Livinglocal janwebzip

living LOCAL

Jan-Feb 2017 issue 26

Distributed throughout Auchterarder, Aberuthven, Blackford, Braco, Muthill with pick up points in Dunning & Greenloaning.

Tay Roofing & Building Ltd All aspects of roofing, building & joinery We provide emergency repair to homes and businesses throughout Scotland.

All type of work undertaken by qualified tradesmen and all work guaranteed.

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Chinese New Year - Year of the Rooster Chinese New Year falls on Saturday 28th January. In China many people will take a whole week off from work to mark the celebration. It is known as the Spring Festival.

Many New Year activities have links with Chinese legends.

Another monster called Sui was said to terrify children whilst they slept. Parents would stay up all night watching and lighting candles to try and keep their children safe. One official’s family gave their child eight gold coins to play with. The child wrapped the coins in red paper and then played at unwrapping them and wrapping them back up until he got so tired he fell asleep. The parents put the coins under the child’s pillow and legend has it that when Sui came and tried to touch the child, the eight coins omitted such a strong light that it scared the demon away. This is the basis for why elders and those who are married give children and young unmarried people red envelopes with coins in them at New Year. The red envelope is called Yasui Qian which means suppressing Sui money and the purpose is to scare away the monster and bring good luck.

New Year is called Guo Nian which means ‘celebrate a New Year’ or ‘overcome Nian’. Nian was an ancient sea living monster who came onto land on New Year’s Eve to eat people and livestock. One year, an old man with white hair and a ruddy complexion managed to scare away the monster by pasting red papers on to doors, burning bamboo which made a

According to Chinese astrology, each year is associated with an animal symbol. There is a 12 year cycle and 2017 is the Year of the Rooster. The China Highlights website says that those born in the Year of the Rooster are observant, hardworking, confident and courageous. They are best matched with those born in the Year of the Ox or Snake.

On New Year’s Eve, Reunion Dinner is eaten. Many Chinese believe this is the most important meal of the year. It is usually shared by several generations and consists of fish, dumplings, spring rolls, glutinous rice cakes and sweet rice balls.

To mark New Year, red lanterns are hung in the street, red couplets are pasted on doors and images of prosperity displayed. Fireworks are lit and it’s believed that the person who launches the first firework of the New Year will have good luck.

Lion and Dragon Dances take place and these are intended to scare away evil, and attract health, wealth and wisdom.

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loud cracking sound, lighting candles in the houses and wearing red clothes.

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hello and welcome to the New Year edition of livingLOCAL… Happy New Year ! Hope you all had a lovely time celebrating Christmas with family and friends, enjoyed the office parties, navigated your way through the family Christmas lunch and by now you’ve hopefully recovered from Hogmanay! We now look forward to 2017 and what it may bring, so I thank you for picking up the latest issue of livingLOCAL magazine because as usual there’s plenty of great reads for the time of year. An article to inspire your new year resolutions, some great hints and tips on fitness plans and general exercising with nutrition guidance. The latest cinema releases and ideas for books to read, we have our regular articles from Martin Lewis Money Saving Expert.com and the car write up is on the Kia Niro. As usual we have puzzles, School Jotters, Community News messages and a recipe for some lovely winter comfort food. Talking about food, the Gleneagles Hotel recently opened a new place to meet with family & friends in lovely snug surroundings, it’s called Auchterarder 70 (named after the original phone number for the Gleneagle Hotel) there’s a piece about this and you’ll get an opportunity to WIN Lunch for 2, so make sure you take the time to enter!

Once again thank you for the great support and encouragement we receive from the varied business community in the Auchterarder area. Whether you require a plumber, joiner, painter, tv aerial repairs or need a new sofa, a new contemporary bathroom suite, getting your car MOT’d or serviced, the numbers are here and they’re ready to help you.

It’s comforting to know (in the middle of winter) that our next issue will be the Spring edition! (March - April) with deadline of 3rd February. livingLOCAL is an independent publication for the Auchterarder and surrounding areas. We remain commercially viable through advertising revenue from the business community. We invest significantly in print quality & distribution. livingLOCAL is delivered door to door by Royal Mail so it reaches all new homes & businesses and all new arrivals to the area. So, whether you’re a new business that would like to raise it’s profile, an established business that wants to direct new arrivals to their services or simply a business that wants to support the community magazine, we are for you.

If you’re a business and you like what you see, get in touch to discuss your requirements, enjoy affordable rates and get your business noticed with our creative design service.

Thank you to our readers for great feedback, so once again why not take some time out, make a cuppa, find a comfy chair, sit and enjoy…!

Eirian

Features & Editorials Chinese New Year Puzzles New Year Resolutions Exercise & Nutrition Auto-Biographies Pest of the Month Plant of the Month New Year in your Garden Burns Night

p. 2 p. 16, 32 p. 6 p. 8 p. 14 p. 16 p. 19 p. 20 p. 22

WIN lunch for 2 at Gleneagles Moneysaving Expert School Jotters A Good Read It’s all Child’s Play Cinema Releases This Old House Community News Useful Numbers A-Z of Advertisers Please mention livingLOCAL when responding to adverts

p. 24 p. 28 p. 32-34 p. 35 p. 36 p. 38 p. 40 p. 42-45 p. 46 p. 47

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Oven-Roasted Cauliflower Cheese

Roasting the cauliflower imparts a lovely sweetness to the dish and the mustard means you need less cheese so it’s better for that post-Christmas waistline!

Ingredients: • • • • • • • • • •

1 large head cauliflower, cut into florets Salt and freshly ground black pepper For the sauce 20g/¾oz unsalted butter 20g/¾oz plain flour Grated nutmeg to taste 250ml/9fl oz skimmed milk 40g/1½oz mature cheddar, finely grated 2 tsp Dijon or wholegrain mustard 15g/½oz parmesan, or similar hard cheese, finely grated

Method: • • •

•

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Preheat the oven to 200C / Gas 6. Place the cauliflower florets into an ovenproof dish and season with a pinch of salt and pepper. Roast for 20 minutes, or until tender and starting to brown.

Meanwhile, make the sauce by melting the butter in a saucepan, then adding the flour and cooking for 1-2 minutes, or until a light golden colour. Gradually add the milk until smooth, and then cook over a gentle heat for 3-4 minutes stirring constantly until thickened.

Add the grated nutmeg. Reduce the heat then add the mustard and cheddar cheese. Put the roasted cauliflower into the sauce and mix so that all the florets are coated. Pour the cheese and cauliflower mixture back into the roasting dish, sprinkle over the parmesan and return to the oven for 10-15 minutes, or until the cheese is golden-brown and the sauce is bubbling.

Serve as a supper dish with a green salad.

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Full traditional menu Kids meal deals Oven baked pizzas

Telephone orders welcome

01764 66 25 30

Open daily 4pm - 9pm (Closed on Wednesday through January & February)

The Fish and Chip Company

102 High Street, Auchterarder. 01764 66 25 30 Serving the Auchterarder community for 80 years

Stanners Solutions Ltd Tracing Missing Persons & Debtors Road Traffic Collision Investigators Process Serving Surveillance (matrimonial) is your partner cheating? *Accidents at work - trip or fall? *FREE helpful advice on your rights Arranging ‘No Win No Fee’ agreements.

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SHERAY PUNJAB Indian Cuisine Restaurant & Takeaway

Fully Air Conditioned Restaurant Open 7 days from 5pm - 11pm Home Delivery available 7 days Early Bird - Evening Menu Sunday - Thursday 5pm - 7pm 2 Courses - £10.00 per person

01764 66 42 77 97 High Street, Auchterarder, PH3 1BJ www.sheraypunjab.com

‘Raising the Standard’ Gourmet Society Recommended

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New Year’s Resolutions You’ll Want to Keep All too often New Year’s resolutions seem to focus on doing more of what we don’t enjoy, and less of what we do enjoy. So this issue, we thought we’d give you our suggestions for resolutions you’ll actually want to keep.

Learn something new Whether you want to get a qualification so you can get a better job, or you just fancy trying a new hobby, make 2017 the year you try something new. www.futurelearn.com is a good place to start. It offers hundreds of free, short online courses. Many are delivered by leading UK universities. You could try writing fiction, exploring digital technologies, or learning about forensic science. If you prefer face-toface tuition, check out the courses offered by your local college. You could improve your computer skills, take up a new craft, or find out how to delve into your family history.

Enjoy time outdoors Nature is good for you. It’s been proven to help with depression, anxiety, stress and a whole lot of other issues. It may even help you to live longer. We know the great British weather doesn’t always make it the most tempting prospect. But if the sun breaks through the clouds, wrap up warm, pull your wellies on and head for your nearest green space. You’ll likely find you feel calmer and happier as a result.

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Take time to cook Home cooked meals are usually much better for you than ready meals. They’re higher in vitamins and minerals, and lower in salt and sugar. So, try resolving to cook for yourself a few days a week. If you struggle to find the time, you could try a box scheme. Simply Cook, for example, post you the herbs, seasonings and recipes to make simple (but delicious) meals in around 20 minutes. You just add four to six items of fresh food and follow the instructions. Hello Fresh go even further. They send you everything you need to make a meal, including simple-to-follow recipes.

Appreciate the little things We’re often so busy; we don’t get time to really appreciate the little things in life. A soak in the bath, your favourite radio programme, a chat with an old friend… Taking a moment to be thankful can make us happier and calmer, and improve our relationships. You could try listing three things that you’re grateful for before you go to sleep each night, or keeping a daily gratitude journal. Or just try to give thanks to the people you love a bit more often.

Whatever your New Year’s resolution, we wish you all the luck in keeping it.

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7

Exercise and nutrition: are they good for you?

The apparent need for exercise has come about in the last 50-70 years, due to current lifestyles. We go to school and sit at our desks and get very little movement. Even in most jobs today or as a student we sit for hours, not moving muscle joints and breathing very shallowly. When we come home to relax, what do we do? We sit and watch television and lounge on the sofa or bed. If you are elderly and not stable on your feet, you may spend more time sitting. Many years ago children walked to school had gym and sports, and most jobs required movement.

The problem is this. Our bodies are designed to move. We know this because we have muscles which act as levers to move the bones and the joints to allow our body to move in all different ways. As these muscles move our body, they pump the blood around our whole body delivering protein and nutrients to keep us healthy. Our brain controls our thoughts to do a function and we have a nervous system to work our internal organs. Both need enough nutrients and fuel deposited in the correct places to keep them working optimally.

If the body does not move, then the blood and other important nutrients do not get where they need to go and everything becomes stiff, less elastic, skin becomes tough and we start to feel aches and pains and start to age. So what can we do about this. Yes you have got it, “move!” This will then begin to push the circulation to take nutrients to the body.

What are nutrients?

These come from our food. Let’s make this simple: Proteins are essential, they break down in our body and are used to rebuild our body parts. Our body is always replacing itself and it’s aim is to get well again. Although it always wants to get better, sometimes it needs a helping hand, so where can we find protein?

Good forms are obtained from grass fed meat; beef, venison, organic chicken, duck, eggs, turkey, pheasant. Fish and shell fish. Organic nuts and seeds these are great to have if you are away from home.

Fat: let’s deal with the myth that fat is bad for you.

Fats are essential, they are the main ingredient to 8

hormones, your brain and nerves are made from it. So what are the healthy fats? oils: coconut, fish, olive, almond, avocado oil, butter, ghee nuts and seeds. This is where our energy comes from. For good health reduce, margarine, vegetable oils, any oil that is not in a dark coloured bottle, these go off, becoming rancid and injuring your health. Avoid softened butters these are chemically processed and clog up the cell receptors and prevent good function. Cakes, pastries, biscuits, any processed food are high in unhealthy fats. Eating them leads to poorer health.

So you may be asking what about Carbohydrates?

They are not essential, protein and fat are. However all the rainbow coloured vegetables are high in antioxidants and are found to be good for our health. A high diet in antioxidants help reduce inflammation and thus ageing. Vegetables are king especially organic. They are exposed to less insecticides and pesticides. Fruits are good in moderation and not processed from the bottle or cartons.

When shopping, buy single ingredients. If you look at the label and there are words that you do not understand, then your body may not gain a health benefit from it.

We live in a very toxic world, try to reduce your exposure to poisons such as artificial sugars in fruit juice and fizzy drinks. Use filtered water with lemon, lime,mint, cinnamon, ginger slice in the water. Try herbal teas, herbs are medicinal plants and tiny amounts are often a great benefit.

So keeping it simple, move at any opportunity and eat single ingredients. Remember your body always wants to get better, so eat well to help it.

Kindly provided by Ingrid@ integrated-medicine.

Contact her on 01764 660 311

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OVER £100k distributed in 2016 to organisations supporting local residents.

Early 2016 the Auchterarder and District Community Trust presented awardWs to the Auchterarder Community Sports Association, Auchterarder 50+ Group, TCSOA Parent Council, 1st Auchterarder Brownies and the Auchterarder Flower Club. Later in 2016 awards were made to Auchterarder Friends of Guiding, Auchterarder Riding for the Disabled (pictured)

VETERANS HEARING FUND The Royal British Legion has introduced a new Veterans Medical Funds programme providing support for veterans with hearing loss.

also Auchterarder in Bloom Association, Auchterarder Horticultural Society, Auchterarder Community Sports Association and Auchterarder Scottish Women’s Institute (pictured).

The Veterans Hearing Fund (VHF) provides support to veterans who acquired hearing loss during Service where there is a wellbeing need that can not be met through statutory services (eg the NHS).

VHF may fund hearing aids, peripherals or therapies (e.g. lip reading).

Part of the application process will be completed and submitted by an audiologist who will agree what equipment or treatments would help improve your quality of life.

For support & guidance with your application for VHF, contact David Willis at HASS

Applicantions needn’t be registered charities, but the project must be charitable in its nature. The Trust currently meets to consider grant awards three times a year – in January, May and September, so please suggest any projects that could benefit local residents!

Considering becoming a trustee? Send an email to the trust administrator (contact details below).

Please include your name, age, contact details and a brief summary of what you feel you could bring to the trust. Also any relevant questions you may have.

Full details of the trust’s guidelines and a copy of the grant application form can be found at www. auchterardertrust.org or at www.facebook.com/ auchterardertrust. Alternatively, contact Mrs J. Reid, 22 Bridgewater Avenue, Auchterarder, PH3 1DG. Email: mail@auchterardertrust.org

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Or you can call the British Legion’s Contact Centre on 0808 802 8080 (free) or email medicalfunds@britishlegion.org.uk

For a complete hearing assessment offering a bespoke service contact HASS Hearing & Audiology Services Scotland

hass

David Willis M.B.S.H.A.A. Consultant Audiologist & Registered Hearing Aid Dispenser tel: 07940 811 264 or email: dwillishass@gmail.com

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Curtains Up Bespoke Curtains & Upholstery • • • • •

Upholstery Re-upholstery Re-covering Re-springing Bespoke curtains & soft furnishings

Gordon Ritchie Auchterarder, PH3 1BW 01764 662 545 07854 793 229 gordon.ritchie898@yahoo.com

Derek Moffat

TV Aerial & Satellite Service Digital TV Aerial & Satellite Dish Installation, servicing and repairs Don’t get left behind... maximise your viewing enjoyment by installing the latest technology.

01764 653 518 07808 168 796 tellyman24@aol.com

Wilson Joinery All aspects of joinery undertaken.

For a free quote call 07823 550 846 wilsonjoineryservices@gmail.com or like our Facebook page

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Auto-biographies

by Tim Barnes-Clay Motoring Writer at www.carwriteups.co.uk

All New Kia Niro Hybrid vehicles are in vogue these days – or so it appears. Will this technology take over the conventional power plants we know one day? I don’t have the psychic wherewithal to tell you. But a lot of automakers seem to be following this trend – and now it’s Kia’s turn.

The all-new Kia Niro hybrid is propelled by an orthodox 1.6-litre GDi petrol engine, paired up with a 32kW electric motor. There’s also a lithium-ion polymer battery where energy is saved. This layout is like with the one in Toyota’s Prius, and manages an official combined mpg of up to 74.3mpg, alongside CO2 emissions starting from 88g/km.

The Niro is larger than its relative, the Cee’d, yet more pocket-sized than its other relation – the attractive and admired Sportage. The all-new Kia Niro is the South Korean car company’s first attempt at a hybrid crossover type of vehicle, but you wouldn’t know.

Sure, there are copied elements, such as white plastic adornments inside the cabin, especially around the inner door handles. These are, undoubtedly, inspired by Toyota, but you can let Kia off because every car manufacturer ‘makes use of’ ideas. It’s a fashion thing and, by its very nature, fashion is all about making certain you’re ‘down with the kids’ on the hottest style.

The new Kia Niro’s body is rectangular, but it’s not at all disagreeable. The Niro has a simple, fetching form, that has hints of Sport Utility Vehicle (SUV) about it.

At the front, the Sportage’s genetic material comes through – most markedly around the headlights.

What’s more, the rump of the all-new Niro is easyon-the-eye, with a conventional tailgate decorated with touches of silver trim.

The all-new Kia Niro will seat four-adults comfortably, or five at a squeeze. The load area is a decent size – certainly large enough for a regular sized family’s needs. The steering wheel is pleasingly thick to grasp and the switchgear and dials are intuitive and clear to use. The only difference between the Niro and a conventionally powered car is an energy flow meter replacing the rev counter. There’s also a drivetrain pictorial showing the energy stream between the Kia Niro’s engine, battery and wheels.

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On start-up, the all-new Kia Niro sounds like it’s not turned on. That’s because, as with all hybrids, the engine under the bonnet doesn’t cut in instantly.

Instead of any tick-over sounds, you hear a chime, signifying that the Niro is running. It’s not long before the 105PS petrol powered unit makes its presence known, though.

On the road, the Niro delivers even-tempered performance, thanks to a six-cog automatic gearbox. And, while the Kia Niro is no out and out performer, the additional power the petrol engine receives from the electric motor is appreciable. The all-new Kia Niro also feels planted and deals with the straights contentedly. It’s only on more blemished B-road surfaces that the Niro’s firm suspension results in a bit of jitteriness. The Kia Niro has to have a stiff set-up, though, to cope with the extra heft of the hybrid assembly. Luckily, there’s a silver lining to every cloud and this firmness means that body lean is hardly noticeable in corners.

The all-new Kia Niro hybrid comes in four levels of trim, categorised ‘1’, ‘2’, ‘3’ and ‘First Edition’. All are well-appointed with driver assistance, comfort, and connectivity features. Every Kia Niro has a lane-keep assist system, hill-start assist control, cruise control and a speed limiter. The new car also comes factoryfitted with support smartphone connectivity, music streaming and a DAB radio.

Pros ‘n’ Cons • Efficiency √ • Handling √ • Practicality √ • Kit √ • Unhurried Pace X Fast Facts (Kia Niro ‘First Edition’ tested) • Max speed: 101 mph • 0-62 mph: 11.1 secs • Combined mpg: 64.2 • Engine layout: 1580cc 4-cylinder petrol + 32kW electric motor • Max. power (PS): 141 (combined engine + electric) • CO2: 101 g/km • Price: £26,995

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NEW

MOT STATION FOR 2017

LAND ROVER SPECIALISTS

New MOT Station for 2017 All vehicles from motorcycles, cars, SUV’s & 4x4’s, motorhomes, transits, mini buses & light industrial (Class 1 - 7 inclusive). Landrover specialists but all makes catered for!

10 vehicle lifts with 8 full time mechanics, including 2 apprentices Purpose build facility established in Aberuthven since 2008 Free Winter Checks | Free Local Collection & Delivery | Free Courtesy Car Diagnostics for All Vehicles | Tyres & Winter Tyres | Fabricating & Welding Facility Trade Accounts Welcome | Favourable Rates

Strathearn Engineering

Drumlandy, Main Road, Aberuthven PH3 1HE 01764 663 020 | www.strathearnengineering.com

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PEST OF THE MONTH!

Rats and Mice As winter really begins to bite, both rats and mice become an increasing problem. With colder, wetter weather, these rodent pests look for more attractive accommodation to lay their hats on a cold winter night. Warmer conditions and a source of food are an ideal combination and will attract them indoors.

Noises heard at the dead of night, shredded insulation and lagging, leaking water pipes, even footprints and smear marks are just some of the signs that our four legged friends may not be as far away as we would like.

Sometimes, the first indication that there is a problem is when you go into the loft to fetch down suitcases for the family holiday or more recently, decorations for the Christmas festivities. Nocturnal in their habits, rats and mice, are most active between dusk and dawn.

For most people, rats are rightly seen as disease carrying vermin that can cause untold damage to a property and that need to be dealt with. Mice, on the other hand, get a much better press and are considered, by some to be friendlier, cuddlier even. There’s nothing further from the truth!

Mice running round a house pose just as great a threat. They can spread diseases, such as salmonella and E. coli, and can cause untold damage. A leaking dish water or central heating system is very often caused by mice gnawing through the pipes. Left unchecked, resident populations of these pests can quickly get out of hand. Female rats, for instance, are able to have up to 50 off spring in a year. Mice are even more prolific, with each female able to add up to 80 to the resident roll call.

Our technicians are suitably trained and experienced in the control of these rodents.

If you think you have rats or mice in and around your property give us a call today on 01764 653958 or visit us at www.strathearnpestcontrol.co.uk

Sudoku

Place the numbers so each row, column and box contain the numbers 1-9.

Good Luck!

Your local professional Pest Control Company since 1979 FREE SURVEYS & QUOTATIONS

Call us today

0800 0283 703 www.strathearnpestcontrol.co.uk 16

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17

Winter weather is coming…!

Don’t let necessary small maintenance turn into an emergency roof repair!!

Make sure you get the small jobs on your home done as it can save on larger bills later.

We work all over Perthshire on home mprovements, repairs, maintenance on roofs & buildings, both modern & traditional homes.

Office: 01738 481 654 Mobile: 07731 310 623 Some of our roofing services: SLATING | TILING | FLAT ROOFS | ROUGHCAST | CHIMNEY | LEADWORK | GITTERING REPAIRED OR REPLACED | VELUX WINDOWS SUPPLIED & FITTED | DAMP , WET & DRY ROT SERVICES | ROOF CLEANING | UPVC / TIMBER FASCIAS & SOFFITS | ROOF REPLACEMENTS EVERYTHING FROM SIMPLE MAINTENANCE TO FULL ROOF REPLACEMENTS! This is to testify that the work carried out by Eddy McCole and his brother James was excellent.

They renewed my mother’s roof. They were punctual, polite and very re-assuring with my 90 year old mother. Their price was very reasonable (much less than two other estimates). Everything from choice of tiles, fascias, gutters and the standard of work was very satisfactory. They worked neatly and tidied up afterwards. I can recommend them without reservation.

Ann Dewar, Perth James and Eddie from Omeworks did a fantastic job with our house. They are two honest, hardworking brothers who complete work to a very high standard. They are very reliable and trustworthy.

We have an old Victorian property and they made an excellent job of repairing our roof and guttering.

They also do internal work and replaced all our windows. They know many other tradesmen and are able to project manage jobs which took the hassle away from us!

I would highly recommend this firm for any job small or large. Nothing is too much trouble!

Kay Robertson, Crieff

info@omeworks.co.uk www.omeworks.co.uk 18

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Plant of the Month: Winter Jasmine A welcome sight in the depths of winter and early spring, the bright green stems display masses of cheerful star-shaped golden-yellow flowers, they can also be white or pink.

As an evergreen climber or loose shrub, this jasmine will happily grow by twining stems against a wall or fence in sun or partial shade, and it makes a wonderful addition to a winter flowerbed, leaves are small but the bright flowers can be up to 2.5cm in width.

Easy to grow in well-drained, fertile soil with minimal maintenance. Needs some form of support.

Will grow up to a height of 1.5-2-5 metres within 5-10 years.

P.T. TURF MACHINERY For all your garden machinery

Sharpening & Servicing (Discounts on multiple machines) Cylinder Mower • Rotary Mower • Ride on Mower • Shears/edgers ATV • Hedge Cutters • Chain Saws • Leaf Blowers • Chippers • Small Plant

FREE Collection and Delivery Service (within a 20 mile radius) 07725 596 769 01764 660 782 www.ptturfmachinery.co.uk Call NOW to Tullibardine, Auchterarder

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19

Happy New Year!

We at Marshalls would like to wish all our readers a very good New Year and many happy hours of gardening. Let us hope that we do not see a repeat of last year’s storms that did so much damage from the wind and rain, which means you should have much less tidying up, allowing you to get ahead with your plans for the year.

The semi-professional range has more variety, including long reach pole pruner, hedge cutters quick cut saw, chain saws, trimmers, brushcutters, and lawnmowers All these machines use the same battery, so once you have purchased one battery and charger all you need to do is buy the carcass of your next machine.

Unfortunately we will see an increase in prices due to the pounds fall against the Dollar and the Euro, but the good news is that we have some Hayter and Viking mowers that we can sell at last year’s prices, as well as John Deere and Sanli mowers at very special prices.

If you would like your grass to be cut without stress ….and without you, the Viking iMow is the perfect machine. Set up the cutting programme and you will not have to worry about grass cutting for the rest of the season. Come and ask for details.

We have just refurbished our Stihl stands to enable you to see the full range of chainsaws, hedge cutters, power washers, Kombi system, trimmers and brush cutters. There are models to suit most small gardens up to the larger estates. To make life easy you can now purchase a ready mixed fuel for the 2 stroke engines which has a long shelf life and ideal to have in your machines over the dormant periods.

Battery power is the way of the future. Stihl have 2 ranges; one the Compact range, which has a very powerful blower, hedge cutter and a trimmer all costing £199.00 each as well as a 12” chain saw at £249.00. These prices include the battery and charger.

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For a wonderful New Year present, we recommend the HSA25 cordless shrub shear. We have tried and tested it and now we always carry it around the garden for all the little tiding up jobs which now only take seconds, and with the extending handle the high jobs are made easy.

We still have a few MS211 chainsaws with a saw horse and hatchet available, List price of the saw is £369.00. Our special offer is for £320.00 for the package.

Finally, remember to organise your winter servicing just bring your equipment in or give us a call and we can arrange local collections.

Kindly supplied by James Marshall at Marshall’s Garden Machinery

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MARSHALL’S GARDEN MACHINERY Specialist Dealers in Garden Machinery

SALES AND SERVICE OF GARDEN & ESTATE EQUIPMENT

Dalreoch, Dunning 01764 684 600 sales@mowersrus.co.uk Open 8.30-5pm (Mon-Fri) 10-1pm (Sat)

www.mowersrus.co.uk Stihl & Viking cordless range wins QuietMark certification

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Celebrate Burns Night The Burns Supper is an institution of Scottish life: a night to celebrate the life and works of Robert Burns, the national Bard. Suppers can range from an informal gathering of friends to a huge, formal dinner full of pomp and circumstance.

Robert Burns came from humble origins and in his short life (he died at 37) wrote a great number of poems, and collected and preserved many traditional Scottish songs. He was born in Alloway, Ayrshire on 25 January, 1759 to poor tenant farmers, and was the oldest of seven. He wrote his first love poems at the age of 15, largely to impress girls, and his interest both in poetic expression and women never left him. In fact, in his short life he fathered 12 children, nine of them with his wife, Jean Armour.

He was immensely proud of his Scottishness and of his working-class roots – both of which are keystones of his poetry. When he was 25, his father died, and he and his brother took over the running of the farm, without much success. He was about to move abroad to seek his fortune, but changed his mind after his first volume of poetry was published, gaining him a degree of financial success and an influential fan base in Edinburgh.

After the money from the book ran out, he got a job as a customs officer, and, inspired by the thinking behind the French Revolution, began to explore more deeply the concepts of social inequality.

Many of his new poems explored the disparity between rich and poor. A good example of this is A Man’s A Man for a’ That. It wasn’t just Burns’ opinions about the divide between rich and poor 22

that gave his poetry a powerful appeal around the world: he explored everything that resonates with the human condition. Love (see A Red, Red Rose), desire, human foibles and hypocrisy (see Holy Willy’s Prayer) and the natural world (see Composed in Spring) were all subjects that he absorbed and interpreted, and that is why he is still deeply admired across the planet.

The first Burns Supper was organised by Robert Burns’s friends and was held on the anniversary of his death, July 21, five years after his death.

However in the 1800s, the first Burns clubs were established to mark the poet’s birth date on January 25, 1759. The date has been embedded in our national consciousness ever since.

The centrepiece of any good Burns’ Supper menu is the iconic haggis, or as the bard himself described it, the ‘great chieftain o’ the puddin’race’. All washed down with the finest of Scottish whisky!

Though all that whisky might lead you to expect a rather chaotic affair, Burns Suppers are traditionally very structured. The haggis is brought in to bagpipe music, and toasts – from the traditional toast to the haggis to a humorous address “to the lassies”. Burns’s life and work is remembered, and the evening ends with a rousing rendition of Auld Lang Syne!

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Founder member honoured At its AGM on St Andrew’s Day, the Auchterarder & District 50+ Group made a surprise presentation to Founder member Alexa Hunter. She was presented with a Certificate conferring her with Honorary Life Membership in recognition of all she had done to set up the Group and its Walking Group. In her acceptance reply, Alexa recalled the early days when nine club members met; membership now stands at 90!

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23

WIN

So another New Year is upon us, and we have promised ourselves a better work balance (again!) but this time we are determined to stick to it and what better way than to enjoy some family time at Gleneagles?

LUNCH FOR TWO AT AUCHTERARDER 70

We all know the heritage of this impressive hotel; championship golf courses, fine dining and luxury accommodation but they have another side which is less well known....

Although you will be warmly welcomed anywhere in the hotel, (there is a startling lack of stuffiness for such a prestigious venue) there is a new place to go.

Auchterarder 70 is a newly opened informal restaurant and bar. It’s a great space, no prebooking required and offers the perfect combination of traditional elegance with modern comfort, but that’s not the best part. It’s dominated by windows which open up onto a view that is hard to drag your eyes from. Stunning in the sunshine but even in the more common ‘dreich’ weather, it is an ever changing, dramatic landscape that is truly compelling. Looking out over the King’s course, whatever the weather, from a warm comfy seat is hard to beat. But beat it they can, added into the mix is a selection of craft beer and a wonderful sharing menu.

This means that you can take the family and after everyone picks their favourite, enjoy sharing a selection of dishes - sticky pork ribs and sliders, fish goujons or prawns, mac ‘n’ cheese croquettes (my personal favourite) and chocolate brownies and rice pudding pots, there’s lots of choices to tempt you!

Their selection of craft beers are all brewed locally and include ‘Auchterarder 70’ a light lager brewed exclusively for them by Harviestoun.

Now if you really want to work on that life balance and add in some exercise, you might have noticed that this is 24

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the home of golf. No membership required, you can book your tee time and off you go. If you’re not quite as confident with a golf club, Gleneagles is the home of Scotland’s PGA National Golf Academy where you can book a lesson and get some professional guidance.

They offer lessons to all abilities so they can help complete novices to those wanting to hone their already impressive skills with technical analysis with GASP software systems and more. Ultimately though, it’s all about enjoyment and remember junior lessons and family lessons are also available – just contact the Academy on 01764 694 343 or at gleneagles.golf.academy@gleneagles.com You may not know that there are many activities available at Gleneagles so if family golf isn’t your thing, then maybe horseriding, archery, falconry or segways are?? Or simply a walk in the stunning grounds, so that you deserve the cake and other goodies that you enjoy afterwards!

We are incredibly lucky to have these facilities on our doorstep, yet we often forget that they are available for our local community to use. There is no need to be a resident or member, everybody is welcomed.

WIN LUNCH FOR TWO AT AUCHTERARDER 70

For a chance to win, all you have to do is email eirian@livinglocal.org.uk and include your contact details (name, address, contact number) Please put Auchterarder 70 as the subject or send the same details by post to: livingLOCAL | 75 Old Doune Road | Dunblane | FK15 9FH. Closing date: midnight on the 1st February 2017. We will pick the winner at random on the 2nd February 2017.

All entrants will be kept up to date with Auchterarder 70 news & offers.

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25

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27

MoneySavingExpert.com Feature by Martin Lewis, MoneySavingExpert

Money Sins Are you a sinner? Financially that is. There are a host of everyday money misdemeanours that millions of people do, costing them thousands, without being aware of it. These aren’t horrors like grabbing a payday loan, but the result of simple misunderstandings, bad habits or inaction.

So having recently toured around the UK doing roadshows for the sixth series of my ITV show, I’ve collated five of the most common.

1. Saving while you’ve expensive debts Savings rates are depressingly low – the top easyaccess rate is 1%. Credit card and other interest rates are depressingly high. So, £1,000 credit card debt at 18% costs it costs you £180 a year, the same amount saved in top paying savings account at 1% interest only earns you £10. If you had both, pay the debt off with your savings and you’d be £170 a year better off.

Many of you will be thinking, “but I want to keep my savings, what if the boiler packs up or the roof falls in?” However, that’s a sentimental strategy, not a logical one. Let’s carry on the £1,000 debt and £1,000 savings scenario to show you why.

•

If you don’t pay the debt off with the savings and an emergency happens that cost you £1,000 to fix, you’d use all your savings and still £1,000 of credit card debt.

• If you do pay off the debt with the savings, and a £1,000 emergency happens, you’d need to pay for it on your credit card, meaning you still have no savings and £1,000 of credit card debt.

The end result of them both is the same, yet by paying off the debt with the savings, you save in the meantime.

The only exception is if the debt is at 0%. Then the financially savvy and disciplined can do what’s called stoozing, where you deliberately build up 0% debt only to save it and earn interest. Though with current saving rates so low, it’s not as easy as it used to be. Full help on that at www.mse.me/stoozing 2. Not at least asking your energy firm - are you on its cheapest deal?

Most people in the UK are on their energy firm’s standard tariff, which typically means they’re 28

overpaying by £300 a year. I’ve talked about switching until I’m blue in the face, and, of course, the best plan is take five minutes to do a full market comparison via my www.CheapEnergyClub.com or any www.Ofgem.gov.uk approved comparison site.

Yet for some that doesn’t hit home. So, let me be plain. Even if you won’t do that, just pick up the phone and ask your current provider “Am I on your cheapest tariff?” and, if not, switch to that as there’s no change but the price!

For example, as I write (it can change daily), on EDF’s standard tariff someone with typical usage pays £1,070/year. It also has a 12-month fix at £880/year - £190/year less.

British Gas’s standard tariff with typical use is £1,044/year, but it also runs Sainsbury Energy (i.e., it’s the same company but a different name), and its cheapest fix is £804/year – saving £240/year. This don’t ask don’t get saving works at all the big firms, so if you won’t do a comparison, at least do this.

3. Only making the minimum repayments on credit cards.

Credit card minimum payments are based mostly on a percentage of the balance, which only just covers the interest. So, you hardly clear any off.

A 30-year-old with £3,000 debt on a credit card at 17.9% interest, who made only typical minimum repayments, would take 27 years to clear it. By then, they’d be 57 and have paid a total cost £4,000 in interest (see my minimum repayment calc at www. mse.me/minrepay to work out how long it’ll take you).

Now you may be thinking ‘easy to say, but I can’t afford more than the minimum.’ Well, I have a solution. On £3,000 debt, the current minimum is around £70 a month. If instead of opting to pay the minimum, fix your repayment at £70. The debt will clear in five years at a total cost of £1,500 in interest, saving £2,400.

Though if you’ve debt on more than one credit card, focus all spare cash on repaying the most expensive, making only the minimums on the others. That way you get rid of the most expensive debts first.

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You looking at me?

Then so are your customers....

4. Don’t cover your home’s value on buildings insurance Your house price is the wrong figure; you only need to insure the usually much lower rebuild cost – literally how much it would cost to rebuild your home should it get knocked down. This is often far less than the market value. There’s information and a calculator on this at http://abi.bcis.co.uk.

5. Saving or borrowing to pay your children’s tuition fees I’m often freaked out by parents telling me they’ve saved up so their child won’t have to pay tuition fees at uni. Worse, some even extend their mortgage.

My problem isn’t just that it’s actually students’, not parents’ responsibility to repay this…

All new English full-time students can get a tuition fee loan and a living loan to help pay for uni costs.

You’re eligible to start repaying in the April after leaving, but only if you earn over £21,000, and you repay 9% above that. Repayments stop after 30 years. In many ways, it acts far more like a tax than a loan, and how many would save “in case my child earns enough to be a higher rate taxpayer”?

An extreme example provides clarity. Imagine your child goes to uni and becomes a brilliant poet, who never earns above the £21,000 threshold. They would never repay a penny. So, if you paid the fees for them, you’d throw £27,000 away.

Most of course will earn over the threshold. However only high earners will earn enough to repay in real terms what they borrowed within the 30 years. If not, again it means pay their tuition fees and you’re paying more than they’d need to repay. For most parents if you want to help them, a better thing to prioritise is building up a mortgage deposit. For far more on this see my mse.me/dontpayupfront guide.

Martin Lewis is the Founder & Editor in Chief of Money Saving Expert. To join the 10 million people who get his Martin’s Money Tips weekly email, go to www.moneysavingexpert.com/latesttip

Find out how to put YOUR business on this page Call Eirian@livingLOCAL on 07584 599 247 eirian@livinglocal.org.uk

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UP TO 75% OFF SOFAS, FURNITURE, BEDS AND FLOORING

JANUARY SALE NOW ON!

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Call Stuart on 07703 650 211 or email: blindsdirectperth@gmail.com www.blindsdirectperth.co.uk

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31

School Jotters

BEACONHURST TRANSISTION GOES TO DYNAMIC EARTH! Transition Science visited “Our Dynamic Earth” in November as part of their learning experience. The pupils enjoyed a range of different activities which included a ‘hands on’ workshop looking at meteorites and volcanoes. Pupils were also made aware of the fragility of Earth’s ecosystems.

As part of Eco-week some of the pupils had constructed a ‘core sample’ of the Earth’s Crust to highlight the layer of slowly degrading plastics and other man-made materials that humans are adding to the planet. This was presented to Dynamic Earth at the end of the school visit.

I enjoyed the show dome because it told you about the small and big details. I learnt that meteorites can carry water which could be used to fuel a space station or satellite. You can’t go to Mars and back being a human because they cannot carry enough fuel. The idea is to create a fuel station in space and use meteorites to provide fuel from water and oxygen too.

Struan Craig We went on an elevator through time….or just an elevator but it made it look like a time machine. Then we ended up on a space ship and we watched the big bang. It was really cool.

Miles Johnston My favourite part of Dynamic Earth was the polar extreme room. It was a bit cold in there and it had a huge, cold, real ice berg.

Archie

Mindbenders

Find the 3 hidden phrases

P3/4/5 organised a fundraising day for Children in Need.

People were encouraged to come to school dressed in spots and then had a chance to spend their money at lots of stalls including a Teddy Tombola and cake and candy.

The fantastic sum of £234.50 was raised.

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Ambitious. Caring. Resilient.

Discover the Beaconhurst Way Open Afternoon Thursday 9th February, 2.30 - 4.30pm Please come along and see what we have to offer, meet the staff & pupils and have a tour of the campus.

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33

School Jotters

Developing the Young Workforce Award Well done to Mr Stewart, PT Guidance, Secondary, and Sue Brown, Tiny Touch Children’s Wear, Auchterarder, on winning the Developing the Young Workforce trophy at the annual Perthshire Chamber of Commerce Awards Ceremony on Friday 25 November at Crieff Hydro. Mr Stewart has led this initiative brilliantly for our school and has secured meaningful partnerships with many local businesses.

Mr Stewart reports: “Tiny Touch is a local children’s clothing shop owned and run by Sue Brown. Sue and I met a few months ago at the Auchterarder Community Partnership meeting where we discussed the possibility of enabling the young people in our school to gain some experience of the world of work.

After speaking to the S4 girls, it became apparent that there was an appetite for this sort of project and they were enthusiastic about getting some extra work experience locally. Sue thought it would be best to prepare the girls for work as they would do in the real world by interviewing them and giving them an induction in the shop. After the interviews, it was decided that some girls would work in the shop as windowdressers, others would focus on retail and one pupil, Alix Young, would work there for the work experience week in October.

Since August, the girls have been going to the shop on a Friday afternoon on a rota. They have all enjoyed the experience of working to deadlines, working with customers and more importantly working with Sue! Feedback from the girls has been really positive and I am sure that in the follow-up interviews next week we will see a huge difference in their confidence and ability to think on their feet. Sue has also written personal references for each of the girls to take to any employer in the future.

Winning the award is all down to the dedication and enthusiasm that the girls have brought to this project.

Now that we have had some success in this project we hope to expand this and encourage more businesses to get involved.”

The girls involved in the programme are: Alix Young, Ines Stewart, Sara McPhail, Rachel Cameron, Mia Goodge, Kelly-Ann McNamara, Lucy Miller and Feorlin McPhee.

Strengthening Families: What’s it all about?

The Strengthening Families Programme is a 7 week programme that helps families with young people aged 10–12 years prepare for their teenage years. Becoming a teenager can be a challenging time for young people and parents alike. Strengthening Families is proven to support both parents and young people through this time of change, helping them to achieve greater success when they move on to secondary school.

What happens? As a family you attend one session each week for 7 weeks. Each week you will learn by: watching informative DVDs, taking part in fun activities; and sharing discussions.

The programme is free to attend and an evening meal is provided at each session. Creche facilities are also available for brothers and sisters and transport can also be arranged. The next programme in this area is planned to start in February 2017 in Auchterarder. For more information, please contact Morven Campbell, Community Link Worker Tel 01764 661238 or mfcampbell@pkc.gov.uk Physics Trip to the Royal Observatory, Edinburgh.

Thursday 3 November witnessed a visit by senior Physics pupils to the Royal Observatory of Edinburgh (ROE). In true Scottish fashion, the long period of clear, settled weather was interrupted by showers and cloud, denying the intrepid pupils the opportunity to have some hands-on observations of the night sky courtesy of the observatory’s telescopes.

Pupils were given a detailed history of the Observatory and also the physics behind the observations that were carried out. The Observatory’s main telescope is no longer in use, but the method of operation was explained and pupils could relate this to their studies at National 5 level. There is a very active research and development department at the Observatory, producing state of the art instruments for satellite-based telescopes and observatories in Chile.

Pupils also had the chance to learn about apps that can be used to help understand the night sky using an app called Stellarium. Planets, galaxies and exoplanets were all discussed and the technology and physics needed to do this was explained. Pupils had a chance to handle samples from meteorites and have touched some of the oldest material they will every encounter. We would like to thank the ROE for providing an opportunity to understand how 34 To advertise in livingLOCAL t. 07584 599 247 e. the info@livinglocal.org.uk the physics learned in the classroom can be applied to understanding universe.

A Good Read

The Rosie Project

by Graeme Simsion There have been several novels published in recent years which feature an autistic character; The Rosie Project is one of them.

Don is a scientist working at a university in Australia. In his late 30s he is single and largely contented. His day is meticulously mapped out, and routine is a part of everything he does. He is never early (a waste of precious time) or late (rude and puts everything out of time), and can’t abide small talk. He also has lobster every Tuesday.

As the novel opens he is lecturing on Aspergers at a conference but it is not a lecture from a personal perspective. Don is undiagnosed yet many friends and parents of those on the spectrum will identify his traits. A chance conversation with the conference organiser leads him to consider if he can apply scientific methodology to the search for a suitable partner, and The Wife Project is born.

Readers will warm to Don, and his naïve approach to relationships and life in general, and anyone who is currently negotiating the dating minefield might wonder if it would all be easier with the aid of his questionnaire?

North Child

by Edith Pattou This Young Adult novel is published by Usborne Books. Based on the Norwegian fairy tale ‘East of the Sun and West of the Moon’ this sweeping fantasy story is set in the snow-covered lands of Scandinavia.

Legend has it that children born facing north are destined to travel far from home and die, crushed under ice and snow. When Eugenia’s eighth and youngest child is born her belief in superstition leads her to fear for her daughter’s future. She lies about the circumstances of Rose’s birth but it would seem that fate cannot be deceived by a lie. As Rose grows up she feels out of place in the family and longs to travel, with a desire for adventure. Her unease, combined with a wanderlust means that when a white bear appears and offers her family a way out of poverty and ill-health if she will come away with him to a land far away in the north, she readily accepts.

Here she meets a mysterious stranger in a castle hidden in a mountain. Who is he and why does he only appear at night? Faced with challenges she discovers her purpose in life in a tale of love, betrayal, and adventure.

This rich story will appeal to readers from the age of 10 upwards and is a great introduction to epic fantasy.

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35

Full S.T.E.A.M ahead for STEM If you have children of primary and secondary age, then you’ve probably been hearing a lot about STEM. It’s the latest buzz approach to getting children (and, dare I say it, adults) excited about the world of science. What’s really refreshing is the move away from geeky science silos and integration with other core subjects that transform everyday life in the modern world.

Standing for Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths, STEM recognises that science has, and always will have, a vital role to play in shaping our world. An initiative started to pique interest in the sciences as the number of children selecting science options plummeted in the UK and the dearth of girls in particular, was recognised, STEM has recently undergone its own mutation as Arts has been added.

The newly extended STEAM recognises the need to engage and retain children’s interest although arguably, well-chosen facts, projects and experiments (be it the ubiquitous bicarbonate of soda volcano or equally enthralling fizzy paint) should certainly pique interest!

At the heart of STEM is the notion that science, engineering, technology and maths are infused in the everyday lives that we enjoy, as well as the not so every day events of space missions. Far from being the preserve of a few, science is for everyone; a message beautifully reinforced by the discovery in 2012 of a new molecule – Tetranitratoxycarbon. In case you’re interested, not created in a lab by a white cloaked scientist, but rather the accidental creation of a ten-year-old!

Growing up, as I did, with visits to the Royal London Homeopathic hospital a part of my childhood and potions like arsenic (the seemingly counterintuitive solution to back pain) I’m fascinated that a whole new scientific method called ‘toxineering’ has recently been discovered, which is the art or should I say science of turning venoms into toxins. As a mother of a teenage daughter myself, I was thrilled when she chose to take triple science. Who knows where this might lead her, be it finding a cure for cancer, advancing genetics or criminology, or saving the planet from the effects of our actions, one thing is sure, with a solid foundation in science she can help change the world for the better. A love of science can start from a myriad of tiny seeds of thought planted in the home, like gardening, sprouting seeds or baking, all science-rich activities.

Cooking is certainly one area where S.T.E.A.M comes to the fore…

Science covers the way the ingredients interact with 36

each other to produce an awesome cake or bread.

It’s fascinating to watch the effect baking soda, self-raising flour and vinegar have on a cake or how sifting or whisking add air and change the finished product. Then there are opportunities for exploring solids and liquids and change with cream, chocolate and eggs.

Technology has transformed how we cook something and whether to steam, fry, boil or microwave? Take the humble potato and you can explore what and how all these different methods work to give us the perfect jacket or fry. Technology also helps us find the perfect recipe, with the internet so accessible to budding chefs I wonder if people still buying cook books are a dying breed.

Engineering the perfect recipe takes practice and skill, and often a fair amount of muscle power too!

Art can take many forms, from Culinary Art to colour mixing, from using different toppings on a pizza to form a smiley face, to the presentation of a meal.

Maths is essential to creating the perfect dish or bake. First of all, the ingredients need to be correctly weighed and measured, then the sequence needs to be followed in the right order and the right size tin or size spoonful of mixture need to be used.

Recipe for enjoyment There is nothing better on a cold winters evening than enjoying together a comforting meal, cooked en-famille. Cooking helps to develop children’s independence, makes them feel useful and responsible, expands their repertoire of culinary competence and helps them experiment with their taste buds. Try family favourites like toad in the hole, scrambled eggs or scotch pancakes or maybe something a little more adventurous like lasagne. The skills and knowledge gained from following a simple recipe does wonders for a child’s self-confidence, especially when seeing the family enjoying their food at meal time. And for younger children, getting them to help prepare a yummy pudding, like a crumble, where they have to get their fingers into the mix has the added benefit of providing a wealth of sensory fun.

It’s all Child’s Play

Feature by Sue Gascoyne of Play-Z Ltd

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37

CINEMA Latest Film Releases La La Land

The story of Mia, an aspiring actress (Emma Stone), and Sebastian, a dedicated jazz musician (Ryan Gosling), struggling to make ends meet while pursuing their dreams in a city known for destroying hopes and breaking hearts. With modern day Los Angeles as the backdrop, this musical about everyday life explores what is more important: a once-in-a-lifetime love or the spotlight.

Live By Night

Feature adaptation of the crime novel “Live By Night” written by Dennis Lehane. A story set in the Prohibition Era and centered around a group of individuals and their dealings in the world of organized crime.

Jackie

Jackie is a searing and intimate portrait of one of the most important and tragic moments in American history, seen through the eyes of the iconic First Lady, then Jacqueline Bouvier Kennedy. Jackie places us in her world during the days immediately following her husband’s assassination.

Known for her extraordinary dignity and poise, here we see a psychological portrait of the First Lady as she struggles to maintain her husband’s legacy and the world of “Camelot” that they created and loved so well.

Sing

Set in a world like ours but entirely inhabited by animals, Buster Moon a dapper koala who presides over a oncegrand theater that has fallen on hard times. Buster is an eternal-some might even say delusional-optimist who loves his theater above all and will do anything to preserve it. Now faced with the crumbling of his life’s ambition, he has one final chance to restore his fading jewel to its former glory by producing the world’s greatest singing competition.

The Lego Batman Movie

A spin-off film featuring Batman from the 2014 film The Lego Movie. Bruce Wayne must not only deal with the criminals of Gotham City, but also the responsibility of raising a boy he adopted.

Rogue One: A Star Wars Story

Taking place shortly before the events of the original 1977 classic Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope, Rogue One charts the desperate resistance mission to seize plans for the terrifying Death Star. It's the first in a thrilling new series of stand-alone spin-off films. Under the visually stunning direction of Godzilla and Monsters filmmaker Gareth Edwards, a terrific international cast prepares to launch into a whole-new galaxy of excitement.

Tony Jackson Tiling Services Ceramic, Porcelain, Travertine, Slate, Glass, Under-floor Heating, Kitchens & Bathrooms, Walls & Floors, Doorsteps & Commercial.

MCGREGOR Roofing & Building DOMESTIC COMMERCIAL INDUSTRIAL Flat Roofs Fixed and Replaced Firestone Rubber, Fibre Roofing and Torch on Felt Tar and Chipped Roofs UPVC/Cast/Aluminium Guttering & Downpipes repaired and replaced

01764 653 371 or 07427 004 418

For further details & to see my work gallery please visit www.bonny-tiling.co.uk

Dry Ridge Systems Supplied and professionally fitted Slate and Tile Roofs repaired and replaced Loft Conversions

WILLIAM COMBE & SON LTD Plumbing, Sanitary and Heating Engineers

Velux Windows fitted

FAMILY RUN BUSINESS ALL WORK FULLY GUARANTEED Tel: 0800 303 2550 | 07826 316 625 07496 543 028 mcgregorroofing88@yahoo.com www.mcgroofing.co.uk

All domestic and industrial installations and repairs carried out.

Gas - Solid Fuel - Oil Heating

01764 662 466 07974 661 502 wcombeplumbers@yahoo.co.uk 161 High Street, Auchterarder

Est. 1908 Expert Workmanship

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This Old House...

There are many reasons why you may want to sell your property. Depending on your circumstances, how much time you have to decide to sell, make the necessary arrangements and to prepare your property can vary considerably.

Your decision to sell may follow a sudden change in personal or family circumstances such as divorce/ separation, a death in the family, or change in employment status (geographical or financial).

It may be something which you have contemplated for some time: such as downsizing to something more practical or to release equity; upgrading due to a growing family or to accommodate an elderly relative; or you may have always wanted that cottage by the sea in retirement!

Regardless of the timescales, once the decision has been made the steps that you need to take are broadly the same: Where do I start? The first step for most people will be the financials: what is my house worth?

How much equity do I have? Will I need another mortgage and how much could/should I borrow?

Should I use my savings? Usually this will involve a visit to your bank or mortgage advisor, but it would make sense to visit your local estate agent for advice on the value and marketability of your home.

There is a lot of competition for your business and the variation in fees and associated add-ons can be bewildering. Going purely on-line often seems to be a cheap, cheerful and convenient way of selling a house but, as they say, you get what you pay for. Local knowledge and a hands-on approach with accessible professional help can make all the difference not just to selling your house, but selling it quicker and for a price that you are happy with.

The Legal Stuff: At some point you will need the 40

services of a lawyer to deal with the formalities.

Often, the estate agent that you approached will also be a firm of solicitors who will have the necessary expertise and experience to explain everything in a straightforward manner and keep you informed of progress. They will also provide a clear idea of the likely costs, and of any potential issues. If you decide to ‘go it alone’ in marketing your property you still need a lawyer and again, fees can vary. Shop around by all means but customer service, convenience and expertise should all be taken into account as well as potential cost.

Am I ready? Prepare yourself for the fact that people will want to come and look around your home. Whilst it is your pride and joy, and you may have spent many years looking after it (and filling it!), most buyers are really looking at its potential as a home, or an investment, for them. What you can do to make your property more saleable depends on the amount of time that you have. Your local marketing agent will give you tips on how to show off the property’s best features and improve areas that need addressing. In the meantime you can make a start by just attending to those little jobs that you have been putting off, such as that leaky tap or that room that always needed decorating.

You do not need to spend a fortune or have a complete renovation but small improvements, whilst they may not necessarily increase the value, would certainly make it more likely to sell quicker in a competitive market.

If your New Year Resolution is to make that move, or at least seriously think about it, why wait before you take the first step?

Kindly provided by Jameson & Mackay Property Services

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Auchterarder Rotary Donation to Air Ambulance On 31st October a group of Rotarians from the Auchterarder and District Rotary Club visited Scotland’s Charity Air Ambulance to present a cheque for £2,000 which was raised at a highly successful Young Musician Charity Concert in the Perth Concert Hall on 10th September. The Rotarians were given a briefing on the operations of the air ambulance by the crew who answered lots of questions and demonstrated the state of the art helicopter to the group.

Auchterarder & District Local History Association Meeting: 20th January, 7.30pm Aytoun Hall, Auchterarder Speaker: Shirley Paterson, Scheme Manager, Tay Landscape Partnership Subject: Celebrating the Heritage of the Inner Tay Estuary

Langtoon Probus Club of Auchterarder The Club meetings start at 10.30 on the 2nd and 4th Tuesdays of the month at Auchterarder Golf Club.

Visiting Probus members are welcome Contacts: President John Leitch 01764 663635 Secretary Malcolm Gillies 01764 662944

Pictured from the left are: Rotary President Derek Lumsden, Rotarian Douglas Gilmour, Rotarian Ron McArthur, Trustee and Board Member of SCAA Mike Beale and Paramedic John Salmond.

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Al-Anon Family Group For Friends and Family of those affected by Alcohol Tuesdays 8pm St Margaret’s Hospital-Community Room

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News The Poppy Appeal and Service of Remembrance Message from David Homewood the Scottish Poppy Appeal coordinator for the Lang Toon.

The 2016 Royal British Legion Poppy Appeal in the Auchterarder area contributed of £4,439.26p. With more volunteers this year and the house-to-house collection areas expanded, this was a 9% increase on last year. The ecumenical Remembrance Service collection in the Parish Church totalled £620 – it was good to see the church full – with more people than ever before at the memorial for the 11am outdoor service. The Community School Pipe Band led the march down to the Parish Church. It was also good to see the Army Cadet Force on the High Street again this year; their participation added to the appeal. Sincere thanks, to all the shops, cafes, bars, hotels and all premises/organisations that provided poppy can outlets – 72 in all. On behalf of all the ex-service personnel in Scotland and their families who benefit from Royal British Legion support, grateful thanks are offered to everyone who put a coin or a note in one of those red poppy cans. If any local reader would like to help with next year’s appeal in some way, please contact David Homewood on 01764 663 049.

Auchterarder Walkers Association (Formerly Auchterarder Riders & Walkers Association)

The ‘Lang Toon’ friendly walking club.

Sunday 08-Jan-17 Auchterarder, 5 miles, Easy, OS58, NN 945 128, Band 0 Start 10.00am Leader - Pam and Ken 01738 730328 Sunday 12-Feb-17 Moncrieff Hill (starts at Rhynd Road car park), 5 miles, Easy, OS58, NO 137 210, Band 2 Start 10.00am Leader - Caroline and Robbie 01764 664645 Please contact the leader, or see the notices displayed, during the week prior to the walk for any further details.

For more information about the Association please contact the Secretary, Sylvia 01764 660146 If you would like to help with any fundraising or simply get involved please get in touch.

Chairman of the Auchterarder Macmillan Cancer Support Fundraising Group is Hazel Buchan, (01764) 660306.

Burns Supper Aytoun Hall, Auchterarder Thursday, 26 January 2017, 18.30 for 19.00 Tickets £25.00 from Dr James Grant 01764 662 436 or Brian Cashin 01764 660 326 or any Rotary Club member Rotary Club of Auchterarder & District www.auchterarder.rotary1010.org

Concert

by The Perth Strathspey & Reel Society Fiddle Orchestra at Aytoun Hall, Auchterarder 7.00 pm Friday 24 February 2017 Tickets £5.00 from Dr James Grant 01764 660326 or Brian Cashin 01764 660326 or any member of The Rotary Club of Auchterarder & District www.auchterarder.rotary1010.org

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The Rotary Club of Auchterarder & District www.auchterarder.rotary1010.org In the year 2015/2016 – Auchterarder Rotary Club donated an impressive £28,000 to various local charities, schools and local organisations.

One of the Clubs major fundraising events, was a Black Tie Charity Dinner held at Gleneagles Hotel in aid of the C.H.A.S. which raised an impressive £13,000 and £6,000 previously, bringing a grand total of £19,000. The Club recognised the importance of Flying the Flag for CHAS Children’s Hospice Association Scotland and are extremely proud and overwhelmed by continued support and generosity of those who helped make this such a great successful and enjoyable evening.

To recognise and thank our supporters from businesses and the local community for their excellent support and kindness for our fundraising events, the club organised a social evening on the 20th October where guests enjoyed supper at Auchterarder Golf Club and showed them a little of what Rotary becomes involved in throughout the year. It was a great evening and will hopefully continue to build relationships within the local community.

It was also acknowledged that many other individuals and businesses that support our events could not all be in attendance.

Picture (L-R) shows David Cunningham from Spring Grove Clinic, Murray Wilkinson from Camargue Group, Robin Gray- H&R Gray Haulage, Stephen Gardiner - Stephen Gardiner Construction, Ian Campbell – Crop Solutions Ltd - Stewart Miller – Stewart Building Services – Colin Docherty – J Docherty & Sons – Alastair Anderson – Gillespie MacAndrew –who supported the dinner by sponsorship, hosting tables, auction and raffle prizes which were all kindly donated. Lastly, John Duff from C.H.A.S. receiving the cheque from a few of our loyal supporters – A Huge Thank you to all involved.

Date for your Diary – Saturday 22nd April, 2017 - Charity Dinner – Gleneagles Hotel 44

AUCHTERARDER & DISTRICT ROTARY CLUB 2017 YOUTH PROGRAMME OF COMPETITIONS AND EVENTS Tuesday 21st February PRIMARY SCHOOL QUIZ For ‘feeder’Primary Schools to the Community School of Auchterarder. A Competition for Primary 7 Pupils. Moray Institute, Blackford.

Teams of 4 + a Reserve Nominations by: Friday 24th February ROTARY YOUNG SPORTSPERSON OF THE YEAR Nominations for all who compete as individuals, within a Team or Disability Group and who:- Live / attend school or is a member of a Club within Auchterarder & District. Age: 21yrs or under and be in full time education.

Competed at District or National level. Shown improvement in performance. Been a role model for others Nominations for activity carried out from: 1st January – 31st December 2016.

Entries closing date: Friday 24th February YOUNG PHOTOGRAPHER COMPETITION Entries can be either in black & white or colour, as long as the photographs’ relate to the theme: ‘Reflections’. Images can be emailed with a maximum size of 1MB or entered on a memory stick.

Entries closing date: Friday 24th February YOUNG WRITERS COMPETITION Entries can be fiction or non-fiction, a story or a poem, as long as the writing relates to the theme: ‘Reflections’ An A4 page or up to a maximum of 500 words.

Entries closing date: Friday 24th February YOUNG MUSICIAN COMPETITION Thursday 23rd March 2017 in the Community School of Auchterarder. Vocal Solo and Solo Instrumentalist sections Grades 1 & 2 / Grades 3 & 4 / Grades 5 & 6 Grades 7 & 8

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News

Local Toddler and Play Groups

Auchterarder Community Toddler Group is on a Monday in the Auchterarder Community

Church Hall from 9.30 am to 11.30 am . £2.00 per family, snack provided for children and tea/ coffee and biscuits for adults. Suitable from birth to preschool with week craft sessions and regular outings. Open during term time and school holidays.

Merry Go Rounds Play Group. Every Tuesday and Thursday at the Ayton Hall Auchterarder (during term time) from 9.15 am to 11.15 am. £5 per session. Application forms can be obtained from the Ayton Hall Reception, please see our Face book page to arrange a taster session for your child. Children can join the supervised play sessions from 2 years and 4 months old. This is a great introduction for a toddlers first taster of independent play. For more information please contact the playgroup direct on 07952 267 537 or our secretary Noreen McLaughlin on 07799 756 240.

Blackford Toddlers is on a Friday 9.30am - 11.30am at the Blackford Village Hall. Open during

term time and School holidays. £2.50 per family, snack provided for children and tea/ coffee and biscuits for adults. Suitable from birth to pre school. State of the art newly refurbished facilities, large play area for children to run about it.

Messy mitts Themed messy play and sensory classes for the under 5’s at the Parish Church Hall, Auchterarder every Thursday morning from 9.30 Call Katie to book your space 07789 994 194 messymittsmessyplay@gmail.com

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Planting the Seed LANDSCAPE DESIGN AND CONSTRUCTION LTD From initial consultation and full colour design to complete garden build... all under one roof!

Full design package Stone work Timber work Garden features Artificial lawns supplied & laid Turf supplied & laid Drainage

www.cruachanlandscaping.co.uk 01786 841 719 01877 339 993

Useful Numbers St. Margaret’s Hospital St. Margaret’s Health Centre Police Scotland NHS 24 Perth Royal Infirmary Floodline (SEPA) Auchterarder Library Mobile Library Service Aberuthven Primary School Blackford Primary School Braco Primary School Community School Dunning Primary School Greenloaning Primary School Muthill Primary School Ochil Tower School Scottish SPCA Scottish Hydro Emergencies Scottish Water Scottish Gas Emergency Perth & Kinross Council Registration offices Merry-go-Round Playgroup

01764 662 246 01764 662 275 101 111 01738 623 311 0845 988 1188 01764 661 435 01738 477 029 01764 661 410 01764 661 390 01764 661 420 01764 662 182 01764 661 350 01786 880 326 01764 681 276 01764 662 416 03000 999 0999 0800 300 999 0845 600 8855 0800 111 999 01738 475 000 01764 657 840 07952 267 537

livingLOCAL is committed to supporting the communities it reaches. Its main aims and goals are to raise the profile of local enterprise, services & facilities, whilst at the same time remaining commercially viable. We help to build community spirit by promoting local events, schools and by exchanging information with our readers. livingLOCAL benefits any business it features with extremely competitive advertising rates & creative design service. So if you are a business looking for local customers, GET IN TOUCH and see how we can help you.

Advertising rates have been set to attract even the smallest business.

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For further details call us on 07584 599 247 or email: eirian@livinglocal.org.uk www.livinglocal.org.uk

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PUZZLE SOLUTIONS

MINDBENDERS: In complete control Eternal triangle Emergency stop

A-Z of Advertisers Acorn page 23 Alan Dougan page 17 Beaconhurst School page 33 Bib’ll Fix It page 12 Blinds Direct page 31 Blooming Arrangements page 39 Bonny Tiling page 39 Care Dental page 11 CE Miller page 26 Crieff Hydro page 9 Cruachan Landscape Design page 46 Curtains Up page 12 Derek Moffat page 12 E & J Landscapes page 31 Gleneagles page 25 Glenagles Furniture Centre page 30 HASS page 10 Integrated Medicine page 8 Jameson & Mackay page 41 Kinnoul Ltd page 26 Logs for You page 21 Marshall’s Garden Machinery page 21 McGregor Roofing & Building page 39 Ochil Plumbing page 13 Omeworks page 18 Prestige Bathrooms page 27 PT Turf page 19 Roundal Group page 48 Sheray Punjab page 5 Spring Grove Clinic page 7 Stanners Solutions Ltd page 5 Stewarts Building Supplies page 23 Strathearn Engineering page 15 Strathearn Pest Control page 16 Tay Roofing & Building Ltd page 1 The Fish and Chip Company page 5 William Combe & Son page 39 Wilson Joinery page 12

livingLOCAL cannot be held responsible for any inaccuracies in advertisements nor for any consequences arising from this. livingLOCAL cannot be held responsible for damage or loss of copy or error in printing. All artwork used in livingLOCAL must not be published in any other media without permission.

Opinion expressed by contributors or advertisers are not necessarily those of the publisher.

BOOK NOW for the Spring edition (Mar/April) Print deadline: 3rd February

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