HOPE MAGAZINE ISSUE 5

Page 10

WHAT’S

ON

AT CHRISTMAS | Pg 10

EAST LOTHIAN CELEBS | Pg 4

“East Lothian is one of the fastest growing Councils in Scotland” | Pg 8

hope A COMMUNITY
ISSUE 5
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WELCOME.

Hello, and welcome to issue 5 of Hope Magazine . As I write, it is an Indian Summer, 16 degrees in October in Scotland is definitely still summer weather, the sun is strong at this time of year as it sits lower in winter and especially so today. Last week temperatures plummeted and we all looked out our winter coats, I definitely feel a weather theme when writing my intro, it is a great British tradition after all.

I also have to mention our dearly departed Queen, what a wonderful send off she had and lovely that she spent her last days at her beloved Scottish retreat, Balmoral, thank you and God bless Your Majesty.

We have our What’s On page filled with East Lothian events in the run up to Christmas, we also have our celeb feature part two, which follows on from Great Scot’s to East Lothian legends. There’s a delicious recipe for you to try, local info and a word from our pastors to look out for. Have a wonderful winter season all.

A note from our publisher: “Hi friends,

This edition comes out during more challenging times. Christmas however, can be a great celebratory event to help us finish up one year and be ready for the next. Our hope is that this magazine lives up to its name, in that it gives you a little extra hope for 2023.

Happy reading, Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.”

EAST LOTHIAN CELEBS

East Lothian is a hidden gem, such a wonderful place to live with fabulous coastal spots. There are beautiful beaches, wonderful woodland areas, friendly and welcoming towns both big and small, it’s the perfect commuter choice for those who have city jobs. It also has a rich history with some famed characters who lived in these very towns. I thought why not look into the talent and gifted celebs from East Lothian.

Going back through the years we have John Knox, John Muir and John Gray, it’s a popular name John! We all know John Knox, he argued with Mary Queen of Scots for a Christ based society with freedom at its heart. He stood against the establishment of the day and established the Protestant church in Scotland. Next we have John Muir. John Muir was a renowned writer, explorer and mountaineer and there is a route named after him stretching from Helensburgh to Dunbar where he was born. Last but not least is one of the many religious figures from East Lothian John Gray, he even has a centre with a museum and library named after him in Haddington.

He was an Episcopalian Minister who lived through the most turbulent times in the crown’s Scottish History during the 1600s.

I remember Saturday night telly as a kid in the 1970’s so well, (we mustn’t have got out much back in the day as I watched a lot of it ha ha). One of these great prime time programmes was The Two Ronnies, they were hilarious with their naughty humour and the sketches. Ant and Dec eat your heart out you, will never top Fork Handles, The Sweet Shop, Crossed lines, Ronnie Barkers mispronouncing and Ronnie Corbett story time plus his Mastermind sketch, they are comedy gold. If you know you know, and if you don’t, check them on YouTube. Ronnie Corbett lived in Gullane for many years although he was born in Edinburgh.

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LOTHIAN

Moving on to the 80s and we have Fish, yeah Fish, real name Derek Dick. He was the lead singer from Marillion, a rock band that produced best selling albums Misplaced Childhood and Clutching at straws with hits like Lavender, Kayleigh and Incommunicado. They were around for a while, Fish came from and lived in Haddington, still does now, he did return to his home town to play at the refurbished Corn Exchange a few years ago.

Musselburgh man Callum Beattie is the most recent and trending celeb from East Lothian, he is hugely popular and plays many gigs and festivals. His singles include We are Stars, Salamander Street, Can’t kill the Summer and if you looking to grab hold of his latest album which is newly released, search it up, it’s called Vandals.

There are some famous East Lothian ladies, one to note was Agnes Sampson of the North Berwick witch trials who died January 1591 and the other was political activist Catherine Blair. It is claimed that Catherine set up the very first Scottish Women’s Rural Institute, in Longniddry in early 20th century.

So there you go, a few famous East Lothian folks for you.

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Dealing with the massive psychological, social and economic consequences of lockdowns is ongoing for us.

Surveys suggest an epidemic of well-being or mental health struggles, many of us can recognise that we don’t feel the same as pre-Covid.

The cost-of-living crisis, the war in the Ukraine, unprecedented levels of stress on our psyches, and our own processing of a strange period of human history, have all contributed to how we are getting through life. Whether we notice it or not we are all dealing with the stresses of this difficult period, with fears of a nuclear war adding to the strain.

One of the sad events of our year was the death of our Head of State, Queen Elizabeth. Her faith was evident in her Christmas broadcasts, and her personal faith can be an inspiration to us all. She gave over 70 years of an unblemished life of public service and regardless of our personal views of the monarchy, we can recognise that she was an outstanding woman. She served us all well as our Head of State.

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Around 40% of us have considered resigning our jobs, around half of us are re-assessing our lives and our work / life balance.
“We need fresh hope to face 2023 and we need new hope to help us deal with the challenges we face.”
FRESH HOPE

Queen Elizabeth memorised the book of Psalms in the Bible, it was a great help in giving her fresh hope and comfort during the difficult times of her reign and family life.

The

You might try reading them if you’re struggling in any way just now. The Queen exemplified by her life that we can get a fresh hope, a new hope in the midst of troubled times.

Christmas reminds us that when mankind was in a hopeless position, God Himself stepped in. Jesus came down from Heaven, became one of us and he carried the consequences of our weaknesses and failings so we could live with His strengths. Therefore, Christmas is also a reminder

that we can find fresh hope - a new hope to face a New Year.

Those of us producing the magazine hope that you are able to be refreshed, find new hope and fresh hope to be ready to go into 2023. We hope you remember that God is a few words away and that He can make a positive difference to you as you journey through this season.

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Psalms are a great place to live from in the tougher times.

LOCAL NEWS Depute Provost Report

Andy Forest

I would like to report on exciting developments within Musselburgh, both as a Musselburgh Councillor, and as Depute Provost and Convenor of Housing and Property Maintenance for East Lothian Council.

East Lothian is one of the fastest growing Council’s in Scotland and there are plenty of initiatives happening in and around Musselburgh. The Council is ambitious for Musselburgh, for example with Queen Margaret University Food & Drink Innovation Hub, attracting £40 million investment from the City Region Deal. I believe these developments will be good for the whole community and good for the local economy too.

Cost of living community discussions:

It was good to participate in discussion about the cost of living crisis and the way the community has come together to discuss what can be done to help people and also discuss ideas for solutions. I have supported the many initiatives the Council has put in place to address the cost of living crisis, including additional resources for the East Lothian Food Bank and Fareshare.

Blindwells

It was good to view the new houses under construction, one, two and three bedroom homes which will help both single people and families who need housing. There will be plenty of amenities on your doorstep and neighbourhood facilities including a nursery, school and shops.

New Learning Campus Wallyford

I’m looking forward to the opening of the new state of the art Learning Campus in Wallyford. It is due to open in August 2023 and is a very modern campus which is sure to meet the needs of a growing school roll. The Head Teacher is in place and it’s catchment will cover part of Musselburgh as well as Wallyford. I hope it will improve the education outcomes and opportunities for all students in Musselburgh and Wallyford.

Old Craighall

There are modern housing developments happening in this area. We hope it makes it more likely for people to obtain their own homes and relieve the housing pressures being experienced by many.

As a town Musselburgh is great to work for, there are so many people willing to give up their time and effort to work for the town, which makes it a pleasure to say I represent the Honest Toun!

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CHRISTMAS RECIPE

Roast Vegetables with Savoury Crumble, cashew nuts and cranberries, accompanied by a Whisky Sauce and served potatoes of your choice - By Scott

Here’s a winter warmer for you to try, an alternative vegetable accompaniment for your Sunday roast or you could even have it as a meal on its own.

Give it a try with your festive meal this year, the cranberries add a Christmas twist, the whisky is seasonal perfection and the cashew nuts are optional for added crunch. If anyone has a nut allergy you can leave them out or replace them.

Ingredients for main dish:

· Carrots 200g

· Mushrooms 160g

· Red Onion 1.5 small

· Butternut Squash 240g

· Courgette 160g

· Peppers 240g

· Vegetarian Haggis 320g

· Cashew nuts 120g

· Dried Cranberries 100g

Ingredients for crumble:

· Flour 200g

· Butter 140g

· Herbs to taste

· Seasoning

Ingredients for sauce:

· Whisky 100ml

· Whipping or double cream 200ml

· Vegetable stock

Method for Preparing Main Dish:

1. Prepare all the vegetables (except the turnip & potatoes which are your accompaniments) into 1” dice

2. Place the prepared veg into a roasting dish with a tablespoon of oil, seasoning & add a sprinkling of herbs

3. Roast the vegetables on 175c until soft

4. Place the cooked vegetables in the bottom of your serving dish

5. Mix in the dried cranberries

6. Slice the vegetarian haggis 1cm thick then place the slices on top of the cooked vegetables

7. Scatter your cashew nuts over the haggis slices

8. Mix the flour & butter together lightly to form a breadcrumb texture then add a little mixed herbs for flavour

9. Spread the crumble over the haggis

10. Return your completed dish to the oven to brown and cook the crumble topping before serving. Ensure the core temperature is above 75c & the crumble is cooked

Method for preparing the whisky sauce: This can be prepared whilst the crumble is browning

1. Heat a shallow pan. When hot, add whisky and allow to flame (to do this tip whisky towards gas flame or strike a match just above whisky)

2. Before the flame burns out add the cream turn down your heat to allow to cook gently & thicken

3. Add some vegetable stock

4. Let cook until you have the thickness you desire (add gravy granules if needing it to thicken quicker)

5. Serve on or at the side of your crumble

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WHAT’S ON AT CHRISTMAS?

What’s on in East Lothian over the coming months, here is the lowdown:

Musselburgh Racecourse hails as a 5 star attraction and they always have plenty on over the festive season. There is a Christmas jumper day on the 19th of December, it’ll be a fantastic day of racing so check out their website for ticket availability, I hear there are usually New Year races too, so have a look for that.

The Brunton Theatre has a fantastic line up over the new few months, but the most important mention for now has to be the Panto, oh yes it is! Sinbad it is this year, and they have the same crew that has produced the last few, including Hansel and Gretel last year. Sinbad is running from 23rd of November 2022 to 31st December 2022, I can promise it’ll be a good one. Included in their stellar line up is Buddy Holly and the Cricketeers - Holly at Christmas, Friday 9th at 19.30pm, I love the 50s and 60s and bet that’ll be a good night.

Newhailes Estate has a Christmas Family Afternoon tea on Saturdays and Sundays from the 3rd of December until the 18th, adult tickets £15 and children only £10, if you fancy it with some festive fizz then tickets are £20. You can book through eventbrite and through their website. I’m sure that the very man himself, Santa Claus is there again for the Santa Experience too but tickets sell fast so I’d be quick. Just in case, I thought it’ll be good to mention that Edinburgh Zoo and Gladstone’s Land on the Royal Mile are hosting Santa too, plus Edinburgh’s amazing city centre Christmas so he’s being kept very busy this year.

In Dunbar there are a few Fayres on but why not check out The Strawberry Barn near Thistly cross roundabout on the 19th and 20th of November for the Village Green Makers Market

Meanwhile in Longniddry, the Wee Christmas Market at Redhouse Nurseries has some great local makers that will help make your Christmas extra special, among some of these are hand made jewellery, Christmas cards and some tasty Gin! It’s on Sunday 4th December at Redhouse Nurseries, Longniddry, 10:00–13:00.

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LOVE FOOTBALL?

Come and support your local senior football team! You may be pleased and surprised!

Hope Church minister Glenn Rogers is the Chaplain of their football team and we have garnered a rather keen interest in football since.

Olivebank Stadium is the home of Musselburgh Athletic, The Belmont Group are their main sponsor and they are members of the East of Scotland Football league.

As you can see there are regular visitors at the stadium to enjoy the games, they are very welcoming, so go down and check them out.

There is no better day out for the individual or family and we have a tuck shop, merchandising with a small bar for hospitality guests.

You can find out more information on fixtures and the club in general here:

https://www.musselburghathletic.co.uk/

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CAROLS, MINCE PIES, SANTA, GIFTS, SUNDAY 11TH DECEMBER 10AM OR 12PM HOPE HUB, BRIDGE STREET, MUSSELBURGH Phone: +44 131 665 0303; | Email: Info@MyHopeChurch.co.uk Website: www.myhopechurch.co.uk Hope! Church, is charity registered in Scotland, No: SC010342, and a charitable company limited by guarantees, No: SC417097.

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