TAIN & DISTRICT PICTURE POST
ISSUE NO. 228
NOVEMBER 2019
PRICE £1.95
Beatrice Mackay, lately of Moss Road, Tain celebrated her 100th birthday on 20th October 2019. Beatrice lived in Tain all her life until recently moving into Murrayside Care Home in Edinburgh to be nearer her family, many of whom attended her birthday party.
THIS MONTH:
FOCUS ON ROUNDABOUTS FOR TAIN JUNCTIONS 40 YEARS OF TAIN & DISTRICT FIELD CLUB KNOCKBRECK CUP SUCCESS ST. DUTHUS FC CUP FINALISTS TAIN DEVELOPMENT TRUST WINNERS ARTICLES FROM; ANDREW VASS ALEX GRAHAM MARK JANES GRANDPARENTS DAY FOR ANKERVILLE TENNIS, SWIMMING, GOLF AND MORE!
WELCOME TO
THE GLENMORANGIE DISTILLERY EXPERIENCE
GLENMORANGIE HOUSE
By the tranquil shores of the Dornoch Firth, amidst the golden barley fields that border the Royal Burgh of Tain, lies the Glenmorangie Distillery. Here you will find a warm Highland welcome from our select craftsmen, the Men of Tain. With skills passed down the generations, they have dedicated themselves to creating our exceptional single malt whisky for the last 175 years.
Set amongst the rolling barley fields of Easter Ross, our beloved Highland hideaway, Glenmorangie House, is more of a country house than a hotel. For over 25 years it has welcomed the world to its door, developing an international reputation for Highland hospitality along the way. The house is a magnificent reflection of everything that the word ‘Glenmorangie’ stands for – a retreat to peace and calm, a place for cherished moments.
Our tours offer an unparalleled insight into the Glenmorangie Distillery. Accompanied by our expert guides, you will journey through all stages of our award-winning whisky creation. Tain, Ross-shire IV19 1PZ, Scotland t: 01862 892477 | e: tain-shop@glenmorangie.co.uk www.glenmorangie.com
Come and see for yourself what we mean by ‘Tranquillity Restored’….we guarantee you a warm Highland welcome! Fearn, by Tain, Ross-shire IV20 1XP, Scotland t: 01862 871671 | e: relax@glenmorangie.co.uk www.theglenmorangiehouse.com
The Glenmorangie Company advocates responsible drinking. Please savour our whiskies in moderation.
EDITORIAL
WE are now in the month of November and as we
move closer to the festive season the calendar is beginning to fill up with dates for many events planned in Tain and the surrounding area. This month’s edition is a packed one, with lots of news and photos from the various community groups and initiatives taking place in the town, in particular the full page feature on the origins of Tain & District Field Club, who are one of the oldest existing groups in Tain. We were delighted to attend the Tain & District Development Trust’s annual awards night on November 1st in support of our son Harris who did fantastically well to become a finalist for the Young Person of the Year award. He was delighted to be nominated. The event itself was very memorable and we had a lovely time and we must say a big well done to all at TDDT. We will have several photos from the event in our next issue. This year’s Tain & District Picture Post Christmas calendar will be on sale later this month with the theme being a celebration of the many volunteer community groups and associations who give up their time to provide opportunities for people in the area. We hope that you will consider picking up a copy. Best wishes, Niall Harkiss & Lucy Veals Co-editors info@tainpost.co.uk
Tain & District Branch Cats Protection Telephone: (0345) 371 2737 Email: taincats@aol.com www.tain.cats.org.uk
SUBSCRIBE TO THE
A note from James Mackay: Beatrice Mackay (Moss Road, Tain) (pictured on our front cover) would like to thank all friends who were kind enough to contribute to her recent 100th birthday celebrations in Edinburgh. She was overwhelmed by all the cards, flowers & gifts, which were generously given & gratefully received. Whilst she cannot thank everyone individually, she has asked that as many people as possible are contacted through the pages of the Tain & District Picture Post. She is settling well into her new surroundings & sends her heartfelt thanks to all of her many friends who have helped and supported her before & since her move away from Tain.
TAIN & DISTRICT PICTURE POST £40 PER YEAR(DELIVERED) Please visit www.tainpost.co.uk for more information 3
TWI SECRETARY RECOGNISED FOR LOYAL SERVICE
The Welding Institute of the Highland & Islands recently held their annual dinner at the St. Duthus Hotel in Tain and the highlight of the evening was the presentation of the Loyal Service Award. Committee members and their wives were present as Highland & Islands branch chairman Dr. John Chance presented the award to David Dargie in recognition of his time as branch secretary. David joined the Welding Institute in 1990 and was the
inaugural secretary of the first meeting of a new Highland & Islands branch in 2011. H&I Branch representative Alex McFarlane said;
NORTH DISTRICT GOLF
“David is a very deserving recipient of this award. He has organised committee meetings, harangued speakers to perform, planned and arranged annual dinners. Without his continuous efforts, the branch would undoubtedly not have formed.”
The Tain Arthritis Care Support Group has a meeting in the Tain Parish Church Hall on Monday 14th October 2019 at 2.30 pm. This month’s talks will be given by Mrs. A Nutt from CCAST Highland and followed by A Mackay of the Fire and Rescue Service. This will be followed by ‘afternoon tea’ with home baking, so an interesting afternoon will be had by all. All welcome, members & non members alike and friends too. 4
Pictured above is Sean Kennedy of Tain Golf Club proudly showing off the North District Matchplay Trophy that he won at Nairn Golf Club on Sunday October 27th. Sean beat former Champions Fraser Fotheringham and Dougie Thorburn to become the 3rd winner of the trophy from Tain.
OPERATION DAFFODIL
TAIN WHIST DRIVE Whist in Tain on 17th October raised ÂŁ37 for Alzheimers Scotland. The winners were as follows; Gents: 1st Ailsa Johnston, 2nd Findlay Munro, consolation Catherine Hoatson. Ladies: 1st Ann Raffan, 2nd Isobel Bain, consolation Susan Weir. The next Whist is on 14th November, all welcome!
Volunteers from the Rotary Club of Tain & Easter Ross completed Phase One of Operation Daffodil at the end of October, which involves the planting of a few hundred bulbs by the roundabout at the southern end of the Dornoch Bridge. Further phases are planned as they have estimated that they’ll need a few thousand more!
QUIZ NIGHT RAISES FUNDS FOR PERFECT PAWS On the evening of Saturday 26th October, Lodge St. Duthus held a quiz night hosted by RWM John Mackenzie in aid of Perfect Paws Canine Club, an Easter Ross based group who assist owners train their dogs to a high standard and provide agility demonstrations at certain events. The lodge was set up with ten tables and all were fully occupied. An outstanding buffet was served, laid on by members of the group and a total of three hundred and ten pounds was raised on the night. Perfect Paws have already booked another night for early 2020. Congratulations and well done to all who attended. 5
HEALTH MATTERS for learning first aid – have a look here on NHS Inform – h t t p s : / / w w w. n h s i n f o r m . s c o t / t e s t s - a n d treatments/emergencies/first-aid Anticipatory care You may find yourself, a friend or a member of your family being invited to think about future planning or ‘Anticipatory Care’. This is especially for those with a long-term condition; to think about and record what is important to you going forward. Have a look at the NHS Inform website for some more information https://www.nhsinfor m.scot/campaigns/ anticipatory-care-planning
Flu Immunisation Season 2019 This is now well under way in all GP practices. Please take up Scottish Government’s advice about vaccination against flu, pneumococcal illness and shingles. At the time of going to press there are issues with the supply of Fluenz (nasal spray for children) practices are being instructed to prioritise those who are clinically at risk but contact your practice to discuss. First Aid We would encourage everyone to learn CPR and have a go on a dummy if you get the chance. Tain & District Medical Group ran sessions with the amazing Lin Ferguson at the Tain & District Development Trust community markets over the summer. There are excellent resources on the internet
Beast Race Loch Ness 2019 This is our amazing team from Tain & District Medical Group completing the obstacle race. They endeavoured through rain, wind and mud to raise funds for CHSS (Chest, Heart & Stroke Scotland). The sum raised was just under £700 so a huge well done! There is a link on the practice Facebook page to donate if you can spare a pound for CHSS! Suggestions for our column next time in Tain & District Picture Post? Please let us know via the practice website http://www.taindoctors.co.uk/ contact_dlg1.aspx?p=S55427 6
FANTASTIC DAY FOR HALLOWEEN BOOKBUG SESSION
There was a fantastic turnout at Tain Library for the Halloween Session, which centred around a great story about Little Red Riding Hood who is scared of almost everything, and what she does when she discovers a tiny, lost wolf cub, in the wild dark forest and learn about bravery. Bookbug Sessions are free events for children aged
0-5 years and their mums, dads and carers. Sessions last around 30 minutes and include songs, rhymes and a story. You can expect a warm reception at your local Bookbug Sessions in Tain Library every Wednesday morning 11:30 –12pm. Everyone is welcome!
KNOCKBRECK AND CRAIGHILL ARE OUT OF THIS WORLD! Breaking all previous records, 96 children signed-up in Tain Library to take part in the Space Race Reading Challenge to read 6 library books during the School Holidays. It was wonderful for the staff and library volunteers, to meet so many children who were regularly visiting the local Library and engaging with the service. There is fantastic support and encouragement given to the young people by their schools, Knockbreck and Craighill Primaries, Families and Carers in the community. Photos were taken when the Primary Schools were presented with certificates celebrating the pupil’s achievement and acknowledging their commitment to supporting our young people in the community.
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GRANDPARENTS DAY FOR ANKERVILLE Ankerville Nursery had a lovely morning singing some of the songs they’ve been learning to families for Grandparents day. They were joined by some of their friends from Mull Hall too. There were lots of opportunities for audience participation as they sung some old favorites like my Bonnie Lies Over the Ocean and You Cannae Shove Your Granny Off A Bus!
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TCD DANCERS COMPETE AT HIP HOP UK On Sunday 29th September, three girls from TCD in Tain travelled to Motherwell to attend the school’s first ever Hip Hop UK event. It was a busy competition and it was lovely to meet up with old friends and make new ones. The three girls, Steffi Campbell (14) Millie Mullins (14) and Helen Stephenson (13) all attend regular classes at TCD’s Studio 7 in Tain. We are delighted to be able to share the following results: Steffi - 2nd (set solo) and 5th Freestyle (in this event they must dance to music they’ve not heard before) Millie 3rd Freestyle and 5th Set Solo Helen 6th Set Solo (no freestyle for Helen this time) Jan & Georgie (TCD’s hip hop teacher) are super proud of the girls and how brilliantly they represented TCD at the competition.
FIELD CLUB’S WOODLAND VISIT In October Tain & District Field Club visited Mark and Carol Janes wood at Tarrel to hear about their foliage production and to explore this interesting wood. They were especially impressed with the large numbers of fungi on the woodland floor. The next meeting of TDFC is on 12th November - Rare Invertebrates of the Cairngorms with Gabrielle Flinn (Project Officer, Cairngorm Partnership) All lecture meetings: Tain Parish Church Hall at 7.30pm
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CLASSIFIEDS AGRICULTURAL Robertsons of Tain Shore Road Tel 01862 892276 ANIMALS Tain Cat Protection Tel 0345 3712737 Email jardij@aol.com Aileen’s Pet Exercise Pet Carer & Exerciser Tel 01862 892919 ARCHITECTS Blueprint Architecture Tel 01862 892900 info@blueprintarchitecture.com ARTS & CRAFTS The Shop Around the Corner Dornoch Tel 01862 811413 BAKERS Grants Bakery High Street, Tain Tel 01862 892315 BUTCHERS Highland Prime Village Store, Post Office / Butchers Tel 01862 832061 COMPUTER SERVICES Adept Open Source Solutions Ltd Tel 08707 609467 sales@adeptopensource.co.uk www.adeptopensource.co.uk CAFE Dornoch Patisserie & Cafe 1 High Street, Dornoch Tel 01862 811148 CHIMNEY SWEEPING Highland Chimney Sweep Services Tel 07811 237105 CONFECTIONERS Sweet Celebrations Ice Cream, Sweets, Hot Food Tel 01862 894125 COPY-EDITING, PROOF READING Michael Foster Email mdf66@hotmail.co.uk ESTATE AGENTS Georgeons Property Tel 01862 892555 FILLING STATIONS Gleaner Oils Tel 01862 (Tain) Tel 01862 (Skiach) FITNESS & EXERCISE Boogie Bounce Xtreme Tain Debbie Stainke Tel 07889 630919 FRUIT & VEGETABLES Empire Foods Contact Michael on 0790 095 8665 FUNERAL SERVICES Alasdair Rhind Tel 01862 892521 (Tain) Tel 01349 853322 (Invergordon) Tel 01862 810300 (Dornoch) Mackay & Macaskill Tel 01862 810492 (Dornoch) GARAGES, TYRES & AUTO Bannerman (Tain) Ltd Shore Road, Tain Tel 01862 892480 Evelix Service Station Tall Pines Restaurant, Evelix, Dornoch Tel 01862 811131 / 810968 Mackintosh Motors Auto Services & Bodywork The Garage, Station Road, Tain Tel 01862 894045 Godsman Tyres & Exhausts Ltd Blarliath Industrial Estate, Tain Tel 01862 892448 Fax 01862 893225 GARDEN SERVICES
Patrick Vickery (Aldie Burn Plants) Tel 01862 842346 GRAPHIC DESIGN Gavin Ward Design Associates Tel 07801 190234 www.gwda.co.uk HAIRDRESSERS Hair Design 18 Geanies Street, Tain Tel 01862 892228 HOTELS & RESTAURANTS The Royal Hotel High Street, Tain Tel 01862 892013 royalhoteltain@btconnect.com The Burghfield House Hotel Cnoc-an-Lobht, Dornoch, IV25 3HN Tel 01862 811006 www.burghfieldhouse.co.uk The Trentham Hotel Poles, Dornoch Tel 01862 810551 St Duthus Hotel 2 Tower Street, Tain Tel 01862 894007 Carnegie Lodge Hotel Viewfield Road, Tain Tel 01862 894039 info@carnegiehotel.co.uk The Shandwick Inn Kildary, Invergordon Tel 01862 842250 JEWELLERS Forbes Jewellers / Tain Silver Victoria Buildings, High St, Tain Tel 01862 892343 www.maforbes.co.uk LEISURE SERVICES Tain Royal Academy Community Complex (TRACC) Hartfield Road, Tain Tel 01862 893767 METALWORK Metalwork UK Blarliath Industrial Estate, Tain Tel 01862 894123 Email info@metalworkuk.com MORTGAGE SERVICES Ewan A Forrest Financial, Mortgage & Insurance 19-21 Stafford Street, Tain Tel 01862 893561 PRINTING & REPROGRAPHICS Picture Post Printing Tel 01862 832329 info@tainpost.co.uk PLUMBING & HEATING Highland Heatsave Ltd 2 Port Street, Balintore Tel 01862 832116 Mob 07803 610838 McCue Plumbing & Heating Four Penny Paddock, Skelbo, Dornoch, IV25 3QF Tel 01862 810159 Mob 07990 783097 TAXIS Billy’s Taxis Tel 01862 731081 Tel 07523 125916 DP Taxis Tel 07999 844706 VETS Easter Ross Vets Tel 01862 893142 (Tain) Tel 01349 852204 (Invergordon) Tel 01349 884777 (Alness) WEBSITE DESIGN K & N Concepts Ltd Website & Database Design / Development Tel 07527 134574 Tel 01862 832329 niall.harkiss@kandnconcepts.co.uk
Join a warm and friendly Slimming World group near you today...
TAIN
Now at 9 Geanies Street
Wednesdays 3.30pm, 5.30pm and 7.30pm
Tel: Evelyn 07511 133 108
Highland Heatsave Limited BOILER SERVICING AND COMMISSIONING PLUMBING AND HEATING INSTALLATION
EMPIRE FOODS TAIN WHOLESALE
FRUIT VEGETABLES POTATOES AND FREE RANGE EGGS CONTACT MICHAEL ON
Jim Oman, 2 Port Street, Balintore, IV20 1UH TEL 01862 832116 | MOBILE 07803 610838
0790 095 8665
GRANTS BAKERY Sandwiches & Hot Snacks
Winners of the Silver Award for Scotch Pie Competition High Street Tain (01862) 892315
INTERESTED IN VOLUNTEERING WITH YOUR LOCAL FOOTBALL CLUB? St. Duthus FC are looking for weekend volunteers to help with matchday duties such as: Raffle sales Matchday set up Pitch care Kit and equipment care If interested, please get in touch with the committee of St. Duthus FC via email on committee@ stduthusfc.co.uk or call Niall on 01862 894123 / 01862 832329 12
ROUNDABOUTS FOR TAIN’S JUNCTIONS?
A range of improvements, including roundabouts, are to be considered for improving the safety at two Tain junctions, Highlands and Islands Labour MSP, Rhoda Grant, has confirmed. Mrs Grant wrote to Transport Scotland after the community had backed suggestions to
install roundabouts at the Tain A9 Asda and Lidl junctions. Transport Scotland had already confirmed planned improvements including reducing the speed limit to 50mph on a 3km stretch of the A9 – 260 metres south of the A9 junction with the B9174 Knockbreck Road and continuing until 180 metres north of the A9 junction with the B9174 Morangie Road. This is to be put out to consultation. Now Transport Scotland’s Chief Executive, Roy Brannen, says it is looking for a consultant to review long-term engineering options for the stretch and this will include a range of junction improvement, including roundabouts. “This is good news, but I have to raise a note of caution as Transport Scotland has told me that any larger scale projects will be subject to funding and will compete with other priorities on the trunk road network,” said Mrs Grant. “I do hope the Scottish Government will see this as a priority for funding given the number of accidents and near misses on this stretch. “The community is anxious to avoid a serious accident or a fatality at these junctions, so I hope planning these longer-term improvements will not take long. “I hope that Transport Scotland will also look at other alternatives in the long term that provide safety as well as ensuring the journey north is not permanently lengthened.” - rhodagrant.org.uk
KNOCKBRECK WIN TOWANASHIE SHIELD
Congratulations go out to Knockbreck Primary School football club (KFC) from Tain who emerged as the winners of the Towanashie Shield on Thursday October 10th. The shield was one of two trophies awarded at Ferry Brae pitch in North Kessock following a series of football games played in a tournament between sixteen different primary schools in the North.
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Knockbreck coach and acting depute Greg Humble reserved plenty of praise for the team, giving credit where it was due for some hard work. “There was lots of team work, blood sweat and tears literally, but the boys were delighted. It was lovely to see and a fantastic day for them.” Well done to all at Knockbreck!
‘OLD FILE’
tain brownies
December 1987 - Tain Brownies present a cheque for £100.00 to St. Duthus School.
Please send your Old File photos via post to our address below or scanned via email to:
DO SOCCER ACADEMY Do Soccer U13s and U15s won their first games of the 2019/20 season during October - an otherwise quiet month with the school holidays on. Well done to all.
info@tainpost.co.uk Tain & District Picture Post Wyvis View Main Road Fearn 14
THROUGH THE LENS
with Mark Janes LRPS Issue #23 - Photographing Woodland For this last in our series on photographing Autumn, we’re going to look at woodland photography. Of course, woodlands can be photographed any time of year, but Autumn brings the best opportunities in terms of colour, variety and the sheer joy of being in a forest at this time of year. Woodland photography is one of the most challenging types of landscape photography, and is very easy to do badly. Challenges include; keeping your compositions simple and avoiding too much distraction, lack of light and, on a sunny day, too much contrast. But, if you follow the simple tips Emerging below, you should come home with some woodland photos to be proud of.
Fly Agaric mushrooms caught in the morning sun
What To Photograph The possibilities are endless, but look for; dramatic shapes and forms in the trunks and branches of old, gnarled trees, interesting fungi, splashes of autumn colour, waterfalls, sunlit spider’s webs and, of course, wildlife. A misty morning can make for fantastic woodland photographs, with the trunks of trees receding into the fog. You could try In-tentional Camera Movement, also known as a “drag shot”, where you move the camera up and down as you take the shot (see example). A Few Tips For Great Woodland Photography 1. Keep your compositions simple. Concentrate on one or two individual fea-tures; a single tree, a leaf in autumn colour, a root system, etc. Move around with the camera and change your viewpoint, checking for anything distracting in the background. 2. Use a medium to long lens. A short telephoto lens will help to minimize distrac-tions. It will also allow you to get a shallow depth of field, throwing background distractions out of focus, especially if you set a large aperture (f number). 3. Avoid the sky. The very bright sky combined with the
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darkness of the woodland can cause the sky to be overexposed, leading to ugly distractions in the photo. So, look for upward slopes as a backdrop to your photos, or use the telephoto lens mentioned above to keep the sky out of the picture. 4. Bring a tripod. The light levels in woodland can be very low, especially at this time of year. A tripod will make sure you get sharp pictures by minimizing cam-erashake, even in the darkest spots. A tripod also has the effect of slowing your photography down, so you become more immersed in the woodland landscape and better compositions reveal themselves. 5. Wear old clothes. Some woodland features, such as fungi, are best photographed from low down. So be prepared to get down on the ground and see the woodland from a mouse’s eye level! Woodlands are a chance to get out and about with your camera, even when the weather is rough. A bleak, misty day on the hill can be transformed into an autumn paradise in the woods, so get out and have some fun, before we lose the last of the autumn colour! Did you like this article? Why not email me and let me know what you’d like to see covered in future issues. markjanesphotographer@gmail.com.
WHO WANTS A LORD OF MISRULE THIS XMAS? We know that carols have existed in the Western tradition from the Middle Ages onward. Initially, carols, in the 12th century or so, were a popular courtly dance. They were not just for Christmas; other seasons had them as well, including Easter Carols. The 12 Days of Christmas song was also a game in which those who got one or other verse wrong had to pay a forfeit. In England, Oliver Cromwell and the Puritans banned both the celebration of Christmas and the singing of carols. By the 19th century, however, popular interest in carols re-emerged and scholars went looking for older carols, too. But in Victorian times the carols were different, more polite, and refined, but popular among those who believed in good old family values and the importance of preserving childhood as a time of innocence. One occasionally finds carols though, which seem like refugees from a prePuritan past. They suggest dance and merriment; ‘In Dulce Jabillo’, ‘Ding Dong Merrily on High’, and ‘Here We Come a Wassailing’ are examples. Can one imagine doing a circle dance to the choruses? Wassailing seems to have meant ‘drinking someone good health’ and the Wassail bowl was commonly full of hot cider or beer in which fine white bread, roast apples or cake would be dipped. Of course, the Lord of Misrule and his captain might ensure that all were making merry. They were figures of fun (from the Middle Ages) who wore bright scarf, ribbons and bells (on their legs) as badges of office and went around on hobby horses and dragons. Just what we need to bring the congregation in at midnight on Xmas eve! The Civil war struggle between Cavaliers and Roundheads seems to typify the tussle between the fun-loving and the very serious Christians which has changed our history since the carol-dancing Pre-Reformation days. Most Christians nowadays are kind of in between the Cavaliers and Puritanswanting both solemnity but also fun. The real cavaliers are perhaps the atheists who criticise Christianity. In ‘THIS LIFE’ Swedish philosopher Martin Hagglund claims that religious people devalue the finiteness of life by having faith in an afterlife. Hagglund claims that if we see life as precious and as finite then we will constructively utilize every moment of it. But is this not an encouragement to hedonists? Those who are busy living life to the full often haven’t time to consider questions about dry but important topics such as politics, environment, and morality.
I agree with the great 19th century philosopher Schopenhauer, ‘the Will’ is something to be escaped, not something to be embraced. The Will is insatiable, like a monster on your shoulders saying ‘I want success-what? you want rest with Mindfulness? No that’s so boring.’ And perhaps the Buddha is another who would disagree with Hagglund if he were here. Being attached to outcomes is about being hooked in to life. Being spiritually mindful is to be detached a little and less restless. My client William wrote a list of things he wanted to be detached from. (See my book ‘BEAT DEPRESSION WITH SELFHELP TECHNIQUES’ VASS for more on William) He wrote; I want to detach from pride, needs, achievement, addictions, and demands. St Augustine was another great writer who faced pagan critics who made similar claims to Hagglund’s. These critics claimed that Christianity (being otherworldly) weakened the Roman Empire. Augustine’s wrote ‘The City of God’ in response. He was ‘kind of saying’ that if you can keep some of your love on God and the heavenly city, you can be all the more composed, unhurried, unperturbed, decisive, and generous in dealing with the affairs of the earthly city. Readers might think I’m straying a little from the carol traditions and the Xmas theme. But I think that Xmas is a time when we may have visitors and visitors need to get a good impression of us. The good impression I want to give them is that we consider the views of our critics very seriously. So, here is another Lord of Misrule for us to consider. Sam Harris (in his book WAKING UP) tells us that within each of the Abrahamic religious cultures, children’s minds are still being polluted. He claims that the worst ideas of these religious traditions continue to thrive and diminish children’s lives. I quote; “...we should not terrify our children with thoughts of hell or poison them with hatred of infidels. We should not teach our sons to consider women their future property or convince our daughters that they are property even now. And we must decline to tell our children that human history began with bloody magic and will end with bloody magic in a glorious war between the righteous and the rest.” Of course, Christians might claim that one can’t generalize about the Abrahamic religions- the Moslem is very different from Mormon, and Jehovah’s Witnesses is very different from Quaker. And surely, at Xmas time most Christians offer a strange image
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of God to children and visitors- in the baby Jesus. What could be less offensive, or less frightening than ‘Emmanuel’-God with us. The picture we get from the 19th century song-writer Cecil Alexander in his carol, ‘Once in Royal David’s City’ or from famous poet Christina Rossetti’s ‘In the Bleak Midwinter’ is of a gentle Jesus with a loving mother and a dear Father in heaven. Since the days of St. Francis many have preached on this picture of Emanuel‘the lord with us.’ Reverend Lachlan of Lochcarron in the 18th century, was one who impressed people with his physical strength and his skill as a preacher. One of his famous sermons was on the subject of ‘the babe in Bethlehem’. The focus of the sermon was on the difficulties which people face as they make their spiritual journey. “After repeated trials, the inquirer begins to despair of finding Jesus at all. He leaves himself now entirely in the hands of his guide who brings him to the back court of the inn, and pointing to the door of the stable says; ‘It is there Jesus will be found’. ‘There!’ cries the informer ‘behind that mass of filth’, as he pointed to the dung-heap at the door of the stable. However, the poor wretch is in reality applying the image of the dung-heap to his remembrance of his own past sins, and his fear is that one so guilty as he could never find Jesus. The guide reasoned with the enquirer until his first difficulty was removed. He then brings him to the threshold…. but seeing beasts within, he is afraid to cross over to the manger. Once again, the inquirer’s fears arising from temptation are met and removed. At last the manger is reached and there in swaddling clothes they find the infant Jesus. “ (Taken from IN THE DAYS OF THE FATHERS OF ROSS SHIRE KENNEDY) I write to wish my friends in ‘a-the airts’ a merry Christmas, and if you want to join the likes of Rochester cathedral and have mini-golf between the aisles or a slide set up from the pulpit, I hope it goes well. And if you have a Wassail bowl,then perhaps you will also need to have a rule that those who come to the party must sing their requests to the Captain at the door before they get in. ‘Ilkley Moor B’aht at’ was a song once used for such a dialogue. I hope you manage to make your Xmas festivities exciting and different- but whatever you do, please don’t have a Lord of Misrule.
Written by Andrew Vass
STOCKISTS Where you can buy the TDPP
Co-operative Grants Bakery Tesco (Tain) RS McColl Bannermans Highland Prime S & B Allsorts Alness Newsagents
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NOSTALGIA
with Alex Graham
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NOSTALGIA
with Alex Graham
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SWIMMING
Tain Amateur Swimming Club
Swimmer of the Month for May: Awarded to Sophie Skinner for the improvements she has made in all her stokes and for more focus during training. Well done Sophie!
Swimmer of the Month for June: Awarded to Eleanor Ross for her continual outstanding performances and her dedication to the sport. Eleanor you are an outstanding member of the Club and one for the younger swimmers to look up to.
Massive well done to Eleanor Ross who swam in The North District Distance Meet over the weekend of 5/6 October. Her swims were outstanding to say the least with times of 9.54.81 for her 800m free and 18.48.66 for her 1500m free. Due to these times, Eleanor has placed herself second fastest in Scotland for her age group in the 800m free and fastest in her age group for her 1500m free. The whole of TASC are so proud of you Eleanor - the smile on your face says it all and what it means to you. A fantastic day was had at The Forres Mini Meet on 28th September. TASC’s team consisted of Kayla Burry, Elizabeth Connolly, Louie Macleod, George Milligan, Alexandra More and Nieve and Shaelynn Pettigrew. George took home silver in the 25m back and 25m breast plus bronze in the 25m free whilst Louie took home bronze in the 50m fly and 4th in the 50m free and 100m IM. All of TASC’s swimmers swam so well and achieved 16 PB’s in total. Thank you to all parent helpers and coaches. All swimmers are to be commended for not only giving it their all in the pool but for their excellent behaviour poolside. 22
COMMUNITY EVENTS TODDLER & BABY GROUPS Seaboard Mother and Toddler Group Seaboard Hall 10-12
WEDNESDAY NOVEMBER 6TH Cookery Demonstration - Making your food go further - An evening with James McMahon, Head Chef of the The Pier, Lairg. 6-9pm £5 entry.
Little Rascals Tain Parish Church Tuesday 10-11.30
Portmahomack Toddler Group Carnegie Hall Fridays 9.30-11.30
Inver Toddler Group Inver Community Hall Thursday 10-12
Book Bug Sessions Tain Library Wednesdays 11-11.30
Tain Tiny Tots Tain Youth Cafe Monday 10.30-11.30 £2 per child
Adventure Fridays Facebook - Various Outdoor Locations Fridays 9.45
Portmahomack Toddler Group Carnegie Hall Fridays 9.30-11.30
Baby Stay and Play Tain Youth Cafe (upstairs) Friday 10.30-12
Tel. 01549 40 20 50. FRIDAY NOVEMBER 8TH Tain Bonfire & Firework Display - From 7pm at Tain Links. Hot food and Herchers’ fun fair arranged by Tain Gala Association. SATURDAY NOVEMBER 9TH Jock Mackay Memorial Cup Final - Football cup final between St. Duthus FC v Orkney FC in Invergordon. Kick off 1pm. FRIDAY NOVEMBER 15TH Youth Drop In - 6.30pm to 8pm at Carnegie Hall in Portmahomack. SATURDAY NOVEMBER 16TH Tain Hill Trail Race - 11 Mile Trail Race from 12 noon (£12 entry), 7 mile Joggers’ Race from 12 noon (£10 entry) and 7 mile walk from
Gaelic Playgroup Tain Free Church Hall Thursday 10-11.30
11am (£5 entry).All events start at TRACC. For further information visit www.tainrunners.co.uk The Impact Live at Tain Golf Club - Live music from The Impact at Tain Golf Club from 9pm. North Caledonian League Football Match - St. Duthus vs Bonar Bridge at Grant Park (down by the Links), Kick off 1.30pm. MONDAY NOVEMBER 18TH
Please send your Old File photos via post to our address below or scanned via email to info@tainpost.co.uk Tain & District Picture Post Wyvis View, Main Road, Fearn IV20 1TG
Moira Forsyth - Imaginery Conversations: why dialogue matters in fiction. 4.30pm to 5.30pm at Tain Library. Call 01862 892391 for more information. WEDNESDAY NOVEMBER 20TH Local Authors in Conversation - Philip Paris, Liz Treacher and Helen Sedgwick talk about their books and being writers in the Highlands. At Dornoch Library from 2-3pm. TUESDAY NOVEMBER 26TH Knockbreck Christmas Fayre - 6-8pm at Knockbreck Primary School. Raffle and auction FRIDAY NOVEMBER 29TH Lynsey’s Fundraiser - Raffle & Live Music Night in aid of SANDs at St Duthus Hotel from 7.30pm. Raffle tickets on sale from Harry Gow Bakery and Zonas. SATURDAY NOVEMBER 30TH Christmas Lights Switch On / Christmas Market - Starting from 3pm on 30th November on Tain High Street and Rose Garden will be lined with a fantastic range of Christmas Market Stalls. Visit Santa in his Grotto and his Reindeer, arriving at 4pm. Switching on of the lights by David and Heather McAllister at approximately 5.30pm. SATURDAY DECEMBER 7TH TRA Christmas Fair - From 10am-2pm at Tain Royal Academy, raising money for Highland Hospice. Christmas Tree Festival - Organised by Tain & District Gardeners Club. 1pm to 4pm at Tain Parish Church Hall. Free admission, donations in aid of Highland Hospice. Festive music by Knockbreck Primary and Tain Choral. SATURDAY DECEMBER 14TH The Saints’ Big Quiz - Quiz night at the Mason’s Lodge in aid of funds for St. Duthus Football Club. From 7.30pm. Details available via facebook.com/stduthusfc.
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SAINTS MARCH TOWARDS CUP FINAL A good start for St. Duthus FC in September developed into an excellent start throughout October as the Tain side finished the month having won every game they played, extended their winning run to seven games (at the time of writing). On the back of his stunning threeminute hat-trick, Ben Bruce did the same again to the same team just a week later when he scored three goals to stun Inverness Athletic in the Jock Mackay Cup semi-final, as Saints kicked off the month of October with a 5-2 win. Jon Campbell and Liam Rostock added the other goals. The result secured the club’s place in the final of the Jock Mackay Memorial Cup where they will meet Orkney. The game is set to be played on November 9th at 1pm on neutral ground in Invergordon. In league action, Saints recorded their most impressive result of the year to date when they crushed league contenders Invergordon by 4 goals to 1 in the Easter Ross Derby at Grant Park. Three first half goals had the visitors reeling before they rounded the win off with a late fourth in the second half. Stefan MacRitchie was the star of the show, netting with a 30 yard free kick before providing the delivery for headed goals from Ben Bruce and Mikey Rae. Scott Miller combined with Finn AsChainey to net the fourth. Back-to-back clean sheets followed as Saints comfortably beat Bonar Bridge and Bunillidh Thistle in their next fixtures. At Bonar, Ben Bruce was on target with a treble yet again before Liam Rostock netted from the penalty spot to record a 4-0 win. Against Bunillidh a week later, it was Rostock who took the scoring plaudits, netting twice in either half while Ross Tokely also grabbed his first goal for the club with a 3rd minute header. Mikey Rae and Charlie Macdonald were also in
St. Duthus striker Ben Bruce holds off Bonar defender Andy Murray (Photo: Scott MacDonald)
amongst the scoring which finished up at 5-0. The club now prepare for a double header against Orkney, at home in the league on November 2nd and then in the Jock Mackay Cup Final on November 9th. Orkney are unbeaten so far this season and have been touted by many as favourites for the league. There is no doubting that these next two games will be the toughest test St. Duthus will have faced this season. In other news, the club added two more players during the month of October. R e e c e Paterson and Finlay MacLeod, who had each been playing as trialists, have signed with the club until the end of the season. F i n l a y, formerly of Invergordon, had been playing in the amateur leagues for Lairg Rovers during the s u m m e r Goalkeeper Johnny Allan kept a clean sheet at Bonar Bridge in what and joined St. was his third game for the club since signing. (Photo: GJW Sport)
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Duthus during pre-season, featuring in a number of friendly matches. A pacey and determined winger, he provides options on both flanks and will be an exciting player for the club. Reece is a former Inverness Caley Thistle and Clachnacuddin youth who had been playing for Inverness City in the North Region Junior leagues until their 2018 demise. A capable defender or midfielder, he deputised in holding midfield at the beginning of the month and has yet to play in a Saints side that hasn’t won.
Pl
W
D
L
GD
Pts
Invergordon
6
5
0
1
+27
15
ST. DUTHUS
6
5
0
1
+17
15
Thurso
4
4
0
0
+12
12
Halkirk United
7
3
1
3
-5
10
Orkney
3
2
1
0
+11
7
Inverness Ath.
6
2
0
4
+1
6
Golspie Suth.
4
1
2
1
+6
5
Bunillidh Thistle
6
0
0
6
-33
0
Bonar Bridge
6
0
0
6
-36
0
www.highlandprime.co.uk @HighlandPrime
01862832061
Great News!
The winners of the Tain Gala Association October 2019 500 Club Draw are as follows:
The Highland Prime Van will be visiting Tain High Street
1st prize of £200 - Lynne Mackay 2nd prize of £100 - Karen Vass 3rd prize of £50 - Sandy Sutherland 4th prize of £50 - David Macleod 5th prize of £20 - Matthew Ravenhill 6th prize of £20 - Pauline Maclennan 7th prize of £20 - Kirsty McFarlane 8th prize of £20 - Brian Ross 9th prize of £20 - Angus Jack
Saturday mornings 10am –10.30am Message us on Facebook if you want to place an order.
Congratulations to all who won this month. With thanks to Steven O’Donnal for verifying and drawing the numbers. 25
40TH YEAR FOR TAIN & DISTRICT FIELD CLUB Founder member David McAllister recalls the origins of one of Tain’s oldest existing community groups as Tain & District Field Club celebrate their 40th year. In the winter of 1979-80 I ran a Natural History Evening Class under the Tain Royal Academy extra-curricular scheme. I managed to persuade Willy Morrison who was in charge of evening classes that instead of the usual 20 indoor classes I would have 15 classes and 5 weekend field trips. This class went well with topics such as “The High Tops”, Woodland” Agriculture and wildlife” and even a “Small Mammals” evening when some of the Tain worthies
Field Club (TDFC) was chosen and a steering committee appointed for the first year to draw up a programme and a constitution. The committee were : David McAllister (Chairman) Ivan Brockway (Secretary) Moira Smith (Treasurer) Marion Fiddimore (Committee) Mike Talbot (Committee) Mark Johnston (Junior committee) (Mark was an S3 pupil at TRA) A month later on Tuesday 28th October our first talk was held in the lecture theatre of TRA with Dr.Sandy Maclennan of the Nature Conservancy Council (now SNH) talking about “Nature Conservation in the Highlands.” There are still those who remember his description of the “giant mountain moles” of Strathconon. We followed this talk with a field trip to Upper Strathconon to look for “giant mountain moles” and of course rutting red deer. In 2005 in our 25th Season Sandy returned to give us an update “Twenty-five Years of Change in the Highlands”. TDFC first year’s programme was: Lectures 28/10/80 - Sandy Maclennan (NCC) Conservation in the Highlands. 25/11/80 - Finlay Macrae (Forestry Commission) The Old Caledonian Pine Forest 20/01/81 - Roger Broad (RSPB) Fair Isle and Its Birds. 10/02/81 - Lea MacNally (NTS Torridon) Red Deer. 03/03/81 - Neil Carmpbell (NCC) Scottish Fresh Water Fishes. 24/03/81 - Gwen Bush (Inverness Botany Group) Highland Flowers
Ross-shire Journal advert for the first TDFC meeting attending spent some time opening up owl pellets to retrieve and identify the mammal bones they contained. The field trips went to the Morrich More, Ben Wyvis and local woods and lochs. I felt that the class had been a success and went back to Willy the next August to suggest a repeat. To my disappointment he said that due to cut-backs (yes, we had them in the 1980s as well) the Education Authority were only funding classes in certificate subjects. After some discussion with Heather, my wife, and a few friends I decided that I would try to form a local natural history club. So notices were put in the Ross-shire Journal and the P&J and an inaugural meeting was held on Tuesday 30th September 1980 in Room 6 in TRA. It was very well attended and Tuesday was chosen for meetings as most events in the town seemed to be on Wednesdays or Thursdays at that time; since then Tuesdays seem to have become one of the busiest nights. The name Tain and District
Field trips 15/11/80 - Upper Strathcarron Red Deer 14/12/80 - Loch Fleet Sea ducks & landscape 25/01/81 - Morrich More Beach combing 21/02/81 - Glen Calvie Deer feeding 25/04/81 - Lochslin Bird ringing 30/05/81 - Handa Seabirds 28/06/81 - Inverpolly Moorland & landscape And so the pattern was set for the next 40 years of TDFC. You can keep up to date with TDFC events on our website and Facebook pages: http://tainfieldclub.org.uk https://www.facebook.com/tain.fieldclub
The Natural History Evening Class at lunch on Paterson’s Island on the Morrich More.
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‘OLD FILE’
edderton school
Below is an image of Edderton School children gathered for a photo, circa 1930s. It was kindly shared with the museum by David Ross from Edderton (now Inverness). Can you put names to the faces?
Lodge St. Duthus host
BIRTHDAY CORNER
The Saints’ Big Quiz Night! £5 per person Max 4 persons per team Raffle prize draw! Big prizes! Saturday December 14th 7.30pm at the Mason’s Lodge In aid of funds for St. Duthus FC
www.facebook.com/stduthusfc www.stduthusfc.co.uk committee@stduthusfc.co.uk
A very big happy birthday to our own Harris who turns 8 on November 4th. Love from Mum, Dad, Katie, Nikki and Fraser x 27
TAIN & DISTRICT BRANCH CATS PROTECTION are running their usual Neutering Campaign during the month of November, to enable cat owners to have their cat(s) neutered at this very special price.
Congratulations to the finalists and eventual winners announced at the Tain and District Community Awards ceremony held at the Duthac Centre on November 1st.
The normal cost of having a cat neutered and microchipped is around £75 for a male cat and £95 for a female cat. It would be a mistake not to take advantage of this great offer.
CONTRIBUTION TO SPORT Tain Amateur Swimming Club (winner) John and Eveline Waring Zak Khan
Cat owners in the following postcode areas are covered by this offer: IV18: IV19: IV20: IV24: IV25: IV27: IV28: KW8: KW9: KW10:
BEST BAND/MUSICIAN Leona and Niamh Gizzen Briggs (winner) Portmahomack Ceilidh Band
The information we require from an owner is their full name, address, including postcode, telephone number, cat(s)’ names, cat(s)’ ages and cat(s)’ sex. We also require the name of the Vet Practice you will be using.
VOLUNTEER OF THE YEAR Erica Skyrme (winner) Tom and Morag Robb Sean McIvor
You can contact us on: website: tel: email: facebook:
YOUNG PERSON OF THE YEAR Olivia Macleod (winner) Harris Veals Hannah Munro
www.tain.cats.org.uk 0345 3712737 coordinator@tain.cats.org.uk Tain & District Branch
TEACHER OF THE YEAR Emma Deeth Catriona Macrae (winner) Eileen Henderson
A neutering voucher will be made out in the owner’s name and this will be sent directly to the Vet Practice chosen. When the owner picks up the cat(s) after their operation, they will sign the voucher and receive a copy of it.
LOCAL HERO Henry Corbett Diane Hawksey (winner) Alan Mohan and Stevie Tomelty
All fundraising events we attend during the year helps us to fund this Neutering Campaign and we would certainly encourage all cat owners with unneutered cats to take us up on it.
CARER OF THE YEAR Yvonne Paterson (winner) Mary Patience Libby Hay
Jean Jardine Coordinator - Tain & District
COMMUNITY GROUP Easter Ross Musical Theatre CCAST Seaboard Memorial Centre (winners) LOCAL BUSINESS OF THE YEAR Metalwork UK Stepping Stones Nursery (winners) Delny Glamping OUTSTANDING CONTRIBUTION TO THE COMMUNITY Tain Gala Association (winners) Balintore & District Residents Group Tain YMCA MEMORIAL AWARD Garry Perks
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TAIN ROYAL ACADEMY COMMUNITY COMPLEX
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TAIN TENNIS CLUB COMMUNITY SPORTS CLUBS DIRECTORY Over the last two weeks during the Autumn school holidays, Tain Tennis Club have been running two hourly coaching sessions on four mornings each week. On Friday, 25th October the Autumn Camp finished with a Fun Round Robin Tournament consisting of Boys Singles and Doubles, Girls Singles and Doubles, and Mixed Doubles. It was a delight to see how all of the children had improved their game over the two weeks and how keen they all were to win their matches. This resulted in some surprising shots from a number of the children which all added to their confidence in playing this great sport. Some of them had not been able to serve properly before the course, but we allowed them to try a proper serve on their first serve and if it did not go in then they could use an underarm second serve. This proved very successful and far more first serves were achieved than expected. This seemed to encourage all the children to play at their best and all the results were very close. So close that the Mixed Doubles ended up with no outright winner as each pair managed to get the same score at the end.
BOWLING St. Duthus Bowling Club Tel: 01862 832382 Email: stanleydelbridge@gmail.com Web: stduthusbowlingclub.btck.co.uk EQUESTRIAN Ross-shire Pony Club Email: ross-shire@pcuk.org FITNESS Boogie Bounce Xtreme Tel: 07889 630919 Various at TRACC Tel: 01862 893767 FOOTBALL Do Soccer Academy Tel: 07835 566856 Email: dosoccer_cwpo@outlook.com St. Duthus Football Club Tel: 01862 832329 / 07527 134574 Email: committee@stduthusfc.co.uk Web: www.stduthusfc.co.uk Tain Juniors Football Club Email: borlands@btinternet.com Tain Thistle Amateur Football Club Tel: 07780 995476 Email: secretary@tainthistle.co.uk GOLF Portmahomack Golf Club Tel: 01862 871222 Email: harry.corbett@btinternet.com Web: portmahomackgolfclub.com Tain Golf Club
Tel 01862 892314 Email info@tain-golfclub.co.uk Web: www.tain-golfclub.co.uk MARTIAL ARTS Nicolson Kempo Jujitsu Tel: 01862 894111 / 07789 283282 Email: info@kempojujitsu.co.uk Web: kempojujitsu.co.uk Tain Kempo School Tel: 0845 838 5156 Email: office@kempo.co.uk Web: kempo.co.uk RUGBY Ross Sutherland Rugby Football Club Tel: 01349 852136 Web: rosssutherlandrugby.com RUNNING Tain Runners Tel: 07581 334431 Web: tainrunners.co.uk SWIMMING Tain Amateur Swimming Club Web: tainswimming.co.uk TARGET SHOOTING Tain Rifle & Pistol Club Email: trpc@auchenhar.co.uk Web: tainrpc.co.uk TENNIS Tain Tennis Club Email: taintennis@gmail.com
The results were: Boys Singles Winner - Brodie Murray Girls Singles Winner - Cora MacAngus Boys Doubles - Ruban Martin and Brodie Murray Girls Doubles - Cora MacAngus and Cuba Nicolson Mixed Doubles - Joint Winners Cuba Nicolson and Rubin Martin; Cora MacAngus and Ben Murray; and Mason Martin and Minnie Nicolson. Our congratulations goes out to all the above and thanks to all who attended the Autumn Junior Camp. We hope they continue improving their games and enjoy playing tennis as they are all doing very well. John and Eveline also wish to thank the parents for their support which is extremely important to the children who they find are a delight to coach and they look forward to seeing them at the Saturday Morning coaching.
Well done to everyone who took part in October’s Highland Tour 14&U event in Tain. We had 7 players, 3 from Tain and 4 from Bellfield Park. Final Marcus Mcauley beat Chanelle Cameron 4-2 4-1. Consolation final. Roisin Beattie beat Joseph Walsh 4-0 4-2.
- John Waring, Tennis Tain Club
Also well done to Kyle Corbett, Kieran Allan and Alex Denton. 30
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DEREK LOUDEN will be holding a surgery in
TAIN SERVICE POINT on Monday 2nd December 2019
10:00am to 12:00 noon
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Thursday 7th November SGM 7pm at Dornoch Firth Caravan Park Thursday 14th November 1pm at St Duthus Hotel, Tain Thursday 21st November 7pm at Carnegie Lodge Hotel, Tain Thursday 28th November 1pm at Seaboard Memorial Hall, Balintore FOR INFORMATION PLEASE CALL CAROL ANNE ON 07400 313303 To subscribe, or to advertise, please get in touch with Lucy or Niall on info@tainpost.co.uk.
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