St Andrews in Focus Issue 81 Mar Apr 2017

St Andrews in focus • shopping • eating • events • town/gown • people and more

March/April 2017 Issue 81, £2.00

the award winning magazine for St Andrews, Scotland www.standrewsinfocus.com

St

Andrews in focus

• shopping • eating • events • town/gown • people and more

From the Editor

“You must be kidding!” is a legitimate response from someone confronted with dubious information before some kind of decision has to be made.

Many learned theories exist about decision making.

Innumerable hours of time have surely been spent by well-meaning people organising (lucrative?) seminars on how to make good decisions. Yet I’m inclined to think that at the end of the day it all boils down to luck, encapsulated by those old proverbs that contradict each other: many hands make light work vs. too many cooks spoil the broth / if it ain’t broke don’t fix it vs. if you always do what you’ve always done you’ll always get what you’ve always got. Phew! Now perhaps you can see I’m conflicted about how to decide the trajectory of this magazine! Suggestions anyone?

Flora Selwyn

******** The views expressed elsewhere in this magazine are not necessarily those of the Editor. © St Andrews in Focus (2003)

MARCH / APRIL 2017 EDITOR Flora Selwyn Tel: 01334 472375 Email: editor@standrewsinfocus.com DESIGNER University of St Andrews Print & Design (printanddesign@st-andrews.ac.uk) PRINTER Winter & Simpson (stephen@wintersimpson.co.uk) DISTRIBUTER Drop 2 Door (billy@drop2door.co.uk) PUBLISHER (address for correspondence) Local Publishing (Fife) Ltd., PO Box 29210, St Andrews, Fife, KY16 9YZ. Tel: 01334 472375 Email: editor@standrewsinfocus.com SUBSCRIPTIONS St Andrews in Focus is published 6 times a year.

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Contents FEATURES • The Community Council • The Foreign Affairs Committee • Memories of the 1950s • Dreams • A Multifaceted Life • The London Connection • Jogger • Searching…

• Ask the Curator • Reviews: – Double Exposure – Death in an Evil Place – Chui Wan

3 4 5 6 7 8 8 8 9 10 10 10

TOWN & GOWN • • •

Bringing Understanding St Andrews’ Secret Twin Cycling in St Andrews

11 12 13

SHOPS & SERVICES • • • • •

Libraries BID St Andrews Roving Reporter Heather Lang Economics from the Bible

14 16 17 18 18

ORGANISATIONS • The League of Hospital Friends • Humanism

19 20

•

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Paul Harris, Fellowship

EVENTS • • •

Ethics & Aesthetics; Exhibition Dynamic Drawing Selected Events

22 23 24

OUT & ABOUT • • •

Dens of Fife Nature Notes Hidden Gems

NEXT ISSUE – May/Jun 2017 COPY DEADLINE: STRICTLY 28 MARCH

All contributions welcome. The Editor reserves the right to publish copy according to available space.

Cover: ‘Spring lamb’, an original photo by Caroline Trotter

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FEATURES Callum McLeod, Chairman of the Community Council

From the Provost’s Chair With apologies to the writers of the musical, Cabaret, “Funding makes the world go round,” could well be the theme song of those in public or voluntary service, certainly since the great economic crash nearly ten years ago. But even before then there was a perception that there was “no money” for anything, therefore no point even in asking.

I have been surprised, therefore, since rejoining the Community Council to discover that not all is doom and gloom; there are many award-giving organisations, trusts, and funds, which are well able to respond positively to requests for financial aid for all sorts of projects, which they do, often without fuss or publicity, thus allowing clubs, societies, and individuals to develop ideas, or simply to survive.

The Community Council has a particular interest in two award-making bodies. The first of these is our own 200 Club, founded nearly 30 years ago, currently administered by our Treasurer Iain Munn. Its members pay a modest £2 per month; up to half the income is recycled as prizes for Club members.

A draw is made publicly at our Monthly Meeting, the winners being announced in the press and on our Facebook page.

The rest of the income is used to fund relatively small-scale projects in the town.

Applications for financial support can be organisations. Additionally, there are three made to Iain. Initial contact can be made volunteer co-opted Trustees, members directly with him through our website of the public who are willing and able to www.standrewscc.net . New members meet three times a year or so to consider would also be made most welcome as applications for financial support, and Club membership has never come close make awards. As the original co-opted to 200!

Trustees are coming to the end of their On a somewhat grander scale, the appointments, the Trust Nominations Community Council has a direct interest Committee, comprising different partner in the St Andrews Community Trust, representatives, is looking to provide established in 2010 as a partnership the partner Trustees with a pool of between us, Fife Council, suitable volunteers for and the St Andrews consideration.

Links Trust. Its purpose My community As always, I welcome challenge is to distribute funds this month, hearing from you generated by the then, is simply to St Andrews Links Trust ask, “could this be on any matter at through the use – but If you feel you callummac@aol.com you?” also protection – of might be interested or at 01334 478 584. in serving, and are the Burgh’s heraldic imagery. It has been able to give up a few astonishing – shocking, hours every so often even – to hear tales of how unscrupulous to be part of such a worthwhile and individuals and organisations right round rewarding venture, then please have a the globe have sought to profit without look at the Community Trust’s website authority from our image and good name.

– www.standrewscommunitytrust.co.uk , Equally remarkable are the often-lengthy then get in touch with me, in confidence international legal battles fought to and without obligation, to discuss how to prevent them from doing so. proceed. The closing date for Applications Since its inception only six years ago, to be a co-opted Trustee is Friday, 31 the Trustees have distributed more than March 2017. £400,000 to some 150 projects in the town, ranging from sports to education As always, I welcome hearing from you to drama to environmental projects. on any matter at callummac@aol.com or Four Trustees, who act independently at 01334 478 584. using their own judgement in line with trust law, come from the three partner Dum spiro spero

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FEATURES Stephen Gethins MP

The Foreign Affairs Committee In addition to my constituency work, one of the most rewarding parts Some of our inquiries concern previous UK actions. Our examination of my job as the Member of Parliament for North-East Fife has been of the intervention and collapse and the UK’s future policy options sitting on the Foreign Affairs Committee with regards to Libya, published on of the House of Commons. The 6 September 2016 found that UK Committee’s remit is to perform in depth policy was not informed by accurate analysis and scrutiny of the foreign intelligence; it was not underpinned by policy of the United Kingdom. We work a strategy to support and shape posttogether effectively on a cross-party Gaddafi Libya, which subsequently basis under the chairmanship of my faced political and economic collapse. colleague Crispin Blunt MP. The House of Commons Library later Our various meetings, briefings, confirmed that the UK spent 13 times site visits, and evidence sessions with more bombing Libya than rebuilding it. expert witnesses feed into reports of The work of the Committee is very inquiry which we publish on topics comprehensive, dealing with the full across the whole range of UK foreign range of foreign affairs, concerns, and policy issues. Much of our evidence interests faced by the UK. We have base as well as government responses considered such issues as the future of to our reports are available on the BBC Monitoring, the UK’s relations with Foreign Affairs Committee page on the Russia, and are currently performing UK parliament website. I encourage all inquiries on various issues, such as the those with an interest in international UK’s relations with China, those with relations to have a look at these Turkey, Foreign and Commonwealth resources.

Office’s (FCO) expenditure and One of our most commented-upon performance in 2015-16. publications was our report on the During my time on the Committee, extension of offensive British military I have been approached by several operations to Syria, which was released subject experts, who have noted the on 29 October 2015. The report prestige of, and excellence, associated highlighted issues with the conflict’s with the University of St Andrews’ legal basis, as well as concerns on School of International Relations. matters of military action, the political I have been able to meet several situation, international actors, and members of the School’s faculty; for diplomatic capacity. This report received example, I had the opportunity to a rare personal response from then discuss the work of the Foreign Affairs Prime Minister David Cameron.

Committee with Professor Tony Lang, On 26 April 2016, two months the Head of International Relations, I encourage all those with an prior to the referendum on the UK’s and a number of students and membership of the European Union, academics. interest in international relations to we published our report on costs and Being the Member of Parliament have a look at these resources benefits of EU membership for the UK’s for North-East Fife is a great role in the world. Because we decided privilege, and I look forward to future to focus our efforts on the provision opportunities for me to serve it of facts and information, we were able to publish the report with further through my place on the Foreign Affairs Committee, as well as unanimity, in spite of the Committee being split in two about the UK’s any other ways that I can. membership of the EU. (Photo courtesy Stephen Gethins)

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Chinese & Cantonese Restaurant

FEATURES Mary Saunders conjures up

Memories of the 1950s Family Holidays in St Andrews The first time we came to St Andrews was in August 1956. My take her walking stick and toddle round to the shooting booths where aunt, Jean Gilmour, had accepted the position of Housemistress of she would test all the rifles in turn, rejecting each one until she found Bishopshall East at St Leonards School, where she and my mother one that she considered to be correctly aligned. Then she would shoot had been pupils in the 1920s. Aunt Jean and my great aunt Jessie away hitting the bull’s-eye every time. I remember on one occasion, had moved up to St Andrews from Norfolk into an old house in North after she had won many useless prizes, she was offered a very large Street, not far from the cathedral. My family lived in Bristol at this time. prize and asked to leave!

For many years following my parents, my brother, We used to bathe in the Step Rock openand I spent every August in St Andrews staying air bathing pool most mornings. When the in North Street. It was a long journey from Bristol water temperature was as low as 50° we did involving four trains, and a taxi between stations not stay for long. However, if it reached 60° we St Andrews remained a in Edinburgh. As well as all our luggage we often remained longer and enjoyed the slide. wonderful place for a family then took the budgerigar with us in his cage! Sometimes We would also swim in the sea. On the West we would be met at Leuchars, but occasionally Sands we always felt we had to walk halfway holiday, but I shall always we changed onto Kettle Drummel, which was the to Norway in order to get waist deep! Even remember the complete little train that took us from Leuchars to St Andrews in August there were very few people on the station. beaches. In the evenings we often went for long freedom of the fifties There was a small garden behind the house walks. Sometimes we walked on Boar Hills or in North Street enclosed by high stone walls and along the Kinnessburn – I loved seeing so many containing a small stone outhouse. Aunt Jean’s ducks. On other evenings we would walk as far tortoise had the run of the garden, and the outhouse was often used as the Eden Estuary. Jean would insist that we should return over the to grow mushrooms. As there were insufficient bedrooms for us all, my golf courses – this was her right as a ratepayer, and we would collect brother and father sometimes had a B&B in the little hotel a few doors mushrooms for tea. Sometimes she used to pretend that she had just away that was run by “Peter the Pole”. Captured during the war he had won the Open and on the way home she would ascend the steps to the been in a prisoner-of-war camp in Scotland. Jean once asked him if he R&A Club House; I suspect that she did not approve of their exclusion had been frightened when he was captured by the British, but he had of women members. We also used to fish from the little bridge in the replied “No – I run towards them with my hands up!” He had decided not harbour. We would bring back small fish, which we then fed to the next to move back to Poland after the war. door neighbour’s cat, who was often sick afterwards!

Shopping was a pleasure. I had the daily task of running round There was very little traffic in North Street. Although the centre the corner to fetch fresh warm baps for breakfast from the baker. of the road was reserved for parking it was always clear of cars. It The butcher in Market Street was always most helpful. Jean used to therefore provided an excellent place for my brother and me to have leave her large pie dish with him; he would then assemble a grand pie an evening game of Jockari (a wooden bat and ball game). We were complete with pastry ready for baking in the Aga. Every summer there seldom interrupted by traffic while we were playing. On one occasion I was a photographer in South Street who took photos of passers-by. He remember accompanying Jean to the auction house in Market Street, had a rather sad-looking tame monkey on a lead. I always loved that later we wheeled her “successes” in a large wheelbarrow down the monkey and occasionally I would be allowed to stroke him. Jean used middle of the road along Market Street and round into North Street. to buy all her annual plants for the garden from Woolworths. The plants By the early 1960s Jean had moved to North Castle Street and arrived by train at St Andrews station, then were left in the open for St Andrews was changing. Even in the 1970s, after I had a family of my several nights before they were collected by the shop; Jean knew that own, we still went north by train. However we were then able to bring they would be well and truly hardened off. the car with us on the Motorail from London. St Andrews remained a My great aunt Jessie was a force to be reckoned with! She was wonderful place for a family holiday, but I shall always remember the born in the 1870s and had strong Presbyterian Victorian values. She complete freedom of the fifties. After my aunt sadly died the annual always dressed in navy or black and wore very long skirts and polished visits north ceased. One summer, years later, we knocked (rather shoes. She was horrified by my hemline. I remember having to lift up boldly) on the door of her old house – your Editor answered! my dress to prove to her that I was wearing ‘knickerbockers’! In her youth in Dumfries she had won many prizes for rifle shooting and she (Photos courtesy keenly awaited the arrival of the Lamas Fair every August. She would Mary Saunders)

Kinessburn

Jean Gilmour

South

Street

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FEATURES George Phillips muses on the nature of

Dreams

I recently dreamed I was at the dentist. I live in Crail; in my dream my dentist’s surgery was in Crail Town Hall, with its familiar pictures on its walls. This location didn’t seem unusual to me while I was dreaming, nor did it seem strange that my dentist was Professor Sir Edward Wright, a long-serving professor of mathematics at Aberdeen who was my supervisor for my master’s degree.

He latterly held the post of Principal of the University of Aberdeen for 14 years. At one stage in my dream I said “Professor Wright, why don’t you put a portrait of yourself on the wall here?” I also mentioned to him that I had done some work on the Bernstein polynomials, remembering him telling me that he had once worked on them. I was determined to impress on him how keenly I had pursued mathematics since I left his care. But I was really showing off. I then woke up, and that’s all I remember about my dream, which meant a lot to me, but is pretty meaningless to anyone else. Such is the way of dreams.

Let me say a little about Professor Wright, who died in 2005 just a few days before his 99th birthday. He told me that he had been a pupil (his word) of the even more distinguished Professor G H Hardy (1877-1947). Hardy and Wright are well known to mathematicians as the authors of the famous textbook An Introduction to the Theory of Numbers, which was first published in 1938 and still remains in print. A second edition was published before Hardy’s death. Three succeeding editions appeared, edited by Wright on his own. After Professor Wright’s death a sixth edition, revised by others, was published as recently as 2008.

For more information about Sir Edward Wright, look him up on the internet, in the MacTutor History of Mathematics, written by my colleagues John O’Connor and Edmund Robertson.

In their Preface to the first edition of their book, Hardy and Wright state:

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Many Dimensions, first published in 1884

by Edwin Abbott.) However, in Midnight on the Desert, Priestly is very interested in the theories of dreams proposed by J W Dunne (1875-1949). In An Experiment with Time, first published in 1927, Dunne made the extraordinary claim that in our dreams there are references to things that happen in the future. Dunne used to keep a written record of his dreams, to which he would subsequently refer to see if any of his dreams were related to later events in his life. Priestley likewise recorded his dreams, and was very sympathetic to Dunne’s views.

Many years ago I read Dunne’s book and kept a record of my dreams for a brief period.

I once thought that, in one dream, I might I particularly admire the last sentence. Such have had a premonition of a future event. But class! Many scholars would very much as this is obviously very difficult to deal with wish to believe that, as their subject is so in a scientific way, I soon abandoned this attractive, their own attempts at presenting it project! could never make it appear dull. But alas, not The first dream that I can recall dates all scholars are as able as Hardy and Wright. from when I was still at primary school. In To return to dreams: I am sure you will my dream I was looking out of a window agree that dreams are often very weird. in my grandmother’s house in my native In his The Human Touch, Aberdeen. On the roof of first published in 2006, the tenement, four floors Michael Frayn writes most high, on the other side interestingly about dreams. of the road a tiger was I am sure you will In particular he comments on pacing up and down from agree that dreams a type of dream in which one left to right. To see the of the ‘characters’ surprises are often very weird tiger I had to look upwards the dreamer by telling him across the road. The tiger something that the dreamer soon spotted me, whirled didn’t know. Frayn remarks around and leapt across that this is astonishing, given that the ‘script’ the road to attack me from on high. I awoke of every character in a dream is ‘written’ by in terror. I think I had that dream more the dreamer. So why should a dreamer ever than once. Subsequently, I have had many be surprised by his own dream? How strange dreams in which I have been terror-struck. the human mind is.

But sometimes, in such cases, I have been The great English writer J B Priestley aware that I was dreaming and, no doubt (1894-1984) was very interested in dreams. because of the tiger dream, I knew I could I recently read again his book Midnight on get out of trouble by waking up. In time, I the Desert, first published in 1937. (As a became quite confident of being able to do mathematician I am glad that, in this book, this.

Priestley mentions Flatland: A Romance of We have often allowed our personal interests to decide our programme, and have selected subjects less because of their importance (though most of them are important enough) than because we found them congenial and because other writers have left us something to say. Our first aim has been to write an interesting book, and one unlike other books. We may have succeeded at the price of too much eccentricity, or we may have failed; but we can hardly have failed completely, the subject matter being so attractive that only extravagant incompetence could make it dull.

FEATURES Business Coach Nigel Edwards chatted to Flora Selwyn about his

Multifaceted Life “My father was British, born in Croydon (South London) my mother was to British standards, for example supplying half Greek, but born in Turkey.” They met in Worthing, Sussex, married, gas hobs with automatic ignition buttons then moved three years after World War II to what (Spanish hobs is now Zimbabwe. Appalled by the racial policies needed someone With such an international there, they transferred to Ghana, known then as with a match!) start to life he was almost The Gold Coast. It was here that Nigel was born.

Change With such an international start to life he was predestined to live and work seemed to inspire almost predestined to live and work in many parts Nigel, for he in many parts of the world of the world. then decided to become a consultant to the Nigel and his elder brother went to the Ghana manufacturing industry, providing marketing International School, “which was full of expats” before being sent back services and recruiting personnel for companies such as Belling, at age 7 to England as a boarder in Goring Hall School, Goring-by-Sea, Bosch, Neff etc. By chance, having recommended changes in one IT near Worthing. Nigel has fond memories of the splendid buildings and company, Nigel worked for them for the following 5 years, enjoying the grounds of the school. However, his parents move away from manufacturing to IT. “It was missed him and his brother and he was taken very interesting times.” back to Ghana after two years.

In 1980 came marriage, and fatherhood, Once his school days were over Nigel two daughters being born in 1989 and 1992. returned to England in 1966. His older Nigel decided to work freelance, working brother was now in the army, and there was on long-term and short-term projects with a new sister, 12 years his junior. Interest in various companies in England and Europe. electronics saw Nigel starting work in various One of these was a Polish company, companies training on day release. Sadly Wood – Mizer, specialising in portable saw the first companies he worked in folded; mills. There were two main manufacturing Nigel was made redundant three times. branches, one in America, the other in This prompted a move to technical college Poland. As European Marketing Director, to gain qualifications, followed by a degree Nigel went to Poland to help the incoming in Business Studies at Kingston University. president restructure the company and During his studies there he took part in a develop the European and Russian markets. sandwich course with an American company He also had to rationalise the marketing which offered him a full-time position once department and recruit a Russian-speaking he had his degree. While with this company Marketing Manager. In addition, two failing Nigel developed one of the first multicurrency British subsidiaries had to be turned round accounting packages. He had taught himself and new premises completed.

IT as an interest, at a time when much Once accomplished, Nigel went back accounting was still done manually. “They to freelancing. He worked for the English were a bit impressed, to say the least!” equivalent (Growth Accelerator) of the Travelling back and forth to America Scottish Business Gateway until 2014, when and Europe, Nigel was nevertheless able to he and his wife relocated to St Andrews. buy his first house in Woking, Surrey, where Nigel has never been back to Ghana. his parents returned to buy a tobacconist/ His memories of the country are vivid and confectionary shop, since a coup in Ghana warm. He doesn’t remember any racial had made life there difficult for ex-pats. tensions in those far off days. Children Meanwhile the French and German subsidiaries of Nigel’s of different races all played together, went to the same schools. His company shut down. Nigel thought it expedient to change tack. In 1980 father had his own architectural and construction business, with mixed he joined Stihl, a German company employees. “What I remember of Ghana is a very good social life, with based in Camberley, Surrey, a very international set of friends. School was 8.0am to 1.00pm. Got specialising in garden power tools. home and had lunch then we’d go down to the beach in the afternoon.

For the next 10 years Nigel also had It was very much an outdoor type of life. We had lots of Ghanaian responsibility for group software and friends. It was one of the countries that was totally devoid of apartheidsetting up subsidiaries. As Deputy like prejudice, absolutely none whatsoever.” Nigel rode a motorcycle Managing Director and company when he was 16, wearing the first crash helmet to be seen anywhere secretary he oversaw the finances; in Ghana! turnover was in the region of £19m.

Along with his extensive business travelling, Nigel has had The next move involved holidays in most European countries, as well as Lebanon and Egypt. rationalising and consolidating He hasn’t been to the Far East yet. He cites travel as his abiding a group of German companies pleasure. Among his other interests he lists Formula 1 motor sports, operating in Oxford, manufacturing photography, cooking, all things technical, and wine. domestic appliances, with interests Such an eclectic mix makes it totally impossible for Nigel ever to in Spain. Much of Nigel’s work become bored! entailed upgrading goods to conform (Photos courtesy Nigel Edwards)

Stop Press: LITTLE ITALY in Logie’s Lane, St Andrews, has very kindly agreed to sponsor 500 copies of this magazine for the Media Walls in Edinburgh, Glasgow, Aberdeen Airports. Thank you very much Beno, your generosity is greatly appreciated.

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FEATURES From J Michael Buchanan, born and brought up in St Andrews

The London connection – Southwark Bells Blessed The history of Southwark is a very colourful alphabet soup. Located Wardlaw is associated with the upbringing of this young King – 15th on the south bank of the River Thames, Southwark is beyond the Pale century distance learning! of the City of London, at times over the centuries of concern to the Most of the time, I believe my own paternal ancestors were close Lord Chamberlain. It was, and is, a rich and exciting mix of Physicians, to the Stewart Dynasty and King James I. On my mother’s side, there Professors, Prelates, Playwrights, Players, Playhouses (e.g. the Globe is a better-documented shorter link (albeit extra-marital) to James V of and Hope), Southern Belles, some penitent, some painted, some Scotland. A regally-compliant Elphinstone damsel bore James V a son, penitent and painted; not least, some made of bronze and hung in Robert, in 1533, who became Earl of Orkney. obscurity in a belfry.

The sponsors of the re-cast bells had walk-on and 3-line speaking At a very special Evensong in Southwark Cathedral on Monday, 9 parts in the Service. I was one of these. We were, as ‘god-fathers’, January 2017, the culmination of a 2-year £200K project to rejuvenate situated near to our respective bells for the baptismal rites. The Bishop a massive Ring of Bells, 2 re-cast bells were named and baptised of Southwark sprinkled the new bells with Holy Water, anointed them by the Bishop of Southwark, echoing Mediaeval tradition. The Dean with Oil of Chrism and then he Censed the bells. This was rather of Southwark introduced the Service with words of un-Presbyterian but, in the spirit of the Columba welcome, later preaching the sermon.

Agreement of 28 November 2016, was there to be Many of the restored bells (most cast in 1735) filled enjoyed and assimilated as food for thought. The Choir, The sponsors of the meantime, sang Psalm 150 (‘O Praise God in his the full length of the centre of the Nave, arranged as if afloat on a river of wool. Seating was arranged to Holiness’). The ceremony was followed by ‘Let Bells re-cast bells had overlook this spectacular, temporary Art Installation. The peal forth the universal fame’. This special Evensong walk-on and 3-line 2 re-cast bells, off to the side because of their weight, concluded with ‘Let all the world in every corner sing’, were garlanded with flowers ready for baptism and then The Blessing. speaking parts in the naming.

There was a reception for everyone in the Service. I was one The smaller re-cast bell, 0.5 tons and no.7 in the Retrochoir, east of the Altar. A baptismal cake was Ring, was named Nicholas to remember Colin Slee jointly cut by the two Michaels, the sponsors. It was of these.

OBE, inter alia Dean from 2000 to 2010. ‘Colin’ is a eaten with relish, fortification for journeys home on a diminutive form of Nicholas, but Dean Slee would have Tube strike day! been a match for St Nicholas.

Restoration of bells on such a scale is sadly rare The mighty Southwark Tenor, (no.12, all of 2.5 tons and 5+ feet these days, even in London. It was a joy and a privilege to take part in in diameter) was named Andrew, as in St Andrew or St Andrews. It such a once-in-a-lifetime undertaking. The Dean, Development Trust, was further inscribed in memory of James I, King of Scots, and his and the Society of Bellringers deserve congratulations for the timely descendants (including The House of Windsor) also for those who gave delivery of this ambitious project. After the service, over several days, service and made sacrifice in the First World War. the bells were lifted home and hung by the bellhangers, Taylor’s of James I was a prisoner in London, 1405-1424. In 1424, within the Loughborough, ready to be rung again for many, many years as part of Priory Church that in 1905 became Southwark Cathedral, he married the soundscape of central London. Taylor’s also hung the extra bells in Joan Beaufort, niece of the Bishop of Winchester. James and Joan then the St Salvator’s Tower in St Andrews in 2010, in celebration of the 600th returned to Scotland for Coronation at Scone Palace. Bishop Henry Anniversary of the University of St Andrews.

Hamish Brown

Lorn Macintyre

My egg boiled solid and I dislike them done that way.

They should be just so (white firm, yoke yummy.) but I was searching for a poem, one of McCaig’s, somewhere in that tome of temptings and my search ran the timer’s last grains.

So I turned and turned the pages of this man’s world and marvelled at the tricks of words, of fancy, could hear again his drawl, his sardonic eye looking up – and in.

Hard boiled words but soft at heart.

Just how I like my poems done.

You aren’t here to welcome the new ocean that rolls in, refreshed, from the continent this autumn dawn, bringing the gift of sanderling, jellyfish like blue glass blown into ashets, whiskered seal raising its flipper in greeting.

The sea’s a mote in the corner of your eye, your head clamped between earphones, silencing the geese honking to the estuary.

Bulbs are sunk in the heels of your flashy trainers, a digital counter (speed, distance) on your wrist, a foetus-shaped water bottle in your fist.

What are you training for, a marathon, or to lose the beer belly for your lover?

You pound towards the feeding plover, scattering them, wasting their energy.

You could stop their hearts, if not your own.

You run on, panting, oblivious to the sun rising from the sea, dazzling as Aphrodite.

Searching Through McCaig

NB: Norman MacCaig, (1910-1996) Scottish Poet (friend of Hugh MacDiarmid)

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Jogger, West Sands, St Andrews

(Illustration © i-stockphoto.com/aleksey-martymyuk)

FEATURES Nicola Moss, The Preservation Trust Museum’s Curator replies to

Ask the Curator Q. Did many evacuees come to St Andrews during the Second World War? A. St Andrews was chosen as one of the towns suitable to receive evacuees. At the outbreak of war with Hitler’s Germany there were effectively two Scotlands – rural Scotland, with its quiet burghs – and urban Scotland, home to some of the worst slums in the developed world.

The evacuation of children from bombthreatened areas to the countryside saw these two worlds collide.

Unaccompanied children were usually placed for the journey in the care of the Women’s Royal Voluntary Service.

Madras College became the arrival centre for evacuees – then dispersed to various locations in St Andrews and the surrounding area.

Local schools had to make room for evacuees from Glasgow and Edinburgh. Madras College had over 100 billeted on them. Buildings overflowed; the Baptist Hall had to be used as a makeshift classroom. Here were ‘pick-your-evacuee’ sessions, where the most attractive, cleaner children fared far better than their grubbier, less appealing companions – an upsetting and demoralising experience, most of the children having arrived tired, dirty, unsure

of when they would see their parents again, and often without even the most basic of possessions.

The countryside was quite foreign to these inner-city children. Many had never seen fields or cows before. Some

adapted happily despite the upheaval and uncertainty, but many were culture shocked and homesick.

Many people remember evacuees in the town, but agree that most of them didn’t stay long.

Evacuees arriving at the Station – GM Cowie (Photo courtesy the Preservation Trust Museum)

LITTLE ITALY Cucina Italiana: a family-owned business since 2011 run by Beno, wife Caroline, sons Leon and Darrius.

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FEATURES: REVIEWS From Saraband

Double Exposure:

A touching story of family secrets, long-lost relatives and childhood in the post-war years

by Brian Johnstone Published by Saraband 2017, and available at all good bookshops price £9.99.

Double Exposure, a memoir by the poet Brian Johnstone published on 23 February 2017, explores the all-too-common yet profoundly affecting experience of discovering previously unknown siblings and relatives.

It is a beautifully written book, rich in nostalgia for the post-war years, but one that

doesn’t pull its punches on the crippling social conventions of the time.

Two revelations, each coming to light 20 years apart following the deaths of his father and mother, prompt Brian Johnstone to turn a poet’s eye on his 1950s childhood and explore his parents’ lives before and during World War II. His double set of discoveries lead him to encounter relatives both forgotten and

unknown, to free an elderly cousin from the burden of a secret kept for a lifetime, and to forge an enduring relationship with the halfsister he never knew he had.

In a memoir sure to resonate with babyboomers, and anyone who has lost and found unknown relatives, Brian ponders why he was never entrusted with the truth. He vividly evokes a post-war upbringing, under whose conventional surface so much was hidden.

Alan Tricker reviews

Death In An Evil Place

by Antony Norman Published by Matador, January 2017. Can be ordered through Topping, Greyfriars Garden, price £9.99.

This is a first novel published by Cupar-based writer John Caton, writing under the name of Antony Norman. John is a regular actor and director with the local drama group, St Andrews Play Club, so will be well known to theatre goers! The local connection goes further, in that the cover picture has been drawn by local artist David Joy. Death in an evil place is a powerful and thrilling read. The main character is Ken Hardy – an engineer by training – who makes an unscheduled business call at Fellbeck, an isolated and seemingly deserted Victorian farmhouse, then walks into an unsettling experience.

Why is the farmer living in the past, what is the air of menace about the place? When he leaves, he tries to put the memory behind him, but six years later the experience comes back to haunt Ken when a woman he knows – Caroline Enderby – is brutally murdered at the same

house. Her lover, Chris Berry, is charged with the murder, but Ken is convinced that he has been framed. He undertakes a quest to try and prove his innocence, using all his scientific skills developed during his career in engineering, in order to assist the police.

It is certainly a gripping read and I particularly like the style. The reader is let into the thoughts of Ken as he tries to piece together what really happened at the house. I could envisage him appearing in future novels – he is the sort of character that you feel you get to know and you are on the journey with him. Initially the book has all the feel of a ghost story, but develops into a great thriller that would make excellent television.

Author Roger McStravick reviews

Chui Wan

by David Hamilton, Anthony Butler, and John Moffett Published by the Partick Press. Available in Topping and other bookshops in St Andrews, price £12.50.

St Andrews has a superb golf literary tradition dating back to the 19th century, with authors such as Andrew Lang and H S C Everard. In recent years, several books stand out, including Dr David Malcolm and Peter Crabtree’s Tom Morris of St Andrews, The Colossus of Golf, which won the highest honour for golf literature – the USGA’s Herbert Warren Wind Book Award, Michael Tobert’s brilliant Pilgrims in the Rough, which should be in everyone’s collection, and almost anything that David Joy has written, especially Old Tom Morris Scrapbook.

We are fortunate to live here in the Home of Golf, but for us historians it is also the home of golf research. The archives at The Royal and Ancient Golf Club of St Andrews, the University of St Andrews, and St Andrews Preservation Trust are truly incredible. With this wonderful backdrop of information, it is not surprising that so many sublime books are written. Chui Wan (pronounced ‘chuwee wan’) is another fine addition to our library.

Written by David Hamilton, Anthony Butler, and John Moffett, the book sets out the history

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of a stick and ball game many have called an early, shorter form of golf in China. To many in town, David Hamilton the retired surgeon is well known. His golf books are exceptional and he is simply one of the most respected of golf historians. The subject matter here is a somewhat sensitive one, as this game was played long before any documented evidence of golf in Scotland. It directly addresses the question, ‘Was China the real Home of Golf?’

I appreciate that to some golf history can be deep sleep inducing. However, I am delighted to say that this is not the case here – the book is so well written that it achieves what all the great books do, it informs eloquently.

With expert translations by Chuan Gao and her husband, our Professor of Chemistry Wuzong Zhou, Chui Wan sets out how the game was played, the etiquette, what the course was like, and its thirty-two rules. It also compares the game to early golf in Scotland, also other early European stick-and-ball games.

To give you an idea about this Chinese sport, Chui Wan would be played on a short course, to a hole in the ground with a flag in it, akin to a pitch-and-putt course today. The rules are uncannily like golf, especially the etiquette,

‘…The second strike is from wherever the ball lands. Anyone repositioning the ball after the first stroke is despicable.’ A typical hole could be from 1 to 40 yards.

The aim of the game was to get 10 tokens, or 20 if played as a team. Three tokens were given for a hole in 1, two for a 2, one for a 3.

Once a player reached 10 tokens, the game was over. There would be one hole only that would be played repeatedly. Betting was also integral to the fun and nature of the game. The small ball was made of wood.

The section of the book that expertly places Chui Wan with the evolution of the country, politically, and spiritually, was particularly fascinating – showing how the rules and etiquette deemed the sport a ‘genteel’ game.

This book truly is a wonderful read. As with books by St Andrews’ locals past and present, including Everard, Hay Fleming, Soulsby, Lamont-Brown, Tobert, Lewis, Cant, Lang, Jarrett, Joy, and Bruce, Chui Wan will be picked up in 100 years’ time and still be entertaining, informative and in this case, critically importantly to the history of the game.

Our fine literary tradition lives on.

TOWN & GOWN Ellie Campbell Green, President of The St Andrews Coexistence Initiative & Convener of The Interfaith Steering Group

Bringing Understanding

There is no doubt that 2016 marked an hosting a Holocaust Memorial Pier Walk in structure, they are changing people’s irrevocable change in the political landscape this year. We have also started a Scriptural perceptions on religious beliefs and practice. of the western world. Most notably we saw Reasoning Class. I truly believe that hosting There have of course been incidents at Brexit take place in June and Donald Trump’s regular events that continue to educate the university in which people have been victory in the US elections in November. and challenge people’s religious biases will targeted because of their faith, and it’s Unfortunately, this change has coincided with have a dramatic effect on how they perceive increasingly important to be vigilant to this a concerning rise in religiously motivated hate the world. I know that when I first came to kind of rhetoric even if it isn’t prevalent every attacks that has plagued both the US and the St Andrews I knew very little about Islamic day. This year we plan to do more than ever UK. According to a Home daily prayer, or Hindu fasting, and it’s only to ensure all students Office report there was a through Coexistence events that I have know about the interfaith Today, more than ever in this 41 per cent rise of ‘racially started to gain an understanding. Knowing work being done on global world, a understanding or religiously aggravated about and attempting to understand religious campus and how they of religion is absolutely vital crimes’ in July 2016, practice in invaluable in life. I personally can get involved with following the Brexit vote. have been so inspired by my work with the it. The Coexistence In my role as President of the various interfaith projects, here at University, Initiative held a talk in November with two Coexistence Initiative and as the Convener of that I intend to pursue a career in religious speakers from London on the topic of the Interfaith Steering Group at the University conflict resolution and interfaith dialogue.

‘Religion in the Media’ that proved to be a of St Andrews, I have been working to Today, more than ever in this global world, great success. We have plans to hold our create a welcoming and enjoyable university a understanding of religion is absolutely annual Conference in April, which will deal community where people of all faiths feel vital. An appreciation of the diversity and the with the overarching questions of Religion comfortable. We are lucky in St Andrews beauty of all faiths can make a significant in Modernity, which is our theme for the for having a student body that is largely difference when attempting to challenge the academic year. I have also had the honour accepting of people of all faith groups and prejudices and biases that show no signs of of being part of the Interfaith Steering the number of religiously motivated hate dissipating.

Group and together with representatives crimes is significantly lower than in most (Photo courtesy Ellie Green) of all the student faiths groups we will be universities across the country. However, this certainly does not mean that interfaith work is unnecessary in St Andrews. While the people that come along to Coexistence events are open-minded individuals looking to learn more about religion, many find their previous beliefs challenged by others in the group.

The discussion groups we held last semester dealt with sexuality within religion, fasting within the different religious faiths, and we had one group that we simply called ‘No Stupid Questions’ in which people could ask any question they liked to those of a different faith.

After every single discussion myself and other members of the committee were approached by participants thanking us for providing a space to ask questions they never thought would be answered, ‘Why do Orthodox Jewish women cover their hair? What is Islam’s view on pre-marital sex? Why do Christians believe in the Trinity, but are also monotheistic?’ We do not employ religious experts to answer these questions, but instead students of that faith group give their own interpretation of how these questions can be answered.

While these discussion groups are basic The Interfaith Steering Group with Harvard Professor Francis Clooney.

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TOWN & GOWN Konstantin Wertelecki is an American PhD student at the University of St Andrews currently spending 6 months in Italy for his research. He has promised to stay in touch!

St Andrews’ Secret Twin ‘Che bella!’ exclaimed the small woman in their way all through Fiesole and all around front of me. Her heavy, plastic shopping Florence, in a sheltering embrace. ‘Each hill bag swayed in the cold wind between us as is unique,’ I was told by my landlord. Pointing she stood rigidly, trying to keep warm. ‘La to the two largest hills before my flat, he said, Scozzia è un paese molto bello!’ I began ‘If you pick olives from each hill, you’ll notice to nod, smiling in agreement, when a small a remarkable difference in taste. The soil on terrier interrupted our conversation to sniff at each one is that different.’ The variations of my feet, before his owner pulled him away. hill-borne olives offered here are in no short ‘Buongiorno’, said his owner dryly, and supply. During the weekend market, vendors continued on with a steady pace. The woman, haggle with you to try each kind, boasting of now showing that winter was clearly not her their unique flavour and colour as a mark of season, pulled her coat closer around her, homegrown quality. Honey, pasta, cheese, uttered a muffled, ‘Che ceramics, leather, and freddo fa’, before wishing seasonal vegetables me a good day, then are also popular, while walked back into the shop. vendors are not shy to Whilst Fiesole has It was only my second explain to you in great neither a sea-salt week in Italy. It was far detail their production colder than I had expected, technique. The only thing scent nor a rich and I was still finding my missing, perhaps, is a Reformation history, as way about. I had begun to hot Arbroath smokie! feel, though, much like I Drinking is among does St Andrews, the did when I first arrived in Fiesole’s most popular comparability of these St Andrews: welcome. activities. Glasses of My first impressions two towns is undeniable Chianti are in place of Fiesole, Tuscany, were of beer, however, and those of wonder and caffès are in place of mystery. Set high on an pubs. Open to all in the olive-brushed hill, and host to an expansive town, caffè bars are crowded with children, view of Florence below, I imagined Fiesole to grandparents, and all other relatives and be filled with people, cuisines, and traditions friends who take a caffè, buy lottery tickets, unrecognisable and unfamiliar. As I have and gossip over the latest happenings. Even grown to learn more of my new casa of six dogs are treated as valued customers, often months, however, I have begun to see that, given offerings from the boss. despite its strong cultural differences to the To some, especially to those who have Scottish Lowlands that I have grown to know lived in America, the allowance of pets in ‘food and love, Fiesole is, in fact, extraordinarily establishments’ might shock. Fiesole, though, similar to St Andrews. possesses a laissez-faire attitude to life and The most striking feature of Fiesole is is also quite flexible in its regulations. On one its geography. As the sea is inescapable evening, when I boarded the bus to go down in St Andrews, so are the hills in Fiesole. to Florence, the driver refused to take my Undulant, cypress and olive borne, they curve money when I offered payment; he had run

The view from Konstantin’s window

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out of tickets. Instead, he insisted I just ride for free. ‘Ma è neccessario che pago per il mio viaggio!’ I implored.

‘I must pay for my journey!’ ‘Non ho piu!’, the driver said to me adamantly. ‘I have no more!’ He then pointed to a seat whilst I, with a gaze probably much like that of a petrified squirrel, reluctantly sat.

During another ride into Florence, when the roads were being repaved, our bus nearly had a head-on collision with another car, due to the rather poor organisation of the road workers directing traffic. This led to such a lengthy shouting match amongst the road workers themselves that, in the end, it was the drivers who began to take control of the flow of traffic through a combination of flashing lights, beeping horns, and extravagant gestures.

Despite the superficial chaos that one witnesses in Fiesole, one cannot help but feel calm; strangely, everyone and everything is calm, with added theatrics, perhaps reminding what a city of leisure Fiesole really is. After all, since the Middle Ages, Fiesole has been famed as a city of refuge for the wealthy who dotted the hillside with their villas, escaping the din of the city. Though it has no golf course or towering hotels, Fiesole also swells with tourists during the summer months; they come to admire the views of Florence, escaping in the cool hills on trattoria terraces.

But, during the winter months, Fiesole does not at all feel like a town that could be amenable to tourists. Though the European University Institute lies half-an-hour’s walk from the city centre, there are no signs of students outside the University walls, as in St Andrews. Also, though there are road postings for tourist buses in the town centre, no tourists have yet appeared and practically no one in Fiesole speaks any English. In fact, it is hard to believe that at one time, as my research observes, almost all the villas on the hillside were made up of an entire English colony.

‘Fiesole was very popular with foreigners at one time,’ recounted my landlord. He showed me a book listing all the famous residents of Fiesole during the nineteenth century, and paged through excitedly name after name, pointing in the direction where the houses of these former residents lay.

Whilst Fiesole has neither a sea-salt scent nor a rich Reformation history, as does St Andrews, the comparability of these two towns is undeniable. Both possess a lengthy and underappreciated cultural history that spans ages. Both possess a marvellous beauty sculpted both by nature and their own citizens. Most importantly, though, both possess an extraordinary gift of welcoming visitors far and close. Whilst I could never favour one town over the other, I look forward to indulging myself in Fiesole’s hidden mysteries, and hold happily the thought, that very soon I’ll be back in St Andrews.

(Photos courtesy Konstantin Wertelecki)

TOWN & GOWN Lara Fahey, Campus Cycling Officer, Transition University of St Andrews

Cycling in St Andrews Hello, I am Lara, the Campus Cycling Officer for St Andrews.

It is my job to promote cycling and other modes of sustainable transport within St Andrews. This is a new position, created in September 2016, a collaboration between Cycling Scotland and Transition University of St Andrews. As cycling, and cycling safely, is a particularly hot topic within St Andrews, I thought that I would write a little piece to update you on what I, and my team at Transition, have been doing to support cycling in St Andrews.

Bike lights It is well known that one of the biggest concerns of road users in St Andrews is the lack of lights by some cyclists. In October 2016 I conducted research on bike light use in the town. It was found that 59% of cyclists had both correctly-positioned lights on their bikes (white for the front and red for the back); 16% were carrying one light; 25% had no lights at all. With those data in mind, we received funding through Cycling Scotland, Transport Scotland (Smarter Choices), the University of St Andrews, and a private donor to tackle this problem.

At present, the campaign focusses on the student population. We have over one thousand reflective, lit-up armbands to give away, as well as promotional posters in every University-owned bicycle shelter across town.

Messages have now been sent out to the whole student body, and new informational leaflets regarding the Highway Code are in production. Example publicity can be found here: http://tinyurl.com/zaeawr8 . Please be assured that we are doing our best to tackle the problem. I conducted more research in February to evaluate the effectiveness of our

campaign so far. If you would like to help us increase cycling safety across St Andrews, please do not hesitate to contact me on the details found below.

Bicycle maintenance and training Do you have a bike sitting in the shed that could do with a bit of TLC? We hold Bike Pool sessions across St Andrews that operate as a skill-share, primarily on bike repair and maintenance skills. For example, if you have a bike that needs to be looked at, you can bring it along to Bike Pool and have a professional mechanic with a team of volunteers to look at (and hopefully fix) your bike for free. The only cost involved is if a replacement part is needed. These sessions are free for all to attend. We will be running two sessions this semester at the Cosmos Centre on, 1st and 22nd March.

Although most sessions are currently held in University locations, we would love to see more townspeople attend Bike Pool. For more information on Bike Pool, please see our website: www.transitionsta.org/bike-pool

If you would like to take your maintenance knowledge further, we also hold bike maintenance training courses. These sessions are primarily aimed at training volunteers to help put back into the community through Bike Pool. Our next training session will be held on Sunday, 5th March. If you are interested in attending this, please do not hesitate to contact me at: lf47@st-andrews.ac.uk New cycling groups Before I sign off, I would like to mention the creation of two new groups: a St Andrews town cycling-campaign group, and a Crailto-St Andrews-path working group. If you are interested in becoming a part of the St Andrews town cycling-campaign group, please contact Tony Waterston at: tony.waterston@newcastle.ac.uk and if you are interested in being involved in the St Andrews-to-Crail-path working group, please email transition@st-andrews.ac.uk There is a lot of exciting work going on to make St Andrews a Cycle Friendly Town and you can find out more on these short videos: www.tinyurl.com/hd7vrow We also have a newly- updated website: www.transitionsta.org/smartertravel and Facebook page: www.facebook.com/ sustainabletransporttransitionuosta Thank you for reading and happy cycling!

(Images courtesy Transition University)

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SHOPS & SERVICES Donald Macgregor

Libraries – the mark of civilization

CHURCH STREET

Logie’s Lane

Libraries have been a mark of civilization large number of 18th and 19th century professionalism of the staff. (The same is since earliest times. The first libraries publications, though this copyright is no true of the University Library staff.) Not only contained clay longer in force. can one borrow books, but one can also use tablets, then When I was computers, have documents copied, and Libraries have been a mark of documents written seven, I joined order books from other branches. civilization since earliest times Edinburgh Public on papyrus. The first The library service is now run by the Fife paper was invented Libraries – the Cultural Trust, which for financial reasons in China. Libraries flourished in nearly all earliest age then permitted – and, as a was forced to close a number of smaller cultures, whether classical, Islamic, African child, went in the evenings to Corstorphine libraries. Fortunately, some of these are (for instance at Timbuktu), as well as in Library to read until it closed likely to continue, staffed Medieval and Renaissance Europe. Lending at 8.00pm. While a student at by volunteers. Luckily, MARKET STREET libraries existed, but not in the modern St Andrews I was an habitué Scotland has escaped the sense. The first libraries in England were at of the old University Library disastrous closures of some Grantham (1598) and Oxford (1608). The in St Mary’s Quad, leaving in English city libraries.

Public British Library opened in 1753. my Honours year at 9.40pm I urge citizens of Library Church The oldest extant Scottish library is to visit the Criterion bar before St Andrews, if they do not Square at Innerpeffray in Perthshire, founded by it closed at 10.00pm. I am a already do so, to make use David Drummond, 3rd Lord Madertie, in life member of the University of these wonderful and Holy around 1680. It was the first free public Library. underpublicized facilities.

Trinity lending library in Scotland. The University Nowadays, I visit the of St Andrews held a copyright from 1709, town library more or less (Photo by Flora Selwyn) STREET SOUTH which meant that a copy of all publications every day, always impressed had to be sent to it. This accounts for the by the friendliness and

St Andrews Town Library – with permission

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SHOPS & SERVICES

Fiona Shields, FMS Legal, St Andrews – A new business in town Having worked for a local Legal firm for 16 years and within the Legal sector across Scotland for over 30 years I have dealt with just about every situation in relation to the administration of an Executry estate but the most important part is taking care of family and friends who must ‘sort everything out’ at a time when it can be too much to cope with.

There can be lots of questions when someone dies: • • • • • •

How to deal with bank accounts, paying bills, property and other assets.

What to do if there is no Will.

The Scottish system and what is required to obtain Confirmation.

Executors duties and who has the right to be appointed where there is no Will.

Court & HM Revenue & Customs forms.

Prior Rights & Legal Rights (who can claim against the estate).

As a freelance paralegal, specialising in Executry administration, I can offer home visits and support; provide answers and assist in dealing with all the above and more.

For further information: Please call on 07771365422 or 01334 610079 E-mail fshields@fmslegal.co.uk

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

www.nphcinema.co.uk

117 North Street, St Andrews Tel: 013334 474902

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SHOPS & SERVICES From Rhonda McCrimmon, Manager

BID St Andrews We are now well into 2017 and continuing to develop our various projects. One of our main ones, Clean and Green, hit the ground running in 2016 with more exciting projects for 2017, including a ‘big bellied bin’ trial, and the recruitment of new team members. The team is carrying out tasks around St Andrews, aiming to reduce bins on the streets, litter,

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fly-posting, assisting other groups, and investigating any other environmental issues.

The team is also available to help businesses and residents with anything not covered by the Council.

Please contact Dave Angus at: cleanandgreendave@btinternet.com . He will be happy to discuss your issue and any solutions available, including helping to determine the correct department within Fife Council if relevant.

As you may be aware, BID St Andrews commissioned a report by the University of St Andrews to determine the extent of the herring gull problem in the town. We have now received the report findings; these tie in nicely with the Clean and Green project objectives. Reducing rubbish and access for herring gulls to bags and bins, while reducing food sources in general is known to be an effective strategy. BID St Andrews have also established a working group developing an educational awareness campaign to discourage feeding herring gulls, also to raise awareness of best practice relating to the wildlife of St Andrews. If you would like more information on this project please contact us at: info@bidstandrews.co.uk

We are also in discussion with many businesses in town who are keen to be part of the annual Photography Festival – the deadline is fast approaching, please do get in touch with us if you feel your business would like to take part.

More information can be found on our website – www.bidstandrews.co.uk . You will also find contact details if you have any other queries or questions, or would like to know more about BID St Andrews projects.

(Photo courtesy Rhonda McCrimmon)

SHOPS & SERVICES

Roving Reporter – not so much to report for a change!

1.

A sparkling new Mexican Cantina has opened in St Mary’s Place, Mammacita.

Along with many lucky local people Reporter was invited along to taste its fare. And good it was too! Offered anything on the menu, he enjoyed Jalapeño Cornbread, Taquitos (black bean, crumbly cheese) Quesadilla (sweet potato, feta, salsa, roja) and Churros with sumptuous dipping chocolate.

He decided to remain teetotal!

The Cantina prides itself on serving authentic Mexican street food, Antojitos. There are two dining rooms, along The staff, including Manager with a “Tequila and Mezcal Jenny & Head Chef Lucy bar where you can sample (Photo courtesy Mammacita) 25 finely crafted Tequilas and Mezcals, as well as a great range of Frozen Margaritas,” also there’s a long list of Latin American cocktails. Open for lunch and dinner from 12 noon till late, Manager Jenny Hunter says, “Our recipes combine authentic Mexican flavours with the very best seasonal and fresh ingredients. We have been hosting tasting sessions across Scotland to ensure the food receives the public’s seal of approval.” Go see, adds Reporter!

2.

Logie’s Lane

CHURCH STREET

Ian McIlroy, owner of The Café in the Square, 4 Church Square, St Andrews (01334 477 7440) tucked in behind Holy Trinity Church, has been trading for nigh on 8 years. “It’s been good,” commented Ian, when Reporter spoke to him. Busy as ever from 10.00am to 4.30pm Monday to Saturday, with seating accommodation inside for 32, and 32 outside in the courtyard, weather permitting, Reporter is delighted that a local business is thriving. One of the objectives of this magazine is to celebrate and encourage as many local businesses as possible. Ian is happy to concentrate on doing what he does best; that is, providing high quality freshly-prepared food to all his many customers. Soups, sandwiches, including glutenfree varieties, baguettes, salads, desserts, cakes of all kinds, and a list of children’s fare, accompanied by hot and cold drinks (including Matthew Algie coffee), offer a wide-ranging choice. One popular demand is for the bargain Soup & Sandwich for One at £5.95. Businesses in surrounding streets come in at lunchtime for takeaway soups. All prices are competitive, from £1 (for a children’s fruit juice) to £6.85 (for a glutenfree Turkey & Cranberry sandwich).

MARKET STREET St Andrews pottery is still on sale.

Photographs from the recent Café in the town photography exhibition line Square the walls. There is a happy buzz about the place, attracting loyal Church customers, older students, and Library Square seasonal holiday-makers. Reporter Holy gives his best wishes to Ian for Trinity continued success.

Mammacita bar (Photo by Flora Selwyn)

*****

(Photo of Ian and assistant Victoria by Flora Selwyn)

SOUTH

STREET

We have pleasure in offering: • a mobile hairdresser • cutting/colouring services • party/wedding hair styling 07445 764 289

hannahmilner893@hotmail.co.uk

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SHOPS & SERVICES Heather Lang

“ No matter how calm and happy we are there are always times when we feel stress in our lives.”

Dalai Lama Humans are strange upset stomach, elevated blood pressure, chest creatures. Throughout pain, and poor quality sleep. the ‘50s, ‘60s and What is less well realised is how the build‘70s, there was an explosion of gadgets and up of physical tension in the muscles from gizmos to save time and effort, making daily poor posture, repetitive actions and habitual lives easier and more efficient. Washing behaviour can in itself create stress. Just as machines and vacuum cleaners have freed the mind can influence the body, the body up an entire day for most households, whilst can influence the mind. An example of this is cordless phones and remote controls ensure to hunch the shoulders up towards the ears the evening can be enjoyed in full sedentary and hold them there for 5 minutes. This is pleasure without the physical taxation of having one of many common muscle patterns I see to make an excursion across in my clinic; it is caused by the living room. any activity where the person It is generally is stooped forward with the Just as the mind recommended that we get a hands out in front such as minimum of an hour’s exercise reading, typing, gardening, or can influence the each day and take at least ten it can result from tension in body, the body can the abdomen after a stomach thousand steps – around 5.5 miles each day, or 9 kilometers. influence the mind bug.This compresses the 60 years ago in an agricultural area such as Fife, that would top of the ribcage and have been achievable many lungs causing breathing to times over in a day, but social evolution has become shallower and tighten the chest. mechanised our lives to all but eradicate The first ribs are raised up putting pressure physical activity from the average daily routine. on the nerves and neural plexus in the neck, In addition to the beneficial effect on including the vagus nerve, which causes the cardiovascular system, physical activity a feeling of tightening or ‘butterflies’ in the produces endorphins—chemicals in the stomach and often slight nausea. The blood brain that act as natural painkillers—and also vessels up into the head are compromised, improve the ability to sleep, which in turn impairing hearing and vision whilst the tension reduces stress. Whilst a small amount of in the scalene muscles of the throat inhibits periodic stress can be beneficial, without the breathing and swallowing. The body interprets bursts of physical exertion, it is well known these patterns as stress, which can have that stress can create a build-up of tension emotional consequences, such as increased in the body leading to physical problems agitation and frustration, or a feeling of being including headaches, back and neck pain, overwhelmed, and ultimately depression.

It isn’t always obvious to the individual that a tension pattern is developing, which is why it is beneficial to have regular osteopathic maintenance treatment. During the treatment, the osteopath would check for muscle imbalance, points of tension, joint restrictions, breathing patterns, and identify any problem areas. By treating these problem areas and prescribing exercises to help counterbalance any issues, the patient can enjoy fewer pains, better concentration, and a better quality of life.

Heather Lang is a GOsC registered osteopath, ergonomic consultant, medical acupuncturist and multidisciplinary 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..

For further information, she can be contacted at St Andrews Osteopaths, www.standrewsosteopaths.co.uk Tel: 01334 477 000. Mob: 07501 113 480.

Colin McAllister

How Much Economics Can We Learn From The Bible?

This is sometimes referred to as the problem of global imbalances.

Part 2. The Parable of the Talents, Matthew 25,14-30 China, Germany and Japan have huge balance of payment surpluses Here we have a story of a man who, on going abroad, entrusts his on the current account. Every balance of payments surplus must be servants with 5 talents, 2 talents, and 1 talent, according to their ability. matched by a balance of payments deficit somewhere else. The UK and The first thing an economist notices is that this money has been US have big deficits. This applies not only on a world scale, but also in saved by the master. Saving is the sacrifice of consumption out of the Eurozone where Germany’s surpluses are mirrored by the deficits of income. On his return the master goes through his accounts with his Italy, Greece, Spain, and Portugal. This problem of asymmetric response servants. The ones who have traded with their 5 or 2 talents respectively to the need to move to equilibrium between surplus and made another 5 or 2 talents respectively are and deficit countries ultimately led to the demise of the praised. They have invested their master’s savings.

Gold Standard.

Investment is savings put to work. It is an addition to Finally, it is to be noted that the master tells the capital stock, which makes possible higher income in Money is not wealth, servant who hoarded the money that, “You should the future. but merely a means have deposited the money with the banks, and on The one who was given only one talent has hoarded my return I should have recovered my capital with it in the ground, and is reprimanded. Hoarding is money of holding wealth interest.” This is an endorsement of the payment withdrawn from circulation in the economy, and has of interest, which is the price or cost of capital, or harmful effects as it reduces demand, and therefore the reward for deferred consumption. Of course, employment and income. Hoarding is a perverse use usury, which is the taking of excessive interest on a loan is not morally of money. Money is not wealth, but merely a means of holding wealth. acceptable as it is a form of exploitation.

Modem societies which hoard wealth in the form of huge foreign currency reserves, similarly harm the world economy by withdrawing money from circulation, and thus creating a deflationary bias to the world economy.

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ORGANISATIONS Graham Watson, Chairman St Andrews League of Hospital Friends

Putting the Community into the Hospital A charge nurse at Craigtoun Hospital, along with a Nursing Officer at the Memorial Hospital, formed a League of Friends in 1986.

Thirty years later the League of Friends is still going strong. The closure of Craigtoun and the inclusion of “The Community” in the Constitution of The League of Friends saw the name change to, “The St Andrews League of Hospital Friends”.

More recently, purchases have included small items, such as board games and musical instruments to help dementia patients; fan heaters to provide improved comfort; stereo equipment to provide amusement; ECG equipment for the Outpatients’ Department was procured in collaboration with Heart-Start, another local charity. Departments, such as physiotherapy, have been helped with the purchase of extra equipment. Furthermore, the GP practices and the Community Nurses have benefited from donations of kit like the dermatascope seen in the picture.

(Photo courtesy the Friends) The object of this local charity (SC 016084) is to help the work of our local hospital with its various medical services by providing support.

This support is in a number of different forms, but chiefly the efforts focus on raising funds for equipment and comforts not provided by the NHS. Over the years a great deal of money has been channeled into the new hospital and prior to that into the old Memorial and Craigtoun Hospitals. The graph below shows the level of funds raised and spent over the last 6 years. However, there have been specific projects where considerable amounts have been raised, such as the purchase of a cardiac ultrasound machine in 2004 at a cost of £45,000.

Other substantial purchases were made in 2009 to help establish the then-new Community Hospital with the best possible equipment. Good examples were: upgraded chairs; DVD machines; and Ice Making machines for the renal dialysis unit, which is part of the new hospital. This dialysis service was new in St Andrews, saving a great deal of travelling by patients who live locally.

However, dialysis is still a time-consuming procedure. These extras make life a bit more comfortable for the patients undergoing treatment.

(Printed with permission from OSCR)

(Photo courtesy Peter Adamson)

installed in the foyer of the Hospital in 2015.

Our other fundraising activities include a coffee morning, and a collection at the local supermarket.

The Friends are not only involved with the purchase of equipment, but with trying to improve the profile of the Hospital in the community. How many readers realise that the Community Hospital has now been open for over seven years, and that every year the Friends pay for the Christmas tree prominently displayed on the balcony of the building? This may seem a relatively small gesture, but it is illustrative of the interest taken in the Hospital at a traditional time which can be very difficult for patients and their families. The welfare of patients and their loved ones comes first and foremost; at Christmas we provide presents for all the patients in wards 1 and 2, a role the Friends have taken on since the inception of the League in 1986. Last year, a festive tea was provided for the patients with treats such as mini scones and cakes not normally on the Hospital menu.

Last year marked the 30th Anniversary of the League. It looks forward to providing at least another 30 years of service.

Shown also is one of two new lightweight manoeuvrable beds purchased for the Minor Injuries Department at a total cost of £4,163.

The original heavy, cumbersome beds had transferred from the old hospital. These new beds make life much easier for the nurses in this department. All items of equipment are purchased on the recommendation of staff, none being included in the NHS budget for the hospital.

(Photo courtesy Peter Adamson) If you have an interest in joining us in putting the Community into the Hospital please contact the Secretary: Mrs Dorothy Scott, 16 Scholars Gate, Abbey Park Avenue, St Andrews, Fife, KY16 9JY.

(Photo courtesy Peter Adamson) The League of Friends raises money in a number of different ways. Donations and Bequests are received from individuals and organisations. A recent fundraising initiative is the book trolley positioned in the entrance hall of the Hospital for use by the public.

This was purchased by the Friends on the recommendation of Alison Nichol, who is both a Community Nurse and a member of the Committee of the League of Friends.

It has raised over £4,000 since it was

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ORGANISATIONS Neil Anderson is a Fifer who lives in Newburgh. He is a registered Celebrant with Humanist Society Scotland and President of the European Humanist Professionals based in Antwerp. In this article he talks about the place of Humanism in Scotland.

Humanism

Let me share with you two facts about Humanism in action in Scotland, which may surprise you. Firstly, in 2016 Humanist Celebrants carried out more legal wedding ceremonies in Scotland than the Church of Scotland. Secondly, Humanist Society Scotland has over 14,000 members and active area groups in every region of the country.

Yet for many people the HSS and my fellow Celebrants are still below the radar in Scottish cultural life…but that is changing. As Liz Lochead, the great Scottish poet and playwright wrote recently, “In a world where we sometimes feel despair about the human race, and where differences of race, culture, and religion are used by the unscrupulous and powerful few to fuel hatred and violence among the powerless, what could be more important than to assert our common human capacity for change.”

As long as there have been groups of human beings living together, there have been Humanists. Humanists are people who trust science and rational inquiry to help explain the universe, who do not resort to supernatural explanations. Humanism is a belief system, which puts human happiness and flourishing at its heart, and promotes cooperation towards a shared common goal. Humanism has a long and varied history, but today Humanists share the core values agreed in the 2002 Amsterdam Declaration of the International Humanist and Ethical Union: 1. Humanism is ethical. It affirms the worth, dignity and autonomy of the individual and the right of every human being to the greatest possible freedom compatible with the rights of others. Humanists believe that morality is an intrinsic part of human nature based on understanding and a concern for others, needing no external sanction.

Humanist Society Scotland seeks a future in which: •

The worth, dignity and autonomy of every person is respected and individual freedom is balanced with social responsibility and a duty of care for future generations;

•

Scottish civic institutions are democratic and human rights are developed, embedded and protected;

•

Ethical and moral problems are addressed with compassion, knowledge, and reason;

•

No belief system (religious or not) should have, nor expect, privilege in the democratic process. In effect we seek a secular Scotland.

For me, Humanism is integral to who I am and my place in the wider world/cosmos and is a positive approach to making sense of day-to-day living. It’s about trying to live a congruent and ethical life. Respecting the environment and my fellow human travellers regardless of who they are or what they believe is an important part of my Humanism.

For me Humanism is about what helps bring us together, what we share and what we hope for – it is not about walls, flags, tribalism, divisions.

As a Humanist Celebrant it is a real gift and a privilege to be in a positon to help and guide so many people through some of the most challenging/exciting/daunting/uplifting events of their lives.

2. Humanism is rational. It seeks to use science creatively, not destructively. Humanists believe that the solutions to the world’s problems lie in human thought and action rather than divine intervention. Humanism advocates the application of the methods of science and free inquiry to the problems of human welfare.

But Humanists also believe that the application of science and technology must be tempered by human values. Science gives us the means, but human values must propose the ends.

3. Humanism supports democracy and human rights. Humanism aims at the fullest possible development of every human being.

It holds that democracy and human development are matters of right. Humanism insists that personal liberty must be combined with social responsibility.

4. Humanism is a response to the widespread demand for an alternative to dogmatic religion. The world’s major religions claim to be based on revelations fixed for all time, and many seek to impose their world views on all of humanity. Humanism recognises that reliable knowledge of the world and ourselves arises through a continuing process of observation, evaluation, and revision.

5. Humanism values artistic creativity and imagination and recognises the transforming power of art. Humanism affirms the importance of literature, music, and the visual and performing arts for personal development and fulfilment.

6. Humanism is a life stance aiming at the maximum possible fulfilment through the cultivation of ethical and creative living and offers an ethical and rational means of addressing the challenges of our times.

Humanist Society Scotland is part of a UK, European, and wider international movement of people and organisations. HSS is a registered charity, governed by a Board of Trustees and we have our HQ located just off Broughton Street in Edinburgh. The day-to-day work of the Society is undertaken by a team of staff and volunteers overseen by the Senior Management Team.

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If you wish further details on HSS or Humanist ceremonies – please check out our website: www.humanism.scot or contact me personally… neil.anderson@humanism.scot (Photos courtesy Neil Anderson)

ORGANISATIONS From Rotarian, Walter Hill

Paul Harris, Fellowship The Club sponsored a daughter club, which in 1996, was awarded It was in 1896 that Paul Harris nailed his shingle to the door of an office its charter as the Rotary Club of St Andrews Kilrymont. A friendly rivalry in Chicago’s main business district and declared his new legal practice has developed between the two clubs, particularly in the field of sports. open for business. He had been born in Wisconsin twenty-eight years However, both work together to advance the aims and objects of Rotary. earlier, then graduated with a Bachelor of Laws degree from Iowa In 1910, Harris married a Scottish woman, Jean Thomson. She University in 1891. Along the way, the life of Paul Harris might best be helped to make women an important part of Rotary, eventually leading to described as ‘interesting’. all Rotary clubs admitting women When Paul was just three years as full members. old, his family fell on hard times. He In 2001, the Rotary Club of was sent to live with grandparents St Andrews welcomed its first lady in Vermont. Although he was later to members, one of whom, Sylvia remark that, “Of all the charges that Donaldson, went on to become may be made against George and President six years later. Others Cornelia (his parents) parsimony followed. would have stood the least chance.

The bedrock of Rotary remains, They were big spenders”. ‘fellowship and friendship’. This is After schooling in Vermont, he fostered through regular weekly went on to Princeton University, meetings, as well as having every but left after one year, following the Rotarian work as a member of death of his grandfather. However, one of the Club’s committees. he soon moved to Des Moines, Sports and Entertainment Iowa, where he was apprenticed to committees foster this esprit de a local law firm, going on to earn his corps. International Golf welcomes law degree at the state university.

Rotarians from all over the world to Today, it is quite common for a week of sport and fellowship at new graduates to have a gap year its annual golf tournament. to learn more about the world and Vocational Service is one of the themselves. Paul Harris’ gap took founding principles of Rotary: to know and understand the professions five years – and eventful years they were. of others, and their role in society. In turn, these skills, knowledge and During this time he took odd jobs: he worked on a local newspaper contacts are used to try to build skills and awareness in our young as reporter and salesman, on fruit farms, as an actor and cowboy, on people. International and Foundation committees combine to form cattle ships that sailed to Europe. So it was that he finally arrived in Rotary’s service avenue for improvements in Chicago, where he was to spend the rest of his understanding. All this work is life.

The bedrock of Rotary remains, international funded by Rotarians. Community Service is Harris would be active in his legal practice ‘fellowship and friendship’ the committee looking after the many activities for the next forty years. After establishing the carried out each year in the local community. practice he began to think of the benefits of Its activities rely on donations from businesses, organisations, and the forming a social organisation for local professionals. In 1906 Harris general public. The Ways and Means committee raises these funds organised his first Rotary Club for “fellowship and friendship”, with three through creative partnerships and attempting to offer the community clients and local businessmen, Silverstein Schele, Gustavus Loehr, value for money events.

Hiram Shorey (see picture above, courtesy of Rotary). His original The highest award for service in Rotary is the Paul Harris Fellowship; intention was simply to create a social club. Soon, however, Harris ten surviving members of the Rotary Club of St Andrews hold this realised that Rotary needed a greater purpose. distinction.

When Harris was elected the third President of the Rotary Club of Chicago in 1907, the Club initiated its first public service project: the construction of public toilets in Chicago. This initiative transformed Rotary Clearly, the work of Rotary, not just in St Andrews, but throughout into the world’s first Service Club. Harris had great ambitions for Rotary’s the world, depends on the goodwill and generosity of the local growth. Very early in the Club’s history, new clubs were formed, first in community. To find out what your local Club does, please visit the West, then throughout the US, and in Europe. By 1910 there were standrewsrotary.net fifteen clubs in major cities.

Only eighteen years later Rotary took root in St Andrews. Under the presidency of James Orr, the Rotary Club of St Andrews set out on its (Image courtesy Rotary St Andrews) uninterrupted journey to the 21st century and, hopefully, beyond.

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EVENTS Lucy Richardson, together with Lesley Lettice of Fife Cultural Trust

Exhibition

Opening at St Andrews Museum on Saturday, the Middle East, jewellery from India, South 11 March is an exciting and colourful new Africa, Fiji, with much, much more. exhibition curated by postgraduate Museum Ethics and Aesthetics also features the & Gallery Studies students at the University work of Sekai Machache, a Zimbabwe-born of St Andrews. The exhibition, Ethics & Scottish artist who graduated from Duncan of Aesthetics – Living in a Material World, Jordanstone, University of Dundee in 2012. features a wide range of objects from the Sekai’s work explores the psychological ethnographic collections cared for by Fife challenge of having an African heritage Cultural Trust on behalf of Fife Council. whilst living in the West. Pieces from her KIN Ethnography is the photography series will be study of people and on display for the duration cultures, and the objects on of the exhibition, adding The exhibition at St Andrews display span centuries and another interesting and Museum is a long-standing continents, including Asia, contemporary layer to the Africa, Oceania, and the overall display. partnership between Fife Americas. The exhibition The students are Cultural Trust and the explores some of the an international group, University of St Andrews ethical issues surrounding with members from the the production, acquisition, UK, the USA, Japan, and display of ethnographic Germany. They come objects. It also looks closely at design from a variety of academic backgrounds, but and decoration and the hidden meanings all are keen to make their way in the world behind everyday objects, such as tableware, of museums and galleries. The exhibition jewellery, clothing. at St Andrews Museum is a long-standing As well as offering an insight into how partnership between Fife Cultural Trust and and why museums collect ethnography, the the University of St Andrews. It forms a vital exhibition is a visual feast. Objects on display part of the Museum and Gallery Studies include pottery from Peru, carved ivory course, enabling the students to hone their netsuke from Japan, porcelain and silk from research and interpretation skills, as well as China, hanging lanterns and candlesticks from their practical skills – planning and installing

an exhibition in a working museum with the assistance of University staff and museum curators.

A series of events for adults and children will also accompany the exhibition.

Fascinating talks focussing on the meanings of, and the connections we feel to objects will be delivered by Dr Aimee Joyce of Social Anthropology, and Dr Kathryn Rudy of Art History at the University of St Andrews.

Additionally, activities for children will include drop-in jewellery-making workshops, exciting ‘code breaking’ sessions, and a fun-filled Easter trail.

More information detailing the events can be found online at the following address: www.materialworld17@wordpress.com Follow the group on facebook and instagram @materialworld17 for behindthe-scenes details and photographs.

Opening times and venue details are as follows: Ethics & Aesthetics: Living in a Material World St Andrews Museum, Kinburn Park, Doubledykes Road, St Andrews, KY16 9DP Telephone: 01334 659 380.

11 March - 3 June.

(Until 31 March: Wed-Sat 10.30am-4.00pm.

From 1 April - 3 June: Mon-Sat 10.30am-4.00pm) Closed public holiday on Monday, 1 May. (Photos courtesy the Exhibition)

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EVENTS Helen Firth

Dynamic Drawing

Dynamic Drawing uses the relationship between artist and subject vividly and directly. The artist harnesses the energy set up by the subject to produce line and form with immediacy and freedom of responsiveness.

In the natural world few subjects are completely inert; the work of the artist is to gather this vitality, recording it in his /her own way without losing the dynamism. The drawing is stripped back from artifice or stylistic considerations to give a result touching more closely the subject itself; and the drawing becomes significant.

A group of artist friends have been exploring ways of doing this over many years, recognising that continuing practice is valuable in itself and for undergirding other work.

Learn how to draw this way by visiting the

EXHIBITION

by Helen Firth, Judith Heald, Julia Mclaurin. “upstairs @ J&G Innes, South Street, St Andrews” 11-19 March 2017 The exhibition is free.

Open Monday-Friday, and Saturday, 11 March, 10.00am-5.00pm Saturday, 18 March, and Sunday, 19 March, 1.00pm-5.00pm

WORKSHOP

Saturday, 18 March 10.00am-1.00pm All materials provided. £12 per person.

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EVENTS

Selected Events Thursday, 2 March – 7.30pm. Younger Hall, North Street. Concert by the Scottish Chamber Orchestra (SCO). Music by Beethoven, Macmillan. Contact: 01334 462 226.

Friday, 31 March to Sunday, 9 April – On The Rocks – the largest student-run arts festival of over 50 events. For details: www.ontherocksfestival.com

Saturday, 4 March – 9.00am to 1.00pm. Argyle Street car park, Farmers’ Market.

Saturday, 1 April – 9.00am to 1.00pm. Argyle Street car park.

Farmers’ Market.

Tuesday, 7 March – 7.30pm Lecture Theatre B, Chemistry Department, North Haugh. Joint lecture with the Botanical Society of Scotland and the Friends of the St Andrews Botanic Garden. Natural Capital, a talk by Professor Rosemary Hails, Centre for Ecology & Hydrology-Wallingford. Entry Free.

Contact: friendsmembership@standrewsbotanic.org

Tuesday, 4 April – 7.30pm. Lecture Theatre B, Chemistry Department, North Haugh. Development, Educational & Research Value of the Plant Collections. A talk by James Hearsum, Director of the St Andrews Botanic Garden, for the Friends of the St Andrews Botanic Garden. Entry Free. Contact: friendsmembership@standrewsbotanic.org

Wednesday, 8 March – 7.30pm. Town Hall, Queen’s Gardens.

The Carrifran Wildwood story & colonization by woodland birds there, a talk by John Savory for the Scottish Ornithologists’ Club.

Contact: Caroline Gordon: 01592 750 230.

Thursday, 6 April – 7.30pm. Byre Theatre, Abbey Street. The Fitzwilliam String Quartet playing Schubert’s “Death & The Maiden” Quartet in D Minor. St Andrews Music Club. Contact: paul.spicker@googlemail.com

Saturday, 11 March – 11.00am to 3.00pm. Bell Pettigrew Museum, Bute Medical Buildings. Wild about St Andrews. Find out about Scotland’s local wildlife.

Saturday, 8 April – 10.30am to 12.30. Holy Trinity Church, Hunter Memorial Aisle, South Street, ‘Famously popular coffee morning’.

Great bargains along with coffee, tea, and home baking. Contact: bob.and.joan.archer@gmail.com

Friday, 17 March – 7.30pm. Byre Theatre, Abbey Street. John Montgomery & his 5-piece string band. Songs from albums Walking Home & forthcoming Going North, with contemporary stories from around the coast & beyond. Profits go to Rachel House Children’s Hospice. Tickets, £14/£12 from the Byre box office. Contact: hq@softplanetgroup.com Sunday, 19 March – 7.30pm. Byre Theatre, Abbey Street. The Anglo-Italian Connection. Ashley Riches (baritone), Emma Abbate (piano) with a selection of songs by Respighi, Castelnuovo-Tedesco, Finzi, Liszt. The St Andrews Music Club.

Contact: paul.spicker@googlemail.com Tuesday, 21 March to Saturday, 25 March – 7.30pm. Byre Theatre, Abbey Street. Off the Hook, a comedy by Derek Benfield. The Guizards.

Tuesday, 28 March – 5.00pm. School II, The Quad, North Street.

Uranya (2008) screening followed by Q&A with the Director Costas Kapakas. The Scottish-Hellenic Society.

Wednesday, 29 March – 5.15pm. Theatre A, Physics & Astronomy Building, North Haugh.

Inaugural Lecture by Professor Graham Turnbull.

– 8.00pm. Byre Theatre, Abbey Street. Laugh Out Loud Comedy Club. 4 comedians, 1 night of hilarity.

Thursday, 30 March – 7.00pm. Swilcan Suite, Hotel du Vin, The Scores. Whisky Tasting. Proceeds to charity, Water Aid. St Andrews Whisky (Quaich) Society. Non-members £10.

Contact: Quiachmail@st-andrews.ac.uk

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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Tuesday,18 and Wednesday,19 April – 7.00pm. The Barron Theatre, North Street, St Andrews. From Page to Stage.

Rehearsed Readings, the Byre Writers & St Andrews Play Club.

Tickets £5. Contact: andrea.mardon@hotmail.com Wednesday, 19 April – 5.15pm. School III, The Quad, North Street. Inaugural Lecture by Professor Guy Rowlands, School of History.

– 7.30pm. Younger Hall, North Street. Concert, the Scottish Chamber Orchestra. Music by Beethoven, Escaich, Haydn.

Contact: 01334 462 226.

Saturday, 22 April – 11.00am to 3.30pm. Hope Park & Martyrs Church Hall, St Mary’s Place, St Andrews. Gardening Club Spring Show. St Andrews & District Horticultural Association & Gardening Club. Contact: 01334 474 421.

Sunday, 23 April – 7.30pm. Younger Hall, North Street. St Andrews Chorus Concert. Music by Bernstein, Walton, Mahler. Contact: 01334 462 226.

Thursday, 27 April – 7.00pm. Swilcan Suite, Hotel du Vin, The Scores. Whisky Tasting. Proceeds to charity, Water Aid. St Andrews Whisky (Quaich) Society. Non-members £10.

Contact: Quiachmail@st-andrews.ac.uk Saturday, 29 April, Sunday, 30 April & Monday, 1 May – 10.00am to 6.00pm. Open Studios North Fife – 66 Artists, Makers, and Designers open their studios to the public this weekend, free of charge. Brochures are available to download or collect. Contact: www.openstudiosfife.co.uk

Would you like to advertise in this space?

Please see: www.standrewsinfocus.com for more information (sizes, costs, distribution/readership, contact details, etc)

OUT & ABOUT Craig Gilbert has kindly volunteered to take over Alistair Lawson’s page

Exploring the dens of Fife Fife is a magical place, isn’t it? It never ceases to surprise me with its diversity. Along with the known Coastal Path, and the many tourist attractions that bring in thousands of visitors each year, there are many spots in the Kingdom that go almost unnoticed, hidden to the uninitiated.

Some such places are the dens of Fife, of which there are many. What constitutes a den?

The Scottish meaning denotes it as a ‘hollow with sloping sides (often with a rivulet), a narrow (wooded) ravine or valley’. This is certainly true of the dens I’ve encountered.

Take Dunino Den, for example, a mystical place lurking north of Anstruther, on one of the roads to St Andrews. Park behind the old Dunino church, itself a hotchpotch of old stone walls and graveyards, and then proceed along a path heading into the woodland behind, down to a stream. From here the feel is almost Jurassic, with huge stone outcroppings nestled among the gnarly trees; a place rooted in old feelings and ancient presence. A small walk along by the stream, and already there’s an intensity to the place, a lingering spirit. Trees were adorned with ribbons and threads on my visit, clearly a place of sanctuary for some. Then, even more surprising, stone steps, hewn into the great rock walls, leading upwards, to a plateau of stone with a small well embedded into it. I wonder who trod those very steps in times gone by, what ceremonies had been performed?

Then there’s Maspie Den, near Falkland, with its astonishing waterfall, where you can walk behind the flowing cascade and see the visual from a completely different perspective. Again, the place reeks of history, of old stone, of memories faded into the mist, a place where contemplation can be had, where our thoughts leave us behind to speed themselves on a journey no less spiritual than the land around us.

Keil’s Den is another favourite of mine, just to the north of Lower Largo, following the Keil Burn. There is a myriad of paths here; each time I visit something new unearths itself, whether it be a woodpecker assaulting a nearby tree, or a beam of sunshine piercing the canopy beside the burn. With the backdrop of Largo Law behind, glimpsed occasionally through the trees, the place has an imposing feel to it.

These dens are all hidden places, with only one or two entrance points; my sense with them is that they were places of solace, recognized for their beauty, and for groups of people to descend on them ritually, part of a precious, ceremonial landscape.

This is the magic of the land, the wealth luxuriating in the heart of Fife.

Every turn, there’s something new to see, something ancient to ponder. Why not have a peek at the dens yourself, and see what you can discover?

I would like to take this opportunity also to thank Alistair Lawson for his contribution to this magazine since its inception, and for having the trust to pass over the baton with these articles to myself. I look forward to the task, and hope everyone will enjoy this new, unfolding journey as it develops.

(Photos of Dunino Den by Craig Gilbert)

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OUT & ABOUT Tim Hardie’s

Nature Notes I was sorry in the autumn to see a dog otter killed on the road at Pickletillum. It is likely he had been hunting his favourite food, the common eel, in the ponds on Drumoig golf course. Although we are used to seeing sea otters off the coast of Shetland in documentaries, the same beautiful creatures are just as likely to be found inland in a freshwater river, loch, or burn.

Growing up in a wildlife-interested family, Tarka the otter, written about by Henry Williamson was a must read; to this day Tarka’s adventures in the valleys of the two rivers in North Devon are unforgettable. Tarka lived a joyous life exploring the Taw and the Torridge, catching flat fish in the estuary near Bideford, following the salmon and sea trout as they ran in his beautiful Devon rivers. Tarka had a freedom that is difficult for humans to comprehend, sleeping during the day in ancient holts that had been the home of many of his generations before him.

There was a slight problem for Tarka, Henry Williamson was living at a time during the early 20th century when hunting otters was very much part of the rural Devon way of life. He had to contend with the fact that generations of huntsmen knew where otter holts were, so Tarka had to be ready to get moving quickly, invariably with a pack of otter hounds on his tail! Although he escaped the hounds on many occasions Tarka was eventually surrounded in a deep pool by hounds, and huntsmen with sticks to stop him escaping. Although succumbing to his wounds, it was not before he had killed the pack’s lead hound, Dreadlock, who was pulled down to drown in the river.

Having been introduced to fly fishing at a young age by my Father and uncles I have been lucky enough to see otters on various rivers in Scotland. When you are out fly fishing on a lovely streamy river as dusk falls you have the best possible chance of seeing otherwise unseen wildlife. I will never forget seeing a little bitch otter on the river Teviot in Roxburghshire. I saw her slip into a lovely wide pool where she immediately was turning over stones, her ‘rudder’ sticking out from the surface of the water. I then followed her as she swam up the pool, surfacing briefly, before diving again. I knew where she was by watching the chain of bubbles coming to the surface as the air escaped from her fur.

Fishing took us to Loch Hope in Sutherland, a majestic loch that is seven miles long and reputedly one of the best sea trout lochs in Scotland. Sounds fabulous, but one day after another sitting in a boat fishless and with a sore bum, it is not! Suddenly a little flat head surfaces off the starboard side curious to what we are doing, and so am I. Our little Tarka disappears as quickly as she appeared, but leaves us a present as my cousin Ross immediately catches two sea trout. I promise you we never caught anything prior to Tarka’s visit, and nothing after in six days.

The last otter I was lucky to see was at the confluence of two burns near Stravithie. Hearing a sharp whistling sound, I initially looked upward, but the noise was coming from the burn and there in broad daylight was a Mother otter and cub. We probably know little of the comings and goings of these fabulous, feisty little characters, but it is heartening to know they are doing okay.

(Photos courtesy John Anderson (Crail Birder: www.pbase.com/crail_birder ))

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OUT & ABOUT Arlen Pardoe

Hidden Gems in St Andrews Focussing on features that are in plain sight, though often overlooked Pavement Lights Some of the older houses and properties in the centre of St Andrews have rooms below ground level, unlike most modern houses. Before electrical lighting was available these would have been dark, uninviting spaces. One solution was to install pavement lights in a panel set in the pavement, with small strong glass panels to transfer light to the cellar.

Some of the glass might be a prism to better transmit the

light into the basement. For strength the main structure is usually cast iron (often with the manufacturer’s name) and others may be cast as reinforced concrete panels. Over the years repairs may have been made using different glass, wood, or concrete patches. The examples shown here can be found in South Street, Market Street, North Street, Greyfriars Garden, Queen’s Gardens, Greenside Place, College Street, and Lade Braes.

(Photos courtesy Arlen Pardoe)

St Pancras Ironworks, London

T. Hyatt & Co, 9 Farringdon Road

Mackenzie & Moncur Ltd. Edinburgh, London & Glasgow

MacLean & Co

Hayward Brothers Makers, London

Open metal grid

Haywards Ltd

Concrete Panel (“CRETE-O-LUX”)

Marble decoration

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