . . . . 3 JayBee Double Glazing Repairs . . 11 TD Cameron . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2

Pet Services & Training Auntie Jacquie’s Dog Grooming . . 42 Barking Mad . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 43 Pet Portraits for Animal Lover . . 42 Pet Shop Postie . . . . . . . . . . . 43 PetVets . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42 Smart Dog Grooming . . . . . . . . . 42 Suzanne’s Grooming Pad . . . . . 42 Take the Lead . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42

Plasterers Bryan Slaven Slater & Plaster . . 8 Charlie Orr Plasterer . . . . . . 10 James Kerr Joiner . . . . . . . . . 17 Kilellan Roofing . . . . . . . . . . 13

Plumbers A&J Plumbing Heating & Gas . . 31 C Hunter Plumbing Heating Gas . . 10 G Woods Bathrooms . . . . . . . . . 6 GasMan Energy . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11 I D Plumbing & Heating . . . . . 15 JDPS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 Mackie Plumbing & Heating . . 13 Shower Expert . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33

Property Management DLN Services . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5

Hairdressers & Barbers

Property, Sales & Let

Arlene Mitchell Hair & Beauty . . 37 Ashes Hair & Beauty . . . . . . . . 37 JRS Hairdressing . . . . . . . . . 33 Nix Hairdressing . . . . . . . . . . 36 Vanda’s Mobile Hairdressing . . 39

Cochran Dickie Estate Agents . . 18 Corum Property . . . . . . . . . 25,26,27 Dallas McMillan Solicitors . . 19 Kingsley Wood & Co Solicitors . . 1 Lind Letting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1

Health, Beauty & Fitness

Removals

Arlene Mitchell Hair & Beauty . . 37 Ashes Hair & Beauty . . . . . . . . 37 Beginners Yoga - Sara Marijuan . . 52 Bridge of Weir Dental Surgery . . 41 Healing Refuge . . . . . . . . . . . . 9 Kilbarchan Chiropodists . . . . 39 Kilbarchan Dental Practice . . 5 LaserLight . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31 NLP Positive Changes . . . . . . . 12 Owl Yoga . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 52 Recover Sports Therapy . . . . . 52 Sole Solutions Podiatry . . . . 37

@ease Removals & Transport . . 7 The Right Move . . . . . . . . . . . . 8

Home Hardware First Domestics . . . . . . . . . . . 11 Gibb Stuart Ironmongers . . . 17,22,47 MS All Trades Limited . . . . . . 4

Home Improvements Casa Homes & Gardens Architect . . 7 Conservatory Conversions . . . Bk Howe Joinery & Building Serv . . 13,2

Home Interiors Baytree Interiors . . . . . . . . . 5 Burndale Workshop . . . . . . . . . 9 Classique Window Blinds . . . . 20 Old Mill Chimneys . . . . . . . . . 36 The Furniture Barn . . . . . . . . . 3

Home Security Bell Alarms . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12 Brookfield Alarms . . . . . . . . . 6

Joiners DJY Joinery . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8 Howe Joinery & Building Serv . . 13,2 James Kerr Joiner . . . . . . . . . 17 JDPS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 JWK Property Maintenance . . . 34 M Addison Joiners & Builders . . 3 McGowan Joinery . . . . . . . . . . . 5 RPH Joinery . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6 Saltire Joinery . . . . . . . . . . . 2 SMG Roofing & Building Contrac . . 17 SW Scott - Joiners & Builders . . 13 Taylor Made Joinery . . . . . . . . 8 TD Cameron . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 Woodburn & Beattie Joiners . . 35

Kitchens Affordable Luxuries . . . . . . . 7 Burndale Workshop . . . . . . . . . 9 G Woods Bathrooms . . . . . . . . . 6 Howe Joinery & Building Serv . . 13,2 Taylor Made Joinery . . . . . . . . 8

Leisure & Recreation Ranfurly Castle Golf Club . . 53

Locksmiths Arco Locksmith . . . . . . . . . . . . 15 Elliott Locks . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6 Houston Locksmiths . . . . . . . . . 3

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Retail Gibb Stuart Ironmongers . . . 17,22,47 Seasons . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32 The Furniture Barn . . . . . . . . . 3 Wild Rose Flowers Ltd . . . . . . 23

Roofing Bridge of Weir Roofing . . . . . 6 Bryan Slaven Slater & Plaster . . 8 Gryffe Roofing Services . . . . 15 I & J Building & Roofing Serv . . 2 Kilellan Roofing . . . . . . . . . . 13 MBS Roofing & Building Contrac . . 12 RPH Joinery . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6 SMG Roofing & Building Contrac . . 17 SW Scott - Joiners & Builders . . 13 Thomas McMaster & Son Ltd . . 49

@ease Removals & Transport . . 7 1on1 Double Glazing . . . . . . . . 3 3D Garden Design . . . . . . . . . . 46 A Gallagher Painter&Decorator . . 35 A O’Hare - Building Services . . 5 A Peebles Landscape Contractor . . 44 A&G Driveways . . . . . . . . . . . . . Bk A&J Plumbing Heating & Gas . . 31 ABC Taxis . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Bk Affluent Financial Planning . . 19 Affordable Luxuries . . . . . . . 7 AL Domestic & Office Cleaning . . 5 Alistair Stewart - Driving Ins . . 12 Apple Tree Garden Design . . . 45 Architectural Drawings . . . . . 19 Arco Locksmith . . . . . . . . . . . . 15 Arlene Donald . . . . . . . . . . . . . Bk Arlene Mitchell Hair & Beauty . . 37 Ashes Hair & Beauty . . . . . . . . 37 Auntie Jacquie’s Dog Grooming . . 42 Barking Mad . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 43 Bathroom Solutions by MPH . . 11 Baytree Interiors . . . . . . . . . 5 Beaton Brothers . . . . . . . . . . . 32 Beginners Yoga - Sara Marijuan . . 52 Bell Alarms . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12 Bernie’s Cafe Deli . . . . . . . . . 31 Boundaries . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 47 BOW Design Architect . . . . . . . 2 BOW Stone Works . . . . . . . . . . . 46 Branch Out . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 45 Bridge of Weir Dental Surgery . . 41 Bridge of Weir Roofing . . . . . 6 Brookfield Alarms . . . . . . . . . 6 Bryan Slaven Slater & Plaster . . 8 Burndale Workshop . . . . . . . . . 9 C Hunter Plumbing Heating Gas . . 10 Caledonian Wood Fuels . . . . . . 17 Canal Garage . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21 Casa Homes & Gardens Architect . . 7 Charlie Orr Plasterer . . . . . . 10 Cheetham & Co . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18 Chips Away . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21 Classique Window Blinds . . . . 20 CleanDryCarpets . . . . . . . . . . . 3 Clyde Coast Décor . . . . . . . . . 35 Cochran Dickie Estate Agents . . 18 ColCom . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18 Collins and Paterson Auctionee . . 3 Collins Tyres . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21 Come Clean . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4 Computer Repairs . . . . . . . . . . 1 Confident Care Ltd . . . . . . . . . 33 Conservatory Conversions . . . Bk Construction & Property Servic . . 9 Corum Property . . . . . . . . . 25,26,27 Crafts of Calder Gallery . . . 12

Craig Joinery Services . . . . . 12 Craig Kennedy Gardening . . . . 45 Crawford Landscapes . . . . . . . . 46 Crosslee Driver Training . . . 5 Dallas McMillan Solicitors . . 19 Delta Electrical Services . . 37 Derek McBride Aerials . . . . . . 17 DJY Joinery . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8 DLN Services . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5 DMG Garden Services . . . . . . . . 46 DS Cleaning (Windows) . . . . . . 13 Elliott Locks . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6 Fergusons CA . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18 Fiona Christie Accounting Serv . . 19 First Domestics . . . . . . . . . . . 11 G J Tiling . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 G Woods Bathrooms . . . . . . . . . 6 Gadds Gourmet . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6 Garden Services . . . . . . . . . . . 45 Gary Forbes Painter Decorator . . 32 GasMan Energy . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11 Gibb Stuart Ironmongers . . . 17,22,47 Glenmoss Landscapes . . . . . . . . 46 Gordon James Ceramic Tiler . . 12 Gowanlea Nurseries . . . . . . . . . 10 Grid Design Ltd . . . . . . . . . . . 7 Gryffe Garage Motor Engineers . . 21 Gryffe Roofing Services . . . . 15 Healing Refuge . . . . . . . . . . . . 9 Houston Locksmiths . . . . . . . . . 3 Howe Joinery & Building Serv . . 13,2 I & J Building & Roofing Serv . . 2 I D Plumbing & Heating . . . . . 15 Ian Livingston Decorating . . 2 Inverclyde Council Xmas Waste . . 36 James Kerr Joiner . . . . . . . . . 17 James Martin - Painter & Decor . . 3 JayBee Double Glazing Repairs . . 11 JDPS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 John H Barney . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33 John McKay Gas & Heating Eng . . 31 John Morgan . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12 John Roach Funeral Directors . . 3 John Smith Turf Supplies . . . 47 Johnstone TOA Taxi Co . . . . . . 21 JRS Hairdressing . . . . . . . . . 33 JWK Property Maintenance . . . 34 Karen Rankin Catering . . . . . . 6 Kieran Turner Aerial&Satellite . . 3 Kilbarchan Chiropodists . . . . 39 Kilbarchan Dental Practice . . 5 Kilellan Roofing . . . . . . . . . . 13 Kingsley Wood & Co Solicitors . . 1 Lamont Electricians . . . . . . . . 3 Laptop and PC Repairs . . . . . . 18 LaserLight . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31 Lind Letting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1

LJX . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 45 M Addison Joiners & Builders . . 3 M&E Painters . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17 Mackie Plumbing & Heating . . 13 MacLennan Stewart Services . . 18 MAS Electrical & Security . . 2 Matthews Cleaning Services . . 5 MattVac Carpet & Upholstery Cl . . Bk MBS Roofing & Building Contrac . . 12 McGowan Joinery . . . . . . . . . . . 5 McLaughlan Metal Fabrication . . 7 MJ Lawnmowers . . . . . . . . . . . . . 44 MS All Trades Limited . . . . . . 4 Nix Hairdressing . . . . . . . . . . 36 NLP Positive Changes . . . . . . . 12 Nutech Cleaning . . . . . . . . . . . 2 Old Mill Chimneys . . . . . . . . . 36 Omni Housekeeping . . . . . . . . . 35 Owl Yoga . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 52 P Thomson Upholstery . . . . . . . 5 Paul Ferguson - Confidence . . 7 Pet Portraits for Animal Lover . . 42 Pet Shop Postie . . . . . . . . . . . 43 PetVets . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42 Phoenix Gas Services . . . . . . . 1 Powerdoors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Bk Purple Tree Care . . . . . . . . . . 45 R Williams Tree Surgeon & Grou . . 46 Ranfurly Castle Golf Club . . 53 Ranfurly Decor . . . . . . . . . . . . 5 Recover Sports Therapy . . . . . 52 RPH Joinery . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6 Saltire Joinery . . . . . . . . . . . 2 Scott Russell . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11 Seasons . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32 Shower Expert . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33 Smart Dog Grooming . . . . . . . . . 42 SMG Roofing & Building Contrac . . 17 Sole Solutions Podiatry . . . . 37 SP Groundcare . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8 Stewart Independent Financial . . 19 Suzanne’s Grooming Pad . . . . . 42 SW Scott - Joiners & Builders . . 13 Take the Lead . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42 Taylor Made Joinery . . . . . . . . 8 TD Cameron . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 The Furniture Barn . . . . . . . . . 3 The Iron House . . . . . . . . . . . . 14 The Right Move . . . . . . . . . . . . 8 Thomas McMaster & Son Ltd . . 49 Three Sisters Bake . . . . . . . . . 29 Travel a la Carte . . . . . . . . . 3 Vanda’s Mobile Hairdressing . . 39 W B Smith & Son . . . . . . . . . . . 44 West of Scotland Landscape . . 44 Wild Rose Flowers Ltd . . . . . . 23 Woodburn & Beattie Joiners . . 35

Solicitors Dallas McMillan Solicitors . . 19 Kingsley Wood & Co Solicitors . . 1

Special Occasions ABC Taxis . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Bk

Taxis & Minicoach hire ABC Taxis . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Bk Johnstone TOA Taxi Co . . . . . . 21

Tiling G J Tiling . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 Gordon James Ceramic Tiler . . 12 Scott Russell . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11

Travel Agents Arlene Donald . . . . . . . . . . . . . Bk Travel a la Carte . . . . . . . . . 3

Tree Surgeon Branch Out . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 45 Glenmoss Landscapes . . . . . . . . 46 LJX . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 45,45 Purple Tree Care . . . . . . . . . . 45 W B Smith & Son . . . . . . . . . . . 44

TV & Satellite Derek McBride Aerials . . . . . . 17 Kieran Turner Aerial&Satellite . . 3

Upholstery Services P Thomson Upholstery . . . . . . . 5

Window Cleaners DS Cleaning (Windows) . . . . . . 13 Gryffe Roofing Services . . . . 15 Matthews Cleaning Services . . 5

Windows, Consv & Repair 1on1 Double Glazing . . . . . . . . 3 Conservatory Conversions . . . Bk JayBee Double Glazing Repairs . . 11 TD Cameron . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2

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