aug-09 - Lochwinnoch Online

Nuisance Helpline
Anti-Social Behaviour
Noise problems
Support and Advice
Every day 9am – 10pm
Tel: 0800 169 1283
CHATTERBOX
No 188 August 2009
www.lochwinnoch.info
ASIST
Anti-Social
Investigation Team
Office 8:45am – 4:45pm
Tel: 0141 840 2163
Community newsletter produced by lochwinnoch publicity committee for lochwinnoch cc
What’s On
& Dates for
your Diaries
Village events, clubs, classes,
Visitor Centre/RSPB events
and all outdoor activities -
it’s all on the back page
again this month!
CHATTERBOX
Chatterbox is a free, monthly
community newspaper, produced on
behalf of the Community Council of
Lochwinnoch through support and
financial assistance from local sponsors
and advertisers and distributed
by volunteers. The aim of those
involved is to produce an informative
and entertaining journal for
those who live, work and visit in
this area.
The Editor welcomes all items for
possible inclusion but will reserve
all rights over them, i.e. the right to
shorten, edit or not publish any item.
Please note, all views are of individuals
and the Editor accepts no
liability for editorial errors or statements
and claims made in advertisements.
Lochwinnoch
Millennium
Events
Group
Tell Us What You Think About Lochwinnoch
We are carrying out a survey, with help from Renfrewshire
Council, to find out the views of people who live in the village.
It’s an opportunity for you to say what’s good about the village
and what could be improved. We hope the survey will highlight
opportunities for developing new services and amenities.
We’re keen to hear from everyone who lives in Lochwinnoch,
particularly young people, so please encourage those around you
to fill in a questionnaire.
It would help us if you could do the survey online (the results are
automatically collated) – you can find it on the home page of the
website: www.lochwinnoch.info
If you would rather complete a paper questionnaire you will find
one inside this copy of Chatterbox. Please hand it in at the Library
before 31 st August.
The survey results will be posted on the Website and will be
available in the Library and at the McKillop in the near future.
Thanks for your support !
Editorial & copy for Chatterbox
Let us have your stories, notices, news,
information, events & items of interest —
either hand-deliver them to the Chatterbox
drop-box in the Library or e-mail to:
chatterbox@lochwinnoch.info
To advertise in Chatterbox
Tel: 07899 746403 or e-mail:
chatterboxaccount@btinternet.com
Copy Deadline
for SEPTEMBER Issue Is
Tuesday 25th August ‘09
MATTHEW NEW & SONS
ROOFING - ROUGHCASTING - BUILDING MAINTENANCE
Emergency Repairs, Storm Damage
Insurance Work, New Roofs, Flat Roofs
Roughcasting –UPVC Cladding—Guttering
Tel No 01505 843400
FMB Certificate No 26366

Vanda’s Mobile Hairdressers
Ladies and Gents.
LOCHWINNOCH, BEITH,
KILBIRNIE and HOWWOOD
Business starts on 17th August.
Book now for an appointment.
Councillor
Arthur’s Report
Please, please take a few minutes to
fill in the Lochwinnoch Residents Survey
that LMEG (Lochwinnoch Millennium
Events Group) are currently
carrying out. We would greatly appreciate
your participation.
Once again we had a very successful
and busy village Annual Community
Football Camp which ran in the early
part of July.
Tel: 0774 8044 882
My thanks to Viewfield Rovers Football
Club for the use of their facilities,
to St.Mirren Football Club Community
Coaches for their excellent coaching
and dedication, to Lochwinnoch
Space and to all our young people
who attended and gave it their all.
Unfortunately, due to holidays, I
missed the Brown Bull’s 200 th Anniversary
Street Party but I had no
doubts that Laura and her helpers
would make it a day to remember and
from all accounts it certainly was.
Betty McKellar’s poem ‘The Brown
Bull’ has certainly caught the occasion
and I hear that Frazer Gamble is on
the lookout for a part-time job now
that he no longer has to wash his hair
as often! Well done to all.
Within Renfrewshire there is a multiagency
supported, ‘Care and Repair’
service for those aged 60 and over that
require small repairs carried out in
their home. This service is available
to council, housing association and
private tenants. The aim of the service
is to help people who cannot afford
the cost of small repairs around the
home or find it difficult to get
someone to carry out minor work.
The work takes in small repairs such
as broken shelves, minor internal
joinery repairs, replacement of locks,
hinges, letterboxes, tap washers and
light bulbs. For assistance or advice
phone Care and Repair Renfrewshire
on Tel: 0141 812 4111.
A reminder to all local groups and
clubs that Local Area Committee
grant application forms can be obtained
-
• by downloading from the Renfrewshire
Council website,
• by contacting Corporate Services,
Renfrewshire Council,
Cotton Street, Paisley PA1 1TR
on Tel: 0141 840 3399 or
• by emailing: local-areacommittees.cs@renfrewshire.
gov.uk
PLEASE NOTE - I have a change
of venue to Lochwinnoch Library
for my next Surgery which is on
Saturday 15th August from
11.30am. There is no need to wait
for a Surgery if you require my help;
you can contact me on Tel: 843507
and we can agree a time when we
can meet.
Councillor David Arthur
VILLAGE EVENT
CALENDAR for 2009
Lochwinnoch Post Office has a
wall-mounted planner, where members
of the public can enter details
of forthcoming events.
Please use this planner to avoid any
clashes when choosing dates to
hold events, and to help publicise
your own events in and around the
village and local area.
BOGUS CALLERS ALERT
Police are warning Renfrewshire residents
to be extra vigilant,
following recent reports of bogus callers
in the area, including in and
around Lochwinnoch.
Descriptions of individuals involved
include the wearing of yellow reflective
jackets and travelling in white
vans.
Advice from the Crime Prevention
Department of Paisley Police Office is
to only allow companies entry to your
home if you have arranged for them to
attend at an agreed time and date.
If any members of the public spot anything
suspicious, they should contact
their local police office (see below for
contact details).
USEFUL
CONTACT NUMBERS
Strathclyde Police –0141 532 5900
Johnstone Police –01505 404000
Johnstone Community Safety
Office – 01505 404023
Trading Standards 0141 840 3233
Care and Repair – 0141 812 4111
Renfrewshire Council -
Tel: 0141 842 5000
Anti-social Behaviour Investigation
Team (ASIST) - 0141 840 2163
Victim Support – 0141 887 0328
Nuisance Support & Advice
Helpline – 0800 169 1283
Crimestoppers – 0800 555 111
The Strathclyde Police website contains
information on all of the local
Community Policing Teams, which
aims to increase the visibility of the
officers within their communities.
Take a look at our website -
www. strathclyde.police.uk
for contact details of officers
in your local Policing Team.
You can also e-mail us
from this website.

LOCHWINNOCH
ART GROUP
NEWS
Lochwinnoch Art Group have been
busy making plans over the summer
for the coming session which starts on
Monday 7th September at 7.30pm
in the McKillop Institute.
The opening topic by Christine Brown
will be on Presentation of Artwork for
Exhibition and how to price artworks
for sale.
We will have another meeting on the
following Monday 14th September.
The topic for that evening will be
"Holiday Theme" in own choice of
medium.
Due to Lochwinnoch Art Group's
Annual Exhibition in 'The Library
Room', Lochwinnoch Library, which
runs from Wednesday 23rd September
until Saturday 10th October,
the next Art Group meeting will not
be until Monday 12th October at the
usual time of 7.30pm - 9.30pm.
As usual we invite new members to
come along and see what we are
about. Existing members who wish to
exhibit in our exhibition will be able
to collect information sheets at our
first meeting. If you have not already
done so, get those paint brushes out
and get painting !
Christine Brown
Lochwinnoch Art Group
Chairperson
R.N.L.I.
The good people in and around Lochwinnoch
have yet again shown their
generosity by contributing the
splendid total of £1,125.02 to
the R.N.L.I. Annual House-to-House
Collection.
The Guild would like to thank all
those who so kindly donated money
to this worthwhile charity and the
organiser of the collection would
like to express her great appreciation
of the time given by all the collectors.
Thank you and well done to all!
WANTED
ONE & TWO BEDROOM HOUSES & FLATS IN LOCHWINNOCH
& JOHNSTONE
THINKING OF LETTING OUT YOUR PROPERTY
WHY NOT GIVE US A CALL
WITH COMPETITIVE RATES & A FRIENDLY, PERSONAL
SERVICE, LET AMG LETTING TAKE CARE OF EVERYING FOR YOU.
WE HAVE POTENTIAL TENANTS WAITING
SO GIVE ANNETTE A CALL ON 01505 843589
IMPORTANT -
IT IS NOW OR
NEVER
FOR CLYDE
MUIRSHIEL
REGIONAL PARK!!
If our Regional Park is to be saved
for the future, it is extremely important
that everyone who cares sets
some time aside and writes a letter
to Kenneth Gibson MSP in support
of his Bill entitled -
‘Protecting Scotland’s
Regional Parks Bill’
This message must get to as many
residents from every town, village
and community around the Park
because unless there is tremendous
support from everyone, the game is
lost. Local business folk who benefit
from passing trade as a result of
day visitors who come to use the
Park, should also outline how their
income will be affected.
Kenneth Gibson needs your support
now or the Bill will fall at the first
hurdle in the Scottish Parliament.
Undoubtedly the developers of the
Kelburn Wind Farm won their appeal
because there were so few objectors
from that side of the Park. If
this Bill is successful, then wind farm
developers will know that any application
for wind turbines is a waste of
time. Letters do not need to be long
and full of detail. A list of Kenneth
Gibson’s questions is set out next, in
order to help you construct your letter.
YOUR REGIONAL
PARK
Consultation Questions
• For what reasons should regional
parks be afforded special protection
• In what ways have industrial developments
adversely affected your
visit to any of Scotland’s regional
parks.
• Do you think the Scottish Government
is doing enough to maintain and
protect Scotland’s regional parks If
not, what are your recommendations
• Do you foresee any unintended
consequences related to the restriction
of industrial development in regional
parks
• Any further comments you would
like to make on his proposal
Please return your comments on
this proposal to the following
address by Monday 31 August 2009
Kenneth J Gibson MSP
The Scottish Parliament
EDINBURGH
EH99 1SP

WALKIES !
Everyone has the right to be on most
land and inland water providing they
act responsibly. Your access rights
and responsibilities are explained fully
in the Scottish Outdoor Access Code.
Contact SNH on 01738 444177 for
leaflets or advice or visit their website:
outdooraccess-scotland.com for further
information.
Whether you’re in the outdoors or
managing the outdoors, the key things
are to take responsibility for your own
actions, respect the interests of other
people and care for the environment.
Here’s some guidance, reproduced
with permission from SNH, to help
you take the lead.
* Don’t take your dog into fields
where there are lambs, calves or other
young animals.
* Don’t take your dog into fields of
vegetables or fruit unless you are on a
clear path, such as a core path or right
of way - and keep to the path.
* Never let your dog worry or attack
farm animals.
* If you go into a field of farm animals,
keep as far away as possible from the
animals and keep your dog on a short
lead (i.e. 2 metres of less) or
under close control (i.e. this means
that your dog responds to your commands
and is kept close at heel).
* If cattle react aggressively and
move towards you, keep calm, let the
dog go and take the shortest, safest
route out of the field.
* During the bird breeding season
(usually April-July), keep your dog
under close control or on a short lead
in areas of moorland, forests, grassland,
loch shores AND the seashore.
* Pick up and remove your dog’s faeces
if it fouls in a public open place or
where there’s a risk to farming interests.
* Some reservoirs and streams are
used for public water supply. If there
are intakes nearby, keep your dog out
of the water.
* In recreation areas and other public
places, keep your dog under close
control.
YOUR DOG
DOESN’T KNOW ANY BETTER.
MAKE SURE YOU DO.
MEDAL SUCCESS
FOR
LOCHWINNOCH
GIRLS
at the National Rowing Championships
of Great Britain held in
Nottingham at the end of July.
The girls, Emma Brander, Caitlin
Horsburgh and Emma McDonald
(all 14 years old) were members
of a composite crew with
Meghan Hunter and Rachel
Wells of Inverness Rowing Club.
The girls qualified for the semi
finals and final in good style and
rowed home in 3rd position to
win the bronze medal. The girls
had only rowed together on a
couple of occasions previously,
where they had won the Scottish
Championship title and had
benefited from the input of the
Castle Semple and Inverness
coaches in their preparation for
the Championships.
LOCHWINNOCH
SURGERY
SWINE FLU
Advice is available on the NHS 24
website at www.nhs24.com or
by calling NHS 24 on Tel: 08454
242424 or you can call the practice
for a telephone consultation
on Tel: 842200.
GASTROENTERITIS
A number of patients have been
diagnosed with gastroenteritis
recently. Good personal hygiene,
including hand washing is the
best way to prevent this.
ELIZABETH FINDLAY
On the 15 th of July our dear
friend and colleague, Elizabeth
Findlay died having lost her two
year battle with serious illness.
She was only 33 years old and
had worked in the surgery as a
receptionist since the age of 18.
She will be sorely missed by us
all.
ELDERLY FORUM
After a break in July, the Forum
resumes monthly meetings on
27th August at 1pm in The
McKillop Institute. Representatives
of the wardens service will
visit on that date to talk about
their remit in the village and to
answer members' questions.
At this meeting final details of
times, lunch arrangements etc for
the bus run to Oban will be given.
Therefore, if you are booked for
this it is advisable to attend. This
trip has proved very popular
and sadly there are not enough
places on the bus for everyone, so
anyone finding they will be unable
to go will they please let either
Reta or myself know to give someone
on the waiting list the opportunity.
The Tbar resumes on Tuesday
8th September at 10am having
given the hard working team of
volunteers led by Reta Parr a well
earned rest in July and August.
From what I am hearing it is being
very much missed.
The speaker at the June meeting
was Gordon Martin who spoke
about lunch clubs being run in
other Renfrewshire areas under
the umbrella of ROAR (reaching
older adults in Renfrew-shire). He
proposed that our Tbar team could
become involved in taking this
on. This suggestion was met with
enthusiasm, and discussion is underway
for them to begin the lunch
club in October in The McKillop.
More news of this later.
We now have 71 members and welcome
anyone over the age of 55.
It's only £2 for the whole year
and for that, as well as the meetings
and Tbar (which of course
is open to all age groups), there's
the Christmas lunch and the bus
run. Speakers come to our meetings
talking on a variety of subjects
of interest. Some making us
aware of things we may not be
aware of and which are available
for the asking and what help is
available to solve any problems.
Gordon Nicholl Tel: 842632

LOCHWINNOCH
COMMUNITY
COUNCIL NEWS
NOTICE
DOGS
Attention has been drawn to the danger
of dogs, not on leads, being exercised
on the country roads surrounding
the village. Some owners are allowing
their dogs to wander off quite
a distance making it unlikely for them
to be able to call them to heel
quickly. Not all dogs are well behaved
and such dogs being allowed to run
free is unwise. Also encounters with
cars often being driven too fast could
cause distress and injury to both dogs
and walkers.
There are also reports of a man exercising
his 5 dogs, 4 collies and an
alsation by allowing them to run after
his moving red van. He has shown
aggressive behaviour towards walkers
and dog owners who have expressed
their concerns about this. Obviously
these dogs, when running after the
van, are completely outwith their
owner's control, and as such, could
injure other dogs, frighten walkers or
even be hurt themselves. Meeting with
other dogs could allow pack instinct to
take over.
This irresponsible dog ownership
should be reported to the dog wardens.
LAC REVIEW
The Local Area Committees (LACs)
recently agreed a consultation report
on the review of LACs and included
was reference to the drafting of localised
area action plans, which would
set out the priorities for each LAC
area.
The content will be influenced by a
number of factors, including demographic
and health statistics already
presented and, most importantly, the
views of the LAC community
representative membership. To assist
the preparatory work for the
drafting of the localised action plans
and to direct the content of the LAC
planning conference to be held later
this year, the Community Council
representative has been asked to provide
an indication of the three issues
perceived to be most important in
our area.
If you feel strongly about any issue
that you think should be included,
then please let the Community
Council know, either by contacting
CC members direct or by letting
Chatterbox know (via the Chatterbox
drop box in Lochwinnoch Library),
so that the issues can be prioritised
and forwarded to Renfrewshire
Council. Thank you.
Lochwinnoch
Community Council
Christmas Lights
Competition
The summer holidays are still in full
swing, but the Community Council
are already looking forward to
Christmas. They are organising a
competition giving the opportunity
to children in the village to design a
Christmas Light for the village.
The winning drawing will be transformed
into a professionally manufactured
light display and will be
unveiled at the village Christmas
light switch-on in December.
Entry forms are available from the
Library and various other places
throughout the village.
The competition is open to all
children living in the Lochwinnoch
Community Council area and aged
12 or under on 12 Sep. 2009.
Closing date for entries is
12 th September 2009.
Krafty Kids
will start back
on
Saturday 5th September
Morning class from 10-11.30am
and
Saturday 19th September
Afternoon class from 1.30-3pm
at Space Rooms, McKillop Inst.
The class was previously run
by a committee of mothers and
is now solely organised by
Katharine Billany, BA Hons
Art & Design.
All Primary School children
are welcome to join at £25.00
for the session, payable on the
first day. To book, Tel: 01505
844944.
The classes run monthly from
September to February and
will cover a range of arty
activities on the following
dates:
Saturday mornings:
5th September, 3rd October,
7th November, 5th December
2009, 9th January & 6th February
2010.
Saturday afternoons:
19th September, 24th October,
21st November, 19th December
2009, 23rd January &
20th February 2010.
Programme:
1. Painting and printing from
nature;
2. Hallowe’en theme, making
decorations and costumes;
3. Sand painting and lunar
modules;
4. Christmas decorations
with wood and fabric;
5. Dolls house people and
furniture;
6. Make your own finger
puppets & “Wild Animals”.

L o c h w i n n o c h r e s i d e n t s -
Can I help
If so, please don’t
h e s i t a t e t o g e t i n t o u c h .
Douglas Alexander, Lochwinnoch’s MP
Write to: 2014 Mile End Mill, 12 Seedhill Road, Paisley, PA1 1JS
Tel: 0141 561 0333. E-mail: dalexandermp@talk21.com
or come to one of my advice surgeries.
Hi everyone
HAPPY 200th BIRTHDAY
TO THE BROWN BULL !
(official birthday - 17th July 2009)
I just want to tell everyone how much
it meant to me to see as many people
at our wee bash on Saturday 18th July.
I was overwhelmed. In such a short
space of time of advertising to see all
of you come and have a good time is
amazing support. This truly is a
smashing wee place to dwell.
Thanks for all the kind comments on
the village website and in person, in
the pub. It made it all worthwhile.
Thanks to Sean Middleton & John Dobie
for all their help and to Graeme
and Chris with the charity buckets...oh,
which reminds me. There was
a typo on the labels of the buckets...St
Josephs instead of St Vincents I'm not
naming any names.
To Sandra Fowles for the painting
of the Bull which was up for raffle.
Thanks to the Community Council
for their full support and backing of
this event and big thanks also to
Renfrewshire Council, who backed
our event and did not charge for the
closure of the street. Wonderful support
all round from the councils.
To family and all friends that offered
support and spurred me on to do
this and huge thanks to our team of
staff here at the Brown Bull for their
hard work and service with a smile
throughout.
Oh, sounds like I'm getting all gushy
now so, thanks to everyone. Lochwinnoch
should be proud of its community.
I'll let you know the final amount
raised when all the sponsor money
comes in from Frazer Gamble shaving
his hair off. Well done sir !
There is one more special thanks to
an old friend...Betty McKellar, who
composed and gave us a poem for
our 200th. Betty has given Chatterbox
permission to reproduce her
poem and here it is to mark the occasion
and for all to enjoy.
Laura x
THE BROWN BULL
Oor Inn in Lochwinnoch keeps singing
its ain sang;
clear as a lintie it sings
ringin an swingin a Brigadoon tune
frae the sign o the Bull
at its door.
It sings aboot freends wi a drouth
gaithered in for a dram,
it sings by the fire
it sings quate in its corners
it sings lood
wi the Monday nicht Choir
at the line o the bar
roon the big barrel hert o it -
twa hunner year sin the stert o it -
fermers an keepers aye cam
an the cabes an the jiners
the men that worked wud
an miners an poachers an sodjers
cairters an herds.
The reg'lar chiels o Lochwinnoch
aye kent that the Brown Bull was guid
it's in the bluid;
a strange musty trace o them
lingers
like ghaists
deep doon
in the broon
o the Brown Bull wa'
an the Brown Bull sings o them a'.
But maistly it croons
tae the tune o the oor
its day an daily.
It hums wi Laura an Fergus
brichtsome in their duet
servin battered cod
frae the kitchenette,
it croons at the line o coathanger bulls
whaur ye hing yer claes
an the new fangled cast iron stove
wi its orange blaze,
it sings o the wine in yer gless
the pint ye maun quaff
it keeps beat tae the thump
on yer shouther
the belly launch.
Time tae cheer,
time tae toast
oor Lochwinnoch Brown Bull
in its twa hunnerth year.
It gaes strang as a bull
its got smeddum
an guts
at its core.
It's tae the fore.
May it aye Flourish!
Betty McKellar
17th July 2009

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 Mob: 07786 720586
e-mail: greta@thestirrupcup.co.uk www.thestirrupcup.co.uk
West Bankside Farm, Geirston Rd, Kilbirnie, KA25 7LQ
Just opposite the Golf Course on the Largs Rd.
THE STIRRUP CUP
SUMMER EVENT
The Stirrup Cup invite you to the
launch of a new range of jewellery,
which offers a made-to-measure
service, so you can choose the size
required. Skilfully made, with
attention to detail, by Louise, handmade
gifts have their own uniqueness.
They are more personal and
thoughtful.
The necklaces, bracelets and pairings
are created in freshwater pearls,
semi-precious stones, paua shell and
sterling silver.
From Monday 17th to Saturday
22nd August, from 2.30 p.m till
8.30 p.m, we will offer a wee glass
of White Wine Spritzer or Sangria
and Nibbles to remind us that summer
is still here !!!
LINK
SHELTERED HOUSING
is having a
Tombola & Raffle Day
on
Thursday 13th August
from 10am to 2.30pm,
at Glenpark Road complex.
Any donations towards the Tombola
and Raffle would be gratefully received.
Donations can be handed in
to the complex at Glenpark Road,
Lochwinnoch or contact Maureen on
Tel: 843447 for details.
Proceeds from this fundraising event
will go to MacMillan Cancer Care.
Jewellery may not be your first preference
but you will be very welcome
to come along. It gives us the
opportunity to thank you for the
support you have given us since we
opened and for you to browse
through the other new stock we have
to offer.
FRESHWATER PEARLS
The Romans and the Egyptians
prized pearls using them as decorative
items around the 5 th Century,
although records show that the
Chinese valued pearls much earlier.
Originally cultured in 1914, using a
freshwater mollusc native to Lake
Biwa in Japan, pearls are formed
inside the shell as a defence mechanism
to a potentially threatening
irritant. The mollusc creates a pearl
to seal off the irritation by depositing
layers of calcium carbonate, known
as nacre.
Lochwinnoch Country
Dance Club
Classes will resume
on Tuesday lst September
in the McKillop Hall, Lochwinnoch
at 7.30pm till 9.30pm
with our new teacher,
Mr Les Lambert from Kilbarchan.
We will be delighted to welcome
new and past members for an enjoyable
evening.
Due to us being fortunate in receiving
a grant from Renfrewshire
Community Grant Scheme this is an
inexpensive evening out with a very
sociable group where we have
laughter, exercise and take part in
learning traditional Scottish Country
Dancing.
The value of pearls in jewellery is
determined by a combination of the
lustre, colour, size, lack of surface flaw
and symmetry that are appropriate for
the type of pearl under consideration.
All factors being equal however, the
larger the pearl, the more valuable it
is. Large, perfectly round pearls are
rare and highly valued.
Pearls come in eight basic shapes:
round, semi-round, button, drop,
pear, oval, baroque and circled.
They can also be very colourful and
are found in a variety of pastel shades,
the grey and pink pearls being the
prettiest of them.
Whatever the season, pearls make the
perfect accessory to the rich fabrics in
fashion now. Wear pearl necklaces
and pendants with confidence against
silk, satin, cashmere, velvet and
tweed but, best of all, wear it next to
your skin and see your face glow with
luminosity.
Car Boot
Sale
On
Sunday 30 th August
from 11am to 3pm
At Lochbarr Football
(1 Newton of Barr, Lochwinnoch).
£5 per car.
To book your spot,
Tel. us on: 01505 842808
or just show up on the day.
Refreshments will be available at
the bar.
We look forward to seeing you.

LOCHWINNOCH
CHILDMINDING
GROUP
If you are looking for childcare within
the locality, Lochwinnoch Childminding
Group can offer professional
childcare in a caring and nurturing
home environment.
The group has been active within
Lochwinnoch village for almost 20
years, giving support to families with
children aged 0 to 12 years.
Children are encouraged to develop
within a safe and stimulating setting,
where a wide range of resources and
activities are tailored to suite the individual
child’s age and stage of development.
A high standard of childcare
is ensured through professional development,
and by meeting the standards
as specified by the Care Commission.
If you are seeking a placement,
please contact Alison Spiers for vacancies
on 01505 842 364, Monday
to Friday between 9am & 5pm.
Morag’s Keep Fit
Monday evenings resume on
31st August at 7pm
and
Thursday evenings resume on
3rd September at 7pm.
All at the McKillop Institute.
Now that the dust has settled from
Gala Day we would like to say a big
thank you to all those who helped us.
For those who actively helped by
assisting with marquees , tables and
chairs etc...... Well, where would we
be without you ! Our helpers at the
park entrances.... Again, what
would we do without you !
The Tea Room was yet another great
success mainly due to hard work and
delicious homebaking from Morag's
Keep Fit Girls and Boys. Well done
and many thanks !
We were lucky with the weather yet
again, which was a perfect excuse to
have a drink or two from Sandy at
the ' Beer Gazebo ' , while watching
the Five Aside Football. The Gala
Cup was once again won by the
Garthland Arms.
We have to thank the following local
businesses who kindly supported
Gala Day :
The Corner Bar
Thomas Taylor
Alter Landscapes
Pia Bros
Penman Pharmacy
Cut 'n Care
The Garthland Arms
Now & Then
Beattie Therapies
The Brown Bull
Gerry Reilly
The Junction
Crafts of Calder
The Paper Shop
Tesco
Lochbarr Services and
Power Doors.
We also have to thank the following
people who each also supported Gala
Day in varying ways:
Bill Thomson
Ben Richardson
Serena Milne
Billy Gray & Bruce Rodger
Willie Gamble
Johnny Barr and
Jud.
To the residents of the village, a huge
thank you for donating bottles to our
bottle stall. Everyone connected with
Gala Day worked so hard and the
Parade from Auld Simon was proof of
that. The covered wagon was amazing,
especially as it had started life as
a viking ship! Who knows what next
year will bring Watch this space !
All the events from Dog Show, Duck
Race, Children's games were well
broadcast with the help of Billy Gray
and Bruce Rodger. This year we
were able to have live music in the
park and we hope to bring you more
of that next year. Gala Day next year
promises to be bigger and better !
Finally, due to the continued success
of Gala Day we are again once more
in the fortunate position of making
donations to the village after meeting
all the expenses of Gala Day.
We have therefore donated
£1,000,
to be shared equally among The Girls
Brigade, The Boys Brigade,
Lochwinnoch Parish Church, Our
Lady of Fatima and Calder United
Free Church. These are the donations
so far at the time of going to press.
We hope everyone enjoyed the day
and look forward to seeing you all
next year. Who knows what the
theme may be next year ! Actually we
do have an inkling but we're not telling
you yet !
Our best wishes to everyone,
from Christine Brown
(Chairperson) and the Gala Day
Committee.

TEENAGE CANCER TRUST NEWS
TCT “Rules the World” at Take That
Vee Bee Sugarart
Established 1996
For all your cake decorating needs
Stockist of Patchwork Cutters,
PME, Tinkertech, Orchard,
FMM and many more.
Still recovering from the TCT Boat
That Rocked and asking the sun to
“Shine”, we (Rosemarie, Laura,
Holly and me; Karen) drove up to
Hampden, getting into the mood
listening to Take That CD’s, ready
to collect money in bucket-loads
(quick literally!) for Teenage Cancer
Trust.
Armed with fetching TCT bibs and
buckets we set off in search of generous,
kind Take That fans to ask
“How Deep Is Your Love” (or
pockets!).
We had to have some “Patience”
but as the crowds arrived we told
them “It Only Takes A Minute” to
throw a few quid into the buckets
to support the Teenage Cancer
Trust.
With some people we did wonder
if “Love Ain’t Here Anymore” as
they gave us the standard line
“sorry I don’t have any change”
(How many times have I said that
myself Well not anymore, now
knowing how much it takes to hold
a bucket and ask in the first
place!!)
“Everything Changes(d)” when
people knew the collection was to
help teenagers with cancer.
I had two guys put £20 notes in
EACH – I could have kissed
them but, as we told the crowds,
every single penny helps, and
most people put something in.
After the collection, our reward
was access to the concert and
wow! how good was that!!
We hoped they wouldn’t just sing
“A Million Love Songs” but we
were entertained in every way. It
was truly spectacular! We “Pray”
ed that the total would be a good
one for TCT. “Could It Be
Magic” Yes indeed it was.
The grand total from the three
Take That collections was
£7,409.
So to all the generous people who
contributed, Thank You very
much. It really was “The Greatest
Day”.
Karen Kelly
Cake Stand Hire & Cake Tin Hire
Personalised wedding and
celebration cake decorations available to
suit any occasion!
Come along to our shop and see our
selection. Professional or amateur, everyone
is catered for.
Ring Judy on 01505 683689
or visit our shop at
19 Main Street (The Cross),
Kilbirnie, Ayrshire KA25 7BX
Opening hours:
Mon, Tue, Thur, Fri 10am – 4pm
Weds, & Sat 10am – 1pm
Mail Order our speciality.
For details, visit -
www.vbsugarart.co.uk
or e-mail: judy@vbsugarart.co.uk
THANK YOU
The Strawberry Tea, held on 14th
June, was a huge success. We had
about 12 different people from
Lochwinnoch. Some of them said
that they had seen our notice in the
Chatterbox.
The grand sum of £505 was raised
for the Renal Unit at Crosshouse
Hospital, Kilmarnock.
The Art Display on Monday 22nd
June was a very successful event.
There were about a hundred people
who came along to see the show and
there were quite a number of paintings
sold on the night.
Thank you to everyone who supported
our events.
Barrmill Community Association

THE BATTLE RAGES ON
by DEREK PARKER
SINCE time immemorial, battlefields
have been the terrifying scenes of
ghostly encounters. Several sites of
conflict are said to be haunted by
phantom figures of long-dead warriors
seeking revenge on spectral foes
against whom they fought in bloodthirsty
feuds during bygone days.
Muirdykes Mount in the hills above
Lochwinnoch is one of these
haunted battlefields. You can see it
from the visitor centre at Castle Semple
Loch. It's easily recognisable by
the single windswept tree cresting a
conspicuous mound west of Skiff
Wood on the far side of the loch.
The Battle of Muirdykes took place on
June 18, 1685. It was fought between
Royalist dragoons in the service
of King James VII and II, and the
Covenanters who opposed the monarch's
claim to be head of the Reformed
Church in Scotland.
The Covenanters were led by Sir John
Cochran, whose family lived at Cochrane
Castle, near Johnstone. The dragoons
were commanded by Lord Ross
of Hawkhead, near Paisley.
The battle site is marked on Ordnance
Survey maps by two crossed swords.
Today, more than 300 years later and
even on sunny, summer afternoons, it
still exudes an eerie atmosphere.
That spooky sensation is particularly
palpable around the anniversary of the
feud when the ghosts of the warriors
who fought and died at Muirdykes are
said to return to their former haunts to
settle old scores.
The small group of Covenanters who
took part in the conflict were part of a
larger army which had been recruited
in Holland. Under the leadership of
the Earl of Argyll, they planned to
make their way up the Kintyre peninsula
then along the Clyde estuary, past
Dumbarton, and on towards Glasgow
where they hoped to rally more support.
By the time they reached Old
Kilpatrick, however, many of the
Covenanters had lost heart and
drifted away. Those that remained
were separated and the Earl was captured
at Renfrew.
He was later executed in Edinburgh
on a macabre guillotine-like machine
known bizarrely as The Maiden. Today,
close to the Normandy Hotel in
Renfrew, there is a large rock known
as Argyll's Stone. Red marks on the
boulder are said to be the Earl's
bloodstains from the wounds he sustained
during his apprehension.
Following the arrest of Argyll, the
remainder of the Covenanting army
crossed the Clyde at Renfrew. The
river was easy to ford in these days
because it was very shallow, especially
at low tide.
The Covenanters headed southwards
towards Ayrshire, which was one of
their strongholds and the territory of
the Earls of Dundonald, who were
related to Sir John Cochran, their
commanding officer.
While journeying across the moors,
they were engaged by a detachment
of Royalist dragoons at Muirdykes
Mount and a fierce fight followed.
An eye-witness account of the battle
by one of the soldiers described how
muskets and pistols were fired as the
Covenanters resolutely defended the
small hillock known as Muirdykes
Mount. That's the landmark which
we can see from Castle Semple visitor
centre.
The soldiers' narrative tells how drystone
walls and heather-mantled hollows
were used for cover and how at
least four dragoons were killed. The
casualties included a Captain Clelland
who was carried from the field after
being struck by a musket ball. The
officer later died from his injuries.
The Battle of Muirdykes was an inconclusive
encounter with neither
victors nor vanquished. Both factions
retreated from the battlefield under
cover of darkness with the dragoons
heading for Glasgow and the Covenanters
continuing towards Ayrshire.
There was a grisly sequel to the event.
Nearly 300 years after the battle, an
old sword was discovered among reed
beds near Castle Semple Loch which
were being drained as part of an agricultural
improvement and land reclamation
project.
The location was less than one mile
away from Muirdykes Mount where
the battle was fought. The sword
was handed over to the former Renfrew
District Council and put on show
for a while at the sadly-defunct Lochwinnoch
Community Museum in the
village centre.
The weapon, which dated from the
Covenanting era, was thought to have
been used by one of the soldiers during
that fateful summer day at
Muirdykes Mount when the green
grass of the upland pastures was reddened
with the blood of dead and

wounded soldiers.
It is believed that the fugitive soldier
had fled on horseback from
Muirdykes Mount, galloped past the
ruins of Ellistoun Castle - ancestral
home of the Semples of Castle Semple
- then blundered into his marshy
mausoleum at the loch where he was
sucked to a horribly slow lingering
death in choking mud and weedstrewn
water.
Some historians believe that the
bleached bones and shrivelled bodies
of the doomed rider and his horse
may still lie somewhere among the
marshes fringing the loch, where
they perished in the aftermath of the
battle.
During my time as a countryside
ranger at Clyde Muirshiel Park, I
heard many stories from local residents
about a ghostly horseman
frequently seen at dead of night,
galloping furiously on his phantom
steed along the muddy track which
leads from Muirdykes Mount before
dropping down into Ellistoun Glen
then continuing towards Castle
Semple Loch.
Was his the ghost of the drowned
victim of the Castle Semple
marshes
Today, Muirdykes Mount has
changed little during the three centuries
that have elapsed since the conflict.
Close by, you will see a large
grassy mound which is said to entomb
the bodies of the men who perished
during the battle.
It is also said that, if you visit the
site on June 18 and on certain other
days, you will hear the crack of gunfire,
the rattling of swords, the frenzied
neighing of horses and the
agonised screams of wounded and
dying men as the Covenanters and
dragoons try to settle old scores still
outstanding since the Battle of
Muirdykes in 1685. It's as if
the conflict still rages on through the
centuries.
Derek Parker worked as a
countryside ranger at Clyde
Muirshiel Regional Park from
1985 until 1999.
ST VINCENT’S
HOSPICE NEWS
Three West of Scotland Hospices
are delighted to be the recipients of a
Big Lottery award, which will greatly
improve the quality of life of children
and young people within Greater
Glasgow and Clyde Health Board
region.
St. Vincent’s Hospice Howwood,
Ardgowan Hospice Greenock and
The Prince and Princess of Wales
Hospice Glasgow received a five
year award for their Butterfly
Children’s Bereavement programme.
The three local independent
Hospices joined together in a bid to
deliver bereavement services to
children and young people in a
groundbreaking way.
The Children’s Bereavement programme
will directly improve the
quality of life of over 500 children
and young people across the three
geographical areas in the form of a
Drop-in service, individual counselling
sessions and support and education
for young people, families and
professionals.
This generous grant offers an excellent
opportunity for the three Hospices
to work together as a first in
Scotland to deliver Bereavement
Care for Children in a uniform and
equitable way. This project will contribute
to communities working better
together whilst complementing
and promoting the public Health
and Palliative Care agenda. It is
hoped that the project will make a
significant impact on the lives of
children, young people and their
families
Our Director of Hospice Services,
Mrs Trudy Lafferty, said:
"St. Vincent's Hospice is absolutely
delighted to have received funding in
collaboration with Ardgowan and
Prince & Princess of Wales Hospices,
for the Butterfly Project.
St Vincent's Hospice has for many
years been supporting children &
young people in Renfrew district.
However this award will enable
many more young people affected by
bereavement to be supported at a
time when they are most vulnerable."
Q
J Quinn & son
Memorials
Personal Service &
Quality Guaranteed
New Memorials
Additional Inscriptions
Cleaning & Renovations
NEW SHOWROOM
42 MAIN STREET, KILBIRNIE
Please Call 01505 68 5455
Monday & Friday 10am-5pm,
Tuesday-Thursday 10am–2pm
Saturday 10am - 1pm
Mr. Ford and Mrs Murdoch would like
to invite all primary school aged children
(including those about to start
P1) to our joint* Holiday Club in the
Parish Church Hall from Monday 10 th
– Friday 14 th August from 10 – 12 each
morning.
Through the story of Joseph and music,
we will be exploring some of the
big questions, such as, “Why are we
here” and “what difference can I
make to the world” At 11 o’clock on
Sunday morning, children are invited
to bring their parents to a family service
and stay for fun and food.
There will be the usual mix of crafts,
games, drama and jokes as well as the
famous water game!
*The Holiday Club is part of the joint
youth work undertaken by Calder
United Free Church and Lochwinnoch
Parish Church.

New Books for August
Michael Connelly : The Scarecrow
Jack McEvoy is at the end of the line
as a crime reporter. Forced to take a
buy-out from the LA Times as the
newspaper grapples with dwindling
readership and revenues, he's got 30
days left on the job. His last assignment
Training his replacement, a low
cost reporter just out of J-school who
couldn't find the police station if it was
right next store to the Times, which it
is. But Jack has other plans for his
exit. He is going to go out with a bang
- a final story that will win the newspaper
journalism's highest honor - a
Pulitzer prize.
Katie Fforde : Love letters
With the bookshop where she works
about to close, Laura Horsley, in a moment
of uncharacteristic recklessness,
finds herself agreeing to help organize
a literary festival deep in the heart of
the English countryside. But her initial
excitement is rapidly followed by a
mounting sense of panic when reality
sinks in and she realizes just how
much work is involved - especially
when an innocent mistake leads the
festival committee to mistakenly believe
that Laura is a personal friend of
the author at the top of their wish-list.
Elizabeth George:
Two of the deadliest
Anger, jealousy, gluttony, sloth, lust,
greed and pride. The Seven Deadly
sins. Doesn't every major crime have
one of these deadly sins at its root
This volume selects two of them, lust
and greed, as the inspiration for a selection
of brand new stories, chosen
and edited by internationally bestselling
author Elizabeth George.
You'll find mystery, mistakes, misunderstandings,
and murder………..
Jonathan Kellerman :
True detectives
TRUE DETECTIVES follows Moe
Reed and Aaron Fox on the twisted
trail of a missing girl.
A dark, baffling whodunit that forces
the brothers to put aside their mutual
animus -- and to confront the unresolved
family mystery that turned
them into enemies. Only by pooling
their efforts ,do Fox and Reed stand a
chance of peeling back the secrets in
high places.
Lochwinnoch Library
G J Moffat : Daisy Chain
Logan Finch has just about everything
he ever wanted, including a
penthouse apartment and a shot at
making partner in one of Scotland's
largest law firms. But there's something
missing from his life: he still
pines for the woman he thought was
'the one' and who left him without a
word of explanation over twelve
years ago. Against the backdrop of
Glasgow city and its surroundings,
GJ Moffat creates a taut thriller, a
group of characters you would want
to meet again and a gang of characters
you most definitely wouldn't ....
Sally Worboyes : Valentine
Moon
London, 1960. Patsy Lamb is turning
seventeen at the start of a decade
that will change everything. The
slums of the East End are beginning
to be knocked down, and a new
modern lifestyle is being promised to
Patsy and her friends. Working at
the local salon, Patsy hears all the
gossip and even if her parents are
wary of the changes to the world
they know, Patsy can't help but be
carried away with the new freedom
promised to her generation. But
along with the bright lights, the short
skirts and the new music at the
dance halls, there are darker changes
afoot too…..
Long car journey
ahead
New Collection of Junior Books on
CD available at Lochwinnoch
Library.
Here are a few….
Gwyneth Rees : Fairy secrets.
Charles Higson : Silverfin (James
Bond adventure)
Jacqueline Wilson : Candyfloss
Eoin Colfer : Artemis Fowl and the
Time Paradox
Renew and Reserve
at
www.renfrewshwire.gov.uk/libraries
Library members can view, renew
and reserve their library loans
online. All you need to get started is
your library membership number
and a password. If you don’t have a
password just ask at any library.
QUEST SEEKERS
At Lochwinnoch Library until
Saturday 29 August.
Do you dare to take up our challenge to
become a Quest Seeker and help find the
legendary golden Book You must use
your imagination to journey to a mysterious
and wondrous land to help our three
Quest Seekers, Raj, Belle and Louis to
complete the challenge.
Quest Seekers is open to all 4 to 12 year
olds in Renfrewshire and it's free to join.
Every time you read two books, you'll
complete a task that helps to take you
through the three stages of the challenge:
• Firebird Rising
• Mountain Mission
• Dragon's Lair
Read six books to complete the quest and
receive your winner's medal.
ADVICE WORKS
Tuesdays 10am –12.30pm
Advisors are on hand to help fill in claim
forms, check and advise on welfare benefits/money
problems, etc. Advisors can
provide expert advice on a wide range of
debt related topics, such as credit card,
mortgage arrears, council tax, etc. The
service is FREE, confidential and open to
all Renfrewshire residents.
Baby & Toddler
Rhyme time
At Lochwinnoch Library
Will re-start on Tuesday 25th
August at 2.15pm
LIBRARY OPENING
HOURS :
Monday, Wednesday and Friday:
2pm–5pm & 6pm–8pm
Tuesday and Saturday: 10am–1pm
and 2pm–5pm
Closed Thursday.
Tel: 01505 842305

Clyde Muirshiel
Regional Park
HOMECOMING 2009
Photographic Competition
This competition is part of a Parkwide
programme of events and activities
throughout 2009, linking
the Park and its people to the
national Homecoming Scotland
2009 initiative.
The themes are:
Scotland’s Culture and Heritage,
Great Scottish Minds and Innovations,
Golf, Whisky, and Robert Burns.
(For more information, visit website -
www.homecomingscotland.com)
The Brief: Your interpretation of
Homecoming 2009 within Clyde
Muirshiel Regional Park. Your entry
needs to be an image taken within
Clyde Muirshiel Regional Park or of a
view of the Regional Park.
The Prize: The outright winner will
receive a prize of £250. Other prizes
may be awarded.
Competition Rules: pick up an entry
form at Castle Semple Visitor Centre.
Closing Date of entry to the competition
is 4th October 2009. All photographs
considered to be of merit will
form an exhibition from November
2009 and images may also be displayed
on CMRP website.
For more details, visit
www.clydemuirshiel.co.uk
Seashore scrambling
at Lunderston Bay
On Thursday the 13 th of August,
take yourself and your children back
to your childhood, and come down
to the beach to join the Clyde Muirshiel
Regional Park Rangers for a
seashore scramble – investigating
the rock pools, which appear at low
tide.
There are a huge variety of inhabitants
at the shore’s edge and not
much time to discover them all before
the tide comes back in.
Children love hunting for the inhabitants
and can learn lots of fascinating
facts about the creatures they may
discover – such as the Butterfish –
so called because it is extremely
slippery – like butter!!
The session starts at 11.30 in the
morning when the tide is out, and
will finish at approximately 1.30
p.m. Meet the at the Lunderston
Bay Car Park. Numbers are limited
for safety, so be sure and book your
place as soon as possible to avoid
disappointment.
Call the Ranger Service at Cornalees
Bridge Centre for more details or to
book your place, on 01475 521 458.
So swot up on your crabs and starfish,
winkles and welks and come
and have some FREE summer fun,
and of course, once you know
where, how and what to look for,
you can do this as often as you like!
Lord Knights and
Princesses all, we
prithee, attend a
Medieval day
at Castle Semple
On Sunday 9 th August 2009,
Clyde Muirshiel Regional Park is holding
a FUN DAY at Castle Semple Visitor
Centre with the medieval theme of
Knights and Princesses. Festivities
will run from 1 pm until 4pm.
The park looks forward to welcoming
all Knights and Princesses on the day
and one event will be a ‘Costume
Parade’. Everyone, young and old, is
invited to come along in costume and
join in the fun for the day.
Get your ‘shield’ passport and collect
your token stamps around all the
events. The many FREE activities will
include ‘Climbing Dragon Mountain’,
‘Castle Building’, ‘Quest for the Grail’
and much more.
So join the Lord and Lady of Castle
Semple for a Free Fun Day out.

Got any old photographs
of Semple Estate Lochwinnoch
International Volunteers
come to Clyde Muirshiel
Regional Park
As part of Homecoming Scotland, Clyde Muirshiel Regional Park is going to be
mounting an exhibition of photographs and maps of Castle Semple Estate
through the ages.
Twelve young international volunteers
and two leaders from Xchange Scotland
will be joining the staff at Clyde Muirshiel
Regional Park for a two-week programme
of volunteer work and cultural exchange
from Saturday 1st of August 2009.
Xchange Scotland is a newly founded
voluntary organisation that offers a
diverse and dynamic range of projects,
opening the opportunities of international
volunteering and exchanges to
as many people as possible and as
they say on their website “Sharing
cultures and working together with
other young people from around the
world is one of the most exciting and
enriching experiences.”
The volunteers will be assisting staff
with the Maze Restoration Project, as
well as learning some drystone dyking
skills in Parkhill Wood. The volunteers
will also receive some evening
tuition on canoeing as well as spending
some time with Castle Semple
Sailing Club and Lochwinnoch Rowing
Club.
Some work will also be undertaken on
the sea wall at Lunderston Bay, helping
to avoid erosion of the shore path
over the winter from storms. A few
of the volunteers may also be assisting
the staff at the Knights and Princesses
event on the 9 th August at Castle
Semple.
It will not be all work and no play,
however, as there is an itinerary of
sight-seeing and some days off for
them to explore Scotland themselves.
In their final week the volunteers will
attend a reception at Castle Semple
Centre with staff and local councillors
and Park Authority representatives, to
thank them for their efforts and this
will be followed by a ceilidh to finish
off their stay. We hope that they shall
feel welcome here in Scotland and
enjoy their stay.
If anyone has photographs/maps of the estate in the past and especially of the
people who worked the estate and they are willing to let these be displayed, then
please bring them down to Castle Semple Centre, as soon as possible. They
don’t need to be very old, as we need photographs from throughout the ages,
even through the 60’s, 70’s and 80’s and up to present day, which show the
changes in and around Lochwinnoch.
We don’t need to keep the originals for very long, as we will scan them and
return the originals. These images will then be displayed in an exhibition at
Castle Semple Centre starting the weekend of Renfrewshire Doors Open Day
(12 th & 13 th September). All photographs displayed will have an acknowledgement
of ownership.
For further information please contact Pat Emslie on 01505 842882 ext 22.
Woodland Wander around
Muirshiel Country Park
Ever wanted to know a little bit
more about the places on your doorstep
Want some FREE expert
help on discovering what is there
Join the Clyde Muirshiel Regional
Park Ranger Service at Muirshiel
Visitor Centre, Lochwinnoch, on
Saturday 22 nd August 2009 from
1.30p.m. to discover and learn about
the woodlands to be found there.
The woods are slowly changing
from being blanket conifer forestry
plantations with very little wildlife
to welcoming deciduous woodlands
full of life of all kinds. Find out why
this is happening, and what sort of
wildlife has moved into the areas
which are being re-planted with native
species of trees. If you would
like to learn more and find out what
you can do to help, please call Muirshiel
Visitor Centre on 01505 842
803 to book your places. Families
welcome, though the route will not
be suitable for buggies.
Wildlife Wonders at
Muirshiel Country Park
This summer, the Ranger Service at
Muirshiel arranged a programme of
fun-filled wildlife experiences to capture
the imagination and to get families
out exploring the natural world
around them during the summer holidays.
Sessions in July included Watery
Worlds where the families got to
explore the wildlife of one of the
ponds at Muirshiel. The August session
on 4 th August was about Natural
Artworks - bringing out the creative
side and producing an artwork to be
left out in the country park (the 2008
artworks are still visible!).
The final session on Tuesday 11 th
August, is from 1pm to 3pm and is
entitled Bird-brained. Families will
learn about some of the birds of the
area and how to construct nestboxes to
be put out around the park to provide
extra homes until all the newly planted
trees grow large enough.
To book places, call into Muirshiel
Visitor Centre or phone 01505 842
803. Children must be accompanied
by at least one adult.

RSPB
LOCHWINNOCH
• Wildlife viewing all year round
• Nature trails and hides open at all
times
• Visitor Centre open from 10am-
5pm daily
• Bird Feeding Station and
Treetop Tower
• Daily activities for families
• School holiday activities
• Superb RSPB Shop.
Keep up to date with the
latest RSPB gossip.
Find us on Facebook:
Search ‘RSPB Lochwinnoch’, click on
us and become a fan to receive regular
updates.
Follow us on Twitter:
at http://
twitter.com/RSPBLochwinnoch
Subscribe to the RSPB
Lochwinnoch Blog!
For weekly updates, visit:
http://blogs.rspb.org.uk/
lochwinnoch/default.aspx
and subscribe using the RSS link.
Second Hand Natural
History Books & Optics
Sale 2009
12th-20th September
We are now looking for donations of
natural history books to be sold in our
second hand book sale. These can be
given as a donation to the RSPB or
sold on your behalf (RSPB takes 10%
commission).
Rare books can be placed into our
blind auction with a reserve price set.
We are also looking for second-hand
optics (binoculars, telescopes, eyepieces,
cases) which can be donated or
sold on your behalf.
If you have any books/optics you
would like to put into the sale,
please ring Paula or Zul on 01505
842663 for more information.
RSPB EVENTS
Holiday Club
• Friday 7th August - Mammal
madness. Learn all about the
mammals living on the reserve.
• Friday 14th August - Environmental
Games Day. A fun-filled
day of games, all themed around
wildlife and the environment.
All sessions are split into groups of
those aged 8 and under (who must be
accompanied by an adult) and those
aged 9 and over. Sessions run from
11am - 2pm and must be pre-booked,
Tel: 01505 842663.
• Minibeast Mondays.
On Monday 10th August from
11am-4pm. Come along and
explore the reserve, hunt for
bugs and beasties and see what
new things you can discover.
• Wild Wednesdays. On Wed.
12th August from 11am - 4pm.
Moths, flowers, trees, frogs, insects,
mammals, bird bingo.
PLEASE NOTE:
Wear old clothes that you don’t
mind getting dirty, stout footwear
and bring waterproofs. Be prepared
for all weather conditions.
For bookings and information,
Tel: 01505 842663
or visit our webpage at:
www.rspb.org.uk/reserves/
guide/l/lochwinnoch/index.asp
RSPB Lochwinnoch Nature Reserve,
Largs Road, Lochwinnoch PA12 4JF
Arts and Crafts for
Young Teens, Lochwinnoch
The Chameleon Club Art Classes are
for anyone aged 11+ who would like
to try some arts and crafts, e.g. plasticine
animations, ceramic money
banks, printed and folded origami
creations, mosaic frames/ boxes,
drawing and creating comics.
Classes run from 2-4pm at the RSPB
Centre, Lochwinnoch and are led by
local artist Cáit Gould. The cost is
£10 per session, all materials included.
Contact Cáit on 01505 842380 for
more details.
Classes will be held on the last Saturday
of each month, except for December
when the class will be held on
Saturday 19 December.
RSPB Photography
Competition 2009
The entrants for this year’s competition
will be on display at the
RSPB Reserve Centre, Largs
Road, Lochwinnoch throughout
August. Please come and vote
for your favourites.

What’s On
August 2009
• Monday mornings - Lochwinnoch
Community Walks -
Mondays (ex. Public Holidays),
10.30am at The Cross.
• Thursday mornings - Slinky
Strollers - Morning walks, meet at
10.30am at Castle Semple Centre.
• Fri. 7th August and Fri. 14th
August - RSPB Lochwinnoch
Summer Holiday Club. *
• Saturday 8th August - Ponds at
Muirshiel from 1pm for 2 hours at
Muirshiel Centre. *
• Sunday 9th August - Knights
and Princesses Fun Day from 1pm
-4pm, Castle Semple Centre. *
• Monday 10th August - Minibeast
Monday at RSPB Centre. *
• Tuesday 11th August - Wildlife
Wonders for all the family from
1pm-3pm at Muirshiel Centre. *
• Wednesday 12th August - Wild
Wednesday at RSPB Centre. *
• Wednesday 12th August -
Giant Jigsaws - family fun from
1.3o-3.30 pm, Castle Semple Ctre.
• Thursday 13th August - Raffle/
Tombola Day at Link Glenpark
Road complex 10am—2.30pm. *
• Thursday 13th August - Investigating
Rock Pools. Family event
at Lunderston Bay from 11.30am.*
• Friday 14th August - Questseekers
event at the library. *
• Saturday 15th August -
Councillor Arthur’s Surgery from
11.30am. PLEASE NOTE - this
month’s surgery will be held at
Lochwinnoch Library. *
• Saturday 15th/Sunday 16th
August - Wildlife Wander plus:
Insects from 10am-12 noon at
RSPB Centre. Booking essential.
• Friday 21st/Saturday 22nd
August - Bat and Moth Night
from 8pm-late on Friday & next
day from 10am-12 noon at RSPB
Centre. Booking essential.
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• Saturday 22nd August -
Ranger-led Woodland Wander,
Muirshiel Centre from 1.30pm. *
• Sunday 23rd August - Last
guided Summer ‘50 Passages’
Walk in Parkhill Wood. Meet
2pm at Castle Semple Centre.
• Tuesday 25th August - Baby
& Toddler Rhymetime resumes
2.15pm, Lochwinnoch Library. *
• Thursday 27th August - Elderly
Forum meetings resume at
1pm in the McKillop Inst. *
• Saturday 29th August -
Chameleon Club workshop with
Cáit Gould, 2-4pm, RSPB Centre
• Sunday 30th August -
Lochbarr Football Car Boot Sale,
11am-3pm. *
• Sunday 30th August - Betty
McKellar Poetry Walk round
Lochwinnoch. Meet 2pm at
Auld Simon Churchyard, Johnshill.
To book, Tel 01505 842882.
• Monday 31st August -
Morag’s Keep Fit - Monday evenings
resume, 7pm, McKillop. *
• Tuesday 1st September—
Lochwinnoch Country Dance
Club resumes in the McKillop
Inst. From 7.30-9.30pm. *
• Tuesday 1st September -
Lochwinnoch Community Council
meeting, 7.30pm in the Guild
Room of the Parish Church.
• Thursday 3rd September—
Morag’s Keep Fit Thursday evenings
resume at 7pm, McKillop. *
• Saturday 5th September—
Krafty Kids classes resume with
Katharine Billany, McKillop Inst.
(Full details inside, on page 5.)
• Sunday 6th September -
Farmers Market, Castle Semple
Centre from 11am –2.30pm or
until sold out.
• Monday 7th September -
Lochwinnoch Art Group resumes,
McKillop Inst at 7.3opm. *
• Tuesday 8th September - T-
Bar resumes at 10am, McKillop
Inst. *
* See inside for further details.
VISITOR CENTRES
SUMMER OPENING HOURS
Castle Semple Centre Open daily,
10am-5pm. Tel: 01505 842882.
Cornalees Centre - Open every day
from 11 am-4pm (April to Oct ‘09.)
Toilets open daily. Tel: 01475 521458
Muirshiel Centre - Open every day
from 11am-4pm (April to Oct ‘09.)
Park and toilets open daily.
Tel: 01505 842803
RSPB Reserve - Reserve is open at
all times; Visitor Centre open daily,
10am-5pm. Tel: 01505 842663.
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