Konect Calders May 2016

MAY 2016

WIN!

Two tickets to see “Probably the Best Comedy Songs in the World Ever, Maybe” at Howden Park FEATUREs

s& Offer ers h c u o v cal from lo ses s e busin

Scottish Owl Centre Hunt for the Kirknewton Viking Stone Go Your Crohn Way – by Kathleen Nicholls West Calder High School – a visit to the new site plus local businesses, community information and more!

East and Mid Calder, Kirknewton & Pumpherston

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KONECT

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FEATURE

M e ss ag e f rom th e e d itor

FEATUREs Scottish Owl Centre The Kir knewton Viking Stone

08 16

had the pleasure of visiting the Scottish Owl Centre within Polkemmet Country Park last month and speaking with the lovely couple who run it – Rod and Niccy Angus. Rod is inspirational with his knowledge of owls - read about the centre and how it came to be here on pages 8-10.

And a Kirknewton resident is on an unusual quest – to find a relic from Kirknewton’s Viking history. Maybe you can help? See page 16.

REGULARS Thought for the Month Walk Inter ior s Technology Recipe Local People Parenting in West Lothian.

20 38 44 46 48 50 52

COMPETITIONS & PUZZLES Howden Par k ticket draw Crossword

24 54

Our Local People column this month features a young person from Murieston who suffers from Crohn’s Disease is keen to promote awareness of the condition and has published a book about her experiences.

We’re also delighted to help West Calder High School celebrate some of their activities and achievements – see the first instalment relating to the new building on page 56.

COMMUNITY What’s on & Useful Infor mation Clubs & Classes

57 58

I

And I hope you enjoy all our regular columns this month. Thanks for reading Konect and supporting local businesses.

INDEX OF ADVERTISERS

62

Advertising Enquiries JENNY THOMSON 07824 469266 jenny@konectdirectory.co.uk CHARLENE GAFFNEY 07772 941899 charlene@konectdirectory.co.uk

Helen-Jane, Editor hj@konectdirectory.co.uk

Advert booking deadline: 15th of the month prior to print.

Artwork/copy deadline: 18th of the month prior to print.

Konect is delivered to 5500 homes in Kirknewton, East Calder, Mid Calder and Pumpherston every month. Copies are also left at the libraries, community centres, convenience stores and other locations within the area.

Front cover: Spring fishing in Mid Calder. Photo by Jenny Thomson.

KONECT

/KonectDirectory

@KonectDirectory

3

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CHARLES GAS CALOR GAS STOCKLIST Next to Clifton Garage, East Calder, EH53 0HS

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Full range of Butane, Propane and Forklift Cyclinder in stock.

We supply both business and domestic customers.

Craigcrook Joinery sMALL WORKS AND REPAIRS

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7

FEATURE

Great Grey Owl “Education, Inspiration, Conservation.”

“When was the last time you saw an owl in the wild?” is the question that Rod Angus, founder of the Scottish Owl Centre in West Lothian’s Polkemmet Country Park, poses to anyone asking why he has dedicated his life to these magnificent birds.

“The answer,” he says, “is usually along the lines of ‘maybe once, a long time ago.’ There are over 200 species of owl in the world but hardly anyone has actually seen one.”

There are very few visitor centres in Britain dedicated wholly to owls. As Rod explains, “It’s a totally different ethos here to a falconry centre.

Falconry displays are all about the hunting prowess of the birds, which are very spectacular.

Falcons and hawks have been kept and trained for millennia. But owls are wild nocturnal creatures.

They are trained to the glove of course but they are 8

silent, stealth hunters, they swoop past without you hearing them – and they are slightly more likely to refuse to fly on demand!” So although the highlight of a visit to the Centre may well be one of the entertaining flying displays, the focus is not on dramatic hunting techniques but on everything to do with owls and their habitat. As Rod says,’’The owl becomes an environmental educator. Through the study of owls we can understand a broad spectrum of issues to do with conservation and natural history.”

There are approximately 120 owls resident in the centre at Polkemmet, representing species from all over the world. The uniqueness of the centre, whose motto is “Education, Inspiration, Conservation,” means that it attracts people to study owls at all levels – from preschoolers to PhD students (they currently have a PhD student doing a project on owl communications). “No creature exists in isolation,” Rod says, “it’s all about their environment. Already by keeping them in captivity you’ve removed a bit of what it is to be an owl. So there is no petting of the owls here; the ethos is KONECT

always to make them accessible without dumbing them down to just fluffy big-eyed things. We want to inspire visitors with the wonder and the design of these birds. People love to learn so we give interesting presentations. I keep abreast of latest research and we discuss how to impart up to date natural history information to the public.” (You can hold the owls for photo sessions after the flying displays). Rod’s wife Niccy was formerly a teacher (secondary and nursery), so she designs educational material that is fun and interesting for kids from pre-school age. She also takes care of all the art and design side of the business, designing the signage and interpretative boards around the centre.

Rod’s interest in birds dates back to very early childhood. He attended a boarding school in Kent and remembers watching the birds and reflecting on how they were so free (“a boarding school can be quite a traumatic environment.”) One of the teachers was a keen amateur ornithologist and encouraged Rod’s interest in birds; he ended up setting up a bird club at the school. He trained as a bird ringer in the 70s, and was employed at an RAF base to monitor and look after the bird and wildlife population. He was involved in a couple of foundational ornithological studies on the west coast - of buzzards and barn owls. He also helped establish the Machrihanish Seabird Observatory. “I took part in the British Trust for Ornithology’s Project Barn Owl in Argyll between 1995-1997, which involved knowing the owls’ habitats, tracking them, finding nests and counting them. Barn owls like ruined buildings best – they need to be sheltered and private. We discovered that the majority of Scotland’s small barn owl population is in the south west.” Rod had also attended an owl symposium at Chester Zoo, and on a family holiday visited a small private owl centre. They became increasingly inspired to set up their own owl centre, and Rod got his first owls in 2002, starting off by taking them to shows and doing flying demonstrations. They finally set up an owl centre in their home town of Campbeltown, converting an old hospital for use as both family home and owl centre. They ran it successfully for several years, but as their own children left home they eventually decided that in order to make the owl centre sustainable they had to move to the more populous Central Belt. They considered many options before choosing Polkemmet Country Park, where the old walled garden provided a good sheltered spot, in addition to the proximity to the KONECT

Rod, Niccy and “Sarabi”, the Milky Eagle Owl. new junction 4a of the M8. So after much hard work the new Scottish Owl Centre opened in 2011.

Besides Rod who is obviously an authority on owls, the team consists of a senior keeper Trystan, who previously worked for the World Owl Trust, and a second keeper Lauren, from Armadale, as well as a valuable team of volunteers.

The aviaries are carefully designed to give the owls their privacy and make them feel secure, but at the same time make sure they are visible to visitors.

The owls which are used in flying displays are introduced to the public as chicks so they are used to being handled. The large purpose-built flying arena is an indoor area so they are not affected by the all-too-predictable rain and can fly every day.

As Rod admits, keeping birds in captivity is very unusual for an ornithologist. But he says, “I don’t find it hard to reconcile; all our owls are bred in captivity and they are happily breeding well – if they were not happy they would not breed. It’s very unusual to get close up to an owl in the wild. Like any zoo, if we didn’t study them we’d never see them to learn about their needs and conservation issues surrounding them and 9

their habitat. Humans are intimately involved with the natural environment, and it’s essential to unde rstand it for humans and animals work together.”

Rod’s top five owl facts • O wls have eyes but they can’t move them.

• O wls have ears but you can’t see them.

• O wls have wings but you can’t hear them.

• O wls lay eggs but they don’t build nests.

• O wls hunt at night so you rarely see them.

And what do they do outside of work? Niccy is a member of Livingston Players (you may have seen her in their recent production of Steel Magnolias…) and of Shotts Opera Group, and is a keen hillwalker with Linlithgow Ramblers. And Rod’s interests outside of work? “Anything bird-related but also classical music and opera and extensive theological reading.’’

Visit the Scottish Owl Centre in Polkemmet Country Park, 7 days a week April - August: 10.30am – 5pm (last entry 1 hour before closing).

Admission charges apply, please see website www.scottishowlcentre.com for full details.

Daily Flying Displays: 11.30am, 1.30pm, 3.30pm.

There is ample free parking at the Polkemmet Visitor Centre car park, and a cafe adjacent (the Courtyard Cafe – separate from the Scottish Owl Centre, check cafe opening times direct with the cafe)

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MID CALDER BOWLING CLUB 9 School Lane, Mid Calder, EH53 0AT T: 01506 885 335 E: mcbowling club@hotmail.co.uk

NEW MEMBERS WELCOME

(especially youngsters with a view to forming a junior section) Full Membership - £70.00 Social Membership (non bowling) - £5.00 Junior Membership - FREE for the 1st Year, £10 thereafter CLUB FACILITIES INCLUDE: • Darts • Dominos • Beer Garden (recently introduced) • Disco/Karaoke (once a month on the 2nd Saturday of the month) £2.00 • Carbaret (usually last Saturday of the month) £5.00 • Newly refurbished lounge available for hire for private functions

ACHIEVEMENTS FOR 2015-2016: • Grant from the ‘Award for All’ Lottery Fund; used to modernise the main lounge • Funding from West Lothian Council; will be used for equipment for teaching children and young people the sport • Funding from Belhaven Brewery to help buy club shirts • Achievement Level 1 West Lothian Council Community Club Accrediation Advertising Opportunities Available at our green. Why not have your company name or logo on a banner on the perimeter fence?

Contact us to find out more.

KONECT

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SPECIAL 20% REDUCTION OFFER ON MEMBERSHIP FOR A LIMITED PERIOD New members who join before the 1st of May will be eligible for a 20% reduction on their membership fee over the next 12 months.

Numbers will be restricted so this is on a first come first served basis.

Details are available by phoning Keith Nicholson, Club Manager on: 0131 453 4911 or e-mail manager@baberton.co.uk

TRIAL ROUNDS FOR PROSPECTIVE MEMBERS AT £10.00 Club: 0131 453 4911 Mon-Fri Pro shop: 0131 453 3555 Sat-Sun

Email: manager@baberton.co.uk Website: www.babertongc.com

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15

LOCAL HISTORY

A Kirknewton resident is on an unusual quest...

A huge stone, which lay in Kirknewton’s old kirkyard for about 1000 years, disappeared in recent years.

But massive stones don’t just wander off and get lost…it must have been lifted by a group of strong men and would have taken considerable effort to move. A group of archaeologists from the University of Glasgow are keen to locate it as it’s important to understanding the Viking era history of this area and of Scotland as a whole.

Justine Sharp, a medieval archaeologist resident in Kirkenwton, has been tasked by her colleagues with trying to track it down.

The village of Kirknewton and the wider area was settled by Vikings in the 10th century. It’s likely that they came to Scotland from Yorkshire, earlier Viking settlers who were fleeing Danelaw.

During the mid-tenth century this area of England was ruled by Eric Bloodaxe (a Viking) as the Danelaw. He was twice defeated by the native Northumbrians, and ultimately removed by them in 954. It’s likely that during these two defeats, and certainly the latter, some of his people fled north from Northumbrian rule as their empire was crushed. They left us very few clues about their time here, and with Scotland’s violent medieval history so many records and monuments were

The location in Kirknewton Kirkyard of the missing stone .

destroyed. A few tantalising clues remain, however. In our area, “Humbie” is a Viking family name so it’s likely to have been in use here to describe a Viking farming settlement for about 1000 years. “Kirk” is a Norse word and though of course widely in use in Scotland, the word order “Kirk-new-ton” is Scandinavian; a Viking-age brooch was found at Gogarburn a few years ago.

However, one major clue that there was a settlement here over a reasonably long period was the existence of a Viking tombstone in Kirknewton’s old kirkyard. It was what is known as a “hogback” stone, and was one of very few in Scotland. The Viking carved tombstones to resemble their native long-houses, with tiled roofs and gables at each end. (The term “hogback” describes the gently curved shape of the stone, like a pig’s back). The settlement here in Kirknewton must have been sufficiently well-established for them to be creating tomb monuments to bury their dead...and these monuments did not come cheap; they indicate the burial of a wealthy individual. The Kirknewton stone was located near to the site of the original Norman church in the kirkyard, part of a wall of which remain today.

There are very few of these stones available to study – there is one in Abercorn churchyard, a couple in other parts of Scotland and a group of five in Govan. The Kirknewton stone went missing some time between 1988 and 1993. Historic Environment Scotland descheduled Kirknewton kirkyard in 2013, since 20 years had passed since the disappearance of this important stone.

If there is an unusual-looking stone in your rockery, or you have any information which may help track down the Kirknewton hogback stone, please contact Justine Sharp at j.sharp.1@research.gla.ac.uk or on 07514 936922.

k

The Kirknewton hogback stone .

COLIN NIXON MOT SALES & SERVICE CENTRE

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On-site selection of pre-selected quality, low-mileage vehicles ... or tell us what you need and we will source a suitable vehicle to your specification and budget

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MID CALDER

SPRING FAIR

MASONIC LODGE DONATING TO CHARITY

SATURDAY 21ST MAY 10.00AM TIL 1.00PM LOTS OF CRAFT STALLS AND TRADERS SELLING GIFTS FOR ALL OCCASIONS, TOMBOLA, HOME BAKING WITH TEA OR COFFEE Jewellery, Wood Crafts, The Body Shop, Mmm Sweets, Scentsy, Bedding Plants, Paper Cuts, Memory Keepsakes, Fridwolf, Bags and Scarves. Lilibets Soaps, Memorial Logs, Brawbrichtjewellery, Plain Hooky and Tip to toe in fabrics and many more.

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KONECT

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EAST CALDER BOWLING CLUB 255 Main Street · East Calder · EH53 0EL Tel: 01506 497008

Saturday 28th May Cabaret with the singing superstar Leona Rae. Tickets £4. 7.30pm till midnight Hats nights: every Monday 6.30pm Junior Coaching: each Friday 2pm till 4pm Bingo: Sundays & Wednesdays 8pm~9:30pm Check our facebook page for upcoming events

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good at, what we value in life and know where we are going.

Will it change our lives???

Of course our lives will change, our bodies change both physically and mentally so we need to be prepared for this and take care of ourselves. After all at 40 we should have more time to spend on ourselves.

Middle of the Road

By Tammy Wood, Happiness Works

In a few days I will turn 40. What does that mean? Does life change at 40? What is the downhill stretch of life like?

“40 is the new 20”…. I sure hope so. OK my body is starting to get a bit achy now and then and my skin is changing, even with all the skin firming lotion that I apply but I still have the enthusiasm of a 20 year old. I accept that I am MIDDLE-AGED… So what does it mean to turn 40???

We have 4 decades of life experience and by now surely we should be self-aware, know what we are

our Give y

What is the downhill like???

Seemingly it’s not scary. We can use our skills to help make the road ahead as easy and smooth as possible. We are still young, fit and healthy and we still have a long way to go.

Here’s to turning 40 and enjoying the remainder of life...

“The secret of staying young is to live honestly, eat slowly, and lie about your age” - Lucille Ball “Age is an issue of mind over matter. If you don’t mind, it doesn’t matter” - Mark Twain Tammy Wood Happiness Works www.happinessworks.co.uk

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Foot Clinic

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23

Competition WIN two tickets to see Probably the Best Comedy Songs in the World Ever, Maybe at Howden Park Centre, Livingston on the 16 June.

Probably the Best Comedy Songs in the World Ever, Maybe This show does exactly what it says on the tin.

A host of comedy songs from the best names in the business (plus a few surprises). Hear sidesplitting songs from Monty Python, Peter Cook

and Dudley Moore, Lonnie Donegan, The Goons, Bernard Cribbins, Kenneth Williams, Benny Hill, Noel Coward, George Formby and many more.

Seasoned pros, Pat Abernethy and Dave Marsden will attempt all of this hilarity with just the aid of a piano.

“An exceptional gift for comedy that had us rolling in the aisles.” The Scotsman “Masterful… An evening of consistent laughter.”

Time Out Thursday 16 June, 1.30pm. Tickets £12.50 or £10.50 concession.

Howden Park Centre, Livingston. Box Office: 01506 777666 www.howdenparkcentre.co.uk

To enter simply answer this question: Complete the name of this popular comedy TV series - Monty Python’s Flying …………

Text or email the answer, your name, phone mnumber and email address to 07854 492638 or editor@konectdirectory.co.uk Closing date for entries 15th May 2016.

Winner will be chosen at random after the closing date.

24

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Jane & Friends Hairdressers

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Up-do’s for special occasions Open: Tue/Wed/Fri - 9am - 5pm Thur - 11am - 7pm Sat - 9am - 3pm Closed: Sunday & Monday

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25

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Homes & Gardens

Extensions West Lothian company 1st Choice Living provide their tips for a successful home extension project.

Most people’s needs for their home change over time. More space, updating the home, changing the style – there are many reasons to embark on a home extension project! Many people are moving to a more open plan design, while others are investing to increase the value of their home, and for others the trend of working from home brings a need for a home office or two. But where to start?

First of all, you might want to get a rough idea of whether or not you need planning permission, which can help give you some idea of costs.

Just adding a porch or modifying the internal layout doesn’t require permission, nor do many other kinds of changes but you need to refer to the West Lothian planning page to be sure: http://www.westlothian.gov.uk/article/10804/ Householder-planning-application-guidance.

Even then it helps to have a professional help you navigate the possibilities, because sometimes it gets tricky and a mistake made at this stage can be very expensive. Imagine you have decided on the approximate scope of your project - a stylish orangerie perhaps, or a single or double storey extension – you need to consider what the budget might be.

We spoke to Derrick Findlay of home improvements company 1st Choice Living in Bathgate about things to think about when planning an extension: “The starting point is, ‘What is the purpose of the room to be?’” says managing director Derrick Findlay. The design and therefore the budget requirements start from there. “The design

1

is paramount and can transform the way you live”, he says. 1st Choice has an in-house architect to work on the design with you, advise on what is most likely to get planning permission, and apply for all relevant permissions all the way through to the final building warrant. Derrick’s top tip – go for the biggest extension you can with the space you have available. You may have to compromise perhaps on the interior decorating or other details, but in the end it is much easier to upgrade these than expand the walls another day!

1st Choice always offer a pre-install build meeting - all the details of your project are discussed at the outset, including right down to where the power points are going to go. They can be changed of course but it’s important to think through all the details and the interior design, think about where the sofa is going to be, where the desk is going to be. This is where you really think through the realities of living in your new space and the experts are there to help you.

2

“Once the design is right, the build is the easy bit,” says Derrick. It can be done any time of the year except when the temperature falls below 5 degrees. A responsible builder will ensure you have a schedule of work and a timeline so you have the reassurance of knowing that everything is on track. For larger projects that 1st Choice carry out, Derrick fully manages them himself and keeps in regular contact with the home owner.

3

Snagging stage. It’s a fact of life that sometimes things go wrong despite the best of planning, or perhaps your initial use of the space threw up some unanticipated problems. 1st Choice offer a 10 year warranty on labour and materials and, like any professional builder will stay in touch during the handover period and make sure the home owner continues to be delighted.

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CHARITY

Full Steam Ahead for Canal Charity A new engine may not be the most exciting news for passengers on board the boats of the canal charity, Seagull Trust Cruises at Ratho, but it means their journey will be smoother!

Engineers from Cornwall came all the way to Edinburgh to carry out the work on the boat ‘St John Crusader’, with the assistance of local specialists and volunteers. The old engine was proving less reliable and parts were wearing out, so a decision was taken to make the change. After a tendering process the team from Fowey in the south west of England were selected and last month they made the long journey to carry out the tricky task.

There is very little room for manoeuvre in the Seagull Trust Cruises boats and ingenuity was required to remove the old unit and crane-in the new one. Meanwhile, Trust volunteers have carried out some extensive refurbishment on all three boats based at Ratho, including a new colour scheme – but still including the distinctive bright red cabins.

Funding for the work has come from a number of sources – the Trust relies on grants and donations both for these special works and also for the

St John Crusader daily trips. However, the new engine came within budget (£20k) and within time so that all three boats were ready for the new season which began at Easter. From now until the end of October more than 12,000 people with special needs will be carried on free trips along the canal, by boats operated by volunteers seven days a week, with sometimes as many as three trips a day.

Seagull Trust Cruises Chairman, David Mieras, said, “We had concerns about reliability but now this particular boat has a new lease of life. It was an expensive project but we hope that people’s generosity will allow us to keep afloat on the hundreds of trips planned for this year. In the next few years we will have to replace our oldest vessel, and that will be a much much greater cost.”

Seagull Trust Cruises is a registered charity, with bases at Ratho, Falkirk, Kirkintiloch and Inverness. The fleet of eight boats provide hundreds of trips each year for those with special needs, and are manned by teams of volunteers.

The Trust operates a holiday hire boat, and a commercial trip boat. Funding comes from grants and donations, which means trips are free to those who need them. For more information please call David on 0131 445 2022. Charles Hodkinson (PR/Recruitment/LS Fridays Ratho) The Ratho Branch is the original branch of the Seagull Trust and it was here that the first cruise for disabled people took place in 1979. The Ratho branch is located beside the Union Canal, near to the Bridge Inn. See www.seagulltrust.org.uk

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WALK

Walking Preparation Season

by Karen Murray

I am not entirely sure how this happens, but once again before I know it, the clocks have gone forward, the days are longer with lighter evenings and it is sponsored walk/hiking challenge preparation time of year again!

In our area the Edinburgh Moonwalk is of course top of the walking challenge list and it is about now that you will spot walkers out and about everywhere sporting pink and white baseball caps as they train for that marathon walk.

I have done my share of that training and braved the marathon a couple of times, and signing up for one of these sponsored walks is a great way of encouraging a regular walking regime. Without the challenge ahead, you may be lulled into laziness and not bother to enjoy those great outdoors.

So if you have not yet picked your challenge, there are plenty to choose from. Scotland walking events and festivals are springing up everywhere to cater for the nation’s growing obsession with keeping fit and living healthier lifestyles. They are all over Scotland so you can choose from coastal or woodland, go for a short walk or a super challenge. The main thing is that the training can be done on your doorstep. Any of the challenges you choose will come with a training schedule that will help you to start the training and you can take it at your own pace.

Just choose a challenge and off you go…here are few you might consider: 38

*The Moonwalk Edinburgh, 11 June – you don’t have to try the full marathon, there are four walking distances: the new moon (6.55 miles), the half moon (13.1 miles), the full moon (26.2 miles) and the over the moon (52.4 miles). *Hawick Walking Weekend, 28-30 May Experience the beauty of Bonnie Teviotdale.

Over three days there will be a selection of walks exploring the folklore and history of the area. *Angus Glens Walking Festival, 2-5 June - This popular event takes place in the beautiful location of Angus and covers 18 walks, designed to appeal to all levels of ability. *The Caledonian Challenge, 11-12 June – There are two events, The 54 (54 miles in 24 hours the route following the Great Glen Way and the West Highland Way) and The 24 (24 miles in 12 hours, the route following the West Highland Way). *Rob Roy Ramble, 18 June – this is one of several challenges. Follow in Rob Roy MacGregor’s footsteps with a challenging 16 mile hike along the Rob Roy Way with rewards of majestic views down Loch Tay. *Glasgow to Edinburgh trek, 30 - 31 July – why not take on this epic Scottish walking challenge. 30 hours and 100k from Glasgow to Edinburgh non-stop.

Good luck with whichever challenge you decide to go for and try out some of the local walks printed in previous issues to help you with your training, or skip the challenges and just do the walking.

Grab a friend, enjoy the light nights, get some exercise and enjoy!

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43

Interiors feature

‘Cleaning the Oven? I’d Rather be Watching Outlander.’ by ecko

Four kitchen appliances to make your life easier It’s back! You know the programme? It’s the one where the married nurse in post-World War II Scotland gets mysteriously whisked back to the pre-Jacobite era and falls in love with a hunky Highlander. Outlander, based on the historical romantic novels by Diana Gabaldon, has been a massive hit and season 2 on Amazon Prime looks set to give an even bigger boost to the Scottish film industry. But what do we at Ekco love most about the programme? Is it the beautiful Scottish scenery, the authentic period costumes or the…well, the other bits? Actually no. It’s imagining how, in Castle Fraser, they can possibly serve several, culinary courses to hordes of hungry clansmen prepared only on a tiny cooking range. Nowadays, we would break out in hives if we had to prepare a feast for ten guests let alone a hundred, without a host of kitchen appliances within easy reach in our cooking triangle.

There’s no doubt that life in the kitchen has become easier over the centuries and modern innovations from the simple electric cooker and kettle, to the microwave and food processor has revolutionised the way we live our lives. So what’s the latest in the line? Here are four new kitchen appliances from Ekco designed to make your life easier.

1. Quooker is a Dutch invention that’s replacing the need for a kettle. It’s a single tap which dispenses cold, hot and boiling water. If you’ve ever switched on your electric kettle and been amazed at how

quickly your power meter clocks up the energy, you’ll be delighted to know that the cost of running a Quooker is around 3p per day.

2. Pyrolitic self-cleaning ovens from top manufacturers like Neff and Siemens mean you’ll never have to break out the Mr Muscle again. A pyrolytic oven is cleaned when you lock the door and set the temperature to around 500 degrees. In the absence of oxygen, the intense heat reduces any baked-on food to ash which is then simply wiped away with a damp cloth.

3. Steam Ovens – The French call this type of cooking ‘sous vide’ and it’s been a popular culinary method for years in top restaurants. Now sous vide ovens are available for the home. Basically you steam cook your food in special pouches which not only helps to keep nutrients in, it saves on washing up.

4. Induction hob – The induction hob has been around for a while but is only beginning to be widely embraced. It’s a smooth ceramic surface which only heats up when the pot is placed on it.

It has the speed and controllability of gas with the added safety feature of staying cool on the surface except under the pot itself.

The beauty of these appliances is that they’ll give you even more free time than ever before – more time to rev up your broadband and catch up on Claire and Jamie’s latest bodice-ripping exploits – honestly, it’s the poor husband left at home I feel sorry for.

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.

And, if you need some extra space or simply a place to relax and unwind then we can create that lifestyle sunroom you have always dreamed of.

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

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TECHNOLOGY

Gadgets to make your garden grow 1

2

With the worst of the weather hopefully behind us, it’s time to turn to the great outdoors - and for many of us that means getting our gardens and hedges in shape.

Technology can’t quite do the weeding or clipping for us just yet, but it can help in lots of other ways - including solving garden mysteries. If you’ve ever suspected that pets or other creatures have been damaging your plants, the TLC200 Green Camera is a weatherproof time lapse camera that’s designed to monitor your most precious plants and show you any skulduggery. At £139 it’s not cheap, but then neither are exotic plants that you might want to protect.

As battery technology continues to improve, tool companies are coming up with ever more useful cordless devices for garden use. Bosch’s Isio Cordless Shrub/Grass Shear (£36) is a great example: it’s a rechargeable clipper for shrubs, hedges and grass, and there’s also an optional extension handle that means you can use it without bending down, and a sprayer tank that turns the device into a spray for pesticides or fertiliser. You can get all kinds of cordless garden tools now, ranging from hand-held clippers to enormous and faintly frightening tree limb loppers, but look for Lithium Ion battery packs, not the vastly inferior and less efficient Nickel Cadmium (NiCD).

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3

4

We’ve been hearing about robot lawn mowers for years now, but every time we’ve looked at them we’ve been put off by the enormous price tags of around £2,000. That’s changing, and it’s now possible to get a decent sized robot lawnmower for around £800. At the time of writing the Worx WG790E is £774 (the RRP is £899) and the Flymo Robotic Lawnmower is £835 (£998 RRP). The Flymo has a working area of 400 square metres and cuts 30 square metres per hour, and because it’s virtually silent you can get it to do its stuff when everybody’s asleep - and its anti-theft system means you don’t need to worry that somebody will steal it while you’re in bed. It’s not completely autonomous - you need to fit a wire to show it the garden’s boundary, or it’ll get lost - but it’s starting to look like an attractive way to keep your lawn in great condition.

One way to avoid cleaning up leaves is to prevent them from landing in the first place. Say hello to the Garden Groom Pro, which has clearly been inspired by those home haircut devices you see in catalogues: it’s a £99 hedge trimmer with its own collection bag, automatically storing and mulching the clippings instead of throwing them all over the path. You’re going to feel a bit silly using it but the reward is a relatively mess-free finish, although it’s worth pointing out that at 7Kg plus the weight of the cuttings bag it’s quite heavy for protracted use. There is a smaller version, the Garden Groom Midi, which is £59.99 and weighs 2.7Kg.

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47

Recipe & Food Notes

by Anne Pinkerton

Seasonal Foods

seasonal pleasures like rhubarb for pies, fools or just simply stewed with yoghurt for pudding.

If you need inspiration look at the website www.eattheseasons.co.uk for seasonal food information, tips and recipe ideas.

Here is a homely dish using new season produce.

Rhubarb and Orange Pudding 250g new pink rhubarb cut into short lengths 50g butter 200g sugar 1 small orange, rind grated and juice strained 2 eggs, separated 1/4pt milk with the egg yellows beaten in 50g plain flour

Method Set oven to 160oC. Put the rhubarb into a 2 pint oven proof dish. Cream the butter, orange rind and 2 tablespoons of the sugar till soft. Beat in the rest of the sugar with the flour alternating with the egg/milk mixture. Add the orange juice, mix well.

Beat the egg whites till stiff and gently fold into the rest of the pudding mix. Pour over the rhubarb and bake for 40 to 45 minutes. The top will be firm and there will be a delicious sauce with the fruit at the bottom. Serve with cold, plain yogurt or Cornish cream.

May is the start of the new season for fresh local food.

We’re lucky to have growing areas from the warmth of the Channel Isles and the west of Wales and the cooler areas of Scotland, giving us spring lamb, sea trout, Jersey Royal and Ayrshire or Pembroke potatoes, watercress, rhubarb and asparagus all ready at much the same time.

People who like to gather “wild food” will be able to find nettle, dandelion and wild garlic leaves for more interesting salads, quiches or soups.

We’ve become used to expecting a huge variety of fruit and veg all year but this has in some ways restricted what we eat. Fewer varieties of individual plants are grown for mass markets so we eat a smaller range of trace nutrients.

There are always some staples on the shelves such as apples so perhaps we forget about

Rhubarb and Orange Pudding

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LOCAL PEOPLE

My name is Kathleen, I currently reside in Murieston, Livingston, and I suffer from the incurable illness Crohn’s Disease.

Crohn’s is a form of (IBD) - Inflammatory Bowel Disease, which causes inflammation of the digestive tract, leading to abdominal pain, severe diarrhoea, weight loss, fatigue and malnutrition amongst other equally grisly symptoms. I was first diagnosed with the condition in 2010 after around two years of consistent pain upon eating.

The pain was so severe I was often unable to walk or even stand upright. It didn’t matter how much or how little I ate, the pain was the same – and instant.

When I was diagnosed I felt relief; validation.

It was finally being confirmed that it wasn’t all in my head – my pain was real. That relief was swiftly followed by confusion and anger.

Being diagnosed with a chronic illness is akin to dealing with grief. You go through many stages before reaching a reluctant form of acceptance. It gets a little easier to deal with as your knowledge grows and you learn to understand your body.

For me this acceptance followed my first surgery and came from writing a blog about it.

Writing about how my dodgy insides made me feel physically and mentally was a massive turning point in my recovery.

I wrote for me – as a form of public diary.

Amazingly, shortly after, people began to read my ramblings and I slowly built a readership from all across the globe! I was stunned and incredibly 50

Kathleen Nicholls grateful to have created such an amazing platform for patients to share their experiences.

I soon found my blog being nominated for awards from health sites all over the world. The success of my writing spurned me on to write a book on my experiences. Last year I was lucky enough to find a publisher to take on my book and I’m now thrilled it will be available from May 21st this year! ‘Go Your Crohn Way – A Gutsy Guide to Living with Crohn’s Disease’.

My aim now is to help others through my writing – I started selfishly writing to offload my own fears and now I am in a position where I can help others feel less alone. It’s a privilege I’ll never take for granted.

It’s a terrifying time being diagnosed with a chronic illness, for the patients involved and everyone around them. I want to use my own experiences to show there is life after Crohn’s – and that it can be everything you want it to be.

Go Your Crohn Way – A Gutsy Guide to Living with Crohn’s Disease by Kathleen Nicholls is published by Singing Dragon Publishers on 21st May. It is currently available from Amazon or on the Singing Dragon website.

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Parents in West Lothian

d How To Keep The Old MacdngonYoalur Song Clean While Not Losid Wellies In The Mu About a week ago I was sitting in the Centre in Livingston, taking a break from manic shopping with my two wee monsters, and the place was heaving and buzzing with kids’ chatter and varied squeals and moans according to each little cherub’s mood.

“Mummy, she’s got my juice!” from a boy with a keen sense of justice and lack thereof …

“Daddy, I want popcorn!” from a peckish pigtailed pre-schooler …

“Mummy, I’m tired!” from a weary child in a superman onesie, complete with sewn-in sixpack …

“Noooooooo give to me!” from an aggrieved, chubby-faced toddler …

It twisted my heart to hear these things; I would dearly love to be rudely ordered to surrender some toy or foodstuff, but thus far my little boy Quinn who is coming up for 3 has delayed speech and only uses a couple of words sporadically.

I’m constantly worrying about whether he will speak, how will it affect his ability to make friends if he doesn’t, will he be able to say “I love you Mummy.”?

We do lots to encourage him, and just now the theme of our bedtime books is ‘farms’. Recently while driving we had a breakthrough - as we belted out a particularly rousing rendition of ‘Old MacDonald’ Quinn quietly interjected in the duckverse with ‘wack-wack’ (close enough for me and certainly surprising enough for me to nearly crash the car) so a trip to see some real ducks (and 52

Our column is West Lothia t: Nicola Jengaenga li ves in n with Quin months an d her hubby n 2, Penny 10 Channa, 33 .

Nicola & Ch anna both w ork, jugglin schedules w ith g their two tin the ever-evolving dem hectic y overlords, ands of in some tim and also sq ueezing e for each ot her!

In this new bl the adventu og for Konect she chro nicles res (and m isad Mummy an d Daddy wh ventures) of a the happy ti o aim to wri m ng all babies in w es they can from life w onderful W est Lothian ith their !

other assorted residents of Old MacDonald’s farm) was soon high on the agenda.

Cue a trip to Craigie Farm! It’s on the way to Queensferry through some pretty winding roads, and when we arrived we had a look for the animals. First up were the pigs and their piglets. Lots of interesting country smells around that area but after a bit of coaching Quinn was repeating ‘pig’ more or less perfectly! Next! Across a little road to the next field to see two ponies (I called them horses for simplicity and also so that the appropriate line in Old MacDonald would still scan smoothly) and after a little coaxing I got a whispered ‘hoss’ – superb! Next, to the chickens and their tiny baby chicks in their little hot house – after some spirited efforts to encourage Quinn to ‘cluck’, the actual noise elicited sounded a lot like a bad word so that project was quickly abandoned …

After a quick bite in the café, and a trolley-dash in the farm shop (chicken stock, tablet, fresh bread; check, check, check!) we braved the newly gusty weather for a go in the play park just outside the café area. This area has been re-done with fake grass underfoot so it is now possible to partake in the sliding and swinging fun without looking like you’ve attended a wet Glastonbury.

In the car on the way home we had another go of ‘Old MacDonald’ – I could see in the mirror a couple of words were mouthed as we sang.

The only audible contribution from Quinn? The chicken noise which wasn’t quite ‘cluck’ … oh well.

k

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The Countdown to Summer in West Lothian The clocks have gone forward; the nights are getting lighter and the final countdown to summer has begun!

With the spring season in full force, some of our top attractions have now re-opened for the season. Take a stroll through Hopetoun House and Grounds, enjoy a relaxing boat ride along the canal at The Linlithgow Canal Centre or take a visit to Annet House Museum for a fun and educational day with the family.

There are a whole host of events coming up throughout May, for you and the family to look forward to. The Festival of Museums will be taking place at Almond Valley Heritage Centre on the 14th & 15th May. West Lothian Rangers Services have also released their Events Program for 2016 which includes a number of outdoor activities for children to enjoy

throughout the summer at West Lothian’s country parks. With our final event in the May calendar being the West Lothian Highland Games which will be taking place in Bathgate on the 28th of May. So check out these fabulous events and let’s get excited about summer in West Lothian!

If you haven’t seen our fabulous new Visitor Guide yet, then check out our leaflet stands at locations across West Lothian or you can simply check out our online version which is available on our website www.visitwestlothian. co.uk

For the latest on all the great things to see and do in West Lothian please visit www.visitwestlothian.co.uk, Facebook. com: VisitWestLothian and Twitter.com: @teamwestlothian

PUZZLES

CROSSWORD

Solution in the June edition of konect

Across 7 A large sea (13) 8 Disclosed (8) 9 Opposed to (4) 10 Move forward (7) 12 Allude to (5) 14 Learn (5) 16 Not coolest (7) 19 Zn (4) 20 Fizzy drink (8) 22 Practical example (13) Down 1 Not there (4) 2 Picture house (6) 3 Think about (7) 4 Unrefined (5) 5 Breathe in (6) 6 Insensitive (8) 11 Thorough (8) 13 Mallets (7) 15 Physician (6) 17 Tiny (6) 18 Show embarrassment (5) 21 Let fall (4)

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KONECT

Porteous Funeral Directors - New Premises charge, to local community groups for meetings.

Our already well-established premises at 553 Lanark Road is now a showroom for headstones and other memorial products.

Our newly-opened, purpose-built premises at 589 Lanark Road in Juniper Green now offer a comprehensive service for families within the local community.

Our bright modern facilities provide a peaceful setting where you can discuss arrangements and spend time with your loved one if you wish.

We are also proud to offer families the use of a dedicated Service Room which seats up to 60 people and has audio visual and web-casting options.

We know that business hours are difficult for some, so we are also open on a Saturday from 9am to 1pm and are available on Saturday afternoons and Sundays by appointment.

Alternatively, you may feel more comfortable within your own surroundings, so we are happy to meet you at home at a time that is convenient for you.

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COMMUNITY

Visit to the new West Calder High School

By Fiona Wilson, West C alder High School parent council

If you are driving west along the A71 towards West Calder, you can’t help but have noticed the hive of industry going on to prepare the land for the entrance to our new West Calder High School.

The planning process is well under way with the timeline as follows:• Planning application for new bridge September 2015 • Planning application for new school January 2016 • New bridge construction - January ~ September 2016 • New school construction - October 2016 ~ June 2018 • Deadline for pupils moving into new school - 30th of June 2018 In the meantime members of the S3 Geology Elective (“Scotland Rocks”) visited the construction site in April as part of their course, having undertaken their own research into the

local geology and mining in West Lothian. They observed the operations to infill the shallow mine workings beneath the approach road to the new school. The geologist and engineers responsible for the site showed the pupils plans of the mine from over 100 years ago when it closed. They explained how they drill down to find these workings and then fill them with “grout” to close up any empty spaces underground. This is essential preparation work before building in an area where underground workings exist, such as many parts of West Lothian.

The pupils also observed the old railway cutting being filled in. The branch line passed through the cutting, under the A71 and then around the old Westwood Oil Works, which was the last crude oil works in Scotland. It will take about 35,000 cubic metres of oil shale rock reclaimed from the Winchburgh bing to fill the short section of cutting by the new school entrance.

The visit provided experience of ground investigation work (mud, mud and more mud!) and an appreciation of the health and safety regulations needed because of the heavy machinery used.

If you are interested in what the new school is going to look like please check out www.WCHS. org.uk for more information.

West Calder High School Geology students with some of the drilling machines that they examined during their visit.

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WHAT’S ON

and Useful Information Thursday 5th May Spring Walk in Calderwood Learn about this special site, its management and a chance to see the spring wildflowers.

Suitable for: All (adults and older children) Meet: Gasworks Brae entrance, off Bank Street, Mid Calder. Time: 6.30pm – 8.30pm. Cost: free. Please wear sturdy footwear. Booking essential please contact the Rangers on 01506 882254, email: almondell&calderwood@westlothian.gov.uk Friday 6th & Saturday 7th May Toccata Ladies Choir Annual Concert Howden Park Centre, Livingston, 7.30pm.

Musical Director: E. Howat; Accompanist: D. Finlay; Baritone: I. McLean; Keyboard: P. Horsfall; with guests.

Tickets £11 from Howden Park Centre Box Office, tel: 01506 777666 or www.howdenparkcentre.co.uk. For more information see www.toccataladieschoir.co.uk Saturday 7th May Kirknewton Allotments Association Plant Sale 10am – 2pm at the Green Room, Main Street, Kirknewton. Cakes, drinks and plants!

Saturday 7th May Family Fun Day in aid of Cancer Research UK From 12noon at Howden Park Centre, Livingston.

Inflatables, Climbing wall, bungee trampoline, stalls, cakes, icecream. Wristbands for inflatables £7 unlimited use.

Sunday 15th May Wildflower Walk Almondell is carpeted with wildflowers during the spring. Enjoy their colour and scent and find out their names and traditional uses on this afternoon walk along the banks of the River Almond. Suitable for: All (adults and older children). Meet: Almondell Visitor Centre. Time: 2pm-3pm. Cost: Free. 01506 882254, email: almondell&calderwood@westlothian.gov.uk Saturday 21st May Mid Calder Spring Fayre 10.00 until 1.00 in the Masonic Hall, Mid Calder. Over 20 stalls displaying and selling a wide variety of interesting merchandise. See poster on page 18 for details.

including: Highland Dancing Competition, Pipe Band Competition, Solo Piping Competition, ‘Heavies” Competition, Veterans’ Road Race. Other great attractions include: Children’s Entertainment, Cookery Demonstrations, Craft Stalls,... and more. See westlothiangames.com for more details. Admission: Adults: £5 - Children 5 & over: £3. Family ticket: £12 Howden Park Centre has a busy programme of events including live music, dance, theatre, workshops and exhibitions. See their website at www. howdenparkcentre.co.uk for complete up to date listing or contact the box office: 01506 777666.

Kirknewton Gala 10k As part of pre-gala day entertainment, we have added a new event. A 10k road race for you runners out there with a shorter route for the younger ones or those just starting out in running.

Save the date: Thursday 16th June. Early evening. £5 entry fee. Great prizes. Starting and ending in the park. Check the Kirknewton facebook page for updates.

Access 2 employment Job Club. Kirknewton Green Room, Fridays, 9.30am-1pm. Contact Fraser on 07899 063971.

To include your event here, please email editor@konectdirectory. co.uk or call 07854 492638.

Library Information Libraries closed for Bank Holiday Monday 2nd May.

East Calder Library Main Street, East Calder, EH53 0EJ T: 01506 883633 E: eastcalder.lib@westlothian.gov.uk Opening times: East Calder Library: Mon & Fri 10am – 5pm, Tues 10am-3pm, Wed 11am-4pm, Thurs 12pm7pm, Sat 10am-1pm.

Saturday 28th May Sing on the Bing Music and Arts Festival, Recreation Park, Pumpherston, from 12noon.

Please note Registration Services are now available by appointment only. Monday – 2.00 to 4.30. Wednesday – 11am-1pm. Friday – 2.00 to 4.30. Telephone 01506 883633.

Saturday 28th May West Lothian Highland Games In Meadow Park, Bathgate. 10am-6pm. West Lothian Highland Games returns to its traditional site this year in Meadow Park, Bathgate. Come along and enjoy traditional Scottish entertainment,

Bookbug: We are celebrating Book Bug Week from 16-21st May. There is a book bug session on Mon16th 10.30-11am. This year’s theme is ‘Around the world’.

There is also a craft session on Saturday 21st from 10.30-12.00. ‘Dress a teddy bear’ All children welcome to participate. Another book bug session will be held on Sat 28th from 10.30-11.00am.

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WHAT’S ON

and Useful Information Adult book groups: Thursday 12th & 19th. Collect a copy of this months books from the library.

IT CLASSES: Mondays 1.30-3.30. Book a place in the library.

Other facilities we offer are: free internet access, cheap printing facilities and free scanning.

There are daily papers to read and magazines to browse in a warm safe environment.

Pumpherston Library Drumshoreland Road, Pumpherston, EH53 0LF T: 01506 280996. E: pumpherston.lib@westlothian. gov.uk Opening times: Monday – 14.00 to 17.00.

Wednesday – 14.30 to 16.30. Thursday – 14.00 to 18.00.

West Calder Library & Customer Information Service West Calder Library and Customer Information Services are temporarily relocated at 24-26 Main Street, West Calder. T: 01506 771630 Opening Times: Monday – 10.00 to 16.00. Tuesday – 10.00 to 19.00. Wednesday – 11.00 to 16.00. Thursday – 11.00 to 18.00. Friday – 10.00 to 15.00. Saturday – 10.00 to 13.00. CIS enquiry desk closed each day 1:00 pm – 1:30 pm.

Bookbug: Monthly Bookbug sessions have recently restarted in West Calder. Because of space restrictions in temporary location these are held in West Calder Community Centre. Please call the library on 01506 771630 for more information on dates and to book a place.

Bookgroups: Book groups run on first two Tuesdays of the month at 5:30 pm and on the last Thursday of the month at 4:45 pm.

Community Councils East Calder and District Community Council meet the first Tuesday of every month (except July) at 19:00 in East Calder Community Education Centre.

Tues 2nd June, Tues 4th Aug, Tues 8th Sept.

Kirknewton Community Council meet on the second Tuesday of each month (except July) at 6.45pm in the Green Room on the Main Street. All welcome.

Mid Calder Community Council meets on the second Thursday of each month at 7.30pm (except July and August) in Institute Hall, 15 Market Street, Mid Calder.

Pumpherston Community Council meet on the first Tuesday of each month at Pumpherston and Uphall Station Community Primary School at 7pm ~ All meetings are open to the public and we would be delighted to see you. www.pumpherstoncc.org/

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clubs & classes

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

Firefly Arts

Firefly Arts provide fun and friendly theatre, film and drama workshops for children and young people (5 to 25 years) in venues across West Lothian. Call 08447 744496 or email admin@firefly-arts.co.uk for more information on our current programme. Firefly Arts Ltd, Howden Park Centre, Livingston, EH54 6AE. www.firefly-arts.co.uk

Lothian Running Club

We 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 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 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

West Lothian Baking Club

We meet approximately every 6th Wednesday 7:30 – 9:30pm in Dechmont Hall to talk about all things baking related.

No requirement to be the next Mary Berry! £2 per meeting.

Email wlbakingclub@yahoo.co.uk or find us on facebook.

West Lothian Royal Scottish Country Dance Society Classes in South Church Hall, Uphall Starting on Thurs 17th Sept 7.30 to 9.30pm. 10 weeks through to the 19th Nov, then starting the 7th January through to 10th Mar 2016. £3 per week. Teacher Mrs Margaret McGregor. Dancing for fun & fitness, any new beginners very welcome. For more info contact Sandra Cheyne, tel 01506 430600 email sdcheyne77@yahoo.com.

EAST CALDER Pre-birth Yoga

East Calder Community Centre. Wed 5.15pm – 6.45pm. 6 week programme starts 24 September. For more details: 07767 777044 or ruth@sukha.co.uk

Forget-Me-Not Café

East Calder Church Hall, Manse Court. Last Thursday of the month, 10am – 12pm. A meeting place for people with dementia and their carers of all ages. Drop in and join us for information, support and social activities. Supported

by Alzheimer Scotland and East Calder Church. For more information please phone 01506 533 116.

East Calder Bowling Club

Bingo every Sun and Wed 8pm– 9.30pm. Junior coaching (10 to 16 years old) every friday 2pm – 4pm. We can also coach adults, free, so come along and give it a try. Hats every Mon 6-30pm. See club website at www.eastcalderbowlingclub. com. Members can find details here of competitions, play by dates and club news.

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East Calder Jog Scotland Group

Meet every Tuesday at East Calder Health centre car park at 7pm. All abilities welcome, a social way to get fit, make friends and enjoy local countryside. Contact Dawn on 01506 883330 or 07806 772935 for more details.

Yoga for Everyone

East Calder Community Centre. Wed 7.00pm – 8.30pm For further info contact Ruth Plevin: 01506204338 or ruth@ sukha.co.uk

East Calder Colts FC

East Calder Park. We are currently recruiting for an under 10’s team born 2002. For information required regarding any of our teams please visit our website www. eastcaldercolts.co.uk or contact Head Coach Paul Garrad on 0797 959 2674. Let’s put the fun back into football. All welcome.

East Calder Old Folks Club

East Calder Community Centre. Last Thursday of the month, September to April 1.30pm - 3.30pm. Pensioners and non-pensioners welcome. Contact Carol Anne Murray (Secretary).

East Calder Ladies’ Circle

East Calder Community Centre. Second Thursday of the month, September to May at 1-3pm. Secretary: Mrs E Bennett, 73 Mansefield, East Calder, West Lothian EH53 0JE.

East Calder Youth Club

East Calder Scout Group

Scout Hall, Calderhall Terrace. Beavers Mon 6.15 - 7.15pm (boys 6 - 8 yrs). Cubs Mon 7.30 - 9.00pm (boys 8 - 10 yrs).

Scouts Tues 7.15 - 9.00pm (boys 10 - 14 yrs). Contact Jack Galloway on 077907 93889 eastcalderscouts.org.uk

East Calder Needlecraft Club We are a group of ladies who would like to invite you to our weakly Thursday meetings, between 7 and 9.30 pm in the Community Centre. We enjoy a range of needlecrafts including cross stitch, embroidery, knitting, crochet, sewing.

Friendly tuition given. Our members range in age from 18 to 80. Outings include a trip to Hobby Craft in Glasgow, S.E.C.C. Also away day trips - something to please everyone.

Tea and biscuits provided. Please contact 01506 882427 for more information.

East Calder Old Tyme Dance Club

East Calder Community Centre We meet Tuesday afternoons from 1 pm to 3 pm, and dance to live music from Bobby Abbot, accordionist. Beginners/ learners are very welcome to join us in this very friendly club.

Slimming World

Pigeon Club, Oakbank Road, East Calder Tuesdays at 3.30pm, 5.30pm and 7.30pm and Wednesdays at 9.30am. Contact Sue on 07803 520781 for more information.

East Calder Community Centre. Fri 6.15pm - 8.45pm. Ages 10 to 14 yrs. Cooking, football, baseball and other outdoor sports, pool, video games, board games and arts/crafts.

Contact Gary Sneddon 01506 774473.

KIRKNEWTON

New Mums Group

The Green Room Thursdays 2pm-2.45pm. Songs, stories and rhymes just for the little ones. Meet other mums & make new friends. Contact Amanda on 07814 055499.

This group is for new mums of any age. East Calder Community Centre. Mon 11.00am – 12.30pm. Free. Contact health visitor via health centre for further details 01506 880582

Breast Feeding Support Group

East Calder Church Hall. Wednesday 11.30 am – 12.30 pm.

Contact Health Visitors via Health Centre for further details 01506 880582

Bingo

Pigeon Club, East Calder. Sun 8.00 - 10.00 All welcome

Boys Brigade

East Calder Church Hall. Anchors (age 5 - 8) Fridays 6.30 7.30pm. Juniors (age 8 - 11) Fridays 6.45 - 8.15pm. Company Section (age 11-18). Fridays 7.30 - 9.45pm. Call Jean Gilchrist 01506 880367

East Calder Playgroup

Now located in East Calder Community Centre. Mon-Fri 9am-11am from 2 years. For the best introduction to your child’s education - lots of fun to be had! £5 per session.

Contact Carol on 07748 053340.

Rainbows, Brownies and Guides

East Calder Church Hall, Main Street. Rainbows Mon 6.30 – 7.30pm and Wed 6.15 – 7.15pm. Brownies Tues 6.30 – 8pm & Wed 6.30 – 8pm. Guides: Wed 7.30-9pm. Monday Guides meet in Kirknewton Chuch Hall 7pm-9pm. Guides contact Fiona Wilson 07595 679117 fionamhwilson@sky.com.

Contact Gillian Maben 01506 880640.

Toddler Clinic

East Calder Health Centre. 1st Tues every month. Drop in for advice & support 1.30–3.30pm KONECT

Mini & Me Music Group

Kirknewton Youth Group

Village hall or Green Room. Fridays 6-8pm. For P7+. Please Contact Jennifer at jenniferkirknewton@gmail.com

Kirknewton Starlets

Kirknewton Primary School. Babies class up to age 8 Thurs 5.30 - 6.30pm. Junior/senior class Thurs 6.15 - 8.00pm. For info contact Trisha on email t.ewing@btinternet.com

Kosy Kaff

Kirknewton Village Hall. Fridays 4pm – 5pm term time.

Free home baking, hot chocolate, games and activities for primary school aged children. See www.knec4jesus.org.uk for more information.

Pilates Classes

Kirknewton Village Hall: Tuesdays 6.45pm to 7.35pm (Improvers and Intermediates); Thursdays 9.10am to 10.00am (Intermediates) and 10.10am to 11.00am (Beginners and Improvers). Balerno Scouts Hall: Tuesdays 9.10am to 10.00am (mixed). For more details contact elise@ekpilates. co.uk. You’ll also find me on facebook.com/ekpilates.

Kirknewton Rainbows and Brownies

Kirknewton Village Hall. Rainbows Wed 5pm-6.15pm; Brownies Wed 6.30pm-8pm. Contact Gill on 01506 883261 or gillww@hotmail.com

Toddler Group

Kirknewton Church Hall. Parents/carers with tots aged 0-3 yrs, friendly group with play, stories and craft for the children and meet up/chat for parents. Thur 9.30 - 11.30am.

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clubs & classes Physio Pilates Classes

Modified Pilates taught by a Chartered Physiotherapist.

Kirknewton Village Hall. Tuesdays 6.45pm and 7.45pm suitable for beginners or improvers. Spaces are limited so for more information or to book contact Dianne on 07795466464. diannemackenzie1@gmail.com. Facebook: Physio Pilates Classes.

Kirknewton Runners

Meet at Kirknewton Park every Monday at 19.30

Hatton Sports Club

Tennis and squash. Burnwynd, Kirknewton. Social and competitive play. LTA-qualified tennis coaches. Contact Carol Blamire 01506 880208

Kirknewton Stompers

Walking group, meeting at Kirknewton Park entrance on Park Terrace. Every Wed 7.30pm. Join the group on the community facebook page where people post details of the walk, or any other time they are walking.

Simply Play

Kaspars Out of School Care for Kirknewton. Kirknewton Primary School. Mon – Thu 3.15-6.00pm, Fri 12.30 – 6.00. Call 07871 791000

Kirknewton Women’s Rural Institute

Come and join us for a friendly evening of craft, demonstrations and fun. 2nd Thursday of each month, 7.15pm in Kirknewton Church Hall.

Potter Around

Art and craft studio at Overton Farm, Kirknewton EH27 8DD. Drop in anytime for ceramic painting and decopatch or have fun playing with clay. Book both adults and children’s parties in a wide range of arts and crafts. Open the first Tuesday of each month for those who prefer evening. Book into one of our many workshops including candle making, potter’s wheel, felting, jewllery and glass fusion. Regular classes include oil painting for both adults and children and our Kids Art Club on a Friday afternoon as well as the Warhammer Club on a Saturday afternoon. We take commission for painted pottery and artwork and we have a gift shop selling hand made items from jewellery through to art. Look out for our summer workshops running for children through the holidays. For more information call 01506 238961, email chat@potteraround.co.uk. www. potteraround.co.uk www.facebook.com/PotterAround

Kirknewton Play Group

Kirknewton Village Hall. Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Fridays 9.15am to 11.30am. Ages 2 to 4 1/2 years. £5 per session. Call in and see us during session times or email kirknewtonplaygroup@yahoo.com

Celtic Stepz

Kirknewton Village Hall. Adult dance class to encourage adults back into dance and raise money for good causes.

Wednesdays 8.15-9.30pm. Contact Cathy on 01506 881674

MID CALDER 5th West Lothian Mid Calder Cub Group

Mid Calder Institute Hall. Thursdays 7.20 to 8.30. New cubs welcome. Aged betweem 8 – 10 years. Please contact Vroni on 07900 907297.

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Mid Calder School of Dance

Mid Calder Institute Hall. Highland, Disco Tues 6.00pm - 7.00pm and Fri 6.00pm - 9.00pm. Various ages. Contact Heather 01501733054.

Myra Mackie School of Dance

Classes in Livingston, Uphall Station, Mid Calder and Broxburn. Please see our website for full timetable and venues. Children from 2 years to adult.www. myramackieschoolofdance.co.uk incorporating our competitive cheer division the Scottish Starlets.

Star Harmonies

Musical Theatre School. Mid Calder Institue Hall.Tuesdays 10-30-11am- Baby Starz; 11-15-11-45am- Little Starz. Other classes in Polbeth. Black Bull Inn Thursdays 6:10-7:10pm Liv’n Harmoneez Kids/Teenz Choir; 7:30-9:30pm The Liv’n Harmony Singers adult choir. Contact 07545 178310 for more information. See www.starharmonies.co.uk email: starharmonies.musicworkshops@gmail.com

West Lothian Women’s Cycle Club

Meet every Thursday at Mid Calder Primary School Car Park at 6pm. Get on your bike! All abilities welcome, should have own bike and kit. A great way to get fit, have fun and meet new friends around the local area. Contact Elizabeth Logan on 07515 161 307.

Welcome Café

Glenalmond Hall. Every Tuesday 10am-12noon. This is a Fair Trade Café all proceeds of which to the Vine Trust in Peru.

Do come along and enjoy a cup of tea or coffee and some home baking with friends.

Mid Calder Camera Club

Institute Hall, Market Street. Wed 7:30pm – 9:45pm.

All levels of photographers are welcome. For more information, visit www.mccc.org.uk or call Steve Collier at 01506 881398 or Gordon Scott at 01506 882616.

Mid Calder Colts FC

Teams covering all ages, playing soccer 7s, 11-a-side and also a soccer school. For more information see the Colts’ website www.mid-calder-colts.org. Contact Carole 883934.

Contact@mid-calder-colts.org.

Mid Calder Baby & Toddler Group

Institute Hall, Tuesdays & Thursdays 9am-11am. £1 per baby / £1.50 per toddler per session, all welcome. Please email midcalderbabygroup@gmail.com for more details.

Rainbows, Brownies and Guides

Rainbows Wed night, Brownies Tues night, Guides Mon and Wed nights. To register please go to the Girl Guiding website, Parent’s sections.

Yoga Classes

Masonic Hall. Wednesday evening class 7.30 -9pm. Contact Linda Bibby 01506 884115. www.wholebodybalance.co.uk

Folk Club

The MidCalder Inn, Mid Calder. Meets every third Tuesday of the month 8pm at the “Tap Shop”.

Choral Highlights Ladies’ Choir

We would like to invite all ladies with a love for singing and music to come and join us. You don’t have to be able to read music. We are a well established three part choir and have a membership of around 20 ladies. We sing a wide variety of songs including music from films and shows, spiritual, traditional and pop music. We hold two concerts annually, one before Christmas and one in the summer KONECT

accompanied by West Calder Brass Band. We also sing at venues across the region on request. The choir practices in Kirk of Calder on Wednesdays 7.30 - 8.45pm. New members are always most welcome to join. Contact John Rankine 01506 880029.

Service 9:45 am every Sunday. Minister: Rev Dr Jonanda Groenewald, 8 Manse Court, East Calder EH53 0HF. Tel 01506 884802

POLBETH

Kirknewton Services 9:45 in the Kirknewton Kirk, Station Rd. East Calder Services 11:15 in the East Calder Church, Main St. Sunday School and creche available. Rev Dr AJ Groenewald 8 Manse Court East Calder EH53 0HF. 01506 884585 or 07588 845814. groenstes@yahoo.com website www.knec4jesus.org.uk

Star Harmonies

Musical Theatre School Polbeth Harwood Church.

Mondays: Drama: 6-6-40pm- P1-3; 6-45-7-25pm- P4-7; 7-308-10pm- S1+. Dance: 6-6-30pm- Nursery-P2; 6-30-7-30pmS1+; 7-30-8-10pm- P3-P7. Tuesdays: 3-15-3-45pm- Baby Starz; 3-50-4-20pm- Little Starz; 4-20-5pm- Little Harmoneez.

Other classes in Mid Calder. Contact 07545 178310 for more information. See www starharmonies.co.uk email: starharmonies.musicworkshops@gmail.com

Polbeth W.R.I.

1st Wednesday of the month at 7pm. Come along for an interesting programme of talks and demonstrations. New members always welcome. Further info on 01506 435708.

PUMPHERSTON Pumpherston United FC

Four groups, including a soccer school for 5-12 yrs (Thur 6.00pm - 7.30pm); 1998 age group (Tuesdays); 1997 age group (Mon and Wed) and 1995 age group (Mon and Wed). Training at Pumpherston Recreation Park. For more information, please email feedback@pumpherston-united. co.uk

Church of Scotland

Mid Calder

Services 10.30 every Sunday in the Kirk of Calder, Main St, Mid Calder. Sunday School and crèche available.

Pumpherston services - The Kirk of Calder also holds fortnightly services on Wednesday mornings at 10:15 at the Pumpherston Institute Hall. The website www.kirkofcalder. com has full details of current activities/services.

St Theresa’s Catholic Church

Masses - 11.30AM every Sunday. 9am every Monday and Friday. 6pm every Wednesday. Confessions - After Mass on Sundays, or on request. www.livingstoncatholicparishes. co.uk; 01506 880918 frpaul@livingstoncatholicparishes. co.uk.

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

Uphall Station Creative Play

Meets in Uphall Station Institute Hall. Tues 1-3pm and Thurs 9.30-11.15am. Parents/carers of babies/toddlers age 0-5 very welcome. Supported by SureStart. Different play activities every week.

The Look Group

Outdoors activities in Almondell and Calderwood Country Park for ages 8-12. Meeting at Visitor Centre 10.30 - 12.00 Saturdays - not every Sat, check programme with the Rangers on 01506 882254.

WEST CALDER West Lothian Fibromyalgia Support Group

Meets on the third Sunday of the month 1.30pm – 3.30pm, at West Calder Community Centre. New members always warmly welcomed. Join us for support, information, friendship, talks and outings. See sites.google.com/site/ wlfibromyalgia or call Sheila on 0844 887 2388 for more information.

Solution to April Crossword Across: 7 Vision, 8 Auntie, 9 Asia, 10 Athletic, 11 Insects, 13 Pelts, 15 Bills, 17 Ponders, 20 Nibbling, 21 Only, 23 Issued, 24 London.

Down: 1 Zips, 2 Pirate, 3 Infants, 4 Yacht, 5 Sneeze, 6 Sinister, 12 Noisiest, 14 Roughly, 16 Labour, 18 Drowns, 19 Birds, 22 Loot.

18th West Lothian Scout Group

West Kirk Hall, West Calder. Beavers Mon 6-7pm. Cubs Wed 6.16-7.30pm Scouts Thurs 6.30-8pm. Girls and boys 10.5 - 14 yrs. Contact Jean Walkinshaw 01506 873638.

West Calder Walking Group

Every Thurs at 12.30. Meet outside the Co-op, West Calder Main Street. Walk approx 1 hr then coffee/tea stop to finish.

Call 01506 871773 for more info.

CHURCHES Polbeth Harwood Church

Service 11:15 am every Sunday. West Kirk of Calder KONECT

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

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INDEX OF ADVERTISERS Accountant/Bookkeeping AKT Bookkeeping Architect Plan It Design Barber TJ’s Barbers

39 6 23

Bathrooms 1st Choice Living 29 Bathgate Bathroom Studio 12 Duffy Mclean 34 Ekco 45 Beauty Lisa Blair Beauty Therapy 25 Natrabrow 4 Bowling Club East Calder Bowling Club Mid Calder Bowling Club

19 13

Builder Almond Building Company 35 Build-It 6 Building Supplies MKM Building Supplies

4

Building Surveyor David Hastings

26

Cake Maker A Sprinkle of Sugar

4

Dentist Balerno Dental Care Currie Dental Care No9 Dentist Doors UPVC Doors

22 23 25 7

Dressmaking/Alterations Just Sew Nota Bene

19 23

Electrician A&A Electrical Riddell Electrical Services Simply Electrical

36 36 34

Fitness Classes Oriam 22 Florist Every Occasion Quite Contrary Vicky’s flowers

22 23 22

Foot Care Foot Clinic

23

Funeral Director Porteous Funeral Directors

55

Garage Doors Max’s Garage Doors Ltd

4

Garden & Landscaping AA Landscaping 31 Beatson’s 10 D Greaves 47 Green Thumb 64 Ladies Who Garden 47 Riccarton Garden Centre 47 SG Garden Services 47

Car Bodywork JWG Car Care

41

Car Sales Colin Nixon Hermiston Motors

17 63

Car Service & Repair Auto Fitness Autocare Solutions Colin Nixon Hermiston Motors Kirknewton Garage LVS Garage Services MBA Specialists

41 41 17 63 40 5 7

Carpet & Upholstery Cleaning James Burnett Carpet Cleaning

26

Catering Food Creations

Gym/Health Club Oriam 22

49

Charity British Heart Foundation

Hairdresser Jane & Friends

25

54

Children’s Nursery Angela Elizabeth Nursery

Handyman 1st Call Handyman

39

53

Chiropody/Podiatry Livingston Chiropody & Podiatry

Healthcare ABC Hearing

33

20

Cleaning Services C and W Cleaning Services James Burnett Carpet Cleaning

26 26

Heating Services Duffy McLean L & S Heating

12 34

Complementary Therapies Access 2 Balance

19

Computer Services Sort My Pc Sprint Computers

Joiner Craigcrook Joinery Geoff Vinter Joinery GR Construction

6 35 36

14 39

Dance Supplies Highland Dance Shop

53

62

Garden Buildings Champfleurie Estate Ltd Woodford Timber Scotland

11 2

GAS STOCKISTS Charles Gas

6

Golf Club Baberton Golf Club

14

Kitchens Duffy Mclean 34 Ekco 45 S & S Home Improvements 27

Locksmith West Lothian Locksmith

35

Mobility Med-Ecosse 21 Motorhome (hire/sale) Motorhome Hire Scotland

6

Oven Cleaner The Clean Team

53

Painter/Decorator Braekirk Decorator’s Nu Walls TML Décor

35 35 40

Paving Edinburgh Paving Company

31

Pet Services Milrig Kennels South Lodge Cattery Tilly Chance Dog Grooming

43 43 42

Plastering Alexander Aitken Plastering Nu Walls

36 35

Plumbing Services Currievale Plumbing 34 EPH 40 Livingston Plumbing Company 12 Public House Black Bull The Grapes Bistro

51 32

Restaurant Al Borgo Sky Kitchen

49 49

Roofing Thomson Roofing Services

37

Storage Unit Storage Containers

39

Takeaway Sky Kitchen

49

Telecoms Services John McGraw Telephone Engineer

36

Tiling Service With A Tile

35

Tree Surgery Maxwell Tree Care

49

Trusted Trader Scheme West Lothian Trusted Trader

26

Venue Edinburgh Corn Exchange

15

Vet ICR Vets Pentland Veterinary Clinic

42 43

Wedding Services Edinburgh Corn Exchange Nota Bene Quite Contrary Vicky’s flowers

15 23 23 22

Windows 1st Choice Living Red Hot Windows

29 36

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KONECT

63