jan-13 - Lochwinnoch Online

S A S B E Y N S E Y E D E R T S NA H E A R U K U I R T E E S A N OO A S C U I G O B I G B I L L S IL N O K N S E I S K S N I C E E TO G R T A P A R T Y C L O T H E SO O F O Y O P G N A S A O I D P EL V O W T C R E E R F D L V A L GN E S O C O S S M R S E L B A A IA R N R T C T H E R O N K O S T DE S I K A E O O V T R L C A C E NS L T R A T O R A E K F L A C N IC O V K T M F T P D O E S S E I YP E P O C B T B Y E S A K A G G GS I D U O L S R C P U O S T O H HE D C S N O R E I R B I E V B T RY O N Y S Y I A W E E D R A M S EM E N R F P F D W O O L Y H A T SCMRP 2012 Round UpJanuary2012 started well for Clyde Muirshielas the Park was a finalist in theRenfrewshire Quality Awards. Oursubmission was themed around thehen harrier project in the Greenercategory.Lochwinnoch Art Group exhibitedtheir annual show at Castle Semplewith a dazzling array of artworks,some inspired by Clyde Muirshiel’sown beautiful landscapes. All chargesfor services were frozen.FebruaryClydeside Orienteers visit MuirshielSun 12th Feb. Park Manager seenrunning around competing insomewhat more casual attire thanwhat he is used to!MarchRSPB Nature of Scotland Awards, wewere invited along as delivery partnersfor the Forestry Commission ScotlandProgramme ‘Branching Out’, whichwon the Innovation Award on thenight!Weaving Musical Threads on March3rd, where artists all overRenfrewshire exhibited in localvenues. Castle Semple hosted a varietyof musicians, poets and storytelling inan afternoon.Castle Semple was declared aSailability Centre of Excellence on theofficial Launch Day of the Centre onthe 17th March. This was a hugeachievement as it was the first everaward of this accolade in Scotland.Follow on visits included MSP’s andthe President of the UK Rotary Clubcame along too.Clamjamfrie release debut album andperform tracks from Clammin’ atCastle Semple to a full house. Theband also generously donateddonations on the door to theTeenage Cancer Trust.The British Trust for Ornithologyheld a sold out course at MuirshielCentre on the theme of citizenscience. The course showedparticipants how to do a breedingbird survey, a bird count walk andhow to enter the results into theBirdtrack system.The Outdoor Activities Teaminvested in some new canoes andkayaks, this added to their highstandard of delivery of BCU & SCAapproved courses. They were to get alot of use over the coming months!AprilCompletion of 5th Branching OutProgramme at Castle Semple. Thegroup were from the RecoveryAcross Mental Health charity basedin Renfrewshire and EastRenfrewshire. You can still see thewillow boat they made at theentrance to the car park!We welcomed some enthusiasticseasonal employees, new Rangers,Instructors and Visitor CentreAssistants.MaySenior Ranger John Webster retiredfrom the Regional Park after 34years’ service. A small gathering atCastle Semple celebrated his hugecontribution to the Park.Waterloo Road filmed characterTariq overcoming a troubling time atCastle Semple. This involved a lot ofequipment and catering vehicles onsite and at the Lochwinnoch annexfor three days!The Semple Trail Heritage Projectwas successful in achieving HLFfunding to improve access to the12ChatSearch—New Yearaweedram backtowork bigbillsblackbun cakefatigue coldsfirstfoot hangovers hotsouphottoddy icypavements indigestionlatenights partyclothes pieceofcoalredeyes sales sausagerollsscarves shortbread skintsteakpie tinsofroses woolyhatsnatural and built heritage of CastleSemple Country Park and beyond.We said goodbye to Davie Arthur,Park Chairman for the last 5 years.A nationally rare beetle Carabusnitens was discovered at MuirshielCountry Park.JuneWe welcomed a newly elected ParkAuthority and new Chairman Cllr.Gilmour. One week into the job andCllr Gilmour had the enjoyable task ofaccepting the newly achieved GoldAward from the Green BusinessTourist Scheme for Castle Semple.Ranger Hayley visited Slovakia as partof the Park’s Europarc membership.Her experience was that it wasexciting to visit a different country andsee how similar services to our ownare provided.Olympic fever reached south westScotland and the Olympic Torchpassed through the Regional Park onFriday 8th June.New webcams went LIVE at GreenockCut and we also got new outdoorcameras on Castle Semple Tower, inpartnership with LochwinnochCommunity Council.JulySummer Education Programmes atGreenock Cut & Muirshiel in fullswing, the highlight at Muirshiel wasthe Environmental Art Event whichsaw the creation of some verycolourful characters! Greenock Cuthighlights included the Drakes ofHazard (August 3rd) and theLunderston Olympics!Also this month, Park staff raised£1100 for Teenage Cancer Trustcompeting in the Tough MudderChallenge 2012.