271 April 2017 - Gryffe Advertizer

April 2017 No.271 

FREE 

COPY 

1 

Distributed to: 

• Bishopton 

• Bridge of Weir 

• Brookfield 

• Elderslie 

• Houston 

• Howwood 

• Kilbarchan 

• Kilmacolm 

• Langbank 

• Lochwinnoch 

• Quarriers 

FOLLOW US 

GryffeAds 

Muirshiel Country Park by Diaporama 

your LOCAL community magazine April 2017 No. 271 

PLEASE TAKE A FREE COPY OF YOUR LOCAL COMMUNITY MAGAZINE

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

EXPERT JET-WASHING 

With Spring now here, this is the time of year we are busiest cleaning 

driveways, patios etc., ready for the Summer. If you are thinking of having 

your driveway cleaned then it is crucial it’s done correctly to prevent 

problems in future. If there are a lot of weeds these should be treated 

before jet-washing and after a high-pressure industrial clean that removes 

dirt, moss and a little sand, it is critical to re-sand with kiln-dried sand, a 

Biocidal treatment will then resist future growths. Give us a call for free 

friendly information on this service or for a free quotation. 

Before 

After 

01505 863 863 

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@GryffeAds www.advertizer.co.uk april 2017 

3 3


This Month 

contact us 

The Gryffe Advertizer, 1st floor, Neva Place, Bridge of Weir PA11 3PN 

t: 01505 613340 e: info@advertizer.co.uk w: www.advertizer.co.uk 

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 

local news....................8-13 

optical blog......................10 

legal blog.......................8 

dental blog........................11 

what’s on........................14-23 

finance & tech.................24-25 

financial blog.........................24 

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

on the road......................33 

local history.....................30 

village news....................36-45 

pet news.....................46-47 

pet blog............................46 

outdoors........................48-53 

school news.................54-59 

photography blog..............57 

sport news....................60-63 

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

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

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

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

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

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

advertizer directory................67 

A Spring in our Step 

I was humming along to Crowded House ‘four seasons in one day’, while watching 

the wonderful volunteers from Brighter Bridge of Weir outside our offi ce as they 

worked away at the new embankment across at the Gryffe Garage. 

With the hope of Spring around the corner, all our fabulous village groups are 

dusting down their spades and getting the borders and planters ready for the 

sunshine to bring out the fl owers. 

Irene and Neil Thompson, members of the Brighter team represented the group 

at the Scottish Rural Awards in Edinburgh last month. Although Brighter Bridge 

of Weir were not the eventual winners on the night, they were delighted to have 

made the fi nal shortlist. In any event, we certainly all think they are winners. 

And another success. Last month, Jake Fulton of Houston Litter Crew was 

presented with the Community Volunteer of the Year 2017 at the Provost’s 

Community Awards. Jake has managed to inspire a real sense of community 

pride, cohesion and spirit within Houston and the Crew have combined to make 

the area a cleaner and nicer place to live. 

Local Development Plan 2017 

Both Inverclyde and Renfrewshire are currently in the process of preparing 

a new Local Development Plan for each area. Community engagement is an 

essential part of the process and you are encouraged to attend local meetings 

and give your input on the proposals. 

There will be a Planning Policy team from Inverclyde Council at the Kilmacolm 

Community Centre on 25th April. More information on p39. Renfrewshire Council 

has details available on their website, or by calling the Local Development Plan 

team on 0141 618 7838. The deadline for comments is 1st May 2017. Again 

more details available on p36. 

Delays for Drivers 

We seem to have road works everywhere just now, partly due to Councils using 

their budgets before the year end, but also cable installation throughout the area. 

A temporary nuisance but hopefully a long-term benefi t. 

The anticipated delays at Deafhillock Roundabout have come to fruition as 

work began last week on the infrastructure for the new houses being built on 

the Barochan Road site at Brookfi eld. Having had warning signs that these 

would start in February, it wasn’t until mid March before they actually began 

and already drivers are trying to fi nd alternative routes to avoid long delays at 

peak times. 

Park cafe is saved 

And on a fi nal note, the Birkmyre Café, situated at Birkmyre Park in Kilmacolm, 

has been saved with the advent of a new lease agreement. Thanks to all who 

signed the petition and gave support to this superb facility. 

Which just leaves me to advise you of our next dates....... 

Next Issue: Deadline: 

No.272 Friday 14 

May 2017 April 2017 

Call or email in your news! 

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 fi x 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


This May, ‘Go Yellow’ for 

Ardgowan Hospice 

Have your own event in your 

workplace, school or college and 

help raise funds for hospice care. 

Or, 

come along to our Coffee Morning 

in the Access Centre on Friday the 

26th of May at 10am - 12pm. 

Contact 

fundraising@ardhosp.co.uk or call 

01475 726830 for more details. 

Ardgowan Hospice is a charity registered in Scotland: Registered office 12 

Nelson Street, Greenock PA15 1TS Scottish Charity No: SC011541 

Company No: SC075515 www.ardgowanhospice.org.uk 

Dinner/Dance 

Every Saturday night from 8pm - 

11pm at Willow Bank Hotel, 96 Greenock Road, Largs. Booking 

essential. Call 01475 675435 for further information.


7 7


Soroptimists Learn About 

Mental Health Services 

Business & Enterprise Manager, Karen Milne and RAMH Ambassador, 

Suzanne Adam from local mental health charity 

RAMH were delighted to join members of 

Soroptimist International of Paisley at a recent 

meeting. 

Karen gave a presentation about RAMH – who 

they are, what they do and talked about mental 

health services available in Renfrewshire and East Renfrewshire. 

She also talked about the importance of maintaining good mental health 

through connectedness, creativity and caring; Karen pointed out how the 

Soroptimists do this every single day! 

She also touched 

upon overcoming 

stigma and 

misconceptions 

around mental 

ill health, how to 

help someone 

you think may 

be experiencing 

mental ill health 

and who to 

contact. RAMH 

are delighted to 

be a nominated Charity of the Year for Soroptimists in Paisley. 

Photo L to R: Jean Ramsay, Karen Milne (RAMH), Sue Williams (President), Margaret 

Wallace, Suzanne Adam (RAMH) 

A Fab Night of Folk 

‘A FAB NIGHT OF FOLK’ - a fundraiser for the Beatson Cancer Charity was a 

great success. Organised by Bridge of Weir musicians Eric and Eilidh Grant, 

they appeared at ‘Live at the Star’ along with their ‘Random Connections’, 

some superb musicians and singers they’ve collaborated with over the years. 

All the musicians: Jenny Potter; Sarah Marshall; Iain Dawson; Willie Gamble; 

Jenny Booth; Dave Gibb; Fraser Spiers; participated without fee or expenses; as 

did host Ronnie McCorrisken and guest speaker Victoria Ross from Paisley, who 

bravely came to tell of how the Beatson Cancer Charity had helped her through 

her recent crisis. Her talk brought everyone closer to what it was all about; 

frankly she was inspirational. The sellout 

event was held at the Star Folk Club 

in Glasgow; thanks are due to their team 

for their hard work and to the club for 

donating all receipts to the charity; with 

additional support from the Greenock 

Royal Amateur Boat Club Sessions the 

total raised was over £2,500. 

The picture features L-R; Jenny Booth (Glasgow); 

Jenny Potter (Kilmacolm); Eilidh Grant and Eric 

Grant (Bridge of Weir). 

Legal Blog 

by Isabella McKerrow, Affinity Family Law 

Choosing the Right 

Solicitor 

Law covers a wide variety of areas and over the years has become increasingly 

specialised. In recognition of this many solicitors and solicitors firms now 

specialise in specific areas of law. Because you deal with a solicitor for one 

matter does not mean that you should deal with them for every other matter. 

It is important that you find a solicitor who has the expertise and experience 

in the area of law that you want advice on. I am a dual accredited specialist 

in family and child law. I also have further expertise having qualified as an 

Advocate. 

A solicitor might advertise that they are an expert or a specialist in a particular 

area of law but how can you be sure that they are what they claim to be? 

The Law Society of Scotland holds a list of accredited specialist solicitors in 

around thirty different areas of law. These accredited specialists are vetted 

by the Law Society of Scotland and must have at least five years’ experience 

in their particular area of specialism and have dealt with numerous complex 

cases. The Family Law Association of Scotland also holds a list of accredited 

specialists in child and Family law. 

Instructing an accredited specialist is not necessarily more expensive. The 

price a solicitor charges varies from firm to firm. You may find a firm with a 

solicitor who is an accredited specialist charges less than a firm who does 

not have a specialist. Don’t be fooled by large firms with expensive plush 

offices and exorbitant fees. Check they have an accredited specialist. 

Legal fees are not cheap. Make sure you are spending your money wisely. 

If you want to be sure of getting expert advice, instruct a Law Society 

accredited specialist. Also make sure that the specialist will deal with your 

case personally from start to finish.


9 9 

The Glasgow event is the biggest Kiltwalk of the year and takes place on 

Sunday 30th April with three separate walks of different lengths across the city. 

Thousands of walkers will set off from Glasgow Green and head for the Kiltwalk 

Village on the Bonnie Banks of Loch Lomond. 

You can choose from the following distances, all suitable for walkers of all ages 

and abilities. 

The Wee Wander, 6 miles - The Wee Wander, suitable for the whole family, is 

6 miles long, starting at 12noon and begins and ends at Moss O Balloch Park. 

£12.66 per adult, £6.33 per child, FREE for under 5s. 

The Big Stroll, 15 miles - For those looking for an intermediate challenge, look 

no further than The Big Stroll - 14 miles across Glasgow. Starting at Clydebank 

at 11am and ending at Moss O Balloch Park. £31.65 per adult/child. 

The Mighty Stride, 23 miles - The big one! Across Glasgow, leaving from 

Glasgow Green at 9am and finishing at Moss O Balloch Park, the Mighty Stride 

is for those looking for the ultimate Kiltwalk experience. £31.65 per adult/ 

child. 

Walk routes and lengths have not yet been confirmed and are subject to change. 

If you are in doubt about your ability to take part in the event or if you have any 

medical conditions, please consult your doctor before registering. 

Looking for someone local? 

www.advertizer.co.uk/clients


Start swotting up for the RAMH annual Dinner 

& Quiz - this year hosted by the wonderful 

broadcaster & writer Vanessa Collingridge, 

with headline sponsors University of the West 

of Scotland. It’s on Friday 19th May at the 

Normandy Hotel Renfrew and guests will enjoy a 

fizz reception, 3 course meal with coffee and 8 

rounds of celeb-hosted quiz. The sports round 

will be hosted by St Mirren FC legend, Tony 

Fitzpatrick. 

Teams of maximum 10 guests will compete to win 

the much coveted RAMH Quiz Trophy, sponsored 

by Linstone Housing. And the best bit is that 

the event aims to raise £15,000 for local mental 

health services. Tickets are £35 per person, so 

reserve your place now enquiries@ramh.org or 0141 847 8900. 

The evening is perfect for corporate hospitality, team building, or socialising 

with friends. Dress is smart/casual (no denim, no trainers). It kicks off at 

7pm, the trophy is presented at midnight and the dancing finishes at 1am. It’s 

a terrific evening of competition and fun. All guests are warmly welcomed and 

furthermore, you will be supporting recovery from mental ill health with RAMH. 

Are you ready to take on a challenge in 2017 for RAMH? Push your comfort 

zone, achieve something you never expected you could, meet a great bunch of 

new people, all while supporting local mental health services. Join us for the 

2017 Canyoning Challenge on the River Tay! You’ll be jumping, swimming, and 

even abseiling through a beautiful gorge, and seeing sights you can only see 

from the river. 

It’s on Saturday 26th August and includes return transport from Paisley or 

Barrhead, half day’s canyoning, pub dinner to finish and home before sunset. 

A fantastic, unique experience for only £15 registration fee + £75 sponsorship, 

all going directly to local mental health services. Book now! enquiries@ramh. 

org or 0141 847 8900. 

Have been awarded £7,200 in grant by Crerar Hotels Trust and The Trades 

House of Glasgow Commonweal Fund. 

Key headlines: 

• Grant used to purchase a new electric bed and mattress 

• Crerar Hotels uniquely makes up to 50% of distributable profits available to 

its registered charity 

• Crerar Hotels Trust has now made over £7m in grants over last 16 years 

• The Trades House of Glasgow Commonweal Fund is available to charities 

and organisations within the city of Glasgow and surrounding areas. 

THE Crerar Hotels Trust announced 

that it has awarded a grant of 

£3,600 to St Vincent’s Hospice. 

This is on top of £3,600 already 

awarded by The Trades House of 

Glasgow Commonweal Fund. 

Sometimes patients can be quite 

anxious when they are admitted to 

the Hospice and we need to ensure 

that they can enjoy a good night 

sleep. Specialist mattresses help 

with the prevention of bed sores 

and offer the best comfort possible. 

We have electric beds which help 

patients’ complex healthcare needs 

as they are designed to provide safe patient mobilisation, which is crucial 

for many. St Vincent’s Hospice has used the funding to renew one of their 8 

electric beds and mattress, which, at 8 - 10 years old had become worn and 

difficult to keep operational. 

Brigitte Main, Ward Manager states: 

“The new bed and mattress is a huge improvement to the comfort and care of 

our patients’. The lady who is currently using the bed told me she is sleeping 

like a princess and having access herself to the remote control makes it so easy 

to get in and out of bed. Thank you.” 

Gryffe Advertizer - Current & Past Issues 

www.advertizer.co.uk/issues 

Optical Blog 

by Kerry Taher, New Vision Opticians 

What’s so special about OCT? 

Optical Coherence Tomography (OCT) is a non-invasive, highly sophisticated, 

quick and painless way of assessing the eye in incredible detail using 

specialised waves of light. It allows us to see parts of the eye in a way that 

would otherwise not be possible (apart from hospital clinics), and has helped 

to save the sight of many people. 

OCT isn’t part of an NHS-funded eye examination and currently only about 

20% of opticians in the UK have invested in this technology. 

However, these numbers are increasing due to the significant clinical 

benefits that it provides. Compared with retinal photography that shows us 

the 2D surface of the retina, OCT clearly shows us all of the retinal layers 

in 3D, as well as parts of the structures in front of and behind the retina. 

These can be measured and any changes can be accurately tracked over 

time. Invaluable for unexplained changes in vision, glaucoma/family history 

of glaucoma, diabetes and in the diagnosis and treatment of Age-related 

Macular Degeneration. 

Research has shown that “structure changes before function”. In most types 

of glaucoma, by the time you notice a problem yourself, a lot of your visual 

field (side vision) will already be lost because the brain fills in the extra blind 

spots in your vision until they become too large. Similarly, if the “flashing light 

test” that measures your visual field shows some changes, the damage has 

already been done. OCT allows us to see the changes in retinal structure 

BEFORE the visual field is affected, and this means much earlier disease 

detection, treatment can be started sooner, and damage will be minimised/ 

prevented. 

Regular eye examinations are essential for maintaining healthy eyes and 

reducing the amount of preventable sight loss. With OCT, we can see and 

prevent so much more. 

For further information, please call the practice on 01505 614 700.


Dental Blog 

by Sheila Macintyre, Practice Owner, 

Kilbarchan Dental Practice 

What is Plaque and What Do 

You Need to Know? 

We have all heard of plaque but why is it bad for our teeth and what can you 

do to minimise any harmful effects? 

Plaque is made up of invisible masses of bacteria called a “biofilm” that 

constantly grow on surfaces within the mouth. It is a sticky colourless deposit 

at first, but when it forms tartar, it is often brown or pale yellow. 

The formation of plaque is a normal process and can’t be prevented but its 

progression and build-up can lead to tooth decay or gum disease. The dental 

biofilms can become acidic causing demineralization of the teeth (also known 

as “dental caries”) or harden into tartar that attaches to the enamel on your 

teeth and below the gum line. 

Plaque control and removal can prevent the development of dental caries and 

gum disease, so first and foremost it is important to follow a good oral health 

regime brushing at least twice a day with fluoride toothpaste. Even better 

if you can also use an interdental brush to reach those hard to get places. 

Dental plaque is difficult to see unless it’s stained but this is easily solved 

by chewing a red “disclosing tablet” available from most supermarkets and 

pharmacies. Stain and examine your teeth regularly to make sure you are 

removing all plaque. Your dentist can help advise on a suitable toothbrush 

and interdental brushes. 

If tartar has formed it is a bit harder to get rid of and cannot simply be removed 

through brushing. In this case a professional clean by your dentist or dental 

hygienist is required. Nowadays this involves the use of an ultrasonic device 

that emits vibrations to loosen the tartar and washes away the 

debris and, if required, the scraping away of tartar manual tool. 

If you would like any more advice on how to care for, or improve the 

look of, your teeth visit us at Kilbarchan Dental Practice, 

call 01505 704969 or click www.kilbarchandental. 

co.uk where you’ll find lots more free tips. 

11 11 

Hospice extends care in the 

community 

Ardgowan Hospice is running two new supportive care clinics out in the 

community with the aim of widening access to hospice services. 

The two clinics will run on alternative Wednesdays at either Port Glasgow Health 

Centre and Greenock Health Centre (room 89, Wing G), and are open to patients 

who are experiencing issues related to any lifelimiting 

condition, and not just cancer – people 

with conditions such as heart failure, COPD, 

kidney, renal or liver failure, and neurological 

conditions such as motor neurone disease. 

Dr Sandra McConnell, consultant at Ardgowan 

Hospice said, “We are trying to increase access 

to our service in the community and realise that, 

for several reasons, a familiar local environment 

may be more acceptable to some patients than 

attending the hospice.” 

“There are many benefits to people and their 

families when supportive or palliative care is 

involved at an earlier stage - including extending 

length of life in some cases and improving the 

quality of life and support available, to enable 

people to deal with the challenges they face and 

help them try to achieve what matters to them.” 

Patients can ask their 

GP, specialist nurse or 

consultant to make a 

referral for them to one 

of the clinics. 

Further information 

can be obtained by 

calling Ardgowan 

Hospice on 01475 

726830 or emailing info@ardhosp.co.uk.


Mary Sweenie and family 

Fundraise for St Vincent’s 

Hospice 

Mary Sweenie received care from St Vincent’s Hospice a few years ago. 

Knowing that it costs around £6,000 a day to provide Hospice services, she 

and her family decided that as a way to say thank you for the all the care shown 

during her stay, they would organise a charity fundraising night at the Ferguslie 

Bowling Club in Paisley. 

Family and friends were invited for a night of fun with karaoke, a raffle, a DJ 

and a buffet, made by family member Caroline Beatson. Caroline was happy 

to make her famous buffet, as a way of thanking the Hospice for her father-inlaw’s 

care. 

For Mary, the best Christmas present would always be a night out with all her 

family, so she decided to use some of the money that would have been spent on 

gifts to cover the costs of the DJ and buffet food. The hall was kindly donated 

for use by Ferguslie Bowling Club free of charge for this wonderful cause. 

A grand total of £1,140 was raised, including a donation of £180 from 

colleagues of Mary’s son, Bobby, at Renfrewshire Council Building Services. 

The whole family would like to express their thanks to all who attended, donated, 

purchased raffle tickets and offered their support to what was an incredibly 

successful fundraising night. Bobby Meiklejohn, Mary’s brother, expressed 

“We couldn’t have done it without them”. 

The family’s support for the hospice doesn’t stop there though. Stuart Ritchie, 

husband of Mary’s granddaughter Ashley, will be taking part in a sponsored 

cycle - The Paisley-Whithorn 100 Mile Challenge - in April this year. Says Stuart, 

“I’m happy to be fundraising for the Hospice as my grandfather received end of 

life care, and my aunt is currently receiving care there”. 

Pictured in the photo from left to right are Bobby Meiklejohn, Mary, Brian, 

Angela, Caroline and Jacqueline, presenting the cheque to Karen Gallacher 

from our in-patient unit and Laura McDade from the fundraising team. 

Laura said “On behalf of all at St. Vincent’s Hospice we want to sincerely thank 

Mary and all her family for this wonderful sum of money raised and for all the 

ongoing support they are giving to us.” 

“If you are interested in holding your own fundraising event in aid of St Vincent’s 

Hospice please contact the fundraising team on 01505 705635 or email info@ 

svh.co.uk”


13 13 

Celebrating 6 Successful 

Years with a Refurb! 

Room 19 opened it’s doors at 19 Steeple Street Kilbarchan on 21st June 

2011. Since then the salon has been going from strength to strength 

welcoming new and existing clients. 

During these busy six years, Room 19 have built up a loyal customer base. 

This is mainly due to their consultation service allowing them to deliver the 

best result for their clients. Room 19 pride themselves on the professional 

service delivered by each team member. Pamela, senior stylist with over 

30 years hairdressing experience, ensures the whole team are up to date 

with the latest styling and colouring techniques. She recently introduced 

into her salon Olaplex, a unique three-step process which works to repair 

damaged hair. Pamela believes sourcing such treatments and techniques 

have been key to the success 

of her busy salon. Working 

with Pamela from the start and 

an integral part of the team is 

Jordan. Alongside Jordan is 

Bria. Bria, a finalist at Wella 

Xposure London 2016, brings a 

wealth of colouring techniques. 

We wish her well having recently 

qualified for this year’s semifinals. 

Learning from Jordan, 

Bria and Pamela is Sarah, our 

super friendly and welcoming junior stylist. 

Call 01505 70 40 40 to arrange a visit with one of the team! 

World Shine Coffee Morning 

With African Slideshow. 11am – 1pm 

Saturday 1st April at Mount Zion Church, 

Law View Road, Quarriers Village. Entrance 

£2.50 

World Shine UK is a charity dedicated to 

reaching, raising and releasing the poor 

and destitute in Uganda with Christian faith 

in action. Joanna Lunn, World Shine UK 

Treasurer, will be giving a brief presentation 

at 12 noon about her recent trip to Uganda. 

She went in February with her daughter to see the work first hand, visiting both 

the WSF School in Rwentobo, and the headquarters in Kampala.


April 

events 

Until Mon 3 April 

Going Solo At Sixty Nine - 

Shelagh Campbell Exhibition 

House for an Art Lover, 10 Dumbreck 

Road, Bellahouston Park 10am to 5pm 

Please visit www.shelaghcampbellartist. 

co.uk for further information or email arts@ 

houseforanartlover.co.uk 

Sat 1 April 

St James Orchestra and Glasgow 

Lyric Choir Concert 

Town Hall, Abbey Close, Paisley 7.30pm 

The concert will also include excerpts from 

Mendelsohn’s Symphony No.2., co-conducted 

by Leon Reimer and Julian Evans. For more 

information please visit the St. James Orchestra 

website at www.stjamesorchestra.org.uk. Tickets 

£10 / £5. 

Wildlife Photography Workshop – 

Intermediate Level 

RSPB, Largs Road, Lochwinnoch 

10am to 4pm 

The workshop will be led by wildlife photographer 

David Palmar (www.photoscot.co.uk). This will be 

an excellent opportunity to build on your existing 

photography skills. Advice, encouragement 

and ideas will be freely given! Cost: £40 – 20% 

discount for RSPB members. 

Book Launch : Black Cart by Jim 

Carruth 

Freeland Church, Main Street, Bridge of 

Weir 7pm 

Local poet and current Glasgow poet laureate 

Jim Carruth will launch his new poetry collection 

“Black Cart”. At this event he will read a number 

of poems and talk about his rural Renfrewshire 

upbringing. Free Entry. 

World Shine Coffee Morning 

Law View Road, Quarriers Village 

11am to 1pm 

With African Slideshow. Entrance £2.50. 

Sat 1 - Sun 2 April 

Binocular & Telescope Open Day 


10am to 4pm 

Come and peruse a range of telescopes and 

binoculars, with knowledgeable staff on hand to 

help you find the right one for you! Our optics are 

competitively priced, with the added bonus that 

you are helping conservation. Cost: FREE 

Scottish Model Yacht 

Championships 

Castle Semple Visitor Centre, Lochlip 

Road, Lochwinnoch 

Great spectator sport and not an April Fool! For 

further information visit the website at http:// 

www.caledoniasailing.com/tag/internationalone-metre 

Sat 1 - Mon 10 April 

Explorer Challenge: Wheel of 

Natural Wonders! 


10am to 4pm 

Cost: £3 per child (RSPB members £1) [Normal 

trail fees apply] 

Sun 2 April 

Woodland Arts and Crafts 

Finlaystone Country Estate - Langbank 

1pm to 3pm 

Join our Rangers and gather woodland materials 

to make your artistic creation. 

Family volunteering with your 

children or grandchildren 


1pm to 3.30pm 

It’s a chance to spend some quality time with the 

children in your life, and it’s free. Please book. 

Cost: FREE 

Mon 3 - Fri 7 April 

Junior Multi Activity Weeks 



Mon 3rd – Fri 7th or Mon 10th – Fri 14th April. A 

full week of activities for 8-15 yr olds to get active, 

learn new skills and make new friends, on land 

and water! Get 6 or more children together and 

book your own course. Costs £160 for 5 full days. 

Tel 01505 842 882. 

Mon 3 April 

Make Your Own Mondays: 

Bushcraft – Super Sticks! 


11am - 1pm OR 2pm - 4pm. We will make 

bows and arrows and have a go at some target 

practice! We’ll make stick people – or stick 

creatures, then create some beautiful natural 

mobiles. Booking essential. Cost: £5 (RSPB 

members £3) - Adults go free! 

Tue 4 April 

Bug Box making 


1pm to 3pm 

Join our Rangers and make fun bug boxes for your 

garden. £2.50 for materials 

Wed 5 April 

Embroiderers’ Guild 

The Bridge, Main Street, Bridge of Weir 

7.30pm 

Renowned textile artist, Alison King will outline 

her recent projects, commemorating World War 

I. Members and visitors very welcome. 

Wedding Open Evening 

Ingliston Country Club, Old Greenock 

Road, Bishopton 5pm to 8pm 

Free admission, plus canapés & sparkling wine 

reception. 

Thu 6 April 

The Original Harlem Globetrotters 

Intu Braehead 7pm 

Every game will showcase incredible ball handling 

wizardry, rim-rattling dunks, trick shots, hilarious 

comedy and unequalled fan interaction. 

Den Build 


1pm to 3pm 

Join the Rangers and see who is a budding 

Bear Grylls.


15 15 

Thu 6 - Fri 7 April 

Embroiderers’ Guild 

Freeland Church, Main Street, Bridge of 

Weir 10am to 4pm 

A two-day class with Alison King. Some places 

are still available. Please contact egallaher@ 

btinternet.com for further information. 

Fri 7 April 

Renfrewshire RSPB 

McMaster Centre, Donaldson Drive, 

Renfrew 7.30pm 

There will be an illustrated talk by Paula Baker 

entitled Loch Lomond - building the dream. All 

welcome. 


Kilbarchan Parish Church Easter 

Extravaganza 

Kilbarchan Parish Church Hall, Steeple 

Street 10am to 12noon 

Easter egg hunt for the children & Easter bonnet 

& decorated egg competition. Stalls with homebaking 

and Easter gifts. Entrance £2:50, children 

£1 and this includes coffee with hot-cross buns. 

The Bridge Community Garden 

The Bridge, Main Street, Bridge of Weir 2pm 

Keen to get involved in a community project? - Why 

not pop along to our community garden and join 

local people of all ages sharing in the care and 

development of the garden. 


Kilbarchan Habbies’ Annual Art 

Exhibition 

Guide Centre, Barn Green, Kilbarchan 

Opening times Sat 10am - 4pm and Sun 12 noon 

- 4pm. A display of over 100 paintings in various 

mediums and styles which our members have 

worked on throughout the year. Prices to suit all 

pockets. Tea/Coffee & Baking available. 

Mike and Jenny Clark and Friends 

in Concert 

Salvation Army, Mill Street, Paisley 7pm 

UK Farewell Tour Concert - Saturday 8th April – 

7pm; Sunday 9th April – 10.30am. To reserve a 

Ticket £5 /person. Contact: Pauline Alexander - 

Tel: 0787 603 1431. E-mail: paulinesalexander@ 

gmail.com 


Kilbarchan Gateway Garden Drop 

In Session 

Cartside Terrace, Kilbarchan 1pm - 3pm 

Come and put your name down for a growing 

area & start your very own veg plot! All welcome. 

For more information and to get involved contact 

Gail Scoular on 07985749220, email hello@ 

kilbarchansmile.co.uk or join the group Kilbarchan 

Smile on Facebook. 

Pirate Day 


1pm to 3pm 

Dress as a scurvy buccaneer and practice your 

best Arrg! Drama and shouting a plenty. Prize 

for best dressed pirate. 


Carers Meeting 

Ranfurly Doctors Surgery, Kilmacolm 

Road, Bridge of Weir 7pm 

Strathgryffe Medical Practice invites its patients 

to a carers meeting. A speaker will attend to talk 

about Power of Attorney and Guardianship. 

Make Your Own Mondays: Nature 

Detectives 


11am - 1pm OR 2pm - 4pm We’ll become 

nature detectives for the day! We will make 

our own detective books, then head out on a 

scavenger hunt to looks for tracks, prints and 

other signs of animal activity. Booking essential. 

Cost: £5 (RSPB members £3) - Adults go free! 

Tue 11 April 

Mini Beast Hunt 


1pm to 3pm 

Six legs, eight legs, 100’s of eyes, a tube to sip 

nectar or mandibles to rip prey, let’s catch some 

real mini monsters. 

Six Must Do’s For The Over 50’s 

Carrick Centre, Main Street, Houston 

10am to 12noon 

Come for a chat and a free 45 minute talk every 

Scot over 50 should attend 

Tue 11 - Sun 16 April 

Explorer Challenge: Going on a 

Bear Hunt! 


10am to 4pm 

Any time! (centre open 7 days; 10am – 4pm) 

Spend some quality family time together at 

RSPB Lochwinnoch! This event is not your usual 

kind – you do it with your own family in your own 

time! Simply pop into the Visitor Centre any time 

between Tuesday 11th and Sunday 16th April, 

where the friendly staff will get you started. Then, 

visit different stations along our main tail to go on 

a bear hunt! Cost: £3 per child (RSPB members 

£1) [Normal trail fees apply] 


Willie and The Wicked Wolf 

Johnstone Town Hall, Johnstone 2pm 

Presented by ‘Over the Top Puppet Company’. 

The puppets are all hand operated within a 

rickety seaside style puppet booth, which heaves 

around alarmingly throughout the performance 

issuing bubbles, smoke, occasional jets of water 

and a variety of props. Suitable for ages 5+. £4 

+ bkg fee. 


Bird Box Making 


1pm to 3pm 

Join the Rangers making bird boxes, £4 to take it 

home for your garden. Pre-booking essential. 


Advertizer May Issue Deadline 

The Advertizer - Neva Place, Bridge of Weir 

If you would like anything published in our May 

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

the office on 01505 613340. Don’t miss out! 


Quarriers Village Easter Egg Hunt 

Quarriers Village 10am to 2pm 

Turn eggsplorer at Quarriers Village: collect the 

clues, solve the puzzle and win an Easter egg! £3 

Easter Egg Hunt entry includes a chocolate egg. 

Marquee next to Sommerville Weir Hall (Three 

Sisters Bake), Faith Avenue, Quarriers Village. 

Falconry Day 


1pm to 3pm 

Visit the birds of prey and take a walk around 

their homes and get up close and personal with 

the winged hunters, followed by a flying display 

(Weather Dependant) 


Sailability Spring Regatta 


Road, Lochwinnoch 10.30am to 4pm 

Lots of accessible sailing boats will be training on 

Saturday and racing on Sunday. More info: Tel: 

01505 842 882. 

Easter Entertainment 


Road, Lochwinnoch 11am to 3.30pm 

Drop in at any time to complete the self-guided 

hunt for the Easter Bunny. At Castle Semple and 

Muirshiel



Easter Egg Hunt 

Weaver’s Cottage, The Cross, Kilbarchan 

2pm to 4pm 

Organised by the Weaver’s Cottage Support 

Group. This is a popular event with families. 

Easter Bunny Hunt 


1pm to 3pm 

Join the Rangers for Easter games. Bring your 

painted egg and roll it down the hill. Prizes for 

best fancy dress, and best painted egg. 

Easter Egg Decorating & Rolling 

The Cut Visitor Centre, Cornalees Bridge, 

Greenock 12.30pm to 3pm 

Decorate an egg then rolling down one of 

Inverclyde’s highest hills! COST: £5 per child 

MORE INFO: online and book or tel: 01475 

521 458 

The Easter Egg Run is Back 

Glasgow Green, Greendyke Street, Glasgow 

There is no registration fee, but we ask every biker 

to make a suggested donation of £10. Sponsor 

forms, t-shirts or any other fundraising materials, 

call our fundraising team on 0141 212 8750 or 

email info@glasgowchildrenshospitalcharity.org. 


Easter Games 


1pm to 3pm 

Join the Rangers for all things chocolate with 

Easter themed games. 

Easter Eggstravaganza 


12noon to 3pm 

We have plenty of wildlife-themed Easter activities 

for children of all ages, including egg decorating, a 

treasure hunt, face painting and the ever popular 

Egg Drop Challenge! No booking necessary. Cost: 

£6 (RSPB members £3). Adults go FREE! 


Medical Applications Evening 

St Columba’s School, Duchal Road, 

Kilmacolm 7pm 

Fourth and fifth year pupils from both Inverclyde 

and Renfrewshire schools are welcome to attend. 

Guest Speakers include: Dr Iain Findlay, Vice 

President of the Royal College of Physicians and 

Surgeons of Glasgow and Mr Graham Haddock, 

Deputy Director of Admissions at the University of 

Glasgow Undergraduate Medical School. Please 

contact Dgallacher@st-columbas.org if you wish 

to attend. 

Old Pictures and Videos of 

Lochwinnoch 

McKillop Hall, Main Street, Lochwinnoch 

7.30pm 

If you missed the first showing of this excellent 

and informative show here’s your second 

chance! Dr Brian Smith will show three topics; 

Industry of Lochwinnoch, People of the Village & 

Buildings and Architecture. Donation to Alzheimer 

Scotland. 

Wed 19 - Sat 22 Apr 

Beer Festival & Food Festival 

Paisley - various venues 

Enjoy over 300 ales, beers, ciders and wines from 

Scotland, the UK and abroad. The one-day Food 

Festival is a free outdoor event with street food 

from across the globe, cookery demonstrations, 

live music and children’s entertainment - held on 

the final day of the Paisley Beer Festival. 


Creative Communities Talk: 

St Columba’s School, Duchal Road, 

Kilmacolm 7.30pm to 8.30pm 

Murder in the Library with Russel D Mclean. Join 

crime noir writer Russel for a glass of wine as he 

talks about his latest thriller Ed’s Dead. Email 

vfinnigan@st-columbas.org to reserve a place. 


Creative Communities Writing 

Workshop: 

Kilmacolm Community Centre, 

Lochwinnoch Road, Kilmacolm 

1.30pm to 2.30pm 

My Summer Diary with author Liz Rettig. FREE 

- Age 12+. Liz talks about her Kelly Ann books 

about a 15 year old who keeps a secret diary. 

Email vfinnigan@st-columbas.org to reserve 

a place. 

Duck Race 


1pm to 3pm 

Pick your lucky duck and follow it down the stream 

to see who wins. Prize for first place. 

Scotland’s Gardens - Plant Sale 

Kilmacolm Community Centre, 

Lochwinnoch Road, Kilmacolm 

10am - 12noon 

The plant sale will be held at the Cross outside 

the Library and Cargill Centre. All donations are 

welcome. Parklea “Branching Out” receives 40%, 

the net remaining to SG Beneficiaries. Free 

Kilmacolm Community Cleanup 

Pullman Car Park 10am 

Please meet just at the entrance to the cycle 

track. Everything will be provided. Please call or 

text KCC on 07542 788502 or email secretary@ 

kilmacolmcc.co.uk to sign up. Please note the 

event may be postponed due to bad weather. 

International Jamboree Coffee 

Morning 

Kilbarchan Guide Centre, Barn Green, 

Kilbarchan 10am to 12noon 

Homebaking, Tombola, Raffles. In Aid of 

Girlguiding going to Poacher 2017 Jamboree. £3 

(children £1.50). 

Lochwinnoch Explorer Group: 

Raptors! 



We’ll be learning all about all about birds of 

prey! Please wear suitable clothing for being 

outdoors. Ages: 5 - 14 years. Children aged 8 

and under must be accompanied by an adult. 

Booking essential. Cost: £5 (£3 RSPB members) 

(adults go free). 


Kilbarchan Smile Big Spring 

Clean 

Ewing Street Car Park Area, Ewing 

Street, Kilbarchan 2pm to 4pm 

Come along and “Do Your Bit”. Equipment will 

be provided. Please wear strong shoes or boots. 

For more information and to get involved contact 

Gail Scoular on 07985749220, email hello@ 

kilbarchansmile.co.uk or join the group Kilbarchan 

Smile on Facebook. 

Magic with Tickles the Clown 


1pm to 3pm 

Come and meet Tickles the Clown and be amazed 

at her magical skills and balloon animals - Face 

Painting also available 

Great British Tennis Weekend 

Strathgryffe Tennis, Squash & Fitness 

Club, Fleming Road, Houston 1pm to 4pm 

Free entry and access to indoor tennis/squash/ 

fitness sessions with fully qualified club coaches 

Visit : www.greatbritishtennisweekend.com. Come 

along & support the school theatre refurbishment. 

Full details in the sports section of this issue. 

Pedal the Park 



A 100k road cycling sportive, Pedal the Park 

takes in most of the Regional Park’s boundary 

and stunning scenery. Sign up now via British 

Cycling online for just £15 in advance, or £20 

on the day. This includes a £5 donation to local 

charity CLIC Sargent in Scotland supporting their 

work with young people with cancer and their 

families. See you there! 

TUES 

4 

APR 

Head In The Clouds 

Paisley Central Library @ 10.30am & 1.30pm £3 + bkg fee* 

Suitable for ages 0-5 

Cirrus the dog has a serious job: he has to keep watch 

on the sheep. What to do when they lose themselves, drifting 

amongst the dancing clouds? How can he help these woollyheaded 

dreamers get back down to earth? 

THUR 

6 

APR 

Dinosaur Detectives 

Paisley Arts Centre @ 2pm £4 + bkg fee* Suitable for ages 5+ 

The Dinosaur Detectives weave their way through the 

audience looking for clues about the past, they discover a 

secret doorway, inside there are a number of cases; they contain 

the stories of the people who discovered dinosaur bones in 

Victorian times … 

FRI 

7 

APR 

Chris Ramsey: Is That Chris Ramsey? 

Paisley Town Hall @ 7.30 pm 

£20 / £18 conc + bkg fee* 

A brand new stand up show for 2017 from the comedian 

you’ve seen on The Royal Variety Performance, Celebrity 

Juice, Hebburn, Live At The Apollo and various newspapers when 

he was wrongly arrested in a hotel in his underpants. 

SAT 

8 

APR 

Talisk 

Paisley Arts Centre @ 7.30 pm 

£10 (£8 conc) + bkg fee* 

One of the fastest rising bands on the British folk scene. 

Mohsen Amini (concertina), Hayley Keenan (fi ddle) and 

Craig Irving (guitar) create a captivating, energetic and dynamic 

sound that, in little more than a year, has earned them multiple 

award wins and nationwide media and audience attention. 

TUE 

11 

APR 

Jack and the Beans Talk 

Paisley Arts Centre @ 2pm £4 + bkg fee* Suitable for ages 3-7 

Jack lives on a small farm with his mum and very little to 

eat. He likes to talk to the birds, his cow and anyone who 

will listen. Imagine his surprise when he swops his cow for some 

magic beans and starts to hear a whispering in the breeze and a 

giant rumble in the sky ... 

THUR 

13 

APR 

When Marnie Was There (PG) 

Paisley Arts Centre @ 2pm 

£4 (£2 conc) + bkg fee* 

Anna Sasaki lives with her relatives in a seaside town when 

she comes across a nearby abandoned mansion, where 

she meets Marnie; a mysterious girl who asks her to promise to 

keep their secrets from everyone. As the summer progresses, 

Anna spends more time with Marnie, and eventually Anna learns 

the truth about her family and foster care. 

FRI 

21 

APR 

Ken Mathieson’s Classic Jazz Orchestra 

Paisley Arts Centre @ 7.30 pm £12 (£10 conc) + bkg fee* 

The Classic Jazz Orchestra includes some of Scotland’s 

fi nest and most versatile jazz talents winning the Best 

Band category in the 2009 Scottish Jazz Awards. It’s music to 

gladden the heart and animate the feet from an era when jazz was 

synonymous with joy. 

SAT 

22 

APR 

Imar 

Paisley Arts Centre @ 7.30pm 

£12 (£10 conc) + bkg fee* 

With a line-up featuring members of Mànran, RURA, Talisk 

and Barrule,– the group’s formation embodies a personal 

reconnection with its members’ formative years, dating back 

long before their recent camaraderie around Glasgow’s justly 

celebrated session scene. 

THUR 

27 

APR 

Life after Death 

Paisley Arts Centre @ 8pm £10 (£8 conc) + bkg fee* 18+ 

A story of fear, love, life and Blackpool .... on returning from 

a stag weekend, Scott’s brain exploded. He had suffered 

a massive brain haemorrhage, so he did what any self respecting 

Glaswegian man would do and went back to bed for 4 days. 

FRI 

28 

APR 

Horse McDonald in Careful 

Paisley Arts Centre @ 7.30 pm £12 (£10 conc) + bkg fee* 

Written by Lynn Ferguson and Directed by Maggie Kinloch, 

‘Careful’ is Horse McDonald’s spellbinding debut play. 

Horse takes us on a journey from wearing two-tone velvet loons 

to being one of Scotland’s most celebrated singers, and through 

those times when she had to be ... Careful. 

Call us on 0300 300 1210 or visit https://boxoffice.renfrewshire.gov.uk/ to book


17 17 


Houston and Killellan Social 

Committee 

Houston & Killellan Kirk, Main Street, 

Houston 7.30pm 

We are very privileged that The Glasgow 

Philharmonic Male Voice Choir have agreed to 

come to Houston Kirk and perform for us. Please 

come along and support this event. 


Six Must Do’s For The Over 50’s 

Freeland Church, Main Street, Bridge 

of Weir 


Come for a chat and a free 45 minute talk every 

Scot over 50 should attend 

Wed 26 - Sat 29 Apr 

Whisky Galore - a Musical 

Johnstone Town Centre 

An amateur production by Johnstone Phoenix 

Theatre Group, by arrangement with Stagescripts 

Ltd. Evening shows doors 7pm, curtain 7.30pm. 

Matinee doors 1.30pm. Adults £13, conc £10. 

Book tickets now on 07748 827727 / jptg. 

tickets@gmail.com 

Thu 27 - Sat 29 April 

‘Quartet’ by Kilmacolm Dramatic 

Society 

Kidston Hall, High Street, Kilmacolm 

7.30pm 

Tickets available from the Cross Cafe, Kilmacolm 

or by phoning Rosie Thirde 01505 873088. 


Fashion Show 

Langbank Village Centre, Middlepenny 

Road, Langbank 7.30pm 

A variety of current fashion items including tops 

skirts trousers dresses and knitwear will be on 

display, and for sale, there will be a changing area 

to try clothes on. Please come along and refresh 

your summer wardrobe, whilst supporting Church 

funds. Phone 01475 540752 for a ticket. Tickets 

includes a raffle and refreshments. £5 

Carrick Nights - Concert Series 

Carrick Centre, Main Street, Houston 8pm 

Barochan Quartet & Paula Barron. A string quartet 

of local talent, all professional musicians and 

members of the BBC Symphony Orchestra. Paula 

is a semi-professional mezzo soprano who hails 

from Paisley and her accompanist Jim Drennan 

with a programme of light classical repertoire/ 

songs from the shows. Call 01505 229597 or 

e mail thecarrickcentre@gmail.com for further 

information. 


BeachWatch 

Lunderston Bay, Cloch Road, near 

Gourock PA19 1BB 11am to 1pm 

As part of the Marine Strategy Framework Directive 

help the Rangers & Greenock Conservation 

Volunteers record the sea debris. MORE INFO: 

Tel: 01475 529 543 & bookings. 

Birds for Beginners 


11am to 1.30pm 

Learn more about common garden birds and pick 

up tips and advice on wildlife watching techniques. 

After this, we’ll head out onto the reserve to put 

these new skills into practise and then top it all off 

with a hot drink back at the centre. Places limited. 

Adults: £5; Child: £3 (RSPB members: £3/£2) 

Sat 29 Apr - Mon 1 May 

Binocular & Telescope Open Day 


10am to 4pm 

Come and peruse a range of telescopes and 

binoculars, with knowledgeable staff on hand to 

help you find the right one for you! Our optics are 

competitively priced, with the added bonus that 

you are helping conservation. Cost: FREE 

NEVER MISS A THING! 

We keep an archive of all the featured blogs and you can 

view the current or old issues at advertizer.co.uk


Ralph Vaughan Williams ‘In Windsor Forest’ 

Daniel Elder ‘Nocturnes’ 

plus Gwyneth Walker, Morten Lauridsen and familiar favourites 

Friday 12 May 2017 at 7.30pm 

Lylesland Church, 123 Rowan Street, Paisley PA2 6RZ 

Tickets £10 - available from members, by phone from 01505 850 344 

/ 07932 680951, online from WeGotTickets.com (+ booking fee) 

OR at the door 

Scottish charity no 032807 

Tribute Nights at The Lynnhurst 

Paolo Nutini - Fri 21st April 

Only £25pp. 

Evening includes a 

delicious 3 course meal, glass of 

bubbly on arrival & the best live 

entertainment in town! 

Lionel Richie & MoTown 

Fri 9th June 

Only £25pp. 

Evening includes a 

delicious 3 course meal, glass of 

bubbly on arrival & the best live 

entertainment in town! 

Little Mix Magic 

Sat 10th June 

Bring the kids along for our tribute 

to Little Mix and enjoy a meet and 

greet photo opportunity afterwards. 

This event also includes a delicious 

Pizza/Pasta buffet and a mini disco 

afterwards – Only £15pp. 

Call The Lynnhurst Hotel on 

01505 324331 for tickets 

or pop into Reception - The 

Lynnhurst Hotel, Park Road, 

Johnstone. PA5 8LS! 

Orchard Flooring 

Stylish, Durable: A Floor for Life 

When choosing a new fl oor for your home, there are a few things to take into consideration. For a 

lot of our clients, having a fl oor 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 fl ooring 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 fl oor 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 fl ooring 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 fi nd the perfect fl oor for a room. 

With a home sampling service why not give us a call and be on your way to a stunning fl oor 

from Orchard Flooring. 

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

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


19 19 

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. 

Singing for Wellbeing 

Bishopton Community Centre 6pm-7.15pm 

A fun, no pressure choir singing feel good songs. 

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 Friday 


Bishopton Community Centre 2pm - 3.15pm 

A fun, no pressure choir singing feel good songs. 

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. 

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 

Sòlas Bereavement Support Group 

Kidston Hall. 6.30pm - 8.30pm. 

3rd Friday monthly 

Hearing Aid Clinic 

The Bridge, Bridge of Weir 1 - 2pm 

Hearing aid batteries and hearing aid checks. 

2nd Saturday monthly 

‘Brunch & Browse’ 

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

Soups, baking, tea, coffee, books & lots of stalls 

last Friday monthly 

TheTerrace 

St Machar’s Ranfurly Church Hall 

Soups, sandwiches, tea/coffee, biscuits. £4. 

last Saturday monthly 

Table Top Sale 

Linwood Parish Church, Blackwood Ave 11am - 1pm 

This is a free event. Call 01505 328802 for 

details. 

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 

The Masqueraders 

present An Evening 

of Stories, Songs & 

Surprises at 7.30pm 

on Saturday 29th April 

in St Machar’s Ranfurly Church 

Hall, Bridge of Weir. Tel: 01505 

612472. Tickets (£5) includes 

tea and cakes. Raising funds for 

Accord Hospice


WED 19 th 

V 

ANNIVERSARIES 

TH 30 

St. Mirren FC 

Scottish Cup Winners 

1987 

SAT 22 nd 

The Paisley Beer Festival of real ale returns in April just in time for their 

30th anniversary. 

The four-day Festival is Scotland’s biggest and will celebrate its 30th 

anniversary in 2017. Organised by the Renfrewshire branch of the 

Campaign for Real Ale (CAMRA), thousands will enjoy over 300 ales, 

beers, ciders and wines from Scotland, the UK and abroad. 

The one-day Food Festival is a free outdoor event organised by 

Renfrewshire Council with street food from across the globe, cookery 

demonstrations, live music and children’s entertainment. 

Food Festival will be held on the fi nal day of the Paisley Beer Festival. 

www.paisleybeerfestival.co.uk 

The Easter Egg Run is Back 

Sunday 16th April 

For over three decades, thousands of families have enjoyed this incredible 

event where more than 1,000 bikers ride through the streets of Glasgow in a 

mile long convoy of colour, noise and smiles in support of the boys and girls at 

Scotland’s largest children’s hospital. 

There will even be activities for all the family to enjoy as well as the chance to sit 

on some of the bikes once they arrive back from the procession! 

There is no registration fee but we ask every biker to make a suggested donation 

of £10 on arrival to support our young patients at the hospital. 

Sponsorship - For the event, please consider raising sponsorship rather than 

bringing Easter Eggs and chocolate. As many of our patients are on special diets 

or are “nil by mouth”, they are unable to enjoy confectionary gifts. Financial 

donations mean that we can continue to ensure that our young patients have 

the best possible care and experience at the hospital by funding state-of-the-art 

medical equipment, family support services and innovative play programmes. 

Strictly Dine & Dance 

Ingliston Country Club, Bishopton are inviting you 

along to an exciting Strictly Dine & Dance Evening 

on Friday April 7th. A glamorous & fun fi lled night 

of Latin and ballroom dancing to the live music of 

Angela & Paolo! 

Only £24.95 per person which includes a 2 course 

meal with tea or coffee in our Connemara Suite. To 

book email general@ingliston.com or call 0845 301 1010. 

Wedding Open Evening 

Come along to Ingliston Country Club, Bishopton on Wednesday 5th April – 

5pm – 8pm. FREE ADMISSION plus canapés & sparkling wine reception. 

Route - Bikers to meet at Greendyke Street – beside Glasgow Green 

- Arrive from 10am before parade leaves at 11am 

- On leaving Greendyke Street the route takes in the Broomielaw 

before crossing the Squinty Bridge and heading up Govan Road 

towards the hospital. The parade will pass the front of the hospital 

before fi nishing at the Ogilve Car Park on Hardgate Road 

No bike? Join us at the Royal Hospital for Children from 11am and welcome the 

parade as they approach the fi nish point! 

If you require sponsor forms, t-shirts or any other fundraising 

materials, call our fundraising team on 0141 212 8750 or email info@ 

glasgowchildrenshospitalcharity.org.


21 21 

the 

arts centre 

Iain Connell & Robert Florence: Uncles 

Saturday 1st April - 8pm - Tickets £16.50 

Get ready for some big laughs and foul-mouthed guidance from two 

men who know ALL the answers to EVERYTHING. Robert Florence 

& Iain Connell, creators of hit BBC sketch show Burnistoun, bring us 

this hilarious live show - It’s time to sit down and listen to your uncles. 

Big Girls Don’t Cry 

Sunday 2nd April - 7.30pm - Tickets £22 

Experience the iconic sound of Frankie Valli & The Four Seasons 

with songs that have a place in everyone’s heart. 

Horse in Careful 

Saturday 8th April - 7.30 pm – Tickets From £ 10 to £12 

There are times in life when you need to be careful, but you’ll 

always be saved if you use your voice. Horse McDonald takes us 

on a journey from wearing two-tone velvet loons to being one of 

Scotland’s most celebrated singers. 

Dido & Aeneas 

Saturday 8th & 9th @ 7pm & Sunday 9th @ 3.30pm April - 

Tickets from £7.20 to £9 

Scottish Opera’s Connect Company present Purcell’s tragic tale of 

love and betrayal. This exciting, fully-staged production gives a 

nod to the opera’s classical roots, with a 21st Century edge. 

Memory Lane: The Ultimate Feel Good 

Show 

Thursday 20th April - 2.30 pm & 7pm - Tickets From £14 to £16 

This fast moving, roller coaster of a journey through some of the 

greatest songs of the 50s, 60s and 70s. 

Islands In The Stream 

Saturday 22nd April - 7.30 pm- Tickets £20 

Celebrating the Queen & King of country, with hit after hit including: 

Jolene, Ruby, 9 to 5, Lucille, Here You Come Again, The Gambler, 

I Will Always Love You, Coward of the Country, plus the smash hit 

Islands in the Stream. 

Funbox Presents Underwater Adventure 

Sunday 23rd April - 1pm & 3.30pm – Tickets £13.50 

Funbox returns with their new show Underwater Adventure, where 

they voyage beneath the waves to the bottom of the ocean. 

Psychic Sally: Call Me Psychic 

Wednesday 26th April - 7.30 pm – Tickets £24 

The nation’s favourite psychic, Sally Morgan is back and better 

than ever with her brand new and most jawdropping show yet – 

‘Call Me Psychic’. 

On Our Way To Lisbon 

Thursday 27th April - 7.30 pm – Tickets £16 

The story of how, in 1967, Glasgow Celtic became the fi rst British 

team to win the European Cup with victory over the mighty Inter 

Milan. Two fans look back and fondly recreate how the Bhoys in 

Green and White beat the team who were hailed as unbeatable 

and draped Europe in green, white and gold. 

The Dolls Abroad 

Saturday 29th April - 4pm & 8pm – Tickets £22 

Starring Louise McCarthy (Two Doors Down) and Gayle Telfer 

Stevens (River City), The Dolls Abroad is the “must see” comedy for 

2017. Having scrubbed toilets and pubs from Balloch to Dalgety 

Bay, The Dolls are in need of a holiday 

Quartet, by Ronald Harwood, was fi rst performed 

at the Yvonne Arnaud Theatre in Guildford in 

1999 before moving to the west end later that 

year. It will now be performed in the Kidston 

Hall in Kilmacolm from 27th - 29th April and I am 

delighted to report that rehearsals are going very 

well under the professional direction of Alison Holliman. 

Our cast John Gilchrist, Claire MacClatchie, Jean Simpson and John Watson, 

along with our Director Alison Holliman, have put so much work into this funny 

and moving play. The time spent learning words, rehearsing and designing / 

building a stunning set is all for your entertainment so please put one of your 

nights aside and come along and support us. 

With the play being set in a retirement home it only seemed right to have a 

cast photograph taken in our very retirement home, Woodrow Court, along 

with Ted, Wilma and Rhoda. Can you guess the cast I wonder? 

Ted, as a singer himself, could have come straight from the script of Quartet 

and I thank him very much for his support with KDS and help promoting our 

show. Woodrow Court are very lucky to have you! 

After a conversation with my mum a few days ago about us all facing up to age 

and mortality I was reminded of the words of George Burns – 

‘You can’t help getting older but you don’t have to get old’. 

This is testament to my mum and certainly to the characters in the play. So 

come along and together we can Laugh a little, Sigh and little and Cry and 

little and enjoy the play Quartet. 

Tickets available from the Cross 

Cafe or by phoning Rosie Thirde 

01505 873088. 

I look forward to seeing you 

there 

Kate Watt, President 

Anyone elderly or with mobility 

issues who needs help getting to 

and from the play please email 

me at katewatt317@btinternet. 

com or pop your name and 

address into the Cargill Centre in 

Kilmacolm and I shall be in touch 

with you. 

Descent 

Saturday 29th April - 8pm – Tickets From £10 to £12 

50-somethings Rob and Cathy are looking forward to reclaiming 

their own lives now that their daughter Nicola is grown-up and 

settled; but looming over them is a threat that could rip their future 

apart. 

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

INFO@BEACONARTSCENTRE.CO.UK TELEPHONE: 01475 723723


Quarriers Ladies Lunch 

Sun 23rd April, 12pm - 4.30pm at The Grand Central Hotel, Glasgow - £40pp 

If you are a lady who 

lunches, then we’d love you 

to join us for a sparkling 

Champagne Reception in 

the Grand Central Hotel’s 

stunning Grand Ballroom. 

Great food, shopping, 

goody bags, special guest 

speaker and live music 

from The Jerseytones. It 

really is an event not to be missed. 

You can purchase tickets at https://quarriers.org.uk/get-involved/ladies-lunch- 

2017-payment/ or for more information please contact events@quarriers.org.uk 

or call 01505 616054. 

ACCORD 

Hospice 

Saturday 20th May 

from 10am - 4pm 

A fun fi lled day for all the family 

in Paisley Town Hall. 

Come 

along and show your support! 

Hosting a wide variety of stalls and 

attractions, the Accord Hospice summer 

fayre will have something for everyone. 

On offer will be homebaking, bric-a-brac, tearoom, craft stalls, games and 

competitions, children infl atable rides, book stalls and much more. 

For more information, email fundraising@accord.org.uk. 

This is a free event 

Food From The Heart 

In the March issue of The Advertizer we featured ‘Food From 

The Heart’ by Margaret McLean in our Book Review. Copies 

of the book can be ordered by emailing Margaret at Margaret. 

mclean73@gmail.com 

The book is priced at £10 including postage. 

Lochwinnoch Arts Festival 

Old pictures and Videos of Lochwinnoch 

Wednesday 19th April 7.30pm McKillop Hall 

Donaon Donaon to 

If you missed the first showing of this excellent and informave 

informave 

show here’s your second chance! 

Dr Brian Smith will show three topics; 

• Industry of Lochwinnoch 

• People of the village 

• Buildings and architecture


23 23


Diaporama 

At our March meeting we were very pleased to welcome Geof Longstaff, 

CPAGB, a very experienced audio-visual worker from Falkirk Camera 

Club. He presented 16 shows - all very different, entertaining and thoughtprovoking. 

We saw some historical sequences - Old Bannockburn using 

old postcards and an old Falkirk photographer- John P Munn’s successful 

photos. Several shows were unusual - for one show he used nothing but 

the ‘Refl ections’ seen in water, mirrors, glass, etc., for another ‘Shadow 

and Silhouettes’ he made each image change colour e.g. sky/clouds go 

from blue to red. We saw ‘Architecture in the Landscape’ with Charles 

Jenks. ‘The One (slide) Show’ was of knives and forks that changed colour, 

moved, appeared and disappeared all with just one image but using an 

animation technique from the computer - it was very different!! We went 

travelling with a visit to ‘Iconic Falkirk’ with the wheel and Kelpies, ‘Fort 

George’ on the Moray Firth, ‘Texas Remembers’ - Sam Houston and the 

revolution, ‘Yellowstone National Park’, ‘Washington’ with its memorials to 

past presidents and ‘Niagara Aspects’ showing different views of the falls - 

Financial Blog 

by Carl Melvin, Affluent Financial Planning Ltd 

Lifetime ISA 

The New tax year starts shortly and this brings with it new allowances 

and tax planning opportunities. There’s a new ISA available called the 

Lifetime ISA or LISA (as in Liza Minnelli) 

1. Who can have one? Only available to you if you are aged between 18 

and 40 

2. How much can I invest? You can save up to £4,000 each tax year and 

the Government will pay a top up bonus of 25% on the contributions 

you pay (up to age 50). An overall ISA limit of £20,000 applies from 

06/04/2017 

3. Why does the Government pay a bonus? The Government wants 

to encourage people to save for a first-time house purchase (up to 

£450,000) or for retirement 

4. What can I invest in? Cash or investment funds 

5. Why should I invest? Your investment grows tax free 

6. When can I get my money out? You can get the money out penalty 

free for house purchase or for retirement at age 60 – any other purpose 

before age 60 will incur a 25% penalty. 

7. Can couples benefi t? Yes, you can use 2 LISAs if a joint house 

purchase is planned 

from a boat, behind the water and from 

the air. We ended with ‘Arlington’ - a 

very moving piece about the American 

military cemetery. It was a superb 

evening enjoyed by all. 

Our next meeting is ‘Les Girls de Houston’ 

on Monday April 10th at 7.30pm in the 

Carrick Centre, Houston. All welcome. 

All images by Geof Longstaff 

8. Don’t give up your workplace pension – Be careful not to choose a 

LISA in preference to your workplace pension scheme, as you may 

lose your employer’s contribution. 

9. You can transfer other ISAs into a new LISA to secure the bonus 

available. 

This information is not financial advice. If you require advice you should 

consult a professional adviser. The first meeting is normally free and 

there is no obligation. 

Call us for a FREE financial 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


25


Royal Mail Adds a Penny to Stamp Prices 

Royal Mail has announced that, from 27th March, the 

price of a First Class stamp will increase by 1p to 65p 

and the price of a Second Class stamp will increase by 

1p to 56p. 

In addition, the price of a Large Letter First Class stamp 

will rise by 2p to 98p; a Large Letter Second Class 

stamp will rise by 1p to 76p. 

The increases are in line with the rise in the Consumer 

Prices Index (CPI), which rose by 1.8% in the year to 

January. 

In a statement issued on Friday 24th February, Royal Mail said: that the increases are “necessary 

to help ensure the sustainability of the Universal Postal Service”. 

Royal Mail added: “Our stamp prices are amongst the best value in Europe when compared to our 

counterparts. The European average for First Class letters (0-100g) is 87p. The UK First Class 

stamp price remains below this. The European average for Second Class letters (0-100g) is 67p. 

The UK Second Class stamp price remains below this.” 

Royal Mail said it understood how hard it was for many companies and households in the current 

economic environment. The latest increase follows a previous 1p rise for both first class and second 

class stamps in March 2016. 

TV Licence Rising To £147 

From 1st April 2017, the cost of the annual licence fee will increase to £147, 

the Government has confirmed. 

This is the first time the licence fee has increased since 1st April 2010. The 

Government is responsible for setting the level of the licence fee, and last 

year announced that it would rise in line with inflation for fi ve years from 1st 

April 2017. 

Licence fee payers will receive a payment plan or a reminder refl ecting 

the new amount when their licence is next due for renewal. Those buying 

or renewing a licence after 1st April will pay the new fee. Those already 

buying a licence on an instalment scheme which started before 1st April 

– such as monthly direct debit or weekly cash payments – will continue to 

make payments totalling £145.50 until their licence comes up for renewal. 

Fergus Reid, TV Licensing spokesperson for Scotland, said: “The free 

concession for those aged over 75 remains, although as at present this is 

not issued automatically, and anyone entitled to the concession must apply 

for it. If you are blind (severely sight impaired) you are entitled to a 50 per 

cent concession on the cost of a TV Licence. From 1st April 2017, this 

amount will be £73.50”. 

“TV Licensing provides a range of ways to pay, including small weekly cash 

payments and annual Direct Debit. Payers can view their details on line at 

any time, and can choose to receive correspondence from TV Licensing by 

email, rather than by post,” he said. 

Anyone watching or recording TV programmes as they are shown on TV, or 

watching or downloading BBC programmes on iPlayer needs to be covered 

by a licence. This applies whether they are using a TV set, computer, 

or any other equipment. For more information about when a licence is 

needed, visit tvlicensing.co.uk/info


27 27


MyAccount – Online at a time 

that suits you 

COFFEE MORNING 

SIX MUST DO’s FOR THE OVER 50’s 

Tues 11 th April 10-12pm 

Carrick Centre - Houston 

Wed 26th April 10-12pm 

Freeland Church - BOW 

Come for a chat and a free 45 minute talk 

every Scot over 50 should attend 

• Wills 

• Power of Attorney 

• Advance Directive 

Please call Kingsley Wood and Company, Solicitors on 01505 874114 

to book a place or for further information. 

MyAccount is your digital customer account with Renfrewshire Council. 

Available on a smartphone, tablet or pc, you can access a variety of council 

services online at a time that suits you. 

What does MyAccount offer? 

You can view your Council Tax 

and rent accounts; apply for 

benefit, council tax discount or 

exemption; and notify us when 

something’s changed. Smart 

online forms make applications 

quick and simple to complete 

and electronic upload of 

supporting evidence is a straightforward 

camera click away. 

Almost 40% of MyAccount customers currently log in from a smartphone 

which means they have access to their council tax and rent balance, 

payments, and transaction history at the touch of a button, wherever they 

are online. 

Getting started – www.renfrewshire.gov.uk/MyAccount 

It’s quick and simple to register with MyAccount - all you need to get started 

is an email address. Simply visit the Council website at www.renfrewshire. 

gov.uk/MyAccount. Once you have set up your profile you will receive an 

email with a one-time password and a link to activate your account. 

Coming soon 

The Council is looking at the best ways to add additional services to 

MyAccount such as the reporting of missed bins, potholes and street 

lighting faults as well as arranging a bulky uplift. We will keep you up to 

date with progress and timescales. 

Feedback 

Take a look at what MyAccount has to offer – it really could save you time. 

You can tell us what you think of it and what kinds of services you would 

like to added to MyAccount by emailing the team at myacccount.help@ 

renfrewshire.gov.uk 

IT Blog 

with Colin Fyfe of Colcom 

The future of computer technology will always be an evolving scientific 

discovery into evermore complex and minute systems; towards the 

electron level architecture of quantum computing, and wherever else. 

Where science leads, we all follow. Some way off from ‘the electron 

level’; My domestic computer support service offering has changed 

in the fi fteen years or so that I have been providing repairs locally. 

Where hardware upgrades and repairs were once the bulk of the work, 

now improvements have made hardware more stable and software 

more clever and intuitive. 

While we have become more reliant on our computer technology; the 

quality of the product itself has improved immeasurably. I am not an 

Apple fanboy but I recognise that where they tend to lead the way with 

design, other manufacturers must follow or perish. This is particularly 

true in both the mobile and portable market. 

Computer or Technology consultancy, even in the domestic context, 

has become more about data connectivity and integration than about 

the data itself. Computer network based technologies like CCTV and 

security systems, Wireless access and Smart Home have become 

the new domestic technology requirements that require sales advice, 

installation and support. 

Last month I completed a wireless installation in a converted farmstead 

using satellite broadband with walls thicker than bales of hay. As I was 

fi nishing up, checking the wireless signal from the end of the driveway 

I was refl ecting on what was once, not so long ago, solely a computer 

repair business and how things have changed and where science will 

take us yet. 

I don’t expect to be offering quantum computer repairs any time soon. 

Research blueprints for such a computer recently published by a 

technology group at Sussex University estimate production costs of 

£100 million and an expected completion time of ten years. For that 

kind of money, it should fi x itself.


29 29


LOCAL 

history 

Black Cart Mills 8 

The Candren Burn - Concluding the eight-part journey down the 

Black Cart 

Just before the Black Cart joins the Gryfe at Blackstoun, the last of its burns, 

the Candren, falls into the river. Along with the Espedair Burn, which falls 

into the White Cart opposite Paisley Abbey, the Candren Burn powered and 

provided process water for two dozen bleachfields south of Paisley, around 

half of which were on the Candren. 

The plethora of high quality textiles produced in and around Paisley from 

the 1740s created a demand for high quality bleaching and finishing. Textile 

manufactories or weaving shops in the town, such as the Paisley Stocking 

Factory ‘put out’ work to most of these bleachfields. 

The highest bleachfi eld on the Candren Burn was at Foxbar, followed by 

two at Causewayend, a mill and bleachfield at Lounsdale, then further 

bleachfi elds at Hillfoot, Bredisland, and two at Meiklerigs. Much of the burn 

is now culverted among Paisley suburbia, forgotten until heavy rain causes 

it to rise and fl ood property. 

The burn then passes under the Johnstone Canal, where the poet Tannahill 

drowned, then through the site of Ferguslie Cotton Mills, to Millarston 

Bleachfi eld. Finally, it crossed Paisley Moss. After the burn passes under 

what is now the Johnstone Bypass (A737), it enters the Black Cart below 

Candren itself, near Blackstoun. Candren Bleachfield, was one of the 

earliest in the county, established by 1752. 

By the 1780s each fi eld on the burn covered at least two acres, though 

Causewayend (East) and Lounsdale, both owned by John Craig, were 

already three times this size. As well as using the burn for process water, 

most of the bleachfi elds had water powered wash mills, and latterly added 

other power driven machinery. Several small reservoirs were built along 

the burn to store water. The largest survives as Durrockstock Pond. The 

workers cottages for the bleachfields were the core of the settlements which 

now form Paisley’s southern suburbs. 

In conclusion 

The Black Cart from its source to Clyde has powered at least 50 mills 

and water driven industries. Some of the traditional grain and waulk 

mills lasted for centuries, others only a few decades. Some remain to be 

rediscovered. 

Outlet from turbine at Johnstone Old Cotton Mill 

The days of water power are far from past. Some of the bigger mills, including 

Johnstone Old Cotton Mill, latterly installed turbines to generate electricity 

from their lades. Other old mill sites on the Black Cart and its burns are now 

attracting interest for the small-scale generation of electricity. 

© 2017 Stuart Nisbet, Renfrewshire Local History Forum 

RLHF next archaeology lecture will be held in the Shawl Gallery in Paisley 

Museum on 13th April, when John Reid will speak on The Roman Assault of 

Brunswark Hill – a battle rehabilitated Visitors are welcome at all our lecture 

meetings. 

Bridge of Weir & The Great War 

100 years ago this month – April 1917 

Gunner James McGibbon, Royal Field Artillery 

Sapper David Tod, Royal Engineers 

Lance Corporal John Holmes, 10th Argyll & Sutherland Highlanders 

Private Hepner Giffen, 16th Royal Scots 

Before April 1917 there had been a two-month pause 

in the telegrams that would ‘deeply regret to inform’ 

next of kin in Bridge of Weir that another family 

member was dead or missing. 

The Battle of 

Arras was to change that dramatically. Arras 

was a British-Canadian diversionary attack 

ahead of a major French offensive under their 

confident new C-in-C, Robert Nivelle. On the 

first two days, the British and Canadian forces 

made significant advances, taking Vimy Ridge, 

three and a half miles of ground near Arras, 

and capturing 9,000 prisoners. Some tactics, 

like advancing under a creeping barrage, are 

now regarded as important developments that 

led to ultimate victory, but, in the familiar pattern 

of this war of attrition, the weather, German 

reinforcements and a lack of consensus amongst 

the British high command thwarted any immediate 

breakthrough. Worse still, the Germans were expecting the French attack 

at the River Aisne one week later, and had strengthened their defences. 

The French lost 40,000 men on the first day and the attack was abandoned 

three weeks later. Nivelle, who had promised to end the war in two days, 

was replaced by Pétain. So much for the puppet-masters. 

Two Bridge of Weir men were killed by German shells before the Battle 

of Arras began. Jim McGibbon, son of farm servant William McGibbon 

from Inveraray and Martha Aitken, had been in France since July 1915 with 

the Royal Field Artillery. His trench mortar battery had been bombarding 

enemy lines for three days when on 6th April he and two comrades were 

killed, possibly by returning shell-fire. 

David Tod was the son of James Tod and Joan Robertson, both originally 

from Fife, and, like Jim McGibbon, David was a currier in the leather works. 

He volunteered in August 1914 and became a sapper in a signals company. 

It was his job to maintain the front line telephone system and on 6th April he 

and two others were at Roclincourt near Arras repairing telephones in a dug 

out when it received a direct hit from an enemy shell. None survived. 

John Holmes was the son of Alexander Holmes, a journeyman mason 

from Lochwinnoch, and Margaret Laird. He volunteered soon after his 

nineteenth birthday, and fought in the later actions of the Somme Offensive, 

gaining promotion to Lance Corporal. The 10th Argylls were in action on 

the first day of the Battle of Arras, 9th April, and took their objectives at 

the cost of 9 killed, 64 wounded, relatively light casualties in the war that 

consumed men. But John was one of the wounded and died two days later. 

His handsome features are on the front cover of “Supreme Sacrifi ce”. 

Gottfried Hepner Giffen has a curious and compelling story. His father, 

Gottfried Hepner was a German-born musician who married Alma Jacob in 

Ilfracombe, then moved to Glasgow. Alma died young in 1893. Gottfried 

was consumed with grief and also died within months. The children were 

taken into Quarrier’s Homes, young Gottfried still in his fi rst year. His older 

siblings were sent to Canada but Gottfried was fostered by Humphrey 

Giffen, a gardener at the Homes, and his wife Christina Newbigging and 

was raised as Hepner Giffen. He became a joiner and married Nellie 

McDougall, an older sister of Bertie, the professional golfer killed on the 

last day of the Somme. Hepner first fought with the Scottish Rifl es from 

June 1916 but in July was transferred to 16th Royal Scots (McCrae’s 

Battalion) which had been raised in Edinburgh, many volunteers coming 

from professional football clubs. On 28th April, the battalion attacked the 

Chemical Works and Mount Pleasant Wood at Roeux to the east of Arras, 

but a German counter-attack prevailed and many, like Hepner, the adopted 

Scot who may not have known of his German roots, were killed or captured. 

A survivor later described the assault on Roeux as like poking a wasps’ nest 

with a pointed stick. ‘We should have left it well alone’. 

Read more about the four men’s lives and untimely deaths at http://www. 

bridgeofweirmemorial.co.uk and in the book “Supreme Sacrifi ce: A Small 

Village and the Great War available from www.birlinn.co.uk or Abbey Books, 

2 Well Street, Paisley, and other major bookshops or online. 

Gordon Masterton


Kilbarchan April 1917 

The Spring Offensive on 9th April 1917 is largely remembered for the Canadian 

capture of Vimy Ridge, near Arras. Many British divisions supported them, on 

their right, including the 51st (Highland), 9th (Scottish) and 15th (Scottish). 

Along with Scottish battalions in other divisions 36% of the attackers were 

Scottish, which partly explains Scotland’s higher than average war time 

losses. 

Private John Cuthbertson Houston had joined in November 1916 and was 

posted to 16th Royal Scots (McCrae’s Battalion), 34th Division. He died 

on 9th April at the age of 23. For nine years before he was called up he 

had worked for the Glasgow and South West Railway Company, latterly at 

Lochwinnoch Station. He had been actively involved as a Sunday School 

teacher in the United Free Church in Kilbarchan. He lived with his family in 

Church Street. He is buried at Roclincourt Valley Cemetery. 

2nd Lt. John Hill Macintosh was killed in the next phase of the Arras Offensive 

on 14th April 1917. Before the war he had been a stockbroker’s clerk with 

Wilson and Lambie of St. Vincent’s Place, Glasgow. He joined the 6th 

Highland Light Infantry, 52nd (Lowland) Division. He served in the Gallipoli 

campaign, was selected for training as an officer, sent to Officer Cadet School 

in the UK then posted to 17th HLI, which had originally been recruited from 

men who worked in commerce in Glasgow. A brother officer wrote, ‘He fell at 

the head of his men, leading them to victory.’ He was 28 and is named on the 

Thiepval Memorial. His family home was in Church Street. 

After some initial success on 9th - 12th April the battle became an ugly slog, 

focussed on the village of Roeux. 

Private William A Graham originally was born in Maryhill in 1897 and in the 

1911 census lived at 12 Parkview as a boarder, and was at school. He initially 

served in the Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders but was transferred to the 

6th Gordon Highlanders, 51st (Highland) Division. The division was much 

embroiled at Roeux. William died of wounds on the 23rd of April 1917 and is 

buried in Fampoux British Cemetery. He was 20 years old. 

Private Alexander H Craig had 

worked as a colour mixer at Cartside 

Mill before he joined in May 1916. He 

served with the 7th Black Watch, 51st 

(Highland) Division. He lived with 

his wife and two children at 47 New 

Street. He was killed at the age of 

25 in the fi ghting around Roeux and 

is buried in Brown’s Copse Cemetery 

Arras Town Hall 

at Roeux. 

Johnstone 

History Society 

The April meeting of the History 

Society is on April 11th at 7.30pm in 

the Masonic Hall Collier Street. In 

April our speaker will be Dr Ralph 

McLean who is the curator of 18th 

century manuscripts at The National 

Library of Scotland. He will be 

speaking on Burns and the Scottish 

Enlightenment this should be a very interesting talk. New members and 

visitors will all be made most welcome. On the 14th March we had our 

AGM which although poorly attended was a very successful night. The 

AGM was followed by a very challenging picture quiz compiled by Valerie 

Reilly. 

The museum is open Wednesday, Friday and Saturday from 10.30am till 

4pm. We have a variety of books and publications available to buy and 

these can also be purchased online at johnstnehistory.org payment can be 

made via PayPal. We have a few calendars left now selling at £2. 

Inchinnan Historical Interest 

‘597AD St Conval to All Hallows - 1420 Years and Counting’ 

Inchinnan Historical Interest Group (IHIG) has received £60,000 from the 

Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF) for an exciting project, ‘597AD St Conval to All 

Hallows - 1420 Years and Counting, in Inchinnan’. Led by volunteers from 

the local community, the project focuses on an archaeological survey of All 

Hallows site, where there has been a church since medieval times and the 

surrounding area. 

This project will delve into and disseminate the 

rich heritage of Inchinnan by examining the 

historical and archaeological background of the 

multi-period site of All Hallows. 1,400 years 

of occupation, with a programme combining 

community volunteers and school engagements 

will enable young people and volunteers to 

discover and learn about local heritage through 

archaeology and research. They will achieve 

this by researching the history of All Hallows 

and being involved in geophysics and archaeological surveys to recreate 

medieval life in Inchinnan. 

IHIG is a local history society which works with individuals and other groups 

to record and research the history of Inchinnan. Working with young people 

will help them to learn about their heritage through developing research and 

recording skills, and will forge a lasting interest in local History. Through 

the involvement of a range of heritage professionals from archaeologists 

to model makers, participants will gain a deeper insight into this previously 

under-researched part of their history, as well as teaching them valuable 

new communication skills to use as they develop their careers. 

31 31


Rotary Foundation Celebration – Purple Dinner 

To celebrate the 

100th Anniversary of 

Rotary Foundation 

(Rotary’s 

own 

international charity) 

and Rotary Day, the 

Rotary Club of Gryffe Valley held a 

special dinner on 23rd February with 

the theme “Purple” – purple being the 

colour of dye used to mark children 

who have been inoculated against 

polio in the Rotary Foundation End 

Polio campaign. 

Jason Andrews of The River Inn obliged 

with an excellent three-course dinner 

which followed the purple theme! Our 

speaker was Jim Morton, the Rotary 

District Convenor for Foundation who 

gave us a detailed update on the 

charity and its successes. 

Kilmacolm Camera Club 

Camera Club fun and games continued with a portrait session involving the 

children of the Fashion Group that meets at KNCC. It was a chance for the 

Fashion Group to pose for the camera, and for Camera Club members to 

brush up on their portrait photography skills. We thought that the portraits 

looked very natural and relaxed. 

We also devoted an evening to a mixture of “20 Image” presentations, and 

short photo sequences, set to music. These were created and presented 

by our members, and included the Western Isles, Lake District, portraits, La 

Gomera (in the Canaries), icebergs and penguins, Maltese Dancers and 

even Paisley! A varied and informative selection to fill the evening. 

Last month, we held our Annual Competition, a selection primarily of the 

best of our images this season. Judging our efforts was the experienced 

Gordon McMann, of Queen’s Park Camera Club, who gave a careful critique 

of each image, pointing out its qualities, together with potential areas for 

improvement, all presented with an easy style and good humour. 

In the Print section, Douglas Forrest “bestrode the competition like a 

Colossus”, with “Luskentyre” (first) and “Sanna Bay, Ardnamurchan” 

(second) (both shown here). Bill Ham came third, with “Gallery of Modern Art 

Stairway.” In the Digital class, Tina Marr was first, with “Callanish Sunrise,” 

(shown here) Douglas Forrest continued to bestride the opposition, with 

“Corgarff Castle, Aberdeenshire” and Jane Robertson was third, with “Hold 

Tight” (shown here). In the recent annual competition among Renfrewshire 

clubs, Jane’s image came very close to being the photo equivalent of Cruft’s 

Supreme Champion! 

Speaker Meetings 

Jim Watson, a longtime 

member of Gryffe 

Valley Rotary Club, 

was the speaker on 8th 

March and, as he has 

done before, told an 

interesting “historical 

tale”. Jimmy’s subject 

was the disastrous naval 

campaign of the Russian 

Admiral Rozhestvensky 

who at the instruction of the Czar sailed his ramshackle Baltic Fleet to the 

China Sea in a vain attempt to recapture Port Arthur from the Japanese in 

1904. The Russians were badly beaten by a Japanese fleet which was 

built in Britain and included the first “big-gun battleship”- a predecessor of 

Dreadnought. Jimmy presented his tale in his inimitable style assisted by 

some old-style visual aids! 

Ron Aitchison, a more recent member of Gryffe 

Valley, but a Rotary stalwart for many years and 

Captain of the Curling team, entertained the club 

on 15th March with another amusing “Tale from the 

Back Green”, from the book by Bill Paterson. 

Looking forward, future speaker meetings continue 

the wide variety of interesting topics and speakers: 

Wed 22nd March at 7pm Dinner - Bob Hanna a 

guest of Ross Anderson on “Birdwatching”. Wed 

29th March at 7pm Dinner - Mike Farley on the 

topic “Rocks and Dinosaurs”. 

10K Run – Sunday 7th May 

Members have been out and about advertising the 10K Run, including 

distributing posters to local shops and doing a promotion at the Linwood 

Park Run. 

The club are particularly keen to encourage sponsored teams of four 

runners – family groups, companies (WH Malcolms and Bridge of Weir 

Leather approached), Clubs (Strathgryffe Tennis Club, Kilbarchan Harriers, 

Running Buddies, Park Run and numerous running clubs contacted) 

and pubs (River Inn, Fox and Hounds, Houston Inn, several pubs in 

Lochwinnoch, Kilbarchan and Bridge of Weir). Runners 

interested in joining/forming teams are encouraged to 

register and collect sponsorship. 

Proceeds for debra charity for Children and Young 

People with the skin disease Epidermolysis 

Bullosa (EB)!! Register now at 

www.gryffevalley.rotary1230.org. 

Our season’s nearly over now, but we won’t be going into hibernation. 

Some Camera Club outings will be planned for the summer months. Please 

come along and see how to get the most out of your camera. Details 

of these outings will appear in the Advertizer (or just contact one of our 

Committee). 

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/ 

Leaving an Engine Idling is an 

Offence 

“Stationary idling is an offence under 

section 42 of the Road Traffic Act 

1988,” says Jeanette Miller, a managing 

director of Geoffrey Miller Solicitors. 

The Act enforces rule 123 of the Highway Code which states: “You must not 

leave a vehicle engine running unnecessarily while that vehicle is stationary 

on a public road.” Doing this can incur a £20 fixed-penalty fi ne under the 

Road Traffic (Vehicle Emissions) Regulations 2002. This goes up to £40 if 

unpaid within a given timeframe. 

Of course, it doesn’t mean you’ve got to cut your engine at every red light: 

you are allowed to leave your engine running if you’re stationary in traffic 

or diagnosing faults. 

https://www.confused.com/on-the-road/driving-law/stopped-parked-engine-runningidling-breaking-law-police-fi 

ne


33 33 

6 points & £200 fine 

for using a mobile 

phone when driving 

From 1st March 2017 onwards drivers caught 

using their mobile phones behind the wheel will 

face six points, a £200 fi ne and have no option 

of a remedial course. Drivers who recently 

passed their driving test will also risk having 

their licence revoked. 

The new rules apply in England, Scotland and 

Wales, with repeat offenders facing a £1,000 

fine and a six-month driving ban. The law will aim to deter drivers from 

texting, making phone calls without a hands-free kit and using social media 

or other applications whilst driving. 

The new deterrents arrive in the aftermath of the RAC’s Report on Motoring 

2016, which suggested that record numbers of motorists were using their 

phones on UK roads. It estimated that 11 million motorists had admitted to 

making or receiving a phone call in the 12 months prior to the report, with a 

further fi ve million taking photos or videos while driving. 

The way vehicle tax is calculated will change for cars and some motor 

homes that are first registered with DVLA from 1st April 2017. 

Vehicle Tax Rates 

The change won’t affect any vehicles registered before April, but drivers 

can check the vehicle tax rates to make sure they know what they need 

to pay. 

The rates explained 

Vehicle tax for the first year is based on CO 2 emissions. 

After the first year, the amount of tax that needs to be paid depends on the 

type of vehicle. The rates are: 

£140 a year for petrol or diesel vehicles 

£130 a year for alternative fuel vehicles (hybrids, bioethanol and LPG) 

£0 a year for vehicles with zero CO 2 emissions 

New vehicles with a list price of more than £40,000 

If a vehicle has a list price (the published price before any discounts) of 

more than £40,000, the rate of tax is based on CO 2 for the fi rst year. 

After the first year, the rate depends on the type of vehicle (petrol, diesel, 

alternative fuel or zero emissions) and an additional rate of £310 a year 

for the next 5 years. 

After those 5 years, the vehicle will then be taxed at one of the standard 

rates (£140, £130, or £0, depending on vehicle type).


Stop Spam Texts 

Spam texts are a modern scourge, plaguing our mobile phones with 

unwanted adverts, often from dodgy companies. Yet it is possible to fi ght 

back, report them and minimise the number you get. This guide explains 

how to identify the three main types of unwanted texts and how to deal the 

problem - including the four numbers that can beat ‘em. 

What type of text is it? 

There are three types of spam message – each needs to be dealt with 

differently so it’s important you identify which it is. 

An example of a spam text 

These usually message randomly generated numbers, 

advertising services such as accident ‘ambulance 

chasers’, PPI claims handlers or debt write-off fi rms. 

How to spot ‘em: They usually come from an 11-digit 

mobile number and the company isn’t identifi ed. 

Legitimate marketing messages 

These should include the name and contact details of the 

sender. You will usually have given consent for them to be 

sent, though possibly unknowingly. 

How to spot ‘em: Firms will identify themselves within 

the body of text or in the sent-from number (this will 

show as text). If not, it’s breaking regulations and can be 

considered spam. 

Premium messages 

Again, these are services you have agreed to but you 

may be unaware that by buying a service, or game, on 

your mobile you’re getting a regular, charged text. 

How to spot ‘em: It will be from a four, fi ve or six-digit 

number and will bill you for receiving the message. 

Spam texts: NEVER reply 

These are messages you’ve never asked for and don’t want. They’re likely to 

be generic, not targeting you personally, though it depends on the company. 

Spammers frequently change these messages in order to try and evade 

detection, resulting in a large number of variants. 

Increasingly, these messages are sent by computers to masses of randomly 

generated numbers. They use multiple pay-as-you-go Sim cards which will 

often only be active for a week or two. It’s a scam aiming to obtain genuine 

personal details. The GOLDEN rule is... 

Do NOT reply, at all, ever - do NOT text STOP! 

These texts WANT any response to confi rm you are a real person. Some 

even try to trick you by saying “text ‘STOP’ to be removed from the mailing 

list”. IGNORE THIS! (Of course, it can be difficult to split the legit from the 

not-legit.) Any numbers that are confi rmed are likely to be sold on to injury 

claim specialists, PPI reclaiming fi rms or other unscrupulous marketeers who 

may further spam you with unsolicited calls and texts. 

What do I do if I get one? 

There are three steps you can follow when it comes to spam messages. The 

fi rst two tackle the wider problem – they won’t completely stop them but the 

more of us that do this the more it helps to reduce spam in the future. The 

third should help stop repeated targeting from a particular advertiser. 

1. Use the four numbers that can beat spam texts 

The fi rst option is to report it to your network provider. The big networks have 

a simple, FREE method to help you do this. Just forward the message to 

7726 (spells SPAM), making sure it includes the senders’ number. 

2. Report it to the Information Commissioner 

Information Commissioner’s Office can fi ne fi rms up to £500,000 for the most 

serious breaches of the Privacy and Electronic Communications Regulations 

(PECR), which govern spam texts. 

3. Block the number 

The most direct way of ensuring you don’t get any more messages from 

a particular number is to simply block the number. Unfortunately many 

companies use multiple Sims to send spam, so blocking one doesn’t 

necessarily mean you won’t hear from them again. 

Legit marketing messages: Opt out 

You get legitimate marketing messages when you fail to tick or untick a 

box (whether on purpose or by accident) and allow companies to send you 

marketing messages or give your details to third party operators. If legit, the 

text will always include the sender, in line with regulations. 

How to stop them 

Firstly, text ‘STOP’. Firms are legally obliged to pay attention to this. However, 

make sure you are 100% certain it is a legitimate marketing message, or 

you may get even more spam. If that doesn’t work, try the website of the 

company named in the message. You should be able to fi nd an option to opt 

out Gryffe of receiving Advertizer its texts. - Current If not, & Past phone Issues the fi rm and request it stops. 

Http://www.moneysavingexpert.com/phones/stop-spam-texts 

www.advertizer.co.uk/issues 

Paisley Colour Photographic 

Club 

Paisley Colour’s Annual Print and Creative Competitions 

Paisley Colour Photographic Club were very delighted to welcome back 

Libby Smith MPAGB EFIAP APAGB HonPAGB HonSPF from Carluke to judge the 

club’s annual Print and Creative competitions last month. Libby gave a 

very thorough and interesting critique to each of the printed and creative 

images. She shared with the audience her wide photographic experience 

and her knowledge about composition, lighting and image processing and 

demonstrated that by making very subtle changes to an image such as 

to contrast and colour, a great improvement would result. There was a 

beautiful selection of colour and black and white printed images on show 

and Libby judged the top three printed images to be by Robert Fulton, Mike 

Cruise and Guy Phillips. 

Creative photography is defined as altered reality and involves producing 

an image through the use of imaginative skill or originality of thought. This 

includes modifications on the computer or in the camera, as well as an 

unusual point of view, imaginative use of lighting or any other presentation 

that begins with the photographer’s image but defies the normal appearance 

of things. 

There was a wide variety of interesting, sometimes amusing but always 

superbly produced images in the Creative Competition and Libby gave well 

considered comments to each image in turn. Her fourth placed image was 

Ken Dow’s clever smoke and portrait composite image entitled “Incenseed”. 

Third place was awarded to Linda Rodger for her colourful and precisely 

worked painterly style image “Venice” whilst in second place was Ann 

Philpot for her beautifully arranged and coloured triptic image “Design Art 

Deco Tiles”. 

For the second year running the top image in Paisley Colour’s Creative 

Competition was awarded to Linda Rodger for striking and subtly textured 

portrait image “Laura”. 

For further details about PCPC including future lectures and competitions 

and updated members galleries please view: www.paisleycolour.co.uk 

Gryffe Advertizer - Current & Past Issues 

www.advertizer.co.uk/issues


35 35 

Langbank Camera Club 

The submissions for the March print competition “History”, which excluded 

castles, provided images of artefacts and structures spanning the centuries 

from around the world. First place was awarded to John Davies for his 

image of Dyfi Furnace, West Wales. The charcoal blast furnace was built in 

1755 and was in continuous use 

until 1810 before being converted 

for use as a sawmill. The original 

waterwheel powered the bellows of 

the blast furnace and the sawmill. 

Gary Ramanathan was awarded 

second place for his image of 

the Kings Tombs, near Dalyan, 

Turkey. The tombs of Kaunos 

are cut high into the cliff-side and 

date back to the middle of the 

4th century BC. Third place was 

awarded to James Goodall for his 

image of the Glenlee ship at the 

transport museum, Glasgow. The 

Glenlee was built in Port Glasgow 

and launched in 1896. 

At February’s print meeting we 

were transported to Ethiopia by Phil 

and John O’Brien. This excellent 

slideshow gave a very interesting 

insight into the daily lives and 

customs of tribes in Ethiopia, 

especially of those living near to 

the border with South Sudan. It 

also highlighted the remoteness of 

some of the villages being visited. 

For example, the ferry to cross a 

river was a shallow dugout boat 

with crocodiles near by. 

It has been a quiet month for the 

club but the Projected Digital Image (PDI) evenings continue to demonstrate 

the diversity and excellence of members’ images on the big screen. 

The next print meeting in April will be held as usual on the second Monday 

of the month, 10th April at 7.30pm. The print competition topic for April 

is “Nature”. A large subject which includes all flora and fauna in the wild. 

(Colour/Monochrome) 

The next PDI meeting will be held on Monday 24th April at 7.30pm, where 

the theme of the evening is “Landscapes”. The informal nature of these 

particular meetings enables members to share hints and tips, as well as to 

discuss what’s new in photography. 

Club meetings are held in Langbank Church Halls, Langbank. Visitors are 

always very welcome at any of our evenings. 

If you wish to fi nd out more about Langbank Camera Club please contact 

Derrick McPherson at langbankcc1@gmail.com with your enquiries or visit 

our website: www.langbankcameraclub.weebly.com. Club membership is 

only £10 for the fi rst year. 

Gryffe Camera Club 

The Club has had some interesting speakers over the last month. Libby 

Smith with an image processing techniques, Mark McColl with a talk on 

InfraRed photography and an evening of Astro photography and time lapse 

presentations from Kirk Norbury. 

League Competition Round 5 gave wins for Sandy Thomson with Air 

Brakes in the A section and Barbara Martin with The Lonesome Tree in the 

B section. 

For information on the coming nights please see the website www. 

gryffecameraclub.co.uk/ 

We are really pleased to announce that LEAP has received 

support for the Brighter Warmer Renfrewshire project and 

our youth project YEP! The funding is to help us deliver 

community based work from April 2017 to March 2018. 

Brighter Warmer Renfrewshire 

Brighter Warmer Renfrewshire is here to support individuals, 

families and community groups across Renfrewshire reduce the amount of 

energy we use in our homes & in our daily lives, tackle fuel poverty, gain 

new skills, learn & work together to make better use of the resources we 

have to realise a vision of a Brighter Warmer Renfrewshire. This project is 

funded through the Scottish Government’s Climate Challenge Fund. Keep 

an eye out for the Brighter Warmer Renfrewshire Project on our Facebook 

page www.facebook.com/myleapproject/ 

YEP & ReMode 

ReMode is a shop of re-designed clothing, a learning hub and workshop 

space. It is part of a wider Youth Engagement Programme devised by and 

for young people across 6 rural Renfrewshire communities. Throughout 

2017/18 we will develop ReMode as a circular economy enterprise, 

engaging the young and wider community in workshops, pop-up events, 

and social gatherings to achieve textile waste reduction. This project is 

funded through the Scottish Government’s Climate Challenge Fund and 

the European Regional Development Fund. We will soon be recruiting for 

a Sales Assistant post for ReMode! Keep your eye out for ReMode on their 

facebook page www.facebook.com/remodeyouth/ to find out more. 

Lampshade Re-use Workshop fun 

Much fun was had at the first LEAP 

Lampshade Re-use Workshop, 

where the 6 participants learned 

how to strip back their old 

lampshade and recover with 

reclaimed material. 

This workshop was 

oversubscribed, so if you would 

like to put your name down for 

the spring workshop, or would 

like to find out more, please email 

susie@myleapproject.org 

Lampshade Group participants 

Manos Amigas craft organisation visits LEAP’s ReMode shop 

Yannina Meza from Manos Amigas, the Peruvian based organisation that 

brings talented artisans together, to export their crafts to the growing Fair 

Trade markets in Europe, recently visited ReMode in Lochwinnoch. Gillian 

Steel of ReMode showed her samples of young people’s own label upcycled, 

re-designed and zero waste clothing. ‘I was really impressed at how 

this project has cultivated a drive for new artisan skills for young people. ‘Liz 

Cotton from Rainbow Turtle, who hosted Yannina’s visit to Renfrewshire, 

added that ‘ReMode is challenging young people to consider and take action 

to reduce the 

detrimental impact 

of fast fashion and 

the throw away 

clothes culture on 

the environment ’ 

It was a fantastic 

day at the Glasgow 

Climate Festival in 

George Square 

on Saturday 4th 

March. The event 

ReMode visitors 

was organised 

by community-led organisations, funded 

through The Scottish Government’s 

Climate Challenge Fund and supported 

by Keep Scotland Beautiful and CEMVO 

Scotland. The outdoor marquee in 

Glasgow Square was open to the public 

and projects showcased their work and got 

everyone involved in stunt cycling, Dr Bike 

checks, board games, ‘take one action 

pledges’ with LEAP holding a fashion show 

promoting ReMode’s work in creating zero 

waste fashion. 

Yep! Zero Waste clothing for 

young people. 

never miss an issue again! 

visit www.advertizer.co.uk or 

http://free.yudu.com/library/18833/Gryffe-Advertizer-issues 

http://issuu.com/gryffeadvertizer/docs


bishopton, langbank & bridge of weir 


Renfrewshire Council Consulting On 

Development Proposals In Bridge Of Weir 

Developers have already been involved in preparations for the Plan and they have 

submitted proposals to build close to 1,000 new houses on the village greenbelt. 

The actual sites are: 

• South of Kilmacolm Road (200 houses) 

• Whitelint Gate (200 houses) 

• Between Kilbarchan Road and Crosslee Road (50 houses) 

• West of Larmarnock Road (320 houses) 

• Kilbarchan Road, South of Hazelwood Road/Shillingworth (200 houses) 

• West of Thriplee Road (50 houses) 

The Council believe that there is more than enough land already available for new 

housing, without the need to give up greenbelt. It has presented this view as its 

“preferred housing strategy” in the new Local Development Plan preparation. 

The Council is now at the stage of seeking public comments on its new Plan. 

As part of this consultation, it is asking if people are happy with its “preferred 

housing strategy”, or for other suggestions. The Council needs to take into 

account public support, or otherwise, for the new Development Plan. Should 

its preferred options not be supported, it is likely that greenbelt sites will be 

considered for development. 

Comments can be made via the Renfrewshire Council website www.renfrewshire. 

gov.uk by going to “Planning, building 

standards and regeneration”, then 

to “Preparation of the next Local 

Development Plan”. Proposals for 

specifi c housing developments are 

detailed in “Background Paper 2 

Housing Site Assessments 2017” 

Information on how to submit 

comments is provided, including 

an online option using a “MIR and Environmental Report Consultation Form”. 

This form includes the opportunity in Question 3 “Renfrewshire’s Housing Land 

Requirements” to indicate support for the Council’s preferred strategy (no 

greenbelt development), or to suggest alternatives. 

The deadline for comments is Monday 1st May. Further information can be 

obtained from the Local Development Plan team on 0141 618 7838. 


The Bridge 

Easter Sunday is celebrated on 16th April. Send an Easter card, give a Money 

Wallet or a gift from our exciting collection of new items. 

Shop News – an extensive variety of Greeting Cards are on sale to cover most 

special occasions. Our usual stationery items are always in stock. From early 

April we will stock small gifts from a range by “Emma Ball Ltd”. 

Post Office - going on holiday soon? Ask Donald, Anne or Stuart for leafl ets on 

Travel Insurance and Travel Moneycard and to request Euros on Demand or order 

other Currencies. 

Help is at Hand within your Community Centre – Do you have any issues to 

resolve? An appointment with one of your local MSP’s, MP or Citizens Advice 

Bureau staff is the answer. Please call in to fi nd out the times of their surgeries. 

An evening out at The Bridge – twice monthly, you can enjoy a fi lm along with 

complimentary refreshments in The Bridge. Please collect a Programme. 

The Garden –we are again appreciative of the work The Allotments and Garden 

Society undertake in the garden at the rear of The Bridge, ensuring we can enjoy 

seasonal changes. 

As always we wish to thank our dedicated team of volunteers who, through their 

commitment, enable The Bridge Community Centre, Shop and more importantly 

Post Offi ce to serve the village. 

(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) 


Fashion Show 

Friday 28th April 7.30pm in Langbank 

Village Centre. Tickets, which include 

raffl e and refreshments, are £5. 

Phone 01475 540752 for a ticket. A 

variety of current fashion items will 

be on display, and for sale, there will 

be a changing area to try clothes on. 

Please come along and refresh your 

summer wardrobe, whilst supporting 

Church funds. 


BoW SWI 

The fi nal meeting of the 

session will take place on 

Thursday April 6th. Storyteller Marjorie 

Leithead will entertain us and we will 

also have the annual mini show and 

AGM. The meeting is held in the Royal 

British Legion Hall at 7.15 for 7.30pm 

and everyone is welcome. The fi nal 

event of the session will be an outing 

in June to Drumlanrig Castle. 


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. 


Bridge of Weir Community Council 

Two of our members attended a seminar on the Scottish Government Planning 

Consultation and will be making a response to the consultation on behalf of the 

Community Council. There is also a consultation on the Local Development Plan 

– Main Issues Report. Details can be found on the Renfrewshire Council web 

site. We will add a link on our web site www.bridgeofweir.org to assist anyone 

wishing to participate in the consultation. 

The proposal to build 14 fl ats and 8 detached houses on land at Old Ranfurly 

Golf Course adjacent to Lawmarnock Road has been refused by the Planning 

Board at Renfrewshire Council. The process of the planning appeals in relation to 

Whitelint Gate and Land North of Kilmacolm Road will be set out by the Scottish 

Government Reporter at a meeting on 30th March. The actual appeal hearing is 

likely to be scheduled for late May. We will keep you informed of progress on this 

via Facebook and our web page. 

At our recent meeting Inspector Cassie Glass reported on the previous months 

crime fi gures. Seven crimes had been committed including one for drink driving 

in which the offending vehicle collided with a parked car. 

Shift patterns for Community Policing are changing from fi ve shifts to two allowing 

for more policing at essential times. Inspector Glass has agreed to look and 

identify if there is any information the Police can offer in our quest to have 

the 30mph speed limit extended beyond St Mary’s Church, Johnstone Road. 

Renfrewshire Council has once again refused this request. 

Guest Speaker at the meeting was Susan Knowles, Volunteer Development 

Offi cer from Quarriers charity who is looking for volunteers to help with adults with 

learning diffi culties in all areas of their work. She was also seeking out advice on 

advertising on how best to recruit volunteers. We agreed if the charity sends us 

further information we would put this on to our Facebook page. 

Renfrewshire Forum of Community Councils approached us seeking our views 

regarding 20mph speed limits being introduced throughout Renfrewshire. 

The Community Council has reserved it’s decision until further information is 

forthcoming. 

On the buses: We were informed by McGill’s buses of changes to their services in 

Bridge of Weir that will be introduced on the 3rd of April. McGill’s have apologised 

for the error and will update us with further information. SPT will investigate if a 

solution can be found regarding the link between Johnstone and Bridge of Weir. 

Visit our Facebook page for updates. 

Virgin Media cabling works are causing some concern regarding the quality of 

the re-instatement of the pavements. Complaints should be made in the fi rst 

instance to the site supervisor or by contacting the Virgin customer helpline on 

0870 888 3116 (option 3). We have passed on Community Council concerns to 

our Councillors. 

Due to the refurbishment of the Cargill Hall the venues for the next three meetings 

have had to be changed. 4th April St Machar’s Ranfurly Church Hall. 2nd May 

and 6th June the Primary School. All with the usual start time of 7pm.


37 


Bridge of Weir Gala Day 

Saturday 10th June 2017 

It’s that time of year again. 

Saturday 11th March saw the selection of 

Kaylynn McKinnon as the Bridge of Weir 

Gala Queen 2017, with Olivia Anderson and 

Darya Lavizani chosen as her attendants. 

Our thanks go to all the girls who turned 

up on the night, and they all contributed to Gala Queen 2017 selection night 

some very hard decision making for our three judges, Marie, Maria and Lyndsey. 

Kaylynn will be crowned at Bridge of Weir Gala Day on Saturday 10th June. 

The theme for this year’s Gala Day is ‘Commotion in the Ocean’. Anyone wishing 

to enquire about a pitch on the day should contact Meg Millar by email at meg_ 

millar@hotmail.com. Please note that as last year, due to ground conditions, 

there will no public car parking within Houston Road Park, and the inter schools 

football tournament will be held at Bridge of Weir Primary School. 

Bridge of Weir Festival Committee 

Gala Queen Kaylynn with Olivia 

(right) and Darya (left) 


French Conversation 

Our French conversation group has 

started. We meet every Wednesday 

9.30am - 12noon in Bernie’s Cafe, 

Main Street, Bridge of Weir. Please 

contact me on: 07463 570464 or 

Email: avril.forbes2015@outlook.com. 

All welcome. 


Bridge of Weir 

Choral Society 

Bridge of Weir Choral Society are 

holding their Spring Concert in St. 

Columba Church Kilmacolm at 7.30pm 

on Sunday 7th May. 

The main item in the programme is 

Mozart’s Mass in C Major and the choir 

will also perform works by Vaughan 

Williams and Finzi. 

For further information please contact 

Ernie Smyth on 01505 702997. 


Bridge of Weir 

Elderly Forum 

Come and join us on Tuesday 11th 

April at Royal British Legion Hall and 

put your name down for our outing 

to Dumfries on Thursday 4th May. 

Meeting at 3pm. 

We have a coffee afternoon on 

Tuesday 25th April in Freeland Chruch 

Hall - tickets £2. 

February saw the Festival Committee AGM 

and the election of offi ce bearers for the 

coming year. Chris Gilzean has taken over 

the reigns from the late Gordon Lethorn, 

and will be known as Festival Co-ordinator, 

with Paul Matthews as his deputy. Meg 

Millar will continue as Secretary and 

Brenda Lethorn as Treasurer. 


Carers Meeting 

Strathgryffe Medical Practice invites 

its patients to a carers meeting at 

7pm on Monday 10th April at Bridge 

of Weir surgery. A speaker will attend 

to talk about Power of Attorney and 

Guardianship. 


The Bridge 

Community Garden 

For several years now the back 

garden at the Bridge Post Offi ce 

and Community Centre has been 

developed as a community garden 

growing a range of edible crops. We 

are keen to involve local people of 

all ages in sharing in the care and 

development of the garden. Our fi rst 

work day in the garden this year will 

be on the afternoon of 8th April from 

2pm. Please come and join in. 


Langbank WI 

The AGM and Annual Dinner will be 

held at Gleddoch House Hotel & Golf 

Club on Thursday 20th April - 7pm for 

7.30pm. 



A fun, no-pressure choir singing feelgood 

songs every Tuesday from 6pm 

- 7.15pm and Fridays at 2pm - 3.15pm 

in the Bishopton Community Centre. 


Colour your Walls 

Spring is in the air, to celebrate its painting ‘SALE TIME’ 

at the Bridge, Main Street, Bridge of Weir from 3rd April. 

Pop in and choose from an eclectic mix of colourful oil 

and water colour paintings and prints, artwork is mainly 

by Alison Bannerman and Phyllis Mulligan, both are 

local artists. Paintings purchased can be taken away on 

the day and they are not expensive with a percentage of 

the sale going to the BRIDGE CHARITY. 

Last month many paintings were sold making this a 

desirable location for 

art lovers and painters 

alike. It’s always diffi cult to defi ne and hard to 

describe a painting you love... But you won't know 

if there is something to colour your home if you 

don’t pay the Bridge a visit. One of the artists 

has suggested there will be lovely paintings of 

scenes, favourite places, kids at the shore just to 

mention a few themes all hopefully capturing the 

beautiful sunshine and shadow. Always check 

opening times before visiting. 



Goodbye! - The Local Government elections are just a few 

weeks away and the past fi ve years of being a Councillor have 

simply fl own by! 

Those fi ve years have been very busy and interesting and it 

has been a privilege to work for and with the residents of our 

beautiful Ward. 

I shall be retiring as Councillor for Bishopton, Bridge of Weir 

and Langbank and am delighted that Natalie Don, from 

Bridge of Weir, has agreed to put herself forward for election 

in my place - I wish her and all constituents all the best for 

the future! 

Renfrewshire Council are fi nalising their carriageway 

resurfacing plan for 2017/2018. Hopefully there will be a 

good number of roads and pavements resurfaced. Roads 

should concentrate more on fi xing the drains and improving 

the drainage so the resurfacing lasts longer. 

Bishopton residents living near the railway station are 

frustrated by the inconsiderate parking which takes place by 

commuters who, despite the increase in parking spaces, are 

still parking in the residential streets near the station. Getting 

the residents to agree to parking restrictions is not easy, so in 

the meantime I will be producing some A6 windscreen cards 

requesting that motorists use the car park. 

I had some success this week with the planning application no. 16/0669/PP for 

the erection of 8 houses and a block of 14 fl ats on the Old Ranfurly Golf Course to 

the side of Lawmarnock Road, Bridge of Weir. The Scottish Government Reporter 

had identifi ed the site as suitable for only nine units and this was then included 

in the Local Development Plan. Despite this, the application came before the 

committee with a recommendation of Grant. Thankfully my amendment to refuse 

the application won the day. 

In Langbank, there is a Core Path between Middlepenny Road and Marypark 

Road which the Council are making plans to repair using the Community Payback 

Team. I am hoping for a big improvement on this footpath. 

Thanks to everyone over the last fi ve years for fi lling in my Pothole Watch forms, 

your calls, coming to my surgeries, and sending me emails. 

On the 4th May, I would like to receive your vote and be your councillor for the 

next fi ve years. 

Surgeries: Bishopton Community Library - 1st Monday of every month (6.30pm). Bridge of 

Weir PS - 2nd Monday of every month (6.30pm) (no surgery in April due to school holiday). 

Langbank Parish Church Hall - 3rd Monday of every month (6.30pm). Tel:- 0300-300-1291 

or by email to cllr.james.maclaren@renfrewshire.gov.uk . Check out my Facebook page for 

more information and articles www.facebook.com/councillormaclaren. 

bishopton, langbank & bridge of weir


kilmacolm & quarriers 


Bridge of Weir Tenants and Residents 

Association 

The latest meeting of Bridge of Weir TARA was once again well attended, and 

our thanks go to Councillors Maria Brown and James MacLaren, the Police, 

Community Wardens Aideen Dempsey and Alan Robb, and Housing Offi cer Alan 

Boyack for their attendance. 

The Police report showed that there were nine crimes committed around the 

village in the past month of which three were detected. The crimes included two 

common assaults, a theft by shoplifting, a drugs offence, bogus workmen and 

two road traffi c offences. 

The Renfrewshire Wardens reported that it had been quite quiet around the 

village of late with only two dog fouling fi nes issued, both on Houston Road. There 

were between seventy and a hundred foot patrols of Bridge of Weir over the past 

three months. 

TARA along with Cllr. Maria Brown did a site visit to Warlock Road to look at 

the road surface which is in need of repair. The pothole stretching across the 

whole junction with Woodside Ave will be repaired within the next few weeks, 

and resurfacing work of the damaged road surface will be taken forward into the 

next fi nancial year. 

TARA along with Gordon Anderson and Cllrs. Maria Brown and James MacLaren 

recently had a meeting with a representative of Renfrewshire Council’s roads 

department to look at the junction at the War Memorial. The Council have 

pledged to undertake a survey of road traffi c at this junction. 

TARA would like to congratulate Gordon Anderson for his recent Renfrewshire 

Council Provost’s Award for all his hard work around the village, unblocking 

drains, lifting litter, etc. We’d also like to congratulate Brighter Bridge of Weir 

for recently being short listed for the Scottish Rural Awards, unfortunately they 

were unsuccessful this time, but we all appreciate how much they do around the 

village. 

The next meeting of Bridge of Weir Tenants and Residents Association is the AGM 

on Tuesday the 18th April at 7.30pm in the Pirie Centre, Freeland Church. All are 

welcome. 


Creative Communities Writing Workshop: 

My Summer Diary with author Liz Rettig - Saturday 22nd April from 1.30 - 2.30pm 

FREE entry - Age 12+ - Kilmacolm New Community Centre 

Join Liz as she talks about her Kelly Ann books about a 15 year old who keeps a 

secret diary. You will get the chance to learn some cool story telling secrets and 

write your own diary entry style story. Email vfi nnigan@st-columbas.org to reserve 

a place. Creative Communities is an outreach programme of St Columba’s 

School, Kilmacolm. 


Kilmacolm Community Cleanup 

Saturday 22 April - Meet at the Pullman Car Park - 10am 

The Kilmacolm Community Council is seeking local resident help to clear the 

rubbish that is littering the verges of the roads in and out of Kilmacolm. A 

few hours of volunteers’ time will go a long way in helping to tidy up the mess 

deposited by the thoughtless and uncaring few. 

Community minded folk who wish to volunteers their time are asked to meet 

outside the Pullman - just at the entrance to the cycle track - at 10am on Saturday 

22nd April where they will be formed into teams. Each team will be assigned a 

specifi c area of roadside to clean up. A few of the willing volunteers will need 

to transport themselves and some of the other team members to and from the 

outlying locations in their own vehicles. 

Inverclyde Council will provide litter pickers, refuse bags, high viz vests and 

disposable gloves. Volunteers are 

advised to wear weather appropriate 

clothing - which is likely to get dirty - and 

comfortable walking shoes or boots 

and they may wish to bring their own 

heavier working gloves and a mobile 

phone. 

Please call or text Kilmacolm Community 

Council on 07542 788502 or email 

secretary@kilmacolmcc.co.uk to sign 

up for this worthwhile community 

event or just arrive on the day. Those 

volunteers who wish to offer their 

services as drivers are asked to please 

make contact before the event. If really 

severe adverse weather is forecast on 

the day the event will be postponed. 


Good Friday 

Service 

We warmly invite 

you and your family 

to our Good Friday 

Service at Grace 

Church, Kilmacolm 

on Friday 14th 

April, at 7.30pm in 

Kilmacolm Guide 

Hut, Woodrow Avenue, Kilmacolm, 

PA13 4QF. Guest Preacher: Mr Alex 

Bedford. For details please contact 

gracechurchkilmacolm@gmail.com 


Creative Communities Talk: 

Murder in the Library with Russel D Mclean - Thursday 

20th April - 7.30pm - 8.30pm - FREE. The Library, The 

Girdwood Building, St Columba’s School, Gryffe Road, 

Kilmacolm (note: please use Gryffe Road entrance). 

Join crime noir writer Russel D McLean for a glass of 

wine as he talks about his latest thriller Ed’s Dead. 

Email vfi nnigan@st-columbas.org to reserve a place. 

Creative Communities is an outreach programme of St 

Columba’s School, Kilmacolm 



MND Coffee 

Morning 

Thank you to everyone 

for continued support 

for this very worthwhile 

cause. £900 was 

raised - a wonderful 

amount. 

There has been a generally positive 

response to the new LED ‘white’ street 

lights being installed over the last few 

months. These lights are more energy 

effi cient, environmentally friendly and 

less costly to maintain than the ‘orange’ 

lights. We accept that there are some 

people who don’t like ‘white’ lights and 

there have also been concerns expressed 

about the lack of overfl ow lighting into 

gardens and pathways. If you have any 

issues with the new lights please feel free 

to contact us. 

The Council’s Environment & Regeneration Committee agreed on 2nd March to 

promote a variation to the existing traffi c regulation order covering Kilmacolm to 

remove the requirement to display parking discs in on-street parking bays. The 

outcome of a 21 day public consultation will be reported back to a future meeting 

of the Committee. 

At the same meeting the Committee approved further sums of £25,000 for 

both Kilmacolm and Quarriers for environmental improvements. As with the 

previous funding, decisions on how this money should be spent will be made in 

consultation with Kilmacolm Community Council and Quarriers Village Council. 

At the time of writing this column we have been advised that the Council’s 

contractor is due to start work shortly on installing new gullies in Whitelea Road 

to resolve the ongoing drainage problem close to the junction with Carruth Drive. 

We’re sure this will come as a relief to residents. 

Other issues we have dealt with in the past month include anti-social behaviour at 

Kilmacolm Cemetery; complaints about problems caused by Virgin Media in the 

Pacemuir estate; and the ongoing disruption to nearby residents from the works 

in Leperstone Avenue in Kilmacolm to create platforms for self-build plots being 

developed on the Council’s behalf by Riverside Inverclyde. Hopefully this last 

issue is nearing an end. Once again we apologise to residents for the disruption 

they have faced. 

Councillor McColgan 

Since this is my fi nal column before I stand down as a Councillor to focus on my legal career, 

can I thank you for the opportunity to represent Kilmacolm and Quarriers Village over the 

past fi ve years. It has been a real privilege and an experience I will always cherish. I hope to 

return to elected politics at some point in future. 

No surgeries this month. Tel: 01475 712727 (offi ce hours) or 07881 280016 or by emailing 

me at james.mccolgan@inverclyde.gov.uk. Alternatively you can write to me at Inverclyde 

Council, Municipal Buildings, Greenock PA15 1LY. 

Councillor McCabe 

No surgeries this month. Tel: 01475 712020 (offi ce hours) and 871368 (home) or by email to 

Stephen.McCabe@inverclyde.gov.uk. You can write to me at 10 Victoria Gardens, Kilmacolm 

PA13 4HL. Keep up to date with my work by visiting my blog: http://councillorstephenmccabe. 

blogspot.com/ and follow me on Twitter @CllrSMcCabe. 


Kilmacolm Guides 

Kilmacolm Guides are celebrating their 100th birthday! 

The 1st Kilmacolm Guides were set up on 20th June 

1917 and they have been active ever since. With up to 4 

Guide packs, 3 Brownie packs and Rainbows packs over the years Girl Guiding 

has played an important part in our village life over the last century. 

We are holding a 100th birthday celebration on Sunday 21st May at the Guide 

Hut on Woodrow Avenue. If you have any photographs, stories or memorabilia 

about Guides in the village over the years we would love to hear from you, please 

email kilmacolmguides100@gmail.


39 


Kilmacolm & Port Glasgow Agricultural 

Society 182nd Annual Show 

Held at the Knapps, Kilmacolm on Saturday 13th May by 

kind permission of Lord Maclay, Mrs Smith and Mr Robert 

Baxter. Thank you to our sponsors, advertisers, volunteers 

and supporters. 

Classes for Cattle, Sheep, Clydesdale Horses, Young 

Farmers, Light Horses, Dogs, Children’s Pets and Industrial Work. A great day 

out for the whole family! 

There’s plenty to see and do: watch or compete in one of our many classes; 

browse the Trade Stands or Craft Tent; watch the displays in the Main Ring; have 

lunch, a snack or enjoy some drinks at the Bar. Most importantly, don’t forget to 

watch out for Knappie, the monster of the loch, on the Cross Country course! 

Show Schedules - Schedules for Industrial Section are available from all usual 

outlets in village and in schools and nurseries. 


The Birkmyre café has been saved with the advent of a new 

lease. Thanks to all who signed the petition and gave support. 

The drainage of the two big rugby pitches will commence, at 

long last, in the summer. 

From 21st February to 8th March street lights were down 

in most of the Pacemuir Estate. The fault was a cut cable 

where Virgin Media were working. Lights in Springwood and 

Quarry drives have been changed to give greater brightness. 

The Clydeman Lunch Club at St Mary’s Episcopal in Port 

Glasgow is the brainwave of Sir Eric Yarrow. In February Sir 

Eric himself spoke about Burma in WW2 and in March there 

was a presentation on the rebirth of Ferguson Marine. Many 

from the village attend and the subject at 11.30 on the 11th is "Our Clyde, Our 

Ships & Our part in the slave trade". I can thoroughly recommend the fellowship 

and good company, chaired by the Rev David Gifford. 

A Kilmacolm Heritage Company has been formed, with Jim Wood as chair. There 

is much heritage in the village from the Neolithic Settlement at Knapps, various 

Stone Age forts, the arrival of Christianity in the 7th Century, the Covenanters in 

the 17th, the train in the 19th and the outstanding architecture throughout. The 

intention is to have a display in the Cargill Centre for visitors and locals alike. 

An abandoned car in Woodrow Avenue has been removed. 

I continue to get complaints about the Council Tax increase for bands E to H. 

Can I emphasise, this is a Scottish Government increase, not one initiated by 

Inverclyde Council. 

Easter is coming. Can I draw your attention to the 9.30 morning service on Easter 

Sunday at the Knapps. This is a village tradition followed by refreshments at the 

Old Kirk. 

My surgery is 13th April 10 - 11am in the Cargill. I can be contacted at david. 

wilson@inverclyde.gov.uk and 07766 992294 ,01475 712727 and 741969. 



Inverclyde Local Development Plan 

The Inverclyde Council is currently preparing a new Local Development Plan for the 

Inverclyde area to supersede the existing one in 2019. The Local Development 

Plan is the document which sets out the Council’s strategy and policies for the 

use of land and buildings in Inverclyde, and is the basis for determining planning 

applications. For example, it is the Local Development Plan that identifi es the 

green belt, housing development opportunities and regeneration priorities, 

amongst other things. 

The fi rst stage in preparing the new Local Development Plan is a document called 

the Main Issues Report, the purpose of which is to encourage early community 

engagement in the process. The Main Issues Report was approved for publication 

by the Inverclyde Council Environment and Regeneration Committee on 2nd 

March and will be published on 31st March with a consultation period running 

until 31st May. 

A representative of the Inverclyde Council Planning Policy team will be in 

attendance at the 25th April meeting of the Kilmacolm Community Council to 

explain the Local Development Plan process and the Main Issues Report contents. 

Kilmacolm and Quarriers Village residents are encouraged to attend this meeting 

to learn about aspects which could affect them and village life.




Twinning News: Kilmacolm-Merignies 

Spring is coming back round again to Kilmacolm and Mérignies! Over the dark 

winter months we have been working steadily with our French friends to map out 

a calendar of twinning events and projects for 2017. 

March saw the visit of students from the high school of Immaculée Conception 

(Mérignies/Seclin) to St Columba’s. This school exchange project (now in its 

third year) offers students the precious opportunity to learn about one another’s 

cultures, languages and lives, through staying with host families and participating 

in a school day. 

Over the weekend of 13th May, to correspond with the Agricultural Show, we will 

receive a delegation from Mérignies, including mayor, Francis Melon. On the 

Saturday evening, the Twinning Society will host a dinner for our French friends 

at the Kilmacolm Golf 

Club. 

At the heart of the 

twinning process 

has always been 

the desire to fully 

involve our local 

communities on both 

sides of the Channel. 

This year will see a 

project between the 

Kilmacolm Library 

and the Médiathéque 

in Mérignies. It’s likely 

that this will take the 

form of an educational 

exhibition. We are 

in the planning stages of a project between the Kilmacolm Civic Trust and the 

Mérignies Historical Society. Further details of these projects will be unveiled 

before the summer. 

Of further interest is an invitation from the Mérignies Golf and Country Club to 

the members of Kilmacolm Golf Club to participate in a challenge game in early 

October. November 2015 saw the clubs sign a reciprocal agreement, leading 

to an inaugural, fun challenge game between the Scots and the French in 

Kilmacolm last June (gaily won by KGC). Our French friends are no doubt seeking 

their revenge! 


Well done to the team from St Columba’s School who made 

it to the fi nal of the “BP’s Ultimate Stem Challenge” where 

they travelled to and competed at the Science Museum in 

Kensington, London. 

Ward 1 councillors have received complaints from residents 

who live beside the area that is being cleared to prepare 

plots for people to buy and build their own homes on. Several 

residents living on Leperstone Avenue and Finlaystone Road 

have complained about noise levels, vibration and parking 

issues while the work is being carried out. The work is being 

carried out by Riverside Inverclyde in partnership with the 

council. I raised concerns about this with RI. 

It was good to see that a number of Kilmacolm groups benefi tted recently from 

grants from the council’s Grants to Voluntary Organisations Fund. Kilmacolm 

& Port Glasgow Agricultural Society received £1,750; Kilmacolm Horticultural 

Society £500; Kilmacolm Playgroup and Toddlers £500; Kilmacolm Local Area 

Guides £1,000. There were also a number of district wide organisations who 

received grants that will benefi t people across Inverclyde. 

I would like to remind constituents to make sure their sheds and garages are 

locked. In recent weeks there have been reports of items being stolen from sheds 

in parts of Inverclyde. Let us not make it easier for any opportunist thieves. 

Surgeries in April before the council elections on 4th May are on Monday 

10th in Boglestone Community Centre from 5pm to 6pm and on Monday 17th 

in Kilmacolm Community Centre from 5pm to 6pm. My surgeries will also be 

advertised on the Inverclyde Council website and on my surgery posters. I can 

be contacted at the 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. 


Easter Celebrations at Mount Zion 

Holy Week is always a highlight in our Church life here 

in Quarriers Village. Why not come and join us for 

quiet contemplations around the cross on Maundy 

Thursday and Good Friday, and a lively, all age Easter 

Celebration with puppets and a praise band playing 

traditional and contemporary worship songs on Easter 

Sunday? We are located in the Upper Village near the 

end of Law View Road. 

Our service times are: 

Maundy Thursday Communion: April 13th - 7pm 

Good Friday Meditation: April 14th - 2.30pm 

Easter Sunday Family Service: April 16 - 10.30am 

It has become one of Mount Zion’s Easter 

traditions to share a brunch after our 

celebration of the resurrection, hosted by 

Helen Dunbar. All donations given at the 

brunch go towards the work of Mercy Ships 

worldwide. 


Kilmacolm Old Kirk 

Dates for your diary 

Thursday 6th April – Sòlas Bereavement Group meets in the 

Kidston Hall from 6.30pm – 8.30pm. 

Mon 10th - Fri 14th April – Holy week services; venue to be confi rmed. 

Sunday 16th April – Easter Sunday: 9.30am: Holy Communion at Knapps Loch; 

10.30am: coffee, tea, hot cross buns; 11am: Easter Worship with celebration of 

Holy Communion. 

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 spring programme is: 

Thursday 6th April – Guide Dogs for the Blind – from puppy training to owners. 

Thursday 20th April – Erskine Hospital: ‘Proud to care’ – a century of care. 

NEXT MONTH 

Thursday 4th May – Scotland’s Charity Air Ambulance; four years old and growing. 

Wednesday 17th May - Outing to Glenarm at Rhu with afternoon tea in 

Helensburgh. Coach, entry, afternoon tea: £15. 1pm – 5.30pm. 

Thursday 18th May – Clydeside Singers return: singalong with popular tunes, 

plus an update from Mary’s Meals charity. 

Every afternoon: Community Issues, Dates for your Diary and Afternoon Tea. 

OUTLOOK is for the whole community; it’s an open invitation to everyone. Please 

come along and you can be sure of a warm welcome from the Old Kirk Community 

Issues Team. 


Voice of Hope 

Every Tuesday Ladies Bible Study 10.30am Coffee, 11am Every other “Friday 

Night Church” 7pm Tea, 7.30pm start - (April 28th) 

Essential Bible Truth For An Effective Christian Lifestyle 

Both gatherings held in our home - Everyone very welcome! 

For further information please contact Angus or Anita 

01475 540700 or 07890 777710. 


Andrew Hammond 1937 -2017 

Rosemary Hammond and family would like to thank everyone 

who sent fl owers, letters and cards and who attended Andy’s 

thanksgiving service at Kilmacolm Old Kirk. The retiring offering 

raised the magnifi cent total of £954.90 which has been sent to 

the PSP Association to help them with research into the disease.


41 

howwood & elderslie 

Hi there, you will probably have heard the main points of the 

council's recent budget, but it is worth noting the extra £1.5 

million for the refurbishment of St Anthony's school. This extra 

money will allow a full refurbishment of the school and I know 

everybody associated with the school are delighted. Also a 

record £6.7 million has been allocated for roads improvement 

and I know we will be looking for our fair share in Howwood. 

With regards to the Howwood park, I have written to the 

council asking for a higher level of maintenance for it. There 

is a group interested in taking it over, but in the meantime it 

has to be looked after better. 

The Howwood Community Council were awarded a grant recently to install a 

second defi brillator in the village so well done to them. The playgroup and the 

youth club were also awarded monies to allow them to carry on their good work. 

So this is my last contribution to The Advertizer as many of you know I have 

decided to retire from elected politics. I will miss representing the people of 

Howwood and I have enjoyed doing so for the last 10 years. In that time I have 

met many great people who work so hard for the village. 

I have one surgery left at the village hall on 27th April. 

I wish you all the best. 



Howwood 

SWI 

T u e s d a y 

18th April 

My responsibilities 

by The Chaplain at 

Glasgow Airport. 

Hostesses - Margaret 

Jamieson & Elizabeth 

Lawson. 

Vote of thanks - Anne 

McCallum. AGM & 

trophy presentations. 

Meetings in Howwood 

Village Hall at 7.30pm. 

A warm welcome to all. 

Contact Irene on 01505 

704800 for further 

details.


houston, crosslee & brookfield 


Houston Kirk Carnival 

Hollywood Comes To Houston Kirk Carnival on Saturday 13th May 

This year the Carnival Queen is Amy Anthony Attendants: Katie Allison, Keira 

McGarvey 

Do you want to be a HOLLYWOOD STAR for a day, now is your chance. Live your 

fantasy and become a Hollywood actor, a cartoon character or anyone or anything 

associated with Hollywood. Let this be an opportunity to turn Houston into a fi lm 

makers paradise. Glitz and glamour let’s have it. 

This is an immensely successful event, but in order to achieve this there is a 

tremendous amount of hard work involved by organisers and contributors. 

It all kicks off at 12noon outside the Kirk with the judging of the HOLLYWOOD 

procession. Around 12.15pm the Houston Boys and Girls Brigade Pipe Band will 

lead the party followed by the Queen-in-Waiting, Amy Anthony and her attendants 

Katie Allison and Keira McGarvey who will be transported in style. They, along 

with the rest of the parade, will head off to the front of the West Hall in Main 

Street where the art competition and fancy dress winners will be announced. 

Then we have the big moment when the Carnival Queen is crowned and the 2017 

Kirk Carnival commences. There are so many stalls and games to enjoy along 

with a huge variety of tasty food which will certainly lure you in ......... so don’t have 

your lunch before you come. 

Before we pack up at the end of the day, the prizes winners for the various 

competitions from the programme will be announced. The prizes in the lucky 

draw competition are particularly good this year, so if you haven’t fi lled in your 

programme entry or you want to increase your chances of winning, then additional 

entries can be purchased from a dedicated stall – Good luck! 

To all helping hands and all who take part, now is the time those with green 

fi ngers are thinking about sowing seeds 

and getting the fl owers and shrubs 

ready for the plant stall. 

To all who are de-cluttering and getting 

rid of unwanted items of ‘bric a brac’, 

etc. Please remember the white 

elephant stall. If you need assistance 

getting items to the church hall please 

contact Kathryn McCartney (613741) 

or Mary Reid (613770) who will gladly 

help. Unfortunately we cannot accept 

electrical goods or large items of 

furniture. Don’t forget donations of 

toiletries, bottles, jewellery, home 

baking and toys. All will be received 

gratefully. 

All proceeds will go to the Killellan Halls 

Fund. 


Houston and 

Killellan Social 

Committee 

Sunday 23rd April at 7.30pm in 

Houston and Killellan Kirk; We are 

very privileged that The Glasgow 

Philharmonic Male Voice Choir have 

agreed to come to Houston Kirk and 

perform for us. 

Another date for your diary: Saturday 

30th September in the West Halls; 

Allander Jazz Band will entertain. 

Watch this space for more details. 


Over the past 18 years I have had the privilege of representing 

the residents of Bridge of Weir North and Craigends (1999 to 

2007) followed by 10 years (2007 to 2017) as a Multi-member 

Councillor in Houston, Crosslee, Brookfi eld and Linwood. 

With the next Local Government Elections taking place on 4th 

May and as I will not be seeking re-election I would like to 

take this opportunity to thank everyone for their support over 

those past years. 

There have been many high points during those times. 

Looking back over the period, I would select among many 

others, three major achievements that I feel have been 

especially successful for the local community. These were 

achieved in conjunction with Renfrewshire Council colleagues and the local 

Community Council. 

1. The change in catchment areas to allow all children living in Houston and 

Crosslee to attend their local Primary and Secondary Schools, 

2. The Multi million pound River Gryffe Flood Prevention Work protecting the 

houses bordering the river in Crosslee 

3. The installation of the traffi c lights at the junction of Magnus Road and 

Barochan Road allowing the many vehicles from the Oilfi elds to safely exit this 

dangerous junction. 

I would like to wish every success to the four Councillors who will be selected to 

represent Ward 10 (formerly Ward 9) after the Renfrewshire Council elections on 

the 4th May and hope that they experience the same satisfaction of representing 

the Community as I have had over the period. 

Finally my thanks to the staff of The Advertizer for accepting my articles over 

many years. 

Please note that there will be no surgeries in April, but I can still be contacted by phone on 

0300 300 1265 or by e-mail at cllr.allan.noon@renfrewshire.gov.uk until the 30th April. 


Houston and Killellan Agricultural Show 

This year the Annual Show will be held on Saturday 3rd June. Schedules for the 

Craft and Baking section are available from the Paper Shop and the Post Offi ce in 

the village or by emailing issistuart@fsmail.net 


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. 


Crafty Friends 

1st and 3rd Thursdays in the month 

at 7.30pm in the Carrick Centre, 

Houston. No craft experience 

necessary. Tel: Lorna Cairns 

612844 or Shirley White 610721. 


Tablet - 

Lost & Found 

I am a very nice Tablet, please help me 

fi nd my family. I have a screen saver 

to melt the hardest of hearts. I have 

not seen them since Sept. 2016 and 

despite extensive attempts since to 

trace them, remain alone and unused. 

The people who have temporary care 

of me are really very nice, but at the 

end of the day, there is nothing like 

family. So this is a fi nal attempt to fi nd 

them before my battery fi nally runs 

out. If you think I may belong to you 

please call in to the Carrick Centre or 

email thecarrickcentre@gmail.com 


Houston & 

Crosslee 

The last offi cial 

meeting of the year will 

be our AGM and Spring 

Show on Wednesday 12th April. 

On 10th May we hold our “Tea and 

Chat” in aid of Macmillan Cancer 

Care. 

All our meetings are held in The 

Compass Centre, South Street, 

Houston at 7.30pm. Come along and 

join us, you will be made very welcome. 

For further information please contact, 

Arlene MacKay on 07932 459994. 


Houston Co-op - ‘Easter’ At 

The Renfrewshire Food Bank 

The Renfrewshire Food bank donation bin in the Houston 

Co-op has been warmly received by the generous 

residents of Houston – it is being fi lled to the brim twice 

a week! 

In the run up to ‘Easter’ the Food bank will be collecting 

donations of ‘small packets’ of Easter treats – Creme 

eggs, mini eggs or similar. 

(We fi nd that large Easter eggs ‘crack’ in the handling 

process at the Food bank!) 

A huge thank you to everyone in Houston who has donated 

so kindly this year to the Renfrewshire Food bank. 

A Happy Easter to you all 


Carrick Nights - Winter Concert Series 

Promoted by HOUSTON OLD SCHOOL TRUST 

Carrick Centre, Main Street, Houston - 8pm 

Friday 28th April - BAROCHAN QUARTET + PAULA BARRON 

Tickets: Adults - £12, Children/Students - £5. Why not have a meal in our Café 

at 6pm prior to the concert. Early booking a must as space is limited. (2 courses 

£15 - BYOB ). Call 01505 229597 or email thecarrickcentre@gmail.com 

We are grateful to Enterprise Music Scotland, through funding provided by Creative 

Scotland, for their award of a grant to help make these Concerts a reality.


43 


H.O.S.T. The Carrick Centre, Houston 

(Houston Old School Trust) 

Monday to Friday, Woodlands Out of 

School 01505 615438 

MONDAY 

Sewing Group (3R D, 10TH) 10am - 

12noon 

Yoga (except 17TH) 1pm Mary 

Laidlaw 01505 229112 

Diaporama 10TH 7.30pm 

W.I. 24TH 9am 

Galaxy 5pm – 9pm 

TUESDAY 

Paint Pot Tots (18TH, 25TH) 10am 

Dawn Campbell 07789 262350 

Musical Theatre (18TH, 25TH) 4pm - 

5pm 

Yoga (18TH, 25TH) 7pm M/s Lawson 

01505 613690 

W. I. 25TH 9am 

Kingsley Wood 11TH 10am 

Galaxy 4pm – 8.30pm 

WEDNESDAY 

Big Kids Little Learners (19TH, 26TH) 

10am – 11am Janine Neil 07870 

697010 

Councillors Surgeries 19TH 6.30pm 

Gryffe Melody Makers 12TH, 26TH 

7pm 

Camera Club (5TH, 12TH, 26TH) 7.30pm 

Community Council 19TH 7.30pm 

W.I. 19TH 9am 

Fatburn Extreme Fitness 6pm 


THURSDAY 

Primary Colours (20TH, 27TH) 3.30pm 

Dawn Campbell 07789 262350 

Crafty Friends 6TH, 20TH 7.30pm 

Folk Club 8pm iaintdawson@gmail. 

com 07786 078952 

BurleX Fitness 9.15am - 10.15am 

Kelly, 07944 815298 

W.I. 20TH 9am 

Galaxy 2.30pm – 7.30pm 

FRIDAY 

Yoga 21ST, 28TH 10:30am M/s 

Lawson 01505 613690 

Big Kids Little Learners (21ST, 28TH) 

1pm – 2pm Janine Neil 07870 

697017 

Galaxy Dancing (21ST, 28TH) 3.30pm 

- 7pm 

MP Surgery 14TH 12.30pm – 1.30pm 

Carrick Concert 28TH 8pm 

SATURDAY 

Galaxy Dancing (22N D, 29TH) 9.30am 

- 5pm 

SUNDAY 

Baptist Church 11am and 6pm 

Ian Simpson, 01505 612203 

Sandy Young 01505 331488 

Bill Haddow 01505 690693 

hostbooking@outlook.com or The 

Coffee Shop 

Following my meeting with Barratts Regional Management 

I am pleased to tell constituents that the company have 

conceded that they did not communicate with Brookfi eld 

Community Council as effectively as they could have, regarding 

the widescale removal of the trees at the former Merchiston 

Hospital site. Barratts have pledged not to remove any other 

trees on the site and to remediate some of the trees which 

they removed. At least this shows that they have listened 

to my representations on behalf of the wider community. I 

have further asked council offi cers to monitor any problems 

with traffi c levels at the Deafhillock roundabout, as due to the 

ongoing development at Merchiston this will place a heavy 

pressure on the entrance to the A737 in months to come. 

I am pleased to welcome the substantial monies which primary schools and 

secondary school in my ward are receiving from the Scottish Government as 

part of the Pupil Equity Fund. The Fund is a partnership between Holyrood, 

Renfrewshire Council, and local schools, designed to drive up attainment in 

Renfrewshire schools. As a county we are receiving £4 million, and Ward 9 is 

receiving a massive £642,400 of that total, which is very good news indeed. 

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 

Lochwinnoch Arts Festival 

Crafts from the Past - A very well attended second event 

in the lead up to the 2017 Arts Festival. The McKillop 

was transformed with many materials and artefacts from 

Lochwinnochs' rich industrial history. Margaret Dolan and 

Jim McNair supplied many beautiful pieces of furniture that 

had been made in the village. Pat 

Smith who had been a cooper in 

Lochwinnoch demonstrated the skills 

to make a barrel. There was beautiful 

silk threads of majestic colours on 

show. In addition, some of the amazing 

silk materials made in the old Silk Mill 

were on show. Paisley Museum were 

very generous and lent the exhibition 

stands on weaving and the Paisley 

Pattern. Many of the history boards 

from our own library were on show to 

further inform on the many aspects of 

old Lochwinnoch. There were many 

‘museums in a box’ where artefacts 

from old schooldays including ‘the belt’ 

got many of the locals reminiscing. 

There were looms and printing on offer 

for the children to have a try at these 

skills. 

During the afternoon Dr Brian Smith 

who was born and brought up in the 

village showed different presentations 

of the village, industry, people of the 

village and buildings and geography. 

This was very well received. We plan 

to show this again in the near future, 

watch this space! 

We would like to thank Claire McDade 

from Paisley Museum who kindly 

opened the event and all the helpers who manned the 

stands and ran the tea room. We collected £215 for 

Alzheimer’s Scotland. 

Photo’s: Pat Smith making a barrel & Margaret Dolan 

discussing furniture making 

Mapping Lochwinnoch - A full house at Castle Semple 

for the fi rst of two events in the lead up to the 2017 Arts 

Festival. Vanessa Collingridge writer and TV presenter and 

John Moore from Glasgow University map historian held an 

informative and fun event on Sunday 5th February. Looking at old and new maps 

of the village tracing the history and industry in the area. 

The children and families then made their own maps of the village - Great fun! 

Photos: John Moore & Two locals Mrs Dolan and Mrs Cochrane making a map 

kilbarchan & lochwinnoch




Weaver’s Cottage 

Reopens 

1pm on 1st April marks the reopening of the 

National Trust for Scotland’s Weaver’s Cottage 

at the Cross, Kilbarchan. The cottage will be 

opened from Fridays to Tuesdays from 1pm to 

5pm until the end of the season. The cottage 

gives a fascinating insight into the crowded lives 

of people in the nineteenth and early twentieth century. The main feature is 

the 200 year old loom, on which cloth is still woven. Visitors can try their hand 

at weaving on a more modern version. There are signs of life in the cottage 

garden. 

On Easter Sunday, 16th April, from 2pm to 4pm 

there will be an Easter egg hunt, organised by the 

Weaver’s Cottage Support Group. This a popular 

event with families. 

Pictured right is the Weaver’s Cottage team of staff 

and volunteers who met informally in March to mark 

the start of the National Trust for Scotland’s sixtieth 

year of public access to this unique and historic 

Renfrewshire visitor attraction. Left to right: James 

Wallace, Christine Gilmore, Christine MacLeod, 

Evelyn Campbell, Joan MacKinnon, Beryl Baillie. 


Renfrewshire Council's budget has been approved. The 

council tax has been frozen for 2017/18, and there is 

additional funding for roads, education and community care. 

As Depute Convenor for fi nance I had also argued for a freeze 

on council charges, and the removal of charges for music 

tuition in schools, so I am pleased that this is the case. 

The campaign for the council election in May is well underway 

and I will be standing for re-election. The last 5 years have 

fl own by and it has been a privilege to represent the people 

of Kilbarchan and Lochwinnoch. I know from speaking to 

villagers over recent weeks that the local issues, whether 

they be standards of living, education, community safety, 

road repairs, or the environment, are the ones that matter to local folk. 

There have been many challenges over recent years and I have worked day in 

and day out to meet these challenges, for example working to protect and extend 

child care provision, and protecting social care services for our older residents. 

The last couple of years have seen unprecedented threats to the green belt, and 

I have amongst others vigorously opposed planned developments at Branscroft 

and Milliken Road in Kilbarchan. All these issues and many more, will continue 

to have an important potential impact on the lives of villagers. 

If re-elected in May, I will continue to work hard for all in Kilbarchan, Lochwinnoch 

and Howwood village - which is part of the new ward, - and fi ght for a fair share of 

resources, in order that our quality of life can be maintained and where necessary 

improved - That will be my number one priority. 

Surgeries - Saturday 1st April at 9am in the McKillop Institute and 10am in the Steeple Hall. 

Contact me at cllr.derek.bibby@renfrewshire.gov.uk or phone 0300 300 1274 or 07534 

156007. 


Kilbarchan Parish Church Tots’ Club 

The club takes place on Monday mornings from 9.15am - 11.30am in the hall, 

where 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. The club continues until 3rd April, when there are 2 weeks holiday for 

Easter and resumes on Monday 24th. 


Kilbarchan Parish Church in April 

Services continue at 11am each Sunday throughout April, conducted by Rev 

Stephen Smith. 

For Easter, the Service on Maundy Thursday 13th April is at 7pm when the 

choir will lead worship with excerpts from The Armed Man by Karl Jenkins. The 

Sacrament of Holy Communion will also be observed. On Good Friday 14th, the 

service is also at 7pm. On Easter Day Sunday 16th April, there will be a service 

at the Weavers’ Cottage at 8.30am, followed by refreshments in the hall. The 

main service is at 11am. 

Sunday School will be on holiday on 9th and 16th, but the crèche continues to 

meet in the large hall from 10.45am each week and refreshments will be served 

after the service as usual. 

All welcome to any or all of 

these services. For further 

information about the church 

and the organisations, please 

visit Kilbarchan Kirk online: www. 

kilbarchan-kirk.btck.co.uk 

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 Parish Church Easter 

Extravaganza will take place on 

Saturday 8th April from 10am - 

12noon in the hall and grounds, off 

Steeple Square, where there will be 

an Easter egg hunt for the children. 

There will be an Easter bonnet and 

decorated egg competition. There 

will also be stalls with home-baking 

and Easter gifts. Entrance is £2:50, 

children £1 and this includes coffee with hot-cross buns. 


Last year’s Miss Lilias - 

Victoria Thomson, 

pulls out the the 

winning ticket. 

Lilias Day Big Prize Draw 

- Tickets on sale now 

Tickets are on sale now for the Lilias Day Big 

Prize Draw where once again we will be giving 

away £1,000 to one lucky winner. The prize 

draw takes place in the park on Lilias Day, 

Saturday 3rd June. Tickets can be purchased 

from the village shops, The Trust, Habbies Bar and from committee members. 

Buying tickets not only gives you a chance of winning £1,000, but also helps to 

raise money to support the community. 

Last year’s winner, Elizabeth Russell said “I was 

so surprised when I heard I had won the raffl e. 

We had just left the park when I got a phone 

call from Mr Stockton to say I was £1,000 

richer. What a great way to end a fantastic 

day!” 

Decorated house in Dalhousie Rd. 

There are 

still lots of 

ways to get 

Committee Chairman, Graeme Stockton presents 

Elizabeth Russell with prize winning cheque. 

involved in Lilias Day. Decorating your house 

or premises helps to transform the village, 

giving it a real festival atmosphere and keeps a 

centuries old tradition alive. Local organisations or village streets can also have 

a fl oat in the parade. The fl oats are free for the day and inspire some wonderful 

creations. Floats are limited so contact us as soon as possible to reserve your 

fl oat at info@liliasday.co.uk. 

If you fancy something a bit more active you can get together a team for the 

tug of war. Can you beat the mighty medieval warriors or the very 21st century 

QT Fitness team (last years winners)? If so email us with your team name and 

contact details - info@liliasday.co.uk. 

There is still time to add a listing to our Lilifest line-up. If you’re planing to hold 

an event in or around Kilbarchan in the week leading up to Lilias Day let us know. 

Types of events included in the Lilifest line-up are music and entertainment, craft 

fairs, work shops, coffee mornings, quiz nights etc. Details of the line-up will be 

announced soon. 

Greame Stockton, Lilias Day Chairperson, adds “we’re really looking forward to 

this years Lilias Day. It is already shaping up to be a great day and we have a few 

surprise additions to be announced shortly. Watch this space!”


45 



Following recent changes I intend to contest the new Johnstone North, Kilbarchan, 

Lochwinnoch, and Howwood Ward as an Independent candidate in May and would like 

to thank all those constituents who have contacted me offering their support for my 

decision to go Independent. As always, I will seek to stand up for the interests of all 

constituents, regardless of their own political views, and will seek to put my ward fi rst, 

freed from the constraints of party politics. 

As an Elected Member I have written to the Scottish Reporter upholding the decision 

of Renfrewshire Council to reject the planning application for building at Branscroft 

in Kilbarchan. My decision to do so was based fundamentally on the need to protect 

the Greenbelt, but also to 

highlight the unsustainable 

nature of the proposed 

development in relation to both the drainage 

and infrastructure of the village and the massive 

pressure to the Kilbarchan Primary catchment 

area which a new development at Branscroft 

would represent. The Scottish Government 

have informed me that a Hearing is to take 

place regarding the appeal by the developers 

and I have indicated that I intend to attend this 

Hearing and will seek to speak up against this 

proposal, to defend the interests of the village. 

Kilbarchan advice surgery is on the 2nd Wednesday 

of the month in the Steeple Hall at 7.45pm, and my 

Lochwinnoch surgery is on the 4th Wednesday of the 

month in the McKillop at 7.30pm, excluding July. Tel: 

07534 148224, tweet me on CllrAndy4Ward8 or e-mail 

me at cllr.andy.doig@renfrewshire.gov.uk 

Kilbarchan Co-op - 

Renfrewshire Food 

Bank Donation Bin 

Christine Cosgrove (assistant manager) 

in the Kilbarchan Co-op has very kindly 

installed a ‘Renfrewshire Food bank 

donation bin’ within the store. 

The donation bin can be found at the front 

of the store – to the left of the tills. 

The Renfrewshire Food bank is now 

supported by the Co-op stores in Houston, 

Kilbarchan and Bishopton. 

We look forward to receiving your generous donations of tins, jars or packets of 

food, toiletries and cleaning products. 

1 ton of food is distributed by Renfrewshire Food bank every week in the 

Renfrewshire area. 

People requiring the services of the Food bank are referred by health 

professionals and social services and a voucher is issued for food. A three day, 

dietician approved food parcel can then be collected from a local distribution site 

in Renfrewshire. 

* Renfrewshire Food bank is unable to accept fresh food or alcohol. 


Lochwinnoch SWI 

The April meeting is on 

Wednesday 19th, in the 

McKillop Hall at 7.30pm. 

It is our 64th Birthday Social 

with entertainment and some 

delicious things to eat. This evening is 

for members only. 

We look forward to a splendid evening 

and to welcoming all our members. 


Kilbarchan 


International 

Jamboree Coffee 

Morning 

Saturday 22nd April 10am - 12noon 

Kilbarchan Guide Hall, Kilbarchan. £3 

entry £1.50 Children. Homebaking, 

Tombola, Raffl es. 

In Aid of Girlguiding going to Poacher 

2017 Jamboree 

During the month of April, the group has 2 meetings, the fi rst is Room 101, 

when we shall decide what to consign to the bin, and an evening entitled 'May I 

Recommend'. We have also been invited to the Houston group for a speaker on 

Mercy Ships. 

The group would welcome new members, we meet on Wednesday evenings in 

each other’s homes and enjoy speakers and discussions on a wide variety of 

topics. If you are interested in fi nding out more, please phone 703786 or see the 

website: www.nwr.org.uk. 


Kilbarchan Fairtrade Group 

Last month Kilbarchan Fairtrade Group held a sample and sale in Kilbarchan 

Parish Church. A variety of spreads, on 

pancakes made by Carol of Bobbins, 

and biscuit samples, were available to 

the folk in the hall. Over two hundred 

pounds worth of goods were sold at the 

Rainbow Turtle stall. Most of the goods 

are available at Rainbow Turtle, opposite 

the Abbey in Paisley and online from 

Traidcraft. Thanks to all who participated. 

Photo shows early sales at the stall. 


Masonic Meeting Notice 

Lodge Captain Speirs Houston no.791 Masonic Temple, New Street, Kilbarchan 

- meetings start 7.30pm 

April 11th - FC Degree 

Visiting brethren welcome 

May 12th - MM Degree (special meeting) 


Kilbarchan Habbies’ Annual Art 

Exhibition 

Kilbarchan Habbies’ Art Group will 

be holding their annual exhibition on 

Saturday 8th April and Sunday 9th April. 

As usual, the exhibition will be held in the 

Guide Centre, Barn Green, Kilbarchan. 

Opening times are Saturday 10am - 4pm 

and Sunday 12 noon - 4pm. 

Come along and enjoy a pleasant 

morning or afternoon. We look forward 

to seeing you there! 

Cllr Doig said: "Fairtrade is all about acting local yet 

thinking global. What we do here can help struggling 

farmers abroad, so more power to their elbow". 

Photo - Lochwinnoch Fairtrade Coffee 

Morning meeting volunteers 

kilbarchan & lochwinnoch


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 

∂∫∞€Ł@)( 

info@advertizer.co.uk 

lð§¥‡þÐœ 

ÐœðŁ 

lð§¥ 

We can also put updates on our website 

& Facebook. There is no charge for this service! 

Johnstone 

Cat Rescue 

Pet Blog 

by PetVets 

Tick Talk 

Ticks are small arachnids (meaning they have 8 legs!) 

which feed on blood. They are found in woodland and 

moorland and are most common from April till October. 

Ticks have 4 life stages: eggs, larvae, nymphs and adults. 

All life stages other than the eggs require to feed in order 

to develop into the next stage or to reproduce. Ticks lie in wait in areas 

of vegetation and attach to passing animals, including cats and dogs, to 

feed. Once attached they feed for several days and then drop off. 

Ticks can cause health problems. At the site of attachment there can be 

a local reaction causing inflammation and swelling. Severe infestations 

can lead to anaemia due to blood loss, especially in young or very small 

animals. They can also transmit diseases to the host animal. The most 

common signs of a tick borne disease are fever and lethargy, but may 

also include weakness, lameness, joint swelling and anaemia. These 

signs can develop weeks or months after infection. 

If you can help us with any fundraising 

or donations of either food or bedding, 

please call Sheena on 01505 337321. 

Thank you. 

In order to reduce the risk of disease transmission it is 

important that ticks are removed as soon as possible. This 

can be done using a specially designed tick hook or with 

a pair of fine tipped tweezers. The tick should be rotated 

clockwise while pulling gently to remove. It is important 

not to jerk the tick as stressing the tick increases the 

risk of transmitting 

disease. If you 

are not sure about 

removing a tick 

yourself your vet will 

be happy to help. 

It is a good idea to use a preventative 

treatment designed to repel ticks and 

reduce the chance of one attaching, 

and also to kill ticks rapidly if they do 

attach and feed. This reduces the 

risk of disease transmission. Your 

vet will be able to advise on the best 

option for prevention for your pet. 

Call 01505 800366 for further 

information.


47 47 

47 

Re-homing Pets 

Can you offer a home to any of our featured pets? 

Morgan - 11 year old 

female cat 

Morgan is an affectionate 

wee girl who loves attention, 

so she should be fine in a 

home with children. She is 

also ok with small dogs, but has never lived 

with big dogs or other cats before so not sure 

how she would be with either of those. She 

is used to getting outside so does need a 

garden please, not near a busy road, so that 

she can go out once she’s settled in. 

Spot - a 10 year old female cat 

Spot is a lovely little lady looking for a 

quiet home with no children and no other 

pets. She is so sweet natured and just 

loves getting wee strokes and lots of 

attention. Spot’s owner sadly passed 

away and she was lost on her own, but 

you can make her a happy wee cat once 

again. She will need access to outside 

as she loves to have a wee potter about the garden. 

Cardyke Farm, Langmuirhead Road, Auchinloch, Glasgow G66 5LD - Telephone 

0141 779 3341 

Quaver & 

Disco - 9 wk 

old male guinea pigs 

Quaver and Disco are lovely wee boys 

who are desperately looking for a new 

home together. They enjoy running from 

one den to another and like having each 

others company. They, like many guinea 

pigs, love gnawing on treats and eating fresh veg. All Quaver & Disco 

are looking for is a new owner who is 

happy to spend the time handling them 

and providing the care they need. They 

are looking for a fun new enclosure so 

they can keep themselves entertained. 

To contact the centre about any animals, 

please call 03000 999 999 or visit www. 

scottishspca.org/rehoming 

Ollie - a 8+ year old male 

crossbreed 

Ollie is a gorgeous, gentle boy 

who takes a while to get to 

know new people. 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. 

Roxy - a 8+ years female crossbreed 

Roxy loves chasing a ball, loves getting treats and enjoys going for 

walks. Roxy would love a home with a 

secure garden to run around and play in. 

A calm, quiet home where she can take a 

bit of time to settle into her new family life 

would be ideal. She can live with children 

14 years and older. Roxy is ok with dogs, 

but needs careful introductions as she can 

be fussy about her doggy friends. 

Dogs Trust Rehoming Centre, 315 Hamilton 

Road, Uddingston, Glasgow, G71 7SL. Open: 

12noon - 4pm (inc weekends); 12noon- 7.30pm 

on Tuesdays; closed: Wednesdays


Lochwinnoch 

Community Garden 

PLANT STALL - We plan to run a plant stall at the 

Lochwinnoch Gala on Saturday 10th June - if you have 

any plants you could give for the stall can you bring them 

to the Community Garden on the 28th May at 1pm. 

PLANTING CONTAINERS IN VILLAGE - As with last 

year we are calling out for volunteers to help plant out 

the many containers we have in and around the village. 

Please meet outside the McKillop at 1pm on Sunday 4th 

June to lend a hand. 

WORK PARTIES IN COMMUNITY GARDEN - 23rd April 

& 28th May at 1pm. 

Scotland’s Gardens in 

the Local Areas 

Spring and end of season plant sales in 

the centre of Kilmacolm. 

The plant sale will be held at the Cross 

outside the Library and Cargill Centre on the 22nd April 

between 10am and 12 noon. Entry is free and donations 

are welcome. Parklea “Branching Out” receives 40%, 

the net remaining to SG Beneficiaries. 

April Gardening - Sunshine and showers 

Spring is finally in evidence as daffodils and 

flowering trees start to bloom. Expect the 

inevitable April showers this month but with sunny days 

too, when you can turn your attention to the lawn. It’s an 

exciting month, with indoor-sown seeds well into growth, 

and it’s also time to start sowing outdoors. Just watch 

out for frosts... 

Top 10 jobs this month 

1 - Keep weeds under control 

2 - Protect fruit blossom from late frosts 

3 - Tie in climbing and rambling roses 

4 - Sow hardy annuals, herbs & wild flower seed outdoors 

5 - Start to feed citrus plants 

6 - Increase the water given to houseplants 

7 - Feed hungry shrubs and roses 

8 - Sow new lawns or repair bare patches 

9 - Prune fig trees 

10 - Divide bamboos and water lilies 

Pedal the Park 2017 

Clyde Muirshiel Regional Park along with Ride 63 

Community Cycling Club is again hosting ‘Pedal the 

Park’ a challenging 100km road cycling sportive around 

the stunning scenery of Renfrewshire, Inverclyde and 

North Ayrshire. The event is again supporting CLIC 

Sargent by donating a third of all entry fees to help 

children with cancer in the local area. 

The sportive is a noncompetitive 

road cycling 

event where individuals 

can challenge themselves 

and join the camaraderie 

of other cyclists sharing 

the experience. Now in 

its third year and following 

a 100% increase in 

participant numbers from 

year 1 - 2, organisers are 

hoping year 3 will reach 

around 300 cyclists. This 

would mean a charity 

donation of £1,500, 

beating last year’s £1,210 

donation. 

Leaving from Castle Semple Visitor Centre in 

Lochwinnoch, Renfrewshire, the route is expected to 

roughly follow the Regional Park’s 108 square mile 

boundary and features 2 challenging climbs, one out 

of Greenock up the Shielhill Glen Road and the other 

is up over the Dalry Moor Road. 

Online entry for Pedal the Park is through British 

Cycling and costs just £15. You can also download 

and complete an entry form from the Clyde Muirshiel 

Regional Park website – www.clydemuirshiel.co.uk/ 

downloads. You must complete this and pay at Castle 

Semple Visitor Centre in advance of the event. 

Entry also includes a cycling goody bag with medal and 

food station supplies. The 

food station will again be at 

Clyde Muirshiel Regional 

Park’s Greenock Cut Visitor 

Centre and will have some 

mechanical support as 

well as all important toilet 

breaks!


2 Go To Edinburgh & Clean Up 

The Scottish Rural Awards presentation ceremony was 

held at Dynamic Earth in Edinburgh on 16th March. Our 

group was nominated for recognition in the Community 

and Environment category by the Advertizer, and we 

were one of just seven groups from throughout Scotland 

shortlisted by the organisers. Well, we didn’t get an 

‘oscar’ on the night but, for our small bunch of (mostly) 

retired enthusiasts from Brig o’ Weir, even 

to be mentioned was a big honour. Thanks 

again to Rona and the Advertizer for taking 

the trouble to put Brighter Bridge of Weir’s 

name forward. 

As shortlisted nominees, our group was invited 

to attend the occasion, and so husband and 

wife team Neil and Irene Thompson went to 

represent us. But before that, they had to put 

in a shift with some of the other volunteers, 

tidying up at the Torr Road junction. 

In other news, we’re having our annual cleanup 

event on the morning of Saturday 13th 

May and we hope that some of the village’s 

residents and organisations can spare a 

couple of hours to help. There will be more detailed information available 

nearer the time, but we’re giving you this forewarning so that you can make 

room in your diary. 

And while you’ve got 

your diary to hand, 

this year’s Fun Casino 

Night will be on 30th 

September, so don’t 

be arranging any 

holidays around then. 

You’ll have more fun 

in Bridge of Weir and 

it’ll be cheaper, too. 

Follow us on facebook.com/brighterbridgeofweir and www. 

brighterbridgeofweir.org 

Recognition of Local 

Gardening Groups 

The club had invited representatives from each of the voluntary gardening 

teams in the villages of 

the GVRC area. These 

groups have each planted 

purple crocus bulbs which 

will act as a local reminder 

of the Rotary End Polio 

campaign. President Peter 

Dickie and International 

and Foundation convenor 

Neil McAlister welcomed the 5 representatives and thanked them for 

the work they do to make our villages more attractive. The photograph 

shows President Peter Dickie, John Fergus of Colourful Kilmacolm, Jake 

Fulton of the Houston Litter-Crew and Bee Happy Group, David Foulds 

of Lochwinnoch Community Gardening Group, Margaret Greenlees of 

Brighter Bridge of Weir, David Ritchie of the Brookfield Gardening Group, 

and Neil McAllister. 

49 49


Welcome to Scotland’s largest Regional Park 

Tag-n-Track Project Update 

It’s time for the monthly roundup from 

Project Officer Hayley Douglas. TnT 

is funded by Heritage Lottery Fund, 

Greater Renfrewshire and Inverclyde 

LEADER and Clyde Muirshiel Regional 

Park. 

Project News 

We have been busy over the last month here at TnT. Two more ringing 

events carried out, school workshops developed and advertised and talk 

requests being dealt with. I even spotted my first lesser black-backed 

gull the other day in Linwood. Our ringing event at the end of February 

was hit with bad weather, but we persevered and after a few hours we 

started to get a run of birds at the net. First a blue tit, then a great tit 

and then, just as we were getting ready to let the great tit go, one of the 

visitors shouted that there was a big bird in the net. A quick glance and 

suddenly I was out the Centre like a shot jumping over the fences to get 

my very first sparrowhawk out the net. He was a stonking adult male and 

he completely enthralled everyone present. Before long all his biometrics 

were recorded and before a sea of mobile phones he was released flying 

higher and higher above the Centre. 

It’s funny how things work out though...That evening, back at Castle 

Semple telling the Rangers about the sparrowhawk when we heard a 

massive bang at one of the office windows. I opened the window to 

see 15ft below another sparrowhawk, this time a big female. Another 

mad dash outside saw the bird safely retrieved. It was suffering from 

concussion, but was lucky not to have killed itself. After an overnight 

visit to Hessilhead Wildlife Rescue for meds and observation, she was 

collected and released back at Castle Semple much to the delight of the 

visitors present at the time. 

Our most recent ringing event has to be one of my 

favourites so far. Not because of the birds we caught 

(which included a total of 6 long-tailed tits another 

new bird for Muirshiel), but for the engagement with 

the visitors. Many came after hearing about our 

previous events with a few repeat visitors too. The 

McAlindon family arrived early 

on with their two young girls with 

bird spotter guides in hand. It wasn’t long before 

birds started coming into the Centre and we worked 

through the girls’ books to help them ID blue tits, 

robins and the long-tailed tits. As many of the birds 

are moulting just now it wasn’t uncommon for a few 

feathers to fall off and the girls started to cellotape 

these into their books next to the relevant species. 

For me this is what Tag-n-Track is all about. Inspiring our visitors and the 

next generation. Intrigued? Future event details are below! 

Event News 

Our next ringing event will take place at Muirshiel Country Park on Sunday 

9th April between 10.30am and 3.30pm. Please do come along and see 

what surprise birds we get in the net this time. 

More Info… 

Details can be found on the Park’s website www.clydemuirshiel.co.uk/tag-ntrack 

or by emailing tnt@clydemuirshiel.co.uk. The Project also now has its 

own Facebook Page - www.facebook.com/TagnTrack/ Talks to groups can 

be arranged if you are interested in finding out more about the project and its 

findings as the project progresses. 

Pedal the Park – A 100k road cycling sportive, 

Pedal the Park takes in most of the Regional 

Park’s boundary and stunning scenery. Sign 

up now via British Cycling online for just £15 

in advance, or £20 on the day (Sunday 23rd 

April). This includes a £5 donation to local 

charity CLIC Sargent in Scotland supporting 

their work with young people with cancer and 

their families. See you there! 

10k Bog Stomp Run - Entry now LIVE!: 

The off road hill run due to take place at Greenock Cut Visitor Centre 

on Sunday 3rd September is LIVE on the Clyde Muirshiel website. See 

clydemuirshiel.co.uk/event/bog-stomp-2017 for more details and online 

entry, just £20. 

Model Yachts: Sailing into Castle Semple will be the Scottish District 

Championships, sailing all weekend on the 1st and 2nd April. Great 

spectator sport and not an April Fool! 

Easter Fun & Summer Courses Online now: Planning ahead? Courses 

are filling up now for both Spring and Summer through our new online 

booking system. Keep your kids busy and give them a taste of adventure 

in the holidays. 

Open for Summer: On the 1st of April summer hours return to the Park’s 

3 Visitor Centres. Castle Semple will be open daily 10am – 5pm and 

Greenock and Muirshiel will be open weekends and public holidays 11am 

– 4pm. With the brighter nights coming in we have lots of opportunity for 

you to get outside and walk, run or cycle. 

Ride 63 Community Cycle Club: Pick up the new club calendar and 

check out our AGM meeting notes at the Castle Semple noticeboard. 

Join our new ‘group style facebook page’ contact the secretary by email 

ridesixtythree@gmail.com for a membership form and ride info. 

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.


51 51 

Spring has well and truly sprung! The birds are singing, 

there’s blossom in the trees and the flowers bursting 

through the forest floor are full of colour and life! 

Spring is a fantastic time of year to see a variety of wildlife 

at their most showy – the birds are especially putting on 

their best efforts to impress potential mates with beautiful plumage and 

song. Take a stroll along our trails and treat yourself to the wonderful 

sensory experience of the colour and sounds of spring. 

Now that the weather is that little bit warmer and drier, it’s time to roll 

out our programme of outdoor events. From our well-established pond 

dipping and Make Your Own Mondays activities, to a range of selfled 

challenges – are you feeling brave enough to go on a bear hunt? 

Are you quiet enough to spot a pixie on our new fairy trail? 

On Easter Monday (17th April) we’ll be holding our annual Eggstravaganza, 

and we’ll have a great range of Easter-themed activities on offer – join us 

for a treasure hunt where those with eagle eyes will be rewarded 

with a chocolatey surprise! And that’s just for starters, as we’ll 

also have a range of hands-on activities for children 

of all ages, including egg decorating, face painting 

and the ever-popular Egg Drop Challenge! 

Although winter is a period of relative 

inactivity – or perhaps that should be 

recuperation – for the active gardener 

members of Colourful Kilmacolm, 

some things have been going on in the 

background. As well as having regular 

committee meetings, we have been engaging with 

Kilmacolm Community Council, as a result of which they 

have readily agreed to finance the planned upgrade at 

Market Place from the Community Fund money allocated 

to Kilmacolm for village centre improvements. Progress 

on Market Place has been frustratingly slow, but we 

hope that this year will see some real developments to 

an area which has been neglected for too long. 

To mark our involvement in the Rotary Foundation 

“End Polio Now” campaign, when we planted 1,500 

purple crocus bulbs provided by The Rotary Club of 

Gryffe Valley, one of our members attended a dinner at 

which we were presented with an attractively designed 

certificate, now displayed in the Cargill Centre. The 

bulbs have added considerably to the layby displays at 

either end of the village. 

Colour and new growth is now appearing rapidly at all 

our sites, and already a team has been out to tidy up and 

ensure that our plantings at the Pullman embankment 

will look their best. 

Membership of Colourful Kilmacolm is open to 

everyone. We would welcome anyone willing to come 

out occasionally with trowel and secateurs, but nongardening 

members can also be valued members. The 

very modest annual membership subscription (£5), 

along with money received from Inverclyde Council 

and other sources will enable us to keep enhancing 

Kilmacolm. 

Membership forms can be downloaded from our website 

www.colourfulkilmacolm.org.uk or you can phone Peter 

(01505 872448) or Diane (01505 872611).


New Wild Camping Laws 

Come Into Force at Loch 

Lomond 

New by-laws restricting 

wild camping and 

firelighting have come into 

force across Loch Lomond 

and The Trossachs 

National Park. 

“Camping management 

zones” have been created at key sites across the park’s 460,900 acres. 

The new policy was tabled by park management in response to antisocial 

behaviour and concerns about rubbish abandoned on the loch shores. 

In the restricted locations of West Loch Lomond, East Loch Lomond, 

Trossachs West and 

Trossachs East, visitors 

wishing to “wild camp” 

will need to apply for a £3 

permit or risk being given 

a £500 fine. 

Officials said the stricter 

rules - which apply 

between March and 

September - cover less than 4% of the vast park. 

The park authority said it had also created around 300 “low-cost camping 

spaces” across the zones. 

Campers are also being asked to take extra care when lighting fires. 

The new rules call on visitors to bring their own firewood “as collecting 

firewood has a damaging effect on wildlife in the area”. 

The move has been criticised by outdoor enthusiasts who accused park 

authorities of “misusing statistics” to strengthen its case for the by-laws. 

Eadha is currently involved in some interesting woodland creation projects 

during this winter and spring. All the projects are on reclaimed land and all 

focus on land reclamation and habitat creation. The first is at Glentaggart 

Opencast Mine near Douglas in South Lanarkshire. Thanks to funding 

from the Brown Forbes Memorial Trust and Douglas and Angus Estates, 

we are planting 8,000 trees to create areas of scrub and pioneer woodland. 

This has been designed as a trial to test how well certain pioneer species 

succeed in colonising the former mine land. There is no topsoil on the 

site (or hardly a blade of grass) and we have been adding small amounts 

of forest soil sourced from long established native woodland sites in the 

hope of introducing the essential range of mycorrhizal fungi necessary for 

healthy trees. 

We a trialling our full set of 

Galloway and Arran aspen 

clones to see which performs 

best to enable selection for 

future mine sites. We have also 

been sourcing cuttings of rare 

mountain willows found high in 

the Perthshire hills to see how 

they perform, a first for the UK. While the conditions are certainly harsh, 

in many ways they resemble 

the landscape immediately after 

the ice age and we can take 

guidance from the pollen record 

to learn which trees were the 

early colonisers once the ice 

retreated. We are effectively 

trying to speed up processes 

which happened over 1000s of 

years. A challenge indeed! 

We are also avoiding tree guards and fencing at this site which while 

standard practice in most new woodland projects is neither practical 

nor affordable in this case. We have therefore been experimenting with 

innovative methods of tree protection by planting in dense clumps and 

exploiting thorny and unpalatable species to protect against browsing 

deer. We will be monitoring the site over the next three years. There is 

approximately 100 square kilometres of derelict opencast mine land across 

Scotland so if our techniques prove successful we could be very busy! 

Another interesting dimension to the project is our use of volunteers from 

a wide range of backgrounds. This includes groups from the Maryhill 

Integrated Network who provide support and activities for refugees while 

they await visas. It has been inspiring working with these groups who have 

demonstrated a fantastic work ethic in such challenging conditions. 

Eadha has also commenced some native woodland planting at Knowes 

Road Landfill Site near Beith. Again we are planting a range of native 

pioneer species which will hopefully provide some screening and wildlife 

habitat. We are sourcing local native willows as well as planting our own 

aspen trees supplemented by birch, alder, broom, crab apple and a range of 

native shrubs. Give us a wave if you are passing on the train to Ayrshire! 

Contact: Peter Livingstone, peter@eadha.co.uk, 07968 745197 www.eadha.co.uk 

facebook: Eadha Enterprises twitter: eadhaaspen


As I’m writing this the daffodils are in full bloom and even bluebells & 

rhododendrons have started to flower - let’s hope this is a good omen for 

the summer. 

The month of April is a very busy time in the garden; days are lengthening, 

temperatures are rising, and the gardens are bursting into life. We have 

vast displays of Daffodils throughout the estate with many different types 

and shades to brighten up the spring garden; these will flower throughout 

this month and well into next month. New plantings of Tulips should be 

starting to bud in the courtyard area, camellias are still in bloom and many 

of our flowering cherry trees have lovely shades of pink and white flowers 

at the moment. 

In the kitchen garden we have planted our early potatoes; we are growing 

the variety ‘Swift’, which is very early to crop. At Finlaystone we try to keep 

the use of pesticides to an absolute minimum, and we try to implement 

companion planting if possible; last year we planted summer savoury plants 

between our broad beans, these prevented the black fly from feeding on the 

fresh shoots of the broad bean plants. 

This year we are trying to increase our snowdrop stock, especially in sparse 

areas of the snowdrop trail, we are getting through this task well, but any 

of you who might enjoy a few hours helping to re-plant these bulbs, in a 

lovely woodland setting, will be made most welcome, and the results of 

your labour will be enjoyed by many for years to come. 

Many thanks go to all our volunteers who play a huge part in keeping the 

gardens tidy. If you would like to join our team of volunteers either on a 

regular or a casual basis, then please phone reception on 01475 540505 

for more information or apply online. 

We have plants for sale on a regular basis; if you see any plant growing in 

the gardens and would like one, check at reception to see if we have any 

available, if not we may be able to propagate it for you. 

If you have any comments about the gardens, or need advice on a 

gardening subject then please contact Norah at reception, your feedback 

is appreciated. 

Fraser Lang 

Kilbarchan Smile Gateway 

Garden & Big Spring Clean 

Kilbarchan Smile recently secured additional 

“Stalled Spaces” funding to continue to develop 

Kilbarchan’s Community “Gateway Garden”. 

Amongst other things this allows for additional 

growing spaces for budding gardeners to grow 

their own plants, tools and equipment for all 

the family and additional plants to enhance the 

overall look of the garden. 

The hard work of the volunteers and partners continues with ongoing 

planting and tidying taking place, lovely new benches now located in the 

space and the creation of a “bug hotel”. 

Despite achieving a huge amount and dramatically improving the look of 

the area at the entrance to the historic village more volunteers are needed 

to ensure the future of the garden is secure. The next Drop In session 

will take place on Sunday 9th April from 1pm to 3pm. Come and put your 

name down for a growing area & start your very own veg plot! See the 

Spring flowers in bloom, plant Summer flowering bulbs and help provide 

nesting materials for the birds. All welcome. 

The group also have a Garden Party planned for Sunday 28th May as 

part of this years Lilifest to celebrate the completion of this next phase of 

development. 

Stalled Spaces is a Renfrewshire Council, in partnership with Engage 

Renfrewshire, initiative to support community organisations in 

Renfrewshire that are interested in running small projects in local spaces 

of unused or underused land. Invaluable support is also provided by the 

Community Payback Team within Renfrewshire Council. 

Kilbarchan Smile Big Spring Clean 

Kilbarchan Smile was set up to help make improvements to the village with 

the support and involvement of the community. To this end the group is 

Bridge Of Weir Horticultural Soc 

Our March guest speaker was Robert McCaw who gave a colourful 

presentation starting with autumn flowering plants such as the purpleberried 

Callicarpa and Cotoneasters and Pyracanthas whose fruits are 

all sought-after by foraging birds. 

Early bulbs such as Aconites and 

Snowdrops establish new groups 

if split and spread out, when still “in 

the green” as this makes them easier 

to find. Heathers interspersed with 

Crocuses and Snowdrops put on a 

good show on a sunny, wintry day. 

Viburnum x bodnantense, Witch Hazel 

and Daphne mezereum, planted near 

a door or path, are must-have shrubs 

for late winter with their beautiful 

flowers and perfume. 

Spring flowering bulbs offer a variety 

of flowers. Pheasant’s Eye Narcissus 

with its delicate white petals and 

red eye has a lovely perfume but 

Hyacinths, also known for their 

perfume, are less likely to flower well again in the open garden. Tulips 

bring colour into the garden for several months, starting with T. Kaufmanni, 

then T greggii and concluding with Darwin Tulips which are the showiest. 

Bob told us to plant tulip bulbs with the flat side facing the pot’s side since 

the first leaf will grow from here, followed by the flower from the bulkier side. 

Magnolias give a stunning spring display but are often caught by late frosts 

whereas Rhododendrons and Azaleas love life on the West of Scotland. 

We were reminded to plant with insects in mind 

especially Bees remembering that single flowers 

are best. Selected double flowers look good to us 

but not to bees. Mason bees are the great workers, 

pollinating up 2,000 plants a day but all bees, hover 

flies and insects need our encouragement to carry 

on this work. 

The use of summer bedding plugs was discussed 

as a way of getting a good start on the season 

and are a very economical way of growing without 

heat. Summer shrubs such as Hydrangeas require 

careful pruning. If in doubt, remove a few old brown 

stems, leaving new green ones and cut these back 

to a healthy bud. Buddleia are favourites with gardeners, flying insects 

and, particularly, butterflies alike. These can be robustly spring-pruned. 

Aim for a goblet shape to let air circulate and cut back to two or three main 

branches, cutting diagonally above outward facing buds. 

Another topic covered was good soil preparation. Autumn leaves when 

matured into leaf mould will enhance soil textures and when spread with 

other composted material will encourage good growth. Also reminded 

growers to feed bulbs in pots until the leaves die down. A traditional feed 

for gardens is Blood, Fish and Bone which is organic (but treated for safe 

handling) and a top dressing will be absorbed by plants as and when they 

require nourishment. Some familiar garden preparations are leaving the 

market, so gardens need to be more symbiotic; more user and insect 

friendly. 

We next meet on Thursday 13th April when there will be an informative but 

fun quiz for members and guests. We meet at 8pm at The Legion. 

organising the 2017 “Kilbarchan Smile Big Spring Clean” for Sunday 23rd 

April taking place from 2pm-4pm. Volunteers (Smilers) are being asked 

to meet at the Ewing Street car parking area opposite Bog Park. Greener 

Renfrewshire Do You Bit will once again provide equipment including litter 

pickers, hi viz vests, bags, bag hoops and gloves. If you want to make a 

difference to the village please come along and “Do Your Bit” if you can – 

as they say many hands make light work! Greggs will be providing hungry 

volunteers with well-earned provisions at the end of the day. 

For more information and to get 

involved in either the Gateway Garden 

or other Kilbarchan Smile activities 

contact Gail Scoular on 07985 749220, 

email hello@kilbarchansmile.co.uk 

or join the group Kilbarchan Smile on 

Facebook. 

(Photo courtesy of Andy Stark/The 

Studio Bridge of Weir) 

53 53


St Fillan’s Primary School 

It has been a very busy term in St Fillan’s with lots of visiting specialists inspiring us to 

be creative and imaginative in our learning. 

Zoolab visited St Fillan’s Primary and brought with them some fascinating creatures 

such as a tarantula, scorpion, toad, snake and millipede. The children learned about 

their various habitats and those who wished to were able to hold them. Some of us, 

mainly staff, were too scared to touch them. 

The people from the cinebus spoke to our pupils about 

disability and opened up discussions on tolerance and respect for others. Each class 

watched a short film which highlighted aspects suitable to the age of the class. 

Generation science worked with groups of children and helped the younger children 

to understand how day and night happens. The older pupils learned about renewable 

and non renewable energy and associated technologies which connect to the smart 

grid. 

Hopscotch Theatre gave an informative and enjoyable performance about Scottish 

Innovation which stimulated some of us to find out some more information about Scottish Inventors. Hopscotch 

Theatre followed this up with a growth mindset workshop for out P5 - 7 pupils. This was very well received with our 

young people now more likely to say “I can’t do it YET!” 

Gryffe High School 

Maths have Fun as they celebrate π Day 

Pi Day is celebrated on March 14th (3/14) around the 

world and the Maths department had the pupils making 

Pi chains and singing the Pi song. Pi (Greek letter 

“p”) is the symbol used in mathematics to represent a 

constant - the ratio of the circumference of a circle to its 

diameter - which is approximately 3.14159. Well done 

to class 1Mk, who earned House Points for Mackintosh 

by creating the longest Pi chain of the day. 

Mrs A. Mullan - Mathematics 

Fairtrade Fortnight finishes with a 

Community Coffee Morning 

Our Fairtrade Community Coffee Morning 

at the Church Halls in Houston, raised the 

fantastic sum of £360 for Traidcraft and 

Rainbow Turtle. Thank you to everyone who 

came along to support this event. This was 

the last event in a busy Fairtrade Fortnight. 

Other events were Ben and Jerry stalls, 

Rainbow Turtle stalls in school and a Fairtrade Bake off for staff and pupils. 

Pupils from the Citizenship Committee also enjoyed a lovely morning with 

pupils and staff of the Mary Russell School in Paisley at their Fairtrade Café 

event. 

Miss H Rowan – on behalf of the Citizenship Committee 

S2 Choices for Life Presentation 

All S2 pupils enjoyed a ‘Choices for Life’ 

presentation, delivered in conjunction with 

Police Scotland, providing them with the 

information required to make positive life 

choices in relation to substances. As part of 

the presentation, some willing volunteers also 

had to opportunity to try out ‘beer goggles’, 

simulating the effects of the influence of 

alcohol. 

Pupils then put their knowledge to the test during an interactive evaluation 

session, requiring them to respond to a variety of situations and then facing 

any subsequent consequences of their actions. Feedback from pupils was 

extremely positive, with 15 students now selected to attend a follow up 

session at Johnstone Town Hall on Monday 20th June. Thanks to our Safer 

Communities team at Police Scotland and our S6 Hearty Lives Peer Educators 

for supporting pupils in promoting their Health and Wellbeing! 

Miss H Holmes – Project Leader Health and Wellbeing 

Langbank 

Playgroup 

What an amazing and fun filled 

place to be! At playgroup, 

children have the opportunity 

to develop their social skills, 

independence, creativity, 

numeracy, literacy skills and 

many, many more ….. What’s 

not to like, when all of this can 

be done through play! 

Recently, the children had great 

fun developing their creative 

skills in a variety of ways. We 

have also been busy with our 

visits from Skoobmobile, as 

well as Lisa from Graffiti Dance 

Troupe. 

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 u would like 

to join us on a Friday morning 

or for more information, please 

contact Jen Burrows on 07947 

983025. 

every Mo n d a y 

Lochwinnoch Baby & Toddlers 

McKillop Hall, 9.45am - 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 

Kilbarchan Parish Church Hall, 9.15am 

- 11.30am 

every Tuesday 

Kilbarchan Tots 

Kilbarchan Scout Hall, 10am-12noon 

£2 contribution. Tea, coffee & biscuits. 

Bridge of Weir Toddlers 

Cargill Hall, Lintwhite Cres, BoW 

Pop along and see us from 9.30am - 11.30am 



9.30am - 11.40am 

Howwood Playgroup 

Howwood Church Hall, 9.45am - 11.35am 


Kilmacolm Toddlers 


10am - 11.30am 

For children from birth to 3 years. 

Lochwinnoch Baby & Toddlers 

McKillop Hall, 9.45am - 11.30am 

£2/family fee incl tea and children’s snacks. 



every Th u r s d a y 

Houston Toddlers 

Church Hall, Main Street, Houston 

Pop along and see us from 9.30am - 11.30am 



9.15am - 11.40am 



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 

Baby and Toddler Group 

Elderslie Kirk, Main Rd, Elderslie, 

9.30am - 11.30am 

£2 includes children’s snack and tea/coffee. 

Lots of different toys to play with. All welcome. 

Community Bookbug Sessions 

Livingstone Hall at St Columba’s Junior 

School, Knockbuckle Road, Kilmacolm. 

From 9.30 - 10am 

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.


Houston Baby & Toddlers 

55 55 

We’ve been having lots of fun with our 

friends, making Mother’s Day cards, 

and enjoying some Easter themed 

celebrations (the grown up’s thoroughly 

enjoyed an evening out too!) Why not 

come along and join us on a Thursday 

morning? 

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 9.30am - 11.30am (term time only - CLOSED 6th & 13th April) 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) 

Disabled Scouts can now be 

Prepared for Camping! 

SCOUTS who are disabled can now ‘be prepared’ to enjoy 

going camping thanks to a donation from the intu Braehead 

Community Fund. 

The shopping and leisure 

destination has given £500 to 

the 98th Renfrewshire Corseford 

Scouts to help buy a mobile hoist, 

which would allow disabled young 

people to attend Scout camps. 

The Corseford Scouts meet intu Braehead’s community 

development manager, Lydia Brown, front row right with, 

from left, Scout group treasurer, Suzanne Wales and 

Scout group leader, Samantha Courtney 

The Corseford Scouts have 14 

members, both boys and girls, 

between the ages of 8 and 21 and 

are based at the charity, Capability 

Scotland’s Corseford School, in 

Kilbarchan, Renfrewshire. 

A mobile hoist costs almost £2,000 and thanks to the donation from intu 

Braehead, the Scout group has been given a boost in their fundraising 

efforts. 

Scout Group treasurer Suzanne Wales said: “This is a fabulous gesture 

from intu Braehead and once we get the hoist, it will mean more youngsters 

can go to Scout camp. At the moment some of our members can’t stay at 

camp overnight because they need this type of equipment. It will make a 

huge difference to them and their parents! 

It’s important that our youngsters can experience camp like all the other 

Scouts. It will also give the children some dignity so they don’t have to be 

physically lifted by their parents.” 

Community development manager at intu Braehead, Lydia Brown said: 

“The people running the Corseford Scouts deserve all the help they can 

get. It’s important the youngsters get a chance to enjoy the benefits of 

being in the Scouts and going to camp is part of that experience.” 

Duchal Nursery 

The children are really embracing our music 

project which started with Prokofiev’s Peter 

and the Wolf. Great fun was had listening first 

to the story, and then to the orchestral music. 

We’ve had the opportunity to play all sorts of 

instruments including the flute and even a euphonium - creating some very 

strange noises! 

The afternoon clubbers have been looking at the story of ‘The Rainbow 

Fish’ linking into our caring and sharing ethos, discussing rainbows and 

looking through prisms to see their own rainbows!! They’ve painted an 

amazing rainbow which is decorating our walls. 

We are now taking registrations for August 2017 and beyond, so if you have 

a child that is coming up to nursery age please get in touch to arrange a 

visit and find out more about us. We are having an Open Morning at the 

nursery on Saturday 20th May, all are welcome. It’s a great opportunity to 

meet teachers and current parents and to find out more about what we get 

up to and our new extended day until 3.30pm! 

If you would like to come and visit the Nursery and meet the teachers 

please contact Head Teacher Jean McCarthy on Tel: 874358. Also visit our 

website at: www.duchal.com and find us on Facebook to keep up to date 

with all the latest news. 

Kilmacolm 

Playgroup & 

Toddlers 

Playgroup is very excited 

to welcome even more new 

children to our sessions, which 

are the busiest they’ve been all 

year! 

The children will be focussing 

on the themes of Transport, 

Road Safety and People Who 

Help Us to encourage the 

children’s knowledge in these 

important areas. We are hoping 

to welcome a professional into 

the playgroup to talk to the 

children. 

The children are continuing to develop their physical skills through ball 

games, Sticky Kids, and yoga and always make good use of our spaces 

within the hall. We are also looking to develop our play outdoors! 

Strathgryffe Inter-Schools 

Tennis Match 

Inter-Schools Tennis Match 

The annual Inter-School Tennis 

Doubles Match which involves 

all three local primary schools, 

Bridge of Weir, Houston & St 

Fillan’s was a very closely fought 

battle this year. Houston Primary 

edged out in front as the eventual 

winners but only once the final 

round of matches had been completed. 

A team of tennis coaches from 

Strathgryffe delivered a four week block 

of coaching sessions, free of charge to 

all P6 pupils at Bridge of Weir, Houston 

and St Fillan’s Primary Schools. A 

team of 8 boys and 8 girls were then 

selected to represent their school and 

participate in a round robin doubles 

league with points being awarded at 

the end of each round to each winning 

couple. The competition was held in 

the indoor courts at Strathgryffe on 

Thursday 16th March. 

The Inter-School Shield was introduced into the school calendar in 2003 as a 

joint venture between Strathgryffe Tennis & Squash Club and Renfrewshire 

Active Schools. The level of play continues to improve as more and more 

of the local children are giving tennis a go. 

Details for the new summer tennis programme are now available with classes 

for both children and adults. For more information please visit our website www. 

strathgryffe.net or contact Head Tennis Coach, Derek Brown on 01505 615301 or 

email: derekbrown@strathgryffe.net


Bridge of Weir Primary School 

This is a very hard working term and classes have been taking part in a whole range of 

lessons, activities and outings. Our nursery children took a trip to the Co-op on Shrove 

Tuesday where staff helped them prepare pancakes with a delicious choice of toppings – 

yum! P1 were amazed to discover a dinosaur had found its way into school one night, but 

realised someone must have been ‘pulling their legs’ as they are all experts and KNOW 

dinosaurs are extinct. P2 have been loving reading Julia Donaldson’s famous “Room on 

the Broom” book and had great fun making chocolate witches’ hats, whilst P3 are looking 

forward to visiting Paisley Museum to see the “May the Toys Be With You” exhibition 

which is all about Star Wars. Our budding engineers in P 3/2 have been working with Mrs 

Mackinnon and Mr Lowit to make their own moving vehicles as part of their Transport topic 

and have become very knowledgeable about axles and chassis! 

Everyone looks forward to Fairtrade Fortnight 

at Bridge of Weir Primary as it’s the only time 

of year when we’re allowed to buy chocolate 

in school. This year was no different and 

P4 sold an impressive total of 362 bars of 

Fairtrade chocolate to pupils and staff. P4a 

also led an excellent assembly which included 

lots of interesting facts, an acrostic poem and 

a very catchy song encouraging everyone to 

buy Fairtrade products. 

The Caribbean has been a lovely focus for our P5s 

during a damp and dreich Scottish February. The 

vivid colours of their artwork and the blue skies and 

sunshine of Barbados, Jamaica, etc., have provided 

a sharp contrast to the weather outside the classroom 

window. P6 have been particularly busy over the last 

few weeks visiting St Mirren Football Park for Safe Kids 

sessions, receiving tennis coaching from Strathgryffe 

Tennis Club, releasing brown trout (which they raised 

from fish eggs) into the River Gryffe and enjoying a trip to Glasgow City Halls to see the 

BBC Symphony Orchestra. Finally, our P7 pupils have been taking part in the “I Wish” 

project as part of Paisley’s bid to be City of Culture in 2021 and had a brilliant time when 

they went along to Erskine Music and Media Studio to take part in a range of creative 

activities. They are also very excited to have created artwork and a sound track for a 

special performance which they will attend at Paisley Town Hall with other schools from 

throughout Renfrewshire. 

If you’d like to find out more about life at Bridge of Weir Primary, please take a look at our website! 

Houston Primary School 

Eco News - Our pupils have been very busy making bird feeders making sure that the birds 

don’t go hungry during the winter months. Their design had to ensure that the bird seed 

wouldn’t fall out and could be attached to a tree or fence. 

P6 are learning about bridges and are heading out to see the Queensferry Crossing which 

is due to open in May 2017. The 1.7 miles (2.7km) structure will be the longest three-tower, 

cable-stayed bridge in the world. The pupils are also making their own bridges from balsa 

wood, which will then be tested for strength at the end of the challenge. We thank all of 

the parents and grandparents who are supporting the children with sawing, measuring, 

mitring and gluing. 

P6 have also entered this year’s Euro Quiz and have been working very hard to learn 

as many facts as possible about Europe. The pupils who will be representing Houston 

Primary School are Aidan Smith, Eilidh MacKinnon, Skye Mills and Liam O’Brien. 

P7 completed their Technology Challenge and this year’s winning team created a robot 

which could move forwards and backwards, had flashing lights and could even talk! 

Congratulations to Douglas Boyd, Ellie Shaw, Rory Devine, Kyra’s English and Sam Carvil. 

A huge thank you to our judges from Gryffe High School, Trinity High School, St Andrews 

Academy and Strathclyde University. 

P7 have also entered the Rotary Quiz. The pupils who will be representing Houston 

Primary School are Peter Boyd, Ben Stevenson, Luke Wilson and Tylar Pollock. 

The Kirk Carnival is nearing and the pupils have voted for this year’s Carnival Queen and 

her attendants. The exciting news will be shared at assembly. 

P2 have been learning about Space and went on a 

trip to the Science Centre to enhance their learning. 

They visited the planetarium where they learned about 

constellations and what it would be like to live in a 

spaceship. 

P5 have transformed their classroom into a tropical 

rainforest. I’m sure you will agree it looks amazing. 

Buddy Reading - Mrs Brooker has been training 

children to support the younger pupils with their reading. 

Primary 5 pupils have been supporting P1 pupils with 

their pronunciation and P6 pupils have been teaching 

songs and rhymes to the nursery pupils. 

Port Glasgow High 

School 

S5/S6 Geography Field Trip 

The S5/6 National 5 and National 6 Geography pupils 

spent Valentine’s Day together, collecting data for their 

Assignments. They visited 6 locations - 3 in Glasgow and 

3 in Greenock, and carried out a variety of tasks, including 

a traffic count, environmental quality survey and a land use 

survey. This data will now be used to write up a comparison 

of the two locations for their assignment. They all said it 

was a LOVELY day!” 

Ryan Collins - 

Masterchef 

Huge congratulations to 

S5 pupil Ryan Collins 

who is heading for the 

Rotary International 

regional finals after 

winning the local heat of 

the prestigious cooking 

competition. Ryan, an S5 hospitality student, has also 

taken part in the Future Chef Competition held in City of 

Glasgow College. He has also been very busy cooking for 

the Gourock Rotary at the Royal Gourock Yacht Club. Next 

stop, school canteen! 

International Women’s Day 

(By Kirsten Irvine S6) 

On Thursday 9th March 

I was honoured to speak 

in the Scottish Parliament 

as part of Tearfund’s 

#7girlsmalawi project 

to mark International 

Women’s Day 2017. I 

was joined by six other girls from all around Scotland to 

share the testimonies of seven Malawian girls who had 

been forced into child marriage from a young age to men 

double their age. I read aloud the testimony of sixteen 

year old Charity in front of an audience at parliament. The 

experience was especially moving as it revealed the harsh 

realities of child marriage and the long road we have to 

achieve global gender equality. 

PGHS successes at Inverclyde Festival 

The school was delighted to 

recognise the fantastic work of our 

very talented musical performers 

in the recent Inverclyde Music 

Festival, with a celebration event 

hosted by the Head Teacher. 

Over 10% of the school roll 

participated in the Music Festival 

– a great indication of the talent 

and dedication of the pupils. 

“Taste of Industry” Event 

S3 HFT and S5 Hospitality 

students participated in an 

exciting educational experience 

delivered by Tennant’s Training 

Academy and Tree of Knowledge. A range of experts from 

Hospitality, Leisure and Tourism industry including Mar 

Hall, Porter and Rye and FreshDirect delivered a range of 

master classes designed to give students a real life insight 

into working in this 

ever-growing Scottish 

industry. 

Deirdre Davie Visit 

to Drama 

(By Alison Walker S5) 

On the 9th March the 

Port Glasgow High 

S5/6 Drama class 

were visited by River 

City actress Deirdre Davis. We performed our monologues/ 

duologues for her which we are using for our upcoming 

exam. It was a fantastic experience as she was able to 

provide us with some advice and suggestions as to how we 

would improve our exam performance. 

Follow us on Twitter @PortGlasgowHS and @PGHS_PE_


Rotary Club of Gryffe Valley 

Youth Services 

The last month has been a busy one for Gryffe Valley Rotary 

Youth Services committee at club, district and regional levels 

led by Andrew Macleman and John Tuck. 

Houston win Rotary Primary School Quiz 

The Houston Primary School team and 

St Fillan’s Primary tied on 85 points 

each after ten rounds of questions at 

the Rotary Primary School Quiz held 

on Monday 6th March at the British 

Legion Club in Bridge of Weir. The 

pupils demonstrated their knowledge 

of Bridges, the Sea, In the Air, Cats, 

Famous People, Quotations, Music, Ancient Civilisations and Energy. 

After three questions in the tiebreak round the Houston Primary team of 

Tylar Pollock, Luke Wilson, Ben Stevenson and Peter Boyd emerged as 

the winners. President Peter Dickie and Youth Services Convenor Andrew 

Macleman thanked the four teams taking part (Houston, St Fillan’s, St 

Columba’s, and Bridge of Weir), Gibb Stuart for their help with the prizes, 

Mike Pepper the question - master and John Douglas who devised the 

quiz. 

Young Chef District final 

Charlotte Westwood of St Columba’s, winner of the club 

competition, went forward to the Rotary District final at South 

Lanarkshire College and once again demonstrated her 

culinary skills. She is pictured wearing her “Chef’s Whites” 

which were kindly provided by Jason Andrews and carried 

the logos of the Fox and Hounds and The River Inn. 

Rotary Youth Speaks Senior Regional Final won by St Columba’s 

St Columba’s, as winners of the Club and 

District competitions, went forward to the 

Regional Final (Scotland and the North- 

East of England) at Pollokshields Burgh 

Hall on Sunday 12th March. Speaking 

on the subject “The internet killed music 

– or did it?” they emerged as winners in 

a tough competition against teams which 

had won their respective District Finals in Scotland and the North - East 

of England. The team comprised Chair: Mark Connelly, Main Speaker: 

Dominic Bogle, Vote of Thanks: Lawrence Lavizoni. Next is the national 

final! The picture shows the team with Depute Rector Antonia Berry. 

Gryffe Valley Young Writer competition 

Five local schools took part over the three age categories. The overall 

winners in the respective age groups, were; Junior - Kirsty Weir, 

Intermediate - Tom McGeoch, both from St Columba’s Junior School and 

Senior - Rachael Bell, from Gryffe High School. The entries from our three 

winners will go forward to the District Competition and we wish them well. 

Gryffe Valley Rotary Club thanks all the young people who took part in 

Young Writer. Also, our special thanks are given to all teachers who helped 

and encouraged their pupils to participate. 

Kilbarchan Community Nursery 

In March we held our sponsored Storython event. 

During the week, children listened to stories read by staff 

and students, parents and grandparents, teachers from 

Kilbarchan primary school and on board Renfrewshire 

Libraries book bus ‘Skoobmobile’. The children all 

collected stickers on their cards to record how many 

stories they had heard and the overall total target of 

100 stories in the week was exceeded with 224 being 

read. The money raised from this event will be used to 

purchase new resources to make up home link story 

bags. 

To mark World book day, we had a visit from Zoo Ed 

with their sensory story telling workshop – The Gruffalo. 

During the live literacy workshop the 

children listened to Fiona reading 

The Gruffalo and then got to meet 

the snake and mouse from the story 

as well as other woodland animals. 

After the holiday break in April, the 

children will be choosing their new topic and the preschool 

children will meet their buddies from Primary 6 

as part of the transition to school programme. 

Gryffe High PTA 

in partnership with 

Strathgryffe Tennis & Squash Club 

Fleming Road Houston 

Sunday 23 April 2017 1- 4p.m. 

Come along whatever the weather to Strathgryffe T&S. Club & take part in the 

"Great British Tennis Weekend" 

FREE ENTRY & ACCESS TO 

indoor tennis/squash/fitness sessions 

with fully qualified club coaches 

Visit : www.greatbritishtennisweekend.com 

Support the school theatre refurbishment by purchasing... 

"Afternoon Tea" available in the lounge. 

Tickets: £5 for adults & £3 for concessions 

(including tea/coffee/scones & cakes) 

Available in advance from school office & Strathgryffe or on the day. 

Visit indoor courts 3 & 4/Clubroom for ..... 

challenges against Gryffe High sports leaders 

games/activities/raffle/tombola/table tennis 

Shopping opportunities including candles, jewellery, 

pet products & line gifts also available. 

Come along and enjoy a fantastic family afternoon of food. 

fun & activities while helping with this project. 

Please wear suitable footwear for access to all activity areas 

No high heels/soles that mark 

Photography Blog 

by Lauren Russell, Owner, Little Studio Kilmacolm 

Spring is here and it’s the perfect time to grab your 

kids and a camera and head outside for a little spring 

photo-shoot. We are so fortunate to have such beautiful 

woodlands, parks and open fields so close-by and you 

might well stumble across a colourful and suitable area 

in the next couple of weeks. 

Plan your child’s clothing carefully, making sure it will compliment the 

flowers (and vice versa); avoid white clothes - they get dirty easily and 

white can also often confuse your camera and over-expose (be too 

bright) in the photos. If you are photographing your children with smaller 

flowers such as daffodils and bluebells, get them to sit down amongst 

the flowers (without squashing any of course!) - it will look so much 

better than just asking them to stand in front of them as they will then be 

surrounded by flowers. And if you know how use your camera to blur the 

flowers in the foreground and background, then even better! 

You will, however, need to keep snapping and chatting to achieve those 

lovely expressions! If you keep them engaged in conversation your 

child will eventually forget about the camera and just interact with you. 

Remind yourself not to say “smile” or “cheese” but ask them questions 

that you know are going to bring about the desired facial expression. 

If your kids sense that you get frustrated with them when the camera 

comes out, they won’t be at all willing the next time you suggest a little 

photo-shoot. So, even if things 

aren’t going as planned, tell 

them they are doing great and 

have fun with it. 

And if they are old enough to 

be bribed, it’s always worth 

telling them that they will get a 

little reward at the end. 

I hope you found this useful 

and manage to capture some 

gorgeous photos of your 

children amongst the spring 

flowers. 

57 57


Kilmacolm Primary 

Our first event in February was our Valentine Disco 

which was organised by our PTF committee. The boys 

and girls had a great time, enjoying the music, tuck 

shop and just having fun with their friends. 

P7 travelled to Dalguise this 

year for their residential 

trip. The boys and girls had 

a fabulous time, enjoying 

quad biking, archery, 

fencing, zip wire and loads 

of other fantastic activities. 

The weather was kind to 

our group and although 

cold it was mostly dry, but 

very, very muddy! 

This year we celebrated 

World Book Day with 

a variety of activities. 

Pupils, staff and parents 

wore their pyjamas to school and everyone ‘Snuggled 

Down to Read a Story’ in the hall with lights off, torches 

lit, blankets and teddies. Great fun, whilst continuing to 

encourage good reading habits. 

P1 & 2/1 have been studying Katie Morag as a novel 

in their classes. To finish off their topic they held a 

Grandparents Day, where grandparents were invited to 

come along, see what the pupils have been learning 

and enjoy an afternoon tea party with singing and 

dancing and lots of reminiscing about when they were 

in school. Lots of hard work, but lots and lots of fun. 

We recently participated 

in Port Glasgow Bulb 

Show with a variety of 

entries which included 

artwork, bulbs and 

buttonholes to name a 

few. We did well again 

this year with some 

attractive entries and 

the boys and girls had so much fun preparing for the 

show. Also, well done to Ava Crawford who won first 

place in the Kilmacolm Horticultural Society Show for 

her tulips. 

More recently some pupils from P4 - 7 participated 

in the Burns Federation Competition in The Beacon 

Theatre in Greenock. All of our pupils were confident 

throughout, performing verse speaking, vocal solos 

and instrumental pieces. Well done to Poppy Paterson 

who was second in her singing and a special mention to 

Jules Gaston who won the P4 - 5 instrumental section 

playing his violin, and now moves on to the National 

Final in May. Good luck Jules. 

We invited parents to school this week to walk ‘The 

Muga Mile’ in order to raise funds for a clean water 

project for our partner school in Malawi. Our thanks to 

all who kindly donated to raise over £130 to go towards 

this well deserving project. 

P7 pupils raised funds whilst also raising awareness of 

Fairtrade this week. They organised a Fairtrade Stall 

and Coffee Morning/Afternoon to raise funds which will 

be sent to support Cancer UK. Well done P7! 

Our final success was 

our P6 rugby team who 

participated in a rugby 

festival in Birkmyre Park 

and brought back the 

trophy. Well done to our 

boys and girls, a wonderful 

achievement. 

We were delighted to welcome an exchange group 

of young adults from our twin school in Merignies, 

France. The senior 

pupils, accompanied by 

staff, had a tour of our 

school and were served 

breakfast by our pupils 

in P6/5. We’re not sure 

exactly what they thought 

about the porridge! 

St Columba’s School, Kilmacolm 

Youth Speaks 

Congratulations to Dominic Bogle (Senior VI), Mark Connolly and 

Lawrence Lavizani (Senior IV) who are the Senior Winners 2017 

of the Rotary Youth Speaks Regional Final. They will now go 

on to compete in the National Finals in Telford in May. This is a 

great achievement, having seen off tough competition in the local, 

district and regional finals throughout the course of the year. 

Our Head Boy Dominic Bogle also won the National Final of 

‘Poetry by Heart, Scotland’ in March, which makes him the best young reciter of poetry in 

Scotland – an amazing achievement. 

Pipe Band 

Congratulations to the Pipe Band who were awarded third 

place out of twelve schools competing in the ‘Junior A’ category 

of the Scottish Schools’ Pipe Band Championships which took 

place at James Gillespie’s High School on Sunday 12th March - 

a wonderful achievement following several weeks of dedicated 

practice. This sets them up nicely for their much anticipated 

tour of New York at the beginning of April. 

Easter Chicks 

A warm welcome to our latest Early Years new additions, six fluffy 

Easter chicks! They arrived in shells and after a few days, closely 

monitored by our Early Years gang, they had hatched. We even had 

a webcam set up so all of our pupils and parents could keep an eye 

on them around the clock, which turned out to be quite addictive! 

French Exchange 

Our Senior IV pupils welcomed their French exchange pupils to the 

school in March for a truly wonderful visit. The pupils received a pipe 

band welcome and were taken on a tour of the School and village by 

our Advanced Higher pupils, as well as participating in classes during 

their stay. Well done to everyone who contributed to make it such a 

success. 

Medical Applications Event 

We are hosting a Medical Applications event on Wednesday 19th April 

at 7pm for our fourth and fifth year and invite pupils from Inverclyde 

and Renfrewshire schools to attend. Guest Speakers include: Dr Iain Findlay, Vice President 

of the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Glasgow and Mr Graham Haddock, Deputy 

Director of Admissions at the University of Glasgow Undergraduate Medical School. Please 

contact Dgallacher@st-columbas.org if you wish to attend. 

Community Bookbug Sessions 

Pop along to our new weekly Bookbug sessions, which run every Friday from 9.30am-10am in 

the Livingstone Hall at St Columba’s Junior School, Knockbuckle Road, Kilmacolm. Bookbug 

sessions are free, fun and friendly events for babies, toddlers, pre-schoolers and their families 

to enjoy together. Each session lasts around 30 minutes and includes songs, stories and 

rhymes. Our session is hosted by Miss Victoria Jones who works in our Early Years department 

and is a Scottish Book Trust Bookbug session leader. We look forward to welcoming you and 

your little ones. 

Abbey Nursery 

We would like to wish everyone a very Happy Easter and a 

lovely break and hopefully the sun will be shinning throughout 

April! Children at the nursery have had a very busy few weeks 

recently and a particular highlight for the Grasshoppers was 

meeting Olympic Athlete Derek Hawkins. Derek, together with 

his brother Callum, competed in the Rio Olympics and was 

delighted to present Achievement Certificates for the multi 

sports programme organised by David Scott from ActivKids. 

March also saw the beginning of our forest schools programme again, together with literacy walks 

around the village. Within the playroom the children have been exploring Space and Planets 

as part of their science activities and are learning so much as well as creating their own paper 

mache models, eating space food, reading stories, visiting the science centre and videoing their 

own learning. 

Meanwhile the Busy Bunnies celebrated Pancake Day and World Book Day with great enthusiasm 

and are looking forward to fundraising for Comic Relief and exploring the colour Red. Dinosaur’s 

continue to be of great interest to the children and they have been having fun exploring Dinosaur’s 

in ice and teaching staff all different names. 

In the Little Ladybirds playroom the children have been enjoying making fruit scones to take home 

and had fun getting messy and learning about textures and what happens to the dry ingredients 

when the wet ingredients are added. While doing this they have been developing their listening 

skills and ability to follow simple instructions and could well become the next Mary Berry!. 

Our Family week in March is always a great time and we are looking forward to welcoming in 

parents, grandparents and carers to join us in the nursery to take part in some of the activities 

and experiences on offer to the children. Finally, can we please ask parents who are looking for 

a childcare place from the summer to come and see us as soon as possible as spaces are much 

in demand.


59 59


Old Course Ranfurly Golf Club 

The Ladies Section of Old Course Ranfurly Golf Club is delighted to 

announce that last year £1,000 was raised for Scottish Autism and Cancer 

Research. This year, we hope to surpass that amount and donate to MND 

Scotland, the Motor Neurone Disease charity. 

We will be holding 

a wide range of 

exciting events 

and hope that 

you will join and 

support us to 

reach this goal. 

Our largest event 

will be the Ladies 

Open which will 

take place on 

Thursday 6th July. 

Please submit entries for this Stableford Greensome to:- The Secretary, 

Old Course Ranfurly Golf Club, Ranfurly Place, Bridge of Weir, PA11 3DE. 

Another event will be the The Ramphorlie Quaich Stableford Greensomes. 

Maximum Individual Handicap 34. Entry Fees £16 per couple or single 

entries of £8 per person. Final Entry Date Friday 30th June. Tee Times 

10am to 3pm. 

Entry Form and fee to be returned to The General Manager, The Old Course 

Ranfurly Golf Club, Ranfurly Place, Bridge of Weir, PA11 3DE. Tel: 01505 

613214. Snacks and meals available all day. No competitor may win more 

than one major prize. 

Application forms can be downloaded from www.oldranfurly.com 

Strathgryffe Wins Tennis 

Scotland Award 

Strathgryffe Tennis & Squash Club is the winner of 

the prestigious Tennis Scotland Tournament of the Year 

accolade for 2016. The club has been a staunch supporter of HSBC Road 

to Wimbledon which is the biggest tournament in British tennis and gives all 

14 & under players the opportunity to progress through to compete on the 

world famous grass 

courts at the All 

England Club. 

Tennis Development 

Manager, Susan 

Weanie & Head 

Coach, Derek Brown 

received the award at 

the Tennis Scotland 

Awards lunch which 

was held at Dunblane 

Hydro on Saturday 

4th March. 

Susan Weanie 

c o m m e n t e d 

“Strathgryffe is delighted to receive the Tennis Scotland Tournament of 

the Year Award. We have supported the 14 & under Road to Wimbledon 

for many years and encourage all our junior members, who are ready to 

compete, to play. Since 2007 we have had more than 50 players entering. 

2016 was exceptionally good with 74 of our juniors participating.” 

Strathgryffe beat off competition from other competitions including the Elgin 

Team Challenge, Innes & Mackay Inverness, BAT Borders and the East 

Lothian Open, which were all shortlisted. 

Kilmacolm Bowling Club - 

New Season 

Members of Kilmacolm 

Bowling Club are looking 

forward to the new season 

which will soon be upon 

us. The green will open 

on Saturday 8th April at 

2pm. 

As part of Bowls Scotland 

initiative we will again be 

participating in the Try 

Bowls Weekend. The 

green will be open to non 

members for free taster 

sessions on Saturday 

29th April and Sunday 

30th April between 10am - 

2pm. Please come and try 

out bowling - all you need 

is a flat pair of shoes, we 

will provide bowls and 

tuition followed by tea and 

biscuits. 

Kilmacolm Bowling Club 

welcomes new members 

of all ages, contact the 

Secretary on 01505 

874239 for further details. 

Walk Islay 9th - 14th April 

It is not vital to book any walks this year however we would appreciate a 

quick email to tell us you are interested in attending any of our walks to 

footstep@walkislay.co.uk or post your interest on our facebook site https:// 

www.facebook.com/WalkIslay/ 

Fees and advice - A fee of £4 will be charged for each walk. The cost of a 

return foot passenger to Jura is £3.50 and to Colonsay £8. 

Bus timetable can be viewed here http://www.argyll-bute.gov.uk/sites/ 

default/files/btt196-450-451.pdf note school holiday timetable should be 

used. 

Refreshments as well as 

suitable footwear and clothing 

are strongly recommended. 

We request that smoking is 

permitted only at the discretion 

of the walk leader and kindly 

ask you not to bring your 

dog due to the presence of 

livestock with young across the islands. We have tried to grade the walks 

as easy, moderate, challenging and strenuous.


Olympic Marathon Brothers Start 

Race To Sign Up For Paisley 10k 

OLYMPIC marathon runners Callum and Derek Hawkins have started the 

race to sign up for this year’s Paisley 10k and Fun Run. 

The popular event - sponsored by sports and outdoors retailer, Decathlon - 

takes place on Sunday August 20th. 

And now the starting gun has been fired for people to register for the 

10k race and shorter 3k Fun Run, organised by Renfrewshire Leisure in 

conjunction with Renfrewshire Council. 

Last year, almost 2,000 people raced 

around the streets of Paisley in the 10k 

and were quickly followed by hundreds 

of fun runners - many taking part to 

raise tens of thousands of pounds 

for their favourite charities and good 

causes. 

Macmillan Cancer Support is the 

Paisley 10k Race official charity partner 

for the third year. 

Brothers Callum and Derek, from 

Elderslie, Renfrewshire, were in Paisley 

to help launch this year’s Paisley 10k 

and Fun Run. They represented Great 

Britain in the 2016 Rio Olympics and 

both have previously won the Paisley 

10k race. 

This year’s race has £1,200 of prize 

money and trophies up for grabs and 

Derek and Callum Hawkins 

for the fun runners, there are prizes for 

the first three boys and girls from primary and secondary schools over the 

finishing line. 

Callum, who runs for Kilbarchan Amateur Athletic Club and has just won the 

National Cross Country Championships, said: “The Paisley 10k is a great 

race and I’d encourage everyone to sign up and take part. Derek and I 

have competed several times and we’ve really enjoyed it.” 

Brother Derek, also, a Kilbarchan AAC runner, added: “If you’re an aspiring 

athlete the Paisley 10k will be a good test for you. Taking part will definitely 

help your development as a runner as there’s always a quality field of 

athletes in the race.” 

Renfrewshire Leisure chief executive, Joyce McKellar said: “This is a 

fantastic event whether you are a serious athlete or someone who likes 

to keep fit and healthy by running. And then there’s the Fun Run, which is 

great for mums and dads and other family members to have a run with their 

kids on the shorter easier course around Paisley town centre. The whole 

day combines to create an event that everyone can enjoy and there’s a real 

carnival atmosphere in the town on race day with lots of street stalls and 

entertainment.” 

You can register for the race by logging on to renfrewshireleisure.com 

or by telephoning 0300 300 1362 or picking up an entry form from any 

Renfrewshire Leisure venue. 

Old Course Ranfurly Golf Club 

The Ladies section have had a busy winter calendar with social events which 

have helped raise money for this year’s charity Motor Neurone Scotland. 

In February Strictly Come Dancing came to Old Ranfurly. A thoroughly 

enjoyable evening was spent having demonstration dances and group 

lessons, which proved to be very entertaining. Clearly some ladies should 

stick to the golf! 

For our March social, we welcomed to Old Ranfurly, Eilidh Briggs, Curtis Cup 

team member. Eilidh gave the ladies a few coaching tips and shared some 

of her golfing experiences. Our evening was rounded off with cheese, wine 

and a very competitive putting competition. Everyone is looking forward to 

the season ahead. 

Coaching Sessions 

We are holding golf lessons for Junior beginners, aged between 5 and 17, 

from Monday 3rd April to Thursday 6th April .... Only £10 per person. 

As May is National Golf Month we’d love to encourage new lady members 

to come along to our taster session/beginner classes commencing Tuesday 

2nd May from 6.30pm to 7.30pm for 5 weeks. Nominal fee of £10 for the 5 

week course. 

Gents beginner/improver coaching will also be available from Thursday 4th 

May for 5 weeks. Basic areas to be covered will be grip, stance, ball position, 

alignment covering aspects of short game, iron play, woods and putting. Cost 

of 5 week course will be a nominal fee of £10, which will be used for Junior 

development at the Club. 

To register your interest for any of the coaching sessions please email 

admin@oldranfurly.com 

Bridge of Weir United 

Applications are welcome on a voluntary basis from members of the 

local community who are interested in assisting with the ongoing running 

of Bridge of Weir United, a local volunteer led football club with teams 

ranging from age group 2005 up to 2010. Accordingly, applications are 

invited for the following role: 

Chairperson 

• To be a facilitator, figure head and co-ordinator 

• Plan and organise committee meetings 

• Liaise with the Club Secretary and Treasurer in preparing agendas, 

making sure that all current issues are covered and documents are 

prepared for meetings 

• Ensure committee meetings are carried out in a fair and orderly 

manner and to act as a conduit between all age groups 

• Make sure that any necessary decisions are taken with a vote if 

needed. If votes are divided equally, the Chairperson may have the 

casting vote. Summarise decisions and action points at the end of the 

meeting 

Anyone interested in applying for the above role should contact Ronnie 

Palin on: 07584 275743. 

Ranfurly Castle Ladies 

61 61 

L-R - Joyce McKellar, chief executive of Renfrewshire Leisure, Callum 

Hawkins; Hector Fernandez, from Race sponsors Decathlon; Derek 

Hawkins and Councillor Jim Harte, chair of Renfrewshire Leisure 

board of trustees. 

The golfing season has begun for the Ladies of Ranfurly Castle Golf Club 

despite the weather doing its best to put us off! The first competition was 

held on Wednesday 8th March and was the12 hole, 5 Club Competition. 

Conditions were very windy but everyone completed the 12 holes with Mary 

Craig finishing the winner with 22 points (13) and Marion Munro the runnerup 

with 21 points (11). 

On Wednesday 15th March the Ladies Committee hosted the annual Bridge 

Night with 20 tables playing in the evening. A lovely supper was provided 

by the committee and £341 was raised for Alzheimer’s Scotland. 

Prize Winners :- 

Small Slam - Mike Holm and 

Gordon Adams 

1st Prize - Timothy Russell with 

4040 points 

2nd Prize - Peter Nicol with 3680 

points 

3rd Prize - Ken MacKenzie with 

2170 points 

A good evening was had by all. 

Small slam winners pictured with Lady Captain 

Pamela Mackenzie on the right hand side


Charity Golf Day 

Teen Challenge Strathclyde is pleased once again 

to host its annual charity Golf Day at the Gleddoch 

House Hotel, Golf Course which is set above the 

village of Langbank, 15 minutes from Glasgow. 

The day will commence with tea, coffee and a hot roll, 

which will be provided from 12 noon onwards (during 

registration) followed by 18 holes of golf (Shot gun 

start 1.30pm). In the evening, relax with your team 

over a three course meal followed by prize ceremony 

and charity auction. This event is organised to raise 

much needed funds for the ongoing work of Teen 

Challenge Strathclyde. 

Teen Challenge Strathclyde is active in the field 

of drug prevention by providing drug education 

to thousands of school children each year. It also 

works with many churches and communities to help 

them provide young people in their area with the 

right information to make the right choices. Through 

a network of ‘coffee-bar’ buses, volunteers operate 

at street level to befriend and help people with drug 

abuse and alcohol problems. From these contacts 

we are able to refer people to residential programmes 

throughout Scotland and the UK. 

If you are interested in supporting the charity and 

wish to enter a team in this year’s event, please 

complete the booking form (see Facebook photos) 

and either scan and email to golf.tcs@gmail.com or 

post to the address shown. Please note only once 

a deposit has been paid, can we guarantee a place 

for each team. 

David Currie, Golf Co-ordinator, Teen Challenge 

Strathclyde - Email: golf.tcs@gmail.com 

Last year’s golf event raised an amazing amount of 

£9,000 - Thanks to all who participated. 

Quarriers United FC 

Quarriers United FC has been running now 

for 13 years and the club continues to grow 

on its ethos of “all-inclusive football for all 

young players and having fun”. 

The club infrastructure has continually developed, having our own 

pitches at both 11-a-side and 7-a-side and changing rooms and a 

very supportive committee to keep the club running. 

However to push on into the next period for the club we need to find 

local parents who want to assist in providing local developmental 

football for children. The club are happy to support people who want 

to volunteer by helping them with coach development and team set 

up. Over the years we have supported young coaches who are keen 

to learn, with local lad Nick Loftus starting his coaching at Quarriers 

and now a professional coach in Norway. 

“It has been a fantastic journey thus far and it is amazing to watch 

the under 19’s go from wee boys to now playing as young men 

understanding football and also learning the important life skill of 

teamwork.” says coach Graham Robertson.” 

“Quarriers Utd has built up a great local presence and is admired 

within local football. It is now time for another generation of parents 

and volunteers to step forward and help to provide local football for 

young people. We have the infrastructure and we are prepared 

to support volunteers in every way possible to ensure the club 

continues to flourish and children get a chance to play locally” says 

QUFC Chairman Stewart Cumming. 

If you are keen to help in anyway please call Graham Robertson on 

01505 615344 or 07764 287005. 

Calling U19 Players – 1999/00 birth year 

The U19’s are developing well this season and we intend to keep an U19 team 

playing next season to, so if you are interested in playing please contact Jack 

Cumming on 07450 252887. 

Calling U17 Players – 2001 or 2002 birth year 

The U17 team will also continue next season so we are looking for anyone 

who fancies playing football on a Saturday afternoon to give us a call! We are 

also keen to find another coach to help with this team!! Any interest please call 

Alistair McPhail on 07718 320437Calling 2006 to 09 Birth Year Players 

We are looking for girls and boys who want to come and train with SFA qualified 

coaches at our soccer school! The squad train throughout the summer on a 

Friday evening from 6pm to 7pm on the playing fields at Quarriers Village, or 

call Craig Smith on 07894 393660 or Lucy Harper on 078110403907 .... It’s 

about having fun and developing them as players and developing flourishing 

teams at various age groups. 

P1 Scottish Grand Prix Of The Sea 

2017 

Saturday 24th - Sunday 25th June 

After the thrill of it’s debut in Scotland 

in 2016, the Grand Prix of the Sea will 

return to Greenock in 2017! Don’t miss 

this great FREE event at the Esplanade in Greenock. 

Mixed in with the powerboat and jet-ski racing will be jet-ski freestyle displays, air 

displays and a wide range of stalls and interactive games afloat and ashore. 

For more information, visit www.p1superstock.co.uk 

every Mo n d a y 

every Th u r s 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. 

Taekwon-Do 

Johnstone Sports Complex PA5 0LD, 6pm 

Call 07951 365166 for details. 


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 

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 PS, Linwood, 7pm & 8pm 

www.linwoodkarate.co.uk 

Football Training 

Johnstone High School, 6pm - 9pm 

Call Ali on 07775 578795 for details 

Taekwon-Do 

Johnstone Sports Complex PA5 0LD, 6pm 

Call 07951 365166 for details 

Baby Ballet 

Cargill Centre, Kilmacolm, Morning 

Call Gail Ashley on 07415 701667 for details 

every Fr i d a y 

Callanetics 

Brookfield Village Hall, 9.15am & 10.30am 

Adult Tap Lessons 

Cargill Centre, Kilmacolm, Evening 

Call Gail Ashley on 07415 701667 for details 

every Su n d a y 

Birkmyre Rugby Club, Kilmacolm 

Youth Rugby Section, 11am - 1pm 

www.pitchero.com/clubs/birkmyre


Castle Semple Sailing Club 

Open Day / RYA Push The Boat Out Day / Mini Dinghy Show - Sunday 14th May 

Ever fancied trying dingy sailing 

or other watersports? Come 

and try on Sunday 14th May 

at Castle Semple Sailing Club, 

Lochwinnoch 10.30am - 4pm. 

Castle Semple Sailing Club has 

a variety of dinghies which you 

will be able to see both on and 

off the water. For further info 

and book a sail contact dawn@ 

castlesemplesc.co.uk. 

During the winter months the 

Club has enjoyed a visit to 

Greenacres courtesy of Erskine Curling Club, met regularly for badminton and held its Whacky 

Winchester Pursuit Series followed by the Winter Series. 

The first week of the winter series drew out a total of 12 boats, including 3 vortexes, GP14, Dart, 

Phantom, Laser, Vareo, Enterprise. The first race was fiercely contested with Mark in the dart 

way ahead pursued by Colin and Steve C in the vortex fleet, but alas they were not far enough 

ahead. The second race saw 3 less boats, leaving only 1 vortex (Angus), but if that fleet keep up 

their appearances could be a very interesting season. 

The following week with Storm Doris out of the way all was looking good for Sunday when ... late 

on Saturday night Storm Ewan suddenly appeared on the weather map. On arriving at the club 

house on Sunday morning the usual suspects were found huddling inside muttering “ah well looks 

like soup and cake and heading back up the road” ..... So the soup was had and more suspects 

arrived and as the rain and wind lashed at the club house there were more mutterings ..... “Hmm 

I’m not going out in that” .... and similar comments. Even the keenest were 

definitely not looking keen to go out. Then a GP sailor arrived eager for an 

race - although he was a little perturbed that his crew i.e., Arthur “have you 

seen the forecast” had not shown any sign of arrival, likewise Jon (Vago) 

was patiently awaiting the arrival of his crew Iain. Eventually 1 GP and a 

fleet of toppers took to the water. 

On the third week, the forecast had been changing on a daily basis, but 

hopes were high for a reasonable sail. It looked promising, but sadly the 

wind dropped Cadet Hector arrived eager for his first sail of the year, but 

was soon pacing the compound with the rest of the group. There was much 

gnashing of teeth in frustration so soup and rolls were consumed whilst 

to race or not to race was debated. Eventually some wind appeared .... 

and it was declared that we were racing.....however... By the time we were 

all changed and ready to go....the wind had other ideas and enthusiasm 

dwindled and ...returned.. Boats were launched and drifted over the start 

line ..... Toots for starting the race were all over the place, clearly the race 

officers of the day were testing the sailors’ intelligence. However eventually 

8 boats started a slow drift up to buoy 2; 3 lasers, 1 enterprise, phantom, 

505, MV2, Vago. The wind did manage to pick up a little after buoy 2 in the 

first race but as I said after a short tea break (all that the OODs permitted 

us!) it was out again for a 1 lap second race. It wasn’t exactly an exciting 

sail but at least those who wanted a sail got out. 

Further info: www.castlesemplesc.co.uk 

63 63 

Sporting Blog 

by Lesley Handley 

6 benefits of Weight Training for Women 

[sorry guys!] 

There are so many benefits of weight training for women (and men of 

course!), most of the recent training recommendations in the industry are 

for resistance training as opposed to endless cardio. So what are the 

benefits? 

1. It Burns More Fat! 

Overall weight training burns more calories than steady state cardio. 

You will burn fewer calories whilst actually weight training than you 

would doing two hours continuous treadmill activity, however, after a 

weight session your metabolic rate is increased meaning you will burn 

more calories for longer. 

2. You can eat more! 

Training with weights makes your muscles denser and bigger [toned]. 

To develop and maintain muscle you need to eat sufficiently to maintain 

them. Muscle burns calories by their very existence, so by having a little 

more muscle it allows your body to handle more calories without the 

weight gain that they would normally bring. 

3. Stronger bones! 

The pressure weight training puts on your bones encourages your body 

to invest in making your bones stronger. This counteracts the propensity 

for women to lose bone density from their thirties onwards; a process 

which speeds up after the menopause. Encouraging bone density helps 

to protect from bone fractures. 

4. Stronger immune system 

Literature today shows a link between healthy habits associated with 

people who tend to undertake weight training and stronger immune 

systems. It is considered better eating habits, higher quality sleep, 

improved circulation and lower stress levels all assist the body to protect 

itself more efficiently. 

5. You’ll age better! 

The points above all add up to you remaining stronger and healthier for 

longer. Your improved circulation helps to keep skin, nails and hair in 

good condition. Being in good sharp enables you to wear the clothes 

you want and generally feel better plus…… 

6. More confidence! 

You will be physically stronger, have more energy and get less breathless 

when exercising [even when just walking]. You will also be less stressed 

and more likely to maintain a positive “can do” attitude towards tasks. 

When combined, this will make you feel and be perceived as being more 

confident within yourself. 

Lesley 

For more information on nutrition or Personal Training contact me on 0773 627 4925 

or email Lesley@fitsmartfitness.co.uk


SITUATIOns Vacant 

Trades and Services 

Chairperson, Bridge of Weir United 

Are you a member of the local community interested in assisting 

with the ongoing running of Bridge of Weir United, a 

local volunteer led football club with teams ranging from age 

group 2005 up to 2010? If you are interested in applying for 

the role please contact Ronnie Palin on 07584 275743 - Full 

details can be found in the Sports Section. 

Business 

CHILDCARE 

Houston registered childminders. 

For an informal chat to find 

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: 

873839. 

MISCELLANEOUS 

HEALTHCARE/BEAUTY 

MUSIC TUITION


65 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 first 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 Bowfield Way, Howwood, 

7.30pm on Tuesdays. 

HOLIDAY HOMES 

COMMERCIAL 

PROPERTY 

HOUSTON 

Houston and Killellan Kirk Church of 

Scotland Charity no SC 012822. 

During the Ministerial vacancy 

the Rev. Ian Bell will conduct our 

services. 2nd, 9th, 23rd & 30th 

April - 11am Morning Worship. 

Holy Week services. 10th to 

14th April all services begin 

at 7.30pm. Monday - Houston 

and Killellan Kirk. Tuesday - 

Joint service with Linwood at 

Houston. Wednesday - Joint 

service with Linwood at Linwood 

Parish Church. Thursday 

(Maundy) The Sacrament of 

the last Supper. Good Friday. 

Houston and Killellan Kirk. 16th 

April 8am early morning Easter 

Service (bacon butty breakfast 

afterwards) - 11am Morning 

Worship including children’s 

Easter Egg Hunt. 

St Fillan’s, Main St, Houston: Sun 

Masses: Vigil (Sat) 5pm, 9.30am 

& 11am. Weekday Masses: Mon 

- Sat 9.30am. Rosary: Tue, Thurs 

& Sat 9.10am. Exposition: Mon, 

Wed & Fri 9.05am. Confessions: 

Sat 10 - 10.30am and after Vigil 

Mass. Baptism: By arrangement. 

Parish Priest: Rev. Joseph 

Burke. Pastoral Assistant: Sr. 

Mary Frances Collett, RNDM 

(Tel 01505 613514). Address: 

‘Abbotsfield’, St. Fillan’s, Main 

St, Houston, PA6 7EL. T. 01505 

612046. 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 

May ‘17 Issue: 

• Deadline: 14 Apr 

• Delivery: 28 Apr 

June ‘17 Issue: 

• Deadline: 12 May 

• Delivery: 26 May 

KILBARCHAN 

Kilbarchan Parish Church Services 

continue at 11am each Sunday 

throughout April, conducted by 

Rev Stephen Smith. For Easter, 

the Service on Maundy Thursday, 

13th April is at 7pm when the 

choir will lead worship with 

excerpts from The Armed Man 

by Karl Jenkins. The Sacrament 

of Holy Communion will also be 

observed. On Good Friday 14th, 

the service is also at 7pm. On 

Easter Day, Sunday 16th April, 

there will be a service at the 

Weavers’ Cottage at 8.30am, 

followed by refreshments in the 

hall. The main service is at 11am 

Sunday School will be on holiday 

on 9th and 16th, but the creche 

continues to meet in the large 

hall from 10.45am each week 

and refreshments will be served 

after the service as usual. www. 

kilbarchan-kirk.btck.co.uk 

KILMACOLM 

St Columba Church of Scotland: 

(charity no. SC007992) Morning 

Worship Sundays at 11am. All 

welcome. Coffee/tea served in 

the hall after the service. 

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 11am, 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 6:30pm 

in Kidston Hall. Thursday 6th 

April Sòlas Bereavement Group 

meets in the Kidston Hall from 

6:30 – 8:30pm. Mon 10 – Fri 

14 April – Holy week services; 

venue to be confirmed. Sunday 

16th April – Easter Sunday: 

9:30am: Holy Communion at 

Knapps Loch; 10:30am: coffee, 

tea, hot cross buns; 11am: 

Easter Worship with celebration 

of Holy Communion. 

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 

11am. Rosar y Tuesdays 

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 11.30am. 

Wednesday: 10.30am Holy 

Communion. On the last Sunday 

of the month at 11:30am 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 Street, 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! 

TRADES & SERVICES 

Black & White ads only 

Lineage: up to 20 words £13.00* 

Boxed ad: £7.50* per column cm 

PROPERTY & HOLIDAY HOMES 

CARS FOR SALE 

Lineage: up to 20 words £13.00* 

Boxed ad: £7.50* per column cm 

Photo: add £7.50* (colour) 

*all prices subject to VAT 

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 ST Machars Church Hall 1st Tuesday 

April 7pm. Bridge of Weir Primary School 1st Tuesday 

May and June 7pm (No meetings July and August) 

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 

Brookfield, 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, Brookfield & 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


Items For Sale 

Baby Equipment 

Babies mamas and papas bumbo 

seat - £10. Fisher price 

rainforest peek-a-boo leaves 

musical mobile with three settings 

- £15. Travel cot - £10. 

Angel care sensor pad and 

monitor - £30. Britax baby car 

seat aged up to approx 2 1/ 2 - 

£25. All very good condition. 

Tel: 07985 482211. 

Potty Chair Mothercare red/ 

pink, VGC, £5. Tel: 01505 

874870. 

Rodi Maxi-Cosi car seat for sale, 

excellent condition, black 

& grey colour, suitable for 

children age 3-8. Cost £100 

new will sell for £20. Tel 07557 

564350. 

Premature Baby Outfits (2 

Items - Size Premie & 4-6 

Months). £8 for both. Tel: 

07879 519516. 

Mamas & Papas Cot Bed, white 

with light oak effect finish. 

Excellent condition, mattress 

also included if required. 

£50ono. Tel: 07739 998906. 

Toilet trainer seat, white, VGC, 

£5 (have two). Tel: 01505 

874870. 

Clothes & Shoes 

Pink leotard size 00, appr. age 

3-5 yrs old, good condition. 

£5. Tel: 01505 874870. 

Tap shoes pink junior size 10 

and 11. £10 per pair. VGC. 

Tel: 01505 874870. 

Michael Kors gold heeled Sandals 

- brand new in box. Size 

5. Were £100, sell for £25. 

Tel: 07818 424129. 

Ralph Lauren size 8 navy knee 

length Tennis Dress. Brand 

new. Was £60 sell for £15. 

Tel: 07818 424129. 

Nearly new 3/4 length brown 

leather jacket. Brand new 

condition. Large. £50. Tel: 

07882 984824. 

Boys Dressing Gown Age 6-7 

Years. Brand New labels 

attached. £5. Tel: 07879 

519516. 

Boys Dressing Gown Age 7-8 

Years. Brand New labels 

attached. £5. Tel: 07879 

519516. 

Household & Garden 

Piece of top quality 80/20 carpet 

10ft by 12ft in rust colour 

with “Fleur de lis” motif. 

Hardly used as was in our 

dining room. £100 Tel: 01475 

540066. 

IKEA Large Sofa Bed Colour 

Ecru including new full set 

of covers & four matching 

cushions. £125. Tel: 01475 

540714. 

Original lazy boy recliner. Black 

leather, fridge and phone under 

arms. The chair also has 

heat and massage functions. 

£125. Tel: 01475 540714. 

Large Unit. Top - glass doors. 

Bottom - drawers and cupboards. 

Very good condition. 

Mahogany wood. £200 ono. 

Tel: 07753 234653. 

Lamboure 2 seater and chair, 

cream colour, good condition. 

£200. Tel: 07460 112419. 

Laminate kitchen worktop. 

White light grey flecked. Over 

6’ length. New. Cost £150. 

accept any reasonable offer. 

Tel: 01294 834423. 

Ryobi RBC430SES4 stroke 

petrol Strimmer & Brush cutter, 

with a line feed strimmer, 

grass trimmer head and an 

unused brush cutter blade. 

Very good condition in working 

order. £85. Tel: 01475 

540714. 

Stunning dwell curved floor 

lamp with suede shade and 

marble base, as good as new, 

cost £250 sell for £75. Tel: 

07557 564350. 

Laminate kitchen worktop. 

White light grey flecked. Over 

6’ length. New. Cost £150 - 

accept any reasonable offer. 

Tel: 01294 834423. 

Ulster ceramic dark brown Celtic 

design (similar to Denby) Dinner/coffee/tea 

set. Consisting 

8 lots:- Dinner plates, side 

plates, desert dishes, handled 

soup bowls, 2 covered 

vegetable dishes, gravy boat 

and stand, cruet set. Covered 

jam dish, 7 cups and saucers, 

milk and the sugar, coffee 

pot. Lovely condition £100. 

Downsizing reason for sale. 

Tel: 07913 481101. 

Marks & Spencer Sonoma 3 

door Sideboard & Dresser. 

£550 ono. Tel: 07808 486004. 

(Kilmacolm). 

Two lengths of kitchen worktop 

- 1.8 metres black mottled 

colour, 1.7 metres brown 

marble colour. £15 each. Tel: 

01505 873140. 

Pair M&S fully lined brand new 

(still in packed) curtains (90” 

long x 53” wide). Stone colour 

with red leaf pattern. £50 ono. 

Tel: 01505 506385. 

Oak effect 2 door sideboard 

from Next W90xD46xH80 - 

excellent condition. £60. Tel: 

07900 245158. 

Brand new carpet 5sqM silver 

grey. £50. Tel: 07900 

245158. 

Modern standard lamp and 

matching table lamp. Brand 

new (still boxed). £20 for 

both. Tel: 01505 612726. 

3 bales of Liberty fabric. Approx 

£20 per metre. Tel: 01505 

506385. 

2 seater bed-settee (bed never 

been used) in chintz fabric. 

All bedding included if desired. 

£100ono. Tel: 01505 

506385. 

Rich red patterned Axminster 

stair or hall carpet. As new. 

27” wide. £50 ono. Tel: 01505 

506385. 

Heavy quality carpet roll 6’ wide. 

Natural colour. Would cover 

stairs or hall. Brand new. £50 

ono. Tel: 01505 506385. 

Pine table & 2 high back chairs. 

Brand new. £35. Tel: 01505 

612726. 

Electrical & Gas 

Babyliss Volume Wave Tongs. 

Brand new in box. £10. Tel: 

07818 424129. 

Sony Hi-Fi stereo system. 3 

separate components, turntable, 

tuner/amp/equaliser, dual 

cassette and 5 CD stack with 

stand and twin speakers. Full 

working order, space needed 

hence sale. £75. Tel: 01475 

540714. 

Wet and Dry Vacuum Cleaner 

(Parkside_Lidl) 1500W with 

attachments, ideal for garage/ 

workshop - stainless steel 

container, large bag capacity 

and blower and suction facilities. 

Automatically works with 

power machines such as table 

saws as a dust extractor. 

Very good condition in working 

order. £45. Tel: 01475 

540714. 

Yamaha PSR400 keyboard, 

power supply, stand and music 

holder. 61 key instrument 

incorporating 100 sound effects 

and 100 instrument 

functions. It has multi mode 

operations and playback and 

record features. In full working 

order and good condition. 

£65. Tel: 01475 540714. 

Nearly new 50cm under counter 

fridge. Used for 1 month 

whilst kitchen being refitted. 

£75. Tel: 07900 084673. 

Neff double oven and grill fan 

assisted with led timer, free 

standing for sale, 3 yrs old immaculate 

condition and in perfect 

working order cost new 

£725 sell for £195. Buyer 

collects. Tel: 01475 540579. 

Hotpoint fridge. £70. Perfect 

condition. Buyer collects. 

Tel: 01475 540579. 

Zanussi 3 drawer freezer 3 

years old. Perfect condition 

£70. Collection required. Tel: 

01475 540579. 

Printer - Epsom Stylus SX218 

with spare ink. Good working 

order. £30. Tel: 07908 

144193. 

Dyson DK14 upright cleaner, 

perfect working order, spotless 

all tools included. £30. 

Tel: 01505 613232. 

Sports 

Ladies Palm Springs Golf 

Bag, Pink, complete with 3 

pink Head Covers and pink 

umbrella. £30. Tel: 07900 

477277. 

Various girls toddler bikes, 

with and without stabilisers, 

balance bike & girls scooters 

from £0 - £10. Tel: 01505 

874870. 

Figure skates Risport Antea 

white junior size 10, good 

condition, £10. Tel: 01505 

874870. 

Toddler Bicycle helmets (44-48 

cm) pink x 2, suits appr. 1-5 

yrs old, VGC. £5 each. Tel: 

01505 874870. 

Boys Dawes Redtail bike (red) 

for age around 7 or 8. Excellent 

condition. £40. Tel: 

01505 328044. 

Toys/Games/DVD 

Strawberry Stables Play Tent 

with Fudge the pony and 

accessories. In original box. 

£15. Tel: 07811 657695. 

Yellow Apollo Digby Bike with 

stabilizers, suit 3 - 5years. 

£25. Tel: 01505 344754. 

Other Items 

Brand new steel car wheel 

6JX15H2 and new Jinyu tyre 

185/60 R15. Stored as spare 

wheel only. £80. Tel: 07736 

067169. 

2 wooden African wooden 

figures, 1 African wooden 

seat, 1 wooden mask & 2 

wooden spears. £70 the lot. 

Tel: 07882 984824. 

One set of wheel ramps for 

disabled scooter - 3ft long, 

extends to 6ft, aluminium. 

£50. Tel: 07882 984824. 

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. 

Vango Dakota 300 Tent. Brand 

new. £100 ono. Tel: 07740 

600490. 

Router, hand operated, Powercraft 

1200W 1/4 collet, 

complete with router bits. The 

machine has been little used, 

is in good condition and full 

working order and most of the 

bits are brand new. £40. Tel: 

01475 540714. 

Gold’s Multi-Gym / Boxing Station. 

Full size punch bag, 

overhead punch ball and a 

suspended kick/punch ball. 

Strength training features: 

chin up bar, dip handles, trunk 

curl grips and press up handles. 

Comprehensive instructions 

for parts and detailed 

assembly steps. Equipment 

housed and used in garage 

so is in good overall condition. 

Space needed, hence sale. 

£60. Tel: 01475 540714. 

Wet and Dry Vacuum Cleaner 

(Parkside_Lidl) 1500W with 

attachments. Ideal for garage/ 

workshop. Stainless steel 

container, large bag capacity 

and blower and suction facilities. 

Can be used purely as a 

vacuum cleaner, but also has 

a function to automatically 

work with power machines 

such as table saws as a dust 

extractor. It has had light use 

only, so is in very good overall 

condition and working order. 

£45. Tel: 01475 540714. 

Ryobi RBC430SES4 stroke 

petrol Strimmer & Brush cutter. 

Line feed strimmer, grass 

trimmer head and an unused 

brush cutter blade. It has 

had light use only, so is in 

very good overall condition 

and working order. £85. Tel: 

01475 540714. 

Apple Wireless Keyboard - 

brand new in box. £10. Tel: 

07818 424129. 

Vango Exodus 400 Sleeping 

Bag - 3 season. Brand 

new. Ticket price £89.99. 

Sell for £50ono. Tel: 07740 

600490. 

Vango Omega 400R Sleeping 

Bag - 3 season. Brand 

new £50ono. Tel: 07740 

600490. 

Vango Voyager 300L Sleeping 

bag - 3 season. Brand 

new. £50ono. Tel: 07740 

600490. 

SuperGrafix by John Adams - 

Suitable for 8+ Years. £10. 

Tel: 07879 519516. 

Hyundai I30 Rear Wiper Motor 

(Reg Year 2007-2009). £40. 

Tel: 07879 519516. 

Angle Grinder - 230mm Parkside 

(Lidl) - with stand. 240V 

mains, Power output 2000W, 

mounting spindle M14 threaded. 

2 Bosch cutting blades 

(block and pipes), stand and 

accessories are unused. £35. 

Tel: 01475 540714. 

Wanted Items 

One Curling Stone. Tel: 01505 

324737. 

Old records Wanted 45`s & 

LP`s CASH Paid. Tel: 07710 

777571. 

Local lily grower requires the 

use of a greenhouse/polytunnel 

in Kilmacolm area in return 

for light gardening duties. Tel: 

Vince 01505 872082. 

Cash paid for Music CDs ( a few 

or a lot ). Tel: 0141 882 5594 

or 07765 115347. 

Free Cycle 

Upright piano recently tuned 

but still requires some work. 

Free to uplift. Tel: 01505 

613033. 

30 Bobbins of thread - various 

colours. Tel: 07900 477277. 

Arm chair with white cotton 

cover, free, good condition. 

Tel: 01505 874870. 

CONTENT OF THE GRYFFE ADVERTIZER CANNOT 

BE REPRODUCED WITHOUT PRIOR CONSENT 

FROM THE PUBLISHER 

The Gryffe Advertizer is a magazine published by The Gryffe Advertizer Ltd 

Advertising throughout The Gryffe Advertizer: 

Definitions: “Standards” means the British Code of Advertising Practice 

and the provisions of any law applicable to advertising including, but not 

limited to, the Trade Descriptions Act, 1968, the Consumer Credit Act 

1974, the Control of Misleading Advertisements Regulations 1988, the 

Financial Services Act 1986, the Business Advertisement (Disclosure) 

Order 1977 and all amendments and replacements. 

It is hereby agreed that: 

• The placing by the Advertising Client of an Advertisement is deemed to 

be acceptance of these Conditions of Acceptance of Advertising. 

• All Advertisements in this Publication must not contravene the 

Standards. 

• Insertion of Advertisements and/or Editorial is strictly at the discretion 

of the Publisher. 

• The Publisher shall not be liable for any loss or damage incurred by the 

Advertising Client as a result of any failure, negligence or omission by 

any party in the course of the distribution or circulation of the Publication 

in which the Advertisement is scheduled to appear. 

• In the event of any error, misprint or omission by the Publisher in 

the printing of an Advertisement, the Publisher will either re-insert 

the advertisement, adjust the cost or provide a refund. This does 

not apply if the Advertisement has been approved by the Advertising 

Client prior to publication. The total liability of the Publisher for such 

an occurrence shall not exceed the amount of a full refund for that 

particular Advertisement. 

• The Advertising Client agrees to indemnify the Publisher in respect 

of all costs, damages or other charges falling upon the Publisher as 

the result of legal actions or threatened legal actions arising from the 

publication of the Advertisement, or any one or more of the series of 

Advertisements, published in accordance with the copy instructions 

supplied to the Publisher. 

• Readers are reminded that when purchasing items or services 

advertised in the Publication that the Publisher cannot be held in any 

way responsible for the quality or correctness of the items or services 

included in the Advertisement. 

Editorial throughout The Gryffe Advertizer: 

The opinions of the Contributors to this Publication are not necessarily 

the official views of the Publisher. The Publisher reserves the right to edit 

or refuse any material submitted for publication.

67 67 


Advertizers - A to Z 

by category 

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: (#272) May ‘17 

Deadline: Friday 14 April 

contact us 

pick up a copy 

Bishopton: Post Office, Woodrow’s Store, Keystore, Library, 

Ingliston Country Club 

Bridge of Weir: Gibb Stuart, Bernie’s Cafe, Lochnagar, 

The Bridge, Library (Cargill Centre) 

Erskine: Garden Centre, Library, Sports Centre, Swimming 

pool 

Houston: Co-op, Carrick Centre, Post Office, Newsagent 

Howwood: Village Store, St Vincent’s Hospice 

Johnstone: Henderson Kilts, Papa Mac’s, Library 

Kilbarchan: Sheridan’s Store, Campbell’s, Newsagents, 

Bobbins, Old Library Centre 

Kilmacolm: Newsagent, Pieri’s, Cross Café, 

Gibb Stuart, Cargill Centre, Library 

Langbank: Finlaystone Visitor Centre 

Lochwinnoch: Keystore, McKillop Centre, Library, Castle 

Semple Centre, Newsagent 

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. 

@ease Removals & Transport . . 40 

1on1 Double Glazing . . . . . . . . 3 

3D Garden Design . . . . . . . . . . 51 

A Gallagher Painter&Decorator . . 15 

A O’Hare - Building Services . . 5 

A Peebles Landscape Contractor . . 51 

A&G Driveways . . . . . . . . . . . . . Bk 

A&J Plumbing Heating & Gas . . 15 

ABC Taxis . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24 

Affinity Family Law Experts . . 8 

Affluent Financial Planning . . 24 

Affordable Luxuries . . . . . . . 7 

AK Vehicle Rental . . . . . . . . . 1 

AL Stewart - Driving Instruct . . 14 

Alvic Sliding Wardrobes Ltd . . 7 

Apple Tree Garden Design . . . 51 

ARC Fleet Services . . . . . . . . . Bk 

Arco Locksmith . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 

Arlene Mitchell Hair & Beauty . . 39 

B Hughes Builders - Houston . . 2 

Baytree Interiors . . . . . . . . . 5 

Beaton Brothers . . . . . . . . . . . 41 

Bernie’s Cafe Deli . . . . . . . . . 18 

Bluewater Dental . . . . . . . . . . 5 

Boundaries . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 51 

BOW Stone Works . . . . . . . . . . . 50 

Branch Out . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 48 

Bridge of Weir Dog Walking . . 47 

Bridge of Weir Roofing . . . . . 6 

Brookfield Alarms Ltd . . . . . . 28 

Bryan Slaven Slater & Plaster . . 13 

Burndale Workshop . . . . . . . . . 26 

C Hunter Plumbing Heating Gas . . 31 

Care & Repair Gardening Servci . . 51 

Casa Homes & Gardens Architect . . 7 

Charlie Orr Plasterer . . . . . . 3 

Cheetham & Co . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26 

CLA Accountancy Services Ltd . . 15 

CleanDryCarpets . . . . . . . . . . . 2 

CLH Joinery . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14 

Clippens Roofing . . . . . . . . . . 3 

Cloudy2Clear Windows Glasgow . . 5 

Cochran Dickie Estate Agents . . 29 

ColCom . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28 

Collins Tyres . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33 

Come Clean . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22 

Computer Repairs . . . . . . . . . . 1 

Confident Care Ltd . . . . . . . . . 13 

Conservatory Conversions . . . Bk 

Corum Property . . . . . . . . . . . . 27 

Council Events . . . . . . . . . . . . 39,9 

Craig Kennedy Gardening . . . . 48 

David Kennedy Decorator . . . . 3 

Decorus Beauty . . . . . . . . . . . . 9 

Delta Electrical Services . . 31 

Derek McBride Aerials . . . . . . 4 

DJD Services . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 50 

DJY Joinery Ltd . . . . . . . . . . . 24 

DMG Garden Services . . . . . . . . 48 

Dr Jacci Stoyle . . . . . . . . . . . 39 

DS Cleaning (Windows) . . . . . . 14 

Eclipse deep clean . . . . . . . . . 14 

Elliott Locks . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4 

Fastclean Scotland . . . . . . . . . 15,41 

Fergusons CA . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26 

Ferringtons Hypnotherapy . . . 12 

Fiona Christie Accounting Serv . . 15 

G Woods Bathrooms . . . . . . . . . 6 

Garden Services . . . . . . . . . . . 48 

GasMan Energy . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11 

Gibb Stuart . . . . 14,15,49,59 

Glenmoss Landscapes . . . . . . . . 52 

GMH Chartered Accountants . . 31 

Gordon James Ceramic Tiler . . 15 

Grid Design Ltd . . . . . . . . . . . 7 

Gryffe Garage Motor Engineers . . 33 

Gryffe Roofing Services . . . . 6 

Hames Estates . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18 

Harrods DryCleaners . . . . . . . . 45 

Healing Rooms . . . . . . . . . . . . . 43 

Husse Pet Food . . . . . . . . . . . . 47 

I & J Building & Roofing Serv . . 2 

Accountants & Financial 

Affluent Financial Planning . . 24 

Cheetham & Co . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26 

CLA Accountancy Services Ltd . . 15 

Fergusons CA . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26 

Fiona Christie Accounting Serv . . 15 

GMH Chartered Accountants . . 31 

Stewart Independent Financial . . 1 

Architectural Services 


Grid Design Ltd . . . . . . . . . . . 7 

Art, Gifts & Flowers 

Lorraine Wood Flowers . . . . . . 19 

Automotive Services 

AK Vehicle Rental . . . . . . . . . 1 

ARC Fleet Services . . . . . . . . . Bk 

Collins Tyres . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33 

Gryffe Garage Motor Engineers . . 33 

Bathrooms 



Instyle Kitchens & Bathrooms . . 17 

Bedrooms 


Blacksmith & Metalwork 

McLaughlan Metal Fabrication . . 42 

Building Services 


B Hughes Builders - Houston . . 2 

BOW Stone Works . . . . . . . . . . . 50 



DJD Services . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 50 


James Kerr Joiner . . . . . . . . . 43 

JBC Joiners and Builders . . . 6 

KC Enterprises . . . . . . . . . . . . 7 

Kilellan Roofing . . . . . . . . . . 17 

M Addison Joiners & Builders . . 3 

MBS Roofing & Building Contrac . . 4 

Old Mill Chimneys . . . . . . . . . 45 

RPH Joinery . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12 

Rukeri . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 52 

SMG Roofing & Building Contrac . . 2 

Stewart Milne Homes . . . . . . . . 25 

SW Scott - Joiners & Builders . . 17 

Taylor Made Joinery . . . . . . . . 3 

Thomas McMaster & Son Ltd . . 55 

Business Services 

Laptop and PC Repairs . . . . . . 22 

Care Services & Homes 

Confident Care Ltd . . . . . . . . . 13 

Charity 

Quarriers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41 

Cleaning & PowerWash 

CleanDryCarpets . . . . . . . . . . . 2 

Come Clean . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22 






MattVac Carpet & Upholstery Cl . . Bk 

Nutech Cleaning . . . . . . . . . . . 2 

Platinum Cleaning Services . . 5 

Coffee Shops 


Computer, IT & Web 

ColCom . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28 

Computer Repairs . . . . . . . . . . 1 


Council Notices 

Council Events . . . . . . . . . . . . 39,9 

Councillor 

Dr Jacci Stoyle . . . . . . . . . . . 39 

Driveways 

A&G Driveways . . . . . . . . . . . . . Bk 

Driving Instructors 

AL Stewart - Driving Instruct . . 14 

Paul Ferguson - Confidence . . 7 

Education 

St Columba’s School . . . . . . . . 59 

Electricians 

Delta Electrical Services . . 31 

GasMan Energy . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11 

JDPS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 

Lamont Electricians . . . . . . . . 3 

MAS Electrical & Security . . 2 

Fencing 

Boundaries . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 51 


Firewood & Logs 

LJX . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 48 

Miller BioFuels Ltd . . . . . . . . 6 


W B Smith & Son . . . . . . . . . . . 48 

Funeral Services 

Beaton Brothers . . . . . . . . . . . 41 

John Roach Funeral Directors . . 13 

Garage Doors & Gates 

Powerdoors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Bk 

Garden Service & Design 

3D Garden Design . . . . . . . . . . 51 

A Peebles Landscape Contractor . . 51 

Apple Tree Garden Design . . . 51 

Care & Repair Gardening Servci . . 51 


Craig Kennedy Gardening . . . . 48 

DJD Services . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 50 

DMG Garden Services . . . . . . . . 48 

Garden Services . . . . . . . . . . . 48 



J S Montgomery Ltd . . . . . . . . . 49 

M&M Garden Services . . . . . . . . 50 

MJ Lawnmowers . . . . . . . . . . . . . 52 

R Williams Tree Surgeon & Grou . . 48 

W B Smith & Son . . . . . . . . . . . 48 

West of Scotland Landscape . . 51 

Gas & Heating Services 



GasMan Energy . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11 

I D Plumbing & Heating . . . . . 4 

Phoenix Gas Services . . . . . . . 1 

Glazier 


Cloudy2Clear Windows Glasgow . . 5 

JayBee Double Glazing Repairs . . 4 

TD Cameron . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 

Hairdressers & Barbers 


Nix Hairdressing . . . . . . . . . . 38 

Room 19 Hairdressers . . . . . . . 13 

Health, Beauty & Fitness 


Bluewater Dental . . . . . . . . . . 5 

Decorus Beauty . . . . . . . . . . . . 9 

Ferringtons Hypnotherapy . . . 12 

Healing Rooms . . . . . . . . . . . . . 43 

Kilbarchan Chiropodists . . . . 44 

Kilbarchan Dental Practice . . 11 

LaserLight . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 43 

New Vision Opticians . . . . . . . 10 

NLP Positive Changes . . . . . . . 41 

Sole Solutions Podiatry . . . . 39 

Home Hardware 

Gibb Stuart . . . . 14,15,49,59 

Home Improvements 

Alvic Sliding Wardrobes Ltd . . 7 



Orchard Flooring . . . . . . . . . . 18 

Rent A Bloke . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15 

Home Interiors 




The Furniture Barn . . . . . . . . . 3 

Home Security 

Brookfield Alarms Ltd . . . . . . 28 

Joiners 


CLH Joinery . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14 

DJY Joinery Ltd . . . . . . . . . . . 24 



JDPS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 


McGowan Joinery . . . . . . . . . . . 15 

RPH Joinery . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12 




TD Cameron . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 

Woodburn & Beattie Joiners . . 17 

Kitchens 







The Kitchen Station . . . . . . . . 23 

Laundry & Ironing 

Harrods DryCleaners . . . . . . . . 45 

Leisure & Recreation 

Kilmacolm Show . . . . . . . . . . . . 19 

Locksmiths 

Arco Locksmith . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 

Elliott Locks . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4 

Painters & Decorators 

A Gallagher Painter&Decorator . . 15 

David Kennedy Decorator . . . . 3 

Ian Livingston Decorating . . 19 

James Martin - Painter & Decor . . 3 

John H Barney . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37 

John Morgan . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12 

M&E Painters . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28 

Paul Brady Painter & Decorator . . 14 

Ranfurly Decor . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 

Pest Control 

RED Pest Control . . . . . . . . . . 7 

Pet Services & Training 

Bridge of Weir Dog Walking . . 47 

Husse Pet Food . . . . . . . . . . . . 47 

PetVets . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 46 

Smart Dog Grooming . . . . . . . . . 46 

Strathgryffe Dog Walks . . . . . 47 

Walkies . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 46 

Photographers 

Little Studio Kilmacolm . . . . 57 

MGM Studios . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6 

Plasterers 


Charlie Orr Plasterer . . . . . . 3 



Plumbers 




GasMan Energy . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11 


JDPS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 

Shower Expert . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37 

Property, Sales & Let 

Cochran Dickie Estate Agents . . 29 

Corum Property . . . . . . . . . . . . 27 

Hames Estates . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18 

Kingsley Wood & Co Solicitors . . 1,28 

Lind Letting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Bk 


Removals 

@ease Removals & Transport . . 40 

The Right Move . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 

Restaurant & Bars 


Retail 


Gibb Stuart . . . . 14,15,49,59 


Roofing 









RPH Joinery . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12 




Social Care 

Quarriers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41 

Solicitors 

Affinity Family Law Experts . . 8 


Special Occasions 

ABC Taxis . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24 

Stoves 


Taxis & Minicoach hire 

ABC Taxis . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24 

Johnstone TOA Taxi Co . . . . . . 33 

Minicoach Tours Scotland Ltd . . 22 

Tiling 

Gordon James Ceramic Tiler . . 15 

Scott Russell . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15 

Travel Agents 

Travel Actually . . . . . . . . . . . 3 

Tree Surgeon 

Branch Out . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 48 


LJX . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 48 

W B Smith & Son . . . . . . . . . . . 48 

TV & Satellite 

Derek McBride Aerials . . . . . . 4 

Kieran Turner Aerial&Satellite . . 3 

Upholstery Services 




P Thomson Upholstery . . . . . . . 5 

Window Cleaners 




Matthews Cleaning Services . . 14 

Window, Consv & Repair 




TD Cameron . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 


Ian Livingston Decorating . . 19 


J S Montgomery Ltd . . . . . . . . . 49 


James Martin - Painter & Decor . . 3 



JDPS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 

John H Barney . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37 

John Morgan . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12 

John Roach Funeral Directors . . 13 

Johnstone TOA Taxi Co . . . . . . 33 


Kieran Turner Aerial&Satellite . . 3 

Kilbarchan Chiropodists . . . . 44 

Kilbarchan Dental Practice . . 11 


Kilmacolm Show . . . . . . . . . . . . 19 


Lamont Electricians . . . . . . . . 3 


LaserLight . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 43 

Lind Letting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Bk 

Little Studio Kilmacolm . . . . 57 

LJX . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 48 

Lorraine Wood Flowers . . . . . . 19 


M&E Painters . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28 

M&M Garden Services . . . . . . . . 50 

MAS Electrical & Security . . 2 

Matthews Cleaning Services . . 14 

MattVac Carpet & Upholstery Cl . . Bk 


McGowan Joinery . . . . . . . . . . . 15 


MGM Studios . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6 

Miller BioFuels Ltd . . . . . . . . 6 

Minicoach Tours Scotland Ltd . . 22 

MJ Lawnmowers . . . . . . . . . . . . . 52 

New Vision Opticians . . . . . . . 10 

Nix Hairdressing . . . . . . . . . . 38 

NLP Positive Changes . . . . . . . 41 

Nutech Cleaning . . . . . . . . . . . 2 


Orchard Flooring . . . . . . . . . . 18 

P Thomson Upholstery . . . . . . . 5 

Paul Brady Painter & Decorator . . 14 

Paul Ferguson - Confidence . . 7 

PetVets . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 46 

Phoenix Gas Services . . . . . . . 1 

Platinum Cleaning Services . . 5 

Powerdoors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Bk 

Quarriers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41 

R Williams Tree Surgeon & Grou . . 48 

Ranfurly Decor . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 

RED Pest Control . . . . . . . . . . 7 

Rent A Bloke . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15 

Room 19 Hairdressers . . . . . . . 13 

RPH Joinery . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12 

Rukeri . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 52 

Scott Russell . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15 

Shower Expert . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37 

Smart Dog Grooming . . . . . . . . . 46 


Sole Solutions Podiatry . . . . 39 

St Columba’s School . . . . . . . . 59 

Stewart Independent Financial . . 1 


Strathgryffe Dog Walks . . . . . 47 



TD Cameron . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 


The Kitchen Station . . . . . . . . 23 

The Right Move . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 


Travel Actually . . . . . . . . . . . 3 

W B Smith & Son . . . . . . . . . . . 48 

Walkies . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 46 

West of Scotland Landscape . . 51 

Woodburn & Beattie Joiners . . 17

68 

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

you can contact us @GryffeAds using #Advertizer 

or by email info@advertizer.co.uk or phone 01505 613340

271 April 2017 - Gryffe Advertizer

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