Konect Bathgate September 2015

SEPTEMBER 2015

bathgate

Doors Open Days in and around Bathgate

WIN! ÂŁ20 Tesco voucher plus some Farm to Fork products WIN! Round of golf for four at Uphall Golf Club s& Offer ers h c u o v cal from lo ses s e busin

plus local businesses, community information and more!

The community magazine for Bathgate and Torphichen

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WALK

M e s s ag e f ro m t h e e d i to r t Konect we like to celebrate and promote A all things local – making

the most of all the fantastic facilities and attractions right on our doorstep, supporting local business people, getting to know your own area really well. And Doors Open Day, an annual event in September, is all about that too – a chance to visit some buildings and learn something about your own area that you didn’t already know, maybe a building you’ve passed many times and never knew what it was for, or a snippet of local history. See pages 8-9 for a brief guide to some of the local buildings that you will be able to visit this month.

With the holiday season over and new term started, why not look at what courses and interest groups are on offer locally and take up a new hobby? There is a huge variety of activities available and Bathgate Community Centre has published a full list of all the groups in the Partnership Centre, see pages 38 and 39 – as well as the regular Konect Clubs and Classes pages.

Visit West Lothian are running a prize draw for one lucky reader to win a round of golf for four at Uphall Golf Club! See page 41 for entry details. And the regular Bathgate Tesco prize draw is on page 20, with a chance to win a £20 voucher and some products from their Farm to Fork Trail programme.

Thanks for reading Konect and for supporting local businesses.

Helen-Jane, Editor hj@konectdirectory.co.uk Front cover: The Regal, Bathgate one of the buildings participating in Doors Open Day this month.

KONECT

FEATUREs Doors Open Day West Lothian Women in Business Spotlight on Williamson Spotlight on Sprint Computers

08 12 17 28

REGULARS 14 22 26 30 37

Technology Walk Proper ty Matters Recipe Music Review

COMPETITIONS & PUZZLES 20 36 41 42

Tesco prize draw Crossword & Sudoku Uphall Golf Club prize draw Kids’ Puzzles

COMMUNITY Bathgate Procession Fundraising Bathgate Community Centre programme What’s on & Useful Information Clubs & Classes

INDEX OF ADVERTISERS

11 38 40 44 46

Advertising Enquiries CHARLENE GAFFNEY 07772 941899 charlene@konectdirectory.co.uk JENNY THOMSON 07824 469266 jenny@konectdirectory.co.uk Advert booking deadline: 10th of the month prior to print.

Artwork/copy deadline: 13th of the month prior to print.

The Konect Directory is delivered to 10,000 homes throughout Bathgate and Torphichen. Copies are also left /KonectDirectory at the library, convenience stores, post offices and other locations around Bathgate.

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A chance to peak behind the scenes...

West Lothian Doors Open Days - 12th and 13th September 2015 The oldest church bell in West Lothian; links with the slave trade; a modern “live-work” family townhouse… these are some of the things you can discover when

buildings of historic or architectural interest open their doors to the public, free of charge, for West Lothian Doors Open Days. West Lothian Doors Open Days take place 12th and 13th September 2015 and is organised

by Linlithgow Civic Trust as part of the nationwide Doors Open Days - free access to hundreds of fascinating buildings across Scotland. Every weekend in September you can explore places that are normally closed to the public. Some open up once a year, some just once in a lifetime. Discover the architecture, places and spaces right on your doorstep or explore a new part of the country. www.doorsopendays.org.uk.

B l ackbu r n H o use Redhouse Road, Seafield, Bathgate, West Lothian, EH49 7AQ. Open: Sunday 13 Sept 11:00am – 3:00pm.

Facilities: WC, parking, refreshments (donation requested).

Activities: Doocot open; tours of building, including old kitchens.

Period of Building: 1772.

Blackburn House was built in 1772 by George Moncrieff, a Perthshire man of humble origins who had been to Antigua in the West Indies and made his fortune on sugar plantations thanks to slave labour. On his return to Scotland he purchased the Blackburn estate and had Blackburn House built, which is still standing today. The building is an attempt to combine country mansion and large farmhouse and is constructed in local sandstone. In the words of Sybil Cavanagh of the local history library, Blackburn is the “village which ‘flitted’” because Moncrieff then decided that the village was too near to his new house, so he shunted the village three-quarters of a mile to the west!

Some two hundred years later his house fell derelict, but it has been restored and brought back into use.

More Doors Open: Local History Librar y / Fo r m e r Britis h L inen Ban k 89-91 High Street, Linlithgow, EH49 7ED. Tel. 01506 282491. Open: Saturday 12 Sept 10:00am – 1:00pm. Facilities: Parking (behind County Buildings), disabled parking (one space in Court Square), wheelchair access (park behind County Buildings and phone), disabled WC. Activities: Short tour of building, old children’s table games and similar.

Mary’s Mean d ers - Li n l i th g ow To u r Saturday 12 Sept, 11.00am. Tour starts at the front entrance of the Star & Garter Hotel. Maximum – 20.

Advance booking (tours@marysmeanders.co.uk) essential.

St N inian’s Craigmai l e n Pa r i sh Ch urc h Falkirk Road, Linlithgow, EH49 7BQ. Open: Saturday 12 Sept, 1.00pm – 4:00pm. Facilities: WC, parking.

Activities: Church history available. Period of Building: 1874.

D u n ta r v i e Ca s t l e Off B8020, north of Winchburgh. Open: Saturday 12 Sept, 11:00am – 3:00pm. Facilities: Parking.

Activities: Restoration is in progress. Small parties (no booking required) will be guided round the site. Stout footwear is advised. Hard hats may be made available.

S t r at hbr o ck S t Macha n ’ s Chu r c h Ecclesmachan, EH52 6NJ. On B8046, 2 miles north of Uphall. Open: Saturday, 12 Sept 10.30am-12 noon; 2.00pm-4.00pm & Sunday, 13 Sept 2:00pm – 4:00pm.

Facilities: Parking, WC, refreshments. Period of Building: First consecrated in the 13th century.

A n n e t Ho u s e M u s e u m & Ga rd e n 143 High Street, Linlithgow, EH49 7EJ. Open: Saturday 12 Sept & Sunday 13 Sept, 11:00am – 5:00pm.

Activities: Guided tours of house and rig garden.

Linlithgow Folk Festival venue - sessions, workshops, family and blue grass gospel events, ceilidh. See www. linlithgowfolk.com. Period of Building: 1787.

S t M i ch a e l’s Pa r i sh Ch u r ch Kirkgate, Linlithgow, EH49 7AL. Open: Saturday 12 Sept, morning, & Sunday 13 Sept, afternoon.

Facilities: WC. Activities: Conducted tours. Period of Building: 1425, 1532, later modifications.

S t C olum b a’s S cottish Ep i s co pal Ch urc h 79 Glasgow Road, Bathgate, EH48 2AJ. Open: Sat 12 Sept & Sunday, 13 Sept, 1:00pm – 5:00pm.

Facilities: WC, off-street parking, wheelchairfriendly, teas.

Period of Building: 1915-16.

Rega l C o m m u n i t y Th e at r e 24-34 North Bridge Street, Bathgate, EH48 4PS. Open: Saturday 12 Sept & Sunday 13 Sept, 10:00am – 4:00pm.

Period of Building: 1938.

Associated Architect A D Haxton.

You don’t have to wait for Doors Open Day of course to visit the Regal! With the­ir busy programme of shows and films there is something of interest for everyone. The building is finest remaining example of Haxton’s film-theatre designs, Bathgate’s ‘Regal Picture House and Cinema’ has been reborn several times. As first opened, it seated 1,100.

Established on a community basis in 1995, thanks to activists and West Lothian Council, it continues to show films. The original terrazzo flooring in the foyer survives and the art-deco façade has been partially restored.

St P et e r’s Scotti sh E pi sc o pa l Churc h 153 High Street, Linlithgow, EH49 7EJ. Open: Saturday 12 Sept & Sunday 13 Sept 1:00pm – 4:00pm. Activities: Church history available. Period of Building: 1928.

Strat h brock St Nic h o l as’ Chu r ch Ecclesmachan Road, Uphall, EH52 6JP. Open: Saturday 12 Sept, 10.30am – 12 noon; 2.00pm-4.00pm & Sunday 13 Sept 2:00pm – 4:00pm. Facilities: Parking, WC, refreshments; guide book available. Period of Building: Of 12th century origin.

Bruc efie ld Ch urc h o f S c ot l an d 60 East Main Street, Whitburn, EH47 0RD. Open: Saturday 12 September & Sunday 13 September, 1:00pm – 4:00pm. Facilities: Parking in church car park, WC, the building is fully accessible. Activities: Members of the congregation will try to answer any questions. Period of Building: 1960s.

Burg h Be autiful Base Clarendon House Grounds, 30 Manse Road, Linlithgow, EH49 6AR. Accessible for pedestrians only via driveway adjacent to Clarendon Lodge (32 Manse Road). Open: Sunday 13 Sept, 10.00am – 4.00pm. Facilities: Parking

The gothic-style building became multipurpose when the adjacent hall (1930s) was abandoned. Rededicated in 1999, the church is now used by both community and church groups. Once linked with St Paul’s, Armadale, St Columba’s became an independent charge in the 1940s. Since the 1970s it has been linked with St Mildred’s, now St Peter’s in Linlithgow; like St Peter’s, it exemplifies Scotland’s complex denominational history. Members of the congregation will offer fact sheets and further information.

on Manse Road only. No vehicular access to dive of Clarendon House nor any turning facility within grounds.

Period of Building: Late 19th century and 2011-12.

Bu r gh H a l ls Linlithgow Burgh Halls, The Cross, Linlithgow, EH49 7AH. Open: Sunday 13 Sept, 11:00am – 5:00pm.

Facilities: WC (including disabled), café.

Period of Building: 17th century onwards.

Cr o ssv ie w S t u d i os 3d Union Road, Linlithgow, EH49 7DY. Open: Sunday 13 September, 1:00pm – 4:00pm. Facilities: No toilet facilities or parking (Union Road parallels the railway: pedestrian access from High Street via Dog Well Wynd, Lion Well Wynd or New Well Wynd. Period of Building: 2005-06.

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COMMUNITY

I want to show my support to the procession and the committee, so I’m delighted to be able to donate £500 and I hope other businesses or people will do the same, whether it’s £1 or £50, because every little helps.”

Committee Secretary Jim Walker and Treasurer John Allen were delighted with the donation from Craig. John said: “Even in the lead up to the procession, fundraising from collections was down, again because of the weather. People think we are funded by the council but in fact we rely solely on fundraising, which is something we do throughout the year. We have already started for next year.”

Anyone who attended the Bathgate Procession and John Newland Festival in June this year will be aware that torrential rain and wind all but ruined it.

The pageant at the old Bathgate Academy had to be cancelled, along with the torchlight procession and the massed band performance. Several acts booked for the park couldn’t perform.

But it wasn’t just that the weather spoiled what is usually a fun day out; it also meant that takings from the day that normally contribute to fundraising for next year’s event were drastically reduced, including bucket collections and takings from the marquee bar. In all, fundraising on the day took a major hit to the tune of £4000.

So the Procession Committee has an even steeper fundraising hill to climb for next year’s Procession than usual. Local businessman Craig Turpie of Turpie and Co has kicked off the campaign with a donation of £500, and is urging other businesses and residents to put their hands in their pockets to help out. He says, “The committee put in so much work all throughout the year and I don’t think people realise sometimes what’s involved.

Jim Walker added: “We’re delighted to receive this donation from Craig and we hope to encourage others to do the same. People in Bathgate are extremely generous and the Procession is a focal point for the year and for the whole town so I hope people will want to help.”

One regular fundraising activity that the Committee carries out is the delivery of the Konect magazine.

Committee members have had regular routes in Bathgate for a while, and do door to door delivery each month with payment going directly into the Procession bank account. It’s a win-win-win – the Bathgate Procession bank account gets a regular monthly payment, Konect gets delivered by local people in their own areas, and they keep fit by pounding the streets each month!

The John Newland Festival is run by a small group of volunteers who are responsible for all fundraising and organisation. New members would be warmly welcomed! The AGM is on 17th September at 7.15pm at the Bathgate Partnership Centre, all are welcome to turn up and see how you can get involved.

If you would like to donate, please visit www. bathgateprocession.co.uk or hand money in to Jim Walker at 49 Muir Road or telephone 01506 652483.

Craig Turpie of Turpie and Co kicks of the fund-raising campaign with a donation of £500 to Bathgate Procession committee members.

FEATURE

West Lothian wOMEN IN BUSINESS Make It Happen Groups

West Lothian Women in Business recently held our ‘Make It Happen’ event as part of delivering on our mission to, “Inspire women to be the best they can be”, by providing accessible support and guidance in a welcoming environment.

Thirty women attended a working lunch at the Hillcroft Hotel, Whitburn. The event launched our ‘Make it Happen (MiH)’ groups, designed to encourage women working in West Lothian to meet regularly in order to share and discuss their business challenges using their experience and expertise to offer mutual support, help find solutions and make change happen.

Women are generally good at getting together for a natter and providing support to one another and we wanted to capitalise on this while enhancing the benefits for everyone taking part. Participants in the event were shown a more structured way of working together by Michelle Herron, professional Coach and Business Consultant.

Innovative techniques Michelle shared included ensuring that everyone gets their say using a two minute talk time approach and adopting a coaching philosophy whilst supporting one another. The coaching philosophy is one of consciously listening while our colleague explains their challenges and using effective questioning to learn more about

the details of the situation before encouraging our colleague to think more deeply about their challenge rather than making assumptions and superficial solutions. In practice this process is a great deal more difficult than it seems. It’s much easier to hear someone’s ‘problem’ and quickly move to a solution with phrases such as ‘What I would do is…..’, ‘When that happened to me I…….’, and Don’t’ do that do this….’ popping into our head, rather than taking the time to really hear what the other person is saying and allowing them to explore a full range of possible actions in a supportive way.

After some initial reminders from the Michelle to not rush the process, the groups got underway during the event and did a really great job. One or two ladies who had the opportunity to discuss their particular challenges at greater depth, encouraged by attentive questioning from their colleagues, were surprised at how quickly they found their next steps within them, not needing take advice from anyone!

Five MiH groups were established at the event and they have all agreed to meet again and try their new skills out for themselves.

The West Lothian Women in Business Steering Group will monitor how the groups are going and provide ongoing support to the ladies involved. We are looking forward to hearing from them over the coming 3-6 months and plan a follow up event with the groups later in 2015.

If you are a women in business, or are considering starting up your own business, you can find out more about West Lothian Women in Business at www.wlwib.co.uk.

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1. Samsung curved Smart TV 2. Google Chromecast TV adaptor 3. Amazon Fire TV Stick 4. Hitachi soundbar

TECHNOLOGY

Vision On The best tech for watching TV

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It’s hard to imagine now, but a twelve-inch TV with four channels was pretty hot stuff not so long ago.

Today, of course, we have TVs as big as some houses’ walls, and more things to watch on them than ever before.

But what tech actually makes your viewing better?

There are two kinds of technology to think about here. There’s the technology in the screen and the speakers, and there’s the technology that you can connect to a TV to add more options.

Despite the hype it seems that 3D TV is dead: the technology never took off, probably because nobody wanted to wear daft glasses all the time.

Manufacturers still want to sell us stuff, though, so their latest wheeze is 4K TV, also known as Ultra HD. 4K TVs can display four times more pixels than HD TVs, and the result should be a dramatically improved picture.

That’s the theory, but what the manufacturers don’t tell you is that in a typical home, you won’t get the benefit: on screens smaller than about 55 inches, unless you sit with your nose on the screen you’ll be hard pushed to see any difference. There’s also precious little 4K content available just now: none of the UK broadcasters offer 4K programming.

Manufacturers are also experimenting with shapes, and some firms are now offering curved TVs. The intention is to deliver a more involving experience like IMAX does compared to normal cinemas - but curved screens need you to sit right in the middle to get the full effect, which means they aren’t ideal

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for family viewing unless you’ll all sit in each other’s laps.

The best TVs around just now are LED HD TVs. The LED bit refers to the way they’re lit: by using ultra-low power LED lights, LED TVs use much less energy than other flat screens.

If you’re in the market for a new TV, don’t forget about sound. Modern TVs’ ultra-slim cases don’t have enough room for good speakers, so most flat-screen TVs sound awfully tinny: many of them sound like you’re watching TV on a laptop. It’s worth investing in a soundbar - a long speaker bar that’s designed to sit under the TV and add oomph - or an audio-visual amplifier and speakers if you like your programmes loud.

You’ll find that many TVs today are “smart TVs”, which means they can connect to the internet and access services such as Netflix or Amazon Prime Instant Video (at a cost: Netflix and Amazon are subscription services) plus YouTube and catch-up services such as BBC iPlayer.

If you’d like to have the same services on an existing TV there are several inexpensive ways to do it, provided your TV has a spare HDMI socket (most relatively recent ones should do) and you have a WiFi network to connect to. Google’s £30 Chromecast and Amazon’s £35 Fire TV Stick both deliver catchup TV and Netflix over the internet (Amazon’s box also offers Amazon video), while Sky’s Now TV (£20) doesn’t have Netflix but does deliver catch-up services such as iPlayer. And if you’re an Apple fan, the £57 Apple TV adds Netflix, YouTube, Apple Music and iTunes videos and video rentals - although be careful if you’re considering buying one, as we’re expecting a brand new version to be released any day now.

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WILLIAMSON DESIGN FLORIST ARE CELEBRATING 80 YEARS IN BUSINESS

To mark this special occasion we will be holding a week of festivities with gifts, promotions and prize draws across our branch of shops.

There will also be the opportunity to buy bouquets at 1935 prices.

Commencing on

THURSDAY 1ST OCTOBER and ending on the

WEDNESDAY 7TH OCTOBER DELIVERING FLORAL EXCELLENCE SINCE 1935

Uphall - Corstorphine - Bathgate - Linlithgow Dunfermline - Kinross - Perth - Pitlochry - Broughty Ferry

Tel: 01506 811 433

Local family business celebrating 80 years!

Williamson Design Florist’s yellow and black vans are a familiar sight in this area, and it’s no surprise; with a fleet of 10 vans it’s the largest network of familyowned flower shops in Scotland.

Established by a local family in 1935 and now under the ownership of the fifth generation, Williamson’s is celebrating 80 years in business this month and is inviting local communities to join the festivities.

William Williamson was a florist and grower from Bathgate who started the business in 1935 on the site of the present flower shop, garden centre and coffee shop at Beechwood Nurseries, Uphall. William specialised in rose bushes, spring, summer and autumn cut flowers as well as lettuce and tomatoes.

As the nursery grew a retail outlet became necessary, and the present Corstorphine St Johns Road flower shop was purchased for £900 in 1945.

Following the untimely death of William in 1963 the business was continued by his nephew Neil and his wife Myra, with help from William’s daughter Helen.

New glasshouses were built, a retail garden shop was started and the Corstorphine shop flourished.

And the family has a history of being leaders in the industry - Myra became a director of Interflora’s British unit.

Neil and Myra’s son Jim joined in the business in 1979, devoting time and energy training to be a professional florist and taking part in Scottish, British and International floristry competitions and exhibitions. After winning both Scottish and British Florist of the Year competitions, he went on to represent the UK in the Interflora World Cup firstly in Tokyo then four years later in Amsterdam, attaining 6th place on each occasion. Jim also exhibited at Garden Festivals and RHS shows, Hampton Court

and the prestigious Chelsea flower Show, winning a coveted Gold Medal. In 1992 Jim’s sister Carol joined the business and the Pitlochry flower shop was opened. Carol, Jim and their cousin Alan concentrated on growing the business and bridging the gap between Uphall and Pitlochry by opening shops in Perth, Kinross, Dunfermline, Linlithgow, The Gyle and St Marys Steet, Edinburgh, before opening in Broughty Ferry. Besides the flower shops, they also introduced internet sales and continued to be leaders in the industry in terms of floral design, customer service and best practice. Investing in training a team of talented florists, delivery drivers and retail assistants has been key to their success.

Since Carol’s son Andrew joined in 2005, there have been three generations of the family working together - combining their knowledge to keep the business fresh and relevant. Excellent customer service and beautiful wedding, funeral and gift flowers in addition to a traditional Garden Centre and cosy coffee shop has made sure the business has survived and flourished.

An invitation from the Williamson family...

“We are proud of what we’ve achieved, but we fully recognise that without loyal customers all our efforts would have been in vain. So it gives us pleasure to invite you to visit any of our shops in Uphall, Corstorphine, Bathgate, Linlithgow, Dunfermline, Kinross, Perth, Pitlochry and Broughty Ferry or visit our new web site www.myflorist.co.uk and take part in our prize draws or have a coffee on us as a thank you for supporting the Williamson Family.”

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Buster the Dog

West Lothian’s ‘One Stop Shop’for the discerning dog!

us at: City Farm Do youFind have any old (off B7015) Westwood, near West Calder, blankets, duvets, towels, EH558PP

pillows, sheets - anything that can be used for making beds for rescue dogs?

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Tesco Bathgate Prize Draw

Well that’s the kids back to school already, I hope everyone had a great summer.

That means it won’t be long until our Farm to Fork trails begin in store again. This is where primary school children come into store to find out more about were their food comes from. From tasting new fruit to smelly cheese to making bread it’s all part of this great learning experience. Tesco even help with travel costs to the store.

If you would like to find out more about how your school can get involved please call me on 07822 866634 or check out the Eat Happy project on line.

My name is Tracey Harrison and I am the community champion for Tesco Bathgate. The main aim of my job is to promote my store as a good neighbour that can bring genuine benefit to my local community. If your group or organisation feels I could help in any way please contact me on 07822 866634 or email me at blackburnroad@communityattesco.co,uk or you can come into the store to meet me in person.

WIN

£20 Voucher and some products from Tesco's Farm to Fork Trails.

Simply text or email your name, phone number and email address to: 07854 492638 or editor@konectdirectory.co.uk with subject “Tesco Bathgate”.

Closing date for entries 15th September 2015. Winner will be chosen at random after the closing date.

20

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21

WALK

Wilsontown Ironworks

By Karen Murray

I’ve often fancied a visit to the Wilsontown Ironworks as I had heard it is both a fascinating place and also a good venue for a walk.

Walking there today is of course nothing like it would have been 200 years ago and that is all part of the fascination.

• Head out via Whitburn on the A706 • Proceed south along the A706 towards Lanark • Take the B7016 north of Forth and follow signs for Wilsontown.

• Turn onto the B7016 signposted for Wilsontown, and go straight ahead at the bend. The Glen car park is on the right-hand side.

There are several paths to explore which means that as you explore you discover hidden features from the days of the ironworks as well as plants and animals that inhabit the place today such as quaking grass, wild thyme and field gentian.

Summer may have been rotten this year but it’s a good time to visit as flowers are in bloom and attracting butterflies.

The Wilson family who established the ironworks left the area with a wonderful legacy of parkland where they planted beech, lime, sycamore, ash and oak trees which now stand beside the native woodland along the banks of the interestinglynamed Moose. The various trails around the ironworks are all marked and you can try one or all of them depending on how much time you have.

There are three main way-marked trails within the Heathland Forest area and all begin from the Glen Car Park at Wilsontown.

The Glen Walk ---- Walk along the side of the public road past the Moose (Mousewater) and enter the forest at the bend in the road where you can see that there used to be a railway bridge.

22

Tinto from Wilsontown The Glen trail begins here. It is an easy half mile circular walk that takes you past the Moose and through beautiful grasslands and broadleaf woodland.

The other two main walks are a bit longer. Cross the road and go over to the ironworks where you will see heritage trails with boards telling you all about the ironworks that used to be based at Wilsontown. You can walk on the various unmarked forestry paths, some of which will take you a few hours to complete but should all lead you back to Wilsontown. You may even spot some deer or bird of prey on your travels if you are lucky.

The Peat Pond Path ---- Another circular walk (my favourite kind), this one leads you through the forest, past a pond and then into Tashieburn woodland before heading back into Heathland Forest. Heathland Forest is the main wooded area and is owned and cared for by the Forestry Commission. The Peat Pond walk takes you on unsurfaced forest tracks that are a bit uneven and can be muddy so decent footwear is probably best.

This particular trail is 1.25 miles in length and won’t take more than half an hour to complete. The Forestry Commission grade this walk as moderate so it makes for a good walk.

Quality Row ---- This trail starts from the same point and is within the Heathland Forest too. It is just 0.75 miles and is a quick 15 minutes easy walk, graded easy and again circular taking you through the Ironworks. The trail is named after one of the miners rows here and the path used to be the main road to these houses and an old tramway.

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The Ironworks heritage Forestry Commission Scotland looks after the site of Wilsontown Ironworks and a large amount of land round about it, now designated a Scheduled Ancient Monument. Established in 1779 near Forth, it was only the second coke-fired ironworks in Scotland, and the first ironworks in Lanarkshire.

It was at the forefront of technological advances and was the location for a number of industrial developments that went on to shape and influence iron manufacturing.

Started by three brothers, Robert, John and William Wilson, the business later passed into the hands of William Dixon, who managed the works until it closed in 1842. Coal mining continued until 1955, and then nothing until forestry took over in the 1970s and continues today.

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Wilsontown was a village of 2000 people from all over the UK and beyond, unusual in that the manufacture set-up and the homes of the people were all in the one place in a small valley.

As you walk the paths today there is only a hint of what once went on there, but forestry work did uncover a large number of bell pits as recently as 2008 and the area has been cleared so that you now get a better indication of how the area once looked.

If the historical landscape is more your thing that the flora and fauna you may prefer to take an organized Ranger led guided walk around the ironworks. Personally I prefer to find my own way but the option is there and taking a guided walk allows an explanation of the subtle lumps and bumps in the landscape that you might miss.

23

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Wester Inch Autumn Fayre 2015 Saturday 19th September 10.30 - 2 pm Simpson Primary School, Leyland Road, Wester Inch, Bathgate

Trade Stalls

Bookbugs

Kids Zone

Bouncy Castle

Creation Station

Refreshments

Moo Music

Fun Fair Stalls

Grasshopper Football A Wester Inch Community Association event www.westerinchvillage.org

KONECT

25

property matters

All Homes Deserve Better Marketing

by Craig Turpie

West Lothian now attracts some homeowners whose properties could be regarded as being among the most desirable and impressive available anywhere in the country.

These properties are worthy of the very best marketing efforts, combined with a quality of estate agency service that is totally without compromise.

At Turpie & Co, we have worked with clients to market and sell some of the most prestigious, unique and expensive properties in the country and are proud of our award winning results at the upper end of the market.

Premium homes however do not have to be sprawling multimillion mansions and might just as readily be an apartment or townhouse or perhaps a newer style property or traditional cottage. Most home owners appreciate the value that high quality marketing and experienced sales professionals can add to their sales campaign however it is often perceived (because in the main, it’s true) that estate agents offer a ‘one size fits all’ service and the decision by sellers on which estate agent to appoint is often based on perceived value or perceived costs. I.e. Agent (a) might be too expensive or Agent

(b) only sells properties in a certain price bracket.

It is of course important to select an agent who has a broad selection of stock available in the same price bracket as your property and the ultimate aim of any agent is to sell your property for the highest price in the shortest time possible but the personal experience that both sellers and buyers receive in the process can make the difference about how you will feel about the journey afterwards.

For this reason, we have recently introduced new sales options and marketing packages specifically tailored to each client and their property ‘wherever they are in the market’. Everyone values their home however many sellers don’t appreciate or are not aware of the key qualities of their property and how these, along with individual lifestyles can benefit from a custom approach to how it is presented to the market. Every home and owner are unique and should, in our view, have a sales plan and marketing campaign specifically designed for ‘their’ property and ‘their’ budget.

Not all Estate Agents are the same and they don’t all provide the same levels of service or reach the same markets. If you are thinking about selling your property we have a bespoke marketing package to suit you wherever your property is placed in the market.

“

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SPOTLIGHT ON...

S print C omputer Repair s L td Keeping IT working for 25 years!

Your laptop is running slowing or constantly needs to be re-booted to make Office or other programmes work properly.

You know that at some point it’s going to crash but you’re putting off the day you have to deal with it. Does this sound familiar?

“All too often”, says William Wotherspoon of Sprint Computer Repairs Ltd, “people wait until their computer has actually crashed before bringing it to us. But there are usually warning signs, and it’s always best to bring it in sooner rather than later!”

I am visiting Sprint at their walk-in repair centre in Dedridge to find out what goes on when you take your sick computer in. One wall of the workshop is lined with shelves full of laptops and PCs in various stages of repair. They receive a steady stream of them with a range of ailments.

“There is very little we can’t fix,” says William, speaking with the confidence that over 30 years in the PC repair business has given him. “And in any case, we have a ‘no fix-no charge’ policy, so you can bring your computer in without fear of having a bill for nothing.” That sounds like the sort of service you get from using a family-owned, trustworthy local business to look at your PC or laptop. (By contrast, many of the large national chains charge for just looking at your computer and may still not be able to fix it). “We are finding that people seem to think their laptop should be replaced when 28

William (L) and Richard (R). any problem arises, at a much higher cost than the repairs would cost. Their mind set is that technology is moving so quickly they need to replace every two to three years to keep up. This is simply not the case. For home users web browsing and email use, systems can last 10 years or more.”

“They celebrate 25 years in business this November. You don’t survive that long unless you are doing something right.”

William started his career working for a company in Livingston supplying huge mainframe computers. With the PC market in its early stages, he quickly saw the potential for upgrading individual components of a PC and thereby extending its life. So along with his colleague Richard Stanley, he set up Sprint with the aim of providing fast and affordable PC support for individuals and small businesses.

They were among the first in the UK to do this, and now 25 years later are still KONECT

going strong! They celebrate 25 years in business this November. You don’t survive that long unless you are doing something right; indeed much of their business is from word-of-mouth referrals and repeat business from very satisfied customers.

You can walk into the Sprint repair centre in Livingston 6 days a week and get a free estimate on your laptop or computer’s ailment. They may do minor repairs while you wait, or provide an estimate of time and cost for bigger problems. The most common problems are viruses or other software malfunctions, but they also do hardware repair/replacement (including screens, printers, batteries), software installations and upgrades, server support, data recovery, configuring your internet connection ... in fact pretty much anything.

They always take a complete back-up of your disk before commencing, so that if things go wrong they recover from where they started and you’re never worse off.

(The backups are quarantined for 14 days and then securely destroyed).

Sprint offer a range of maintenance packages for businesses and individuals.

Starting from 39p per day you can protect

KONECT

your system, purchase cover for parts and labour, and get peace of mind that if anything goes wrong, expert, friendly support is just a phone call away. Different levels of cover are available depending on your budget and level of support required.

For businesses, Sprint can take care of multi-user and networked environments, design and maintain your network, provide server support and back-up solutions.

It can be nerve-wracking to hand over your computer not knowing if you’re going to be taken for a ride – even the technically savvy can find it hard to estimate whether a problem is an expensive one or not.

But with Sprint you can have confidence that you’ll be dealt with honestly and transparently. As William says, “We have spent 25 years building trust in the local community, we’re absolutely not going to jeopardise that by doing anything other than the very best for our customers.”

Visit the Sprint website at www.sprintcomputers.co.uk or call them on 01506 464454.

29

Recipe & Food Notes

by Anne Pinkerton

Cookery Myth Busters

Choux Pastry Ingredients: 106 g plain flour, sieved 3 times 20cl water, mean measure 85g butter - it must be butter, not any of the butter look-a-likes!

3 medium eggs In a saucepan, heat the butter in the water and bring to the boil. Take the pan off the heat and then add all the flour in one go. Using a wooden spoon mix all together quickly till the paste comes away from the sides of the pan in one lump. Do not overwork the mixture as the result will be cake-like.

Leave to cool to just above room temperature.

Heat the oven to 220oC (i.e. hot!)

Using a hand held electric mixer, (or by hand with the wooden spoon if you are feeling strong) beat in the first 2 eggs one by one. Crack the 3rd egg into a cup and mix with a fork. Add the last egg slowly. You want a glossy but stiff mixture. Too much egg and you will not be able to control the shape of things!

Now you have the basis of whatever you can imagine. With a piping bag you could make choux swans or letters for a special celebration concoction.

However there are not piping bags in every kitchen.

Use a spoon to make regular shaped globs of mixture and set them out, with room for expansion, on a baking sheet lined with non-stick paper.

Bake in a hot oven with the temperature rising.

Modern fan ovens are really good for choux pastry.

There are some things said to be difficult for the home cook, but this is a myth put about to boost the status of “real” cooks and chefs – and to help the sales of expensive ready versions of dishes that are really best made fresh and eaten as soon as possible after making.

Cook about 12 minutes, till golden coloured and hard to the touch. There are people who recommend pricking the nearly cooked buns with a sharp skewer or knife point and then cooking a bit more to ensure the end result is really crisp. They do this especially if they are going to use the buns for filling with savoury sauces for nibbles or a starter. With care you will have delicious crisp bundles to fill with whipped cream and cover with chocolate sauce.

Proffiterolls!

So get ready to make choux pastry! Then you can make eclairs, savory cases for starters and nibbles or the delicious Spanish crisp churros to be dunked in your coffee or hot chocolate. The Germans make a cream bun of it and call it “An air bundle” and in Sweden they fill circles of it with salmon in a light dill sauce. The French glue piles of them with caramel and call it Crockenbouche for wedding celebrations.

Ingredients: 100g good dark chocolate 3 pudding spoons cocoa 3 pudding spoons sugar 1 cup water

All you need is good measurement of ingredients and the oven at the correct temperature. Don’t rush, and enjoy learning or revising a skill

Put all in a heavy bottomed pan and melt slowly together over a low heat. Cook together for 10 minutes stirring to keep it smooth. Do not boil.

Quick Chocolate Sauce

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Interiors feature

The Great British Cooking Revolution by ecko

According to Wikipedia 9.3 million people tuned in to watch the first episode of The Great British Bake Off 2015, an increase of 2 million viewers compared to last season.

Finally we have Italian chef, Gino D’ Acampo with his caramel eyes and cheeky smile, taking us round his native country showing us how to make simple dishes from the freshest ingredients.

Among the new contestants was a young musician called Stu. I say ‘was’ as he was eliminated in the first round due mainly to his ill-conceived Marley Madeira cake which had virtually nothing in common with the traditional version. In fact I was half expecting him to put ‘jam-in too’ (bear with us it gets better).

Although eliminated in the first round, Stu did a lot to reinforce ‘currant’ thinking that home baking is cool (Mel and Sue’s pun-laden, presenting style is clearly infectious). Yes baking is indeed cool and Mary Berry is the rock queen of the fan-assisted oven, gaining a new legion of fans who follow her every wise word as they drip from her tongue like icing onto a Battenberg. She’s done more to encourage younger people to try their hand at baking than Mrs Beeton ever did.

The first is that the best food is never bought processed and pre-packed from a supermarket.

Fresh, natural ingredients are always best - Ascorbic Acid, common in mass-produced bread, is just something any self-respecting home-baker worth their sea-salt would never dream of adding to their seeded loaf.

And it’s not just The Great British Bake Off which is attracting a younger participant. Celebrity Masterchef 2015 was won by ex- Pussycat Doll, Kimberly Wyatt.

Many young fans will never again be able to listen to the lyrics ‘Doncha wish your girlfriend was hot like me?’ without thinking of Miss Wyatt slaving over a five burner gas hob with a broken extractor fan.

The digital airwaves are awash with brilliant cooking programmes which have three main things in common:

The second point is that we need a well-planned cooking area. This needn’t be a huge investment but a decent gas or electric induction hob, an integrated fan-assisted oven with a timer (or a dual fuel cooker) will do the job perfectly well.

The final, and probably the most important thread running through each of the programmes is that cooking and baking are enjoying a resurgence like never before. A great deal of this is due to the mix of amateur and professional participants many of whom are young people who would seem more at home in a nightclub than a kitchen. They’re creating an army of wannabe foodies who are ready to grab a wooden spoon and beat the living daylights out of a six pack of eggs. And this can only bode well for the survival of the home-cooked family meal for the future.

KITCHENS | BATHROOMS | BIFOLD DOORS | SUNROOMS

Many ideas, one solution At EKCO we’ve been supplying and installing top quality Pronorm German-built kitchens and bathrooms since 1999. We’re also one of Scotland’s top suppliers of Origin bi-fold doors which are designed to open fully and allow more fresh air into your home.

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TO FIND OUT HOW WE CAN MAKE YOUR IDEAS COME TO LIFE CALL OUR DESIGN TEAM ON

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Xmas 2015

Celebrate Christmas with Food Creations at Harburn Golf Club, Uphall Golf Club, Livingston FC or Kingsknowe Golf Club

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Book and pay a deposit before end of September, for some special offers. See website for details.

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35

PUZZLES

CROSSWORD Solution in the October edition of konect

Across 1 Look sulky (4) 3 Trader (8) 9 Saved (7) 10 Tacks (5) 11 Concerns numbers (12) 14 Not working (3) 16 One hundred centimetres (5) 17 Glimpse (3) 18 Recognition (12) 21 Solitary (5) 22 Alleviate (7) 23 Poured onto salad (8) 24 In addition (4) Down 1 Found in Egypt (8) 2 Distressed (5) 4 Finish (3) 5 Substantial (12) 6 E.g. dogs and cats (7) 7 Throw (4) 8 Self-service stores (12) 12 Loft (5) 13 Twists and turns (8) 15 Condemn (7) 19 Perfect (5) 20 Hairless (4) 22 Move quickly (3)

SUDOKU Sudoku solution on page 46

36

KONECT

MUSIC REVIEW

Finite Number of Monkees

by James Kerr, Regal Music Club

Pete Townshend and Roger Daltry seem to face no creditability gap in touring as The Who. How about only Micky Dolenz and Peter Tork making up The Monkees? I ask because that one is happening in September, albeit only in London and Birmingham.

Dolenz has been here before. In 1970 the band’s final album featured only Micky and Davy Jones, pictured together forlornly shaking percussion in a harshly cropped shot from the TV show.

Acceptance of a fraction of a group as the whole depends on a number of factors. Townshend wrote the vast majority of Who songs, Daltry sang an even greater number. In the Monkees however,

the greatest number of self composed songs were contributed by Michael Nesmith, and to many critics it is his musical intelligence and sly wit which contributes most to their best recordings. Nesmith has gracefully declined to participate (in the UK arm of this tour, at least). Davy Jones, selected as the original teen idol in the band, is no longer with us, meaning that his distinctive voice appears in the show by way of selective use of video. Does that mean the project is worthless?

I believe every group can be delineated down to one member who is the heart of the band. You can have The Beatles without John Lennon, but not without Ringo. The Stones without Bill Wyman, but not Charlie Watts. Maybe drummers that hold the key? On this tour Dolenz is the keeper of the flame, and there is nothing to suggest his fire has been extinguished.

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37

BATHGATE COMMUNITY CENTRE MONDAY 9.30 - 3.30pm 9.30 - 11.30pm 9.30 - 11.30am 10.00 - 3.00pm 1.00 - 3.00pm 1.45 - 4.15pm 1.45 - 4.15pm 2.00 - 6.30pm 3.00 – 5.00pm 6.45 - 8.30pm 6.00 - 9.00pm 6.30 - 9.00pm 6.30 - 8.30pm 7.00 - 9.00pm

TUESDAY

Bathgate Community Playgroup John Mcghee Computing Class Jumping Jacks Community Inclusion Team John Mcghee Beginners Computer Class 50+ Art Group 50+ Music/Books (alt Mondays) Simply Play Jewellery Making Group Bridge Club Newlands Junior Brass Section Outsiders Youth Club Bathgate Flower Group (Every 1st Monday) Quill Poetry Club

9.30 - 12.00pm 9.30 - 12.30pm 10.00 - 12.00pm 11.00 - 12.30pm 1.45 - 4.15pm 2.00 - 6.30pm 4.00 - 6.00pm 6.30 - 9.00pm 6.30 - 9.00pm

Bathgate Childminding Group Bathgate Community Playgroup Tapestry & Embroidery 50+ NUYU 50+ Art Class Simply Play John Mcghee Computer Drop In & Support Sessions Library Reading Group (Every 2nd Tuesday) Junior Youth Club

WEDNESDAY 9.00 - 10.30am 9.30 - 3.30pm 10.00 - 12.00pm 10.00 - 12.00pm 11.00 - 1.00pm 11.45-1.45pm 1.00 - 3.00pm 2.00 - 6.30pm

Ladies Badminton Bathgate Community Playgroup 50+ Network Genealogy Class John Mcghee Computer Fun Club Chest, Heart & Stroke Scotland Sing ‘n’ Swing John Mcghee WorkIT Class Simply Play

3.30 - 7.15pm 4.30 - 6.30pm 5.00 - 6.15pm 5.00 - 6.00pm 6.30 - 8.00pm 8.05 - 8.45pm 6.30 - 9.00pm 6.30 - 9.00pm

Counterweight Class (class times vary, check at reception for more info) Digital Inclusion Group Therapeutic Yoga Exercise Class Mixed Class Yoga Meditation Group West Lothian Broadly Scots Society (Every 3rd Wednesday) Amateur Boxing

THURSDAY 9.30 - 12.00pm Bathgate Childminding Group 9.30 - 12.30pm Bathgate Community Playgroup 10.00 - 12.00pm Thursday Art Group (Watercolour Painting) 10.00 - 2.00pm Ability Centre Support Service Outreach Group 11.00 - 1.00pm SMART NHS Group 12.00 - 3.30pm Community Inclusion Group 2.00 - 6.30pm Simply Play 2.30 - 4.00pm 50+ Patchwork Group 3.30 - 9.00pm Danceworld 6.30 - 9.00pm Community Church 7.00 - 9.00pm FABB Club 7.00 - 9.00pm Swimming Club

FRIDAY 9.00 - 12.00pm 9.30 - 11.30am 9.30 - 11.30am 9.30 - 12.30pm 10.00 - 12.00pm 10.00 - 12.00pm

St John’s Cardiac Rehab 50+ Pilates Job Club Bathgate Community Playgroup 50+ Paper Techniques Lipreading Group (Every 3rd Friday) 11.30 - 6.30pm Simply Play 1.00 - 3.00pm John Mcghee Absolute Beginners Class 1.00 - 3.30pm Mini Kickers & Micro Soccer 1.45 - 4.00pm 50+ Scrabble & Canasta 2.00 - 4.00pm Nattering Needles 5.00 - 6.00pm Karate 7.00 - 9.00pm Art Club 7.00 - 9.00pm Amateur Boxing

SATURDAY 9.00 - 4.00pm 10.00 - 12.00pm 10.30 - 11.30am 1.30 - 3.30pm

Danceworld Gaelic Learning Pettigrew School of Dance Nightingale Club

SUNDAY 10.30 - 1.30pm Elim Church 11.00 - 2.00pm Amateur Boxing 6.00 - 8.00pm Community Church

YOUTH CLUBS All youth groups are supported by fully trained, qualified, skilled and experienced youth workers.

OUTSIDERS YOUTH CLUB Monday – 6.30-9.00pm

JUNIOR YOUTH CLUB Tuesday – 6.30-9.00pm

ROOMS Rooms available to book within Bathgate Partnership Centre.

For more details please ask at Bathgate Partnership Centre Reception.

BATHGATE COMMUNITY CENTRE Based within: Bathgate Partnership Centre Lindsay House South Bridge Street Bathgate, EH48 1TS

01506 283333 (option 4)

WHAT’S ON

and Useful Information

your local park. Learn about nature on your doorstep.

Look out for posters in your local area. Suitable for: Families. Meet: Sylvan Way entrance to Little Boghead.

Drop in between 2pm-3pm. Cost: Free.

Tuesday 22nd September Sunday 30th August Torphichen Summer Nights – All That Malarkey Torphichen Kirk, 7pm, doors open 6.30pm. Ticket Line 07887 867119 or from Torphichen Shop. All That Malarkey are a Cardiff-based Classical Cabaret act dedicated to bringing audiences a fresh and entertaining theatre show - brand new arrangements of songs, sketches, fairy tales, extraordinary medleys and entrancing ballads - all with the Malarkey twist!

Award winning Toccata Ladies Choir are auditioning for new singers.

Auditions are held on 22nd September 6.45pm to 7.15pm at our rehearsal venue Carmondean church at Nether Dechmont Farm Community Centre, Fells Rigg, Livingston. Come along on the day or contact us via the website www.toccataladieschoir.co.uk

Bathgate Regal Community Theatre - The Regal hosts an exciting programme of film, music, theatre, comedy and children’s events. See www.bathgateregal.org for complete listing.

Friday 4th September Creatures of the night Join us for an evening stroll around Polkemmet, where we hope to see night-time creatures like bats, badgers and foxes. Bring a torch and wrap up warm. Suitable for all. Meet: Outside the Rangers Office. Time: 8pm -9.30pm.

Cost: £3.55 adult, £2.40 child. Booking essential, call the rangers on 01501 743905

3rd - 6th September Bathgate Music Festival and Party in the Park Back for the eighth year, a predominantly free music festival celebrating a wide range of music at a variety of venues, bars and restautants in Bathgate. See the facebook page “Bathgate Music Festival” for latest updates. The festival culminates with Party in the Park on Saturday 6th September. 10.30am until 6pm, free entry, live bands on the main stage are: Major Tom, Rewired, Rolling drones, Uncle Red, Dixie Fried, Gary Burns Band. There will also be the return of the acoustic stage and family fun day including donkey rides, zoo animals and stalls.

Newland Concert Brass invites you to come to an open rehearsal on Monday 7th September at Bathgate Partnership Centre. Anyone who plays a brass instrument (or did in the past) is very welcome to sit in on this evening and rehearse with the band. Players of all ages and abilities welcome. For this evening, our junior band rehearsal will take place from 7pm-7.45pm and our senior band rehearsal will take place from 8pm until 9.15pm.

Saturday 12th and Sunday 13th September West Lothian Doors Open Days See pages 8-9 for details of local venues open.

Saturday 19th September Wester Inch Autumn Fayre Free entry 10.30 – 2pm. Fun fair stalls, bouncy castle, refreshments, trade stalls, Kidzone, Creation Station, Moo Music, Grasshopper Football. All welcome! Simpson Primary School, Leyland Road, Wester Inch.

Saturday 19th September

The Stone Ring Events Tuesday 22nd September: A Day of Healing. Drop in between 11am – 4pm. Sessions between £5 & £20. The Stone Ring, 40 Kings Street, Bathgate.

Memory Walk Scotland The Livingston Walk is on the 20th September, registration at 11.30am. The walk starts at 12 , starting and ending at St Margaret’s Academy. It is between 3 and 5km with a shorter route for frailer people or people with biggies/wheelchairs. The Linlithgow Walk is on the 27th September, registration at 1.30pm. The walk starts at 2,pm starting and ending at the Lowport Centre. The route is round the Loch, approx 3km. Registration fee: adults £10, teenagers £5, under 12’s free. Please register via www.memorywalksscotland.org To include your event here, please email editor@konectdirectory.co.uk or call 07854 492638.

BATHGATE library information Simpson Library Bathgate Partnership Centre, South Bridge Street, EH48 1TS. Tel 01506 282910. Email: bathgate.lib@westlothian. gov.uk. Opening hours: Mon – Fri 8.30am – 8.00pm Sat 9.00am – 5.00pm.Bookbugs: Bookbug West Lothian delivers free story, song and rhyme sessions for babies, toddlers and pre-school children in local libraries, working in partnership with the Scottish Book Trust. Call the Simpson Library for dates of this month’s book bug sessions.

Little Boghead Taster Come and join the Ranger Service for taster sessions in

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KONECT

West Lothian offers a great range of fun, interesting & exciting things to do In West Lothian we’re steeped in history and surrounded by beautiful countryside, and have everything we need for a perfect day out with activities for all ages.

Relive Scotland’s heritage and visit a stately home, a medieval kirk or the birthplace of Mary, Queen of Scots. West Lothian’s Doors Open Days between 12-14 September welcomes you to explore Annet House Museum and Garden; the beautiful Linlithgow Burgh Halls and the West Lothian Council History Library. The Local History Library is the place to go if you’re interested in your local area. The library holds material on all aspects of West Lothian past and present, including places, people, buildings and events. The library is open to the public and is free to use.

Young explorers can discover nature at one of our three outdoor country parks, spend time with farm animals at Almond Valley Heritage Centre or visit over 170 different species of animal at the Five

Sisters Zoo. The Polkemmet Country Park offers another great day out, combining the Owl Centre’s spectacular flying displays with other park activities such as adventure playground, 9-hole golf course, golf driving range, bowling green, woodland walks and the new Courtyard Cafe. The Linlithgow Canal Centre is also worth a visit, operated entirely by friendly, unpaid volunteers the centre houses a museum and a café.

Are you a tourism related business or Food and Drink outlet interested in the benefits of membership of Visit West Lothian then contact Tel: 01506 283 090/ Email: visitwestlothian@westlothian.gov.uk.

For more information about all the great things to see and do in West Lothian please visit www.visitwestlothian.co.uk, facebook.com/VisitWestLothian or twitter. com/teamwestlothian

C O M P ETITI O N Win a round of golf for four at Uphall Golf Club (Monday to Friday)

• E xperience a complementary round of golf for four ( Monday to Friday) at Uphall Golf Club in West Lothian.

• T he Club is conveniently situated 7 miles to the west of Edinburgh Airport, on the outskirts of Uphall Village, 1 mile from junction 3 of the M8 motorway and is also located directly opposite the elegant Macdonald Houstoun House Hotel and is popular with hotel guests. he 18 hole parkland course itself is surrounded by mature trees, is relatively flat and compact and T offers a testing challenge to all levels of golfer.The course is 5588 yards, par 69, and is maintained to a high standard. The course is owned by the members but visitors are welcome and catered for well in a fine modern clubhouse. To arrange a tee time please call the club in advance.

To be in with a chance of winning this fabulous prize, please email: visitwestlothian@westlothian.gov.uk with the following information before 30th September 2015: Name / Address / Email address / Contact telephone number

KONECT

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clubs & classes

Sports, Hobbies, Learning, Support Groups & more...

BATHGATE

schoolers. For further information, contact Irene on 01506 654579

Bathgate & District Flower Club

Baby and Toddler activities

We are a friendly group who meet on the 3rd Monday of each month from September to June (no meeting in December) in the Regal theatre Bathgate at 7.15pm. We have a Floral Art demonstrator at each meeting who does around 5 arrangements which are given as raffle prizes at each meeting.

We also arrange outings each year. The club was established 48 years ago and we celebrate our 50th Anniversary in September 2015. Contact Carole.Hawkins48@yahoo.com

Kidzeco, 20-24 George Street, Bathgate, EH48 1PW Range of classes including soft play, storytelling, craft and dance. Please call Kidzeco for class times and availability on 01506 815534.

Bathgate History Group We are a friendly group who meet on a Wednesday afternoon at 2pm in The Tryst behind St John’s Church, Mid Street, Bathgate. We have interesting speakers on various topics with tea and coffee. A warm welcome awaits old and new members, the first meeting for the 2014/2015 session is Wednesday 3rd September. For further information contact Dorothy on 01506 652505.

Simply Play Provides flexible after school care and holiday programmes for children aged 5-14. Our clubs are based in Simpsons Primary School Community Wing and Bathgate Partnership Centre. We offer a range of indoor and outdoor play experiences until 6pm Mon-Fri. Sessions are paid for as they are booked with no fee for `holding` an unused space. For more information visit www.simplyplay.org or call 01506 856444.

Any Dog ‘ll Do Rescue Group A friendly group of volunteers based in and around Bathgate.

Looking for new members to help raise awareness and fundraise for the dog rescue charity. A good way to meet new, like-minded people and have fun at the same time. Contact Lyn Pattison on info@anydogildorescue.org to find out when the group will next meet and how to get involved.

We meet monthly to learn about empowering ourselves to lead the life we want and deserve.

With different with guest speakers on happiness related topics. Also meet in between times to go walking/theatre/ other personal development workshops. Meet 1st Mon of each month at Community Wing, Marina Road, Boghall, Bathgate EH48 1SY (next to the school) 7.00 pm. For more info contact Carol on 07800 772607.

2nd Bathgate Girls’ Brigade Meets on Wednesday evenings in St John’s Church Halls, Mid Street.

Explorers P1-3 Girls: 6.15pm - 7.30pm Juniors P4-7 Girls: 7.00pm - 8.30pm Brigaders S1-S6 Girls: 7.00pm - 8.30pm Please contact Alison Weddell (Captain) on tel 07710 619264 or email alison.weddell@gmail.com for further details.

The Stone Ring 40 King Street, Bathgate Beginners Self awareness & Development. Mon 7-9.30 pm (approx) £6.50. Moot - Every 2nd Wed of the Month. 7-9.30pm (approx) £5.

Thai Chi Fridays - 6.30-8.30pm (approx) £25 per month.

Bathgate Playgroup

31st West Lothian Scouts

Bathgate Partnership Centre Mon–Fri 9-11.30am and afternoon sessions Mon & Wed 12.30-3.30pm

Scout Hall, Majoriebank Street. Thursdays 7pm – 9pm

Newland Concert Brass

Bathgate Concert Orchestra

Friendly band based in Bathgate. We welcome brass and percussion players of all ages and abilities.

Training Band Mondays 6.30 – 7.30pm in Bathgate Partnership Centre. Junior Band Mondays 6.30 – 7.50pm in Bathgate Partnership Centre. Senior Band Mondays 8.00 – 9.30pm in the band hall on Belvedere Rd. For more information see the website at www.newlandconcertbrass.org.uk

We are a friendly, enthusiastic group of musicians and are always happy to welcome new players of whatever level.

We rehearse on Friday evenings during school term time from 7:30pm-9:30pm at St John’s Church Bathgate. Anyone interested in coming along to join us should contact the Secretary Joan Proven at Joan_Proven@hotmail.com Tel: 0131 331 3187. See www.batchgateconcertorchestra.org.uk. You can also find us on facebook.

West Lothian 50 Plus Network New members always welcome for educational, social, recreational and cultural activities.

Monthly meet-ups, visits and day trips. Over 25 different activity groups, including arts, crafts, walking, theatre etc. See www. westlothian50plusnetwork.co.uk or call 01506 635510. Office hours Mon - Fri 10am - 2pm.

Yoga Class For people living with long term conditions.

Bathgate Community Centre, 5–6.30pm on Wednesdays. Class is run by KICC Active Lothian, a partnership with MS Therapy Centre Lothian. £5.50 per class or £20 for four weeks. First class is free! Call Joanna on 07436 102726 to book.

Parent and Toddler’s St Johns Church, Mid Street Fridays during term time, 9.30-11.30 am. From Birth to Pre-

44

Lead a Happier Life

MOMS (Mums Offering Mums Support) Kidzeco, 20-24 George Street, Bathgate, EH48 1PW Mon 1pm–3pm. Group for new and expectant mums to meet other mums, share ideas and experiences and generally have a chat and a cuppa! £1 includes hot drink. Call Kidzeco for more info 01506 815534.

Pop Skool Dance / Singing fun classes for ALL! Based in the brand new Boghall Community Wing. www.popskool.com Monday Evenings 5.30 - 6.30 Minis (4 - 7yrs) 6.30 - 7.30 Juniors (8 - 11yrs) 6.30 - 8.00 Seniors (12 - 15yrs) 7.30 - 9.00 Elite (16yrs+)

Regal Music Club The Regal Theatre, Bathgate For anyone who loves music. We meet fortnightly on Wednesdays. 7.30pm to 9.30pm. Come along to chat, discuss, meet new people, eat biscuits. You don’t need to play or sing KONECT

but if you do there is always a chance to perform. Check out the facebook page or just drop in. £2 including refreshments.

Bathgate Reading Group Simpson Library, Bathgate Meets on the second Tuesday of the month at 6.00pm, all adults are welcome.

Bathgate Memory Cafe Kaim Park Hotel, Edinburgh Road, Bathgate A meeting place and caring supportive group for people with dementia and their carers. The Memory Cafe runs the 1st Monday of every month from 1.30pm to 3.00pm. For more information please contact Alzheimer Scotland on 01506 533114.

Friends of Polkemmet Country Park Group meets on the second Sunday each month between 10am – 12pm to carry out practical conservation projects in Polkemmet Country Park. Dates for 2015 are: 12/04; 10/05; 14/06; 12/07; 09/08; 13/09; 11/10; 08/11.

Please contact the Ranger Service on 01501 743905, Polkemmet@westlothian.gov.uk or visit the Friends of Polkemmet Facebook page if you would like to join us.

West Lothian Table Tennis Club West Lothian Table Tennis are a friendly club who are always happy to welcome new people who have played in the past or would like to pick up the sport for the first time. Whether you are seven years old or 70...Everyone is welcome! Meet at Bathgate Academy. For further information contact: David Stephen, Club Secretary david.stephen2@sky.com or 07979 095772. See www.wlttc.co.uk.

Paranormal Investigation group based in Bathgate - NEW! We’re looking for people to join our small group. Will meet on the first Wednesday of the month 7.30pm venue tbc.

Investigations to be carried out approximately every 6-8 weeks at various locations around West Lothian and beyond so own transport essential. Both believers and skeptics welcome.

Must be over 18. Please contact Tracey at ghost.scotland@ outlook.com for further information.

WESTER INCH Wester Inch Parent & Toddler Group Thursday mornings 9am - 11am. £1 per adult and 50p per child. For more information contact us via our facebook page Wester Inch Parent and Toddler Group or email on westerinchtoddlers@hotmail.com

Simpson Art Club We meet every Tuesday 7 - 9pm in the community wing of the Simpson Primary School, Bathgate All over 18, including beginners, are welcome; Regular demonstrations and teaching from professional artists, work in all mediums. For further information email simpsonartclub@ gmail.com. Contact 07762 933138

Zumba and Piloxing with Lindsay Simpson Primary School, Bathgate Tuesday Zumba® 7.15-8.15pm; Piloxing® 8.20pm-9.20pm East Calder Church Hall Monday Zumba® 7-8pm Facebook Zumba with Lindsay Email: lindsayandersondance@yahoo.co.uk. Tel: 07834 183084

Centrepoint Church Simpson Primary School Sunday Worship Gathering, Weekly 10:30am. Contact: Tom Jackson m: 07540391081 e: tom.jackson@centrepointchurch.org KONECT

Messy Church Held by St. John’s Parish Church in Community Wing, Simpson Primary School.

Third Thursday of each month 6.45pm-8.15 pm. Join us for fun, games, craft activities, stories and singing. All ages welcome.

No charge, donations welcome. For more information contact Parish Minister, Rev. Duncan Shaw on 01506 653146 or westlothian@churchofscotland.org.uk or Rev. Zoltan Safrany on 07411 444 743 email safiref@gmail.com

other areas New Town Roller Girls Roller Derby team, meeting 9-10pm on Wednesdays at Craigswood Xcite. New members welcome, contact us via our Facebook page www.facebook.com/NewTownRollerGirls or email newtownrollergirls@hotmail.co.uk. Please contact us before coming to your first session so that we can sort equipment for you.

West Lothian Clarion Cycling club – our aim is to help cyclists plan and reach their own goals through training with, and seeking advice and support from fellow club members. Weekly club runs leave from Linlithgow Leisure Centre and East Calder Sports Centre. See www.westlothianclarion.co.uk or email secretary@ westlothianclarion.co.uk

Lothian Running Club Welcome runners of any standard. We believe that running clubs are not just for the elite (although we will let fast people join too). Suitable for all ages and we have a junior section too from age 6. Training sessions in/around Livingston, meet at Inveralmond High, Craigswood Sports Centre and Dechmont Law car park. For more info see website www. lothianrunningclub.co.uk.

West Lothian Breast Cancer Support Group Meets on the first Tuesday of each month, in the Ability Centre, Carmondean, Livingston, from 7pm-9pm. Further details and information, contact Nan McDonald tel 01506 655739.

The Tree Club Office at 19c South Bridge Street, Bathgate. West Lothian’s only afterschool club for children and teenagers with additional support needs. Stimulating and creative activities with high staff to child ratio. See www.thetreeclub.org.uk

Alternative Company Entertainers (ACE) Meet every Thursday in Whitburn academy at 7:00 – 9pm.

Ages 5 to 105+. Contact acompanyentertainers@gmail.com or find us on facebook.

Harmony Dance Club Armadale We are a not for profit club for retired ladies, dancing to CDs mostly sequence dancing. We meet every Tuesday afternoon in the Community Centre, South Street Armadale, from 1.30 to 3.30pm. We would welcome old and new members to our club.

Don’t worry if you don’t know the dances, we can teach you.

To include your club or class, email details to editor@konectdirectory.co.uk.

Charity and not-for-profit groups are free, there is a small charge for other listings. See our website for details. www.konectdirectory.co.uk

45

INDEX OF ADVERTISERS Bathrooms Bathgate Bathroom Studio Ekco

7 33

Beauty Forever Living

10

Builder David Bathgate

18

Cafe/Tearoom The Courtyard Cafe

13

Car Bodywork Car Medic

19

Car Service & Repair Ace Exhausts & Tyres Formula 1 MOT M & S Auto Solutions Meadowpark Garage

19 19 7 5

Catering Food Creations Children’s Nursery Wee Gems Church Centre Point Church

35 43 43

Cleaning Services Clean Bee Domestic Cleaning Ltd 4 Strata Cleaning Limited 18 Complementary Therapies Access 2 Balance

13

Computer Services Sprint Computers

29

Electrician D B Electrics Electric Al Simply Electrical

37 5 6

Solution to August Crossword

Across: 1 Decide, 4 Fences, 9 Swollen, 10 Tiara, 11 Earth, 12 Oranges, 13 Countryside, 18 Exiting, 20 Reply, 22 Eaten, 23 Nearest, 24 Endure, 25 Stream.

46

Estate Agent Turpie

27

Florist The Flower Stop Williamson Design Florist

10 16

Garden & Landscaping All Year Round Landscapes Gardens Galore Naia Garden Services

18 6 18

Gifts The Kilt Studio

10

Healthcare Forever Living

10

Hire (Car/Van/Minibus) Pixo Van Hire Homes for Sale CALA Ironing Services Allana’s Ironing Service

5 15 5

Kitchens Alba Kitchens Ekco S & S

35 33 48

Leaflet Delivery The Leaflet Lady

34

Locksmith West Lothian Locksmith

37

Mobility Glenmore Mobility & Furniture Med-Ecosse

4 49

Office to let Spring

Oven Cleaner The Clean Team

4

Painter/Decorator Tru Decor

6

Pet Services Morven’s Dog Grooming

20

Pet Supplies Coxydene

21

Restaurant Hilcroft Hotel

31

Roofing Simply Roofing

4

School George Watson’s College

24

Takeaway The Courtyard Cafe

13

Tattoo Removal Tatta Ltd

13

Venue KCDT

34

Vet Riverside Veterinary Practice

21

Windows 1st Choice Living

6

2

Solution to Sudoku Page 36

Down: 1 Dispel, 2 Choir, 3 Dolphin, 5 Extra, 6 Changed, 7 Sparse, 8 Encouraging, 14 Omitted, 15 Servant, 16 Delete, 17 System, 19 Inner, 21 Piece.

Whilst every care is taken to ensure accuracy, the publisher cannot accept responsibility for loss, damage or omission caused by error in the printing of an advertisement.The Konect Directory does not endorse any advertising material that appears in this publication.

Adverts are accepted on the understanding that descriptions of goods and services are fair and accurate. All material is accepted for publication on the understanding that it is copyright free.The Konect Directory accepts no liability for any subsequent copyright issues. No part of this publication may be reproduced without the prior consent of the publisher.

Publisher: Lothian Publications Ltd, Overton Farmhouse, Kirknewton, EH27 8DD. Editor: Helen-Jane Shearer 07854 492638 hj@konectdirectory.co.uk

KONECT

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47