This Month

I suppose that the saying ‘good weather for ducks’ is appropriate after the last couple months of constant rather wet weather.

Though it’s not all bad. The days are becoming brighter again as we leave winter behind us.

Rainbow Over Castle Semple Sailing Club

by Joe Reilly

Club)

Our front cover image this month was supplied by Joe Reilly of the Johnstone Camera Club and is a stunning capture of a rainbow over the Castle Semple Sailing Club in Lochwinnoch.

Our deadline dates have been updated since the January issue as we start to sort out the year ahead. These can always be found online on our website and at least a couple months ahead in every issue date.

Beloved local, Marion Dawson, also known as Granny D, celebrated her 110th birthday in January and was presented with her birthday card by the Deputy Lord Lietenant from King Charles III and Queen Consort Camilla. The 8th annual Pocket Garden Design Competition has launched. Entrants this year should reflect the interlinked themes of A Garden of Celebration, One Planet Picnic and Wildlife Gardening. All types and styles of celebration are welcome from colourful fiesta to proud memorial. More information is available on page 15. Designs must be submitted no later than 5pm on 22nd February 2023 to: oneplanetpicnic@keepscotlandbeautiful.org

We are saddened to hear that Donald Smith of the Bridge of Weir Hillwalkers has passed away. He regularly submitted news and photos of the Bridge of Weir Hillwalkers’ activity. His final submission for the magazine is on page 34 along with a very kind message from fellow member Ken.

We witnessed the power of social media at the Ginger Cat Children’s Bookshop. Owner, Aileen, put out a post on Twitter about the shop being quiet and it was shared by a lot of people to drive up business, including Richard Osman. Another lovely man phoned in and requested to buy a book of Aileen’s choice to gift to the next child who came into the shop. What a lovely gesture! Aileen’s book reviews and heartwarming story are on page 28.

What a lovely community we live in!

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Marion Celebrated her 110 th Birthday

Marion Dawson celebrated her 110th birthday with friends and family on Thursday 19th January. Marion would like to thank everyone for all their good wishes and lovely cards. Marion choose St Vincent’s Hospice as her charity to send donations in lieu of birthday gifts. Thank you to everyone who donated. A big thank you also to Morar Care Home in Bridge of Weir for making her party such a memorable occasion.

Pictured below is Marion with Dr Iain Findlay (Deputy Lord Lieutenant) presenting her with her 110th birthday card from King Charles III and Queen Consort Camilla.

New Paisley Grammar School

Plans for a new Paisley Grammar School are moving forward – with the state-of-the-art facility expected to be open by summer 2026.

The community campus will replace the existing Paisley Grammar and will contain new facilities, some of which will also be available for the wider community. It will be built on vacant land near the town’s Renfrew Road transforming transport links in the north of Paisley with the creatation of a new road, walking and cycling connections, and create easier and safer access to the new school. The new location will also allow closer co-operation with West College Scotland.

The school building will be a 21st-century environment for pupils, with benefits including outdoor PE facilities, new outdoor areas and a modern set-up for subjects like IT, music and drama.

It will also be designed to support new ways to learn and teach – with breakout and other areas for group work and one-to-one teaching, while being fully accessible for pupils with mobility issues or additional support needs.

Councillor Emma Rodden, convener of the council’s Education and Children’s Services Board said: “The current Paisley Grammar building has served generations of pupils well over the decades and people will have fond memories of it, but it has become outdated, with no room to expand.

“A lot of work has already gone in to understand the future needs of pupils and staff, and to design a building which delivers everything they will need in the decades ahead.”

For more info visit www.renfrewshire.gov.uk/Paisley-Grammar-School

Advertising Feature

Spring time turns our attention to pressure washing and softwashing ready for the Summer ahead. With over 20 years experience of exterior cleaning systems, we are your local qualified and experienced cleaning company with the state of the art equipment, knowledge and experience to achieve the best results. Whether it is softwashing moss on roofs, algae from render, pressure washing decking, patios, monoblock drives or anything in between, please give us a call for free, friendly information on our services or for a free quotation.

01505 863 863 www.nutechcleaning.co.uk

Speakers

January speakers were our annual update from Jim Dorward speaking on Railway Engineering and on the 25th David Walker on Photography. An enjoyable Burns Supper with 180 guests and speakers was held on 21st January in a new venue the Lynnhurst Hotel, Johnstone and over £3,500 was raised for good causes including Renfrewshire Young Carers and our thanks to all who spoke and attended. Future meetings: February 1st - Stories of my Grandfather in WW1 - Sandy Gibb Stuart, and on February 22nd - Lesley King - Reporter to the Children’s Panel, Paisley with a members Business Meeting on 8th February and a speaker on 15th February

If interested in Rotary come along and find out who we are and what we do e-mail gryffevalleyrotary@gmail.com to arrange your attendance.

Young Chef - Christmas Baking Challenge

While preparing their Christmas bakes, first to third year Health and Food Technology classes in St Benedict’s and Gryffe High Schools competed for prizes of confectionery provided by Gryffe Valley Rotary Club. Pupils designed, baked and decorated a range of truffles, cakes, biscuits and Yule Logs which were judged to select winners in each class and then an overall winner in each year group. The resulting produce looked superb …. hope it tasted as good! Congratulations to all the pupils and especially to the class winners and the overall winners, Alice, Amber, Grace, Maisie and Phoebe who each received an additional award of a Tesco token.

10k Run - Sunday 21st May at 1pm

Need a target for your fitness for 2023? Use the Gryffe Valley 10k, in three months, as your motivation! We encourage people of all abilities to enter, from walkers to elite runners. Finishing times usually range between 35 mins and 2 hours, as the route follows picturesque country lanes around Houston. To be sure you have plenty of support, why not sign up with a group of friends? That way you can train and take part together and perhaps seek sponsorship for your group in aid of CHAS or your favourite charity.

This year there will be an informal Fun Run (2K) for kids at 12.30pm in Houston Park.

Paisley Town Hall to re-open this year

The ongoing transformation of Paisley’s historic cultural venues is moving forward - with Paisley Town Hall set to be the first to reopen later this year.

Renfrewshire Council’s current investment aims to use the town’s unique cultural and heritage story to transform its future, and includes refurbishments of Paisley’s museum, town hall and arts centre, plus a new home for the town’s library services.

Construction work on the town hall is due to be completed in the summer – with the building then handed over to local culture and leisure trust OneRen, who will spend the next few months ensuring the town hall is fully fitted-out and that the building and staff are ready to welcome visitors.

The town hall will be open in time to host events during the Royal National Mod, Scotland’s largest celebration of Gaelic language and culture, taking place across Paisley in October.

The other venue projects are expected to reopen in the following order:

The new Learning and Cultural Hub • being built in a formerly-vacant High Street retail unit. Construction is due to complete in the summer, with library services to be transferred there from their temporary home next to the Lagoon in the second half of the year;

Paisley Arts Centre • is being extended and upgraded, with new modern audience and performance facilities, and a new public space outside the building. Construction work will continue into the summer and the venue is expected to be reopen by early 2024;

Paisley Museum • is being transformed into a world-class destination to showcase the town’s internationally-significant collections and bring visitors and footfall to the town. Construction is due to be complete later this year, before the comprehensive programme of exhibition fit-out starts, with the building expected to open in 2024;

Each building will be operated by OneRen, who – once handed over – will complete the fit-out and get the building ready to operate, while also delivering a programme of opening events.

The venues programme is being complemented by investment in the town centre’s outdoor spaces and historic buildings, with plans to improve Abbey Close as an events venue also moving forward.

Johnstone Mobile Post Office

Monday:

Johnstone History Society

Our February meeting is on Tuesday 14th February at 7.30pm in the Masonic Hall Collier Street. Our second speaker of 2023 will be Dr John Crawford who is Library Research Officer at Caledonian University. His talk is about “Leadhills Library and a Wider World“. We look forward to welcoming a good turnout of members and visitors and all will be very welcome .

The Museum continues to open Wednesday, Friday and Saturday from 10.30am till 4pm. We stock a good selection of books, pamphlets and maps which can be purchased in the museum or online at johnstone history.org and payment can be made via PayPal. This year the last calendar was sold on Christmas Eve so anyone who was disappointed will know next year purchases need to be made early for our very popular Calendar.

Waverley Appeal Launched Amid Funding Crisis

A public appeal has been launched to “urgently” raise funds to enable the historic Paddle Steamer Waverley to afford dry dock fees and re-commissioning costs, and therefore sail in 2023 in 2022 Waverley operated in several areas around the UK coast following the easing of pandemic restrictions, but operating costs soared which has resulted in a lack of funds to survive the winter maintenance period. Despite carrying over 100,000 passengers with sailings in Scotland, on the South Coast and up the River Thames to London there is a cash shortfall.

Paul Semple, Waverley’s General Manager, explained “Waverley must be taken out of the water and dry docked annually before her sailing season begins. She is now booked to dry dock in late-March and then reenter service in May. Due to increased operating costs last season we don’t have enough money to afford this year’s dry dock and the numerous other costs we incur in the weeks before Waverley starts sailing. Last year our fuel costs increased by over 60% or in real terms by over

£300,000. This is a cost which the owning charity hasn’t been able to withstand. We urgently need to raise funds or we simply can’t afford the start up costs for this coming summer season.”

The Dry Dock 2023 Appeal has a target of £180,000 with over £35,000 already raised. Those who donate by 1st March will be entered into a draw to be selected for the unique opportunity to visit Waverley and see her out of the water in dry dock.

Paul commented further, “Operating a historic steamship like Waverley is inherently expensive. We are now spending over £600,000 a year just to maintain her in operating condition. Spare parts for a paddle steamer are rarely ‘off the shelf’ and come at considerable cost. Dry docking the ship is the single largest expense of the winter maintenance work and as things are we can’t afford to dock her. We are asking for help from anyone who wishes to see Waverley sail again this summer to support our appeal.”

Waverley’s outline sailing programme for 2023 has been published with the ship scheduled to start operating in May on the Firth of Clyde. Waverley is also due to visit Oban and the inner Hebrides, the Bristol Channel, South Coast and London. Sailings from Liverpool and Llandudno are dependent on pier repairs being completed at the North Wales resort.

Donations to the Dry Dock 2023 Appeal can be made online at www.waverleyexcursions.co.uk or by calling 0141 243 2224. Those donating online can opt to be included on a Virtual Donor Wall.

Upcoming Events in 2023

1988 - 2023 – We are 35 years old!

We are celebrating St Vincent’s Hospice‘s 35th year with the following fabulous events as we enter 2023.

We are now recruiting for Strictly Come Prancing stars! The main event is being held on Friday 26th May, with rehearsals beginning end February/ beginning March. No dancing experience is required, we will pair you with a partner or you can sign up as a couple. We have had a lot of interest and are particularly keen to hear from MEN!

March begins with a Firewalk – are you brave enough to amble the embers? For only £15 you can sign up to take part in this “mind over matter” motivational session which prepares you to walk the hot coals and amaze yourself and your friends/ family who can all enjoy refreshments in the clubhouse afterwards within Cochrane Castle Golf Club, who are supporting us with this event on Friday 3rd March in worst case scenarios some people actually lost money and i have lost count of people asking for help who did not actually book with us.

New to St Vincent’s Hospice events list is “An Audience With…” being held in the Glynhill Hotel, Renfrew on Friday 17th March. An evening of entertainment hosted by Jed McCabe, with speakers Frank McAvennie (ex St Mirren, West Ham & Celtic) and Gordon Smith (ex Kilmarnock, Rangers and St Mirren – amongst other teams). Guests will be treated to a meal, entertainment and raffle. Also celebrating exactly 10 years since St Mirren won the Scottish League Cup! Our ladies lunch is back with a twist! Let us introduce “Fizz & Fun Afternoon” at Lynnhurst Hotel, Johnstone on Sunday 16th April hosted by the fabulous Edward Reid! Ladies will arrive to a glass of fizz followed by afternoon tea with lots of laughter and fun to be had!

Kiltwalk Glasgow 2023 is confirmed for Sunday 30th April with entry fees slashed to only £20 for the Mighty Stride or Big Stroll and only £12.50 (£6.50 children) for the Wee Wander! Sign up to join up to 10,000 walkers and help raise much needed funds for St Vincent’s Hospice. if you are looking for an even bigger challenge, why not sign up for all 4 Kiltwalks - Aberdeen 4th June, Dundee 20th August, Edinburgh 17th September.

We at Travel Actually would like to thank all our customers for their fantastic support throughout the Pandemic. it has been the most challenging time for many of us in so many ways, with the travel industry hit particularly badly.

We worked very hard to rebook or refund cancelled holidays and we are delighted to say that we managed to refund every single one of our clients who requested it. Others rebooked, in some cases two and three times, and we really appreciate the loyalty, patience and kindness shown to us.

With most restrictions lifted and the Pandemic behind us, travel has resumed in a big way. Having lost 2-3 years people are realising their travel dreams and do not wish to put their ‘Bucket List’ holidays on hold any longer.

We are seeing a significant return to travel agents as many online suppliers simply did not want to know, or even to take calls from anxious customers. Their business model often does not include telephone contact, dealing only by email and with a limited response.

Although, as many of you will know we closed our shop in Kilmacolm, we are still very much here. Although we are independent, we remain part of Barrhead Travel, one of the most trusted brands in the industry and we are fully ABTA and ATOL protected. We continue to offer a highly professional and knowledgeable service and we would be delighted to assist you with your travel plans.

Most popular at the moment are Luxury Holidays: Multi-Generational Holidays, Cruises and people travelling to Australia and New Zealand to see family, perhaps for the first time in a few years.

Scotland is seeing some new destinations this year including direct flights from Edinburgh to Atlanta; Boston, Calgary, New York and Santorini. From Glasgow there will be direct flights to Calgary, Vancouver, Toronto, a new service to Lisbon, not to mention March sees the return of the A380 from Glasgow to Dubai! There is so much to look forward to!