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CHATTERBOX
No 256 April 2015
www.lochwinnoch.info
www.facebook.com/lochwinnoch
Community newsletter produced by Lochwinnoch Community Council
What’s On & Dates for your Diaries
Village events, clubs, classes, etc are in the centre pages
Do you want the skills to
help save a life??
Move the Otter
Crossing Sign
BHF April 2015
FREE
Disgusting Dog Owners
Hello, I'm one of the Clyde Muirshiel
Conservation Volunteers.
Apart from our usual Thursday
volunteer sessions, we also do litter
picks along the Castle Semple
shoreline after the weekends. This
week it was my turn and a very
"interesting" experience it was.
As well as the usual general rubbish
discarded and washed up on the
shoreline I found a new menace. Out
of sight of the Rangers Centre many of
the trees and bushes had hanging
"decorations" of dog poo bags left by
dog walkers.
Clearing up discarded bottles, crisp
packets and plastic food containers is
bad enough but having to remove bags
full of dog faeces hanging from bushes
is disgusting.
The idea of bags for dog walkers is to
clear up the mess left by their dogs and
dispose of it IN THE APPROPRIATE
CONTAINERS which are available at
the Visitors Centre and car park. It is
not acceptable to leave them lying
around the paths or tied onto trees for
someone else to clear up.
Led by Lochwinnoch and
Howwood Heart Start
We have more dates available for the
FREE two hour course in 2015.

Wednesday 8th April—7-9pm
Bowfield Hotel Howwood

Wednesday 22nd April—2-4pm
Masonic Lodge Lochwinnoch
If you are inserted in attending
contact Morag on
morag.Thow@gcu.ac.uk
or 01505 843183
The course is practical and deals with;





An unconscious casualty
Cardiac arrest
Suspected heart attack
Choking
As an animal lover I’m very concerned
at the risk of injury to otters who must
cross the busy Kilbirnie Road (A760)
to reach fields on the other side.
There is of course a warning sign but it
is sited too high and in the wrong
place to be useful to the otters. Why
would they look up at the top of a pole
to see where it is safe to cross?
It seems obvious that if the otters
crossed the road directly outside the
RSPB where there is the pedestrian
crossing everyone, including the
otters, would be safer. Why the otter
crossing sign is not positioned here, at
otter level, is a mystery.
Who do we have to contact to get the
sign moved, encouraging the otters to
cross at a safer place? So far no one
seems to take this issue as seriously as
it deserves.
Flora Lipso
Serious bleeding
Dr Morag Thow
We, Conservation Volunteers, freely
give up some of our time to help
maintain and improve what is a great
outdoor asset for Renfrewshire.
Clearing up after selfish dog owners
should not be part of our volunteering.
Please take your rubbish away with you
or deposit in an appropriate bin.
Adrian Whitaker
1
Ed Note. A timely reminder for
everyone to take extra care driving
past the RSPB. It is baby otter season
again and the otters do venture out
onto the road.
Food Train Renfrewshire
The Food Train is a charity which
provides a range of services, delivered
by volunteers, to older people
including grocery shopping home
deliveries, household support services
and befriending services.
How does it work?

The shopping delivery service is a
simple process.

Customers
complete
a
blank
shopping list which is collected by
our volunteers; a blank shopping list
is left with customer for next time.

Shopping is completed and delivered
by our volunteers at local shops on a
nominated day.

Shopping is delivered in a box which
is
unpacked
by
volunteers.
Volunteers will also put things away
if needed.

Customer pays for shopping and the
£3 delivery charge, cash or cheque is
acceptable.
Who can use the Food Train?


Customers must be 65 and over; this
is due to the type of funding we
receive.
Customers must be unable or have
difficulty getting their grocery
shopping.

From time to time supermarket
offers can result in savings for
customers on the cost of their
shopping.
Where individual
savings are made those will
always be given to the customer.
Where the saving has resulted
directly
from
the
collective
purchase of multiple customers,
the saving will be used by Food
Train to further the charitable
aims and objectives of the
organisation.
Volunteer
Volunteers are vital to the success of
Food Train and without them we
simply wouldn’t be able to operate
and make a difference to the lives of
hundreds of older people.
Anyone over the age of 16 can
volunteer, subject to a Disclosure
Scotland check. The great thing about
Food Train is that because of the
diverse roles we offer, volunteering
with us can be flexible.
If you want to make a difference to
older people’s lives then why not
come and join us!
To find out more about using Food
Train or becoming a volunteer please
contact:
The Food Train Renfrewshire Office
How much does it cost?
Studio 53, The Old Embroidery Mill,

Seedhill,

£1 for one year’s membership – this
is paid when beginning the service
and provides access to Extra services
as well.
£3 per delivery – this is paid
alongside the cost of the shopping at
the point of delivery.
Paisley PA1 1TJ
Tel: 0141 887 2557
Email:
renfrewshire@thefoodtrain.co.uk
Thank you all so much for the
fantastic support you have shown for
our recent fundraising in aid of
walkthewalk breast cancer charity.
The generous donation of two return
flights with Loganair raised an
amazing £635, while a silent auction
and donations for the lovely bra
badges have brought the current
fundraising total to over £1400. All we
need to do now is survive three
Moonwalks!
Thank you once again,
Aileen Wilson (Lochwinnoch
Pharmacist) and Kirsty Duffell
Lochwinnoch Parish
Church
SPRING TEA
FRIDAY 10TH APRIL
TIME: 2.00 TO 4.00 P.M.
TEA/COFFEE/SANDWICHES/
SCONES/CAKES
COST: £3.50
Pension Changes
In the 2014 Budget the
government announced
changes to pensions from April 2015.
From this month people of 55 or over
with
‘defined
contribution
pensions’ (so-called ‘private pensions’
those based on what you’ve paid in
and the return on your investment,
not final salary pensions) have more
flexibility and no longer have to take
out an annuity. You can also withdraw
25% of your fund as a tax-free sum.
The choices are:
 to take out an annuity as before
 a fixed income for life but rates
are poor at the moment
 to
choose
an
income
drawdown plan
 withdraw some of your fund each
year leaving the rest to earn
interest
2
We provide a drop-in service from 10am-1pm Monday –
Thursday and offer specialist appointments 5 days per
week from 9am – 5pm, opening late on a Monday
evening. In addition we are available for telephone
advice 5 days a week.
www.renfrewshirecab.org.uk
 income not guaranteed, value of fund depends on
stock market performance and how much you
withdraw each year
 to withdraw your pension savings as cash
 you stay in control of your money but when it is gone
you have nothing left for the future
 Although the first 25% of your pot is tax-free, the
remainder is taxed at your highest rate e.g. 40%
 may affect your state benefits
CAB Johnstone Neighbourhood Office
Floors Street
Johnstone PA5 8TN
Wednesday: 14.00 – 16.00 (appointments only)
Tel: 0141 840 6026
What you choose to do will affect your income for the rest
of your life and so any decision must be made very
carefully. There is no one solution that suits everybody so
good advice is important.
Independent Financial Advisers
There are Independent Financial Advisers (IFAs) in the
village or you can go online to:
www.unbiased.com for a list of IFAs. Most will have an
initial meeting without charge.
Charities are warning that, as there will be so many people
with the potential to access serious amounts of money, so
there will be many fraudsters out to relieve them of this
money. There are already signs of fraudsters cold-calling,
avoid them at all costs! It is vital you don’t agree to
anything without asking for advice or doing your own
research.
Other Useful Contacts:
Future Pension Centre
The Pension Service 9
Mail Handling Site A
Wolverhampton
WV98 1LU
United Kingdom
The average ‘pot’ is around £40,000 and it is tempting to
think of this as funding a major purchase: a fantastic
holiday, a new car etc. Remember that you need to think
carefully about your retirement finances. Will you be
depending solely on State Retirement Pension or do you
also have a pension from your employer? While pensioners
have been relatively protected from cuts in state benefits
both major political parties have indicated that pensioners
may suffer cuts in future. There is plenty of advice
available.
Tel: 0845 3000 168
https://www.gov.uk/future-pension-centre
Government Pension Service
To claim a pension:
Tel: 0800 731 7898
https://www.gov.uk/claim-state-pension-online
Report a change of circumstance:
Tel: 0345 606 0265
Pension Wise is a free and impartial service provided
by the UK Government to help people understand their
choices . The Pensions Advisory Service and Citizens
Advice are delivering Pension Wise on behalf of the
government.
International Pension Service Tel: 0191 218 7777
https://www.gov.uk/international-pension-centre
You can access advice tailored to your particular
circumstances by contacting an Independent Financial
Adviser though fees will apply.
Pension Tracing Service
0845 6002 537
www.gov.uk/find-lost-pension
Civil Service Pensions
Note: You do not receive a State Retirement Pension
automatically, you have to claim it. If you are not yet
retired it can be useful to ask for a pension forecast from
the Government Pension Service to help you plan for your
retirement.
Tel: 0300 123 6666
Email: contactcentre@mycsp.co.uk
NHS Pensions
NHS Pensions
Hesketh House
200-220 Broadway
Fleetwood
Lancashire
FY7 8LG Tel: 0300 3301 346
Some useful contacts:
The Pensions Advisory Service
11 Belgrave Road, London SW1V 1RB
Tel: 0300 123 1047
www.pensionsadvisoryservice.org.uk
http://www.nhsbsa.nhs.uk/2735.aspx
Chatterbox Wins Award
Citizens Advice
Online Advice Guide:
http://www.adviceguide.org.uk/scotland
We are vary glade to report that Chitterbox has been
choosed as an implementary eggsample of littery
xsellense in the comunity communikation kategorie.
Renfrewshire Citizens Advice Bureau
Main Office
45 George Street
Paisley PA1 2JY
Tel: 0141 889 2121
The pride teme sellebrated with a bootle of shampaigne
and still menaged to prodoose the April addition fo
Chutterbix.
Following on from this prestidigious award, the
additorial teme will increase there affurts to procuse an
entertaining magazine for the community.
3
Donna Armstrong (3)
We left Donna last time having experienced a robbery at
the hotel where she worked, although she was not hurt
as the robbers’ ‘inside men’ had demanded she be
unharmed.
It was clear that Donna and her husband Neil were more
open and supportive than most white South Africans.
This was appreciated by the hotel staff and when the
company Neil worked for went bust and his job
disappeared, the staff held a collection for Donna and
Neil to ensure that they could pay their bills. Donna and
Neil didn’t need or want the money but were touched by
this gesture from people who themselves had very little
and realised they had to accept it or cause offence.
One of the hotel staff invited Donna and Neil to a
gathering of Inkatha (Freedom Party) supporters, to be
held in a town square on a Saturday afternoon. It was
explained to Donna that it would be very positive to have
white faces in the crowd. The couple turned up in casual
weekend dress and were taken aback to find everyone
else dressed either in traditional costume or in their
Sunday best clothes. People were in high spirits, dancing
and enjoying themselves. A large Zulu in traditional
costume suggested Neil dance. Typical Scotsman that he
is, Neil suggested that he was fine watching others
dance. When a very large Zulu dressed as a warrior says
“You will dance!” you dance and Neil did just that to the
great amusement of the crowd.
couldn’t safely do in South Africa) was challenging.
Rowan 10 and Gregor 7 started riding bikes for the first
time in their lives.
Lochwinnoch Primary School played a significant role in
helping the family to settle. The approachable, friendly
staff were very different from those in South Africa.
Donna is grateful to school and parents for all the support
the family received and enjoyed her years in the PTA.
It took a couple of years for Donna to really feel
comfortable with the children out of sight. With Caitlin
started at school, Donna started work in the Post Office.
Although to an outside observer this job could have been
seen as a career step down, Donna enjoyed meeting
customers and ensuring they received excellent service. As
a mother, it was also convenient to be working in the
village. Sadly the job disappeared with the closure of the
Post Office and Donna misses her customers.
Despite Neil and Donna trying to be inconspicuous,
feeling badly under-dressed, they were spotted by hotel
staff and taken to sit among the VIPs. They found
themselves next to Inkatha leaders. This was a great
honour but a little tricky a) because they were not
appropriately dressed and b) Inkatha are political rivals
of the ruling ANC (African National Congress), Donna’s
most important customers. However it all ended well
with no negative comeback.
The Armstrong family have made a positive impact on the
village. Turning family tragedy: losing a cousin (Kyle) in
Afghanistan and grandmother (Annie) to cancer, into
positive action spurred them to raise funds for charity.
Who can forget Gregor’s bungee jump or Caitlin’s
Macmillan Coffee Morning among other fund raising
activities?
For all that South African is a beautiful country and the
majority of people are lovely, violence is still a problem
and robberies and car-jackings are common. Donna was
more than once in a bank when she had to lie on the
floor while the bank was robbed at gunpoint. She
explained that homes have metal gates built between the
living rooms and bedrooms to protect the family in case
of a break-in during the night. The gates prevent the
family being taken by surprise. South Africa is a young
democracy and it will take time for all the pent-up
inequality and injustice to be resolved.
Rowan is a talented rugby player and we look forward to
hearing how his career develops. Caitlin’s baking skills are
well known and her cosy relationship with Police Scotland
is not just a by-product of its recent recognition of her
charity activities but also homemade biscuit-based.
Gregor’s Para-style march with heavy backpack in aid of
Erskine Hospital, Forces Support Charity and Support
Our Paras takes place on 11 July.
Donna and Neil had always planned to return to
Scotland but the arrival of the children: Rowan, Gregor
and Caitlin delayed the decision. When Neil’s mother
became ill the couple then made the final decision to
return.
Donna considers herself at home in Lochwinnoch but
with a place in her heart for South Africa with its great
cultural diversity, music and, not least, great weather.
The family chose Lochwinnoch as the place to settle.
Family life in Lochwinnoch was a huge adjustment as the
transition from keeping the children close for their own
safety to letting them play outside (something they
4
be remembered that the Council does
not have the resources, due to
financial constraints, to grit every
road.
Surgery News
Volunteers Needed!
New Doctor
Charity shop – Help needed in our
Dr Dimitar Nechev will be joining the busy charity shop on High Street. No
practice at the beginning of April and experience needed.
we look forward to him joining the Kitchen – General help need in the
team.
busy Hospice kitchen.
Failure to attend Appointments.
Furniture Transport Volunteers
This year we have taken part in a – Assisting the Hospice driver with
health board initiative regarding furniture pick-ups around the local
“Patient Access” and have identified a area.
recurring problem with some patients Other
volunteer
roles
always
who repeatedly fail to attend available, please phone 01505 705
appointments which others would 635 or email info@svh.co.uk for more
have liked the opportunity to use.
information.
In an attempt to improve access for all,
patients who fail to attend 3
appointments without cancelling or
further explanation may be asked to
change practice.
The 14th Annual Habbie's
Art Show
The Kilbarchan Habbies have been
working feverishly over the past twelve
months to produce a unique range of
masterpieces which will go on sale and
display in the Kilbarchan Guide Centre
next month.
Cllr Chris
Gilmour
Hello All,
This month has been quite busy with
attendance at the Elderly Forum
where Renfrewshire Wardens gave a
very interesting presentation on a
variety of topics ranging from antisocial behaviour to illegal parking.
This was very well received and, as
usual, many interesting questions
were asked by those present.
The dates are Thursday 9th and Friday
At a recent meeting of Lochwinnoch
10th April from 11.00am - 8.00pm and
Community Council, I was pleased
Saturday 11th from 10.00am - 4.30pm.
that officers from Renfrewshire
Entrance £1 - Tea/Coffee - Raffle.
Council were able to attend and give
We welcome old friends and new to a presentation regarding flooding and
this year's show and hope you all will response to the gritting of the village
enjoy the paintings on display perhaps during the last spell of icy weather.
finding the picture you have been
Two of the issues raised were the
searching for to fit that empty space on
incomplete work on the footpath
the wall!
leading to the station and the areas of
Our tearoom will provide the usual the village which were not gritted
tempting display of "goodies" to tickle during the inclement weather but
your taste buds and there will also be a might have been better prioritised in
wonderful range of raffle prizes the Council Gritting Plan.
waiting to be won.
I am pleased to say that the footpath
As in previous year's we welcome the upgrade will be completed as soon as
opportunity to give donations from the the weather allows and I have also
proceeds of the Show to local charities asked the officers to liaise with
and the more you purchase the more villagers through the Community
we can donate.
Council, to identify gritting priorities
within the village. However, it must
5
I have some news: of the Bridges &
Roads Structures Capital Investment
Programme, £1,000,000 will be
spent replacing the deck on the Rail
Bridge which joins Main Street to the
A760. Additionally, as you know, I
have been pressing for additional
road repairs within the village.
These areas are assessed by officers
and funds allocated on a priority
basis with regards to surface damage
and vehicle use.
I am pleased to say that the following
areas will be done in the financial
year 2015/16: A760 at Roadhead,
A760
at
Lochlip
(£123,200),
Bridesmill Road (£57,200), Johnshill
(£77,000)
and
Lochlip
Road
(£48,400).
This I feel, is a good result
considering the current financial
situation, particularly the bridge
replacement.
However, I do realise that, with
regards to road repairs, not all of our
aspirations have been fulfilled and I
promise that I shall continue to fight
on your behalf to get these works
carried out.
I can be contacted on 0300 300 1268
(Office) or 07534 148427 (mobile).
Chris
Lochwinnoch Historical
Society
Meeting on the third Thursday of the
month from September to April,
except December. In the Parish
Church guild room at 7.30pm.
Annual Membership is £8
New members and visitors are always
welcome. Charge for visitor is £2 and
includes tea, coffee, cake and
biscuits.
Programme
April 16th: Val Boa. "Clyde
Potteries"
Phone 842632
Robert Scarff Ltd
JOINERS & SHOPFITTERS
Domestic & Commercial
Extensions
Garage Conversions
General Joinery Work
Timber/UPVC Windows
Loft Conversions
All Trades Supplied
Free Estimates & Fully Insured
Tel/Fax 01505 842826
Mobile 07711 934627
Reg In Scotland 185968
Est. 1998
goes to print, but access to the hide
may be restricted up until the
middle of April. We do however,
have two other shorter trails, so this
is a good time to explore those lesser
used bits of the reserve!
RSPB Lochwinnoch
Reserve
Spring is just about here and there
have been signs all around the reserve.
The beautiful scarlet elf cup fungi, as
red as its name suggests, has been
popping
up
everywhere.
The
snowdrops have been particularly
welcome this year, after all the dreary
weather we seem to have been having.
The birds have definitely started
singing and buds are appearing on the
trees. All in all, with the sun shining
(albeit infrequently) and the lighter
evenings, it has been the perfect time
of year to go outside and explore!
If you fancy going out for a wee walk
to enjoy the Spring, why not try out
the reserve? Although the visitor
centre opening times are 10am – 5pm,
don’t forget that the trails are open all
the time. As an extra incentive, we’ve
had an increase of otter sightings
recently too. As they are often in the
early morning and at dusk it might be
worth keeping your eyes peeled
around these times!
Speaking of the trails, we are currently
working on upgrading the Aird
Meadow Trail, to improve it for
buggies, wheelchairs and people with
mobility difficulties. Unfortunately,
this means that the main trail on the
reserve will be at least partially closed
throughout March and possibly into
April. We aim to have at least access to
the natural play area well before this
The upgrade of the Aird Meadow
Trail is part of the Semple Trail
Heritage Project.
In other reserve news it is with great
sadness that we say farewell to one
of our brightest stars in the small
but perfectly formed figure of
Samantha Taylor, or as we know
her...’Our Sam’. Sam and her
partner Gary have decided to start a
new life on Islay, a place they have
been visiting for many years and is
extremely close to their hearts. Sam
has worked at the reserve for 7 and a
half years. In that time she has
contributed greatly to making the
reserve a happy, successful, and
extremely loud place! We will miss
her very much. All the very best for
the future Sam!
‘Our Sam’. Photo by Zul Bhatia.
So as not to end on a sad note,
Easter is just around the corner and
with that, our Easter holiday events.
They will be kicked off with our
Easter Eggstravaganza (Mon 6
April; 12 – 3pm). This extremely
popular event sees the return of the
formidable ‘egg drop challenge’. Do
you fancy giving it a go? As well as
that, there’ll be face painting, a
treasure hunt ending with the
chance to find your own choccy egg
and other fun activities! There’s no
need to book for this one, so just
come along and join the fun!
If you’re wondering how to keep the
wee ones entertained during the
6
holidays, then look no further! On
Fridays (10 & 17 April), we’ll be
having our Funtime Friday events and
on Monday 13 April, we’ll have our
ever-popular Make Your Own Monday
event. Each event lasts a couple of
hours and has a strong emphasis on
fun and being outdoors. If you fancy
coming along to any of these, please
call or email us at the reserve, as
booking for these ones is essential.
As always, for more information on
charges and booking, or anything else
to do with our events, or even the
reserve, please just give us a call
(01505 842 663), or email us
(lochwinnoch@rspb.org.uk).
April Events
Binocular & Telescope Open
Day
Sat 4 & Sun 5
Apr
10am-4pm.
Come and peruse a range of
telescopes and binoculars, with
knowledgeable staff on hand to help
you find the right one for you! Our
optics are competitively priced, with
the added bonus that 100% of the
profit goes directly to helping
conservation. Cost: FREE
Easter Eggstravaganza
Mon 6
Apr
12noon-3pm
Fancy some egg-cellent Easter fun?
Come and join us for some egg-tastic
Easter activities at Lochwinnoch
Nature Reserve. We have plenty of
wildlife-themed Easter activities for
children of all ages, including egg
decorating, a treasure hunt, face
painting and the ever popular Egg
Drop Challenge! Cost: £5 (Wildlife
Explorers £3). Adults go FREE!
Funtime Fridays: Snap
Happy! Fri 10 Apr
7yrs
& under: 11am-1pm 8yrs &
over: 2pm-4pm
Zoom in on signs of Spring and
capture the new season with your
camera. A flash of inspiration is all
you need; we can provide you with a
camera. Photographs will be displayed
on our Facebook page!
Booking essential. Adults must
accompany children aged 8 and
under. Bring wellies – you may get
muddy! Cost: £7 (Wildlife
Explorers £4) - Accompanying
adults = FREE
Make Your Own Mondays: The
Great Bird-cake Bake Off
Mon 13 Apr
11am1pm OR 2pm-4pm
Pine cone Crunchies, Maggot Mash
and Sunflower Seed Surprise are just
some of the delicious birdcakes baked
today! Come along and make your
own, and who knows what will pop
by to try out these tasty treats.
Booking essential. Cost: £5
(Wildlife Explorers £3) - Adults
go free!
Funtime Fridays: Butterfly
Besties!
Fri 17 Apr 7yrs & under: 11am –
1pm 8yrs & over: 2pm– 4pm
Be best friends with the butterflies.
Let’s make some tasty treats for these
winged wonders and plant some
nectar rich flowers for them to enjoy
all summer.
Booking essential. Adults must
accompany children aged 8 and
under. Bring wellies – you may get
muddy! Cost: £7 (Wildlife
Explorers £4) - Accompanying
adults = FREE
Wildlife Explorer Group:
Rodents & Mustelids
Sat 25 Apr 10am – 12noon
Come and join this fun children’s
nature activity group! Every session
has a different theme to do with
wildlife and the natural world, but all
sessions are informative, great fun
and involve a good chunk of time
outside. Ages: 5 - 14yrs (For under
fives, please contact main leader
beforehand:
Michael.Jarvis@glasgow.ac.uk
).
Cost: £2
Booking is not necessary. For more
info, please visit the Lochwinnoch
Wex website:
http://www.rspb.org.uk/groups/
lochwinnochwex
Birds for Beginners Sat 25
Apr
1:30–3pm
Would you like to learn more about
the birds you see in your garden?
Join the team at RSPB Lochwinnoch
for a workshop session ideal for
beginners to birdwatching, to help
you learn more about common
garden birds and pick up tips and
advice
on
wildlife
watching
techniques. Then head out into the
reserve to put these new skills into
practise. Afterwards enjoy a hot drink
back at the centre. Please book, as
places are limited.
Cost: Adults: £5 (£3 for RSPB
members). Children: £3 (£2
for Wildlife Explorers)
For more information on charges
and booking, please give us a call
(01505 842 663), or email us
(lochwinnoch@rspb.org.uk).
Cllr Derek Bibby
I am delighted to report
plans
for
major
investment
in
Lochwinnoch.
At
Renfrewshire
councils
environmental services board on the
11th March, the roads and footpaths
resurfacing programme for 2015/16
was approved along with proposals
to replace Lochwinnoch Bridge
As a board member I have been
advocating for these improvements
in the village, and some 385
thousand pounds is to be spent
throughout Lochwinnoch on roads
and footways. The combined total in
this ward area will by far be the
largest amount spent on roads and
footpaths
in
any
area
of
Renfrewshire in the coming year.
The roads that will benefit from the
work are the A760 at Lochlip, and
Roadhead, Johnshill, Stepends Road
and Bridesmill Road.
The major infrastructure project to
replace the bridge at the entrance to
the village took a significant step
forward when the capital allocation
was approved at the environmental
board. Villagers will know that this
will address a longstanding weight
restriction issue, improve traffic
management arrangements and
consequently traffic flow, with
improved access to the village.
Site investigations and testing are
almost complete, and construction is
due to commence in late summer
which should take 4 to 6 months The
total investment of nearly £1.5
million on these long overdue roads
and bridge projects demonstrate my
own and my colleague Chris
Gilmour’s commitment to improving
the infrastructure in the village and
this we will continue to be the case.
It is hard to believe that by the time
you read this the Easter weekend
7
Local Solicitors
Providing Personal Service
Whether you’re buying
or selling a home or are unsure
of your rights on any legal matter
the experienced team at JJ McCosh
will provide an individual
service from experts
with local knowledge.
Partner, and local resident,
Ian Briggs is more than happy to
consult at your home, and there is no
charge for the first meeting.
Feel free to get in touch to speak
to our team and see how we can help.
Telephone:
01294 832112
Email:
info@jjmccosh.co.uk
will be almost with us - how time
flies.
The winter was not without its
difficulties in terms of the bad
weather, however I have asked that
Renfrewshire's service plan for next
winter be reviewed in the light of
these difficulties.
Now that spring is almost here, an
outdoor date for the diary is the
Clyde Muirshiel Regional Park
cycling festival which will take place
on Sunday 26 April. There will be
various categories ranging from the
sedate to the arduous with
something for everyone so do come
along - count me in for the sedate
category!
If you are taking a break over Easter
I hope that you enjoy it.
Please note that I will not be holding
a surgery on Easter Saturday 4th
April
I will however be continuing to work
over the Easter weekend so if you
need any assistance please get in
touch
at
any
time
at
cllr.derek.bibby@renfrewshire.gov.
uk or phone 07534156007 to
arrange an individual appointment.
Derek Bibby
of Heathfield Farm are nearby.
THE STIRRUP CUP
ANTIQUES AND VINTAGE SHOP
Antique and Vintage items are an eco
friendly way to furnish your home. The
fun and excitement of finding a treasure
to keep perhaps for a lifetime. It is always
intriguing to wonder who has previously
owned it and how much it was loved and
admired.
Find us at West Bankside Farm, just off the
Largs Road on the outskirts of Kilbirnie opposite the Kilbirnie Place Golf Course. Disabledaccessand parkingat thedoor.Open7
days10.00a.m–5.00p.m.
Telephone Greta on 01505683338 or
07786720586.
Emailgreta@thestirrupcup.co.uk.
Website
www.thestirrupcup.co.uk
PostcodeforSatNavKA257LQ
The Volcanoes of
Muirshiel
Not every prominent summit in the
Renfrew Heights was once a volcano.
Certainly the hills of Renfrewshire, in
common with the Kilpatrick Hills
and the Campsie Fells, were created
by outpourings of lava thankfully
long since solidified. The geological
literature informs us that the
Campsies are made up of at least 33
lava flows piled one on top of the
other and seen today as parallel lines
in the cliffs above Blanefield. Some of
these flows can also be identified in
the Renfrew Heights. Look especially
for small flat topped surfaces. These
are the remnants of eroded lava flows
worn down by millions of years of
weathering. Look out too for faint
parallel lines or terraces in the
moorland
grasses.
The
best
viewpoint for this is part of the way
along the first track on the right
beyond the entrance to Muirshiel
Country Park and looking to the right
towards a forest planting. The ruins
As noted above, most of the named
summits in the Renfrew Heights
are not in fact extinct volcanoes.
They are merely undulations in the
high moorland. There is however,
at least one prominent hill which
does owe its origin to a volcano and
that is the Hill of Stake. This was of
course millions of years before
there were people to be threatened
by its eruptions. Yards from the
summit is its volcanic vent now
choked with compacted ash (tuff)
and rock debris (agglomerate).
The walk from the information
centre to Windy Hill is a great
favourite with visitors. Its profile is
typical of a lava plug. However, it is
in fact simply a mass of rock more
resistant to weathering than the
landscape surrounding it. The
nearby Craig Minnon too fails to
qualify as an extinct volcano. This
crag is all that remains of once
extensive
layers
of
lava.
Incidentally, there is no evidence
that Misty Law was a volcano
either. It is simply another example
of a high point in undulating
moorland. However, to the south of
Misty Law there are several small
plugged up vents through which
molten rock must have emerged.
One such hill is Dun Connel the site
of an Iron Age fort. Two other
blocked vents are Box Law and
Slatey Hill. They are situated about
ten kilometres to the west of Dun
Connel. East of Muirshiel, in the
direction of Loch Libo, is a gently
rounded hill known as Caldwell
Law. It is another “volcanic
intrusion” and in common with
most of the other vents mentioned
is composed of quartz-dolerite, a
hard and coarse grained crystalline
rock. Caldwell Tower stands on the
hill’s lower slopes.
Close to the village of Howwood is
Walls Hill. It is 230 metres in
height and is the site of an Iron Age
fort similar to Dun Connel. Yes
you’ve guessed it—it is yet another
volcanic plug. If you look at the
solid
geology
map
titled
“Greenock”, you will see from the
key that Walls Hill is composed of
basalt. To the geologist a more
detailed description would be
8
“micro-porphyritic olivine basalt of
the
Dalmeny
type”—quite
a
mouthful but important to know had
you been in the vicinity about 300
million years ago while this small
hill was erupting lava. The Dalmeny
type of lava can be very fast flowing
just as the volcanoes of Hawaii are
today. This is in contrast to the
Neilston Pad volcano which was of
the sticky slow moving and explosive
type.
The volcanoes were fed by magma
(molten
rock
plus
gasses)
originating from deep within the
Earth’s crust. Much of the magma
must have forced its way up along
fissures. When it cooled and
solidified it formed volcanic dykes. A
short walk from the Muirshiel visitor
centre takes you down to a waterfall.
At this point the River Calder flows
over an exposed dyke. Dykes extend
to unknown depths and have been
traced horizontally for many miles.
Surrounded by volcanic plugs,
volcanic dykes and volcanoes the
good people of Lochwinnoch should
nevertheless feel safe going about
their daily business. There has not
been a murmur from the Hill of
Stake for around 300 million years.
Bryan Cromwell
Bryan, a Lochwinnoch resident, is a
graduate of Glasgow University, a
retired teacher of Geography and
Geology who worked at Castle
Semple Water Park in the mid 1970s
as a seasonal ranger under Senior
Ranger Terry Robinson.
Lochwinnoch
International Aid
and Fairtrade
We've just had Fairtrade Fortnight
(FTF) which included a visit from
Ismael Diaz Rivas, a coffee and
honey farmer in the mountains of
northwest Guatemala. He spoke at
several schools, businesses and
community groups
in the area
during FTF including Lochwinnoch
Primary where he said he was
impressed by the interest shown by
the pupils 'who all looked so healthy
compared to those in his own area'!
The local FT group met him in the
Junction (Fairtrade hotspot!) and
learned how being part of a
Fairtrade cooperative allows his
community,
to
benefit
from
increased
income,
training,
technical assistance, investment in
facilities and access to loans.
Without this help the producers
would struggle to earn enough
money to have a basic standard of
living.
Thanks
to
Marcello
Dominguez
for
helping
as
interpreter.
We are pleased that local Caitlin
Armstrong (with help from mum
Donna) did so well in the Fairtrade
Bake-Off competition coming in the
top 6 out of 35 entrants with a very
striking
blue
teapot
shaped
Fairtrade cake. Thanks also to Sean
the Butcher for sponsoring the cost
of the ingredients. Photos of the
cake should be on the village
website. Donna has joined the local
LIA/Fairtrade Group – welcome!
At our recent AGM we reviewed our
donations for the previous year. We
were pleased to hear that we had
given enough money to the Acid
Survivors Trust International to pay
for a reconstructive operation for at
least one women who had been
attacked with acid which happens in
several Asian countries.
We've also given donations to:
Medecins Sans Frontieres (MSF)
help fight Ebola; to MAP for medical
help in Gaza; to a Fistula hospital in
Ethiopia; to Mary's Meals and to
several other charitable projects. In
total we gave £2230 which is a good
ENGLISH TUITION IN YOUR HOME
All Grades
M.STEWART Ph.D., BA (Hons)
01505 502357
07920 797 700
E-m[il, mg^st_w[rt@gm[il.]om
bit less than previous years so we
are trying to increase our income
over the next year. Many of us set
up standing orders of £5 or £10 a
month which is not a lot is it? We
welcome more contributors. In
return we get to spread the name of
Lochwinnoch around the world by
giving a little bit of help. For more
information or to offer help contact
us through
lochintaid@talktalk.net
or 01505 843 099.
What Females Want
What do horses and people have in
common? Both mares and women
prefer a male with a deep voice (or
whinny).
Recent research has found that
while mares will chose the biggest
and strongest stallion of a herd as
mate, if the mare can’t see the
stallions (in the wild they can be
quite a distance apart) she will
choose the stallion with the deepest
whinny.
The technical name for this is “the
Barry White effect”.
Researchers have found that women
also prefer men with deeper voices
but not too deep.
Baby Otters
Males with deep voices are
considered to make good fathers in
both the human and horse worlds.
So boys, now you know.
It's baby otter time of year again.
Please take extra care driving past
the RSPB and into the village as
the otters do venture onto the road.
LEAP are Recruiting…
Community Development & Outreach Worker
LEAP are looking to recruit for a self-employed position
to help LEAP engage with local people and increase the
number of residents from Lochwinnoch, Bridge of Weir,
Kilbarchan, Crosslee and Houston.
To find out more visit:
www.myleapproject.org/recruitment
9
What’s On
Tones host an open mike session
at Lochwinnoch Golf Club,
Regular clubs, classes and groups

Advice Works—At the Library by
appointment only. Contact 0300
300 1238

Bokwa Fitness — Masonic Hall,
Thursdays, 7—8pm. Places limited.
Contact Rachel on 07795 100231 or
503362

Boys’ Brigade—meets on Tuesday
evenings in the Parish Church Hall.
- Anchor Boys P1 to P3 (6pm—7pm)
- Juniors P4 to P6 (7pm- 8.15pm)
- Company P7 to S6 (7.45—9.30pm)
Tel Mark Brown 842209 or email
BB1stLochwinnoch@btinternet.com

Calder Drama Club—Thursdays,
from 8pm-10pm McKillop Institute.

Calder UF Church—Food for
Thought. Last Monday of the month
7.30pm in church hall

Children's
Drama
Workshops—Thursdays
in
McKillop Hall 5-8yrs 4.30-5.30pm,
9-12yrs 5.30-6.30pm Tel: 07814
699127
Email:
rocketyouththeatre@gmail.com

Drop-in T Bar—Lochwinnoch
Elderly Forum. McKillop Institute,
10-12 noon.

First Friday of Month—Semple
Q

Girls Brigade—1st Lochwinnoch
Company, Wed evenings from
6pm-9.15pm at the Parish Church
Hall for various age groups.

Hatha Yoga Classes with LauraJane
Lawson.
WednesdayMcKillop Inst 7pm-8.30pm. All
levels welcome. Tel: 07999 862
162
or
Email:
ljlyoga@hotmail.co.uk



Jogging
Buddies—Tuesday
evenings.
Meet at Lochbarr
Football Club at 6.30pm. For
details, Tel: 0141 887 1357 or
07947 763704
Keep Fit—Improving With
Age classes—every Tues from 1011am at the McKillop. Tel 842 136

Lochwinnoch
Toddlers—
Mondays and Wednesdays from
9.30 - 11.30am, McKillop

Lochwinnoch Writers Group—
Monday from 2-4:15pm in the
Library. Contact 873581

Morag’s Keep Fit—Mondays and
Thursdays from 7pm, in the
McKillop Institute

Positive Thinking Group Meet
every 4th Wed in the Bridgend
Community Centre, Kilbirnie. Cost
£3.50 For further info telephone
Andrea on 07890 181 769

ROAR
Lunch
Club—every
Thursday from 11.45am PROMPT at
the McKillop Institute.
Please
Note - ONLY ONE SITTING.

Krafty Kids—open to all Primary
School children 1.30—3pm in
small Parish Church room. For
bookings telephone Katharine
Billany on 01505 844 944 or
07947 075 622

Scottish Country Dance Club—
Every Tuesday, from 7.30-9.30pm,
McKillop Inst.

Sequence Dance Class—Every
Wed 7.30-9.30 at Bowling Club
Liathach Dog Training—(prebooking necessary). Anne Moss,
Tel: 01505 842367, e-mail:
dogtraining@f2s.com

Slinky
mornings

Scottish Slimmers—Thursdays,
7.30pm, McKillop Inst.

TaeKwon-Do—Fitness and Selfdefence classes for youths and
adults.
Tuesdays from 5-6pm,
McKillop and Thursdays from 7pm8pm at Lochwinnoch Primary
School. Tel: 01259 210716.

TaiChi—Masonic Hall, wed 11-12
noon, Thursday 6:45-7:45pm

Linda Margaret School of
Dancing—Tuesdays from 4pm8.45pm, McKillop Institute. For
details, Tel: 0141 581 9104.
New Memorials

Lochwinnoch Art Group—
Meet fortnightly on Monday
evenings,
7.30pm,
McKillop
Institute.
Strollers—Thursday

Lochwinnoch
Choral
Society—Rehearsals on Monday
evenings, Parish Church/ Hall.
Juniors 7:15-8pm, and Seniors
8pm-9.15pm.


Lochwinnoch
Community
Walks—Mondays (ex. Public
Holidays), meet at 10.30am at The
McKillop Institute.
Zumba—Lochbarr Centre, Wed
7pm - 8pm
Zumba by Cheryl.
Saturday morning 9.30am - 10.30
am Zumba then 10.30am - 11.00am
Metafit -both by instructress Toni

Zumbatonic for kids—Fridays
4-7 yrs 4-5.30pm, 8-14yrs 5.307pm, Lochbarr Centre. Toni

Lochwinnoch Country Dance
Club—meets Tuesday evenings
7.30 in the McKillop Hall and new
members welcome

Lochwinnoch
Gymnastics
Club—For primary age children
every Mon, 5-7pm at the McKillop.
Cleaning & Renovations
42 MAIN STREET
KILBIRNIE
Mon & Fri 10am-5pm
Tue-Thur 10am-2pm
Sat By Appointment
Lochwinnoch
Pre-School
Gymnastics—(for children from 18
months to 5yrs). Fridays, from
10.15am - 1.45pm at the McKillop.
Tel Coby on Tel: 07729 051615
Knitting Group—Mondays 10am
-12 noon (or longer) at The Loch
House, all levels welcome

Please Call 01505 68 5455
www.quinnmemorials.co.uk


Guaranteed
SALE ITEMS ALWAYS IN STOCK
Lochwinnoch Playgroup—For
children from 2.5—5 years, every
Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday
from 9.30-11.30am at the McKillop .
New children are always welcome.
Please contact Diane on 01505
843054, 07710 630828, Email:
dianecullen@hotmail.co.uk
Kiddies
Ceilidh
Club—
Traditional dancing for you and
your little ones. Thursday 9.30am
McKillop Institute
Personal Service & Quality
Additional Inscriptions


J Quinn & son
Memorials
Healing
and
Creativity
Workshops & Classes—For
details or to book a place, please
Tel Becky: 0141 8816700 or Libby
on: 01505 842604
Tel Coby on: 07729 051 615.
10
Some activities may cease during
holidays, please check
Drugs
Scandal
Upcoming Events
 Fri 27 March—Fashion Show
by Toggery, Lochwinnoch Parish
Church Hall, Doors open 6.30pm
for 7pm. Ticket £6 includes a
glass of wine and nibblesPhone
01505 842365 to book.
 Sat
28
March—1st
Lochwinnoch Boys’ Brigade
Open Race, from 2pm. Entry
forms are available from Christine
Donaldson
at
christine39forever@hotmail.com
or you can register from 11.30 till
1.00 at Lochwinnoch Parish
Church on the day of the race.
 Sun 29 March—Beith Arts
Sunday
Concert with the
Telemann Ensemble playing
baroque
music
on
period
instruments. Beith Community
Centre, King's Road, Beith,
2.30pm, £11/£9 for adults and £3
for students and children
 Wed
8 April—Heart Start
Course, 7-9pm, Bowfield Hotel,
Howwood contact Morag on
morag.Thow@gcu.ac.uk or 01505
843183
 Thur 9 and Fri 10 April—
Kilbarchan
Habbies
Art
Show from 11.00am - 8.00pm
and Sat 11th from 10.00am 4.30pm, in the Kilbarchan Guide
Centre. Entrance £1 - Tea/Coffee Raffle.
 Fri 10th April—Parish Church
Tea
2pm to 4pm
tea,coffee/sandwiches/scones/
cakes. Cost £3.50
Spring
 Fri 10 April—Renfrewshire
RSPB Local Group illustrated
talk entitled Swifts by Clare
Darlaston, 7.30pm,the McMaster
Centre, Donaldson Drive, Renfrew
PA4 8LX. Admission Free.
 Wed 22 April—Heart Start
It is sad to report
that members of
Lochwinnoch
Choral
Society
are being investigated for illegal
drug use by the Scottish Choral
Regulator. Stories are circulating of
mainlining Robitussin, Fisherman’s
Friend overconsumption and wild
Night Nurse-fuelled parties.
Quiz at the Normandy Hotel,
7pm-1am. Tickets are just £29.95
per person and include a fizz
reception, 3 course meal plus
coffee, an 8 round quiz until
midnight and disco until 1am.
Reserve your seats now on 0141
847 8900 or enquiries@ramh.org
 Fri 19 June—The Sunset Sail
formerly known as the TCT Not
the Booze Cruise. More details
A bridge too far?
Rumours abound about the Council’s
Main Street bridge repair plans. Is it
simply a repair job or is it true that the
new bridge will be equipped to collect
information on those crossing it?
The
regulator
was
at
first
sympathetic to the difficulties of dry
throats and the challenges of The
Cheesemakers.
However,
first
warnings were simply ignored and it
seems the regulator may have to
send offenders to the ‘sin bin’ to
practise scales for hours on end.
Could detectors placed in and at the
side of the bridge check car number
plates, insurance and MOT status as
well as number and identity of driver
and passengers, their nationality,
work status and any state benefits
claimed. There is a further rumour
that passing over this bridge, a
detector
will
collect
internet
passwords
and
Wi-Fi
router
passwords and potentially credit card
information.
Friends of Choral Society members
are asked to offer as much support
as possible to those suffering from
addiction.
Elderly Forum AGM
Thursday 30th April at 1.30pm
While there are those who support
this first ‘smart bridge’, claiming it is a
coup for Lochwinnoch to be an
international leader in smart bridge
technology applications, there are
those who are expressing concern that
this is a development too far. What do
you think?
At this meeting office bearers for
2015-16 will be elected.
Annual fees of £3 will be collected.
Our three councillors will be in
attendance with updates and to hear
members' issues.
The meeting will be followed by a
good helping of Morrison's tasty
sandwiches along with wine and
assorted fruit juices.
There will be a meeting on the bridge
on 1 April at 12.01 to discuss the
situation.
B. Wise
A sheet will be passed round at the
Tbar, lunch club and craft class to
give the committee an idea of
numbers for this buffet.
Course, 2-4pm,
Masonic
Lodge Lochwinnoch
contact
Morag on morag.Thow@gcu.ac.uk
or 01505 843183
 Fri 15 May—RAMH Dinner &
New Smart Bridge
Anne
Mr
Joinery: All including Kitchens, Bathrooms, Flooring, Tiling, Garages, Sheds etc. Pain ng/Decora ng/Paperhanging. Fencing: Wooden & Metal. Ornamental Metalwork & Welding Monoblock/Slabbing & Gardening. FREE Es mates/Best Prices Tel: 07917 654 857 11
From Hungary With Love
Viola
Legeny
is
one
of
Lochwinnoch’s newer residents. For
Countdown
fans,
Viola
is
Lochwinnoch’s answer to Susie
Dent: a linguist who has studied 7
languages
(Italian,
Spanish,
Portuguese,
German,
French,
English and Hungarian) she is
currently working at Glasgow
University on a project to create a
Scots language thesaurus.
thesis: The Distribution of Scots
Idioms. While out with friends
celebrating her birthday she met
Brian (from Bishopton) and love
blossomed. Viola had to return to
Hungary to finish her degree
studies and the young couple sadly
parted. However, love was not to
be denied and Brian started
visiting Viola in Budapest.
Viola completed her degrees,
gaining a first class honours in
English and an upper second in
Education and HR. All this while
tutoring other students. She
admits she didn’t sleep much
during this time.
Brian was constantly in the picture
and after graduation she agreed to
move to Glasgow to be with him.
They both enjoy the outdoors and
found
Lochwinnoch
very
appealing. They moved from
Glasgow to Lochwinnoch in
January.
Viola was born in Budapest,
Hungary the middle of three
children (she has a 15yr old brother
and an old sister). Her family moved
out of the city to a large house in the
country where Viola and her dog
enjoyed playing in the woods and
open country. This is when her love
of the countryside was born.
She attended ballet school and then,
at 14, a bilingual English/Hungarian
school. She found this difficult at
first as she spoke no English when
she started at the school and the first
year was intensive in English. After
her initial difficulties, Viola came to
enjoy the language.
After school and not sure what to do
next, Viola chose to have a gap year
and moved to Oxford and then to
Yorkshire as an au pair looking after
two small girls, a job she loved and is
still in touch with the family.
Back home, Viola took the unusual
decision to study for two different
degrees at two different universities,
at the same time, studying
Education and HR at one and
English at the other.
During her university studies Viola
was awarded a scholarship to
Glasgow University working on her
Viola describes herself as an open,
friendly, perfectionist who loves
meeting people and needs to be
busy.
She
enjoys
running,
hillwalking, climbing, reading,
cooking and baking. I think it is
fair to call her energetic. She is
looking forward to having a dog
and I imagine it will not be short of
walks.
Viola has kindly agreed to
entertain us with articles on Scots
idioms – something she knows
much more about than we native
Scots.
If you see Viola in the village, say
‘Hello’ and let her know if you
enjoy her articles.
Stories Locked in
Letters,
Revealing Scots Idioms
First, let me clarify about what we
mean by an idiom. In theory, an
idiom is a combination of several
words; an expression where simply
knowing the words that make it up
doesn’t give its meaning. If we
didn’t know the expression ‘he has
a finger in every pie’ we might
think of a quirky character like Mr.
Bean having a pie on each finger
12
and a weird smile on his face.
However, the meaning of this idiom
has nothing to do with pies nor
fingers but someone who is involved
in many activities.
Idioms make a language unique; they
give a glimpse of its speakers’
character, traditions and history.
Scots phrases often contain some
weird looking words from Old
English or Old Scots and therefore
need some explanation. In this
article, I am going to reveal some of
these distinctive Scots idioms and the
tales that lie behind them. So let’s
start our journey with a bit of a
history:
Ding doun Tantallon = to attempt
the impossible, to go beyond all
bounds
Tantallon was a formidable castle on
the coast of East Lothian. It was built
in the mid14th century for the Red
Douglas dynasty and served as a fort
for more than three centuries.
Tantallon was besieged by both
James IV and James V and
ultimately destroyed by Oliver
Cromwell’s troops in the siege of
1651. Due to its massive fortification
and the difficulty with which it was
destroyed, the castle remained in the
Scots language as an almost
impossible task, or a challenge that
needs a monstrous effort. The
remains of the fort can be still
visited, looking a bit battered but
stunning, standing on the top of a
cliff overlooking Bass Rock.
The first word of the idiom is a funny
Scots one: ‘ding’ though sometimes
written ‘deng’; meaning to knock and
defeat. It can be traced back to the
14th century Old Scots, when
interestingly it appears in its current
form. Finally, the word ‘Doun’ is a
common Scots spelling of the English
‘down’. So next time, when you ‘ding
doun Tantallon’, bear in mind,
there’s not much left of it.
Fascinatingly, Tantallon has left a
mark in other expressions too, such
as ‘Tantallon cake’. This phrase
refers to a small tea-biscuit,
flavoured with lemon and cut with
scalloped edges - resembling the
roundels and crenellations of the
castle.
Scoor-the-BUGGHIE = a funny
way of addressing the youngest
member of a family
The verb ‘scoor’ means the same as
the English ‘scour’ or ‘scrub’ while
‘bugghie’, and its many various
spellings such as bogie/bogy/
bouggie, refers to a leather bag made
of sheepskin. So yes, the phrase
literary means: to scour the leather
bag – and how does this lead us to
the youngest member of the family?
Well, due to the lack of evidence, I’m
afraid this is one of those
unfortunate cases when we can only
guess the connection between the
parts and the meaning of the
idiom. We could speculate and say
that this phrase refers to the
situation when the mother really has
to scrape the bottom of the bag to get
enough food for all her children. Or,
as ‘bugghie’ is also used as a
nickname for someone with a large
paunch; this idiom could also
indicate a cheeky child who
figuratively scrapes the paunch off
his father by eating his share. Either
way, it is a fabulous game with
words. Interestingly, a similar idiom
exists in English but used for a spoilt
child, mother’s pet or a pin basket
(some more fabulous idioms).
Gove-i(n)-the-wind = a foolish,
vain, light-headed fellow
‘Gove’ has obscure origins but surely
existed in Old Scots as ‘gov (e)’ or
‘goif’ meaning to gaze or stare idly.
This phrase does not need much
explanation as by revealing the
meaning of ‘gove’ we can instantly
understand the logic behind the
words. Probably most of us can
instantly see a pale pudding-face
staring in the direction of the wind,
struggling to keep his eyes open.
Comically, according to the Concise
Scots Dialect Dictionary ‘gove’ is
also a name given to a school
headmaster.
Although my dad doesn’t know
what idioms are, he has always said
‘idioms must be the sisters of
idiots’; the more I study them the
more I feel he may be right. How a
historical fort came to be an
example of the impossible, what a
bag made of sheepskin has to do
with the youngest member of the
family, and why staring into the
wind makes us fools, illustrate the
magnificent stories locked in the
letters of a wonderful language.
Viola Legeny
LEAP needs
your help to
spread the
word!
LEAP has helped a number of local
residents reduce the amount of
energy it takes to heat and light
their homes. It has encouraged
active travel, improved access to
low-carbon
transport,
and
promoted local food. We aim to
continue to develop our work with
Lochwinnoch villagers. We are also
working to help make other local
homes more efficient by helping
BUDGET 2014: PENSION CHANGES
FOR EXPERT, INDEPENDENT FINANCIAL ADVICE ON
RETIREMENT PLANNING, PENSIONS AND INVESTMENTS:
John Delaney IFA
For a free initial consultation, without obligation, contact:
01505 844 801
07715 579 312
johndelaney@thinkpositive.co.uk
www.johndelaney-ifa.co.uk-co.uk
Calder lodge, Newton of Barr, Lochwinnoch PA12 4AR
Positive Solutions (Financial Services) Ltd. is authorised and
regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority. Registered as a Limited
Company In England And Wales No. 3276760.
13
people make a valuable investment
in their home to make their families
more comfortable.
From 1st April 2015 LEAP (Local
Energy Action Plan) needs your help
to enable us to work effectively with
householders in Lochwinnoch as
well
as
Houston,
Crosslee,
Brookfield, Kilbarchan and Bridge of
Weir to help reduce the amount of
energy they use in their homes and
daily lives.
You could tell friends and family
that we may be able to help and
advise them for FREE and give
sound impartial and professional
guidance that has helped others save
money, save energy and make their
house
much
cosier.
Visit
myleapproject.org to find out how
you can help us spread the word
locally.
LEAP's
(Youth
Engagement
Programme) Yep! runs a series of
hands-on, green, vocational skills
workshops, pop-up and social events
designed by and for young people
across Lochwinnoch, Bridge of Weir,
Howwood and Kilbarchan. To get
involved or find out more contact
Gillian on 01505 842 530 or email
gillian@myleapproject.org
CHATTERBOX
Chatterbox is produced and distributed on
behalf of Lochwinnoch Community
Council, with support and financial
assistance from local sponsors and
advertisers.
Lochwinnoch Community Council (LCC)
welcomes all entries for possible inclusion
for publication in print, web or audio
format or any way as thought
appropriate by the editorial team
All views are of individuals. The Editor
accepts no liability for errors or
statements
and
claims
made
in
submissions.
which helps to establish dominance
amongst individuals in the flock.
This behaviour is different to the
‘battleships’ displays that you see
when the breeding male chases off
the other swans when he brings his
cygnets over to feed in the summer.
Windows on Wildlife
Update
The Windows on Wildlife Project
aims to bring people closer to
wildlife, gaining a unique insight to
the furry & feathered inhabitants of
Castle Semple Country Park. Project
Officer Hayley Douglas gives us an
update.
Wildlife News
Whoopy the Whooper Swan has now
reappeared after disappearing for a
month. We were all starting to get
worried about him as he had never
disappeared for such a long time
before. This has now been his
seventh winter at Castle Semple and
despite his old wing injury, he
continues to thrive. You may notice
that he pecks at the other swans
which have greatly increased in
number over the last few weeks. This
is all normal behaviour amongst the
swans which have a pecking order
On the subject of dominance, Old
Boy, the big male badger, is
constantly on patrol in the woods at
the moment. I believe Tufty, the
female, has had cubs, which results
in
her
becoming
receptive
again. Rough and Tumble, last
year’s cubs, are still part of the clan
but Tumble, who is a young male, is
getting a hard time off his dad and
may soon leave the group. April is
the month where cubs usually make
an appearance and I will let you
know as soon as I see them.
Lastly some exciting news. On 10
March, I collected in one of the loch
cameras to find that we have two
baby otters! They look like they are
about 4 months old and are with a
female I don’t recognise, she may
be the female that lives on the Barr
Loch. Please remember to watch
your speed on the A760 between
the RSPB and the village as the
water levels are high and the family
may try to cross the road.
Events
The next Big WoW Weekend,
including all the new footage of the
baby otters, takes place at
Muirshiel Country Park on the 11
and 12 of April from 11.00 to 16.00
hrs. Drop in at any time. If the
weather is nice mist nets will also
be deployed and there will be bird
ringing demonstrations throughout
the day.
More Info…
Details can be found on the Park’s
website www.clydemuirshiel.co.uk or
by emailing
wow@clydemuirshiel.co.uk.
Footage can be viewed on the Park’s
Youtube channel or on the WoW
Facebook page. Talks to groups can
be arranged by sending me an email.
For more information please
contact:
Hayley Douglas windows on
wildlife project officer – cmrp tel
01505 842 882 ex 25.
RAMH
In celebration of the 25th anniversary
of service provision in the local area,
RAMH (formerly the Renfrewshire
Association for Mental Health) are
offering a White Water Rafting
experience on Saturday
29th
August, 2015.
RAMH’s Chief Executive Stephen
McLellan, who will also be rafting,
said “it’s going to be a fabulous day
out and everyone’s invited. For many
people experiencing mental ill health,
conquering their fears is a daily event.
For us we’ll be enjoying the thrill of
the River Tay knowing that it’s all
enabling local people rebuild their
lives.”
The day’s excursion includes return
transport from Paisley, a half day on
the water and a pub meal before
home time. Registration is just £10
with a sponsorship level of £90 by
August 7th.
Registration is now open.
To get signed up contact 0141 847
8900 or enquiries@ramh.org - places
are limited and early booking is
advised.
RAMH are celebrating their 25th
anniversary in style with a Dinner &
Quiz at the Normandy Hotel on
Friday 15th May from 7pm-1am.
It’s a fabulous opportunity to
combine networking and hospitality
with tons of fun, at this celeb-hosted
quiz. Tickets are just £29.95 per
person and include a fizz reception, 3
course meal plus coffee, an 8 round
quiz until midnight and disco until
1am.
Martyne Ferry
Lochwinnoch
14
Reserve your seats now on 0141 847
8900 or enquiries@ramh.org
RAMH are launching an appeal to
raise £25,000 in their 25th
anniversary year, allowing them to
move to better premises, where they
will be more accessible, more visible
and able to bring all their services
into one central hub.
Visit www.ramh.org or for a FREE
fundraising
pack
contact
enquiries@ramh.org or 0141 847
8900.
Do You Have Any
Experience Of
Divining?
That was the question put to me by a
husband and wife team before they
went to a lecture on the subject.
Bobby Armstrong and I had looked
into this some years ago and very
soon had come to the conclusion
that we were far too pragmatic for
any such thing to work for us. Very
doubtful Thomases we were and yet
both of us had witnessed others
being highly successful.
and slowly forwards. As he came
over the pipes so the rods swung
across each other and then came
apart. George invited me to feel the
force and it was hard to believe it
was not George who was resisting
me holding on to his arms.
But nothing happened when I tried.
I felt nothing at all. George was
training a young man and he did
get weak responses which were
expected to get stronger as his
senses developed.
By then George and his wife were
busy removing all the rubble that an
earlier generation had used to fill the
well but enough of the Roman
original work could be seen about
2000 years later.
George demonstrated his divining
technique using two thin brass rods
with ends bent at right angles to
form the handles by walking over the
top of his water pipes. He was
holding these rods out in front of his
chest as he walked very smoothly
To relieve the traffic congestion on
High Street and Church Street the
following will apply from First of
April.
On alternate weeks there will be no
parking on the right hand side of
Church Street or High Street unless
there is an ‘r’ in the month, the
temperature falls below 2 degrees
centigrade or above 10 degrees
centigrade. Traffic will move in one
direction along Church Street, up
Calder Street, along Braehead and
back to High Street. Signage will be
provided.
You can make diving rods out of
coat hangers, welding rods, wire
out of a fence or buy them on eBay
or at Amazon. Not that I would do
that because it is wiser to get some
brass rod at say B&Q and bend your
own. I keep some handy and people
who have never tried find my water
pipes and electricity cables and one
who surprised himself and me
could find small hidden copper
gadgets with 100% success.
The other week there will be no
traffic on Church Street or High
Street and traffic will move along
Lochlip road, St Winnoc road, up
Johnshill to Muirshiel.
Meanwhile I await a report of the
lecture because both my friends
found my water pipes and one
found the power cables.
To reach the shops and library
parking will be available – details to
follow.
Alan Lovegreen
So my answer had to be none of my
own but I had witnessed some
amazing events.
By far the most outstanding was that
with my BBC sound engineer friend
George Cassedy. For older readers
George was the sound man behind
the cameras of the Dr Finlay's Case
Book TV series. George who was a
good diviner had bought an old
Queen Anne house at Emsworth on
the south coast and had found not
just fresh water under his kitchen
floor but a Roman well too. My wife
and I went to see.
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15
Regional
Park Round
Up
Pedal the Park is Nearly Here!
Join us at Castle Semple on Sunday
29th April for Pedal the Park! There
will be lots going on for all the family
at the Event Village like the fixed
point challenge – how far can you
pedal in one minute? Take on your
partner pal or parent! Plus we’ll have
a bicycle powered cinema, trade
stands from Merida and MooreLarge, skills courses, try a bike –
trike, hand or mountain! All that
plus the main rides themselves 68km
sportive, family ride treasure hunt
ride through Parkhill, hand bike time
trail and mountain bike ride.
Register online now through British
Cycling’s website or see
www.clydemuirshiel.co.uk/things-to
-do/cycling/pedal-the-park
Easter at Clyde Muirshiel
Get the whole family out for some
fresh air, visit a Centre or Country
Park and get some fresh air and
exercise! There’s junior multi activity
weeks for 8-15 yr. olds so they can
try out new sports on land and water
as well as gain confidence and make
new friends. Plus we have the
lochshore field challenge at Castle
Semple and Easter quiz sheets at
Muirshiel and Greenock Cut!
Scottish Multi-Class Regatta
Entry forms are out and you can now
be part of the Race 2 the Games
legacy event the Scottish Multi-Class
Regatta on 20 & 21 June 2015. Keep
an eye out as our local special
schools will be down training in our
adaptive boats, Hansa 303s, getting
some practice in before the big day!
Would you like to support or sponsor
your local special school? Email
info@scottishmulticlassregatta.org.uk
Crit on the Green – Clyde
Muirshiel aids Paracycling
Event
Clyde Muirshiel was at the Glasgow
Riderz Crit on the Green event at the
end of March talking Pedal the Park
Dead & Dangerous Trees Removed Tree Pruning and Maintenance Lumberjax Tree Services www.ljxltd.co.uk t: 01505 873 347 m: 07587 133 347 e: enquiry@ljxltd.co.uk Stump Grinding Free Es mates & Advice Fully Insured 24hr Call Out Service 30 Years Experience in the UK & Europe and showing everyone our new
accessible hand bikes and trikes!
Contact Castle Semple if you’re
interested in them!
Duke of Edinburgh
Programmes
Clyde Muirshiel is an approved
activity provider to deliver Duke of
Edinburgh
programmes.
We’re
currently
working
on
new
opportunities for 14 – 25 year olds,
no matter what their ability, to do
their Duke of Edinburgh at Clyde
Muirshiel. There are new offerings
contributing mainly to the skill,
physical and expedition sections of
the award. Look on our website for
details.
Ride 63 Club News & Ride Out
Info!
A Community Cycle Group ‘Ride 63’
is up and running, next ride out on
Apr 30th. More info on when they’re
going out on their Facebook. Email
the Secretary at
ridesixtythree@gmail.com
to become a member or email the
Park at routes@clydemuirshiel.co.uk
for more information.
CMRP Online
Keep up to speed with events and
activities taking place on the Park’s
Facebook
facebook.com/
ClydeMuirshielRegionalPark
Twitter @Clydemuirshiel pages.
or
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Mondays (but not public holidays) Lochwinnoch Community Walks
meet 10.30 hrs at The Cross,
Lochwinnoch.
Weekly Volunteer Groups Newcomers always welcome!
Thursdays Castle Semple
Conservation Volunteers, Adult
group, from 12.30 – 15.30 hrs.
Saturdays Greenock Cut
Conservation Volunteers, Adult
group, 10.30 – 14.30 hrs.
Office: 01505 873347 Mobile: 07824 556 565 Or Email ‐ enquiry@ljxltd.co.uk Sundays Castle Semple Young
Volunteers, 12-18 yr olds, 10.00 –
12.00 hrs
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April Events:
Fri 3 Apr
Open for Summer
Summer hours begin, join a Ranger-lead event or stop
for a coffee and admire the beautiful countryside. Bike
hire summer hours begin at Castle Semple.
WHERE:
All Visitor Centres
WHEN: Castle Semple 10.00 - 17.00 hrs daily
Muirshiel and Greenock Cut 11.00-16.00 hrs daily
Fri 3 – Mon 6 Apr Easter Weekend
Entertainment
See the Visitor Centre Staff at Muirshiel & Greenock Cut
for your Easter Quiz Sheet when visiting this weekend!
Or have a go at the Castle Semple Easter Competition in
the lochshore field!
Hessilhead Seal Fund
WHERE:
All Centres
WHEN: Castle Semple 10.00 - 17.00 hrs daily
Muirshiel and Greenock Cut 11.00-16.00 hrs daily
Sun 5 April The Great Greenock Cut
Eggstravaganza
Bring the family along to decorate an egg, indulge in tea
and hot cross buns before taking part in a traditional egg
rolling competition.
WHERE:
Greenock Cut Visitor Centre
WHEN:
13.00 – 15.00 hrs
COST: £1 per egg, £3 for tea & hot cross buns.
MORE INFO: Tel 01475 529 543 & bookings
Mon 6 – Fri 10 & Mon 13 – Fri 17 Apr Junior
Multi Activity Weeks
A full week of sport for 8 - 15 yr. olds to get active, learn
new skills and make new friends, on land and water!
Week 1 full day sessions available, week 2 AM or PM
sessions. Get 6 or more children together and book your
own course.
WHERE:
Castle Semple Visitor Centre
COST:
FULL DAYS £145 or 5 HALF DAYS £85
MORE INFO: Tel 01505 842 882 Ex 20 & bookings
Sat 11 & Sun 12 Apr
Big WoW weekend
Find out about all the animals we have been filming weasels, badgers, roe deer and more. Ringing
demonstrations throughout the day, weather dependent.
WHERE:
Muirshiel Country
Park
WHEN: 10.00 - 16.00 hrs both days
MORE INFO: Tel 01505 842 882 Ex 20
www.hessilhead.org.uk
Each year Hessilhead Wildlife Rescue Trust take in many
rescue seals and bring them back to their animal hospital
for treatment. Once they are well enough we release them
back into the wild. Without the centre many seals would
die or be left too unwell to survive. In the wild seal pups
and seals face many threats. These include being caught
in fishing nets, getting hit by boats, dog bites whilst resting on beaches, ingesting and entanglement in marine
litter and debris and being shot.
Hessilhead currently have six seals in their rehabilitation
facility that have been rescued and need help . Rescued
seal need large amount of oily fish to regain weight and
condition. A Common seal pup would not be considered
for release until it weighs 35KG and a Grey seal pup
45KG. Gaining weight and overcoming injuries or illness
can take several months.
At Present Hessilhead Wildlife Rescue Trust's feed bill for
Herring fish which is used to feed the seals is over £800
per week. There is also veterinary drugs and treatment
that can be costly as a further expense. It is estimated
that each seal cost's £2000 to feed and rehabilitate.
Hessilhead work extremely hard to help all wildlife back
to the wild.
On behalf of Hessilheads injured and sick seals we would
like to thank you for your donation.
http://www.gofundme.com/ox44vk
Sun 26 Apr Pedal the Park: Cycling Festival
Join Ride 63 Community Cycle Club and the Park Staff
for a fun day out pedalling in the Park! There is a ‘Road
Ride’, ‘Mt Bike Ride’ plus family friendly ride, prizes and
activities. Event village with lots of entertainment
including a ‘Rollapaluza’! No bike?! Hire one from RT
Cycles’ Martin.
WHERE:
Castle Semple Centre. Road and Mt Bike
ride info on Ride 63 Facebook page
WHEN:
From 10.00 hrs
MORE INFO: Tel 01505 842 882 Ex 21.
17
RSPB Local Group
The next meeting of the
Renfrewshire Royal Society
for the Protection of Birds
Local Group will be held on
Friday 10 April 2015 at 7.30
pm.
There will be an illustrated
talk entitled Swifts by Clare
Darlaston.
Lochwinnoch Art Group
The month of April will see the final two meetings of our
2014 - 2015 Syllabus.
 Monday 13th April: Animal Sketching in Pastel.
 Monday 27th April: "Lochwinnoch Street Scene" -
Sketching.
Both meetings will be held in the "Space Room" of the
McKillop Institute between 7.30pm - 9.30pm. We hope
the weather will allow us to sketch out of doors on the
27th but we shall still base ourselves in the McKillop. It
might be raining!! ... (and we'll still want our coffee / tea
break).
Although we're a "selfhelp" group we do have three tutor
demos each year. Last month we enjoyed a very
informative demo of Oil painting on an Acrylic base
entitled
"Seascape" by Neil MacDonald.
The meeting will be held in
the McMaster Centre, Donaldson Drive, Renfrew PA4
8LX. All welcome, admission free.
The Greatest Loser
I have just been awarded the
Greatest Loser Award for
Slimming World Kilbirnie
having almost halved my
body weight from 15 and a
half stone to 8 stone (7 and a
half stone off) in precisely 1
year, to the day.
Having tried for 20 years to
achieve this, I am feeling like
a new person. I could not
have done this without the
help, support and fantastic
healthy
eating
plan
at
Slimming World Kilbirnie and
my wonderful consultant, Joy
Crosby.
I would also, very importantly like to thank all my previous
customers at the Post Office and nearly everyone I have
come into contact with in the village over the past year for
the continuous encouragement and genuine delight
expressed as those pounds disappeared - this helped so
much as I felt I could not let everyone down after the level
of support I have been shown.
Thank you lovely people of Lochwinnoch for helping
change my life!
Donna Armstrong
18
Cllr Andy
Doig
Police Scotland
have reported to
me that in the
last month one weekend saw a
concerning incident at Harvey
Terrace in Lochwinnoch involving
an individual who was intoxicated
with alcohol and drugs, whilst they
did stress this was a one off
incident, and we need to put
everything into context, this is still
very concerning.
Penny Appeal
Animal Support & Rescue is a
charity based in Howwood.
Some of you may know Penny, who
has 'Narcolepsy' which means she
can fall asleep without notice.
She has not had a serious episode
for some time however this mnth
she collapsed in her stable and got
trapped behind her stable door.
Thankfully the girls were on hand
and after some time managed to get
her moved to a position that she
could get up.
As you can imagine at 17'3" this was
not an easy job. We previously
raised some funds to put padding on
the walls but unfortunately it was
not enough to complete it.
We are appealing for people to
donate £1 to help us complete the
safety adjustments in her stable.
Please if you can help to keep Penny
safe:
Text ASAR22 £1 to 70070
Paypal:
animalrescueglasgow@gmail.com
Accordingly, I have reiterated to
council officers that I want CCTV
installed in the centre of
Lochwinnoch as soon as possible to
keep our village safe and secure as
there has been anti social
behaviour in the Calder Street area
too over the last six months of a
more sustained nature. Recently I
spoke to a colleague, who lives
elsewhere in Renfrewshire, who
took great pleasure in informing
me
that
in
her
opinion
Lochwinnoch was one of the most
beautiful villages in Renfrewshire. I
totally agree, and we want to keep
it that way.
At the beginning of each calendar
year council officers ask all
Councillors for a list of roads in
their wards which they feel are in
need of repair, needless to say this
list is always longer than the
resources they require. However,
the last Environment Board of
Renfrewshire Council approved
investment in the A760 Kilbirnie
Road, at Lochlip, and the
Roadhead, of £50,600, and
£72,600 respectively, in B786
Stepends Road, at Boghead, and
Mid Barnaigh, of £39,600, and
£39,600 respectively, in Bridesmill
Road of £57,200, and in Lochlip
Road of £48,400.
This represents a total significant
investment in the infrastructure of
Lochwinnoch of £308,000 which I
have been fighting for, as our
villages deserve their fair share of
funding.
Along
with
my
Scottish
Parliamentary colleague, Stewart
19
Maxwell MSP, I have been working
to secure funding for some
Lochwinnoch young people who are
part of the Borneo Team Challenge
which involves them travelling to
Borneo to work on community
projects there. Stewart and I have
managed to put the Team in touch
with the Young Explorers Trust, the
Next Challenge, and the Royal
Geographical Society for possible
funding. These local young people
are a credit to themselves, their
parents, and their school, and I wish
them every success in their venture
to make a difference in Borneo.
I very much want to make myself
available to local residents in
Lochwinnoch and please note my
Lochwinnoch advice surgery is on
the 4th Wednesday of the month, at
7:30pm, in the McKillop Institute,
excluding July. However, I am
available at any time to constituents
who can call me on 07534 148224,
tweet me on CllrAndy4Ward8, or email me at
cllr.andy.doig@renfrewshire.gov.uk
Yours Sincerely,
Cllr Andy Doig (SNP)
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 Do you have some spare time?
 Do you have a dog-friendly home
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If so, you could be suitable to look
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Applications from the
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Remuneration available.
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Installation • Repairs • Spares
For more than 15 years St Vincent’s
Hospice has aspired to create a
garden at the rear of the hospice. The
cost involved is huge – we need to
raise £75,000 to create the structure
for this ambitious project.
Thanks to the hard work and
dedication of our volunteer Katrina
Vine we have recently received
funding
from
the
Landfill
Community Fund, through the
support of the Malcolm Group,
William Tracey Group and Helping
Hands Association. This funding
allows the landscaping to begin but
to create the garden we need to raise
a further £75,000.
Currently our garden consists of a
sloped grassed area with a large but
leaking pond. This project will
completely transform the area to
create an accessible, welcoming
tranquil space; a special garden
facility for St Vincent’s Hospice, the
local community and beyond. Chief
Executive Kate Lennon explains:
‘As a large sloping site, the
challenge has been to design it so
that it will be fully wheelchair
accessible and also dementia safe.
This requires altering ground levels,
creating
wheelchair
adequate
pathways, building seating areas,
creating a terraced seating area,
raised sensory areas and fully
0141 950 1423
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01786 820 130
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refurbishing the current pond.
Natural, local materials will be used
as much as possible, with extensive
use of dry stone walls to give the
garden a traditional feel’.
‘This project will create a garden
space for patients and families to
enjoy and help support care.
However, making the garden
accessible to our whole community
is a big objective for the hospice.
The philosophy of the hospice is to
care for all in need of our care – we
want our garden to reflect this’.
The garden will be open to the
public in the summer, and we expect
it to be a calm and welcoming place
that works on many levels, helping
people in many different ways.
We need your help to make this all
possible. You can donate by texting
SVHH14 and the amount you wish
to donate to 70070. You can also
donate via the fundraising office on
01505 705635.
T: 01505 705635
E: info@svh.co.uk
W: www.svh.co.uk
St Vincent’s Hospice is a Scottish
Registered Charity SC006888 and
member
of
the
Fundraising
Standards Board.
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