Konect Linlithgow July 2016

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JULY 2016

linlithgow

WIN!

Two tickets to Party at the Palace!

FEATUREs

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

Party at the Palace - behind the scenes Local People - Cara McDonald Local Walk - Ravencraig Wood plus local businesses, community information and more!

A new community magazine for the Linlithgow area

22

WALK

M e ss ag e f ro m t h e e dito r

FEATUREs Par ty at the Palace

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REGULARS Parenting West Lothian Visit West Lothian Local Walk Local People – Car a McDonald Recipe

18 21 22 25 26

COMPETITIONS & PUZZLES Par ty at the Palace dr aw Crossword Sudoku

07 22 22

COMMUNITY What’s on Useful Infor mation Clubs & Classes

29 29 29

he summer holidays are just about upon us and it’s time to get out and explore West Lothian if you’re not going away this year. The local walk feature takes us up into the Bathgate Hills and our usual columns are here including homes and gardens. Visit West Lothian have some suggestions in their column on how to spend a day exploring locally.

Our feature this month goes behind the scenes at the Party at the Palace to find out about some of the challenges the organisers face as they prepare for the event’s third year. And they are generously offering Konect readers the chance to win a pair of tickets! See pages 6-8.

If you have an event on in the next couple of months that you’d like to promote to the local community, or if you’re involved in a club or hobby group, please let me know and we’ll make sure it’s included next month in the community pages at the back of the magazine.

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

INDEX OF ADVERTISERS

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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 magazine is delivered to 7500 homes and businesses in Linlithgow, Linlithgow Bridge and the surrounding area. Copies are also left at the library, post offices and other locations.

Front cover: Summer rain!

KONECT

/KonectDirectory

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5

FEATURE

McEwan’s Party at the Palace (Behind the Scenes)

by Suzanne Green

Family-friendly McEwan’s Party at the Palace (PATP), now in its third year, is enjoying growing popularity.

Set in the beautiful grounds of Linlithgow Palace, this year’s event will take place 13-14 August, with 7,000 people expected on each of the days.

Who would guess that, during its formative years, the problems faced by its organisers would be a wooden bridge, a raw beetroot and a blonde wig?

Music manager John Richardson came up with the PATP idea over a pint on a night out with other Linlithgow dads. “We meet up every couple of months – when we’re allowed out,” he says. “On this occasion we were discussing ways we could make our fortunes. We wanted to quit our day jobs and do something more exciting.

“One dad suggested buying a bull and selling its sperm. But the issue of whose garden to keep it in ruled that one out. Next up was a canal boat that we could all own shares in. We’d hire it out during the summer months and use it ourselves in the off season. I’d just come back from working on several music festivals, so I suggested we do one on The Peel.”

John’s idea was greeted with more enthusiasm than the first two, but he failed to sufficiently impress the “dragons” to the point where they 6

were willing to invest. Later he phoned his longtime friend Peter Ferguson, who runs a Production and Events company. “I knew Peter would be up for it,” John comments, “but my partner needed a lot more convincing. Ellen saw this as yet another venture that might end in disaster. [John says he has about a 1 in 20 strike rate for the success of his money-making schemes!] But in the end, she was very supportive.”

For John and Peter, doing the initial footwork involved numerous meetings with the local Council. There had never been an event of this type in the area, not in recent times anyway. They gained the necessary permissions, but there were many challenges. One of these was site access. How were they to transport generators, the stage and heavy equipment across a wooden bridge with a 7.5 tonne weight limit. “In the end everything had to be decanted from the Low Port Centre car park,” says John.

Another challenge was securing everything to the ground. “Everything had to be weighted down with water ballast,” says Peter. “Historic Scotland required this to ensure that nothing of historic interest underground was damaged.”

PATP was launched in the summer of 2014. “It was the ideal year to kick it off,” says Peter, “because it was the year of Homecoming Scotland, the Independence referendum, and Glasgow hosting KONECT

the Commonwealth Games. So we decided to feature all Scottish bands at our first event.” These included Deacon Blue, Simple Minds and The Silencers, among others.

Were there teething problems? The short answer is yes. John and Peter hired a brewery, which provided only about a quarter of the on-site staff they’d promised, resulting in massive queues. “I remember not wanting to walk down the High Street, I felt so bad,” says John. Thankfully, since that time there have been big improvements in the catering. And those who come can expect good facilities, clean toilets and a safe familyfriendly event.

Perhaps the biggest hurdle for the organisers was attracting big name bands. “Everything is done through agents, and it was really hard,” Peter recalls. “We were new – why should an agent trust us? We had no track record yet. Simple Minds said no many times before they finally said yes. I think in the end they agreed just so we’d stop annoying them! It was the same with The Proclaimers.”

And the beet goes on John explains that the headline acts “really keep us on our toes”. Their contracts always include a rider, which is a list of the band’s demands. One thing Simple Minds required was a beetroot. “They wanted a raw, uncooked beetroot,” says John.

“So we bought one, but then managed to lose it!

This led to a frantic search for a beetroot at 6:30 pm on a Sunday. We eventually got one from Grangemouth. Then later, when we were clearing up, there sat the original beetroot in the dressing room, untouched.”

Last year a blonde wig caused havoc. Peter and John first knew they had trouble when their driver announced that Nile Rodgers had missed his flight and would not make it. Fortunately, it was the one from Belgium, not his trans-Atlantic flight. He could get another plane and arrive late.

“At this point we were told we would have to collect Nile in a car big enough to accommodate a wheelchair,” John recalls. “Nile had fallen at a concert the night before and was now in a wheelchair!” Further chaos ensued when it was discovered that the airline had lost many of Nile’s entourage’s suitcases. In all they had 80 bags – and 12 of them were missing. Of course, these were the bags containing their stage clothes!

Billy Ocean will perform on the main stage on Sunday

The Proclaimers are headliners on the main stage on Saturday

You and a friend could be heading to this year’s McEwan’s Party at the Palace in August!

A pair of weekend tickets is up for grabs in our great prize draw.

The Proclaimers, Billy Ocean, The Fratellis, Gun and many more top acts will take to the stage this year and you could be joining in the fun!

For more info and tickets, visit: www.partyatthepalace.co.uk To enter, text or email your name, phone number, email address and the word “Party” to 07854 492638 or email editor@konectdirectory.co.uk Closing date for entries 15th July 2016.

Winner will be chosen at random after the closing date. Entrants must be 18 years or over. No cash alternative. Prize is one pair of weekend tickets only.

One of the backing singers refused to go on without her blonde wig, which was in one of the missing bags. Another frantic search. “We offered her all manner of headscarves,” says John, “but it had to be a wig. We put it on our own Facebook pages, and of course we were inundated with people offering their party afros! Eventually the airline found the cases and sent a fast car out to Linlithgow. But for all those who were waiting and waiting last year, the reason Nile was an hour late going on was because of a missing blonde wig! There are things you can plan for – we have a request for apple and pomegranate tea for one band this year –but it’s hard to envisage issues with beetroots and wigs!”

COMING SOON

This year PATP moves to the other side of the loch, which means there will be room for a second stage. Sponsored by local hotel the Star and Garter, Stage 2 will be for unsigned bands looking for some exposure. The extra space also means an extended VIP area, kids’ play area and more activities for children.

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You might imagine a music festival of this size would be organised from executive offices in Edinburgh. But John and Peter meet up every other day, working from John’s kitchen table or discussing business over lunch at the local garden centre. “We are encouraged that McEwan’s Party at the Palace is getting better and better,” says Peter. “And it’s our hope that it will continue to offer a fun, safe family-friendly weekend for many years to come.”

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John Richardson & Peter Ferguson – PATP organisers 8

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HOMES & GARDENS

New or Established Homes?

- You decide Traditional and established homes versus new-build is an ongoing debate among homebuyers.

Contact: Geoff Vinter 07817 073 577 Joinery 01506 414 573 All types of joinery work including: Doors, Floors, Skirtings & Facings Kitchens, Custom Built Fitted Wardrobes, Decking & Fencing

Like Cubism versus Pre-Raphaelite when it comes to art, it’s all down to personal taste… or is it? There are definitely contrasting factors to take into consideration depending on your personal circumstances so, if you’re trying to decide which one to go for in your quest for your dream home then here are some ideas to help you.

Location, location, location – a buzz phrase which has been endorsed by Alsop and Spencer is undoubtedly your first consideration. If you love the idea of a secluded cottage but need to commute to the city regularly then a cottage in Glencoe may not be the wisest move, unless you’re willing to exchange your Volkswagen Beetle for a four-wheel drive and four months’ supply of tinned sardines and baked beans in case you get snowed in.

CONTINUED ON PAGE 14 12

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HOMES & GARDENS

The beauty of choosing a home, whether a new build or established, in west Edinburgh or near the M8, is that you can enjoy country living to an extent, but are never far from either Edinburgh or Glasgow; and towns like Livingston or Bathgate have plenty of amenities to suit everyone. That’s the first box ticked then.

Traditional, Victorian or Edwardian stone-built villas present an opportunity to stamp your own character on your home – especially if it’s been modernised internally and you wish to strip it back and rebuilt it with authentic period features. Edwardian properties tend to be shorter in height than Victorian ones as there was very little need for servants’ quarters. Interior décor became lighter and finishes such as cornices became simpler.

With no servants to call on, it was important for the owner (or more often, tenant), to be able to keep the house clean more easily.

If you have the time and patience to do the renovation work yourself then great, go for it.

If not, and the interior is a style you don’t like, then you have two choices - hire a specialist renovation company such as Edinburgh builders, Mackenzie Hughes, to do this for you – or go for a new-build. Speaking of newbuild, they have an awful lot going for them.

They give the homeowner the opportunity to become part of, and create, a new community rather than moving into an established one in which they can often feel like an outsider to begin with. If work is demanding and you don’t have time to scrape walls or remove old layers of varnish, then you can just pick your décor and fittings and simply move in. The biggest plus however, has to be that you can have your housewarming party so much sooner!

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15

Community

Lip-reading – what actually is it?

Are you hard of hearing?

Do people seem to mumble?

Would you like to be able to communicate better? Do you find yourself in a situation where you just nod your head or smile, hoping you are doing the right thing?

Do you have to ask people to repeat themselves? Lipreading classes for adults could help.

Various lip reading classes are available throughout West Lothian. The classes: • develop your ability to recognise different lip shapes to fill in the gaps of speech you don’t hear and also to use various clues, such as facial expression, context and anticipation • teach you about other ways to make conversation easier in various situations

• provide useful information about services, organisations and equipment for people with a hearing loss.

• are a good way to meet other people with the same problems and challenges • tips and hints from the tutor and other class members • help you in listening and thinking

• are used to discuss topics of mutual interest

• help improve your confidence, be more positive, and be assertive • are in a supportive environment • are fun also!

Did you know that 1 in 6 of the population are deaf or hard of hearing and it is a higher percentage as people age? It is a very common difficulty, but many feel they cannot tell other

people the best way to communicate with them.

Yet we don’t feel embarrassed in the same way about our glasses!

The classes involve practising lip-reading with exercises, short stories, fun quizzes, and discussing various topics. We learn speech movements, anticipation theory and memory tactics to improve confidence.

Here are some comments from people who have been to lip-reading classes:

“Lipreading classes gave me back my life and the confidence to carry on with life.”

“I am now not afraid to go out and meet with other people – and enjoy myself.”

“It’s fun – and I meet some lovely people and we have a laugh.”

“It opens up a whole new world …. go for it and start living again!”

Classes are free and are supported by the Adult Learning team of West Lothian Council. They are held in various venues throughout West Lothian, and are taught by fully qualified lip-reading tutors.

Participants start off in a six week taster class to learn the basics and then, if they want to continue, move on to classes held every week during term times. If you are interested, or know someone who might be interested, and live in the West Lothian Council area, contact Adult Learning on 0800 7311 831 or contact the Lip-reading Development Worker: bertha.walker@westlothian.gov.uk So go for it – and start communicating better again!

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17

Parents in West Lothian

tween How to tell the difference be and a militant anti-breastfeeder an actual angel Facebook can be a blessing or a curse … it’s a tool that can help you keep in touch with family and friends overseas, stay ahead of the news curve, or take part in special interest groups.

However, it can also be an endless stream of pictures of everyone else’s children, a journey of discovery along which you come to the realisation that some among your long-time friends are horrific xenophobes, and of course it can be a breeding ground for cowardly trolls who bully and persecute …

Over the past few months I’ve seen several shared articles about mothers being labelled as ‘disgusting’ breast-feeders and being shamed publicly for what should be seen as a natural activity.

Before I was a mum, breast-feeding seemed to me to be a no brainer; a cheap, and convenient way to feed a child – why would anyone not do it? I found out how naïve this position had been when my firstborn arrived and for the first two weeks felt like I was being stabbed in the breast at every feed. I don’t know how I persevered but I did.

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!

sleeplessly into the next, wearing yesterday’s clothes and makeup, hair scraped back, and Quinn was starting to get hungry.

I sat down at the open-air Greggs just near the Post Office, and quickly tried to latch him on. He was finally feeding away nicely when I became aware out of the corner of my eye that an older woman was striding straight towards me. Several emotions erupted in me at once: fear; was this woman about to berate me for feeding in public? (bizarrely in my experience those most likely to disapprove of breastfeeding in public are the very people you’d expect support from ie fellow women, nay, fellow mothers) defiance; well if she does speak to me I’m going to give her a piece of my mind, let her know that I don’t really want to watch her masticating her cold sausage roll 3 tables away, yet I respect her right to do so in a public place helplessness; what if I couldn’t hold my own and call her out on her irrational opinions because I was too hormone-ridden and sleep-deprived to form a cogent argument?

Luckily, during those longest 2 weeks of my life, I didn’t see any of these horrid posts or articles – it’s perfectly possible I would have been so discouraged and shamed by them that I might have given up.

A matter of seconds later she was handing me a large bottle of water and an iced Empire Biscuit that she had just bought at the Greggs counter.

She said, “These are for you; you are doing the most important job in the world there and you need to keep your strength up.”

Then something beautiful happened on a random Tuesday when Quinn was only a few months old … I was in the Livingston Centre, feeling sleep-deprived as one day merged

I’m not too proud to say that I very quickly found there was something in my eye. Actually, both eyes. Thank goodness for day-old waterproof k mascara.

18

KONECT

FEATURE

Thoughts on meditation “We are human beings not human doings”

It’s impossible not to have noticed the growing revival of the ancient practice of meditation through media coverage and medical practice.

The NHS now prescribes mindfulness and meditation and has whole departments promoting it. So do I have to be depressed before I go to a meditation practice? Will I get more joy even if I’m already happy? Well, lots of successful public figures and celebrities are regular practitioners, so what’s it all about and how is it relevant to our everyday lives?

To find out, I spoke to Bernd Neckel, Principal of Conscientium, a meditation coaching and training consultancy based in West Lothian.

“Meditation helps us to recognise that the stress we often feel stems from the stream of thoughts that our mind bombards us with,” explains Bernd. “And it teaches us a way of being that is less attached to this endless stream of negative thinking and more accepting of ourselves.”

“Once a few things change, life will be a lot better” It’s common to feel we can only gain happiness and peace when ‘this or that’ happens or a certain milestone is met. Our mind conditions us to believe that we should be driving ourselves towards the next thing and we spend all our time looking to the future rather than living life as it truly is, in the present. Meditation helps increase our awareness of the present moment and offers

a more positive way of being, whatever issues and challenges we face.

“I’m too stressed to enjoy life” We all live with a certain level of stress or anxiety: money, health, family, work, our identity in society.

Even when everything is going well our mind wants us to worry about something to take us away from our present experience and attach ourselves to some future outcome. Meditation helps us to see these mind movements for what they are: just thoughts. We can blindly follow them or we can let them go and stay with the joy of the present moment.

This is why as humans we are drawn to nature and animals for comfort - they offer a present moment experience that helps reduce the volume of our unconscious thinking. Extreme sports are another attraction for some, as present moment awareness is critical for safety and enjoyment. However these experiences are not always available to us. So building up our innate awareness of present moment stillness in ourselves through meditation allows us to change our life experience whatever our situation. It can help enrich our experiences and appreciate our lives more fully and joyously.

From mid July Conscientium are starting weekly walk-in meditation sessions in Livingston and Linlithgow. For more information visit www. conscientium.com or see the banner below.

s wit h Bernd Neckel Guided Meditation ses sion 7RA. Rd, Linlithgow, EH49 Linlithgow: Mackinnon Hall, 13 Mill to 8.30pm. £8 per session 5pm 1 7.

July, 24th ay Sund cing Commen Livingston, EH54 6AE. Livingston: Howden Park Centre, to 8.30pm. £8 per session 5pm 1 7.

Commencing Thursday 21st July.

is parked in the shade, you should never leave your dog for more than a few minutes. But it’s not just in cars that dogs are in danger.

Vets TIPS A couple of years ago, The Dogs Trust put out a video showing a dog sculpted from ice inside a hot car – and showed how quickly it melted.

The charity’s idea was to demonstrate how dangerous it is to leave your pet in your car, even for a few minutes – there’s a link on this page: www.dogstrust.org.uk/news-events/news/hotcars-kill-dogs-2014 In our clinic we have already had one case of heat-stroke this summer and it won’t be the last. Even if your car has the windows open and

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Dogs don’t sweat to lose heat like we do, they pant, so if you take them out for a run on a hot day, give them plenty of rests to recuperate and if possible let them cool off in water. Be particularly careful with older dogs and don’t be guided by your pet – often they are too excited to realise they are overheating.

If you think your dog has heat-stroke take them to a vet because their life could be in danger. If you can’t, cool them down – use a hosepipe or wrap them in a cold, wet towel and put them in a shower. Even if they seem better, still have them checked – they could have damaged internal organs.

Stuart McMorrow is head vet at the Westport Veterinary Clinic, 8 Preston Road, 01506 844165, www.westportvets.co.uk

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Veterinary Surgeons Ltd

Established

1 9 3 0

Brechin

“All creatures great and small, we care for them all” Our caring, experienced and dedicated veterinary team is committed to providing the best possible care for your pet, horse or farm animal in the Linlithgow, Edinburgh, Lothian and Central regions.

Our practice is modern, well-equipped and progressive, with a strong emphasis on preventative healthcare and advice.

Linlithgow Branch Surgery, 256 High Street, Linlithgow, EH49 7ES Tel: 0131 333 3203 reception@mackieandbrechin.co.uk www.mackieandbrechin.co.uk

24 HOUR ON-SITE EMERGENCY SERVICE At our Kirkliston Surgery, 29 Main St, Kirkliston, EH29 9AE Tel: 0131 333 3203

Spend the summer in West Lothian How could you spend a perfect summer’s day in West Lothian? Whether it’s with family or friends – there is something for everyone to enjoy in West Lothian and we would like give you an idea of the type of marvellous things you could see and do in just one day.

Family

10:00 - Take a visit to Polkemmet Country Park for a leisurely stroll through the beautiful countryside.

11:30 - Pop in to visit the spectacular Scottish Owl Centre, conveniently situated within Polkemmet Country Park.

13.30 - Stop off for some lunch at the fabulous 1912, Bathgate for some tasty treats for all.

15:00 - Enjoy a short boat ride from the Linlithgow Canal Centre along the calming waters of the Union Canal.

16:00 - Finish off your day with a visit to the impressive Linlithgow Palace and see where Mary, Queen of Scots was born.

Friends

11:00 - Take a visit to the fabulous Livingston Designer Outlet and The Centre for some great discounts on top brands and all the latest and greatest products on offer within our brilliant department stores.

12.30 – Enjoy some lunch in any of the vibrant restaurants and cafes available in the 2 shopping centres; including Nando’s, Wagamama or Pizza Express.

15:00 – Visit beautiful Hopetoun House and take a walk through the Grounds to enjoy the scenic views of the spectacular stately home.

18:00 – Visit award winning Champany Inn, near Linlithgow for a lovely dinner to finish off the day.

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

WALK

A ramble in Ravencraig Wood

Karen Murray enjoyed some quiet reflection while wondering around in the mysterious Bathgate Hills

It is probably par for the course that when my busy schedule finally allowed me a spare afternoon to head to the hills and find a new walking route, the lovely stretch of sunny weather we had been experiencing was over.

I was served up a dreich, misty Sunday afternoon, the consolation being that I had the entire walk to myself.

I was headed to the Bathgate Hills having heard of a wooded area planted by the Woodland Trust and looked after by West Lothian Council.

Ravencraig Wood can be found just outside

Bathgate. There are two access points the area and I chose the Southern entry, where there is a fairly substantial car park. Turn off the A803 onto Preston Road, past Linlithgow Primary School.

Travel on Preston Road for around 5 miles.Take a left onto Drumcross Road (B792) and the car park will be on the left. (15 minutes) Ravencraig has 54.5 hectares of amenity woodland with a series of footpaths criss-crossing the largely hilly, natural environment leading up the ancient Raven Craig cairn and summit. More of that later…

A welcoming sign showed me I had come to the right place and the walk began along a surfaced footpath leading to a small pond full of bulrushes and pond life.

I had read that the site was once used as a deer park from 1750-1805 by land owner Lord Hopetoun and the walls and ditches (known as ha-ha’s) throughout Ravencraig are the remnants of this.

I did find a fair few old walls as I wandered. I had also heard there were once silver mines in the Bathgate Hills and it transpires that in 1875, the land was quarried by the then owner in a vain effort to unearth some of this silver. However, he mined only copper and limestone so I am still to find out if ever silver was mined in them thar hills!

If anyone knows, please do get in touch.

Back to the walk – after the pond, the path appears to split with way markers showing both a 1.25km route and a 2.4km route. It was little

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unclear which was which but I opted for what I thought was the shorter of the two (on the left) and soon came upon the ruins of a farm steading to the east. With the low lying mist and the overgrown vegetation, the ruined building took on a somewhat eerie atmosphere. Near to the old steading I noticed a narrow and undulating footpath leading up to a hilly grassland area and figured, despite the weather, I should get a good view. Indeed I did‌the whole of Bathgate lay before me, with the Firth of Forth visible to the north east and the Pentland Hills looming up to the south. I retraced my steps back down and continued on the loop appearing once more at the pond. I am not sure if that was the 1.25km loop that is stated as taking 25 minutes as even with the added trip to the viewpoint I had only been walking for 20 minutes.

So I started again, this time aiming for the 2.4km walk. Listed as taking 60 minutes I started at a fairly brisk pace. The first bit of this path is grassy but wide and became increasingly wooded with trees hemming in both sides of the path. In the slightly damp and drizzly conditions there was something quite magical about it. The ends of the new bright green growth on the pine trees were dripping rain water and the almost luminescent

fronds of ferns on the edge of the path seemed to be reaching out. It was incredibly quiet and perhaps if I thought about it too hard, maybe a little scary. From the middle of the wooded area, I could not see anything to get my bearings nor hear any traffic although logically I knew I was very close to civilisation.

I had hoped to reach the Raven Craig Cairn – one of the highest points in West Lothian dating from the Bronze Age and discovered in the late 1990s.

However, it was getting late and I decided the 60 minutes was in this case an underestimate so I retraced my footsteps a little, then aimed for some cross country to take a different route back, finding some lovely paths but getting a little lost too. That is where a hilly terrain is helpful. I struck uphill once more to enjoy both the view and see if I could see the car park. Once spotted, I headed straight down, rather wet by this time, and came back to the pond.

All in all, a rather interesting little ramble. I think one could spend several hours trying out the various paths that meander across the hills and through the woods and on a clearer day the panoramic views from the hilltops would be splendid.

PUZZLES

CROSSWORD

Solution in the August edition of konect

Across 7 Fruit (6) 8 Echo (6) 9 Sunrise (4) 10 Centuries (8) 11 Far away (7) 13 Type of boat (5) 15 Later (5) 17 Immobilized (7) 20 Correctly (8) 21 Silly (4) 23 Devils (6) 24 Almost (6) Down 1Information (4) 2 Type of seabird (6) 3 Cleaning (7) 4 Intoxicated (5) 5 Coil (6) 6 Attractive (8) 12 Deduced (8) 14 Sickly sweet (7) 16 Hire (6) 18 Noon (6) 19 Quick (5) 22 Trip (4)

SUDOKU

Sudoku solution on page 30

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LOCAL PEOPLE

Book by its Cover

by Cara McDonald

They say you should never judge a book by its cover; to never show prejudice towards another human being before you know who they really are, and yet, this is what each and every one of us faces on a near daily basis – split second judgments that define us in the eyes of others.

This constant scrutiny is hard enough for the “average” person to deal with, but for some people, like those of us with a physical disability, this is even more of a challenge.

We aren’t able to disguise ourselves behind expensive clothes or perfect makeup, we wear our differences on the outside, like neon signs advertising an open bar. We are judged for looking different, sounding different, for simply being different from them. But when you look past the exterior, past the physical, you uncover the truth that we all want the same fundamental things – to be loved and respected as individuals.

For my whole life I’ve been faced with this kind of prejudice. I’ve had to fight to be seen as a person, and not just defined by my disability.

Every time I venture out into the world I’m judged in one way or another, because when you have a physical disability you don’t have the luxury of blending into a crowd; instead, people stare out of ignorance or quickly avert their eyes in a feeble attempt not to offend.

Over the years I’ve learned to accept this and to KONECT

Following on from her initial article in the last issue, Linlithgow resident Cara McDonald shares more thoughts from her blog https://iwasbornsickbutiloveit.com

not let it bother me because, in the end, every time someone sees me it means that there’s one more person in the world who is that wee bit more used to (and hopefully comfortable with) disability.

However, what does bother me are the times when I encounter new people and I’m exposed to their preconceptions about disability.

Most commonly people assume that I’m not intelligent or I’m unable to think for myself.

Many disabled people are judged in this way and in my case this belief is further amplified by the communication issues that I have.

In day-to-day life intelligence is portrayed through language and communication, so when someone has to speak on my behalf people take this as meaning that I also need help thinking.

Another annoying (but somewhat entertaining) misconception is that I am deaf. Some people speak to me as if they are attempting to order food in a foreign restaurant (because, of course, enunciating and raising your voice means that anyone can understand your language!). Just to clarify, I actually have great hearing (albeit slightly dodgy eyesight but let’s not get into that argument!).

After 23 years of living with a disability I still don’t know where these generalisations came from. Are they natural ideas that people have or did they originate from something in our culture? It is clear to me, however, that in order to banish these prejudices from society we need to educate people to embrace our differences. We cannot continue to shy away from disability and treat it as a taboo subject.

The world is slowly becoming more accepting but there’s still a long way to go. If you would like to read my blog you can find it at https://iwasbornsick-butiloveit.com 25

Recipe & Food Notes

bY Anne Pinkerton

Summer Beets

In cooking having some understanding of why you do something is important.

It enables you to personalise recipes or substitute ingredients and still end up with a good meal. I hope that in this column instructions are not too laboured and that explanations help you to vary things to suit your style, purse, time and skills.

Beetroot is a vegetable of high summer and elderflowers are in full bloom just now so here are some ideas to help you enjoy them. Beetroot can be used in soup, salads, with roast meats, in pickles, muffins and cakes. Elderflowers are delicious made into a cordial which can then flavour puddings, jelly, ice cream or be made into fritters. Later, in autumn, the berries are good in hot puddings, preserves and with game.

An interesting weekly science blog called Compound Interest www.compoundchem.com posts regularly on food and the chemistr y associated with eating, cooking and preser ving. Recently there have been articles on yeast in bread and beer, the beneficial qualities of red, anti­o xidant fruits and veg, how to use elder flowers & elderberries to avoid making yourself ill and why does asparagus make your pee smell. They always tr y to answer the question....Why?

Beetroot, Smoked Salmon and Orange salad Looks wonderfully colourful and is great as either a starter for 6 or a lunch for 3 or 4.

• 250g cooked beetroot. Either cook your own or buy plain vacuum packed small beets • 2 oranges, peeled and sliced, either segments or rounds retaining as much juice as possible • 150 g smoked salmon cut into inch strips; buy off cuts they are cheep and taste as good • Watercress, rocket pea sprouts, cut up little gem lettuce or any combination you enjoy • Olive oil, salt, pepper and balsamic vinegar Method Slice the beetroot and dress it with the oil and seasonings. Leave it to take up the flavours while you get the rest of the ingredients ready.

Put the chosen greens in the bottom of a salad dish and layer up the beetroot, orange and fish.

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Swedish Beetroot Burgers • 400 g minced raw meet, I prefer half and half pork and beef but you can use chicken or lamb • 1 onion chopped finely• 2 or 3 small cooked beetroot, grated • 2 slices stale dry bread soaked in milk • 1 egg • Parsley finely chopped or a little dill leaf chopped • Salt and pepper Method Squeeze the milk out of the bread and make it all into a mush. In a bowl mix together all the other ingredients. I do this with clean hands because you can feel if there are any unmixed lumps, but a fork or a potato masher will do.

Form the mixture into burgers and chill in the fridge for an hour or up to a day.

In a frying pan heat some cooking oil, sunflower or rapeseed or a mixture with a little butter.

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Good news - Tables can now be booked

Fry the burgers turning after 3 or 4 minutes.

Serve with new potatoes and green vegetables.

Ring the changes by flavouring with lemon and thyme or substitute red pepper for the beetroot and serve with a tomato sauce.

Elderflower Yogurt Ice • 500ml 5% fat Greek plain yogurt (fat free doesn’t have enough taste) • 400g gooseberries stewed with 100g sugar

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• 3 tbsp elderflower cordial • 150 ml milk Method With a wand beater whizz the gooseberries, cordial and milk together. Taste and see if it is sweet enough or has enough elderflower. The intensity will be tempered by the yogurt.

When all is as you wish mix in the yogurt.

Freeze for at least 12 hours. Serve with meringues and raspberries, poached nectarines or peaches or blackberries as the summer advances. Or in the autumn it goes well with stewed elderberries and apples.

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ts s | Charity Even rties | Wedding es ag ck Pa st Engagement Pa 21 itality | 18th or details Corporate Hosp tering - call for e in Outside Ca

lis We also specia

events@foodcreations.co.uk www.foodcreations.co.uk

Tel 01506 412232 facebook.com/simonatfoodcreations @Food_Creations 27

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WHAT’S ON

and Useful Information Saturday 9th July 2016 Linlithgow Welcomes Students from North America Students from the USA and Canada give a concert of choral and high energy fiddle music at 7.30pm in Linlithgow Academy. All are welcome. Tickets £10/£8/£5student from “Far From the Madding Crowd”, The Line Gallery, or online at www.

LinlithgowArtsGuild.co.uk. Enquiries and reservations 07821 017099.

Saturday 23rd July Linlithgow Farmers Market The Cross, High Street, Linlithgow.

Friday 29h July Family Friendly Badger Watch Join the Ranger Service in Beecraigs Country Park to discover more about these intriguing animals. There will be a short presentation followed by an evening in our badger hide. Wear sturdy footwear and bring binoculars and a torch. Suitable for: Families. Meet: Sutherland Building, opposite the Visitor Centre.

Time: 8pm-9.30pm. Cost: £3.65 adult, £2.50 child.

clubs & classes

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

2nd West Lothian Scouts The Scout Hall, 6 Dog Well Wynd, Linlithgow.

Beavers (age 6-8) meet Wednesdays; Cubs (age 8 - 10.5) meet Mondays; Two Scouts troops (age 10.5 -14) meet Wednesdays and Thursdays. Contact Group Scout Leader Nick Moody at scouts2wl@hotmail.co.uk.

Substantial waiting lists for all sections - new adult volunteers always welcome.

The Caring Cafe Low Port Centre, 1 Blackness Road, Linlithgow, EH49 7HZ The Caring Cafe is a meeting place where people with dementia and their carers have a chance to meet others in a similar situation. Meets monthly on the 3rd Wednesday of every month 10am - 12noon (Lunch available after the café in the Lowport Centre cafeteria).

For people who are able to attend safely on their own or who are accompanied by someone to support them.

Contact Margaret or May from Linlithgow Link on 01506 845137 or email Co-ordinator@linlithgowlink.org.uk Linlithgow Bridge Playgroup Chalmers Hall, Main Street, Linlithgow Bridge Tue-Thu: 9:15 am - 11:45 am during term time. No KONECT

Book with the Rangers on 01506 844516, email: mail@beecraigs.com To include your event here, please email editor@konectdirectory. co.uk or call 07854 492638.

library information Linlithgow Library The Vennel, High Street, Linlithgow, EH49 7EH Tel: 01506 775490 Email: linlithgow.lib@westlothian.gov.uk Opening hours: Mon & Fri: 9.00am - 5.00pm Tue & Thur: 9.00am - 7.00pm Wed: 9.00am - 3.00pm Sat: 9.00am - 1.00p Storytime: Stories and art activities for children 3-4 years during term time - every Monday and Friday 10.30am. Linlithgow Book Group meets on the first Tuesday of the month at 6pm to discuss their chosen novel. Bookbug sessions: Stories, songs & rhymes suitable for all under 3’s and their grownups.

minimum number of sessions. £7 per session. For more information contact lbplaygroup@gmail.com Linlithgow Speakers Are you and your staff interested in improving speaking in public and leadership skills? Do you know about Toastmasters? Linlithgow Speakers is a local voluntary group that can help develop these skills. We are looking for new members in Linlithgow. Come and visit on Tuesday night (we meet every second Tuesday at 7.30 at the Low Port Centre in Linlithgow. Please contact me for more information: Sheila Fraser 01506 650953 or 07968 233324.

Linlithgow String Orchestra - NEW! A newly established group for adults (18+) with a minimum standard Grade 5. We are looking for new members from Linlithgow and the surrounding areas.

Our next “Come and Play” sessions will be held on Monday 4th July and Monday 8th August 7.30-9.30pm at St Peter’s Episcopal Church, High Street Linlithgow.

Please bring music stands. £3 per player. Please contact us in advance on: linlithgowstringorchestra@gmail.com or search for us on Facebook.

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

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INDEX OF ADVERTISERS Bathrooms Bathgate Bathroom Studio 10 Duffy McLean 15 Beauty ACT Beauty & Hair Academy 8 Natrabrow 4 Builder Kirkton Builders Building Supplies MKM Building Supplies

5 10

Cafe/Tearoom Little Whispers Car Service & Repair GM Motors

27 9

Carpet & Upholstery Cleaning C and W Cleaning Services 8 James Burnett Carpet Cleaner 5 Catering Food Creations Cleaning Services Dusters Cleaning Services

27 8

Complementary Therapies Healthy Healing 4 Little Whispers 27 Conservatories Andrew James Windows & Conservatories 15

Electrician Simply Electrical Fencing/Gates Welding & Fabrication Solutions Ltd

12

9

Garden & Landscaping Beatsons 31 Inside and Outside Property & Garden Care 12 JGM Landscapes 15 Woodford Timber 31 Garden Buildings Champfleurie Estate Ltd Golf Retail Golf Nation

32 5

Motorhome (hire/sale) Motorhome Hire Scotland

9

Painter/Decorator Colin Lowie Thomson Decorators

5 4

Plumbing Services Forth Plumbing & Heating

11

Property Maintenance Inside and Outside Property & Garden Care 12 Removals Linlithgow Removals

5

Heating Services Duffy McLean

11

Hire (Car/Van/Minibus) AK Stretch Limousines

Security Services Saltire Lock & Security

14

4

Sports Equipment Golf Nation

11

Joiner Geoff Vinter Joinery

12

Kitchens Duffy McLean

15

Locksmith Linlithgow Locksmith Saltire Lock & Security

11 14

Solution to June Crossword

Solution to Sudoku Page 24

Across: 1 Famous, 4 Drapes, 9 Grandma, 10 Agree, 11 Taste, 12 Untying, 13 Outstanding, 18 Harvest, 20 Virgo, 22 Wager, 23 Reading, 24 Return, 25 Recess.

Down: 1 Fights, 2 Meals, 3 Undress, 5 React, 6 Portion, 7 Sledge, 8 Manufacture, 14 Upright, 15 Deviate, 16 Shower, 17 Boughs, 19 Error, 21 Raise.

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Mobility Ableworld 17 Med Ecosse 2

Vet Mackie and Brechin 21 West Port Veterinary Clinic 20 Windows 1st Choice Living 13 Andrew James Windows & Conservatories 15

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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Phone 01506 847999 - Fax 01506 847174 - E-mail sales@champfleurie.co.uk Champfleurie Estate, Linlithgow, EH49 6NB

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