The Crieff & Comrie Quair

The Crieff & Comrie Quair TM

Crieff, Comrie & District’s Community Magazine • February 2026 CRIEFF | COMRIE | ST. FILLANS | MADDERTY | FOWLIS WESTER | GILMERTON 1

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The Crieff & Comrie Quair

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

IN AUCHTERARDER

IN AUCHTERARDER WHERE LEGS AND FEET MATTER WHERE LEGS AND FEET GREGOR McCOSHIM FCPodSMATTER MChS GREGOR HCPC McCOSHIM FCPodS MChS REGISTERED HCPC REGISTERED ROUTINE CHIROPODY ROUTINE CHIROPODY WALKING/RUNNING INJURIES WALKING/RUNNING INJURIES ORTHOTIC/INSOLE MANUFACTURER ORTHOTIC/INSOLE MANUFACTURER LEG/FOOT HEALTH ASSESSMENT HIGH ASSESSMENT STREET, LEG/FOOT206 HEALTH AUCHTERARDER, PH3 1AF 206 HIGH STREET, TEL: 07932 725211 AUCHTERARDER, PH3 1AF EMAIL:TEL: grm@mccoshim.plus.com 07932 725211

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

www.grmpodiatry.co.uk 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

February brings a mix of familiar dates. St Valentine’s Day falls on Saturday, 14 February and, while it is often linked with cards and gifts, it can also serve as a reminder of the everyday ways people care for one another.

Later in the month, the Christian calendar moves towards Easter. Shrove Tuesday is on Tuesday, 17 February, followed by Ash Wednesday on Wednesday, 18 February, which marks the beginning of Lent. While Shrove Tuesday is widely recognised as pancake day, Ash Wednesday is observed by several Christian traditions as the start of a forty-day period of reflection and preparation, not including Sundays. Ash Wednesday takes its name from the tradition of using ashes, made by burning the previous year’s Palm Sunday crosses, as a symbol of reflection and humility in some churches.

World Gaelic Week, Seachdain Na Gàidhlig, this year runs from Monday, 23 February to Sunday, 1 March. With its theme of ‘Use It or Lose It’, the week encourages people to recognise the value of Gaelic, whether as a spoken language, a cultural reference point or a key part of local history.

Gaelic was once widely spoken across much of Perthshire and shaped daily life, work, worship and storytelling for centuries. Many local place names still reflect this, tying language closely to landscape. Although its use declined due to social and economic change, Gaelic remains an important part of the area’s heritage.

World Gaelic Week offers an opportunity to reconnect with that history, support local events and learning, and recognise the role language plays in shaping identity and shared experience.

Alistair and Linda The Crieff & Comrie Quair is an open access monthly magazine which is delivered FREE to over 6,150 homes and businesss in the Crieff & Comrie area - that's from the county boundary west of St. Fillans to Madderty in the east. Copies for visitors are also made available each month from our outdoor dispensers in Crieff and Comrie. The extra print run is dependent on the normal fluctuating seasonal demand. As well as being a Community Magazine, The Quair is an excellent source of information for visitors.

We also produce The Atholl & Breadalbane Quair. Each month, between the two magazines, we print an average of 15,000 and deliver more than 13,500 copies directly to homes and businesses throughout Highland Perthshire and Strathearn.

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

Copy Date - The copy date for advertisers and organisations to submit an advertisement or article for the March 2026 edition is noon on Wednesday, 11 February. The Magazines are due to be distributed week commencing Monday, 2 March 2026.

SWI Fowlis Wester - Heather Walker organised us in making Christmas

stars using wooden pegs, paint and a lot of glue! It was great fun with some very pretty results.

Competitions - Christmas wreath: 1st June McGrath 2nd Heather Walker 3rd Helen Newton. Truffles: 1st Anne Hubbard 2nd Audrey McColl 3rd Helen Newton 4

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High quality EVENTS right on your doorstep

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Treatments available at amazing introductory prices Hydrafacial including jelly mask - Treat your skin to the most indulgent facial that treats fine lines, clogged pores and other dermal conditions. £65 or block of 10 for £500 DESPERADOS: The Music & Legacy of Eagles Fri, 13 March | £23

Vacuslim 48 - treat stubborn cellulite and loose inches with the latest body treatment £69 for 1 or a block of 10 for £550

COMEDY: Bruce Fummey Sat, 21 March | £17

Pure tone Supramax Pelvic Floor Chair - I’m delighted to bring to Crieff the most modern pelvic floor technology to help treat any pelvic floor issues, post partum recovery and also for male prostate issues. £125 for 1 session, £650 for recommended 6 sessions Japanese head spa - Start with your scalp analysis and then relax and enjoy the most luxurious head and hair treatment available. Jelly mask and rough blow dry included. £75

THEATRE: The Light House Sat, 11 April | £22

A full range of Medical Aesthetics including wrinkle reducing injections, botulinum toxin treatment for jaw pain and grinding, dermal fillers, polynucleotide and non-surgical face lifting techniques will also be available.

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FRAMEWORKS (Formerly Aiton Fine Arts)

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DON’T FORGET ABOUT SCOTLAND’S ANIMALS

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Mid Scotland & Fife Regional Member Liz Smith MSP can be contacted at the Control Tower, Perth Airport, Scone, PH2 6PL Tel 01738 553 990 or email at elizabeth.smith.msp@parliament.scot The costs of this advert have been met from parliamentary resources

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Strathearn Arts - Strathearn Arts (Strat-

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

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

Stay warm, safe

and cared for this winter...

We’re here for you

Crieff Parish Guild

Syllabus 2026 for Crieff Parish Church Guild - Living Stones - All Meetings are at 2.30 pm or as otherwise stated.

Wednesday, 11 February - At Muthill Guild Christina Paterson Wednesday, 25 February - Photograph Display Bill Clark Wednesday, 11 March - Leprosy Mission Steve McLeish Wednesday, 25 March - AGM Crieff ’s Fibro Warriors - Crieff ’s Fibro Warriors is a support group for anyone suffering from Fibromyalgia in the Strathearn area.

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

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.

Now we’re into the colder months, did you know you can take a winter break with us?

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

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

Our friendship group is every second Friday; we meet at Crieff Community Hospital 10.30 am to 12 pm. Upcoming sessions include a games morning on Friday, 6 Feb-

led by Cary Hughes from Nature Connects on Friday, 20 February. Please feel free to come along and join in, have a chat and a cuppa.

Richmond Community runs the Carers Café which takes place on the second Thursday and runs every month at Crieff Community Hospital. The next monthly meeting will be Thursday, 12 March. The café also gives unpaid carers the opportunity to meet other carers and staff from agencies such as Perth and Kinross Council, Perth and Kinross association of Voluntary Services (PKAVS) and Carers Voice over a cup of tea or coffee and delicious biscuits. Everyone is welcome to come along.

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contact Karen Hapka at karen@richmondcommunity.org or telephone 07587 088403.

Strathearn Horticultural Society

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

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

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Culture Perth and Kinross Libraries

Comrie Library

Bookbug sessions - Held every Friday morning from 9.30 am to 10 am.

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

Café Books - Do you love to read?

Join us at Café Books to chat about new authors, share your own favourite books and be inspired to read more. Café Books is held at Comrie Library on the last Thursday of the month from 5.30 pm to 6.30 pm.

Family history - Are you interested in researching your family history?

Join our Family History Group. This informal session meets every four weeks on a Thursday afternoon from 2 pm. Using your own device is recommended, but we do have two network computers available if required.

These sessions are free. Please contact the library for more information.

Books on Wheels - For individuals in the Comrie and St Fillans area who cannot get out and about to visit the library, books can be delivered straight to your door each month.

For more information, please get in touch with Comrie Library.

Opening hours - Thursday: 2 pm to 7 pm; Friday: 10 am to 1 pm; Saturday: 10 am to 1 pm Contact us - 01764 657860; comrielibrary@culturepk.org.uk

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Crieff Community Council

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Events support callout - Events held in Crieff over the festive period proved to be very popular and successful again last year, with the Christmas Lights switch-on, Market in James Square, Late Night Shopping and the Hogmanay Event at Market Park all well attended and highly praised.

The Sugar Mice competition was also appreciated by many, however feedback received about the accessibility of some businesses and shuttered windows has been taken on board. Next year’s competition will only include businesses within the town centre whose window displays are still visible after closing hours.

January’s Crieff Community Council meeting also heard that the key volunteers behind the Events team and some fabulous events held last year have decided to step aside. The Spring Fair, Crieff Food Festival, Hallowe’en in the Square and the Hogmanay event were all the product of the tireless dedication of this small volunteer team and without them the future of such events is in doubt.

What has also been disappointing is that the huge amount of time and effort they have freely given has been subject to criticism and negative feedback by some in the community and they have struggled to attract enough assistance to continue in the role.

Once again the CCC is appealing for more members of the community to step forward and help contribute to and support the important work it is doing. If you are interested in being involved in any way, no matter how small, please email the CCC at criefftoun@gmail.com or simply come along to the next meeting.

The meeting also heard there is a possibility the town public toilets may be operational again in some form by Easter this year, with quotes for an auto-entry system passed to PKC. Issues with dangerous pavement stones, particularly on the High Street and King Street, were discussed. Multiple falls and injuries have been noted and the public are encouraged to report any injuries to PKC by raising a complaint. The CCC will also push for more work to be done.

A new street cleaner will begin early February, with efforts to ensure pavements are swept a key duty. It was highlighted to the meeting that using the MyPKC app was an effective tool in having issues such as broken glass on the street, dumped rubbish and overloaded bins reported and actioned.

Incidents of very poor driver behaviour at the temporary traffic lights on Broich Road were reported, including running red lights, speeding, overtaking dangerously, mounting and driving on pavements and putting pedestrians at risk. Members of the public are encouraged to take note of and/or photograph the licence plate of offending vehicles and report the incidents to the police.

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

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Crieff & Strathearn Drovers’ Tryst Walking Festival

As winter closes around us, the Drovers’ Tryst has been developing their 2026 Walking Festival plans. The dates for this year’s walks are Friday, 15 May to Monday, 18 May 2026.

Already around 20 walks have been identified with at least half being the popular linear walks, made possible by the continued and appreciated support of minibuses from PKC. The access to minibuses allows the inclusion of walks that might otherwise be difficult to coordinate, with the start point and finish being miles apart. Linear walks next May include Bridge of Orchy to Pubil along Loch Lyon and the old Drovers’ route from Kirkmichael in Strathardle to Ballinluig, south of Pitlochry as well as along Glen Almond from Newton Bridge to Loch Tay. The attraction of the Drovers’ Tryst Walking Festival continues to lie with providing guided walks, across a range of categories from Extra hard walks (such as walking in from Glen Artney to ascend both Ben Vorlich and Stùc a’ Chròin before returning to Glen Artney) to a more relaxed Easy walk such as a local nature walk with a knowledgeable guide. Added to the range of walks, the inclusion of linear walks and the relaxed and friendly chat along the routes, explains why the Crieff and Strathearn Drovers’ Tryst has been attracting walkers for over 25 years!

Details of the walks will be posted on the Tryst’s website (www.droverstryst.com) from January with bookings opening later that month or early February. Such is the popularity of these walks that early bookings are recommended!

The Trustees look forward to meeting again on Perthshire’s hills in May 2026!

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

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

The café is facilitated by the Health and Social Care Partnership and access to both services is available for information, advice, and signposting to other services available.

People living with Dementia, their families, caregivers, friends, neighbours, and anyone looking to gain an insight into Dementia attend the monthly café. The café offers a warm, inviting, safe place where people can meet, socialise, gain information, and have some refreshments. All are welcome.

Bertie Bus | Driving into the next 50 years - As the new year unfolds, the Bertie Bus team is already gearing up for the next chapter in their long-standing journey of community support.

After a well-earned winter break, Bertie’s regular outings are set to resume at the end of February, bringing with them warmth, connection, and the kind of companionship that only Bertie can offer.

Keeping warm this winter - One key initiative the Bertie team are proud to continue supporting this year is Warm Wednesdays at Strathearn Arts. These welcoming weekly sessions provide free food, warmth, a film, and friendly conversation. It’s a safe and sociable environment open to all locals during the colder months. Bertie Bus will once again provide transport for their own service users wishing to attend.

With similar initiatives running across the region, readers are encouraged to look out for Warm Spaces in their own local areas. It’s a wonderful way to stay connected and comfortable through the winter.

Volunteer updates: A growing community - Though the bus may have taken a short break from the roads, the work behind the scenes never stops. In their most recent update, the Bertie Bus team shared several exciting developments from their October 2025 board meeting at Broich House.

One highlight was the appointment of Sally Stewart as an Honorary Trustee, in recognition of her many years of dedicated service. Sally’s contribution to Bertie Bus and to the wider community has been extraordinary, and this honour is a small reflection of the high regard in which she is held.

The team also extended a warm welcome to a new Trustee who joined in November.

They are expected to take on the role of Vice Chair. Further details will be announced once the appointment is finalised.

Stronger connections behind the scenes - To improve communication across their growing volunteer network, Bertie Bus has launched a WhatsApp Community. This new tool is designed to make coordination simpler and faster for all involved.

March quiz night - Looking ahead, one of Bertie’s most beloved fundraising events is set to return. The annual Bertie Bus Quiz Night will take place this March at Crieff Golf Club, with space for around 100 attendees. It promises another evening of laughter, competition, and community spirit, all in support of Bertie’s continued service. More details will be shared in the weeks to come.

A service made possible by community - In the meantime, the team send their warmest thanks to all their volunteers, supporters, and service users. As Bertie Bus begins its second half-century, one thing remains clear: it’s the kindness, commitment, and community spirit of local people that make it all possible. If you would like to be involved with Bertie Bus as a driver, as a passenger assistant, or if you have a particular skill that you think could be of use to the team in some way, they’d love to hear from you. Please get in touch with the Bertie Bus secretary at secretary@bertiebus.org.uk or on 07716 119414.

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GREGOR MUIRHEAD

Crieff Fifty Plus Club

JOINERS & BUILDING CONTRACTORS

Our next monthly meetings are on Wednesday 4 February 2026, Wednesday 4 March 2026 and Wednesday 1 April 2026 at 2.30pm in St Columba’s Church, Perth Road.

The talk on 4 February is entitled “The Crieff Murder” by Jeff Davies, on the 4 March is by Vicky Smith, on “The Tay Bridge Disaster” and on the 1 April by Karen Hapka and Sue Wylie about the Richmond Community.

Annual membership of our club is £5, plus £2 for each monthly meeting.This includes coffee/tea and biscuits, so quite a bargain! There is also an opportunity to join any of our activity groups - Art, Quilting, Mahjong, Bridge, Indoor Bowls and Badminton.

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

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Cllr Stewart Donaldson

Strathearn Ward - SNP Since my last article one important development has been the Planning and Placemaking Committee’s unanimous decision to object to the Glen Lednock wind farm application. This followed a long-awaited report by Council officers. There was a very strong community campaign, led by the Save Glen Lednock Group. There had been considerable concern expressed in Comrie, more widely throughout Strathearn, and further afield, about what might come about. The Save Glen Lednock Group played a key part in expressing those concerns.

Those concerns related amongst many other matters to access issues, and extensive disruption to our rural communities. The key argument, though, and put forward by Council planners, was the impact on the landscape, especially on the Loch Rannoch and Glen Lyon National Scenic Area. It’s the same type of consideration that applied with Glentarken.

There were two moments that stood out for me in the campaign. First, the strength of feeling expressed at the packed-out meeting organised in Comrie in early September, albeit with what were well-argued and thoughtful comments. Then at the meeting at the Campus in Crieff in mid-October.

To hear what was said at the Council meeting go to the PKC website under Planning and Placemaking Committee, as of January 7. The paper was the first taken, just after 9.30 am.

Hence, it’s easy to find, and listen to. What struck me were the images of how the proposed turbines would look from Ben Lawers, Ben Vorlich, and above all Ben Chonzie. It’s a long time since I’ve climbed what in many ways is Crieff ’s local Munro, but the photo shown was really striking.

As to what happens next, I am not yet clear, and what the timeline might be. However, with a public inquiry it is obviously logical that Glen Lednock and Glen Tarken will be taken together. The two applications are on sites that are adjacent.

I have not been as directly involved in two other applications nearby: at Loch Meallbrodden, near Fowlis Wester, and secondly at Logiealmond North. That is due to these not being in my ward area, but on Meallbrodden I have heard a considerable amount given that in many ways it does impinge clearly on East Strathearn.

I referred last time to the Council’s Budget meeting next month. At time of writing, though, what we are waiting for are the details on the Scottish Budget through local government finance circulars. Two important meetings coming up are first with Experience Crieff at Crieff Hydro. That will consider not just how much has been achieved over the last year, but what is planned for 2026 and 2027. On that more next time. There is also going to be a meeting on the Comrie to Crieff core path. I do hope that gives fresh impetus to this long-delayed project.

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

PADS - PADS (Perthshire Abandoned Dogs Society) is a well-loved, long established local dog rescue charity with kennels at Forteviot. Our aim is to provide care and shelter for the county’s unwanted dogs and to find them new loving homes. Our kennels, which were renovated in recent years, can house up to thirty animals in warmth and comfort.

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

See www.padsdogrescue.com for further information.

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T:

Pete Wishart MP

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

Perth and Kinross-shire SNP February is always a tough month for household budgets, and with energy costs still high, every penny counts.

That’s why I want to make sure people in Strathearn aren’t missing out on support. Industry regulator Ofgem has recently revealed that around £3 billion of energy credit is sitting unclaimed, and millions of households could be due an average of £255 back.

If you pay your energy bills by direct debit, you might have built up credit on your account. This often happens because suppliers estimate usage, and payments can end up higher than necessary. The money could be put to better use in your own bank account, so if you’re in credit, you can ask your supplier for a refund. But before you do, make sure you’ve submitted an up-to-date meter reading and that you’ve got enough left to cover winter bills.

A good rule of thumb is to only withdraw if you have more than two months’ worth of credit. Every supplier has its own process, but many will return the money quickly once you ask. At a time when household budgets are under pressure, this could make a real difference. So, it’s worth checking your account today. And if you’re having any trouble doing this, please don’t hesitate to get in touch with my office and a member of my team would be happy to assist you.

On a different note, I was interested to see that Perth and Kinross Council unanimously objected to the Glen Lednock Wind farm proposal. This followed a formidable campaign by the local community, and the concerns raised were evidently heard loud and clear by PKC. Many accept the pressing need to transition to clean energy in the face of the ever-worsening climate crisis, and we’ve seen elsewhere in Scotland how renewable energy projects can be done well, when developers genuinely work with local people, communicate openly, and deliver clear, lasting community benefits. Those projects have strengthened local economies, created opportunities, protected the environment, and supported Scotland’s wider energy transition. That should be the standard every developer aims to meet.

My thanks go to PKC for considering these points. And whilst the application will ultimately be determined by the Energy Consents Unit, PKC’s objection is an important contribution in assessing the project in its current form.

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

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 20

Strathearn Arts - Buy tickets online at www.strathearnarts.org. Our welcome desk opens 30 minutes prior to each event, and you can purchase tickets for any upcoming show at this time. Advance booking is recommended, as popular events can sell out.

Sunday, 15 February - 6 pm. £10. Film: A Sudden Glimpse to Deeper Things. Mark Cousins explores the life and work of Scottish painter Wilhelmina Barns-Graham, telling the story of a remarkable artist with a magnificent obsession. Born and raised in St Andrews, Barns-Graham was a member of the St Ives group of modernist artists, who lived in the Cornish seaside town from the Second World War onwards.

Thursday, 19 February - 7.30 pm. £21.

Theatre: The Bush by Alice Mary Cooper. In this one-woman performance, Alice recalls the inspiring true story of a group of 1970s ‘genteel housewives’ who battled for 10 years to save a forest in her native Sydney, sparking a nationwide movement to protect land and nature across Australia.

Sunday, 22 February - 7.30 pm. £21 / £16. Music: Tae Sup wi a Fifer. Tae Sup wi a Fifer delivers a relaxed evening with a multiartist line-up of big names and new discoveries from the worlds of music, poetry and spoken word. Singer-songwriter and author James Yorkston’s travelling roadshow returns with a stellar line-up featuring some of the most distinctive voices in folk and poetry.

Sunday, 1 March - 2 pm. £5. Tea dance.

Join us for an afternoon of social dancing with live music, home baking and a friendly atmosphere. All are welcome, with no obligation to dance. Refreshments included in the ticket price. Doors open at 1.30 pm.

Saturday, 7 March - 7.30 pm. £10. Film: Fires and Fascism plus director’s Q&A. Fires and Fascism is a new 57-minute documentary showing that wildfires in Europe are about more than climate change and mismanagement. It links the increasing wildfires of Europe with fascism, big business, organised crime and the rise of the far right. Director Dr Pete Knapp will join the audience for a Q&A after the film.

Friday, 13 March - 7.30 pm. £23. Music:

Desperados - The Music and Legacy of the Eagles. Prepare to be transported back to the golden era of classic West Coast rock as Desperados faithfully captures the essence

and spirit of the Eagles. Their impeccable harmonies, flawless instrumentation and passion for their craft make this a show not to be missed.

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Muthill Parish Church

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

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

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

the church for worship.

We have recently updated our church website at www.muthillparishchurch.co.uk and, through this, we provide current information on our activities and services. Our premises which have been modernised and now provide flexible space are available for rental and, with further plans to be implemented this coming year, we continue to seek a variety of ways of engaging with and being of service to our immediate neighbourhood and beyond.

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

‘Be as one spirit, one soul, leaves of one tree, flowers of one garden, waves of one ocean.’ Baha’u’llah

Comrie Centre for Peace and Reconciliation

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

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

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

Crieff Baptist Church

The Baha’i Faith - The Comrie and Crieff group is hosting an open space for open-hearted, joyful and hopeful conversations and reflection on quotes and prayers from all faiths and philosophies every Wednesday at 7.30 pm in Comrie and every Monday in Crieff at 7.30 pm. These gatherings welcome all comers in the spirit of fellowship and friendship, uplifting our hearts and souls in these troubled times. For further information please contact Diana on 01764 670399 or Gordon on 07510 454342.

‘It behoveth man to adhere tenaciously unto that which will promote fellowship, kindliness and unity.’ Baha’u’llah In Crieff the early morning gathering in the Crieff Community Garden for prayer for the people and plants in the garden and beyond will move to a monthly time slot of 10 am on the first Saturday of every month, Saturday, 7 February. The gathering is open to all ages, backgrounds, faiths and beliefs or none in a spirit of harmony and appreciation.

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

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

Our Warm Spaces group (Coorie & Crafts) is on Mondays from 12.30 pm to 2.30 pm.

Come along for some tea, coffee and home baking. Everyone is very welcome.

On the school in-service day on Wednesday, 11 February, we will be running our X:plore club for primary-school-aged children from 9 am to 3 pm. For more information or to book, please get in touch.

As we head into the new year we are plan-

ning some all-age-events from January to March. These should be lots of fun for all the family and are open to everyone - no need to book, just come along on the night!

New Year 2026 Family Events - Friday, 27 February - Pudding & Board Games Night 6.30 pm to 8 pm. We’ll provide pudding and games, you bring an appetite and competitive spirit!

Friday, 27 March - Challenge Night 6.30 pm to 8 pm. Think Crystal Maze/Taskmaster challenges for all ages!

For further information on any of these events, or to get in touch with the minister, John Burns, please contact via crieffbaptist@gmail.com; pastor@crieffbaptist. org.uk.

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

Crieff Baptist Church, 1 Addison Terrace, Crieff, PH7 3AT. (Scottish Charity No. SC053381)

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Derek Saunders Builders Quakers in Scotland - There are a

number of Quaker meetings in Scotland.

To find out more, visit www.quaker.org.uk/ meetings or www.discoveringquakers.org.uk.

The nearest ones to Strathearn are Dunblane, which meets weekly on a Sunday at 10.30 am and Perth which meets fortnightly on the second and last Sunday of the month at 11 am.

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

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Mid Strathearn Parish - Mid Strat- ing as we start preparing for the ‘spring’ to Many of you will remember ‘the old days’ hearn Parish in rural Perthshire was formed in 2018 with the Union of the congregations of Fowlis Wester, Gask, Madderty and Monzie Churches.

As a family of Christian people we offer opportunities for regular worship and aim to serve our community through caring and involvement.

We seek to be welcoming, open, warm and friendly, and look forward to welcoming you to our services.

St Fillan’s RC Parish Church

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

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

Crieff Parish Church

www.crieffparishchurch.org Monday, 2 February, marks Candlemas - a day whose roots are deeply spiritual, yet a day whose message carries meaning for our modern world in the depths of the current winter season.

Candlemas sits exactly 40 days after Christmas and halfway between the winter solstice and the spring equinox and is the true ‘turning of the year.’ While the world outside may still feel dark and cold, the days are visibly lengthening. So, this is a moment for us to recognise that even in periods of ‘winter’ in our personal lives; light is return-

come.

In Christian circles the hallmark of Candlemas is the blessing and lighting of candles.

Even beyond the walls of a church though, a candle is a powerful symbol which represents: *Resilience: Remember a single flame does not lose its power by lighting another; but rather it persists and continues to spread warmth and light. *Compassion: In a world so often ‘overshadowed by division,’ small acts of compassion serve as the ‘candles’ that light the way for others and make their lives little just a little more bearable. *Sharing: Traditionally, Candlemas was a time for communities to gather, share food and acknowledge their shared humanity.

Candlemas invites us all to: *Acknowledge the Dark: We cannot ignore the ‘winter’ of our global or personal challenges, but we can choose how we stand within them. *Commit to Being the Light: Just as candles illuminate a room, your actions-small or large-can dispel the ‘shadows’ of despair or loneliness in our community. *Celebrate the Quiet Renewal: Take a moment today to notice the ‘snowdrops’ or the extra minutes of evening sun.

Whether you view this day through a lens of faith or simply as a marker of the seasons of the natural world, the message remains the same: The light is returning, and we each have a flame to carry.

If you would like to find out more of The Light of the Christian Faith, please join us every Sunday at 11 am in Crieff Parish Church where you can be assured of a very warm welcome. If you’d like to find out more about the life of the Church more privately, please email crieffpc@gmail.com and someone will get back to you quickly.

To find out more about using our premises contact hallrentals@crieff.church.

St James Episcopal Church Muthill

It’s that time of year again when we are called upon to go to funeral services. Winter seems a fitting season to stand in cold graveyards to bid farewell to dear family and friends. In recent weeks we at St James Episcopal Church in Muthill have hosted two big funerals where the building was filled with mourners.

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when only men, in black suits, attended funeral services and when sons were laid to rest beside their fathers and daughters had their maiden names engraved on their gravestones.

My recent walk round the graveyard in Muthill revealed many families of longstanding in Muthill, Crieff and Comrie.

Some graveyards, such as Strageath and Monzievaird, have long since been abandoned, while Strowan Woodland Cemetery is increasingly favoured by local families.

Nowadays there’s more choice when planning a funeral, from a horse-drawn hearse with black plumes to a simple no-fuss events advertised as economic and without ceremony, barely a reference to the departed. But losing a dear one is about more than just practical matters, whether part of a large family or just someone on their own. As part of our church’s ministry, our minister can be called upon to visit a bereaved family and to talk over their loss, remembering happy days and then final illness and death, and to help plan a suitable funeral service. Prayers for the deceased and family are offered in church and follow-up support may be helpful in the following weeks and months.

For Christians, death is part of the process of being human and it leads positively into another realm of deeper life with God. This knowledge and consolation can be a real strength and comfort for those whose days are ending and for the family and friends who mourn.

‘I am the Resurrection and the Life’ are words from Jesus which often begin a church funeral service and these can give great comfort as well as affirmation.

St James Scottish Episcopal Church, its minister and congregation are at the service of local people who wish to arrange a funeral or memorial service for a loved one. It may feel right to come to church to receive Christian reassurance and support when someone dies.

Visit www.stjamesmuthill.com or email stjamesmuthill@gmail.com.

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Jehovah’s Witnesses

26-30 King St, Crieff PH7 3HA Jehovah’s Witnesses hold meetings for worship twice each week. (Hebrews 10:24, 25) At these meetings, which are open to the public, we examine what the Bible says and how we can apply its teachings in our life.

Most of our services include audience participation, much like a classroom discussion. Meetings begin and end with song and prayer.

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

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

Seventh Day Adventist Church

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 am 12.30 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.

Gwydyr Road, PH7 4BS info@crieffadventist.org.uk We meet every Sabbath (Saturday) for our worship services. At 10 am we have our Study Hour (with separate classes for adults and children). Our main worship service is at 11.20 am and we often have other events throughout the week. Our aim and vision is to be a community that reflects faith in God demonstrated by faith in our fellow men and women, thus honouring the command of the Lord Jesus found in passages such as John 13:34,35 ‘A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love Comrie Parish Church one another. By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one anoth- www.comrieparishchurch.org Comrie Parish Church, 22 Burrell Street, Comrie, PH6 2JP er.’ Come and join us...

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 Please check any service times listed independently before attending.

Dundurn Parish Church - Dundurn If you see any out of date information, or feel that Parish Church in the village of St Fillans there any omissions, we’d be obliged if you could is the linked charge with Comrie Parish email us at crieffandcomrie@thequair.com Church. Sunday worship is at 11.30 am.

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

If you’ve been longing for preaching with backbone and Bible, community without compromise, and a place where questions are welcome but truth isn’t watered down - this might be just what you’ve been praying for.

We’ve not officially launched yet - but you don’t have to wait to get a feel for who we are. Tune in from home to Kingdom.rocks - our 24-hour online radio station with heartfelt worship, daily devotions morning and evening, strong sermons, and even stories and songs for the bairns with Jingle & Ben and the Music Town Gang.

Check the broadcast schedule at Kingdom.rocks, have a listen, and see if you click. Come and see. Come and listen.

You’ll know if it’s home. robert@whisperingword.com, 07975 805323, www.heartlands.church Blessings, Reverend Victor Robert Farrell Strathearn Episcopal Churches Crieff, Comrie, & Lochearnhead

Rev. Gennie Evans rev.gen@btinternet.com.

Tel: 01764 650985 St Columba’s, Crieff; St Serf ’s, Comrie; St Angus’, Lochearnhead and St Fillan’s, Killin www.strathearn-episcopal-churches.co.uk

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

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

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

Future speakers include Members of Parliament, Senior Officers from our Navy and Army plus local traders who want to tell their story. If you are interested in joining us please contact our Press Officer by email at forbesmcnaughton@icloud.com Strathearn Harriers - Full details of all club races and events are on the club website at www.strathearnharriers.org.uk. The club welcomes runners of all standards.

Crieff and Comrie are great places for running, particularly if you like trails and hills.

RSABI (previously The Royal Scottish Agricultural Benevolent Institution) RSABI is a unique Scottish charity with roots going back to 1897.

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

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Comrie Bridge Club - Think your

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Café Comrie • Traditional Scottish breakfasts • Baked potatoes • Hot filled breakfast rolls • Home made soups • Freshly made sandwiches & toasties • Croissants • Mackies ice cream • Twinnings tea selection and fresh ground coffee • Daily special board • Takeaways Available Spring Opening Times will vary.

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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

We have used a seasonal image for this month’s front cover. Our great thanks to Daniel Giza.

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.

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.

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

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

Our care plans are bespoke and suited around your individual needs and preferences.

All our hearings aids are available to trial for 30 days at no cost. We believe that the proof is in the pudding!

We are a family owned and run business and we love what we do.

Trust your hearing to us!

Gullane 01620 493000 Auchterarder 01764 219000 Edinburgh 0131 629 1819 201 St Johns Road, Corstorphine, Edinburgh EH12 7UU 4 Stanley Road, Gullane, East Lothian EH31 2AD or 63 High Street Auchterarder PH3 1BN 31

Tayside and Strathearn help for Ukraine

This charity, based in a warehouse at Errol Airfield, PH2 7TB has now sent 114 articulated lorries to Ukraine, thanks to the generosity of donations coming from individuals, organisations and sponsorship.

Every lorry is filled to capacity with what our Ukrainian contacts tell us are desperately required, namely food, toiletries, nappies, formula milk, adult incontinence pads and bedding. Donations can be made to the above address or via our 17 collection points, please see below for details.

As well as sorting and packing in our warehouse on Monday and Wednesday mornings, from 9.30 am - 1 pm, some of our volunteers are involved in fundraising.

We now have a van to collect donations from further afield and would appreciate it if more collection points could be established, perhaps in a hall, shop or garage.

We are greatly indebted to those individuals and organisations that enable us to send our lorries to Ukraine, costing £3,500 each trip. Some of our trustees give talks about our charity.

Further information about our humanitarian work may be accessed at the following: info@tash4ukraine.org.uk, Facebook & Instagram @tash4Ukraine.

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

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

Our meetings in Comrie are in: The Lounge, Cameron Court, Almond Place, Comrie PH6 2BB. We meet every second Tuesday of the month from 10 am until 11.30 am.

Tel: 01738 626969 info@visionpk.org.uk Comrie Cancer Support - We are a group which meets regularly to offer mutual support to anyone affected by cancer.

We have coffee etc., we chat, we share, and we learn from each other’s experiences through what can sometimes be a difficult time for the sufferer, their spouse, and for other friends and family members. All are welcome. And we are finding the meetings warm and dynamic, working as we had hoped.

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

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

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

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Strathearn Talking News

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

Strathearn Talking News is a Charity (SCO 15628) and in 2014 the Charity received a grant from Awards for All to go digital. Prior to that the newspaper was recorded and copied onto cassettes. We are proud to say that Strathearn Talking News has been providing a service for nearly 35 years for those in our community with a visual impairment and who find reading difficult. We provide a USB player. It is a small lightweight box no larger than a box of tissues. It runs off the mains electricity but it can also run on a battery which is automatically charged when the player is plugged into the mains.

This makes it very easy to take into other areas of the house. The yellow on/off dial at the front is also an excellent volume control. The dial and the forward/back/pause buttons are yellow to make them more vis-

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

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

E: info@strathearntalkingnews.org T: Maureen Anderson 01764 652406 W: www.strathearntalking news.org

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Liz Smith MSP

Crieff Macular Support Group

Mid Scotland & Fife Regional Member Conservative 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

Community Learning and Development Team at Perth & Kinross Council

In December, the Fairer Communities for All funding initiative in Strathearn concluded with the awarding of funding to local community groups and organisations. Thank you to everyone who took part in the process over the summer and autumn of 2025. The level of participation in Strathearn was higher than in previous community funding initiatives over the past few years. The Community Learning and Development team would like to congratulate all successful projects in the Strathearn Ward area. We look forward to hearing how your projects progress and are available to provide support where needed.

The number of votes received by each project was as follows - *Creativity for Young People received 626 votes *Comrie Youth Offer received 347 votes *Brass Central Strathearn received 276 votes *Richmond House Community Projects received 427 votes *Building Brighter Futures received 354 votes *Tool Library and Repair Hub received 713 votes *BASP First Aid Training received 522 votes *Community Recipe Book received 272 votes *Starfish Way received 289 votes *CAB at Crieff Connexions received 438 votes *Christmas Light Switch-On Event received 397 votes *Volunteer Bike Training received 457 votes *Equipment for Shinty received 130 votes *Crieff Community Foodbank received 537 votes The following funding awards were made - *Remake - Tool Library and Repair Hub, £5,000 *Strathearn Arts - Creativity for Young People, £3,960 *Crieff Community Foodbank, £5,000 *Logos Youth Project - BASP First Aid Training, £1,350 *Cycle Crieff Volunteer Bike Training, £2,000 *CAB at Crieff Connexions, £6,685 *Richmond House Community Projects, £5,000 *Christmas Light Switch-On Event, £1,800 *Perth Autism Support - Building Brighter Futures, £6,798 *Comrie Development Trust - Comrie Youth Offer, £4,581.86 *Starfish Way, £7,612 *Brass Central Strathearn, £3,000 *Strathearn Building Bridges - Community Recipe Book, £4,050 *Crieff Shinty Club - Equipment for Crieff Shinty, £5,000 The Community Learning and Development team can be contacted via the Strathearn Community Campus on 01764 657112 or by email at Crieff-comlearn@pkc.gov.uk.

Crieff Community Garden - Calling all community builders, lovers of nature, people and the planet. Help is needed to restore and refresh the Crieff Community Garden to its former glory, to recreate a safe welcoming area for all; a place of peace and purpose, of beauty and connection. This is a space open for the community, run by the community.

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

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

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

We would welcome new members and would encourage anyone interested to join us. Friends, family members and carers are welcome at the group too.

If you know of someone in another area how might benefit from their local Macular Society Support Group, please let me know.

For more information about the Crieff Macular Society Support Group, if you would like to come to the meetings or help with the group or if you have any questions, please contact Laura Gray, Senior Regional Manager, Macular Society on 07948 352967 or email laura.gray@macularsociety.org.

What is a Quair? (noun) (1) A quire; a book. The Kingis Quhair, James I. (of Scotland). (2) A set of twenty-four sheets of paper of the same size and stock; one twentieth of a ream. (3) A collection of leaves of parchment or paper, folded one within the other, in a manuscript or book.

(Middle English quayer, four double sheets of paper, from Old French quaer, from Vulgar Latin *quaternus, from Latin quatern, set of four, four each, from quater, four times; The Kingis Quhair is a fifteenth-century poem attributed to James I of Scotland. It is a semi-autobiographical work, describing the King’s capture by the English in 1406 on his way to France and his subsequent imprisonment by Henry IV of England and his successors Henry V and Henry VI.

The Arts Society Tayside - Our lec-

ture season at Birnam Arts continues and on January 12 we enjoyed a taste of the exotic in our fifth lecture of the season: Zara Fleming on Bhutan, Kingdom of the Thunder Dragon. On Monday, 9 February we have a touch of sparkle with Clare Phillips on American Glamour: 150 years of Tiffany Jewellery, and on Monday, 9 March, James Wright on The Secrets of Ancient Doors, followed by a further three lectures at Birnam for the rest of our 2025/6 season.

As well as our main Birnam Arts lecture programme, our Winter Lecture season is now under way, open to members and guests: To Draw or Not to Draw: Six Great Painters of the Seventeenth Century, by Dr Andrew Patterson, whom members will remember from last year. On January 22 we heard about Velasquez and Rubens and on January 29 Poussin and Caravaggio. On Thursday, 5 February we conclude with Rembrandt and Vermeer. If you want to catch the last lecture in the series, it is at The Soutar Theatre, The AK Bell Library, Perth, at 10 am for 10.30 am. Please contact our Winter Lectures Secretary on pamjmurray@hotmail.com to make a booking.

The Arts Society Tayside is a not-for-profit, volunteer-run, society, dedicated to providing its members with enjoyable and approachable experiences in the arts, and supporting local good causes related to art. Each year we offer our 300 members ten absorbing and accessible morning or afternoon lectures on the second Monday of the month at Birnam Arts on a wide variety of topics, as well as a range of house, garden and gallery visits and interesting add-on days and lectures. For those unable to make the journey to Birnam, we are now offering live Zoom links to our lectures so you can watch from your own home if you wish.

Please visit our website to see the full programme: theartssocietytayside.org.uk. You can join us for the balance of our 2025/6 season for a reduced membership of £45, which includes admission to the remaining five lectures and gives access to our other lecture and visit programmes.

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Can Do Crieff, Lodge Street, Crieff The dark evenings and cold winter weather are still here and long commutes can feel even tougher at this time of year. If working from home isn’t working for you, Can Do Crieff offers a warm, welcoming coworking space right in the heart of Crieff, with superfast broadband, a friendly professional atmosphere, and flexible membership options from day passes to unlimited 24/7 access, all with no contracts or long-term commitments. Skip the drive, boost your productivity and work closer to home this winter. Find out more at www.candocrieff.com or message us via candocrieff@gmail.com and we would be happy to show you around.

Crieff Connexions - According to the

Charity Retail Association, there are four types of charity shop shopper, and I think I fit into all four of them!

Those who are looking to ease pressure on their budgets; people searching for unique items; those shopping with craftwork and upcycling in mind; and finally the sustainability shopper wanting to reduce their impact on the environment.

Do you recognise yourself in any of those profiles?

I’ve personally found lots of gems in our charity shop. Many Christmas presents this year were purchased from our stock and gratefully received as people recognise the worth in giving items a new lease of life rather than purchasing new. We’ve been working hard for months here to sift, sort, organise, categorise and generally create or-

der. And so now, with caveats, we are able to accept some donations again.

If you are considering donating items to us, firstly, thank you. We have long appreciated the support of the community in helping us to stock the charity shop and community pantry. At times, charity shops can be inundated with unsalable items creating work for charities which are already underresourced.

A BBC report suggests asking these questions of your items before donating them: Is it clean? We don’t have laundry facilities, so if your item is worth selling, please pass it on in a state you would want to buy it. Would you wear it yourself ? If it’s too bobbly or worn, then textile recycling is the route to take. Would you happily gift it to someone else? If it’s not something you think someone would be happy to receive then it’s unlikely to be something we can sell.

There are some areas that we could do with more stock of, such as menswear and other items that we still cannot take. For example, DVDs, we have a huge stock but struggle to sell on. We frequently get asked if we need hangers, people are kind to think of us, however, we could easily fit out a department store with the hangers in our store room, please don’t give us more! For obvious reasons we can’t accept underwear or swimwear unless they have tags attached and are unworn.

Donations must be handed in during our opening times, Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday 10 am to 1 pm. Please do not leave items outside the doors as they can get damaged and will often need to be thrown out, creating extra work.

We look forward to seeing you at Connexions sometime soon!

Comrie Snowdrops - As we get into the swing of the new year, all of us at Comrie Snowdrops hope you enjoy seeing the bulbs we planted in 2025 start to bloom. It’s always a good moment when those first wee shoots pop up.

You can almost feel nature waking up again after winter.

There are three main places to look for snowdrops this year: the War Me36

morial Garden, the grounds of The White Church, and along the Lednock Millennium Footpath. If you see some growing anywhere else while you’re out and about in Comrie, please take some photos and share them with us on our Facebook page. It’s always lovely to see what catches people’s eye.

We have a busy couple of months ahead, with almost forty thousand snowdrop bulbs waiting to be planted in February and March. It’s quite a challenge, but it’ll be great fun once we get going. If you fancy coming along to help, even just for a wee while, we will put the planting dates on our Facebook page.

Thank you to everyone for your continued support. It means more than you might think. If you would like to know more, drop us a message through our website at comriesnowdrops.org.uk or our Facebook page.

Comrie Probus Club

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

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

The remaining meeting dates are: Wednesday, 11 February Costa Concorda Wednesday, 25 February 50 Years of Organ Grinder’s Monkey Wednesday, 11 March Branklyn Gardens a Perthshire Gem Wednesday, 25 March - AGM followed by Lunch at Comrie Golf Club Membership is open to everyone, we are a friendly club and all are welcome. Please come along and give us a try.

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

Cultybraggan Camp History Project

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

It is our ambition to create an online fund of knowledge to be preserved for hundreds of years and beyond. This includes all stories, documents, photographs and images, which will be assembled into a virtual museum. There may also be a virtual guided tour of the camp showing the various artefacts as one explores and possibly an ‘App’ for mobile phones.

We continue in discussion with other organisations doing similar work to us, which is proving mutually beneficial. We are very conscious that a lot of currently existing web material is vanishing, to be lost forever. Those digital records and stories will prove very interesting in hundreds of years’ time. We are working with groups and universities to endeavour to create permanent national reservoirs of all this material.

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

If you’d like one of our talks delivered personally, please email us at tours@ camp21.org.uk.

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

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CENTRAL HOME ALARMS Established 1981 Tayside’s First SSAIB Registered Company. Reg. No. Tays 001

Security Alarms Installed, Repaired, Serviced & Updated.

Phone Bob Anderson on 01764 670540 Founder member of IAAI

Cycle Crieff - Our aim is to support all aspects of cycling in the area. We’re an inclusive community project helping everyone.

What we do - Routes, Repairs & Reuse/ donations. *Affordable access to cycling: Low-cost and free bikes *Repairs & workshop support: A community workshop offers servicing, self-repair space and guidance from highly qualified mechanics. *Routes & community: Hosted rides and adventures.

Crieff community - Regular rides aimed to showcase the best of the area, in company with others. Routes are for all abilities with two monthly easy social rides. There are also other rides which are on and off roads offering enjoyable challenges.

Couch to 50 km - A great programme set up to provide support and encouragement to returning riders and to help with improving fitness. Get in touch and join in. It’s very social and you’ll gain confidence and fitness on the way!

Bike sales - We have a stock of lovely, serviced bikes which are available to the community either for free or at low cost.

Get in touch to see if we have something suitable for you.

In stock we have two stunning electric bikes and a Hoy kids road bike!

Warm places - Bikes, chat and humour!

We’ve opened up the workshop, to all, over the winter. Planned days; Sunday, 8 February and Sunday, 22 February. We’ll be at the workshop from 2 pm to 4 pm for drinks, Damsel goodies and bike chat! Bring a bike for free checks. We’ve been nicely busy! All welcome.

Volunteers - We have had a few fantastic volunteers over the last few years. Are you practical and keen to learn new skills? Free training and qualifications available and of course you can build your own bike! Age and gender not important!

Finally - We’re an inclusive community using bikes to explore the area and help build connections. Become part of our community and see what it and you can offer?

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Please get in touch if you want to know more or get involved in our adventures!

Visit our website www.cyclecrieff.scot/ about.html Facebook www.facebook.com/ profile.php?id=100067081600855 Email - cyclecrieff@yahoo.com. (Scottish Charity No. SC054428)

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Jim Fairlie MSP Perthshire South & Kinross-shire - SNP

Since my last piece for The Crieff & Comrie Quair, Perth and Kinross Council has unanimously decided to object to the proposed Glen Lednock wind farm, marking an important stage in the planning process. Councillors gave detailed consideration to the application and its potential impact on the surrounding landscape, and their decision highlights the need to carefully balance Scotland’s renewable energy ambitions with protecting landscapes and local amenity.

This was probably the number one issue in my inbox last year. The Glen Lednock area is cherished for its scenery and environmental qualities, so it’s no surprise there’s been strong local interest in how developments of this scale would affect it. I want to acknowledge the role played by local residents and campaign groups who engaged constructively throughout. Many attended public meetings and submitted representations, ensuring community views were clearly set out and properly considered.

Of course, this isn’t the end of the process for Glen Lednock - nor for Glen Tarken, which PKC also objected to earlier. Given the scale of both developments, final decisions will rest with the Scottish Government’s Energy Consents Unit, and I’ll be keeping a close eye on how they progress.

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

What is a Quair? (noun) (1) A quire; a book. The Kingis Quhair, James I. (of Scotland). (2) A set of twenty-four sheets of paper of the same size and stock; one twentieth of a ream. (3) A collection of leaves of parchment or paper, folded one within the other, in a manuscript or book. (Middle English quayer, four double sheets of Jim Fairley paper, from Old French quaer, from Vulgar LatinMSP *quaternus, from Latin South &four Kinross-shire - SNP quatern, set of four, four each, from quater, times; The Kingis Quhair is a fifteenth-century poem attributed to James I of ????describing ???? or jim.fairlie.msp@parliaScotland. It is a semi-autobiographicalon work, the King’s capture by the English in 1406 on his way to France and his subsequent imprisonment by Henry IV of England and his successors Henry V and Henry VI. Become a Hedgehog Champion - Become a Hedgehog Champion with the British Hedgehog Preservation Society/Peoples’ Trust for Endangered Species. How long is it since you last saw a hedgehog? They are now officially classed as vulnerable to extinction in the UK. There are many reasons and it’s sad to think of such a fate for this unique and prickly little creature. Here are ways to help: *Link your garden with Hedgehog Highways *Create a wild corner *Make your pond safe with a ramp *Clear away netting and litter *Put out food and water *Stop using chemicals *Check before strimming *Be careful with bonfires *Make a home for hedgehogs *Become a Hedgehog Champion.

You can become a Hedgehog Champion by registering on www.hedgehogstreet.org/website, which has resources to make your garden a hedgehog-friendly zone.

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

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

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Crieff Choral Group - Crieff Choral

Group’s Christmas concert, ‘The Sounds of Music’, in Comrie Parish Church, held jointly with Brass Central Strathearn, was a sell-out!

It celebrated not only the festive season, with music ranging from Holst to Chris de Burgh, but also the anniversaries of ‘My Fair Lady’, ‘The Sound of Music’ and ‘Les Misérables’. Conducted and rehearsed by Ulrike Wutscher, the Choral Group sang with obvious enjoyment and warmth, and talented soloists came from within the choir The violinist Claire Telford, gave a haunting performance of Peter Maxwell Davies’ ‘Farewell to Stromness’, accompanied by pianist Andrew Johnston, who accompanied the concert throughout. Claire also enhanced some of the carols both on violin and viola.

Tom Smith conducted Brass Central Strathearn, who gave stirring performances of ‘A Winter’s Tale’ and ‘Stop the Cavalry’, with again talented soloists from the band, and joined the choir in arrangements by band member, Dougie Flower, of ‘A Spaceman came Travelling’ and Edward Caswall’s ‘See Amid the Winter’s Snow’. The audience enjoyed a Christmas singalong with the band, in Frank Bernaert’s, ‘Swing Into Christmas’.

In April 2026, Crieff Choral Group will give joint performances of Rossini’s beautiful ‘Petite Messe Solennelle’, with Pitlochry and District Choral Society. Saturday, 18 April in Pitlochry, and Saturday, 25 April in Comrie Parish Church.

If you would like to join the choir or band, they can be contacted on crieffchoral@ gmail.com or brasscstrath@gmail.com.

Crieff Choral Group meets on Mondays 7.30 pm to 9.30 pm at Strathearn Arts, no audition necessary. Brass Central Strathearn rehearses Thursdays 6.15 pm to 7 pm for Development Band, and 7 pm to 8.30 pm for Senior Band at Morrisons.

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Crieff Rotary - At long last, the vital fi- ing the convenience of their marvellous lo- further information about Crieff Rotary, nal equipment needed for our new village maize mill at Masaleema in southern Malawi has arrived and has been installed. These were a de-husker, which strips away the unwanted foliage, and the actual mill which grinds the maize into the final product needed by the villagers as the basis for their staple diet. The Presbytery of Zomba has now taken over the operation and has arranged for a local employee to be trained to take charge of the milling procedures. Malawi is currently enduring its annual rainy season, so fresh maize will not be harvested until the dry season starts around May or June; however, some stored crop from last year’s yield still remains in the village and this will be used for the first run of the new milling process; Crieff ’s Rotarians will await news of how this went with keen anticipation. Once achieved, this means that the Masaleema villagers no longer have to undertake the ten-mile trudge each way to the nearest commercial mill to get their maize turned into grain, instead now enjoy-

cal facility.

The total cost for the mill, all funded by Crieff Rotary and its supporters across the UK, was what seems a startling Kw43.92m, but in sterling this came to £16.7k - the dramatic difference being caused by the rampant inflation in Malawi and the rapidly fluctuating exchange rate between the Kwacha and the Pound. It was because of these on-going issues that we only sent funds to our Malawian project manager, the efficient Rev’d Picklen Chafulumira of Zomba Presbytery, to pay for each stage just as it occurred. Even so, the budget had risen from its original estimate in late 2019 of £10k (plus £2k for contingencies) by an extra £4.7k on completion in January 2026, but much of that can be attributed to the delays caused by the 2020 to 22 Covid pandemic followed by devastating cyclones wrecking the Malawian power supply, firstly in 2023 then again in 2024.

Through all this, Picklen somehow remained constantly cheerful and it was always a delight to witness his friendly manner during any Zoom discussion or to receive his excellent reports and photographs of how the work was progressing all during a time when he also had a wide church parish to administer as the resident church minister. As a last request, we have asked him to send us images of the ‘opening’ ceremony and of the first load of maize to be processed by the new mill; when these arrive, they will be shared with readers of the Quair.

As always, the aim of every Rotarian is to help those who are somewhat disadvantaged compared with ourselves, but we still need more like-minded people to join us - and those who do will find it both rewarding and fun to be a Rotarian!

Crieff Rotarians continue to meet twice a month at the friendly Meadow Inn in Burrell Street. For 42

please scan this QR code, or visit its website, or email the Secretary at Secretary@ crieff.rotary1010.org.

Photograph - Rev’d Picklen Chafulumira’s selfie, taken during the early construction phase

Comrie & St Fillans Music Circle

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

Our 2026 dates are as follows Tuesday, 3 February - Jan Southorn.

‘Music of my life’ Tuesday, 17 February - Eric Perks.

‘Relationships in music - romantic and other’ Tuesday, 24 February - Alison Hunter.

‘Tchaikovsky - life of ’ Tuesday, 3 March - Howard Duffie Tuesday, 17 March - Comrie Kidds Strings Tuesday, 24 March - AGM and members’ requests Membership is open to everyone and all are welcome. We are a very friendly club that plays videos, listens to various genres of music and welcomes occasional live entertainers, so please come and see. If further information is required, please contact Malcolm Gregory: home 01764 670493 or mobile 07752 498187.

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COMRIE & DISTRICT MEN’S SHED QUIZ NIGHT Friday 20th Feb 2026 at the Royal British Legion Hall in Crieff from 7.30pm - 10pm.

This is the Shed’s first Crieff-based event of the year, so come along and help us make it a memorable evening.

Doors open 6.30 pm. Tickets (£10 per table of 4).

Bar will be available You can reserve a table by emailing comriemensshed@ gmail.com, alternatively by phoning 07917 358216 or by simply calling into Hut 65 at the Cultybraggan Camp (Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays from 10am - 4pm). You can also just turn up on the night.

Book now and we’ll see you at the quiz.

Place your order today!

Comrie & District Men’s Shed

A Scottish Charitable Incorporated Organisation (SCIO) (SC048922) Hut 65, Cultybraggan Camp, Comrie, Crieff, Perthshire PH6 2AB

Phone: 07917 358216 Email: comriemensshed@gmail.com

45

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, 17 January 2026.

Please therefore always check times and venues of events listed in The Crieff & Comrie Quair independently before going.

We cannot be held liable for any mistakes, typographical or otherwise, by ourselves or changes made by Event Organisers.

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

Friends of Crieff Cemetery

Friends of Crieff Cemetery have a QR code.

Please scan the image to the right to find out more about the group and volunteering opportunities.

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 Noah Khogali 01738 475000 Stewart Donaldson 01738 475000 Rhona Brock 01738 475000 46

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.

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

The Crieff & Comrie Quair is published by SCOT ACTIVE LTD

with a registered office address of 26/30 Bonnethill Road, Pitlochry, PH16 5BS Company Number SC854228 tel/text: 07436 793785 e: crieffandcomrie@thequair.com

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 to you 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.

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Comrie Community Woodland

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

The site is open all day, every day to visitors.

The Scottish Outdoor Access Code applies, guiding you to clear up any litter while enjoying your visit responsibly.

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

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

Entrance is about 300m west of gate to Cultybraggan Camp, on opposite (south) side of the road. There is limited parking at the site or park at Cultybraggan Camp.

Direct any questions to woodland@comriedevtrust.org.uk.

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Strathearn Ramblers

Thursday, 19 February - Stroll/Walk, Combined stroll and walk Valleyfield Woods and Culross. Start Point: Culross (what3words: trickled.give.harshest). Distance: Stroll 4.5 miles, walk 6.5 miles. Leave: Laggan Park, Comrie 9 am, Crieff Co-op 9.15 am. Description: This mixed coastal and woodland walk takes in some of the highlights of West Fife including the lovely Valleyfield Woods (well known for their snowdrops) and the picturesque village of Culross. Much work has been done on the footpaths in the area by the hardworking volunteers of the West Fife Woodlands Group. All start at Culross and head east on the Fife Coastal Path with the strollers heading into Valleyfield Woods to admire the snowdrops. The walkers will divert to take in a circuit of Preston Island and the salt pans before heading into Valleyfield Woods. The route back passes the abbey back into picturesque Culross which can then be explored if time allows.

Saturday, 14 March - Stroll, Murthly Castle and the banks of the Silvery Tay. Start Point: Murthly village (park and meet at the Nisa local). Distance: 6.5 miles. Leave: Laggan Park, Comrie 9.45 am, Crieff Co-op 10 am.

Description: A chance to enjoy a delightful circular walk around the Murthly castle estate and parkland. It offers fine riverside views and a chance to see several mature specimen trees that are amongst the finest in Perthshire. Wildlife sightings are possible, and the walking is generally easy on flat tracks and drives. NB: We will park on the main street in the village since there is very limited parking at the entrance to the castle.

Thursday, 26 March - Walk, Tombane, Ballinloan and Drumour Circuit. Start Point: Little Tombane track (grid ref NN 9560 3986) (what3words: meatball.subtitle.writers). NB: We will need to use as few cars as possible, and drivers will need instructions to turn in Meikle Findowie entrance on opposite side of road to access the Little Tombane track when approaching from Amulree. Distance: 6 miles. Leave: Laggan Park, Comrie 9 am, Crieff Co-op 9.15 am. Description: Over half this rough walk is pathless, but it will take participants up through the wood then out across pasture past two

ruined townships then along an ancient track through forest to Griffin Wind Farm.

The return is beside lovely Ballinloan Burn before joining the Old Military Road over Drumour, passing Corbenic’s Poetry Path.

Sunday, 12 April - Stroll, Muckhart and Rumbling Bridge. Start Point: Coronation Hall, Pool of Muckhart (what3words: announce. snack.asterisk). Distance: 6.5 miles. Leave: Comrie Laggan Park 10 am, Crieff Co-op car park 10.15 am, Coronation Hall, Pool of Muckhart 10.45 am. Description: This lovely circular walk starts from the Pool of Muckhart, takes you past Muckhart Mill and through the Rumbling Bridge Gorge before returning to Muckhart via farm tracks. There is about 180m of ascent in total which is spread out across the walk making this pretty much a flat walk. The route is entirely on paths/tracks and quiet roads although some bits can be very muddy.

Friday, 24 April - Walk, North Third Reservoir from the Bannockburn Centre. Start Point: Battle of Bannockburn Centre (what3words: plans.heave.slate). Distance: 9 miles. Leave: Laggan Park, Comrie 9 am, Crieff Co-op 9.15 am. Description: Starting from Battle of Bannockburn car park we cross the M9 following minor road passing Old Sauchie before climbing to the craggy escarpment of Lewis Hill with superb views all around.

We then descend to North Third reservoir, walking round the shore before crossing the dam and coming down back through some woodland and passing by a fishery before rejoining the road leading back over the M9 and back to the car park. The route is on minor roads, tracks and paths which can be muddy, please wear appropriate footwear.

Army Cadets - Ever thought about giv-

ing the Army Cadets a go? We are a youth organisation for children aged 12 to 18, run by volunteers, giving children opportunities to enhance their sports, try new things, and learn skills out in the field. We are also active DofE leaders, supporting everyone wishing to take part. Currently parading on a Wednesday in Meadow Place, Crieff, from 7 pm to 9 pm or in Auchterarder on Mondays from 7 pm to 9 pm.

We are always looking for girls and boys to join and see what we can offer you.

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

The copy date for the March 2026 edition of The Crieff & Comrie Quair is noon on Wednesday, 11 February.

The magazines will be distributed week commencing Monday, 2 March.

50

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Culture Perth and Kinross Libraries Strathearn Community Library

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

Tangled Yarns - Connect, share and learn with our friendly, informal knitting group.

Needles and yarns are available for beginners or those re-engaging with the craft.

Meets every Tuesday from 2 pm to 3.30 pm.

Strathearn Writing Group - This free, informal workshop takes place on the first Tuesday of every month from 5.30 pm to 6.30 pm.

Café Books - Do you love to read? Join us at our informal Café Books session to find new authors, share your own favourite books and be inspired to read more. If you sign up for our Café Books emailing list, you will be sent regular monthly lists of the titles discussed. Café Books is held at the library on the first Saturday of every month from 11 am to 12.30 pm.

Family history - Are you interested in researching your family history? Join our Family History Group. This informal session meets every fortnight on a Friday morning from 10 am. Using your own device is recommended, but laptops are available if required. These sessions are free. Please contact the library for more information.

Books on Wheels - For individuals in the Comrie and Crieff area who cannot get out and about to visit the library, books can be delivered straight to your door each month.

For more information, please get in touch with Strathearn Community Library.

Bertie Bus - Provides a monthly trip to Strathearn Community Library, finishing with tea or coffee at the Steading Café.

Please contact the Secretary of Strathcare on 07716 119414 for more information.

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

books, e-magazines, e-news and e-reference resources, including trove.scot, Theory Test PRO and Ancestry.

Opening hours - Tuesday: 10 am to 7 pm; Wednesday: 10 am to 6 pm; Thursday: 10 am to 7 pm; Friday: 10 am to 6 pm; Saturday: 10 am to 1 pm Contact us - 01764 657705; strathearnlibrary@culturepk.org.uk

Comrie Heritage Group

Searching for the names of prisoners of war at Cultybraggan Members of our group are often asked whether we hold any lists of prisoners of war detained at Cultybraggan and, unfortunately, we have no such information. There are some texts citing a small number of prisoners and we have started to compile a list (and, later, a spreadsheet) for reference purposes.

In 2010, the Cultybraggan History Group published a booklet naming some internees, the best-known of whom was Heinrich Steinmeyer, a member of the 12th SS Panzer Division, who was so impressed by the humane treatment which he had received at the camp that he left his estate to be used for the benefit of the elderly residents of Comrie. Others mentioned include Paul Lippok who remained in Scotland after the war; Theo Hunkirchen. a submariner whose U-boat was sunk by Allied Forces

52

off Italy; and Helmut Stenger, another submariner who served in the Baltic. After a period of time here, Helmut was sent out, under guard, to work on local farms. He revisited Cultybraggan in 2002. And in 2025 his granddaughter came to the camp and was delighted to see the storyboard relating her grandfather’s experiences.

We also hold Red Cross reports which identify some prisoners. It is interesting to note that the medical officer responsible for dealing with everyday issues was German, as was the dentist. We have a collection of programmes showing productions by the theatre group in Compound A. A significant name is that of Walter Klinker whose family donated these. As well as appearing in the plays, Walter drew a cartoon to accompany each act and, in one, he actually includes himself, a tall gangly figure wearing a very distinctive hat. Another donation is of posters for plays performed by the theatre group in Compound D on which participants are cited. Finally, we still receive enquiries from families of former PoWs another excellent source.

The camp could accommodate c.4,000 prisoners and our current information allows the identification of only a small number of these. If any readers of this magazine can assist us, we would love to hear from them.

Crieff Banking Hub - The Crieff Banking Hub is now operating from its permanent home at 17 High Street, Crieff, PH7 3HU. The Hub is open Monday to Friday, 9 am to 4 pm.

A Community Banker from your own bank is available on these days: Monday: Santander, 9 am to 4 pm, Tuesday: Virgin Money, 9.15 am to 4.45 pm Wednesday: TSB, 9 am to 5 pm, Thursday: Royal Bank of Scotland, 10 am to 5 pm, Friday: Bank of Scotland, 9 am to 5 pm. When the Hub is open, you can use counter services to withdraw or deposit cash, pay in cheques, check your balance, top up utilities and more.

Please note - Community Bankers may be unavailable over lunchtime as they take a well-deserved break.

Please also always check up to date details at www.cashaccess.co.uk/hubs/crieff-perthand-kinross

Crieff and Strathearn Museum Cross Paths with History

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

This year in The Ann Macintosh Room we will have a display on the Picts who lived all across Strathearn and although not much physical evidence remains we do have many historical hill fort sites in Upper Strathearn and the wonderful original Pictish Stone in St Bede’s Church, Fowlis Wester and a copy of the stone in the village square, which are available to the public to view. Fowlis Wester is around a 10-minute drive from Crieff and well worth a visit. The Crieff Burgh Cross is also a ninth-century Pictish cross originally located near Strowan and this and its story are displayed in the museum.

There will also be a display of The John MacGregor Collection which will show the conservation of the 500 glass negatives purchased by the museum in 2021. John MacGregor (1874 to 1947) was a photographer based in the village of Muthill but not much is known about him. If you know anything of the life and work of John MacGregor, we would be very happy to hear from you. Our website has images of all the conserved glass images to date and if you recognise any of the places or people please email us at the address below.

There will also be a display on the railways of Crieff and Strathearn.

In the ground floor room The Crieff Girl Guides will be putting on an exhibition celebrating 105 years of guiding in Strathearn.

The Girl Guides are excited to be doing this as they were unable to celebrate their centenary during Covid. There will be a display of outfits from 1920 to the present and also guiding memorabilia and a display of a guide outdoor camp. Guiding is still going strong in Crieff and they have a waiting list of girls who want to join but more volunteers are needed to run the groups.

The statue of Rob Roy located outside the museum has been a great success and we CRIEFF & STRATHEARN MUSEUM Crieff & Strathearn Museum is a registered charity in Scotland: SC 048238

will be presenting a small display on his life and exploits in Crieff.

Most of you will know of the controversial planning application for Glen Lednock but did you know the Glen Lednock dam was completed in 1957? We will be having a display showing the construction of the dam and we are very interested in hearing from anyone who had relatives who worked on the dam or who have anything relating to the building of the dam that they could lend to the museum for the season.

If anyone has anything on any of this year’s displays that you would like to lend or donate to the museum, please either email us or contact us through our Facebook page.

The trustees are very excited for 2026 and work on improving the museum for the future continues. We have received a grant from The Perth and Kinross Community Led Local Development fund to improve the basement which will allow us to store our collection in a safer environment. We will be undertaking damp proofing work and a de-humidifying system and have appointed APEX an Edinburgh based company with much experience working in historical building. The work is due to commence in February and should take around four weeks to complete. The museum trustees will need to empty and store our collection before this work commences and at the time of writing we are looking for somewhere to store it locally.

With regards to the never-ending outside repairs being done by the Council we can report the south facing window has now been fixed and painted and the roof repairs to the west side above the cells have also been completed. That only leaves the roof repairs to the south and east side of the building to be done, hopefully this will happen soon when the weather improves.

We are aware that the toon clock is chiming more than it should be. The toon clock is the responsibility of The Council and the fault has been reported to them so hopefully it will be fixed soon.

It’s important for The Crieff and Strathearn Museum to continue to tell the story of Strathearn and we need your support by becoming members. Our Annual General 53

Meeting will be held on Tuesday, 21 April at 10.30 am in the museum. We hope you can attend.

To all our current members, your annual subscription will fall due shortly and we will be sending out an email to all our founder members to renew their membership and as always if you would like to support the museum by becoming a member please check our website for details and a membership form or pop into the museum and join. The membership fee is £15 per annum and you will be helping us with the running costs of keeping the museum open. We accept cash or card payments. If you are interested in volunteering as a museum guide or helping in any other way at the museum then please email us at info@crieffandstrathearnmuseum.org.uk.

Our website is www.crieffandstrathearnmuseum.org.uk.

You can also follow us on Facebook under Crieff and Strathearn Museum. We regularly post on historical events and highlight local historical sites in photos.

(Scottish Charity No. SC048238)

Strathearn Ramblers - The Strathearn Ramblers celebrated 30 years of hiking and walking in December when over 40 of us met to celebrate ramblers past, present and future!

We started the day with a walk from Comrie into the Fordie Estate where we were welcomed into the Fordie Map Room with mulled wine and mince meat pies! Ending our walk back at Comrie Golf Club for lunch and a celebratory anniversary cake!

The club still organises a range of strolls and hill walks throughout the year; there are walks for all abilities and you can choose a level to suit your own walking ability. It’s a wonderful way to enjoy being outdoors and making new friends in the process.

pm to get settled and bring your drinks and snacks to keep the brains going. There will also be a raffle on the night. Who’s going to win the limited edition losers’ wooden spoons this year?

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

We look forward to welcoming you to raise funds for the Hall and another local charity.

Brass Central Strathearn - It may

Fowlis Wester Village Hall events

The annual Fowlis Wester Village Hall quiz night will take place on Saturday, 28 February, all welcome. The quizmaster will start at 7.30 pm so please come along for 7

be cold outside, so winter months are the perfect time to stay indoors and explore new music. While we love coming together for our weekly rehearsals at Morrisons Academy in Crieff, the social chats and sense of community are just as important as the music itself. Our members span all ages and backgrounds, united by one passion: making music together.

Our next big engagement is on Sunday, 8 March at Perth Concert Hall, where we’ll take part in the 4b section of the SBBA Scottish Championships. Although this section is non-competitive, it’s a fantastic opportunity to perform on a prestigious stage and soak up the excitement of a brass band event. After that, we’ll turn our attention to summer fetes and open days.

We’re always delighted to welcome new members - whether you’re a complete beginner or an experienced player. If you’ve ever thought about joining a friendly band, now’s the perfect time!

Feel free to contact us at brasscstrath@ gmail.com.

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Crieff in Leaf - Hopefully there are a few signs of spring coming, the bulbs are coming through and the buds appearing, helps to brighten these dull February days.

Here are a couple of dates for your diaries - on Friday, 20 March we are holding a Bingo evening at the British Legion, further details next month, and on Saturday, 23 May our ever popular Plant Sale will be in James Square at 10 am. These are our two fundraising events of the year and are both very well supported for which we are very grateful.

We shall be out again around the town in March weather permitting.

Comrie Community Cinema - The Sunday film in February is I Swear, 120 minutes, certificate 15.

This Scottish biographical drama features the true-life story of John Davidson, from Galashiels, who suffers from severe Tourette’s syndrome, and his campaign to promote tolerance and understanding of this previously barely known condition.

The film follows his life from childhood to the present day.

It does not sugarcoat the challenges of Tourette’s syndrome but delivers an emotional and uplifting tale of resilience and humour. Robert Aramayo won Best Lead Performance for his remarkable portrayal of John in the British Independent Film Awards. It is a moving and unforgettable film.

Sunday, 8 February 7 pm for 7.30 pm. Rural Hall, Nurse’s Lane, Comrie.

Tickets £7 from Hansen’s Kitchen, Eventbrite (fees apply) or on the door (subject to availability). BYOB. The Kids’ afternoon film that day will be Frozen (sing-along edition) at 3 pm, 102 minutes, certificate PG. An all-time Disney favourite with the added fun of being able to join in with the songs.

Bring your own popcorn!

This will be free to all, thanks to the generous sponsorship of local businesses.

(Scottish Charity No. SC054441) www.thequair.scot

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Innerpeffray Library

The Library of Innerpeffray reopens for the season on Sunday, 1 March. Throughout February, the grounds and heritage trail at Innerpeffray are open to all. Lovely at all times of year, it is particularly beautiful in February when delicate snowdrops create a spectacular carpet across the woodland floor. See if you are lucky enough to spot one of our resident red squirrels or the swans on the river. Our Schoolroom will be open on Saturdays and Sundays, where you can stop in for a self-serve cup of hot tea, coffee or chocolate to warm you after your walk.

Although the library is closed in February, you can still visit us ‘virtually’ via our website. Via our ‘What’s On’ page you’ll find a link to several entertaining e-tours exploring different aspects of our collections.

Dates for your diary

1 to 31 March - Madertie Month. Tours of the library are free all month long when the library reopens in March, in honour of our founder David Drummond, 3rd Lord Mad-

ertie, who created Scotland’s first free lending library here in 1680.

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

Saturday, 7 March - Concert: Miguel Girão.

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

Sunday, 15 March - Talk: Alan Montgomery on the Romans in Scotland. Time tbc. A talk by the author of popular books ‘Walking the Antonine Wall’ and ‘The Road to Mons Graupius’, historian Alan Montgomery.

Tickets: £10, available online.

Wednesday, 1 July - Outdoor Theatre: The Three Inch Fools. The Three Inch Fools travelling theatre company is back once more at Innerpeffray. Growing in popularity every year with their hilarious takes on historical drama, note the date in your diary now to be sure of a seat!

These are just a few of the events we have lined up for the season ahead. Look out for our notices every month in The Quair to find out about more talks, concerts, fairs, workshops, our annual festival and a special exhibition that we have planned.

Our redoubtable supporters the Friends of Innerpeffray Library will also have their annual programme of events which will be announced here.

From March onwards, the Library’s regular opening hours will be Wednesday to Saturday 10 am to 5 pm, and Sunday 2 pm to 5 pm.

Contact us on 01764 652819 or visit our website at www.innerpeffraylibrary.co.uk for more details and for ticket booking.

Crieff & Strathearn Rugby Club Est.1972

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March Gig in Comrie - Chris’s Gigs in Comrie is delighted to welcome singer Hannah Rarity to the village on Saturday, 14 March.

Hannah is a leading figure in the Scottish folk scene, celebrated for her exceptional voice and dynamic musical presence. Since winning the prestigious BBC Young Traditional Musician of the Year award in 2018, she has consistently impressed audiences and critics alike. Hannah’s talent has led her to collaborate with some of the most respected names in folk music, including Blazin’ Fiddles, Rura, Niteworks and Cherish the Ladies.

Known for her hauntingly beautiful voice and, increasingly, her poignant self-penned songs, Hannah effortlessly blends folk, contemporary, and original material, drawing comparisons to vocal legends like Eva Cassidy and Joan Baez. A versatile performer, she is in high demand as a collaborator, session vocalist, tutor, and MC, hosting Celtic Connections’ renowned Late Night Sessions & Brew and A Blether.

Hannah will be accompanied by Innes White. Innes is one of the busiest acoustic instrumentalists in the UK having appeared on over 40 albums on guitar, mandolin and occasionally other instruments.

He can be seen regularly performing with many of Scotland’s top folk acts including Eddi Reader, Julie Fowlis, Karen Matheson, Siobhan Miller, Sian, Kim Carnie, and countless others.

‘With vocals so pure flawless yet soothingly emotional, it’s hard not to fall a little in love with Hannah’s voice. Folk radio UK’.

Saturday, 14 March. Comrie Rural Hall.

Doors open 7.30 pm for an 8 pm start.

BYOB. Tickets £20 online from Ticket Tailor plus £1 booking fee (search for Chris’s Gigs) and from Hansen’s Kitchen in Comrie.

Cllr Noah Khogali

Strathearn Ward - Conservative Although you are reading this in February, as I write this, the new year has only just begun. So, while it might be slightly belated, I’d like to wish you all a very Happy New Year. I hope 2026 brings you health, happiness, and perhaps a little less excitement than the geology of 2025 pro-

vided!

It was certainly interesting to read recently that Perth and Kinross officially topped the UK’s earthquake activity charts for 2025. While we might not always feel the ground moving beneath our feet, it seems our area was technically the ‘shakiest’ place to be last year!

On much firmer ground, however, is Crieff ’s growing reputation as a destination for fantastic food. It was brilliant to see the recent announcement that two Crieff bakeries have been named in the top five in the whole of Scotland, with Damsel Bakery taking second place and Ems & Co coming in fourth. For a town of our size to secure nearly half of the top spots is a remarkable achievement and a testament to the hard work and talent of our local business owners. It’s exactly the kind of success story we should be shouting about.

Back in the council chambers, things are moving at pace. The public consultation on the upcoming budget closed in January, and I want to thank everyone who took the time to have their say. The decisions made at the budget meeting in March will have real impacts on every household and business across Strathearn.

As an opposition councillor, my role in this process is to scrutinise these proposals constructively but robustly. The feedback you provided during the consultation is vital, but please feel free to reach out directly with any thoughts you have.

As always, if there’s something you’d like to raise or discuss, please don’t hesitate to get in touch. You can contact me on - Telephone 01738 475000, email NKhogali@pkc.gov.uk or at Perth & Kinross Council, 2 High St, Perth PH1 5PH Strathearn Music Society - Our 60th season of delivering the very best of chamber music to Strathearn continues through 2026. Following the January concert featuring the Chloé Piano Trio, we are now looking forward to our next one on Wednesday, 18 February when we will welcome the Scottish-based Thistle Wind Trio, comprising Laura Cioffi (flute and piccolo), Gaynor Gownan (oboe and cor anglais) and Pawel Jaworski (clarinet), bringing us works by Beethoven, Holst, Arnold and Schubert as well as a selection of John Williams’ film music, some of Bizet’s Carmen melodies and a few Scottish songs. Clearly an intriguing and entertaining evening is in store - we hope to see you then!

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

Doors open at 7 pm with the concert getting underway from 7.30 pm.

Next month will bring Sequoia, a violin and cello duo, to the same venue in Crieff on Wednesday, 25 March. More about this in the next edition of The Crieff and Comrie Quair.

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

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