The Crieff & Comrie Quair by Alistair Barr

The Crieff & Comrie Quair

YOUR SUNDAY ROAST AWAITS AT

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IN AUCHTERARDER

the Crieff & Comrie Quair

tel/text: 07436 793785 e: crieffandcomrie@thequair.com w: www.thequair.scot aberfeldy, perthshire, ph15 2Zx

We wish all our Advertisers, Contributors and Readers a healthy and prosperous 2025.

IN AUCHTERARDER

WHERE LEGS AND FEET MATTER

You’re probably ready to have a sort and clear out of all the Christmas excess and you can find address specific collection dates for the various recycling bins at: https//.my.pkc.gov.uk/ MyServices and follow the link - Bins and Recycling then Bin Collection Dates. For your Christmas tree you can chop up your tree and put it in your brown-lidded bin if you have a garden waste permit, or take it to a local recycling centre.

WHERE LEGS AND FEET MATTER

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HCPC REGISTERED

ROUTINE CHIROPODY

GREGOR McCOSHIM FCPodS MChS

WALKING/RUNNING INJURIES

ORTHOTIC/INSOLE MANUFACTURER

In terms of bin collections, should we experience severe weather, recycling collectors will do their best to reach homes to empty the bins presented at the kerbside but it may not be safe for the lorry to access all parts of Perth and Kinross. In this case, leave your bin out for 48 hours. If it is not lifted after his period move the bin back to your storage area till the next date. If you have excess waste, this should be recycled at the Council’s Recycling Centres.

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a near miss with scammers - I am quite well versed with the many scams on the go and my instincts told me during a recent telephone transaction that there was something not quite right. And yet…I nearly fell into the trap due to their excellent psychological tactics. Simply, I did not want to be impolite and I did want to do my best to answer all the questions to the best of my ability - both long term traits drilled in since childhood. It was only when Alistair overheard me and questioned why the caller had any need to know about our mortgage arrangement that I put an immediate end to the call. Don’t be shy to verify the legitimacy of a request, especially if it comes from an authority figure or involves financial transactions. Contact the person or organisation directly using a trusted method.

Alistair and Linda

EMAIL: grm@mccoshim.plus.com

TEL: 07932 725211

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 from visitors and tourists and, of course, local and regional lockdowns due to worldwide pandemics! 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.

www.lovelocal.scot

Copy date - The copy date for advertisers and organisations to submit an advertisement or article for the february 2025 edition is noon on Wednesday, 15 January. The Magazines are due to be distributed the week commencing monday, 3 february 2025

richmond Community

All of Richmond Community will now be based at The Crieff Community Hospital from the day room. All the groups will run at the same time and on the same days. We would like to say a huge thank you to all at the Royal British Legion who have helped and supported us over the years.

Our weekly health walk now meets at the Crieff Community Hospital, King Street, Crieff at 10.30 am every Thursday then after the walks we have a chat over a cuppa in the day room. This month the Health Walk will run on thursday, 2 January.

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 30-45 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 now over for 2024 but they will be back in March 2025. If anyone has any suggestions on walks for our 2025 please let Karen know.

Our friendship group is every 2nd Friday, we meet at the Crieff Community Hospital 10.30 am - 12 pm.

The Friendship group will be on friday, 10 January and will take place at Richmond House, 10.30 am - 12.00 noon, where we have Ally Bongo coming to DJ for us and then on friday, 24 January, we have the Barbershop Choir coming back to give us a wee performance. 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, 9 January 2025. 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.

Our Christmas party was a huge success again this year with the Health Walks and Carers Café participants coming together for the Christmas party. A huge thank you to Chris White for entertaining us with some festive songs and to Gourlay’s Catering who did an amazing job at the buffet. Thanks to everyone who came along to support us.

For information on any of these activities contact Karen Hapka at karen@richmondcommunity.org or telephone 07587 088403.

richmond house - On November 25, two long-serving and highly respected members of the Richmond House Community stepped down from the Board of Trustees.

Alice MacDonald and Irene Anderson, both well-regarded in Crieff for their dedication to community service, have collectively contributed 36 years to the Board at Richmond House (Alice 27 years, Irene 9 years).

The remaining Board members expressed their gratitude for their years of dedication and wished them both a long and joyful retirement.

Richmond House is a charitable organisation that operates a care home for 19 residents. If you are interested in joining the Board, please reach out to kirsty@richmondcommunity.org for consideration.

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

the arts society tayside - After an absorbing lecture in November from Dominic Riley, a former Shakespearean actor, on the fascinating story of the most elaborate book binding ever created and then lost: ‘Jewels in Joy - the story of the Great Omar Binding’, on December 9 we had something for Christmas, in the form of Siobhan Clarke who took us through the delights of ‘A Tudor Christmas’.

Our lecture season kicks off again on monday, 13 January with a light-hearted theme to brighten the dark days of winter - ‘The History of Musicals’ by Jamie Hayes. After Jamie, we have five more fascinating lectures to look forward to for the rest of our season.

Our series of three Winter Lectures, which runs in Perth from thursday, 23 January to thursday, 6 february, has been confirmed as Visions of the Natural World in Art by Andrew Paterson. Our spring and summer programme of activities this year features Aberdeen Art Gallery on Wednesday, 21 may. Other visits are in the process of being finalised.

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. Each year we offer ten absorbing and always accessible daytime lectures at Birnam Arts on a wide variety of topics, as well as a range of house, garden and gallery visits and interesting add-on activities. Please visit our website to see the full programme: theartssocietytayside.org.uk. Annual membership is £65. We are not culture snobs! Come and join us. Please contact us for a complimentary lecture or to become a member: tastmembership@gmail.com or 01350 724232.

Crieff probus Club - The club meets on the 1st and 3rd Tuesdays of each month from September till May, in The Royal British Legion, Perth Road, Crieff.

Meetings start at 10 am with tea and coffee, and at 10.30 am after a few items of business, club members enjoy a talk from a wide range of speakers. The spring programme will start on tuesday, 21 January 2025.

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Highland Perthshire’s Go to Landscaping Company

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brass Central strathearn - We had a wonderful and busy festive season filled with various events, and we’re so grateful for all the smiles, kind wishes, and generous donations we receivedit truly makes all the hard work and practice so worthwhile.

As we step into the new year, we’re excited to dive into some fresh music, which is always great fun!

We’re also in the process of finalising our events for 2025, so keep an eye out for us in the coming months.

Wishing all our supporters a fantastic New Year! New members are always welcome, whether you’re a complete beginner or an experienced player. Feel free to contact us at brasscstrath@ gmail.com.

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Crieff Community Council

A Puzzling Crieff Festival may be a Scottish First. It seems there are no Jigsaw Puzzle festivals in Scotland, and their proven popularity down south would indicate that a Crieff event could entice a large influx of enthusiasts to the town, a well-attended December meeting of the Crieff Community Council has heard.

CCC Chairman Brian Wilton explained the concept to the meeting. Those who enjoy jigsaws, once they’ve completed one, take it apart and box the pieces up again. For the Festival, instead of dismantling their handiwork, puzzlers would be encouraged to lodge the completed work with the Festival organisers, who will carefully store each one. Over the course of a year many completed puzzles can be collected. Then, on the first day of the three-day festival, up to 300 completed jigsaws are put on show, and puzzlers can come, admire, and purchase those they fancy doing themselves. The next day a fresh selection goes on display, and the same on the third day.

It would be aimed at all ages and all abilities, including children. Only a concept at this stage, it is something the CCC will consider more fully in 2025. If the idea appeals to you and you would like to get involved, let the CCC know.

The meeting also heard more about the work of the Crieff Regeneration Group. Through the hard work of Councillor Rhona Brock the group will receive PKC funding of £40,000 a year for three years (£120,000 in total). It has also obtained funds from further afield, including £20,000 donated by the organisers of the recent Dior fashion show at Drummond Castle.

With the Drummond Arms Hotel scheduled for demolition, the Regeneration Group will work with the community to determine what the land might subsequently be best used for. It is also possible some historic pieces from the building may be preserved and repurposed.

There is also interest in the community purchasing the old vacant Golf Shop building in James Square and turning it into accommodation for walkers, campers, etc, with a community shop and other amenities included.

It was hoped the public toilets would be open in time for Christmas, however the number of inspections required before the lease handover can be completed has delayed the process.

The volunteers responsible for Crieff at Christmas, under the leadership of Alan Murphy, were highly praised for an excellent Christmas market and light switch-on event in James Square. Santa’s Post Office, which has proved a huge success over past years, was up and running again, with the post box itself being specially delivered from Northern Ireland after some good work by the CCC to locate a suitable provider. The hard work being put in by the volunteer organisers of the Post Office and the Crieff late night shopping event, June McEwan and Nigel Gatherer’s organising of the Christmas Stockings decorations, and the organisers behind the Sugar Mice competition were also praised.

A report from the Events team highlighted a very successful year, with lots of work already underway for the 2025 Spring Fayre to be held in MacRosty Park on Easter sunday, 20 april. The final event for 2024 is the return of a Hogmanay celebration in James Square, with stovies, music and good cheer from 11.30 pm.

The first CCC meeting for 2025 is on monday, 3 february at 7.30 pm at the Community Campus. Come along, lend your support and if you can, get involved to help your community thrive! You can find out more on the Crieff Community Council Facebook page, at www.crieff.scot or email welcome@crieff.scot

Many thanks to those who helped out with litterpicks around Crieff in 2024. Dates for 2025 picks will be announced on the CCC Facebook page.

Crieff Recycling Centre, North Forr, Broich Road

Thursday - Monday 9.00 - 16.00

(last entry 15.45 - all vehicles must be off site by 16.00)

local schools

Crieff high school reception

www.crieffhigh.pkc.sch.uk 01764 657600

strathearn Community Campus

www.pkc.gov.uk/strathearn 01764 657700

Crieff primary school 01764 657888

st. dominics primary school 01764 657800

Comrie primary school 01764 661450

madderty primary school 01764 661444

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, 7 Dec 2024. 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.

Comrie medical Centre, Strowan Road, Comrie, PH6 2LW tel: 01764 670217

Opening Hours:

8 am - 6 pm, Monday to Friday

Please check hours on bank and public holidays

Crieff medical Centre, blue practice

King Street, Crieff, PH7 3SA tel: 01764 652283

Repeat Prescription Line: 01764 655510

Opening Hours - 8 am - 6 pm, Mon to Friday

Closed 12pm - 2 pm on Tuesdays

Extended hours appointments:

Early appointments - tuesday mornings late appointments - thursday evenings

Crieff Medical Centre, Red Practice

King Street, Crieff, PH7 3SA tel: 01764 652456

Repeat Prescription Line: 01764 655577

Opening Hours - 8 am - 6 pm, Monday to Friday

Closed 12 pm - 2 pm on a Wednesday.

Please check hours for bank and public holidays

strathearn politicians

Constituency member of scottish parliament

Jim Fairlie MSP 01738 620540

regional member of scottish parliament

Liz Smith MSP 01738 553990

mp - perth and Kinross-shire

Pete Wishart MP 01738 639598

local Councillors - strathearn Ward pKC

nhs 24 - NHS 24 is a confidential out of hours telephone health advice and information service available across Scotland. If you or someone you care for is unwell and you feel that it can’t wait until your GP surgery re-opens then you can call NHS 24 on 111. You will speak first to a healthcare advisor who will capture important information and then direct your call to either an experienced nurse for an assessment or a health information adviser for information. Where clinically appropriate a GP home visit or an ambulance may be arranged for you. in a life threatening situation you should dial 999.

perth Citizens advice bureau

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

Email: advice@perthcab.org.uk

Webchat: www.perthcab.org.uk (10am1pm Mon to Fri)

strathearn Community library

Community Campus, CRIEFF, Tel/Fax:01764 657705

Email: strathearnlibrary@culturepk.org.uk

For opening times and other up to date information see www.culturepk.org.uk/libraries

Comrie library

For opening times and other up to date information see www.culturepk.org.uk/libraries

Cllr stewart donaldson strathearn Ward - SNP

First things first. I hope you have had, if possible, a happy festive season. I wish you all a Good New Year. Once again, I will be spending Hogmanay with friends in Glasgow. And so, when you are celebrating the New Year in James Square, or watching the flambeaux in Comrie, I’ll be hearing the hooters from ships on the Clyde! Every year presents its own challenges. Let us not forget there may well be opportunities as well. 2025 will be no different.

For every councillor, the first two months of the year are occupied above all else by the Budget. As Convener of Finance and Resources I’m probably more pre-occupied than most! At time of writing, we have had the Scottish Budget, but it may well be another week before knowing the finer detail, and what the full implications are for people in Perth and Kinross. What did assist was the decision of full Council on December 4 to approve the Medium-Term Financial Strategy. The new strategy allows for an increase in Council Tax of 10% in 2025/2026, and in 2026/2027. Then 6% would apply in 2027/2028. These figures are not cast in tablets of stone, but for planning purposes they do clearly indicate the direction of travel. The objective is to sustain and maintain front line services, and to protect the capital budget. Of course, the final decisions will be taken at the meeting of full Council on Wednesday, 26 february. At that time all the various forces within the Council will present their own submissions. In this column I try not to be party political, but my own group does form a minority administration. That said, we will aim to be collegiate, and to incorporate where possible good ideas from other groups. Right now, I am more optimistic than even just a few months ago that we can make real progress. Let’s see how things develop.

I referred last time to the Drummond Arms in Crieff. The Finance and Resources Committee did have to act on a Dangerous Buildings Notice being served. Sadly, approval was given to proceed to demolition. At this stage it is not clear the exact timetable that will apply. It will be a very complex operation. What led up to this action having to be taken will be considered by the Council’s Scrutiny and Performance Committee in due course. Without doubt it needs to look at the position in a forensic manner. What I would say is that there is also a need for a change in legislation so that far more assertive action can be taken over owners of properties, especially listed buildings, who take no action whatsoever whilst the building continues to deteriorate year on year. With the Drummond Arms there is also very much the question of what happens after demolition is completed. One important event will be the demolition of the old Crieff Hotel, this starting on sunday, 5 January. However, this is a positive development. What Creative Crieff is aiming to achieve with the Star Experience could well be of huge benefit to the people of Crieff and nearby. I’m hoping soon to get an update on Crieff Connexions. That building is already of such importance to many sections of the community. Will say more on windfarms next time, as well as on parking in Comrie, but to finish I’m pleased that East Strathearn Community Council will continue, and that enough local folk came forward. I hope one or two more will come later from Madderty.

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

Comrie silver Circle - Comrie Silver Circle is held in the Parish church hall every Thursday from 2 pm to 4 pm. Entertainment and afternoon tea. All welcome. Please phone Myra on 01764 670166 or 07522 690289 for transport.

Strathearn Gaelic group will be holding a weekly Gaelic Conversation Group on a Saturday morning at 10 am in The Chocolate Galley. Tha fàilte roimhe uile.

Please contact Marcas on 07490 727023 for more details.

Le gach deagh dhùrachd, Gàidhlig Srath Èireann. Join us at Blair Athol Distillery to cure the January blues!

Happy New Year everyone!

We will be open as normal as of Thursday 2nd January from 10am onwards, so come down and join us on a distillery tour, or even just to enjoy a leisurely coffee or cocktail in our exclusive Mash Tun Bar.

We look forward to hopefully seeing you soon.

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

With 2025 now upon us, I would like to wish all readers a very happy new year, and send my best wishes for the year ahead.

2024 was a significant year for me personally, having been given the honour of representing the Strathearn area for the first time as your local MP following the general election. I quickly fell in love with this beautiful area, and have thoroughly enjoyed my many visits there since being elected.

One visit since my last column was to the magnificent Glenturret Distillery, the oldest working distillery in Scotland. It was fascinating to hear about the history of the site, and also to chat with Managing Director Jen Baernreuther about their plans going forward.

Some eagle-eyed readers may have noticed that there are still some brown road signs around Crieff which point to the ‘Famous Grouse Experience’, despite the distillery rebranding their name to Glenturret all the way back in 2019. A change of signage was requested, and paid for, a number of years ago, but it has been beset by a series of unacceptable delays. Glenturret is a major player in the local economy, and it is therefore vital that the signage is correct so as not to impair its branding or deter any visitors. I have now raised this issue directly with Perth and Kinross Council and Transport Scotland, and it is my hope that we will be able to finally get this resolved.

Another visit was to Braidhaugh Holiday Park in Crieff to see their new £350,000 caravan development. This is a fantastic new offering for Crieff, which will undoubtedly bring a significant boost to the local economy whilst helping to increase footfall into the town centre. Well done to all involved in bringing this development to life, and I look forward to seeing the benefits it will bring to the local community in the months and years to come. Lastly, I know that January and February can often feel like somewhat joyless months, with the festive season over but the stubborn winter weather showing no sign of abating just yet. For many readers, this time of year will be proving particularly difficult in the face of ever rising energy costs and without the support of the Winter Fuel Payment this year. My office has been assisting with a huge volume of cases relating to issues with energy bills, particularly from constituents who live rurally, and we remain on standby for anyone who is need of assistance.

As a reminder, my office can be contacted on 01738 639598 or pete.wishart.mp@parliament.uk.

vision pK: Comrie social group for people with a visual impairment Vision PK support a regular group in Comrie for people with a visual impairment. The group is run in partnership with Cameron Court and is open to anyone with a visual 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 to help at the group 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

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

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. We are also looking for volunteers to join the small team that runs the local Group. Could you give a few hours a month to help on the day?

The group is part of the Macular Society, which is a UK-wide charity providing advice, information, support, social interaction and a listening ear. There are 45 Macular Society Support Groups in Scotland. They offer help in understanding macular disease and coming to terms with sight loss. They also help us to ensure that everyone is kept up to date with all the current news and information.

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

Walks and beginner workshops held regularly at venues throughout Highland Perthshire For more information, please get in touch. Call/Text: 07828 086062

Email: nwhighlandperthshire@gmail.com

Web: www.nordicwalkinghighlandperthshire.com

Instagram: nw_highland_perthshire

Facebook: nordicwalkinghighlandperthshire

glen artney Church

Glen Artney Church, Comrie, PH6 2JJ

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

Crieff Parish Church is a congregation of the Church of Scotland. We meet for worship every Sunday at 11 am in the St Andrew’s building at the corner of Strathearn Terrace and Ferntower Road. Services are led by our minister, Rev Andrew J Philip, with a blend of new and older musical praise led by our band - these services are livestreamed for folk who can’t come along.

Our church family is made up of all sorts of people at all stages of life - there’s even a play corner for the youngest children. We seek to teach and understand the message

of the Bible, loving God and showing that love to our community.

Members of our church are involved in a number of local and national charities, and in partnership with other churches in town we offer people support getting free from debt through CAP Strathearn.

As a church we seek to be opened up to God and opened out to others in Worship, Nurture and Mission. If you are new to Crieff, visiting the area or looking for a church we would love to welcome and get to know you, so please come along or get in touch.

Crieff Parish Church, Strathearn Terrace, Crieff, PH7 3AQ

Scottish Registered Charity SC004304

A congregation of the Church of Scotland within the Presbytery of Perth Congregation number 281650.

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.

Crieff baptist Church

1 Addison Terrace, Crieff PH7 3AT crieffbaptist@gmail.com www.crieffbaptist.org.uk

We meet at 10.30 am on Sunday mornings. Coorie and Craft at Crieff baptist Church warm spaces - Every week from monday, 21 october at 12.30 pm2.30 pm.

Tea/coffee and home baking.

Everyone welcome.

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.

seventh day adventist Church

Gwydyr Road, PH7 4BS

info@crieffadventist.org.uk

www.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...

…

Personal tutoring in English for Primary, Secondary and Adult Learners.

Prepare for SQA examinations ‐ National 4, National 5 and Higher. Overcome spelling, grammar and reading difficulties. Improve handwriting ‐ it can be fun!

Good techniques to build confidence, improve knowledge & literacy development. One‐to‐one tuition. Mentoring methods are tailored to the specific learning goals of the individual.

Contact Jan 07775 642 992 j.jan.blether@gmail.com

PGDE: CELTA/ESOL: SVQ/SALT:Perth & Kinross Community Asst; 45+ years’ experience of tutoring in Primary and Adult Education. PVG disclosure. References offered.

As the colder weather approaches, did you know you can take a winter break with us?

Whether it’s to enjoy the warmth and extra care we can provide, or perhaps simply relax in a safe environment during the colder months.

Whatever your winter needs, we want to help. We’d love to take the time to show you around, and chat over any questions.

Want to take a look? Call us on 01738

or email enquiries@balhousiecare.co.uk

Comrie Centre for peace and reconciliation

New Year’s Day Peace Vigil. Our Chapel at Cultybraggan is not very warm, so this year we will be holding our New Year Peace Vigil at Milntuim Hermitage - just up the road from the camp.

You would be most welcome to join us any time between 2 pm and 4 pm on New Year’s Day for a time of quiet reflection. Every half hour there will be a reading; so 2 pm, 2.30 pm, 3 pm and 3.30 pm would be good times to arrive.

After the vigil you will be welcome to stay on for some tea.

The Comrie Centre for Peace and Reconciliation (CCPR) was founded in 2017 with the aspiration to support peace: in our hearts, in our families, in our nation and in our world.

It welcomes everyone, regardless of faith tradition. There is no charge for any event.

strathearn Episcopal Churches Crieff, Comrie, & lochearnhead Rev. Gennie Evans rev.gen@btinternet.com.

St Columba’s, Crieff; St Serf’s, Comrie; St Angus’, Lochearnhead and St Fillan’s, Killin www.strathearn-episcopal-churches.co.uk

st James Episcopal Church muthill Station Road, Muthill, PH5 2AR Phone Number - 01764 662525 Website - www.stkessogs.org/st-james Clergy in Charge - Rev Duncan Strathie Our Sunday services at 5.30 pm are usually traditional Evensong, with a Holy Communion service on the first Sunday of each month. All are welcome to join us and to stay for refreshments afterwards. For further details contact Harriet on stjamesmuthill@gmail.com.

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

Cultybraggan Camp history project

The Project was founded in 2017 to work with the camp’s owners wherever possible to preserve history and fabric of the camp. Members include academics and volunteers who are dedicated to investigate and document in central resources all aspects of the camp’s past. Serious new members are welcome to contact us through the email address below. We continue in discussion with other organisations doing similar work to us, which is proving mutually beneficial. Our members are the experts to guide tours, give talks and support authors, historians and filmmakers, allowing them direct access to our resources and personnel. Now in our sixth year, we provide illustrated talks to many groups including organisations and institutes, colleges, schools, Probus, Rotary and Local History Clubs. There are now more talks in our repertoire so you can select whether to have our general introduction or more specialised versions that dig deeper into real history.

If you would like an illustrated talk to your group or have any other enquiry, please email us at history@camp21.org.uk.

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 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.

muthill parish Church

www.muthillparishchurch.co.uk

A warm welcome awaits you every Sunday at our new time of 10 am. Our services can also be viewed online on our YouTube channel or on our Facebook page. We also have lots of opportunities throughout the week where you can come and meet up and enjoy some heat and company. Check out our Facebook page for details The long presence of a church in Muthill is evident by the remains of a medieval building and burial ground in the centre of the village.

Charity Registration Numbers Muthill: SC004984 Trinity Gask & Kinkel SC000004

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 alwa 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!

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Cllr noah Khogali

strathearn Ward - Conservative Happy New Year! I hope you all had a wonderful Christmas and Hogmanay! Christmas is a time of joy, reflection, and togetherness - a season that reminds us of the importance of family, community, generosity, and faith. Beyond the festive celebrations, it is a moment to pause and appreciate the bonds we share with those around us, extending kindness and goodwill to all. As most of you will know, the Council has been asked to take ownership of the Drummond Arms from DARL, who have put a significant amount of time and effort into trying to save the building. Unfortunately, that is no longer possible, and the building will be demolished. The Drummond Arms is more than just bricks and mortar - it is literally at the heart of Crieff, and a symbol of Crieff’s rich history. Its potential revival as an active building was one I hoped would come to fruition eventually.

While this is not the outcome we wanted, the Council’s involvement in taking ownership will now hopefully ensure that the saga comes to an end, and that the long term safety of the High Street is maintained.

If there are any issues then please feel free to contact me on - Telephone 01738 475000, email NKhogali@pkc.gov.uk or at Perth & Kinross Council, 2 High St, Perth PH1 5PH Winter Words festival 2025 at Pitlochry Festival Theatre

Running from friday, 21 to sunday, 23 february and curated by new Artistic Director Alan Cumming, Winter Words Festival 2025 features authors, poets, broadcasters and chefs from around Scotland for a celebration of the country’s rich artistic, literary, and cultural life. The programme of authors includes Booker Prize winner Douglas Stuart, celebrated crime writer Val McDermid, Mayflies and Caledonian Road author Andrew O’Hagan and broadcaster and journalist Kirsty Wark, who will all be in conversation about their work with Alan Cumming, whose own career is the subject of a Q&A on the opening morning of the Festival. Conversations with the former Scots Makar Liz Lochhead, in conversation with Andrew O’Hagan, as well as the current Edinburgh Makar Michael Pedersen; Scottish Indian writer, musician, and academic Arun Sood; Scotland’s Geographer Royal Jo Sharp; author James Jauncey in conversation with First Minister of Scotland John Swinney; and broadcaster and author, the Highland Hutter Peter MacQueen also feature as well as Fierce Salvage: Contemporary Scottish Publishing, with the award-winning independent publishing house 404 Ink and author Titilayo Farukuoye chaired by Heather Parry.

For food lovers, there are opportunities to enjoy a literary lunch with cuisine writer, restaurateur and food ambassador Carina Contini, MasterChef 2022 finalist and food writer Sarah Rankin and chef, author, and Café Canna owner Gareth Cole. Writer, broadcaster and Food Tourism Ambassador Ghillie Bașan will talk about food, whisky and life accompanied by whisky tastings.

For an energetic start to each day, there is the opportunity to join Finlay Wilson, the author of Kilted Yoga, for a morning yoga session, or to join the runner and author Chris Carse Wilson on a 5km run with readings from his book Fray.

For theatre lovers, there is a rehearsed reading and a performance from our Associate Company, the Borders-based Firebrand Theatre; A Room of One’s Own, dramatised by the company from the writings of Virginia Woolf and performed by Ellie Zeegen. The rehearsed reading The Race to 1984 by Richard Baron celebrates author George Orwell’s momentous novel, the women in his life, and the battle to complete his masterpiece in a Scottish hospital.

For tickets and further information call the Box Office team on 01796 484626 or visit Winter Words Festival 2025.

Comrie heritage group (Chg) CHG plays a vital role in preserving and celebrating the vibrant history of Comrie and its surroundings.

our role includes the conserving and interpreting the history of Cultybraggan Camp - Cultybraggan is Scotland’s only remaining 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 that 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 is now closed for the winter and will re-open in the spring. There will be no guided tours for the present. 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 thomashollins12@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.

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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

Winter Opening Times will vary.

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 - This month’s front cover is to say a Happy New Year to all of our readers and advertisers!

Please check our Facebook & Instagram accounts for details

Café Comrie, Drummond Street, Comrie, PH6 2DW

Tel: 01764 670838 e: cafe.comrie@btinternet.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.

CRIEFF FIFTY PLUS CLUB

Our next monthly meeting is on Wednesday, 5 February 2025 at 2.30 pm in St Columba’s Church, Perth Road, Crieff. The speaker is Mr Athol Curtis who will talk on the work of a Greenspace Ranger.

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! First meeting is free.

liz smith msp

mid scotland & fife regional member - Conservative

Over the last couple of months, my email inbox has been full of submissions from constituents who are concerned about the potential closure of the library in Comrie. Funding cuts to the Culture Perth and Kinross budget have put the futures of libraries across the region at risk. This affects Scone, North Inch, Perth, Dunkeld, Alyth, Auchterarder, and Coupar Angus.

The sheer number of correspondences I have received shows the strength of feeling amongst the local community which wants this library to remain open. This was also reflected at the meeting at the White Church at the end of October which was very well attended. I was unfortunately unable to make this meeting due to parliamentary commitments but sent someone on my behalf to provide me with a full briefing.

The large turnout also added to the considerable frustration amongst local people that a full consultation process had not been carried out by Culture Perth and Kinross. Had that happened, it would have shown the depth of opposition to the proposals.

I would therefore like to thank the excellent work undertaken by the Save Comrie Library group for raising the profile of this issue. Even many frequent library users were unaware of the situation, so without them this could have easily slipped under the radar. There is substantial evidence which shows that libraries generate significant economic, educational, and social value - all of which outweigh the short-term costs in operating them. They are also critical in tackling inequalities by providing wide-ranging learning resources to those who could otherwise not afford them. But we all know libraries go far beyond simple access to books and intellectual stimulation; they are important social hubs and for local networking, which is even more the case in rural communities where other indoor facilities are so scarce.

Then there is, of course, the general social impact. We are all aware of the considerable increase in crime and antisocial behaviour across Strathearn which, sadly, is being predominately driven by a minority of young people. Just like other local assets, such as sporting facilities, the closure of yet another public facility will do nothing to help alleviate the situation. As always if any local residents would like to raise issues with me please get in touch by calling my office on 01738 553990 or emailing elizabeth.smith.msp@parliament.scot

strathearn music society - We are very grateful to the nice team at the Strathearn Community Campus for allowing us to stage our October and November concerts in The Tryst which normally acts as the Crieff High School’s Assembly Hall, in lieu of our normal venue at St. Andrew’s Halls which we had to vacate when the heating failed. However, for our next three concerts, we are moving to Strathearn Arts in Comrie Street, Crieff as this is a more central location and, hopefully, will be more convenient for the concert-goers to reach.

The first of these concerts will be on Wednesday, 29 January, and will star the talented young ladies who comprise the Lark Piano Trionamely Emma Baird on violin, Helen LeGrand on cello and Anna Michels on piano. They have promised us a delightfully varied programme featuring works by Robert Schumann, Jennifer Higdon and Pyotr Tchaikovsky. Their group was formed during their postgraduate studies at the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland and they tell us that they have a passion for unearthing the hidden treasures of the piano trio repertoire! Tickets will still be priced at just £14 (students £3) and are now on sale from the Strathearn Arts shop in Comrie Street until tuesday, 28 January. Alternatively, they can be obtained online via Eventbrite or at the door on the evening of the concert. Children under 18 will be admitted free. 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.

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

remake reuse hub Crieff visitor Centre, muthill road, Crieff

We are open at the Reuse Hub on tuesday, 7 January and we are looking forward to moving into the New Year with our five-day week opening - Tuesday to Saturdays 10 am - 4 pm. We have had lots of feedback that customers find our extended opening hours more convenient and easier to shop with us and that is great news to be able to extend some of our services to a five-day week. However, we are still not in a position to accept donations on site on Tuesdays and Wednesdays nor is our Tool Library open to either collect or drop off on Tuesdays and Wednesdays. For both the Tool Library and the depositing of your donations please remember to bring them directly to us on Thursday, Friday and Saturdays 10 am - 4 pm only. You are of course able to drop your donated items at our dedicated Reuse Container at the Crieff Recycling Centre during their opening hours and we would encourage our community to use this facility too please.

If you are donating and are not already registered for Gift Aid then please consider doing so as Gift Aid adds 25% to the value of your donation when we sell it on to others.

We are also requesting that if you have any non-perishable unwanted Christmas Gifts that you consider donating them to us for resale within our community and to support the work we do. We are unable to accept

Christmas decorations and trees in January as we don’t have the facilities to store them for 11 months until Santa comes again ….. a January sale - Everyone loves a sale and Remake Scotland will be having a Half Price crockery and tableware sale from thursday, 9 January….perhaps you smashed some plates over Christmas or cracked some teacups? Perhaps you would just like to have a change of crockery in the New Year…? Whatever your reason please make sure to come down from thursday, 9 January onwards and browse through our half-price sale items.

We open for the New Year on tuesday, 7 January at 10 am and look forward to welcoming you back then.

remake food for good East high street, Crieff

Our new High Street Food Store will be open from tuesday, 7 January 2025 at 10 am. The store is filled with an assortment of wholefoods and bulk ingredients to make your January healthy and sustainable. You can visit our store Monday to Saturday 10 am to 4 pm. Don’t forget your refill containers!

What’s on - www.Remakescotland.co.uk.

Tuesday Sewing Class (Spring Term) with Christine Forsyth - Starts tuesday, 14 January 2025 until tuesday, 25 march 2025 1.30 pm - 4 pm, Remake Reuse Hub. This class is suitable for all levels. A very friendly and informal class where participants work on their own or joint projects with help and guidance from a tutor.

Thursday Sewing Class (Spring Term) with Christine Forsyth - Starts thursday, 16

January 2025 until thursday, 27 march 2025 6.45 pm to 9.15 pm - This class is suitable for all levels. A very friendly and informal class where participants work on their own or joint projects with help and guidance from a tutor.

local maker talk - tuesday, 14 January 7 pm - 8.30 pm, Remake Food For Good, East High Street, Crieff. Check out our website what’s on page for New Year Local Maker Talk topics.

Repair Café - Our next Repair Café is on saturday, 11 January, 10 am - 1 pm at Crieff Connexions.

repair Café - Our monthly Repair Cafe offers an opportunity to have any broken and damaged items from home repaired by our volunteers. Currently, we accept electricals and textiles for repair at our sessions. Our team of volunteers will work with you to make repairs to your item and get it back to working order! Whilst we can’t always guarantee that we will be able to repair your items, we’ll at least give it a try! We don’t charge for repairs but do ask for a donation to cover expenses and parts.

Climate Café - The next climate café is 7 pm - 8.30 pm on tuesday, 28 January at Remake’s new Food for Good shop on East High Street in Crieff. A climate café creates a regular informal space to bring people together to have a cuppa, friendly chat and learn more about the climate and environment related topics. This month’s topic is Vegan Curious. Are you interested in finding out more about ways you can adapt your diet to be more climate conscious? Come along to hear top tips for a vegan diet and how to introduce more veg and less meat to your meals. Please book your place via our what’s on page at www.remakescotland.co.uk volunteering - There are endless ways for people to volunteer in Remake. Currently, we are particularly looking for volunteers who can help out at our Reuse Retail hub, sewing enthusiasts that can help once a month to repair textile items at our repair café in Crieff and practical volunteers to support with the weekly running of our tool library. Want to find out more? Contact claire@remakescotland.co.uk or give us a call on 01764 655733.

The museum will be closed for the winter and we will open again at Easter 2025.

thrive in 2025 with growbiz

Whether you’ve been running your business or social enterprise for some time, or whether 2025 is going to be the year you start, GrowBiz is here to support you. We have a number of learning opportunities for the New Year, and watch out for exciting news about the new Regional Edge competition, with £100k of awards available for Perth & Kinross businesses.

Our first learning session of the year is happening on Wednesday, 22 January, 11.30 am - 1 pm, and will be a wellbeing workshop for small business success. This engaging session has been tailored for rural enterprises, where we’ll explore ways to enhance wellbeing and build resilience. Then, on Wednesday, 19 february, 12 pm - 1.30 pm, learn about start up essentials with GrowBiz Enterprise Facilitators, Jenny Lyall and Angela Laurie. They will provide you with an insight into what self-employment could look like for you, the things you need to consider and how you can go about getting started straight away.

Our Thursday afternoon drop in support surgery sessions will also be available to book for the new year. If you have a question about your business or enterprise, this is an opportunity to receive an instant response from a real person.

In other news, the GrowBiz office has relocated from Bank of Scotland House in Coupar Angus to the Strathmore Cycle Hub building at 1 Forfar Road, Coupar Angus. The move means we are no longer maintaining two premises and will help us achieve our Net Zero goals. We can still be contacted on 01828 627790, or emailed at connect@growbiz.co.uk.

To find out about all our events and services, please visit www.growbiz.co.uk.

FENCING Timber Fencing

Comrie and st fillans music Circle

Meetings are held at the Rural Hall Comrie, meeting at between 12 pm/12.30 pm on a Tuesday (But never the second Tuesday in the month) which is then followed by a light lunch and the subject for the day. Regardless of the programme of the day we are finished at no later than 4 pm. We return on tuesday, 21 January 2025 with a further 8 programmes ending on tuesday, 25 march.

Exact dates as follows: tuesday, 21 January; tuesday, 28 January; tuesday, 4 february; tuesday, 18 february; tuesday, 25 february; tuesday, 4 march; tuesday, 18 march; tuesday, 25 march. A full programme for the spring is still being finalised regarding exact dates, speakers and subjects but I know that it is going to be an excellent set of events.

Membership is open to both Male and Female, we are a friendly club and all are welcome. Please come along and give us a try. For further information please contact Malcolm Gregory on 01764 670493 or 07752 498187.

Comrie probus Club - For all meetings we shall meet at the Comrie Parish Church Hall at 10.30 am for tea/coffee.

Our autumn programme has now completed and we return for the spring programme of 6 meetings on the Wednesday, 15 January 2025.

Our full programme is as follows Wednesday, 15 January Claire Mitchell - Scottish Air Ambulance Wednesday, 29 January John Greer - Comrie Cancer club Wednesday, 12 february Stephen LeckieThe Role of Lord Lieutenant Wednesday, 26 february John Southorn - HM Submarines Wednesday, 12 march Ian Renwick - Glen Turret Production Expansion Wednesday, 26 march AGM - Annual Lunch at Comrie Golf Club (Supplied by Bistro@Comrie)

Our membership is open to both Male and Female, and all are welcome, so come and

try us out.

If further information is required please contact either Valerie Banwell on H 01764 685208 - M 07714 548219 or Malcolm Gregory on H 01764 670493 - M 07752 498187.

Crieff Choral group

Happy New Year!

The new session will begin on monday, 6 January, an ideal time for anyone who enjoys singing to join this friendly choir, especially tenors. No auditions needed. Why not come and try for a couple of weeks without commitment. Music is provided.

Information on our Facebook page www. facebook.com/crieff, or contact the choir secretary on crieffchoral@gmail.com.

Wonderful music to begin the year, including Schubert ‘Mass in G’ and Purcell ‘Come Ye Sons of Art’

These will be performed at our Spring Concert, which will be held in the Academy Hall, saturday, 29 march

probus Club auchterarder - You are invited to join Auchterarder Probus Club which is a social forum providing fellowship and friendship for likeminded 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. Past speakers include the Consul Generals of Japan, America and Ukraine, a chairman of a national bank and senior marine biologists. The programme through to this year end is

as follows:

tuesday, 14 January Burns lunch with theatrical performance by special guest tuesday, 4 february Bill Young. Chairman Rail Partnership tuesday, 18 february Officer Commanding, Royal Navy, Scotland and N. Ireland. tuesday, 4 march Stephane Paller. Consul General of France

If you are interested in joining us please contact our Press Officer by email at forbesmcnaughton@icloud.com.

inner link Club of Comrie

Our new year sessions begin on monday, 13 January in the Comrie Parish Church Hall at 10.30 am.

We look forward to our first talk which is by Jackie Arbuthnott of RTS with her ‘Introduction to Forestry’.

New members are very welcome. For further information please contact Sharon on 07927 318010.

Crieff parish Church guild syllabus sure foundations - All meetings are at 2.30 pm or as otherwise stated.

Wednesday, 8 January ‘Tearfund’ Speaker TBA

Wednesday, 22 January Scot’s Afternoon

Wednesday, 12 february ‘Operation Hope Egypt (Muthill)’ James Fraser

Wednesday, 26 february ‘The Christian Institute’ Nigel Kenny

Wednesday, 12 march ‘Around the World in 101 Days’ Mo Keough

Wednesday, 26 march AGM

Book Group

We are a small, friendly, book group based in Crieff, looking for new members. For details please email Valerieminns@yahoo.co.uk.

Comrie & st fillans music Circle

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Crieff & strathearn drovers’ tryst

Following a successful 2024 Walking Festival, the Drovers’ Tryst is delighted to confirm that the 2025 Festival will take place over friday, 9 may to monday, 12 may. The walk details will be available on the Tryst website (www.droverstryst.com) in the New Year, with walk bookings opening on the website mid-late January 2025.

As in previous years, the Tryst will be organising guided walks across a range of walk types (in terms of difficulty and length) and providing a number of circular walks as well as linear walks, which have always been so enjoyed by walkers over the years. These linear walks provide walkers with access to routes that have different start points and finishes, which are often difficult for walkers to arrange themselves and so remain ‘un-done’. With the support of PKC Mini-buses, the Tryst is able to overcome any logistical concerns and walks such as the Lawers Munros, Glencoe to Glen Etive and the popular Rannoch Station to Kingshouse in Glencoe as well as others, will be appearing in the 2025 schedule.

Crieff Connexions - As we enter 2025, the trustees, staff and volunteers of Crieff Connexions wish you a happy new year, and we thank everyone who has supported us over the past year to help so many people in our community - over 500 people each month access one or more of our services. Last month we were pleased to once again help with the provision and distribution of Christmas meals for households in and around Crieff and we were delighted to be able run the Narnia Experience and film nights at Crieff Parish Church.

As in previous years, the Drovers’ Tryst will be offering Members access to 1st Aid Training, provided by BASP (British Assoc of Ski Patrollers). This training focuses on outdoor emergency First Aid, recognising that the mountain environment and its associated risks may generate very different challenges to the urban environment and provides an essential base for those venturing outdoors.

In addition, the Tryst will be running a day’s training in introductory Navigation skills on saturday, 12 april with the proceeds going towards Tayside Mountain Rescue. More details of the training courses will become available on the website during January 2025.

The 2025 Walking Festival will be the Drovers’ 25th Year of organising the popular Walking Festivals - and certainly one worth celebrating! Already we are looking to provide over 20 guided walks, over the four days and look forward to joining you on the hills again, in May 2025.

Over the past year our dedicated team of volunteers have given thousands of hours to helping us deliver the wide range of services on offer to our community. From our base in Church Street we are able to offer a range of services: low cost food shop, for which we buy in food each week through Fareshare, reduce waste with donations from the Co-op and Aldi, augmented by many donated items distributed free (there’s a collection point in Aldi at the exit door); we developed a small garden space which has provided fresh vegetables, enhancing a bare area at the front of our building; a safe welcoming space and a listening ear in our low cost café; a men’s group; school uniform items; packs of basic essentials (and the occasional bit of furniture) for those moving into our community who need that extra bit of help to get started; counselling; financial and housing support through our partners CAP Strathearn and CATH; meeting space; access to free WiFi, computers and printing; and we’ve even hosted Cowboy music events and Gaelic evening classes. We were particularly delighted to help bring the Banking Hub to Crieff, giving it a home for its first six months of operation and restoring access to various bank staff each week-day.

We hope to deliver all of that and more in the coming year, in line with our charitable objectives: connecting people, services and life opportunities. We have transitioned from a single to a two-tier charity, now bringing on board community members (both young people and adults), and an increased number of trustees to further enhance the skillset and operational robust-

ness of the charity.

If you have a bit of time, and skills to offer as a trustee we’d love to meet with you. If you’d like to become a member and increase the community input to what we do there is a membership application we can point you to. As we deliver increased services and increase our opening times we’d also welcome more people to expand our rota of volunteers.

You can contact us on 01764 218933 or email admin@crieffconnexions.org.uk or drop in to our base in Church Street when we are open. Our initial hours at the start of the year will be Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday from 10 am to 1 pm. More information is available on our website: crieffconnexions.org.uk with regular updates on Facebook & Mastodon.scot (crieffconnexions) and X (crieffconnex).

Thank you again for helping Crieff Connexions serve our community.

Andrew J Philip, on behalf of the Trustees Comrie library bookbug sessions - These fun, interactive sessions are suitable for pre-schoolers from baby years. The sessions are held on the 2nd thursday of the month, 1.30 pm - 1.50 pm. 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 - 6.30 pm.

Comrie Writing group - This free, informal workshop takes place on the 3rd thursday of every month 5.30 pm - 7 pm

new Year - Comrie Library will reopen at 2 pm on thursday, 9 January.

Comrie library opening hoursthursday: 2 pm - 4.30 pm/5.30 pm - 7 pm friday: 10 am - 12.30 pm saturday: 9.30 am - 12.30 pm.

CycleCrieff - CycleCrieff CIC is a community initiative with the aim to encourage and support local and visiting cyclists to explore the routes around Crieff. No one is paid a salary; our volunteers and links help make the project a success. Contact info at the end.

there are three main strands - routes Categorised by bike style; road and gravel. Use the QR code to access the routes easily! repairs Puncture repairs to electric conversions are catered for in our well-equipped workshop. We are supported by Morrison’s Academy, and we appreciate a call before coming to our workshop. reuse We accept donated bikes directly and utilise these to provide transport for all sections of the community. We always have a range of bikes for sale.

Community cycling - We have an active cycle group, offering rides instigated by WhatsApp chat riders. Each week we explore a few of the CycleCrieff routes. Pace and distance are decided by the cyclists taking part. We also run bike maintenance courses and ‘back on your bike confidence courses’.

cleCrieff MacMillan and Gavin. Please scan the QR code with your phone camera to access the page maintenance courses - Following on from last month we ran a course for locals who had approached us directly. This was two evenings and helped riders to become more familiar with their bikes.

CycleCrieff CiC dr bike & morrison’s academy xmas fayre - A successful sale and Dr Bike happened took place on December 7. Donations to McMillan were made by most Dr Bike recipients. Please get in touch if you can’t make the sales as we may have bikes available that suit your needs.

upcoming (in addition to local ride outs) - CycleCrieff ‘a’, ‘b’ & ‘C’ rides There a good number of cyclists ‘instigating’ rides and you’ll need get in touch to find out about joining us. Although these are usually not guided, we will be offering escorted and guided rides and we ask you to contact us directly. There will not be a

since the last Quair we have - ‘a’ (easy social), ‘b’ & ‘C’ rides Rides instigated by Local riders included a ‘circumnavigation’ of Crieff taking about one & half hours, mostly off road. Farmton, Clathy 10km, Tour of the Forth, Final Fundraising weekend, MTB on ice and snow! macmillan Cancer support scotland This year’s charity, that both the WhatsApp community group and CycleCrieff CIC supported was MacMillan. We finished the fundraising with a lovely weekend of rides to remember those that can’t ride with us anymore and who supported the community project. We raised over £600 on the weekend from the two rides and over £4,000 from this year’s donations. Thank you all for your support it means huge amount to those who knew Gavin in his role within CycleCrieff and the wider community (find out about him by clicking the QR code). There is a JustGiving fund set up for Cy-

standard charge for this. Lots of short local rides including mountain bikes anticipated for the next while. bike plea! We are still very short of older children’s bikes so please get in touch if

you want to give them a new life. 24inch wheeled bikes especially needed. Most bikes might help us with local demand. fact/tip of the month! - Chain lube! It’s an ongoing task to keep your chain clean and free of dirt. Clean dry and lube on a regular basis and always after a long-wet ride! Any lube is better than not doing this but in winter thicker oils stay on the chain longer. They also help grit attach and stay on so back to the cleaning!

Please get in touch if you want to know more or join our adventures! Visit our website

www.cyclecrieff.scot/about.html & Facebook www.facebook.com/profile. php?id=100067081600855

Email - cyclecrieff@yahoo.com

happy new Year from bertie bus!

The Bertie Bus team would like to wish the local community a Happy New Year and hopes everyone had a wonderful Christmas. 2024 marks a momentous milestone as the charity celebrates 50 years since the founding of what began as ‘Strathcare.’ Initially formed as a collaboration of local groups to coordinate events for residents, Strathcare quickly grew into a vital part of the community. A few years later, the addition of Bertie Bus expanded the group’s ability to provide transport services and social opportunities. In 2023, Strathcare officially rebranded as Bertie Bus to better reflect the essential role Bertie plays in helping service users stay connected, active, and engaged with the wider community.

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The Bertie Bus team would love to hear some of your stories from the past 50 years of Strathcare and Bertie Bus. If you have some photos to go along with your story this could be even better.

All stories and pictures will be greatly received at the Bertie Bus publicity email: publicity@bertiebus.org.uk

stay tuned for anniversary Celebrations - To celebrate this incredible 50th year, a variety of events will be held throughout 2025. Keep an eye out for announcements throughout 2025 and join in making this a year to remember!

Winter schedule update - The team would like to remind everyone that there will be no regular bus runs until mid to late February, apart from the lunch Club. Start times for clubs will be available directly from individual groups. Further details can be received by contacting the Bertie bus secretary using the contact details at the bottom of this article.

gratitude for End-of-Year support

- The end of 2023 saw generous support from a number of individuals and organisations, whose contributions are essential to keeping Bertie running. *Caledonia Housing Association kindly donated £250 in October. This donation is greatly appreciated. *A grant of £2,500 from the PKC Community Transport Fund was also gratefully received. This helps the Bertie team to continue with many aspects

of their transport and event provision for their service users. *The Cinema Club also benefited from £1,488 of funding from the PKC Community Investment Fund, securing its operation for the next year. The Bertie team would like to thank Treasurer Fred for compiling the necessary data for this application and Peter for attending the funding meeting to advocate for the club’s importance.

supporting veterans on remembrance day - In November, the Bertie Bus team had the privilege of supporting a group of veterans during the Remembrance event, escorting them to the war memorial. The team thoroughly enjoyed hearing their stories and sharing in their camaraderie. The success of this partnership has inspired plans to work with the British Legion again next year to provide similar support for this important event.

For more information, please contact: secretary@bertiebus.org.uk or call: 07716 119414

The Scottish Parliament Párlamaid na h-Alba

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

Jim fairlie msp

perthshire south & Kinross-shire - snp

I want to take this opportunity to wish all Crieff and Comrie Quair readers all the best for 2025. 2024 was a quick year for me and it remains my privilege to represent Strathearn residents in The Scottish Parliament. I hope that readers had a restful festive season and were able to take some welldeserved down time with family. Towards the end of the year I held surgeries in Crieff and St Fillans and I was able to squeeze in a visit to Crieff High School to speak to the Modern Studies students. Thank you to Miss Logan and the students for their time and engaging questions. I have to say that there is nothing quite as inquisitive as young minds. On another recent primary school visit I was left wondering whether I would rather face a Question Time audience or a classroom full of P5 pupils. It is a difficult choice that I am still pondering! On a serious note though, it is always a pleasure going round the local schools and taking questions from the next generation. I hope to arrange many more such visits in 2025. I am currently planning my surgery schedule for 2025 and I will be back in Crieff, Comrie and St Fillans very soon. In the meantime, if anyone needs to get in touch, please use the details at the end of my column.

This time of year can be difficult for many - especially those living alone. If you know of any friends, neighbours or relatives who could benefit from a bit of social interaction please reach out to them during the darker months of the year. Sometimes a simple phone call to check in on someone can really brighten up their day and make a huge difference to their mental wellbeing. We are fortunate in Strathearn, and indeed in Perth and Kinross in general, that we have a great network of local third-sector organisations and groups who bring people together for the benefit of the wider community. When people think of politics they often think of the confrontation that they see on the television on an almost daily basis, but one of the great privileges of this role for me is getting out and about in the community and speaking to people face-to-face and seeing what I can do to help them or their organisation. Age Scotland provide advice and a friendship helpline for those who might just need to hear a friendly voice on the other end of the line. They can be contacted on 0800 12 44 222. These calls are free from a UK landline, so please pass this on to anyone who you think may benefit.

Jim Fairley MSP

South & Kinross-shire - SNP

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

As always, if you need to contact me please email jim.fairlie.msp@parliament.scot, call 01738 620540 or write to me at 63 Glasgow Road, Perth, PH2 0PE.

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. See www.padsdogrescue.com for further information.

Sam Decorating Services

offer all aspects of interior and exterior decorating - including wallpaper hanging. Self-employed with over 40 years of experience. Mobile: 07737 792402 Email: sammcrobbie53@gmail.com

Crieff rotary - As has previously been recorded in The Quair, earlier this year young Rowan Haines from Crieff High School became first the Scottish Champion of the 2023-24 Rotary Young Chef competition and then the British & Irish Champion.

He had, of course, initially started this amazing career by winning last year’s opening round, organised by Crieff’s Rotarians. Now, twelve months on, the same opening round in Crieff for the 2024-25 competition was held in late November and featured delicious two-course meals produced by Elina Tymashenko, Luca Haldane and Dylan Roseweir.

Our two judges, Pierre Leger from Strathearn Cheese and Andrew Greeson from Cromlix House, had considerable debate in deciding which was the best, but eventually awarded top spot to Elina for her meal which she described on her printed menu as ‘Celebrating Ukrainian Cuisine’. Her main course was a Vegetable Casserole with baked vegetables

in a creamy sauce, while her dessert was a ‘Sharlotka’ - a Ukrainian version of an Apple Sponge Cake. We were delighted that Rowan was present and able to hand over the Rotary trophy.

Now we are looking forward to Elina repeating his success by moving to the next stage, the North of Scotland District Final, probably sometime this month in Perth.

Crieff Rotary is also endeavouring to fill the two places for the 2025 Rotary Young Leaders Award (RYLA) weeks at the Abernethy Adventure Centre in Strathspey - with a girl going there during the first week of July, followed by a boy in the second week. It is rather worryingly, however, that at the time of writing this article (early December), there has been no applications from any youngsters aged 16 or 17 from the Strathearn area - despite an apparently enthusiastic response when two Rotarians met the S5 pupils at Crieff High School a few weeks beforehand.

Crieff’ Rotarians continue to meet twice a month at the friendly Meadow Inn in Bur-

Reid Tree & Garden Services

Pathways & drives gravelled

• Slabbing and walls repaired or replaced

• Fencing & Turfing

rell Street. For further information about Crieff Rotary, please visit its website, or email the Secretary at Secretary@crieff.rotary1010.org.

photo - Elina receives the Rotary Trophy from Rowan

• All types and sizes of trees supplied and planted - from 1m to 10m Mains of Taymouth, Kenmore, Perthshire, PH15 2HN 01887 830756 The Courtyard Shop, an independent retail hive of activity within the Mains of Taymouth Estate in Kenmore. We have a Deli and Gift Shop and offer a vast range of products from the local area, including our gourmet fudge which is made right here in the shop.

strathearn Community library

Winter guided drawing with liz Kemp - Join Liz Kemp on Wednesday, 15 January from 5.30 pm to 7.30 pm, for a free, creative drawing session inspired by text readings. Explore narratives, shapes, or colours in a fun, guided art adventure! Spaces are limited. Sign up at Strathearn Community Library or email strathearnlibrary@ culturepk.org.uk. This session is suitable for ages 16+ bookbug sessions - These fun, interactive sessions are suitable for pre-schoolers from baby years. The sessions are held every thursday including school holidays from 10.30 am - 11 am. No need to book.

Café books - Do you love to read? Join us at our informal Café Book session, 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 1st saturday of every month, 11 am - 12.30 pm. 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. new Year - Strathearn Community Library will reopen at 10 am on tuesday, 7 January.

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"Keeping the community on their feet"

strathearn Community library opening hours - tuesday: 10 am - 7 pm Wednesday: 10 am - 6 pm thursday: 10 am - 7 pm friday: 10 am - 6 pm saturday: 10 am - 1 pm. Contact us - 01764 657705/ strathearnlibrary@culturepk.org.uk

social enterprises and the selfemployed in rural Perth & Kinross

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.

strathearn ramblers

long Walk, Walk & stroll remindersIf you would like to join a long walk, walk or stroll please advise the designated walk leader, in advance, by email or phone to let them know of your interest. (Please ensure you leave your name and number for contact purposes). If you change your mind, please also let the leader know as soon as possible.

The main leaders for each event will decide whether it will take place on the date shown in the programme or on another nearby day if there are adverse weather conditions on the date stated in the programme. They will communicate this to all Ramblers who have previously indicated an interest in participating, usually 3-4 days ahead.

On the day please carry your contact details in case of emergency and where possible bring your own First Aid Kit and mobile phone.

Please remember that when taking part in The Ramblers walks and strolls you are responsible for your own health and safety. Visitors are always welcome and should contact The Ramblers on strathearn.ramblers@gmail.com in the first instance. A token charge of £1 per visitor will be requested as a donation towards the group’s insurance cover.

sunday, 12 January 2025 - Aberuchill Circuit. Stroll. distance: 5miles/8km start & finish: Laggan car park, Comrie depart: Crieff Co-op 9.45 am description: Walking west through the village you cross the Ross Bridge(built 1792) and follow the road past the Earthquake House, then entering the policies of Aberuchill Castle by Craggish House. Follow the track passing Aberuchill Castle the track comes out on the Dalchonzie Road, follow this back to the Ross Bridge and back to Comrie. sunday, 26 January - Stone Circle from Comrie Croft. Walk. distance: 6miles/10km start & finish: Comrie Croft what3words ///stated.drama.wriggle depart: Crieff Co-op & Laggan Park, Comrie 9 am description: Starting at Comrie Croft we follow a track behind Lawers House, then going through the ancient chestnut wood,

we join an estate track that passes 2 wee lochans and goes beneath Braefordie. Track leads to the bottom of the stone circle hill, there is a path up to the top affording great views all round. Once back down we follow the grass path down past a hut, then past Conifera. We pick up the track back to the Croft going past the waterfall and back to the start.

sunday, 9 february 2025 - River Earn & Drummond Estate. Stroll. distance: 5 miles Start point: Crieff Visitor Centre What3Words ///height.mailers.suspended start time: 10 am Comrie Laggan Park and 10.15 am Crieff Visitor Centre. description: This is local walk by the River Earn and then into the Drummond Estate. The stroll walks through varied countryside and there are points of historical interest on the route.

There will be a short section of quiet road walking with the rest of the walk is on paths which could be quite muddy. At the end there will be time for a coffee at the visitor centre.

tuesday, 18 february - Glenturret Distillery-Kiplonie Bridge-Loch Monzievaird Circuit. Walk. distance: 6 miles/10km start & finish: Glenturret Distillery car park what3 words ///skylights.living.outline depart: Laggan Park Comrie 9 am Co-op Crieff 9.10 am description: Leaving the distillery go up the road and join a track on the left, then go through fields to join a wood. This takes you up to the Kiplonie Bridge. Follow a track that takes you above Ochrertyre. You then come down to the road walking along for a about 200 yards then into Loch Monzievaird.

fowlis Wester sWi - At November’s meeting, Steve Fulton gave an informative and interesting talk on Bees. He belongs to the Perth and District Beekeepers Association.

Competitions

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.

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.

honey cake - 1. Carol Page 2. Anne Hubbard 3. Helen Newton bee, any craft - 1. Audrey McColl 2. Anne Hubbard 3. Helen Newton. The hostesses were Anne Hubbard & Wendy Greenlees