Traffic news

Be a nosy parker: tips from IAM RoadSmart

With the dark mornings and evenings still hanging around, it means our cars are still at risk of being a victim of theft. IAM RoadSmart’s head of driving and riding standards, Richard Gladman, suggests a few top tips. See how you can protect your vehicle on a day to day basis, whether you’re out and about or in the comfort of your home.

As we exit the supermarket with a trolley full of shopping, •

we’re eager to unlock the car as soon as possible to avoid the hassle of fi nding our keys when we get to the car. But unlocking your car before you reach it gives thieves a longer period of time to access valuables and make a run for it, especially if your boot opens automatically. Be sure to only unlock your car when you get to it to prevent any risk of theft Don’t leave your keys lying around. This can apply to any •

situation, whether you’re out for dinner and leave your keys on the table or if you’re at a friend’s house, as you may not know everyone around you. Making your keys visible can mean a greater risk of them being taken. Be security conscious about code grabbing from your keyless entry, are you being watched? Hide any valuables. Before you leave your car, make sure •

you secure any valuables and keep them out of sight. Putting them in your glove compartment or in the boot of your car will avoid them being seen Don’t fall into the habit of hanging up your keys next to •

doors or windows. Thieves use a ‘fi shing’ method where they insert a hook through a letter box or window and search for keys. This can even be done when you’re at home and you may not even notice until you look for your keys and fi nd that you’ve “lost” them. Make sure you put your keys somewhere safe and secure, and far away from windows and doors Choose your parking neighbours wisely. In a busy car park, •

we normally go for the fi rst space we can fi nd. But have you thought about your neighbours beside you? For example, parking next to a fl atbed truck fi lled with rubbish may not be as good a choice as parking next to a pristine, well-kept vehicle. The potential of damage is greater if the vehicle you park beside is already full of dents and scrapes Is your parking space secluded? If you will be returning to •

the car late or alone make sure you stay alert and park it in an area which is well lit Richard said: “We often just pop in somewhere and then get distracted, so it’s crucial you never leave your car running whilst going back indoors to pick something up. It will only take an opportunist a few seconds to drive away. “Try to park your pride and joy away from shopping trolleys and fl ying doors, although we all know the empty part of a car park will fi ll up as soon as you leave your pristine motor in a space. And remember to always consider your safety, as a car park looks diff erent in the night than it does during the day.” To fi nd out more about IAM RoadSmart products and services visit the new website www.iamroadsmart.com To fi nd out the name of your own local IAM RoadSmart group please visit: https://wwwiamroadsmart.com/local-groups

Roads - planned roadworks

CURRENT ROADWORKS DUE TO END: B788 Auchmountain Road, Auchenfoil Road, Greenock – Speed restriction

The speed restrictions on this road are due to end on Thursday •

12th March 2020 at 6pm. Dellingburn Street, Greenock – Road closure

The works and diversions are due to end on Monday 23rd •

March 2020 at 6pm.

BRIDGE OF WEIR: Road Closure to allow for carriageway patching works to take place. Emergency access will be maintained.

Hazelwood Road, from Earl Place to Shillingworth Place, from •

Monday 16th to Wednesday 18th March. Diversion: Eldin Place, Ranfurly Road, Kilgraston Road or vice versa. Hazelwood Road, from Kilgraston Road to Earl Place, from •

Wednesday 18th March to Friday 20th March. Diversion: Kilgraston Road, Ranfurly Road or vice versa. Hazelwood Road, from Prieston Road to Hazelwood Lane, from •

Monday 23rd March to Wednesday 25th March. Diversion: Prieston Road, Ranfurly Place, Montrose Terrace or vice versa.

ROADWORKS UPDATES Visit the following sites for regular updates of upcoming roadworks:

http://www.renfrewshire.gov.uk/article/2331/Roadworks-and•

closures https://www.inverclyde.gov.uk/environment/roads-lighting/•

road-works https://www.roadworksscotland.org/•

https://traffi cscotland.org/roadworks/•

School NEws

EVERY MONDAY Lochwinnoch Baby & Toddlers McKillop Hall 9.45am - 11.30am £2/family fee incl tea & children’s snacks. Kilmacolm Playgroup

St Columba Church Hall, Kilmacolm 9.30am - 11.30am Howwood Baby & Toddler Group Howwood Parish Church 10am - 12noon Kilbarchan Parish Church Tots’ Club

Kilbarchan Parish Church Hall 9.15am - 11.30am

EVERY TUESDAY Kilbarchan Tots

Kilbarchan Scout Hall 10am-12noon £2 contribution. Tea, coffee & biscuits. Bridge of Weir Toddlers

Cargill Hall, Lintwhite Cres, BoW 9.30am - 11.30am Kilmacolm Playgroup

St Columba Church Hall, Kilmacolm 9.30am - 11.30am Howwood Playgroup

Howwood Church Hall 9.45am - 11.35am

EVERY WEDNESDAY Kilmacolm Toddlers

St Columba Church Hall, Kilmacolm 10am - 11.30am For children from birth to 3 years. Lochwinnoch Baby & Toddlers McKillop Hall 9.45am - 11.30am £2/family incl tea & children’s snacks. Howwood Playgroup Howwood Church Hall 9.45am - 11.35am @GryffeAds @GryffeAds REGULAR GROUPS EVERY THURSDAY Houston Toddlers

Church Hall, Main Street, Houston 9.30am - 11.30am Kilmacolm Playgroup

St Columba Church Hall, Kilmacolm 9.30am - 11.30am Howwood Playgroup Howwood Church Hall 9.45am - 11.35am

EVERY FRIDAY Langbank Playgroup Langbank Village Hall 9.45am - 11.45am For 2.5 - 5yr olds. Contact: Lisa McFadden 07940 313094. Langbank Under 3’s Church Hall, Langbank 10am - 11.45am For children from birth to 3 years Baby and Toddler Group

Elderslie Kirk, Main Rd, Elderslie 9.30am - 11.30am £2 includes children’s snack and tea/ coffee. Lots of different toys to play with. All welcome. Community Bookbug Sessions

St Columba’s Junior School, Knockbuckle Road, Kilmacolm 9.30 - 10am

1ST & 3RD FRIDAY Renfrewshire Inverclyde Twins Club

McKillop Hall, Lochwinnoch 1pm -2.30pm £3. Bring a mug along for a cuppa.

Gryffe High School REHIS Awards

St Anthony’s Primary School

The time is just fl ying in and already here at St Anthony’s our Burns Night has come and gone our Valentine’s Disco too. Our involvement with the RSO & Disney Organisation is well under way. Down the corridors the sounds of wildly excited voices singing out the Lion King songs can be heard and that’s just from the sta room! The school is all of a buzz with a variety of activities as our children and sta enjoy the benefi ts of working with The Disney Team in this theatre production. In the midst of grey skies and wild wet wintery days we are preparing the plans for our sensory garden that will be fully realised once the better weather is upon us. Materials have been purchased and labour is being organised and it is with great anticipation we await the outworking of those plans which will brighten up our playground for our pupils and sta alike for many years to come. We are delighted to announce that our Race Night will be o and running at 7pm on March the 13th at the Lily Bank Bowling Club, Brewery Street, Johnstone. This is the second time we have planned this event. It proved to be such an entertaining night and was so well received last year that we didn’t hesitate to plan another one. The admission is £5 and there is a bar and for that reason it is an over 18 night. A bu et is prepared and we hope to create a fabulous fun atmosphere for family, friends and community to relax and enjoy a night of racing, games, and ultimately raise funds for the children of St Anthonys. Tickets for the evening can be obtained from the school or purchased at the door on the night.

Houston Primary

ELCC Construction The contractors arrived on site on the 6th January and quickly got to work preparing the ground for the construction of our brand new Early Learning and Childcare establishment, which is due to open to our youngest learners in August 2020. Please visit Houston Primary School Facebook page to see regular pictorial updates and drone footage.

Battery Recycling The Big Battery Hunt is on! We’ve almost fi lled our second battery bin already so keep bringing in your used batteries (AA, AAA, C and D) so we can make sure they are disposed of safely. The challenge continues!

Clear Out Your Closet We’re looking for donations of clothes in wearable condition, pairs of shoes, handbags and belts for our next Rag Bag collection. All funds raised go towards supporting Eco projects. We’re looking for donations of clothes in wearable condition, pairs of shoes, handbags and belts for our next Rag Bag collection. All funds raised go towards supporting Eco projects.

Crisp Packet Blanket Former pupil, Caitlin Fraser contacted Mrs McPherson to share her idea of making blankets from foil crisp packets to keep homeless people warm on cold winter nights. Our pupils happily collected two large bin bags full of empty crisp packets and Caitlin quickly got to work. What a superb recycling idea! Crisp Packet Blanket two large bin bags full of empty crisp packets and Caitlin quickly got to work. What a superb recycling idea!

Let’s Get Cooking! The Gardening Club learned how to make leek and potato soup using their very own fresh produce. With the help of Mrs Morrison and her team of volunteers, the pupils prepared the vegetables and added them to the pot. There was enough for a tub each to take home and enjoy. They also cooked Brussels sprouts with bacon. Delicious! The Gardening Club learned how to make leek and potato soup and her team of volunteers, the pupils prepared the vegetables and added them to the pot. There was enough for a tub each to take

We are currently hosting an Usborne Books Sponsored Listen, where we have enjoyed guest storytellers within the nursery, and have encouraged some quality listening time for families, with prizes for the most “Sponsored Listener”. By encouraging literacy within the nursery and at home we can o er the children an array of new books (of their choosing) to be added to our library. The books are for sale in the foyer of the nursery also, for families to purchase should they wish to continue the literacy journey at home!

Our wonderful outdoor area has been fabulous in the stormy weather, o ering a warm shelter from the sleet and snow. The children enjoyed getting all wrapped up in their waterproofs and chasing the falling snowfl akes. Having gained our Gold award from the Woodland Trust by encouraging the children to respect their outdoor environment, we are well on the way to gaining our Platinum award by introducing the story “The Man Who Planted Trees” to our activities, encouraging growth as we head towards Spring….just watch this space! Our Out of School Club has reinstated our Pupil Council and are busy recruiting Parents to help them discuss any ideas or concerns within the Club. The children enjoy making their voices heard and gain a sense of ownership over the daily decisions made for their Out of School Club environment. In the coming months the whole of Gry e Manor will be looking forward to Spring time and all of the lovely events to look forward to, such as, our Da odil Tea and Easter celebrations.

Village School Consultation Opens

A statutory consultation has been launched to get views on proposals to change the admissions and pupil placement policy for Inverclyde’s village schools. The consultation, which runs until Wednesday 25th March, proposes two changes that would a ect the three village schools – Inverkip, Kilmacolm and Wemyss Bay. Inverclyde Council’s education convener, Councillor Jim Clocherty, said: “The consultation proposes two changes to the policy on admissions a ecting our village schools. It is important that we hear the views of anyone with an interest in this including parents and carers, pupils and anyone connected with the schools a ected. I would encourage as many people as possible to take part in this important consultation.” The council is consulting on changes to the ‘policy on admission and pupil placement in mainstream schools’ for the transition from village primary schools to secondary schools. The statutory consultation document is available at all early years establishments in Inverclyde (including those working in partnership with the council), all primary schools associated with Inverclyde Academy, St. Columba’s High School, Port Glasgow High School and St. Stephen’s High School, the council’s education services o ce in Wallace Place, Greenock and customer service centre in Clyde Square, Greenock and in all council libraries. The detailed proposal is available online at the council’s consultation hub where people can also complete the survey and have their say online at: https://inverclyde.citizenspace.com/schools/villageschools There will be three public meetings held at: 25th February (6pm) - Inverclyde Academy 26th February (6pm) - St. Columba’s High School 27th February (6pm) – Port Glasgow Community Campus

Kilbarchan Primary News

Already this year our school has been very busy with our di erent topics. Primary 3a are focusing on their topic about Ancient Egypt. Aimee in Primary 3a said that “We went around the classroom learning about pharaohs, it was a lot of fun.” Meanwhile Primary 3b are learning about Arctic animals and how they survive in the cold temperatures. P1 and P2/1 are learning about di erent types of dinosaurs. They created Venn diagrams and charts to group the di erent dinosaurs. The Primary 7 pupils are working alongside the Primary 1 pupils to create play based learning stations based on books that the younger pupils are enjoying. Thanks to Golphin, Primary 3 to 7 are learning golf skills while also improving their numeracy and literacy skills during these sessions. We defi nitely have some great golfers in our school. Primary 7 visited Pizza Express to learn how to make pizza and we even made our own pizzas. In class, we also created some healthy snacks for other class members e.g. watermelon fries with a spicy dip, mango and raspberry smoothies, watermelon salsa and fruit kebabs. The whole school loved the Baldy Bane performance in January called ‘Wyliecoat the Wizard’. By Sofi a and James P7

St Columba’s Appoints a New Rector

35 Mrs Reilly is appointed Rector of St Columba’s School St Columba’s School in Kilmacolm has appointed Mrs Victoria Reilly as its new Rector. Mrs Reilly, who has been Senior Depute Rector at St Columba’s since 2016, becomes only the tenth Rector in the School’s 123-year history. Mrs Reilly was brought up in Yorkshire and graduated from the University of Edinburgh with an MA (Hons) in French and Spanish. After working in business, she studied for her postgraduate certifi cate in education at the University of She eld. Mrs Reilly fi rst joined St Columba’s in 1992. She was appointed Depute Rector in 2012 and Senior Depute Rector in 2016. Mrs Reilly has been an Associate Assessor with Her Majesty’s Inspectors of Schools since 2015. Mrs Reilly said: “It is an honour and privilege to have been asked to lead St Columba’s School. We will continue to focus on academic rigour and extracurricular excellence, and on providing an inclusive, safe and vibrant learning environment in which all our pupils are encouraged to fulfi l their potential.” Mr Calum Paterson, Chairman of the Board of Governors, said: “We are delighted that Vicky Reilly is to be our new Rector. Mrs Reilly has served St Columba’s with great distinction over many years and her values are at one with the School’s. She will be leading a high calibre and dedicated team of teaching and non-teaching sta and we look forward to continued success under her headship.” St Columba’s School is a non-denominational, independent day school, based in Kilmacolm, Inverclyde. It is one of Scotland’s highest achieving schools nationally.

Duchal Nursery

We have had lots of fun with Chinese themed activities celebrating the New Chinese Year of the Rat and have learned the number words for 1 - 5 (phonetically spelt here as Eee, Ar, San, Se and Wo). We ventured out in the garden to do a Chinese treasure hunt for little red packets containing a gold coin. These are called Hong Bao and are a fun part of the New Year celebrations. This year Chinese New Year coincided with Burns Night, so to commemorate both we read Julia Donaldson’s book “The Highway Rat” in its Scots version (The Reiver Rat). Both children (and teachers!) were a bit ba ed by some of the words - ettercap (spider), eemock (ant), heelstergowdie (head over heels) to name a few, but the story is well enough known to the children for us to get the gist and we didn’t fi nd the process of translation too scunnersome ! With spring nearly here we are delighted with the gorgeous fl ash of colour outside the nursery as the snowdrops and da odils poke their heads out. Thank you so much to Colourful Kilmacolm who donated the bulbs and assisted the children with planting them. The children have been fascinated watching them steadily grow. The children are loving spending a bit more time out in our garden with the occasional spring like day. Being creative in the mud kitchen, imaginative play on our Duchal plane and collecting precious treasures from around and about! Please visit our website for more information www.duchal.com and fi nd us on Facebook. If you would like to come and visit the Nursery please get in 01505 874358 or email: info@duchal.com

Houston Toddlers

We have been very busy at Toddlers. Jackie from Little Down Dogs Yoga came along and showed us some yoga movements that we all enjoyed and had good fun doing them. Making Valentine crafts kept us very busy with some outstanding results hopefully the recipients liked our e orts. On the sporty side two coaches came along from Strathgry e Tennis and Squash Club and taught us some ball skills that will hopefully help us reach Wimbledon. We had a Music Class from Hartbeeps which we all loved. Every Thursday we have great fun at Toddlers held in the West Halls from 9.30am until 11am, there are plenty activities and also tasty snacks. Please come along and join us you will be made very welcome. Please bring a cup (preferably with a lid ) and a cup for the children.

Gryffe High PTA News - Burns Supper & Ceilidh Friday 24th January saw Gry e High school host the inaugural Burns Supper and Ceilidh, with over 60 family and friends tucking into traditional Scottish fare whilst being thoroughly entertained by pupils and teachers. The evening started with a welcome from school captains, Lewis and Lauren followed by the ‘Selkirk Grace’ delivered by Aaron. The haggis was then piped in by Matthew, Ben and Jenna and toasted by Esme and Sarah. Gryffe High PTA News - Burns Supper & Ceilidh Friday 24th January saw Gry e High school host the inaugural Burns Supper and Ceilidh, with over 60 family and friends tucking into traditional Scottish fare whilst being thoroughly entertained by pupils and teachers. The evening started with a welcome from school captains, Lewis and Lauren followed by the ‘Selkirk Grace’ delivered by Aaron. The haggis was then piped in by Matthew, Ben and Jenna and toasted

A Scottish feast then followed including soup, haggis, neeps and tatties followed by delicious trifl e, all carefully prepared and served by sta and pupils of the HFT department. Throughout the evening poems were read, songs sung and games played all celebrating the life of Robert Burns. After a short break for tea, co ee and shortbread the evening fi nished with some energetic ceilidh dancing. The PTA would like to thank all sta and pupils who contributed to the evening and to the family and friends who came along for making the night the fun fi lled success it was. We would also like to thank Holmes Butcher Bridge of Weir for the haggis, McHarg Bakers for rolls and shortbread and Brian Steele for providing Irn Bru and water for the evening. Personally, I would also like to thank the PTA members who worked very hard to make this event happen. A total of £550 was raised for school funds ….well done everyone!! Watch out for the date of the Ceilidh next year…..I think it will be a sell out. Sheila McHarg - PTA Chairperson Our thanks to Gordon McHarg and Mrs Thomson for photos.

REHIS Awards for 52 S3 Pupils Well done to fi fty two S3 Health, Food and Technology pupils who were presented with their ‘Elementary Food Hygiene’ certifi cates after successfully completing and passing the course! To achieve this award, which is an external exam, pupils study areas in • kitchen and personal hygiene • keeping food premises and equipment clean and disinfected • the importance of reporting possible food safety hazards • food storage temperatures • food poisoning sources and symptoms • food allergies The pupils use this knowledge gained in the many practical activities undertaken in HFT. This nationally recognised qualifi cation from The Royal Environmental Health Institute of Scotland was emphasised to be a worthwhile certifi cate to have and one that is highly valued by employers. A great achievement S3! Mrs R Thomson and Miss C Marshall – Teachers of Health and Food Technology

It’s all about celebrations this month. The Parent Teacher Council invites parents to a dinner dance (disco) to celebrate 50 years of Bridge of Weir Primary on Saturday 14th March at 7pm at Old Ranfurly Golf Club. The tickets are £40 per person, and include a glass of fi zz on arrival, a 3-course meal with 1/2 bottle of wine per person, a ra e with amazing prizes, and the all-important DJ. All money raised will go towards outdoor learning facilities at the school. There are a limited number of tickets, and they’re selling well, so please buy yours soon on Parent Pay to avoid disappointment. Parents are the only ones who’ll be eating, singing, and dancing, as Anna Carruth and Tristan Mills report: Primary 7 Burns Supper At the end of January, P7 had their annual Burns Supper, chaired by Anna Carruth. Everyone was served haggis, neeps and tatties, washed down with Irn Bru. The food was prepared by the school’s wonderful cooking team. The P7 teachers joined the supper including Mrs Nugent, Mr Barrett and Mr Du y. Everyone enjoyed some fabulous entertainment ranging from guitar and piano, to some humorous stand-up comedy. P7 also enjoyed the company of the Depute Head Teachers, Mrs Grant and Miss Davies, at the top table. Katie Anderson performed a toast about Robert Burns’ life, while Sophie James read out a harsh “Toast to the School”. Ross Clark and Ruby Watson battled it out as they read aloud “The Toast to the Lassies” and “The Lassies’ Reply”. After the Haggis was brought out by Andrea Coyle, it was Ethan Boggie’s turn to address the haggis and slice open the puddin’ while we bowed our heads as Kirsty Crosbie read “The Selkirk Grace.” In between the entertainment, everyone joined together to sing Highland Cathedral - Mrs Grant’s favourite - and as the supper drew to a close, there was also a rendition of Auld Lang Syne. During the song, everybody joined hands, and sang with true passion. Once fi nished, Mrs Grant and Miss Davies gave a speech of thanks for the wonderful Burns’ Supper. At the end of January, P7 had their annual Burns Supper, chaired washed down with Irn Bru. The food was prepared by the school’s wonderful cooking team. The from guitar and piano, to some humorous stand-up comedy. a toast about Robert Burns’ life, while Sophie James read out a of Bridge of Weir Primary on Saturday 14th March at 7pm at Old a glass of fi zz on arrival, a 3-course meal with 1/2 bottle of wine All money raised will go towards outdoor learning facilities at the school. There are a limited number of tickets, and they’re selling well, so please buy yours soon on Parent Pay to avoid disappointment. Anna Carruth and Tristan Mills report:

Gry e Valley Rotary Club - Young Photographers

Primary Schools Photography Competition with Robert Chalmers At a recent Speakers Meeting in January, John King introduced Robert Chambers, from Gry e Camera Club, to reveal the results of this year’s Young Photographer Competition. Robert noted that although the number of entries was slightly lower than previous years, the quality of each submission remained exceptionally high. The winners of the competition were Houston Primary, followed by Kilmacolm, Bridge of Weir and St Fillans.

Young Entrepreneurs Raise Money For Charity

Two 13 year old, big hearted friends started their own business in 2019 to raise money for charities close to their hearts. Their fi rst cheque for £1,288.40 was handed over to the Beatson last week!! Anna Watson and Emily Wilson started ‘Sew Kind’ to help fundraise while spending time together sewing. The 2 girls were both inspired by their Grannies to start sewing at a very young age. Both attended fashion class where they would make and create together and have been going since the age of 7. Anna, from Lochwinnoch, pupil at St Columba’s in Kilmacolm and Emily, from Quarriers, pupil at Port Glasgow High get together with their sewing machines to make lots of items to sell at their events. They aim to make gifts that cut back on plastic and are reusable too. They have both worked incredibly hard to make as many items as they possibly can for all of their craft fairs. At the end of last year they raised money for The Beatson Cancer Charity. They chose this as their fi rst charity because in 2018 Anna’s mum went through chemotherapy and radiotherapy for breast cancer at The Beatson. This is the girls way of thanking the Beatson for making her better. They hope this money will go towards helping other families going through what they did. Lots of new plans for Sew Kind for 2020 to raise more money for other charities including more craft fairs and kids workshops.