267 December 2016 - Gryffe Advertizer

December 2016 No.267 

Free 

Copy 

Distributed to: 

• Bishopton 

• Bridge of Weir 

• Brookfield 

• Elderslie 

• Houston 

• Howwood 

• Kilbarchan 

• Kilmacolm 

• Langbank 

• Lochwinnoch 

• Quarriers 

FOLLOW US 

GryffeAds 

Gibb Stuart Bridge of Weir Window Display 

your LOCAL community magazine December 2016 No. 267 

PLEASE TAKE A FREE COPY OF YOUR LOCAL COMMUNITY MAGAZINE

2 the advertizer t: 01505 613340 07731 923970 e: info@advertizer.co.uk 

Expert Gutter Cleaning 

With Winter now well and truly here, the wind has blown the last of the 

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@GryffeAds www.advertizer.co.uk december 2016 

3 3 

Legal Blog 

by Isabella McKerrow, 

Affinity Family Law 

Do It Yourself Divorce 

The cost of legal fees in divorce is dependent on the particular circumstances 

of your case and the type of court procedure it falls under. In certain 

circumstances you may be able to obtain a divorce or dissolution of a civil 

partnership using a simplified procedure – a “do-it-yourself” method. This 

is a cheap and simple method and you do not have to instruct and pay 

for a solicitor although outlays of £113 require to be paid to the court. If 

you prefer to instruct a solicitor their charges for this should be relatively 

cheap. To proceed under this basis the marriage must have broken down 

irretrievably or you or your spouse/civil partner have been issued with an 

interim gender recognition certificate. You must have been separated for 

at least a continuous period of one year and your spouse / civil partner will 

consent to the divorce / dissolution or you have been separated for at least 

a continuous period of two years whereby no consent is required. There 

must also be no financial claim, no children under sixteen years of age and 

the divorce / dissolution must be uncontested. Accordingly before applying 

for divorce / dissolution under this procedure, if you are basing it on your 

separation for one year, check that your spouse civil partner will consent. 

Also while you may not intend to pursue a financial claim, your spouse / 

civil partner may. If this happened the action could not proceed under the 

simplified procedure and would have to be pursued under the ordinary court 

procedure which is complicated and warrants the cost of a solicitor being 

involved. Please beware that once divorce is granted any right to make a 

financial claim is terminated. It is always advisable before you proceed with 

divorce to consult a specialist family law solicitor for advice.


This Month 

contact us 

The Gryffe Advertizer 

Neva Place, Bridge of Weir PA11 3PN 

t: 01505 613340 or e: info@advertizer.co.uk 

For more information please call us on 01505 613340 

or check our website at www.advertizer.co.uk 

Next Issue: No.268 January 2017 

Deadline: Friday 9 December 2016 

All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or in part without written 

permission is strictly prohibited. The Gryffe Advertizer cannot be 

held responsible for unsolicited materials. The views and opinions 

by contributors in this magazine may not represent the views of the 

publishers. The Gryffe Advertizer takes no responsibility for claims 

made by advertisements in this publication. 

contents 

legal blog.............................3 

local news.......................8-12 

optical blog .......................26 

dental blog.........................12 

what’s on........................14-26 

business news......................28 

financial blog.........................28 

it blog..................................28 

local history.......................36 

book people......................34 

on the road..........................37 

village news....................38-45 

pets............................48-49 

pet blog ............................48 

outdoors........................50-53 

schools news.....................54-59 

sports & clubs news........60-63 

sporting blog.....................63 

business classified..............64 

church listings....................65 

deadlines dates...................65 

property classified.................65 

sales & wants......................66 

advertiser directory................67 

You know it’s nearly Christmas when..... 

The windows at Gibb Stuart’s are glistening brightly each evening on my way 

home - and it’s lovely to see. Every year without fail, Sandy, Christine and their 

little elves go to great efforts to create a colourful and dynamic display; and 

once again this year is no exception - a visual extravaganza to brighten up the 

dark winter evenings. This never fails to get me in the Christmas mood! 

We’ve got the dates for the annual Santa Sleigh! This year will be a difficult one 

for everyone involved as this will be their first without the involvement of their 

‘Head Elf’ Gordon Lethorn. What a legacy he leaves though - so many groups 

get involved and each group gets to keep the funds raised on the evening they 

go out. Thanks again to all the volunteers who make this happen, and thank 

you for the generous donations from you all. 

The Christmas lights are going on in all the villages, many with a special visitor 

doing the honours! We’ve got a list of dates on p11. 

So as we hurtle towards Christmas, let’s take the time to consider how we shop. 

We all enjoy the benefits of living in these lovely rural villages, but often we are 

so busy driving through on our way to work we don’t take the time to stop and 

browse the local shops. 

Our local shopkeepers and tradespeople are a diverse, highly entertaining and 

knowledgeable bunch - take the time to get to know them and you’ll get more 

than just your shopping! You never know what snippets of information you can 

gain from a chat. 

In each village, our local shops are filling their windows with goodies to tempt us 

in - many offer gift wrapping as part of the service (well, maybe not the turkey!), 

and many offer gift vouchers, so if you’re struggling for ideas then this is an 

excellent option! Or you could make a donation to one of the many charities 

running locally - all are very grateful for funds and/or your time. Remember to 

get your turkey booked at your local butcher in plenty of time. If you are short of 

decorations there lots on offer locally. 

When you buy locally, you keep more money in the local economy, you support 

local jobs, you help the environment and encourage community activity. You 

may even save yourself some £££s - it’s worth checking prices as they are 

usually very competitive with the high streets. 

Someone once told me, “When you support a small business you are supporting 

someone’s dream!” 

Racing into 2017 

At the Advertizer, we’re really looking forward to 2017 for so many reasons. 

Believe it or not, this will be our 22nd year in publication! I personally can’t 

think where the years have gone - it seems no time at all since I approached my 

first customer, Kingsley Wood, in his Kilmacolm office. He’s been with me all 

the way since those early days, and on our journey we have collected so many 

more friends in business and in the local community. 

As soon as the December issue is out, we will be working towards our first 

issue of 2017. Our printer closes over the festive period so we will need to 

get the magazine printed before Christmas. Our deadline is Friday 9th 

December and although we have a little lee-way with final, 

final dates, we would encourage you to send in your news 

etc in plenty of time. The January issue will be delivered 

between Christmas and New Year. 

Happy Christmas to you all, from all of us 

at The Advertizer! 

Rona


Has Your Double 

Glazing Steamed Up? 

Established for over a decade Cloudy2Clear windows have 

become a leading company for glass replacement. Issues 

with double glazing can often be gradual and may only be 

noticed during a clear sunny day or during the winter. Why 

not spend a few minutes checking your home to see if you 

have any failed double glazing? 

Now, you may think you need to replace the whole window 

including the frames and all the hardware, however 

Cloudy2Clear have come up with a simple and cost saving 

solution … Just replace the glass!! 

We will send out our highly experienced engineers for a free 

no obligation quote. Once the quote is completed, we will sit 

down with you and explain the problem and tell you how we can fix it. 

Cloudy2Clear have a wealth of knowledge and are recognised as a Which 

Trusted Trader, plus our work is backed by an industry leading 25 year 

guarantee. Cloudy2Clear also replace faulty locks handles and hinges on all 

windows and doors. 

Your friendly local Cloudy2Clear specialist is Peter Brummitt and he services 

the Wider Gryffe area. So, if your windows are steamed up, broken or damaged 

give Peter a call for a free quotation on 0800 61 21 118. 

5 5


1 Windsor Place, 

Main Street, 

Bridge of Weir 

01505 229674 

~ 15 flavours of ice cream 

~ Hot cookie dough 

~ Hot Belgium waffles 

~ Freshly made crepes 

~ Slushes/milkshakes 

~ Hot Dogs 

~ Azzuro Coffee 

~ Hot Chocolate 

~ Sundaes 

~ Old traditional sweets in jars 

~ Old school caramel cake 

Come and visit us to try our delicious award 

winning ice cream and deserts. If you can’t 

make it in, don’t worry, we now do home 

deliveries. You can phone the shop on 

01505 229674 or place your order through 

‘Just Eat’ online. Our old school caramel 

cake is the talk of the town and selling out 

fast every day. 

We can also cater for birthday parties and 

can deliver ice cream and sweetie party bags out of hours.


7 7


ACCORD Hospice Christmas 

Fayre 

Saturday 3rd December in 

Paisley Town Hall 

Whilst all of the old 

favourites will be there, 

we are planning to 

introduce some new stalls 

and activities to ensure 

that we can attract as large 

an audience as possible. 

We are really excited to introduce this 

year, ACCORD’s Christmas Market where you will 

be able to purchase a selection of Christmas items such as Christmas cards, 

decorations and gifts. Outside we will have a range of food stalls, mulled wine 

and of course our first ever Santa Sack Race at 1pm! 

As always there will be lots of activities and entertainment for children including 

a guest appearance by Olaf & Christophe from Frozen. 

Santa and his elves will be there all day and they will open the Fayre at 10am 

till 3pm. There will be a huge number of stalls with games, competitions, home 

baking and much more. Entry is free, we look forward to seeing you there! 

Show you care this Christmas 

With all the hustle, bustle & commercialism 

that surrounds Christmas it can all become 

very stressful and meaningless. So why 

not take a step back, relax and ‘show you 

care’ by visiting the Rainbow Turtle shop at 

7 Gauze Street, Paisley. 

Our wide range of foods, jewellery, toys, 

crafts, bags and accessories are fairly 

traded and so you can buy ‘gifts that give 

twice’ – to your family and friends and 

to the person who grew or made them – 

knowing that you are making a difference. 

You can also jump into our giant ‘Gift That 

Gives Twice’ and have your photo taken! 

Saturday 3rd December 

(Small Business Saturday) 

On Saturday 3rd December we will show 

we care for you and help you unwind by giving away a free hand massage and a 

cup of hot soup from Redss Catering with every spend or donation of £10. We 

want you to be warm on the outside and on the inside! 

If you can’t make it to the shop during 

conventional opening hours (10-4 Tues-Sat) you 

could always book an exclusive shopping night 

for you and a group of friends or a community 

group. Contact us to find out details and how 

this could benefit your own charity. 

Rainbow Turtle is a social enterprise that is 

largely run by volunteers. We have worked in the Renfrewshire community for 

14 years supporting local schools and groups 

as well as providing incomes for some of the 

poorest people in the world. We really need your 

help to keep trading and to support our valuable 

work – every purchase you make really does 

make a difference. 

Contact us at 0141 887 1881 or email info@ 

rainbowturtle.org.uk. Visit www.rainbowturtle.org.uk 

or follow us on Twitter @RainbowTurtleUK and Facebook. 

Visits Nepal 

Local woman Sue Wiliams, the current President of Soroptimist International 

of Paisley, visited Nepal earlier this year to see the work being carried out 

by Soroptimists following the earthquake in 2015. Members of the club in 

Kathmandu were quick to respond to the many needs created by the disaster 

and continue to work hard to provide help to the women and girls in the area. 

Soroptimists across the globe 

reacted by sending donations to help 

them get a school up and running for 

some of the most vulnerable girls, 

helping them to find a route out 

of the poverty which has become 

much worse since the earthquake. 

This support will continue through 

the International President’s Appeal 

over the next two years. 

The work is progressing well despite the difficulties still caused by lack of power, 

running water and limited progress in general rebuilding amongst other things. 

President Sue described her visit as life changing and found the Soroptimists in 

Kathmandu to be ‘women truly inspiring other women to transform their lives’.


9 

Christmas at Gowanlea 

Fresh pines, striking reds of poinsettia, the 

smell of mulled wine and roasting chestnuts 

pulls together all the attributes of a festive 

season worth remembering.. 

Our newer and bigger indoor viewing area will 

give you a cosy soft lit space to see this years 

choice of trees. Our fantastic selection of 

premium quality trees from the truly traditional 

Norway Spruce to the modern day Favourite 

Nordmann Fir not forgetting the gorgeous 

smell of Fraser Fir - we have a tree fit for every 

home, so come out of the cold, relax and let 

our welcoming staff cater to your every need. 

Flowers by Margo 

Flowers play an important role during the festive period; they can be a perfect 

memorable gift. Arranging flowers and putting them in a room can uplift the 

mood and spread a little festive cheer. 

We have an array of floral treats and 

inspiring ideas for Christmas that 

will make a fabulous gift. Bouquets 

and arrangements are designed 

with traditional festive colours of 

lush greens, vibrant reds, and crisp 

whites, hints of gold and natural. 

Traditional baskets may be adorned 

with cinnamon bundles reminiscent 

of mulled wine and cooper coated 

pine cones to reflect the forest floor 

in winter. Dusted with a little glitter 

and tied with festive ribbon they add 

a rustic charm to any home. 

Hand making holly and Fir wreaths 

for over 30 years, with that special 

touch and care required to make 

them stand out from the rest. 

www.gowanleanurseries.co.uk 

The giving of flowers is representative 

of the kindness heart at this time of 

year. 

www.flowersbymargo.co.uk 

We would like to take this opportunity to wish all our loyal customers, a very merry Christmas and a happy New Year. 

Open 7 days Tel No. 01505 328921 - Barrochan Road, Johnstone PA5 8YS 

One Minute Angels 

This Christmas support us to care for all with our 

“One Minute Angels”. 

St. Vincent’s Hospice “One Minute Angels” were the 

brainwave of Flo Ferguson, front of house in The 

Barn Tea Room at the Hospice. Flo highlighted that, 

“It costs £3 every minute to fund the Hospice.” 

Each 1 Minute Angel is a beautiful memento that 

people can treasure – and each glass Angel will 

help someone in the local community to receive 

vital care from our Hospice. 

Add a little sparkle to your tree and help support local patient care this 

Christmas. Angels are available in six colours from any St. Vincent’s shop, the 

Hospice Barn Tea Room or at the Hospice Reception. 

If you would like to support St. Vincent’s Hospice in any way, please call the 

Fundraising & Communications department on 01505 705635. 

Gift Vouchers are a great idea for a 

Christmas present, or a solution to 

just show someone you care. 

Pop into the Lounge to collect or 

simply phone 01505 690090 and 

we will post one to you. 

37 Main Street, Bridge of Weir 

Manicures ~ Pedicures ~ Waxing 

Massage ~ Facials ~ LVL Lashes 

Spray Tanning 

Late night on Thursday ‘til 8pm. 

Call The Lounge on 

01505-690090, 

text 07872-929798 

or book on our FB page.


Glasgow Santa Dash 

Sunday 11th December 

Dust off your Santa boots and join thousands of other 

santas for a festive 5K! 

It’s the 10th Anniversary of the Glasgow Santa Dash 

this year so why not join thousands of Santas in this 

mass participation run as the city centre transforms 

into a red sea of festivity! It’s a sight to beho-ho-hold – 

Adults, children and even dogs all welcome! 

6,000 Santas took part in last years race. Let’s make 

this year the best yet. 

For more information call: 0141 287 8080 or Email us 

at: events@glasgowlife.org.uk 

SWI Renfrewshire 

A very pleasant morning (with 

refreshments) was spent at Gleddoch 

House Hotel when 18 ladies learnt 

some napkin folding techniques from a 

very patient CARLOS. This was hosted by Langbank 

Institute and we were delighted to see visitors from 

Uplawmoor Institute and friends of members. 

Mrs Claus at Pollok House 

Saturday 3rd - Saturday 24th December 11am - 4pm 

Come and see Pollok House all dressed up for Christmas 

and get your special Christmas gift from Mrs Claus herself. 

This year the decorations are inspired by Christmas songs - 

can you guess which song inspired each room?! 

For further information please call 0141 616 6410 or visit 

www.nts.org.uk/Property/Pollok-House/Events/ 

Houston 1st - 7th 

Santa’s Sleigh 

2016 

Thursday 1 st South Mound, Glenartney, St Fillans Dr, Manse Cres, Hargart 

Rd, Speirs Rd, Glebe Gdns, Four Windings, South St, North St, Fleming Rd, 

Burnlea Cres, Houstonfield Quad, Houstonfield Rd, Kirk Rd, Kilmacolm Rd, 

Fields Lane, Cricketfield Lane, Old School House Lane, Barochan Rd 

Friday 2 nd Leman Dr, Leman Gr, Alwyn Ave, Bream Pl, Viking Cres, Cormorant 

Ave, Forties Rd, Claymore Dr, Piper Rd, Piper Ave, Ninian Ave, Brent Cres, 

Murchison Rd, Hutton Ave, Hewett Cres, Dunlin Cres, Berl Ave 

Saturday 3 rd Crosslee Cres, Leeburn Ave, Craigholme, Woodside, The Beeches, 

Birch Gro, Riverside, Broomfield, The Meadows, Brackendene, Crossways, 

Neuk Cres, Neuk Ave 

Monday 5 th Crosslee Pk, Dunnet Dr, Whirlie Rd, Back o'Hill, Strawberry Fields, 

Whirlie Dr, Pine Gro, Mill Brae, Crosslee Gdns, Brierie Hills Cres, Brierie Hills Rd, 

Brierie Lane, Brierie Gdns, Goldenlee View, Brierie Hill Gro, Earlsgate, Brierie Ave 

Tuesday 6 th Locher Cres, Locher Gdns, Locher Avew, Locher Way, Locher Gait, 

Gryfebank Ave, Gryfewood Cres, Gryfewood Way, Gryfebank Clo, Gryfebank Way, 

Gryfebank Clo, Cunningham Gdns, Crawford Rd 

Wednesday 7 th Netherburn Ave, Netherburn Gdns, Craigburn Ave, Craigburn Pl, 

Locherburn Pl, Locherburn Ave, Locherburn Gro, Craigburn Cres, Woodburn Pl, 

Hillside, Hillfoot, Fulton Gdns, Beatrice Gdns 

Bridge of Weir 12th - 16th 

Monday 12 th Elm Rd, Loch Rd, Loch Pl, Mill o'Gryffe Rd, Mimosa Rd, Lintwhite Crt, Lintwhite 

Cres, Moss Rd, Broom Pl, Gryffe Gate, Gorse Cres, St Machars Rd, Hillview Rd, Church Rd 

Tuesday 13 th Clevans Rd, Donaldfield Rd, Thornwood Dr, Southbrae Ave, Rosemount Lane, 

St Andrews Dr, Dalmahoy Cres, Bellisle Cres, Sunningdale Dr, Prieston Rd, Gryffe Rd 

Wednesday 14 th Eldin Pl, Hazelwood Rd, The Grove, Shillingworth Pl, Earl Pl, Ranfurly 

Rd, Bonar Cres, Watt Lane, Montrose Ter, Kilgraston Rd, Watt Rd, Ranfurly Pl, Bankhead 

Rd, Kilbarchan Rd 

Thursday 15 th Glengowan Rd, Strathgryffe Cres, Kilmacolm Rd, Kilallan Ave, Woodside 

Ave, Warlock Rd, Beech Ave, Castle Rd, Park Rd, Southview Cres, Freeland Dr, Warlock Dr, 

Houston Rd 

Friday 16 th Torr Rd, Horsewood Rd, Fetlar Rd, Kennbank Cres, Kennbank Rd, Thriplee Rd, 

Lomond Cres, Barrcraig Rd, Carruth Rd, Lawmarnock Rd, Lawmarnock Cres, Glen Brae, 

Troon Dr, Glendentan Rd, Turnberry Dr, Barassie Dr 

Brookfield Thursday 8 th 

Kilmacolm upper/north Friday 9 th 

Kilmacolm lower/south Saturday 10 th 

Quarriers Village Sunday 11 th 

Santa will set out on his Sleigh every evening at 6pm and should have the route completed by 8.30pm


Houston Switch On & fireworks 

Thursday, 1st December 6pm 

Main street Houston 

Quarriers 

Friday 2nd December 4pm 

Santa will be switching on the lights 

Kilmacolm 

Friday 2nd December 6 – 8pm 

Cargill Centre, Lochwinnoch Rd 

Inverkip 


Inverkip school 

Wemyss bay 


Community Centre 

Inverkip and wemyss bay community 

council pays for entertainer at both these 

events 

Help Quarriers give 

young people hope 

this Christmas 

Local charity Quarriers is supporting young people 

facing Christmas with nowhere to go, no safe and loving 

home or reliable care from any adults in their lives. The 

Box of Hope Appeal will give young homeless people 

dignity, belonging and hope this festive season by 

funding practical gifts. 

The appeal features Ross who, as a child, would sit 

alone for hours waiting for his mum. His parents tried 

to look after him, but he often didn’t eat and felt scared. 

Never having had the security a real home should 

provide, Ross is now 18 and getting help and support from Quarriers Youth Homeless Service. 

This Christmas, readers can donate £10 for a Starter Box which includes basic items to help restore dignity. A £20 

Christmas Box will mean a young person will get a at least one Christmas present and feel the excitement of the festive 

season and a sense of belonging. A £50 Moving on Box provides items to help get them on their feet and give them 

hope for the future. 

If you would like to offer dignity, belonging and hope to a young person this Christmas, please send a cheque/PO payable 

to Quarriers to Box of Hope, Quarriers Village, Bridge of Weir PA11 3SX. You can call and pay by card on 01505 690 875 

or donate online at www.quarriers.org.uk/hope. 

Brookfield 

Saturday 3rd December, 6pm 

A candlelit procession from the hall 

to the Millennium Garden followed 

by refreshments in the village hall. 


Monday the 5th December 6.15pm 

Carol Singing in Freeland Church 

switch on at 7pm by the Co-op and a 

special appearance from...Santa! 

Ardgowan 

Hospice Light 

Up A Life 

Sunday 4th December at 6.30pm 

Light Up A Life is your opportunity to 

remember and celebrate the lives of 

your family and friends in a special 

way at this time of year. Our Light 

Up A Life appeal this year will focus 

on supporting those people who are 

being helped to stay at home with 

their loved ones when life is nearing 

the end. It costs around £20,000 per 

month for our team of district nurses, 

doctors and carers to help patients 

stay surrounded by their family and 

loved ones. 

You can attend our Light Up A Life 

Christmas Service on Sunday 4th 

December at 6.30pm. We will 

be holding a special service of 

remembrance at the Westburn 

Church, Nelson Street, Greenock 

where we will be lighting up the 

tree in memory of your loved ones. 

Following this service, we can all 

witness the actual turning on of our 

lights then enjoy some refreshments 

in the Church Hall. 

11 

Happy Ever After Cancer Research UK 

Light Up A Life 

Friday 2nd December from 6.45pm - 9pm 

This Christmas ACCORD Hospice invites you to 

sponsor a light in memory of a loved one or in 

honour of a friend or family member. 

The Illumination of our Christmas Lights will take 

place in the Hospice grounds, 7 Morton Avenue, 

Paisley, PA2 7BW on Friday 2nd December from 

6.45pm - 9pm and we invite you and your family 

and friends to join us for this very special occasion. 

The Christmas Tree and the Hospice Gardens will 

then sparkle with lights representing the lives of 

those you have chosen to remember. 

The event takes place in the grounds of the 

Hospice but if you would like to join in the 

Torchlight Procession please meet us at the Mary 

Russell School on Hawkhead Road at 6.45pm. We 

will then walk to the Hospice, where Carol Singing 

and the Illumination of our Christmas Lights will 

take place. You will then be welcomed into the 

Hospice for soup and crusty bread. 

On behalf of the band and charity we 

would like to thank all who attended 

and to all sponsors for there very kind 

donations on a very successful event.


St Vincent’s Hospice Garden Blossoms 

with a Boost from the Postcode ‘Local Trust’ 

The community garden at St. Vincent’s 

Hospice in Howwood, Renfrewshire, 

which was officially opened by Ally 

McCoist in June 2015, received a boost 

this year from the Postcode Local Trust 

to the tune of £3,613. The ‘Habitats 

for Wildlife’ Small Project Grant from 

the Postcode Local Trust has enabled 

28 volunteers to create new habitats 

in the garden designed to attract more 

wildlife, including insects, frogs, birds, 

bats and hedgehogs, as well as provide 

year-round colour from the planting of 

over 1,000 new heathers, bulbs and 

perennial flowers. 

The biodiversity project was coordinated 

by hospice staff and involved 

5 supervised group gardening activity 

days with volunteers from the corporate 

world – including employees from the 

Clydesdale Bank, Scottish Enterprise and 

Thermo Fisher. The Scottish Enterprise 

team enjoyed their day in June so much 

that they returned last week for another 

day – this time planting bulbs for the 

springtime. 

The project also involved day patients 

and carers, who helped to build the 

nesting boxes, as well as committed 

regular garden volunteers. 

“Since the garden opened last year, it has 

become a real focal point for patients, 

carers, families and people from within 

the local community, and now, thanks to 

the Postcode Local Trust grant, we have been able to further enhance the garden 

by encouraging bio-diversity. 

Carol Service & 

Lunch 

You are invited to join us at our 27th Annual Christmas Celebration of 

Readings & Carols at the Paisley Abbey followed by Lunch at the Paisley 

Town Hall on Monday 19th December from 11am - 3pm. 

It is £5 to attend the Carol Service and it costs £25 for both Service and 

Lunch. 

Jingle Bell Fun Run 

Sunday 4th December at Barshaw Park, Paisley 

Barshaw Park in Paisley will be jingling with the sound of 

Christmas bells as runners take part in the annual 2016 

Active Communities Jingle Bell Festive Fun Run! 

There are two races - a 3k run at 11am open to all runners/ 

walkers aged 8 and over, and a 1k run at 12 noon open to 

runners/walkers of any age, including those in buggies. Both races are set 

within the boundaries of the scenic Barshaw Park in Paisley, with the 3k run 

covering two laps of the Park. The online price for the 3k run is £3 for those 

aged 8 - 17 and £5 for those aged 18 and over. The online price for the 1k run 

is £3 for all ages. Entries on the day will be £1 more expensive per person. 

Wear jingle bells on your shoes, gloves, hats, jackets or wherever you choose 

and be part of an amazing Jingle Bell Orchestra! Bells will be provided. Fancy 

dress is optional however there will be spot prizes for the best dressed. 

Christmas themed medals will be awarded to all race finishers. 

This is a fantastic family day out with everyone entering into the Christmas 

spirit, so come along and move your feet to the jingling beat! 

Special recognition must also go to our volunteers who, as always, have been 

wonderful. Whatever the weather threw at them, their enthusiasm never waned, 

whether they were helping with additional planting, making and installing animal 

boxes, monitoring the wildlife or weeding and maintaining the wildlife areas. Their 

help and support has been invaluable and on behalf of all the patients and staff 

at St. Vincent’s Hospice I would like to say a ‘big thank you’ to the volunteers and 

to the Postcode Local Trust for making this 

project possible,” said Kate Lennon, Chief 

Executive of St Vincent’s Hospice. 

Speaking about their involvement with the 

garden project, volunteers from Scottish 

Enterprise said: 

“We had such a fun day …. it’s incredible 

to think just over a year ago the community 

garden was just a field and now it’s a haven 

of colour and we are so proud to have been 

part of its development.” 

“The opportunity to do something so removed 

from our day jobs has been great, despite 

the weather and it’s rewarding to know that 

our contribution makes a difference.” 

“The care and dedication shown to my family 

member during her stay was exceptional. The 

team work so hard and could not have done 

any more. When we had the opportunity to 

volunteer it was a natural choice for us to 

come here to offer something back.” 

Dental Blog 

by Sheila Macintyre, Practice Owner, 

Kilbarchan Dental Practice 

Electric toothbrushes are a fantastic stocking filler so I thought I would give 

you my lowdown in the lead up to Christmas. 

We highly recommend good electric toothbrushes. They brush at speeds of 

more than 8,000 rotations a minute and are proven to remove 100% more 

plaque than traditional manual toothbrushes. However they are not all the 

same and offer a variety of different benefits and features. 

In general the more you pay the better they are and the more advanced 

features you get. Built in timers are a common and really useful function to 

ensure that you and your family brush for the recommended 2 minutes. Most 

vibrate to alert you and this is great for kids to make sure they brush their 

teeth thoroughly. Some break the time into quarters to ensure each quadrant 

of the mouth gets the optimum attention. With advances in technology the 

latest models such as the Oral B 6000 costing around £75 even link to your 

phone via an app to provide you and your dentist with personalised “dental 

care journeys”. Oral B 2000 and 2500 are more basic models at around 

£30 but still have good features such as visible pressure sensors. 

There are a variety of interchangeable heads, settings and movements to 

match your specific needs whether you need a deep clean between the 

teeth, stain removal using a polishing feature or softer bristles for sensitive 

teeth and gums. Whilst most have round heads there are electric brushes 

that replicate the traditional manual toothbrush experience with the 

effectiveness of an electric brush. Getting kids to brush their teeth properly 

is crucial and child friendly designs, soft bristles and timers are all benefits 

you will get with an electric toothbrush. 

As well as electric toothbrushes teeth whitening and other aesthetic 

treatments are popular at Christmas and many dentists offer gift vouchers. 

It is important to be aware that an assessment is required to check suitability 

for any treatments. 

If you would like to find out more about the electric toothbrushes we have available or for 

gift vouchers do nip in to the practice or call 01505 704969. You will also find loads of 

free tips and advice at www.kilbarchandental.co.uk 

Remember even dentists take some time off at 

Christmas and New Year which is a very busy period 

so make sure you make an appointment sooner 

rather than later if you need one. 

The KDP team are off 24th - 27th December 

inclusive and then 30th Dec - 3rd January 

inclusive so call NHS 24 on 111 if you need 

dental advice or emergency treatment at this 

time. 

Wishing all our patients a Happy 

Christmas and Happy New Year! 

Sheila and the KDP Team


13


December 

events 

Thu 1 December 

Late Night Shopping 

Gibb Stuart Home Hardware 9am to 8pm 

Late night Shopping in Kilmacolm and Bridge of 

Weir stores with special offers on the night. Also 

on 8th and 15th December. 

RSPB Swarovski Demo Day 

RSPB, Lochwinnoch 10am to 4pm 

Come along to try out a wide variety of optics, 

with a Swarovski representative there to guide 

you through the different options and offer expert 

advice. FREE. Please contact: E: lochwinnoch@ 

rspb.org.uk or Tel: 01505 842663. 

OUTLOOK Keep Fit 

Kidston Hall, Kilmacolm 2-4pm 

Keep fit with David Goddard. ‘Britannia Panopticon 

Music Hall, Glasgow presented by Kitty Walker. 

Houston Xmas Lights & fireworks 

Main Street, Houston 6pm 

Switching on the village lights & firework display. 

Houston Primary Christmas Fayre 

Houston Primary School, 6.30pm 

A wide variety of items on sale. Santa will of 

course be making a special visit. Please come 

along and support this festive event. 

Fri 2 December 

Kilmacolm Village Art Class 

Community Centre, Lochwinnoch Road, 

Kilmacolm 11am to 4pm 

Exhibition and Sale of paintings by local artists. 

Come and enjoy a coffee and perhaps pick up a 

Christmas gift for someone special. Work can be 

picked up at 4pm. Admission £1 (incl. coffee) 

RSPB Local Group Meeting 

McMaster Centre, Donaldson Drive, 

Renfrew 7.30pm 

An illustrated talk by David O’Reilly from Hessilhead 

Wildlife Rescue Centre. 

Kilmacolm & Quarriers Christmas 

Lights Switch On 

Quarriers Village - 4pm, Kilmacolm - 6pm 

Cargill Centre, Lochwinnoch Road 

Christmas Lights Switch On with Santa. Come 

along and join the fun! All events are FREE! 

Weir Networking 

Amaretto Ristorante and Pizzeria, 60 

Main Street, Bridge of Weir 9.30am 

The Inspirational Erica Wallace is our next Speaker 

for December. Come along and see what we 

can do to help you and your business. Contact: 

07775 594132 or email mo-hypnotherapy-world@ 

live.co.uk £5. 

Fairtrade Coffee Morning 

St. Fillan’s Primary School, Houston 

10am to 11am All welcome. 

Accord - Light Up A Life 

Accord Hospice, 7 Morton Avenue, 

Paisley, PA2 7BW 6.45pm to 9pm 

We invite you to sponsor a light in memory or 

in honour of a friend or family member. The 

Christmas Tree and Hospice Gardens will sparkle 

with lights representing the lives of those you have 

chosen to remember. 

Fri 2 - Sat 3 Dec 

Johnstone Christmas Market 

Johnstone Town Centre 10am to 3.30pm 

Johnstone’s very own Christmas market in 

Houston Square, live entertainment in the 

bandstand both days and Santa will be in his 

grotto on Saturday. Free. 

Fri 2 - Sun 4 Dec 

Girls Day Out 

SECC, Exhibition Way, Glasgow 

Times: Fri/Sat 10am - 6pm, Sun 10am to 5pm 

Fantastic show offers, Girls’ Day Out is the perfect 

place to start or even finish your Christmas 

shopping. Book Now http://www.secc.co.uk 

Sat 3 December 

Santa Arrives at Ardardan 

Ardardan Estate, Cardross, G82 5HD 

From 11am today, Santa will be at Ardardan until 

18th December. 

ACCORD Hospice Xmas Market 

Town Hall, Abbey Close, Paisley 10am - 3pm 

A range of food stalls, mulled wine and of course 

our first ever Santa Sack Race at 1pm! Guest 

appearance by Olaf & Christophe from Frozen, 

along with Santa & his elves who will be there 

all day. Free. 

Kilbarchan Parish Xmas Fayre 

Kilbarchan Parish Church Hall, Steeple 

Street 10am to 12noon 

There will be a large variety of stalls, including 

Christmas baking and gifts, and children can 

have their photos taken with Santa. Entrance 

is £2, which includes coffee, mince pies and 

shortbread. Children Free. 

1st Houston Scouts Coffee 

Morning & Craft Fair 

Scout Hall, South Street, Houston 

10am to 1pm 

The usual suspects of fabulous home-baking, 

Santa’s grotto, activities for the wee ones, a sit 

down with a cuppa for the more senior visitors and 

much more in our ever extending craft fair. 

RSPB Lochwinnoch Christmas 

Trees & Festive Fun! 

RSPB, Largs Road, Lochwinnoch 

10am to 4pm 

Face painting, Christmas themed crafts and of 

course Santa. There will also be African jewellery 

and fabulous craft creations available. Please 

contact the reserve: Email: lochwinnoch@rspb. 

org.uk Tel: 01505 842663. 

Brookfield Xmas Lights Switch On 

Brookfield Village Hall, Woodside Road, 

Brookfield 6pm 

Gowanlea Nurseries & Garden Centre are 

once again kindly donating a tree and there 

will be a candlelit procession from the hall to 

the Millennium Garden to switch on the lights 

(and I suspect sing a few carols), followed by 

refreshments in the village hall.


15 

Sat 3 - Sun 4 Dec 

Renfrewshire Foodbank 

CO-OP Store, Houston from 9.30am 

Bring along your Christmas food or toiletry 

donations. We can’t accept any refrigerated or 

frozen foods or alcohol, thank you. 

Vegfest Scotland 2016 

SECC, Exhibition Way, Glasgow 

Sat: 11am - 6pm & Sun: 10am - 5pm Vegfest 

combines vegan food, education, entertainment 

and socialising in a friendly environment! 

Big Christmas Weekend 

Cardwell Garden Centre, Lunderston 

Bay, Gourock PA19 1BB 9am to 6pm 

The Salvation Army Brass Band and McTwisters 

balloon artists on the Saturday. The McDougalls 

family entertainers, a face painter and lots of 

exclusive offers throughout the course of the 

weekend. Free 

Sun 4 December 

Bridge of Weir Choral Society 

Christmas Concert 

St Columba’s Church, Duchal Road, 

Kilmacolm 

The Choir will perform choruses from Handel’s 

Messiah and traditional carols for all accompanied 

by Mark Brown on organ. The choir’s guests will 

be Angel Voices Children’s Choir and a Brass 

ensemble. For information contact Ernie Smyth 

on 01505 702997. 

Jingle Bell Fun Run 

Barshaw Park, Paisley 11am 

3K: 11am 1K: 12pm Barshaw Park in Paisley 

will be jingling with the sound of Christmas bells 

as runners take part in the annual 2016 Active 

Communities Jingle Bell Festive Fun Run. This is 

a fantastic family day out with everyone entering 

into the Christmas spirit, so come along and move 

your feet to the jingling beat! 

Dogs Trust Glasgow Xmas Fair 

Dogs Trust Glasgow, 315 Hamilton Road, 

Uddingston, Glasgow G71 7SL 

12noon to 3.30pm 

A variety of fundraising stalls, stocking fillers, raffle, 

Dogs Trust items for sale, home baking, doggy 

home baking and some festive refreshments. For 

information please call 0141 773 5141. Free. 

Bridge of Weir Messy Church 

Christingle Service 

Freeland Church, Main Street, Bridge of 

Weir 4pm to 6pm 

There will be a candle-lit Christingle Service in 

the church with some carols & a tea party in the 

halls after. It is free and you can just turn up on 

the day. Please contact Catherine Daly on 07980 

649377 or look at our Facebook page (Bridge of 

Weir Messy Church). 


Ardgowan - Light Up a Life 

Westburn Church, Nelson Street, 

Greenock 6.30pm 

We will be lighting up the tree in memory of your 

loved ones. Following this service, we can all 

witness the actual turning on of our lights then 

enjoy some refreshments in the Church Hall. 

Mon 5 December 

BoW Xmas Lights Switch–On 

Freeland Church, Main Street, Bridge of 

Weir 6.15pm to 8pm 

Commencing with a Carol Service at 6.15pm in 

Freeland Church with the Primary School Choir, 

followed by the Lights Switch on by the village 

Gala Queen at 7pm at Livery Walk where Santa 

will make a spectacular appearance. 

Wed 7 December 

RSPB Winter Talk: The Wildlife of 

Tanzania, by Zul Bhatia 


7.30pm to 9pm 

Lochwinnoch Reserve Manager, Zul Bhatia, gives 

us his yearly talk about Africa. Please book, 

as places are limited. Cost: Adults £5 (RSPB 

members £3); Children £3 (RSPB members £2). 

For information and booking, please contact the 

reserve: Email: lochwinnoch@rspb.org.uk or Tel: 

01505 842663. 





Weir stores with special offers on the night. Also 

on 15th December. 

Wreath Making Class 

Finlaystone Country Estate - Langbank 

10am to 2pm 

Make your own wreath in time for Xmas. Made 

from moss, holly & yew from the estate. £15.50 

includes materials. Pre booking on 01475 

540505 is essential. 


Advertizer January Issue Deadline 

Neva Place, Bridge of Weir 

If you would like anything published in our January 

issue, please email info@advertizer.co.uk or call 

the office on 01505 613340.



Kilbarchan Singers’ Christmas 

Carol Concert 

Kilbarchan Parish Church, Church 

Street, Kilbarchan 7.30pm 

Festive music by Lauridsen, Holst and Chilcott, 

plus traditional carols. Conductor Edwin Hillier. 

Also featuring Kilbarchan Parish Church Junior 

Choir, with conductor, Moira Gray. Adults £8.50, 

(children free). Call: 01505 324169. 


Kilmacolm Old Kirk Xmas Fair 

Kidston Hall, High Street, Kilmacolm 

10am to 12noon 

Tea/ Coffee, Tombola, Baking and Christmas 

Stall, Cupcake competition, Santa’s Grotto. More 

details will be announced in due course. 

Childrens’ Christmas Party 

Brookfield Village Hall, Woodside Road, 

Brookfield 3pm 

The Song & Dance Factory will be on hand to keep 

the children entertained whilst they await Santa’s 

arrival. Ticket requests to brookfieldvpa@gmail. 

com as soon as possible. £5 per child. 

RSPB Explorer Group: Natural 

Winter Fun & Games 


10am to 12noon 

Please wear suitable clothing for being outdoors. 

Ages: 5 to 14 years. Booking essential. Cost: £5 

(£3 RSPB members). Adults free. E: lochwinnoch@ 

rspb.org.uk or Tel: 01505 842663 

RSPB Candlelight Guided Walk 


5pm to 7pm 

Make and decorate your own lantern to take out 

on the trails. Hear stories about the reserve and 

experience wildlife in a unique way. Please book, 

as places are limited. Cost: Adults £5 (RSPB 

members £3); Children £3 (RSPB members £2). 

Tel: 01505 842663. 

Funbox: Christmas Wonderland 

Johnstone Town Hall 

The FUNBOX gang are wrapped up cosy and 

warm for an Arctic adventure packed with songs, 

silliness and snow. Wear a Christmas jumper and 

bring a torch to light up the night! 11am & 2pm 

£12 all tickets/Family Ticket £44/ babes in arms 

£2/Groups 10+ £9*+ bkg fee* 


Paisley Philharmonic Choir 

Annual Carol Concert 

Town Hall, Abbey Close, Paisley 7pm 

Tickets from choir members or at door 

£10. The award-winning Co-operative 

Funeralcare Brass Band are guests. See www. 

paisleyphilharmonicchoir.co.uk 

Santa Dash 

Glasgow Green, Greendyke Street, Glasgow 

If you haven’t registered, then pop along to 

support the thousands who are taking part in this 

wonderful event. For more information call: 0141 

287 8080. Email: events@glasgowlife.org.uk 

Christmas Afternoon 

Kilbarchan Church Hall, Steeple Street 2pm 

With entertainment by the St James’ Handbell 

Ringers and local choir, Village Voices. The 

Handbell Ringers are fascinating to watch. 

Donation tickets are £5 and include mulled wine, 

mince pies and shortbread. 

Christmas Charity Yard Sale 

Heritage Farmers Market, 17 - 19 High 

Street, Lochwinnoch PA12 11am to 2pm 

Fantastic stalls including hand crafted items, 

Forever Living products and hand made soaps. 

Erskine Hospital representatives will also be 

coming along. So why not pop by and grab yourself 

something different for Christmas presents or a 

wee treat for yourself. Free. 

Santa Sleigh Dates 

Houston 

Thurs 1 st - Wed 7 th 

Brookfield 

Thurs 8 th 

Kilmacolm 

upper/North Fri 9 th 

lower/South Sat 10 th 

Quarriers Village 

Sun 11 th 


Mon 12 th - Fri 16 th 

Tue 13 December 

Book Group 

Old Library Centre, 9 High Barholm, 

Kilbarchan 7.15pm 

If you would like to join a Book Group then why not 

come along. All are welcome - everyone gets an 

opportunity to recommend books to read together 

giving an interesting mix of different literature. 





Weir stores with special offers on the night. 

OUTLOOK Christmas Party 

Kidston Hall, High Street, Kilmacolm 

2pm to 4pm 

Christmas tombola; Christmas Santa; Carols at the 

piano with Sandra. Children from St Columba’s 

primary school will come along to sing for us, and 

share some Christmas party food and games. 

Gryffe Scottish Country Dance 

Club Christmas Party 

Kilbarchan Guide Centre, Barn Green, 

Kilbarchan 8pm 

A warm invitation is extended to members of the 

Scottish Country Dance Clubs in Renfrewshire to 

come and partake, as our guests. Contact:- Les 

Lambert at 01505 704398. 


Houston and Killellan Big 

Christmas Sing 

Houston & Killellan Kirk, Main Street, 

Houston 7pm to 9pm 

With an all age supper served from 6pm, hotdogs, 

sausage rolls, ice cream and Christmas cake. 

Everyone is welcome singers or not, we guarantee 

a large helping of Christmas Spirit, good fun for 

old and young. Bring all the family but most of 

all bring yourselves. Tickets free but we suggest 

a donation of £5 per adult and £1 for children 

under 16. Donations at the door for Mwandi 

solar lamp appeal. 


Paisley Abbey Recitals 

Paisley Abbey, Abbey Close, Paisley 

Cloister Café with baking from 10am. Recitals 

from 12.30 pm. Abbey Brass. £5 on the door. 

All welcome.


17 

Highland Hustle, the new dance 

based workout using Highland 

dancing, ceilidh steps and modern 

music. It’s great fun and as each 

step has three levels, you can 

walk through the class or dance 

like a champion! No experience 

necessary! 

Pop along to see for yourself or 

email for more information. 

Kilbarchan 

Guidehall, 

Wednesdays, 

9.45am or 8pm. 

All fitness levels, 

and dance abilities 

welcome. 


Paisley Santa Xmas Tinsel Parade 

Paisley - various venues 11am to 12.30pm 

Tour leaves from the YMCA office at 39 High Street, finishing at 

Paisley Abbey and a short nativity play. Afterwards, back to the 

Walking Tours on Wheels office in the YMCA for tea, coffee, mince 

pies, shortbread, a raffle and a gift from Santa for the children 


Village Carol Service 

Village Hall, Woodside Road, Brookfield 2pm 

A brass band made up from village residents will be accompanying 

the carol singing and mulled wine and mince pies will be offered 

immediately afterwards. 

Samaritans Christmas Fete 

Old Auction Rooms, West Stewart Street, Greenock, 

PA15 1SN 12noon to 4pm 

Santa, craft stalls, mulled wine, entertainment. £2. 

Nativity Play 

Parish Church, Church Street, Kilbarchan 11am 

The children of the Sunday School and Junior choir will present 

their Nativity Play “Born in a Barn”. At 6.30pm, there is a service 

of Nine Lessons and Carols, led by the Senior Choir, followed by 

coffee and mince pies in the hall. All welcome. 

Mon 19 December 

ACCORD Hospice Carol Service & Lunch 

Paisley Abbey, Abbey Close, Paisley 11am to 3pm 

You are invited to join us at our 27th Annual Christmas Celebration 

of Readings & Carols at the Paisley Abbey followed by Lunch at the 

Paisley Town Hall. £5 to attend the Carol Service and it costs £25 

for both Service and Lunch. £5 - £25. 

Tue 27 December 

Cheese & Wine Occasion 

Village Hall, Woodside Road, Brookfield 2pm to 4pm 

Our most popular event of the year - a great opportunity for 

residents, visiting families, friends and neighbours to get together 

for a really sociable afternoon in the comfort of the village hall. 

See you there! 


Hogmanay Dance 

Village Hall, Woodside Road, Brookfield 8.30pm 

The re-inauguration of the Hogmanay Dance with live band Dizzy 

Heights. Tickets on sale now from your local village councillor 

or by emailing brookfieldvpa@gmail.com (minimum age 16 

years). £10. 

Fri 6 - Fri 13 January 

St Columba’s School Entrance Assessments 

St Columba’s School, Duchal Road, Kilmacolm 

Entrance assessments for Early Years, Junior School and Senior 

School begin on 6th January. Visit www.st-columbas.org.


Having recently relocated to 

Kilmacolm I’d like to introduce 

Wellcentred, offering a 

holistic approach towards 

health and wellbeing through 

complementary therapies: 

Biodynamic Craniosacral 

Craniosacral Therapy 

Remedial & 

Sports Massage 

Reflexology 

Therapy supports the existing 

health and vitality within the 

body to encourage natural 

healing and self-repair, effectively treating pain and symptoms arising 

from physical and emotional injuries, stress or trauma. 

Remedial and Sports Massage is proven for treatment of 

musculoskeletal conditions by 

restoring structural alignment and 

increasing range of movement. 

Reflexology stimulates energy flow 

through pressure points on the feet, 

targeting areas of tension and pain, 

inducing relaxation and rebalancing 

the whole system. 

For appointments please contact: 

Christmas Markets 

Nicki King 

07958 566596 

wellcentred@gmail.com 

@nickiking18 

WellcentredUK 

The Glasgow Christmas Markets will return to St Enoch Square this year until 

Tuesday 20th December. 50 colourful stalls will offer a selection of gifts, artisan 

products and global cuisine set in the festive village of rustic cabins and stalls. 

This truly seasonal 

experience for 

all the family has 

something for 

everyone, from 

scarves, jewellery, 

hats and purses, to 

chutneys, cheeses 

and waffl es. 

Dick Whittington 

Friday 25th November - Saturday 3rd December - 7.30pm & 

2.30pm Saturday Matinee 

Tickets: £10, Family of 4: £35 

Join Greenock Players as they bring to life this sparkling and funfi 

lled version of the traditional tale of Dick Whittington written by 

“panto king” John Morley. All the favourite characters are here – Tommy the Cat, 

Sarah the Cook, King Rat, the Fairy of the Bells and, of course, Dick Whittington 

himself. Sail the seven seas with the madcap crew to Morocco to help the Sultan 

with his rat infestation. 

Beauty and the Beast 

Friday 9th December to Saturday 31st December 

Various Performance Times 

Tickets from £ 8.00 to £19.00 

Featuring Still Game’s Mark Cox (Tam) and Jane McCarry (Isa) 

After the record breaking Aladdin last year, Beacon team up with Imagine Theatre 

once again to present the tale of the cursed hideous beast and great beauty Belle. 

With spectacular scenery, fabulous costumes, incredible special effects and bags 

of traditional pantomime slapstick fun, Beauty and the Beast is a delight for all the 

family to enjoy! 

Flora’s Fairy Challenge 

Saturday 10th December to Sunday 18th December 

Various Performance Times 

£8 / £6, Groups of 3+ £6 each 

A festive tale for kids aged 3 – 6 years 

Always ready for an adventure, Flora has packed her bag and set off for the North 

Pole to visit Santa. But poor Santa has a problem – his sleigh can’t fl y without 

magical fairy dust, and there’s not a pinch to be found so close to Christmas! Only 

Flora can save the day. But she’s not the sort of girl who likes to wear a pretty 

dress, a sparkly wand, a beautiful tiara, or any of the other things that make a good 

fairy. Though with the help of her little friends who have come along for the ride, 

Flora will learn that there’s more to being a fairy than just looking the part. 

It’s a Wonderful Life: A Radio Play on Stage 

Tuesday 20th December to Friday 23rd December 

7.30pm 

Tickets: £14 / £12 

Celebrating 5 sell-out years! The story of the most inspirational 

fi lm of all time is brought to the stage as a live 1940s radio 

play. Six actors play 1940s radio actors who in turn portray ALL 

the characters of It’s a Wonderful Life. Featuring live sound effects and live music 

– It’s a Wonderful Life sells out every year so pre-booking a must! 

BEACON ARTS CENTRE, CUSTOM HOUSE QUAY, GREENOCK, PA15 1HJ 

INFO@BEACONARTSCENTRE.CO.UK TELEPHONE: 01475 723723 

Friday 2nd to Sunday 4th December 

SECC, Glasgow 

Fri/Sat 10am - 6pm 

Sun 10am to 5pm 

Book Now http://www.secc.co.uk


19


Funbox: Christmas Wonderland 

FUNBOX the brand new family show from Anya, Kevin and Gary presents 

CHRISTMAS WONDERLAND at Johnstone Town Hall on Saturday 10th December 

from 11am & 2pm. 

The FUNBOX gang are on top of the world - literally, as their latest seasonal 

spectacular takes them to the North Pole. They’re wrapped up cosy and warm 

for an Arctic adventure packed with songs, silliness and snow. The Funbox is 

locked though and the keys are missing. Can you help us fi nd them? 

Fluffy and Flossie the Funsters are on hand to help and of course everyone’s 

favourite cheeky dog; Bonzo is along for the sleigh ride and up to his usual 

mischief too. You may even get to help on stage! 

Packed with singalong favourites like ‘Jingle Bells’, ‘Pizza Hut’ and ‘Katie 

Bairdie’, as well as brand new songs, CHRISTMAS WONDERLAND is the perfect 

festive treat for the whole family. Who knows you may even see Santa! 

Wear a Christmas jumper and bring a torch to light up the night! 

£12 all tickets/Family Ticket £44/ babes in arms £2/Groups 10+ £9*+ 

booking fee* 

Probus Club Of Johnstone 

The Probus Club of Johnstone is looking for new members. 

Members have to be retired or semi-retired and are mainly 

professional or business people. This is not totally necessary 

as members of all occupations would be made very welcome. 

The Johnstone Probus Club meets on the 1st and 3rd Tuesday 

of each month throughout the winter. We have guest speakers 

at each meeting who speak on a wide variety of subjects. 

The Johnstone Probus Club meets at Cochrane Castle Golf Club at 2pm on 

Tuesdays except Christmas which is at 12.30pm for a Christmas Lunch. 

Anyone who is interested please come along to one of our meetings for a “meet 

and greet” afternoon. 

Meetings 

December 6th ........Mrs Harris, Singapore and Western Australia - 2pm 

December 13th ......Christmas Lunch - 12.30pm 

January 10th ..........J. Connell Quiz afternoon - 2pm 

January 24th ..........Burns Lunch - 12.30pm


21 

Craig Crawford of Minicoach Tours is delighted to offer a “See before you hire” 

service. The Mercedes Minicoach can be brought to you and demonstrated 

for you to decide if it will be suitable for your requirements, be it wedding, 

family occasion or organised group. Please ring for an appointment on 

01505 704440. 

Big Christmas Weekend 

Cardwell Garden Centre, Gourock 

Saturday 3rd & Sunday 4th 

December 9am - 6pm! 

Our fantastic selection of quality, real 

Christmas trees will be available to 

buy throughout the weekend. The 

Salvation Army Brass Band will 

also be here on the Saturday to get 

you into the Christmas spirit. 

On the Saturday the amazing McTwisters 

balloon artists will be here, if you haven’t 

seen the McTwisters in action you are 

missing out! The McDougalls family entertainers will 

also be here the whole weekend with their brilliant Festive 

themed show that the kids will love and there will also be a 

face painter here so the kids can get their faces painted. 

We’ll also be having lots of exclusive offers throughout the 

course of the weekend so you really do not want to miss this! 

Top Turkey Tips 

Don’t wash your turkey. Washing raw turkey is unnecessary and can spread germs. Harmful 

bacteria can easily splash from raw meat and poultry onto worktops, chopping boards, dishes and 

utensils. Germs that cause food poisoning can also linger for days in the sink. Up to 80% of people 

significantly increase the risk of food poisoning by washing their turkeys before cooking them. 

Keep it clean. Always wash and dry your hands thoroughly before preparing food and after 

handling raw meat or poultry. Make sure your worktops and utensils are clean and disinfected. 

Make sure your turkey is cooked thoroughly. Check that it is steaming hot all the way 

through. Cut into the thickest part of the turkey to check that none of the meat is pink and ensure that the 

juices which run out are clear. 

Use your leftovers safely. We all hate to waste food, so if you’ve stored cooked turkey in the 

fridge, eat it within two days. If you want to make your turkey leftovers last longer, put them in the freezer 

within one to two hours of cooking. Divide the food into portions to aid cooling, and then store it in the 

freezer. 

Use your leftovers creatively. Love Food Hate Waste has some great suggestions to make the 

most of your leftovers. You can find them at www.lovefoodhatewaste.com/recipes


Kilmacolm 

Dramatic Society 

Pantomime is over for another year and I extend 

a huge ‘Thank You’ to everyone who came to watch, tapped 

your toes and sang along with us. I hope you all enjoyed it and fi lled you full of 

festive cheer. 

Thank you to all the cast and crew who dedicate so much of their time and put 

in so much hard work to bring a little bit of theatre to your local area. For many 

children this can be their fi rst experience of theatre, so I hope we do our best to 

make it an enjoyable one (although some adults may not agree)! Sadly, many 

local dramatic groups no longer exist so thank you for your continuing support 

which has enabled us to keep going after more than 70 years. 

We are always looking for new members to help in any way you can whether 

it is on stage, back stage or front of house, so please get in touch if you are 

interested in joining us - just drop me an email. 

The greatest gift you can receive at Christmas is the presence of family and 

friends. So all that’s left for me to say is I hope you all enjoy doing just that. 

From all of us at KDS have a very Merry Christmas and a Happy and 

Healthy New Year. 

Kate 

PS/ Should you need new friends after Christmas, or indeed just to add to them, come 

and join us in the New Year!! Email: katewatt317@btinternet.com 

Early Announcement 

Lochwinnoch Arts Festival ‘17! 

‘A village of culture and heritage’ 

This year’s festival will encourage us to come and try 

different art forms! We have many ‘Come and Try’ events 

as well as ‘Workshops’ for those who are profi cient at some 

Celtic music forms. Here are some of these events: 

Come and Try: 

• Pottery • Lindy hopping dance • Drawing 

• Poetry • Crafts • Felting 

• Screen printing • Singing • Penny whistle 

• Dance with your family 

Workshops: 

• Fiddle • Accordion • Bodhran 

The Colours of Paisley - The Tapestry of Renfrewshire 

The Tapestry of Renfrewshire project was offi cially and enthusiastically launched 

earlier this year. The launch was, most appropriately, held in Paisley Abbey and 

highlighted by Janice Forsyth on Radio Scotland’s Culture Show. 

It is anticipated that the Tapestry will be a major 

community and colourful contribution towards 

Paisley’s bid for City of Culture 2021. It is avidly 

hoped that, when completed, it will be housed in 

Paisley, as a further draw for tourists, for locals 

and as an important element of a clearly emerging 

Textile Trail within Scotland. 

This ambitious and exciting project is being led by 

a collaborative steering group of local organisation representatives and experts. 

Andrew Crummy, Scottish artist and designer - who drew the panels for the Battle 

of Prestonpans, the Great Tapestry of Scotland and the Scottish Diaspora Tapestry 

– is designing the panels. They will be based on the Old County of Renfrew 

boundary, depicted by Pont’s map of 1583. It is anticipated that the history will 

stretch from the Iron Age onwards, encompassing the future of Renfrewshire as 

it is known today. 

The Paisley thread industry is of global signifi cance. 

The desire is for the Tapestry to be stitched and woven with local threads and 

wools. Donations have started coming in and are welcome from all over the 

world – towards the Call To Yarns! Http://www.renfrewshiretapestry.org.uk/ 

donate-yarn/ 

Stitching: currently everyone is encouraged to download a tear drop pattern 

to stitch at leisure, or they can join in with stitching groups being held at the 

Paisley Thread Mill Museum and the RWH 1697 hub in Paisley. Http://www. 

renfrewshiretapestry.org.uk/the-project/ These tear drops will be used within the 

Tapestry project. 

Schools, stitching groups, charities and 

organisations have started to take an interest 

in the project. We encourage more to get in 

touch, as well as any individuals. Research 

must be accurate, outreach to every corner of 

the boundary and we welcome ideas for panels 

and for volunteers to take on a panel. We also 

welcome sponsorship for the panels and the 

project. 

Andrew Crummy pointed out: ‘the colours of Paisley’s threads are phenomenal’ 

– indeed they are engaging and inspiring. The Tapestry of Renfrewshire is a 

community project and everyone’s input will make the colours of people’s stories, 

Renfrewshire’s heritage and history shine through. No matter what talent people 

have, everyone is welcome – be it for stitching, administration or information 

gathering. 

You do not need to be a stitcher to be involved. 

Further Information, an application form and a pattern are all available on the 

website: www.renfrewshiretapestry.org.uk


23 

Celebrating 15 years in Johnstone 

“With so many more people opting to pay for their funerals in advance, it 

does mean we often get to deal with things without the emotional turmoil 

that can occur at an at-need funeral arrangement, and this can be so much 

easier on the family,” said John. “Whether you are 19 or ninety, you get to 

specify what format you would like your funeral to take, fancy with horses and 

carriage, or simple no frills or fuss. People don’t generally like to talk about 

their demise with family members; it’s sometimes easier with a professional, 

one who’ll ask all the right questions, ensuring that the plan is tailored to suit 

your requirements.” 

Setting up your own business is a massive step, but John has no regrets. ”In 

the 15 years I have become more involved in an amazing local community 

that has really supported the business and we have tried to give a little back 

by supporting our local clubs and societies, and getting involved in fundraising 

for charities such as St. Vincent’s.” John is also an active member of The 

Johnstone Business Consortium whose work ensures the town remains an 

important and valued shopping and community hub. 

Visit www.johnroach.co.uk for more information 

2016 has been a big year for John Roach. In February he celebrated his 

25th wedding anniversary and on December 24th it will be 15 years since 

he opened the doors of John Roach Funeral Services at number 4 Houstoun 

Square, in Johnstone Town Centre. “It doesn’t feel like 15 years, says John; 

that is until I look in the mirror” 

Together, the undertakers who work in the business have over 70 years of 

experience between them and since opening in 2001 they have carried out 

approaching 3,000 funerals in Johnstone and the surrounding area. 

As an undertaker, John has had many career highlights, but most recently 

has achieved some major recognition from his industry peers, having been 

nominated, in both 2015 and 2016 for funeral planner of the year, in Scotland, 

by Golden Charter. Honoured just to be nominated, John narrowly missed out 

on the gold medal, but was delighted to take his place on the podium as he 

accepted his award for being a top 3 fi nalist in both of the years that he was 

nominated. 

The other two main members of the team are Les Boyce, a local lad from 

Linwood, who is well known in the area, with over 20 years of experience in 

the trade, and Craig Munro, John’s brother-in-law, who joined the team in 

2004. Despite being the baby of the team (by 4 and a half months) Craig has 

spent over 28 years working as a funeral director, bringing with him a wealth 

of experience in this very specialised business. Together, they combine to 

make up, possibly the fi nest team of funeral directors in the West of Scotland, 

as many of the testimonials on their website www.johnroach.co.uk would 

attest. 

It’s perhaps not the fi rst job most of us would “undertake”, however John and 

his team get the opportunity to support and help families at their very lowest 

time, when they really need a calming presence and sympathetic ear, and 

that gives them a great sense of job satisfaction. 

This December, all the team at 

John Roach Funeral Directors 

are signed up for “Decembeard” 

where they will all “attempt” 

to grow a beard. This charity 

fundraises for Bowel cancer 

awareness and research. This is 

a charity close to their heart as 

both John and Craig’s mother-inlaw 

died of this disease. 

You can support their efforts 

by following this link 

http://www.justgiving.com/ 

john-roach-decembeard-2016 

You can support their efforts by following 

this link 

http://www.justgiving.com/john-roach-decembeard-2016 

/charitybcuk 

@Bowel_Cancer_UK 

Bowel Cancer UK is a registered charity number 1071038 (England & Wales) and 

SC040914 (Scotland). A company limited by guarantee number 3409832 (England).


UNTIL 

11 

DEC 

Paisley Artists 104th Exhibition 

Paisley Museum 

As per opening hours 

This is a free event 

Local art society, Paisley Artists, once again 

promise a colourful display of Renfrewshire’s 

artistic talent. Always a great success with visitors, this 

exhibition promises a rich diversity of styles, subjects and media with most 

exhibits available for purchase. 

Aladdin - A Family Pantomime 

Paisley Arts Centre Price: £9.50 - £19.00 

morning, afternoon, evening (Gala Night up to £27.50) 

If you see anything this December make sure 

you see PACE Theatre Company’s 28th Annual 

Pantomime - Aladdin! Starring David Wallace - the ‘Doyenne 

of Dames’ - and Alan Orr, along with a whole host of hilarious characters, 

fantastic original music, and the liveliest, most energetic chorus of young 

actors - this is one night out that none of the family will want to miss. 

WED 

14 

DEC 

Holly at Christmas 


£14 (£12 conc) + bkg fee* 

7.30pm 

Celebrate Yuletide with Buddy Holly and The 

Cricketer’s Holly at Christmas, the show that’s now 

as traditional as mulled wine and mince pies! Buddy Holly’s hits, 

other contemporary classics and some Christmas crackers are all wrapped up in a fast, 

furious and funny feast of entertainment to make the perfect gift for all the family. 

A Buddy Good Laugh 16 - Jane 

Godley 

Paisley Arts Centre £10 (£8 conc) + bkg fee* 

8pm 

Over 18s only 

Light-hearted live comedy with Chris Henry, 

Graham Mackie and Janey Godley. Let resident MC Scott Gibson get you through 

the dark winter months with light-hearted live comedy. 

MON 

19 

DEC 

ACCORD Hospice Carol Service 

& Lunch 

Paisley Abbey £5.00 - £25.00 

11am - 3pm 

You are invited to join us at our 27th Annual 

Christmas Celebration of Readings & Carols at the Paisley Abbey 

followed by lunch at the Paisley Town Hall on Monday 19th December. 

It is £5 to attend the Carol Service and it costs £25 for both Service and Lunch. 

A Very Starlight Christmas 


£8 adults / £5 school children 

Doors open 6.45pm 7.15pm - 10pm 

Come and join us for our Christmas Extravaganza - 

a collaboration between Starlight and the Glasgow 

Philharmonia Orchestra. 

We have a fantastic evening lined up with the fi nest seasonal music, performed by our 

talented young cast and orchestra. With our special guest soloists, charming choral 

numbers and spectacular dance routines, this is no ordinary Christmas Concert! 

WED 

28 

DEC 

Festive Family Ceilidh 


£8 (£6 conc) + booking fee* 

7.30pm 

Celebrate the end of 2016 at the Festive Family 

Ceilidh with Clamjamfrie; a traditional evening of 

Scottish music and ceilidh dancing for everyone to enjoy. Early 

booking is recommended. 

UNTIL 

31 

DEC 

THUR 

15 

DEC 

WED 

21 

DEC 

every Monday 

Lochwinnoch Community Walk 

The Cross, Lochwinnoch 10.30am 

This event will not take place on public 

holidays. 

every Tuesday 

Bishopton Belles Line Dancing 

Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic Hall 6.30 - 8.30pm 

Beginner/Improver class. All welcome. Call David 

or Mair 07886 034037. 

Postnatal Support Group 

Paisley Abbey 10.30am - 12noon 

Crèche facilities available along with access to 

free counselling services if required. 

every Wednesday 

Knitting Group 

Three Sisters Bake, Quarriers 10am - 12noon 

Knitters of all levels welcome! 

Skinny Minnies 

Cargill Hall, Bridge of Weir 7pm - 8pm 

For a healthier, slimmer, more energetic you! 

every Thursday 

Weekly Volunteer Group 

Castle Semple, Lochwinnoch 12.30pm - 3.30pm 

Conservation Volunteers - adult group. 

Newcomers always welcome. 

every Saturday 


Greenock Cut Visitor Centre 10.30am - 2.30pm 

Conservation Volunteers, adult group. Newcomers 

always welcome. 

every Sunday 


Castle Semple, Lochwinnoch 10am - 12noon 

Youth volunteer Group - age 12 - 18 years. 

Newcomers always welcome. 

Houston Litter Crew 

Co-op car park 10am – 11.45am 

All volunteers welcome and all equipment 

supplied. 

Festival of Nine Lessons & Carols 

Saturday 24th December - 7.30pm 

Come and Sing 

Haydn - The Creation 

with Orchestra 

Directed by George McPhee 

Sunday 29th January 2017 

Rehearsal 2.30pm 

Performance 6.30pm 

All singer applications are welcomed, 

but places will be allocated on a 

fi rst come basis. 

Further details will be announced 

soon. If you are interested in taking 

part, please call 07885 622923. 

Paisley Abbey (Church of Scotland) 

Registered Charity No. SC007633 

2nd & 4th Wednesday 

BoW Senior Citizens Club 

Cargill Hall 7 - 9pm 

Tea, biscuits & a raffle each meeting along with 

entertainment. Contact Sheila Patterson for 

further information on 01505 690521. 

1st & 3rd Thurs monthly 

‘Outlook’ 

Kidston Hall, Kilmacolm 2pm - 4pm 

Social activities group for the community in 

Kilmacolm. Guest speakers, afternoon tea, local 

issues of interest. Everyone welcome. 

Crafty Hobbies 

Carrick Centre, Main Street, Houston 7.30pm 

No previous craft experience necessary. Call 

Lorna on 01505 612844 for further details. 

2nd Wednesday monthly 

Inverclyde Carers Outreach 

Cargill Centre, Kilmacolm 11am - 2pm 

Email enquiries@inverclydecarerscentre.org.uk 

or call: 01475 735180. 

2nd Thursday monthly 

Solas Bereavement Support Group 

The group meets in the Kidston Hall. 6.30pm - 

8.30pm. Everyone welcome. 

3rd Friday monthly 

Hearing Aid Clinic 

The Bridge, Bridge of Weir 1 - 2pm 

Personnel are at The Bridge for the issue of 

hearing aid batteries and hearing aid checks. 

2nd Saturday monthly 

‘Brunch & Browse’ 

St Fillan’s Hall, Kilmacolm 10am - 2pm 

Home made soups, home baking, tea, coffee, 

books & lots of stalls. Great value! Disabled 

access. £4. 

last Friday monthly 

TheTerrace 

St Machar’s Ranfurly Church Hall 

Homemade soups, sandwiches, tea/coffee, 

biscuits. £4. Good food and company. 

last Saturday monthly 

Table Top Sale 

Linwood Parish Church, Blackwood Ave 11am - 1pm 

This is a free event. Call 01505 328802 for 

details. 

regular updates @GryffeAds 

1st SAT 

Cargill Centre, Kilmacolm 

10am - 2pm 

1st & 3rd SUN 

Loch Lomond Shores 

10am - 3pm Tel: 07977 179 861 

2nd THU & last SAT 

Paisley Cross 

10am - 2pm Tel: 01655 770217 

2nd SUN 

Kip Marina, Inverkip 

11am - 4pm www.kipmarina.co.uk


25 

1st Houston & 

Crosslee Scout 

Group 

Buy your tickets for our Annual Christmas 

Coffee Morning and Craft Fair early when 

our whole group get out on the pavements 

and bring them to you, with our door to 

door ticket service! All group members will 

be easily identifi able with their brown and 

white Scout group Neckies. Please support 

by coming along on the day too on Saturday 

3rd December at the Compass Centre from 

10am - 1pm. The usual suspects of fabulous 

home-baking, Santa’s grotto, activities for the 

wee ones, a sit down with a cuppa for the 

more senior visitors and much more in our 

ever extending craft fair; items will include 

handmade jewellery and snowfl akes, stocking 

fi llers, hand decorated tree hangings, Paracord 

bracelets, Santa’s Sweet Delights and 

fi ll your boots on the day with 

the fi nal ever Great 

Explorer Bakeoff. 

This year 

profi ts from the 

Great 

Explorer 

Bake off stall 

will go towards 

the 

fundraising 

being run by the 

Explorers for their Million 

Hands Project, , raising 

awareness for disability 

and funds for Vinnie’s 

Fight Back Fund. 

.


Optical Blog 

by Kerry Taher, 

New Vision Opticians 

Presbyopia comes to us all! 

Presbyopia is part of the natural ageing process of our eyes and starts 

to affect most of us in our early forties. The crystalline lens in the middle 

of each eye, responsible for focusing on things close-up, becomes 

progressively less fl exible and unable to focus properly. This usually first 

presents as a difficulty in reading small print, holding the print further 

away to focus (“arms aren’t long enough” syndrome) or the need for 

brighter light when reading. 

There is no cure for presbyopia, but there are solutions! Simple 

reading glasses can be prescribed. Care should be taken with over 

the-counter readers though - the prescription will be the same for each 

eye, astigmatism won’t be corrected and the centre of the lens may not 

match the eyes perfectly. Prescribed glasses are made-to-measure, so 

the frames and lenses will be fitted professionally. Bifocals or varifocals 

can be better options if a distance correction is also required. Bifocals 

have a visible line on the lens, separating the distance and near powers. 

Varifocals are the most popular option nowadays due to the fact they 

have many powers to allow focusing at many different distances but with 

no visible line. Trifocals are rarely used - they have 2 lines separating 

three powers. 

Contact lenses are another popular choice with options available for 

daily, two weekly or monthly disposables. Monovision, where one eye 

is corrected for distance and the other for reading, is another option 

and although it sounds strange it can be surprisingly effective. With all 

options, whether it’s glasses or contact lenses, it may take a few weeks 

for the brain to adapt. 

As always, if you notice any changes in your vision, you should have an 

eye examination to identify the exact cause. 

For further information please contact the practice on 01505 614700. 

Renfrewshire Foodbank 

CO-OP HOUSTON – CHRISTMAS COLLECTION 

Saturday 3rd and Sunday 4th December – 9.30am onwards 

We’ll be collecting Christmas donations on 

these dates to ensure that Renfrewshire 

children and their families enjoy the most 

wonderful time of the year. 

Two ways to donate.... 

1. Bring along your Christmas food or 

toiletry donations to our stall in the 

Co-op Houston. 

2. Pop some cash in our charity buckets and we’ll buy the Christmas 

goods from the Co-op in Houston – ensuring that the money goes 

back into our local community. 

See you all in the Co-op Houston – Saturday 3rd & Sunday 4th 

December. 

Christmas essentials list: 

Selection boxes, chocolates 

Christmas cake, biscuits 

Toiletries – body wash, bubble bath, shampoo, men’s razors, 

shaving foam, gel, etc. 

Tissues 

Baby wipes, nappies, bathing 

products, etc. 

Christmas crackers – for the 

dinner table 

Sugar 

Small cartons of juice eg. 

Capri Sun 

*Please ensure long use by dates. We can’t accept any refrigerated or 

frozen foods or alcohol... Many thanks.


27


Financial Blog 

by Carl Melvin, 

Affluent Financial Planning Ltd 

As Christmas looms, the likelihood of overspending 

increases and the fear of a big credit card debt arriving in 

January is a concern or fear for many. For some people, this 

may take months to clear. So, how do you manage your money to avoid 

a repeat of this every January? The following should help; 

1. Work within a Budget – many people don’t know where the money 

goes. You need to understand your spending to know how to improve 

your fi nancial position. 

2. Do you overspend? You need to honest with yourself here. 

Check your last year’s bank statements to see how much you are 

overspending and take control to change this. 

3. Don’t buy on credit – use only cash or debit card to buy things and 

avoid using a credit card unless it is fully repaid every month 

4. Control your debts – how much do you owe? How much does it cost 

you? When will you be clear of your debts? Implement a plan to be 

debt free by next Christmas, if possible. 

5. Look for savings – cut costs where you can (utility bills, mortgage, 

insurances) and use the savings to reduce debt – not to spend 

more! 

6. Save the difference – once you have repaid your debts, direct the 

savings above to a savings account so you can afford Xmas next year 

without the fi nancial worry. 

7. The key to financial independence – is spending less than you 

earn and saving the difference. Once you have cracked this, you can 

plan then develop a financial plan. 

8 Savings must be automatic – your regular savings must happen 

every month or you may be blown off course. 

9. Savings must be realistic – savings must be proportionate. Too little 

and you are fooling only yourself. 

10. Don’t be a Christmas turkey – face the new year debt free – every 

year. 

This information is not fi nancial advice. If you require advice you should consult a 

professional adviser. The fi rst meeting is normally free and there is no obligation 

Call us for a FREE fi nancial review on 01505 59 50 60 or info@affl uentfp.co.uk. 

Alternatively, pop into the Affl uent offi ce opposite Amaretto restaurant on Main Street, 

Bridge of Weir. www.affl uentfp.co.uk 

with Colin Fyfe of Colcom 

The Brexit vote has been blamed for many things and lauded for few it 

seems. One of the ‘many things’ that, in the short term at least, is going 

to smart a little is the cost of overseas imports. Britain’s Tech imports 

totalled £4bn in September this year and is obviously a major sector 

of the British foreign import market. It should therefore come as no 

surprise that Lenovo, the world’s largest laptop manufacturer along with 

HPE (Hewlett Packard Enterprises or HP to you and I) have increased 

their pricing in the UK by 10% since the vote. However, come the 1st of 

December another round of price increases will push things up again by 

another 10% or so among these and other giants of technology. Apple 

too has pushed the envelope, albeit in a more clandestine way. Their 

recent models offer a higher like for like spec on previous models, but the 

discrepancies average out at a significant increase. 

These price increases on the back of the weak pound were inevitable, 

but it is no less disappointing to find that a laptop you could pick up for 

£300 six month ago, will now cost £360. 

I would always tell clients looking for a basic laptop not to look at anything 

less than £300 if they want some semblance of quality about their new 

computer. Now that fi gure is more than £350 with a recommended spend 

of £400 for a general use laptop. 

Further price hikes are inevitable too, UK missed out on Sonos’ Euro 

price hikes of about 15% last year due to weak Euro v USD, I expect they 

will correct that soon enough. 

Merry Christmas and thanks for reading.


Weir Networking 

29 

The Inspirational Erica Wallace is our next 

Speaker on Friday 2nd December. Erica 

knows how to run a small business and 

expand in leaps and bounds. A Lady full of 

the Joys of life, so if you are looking to be 

Motivated, Inspired and Encouraged then 

do not miss this wonderful opportunity. 

Weir Networking is a Business Networking 

Group for local Business’s to get together and make contact. Contact 07775 

594132 or email mo-hypnotherapy-world@live.co.uk 

Come along on Friday morning, at 9.30am, to find out more and see what 

we can do to help you and your business. We meet for breakfast and a chat 

in Amaretto Ristorante and Pizzeria, 60 Main Street, Bridge of Weir. 

All businesses welcome - just £5 per person! 

Book your Free Home Energy Check with LEAP this 

Winter 

Your LEAP Home Energy Check is a review of your home 

energy usage. Our City and Guilds qualified LEAP Energy 

Adviser visits you at home at a time convenient for you 

and asks you some 

simple questions about 

your home and your 

energy usage. It only takes 

about an hour and can 

save you money! During 

the visit the LEAP Energy 

Advisor will complete a 

form which is used to 

design your follow up 

LEAP Home Action Plan. 

This is a personalised 

plan developed by LEAP to advise simple, inexpensive actions you can 

take to improve your home comfort and energy usage. 

What advice will you get from a Home Energy Check? 

You will get free and impartial advice on practical measures you could take 

to help reduce the amount of energy you use. Many measures are free or 

very low cost and can save you money at the same time. We recognise that 

everyone’s needs are different and our Energy Advisers create Your LEAP 

Home Action Plan specifi cally for your home and circumstances. 

How do you arrange a LEAP Home Energy Check? LEAP Home Energy 

checks are a free service to all local residents of Lochwinnoch, Bridge of 

Weir, Kilbarchan, Houston, Crosslee, Brookfield, and Howwood; home 

owners, private let landlords and tenants, and council and housing 

association tenants. 

For your FREE Home Energy Check phone LEAP on 01505 612034, email info@ 

myleapproject.org, or pop into your nearest LEAP Offi ce at either Advance Place, 

Bridge of Weir, or 22 Church St, Lochwinnoch. 

On Work Placement with LEAP 

Thomas Hodgson, a 4th year pupil of St Benedict’s 

Secondary School in Linwood, spent his work 

placement week with LEAP in November. Thomas 

from Lochwinnoch was familiar with the LEAP 

charity, but he wanted to find out more about its work 

and services`. ‘I have learned about the free home 

energy checks that LEAP do. The Energy Adviser, 

Alasdair told me that he asks questions about what 

fuels people use to heat their homes, where their 

boiler is located and finds out what the temperature 

is in their homes.’ Thomas learned how the car club 

cars can be booked online by members, and that 

there are 4 cars, 2 hybrids, 1 electric and 1 diesel 

car. ‘I know that the hybrid cars don’t give off as many 

carbon emissions and are better for the environment. 

It also takes 3 and half hours to fully charge the Nissan Leaf’. Scott Duncan, 

LEAP’s Project Manager congratulated Thomas on his good work ethic 

during his week with LEAP and the LEAP staff were impressed by his 

interest in their work and his administrative skills. Well Done, Thomas! 

Passing on the Bikeswap Mantle 

LEAP has been spreading the word 

and building the capacity of new 

organisations and groups to hold 

Bikeswaps in their communities. 

Active Communities Linwood invited 

LEAP to be part of their 5k Family 

Cycle day and to show them the Bikeswap ropes. If your community group 

or organisation is interested in learning more about how to run a bikeswap, 

support the reduction of bikes to landfill and encouraging recycling, 

passing things on, or providing a new home for your bike, contact LEAP 

at info@myleapproject.org. Look out for the dates and venues for LEAP 

Bikeswaps in your area at www.myleapproject/news or www.facebook. 

com/myleapproject. 

Stylish, Durable: A Floor for Life 

When choosing a new floor for your home, there are a few things to take 

into consideration. For a lot of our clients, having a floor that isn’t going to be 

ruined by mucky feet, paw prints or spills is a top priority. For this reason, light cream carpets 

can be problematic for many busy households. 

Karndean and Amtico flooring are perfect for 

any room or situation in the home. They are both 

waterproof, slip resistant and warm underfoot, 

as well as being a beautiful and luxurious floor 

to be proud of. 

Both are easy to clean and without the porous 

qualities of wood and some stone. They bring 

the ageless beauty of natural flooring to your home without the hassle. 

Be it a rustic wood effect in the living room or a sleek and modern stone effect in the kitchen, Orchard 

Flooring can provide expert advice to find the perfect floor for a room. 

With a home sampling service why not give us a call and be on your way to a stunning floor from Orchard 

Flooring. 

You can contact Scott on 01505 22 9584 or 07563 633 432 

E: sjmproducts@hotmail.com website- www.orchard-flooring.com


At the business meeting on 2nd November members 

heard reports on recent meetings and plans for the next 

two month’s events. 

International Committee Convenor, Neil McAllister, 

was delighted to 

advise that the 

Rotary Curry Night at 

Shimla Cottage had 

been a great success and £800 raised for 

the Rotary End Polio Campaign. Thanks 

are due to those who attended and to 

Tabi and his restaurant staff. Twenty filled 

back-packs for young people in Malawi 

have been delivered to Mary’s meals plus 

a donation of £500. A donation sufficient 

to purchase a Shelter Box for use in an 

earthquake zone is being expedited. 

Purple4Polio 

crocus bulbs 

have been 

donated and planted by Rotary’s partners in 

Kilmacolm, Bridge of Weir, Houston, Brookfield 

and Lochwinnoch. The Crocus was chosen as 

the purple colour matches the dye painted on the 

fi ngers of children who have been immunised. 

Members had enjoyed talks by Gary Webster on the 

“Scottish Golf Museum” - the world’s largest virtual 

on-line golf museum and local farmer Willie Harper on the “Politics of 

Farming”. 

On 9th November John Melrose, representative of The Malcolm Group who 

are a Corporate Member, introduced an old friend, Colin Neill who was 

billed to speak on “Sport”. Colin was formerly a Supply Chain Director of 

Diageo, works as a Business Advisor and is a Director of Renfrewshire 

Chamber of Commerce, involved with the Paisley 2021 City of Culture bid, 

and President of Cricket Scotland. He is also an avid follower of Scottish 

football and chose to focus on his book “The Ramblings of a Football 

Follower”. In a fast moving and very humorous talk Colin told of his heroes 

(Eric Caldow, Dave Mackay), his favourite team (Ayr United), his view of 

the best managers (Alec Fergusson and Ally Macleod), and the best player 

(Denis Law). 

The following speakers have been confirmed: 

Wed 30th November: The speaker will be Wilma Morrison – guest of Dan 

Mungin. 

Social convenor, Angus Matheson, reminded members of the forthcoming 

social events at the River Inn: 

Wed 14th December: Christmas Dinner at the River Inn for members, 

partners and friends. 

Sat 14th January 2017: Burn’s Supper. Annual event. Great food and 

entertainment in the traditional style. Tickets for sale from members. 

Wed 15th February 2017: Valentines Dinner for members and partners. 

Wed 2nd February 2017: Dinner and Celebration of 100 years of Rotary 

Foundation, the Rotary charity. 

The Club has arranged to take groups of Renfrewshire Young Carers, up to 

100 in total, for an evening out, away from their duties for a fun night at The 

Experience at Hillington with a meal and go-karting. There will be groups 

going 23, 24, 25, 26, 30, & 31 January 2017. In response to a request from 

the Community Services Convenor, Edwin Fisher, the club gave approval 

for a donation of £500 towards the improvement of Ardgryffe play-park at 

Houston. 

Youth Services convenor Andrew Macleman advised plans for the coming 

weeks: 

Euroscola – An excellent candidate from Gryffe High School has 

been selected and will speak to the club after attending the European 

Parliament. 

Young Chef - Gibb Stuart have agreed to again provide prizes for the 

competitors. The competition will be held at 4.30pm on Thursday 1st 

December. 

Youth Speaks - Teams have been confirmed from St. Columba’s and 

Gryffe High School. This competition will be held on Tuesday 22nd 

November. 

Gryffe Camera Club Photographic Competition - Judging has taken 

place and there will be a display of the winning prints at a forthcoming 

Rotary meeting in the River Inn. 

Advertising will be put in place to promote the annual 10K run, being 

arranged for Sunday 7th May 2017. The date is chosen to allow four months 

of training after the Christmas and New Year celebrations! 

People interested in hearing our speakers, attending events and fi nding out 

more about Rotary are encouraged to speak to a member or contact the 

club via the contact facility on the website www.gryffevalley-rotary.org.uk/. 

Sam Poling programme wins 

BAFTA award 

The British Academy of Film and Television 

Arts in Scotland, BAFTA Scotland, 

announced the winners of this year’s British 

Academy Scotland Awards at a glamorous 

red carpet ceremony at Glasgow’s 

Radisson Blu Hotel in November. 

Hosted by Edith Bowman, the Awards 

celebrated the very best in film, television 

and games produced over the last year in 

Scotland, with Bill Paterson, Gary Lewis, James McAvoy, Martin Compston 

and Vicky McClure among the sterling list of presenters handing out the 

coveted awards on the night. 

Winner of the Current Affairs category was the programme BBC SCOTLAND 

INVESTIGATES: BRITAIN’S PUPPY DEALERS EXPOSED with Liam 

McDougall, Samantha Poling, Sandeep Gill – BBC Scotland 

Sam Poling has been a popular guest at Weir Networking’s events at which 

the members described her as a fascinating and informative speaker. The 

team at Weir Networking would like to congratulate her and her team on 

this award.


31


Paolo Nutini backs Paisley 

culture bid at massive event 

Top Tips for Keeping Warm and saving money this 

Christmas 

As winter starts to bite, LEAP has prepared a few tips to 

help you to manage the winter months and energy bills 

in your home through the Festive Season. 

- Check your heating programmer/timer and make sure it’s coming on at 

appropriate times for the colder weather. £150 per year 

can be saved by only having your heating on when 

needed. 

- Adjust your thermal radiator valves – using the heating 

controls appropriately can help you to heat the areas of 

the home that are needed. 

- Measure your room temperature – the recommended temperature for a 

room thermostat is between 18 and 21°C. Turning your thermostat down 

by just 1°C could save you £85 per year 

- Maximise heat from your radiators with radiator reflective panels. These 

foil sheets fi t down the back of radiators and reflect heat back into the 

room, meaning you get more heat from your radiators for less money. 

Come and get yours from our LEAP shops. 

- Switch lighting off – we need more lights on for longer periods in the 

winter, but don’t forget to switch them off. £15 per year can be saved by 

switching lights off when not in use. For even better savings switch to LED 

lightbulbs available from our LEAP shops. 

- Draught proofi ng your home – gaps around windows and doors allow heat 

to escape and let the cold draughts in. Heavy thermal lined curtains will 

help to keep the heat in. Draught proofing of windows, doors, letterboxes 

and blocking cracks in fl oors and skirting boards can save up to 13% 

of your heating bill each year. If you’re struggling with time and skills to 

draught proof we can do it for you. 

For further information and advice or to purchase 

your radiator panels, chimney balloons and 

LED bulbs, contact LEAP Energy Advisors on 

01505 612 034, email info@myleapproject.org 

or visit our shops at Advance place, Bridge of 

Weir or Church St, Lochwinnoch. Visit www. 

myleapproject.org/contact. 

Paisley’s musical megastar 

Paolo Nutini has thrown his 

weight behind his home town’s 

bid to be named UK City of 

Culture 2021. 

The singer declared his support during a surprise video message broadcast 

to a delighted crowd of 30,000 at the town’s Christmas Light Switch-on 

event, which coincided with the first anniversary of the bid launch. 

Paolo - who was brought up in Paisley and still has a home there - told the 

crowd of his pride in the town and why he was backing Paisley’s culture 

ambitions. 

He said: “I’m backing the bid because Paisley is and always has been my 

home. I love the town and want to see it grow. 

“It’s a town that needs the investment, but it knows what it’s going to do with 

that investment and I think the potential is really clear. I see the romance of 

the town - when you walk into the centre it’s got a beautiful composition. 

“The bid is about building a structure that can tackle the more deep-rooted 

problems and it’s important we get behind that. There’s already a new lease 

of life being brought into the town...I’m backing the bid so please go on the 

website, push the button, and do the same.” 

The annual Christmas Lights event included a special Paisley-themed 

projection on to the side of Paisley’s 850-year-old Abbey asking residents 

to back the bid. 

The main stage in the town centre 

was headlined by triple-platinumselling 

popsters Scouting for Girls, 

who were joined by up-and-coming 

Paisley bands the Vegan Leather and 

Dogtooth, as well as kids favourites 

Funbox. 

The event was organised by 

Renfrewshire Council and the lights 

were switched on by Provost Anne 

Hall, joined by young competition 

winner Phoebe of Williamsburgh 

Primary. 

The bid is being taken forward by a 

partnership of local organisations, 

many of whom were showing their 

support during the day on social 

media using #WeArePaisley. 

It has been another successful 

year for RAMH during which 

services for almost 5,000 people 

experiencing mental ill health have 

been provided; that’s 250,000 

hours of face to face support. RAMH has also received the highest grading 

of “excellent” by the Care Inspectorate for their housing support services, 

plus the Silver Investors In People award. 

As you know, RAMH works hard to ensure that they deliver the very highest 

quality services on the tightest of budgets, which isn’t always easy. RAMH 

is asking Advertizer readers to consider supporting RAMH with a gift of 

£2 per month during 2017, to help maintain and develop services; making 

support even more accessible, and more available, to more people. 

Every £1 you donate goes directly towards supporting local people with 

conditions such as depression, anxiety, bipolar disorder, self harm and 

others. To set up your donation visit www.virginmoneygiving.com, search 

for RAMH and click on “make a monthly donation” under Support Us. Or 

contact enquiries@ramh.org for more info. 

If you can, please help RAMH by donating a small amount every month 

during 2017. Your generosity will make a lasting impact in the lives of 

individuals. 

Have a peaceful and healthy Christmas & New Year from everyone at 

RAMH! 

We understand that the festive season can often be a tough time and RAMH 

is here for you 365 days a year. If you live in Renfrewshire and need urgent 

support call 0141 848 9090 or (freephone from landlines) 0500 829 093. 

If you live outside Renfrewshire call Breathing Space on 0800 838587 or 

Samaritans on 116 123.


33


BOOK 

people 

Chivas Brothers in Renfrewshire 

Like most local people, I was equally shocked and 

disappointed to learn that Chivas plan to cease operations 

in Renfrewshire. 

Chivas has a long and proud history in the area, and have 

been great for the town but equally Paisley has been 

great for the company. We have been a fantastic base for 

Chivas Brothers and have provided them with a loyal and 

hardworking workforce. 

I spoke with the CEO of Chivas’ parent company Pernod Ricard last 

Wednesday and expressed my disappointment and surprise to him about 

this closure. This sudden announcement took many people by surprise and 

I was disappointed to learn that the trade unions weren’t involved in the 

process leading up to this announcement. 

I have since written to the senior management at Chivas Renfrewshire to 

find out more about how this process will be managed and what can be 

done to support the workers. In addition, I have also contacted trade union 

representatives to fi nd out how I can support them in this difficult time. 

Despite the assurances of no compulsory redundancies, this will be a 

difficult time for the workers. We need to fully understand the consequences 

of this decision and what we can be done to help those affected. 

Blythswood Care Shoebox Appeal 

Recently, I joined my SNP colleagues in supporting 

Blythswood Care’s Shoebox Appeal. This is a fantastic 

cause which allows local people to donate items to those 

less fortunate than ourselves. For more information 

on the Shoebox Appeal, please visit: www./shoeboxappeal. 

Damp Dogs & Rabbit Wee 

Cast off; ripped off; cheesed off. 

When redundancy strikes for the second time 

in two years, an ex-bank manager is thrust 

into the world of the self-employed through 

a desire to eat and meet his mortgage 

payments. 

A series of animal-related vignettes, present 

an amusing, charming and compassionate 

look at the life of a Pet Professional. 

From the scary to the farcical; the tender to 

the messy and the cute to the psychopaths 

- there’s a laugh in (just about) all possible 

scenarios. 

Proving there’s more to dog walking than 

simply walking dogs, DAMP DOGS & 

RABBIT WEE is a humorous, light read that will appeal to all pet owners, 

animal lovers and dog walkers. 

Available from Amazon as Kindle edition & paperback: www.amazon.co.uk 

The Author: 

Colin (Cee Tee) Jackson is a former bank manager from Houston. He has 

run the Leading Petcare business since 2007 after being made redundant 

for the second time in two years. 

He wrote articles and interview pieces for Artrocker Magazine for a seven 

year period before deciding to write ‘Damp Dogs & Rabbit Wee’ - more as 

an exercise than anything else, before embarking upon his current work, a 

comedy / fantasy with the working title of ‘Soul Survivor,’’ which he aims to 

publish in the Spring / Summer of 2017. 

Diaporama 

This month’s meeting was Hugh and Gerry. Gerry took us to Italy 

where we visited ‘Venice from the Grand Canal’ with most of the 

images taken from the water. For ‘Venice Ceilings and Art’ the images 

were taken in Palazzo Ducale and the Museo Correr - he included 

some taken by his wife Shona using a mobile phone showing it 

doesn’t have to always be a camera! His third sequence used the 

music ‘Love in Portofi no’ sung by Andrea Bocelli who he had seen at 

the SECC just before they went and this was enhanced by images 

of the tiny village of Portofi no and its neighbour Santa Margherita. 

The last sequence ‘Yukon Expedition’ recoded the wanderings of a 

friend’s son and his family who travelled by canoe from Whitechurch 

to Dawson City in Canada and into Alaska ending at Tanana on the 

Arctic circle. 

With Hugh we went to see the ‘Doors of Madeira’. In 2014 the ‘Art of 

Open Doors’ project was started and local artists created wonderful 

works of art on the doors in a narrow street dating from 1430. We also 

visited ‘York Minster’ with its beautiful interior including the decorative 

nave, the West Window - it contains a heart shape known as The 

Heart of Yorkshire and is the largest medieval stained glass in the 

world and the Rose Window. 

Hugh also did a short tutorial on Pictures to Exe. This is a programme 

used to produce sequences. It allows us to add images, change how 

long they will be on the screen, how we want them to change from 

one image to the next e.g. slide sideways, turn like a page, go slowly/ 

quickly etc. It is full of great techniques - all it needs are images, music/ 

commentary and imagination. It is good to look at these programmes 

to see if anything is new, to see how others are doing things and talk 

about different ways of making sequences. 

Our next meeting is our Christmas Night on Monday 12th December, 

7.30pm at the Carrick Centre, Houston. Visitors are always 

welcome!


35


Renfrew Speakers Club Youth Speech 

Competition 

The recent winners of the East Renfrewshire 

Schools Youth Speech Competition Heat 

was a team from Mearns Castle High School 

and the Runners Up Team was from the 

Woodfarm High School. 

The competing teams were given 3 Topics and to 

choose one from: 

1. If you could introduce a new subject into your school curriculum what 

would it be and why? 

2. Tragically, many young people are involved in accidents during the 

fi rst year after gaining their driving licence. What can/should be done 

to address this? 

3. The UK Government is being led by only its second female Prime 

Minister ever. 

Should there be positive discrimination to try and address this gender 

imbalance? 

The Winning Team chose Topic No 1 and the new subject they would like to 

see introduced to their school’s curriculum was MANNERS! The Runners 

UP team chose Topic No 2. 

The winners, Mearns Castle High 

School, (shown left) from left 

to right they are: Chairperson - 

Louisa Crearar, Main Speaker 

- George Knight and Voter of 

Thanks - Jacques Clapham. 

They, as all participants, were 

presented with an Association 

of Speakers Clubs Certificate of 

Achievement by one of the Judges, Yvonne Greeves - Enterprise Manager 

Scotland, Business Banking , the Royal Bank of Scotland and in addition an 

Ice Wedge Trophy to the Heat Winners. 

The Runners Up Team from Woodfarm High School were Chairperson 

Ramanpreet Kaur, Main Speaker Molly Ward and Voter of Thanks Carly 

Corbitt. 

From Inverclyde the 

winning team was St 

Columba’s High School 

Team No 2 (shown right) 

with Chairperson Lewis 

Morrison, Main Speaker 

Kara Leck and Voter of 

Thanks Callum Laing and 

the Runners Up was Team 

No 1 from Inverclyde 

Academy with Chairperson Freya Rennie, Main Speaker Abigail Cameron, 

and Voter of Thanks Rachel McKenzie-Marner. 

In the Renfrewshire Competition Heat the Gryffe High School Team No 

2 (shown left) was the winners with Chairperson: Marc Sermanni, Main 

speaker: Jack Young and the Voter of Thanks was Mia Trollan. 

Runners Up was Gryffe High School Team No 1 with Chairperson: 

Drew Surgenor, Main speaker: Alex Lee and Voter of Thanks was Laura 

Workman. 

The Chief Judge 

Graham McLachlan, 

Past National President 

of the Association 

of Speakers Clubs, 

praised the high 

standards displayed 

and gave an excellent 

summary of points to 

improve on the teams 

Public Speaking 

abilities. 

The Renfrew Speakers Club who organise these competitions in conjunction 

with the Greenock Speakers Club wish to thank their sponsors for their 

continued support in hosting these competitions namely, the three local 

authorities, Renfrewshire Chamber of Commerce and the Royal Bank of 

Scotland. 

If you would like to learn more about the local Speakers Clubs on how to become 

a better speaker, better presenter and better leader please visit the Association of 

Speakers Clubs website http://www.speakersclubs.uk or telephone Bill Robertson 

on 01505 862862 or Tony Cowden on 01475 783228 who are the Secretaries of 

the Renfrew and the Greenock Speakers Clubs respectively. 

LOCAL 

history 

Black Cart Mills 4 

Castle Semple Loch to Corseford 

Apart from the Calder Water, several smaller burns feed Castle Semple 

Loch. On the north side, the Blackditch Burn was diverted by a small dam, 

to supply the ornamental fish ponds and cascades behind Castle Semple 

House. 

At the north end of the 

loch, the Brides Burn 

enters the loch under 

Fancy Bridge at the 

beginning of the Black 

Cart. A short distance 

upstream was Brides Mill, 

a traditional grain mill. 

Over the centuries, many 

schemes were devised to 

dam Castle Semple Loch 

at the beginning of the 

Black Cart. The earliest was in the medieval period, to power Auchendinan 

Mill. Later attempts to drain the loch deepened its outlet, leaving the mill 

high and dry. Today the flow in the Black Cart is controlled by a weir near 

the Elliston Burn, operated by Scottish Water. 

The minor Elliston (or Linnister or Bowfield) Burn is spanned by Elliston 

Bridge, but the bridge’s name dates from a much larger bridge, which 

spanned the Black Cart. This old bridge was demolished in the 1780s and 

replaced by Garthland Bridge. Up in the headwaters of the Elliston Burn 

a large printfield was built at Bowfield in the 1780s. Further down, near 

Elliston Castle, was a Victorian sawmill. 

Continuing down the Black Cart, old mill sites continue to be rediscovered. 

A 1730s survey shows a Waulk Mill for dressing woollen goods at Thirdpart. 

Apart from burns, the river is still fed by ‘levels’ (underground tunnels) which 

drain old coal and lime workings in the Corseford area. At Corseford the 

Swinetrees Burn was diverted in the 1770s to turn a waterwheel to drain 

lime workings. By the Victorian period, this water wheel drove Corseford 

grain mill. A large reservoir was built in the burn’s headwaters at Whittlemuir 

(now drained), below the Iron Age fort at Walls Hill. Along with the lesser 

Skiff Burn to the west, this stored water for Midtown Bleachfi eld, which had 

a large water wheel 11 metres in diameter, supplied by a long lade cutting 

across the hillside. 

Further down the Cart a pair of traditional mills stood on either side of the 

river at Milliken Bridge. Milliken grain mill stood on the north side and, 

Cochrane Mill, which became a bleachfield in 1796 and later a threshing 

mill, stood on the south. 

© 2016, Stuart Nisbet, Renfrewshire Local History Forum 

Renfrewshire Local History Forum’s next lecture will take place in the Shawl 

Gallery of Paisley Museum on 8th December, at 7.30 pm. Our speaker is 

Maureen Kilpatrick of GUARD Archaeology on Recent Investigations at 

Killiekrankie Battlefield. Visitors are always welcome at our meetings.


37 

Monte Carlo Rally 2017 

The town of Paisley has once again been confirmed as the sole UK start 

point for the 2017 historic rally run to Monte Carlo. 

It’ll be the fourth time the town – which is bidding to be the 2021 UK City of 

Culture – will be the only British start point out of seven European cities for 

a range of historic cars to make the 1,300 mile trip to the South of France. 

Close to a hundred 

cars are expected to 

leave the start ramp 

outside Paisley 

Abbey at 6pm on 

Wednesday January 

25th in three 

separate categories. 

The Historique 

class is being run 

for the 20th year 

and is restricted to 

car models which 

competed in the 

Monte Carlo Rallies 

between 1955 and 1980. It will run over eight days on open public roads 

with the cars and crews having undertaken a series of fourteen demanding 

test stages in the mountains of southern France. 

The Classique event is 

for older cars from as 

early as 1911 to 1980 

and follows the same 

route to Monte Carlo 

but does not include 

any test stages, the 

goal simply being to 

finish in Monte Carlo 

after checking in at a 

series of control points 

on the way. 

Once again the event 

will feature the popular 

Monte Heritage Runs 

which will follow on from the full-scale events and will take in a series of 

short classic routes in Scotland. In January this year a crowd of more than 

10,000 gathered in the centre of Paisley with the magnificent backdrop of the 

Abbey to wave off the crews in a party atmosphere with lights, music, street 

food and fi reworks ….. and working with staff from Renfrewshire Council 

and volunteers from many motorsport clubs in Scotland the organisers are 

confident of making the start even bigger and better next year. 

The event was officially launched by Douglas Anderson, the UK co-ordinator 

and the man responsible for bringing the Monte back to Scotland in 2011. 

He believes the 2017 start will be the best yet. 

More information can be found at www.monte.scot 

Vehicle Winter Check List 

Antifreeze – check coolant level regularly and, if required, top-up with 

a mixture of the correct type of antifreeze. Your garage should check 

concentration to ensure adequate cold temperature protection. 

Battery – the most common cause of winter breakdowns. A battery more 

than five years old may struggle in the cold - get it checked and replaced if 

necessary to avoid the inconvenience of an unplanned failure. 

Fuel – keep at least a quarter of a tank in case of unexpected delay. 

Lights – check and clean all lights regularly to make sure you can see and 

be seen clearly. Carry spare bulbs. 

Tyres – should have at least 3mm of tread for winter motoring. Consider 

winter tyres for improved safety. Check pressures at least every fortnight. 

Windscreen – reduce dazzle from the low sun by keeping the screen clean 

inside and out. Now is a good time to renew worn wiper blades. 

Screen wash – use a 50% mix of a good quality screen wash to reduce the 

chance of freezing in frosty weather. 

Locks and door seals – stop doors freezing shut with a thin coat of polish 

or Vaseline on rubber door seals. A squirt of water dispersant (WD-40) in 

locks will help stop them freezing. 

For further information visit the AA website at:- 

www.theaa.com/motoring_advice/seasonal/winter-checklist


bishopton, langbank & bridge of weir 


Brighter Bridge of Weir 

It’ll all be over by Christmas! 

By then, Brighter Bridge of Weir’s work in 

2016 will be complete. We’ll be back out a few 

weeks later, right enough, but that’s another 

year away. Sort of. 

Last month, after putting in an appearance at the 

One World Fairtrade event in the British Legion, 

we were out planting more bulbs and tidying up 

generally, paying particular attention to the war 

memorial and the roadside weeds along the route of 

the Remembrance Day Parade. 

After that, we got to work with our Christmas 

lights. For the past few years, we’ve augmented 

the Community Council’s display at Livery Walk by 

installing other lighting along Main Street. This year we’ll be adding to that with 

lights in the new Woodland Garden. Those should all be in place in time for the 

big switch-on, Monday December 5. After that, our volunteers can get on with 

their own Festive arrangements. 

So there’s not much more for us to say other than to wish all readers and all of 

our supporters a very Merry Christmas. 


BoW Senior Citizens Club 

We meet at Cargill Hall every 2nd and 4th Wednesday 7 - 9pm. Subscriptions are 

only £6 per year and £1 each week pays for your tea and biscuits. Entertainment 

provided. Previous entertainers include a male voice choir & live music. Contact 

Sheila Patterson for further information on 01505 690521. 


The Bridge 

A big thank you for your custom over the past fi ve years. With your support and 

our loyal volunteers we have managed to increase our sales on a year by year 

basis. The Community Centre and Shop continue to provide fi nancial backing to 

keep a Post Offi ce in Bridge of Weir. 

Support The Bridge this Christmas – send one of our individually designed 

charity Christmas Cards. View local scenes throughout 2017 in the Bridge of 

Weir calendar. Also in stock are the popular “Greetings from Bridge of Weir” 

cards, Traidcraft and relation cards, Christmas paper, gift tags and your essential 

diary for 2017. 

Post Office - call in to check the Christmas postal dates to ensure 

your parcels arrive in time for that all important day. Christmas 

stamps and a range of gift cards are now available – Donald, Pat 

and Anne will be delighted to ensure you are well supplied. Within 

our Shop you will fi nd a wide variety of padded and postal bags, boxes, wrapping 

paper, string and wrapping tape to ensure your gifts reach their destination 

securely wrapped. 

Looking for a Christmas or “First Foot” gift - Supreme Sacrifi ce, a book 

researched and written by a number of local people about how the Great War 

affected local families, may be the answer. Buy your copy in The Bridge. 

To all residents of Bridge of Weir we wish you a happy Christmas and a healthy 

and prosperous 2017. 

The Bridge – Your Community Centre Shop and Post Office 

(Opening Hours: Mon – 9am to 5pm (PO closed 12 noon to 12.30pm); Tues & Fri – 1pm to 

5pm; Wed & Thu – 10am to 2pm; Sat – 9am to 1pm). Closed 26th & 27th December 2016 

and 2nd & 3rd January 2017. 


At a recent meeting of the Environment Policy Board we had a 

discussion about dog fouling. This problem is one of the most 

often raised issues from residents. Irresponsible dog owners 

let their dogs foul the pavements and the parks with some 

areas being worse than others. Some councils are going to 

great lengths by taking DNA samples of dog poo in order to 

catch the offending owners. Please pick up after your dog 

and bin it. You can now use the general litter bins for this. 

I attended an interesting meeting of the CLG in Dargavel. It 

seems that Renfrewshire Health & Social Care Partnership 

(RHSCP) are dragging their heels over a new health centre for 

the village. They state that they can’t afford the running costs 

which are 5x what they pay for the existing centre. Why a new centre should have 

such high running costs compared with the existing ancient centre is beyond me. 

I think we need to let the RHSCP know how we feel about this. Please contact 

them directly or via myself. 

I had a guided tour of some of the work that BAE Systems are overseeing at 

Dargavel. The quality of workmanship in the open spaces is very impressive and 

as more of it opens up to the public I hope you will agree with me. Please keep in 

touch and let me know what you would like to see there. 

Several people have complained to 

me about cars parked on pavements. 

If you must park on the pavement, 

please ensure you leave enough 

space for a pram to get by without 

having to pass by on the road. 

Surgeries: Bishopton Community Library 

- 1st Monday of every month (6.30pm), 

Cargill Hall - 2nd Monday of every month 

(6.30pm), Langbank Parish Church Hall 

- 3rd Monday of every month (6.30pm). 

Contact: 0300-300-1291 or email cllr. 

james.maclaren@renfrewshire.gov.uk . 

Also on Facebook: www.facebook.com/ 

councillormaclaren 

“Working with you and improving our local 

area”. Please feel free to contact me with 

any of your concerns, and I am happy to 

meet with you at a mutually convenient 

time. 


New car park in 

Bishopton 

Councillor James Maclaren has told 

The Advertizer that a new carpark has 

opened at the bottom of Station Road 

in Bishopton providing 150 parking 

spaces. 

He said, "This should please the 

residents of Gledstane Road and Poplar 

Avenue who have long complained 

about restricted access to their drives by 

commuters parking in residential areas. 

I have requested new signage to direct 

commuters to the new parking area."


39 


Bridge of Weir Messy Church Christingle 

Service 

Sunday 4th December from 4 - 6pm 

We are delighted to inform you that after our break 

for several months, we will be back for the now annual 

Christingle service. 

We will meet in Freeland Church Halls from 4pm where we will be making 

Christingles and having fun with some other Christmas craft activities. 

We will then move through to the church for the candle-lit Christingle service with 

some carols. After this we will move back to the Church Hall for a party tea. 

If you have never been before, it is very relaxed and informal and a great way to 

meet new people. The Christingle service is lovely and a time to pause and refl ect 

on the real meaning of Christmas. 

It's free and you can just turn up on the day. If you have any questions please 

contact Catherine Daly on 07980 649377 or look at our Facebook page (Bridge 

of Weir Messy Church). 

We hope to see as many of you as possible! 


Christmas Lights Switch-On 

Monday 5th December - Bridge of Weir 

The Community Council is holding its Annual Christmas Lights Event commencing 

with a Carol Service at 6.15pm in Freeland Church with the Primary School Choir, 

followed by the Lights Switch on by the village Gala Queen at 7pm at Livery Walk 

where Santa will make a spectacular appearance. 

Light refreshments will be served in the Royal British Legion Club until 8pm. A 

Christmas hamper will be raffl ed on the evening. 

This event is wholly funded by the Community Council and to enable us to 

continue with this donation buckets will be around in the Church, Livery Walk and 

in the British Legion. Please give generously. 


Community Carol Service 

Tuesday 20th December at 6pm 

St Mary’s Church, Johnstone Road, Bridge of Weir 

Refreshments of mulled wine and mince pies to follow. 


Happy Birthday 

Rena 

Mrs Rena Scott celebrated her 

100th Birthday on the 24th 

October and Bridge of Weir Festival 

Committee sent along Gala 

Queen Paige Galbraith and her 

two attendants Milla Gibson and 

Aimee McGrane to present her with 

a basket of fl owers to mark the 

occasion. 

The family would like to thank 

all those who helped make Mrs. 

Scott’s day so special! 


Bridge of Weir Tenants and Residents Association 

The last meeting of 2016 was very well attended with a number of topics concerning the village 

discussed. Our thanks go to Councillor James MacLaren, Police Sergeant Geoff Smith, Renfrewshire 

Wardens Aideen Dempsey and Alan Robb, and Housing Offi cer Neil McGavin for their attendance. 

The Police report for the last month showed that it was relatively quiet around the village with only 

4 crimes committed over the period. These included a common assault, a theft by housebreaking, 

a fraud, and bogus callers scam surrounding roofi ng which saw an elderly couple lose thousands of 

pounds. Please be on your guard with cold callers and if you are suspicious as to their legality at all, 

please phone the police. 

The Renfrewshire Wardens have been particularly busy over the past month dealing with a number of 

fl y-tipping incidents throughout the village. The bins at Livery Walk car park continue to be a prime 

site for the dumping of illegal rubbish and a fi xed penalty notice for fl y-tipping has been issued at this 

location over the past month. Hopefully the reopening of Renfrewshire’s amenities sites on Monday 

28th November will see a reduction in this problem, in the meantime please phone the Wardens on 

0300 300 0380 if you suspect someone is fl y-tipping in your area. 

Councillor MacLaren at the behest of TARA has been chasing up the reinstatement of the 40mph 

repeater signs on the street-lighting along Houston Road leaving the village, and these should be 

installed sometime in the next 16 weeks. 

As we move deeper into the winter months, those of you wishing to know the location of grit bins around 

the village can now get the information via a map on Renfrewshire Council’s website. 

TARA would like to wish everyone a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year. 

The next meeting of Bridge of Weir Tenants and Residents Association is on Tuesday 17th January 

2017 in the Pirie Centre, Freeland Church at 7.30pm. If you’ve got an issue concerning the village that 

you’d like to raise why not come along to a meeting and air your views, all are welcome. 


Langbank SWI 

Thursday 15th December 

The Village Centre, Middlepenny Road 

How quickly the months go by ….. this month will be our 

Christmas Party with the "Secret Santa" gift (£1 from a well 

known shop) and a game "On the Move Whist". We will also 

be having seasonal food, so please remember to Skip your 

Evening Meal. 

Competitions will be:- 

1) Cake decorated for Christmas 

(only decoration will be judged). 

2) Flower arrangement - 12” square 

(incorporating a candle). 

3) Christmas Teddy Bear! 

bishopton, langbank & bridge of weir





and Houston 

FairTrade Group 


Feeling Dramatic? 

Like singing, 

acting & having fun? 

Following the success of last year’s 

show, The Masqueraders are now 

preparing for next year’s event. 

We need you to come and join us now. 

Give it a go. It’s as much about having 

fun as performing! 

Please phone Mary-Anne on 01505 

612472. 

Saturday 5th November saw the 

annual World Celebration Day 

organised by Bridge of Weir and 

Houston Fair Trade Group and 

held in the British Legion Hall. The theme for this year’s event was "including 

you" and this was refl ected in the diversity of stalls selling goods and providing 

information which allowed people to include many aspects of our world - 

Rainbow Turtle One World Shop 

providing sustainable employment 

and fair wages for producers and and 

farmers in the Global South 

Olive Tree helping those living under 

very diffi cult circumstances in Palestine 

by selling crafts and also providing help 

with medical and educational needs 

Goods from Peru and Tanzania sold to 

give employment and to send much needed aid to these countries 

At home LEAP offered advice and information in order to help us reduce energy 

costs and be concerned about Climate Chaos while Brighter Bridge of Weir came 

along to remind us of the difference they are making to our village. 

Children from Bridge of Weir and St Fillan’s primary 

schools entertained everybody with their lovely singing 

which refl ected the theme of inclusion and fair trade and 

gave cause for thought as well as enjoyment. Those who 

were able to stay and enjoy the lunch provided also had 

the bonus of hearing the Houston Folk Group who played 

for us so well as they have done in previous years. Last 

but not least many children enjoyed having their face 

painted and one lucky pupil one the fair trade hamper!. 

A great many people contributed in many different 

ways to this day and a very big thank you is extended to 

everyone of them. 


Bridge of Weir Community Council 

PLANNING: The planning applications to develop the Whitelint Gate site one 

for retail plus petrol station, and one for forty three dwelling houses, have been 

rejected by Renfrewshire Council’s Planning Board. There had been a substantial 

number of objections to both of these proposals from local residents and from 

the Community Council. 

Three other applications of interest not yet decided, are a proposal to build eight 

detached villas and a block of sixteen fl ats at Lawmarnock Road on ground 

belonging to Old Ranfurly Golf Club, a proposal to build four detached villas and 

four split level apartment villas on land at Clevans Road belonging to Ranfurly 

Castle Golf Club, and the proposal to demolish Hermiston on Golf Course Road 

to build two detached villas on the site. Check the Community Council Facebook 

page for updates on these proposals. 

PARKING: The Police were asked to inform us what the legislation is concerning 

cars parking on pavements, this was after we heard of vehicles fully parked on 

pavements in various locations throughout the village and blocking pedestrian 

access. We urge drivers to be more considerate. 

Concerns have been raised about the number of free standing signs and bill 

boards being placed on the pavement. This form of advertising can be hazardous 

for blind residents or mobility scooter users and we have asked Renfrewshire 

Council for guidance on this. 

NEXT MEETING: Tuesday 6th December, 7pm, Cargill Hall 

The Community Council trust all residents will have an enjoyable time over the 

festive season. 


Several constituents have raised concerns with me about 

the constant onslaught of planning applications designed to 

breach the Renfrewshire Local Development Plan. I totally 

support the terms of the Plan and was pleased that two 

recent planning applications for Whitelint Gate in Bridge of 

Weir, were rejected unanimously by the Planning Board. 

All around Renfrewshire, in villages such as Bridge of Weir, 

Bishopton and Langbank, play parks, recreation areas 

and even cemeteries are badly in need of maintenance 

or development. I am pleased to tell you that I have been 

given an assurance that a post has recently been created 

for an offi cer whose role will be to help community groups 

apply for non-council funding. This will enable some work to 

be undertaken. Don’t all rush at once - the post holder won’t arrive until next 

February or March 2017 - time to to plan and organise! 

I would like to wish all my constituents a happy and peaceful Christmas and a 

prosperous New Year. 

If you need to speak to me, please phone 0141 618 7095 or e-mail me at cllr.maria.brown@ 

renfrewshire.gov.uk 

kilmacolm & quarriers 

Christmas Concert 

Sunday 4th December in St Columba Church, Kilmacolm. 

Bridge of Weir Choral Society will perform choruses from Handel’s 

Messiah and traditional carols for all accompanied by Mark Brown 

on organ. The choir’s guests will be Angel Voices Children’s Choir and 

Johnstone Brass Band ensemble. Tickets £10 including programme available 

from members, at the door, or by calling Ernie Smyth on 01505 702997. 


Christmas Celebrations 

in Quarriers Village 

Pastor Andy Lunn, and the members of Mount 

Zion Church, Law View Road, Quarriers Village 

invite you to celebrate Christmas with us. At this 

festive time of year we praise God for Jesus, the 

source of our joy. 

Sunday 18 December - Family Service at 10.30am 

Christmas truth for all age groups, with puppets, carols and fun. 

Christmas Eve - Carols by Candlelight at 7pm 

Christmas carols for all and musical items from our church and young people. 

Come early for a good seat! Followed by seasonal refreshments. 

Christmas Day - Family Celebration at 10.30am 


Hall to Hire - Kilmacolm Guide Hut 

A great venue with easy access near to the village centre. Newly refurbished main 

hall, with additional kitchen facilities and outdoor area. Perfect for children’s 

parties, weekly classes and one off special occasions. Anyone wanting to hire 

the Guide Hut please contact Roz on 07584 359007.


41 


Bonfi re and Fireworks was a great success after several wet 

years. Thanks are due to Lawrie Campbell and his team, the 

irreplaceable Sam Johnston, Dougie Lyle of Scart Farm and 

the villagers who manned the gate. Andrew Malcolm not only 

supplied the wood but his two sons organised the lighting. 

This was the 49th since Alex and Helen Calvert started the 

event. We intend splashing out next year for the 50th. Again 

we are grateful to Lord Mclay and Robert Baxter for the use 

of Knapps. The Farmers Dinner at the Golf Club was chaired 

by President Angus Black and organised by Andrew Laird of 

Cairncurran. The two speakers were excellent. 

The works at the Institute have been delayed “the culvert 

on Smithy Brae is an issue, with discussions ongoing with 

Roads and Scottish Water. Building Standards is awaiting resolution to confi rm 

any impact on warrantable works". Watch this space but the development is 

taking inordinate time. 

I understand that there is a case coming to Greenock Sheriff Court with regard 

to the shocking hit and run on the High Road when a horse was killed and the 

rider unseated. The rider, from Quarriers was badly shaken and dismayed that 

the perpetrator just laughed and drove away. Good work by the Police and the 

Fiscal. 

I chaired a meeting at Quarriers with representatives of residents in School 

House, Scottish Water, Inverclyde Council Roads, the factor for the building and 

Quarriers staff. It is hoped that a solution can be found to the fl ooding that has 

occurred in this area. Campbell Snowdon House celebrated the opening of their 

new conservatory. It is indeed a fi ne addition to the building and I was quite 

delighted to be asked to ceremonially cut the ribbon. 

Signifi cant increases in Council Tax are being proposed for band E to H houses. 

Some 80% of houses in Band H are in my two villages and the increase is 

considerable. I will research more info for January. 

Please watch the area in the car park behind the two disabled spaces, tickets 

unfortunately are being issued . 

My surgery is the 10th December 10-11 in the Cargill. I can be contacted on 01475 712727 

or 741969 and 07766992294. 


Candlelight 

Advent Carol 

Service 

Sunday 27th November at 6pm 

St Fillan’s Church, Moss Road, 

Kilmacolm with Angel Voices. 


School buildings reopen 


Community Carol 

Service 


Kilmacolm Village Art Class 

Friday 2nd December 2016 in Kilmacolm Village 

Centre, 11am – 4pm - admission £1 (incl. coffee) 

St Fillan’s Church, Moss Road, Kilmacolm 

Thursday 22nd December at 7.30pm. 

Community Carol Service of Nine Lessons 

and Carols followed by Mulled Wine and 

Mince Pies – all welcome! 

Councillor David Wilson attended the re-opening of both Kilmacolm Primary 

School and the new Girdwood Building at St Columba's School. 

He told the Advertizer, "Some of us had a tour of the refurbished KPS, led by 

the very knowledgeable hands of pupil Ann Wright. I have asked the Head Mrs 

McCredie if neighbours can be shown around the fi ne building. " 

"The St Columba's Girdwood Building in Gryffe Road was opened by former dux 

of the school Eleanor Laing MP, the Deputy Speaker. Her speech in the Church 

was inspiring for all the pupils and again the walk to the Church behind the pipe 

band really stirring. The pipe band led the Remembrance Day Parade in Port 

Glasgow and in Kilmacolm it was good to see some of the band piping the youth 

organisations through the village to the service in the Old Kirk." 

This group of enthusiastic, local amateur artists who have 

met throughout the winter months for the past eight years 

are holding the fi rst Exhibition and Sales of their work. Come 

and enjoy a coffee, and perhaps pick up a Christmas gift for someone Special. 

Paintings, moderately priced will be available for uplift at 4pm. 

The class meets every Thursday in St Fillans Church Hall. There is a morning 

and an afternoon class. The session starts in January and runs for ten weeks 

to March when there is an exhibition in the Community Centre. We have a few 

vacancies, so if you would like to join a friendly group of budding artists of all 

abilities, and with tuition available, please give me a call for further information. 

Janice Sinclair Tel: 01505 873141. 

Harrods Dry Cleaners offers an exemplary Dry Cleaning, Laundry, Ironing and 

Alterations service focused on high quality clothing, meticulous fabric care and 

discreet and attentive service. 

Harrods Dry Cleaners combines craftsmanship with the most advanced and 

environmentally friendly techniques in fabric care. Every piece, even everyday 

items, go through our seven stage cleaning process starting with an evaluation 

of the fabric and ending with a fi nal hand inspection. 

We pride ourselves on service excellence, discretion and meticulous care for 

each customer’s individual requirements. 


Outlook 

Don’t forget our regular Outlook group which reaches out to 

the whole community in fellowship. The format is the same 

for most weeks – invited speakers offering topics of interest, 

community issues for discussion, shared activities, music fi lms 

etc. Afternoon tea gives us all the chance to enjoy time with friends 

and to make new friends too. The team provide a wonderful variety of home 

baking. A voluntary donation is collected, to be sent to the OUTLOOK monthly 

nominated charity. 

The autumn programme is: 

1st December A special presentation with Dr Peter McEnhill 

15th December Christmas party, Christmas tombola; Christmas Santa; Carols 

at the piano with Sandra. Children from St Columba’s primary school will come 

along to sing for us, and share some Christmas party food and games 

Every afternoon: Community Issues, Dates for your Diary and Afternoon Tea. 

Our fi rst Outlook afternoon in January will be Thursday 5th January, with a New 

Year speed friendship quiz, community issues, and activities. 

kilmacolm & quarriers




A Big Thank you 

St Columba Church, Kilmacolm 

would like to thank the Community 

for their help and support of the Roof 

Fundraising Events. The repairs are 

now fi nished and the Church scaffold 

free! The repairs were possible 

thanks to the fundraising and the 

grant from the Government’s Listed 

Places of Worship Roof Repair Fund. 

The Church Halls are available for hire 

Tel: 01505 873818. 


Xmas Cards 

"Dog Walkers Winter Paradise, the 

Knapps, Kilmacolm" is the title of Jim 

Wood’s oil painting (pictured). 

The cards are now on sale in Threads 

and the Post Offi ce in Kilmacolm. 


Sharon’s back at 

Ashes 

Following the birth of her lovely wee 

boy, Connor, Sharon will be back to 

join the Ashes Hair team on Thursday 

1st December. 

She is looking forward to seeing all her 

existing clients and hopefully meeting 

new ones. Get your booking in now 

as pre-Christmas spaces are fi lling up 

fast! 

Call Ashes Hair on 01505 873800. 


Old Kirk 

Dates for your diary: 

Christmas Fair on Saturday 10th 

December 10am- 12noon in the 

Kidston Hall. 

Tea/Coffee, Tombola, Baking and 

Christmas Stall, Cupcake competition, 

Santa’s Grotto. More details will be 

announced in due course. 

Our Annual Burns Supper will be held 

on Friday 10th February. 

More details will be announced in due 

course. 


The amount of natural light and spacious surroundings at the 

newly refurbished Kilmacolm Primary School is all conducive 

to a good teaching environment. The space also allowed me 

to move around easier in my new jalopy/powerchair without 

bumping in to everything! The new outside play areas are very 

welcome too this being something parents and children had 

rightly been calling for to replace the former blasé pitch. Well 

done to Inverclyde Council and the Scottish Government who 

each provided funding of over £2 million to refurbish KPS. 

Following reports of several unforced thefts in Kilmacolm 

I was contacted by a resident who asked if I could request 

an increased police presence in the village. I was happy to 

forward this request on and I would like to urge everyone again to please ensure 

their doors are locked especially in sheds/outhouses and garages. Even more so 

in the run up to Christmas. If you have house alarms please also make sure they 

are switched on when going out. 

I would like to wish everyone a Merry Christmas. I hope Santa is good to everyone. 

Surgeries: Wednesday 14 December in Kilmacolm Community Centre from 5pm to 6pm. 

Anyone wanting to contact me in between surgeries can do so by phoning me through my 

offi ce on 01475 712727 or my mobile number 07747 765 839 or by emailing me at jim. 

macleod@inverclyde.gov.uk or writing to me at Inverclyde Council, Municipal Buildings, 

Greenock, PA15 1LY. 


Reflections for Advent 

Christian Aid Scotland have issued a ‘Reflections 

for Advent’ which are now available in 

all church vestibules in Kilmacolm. This Christmas, 65 million 

people simply can’t be at home. Forced out by the darkness 

of violence and fear, they are searching for safety and refuge. 

The donations which you have made through fundraising in 

Kilmacolm and Quarriers this year have enabled the committee to send in excess 

of £7,600 to help Christian Aid’s work our world. Thank you. Keep the candle 

glowing brightly in the darkness - pick up an Advent brochure which leads you to 

the light of Christmas. 


Christmas Lights 

Friday 2nd December 

Quarriers Village at 4pm 

Kilmacolm at 6pm 

Cargill Centre, Lochwinnoch Rd 

Christmas Lights Switch On with 

Santa. Come along and join the 

fun! All events are FREE! 


Kilmacolm Friends of 

Ardgowan Hospice 

Would like to thank all their supporters 

who very kindly donated items for the 

Coffee Morning and a special thanks 

to those who attended. We had a very 

successful and enjoyable morning and 

raised a fantastic sum of £2,765. 


Local Service wins Health Award 

Councillor Jim McLeod reports that The Muirshiel Elderly Resource Centre in 

Port Glasgow, which also provides services to older people from Kilmacolm and 

Quarrier’s, won the Health Award at the recent Inverclyde CVS “Reach for the 

Stars Awards”. 

Jim told The Advertizer "The organisation marks their 25th Anniversary and 

I was very pleased to be invited to their recent Open Day to say a few words 

and present its Chairperson Pearl Simpson with a bouquet of fl owers. Pearl is 

a founder member of the organisation and has served on the board for all of its 

25 years. On the night, Branchton Community Centre won the overall Voluntary 

Organisation Award for all the great work they do. There were several other 

excellent voluntary organisations who after nomination had been short listed 

for the annual awards. We are so very fortunate to have so many good Third 

Sector organisations and so many individuals who give up their time for free in 

Inverclyde."


43 

Sole Solution is the latest addition to Kilmacolm! 

As well as a wide range of shoes, boots and slippers they also offer 

treatments to suit everyone. 

For more information about the therapists below or to book an 

appointment please call 01505 873888. 

Podiatry 

A Podiatrist is a highly skilled professional who is 

trained to diagnose and treat problems affecting 

the feet and lower limbs. Laura completed her 

Bsc Honors degree in 2010 with a 1st Class 

classifi cation, she then completed a post graduate 

diploma to further develop her knowledge of the 

lower limb. Laura has experience in the NHS 

and private practice, she offers routine footcare 

treatments and biomechanical assessments for 

foot function and abnormalities. So whether you 

have problems getting to your feet or are suffering 

a particular problem - a podiatrist is the person for 

you! 

Hypnotherapy 

Vaughan Jones is a fully qualifi ed Clinical 

Hypnotherapist and Hypnobirthing Practitioner 

who provides an expert therapeutic service that 

will help you make positive changes in your life and 

achieve your goals. Working with you, I will develop 

a treatment plan tailored to meet your individual 

needs. Hypnotherapy can help you overcome a wide 

range of issues including Stress, Anxiety, Insomnia, 

Weight Management, Pain Management, Fears, 

Phobias, Performance Anxiety, Smoking and Panic 

Attacks. To fi nd out how hypnotherapy can help you 

please come and meet me to take advantage of 

an initial free fi fteen-minute consultation and have 

your questions answered. 

Sports and Remedial Massage 

Judi Holmes is a fully qualifi ed and insured 

Remedial and Sports Massage Therapist. If you 

suffer from a sports injury, muscular discomfort 

or tension, sports massage can help. It can 

reduce pain, increase range of movement and 

fl exibility. Massage restores appropriate balance 

and improves your posture. It can also enhance 

your athletic performance and reduce the risk of 

re injury. Additionally massage can also release 

tension and stress as well as reducing scar tissue. 

Judi has a varied client base including those who 

play sport, go to the gym, offi ce workers and those 

suffering from everyday aches and pains. 

Touch for Health Kinesiology 

Stressed? Low energy? 

Kinesiology is a gentle, safe and effective therapy 

which brings body, mind and spirit back into 

balance. 

Kinesiology uses gentle muscle monitoring 

techniques to obtain biofeedback from the body. 

This allows the identifi cation of any areas of stress 

or imbalance (physical, emotional, nutritional or 

biochemical). Imbalances are then corrected using 

a variety of non-invasive techniques, including 

working with acupressure points and nutrition. 

Kinesiology is a truly holistic therapy which treats 

all aspects of wellbeing. Suitable for everyone, it 

effectively enhances health and allows the body’s 

natural healing ability to fl ow. 

www.melaniekinesiology.jimdo.com 

Physiotherapy 

Physiotherapy helps to restore movement and 

function when someone is affected by injury, illness 

or disability. Claire Murray is Health Professions 

Council registered and a Member of the Chartered 

Society of Physiotherapists with over 14 years 

experience in treating musculoskeletal conditions 

and sport injury rehabilitation. 

Following a full assessment of your problem 

there are a wide variety of treatment techniques 

available including acupuncture, electrotherapy, 

manual therapy, kinesiology taping, manipulation 

along with exercises and advice on how you can 

help improve your condition at home. 

Don’t suffer aches and pains over festive period! 

Complementary Therapy 

Catriona Nicolson Therapies specialises in 

the relaxation therapies of refl exology, reiki, 

aromatherapy, Swedish massage, Indian head 

massage and holistic facials. Catriona discovered 

a passion for holistic therapies when beauty 

therapy allowed her to travel the world observing 

different approaches to healthcare. Various 

techniques were learnt through working for some 

of the best spas, salons and beauty companies 

before returning to study a Bsc in complementary 

therapies. These skills are utilised to bring you a 

tailor made treatment. If you are in need of some 

‘me time’, the relaxation and peace of mind you 

need, can be found with these therapies. 

Just try it and see! 


The Council’s latest budget consultation is now underway. Details of how you can 

respond can be found on the Council’s website www.inverclyde.gov.uk/yoursay and 

in the latest issue of the Council’s InView newspaper. 

Offi cers have estimated that the savings target over the next 3 years could be of 

the order of £22.5m, due in large measure to anticipated government funding cuts. 

The scale of the cuts required should become clearer on 14 December when our 

local MSP and Cabinet Secretary for Finance, Derek Mackay, announces the Scottish 

Government’s draft budget to Parliament. 

The responses from the consultation will inform decisions to be taken by the current 

Council in February when we set the budget for 2017/18 and the new Council 

elected in May in future years. 

The feedback on the £4.3m refurbishment of Kilmacolm Primary School has been 

overwhelmingly positive. The Council’s Education Director Wilma Bain has described it as the best refurbishment she’s 

seen to date. A formal event to mark the refurbishment will take place in January. 

This year’s Christmas lights switch ons in Kilmacolm and Quarrier’s Village will take place on Friday 2nd December. We wish 

all our constituents a happy and peaceful Christmas when it comes. 

Councillor McColgan 

I have one surgery this month on Tuesday 13th December, 6.30 – 7.30 pm, in Boglestone Community Centre. You can reach me on 01475 

712727 (during offi ce hours) and 07881 280016 (anytime) or by emailing me at james.mccolgan@inverclyde.gov.uk. Alternatively you can 

write to me at Inverclyde Council, Municipal Buildings, Greenock PA15 1LY. You can keep up to date with my work as a Councillor by visiting 

my website: http://jamesmccolgan.com. You can also follow me on Twitter @jamesmccolgan. 

Councillor McCabe 

Due to other commitments I have no surgeries this month. However, you can still contact me directly to discuss any matters that are of 

concern to you by telephone on 01475 712020 (during offi ce hours) and 871368 (home) or by email to Stephen.McCabe@inverclyde.gov. 

uk. Alternatively you can write to me at 10 Victoria Gardens, Kilmacolm PA13 4HL. You can keep up to date with my work as a Councillor by 

visiting my blog: http://councillorstephenmccabe.blogspot.com/ and follow me on Twitter @CllrSMcCabe. 


42nd Kilmacolm 

Scout Christmas 

Post 

Once again we are 

pleased to announce 

that we will be providing 

a Christmas card postal 

service. We will deliver 

Christmas cards to residential areas 

of Kilmacolm. To ensure the safety of 

our young people, we can only deliver 

to residential areas – so no farms or 

rural properties! 

From Monday 5th December until 

4pm on Friday 16th December you 

can post your Christmas cards in the 

Scout post box in either The Kilmacolm 

Community Centre or The Cross Café. 

A minimum 30p donation is kindly 

requested for each card. The cards 

will be delivered during the weekend 

of the 17th and 18th December. 

Thank you to everyone in the local 

community who supports the 

Kilmacolm Scout Group.


houston, crosslee & brookfield 


Needing to Moove quickly 

Do you have a fi eld and shelter/barn sitting doing nothing? Do you need the 

grass in that fi eld kept short? I am looking for this in Houston or surrounding 

area ASAP. If you want to know more please contact me at your very earliest 

convenience. Contact Lynn on 07921 829788. 


Houston and Killellan Kirk 

Kirk Postie - Raising money for ‘QUARRIERS COUNTRYVIEW 

SERVICE’ providing regular shortbreak residential care for 

children who have a disability. 

For a donation of only 25p a card the Kirk Postie will deliver 

anywhere in Houston, Crosslee and Brookfi eld. The Sorting 

Offi ce, in the West Church Halls, Main Street, Houston, will be open from 10am 

to 12 noon and again from 7pm to 8pm every day from Monday 12th to Thursday 

15th December. Cards may also be taken to the Church on Sunday 11th 

December. Delivery is guaranteed not later than Tuesday 20th December. 

December services 

The following services will be coducted by our locum Minister - Rev. Ian Bell 

4th Dec. 11am Morning worship: Gift service 

11th Dec. 11am Morning worship. 7pm Service of Readings and Carols 

18th Dec. 11am Morning worship 

24th Dec. 11pm Christmas eve service: Carols and Watchnight service 

25th Dec. 11am Christmas day service 

Vestry Hour will be held on Sunday’s after the morning service ,the minister will 

be available from 12.15pm until 12.45pm. 

Big Christmas Sing - Friday 16th December 7-9pm 

The new big improved Christmas sing will be held on Friday 16th December at 

7pm until 9pm in Houston and Killellan Kirk. With an all age supper served 

from 6pm - hotdogs, sausage rolls, ice cream and Christmas cake. Everyone is 

welcome singers or not, we guarantee a large helping of Christmas Spirit good 

fun for old and young. Bring all the family but most of all bring yourselves. Tickets 

free but we suggest a donation of £5 per adult and £1 for children under 16. 

Donations at the door for Mwandi solar lamp appeal. 

Kirk 2017 Calendar 

The ‘Media Team’ have been working on producing a 2017 calendar. It is currently 

being printed. The calendar is A4 size, one page per month, depicting views of 

the Kirk and around Houston. We hope to have it on sale very soon priced at £5 

each, with all profi t going to Kirk funds. 


Bee Happy Houston 

We have been busy over the last few weeks 

clearing an area at Houston Primary School 

in preparation for planting a ‘pop’ of colour 

come next Spring and have arranged with 

Renfrewshire Council to have the short stretch 

of railings bordering the area painted next 

year. 

Bee Happy have also been busy at St Fillan’s 

Primary School. We have taken away the 

brambles at the School railings on Main Street 

allowing light to pour into the playground once 

again. 

Bee Happy Houston were conscious of disrupting wildlife during this tidy up so 

both Primary School’s were presented with bird feeders and seed as a way of 

restoring the ecological balance. 

Main Street – from the underpass to the roundabout – has also had the Bee 

Happy treatment. The tree branches 

have been taken back so as to widen 

the pavement for pedestrians and great 

carpets of ivy that were smothering the 

trees have been removed. We have also 

cleared a wee area at the bus stop on 

Main Street allowing for a fl ower bed to 

be planted next Spring. 

Bee Happy Houston will be manning 

a ‘fundraising’ stall at the Co-op Houston early next Spring to raise money for 

summer bedding plants, seed, shrubs, herbaceous and wildfl ower plants. 

Come Spring, we will also be starting a ‘plant share’ and will be gratefully 

accepting any plant cuttings or divisions from gardeners in Houston! 

Everyone is very welcome to come along to Bee Happy! 

If you would like to volunteer an hour or so of your time or could help with a 

trailer, van or 4x4 to help us take the garden waste to the tip or would like more 

information on ways to donate to Bee Happy Houston then please contact – 

JennyMeadows10@outlook.com 


Brookfield Village 

Brookfi eld had a busy weekend in the village hall at the end of October, with 

an enormously successful children’s Halloween party. Over 80 children and 

parents attended with entertainment supplied by The Song & Dance Factory. 

Then on Sunday, the ever popular afternoon tea event offered a delicious array 

of home-made cakes and a chance for residents to catch up with friends and 

neighbours. 

Switching on the Lights - Saturday 3rd December - 6pm 

In December, Brookfi eld Village Council have organised a number of events to get 

you in the Christmas spirit, starting with a candlelit procession from the hall to 

the Millennium Garden to switch on the lights (and I suspect sing a few carols), 

followed by refreshments in the village hall. This was a great success of last year, 

and once again Gowanlea Nurseries & Garden Centre are kindly donating a tree. 

Children's Christmas Party - Saturday 10th December - 3pm 

It is strongly suspected that Santa will visit with a sack of presents! The Song & 

Dance Factory will be on hand to keep the children entertained whilst they await 

Santa’s arrival and no doubt everyone will sleep well after all the excitement of 

the day. Residents are encouraged to submit their ticket requests (£5 per child) 

to brookfi eldvpa@gmail.com as soon as possible. 

The Village Carol Service - Sunday 18th December - 2pm 

A brass band made up from village residents will be accompanying the carol 

singing and mulled wine and mince pies will be offered immediately afterwards. 

Cheese & Wine Occasion - Tuesday 27th December - 2pm - 4pm 

Arguably our most popular event of the year this offers a great opportunity for 

residents, visiting families, friends and neighbours to get together for a really 

sociable afternoon in the comfort of the village hall. See you there! 

Hogmanay Dance - Saturday, 31st December - 8.30pm 

The re-inauguration of the Hogmanay Dance will take place, with live band Dizzy 

Heights. Tickets are £10 per person (minimum age 16 years) and are on sale 

now from your local village councillor or by emailing brookfi eldvpa@gmail.com. 


Brookfield Country Dancing club 

Thursday evenings from 7.30pm - 9.30pm run by Aileen Craig (01505-322684). 

New members are most welcome and as an introduction, the fi rst class is free. 


At the last meeting of Brookfi eld Community Council much 

concern was expressed about the broad issue of overdevelopment 

of the West Renfrewshire villages, and I am 

unequivocally behind my Brookfi eld and Houston constituents 

who wish to see a strict adherence to the current Renfrewshire 

Local Development Plan. The current spate of planning 

applications all around Brookfi eld and Houston would have a 

very negative impact on the ability of the A737 to cope with 

infl ated traffi c levels, and this is a real concern. 

The last meeting of Brookfi eld Community Council was very 

disappointed that the Boundary Commission has refused 

their request to include Brookfi eld in the new ward name, so 

that after next year’s local elections it would be Linwood, Houston, Crosslee, and 

Brookfi eld Ward. Since my election as one of the Councillors for Brookfi eld nine 

years ago it is a mystery to me why Brookfi eld cannot be given its due place. I 

have written to my colleague, Tom Arthur MSP, to ask him to lobby the Boundary 

Commission to change their mind and include Brookfi eld in the new ward name. 

One of the great seasonal greetings for this time of year is peace on earth, and 

goodwill to humankind. I hope and pray that peace can come to all the trouble 

spots of the world this Christmas, and wish all my constituents and their families 

a very Happy Christmas and a Good New Year. 

My advice surgery in Linwood is on the 2nd and 4th Thursdays of the month, at 6pm, in 

Linwood High School. But I am also always available to constituents who can call me on 

07768 130935, or e-mail me at cllr.audrey.doig@renfrewshire.gov.uk. 

kilbarchan & lochwinnoch 

Kilbarchan 

Parish 

Church 

Shoebox 

Appeal 

A record fi lled 84 boxes and a 

substantial donation of money 

were delivered to Blythswood 

Care Trust in Hillington. 


Kilbarchan Parish 

Church Christmas 

Fayre 

Saturday 

3rd 

December in the halls 

from 10am - 12noon. 

There will be a large 

variety of stalls, including Christmas 

baking and gifts, and children can have 

their photos taken with Santa. Entrance 

is £2, which includes coffee, mince pies 

and shortbread, children free.


45 


At Renfrewshire’s Planning Board meeting earlier this month 

the controversial planning application, from the UK government 

Home Offi ce, for a short term immigration detention centre 

adjacent to Glasgow Airport was unanimously rejected by the 

Planning Board members. Also refused at that meeting was 

an application for a residential development at Whitelint Gate 

in Bridge of Weir with part of this proposed land development 

adjacent to Crosslee Road in Ward 9. Renfrewshire Council is 

one of six Local Authorities who has offered the Home Offi ce 

a number of places for ‘Unaccompanied Asylum Seeking 

Children’ who are currently in Calais. The Home Offi ce has 

not confi rmed arrival dates for the children as this is due to 

the rapidly changing situation in France, however it is likely 

their arrival will be sometime in November . 

This year I again had the privilege of representing Renfrewshire Council on 

Remembrance Sunday and lay a poppy wreath at the War Memorial in Houston. 

£762,450 has been awarded by the Scottish Government to Renfrewshire 

Council for new projects in the Council’s ‘Home Energy Effi ciency Programme’ 

for 2016/17. I was disappointed that Houston/Crosslee were not included in the 

proposed areas detailed in the report and I have asked that priority be given to 

our area should further Energy Effi ciency funding be allocated in future years. 

My surgeries are held on the second Tuesday of the month in the Brookfi eld Village Hall from 

6pm to 6.30pm then in the Houston Village Hall from 7pm to 7.45pm. I can be contacted 

by phone on 01505 610018 or by e-mail at cllr.allan.noon@renfrewshire.gov.uk or through 

Renfrewshire Council on 0300 300 1265. 


H.O.S.T. The Carrick Centre, Houston 

(Houston Old School Trust) 

Monday to Friday, Woodlands Out of 

School 01505 615438 

MONDAY 

Yoga (5th, 12th) 1pm Mary Laidlaw 

01505 229112 

Diaporama (12th) 7.30pm 

TUESDAY 

Paint Pot Tots (6th, 13th) 10am 

Dawn Campbell 07789 262350 

Musical Theatre (6th, 13th) 3.30pm 

- 5pm 

Yoga (6th, 13th) 7pm M/s Lawson 

01505 613690 

WEDNESDAY 

Councillors Surgeries (21st) 6.30pm 

Gryffe Melody Makers (12th) 7pm 

Camera Club (7th, 14th) 7.30pm 

THURSDAY 

Gryffe Quilting Group (1st) 1.15 - 

3.15pm 

Primary Colours (1st, 8th, 15th) 

3.30pm Dawn Campbell 07789 

262350 

Crafty Friends (1st, 15th) 7.30pm 

Folk Club (weekly) 8pm iaintdawson@ 

gmail.com 07786 078952 


Lochwinnoch SWI 

As there is no meeting in 

December, we would like to 

take this opportunity to wish all 

members and friends a Very happy 

Christmas and a Good New Year. We look 

forward to welcoming everyone again on the 

18th of January. 


FRIDAY 

Yoga (2nd, 9th, 16th) 10.30am M/s 

Lawson 01505 613690 

Galaxy Dancing (2nd, 9th, 16th) 

3.30 - 7pm 

MP Surgery (11th) 12.30 – 1.30pm 

SATURDAY 

Galaxy Dancing (3rd, 10th, 17th) 

9.30am - 12 noon 

SUNDAY 

Baptist Church (weekly) 11am and 

(6pm 4th & 11th) 

Booking enquiries to Ian Simpson, 

01505 612203 Sandy Young 01505 

331488 Bill Haddow 01505 690693 

hostbooking@outlook.com or The 

Coffee Shop 

The St Vincent de 

Paul Society 

The conference members 

of Our Lady of Fatima Lochwinnoch 

and Christ the King Howwood 

would like to wish all the villagers 

and their families a very Happy 

Christmas and a Peaceful and 

prosperous New Year. 

Kilbarchan Parish Church Tots’ Club 

Christmas Party - Monday 19th December at 9.45am 

The highlight will be a visit from Santa. The club will resume on 

Monday 9th January. 

The club takes place on Monday mornings from 9.15 - 11.30am in 

the hall, when there is a large variety of toys and a bouncy castle for 

the tots - from birth - 3 years - and coffee and friendly chat for the 

accompanying adults, cost £1 for each adult. 


Paintings And 

Crafts For 

Christmas 

Bobbins, Steeple Street, 

Kilbarchan, not only have their 

exciting new festive menu with all 

the right ingredients to tempt your winter taste buds, 

they have also got lots of ideas for Christmas gifts on 

display. 

Alison Bannerman, Agnes Brand, George Grant and 

Phyllis Mulligan, have wonderful colourful paintings 

for sale, a local jewellery artists is currently working on 

a range of small pieces to cherish and Fairtrade offers 

an extensive selection of quality bits and pieces. 

Christmas can be yet another challenging time, 

looking for ideas, trying to fi nd something different, 

something special, you may fi nd it here on your 

doorstep at Bobbins. 

Festive soups, lunches, home made cakes and coffee 

to die for - make a visit to Bobbins. 


Speeding in Kilbarchan has been the subject of a 

number of discussions at the village community council 

meetings - Branscroft, High Barholm, Barn Green 

and Shuttle Street are particular hotspots. As a local 

resident my own view is that the problem is increasing 

and refl ects that of many other villagers in the areas 

noted. As speeding is unlawful, it is high time to look 

at what enforcement measures are being undertaken to 

deter those responsible I believe that there needs to be 

an increase in enforcement. Prior to further discussion 

with Police Scotland, I have submitted a freedom of 

information request to ascertain the number of speeding 

offences and subsequent penalties that have been 

recorded in Kilbarchan in the last 6 months. 

Following concerns raised by parents, and subsequent approaches to SPT 

and Renfrewshire Council, planned changes to the Kilbarchan primary school 

bus drop off and pick up points in the village, which were due to have been 

implemented at the end of October have been abandoned. 

Winter is now well and truly with us, and I have been in discussion with 

Renfrewshire Councils Community Services, to ensure that adequate amounts 

of salt and grit bins are available to cope with anticipated cold weather. 

Finally as this is the last edition of the Advertizer in 2016, may I wish everyone 

in Kilbarchan and Lochwinnoch a Happy and Peaceful Christmas. 

My next surgery will be on Saturday 3rd December at 9am in the McKillop Institute 

Lochwinnoch and 10am in the Steeple Hall Kilbarchan. Please note that I will not be 

holding a surgery on the fi rst Saturday in January. Meantime please contact me anytime 

at cllr.derek.bibby@renfrewshire.gov.uk or phone 0300 300 1274 or 07534 156007. 

kilbarchan & lochwinnoch




Obituary - Russell Young 

The sudden death of Russell Young has saddened and shocked Kilbarchan. 

Russell played an active part in many Village activities. 

Since 2001 Russell has been a valued Board member of Kilbarchan Improvement 

Projects - a registered Charity – which runs The Old Library Centre in Kilbarchan. 

The Board will miss his calm and thoughtful reasoning, his willingness to help 

and his expert knowledge of genealogy. He delighted in fi nding the information 

requested by tourists and locals and helping them in their research for family 

ties. This service was greatly appreciated and created a number of friendships 

throughout the world. Russell provided guitar lesson in the Centre encouraging a 

wide range of age groups to learn the delight of playing his favourite instrument. 

We offer our sincere sympathy to Jean and his family. 


Lochwinnoch Arts Festival 2017 

Betty McKellar Family Poetry Competition 

The theme of the 2017 Family Poetry Competition is 

‘The Spirit of Lochwinnoch’, and this time we’ll be looking 

for illustrated poems about Lochwinnoch’s rich heritage of 

crafts. This also is supporting the Renfrewshire Paisley 2017 

bid for City of Culture in 2021. There have been some changes 

made to the competition, and we hope it’s going to be bigger and better than 

ever! 

Firstly, to acknowledge the huge contribution our local bard has made to the 

competition in the past, and the inspiration she continues to be, its name has 

been changed to the ‘Betty McKellar Family Poetry Competition’. 

Secondly, in order to inspire budding poets, we’re running two ‘pre-events’. The 

fi rst will be in the Castle Semple Visitor Centre, on Sunday February 5th from 

1pm to 3pm. It’s called Maps Old and New, and historian, geographer and TV 

presenter Vanessa Collingridge will show us maps of the local area, explaining 

how our social history was shaped. She’ll also guide us in making our own 

personal maps. 

The second ‘pre-event’ will be on Sunday February 19th from 1pm to 3 pm in the 

McKillop, and it’s Crafts from the Past. In a very ‘hands-on’ afternoon, we’ll see 

a cooper assemble a barrel, watch demonstrations of weaving, and even try a 

loom ourselves. There will also be all sorts of historical artefacts to handle, and 

photographic material from Lochwinnoch’s past. 

In addition, and perhaps most importantly of all, we’ve invited older Lochwinnoch 

residents to come along and share their precious memories of the past - over 

cups of tea of course, while local duo Witches’ Brew sing about ‘the spirit of 

Lochwinnoch’. 

The actual poetry workshop will be held in the Lochbarr Leisure Centre on Sunday 

March 5th from 1.30pm to 3.30pm and will be run by Vanessa Collingridge and 

Franzeska Ewart. There are two age categories, 5-8 years and 9-12 years, with 

three prizes awarded in each category. All the poems will be displayed after the 

Arts Festival, and published in the Community Council newsletter. 

We hope that families entering the competition will attend the pre-events, but if 

they are unable to, or can only come to one, the highlights of both afternoons will 

be available for them to see on fi lm. Some of the artefacts and pictorial material 

will also be there for them to see. 

PRIZES: 1st - £30 - Franzeska G Ewart, 2nd - £20 - Vanessa Collingridge, 3rd 

- £10 - Morag Thow 


Christmas Charity Yard Sale 

Join Heritage Farmers Market Shop & AMG Properties in Lochwinnoch 

for their Christmas Charity Yard Sale on Sunday 11th December 

from 11am - 2pm 

We are holding a Christmas Charity Yard Sale in aid of Erskine 

Hospital. We will have some fantastic stalls including hand 

crafted items, Forever Living products and hand made soaps. 

Erskine Hospital representatives will also be coming along. So 

why not pop by and grab yourself something different for Christmas 

presents or a wee treat for yourself! 


A737 Safety Concerns 

Councillor Derek Bibby reports that all Ward 8 councillors, and representatives 

from Kilbarchan, Howwood, and Lochwinnoch community councils met recently 

with offi cers from Renfrewshire Council and Transport Scotland, to discuss long 

standing safety concerns on the A737. 

Derek told The Advertizer, "The road is managed and maintained by Transport 

Scotland, and daily traffi c on the stretch from Kilbarchan to Lochwinnoch is very 

busy with around 25,000 vehicles, which compares with the M8 at Bishopton 

and the A77 at Kilmarnock. Sadly there was a very disappointing response from 

Transport Scotland to a number of positive suggestions for upgrade, including 

dual carriageway, slip road or roundabout at Howwood, and a footbridge at the 

Roadhead roundabout near Lochwinnoch. Further discussions are planned, as 

the genuine anxieties of local folk need to be recognised and acted upon." 


Kilbarchan Smile has it in the 

Bag! 

A Renfrewshire community group’s efforts have helped to 

keep the historic village of Kilbarchan looking spick and 

span. 

“The Big Kilbarchan Smile Autumn Clear Up” attracted almost 

40 volunteers to do their bit to tidy the village up before winter. 

Damon Scott, Joint Chair of Kilbarchan Smile, said: “This was another fantastic 

effort and attracted a real mix of people from families with very young children to 

pensioners. It’s great to know that so many people take a pride in where they live 

and are prepared to give up their time to help. It defi nitely helps teach the kids 

not to drop litter in the fi rst place. In fact our youngest volunteer even asked her 

granny if Santa would bring her her very own litter picker!” 

Joint Chair, Gail Scoular added: “Kilbarchan Smile would like to thank everyone 

who took part. Almost 40 people attended and around 50 sacks of litter were 

collected as well as a bike frame and two folding chairs! A special thanks must go 

to Habbies Bar and Restaurant for providing refreshments on the day.” 

Greener Renfrewshire Do Your Bit provided equipment including litter pickers, hi 

viz vests, bags, bag hoops and gloves. 

For more information about Kilbarchan Smile and to get involved email 

hello@kilbarchansmile.co.uk, phone Gail Scoular on 07985 749220, join the 

group “Kilbarchan Smile” on Facebook or sign up to the emailing list at www. 

kilbarchansmile.co.uk. Kilbarchan Smile is a sub-committee of the Kilbarchan 

Community Council. 


Our volunteers - Ready for Action! 

We are entering one of the most exciting seasons of the 

year for Kilbarchan and Lochwinnoch. Every weekend from 

now to Christmas brings a whirl of Craft Fayres, Xmas Lights 

openings, and Fireworks Displays, which all serve to bring 

our village communities together. Our community volunteers 

in Kilbarchan and Lochwinnoch do so much, and recently I 

was pleased to attend the Kilbarchan Smiles Clean Up, and a 

social evening by Lochwinnoch Community Council focussing 

on supporting small businesses in the village. 

It is now nearly fi ve years since I was honoured to have been 

elected as one of the three Ward Councillors for the Johnstone 

North, Kilbarchan, and Lochwinnoch Ward. I have had some 

successes, and some setbacks, but I have relished and 

enjoyed every moment of it. I hope to be re-elected next May and will continue 

my long-standing practice of working hard for all constituents, regardless of their 

political views. I would like to wish all my constituents and their families a very 

Happy Christmas and a Prosperous New Year. 

My advice surgery in Kilbarchan is on the 2nd Wednesday of the month in the Steeple Hall 

at 7:45pm, and my advice surgery in Lochwinnoch is on the 4th Wednesday of the month in 

the McKillop at 7:30pm. But I am also always available to constituents who can call me on 

07534 148224, tweet me on CllrAndy4Ward8 or e-mail me at cllr.andy.doig@renfrewshire. 

gov.uk. 


Kilbarchan 

During the month of December, the group will be taking part in a murder/mystery 

play, written by an N.W.R. member for which we send a donation of £10. The 

author has written 4 plays to date, and she has raised thousands of pounds for 

charity. If you are interested in fi nding out more, please phone 703786 or see 

the website: www.nwr.org.uk. 


Book Group 

Tuesday 13th December, 7.15pm in the Old Kilbarchan Library 

If you enjoy reading and would like to join a Book Group then why not come 

along to Kilbarchan’s monthly group of reading enthusiasts? On December 13th 

at 7.15pm, two books will be discussed - the classic “The Pride of Miss Jean 

Brodie” by Muriel Spark and a Rebus detective novel “Knotts and Crosses” by 

Ian Rankin. 

As this is the Christmas Book Group there will be wine and nibbles. All are 

welcome to come along - everyone gets an opportunity to recommend books to 

read together giving an interesting mix of different literature.


47 

Bowfield Hotel, Howwood 

Do you want the skills to 

help save a life? 

Lead by Lochwinnoch and Howwood Heart Start 

The next date for the FREE two hour course: 

Wednesday 14th December 7pm - 9pm 

Bowfield Hotel, Howwood 

If you are interested in attending contact Morag on Morag.Thow@gcu.ac.uk 

or 01505 843183 

The course is practical and deals with; 

• An unconscious casualty • Cardiac arrest 

• How to use a AED • Suspected heart attack 

• Choking 

• Serious bleeding 

Dr Morag Thow and Liz Simpson 


Kilbarchan Parish Church 

Services continue at 11am each Sunday throughout December, conducted by Rev. 

Stephen Smith. Sunday School and the creche meet in the large hall from 10.45am 

each week and refreshments will be served after the service as usual. 

Sunday 11th December - The annual Gift Service, when all gifts will be distributed 

between the children of Easterhouse and the Paisley Women’s Refuge. 

On Sunday 18th at 11am, the children of the Sunday School and Junior choir will present 

their Nativity Play “Born in a Barn”. At 6.30pm, there is a service of Nine Lessons and 

Carols, led by the Senior Choir, followed by coffee and mince pies in the hall. 

Saturday 24th - Christmas Eve - The family service is at 6.30pm and the Watchnight 

service is at 11.30pm with carol-singing from 11.15pm. 

Sunday 25th - Christmas Day - The family service is at 10.30am and children -and 

adults - should bring along one of their presents. 

Sunday 1st January 2017 - Morning worship is at 11am as usual. 

All welcome to any or all of these services. 


Gryffe Scottish Country Dance Club - 

Christmas Party 

Thursday 15th December at 8pm, 

Kilbarchan Guide Centre 

Music will be provided by Susan and 

Shona MacFadyen and the following 

lively programme is planned:- 

Pelorus Jack. Lady Sophia Lindsay. 

Dreamcatcher. Laird of Milton’s Daughter. Miss Johnstone of Ardrossan. Peggy’s 

Strathspey. Seton’s Ceilidh Band. Bratach Bana. Minister on the Loch. Mairi’s 

Wedding. 

A warm invitation is extended to members of the Scottish Country Dance Clubs 

in Renfrewshire to come and partake, as our guests, in the music, dancing and 

refreshments. Contact:- Les Lambert at 01505 704398. 


Kilbarchan Parish Church 

Christmas Afternoon 

Sunday afternoon, 11th December, at 2pm 

Join us for a Christmas afternoon in the hall, with entertainment by 

the St James’ Handbell Ringers and local choir, Village Voices. 

The Handbell Ringers are fascinating to watch. Donation tickets 

are £5 and include mulled wine, mince pies and shortbread. 

Kilbarchan Parish Church Midweek Fellowship - Continues from 

10.30am for coffee, followed by a short service of worship, on Wednesdays in 

the small hall. 


Kilbarchan Singers’ Christmas Concert 

Kilbarchan Parish Church (off Steeple Square, Kilbarchan), on Friday 

9th December at 7.30pm. 

Come and hear festive music by Lauridsen, Holst and Chilcott, plus traditional 

carols. Conductor Edwin Hillier. Also featuring Kilbarchan Parish Church Junior 

Choir, with conductor, Moira Gray. Refreshments available in the Church Hall 

after the Concert. 

Adults £8.50, (children free) available from Choir members or by telephoning 

01505 324169 

howwood & elderslie 

Howwood Community Council 

Howwood Community Council has, with the help of the 

British Heart Foundation, purchased a Defi brillator and 

Outside Support Case. With the help and assistance 

of Renfrewshire Leisure it has been positioned on 

the roadside wall of the village hall. This makes it 

accessible 24/7. 

The outdoor support case is easily accessed if the 

Defi brillator is required. When opened the case 

has an audible alarm which switches off after the Defi brillator has been 

removed and the case closed. Full operational instructions are enclosed 

on the Defi brillator in easily understood terms. 

Meetings of the Community Council take place in the village hall on the 

second Tuesday of each month at 7.30 pm. Feel free to come along and 

learn what other innovations are planned for the village. 


Many of you might know this already but just to confi rm 

that the amenity site in Johnstone is due to go back to 

full service on the 28th November. 

The problems with the safety record of the A737 

continues to be a problem and along with local people, 

Howwood Community Council and others the council are 

in discussions with the Scottish Government at how we 

can improve the situation on this stretch of road. Talks 

are ongoing concerning the possible community take 

over the Howwood pitch. I will keep readers updated . 

The new LCD lights are causing much discussion. Some 

people like them and others are raising concerns about 

them. I suppose the jury's still out but I would be happy to hear people's 

views. 

I was unable to attend this year's Remembrance Service in Howwood as I 

was laying the wreath in Johnstone at the same time. In what was my last 

service as a councillor it was an honour to pay tribute to the service men 

and women of this country . 

My surgery on the 22nd December will be cancelled due to the Christmas 

period. I can however be contacted by phone or e mail. 

I will close by wishing all readers a very Merry Christmas and a peaceful New Year. 


Howwood SWI 

Tuesday 20th December - Christmas get together with Taste 

and Try. Santa Bag - give and receive. Competition - Funny 

Christmas card. Vote of thanks - Morag Wills. Note - 7pm 

start tonight please. 

Meetings in Howwood Village Hall. A warm welcome to all. Contact 

Irene on 01505 704800 for further details. 

howwood & elderslie


Johnstone Cat 

Rescue 

If you can help us 

with any fundraising 

or donations of either 

food or bedding, 

please call Sheena on 01505 

337321. Thank you. 

LOST PETS? 

If your pet has gone missing and you 

would like to place a notice in The 

Advertizer, please call 

01505 613340 or email 

info@advertizer.co.uk 

We can also put updates on our website & Facebook. 

There is no charge for this service! 

Wildlife Crime 

To report a wildlife crime you can 

telephone the non-emergency 101 

number. 

The 101 number should be used to 

contact the police when you don’t 

need an emergency response. In 

an emergency always dial 999 – 

when a life is in danger, a crime is 

in progress or a suspect is nearby. 

lð§¥‡þÐœ 

∂∫∞€Ł@)( 

ÐœðŁ 

lð§¥ 

Dogs Trust 

Christmas Fair 

Come join in all the fun and games at 

our Dogs Trust Glasgow Christmas 

Fair on Sunday 4th December and 

help raise much needed funds from 

12 noon - 3.30pm. 

A variety of fundraising stalls, 

stocking fi llers, raffle, Dogs Trust 

items for sale, home baking, doggy 

home baking and some festive 

refreshments all await your arrival. 

Why not bring the kids and dogs 

along to say hello to Santa Paws in 

his grotto. 

For more information please 

contact Emma-Louise Livingstone 

on Emma-Louise.Livingstone@ 

dogstrust.org.uk Or by calling 0141 

7735141. 

Limited parking at rehoming centre. 

Please use public transport where 

possible. 

Pet Blog 

by PetVets 

Hyperthyroidism in Cats 

Hyperthyroidism is the most common hormonal disease in cats, affecting 

10% of the cat population over the age of 9. It affects the thyroid 

glands, which produce the hormone thyroxine. This hormone controls 

the body’s metabolism (the speed at which the body uses energy). 

Hyperthyroidism is when the thyroid glands produce too much thyroxine 

causing a faster metabolism and stimulation of the central nervous 

system. The increased metabolism can affect many organs in the body 

and can lead to heart failure, kidney failure, high blood pressure and 

other serious diseases. 

Signs of hyperthyroidism include: 

• Weight loss 

• Good / often increased appetite 

• Poor coat, scruffy appearance 

• Altered behaviour or personality, often restless and 

irritable 

• Occasionally increased drinking 

• Vomiting and / or diarrhoea 

Cats with hyperthyroidism may display some or all of these signs. 

Diagnosis is by a simple blood test to measure thyroxine levels in 

the blood. The vet will usually also run other blood tests to check 

for associated conditions such as kidney failure which may require 

treatment. 

There are 4 options for treatment of hyperthyroidism once diagnosed. 

These are: 

• Medication to reduce thyroxine production (tablets or liquid) 

• Specialist iodine restricted diet to reduce thyroxine production 

• Surgery to remove the abnormal thyroid gland(s) 

• Referral to a specialist centre for radioactive iodine treatment, 

which reduces the amount of functioning thyroid tissue 

While undergoing treatment your 

cat will require regular checkups 

and blood tests to monitor 

progress. When treating with 

medication or diet this will be 

ongoing for the remaining lifetime 

of the cat. 

Generally cats with 

hyperthyroidism respond well to 

treatment and the 

prognosis 

is 

good.


Re-homing Pets 

Can you offer a home to any of our featured pets? 

Arapis - Approx. 1 - 3 year old 

male domestic 

Arapis is quite a scared boy as he 

was a stray for a while so he would 

need a patient owner who would 

give him time to come out of his 

shell. He would like an adult only home with no 

other pets please & once he’s settled, which could 

take a few months, he would like to be able to go 

outside again so he would need a garden not near 

a busy road. 

Tia Maria - 4 year old female 

Tia Maria is a nice little girl whose owner sadly 

passed away. She needs a home with no 

children but she is not sure of other pets as 

she have never lived with any. She would like 

a wee garden to stretch her paws in. 

Cardyke Farm, Langmuirhead Road, Auchinloch, 

Glasgow G66 5LD - Telephone 0141 779 3341 

Mike - an 8 - 13 

month old Guinea 

Pig (must be 

paired with Jim) 

Mike can be a shy boy and is taking a little time 

to settle in. He will need an owner who will give 

him the proper care and attention he needs, 

along with correct handling to build up his 

confi dence. Mike came in with his friend Jim 

and is part of a pair. They would love to go to their new home together 

but could potentially go as a partner for an existing Guinea Pig. 

Jim - a 4 - 6 month old male Guinea Pig 

(must be paired with Mike) 

Jim can be a shy boy and is taking a little 

time to settle in. He will need an owner who 

will give him the proper care and attention he 

needs, along with correct handling to build up 

his confi dence. 

To contact the centre about any animals, please 

call 03000 999 999 or visit www.scottishspca.org/rehoming 

SSPCA - Sponsor A Space 

From dogs, cats and rabbits to horses and small 

animals, we care for lots of different animals in 

our rehoming centres. We also look after sick 

and orphaned wild animals at our National Wildlife Rescue 

Centre, including birds, seals and hedgehogs. 

What is Sponsor a Space? - You can sponsor the 

spaces where we care for animals, including dog kennels, 

cat, bird and hedgehog units, horse stables, small animal 

and rabbit enclosures and seal pens. Your sponsorship 

lasts for a full year and will help pay for the food and 

veterinary treatment of the animals cared for in the 

‘space’ you have chosen to sponsor. 

What will I receive? - Sponsors will have their name 

displayed at the centre they have chosen and will 

receive a certifi cate of thanks, a window sticker, our 

magazine* and an update letter about one of the animals 

their sponsorship has helped along with a photo. (*13s 

and over) 

Sponsorship as gift - Sponsor a Space is a fantastic gift 

for Birthdays, Christmas, Anniversaries and any other 

opportunity you can think of! You can have your 

sponsorship pack sent to you or the person you are 

giving the gift to. Just select your preferred option 

during checkout. 

Visit the website at https://www.scottishspca. 

org/shop/sponsor-a-space/ for further information. 

Animal Helpline 03000 999 999 

Sponsor a dog kennel - £95 Sponsor a cat unit - £65 

49 

Ollie - a 8+ year old 

crossbreed 

Ollie is a gorgeous, gentle boy 

who takes a while to get to 

know new people. Once he gets to know you 

though he loves cuddles and spending time 

with you. Ollie LOVES food and learning 

new things. Ollie needs an adult only home 

with his own secure garden to practice his 

training in. Ollie needs a calm, quiet home 

with someone who is around all day to help him settle and get used to 

his new home. Ollie needs to be the only dog in the home and would 

like quiet areas to go for walks. He needs to be kept on lead on walks. 

Itsy - Chihuahua: Long Hair -Age: 1 to 2 

Years Male 

Itsy is an excitable little chap who loves to run! 

He loves to play fetch and after his exercise he 

loves to curl up and have a snooze! Itsy can 

live with children who are 16 years old or over 

and needs his own secure garden to practice 

his training in. Itsy is ok with some dogs, but 

may need careful, slow introductions & may 

benefi t from being the only dog in the home. Itsy needs a calm, quiet 

home who are willing to take their time letting him come out his shell 

and who are aware he is not a lap dog. Someone who has previous 

experience of owning dogs like him before would also help him settle. 

Dogs Trust Rehoming Centre, 315 Hamilton Road, Uddingston, Glasgow, G71 

7SL. Open: 12noon - 4pm (inc weekends); 12noon- 7.30pm on Tuesdays; closed: 

Wednesdays 

Sponsor a horse stable - £135 Sponsor a seal pen - £100 

Sponsor a hedgehog unit - £30 Sponsor a bird unit - £70 

Sponsor a rabbit enclosure - £45 

Sponsor a small animal 

enclosure - £40


Xmas tree sales throughout December – Cut your own tree and make it 

a family day out. Thursday 8th, 15th December - Wreath Making Class 

10am – 2pm 

Make your own wreath in time for Xmas. Made from moss, holly & yew 

from the estate. £15.50 includes materials. Pre booking essential. 

Santa’s Grotto 11am – 4pm on Saturday 3rd, 10th and 17th, Sunday 4th, 

11th and 18th and Monday 19th and Tuesday 20th December. 

Santa’s coming to Finlaystone; follow the magical Santa trail to find 

Santa’s grotto. £15 per child (includes 1 accompanying adult free). 

Pre booking essential 

call early to avoid 

disappointment. 

Finlaystone Country 

Estate, Langbank 

PA14 6TJ 

Tel: 01475 540505 

E:info@fi nlaystone.co.uk 

Regular Visitor? 

Why not become a 

member? You can 

visit Finlaystone as 

often as you can with 

our great membership options. 

Bridge of Weir Horticultural Soc 

Madeira in Bloom by Sandra Halliday 

On a cool evening in Bridge of Weir, Sandra introduced us to the wonderful 

plant life of the sub-tropical island of Madeira. Situated far out in the Atlantic 

its mild climate has enabled the introduction and cultivation of warmth 

requiring plants from all over the world. So much so that she likened the 

plant growth to that of a Botanic Garden collection. 

Sandra outlined the history of Madeira, 

which means wood in Portuguese, 

starting with its discovery by Portuguese 

explorers in 1420; thence colonization 

commenced. The native forest flora 

was much affected especially by severe 

burning to make way for agriculture. It 

is said that the forests burnt for 7 years! 

Today the only remnants of Laurel 

Forests – the Laurasilva - remain along 

the West and North Coast. The burning 

took place mostly in the 15th century and at first Wheat was cultivated but 

this gave way to Sugar Cane to produce sugar for Madeira production. 

Later competition from the tropical colonies made the Sugar Cane crop 

unprofitable and much of the land was planted with fast growing trees such 

as Eucalyptus. Sugar Cane can still be found and Eucalyptus trees are 

dominant in many areas. Along with these plants a huge number of tender 

garden plants can be seen both in the countryside and especially around 

the towns. 

Terracing was used extensively 

in order to cultivate the steep 

hillsides although these are less 

used today. These areas were 

irrigated by the famous canals or 

‘Levadas’ bringing water from high 

up the hills to the lower areas. The 

maintenance paths along these 

canals now provide accessible 

walks to explore the fl ora. 

Sandra explained that most of the native flora had been lost but that she had 

seen Erica Scoparia, the native tree heath and the Til tree or Stink Laurel 

along with the Madeiran Holly and Madeiran Mahogany. The Dragon Tree, 

Dracaena draco, now only grows in Monte Gardens. It was used by the 

Romans as a purple dye plant. Tender plants which in this country would 

be treated as houseplants or heated greenhouse material in Madeira are 

quite happy outdoors such as Codiaeum with its brightly coloured foliage, 

Aechmea – one of the urn plants and Hibiscus which flowers profusely. 

Much of the introduced flora arrived in Madeira as ships plied the trade 

routes. Many plants from Southern Africa and South and Central America 

such as the Calla Lily, Bermuda Buttercup, an Oxalis, and Giant Groundsel 

are examples. 

If visiting a must to see would be the Botanic Gardens with its varied 

collections but also spectacular bedding schemes with plants such as 

Iresine herbstii, Beefsteak Plant in its many colour forms. Sandra did point 

out that throughout there are interesting plants to see such as Bougainvillea, 

Poinsettia (growing into a tall shrub) and Jacaranda with its purple haze of 

flowers to name a few. 

Certainly a must to visit for keen gardeners.


51 

PCPC 

“Guy Phillips’s image “Safely Through” wins at Paisley Colour” 

Paisley Colour Photographic Club were pleased to welcome Campbell 

Skinner DPAGB, PBE2 (Greenock) to judge the first of this session’s three 

bimonthly competitions recently held in the McMaster Centre in Renfrew. 

Club members could submit up to three digital images each and a very 

considered critique was given to each of the eighty-seven entered images 

by Campbell. He pointed out how images could be improved, for example 

by closer cropping or by removing distracting highlights. He admitted that 

he had a very difficult task of having to rank the top images and to select the 

fifteen top images in the advanced section. Entries in the three categories: 

introductory, intermediate and advanced included a wide range of subjects 

from landscapes and natural history images to sports photography and 

portraits. 

In the introductory section David Scott’s colourful 

and well composed portrait “Happy Schooldays” 

was awarded top place 

whilst in the intermediate 

section Jim Murdoch’s 

excellent timing earned him top position for his 

natural history portrait “Oriental Short Tailed 

Otter”. 

After the many opportunities for photography 

during the summer break there was a range of 

fantastic images vying to be highly ranked in the 

advanced section of the competition. 

Campbell judged Richard Bennett’s beautifully lit 

and composed wild animal study “Hyena Mother 

and Cubs“ to be in third place in the competition. 

Pauline Smith’s stunning macro photography work 

earned her second position. Her close composition 

of two moss sporophytes is entitled “Just The Two 

of Us”. The top position in the Club’s 1st Bimonthly 

Competition of the session was awarded to Guy 

Phillips for his superbly framed dramatic action 

shot of a canoeist steering through rapids entitled 

“Safely Through”. 

Club meetings continue 

on Thursday evenings at 

the McMaster Centre with a variety of lectures and 

competitions. Visitors are always welcome. For 

further details about PCPC and updated members 

galleries please view: www.paisleycolour.co.uk 

Kilmacolm Camera Club 

We have been entertained and informed with a variety of talks and practical 

evenings. Bill Ham gave us another of his master classes, entitled “How to 

Judge” (no – it wasn’t Volume 10 of the Encyclopaedia Britannica!). He set 

out the important techniques that go into the making of a good photograph, 

using examples of successful, and less successful, images. It provided a 

lot of excellent tips, both for beginners and hardened veterans. 

Members were able to put their new-found judging 

skills into practice when they judged our Summer 

Assignment “Transport” competition. Appropriately, 

Bill came first, with “Engine 

Driver”, Janice Stevenson 

was second, with “Heels over 

Head” and David Addison and 

Tina Marr came third equal, 

with “Quicker by Bike” and 

“London Eye“, respectively. 

Some of the winning images 

are shown here. 

Last month, we had a superb show from Ken 

Lindsay, of Eastwood Camera Club. The fi rst half 

was entitled “Four Days in Iceland.” Particularly 

impressive were his shots of breaking seas, 

where he demonstrated how to turn a bland, lifeless, dull-day image into 

a wonderfully-lit (award-winning) photo. In the second half, he gave us 

some more insight into some very useful photo-manipulation techniques. 

A first-class evening. 

Please come along and find out how to improve your images (or just sit 

back and admire the work of some of our speakers). 

Venue: Kilmacolm New Community Centre, Room 1.01; Tuesday evening, 

time 7.30pm. 

Contacts: Billy Blair, Tel: 873383; Janice Stevenson, Tel 873595. 

Website: clikpic.com/kilcamclub/


Welcome to Scotland’s largest Regional Park 

Greenock Cut Conservation Volunteers! 

Huge congratulations 

to the Greenock 

Cut Conservation 

Volunteers who won 

the Volunteer Team 

of the Year Award 

at the Reach for the 

Stars Inverclyde 

Community Awards! 

New Website & 

Gift Vouchers: We 

have a new website 

complete with online booking! Plus pick up some gift vouchers for sailing, 

kayaking or canoeing courses, valid for the whole of 2017. 

We Support the Bid 

Clyde Muirshiel Regional Park is now an 

ambassador organisation for the Paisley 

bid for City of Culture 2021. Pick up 

promotional pens, balloons and fill out a 

card as to why you think Paisley should win. 

Bike Show and Demo Day Sun 11th Dec 

Clyde Muirshiel has teamed up with RT 

Cycles Glengarnock and Ride 63 for a bike 

show and demo day. See the new 2017 

Merida models, browse 2016 bargains, have a go on an electric bike and 

much more! Ebikes are great for anyone who needs a little confidence 

boost. Drop in to Castle Semple 10am - 3pm. 

Lochwinnoch Active Transport Hub 

Plans are afoot for a new hub for the local area to help more people 

actively commute to work. Complete the survey monkey online or fill out a 

paper copy at Castle Semple by Sunday 11th December please. They’re 

on facebook too. 

Stargazing Sessions 

These popular evenings are back at Renfrewshire’s darkest sky location 

– Muirshiel Country Park. Next date is Monday 5th December, book now. 

Special deal £2.50 for a hot drink & cake! 

Lunderston Bay in Play Equipment Bid 

Lunderston Bay’s play area project has been shortlisted in the Tesco 

#bagsofhelp campaign for voting instore. Voting in Greenock & Port 

Glasgow has just closed, fingers are crossed as we await the results. 

Branching Out Photo Win 

Congratulations to Susan from the Greenock 

Cut’s SAMH group who won the national 

Branching Out photo competition! Her picture 

‘Oak Leaves and Water Droplets’ was the 

judges’ favourite and she wins a session with a 

pro photographer for the whole group! 

Pedal the Park Road Sportive Sunday 23rd 

April 

Online entry is now LIVE for this 100km sportive! Sign up now for just 

£15. 

Ride 63 Community Cycle Club 

The 2017 Ride Calendar will be out soon. Join our new ‘group style 

facebook page’ - contact the secretary by email ridesixtythree@gmail. 

com for a membership form and ride info. 

Seasons Greetings 

Thank you for your support and use of the Regional Park in person 

and online during the year we wish you all Merry Christmas and 

a Happy and Healthy 2017. Please remember Castle Semple 

Visitor Centre is closed on Christmas Day and New Year’s Day 

closing at 2pm the days before and opening at midday the day 

after. 

Regular Events 

Mondays (but not public holidays) 

Lochwinnoch Community Walks 

meet 10.30am at The Cross, 

Lochwinnoch. 

Weekly Volunteer Groups - 

Newcomers always welcome! 

Thursdays 

Castle Semple Conservation 

Volunteers, Adult group, from 

12.30pm – 3.30pm. 

Saturdays 

Greenock Cut Conservation 

Volunteers, Adult group, 10.30am 

– 2.30pm. 

Sundays 

Castle Semple Young Volunteers, 

12 - 18 yr olds, 10am – 12noon 

Keep up to speed with events and activities taking place on the Park’s Facebook: facebook.com/ClydeMuirshielRegionalPark or 

Twitter @Clydemuirshiel pages and Instagram pages.


53 

It is the most magical time of the year! The reds, oranges and yellows of autumn 

start to fade as nature begins her slumber and the place is transformed into a 

winter wonderland. Jack Frost greets us each morning with glitter and cold as 

he makes his daily rounds round the globe. On the reserve the Swan Loch (Barr 

Loch) comes alive with the migrating whooper swans, who come from Iceland 

to spend the winter, and our resident mute swans. Even from our visitor centre 

there is plenty to see – small birds flock to the feeders in the cold weather, and if 

ice cover the surface of our pond you may even spot mallard ducks skating! 

More magic awaits as Christmas comes near; snow, Santa Claus, mince pies and presents! 

These will all be available at RSPB Lochwinnoch on Saturday 3rd December if you come along 

to our annual Christmas Tree & Festive Fun event! We will have a lovely range of real Christmas 

trees on sale, as well as some great gift ideas. However, if you are dreaming of warmer places 

then why not come along to our talk on The Wildlife of Tanzania on Wednesday 7th December 

and be transported to Africa by our reserve manager, Zul Bhatia, as he tells tales of his travels and 

showcases some of his spectacular wildlife photography! 

For more information about the reserve or any of our events, please call 01505 842663 or email 

lochwinnoch@rspb.org.uk 

Windows on Wildlife Update 

Windows on Wildlife at Clyde Muirshiel aims to bring people closer to wildlife, gaining a unique insight 

to the furry & feathered inhabitants of Castle Semple Country Park. Countryside Ranger Hayley 

Douglas gives us an update. 

Wildlife News - Badgers 

Our badger clan has proven to be quite dynamic over the last four 

Tumble in the daytime 

years. The cameras film on both the main and satellite sett and 

have pretty much recorded the badger’s daily movements since 

2012. When we started we had four badgers living in the sett. 

One male, who became known as Old Boy, one female, Tufty, and 

two cubs, a female called Notch and an unnamed other. Over the 

first winter the four badgers where mainly found in the vicinity of 

the main sett and provided great shots of different behaviour such 

as bedding collection, scent marking and digging. 

In early 2013 the two cubs moved on leaving Old Boy and Tufty to roam the woods. Badgers give 

birth round about February/March time and Tufty was showing all the signs of having cubs in the sett. 

However, something happened to the cubs and they never made it out the sett. Old Boy and Tufty 

continued to stay together in 2013 with Old Boy constantly patrolling the local area and occasionally 

getting into scraps with other males. Badgers can mate at anytime of the year due to a process 

known as delayed implantation which means the fertilised embryos don’t implant in the womb until 

December time. 

2014 proved to be more productive with two cubs appearing in April. These two were constantly 

tugging and pulling on each other’s fur and jumping all over the adults. This behaviour, common in 

cubs, earned them the names Rough and Tumble. These two went everywhere together and remained 

in the sett with their parents’ right through to the following spring of 2015 when Tufty produced another 

set of twins called Salt and Pepper. Rough, who by this point was a yearling male, took his big brother 

responsibility seriously and was filmed taking the cubs out foraging with Mum and being a playmate to 

both. Tumble, who is a female, decided to move on in the summer and hopefully will have joined up 

with another male to start a clan of her own. It became obvious in August that something was wrong 

with Pepper as she was half the size of Salt and was starting to put in an appearance a lot during the 

day. Shortly after this behaviour was noticed she disappeared. At about the same time Old Boy was 

badly injured in a fi ght with another male badger. It’s amazing how resilient these animals can be. Old 

Boy disappeared down the sett and wasn’t seen for 10 days. He reappeared with only a slight limp, 

amazing for a badger that at this point was roughly 8 years old. Throughout the winter Rough and 

Salt along with their parents moved between both setts until 

the spring of this year when not one, not two but three cubs 

appeared at the main sett. Not long after they first put in an 

appearance Tufty decided to move the family to the satellite 

sett where they spent much of the summer as a family of 

foxes with fi ve cubs moved into the main sett. Again Rough 

took his big brother responsibilities seriously and was never 

far from the cubs. The three cubs, known as the Triplets, 

Rough and Tufty moved back into the sett at the end of August 

where they remain just now. Sadly Old Boy disappeared in 

May and hasn’t been seen since with Salt still putting in the 

occasional appearance. It’ll be interesting to see 

what happens this winter. Tufty is roughly 7 

years old with Rough coming into his prime 

as an adult male. Stay tuned 

and we hope to keep you 

updated. 

Hayley and Badger 

Event News 

The next Swan Chat will take place on Saturday 10th December 

between 1 & 2pm at Castle Semple. Come along and find out 

that there’s more to these birds than chasing you for bread. 

Drop in any time for this keeper style talk.


Kilbarchan 

Primary 

School 

Children at Kilbarchan Primary 

celebrated Harvest by collecting 

items of food. This was then 

donated to Johnstone Foodbank 

who informed that “You collected 

113.3kg of food which will provide 

270 meals for people in crisis in 

Renfrewshire”. 

The Wee Bannock came to Kilbarchan Primary 

“The Wee Bannock” came to Primary 1 / 2 in Kilbarchan 

Primary School on November 2nd through well-known 

local storyteller Anne Pitcher’s lively re-telling of this 

traditional Scottish story, bringing the little creature to 

all the familiar sights and sounds of Kilbarchan. Using 

a local map and 

photographs 

of local places 

of interest, the 

pupils helped to 

tell the story along 

with Anne as they 

dressed up as the 

little old man, the little old lady, a wee Scottie dog, the 

Weaver by the National Trust for Scotland’s Weaver’s 

Cottage, 17th century piper Habbie Simpson and finally 

the sly old fox. 

After tasting some freshly baked roasty, toasty, oaty 

bannocks they had an opportunity to “Dare to Dream” 

about the adventures the wee bannock could have - 

their imaginations took fl ight! Amazing stories arose. For 

example some pupils imagined that the wee bannock 

could travel through time and space by rolling into the 

water fountain in the Public Park – a Kilbarchan Tardis, 

some imagined the unicorn on the War Memorial came 

alive and had adventures with the wee bannock. 

The afternoon was part of the Scottish International 

Storytelling Festival’s “Dare to Dream” campaign 

running from September to the end of November, where 

local communities get a chance to imagine stories about 

Houston Baby & Toddlers 

We can’t wait for Christmas - we are going to be enjoying 

some festive arts and crafts and will be welcoming a 

very special guest at our Christmas party. We’ve been 

having a great time meeting each week, making friends 

and playing with our toys. Children from 0 - 4 years 

old, together with their parents/grandparent/carer, will 

receive a warm welcome. The children can have fun 

playing with our many toys while the adults chat over 

a cuppa! We meet every Thursday between 9.30 - 

11.30am (term time only - closed 22nd & 29th Dec) in 

the West Hall, Main Street, Houston, PA6 7EL (next 

door to the Carrick Centre) – welcome anytime. We 

look forward to meeting you. Sharon, Lesley & Fiona. 

(lesleyannjackson@outlook.com) 

their village - past, present and possible future. 

Class teacher Mrs Lindsay Littleson, herself a children’s 

author said “Thank you so much Anne for working so 

hard with my class. They really enjoyed the session. 

Comments included “The bannocks were yummy” 

“It was fun to dress up” “I liked the story I drawed” 

“The wee bannock story was all about Kilbarchan. 

Personally I loved the way Anne started with the totally 

familiar and managed to inspire the pupils so that they 

were transported into whole new worlds. Mermaids, 

unicorns, Egyptians and pirates and dinosaurs all 

turned up in their drawings and oral stories!” 

Anne enthused “What an amazing, creative and 

imaginative class P1/2 is – the stories which they have 

created about the 

Wee Bannock’s 

adventures are 

fabulous. Their 

work will be going 

onto the “Dare to 

Dream” website 

so everyone in 

Scotland can see what they have achieved as they 

dared to dream. I’m looking forward to the illustrations 

P1/2 drew to tell “The Wee Bannock in Kilbarchan” story, 

going onto You Tube along with me telling the story – 

their drawings are brilliant! Once again Kilbarchan 

Primary School has proved to be an outstanding place 

of excellence.” 

EVERY MO N D A Y 

Lochwinnoch Baby & Toddlers 

McKillop Hall, 9.30am - 11.30am 

£2/family fee incl tea & children’s snacks. 

Kilmacolm Playgroup 

St Columba Church Hall, Kilmacolm, 

9.30am - 11.40am 

Howwood Baby & Toddler Group 

Howwood Parish Church, 10am - 12noon 

Kilbarchan Parish Church Tots’ Club 

East Church Hall, 9.15am - 11.30am 

EVERY TUESDAY 

Bridge of Weir Toddlers 

Cargill Hall, Lintwhite Cres, BoW 

Pop along and see us from 9.30 - 11.30am 

Baby Social 

Three Sisters Bake, Quarriers Vill. 11 am 

Meet mums, drink coffee, eat cake. 



9.30am - 11.40am 

Howwood Playgroup 

Howwood Church Hall, 9.45am - 11.35am 

EVERY WEDNESDAY 

Kilmacolm Toddlers 


10am - 11.30am 

For children from birth to 3 years. 

Lochwinnoch Baby & Toddlers 

McKillop Hall. 9.30am - 11.30am 

£2/family fee incl tea and children’s snacks. 


Howwood Church Hall 9.45am - 11.35am 

EVERY TH U R S D A Y 

Houston Toddlers 

Church Hall, Main Street, Houston 

Pop along and see us from 9.30 - 11.30am 



9.15am - 11.40am 


Howwood Church Hall 9.45am - 11.35am 

EVERY FR I D A Y 

Langbank Playgroup 

Langbank Village Hall 9.45 - 11.45am 

For 2.5 - 5yr olds. 

Contact Jen Burrows 07947 983025. 

Langbank Under 3’s 

Church Hall, Langbank 10am - 11.45am 

For children from birth to 3 years 

1ST & 3RD FR I D A Y 

Renfrewshire Inverclyde Twins Club 

McKillop Hall, Lochwinnoch 

1pm-2.30pm 

£3. Bring a mug along for a cuppa.


Duchal Nursery School 

55 

We’ve had a very busy few weeks. 

We had a fun fi lled Halloween 

morning with lots of games and 

activities and were excited to make 

the “Guy” for the top of the bonfire 

at the Knapps Firework Display. 

Madame Camelford has been 

introducing our youngest children 

to the wonders of French, which 

included experiencing a typical 

French breakfast of chocolat chaud 

et croissants! It was enjoyed by all! 

Our extended hours sessions 

have been full of activity, with lots 

of time outside playing on our own 

obstacle course around the garden, 

arts and crafts and baking. We 

were delighted to welcome Susan 

the Story Teller with her puppet 

Onion, she enthralled the children with her magical tales. Get 

in touch to fi nd out more about our extended hours. 

As the end of term gets closer we start to get in the mood for 

the Festive season and can’t wait for our annual trip to the 

Tron Theatre in Glasgow for much Christmas cheer. There 

are lots of Christmas decorations busily being made and 

preparations are well under way for our annual Nativity and 

Christmas Party. 

There are a few limited spaces in the nursery at present, or if 

you are looking for a place for 2017 onwards please do get in 

touch. We are happy for visits to see our facilities and meet 

the teachers at any time, please contact Head Teacher Jean 

McCarthy on: Tel: 874358 to arrange a convenient time. Also 

visit our website at: www.duchal.com or find us on Facebook 

to keep up to date with all the latest news. 

Wishing you all a Merry Christmas from all at Duchal 

Nursery. 

St Fillan’s Primary School 

St Fillan’s Primary School have been working 

hard to support two charities. We have been 

collecting items for Mary’s Meals backpack 

appeal and a fantastic amount of toothbrushes, toothpaste, 

soap and handtowels were sent in to the school. This is 

an ongoing project with us now collecting pencil cases, 

erasers, sharpeners. 

Our 2nd charity was for LEPRA. This helps children with the 

disease of Leprosy. To support LEPRA we had some fun 

Zumba dance sessions which we all paid to join in on. This 

money all went to LEPRA. Many thanks to all our parents 

and families for their support for these 2 charities. 

Many of our pupils in P6 and P7 entered the Gryffe Camera 

Club competition with Rebecca, Anna and Chloe being the 

overall winners of all the entries received. Some budding 

photographers of the future? 

Our P6 and P7 children had a great day out at the Road Race event at the On-X with one 

of our girls Sophie, coming first in her event. A future Olympic runner perhaps? 

Our next coffee morning for Fair Trade takes place on Friday 2nd December from 10am 

- 11 am. All welcome. 

Kilmacolm Playgroup & 

Toddlers 

Thanks to all who came 

along to our Halloween 

Party - a great time was 

had by all and we were 

able to raise valuable 

funds for the group. 

The Playgroup 

children were sad to 

say goodbye to Wilma 

Birch, who is moving 

on to pastures new after 12 years with us! Mrs Birch will be missed greatly 

but everyone at Kilmacolm Playgroup & Toddlers wishes her all the very 

best. We are delighted to welcome our new senior playleader, Miss Carly 

Gorman, who has taken over from Mrs Birch. As well as our new playleader, 

we have had lots of new children joining us at Kilmacolm Playgroup and 

everyone has been very kind and welcoming to all the new faces, playing 

together and getting to know one another. 

With help from our Big Lottery funding, we are enjoying visits from Jo James 

of Musicland. This is helping to develop our skills in singing, dancing and 

exploring musical instruments. We have also taken part in different activities 

for Children in Need and managed to fundraise for the charity too. 

Playgroup runs on Monday, Tuesday and Thursday mornings, for more 

information contact Claire at kilmacolmplaygroupandtoddlers@gmail.com. 

Our Toddlers group is on Wednesdays from 10am to 

11.30am for children aged 0 - 3 years, and is a great 

opportunity for little ones to play and make friends, 

and for their parents and carers to catch up over 

a cuppa! Contact Frances at kilmacolmtoddlers@ 

outlook.com for more information. 

Our website is: http://kilmacolmplaygroupandtoddlers@jimdo.com. 

Rugbytots is a highly energetic 

play programme for children 

aged 2-7 years with classes in 

Edinburgh, Glasgow, Lothians, 

Borders, Stirling, and now 

Bridge of Weir and Greenock. 

The Inverclyde and 

Renfrewshire area is run 

by Cammy Little, who was 

formerly part of the Scotland 7s team and played for Glasgow in the early 

stages of rugby’s professional era. Cammy, joined by other experienced 

coaches, aims to pass on his knowledge at grass roots level in a fun 

and educational way. Feedback from across our venues has been very 

positive. One mum recently commented ‘Many thanks for everything 

you have taught us over the last few years, Rugbytots has been by far 

the best activity that we have taken part in and worth every penny for 

the range of skills and the discipline you have given him.’ 

Rugbytots uses all the core skills involved in rugby - running, throwing, 

kicking, catching and 

balance - to develop 

children’s motor 

skills. Developing 

these instinctive 

skills at an early age 

gives kids a really 

strong foundation 

no matter what 

sport they go on to 

enjoy. In addition 

our aim is to create 

a positive play 

environment which will help to develop confidence and social skills. 

A class for Erskine/Bishopton is also open for enrolment and due to 

start soon. 

Please visit our website at www.rugbytots.co.uk, email 

cameron@rugbytots.co.uk or call 0345 313 0415 for details.


Houston Primary School 

St Columba’s School News 

Craigends Yew 

Sally Campbell from Houston Primary School and a pupil from St. 

Fillan’s Primary went out together to see the famous Craigends 

Yew. They were amazed by its enormous girth. The tree has 

been selected for Scotland’s Tree of the Year competition due to 

its age, size and uniqueness. The girls gave the trunk a cuddle for 

good luck. The winning tree will get £1,000 for pruning, mulching, 

weeding, fencing and signage. 

Super Scientists 

The pupils from Primary 1 - 7 are having a whole day of Science 

as part of our vertical learning programme. Pupils from all stages 

will work together to make toothpaste for a giant, magic potions, 

examine creatures using our digital microscopes and much, much 

more. This is an amazing experience for children to engage 

with pupils from different year groups and also to work with other 

members of staff. It also allows pupils to take on leadership roles. 

A huge thank you to Dr. Ingram and Gryffe High School Science 

Department for sharing their expertise with us. 

Happy Birthday Houston Primary School 

Next month Houston Primary School will be celebrating its 40th 

birthday. If you were one of the first pupils or staff members, please 

contact us and share your stories and photographs of days gone 

by. 

Christmas is Coming 

The Junior and Senior Choir have started rehearsing for their 

Carol Concert on Thursday 15th December and they are already 

sounding amazing. The Nursery and Primary 1 - 3 pupils are also 

busy rehearsing for their Christmas performances. Please see the 

school website for more details. 

The school Christmas Fayre is on Thursday 1st December, where 

you will fi nd a wide variety of items on sale which will make ideal 

Christmas gifts. Santa will of course be making a special visit. 

Please come along and support this festive event. Doors open at 

6.30pm. 

Farewell to Mr. Campbell 

Our school chaplain Reverend Donald Campbell has retired and 

the pupils said farewell to him at a recent assembly by singing 

personalised songs and poems about him. The thing they are going 

to miss the most is his ‘cheery smile’. Thank you to all those who 

contributed to his retirement gift. 

Twit-Twoo 

Primary 1 pupils have been 

learning about owls and 

requested for real owls to come to 

school. Some children handled 

the birds and Mrs. Mitchell even 

managed to obtain owl pellets 

for closer examination under our 

digital microscopes. The pupils 

discovered hip bones, teeth and 

feathers belonging to small creatures that the owls had eaten for 

dinner. 

Road Race 

On Thursday 10th November twenty pupils from Primary 6 and 7 

were competing in the Renfrewshire Road Race. The pupils have 

been in training and it certainly paid off. Jamie Newton gained 1st 

place and Douglas Boyd gained 2nd place in the P7 boys race. 

Kassi Gribben gained 4th place for the P7 girls race and Ellie Nayar 

gained 4th place for the P6 girls race. 

The P7 boys gained an overall 1st place for the team trophy, and the 

P7 girls gained 3rd place for the overall team trophy and so did the 

P6 boys. A very well done to all our athletes who took part. 

Dyslexia Fundraising 

A number of our pupils have 

dyslexic type difficulties and 

we would like to raise funds to 

purchase resources which will 

further support their learning. We 

are looking for local businesses 

to support us by helping us to 

raffle our gorgeous twin sheep 

that have been kindly donated by Mrs. Shaw. ‘Woolly’ and ‘Jumper’ 

will be visiting local businesses over the next few weeks, if you see 

either of them please support us by purchasing a raffle ticket, and 

you maybe lucky enough to win. As you will see from the photo of 

our twins that ‘Jumper’ the black sheep has gone out to play. See if 

you can spot him in one of the village shops or restaurants. 

Eleanor Laing MP, 

Opens St Columba’s 

Girdwood Building 

There is a fantastic buzz 

around the School as 

we officially opened 

our new extension 

on Wednesday 9th 

November with guest of 

honour Eleanor Laing 

MP, Deputy Speaker of 

the House of Commons and a former pupil of St Columba’s. 

The new Girdwood Building, named in honour 

of the School’s Rector, Mr David Girdwood, 

who will retire at the end of session 2016 - 17, 

comprises 13 new classrooms, a new library, 

a guidance suite, common rooms, additional 

social and recreational space for pupils, as well 

as improved teacher preparation areas. Space 

within the original building will then be rezoned 

to allow faculties to be grouped together by 

discipline and allow for drama to be added to the curriculum with the creation of a 

new drama studio. The extension also allows Transitus (P7) pupils to relocate to 

Senior School. 

The foresight of internationally renowned architects PagePark to design a building 

that embraces the School’s village setting and seamlessly integrates the new 

single-storey classrooms with two beautiful sandstone villas, adjacent to the 

other school buildings, has been transformational. This phase of the School’s 

development completes a two-year £7.5m capital project which includes the 

revamp of the School’s astroturf pitch, landscaping of the Junior School grounds to 

create ‘wild woods’ and outdoor learning spaces, a complete refurbishment of the 

science building and now the new Girdwood Building. 

David Girdwood, Rector of St Columba’s, said, 

“As I walk around the new building, through 

its courtyards and gardens, and look at the 

profile of it from Gryffe Road I am struck by 

how wonderfully the architect has captured 

the essence of St Columba’s School. It lies in 

the heart of this thriving Scottish village as it 

has since 1897. The new building seamlessly 

integrates with this historic setting of the School, 

with flexible modern facilities, and has been achieved without razing any of the 

beautiful historic buildings to the ground. What has been created is consistent 

with the ethos of the School, quietly building on the achievements of the past as it 

secures the future.” 

Calum Paterson, Chairman of the Board of 

Governors, said, “This is a tremendous time 

for St Columba’s. Our enhancements over the 

last few years, combined with our impressive 

academic achievements, ensures that this 

great school in the small, country village of 

Kilmacolm remains at the forefront of Scottish 

education.” 

We are extremely grateful for the patience and support of our neighbours and 

community during the building phase. 

Open Week & Entrance Assessments 

If you missed Open Week at the start of November you are still welcome to make 

an appointment to visit and see our Early Years, Junior and Senior Schools at work 

and play. We would love to show you what we can offer your child. St Columba’s 

provides an all-through education with a wide range of opportunities for your child 

and offers wrap-around care from age 3. For those who wish to join us for their 

sixth year we also offer a wide range of Advanced Higher subjects and are happy 

to discuss your options with you. 

Entrance Assessment Dates: 

6th & 9th January - Junior School 

7th January - Senior School 

(Transitus and any available places in Senior I-Senior VI) 

10th - 11th January - Junior 1 

12th - 13th January - Early Years 

20th - 21st April - Early Years 

To find out more please contact Junior School on 01505 872768 or Senior School 

on 01505 872238 or visit www.st-columbas.org.


Lochwinnoch Primary School 

We had another successful year at the 

Renfrewshire Schools Road Race. 

Everyone ran well making us very proud. 

Primary 6 boys kicked off the day with 

Ryan pushing through the crowds to 

win second place. The Primary 6 Girls 

team worked hard as a team, earning 

them second place in the team trophies. 

The Primary 7 boys were met with some 

tough competition this year. There was 

a double celebration for the Primary 7 girls. Evie ran an excellent race to 

take fi rst place and the rest of the team followed closely behind to earn the 

second place team trophy. A great effort from all! Well done. 

P6/5, P6 and P7 have settled into 

school life at the McKillop Institute as 

further work is carried out to improve the 

school building. Children are showing 

themselves to be responsible citizens 

and are coping extremely well with their 

new environment. They are continuing 

with their usual high standard of work and 

behaviour. The outdoor play area is a hit 

and children enjoyed playing hide and 

seek in the Autumn sunshine. 

Our class 

libraries have 

had a wonderful 

make over 

with cushions, 

bean bags, 

fairy lights and 

blankets. Each 

library has its’ 

own dedicated space and a few comfy reading 

areas. The aim is to have a place where children 

want to spend their time and it has really helped 

in making all children eager to read! Primaries 4 - 7 are taking part in 

the First Minister’s Reading Challenge and have been inspired to read a 

staggering number of books. Children from P5 - P7 have also taken part 

in the Provost’s Writing Competition. Children had to write a story based 

on the theme ‘It’s a Wonderful Time of Year’. Winners get the chance to 

go with their families to meet the Provost and Santa, and to go on stage to 

switch on the Christmas Lights in Paisley, Johnstone or Renfrew. We look 

forward to hearing how they get on. 

Primary 2 had a wonderful trip to Parkhill 

Woods looking for the Gruffalo. Children 

learned all about the animals in the 

woodlands including badgers, deer, mice, 

woodpeckers, foxes, squirrels and many 

more. They learned how to look for their 

tracks and the snow was a great help for 

this! They also looked for their homes and 

thought about why animals live in different 

places. There were lots of clues about the Gruffalo and children found 

and answered them all correctly. Children enjoyed a picnic lunch at Castle 

Semple then had a short time to play in the snow before walking home. 

Primary 5 have been learning about 

Festivals of Light, including Diwali. A 

visitor from Tesco organised a Diwali trail 

for pupils who were able to try new foods 

and compare foods that had been dried 

or pickled to preserve them. Following 

the visit the class designed and coloured 

Rangoli patterns, which are used to 

welcome visitors during Diwali. 

Thank you to all the parents who visited 

the Nursery Open day on 10th November 

and took part in a challenge to make, build 

or draw something representing People 

Who Help Us. There were many great 

ideas with fantastic results. Everyone 

had fun and the children really enjoyed 

seeing their special visitors. Thank you 

also for all the positive comments you left 

on our Comments Tree. 

Santa Sleigh Dates 

Houston 

Thurs 1 st - Wed 7 th 

Brookfield 

Thurs 8 th 

Kilmacolm 

upper/North Fri 9 th 

lower/South Sat 10 th 

Quarriers Village 

Sun 11 th 


Mon 12 th - Fri 16 th 

Kilbarchan 

Community Nursery 

Now that we 

are moving 

into the last 

term of the 

year our 

topics will 

be Bonfire 

Night, St. 

Martin’s 

day and 

Christmas. 

The children enjoyed a visit from the Firefighters from 

Johnstone on 2nd November to tell us about firework 

safety and to let them see the Fire appliances. 

The children learned about the German festival of St. 

Martin and made their own lanterns for the parade on 

11th November. 

In preparation for the Christmas Fayre (on 3rd 

December) the children will be decorating china plates 

and making calendars, which will be sold on the day. 

All the children are now involved in creating their 

own unique Christmas show, inventing a story, music 

and characters. The show will be performed on 8th 

December in the primary school. 

On 14th December the very popular Clydebuilt puppet theatre company 

will once again be visiting us, this time to perform ‘The Gingerbread Man’, 

which is a favourite story of the children. 

The nursery closes for the Christmas break on 20th December at 2.30 pm 

and re-opens on Thursday 5th January. 

Langbank Playgroup 

What an amazing place to be! At playgroup, children have the opportunity 

to develop their social skills, independence, creativity, numeracy, literacy 

skills and many, many more….. 

Over the last month, the children have had the opportunity to experience 

a Bookbug session from the “Skoobmobile” team, where they learned new 

songs and listened to a story. The children were also offered the opportunity 

to join the local Primary School for a spooky Halloween parade, where they 

were given the chance to show off their costumes. This also assisted the 

development of the close relationship with the school and therefore provides 

a smooth transition in their pre-school year when moving into Primary 1. 

We also held a very successful and well attended family Halloween Disco, 

where there was dancing, singing and “Mummy” wrapping too! 

Do you have a child aged between 2.5yrs to 5yrs old? Then why not 

let them come along and experience the fun! Everyone welcome from 

Langbank and surrounding areas. 

Playgroup is held on a Friday 

morning (term time) in Langbank 

Village Hall and we currently have 

spaces for children aged 2.5yrs to 

5yrs. If you would like to join us 

on a Friday morning or for more 

information please contact Jen 

Burrows on 07947983025. 

57


Bridge of Weir Primary 

Gryffe High School 

With Halloween and Guy Fawkes Night firmly behind us 

we set our sights clearly on Christmas! The successful 

Christmas Fayre returned to Bridge of Weir Primary on 

November 24th. There was a tombola and lots of craft 

stalls, stocking fi llers and of course gifts hand crafted 

by the pupils. 

This month nursery staff will be scheduling meetings 

to update parents on their children’s progress and 

achievements. The nursery children are embarking 

on the ‘Cat in the Hat’ as their topic and will also be 

joining the rest of the school in our Children in Need 

‘spotacular’ where all will be encouraged to wear their 

best spotty outfi ts! 

There are many after school and lunchtime clubs and 

activities taking place this term including football, drama, 

badminton, infant sports, basketball, Lego and art. We 

even have “before school” tennis for our Primary 3s! 

These activities encourage a healthy lifestyle, provide 

opportunities for socialising and achievement beyond 

the classroom and are very popular with all of our 

pupils. 

The school held open days for P4 and P5 during the 

month of November when pupils shared what they had 

been learning about the Vikings and the Scottish Wars 

of Independence. These were well attended by parents 

and other family members. One parent commented 

on the depth of knowledge the children have on their 

subjects and on how good the practical experiments 

such as sailing handmade Viking boats on water were. 

P6 have been heavily involved in the campaign for 

Paisley to host the City of Culture in 2021. Ramsay 

confi rmed that both classes attended a workshop led 

by PACE which highlighted Paisley’s past, present and 

future. The P6 pupils then participated in a play which 

was performed to the whole school. Grace said that 

it was fun learning the songs and actions celebrating 

Paisley’s future. 

Young 

Enterprise 

News 

We are Gryffe 

High’s ‘Young 

Enterprise’ 

team, CLA 

Scents. We 

would like 

to make you 

aware of our 

activities this 

year which focus around our product - candles. Plain, scented, with holders, without – we 

have got it all covered. We have teamed up with Braehead Clan whose Commercial Director, 

Andy McLaughlin has been providing us with excellent advice and support. In particular, Andy 

has helped us promote our company through the Clan website and we have been given a great 

opportunity to target its fans with our great candles by having a stall at the Clan game on 3rd 

December. We also hope to have a presence at parents’ evenings and a stall at the Gryffe 

High School Christmas Fayre! In the near future, we will be sending out letters and emails 

about our company and taking any orders for candles. Please make sure to look out for future 

communications about our company. In the meantime, if you have any enquiries about our 

company, feel free to contact us on gryffe.cla@outlook.com! 

STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) Events 

Pupils have been involved in several STEM events recently. 

A group of S3 - S6 girls interested in pursuing a career within STEM 

attended an informative full day event on Women into STEM at West 

College Scotland this month. The event was designed to promote 

the different career pathways to female pupils within Renfrewshire 

and presented them with a range of workshops. 

The girls enjoyed the many 

activities on offer from joinery, 

bricklaying and decorating to inputs 

on working within conservation and 

engineering. Here is a selection of 

pictures of our pupils learning their 

new trade skills! 

In another event, S1 pupils spent an enjoyable afternoon 

at Thermo Fisher labs in Inchinnan, extracting DNA from 

Strawberries and learning how cells grow. 

Five senior pupils were also invited to experience the 

wonders of Vascutek industries in Inchinnan. Vascutek are 

world leaders in designing and supplying grafts to create a 

bypass for blood flow to treat aneurysms. The pupils visited 

the sewing room where they had the chance to try their hands 

at the intricate construction of the grafts. They were also given the opportunity to deliver a 

graft into a blood vessel of a “casualty” using the state of the art Anaconda device. Lastly, 

the pupils were allowed access to the custom graft facilities where engineers work alongside 

doctors to produce custom made devices to suit patients with specific physiology. It was a 

very inspiring trip with the pupils amazed that this life saving technology was being produced 

in Renfrewshire. 

Ciara attends Glasgow School of Art 

Portfolio Preparation Course 

Talented S6 pupil Ciara Nicholson, has been selected and given a great 

opportunity to attend Glasgow School of Art. Ciara is currently studying 

Advanced Higher Art & Design in school and she absolutely loves her extra 

Art classes at GSofA on a Saturday morning. 

From the GsofA website, ‘The specialised Portfolio Preparation Course 

is aimed at assisting students in the preparation of a body of work for 

application to their chosen area of study. The course provides students with 

their own Portfolio studio, giving students the opportunity to work in a unique 

art school environment, an exciting and dynamic place full of creativity 

and inspiration. Students attending this course have been consistently 

successful in achieving entry to Higher or Further Education Fine Art and 

Design courses, both in Glasgow and further afield.’ 

Ciara is pictured beside one of her very own creations, which has received 

a lot of compliments from visitors as it takes pride of place in the School 

Conference Room. The opportunity to attend this course has been an 

annual gift to the pupils of Gryffe High from the parents of another extremely 

talented pupil Ferran Hart. 

Ferran sadly passed away just before 

starting his sixth year in school. Ferran 

was an amazing artist and he even held 

his own art exhibition at the Veneer Gallery 

in Glasgow to raise funds for Teenage 

Cancer Trust. The school has supported 

this charity in memory of Ferran and the 

proceeds from the 3k Fun Run this year 

went to TCT. Ferran had a real talent for 

art, music and drama and he also had a 

passion for sharing his own skills. 

The school is really appreciative of the support from Ferran’s parents and 

we are certain that Ferran would love others to be given the opportunity to 

enhance their skills in Art. 

We look forward to seeing some of Ciara’s Portfolio!


Kilmacolm Primary 

Abbey Nursery 

59 

Kilmacolm Primary is pleased to 

announce that we have returned to our 

newly refurbished building in Churchill 

Road and we are completely delighted 

to be back. We enjoyed our year in Port 

Glasgow with the generous space we 

had to use during our temporary stay but 

it is defi nitely lovely to be home. 

On returning from our October break 

we held a welcome assembly where 

the youngest and oldest child and the 

longest serving teacher officially cut the 

ribbon to mark our new start in our 

beautifully fi nished building. Hollie 

MacIntyre P1, Juliet Cunningham 

P7 and Mrs Helen Cook had the 

honour of cutting the ribbon to 

mark this special day. Pupils and 

staff are enjoying lovely light and 

airy classrooms with bright and 

colourful furniture, an extra gym 

hall, a fantastic newly resourced nursery and lots, lots more. Staff 

have worked extremely hard to make the school as welcoming as 

possible and unpacked what seemed like a million boxes. There 

are still some boxes to be unpacked but we can see the end in 

sight now. 

We all enjoyed dressing up 

for Halloween in our classes 

and P1 - 3 parents were 

treated to a grand Halloween 

parade. Thanks to all 

mums and dads for their 

imaginative and beautifully 

crafted costumes. 

We held a dress down day recently where pupils wore casual 

clothes in return for donating items for our Secret Santa Room, 

which is always a highlight of our PTF Spirit of Christmas event, 

being held this year on Saturday 19th November. We hope the 

local community will take the chance to visit us and have a look 

around our new school. 

We have had a busy start to this term; P6 

& 7 pupils have participated in Athletics 

competitions, P6 visited Inverclyde 

Foodbank and P4 & P6 pupils have 

signed up for The fi rst Minister’s Reading 

Challenge and have many events and 

activities organised for us throughout 

the year. As we continue to encourage 

KPS children to read a variety of texts 

and genre we looked forward to Scottish 

Book Week 

in November. As part of this event we 

had visits from storytellers, authors, and 

special visitors who talked to us about 

their favourite books and answered 

some probing questions. P4 & P6 

have already interviewed our Director 

of Education, Wilma Bain and Head of 

Schools, Ruth Binks, to sit in the hot 

seat and there are more still to come… 

Following on from our success at the Tesco Summer Reading 

Challenge we were delighted to have been invited to perform two 

songs from ‘Matilda the Musical’ at the Scottish Parliament. As you 

can imagine the eight boys and girls chosen were super excited 

to have been given this fabulous opportunity. They performed for 

John Swinney and Kezia Dugdale and were treated to some lovely 

hospitality. 

We have had a lot of visitors over the past few 

weeks and have enjoyed the opportunity to 

welcome everyone to the nursery. 

Brite Dental spent the morning with the children 

judging our Halloween pumpkin carving competition and the boys, girls and staff 

all looked great in their Halloween costumes and sang Nichola and Debbi a super 

selection of Halloween songs before showing them their pumpkins. Lindsay led the 

Red Group’s ‘World Vision pumpkin’ as winners and the children were able to tell 

them all about World Vision and how it helps children. 

The Welly Waddle was another successful fund raising event 

this year and children thoroughly enjoyed their walks around 

the village and puddle jumping. We were delighted to hand 

over a cheque to the Cot Death Trust for £1,233 and know they 

will put the money to good use. 

Another celebration was a whole nursery Best Practice Award 

from Renfrewshire Council and the NHS to celebrate the 

training and day to day practice in promoting Language and 

Communication within the nursery. This training has reinforced 

the skills of Practitioners in encouraging listening, understanding speaking and social 

development for all children and to the highest level. This was also mentioned at 

our Curriculum Evening for parents where we highlighted simple strategies to use 

at home to encourage language development and launched our Bedtime Books 

lending library. 

Meanwhile there continues to be lots of time spent 

outdoors just now with the kind weather and the leaves 

from the trees in the garden have given us plenty of 

ideas for creative works of art in every room. December 

then leads into our Nativity Play for the 3 - 5 age 

group; trips to the theatre and our Christmas Fayre on 

Saturday 26th of November from 10am until 12 noon at 

the nursery where parents and the local community are invited to meet Santa. 

Port Glasgow High School 

National Poetry Slam 2016 

Their hard work and dedication paid off when 

S3 PGHS pupils excelled themselves and won 

the National Poetry Slam Competition at the 

Beacon Arts Centre, Greenock. Against stiff 

competition from schools around the country, 

the group of S3 pupils won the team event. 

Kerr Maclean won first place in the individual 

event with Jodie Pollock in second place. An outstanding result! 

The Scotsman’s National Writing Competition 2016 

Head girl, Kirsten Irvine, beat off phenomenal 

competition to win The Scotsman’s National Writing 

Competition. Kirsten wrote an insightful and moving 

article on PGHS’s partnership with Nguludi Secondary 

School in Malawi. Kirsten’s award was presented by 

Ross Greer, MSP, at the Scottish Malawi Partnership 

Youth Forum at George Watson’s College in Edinburgh. 

Kirsten’s article will be published in The Scotsman in 

the near future. 

Inverclyde Rotary Masterchef Competition 

S5 pupil Ryan Collins placed first in the Inverclyde 

Rotary Masterchef Competition. Ryan created a 

scrumptious three course meal which wowed the 

judges and ensured he lifted the trophy. 

S1 Girls Cross Country Event 

Pupils attended the Inverclyde 

Schools Cross Country 

running event in Kilmacolm. S1 pupil Abi Hammerman came 

first in her race, with S5 Ryan Gray coming second in his 

race. An enjoyable day was had by all. 

S1/S2 Halloween Disco 

The S1 pupils planned the successful event themselves with 

help from the S5 sports leaders who ran the activities during 

the event. Teachers and pupils looked scarier than usual! 

Many parents and P7 braved the winter conditions to attend the PGHS Learning 

Showcase, a chance for new pupils to see the facilities and activities available. 

Visitors had an opportunity to visit each department and sample various learning 

activities in the classroom. 

Follow us on Twitter @PortGlasgowHS and @PGHS_PE_


Ranfurly Castle 

Golf Club Ladies 

Stuck for Christmas gift ideas? Problem solved! 

XMAS OFFERS 

‘Come and Try’ Offers for total beginners and those wanting to improve 

Offer 1 

Lesson from our PGA Professional 

Use of Practice facilities 

Acess to Clubhouse for 6 weeks - £25 

(must be used by 31/03/2017) 

Offer 2 

Pre-season Deal (must be used by 31/03/2017) 

Full access to Course & Clubhouse - £100 

(Price deducted from 2017 membership 

on joining April ‘17) 

The Club is also offering ‘beginner’ Ladies the chance to attend 

6 FREE lessons over the winter. 

2 Fun evening indoor sessions in January followed by 4 Saturday 

outdoor sessions. No equipment necessary. 

Come along and make friends, or bring some with you! 

Certifi cation on completion will entitle the bearer to 2 months 

Introductory Membership with a reduction in Associate fees 

for the remainder of the season. 

9 members of the Ladies Committee enjoyed 

a very pleasant day away playing at Alloa 

Golf Club on 27th September. Despite very 

windy conditions it was a beautiful sunny day, 

with wonderful views of the distant hills. The 

winning team consisted of Jan Macnab, Jean 

Murray and Joy McLeod but it was a closely 

fought competition! 

Congratulations to the Greenlees Team who 

finished runners up in Division 1 after a very 

good season. Their last match was played at 

home against Milngavie and Carol Fell had an 

impressive hole in one at the short 5th. This was the 7th of her career but 

unfortunately it didn’t help the outcome of the match which was a defeat for 

the club. The Runners-up Trophy was presented 

to Marion Munro, Carol Fell, Sarah Eckford and 

Anne Judge at Cathkin Braes Golf Club. 

The Ladies had another success when they 

won the West Renfrewshire League Trophy for 

the second year in a row and the Trophy will be 

presented at their AGM at the end of November. 

The Annual Ladies Dinner was well attended on 

26th October with 44 ladies in attendance. Everyone enjoyed a beautiful 

meal with plenty of chat and if the volume was anything to go by, a good 

time was had by all. The Medal winners were presented with their prizes 

at the end of the evening and Carol Fell was remembered with a small 

momento in recognition of her Hole-in-One. 

The final golf of the season will be a 9 hole Xmas Special and Lunch on 

Wednesday 7th December where Xmas dress will be compulsory. All we 

need now is a nice day to be able to play golf. 

For further info : Ronnie Carswell, Secretary – 01505 612609 

Email: secranfur@btconnect.com 

www.ranfurlycastlegolfclub.co.uk 

Kilmacolm Unofficial Running Club 

(KURC) 

Kilmacolm 

Unofficial Running 

Club (KURC) went 

the extra mile 

this October in 

raising a massive 

£1,422 for local 

charity Ardgowan 

Hospice – a cause particularly close to few of our members’ hearts. Over 

70 ghosts and ghouls of all ages danced until the wee small hours at the 

Halloween Disco, which was our team’s second annual fundraising event. 

The hot buffet prepared by club members kept revellers well-fed and the 

raffle was a resounding success. Donald Trump and Hilary Clinton even 

managed to make a surprise appearance, winning best couple’s costume! 

We’d love to thank all who came and boogied the night away with us, and 

all the very generous donations to our raffle from individuals and local 

businesses. After such a successful night we’d better make sure that next 

year’s fundraising plans are up and running!

EVERY MO N D A Y 


Adult Jazz Class 

Bridge of Weir 10am 

Tel: 01505 690757 for further information. 

Adult Beginners Ballet Class 

Bridge of Weir 11.30am 

Tel: 01505 690757 for further information. 

Kilbarchan Athletic Club 

On-X, Linwood, 7pm 

All abilities welcome. Tel: 07941 686990. 

5-a-side Football 

Powerleague Paisley, 6pm 

Tel: Jim on 01505 874215; or jimbretherton@aol.com 

Bridge of Weir Ladies Badminton 

Cargill Hall, Lintwhite Cres, 7.30pm 

Callanetics 

Brookfield Village Hall, 7.15pm 

Strathgryffe Motorcycle Club 

The Trust Inn, Kilbarchan, 9pm - 10.30pm 

Visit www.strathgryffe.org for details. 

The Shotokan Karate Club 

Woodlands Primary, Linwood, 7-8pm/8-9pm 

www.linwoodkarate.co.uk 

EVERY TUESDAY 

Bridge of Weir Walking Group 

Outside the Co-op, BoW 10.30am 

1 hour walks. Call Senga on 0141 842 3000. 

Gryffe Badminton 

Strathgryffe Tennis Club, 8pm 

Football Training 

Johnstone High School, 6pm - 9pm 

Call Ali on 07775 578795 for details. 

EVERY WEDNESDAY 

Greenock Hockey Club 

Inverclyde Academy, Greenock, 6.30 - 8pm 

Contact Liz Baldwin, mobile 07944 607005. 

Callanetics 

Brookfield Village Hall 5.15, 6.15 & 7.30pm 

EVERY TH U R S D A Y 

Kilbarchan Athletic Club 

On-X, Linwood, 7pm 

All abilities welcome. Tel: 07941 686990. 

Kilmacolm Walkers 

Birkmyre Park Pavilion, Kilmacolm, 10am 

David 01505 874192 

kilmacolmwalkers@talktalk.net 

Callanetics 

Brookfield Village Hall, 9.15am & 10.30am 

The Shotokan Karate Club 

Woodlands Primary. Linwood, 

7pm - 8pm & 8pm - 9pm 

www.linwoodkarate.co.uk 

Football Training 

Johnstone High School, 6pm - 9pm 

Call Ali on 07775 578795 for details 

EVERY FR I D A Y 

Callanetics 

Brookfield Village Hall, 9.15am & 

10.30am 

18 Movement (Tai Chi) Chi Kung 

St Fillans Church Hall, Moss Rd, 

Kilmacolm 10.15am - 11.15am 

Gentle, relaxing exercise class. 0141 954 2456. 

EVERY SA T U R D A Y 

Adult Tap Lessons 

Cargill Centre, Kilmacolm. Lunchtime. 

Call Gail Ashley on 01475 531336 for details 

EVERY SU N D A Y 

Birkmyre Rugby Club, Kilmacolm 

Youth Rugby Section 11am - 1pm 

www.pitchero.com/clubs/birkmyre 

1st Houston & Crosslee Scouts 

Another busy term for Houston and Crosslee Scout group has seen 

record numbers at all levels; from beavers to Explorers we are jam 

packed with young people enjoying a varied programme of Scouting 

activities from camps to quiz nights and much more. 

The Cub pack might be our mini-adventurers 

but they do enjoy getting out and about even 

in the coldest of the Scottish seasons. The 

boys and girls packed all their weather 

proof clothes, all the dry socks they could 

muster and headed off for an adventure 

weekend at the long established Lochgoilhead 

Scout activity centre with their leaders and young 

leaders from the Explorer section. The Cubs took 

full advantage of the facilities at Lochgoilhead 

enjoying high ropes, canoeing, abseiling, indoor activities including 

apple “dooking” and the obligatory “dorm games”. They had a fantastic 

time and given the success of this year’s trip leader Stuart Mclymont 

hopes it will become an annual trip included in the exciting and varied 

Cub calendar. 

Our Scouts have also been having a fun time this 

term with events including a visit from an international 

Scout. Kiera and her dad, all the way from Australia 

took the opportunity to spend the evening with the 

Troop while on holiday. Kiera lived up to our motto 

of “be prepared” by coming along in full uniform, 

well done, full points for you! The Scouts also 

recently held their own Halloween celebrations in 

the usually messy Scout way with games including 

make a mummy, scoffing doughnuts with no hands 

and also went all out on the costume competition. 

Gleddoch 

Ladies Golf Club 

Gleddoch Ladies celebrated the end 

of this golfing season at the annual 

Prizegiving Dinner at Gleddoch House 

Hotel on 28th October. Members and 

friends all enjoyed a delicious meal in very 

congenial surroundings. Congratulations 

to all the prizewinners: 

Club Champion Shirley Back, Runnerup 

June Lockhart; Rosebowl Mhairi 

Bryce; Ladies Doubles Roisin Black and 

Margaret Adams; Mixed Doubles Linda 

and Eddie Brown - and to all the winners 

of competitions during the season. 

Other/Latest results: 28th August SLGA 

stroke competition: Silver Roisin Black, 

Bronze Mhairi Bryce. September Medal: 

Silver Isabell Donnelly, Bronze Trixie 

Brown after countback from Mhairi 

Bryce. 2nd October Autumn Meeting: 

Silver Isabell Donnelly , Bronze Mhairi 

Bryce. 9th October SLGA Stableford : 

Silver Shirley Back, Bronze Linda Brown. 

October Medal: Silver Jackie Gray, 

Bronze Margaret Adams. 

Congratulations to all! The good weather 

has continued, and the first Winter League 

was played in lovely weather. 

The Explorer group has seen the biggest rise in 

numbers over the last couple of years going from 

just 8 Explorers three years ago to 25 at present. 

As a group they plan their own programme of events and this year have 

chosen to concentrate on Young Leader training, completing activities 

in the hall for their Duke of Edinburgh Awards and also have been able 

to fi t in some games nights too. This week George, their Leader hosted a “Not Halloween Party but dress up Quiz” 

night instead. “They might be all grown up but who doesn’t love dressing up” said one Explorer about the leadership 

team, “so we asked George to host the quiz and we all dressed up”. A Great night was had by 

all. Best Costume was won by The Joker and The Ghoul. 

In other Explorer news, George Bream who has now lead the Explorers for three years continues 

to lead by example. She supports all the Explorers through their Duke of Edinburgh Awards as 

a volunteer and coordinates the programme single handed for all 25 young people; including 

leading all the Expeditions herself, a tricky task as she is a full time teacher and leads overseas 

expeditions for young people in her summer holidays. This year though she took on her own 

Duke of Edinburgh Diamond Challenge raising money for the award and showing that challenges 

should still be undertaken no matter what your age by persuading her 67 year old Dad to join 

her on her second summit of Mount Kilimanjaro. The father daughter team raised money as well for a charity close 

to them, Polycystic Kidney Disease Charity; a genetic disease both mum and brother suffer from. They successfully 

summitted together at 7.20am on the 30th July and raised over £1,600 for both charities. 

LEADER NEEDED: Despite all the good news in our troop we are now really missing our tiny adventurers called the 

Chipmunks. We have been unable to replace our retired leadership team and that means no Scouting introduction to our 

P1 children. If you think you could help run an informal youth club, with a small focus on outdoor and scouting activities, 

for P1 aged children please get in touch with our group scout leader James Macdonald on groupscoutleader43@gmail. 

com or if you could offer help to any other group in our troop please also contact James. 

Megan Craig, Talented Ice Hockey Player 

Port Glasgow High School pupil Megan Craig, at the tender age of 11, is making a name for herself as a talented ice 

hockey player. About 18 months ago, having started her playing career as a centre, she moved to play in goals as a netminder 

and very soon demonstrated her star potential. Megan, from Kilmacolm, plays her club hockey for Kilmarnock 

where she plays at Under 14 level and is part of the current Scotland Ladies Team where she plays at Under 16. 

In addition to training at Kilmarnock and Braehead Megan travels to Dumfries to participate in the national training days, 

which include, strength and conditioning sessions, diet and nutrition and classroom sessions together with specialist 

goalie training and on ice sessions. 

Megan started training with the squad in September 2015 making her 

Scotland debut in April this year and has now played six games for her 

country, including one shut out in her first game of the BWIFT tournament 

in Swindon in June. Her speed and agility coupled with an aggressive style 

have seen her develop into a much admired player showing maturity that 

belies her young age. 

Megan will be travelling with Scotland to both Hull and Sheffield in the near 

future before attending an intensive training camp in the Czech Republic 

early next year where she will also play in a series of development games. 

61


Old Course Ranfurly Golf Club 

The gents Strathgryffe team have got off to a mixed start this winter in their 

opening matches. Losing 4 down away to Gleddoch, the guys then lost 

3 down away to Ranfurly Castle. A resounding 9 up victory at home to 

Kilmacolm leaves them on aggregate 2up. All to play for. 

The monthly quizzes are back at Old Ranfurly 

with October and November serving up two 

crackers. Danny Dyer and Stewart Watt, our 

resident quiz masters, annoyed and frustrated 

our members with questions Jeremy Paxman 

would have been proud of. With a total of 120 

participants, the guys have raised approximately 

£400 so far for local charities - well done! Its £3 

to enter, and themed catering is also available 

for those looking to make a night of it. Come 

along to our December edition on Friday the 9th! 

Mairi Milne presented a cheque to St. Vincent’s 

Hospice for £1,000 

on Thursday 3rd 

November. This money 

was raised at our recent 

charity fun day on 

Sunday 2nd October. 

It was a beautiful 

sunny day and all the 

participants dug deep 

into their pockets for 

this great charity. 

The ladies of Old 

Ranfurly signed off 

their year of golfi ng competitions with their usual annual Dinner on Friday 

the 21st October. The guest speaker this year was Carol Field - Forensic 

Scientist. 

Carol kept the ladies riveted with her ‘CSI Glasgow’ tales, never before has 

the room been so quiet. We were all mesmerised by her true life tales. 

The ladies section of Old Ranfurly held their annual business meeting 

and prize giving on Tuesday 1st 

November. The evening was well 

attended and lady captain Mairi 

Milne handed over her captain’s 

badge to the incoming lady captain 

– Hazel Kirkland. Mairi has had a 

very successful year as captain, not 

only organising many fabulous social 

events but managing to cut 10 strokes 

from her handicap during this busy 

year, quite an achievement. Good 

luck to Hazel who has taken over the 

helm, and is no doubt hoping to follow 

in Mairi’s footsteps with regards to her 

handicap. 

Halloween Fun at Strathgryffe 

The youngsters at Strathgryffe Tennis & Squash Club enjoyed a spooky 

day of fun team tennis on Saturday 29th October. In the morning, the mini 

members came dressed as either skeletons or ghosts and the afternoon 

juniors were dressed as either witches or vampires. A mixture of both singles 

and doubles matches were played with the skeletons winning the morning 

competition and the witches the afternoon. The Halloween spirit continued 

with dooking for apples and munching treacle covered doughnuts. 

Assistant Coach James Reid who organised the event commented, ‘Many 

thanks to Benenden for supplying the Halloween box of goodies. All the 

kids had loads of fun and thoroughly enjoyed the day!’ 

Castle Semple Sailing Club 

The Castle Semple Sailing Club held its annual Prize Giving evening at the 

McKillop Hall to tie in with the Lochwinnoch Village Ceilidh. 

It was good to see so many people come along to the Prize Giving including 

some cadets (Euan and Gordon) - it seemed to go quite well once I had 

managed to work out which glasses went with which trophies! 

Many thanks to Paul O’Neill of O’Neills of Paisley for arranging all the 

engraving. Thanks also to Steve C for putting together all the slides for us. 

It was reassuring to know that it was a computer blip that made some of the 

slides appear upside down and not the amount we had had to drink! 

We had booked the room until 8pm but at approaching 9pm the caretaker 

came in tapping her watch that we were well over time. 

People either drifted off home, or in to the Ceilidh now in full swing in the 

big hall. However, a few people decided that a visit to the Brown Bull was 

in order prior to visiting the Ceilidh........... 

Well done to all the winners: 

Asymmetric Cup 1 Brian Young and Alan Falconer 

Commodore Cup 1 Angus Winchester 

Ian Brown 1 Brian Young and Alan Falconer 

Cucuna Minucci 1 Peter Collings and Hector Wedderburn 

Winter Series 1 Douglas McQuilken and Pamela Hunter 

and Angus Winchester 

Spring Series Wed Gold Brian Young and Alan Falconer 

Silver Hugh Russell 

Jim Gordon Series Gold Angus Winchester 


Summer Series Wed Gold Angus Winchester 


Summer Series Sun Gold Angus Winchester 

Silver Ross McGlennon 

Autumn Series Wed Gold Brian Young and Alan Falconer 


Autumn Series Sun Gold Brian Young and Alan Falconer 


The GP 14 1 Steve Davison 

TrophySponsored by 

O’Neills of Paisley 

For further info see website www/castlesemplesc.co.uk 

“Team Pam” and Angus Winchester 

joint winners of the Winter Series 

Ross McGlennon 

winner of Summer 

Sunday Silver Series 

Euan Wong cadet 

winner of the Silver 

Fleet 

Birkmyre Bears - four in a row! 

This winning streak has consolidated our position as fifth in the league and, 

put us through to the next round in the West Bowl. With the good Autumnal 

weather suiting our expansive brand of running rugby we racked up some 

great victories. 

Local rivals Bishopton were beaten 25 - 20. Loch Lomond were dispatched 

15 - 14 and, for the first time in our history we travelled to Stranraer and 

beat Wigtownshire 13 - 7. Moffat then travelled to Birkmyre Park and were 

put to the sword 43 - 0. 

Training continues every Tuesday and Thursday evenings right up to 

Christmas and as ever we 

would give a warm welcome 

to any new players wanting 

to join our winning team. If 

you are 18 + call Donald 

Hall on 07799 154597 for 

more information.


Get Into The Swing Of Things 

The Kilmacolm Golf Club 

63 

Budding golfers are being given the chance to try the sport for free thanks 

to the coaching programme offered by Kilmacolm Golf Club. 

The free sessions, aimed at beginners 

or those returning to the game, will cover 

the basics, including set-up and grip, 

putting, chipping, short and long irons. 

Iain Nicholson, Kilmacolm Golf Club’s 

PGA professional, said “The sessions give anyone interested in trying golf 

the ideal opportunity to give it a go alongside people in a similar situation 

in a relaxed and enjoyable environment.” 

The programme starts on 30th of January and runs each Monday 

(7 - 8pm) until the 20th of March at St Columba’s Church Hall, Kilmacolm. 

Extra sessions will be run at Kilmacolm Golf Club after the 8 weeks for 

all those interested in learning more. The lessons are FREE and all are 

welcome to attend! All equipment will be provided and further details can 

be obtained from Iain Nicholson 01505 872695 or by e-mailing enquiries@ 

iainnicholsongolf.co.uk 

Kilmacolm Junior AGM 

There was a great turnout for the Junior AGM at Kilmacolm Golf Club 

on Sunday 13th November. A competition was played first and then the 

Prizegiving for winners during the year. Andrew Thomson, Junior Captain 

presented his report and Kenny Wilson, Club Vice-Captain presented the 

prizes. Harry Kellock was elected as Junior Captain for the next season. 

Here is a photo of all the happy prize winners. Thanks to Lynda Bradley 

who organised the event and Junior competitions and to Jim Mackie who 

organises the Junior Newton Shield team. 

The Kilmacolm Golf Club 

has a limited number 

of spaces available for 

membership in 2017. 

If you are thinking of 

changing your Club for 

next year and are looking 

for that little bit more, then 

Kilmacolm is the Club for you. From excellent practice facilities and a 

full driving range, to the most scenic and beautiful course in the district, 

Kilmacolm really does offer more. 

• Stunning 18-hole course rated in Scotland’s top 100 courses 

• Some of golf’s most spectacular views 

• Full driving range with ball dispenser 

• Short Game area 

• Two Practice Putting Greens 

• First Rate Pro-Shop with Big-Name Brands 

• Excellent tuition from our resident Professionals 

• Buggies for hire 

• Trolley storage facilities 

• Modernised traditional Clubhouse 

• Great food in a beautifully appointed restaurant 

• Friendly, customer focused staff 

• Highly qualified and dedicated Greens Staff 

• A full and varied competition schedule 

• Friendly and welcoming members 

• A progressive Club with great ideas 

If it sounds like this is what you are looking for, or you feel this is lacking 

from your own Club, get in touch with us to discuss our membership 

opportunities for 2017. 

Email: gm@kilmacolmgolfclub.com or Tel: 01505 872139 

Sporting Blog 

by Lesley Handley 

Before much evidence and research happened, runners just ran ... There was 

no real thought put into it and it was just a natural thing to do. Now, as time has 

moved on and a lot of research has taken place, runners need to do more than 

just run; they need to be strong and athletic. If not, even with good running 

technique injuries and poor performance are common. Some statistics put an 

injury rate greater than 60% for runners! Many runners now accept that they 

will perform and feel better if they do more than just run. Reducing the chance 

of injury and improving performance isn’t too hard to do – by adding some 

strength training to a regular routine makes all the difference. Whether the 

goal is to run faster, further or simply to run more efficiently with less aches and 

pains, strength sessions and exercises can help to correct muscle imbalances 

and weaknesses, improving performance. 

You should focus on targeting the key muscles that will help keep you 

balanced, such as your core, lower back, shoulders, glutes, quadriceps and 

hamstrings (upper leg muscles). Strengthening these main muscles will allow 

you to use the body more efficiently. Using runner-specific strength exercises 

such as planks, squats, back extensions and lunges will help to increase 

structural fitness or the ability for your bones, ligaments, tendons and muscles 

to withstand the impact of running. While most forms of strength training can 

help improve overall performance, exercises that can be specific to running 

will be the most beneficial to you quicker. Improvements in strength allow the 

body to continue performing during longer distances, switch gears quickly and 

run faster as well as assisting in keeping a good running technique for longer 

– preventing the likelihood for injury. 

For more information and your free strength conditioning programme for 

runners, e-mail me at Lesley@fi tsmartfi tness.co.uk and I will send it through 

to you! 

Lesley 

For more information/advice on Personal Training or nutrition contact me on 0773 627 4925 

or e-mail Lesley@fitsmartfitness.co.uk


TRADES AND SERVICES 

ADVERTISING 

business ad rates: 

TRADES & SERVICES 

Black & White ads only 

Lineage: up to 20 words £12.50* 

Boxed ad: £7.00* per column cm 

PROPERTY & HOLIDAY HOMES 

CARS FOR SALE 

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Boxed ad: £7.50* per column cm 

Photo: add £7.50* (colour) 

*all prices subject to VAT 

MISCELLANEOUS 

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MONTH (INCL. VAT) 

HEALTHCARE/BEAUTY 

Houston registered childminders. 

For an informal chat to fi nd 

your best childcare, call 

Elizabeth Waddell T: 614925 

Kilmacolm/Quarriers area 

registered childminders. P/ 

time or F/time vacancies for 

u-5’s and after school. T: 

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BUSINESS 

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Advertisement to distinguish from private advertisers.


65 

PROPERTY 

churches 

BRIDGE OF WEIR 

Freeland Church: Rev KN Gray BA 

BD. Morning Service 10.30am. 

Crèche, Sunday School, Lynx 

and Cornerstone. Evening 

Service 7pm www.freeland. 

org.uk 

St Mary’s Episcopal Church, 

Johnston Rd, Bridge of Weir, 

PA11 3EE. Our Services are 

held every Sunday at 10am. 

On the fi rst Sunday each month 

at 6pm we welcome all who 

enjoy the beauty of quietness 

and peace at “Sanctuary” our 

Contemplative Service. All who 

seek God in mindful enquiry, 

in beauty, in quietness and 

service to others, all who are 

tired of life or full of it, all who 

are confident or all who are 

afraid - indeed whoever you 

are - you are welcome here! 

http://www.heartlandsec.org/ 

BoW/index.html Contact: Revd. 

Heller G.P 01505 872961. 

St Machar’s Ranfurly Church: 

Sunday services 10.30am, 

Junior Church & Youth Church, 

hearing aid loop system. For 

more information on activities 

and events find us online – 

stmacharsranfurlychurch.org. 

uk or Facebook. Come along 

– all welcome. 

Hope Hall: Sun 1pm Sunday 

School, 4.30pm Gospel Service; 

Mon 6.30pm Investigators for 

Kids, 8pm Bible Study and 

Prayer. 

ELDERSLIE 

Elderslie Kirk: Sunday service 

every week at 11am. Minister - 

Rev Robin Allison. All welcome. 

Weekly meetings:- Monday 

Club every week from 12noon 

- 2.30pm. Light lunch and a 

varied activity programme. 

Midweek Fellowship will meet 

every Wed from 10.30am for 

Tea/Coffee followed by a short 

Service of Worship at 11am. 

HOWWOOD 

Howwood Parish Church. Minister 

Rev May Bell. Sunday Service 

and Sunday School. 10am each 

Sunday. Prayer meeting held 

at 3 Bowfi eld Way , Howwood, 

7.30pm on Tuesdays. 

HOUSTON 

Houston and Killellan Kirk: 

Church of Scotland, Scottish 

Charity no SC 012822. www. 

houstonkirk.org. As there is 

a pulpit vacancy at Houston 

and Killellan Kirk the services 

HOLIDAY HOMES 

RESIDENTIAL TO RENT 

ADVERTISE 

HERE FOR ONLY 

£16.79 PER 

MONTH (INCL. VAT) 

will be conducted by visiting 

ministers. 6th November Holy 

communion service at 9.45am, 

Morning service at 11am. 13th 

November - Remembrance 

Day service at 10.45am. 20th 

November - Morning service at 

11am. 27th November - Morning 

service at 11am. Note:- We 

celebrate Holy Communion on 

the fi rst Sunday of March and 

October. There are 3 services 

on each day 11am, 2.00pm 

and 6.45pm. A common cup 

is used for elders on duty and 

available to any members of 

the congregation who wish to 

use it. It is served in the front 

two rows of the church. Fortifi ed 

wine is used in the common cup. 

The rest of the congregation 

are served bread and wine 

in individual glass thimble 

containers using non-alcoholic 

wine. We also celebrate Holy 

Communion at the early morning 

service on the fi rst Sunday of 

each month at 9.45am. (Except 

July & August). The common cup 

is used fi lled with fortifi ed wine. 

St Fillan’s, Main St, Houston: Sun 

Masses: Vigil (Sat) 5pm, 9.30am 

& 11am. Weekday Mass: Tues - 

Sat 9.30am except Thurs, 7pm. 

Reconciliation: Sat 10 - 10.30am 

and after Vigil Mass; Thurs 7.30 - 

8pm. Exposition: As announced. 

All are welcome. Baptisms: 1st 

& 3rd Sunday of the month by 

arrangement. Parish Priest: 

Rev Daniel J McLoughlin, Dip. 

Th.,MA Pastoral Assistant: Sr 

Mary Frances Collett, RNDM (Tel 

01505 613514). “Abbotsfi eld”, 

St Fillan’s, Main St, Houston, 

PA6 7EL. T: 01505 612046, 

F: 01505 610556. E: parish@ 

stfillan.org.uk. www.stfillan. 

org.uk 

Houston Baptist Church at Carrick 

Centre: 11am Family services 

with SS for children age 5 - 12; 

6pm Eve Service; Mid-week 

Home Bible Study; For more 

information contact; Rev D 

Snelson 01505 612722. 

Church of the Nazarene: Village 

Hall, Main St, Houston PA6 

7EL. Rev Benito S Coetzee. 

Family services at 10.30am 

with full toddler, children & youth 

activities running concurrently 

with the service. Youth meets at 

6.30pm - 8pm on Sundays. Word 

and Table Quiet Service held 

from 9am - 9.30am every 3rd 

Sunday. www.houston.nazarene. 

org.uk 

DEADLINES 

If you want something placed in the 

next issue either send an email to: 


or call the office: 

01505 613340 (24hr ans) 


January ‘17 Issue: 

• Deadline: 09 Dec 

• Delivery: 30 Dec 

February ‘17 Issue: 

• Deadline: 13 Jan 

• Delivery: 27 Jan 

KILBARCHAN 

Kilbarchan Parish Church: 

Services continue at 11am each 

Sunday throughout December, 

conducted by Rev. Stephen 

Smith. Sunday School and the 

creche meet in the large hall 

from 10.45am each week and 

refreshments will be served 

after the service as usual. 

KILMACOLM 

St Columba Church of Scotland: 

(charity no SC007992) Morning 

Worship Sundays at 11am. 

Grace Church Kilmacolm: in 

association with Downavale 

Free Church of Scotland (Charity 

No: SCO38274) - Sunday Service 

at 10.30am in Kilmacolm Guide 

Hut, Woodrow Avenue, PA13 4QF 

- all welcome. 

Kilmacolm Old Kirk: Church of 

Scotland (Charity no. SC009291). 

www.kilmacolmoldkirk.org.uk. 

Minister Rev Dr Peter McEnhill 

(01505 873174). Morning 

Worship – Sundays 11 am, all 

welcome Sunday School and 

Crèche available. Night Kirk, 

a short reflective service 1st 

Sunday each month at 6pm. 

Sòlas Bereavement Group, 2nd 

Thursday each month at 6:30 

pm in Kidston Hall. 

St Colm’s Catholic Church, Smithy 

Brae Kilmacolm. Rev Vincent 

Byrne. Family mass Sundays 

10am with children’s liturgy, 

followed by tea and coffee. 

Eucharistic service Thursdays 

11 a m . Ro s a r y Tu e s d ay s 

6.30pm. Prayer group meets 

Thursdays 7.30pm. Further 

information and contact details 

www.stcolmsparish.co.uk. All 

welcome. 

Buddhist meetings: Buddhism 

of Nichiren Daishonin. Phone 

Margaret on 01505 871343. 

St Fillan’s Episcopal Church, Moss 

Road, Kilmacolm, PA13 4DL. 

Services on Sunday at 11.30 

am. Wednesday: 10.30 am Holy 

Communion. On the last Sunday 

of the month at 11:30 am we 

welcome families to come and 

join us for our monthly Family 

Service. We are united by our 

belief in Jesus, who sustains 

and encourages us in all the ups 

and downs of life. Everyone is 

welcome to join us ! http://www. 

heartlandsec.org/KLM/index. 

html Contacts: Revd. Heller 

G.P 01505 872961 / Maureen 

Russell (Pastoral Assistant) 

01505 872905. 

LANGBANK 

Langbank Parish Church: Rev Dr 

Ken Forrest. Sunday Services 

10am with Sunday School, 

Crèche and young people’s 

group, the Welcomers. Tea/ 

coffee after the service. Church 

service starts at 10am. Come 

along and meet in the Hall 

from 9.50am. Charity No 

SC015085. 

LOCHWINNOCH 

Parish Church: Rev May Bell. 

11.30am Morning Service 

Sunday School and Crèche. 

Calder United Free Church: 

(Church St Lochwinnoch) 

Sunday: 11am Morning worship 

with Sunday School and Crèche. 

6.30pm Evening Fellowship 

group, 7.30pm ABC’s Teen 

group. Wed 6.30pm - 7.30pm. 

Spiritualist Church, Lochlip Rd: All 

services commence 7.30pm. 

QUARRIERS 

Mount Zion Church: Rev. Andy 

Lunn BSc, (01475 791282) 

Mount Zion Church, Law View 

Road, Quarriers Village, PA11 

3FD. Sunday Worship: 10:30am, 

Bible Study and Prayer Meetings: 

Wednesday at 7pm and Friday 

at 10 am. “Mozzy” Youth Club 

Thursdays at 6:30 for young 

people of high school age. Half 

night of prayer: 7pm – midnight, 

4th Friday of each month. Feel 

free to come along at any of 

these times. 

‘The Gatherin’ is at 7pm on the 

fourth Sunday of each month, at 

Mount Zion Church in Quarriers 

Village. The Gatherin’ for people 

to come together who hunger 

for more of the presence of the 

Lord and to be fed from His word. 

Please come and invite others: 

all welcome! 

Celebrate Christmas with us. 

At this festive time of year we 

praise God for Jesus, the source 

of our joy. Sunday 18 December 

Family Service at 10:30am 

- Christmas truth for all age 

groups, with puppets, carols and 

fun; Christmas Eve - Carols by 

Candlelight at 7pm - Christmas 

carols for all and musical items 

from our church and young 

people. Come early for a good 

seat! Followed by seasonal 

refreshments; Christmas 

Day - Family Celebration at 

10:30am. 

LOCAL INFORMATION 

community council 

Visitors are welcome at these monthly meetings. 

BISHOPTON: Primary School: 1st Thurs at 7.30pm 

www.bishoptoncouncil.com 

BRIDGE OF WEIR: Cargill Hall 1st Tuesday 7pm. 

(NB: no meetings July, August and January) 

www.bridgeofweir.org 

BROOKFIELD: Brookfield Village Hall: 7.30pm 

in February, April, June, August, October and 

December on 2nd Thursday of the month. 

HOUSTON: Carrick Centre: 3rd Wed at 7.30pm 

www.houstoncommcouncil@yahoo.co.uk 

HOWWOOD: Village Hall: 2nd Tues at 7.30pm. 

www.howwood.com/community-council.php 

KILBARCHAN: Steeple Hall: monthly at 7.30pm. 

www.kilbarchan.info/community_council.html 

KILMACOLM & QUARRIERS: Last Tues at 7.30pm, 

Kilmacolm Cargill Centre (NB: No meetings: July or 

Dec) www.kilmacolmcc.co.uk 

LANGBANK: Church Hall: 2nd Wed at 7.30pm 

LOCHWINNOCH: Bowling Club: 1st Tues at 7.30pm 

community halls to let 

Bridge of Weir, Freeland Church. Tel: 612245 

Brookfi eld, Village Hall. Tel: 335562 

Houston, Carrick Centre. Tel: 612203 / 331488 

Houston, Compass Centre. Tel: 615441 / 612617 

Kilbarchan, Guide Centre. Tel: 702758. 

Kilbarchan, Old Library Centre. Tel: 706070 

Kilmacolm, Cargill Centre. Tel: 873994 

Kilmacolm, Brownie/Guide Hut. Tel: 874428 

Kilmacolm, Masonic Hall. Tel: 873059 

Linwood Masonic Hall. Tel: 07825 222944 

Please add your community hall details to our list - 

email to info@advertizer.co.uk 

local councillors 

RENFREWSHIRE COUNCIL: www.renfrewshire.gov.uk 

Ward 7 - Johnstone South, Elderslie & Howwood: Cllrs 

John Caldwell, John Hood, Stephen McGee and 

Iain McMillan 

Ward 8 - Johnstone (North), Kilbarchan & Lochwinnoch: 

Councillors Derek Bibby, Andy Doig and Christopher 

Gilmour 

Ward 9 - Houston, Crosslee, Brookfi eld & Linwood: 

Councillors Stuart Clark, Audrey Doig, Anne Hall 

and Allan Noon 

Ward 10 - Bishopton, Bridge of Weir & Langbank: 

Councillors Maria Brown, Mike Holmes and James 

Maclaren 

INVERCLYDE COUNCIL: www.inverclyde.gov.uk 

Ward 1 - Inverclyde East (P.Glasgow, Kilmacolm and 

Quarriers Village): Cllrs David Wilson, Jim MacLeod, 

Stephen McCabe and James McColgan 

looking for someone local? 

www.advertizer.co.uk/clients


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to any height. Inc. removable 

tray section. Good cond. & full 

instructions. Smoke free home. 

£70. Tel: 01505 672175. 

Baby Dan highchairs 1 black, 1 

dark mahogany. Both with all 

original parts and instructions. 

Both with some chips in paint. 

Black; £20, Mahogany effect 

£15. Collection only. Tel: 

07772 173910. 

Car Seats: 2 Rodi Maxi-Cosi 

car seats for sale, exc. cond., 

black & grey, suitable for age 

3-8. Each seat cost £100 new, 

sell each for £20. Tel: 01505 

690658. 

CLOTHES & SHOES 

Men’s Dehavilland black coat. 

Wool/cashmere mix, hardly 

worn and in exc. cond. 

Chest 48ins. £50. Tel: 01505 

672175. 

Marks and Spencer men’s charcoal 

suit. Chest 48ins, waist 

38ins, inside leg 31ins. Wool 

rich blend, exc. cond. £25. Tel: 

01505 672175. 

Men’s M&S waxed casual coat in 

dark green. Size large. As new. 

£60. Tel: 01505 672175. 

Men’s waxed Barbour gilet in dark 

green. Size large. Good cond. 

£50. Tel: 01505 672175. 

Men’s full length Dannimac raincoat 

in grey. Removable lining. 

Size large. Good cond. £30. 

Tel: 01505 672175. 

Beautiful Kilt - fi ts 34” - 36” waist 

& Jacket 40”. £50. Tel: 01505 

337675. 

Dr Martens safety shoes, FS57 

Air-Wair. Black leather, size 9. 

Never worn, still in box. £25. 

Tel: 01505 690247. 

Red padded jacket hip length, 

zip through, pockets size 14 

brand new. £25. Tel: 07856 

610671. 

Pair of Chest Waders Scierra 

make with separate boots, size 

10. Brand new condition. £70. 

Tel: 07882 984824. 

Purple peplum-style maternity 

dress by Seraphine in size 14. 

£8. Tel: 01505 672175. 

Women’s Nike running jacket. 

Lightweight, black, size medium. 

Exc cond. £20. Tel: 

01505 672175. 

“Aquascutum” sage green long 

Waterproof, worn twice (unwanted 

present). Great bargain 

£40. Tel: 01505 842558. 

HOUSEHOLD & GARDEN 

2 Single Recliner Massage Beds 

with remotes. Can clip together 

to make king size. £199 

each or £300 for two. Tel: 

07812 520544. 

Standard Lamp bought in B&Q 4 

months ago. £12 Tel: 01505 

872813. 

Wooden Standard Lamp, big 

shade with fringe. Picture 

available. Offers. Tel: 01505 

872813. 

Ikea Children’s Brown/ Grey 

Sundvik single bed. Lovely 

bed, great cond. Dismantled. 

With assembly instructions and 

original screws etc. Collection 

only. £40 ono. Tel: 07772 

173910. 

Next oak style wardrobe with 

two drawers, bought for £450 

would accept £60 ono. Tel: 

07527 066973. 

Narrow pale oak hall table, decorated 

stand-up back, decorative 

scroll top legs. Some 

damage to front edge. Cheap 

at £40. Tel: 01505 872032. 

New single bed headboard. Very 

modern design (high back). 

Mocha colour, suedette. Never 

used. Bargain £20. Tel: 01505 

690247. 

Single divan bed, head board and 

mattress with storage space, 

excellent condition. £150 

or nearest offer. Tel: 01505 

323058 or E: s_mcclymont@ 

hotmail.com 

Half-moon dark mahogany table. 

Georgian styling. Only £30. 

Tel: 01505 872032 

2 Hall Tables. Half moon rose 

coloured wood, W:720, H:750, 

D:360mm VGC. £20. Half 

Octagonal dark wood, carved 

legs and side with glass top. 

W:710, H:740, D:380mm, VGC 

£30. House move forces sale. 

Tel: 07759 024988. 

Retro style oak and veneer coffee 

table from the House by John 

Lewis range. Handy shelves 

and drawers for storage. Approx 

H38cm x W110cm x 

D60cm. Exc. cond., smoke 

free home. £170. Tel: 01505 

672175. 

Caramel leather suite. 3 + 2 + 1 

+ footstool. Good condition. 

£300. Tel: 07981 018870. 

Dark Wooden Dresser (small). 

Matches dining room suite. 

W:940 H:810 D:440mm. 

House move forces sale. £50. 

Tel: 07759 024988. 

Double Bed. Base splits, each 

half with 2 drawers. Exc. Cond. 

Rarely used. £100. Tel: 07981 

018870. 

Dark Wood Dining Room Suite. 

(Ercol Style). Exc. cond., 4 

chairs, 2 carvers, carved side 

of table. Trellis extending table. 

solid wood, lovely suite. Table 

1220 x 810mm closed, 1820 

x 810 extended and 760mm 

high. House move forces sale. 

£125. Tel: 07759 024988. 

Selection of Mirrors. 2 oval each 

£10, small ‘dimpled’ pattern 

brass framed. £25. House 

move forces sale. Tel: 07759 

024988. 

Cintique 3 seater settee. Wooden 

sides and back, cream 

fl oral ‘tapestry.’ Good cond, 

cushions very fi rm, hardly sat 

on! Dimensions 1780mm L x 

860mm W x 950mm H (to top 

of cushion) seat height 470mm. 

House move hence sale. £65. 

Tel: 07759 024988. 

Mirrored wooden bathroom cabinet. 

Approx 60cm W x 65cm 

H x 13cm D. 3 shelves. Good 

used cond. £30. Tel: 01505 

672175. 

White bathroom sink and pedestal 

with taps. Approx 58cm W 

x 46cm D, bowl is 15cm deep. 

Pedestal 65cm high. Good 

used cond. £25. Tel: 01505 

672175. 

Galvanised steel ash bucket 10 

litre. £5. Tel: 01505 672175. 

Pine Double Bed + Pine Bedside 

Table £65. Pine Chest of Drawers 

£45. Pine Bookcase £45 

or £130 for all items. All items 

in good cond. Tel: 01475 

540141. 

Pair of tall cream fabric-covered 

cylindrical lamps (approx 

115cm tall and 15cm in diameter 

). Ideal for bedside. Good 

cond., smoke free home. £30. 

Tel: 01505 672175. 

Bed, electric riser & recliner with 

memory foam mattress and 

headboard. New £699, Sell for 

£199. Tel: 07986 812483. 

New pine table & 2 matching high 

back stools. £35. Tel: 01505 

612726. 

Modern standard lamp & matching 

table lamp. Still boxed. 

£20. Tel: 01505 612726. 

Moving - variety of household 

items, including electrical 

items, chairs, tables, linen etc. 

Tel: 07466 676779. 

ELECTRICAL & GAS 

DC50 Dyson Animal Upright 

Hoover. 2 1 / 2 

years warranty. 

Brand new condition. £150. 

Tel: 07882 984824. 

Panasonic portable stereo CD 

system in silver. Good cond. 

with instructions & remote. 

£15. Tel: 01505 672175. 

PETS 

Dog extending lead, M/L dog, 

5 metre Tape, Flexi Classic, 

Black, New in packaging. 

£7. Tel: 07717 190180 (Kilmacolm). 

2 Folding Dog Crates (as new). 1 

x 3ft x 2 ft - £25. 1 x 2ft x 1ft 6” - 

£20. Tel: 07784 578343. 

SPORTS 

Rayleigh Boys Bike to suit aged 

7 - 9 years. Good cond. £20. 

Tel: 07760 996225. 

Salopettes - Girl, age 13-14, lilac, 

waterproof, windproof, phone 

pocket, goggle pocket. £15. 

Tel: 01505 872442. 

Bowls, Vector VS, size 4, plain, 

colour Jaff a Black speckled, 

dated 2019. VGC. £50. Tel: 

01505 614492. 

Bikemate child carrier bike seat, 

attaches easily to rear of bike. 

Adjustable harness, adjustable 

foot rests and straps. 

Good cond. £20. Tel: 07772 

173910. 

Dinesse large Matt black ski/ 

snowboard helmet. Good cond. 

£20. Tel: 01505 672175. 

Snooker/pool table. 5’ x 2.5’. 

Folding legs. Good cond. 2 

sets of balls (pool & snooker). 

Cues (3 small & 1 large). 

Extras (chalk, 2 triangles, new 

tips). £50 - Must collect. Tel: 

01505 690288. 

Golf Clubs - 1 x Wilson Golf Bag 

& Trolley, 7 woods, 8 irons, 

2 putters. £30. Tel: 07784 

578343. 

2 GUL Wetsuits, long leg/sleeve 

- both hardly used. Pet/smoke 

free home. Age 10 size - winter 

use - red/black £20 ono. 

Age 8 size - spring/autumn 

use - blue/black £15 ono. 

Buyer collects. Tel/Text: 07852 

316771. 

JLL exercise bike, 12 months old, 

only 30 miles on the clock. £65. 

Tel: 01505 873501. 

Dumbbell Set (York 15kg). 

Unused, still in box. Ideal 

Christmas present. £10. Tel: 

01505 690247. 

Kettler Sport - folding table tennis 

table. Exc. cond. £60. Tel: 

07714 212557. 

6ft x 3ft snooker table with net 

pockets, half set of snooker 

balls, triangle, cues and score 

board - can be folded down. 

Exc. cond. £100 ono. Tel: 

01505 323058 or E: s_mcclymont@hotmail.com 

Salopettes - Girl, 26”, Dare2be, 

dark grey, waterproof, windproof, 

leg, front & back pockets. 

£15. Tel: 01505 872442. 

ADVERTISING 

sales & wants ad rates: 

UP TO £200 ....... FREE 

£201 to £500 ..... £5.00 

£501 to £1000 ... £10.00 

OVER £1000 ..... Call for details. 

Use our Sales & Wants form and post to 

The Gryffe Advertizer, Neva Place, Bridge 

of Weir, PA11 3PN. 

or email your items to info@advertizer.co.uk 

The Business Advertisements (Disclosure) Order 1977 

NOTICE TO ADVERTISERS 

The Law requires that Advertisers selling goods in the course 

of a business MUST include the word Trader, Dealer, Agent, 

Breeder or appropriate wording in the Advertisement to 

distinguish from private advertisers. 

TOYS/GAMES/DVD 

Sylvanian family hotel, few extras. 

Good cond. £50. Tel: 

01505 702903. 

Wooden toy ark with animals. 

Good cond., smoke free home. 

£12. Tel: 01505 672175. 

Wooden Pony in a stick push toy. 

£4. Tel: 01505 672175. 

Tidlo wooden activity walker. 

Exc. cond. £18. Tel: 01505 

672175. 

Mamas and Papas large rocking 

horse. Exc. cond. from smoke 

& pet free home. Ideal Xmas 

present, immac cond. £75. Tel: 

07540 596415. 

Tonka yellow truck. Exc. cond. 

from smoke & pet free home. 

Ideal Xmas present, VGC. £5. 

Tel: 07540 596415. 

Happy Land train, post office 

and fi re station sets incl. most 

original parts all working and in 

good used cond. Other various 

Happy Land characters and 

pieces included. Perfect Xmas 

present. £25 all in. Tel: 07772 

173910. 

Rocking horse, hand crafted, 

beautifully made. £160. Tel: 

01505 612896. 

Plastic toddler seat for child’s 

swing with ropes attached, just 

no frame. Very good condition. 

£6. Tel: 01505 672175 

Peppa Pig toys all in good cond. 

Rocket with sounds and 3 fi g- 

ures, camping set with camper 

van & zip slide, 3 fairground 

pieces, grandpa pig and boat, 

Peppa Pig car and family, 

house & shops, school & children, 

lots more. Perfect Xmas 

present - Job lot £45 or pay 

individually £3 up. Collection 

only. Tel: 07772 173910. 

OTHER ITEMS 

Floor Mounted Projector Screen. 

£25. Tel: 07759 024988. 

Noris Slide Projector. Good 

working order (bulb works) in 

leather case. £35. Tel: 07759 

024988. 

Remington Ceramic Hair Straighteners. 

New, unwanted gift. 

£25. Tel: 07759 024988. 

Pair of Jamo 100W, D-135, black 

ash speakers. (H21” x W11” x 

D9”). Good working cond. £35. 

Tel: 01505 690247. 

National 5 Practice Paper & How 

to Pass books. Maths, English, 

Modern Studies, French, Business. 

Great condition. C £10 

each new. Sell for £2 each. Tel: 

01505 615055. 

Brand new steel car wheel 

6JX15H2 and new Jinyu tyre 

185/60 R15. Stored as spare 

wheel only. £80. Tel: 07736 

067169. 

Microsoft wireless keyboard, 

mouse and USB desktop receiver 

in black and silver. 

Excellent condition. £15. Tel: 

01505 672175. 

Amber vintage necklace 80g, 

long cognac colour £48. Tel: 

07856 610671. 

DIY Tools:- Twin bench grinder, 

hand grinder (Makita), Table 

saw & blades, Router, Rotary 

hammer drill (600w), Hand 

jigsaws, Power hand planer 

(Makita), Drill (B&D 600w), 

clamps etc. Offers as seen. 

Tel: 0141 886 3109. 

Gents Watch - Citizen Eco-Drive. 

Black face with silver colour 

hands/numerals and day/date 

calendar. Black leather strap. 

VGC, original box, instructions. 

£30. Tel: 01505 690247. 

Reiki Bed (manual) rarely used. 

Navy blue. Comes with own 

wheeled trolley case for easy 

transportation. Buyer collects. 

£90. Tel: 07794 912790. 

Eumig P8 Novo Automatic in 

original box. Made in Austria 

1960’s cine projector in good 

working order, no scratches 

etc. Needs new bulb (available 

on Ebay from £6). Includes 

empty spool. £130. Tel: 07759 

024988. 

Vintage Harris hand sewing 

machine. £25. Tel: 01505 

672175. 

Binoculars, vintage, British, telstar 

coated lenses. £25. Tel: 

07856 610671. 

Classical Guitar. Very rarely 

used. £30. Tel: 01505 

612726. 

Portable Yamaha Organ (V.G.C.) 

with stand and sheet music. 

Great bargain. £30. Tel: 01505 

842558. 

WANTED ITEMS 

Old records Wanted 45`s & 

LP`s CASH Paid. Tel: 07710 

777571. 

Becker Map Pilot Sat Nav 

for Mercedes:- Tel: 07837 

494612 

Local lily grower requires the use 

of a greenhouse/polytunnel in 

Kilmacolm area in return for 

light gardening duties. Tel: 

Vince 01505 872082. 

14” dolls for people suffering with 

dementia. Tel: 07763 665496. 

Cash paid for Music CDs (a few 

or a lot). Tel: 0141 882 5594 

or 07765 115347. 

FREE CYCLE 

Hamster cage, 3 levels with 

ramps & wheel, water bottle & 

food station. VGC. Tel: 01505 

872442. 

Red IKEA Hermelin Cotbed 

& Mattress, Dismantled cot 

in good condition. With instructions 

and hopefully all, if 

not most original screws etc. 

Collection only. Tel: 07772 

173910. 

Childs Little Tykes Coupe Car, 

good condition but steering 

wheel has come off, still have 

part so someone may be ale to 

fi x. Collection only. Tel: 07772 

173910. 

looking for 

someone 

local? 

advertizer.co.uk/clients


67 

ADVERTIZERS - A TO Z 

Accountants & Financial 

Affluent Financial Planning . . 28 

Cheetham & Co . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30 

CLA Accountancy Services Ltd . . 15 

Fergusons CA . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30 

Fiona Christie Accounting Serv . . 15 

Stewart Independent Financial . . 1 

Architectural Services 

Casa Homes & Gardens Architect . . 7 

Grid Design Ltd . . . . . . . . . . . 7 

Art, Gifts & Flowers 

Crafts of Calder Gallery . . . 14 

Automotive Services 

AK Vehicle Rental . . . . . . . . . 1 

ARC Fleet Services . . . . . . . . . 37 

Collins Tyres . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37 

Gryffe Garage Motor Engineers . . 37 

Bathrooms 

Affordable Luxuries . . . . . . . 7 

G Woods Bathrooms . . . . . . . . . 6 

Instyle Kitchens & Bathrooms . . 17 

Bedrooms 

Burndale Workshop . . . . . . . . . 8 

Blacksmith & Metalwork 

McLaughlan Metal Fabrication . . 21 

Building Services 

A O’Hare - Building Services . . 5 

Bridge of Weir Roofing . . . . . 6 

Clippens Roofing . . . . . . . . . . 3 

DJD Services . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 50,51 

I & J Building & Roofing Serv . . 2 

James Kerr Joiner . . . . . . . . . 22 

JBC Joiners and Builders . . . 6 

KC Enterprises . . . . . . . . . . . . 6 

Kilellan Roofing . . . . . . . . . . 15 

M Addison Joiners & Builders . . 3 

MBS Roofing & Building Contrac . . 38 

Old Mill Chimneys . . . . . . . . . 47 

SMG Roofing & Building Contrac . . 2 

SW Scott - Joiners & Builders . . 16 

Taylor Made Joinery . . . . . . . . 9 

Thomas McMaster & Son Ltd . . 55 

Business Services 

Laptop and PC Repairs . . . . . . 34 

Care Services & Homes 

Confident Care Ltd . . . . . . . . . 41 

Cleaning & PowerWash 

CleanDryCarpets . . . . . . . . . . . 2 

Come Clean . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39 

DS Cleaning (Windows) . . . . . . 14 

Eclipse deep clean . . . . . . . . . 16 

Gryffe Roofing Services . . . . 15 


MattVac Carpet & Upholstery Cl . . Bk 

Nutech Cleaning . . . . . . . . . . . 2 

Platinum Cleaning Services . . 5 

Coffee Shops 

Bernie’s Cafe Deli . . . . . . . . . 38 

Cross Cafe Kilmacolm . . . . . . . 42 

Computer, IT & Web 

ColCom . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28 

Computer Repairs . . . . . . . . . . 1 


Driveways 

A&G Driveways . . . . . . . . . . . . . Bk 

Driving Instructors 

Alistair Stewart - Driving Ins . . 14 

Paul Ferguson - Confidence . . 7 

Education 

Rugby Tots . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 55 

Electricians 

GasMan Energy . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11 

JDPS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 

Lamont Electricians . . . . . . . . 3 

MAS Electrical & Security . . 2 

Entertainment 

Highland Hustle . . . . . . . . . . . 17 

BY CATEGORY 

Fencing 

Boundaries . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 50 


Firewood & Logs 

Auldton Stoves . . . . . . . . . . . . 19 

LJX . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 52 

Miller BioFuels Ltd . . . . . . . . 2 


W B Smith & Son . . . . . . . . . . . 51 

Framing 


Funeral Services 

Beaton Brothers . . . . . . . . . . . 32 

John Roach Funeral Directors . . 23 

Garage Doors & Gates 

Powerdoors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Bk 

Garden Service & Design 

3D Garden Design . . . . . . . . . . 51 

A Peebles Landscape Contractor . . 52 

Apple Tree Garden Design . . . 51 


Craig Kennedy Gardening . . . . 6 

DJD Services . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 50,51 

DMG Garden Services . . . . . . . . 50 

Garden Services . . . . . . . . . . . 52 

Glenmoss Landscapes . . . . . . . . 52 

Gowanlea Nurseries . . . . . . . . . 9 


M&M Garden Services . . . . . . . . 51 

MJ Lawnmowers . . . . . . . . . . . . . 51 

R Williams Tree Surgeon & Grou . . 52 

SP Groundcare . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7 

W B Smith & Son . . . . . . . . . . . 51 

West of Scotland Landscape . . 50 

Gas & Heating Services 

A&J Plumbing Heating & Gas . . 14 

C Hunter Plumbing Heating Gas . . 6 

CGS Gas Scotland Ltd . . . . . . . 10 

GasMan Energy . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11 

I D Plumbing & Heating . . . . . 4 

Mackie Plumbing & Heating . . 14 

Phoenix Gas Services . . . . . . . 1 

Glazier 

1on1 Double Glazing . . . . . . . . 3 

Cloudy2Clear Windows Glasgow . . 5 

JayBee Double Glazing Repairs . . 7 

TD Cameron . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 

Hairdressers & Barbers 

Arlene Mitchell Hair & Beauty . . 41 

Nix Hairdressing . . . . . . . . . . 42 

Health, Beauty & Fitness 


Bluewater Dental . . . . . . . . . . 20 

Clyde Physiotherapy and Pilate . . 63 

Decorus Beauty . . . . . . . . . . . . 5 

Ferringtons Hypnotherapy . . . 9 

Healing Rooms . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42 


Kilbarchan Chiropodists . . . . 45 

Kilbarchan Dental Practice . . 13 

LaserLight . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 47 

Lauras Nail & Beauty . . . . . . . 9 

New Vision Opticians . . . . . . . 26 

NLP Positive Changes . . . . . . . 24 

Rugby Tots . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 55 

Sole Solutions Podiatry . . . . 43 

Wellcentred UK . . . . . . . . . . . . 18 

Home Hardware 

Gibb Stuart . . . . 14,15,16,27 

Home Improvements 

Alvic Sliding Wardrobes Ltd . . 21 


Ideal Flooring Service . . . . . 5 

Orchard Flooring . . . . . . . . . . 29 

Rent A Bloke . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16 

Home Interiors 

Baytree Interiors . . . . . . . . . 5 



The Furniture Barn . . . . . . . . . 4 

Home Security 

Brookfield Alarms Ltd . . . . . . 7 

Joiners 


CLH Joinery . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14 

CM Carpentry & Flooring . . . . 7 

DJY Joinery Ltd . . . . . . . . . . . 7 



JDPS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 


McGowan Joinery . . . . . . . . . . . 16 




TD Cameron . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 

Woodburn & Beattie Joiners . . 15 

Kilt & Dress Hire 

Henderson’s Kilts . . . . . . . . . 10 

Kitchens 







Laundry & Ironing 

Harrods DryCleaners . . . . . . . . 41 

Leisure & Recreation 

Ranfurly Castle Golf Club . . 60 

Locksmiths 

Arco Locksmith . . . . . . . . . . . . 20 

Elliott Locks . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4 

Painters & Decorators 

A Gallagher Painter&Decorator . . 15 

David Kennedy Decorator . . . . 3 

Ian Livingston Decorating . . 16 

James Martin - Painter & Decor . . 3 

John H Barney . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39 

John Morgan . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6 

M&E Painters . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20 

Ranfurly Decor . . . . . . . . . . . . 42 

Pest Control 

RED Pest Control . . . . . . . . . . 7 

Pet Services & Training 

PetVets . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 48 

Smart Dog Grooming . . . . . . . . . 48 

Photographers 

Little Studio Kilmacolm . . . . 57 

Plasterers 

Bryan Slaven Slater & Plaster . . 2 

Charlie Orr Plasterer . . . . . . 22 



Plumbers 




GasMan Energy . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11 


JDPS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 


Shower Expert . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39 

Property, Sales & Let 

Cochran Dickie Estate Agents . . 35 

Corum Property . . . . . . . . . . . . 33 

Hames Estates . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29 

Kingsley Wood & Co Solicitors . . 1 

Lind Letting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Bk 

Removals 

@ease Removals & Transport . . 6 

The Right Move . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 

Restaurant & Bars 

Ardardan Estate . . . . . . . . . . . 25 


Retail 

Alexander Barr Coal Merchant . . 40 



Gibb Stuart . . . . 14,15,16,27 

Seasons . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40 

Tasty Treats . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6 


Wild Rose Flowers Ltd . . . . . . 25 

R o o fi n g 












Solicitors 

Affinity Family Law Experts . . 3 


Special Occasions 

ABC Taxis . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Bk 

Sports Clubs & Events 


Stoves 


Iron House Stoves Limited . . 26 


Taxis & Minicoach hire 

ABC Taxis . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Bk 

Johnstone TOA Taxi Co . . . . . . 36 

Minicoach Tours Scotland Ltd . . 21 

Tiling 

Gordon James Ceramic Tiler . . 16 

Scott Russell . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15 

Travel Agents 

Travel Actually . . . . . . . . . . . 3 

Tree Surgeon 

Branch Out . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 52 


LJX . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 52 

W B Smith & Son . . . . . . . . . . . 51 

TV & Satellite 

Derek McBride Aerials . . . . . . 42 

Kieran Turner Aerial&Satellite . . 3 

Upholstery Services 



P Thomson Upholstery . . . . . . . 21 

Window Cleaners 



Matthews Cleaning Services . . 14 

Window, Consv & Repair 


Art Window & Doors . . . . . . . . . 31,Bk 


TD Cameron . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 

@ease Removals & Transport . . 6 


3D Garden Design . . . . . . . . . . 51 

A Gallagher Painter&Decorator . . 15 


A Peebles Landscape Contractor . . 52 

A&G Driveways . . . . . . . . . . . . . Bk 


ABC Taxis . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Bk 

Affinity Family Law Experts . . 3 

Affluent Financial Planning . . 28 


AK Vehicle Rental . . . . . . . . . 1 

Alexander Barr Coal Merchant . . 40 

Alistair Stewart - Driving Ins . . 14 

Alvic Sliding Wardrobes Ltd . . 21 

Apple Tree Garden Design . . . 51 

ARC Fleet Services . . . . . . . . . 37 

Arco Locksmith . . . . . . . . . . . . 20 



Art Window & Doors . . . . . . . . . 31,Bk 



Beaton Brothers . . . . . . . . . . . 32 


Bluewater Dental . . . . . . . . . . 20 

Boundaries . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 50 

Branch Out . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 52 


Brookfield Alarms Ltd . . . . . . 7 





CGS Gas Scotland Ltd . . . . . . . 10 

Charlie Orr Plasterer . . . . . . 22 

Cheetham & Co . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30 

CLA Accountancy Services Ltd . . 15 

CleanDryCarpets . . . . . . . . . . . 2 

CLH Joinery . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14 


Cloudy2Clear Windows Glasgow . . 5 

Clyde Physiotherapy and Pilate . . 63 

CM Carpentry & Flooring . . . . 7 

Cochran Dickie Estate Agents . . 35 

ColCom . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28 

Collins Tyres . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37 

Come Clean . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39 

Computer Repairs . . . . . . . . . . 1 

Confident Care Ltd . . . . . . . . . 41 

Corum Property . . . . . . . . . . . . 33 


Craig Kennedy Gardening . . . . 6 

Cross Cafe Kilmacolm . . . . . . . 42 

David Kennedy Decorator . . . . 3 

Decorus Beauty . . . . . . . . . . . . 5 

Derek McBride Aerials . . . . . . 42 

DJD Services . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 50,51 

DJY Joinery Ltd . . . . . . . . . . . 7 

DMG Garden Services . . . . . . . . 50 



Elliott Locks . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4 

Fergusons CA . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30 

Ferringtons Hypnotherapy . . . 9 

Fiona Christie Accounting Serv . . 15 


Garden Services . . . . . . . . . . . 52 

GasMan Energy . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11 

Gibb Stuart . . . . 14,15,16,27 


Gordon James Ceramic Tiler . . 16 

Gowanlea Nurseries . . . . . . . . . 9 

Grid Design Ltd . . . . . . . . . . . 7 

Gryffe Garage Motor Engineers . . 37 


Hames Estates . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29 

Harrods DryCleaners . . . . . . . . 41 

Healing Rooms . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42 

Henderson’s Kilts . . . . . . . . . 10 

contact us 




Ian Livingston Decorating . . 16 

Ideal Flooring Service . . . . . 5 


Iron House Stoves Limited . . 26 


James Martin - Painter & Decor . . 3 



JDPS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 

John H Barney . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39 

John Morgan . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6 

John Roach Funeral Directors . . 23 

Johnstone TOA Taxi Co . . . . . . 36 


Kieran Turner Aerial&Satellite . . 3 

Kilbarchan Chiropodists . . . . 45 

Kilbarchan Dental Practice . . 13 



Lamont Electricians . . . . . . . . 3 


LaserLight . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 47 

Lauras Nail & Beauty . . . . . . . ,9 

Lind Letting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Bk 

Little Studio Kilmacolm . . . . 57 

LJX . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 52 


M&E Painters . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20 

M&M Garden Services . . . . . . . . 51 


MAS Electrical & Security . . 2 

Matthews Cleaning Services . . 14 

MattVac Carpet & Upholstery Cl . . Bk 


McGowan Joinery . . . . . . . . . . . 16 


Miller BioFuels Ltd . . . . . . . . 2 

Minicoach Tours Scotland Ltd . . 21 

MJ Lawnmowers . . . . . . . . . . . . . 51 

New Vision Opticians . . . . . . . 26 

Nix Hairdressing . . . . . . . . . . 42 

NLP Positive Changes . . . . . . . 24 

Nutech Cleaning . . . . . . . . . . . 2 


Orchard Flooring . . . . . . . . . . 29 

P Thomson Upholstery . . . . . . . 21 

Paul Ferguson - Confidence . . 7 

PetVets . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 48 

Phoenix Gas Services . . . . . . . 1 

Platinum Cleaning Services . . 5 

Powerdoors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Bk 

R Williams Tree Surgeon & Grou . . 52 


Ranfurly Decor . . . . . . . . . . . . 42 

RED Pest Control . . . . . . . . . . 7 

Rent A Bloke . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16 

Rugby Tots . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 55 

Scott Russell . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15 

Seasons . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40 

Shower Expert . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39 

Smart Dog Grooming . . . . . . . . . 48 


Sole Solutions Podiatry . . . . 43 

SP Groundcare . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7 

Stewart Independent Financial . . 1 


Tasty Treats . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6 


TD Cameron . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 


The Right Move . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 


Travel Actually . . . . . . . . . . . 3 

W B Smith & Son . . . . . . . . . . . 51 

Wellcentred UK . . . . . . . . . . . . 18 

West of Scotland Landscape . . 50 

Wild Rose Flowers Ltd . . . . . . 25 

Woodburn & Beattie Joiners . . 15 

The Gryffe Advertizer 

Neva Place, Bridge of Weir PA11 3PN 

t: 01505 613340 or e: info@advertizer.co.uk 

For more information please call us on 01505 613340 

WhatsApp 07731 923970 

or check our website at www.advertizer.co.uk 

Next Issue: (#268) January ‘17 

Deadline: Friday 9 December

68 

t: 01505 613340 07731 923970 e: info@advertizer.co.uk 

you you can can contact us @GryffeAds us using using #Advertizer 

or or by by email email info@advertizer.co.uk or phone or phone 01505 01505 613340 613340

267 December 2016 - Gryffe Advertizer

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