CHATTERBOX - Lochwinnoch Online

Nuisance Helpline
Anti-Social Behaviour
Noise problems
Support and Advice
Every day 9am – 10pm
Choir Pushes Boundaries
This Year the Lochwinnoch Choral
Society (The Choir), is bringing
something new to Lochwinnoch.
Expanding on the versatility displayed
in recent productions, this Christmas
t h e C h o i r i s p r o v i n g t h a t
‗Lochwinnoch‘s Got Talent‘, not only
within its own membership, but also
within t he ext end ed Vill age
Community.
We can‘t give too much away, but
there will be something to delight and
surprise everyone. Listen to the
charming singing of the Junior Choir,
led by Laura Davis. Experience new
Christmas songs, written by Marek
Wiszniewski, Lynda Cochrane the
Choir‘s regular accompanist, and by
Fran Schoppler who also performs.
Enjoy arrangements by Gordon Rigby
of Rock and Seasonal Anthems
featuring Fraser Gamble and Colin
Frame, and works by and with Betty
McKellar. Hear a performance of the
‗Benedictus‘ dedicated to the late Ian
Kennedy, who was himself a member
of the choir for many years.
Once again Gordon Rigby leads an
outstanding group of World class
musicians from the Scottish
Philharmonic Orchestra.
Festive nibbles, wine and light
refreshments will be provided during
the Interval to help lubricate audience
throats in preparation for the now
traditional finale of Community
Carols.
The Concert on 22nd December,
7.30 pm in the Parish Church, is
always a welcome start to the Festive
Season, and promises to be well
attended, so be sure to get your tickets
early from Choir members, the Brown
Bull and Cucina Minucci at the
Junction. Tickets: Adults £5, Children
£2.50, Family ticket (2+2) £12,
Concessions £3.
CHATTERBOX
No 204 December 2010
www.lochwinnoch.info
Community newsletter produced by Lochwinnoch Community Council
What’s On & Dates for your Diaries
Village events, clubs, classes, etc are in the centre pages this month
Surgery Holiday Closing
The Surgery will be closed 27th &
28th Dec and 3rd & 4th Jan - Please
remember to order enough repeat
medication to cover the festive
period.
Flu Vaccine is still available for
patients over 65 or suffering from
any chronic diseases. Tel 842200.
Christmas Lights
Switch On
6.30pm Sat 4th December
DON‘T FORGET the parade will start at
Auld Simon at 6.30 pm on Saturday.
Come along – whatever the weather –
dressed in something festive if you like.
Enjoy carols and the unveiling of the
winning Christmas Light from the
Community Council Competition.
Everyone welcome afterwards for Mulled
Wine and Mince Pies in the Parish
Church Hall, where there will also be a
display of the Thermal Images of many
Lochwinnoch Houses undertaken by the
LEAP project earlier this month.
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ASIST
Anti-Social
Investigation Team
Office 8:45am – 4:45pm
For more info please contact Carol
Gemmell on 842 040
Lochwinnoch Golf Club
Presents
An Evening of Christmas Classical
Favourites with the Melville Wind Quintet
7pm Wednesday 1st December 2010
A glass of wine, mince pies and nibbles
included £7.50 per person inclusive
Bookings essential 01505 842153
Calder Drama Club
Calder Drama's winter Production of
Last Tango in Lochwinnoch followed
by Last Panto in Lochwinnoch will be
held in the McKillop Hall on
Thursday 2nd
&
Friday 3rd December
Doors open at 7.00 pm. Curtain up at
7.30 Tickets on sale at door or from
Cut & Care Hairdressing, Now & Then,
or any member of the Drama Club,
priced £5.00 for adults and £3.00 for
Children and Senior Citizens.
Refreshments, both alcoholic and non
alcoholic available from the bar.

Whitecart Viaduct Road Works
I attended the open day regarding the
forthcoming road works on the
Whitecart Viaduct (M8, beside the
airport) in September. It transpires
that the final phase of the road works
will affect the bridge from December
to March 2011. In each direction the
M8 will be reduced to 2 lanes.
Average speed cameras will be used to
ensure that the speed limit of 40mph
is not exceeded (some hope, from past
experience!). This is because
workmen will be in the bowels of the
bridge welding, and if vehicles cross at
speed it makes them jiggle.
Mostly the bridge will stay open, so
there will be no diversions as such.
But it is hoped that joined up thinking
will mean that roads likely to be used
as rat runs will not have road works on
them at this time. Occasionally,
however, the bridge will shut
altogether (e.g. on Christmas day) and
diversions will be in place.
As a result of these works, it is
anticipated that there will be at peak
times at least a 30 minute delay.
Because some of the work will be
directly above some of the airport
parking area, the area immediately
below will be closed and access to
other areas changed to avoid cars
driving or parking below.
The reason for these improvements
over the past few years is that the
bridge was not built to bear the
weight of the huge amount of traffic
that now crosses it. If it had been
left, the failing parts of the structure
were going to make the bridge
dangerous.
The good news is, once the work is
over then the bridge will fully open,
with normal-width lanes and a
normal speed limit.
Have you ever wondered the reason
why the bridge is so high? When it
was being planned and built there
had been a shipyard nearby which
needed the height to allow ships to
pass underneath. Ironically, within
a few months of the bridge opening
the shipyard closed!
Lesley Scott
Heartfelt Thanks
Jim and Betty Blackwood and family
wish to express their heartfelt thanks
to friends and family for their
wonderful support following the
death of their daughter, May Wright,
née Blackwood.
May died peacefully, age 51, on 21st
October 2010, with her parents
present, after a long struggle with
M.S. and other complications.
Many thanks to Archie Ford of
Calder United Free Church, for his
sterling support and for conducting
such an excellent service. May‘s
spirit for life and laughter, and her
fortitude in facing her illness, came
through beautifully in the eulogy.
She was much loved, and the family
is so touched that she had not been
forgotten after some 13 years of
serious illness.
We have received many cards,
flowers, letters and personal
condolences which have all been a
great comfort to the family. Thank
you also to the many fine staff at
Craigielea Care Centre, Renfrew for
their care of May over the past
several years.
Thank you so much to everyone.
Your kindness is a great comfort.
Jim and Betty Blackwood
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200 Home
Energy Checks in
Lochwinnoch
Have you had
yours done yet ?
The LEAP Project is all about helping
people who live in Lochwinnoch
reduce the amount of energy wasted in
their homes. The project was launched
at the Gala Day this year and we have
to date been welcomed into the homes
of 200 Lochwinnoch villagers to carry
out Home Energy Checks, give advice
on insulation, draft proofing and
central heating systems.
It‘s great to hear reports of insulation
now being installed, cavity walls filled,
wood burning stoves and even PV
panels being investigated.
The project is funded until 31st March
this year and with the cold weather
upon us, now is the perfect time to get
Alan or Rob, the Energy Advisers
round to discuss how you can make
savings.
Over 70 villagers participated in the
Thermal Image promotion during
October. These images will be on
display in the Parish Church Hall after
the Christmas Light Switch on Parade
on Saturday 4th December. If you
would like a Thermal Image of your
home please contact the project. A
reduced rate of £25 has been agreed
with Thermal Image UK Ltd for more
thermal imaging to take place in
December and January.
LEAP wishes everyone a warm and
cosy Christmas and look forward to
continuing to work on energy
reduction in the New Year.
If you’d like Rob or Alan, LEAP
Energy Advisers, to visit you to
discuss the benefits of improving
the insulation levels in your
home and help reduce the energy
you use, go to:
www.lochwinnoch.info/leap
e mail leap@lochwinnoch.info or
phone Carol Gemmell on 842040
Dr Waterston’s Thanks
Dr Waterston would like to thank
everyone who sponsored him on his
cycle round the Isle of Mull that raised
£720 for St Vincents Hospice

Harvey Square in the snow—Ruth Brown
Unique Christmas Cakes
A traditional fruit cake, sponge
cake or cupcakes, made yourself
or bought ready-made, now is
the time to think about making
your Christmas cake unique.
How? By decorating it yourself.
You can choose a style to match
your mood (maybe not if you're
feeling stressed) or décor;
alternatively choose something
the kids can enjoy helping with.
Whatever your choice Judy at
VeeBee Sugarart in Kilbirnie can
help you.
As an expert cake
decorator she can help
you choose decorations
and give advice on
decorating techniques
and presentation so that
even a beginner can
produce a cake to
impress.
Visit Judy's shop at the
cross in Kilbirnie and
discover the variety of
decorations, tools, books
and advice on offer.
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Waxwing : copyright Val Firminger
Lochwinnoch Playgroup Enrolling now for Jan
2011
Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, 9.30- 11.30am
All children aged between 2 ½ and 5 years welcome.
Playgroup can help your child to:
Build friendships with other local children.
Help build their confidence in preparation for
nursery.
Develop social skills and independence.
Your child will take part in many creative activities
including: art, singing and movement, group games and free
play.
Interested?
Please collect a slip from Playgroup‘s door in McKillop
Institute and return it to Playgroup leader ASAP.
Otherwise email your name, address, telephone, child‘s
name and DOB to lochwinnochplaygroup@hotmail.com
Please put ‗PLAYGROUP PLACE‘ in the subject box.
Beat the Winter Cold and Take advantage of the
Lochwinnoch Insulation Deal
get your loft or cavity walls insulated
for just £129
Visit www.lochwinnoch.info/leap or email
leap@lochwinnoch.info or phone 842 040

Clyde Muirshiel Announces Winner of 2010
International Year of Biodiversity
Photographic Competition
Follow Up
More than forty people attended the preview of the
photographic exhibition at Castle Semple Visitor Centre,
Lochwinnoch last week.
The photograph ―Sulphur Tuft‖ by Valerie Crookston,
taken in Locherwood won the 2010 Photographic
Competition organised by Clyde Muirshiel Regional Park
because of its ―stunning colours and textures‖.
Valerie Crookston said ―I’m absolutely delighted to win
this competition, it was such a surprise. I love this area
and the Regional Park in particular, it is great being able
to get out and about in the countryside so easily. I like
taking pictures on my own doorstep, there is such a great
wealth of material to choose from its wonderful.”
Liz Leyden, International Photographer and chair of the
judging panel said ―Many of the entries were excellent. It
was wonderful to see all the different facets of the Park.
People have made a big effort to capture a wide range of
Park aspects and so show the biodiversity within the
Regional Park. Valerie‘s fungi picture is a real winner
because of its fantastic colour, texture and shape. The print
quality was excellent as are the colour tones.‖
The competition was open to all ages and abilities, a total
of one hundred and twenty four entries were received.
There was a wide range of wildlife such as frogs,
dragonflies, jelly fish, swans and some of the more unusual
birds such as water rail and red legged partridge as well as
habitats such as woodlands, moorlands and lochs to
sundews and the grouse railway in the peat lands of the
Regional Park.
The exhibition is open to the public at Castle Semple
Visitor Centre, Lochwinnoch until Thursday 2 Dec 2010. It
can then be viewed at the Greenock Cut Visitor Centre over
the Festive period and into the New Year or at Muirshiel
Visitor Centre in the early spring.
Charlie Woodward, Regional Park Manager said ‗This
competition has inspired people to explore and appreciate
the Regional Park‘s natural environments, rural landscapes
and its bounty of wildlife species, from birds and mammals
to insects and marine life. We all have a part to play in
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safeguarding our environment for future generations, I
believe the Park can provide many good examples of this
and think this photographic competition has inspired people
to think about and look after their planet at a local level.‖
Lochwinnoch Festive Farmers Market
It takes place on Sunday 5 December from 11.00 until 14.30
hrs. An excellent range of stall holders have committed to
come, this includes a good range of festive offerings such as
drinks, crafts and Christmas trees (!) as well as meat,
baking, vegetables, cheese, preserves, chocolates, honey,
eggs and balsamic dressings. Gryffe High School Jazz band
will be providing the seasonal entertainment, do come along
to show your support and enjoy coffee and a mince pie in the
café at the same time. Look on line www.clydemuirshiel/
farmersmarket for the latest stall holder information.
Festive Tinsel Walk
The final community health and slinky stroller walk takes
place on Wednesday 8th December starting at Castle Semple
Visitor Centre at 11 am. Last year 117 people took part, there
is still time to look out your festive hat or bit of tinsel and
join this very sociable walk..
Merry Christmas & Happy New Year
The Park Authority as well as the staff at Clyde Muirshiel
would like to wish all readers all the best for the festive
season and also thank you for your support of the events and
activities that have taken place within the Regional Park this
year.
Elderly Forum
Our monthly meeting in October started with a short agenda
to cover the usual items. Then, in the library at 2pm
Margaret had laid on a screening of photos which had
originally been planned for showing last February. A heavy
snowfall had caused that showing to be cancelled.
There were old photos from years ago some of village scenes
and many with some villagers in their much younger days.
These went down really well. We then saw the photos from

last winter taken by Pat Smith. The
snow scenes of areas and wildlife
around the village were simply
stunning. Others showed the brave
individuals who were curling on the
frozen loch.
In the interval Margaret served tea/
coffee and cream scones.
It was all very relaxing and enjoyable.
We hope to repeat this because there
are lots more pictures out there.
On Thursday after the lunch 32
members were taken to Erskine
garden centre to do some Christmas
Shopping. For those who haven't been
there yet it is well worth a visit. Plus
you will be supporting Erskine
hospital when you shop there or have
a coffee in Nick Nairn's Vanishing
Willows cafe. I can recommend the
apple squares.
By the time this goes to print 65 of us
will have enjoyed our St Andrew's Day
lunch at the golf club.
We wish to thank all local businesses
who are currently donating prizes for
the raffle to be held at the lunch. A
more comprehensive mention will be
in the next issue.
ROAR events still to come this month
in the McKillop are . . .
Thurs Dec 2nd 1pm - 3pm St
Andrew's Day celebrations.
Thurs Dec 16th 1pm - 3pm
Christmas party with Dave Lennox.
After the 16th the lunch club will
have a break and resume on
Thursday 13th January 2011.
The Tbar will be open on 7th Dec as
usual then close until Tuesday 11th
January 2011.
There is no forum monthly meeting in
December. The next one is on
Thursday 27th January when a
representative from RC will be telling
us what happens to all the paper,
plastic, tins, glass and garden waste
we put into the recycling bins.
Gordon Nicholl
Met Iona Biggar-Carr
on the Hill
Hello, dahling, you're looking SO
WELL. I hear your Felicity has joined
a club, I hope she enjoys it. I saw her
last week and if you don't mind my
saying she seems to have put on
QUITE a bit of weight. Is she still
seeing Jonny from the gymkhana?
Well, I suppose he does come from a
military family although the Foreign
Legion does seem AWFULLY exotic.
Such a shame, they seemed made for
each other. It seems like just
yesterday that Isolde and Felicity
were ROMPING with the Sea Scouts
and look at them now!
We're SO pleased, Isolde is doing SO
WELL. You know she is in... the
name escapes me... somewhere
where fur is still fashionable. Yes,
she's teaching IDIOTS no, sorry,
I N U I T S d e p o rt m en t . V E R Y
WORTHWHILE! She tells us that
kayak etiquette is much improved
since she's been there. Ivor is SO
PROUD especially since that horrid
headmistress was SO unreasonable.
Still, the saving in school fees was
useful.
Isabelle, Selwyn and Honor are fine,
thank you but Isabelle is becoming
QUITE tiresome, she's determined
to become an ACTRESS! Every time
she comes comes into a room she
bows, turns round, leaves, and
returns to bow again. She's
practising curtain calls! She assures
me that Cobbler Drama Club will
vastly improve once she leaves
boarding school and joins them.
WELL, here's hoping!
YES, my charity work takes as much
of my time as always. Noblesse
Oblige! Where would Lochwinnoch
Ancient Monument Enthusiasts be
without me and, although I say it
myself, my liquorice and fig
traybake was the talk of this years
Fete! Someone asked for my recipe
as they had been so moved by the
taste! One has one's gifts and is
OBLIGED to use them.
On a sadder note, my reading group
– the DRINK N' DISH - is in
disarray! It seems the Library may
be moving to a COSIER location.
Cosier my foot! That just means less
5
space! Where will the bar and disabled
pole-dancing podium go? What is a
reading group without a BAR?
UNCIVILISED! Darling, the girls are
even now choosing which outfit to go
with tarmac – one wouldn't like to lie
in the road in protest and find oneself
wearing the wrong colour, imagine if
one BLENDED! What height heels
does one wear when protesting, SUCH
a conundrum. Darling, dander is
definitely UP!
I've heard there is a plan to kidnap
local Councillors and force them to
read Dostoevsky or was it Dan Brown
– anyway READ until they've had
ENOUGH and give in. I voted for
water-boarding instead but too many
SOFTIES voted against!
MUST DASH, the Oldies' Circus have
asked me to come and give a cookery
demonstration. I hope they are as
moved by my traybake as LAME were!
BYEEE!
Swedish Style Wedding
A couple in Sweden wanted to get
married on the 10th October 2010
(10/10/10) which as you know was a
Sunday. The local church wouldn‘t
have a wedding on a Sunday so the
disappointed couple had to think of
somewhere else and they did - the
local IKEA store.
T h e s t o r e m a n a g e m en t w a s
sympathetic to the couple‘s plight and
so they were married between the
bookshelves and sofas. Not only
that,they had their reception in a
specially cordoned-off part of the
IKEA restaurant.
So with the average wedding these
days costing in excess of £20,000,
could this be the answer in these cashstrapped
times? Try suggesting it to a
bride-to-be, but be ready to run away
quickly!

St Vincent's Hospice
SPORTS DINNER
St Vincent‘s Hospice Sports Dinner
took place on Friday 22nd October at
the Holiday Inn Glasgow Airport.
Following previous successful years,
this one was even better. A great night
was had by all with fantastic guest
speakers including, Hugh Brown -
Former snooker commentator, Paul
Cooney - Former Super Scoreboard
presenter, Derek Johnstone – Former
Rangers player and current Super
Scoreboard presenter and Pat Bonner
– Former Celtic goalkeeper.
Everyone who attended enjoyed the
speakers and even got involved in a
question and answer section with
Derek Johnstone and Pat Bonner. All
the tables were in high spirits even
though the weather outside was
miserable.
A big thank you to all who attended on
the night and to everyone you
supported the event – helping the
Hospice to raise marvellous £11,000.
CHRISTMAS FAYRE
St Vincent‘s Hospice Christmas Fayre
was held in Johnstone Town Hall on
Saturday 6th November.
Provost Celia Lawson came along on
the day to open the Fayre and invite
everyone inside out of the rain to
support the Hospice. Santa took time
out of his busy schedule to pop in for a
couple of hours to see the kids and
give them an early present..
The day was a great success with
everyone going home with plenty of
bargains for Christmas. A big thank
you to the Provost for coming along on
THREE CHURCHES RESTAURANT
At the Garthland Arms
5 Church Street
Lochwinnoch
Tel: 01505 843 854
Lunch Menu—12pm—5pm
Evening Menu—5pm—8pm
the day to officially open the Fayre
and to all the volunteers who helped
man the stalls and the tearoom.
Thanks to everyone who came along
to help support the Hospice and help
in raising a fantastic £2,000.
Forthcoming Events
LADIES LUNCH – SUNDAY 5TH
DECEMBER
Following on from the success of last
year‘s Ladies Lunch, this year‘s is set
to be just as fabulous.
This year‘s lunch will be held in the
fantastic Radisson Blu Hotel in
Glasgow City Centre. Entertainment
on the night will be provided by the
fantastic Craig McMurdo and the
amazing Red Hot Chilli Pipers.
It‘s a day just for the ladies to get
dolled up and have a wonderful day
in aid of a very good cause! Tickets
for the day are £60..00. For more
information and to book tickets
please contact Lorraine Valentine in
the Fundraising Team on 01505
7 0 5 6 3 5 o r e m a i l
lorriane.valentine@svh.co.uk.
BRAEHEAD BUCKET COLLECTION
On Sunday 21st November some of
our volunteers helped us out by
doing a bucket collection at
Braehead Shopping Centre. Thanks
to the generosity of the Sunday
shoppers they helped us raised a
wonderful £792.91! Thank you to all
our volunteers who helped on the
day.
B AG P A C K I N G /BU C K E T
COLLECTIONS
Sainsbury‘s Braehead – Bag Pack –
Thursday 2nd December – 4pm to 8pm.
6
Marks & Spencer Braehead – Bag Pack –
Saturday 11th December – 10am to 4pm.
Marks & Spencer Braehead – Bag Pack –
Sunday 12th December – 10am to 4pm.
Asda Linwood – Bag Pack – Saturday 18th
December – 10am to 4pm.
Morrisons Johnstone – Bag Pack – Sunday
19th December – 10am to 4pm.
RSPB Nature Reserve
Activities
SAT 11 DEC 1PM - 4PM FESTIVE
FUN!
Christmas capers and crafts for the
kids. Mince pies and mulled wine for
the adults. Plus a special guest
appearance from our very own Father
Christmas.
Cost £2, half price for Wildlife
Explorer members, adults go free!
SUNDAY 19 DEC 10AM – 12NOON
WILDLIFE WANDER: WONDERFUL
WINTER
Enjoy the reserves winter life - make
the most of the cold, crisp days ahead.
Walk description: Ideal for beginners,
gentle pace along reserve footpaths.
Suitabl e for pushchairs a nd
wheelchairs.
Key species we will look for: Winter
ducks such as teal, pochard, wigeon &
tufted ducks. Woodland birds.
Suitable for: Beginners to experts in
birdwatching. General interest in
wildlife. Families. Pushchairs and
wheelchairs.
WEDNESDAY 15 DEC 7.30PM - 9PM
3 Churches Restaurant would
like to wish all our customers
A Merry Christmas & A Happy New Year
We look forward to seeing you all in 2011

TWILIGHT TALK: WILDLIFE IN
TANZANIA
Lochwinnoch reserve manager, Zul
Bhatia, gives us his yearly talk about
Africa.
Booking essential. £2 for RSPB
members, £4 for non-members
THURSDAY 23 DEC 11AM – 1PM
COFFEE MORNING
Come along to our monthly winter
coffee mornings and help give nature a
voice by raising funds for our vital
conservation work. Join RSPB staff
and volunteers for a hot drink and a
chat, in the comfort of the visitor
centre, whilst enjoying the wonderful
view and wildlife of the reserve.
All of our coffee & tea is Fairtrade.
Cost: £2 to cover tea/coffee and
biscuits/cakes. Tickets can be
purchased in advance at the reserve.
Where to meet:
Events start from the RSPB
Lochwinnoch visitor centre unless
otherwise stated
Booking, prices and enquiries:
It is often necessary to book onto our
events in advance as certain events
may have limited space. If this is the
case, the phrase ‗booking essential‘
will appear in the event information.
To book a place or to find out more
information, phone 01505842663,
email Lochwinnoch@rspb.org.uk or
visit us at the visitor centre.
Costs are stated in the event
information and entry to our events
also includes entry to the reserve.
Many of our events are FREE or HALF
PRICE to RSPB & Wildlife Explorer
members!
Guided Walks throughout the
year
The reserve hosts a whole range of
guided walks covering a range of
different topics and areas of the
reserve, so hopefully you‘ll be able to
find one that suits you. We are also
available to run walks for groups and
organisations both during the daytime
and in the evenings. For more
information about this, including cost
and content, please phone the reserve
o n 01505 842663 o r email
Lochwinnoch@rspb.org.uk.
For All Walks:
Stout footwear and waterproofs
recommended. Be prepared for
changeable weather conditions.
Booking essential but spaces may be
available on the day. Cost £2 nonmembers,
FREE for RSPB & Wildlife
Explorer members (unless otherwise
stated).
What’s happening on the
Village Website
www.lochwinnoch.info
The website has had a busy month
with the Forum talk being about the
Library and Annexe action groups.
Keep up to date on action events etc.
See if you can make sense of the ‗Are
you smarter than a ten year old‖
RDC arithmetic thread.
Also on the website...
News of the annual TCT
Charity Auction to be
held in the Brown Bull
on Saturday 11th December.
“It's that time of year again folks
TCT Auction will take place on 11th
December 2010 @ 9pm
As always, donations for the raffle
and items to auction on the night
welcomed. So if you have any
unwanted gifts that you have
received why not hand them in and
help towards making a difference to
teenagers in Scotland that have
been diagnosed with cancer.
These times have been very difficult
for everyone amidst the recession
but anything you could offer would
be greatly appreciated.
If you could auction your time doing
what you do best for example,
guitar lessons, French lessons,
cooking or painting and decorating.
Your time could be auctioned off for
a good cause
If you are doing your weekly or
monthly shop, would you be able to
pop an item in your trolley for our
raffle? It could be a bottle of alcohol
7
or choccies, whatever you could
manage would be amazing.
If anyone is in the position to offer
something bigger for the auction then
please get in touch with me as soon as
possible and I can whip up some
interest in the pub and on the forums.
If you would like to give a donation to
TCT instead then feel free to pop in to
the pub and you can start the ball
rolling towards the final figure on the
night. We never expect to raise a
certain amount of money but are
always delighted with the total at the
end of the night when villagers part
with their hard earned cash “
Lola
Weather Live
Watch the winter
weather from the
comfort of your laptop. The weather
station feeds live data onto the village
website so you can watch the
temperature plummet in the evenings,
guess the next gust speed, predict the
thaw or just watch the rain totals
build up.
www.lochwinnoch.info/weather
Lochwinnoch Art Group
The group will meet only once
this month on the 6th December.
As usual the meeting will be held
in the Bar Lounge of the McKillop
Institute, 7.30pm - 9.30pm.
We wish all our members, patrons
and supporters, both past and
present, a Joyful Christmas and a
Guid New Year

Lochwinnoch Library
Opening Hours
Mon, Wed & Fri
2pm – 5pm, 6pm – 8pm
Tues & Sat
10am – 1pm, 2pm-5pm
CLOSED THURSDAY
SERVICES AVAILABLE:
Free Broadband Internet
Free document Shredding facility
Photocopier & printer (15p per black
& white copy)
Fax (C harge depending on UK or Ov erseas destination)
Bookbug Rhymetime
Every Tuesday 10.15am
Come along and join in
the fun
Suitable for children aged
birth – 4 years
Bookbug's Library Challenge
Bookbug's Library Challenge is a free
programme that encourages children
aged birth to four to discover and
enjoy their local library.
On their first visit to the participating
library children are issued with the
Gifts Cards Jewellery
Leather Home
8 Church Street
Lochwinnoch 01505 843311
Open 9-5 Monday-Saturday
and 12-4 on Sundays
OPEN LATE SATURDAY 4th
FOR CHRISTMAS LIGHTS SWITCH-ON
Bookbug's Library Challenge
collector card. Every time they visit
the library the collector card will be
stamped, and your child can
exchange four stamps for one of our
beautifully illustrated Library
C h a l l e n g e c e r t i f i c a t e s .
Your child's name will be written on
the certificate to encourage them to
feel proud that they have become
members of their local library.
There are five different limited
edition certificates to collect. So start
collecting now – it's never too early
or too late to join your local library...
and it‘s FREE!
New Books
• ANNIE BENNETT : KEEP THE
HOME FIRES BURNING
The year is 1940 and Bill and Marion
Whittaker live happily with their
three children in a terraced house on
Albert Road in Birmingham.
But when Bill enlists to fight in the
Second World War, the family are
plunged into poverty. Marion is
forced to pawn all her worldly
possessions and decides to take in
two lodgers, Peggy Wagstaffe and
Violet Clooney. These two lively girls
bring some light relief to the family
and bring with them Peggy's
handsome brother Sam - who
catches the eye of Marion's sixteeny
e a r - o l d d a u g h t e r , S a r a h .
1944 and the war grinds on. Disaster
strikes with an explosion at the local
munitions factory, leaving Sarah
badly disfigured. Then news arrives
that Sam has been blinded in action.
Can these two injured souls help
each other to repair not only their
physical but emotional scars? And
will Bill return to the safety of family
and home?
• MICHAEL CONNELLY :
REVERSAL
Longtime defense attorney Mickey
8
Haller is recruited to change stripes
and prosecute the high-profile retrial
of a brutal child murder. After 24
years in prison, convicted killer Jason
Jessup has been exonerated by new
DNA evidence. Haller is convinced
Jessup is guilty, and he takes the case
on the condition that he gets to choose
his investigator, LAPD Detective
Harry Bosch.
Together, Bosch and Haller set off on
a case fraught with political and
personal danger. Opposing them is
Jessup, now out on bail, a defense
attorney who excels at manipulating
the media, and a runaway eyewitness
reluctant to testify after so many
years.
With the odds and the evidence
against them, Bosch and Haller must
nail a sadistic killer once and for all. If
Bosch is sure of anything, it is that
Jason Jessup plans to kill again.
• PATRICIA CORNWELL : PORT
MORTUARY
As the chief of the new Cambridge
Forensic Center in Massachusetts, a
joint venture of the state and federal
governments and MIT, Scarpetta is
confronted with a case that could shut
down her new facility and ruin her
personally and professionally. A young
man drops dead, apparently from a
cardiac arrhythmia, eerily close to
Scarpetta's new Cambridge home. But
when his body is examined the next
morning, there are stunning
indications that he may have been
alive when he was zipped inside a
pouch and locked insider the Center's
cooler. Various 3-D radiology scans
reveal more shocking details about
internal injuries unlike any Scarpetta
has ever seen. These suggest the
possibility of a conspiracy to cause
mass casualties. She realizes that she
is fighting a cunning and cruel enemy
that is invisible as she races against
time to discover who and why before
more people die.
The Shopping Mall Experience—drive miles, queue for parking,
fight for space, walk for hours in a hot, crowded environment trying
to find something different and then queue again to pay a
disinterested assistant for the same thing that everyone else has
bought
The Lochwinnoch Experience—saunter to Now & Then, select from
the biggest and best range of gifts they have ever had in a friendly
atmosphere with helpful, welcoming service. Buy something
beautiful, affordable and individual. Go for a coffee, Job Done.
Keep it local and interesting this year—even if you can‘t decide, we
do gift vouchers.

• TESS GERRITSEN : ICE COLD
As the chief of the new Cambridge
Forensic Center in Massachusetts, a
joint venture of the state and
federal governments and MIT,
Scarpetta is confronted with a case
that could shut down her new facility
and ruin her personally and
professionally. A young man drops
dead, apparently from a cardiac
arrhythmia, eerily close to Scarpetta's
new Cambridge home. But when his
body is examined the next morning,
there are stunning indications that he
may have been alive when he was
zipped inside a pouch and locked
insider the Center's cooler. Various 3-
D radiology scans reveal more
shocking details about internal
injuries unlike any Scarpetta has ever
seen. These suggest the possibility of a
conspiracy to cause mass casualties.
She realizes that she is fighting a
cunning and cruel enemy that is
invisible as she races against time to
discover who and why before more
people die.
• ROSIE GOODWIN : THE RIBBON
WEAVER
One winter's night, Molly Earnshaw
rescues a newborn baby from the
snow and changes two families for
ever. The tiny girl grows into a
beautiful and gifted young woman.
Although devoted to Molly, who she
believes is her grandmother, Amy has
far-reaching ambitions - encouraged
by her neighbour's son, Toby, she
longs to move beyond ribbon-weaving
to designing the hats and clothes the
ribbons adorn. Her talent is
recognised by Matthew Forrester, the
influential owner of famous hat
factories and shops. But Matthew is a
haunted man with secrets in his past
that torture him and his family. His
son's wife, Victoria, is deeply troubled,
and when Amy's flair leads her to
London and then Paris, Victoria is
consumed with jealousy. Amy's
dreams seem to be coming true, but
as more secrets are revealed and
Amy is caught between two worlds,
she must choose where her heart
t r u l y b e l o n g s .
• JAMES PATTERSON : CROSS
FIRE
Detective Alex Cross and Bree's
wedding plans are put on hold when
Alex is called to the scene of the
perfectly executed assassination of
two of Washington D.C.'s most
corrupt: a dirty congressmen and an
underhanded lobbyist. Next, the
elusive gunman begins picking off
other crooked politicians, sparking a
blaze of theories--is the marksman a
h e r o o r a v i g i l a n t e ?
The case explodes, and the FBI
assigns agent Max Siegel to the
investigation. As Alex and Siegel
battle over jurisdiction, the murders
continue. It becomes clear that they
are the work of a professional who
has detailed knowledge of his
victims' movements--information
that only a Washington insider could
possess.
As Alex contends with the sniper,
Siegel, and the wedding, he receives
a call from his deadliest adversary,
Kyle Craig. The Mastermind is in
D.C. and will not relent until he has
eliminated Cross and his family for
good.
Professional Freelance Wedding
Florist
Elaine Lamont
Free home consultation
Tel: 01505 506169
Mob: 07505 735733
9
• KATHY REICHS : SPIDER BONES
John Lowery was declared dead in
1968 - the victim of a Huey crash in
Vietnam, his body buried long ago in
North Carolina. Four decades later,
Temperance Brennan is called to the
scene of a drowning in Hemmingford,
Quebec. The victim appears to have
died while in the midst of a bizarre
sexual practice. The corpse is later
identified as John Lowery. But how
could Lowery have died twice, and
how did an American soldier end up in
Canada?
NOW AVAILABLE
A small collection of MP3 Digital
Books :
Playaway, the world's first pre-loaded
digital audiobook, has proven
enormously popular with listeners,
and is already an established product
in libraries across the UK. The
versatility and simplicity of the format
have been key factors in this growing
popularity.
Playaway is lightweight, compact, and
very easy to use - simply plug in the
earphones and press play.
LOCHWINNOCH LIBRARY WILL
CLOSE FOR THE FESTIVE BREAK
ON FRIDAY 24TH DECEMBER.
THE LIBRARY WILL OPEN AT 9AM
AND CLOSE AT 2.30PM ON THAT
DAY.
THE LIBRARY WILL RE-OPEN ON
FRIDAY 7TH JANUARY 2011 AT
THE USUAL TIME OF 2PM.
THE STAFF WISH ALL OF OUR
CUSTOMERS A
Merry Christmas

What’s On
(Regular clubs, classes and local groups)
Healing and Creativity Workshops
& Classes. For details or to book a
place, please Tel Becky: 0141 8816700
or Libby on: 015105 842604.
Lochwinnoch Community Walks -
Mondays (ex. Public Holidays), meet at
10.30 am at The McKillop Institute.
Lochwinnoch Playgroup - For under
5‘s, every Monday, Tuesday and
Wednesday from 9.30-11.30am at the
McKillop Institute.
Lochwinnoch Toddlers - Mondays
and Wednesdays from 9.30 - 11.30am,
McKillop Institute.
Lochwinnoch Gymnastics Club -
For primary school-age children every
Monday, 5-8pm at the Annexe. Phone
Coby for details on: 0772 9051615.
Lochwinnoch Writers Group—
Monday mornings from 9.30-11.30am in
the Library.
Advice Works - Surgeries BY
APPOINTMENT ONLY - Mondays 2-
2.30pm at the Library. *
Morag’s Keep Fit - Mondays and
Thursdays from 7pm, in the McKillop
Institute.
Lochwinnoch Choral Society.
Rehearsals on Monday evenings,
Parish Church/ Hall. Juniors 7-
7.45pm, Intermediates 7.30-8.30pm
and Seniors 8pm-9.15pm.
Club Latino - weekly Merengue,
Salsa and Mambo classes for adults on
Monday evenings at Lochwinnoch
Bowling Club from 8.30-9.30pm.
Details from Hazel on: 07812 023343.
L o c h w i n n o c h A r t G r o u p
Meet fortnightly on Monday evenings,
7.30pm, McKillop Institute.
Keep Fit - Improving With Age
classes, every Tuesday from 10am-
11am at the Annexe building in the
Park.
Drop-in T Bar - Lochwinnoch
Elderly Forum. Every Tuesday and
Thursday from 10am-1pm, McKillop
Inst. For details, Tel Reta: 01505
842054.*
Linda Margaret School of
Dancing - Tuesdays from 4pm-
8.45pm, McKillop Institute. For
details, Tel: 0141 581 9104.
TaeKwon-Do Fitness and Selfdefence
classes for youths and adults.
Tuesdays from 5-6pm, McKillop
Institute and Thursdays from 7pm-
8pm at Lochwinnoch Primary School.
For details Tel: 01259 210716.
Lochwinnoch Scottish Country
Dance Club Every Tuesday, from
7.30-9.30pm, McKillop Inst.
Jogging Buddies - Wednesday
evenings. Meet at McKillop Inst. at
6.30pm. For details, Tel: 0141 887
1357 or 07947 763704.
Girls Brigade - 1st Lochwinnoch
Company Wednesday evenings from
6pm-9.15pm at the Parish Church Hall
for various age groups.
Boys Brigade - Anchor Boys and
Junior Sections meet on Tuesday
n i g h t s a n d C o m p a n y
Section on Friday evenings,
Parish Church Hall.
Yoga Classes - Wednesday evenings:
at 6pm and 7.30pm, McKillop Inst.
Yoga, breathing practice, intro. to
meditation. Tel Mary: 01505 842877.
Happy Harminis - Fun for preschool
children on Thursdays 10am-
11am, McKillop Inst. Tel: Frankie :
01505 612248.
Slinky Strollers - on Thursday
mornings
ROAR Lunch Club - every Thursday
from 11.45am PROMPT at the
McKillop Institute. Please Note -
ONLY ONE SITTING.
10
TaeKwon-Do Little Tiger Cubs.
Classes for 3-5 year olds, on Thursdays
from 4.15pm-5pm at McKillop Inst. Tel:
01259 210716 for details.
Calder Drama Club—Thursdays, from
8pm-10pm McKillop Institute.
Scottish Slimmers - Thursdays,
7/7.30pm, McKillop Inst.
L o c h w i n n o c h P r e - S c h o o l
Gymnastics ( for children from 18
mths to 5 yrs). Fridays, from 10.15am -
1.45pm at the Annexe. Further details
from Coby on Tel: 0772 9051615.
Dog Training at the Annex (prebooking
necessary). Anne Moss, Tel:
0 1 5 0 5 8 4 2 3 6 7 , e - m a i l :
dogtraining@f2s.com
Mondays
9.30am-Adv/Intermediate
10.30am-Juvenile/Intermediate
Tuesdays
6.30pm - Puppy Course
7.30pm - Juvenile/Intermediate
8.30pm—Adv/Intermediate
Thursdays
6.30pm - Puppy Course
7.30pm - Juvenile/Intermediate
8.30pm - Adv/Intermediate
Fall Ball Success
The Fall Ball Ceilidh on the
29th October
was a great success 'The Big Shoogle' band
were great the dance floor was heaving and
we raised £250 for the Osteoporosis
Society. Morag.
Editorial and Copy for
Chatterbox
Let us have your stories, notices, news,
information, events and items of interest
– either hand-deliver them to the
Chatterbox drop-box in the Library or
preferably e-mail them to us at:
chatterbox@lochwinnoch.info.
Electronic submission with full colour
pictures are preferred.
To advertise in Chatterbox
Tel: 07866 373254
chatterbox@lochwinnoch.info
COPY DEADLINE FOR JANUARY
CHATTERBOX IS
THURSDAY 15 TH DECEMBER

Diary Dates
Wednesday 1 Dec - Evening of
Christmas Classical Favourites with
the Melville Wind Quintet, 7 pm, Golf
Club, glass of wine, mince pies and
nibbles included £7.50 per person, to
book call 01505 842153.
Thursday 2 Dec- Elderly Forum St
Andrew‘s Day Celebrations 1pm - 3pm
Thursday 2 and Friday 3 Dec -
Calder Drama’s Last Tango in
Lochwinnoch followed by Last Panto
in Lochwinnoch in the McKillop Hall.
Doors open 7 pm curtain up 7.30 pm.
Tickets £5 adults £3 Children and Senior
Citizens
Saturday 4 Dec - Parish Church
Christmas Fayre 10am - noon.
Admission: adult £1.50 child £1.00
Saturday 4 Dec - Lochwinnoch
Christmas Lights Switch On. The
Switch On Parade will start at Auld
Simon at 6.30pm and we‘re hoping for
another great turn out whatever the
weather! Please feel free to dress-up, or
dress-up your children in something
festive and bring along a torch to light
the parade (no naked flames please).
Sunday 5 Dec - Lochwinnoch
Farmers’ Market 11am-2.30 pm.
Castle Semple Visitor Centre.
Sunday 5 Dec - Winter Walk Join a
Ranger to look at the trees round the
trails. 1.30-3pm Muirshiel Visitor Centre
Sunday 5 Dec- St Vincent’s Hospice
Ladies’ Lunch at the Radisson Blu
H o t e l i n G l a s g o w C i t y
Centre. Entertainment will be provided
by the fantastic Craig McMurdo and the
amazing Red Hot Chilli Pipers. Tickets
for the day are £60. For more
information and to book tickets please
contact Lorraine Valentine in the
Fundraising Team on 01505 705635 or
email lorriane.valentine@svh.co.uk.
Monday 6 Dec - Lochwinnoch Art
Group meeting in the Bar Lounge of the
McKillop Institute, 7.30pm - 9.30pm.
Wednesday 8 Dec - Festive Tinsel
Walk The final community health and
slinky stroller walk starts at Castle
Semple Visitor Centre at 11 am. Last year
117 people took part, look out your
festive hat or bit of tinsel and join this
very sociable walk.
Wednesday 8 December -
R e n f r e w s h i r e L i b r a r i e s
Consultation, Renfrew Library
There will be a bus leaving outside OUR
library at 1.30pm, cost is £3.00 a head.
To book your place now contact Dave
M e l l o r 8 4 3 0 9 9 o r
dgmellor@tiscali.co.uk.
Wednesday 8 Dec - Lochwinnoch
Playgroup Open Day 10am - 11am,
M c K i l l o p I n s t i t u t e
If your child will be aged between 2 yrs
6 months and 5yrs old when our new
term begins in January, why not come
along and see what the playgroup has
to offer you. Tea, coffee, juice and
biscuits provided.
Saturday 11 Dec 1pm - 4pm
Festive fun at the RSPB Reserve
Christmas capers and crafts for the
kids. Mince pies and mulled wine for
the adults. Plus a special guest
appearance from our very own Father
Christmas.. Cost £2, half price for
Explorer members, adults free!
Saturday 11th Dec—TCT Charity
Auction . The annual charity auction
in aid of Teenage Cancer Trust to be
held in the Brown Bull 9pm
Sunday 12 Dec - Christmas
Wonderland & Wassail Party 12 -
5pm See Santa in our Grotto at
Bowfield Hotel and help raise funds
for Howwood Primary School and St
Vincent‘s Hospice. You will be able to
buy lots of Festive Goodies and
support a good cause at the same time.
And of course a raffle with some
fantastic prizes!
Wednesday 15 Dec 7.30pm - 9pm
Twilight Talk: Wildlife in
Tanzania Lochwinnoch reserve
manager, Zul Bhatia, gives us his
yearly talk about Africa. Booking
essential. £2 for RSPB members, £4
for non-members
Thursday 16 Dec - Elderly Forum
Christmas party with Dave Lennox.
1pm - 3pm McKillop Hall.
Thursday 16 Dec - 7 pm there will
be a Christingle Service in the
Parish Church.
Sunday 19 Dec 10am – 12noon
Wildlife Wander: Wonderful
Winter Enjoy the RSPB reserve‘s
winter life - make the most of the cold,
crisp days ahead. Walk: Ideal for
beginners, gentle pace along reserve
footpaths. Suitable for pushchairs and
wheelchairs. Key species we will look
for: Winter ducks such as teal,
pochard, wigeon & tufted ducks.
Woodland birds.
Sunday 19 Dec - Glam Rock
Christmas Service 7pm in the
Parish Church, sing along to some of
our favourite seventies Christmas
anthems and discover how they can
share the Christmas message with us
today - a Service for everyone who
enjoys a good sing-a-lomg.
Wednesday 22 December -
Lochwinnoch Choir Christmas
Concert, 7.30 pm in the Parish
Church, get your tickets from Choir
members, the Brown Bull and Cucina
Minucci at the Junction. Tickets:
11
Adults £5, Children £2.50, Family ticket
(2+2) £12, Concessions £3.
Thursday 23 Dec 11am – 1pm
Coffee morning Come along to our
monthly winter coffee mornings and
help give nature a voice by raising funds
for our vital conservation work. Join
RSPB staff and volunteers for a hot
drink and a chat, in the comfort of the
visitor centre, whilst enjoying the
wonderful view and wildlife of the
reserve.. All of our coffee & tea is
Fairtrade. Cost: £2 to cover tea/coffee
and biscuits/cakes. Tickets can be
purchased in advance at the reserve.
Friday 24 Dec 7pm - Lochwinnoch
Nativity Play, World Premier in the
Parish Church written, performed and
produced by pupils in Primaries 5 and 6
of Lochwinnoch Primary School. All
welcome.
Glam Rock Christmas Service
For those of you who thought the Seventies
were the epitome of taste and good music,
there is a chance to walk down memory
lane as we sing along to some of our
favourite Christmas anthems and discover
how they can share the Christmas message
with us today.
Even if you are too young to remember the
Seventies, if you enjoy a good sing-a-long,
this is a service for you – in the Parish
Church, 7pm on Sunday 19 th December.
The Lochwinnoch
Nativity Play
Back in September, pupils
in Primaries 5 & 6 were
invited to take part in a
new lunchtime club called
― L i g h t s ! C a m e r a !
Action!‖. The purpose of the club is to
produce the ―Lochwinnoch Nativity Play‖.
The play sets the birth of Jesus in
Lochwinnoch in the year 2010. The pupils
have been working hard learning new
skills such as acting, script writing,
costume designing, team working, set
designing, publicity, location management
and all the other skills necessary to
produce a movie.
The script is a collaboration among many
pupils and is now complete. They are now
undertaking the hard work of rehearsing
and designing sets and costumes. The
recording will be taking place over the next
couple of weeks – you might even see us
out on the streets.
There is much work to be done and we are
aware that the date for the World Premier
is fast approaching. All readers of the
Chatterbox are invited to our premier on
the 24 th December, in the Parish Church
at 7.00pm. We look forward to welcoming
to our Premier Party.

The Ring of Pines
BACK in the 1960s American singer Pat
Boone popularised a gospel song entitled
'Will the Circle Be Unbroken.'
This poignant paen of praise enshrines the
belief that bright memories of our
departed loved ones shine on undimmed. I
remembered the inspirational melody
during a recent visit to Muirshiel Country
Park in the hills above Lochwinnoch.
My destination was the lonely landmark
known as the Ring of Scots Pines. This
solitary circle of conifer saplings crests a
hillock mantled with heather and
blaeberry shrubs at one of the highest
points in the park.
Several yards in circumference, the
arboreal attraction commemorates the late
Don Skelley (1931-2008), who was the first
director at Clyde Muirshiel Regional Park
which includes Muirshiel and Castle
Semple Country Parks.
The trees, protected in plastic tubes from
browsing deer, rabbits and squirrels, were
planted by park rangers, including wellknown
Lochwinnoch man Len Howcutt
who worked at both parks for nearly 30
years until his recent retirement.
The moorland memorial includes a plaque
attached to a pine stump and engraved
with the name of Mr Skelley who lived in
Lochwinnoch until he passed away two
years ago. It was he who interviewed me
when I applied successfully for a
countryside ranger post at Muirshiel
quarter-of-a-century ago. So my visit to
the Ring of Scots Pines was a personal
tribute to the director of the park where I
worked for 14 happy years.
The sylvan sanctuary incarnates sacred
symbols. Circles represent eternity because
they have no beginning nor end. This is
just like friendships which remain
inviolate and eternal, transcending the
darkness of death. Evergreen trees like
Scots Pines symbolise immortality because
their foliage illuminates barren winter
wastelands when deciduous species
become dormant and die. This is like the
flame of joyful memories gleaming on
through the darkness experienced by
human souls grief-stricken by the
separation through death of their loved
ones.
Last month was November. That's when
people past and present from many
cultures remember their venerable
deceased ancestors. In Celtic times,
prehistoric people who lived in the
countryside around Lochwinnoch believed
they were visited at this time of year by the
Sluath - the Heavenly Host of the Dead.
These ghostly visitants were said to wear
grey sepulchral shrouds and take the
frightful form of wailing phantoms
returning to their earthly haunts. This old
ancestor remembrance tradition was later
Christianised. Today, it appears on
Christian calendars in the form of All
Saints' day (November 1) and All Souls'
Day (November 2).
So this belief that old friendships survive
death is immortalised in the Ring of
Scots Pines landmark at Muirshiel
Country Park. It's a vegetational vestige
of that unbroken circle proclaiming that
those whom we love and honour never
die. They live on forever in our hearts.
Derek Parker
Derek Parker worked as a countryside
ranger at Muirshiel and Castle Semple
Country Parks from 1985 till 1999.
___________________
Bowfield Christmas
Wonderland & Wassail Party
Sunday 12th December 12 - 5pm
Join us at Bowfield Hotel for a perfect
family day out!
See Santa in our Grotto at the hotel and
help fundraise for Howwood Primary
School and St Vincents Hospice. You will
be able to buy lots of Festive Goodies and
support a good cause at the same time.
There will be everything from handmade
chocolates, candles to fantastic ESPA
Health & Beauty Gift Sets. And of course
a raffle with some fantastic prizes!
Then its time to welcome the Howwood
Primary School as they sing some
Christmas Carols alongside the log fire,
our mulled wine and mince pies will help
you get into the spirit of things.
Sample some of our festive bites and
delights and then wave goodbye to Santa.
For more information call us on 01505
705225 Entry is free but Santa‘s Grotto
will be charged on the day.
CONTACTS
Bowfield Hotel – Sharon Kerr, Sales
Manager Sharon@bowfieldhotel.co.uk
01505 705225
Howwood Primary School – Christine
Greig
christine.greig@renfrewshire.gov.uk
St Vincents Hospice– Lorraine Valentine
Lorraine.Valentine@svh.co.uk
Renfrewshire Libraries
Consultation Meeting
There will be a public meeting in
Renfrew library on Wednesday 8th
December to consult with library and
n o n - l i b r a r y m e m b e r s a b o u t
improvements to all Renfrewshire
Libraries and services currently on offer.
Renfrewshire Council Libraries
Management welcome your views on
how they can shape their service to you
in the coming years. Renfrewshire
Libraries will be represented by senior
12
members of the library management team
Topics to be discussed:
improvements to facilities and
services you would like to see
in your library
the most convenient ways to
contact you
library opening hours
learning more about the online
catalogue
There will be a bus to this event on
Wednesday 8th December leaving outside
OUR library at 1.30pm. The cost is £3.00 a
head. We will be going to hear what they
have to say and vice versa! Book your place
now. contact Dave Mellor 843 099 or
d g m e l l o r @ t i s c a l i . c o . u k .
If you can't go then how about paying for
someone else's ticket to spread the load.
Lochwinnoch SWRI
John Webster gave a beautifully illustrated
and very interesting talk about Clyde
Muirshiel Country Park. John described
opportunities and activities as well as the
job of a Park Ranger.
The competition winners were:
4 Squares of Tablet
1 st K. Brunton
2 nd M. McFadyen
3 rd L. Benzie
Special Occasion Card (any craft)
1 st R. Gould
2 nd L. Benzie
3 rd E. Richmond
Help for Heroes Charity
The disco held in the Garthland Arms on
2 nd October raised a generous £700 for
Help for Heroes charity. A great time was
had by everyone - thanks again from
Pamela Galbraith.
St Vincent’s Hospice
Charity Shop
Since the revival of interest in
knitting we are asked regularly if
we have wool for sale.
A big thank you to those who
have already donated however
we will always sell as much as we
can get.

Report from Councillor
Neil Bibby
The decision to sell off the Library
Building and close the Annexe in
Lochwinnoch has angered many
residents in the village. The night before
the Council meeting I along with over
200 hundred local residents attended a
public meeting in Lochwinnoch Parish
Church. The message from the meeting
was loud and clear - local people did not
want these proposals to go ahead. The
library building was left to the people of
Lochwinnoch and it is completely wrong
for the Council administration to put it
on the market without any consultation
with the local community.
Lochwinnoch is one of the most isolated
areas in Renfrewshire and it is
important that it has its own community
facilities. The Annexe is used regularly
by a number of sports and community
groups and the Library is very well used.
I promised at a public meeting to vote
against the proposals and I kept that
promise.
These proposals are not only wrong but
do not make sense. It has been
suggested that Lochwinnoch Library is
not well used yet last year there were
over 22,000 user visits to Lochwinnoch
Library. In 2008/2009 - out of 12
libraries in Renfrewshire, Lochwinnoch
was the 7th busiest in real terms yet only
one other library i.e. Bridge of Weir is
b e i n g d o w n s i z e d a n d
relocated. W hen co nsi de ri ng
Lochwinnoch's population is only 2,500
it is clear that the library in the village is
very popular and very well used.
Part of the proposal would mean the
Library service would be moved to a
smaller area in the McKillop Hall. This
will undoubtedly mean less space for
PC's, fiction and non-fiction books.
The Out of School club will be moved to
the Primary School where there will be
additional costs to pay. It is not clear
whether the Council or parents would
pick up this cost but this is another
reason why the proposals should not go
ahead.
The Council's administration has said
these decisions are being made to save
money. Closing the Annexe will save
just £29,000 a year and moving the
Library will save around £15,000 a
year. Not only are these small amounts
of money for a Council with a budget
of over £420 million, it is incredible
that the Council are actually spending
£80,000 to move the Library to the
McKillop. Therefore there will be no
savings for over five years. I have also
given examples of where I think the
Council can save money in other areas.
I am campaigning hard against these
decisions. These are issues of massive
importance to the local community
and its important that these are
reversed.
I have been asking a number of legal
questions about the ownership of
library building and land and about it
being left for educational purposes. I
am pleased that this seems so far to
have delayed the library building being
put on the market as the Council have
indicated they have further research to
do regarding these points. I have also
been trying to get in contact with
descendants of the McDowall family
who left the building to the
community. I understand they are in
Canada, any information on getting in
touch with them would be appreciated.
There has also been an action group
set up in the village to fight the
proposals. If you would like more
details on this please get in touch
using the details below.
I am determined to save these vital
services please get in touch if you are
able to help.
My next surgery will be on Saturday
4th December at 9am in the McKillop
Hall. Please get in touch at any other
t i m e b y c al l in g 0141 840
3 6 5 3 , e m a i l i n g
cllr.neil.bibby@renfrewshire.gov.uk or
visiting www.NeilBibby.com
13
Our Tardis Box
She came gift-packaged to our village
in a box
Of sturdy walls
and good looks.
She‘s settled in
from a century of maturing
to being well-loved as a grey old
grandmother.
Yet she‘s a tardis.
Inside
a thousand people sit upon her shelves
each with a tale
fit for Scheherezade to tell -
want to meet Shakespeare or Mata
Hari
Beatrix Potter
Mohammed Ali? -
Just take down the books
to be introduced.
Open the books
on another shelf
and she‘d beam you away
to lands where the Bong Tree grows
and seas where the dolphins play
to Bali Hai and Shanghai
Moscow and Mandalay.
You‘ll walk the soft silk road to Samarkand
and fly over the Grand Canyon
eastwards
to Maryland.
She‘s a time machine.
Dip into her history book,
and she‘ll whizz you
to the land of what has been.
Turn a page
to another age
where the Semple Castle stands
in command of our Loch
and the great Lord Semple holds his
sway
and monks say
their beads
and singing boys of the Collegiate
Church
sing roundelays
of praise
to God...
The Library -
our tardis box.
Could they open her lid
like up-to-date Pandoras,
let out the treasures
see them fly away? -
all the magic beings
the enchanted places
the forebear ghosts -
can our library be lost
to us?
Dare hope remain
in an empty box?
Betty McKellar

THE STIRRUP
CUP
Council Cuts:
What Happened Next
WEST BANKSIDE
FARM, GEIRSTON RD,
KILBIRNIE,
We specialise in
vintage & modern
jewellery, antiques,
curios, art and local
crafts
Great for Gifts or treat yourself
As outlined in November's Chatterbox,
Renfrewshire Council (RC) is planning to
dispose of 25 properties including the
Lochwinnoch Annexe and to downsize the
Library, move it to the McKillop Institute
and sell the library building for
development.
The Community Council held a meeting on
Wednesday 3rd November with over
200 (angry) villagers, council officers and
3 local Councillors (D. Arthur, B. McFee
and N. Bibby).
A number of people having read the
Council Planning Department's report
voiced that they considered it not fit for
purpose.
The discussion led by the Chair split into
two parts: First the plans for the Annexe;
Second the plans for the Library service
and Library building. The Council
representatives outlined the background
for the report: that an asset management
review was tasked with reducing the
ongoing cost of council assets to make
financial savings. A budget reduction of
£75 million (total) is expected over the
next 3 years and difficult decisions must be
made to achieve the necessary savings.
Annexe – the building is falling into
disrepair and highlighted by the Council as
an asset for disposal. The income of
around £5k per annum is far outweighed
by the upkeep costs. It could be available
for local community or private
management but unlike previous
community management models in
Renfrewshire any new management
takeover would take responsibility for the
full costs of the building. In previous lease
schemes the council maintained
responsibility for the fabric of the building
and for utilities and Council Tax..
Formed in 2006, LAMP is made up of
Annexe users, LMEG, and Clyde
Muirshiel Regional Park. They had such
a community management plan
negotiated with the Council back in 2006
but the plan was dropped by the Council
and they have had no contact since then.
Anne Moss (from LAMP) outlined the
plan, invited the Council to enter into
discussion again and expressed
disappointment and surprise that there
had been no discussion prior to the
bombshell report. The Council reemphasised
that any management plan
would need to be renegotiated under the
new conditions. The new management
would be responsible for 100% of all
costs.
If there is no community or private
management plan forthcoming (and the
Council agreed it is unlikely any private
organisation would be interested) then
the Annexe will be demolished.
Library - the proposal is to relocate the
Library (from a sound building of good
quality) at a cost of £80,000 to a much
smaller space in the McKillop, to save a
recurring cost of £15,000 a year. To
financially sophisticated residents,
including accountants, this seemed like a
questionable money saving scheme.
Many asked for clarification but that was
not forthcoming.
Assurances were made that the Library
service would be retained to the best of
their ability. PCs would be provided, the
stock would be mainly paperback but
other stock could be ordered and no
reservation fee would be imposed.
The general tone of the discussion was
that the Library should remain in the
Library. Save the £80,000 and if savings
in running costs have to be made then
14
Antiques, Curios and Crafts
A dynamic selection of oils, watercolours and Limited Edition prints
Bespoke crafts by local artisans, vintage and contemporary jewellery
Well worth discovering for yourself
The Barn on the farm, open 10am till late every day
Contact Greta Logan on Tel: 01505 683338
Email: greta@thestirrupcup.com www.thestirrupcup.co.uk
West Bankside Farm, Geirston Rd, Kilbirnie, KA25 7LQ
CHRISTMAS EVENT
Just opposite the Golf Course on the Largs Rd
As part of our Christmas celebrations this year, our customers will be offered
ginger wine and shortbread from the 20th November.
Come along for a browse in your local antiques, curios, crafts and jewellery shop at ‘the barn on the farm’
A free Christmas tea light and glass holder with every purchase.
explore additional uses of the building.
The building does have space and there is
potential to expand it's role and defray
running costs.
The point was also made that if
Renfrewshire were to allocate Library
services in a less Paisley-centric fashion,
then savings could be made. Lochwinnoch
Library is the 7th busiest in the council
area despite its reduced opening hours
(almost half of some other libraries) and
small population.
To accommodate the Library in the
McKillop the Out of School Club (LOSC)
have to be displaced. They been given
assurances that they will be relocated to
the school and have space for their current
30 places. The school board forwarded
concerns from the Head Teacher that it
was felt that the LOSC should not be
located in the school. Children needed to
leave school at the end of the day and
needed a space where they could have
ownership, display artwork, be 'out of
school'. However, the Council
representatives made the point that other
Out of School Clubs are located in Schools.
General concerns about the decisionmaking
process were voiced. That the
report is not fit for purpose was repeated,
options are not well thought out,
alternative proposals have not been
explored, and consultation should take
place before the decision and not after.
It was also voiced that the Library building
was gifted to the community by Colonel
McDowall and that the Council did not
have a moral right to offload it and strip
the asset.
The meeting voted unanimously to oppose
the proposals and for the Community
Council to write to Renfrewshire Council
that day and ask for any decision to be
delayed for at least 3 months to allow for

consultation and community response.
The report was presented to Renfrewshire
Council (RC) on Thursday 4th November
and was approved by 21 votes to 14.
Councillors Arthur and McFee voted for
the report Councillor Bibby against.
On Tuesday 16th November the
Community Council organised a further
well-attended action meeting. It was
decided that the Community Council
would take up the lack of consultation
(and any legal consequences) with the
Council and an action group should be
formed. An action group (LAAAG) was
formed consisting of a group of people
willing to commit significant amounts of
time and a larger supporters network who
will commit skills and resources as and
when they can/are needed. Rev. Christine
Murdoch offered her support as well as
that of Rev Archie Ford and offered the use
of her church for meetings.
On Wednesday 17th November RC invited
Annexe users to a private meeting to
discuss the Annexe future. Attendees
included users, Liz Jamieson and team
members from RC, 2 from Paisley
Partnership Regeneration Company and
Councillor Arthur. RC presented the
statistics underpinning the disposal
decision and invited comments. RC will
work with interested parties to transfer the
Annexe to community organisations at a
peppercorn rent but then the community
would be responsible for ALL running
costs and maintenance. Any interested
parties should contact RC before the end
of December and business plans be
submitted by the end of February 2011.
If the Annexe is demolished RC will try to
accommodate community groups (but not
businesses) elsewhere but don't guarantee
that will be in Lochwinnoch. There is some
understanding of the importance of
Calderglen football club and changing
facilities of some kind would be provided.
Saturday 20th November the Library
and Annex Action Group (LAAAG) Dave
Mellor, Chair, had its first meeting at the
Parish Church courtesy of Rev. Murdoch.
Various actions were initiated: demo at
library; uncovering history of library;
financial analysis; building analysis;
information gathering. Saturday 10am
meetings will continue on a weekly basis
till further notice. All welcome.
Wednesday 24th November RC
invited Library users to a meeting to
discuss the "new" library. The meeting
was attended by Liz Jamieson, and
managers from Library Services, Leisure,
Property and from Paisley Partnership
Regeneration Company. The meeting
was not as well attended as might have
been expected as some people believe
that attending such a meeting gives it
tacit approval. There were the usual
statistics which were shown to be
selected with bias (not adjusted for
opening hours or population). A
preliminary architects plan was shown
although it was emphasised this may not
be the final outcome.
It is clear there is some understanding
that the proposed space is too small as
there was much talk about Wi-Fi and
laptops that could be used "anywhere in
the building, for example, the bar area
that is under-utilised". There was a
suggestion that the opening hours might
be changed, especially after someone
pointed out that having a library next to
a Ceilidh isn't the best idea – the solution
seemed to be less evening opening.
Soundproofing may help but this must
be done within the existing budget –
what impact that would have was not
discussed.
There was reassurance that a mix of
fiction and non-fiction titles would be
available, these will be mainly
paperback. Local history books will be
retained. A direct question as to just how
15
A few Library Facts
Lochwinnoch library is:
7th busiest in the Renfrewshire
Council area
is twice as busy, per head of population,
as the average Renfrewshire
library
The Library building was established
in 1857 by Colonel Day Hort Macdowall
as the Lochwinnoch Female
School of Industry.
many books would be provided was
unanswered as "we don't know - it
depends on the layout". As there will
certainly be fewer books from which to
choose, the online catalogue will become
more necessary and users were assured
that they would be taught to use it and
book reservations will be free. A tea/coffee
machine may be provided.
There will be further focus group meetings
and people can register interest at the
Library. The plans for the new library will
be sent out to tender by the end of January
and the library moved by end of June 2011.
What Can You Do?
If you are concerned about the recent
developments then please help by
contacting your local councillors, MSP and
MP.
The issues raised so far are: RC‘s complete
lack of consultation with the community
before making decisions; the poor quality
of the report on which the decision was
made (not fit for purpose); that our
Councillors and the Council in general
ignored Lochwinnoch Community
Council‘s request to defer any decision for
3 months to allow for consultation; the
biased presentation of data to purport to
show a very successful library as failing
(not correcting figures for population and
opening hours); the presentation of
notional cost savings when moving the
library will incur the £80K cost mentioned
plus significant additional costs (moving
the Out of School Club) which have not
been included; that Annexe users are not

eing offered alternative accommodation
in Lochwinnoch; that the Library building
was gifted to the community and RC have
no moral right to sell etc.
Councillors Ward 8:
David Arthur, 17 Beechburn Cres.
L o c h w i n n o c h P A 1 2 4 E W ,
H o m e T e l : 0 1 5 0 5 8 4 3 5 0 7
Council Tel: 0141 840 3210 email:
cllr.david.arthur@renfrewshire.gov.uk
Neil Bibby, Flat 2/2, 5 Millview
Crescent, Johnstone PA5 8QA, Home
T e l : 0 1 5 0 5 3 3 5 8 2 8
Council Tel: 0141 840 3653 email:
cllr.neil.bibby@renfrewshire.gov.uk
Bruce McFee, 36 Troubridge Avenue,
K i l b a r c h a n , P A 1 0 2 A U ,
H o m e T e l : 0 1 5 0 5 7 0 4 0 3 0
Council Tel: 0141 840 3610 email:
cllr.bruce.mcfee@renfrewshire.gov.uk
Other Politicians
Trish Godman MSP, Constituency
Office: Renfrew House, Cottage 27,
Q u a r r i e r ' s V i l l a g e
Bridge of Weir, PA11 3SX
T e l : 0 1 5 0 5 6 1 5 3 3
Parliament Tel: 0131 348 5837
E m a i l :
Trish.Godman.msp@scottish.parliame
nt.uk
Douglas Alexander MP, 2014 Mile End
Mill, Abbey Mill Business Centre,
Seedhill Road, Paisley, PA1
1JS Tel: 0141 561 0333. Email:
dalexandermp@talk21.com
Councillor Arthur’s Report
With regards to the finances of
Renfrewshire Council, we‘re now in the
unprecedented situation of over the next
three years closing a revenue funding gap
of between £75 to £90 million pounds. At
the recent Council meeting, savings of £23
million were passed as part of our
responsibility to achieve a balanced
b u d g e t .
Included in the savings was the outcome of
the Asset Management Review which
resulted within Ward 8 of the offering of
two community halls, Cartside
Community Centre and Lochwinnoch
Annexe, to the community or to a
voluntary organisation or private
ownership by lease or sale.
Also included is the relocation of the
Lochwinnoch library service to the
McKillop Institute with again the
building being offered to the community
or to a voluntary organisation or private
ownership by lease or sale.
It was pleasing to see such a large
number of people at our Remembrance
Parade and a packed church which
reached standing room only. As always
our uniformed organisations performed
their important role very well. It was
very pleasing and very moving to hear
the tribute paid during the service to 1st
Lochwinnoch Boys Brigade Captain
Murray Lawrie who has served our
community for over 50 years. My
gratitude is certainly with Captain
Lawrie.
May I take this opportunity to pass on
my best wishes for the festive season
Please note that my next Surgery on
Saturday 18th December is in the
McKillop Institute at the usual time of
11:30am but if you require my help
before then, you can contact me on
843507 and we can agree a time when
we can meet.
Library Direct Action
On Saturday 27th November a group of
hardy Library supporters, of all ages,
gathered outside the Library, in the
snow, to protest the move and reduction
in Library service. They then adjourned
inside the (warm) Library to select books
and demonstrate support.
Lochwinnoch Library
My father was the eldest child of an
impoverished Yorkshire village family.
There were twelve children. My dad
left the village school when he was
twelve by taking the agricultural
examination. He started work as a
ploughboy immediately living-in at the
farm for two pounds ten shillings a
year and a suit of clothes. The benefit
16
for the family was one less mouth to feed
in a house where food was scarce. In the
First World War, as a stretcher bearer,
he was injured and received a pension of
five shillings per week. For the rest of his
life until retirement he worked as a
railway plate-layer and ganger. My
father‘s reading was mainly limited to
his regular socialist daily paper ‗The
Daily Herald.‘ His main pastime was
feeding his family from several
allotments.
My mother left school at fourteen and
entered domestic service. By the age of
38 she was a cook-housekeeper for a
well respected Hull business family. She
married my father and in 1933 I was
born. My mother realised, from her
experience in service, the great value to
be placed on education. She had also
become a very extensive reader of the
classics of the day by borrowing books
from the local public library.
I well remember the regular fortnightly
Tuesday trip into town when I was about
four clutching my mother‘s hand. The
library books were exchanged in this
sacred space. I was made to behave
myself in appropriate fashion and stay
silent. One book per fortnight was
borrowed for me and this was read
nightly and discussed with my mother
before I went to bed.
Eventually, a great day arrived in my
life. I was six and could have my own
library ticket. I had grown up. From
then on I became a great devourer of the
written word. The works of Arthur
Ransom, John Buchan and a myriad of
other writers became my window to
other worlds. Worlds of excitement and
adventure. I also learned to understand
other people and other places. I was
freed from a somewhat restricted life in
a terrace house in Hull with elderly
parents and offered liberty. The world
was mine.
Over the years the libraries of cities,
towns and education establishments
have served me well. They were all freely
accessible. When I moved to Glasgow
the library was still a regular port of call.
The move to Renfrewshire continued my
acquaintanceship with library services.
To libraries I owe a great deal.
Since retirement, I have spent much of
my time in libraries in Johnstone and
latterly in Lochwinnoch. It was with
disgust I heard the library in
Lochwinnoch is to be moved. Moved
from the excellent building on the main
street of the village that has the meaning
o f p e a c e , u n d e r s t a n d i n g a n d
information as well as local history
soaked into its very structure. This
source of internet access for all and
intelligent, educated and thoughtful
conversation is to be relocated and

stocked with paperbacks.
Moved, not far, but to the McKillop. A grand hall for
entertainment and miscellaneous village socialising, but not
really suitable as a space for learning, meaningful discussion,
local exhibitions, displays of village history and continued
education whether alone or as part of a group. Where will the
village children be led by the hand to a better more adventurefilled
life when resources are scarce? From where will come the
17
more thoughtful understanding of the world? Where will they
learn a civilised way of conducting themselves in public?
A public meeting was held at two days notice to advise the
village of the council‘s intent. The vote of the council was to be
held the following day. Little warning for the considerable
number of villagers present and not a great example of
democracy or ‗The Big Society‘ in action.
The display by local councillors forced by party to ‗toe the
party line‘ made for a poor discussion and too much mud
slinging. Sacrilege was being proposed to save a pittance, and
just at the time when the unemployed and disadvantaged may
well have an even greater need of the sort of services a library
can offer.
The council officials present showed a lack of personal
knowledge of the village and a frightening scarcity of thought
give to understanding the value of continuing education being
freely available in more remote places of the county. They
seem to overlook that not everybody drives a car and buses are
somewhat infrequent on a cold dark night. That makes me
wonder how they justify their salaries or even sleep at night.
If this is an example of the best our public servants and
representatives can do, no wonder we have problems. Is this
really an example of the standard of public administration all
over Scotland?
Clive, Lochwinnoch Writers Group.

Beaujolais Night in the Beauvaisis
It's hard work but someone has to do it: Beaujolais tasting in
Fouquenies, in the Beauvaisis (The area around
Beauvais). After all, it's that time of year again when the
French wine marketing machine kicks into action and the
arrival of the Beaujolais Nouveau is lauded throughout the
world. It's a bit like Burns' Night actually, but with Beef
Bourgignon or Pot-au-feu (beef and vegetable stew) instead of
Haggis. All the dlights of the kitchen had been lovingly
prepared by the ladies of Fouquenies, whose reputation for
delicious cuisine is now well-known in Lochwinnoch.
Once again, our friends in Fouquenies rose to the occasion and
staged an entertaining soiree, with Disco, 3-course dinner and
much dancing between courses. Due to having had a late night
the day before, I baled out around midnight but apparently the
festivities continued until after three o'clock. That's dedication
for you!
I'd like to mention here that there is going to be a Burns Supper
in Fouquenies over the weekend of 22nd -25th January 2011, to
be conducted by ourselves with some participation by our
Fouquenisien friends. From his performance on the dance
floor on Beaujolais night, I can confirm that Michel Dubert is
already rolling his 'r's very well.
Ryanair recently had VERY cheap tickets from Prestwick to
Paris Beauvais for the above-mentioned dates, and we already
have a contingent of 12 from Lochwinnoch and surrounding
areas warming up their instruments for the occasion. If you'd
like to take part in what has become an informal twinning
arrangement between Scotland and France, email me at
18
rory905@hotmail.com for more details. We will be
accommodated by our host families there, so the only cost for
accommodation would be a suitable gift for your hosts. One
word of warning, however: previous participants have enjoyed
the visits so much that they have become addicted and now
find themselves crossing the channel or welcoming their new
French friends on a regular basis!
Recently I found myself engaging in some cross-border
activity. I went from the area of the OIse to the area of the
Somme, but still within Picardy, in order to visit my favourite
lunchtime restaurant, the Cafe de Paris in Poix de
Picardie. For the avoidance of doubt, Poix is pronounced
'pwa' . There, I rediscovered the joys of the leisurely 3 course
lunch. My first course was home-made pickled herring, but I
wasn't quite prepared for the arrival of a couple of monster
fish, complete with heads, tails and everything but their
scles. They actually overhung the plate and looked so fresh to
the extent that I expected them to flick their tails and make a
break for freedom in the nearby River Poix. Next was a
delicious home-made stew of Guinea-fowl in a mushroom and
white wine sauce, with just enough room on the plate for the
green beans and chips which accompanied it. Realising
Scotland's pride was at stake, I boldly ploughed my way
through this veritable banquet, with the occasional sip of
Cotes du Rhone to assist with its digestion.
All the while, the two serving staff (the 'Patron' and his young
female assistant) seemingly sprinted from kitchen to table,
client to client and then back to the kitchen again to ensure
that no-one had to wait over-long for their next course. It was
like a little piece of theatre that helped to make the dining
experience all the more enjoyable.
I was beginning to doubt if I'd manage the 'Ile
Flottante' (meringue on light custard known as creme
Anglaise), but it proved to be of such a floaty lightness that I
need not have feared it at all. Finally, to combat the soporific
effects of such a delightful repast, I had a strong back coffee to
fortify me for the rest of the afternoon. The bill for this was
around 12 pounds (Actually 15 Euros) and it was the best
investment I could have made of such an insignificant sum.
It just goes to show that it is possible to create popular,
affordable, delicious and nutritious meals even in the face of
rising prices and recession. Never fear, mes amis, I intend to
keep you informed of other recommended eateries. As I said
at the begining of this article: It's hard work but someone has
to do it.
A bientot, chums. More next month.
Ronnie McCorrisken

From the Parish Church
Joy to the world, the Lord is come!
let earth receive her King;
let every heart prepare him room,
and heaven and nature sing,
and heaven and nature sing,
and heaven, and heaven and nature sing.
Isaac Watts (1674–1748)
The deadline for articles for this month‘s
Chatterbox was the 25 th November. That
gave me plenty of food for thought as I
began typing, mostly because of all that I
still have to prepare for Christmas and it
is now only a month away.
I like to have my Christmas shopping
finished by the beginning of December:
To date less that a quarter is done. The
orders of service are organised, yet there
is still much flesh to be put on the bones.
One service I do not have to worry about
is our Christmas Eve Family Worship.
Through a club called ―Lights! Camera!
Action!‖ pupils from primaries 5 and 6
have been working with me to update
the Nativity Story as if Jesus was born in
Lochwinnoch, this year (more details
can be found elsewhere in the
Chatterbox).
Beginning with the Biblical narratives of
Jesus birth, found at the beginning of
the gospels of Matthew and Luke, the
pupils have been learning about the
people who took part in the real nativity
and why they are important to story.
They have been asking themselves,
―What were Matthew and Luke trying to
teach us about God and Jesus when they
recorded the Nativity in the ways in
which they did?‖ The result is something
of which the pupils and their parents
should be, justly, proud.
If you want to find out more,
please come along to the Parish
Church at 7pm on Christmas Eve.
One of the questions we have been
asking ourselves is, ―Why would Jesus
be born in Lochwinnoch?‖ We don‘t
have the benefit of the history of
Bethlehem, which was the City of David.
Being a descendant of David, it was
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important that Jesus be born in this
particular town. We also know that
while next year will be a census year,
unlike Mary and Joseph, we do not
have to return to the town of our
ancestors. We can stay where we are to
be counted.
The children have come up with a very
good reason for Mary and Joseph to be
in Lochwinnoch close to the birth of
their son and I am quite sure you will
enjoy the scene where they learn there
is no room in the inn. Please note, all
similarities between the businesses in
our play and any real business, past or
present, or even future is purely
coincidental! The pupils have really let
their imaginations run riot.
Of course the truth behind the
resetting of the play in Lochwinnoch in
2010 is that Christians believe Christ is
born again every day in our hearts.
This amazing gift from God was not a
one off event two thousand years ago.
It is a daily gift, available to everyone,
available to you and to me. That said, I
am not sure how many of us could
cope with celebrating Christmas 365
days a year! In Christian worship we
celebrate Easter every Sunday.
Celebrate Christmas everyday, might
prove too much even for those of us
who love everything about Christmas.
So we celebrate this extraordinary gift,
available 24-7 on the 25 th December.
Why that date? To be honest, no one
now knows for sure when Jesus was
born. Many people claim the date was
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19
chosen to baptise Pagan festivals with
Christian symbolism. Perhaps. Or
perhaps the end of December was
chosen to show the power of God‘s light
and love.
At the beginning of John‘s gospel we
read these lovely words, ―In the
beginning was the Word, and the Word
was with God, and the Word was God.
He was in the beginning with God. All
things came into being through him, and
without him not one thing came into
being. What has come into being in him
was life, and the life was the light of all
people. The light shines in the darkness,
and the darkness did not overcome it.‖
Jesus is the Light of the World. Light
from God which the darkness cannot
overcome. And so, just as the days are
beginning to lengthen after the darkest
day of winter, we celebrate the birth of
the Light of the World. This is a light
which does not pretend that dark days
do not exist, it is a light which shines
through the dark days, giving us
strength and light to take one more step.
And then another. It is a light which
enables us to face up to the hard days as
well as enriching the good days in our
lives.
Friends, at Christmas, we often become
overwhelmed with all that needs to be
done. This year I am going to do what I
can. I will do my best not to be too busy.
I will do my best to give myself time to
enjoy this gift of Light and of Peace. My
prayer for you all is that this Christmas,
the love and light of Christ will be born
in you once more, giving you the peace
and the strength to face whatever today
and tomorrow will bring.
May God bless you this Christmas with
peace and contentment.
Yours,

Chat from the Chair
It‘s been a busy month for the
Community Council since I last wrote.
The November meeting and AGM were
held together at Castle Semple Visitor
Centre, thanks to Charlie Woodward,
Manager of the Regional Park. This
seemed like a good idea when we
organised it, but we had to adjourn the
regular meeting to the following day
because of the Council‘s planned cuts at
the Library and Annexe.
This became a very well-attended public
meeting and gave the Community
Council an extremely clear mandate to
oppose these cuts and do what it can to
keep the library in the Library and the
Annexe open.
Two weeks later we arranged another
public meeting to get some action going.
An independent action group LAAAG
was formed, which is able to do far more
than the Community Council is allowed
to do.
To go back to the AGM, the existing
officers were re-elected; the only
difference this year is that Graeme
Brown has taken on the role of Deputy
Chairman as well as the Planning brief.
The other officers are: Secretary, Lesley
Scott and Treasurer, David Fowles. The
Minute Secretary is still Hazel Dundas.
We still don‘t have a permanent meeting
venue, but are hoping to keep to the first
Tuesday of each month, except maybe
January (probably 11th in 2011). The
next meeting will be on Tuesday 7th
December in the Bowling Club, and
everyone is welcome to attend.
This is my personal take on things –
for the official Community Council line
you‘ll have to read the minutes!
Chris Gould. Chairman, Lochwinnoch
Community Council
Christingle Service
On Thursday 16th
December at 7 o‘clock,
there will be a
Christingle Service in
the Parish Church.
Wh il e Christi ngle
Services may not have a
long history in Scotland, they have
been celebrated in Germany, since
1747, when a pastor thought about
how he could explain the love of Jesus
to everyone, and what Christmas really
meant to the children in the church.
He decided to make a simple symbol to
express the message of Christmas in a
new way. He gave each child a lighted
candle wrapped in a red ribbon, with a
prayer that said ―Lord Jesus, kindle a
flame in these dear children's hearts‖.
This was the first Christingle service.
In 1968, Christingle services were
introduced to the Church of England
and their popularity has spread
around the world. Our Christingle
20
celebration is an interactive service,
where children and adults are invited to
make their own Christingle, which is
now made of:
an orange representing the world;
a red ribbon around it representing
the blood of Jesus;
dried fruits or fruit sweets,
representing the fruits of the earth
and the four seasons; and
a candle in the centre of the orange,
representing Jesus Christ as the
light of the world.
Everyone is very welcome to come and
share in this time of celebration. We
look forward to sharing with you.
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