St Andrews in focus • shopping • eating • events • town/gown • people and more
January/February 2015 Issue 68, £2.00
the award winning magazine for St Andrews www.standrewsinfocus.com
St Andrews in focus • shopping • eating • events • town/gown • people and more
From the Editor
Chatting to a friend recently we marveled at the wonders of science, at the successful landing on a comet after a 10-year journey through space. With all that and more in mind, would teleportation one day also become a reality? I pondered the sad state of our world at the present time, with large numbers of inhabitants killing each other for opposing ideological reasons, with fatal diseases threatening other large populations, and with the continuing trashing of the planet. On the other hand, I see that there is hope of better things to come, that there are thousands of dedicated people working to improve life everywhere. In my ever-optimistic way I trust they will prevail. In that spirit of hope I pray that teleportation will become possible in the future. I, therefore, will have my co-ordinates preserved, in order that I can say in 100 years’ time, “Beam me down Scottie”! Peace and joy to you all this 2015! Flora Selwyn
******** The views expressed elsewhere in this magazine are not necessarily those of the Editor. © St Andrews in Focus (2003) JANUARY / FEBRUARY 2015 EDITOR Flora Selwyn Tel: 01334 472375 Email: editor@standrewsinfocus.com
Contents
FEATURES • Community Council • Cambo Stables Project • Tea • Ask the Curator • 7 Secrets • Poached Pears – Recipe • Solutions? • Reviews: – Special Collections’ new Commission – Canmore – What your cat really thinks
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ORGANISATIONS • Friends of the Byre • The Harbour Trust • SSAFA • The Stroke Club • Rotary in St Andrews • The Burns Club, then & now
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EVENTS • Back in the Byre • StAnza • Flore Gardener • Mermaids • Selected Events
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CENTRE SPREAD PULL-OUT • St Andrews Concert Diary
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SHOPS & SERVICES • StAndrews4You • Fraser Gallery Initiative • The One Under Gastro Pub • Advice from the Osteopath • Chocolate! • Fog in the crystal ball • Gala Dinner photo reportage • The new Land Registration Act • Roving Reporter
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PUBLISHER (address for correspondence) Local Publishing (Fife) Ltd., PO Box 29210, St Andrews, Fife, KY16 9YZ. Tel: 01334 472375 Email: editor@standrewsinfocus.com
TOWN & GOWN • Saint’s Thrift • Green Film Festival • Transition UStA • Moses • The Other Guys in Church Square
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SUBSCRIPTIONS St Andrews in Focus is published 6 times a year. Subscriptions for 6 issues are:
OUT & ABOUT • Le Rouge et le Noir • The Botanic Garden • Bells and bell towers
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DESIGNER University of St Andrews Print & Design (printanddesign@st-andrews.ac.uk) PRINTER Winter & Simpson (ken@wintersimpson.co.uk) DISTRIBUTER Drop 2 Door (billy@drop2door.co.uk)
£14 in the UK (post & packing included). Please send cheques to: Local Publishing (Fife) Ltd., PO Box 29210, St Andrews, Fife, KY16 9YZ. £25 overseas (post and packing included). Please use PayPal account: editor@StAndrewsinFocus.com NOTE: please pay with a Personal Bank Account, as credit cards incur a 3.9% charge. REGISTERED IN SCOTLAND: 255564 THE PAPER USED IS 100% RECYCLED POST-CONSUMER WASTE
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NEXT ISSUE – Mar/Apr 2015 COPY DEADLINE: STRICTLY 28 JANUARY
All contributions welcome. The Editor reserves the right to publish copy according to available space. Cover: original photo by Flora Selwyn of the flowering cherry in Sally’s Quad
FEATURES Howard Greenwell, Chairman
The Community Council
As we move into 2015, I want to reflect on the achievements of one of the other Community Council initiatives for this previous year. In addition to the great success of the Friends of Craigtoun, another longer-standing Community Council initiative has been making good progress in its mission. The St Andrews Environmental Network (StAndEN), set up by the Community Council a few years ago, in conjunction with the Transition University of St Andrews, has recently been awarded a sum of approximately £150,000 by Climate Challenge to “... work with the local community to deliver projects that provide simple low carbon solutions and embed sustainable enterprise within the community. Project activities will enable local people to take practical action on climate change through tackling issues around rural home energy, local food, sustainable transport, and enhancement of neighbourhood links. This programme of activities will bring about social, economic, and environmental benefits for St Andrews as well as cutting carbon emissions.”
StAndEN is also continuing to work on its existing project to further reduce the carbon footprint of St Andrews. The handyman service, providing low cost energy efficient measures including draught proofing, provision of thermal curtains, and LED light bulbs free of charge to clients meeting the criteria, has been a great success for StAndEN. This is a project that the organisation is very keen to carry forward into future years. In addition there is the prospect of StAndEN becoming an independent charity in 2015, so the group will be busy in 2015, well placed to help the people of St Andrews “do their bit” toward making St Andrews a greener, more carbon neutral society. All of those involved in StAndEN, both inside and outside of the Community Council, deserve significant thanks from the community for their efforts to make our town a better place to live in. But 2015 will also bring its own challenges for the Community Council, not least in helping to get the town prepared for the hundreds of thousands of visitors to this year’s Open Championship in July. Now that the Martyr’s monument project has been completed, and the refurbishment of the golf museum is well
underway, the Community Council is looking to address the final piece of the Bruce Embankment by refurbishing the Bandstand. Our Victorian Bandstand is well used in the summer concerts, but suffers from all the North Sea can throw at it during the winter. The metalwork, electrics, and paintwork are all in need of some TLC. This is just one of the projects we will look to tackle in the coming year. As a community we should all be looking for projects that the people of the town can support. Your input to the Community Council will always be appreciated, discussed, and the best taken forward into new projects for the benefit of everyone in the town. Finally, at the recent elections for the Community Council, some of our long-term members decided to retire. I personally wish to thank all of them for their hard work over the years. It does, however, leave us with some vacancies on the Community Council. If you live within the town and are interested in helping to make St Andrews a better place to live and work in, then we would be happy to welcome you to the group. I wish you all a prosperous 2015.
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FEATURES Cambo Heritage Trust recreates the vision of one man 200 years on.
One man’s 200 year-old vision lives on as the Cambo Stables Project comes to fruition The designed landscape of These bridges probably young people in the community 100 years ago. Cambo as it is now was the originate from between The estate then would have provided training, vision and achievement of 1800 and 1815 and were apprenticeships, and supported employment. It one man who was sent out evidently well established was a social enterprise of its time. to Sweden, aged 15, to seek and of such significance Now, with the Cambo Stables Project, his fortune while the rest of that they were referred to their aim is to create an education and visitor his family lived in ‘genteel in an account of gardens in centre with facilities for the charity to continue poverty’ in London’. the East Neuk of Fife which to expand current activities while safeguarding Thomas Erskine, 9th appeared in Loudon’s public access and involvement for the future by Earl of Kellie (1746 -1828) Gardener’s Magazine in providing an income to ensure a sustainable was a Scottish merchant, 1834. Recent work on future. After three years of planning, Cambo landowner and politician the Cambo archives has Heritage Trust has been given the go-ahead who lived for many years unearthed invoices for by Heritage Lottery Fund to commence work in the Swedish city of the now majestic trees to on the replacement of the existing dilapidated Gothenburg, where he be found throughout the range of glasshouses in the Walled Garden, amassed a large fortune estate. also to take the Cambo Stables Project to through his business References are made tender. interests. He returned to to the garden throughout The glasshouses play a pivotal role in the Scotland, and Cambo, in the years. It is thought that training given to student gardeners, who come 1799 when he inherited an the glasshouses were in either for Cambo’s in-house trainee scheme, earldom from his nephew The portrait of Sir Thomas Erskine existence by 1815. Over with other horticultural bursaries, or as interns Charles Erskine, 8th Earl by David Wilkie, hanging in the years, the numerous and volunteers to hone their practical skills. Kellie, and thus became the the County Buildings glasshouses, including Work to dismantle the glasshouses will 9th Earl of Kellie. (By kind permission of Fife Council) an idiosyncratic one built commence in February 2015. A series of Kellie became a noted across the burn, have activities/workshops is being planned around ‘improver’ in Scotland; the Cambo landscape enabled gardeners to grow tender fruits and this. Work will then begin on their replacement. in its present form was initiated by him in the propagate thousands of plants, also now It is anticipated that the new glasshouses will late 18th and early 19th centuries, designing providing a learning space for the be in place, ready to use by August a landscape which included house, stables, numerous students who come to 2015. Kellie became a coach house, walled garden, dovecote, and Cambo each year to further their Architects Page/Park have noted ‘improver’ mausoleum. The wider estate included various training. now been commissioned to further in Scotland farms with impressive houses, the picturesque Regeneration has been the develop the plans for an education steading at East Newhall, deliberately built to byword of Sir Peter and Lady and training centre in the historic be an eye catcher to the passing public, and the Erskine, leading to the opening in 2000 of the stables buildings on Cambo, also to create village of Kingsbarns which still has several fine now world-renowned Kingsbarns Golf Links a visitor hub providing improved facilities for examples of houses which he built and features built over part of the original links course, and the growing number of school and community a church spire, noticeably added to over the the opening in December 2014 of Kingsbarns activities, student gardeners, volunteers, years to give employment to the local people. Distillery in the old East Newhall Steading. and visitors benefiting from and enjoying the He had also influenced new farming methods Affordable housing has been built in Kingsbarns Estate’s historic landscape. in Sweden. His zeal for the new method of in the hope young families will be attracted back Fundraising is in full swing to raise the ‘enclosed’ farming extended to the fashion for to the village, regenerating the village school remaining shortfall required to begin work on ‘informal’ parkland and pleasure grounds, a which has recently seen its numbers decline. the restoration of the stables buildings in the links golf course, also the use of the emerging In 1998 they formed the charity, Cambo autumn of 2015. new material, decorative cast-iron, creating an Heritage Trust, to use the facilities of Cambo unusual set of cast iron bridges spanning the Estate to ‘turn the clock back’ and recreate the (Photos courtesy Cambo Estate) Cambo burn. opportunities that would have been available to
The Stables
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The Glasshouse
FEATURES Dananjaya Silva, 3rd generation family tea planter, introduces
Tea
Tea – the nation’s drink – this humble beverage is steeped in 5,000 years of history. As a daily ritual, millions of Britons put the kettle on in households all over the UK, yet how many know the history of this wonderful drink and its significance, even in Scotland? A brief History Tea was first drunk in China, its exact origins unknown, but many refer to the story of Emperor Sheng Nung, who sat under a tea bush, his hot water infused by leaves that fell into his cup. The British love affair Tea was first introduced to Europe through Arab traders. The British and Dutch East India Companies looked to exploit the insatiable appetite that Europeans developed for tea. With demand increasing, the British government soon found itself in a major trade deficit, as the Chinese would only trade tea for Gold, Silver, and Silk. To fulfil the appetite, the East India Company grew opium in India, swapping opium for tea with the Chinese. When the Emperor finally discovered the truth he cut off all trade with Britain. To see the steady flow of tea to her shores, the then-modern fleet of the Royal Navy destroyed the Chinese fleet and captured Hong Kong. China was forced into the modern world because of her tea. Tracts of Empire With the supply of China’s tea limited, and because of the soured relationship, the colonial government looked to open up vast tracts of its own colonies to the growing of tea and coffee. India was first selected to grow tea. The plant was found to be growing wild in the dense jungles of Assam in northeast India. Ceylon was selected for the growing of coffee. For both countries adverts were placed to encourage buccaneering men to venture out from their home towns to uncharted parts of empire to find their fortunes. Many of these men hailed from towns and villages in Scotland. The work of these brave pioneering men can be found all over Ceylon today. From the roads to the estate names, Ceylon, or Sri Lanka as she is now known, is a true testament
to the courage of these men. By the 1860s thousands of acres of jungle had been opened up by pioneering men for the planting of coffee, by 1867 Ceylon was briefly the world’s largest coffee exporter. The men who had ventured out had found great fortune in the mountains of Ceylon. Nature can produce. The Hotel’s exclusivelyMany, however, had also succumbed to produced “St Andrews Tea” is specially created their deaths, through malaria, a leopard or for it, manufactured at the height of the Western elephant attack, and in some cases by their quality season. own estate labour. At the beginning of last November PMD In 1870 the first record of a rust-coloured was invited to give a talk on the science behind substance appearing on coffee bushes was the making of Black Tea, as part of the Dundee recorded from outlying plantations in Kandy. Science Festival. Over two days No attention was paid as planters we delivered an in-depth talk on were so focused on opening P M David Silva & how we, as tea manufacturers, up new areas of jungle for the Sons was started take a green leaf from a bush planting of coffee. Within a few by my grandfather and create a quality cup of tea years the rust-coloured disease like the St Andrews Tea. had swept island-wide, destroying While most tea that is found today on the the entire coffee industry. Overnight these supermarket shelves is created using the crushcoffee planters swapped over from coffee tear-curl (CTC) process, ideal for tea bags, teas to tea, beginning the painstaking process of that PMD provides, such as the St Andrews replanting their plantations. Tea, use the orthodox process. The steps of withering, rolling, oxidation and drying are taken Ceylon Tea Today under expert care and with a great deal of Today Sri Lanka is one of the world’s largest science behind each step. tea producers, all her teas continue to be hand The final product allows the drinker to be plucked, with Colombo having the world’s able to taste all of the subtle flavours each tea largest single-origin tea auction. has to offer. The final taste in a cup of tea will P M David Silva & Sons was started by vary from each estate. Much like Scotch whisky, my grandfather. He ventured to the Maskeliya which varies from region to region, then again Valley in the late 1930s from Dondra, a from distillery to distillery and then again by its coastal fishing town that sits at Sri Lanka’s aging process. Orthodox tea depends on the southernmost tip. climate, the soil condition, the flora and fauna, The original Company began life as a manufacturing methods, all carrying a different plantation supplier and transport agent on flavour. Brunswick estate. For over 70 years we have Drinking single-estate tea is where the real transported teas that have been the crucial pleasure of tea drinking can be found. The Old element in world-famous blends. Course Hotel’s Afternoon Tea menu is home to Today P M David Silva & Sons is a tea some excellent single estates, from rare white exporter that specializes solely in creating teas, which carry the full spectrum of flavours, and sourcing single-origin and single-batch to teas that grow from 6,000feet right down to manufacture teas for discerning customers. 2,000feet above sea level. We have been working with the Old Course Hotel for the past four years to provide guests (Photo courtesy Danajaya Silva) with the finest and freshest teas that Mother You can watch the keynote on our YouTube channel at: www.youtube.com/channel/UCZBaB2wIUD5bwC9kmUONMsg/featured
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FEATURES Samantha Bannerman, Curator of the Preservation Trust’s Museum
Answers Your Questions Q. I recently read a reference to the ‘Number Sixty’ in your booklet The People’s War: St Andrews and the Home Front 19391945. It states that the ‘Number Sixty’ was a social club set up for servicemen, providing food and hot baths. Do you have further information about this club? A. From 1941-1945, the ‘Number Sixty’ was a converted house at 60 South Street. The owner of the house, Mr Charles Grace of the Grange (of the local firm Pagan, Osborne, and Grace, now Pagan), offered the house rent free to Miss Felicity Irvine (daughter of Principal Sir James Irvine of the University of St Andrews) assisted by Anne Sutherland, Alison Hopwood, and Avril Sloan, so that the ladies could establish a social club for men in the Forces. They furnished the house through an appeal in the local press, and raised funds by hosting dances. Their appeal saw the people of St Andrews donate muchneeded furniture and gifts, including a piano, wireless, gramophone, and billiard table. The idea behind the establishment of the Club was for the soldiers to have a place of respite, to relax and to stave off boredom during their free time. The house was open every day from 2.30pm-10.00pm. Guests got peace and
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quiet to write letters, read, or play billiards, while the University held lectures and classes on any number of topics, from drawing and chemistry, to hairdressing. The Club also had a canteen that served fresh food, its profits keeping the Club running throughout the war. Men could also enjoy a hot bath; it states in an article in The People’s Post from October 1942 that the bathrooms were the most popular rooms in the house, because men could, ‘get forty minutes’ worth of good soap, clean towels, and hot water for sixpence’. Many of the servicemen were Polish and Dutch. The Club’s library
stocked a large number of classic books and thrillers in French and Polish, as well as in English. But, perhaps most importantly, the Club was seen as a place for friendship, with the ladies offering a sympathetic ear to their guests. There was, furthermore, no shortage of volunteers; from 2.30pm-10.00pm the time was divided into three shifts with approximately six helpers per shift. The soldiers billeted in St Andrews were well looked after, so it is unsurprising that many decided to remain in the Town after the war had ended, with some marrying local girls.
(Photos courtesy the Preservation Trust. NB – in the first photograph, the signs are in English, Polish, and Dutch.)
FEATURES Adam Browne’s
John C Walton
6 Small Pears 750ml Red Wine 1 Cup Sugar 1 Large Orange 1 Cinnamon Stick 3 Star Anise 1 Vanilla Pod 1 tbsp Corn Starch 500g Mascarpone Cheese
In St Andrews seven secrets sleep Hidden away and buried deep Mysteries time intends to keep.
Mulled Wine Poached Pears with Mascarpone
To Start • • •
• •
•
Put the red wine, sugar, cinnamon stick, star anise, and vanilla pod in a small saucepan. Peel the pears, leaving on the stalk, and cut off the bottom so they will stand on their own. Add the pears to the saucepan and bring to the boil. Once the cooking liquor starts to boil turn down to a simmer and place a lid on top. The pears should take around 2 hours to cook depending on the size of the pear. To check, slide (Photos courtesy Adam Browne) a knife into the thickest part of the pear, if you feel little resistance then the pear is cooked. Remove the pears and place to one side until ready to serve. Strain the cooking liquor through a sieve into a bowl. Clean the saucepan and put the liquor back in to the saucepan, place back on a gentle heat. Taste the liquor, if the wine was a little acidic you may want to add more sugar, remember though that a little acidity is a good contrast with the taste of the mascarpone. Place the corn starch in a small bowl, add 3 tbsp of the cooking liquor and mix to a paste making sure there are no lumps. Add this to the saucepan and whisk until the liquid starts to thicken. If too thick add a little cold water.
You are now ready to serve Take a large spoonful of the mascarpone cheese, place it on a plate, bowl or board. Add your poached pears and drizzle with the sauce, garnish with candied orange, orange segments and mint. Note: The pears will keep in the fridge for up to 3 days. The sauce the same, but can also be frozen. This recipe can also be used to make Mulled Wine, or if you want to use up the halfempty bottles of wine left around the house from Christmas. www.privatechefadam.com
St Andrews’ Seven Secrets
The first of the seven elusive unknowns Wither went Saint Andrew’s bones? In their casket set with precious stones? And when was golf first played on the links? Nigh six hundred years ago methinks Though ‘twas never written down with inks. White lady’s bones with gloves of white leather Identity hidden; an enigma for ever Still haunts her tower in autumn weather. And who lies buried on hallow hill In long cist graves near the old mill? With Roman goods among the infill. Was a Culdee church on Lady’s Craig rock Close to the end of the present dock? And why did their influence wane and stop? The ancient thorn in St Mary’s Quad Did Mary queen plant it ‘neath the sod? Or is this a legend, a hallowed fraud? That sculptured head dug from a latrine? Was this Christ’s image they sought to demean? In reforming zeal or an excess of spleen? In St Andrews many secrets are found Stories are told, explanations abound Romances and yarns that intrigue or astound.
John Cameron
Solutions? this wall”. But the real driver in the end was the defiant rise of the civil Interest in the start of the Great War resulted societies of Poland, Hungary, and Czechoslovakia, as well as East in large crowds at Britain’s war memorials this Germany, where the aging communist leadership lost control. It could year, while in Germany a vast throng marked the also be argued that the Wall’s destruction marked the end of a European fall of the Berlin Wall quarter of a century ago. civil war, which started in 1914 and blew hot and cold for seventy-five In this country there was a silence for men years before it ended in 1989. long dead, whereas Angela Merkel spoke emotionally of the demise There were similar mass movements in 1914 of the Soviet bloc as a manifestation that dreams The cost of the Great War against the looming conflict; contrary to popular belief, really can come true. She was a young scientist in in Germany there were 300 anti-war demonstrations Communist East Berlin when it collapsed; the result was 15 million dead involving a million people. Across Europe that last of mass popular pressure, which she said should be summer of peace, millions took to the streets in a mood of solidarity and remembered as a triumph of the human spirit. Built in 1961 to stop East internationalism, but their political leaders seemed quite determined to Germans fleeing west, it was a heavily guarded 100-mile double white have a war. concrete screen encircling West Berlin, slicing across streets, families It was national governments which initiated the tide of jingoism and graveyards. Along with the separate, and much longer Inner German across the continent that crushed the international anti-war movement, border, it came to symbolize the Iron Curtain that separated Western sweeping their peoples into internecine carnage. The lesson of 1914 is Europe and the Eastern Bloc during the Cold War. Its toppling was an to avoid conflict – a lesson Germany has learnt and counsels restraint in extraordinary event, certainly one I never expected to see in my lifetime, Ukraine, whereas our recent military interventions have destabilized the and comparable with the French Revolution in its defeat of an old, cruel, entire Islamic Crescent. rotten system. The cost of the Great War was 15 million dead; the cost of its sequel, But unlike 1789 it was largely peaceful, from Poland’s Solidarity to 60 million resulting in more war deaths in the last century than in the the Velvet Revolution in Czechoslovakia, deserving to be celebrated as rest of human history put together. We still await an objective analysis of an example of human hope and endurance. There had been remarkable these terrible events, but the real need is for politicians to find solutions western resolve in the face of Moscow’s provocation, from the Berlin which do not require the problem to be bathed in human blood. airlift to Ronald Reagan’s call on Mikhail Gorbachev to “tear down
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FEATURES: REVIEWS Maia Sheridan, Manuscripts Archivist, on the launch of a
New commission for Special Collections, St Andrews University Library On Friday, 28 November, Special Collections hosted a book launch in the King James Library to celebrate the completion of a 600th anniversary commission of a new artist’s book by local artist Jean Johnstone. The book, A Special Collection was presented to the Library, with speeches by Library Director, John MacColl, and the artist herself as she gave a fascinating talk about the creation of this work of art. There was then the opportunity for the eager audience to see the archives and rare books that inspired it in the Senate Room. We already hold all of Jean Johnstone’s other hand-made artist’s books. Normally she creates just a few copies of each work, which are collected by institutions such as the National Library of Scotland, the British Library, and ourselves, but this one is unique to St Andrews and will never be reproduced for anyone else. The book was commissioned to represent 600 years of collecting manuscripts, muniments, rare books, and photographs, by the University, now held in Special Collections. The end result is the artist’s reaction to, and interpretation of, those materials. Jean takes a text and creates a hand-written and hand-made book around it, using exotic hand-made paper, engravings, wax, and fine inks. They are works of art as well as literary pieces. Jean has been nominated for the Saltire Society’s 2014 list of “Outstanding Women of Scotland”.
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Jean visited several times, talked to all the curators, and decided in the end to base her work mainly on works by women that we hold here. We have a tiny volume of poetry Octonaires de la vanité du monde by Antoine de la Roche Chandieu, copied by the calligrapher and miniaturist Esther Inglis, dated 1616, and one of those poems provided the text for the work. The illustrations were inspired by Elizabeth Blackwell’s herbal, Maria Sybilla Merian’s illustrations of botany with insects of Surinam, and photographs by Eve Arnold. It is a very beautiful and distinctive artist’s book; it’s been fascinating to see the ideas evolve and change from the earliest thoughts into the finished article. It will now become part of the University’s collections. It will be on display at times, and at other times anyone can request to see it by booking an appointment at Martyr’s Kirk Reading Room. You can also see descriptions and photographs of Jean’s other artist’s books on our online Archive Catalogue: www.st-andrews.ac.uk/library/specialcollections/collections/archives/ (Photo courtesy Maia Sheridan)
FEATURES: REVIEWS Lorn Macintyre reviews
Canmore By Francis Ferrone Priced £5 (with postage, £6.00) the book may be purchased from the Canmore Chaplaincy for University Catholics, 24 The Scores, St Andrews, Fife KY16 9AS. Please make cheques payable to: Canmore Chaplaincy, Archdiocese of St Andrews and Edinburgh. For further information please contact friendsofcanmore@gmail.com St Andrews House of Contemplation Celebrated. A fascinating new book detailing the history of one of the most distinguished houses on the Scores in St Andrews has just been published to celebrate its half century as the Chaplaincy for the town’s Catholic university students. Copiously illustrated with photographs, Canmore, researched and written by American student Francis Ferrone, follows the history of the substantial house, which was built to a
design by acclaimed local architects Gillespie & Scott, for Professor Arthur Stanley Butler in 1895. Known formerly as St Swithins, Canmore was purchased by Mrs Annette Harmar, a wealthy London widow, who put most of her fortune into building the new St James Catholic Church opposite her residence on the Scores. Occupied by missionaries and nuns, Canmore was purchased by a charitable trust set up by Dr C P Stevens, whose family members still live locally, and was handed over
to the Catholic students as their Chaplaincy in the early 1960s. Since then the building has welcomed many hundreds of students from all over the world to St Andrews, giving them a comfortable place for study and contemplation.
Gill Ballie reviews
What Your Cat Really Thinks By Susan McMullan Published by Black & White Publishing Ltd. 2014. Available at J & G Innes, and all good bookshops. Price, £8.99.
What Your Cat Really Thinks is a laugh-out-loud celebration of our cat friends. Beautifully designed, it is packed full of reallife funny photos of our favourite family members. Each photo is accompanied with a quirky caption, giving the reader an insight into the mind of everyday cats....and what they really think! But be warned, they’re not always thinking quite what you’d expect!
I really did enjoy reading this book, and taking in each of the fun feline antics that it shares with the reader. I was absorbed from start to finish, then started from page one all over again. It’s an easy fun read that lets you forget about a busy day and relax in the enjoyment of the little things. It now has pride of place on my coffee table, a great talking point for friends and family as they enjoy a cup of tea and browse What Your Cat Really Thinks. This would make an ideal gift for a cat lover, or for anyone who appreciates a good giggle. McMullan really has outdone herself this time and continues to be the go-to cat author, in my book!
Leuchars Station £10 Dundee City Centre £25
Print & Design
Edinburgh Airport £70 We welcome commercial enquiries St Katharine’s West, 16 The Scores St Andrews, Fife KY16 9AX
T: (01334) 463020 E: printanddesign@st-andrews.ac.uk The University of St Andrews is a charity registered in Scotland, No: SC013532
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ORGANISATIONS Alan Tricker asks
Are you a Friend of the Byre? Many people lucky enough to see the productions at the Byre. Throughout their Mermaids’ production of The Importance history, however, the Friends have also been a of Being Earnest, or the Play Club’s Blithe focus for people who live in or visit St Andrews, Spirit, will realise that the Byre Theatre is who are keen on theatre, and the Byre in well and truly open again for business under particular. the management of the University. One local At a recent Friends’ social event at the organisation that has been tireless in its re-opened theatre, the new Artistic Director, efforts over the past 18 months to ensure Michael Downes, spoke warmly of the that the theatre did reopen importance of the Friends is The Friends of the Byre for providing a link between the new Artistic Director, – the charity that has been the local community and Michael Downes, spoke supporting the Byre since the University, which now warmly of the importance 1967. manages the Byre. He also of the Friends Originally, the Friends thanked the Friends for their were the front-of-house staff generous donation of £2,500 – programme sellers, tea and coffee makers to support the youth cast in the forthcoming – but when the new Byre opened in 2001 all pantomime, Jack and the Beanstalk. the front-of-house and café staff became paid Although the majority of the Friends employees. So the role of the Friends changed continued their membership during the dark to be more of a supporters’ club cum funddays of theatre closure, the Committee is keen raising group. Many thousands of pounds have to expand the membership now that the Byre been raised to buy equipment and support is open again. Members enjoy special events
arranged for them, as well as discounts on various other events at the Byre. Also, the Friends have a seat on the Byre Theatre Advisory Board – the group set up by the University to liaise with the local community, Fife Council, and the funding agencies. A large membership of the Friends would help to ensure that there continues to be a community voice influencing the future development of the theatre. Membership of the Friends is available for only £5, a very easy and cheap way to support your local theatre. Details may be obtained from the Secretary, Alan Tricker by emailing: friendsofbyre@outlook.com
Marion Mason, Trustee, reports on
The St Andrews Harbour Trust Pier Pointing Substantial work on both piers and walkway has been carried out this year costing a five-figure sum. Further work is to be carried out when more funds become available. Moving of Boulders The 102 Field Squadron, 71 Engineer Regiment Army Reserves moved 50 tons of foreign stones blocking and damaging the slipway. This exposed a stone roadway at the bottom of the slipway, which can be traced across the foreshore for some 40 metres. It was a trackway used by carts for the harvest and transport of seaweed from the foreshore. It could also have been constructed to serve a quarry that had been on the foreshore. This feature may date to the mid 17th century. The plan is to come back at a later date to complete the job. Pontoons The Trust has raised a planning application for the inner harbour to hold up to 50 pontoons, in order greatly to increase safety access for boat owners, and dramatically improve facilities for visitors. The projected costs are significant. So far the Trust would like to thank Pilgrims Trust; St Andrews Community Trust; The R & A; and The Kinburn Trust for their generous donations towards this major project. Fundraising continues, completion of all phases of the project to be based on total funds raised. Anticipated work should start within eight to ten weeks of receipt of planning permission. Harbour Gala Held in June last year, the Gala brought in large crowds of people of all ages. There were bouncy castles, private stalls, burgers, strawberry tarts, scones, ice cream, a licensed bar, from which all profits were donated to the Harbour Trust. Our sincere thanks to Claire Nicoll and her staff from the Keys Bar for all their time and hard work. Thanks to Ferryport Gala organisers and St Andrews Preservation Trust for lending various sizes of marquees. To round off the afternoon, we had a surprise visit from the City of St Andrews Pipe Band, who ended up playing in the large marquee as the heavens had just opened! All round a successful event which we will try to build on for future years. Coffee Morning Held last September, it was a great success, with the usual cake and candy, tea/coffee, a few private stalls, and a mountain of bric-a-brac of which we managed to shift just over half! The following day we raised a few more pounds at the indoor car boot sale at the Cosmos disposing of more bric-a-brac!
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Harbour Mugs Our rustic, hand-painted pottery mugs are selling well at Kerachers Crockery and Gifts, also at the Harbour Café. Greetings Cards Iona Reid very kindly donated a large supply of her beautiful handmade cards which are on sale at the Harbour Café. Logoed Accessories We are looking into having some caps, perhaps also T-shirts made with the harbour logo – details to come in due course. 50/50 Club Our first year and the sales of tickets are doing well. The first monthly draw will take place in March, the results to be announced on our website: www.standrewsharbourtrust.org and our Facebook page, St Andrews Harbour. There is still time to purchase a ticket. If you would like more information please contact Marion: 01334 470 604, or collect a form from the Harbour Café, or any of the Trustees. St Andrews Harbour Facebook Page It now has 794 likes, invaluable for instant communications and announcements to the public. There is a variety of information with a great supply of wonderful pictures sent in from locals and visitors. This page was particularly useful during our run up to the Gala for requesting volunteers to help, donations ranging from baking to bric-abrac and, of course, advertising the event. If you haven’t already done so please Like our page. If you have any pictures taken down at the harbour and would like to share them please send them through the Facebook page. Twitter Keeping up with social media, a Twitter account has recently been set up; send us a tweet @staharbour ! We are extremely grateful to so many. We would like to thank all our volunteers, public and business supporters, and donators of cash to Crispie Cakes. We wish everyone a very healthy and happy New Year, and look forward to seeing you around the harbour and the town! (Photo courtesy Marion Mason)
ORGANISATIONS Lyn Price, Lt Cdr (Rtd) Royal Navy, SSAFA Fife Vice Chairman
SSAFA
Many modern servicemen and women are facing extreme hardship and struggling to provide the basics of life, according to the Fife branch of the SSAFA. With the recent 100th Anniversary of the beginning of the First World War, the anniversary of D-Day having just passed earlier last year, and the ongoing withdrawal of UK Troops from Afghanistan, the military charity SSAFA has highlighted the changing needs of Veterans. SSAFA Fife’s chairman, Lt Col (Retd) Graham Meacher, said, “As time takes its inevitable toll on the D-Day Veterans, this year will be the last of the great anniversaries where we have the opportunity to thank those who took part in person. Many Veterans have suffered physically or mentally as a direct result of their Service life, others have financial or emotional issues that may be unconnected with their military careers. We support Veterans of all ages, but we are seeing a change in the needs of those we help.” These days, he said, the needs of a D-Day Veteran can be very different from someone who has recently left the Services. “We are seeing clients coming forward with far more complex needs, often they have more than one problem for which they need our support”. Last year, our team of 30 caseworkers in Fife dealt with some 300 cases, visited almost 150 clients to offer help; overall £275k was raised to assist these families. We help with issues such as home adaptations, but are often called on to provide critical care. Some Veterans and their families are experiencing extreme hardship, struggling to provide the necessities of life, such as a cooker or a fridge, and in some cases, food, or furniture. Others are in need of more emotional support, such as help with accommodation, or returning to employment through training. SSAFA believes that our Service personnel and their families should be treated with the dignity their commitment deserves. Lt Col Meacher added, “Many question why the Government does not do more to help Veterans. While we sometimes help people apply for appropriate benefits, many Veterans prefer to deal with someone outside of the formal welfare system. We can often deal with cases quicker than the welfare system, provide face-to-face care, frequently over an extended period, to help people through difficult times.”
SSAFA Fife is a member of the Firm Base Community Task Force Working Group, which is chaired by the Commanding Officer 71 Engineer Regiment, based at Leuchars. Other Group members include Fife Council, NHS Fife, Police Scotland, and other key agencies. Topics dealt with include education; housing; social care; welfare; employment. The aim of the Group is to ensure that the Armed Forces community (serving, Reserves, Veterans, and all their families) in Fife are properly supported and not disadvantaged. The Firm Base Group has played an important role in the preparations for the arrival of the Army at Leuchars, and the integration of Service families into the NE Fife area. In Fife we are looking for people to volunteer a little of their time to help the Armed Forces family. This offers the chance to meet inspiring people, gain some confidence, learn new skills as part of a volunteer network, which is spread across the UK and on military bases around the world. It would be helpful if you had some computer literacy, but training will be given to help equip you as a volunteer. If you would like to help, we’d love to hear from you. The first point of contact is the SSAFA Fife Branch Secretary: 01592 263 714. Our work in Scotland is a key element of SSAFA’s wider mission to provide lifelong support to serving personnel, Reserves, Veterans, and their families every day. Within the UK there are over 10 million people right now who are eligible for assistance. SSAFA’s 7,000 volunteers support more than 50,000 people each year. In Fife we need to raise in the region of £24,000 per annum to sustain our branch. All the funds raised in Fife stay in Fife. These funds have to be raised locally without any grant support or aid from SSAFA Central Office in London. To achieve this we continue to seek support from our local community. Through
activities such as coffee mornings, fundraising lunches or dinners, sky-diving, parachuting, cycling – basically anything you would like to do to raise funds for SSAFA Fife. Children love a bit of dressing up; at schools all over the country SSAFA’s Camo Day turns that fun into money that helps our Forces family. We will endeavour to support your fundraising efforts as best we can. SSAFA has been supporting the British military family since 1885, the longest established military charity, and the only Service charity in existence at the outbreak of WW1. To continue we need your support, please help us if you can. (Image courtesy SSAFA)
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ORGANISATIONS Karen Wallace, Stroke Club Secretary
North East Fife Stroke & Splash Club On behalf of the North East Fife Stroke and Splash Club, we would like to thank the Cosmos Centre, Abbey Walk, St Andrews, for letting us use their premises for the last 16+ years. We meet on Monday mornings between 9.45am and 1.00pm. We have 19 members at the moment, providing as much tea/coffee, biscuits as you want, also homemade lunches. We play games like bingo, boccia, dominoes, and have tried curling, but mainly the group is for people to socialise, have a wee bit of independence, not to feel isolated and alone, we have laughs and lots of them. We go on day trips; recently we went to the Falkirk Wheel and the Kelpies – everyone had a great day. We celebrated our 20th anniversary the other month. We also held a coffee morning which raised over £300. The possibilities are endless to the mischief we can cause next year! (Photo courtesy The Stroke Club)
Our Club is always on the look-out for new members. If you, or someone you know, would be interested please don’t hesitate to come in and enquire more about us. Karen’s email: kwallace125@btinternet.com
Will Aitken, Kilrymont Rotary Club, Press Officer
Rotary in St Andrews Have you ever asked the question, What is Rotary? as you see the sign on a local hotel door; or perhaps those at the floral display at the St Andrews Community Hospital have caught your eye? There is a lot more behind these signs, as you will see from this article. Volunteering Work with Rotary Changes Lives Whether you are volunteering by helping your local community, or responding to local and international disasters, there is a Rotary project or activity to suit everyone. By volunteering, bringing your skills, experience, and enthusiasm, you know that you will be changing people’s lives for the better. However, Rotary is more than that. Members are all volunteers, men and women, young and not so young, who care about doing good and most importantly want to share fun and friendship whilst doing it. We are fortunate to have two clubs in St Andrews: the St Andrews Kilrymont Club which meets on a Tuesday evening, and the St Andrews Club which meets on a Wednesday at lunch time. At the St Andrews Kilrymont Club our main fundraising event is the Kingsbarns Golf Day held at the end of October at Kingsbarns Golf Links. This annual event attracts Rotarians from all over Great Britain, this year’s event raising nearly £7,000 to support a number of charities including local ones, Fife Young Carers, and Youth 1st. Since the Club was formed in 1996, over £150,000 has been raised for charitable causes.
Over the year the Club holds a number of events that combine fellowship and charitable fundraising, such as a Race Night; a Barbecue; a family fun night at Christmas; friendly Rotary club sports and games tournaments. At our meetings we share a sociable informal meal whilst having speakers from a wide range of backgrounds to share their knowledge, increase our social and cultural understanding, and often just to entertain us. One important point about Rotary that you may be surprised to learn, is that it is not just the adults who get involved and have fun! RotaKids Deliver Harvest Bags The days running up to the end of the first term were busy ones for Canongate and Kingsbarns Primary Schools RotaKids Clubs as they were busy collecting and bagging a variety of goods for their annual distribution of Harvest Bags to a number of elderly citizens of St Andrews and Kingsbarns. On 9 October, the recipients were delighted with their surprise packages and the children were really pleased with the reception they received. Over this coming year, Kilrymont members will support them in their efforts to ‘Light Up Rotary’ by raising funds for Luminaids. (Luminaids are inflatable, waterproof solar powered lamps. These are put in Shelter Boxes providing emergency shelter with vital supplies to support communities around the world overwhelmed by disaster and humanitarian crisis). Share Skills by Volunteering for Rotary Volunteering with Rotary could be the most important thing you ever do. Your skills and experience would be invaluable in our drive to help communities at home and around the world. If Rotary sounds like the organisation for you, and you feel like volunteering some of your spare time, we’d love to hear from you! You would be welcome to come along to one of our meetings without obligation, to learn more. If you would like to find out more about Rotary in general or about our club, or are interested in becoming a member, please visit our website: www.standrewskilrymont.org or email our Secretary, Iain Hunter: Secretary@standrewskilrymont.org
Rotakids at work
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(Photos courtesy Kilrymont Rotary Club)
ORGANISATIONS Ian Johnston, Past President reminisces on the
St Andrews Burns Club, Then and Now The first recorded meeting of the St Andrews Burns Club was on 25 January 1869, the 110th anniversary of the birth of our national bard Robert Burns. Fourteen gentlemen met in the Royal Hotel (now the Southgait Apartments) including Provost Walter Milton and Mr William Davison, mine host of the Royal Hotel. The minute book tells us that several gentlemen took no heed of time, arriving late so that those present had to exercise a considerable amount of patience. They relieved their tedium by indulging in a ‘spark o’ speerits’. Eventually Provost Milton was called to the chair and the first Burns Supper began. Soon those present were dining on slices of delicious roast beef. They declared it to be unduly excellent and tender. The landlord of the hotel took the opportunity to inform the company that the roast of beef they were all enjoying was intended for the delectation of the Earl of Breadalbane, but that his Lordship had to leave St Andrews earlier than intended, in consequence of which, he did not require it. “This piece of information was received with shouts of acclamation by the company, who wreathed the noble Earl with laurels of good wishes for the benefit he had unknowingly conferred upon them by his early departure from the ancient city.” Considering the late start, the lengthy toast list contained the following; the loyal toast; the Prince and Princess of Wales; Her Majesty’s Ministers; both Houses of Parliament; before the Chairman proposed the toast of the evening – Robert Burns, the immortal poet and bard of Scotland. After several songs, the croupier, Dr Archibald, proposed that all the gentlemen here assembled now resolve themselves into a club, to be called St Andrews Burns Club. A committee was elected to prepare a constitution, and Mr Sorley was inducted as Secretary, with an annual salary of 150 notes (of the musical variety – not bank notes). The remainder of the evening was given over to singing, with several calls to mine host to replenish the whisky supply. Some of those who regaled the company with song were Baillie Bonthron; Baillie McPherson; Mr Duncan; Mr Robbie; Mr Campbel; mine host, Mr Davison. At a very late hour, the chairman proposed the toast ‘happy to meet – sorry to part – happy to meet again’ – so ended the first gathering of St Andrews Burns Club. Later that year, the committee agreed the constitution, which was very much as it is today, except that applications for membership had to be in writing and voted upon (one black ball would exclude a potential member) the subscription was set at 1/6. By January 1870 there were 24 members. In 1872 the Club decided to celebrate the centenary of Sir Walter Scott by holding a dinner on 15 August, to be open to the public. 50 people attended. Surprisingly, the 1873 Burns Supper had to be cancelled due to lack of support – or did the members’ wives have something to do with it? At the committee meeting of 21 January 1901 it was decided not to hold the celebration because of the death of Queen Victoria. Since its inception in 1869 the Club has held an annual Burns Supper, apart from the two occasions already mentioned and for the period of the two world wars. The list of past presidents include many well-known names: 1887 James Gillespie (of Gillespie & Scott – Architects); 1900 Alexander Bruce (of Bruce Embankment fame); William Rusack; Cargill Cantley (town clerk and founder of Cantley and Caithness); Rev. A Slater Dunlop; Baillie David Fraser; the late, great A B Paterson; J K Robertson; Andrew Carstairs; Dr Thompson (Madras College); Walter Maronski; Colin Risk; Bert Dawson; Emil Pacholek; Jim MacArthur. Among other projects taken on by the Club is the annual schools’ Burns Competition. In the primary schools of Greyfriars, Canongate, Lawhead and Leuchars, pupils of P5, P6, and P7 take part in recitation competitions, while in Madras College, junior and senior trophies are competed for in recitation and singing. The winners perform at the Madras College Burns Supper, a great occasion inaugurated by Andrew Lindsay, who taught there. Also in 1983, Andrew donated an engraved glass in memory of George Cowie, famous photographer and life member of the Club. This award for citizenship was presented to A B Paterson in 1989, who unfortunately died later that year. In A B’s memory, the committee
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Madras prize winners with Pres James Orr and Schools Com Convenor Ian Johnstone
Pres James Orr with Top Table decided that a presentation edition of the works of Burns should be presented to the winner of the George Cowie Glass, to be retained by the recipient. The citizenship award was given a third addition on the sad demise of David Robertson, accountant and long-time member and treasurer of the Club, with the presentation of a bottle of malt whisky in his memory. More recently the Club has provided a trophy for the piper of the year, the competition being held in St Andrews Week in November. The last trophy provided by the Burns Club was an engraved crystal trophy in memory of Past President David Malcolm, well-known local teacher, university lecturer, golfer, golf historian, and author. It is to be presented to the best performer at Madras College, either in music or recitation. The Burns Club has gone from strength to strength over the years and currently has approximately 125 members. Did the founder members imagine that the Club they founded in 1869 would still be going strong in 2015? Whatever their thoughts, the members of St Andrews Burns Club owe them a debt of gratitude. I would like to acknowledge the tremendous amount of work carried out by David Joy, who organises the programme for our Burns Supper and also gives of his time to engrave the many trophies. This article would not have been possible were it not for research done by my friend and business partner, the late Bert Dawson. I found his notes in his Burns file, kindly given to me by his widow Isobel, and they formed the basis of the first part of this article. (Photos courtesy of the Club)
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EVENTS Alan Tricker is ecstatic to be
Back In The Byre available from the theatre box office in the new Now that the Byre Theatre has been reopened year. The cast of the show includes 30 children under the management of the University of from the local area playing the King’s children. St Andrews, community theatre groups have It is set in the 1860s, telling the story of Anna been quick to book dates for their shows. All Leonowens, who sailed with her son Louis to groups are grateful to Michael Downes – the Bangkok to take up a post teaching the children new Artistic Director of the Byre Theatre – for of the King of Siam (as it was then). It has many developing close links with the community and of the best songs that were written by Rodgers encouraging local people and groups back into and Hammerstein, including I Whistle a happy the Byre. tune; Hello Young Lovers; Getting to know You; The St Andrews Play Club – the group that Shall we dance? The big group of children is founded the Byre Theatre 80 years ago – were shown in the photo with Audrey Dishington, who the first community group to take advantage plays Anna, and Thom Hughes, who plays the of the reopened theatre by performing a very King. Hopefully this show will keep the Byre successful production of Noël Coward’s Blithe busy all week. Spirit. It was good to see the bar and café Is there a connection busy again. By the time between Blithe Spirit and you are reading this, the The cast of the show includes The King and I? Yes, is Byre Panto – Jack and the 30 children from the local area the answer. Noël Coward Beanstalk – will be in full playing the King’s children wrote Blithe Spirit with a swing. The Byre is open great part for himself and and busy again. his favourite actress, whom he had known since After the annual maintenance period in childhood – Gertie Lawrence. She couldn’t be January, St Andrews Musical Society (SAMS) in it, as having got the rights for a book entitled is back to the Byre with the wonderful Rodgers Anna and the King of Siam, she was busy trying and Hammerstein musical – The King and I. to persuade Rodgers and Hammerstein to turn It runs from 24 to 28 February; tickets will be
The ‘King and I’ children (Photo courtesy Alan Tricker) it into a musical for Broadway. Noël Coward was asked to play the King, but he declined as he knew it would run for ages. So the part was given to a relatively unknown actor, Yul Brynner. The musical was an immediate hit, winning Tony Awards for Best Musical, Best Actress (Gertie Lawrence) and Best Featured Actor (Yul Brynner). Gertie Lawrence unexpectedly died in the second year of the show, and the role of Anna was taken on by others for the 1,256 performances. Yul Brynner continued in the part, even touring in the show in the 1970s and ‘80s. It is estimated that he performed the role 4,300 times. However, if you want to see the show in St Andrews at the Byre, there are only 6 performances so book your tickets early!
From Louise Robertson, PR and Public Affairs Consultant
StAnza 2015
It’s almost time for St Andrews to welcome poetry lovers from all over the world as the Fife town gears up to host StAnza, one of the top poetry festivals in the UK. StAnza is famous for its friendly atmosphere and international focus; it is the place to hear favourite poets and discover new voices while enjoying the beautiful surroundings of its lively festival hub. Between the 4 and 8 March St Andrews will Karen Cairns “White Horses, St Andrews” come alive to celebrate the spoken word in all its appearance at StAnza, such as the American, forms with more than 60 poets taking part in events Carolyn Forché, and Ilya Kaminsky, originally from ranging from poetry readings, to workshops, slams, Ukraine. Among the international names in this and poetry-inspired art installations. year’s line-up are New Zealand’s Poet Laureate StAnza traditionally focuses on two themes Bill Manhire, and Pulitzer Prize finalist Alice Notley. which interweave giving the spring festival its own Headline acts from closer to home include English unique flavour. One of the themes for this year is An poet, playwright and novelist Simon Armitage, Archipelago of Poetry, with the programme having a Belfast’s Poet Laureate Sinéad Morrissey, and Ian strong focus on poets with island connections, near Duhig who has three times been shortlisted for the and far, while also embracing poetry that is coastal, T S Eliot Prize. tidal, maritime, and ‘insular’. With this in mind, In Scotland’s Year of Food and Drink StAnza StAnza is delighted to be including a one-woman has included a food and drink focus in its 2015 performance of The Shipwrecked House in the line“Shipwreck 4” programme including an all-day workshop in the up. Edwardian kitchen of the Hill of Tarvit mansion Unfinished Business is the second theme, which house on metaphors about food, and another in Kellie Castle famous allows the 2015 Festival to explore how unfinished business is dealt with for producing organic fruit and vegetables. Other highlights in the by the written word, as well as ways in which poetry itself is often a work programme include A Modern Don Juan, in in progress, with a popular starting point for this Many big names from the literary the Steps of Byron, Karen Cairns’ exhibition discussion the well-known saying attributed to Paul of Places and Faces around St Andrews, jazz Valery, that ‘a poem is never finished’. world will be coming to perform singer Lorna Reid, singer Kirsty Law, the Viridian This year’s opening night performance is set Quartet who will be performing Steve Reich’s Different Trains, and the to be a lively affair with a New York-style bar being created on the Byre Black Cat Jook Band for the festival finale. Theatre stage. The show, Bedazzled: A Welshman in New York, taps into a continuing fascination with Dylan Thomas and the New York School of Poets. This unique and immersive performance allows the audience to StAnza will once again have its festival hub at the recently rejoin the cast in character as Dylan Thomas, Allan Ginsberg, and William opened Byre Theatre. There will be in total around 100 events, Burroughs; at the bar, buy a drink alongside them and engage one-to-one exhibitions and installations in the Byre and other venues in with some of poetry’s most enduring legends. and around the town centre of St Andrews. The full programme, In keeping with StAnza’s reputation for being a truly international booking details, and further information can be found on StAnza’s affair, the 2015 programme will not disappoint, featuring poets from as website: www.stanzapoetry.org far afield as New Zealand, America and France, as far north as the Faroe Islands, as well as others from across Europe, who will travel to join lots more from Scotland and the rest of the UK. (Photos courtesy StAnza) Many big names from the literary world will be coming to perform, including several major contemporary poets making their first
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EVENTS Lili and Charlie, Curatorial Trainees (Learning and Access),Museum Collections Unit, University of St Andrews
Flore Gardner: Picture in a Picture
Everywhere we look we are surrounded group photograph and cover the by photographs, from holiday snaps to sitters’ faces with black silhouettes, the glossy pictures in magazines. We are therefore undermining the original, often tempted to see them as unaltered commemorative purpose of the image. representations of reality. We might think Alternatively, she might poke fun at this that, unlike a written text, a photograph agenda by enlarging their heads to a cannot deceive its viewer for it can comical size. only show the image captured by the In other cases, the artist adds camera. However, the matter is far more ghostly figures to an image, or uses complicated than it initially appears. a needle and thread to alter or Every picture is taken with an agenda heighten the emotions of the depicted in mind. Photographs are frequently individuals. The changes she makes staged, with the sitters presenting challenge us to see these pictures in themselves in particular ways. In different ways, by revealing new stories, addition, it is the photographer who enhancing old ones and transforming decides what we are able to see in an the way we perceive photographs. image. These agendas give a photograph Having already created a “Ghosts (Golfers)” a story. We can learn a lot about an large body of work using French (Photo courtesy of the artist) anonymous figure in an old picture by photographs, Flore has now returned looking at what they are wearing, or doing. to her Scottish roots by working with images from the University’s These are the stories that interest the Franco-Scottish artist Flore Photographic Collections. Through this collaboration she has created Gardner, who has always been intrigued by old photographs. She several new series of work, which will be showcased at the Gateway originally collected them from flea markets, old houses, car boot sales, Galleries from 10 January to 28 February. An events programme will and later began to incorporate them into her art. accompany the exhibition, along with a children’s drama workshop and Flore alters photographs digitally, or through embroidery, a process an adult photography masterclass. We hope you will take the opportunity which she describes as “recycling, reappropriating, and manipulating to engage with the work of Flore Gardner and transform the way you look these images to create new ones.” For example, she might take a at photographs.
From Kuffasse Boane and The Normal Heart Team
Mermaids are Back In The Byre with Larry Kramer’s, “The Normal Heart” February 2015 sees the return of Mermaids – the University of St Andrew’s Performing Arts Fund – to the Byre Mainstage, in a compelling revival of a political drama that first galvanized audiences 30 years ago. This group brings Larry Kramer’s tour-de-force, “The Normal Heart”, straight to the present day. Set in a New York City of the 1980s, at the genesis of America’s long-neglected HIV/ AIDS crisis, “The Normal Heart” follows the efforts of one man to break through a social and political conspiracy of silence, indifference, and hostility, tormented by public servants and the gay community alike. As friends die around him, Ned Weeks fights to gain moral and government recognition for a modern-day plague that threatens to change everything. At its New York premiere in 1985, observers commented that, “The Normal Heart” just might be “the most outspoken play around”. Thirty years later, the “boiling hot blood” coursing through its veins remains exactly as potent. In the wake of Scotland’s September referendum, the play embodies a theatrical homage to the fundamentality of political awareness, participation, and activism in society, something
often forgotten in place of a contemporary culture of ‘Facebook Advocacy’ and political complacency. By way of its affecting portrayal of the personal struggles of HIV/AIDS sufferers in a Reagan-era America, it also highlights many of the same questions surrounding stigma, isolation, and social prejudice currently raised by today’s worldwide ebola outbreaks. Not to mention that HIV/AIDS isn’t a dead issue – with incidence having risen every year since 1995 in both the UK and US. As history shows time and time again, there may be no better litmus test for a society’s collective strength against prejudice than an epidemic. As the second student production since November to take place in the newly-opened Byre Theatre, the team behind “The Normal Heart” is keen to make the production a total and change-making experience for all who see it. Working in collaboration with the University’s
Cast members conducting a read-through of the play’s text (Photo courtesy Mermaids) LGBTQ Sub-Committee, as well as various members of academic staff, the production actively encourages widespread public involvement from the St Andrews community and beyond. Be sure to catch “The Normal Heart” at the Byre Theatre from 10 – 12 February. Additionally, act up, fight back, and attend a post-show ‘Audience Talk-Back’ after the performance of the 11th.
Reach out on Twitter by tweeting @NormalHeartStA To find out more about the Mermaids Performing Arts Fund, visit www.mermaidstheatre.com or follow them on Facebook ( www.facebook.com/mermaidssta ) and Twitter @mermaidssta
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EVENTS
Selected Events Wednesday, 14 January – 7.30pm. Town Hall, Queen’s Gardens, St Andrews. The Falkland Islands. A talk by John Anderson for the Scottish Ornithologists’ Club. Contact: 01334 657 188, also at: pauldtaylor43@aol.com Tuesday, 27 January – 7.30pm Lower College Hall lawn, Quad, North Street. Student-led Interfaith Holocaust Memorial. Contact: chaplaincy@st-andrews.ac.uk Thursday, 29 January 2015 – 8.00pm. School 1, Old Quad, North Street. Pioneering archaeological visualization on Scotland’s national forest estate. A talk by Matt Ritchie, Forestry Commission Scotland Archaeologist for the Archaeology Society. Contact: classics@st-andrews.ac.uk Saturday, 31 January – 10.00am to noon. Preservation Trust Museum, North Street. Coffee Morning. First viewing of Research Group display. Find out year’s programme over tea/coffee cake. Contact: sapt-curator@btconnect.com
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Tuesday, 3 February – 7.30pm. Chemistry (Purdie) Building, North Haugh. Protecting our National assets – a personal view. A talk by Simon Milne, Regius Keeper, RBG Edinburgh for the Friends of the Botanic Garden and Fife & Kinross Scottish Wildlife Trust. Contact: ed.trust.sec@st-andrews-botanic.org or 01334 476 452. Saturday, 7 February – 9.00am to 1.00pm. Argyle Street Car Park. Farmers’ Market.
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Tuesday, 10 February – 5.20pm. Swallowgate, Butts Wynd, St Andrews. From Basileus to Pad ishah: Alexander in the Ottoman Empire. A talk by Dr Dimitri Kastritsis, School of History, St Andrews, for the Scottish Hellenic Society. Contact: nm66@st-andrews.ac.uk Wednesday, 11 February – 7.30pm. Town Hall, Queen’s Gardens, St Andrews. Tibetan Travels. A talk by Stan da Prato for the Scottish Ornithologists’ Club. Contact: 01334 657 188, also: pauldtaylor43@aol.com Thursday, 12 February – 7.30pm. Younger Hall, North Street. The Maggini Quartet playing music by Haydn; Mendelssohn. Tickets from the Music Centre, Younger Hall (or at the door) £12, concessions £11, students £3, children £1. Contact: music@st-andrews.ac.uk Thursday, 19 February – 8.00pm. School 1, Old Quad, North Street. Prehistoric pots to modern mansions: recent archaeological work in the National Trust for Scotland. A talk by Derek Alexander, Head of Archaeological Services, NTS. The Archaeology Society. Contact: classics@st-andrews.ac.uk Tuesday, 24 February – 5.20pm. Swallowgate, Butts Wynd, St Andrews. Plato’s women readers. A talk by Dr Crystal Addey, School of Classics, St Andrews for the Scottish Hellenic Society. Contact: nm66@st-andrews.ac.uk
St Andrews Concert Diary January–June 2015 www.st-andrews.ac.uk/music
PULL-OUT FEATURE The University of St Andrews is the home of live music in Fife. St Andrews in Focus offers you an overview of the extraordinary range of musical activities taking place from January to June. For more information please visit www.st-andrews.ac.uk/music If you would like to receive weekly concert bulletins by email or the brochure ‘Music in St Andrews’ by post, please fill in the form at the end of this pull-out and return to Chris Bragg, Concerts Administrator, Music Centre office, Younger Hall, North Street, St Andrews, KY16 9AJ. SEMESTER
DATE
Every Sunday during Semester
TIME CONCERT
VENUE
1100
St Salvator’s Chapel
University Service sung by St Salvator’s Chapel Choir
Every Sunday during Semester
1600
Choral Evensong sung by St Salvator’s Chapel Choir
St Leonard’s Chapel
Every Wednesday during Semester
1730
Choral Evensong sung by St Salvator’s Chapel Choir
St Salvator’s Chapel
Every Thursday during Semester
2200
Compline sung by St Leonard’s Chapel Choir
St Leonard’s Chapel
WEEK 1
Tuesday 27 January
1310
Organ recital by George Barrett
St Salvator’s Chapel
NEW MUSIC WEEK
Wednesday 28 January
1310
Lunch concert by Ensemble Thing
Byre Theatre, Studio
NEW MUSIC WEEK Thursday 29 January 2000 and New Music Ensemble: Amplified 2200
Byre Theatre
NEW MUSIC WEEK Thursday 29 January 2200
CD launch, Bede Williams, Jonathan Kemp – music for trumpet and live electronics
Byre Theatre – Studio
University of St Andrews G and S Society presents HMS Pinafore
Boys Brigade Hall
NEW MUSIC WEEK Friday 30 January 2200
Choristi…Candlelit. Choristi Sanctiandree perform new compositions.
St Leonard’s Chapel
Saturday 31 January
1430
University of St Andrews G and S Society presents HMS Pinafore
Boys Brigade Hall
Saturday 31 January
1930
University of St Andrews G and S Society presents HMS Pinafore
Boys Brigade Hall
NEW MUSIC WEEK
Sunday 1 February
1100
University Service with new music
St Salvator’s Chapel
NEW MUSIC WEEK
Tuesday 3 February
1310
Organ recital by Paul Stubbings: Letter from America
St Salvator’s Chapel
NEW MUSIC WEEK
Tuesday 3 February
1430
Call for Scores/flute workshop with Richard Craig
Byre Theatre – Studio
NEW MUSIC WEEK
Wednesday 4 February
1310
Lunch concert by Richard Craig (flute, live electronics)
Byre Theatre – Studio
NEW MUSIC WEEK Wednesday 4 February 1430
Research Seminar by Alistair MacDonald: Designing an improvising environment for acoustic instruments and electronics
Byre Theatre – Studio
Friday 6 February
1310
Music Society Lunch concert by the Gilbert and Sullivan Society
Younger Hall
Saturday 7 February
1930
Choristi Sanctiandree perform Tallis’s 40-part motet Spem in Alium
St Salvator’s Chapel
Friday 30 January
1930
WEEK 2
Sunday 8 February
1400
Music in Museums – Saxophone Quartet
MUSA
WEEK 3
Tuesday 10 February
1310
Organ recital by Alasdair Grant: Music for a Modernist Organ
St Salvator’s Chapel
Wednesday 11 February 1310
Lunch concert by students from St Mary’s Music School
Byre Theatre
Wednesday 11 February 1430
Research Seminar by Susan Tomes: Music and Memory
Byre Theatre
Wednesday 11 February 1730
SCO Early Evening Concert by Su-a Lee (cello)
Younger Hall
Thursday 12 February
1930
St Andrews Concert Series presents the Maggini Quartet
Younger Hall
Friday 13 February
1310
Music Society Lunch concert by Aaron Isiminger (guitar)
Younger Hall
Friday 13 February
1000-1230 Maggini Quartet, Call for Scores Workshop
OLIVIER MESSIAEN DAY Saturday 14 February 1130
Byre Theatre – Studio
Vocal Recital by Caroline Taylor, Chris Huggon, Olivia Clark and Jenny Stewart
Byre Theatre St Salvator’s Chapel
OLIVIER MESSIAEN DAY
Saturday 14 February
1400
La Nativité du Seigneur – Tom Wilkinson (organ)
OLIVIER MESSIAEN DAY
Saturday 14 February
1530
Lecture by Stephen Broad: Messiaen in 1930s Paris
OLIVIER MESSIAEN DAY Saturday 14 February 1630 Flute Recital by Aisling Agnew and Christopher Baxter: La Jeune France contre Les Six Quatuor pour la fin du temps
Byre Theatre Byre Theatre
Saturday 14 February
1800
HENRY FAIRS in Residence
Monday 16 February
1200-1400 Organ masterclass by Henry Fairs
St Salvator’s Chapel
HENRY FAIRS in Residence
Tuesday 17 February
1310
Organ concert by Henry Fairs
St Salvator’s Chapel
Wednesday 18 February 1310
Lunch concert by Robin Mason (cello) and Clare Sutherland (piano)
Byre Theatre
Friday 20 February
1310
Music Society Lunch concert by vocal students of Jonathan May
Younger Hall
WEEK 5
Tuesday 24 February
1310
Organ concert by Andrew Macintosh
St Salvator’s Chapel
Wednesday 25 February 1100-1300 Woodwind masterclass by Alison Mitchell
Byre Theatre
Wednesday 25 February 1310
Lunchtime jazz concert by Richard Michael
Byre Theatre – studio
Wednesday 25 February 1930
Scottish Chamber Orchestra – ‘Brahms Serenade’
Younger Hall
Friday 27 February
Music Society Lunch concert by Richard Jackson, tenor
Younger Hall
OLIVIER MESSIAEN DAY
Byre Theatre
WEEK 4
1310
Sunday 1 March 1930 Piano and Harpsichord Evening (Photo on previous page © Oli Walker)
Younger Hall – Rehearsal Room
PULL-OUT FEATURE WEEK 6
Tuesday 3 March
1310
Organ concert by Chris Bragg: Mr Muffat’s remarkable Apparatus
St Leonard’s Chapel
SIETZE DE VRIES in Residence
Wednesday 4 March
1415-1600
Organ improvisation masterclass by Sietze de Vries
St Salvator’s Chapel
Wednesday 4 March 1310 Piano recital by Aleksander Kudajczyk: Chopin – the Polish influences
Wednesday 4 March 1430 Research Seminar by Professor Don Paterson: Translating Monteverdi’s L’Orfeo
Younger Hall Byre Theatre
SIETZE DE VRIES Thursday 5 March 1930 Sietze de Vries improvisation concert with Choristi Sanctiandree: in Residence Psalms from Geneva to Dundee Friday 6 March 1310 Music Society lunch concert by vocal students of Megan Read
St Salvator’s Chapel
Saturday 7 March 1800 Open Night with live music for brass by Eddie McGuire
St Andrews Observatory
Friday 6 March
1930
A cappella Society competition
Younger Hall Younger Hall
Saturday 7 March 2000
The Seven Last Words Lent concert by St Salvator’s Chapel Choir and the Edinburgh Quartet.
St Salvator’s Chapel
Sunday 8 March
1400
Music in Museums, Scholarship Wind Quintet
MUSA
Sunday 8 March
1930
Heisenberg Ensemble – Haydn Symphony No. 101, The Clock
Younger Hall
WEEK 7
Tuesday 10 March
1310
Organ concert by Gijs Boelen
St Salvator’s Chapel
Wednesday 11 March 1310
Lunch concert for Bach’s birthday by Hilary Michael (baroque violin) St Leonard’s Chapel and Tom Wilkinson (harpsichord)
Thursday 12 March 1930
St Andrews Concert Series presents Chloe Hanslip (violin) and Danny Driver (piano)
Younger Hall
Friday 13 March 1310
Music Society Lunch concert by St Andrews Chamber Orchestra with Maebh Martin (piano) perform Grieg’s Piano Concerto
Younger Hall
WEEK 8 HOLY WEEK
Monday 30 March to 2200 Friday 3 April inclusive
Compline sung by local choirs
St Leonard’s Chapel
Tuesday 31 March
Organ concert by Hannah Gibson
St Salvator’s Chapel
Lunch concert by Jessica Wyatt (viola) and Douglas Holligan (piano)
Byre Theatre
1310
Wednesday 1 April 1310
Wednesday 1 April 1430 Research Seminar by Bede Williams: The conductor’s podium as a research site
Byre Theatre
Friday 3 April
1310
Music Society Lunch concert by Maddy Kearns (soprano)
Younger Hall
WEEK 9
Tuesday 7 April
1310
Organ concert by Tom Wilkinson: Two against Three
St Leonard’s Chapel
Tuesday 7 April
1930
Music Society Wind Band and Big BUSTA: Mission Impossible
Younger Hall
Wednesday 8 April
1310
Lunch concert by Music Centre scholarship holders
Byre Theatre
Thursday 9 April
1930
St Andrews Concert Series presents the Fitzwilliam String Quartet
Younger Hall
Friday 10 April
1310
Music Society Lunch concert by Raymond Wang, piano
Younger Hall
Friday 10 April
1930
University Madrigal Group: Oriana
St Salvator’s Chapel
Sunday 12 April
1400
Music in Museums: Hetty Buchanan Scholarship String Quartet
MUSA
Sunday 12 April 1930
Launch of ‘Sanctiandree Records’: St Salvator’s Chapel Choir and the Fitzwilliam String Quartet
St Salvator’s Chapel
WEEK 10
Tuesday 14 April
1310
Organ concert by Rufus Broderson
St Salvator’s Chapel
Tuesday 14 April
1930
Music Society Symphony Orchestra
Younger Hall
Wednesday 15 April
1100-1300
Viola Masterclass by Jane Atkins
Byre Theatre – Studio
Wednesday 15 April
1310
Lunch concert by Music Centre scholarship holders
Byre Theatre
Wednesday 15 April 1430
Research Seminar by Dr Ines Jentzsch: How does Instrumental Practice affect our brain? Behavioral and physiological investigations into psychological benefits of musical activity.
Byre Theatre
Wednesday 15 April
1930
Scottish Chamber Orchestra: Mozart and the Horn
Younger Hall
Thursday 16 April
1930
St Andrews Chamber Orchestra with Tom Wilkinson, organ
Holy Trinity Church
Friday 17 April
1310
Music Society Lunch concert by vocal students of Jonathan May
Younger Hall
Friday 17 April
1930
University of St Andrews G and S Society presents Patience
Byre Theatre
Saturday 18 April
1000-1500
Sandy Burnett leads a study day on J.S. Bach’s Mass in B minor
Byre Theatre – Studio
Saturday 18 April
1430
University of St Andrews G and S Society presents Patience
Byre Theatre
Saturday 18 April
1700
St Salvator’s Chapel Choir alumni Evensong
St Salvator’s Chapel
Saturday 18 April
1930
University of St Andrews G and S Society presents Patience
Sunday 19 April 1930 Piano and harpsichord evening
Byre Theatre Younger Hall – Rehearsal Room
PULL-OUT FEATURE WEEK 11
Tuesday 21 April
1310
Organ concert by Dr David Smith
St Salvator’s Chapel
Tuesday 21 April
1930
St Andrews Baroque Orchestra
St Salvator’s Chapel
Wednesday 22 April
1310
Lunch concert by students from the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland Byre Theatre
Thursday 23 April 1930 St Salvator’s Chapel Choir and St Andrews Chamber Orchestra: Bach: His Inspirations, His Credo
Younger Hall
Friday 24 April 1310
University of St Andrews Music Centre and the University Music Society present St Andrews New Music Ensemble in Luciano Berio’s Folk Songs
Younger Hall
Music Society Singers and Ukelear Fusion: Spring into Song
Friday 24 April
1930
St Andrews Town Hall
Sunday 26 April 1930 St Andrews Chorus and the Heisenberg Ensemble present Elgar’s The Apostles
Younger Hall
Monday 27 April 1930
St Andrews and Fife Community Orchestra with Matt Hardy (percussion)
Younger Hall
POST-SEMESTER Thursday 7 May 1930
St Andrews Concert Series presents Katherine Bryan (flute) and Scott Mitchell (piano)
Byre Theatre
Flute masterclass by Katherine Bryan
Byre Theatre – studio
Friday 8 May 1930
Friday 8 May
Second annual performance of J.S. Bach’s Goldberg Variations by Tom Wilkinson (harpsichord)
St Leonard’s Chapel
Sunday 17 May
1500
St Andrews Renaissance Singers
St Salvator’s Chapel
CON ANIMA in Residence with PAUL MEALOR
Friday 29 May
1800
Choral Evensong
St Salvator’s Chapel
CON ANIMA in Residence with PAUL MEALOR
Saturday 30 May
1900
Concert
St Salvator’s Chapel
ARS ELOQUENTIAE Saturday 13 June 1930 in Residence
Concert by Ars Eloquentiae: Concerted Perspectives, Adventures in Concerto Form
St Andrew’s Episcopal Church
ARS ELOQUENTIAE in Residence
Monday 15 June
1900
Byre Opera presents Gluck’s Iphigenie in Tauris
Byre Theatre
ARS ELOQUENTIAE in Residence
Tuesday 16 June
1930
St Salvator’s Chapel Choir and Ars Eloquentiae
St Salvator’s Chapel
ARS ELOQUENTIAE in Residence
Wednesday 17 June
1900
Byre Opera presents Gluck’s Iphigenie in Tauris
Byre Theatre
ARS ELOQUENTIAE in Residence
Thursday 18 June
1900
Byre Opera presents Gluck’s Iphigenie in Tauris
Byre Theatre
Thursday 25 June
1730
Graduation Week concert by St Salvator’s Chapel Choir
St Salvator’s Chapel
(© Oli Walker)
0900-1200
(© Tim Poirson)
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The University of St Andrews is a charity registered in Scotland. No: SC013532
SHOPS & SERVICES From Co-ordinator, Viv Collie
St Andrews Changes The Social Rules Our town, once called ‘Kilrule’ is set to change the way residents and visitors engage, through social media worldwide. A new project – StAndrews4You – is being launched that will “reach out” to customers at home and abroad, using digital and social media in a new seven-days-a-week service, SOCIALiSTREET, adopted by the town’s business improvement district, BID St Andrews. Ken Dalton, BID Chairman, explains, “We have seen the service deliver great results in other locations, so we wanted to find a way to best connect the very diverse community we have in St Andrews. Yes, we are the home of golf, but we are also home to the third oldest university in the English-speaking world. We welcome hundreds of thousands of visitors to the town every year, and we have a fabulously vibrant local business community that serves an ever-changing population. This is about better connecting all of those audiences – and sharing what we do, every day.” The BID project has appointed Viv Collie as co-ordinator. “We are in the very early stages of building a BID in St Andrews,” Viv tells us, “we see SOCIALiSTREET as a great way for us not only to engage with businesses across the town, but also to share our news, events, and promotions with a growing audience at home and abroad.”
SOCIALiSTREET was born out of a service short space of time, the world has changed called Mall-to-Mobile that is now used by very rapidly. Digital and social media channels shopping centres across the UK. Created by provide challenges in some instances, but also Simon Baldwin, former Portas Pilot Mentor, incredible opportunities. To be able to share it ensures destinations can share content via content from the town, then have a dedicated digital and social media channels, as well as delivery team engage with customers seven engage with shoppers and visitors 365 days of days a week from breakfast to bedtime is a real the year. plus.” Viv explains, “We considered a number The BID team has a steering group of options, but SOCIALiSTREET stood out as working hard over several months to meet the one that best supports businesses on the with businesses and organisations, answering ground, as well as customers either living in questions on the BID’s development. Viv adds, and around the town, or planning to visit us.” “A business consultation exercise is currently Simon Baldwin, today a consultant with underway; once complete, after a thorough Destination CMS that delivers the service, says, analysis has been carried out, the steering “There’s a growing awareness that professional committee will prepare a business plan. Eligible management and delivery of digital and social businesses will then have an opportunity to media is essential. It is no longer a ‘Monday vote on the potential introduction of BID for to Friday’ part-time role. It is important for the St Andrews.” It is anticipated the BID ballot will engagement of customers, for be held in Autumn 2015. the promotion of destinations, Ken concludes, “It seems This is about better and for the support of very apt that we launched connecting all of those businesses at a local level. this service on the eve of audiences – and sharing We’re delighted St Andrews St Andrew’s Day. Saint what we do, every day. has signed up.” Andrew was known to have The service, launched had great social skills. In last November, will send a Brand Maker visiting this day and age, I feel sure he would have businesses within St Andrews on a weekly been a great advocate for social engagement, basis, capturing content – primarily based on perhaps a Patron Saint for Social Networking! news, events, and offers, which are then shared We know we share our Saint around the world. via a new website (www.StAndrews4You.co.uk) Nevertheless, St Andrews Day weekend was also on key social a unique celebration, linking St Andrews with media channels, communities as never before via the power of including Facebook, digital and social communication.” Twitter and Pinterest. The project is a demonstration model, Ken Dalton funded by Fife Council, that will run until the notes that, “In a very BID ballot in Autumn 2015. For further information on BID St Andrews, please visit: www.bidstandrews.co.uk The digital and social media channels for the St Andrews SOCIALiSTREET project can be found here: Website: http://standrews4you.co.uk Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/StAndrews4You Twitter: https://twitter.com/StAndrews4You Pinterest: www.pinterest.com/StAndrews4You/
(Photo courtesy Viv Collie)
21
SHOPS & SERVICES Louise Fraser introduces an exciting initiative
Artist Residency a first for St Andrews Gallery In November 2014, Fraser Gallery in St Andrews announced an imaginative new pairing with one of Scotland’s most successful artists, Francis Boag. In a ground-breaking move, the Gallery and the artist have committed to a long-term project, which will see Francis take up the post of Artist in Residence at Fraser East, South Street – the sister gallery of Fraser Gallery St Andrews which is used for solo exhibitions and other creative events. Over the next 12 months Roderick and Louise Fraser will curate a “Anyone interested can follow the progress of a painting from rolling programme of exhibitions in Fraser East showing the most recent sketchbook to Gallery wall.” said Francis, “Our hope is that this should works of the artist. In addition to showcasing his work, Francis will also stimulate interest and encourage participation and debate. Having spent be on hand to engage with gallery visitors in a whole range of events so long as an art teacher – almost thirty years – I still love to share my including painting demonstrations, formal and informal talks on his work own experiences and thoughts. Indeed, working in the gallery will allow and working methods to which clients will be invited. me to meet a lot of old friends and new.” “As far as we are aware, no other commercial gallery in Scotland, “We wanted to make this residency as impactful as possible,” or perhaps even the UK, has embarked on such a project as this; we explained Louise Fraser, “for Francis, our clients and ourselves. The are excited to see what the year may bring for both us and the artist!” rolling exhibition and other events are very exciting, but the opportunity explained Louise Fraser. to allow Francis to create a large canvas on the premises and see how The gallery, which can be found at 47 South the artist takes a piece from the early concept and Street, has been rebranded to reflect this exciting stages through to completion will be a first. It As far as we are aware, no sketch project; repainted, it boasts new window decals will be exciting to see the piece evolve.” giving it a fresh, new look. “This is an exciting other commercial gallery in To keep up-to-date with all the events going opportunity to be able to work so closely with on in the gallery, people should join the Gallery’s Scotland, or perhaps even Fraser Gallery in St Andrews”, said Francis Boag. mailing list and/or Like their Facebook page. “Having shown successfully with them for many the UK, has embarked on Numbers will be limited for some of the talks and years, I have always found them to have a very demos, so people will have to sign up for them, such a project as this innovative approach. I am delighted to be the first but they can simply pop in when Francis is in the artist to take up this opportunity and look forward to gallery and watch him at work. the year ahead. As well as a popular and successful painter, Francis is recognised "Having said that, it is a strange feeling to see your name, if not in as an inspirational teacher. His summer painting workshops in France lights, then at least in two foot-high gold lettering. Whilst this new chapter attracted aspiring artists from across the globe, and his occasional in my career kicked off in mid-November with the opening, I have been workshops in Scotland usually sell out immediately. in discussions and planning for some months prior to that. To have ‘ownership’ of such a beautiful space for such a long period, offers new “Francis Boag – Artist in Residence” got underway at Fraser East, opportunities to engage people, in much greater depth than is usually 47 South Street, St Andrews in early November 2014 and will run possible, with the whole creative process.” until November 2015. In an exciting addition to this already packed year of events, Francis will also create a micro-studio within the gallery where he will spend time working in full public view. (Photo courtesy Fraser Gallery)
22
SHOPS & SERVICES: EATING OUT Hugo D’Bere, your Grizzly Gourmet, dined in
The One Under Gastro Pub As soon as someone mentions “Gastro Pub” The staff are friendly. In terms of drinks, to me I always assume Gastroenteritis. Let us there are six draught beers and a wide get the record straight. This is certainly not the selection of bottled beer. Wine is available case with The One Under, because from a relatively limited list (a lot it is truly a Gastro Pub. I am not sure Californian) in 175ml or 250ml it is truly a exactly what the definition is, but glasses, or by the bottle. Gastro Pub I guess a traditional boozer which I had a 250ml glass and Muffy serves good restaurant-quality food. stuck to water. A bottle of San That is certainly the case here. Pellegrino was £4, which is quite expensive. A The property is situated in Rusacks Hotel 250ml of Chenin Blanc was £8. under Rocca and presumably shares a kitchen Muffy started with a chicken paté, which with Rocca. Although the windows are small, was a very large portion and came in at £7.25. there is a good view from some areas out onto I had Goosenargh Duck confit, which again the 18th green of the Old Course. The colours was £7.25. It was supposed to come with sour are beige and brown with wooden furniture and dough bread, but it was not sour dough – just a some comfy chairs. piece of toasted baguette. Both of us had a lobster salad, which comprised a half lobster which was hot, although the salad was cold (obviously). At £35.90 for the two it was quite expensive and the salad was not very extensive, consisting of some potato salad, lettuce, tomato, onion. For that price I would have expected some olives, avocado, peppers. There were only a few shreds of cucumber. Muffy is an expert on seafood like “Laabsta”, as she originally hails from “Baar Haaba” and is used to eating “laabsta and crab” and indeed parking her “caa in Haarvard Yaard”. (Photo courtesy the Gastro Pub)
The verdict was that the lobster was fresh, not a huge portion, but a rich meat, strange to have it hot with a cold salad. The meal was not huge, but we were too full to have a dessert, given that Lobster is such a rich dish. There was a limited selection of desserts, which were not particularly exciting, but looked okay. There was a Cairnie Strawberry Trifle, a Knickerbocker Glory, Cheese selection, and a Melting Chocolate Pudding, which took a 15 minute wait. The service was generally a bit slow. Between entering and getting the main course, was about 1¼ hours, which is not what I would expect of a pub. The one thing I would make clear is that if you are going for very basic pub food, such as burgers and not the more luxury version that we had, the portions looked pretty big, no doubt to satisfy American appetites. This is definitely not one for the cubs. One I would not hurry back to re-visit, but which is perfectly presentable with good food, albeit pricey.
Homework
Health a 1-2-1 Weight Management Service a Diet & Lifestyle Assessment a Nutritional Advice a Health Coaching a REPS Level 4 Specialist Instructor a Email david@homeworkhealth.com 23
SHOPS & SERVICES Heather Lang
“The journey of a thousand miles begins with one step” – Lao Tzu
Here we are in 2015 already! Like every other year, these first few months are rife with ambitions and resolutions to get fitter or back into shape. In the UK, great intentions lead many armchair athletes to throw themselves into strict regimes under the mantra of ‘no pain, no gain’. As a result, £37 million per year is wasted in the UK on unused gym memberships. To quote Robbie Burns, ‘The bestlaid schemes o’ mice an’ men, Gang aft agley’. There are a myriad excuses as to why it all drops by the wayside, but any half-baked plan is prone to failure. Whilst the image of the goal may be very clear in the mind, not much thought is usually given to how the body must change in achieving those goals. In the same way that a house can’t be built on unstable foundations, the body can’t achieve true fitness without being fundamentally working correctly. Lifestyle, habits, and injuries cause the body to deviate from perfect alignment which weakens how it can perform. Massage therapist Karen Ritchie states, “When people first exercise they start with a huge expectation, but they need to start small and grow. It is fine to have a final goal; it takes baby steps to get there.” Functional Movement specialist Rob Wilson expands on this by highlighting that since most people have poor posture, they can’t stand up properly, so to start trying to strengthen their unbalanced body is much akin to having different sized wheels on a car and expecting the ride to improve with more driving. If the structure is corrected, improved performance will follow. “Functional Movement Screening (FMS) is a series of 7 basic movements that are fundamental to how we should use our bodies. Any areas of weakness, stiffness, or asymmetry which are inhibiting normal movement, or potential sites of injury are highlighted and can be addressed with specific target programmes and therapy. We can carry an enormous amount of compensation in our muscle systems, often without too much discomfort until we ask our bodies to perform better. That’s when the imbalances show up as injury or excessive fatigue. The body is only as strong as its weakest link”. Here are a few ways to improve your chances of success: Make your first goal to get your body working correctly. The body should be like a flexible tube with a solid core and bendy outer layer. If the core muscles are weak, the large outer muscles of movement try to provide additional support, reversing the ideal so the outside is solid and the
Renton Oriental Rugs Tel: 01334 476 334
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inside is functionally redundant. When muscles of movement try to hold the skeleton up, they become too tight to perform their own tasks properly. This is the most common cause of all muscle injury so must be rectified before more physically demanding training can begin. Learn to breathe properly. Proper breathing is an integral part of posture and strength. Both shoulders and stomach should expand and contract with each breath. It’s remarkable that something so essential for life is usually done so inefficiently! Get professional advice before undertaking a new fitness programme, especially if you have health issues, pain or discomfort. Don’t risk an injury that could set you back or cause permanent damage. Start small then gradually increase the workload to allow your body to adapt. This is beautifully imaged in the fable of Milo of Kroton, a Greek Olympic wrestling champion of legendary strength (540-516 BCE). Milo’s father gave him a bull calf to rear. Each day, Milo would pick up the calf and carry it across the yard. As the calf grew, so did Milo’s strength until he could carry the full grown bull across the yard with ease. The moral of the story of Milo and his bull calf is a minimanual on how to achieve goals without risking injury. In the words of Charles Atlas, “Step by step and the thing is done.” PS – both Rob Wilson and massage therapist Karen Ritchie can be found at the practice in South Street. Heather Lang is a GOsC registered osteopath, ergonomic consultant, medical acupuncturist and multi-disciplinary manual therapist. She has worked extensively in osteopathic practice and development throughout the UK, Ireland, and Canada. Heather has been qualified to conduct bio-mechanical assessments for over 20 years and is dedicated to diagnosis and treatment of pain and pathology. St Andrews Osteopaths – Providers of effective treatment since 1998 136 South Street, St Andrews, KY16 9EQ. Tel: 01334 477 000 www.standrewsosteopaths.co.uk
SHOPS & SERVICES Flora Selwyn enjoyed a
Night for chocolate lovers Un-reconstructed chocoholic that I am, I was Managing Director Janice Kennedy told us delighted to receive an invitation to the very we would be fed a three-course chocolatespecial launch party cooked up by the Iain themed meal. But first, an explanation. The Burnett Highland Chocolatier’s management creation we were here to enjoy had taken three on 5 November. It was a years to perfect. The volcanic black tie event celebrating island of São Tomé, off the The creation we were the unveiling of “The Velvet West coast of Africa, grows here to enjoy had taken Truffle range of pure naked a uniquely flavoured singlethree years to perfect truffles with no hard chocolate origin cocoa. “This intense shell.” If you don’t believe me, cocoa is carefully selected go to the shop in South Street for verification for its exceptional range of fruity, aromatic, (and buy some of those naked truffles for and spicy characteristics, and is painstakingly yourself!) matched with unblended Scottish cream from Some 35 guests assembled in the a particular herd of cows in Perthshire. With decorated premises. Iain Burnett himself had no artificial additives or preservatives, only the just flown back from London, where he had best ingredients and exotic spices are infused received yet another award for his confections. to create flavours and textures to delight the palate.” Only now has it become possible to make commercially viable amounts of these pure naked truffles, thanks to innovative packaging in a sealed foil gold pack that includes an oxygen-absorbing smart food tag, which keeps the truffles fresh, as well as free from contaminating odours. Our expectations thoroughly raised, it was time to eat. I’m attaching the menu, lengthy but remarkable, and as I mentioned, everything containing chocolate! It was delicious, all of it bite-sized and plentiful, accompanied by champagne (but of course!) Then came the unveiling. Two drapes were raised to reveal two stands, each with three layers of naked truffles. The top layer had Raspberry and Black Pepper Velvet Truffles. Below them were White Lime with a hint of Chilli Velvet Truffles. At the bottom were Classic Cocoa Dusted Velvet Truffles, all lovingly arranged with ‘eat me’ appeal! They made a sumptuous dessert course. The various combinations of salt, pepper, lime, chilli were surprisingly successful with chocolate, not something I personally would have expected. Iain’s entrepreneurial skills together with his penchant for experimentation work wonders.
Artisan Chocolatier par excellence, Iain and his team, as their press release states, “work with businesses and a range of corporate clients to create customised gourmet chocolates. They are proud to have won international and national awards and supply British Airways First, as well as some of the best hotels and several Michelin Star chefs throughout the UK. The products are available to purchase through their shops in Grandtully and St Andrews, by ordering on-line, or by telephone, for delivery worldwide.” I am more un-reconstructed than ever! Thank you Iain Burnett, Janice Kennedy, Commercial Director Julie Collier, and all your dedicated staff for a truly unique, unforgettable occasion. (Photo (and menu) courtesy Highland Chocolatie)
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SHOPS & SERVICES Jonnie Adamson
The Fog in the Crystal Ball 2014 was quite a year, the World Cup in Brazil, the Ryder Cup at Gleneagles, the small matter of Scottish independence. Imagine how different it might have been should Messi have popped one in for Argentina, or Tom Watson had allowed Jordan Spieth and Patrick Reed to compete Friday’s foursomes, let alone what financial conundrums and arguments we would be involved in today had the independence result swung. Can 2015 live up to that? Some semblance of normality will resume as St Andrews hosts the Open Championship again this summer, but there are some changes afoot for us financially as well. Up until now non-UK residents do not have to pay UK capital gains tax on residential property they sell in the UK. The writing is on the wall however. The government has indicated that it will seek to tax these going forward. There is an interesting quirk on the
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introduction of this change however. We all remember the stories about MPs ‘flipping’ their homes. One possible way for non-residents to avoid this Change tax on their holiday homes in the UK would be to elect it as their main residence for UK tax purposes. This could mean that MPs may have to vote out the practice of ‘flipping’ to make this change work. There is some irony to be enjoyed at least. It is not just capital gains tax where nonresidents are being challenged. At the moment ex-pats enjoy a £10,000 per year personal allowance. This is expected to disappear in 2015; no doubt affecting non-resident landlords in St Andrews. For UK residents the aforementioned personal income tax allowance, already increased far in excess of inflation, is set to grow further. With a general election in May it could rise to £12,000. Votes are what count, and there are not too many votes amongst nonresidents! Then there is the ‘devo-max’ situation. There are already some Scottish taxes coming
into force in April 2015. Stamp duty land tax changes will hit the more expensive St Andrews homes harder, but will help those at the lower end of the is stirring property ladder. More tax accountability is certain, and it will be interesting to see how that develops early in the New Year? We may shortly know what will be further devolved to Scotland. With one of the most unpredictable general elections in years looming, it would appear trying to forecast what will actually happen is more a finger in the air than anything else. Change is stirring; it is just possible that 2015 really could be as interesting as 2014. For further information on this, or other matters, please consult: Henderson Black & Co. 149 Market St, St Andrews Tel: 01334 472 255
SHOPS & SERVICES
The Old Course’s Martin Hol lis having fun with his Highland beef main cou rse
n at work on Scott Davies of The Adamso sert his chocolate and apple des
Gala Dinner at the Old Course Hotel – Rounding off last November’s successful Food & Drink Festival
Action in
Deep concen tration on seaf ood from Ian Macdonald of St Andrews Li nks
om
the ballro
ndrews, Alan Matthew, Fairmont St A s apé can his of takes care
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SHOPS & SERVICES David Adie explains the
New Land Registration Act Land Registration has a long history in Scotland and the predecessor of the current Land Register was known as the Sasine Register. This still exists and is still used in some transactions, but in 1979 a new Act was passed in the dying days of the then Labour Government called the Land Registration (Scotland) Act 1979. This came into force in certain parts of Scotland (Renfrewshire) in 1981 and has gradually spread throughout the country, so that all of Scotland is now covered by the new registration scheme under the 1979 Act. It was felt, however, that this Act was becoming out of date, so the new Act of 2012 was passed following on recommendations from the Law Commission. The effective date for the new Act was 8 December, 2014. There was and is a political will to try to get the Land Register completed with all property moved over from the Sasine Register within 10 years. Everyone, except the politicians, thinks this is impossible. It has taken from 1981 until 2014 to get about a third of the land area of Scotland on the new Land Register, away from the Sasine Register, and I predict it will take another 20-25 years plus to complete the whole Country. There are several interesting features in the new system; these are broadly as follows:
3. Land Registration Forms have all changed. There is now one universal form when you apply to register, which is interactive and accessed online. 4. There are new forms of searches, broadly the same as the old-type searches which are done in the Land Register, but will probably end up costing more. 5. There is much more online and less paper based. No doubt the Registers will eventually try and introduce an electronic method of registering and transferring titles. They previously had a system called ARTL (Automated Registration of Title to Land) which was a disaster. It was clunky, not user friendly, and very often simply did not work. The Profession would not use it. It has to be hoped that the new system when eventually introduced will be a lot better.
The public will probably not notice the differences very much, but they may need to get used to their Solicitor using new phrases. For example, instead of Title Deeds or Land Certificate, the phrase “Title Sheet” will be used, also a new phrase has entered the Scottish Legal Vocabulary, namely the “cadastral map”. This is used in Continental jurisdictions and is basically an enormous map of Scotland. If you buy a house you will get a little segment of that cadastral map outlined in red. The Cadastral map is based on the ordnance survey map, as are existing titles, but 1. There is still a state-backed indemnity, or guarantee of title, but it is don’t worry, there is not an enormous sheet of paper somewhere, it is all somewhat less strong than it used to be. It was the case that if the held electronically. Keeper issued a Land Certificate then he had what was called the It remains to be seen how good the new system is. Will it cope with “midas touch” and any previous title defects were removed. This is not an old area like St Andrews with confused titles? There are certain very the case in the new system, which places much more reliance on the silly provisions in it. For example, if you own a property individual Solicitors who carry out the transactions. which has common rights with your neighbours, such In fact it creates a greater liability on the part of the It remains to be as a block of flats with common interests and parking Solicitor if something goes wrong. I anticipate people spaces, pathways etc. you will probably find that the seen how good the looking behind registered titles in years to come trying title is split up into the flat which has common parts in to point the finger of blame somewhere, because new system is the building, then separately a joint title sheet for the the Keeper of the Registers will be less ready to paths and parking spaces. indemnity under the state guarantee. The idea has not been fully worked through in relation to commercial 2. Historically, when you buy a property and try to register your title transactions, thus we are in the ludicrous position that if you lease 5 there is a risk period between the date you pay for it and the date sites on a hillside for a wind farm, or say, a shop in a shopping centre, your title goes on the Register. This has historically been covered then the Landlord’s title has also to be registered on a compulsory basis. by a Solicitor granting a thing called a Letter of Obligation, which is You would think that the whole title of the Landlord would be registered, an undertaking that nothing would appear on the Land Register, or but no, the system means that only the individual bit relating to that shop elsewhere, to prejudice the title. (Personally binding on the Solicitor). or that wind farm site gets registered, so Landlords may end up owning This, given as a matter of practice by Solicitors, was covered by the a field on which there are five wind turbines and five spots of his title are Professional Indemnity Insurance. It was felt that this was no longer registered, the rest being unregistered. This is the problem with the oneappropriate; now a system of Advance Notices has been introduced, size-fits-all approach. Sometimes systems work very well with a simple which give any prospective purchaser a priority for a period of days house, but not with anything more complicated. after settlement of the transaction, thus making it easier to get a safe Why fix it when it is not broken? It has served us well so far. The jury title on the Land Register. is out.
FOR OUT OF TOWN LEGAL ADVICE Wills / Inheritance Tax Planning / Executries / Powers of Attorney / Guardianship Conveyancing / Commercial Property / Business Law
We can consult locally
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ADIE HUNTER Solicitors and Notaries 15 Newton Terrace Glasgow Telephone: 0141 248 3828 Fax: 0141 221 2384 email: enquiries@adiehunter.co.uk
SHOPS & SERVICES
Roving Reporter 1. Hearty congratulations, Jannetta’s Gelateria, 31 South Street, St Andrews for scooping the official award of Retail Business of the Year in the Courier Business Awards 2014! Only this last summer they won the Golden Cone award, so Reporter is not surprised to find that owners Owen and Nicola Hazel are “absolutely thrilled”. As their shop declares, the business today is run by the fourth generation of the family in the same premises since it opened in 1908, something to treasure in itself since it is so rare these days. Jannetta’s competed against more than 100 entries, and there were “almost 600 industry leaders from throughout east central Scotland” at Fairmont for the awards ceremony. Owen and Nicola say, “this award reinforces and celebrates the quality for which we have become known and that all work very hard for, on a daily basis. This award is not just for us, but for every single member of our team and our loyal and lovely customers.” Great plans are afoot to update the premises in South Street. Jannetta’s will therefore be closed from mid-January for about 6 weeks. A really nice surprise awaits customers when they reopen! Reporter wishes Owen and Nicola many more happy years of prosperity! (Photo courtesy of Jannetta’s)
*****
2.
Reporter dropped in to Maisha Restaurant, 5 College Street to see owner Mohi Mohiuddin. This year will mark seven years since Mohi achieved his dream to open his own restaurant. He has refurbished his upstairs room for parties, keeping downstairs as a quieter area for more intimate dining. Reporter learned that the Bengali New Year takes place on 14 April! Mohi plans to celebrate it by cooking the traditional Bangladeshi Hilsa fish, accompanied by special steamed rice. Before then, St Valentine’s Day will have its own menu with roses and Champagne! Mohi has introduced several Thai dishes to his repertoire, such as Thai Fried Chicken Wings. A true philanthropist, Mohi offers students a special take-away menu for £6.95 (which, he told Reporter, is really worth £17). He is always grateful to his loyal customers, and sincerely wishes all of them a happy and prosperous 2015.
Alpaca Links is a treasury of handmade Peruvian Alpaca goodies – “rarer than cashmere and warmer than sheep’s wool” – cosy slippers, hats, scarves, blankets, warm garments, and more. The best quality Alpaca, Giselle said, is called ‘baby Alpaca’! Woollen garments also feature. There is a wide range of unique eco-friendly jewellery, made from natural seeds from the Amazon rainforest. As Giselle explained in the previous article, it “is predominately made from Tagua which is a seed/nut found within the pods of the Ivory Nut Palm. The seeds’ colour, hardness, and density are very similar to animal ivory, making these amazing seeds the only natural and totally sustainable alternative to ivory. Tagua is known as the “ivory of the rainforest”, or “vegetable ivory” due to its exceptional carvability, and since it serves as a viable alternative to animal ivory, it thus protects many endangered animals.” There’s even jewellery made from orange peel and coffee beans. Alpaca Links is open 10.00am to 5.00pm Monday to Saturday, and 11.30am to 4.30pm on Sunday. You can find it on Facebook. An Alpaca Links Party Plan intrigued Reporter; email to find out more: alpacalinks@hotmail.com or phone: 0783 766 1985.
(Photo courtesy of Maisha Restaurant)
*****
3. Reporter was delighted to find that Gary and Giselle Gilbert have found premises at 22 Bell Street for their unique merchandise. Reporter first met them at a stall in Market Street (see issue 59, July/Aug 2013).
(Photo courtesy Alpaca Links)
THE St Andrews pet shop! Stocking the widest range of pet foods, accessories. Anything not stocked we can order. 78 South Street, St Andrews, KY16 9JT Tel: 01334 470 873
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SHOPS & SERVICES
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TOWN & GOWN Alex Ewig
Saint’s Thrift on 21 Church Street). This was the basis for Definitely not a typical university course nor the idea we called, Saint’s Thrift. an ordinary experience! The past four months, Saint’s Thrift is an online marketing group a group of seven of us students essentially using social media outlets such as Facebook merged into the business world to start a and Instagram to market and promote the social enterprise. Throughout our experience Salvation Army store. We founders created we matured our entrepreneurial skills, and a Facebook page for Saint’s Thrift to update began to learn what life after university other students on weekly inventory as well might entail. Specifically, the management as announcements about volunteering and course we were enrolled in required groups donating. The aim of this venture was to to brainstorm an idea for an enterprise increase awareness and student interaction, that had to be implemented within the first or purchases with the semester. There were no local Salvation Army shop, explicit guidelines as to what Definitely not a typical with the overall mission of type of enterprise each group university course nor an helping those in need. With could establish. It challenged ordinary experience! that in mind, volunteers everyone to locate an are always welcomed and opportunity (in the St Andrews needed to facilitate the success of everyday market) and execute a respective idea. activities in the shop. As part of Saint’s Thrift, Meanwhile the project was often a challenge we also promoted this aspect and encouraged in itself due to group dynamics as well as many potential people to get involved by unexpected business obstacles. volunteering or donating clothes and other The group here originally proposed items. various ideas; however, since the project Along with marketing items in the had no explicit rules or reward for financial Salvation Army shop, Saint’s Thrift also gain, we saw this as a perfect opportunity to promoted it, together with the overall shine some light on a charitable cause. Given organization of the Salvation Army. PR that retail shopping (excluding thrift shops) events were organized around the town has increasingly expanded onto the online throughout Facebook, catching the eye of market, and our target market was the student fellow students, bringing their attention to population, we recognized this as an ideal the shop and more importantly, the cause. opportunity to explore further. We discussed By purposefully standing outside the library, how there are a small number of independent we accessed unfamiliar students. Simply by shops in St Andrews, a large number of thrift/ creating interest through taking photos of their charity shops, yet no online platform for answers we were able to boost our Facebook students to be updated with new inventory fan page reach from below 100 to over 3,000. from these charity shops. For these reasons, Additionally, the number of “likes” jumped we talked to various thrift shops in St Andrews into the 190s over the few days we uploaded and the one willing to offer us a chance to the library promotional photos. Moreover, the work together was the Salvation Army (located
number of “likes” per picture increased from around 10 into the range of 50-60. While that might appeal to some, Saint’s Thrift went even further, holding a competition to bring even more interaction with students. The competition was to upload a self picture with any item bought from the Salvation Army. The winner was the person with the most “likes” on their picture. In doing this, anyone who wished to “like” their friend’s, or fellow competitor’s pictures, would be exposed to Saint’s Thrift, thereby increasing interaction with the Facebook page and the Salvation Army. We learned by experience that the original way to achieve the goal is not always the most effective, and it requires further activities to foster success. Throughout, this process was beneficial both for the students and the Salvation Army. We gained valuable business experience, while the Salvation Army now has a platform to target students and market their inventory online. It was such an honour to work with the Salvation Army with their friendly work environment, their fashionable inventory, and the attractiveness of “thrifting” in general. New items are generally put on the floor daily, so there is always something new for consumers! Although there are many charity shop options in St Andrews, the Salvation Army definitely places in the top. Keep this in mind when you go out into town the next time! To have a look at Saint’s Thrift, check out: https://www.facebook.com/SaintsThrift or follow Saint’s Thrift on Instagram, @salvationarmy_standrews
Nicholas Wells
St Andrews Green Film Festival Returning from an impressive first-year run, the St Andrews Green Film ten minutes) that centre on “green” themes. Festival is back! The Festival, which will run from 16 – 21 February 2015, Entries should be submitted by 9 February is organized by a group of local residents, University students, and staff 2015. More details and guidelines are from Transition University of St Andrews. available on the Festival’s website. The Festival showcases the latest most inspiring films regarding Each day of the Festival will be themed, climate change and sustainability, connecting audiences with the natural with a corresponding talk and/ or film. The environment. Because many environmental movies are often pessimistic themes for the Festival include: Travel, and dystopian, the committee has given thought to making sure that the Food, Water & Oceans. One film that the films and events included in this year’s programme foster a positive, organizers are particularly excited to screen is optimistic appreciation of the environment. The Festival aims to inspire by Revolution, directed by Rob Stewart. The film displaying brilliant examples of change at a local level, follows Rob’s personal foursimultaneously acknowledging the “think global, act local” year journey to fifteen countries to discover why sharks Another new, exciting attitude. The majority of St Andrews Green Film Festival’s are in danger of becoming extinct. feature of this year’s events are targeted toward individuals of all ages, with Even though the Festival commences in midevent is its Leafies Short February, the committee screened the film ‘180° South’ the hope that they will engage in productive discussion of environmental issues and the ways in which they can be as a promo for the weeklong event. ‘180° South’ is an Film Competition addressed. adventure documentary that follows Jeff Johnson to The Festival and its organizers are looking to build on, and expand, rugged and beautiful Patagonia in his journey to trace the footsteps of his the success of last year’s event with some new additions to the fold. A heroes. Check out how the event ran by visiting the St Andrews Green larger, even more energetic, engaging committee has been busy directing Film Festival’s Facebook page! plans for February. One main change is the shift to a weeklong festival, a departure from last year’s weekend-packed event. This will give more people the opportunity to attend the Festival’s events. Also, the website To find out more information, please visit www.greenfilm.ork.uk has been updated; it will be complete with information on the committee Attendance at the Festival is open to all members of the community. members and the Festival’s schedule. Tickets start from £25 for the full week, or £4 for an individual event. Another new, exciting feature of this year’s event is its Leafies For any queries, please e-mail: contact@greenfilm.org.uk Short Film Competition. The Competition promotes engagement with or phone the Transition office: 01334 464 000. environmental issues on a local level by providing a platform for film makers of all ages (including school groups) to make short films (under
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TOWN & GOWN Katherine Fox reports on
St Andrews in Transition Quietly tucked away behind the St Andrews Sailing Club on the East Sands is the headquarters of one of the UK’s largest and most active Transition Initiatives. The Transition movement started in 2006 with the ultimate goal of forming creative, vibrant communities that are no longer dependent upon fossil fuels or outdated models of consumption, but have, instead, found ways for residents to live more connected and resilient lives. There are currently Transition Initiatives in 43 different countries, all of them concerned with local food production, minimizing waste, eco-friendly transport, and building community through education and involvement. Transition University of St Andrews (UStA) is unique in that it is tied to a university and managed by a group of students, staff, with members of the wider community. This is a very advantageous relationship in that it secures us a home base from which to operate and a steady stream of energetic student volunteers. But the arrangement is also very good of St Andrews. For example, Carbon Conversations, the 6-week sessions for residents of St Andrews who are not affiliated with the University. In that help individuals to lower their carbon footprints, will now be known many ways, Transition UStA acts as a bridge between Town and Gown, as Carbon Conversations-Streets in an effort to reflect the focus on as all of our events and services are open to members of the community. neighbourhoods. These meetings will be held in people’s homes, and will Since our launch in 2009, we have hosted over 300 events attended by offer neighbours the opportunity to connect, share resources, develop thousands of people. Some of our projects include: Bike Pool; Edible strategies for reducing their carbon emissions. Also, the knowledge Campus; CookSMARTER; Saint Exchange; St AndRe-Use; Carbon gained in the sessions tends to spark interest in our other programmes, Conversations; Green Drinks. so do have a think about joining in! In addition to these projects, we’ve hosted a number of major events These free courses are open to students and residents alike. One over the last few months. Because Transition UStA is so large and local resident, Mary Macintyre, had the following to say of her experience well-supported, we were chosen to host the very successful two-day taking the course, “I saw the University Carbon Transition Network Roadshow in mid-October. The event Conversation course advertised and thought that despite was attended by folks involved in the Transition movement Transition UStA acts being in my 60s and already a bit of an eco-warrior, I throughout the UK. The informative sessions offered as a bridge between would apply. I have never regretted it. It has deepened activists from the region a unique opportunity to network, Town and Gown as well as updated my knowledge and understanding swap ideas concerning environmental and sustainability of environmental issues, increased my awareness of action undertaken in their neighbourhoods, towns, cities. my impact on the natural world, shown me the way forward with regard The weekend culminated in a very inspirational, well-attended talk by Rob to reducing my carbon footprint, and making energy savings in all the Hopkins, co-Founder of the Transition Network, at the newly reopened practical areas of my life. A huge plus is that I now know how to source Byre Theatre. That same weekend, the Transition UStA team co-hosted expertise on all of these matters, starting with the highly-motivated and the equally successful and engaging Sustainable Living Fair in the deeply-committed Transition staff.” Mary went on to complete the Carbon St Andrews Town Hall. Conversations facilitator training course, now happily filling in whenever Transition UStA is currently funded through the government’s Climate the need arises. Challenge Fund (CCF). In early November we were thrilled to learn Transition UStA is all about action—joyful, practical action. We are that we’d been granted another year of funding. The CCF is a Scottish helping to create a happier, fairer, and stronger community. We hope that Government programme, managed and developed by Keep Scotland you’ll get involved, too! Beautiful, providing funding for community groups to reduce local carbon emissions, make community-wide improvements. In our case, this funding will allow us to address issues concerning rural home energy, local food, Please feel free to stop by our office at 7 Woodburn Place, sustainable transport, and to encourage community ties, all of which will visit our webpage: www.transitionsta.org/ or check us out on result in social, economic, and environmental benefits for St Andrews, facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TransitionUStA whilst cutting carbon emissions. Throughout 2015-2016, we’ll be able to continue with our various (Photo courtesy Transition UStA) projects, but some of them will enjoy new focus on the larger community
The student a cappella group, The Other Guys, sang in Church Square as part of the St Andrews Voices Festival last October
“I didn’t think about translation rights!”
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OUT & ABOUT Alistair Lawson, ScotWays
Le Rouge et le Noir thus living longer, try to sugar the pill by telling My youthful sufferings in St Andrews included reluctant exercisers to do something else while time spent incarcerated in the lecture halls of walking – study something, learn something, Old College, where members of the academic discuss something, go somewhere different, staff tried to enthuse us students as to the or see familiar surroundings joys of reading dry-as-dust through new eyes. This is just authors writing long ago and There are dozens of what Brian has managed to in foreign languages about rights of way within do during his stroll around subjects which singularly failed St Andrews, by playing about to resonate in the student the very matrix of with clever lenses and filters. mind. Brain pain. Nowadays, the town Readers of St Andrews in I can just about remember Focus will probably recognise some of the authors and some all these spots, but the filtering out of all the of the titles, but next to nothing of the subject colours except “le rouge et le noir” endows matter. Influence my thinking, my philosophy or the familiar with a patina of the unfamiliar. The my life’s path they did not. However, one title, moral of the story? Your quest for exercise and which my memory has not yet (quite) erased is stimulation need not take you to the depths of Stendhal’s “Le Rouge et le Noir”. This phrase the countryside or the heights of the hills; you recently jumped straight from the back of my can get both within a few steps of your own mind to the front, prompted by some bold door. photographic experimentation by my hiking Did you know? There are dozens of buddy, Brian Cairns – see accompanying rights of way (i.e. non-motorised paths, lanes, photos. vennels, and closes) within the very matrix Those people and organisations of the town, many of them highly photogenic. responsible for encouraging everyone to get Explore them! out of doors, get some fresh air and exercise,
(Illustrative photos by Brian Cairns)
The New Picture House Winner of the RAAM Independent Cinema of the Year Award for Excellence Enjoy a pre-show drink in our lounge or book an exclusive function or children’s party with a private screening
Invite you to visit a hidden treasure in the heart of St Andrews
WOODLAND & WATERGARDENS, HERBACEOUS & SCREE ALPINES & RHODODENDRONS GLORIOUS GLASSHOUSE COLLECTIONS OPEN DAILY ALL YEAR ROUND
WINTER LECTURE PROGRAMMME TUESDAY 6th JANUARY at 7.30pm TUESDAY 3rd FEBRUARY at 7.30pm Chemistry Dept. North Haugh Entry Free – All Welcome TO JOIN THE FRIENDS AND SUPPORT THE GARDEN CONTACT MEMBERSHIP SECRETARY Tel: 01334 476452 Charity No. SC006432
www.nphcinema.co.uk
117 North Street, St Andrews Tel: 013334 474902
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OUT & ABOUT Jean Stewart, Chairman, St Andrews Botanic Garden Trust
St Andrews Botanic Garden – a new era modified for teaching, will It is a great pleasure to report that the St Andrews Botanic Garden Trust have been impressed by the will be taking over the management of St Andrews Botanic Garden in enormous range of activities 2015. After a lot of hard work by many people, the lease has been agreed undertaken. with the landowners, the University of St Andrews. It will run initially for Adults, too, can learn five years, with a review after three years. During this period, we have the about topics as diverse as opportunity to demonstrate that the Garden can be a viable entity; we look native trees, bats, ferns, forward to the possibility of a much longer-term lease after the review. bumblebees, plant dyes, herbs, We are very grateful for financial support from Fife Council, from the and rhododendrons. They also Friends of the Botanic Garden, and the University of St Andrews for the have the opportunity to develop education programme. We are also very grateful for pledges of regular particular skills. The intense financial support and one-off donations from a large number of people, concentration of participants on particularly from the Friends. Further funding to cover the shortfall will be the delicate work of botanical sought from grants and bursaries, from increased entrance charges, and (Photo by Richard Cormack) illustration contrasts with from development of commercial activity. the physical process of willow weaving, or the creation of Christmas The Board is both a Company Limited by Guarantee and a Charitable decorations with a botanical theme, all with the same desire for creativity. Trust. It was formed from the former Education Trust, but with a much Each autumn, the Garden organises ‘Botanic Bonanza’ a popular series wider remit. The nine members of the Board are: Iain Donald and of eight lectures with practical demonstrations on different botanicallyDouglas Sinclair from the Friends of the Botanic Garden; Councillors themed topics. Other workshops and classes are held Keith McCartney and Kay Morrison; Mr Mark Dobell; throughout the year. On the first Thursday afternoon of Professor Thomas Meagher (vice-chairman); Mrs Irene In May 2014 we welcomed every month, an informal ‘Garden Walk with a Focus’ is Morrison; Dr David Rae; Dr Jean Stewart (chairman). James Hearsum as held. These are short walks to which all are welcome, We are very fortunate in having a Board with a Director of the Garden looking at a particular aspect of the Garden. broad range of expertise and experience, including Concerts and recitals have proved popular horticulture, biological sciences, financial, legal, in recent years. The first was held outside as an experiment, but the education, and business. combination of a cool evening with a strong wind had everyone heading In May 2014 we welcomed James Hearsum as Director of the for shelter after the interval. Then we discovered that the acoustics of the Garden. James qualified with a first degree in Horticulture; he is a Glass Class were surprisingly good for small recitals; now these are held Graduate Fellow (MSc) in Public Horticulture from the University of indoors. Subdued lighting with candles adds to the atmosphere. Further Delaware. He has experience in botanic gardens, both in the UK and details of Garden events are available on: www.st-andrews-botanic.org or: abroad, as well as in the commercial sector. His most recent appointment ed.trust.sec@st-andrews-botanic.org was as Curator of the Royal Botanic Garden of Jordan. James has Many visitors comment on the high standard of cultivation and the been working hard with the Board and Fife Council to achieve a smooth extensive system of labelling. This is a great tribute to hard-working transition to the new management arrangements. staff, who have shown considerable dedication to the Garden over the The Garden has significant collections of named living plants last few years of uncertainty. Sadly we have to lose two staff who are available to all for reference and study. These total about 8,000 species being transferred back to Fife Council, but all staff salaries are protected with world-wide distribution, grown both outdoors and in the glasshouses. whether or not they transfer to the new Trust. Tribute is also due to the Included are many very rare plants; 169 are ‘red list’ species in danger considerable efforts by Bob Mitchell, as Curator and now Honorary of extinction. Visitors are always interested to see the two specimens Curator, in supporting the Garden in many different ways. of the ‘Wollemi Pine’, Wollemia nobilis, a plant which was thought to be Volunteers are an essential part of activities; they will become more extinct for two million years until the discovery of specimens in a national so in the future, releasing gardening staff for more specialised tasks. park near Sydney, Australia. The Garden also contains several important As well as undertaking weeding and leaf clearing, volunteers perform a collections, including species from the 1981 Sino-British expedition, range of tasks, selling plants, helping with adult classes, dishwashing, 29 threatened garden plant species, and 28 Champion Trees of Britain distributing posters. A number have also been trained to act as informal and Ireland. The substantial Herbarium collection of the University of guides on three days a week through the summer. This started two years St Andrews is also cared for. ago very successfully. Regular training is given to keep everyone up to Education has always been a key feature. Over the last ten years, an date. This, together with the end of season outing, fosters team spirit for extensive formal education programme has been developed for schools this very enjoyable task. linked to their curriculum. Last year over 2,000 schoolchildren from Fife The Botanic Garden in St Andrews was founded 125 years ago, and beyond visited the Garden to undertake tutor-led activities. A further transferring to its present site 50 years ago, with a number of changes. 2,000, mainly from the local schools, visited regularly on self-guided It has been described sometimes as a ‘hidden gem’. In 2015, we enter structured visits. It is very encouraging to see groups of children earnestly the latest phase of its development, an exciting albeit slightly daunting recording information on clipboards, dipping nets into the pond, planting prospect. We hope this will make the Garden much less ‘hidden’ to and later harvesting vegetables, creating artistic records of their visits. the population of St Andrews and beyond, that many more people will There is a fascinating range of activities developed by the Education explore and enjoy the peaceful atmosphere, the many activities, and the Officer with a team of tutors to enhance the experience of children. wonderful plant collection. We are very fortunate to have this gem on our Saturday mornings are also busy with meetings of Junior Hortus and the doorstep. Wildlife Club. Anyone who has visited the Glass Class, a glasshouse
Junior Hortus
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kids on Open
Day
Volunteers
Falconry (Photos courtesy the Garden)
OUT & ABOUT Arlen Pardoe
Hidden Gems in St Andrews (in plain view) Focussing on features that are in plain sight, but often overlooked Bells and Bell towers A number of the churches in St Andrews have bells which can be heard at various times for a variety of reasons. The largest collection of bells is to be found in Holy Trinity Church Tower, which has a carillon of 27 bells, the third largest in Scotland. The bells are rung to mark time, every quarter hour and on the hour, before church services, and for special occasions such as weddings. A curfew bell is still rung each evening at 8.00pm exactly 100 times. St Salvator’s Church has six bells in the tower. The six bells, are all named, were cast or recast between 1939 and 2010. The bells, Elizabeth (which previously hung in St Leonards College Church) and Katherine, originally date back to 1520 and 1460 respectively; they were the only two until 2010, when the other four (Annie, Agnes, Margaret, and George) were installed.
Behind the main tower there is a small bell overlooking the quadrangle. St Leonards Church tower has a single bell, formerly in a church in Somerset. It was originally cast in 1765, then installed in St Leonards in 2005. All Saints’ Church has a single bell in a bell tower. There are also bells in buildings that are not churches The bell in Madras College is still rung to indicate the end of the mid-day break to call the pupils back to class. At one time a bell summoned pupils to class at the Burgh School, though it is no longer hung on the outside of the building, now used by the University. The old West Infant School (used by Fife Council) still retains its bell. St Leonards school has a bell tower; there is also a bell in the grounds in the shape of a bat! St Mary’s has a bell in a bell tower. There is a bell at the base of St Rule’s Tower.
Holy Trinity Carillon (Photos courtesy Arlen Pardoe)
The Bells
Holy Trinity
Burgh School St Mary’s (no longer there)
Holy Trinity
Old West Infant School
St Rule’s Tower
St Leonards Church
St Leonards School
St Salvator’s Quad
All Saints’ Church
Bell Towers
St Leonards School St Mary’s
Hope Park Church
St Salvator’s
Old West Infant School
St Leonards Church
St Salvator’s Quad
All Saints’ Church
Madras College
Holy Trinity
Town Hall
Hope Street
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