May 2011

Page 1

The

y r t r a w St e free to all residents

LINK

May 2011 Issue No. 2

RRP £1.00 Distributed to the entire Stewartry community, every household and business. That’s nearly 13,000 addresses!

Supporting the local community by linking Social and Business Networking Monthly magazine: Does your business or organisation need to reach out to more people? The Link will get your message across to the entire community with longer exposure. From simple classifieds to full page business profiles and newsletters, be Sociable with Stewartry and use the Link

Castle Douglas Food Town Initiative Newsletter


Business Index:

Find the local supplier you need quickly in this handy guide...

Accountancy Serenity Bookkeeping ......….……. P23

Hair & Beauty Prana Hair & Beauty ……………… p17

Art Gallery Scottish Showcase Gallery……… p17

Heating Engineer, Central Lewis Oil Heating …….……….…. p28

Brewery, micro Sulwath Brewers …..……….……… p13

Professional Printing FP Commercial Printing…….…… p23

Building Contractors Simon Welsh……………………… p24

Recruitment ABC Recruitment Agency ………. p23

Butchery Ballard Butchers………….……….. p13

Restaurant Kilnford Barns ….….…….………. P17

Cafes The Mad Hatter…………………… p4

Timber Treatment / Damp Proofing Kaapstone ………………………… p24

Community Classifieds Castle Douglas Food Town……… DG Arts Festival….….….….…….. GLARE…………………………….. Spring Fling…….….….………….

Wedding Cars Excaliber ………………….……….. P7

P13 p10 p22 p14

Disco, mobile RK DJ .....….………………………. P7

Wedding Entertainment Corra - Live Band and Ceilidh….. p7 Wrought Iron, Decorative Ranchers………………………….. p24

Event Catering Ballard Catering……….….……… p7

Do you have a personal event coming up? Would you like to thank someone for making it a special day?

Birthday, Anniversary, Wedding? Advertise it in the Stewartry Link for a chance to get that special photo in full colour seen by every one in your community. 07875 209927 events@stewartrylink.com 2

Here we have a photo of the camp site & river at the Knockengorrah Ceilidh Festival which is listed in the diary and now hitting it’s 25th year! Details to it and many other events or on the web site www.stewartrylink.com/events

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Next Month’s features: Gem Rock Museum’s 30th Anniversary Kirkcudbright Summer Festivities

Editor’s Note:

“For next issue I inte nd to visit The CatS trand, read my review next month” - Jo

Hi There!!!

Main Features: Readers Recommend… p4

Well, we made it to a second edition with thanks to the many local groups and initiatives who have used The Stewartry Link as vehicle for their newsletters as well as the local businesses who have seen its potential. The response so far has been amazing, and I hope the benefit and the pleasure of meeting new people has been mutual.

Diary Dates…………….. p5

This magazine’s focus is very much on our community so if you belong to a local group or initiative and have something to say this may well be an excellent platform to get your opinions over and your activities recognised. There are a lot of people out there working hard to keep the Stewartry thriving and we don’t always know the effort that some individuals put in.

Natural Health…………. P16

We are now coming into late spring, often a good month for us weather wise so fingers crossed that it is and it extends into summer this year after that 2nd horrid winter. I am sure I was suffering from SAD. But looking at all the entries in the mag, especially the events page there are loads of great things to go see, visit and experience whatever the weather decides to throw at us. I have to say my personal diary is looking quite full. If you look at the Main Features index you will se we have now added two new regular features to the magazine, a Restaurant Review and Gardening Tips, so if you are part of either fraternity and think you have something special to offer the readers why don’t you give me call to see what the Link might be able to do for you. There is also an appeal for help with a new regular feature, SIGs, on pg 27. I was inspired by the Dalbeattie Spring Fayre in April which showcased several local special interest groups and community initiatives ran by local residents and thought what a great idea. Let’s see if I can bring the concept to print. So if you are involved in any groups have a look at the appeal and get in touch. Advertise in this magazine for as little as £39 - No VAT 07875 209927

Community Focus Castle Douglas Food Town …...….... p11 Spring Fling ……….. p14 Monthly Recipe Boiled Fruitcake …… p19 Gardening Tips……….. p25 Puzzle Page……………. p26 Front Cover: Alison Chapman sent in this view of Lochinvar Crannog, the place where Young Lochinvar had his castle before the Gordon family built Kenmure. She tells me it is now the proposed site for 11 giant wind turbines. Have a look at the GLARE appeal on pg 22. Send in your pictures for May’s front cover to info@stewartrylink.com Entries can be anyone or anything, the only requirement is to have some connection to this area. (Wildlife, landscapes, people using local amenities, or just enjoying a day out) All entries will be posted on Facebook

Be the first to find out about offers and events... www.stewartrylink.com www.facebook.com/stewartrylink Stewartry Link Fanpage www.twitter.com/stewartrylink @Stewartry Link Support local suppliers by being Sociable

Stewartry Link takes no responsibility as to the accuracy of advert contents or submitted articles and is purely the opinion of the company or author Please mention TheStewartryLINK when answering an advert

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Readers Recommend:

Has there been someone who has given you really good service? Give them a mention here and let everyone know...

Kaapstone - 01556 505893 Kaapstone has done a great deal of work for me over the last three years and I would highly recommend them. The business is run by Duncan Burns who is friendly, reliable and thorough, and his work is of an excellent standard. - Dr J Hickman, Castle Douglas Kirkcudbright Swimming Pool It’s clean, friendly and welcoming. - Carolyn McHale, Kirkcudbright Simply Delicious Cafe, Castle Douglas I recently visited Simply Delicious for coffee and cake – it is perfectly named and I thoroughly enjoyed my first Mallow Mochachinno - Anne Barclay, Wigtown Michael Riddick and Sons, 01556 660227 They have had a large contract for us. Their communication has been outstanding and they have completed the project on time and on budget – a rare thing with builders in my experience! Richard Herman, Parton The Manor Country House Hotel at Torthorwald The food up there is consistently good and the atmosphere created by the family owners and staff is very welcoming, genuine and authentic. Try the steaks – they are excellent! Clive Rumbold, Dumfries The Mad Hatter, Castle Douglas Great for kids, prams, dogs… and of course an appetite. Personal favourite are the omelettes. Mrs S, Dalbeattie The Galloway Activity Centre - 01644 420 626 The GAC is a wonderful venue in a beautiful setting on Loch Ken with great activities and facilities for a family day out. Last summer they invited us to hold a 'taster day' for Dragon Boating up at the Centre which was attended by about 100 people. - Lucy Carlow, Castle Douglas

er t t a H MadCafe & Restaurant The

great value food

King St, Castle Douglas - 4 shops down from the main car park on the left

Choose the Mad Hatter for our warm welcome and relaxed atmosphere

Children and dogs welcome Baby changing facilities Open Monday to Saturday

Tel: 01556 502712 Stay a while, or if you’re in a hurry we provide a take-away service too

Dickson & Mahan, 01776 702853 We've used them at our premises for a long time and always found them very helpful. - Bill Henderson, Stranraer.

‘Dates for the Diary’ note… Email your event to events@stewartrylink.com stating the event, location, dates and a short description. There may not always s be enough room for all event requests in the magazine itself, but they can always go in the calendar for everyone to see. 4

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For more detailed information, contact details and other events check out the web site calendar on www.stewartrylink.com/events.

Dates for the Diary

Send your event to events@stewartrylink.com Art Exhibitions / Craft Fairs 28/04-07/05 A Retrospective Exhibition, Martin Collie - Castle Douglas Art Gallery 30/04-21/05 WEST FEST - Stranraer Museum Exhibition, The Old Town Hall 27/04-08/05 In the Eye of the Beholder - Studio, Tollbooth Art Centre, Kirkcudbright 11-14/05 Interior transformation; Mary Sanderson - Castle Douglas Art Gallery 11-22/05 A Brush with Nature; Martine Berlemont - Gallery, Tollbooth Art Centre, Kirkcudbright 11-22/05 Landscapes for All; George Lawson - Gallery, Tollbooth Art Centre, Kirkcudbright 14/05-02/07 The Secret Storyteller - Gracefield Arts Centre 18-30/05 Simon Robertson & Ian Bigger Photography - Castle Douglas Art Gallery 21/05-30/07 Artists Rooms: Vija Celmins - Gracefield Arts Centre Gallery 2 28-30/05 Spring Fling - Throughout Dumfries & Galloway 28/05-25/06 'Growing' - Stranraer Exhibition - Stranraer Museum Exhibition, The old Town Hall, Stranraer 01-22/06 Victorian Art - Annan Museum, DG12 6AA 02-11/06 Brush Strokes - Castle Douglas Art Gallery 08-19/06 An Appreciation of Birds - Tollbooth Art Centre, Kirkcudbright Children’s Shows & Activities 02/05 School Holidays 13/05 Varanasi Nights (under 18's) - Millenium Centre 20/05 Varanasi Nights (under 18's) – Castle Douglas Town Hall 27/05 Varanasi Nights (under 18's) - St Georges, Dumfries 10/06 'Wicked Wildlife Fun Day' - Cream o' Galloway, Gatehouse, DG7 2DR 12/06 Singing Kettle - DG One, Dumfries 19/06 Fieldtrip Fishy Heads, 6-13 - Dumfries Observatory, DG2 7SW 25/06 Colours of Valley - Glenluce Hall 25/06-27/08 The Age of Dinosaurs - Annan Museum, DG12 6AA 11/07-24/08 School Holidays Festivals, Shows and Civic Events 29/04-07/05 Dumfries Film Festival - Robert Burns Centre - Film Theatre 05/05 Fashion Show – Threave 20-29/05 Dumfries & Galloway Arts Festival – Various 21/05 Streets of Dumfries – Dumfries 14-15/05 Radio One’s Big Weekend, Carlisle Airfield 26-29/05 Knockengorroch World Ceilidh, 25th Year! - Knockengorroch Farm, Carsphairn, Castle Douglas, DG7 3TJ 28/05 Castle Douglas Food Town Day - Castle Douglas 28-30/05 Spring Fling Through out D&G 29/05 'SUNDAZE' in the park - Dalbeattie Colliston Park 10-12/06 Eden Festival - Raehills, Moffat 16-19/06 Kirkcudbright Jazz Festival 25/06 13th International World Peace Fesitival - Allanton World Peace Sanctuary, Auldgirth, DG2 0RY 25/06 Stranraer Armed Forces Day Waterfront Festival - Stranraer Waterfront & Agnew Park 26/06 'QUACKERS' in the park - Dalbeattie Colliston Park 09-10/07 Kirkcudbright Garden & Country Fair - Carse Kirkcudbright 22-23/07 Wickerman Festival, Dundrennan DG6 4QW 24-30/07 Castle Douglas Civic Week 2011 - Castle Douglas Please mention TheStewartryLINK when answering an advert

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29/07-01/08 Kirkcudbright Arts & Crafts Trail, Various venues throughout Kirkcudbright 31/07-06/08 Dalbeattie Civic Week - Dalbeattie, various 03/08 Wigtown Agricultural Show, Bladnoch Park, Wigtown DG8 9AB 04/08 Stewartry Agricultural Show, Castle Douglas 28/08 Dalbeattie Civic Flower Show - Dalbeattie 30/08 Kirkcudbright Tattoo - MacLellan Castle Kirkcudbright Evening Entertainment 02/05 Six Black Candles by Des Dillon; Goldfish Theatre Co - Newton Stewart Cinema 04/05 Six Black Candles by Des Dillon; Goldfish Theatre Co - Theatre Royal, Dumfries 05/05 Speaking the Land, Dalziel & Scullion - the CatStrand, New Galloway, DG7 3RN 06/05 The Shetland Bus - original Music - The CatStrand, New Galloway, DG7 3RN 06/05 Limehouse Lizzy, the greatest hits of Phil Lynot & Thin Lizzy - Ryan Centre Theatre, Stranrear, DG9 7AP 07/05 The Bonzo Dog Do Dah Band Changed My Life Forever; Isosceles Theatre Co - Theatre Royal, Dumfries 13/05 Six Black Candles by Des Dillon; Goldfish Theatre Co - Ryan Centre Theatre, Stranraer DG9 7AP 14/05 Traditional Music - Dermot Kearney and Steve Sweeney, The Swallow Theatre, Whithorn, DG8 8DR 14/05 Creatures of the Forest - Terramundi Puppet Theatre - Camera Obscura, Dumfries 22/05 The Kingfisher, by William Douglas-Home - Colvend Village Hall, Colvend 23/05 The Kingfisher, by William Douglas-Home - Broughton House, Kirkcudbright, DG6 4JX 24/05 The Kingfisher, by William Douglas-Home - Ecclefechan Village Hall, Ecclefechan 24/05 Marylin Middleton Pollock - The Mill on the Fleet, Gatehouse, DG7 2HS 25/05 Lockerbie: Unfinished Business - Buccleuch Centre Langholm 26/05 Lockerbie: Unfinished Business - Theatre Royal, Dumfries 26/05 Dances from distant lands; Anapurna Indian Dance Company - Camphill Village Trust, Loch Arthur, Beeswing, Dumfries, DG2 8JQ 26/05 Scottish Chamber Orchestra - Cochran Hall, Kirkcudbright 27/05 Scottish Chamber Orchestra - Buccleuch Centre, Langholm 27/05 Dances from distant lands; Anapurna Indian Dance Company - CatStrand, High Street, New Galloway, DG7 3RN 27/05 Wild Thing; An Evening with Oliver Reed - Birchvale Theatre, Southwick Rd, Dalbeattie DG5 4HR 28/05 Wild Thing; An Evening with Oliver Reed - Murray Hall, Auchencairn, DG7 1QS 02/06 New Rope String Band at A' the Airts - Sanquhar Town Hall 08/06 Vladimir McTavish with Susan Morrison - The CatStrand, New Galloway, DG7 3RN 25/06 Dumfries Music Club Programme of Concerts, 2011 Season - St John's Church, Dumfries Outdoor 01/05 Dawn Chorus Walk – Cream o’ Galloway, Gatehouse, DG7 2DR 06-12/05 Newton Stewart Walking Festival - Newton Stewart 31/05 Bird Calls for Beginners - Cream o' Galloway, Gatehouse, DG7 2DR 02/06 Bat Night - Cream o' Galloway, Gatehouse, DG7 2DR 03/06 Hedgerow Safari - Cream o' Galloway, Gatehouse, DG7 2DR 03-05/06 Langholm Walking Festival – Langholm 05/06 World Environment Day - Cream o' Galloway, Gatehouse, DG7 2DR Other 07/05 The Border Strathspey & Reel Society Annual Fiddlers Rally for McMillan Cancer Dumfries High School, Marchmount Ave, Dumfries, DG1 1PX 28/05 Cake & Candy Stall (for the Cub Hut) - Wilkinson Entrance, Castle douglas 02/07 Cancer Research UK Relay For Life D&G - Bladnoch Park, Wigtown 6

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Restaurant Review Kilnford Barns First impressions when drawing up to the car park was impressive. Beautiful local sandstone walls and features, and they haven’t done the usual boring car park layout where you are given 6” either side of the car to try and vacate the vehicle without attracting an insurance claim from the neighbouring car. It is roomy... and for a car park quite pretty. You could see they still have lots of finishing touches to complete but seeing the standard achieved so far you just know it is going to be stunning once fully completed. There were some unobtrusive workmen beavering away in the background which just added to the feeling of confidence that this place is going to have quality stamped everywhere. I was now really looking forward to the food, my expectations had just risen further. The entrance is inviting with a definite organic, agricultural feel. You are left in no doubt where the importance of the produce lay and as you walked into the roomy space that housed the tills you could clearly see the fresh produce in two brightly lit food halls. However, as much as the foodie that I am and was keen to see how matured their beef looked, I couldn’t immediately find the bistro. I looked around both food halls with half an eye on all the tasty organic goodies on display but could find no signs pointing the way. On seeing a courtyard, also finished to a wonderfully high standard and housing a lovely slate water feature in the centre, I ventured out a little nervously as there was no one else milling about and I wasn’t sure if it was off limits. As soon as I stepped out I noticed a sandstone lintel with ‘Kilnford Kitchen’ carved into it, so correctly presumed I was heading in the right direction. On finding my friend we proceeded into the bistro, which again was wonderfully finished, roomy, bright and airy with a lovely modern, busy kitchen. We did find the whole ordering process a little confusing at first. There was the board of specials all of which read mouth-wateringly and was all reasonably priced, but lots of interesting tit-bits also lay behind the counter and we were not sure what they all were or how much they cost. It took a couple of attempts and staff help to figure out what you could order and how. It was explained that the premises had only been open for three days . They were aware of the lack of signs but had been let down by their supplier. We settled on the Marinated Kilnford Beef, and the Marinated Chicken from the specials board, all produce locally sourced. (The beef is from the owner’s farm itself.) My friend, who ordered the chicken, was a little worried that it would be too heavy for a lunchtime meal but on arrival both options were a perfect lunch size portion. The chicken had a nice zesty tang which satisfied the

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expectations of the description and the giant cous-cous that accompanied it satisfied my curiosity. My minute steak was cooked to perfection, and the blue cheese sauce, which was light enough for lunch, topped with a liberal sprinkling of the organic mixed peppercorns that stood with the rock salt at all the tables was a treat, it was a perfect balance of flavours and didn’t throw my low fat, healthy diet out of kilter either so totally guilt free as far as I was concerned. I resisted the sweet section, … just, as I had an eye on the beautifully browned meringues and settled for a half-shot latte. That and a black coffee for my friend the total bill came to only £16. For the high quality decor and the restaurant style food I think that is very reasonable. I hope that they are thinking of evening menu sometime in the near future, and can’t wait to see what all their plans for the place are once they have everything completed.

Sampled from the Menu: ~Chicken Breast marinated in lemon & tarragon on giant cous-cous and a red pepper salad ~ £5.95 ~Marinated Kilnford Beef grilled & served with rocket salad & blue cheese dressing ~ £5.95

Rating 4 out of 5 Still some finishing touches to be made. Needs slightly better internal signage for both the bistro location and the food options in the bistro. But I expect that once the premises is completely finished this minor complaint will be taken care of and the rating will improve to at least a 4.5, which the food itself deserves. All in all I would highly recommend Kilnford Barns and look forward to returning for both dining and shopping. By the time you read this most if not all the finishing touches will have already been completed… beautifully. Kilnford Barns, The Glen, Dumfries, DG2 8PT www.kilnford.co.uk 200 yards up the deadend turning on the Garroch roundabout on the A75

Do you have an establishment you would like featured? Or have a favourite place you would like to recommend? Contact Jo, 07875 209927 or info@stewartrylink.com with the details Please mention TheStewartryLINK when answering an advert

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Dumfries & Galloway Arts Festival is a much cherished mainstay of the regions arts and events calendar. Established in 1979 with a view to bring world-class artists to a mainly rural area, it has grown in confidence and scale year on year. The nine-day familyfriendly multi-arts festival boasts everything from theatre, dance and music to literature, film and art. Events are being held this year across the region in theatres, village halls, cafés, and an ice cream visitor centre. It offers a unique opportunity to see a wide variety of music, dance and theatre, whilst enjoying the region's great open spaces in one Scotland’s most rural landscapes. Acts revealed so far include; ·

The Great Big Gilbert and Sullivan Show, from Opera Wow!.

·

Folk legends Dick Gaughan, Chris Stout and Catriona McKay.

·

The Scottish Chamber Orchestra present an evening of popular classics.

·

The Tim Kliphus Trio’s own take on Gypsy Jazz.

·

Lockerbie Unfinished Business; David Benson’s dramatization of Jim Swire’s struggle to find the truth behind the Air Disaster.

·

Scotland's new Makar, Liz Lochhead

New this Year is “Streets of Dumfries”, an outdoor arts carnival in town centre Dumfries featuring Skerryvore and Orkestra Del Sol, The Horn Dog Brass Band, and The Hidden Orchestra, takes place on Sat 21 May. For the full programme see www.dgartsfest.com, alternatively, call 01387 260 447 for a free brochure. Tickets are on sale now from the Midsteeple Dumfries 01387 253 383.

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Castle Douglas Food Town Initiative Newsletter ~ May It has been a busy last 12 months and listed below are activities and projects the FTI has been involved in during 2010/11.

Ÿ Ÿ Ÿ Ÿ

Food Town Day May 2010 Cooking Bus project. May 2010 Queen’s Visit to Castle Douglas 2010 VS Expo March 2010 helping to promote the town and the Galloway Region. Ÿ Scottish Food Fortnight event Sept. 2010 Field to Fork. Ÿ Late Night Shopping and Christmas Lights switch on. Ÿ Successful Application for Day of the Region Event Grant from LEADER 2011. All these projects have been done with the sole purpose of helping to promote Castle Douglas and our region and further highlight the great market town that we have, incorporating such a wealth of great independent businesses. These independent businesses are the core to the future economic growth of the town and really contribute greatly to it’s Unique Shopping experience. We are not a “Cloned Town” as we are lucky to have such a diverse and quality retail sector that we know is envied by many throughout the UK. Our role is to help promote this and help increase visitor levels and the awareness of The Stewartry /Galloway as being a real worthwhile visitor experience. Food Town Initiative has been successful in obtaining another year of Core funding from D&G Council and we are also asking the businesses in the town to help fund our events programme through the Food Town Membership again this year. Event funding, that we have had in the past, has now been stopped and therefore we need to find other ways to support the event programme for 2011. We have been successful in raising money from a Business Membership scheme and up to now we have had support from 24 businesses in the town. Additional members are expected over the next few weeks. These memberships should allow for our Event programme to go ahead as planned in 2011. We have a full programme planned for 2011 including Food Town Day 28th May, Scottish Food Fortnight in September and The Day of the Region celebration event on 1st & 2nd October where we are working in Partnership with Civic Week Committee and other local Community and Activity groups. (see further info below overleaf) Food Town Day is our first major event for 2011 and we a have been very active in inviting as many community and local artisan Food and Craft producers to come and showcase their products and activities on King Street on Saturday May 28th. The day will include many foody and Please mention TheStewartryLINK when answering an advert

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Cooking Bus project, May 2010

community based activities and as you will see from the local press and this newsletter we expect to have a real fun day planned for all. The Cooking Bus is back in Town in Castle Douglas Food Town Week. This is part of a National campaign to help awareness of the ease of preparing and cooking Fresh & Healthy Food for children and parents.

The Cooking Bus was a very successful addition to the event last year and the Cooking Bus team requested to be in the town again this year. Plans are being made for all the local primary schools to have teaching sessions at the Bus but we will have a dedicated day on the Saturday 28th May for the public to take part in the sessions that day. We will be having 3 teaching sessions on Saturday 28th May and people who wish to take part should register their interest by contacting us via our web site www.cd-foodtown.org and sending us a short message using the CONTACT US button on the front page. Registration will be on a first come first serve basis. This opportunity is ideal for a parent and their children to have some fun and learn about healthy and fresh food on the day. Please refer to our web site www.cd-foodtown.org for more event details and also should you or your group wish to take part in the Day please contact us via our web site or phone 01557 814428. Day of the Region Event and celebrations being planned for the the people by the people of Castle Douglas on 1st & 2nd October.2011. Up to now we have over 50 community and activity groups involved in the celebration weekend but if you or your interest group wish to come and join in and showcase your activity or learning group please contact us see contact list below. Our initiative always welcome members of the public or businesses to come and join our meetings which are held in the early evening of the 2nd Monday of every month in the Douglas Arms Hotel in Castle Douglas. Please contact Steve Groome or other members of our team if you wish to discuss involvement on Food Town Day or any ideas you may have for our Initiative.

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Food Town Initiative Main Contacts: Steve Groome Coordinator: stephengroome@btinternet.com 01557 814428 Keith Irving Chairman: keith@homes-style.demon.co.uk Brian Haining Treasurer: HainingBrian@aol.com Alan Murray FT Member : alanbarbara@aol.com

Pictures from Food Town events organised last year Please mention TheStewartryLINK when answering an advert


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Join us for Food Town Day King Street & Market Hill Castle Douglas

Saturday 28th May 2011, starts 11:00am Many attractions for the whole Family: Street Stalls, Tasters, National Cooking Bus in town, great chance to see wonderful local shops while street closed to traffic. Food and Craft Markets, Schools Cooking Competition, Sulwath Brewery Jazz & BBQ, Street entertainment. Local chef demos in Marquee on Market Hill. Please mention TheStewartryLINK when answering an advert

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The 9th Spring Fling will take place throughout Dumfries and Galloway from 28-30 May 2011. Over 85 participants across the county will open their doors to the public over the bank holiday weekend giving the opportunity to see artists at work, join a workshop or just buy while travelling to studios amid some of the most spectacular scenery in Scotland. This is the most successful artist open studios event of its kind in Scotland. In addition to the core open studios trail there is an exciting programme of additional events for Spring Fling visitors, including a ceilidh and hog roast, magical mystery bus tours and a free guided bike ride. New for this year will be a guided Spring Fling walk on Sunday 29 May which will take in 3 artists at 2 studios. (Details of these activities are at end of release). This year’s artist-in-residence, Deirdre Nelson is a graduate of Glasgow School of Art. She is a textile artist whose work uses research into textile and social history. Narrative plays a part in her creations, which combine traditional and contemporary techniques. In 2008 she received the Jerwood Makers Award. Based at The Bookshop in Wigtown, Nelson’s exhibition is the result of a 10-day Spring Fling residency at Wigtown Book Festival last autumn. Wandering through The Bookshop word related textile works are on display. In addition to viewing the works, visitors will be able to add to the collection of ‘favourite words’ on their visit and become part of this ongoing project. Says Nelson “Throughout the residency I became a ‘word collector’, gathering favourite words from both writers and visitors to the festival. The resulting words have been a source of inspiration for embroidered and printed textile works, which you will discover by roaming the unusual gallery setting of the largest second hand bookshop in Scotland.” Spring Fling is generously supported by Dumfries & Galloway Council and EventScotland. For further information contact: Fiona Duff - 0131 225 2279/07710 419762 fiona@duffpublicity.com Dates& Times: 28 to 30 May, with studios open from 10.30am to 5.30pm (in addition, some studios will stay open until 7pm on 28 May. These are marked with a late-night opening icon in their brochure entry.) www.spring-fling.co.uk 14

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Activities Spring Fling Guided Walk New to Spring Fling this year is our Spring Fling guided walk organised by Galloway Holidays (www.gallowayholidays.co.uk). The guided walk will take place on Sunday 29th May and will take in the Nith Estuary National Scenic Area – Carsethorn, Powillimount, Arbigland and Kirkbean. Starting time will be 1.30pm from Carsethorn car park. Ÿ Route – part shore walk round Arbigland and Powillimount visiting Studios 41 and 42. Ÿ Terrain – shoreline, track and road. Ÿ Walks grade – easy to moderate. Ÿ Clothing – sturdy footwear and outdoor clothing to suit weather conditions. Ÿ Distance – 5.5 miles or 6.5 if back via Kirkbean (1 mile longer)should group agree. For further details please contact Robin Hogg, Galloway Holidays (Walking and Cycling holidays), Castle Douglas (01556 502979, mail@gallowayholidays.co.uk). The walk will visit 3 artists at 2 studios: Ÿ Studio 41 - Lettie Blackett, Nethermill, Kirkbean Ÿ Studio 42 - Ailsa Black and Alison FairBixler, Kirkbean village hall, Kirkbean There is one other studio nearby, best accessed by car,but walkers may wish to continue on foot: Ÿ Studio 65 - Val Macadam, 2 Midtown cottages, Kirkbean Magical Mystery Tour All aboard for the popular Spring Fling magical mystery bus tours! Hop on at 10am at one of three designated locations and hop off again at the same location at around 5pm having visited about five Spring Fling studios en route. Tours will be leaving from Castle Douglas on 28 May, Newton Stewart on 29 May and Dumfries on 30 May. Tickets must be bought in advance from the Spring Fling co-ordinator at a cost of £10 per person, or £8.50 for concessions. www.spring-fling.co.uk Spring Fling Ceilidh & Hog Roast Whether you’re a dab hand at a dashing white sergeant or you’re a ceilidh virgin, all are welcome at the Spring Fling ceilidh and hog roast, on 28 May. Kicking off at 7pm at Castle Douglas Town Hall, there will be music by Two Left Feet, one of the finest ceilidh bands in the land, and a bar. Tickets cost £12 for adults, or £9 for concessions, including a delicious hog roast (or vegetarian alternative), and are available to book online at www.thebooth.co.uk. Spring Fling Cycle Tour Organised by the local CTC members’ group (www.dandgcycling.co.uk), this year’s Spring Fling bike ride will take place on Saturday 28 May. All are welcome to meet at Twynholm Village Hall at 9.45am for a 10am kick-off. The ride is free (except for lunch, for which there will be a café stop) but riders are advised to bring drinks, snacks and, forecast dependent, wet weather gear – plus a bike of course! The circular route of around 24 miles will take in studios in Gatehouse of Fleet, Kirkcudbright and the surrounding area, as well as some stunning scenery. For further details please contact Mike Gray (01387 270995; grayjohnmichael@aol.com). Please note that booking is essential. Please mention TheStewartryLINK when answering an advert

15


Getting a Good Night’s Sleep This month Pat Archer, a Clinical Reflexologist, discusses sleep and how to make sure you are getting enough. Do you or your partner have a problem sleeping? Are you unable to get to sleep or have a problem staying asleep? Waking up too early or waking up feeling un-refreshed or tired in the morning? Sleep is essential to good health yet a third of the population experience some form of sleep disorder which can result in fatigue, depression, poor concentration, illness and injury. It can also be the cause of relationships breaking down, unemployment and many other problems. Insomnia is the most common sleep disorder and is often caused by stress and anxiety, the inability to ‘switch off’ before going to bed, resulting in fragmented sleep patterns. Other factors that can disrupt sleep are ill health, depression, pain, some prescription drugs, life changes, your environment and even sleeping pills! A report last year found that the number of people getting the required amount of sleep has fallen from 26% to just 19% in the last five years. So how many hours sleep do we need? This varies from person to person but most people need between seven and eight hours each night to feel refreshed. What can you do to help yourself if you find you are having a problem sleeping? Look at your diet and lifestyle and see if there is any room for improvement there, avoid eating too late at night and try to wind down at least an hour before going to bed. Learn to relax; meditation and yoga are particularly helpful in calming and relaxing the mind. The old fashioned remedy of milk and honey before bed time works well, as does a few drops of lavender essential oil sprinkled onto your pillow or added to your bath water. Ensure that your bed is comfortable and your bedroom neither too hot nor too cold. And finally, don’t feel that sleeplessness is something you have to put up with - talk to your GP or try one of the many natural therapies that can help, especially those that help reduce stress and anxiety, as these are the two main causes of insomnia. If you would like more information on natural therapies in general, you will find an explanation of all the major therapies on Pat’s web site, www.scottishtherapists.co.uk, in her Database of Practitioners, all of which are qualified and insured complementary and alternative therapists across Scotland. If you are looking for more information on reflexology please contact Pat at info@scottishtherapists.co.uk, or visit Prana Hair and Beauty, King St, Castle Douglas, 01556 503652, for an appointment , where she has her practice. 16

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Hair and Beauty

01556 503652 info@pranahairandbeauty.co.uk www.pranahairandbeauty.co.uk

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Scottish Showcase Gallery

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Showcasing the very best of Scottish art and crafts from all over Scotland

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Riverside Mills, Beaconsfield Place, Kirkcudbright, Dumfries & Galloway, DG6 4DP Tel: 01557 339400 (24 hrs.) Open 7 days 10am-5pm Sun 12noon-4pm

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At Kilnford we intend to revive the traditional way of supplying customers directly from the farm. In our farm shop, with specialist butcher and deli departments, we will have our own Galloway beef, outdoor-reared pork and bacon, grass-fed, Blackface cross lambs, as well as locally produced eggs and vegetables. Kilnford will stock the finest produce that is available from Dumfries and Galloway. We will provide speciality foods and wines from around the world and also seek out the best of the arts and crafts in the local area.

200 yards from the Garroch roundabout on the A75

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17


Natural Therapy Q&A Questions to health@stewartrylink.com

As promised the new regular feature of a Question and Answer for those who seek a more natural approach to health.

Q: “After a particularly stressful time I broke out in both eczema and psoriasis quite badly all over, from my scalp down to my feet. Removing the stress and lots of moisturising got the eczema to subside completely and all but one place with the psoriasis is - under the fingernails. Nine nails have almost completely detached. Topical treatments from Dermatology have not really worked. PUVA cleared up my palms completely and moisturising with an all natural urea cream keeps the skin on the fingertips under control but the nails continue to detach as they grow. What do you suggest?” A: You have my sympathy, this is a really extreme case of a stress related disorder and illustrates only too well the damage to our health too much stress in our lives can have. It’s good that you have been able to eliminate it and in so doing clear up most of the psoriasis and eczema – the remaining nail problem you have is called Onycholysis, a lifting of the nail plate. This may take some time to resolve, as even after any treatment has finished the fingernails will take 4 – 6 months to fully regrow. Meanwhile, keep the nail bed dry and clean and wear light cotton gloves inside rubber gloves when coming into contact with water or chemicals. And do try to ensure that you keep your stress levels to a minimum to prevent the return of psoriasis and excema, make time for relaxation on a daily basis (even 10 minutes helps) and include calcium rich foods in your diet (milk, yoghurt, cheese) to help strengthen the new nail growth. If there is no improvement you may need to contact your GP. Q: Whilst most people are looking forward to the Spring, I am dreading it! I suffer from hay fever and so it’s sneezing, itching and watery eyes…any natural remedies that you can recommend? A: Hay fever, also called allergic rhinitis, occurs when your immune system overreacts to normally harmless airborne particles, causing symptoms such as a runny nose, itching of your nose, and sneezing. One in five people in the UK suffer from this problem with numbers increasing every year. Here are some popular home-made remedies; HONEY: The honey should be locally produced and should be consumed in small quantities (say one and half teaspoons) every morning. You should ideally do this all year round, or at least a month before the hay fever season starts. NETTLE TEA: Mix three spoons of honey with nettle tea, it is believed to do wonders for excess mucus in the respiratory system and nettle tea is a natural anti-histamine. Lemon balm tea, camomile tea and cranberry juice, either hot or cold are also popular amongst hay fever sufferers. Your local Health Food Store will stock a range of natural remedies that may help, pop in and have a chat with them, they are a good source of free, impartial advice. There are a number of things you can do to help reduce your symptoms. Some of these include: Keeping doors and windows closed when the pollen count is high and staying away from areas where there is more pollen such as grassy parks, especially in the early morning and late afternoon and evening when the pollen count is highest. Wearing wrap-around sunglasses to keep pollen out of your eyes. Taking a shower and washing your hair after going outside when the pollen count is high. Not drying washing outside if counts are high - pollen may get trapped in the fibres of clothes and bed linen. Putting Vaseline on the inside of your nostrils to prevent pollen from entering your nasal passages. Q: I desperately want to give up smoking but after several unsuccessful attempts on my own, I now concede that I need help. Are some methods more successful than others? A: Well done in deciding to quit, some smokers do manage to give up using sheer willpower but the majority find they need a little assistance. The good news is that there is a lot of help and support and although you may find it difficult at first, if you are determined you will succeed and enjoy better health as a result. The natural therapies that you will find most helpful are acupuncture and hypnotherapy but do make sure that the therapist you choose is professionally qualified. Smoking Matters Dumfries and Galloway is also an excellent resource, offering free help and support on a one-to-one basis, in groups or by telephone. Your GP and local pharmacy are also worth talking to. Good luck!

This month questions were answered by Pat Archer, clinical reflexologist 18

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Are you a natural therapist? Do you have experience you would like to share with the wider community? We are looking for some practitioners from different fields to give their perspective as we know that certain treatments are more suitable for different ailments. It wouldn’t be a commitment every month, just answer the questions that interest you or are applicable to your expertise. Please contact me, Jo Seawright, info@stewartrylink.com, 07875 209927, for more info.

Recipe of the Month:

Boiled Fruit Cake Ingredients

Lighter than a rich fruit cake and beautifully moist. If you think fruit cakes are tricky try this one. It couldn’t be simpler. An ordinary teacup is fine for measuring.

1 cup of water 225g / 8oz unsalted butter 1 cup of soft brown sugar ½ cup peel (if you don’t like peel, use chopped ready-to-eat dried apricots) 1 ½ cups raisins 1 ½ cups sultanas ¼ cup chopped glace cherries 1 tsp mixed spice 2 cups plain flour 1 tsp baking soda (bicarbonate of soda) 2 eggs Method Place the first eight ingredients into a large saucepan and bring it to the boil. Reduce the heat and simmer gently for 20 minutes, then set aside to cool. Heat the oven to 180C/fan 160C/gas 4. Line a deep 20cm/8inch circular cake tin with greaseproof paper. Mix the beaten eggs well into the fruit mix. It’s important that the mixture has cooled because if it’s too warm the eggs will cook! Then sieve the flour and baking soda into the mixture and mix well. Pour into the cake tin and bake for 1-1½ hours until cooked through (when a skewer inserted into the cake comes out clean). If the cake is browning too quickly reduce the temperature a little. Remove from the oven and allow to cool in the tin for fifteen minutes, then turn out on to a rack. The cake keeps really well if it’s stored in an airtight tin. Please mention TheStewartryLINK when answering an advert

19


COMIC RELIEF A hair raising, or at least a hair removing success for Comic Relief… Congratulations to the staff at the Anchor Hotel, Kippford and Prana Hair and Beauty in Castle Douglas who combined their efforts on Friday 18th March to raise £400 for Comic Relief on Red Nose Day. Andrew Hartnell, Manager at the Anchor asked Carolyn Kennedy, owner of Prana Hair and Beauty if she would help them with their fundraising – the guys behind the Bar were up for having certain parts waxed for charity. Delighted to oblige Carolyn also suggested a complete new look for one of the waitresses at the Hotel. Once the staff at Prana heard about this event they all wanted to take part so we arranged some activities in the Salon during the day. A raffle was held in the salon – the prize being a luxury Aveda Gift Box with pampering products from the Smooth Infusion hair range. The staff all came to work in their PJs, guests were asked to donate for their refreshments and staff donated tips. At night in the Anchor Hotel, Louise Peacock, Senior Beauty Therapist let rip with her wax strips with several members of the Anchor Team having legs, backs and chests waxed for charity. Selling off strips on the night let others have the pleasure of inflicting a little pain on their friends and loved ones! Andrew Beattie, Senior Stylist cut Hayley Hough’s hair – he had coloured her hair in salon the previous night – giving her a totally new look. He applied her makeup and styled her clothes on the evening. Not content to stop there he offered hair cuts for a £10 donation towards Comic Relief – he was kept busy all night !! For further information contact Carolyn Kennedy, 07734487761.

20

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How to live with less If you can’t lay your hands on items quickly because they’re buried under piles of junk; if you’re constantly moving things from one pile to a new ‘temporary’ pile; if you find yourself thinking, “I can’t throw this away, it might come in useful one day,” you’re probably a clutter victim. Californian blogger Dave Bruno wrote The 100 Thing Challenge. He set himself the year-long experimental task of reducing his belongings to 100 items. Amazingly, once his self-imposed year was up he kept living by his new rules, citing a desire to fight American style consumerism and live a life of simplicity. I’m not suggesting we all follow Bruno’s lead, but he has a point. Most of us put far too much time, effort and money into acquiring, keeping and storing possessions. Sometimes it’s good to let go. If you’re ready to de-clutter, then we have a few simple tips. If you feel you need help, there are experts in de-cluttering who will guide you through the process of letting go. De-cluttering Tips Deal with one room at a time The task will seem less daunting. Stick with that room until it’s finished. Choose a nice day Take the room contents outside. Psychologically it’s easier to sort and let go if you’re one step removed. It’s also less likely that the clutter will make it back inside. Sort everything into three piles Label them dump, donate and keep. Be realistic: if the item in question hasn’t been used for over a year it is unlikely you will ever use it. Deal with the dump and donate piles Do this before anything comes back into the house. It’s much harder to mess up your good work if the stuff is physically gone. Sort and label Place the remaining items in clearly labelled boxes. Make sure there is one temporary box to house items which really belong in another room. As each room is sorted those items can be replaced, and other misplaced items can be housed there while the decluttering process continues. Replace everything that remains The maxim ‘A place for everything and everything in its place’ is a good one. House small items in clear plastic boxes and store them in cupboards or wardrobes. Now you’re done instigate a one thing in:one thing out rule. It will make you think twice about acquiring something if you know something else has to go. Finally, once a week, take two bags and go through your home. One bag is for rubbish, the other for items in the wrong place. When you’ve finished throw the rubbish away and replace the misplaced items. Follow these small steps and you too can de-clutter your life. Please mention TheStewartryLINK when answering an advert

21


This Advertorial has been placed by GLARE (Galloway Landscape and Renewable Energy), a non-profit non political organisation whose aim is to preserve the natural beauty of the Galloway landscape while also evaluating and promoting environmentally sensitive, economically viable and socially acceptable renewable energy projects

What’s your point of view on Windfarms? Should we encourage wind farms in the area or should we be taking a stand against them? There is a discussion on Stewartry Link’s facebook page and anyone can leave their opinion as to the right course of action. You can also see a preview of GLARE’s DVD there.

DON’T BACK BLACKCRAIG DECISION “The incoming Government of the Scottish people should reconsider the recent decision of the previous Government to allow 23x 365’ wind turbines along the prominent ridgeline known as Blackcraig in the Glenkens on the grounds that it will be visually intrusive and damage the tourist economy of the Stewartry.” GLARE, April 2011

“ I wish to lend my voice to the cause of GLARE to help stop the terrible decision over Blackcraig.” Emily Smith, folksinger

“ I object to this grotesque industrialisation. The wishes of local people are being ridden over roughshod.” Sir Ranulph Fiennes

I agree and respectfully ask the incoming Government to reconsider the previous Government’s decision to allow the Blackcraig wind turbines . Name ......................................................................................................... Address ......................................................................................................... Post code ....................................................................................................... I enclose a donation of £...... payable to GLARE for a 7 minute DVD ‘Around Blackcraig’ & ‘The Return of Young Lochinvar’ (narrated by Emily Smith), Please post to: GLARE, PO Box 7479, Castle Douglas DG7 3WX

energy@glare.org.uk

www.glare.org.uk 22

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Serenity Bookkeeping has several years experience in all aspects of small business accounts for several local businesses, this includes: Sage Software VAT returns Wage Runs Invoicing Payment Runs Tax Audits

Free Press commercial print brings high quality, low cost colour printing within the reach of businesses large and small. From start to finish we are fully equipped to carry out any of your colour printing requirements. From pre-press to press to finishing our plant has the latest in state of the art Heidelberg Graphics Technology. FP commercial print is a new service offered by one of south west Scotland’s most prestigious and oldest media publishers, Stranraer & Wigtownshire Free Press established in 1843. We understand the need for a modern business to promote itself and its products accurately, imaginatively and above all successfully. We offer a bespoke service catering to the individual needs of each client and we believe each client to be an individual, not a number in a process. Our methods and technologies may have changed over the years, but we do have a few ‘old fashioned’values, which we believe make the difference… • HONESTY • RELIABILITY • SERVICE • VALUE CONTACT US NOW ON 01776 702551 TO SEE WHAT FP CAN DO FOR YOU.

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23


cdcc

Castle Douglas Cycle Centre ● New Bikes

R ancher

Simple Safe Strong Tel: 01556 504888

www.rancher-equipment.co.uk

● Servicing & Repairs ● Spares & Accessories ● Custom & Wheel Builds

Decorative Ironwork

Your wish is our command

● Cyclescheme ● Specialized BG Fit Centre ● Sports Therapy Clinic ● Gift Vouchers 11 Church Street Castle Douglas DG7 1EA

Tel: 01556 504542 info@cdbikes.co.uk www.cdbikes.co.uk

SOVEREIGN

APPROVED

Balconies, Gates, Railings Give us a visit to discuss your needs 1 & 2 Carlingwark St, Castle Douglas Tel: 01556 504888

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Garden View This month ~ Hanging basket know-how Hanging baskets can be things of abundant beauty, but often they are too sparsely planted or worse, look like abandoned birds nests. Have you ever gazed in admiration at a neighbour’s glorious hanging basket and wondered why yours doesn’t measure up?If you want to be the object of basket-envy this year, you need to take on board a few trade secrets. The most important thing to note, if you’re new to basket-planting, is that size really does matter. For a good basket you’ll need the minimum of a 35cm / 14 inch size wire frame type. This will have a depth of 15cm / 6 inches which allows for lots of compost and means that the basket won’t dry out quickly. You can also plant through the sides to give that really luxuriant, over-flowing look. Second, for a really showy basket you will almost certainly need twice as many plants as you think you will! For each wire basket, plan to use at least 2 strips (that’s sixteen little plants!) of something like Lobelia or Bidens; two upright plants for the centre top of the basket - small upright fuchsias or geraniums work well; four small bushy flowers like Busy Lizzies or petunias, for round the top edge of the basket, and three or four trailing plants - geraniums and trailing petunias would be perfect. This planting ‘recipe’ can be altered to suit your own tastes. For instance, I sometimes like to swap a couple of the trailing flowers for trailing foliage plants, such as Lysimachia nummularia or small leaved ivies. Line the basket with moss raked from your lawn (though not if you’ve used a weed killer) or a proprietary liner. I prefer the liners because our garden birds steal the moss and my plants begin to fall out after a while! You’ll need about 10 litres of compost. Mix it with water retaining granules for best results. Soak the plants really well, then when you remove the little plants from their trays, you can give the root balls a good squeeze so they will be small enough to poke through the holes in the wire frame of the basket. Build the basket up in three tiers, adding more compost as each tier is planted. The best way to do this is to stand the basket on a large plant pot for stability Once planted, you can stand it in a sheltered area for a week or so if the frosts aren’t quite finished, otherwise you can hang it straight up. Make sure your brackets are sturdy and secure, or your beautiful basket might end up in a crumpled mess on the floor. Keep it watered and feed it once a week, as all those plants crammed into a tiny space deplete the nutrients in the compost very quickly. Finally, sit back and enjoy being the object of neighbourhood basket-envy. Please mention TheStewartryLINK when answering an advert

25


Puzzle Page Sudoku: Tough

Each Row, Column and 3x3 square must contain every number from 1 to 9 with no duplicates

Sudoku: Medium

Tents: Camp one tent next to each tree. Each tree has one tent attached to it and each tent is attached to a tree either horizontally or vertically. No tents are adjacent to each other, either horizontally, vertically or diagonally. At the beginning of the puzzle you are shown all the trees and then need to deduce where each tent is. To help you, the number of tents in each row and column is displayed. 26

Like the Stewartry Link facebook page or follow Stewartry Link on Twitter and some clues will be posted throughout the month for Tents and Sudoku Tough. www.facebook.com/stewartrylink www.twitter.com/stewartrylink @Stewartry Link You can request Stewartry Link posts are sent direct to your mobile so you get all the offers and info in a text message.

Full answers will be published next month. Please mention TheStewartryLINK when answering an advert


April Solutions Sudoku: Easy

Tents

Sudoku: Tough

2

Apologies to everyone but there was a very obvious typo in the ‘Easy’ Sudoku. E2 marked in red above, should have been a 2, not a 4. The correct puzzle was posted on Facebook as soon as the mistake was realised. - My friend swore that there was a mistake in the hard one too but I can assure everyone that it was printed correctly, as was the tents puzzle, my friend is just rubbish at hard Sudokus.

! s SIG

We are looking for some SIGs! … Special Interest Groups, for a new regular feature. So if you run, attend or know of any interesting clubs, classes or social groups. Anything from keep-fit to books, photography to playing the bongos, yoga to boxing. We would like to feature one SIG a month and start to post details on the web-site. Get in touch and let people know who and where you are by emailing events@stewartrylink.com with your details and preferably a photo of the group or activity.

Do you recognise any of these logos? Do you know someone who is a member? Is your child or grandchild is still a member, or you used to be a member when you were little. Maybe you just like the idea of kids having constructive but great fun with these great institutions. If so please see the note below from the Cub Hut Restoration project. “Cubs, Guides, Brownies and Beavers past and present, YOUR hall needs you! Over 100 local children attend the FG Deans Memorial Hall, aka the CD Cub Hut, each week, and the newly elected hall management committee want to provide the best facilities for your children. Baking for cake stalls, photocopying to advertise events, managing fundraising events, cleaning the hall, are just some of the many tasks that the small committee are undertaking. If you have suggestions for the future of the Cub Hut or would like to find out about our events, please contact us.” - Jane Hannah, Chairperson

Mob: 07761 784041, castledouglascubhut@gmail.com

:Castle Douglas Cub Hut

The next fund raising event they have is at the Castle Douglas Wilkinson’s store Entrance where they are holding a Cake & Candy Stall, 28/05 10am - 3pm. To raise further funds Jane is also selling beautiful handmade scarves, £15 and £20 depending on the length, in the following shops: CD Post Office, Purcell Opticians, Headz and Bedz & The Stewartry Veterinary Centre, all in Castle Douglas. Please mention TheStewartryLINK when answering an advert

27


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