COMMUNITY MAGAZINE FOR THE ROYAL BURGH OF TAIN AND ITS SURROUNDING AREAS
TAIN & DISTRICT PICTURE POST
#255 MARCH
2022
EDUCATION: DOES ONE SIZE FIT ALL?
SAINTS CONTINUE ON UNBEATEN RUN
HISTORY OF TAIN’S WATER MILLS PT2
Maggie Mercer looks at how learning environments can shape our children’s learning throughout life. p12
A review of recent games as Tain’s footballers go on an unbeaten run that has lasted since November. p20
Part 2 of Margaret Urquhart’s detailed look back at the history of Tain’s water mills over the years. p8
TARBATNESS
THROUGH THE LENS WITH MARK JANES
P14
Woodland Path in Snow, Aldie Burn (Simon Mayson)
MARCH 2022
TAIN & DISTRICT PICTURE POST
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The Glenmorangie Company advocates responsible drinking. Please savour our whiskies in moderation. Correct at time of print for 2021.
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MARCH 2022
MARCH 2022
IN THIS ISSUE Local News and Notes Community Council Minutes In Memory M Urquhart: Water Mills pt 2 Patrick Vickery writes Maggie Mercer on Education Through the Lens with Mark Janes Old File (WW2) Tain Royal Academy Easter Ross Peninsula Football News Nostalgia with Alex Graham Ankerville Nursery Health Matters
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Editors - Niall Harkiss & Lucy Veals Email info@tainpost.co.uk Tel 01862 857366 | Mob 07527 134574 Digital archive - www.tainpost.co.uk/archive or issuu.com/tainpost
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LOCAL NEWS
LOCAL NEWS & ANNOUNCEMENTS COMMUNITY CONSULTATION ANNOUNCEMENT Now that restrictions on our daily lives are lowly being lifted, Tain & District Development Trust would like to invite local residents and business owners, in Ward 7, to attend some face to face public consultations taking place across the Easter Ross Peninsula in March. 8 March – Tarbat Golf Club, Portmahomack, 7 – 8.30 pm 9 March – Duthac Centre, Tain, 7 – 8.30 pm 15 March, The Seaboard Centre, Balintore 7 – 8.30 pm 16 March, The Mercat Centre, Milton 7 – 8.30 pm The pandemic has taught us that priorities have changed for everybody; individuals, families, and businesses alike. To allow us to continue to work with our community and to best support you, we would like to know where your priorities lie. Prior to attending the consultation, we would be grateful if you took a few minutes to complete a short survey www. surveymonkey.co.uk/ r/9SRKTJP TAIN AND DISTRICT GARDENERS’ CLUB Tain and District Gardeners’ Club held their first meeting of the year in the Minor Hall in the Duthac Centre on Monday 14th February. Heather McAllister (Chair)
welcomed members back to their first indoor meeting in almost two years, the last meeting of the group having been in early March 2020 just before the first lockdown. She outlined the club’s programme for the rest of 2022 and distributed chocolate hearts to those present as it was Valentine’s Day! The main talk of the evening was “Memories of a Royal Gardener” by Philip Ward. The very amusing illustrated talk looked at his student days working during the summer in the gardens of Hampton Court Palace. As always the evening ended with tea, cake and chat. Thanks to Paula for organising the seating and teas and for making us feel most welcome in the Duthac Centre. The next meeting of the club will be on 14th March in the Duthac Centre when Graham Sullivan & Sheila Maher of the Black Isle Horticultural Society will speak about “A croft and a garden in the Black Isle”. Updates of events can be
found on our Facebook page www.facebook.com/TainGardeners-Club or Contact – Heather McAllister 01862 892302 e-mail: david@ davidmcallister.co.uk
LOCAL MAN COLLECTS POPPYSCOTLAND AWARD Local Tain Man Mr Anthony Mackenzie has received an award from Poppy Scotland for his commitment and dedication over the last 15 years. Anthony, along with his late mother “Rena”, has a long history of charitable work for Poppy Scotland and the Tain Branch of The Royal British Legion. Rena, who died just a few short months ago, would have been a very proud mother. Councillor Alasdair Rhind said: “Although in the last few years Anthony has relied on his Zimmer to get around he has not let it stop him from
ST DUTHAC DAY CELEBRATION POP UP BOOK SHOP 11 A.M. TO 3 P.M. AT THE MASONIC LODGE,
QUEEN STREET, TAIN
Pre-loved & New Books, Live Music,Old Tain exhibit, teas & homebaking
MARCH
08
2022
Free Entry Saint Duthac is the patron saint of Tain. B. 1000 - D. 1065
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NEWS & NOTICES
collecting no matter what the weather and has no thoughts to giving up quite yet. So, maybe, we’ll be seeing Anthony around with his tin for another 15 years.” He is pictured above receiving his award from Local Councillor Mr Alasdair Rhind on behalf of Poppy Scotland. UNUSUAL SNOWFALL IN FEBRUARY Heavy snowfall in the middle of February left traffic at a standstill in Tain, as members of the public and the police took to the streets to help vehicles make their way home. Facebook users showed their appreciation for those who did their bit to direct traffic and assist. Local resident Archie MacArthur said: “I was so impressed last night by the community spirit of people like Alasdair Rhind, helping to keep the traffic flowing despite the unusual severity of the snowfall. Members of the public were also doing their bit to help each other out as the weather grew worse.
Mr MacArthur added: “There were folks on Geanies Street with buckets of grit, helping to push vans that would otherwise have been stuck for hours and would have further added to the traffic flow.” Rebekah Guthrie said: “I would like to thank the guy in the white 4x4 who got out and pushed my car until I got some grip outside the Tain Library. When I went out the roads where flooded, but
by the time I got to Tain it was a whiteout.” Businesses were also doing their bit to support drivers stuck in long traffic delays. Silverback Gym, based in Blarliath Industrial Estate, made their premises available to drivers to pop in for a drink or use their toilet facilities. Just outside Tain, Police Scotland were on duty at the A9 bypass between the Morangie Road and Knockbreck Road junctions, helping drivers who had become stuck in the snow or lost traction. TAXI DRIVER UP FOR AWARD David Purvis, 52, who is originally from Dornoch, has operated as a hackney cab (car for hire) in Tain and the surrounding area for the past six years under the name DP Taxis. And now, thanks to nominations from loyal customers, he could be on route to ‘pick up’ an award. During lockdown, David
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immediately made himself available to help the local community by providing free taxis for NHS staff and delivered prescriptions for the elderly and vulnerable. He said: “I also did free taxis on Armistice day for ex-servicemen to parade in Tain and I’ve raised money for two memorial benches to be purchased in memory of people who died during the pandemic. “I was ust doing my job if I’m honest. If you can’t help folk in a crisis, then there’s something wrong.” His acts of kindness have led to a nomination in several categories under the Scottish mixed fleet company of the year section of the Scottish Taxi and Private Hire and Chauffeur (STPHC) awards, including the community award – designed to celebrate a company who goes above and beyond to support their local community. The awards ceremony, which takes place at the Hilton in Glasgow on March 19, is due to be held for the first time since 2020, having been suspended in 2021 due to Covid-19 restrictions. Voting is open now and available online via the STPHC website at onrank. co.uk/stphcawards/vote. SCOTLAND’S CENSUS Scotland’s Census 2022 launched on February 28. From March on, more than 2.5 million households will receive a letter with information on how to fill in the census. Census Day is 20 March but you can fill it in now with information that will be correct on that day. Find out more www. census.gov.scot
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TAIN COMMUNITY COUNCIL
TAIN COMMUNITY COUNCIL Minutes of the virtual Community Council of the Royal Burgh of Tain meeting held on January 31 at 7.30pm. PRESENT Mr G Amos (Chair), Mr A Mohan (Vice Chair), Mr G Holdsworth, Mr D Macrae, Ms S Smith, Ms E Houliston, Mr N Akeroyd, Mr D Louden (Councillor), Mr A Rhind (Councillor) POLICE REPORT During the 28/12/202128/01/2022 police have received 191 calls from the Tain area with the following crimes recorded: VANDALISM: 2 1 x damage to Motor vehicle (Unknown value) 1 x damage to Motor vehicle (Approx. £300) DRUG OFFENCES: 2 2 x Possession of a Controlled Substance (Class B) DISORDER/ASSAULT: 6 1 x Threats by Telephone 1 x Possession of offensive weapon (screwdriver) 1 x Threatening and Abusive Behaviour 1 x Assault no injury (between associates) 1 x Resist Arrest 1 x Threats by Telephone/ Social Media DOMESTIC OFFENCES: 8 1 x Domestic breach of bail 1 x Domestic non-physical 6 x Domestic assault THEFT/THEFT BY SHOPLIFTING/FRAUD: 7 1 x Theft of laptop 3 x Theft from Shed/ Garden 1 x Theft from workplace 1 x Attempted theft by
shoplifting 1 x Theft by Shoplifting ROAD TRAFFIC INCIDENTS: 12 1 x No insurance/mot/ other in accordance with license 4 x Speeding offences 1 x Drug Driving 1 x Careless Driving 3 x No MOT 2 x No insurance Local school liaison officers are working closely with the Tain Royal Academy to tackle a number of issues including anti-social behaviour, substance misuse and online safety. During these meetings it has been highlighted that concerns are being raised by local residents directly to the Tain Royal Academy about drug use in the community. I would like to urge any member of the community who has concerns regarding drug use in our community to contact police directly via 101 or via online reporting www.scotland.police.uk/ secureforms/contact/ Alternatively reports can be made anonymously via Crimestoppers. Crimestoppers can be contacted anonymously 24/7 on 0800 555 111 or via their website crimestoppers-uk.org. - Matthew Powell, Sergeant MATTERS ARISING Street lights – Geanies Street - Mr Akeroyd reported that the lights that had been going out at 7.30 pm for an hour one night a week had been fixed.
TAIN AND DISTRICT DEVELOPMENT TRUST Mr Macrae reported that the joint Craft Fair with the Tain Gala Association (TGA) in November was successful, as will as the joint project with the St Duthac Book and Arts Festival. Another Craft Fair has been booked for 26th March, again with TGA. The switching on of the Christmas Lights and Community Market on 27th November was another successful event. Thanks was given to all the volunteers. The works on the Old Picture House is continuing – although unplanned works have come to light and has to be dealt with. The Easter Ross Peninsula tourism sub – group had a 3rd meeting in November – the meeting was to look at placement of signs, and going to the community to canvas opinions. 22nd February will see an Easter Ross Peninsular Business Network launch in the Seaboard Hall. HIGHLAND COUNCILLOR’S REPORT Mr Louden reported that the HC budget is still being looked at. Having a Swimming Pool in the new 3 – 18 Campus is still being pushed for – with talks with Sport Scotland on funding. HC Officers still have to be persuaded to install a swimming pool. There was a discussion on how the community could help persuade the Officials of HC to include the Swimming Pool. Some work on the roads to fill pot holes. It was noted that there is some new equipment to fix the pot
holes, and hopefully this will improve the situation. It was noted that heavy vehicles are tearing up the road. After discussion, it was agreed that Mr Akeroyd would email Mr Louden his experiences of the pot holes and vehicles tearing up the road. Mr Rhind reported that the repairs to the public toilets will be starting soon. There are some discussions about Jubilee events in June, which could tie in with the Senior Citizen’s Party. 20 MILES PER HOUR (MPH) ROAD ZONES The map outlining the 20 MPH road zones were previously circulated. After discussion, it was agreed that Mr Akeroyd would reply to the consultation in terms that the CC would not like to see speed bumps, if needed, but would prefer to see chicanes. COMMUNITY OPPORTUNITY Caroline Cameron wished to know about the field that Mrs Baxter has gifted to the people of the Burgh. Mr Rhind indicated that any proposal should be sent to Tain Initiative Group, via himself. CHAIR’S REPORT Mr Amos reported that there is a considerable amount of litter and rubbish on the sides of the A9 from Tain to Inverness. After discussion, it was agreed that Mr Rhind would contact Katrina Taylor who is responsible for that area.
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IN MEMORY
VICE-CHAIR’S REPORT Mr Mohan reported about signs and information for the Burgh’s noticeboard. It was agreed to support this matter. Mr Macrae reported that through the Tourism sub-group it was asked was are the most important things in each area, and where to site the noticeboard. FINANCE AND TREASURER’S REPORT Mr Macrae reported that he had been trying to set up online banking, but unknown to the local bank this would only work if community bank accounts were set up. As an aside, Mr Macrae had received a thank you letter from Made in Tain for the money given to them. LETTERS Communication received from the Police on Rogue Traders – any concerns contact Trading Standards. Mr Amos to pass to Mrs Mackay to circulate. SOCIAL MEDIA The wording for Mr Amos’s introduction on our Facebook page was agreed – Mr Holdsworth to do. Trees and Green Environment – it was noted that in many areas of Tain the drains are blocked due to leaves. Mr Louden to send email about this matter. It was noted that there is no bin on the Albyn Housing side of the Asda path – Mr Rhind to speak to Katrina Taylor. 3 – 18 Campus – this project should be finished by August 2024 – a Stakeholders is being held soon. The meeting ended at 9.10pm. The date of the next meeting is Monday February 28.
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IN MEMORY JAMIESON (TAIN) Harvey passed away peacefully, with his beloved wife Patricia by his side, in the care of Redwoods Nursing Home, on Saturday, 12th February, 2022, aged 90 years. A much loved dad of Caroline (Canada) and Ian, a loving grandad of Kirsty and Sean (Canada) and Melanie and greatgrandad to Leigh. MORRISON (TAIN) Suddenly but peacefully, in his home “Shandmoor”, 6 Ross Street, Tain, on Tuesday, 8th February, 2022, Eric Vass Morrison. Adored and devoted dad of Carlene and Rachael, a loving husband of Eileen, a dearly loved brother of Margaret, Anne and Alan, a loving brother-in-law of John and Carol and loved by all the extended family and friends. ANDERSON (TAIN) Peacefully at Raigmore Hospital, after a short illness, on Friday, 4th February, 2022, Kenneth (Kenny) sadly passed away. Beloved husband to Fiona, much loved dad, grandad and friend to many, who will be greatly missed by all. A special thanks to all the staff in ward 7A and HDU. CAMERON (DORNOCH) Very suddenly at Hilton, Embo Street. Dornoch on Saturday 26 February
2022, J. Scott Cameron “Carlee”, Poles Road, Dornoch, beloved husband of Gillian, dearly loved step-father of Tom, a much loved son of Mary and the late Donald, a dear brother of Judy and Garry and loved by all the extended family and friends. CROMBIE (TAIN) Peacefully in Raigmore Hospital, Inverness on Saturday 26 February 2022, Julie Anne Macleod, 37 St. Andrews Road, Tain, beloved wife of Scott, devoted and loving mother of Caitlin, Billy and Aaron, a much loved daughter of Billy and Jean, a dearly loved sister of the late Susan, a very dear daughter-in-law of Isabella, a dear sisterin-law and loved by all the extended family and friends. ROSS (TAIN) Peacefully in his home, 23 St Andrews Road, Tain, surrounded by his loving family, on Friday 18 February, 2022, Christopher “Chris” Andrew Hugh Smart Ross, (formerly of The Chocolate Shop, Tain), beloved husband of Netta, dearly loved father of Susan and Fiona, dear father-in-law of Andrew, much loved papa of Martyn, Steven, Callum and Ayleen, loving great papa of Bryony and Murray, dear brother of Ross and loved by all the extended family and friends.
NUTTALL (TAIN) Peacefully in Redwoods Care Home, Alness on Monday 14th February, 2022, Raymond Neville “Nev” Nutall, (Formerly of Scotsburn Court, Tain). Beloved husband of the late Winnie, loving father of Jacqueline and the late Ian, much loved grandad of Barry, his partner Kate and Andrew, cherished great grandad of Adam and Benjamin, dearly loved father-in-law of John, dear brother of Denis and Tony and loved by all the extended family and friends. HICKMAN (BALINTORE) Peacefully in his home, 8 Bank Street, Balintore on Sunday 13 February, 2022, Benjamin “Ben” Lachlan Hickman, aged 13 years, darling son of John and Lisa, dearly loved brother of Riley, a much loved grandson, nephew, cousin and a very dear and special friend to many. So sadly missed by all. CERAJEWSKA (TAIN/ MORTONHAMPSTEAD) Peacefully in Mull Hall Care Home, Barbaraville, Invergordon on Friday 4 February 2022, Jay Macgregor, aged 95 years, formerly of Baleshare, Upper King Street, Tain. Dearly loved sister of The Late Tom Macgregor (Tarlogie, Tain), dear aunt and loved by all the extended family and friends.
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MARGARET URQUHART - WATER MILLS PT 2
MARGARET URQUHART: WATER MILLS PT. 2
The museum possesses 4 Valuation Rolls for the Easter Ross District for the years 1868-9, 1898, 1905 and 1919. Apart from the confirmation that certain mills existed and the names of some of the millers associated with these mills, the most interesting point to emerge is that by 1919 many of the mills are either no longer mentioned or are listed as “vacant” and one or two did not get a mention in 1905. It would thus seem that by that time local corn (meal) milling had become concentrated in a few larger mills such as at Milton and Aldie, or survived in more remote places where there was a local demand combined with the difficulty of obtaining supplies elsewhere because of distance eg. Gledfield. These 3 mills continued well into the 20th Century. Aldie Burn/Tain River Mills
Anyone who has walked the Aldie Burn Trail will have crossed the bridge near the fish-shaped pond. Next to this bridge is what was an old fording point on the burn and next to that is the intake point where water was diverted into a system of lades and dams to power the mill system referred to by Peter Mackenzie (see Water Mills – Part 1). The water was first led to a dam situated behind where Tigh na Greine now is on Scotsburn Road. This dam is labelled “old sawmill dam” on a plan showing the line of the pipeline for Tain’s water supply which was carried from springs beyond Culpleasant, so it is possible that an old building shown on that site but in a different position from the current house may have been a saw mill. From this dam the lade joined and ran parallel to Scotsburn Road before it took a sharp turn just
beyond Moor Farm and cut across to feed a large dam on the northern edge of Highmills Wood. About another three quarters of a mile of lade connected this to the next dam just NW of the mills at High Mills. Having turned the High Mill wheels, the water passed by a short channel back into the Aldie Burn. Water was soon diverted into another lade at a weir south of Woodside Cottage to link up with the Aldie Mill dam and mills. From there it was led again by a lade to the mill dam of a first set of Hilton Mills and once more to the dam at a second set of Hilton Mills lower down before re-joining the natural watercourse, by then given the grand name of Tain River. High Mills, sometimes referred to as the “Over Mills of Aldie” in early documents, and the first set of mills on the system, were the town mills and
as such contributed to the burgh’s revenue. Corn mills existed there in some form or other in 1602 – the earliest reference in MacGill’s “Old Ross-shire” - but were obviously already established prior to that date. The exact dates and uses of the mill buildings at High Mills are not clear. Alterations and even replacements would have taken place over such a long period. There are references to the town mills being in “bad order” and a new mill being built at different times in the 1700s and early 1800s. The extract map shows the layout of High Mills with three mills, one below the other. All three buildings definitely still existed up to the early 1900s. One of these was perhaps a saw mill. The first suggestion of a saw mill is in a burgh rental book where a Finlay Munro is listed as “Sawyer at Highmills” for the years 1838-42. In the 1897-8 burgh account a bill was paid to an Alexander Mackenzie for “repairing the sawmill and dam at Highmills” and in the 1901-2 account, money was received for the “plant at Highmills sawmill”. The latter reference suggests it was no longer in use. This was probably the uppermost of the three mills and was demolished at some point, possibly not long after it went out of use, and only two mills remained. These were originally corn mills (usually referred to as meal mills) and were leased out periodically along with some adjacent farm
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MARGARET URQUHART - WATER MILLS PT 2
land although the latter was sometimes leased separately or sub-let. From the Valuation Rolls and Burgh Records one can chart the changes of tenancy of the mills during the 19th Century. In 1800 the lease was given to Robert Murray “at” Hartfield, supposedly for 57 Years! However, leases seldom ran their full term for a variety of reasons. In 1809/10 the mills and houses were in a ruined state when set to James and Robert Innes, millwrights for 25 years. They were allowed two years rent free for repairs to the mills and £150 for repair to the houses. By 1825 the tenants are “Innes and Duncan”. In 1835 the lease is taken over by the brothers, James (a miller) and Alexander (a corn merchant) Ross, who continued till 1874/75 when George Shearer briefly took on a 19 year lease which was transferred to George Munro, miller, in 1876. He in turn was followed by Alex Mackay, 1886 -1893, and Kenneth Stewart, 1893-96. These lets were usually advertised in local newspapers and in public notices and took place by public roup.
The following details are taken from one such notice date 2nd February 1874 – “Meal Mills & Farm to Let; well-known and long-established Mills at HighMills being exposed for set with lands attached; c26 acres arable, c.34 acres pasture; lease 19 years”. At the beginning of Stewart’s tenure in 1893, the mills were subjected to major repairs overseen by James Maitland of the Maitland firm of architects based in Tain. However a major change was to take place in 1897 when the firm was then employed to design their reconstruction as woollen mills for the new tenant, John Skene,
a woollen manufacturer. The following advert appeared in the 1910 Easter Ross Almanac- “John Skene & Co., Highmills Tain, manufacture parties’ own Wool into Tweeds, Blankets, Plaiding, Knitting Yarn, &c., or exchange for Wool. Always on hand a stock of Tweeds, Blankets, Plaiding, Yarn, &c., for sale.” However, sometime between 1915 and 1919 the mills became vacant. I don’t know when he took on the lease but when the mills and farm were finally sold by the Burgh in 1928, they were at that point occupied by Alexander Younie, woollen manufacturer. The purchaser was Ronald Ross Munro Macdonald, his being the only offer made. The mills fell into disuse and they gradually became derelict as shown in Photo 1 taken c.2000. As can be seen, the upper mill was in a very bad state with half the roof missing. In 1896-7, the burgh received revenue
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from Alex Gair, miller, Fearn, for stones and mill plates. As Fearn mill was a meal mill this suggests the corn mill was now defunct and assets were being sold . I think perhaps only the lower larger mill was used for the woollen manufacture. If so it would help explain why the upper mill was in a poorer condition. Thankfully, although a long time in coming to fruition, the current owner, a descendent of R R M Macdonald, had the vision to renovate and convert the buildings into a family home while preserving as much of the old buildings as possible. (See Photo 2) This was finally achieved in 2011. The professionals employed to make the vision a reality managed so successfully that the project won a North Region Highland and Islands Design Award. Note the retention of the mill wheels. The buildings have thus been brought back from the brink of oblivion and a piece of local history still has a physical presence.
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MESSAGE FROM CLLR. DEREK LOUDEN
Next Surgery: Friday 18th March 2022 at 10:00am in Tain Service Point for one hour Please feel free to contact me at any time on: 01862892734 07876774412 Or via email at LoudenDW@aol. com Happy to help any local resident with any problem at any time.
CONTACT TDPP Do you have an article or photos you’d like us to print? Please email:
info@tainpost.co.uk or call 01862 857366
PATRICK VICKERY WRITES
PATRICK VICKERY
THE BLASTED DUCK
Ralph is an amiable old timer who sports a handlebar moustache and wears colourful braces to support his corduroy trousers. His moustache and braces can occasionally be spotted striding across Dornoch Bridge accompanied by supermarket shopping. Sometimes I give Ralph and his fashionable adornments a lift. Sometimes I don’t. It depends on my inclination for companionable chat. Ralph is a vegetarian who takes great pride in growing organic vegetables. One morning, while tending to his vegetable plot, a dead duck dropped like a stone from the sky, followed moments later by the emergence through his hedge of a gun toting gent, also sporting braces and a handle bar moustache, who enquired politely whether a dead duck had passed this way. At this point the air hummed blue with expletives as Ralph expressed his considerable opinions on sporting life (braces pinged, moustaches quivered) and the dead duck became a tug of war between contrasting lifestyles. Travelling from Inverness to the Granite City of Aberdeen recently we stopped at Morgan McVeigh’s restaurant on the A96 for coffee where I over-heard “I shoot duck not pheasant” boom out from across the dining room area in the direction of a man sporting a handlebar moustache. Could this be the self-same upper cruster who had made use of Ralph’s vegetable plot as a landing pad for the
blasted duck, I wondered, or are there legions of duck blasting folk out there with handlebar moustaches? I wanted to inquire further, but concluded that this was neither the time nor place to probe the ideological and culinary tastes of a moustachioed stranger in the midst of a packed restaurant. Someone once remarked that individually we inhabit our own worlds and are preoccupied by a host of diverse things peculiar to our own situation - or in other words, most of us are stark raving bonkers, a fact only revealed when conflict arises like a blasted duck in a vegetarian’s vegetable plot, at which point it becomes blindingly obvious that our viewpoint is right and all others are wrong. Reality is subjective. Try asking opposing football supporters to describe the highs and lows of the same match. The only thing they might agree on is the standard of the pies. As an interesting aside, as one who often travels
the A96 from Inverness to Aberdeen, hence my acquaintance with Morgan McVeigh’s restaurant, it is noticeable that the average height of pedestrians in the Granite City is less than anywhere else. Has this something to do with the properties of granite, I wonder, or simply that the scale of the buildings on Union Street create an optical illusion? Bear this in mind next time you visit. See what you think? Returning from a larger than life Aberdeen to Inverness, we might stop at Christies Garden Centre in Fochabers to stretch our legs, or perhaps break the journey with a coffee in Elgin, but the sight of the Kessock Bridge that spans the inner Moray Firth and connects Inverness to the Black Isle is always the most welcoming of landmarks and heralds our proximity to home. It’s good to get away, but also good to return to the more familiar and often peculiar happenings of everyday life.
Tain & District Branch Cats Protection Telephone: (0345) 371 2737 Email: taincats@aol.com www.tain.cats.org.uk
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MAGGIE MERCER WRITES
WRITTEN BY MAGGIE MERCER
EDUCATION – DOES ONE SIZE FIT ALL?
We all want our children to do well academically and Tain is fortunate to have four great schools. Craighill Primary, Knockbreck Primary, St Duthus School and Tain Royal Academy employ teaching staff who go above and beyond in order to deliver what the school curriculum offers. These schools are in a district that has so much natural beauty in its surrounding area. For me this makes for an ideal environment to help children thrive. I honestly feel I have given my children a very good start in life by raising them in this area. It is a far cry from my own early upbringing in Belfast in the 1970s which was fraught with fear and anxiety and a palpable sense that death could happen at any time. I started Holy Cross Primary in 1970 (the school which is famous for the conflict that surrounded it 2001-2002). When I was 8 years old my family moved from Belfast to Crosshaven in Cork in the south of Ireland and starting a new school for me so far away was scary. This was my parents’ attempt (bless them) to escape the horror of ‘The Troubles’ in
Northern Ireland as unfortunately we lived in the thick of it. My year class in Crosshaven Primary (I think it was P4) was an ‘overspill’ school room set among the trees a little away from the main school. Being an all girls catholic school we were mostly taught by nuns. I will never forget being given a few pages of arithmetic to complete by the teaching sister on that first day whilst the rest of the class went on with their usual work. Many of the girls facing me (we were each side of a long table) just stared at me constantly the whole time I was trying to complete them, almost in fascination at seeing someone who came from the ‘Black North’ as some southerners referred to it. Being a self-conscious child anyway I was extremely embarrassed and really nervous. I felt I was on show and that every digit I wrote was being scrutinised by the girls nearest me. I was normally above average in maths but I was very conscious afterwards that I did not do myself justice in this test. Following this, I had a strong sense from the sister that she was not very impressed with me and do not recall her paying me much attention from that day on. On the way home that first day I overheard my mum telling a shop keeper that I had not done well with the class arithmetic test. I remember
feeling really stupid and mortified that it might have already set the tone for my worth as a pupil in this class. I think that first day had knock on effects in the weeks ahead and it took a while to get some confidence. In any case we left Cork after a year to move back to Belfast due to pressure from my older teenage siblings wanting to see their mates (I was the second youngest of ten). I sometimes thought of this incident since, and also how it seemed a child’s aptitude for learning was focused so narrowly in the past. Although our awareness of how children learn has moved on meaningfully over the years is there still a narrow focus on the educational potential for children today? Does the importance of english, maths and the sciences as the essential core subjects, really have the far-reaching benefits for their future they are purported to have? I appreciate literacy in english and maths is important in helping a child to communicate, understand complex issues and support their problemsolving techniques. Science also helps children understand crucial aspects of the natural world and how technology works. In the same vein, history and geography (key subjects also in Primary learning) give valuable insights into our past and can help shape knowledge of other cultures. All very important learning that helps to shape our world view and how to navigate
our environment. However, have we really pondered the consequences of these subjects being the foundation of their education and learning? Obviously this is not an academic article, just some thoughts and ideas from my own learning over the years. As someone who has studied psychology, and having in recent years trained as a counsellor, I have been fortunate in gaining insight into the complexity of personalities and also how expectations in educational achievement can feed anxiety. So I have started to find myself questioning the monopoly these subjects hold in the curriculum. It is now widely known that children can have differences in their learning abilities for many different reasons. It is quite a difficult area to unpack and for this reason how we learn will not be as simplistic as the following might sound. Our brains are divided into two hemispheres referred to as ‘left brain’ and ‘right brain’, the former relating to a logical, linear, factual manner of learning and the latter linked to learning visually, intuitively, artistically. Some evidence suggests that a child may have more dominance in one of these brain areas, although it is important to note both sides are always actively processing information regardless of mode of teaching input. Nonetheless, each hemisphere appears to have certain subject matters it will be more ‘in
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MAGGIE MERCER WRITES
tune’ with. For the left brain this may be based more on the core subjects being offered in the curriculum and the latter might fall into more creative categories such as art, music, drama or even practical skills such as building things. Whilst these latter subjects do feature in the school curriculum, they are not considered important enough to be core subjects, and usually, at least in secondary education, can be the first to be subject to cut-backs in funding. Why is this so? It is difficult to have discussions about the education system without seeing how it has crucially reflected wider societal values, to what ‘the powers that be’ hold to be most important to a child’s learning. Looking at the history of the education system can we see how its current focus is largely unchanged after all these years? Does it not support a societal structure intent on upholding industry and the economy? There are those who will say “Ok, so why is this so bad? Surely we want our children to get well paid jobs and without a thriving economy we can plough into industry how can this happen?” Maybe so, but do we mean the sort of industry that served a very by-gone era? It is worth noting that this very same societal structure helps to support large corporate bodies which has given rise to clear divisions between the ‘haves’ and ‘have nots’ in our society. Is such a value system still the progressive way for communities? Yes, we have advanced technologically granted, but because of this our culture is also changing along with many of our career options.
For sure the internet has its dark side. However, one of its benefits is how rapidly we can communicate across communities and cultures. Through this our awareness has been raised about injustices in governing systems and how they might only benefit certain groups. An individual can only really find contentment when they are living out their true potential, interacting with and giving to their community in a manner that benefits all, no matter how big or small that role might appear to be. This leads to a better collective. A society can be sustained in a constructive and beneficial way if each person feels they are fulfilling their life purpose and progressing in a meaningful way. There is a major shift going on in the world and cultures will benefit greatly if each person’s potential is recognised and promoted. Does what appears to be a ‘left-brain’ monopoly in education set considerable limits for learning? Can the sometimes rigid mindsets resulting from this be more easily shaped by external influences? The seeming neglect of rightbrain creative learning can result in huge mental potential being largely unused in the vast majority of people. Children are not encouraged to question so much that is questionable in our education culture. Lateral thinking can facilitate innovative ideas in problem solving, but this has often been discouraged because typically children have been taught at - “Just pay attention, listen and I’ll ask the questions!”. I am not assuming all teaching staff agree with this sort of teaching structure. Some of my
friends who teach have often voiced frustration (even concern) over how the limits to the curriculum restrict the implementation of fresh ideas in their subject area and ways of working. They also agree that much is behind the times or largely ignored to sustain the education curriculum’s fixed system of ideas and I imagine there are many other teaching staff who feel the same. Much is being written about the benefits of physical activity for children, not just in their physicality per se but also in helping build their confidence and sociability as well as levels of brain function due to how it increases oxygen and blood flow to the brain. This area of of learning is increasingly being explored in more recent years outwith the more basic mandatory physical education of the older system. This is good, especially in an era where kids are less likely to be active in this age of ‘screens’. Could another important aspect of education be in teaching children how to relate better to others so they can develop a healthier mentality along with inner resilience? Admittedly, I am biased in this regard, but from an appropriate age and tailoring to differences in ways of learning, would the development of ‘counselling’ classes/ workshops or other such ‘sharing’ group work help to this end? Gaining insight into the fundamentals of human nature and how peers might be feeling in certain situations can foster empathy and reap benefits which are far-reaching. Not least in helping children of so many different abilities understand their emotional
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landscape. Could children also benefit from really pondering what spirituality and its philosophy means to them (and it has many different guises) and how they might be connected to the ‘greater whole’. Is this missing from the curriculum in a meaningful way? I appreciate it takes some time for new ideas to bed in and take root. Nothing stays the same, we are constantly evolving. The extent and quality of such evolution greatly depends on what we are exposed to. For a progressive future in education there should be an aspiration for each child’s potential and developmental needs to be met appropriately, as opposed to a ‘one size fits all’ education. However, I can understand why this is not an easy task. Certain fixed structures are hard to break down but perhaps they are starting to be gently eroded. Many parents have and are challenging ways of learning they feel don’t benefit their children. Whatever brain side might be more dominant in our learning we will benefit from developing and focusing on more areas of cross-over. An example of an existing area which combines maths and creative art is geometry but there could be more development in combining, say, the areas of physics and music (the creativity of sound-waves). Such learning could ultimately help a child unfold creative ideas to compliment and support logical, problemsolving skills, or teach them how to be more grounded and practical but be able to stay attuned to their intuitive and inspirational sources.
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MARK JANES - THROUGH THE LENS
THROUGH THE LENS MARK JANES
ISSUE #49 FOCUS ON… TARBATNESS Hello fellow snappers. Following my winter break I thought I’d start the column again with the first of a new series of occasional articles focussing on particular locations of interest to photographers. This month, it’s Tarbatness. I often joke that, if ever anyone wants to track me down, Tarbatness would be a good place to start. I do love this spot; not just photographically
but in general. Some of my best-selling landscape and nightsky photographs have been captured there. It changes so much depending on time of day and time of year, but there are old favourites that are always ready to be photographed, whenever you go.
is a car park at the end of the road, from which you can walk along a well-made track to the lighthouse and beyond to the rocks jutting out into the Moray Firth. If you’re feeling energetic, it’s a good bracing walk out to Tarbatness either along the coast or the road.
GETTING THERE
THE LIGHTHOUSE
I’m pretty sure most people reading this will have been to Tarbatness many times, but just in case, Tarbatness is the very northern point of the Tarbat peninsula, along the single-track road three miles from Portmahomack. There
Most folks will first think of the Lighthouse when they visualise Tarbatness. Robert Stevenson’s masterpiece dates from 1830 and is the third tallest lighthouse in Scotland. Its distinctive red and white bands
make it an ideal focus for photography. If you’re into night photography, the lighthouse makes a great foreground for the aurora borealis (Northern Lights) or the milky way. I find shining a torch on the lighthouse brings out some of the detail while still allowing the stars to shine in the sky. Or why not go on a moonlit evening and let the moon light up the lighthouse for you? Outside the hours of darkness, sunset or sunrise are also great times to capture the lighthouse, especially if the light is still on. The light flashes four times every 30 seconds, so with some careful timing you can get the light in your shot and bring the lighthouse to life. The buildings at the base of the lighthouse are privately owned holiday apartments, so just bear this in mind when wandering around, especially at night. FLORA AND FAUNA One of my favourite times to visit Tarbatness is during August, when the area around the lighthouse is carpeted with heather, fully in flower in vibrant pinks and purples. Go there on a sunny evening and watch the colours spring to life in the warm glow of the setting sun. If yellow is more your colour, then now is a good time to go, with the gorse in full flower. In terms of wildlife, I’ve seen pods of dolphins moving lazily round the headland on many
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MARK JANES - THROUGH THE LENS
occasions, and I’m told there are otters to be seen, although personally I’ve never seen one. The gorse and heather provide cover for a huge variety of moorland birds, and a full range of seabirds can also be found there. So, bring a telephoto lens and at least a pair of binoculars. THE ROCKS Venture beyond the lighthouse and you can follow a wonderful trail down to the very tip of the point and back round across the heather to the track. There are myriad opportunities for seascape photography here. Go on a stormy day, set a fast shutter speed and capture the majesty of the waves breaking over the rocks. Or wander down there in the evening with a tripod and use a long exposure to create a dreamy, misty look. Be careful on the rocks though; when they get wet they can be lethally slippery. For me, Tarbatness has a mystical, comforting air about it. I feel very at home there. Landscape photography is often about capturing how a location makes you feel, as well as just what it looks like. Maybe that’s why I photograph it so much. Anyway, if you haven’t given Tarbatness a try as a photography location, I really can’t recommend it highly enough. And who knows; you might even see me there! Outdoor photography can be hazardous, and
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Tarbatness is a remote spot. Tell someone where you’re going, wear the right clothing and footwear and carry a fully charged phone. Did you like this article? Why not email me and let me know what you’d like to see covered in future issues. If you’ve got any questions about photography, email me those too and we’ll see if we can put them together into a “Q&A” section. Get in touch at markjanesphotographer @gmail.com Also, why not let the good folks at the Picture Post see some of your photos of Tarbatness? I’m sure they’d be happy to publish the best ones. See you next month!
OLD FILE
WVS Canteen Staff during WW2
The attached photo is of a large group of people who attended a party given for the WVS Canteen Staff by the RAF, Tain, during WWII and is remarkably clear. The photo also includes many names on the back - Mary MacLeod, Bena Leitch, Mrs Ross (Post), Janet Kennedy, Mrs Melville, Mrs Fletcher, Morag Cattanach, Isobel Ross, Mrs Shivas, Mrs MacKay, Mrs
Gibson, Constance Fraser, Mrs Charles Ross, Doddie Ross, Maggie Ross, Mrs Ewing, Mrs Hamilton (Sen), Isobel Hamilton, Elizabeth MacMillan, Annabel Ross, Minnie Gallie, Mrs Ken MacLeod, Ina Anderson. The names are familiar, and I can identify some of the Ladies, whose without Hats, possibly because I never saw them with their party
hats before. The girl in the front row appears to have her arm round the chap with the moustache with her finger poking his arm trying to waken him and the next two lads are looking along and smiling at her efforts. I think that the chap with his eyes closed is a Tainite, Mr Cadginard of the Tain Observer Core. John A Gordon
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TAIN ACADEMY - BRITISH SCIENCE WEEK
TAIN ROYAL ACADEMY BRITISH SCIENCE WEEK Mrs Katie Elder, Faculty Leader of Science
This month, Tain Royal Academy’s Science department has organised, with the help of our DYW co-ordinator Wendy Hennem, a range of speakers and activities to help us celebrate British Science Week. The activities in school will run from Monday 14th to Thursday 17th March, with an activity planned for each year group as well as a House quiz and a treasure hunt for all S1 and S2 pupils to enter. A big focus of the week will be to highlight, inspire and encourage students to study STEM subjects at school and beyond, and to introduce a variety of STEM career pathways, both in general and in the Highlands and Islands region. In this article, we hear from some of our S1 pupils about their visit to the Newton Room in Dingwall. A Newton Room is a bespoke STEM learning centre where pupils take part in practical STEM activities.
Last term, all S1 classes travelled by mini bus to the Newton room, a place that teaches high school students about science and energy. Before the trip our science teacher, Mrs Schletter, had taught us a little bit about energy. we were looking forward to the trip because we were getting a day out of school and the teachers said how we would get to do practical experiments. Alex Allan 1G When we arrived at the Newton Room, one of the Newton teachers delivered a slide show to us. It included multiple kinds of energy, kinetic, fossil fuel, magnetic and hydro energy. It was very simple, straight to the point
and easy to understand. Once she showed us the slide show, she explained a bit more about kinetic energy. She demonstrated this with football, basketball and two bouncy balls. She placed them all on top of one another and dropped them on the floor. They flew all around the room in different directions! This is because the energy transferred from ball to ball which forced them to fly in different directions. This is called energy transfer. After she had done this, she showed us the experiment we were doing next, potential energy transferred to kinetic energy. Lana Campbell 1G The first experiment we undertook was the marble run.First we were separated into four teams. Secondly, we were given the materials needed to carry out the experiment: a box, a large grey pool noodle, one tall pole, two small poles and some lego wheels, and we had the option between a metal marble or a
glass marble to use. Thirdly, we created a car with our lego and our small box. Then, we created a marble run. Unfortunately, the first ideas didn’t work well enough for us to carry out the experiment which forced us to create new ideas, which we put more thought into of course. After many tries and many stronger marble run designs, we were soon successful, but we were not done. We had to be certain that the marble run would be reliable and have enough kinetic energy and speed for it to be able to move our car. It was then time to have the competition against the other teams! While doing this experiment, we were learning about energy transfer, when potential energy is transferred to kinetic energy, and having a lot of fun. Shantal Oliver 1S The second experiment was the hydroelectric experiment. We had a system set up the same way a normal dam would be. We had to pour water into the
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TAIN ACADEMY - BRITISH SCIENCE WEEK
TAIN ROYAL ACADEMY - BRITISH SCIENCE WEEK CONT... top of the system so it would flow through the system and spin a little motor that would make energy. We also had a tablet connected to the dam to check how much electricity it was making per minute. My team and I could not keep it clean! We spilled so much water everywhere. From the experiment, we learned that water can produce electricity because when it moves it produces kinetic energy. Oliwier Porozynski 1D The next experiment on the exciting trip was the wind turbine experiment. First we set up a small but solid wind turbine in front of a large fan.
It was linked to an ipad with an app that counted the amount of joules that the turbine produced. Then, we put on our safety goggles and turned the fan on to a medium speed. We were surprised about how much energy a small turbine could produce. It was amazing seeing the numbers go up so fast! After a certain amount of time we checked the amount of joules and took note of it in our results table. From this experiment we could see how energy is produced from wind turbines, like the ones at Lairg Turbine farm. Joell Macrae 1D
Lastly, we did the electromagnetic induction experiment. Firstly, we connected the wires to the box with a copper coil in it. Then, we put a magnet in and out of the box and it produced electricity! It wasn’t much but it was still amazing. After that, we moved the wires into a socket that made the magnet produce even more electricity. The power almost doubled! It’s crazy to think that you can put a magnet next to some copper and it will produce electricity. By the end of this experiment, we had learned how much power can be generated from magnets and copper.
Sol Campbell 1D Once we made it back to school, we looked back on what we had learned. We found the day exciting and very enjoyable. It was a lot different from school and if we hadn’t gone, we would never have been able to take part in such fun activities, like the hydro dam and the marble run which were my favourites. We all loved the trip to the Newton Room and we would definitely recommend it for children who are interested in energy. Jessie McClelland 1S
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EASTER ROSS PENINSULA
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TOURISM DESTINATION LAUNCHES IN EASTER ROSS Slow down, escape to somewhere wonderful and make memories. These are some of the key messages of a new tourism destination being launched to entice more visitors to a unique corner of the Scottish Highlands. At the official launch event on Tuesday, (22 February), in the Seaboard Centre in Balintore, Rachel Cunningham, Marketing Officer at Tain and District Development Trust (TDDT), told tourism and business guests that the Easter Ross Peninsula had unique and contrasting qualities that deserved to be explored and enjoyed at a slower pace. “We want to promote the getting off- thebeaten-track, slowing down message while encouraging responsible visitors. Whether it’s digging into the area’s rich past, walking along miles of sandy beaches, enjoying a meal or meandering through historic towns and
villages, our communities want to share where they live; their history, heritage, hospitality and culture, creating sustainable tourism for the area for years to come.” The tourism initiative, which is supported by VisitScotland, Highland Tourism CIC and also local Community Councils and the Highland Council, decided last May to ‘soft’ launch’ the tourism destination through a new website created for the Peninsula and social media channels. Rachel explained why… “This slow release of the new destination was primarily aimed to introduce the Easter Ross Peninsula brand to both our communities and visitors but also we were in the middle of a pandemic, we knew visitors were already here or had plans to come. We wanted them to make the most of their time here, but we also needed a way
to communicate about being responsible too. The most important part of officially launching, as a new destination, was to make sure our local communities were ready.” The development of the Peninsula as a visitor destination has its roots in 2018 when the Trust, during a consultation with local people, were told that it was important for the area to increase visitor numbers to boost social, economic and environmental growth. To help put it on the tourism map, the area needed a name and identity, which were both chosen by community vote. With support from Zero, Glenmorangie’s creative marketing agency, the Easter Ross Peninsula brand was brought to life. “The Trust’s vision and mission is to promote the Peninsula as a unique tourist destination. It’s all about maximising our local assets – the people, places, services and businesses – bringing them together to boost the local economy,
encouraging local investment, developing training and youth employment opportunities and creating a longlasting legacy for this area.” Sarah Mackenzie, Director, Tain & District Development Trust. Caitlin McLeod, VisitScotland Regional Development Executive (North) said: “The launch of this new tourism destination is a huge opportunity to promote all that there is to see and do in this unique part of the Highlands. The new brand will help encourage visitors to slow down and take their time to explore the region more widely. It has been a pleasure to work with Tain and District Development Trust, local businesses and the community on this initiative and I look forward to continuing to support the sustainable recovery of tourism in the region.” Find out more about the Easter Ross Peninsula, a haven for explorers! at www.easterrosspeninsula. com
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ST. DUTHUS FOOTBALL CLUB
SPLENDID SAINTS CAN’T BE BEATEN AS EXCELLENT START TO YEAR CONTINUES St. Duthus had to work hard to get past Inverness Athletic in the first round of the North Caledonian Cup yesterday. Goals from Ben Bruce and Stuart Mackay either side of the half time whistle secured the win. With high winds and heavy rain showers making it difficult on the all-weather surface at the Inverness Royal Academy Sports Centre, Inverness Athletic had the better of the early going, but Saints were first to have the ball in the net on four minutes. A long kick from John Allan was flicked into the path of Jake Lockett, who appeared to be neck and neck with defender Alexander White before breaking clear and slotting past Ryan Macleod. But much to his disappointment, the goal was chalked off for offside. Putting the Saints backline under pressure with some fast linkup play, Inverness were creating the better of the chances though - and Dominic Macaulay came closest with a shot just wide of the post. Moments later, Ryan Walker tested Danny Gillan in the Saints goal with a tame effort. St. Duthus were working hard on the counter though, and a Ben Bruce header flew wide on the end of a Kyle Mackenzie cross, giving the Athletic back line some food for thought. Saints breathed a sigh of relief on 22 minutes when a last ditch block on the goal line from John Skinner prevented a Harry Shewan effort from finding an empty net. At the other end, Macleod was called into action when Ben Bruce
yard box, but with the referee having none of it, the game continued. St. Duthus rode out a late push from Athletic for an equaliser, but defended resolutely - as has been the theme for the Tain men this year so far. The win takes them into the quarter-final where they will meet Orkney at Grant Park. TEAM – Danny Gillan, Adam Allan (Sam Ross 32), Gary Millard, John Skinner, Duncan Davidson, Jamie Skinner, Kyle Mackenzie (Stuart Mackay 52), Paul Gair, Ben Bruce, Jake Lockett, Finn As-Chainey (Billy Cairns 80) SUBS NOT USED – Adrian Voigt, Barry Kenny found himself through to fire a shot on goal. An injury to Adam Allan led to the introduction of Adam Allan as the half continued, and before long Saints had broken the deadlock. Breaking clear, Finn As-Chainey shot low at Macleod, but his chance was blocked. It only fell as far to Bruce though, and the striker made no mistake, slotting into the corner of the empty net to make it 1-0. Saints started the second half in better fashion, now the aggressors, determined to build on their first half advantage. Ten minutes in, they should have done just that, when As-Chainey again burst forward, beating three defenders before firing a shot across Macleod and off the far post, coming back into play. The introduction of Stuart
Mackay added some new life up top, and within six minutes he made it 2-0. A clever turn from Jamie Skinner allowed the defender to play the ball to Mackay inside the area and his quick feet found space to drill the ball into the bottom corner. At 2-0, Saints were now in firm control. Mackay came close with a shot just over the front post moments later, and Billy Cairns was unlucky not to notch a goal too, with an effort Macleod had to tip over the bar. Athletic did manage to pull a goal back though on 73 minutes, Macaulay the danger man again, with a shot deflected across goal that Liam Symonds was able to force over the line. Saints were harshly done by with ten minutes to go when Stuart Mackay was felled inside the eighteen
It was another win, another clean sheet - and a place in the North Caledonian Cup semi final for Saints as they cruised to victory against Orkney a week later. Saints were the early aggressors and could have taken the lead after just five minutes when a corner kick fell to Ben Bruce ten yards out. The striker’s low driven effort flew just wide of the post though. At the other end, a chance for Zak Singh to find Aiden Drever saw the Orkney stalwart steer just wide with a first time shot. But Saints remained in control, and chances followed for Ross Tokely who fired over and then Finn As-Chainey who rattled the crossbar with a stunning effort before goalkeeper Kevin Mackenzie blocked a rebound effort from Jake Lockett. With twenty minutes gone,
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ST. DUTHUS FOOTBALL CLUB
Tokely had another try from distance and Mackenzie didn’t know too much about it as it rolled up his midriff and out for a corner. Persistent on both flanks, Saints were earning corner after corner as they continued to attack, and eventually the opener arrived on 32 minutes. A nice delivery from Daniel Christie found striker Ben Bruce at the far post who struck the ball first time and with a bounce on its way it squeezed inside the post and into the net. A minute before the interval, a late challenge on Finn As-Chainey saw Zak Singh pick up a second yellow card - only minutes after his first - and this resulted in an early shower for the Orkney striker, as the visitors were reduced to ten men. Orkney could do little to stem the tide in the second half as Saints continued to dominate, aiming to extend their lead. Chances for Gair, As-Chainey and Lockett all went astray as Orkney rode their luck. In goal for Orkney, Mackenzie added to his display of unorthodox handling with another body block on the end of an As-Chainey strike from distance. With an hour gone, Paul Gair thought he had scored with a low curling free kick but his shot came back off the post. Bruce, in close proximity only managed to get a back heel to it before it was collected by Mackenzie. The second and decisive goal arrived on 73 minutes and it came for Bruce, netting his 14th of the season. A rush of blood to the head sent Mackenzie out the edge of his area in a bid to thwart substitute Stuart Mackay, but he
could do nothing to stop the nearby Bruce who dinked the loose ball into the empty net. It should have been 3-0 with ten minutes to go when Mackay was played in on goal by Bruce, but under pressure from Mackenzie his chance flew over the bar. The win sends St. Duthus into the semi-finals of the North Caledonian Cup where they will meet Nairn County ‘A’. The Highland League reserve side beat Thurso on penalties to advance and will host the semi final tie. TEAM – John Allan, Sam Ross (Adrian Voigt 80), Daniel Christie (Adam Allan 76), John Skinner, Duncan Davidson (Will Ross 68), Paul Gair, James Mackay (Stuart Mackay 68), Jake Lockett, Ben Bruce, Ross Tokely, Finn As-Chainey (Gary Millard 80) GLENMORANGIE MOTM – Sam Ross A postponement to the February 19 meeting between St. Duthus and Golspie Sutherland due to a frozen pitch delayed these teams meeting, but some good fortune saw it replayed just a week later, after both Orkney and Thurso were unable to fulfil their obligations to the clubs in their scheduled games. A hastily rearranged game at home to Golspie was then scheduled. 10-man St. Duthus finished up with a point for their efforts at the end of a tightly contested match against 3rd placed Golspie. Shaun Urquhart was first to offer a test for either side inside four minutes, putting John Allan under pressure with a shot from
the edge of the box. The Saints keeper needed to be quick to gather with two strikers in pursuit of the second ball. Golspie kept the pressure up in the early going and connecting with a layoff from Miller Mackay, playermanager Sam Mackay made a hash of a clear cut chance inside the six yard box. A Mackay free kick shortly after was also off target, put just wide of Allan’s post. An injury to Caillean Eaglesham forced the Tain side into an early change with Kyle Mackenzie coming on after just 23 minutes. On the approach to the half hour mark, Cammy Yuill in the Golspie goal had to react quickly to prevent Billy Cairns from opening the scoring for St. Duthus after he pounced on a loose passback from Danny Coghill. The opening goal arrived on 34 minutes and it was for St. Duthus. After some good work from James Mackay breaking down the left side, the ball was cleared only as far as Daniel Christie 30 yards from goal. Taking a moment, Christie unleashed an audacious drive which bounced just in front of Yuill and spun under his grasp and through his legs. A shocker for the goalkeeper, but a well hit shot from Christie. Kyle Mackenzie was unlucky not to make more of a mistake by Yuill who had taken the ball out to the edge of his area only to be dispossesed, but his blushes were saved by his defence. Emerging from the half time break, Golspie took the initiative and within seven minutes they had levelled the scoring. A corner to the near post was
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played back into the path of Cameron Sutherland who played a neat cross into the area for Sean Munro to head into the net. The game grew in intensity as it wore on, and both Christie, Cairns and John Skinner collected cautions for their trouble. Mackay was also booked for the visitors. A second yellow card for Christie reduced Saints to ten men for the remaining quarter hour of the game, the full back shown his marching orders for a rash challenge. Golspie pressed for a winner as Saints defended resolutely, with Allan holding chances from Sutherland and Mackay. Urquhart too, had a great chance, and thought he had the ball in the net but the referee had flagged for offside. Despite the man disadvantage, Saints were still on the hunt for a winner and after clever feet from Mackenzie, Finn As-Chainey passed up a glorious chance to score with five minutes left, diving to head just a fraction wide of the post. The game ended in a stalemate at 1-1 with ten man Saints putting another point on the board. The result also keeps Geegan’s men going on their unbeaten run, which now extends to eight games. TEAM – John Allan, Will Ross, Daniel Christie, John Skinner, Duncan Davidson, Paul Gair, James Mackay, Caillean Eaglesham (Kyle Mackenzie 23), Jake Lockett, Billy Cairns (Adrian Voigt 71), Finn AsChainey SUBS NOT USED – Alan Geegan, Justin Rogers, Lewis Smith GLENMORANGIE MOTM – Paul Gair
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NOSTALGIA WITH ALEX GRAHAM
NOSTALGIA WITH ALEX GRAHAM
NOSTALGIA WITH ALEX GRAHAM
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ANKERVILLE NURSERY
ANKERVILLE NURSERY (TAIN)
Children at Ankerville have been enjoying woods sessions, planting, music sessions and out and about in the community.
SPORTS & RECREATION
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TAIN AMATEUR SWIMMING CLUB BRONZE SQUAD, FEB 2022
EASTER ROSS MUSICAL THEATRE have confirmed show dates of May 11-14 at the Duthac Centre for their production of ‘Sunshine on Leith’. A spokesperson said: “We’re exploring ways to sell tickets online but folks can get in touch with us via our Facebook page.”
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HEALTH MATTERS
HEALTH MATTERS members of the public for everything they have done to help keep them and others safe during this very challenging time.”
NHS HIGHLAND URGE CAUTION AS COVID CASES RISE After a period where the number of Covid-19 cases in NHS Highland were either declining or plateauing officials are now seeing a rise in numbers. However, thanks in large part to the vaccination programme, a smaller percentage of people are becoming seriously ill with coronavirus. But the large number of cases overall does mean the area is seeing an increase in people needing inpatient treatment. As of yesterday, despite efforts to keep and treat as many people as possible at home, NHS Highland had 53 inpatients with Covid across its area. There have been outbreaks in hospitals and care homes with colleagues affected as well as patients and care home residents. Dr Tim Allison, director of public health for NHS
Highland (pictured above), said: “Though it may seem as though the world is moving back to ‘normal’, Covid is still a very real risk. “It may be tempting to wear your mask less, skip hand washing, or to go out and socialise more – especially when many of you delayed or cancelled Christmas parties with friends, family and colleagues – but I am asking you to think carefully about the impact of reducing those precautions which have helped keep so many of us safe. “Covid is a risk to people’s health, not only directly, but also through the indirect pressure it puts on other services. Reducing transmission is still absolutely vital to allow us to care for people across all NHS Highland services. “I would like to thank all colleagues across health and social care who are going above and beyond to keep services running. I’d also like to thank
DAYLIGHT APP Daylight is a new smartphone-based app that provides help to people experiencing symptoms of worry and anxiety, using evidence-based cognitive behavioural techniques, voice, and animation. To access Daylight visit http://ow.ly/pJeo50GN0pZ Or to download Daylight (search ‘Daylight - Worry Less’ on both iPhone and Android) and answer a few questions to tailor the programme to you. OVARIAN CANCER Ovarian cancer is the fifth most common cancer among women. The symptoms can be similar to those of other conditions. Early symptoms to be aware of are persistent bloating,
feeling full and/or loss of appetite, pain in the pelvis and lower stomach, frequent urination. Contact your GP if you have concerns. COVID VACCINE & TESTING Side effects from the vaccine are usually mild and only last a day or two. They are much less serious than developing #COVID19 or the complications associated it. Visit nhsinform.scot/ covid19vaccine to book an appointment or find your nearest drop-in clinic. To help keep everyone safe, it’s still important to do a lateral flow test before travelling or socialising. Get LFD tests from pharmacies, testing sites, nhsinform.scot/testing or by calling 119. Remember to report your results, even if negative, at gov.uk/report-covid19result.
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