Grapevine April 2022

Kirkmahoe Grapevine Kirkton Auchencairn Duncow Dalswinton

SPRING 2022

See inside for ways that you can be involved in our community Community Council George V Playing Field Hall Committees

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Resilience Group

ORGANISING Events Scottish Women’s Institute Local Clubs and Organisations Setting up new interest groups

www.kirkmahoe.com http://kirkmahoenews.blogspot.co.uk kccgrapevine@gmail.com On Facebook at Kirkmahoe Community Council Facebook “f ” Logo

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George V Playing Field, Duncow Gordon Bissett has shared this newspaper article from 1974 with us.

The current Trustees are looking at ways in which the playing field can once again be of more benefit to the community.

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John Duncan says: As I drive past the George V Playing Fields most days, it saddens me to see that they are very underused apart from dog walkers, the odd golfer practising their swing and a quick game of friendly football! I know the school gets some great use from them and Gordon Bissett does a fantastic job in keeping them useable, but my great Uncle Walter, who gifted the field to the community, would have also loved to see the fields being used more often.

This leads me to asking the community what you would like to see there. If you have any great ideas then I’d love to hear from you. My email address is newlandsestates@gmail.com.

So how would you like to see the field being improved?

Once we have heard from you we will be able to consider our options and make plans.

Queen’s Diamond Jubilee Celebrations If anyone would like to organise an event for this, please contact the Community Council.

We will be very happy to discuss ideas and help with funding.

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NEWS FROM DU We enjoyed learning all about COP 26 and learning all about our responsibilities to help with our planet.

and we cannot wait to hang it on our school fence! We have been learning all about our rights and trying hard to help and care for others too. Me and two other P7s were given the opportunity to get interviewed on ITV border news “Now we are Famous”. Ethan P7

Transition

UNICEF Rights respecting School

We are thrilled to announce that we have now been awarded our Silver award for being a Rights Respecting School and now journeying to Gold. Our banner has just arrived, 4

P7’s have been enjoying the opportunity to meet some of the teachers, senior pupils and teaching assistants called the purple polos from Wallace Hall Academy. This is to help us have a smooth and steady transition to secondary school and feel less nervous about the change. One of the teachers we have met has been helping us feel more comfortable about the change and has been answering any questions we might have. She has also given us a science taster lesson so that we know what to expect and we have a home economics taster lesson coming up soon. We will hopefully be able to visit the secondary school after the easter holidays. Lyla P7

UNCOW SCHOOL My New School

My name is Vivi and I have just joined Duncow School. I like that we have lots of clubs in my new school. I really like going to confidence club. My friend Paige P6 leads this and she helps me to be bolder and to grow in confidence.

We play games together and share together and I am getting more confident to speak out now. I also love going to the wood and seeing the river too. By Vivi P2

World Book Day

We had such fun celebrating World Book Day - We dressed up as our favourite characters and enjoyed celebrating reading with each other. I was Tony Stark from the comic Civil War 2. My favourite part of the day was seeing everyone in costume! What fun we had. Even our teachers dressed up! I love reading and I try to read a lot! By Cassie P7

Pupil Voice Groups

In school we do a subject called pupil voice groups to let all the students have a say in the school. our pupil voice groups consist of JRSO (junior road safety officers),ECO, charity cadets, little J’s, friendship finders and safe and active. Over the course of 2 and a half terms we have been thinking of ideas in our individual groups to help what our pupil voice groups support. In the last couple weeks, we have been making these goals happen, for example charity cadets had an idea for a food bin outside the school gate and this week and the week before we have started turning an old cardboard box into a food bin. our pupil voice groups have also helped a lot in our rights respecting journey which we Ethan wrote about. By Abbey P7

And some jokes...

Why did the tortoise cross the road?

We don’t know yet, he’s still crossing!

by James P3 Why was the lemon not happy?

Because it was lemonade!

by Lucas P1 Why was the giraffe late?

Because it was stuck in a ‘giraffic-jam’?

by Miley P5 What did the guy who made the knock knock joke get?

He won the ‘Nobel’ prize

by Cassie P7 What wobbled in the sky?

A ‘jellycopter’

By Dexter P2 What do you call a witch playing on the beach?

A ‘sandwitch’

By Argyle P5 5

Who’s Who Each edition of Grapevine will feature some of our local companies, crafters, services etc. This time we are highlighting Rosie’s Home Bakes and Country Flowers. If you would like to feature in a future edition, please contact Irene on 710060

ROSIE’S HOME BAKES Q Tell us about yourself.

A I’m Rosemarie Davidson. I was born in Lockerbie and moved to Kirkmahoe in 1994.

For the past 34 years I have worked as a Medical Secretary at NHS Dumfries. Mum of twin boys, and Buddy the spaniel. In my spare time (what little I have) I love walking, shopping and gardening. Baking is my happy place and I spend most of my spare time making cakes, jams etc many to my mum and gran’s old recipes. They taught me to bake as a teenager and I’ve always found it the perfect way to relax.

Q What do you provide?

A Celebration cakes, weddings, birthdays etc, cupcakes, brownie stacks, traybakes, meringue, pavlova, cookies, tealoaf, carrot cake, etc. In order to start selling my cakes I had to fully register with the Council and pass all hygiene and relevant allergen certificates.

Q What has been your favourite part of the job?

A During lockdown I made a layered Rainbow cake for my NHS colleagues in critical care – just to say thanks for all their hard work.

Q How do we contact you?

A rosieshomebakes@hotmail.com 07708 253700 Facebook and Instagram – Rosie’s Home Bakes https://www.facebook.com/Rosieshomebake

COUNTRY FLOWERS Q Tell us about yourself.

A I’m Emma Pagan. I was born in Georgetown and moved to Kirkmahoe 9 years ago and really feel we belong here. After school I worked in childcare until leaving to nurse my mum before she died of cancer. I then took on a Saturday job in a florists and loved every bit of the job. It’s something you never stop learning and I’m still taking inspiration from other florists and the beautiful surroundings of Dalswinton estate. My hobbies are walking our dogs, swimming and learning German. I still have family in Austria and want to refresh what I learned at school.

Q What do you provide?

A I make all types of bouquets for every life event from weddings to christenings. Most of my work is bouquets intended to cheer people up and to make their homes more beautiful. I deliver across the region.

Q What has been your favourite part of the job?

A Ooh, there’s too many to choose from. I love making Christmas arrangements and wreaths and have recently started running workshops for these and Autumnal displays Teaching others the basics of flower arranging is great fun (for the students as well) I hope to run an Easter/Spring themed workshop in April – keep an eye on FB for details.

Q How do we contact you?

A 07518 801025 country-flowers@outlook.com https://www.facebook.com/CountryFlowers3 Instagram emmascountryflowers 6

Kirkton Badminton Club Well here we are, nearly at the end of the season just 3 weeks away. After an extended break because of the covid pandemic everyone was happy to see the club restart last September, with the assistance of a generous donation from the KCC. We have a healthy membership this year with 13 adult and junior members and we also have about another 5 casual players so regularly have twelve or so playing each week, some travelling from as far as Johnstone Bridge.

Shirley and Margaret are busy getting the figures sorted out so we can get the trophies engraved for our awards evening on our last meeting of the season on Monday 28th March. This year we have more prize categories thanks to the generous donation from Nelson Cuthbertson, who has donated some of his trophies to be repurposed by the club. These will compliment the existing “Tam McCormack” club champion shield and the “Kirkton Junior champion shield. Thank you Nelson.

News From Dalswinton Hall KEEP OFF THE GRASS! Thanks to significant assistance from the Landale Estate, and a grant from ANCBC, Dalswinton village hall now has a large purpose built car park adjoining the hall.

In celebration of the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee, and as part of the car park landscaping, a number of cherry trees will be planted.

Prior to the creation of the car park visitors to the hall had to park on the grassed area in front of the hall which in winter became more of a mud bath that a lawn. Now however we can ask visitors to “keep off the grass”.

Our club is a friendly gathering each Monday in Kirkton Village Hall at 7.30pm, with a sneaky wee break around 8.30pm for tea and goodies provided by the members.

The new season will restart in September 2022 and run till March 2023.

Adult membership is £8 per year with £1.50 a week Junior (aged 10-16 years) membership is £5 per year with 75p a week.

Casual adult cost is £2.50 a week with Juniors paying £1.

We welcome all levels of players because as previously said, we are a casual club who do it for a bit of fun and light exercise.

Here is a photo of some of our members wearing their festive gear at our Xmas fun night.

With proper car parking facilities now available we hope to attract bookings from businesses and organisations looking for a more imaginative venue than the usual bog standard hotel meeting room and to increase the practicality of using the hall for meetings we are installing fibre broadband and wi fi.

If you would like to book the hall for an event, please contact Jackie Bodle 740082 or Terry Southwell 740129

Forthcoming events Saturday 9th April Coffee morning 10.30-12.30 Thursday 12th May Evening return visit by the Budapest Cafe Orchestra.

Watch the hall’s Facebook page for details regarding ticket reservations.

July (date to be confirmed) Pop up Indian restaurant for one night only.

Watch the hall’s Facebook page for details Terry Southwell 7

WHAT’S ON IN KIRKMAHOE Times/venues for additional events will be found in the Kirkmahoe Blog Please contact Pilates organisers to book in.

All group meeting may change depending on latest Covid restrictions. Please follow latest Covid guidance when attending events.

Date

Time

What

Where

Contact

Monday

11.30 – 12.30

Pilates

Dalswinton Hall

Annie Kyle 07815655190

Monday (October to 1st April)

19.30 – 21.30

Badminton

Kirkton Hall

Shirley Currie 07724385234 Curriekirkton@outlook.com

Tuesday

09.00 – 11.00 Post Office

Kirkton Hall

Wednesday

09:30-10:30

Pilates

Kirkton Hall

Clive Scott 07770934343 clvsct@aol.com

Thursday

19.00

Old Time Dancing

Kirkton Hall

John Caskie 770975 or 07711573071 jmcaskie12@gmail.com

Thursday

09.00-11.00 Post Office

Kirkton Hall

Friday after 1/1/22

10.30

U3A Camera Club

Kirkton Hall

Terry Howat 710903

Sundays

11:30 following Closeburn Service

Church Service

Kirkmahoe Parish Church

Mr Mackenzie 253688 mackenzie.dumfries@ btinternet

2nd Wednesday

19.00

Sound Journey Meditation

Dalswinton Hall

pjproudfoot1111@gmail. com

2nd Wednesday Third Wednesday (except July and December) 2nd Friday (Sept-May) 4th Friday (All year)

19.30

SWI

Kirkton Hall

Jennifer Johnstone 710121

19.30

Community Council

Kirkton Hall or Dalswinton Hall

Irene Paterson 710060 kccemail18@gnail.com

13.30 – 15.30 13.30 – 15.30

U3A Table Tennis U3A Table Tennis

Kirkton Hall Kirkton Hall

Terry Howat 710903

3/4/22

10.00-12.00

Litter pick

Kirkton Green or Dalswinton Noticeboard

Alice Howdle 710523

9/4/22

10.30 – 12.30

Jackie Bodle 740082

9/4/22 6/5/22

Coffee Morning and Dalswinton Hall raffle 12.00 – 14.00 Easter Egg-stravaganza Kirkton village 18.45 – 11.00 Music night Kirkton Hall

14/5/22

19.00 – 23.00 Beer tasting night

Kirkton Hall

15/05/22

12.00 – 17.00 Garden Open

Dalswinton House

Alana Owens 07885437150 Ken Meek 07533830412 Irene Paterson 710060 Alice Howdle710523 Sarah Landale 740220 sarahlandale@gmail.com

WEEKLY

MONTHLY

EVENTS IN DETAIL

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Other useful contacts Duncow School

Duncow, Dumfries DG1 1TA

School Office 710305

Duncow Playing Fields

(Available free of charge for people living in Kirkmahoe Parish to use at their own risk and responsibility)

Gordon Bissett 710318

Kirkmahoe Community Council

gmail.com

Irene Paterson 710060 kccemail18@

Kirkton Hall

for bookings phone Terry for other enquiries, contact David

Terry Howat 710903 David Muir 710216

Dalswinton Hall

The hall can be booked for private or public functions by phoning Jackie or Terry

Jackie Bodle 740082 Terry Southwell 740129

iKirkmahoe

Email: kccemail18@gmail.com Website www.kirkmahoe.com Blog http://kirkmahoenews.blogspot.co.uk Facebook: Kirkmahoe Community Council https://www.facebook.com/ groups/336327580058020 Discover Kirkmahoe https://www.facebook.com/763147457183274/photos /a.763172420514111/1887424578088884

If you wish to display posters on any of the noticeboards, please contact Alice Howdle 710523 Note we now have three Facebook pages/groups Kirkmahoe Community Council for CC news, information, resilience, minutes etc. https://www.facebook.com/groups/336327580058020 Kirkmahoe Residents for sales, ads, events, gossip – whatever https://www.facebook.com/groups/465472941696620 Discover Kirkmahoe for heritage, history, wildlife, walks etc https://www.facebook.com/search/top?q=discover%20kirkmahoe This is the easiest and quickest way to keep in touch with what’s going on in the parish.

If you are not yet on our mailing list and wish to be added to it, please send an email to kccemail18@gmail.com

Discover Kirkmahoe Discover Kirkmahoe is coming out from the rock it has been under for the past two years.

We are hoping to start up the Let’s Talk programme of recording the stories and lives of our residents again and will be in touch with our would-be interviewees soon. If you would like to be involved and to share stories with us, please get in touch with Irene Paterson (710060) and we can arrange to meet and chat over a cup of coffee.

Two fund-raising events are scheduled – a Beer Tasting event on 14th May – see ad – and later in the year, 1st October, the return of our wonderful Gin Tasting night. Keep an eye on FB and noticeboards for details on how to book tickets.

Thanks to support from KCC we have purchased new tubs for the village green and hopefully will be able to source plants from the Council in June to provide a beautiful display.

We regularly update our facebook page and have recently added another, Kirkmahoe Residents. Please have a look and use them!

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THE TRIALS AND TRIBULATIONS OF ECLIPSE CHASING

By Graham Langley Some of you will know that I am interested in astronomy and went to America to see the total solar eclipse in August 2017. I went to Salem Oregon as part of a tour and had perfect viewing weather. I was then asked to do a presentation on eclipses for the Daytime Social Club.

For the presentation I wanted photos of a lunar eclipse. There was to be a total lunar eclipse in January 2018 but it was not going to be visible from the UK so that was no good. There was another in July 2018.

Only some of the eclipse was to be visible from here.

Totality would have started before the moon rose but it would have to do. I watched the weather forecast every day for over a week before the date. Every time it showed that the whole of Britain would be rain or total cloud cover. Drastic measures were required. I flew to the Greek Island of Rhodes for a couple of days to see & photograph it (any excuse is good enough!) It also had the advantage that the whole eclipse was visible.

I had perfect weather.

My next attempt was not actually an eclipse but a “transit” this is where a planet, Mercury or Venus, passes between us and the sun. Since the orbits of the other planets are outside that of the earth, this can never happen with them. There was a transit of Mercury on the 11th of November 2019. The Dumfries Astronomical Society had joint event with the Dumfries Museum. We, in the Astronomical Society, took telescopes with suitable solar filters and the Museum used the camera obscura. True to form, the weather was mostly cloudy but we did manage to get a couple of glimpses, but no photos, of the tiny dot of Mercury in front of the disk of the sun.

On the 10th of June 2021 (between lock-downs) there was a solar annular eclipse. This is where, due to the non circular orbits of the earth and moon, the moon does not cover the whole disk of the sun but leaves a ring visible. From here, only a partial eclipse was visible. Looking at the forecast the previous day, the west of the country was going to have cloud and rain but parts of the east would be clear. The most promising place for viewing seemed to be The Holy Island of Lindisfarne (to give it its full name) My satnav was due a map update so I installed it just to be on the safe side. I got up early to get there in time to get set up before 10am and checked the forecast again. Cloud! A frantic search now showed Dunbar to be a likely place. I got into the car and tried to enter Dunbar in my sat-nav. “NO MAP INSTALLED”. Back into the house, got the laptop set up, connected the 10

sat-nav and reinstalled the map. Nearly an hour later, back in the car, I tried again. Success! This had used up all my contingency time and my rest stop. I found my planned parking place with no bother and it was just as good as it had looked on Google Earth. I had a good view with only a few wisps of cloud and had managed to set my camera up just in time. When I got home, I found that it had been raining here all day.

My final eclipse was a partial lunar eclipse on the 19th of November. As usual, I checked the weather and, as usual, it was no good here. This time the best area seemed to be around Stonehaven.

Once again I chose a likely parking/viewing place on the satellite image. The eclipse started at about 6am and it is about a three and a half hour drive to get there so I got up at 1:30am, had a quick breakfast and set off. I never did find my planned site or indeed any parking place with a view. I just kept chasing the moon. At one point I did find a car park and stopped to search on foot but still could not find a place to watch the whole eclipse. Just before the moon was due to set, I was coming to a lay-by but there were hills in the direction that the moon should be so I did not try to go in but as I was passing the middle of it, there was a valley between two of the hills with a seemingly huge partially eclipsed moon cradled in it.

There was a car right on my tail so there was no way that I could stop. That was my last sight of the eclipse.

It would have made a marvellous photograph.

And if you’re interested in finding out more, here are some useful links: There will be a total lunar eclipse on the morning of 16th May https://www.timeanddate.com/eclipse/ in/@2650798 and a partial solar eclipse on 25th October h t t p s : / / w w w. t i m e a n d d a t e . c o m / e c l i p s e / in/@2650798?iso=20221025

Figure 1: A non-artist’s impression of the eclipse.

FLOODING AT CARNSALLOCH AND NEW FLOOD SIGNAGE Well, we’ve had another period of the road at Carnsalloch flooding and another incident of a car being stuck in the water. Dumfries and Galloway Council have put up flood warning signs which have yet to be connected to the duty officers’ phones, but this is in progress. When they have done that we will put together a protocol for when they should be activated. We have asked for extra signs which can be put up in Kirkton in the event of the road flooding.

During severe floods, it is likely that the only way in and out of Kirkton will be via Barrasgate, but occasionally this may also be impassable, so people in Kirkton will be cut off. Other properties between the river and the C11n road may also be cut off.

We have been getting plenty of warning of potential flooding, so it is worth having a plan in case you can’t get home due to floodwater, as generally speaking the highest peaks only last a few hours.

For example Is there somewhere safe for your children to go if they can’t get home from school? or of they can get home, but you cannot?

Does a neighbour have a key so your pets can be fed/let out?

We will be updating the household resilience booklet soon and will let you know how you can access this if you need to change your existing plan.

One way of checking the likelihood of flooding is to look at the water level in the River Nith on the SEPA website.

Search for SEPA water levels or type in https://www2. sepa.org.uk/waterlevels/ This should bring up a page with some drop down menus.

On the river menu, choose Nith. You can look at the levels at the various stations - Friars Carse is the nearest to us.

If the level there is about 3m or above, the road will begin to flood.

To see if the flood is getting worse, you can check the Drumlanrig station to get an idea of whether it is rising or falling.

The road level dips between Carnsalloch gate and Portobello and that means that the water gets deeper. A flood can be 1.2m (4ft deep) at Wallamhill when it is barely over the road at Carnsalloch. So if you are driving from Kirkton, if there is water on the road just after Portobello, or if you are coming from the Dumfries side and water is on the road at Carnsalloch, do not go further.

If the flood is north of Kirkton between the warning sign and the church, the water is not quite so deep, but will be flowing strongly. The road is about 1m above the fields and you will not be able to see the road edge. There is a real danger of ending up floating in the field.

IT IS ILLEGAL TO IGNORE A ROAD CLOSED SIGN

1.2m of water would engulf a saloon car.

OUR RESILIENCE SYSTEM (EMERGENCY PLAN) Kirkmahoe Community Council has a plan for emergencies based on the assumptions that 1) Dumfries and Galloway Council staff and emergency services will be stretched 2) due to geography we may be cut off from each other by floodwater, fallen trees, no electricity etc The area has been divided into 8 neighbourhoods, and each neighbourhood has at least one co-ordinator who has the contact details of • people with skills and/or equipment local to them (tractors, chainsaws etc) • a resilience bag with extra small equipment such as torches, radio, camp cooker etc • the contact details to cascade any problems upwards There are first aiders in most neighbourhoods.

A while back we gave every household a leaflet with their neighbourhood co-ordinator’s contact details, as well as other useful numbers and information.

We expect to use the village halls if there is a big event, and both have been fitted with points for generators.

During the COVID lockdown the co-ordinators kept an eye out for people who might need help and a lot of other people volunteered as well.

The Kirkmahoe Community Council page on Facebook has been very useful during emergencies and people have pulled together, providing information updates and it has shown a strong spirit of co-operation in the community.

Please contact us if you would like a reminder of who your neighbourhood co-ordinator is, or if you feel you could help in an emergency, especially if you are new to the area and have practical or medical skills which we may not be aware of.

For more information please contact Jean Muir or Irene Paterson (see list of CC members) 11

KIRKTON HALL NEWS

OPEN MIKE EVENING IN KIRKTON HALL Old Friends (Kenny Meek and Roger Donald) are going to play an evening of free entertainment on May 6th in Kirkton Village Hall. There will be lots of songs to listen to and join in with and even an open mike for anyone who wants to perform but please let Ken or Rodger know beforehand via Facebook at their Old Friends page to make sure that you get a spot.

Spring is in the air! And on the village green the crocuses are painting their wonderful colourful March display. They certainly lift the spirits. Inside the hall, activities have been in full swing. Bowling, badminton, pilates and U3A table tennis all buzzing along.

And there are two social events to look out for. There is a FUN EASTER EVENT planned for Saturday April 9th. At the moment, the organisers are looking for confirmed numbers. You can catch up with them on the KCC page on Facebook.

On Friday 6th May, a MUSICAL OPEN MIKE evening is planned for the hall. This will be a free event, with an optional donation for the new defibrillator. It will be BYOB and we hope to create a pleasant relaxing atmosphere in the hall-so put the date in your diary! If you’re thinking of coming to this event, it would be useful to let the committee chairman know on 710216. This would give an indication of numbers.”

Finally, just a reminder that the Post Office is still operating in the hall on Tuesday and Thursday mornings from 9 am till 11 am. If you have Post Office business, please try to use this hall facility. We need to keep a Post Office presence in the village.

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Bring your own drinks and snacks. We are going to try to create a friendly and comfortable ambiance in the hall and would welcome donations and loans of lamps and house plants to aid the process. We hope to have a good turnout for a fun evening.

Donations to the Defibrillator fund will be welcomed.

If the evening is well supported, perhaps it could become a regular feature in the Kirkton Diary.

Doors Open 7pm.. Music from 7:45

RESTORING RED SQUIRRELS TO DALSWINTON In the past we had cared for Red Squirrels but it was an ad hoc sort of care and not one which was determined to help the Red Squirrel. So we needed a plan and with a plan we needed a resource. In conjunction with Saving Scotland’s Red Squirrels we drew up the following plan: 1. Trapping.

A comprehensive trapping program was drawn up. The problem with trapping is that you are more likely to catch a red squirrel than a grey squirrel. Red Squirrels get very stressed when they are caught in a trap and if left for too long will run up and down in the trap and hit the wire so hard they can die. Therefore if you are going to use a trap it has to be checked at least twice a day and in certain circumstances 3 times a day. We now have over 50 traps around Dalswinton and when they are set they are checked at least twice a day. Grey Squirrels which are caught are dispatched using an air pistol.

2. Shooting

As I look out of Dalswinton House, on a cold March morning, there are two red squirrels chasing each other around a silver birch tree. The winter is coming to an end and one has to hope that the squirrels will continue to bond with each other and hopefully produce an increase in the Squirrel population for 2023.

The sighting of red squirrels is, I am proud to say, once again common place on Dalswinton and happening every day at different parts of the estate. Two years ago it was more common to see the non-indigenous grey squirrel.

They were fast overcoming our red squirrel population and we were close to following many other parts of Scotland to a place where the red squirrel population had become extinct. It was at this point we engaged with Saving Scotland’s Red Squirrels (https://scottishsquirrels.org.uk/).

They came and met with us on Dalswinton and it became clear to me that we needed to focus and get engaged in order to save Red Squirrels.

Shooting was the main control method before we put a plan in place in 2018. However it was based on seeing the grey squirrels and then shooting them. Today we have invested in expensive infra red equipment and squirrels, which would not be seen with the naked eye, can be spotted in the trees. Shooting is now much more effective. It is particularly useful in the Autumn and early winter when the ground is full of food and squirrels are less likely to be attracted to traps.

To support this effort you need to be able to provide resources. We now have a squirrel man on the ground. He is out most days checking the traps and going to likely spots in order to see if there is activity. We have a regular monitoring meeting and plenty of chats. I am pleased to announce in just under three years we have removed over 1,000 Grey Squirrels. As a result the 2021 breeding season saw good growth in the red squirrel population and we are hopeful 2022 will be a repeat.

What a treat it is to see red squirrels running around a birch tree from our kitchen window.

Peter Landale – March 2022

SPRING COFFEE MORNING Please join us at Dalswinton Village Hall on Saturday 9th April between 10.30 and 12.30.

Lots of tasty food, unlimited tea and coffee.

Roaring log fire.

Raffle (prize donations appreciated).

Everyone welcome.

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Kirkmahoe S.W.I After almost 2 years of no meetings, the ladies of Kirkmahoe S.W.I. were delighted to meet again in September 2021. Isabel McGregor gave us materials to make brooches and fridge magnets and advised us on the painting and varnishing of crushed eggshells. It was a joy to hear the buzz of the chat after so many restrictions.

Our October speaker had to unfortunately cancel, but we were grateful that John Glover was free to entertain us with songs, recitations and stories. Lots of laughs was just what we needed on a dreich night.

One of our own members, Shirley Currie, demonstrated a variety of Christmas decorations in November. It was a busy night, trying to replicate Shirley’s beautiful examples, but everyone enjoyed being productive and artistic ( some more than others ) We were lucky to be able to have our Christmas meal at the Crichton Golf Club in December before we were restricted again. A lovely meal and Jenny’s and Joan’s entertainment was thoroughly enjoyed. Sadly we had to cancel the January meeting because of the increase of Covid cases locally.

Sarah Landale, from Dalswinton House, gave us a talk about the Scottish Garden Scheme, in February. She gave us a great insight into the history, development and current plans for the Scheme locally.

We are having a craft night in March, when members can bring along anything they have made recently. We will also be discussing entries for the Cairn Valley Group mini show in May. The A.G.M. in May will be followed by a games night.

Some of our members are participating in the many Dumfriesshire events such as a spring walk at Lochmaben, short mat bowling competition and ruralympics.

You can be kept very busy as a “Rural” member or you can just come along to the meetings to enjoy the fellowship.

For further information please contact Doreen Martin 01387 711767.

On the 25 June 2022 I will be flying to Calgary with worldwide adventure team to spend 6 days hiking across the Canadian Rockies to raise funds for Marie Curie nurses in Dumfries and Galloway. We are camping outside each night and hiking between 6-8 hrs each day, not an easy challenge but one that I am very excited about and looking forward to.

I have worked as a senior healthcare assistant with Marie Curie nurses for 16 years. We provide care and support to families and patients at the end of life.

If anyone would like to support me to raise funds go to my Just Giving page.

Shirley Kelting 14

OUR NEVER ENDING BATTLE WITH LITTER

Soup and Pud Lunches We held a very successful Soup and Pud lunch a while ago and hope to make these a regular event in the calendar.

There have been a few hiccoughs re the legalities but hopefully we will have that sorted soon – keep an eye on Facebook and Noticeboards for details.

Kirkmahoe Easter Eggs-travaganza!

Saturday 9th April at Kirkton Hall and Sam Leask Park 2-4pm

The quantity of litter which is dropped from vehicles, particularly those going along the C11 through Kirkmahoe is appalling. It creates a danger to wildlife and an eyesore for anyone walking or driving along the road.

The Community Council is grateful to everyone who has been out removing litter from verges and public spaces over the last year. It makes a big difference! However, it is always disappointing to see an area that you cleared recently once again strewn with drinks cups and bottles and fast-food wrappings. It is a never-ending process but not too time consuming or difficult if done regularly so there isn’t too much to carry. And now is a good time to get collecting before it is all hidden as the hedges and verges start growing.

Hi everyone. We would love to know how many people will be coming along to this family fun event! Please comment on the post on the Kirkmahoe Residents FB page or call Alana on 07885437150 if you would like to join us and let us know the age of any children coming.

What’s happening...

If you see any large items which have been fly tipped, please report this to the Council and they will come and remove them:

* Easter Egg Hunt * Visit from the Easter Bunny * Egg Rolling * Easter Crafts * Easter Baking Fun * Easter Theme Games * Boiled Egg Decoration Competiton

Fly tipping (dumgal.gov.uk)

Alana Owens

Bulky waste collection (dumgal.gov.uk)

Playgroup

If anyone else wants to join in, litter grabbers, gloves, and green bags which will be collected by the council are available. Contact Alice (710523) if you ever need some.

We are organising a group litter pick on Sunday 3rd April, starting at 10am. We will be concentrating on Dalswinton and Kirkton. Hi-vis, pickers and bags all provided. Meet at Kirkton Village Green or at the Dalswinton Noticeboard.

Thank you again for continuing to Keep Kirkmahoe clean.

Alana Owens is hoping to start up a play group in Kirkton in the near future. If you would like to help or would want to come along with your little ones please contact Alana on the Kirkmahoe Residents Facebook page or call 0788543715

Dalswinton House Garden Opening We are pleased to be welcoming visitors to our garden again this year on Sunday 15th May 2022 from noon to 5pm. Teas will be served between 2pm-5pm and you are welcome to bring a picnic. Opening in aid of Scotland’s Gardens Scheme and Kirkmahoe Parish Church.

Sarah Landale 15

Hello from your Community Council We hope that you find this issue of Grapevine interesting and that it may inspire you to become more involved in the Kirkmahoe community. We are always looking for ways to enhance our community. We need you to tell us how we can make this an even better place to live. We want to support new community groups to realise their plans including helping you to access funding from a wide range of sources.

The George V playing field at Duncow features in this issue. It has been underused for years and the trustees want to know how it can work better for the community. Please read the article and send ideas to John Duncan. Be as imaginative as you like!

Dates and venues of our meetings can be found in the ‘What’s On’ section of this Grapevine. We have regular input from community police and councillors and are always happy to welcome community members, who are invited to join in our discussions and offer their ideas and ask questions. There is usually a cup of tea or coffee to be had!

Minutes and Agendas are placed on the noticeboards and are included in the Kirkmahoe.com website.

If you’d like to receive minutes and agendas electronically, please send an email to kccemail18@gmail.com.

KCC Members are: Alice Howdle (Chair) Kemyshall Kirkton DH1 1SX 01387 710523 ahatkh@gmail.com

Jean Muir (Treasurer) North Wing Carzield House Kirkmahoe DG1 1SY 01387 710216 nwcarzield@hotmail.co.uk

Irene Paterson (Secretary) Sunnybrae Duncow DG1 1TB 01387 710060 ipaterson56@yahoo.co.uk

Hugh Johnstone (Vice Chair) 4 John Crabbe Crescent Kirkton DG1 1TQ 01387 710121 hugh-e-j@hotmail.com

Peter Landale Dalswinton House Dalswinton DG2 0XZ 01387 740279 pdrl@dalswintonestate.co.uk

John Duncan Newlands House Kirkmahoe DG1 1TD newlandsestates@gmail.com

Pamela Crosbie Dalswinton Mill Dalswinton Dumfries DG2 0XY 01387 740070 Pillarbox99@yahoo.co.uk

Alistair Johnstone Larchhill Kirkton Dumfries DG1 1ST 01387 710353 alistair johnstone@btinternet.com