The Crieff & Comrie Quair by Alistair Barr

The Crieff & Comrie Quair

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• renoVationS

• attic conVerSionS

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• dry rot and wet rot treatment

IN AUCHTERARDER

tel/text: 07436 793785 e: crieffandcomrie@thequair.com w: www.thequair.scot

WHERE LEGS AND FEET MATTER

GREGOR McCOSHIM FCPodS MChS

HCPC REGISTERED

March is a month of adjustment and hopeful anticipation, as winter begins to loosen its grip and spring edges closer, bringing with it the return of warmth and light from our elusive friend, the sun. The tightness in the body that has built up over the colder months starts to ease, and thoughts turn to loose cottons and linens and, if we are feeling optimistic, even an open-toed sandal or a white plimsole. Not straight away, of course, but no longer quite such a distant possibility. Perhaps the heating is turned off during the day as the temperature rises, only to be switched back on again a few days later when the familiar damp and cold creep back in. We may not trust the weather enough to switch the heating off completely, but turning it down even briefly brings the comforting sense that the annual bill is finally heading in the right direction.

ROUTINE CHIROPODY

GREGOR McCOSHIM FCPodS MChS

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Mother’s Day falls on Sunday, 15 March, offering a quiet pause in the month to recognise mothers and those who take on caring roles in our lives. For some it is a day of celebration, for others a more reflective moment, but it remains a long-standing marker in the calendar and one that means different things to different people. March is also the month that gives us the phrase ‘mad as a March hare’. Hares are often seen chasing and boxing at this time of year, behaviour linked to mating rather than aggression. Long before chocolate eggs became part of Easter, people believed hares were responsible for leaving eggs behind, after finding the eggs of ground-nesting birds in the shallow scrapes where hares sheltered. While rabbits and brown hares were introduced to the UK, Scotland has its own native mountain hare, still found on higher ground. Spring officially begins with the vernal equinox on Friday, 20 March. Later in the month, on Sunday, 29 March at 1 am, the clocks go forward as British Summer Time begins. Losing an hour of sleep is rarely welcomed, but the lighter evenings that follow are a clear sign that the seasons are turning.

So March brings familiar dates, and the steady return of light, reminding us that spring is on its way.

Alistair and Linda

EMAIL: grm@mccoshim.plus.com www.grmpodiatry.co.uk

EMAIL: grm@mccoshim.plus.com

Comrie Allotments Association

Interested in having an allotment plot? Our plots are located at Cultybraggan Camp and available to residents of Comrie. Half and full plots are serviced with water close by and surrounded by beautiful scenery. To find out more please email: comrieallotments@gmail.com

The Crieff & Comrie Quair is an open access monthly magazine which is delivered FREE to over 6,150 homes and businesss in the Crieff & Comrie area - that's from the county boundary west of St. Fillans to Madderty in the east. Copies for visitors are also made available each month from our outdoor dispensers in Crieff and Comrie. The extra print run is dependent on the normal fluctuating seasonal demand. As well as being a Community Magazine, The Quair is an excellent source of information for visitors. We also produce The Atholl & Breadalbane Quair. Each month, between the two magazines, we print an average of 15,000 and deliver more than 13,500 copies directly to homes and businesses throughout Highland Perthshire and Strathearn.

Local voluntary groups and organisations may submit articles, free of charge. All contributions are carried subject to space being available. We ask that any article reaches us by email by the specified copy date, is factual, non-political, under 400 words and not likely to offend.

Copy Date - The copy date for advertisers and organisations to submit an advertisement or article for the April 2026 edition is noon on Wednesday, 11 March. The Magazines are due to be distributed week commencing Monday, 30 March 2026.

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Remake - In a world shaped by fast fashion, limited lifespans and waste, the simple act of repair can feel unconventional. However, at Remake Scotland, repair is not just about fixing things; it’s about restoring confidence, sharing knowledge on reuse, and building fairer, more connected communities.

Our Share and Repair programme challenges the idea that broken means disposable or written off. It creates welcoming spaces for people to come together to learn, exchange skills, and rediscover the value of what they already own. From clothing and household items to small electricals and furniture, repair becomes a shared experience rather than an individual burden.

At the heart of this programme are the Repair Hub and our Tool Library!

The Repair Hub runs on the second Saturday of the month at Strathearn Community Campus between 10 am and 1 pm. This service is more than a place to mend items; it is a space for learning and collaboration between volunteer fixers and community members. We aim to keep items in use for as long as possible which not only impacts the planet but also saves you money too. We welcome members of our community to bring their broken and damaged household items along for repair. We accept electronics and computers, small pieces of furniture, vintage electricals, kitchen appliances, gardening tools, textiles, clothing and accessories.

Please note that repairs to sewing machines are by appointment only.

Please email marie-claire@remakescotland. co.uk for more information

The Tool Library is based at our Reuse Hub, Crieff Visitor Centre and open 10 am to 4 pm Tuesday to Saturday. This service makes equipment accessible without the need for ownership, allowing people to borrow tools when they need them. This is cost-effective, saves space, and supports a sharing economy where resources are used collectively rather than sitting idle in cupboards.

To celebrate Share and Repair this year, we are hosting a RepairFest, funded by The Green Living Fund.

RepairFest will take place on Saturday, 21 March, at Strathearn Community Campus from 10 am to 4 pm. The event will be a celebration of repair culture, with live repairs, discussions, workshops and handson demonstrations for everyone to explore and have a go.

RepairFest isn’t just about fixing things-it’s about making repair visible. It proves that repair can be social, creative, and joyful, and that each repair is part of a growing movement rooted in care for our belongings, our environment, and one another.

Looking for an afternoon out?

We are a small Whist Club, who meet on a Wednesday afternoon in Cameron Court. So why not come along, just turn up, and join us for a friendly game of whist, 2 o’clock until 4 o’clock. You may not always win a prize but you will always get tea/ coffee, cake and biscuits. There is no membership fee but £2 fee each week.

Niel Gow Festival 2026 - The 21st Niel Gow Festival will take place across Dunkeld & Birnam between Friday, 20 and Sunday, 22 March. The festival of traditional Scottish music includes concerts, workshops, sessions, stalls and more.

Niel Gow (1727 to 1807) lived in the area his whole life and is one of the founders of Scottish fiddle music. The festival is a celebration of both him and traditional music which has come since his time. From enjoying some exceptional music in one of the five concerts, to participating in workshops (instrumental, folk song, dancing and children’s workshops) or pub music sessions, there is truly something for everyone. In recent years, the festival has expanded its offering to include various workshops for children and adults, as well as hosting an impressive collection of instrument makers and luthiers as part of a selection of stalls based upstairs in the Birnam Arts over the weekend. The Dunkeld Archives (located on the Cross in Dunkeld) will also be hosting a special exhibition in conjunction with the festival weekend. The full programme is available on the festival website nielgowfestival. co.uk, concert tickets can be booked from Birnam Arts www.birnamarts.com and workshop tickets are booked via the festival website. Last year many concerts sold out so please book in advance. Included in this year’s lineup we have Laura Wilkie, Gordon Gunn, Graham Mackenzie, Pete Clark and homegrown fiddle player Hannah Fisher as well as some exceptional groups of young musicians. Have a look at our programme or festival website for more information.

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Comrie in Colour volunteers sought

Do you enjoy the outdoors? Do you have some spare time? Would you like to help enhance the local environment?

Comrie in Colour is a volunteer bloom group and part of the Take a Pride in Perth and Kinross Association. We care for public garden areas throughout the village of Comrie. Our work includes weeding, planting, pruning and general maintenance. No experience is necessary, and tools are provided. We usually meet on a suitable afternoon at 2 pm, weather permitting, and work for approximately two hours. Volunteers are welcome to come along when

they can and help for as long as they are able. Our working season runs from March to October. If you are interested and would like more information, please contact us at comrieincolour@gmail.com or call 07906 292565.

Strathearn Horticultural Society

Strathearn Horticultural Society is holding a quiz night on Saturday, 7 March in the bowling club, Crieff, from 7.15 pm, with the quiz starting at 7.30 pm.

To book a table (£12), please phone Janet on 01764 654229 or Susan on 07985 237990.

Crieff Needs You - The Crieff Gleam Team is a community group of volunteers making their contribution to helping keep the streets and green spaces of Crieff litterfree ... something we all want to see and enjoy.

A small and dedicated group meet at The Square at 2 pm on a fortnightly basis, alternating between Saturday and Sunday (see next litter-pick dates below) but more volunteers would be very much appreciated and made very welcome.

Any dates that you can offer your assistance for one hour would be very much appreciated.

All equipment will be provided - gloves, bin bags, high-visibility waistcoat and litter-pick grabbers - so there is no need to bend down should you have any mobility issues. All ages are welcome, with any under 12s volunteers being accompanied by an adult. All collected bags are sealed, marked with a ‘Litter Picked By Volunteers’ label and prompt vehicle collection is arranged. Should you not be able to join The Crieff Gleam Team on a Saturday or Sunday, please do consider to be a solo picker at your own convenience. Simply pick and bag any litter you find on your travels, and place in the many public litter bins around the town. Let Mark know about your efforts and you’ll be added to the Crieff Gleam Team’s social media postings via Crieff Community Council.

Please be assured, every little piece of litter binned helps keep Crieff a clean and beautiful place to live, work and enjoy.

Next Crieff litter picking dates - Saturday, 7 March, Sunday, 22 March, Saturday, 4 April, Sunday, 19 April, Saturday, 2 May, Sunday, 17 May, Saturday, 30 May, Sunday, 14 June, Saturday, 27 June, Sunday, 12 July, Saturday, 25 July ... with more dates to follow.

For further details, please email Mark Hunter at markhunter0706@gmail.com

Fowlis Wester SWI - It was a jolly evening as members gathered to celebrate Burns Night. Supper was provided by members, and Audrey McColl gave an excellent Address to the Haggis. Everyone went home with full stomachs and smiles on their faces.

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bookbug sessions - Held every Friday morning from 9.30 am to 10 am. These fun, interactive sessions are suitable for pre-schoolers from baby years. Why not drop the older children at school or nursery, then pop along to the library with your wee ones? No need to book.

Café books - Do you love to read? Join us at Café Books to chat about new authors, share your own favourite books and be inspired to read more. Café Books is held at Comrie Library on the last Thursday of the month from 5.30 pm to 6.30 pm. Family history - Are you interested in researching your family history? Join our Family History Group. This informal session meets every four weeks on a Thursday afternoon from 2 pm. Using your own device is recommended, but we do have two network computers available if required. These sessions are free. Please contact the library for more information. books on Wheels - For individuals in the Comrie and St Fillans area who cannot get out and about to visit the library, books can be delivered straight to your door each month. For more information, please get in touch with Comrie Library.

opening hours - Thursday: 2 pm to 7 pm; Friday: 10 am to 1 pm; Saturday: 10 am to 1 pm

pads - PADS (Perthshire Abandoned Dogs Society) is a well-loved, long established local dog rescue charity with kennels at Forteviot.

Our aim is to provide care and shelter for the county’s unwanted dogs and to find them new loving homes.

Our kennels, which were renovated in recent years, can house up to thirty animals in warmth and comfort.

We provide veterinary care for the sick and injured amongst our strays and we have a small hospital unit which is used for the recovery of animals who have had operations. It also contains a ‘mother and baby unit’ where new mums can care for their puppies in a safe and relaxed environment.

See www.padsdogrescue.com for further information.

general baird’s monument - The final piece of work that was required to fully open up access to General Baird’s Monument at Trowan is now complete. Perth and Kinross Council arranged for a tree surgeon to cut up ten trees that had fallen over the core path, some from as far back as Storm Arwen in 2021. This followed over seventy hours of my time since September strimming brambles and taming wild rhododendron. The area around the monument has also been hacked back and some views across the Strathearn valley are visible again, so there are no hurdles in our way to get up there and enjoy this almost two-hundred-year-old attraction.

Now that this project is complete, I have turned my attention to pressing for work to begin on the proposed Trowan to Comrie core path (CMRI/126). Planning permission was granted in April 2022 for the formation of a multi-use path, with fencing and replacement bridges along this route. Some path improvement designs need to be worked on between Lady Mary’s Walk and Trowan Farmhouse as this section can become boggy and overgrown, but if that area was enhanced and CMRI/126 was developed, residents from Crieff and Comrie could enjoy safe active travel between the two settlements away from our precarious roads.

If you would like to see work begin on CMRI/126, please write to Perth and Kinross Council’s Community Greenspace team and hopefully with enough support we can see the project get under way soon.

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Crieff has made a new star signing, the Community Council heard at its February meeting.

Chairman Brian Wilton explained that he had approached the foreman of the town’s recycling centre, Adam Harazim, and requested that the yet-to-be appointed new town street cleaner should be of the highest calibre, similar to the one who operates in Callander, Colin Clarke, who had been named their Citizen of the Year. It has now been announced the appointment of the new town cleaner, and it is Colin Clarke himself. According to reports he has a reputation of taking immense pride in his work and nothing is too much trouble. Brian was unsure what sort of transfer fee had to be paid but it will be worth it!

Colin will be undergoing induction training for a few weeks and will be hitting the streets later in February where he will get a very warm welcome.

The meeting also heard from Crieff mum Nadia McNicol, who outlined her inspiring plans to set up Scotland’s first sensory and illusion activity centre for the town’s youngsters. Nadia has already done a lot of work in creating a comprehensive business plan that is extremely impressive. The plan is receiving lots of support; if you want to contribute financially, please visit her GoFundMe page (search for Crieff Sensory at gofundme.com).

Following last meeting’s announcement of the Council’s Event’s Team taking a back seat this year, an extremely well-attended Experience Crieff meeting late January heard that they will be taking up the reins and leading the town’s events delivery, working in partnership with the Community Council. Brian will continue to run the Jigsaw Festival, which was a great success last year. It will take place on Friday, 13 and Saturday, 14 November and donations of puzzles and volunteer assistance are being sought. Please contact criefftoun@gmail.com to get involved.

Also discussed was the new Crieff Tourism Association, which is just getting off the ground, and the re-housing of a four-foot high bell that was discovered in St Michael’s Church. It was manufactured in 1605 at a Dutch foundry and will find a new home in the Crieff Museum. There is no further update on the Drummond Arms demolition, with the Community Council report having now been delivered to PKC.

The next CCC meeting will be on Monday, 2 March at 7.30 pm at the Strathearn Campus. All are welcome to attend.

Crieff & strathearn drovers’ tryst Walking Festival

January 2026 saw a number of Drovers Tryst related activities, ranging from walks being recce’d in advance of May, the bookings for the May Walking Festival opening on the Tryst website as well as the Trustees meeting to ensure that, hopefully, all the relevant T’s were crossed and I’s dotted, as the organisation behind the walks tightened up. It has been an amazing start. Within the first week of bookings opening, nearly 50% of all walk places had been booked - and 2 walks out of 17 already sold out! As of mid-February this had increased to 6 walks having been either fully or mostly sold outmeaning around a third of all walks are fully or almost fully booked within a fortnight of the walks becoming available. This has been a tremendous start to the Festival and highlights the need for walkers to book early to avoid any disappointment in securing walk places.

At the same time as booking were escalating, a new walk had to be recce’d before the Leaders were confident that bookings could be opened. This was the Extra Hard walk from Glen Etive to Forest Lodge via Glen Ceitlein and Loch Duchard and following a successful recce in late January, this walk has now been added and bookings opened. The attached photograph was taken looking down on Coire nan Cnamh, to the north of Meall nan Eun and depicts just how remote this walk in Scotland’s Big Country is! While it was a long and hard day out for our intrepid Walk Leaders, with the walk around Loch Dochard resembling a freezing swamp (with whom they soon became increasingly intimate, as they struggled and stumbled across the freezing cold marsh), they were able to reassure themselves that, while snow storms in January are to be expected - they are very unlikely in mid-May. That being said, it’s likely that walking poles and gaiters will be recommended, even in the summer! As always, walk details and bookings can be found on www.droverstryst.com

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rolling into spring with bertie bus - As winter loosens its grip, the familiar sight of Bertie Bus will once again return to the roads of Crieff and the surrounding area. Services resume at the end of February, bringing with them the warmth, company, and independence that have long made Bertie a cherished part of the community. Each Bertie Bus journey is a chance for passengers to reconnect with friends, with fresh air, and with the wider world. Whether it’s a scenic run, a shopping trip, or a community lunch, Bertie’s outings continue to combat isolation and bring joy across Strathearn. Annual General Meeting - Looking ahead, the Bertie Bus Annual General Meeting (AGM) will be held on Tuesday, 24 March at 7 pm at Strathearn Community Campus. This is a public meeting and all are welcome.

The AGM is a chance for Bertie’s board to report on the past year and share plans for the road ahead. It’s also an opportunity to celebrate the impact of volunteers, discuss new ideas, and strengthen community support. Whether you’re a current volunteer, a past supporter, or someone simply interested in learning more, the AGM is an open invitation to see Bertie in action.

2026 Quiz Night Postponed

Quiz Night - Bertie Bus’s annual Quiz Night at Crieff Golf Club has become one of the highlights of the Bertie social calendar. Ordinarily, this is held in or around April; however, due to unforeseen circumstances, the Bertie team has postponed this event until later this year.

A new date for the event, likely after summer, will be shared once the team knows more. As always, this popular fundraiser promises an evening of fun, laughter, and community connection once it’s back on the books. Keep an eye out for more information in the months to come.

bertie’s regular trips - From March through to December, Bertie’s regular programme of outings will resume, including: Wednesday Club: Weekly scenic drives and social stops

*Thursday Lunch Club: Transport to Duchlage Court lunches during term time Friday Club: Afternoon outings with tea stops and good company Library Run: First Tuesday of every month Shopping Group: Monthly retail outings

Cinema Run: A bi-monthly favourite Comrie Run: Twice-monthly service to residents in Comrie Muthill Group: Monthly social outing

Care Home Trips: Monthly outings for residents of Richmond House and Dalnaglar Strathearn Arts Tea Dance: First Sunday of the Month

Bertie’s trips are tailored to help people remain active and involved in the community, especially those who face challenges getting out and about on their own.

thinking of volunteering? Bertie Bus is run entirely by volunteers. A valued and dedicated team of drivers, organisers, companions, and event helpers all play a vital part in making the service possible. This is a fulfilling and social experience for everyone involved, and more volunteers are always welcome.

If you’ve been thinking about giving back in 2026, volunteering with Bertie might just be the opportunity you’ve been waiting for. Whether you can offer regular time or occasional help, the team would love to hear from you.

You can contact Bertie Bus by emailing secretary@bertiebus.org.uk or calling 07716 119414.

Crieff Fifty Plus Club

Our next monthly meetings are on Wednesday, 4 March and Wednesday, 1 April at 2.30 pm in St Columba’s Church, Perth Road. The talk on the 4 March is by Vicky Smith, on ‘The Tay Bridge Disaster’ and on the 1 April is by Karen Hapka and Sue Wylie about the Richmond Community. Annual membership of our club is £5, plus £2 for each monthly meeting. This includes coffee, tea and biscuits, so quite a bargain! There is also an opportunity to join any of our activity groups: Art, Quilting, Mahjong, Bridge, Indoor Bowls and Badminton.

New members are always welcome, and we meet on the first Wednesday of the month, from September to May (except January), usually with a speaker on an interesting topic, of general appeal.

So, come along, and give us a try! Your first meeting is free.

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Cllr stewart donaldson

Strathearn Ward - SNP

The Council Budget takes place on Wednesday, 4 March. Given the financial constraints we have, it will be difficult: not least the pressures arising on social care. What is impacting us now more than with most other local authorities in Scotland is the rural nature of much of the Council area, coupled with the age structure of the population. On the Budget overall, at time of writing, we are finalising final recommendations.

Yet progress is being made. Two important meetings in Crieff, at the Campus, in the same week, made that clear. The first was on Fairer Futures. The key objective is to tackle child poverty. Outside of Perth parts of Crieff have some of the most pronounced levels of child poverty in Perth and Kinross. The project will involve considering the families of children, and the communities in which they live. The approach will be like that being applied in other localities in the Council area, and a crucial aspect will be to have multidisciplinary teams, bringing Council services together in a co-ordinated way, and also very much involving local voluntary bodies. It’s about a collaborative approach, re-designing Council services, and working for the common good. Funding for what is being done here comes from both the Council and the Scottish Government. Funding has been renewed for 2026/2027. The Council officer leading the project is Sharon Doyle, but as she would say herself it’s going to involve so many groups.

The second, a few days later, was hosted jointly by Crieff Community Trust and Crieff Community Council. That was concerned with forging a new Community Action Plan, plus a Local Place Plan to strengthen community-led planning and align local priorities with the statutory planning framework. The existing Community Action Plan for Crieff comes to the end of its term this year.

There was a good turnout, with a wide range of community organisations represented. This is an important project, and one that will involve consultants. Given that the overall Local Development Plan for Perth and Kinross will come into force over the next year, a well-formulated Place Plan for Crieff is vital. A Steering Committee has been set up, but I think all are aware that the approach must be from the community as a whole. If Crieff can demonstrate community cohesion, and show how it wants to go forward, that will help on a whole range of areas: notably on being able to secure funding.

Two events also matter for Crieff. The first was the opening of Drummond House (the old Police Station) at the top of King Street as residential accommodation. That’s good for the town, and the need to keep the centre of town thriving. It’s taken a long time, but I have tried to assist William Frame in taking things forward. The other event I look forward to is the opening of the MacRosty Link, the footpath from Turretbank Wood up to Lady Mary’s Walk. That will be a great day. It also ties in with the Comrie to Crieff core path.

Finally, for Comrie the most recent meeting of the Community Council did again consider Glen Lednock, and the Library, but of immediate importance was the position on community resilience planning, especially after recent weather conditions.

To contact me I’m on SDonaldson@pkc.gov.uk, at 2 High Street, Perth. By phone it’s best to phone my Council mobile on 07557 815544.

You can find all of The Quair advertising details at our website by scanning the QR Code to the left and view our Facebook page by scanning the QR code to the right

Pete Wishart MP

Perth and Kinross-shire

I can be reached at 63 Glasgow Road, Perth, PH2 0PE, by telephone on 01738 639598 or by email at pete.wishart.mp@parliament.uk

pete Wishart mp perth and Kinross-shire SNP

As the days grow longer and the warmer weather finally arrives, many of us will be heading outside more often to make the most of the stunning scenery that makes Strathearn such a special place. It is an incredible place to live, surrounded by some of the most beautiful landscapes in Scotland. But with this privilege comes a responsibility: to care for our natural environment and keep it as clean and welcoming as we find it.

Litter might seem small on its own, but its impact is anything but. I don’t need to tell readers just what an impact this can have on the environment - it damages wildlife, spoils our rivers and hillsides, and takes the shine off the places we love. And as more people get outdoors during spring, the need to act becomes even more important.

That’s why I’m keen to highlight Keep Scotland Beautiful’s Spring Clean 2026 campaign. This annual initiative brings together people from across the country to tackle litter, making it a sociable, fun way to make a real difference in your community. Thousands of volunteers take part in litter picks, helping to keep our parks, streets, and countryside looking their best.

This year, #SpringCleanScotland runs from Friday, 13 March to Friday, 24 April. There are lots of ways to get involved, whether you’re part of a local community group, a school, a business, or just an individual wanting to help. You can also organise your own cleanup, register it so it appears on the national map, or join one of the many events already planned in your area. There are also free webinars and live lessons available for those who want guidance on running an event or inspiring others to get involved.

Last year’s campaign saw over 34,000 volunteers across Scotland gather more than 50,000 bags of litter, weighing around 331 tonnes. It’s clear that we all have a part to play; and when we come together, we can make a real difference.

So, as we enjoy the lighter evenings and longer days, I’d encourage everyone in Strathearn who is able to get involved and help keep our corner of Scotland as beautiful as it deserves to be. For more information or to register your litter pick, visit www.keepscotlandbeautiful.org

As ever, if you have any queries I may be able to assist with, please get in touch on 01738 639598 or pete.wishart.mp@parliament.uk.

Atholl Cailleachs - A celebration for International Women’s Day through song, words, music and dance. We warmly invite you to join us at 7.30 pm Saturday, 7 March at Birnam Arts. Tickets £14.

Presented by Fiona Ritchie with special guest performances by Scots singer/songwriter Beth Malcolm, and, visiting poet Elizabeth Kostova from Asheville, North Carolina.

This year’s Atholl Cailleachs are: Fiona Ritchie - presenter; Beth Malcolm - Scots singer/songwriter; Elizabeth Kostova, writer; Colleen Nicoll, soprano; Michelle Rodley, singer/ songwriter; Jane Archer, writer; Lyndsey Douglas, dancer; Gill Hunter, pianist; Morag Anderson, poet; Emma Black, piper; Charlotte Caird, saxophonist; Lindsey Gibb, storyteller; Kelly McIntyre, photographer/videographer; Karys Watt, fiddle.

Artists’ proceeds will be donated to Linda’s Ladies and Perthshire Women’s Aid. ‘Cailleachs are women of knowledge and skill within a community - the Dunkeld & Birnam area is bubbling over with talented professional female performers, so what better way to celebrate International Women’s Day than to showcase their skills…’ Follow us on facebook.com/athollcailleachs to find out more...

Friends of Crieff Cemetery

Friends of Crieff Cemetery would like to invite community members to get involved with our very inclusive volunteer group. We are partnered with Perth & Kinross Council’s Friends of Cemeteries Initiative for the upkeep of Crieff Cemetery in Ford Road in Crieff.

Our projects past and present include bench restoration, planter maintenance, fountain restoration, war grave research and tours, and raising funds for a defibrillator positioned in Ford Road. Running parallel with these projects is the general maintenance of the burial ground and surrounds. We are a constituted group with regular meetings, and we would like to hear from you if any of our activities interest you.

For a more comprehensive view of Friends of Crieff Cemetery, please visit www.friendsofcrieffcemetery. blog

Drop us a message at www.facebook.com/CrieffCem; email focc1858@gmail.com; or call 07826 191757.

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muthill parish Church

(Church of Scotland)

A place to find peace and welcome, a presence at the heart and soul of the community and a people growing in Christian faith and love

Situated in the conservation village of Muthill, some three miles from Crieff, Muthill Parish Church is a steadily growing Church of Scotland congregation seeking to serve our surrounding community with all-age Sunday worship at 10.30 am and a host of regular weekly activities including our Wednesday Men’s Group, and our Wednesday Soup and Sandwich lunches, for which we are in receipt of a grant from PKC as a warm space venue. We also organise monthly film nights, a social exercise class and a Book Club. For those seeking to explore questions of life and faith we are currently running an Alpha course. It is intended that this will be repeated in the autumn. We also conduct monthly worship at our local residential home for the Elderly as well as having a Guild, a Tuesday morning Bible Class and a fortnightly Tuesday evening House Group. Through these and other activities, we seek to engage with our village and beyond on the joys and challenges of the Christian faith and to provide meaningful church family fellowship with supporting pastoral care.

Our Church building this year will reach its bicentenary with celebrations to mark the laying of its foundation stone in 1826 and, in particular, we are looking forward to welcoming the Moderator of the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland to lead us in this celebration in March. In 2028

there will be further larger celebrations to mark the bicentenary of the actual opening of the church for worship.

We have recently updated our church website at www.muthillparishchurch.co.uk and, through this, we provide current information on our activities and services. Our church building with varied flexible accommodation is available for rental and, with further plans to be implemented this coming summer, we continue to seek a variety of ways of engaging with and being of service to our immediate neighbourhood and beyond.

We invite anyone to come to our Sunday worship as well as to any of our regular activities where you can be assured of a warm welcome.

‘Ye are all the leaves of one tree and the drops of one ocean.’ Baha’u’llah

Comrie Centre for peace and Reconciliation

We are continuing to meet at the Chapel at Cultybraggan every Thursday lunchtime at 1 pm. You would be very welcome to join us then for a time of quiet reflection. Such reflection can support inner quiet and balance.

In this way, when we consider the disturbing state of the world - instead of allowing fear or anger to take hold, we can be part of the solution. This opportunity is open to everyone, irrespective of faith tradition. Guidance for quiet sitting can be offered if needed. You are also welcome to sit in the chapel at other times - whenever you feel a need to be quiet and calm down.

For further information, contact: Sister Candasiri 01764 670088; Su 07732 533361 or Diana Macpherson 07552 312386.

the baha’i faith - The Comrie and Crieff group is hosting an opportunity for open-hearted, joyful and hopeful conversations and reflection on quotes and prayers from all faiths and philosophies every Wednesday at 7.30 pm, in Comrie and every Monday in Crieff at 7.30 pm. These gatherings welcome all comers in the spirit of fellowship and friendship, uplifting our hearts and souls in these troubled times. For further information please contact Diana on 01764 670399 or Gordon on 07510 454342. ‘The wellbeing of mankind, its peace and security, are unattainable unless and until its unity is firmly established.’ Baha’u’llah

In Crieff the early morning gathering in the Crieff Community Garden for prayer for the people and plants in the garden and beyond will take place weekly on Wednesdays at 7.30 am and monthly at 10 am on the first Saturday of every month. The gathering is open to all ages, backgrounds, faiths and beliefs or none in a spirit of harmony and appreciation.

At CBC we have weekly services on a Sunday morning at 10.30 am in our building on Addison Terrace. We are a welcoming, friendly church and our services reflect this by being fairly informal in style, with participation from various members of the congregation each week. We have children’s groups which run during the services throughout term time and tea and coffee are served after the service for a time of fellowship.

Each week there are various home groups which run through the school term where we study the Bible, pray together and encourage and support one another. For more information on any of these, please just get in touch.

Our Warm Spaces group (Coorie & Crafts) is on Mondays from 12.30 pm to 2.30 pm. Come along for some tea, coffee and home baking. Everyone is very welcome. For further information on any of these events, or to get in touch with the minister, John Burns, please contact via crieffbaptist@gmail.com; pastor@crieffbaptist.org. uk.

Crieff baptist Church

Alternatively, you can keep up to date with all that’s happening in the church via our website at www.crieffbaptist.org.uk, on Facebook at Crieff Baptist Church or on Instagram, crieff_baptist.

Crieff Baptist Church, 1 Addison Terrace, Crieff, PH7 3AT.

(Scottish Charity No. SC053381)

Quakers in Scotland - There are a number of Quaker meetings in Scotland. To find out more, visit www.quaker.org.uk/ meetings or www.discoveringquakers.org.uk. The nearest ones to Strathearn are Dunblane, which meets weekly on a Sunday at 10.30 am and Perth which meets fortnightly on the second and last Sunday of the month at 11 am.

Children are welcome at both meetings, although advance notice is helpful.

If you would like to know more, and perhaps need a lift, please contact Elaine Millar on 07745 854073 or email, millarclan@btinternet.com.

mid strathearn parish - Mid Strathearn Parish in rural Perthshire was formed in 2018 with the Union of the congregations of Fowlis Wester, Gask, Madderty and Monzie Churches. As a family of Christian people we offer opportunities for regular worship and aim to serve our community through caring and involvement. We seek to be welcoming, open, warm and friendly, and look forward to welcoming you to our services.

st fillan’s rC parish Church Ford Road, Crieff PH7 3HN, Also serving St. Fillan’s and St Margaret’s, Comrie stfillancrieff@dunkelddiocese.org.uk

Sunday Masses - 5.30 pm Saturday Vigil in St Fillan’s, Crieff 9.30 am in St Margaret’s, Comrie 11 am in St Fillan’s. We are here to welcome you home, to God, to us, to your true and better self. Our church is located in Ford Road, Crieff, in the heart of Perthshire, part of the Catholic Church in Scotland.

Crieff parish Church

www.crieffparishchurch.org

This year Lent runs from Ash Wednesday, 18 February and ends on Thursday, 2 April. Lent is like Dry January on steroids. I say that because it is longer - 40 days - 6 weeks excluding Sundays; and because it has been around for centuries, unlike the recent Dry January trend.

Lent is a Christian tradition - a time of sombre self-examination (punctuated, beautifully, by feasting on Sundays) and of course traditionally giving something up for Lent is a Christian practice which reminds us of the sac-

rifice Jesus made for us when He died on the Cross on that first Easter; a sacrifice to show us how much God loves us. But I think God would be OK if, instead of giving something up for Lent, we used the Lenten season to take up some positive things … and continue these as good habits long after Lent is over. This year I’m going to try and find something positive that I can add to my daily routine during Lent; things which I hope to continue afterwards. Do you want to join me? Even if you receive this during Lent here are some ideas: *Do one act of kindness every day. *Why not write down in your mental (or physical) diary one thing you are grateful for every day. What a list you’ll have after 40 days! *Pick one of your strengths and find a way to use it every day. *Use Lent as a time to reconnect with people you haven’t heard from in a while. Send a short email asking how they are or pick up the phone and call the ones who are especially dear to you. *Read a Lenten devotion every day. *Find time to sit down, meditate or pray every day. *Do some form of exercise every day - a short walk around the block for 10 to 15 minutes to clear your head and plan your day. *Eat healthily to overcome the loss of the nice things you are giving up for Lent - and who knows, this might help begin a life of more healthy living!

Or why not take a trip to a local church and find out what we do at this time of the year as we march towards our Easter celebrations.

We meet every Sunday at 11 am in Crieff Parish Church which sits at the corner of Strathearn Terrace and Ferntower Road. Here you can be assured of three things - a very warm welcome as you arrive, an hour of reflective worship giving you time to think; and a nice cup of tea, coffee and a biscuit along with happy chat before you go home.

st James Episcopal Church Muthill

Now that our Rector, Rev. Duncan Strathie, has just retired, we at St James Episcopal Church in Muthill are looking for another minister. How to choose? What sort of person do we want? The standard joke is that only the Archangel Gabriel need apply, as any mortals would clearly be found wanting. But not everyone is ‘perfect’, and how exhausting would that be to have a church leader who didn’t have any shortcomings and who didn’t need any support or backup?

One elderly clergyman I admired spent ‘the morning in study and the afternoons in visiting’. That sounds a useful mix of erudition and personal contact. Or might we like a young and dynamic man who is keen to teach us all New Ways of Doing Church? If we could stand the pace and deal with the shock/horror from our traditional congregation! A warm and friendly lady would be excellent at visiting the sick and lonely, surely, but might not wish to share heavy theology in long sermons. Or we might get the former Vet with a serious academic background who was better with animals than with people. Yesterday, my friend shared stories of previous dogs they’d owned and perhaps having clergy is much the same - some behave perfectly, some chase the postman and some just want a quiet life and a good dinner.

We must pray that we get the right person to lead our church: someone who is prepared to be part of our Muthill village, who can share Wednesday lunches and Film Nights with our friends from Muthill Parish Church, maybe someone who can lead the singing, who can share what they know about God and other people and what they’re still finding out, who can cope with our current ideas and add new ones, who will love our beautiful church building, who can smile to welcome folk who come for worship on Sunday evenings. Surely that isn’t too much to ask?

We’d love it if one thing you might take up for Lent this year is to become part of our welcoming congregation. To find out more why not send an email to crieffpc@gmail. com, visit our website www.crieffparishchurch.org or follow us on Facebook. www.thequair.scot

Reid Tree & Garden Services

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• Mono blocking, Patios & Paths laid

• Pathways & drives gravelled

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Jehovah’s Witnesses

26-30 King St, Crieff PH7 3HA

Jehovah’s Witnesses hold meetings for worship twice each week. (Hebrews 10:24, 25)

At these meetings, which are open to the public, we examine what the Bible says and how we can apply its teachings in our life. Most of our services include audience participation, much like a classroom discussion. Meetings begin and end with song and prayer.

You don’t have to be one of Jehovah’s Witnesses to attend our meetings. We invite everyone to come along.

Seats are free. No collections are ever taken. www.jw.org/en

seventh day Adventist Church

Gwydyr Road, PH7 4BS info@crieffadventist.org.uk

We meet every Sabbath (Saturday) for our worship services. At 10 am we have our Study Hour (with separate classes for adults and children). Our main worship service is at 11.20 am and we often have other events throughout the week. Our aim and vision is to be a community that reflects faith in God demonstrated by faith in our fellow men and women, thus honouring the command of the Lord Jesus found in passages such as John 13:34,35 ‘A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.’ Come and join us...

Please check any service times listed independently before attending. If you see any out of date information, or feel that there any omissions, we’d be obliged if you could email us at crieffandcomrie@thequair.com

The Crossing Crieff

Who are we - The Crossing Crieff is a Gospel-centred, local, independent church. A Community who gather to Worship, learn from His Word, and fellowship. We believe in the power of studying the Word of God (the Bible) and having a community of people which is not just on Sunday. We meet twice a week for worship, bible study/teaching, and fellowship, in which we systematically go through the bible looking at the big picture of the bible and the individual events and stories and how it all fits together.

Service Times

Heartlands.church - At www.heartlands.church, we’re not just starting another service - we’re nurturing a rooted, relevant, and real Scottish church family, shaped by the applied Word of God and made ready for the days ahead.

Sunday Morning Service - 11 am for children service (all welcome), and 11.30 am12.30 pm for adult service, followed by tea, coffee & fellowship at Strathearn Campus, Pittenzie Rd, Crieff PH7 3JN

tuesday Evening bible study - 5.30 pm for a meal and fellowship followed by a discussion-based bible study starting at 6.15 pm - 7 pm at Craiglynne, Dallerie Road, Crieff, PH7 4EG

More Information

Feel free to contact us if you have any questions about God or ourselves.

Our details are Pastor: Allan Holleran Email: info@thecrossingcrieff.co.uk Web: www.thecrossingcrieff.co.uk Tel: 07864 803123

Address: Craiglynne, Dallerie Road, Crieff, PH7 4EG. Charity No: SC052382.

Comrie parish Church

www.comrieparishchurch.org Comrie Parish Church, 22 Burrell Street, Comrie, PH6 2JP Welcome to our Church - We seek to follow Jesus Christ, to share the Gospel, and bring the knowledge of God’s love to all.

Sunday services are 10 am Comrie Parish Church and 11.30 am Dundurn. To contact Rev Craig Dobney call 01764 679196 or email him at CDobney@churchofscotland.org.uk.

Charity No: SC 001878

dundurn parish Church - Dundurn Parish Church in the village of St Fillans is the linked charge with Comrie Parish Church. Sunday worship is at 11.30 am.

If you’ve been longing for preaching with backbone and Bible, community without compromise, and a place where questions are welcome but truth isn’t watered down - this might be just what you’ve been praying for. We’ve not officially launched yet - but you don’t have to wait to get a feel for who we are. Tune in from home to Kingdom.rocks - our 24-hour online radio station with heartfelt worship, daily devotions morning and evening, strong sermons, and even stories and songs for the bairns with Jingle & Ben and the Music Town Gang. Check the broadcast schedule at Kingdom.rocks, have a listen, and see if you click. Come and see. Come and listen. You’ll know if it’s home.

robert@whisperingword.com, 07975 805323, www.heartlands.church Blessings, Reverend Victor Robert Farrell

strathearn Episcopal Churches

Crieff, Comrie, & Lochearnhead Rev. Gennie Evans rev.gen@btinternet.com. Tel: 01764 650985

St Columba’s, Crieff; St Serf’s, Comrie; St Angus’, Lochearnhead and St Fillan’s, Killin

www.strathearn-episcopal-churches.co.uk

Strathearn Arts - Strathearn Arts (Strathearn Artspace SC044319) is a registered charity which aims to promote and advance the arts, culture and heritage through participation and enjoyment of the creative arts.

We strive to deliver vibrant, inclusive, memorable arts experiences and we want everyone who engages with us to feel that. Driven by our programme, facilities, and through our coordinating role in the local artistic community, Strathearn has developed a wide reputation as a cultural destination. See www.strathearnarts.org for more details.

Richmond Community - Our weekly health walk now meets at the Crieff Community Hospital, King Street, Crieff at 10.30 am every Thursday. Following each walk, participants are invited to gather in the day room for refreshments and a chat. The friendly weekly walks are tailored to your needs but are more suited to the beginner. We have a shorter walk which normally takes about 30 to 45 minutes and a longer walk that lasts just over an hour. They are both led by trained walk leaders, and we also have Dementia Accreditation.

‘Health walks on tour’ is starting back on Thursday, 5 March where we will be walking around Scone Palace where we hope to see the gorgeous snowdrops display and then we will be heading to the Old Kitchen Café for a cuppa and a scone. To get your name on the list for the bus trips please come along to our regular Thursday walks.

Our friendship group is every 2nd Friday; we meet at the Crieff Community Hospital 10.30 am to 12 pm. Upcoming sessions include a talk from Roger Cartwright about Art Deco on Friday, 6 March and Brian Wilton from Crieff Community Council giving us a talk on what the Council are up to on Friday, 20 March. Please feel free to come along join in, have a chat and a cuppa.

Richmond Community runs the Carers Café which takes place the 2nd Thursday will run every month at the Crieff Community Hospital. The next monthly meeting will be Thursday, 12 March. The café also gives unpaid carers the opportunity to meet other carers and staff from agencies such as Perth and Kinross Council, Perth, and Kinross association of Voluntary Services (PKAVS) and Carers Voice over a cup of tea or coffee and delicious biscuits. Everyone is welcome to come along. For information on any of these activities contact Karen Hapka at karen@richmondcommunity.org or telephone 07587 088403.

probus Club auchterarder - You are invited to join Auchterarder Probus Club which is a social forum providing fellowship and friendship for like-minded people. It is not affiliated to a central organising body.

We are a broad church with retired and semi-retired professional people and others and comprise farmers, ministers, senior armed forces people, surgeons and marketing folk and engineers from a wide background. You will be most welcome.

We meet twice a month in the winter and once a month in the summer. Meetings are held in the Auchterarder Golf Club and start at 12 noon with lunch at 12.30 pm followed by a guest speaker.

Future speakers include Members of Parliament, Senior Officers from our Navy and Army plus local traders who want to tell their story. If you are interested in joining us please contact our Press Officer by email at forbesmcnaughton@icloud.com

Strathearn Harriers - Full details of all club races and events are on the club website at www.strathearnharriers.org.uk. The club welcomes runners of all standards. Crieff and Comrie are great places for running, particularly if you like trails and hills.

rsabi (previously The Royal Scottish Agricultural Benevolent Institution)

RSABI is a unique Scottish charity with roots going back to 1897.

To learn a little more about how RSABI operates, please see the website at www.rsabi.org.uk

PerthFect Blinds

Quality Blinds You Can Afford

Vertical Blinds

and Replacement slats

Venetian Blinds and Wooden Venetian

Roller Blinds and Vision Rollers

Roman Blinds

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Pleated Blinds

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Café Comrie

• Traditional Scottish breakfasts • Baked potatoes

• Hot filled breakfast rolls • Home made soups

• Freshly made sandwiches & toasties • Croissants

• Mackies ice cream

• Twinnings tea selection and fresh ground coffee

• Daily special board

• Takeaways Available Spring Opening Times will vary.

Please check our Facebook & Instagram accounts for details

Café Comrie, Drummond Street, Comrie, PH6 2DW Tel: 07702 903309 e: Cafecomrie07@gmail.com

Comrie bridge Club - Think your bridge is a bit rusty or not good enough to join a club. Think again and give us a try. Why not turn your heating off and come for a warm welcome at Comrie Bridge club. We are a small friendly club that plays duplicate bridge each week from early October to the end of March. We welcome new players both experienced and improvers and your first visit is free. On a Wednesday afternoon you are welcome to come and just watch for a few weeks before joining in play. We play on Wednesday afternoon at 2 pm and Thursday evening at 7 pm in the Comrie Bowling Club, Camp Road. We ask players to arrive at least 15 minutes early. You do not need a partner for Wednesdays. Thursday is for pairs but if you need a partner give us a ring and we will try to arrange one for you. Both sessions have a break for tea or coffee and biscuits. The annual membership fee is £7 which includes both days and the table fee is £3 per session. If you are interested in joining us or want more information please contact: Phil 07713 643565 philiptipping61@gmail. com or Kate 07714 291077 kate@thecreativepractice.org

front Cover picture

Our great thank to Polly Pullar for this month’s wonderful image that she captured locally. You can see Polly’s website at www. pollypullar.com. We usually use photos from our own stock, however if you think you have something suitable you would like us to use for The Quair please feel free to email it to us at crieffandcomrie@thequair. com stating your name and providing a short narrative about the photo. Please note that by sending your photo you are also agreeing to let us use this for any Quair activity.

Tayside and Strathearn help for ukraine

We would like to thank everyone who has delivered vital items to the various collection points or indeed to Errol during this particularly cold period. It is only by receiving these heartfelt donations of goods and money that we can continue to send a 40 ft articulated lorry to Ukraine every fortnight. When it arrives, we receive photos of families choosing essential items to cook, wear or swallow eg, paracetamol or aspirin. We are now trying to send appealing extras that might lighten their load eg, hand cream, Vaseline, Lip salve, Emery boards etc. The Ukrainians’ Wish List remains unaltered. Our next idea to help them illuminate their long nights is by making candles. We have plenty of candles to melt down but are advised to use small bake bean or small corn cans and would be very grateful if, after enjoying the above, you could put them into the collection points.

Crieff collection point - Thank you to all those who have contributed already and welcome to those who would like to do so now. Adventist Church ADRA warehouse, Gwydyr Road, Crieff, PH7 4BS. opening hours - Tuesdays until Tuesday, 7 April, from 6 pm to 7 pm.

Our fundraising begins this year with a Coffee Morning in the Dunning Hall, near Tron Square, on Saturday, 14 March from 10 am to 12 pm. Parking is available in Rollo Park. We are again flying the Ukrainian flag at Perth Concert Hall when the Ukrainian Opera comes with Carmen on Thursday, 5 March and the Ukrainian SNO on Saturday, 21 March to play Beethoven, both at 7.30 pm. This is the third time we have been allowed to have a stall in the foyer to give out our leaflets and inform folk about our

work for Ukraine.

If you would like to donate, please find us on this email address: info@tash4ukraine. org.uk.

visionpK - Comrie - VisionPK support a regular group in Comrie for people with a visual or hearing impairment. We have been running for over a year now, meeting up for a chat and some refreshments. People working or living in the community have been invited along to chat with us about their work or interests.

If you would like to volunteer at the group, or come along as an attendee, then please get in touch, we would appreciate community support.

Our meetings in Comrie are in: The Lounge, Cameron Court, Almond Place, Comrie PH6 2BB. We meet every second Tuesday of the month from 10 am until 11.30 am. Tel: 01738 626969 info@visionpk.org.uk

Comrie Cancer Support - We are a group which meets regularly to offer mutual support to anyone affected by cancer. We have coffee etc., we chat, we share, and we learn from each other’s experiences through what can sometimes be a difficult time for the sufferer, their spouse, and for other friends and family members. All are welcome. And we are finding the meetings warm and dynamic, working as we had hoped.

We meet on the second last Tuesday of each month throughout the year in Comrie and Dundurn Church Hall Annexe - 5.30 pm - 7 pm.

Any further information can be obtained by calling: Agnes Drysdale on 07732 345675 or Lorna Ramsay on 07789 9878385.

Sing-A-Long - Comrie - Sing-a-long is now in its 13th year. If you haven’t come to take part yet…maybe now is the right time….we sing well known, good old fashioned songs (words provided), enjoy afternoon tea and have a chance to have a chat with old and new friends. We meet in Comrie and Dundurn Parish Church on the 2nd Wednesday of the month at 2 pm. If you would like more details just phone 07707 727137 or 01764 670570

Strathearn Talking News

Strathearn Talking News is your local talking newspaper. We are volunteers who read and record onto USB the Strathearn Herald, the local newspaper for Crieff and District. We also read and record onto USB the monthly magazine The Crieff and Comrie Quair. A USB may be more familiarly known as a memory stick.

Strathearn Talking News is a Charity (SCO 15628) and in 2014 the Charity received a grant from Awards for All to go digital. Prior to that the newspaper was recorded and copied onto cassettes. We are proud to say that Strathearn Talking News has been providing a service for nearly 35 years for those in our community with a visual impairment and who find reading difficult. We provide a USB player. It is a small lightweight box no larger than a box of tissues. It runs off the mains electricity but it can also run on a battery which is automatically charged when the player is plugged into the mains. This makes it very easy to take into other areas of the house. The yellow on/off dial at the front is also an excellent volume control. The dial and the forward/back/pause buttons are yellow to make them more vis-

ible. The service we provide is completely free. We record and copy from our own homes on a weekly rota, 52 weeks of the year. Listeners to Strathearn Talking News hear local news concerning Crieff and the surrounding villages. We record all the news items, letters to the Editor, Intimations, Planning Applications, reports from local Clubs and Organisations, a calendar of events, as well as the main feature in the newspaper that week. We also do our best to describe photographs!

The Crieff and Comrie Quair is an open access monthly magazine and carries articles on a variety of interesting topics. We record and copy it onto our weekly USB once a month.

E: info@strathearntalkingnews.org

T: Maureen Anderson 01764 652406

W: www.strathearntalking news.org

What to expect from a complimentary hearing assessment at The Edinburgh Hearing Practice

Most hearing centers will measure the quietest sounds that you can hear and based on this will make a recommendation. Although this type of hearing test provides useful information, by no means does it provide a full picture, we hear with our ears but it is our brain that understands speech! With this in mind, we have designed our test protocol to ensure that we measure your exact individual issues.

First and foremost, we will listen to you. Hearing loss is personal and we take the time to listen to your experience.

We recommend that you bring someone with you as they can often provide useful information and support. Our hearing assessments usually take about 90 minutes.

We will ask some medical related questions so that we have a good understanding of your general health and history. Next we will examine your ears. We have the latest technology and can show you images of your ears on a screen if you are interested in seeing exactly what we are looking at.

We thoroughly check your ears using state of the art video equipment and keep the images on your records so we can keep track of your ear health.

We thoroughly check your ears using state of the art video equipment and keep the images on your records so keep track of your ear health.

If your ears are blocked with wax your hearing test will not be accurate. You’re in safe hands at the Edinburgh Hearing

If your ears are blocked with wax your hearing tes accurate. You’re in safe hands at the Edinburgh Hearing

very latest audiometric equipment to record the quietest sounds that you can hear, but also importantly, the way that

very latest audiometric equipment to record the qui sounds that you can hear, but also importantly, the

both quiet and in the presence of the dreaded background noise.

Where appropriate, we perform tympanometry to check how the middle ear is working (this is a really simple comfortable test, and is nothing to be nervous about).

At each stage we will explain the results really thoroughly to you and make sure that everything is completely clear.

Occasionally we may feel that onward referral is required – this is unusual, but you can trust us to always do the right thing.

Occasionally we may feel that onward referral is required – this is unusual, but you can trust us to alway the right thing.

Our care plans are bespoke and suited around your individual needs and preferences. All our hearings aids are available to trial for 30 days at no cost. We believe that the proof is in the pudding!

We are a family owned and run business and we love what we do. Trust your hearing to us! Gullane 01620 493000 Auchterarder 01764 219000 Edinburgh 0131 629 1819 4 Stanley Road, Gullane, East Lothian EH31 2AD or 63 High Street Auchterarder PH3 1BN

As readers will be well aware, the political ‘purdah’ period ahead of the dissolution of the Scottish Parliament is almost upon us. This is therefore my last column for The Crieff & Comrie Quair as an MSP.

Before I stand down, I want to thank constituents right across Mid Scotland and Fife for their engagement over the last two decades. You have given me the privilege of serving four parliamentary terms and whilst I know I have not pleased everyone in terms of my political persuasion on national policy, I hope I have been able to represent you effectively when it came to your specific concerns about constituency issues. What have I achieved in two decades? Well, I leave that to others to decide but I hope my work in the field of education, including the passing of my Member’s Bill to allow all youngsters to access residential outdoor education, has made a difference to the opportunities that lie ahead of the next generation, and I also hope that my work representing my constituents, including those such as the former patients of the disgraced neuro-surgeon Sam Eljamel, has helped to hold government and our public agencies to account.

You can get in touch by calling my office on 01738 553990 or emailing elizabeth.smith. msp@parliament.scot

Editor’s note - Liz Smith’s final column marks the end of a long period of public service, and we thank her for the time she has given to contributing to The Crieff & Comrie Quair over these years. We wish Liz well in life outwith her role in The Scottish Parliament and thank her for her engagement with the readership of The Quair during her time in office. Alistair

Crieff banking hub - The Crieff Banking Hub is now operating from its permanent home at 17 High Street, Crieff, PH7 3HU. The Hub is open Monday to Friday, 9 am to 4 pm. A Community Banker from your own bank is available on these days: Monday: Santander, 9 am to 4 pm, Tuesday: Virgin Money, 9.15 am to 4.45 pm Wednesday: TSB, 9 am to 5 pm, Thursday: Royal Bank of Scotland, 10 am to 5 pm, Friday: Bank of Scotland, 9 am to 5 pm. When the Hub is open, you can use counter services to withdraw or deposit cash, pay in cheques, check your balance, top up utilities and more. Please note - Community Bankers may be unavailable over lunchtime as they take a break. Please also always check up to date details at www.cashaccess.co.uk/hubs/crieff-perth-and-kinross

Crieff Macular Support Group

Crieff Macular Support Group is here to help anyone who has macular degeneration or any form of sight loss. Everyone is welcome at this small friendly group.

We meet at the Small Hall of St Andrew’s Parish Church of Scotland, Strathearn Terrace, Crieff PH7 3AQ from 10 am to 12 pm on the first Monday of the month. We often have speakers, on a wide range of topics connected with the local community, sight or general interest. It can be helpful to meet other people who have problems with their sight and we enjoy the social interaction at the meetings over tea/coffee and biscuits. We would welcome new members and would encourage anyone interested to join us. Friends, family members and carers are welcome at the group too.

If you know of someone in another area how might benefit from their local Macular Society Support Group, please let me know. For more information about the Crieff Macular Society Support Group, if you would like to come to the meetings or help with the group or if you have any questions, please contact Laura Gray, Senior Regional Manager, Macular Society on 07948 352967 or email laura.gray@macularsociety.org.

Crieff Community Garden - Calling all community builders, lovers of nature, people and the planet. Help is needed to restore and refresh the Crieff Community Garden to its former glory, to recreate a safe welcoming area for all; a place of peace and purpose, of beauty and connection. This is a space open for the community, run by the community. It is the perfect place for schools, both primary and secondary, for local businesses, families and friends and individuals to become involved and learn, through nature, about the growth of co-operation and co-habitation. As a garden flourishes so do we. On a practical level a secretary and a co-ordinator are urgently needed, as well as willing helpers, who can offer an hour or so here and there to prune, weed and plant. All ages, abilities, beliefs and backgrounds are welcome. Please step up and become part of a caring community group who have spent thousands of hours over the last few years creating this vibrant, living space which now needs to be restored and maintained. Let’s show a world that seems to be collapsing that a better place can be built from the grassroots (literally) up! Please contact Catriona on 07743 113140 or Diana on 07552 312386 or join us in the garden on Wednesday evenings from 6 pm to 8 pm, weather permitting, and until the days shorten.

What is a Quair? (noun) (1) A quire; a book. The Kingis Quhair, James I. (of Scotland). (2) A set of twenty-four sheets of paper of the same size and stock; one twentieth of a ream. (3) A collection of leaves of parchment or paper, folded one within the other, in a manuscript or book. (Middle English quayer, four double sheets of paper, from Old French quaer, from Vulgar Latin *quaternus, from Latin quatern, set of four, four each, from quater, four times;

The Kingis Quhair is a fifteenth-century poem attributed to James I of Scotland. It is a semi-autobiographical work, describing the King’s capture by the English in 1406 on his way to France and his subsequent imprisonment by Henry IV of England and his successors Henry V and Henry VI.

The Arts Society Tayside

Our lecture season at Birnam Arts continues and in February we had a touch of sparkle with Clare Phillips on American Glamour: 150 years of Tiffany Jewellery. On Monday, 9 March, James Wright talks to us on The Secrets of Ancient Doors, opening the door on the world of medieval and early modern houses, followed by Paul Roberts on Monday, 13 April on Ancient Faces, Flinders Petrie and the Mummy Portraits of Ancient Egypt. After that we have a further two lectures in May and June to round out our 2025/6 main lecture programme.

J.R Schad

TREE CARE LTD Tree Surgeons Est.1991

● All tree work carried out throughout Scotland to BS: 3998

● Stumps ground out

As well as our lectures at Birnam Arts, we run a Winter Lecture series at the AK Bell Library in Perth over January and February, and this year has been a great success with 60 members and guests attending. Dr Andrew Patterson provided his usual excellent mix of scholarship, insight and entertainment with To Draw or Not to Draw: Six Great Painters of the Seventeenth Century. We are in the process of developing our summer visits programme, with reservations now being taken for our Wednesday, 20 May coach visit to Arniston House and Rosslyn Chapel; details will follow. For more information please contact tastvisits@ gmail.com or pick up the information sheet at our next Birnam Arts lecture. The Arts Society Tayside is a not-for-profit, volunteer-run society, dedicated to providing its members with enjoyable and approachable experiences in the arts, and supporting local good causes related to art. Each year we offer our 300 members ten absorbing and accessible morning or afternoon lectures on the second Monday of the month at Birnam Arts on a wide variety of topics, as well as a range of house, garden and gallery visits and interesting add-on days and lectures. Please visit our website to see the full programme: theartssocietytayside.org.uk.

Come and join us! Please contact us for a complimentary lecture or to become a member: tastmembership@gmail.com or 01350 724232.

● Hedge Trimming

● Trees & Shrubs Supplied

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Kaimes Cottage, Braco, Dunblane, FK15

Can do Crieff, Lodge Street, Crieff

Can Do Crieff is a community-focused coworking space in the heart of Crieff, offering a welcoming and professional alternative to working from home or commuting long distances. It is used by freelancers, remote workers and small businesses who want a productive place to work while staying connected locally.

Members enjoy superfast broadband, comfortable desk space and a friendly atmosphere, along with the benefits of working closer to homesaving time, reducing travel costs and improving work-life balance. Flexible memberships are available, from day passes to unlimited 24/7 access, all with no longterm contracts.

As a social enterprise, income from Can Do Crieff is reinvested into the community, supporting local charities including Crieff Community Trust and Strathearn Arts. Anyone interested in co-working is encouraged to come along and try the space. Find out more at www.candocrieff.com or message us via candocrieff@gmail.com and we would be happy to show you around.

Comrie probus Club

All meetings are held on every other Wednesday at the Comrie Parish Church Hall at 10.30 am starting with tea and coffee followed by the presentation of the day.

We recommenced on Wednesday, 14 January 2026, with a further 6 meetings, under the guidance of our chairman, Ian Rogers.

The remaining meeting dates are:

Wednesday, 11 March Branklyn Gardensa Perthshire Gem

Wednesday, 25 March - AGM followed by Lunch at Comrie Golf Club

Membership is open to everyone, we are

a friendly club and all are welcome. Please come along and give us a try.

For further information please contact Judith Rogers on 01764 679727 or 07772 967160 or Malcolm Gregory on 01764 670493 or 07752 498187.

New Active Travel route in Crieff

Work on a new active travel route linking Oakbank to MacRosty Park in Crieff is nearing completion.

The new path will provide a year-round active travel route that is more resilient to flooding and water damage and accessible to many different types of path users including wheelchairs, pushchairs, and cyclists.

Providing such a facility, which did not previously exist at this site, has been a longheld ambition of Crieff Community Trust (CCT) and is the second phase of CCT’s wider project to establish and upgrade the off-road active travel links between Crieff and Comrie.

The new all-ability route climbs gradually from the Turretbank end of Lady Mary’s Walk up onto the disused Crieff Comrie railway line, where it follows the disused embankment before joining up with the existing core path network south of Laggan Road.

The construction phase of the project has been led by Perth & Kinross Countryside Trust (PKCT) and Transport Planning & Engineering (TP&E), the social enterprise arm of Cycling Scotland, on behalf of CCT and good progress has been made by the contractor AB Gairns Ltd in bringing this much-anticipated project to life.

Although the scale of the works may look dramatic, efforts have been made throughout the planning and construction phases of the project to minimise the number of mature trees lost, and compensatory planting is planned to offset those trees that were removed.

We appreciate everyone’s patience and cooperation during the works.

Grateful thanks also to the Walk Wheel Cycle Trust (formerly Sustrans) as well as The Gannochy Trust, Perth and Kinross Council’s Community Environment Challenge Fund, The Hugh Fraser Foundation,

The Mushroom Trust and the Barrack Charitable Trust for funding this project, and to Perth and Kinross Council’s Community Greenspace team for supporting the project.

A formal opening of the path will be arranged later in the year and we hope the community will come along to help us celebrate this important milestone.

dementia Café - The Dementia Café is held in the North Church, High Street, Perth on the first Wednesday of the month from 10 am until 12.30 pm.

We have Awareness Day Events planned for Wednesday, 4 March, Wednesday, 3 June and Wednesday, 7 october this year. These events consist of twelve individual services who can offer information and advice on the day. We also have social work, New Rannoch - day care/carers support and the Community Mental Health team attending.

The café is facilitated by the Health and Social Care Partnership and access to both services is available for information, advice, and signposting to other services available. People living with Dementia, their families, caregivers, friends, neighbours, and anyone looking to gain an insight into Dementia attend the monthly café. The café offers a warm, inviting, safe place where people can meet, socialise, gain information, and have some refreshments. All are welcome.

Cultybraggan Camp history project

The Project was founded in 2017 to preserve the history and the fabric of the camp, working wherever possible with the camp owners at the time. Our members include academics and volunteers who are dedicated to investigate and document in central resources all aspects of the camp’s past. We believe the camp is of importance to the nation and not just the local village.

It is our ambition to create an online fund of knowledge to be preserved for hundreds of years and beyond. This includes all stories, documents, photographs and images, which will be assembled into a virtual museum. There may also be a virtual guided tour of the camp showing the various artefacts as one explores and possibly an ‘App’ for mobile phones. We continue in discussion with other organisations doing similar work to us, which is proving mutually beneficial. We are very conscious that a lot of currently existing web material is vanishing, to be lost forever. Those digital records and stories will prove very interesting in hundreds of years’ time. We are working with groups and universities to endeavour to create permanent national reservoirs of all this material.

Our members are the experts at guiding tours, giving talks and supporting authors, historians and filmmakers, allowing them direct access to our resources and personnel. Now in our eighth year, we provide illustrated talks to many groups including organisations and institutes, colleges, schools, Probus, Rotary and Local History clubs. We can do these in person or online and in hybrid situations with an audience and online. We are planning a series of free online talks over winter - see the Events page of our website. If you’d like one of our talks delivered personally, please email us at tours@ camp21.org.uk.

There is a wealth of information for the public to view and download on our website at camp21.org.uk.

CENTRAL HOME ALARMS

Established 1981

Tayside’s First SSAIB Registered Company. Reg. No. Tays 001

Security Alarms

Installed, Repaired, Serviced & Updated.

Phone Bob Anderson on 01764 670540

Founder member of IAAI

Cycle Crieff - Our aim is to support all aspects of cycling in the area. We’re not a shop; we’re an inclusive community helping everyone.

What we do

Routes, Repairs and Reuse/donationsAffordable access to cycling: Low-cost or free bikes are provided through donations, recycling and rebuilding. In 2025, over 128 bikes were renovated! *Repairs and Workshop Support: A flexible community workshop offers servicing, self-repair space, guidance from highly qualified mechanics, and donated parts like lights. Many stranded cyclists have had emergency help. *Routes and Riding Community: Over 153 events were hosted in 2025. Rides focus on inclusion and social connection. Trips included Arran, Islay, and more. *Training and Education: ongoing ‘look after your bike’ workshops with Cubs, schools, refugees and Cadets. In-house training and Velotech funding. *Volunteering and Community Partnerships. free bikes! We have a lovely range of donated nearly new fully serviced bikes. Please get in touch if you would like a bike. The Hoy children’s road bike is lovely and any donation made to have the bike will be given to prostate cancer.

Crieff Community a’ (easy social), ‘b’ & ‘C’ rides - There are regular bi-monthly social rides and rides instigated by local riders which will be continuing in 2026 from March. The first regular social rides planned are Sunday, 8 March hosted by Anna, Fiona D and Andy G. The next is Saturday, 21 March hosted by Rachel G and Dave G. Planned adventures already booking up quickly are to do the Belach na Ba and the Crieff Grand Fondo, both in May!

along for free checks to see how it’s done! All welcome!

volunteers - Fancy helping a local charity? Are you practical and keen to learn new skills? Free training and qualifications available and of course you can build your own bike! Age and gender not important! Finally - Our first spring bike sale and Dr Bike will be held on the grass at Remake on Saturday,14 March. All serviced and from classics to full on mountain bikes currently available! Get in touch if you want a bike or pop along from 10 am to 1 pm see what we have and bring your bike for a free check over!

Warm places - Bikes, chat and humour! We’re opening up the workshop to all, over the winter, on Sunday, 1 March. We’ll be at the workshop from 2 pm to 4 pm for drinks, Damsel goodies and bike chat! Please get in touch ahead, if you can, and we’ll make sure we have enough of everything. Bring a bike

Please get in touch if you want to know more or get involved in our adventures! Visit our website www.cyclecrieff.scot/ about.html; Facebook www.facebook.com/ profile.php?id=100067081600855 Email - cyclecrieff@yahoo.com (Scottish Charity No. SC054428)

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Jim fairlie msp

perthshire south & Kinross-shire - snp

I recently had the pleasure of visiting Morrison’s Academy, along with Liz Smith MSP, to speak to S5 and S6 pupils from both Morrison’s and Crieff High School about politics, policy, and, perhaps most importantly, why voting matters. We chatted about all sorts of topics, from how to actually cast a vote, to the big issues that matter most to them - education, transport and local services in Perthshire. We were both extremely impressed by the pupils, who were full of ideas and curiosity, and didn’t shy away from asking some really thoughtful questions. It’s a reminder that our democracy isn’t just about politicians making decisions, it’s about people, especially young people, having a say in shaping the world they’ll inherit. Both Liz and I emphasised just how important it is for young people to exercise their right to vote. Every election matters, and the choices made in government today will have a real impact on their lives tomorrow. So, if you’ve got a teenager in your household who will be voting for the first time, make sure they’re registered, it really is that simple.

A quick reminder: in Scotland, you can vote in the Scottish Parliament in May if you live in Scotland and are a British citizen, an Irish citizen, or a foreign national allowed to stay in the UK; and are 16 or over on the day of the election. You can register in just a few minutes here: www.gov.uk/register-to-vote

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Jim Fairlie MSP

Perthshire South & Kinross-shire

I can be contacted by telephone on 01738 620540 or by email at Jim.fairlie.msp@parliament.scot

Lastly, readers may remember that a few months ago I mentioned how Glenturret Distillery kindly stepped in to replace the shed at Crieff Community Garden after the deliberate fire in November destroyed it. Just to give a quick update: a shed was indeed ordered, but unfortunately there was a slight hiccup, as it turned out the one purchased didn’t meet the insurance requirements. That shed has now found a new home, and we are working with other local partners to try to secure match-funding for a compliant one. I hope to see it in place and ready for use in the near future.

Jim Fairley MSP

South & Kinross-shire - SNP

on ???? ???? or jim.fairlie.msp@parlia-

As I mentioned previously, I also raised the wider issue of antisocial behaviour with the local police. I was assured that the police and Perth & Kinross Council are working together to explore ways to improve safety and reduce antisocial behaviour in the area. Potential solutions include the installation of additional street lighting and CCTV, among other measures. I will continue to monitor progress closely and keep the community updated.

If you need to contact me or if you would like to make a surgery appointment to see me, please check my social media or get in touch with my office, 63 Glasgow Road, Perth, PH2 0PE. You can on 01738 620540 or email me at Jim.Fairlie.MSP@Parliament.Scot.

Music in Rannoch - All concerts are on Sundays at 3 pm in The Old Church, Kinloch Rannoch. £10 at the door; free admission for children. Refreshments available during the interval. Easy parking.

Sunday, 15 March - Colleen Nicoll (soprano), David Douglas (tenor) and Andrew Johnston (piano). Road To The Isles. A unique musical journey celebrating the traditional Gaelic songs of Scotland’s Western Isles, arranged by the collector and composer Marjory Kennedy-Fraser (1857-1930).

Crieff bridge Club - Crieff Bridge Club has resumed its activities for the winter. We meet every Tuesday in Crieff Golf Club starting at 6.30 pm. We would welcome new pairs and anyone interested should contact our Secretary, Donald Smith, for further details. (smithdonald@tiscali.co.uk). We are a very friendly club and would make newcomers, regardless of ability, most welcome.

Comrie Silver Circle - Comrie Silver Circle meets every Thursday at 2 pm in Comrie Parish Church Hall. Entertainment and afternoon tea at 3 pm. All Welcome. Phone Myra if you need transport 01764 670166.

The Crieff & Comrie Quair

is published by sCot aCtivE ltd with a registered office address of 26/30 bonnethill road, pitlochry, ph16 5bs Company Number SC854228 tel/text: 07436 793785 e: crieffandcomrie@thequair.com

perth and Kinross Council

Crieff Area Office 01738 476000

Council Main Reception 01738 475000

Registrars - by appointment 01764 657850

useful numbers

Crieff Community Hospital 01764 653173

Police Scotland 101 infinityblu Dental 01764 650480

Crieff Vet Services 01764 652086

Flying Smiles Dental Hygienist 07812 055724

Advertising Information

Please note that all advertisements carried by The Crieff & Comrie Quair are done so with the understanding that any claims, statements or information given are the sole responsibility of the advertiser in question. We cannot be held liable for any commercial or consumer disputes, problems or difficulties arising from their workmanship or services.

Editorial and Event information

All of our listed events are published in good faith. However, for a variety of reasons, things can sometimes change. This edition of The Crieff & Comrie Quair was sent for print on Saturday, 14 February 2026. Please therefore always check times and venues of events listed in The Crieff & Comrie Quair independently before going. We cannot be held liable for any mistakes, typographical or otherwise, by ourselves or changes made by Event Organisers.

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Crieff Rotary - As reported in an earlier edition of The Quair, back in December, Crieff Rotary held its annual Young Chef competition with four entrants each from both Crieff High School and Morrison’s Academy taking part. The winner was Alasdair Haines who just happens to be the younger brother of the Rotary International, Great Britain & Ireland (RIGBI) 2024 champion, Rowan Haines - clearly a member of a very talented, culinary family! Alasdair went on to participate in the Rotary North of Scotland District final last month, held at the Loch Leven Campus between Milnathort and Kinross. On this occasion he came second, but that still qualifies him to take part in the Scottish final later this month. If he wins that event, then he will follow in his brother’s footsteps by heading off to the RIGBI 2026 final.

The two-course meal he prepared and cooked at the Loch Leven Campus was pretty amazing. The first course, which he called Primo on his menu card, was homemade striped squid ink ravioli filled with

Italian sausage and pork mince, surrounded by tomato, basil and mascarpone sauce topped with delicate coral tuilles. The dessert (his Dolce Millefoglieor Thousand Layers) featured fine layers of golden puff pastry filled with lightly whipped blood orange pannacotta and a layer of lightly whipped pistachio pannacotta. The lucky judges got to taste this treat while Rotarians could only look on enviously!

In Malawi, there has been a hold-up by the national electric supply organisation in connecting our new maize mill’s equipment to the required three-phase power supply, although we have been assured that this will be completed shortly. Thus, we still do not have any images of the ‘opening’ ceremony, nor of the first load of maize to be processed by the new mill but, when these finally arrive, they will be shared with readers of The Quair

As always, the aim of every Rotarian is to help those who are somewhat disadvantaged compared with ourselves, but we still need more like-minded people to join us - and those who do will find it both rewarding and fun to be a Rotarian! Crieff Rotarians continue to meet twice a month at the friendly Meadow Inn in Burrell Street. For further information about Crieff Rotary, please scan this QR code, or visit its website, or email the Secretary at Secretary@crieff.rotary1010.org

Photo - Alasdair with his meal

Comrie SWI - The Comrie SWI meeting was held in Comrie Rural Hall. Joyce helped us make a resin coaster with our own decorations.

Competition - 3 x heart-shaped biscuits. 1st Patricia Robertson 2nd Joyce Carnegie 3rd Helen Williamson

Next meeting - Tuesday, 10 March at 2 pm in Comrie Rural Hall. Speaker: Alasdair Logan, Life and Times of an Auctioneer Competition - Flower in a vase; Fruit based Mocktail

All welcome. Further information, Joyce 07771 741983.

Meetings are held in the Rural Hall, Comrie, starting between 12 pm and 12.30 pm on a Tuesday, but never on the second Tuesday in the month. A light lunch follows, after which we move to the subject for the day. Regardless of the programme we finish no later than 4 pm.

our 2026 dates are as followsTuesday, 3 March - Howard Duffie Tuesday, 17 March - Comrie Kidds Strings Tuesday, 24 March - AGM and members’ requests

Membership is open to everyone and all are welcome. We are a very friendly club that plays videos, listens to various genres of music and welcomes occasional live entertainers, so please come and see. If further information is required, please contact Malcolm Gregory: home 01764 670493 or mobile 07752 498187.

Comrie & St Fillans Music Circle

bespokestairscrieff.com

Perthshire, Angus and Fife

Tel: 07954 105409 andersondecorating34@gmail.com

The Scottish Crannog Centre

Dalerb, Kenmore

Exciting progress is being made on the Crannog reconstruction as the build team moves into the final stages of this remarkable project. After many months of careful work, the structure is now beginning to take on its true shape, offering a vivid glimpse into life as it would have been more than 2,500 years ago.

The team is currently installing the radial supports which are the wooden spokes that connect the rings forming the circular base of the crannog. Eight of these radials have already been fitted, starting from the central square, with four more ready to be put in place.

The main walkway has now reached the outer ring of the crannog, though it will not be connected until the flooring is complete. Most of the handrails along the bridge are also now in position.

The team has reached a key milestone in the project. If this structure were built on land, this would traditionally mark the beginning of construction highlighting just how complex and impressive building on water truly is. The months of work involved so far serve as a powerful reminder of the extraordinary skills and knowledge of Iron Age crannog dwellers.

The final phase of scaffolding is now being erected in preparation for the next exciting step: constructing the walls and roof of

Microsuction and Water Irrigation

Contact: Rhona Findlay 01821 640453 07925 125506 NHS Certified, BA, ADM, RGN, DipHE

the crannog. With this stage underway, the project is entering its final stretch, and the finished structure is now clearly in sight.

The season has also begun with great enthusiasm thanks to the museum’s first business away day of the year. A group of 17 colleagues visited for a guided tour followed by a talk from the director. They then enjoyed

an Iron Age-inspired lunch before spending the afternoon in small groups learning traditional skills. The project continues to rely on the support of volunteers, and new helpers are always welcome. Opportunities include gardening, assisting at events, working on the crannog build.

See www.crannog.co.uk for full details.

THE PLANT NURSERY

KINDALLACHAN

Countlich Farm, Kindallachan, Near Ballinliug, PH9 0NW www.alexbutter.co.uk | 07554 008058 nursery@alexbutter.co.uk

• Summer & Autumn Hanging Baskets & Containers (Available new or as refills) • Alpines • Bedding Plants

Shrubs • Trees

breastfeeding support with local practitioner Joanna Chilton

Doula, Hypnobirthing instructor and peer breastfeeding supporter, Joanna Chilton, Crieff local, is hosting a free breastfeeding support drop-in. The weekly session will be hosted from her home in Jura Way, Crieff. Every Wednesday morning at 10 am.

Mums looking to breastfeed are offering their babies such immense benefits; reduced risk of disease, superior cognitive brain development, improved eye health, optimal nutrition and immunity. Breast milk is generally easier for babies to absorb, reducing stomach bugs and diarrhoea.

The benefits aren’t just for babies either! Mums who breastfeed recover faster due to effective hormone release. Studies show that breastfeeding reduces the risk of breast cancer, ovarian cancer, type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease. Breastfeeding promotes a unique and emotional bond through skinto-skin contact. It is immediately available and free. Lastly, breastfeeding burns extra calories which helps mothers return to their pre-pregnancy weight more quickly.

Mums will be offered support, advice or just a space to relax and have a cuppa! Joanna is a mum to 8 children and has 16 years of personal breastfeeding experience. Those looking to attend can contact Joanna: 07498 370487. For more information see: wyimdoulaandhypnobirthinginstructor.uk

Crieff in Leaf - Hopefully now that March has arrived the rain has eventually stopped and your gardens are beginning to come back to life! Our first fundraiser of the year is our Bingo Evening, to be held on Friday, 20 March at the British Legion in Crieff. Doors open at 6.30 pm, eyes down at 7.30 pm. There will be a raffle, and prizes for lines, flyers and house. Please come and support us. discover the thrill of archery - The newly reformed Crieff Archery Club is ready to welcome new members of all levels. Beginners’ taster sessions will be available in the spring. For details and contact please visit www.crieffarcheryclub.org. uk; email us at contact@crieffarcheryclub.org.uk or call Pierre on 07595 047372. We shoot twice a week all year and all equipment is provided.

Innerpeffray Library - The Library of Innerpeffray re-opens for the season on Sunday, 1 March. During March, tours of the library are free all month long in honour of our founder David Drummond, 3rd Lord Madertie, who created Scotland’s first free lending library here in 1680. Madertie Month is sponsored by the Friends of Innerpeffray Library.

March will also see the launch of our 2026 exhibition, Signs of the Times, exploring the myriad uses of signs and symbols within the books of our collection. From books on mysterious subjects such as heraldry, emblems and allegory, to the history of printers’ marks and fine decorative bindings, this exhibition will be a real visual delight. dates for your diary

Sunday, 1 to Tuesday, 31 March - Madertie Month. Tours of the library are free all month long when the library re-opens in March, in honour of our founder David Drummond, 3rd Lord Madertie, who created Scotland’s first free lending library here in 1680.

Saturday, 7 March - Miguel Girão in Concert. 3 pm. Innerpeffray is delighted to welcome classical and traditional guitar player Miguel Girão back to the Library. Miguel has performed here twice before, once with his group Tern and a solo concert. If you miss seeing him perform at Celtic Connections this year, this is your chance to come and hear him locally. Tickets £15, available online.

Sunday, 15 March - The Road to Mons Graupius: A Journey Through Roman Scotland. 3 pm. In this illustrated talk, Alan Montgomery will discuss his book The Road to Mons Graupius, which records a journey through Scotland along the route of a Roman road. On the way, he searched for evidence of the first-century Roman invasion led by Agricola that concluded in a confrontation with the indigenous tribes by a hill called Mons Graupius. Tickets £10, available online.

Wednesday, 1 July - The Three Inch Fools: King Arthur and the Holy Fail. 7 pm. The ever-popular Three Inch Fools outdoor theatre company are back once more at Innerpeffray. In a land of daring quests, dashing knights, and endless jousting, there lived a wouldbe hero - waiting in the wings - who went by the name of Arthur. Saddle up - things are about to get legendary! Early Bird tickets available online now - strictly limited in number and available until the end of April.

These are just a few of the events we have lined up for the season ahead - look out for our notices every month in The Quair to find out about more talks, concerts, fairs, workshops, our annual festival and a special exhibition that we have planned. The Friends of Innerpeffray Library will also have their annual programme of events, which will be announced here.

Call for volunteers - Our friendly volunteer team is crucial to the running of the Library of Innerpeffray. We’d love to hear from you. Email info@innerpeffraylibrary.co.uk or call the number below.

From March to October, the Library’s regular opening hours are Wednesday to Saturday 10 am to 5 pm, and Sunday 2 pm to 5 pm. Contact us on 01764 652819 or visit our website at www.innerpeffraylibrary.co.uk for more details and for ticket booking.

Crieff Trefoil - Crieff Trefoil continues to meet throughout the year on the fourth Monday monthly - indoors over the winter and at various locations outdoors over the summer months. Our indoor autumn/ winter sessions began recently and are held at St Columba’s Episcopal Church, when meetings will once again this year be full of surprise activities.

Each year we are tasked by UK Trefoil with attracting only one new member to each of our Guilds - could you be that one new member? Crieff Trefoil is a small, active, fun group but play an active part in the bigger Perth & Kinross County, Scotland and the UK with national and international opportunities, eg holidays at home and abroad, available for all members - why not give us a try?

For further information Crieff Trefoil can be contacted by email at criefftrefoilguild@ gmail.com or by making an enquiry via the Trefoil Guild website www.trefoilguild. co.uk. Trefoil Guild Scotland and Trefoil Guild UK have public Facebook pages and are also on Instagram where you can see much of the fun activities we get up toyou may be surprised!

Crieff Lunch Club - Crieff Lunch Club is run under the auspices of the Royal Voluntary service and staffed by a brilliant group of volunteers from Crieff and district.

We meet in Duchlage Court in Crieff every Thursday lunchtime in term time, and provide a 2 course lunch and tea and biscuits for a very modest cost. It is a great opportunity for folk living alone to come along, meet others and have a hot meal together. Transport to the lunch for those who live out with Duchlage Court can be arranged through Bertie bus. We are always looking for new clients and, of course, new volunteers to join our teams of volunteer helpers for about 2 hours, once a month. If you are interested in coming along or volunteering for the lunch club, please contact the RVS office in Perth on 01738 633975 or email at perthsupportingyou@royalvoluntaryservice.org.uk.

plan ahead

February is the perfect time to escape the everyday and experience something extraordinary. Discover Scotland, a destination where dramatic winter landscapes, rich history, and warm hospitality come together to create unforgettable moments.

From windswept coastlines and snow-kissed mountains to storybook villages and fire-lit pubs, Scotland in February offers a quieter, more atmospheric way to explore. It’s the season for cosy hideaways, scenic drives, and immersive cultural experiences without the crowds.

This February, make Scotland your winter escape Whether you’re planning a romantic retreat, a memorable road trip, or a relaxed journey through historic towns and cities, you’ll find inspiration at every turn

Crieff and Strathearn Museum

Cross Paths with History

The museum trustees and volunteers are still very busy working on this year’s exhibition and displays and hope you will enjoy what’s on offer when the museum opens at Easter.

The museum re-opens for Easter on Friday, 3 April between 12 pm and 4 pm. And on Saturday, 4 and Sunday, 5 April between 12 pm to 4 pm we are holding a fun event to celebrate this year’s Pictish exhibition. We’ll be having Fergus The Pict visiting, dressing up, music and face painting by our local artist June McEwan as well as the opportunity to visit the other wonderful exhibitions on display. So come along and join in the fun. We also have our wee shop where books and souvenirs can be bought. We are very excited to be opening and hope you will visit and support the museum, which is not just for visitors but also for the residents of Strathearn who wish to learn more about their town’s history.

In February our trustees gave two talks to other community groups, the first by Neil Rodan and Dorothy Jones was to The Inner Circle in Comrie where we talked about the development of the museum and this year’s display on Glen Lednock Dam, which Neil has been working on over winter. The second talk was presented by David Ferguson to Crieff Camera Club on our John MacGregor Glass plate negative collection which he and Andrew Rodger have been meticulously restoring over the last few years. The collection is available to view on our website.

The basement of the toon hall has been emptied in readiness for work to commence and by the time you read this the work should be completed and the atmosphere in it better for storing our collection. A big thanks to Crieff Connexions for allowing us to store the collection in their warehouse. Thanks also to PKC’s CLLD Fund and The Gannochy Trust for helping with the cost of this work.

The outside repairs have been completed

CRIEFF & STRATHEARN MUSEUM

and the scaffolding has now gone, however, there are a couple of things that have not been done and we have a new leak in the corridor leading to the Ann MacIntosh room. Alan Murphy has been in and filled and decorated the south facing window so that’s another job done ready for our opening. Thank you Alan, it looks great. The Toon Clock has been fixed and all is well with the chimes - no more keeping people awake all night!

Another reminder that our Annual General Meeting will be held on Tuesday, 21 April at 10.30 am in the museum. We hope you can attend. It’s important for The Crieff and Strathearn Museum to continue to tell the story of Strathearn and we need your support by becoming members.

Our membership fee is £15 per annum and you will be helping us with the running costs of keeping the museum open. We accept cash or card payments and to all our current members, we will be sending out an email to you to renew your membership. We hope you will continue to support the museum. Please check our website for de-

tails and a membership form or pop into the museum and join. We accept cash or card payments.

If you are interested in volunteering as a museum guide, setting up exhibits, general maintenance, collection care or helping in any other way at the museum then please email us at: info@crieffandstrathearnmuseum.org.uk

Our website is: www.crieffandstrathearnmuseum.org.uk

You can also follow us on Facebook under Crieff and Strathearn Museum. We have just under 1,000 followers and it would be great to get to 1,000. We regularly post on historical events and highlight local historical sites in photos.

(Scottish Charity No. SC048238)

Crieff Choral Group - Crieff Choral Group has enjoyed being out and about in the community again this year, singing a variety of Scottish songs in celebration of Burns for residents of The Birches and Oakbank Care Homes.

Rehearsals are going well in preparation for the choir’s joint performances, with Pitlochry and District Choral Society, of the beautiful, Petite Messe Solennelle by Rossini. The concert will be conducted by Christoph Wutscher, with soloists: Colleen Nicoll, Soprano; Ulrike Wutscher, Mezzo-Soprano; David Douglas, Tenor; Colin Murray, Baritone; Piano, Andrew Johnston; Accordion, Wayne Robertson.

performances - Saturday, 18 April, 7.30 pm at Pitlochry Festival Theatre and Saturday, 25 April, 7 pm at Comrie Parish Church.

Tickets available from members of the choir or Eventbrite (booking fee will apply). £15 adults. £5 school-age children. Don’t forget to bring change for the famous hamper raffle!

Comrie Community Woodland

Comrie Community Woodland is about 300 metres west of Cultybraggan Camp on south side of the road. The 45-acre site was bought for the Community along with the Camp in 2007. Unique features are the irrigation system that was built in 1941 to supply water to the new POW camp below and the overall shape, about 1 km long by only 100 metres wide in places. On a northfacing hillside, some parts are quite steep and for over ten years it was mostly used for grazing. Volunteers got together to develop the site and in 2021 planted about twenty thousand trees - all native varieties while hundreds more have been planted since. The site is open all day, every day to visitors. The Scottish Outdoor Access Code applies, guiding you to clear up any litter while enjoying your visit responsibly.

Colin Andrew Smith Architect . Treetops . Dull . Aberfeldy . PH15 2JQ 01887 820815 . colin@casarchitect.co.uk . www.casarchitect.co.uk

Heather Watson-Ross BSc (Hons) MCPod - Registered HCPC Podiatrist/Chiropodist

Ochils Podiatry offers a comprehensive range of podiatry/chiropody treatments.

Third Sundays of each month are volunteering days when anyone is welcome to meet and join us from 10 am till about 3 pm, while we perform a variety of maintenance tasks. Projects include checking fencing, clearing paths, development of signage, construction of bridges, benches & picnic tables and removal of vegetation threatening tree growth.

We welcome volunteers of all ages and abilities. Activities are provided for children, who should be accompanied by a responsible adult. Sessions start at 10 am and continue till about 3 pm with a break for lunch. We advise wearing sound, waterproof footwear and bringing a packed lunch and drinks. We have a good stock of all the tools we need.

For all enquiries please contact by: Telephone 01764 752252 Email info@ochilspodiatry.co.uk www.ochilspodiatry.co.uk

We are located within Davidsons Chemist, 54-56 High St, Auchterarder.

"Keeping the community on their feet"

Strathearn Ramblers

Saturday, 14 March - Stroll, Murthly Castle and the banks of the Silvery Tay. Start Point: Murthly village (park and meet at the Nisa local). Distance: 6.5 miles. Leave: Laggan Park, Comrie 9.45 am, Crieff Co-op 10 am. Description: A chance to enjoy a delightful circular walk around the Murthly castle estate and parkland. It offers fine riverside views and a chance to see several mature specimen trees that are amongst the finest in Perthshire.

Wildlife sightings are possible, and the walking is generally easy on flat tracks and drives. NB: We will park on the main street in the village since there is very limited parking at the entrance to the castle.

Thursday, 26 March - Walk, Tombane, Ballinloan and Drumour Circuit. Start Point: Little Tombane track (grid ref NN 9560 3986) (what3words: meatball.subtitle.writers). NB: We will need to use as few cars as possible, and drivers will need instructions to turn in Meikle Findowie entrance on opposite side of road to access the Little Tombane track when approaching from Amulree. Distance: 6 miles. Leave: Laggan Park, Comrie 9 am, Crieff Co-op 9.15 am. Description: Over half this rough walk is pathless, but it will take participants up through the wood then out across pasture past two ruined townships then along an ancient track through forest to Griffin Wind Farm. The return is beside lovely Ballinloan Burn before joining the Old Military Road over Drumour, passing Corbenic’s Poetry Path. Sunday, 12 April - Stroll, Muckhart and Rumbling Bridge. Start Point: Coronation Hall, Pool of Muckhart (what3words: announce. snack.asterisk). Distance: 6.5 miles. Leave: Comrie Laggan Park 10 am, Crieff Co-op car park 10.15 am, Coronation Hall, Pool of Muckhart 10.45 am. Description: This lovely circular walk starts from the Pool of Muckhart, takes you past Muckhart Mill and through the Rumbling Bridge Gorge before returning to Muckhart via farm tracks. There is about 180m of ascent in total which is spread out across the walk making this pretty much a flat walk. The route is entirely on paths/tracks and quiet roads although some bits can be very muddy.

Friday, 24 April - Walk, North Third Reservoir from the Bannockburn Centre. Start Point: Battle of Bannockburn Centre (what3words: plans.heave.slate). Distance: 9 miles. Leave: Laggan Park, Comrie 9 am, Crieff Co-op 9.15 am. Description: Starting from Battle of Bannockburn car park we cross the M9 following minor road passing Old Sauchie before climbing to the craggy escarpment of Lewis Hill with superb views all around. We then descend to North Third reservoir, walking round the shore before crossing the dam and coming down back through some woodland and passing by a fishery before rejoining the road leading back over the M9 and back to the car park. The route is on minor roads, tracks and paths which can be muddy, please wear appropriate footwear.

perth Citizens advice bureau

You can reach Perth CAB for Advice on: frEEphone: 0808 196 9440 - 10am - 3pm Monday to Friday. (Free from landlines and mobiles)

E: advice@perthcab.org.uk W: www.perthcab.org.uk

Crieff parish guild syllabus 2026 for Crieff parish Church Guild - Living Stones - All Meetings are at 2.30 pm or as otherwise stated. Wednesday, 11 March - Leprosy Mission Steve McLeish Wednesday, 25 March - AGM

Crieff’s fibro Warriors - Crieff’s Fibro Warriors is a support group for anyone suffering from Fibromyalgia in the Strathearn area.

We have a Facebook group and we meet in Crieff Baptist church on Tuesdays at 1.30 pm. For more information contact Claire Scott at clairegrieve@hotmail.co.uk.

Army Cadets - Ever thought about giving the Army Cadets a go? We are a youth organisation for children aged 12 to 18, run by volunteers, giving children opportunities to enhance their sports, try new things, and learn skills out in the field. We are also active DofE leaders, supporting everyone wishing to take part. Currently parading on a Wednesday in Meadow Place, Crieff, from 7 pm to 9 pm or in Auchterarder on Mondays from 7 pm to 9 pm. We are always looking for girls and boys to join and see what we can offer you.

Check out our poster below with a QR code, which will give anyone who is interested more information to see what it’s all about. We hope to see many of you soon!

The copy date for the April 2026 edition of The Crieff & Comrie Quair is noon on Wednesday, 11 March. The magazines will be distributed week commencing Monday, 30 March.

Whether you fancy taking on a part time role to fit around your commitments, or you’re in search of your forever job, our thriving family company could have the right opportunity for you! We can offer:

• Competitive r ates of pay

• Flexible or imme diate starts available

• Non-se asonal, year-round work (short-term contracts available)

• A variety of r oles available in our prestigious Clothing, Gift & Food Halls, or our popular restaurant Please e-mail your CV to recruitment@houseofbruar.com or call 01796 483236 WWW.HOUSEOFBRUAR.COM

• Benefits including shop disc ounts, generous restaurant discount and loyalty rewards that accrue with time

Culture Perth and Kinross Libraries

Strathearn Community Library

Jump Into Libraries - Join staff from Strathearn Community Library on Saturday, 28 March as they host a Jump into Libraries session. This fun, drop-in event is aimed at the community of Crieff and Strathearn and will offer an opportunity for residents to explore the library and discover its many services. During the morning, staff will host several free activities, including an Upcycled Paper Collage Crafts workshop, from 10 am to 11 am, led by Remake Scotland for those aged 8 and above and our family storytelling session, Where Stories Live, with Lindsey Gibb from 11 am to 12 pm. barvick falls - Join local author Rob McInroy at Strathearn Community Library on Tuesday, 31 March for an insight into his historical crime fiction. Raised in Crieff, Rob specialises in evocative mysteries set across Perthshire, including his awardwinning debut Cuddies Strip. He will discuss his latest novel, Barvick Falls, which captures Crieff at the outbreak of the Second World War, and explore how the local landscape and real history shape his writing. This is a fantastic opportunity to hear from a writer whose work has been highly recommended by Val McDermid. Tickets are £5 and can be purchased from the library. Copies of his books will be available for purchase on the night.

bookbug sessions - These fun, interactive sessions are suitable for pre-schoolers from baby years. Sessions are held every Thursday, including school holidays, from 10.30 am to 11 am. No need to book.

Tangled Yarns - Connect, share and learn with our friendly, informal knitting group. Needles and yarns are available for beginners or those re-engaging with the craft. Meets every Tuesday from 2 pm to 3.30 pm. Strathearn Writing Group - This free, informal workshop takes place on the first Tuesday of every month from 5.30 pm to 6.30 pm.

Café books - Do you love to read? Join us at our informal Café Books session to find new authors, share your own favourite books and be inspired to read more. If you sign up for our Café Books emailing list,

you will be sent regular monthly lists of the titles discussed. Café Books is held at the library on the first Saturday of every month from 11 am to 12.30 pm.

Family history - Are you interested in researching your family history? Join our Family History Group. This informal session meets every fortnight on a Friday morning from 10 am. Using your own device is recommended, but laptops are available if required. These sessions are free. Please contact the library for more information. books on Wheels - For individuals in the Comrie and Crieff area who cannot get out and about to visit the library, books can be delivered straight to your door each month. For more information, please get in touch with Strathearn Community Library. bertie bus - Provides a monthly trip to Strathearn Community Library, finishing with tea or coffee at the Steading Café. Please contact the Secretary of Strathcare on 07716 119414 for more information.

E-resources - Culture Perth and Kinross Libraries offer online library services available 24/7 via the library website at www.culturepk.org.uk/libraries or by downloading the library app. Services include browsing the catalogue, online joining, requesting and renewing items. A selection of e-resources is also available, including e-books, e-audiobooks, e-magazines, e-news and e-reference resources, including trove.scot, Theory Test PRO and Ancestry.

opening hours - Tuesday: 10 am to 7 pm; Wednesday: 10 am to 6 pm; Thursday: 10 am to 7 pm; Friday: 10 am to 6 pm; Saturday: 10 am to 1 pm

Comrie Heritage Group (CHG) CHG plays a vital role in preserving and celebrating the vibrant history of Comrie and its surroundings. our role includes conserving and interpreting the history of Cultybraggan Camp - Cultybraggan is Scotland’s only re-

maining prisoner of war camp, its history is multifaceted. Initially it served as a labour camp for Italian prisoners of war until Italy surrendered in 1943. In 1944 it became a camp for German POWs, including soldiers, submariners and airmen. After the war, many of these men remained and underwent a programme of denazification before being returned home. Some returned later in their lives to revisit the camp and to meet again the friends they had made in Comrie. The Ministry of Defence (MoD) eventually took over the camp, using it as a training facility for TA, regular soldiers, and cadets. In 2007 Comrie Development Trust acquired the camp from the MoD. Cultybraggan Museum - The museum, located in the Jail Block, opened in 2021. It provides insights into the daily lives of prisoners and showcases storyboards detailing camp life and interactions between prisoners and Comrie villagers. The Museum will reopen from 10 am until 4 pm on Fridays, Saturdays, Sundays and Mondays starting on Good Friday, 3 April. It will also be open on Easter Monday. While there is no entrance fee, donations, which will enable us to continue running the museum would be greatly appreciated.

Guided Tours - CHG offers guided tours of Cultybraggan Camp. Adults: £10. Children over 10 years: £5. Educational Groups: £2 per person: Groups of more than 12 adults: £8 per person. To arrange a tour please contact us at comrieheritagegroup@gmail.com.

How can you get involved - If you would like to become a volunteer, helping to organise events, welcome visitors to the museum or conduct guided tours please contact us at comrieheritagegroup@gmail.com. By supporting the Comrie Heritage Group you contribute to the rich tapestry of Comrie’s past and ensure that its legacy lives on.

Crieff probus Club - The speaker at Crieff Probus Club, in January, was Robin Leake, Emeritus Professor in Endocrine Oncology, Glasgow University.

Robin’s talk was Prevention - What our Political Masters need to know. His talk asked the question: Can Prevention save Lives as well as Money?

In 1975 the main challenges for the NHS were cardiovascular disease, cancer, diabetes and mental health. Today it is known that diet, smoking and alcohol influence the development of cancers. Eating a healthy diet, free from ultra-processed foods as much as possible, reducing alcohol intake and smoking cessation can extend your life expectancy, reduce NHS patient numbers and save the NHS money.

Nine in 10 of diabetes conditions are type 2 diabetes, contributed to by obesity, with currently two thirds of adults overweight. In 2025 approximately 184,000 preventable cancers were diagnosed, with an increase of under-50s being diagnosed with bowel cancer. This leads to 1 in 10 being too sick to work full-time, and 2 in 5 with mental health conditions.

How can the future be better? Robin gave statistical details of the need to reduce smoking and the intake of ultra processed foods. More research is needed into the impact of all contributory factors. Changes in the tax system on food products could lead to an improvement, along with a reduction in sugar in drinks and food.

Crieff probus Club - Crieff Probus Club members enjoyed an amazing and fascinating talk given by Mairi Gibson, on the Clothing of the 16th Century Stewart Court in Scotland. Mairi not only illustrated her talk with descriptive pictures and documents, but she also had on display clothes based on those of the 16th Century Stewart Royal Court. Mairi is the Wardrobe Mistress at Stirling Castle leading a team of tour guides, responsible for the accuracy of the costumes worn and displayed.

Extensive research, across a wide range of sources, including Treasurers’ accounts, Burgh records, portraits, correspondence and 16th century costume books, assist in an accurate portrayal of clothing. The National

Records of Scotland hold wills which show the bequeathing of clothes by court ladies to relatives, friends and servants, and merchants records detail the textiles brought to Scotland from other countries.

Clothing and jewellery were used to show how important a person and their standing was. The type of cloth used, the processes needed to create the finished article, all pointed to a person’s importance.

The Scottish Court wanted to be differentiated from other Royal Courts, using tartan in clothes designs, and bringing textiles back from European Courts and cities. King James V wore tartan as he engaged with the Highland communities, emphasising he was their King, and also one of them. The talk illustrations also showed the kind of clothes worn by working people, and servants.

Crieff Probus Club 2026 winter programme continues with: Tuesday, 3 March - Crieff Community Council Tuesday, 17 March - The Poets of 19th Century Perthshire Tuesday, 7 April - A Way Towards Green Energy Tuesday, 21 April - Antarctic Circle Expedition Tuesday, 5 May - Perth Theatre History Tuesday, 19 May - Customised Watches

fowlis Wester village hall

We are pleased to announce the date for Fowlis Wester Village Charity Plant Sale, this year the plant sale and coffee morning will be held on Saturday, 16 May there will be more details to follow but rest assured there will be the usual wide array of perennials, veggies, annuals and much more. We look forward to welcoming you to raise funds for the Hall and another local charity.

the dunkeld and birnam spring Art and Crafts Fair

The Dunkeld and Birnam Spring Art and Crafts Fair takes place on Saturday, 28 and Sunday, 29 March in the Drill Hall The Cross Dunkeld from 10 am to 5 pm each day.

Lots of unique and interesting crafts. Have you ever been to one of our fairs and seen something you would have loved but couldn’t quite justify buying, well why not come to this fair where our crafters will be offering end of ranges at reduced prices. You may even find the item you wanted. Admission is free.

brass Central strathearn

Last month, we held a successful Come and Try session, and we’re delighted to welcome several new members who have joined our Development Band. Our doors are always open, and we have instruments available to borrow. So, if you’re interested in getting involved or trying something new, please do get in touch.

Our events calendar is filling up fast, and we’re having a great time rehearsing for the spring and summer months ahead. Our next performance will be at Perth Concert Hall on Sunday, 8 March, where we’ll be taking part in the 4B section of the SBBA Scottish Championships. After that, be sure to keep an eye on our social media - we truly appreciate your continued support! Feel free to contact us at brasscstrath@ gmail.com.

Duracell

Tariff

Hannah Rarity to perform in Comrie

Chris’s Gigs is truly delighted to welcome the honey voiced Hannah Rarity to the village. She won the prestigious BBC Young Traditional Musician of the Year award in 2018, is celebrated for her exceptional voice and dynamic musical presence and has consistently impressed audiences and critics alike.

Known for her hauntingly beautiful voice and, increasingly, her poignant self-penned songs, Hannah effortlessly blends folk, contemporary, and original material, drawing comparisons to vocal legends like Eva Cassidy and Joan Baez. A versatile performer, she is in high demand as a collaborator, session vocalist, tutor, and MC, and this year hosted Celtic Connections’ renowned Late Night Sessions Brew and A Blether. Hannah will be accompanied by Innes White. Innes is one of the busiest acoustic instrumentalists in the UK having appeared on over 40 albums on guitar, mandolin and occasionally other instruments. He can be seen regularly performing with many of Scotland’s top folk acts including Eddi Reader, Julie Fowlis, Karen Matheson, Siobhan Miller, Sian, Kim Carnie, Hannah Rarity and countless others. Hannah will be at Comrie Rural Hall on Saturday, 14 March at 8 pm. Tickets are £20 from Hansen’s Kitchen and online from Ticket Tailor (plus £1 booking fee). Search for Chris’s Gigs on www.tickettailor.com

Cllr noah Khogali

Strathearn Ward - Conservative

They say, ‘February fill-dyke,’ and this year the old saying has certainly lived up to its name. It has been a wet and grey start to 2026, but the gloom hasn’t stopped Strathearn-ites from achieving national success.

While Six Nations fever has been gripping the country, Strathearn has been celebrating its own rugby glory at Murrayfield. I want to offer my huge congratulations to the Morrisons Academy/Crieff & Strathearn U18 team, who brought home the U18 Schools Bowl with a resounding 27-7 victory over St Columba’s. It was a fantastic performance, with a special mention to the Man of the Match, Kerr. If rugby isn’t your speed, it seems Strathearn is also the place to be for a quieter kind of spotting. New data released this month on the best places to spot red squirrels in Scotland placed the Knock at number four in the entire country. We often take our local surroundings for granted, but having such thriving wildlife right on our doorstep is something to cherish, even if you do need wellies to enjoy it at the moment!

Back indoors, attention has turned to the serious financial decisions facing the Council. By the time you read this, the Council will likely have set its budget for the year ahead. As I write this in February, we are reviewing feedback from the public, and taking a serious look at what matters most to people. The financial outlook remains stark, and difficult choices are being made. My focus now turns to monitoring the impact of these decisions. As always, if there are any local matters you wish to raise or if I can be of help, please do not hesitate to contact me. Here’s hoping for a drier, brighter spring for us all.

As always, if there’s something you’d like to raise or discuss, please don’t hesitate to get in touch. You can contact me on - Telephone 01738 475000, email NKhogali@pkc.gov.uk or at Perth & Kinross Council, 2 High St, Perth PH1 5PH

Strathearn Music Society - With two great concerts behind us already this year, we are now looking forward to welcoming Sequoia, a violin and cello duo who will be presenting Water Music - source to sea, a wonderful selection of music by many different composers all featuring flowing water in one form or another. Looking at their planned programme for Wednesday, 25 March, we are sure that this will be a great treat for everyone!

As usual, this concert will be held at Crieff Parish Church on the corner of Ferntower Road and Strathearn Terrace. Tickets cost £15 (Students £5) and can be obtained at the door or via Eventbrite. As always, young people under 18 will be admitted free. Doors open at 7 pm with the concert getting underway at 7.30 pm.

After this concert we will be taking a break until June when we have two events planned. On Wednesday, 10 June we will be inviting talented youngsters from our two senior schools to entertain us musically after our, hopefully, short AGM. Then on Friday, 26 June we will be delighted to welcome back Les Trois Blondes (aka, The Three Lagers!) who will be providing the music for our annual, café-style jazz concert. More details about these will be given in a future edition of The Crieff & Comrie Quair.

If you are looking for more information about any of our concerts or other activities, then visit the Strathearn Music Society’s website at www.concertsincrieff.co.uk or follow us on Facebook and X (Twitter) @concertscrieff.

VESTIBULE AT DUN ALUINN, ABERFELDY

CELEBRATING

of creating beautiful homes in Perthshire

IF YOU ARE LOOKING TO CREATE SOMETHING BEAUTIFUL PLEASE GET IN TOUCH WE WOULD LOVE TO HELP

THE BEST VIEW EVER, EVERY DAY!

MOTHER’S

TEA

Seasons View Restaurant

OPEN FROM THURSDAY 2ND APRIL FOR LUNCH and DINNER (Thursday to Sunday)

Charity event for Rachel House

Children’s Hospice Kinross

Sunday, 8 March 2 pm to 5 pm

*Cream teas available £4 adults, children free

*Colourful exhibition and sale of paintings by local children *Free admission

Please come and give your support for this very important charity.

Ross Hall Adventist Church, Gwydyr Road, Crieff, PH7 4BS

Explore Embrace The Middle East’s Lent Study

On Wednesdays 25 Feb - 1 Apr at 7pm at Fowlis Wester village hall, sharing ideas and discussion over pizza and salad supper:

To improve our understanding of how Jesus’ early followers described by Luke in the Book of Acts trusted in God’s love and why they wanted to share his message. Embrace supports its partners in the Middle East who are witnessing daily the suffering and strengths of all the people.

For more information see https://www.midstrathearnchurch.org/Latest-News/Lent-Study-2026/ or text/call Tim Carmichael on 07906 135203 to book a place

THE NATURAL CLINIC

62 Commissioner Street, Crieff

The longest standing clinic in Crieff.

• HYPNOTHERAPY

• CRANIOSACRAL THERAPY

• SOMATIC EMOTIONAL RELEASE

• WHIPLASH/TRAUMA

• MYOFASCIAL RELEASE • MASSAGE

Ready for change! You are in expert hands. Call us on 07767 836 710 deirdre0711@googlemail.com scottishnaturalclinic.com

in Crieff | Early Summer 2026 Opening in Crieff early Summer 2026

in Crieff early Summer 2026

Freshly baked scones, delicate finger sandwiches, and exquisite pastries - all served in the stunning light-filled Loggia at Crieff Hydro. The perfect Mother’s Day treat.

Book your table for Sunday 15 March - spaces are limited