278 November 2017 - Gryffe Advertizer

November 2017 No.278 

Distributed to: 

• Bishopton 

• Bridge of Weir 

• Brookfield 

• Elderslie 

• Houston 

• Howwood 

• Kilbarchan 

• Kilmacolm 

• Langbank 

• Lochwinnoch 

• Quarriers 

FOLLOW US 

GryffeAds 

Houston House by David Houston 

your LOCAL community magazine November 2017 No. 278 

FREE 

PLEASE TAKE A FREE COPY OF YOUR LOCAL COMMUNITY MAGAZINE

2 

the advertizer 

Get in Contact 

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

t: 01505 613340 m: 07731 923970 

e: info@advertizer.co.uk w: www.advertizer.co.uk 

@GryffeAds 

Open Tuesday to Thursday 9am-4:30pm; Friday 9am-12:30pm 

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 

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

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

dental blog........................13 

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

finance & tech.................24-31 

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

IT blog.........................24 

local history......................28 

on the road.....................31 

pet news.....................32-33 

pet blog............................32 

outdoors........................36-41 

village news....................42-53 

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

deadlines dates...................67 

pick up a copy..................67 

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

november 2017 

3 

@GryffeAds www.advertizer.co.uk

4 


This Month 

The Big Issue - Planning 

Renfrewshire Council reports that 13 new or amended potential development 

sites have been submitted for consideration in preparation of the next 

Renfrewshire Local Development Plan. Consultation on the site assessments 

runs until Monday 20 November 2017(by 5pm). 

More details can be found on page 50 of this issue and in some of the 

Community Council reports. This latest infl ux of applications may have been 

triggered after the Government announced the need for 20,000 new houses 

per year. Developers have seen the opportunity to get planning approved and 

are targeting pockets of greenbelt. Greenbelt was designated to protect the 

village boundaries, thus preserving the village as just that and preventing it 

developing into a small town. Local amenities struggle as numbers increase, 

and the actual beauty of a small village disappears as the green surroundings 

are engulfed with housing. 

If you are concerned about what’s happening in your village, contact your local 

Councillors, attend your Community Council meetings, contact the Planning 

Department directly; make your voice heard!!! Even if you have objected before 

to any of these developments, please do so again as not all previous objections 

are carried forward to the new applications. 

Remember, the deadline is just three weeks away, 20 November. 

Santa Sleigh 

The annual Santa Sleigh will be visiting the following areas in December. 

• Houston from Friday 1st to Thursday 7th Dec (excl. Sunday 3rd). 

• Kilmacolm (North) on Friday 8th, (South) Saturday 9th Dec. 

• Quarriers on Sunday 10th Dec. 

• Brookfi eld on Monday 11th Dec. 

• Bridge of Weir from Tuesday 12th to Saturday 16th Dec. 

Please support this wonderful event as all the money raised goes to the groups 

involved on the evening - a host of volunteers giving up their time to raise 

funds. 

Bonfires & Fireworks, Ghosts & Ghouls 

Paisley hosts a Halloween Festival on 27th/28th October with a spooky parade 

through the town centre. And it’s all going off on Saturday 4th November as 

we celebrate Bonfi re Night with Kilmacolm Knapps Bonfi re & Fireworks, 

Paisley Fireworks Display, Bishopton Scout Group Fireworks and Battery Park, 

Greenock. A display is planned for Glasgow Green on Sunday 5th November. 

Festive Lights 

There are lots of festive light switch-ons - Paisley is on Saturday 18th November, 

Glasgow and Loch Lomond Shores each on Sunday 19th November, Erskine on 

Friday 24th November, Renfrew on Saturday 25th November, Houston on Friday 

1st December, Johnstone Xmas Lights on Saturday 2nd December, Brookfi eld 

and Bishopton on Sunday 3rd December and Bridge of Weir on Monday 4th 

December. 

Rounding off 

We had a couple of Gryffe High School pupils with us during October as part 

of their work experience. Not something we’ve done in the past – I’ve always 

thought it would take too much time to manage – but I now think it is something 

all local businesses should consider. The youngsters don’t need a big project, 

just being in a work environment and getting to do a few 

tasks is all they are looking for to give them an insight into 

the big outside world. 

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 


6 


Walk of Hope 

for Scottish Huntington’s Association 

The Renfrewshire HD Support Group did a sponsored 

Walk of Hope along the banks of the Clyde in Erskine 

on 16 September 2017 to raise funds for the Scottish 

Huntington’s Association. We were joined by friends from 

Houston Kirk and Erskine Keep Fit. Our Group’s appeal 

for funds has achieved a total of approximately £1,500. 

We would like to thank everyone who contributed. 

Scottish Huntington’s Association (SHA) is the only Scottish charity dedicated 

to helping people affected by Huntington’s disease (HD). HD is a devastating 

neurological condition which renders the sufferer increasingly dependent on 

care over the course of 15 to 25 years. In layman’s terms it is like having motor 

neuron disease, Parkinson’s and elements of Alzheimer’s – all at the same 

time. Sadly, it is genetic and every child of a person with the condition has a 

50% chance of inheriting the disease. 

The funds we raise will go 

to the SHA to enable them 

to continue to provide a 

comprehensive support and 

advisory service to families in 

Scotland who are affected by 

HD. 

Donations will still be 

welcomed directly or at the 

Justgiving page http://www.justgiving.com/Margaret-Moncrieff7. 

This Christmas Ardgowan Hospice is 

asking the folk of Inverclyde to team 

up on the Greenock Esplanade for the 

Jingle Bell Jog. This is a brand new 

event in the hospice calendar and 

already has the support of many local 

businesses including Laser Matrix, 

SpecSavers and Sainsbury’s local. 

Billed as an event for all the family, the 

Jingle Bell Jog is a fun walk, run or jog 

along the Greenock Esplanade and participants are encouraged to raise 

sponsorship money to take part. In return for their efforts, joggers will receive 

a fi nisher’s medal and t-shirt for completing the course and will be able to 

warm up with a hot brew and mince pies at Laser Matrix. 

Registration is £10 for adults (16+), £5 for kids* (aged 5-15) and under 5s* 

can jog for free. On top of the registration fee, which only covers costs for the 

hospice, joggers are asked to raise a suggested minimum of £30 per person 

(£15 for under 16s). 

£30 could pay for two sessions with Ardgowan Hospice’s family support team 

who work with children and young people pre- and post-bereavement to help 

them manage their grief after the loss of a family member. 

Anyone who wants to take part must register with the hospice, to fi nd out how visit 

www.ardgowanhospice.org.uk, email fundraising@ardhosp.co.uk or call Alex on 

01475 558888. *All under 16s must be accompanied by an adult. 



7 


8 


Heron on the Gryffe by Scott Johnston 

Face-painters help raise 

a bucket-load of cash for 

Parkinson’s UK 

Legal Blog 

by Isabella McKerrow, Affinity Family Law 

LAW SOCIETY ACCREDITED SPECIALIST SOLICITORS 

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. 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. I am a dual accredited specialist in family 

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

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 

Members and supporters of the Glasgow 

Young Onset Parkinson’s Group thank 

Braehead shoppers for their generosity after 

donations of more than £750 were collected 

at the centre last weekend. 

Despite being restricted to a small area of the 

shopping centre the enthusiastic volunteers 

and talented face-painters were kept busy all 

day. 

Mark Brown, the group’s Co-Chair, said: “We 

had a fantastic day and I’d like to thank 

everyone at Braehead – shoppers and centre 

staff – for supporting us. As well as raising the funds we were able to raise 

awareness of Parkinson’s and the work of our group. It was especially rewarding 

that we were able to speak to so many people who had family members affected 

by the condition. 

“Our Glasgow Young Onset Parkinson’s Group is there for people of working 

age who are living with Parkinson’s or have a family member with the condition. 

We’ve only been going for a couple of years and with members coming from 

all across Greater Glasgow the group is growing and going from strength to 

strength. Our next meeting is on Thursday 2 November from 7-9pm at the Jury’s 

Inn on Glasgow’s Jamaica Street. Anyone interested in finding out more about 

what the group does or wants to discover what support is available in Greater 

Glasgow is guaranteed a warm welcome if they come along. We meet at the 

same time in the same place on the first Thursday of every month if you can’t 

make it in November. 

“The biggest benefit that the group offers is that people can share their 

experiences and feelings as well as support each other when it’s needed. 

Guest speakers including Consultants, Parkinson’s specialist nurses, exercise 

therapists are regular visitors and we have a good social scene going too.” 

For more information about the Glasgow Young Onset Parkinson’s Group visit 

www.parkinsons.org.uk or contact Mark Brown on 07909 997445. 

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 

Marie Curie Counts on 

Collection Box Volunteers 

Marie Curie is appealing for local volunteers to help 

manage the charity’s collection boxes in and around 

Inverclyde and Renfrewshire. 

The local Marie Curie fundraising team are seeking 

Collection Box Co-ordinators to help look after boxes 

that are on display in shops, newsagents, chemists, 

pubs and doctors’ surgeries and also place collection 

boxes in new locations. 

Lynsey Neilson Marie Curie Community Fundraiser, 

Argyll, Bute, Renfrew and Clyde said: “Helping Marie 

Curie to look after collection boxes in your local area is a really easy and 

valuable way to support the charity. As a volunteer Collection Box Co-ordinator 

you’ll help to raise vital money and awareness for Marie Curie. 

“We’re appealing for people who can ensure boxes are emptied regularly, the 

money is counted and banked and can also spot new opportunities to place 

boxes in the community. It’s a great way to get involved with Marie Curie and 

the money raised from the boxes will help Marie Curie to provide vital care and 

support to people living with a terminal illness and their families, when they 

need it most.” 

Whether you’re a seasoned fundraiser or a newcomer looking to get involved 

for the first time, the local Marie Curie fundraising office would love to hear 

from you. To become a Marie Curie Collection Box Co-ordinator you need to be 

aged 16 or over. 

For more information for how you can get involved, please contact Lynsey 

Neilson on 0141 557 7561 or Lynsey.Neilson@mariecurie.org.uk 


10 


St Vincent’s Hospice, Starbucks 

Fun Day 

St Vincent’s Hospice mascot “Vinnie” 

had a fantastic day at Starbucks in 

Linwood on Sunday 17th September 

at their family fun day in aid of the 

hospice! Starbucks Linwood have 

been supporting the hospice as their 

“charity of the year” and to date have raised in excess of £3,000. 

On the day, there were games and activities for the kids along with 50 chances 

to win a free coffee and 2 incredible Starbucks hampers packed with goodies! 

The St Vincent’s Hospice staff and volunteers had a great time and generous 

staff and customers helped to raise a fantastic £395.78 towards local patient 

care. 

Laura McDade, fundraiser said: “We had great fun at Starbucks and cannot 

thank Graeme and the staff enough for all of their help to make this event a 

success and their ongoing support for St Vincent’s Hospice. We would like to 

say a huge thank you to everyone who donated on the day, your support makes 

such a difference.” 

Graeme Mackay, Manager at Starbuck’s Linwood said: “It was an honour to 

host a charity event in the aid of St. Vincent’s Hospice, we hope to maintain a 

lasting relationship and provide whatever support we can in the future to raise 

as much as we possibly can.” 

If you are interested in supporting St Vincent’s Hospice as your charity of the year, please call 

Laura in the fundraising team on 01505 705 635 or email info@svh.co.uk. 

Optical Blog 

by Kerry Taher, New Vision Opticians 

What can your eyes tell you 

about your health? 

As many as 1 in 5 of us have an undiagnosed health condition that 

could have been detected sooner by an optician. The eyes may be 

the “windows to the soul” but they also offer an insight into your 

general health. Blood circulates all around the body, passing through all 

the organs, and sometimes the blood vessels can give us clues to these 

undetected problems. The only place to clearly see these vessels is in the 

retina at the back of the eye. 

For example, high blood pressure (often undiagnosed due to a lack of 

symptoms) puts extra pressure on the heart and blood vessels, which can be 

seen when looking at the back of the eye. Another commonly found condition 

which can even be found in people in good physical condition is high 

cholesterol. In simple terms this is fat mixed in with your blood – sometimes 

seen within the retina’s blood vessels and sometimes at the front of the 

eye where the fat is deposited. In diabetes, the vessels can weaken which 

causes them to leak. Thyroid eye disease often can be suspected just by the 

appearance of the eyes. Tumours (both cancerous and non-cancerous) on 

the eyelids, inside the eye or in the brain are sometimes best detected by an 

eye examination and a routine visual field test. Multiple Sclerosis is often first 

detected by an optician due to the appearance of the optic nerve 

at the back of the eye. 

There are many other hidden conditions that can be detected, so we encourage 

everyone from pre-school age onwards to have regular eye examinations, even 

if you have perfect sight. After all, early detection is always best. 

For further information, please call us at the practice: 01505 614 700. 

UWS Students learn more 

about their Carbon Footprint 

In partnership with the UWS and the SAUWS Sustainability Hub, LEAP visited 

the student Halls of residence and led workshops in their Hub to give advice 

and information about their new 

home energy consumption. More 

than 40 students attended energy 

literacy workshops and learned more 

about what they could do, to not only 

reduce their energy consumption but 

to make lifestyle carbon reductions 

on matters such as transport, food 

and clothing waste, and shopping 

locally. A Big Thanks to SAUWS 

and all the students who took 

part in the workshops. 

Photo 3– student learns some 

tips from with the Energy House 

Photo 4 – Students pitch in for 

Zero Waste Clothing 



11 

Firewalk 

Registrations for RAMH 2018 FIREWALK on Saturday 13th January are now 

open; and you are invited to save 33% on your registration fee by booking on 

the early bird rate. 

You will learn to overcome fear and channel confidence into every part of your 

life before walking 15ft over coals of 800C. The Firewalk takes place from 

3pm-7pm on Saturday, January 13th at ProLife Fitness Centre in Paisley, with 

free parking, and close to Gilmour Street Station. This unique experience is 

offered to you at just £10 registration fee (early bird rate) and £45 minimum 

sponsorship. 

For many, the Firewalk is a life changing experience. Equally you will be raising 

crucial funds for local mental health services. Last year’s event was a sell-out, 

and early booking is recommended. Book 

now by requesting a registration form from 

enquiries@ramh.org or 0141 847 8900. 

Get your New Year off to a uniquely fresh 

start! RAMH look forward to welcoming you in 

January 2018. 


12 


Britain and Palestine 1917-2017 

Erskine Music Show 

Erskine Music and Media Studio is proud to present 

their first ever annual beginner workshop performance, 

and are inviting residents to come along to Bargarran 

Community Centre on Saturday, October 28, from 7pm 

to 11.30pm. 

The youngsters from the studios will be playing some classic songs that they’ve 

spent the past few months learning. Organisers promise a great night of classic 

songs performed by kids of all ages. 

As well as a fun night of music, there will also be a raffle and disco. This event 

will be a family friendly BYOB night. 

Tickets are £5 for adults, £3 for kids and a family of two adults and three 

children costs £15. Get yours from Erskine Music and Media Studio - www. 

emmstudio.co.uk or call 07920 80 5575. 

Bishopton Art Group preview 

exhibition - Ingliston Country Club 

Ingliston Country Club, Old Greenock Road, Bishopton, PA7 5PA 

Between 11am and 7.30pm on Wednesday 15th November Bishopton Art 

Group will host a preview exhibition of their annual Winter Show. There will 

be a variety of paintings on display, some by new members of Bishopton Art 

Group. Members of the Group will be in attendance throughout the day and 

there will be the opportunity to ask any relevant questions and purchase any 

of the paintings. The preview exhibition is free to attend. There is separate 

catering available at Ingliston Country Club. The venue has adequate free 

parking available. 

Linda Mitchell, Chairperson of Bishopton Art Group said, “Following on from 

Bishopton Art Group’s successful previous exhibitions at Ingliston Country 

Club, and a very busy year, I am pleased to announce that between 11am and 

7.30pm on we are holding a preview exhibition of our Winter works. There will 

be a varied selection of art mediums on display and they will be available to 

purchase too. Admission to the exhibition is free. We are very grateful to the 

management of Ingliston Country Club for their support and to everyone who 

has attended our previous events that have been held there.” 

Breast Cancer Charity Event 

On Saturday 28th October, join us for an afternoon 

with plenty of stalls, afternoon tea and a raffle. 

It will be held in the Kilbarchan Kirk Hall, Steeple 

Square, Kilbarchan from 12noon to 3pm. 

Stalls include Forever Living, Scentsy, Crafts, 

Frames, Usborne Books, Book Art, Sweets, 

Jewellery, Avon, Hair Bows, Handbags, Homemade cards, Sewing, Garden 

Items, Pets accessories, Photography, Kids items, Face painting, and much 

more! 

Afternoon tea with entertainment will be served and a fabulous raffle with 

amazing prizes up for grabs. 

Tickets are £3 for adults, £2 for children over 5 yrs, under 5’s free. These can 

be purchased prior to the event or on the day. 

For more info contact Lynsey on 07939 032269 or Ann on 07951 112653. 

100 years of CONTRADICTORY PROMISES 

Tuesday 14th November 2017 at 6.30pm (presentation at 7.15pm) 

British Legion Club, Bridge of Weir 

The Balfour Declaration pledged Britain’s support for a ‘national home’ in 

Palestine for the Jewish people on the understanding that the rights of ‘existing 

non-Jewish communities in Palestine’ would not be prejudiced. The failure to 

uphold this second clause, for which Britain bears much responsibility, has 

caused conflict between Palestinians and Israelis ever since. 

The event will comprise: 

• Refreshments tea/coffee/juice/wine and 

Middle Eastern snacks (donations 

welcome) 

• Crafts stall: Holy Land, courtesy of Olive Breaking the Ice peace project flag 

Tree: https://olivetreescotland.org 

• Film: a 15 minute condensed (simplified) background 

• Talk from Dr Michael Marten, leader of the Iona Community 

The event will explore the history and testing legacy of Britain’s role in 

Palestine/Israel since the Balfour Declaration of 1917 and the path to the 

current situation. 

Everyone is welcome You are advised to book a place: Write to mjbird55@ 

gmail.com or call: 01505 612963 

Please note the change of venue due to increased interest 

Firstsight opticians is a friendly practice with an 

outstanding reputation for both high quality eye care 

and innovative technology. We have the most up-todate 

scanning equipment for diagnosing and monitoring 

eye diseases such as glaucoma, diabetic retinopathy and 

age-related macular degeneration. The owner, Pauline 

MacEwen is qualified to prescribe medication for eye 

diseases allowing immediate access to emergency eye 

care. 

We are a Varilux specialist practice, meaning we offer the 

best varifocal lenses on the market. The newest addition 

to the Varilux range, the X series, dramatically reduces 

head movements and allows a more active range of vision. 

With an innovative ‘Near Vision Behaviour’ measurement 

we are able to make lenses as unique as you, and give 

amazing clarity as soon as you put them on. 

We pride ourselves in the range of frames we have. We are 

the sole distributors for Tens sunglasses and endeavour to 

source unique brands, such as Etnia Barcelona, Ronit Furst 

& Orgreen. We have the latest colours for Transitions® 

adaptive lenses, so you can match your lenses with your 

frames for a ultra stylish look. 

Call us today on 01505 321190 



Dental Blog 

by Sheila Macintyre, Practice Owner, 

Kilbarchan Dental Practice 

Kilbarchan Dental Practice is once again supporting Mouth 

Cancer Action Month in November! 

We know it’s a scary subject but it is 

also really important that as many 

people are aware of the facts as 

possible. For example, you probably 

didn’t know that mouth cancer 

causes more deaths per number of 

cases than breast cancer, cervical 

cancer or melanomas and that, in the UK there were 7,700 cases of mouth, 

throat and head & neck cancers in 2011. 

Tobacco use is still considered the main cause of mouth cancer. According 

to the World Health Organisation, up to half of current smokers will die of 

a tobacco-related illness – including mouth 

cancer. Drinking to excess can also increase 

the risk by four times and those who smoke 

and drink are up to 30 times more likely 

to develop mouth cancer! Some experts predict that the Human Papilloma 

Virus (HPV), transmitted through oral sex, could become the main risk factor 

within the coming decade. Poor diet (linked to 1/3 of cancer cases) and overexposure 

to the sun can also heighten the risk. 

Whilst it is one of the less common types of cancer it still accounts for almost 

2,000 deaths annually many of which could have been prevented with early 

diagnosis and treatment. 

The good news is that with a little care you can minimise any risks. Visit your 

dentist at least once a year, even if you wear dentures and particularly if you 

smoke and drink, use protective sun cream and maintain a healthy diet. 

Eating plenty of fresh fruit and veg and cutting down on smoking and drinking 

will certainly help. 

If you do have any queries about mouth cancer or any other areas of dental health visit 

us at Kilbarchan Dental Practice, call 01505 704969 or click www.kilbarchandental. 

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

13 


14 


Sat 28 Oct 

Finlaystone Halloween Party 

November 

Until Tue 31 Oct 

Scottish International 

Storytelling Festival 

various locations 

Scotland’s home of stories, the Scottish 

Storytelling Centre is celebrating the 2017 

Scottish International Storytelling Festival this 

October. Now in its twenty-eighth year, the festival 

is a twelve-day event happening in Edinburgh 

and throughout Scotland from 20 October to 31 

October which demonstrates how, through stories, 

we can connect with people from around the 

world. www.tracscotland.org/festivals 

Thu 26 Oct 

Rotary Curry Night 

Shimla Cottage restaurant in Bridge of 

Weir 

In support of the Rotary End Polio campaign. 

Tickets available at £18/head to cover a threecourse 

gourmet meal and entertainment. There 

will be a raffle and offers of prizes will be gratefully 

accepted for this very good cause. 

Fri 27 Oct 

Fright Night 

RSPB, Largs Rd, Lochwinnoch 

6.15pm to 9pm 

Beware the woods tonight!! Take part in a guided 

walk like no other, if you dare, as we meet some 

of the reserve’s creepier characters! When you’ve 

had enough of being spooked, try out some fun 

crafts in the visitor centre. There will also be tasty 

home-baking for sale! (Tours every 20min hour, 

starting 6:20pm & last tour leaving at 8:20pm). 

Please book and pay in advance. Booking 

essential, as space is limited. Cost: £6 (RSPB 

members £3) Email: lochwinnoch@rspb.org.uk 

Tel. 01505 842 663 

Spinning Yarns around the World 

Kilbarchan Performing Arts Centre, 8 

Steeple Square, Kilbarchan, 7.30pm 

Travel around the world without leaving the 

little handloom weaving village of Kilbarchan, 

with a trio of talented tale weavers. Don’t miss 

this spellbinding storytelling journey, beautifully 

complimented by Alissa Murray on the Celtic harp. 

This is a BYOB event. £7/£4 [child 

Fri 27 - Sat 28 Oct 

Paisley Halloween Festival 

Paisley - various venues 

Join us for a two-day spooktacular celebrating 

Halloween with lots of fun activities planned 

including a Halloween Ball and Club night in 

Paisley Town Hall, Museums at night in Paisley 

Museum and Art Galleries. There will be a spooky 

parade through Paisley town centre with the 

magical Spark! LED drummers, a fire garden, 

spectacular illuminated structures, a fire stage 

featuring Flame Oz and lots surprises in the 

town centre. 

Finlaystone Country Estate - Langbank 

6pm to late 

Our Scariest Halloween Yet. Shudder at the 

Horrible Histories and Fearsome Follies of 

the Frightful Finlaystone Estate! Booking is 

essential. 


Kilbarchan Steeple Hall, Steeple Square, 

Kilbarchan, 12pm to 3pm 

Join us for an afternoon with plenty of stalls, 

afternoon tea and a raffle. Stalls include Forever 

Living, Scentsy, Crafts, Frames, Usborne Books, 

Book Art, Sweets, Jewellery, Avon, Hair Bows, 

Handbags, Homemade cards, Sewing, Garden 

Items, Pets accessories, Photography, Kids items, 

Face painting, and much more! Afternoon tea with 

entertainment will be served and a fabulous raffle 

with amazing prizes up for grabs. Tickets are £3 

for adults, £2 for children over 5 yrs, under 5’s 

free. These can be purchased prior to the event 

or on the day. For more info contact Lynsey on 

07939 032269 or Ann on 07951 112653. £3 

for adults, £2 for children 

Kilbarchan Habbies Art Class Art 

And Craft Fair 

Guide Centre, Barn Green Kilbarchan 

12noon to 4pm 

Christmas is coming (Oh, yes it is !) Take 

advantage of the really unique, hand crafted gifts 

for sale at our Art and Craft Fair - a great selection 

of jewellery, cards, wood carvings, candles, 

textiles, paintings and more. We look forward to 

seeing you there. 

Erskine Music Show 

Bargarran Community Centre, Erskine 

PA8 6BS, 7pm to 11.30pm 

The youngsters from the studios will be playing 

some classic songs that they’ve spent the past 

few months learning. Organisers promise a great 

night of classic songs performed by kids of all 

ages. As well as a fun night of music, there will 

also be a raffle and disco. This event will be a 

family friendly BYOB night. Tickets are £5 for 

adults, £3 for kids and a family of two adults and 

three children costs £15. Get yours from Erskine 

Music and Media Studio - www.emmstudio.co.uk 

or call 07920 80 5575. 

Hessilhead at RSPB Lochwinnoch! 


12noon to 3pm 

Come and learn about the wonderful work 

done by the local Hessilhead Wildlife Hospital. 

Meet some of their patients and hear about the 

different things the staff deal with at the hospital. 

Cost: FREE Email: lochwinnoch@rspb.org.uk Tel. 

01505 842663. 

Sat 28 Oct - Sat 25 Nov 

Scottish Drawing Competition 

Paisley Museum 

Biannual competition open to all artists of 

Scottish connection by birth or residence. This 

exhibition showcases the best work from the open 

submissions. www.paisleyartinstitute.org.uk 

Sun 29 Oct 

The Kilbarchan Smile Big Autumn 

Clear Up 

Ewing Street Car Park Area, Ewing St 


Meet at the Ewing Street car parking area opposite 

Bog Park. If you want to make a difference to the 

village please come along and “Do Your Bit” – as 

they say many hands make light work! Equipment 

including litter pickers, hi viz vests, bags, bag 

hoops and gloves will be provided. Please wear 

strong shoes or boots. For more information and to 

get involved email hello@kilbarchansmile.co.uk or 

join the group Kilbarchan Smile on Facebook. 


Tue 31 Oct 


ROAR Information Day 

Freeland Church, Main Street, Bridge of 

Weir, 10am to 12noon 

Pirie Information Centre Anne Marie Cullen from 

ROAR will be happy to tell you more about all that 

is available and details of venues and eligibility. 

Come along if you wish to find out more for 

yourself or for someone else you think may be 

interested. We will be serving tea and coffee and 

hope to make you very welcome. 

Thu 2 Nov 

Outlook 

Kidston Hall, High Street, Kilmacolm 

2pm to 4pm 

Dickens Revisited – Gerard McKeown – A walk 

through the Old City of London. 

Bridge of Weir SWI 

Royal British Legion, Livery Walk, Bridge 

of Weir, 7.15pm 

Craft evening with opportunity to learn papercraft, 

candle decorating, napkin folding and making 

crochet poppies. We welcome visitors and new 

members. 

Fri 3 Nov 

10 Years at Lochwinnoch - An 

Illustrated Talk 

McMaster Centre, Donaldson Drive, 

Renfrew, 7.30pm 

John Hannah will deliver an illustrated talk entitled 

‘10 Years at Lochwinnoch’. All welcome. 

Sat 4 Nov 

Afternoon Tea Concert 

St Fillan’s Church Hall, Moss Road, 

Kilmacolm, 2pm to 3.30pm 

Angel Voices and Voices+ invite you to our 

Afternoon Tea Concert on Saturday 4th 

November 2– 3.30pm. With Coffee, Tea, Scones 

and Cake & Raffle, the Choir will give a little 

Concert of Songs they have been rehearsing at 

2.30pm. Tickets £4 – pay at the door. 

Carrick Nights - Vocalise 

Carrick Centre, Main Street, Houston 

8pm 

Vocalise enjoy performing a wide variety of music 

from Gershwin to Mozart, from Argentine tangos to 

Flanders and Swan. Daniella Hathaway (Soprano) 

is from Buenos Aires, Argentina. She came to the 

U K to study at the Royal Academy of Music in 

London. Ticket Prices (single concert): Adults £12, 

Children/Student £5. For more info call 01505 

229597 or e mail thecarrickcentre@gmail.com 

Coffee Morning 

Elderslie Kirk, 10am to 12noon 

Elderslie Kirk Guild Coffee Morning with cake & 

candy stalls. £3 

Kilmacolm Bonfire & Fireworks 

Knapps Loch, Bridge of Weir Road, 

Kilmacolm, 4pm 

50th anniversary of the Bonfire and Fireworks 

at Knapps. Police request that people do not 

stand on the pavement opposite and in the lane 

up the side of the field. Entry is only £3 (adults) 

£2 (youngsters). 

Inverclyde Fireworks 

The Battery Park Eldon Street Greenock 

PA16 7QG, 5.30pm to 8pm 

Dress as a witch or wizard bring your magic wand 

and light up the sky! Food, drink and funfair rides 

will be open from 5.30pm and the fireworks will 

light up the sky at 7pm. Free 

Bishopton Scout Group Fireworks 

RoF Car Park, Bishopton, 6.30pm - 8.30pm 

Come and join us for our annual fireworks 

display. Hot food and drinks available. GATES 

OPEN 6.30PM - DISPLAY 7.30PM £2 per person, 

under 5’s free. 

Dawn is a fully trained freelance 

fl orist, she has just completed 

her Award in Education and 

training at Glasgow Clyde 

College. Dawn will be running 

workshops throughout the year, 

this will be seasonal. For more 

information contact Dawn on 

07831 152086. 

Sat 4 Nov 

Paisley Fireworks Spectacular 

Paisley Town Hall, Abbey Close, Paisley 

2pm 

80s themed activities and entertainment from 

2pm-6pm, Fireworks display at 7pm. Free 

Sat 4 - Sun 5 Nov 

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 

BCU 3 Star Sea Kayak 

Largs, 10am to 3pm 

Take your kayak out on open water, more 

challenges await. COST: £120 for more info look 

online and book ASAP. 

Sun 5 Nov 

Early Bird Christmas Gift and 

Craft Fayres 

Kilbarchan Guide Centre, Barn Green, 


Beat the rush and start your Christmas shopping 

early!! Stallholders include Annabelle’s Christmas 

decorations, Sweets and knits, Threepwood Fayre, 

BrawBricht Jewellery, Mandy’s Rainbow glass, All 

things nice jams and pickles and many more. 

All funds raised will go towards World Challenge 

India 2019. Check out our facebook page 

‘Kilbarchan Craft Fayres’ for further information. 

Entry includes Tea and Coffee: Adults £1.50 

Children £0.50 

TnT Bird Ringing Demonstration 

Muirshiel Visitor Centre, Calder Glen 

Road nr Lochwinnoch PA12 4LB 

10.30am to 3.30pm 

A chance to see our native woodland birds up 

close and literally ‘in the hand’ while they get their 

identification rings. MORE INFO: tel 01505 614 

791 in office hours. 

Glasgow Green Fireworks 

Glasgow Green, Greendyke Street, 

Glasgow, 5pm to 9pm 

A Spectacular Free Event for all the Family. 

Glasgow’s biggest and best free fireworks display 

returns to Glasgow Green. From 5pm you can 

access the site and enjoy food and drink stalls 

and the funfair before the big explosive finale! 

Catering & funfair 5pm – 9pm. Fireworks display 

7.30pm 

Mon 6 Nov 

Kilbarchan Smile Catch-up 

Old Library Centre, 9 High Barholm, 

Kilbarchan, 7.30pm 

New members welcome- bring in ideas, meet 

new friends, help care for your village. For more 

information and to get involved email hello@ 

kilbarchansmile.co.uk, contact Francesca on 

07952169341 or join the group Kilbarchan Smile 

on Facebook. 

Tue 7 Nov 

Brookfield S.W.I. 

Brookfield Village Hall, Woodside Road, 

Brookfield 

Tuesday 7th, Six Dos and Don’ts for the Over 

Sixties. Speaker Mrs Alison Murphy, Solicitor. 

Competitions, Favourite Spoon, Jar of Fruit Jelly, 3 

Custard Creams. Visitors £3 including tea, coffee 

and home baking. Everyone welcome. 

MND Christmas Card Sale 

Kilmacolm Community Centre, 

Lochwinnoch Road, Kilmacolm 

10am to 1pm 

CHRISTMAS CARD SALE on behalf of MND 

Scotland. Thank you for your support. 

15 


16 

Wed 8 Nov 

Gateway Garden Drop-In Sessions 

Cartside Terrace, Kilbarchan, 2pm 

Take part in gardening activity and fun for all the 

family. Help us plant bulbs around the village 

– grab some for your own garden! Expert advice - 

bring your questions. All welcome. Free. No need 

to book - just come along. For more information 

and to get involved email hello@kilbarchansmile. 

co.uk, contact Francesca on 07952 169341 or 


Thu 9 Nov 

Sòlas Bereavement Group 


6.30pm to 8.30pm 

Sòlas Bereavement Group 

Thu 9 - Fri 10 Nov 

Erskine Christmas Cracker 

Glynhill Hotel, 169 Paisley Road, 

Renfrew, 12noon to 5pm 

For over 30 years, Erskine supporters and local 

shoppers have attended this annual shopping 

event. With over 60 pop-up shops to choose from, 

the Erskine Christmas Cracker offers something 

for everyone. Special-rate lunches, teas, coffee 

and cake will also be on offer. 

Thu 9 - Wed 22 Nov 

Glasgow Christmas Market 

St Enoch Centre, Glasgow, 10am to 8pm 

The Christmas Market is to be home to many 

continental traders from across the globe, bringing 

a selection of products and flavours, traditional to 

their origin countries including France, Germany, 

Spain Italy and many more! 

Fri 10 Nov 

Advertizer December Deadline 

The Advertizer - Neva Place, Bridge of 

Weir 

If you would like anything published in our 

December issue, please email info@advertizer. 

co.uk or call the office on 01505 613340. Don’t 

miss out! 

Sat 11 Nov 

Kilbarchan Parish Church Messy 

Church 

Kilbarchan Parish Church Hall, Steeple 

Street, 4pm to 6pm 

Children must be accompanied by an adult. 

Coffee Morning and Xmas Fayre 


10am to 12noon 

We look forward to welcoming you at our Annual 

Coffee Morning. Donations of baking, jams/ 

marmalade and chutney will be most welcome. 

Kidston Hall will be open from 2-4pm on Friday 

10th November for your donations. 

Paisley Art 

Institute 

Scottish Drawing Competition 

Sat 28th Oct - Sat 25th Nov 

Paisley Museum and Art Galleries 

High Street, Paisley 

CALL FOR ENTRIES 

Schedule and Downloadable Labels @ 

www.paisleyartinstitute.com 

or send SAE to: 

PAl Secretary, Box 114, Abbey House 

43 High Street, Paisley PA1 2AH 

Registered Charity No. SC000840 

Sat 11 Nov 

Festive Fair 

Lochwinnoch Parish Church 

12noon to 4pm 

Please join us at the Lochwinnoch Christmas Fair 

hosted by Beautiful Crafters Events. Hand-made 

and unique gifts will be available for all tastes. 

Sun 12 Nov 











Remembrance Sunday 

Various 

There will be various events held today around 

Renfrewshire and Inverclyde in commemoration 

of the ending of hostilities. 

Tue 14 Nov 

Balfour, Britain and Bethlehem 


of Weir, 6.30pm 

Come and find out what these three have in 

common! More than you think! Dr Michael Marten, 

leader of the Iona Community will speak about 

justice and peace in Palestine/Israel. Also crafts 

stalls from the Holy Land by Olive Tree, Hebron 

ceramics, Bethlehem olive wood, Jerusalem 

jewellery, Larche felts, Jericho dates and Taybeh 

olive oil - Help us to help others! Middle Eastern 

snacks - donations please write to mjbird55@ 

gmail.com or phone: 01505 612963 

Wed 15 Nov 

Bishopton Art Group exhibition 

Ingliston Country Club, Old Greenock 

Road, Bishopton, 11am to 7.30pm 

Between 11.00 am and 7.30 pm at Ingliston 

Country Club, Bishopton Art Group will host a 

preview exhibition of their annual Winter Show. 

The preview exhibition is free to attend. 

Kilmacolm Horticultural Society 

AGM 

Kilmacolm Community Centre, 

Lochwinnoch Road, Kilmacolm, 7.30pm 

With Ms Terrill Dobson of Scotland’s Gardens 

Charity as our guest of honour. Everyone is most 

welcome. Annual membership of the Society 

is £5.00, enabling you free entry to the Flower 

Show, the Winter Lectures, two newsletters 

each year, and the opportunity to come along to 

the annual Outing - always a happy event, and 

sometimes the weather is kind to us too. For 

further details of the Society, access our website 

www.kilmacolmhorticultural.com or phone our 

secretary Mrs Jill Russell on 01505 872393. 


Thu 16 Nov 

Outlook 


2pm to 4pm 

Sole Solutions with Laura Kelly. Vino 13: Drinks 

for Christmas - with James Kelly. 

Fri 17 Nov 

Astronomy Evening 


8pm to 9.30pm 

Come and hear about the stars and galaxies 

up in the night sky! If the weather is kind to us, 

we’ll go outside and see some of these wonders 

for ourselves. The speakers will be from the 

Astronomical Society of Glasgow. Please book, as 

places are limited and due to the popularity of this 

event, please pay at time of booking. Cost: Adults: 

£6; Children: £3 (RSPB members: £3/£2) 

Sat 18 Nov 

Bearsden Fiddlers 

Houston Kirk West Halls, Main Street, 

Houston. 7pm 

THE BEARSDEN FIDDLERS ARE BACK! Tickets 

available end of October Contact Kate Jackson 

Tel: 613676 Email: grannykate284@gmail. 

com. BYOB. 

Calder Church Christmas Fayre 

McKillop Hall, Main St, Lochwinnoch 


Stalls include: Home Baking, Christmas gifts, 

cards and wrap, Bottle Stall (non alcoholic), 

Jewellery, Arts and Crafts, Books, Toys, Lucky dip 

and more! Adults £2, Children FREE includes Tea/ 

coffee/juice and Christmas goodies. All welcome. 

Please come along. 

Lochwinnoch Explorer Group: 

Slugs & Snails 



Calling all children! Come along and learn about 

nature, but most importantly, get dirty and have 

fun doing it! This month we’ll be looking at slugs 

& snails. Come along to find out! Ages: 5 to 

14 years. Please note that all children aged 8 

and under must be accompanied by an adult. 

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

(adults go free) 

Bishopton Art Group Christmas 

Art And Crafts Fair 

Bishopton Community Centre, Gledstane 

Road, Bishopton, 10am to 3pm 

Bishopton Art Group will host their annual 

Christmas Art and Crafts Fair. Local amateur 

artists and crafts people will offer a variety of 

products for sale that will make ideal Christmas 

presents. The venue has free parking and is a 

5-minute walk from Bishopton railway station. 

Admission to the Christmas Art and Craft fair is 

free. Tea, Coffee and delicious home baking will 

be available. 

Paisley Christmas Lights Switch-On 

Paisley Town Hall, Abbey Close, Paisley 

1pm to 6pm 

As the countdown to Christmas begins join us to 

celebrate the Paisley Christmas Lights Switch- 

On. With special appearances from Santa, plus 

entertainment from Clyde One including breakfast 

hosts George Bowie and Cassie, a funfair and kids 

entertainers! For all the latest Paisley Chrismtas 

Lights Switch-on updates, visit www.paisley2021. 

co.uk/events 

Sat 18 Nov - Fri 1 Dec 

Tag a Tree at Finlaystone 

Finlaystone Country Estate - Langbank 

Xmas Tree Tagging! Select and tag your Tree. £5 

to put a deposit on your tree. This means you just 

must pay the usual entry fee. Just head to the 

visitor centre on arrival. Come back anytime near 

to Christmas and cut it down to take home. 



17 

Sat 18 Nov - Sat 6 Jan 

Edinburgh Christmas Market 

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 

Princes Street Gardens, Edinburgh 

10am to 10pm 

The traditional and romantic Christmas Market in 

the heart of the City of Edinburgh offers a unique 

shopping experience for every visitor with its fair 

of crafters, artists, gift shops and gastronomic 

surprises. Get into the Christmas spirit! Please 

note: markets close at 8pm on 24 December, are 

closed 25 December, open 12pm 26 December 

and 1 January. 

Sat 18 - Sun 19 Nov 

RYA Powerboat Level 2 

Castle Semple Visitor Centre, Lochlip 

Road, Lochwinnoch, 9am to 4pm 

A comprehensive course to enable you to gain 

your powerboat licence. Practical on the water 

activities with overnight homework! COST: £150 

for more info look online and book ASAP. 

Sun 19 Nov 

Loch Lomond Shores’ Christmas 

Lights & Fireworks 

Loch Lomond, 12noon to 6pm 

Welcome Santa to Loch Lomond Shores and 

watch him switch on the festive lights followed 

by the annual firework display. Day of festive 

celebration with music, entertainment and 

activities for kids, a carousel and fun fair rides. 

Light switch on followed by a firework display and 

a night market. 

Glasgow Christmas Light Switch On 

George Square, Glasgow, 5pm to 9pm 

The Christmas Lights Switch On event takes 

place on Sunday 19 November. This much loved 

festive event is central to the city’s winter time 

celebrations. 

Woodworking Skills Workshop 

The Cut Visitor Centre, Cornalees Bridge, 

Greenock, 10am to 3pm 

Learn how to use handtools and then create you 

very own hand made wooden spoon. COST: £30 

per person more information online and book or 

tel 01475 521 458 

Mon 20 Nov 

Langbank Singers in Concert 

St Machar’s Church, Kilbarchan Rd, 

Bridge of Weir, 7.30pm 

St Machar’s Ranfurly Guild Guest Night: Join us to 

hear the Langbank singers in St Machar’s Hall. 

Tue 21 Nov 

Brookfield S.W.I. 


Brookfield 

Tuesday, 21st November The Scottish Mask 

and Puppet Centre Open Meeting. Visitors £3 

including tea, coffee and home baking. Everyone 

welcome. 


18 

every Monday 

Lochwinnoch Community Walk 

The Cross, Lochwinnoch 10.30am 

This event will not take place on public holidays. 

FitSteps with Jennifer 

Quarrier’s Village, 6:30pm 

Tel: 07709 340675 for further information 

Pilates Class 

Kilellan Halls Houston 6.15 - 7.15 & 7.30 - 8.30. 

For more information or to book a place call Katie 

on 07972 474965 

Gryffe Voices Community Choir 

Freeland Church, Bridge of Weir 8pm to 9.45pm 

Join us to sing pop, rock, folk, show tunes, gospel. 

Contact gryffevoices@gmail.com 

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. 

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 

Singing for Wellbeing 

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 - 9.15pm 

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. 

regular updates @GryffeAds 

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. 

2nd Sunday monthly 

Gateway Garden Drop In Sessions 

Cartside Terrace, Kilbarchan 1pm -3pm 

Open Days with gardening and wildlife activities 

on offer for all the family. Contact Francesca for 

more information 07952 169341r 

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 

Wed 22 Nov 











Thu 23 Nov 

Annual Xmas Fayre 

Gryffe High School, Old Bridge of Weir 

Road, Houston, 6.30pm to 8.30pm 

Our annual Christmas Fayre offering a wide variety 

stalls with many lovely gifts for the Festive Season, 

from scarves and handbags through to handmade 

soaps, cards and Christmas crafts. Get a free 

mince pie and mulled wine/tea/coffee with each 

adult ticket and juice with each child ticket. Tickets 

are priced £3 per adult and £1 per child and may 

be purchased in advance or at the door. So, come 

along and support the school and the PTA and 

help to raise extra funds for the benefit of all the 

Gryffe High students. Thank you! 

Kilwinning Christmas Light 

Switch On 

Main Street, Kilwinning, 3.30pm to 7pm 

Great family event. Come along and see the 

Christmas lights switch on and enjoy entertainment 

and fun. 

Thu 23 - Sat 25 Nov 

A Christmas Carol 


7pm 

Kilmacolm Dramatic Society presents an amateur 

production of Charles Dickens A Christmas Carol. 

Doors 7pm performance 7.30pm inc. Sat matinee 

25 Nov at 2.30pm. Adults £10, U14 £8 Tickets 

available from the Cross Cafe, Kilmacolm or Rosie 

Thirdie 01505 873088 

Fri 24 Nov 

Quiz Night 

Fleming Road, Houston 

Houston and Killellan Agricultural Society are 

holding a Quiz Night. Tickets cost £5.00 to include 

light supper and are available from committee 

members or from Isabelle Stuart issistuart@ 

gmail.com or telephone 01505 613479. 

Erskine Christmas Lights Switch On 

Erskine Town Centre, 6.45pm 

On Friday 24th November at Bridgewater Shopping 

Centre, Erskine, Santa will lead the procession 

from Mains Drive Shops to Bridgewater Shopping 

Centre at 6:45pm. Dress up in your Christmas 

lights, Tinsel and Bells. Festivities (Santa, 

Music, Children’s Rides, Tombola) at Bridgewater 

Shopping Centre from 6:45pm to 7:45pm. Lights 

switch on at 7:15pm. 

St Colm’s celebrates 25yrs 

St Colm Parish Church, Smithy Brae, 

Kilmacolm PA13 4EN, 7pm 

Celebrating 25 years since the opening of the 

new church building in Smithy Brae. We would 

be particularly delighted to share this special 

occasion with anyone who has a connection past 

or present with St Colm’s, and extend an open 

invitation to join us. Bishop John Keenan will 

celebrate mass at 7pm in St Colm’s, followed 

by refreshments in the Kilmacolm Community 

Centre. 

St Andrew’s Ceilidh 

Gamble Halls, 44 Shore St, Gourock, 

PA19 1RG 

This autumn Ardgowan Hospice will be hosting 

a St Andrew’s Ceilidh at the Gamble Halls in 

Gourock, with entertainment coming from the 

Scottish Ceilidh Band, who will be providing a full 

evening of entertainment. Tickets cost £25 each 

and include a dram, dinner and dancing. For 

more information and to book your tickets, call 

Alex on 01475 558888, or email fundraising@ 

ardhosp.co.uk 


Sat 25 Nov 

Victorian Christmas Market 

West Halls Main Street Houston PA6 

7EL (next to Carrick Centre and Village 

Hall), 10.30am to 1pm 

Meet Santa & buy gifts from our many stalls 

including, Baking, Preserves, Toiletries, Children’s 

gifts, many Under £1, Knitting, lucky boxes. Prize 

draw for 2 Luxury Hampers, Raffles, Competitions, 

Book Stall, Crafts Stall, and many more for you to 

browse. FREE mulled wine so enjoy! We have hot 

rolls to tempt you and of course our Tea Room will 

be ready to serve you with tea or coffee, juice for 

the children and delicious hot mince pies. 

Renfrew Christmas Lights 

Switch-On 

Renfrew Town Hall, Hairst St, Renfrew 

PA4 8PF, 12 noon to 5pm 

Enjoy a day-long feast of Christmas fun and family 

activities including, Provost’s carol service, live 

entertainment, funfair, reindeer, Santa and a 

sensational fireworks finale all in the heart of 

Renfrew. 

Sat 25 - Wed 29 Nov 

Glasgow Christmas Market 

George Square, Glasgow, 10am to 10pm 

Christmas isn’t Christmas without a visit to the 

traditional markets for a gastronomic treat, 

a warming glass of festive cheer or a unique 

festive gift. Offering a wide selection of festive 

gifts and delicious street food. A warm and 

welcoming bar will add to the festive atmosphere, 

offering up a selection of beverages for all to 

enjoy. The centrepeice of the George Square 

market is a traditional carousel, the iconic Big 

Wheel and a whole host of family focused street 

entertainment. 

Sun 26 Nov 

Lochwinnoch Community Garden 

Tidy Up 

Lochwinnoch Parish Church 2pm 

MEET PARISH CHURCH 

Birds for Beginners 


11am to 1.30pm 

Make the most of the cold, crisp days ahead 

and let us introduce you to the reserve’s winter 

birds Join the team at RSPB Lochwinnoch 

for a workshop session ideal for beginners to 

birdwatching, followed by a walk to help you 

learn more about common garden birds and 

perhaps some rare ones. Please book, as places 

are limited. Cost: Adults: £5; Children: £3 (RSPB 

members: £3/£2) 

Craft Fair 


Road, Lochwinnoch, 11am to 3pm 

Come down for this pre-Christmas Craft Fair by 

Castle Semple. Think shopping gifts, sweet treats 

and warm cups of coffee over lochside views. 

Crafter yourself? Get in touch about a table. More 

information online or tel 01505 842 882 

Mon 27 Nov 

Stargazing Evening 


Road, Lochwinnoch, 7pm to 9pm 

Join us for an evening of astronomical exploration 

at the new location of Castle Semple this season. 

Run by our friends from Coats Observatory Paisley. 

Not suitable for under 10’s MORE INFO: Look 

online and book or tel 01505 842 882 

Thu 30 Nov 

Torchlight Parade 

West End of Glasgow, 6pm to 7.30pm 

This evening celebration of Scotland’s patron 

saint will take the form of a torchlight parade 

passing through the main parts of the west end 

using a rolling road closure. The rolling closure 

will mean the roads are safe for the procession 

to walk but will limit any inconvenience to road 

users. Full details of the event, timings and how 

to purchase torches at www.westendfestival. 

co.uk. Vouchers for torches £6 up until 5pm 10 

October, £8 after. Non torch £3. Children will get 

a free glow stick. 



Inverclyde Fireworks 

Battery Park Saturday 4th November from 

5.30pm. Free 

Dress as a witch or wizard bring your magic 

wand and light up the sky! 

Food, drink and funfair rides will be open from 

5.30pm and the fireworks will light up the sky 

at 7pm. 

Bishopton Scout Group Fireworks 

Saturday 4 November 2017, RoF Car Park, 

Bishopton, 6.30pm to 8.30pm 

Come and join us for our annual fireworks 

display. Hot food and drinks available. 

GATES OPEN 6.30PM - DISPLAY 7.30PM 

£2 per person, under 5’s free. 

Glasgow green 

5th Nov 2017. 5:00pm - 9:00pm. Free 

A Spectacular Free Event for all the Family 

Glasgow’s biggest and best free fireworks 

display returns to Glasgow Green on Sunday 5 

November. 

From 5pm you can access the site at Glasgow 

Green and enjoy food and drink stalls and the 

funfair before the big explosive finale! 

Catering & funfair 5pm – 9pm 

Fireworks display 7.30pm 

Music icon Seal 

comes to Scotland 

Knapps Bonfire and Fireworks 

The Knapps Loch, Kilmacolm 4th November. 

Gates open 4.30pm, Bonfire 6pm & Fireworks 

6.15pm £3 Adults £2 Children 

Paisley Fireworks Spectacular 

Saturday 4 November from 2pm. FREE 

80s themed activities and entertainment from 

2pm-6pm. Fireworks display at 7pm 

The skies above Paisley Abbey will be lit up by 

this spectacular display of fireworks following 

an afternoon of family fun! 

This year’s events has an 80s theme and 

some classic tunes from the 80s will be your 

soundtrack to this year’s display. 

The 80’s theme continues with our family fun 

afternoon in Paisley Town Hall including free 

classic arcade games including Asteriods, 

Pacman and Space Invaders. 

There will also be workshops and face painting 

for the children and a silent disco running 

across the afternoon. 

British soul legend Seal is coming to Edinburgh’s Usher Hall on 10th February 

and Glasgow Royal Concert Hall on 11th February 2018 in support of his 

tenth studio album “Standards”. Backed by a big band, the multi-award 

winning star will be performing songs from the new album, alongside classic 

hits ‘Killer’ and ‘Kiss from a Rose’. 

In a career spanning three decades, racking up over 30 million records sales 

worldwide and a string of Grammy, Brit and Ivor Novello awards along the 

way, Seal continues to shine as one of the world’s brightest music stars. 

Seal’s new album “Standards”, out on November 10th, brings the glamour of 

Old Hollywood straight to the present. 

Tickets from GIGSANDTOURS.COM & TICKETMASTER.CO.UK 

Singing Is Good For You! 

19 

The Arkleston Singers 

is a long established 

chamber (small) choir 

based in Paisley. We 

are a progressive 

choir and perform a 

variety of works, new 

and contemporary 

as well as popular 

favourites. 

We are looking for new members in all sections but particularly tenors and 

basses. Ability to read music is helpful but choral experience will also count. 

Rehearsals are on Monday evenings from September to May on a roughly 

fortnightly basis. 

We have an exciting session ahead which includes works by Paul Mealor, Erik 

Esenvalds, Ola Gjeilo, Freddie Mercury and Adele, under the baton of our young 

conductor, Marcus Kitchen. 

Do get in touch and come along to fi nd out what fun it is to sing with us and how 

good singing is for your own well-being. 

For more information, email info@arklestonsingers.co.uk or visit our website 

arklestonsingers.org.uk to fi nd out more about us. 

@GryffeAds www.advertizer.co.uk 

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

20 

Fri 1 Dec 

Houston Christmas Fayre & 

Lights Switch On & Fireworks 

Fox and Hounds, Main Street, Houston 

Christmas Fayre in the car park of the Fox and 

Hounds before the Christmas Lights Switch On. 

The winning designs from Houston Primary, and 

St Fillan’s Primary pupils for the new Houston 

Christmas Lights will be on display on both the 

Fox and Hounds and the Houston Inn, so please 

come along that night and celebrate the true 

spirit of Christmas. 

2nd Lochwinnoch Golf Club Tea Dance 

Lochwinnoch Golf Club Burnfoot Rd, 

PA12 4AN, 2pm to 4.30pm 

In support of Lochwinnoch Dementia Friendly 

Village. Come and dance, sing and have fun 

with the fantastic ‘Music Box’ and enjoy a lovely 

afternoon tea from Janice and her team! The 

dance is sponsored by one of the Lochwinnoch 

Golf club life members what a generous and kind 

gesture! For more info contact Morag on 07868 

752814. Free 

Some Hebridean Wildlife & Scenery 

McMaster Centre, Donaldson Drive, 

Renfrew, 7.30pm 

David Palmar will deliver an illustrated talk 

entitled ‘ Some Hebridean Wildlife and 

Scenery’. All welcome. 

A Christmas Concert by the B Flats 

Houston & Killellan Kirk, Main Street, 

Houston, 7.45pm 

A mixture of traditional and less well known 

Christmas songs with some original arrangements 

by the founder of the group, Robin Barr. Come 

along and join in the beginning of Christmas 

festivities hosted by Houston and Killellan Kirk 

Scottish Country Dancers. Donations will be 

gratefully accepted which will be given to our 

Extension Fund. 

Sat 2 Dec 

Christmas Fayre 


Street, 10am to 12noon 

Lots of gift stalls and a chance for the children to 

have their photo taken with Santa. 

Johnstone Christmas Lights 

Switch-On 

Johnstone Town Centre 12pm to 5pm 

Get in the festive spirit as we switch on the 

Christmas lights in the town. 

Kilbarchan Parish Church 



Street, 10am to 12noon 

Lots of gift stalls and a chance for the children to 

have their photo taken with Santa. 

Sun 3 Dec 

Brookfield Xmas Lights switch on 


Brookfield, 5.30pm 

Meet at the Village Hall at 5.30pm and join a 

candlelight procession to the Millennium Garden 

where our group of village brass players – the 

Brookfield Brass Necks – will entertain us with 

some Christmas music prior to the switch-on of 

the tree lights. Then it’s back to the Hall for some 

refreshments and a viewing of ‘The Snowman & 

the Snowdog’ on a giant screen! 

Advent Carol Service 

St Fillan’s Church Hall, Moss Road, 

Kilmacolm, 6pm 

With Angel Voices & Voices+ Community Children’s 

Choir. Come and prepare for the Season before 

Christmas with this lovely Service on the theme of 

Light and Darkness through Music, Readings and 

Advent Carols. Refreshments after the Service. 

Bridge of Weir Messy Church 

Christingle Service 

Freeland Church, Main Street, Bridge of 

Weir, 4pm to 6pm 

Everyone is welcome, young and old, to come 

along and make a Christingle, afterwards a short 

candlelit service with the Christingles. After this, 

we will be back in the hall for food and a chat. Lots 

of different people come along and it’s a great way 

to meet people. Babies and toddlers welcome. 

Adults are welcome to come along without a child 

but not the other way round as we don’t want to 

lose them! Just turn up on the day. Facebook 

(Bridge of Weir Messy Church) 

Bishopton Christmas Tree Light 

Switch On 

Bishopton Community Centre, Gledstane 

Road, Bishopton, 6.15pm 

The village Christmas tree lights will be switched 

on after a carol service that starts at 6.15 

pm. There is an open invitation to the local 

community to join in too. Please note ther car 

park will be closed to allow the ceremony to take 

place. It is recommended that motorists should 

leave their cars at home and walk to the Centre. 

It is likely to be cold and those attending should 

wrap up appropriately.This is a free event. Light 

refreshments will be available. 

Festival Christmas Bingo Night 


of Weir, 7pm 

Doors open 7.00pm for eyes down at 7.30pm, 

entry £2 at door includes light buffet. 

Carrick Nights 


All concerts will take place in the Carrick Centre, Main Street, Houston 

commencing at 8.00pm. 

Next Concert in Series - Sat. 4th November 2017 - Vocalise 

Vocalise enjoy performing a wide variety of music from Gershwin to Mozart, from 

Argentine tangos to Flanders and Swan. 

Daniella Hathaway (Soprano) is from Buenos Aires, Argentina. She came to the U K to 

study at the Royal Academy of Music in London. 

Mark Hathaway (Baritone) spent the early years of his career as a singer and actor, 

before becoming an opera director. 

Maria Holmes (Cello) was born in the Czech Republic and was a member of the Scottish 

Opera Orchestra for many years. 

Steven Adam (Piano) was born in Stirling and studied cello at the RSAMD and the Royal 

Northern College of Music. He worked as a pianist and arranger for a season in Spain 

before freelancing with Orchestras in London and Birmingham. 

Remaining Concerts in Series 

Friday 2nd February 2018 - Alison McNeill & Sacha Savaloni 

Alison (soprano) and Sacha (guitar) perform a variety of Spanish, Latin American, 

French, Italian, Contemporary and Scots Song repertoire. They have performed recitals 

in Spain and throughout Scotland at various prestigious events and are passionate 

about expanding and enriching the repertoire for voice and guitar and transcribe a lot 

of music for their performances. 

** Due to circumstances out with our control the Barochan Quartet cannot fulfi l this date and are 

replaced by the Kentigern Quartet. 

Friday 2nd April 2018 - Kentigern Quartet + Maria Wilson and Accompanist 

Violinists Barbara Downie and Feargus Hetherington, violist Nicola Boag and cellist 

Jessica Kerr bring their collective experience in chamber music, working at home and 

internationally with leading British Orchestras and as educators to this ensemble. Their 

repertoire includes works by Beethoven, Haydn, Brahms, Mendelssohn, Dvorak, Britten 

and Ravel. Recent performances include Glasgow cathedral, St Mary’s Cathedral, 

the BBC Club at City Halls, Renfi eld St Stephen’s, and the Drake Chamber Series in 

Glasgow. 

Maria Wilson (soprano) runs Starlight Youth Music Theatre group in Paisley. Tonight is 

her night to perform, come along and enjoy a varied selection of music. 

Ticket Prices (single concert): Adults £12, Children/Student £5. 

Option to have a meal in our Café at 6.30pm prior to the concerts, but early booking 

recommended as space is limited. (2 courses £15 – BYOB) 

Should you wish more information or to request tickets please call 01505 

229597 or e mail 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. 

Balfour, Britain and Bethlehem 

Tuesday 14th November, British Legion, Bridge of Weir, 6.30pm 

Come and fi nd out what these three have in common! More than you think! Find 

out about Britain’s shady past in the Middle East and the repercussions which 

have resulted in so much unrest today, 100 years on. 

4 of us in the OLIVE TREE team have just returned from BETHLEHEM, Hebron 

and Jerusalem – full of stories and memories BUT also beautiful crafts from 

the HOLY LAND. We have given and helped, bought and brought so do come 

early at 6.30pm and browse.......Hebron ceramics, 

Bethlehem olive wood, Jerusalem jewellery, Larche 

felts, Jericho dates and Taybeh olive oil, etc are all 

on sale and newly arrived! Help us to help others! 

Erskine Xmas Lights 

Switch On 

On Friday 24th November at Bridgewater Shopping 

Centre, Erskine, Santa will lead the procession 

from Mains Drive Shops to Bridgewater Shopping 

Centre at 6:45p.m. Dress up in your Christmas 

lights, Tinsel and Bells. 

Festivities (Santa, Music, Children’s Rides, 

Tombola) at Bridgewater Shopping Centre from 

6:45pm to 7:45pm. Lights switch on at 7:15pm. 



21 

If you are aged 9-18 and play a brass instrument come and join us. Rehearsals 

take place in St John’s Church Hall, Port Glasgow every Friday from 5pm. Pop in 

and talk to us or get in touch with us at secretary@riversideyouthband.co.uk 

Festive Craft Fayre 

Crafters are being sought for a festive fair which will be held in East Fulton 

Primary School, Linwood on Wednesday 29th November. 

Tables can be reserved for £15 and organisers also ask that a raffl e prize is 

donated. For more details call 01505 324851. 

Angel Voices and Voices+ 

Afternoon Tea Concert - Saturday 4th November 2– 3.30pm at St 

Fillan’s Church Hall, Kilmacolm. 

With Coffee, Tea, Scones and Cake & Raffl e, the Choir will give a little Concert 

of Songs they have been rehearsing at 2.30pm. Tickets £4 – pay at the door. 

Advent Carol Service - Sunday 3rd December at 6pm at St Fillan’s 

Church Hall, Kilmacolm. 

With the Community Children’s Choir, come and prepare for the Season before 

Christmas with this lovely Service on the theme of Light and Darkness through 

Music, Readings and Advent Carols. Refreshments after the Service. 


22 


Unique link up with RSNO 

Renfrewshire 

teenagers 

have tuned up to take 

part in a unique a link-up 

with the Royal Scottish 

National Orchestra (RSNO) 

which could help them 

forge a career in the music 

industry. 

Scotland’s 

national 

orchestra staged a twoday 

Takeover event 

(23/24October) which ended with a special show in Paisley Town Hall as part 

of the annual Spree festival. 

Guided by RSNO professionals, around 50 pupils from all 11 Renfrewshire High 

Schools worked on every aspect of planning and staging the gig. 

The link-up was part of Paisley’s bid to be UK City of Culture 2021. The second 

stage bid was submitted on September 29th and a decision is expected in 

December. 

Jean Cameron, Paisley 2021 bid director said: “It’s fantastic to be able to give 

young people opportunities to get involved in cultural activity and all of the 

benefi ts that brings. 

“As Paisley bids to be UK City of Culture 2021 it also shows that we can bring 

artists of international repute here for local creative talent to learn from. 

“We’re delighted to be working with the RSNO and the young people really 

are getting the chance to learn from the best in the 

business.” 

RSNO Head of Learning and Engagement Samantha 

Wright said it was a delight to allow young people the 

chance to run one of Scotland’s busiest performing 

arts organisations. 

She added: “Takeover provides a rare and valuable 

experience to those seeking to pursue a career in the 

arts, and is intended to be challenging, stimulating 

and fun. You never know - we may very well have a 

future RSNO conductor or chief executive among our 

group.” 

Photography Exhibition 

4th December to 13th January - THE BRIDGE, Main St 

The STUDIO – Bridge of Weir, is proud to announce an exhibition of their 

work at THE BRIDGE, 65 Main St, Bridge of Weir PA11 3NR. 

Come along and have a look at the work of 2 local professionals: 

Andy Stark of www.stark-images.co.uk 

Al Goold of www.algooldphoto.com/ 

Your local photography studio caters for all types of photography from a 

simple passport photo to a family portrait session. We offer 1st Birthday 

Cake Smash events to professional model portfolios. 

Our fully equipped professional studio can do the product shots for your 

business as well as staff photos and head shots to enhance your website 

presence. We can cover weddings and events, schools and nurseries. 

If you can’t come to the studio we can come to you, with our fully mobile 

studio set up. 

Check out our facebook page at www.facebook.com/thestudiobow/ 

and our web/sales site at thestudiobow.zenfolio.com/ 

Why not meet the team – one of us will be there every Wednesday and 

Thursday to tell you more about what we do, we would love to meet you. 



23 

St. James Orchestra Concert 

St James Orchestra return for the biannual concert. Paisley Town Hall will play 

host for the orchestra’s exciting programme of: Tchaikovsky’s Symphony No. 

5 in E minor (Op. 64); Bruch’s Violin Concerto No.1 in G minor (Op. 26), and 

Sibelius’ En Saga – Symphonic Poem for Orchestra (Op. 9). 

The concert will take place in Paisley Town Hall on 19st November at the slightly 

earlier time of 4pm. Tickets are available at £10 and £5 for school pupils. 

The concert will feature soloist Eve Kennedy (violin), will be conducted by Leon 

Reimer, and led by Fiona Butcher. 

Tickets are available at the door and at the Paisley Arts Centre. For more information 

please visit the St. James Orchestra website at www.stjamesorchestra.org.uk. 

Santa’s Sleigh is coming to town 

Look out for Santa & his Elves arriving in... 

Houston Friday 1st - Thursday 7th (not Sunday 3rd), Kilmacolm (upper) 

Friday 8th, (lower) Saturday 9th, Quarriers Village Sunday 10th, 

Brookfield Monday 11th & Bridge of Weir Tuesday 12th – 

Saturday 16th. 

Full details next month 


24 


IT Blog 

with Colin Fyfe of Colcom 

The General Data Protection Regulations come into force across Europe 

on May 25th 2018. These ‘GDPR’ regulations will replace the outdated 

Data Protection Directive of 1995 and focus on, among other things, 

our personal data privacy and how it is handled by those companies we 

place our trust in at the click of a button. 

There are some key points that the regulations cover that I will be 

interested to fi nd how the big multinationals deal with; and they had 

better do so as the GDPR comes with a nasty 4% global turnover fine 

for the worst infringements. 

Importantly, companies will no longer be able to use long illegible terms 

and conditions full of legalese. I am reminded of the iTunes installation 

procedure, the screed of small print information we must agree to 

whenever we run the install. Furthermore, companies are required to 

no longer hold information that is not required for them to perform the 

tasks we require of their product. I am thinking about every HP printer 

installation requiring the postcode of the printer’s whereabouts. 

A host of other measures that were long over-due will be addressed. 

Notably the often discussed ‘right to be forgotten’ by any company or 

body that holds our information as well as our ‘right to access’ the data 

that these companies may have on us. Also, the rights of children have 

been included in the bill. 

You will hear lots about this in the run up to the live date next year, 

if you are in business you may already be made aware of this major 

update to data privacy through compliance procedures. For smaller 

business owners, your data security starts well before backup and 

antivirus. Consider safer, cloud based CRM and client databases for an 

outsourced solution to your own data protection. 

Financial Blog 

by Carl Melvin, Affluent Financial Planning Ltd 

Defined Benefits (Final Salary) Pension 

Transfers - get organised first 

Following our recent articles on final salary pension transfers (also 

known as DB transfers), we have had many enquiries from readers. 

We outline below how you should approach investigating whether this is 

right for you. Here are our top tips to avoid disappointment. 

Professional advice - If the cash equivalent transfer value (CETV) 

of your DB transfer is more than £30,000 you must, by law, receive 

professional advice from a Pension Transfer Specialist (PTS). You will 

not be allowed to transfer benefits without a PTS issuing an advice 

certificate. 

Time sensitive – the CETV is only valid for 3 months after which time 

it expires and you may have to pay a fee for a new one. Also, the value 

could be lower. 

Get your financial paperwork together – A PTS will need to give you 

advice in the context of your overall financial planning, so get everything 

in order before you take advice. 

Get advice early – if you have received a CETV, get advice straight 

away. The longer you leave it before taking advice, the less time there 

is to complete everything on time. 

Check adviser’s status – check the PTS’s regulatory status on the 

Financial Conduct Authority website to avoid being scammed. 

High costs – DB transfers are very complex and high risk. Be prepared 

to pay a premium fee for such advice. 

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. Carl Melvin is a regulated Pension Transfer Specialist. 

Call us for a FREE financial review on 01505 59 50 60 or HYPERLINK 

“mailto:info@affl uentfp.co.uk”info@affl uentfp.co.uk. Alternatively, pop into the 

Affl uent offi ce opposite Amaretto restaurant on Main Street, Bridge of Weir. 

HYPERLINK “http://www.affl uentfp.co.uk”www.affl uentfp.co.uk 



25 


26 


Johnstone Credit 

Union Launches in 

Rural Communities 

Johnstone Credit Union 

recently held 3 launch events 

for their new collection points 

in Lochwinnoch, Bishopton and 

Kilbarchan as well and an open 

event in its well established 

collection point in Bridge of Weir. 

Over the 4 days Johnstone 

Credit Union extended a warm 

welcome to local residents to 

join them for refreshments and 

to find out about the fantastic 

services and products on offer 

and how local people can 

benefit from being a member of 

the credit union. 

Johnstone Credit Union are 

excited to be supporting 

local communities to operate 

collection points in their area 

where Renfrewshire residents will be able to join the credit union, pay into 

their credit union account including Christmas Club and access information 

on credit union services. 

A spokesperson for Johnstone Credit Union said “We are thrilled to be able 

to bring the credit union into rural communities where residents can access 

our services on their doorstep. It’s a great way to raise awareness locally of 

the work of the credit union and the benefits of being able to access savings 

and affordable loans. We would like to thank everyone who attended and 

supported the events and are pleased to welcome our newest members, 

both adult and junior who joined on the day. 

The credit union relies on the dedication and commitment of volunteers to 

keep its services running and would love to hear from members who would 

be interested in supporting their local community by assisting at a weekly 

collection. Details of the collections can be found on our website www. 

johnstonecu.co.uk. 

For more information on volunteering, the weekly collections or any of the 

credit union services, please contact the credit union office at 26 Church 

Street, Johnstone, 01505 327148, email enquiries@johnstonecu.co.uk 

or why not pop into one of the local collections. We will be in Bishopton 

Library Mondays 2pm – 4pm; Lochwinnoch Library Tuesdays 2pm – 4pm; 

Kilbarchan Old Library Wednesdays 2pm – 4pm and Freeland Church, 

Bridge of Weir, Fridays 10am – 12 noon. 

A place for remembering 

Why would you come to a church service? Clearly 

in this day and age going to church is not a very 

wide spread regular custom anymore. There 

are plenty of other things to do on a Sunday 

and most of our weeks are so hectic that when 

Sunday comes round we sigh a breath of relief 

for a chance to have a rest or do something 

unscripted. 

Are there any good reasons to come to church 

however? Have we collectively and personally lost something by giving up 

on regular church attendance? Some people would argue that we can have 

faith and relate to God anywhere – that we don’t need church for that. 

I’d be the first to admit there are lots of reasons not to come to church, but 

I do think there are stronger reasons to go and over the following months I 

would like to highlight different reasons for doing so. 

Since this month is November, I will kick off by stating that church is a good 

place for remembering. November sees Remembrance Day and Sunday 

services. We collectively remember those who have died in past and 

present conflicts to protect the freedom of others. It makes us appreciate 

the liberties we have today. 

Some churches also have special services to remember those who died 

during the past year. We remember our loved ones and give thanks to God 

for their lives. We consider how our present lives might be lived in a way 

that honours them. 

Church can (become) a place where our lives and our past are held together. 

A place where we intentionally remember the past with a view to the future. 

In church we read Bible stories and of course they are ‘old stories’, but we 

read and explore them time and again to understand the present and the 

future better. 

We are invited to remind ourselves of who God is, what Jesus taught and 

did for us and where our own lives fit in God’s plans for the future. 

Our busy world does not provide many stopping places to remember the 

past with a view to shaping the future. You are welcome to explore a local 

church as a place for remembering! 

Rev Hanneke Marshall 

Minister of St Machar’s Ranfurly Church, 

Bridge of Weir 

Hanneke.Marshall@churchofscotland. 

org.uk 

Looking for someone local? 

www.advertizer.co.uk/clients 

LCN Awards 

A local dry cleaner has made it onto 

the shortlist for the LCN Awards 2017. 

Adil Khan from Harrods Dry Cleaners 

(pictured) in Bridge of Weir is a fi nalist 

in both the Independent Drycleaner and 

Entrepreneur – Drycleaning categories. 

The event takes place at De Vere 

Grand Connaught Rooms in London on 

19th October. 



27 


28 

LOCAL 

history 

Lime Working 

The best-known and most valuable mineral which was worked in Central 

Scotland was coal. Beyond coal, the mineral ghost of Renfrewshire was 

limestone. Lime had always been used in building, for mortar, harling 

(roughcast) and plaster. However, from the eighteenth century, much larger 

amounts of lime were sought for improvements to farmland. By adding 

burnt and powdered lime to the soil, crop yield could be greatly increased. 

Limestone was particularly important in regions with heavy clay soils, such 

as Renfrewshire. The lime was added liberally to both arable and pastoral 

land, at the rate of up to thirty carts per acre. 

Limestone is found in thicker seams than coal, and was usually quarried 

from the surface. Thus traces of former workings are more abundant than 

with deeper coal mines. Unlike the white chalky lime found in the south of 

England, Renfrewshire lime is a hard, brittle, dark grey rock. It was formed 

under shallow seas in the Carboniferous period and often contains shells 

and crinoids (stems of sea lilies). Lime quarries were highly valued by fossil 

collectors who raided them for fish and reptile remains. Before good roads 

were built, the coal to fuel the lime kilns had to be found locally. Despite 

the relatively thin and indifferent quality of the coal in the Gryfe area, it was 

ideal for lime burning. In many cases it was expressly stated that the coal 

was only to be worked for lime burning. 

In the 1790s, Kilbarchan parish had seven coal mines, all but one owned 

by the Milliken family. At each of these mines, the main use of the coal 

was to fuel lime kilns. The most familiar lime kilns were large stone-built 

draw kilns. Less well known, but just as common, were clamp kilns. 

These were long hollows dug into a slope in which the limestone was 

repeatedly burnt. Until recently, virtually no lime working sites were officially 

recorded in Renfrewshire. New fieldwork has now identified more than 

a hundred. Hints of early working come from place names such as Lime 

Craig Park (Johnstone), Kilnknowie (Corseford), and Limekilns Plantation 

(Lochwinnoch). 

© 2017 Stuart Nisbet, Renfrewshire Local History Forum 

The Forum’s next archaeology lecture will take place in the Shawl Gallery in 

Paisley Museum at 7. 30 pm on Thursday, 9th November. Our speaker is Ian 

Hill of HARP Archaeology. His topic is In the Footsteps of the Grand Tours: 

The 18th Century in Perthshire. Visitors are most welcome to attend. 


Supreme Sacrifice Bridge of 

Weir and the Great War 

100 years ago this month – November 1917 

2nd Lieutenant George Fisher, 4th Suffolk 

Regiment 

Two young men are memorialised on village 

church memorials, yet not on the main 

memorial. One of those is George Fisher. His 

parents William Fisher, a Paisley stockbroker, 

and Anna Brown were married in Bridge of 

Weir in 1888 then emigrated to South Africa. 

George returned to Bridge of Weir in 1911 

when he was 19 to study law and lodged 

with his widowed aunt Wilhelmina and her 

five children aged 6 to 21, another lodger 

and a domestic servant, in Cruachan, Bonar 

Crescent – no doubt a lively household. 

George later moved to London and joined 

the Inns of Court Officers Training Corps as a 

Private in 1916. He received his commission in February 1917, serving 

in “C” Company and arrived in France on 12th April, fighting at Arras, the 

Flanders coast, and later in Third Ypres (Passchendaele) in the Battles of 

Menin Court Ridge and Polygon Wood. 

George Fisher survived those engagements. After Polygon Wood, the 

33rd Division was withdrawn and took over the newly captured line East of 

Messines. Owing to the heavy nature of the ground, for the river Douave 

had flooded its banks, this was a place of practical inactivity, except for 

considerable shelling in the evening. The Division was moved North of 

Ypres and on 6th November it relieved the 3rd Canadian Division in the 

Passchendaele Salient. 

The battalion war diary of 17th November records: 

“TRENCHES. 17 Nov 1917. Part of Transport moves back WEST of 

YPRES. Bn moves off at 2.45pm and relieves 87th Canadians at ABRAHAM 

HEIGHTS (left support Bn). Relief complete about 6.30pm. Advanced 

party sent to front line about 8pm and suffered the following casualties just 

outside left front Bn HQ (Hillside). 2 Lieut G.W. FISHER killed. 2 Lieut O.C. 

MITCHELL wounded. 1 O.R. Killed. 3 O.R.s wounded.” 

Not a pitched battle, but for those concerned, just as deadly. George is 

buried in the Tyne Cot Cemetery, north east of Ypres. 

His mother returned to the UK from Cape Town on 10th January 1921 with 

another son. Her application for her dead son’s medals gave an address 

of 58 Rosslyn Hill, Hampstead and she died in Hendon, Middlesex in 1940. 

Anna’s sister Wilhelmina died at Cruachan on 3rd February 1944, leaving 

the house to her daughter Anna. 

This was the same Anna Brown, the fiancée and executrix of the will of Fred 

Barr, who had been killed in 1915. Anna was never to marry. 

Read more about George Fisher’s life and untimely death 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 

Johnstone History Society 

Our next meeting will be held on Tuesday November 14th in Masonic Hall 

in Collier Street.This month our speaker will be Fiona Hayes from Glasgow 

Museums and her subject will be “Women in Glasgow in WW1” the ladies 

in the audience should find this especially interesting. All members and 

visitors will be made very welcome.We had a good attendance at our 

October meeting and were given a very informative and also entertaining 

talk by Colin Mackie. We had the first of our bi-monthly raffles and our 

thanks is given to all who donated prizes. 

The Museum which is in Morrisons just beyond the Cafe opens Wednesday 

Friday and Saturday from 10.30am till 4 pm. We stock a wide selection 

of books ,maps and leaflets to purchase, these are also available online 

at www.johnstonehistory.org any purchases can be paid for via PayPal. 

Gryffe Advertizer - Current & Past Issues 

www.advertizer.co.uk/issues 



29 

Losing Heat in Your home? 

Top Tips for Making your Home 

Energy work for YOU 

As the November weather starts to creep in, LEAP has prepared a few tips 

to help you to get ready for the winter months and to save money on your 

home energy bills. 

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

appropriate times for the colder weather. £150 per year can be saved by 

only having your heating on when needed. 

Adjust your thermal radiator valves – using the heating controls appropriately 

can help you to heat the areas of the home that are needed. 

Measure your room temperature – the recommended temperature for a 

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

just 1 o C could save you £85 per year. 

For more home energy information and advice contact LEAP Energy Team 

on 01505 842530/612034, email Ingrid@myleapproject.org or visit www. 

myleapproject.org. 

A common problem with home heat loss is that we sometimes just can 

fathom out where the heat is escaping from. Is it from the windows, doors, 

radiators, walls, the chimney, roof, floor skirting? 

Before the winter sets in, contact LEAP for support to identify where heat 

is being lost in your home. We provide impartial advice on how to prevent 

further heat loss and reduce energy costs, and carry out home energy 

checks in your home. Our energy advisers may take a thermal image of 

your property to identify the specifics of where heat loss is occurring. 

To get bigger works done, the Scottish Government funds interest free loans 

which can also include a cashback grant all to help spread the cost of the 

work, while you’ll reap the benefits 

of keeping warmer with reduced bills 

and carbon emissions. Depending 

on your circumstances you might 

even qualify for discounted or free 

installations. 

Contact LEAP for impartial advice and 

direct referral to Scottish Government 

schemes www.myleapproject.org/ 

contact, email ingrid@myleapproject. 

org or call 01505 842530/ 612034. 


30 


Women of Faith and 

Community 

We’re a monthly run group by women for women, who have a faith 

or no faith. We meet on the 1st Monday of the month from 9.30am 

- 11.30am. Our programme involves discussion of what unites 

us, opportunity to understand each others thoughts and beliefs, 

visiting local places. The programme for the year is created round 

what the group would like. For details email: womenoffaith@ 

hotmail.co.uk or 07463 570464. 

Work Experience 

Working with Gryffe High School. 

We were delighted to have two pupils from Gryffe 

High School join us last month for a week of work 

experience. Aaron and Alex both were tasked with 

researching and writing up an article for this issue, and these are 

printed here. Both aspiring writers in the making we think! 

Well, what do you know? 

by Aaron Mills 

At the Gryffe Advertizer office, there is a plentiful supply of aging 

articles, some of the former Kilmacolm Advertisers even date back 

to 8th September 1900. One article which caught my attention 

came from September 1974, and was written by Lou Holliday. 

This article was all about the history of The Advertiser, and how it 

had changed in its fi rst 74 years. 

Now, in 2017, The Advertizer celebrates its 117th anniversary of 

publication, so it seems appropriate to look back at this article. 

One thing in the article which stood out was that it implied that 

it was an alien concept to not have to pay for The Advertiser, 

something which does not happen nowadays either. During the 

1930s, the usual price for a Kilmacolm Advertiser was one penny, 

later from the 1950s till the 1970s; we know that the Advertiser 

was to be purchased for ‘twopence’. For sometime in the 1990s 

the Advertiser became free again, and it was delivered fortnightly. 

Similarly with the 1900 Advertiser, local children are still delivering 

the current Gryffe Advertizer, which seems to be one of few 

traditions which have survived the last 117 years. 

Back to Holliday’s article, a lot of information is given about the 

people who started the original Kilmacolm Advertiser. James 

Wylie and Robert Madill are the people we have to thank for 

the news sheet, which they started at the beginning of the 20th 

century from a small Kilmacolm office. The former Advertiser was 

mainly for advertisements and church notices, rarely containing 

anything other. At the time when this article was written, Jimmy 

Robertson foresaw operations at the Kilmacolm Advertiser; and 

had done so for much of the 20 th century, excluding from 1940 till 

1947, when production was suspended due to the war. Robertson 

worked alongside Jack Murdoch. He had high credentials, having 

worked for Collins and graduated from the London College of 

Printing. In the article Murdoch sums up why he chose to work at 

the Kilmacolm Advertiser: “When we’ve digested the Advertiser 

thoroughly we have this comfortable feeling that not only is 

Kilmacolm alive and well but also that we have been fully posted 

concerning the state of its ethos, which is more than we feel about 

London when we read the Times.” 

The Monte Carlo Rally 

by Alex Kerr 

One of Europe’s most world renowned rallies, the Monte Carlo Rally, will once again 

start from Paisley. This is the fourth time Paisley has been the host to the Monte 

Carlo Rally, and it certainly won’t be the last. Instead of taking a look at Paisley’s 

history in the world famous Rally, we shall be taking a look at The Monte Carlo 

Rally’s history itself. 

Planning for The Monte Carlo Rally began in 1909, two years before the fi rst race 

in 1911. The rally was set up in honour of the Prince of Monaco, Albert I, and was 

originally only based in Monaco. 

The first race was won by the prominent racer and entrepreneur Henri Rougier, who 

was known at the time for coming 3rd in the 1904 Gordon Bennett Cup, taking place 

in Germany. He was the main car dealer for French car company ‘Turcat-Mery’, and 

the 25Hp Turcat-Mery helped him become the champion of the inaugural Monte 

Carlo Rally. 

Over the 106 years the Rally has existed, there has been moments of controversy. 

One of these was the 1966 disqualification of the 4 highest placing drivers, ruled 

out because of the arguably mundane reason that instead of using the standard 

double filament dipping glass bulbs in their headlamps, they used non-dipping 

single filament quartz iodine bulbs. This earned Timo Mäkinen, Rauno Aaltonen, 

Paddy Hopkirk and Roger Clark a disqualification. These drivers just happened to 

be the top 4 in the race respectively. The racers and their companies were furious, 

threatening to boycott the event and any future rallies, and this was coined ‘The 

Monte Carlo Fiasco’ by the magazine ‘Motor Sport’. 

This year, drivers start their rallies from many cities across Europe, including 

Sweden, Scotland, Portugal, Denmark, Spain, France and Germany. They meet up 

at Digne les Bains and pass the cities of Gorges du Verdon, Entrevaux, the col de 

Felines and then complete the final stretch to Monte Carlo, Monaco. 

Driving test changes in December 

The driving test will change from Monday 4 December 2017 to include following 

directions from a sat nav and testing different manoeuvres. 

The changes are designed to make sure new drivers have the skills they’ll need to 

help them through a lifetime of safe driving. 

The changes will only apply to car driving tests to begin with. 

The 4 driving test changes: 

1. Independent driving part of the test will increase to 20 minutes. Currently just 10 

minutes, you will now have to drive without turn-by-turn directions from the driving 

examiner.for 20 minutes - roughly half of the test. 

2. Following directions from a sat nav. The examiner will provide the sat nav (a 

TomTom Start 52) and set it up including a route. You have to use the one supplied 

by the examiner. One in 5 driving tests won’t use a sat nav. You’ll need to follow traffic 

signs instead. 

3. Reversing manoeuvres will be changed. The ‘reverse around a corner’ and ‘turnin-the-road’ 

manoeuvres will no longer be tested, and instead you’ll be asked to do 

one of 3 possible reversing manoeuvres: parallel park at the side of the road, park 

in a bay - either driving in and reversing out, or reversing in and driving out (the 

examiner will tell you which you have to do), or pull up on the right-hand side of the 

road, reverse for 2 car lengths and rejoin the traffic 

4. Answering a vehicle safety question while you’re driving. The examiner will ask 

you 2 vehicle safety questions during your driving test - these are known as the 

‘show me, tell me’ questions. 

For more information visit www.gov.uk 



31 

Scotland’s ‘High Line’ 

Revamped Forth & Clyde Canal bridge could become Scotland’s ‘High Line’. 

An iconic, 120-year-old swing bridge at Bowling Harbour in West Dunbartonshire has been 

lovingly restored as part of the latest stage of a £3.2 million transformation of the area – and 

could pave the way for a new linear park inspired by New York City’s High Line at the western 

gateway to the Forth & Clyde Canal. 

Bowling Harbour’s viaduct swing bridge was constructed in 1896 to carry the Caledonian and 

Dunbartonshire Railway over the Forth & Clyde Canal. After the railway was abandoned in 1960, 

the bridge fell into disrepair. Thanks to funding support from Sustrans and Historic Environment 

Scotland, Scottish Canals has undertaken vital repairs to the structure’s badly corroded metalwork 

and repainted the entire span. 

The project is now complete and, together with the recent refurbishment of the bridge’s railway 

arches into commercial units, has ensured the structure will continue to play an important role in the 

area for years to come. The transformational work at Bowling Harbour, undertaken in partnership 

with the local community, has brought new businesses, activity, vibrancy and economic benefits 

to the canal and celebrated Bowling’s important role in Scotland’s industrial past. 

Fundraising is now underway for the next stage of development of the viaduct structure – 

transforming the former railway line into a fully accessible linear park and pathway inspired by New 

York City’s iconic Highline. This new route will form a direct link between the Forth & Clyde Canal 

towpath and the National Cycle Network route towards Loch Lomond & The Trossachs National 

Park. Detailed proposals have been submitted for planning approval and feature new viewpoints 

which will offer visitors the chance to enjoy the vistas over the canal and River Clyde. 

The masterplan for the area was shaped by the award-winning Bowling Basin Charrette – a 

collaborative design programme which saw the local community work with other stakeholders, 

agencies and industry experts to develop a shared plan for its future. The village is identified by 

West Dunbartonshire Council as a key regeneration and development priority. 

Bowling, which sits on the northern bank of the Firth of Clyde and near the western terminus 

of the ancient Antonine Wall, was a major transport hub during the Industrial Revolution and 

was vital to the success of the River Clyde, the Forth & Clyde Canal and the Caledonian and 

Dunbartonshire Railway. 

For more information on the ongoing regeneration of Bowling Harbour, see 

www.scottishcanals.co.uk/news/features/bowlingbridge/ 

Change to MyBus 

contact details 

All MyBus phone numbers 

have changed from 0845 

to 0345, all you need do is 

replace the 8 with a 3. 

Numbers that 

start with 0345 

are charged at a 

standard landline 

number rate so if 

your phone tariff 

offers inclusive 

calls to landlines, 

calls to this new 

number will be included. The old 0845 number can 

incur premium call rates. 

Anyone wishing to book a MyBus journey must now 

dial 0345 and their usual number. A full list of all local 

MyBus booking numbers is available on the website 

at: www.spt.co.uk/mybus 

There is no change to MyBus services. If have 

a general enquiry or wish to register or cancel a 

journey, you can contact MyBus on tel: 0345 128 

4025 or visit the website. 

looking for someone local? 

www.advertizer.co.uk/clients 


32 


Rescue Centres 

Hessilhead Wildlife Rescue › 01505 502415 › www.hessilhead.org.uk 

Cat Protection › 0141 779 3341 › www.cats.org.uk/glasgowac 

Dogs Trust Glasgow › 0141 773 5130 › www.dogstrust.org.uk 

Scottish SPCA › 0141 882 1688 › www.scottishspca.org 

These centres are always on the lookout for donations and fundraising. If you can 

help, please get in touch with any of the centres above. 

Christmas Dog Show 

Join us on Saturday 9th December at 11am at St John’s Church Hall, 

Jamaica Street, Greenock PA16 8JJ. 

Royalheart Greyhound Rescue are hosting a fabulous Dog Show with 

Judge, Denise MacGregor. With categories of Loveliest Lady Dog, Best 

Rescue, Most Fabulous Fella Dog, Best Party Trick and Festive Dog Fancy 

Dress, along with craft stalls, gifts, Tombola, this is also a great opportunity 

for some Christmas shopping. 

Doors open at 11am with the first class starting at 11.30am. Admission £2 

adults, £1 under 12’s, dogs FREE! 

Pet Blog 

by PetVets 

Dental Disease 

Over 80% of dogs and 70% of cats 

older than three years have some degree of dental disease. 

Signs that your pet has dental disease include: 

• bad breath 

• difficulty eating 

• loose teeth/tooth loss 

• pawing/rubbing at the mouth 

• infl amed or bleeding gums • tartar on teeth 

• dribbling of saliva 

• teeth chattering 

Your pet may display one or more of these signs. 

The most common form of dental disease is periodontal disease. This is 

infl ammation and infection due to an accumulation of plaque and tartar on 

the teeth. Plaque is formed by bacteria multiplying on the tooth surface. If 

allowed to remain on the tooth surface the plaque thickens and becomes 

mineralised forming tartar. Accumulation of tartar leads to inflammation 

of the gums (gingivitis) and if left unchecked progresses to periodontal 

disease. 

Periodontal disease leads to formation of pockets around the tooth and 

gum recession. It is painful and can result in tooth loss. Infection around 

Dog Attacks 

on Assistance 

Dogs 

Attacks on assistance dogs are indeed very distressing for 

the owner with regard to anxiety about the actual attack, 

its affect on their helper dog and the possible loss of its 

ability to work, and to the dog itself with regard to its fear of 

attack from other dogs while at play or when working. 

I’d remind all dog owners, however, that the Dangerous 

Dogs Act applies to all dogs showing aggression to 

any other dog or a person, even in the owner’s home. What is defi ned 

as aggression is if it causes ‘fear and alarm’ to the other dog or person. 

This means a fight or bite does not need to have taken place so the police 

are involved at a much earlier intervention than an attack. On successful 

prosecution, the owner then has a criminal conviction and the dog may be 

euthanised. 

Please, if owners have a dog with ‘issues’, muzzle it in public and take 

advice from a reputable source- a vet trained in behavioural therapy or an 

appropriately certified behaviourist before this situation arises. 

the teeth can also enter the blood stream and spread to 

other organs e.g. The heart and liver. 

The best way to prevent dental disease is to brush 

your pets’ teeth daily. It is important to use a dog/ 

cat toothpaste that is safe to be swallowed (human 

toothpaste contains fluoride and should not be used 

in pets). There are also special 

chews and treats which can help 

reduce plaque and tartar and some 

pet foods are specially formulated 

to assist in plaque removal. There 

are also additives available for food 

or water which can help reduce the 

build up of plaque. 

Once tartar has formed a scale and 

polish under general anaesthetic 

by a veterinary surgeon may be 

necessary to remove it. A dental 

hygiene plan using one or more 

of the products described above 

should be instituted after a scale and 

polish to help prevent recurrence of 

the problem. 



lð§¥‡þÐœ 

∂∫∞€Ł@)( 

ÐœðŁ 

33 

LOST PETS? 

If your pet has gone missing and 

you would like to place a notice in 

The Advertizer, please call 

01505 613340 or email 

info@advertizer.co.uk 

Re-homing Pets 

Can you offer a home to any of our featured pets? 

Josy - 14 y/o female tabby 

Josy does love attention, affection & 

company though at times she can be a little 

bit hissy if things don’t go her way or she 

Josie does not get what she wants. She recently 

had a benign growth removed from behind her thyroid gland and further 

tests have been positive and showed no further growths. However, if in 

the future any further tests or treatments are required for this condition 

Cats Protection will cover the veterinary costs. She is best suited to a 

mature family that has older children & no other pets. 

Nico - male domestic short-hair 

Nico is a very affectionate little cat who loves lots of 

attention. He has had a hard time as he had been a Nico 

stray for a while but is now safe and warm.He will suit a family who have 

time to give him lots of attention. 

Cardyke Farm, Langmuirhead Road, Auchinloch, Glasgow G66 5LD - Telephone 

0141 779 3341 

David Hisslehoff David Hisslehoff - 

cornsnake 

David Hisslehoff arrived in our care after he was found 

straying. He is now looking for a new home. He is a 

gorgeous chilled out boy who enjoys being handled and would make a 

fantastic addition for any snake enthusiast who can Annie 

provide him with the specialist care he requires. 

Annie - female crossbreed 

Annie is a gorgeous wee girl who came into our care 

through no fault of her own. She is a friendly bunny who is looking for 

someone who can offer her a good sized hutch and a large run for her 

to binky about and do lots of exploring. 

To contact the centre about any animals, please call 03000 999 999 or visit 

www.scottishspca.org/rehoming 

China - 5-7 y/o female Border Collie Cross 

China is a really sweet girl once she gets to 

know you and loves to slide along side you for 

a cuddle. She is wary of some handling though 

so will need an owner that will understand this and give her 

China space when she needs it and help build her confidence. 

China is looking for a home with children over the age of 14 years. She 

would prefer to be the only pet in the home and would benefit from the 

one on one attention. She could be left for a couple of hours at a time 

but initially she may need someone around most of the day to help her 

settle. A secure garden is a must as she will need to practice her recall. 

China is young at heart and would love to live in an active home that will 

keep her busy. China may need to meet her new owners a few times to 

start building a relationship before she goes home. 

Henry 8+ y/o male West Highland White Terrier 

Henry is a really sweet boy who is looking for a 

retirement home where he can enjoy being a couch 

potato. He is looking for someone who is around most 

Henry 

of the day to relax together. Henry has medical needs that will require 

close monitoring and twice daily injections. Henry’s new home must be 

happy to carry this out. He will benefit from having a garden to potter 

in and this must be secure. He can live with children over the age of 

12 years. He could live with another dog - he loves having a doggy 

companion. He cannot live with cats. Henry cannot live in a flat or a 

home with too many stairs due to his medical needs. Henry may need 

to meet his owners a few times to start building a bond and this will allow 

his new owners time to speak with our vet about managing his medical 

condition. 

Dogs Trust Rehoming Centre, 315 Hamilton Road, Uddingston, Glasgow, G71 

7SL. Open: 12noon - 4pm (inc weekends); 12noon- 7.30pm on Tuesdays; closed: 

Wednesdays 


lamontfarm.org.uk 

A vibrant community and animal 

welfare project located in Erskine, 

Renfrewshire. We try our best to 

rescue and rehome as many 

animals as we can. If we cannot find 

a suitable forever home for our 

furry friends they will continue to 

live with us therefore there’s always 

new furries for you to meet. 

Open 7 Days A Week 

April-September: 

10.30am-4.30pm (Tue/Fri: 9.30am-4pm) 

Lamont Farm Project is a registered Scottish 

charity, No. SC013875 

lð§¥ 

We can also put updates on our website 

& Facebook. There is no charge for this service! 

A local Animal Rescue based in the 

West of Scotland, we rescue all 

animals big and small from guinea 

pigs, rabbits and chickens to cats, 

dogs and even donkeys! 

The rescue was setup by a local 

couple with a love for animals, they 

both work long hours and on top of 

that deal with the rescue at same 

time. The rescue has grown so 

much in the past few years we now 

have several volunteers. 

07817 646427 or 

underheughark.weebly.com 

registered Scottish Charity No SCO46258

34 


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


35 


36 


Colourful Kilmacolm 

The big changeover has taken place. We are always 

reluctant to remove our summer planting, especially 

if there is still a reasonably colourful display, but we 

have to move on. After such a ‘moist’ summer there was 

a huge amount of vegetation to be removed and disposed of, 

but our willing volunteers made short work of that task, and soon afterwards 

planted hundreds of bulbs which are sure to cheer us all up next spring. 

Our newly planted borders at Market Place are coming on nicely. We were 

very grateful to the local Explorer Scouts who last month provided a band 

of volunteers, working towards their Queen’s Award, who planted bulbs, 

tidied the borders and did a great job clearing the slabbed area of moss and 

other debris. They worked really hard and made such a difference. Thank 

you and well done! 

Appreciative comments continue to reach us. Thank you for these and for at 

least two recent donations from local people to encourage us in our efforts. 

Colourful Kilmacolm is open to all. If you are able, you can choose to be 

an active gardener, helping when you can with looking after the displays, 

but we also welcome non-active members. The very modest £5 annual 

subscription supports our efforts. Membership forms can be downloaded 

from our website www.colourfulkilmacolm.org.uk or you can phone Peter 

(01505 872448) or Liz (07963973031). 

Kilmacolm Horticultural 

Society AGM 

Our Annual General Meeting will be held in the New Community Centre, 

Kilmacolm on Wednesday 15th November at 7.30pm. Light Refreshments 

will be served. We are delighted to be welcoming Ms Terrill Dobson, the 

national organiser of Scotland’s Gardens Charity as our guest of honour. 

Ms Dobson is travelling from Angus especially to be with us, and to meet 

with the local Renfrewshire organisers of the charity, and the Kilmacolm 

owners who generously opened their gardens to the public in 2017. 

Everyone is most welcome. 

Annual membership of the Society is £5.00, enabling you free entry to the 

Flower Show, the Winter Lectures, two newsletters each year, and the 

opportunity to come along to the annual Outing - always a happy event, and 

sometimes the weather is kind to us too. For further details of the Society, 

access our website www.kilmacolmhorticultural.com or phone our secretary 

Mrs Jill Russell on 01505 872393. 

Autumn is a special time of year. We hope you can come and enjoy it with 

us here at Finlaystone. 

Woodland 

Come and enjoy the changing of 

the seasons with beautiful orange 

and yellow leaves on trees such as 

the Copper beach. 

You can also spot various species 

of fungi such as the Fairy Ring and 

Oyster on trees, and lichen. 

Gardens 

In November you can see Nerine 

(naked ladies) which have pink 

heads round inner circumference of 

walled garden. 

The alley of stunning Cornus Kousa 

Chinensis trees in the walled garden 

with pendulum red berries -these 

are not for eating 

Tea Room 

Cercidiphylum pendulum round 

The Tea Room is open at the 

weekends over November. They sell 

fountain with autumn leaves falling 

off has an aroma of burnt sugar 

lovely coffee and tea’s, homemade 

The Hydrangeas blue and pink are 

soup and a selection of homemade 

in bloom and Acre trees with red 

cakes. 

ornamental autumn colouring 

Xmas Tree Tagging! 

Saturday 18th to the Friday 1st of December 

Select and tag your Tree. £5 to put a deposit on your tree. This means you 

just must pay the usual entry fee. Just head to the visitor centre on arrival. 

Come back anytime near to Christmas and cut it down to take home. 

Falconry Centre 

The Falconry Centre is open to the public on weekends and school holidays. 

Come and meet the team of experts and their feathered friends. They have 

a variety of birds of prey from eagles to owls. The cost is £2 per adult and 

£1 per child in cash on arrival at the centre. 

This is an overview of what’s happening here at Finlaystone. We are 

planning to have more events, so watch this space on Facebook. 

Scotland’s Gardens Scheme 

The Inverclyde and Renfrewshire district of Scotland’s Garden Scheme 

would like to thank the garden openers in the area for so kindly allowing 

visitors to their gardens and the visitors themselves who supported 

the openings throughout the year. Over 255 charities were supported 

throughout Scotland by the scheme as a whole and it is expected around 

£300,000 will be donated this year. This involves a lot of work by everybody 

but without our owners and visitors, nothing would be possible. Thank you 

so very much. 

The trustees of the SGS have agreed to change the donation to charity to 

60% to the garden’s charity of choice from 2018. 

Although there are still gardens opening this year, thoughts turn to 2018 

and beyond. Details of next year’s gardens are already going to print but 

we are always on the lookout for gardens for 2019. So, if you have a garden 

or a collection of gardens in a village or town, that would give 45 minutes of 

interest of more, or if you’d like to help out at openings, please get in touch 

with us either through the website www.scotlandsgardens.org or phone 

Rosemary Leslie 01505 874032 or Alex MacMillan 01475 540423. 



37 

Gateway Garden Drop-In 

Sessions 

November: Sun 12 from 1pm, Weds 8 & 22nd from 2pm 

Gateway Garden, Cartside Terrace, Kilbarchan 

Take part in gardening activity and fun for all the family. Help us plant bulbs 

around the village – grab some for your own garden! Expert advice - bring 

your questions. All welcome. Free. No need to book - just come along. 

For more information and to get involved email hello@kilbarchansmile. 

co.uk, contact Francesca on 07952 169341 or join the group Kilbarchan 

Smile on Facebook. 

Lochwinnoch Community 

Garden 

A meeting was held with the Parish Church to discuss the way forward for 

the Community Garden. The outcome from the discussion was that we all 

wanted the garden to be more accessible to the community. The garden 

would be an open inviting space for people to use as a place of peace, 

beauty and reflection. The gates and large hedge was providing a barrier 

and was not inviting thus the gates will be removed and the large hedge cut 

back to be small and easily maintained. 

We aim to grow plants for the numerous containers in and around the village 

including the War Memorial, McKillop, Calder Church, Library and Lochbarr 

(We plan to increase the containers every year). Furthermore, the payback 

team are giving us a quote on repairing all the flower and raised beds in 

the garden. In addition, a number of small plots will be made available for 

Lochwinnoch residents to grow flowers and veg. 

NEXT DATES AND CALL FOR HELP 

29th October Bulb planting in and around village - MEET McKILLOP 1PM 

26th November Garden tidy up - MEET PARISH CHURCH 2PM 

Kilmacolm Camera Club 

The Camera Club resumed last month with an encouraging turnout at our first evening. 

We were entertained with a fascinating selection of images taken by members during 

the summer months. These took us to the Hebrides and to faraway places. They 

certainly whetted our appetites for the rest of the season! 

We also had a useful and informative evening learning how to produce prints and 

digital images for competitions. This included a number of pointers on how to compose 

and enhance our shots. Thanks to David Addison and Janice Stevenson for sharing 

their know-how on these topics. 

These skills would soon be put to the test in our Summer Assignment competition, 

where members had a chance to judge the entries. This year’s topic was “Religion” - 

but that didn’t mean you were confined to using a “Canon” or an “Olympus” camera! 

“Revelations” on how each competition “Mark” was allocated will appear in a later 

edition. Or just come along and “Luke” in on a meeting (that’s enough of the religious 

puns!). 

Venue: Kilmacolm New Community Centre, Room 1.01; Tuesday evening, time 7.30 

(October to March). Contacts: Billy Blair, Tel: 873383; Janice Stevenson, Tel 873595. 

Website: clikpic.com/kilcamclub/ 


Diaporama 

The October meeting was a mutual 

learning experience and tuition and 

was held in the Committee Room 

in the Carrick so that we could all 

use our own computers. The aim 

of the meeting was to pass on tips 

and suggestions on how to improve 

our AV shows. Thanks to valuable 

input from our more experienced 

members we were able to add to 

our knowledge and also to learn 

some easier and quicker ways of 

doing things we already do. 

There are two main programmes 

used by amateurs to make shows 

and these are Pro-Show Gold 

and Pictures to Exe. We are very 

fortunate at having experts on 

both programmes as they do work 

slightly differently. 

We also had a recap session on 

adding a soundtrack to our shows. 

Music can be added directly into 

Pro-Show and Pictures to Exe and 

timings can be altered there but 

there is a very useful programme 

called Audacity which allows you to 

record and edit sounds and music. 

As mentioned in a previous report 

we have our own website which 

you will find at: diaporamaavgroup. 

co.uk where you can find 

examples of some shows 

and also the syllabus for 

the year. 

Our next meeting is on 

Monday 13th November 

in the Carrick Houston 

and you will be most 

welcome to attend.

38 


Welcome to Scotland’s largest Regional Park 

Craft Fair Sun 26th November: Come down and get 

your house ready and gifts sorted at our Christmas 

Craft Fair! Confirmed so far are Tart-n-Traybakes with 

tasty cakes, buns and scones. Unique and handmade 

Woodland Creations as well as glass tree decorations 

by Kenny Falconer. Castle Semple Conservation 

Volunteers will have some nifty crafts too! On 

Castle Semple Open All Winter: The Castle Semple 

Café is open daily from 10am to 4pm with some new 

shop gift items, cakes to try and hot drinks to enjoy… 

Our favourite this month is the deluxe hot chocolate -it 

comes topped with mini marshmallows! Pick up a new 

what’s on guide while you’re in to! 

Visitor Survey 2017: Thank you to everyone who 

contributed to our Visitor Survey. We hope to use this 

information going forward to help us with decision 

making for future Park improvements. 

Tree Felling at Muirshiel: Work is expected to start 

this November with 3 large sitka spruce plantations 

being felled. There will be restrictions on access/ 

pathways. Please head on site signage or look on 

social media for the latest info. 

Conservation Volunteers: Finding yourself with 

some free time? The 

conservation volunteers 

have an active programme 

of tasks planned for 

over the winter period 

including Rhododendron 

clearance in Parkhill 

Wood. Greenock Cut’s 

group meet 10.30am – 2.30pm every Saturday and 

Castle Semple on Thursdays 12.30 – 3.30pm with the 

odd full day session. 

Beith Camera Club: The group meet monthly through 

the winter and have some great images up in the 

lochside Visitor Centre café. 

Ride 63 Community Cycle Club: Occasional 

weekend rides through the winter, see facebook page 

group for more info or post if you have some free time 

and would like a ride. Contact the club by emailing the 

secretary ridesixtythree@gmail.com for a membership 

form and ride info. 

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 

Another month done and 

we now have eight gulls 

who have migrated. Last 

month we told you about 

Clyde, Stuart and Gully 

MacGullface. Clyde has 

now moved down the 

Moroccan coast and is 

the first Scottish gull to be Clyde by Jose Marques 

tracked using the GSM tags 

to the Western Sahara! We 

are all very excited by this 

news but we were even 

more excited to find out that 

Clyde had his photograph 

taken in Matosinhos in 

Portugal during his migration. We then received 

another email with photos of Flyback on the Costa 

da Caparica beach in Portugal during his migration. 

These areas have thousands of gulls and it’s amazing 

Flyback by Gilberto Pinelas 

to see the first two of 

our birds to travel to 

that region have been 

spotted by some avid 

birdwatchers. 

The change in weather at the 

start of October prompted 

three of the birds to head 

south. Stuart, who was in the 

Republic of Ireland and Atty 

who was up in Stirling, both 

left during the high winds on 

the 2nd of October. They both 

flew non-stop with 

Atty clocking in a 40 

hour flight, (Stuart was 

slightly less) all the 

way to Portugal. They 

then both separately 

travelled down the 

coast with Atty stopping 

near Faro and Stuart heading 

into Spain. On Wednesday 

the 10th of October Stuart 

became our third bird to fly 

to Morocco. Roger also left 

Scotland but hasn’t travelled 

as far and is currently hanging 

out in Snowdonia. 

I’d really like to say thank 

you to all the people who 

have shown an interest in the 

project when we have been 

out and about. We are in the final month of our school 

workshops in Inverclyde, Renfrewshire and North 

Ayrshire and are blown away by the positive response 

we are getting from pupils and teachers. Thanks also 

to The Brown Bull, Lochwinnoch, who are our newest 

business sponsors and have named Gull 17S:C, 

Archie. To keep up to date with what our gulls are up 

to you can follow them at www.clydemuirshiel.co.uk/ 

things-to-do/widlife/tag-n-track/teamgull/ or at www. 

facebook.com/TagnTrack/ 

#TeamGull Adoption! Christmas is coming! Looking for 

a gift with a difference and interested in supporting the 

gull project? We are offering gull adoption packs where 

you can sponsor one of the gulls for £25 and in return 

you will receive an adoption certificate, factsheet, 

monthly email updates, your name on our website and 

a fluffy gull to call your own. Look for details on our 

website or email tnt@clydemuirshiel.co.uk to find out 

more. 

Event News 

In September there was much excitement at the 

bird ringing demo when a juvenile Great-spotted 

Woodpecker was caught and ringed. Join us on the 5th 

of November for our next bird ringing demonstration at 

Muirshiel Country Park. Pop along any time between 

10.30am and 3.30pm to see what we have caught in 

the nets. 

More Info… 

Details can be found on the Park’s website www. 

clydemuirshiel.co.uk/tag-n-track or by emailing tnt@ 

clydemuirshiel.co.uk. The Project also know has its own 

Facebook Page which can be found at 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. 

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. 



Langbank Camera Club 

The October print competition topic was “Columns”. We had a variety 

of images submitted for competition, from rock 

formations, a cement factory, public buildings and, 

by far the most popular, churches and religious 

temples. The winning entry was submitted by 

John Davies for his image of the interior view 

of the cloisters at Paisley Abbey. Joint second 

place was awarded to Phil O’Brien and Gary 

Ramanathan. Phil’s image was of a temple 

corridor, one of the many at the Angkor Wat 

temple complex in Cambodia. Gary’s image 

was of the exquisite interior at Glasgow City 

Chambers, Glasgow. 

At the club meeting a presentation was given 

on portraiture. This demonstrated how you can 

change the look and feel of your portrait photographs by considering the 

background as well as the primary subject. The lecture was well received 

and provided plenty of discussion. 

At next month’s main meeting we will be discussing how to take sunset and 

sunrise photographs. This will be followed by a Q&A session to discuss 

any points or queries raised. The print competition topic for November 

is “Disappearing Professions”. 

The theme for the November Projected Digital Image (PDI) competition 

will be “Odd Couples”. After the competition we will view examples of 

sunset photographs taken by 

our members for comment and 

feedback following the previous 

meeting’s sunset discussions. 

The main November meeting 

will be held on Monday, 

13th November, with 

the PDI meeting held two 

weeks later on Monday, 27th 


All club meetings are 

held in Langbank Church 

Halls, Langbank. Visitors are 

always welcome to our friendly 

club nights. 

Membership of the club is 

only £10 for the first year. 

If you wish to find out more 

about Langbank Camera 

Club please contact Derrick 

McPherson at langbankcc1@ 

gmail.com with your enquiries. 

39 

Branching Out More 

Regular followers of Brighter Bridge of Weir will be aware 

that we’ve recently started planting a few trees as well as our 

usual bulbs, flowers and shrubs. Now we’ve gone a step further. 

Brighter Bridge of Weir and Bridge of Weir Community Council have got 

together and signed up to the Tree Charter, a UK-wide initiative led by 

the Woodland Trust and supported by, among many others, the Royal 

Horticultural Society, Scottish Wildlife Trust and the RSPB. 

Trees are of course an important natural resource, giving us timber for a 

range of purposes. But they are also absolutely vital to the planet’s ecology 

and biodiversity. They absorb atmospheric carbon, provide us with clean 

air, are a natural defence against floods and a haven for wildlife. Yet we’re 

not planting enough to replace those we lose each year. The Tree Charter’s 

supporters promise that a tree will be planted for every signature that the 

Charter receives. You can sign our copy of the Tree Charter in The Bridge 

(the old library) in Main Street, Bridge of Weir. 

We’ve also been in touch with Eadha (pronounced EH-ya), a Lochwinnochbased 

enterprise specializing in the protection, propagation and planting of 

rare native tree species, particularly aspen (for which eadha is the Gaelic 

name), willow and juniper. 

We at Brighter Bridge of Weir are hoping to play a major part in enhancing 

existing woodland areas and developing new ones throughout the village in 

the near future. You can help us without even getting your hands dirty. Just 

go to The Bridge and sign the Tree Charter. 

More at www.brighterbridgeofweir.org 


40 

Gryffe Camera Club 

Gryffe Camera Club’s Competition League Season got underway at the first 

meeting of October. 

There was a good entry for the various categories with some stunning 

images on display. 

Wednesday 4th October : League Competition 1 “Open”. 

RESULTS 

A Prints 

Mono 

1st place – M. Johnston 

1st place – P. Allan 

2nd place – M. Johnston 

=2nd place – M. Johnston 

3rd Place – P. Allan 

=2nd place – M. Johnston 

Digital A 

Digital B 

1st Place - M. Martin 

1st Place - C. Arthur 

=2nd Place - M. Johnston 

=2nd Place - F. Calvert 

=2nd Place - K. Cummings 

=2nd Place - C. Kyle 

The previous week the club took part in a four-way international competition 

with clubs from France and Mexico where, again, the standard of images on 

display was exceptionally high. Each club displayed images showcasing 

the distinctiveness of each country. Needless to say the Scottish scenery 

stole the show. 

The first talk of the season by a club member was given by Pat Allan 

on 11 October. Pat travels far and wide in her quest to capture images 

which invariably win both admiration from fellow photographers and win 

competitions. Her talk was entitled: “Snow and Ice” ”Bears and Bison”, 

breathtakingly beautiful and she thoroughly deserved the warm applause 

from her fellow photographers. 

Gryffe Camera Club prides itself in being a welcoming and friendly club. If 

you find any of the subjects in November’s syllabus of interest to you please 

come along to the club. 

We meet in the Carrick Centre, Houston each Wednesday evening at 

7.30pm. 

For further information have a look at our website: www.gryffecameraclub. 

co.uk 

01-Nov League Competition 2 - “SCAPES”: Judge - Colin McLatchie 

08-Nov SPEAKER: Robert Spence - The Hand In Horror Show 

15-Nov Members Night with Hugh Kerr 

22-Nov GDPU v Motherwell: Judge - Findlay Rankin 

29-Nov Friendly: Hub Singer: Judge - Charles Summers 

League Competition 3 “OPEN” - Digital Hand In 

Paisley Colour 

Photographic Club 

Bowie Trophy 2nd Richard Bennett’s 

portfolio “Iris” and “Airborne Hare”. 

Competition for the Bowie Trophies 

PCPC recently held their first competition of the 2017-2018 session at the McMaster Centre in Renfrew. This 

competition was for the Bowie Trophies and entry consisted of two images, one botanical and one zoological. The club 

were very pleased to welcome award winning landscape and wildlife photographer Gordon 

Rae from Lockerbie to judge the competition. 

The standard of each of the 70 entries was particularly high this year and Gordon gave 

his expert critique to each image. He was generous and encouraging with his detailed 

consideration of each image in turn and pointed out how minor improvements could be 

made by for example eliminating highlights in images or by not over sharpening images. 

Ila Bowie Trophy, Winner Carol Gracie 

“Meadow Pipit” 

This year the winner of the Ila Bowie Trophy, awarded to the best non-advanced member, 

was new club member Carol Gracie for her images “Amanita Genus Fungi” and “Meadow 

Pipit”. 

In the advanced competition for the Bowie Trophy Gordon awarded fourth place to Duncan McDonald for his images 

“Adult Coot Feeding Young” and “Cycad”. Mike Cruise’s portfolio “Red Rimmed Bracket Fungus” and “Red Squirrel 

in Autumn” was awarded third place whilst in second place was Richard Bennett’s portfolio “Iris” and “Airborne Hare”. 

This year the winner of the Bowie Trophy was Jim Black for his stunning set of natural 

history images “Lycoperdon Perlatum” and “Common Blues Mating”. 

Bowie Trophy 4th Duncan McDonald “Adult Coot 

Feeding Young” 

There were also awards for the overall best botanical and 

the best overall zoological images in the competition and 

these awards went to Leonard Esakowitz for his image 

“Butchart Belle” and Pat Cook for her image “Argiope 

Underbelly with Spider” respectively. 

For further information about PCPC and updated 

members galleries please view: 

www.paisleycolour.co.uk 

Best Overall Botanical Leonard 

Esakowitz for his image “Butchart 

Belle” 


Bowie Trophy 1st Jim Black “Lycoperdon 

Perlatum” and “Common Blues Mating”. 

Best Overall 

Zoological 

Pat Cook for 

her image 

“Argiope 

Underbelly 

with Spider” 

Bowie Trophy 3rd Mike Cruise “Red Squirrel 

in Autumn” 



41 

Winter is here. Our woodland trees are nearly 

completely stripped of their leaves, revealing 

the wonderfully twisted bare branches. Clear, 

cloudless nights that we experience at this time 

of year give way to crisp clean mornings which 

are perfect for walking through the woodland 

as it crunches underfoot. 

The lack of foliage on the trees and bushes 

allows for us to view the wildlife as it scurries 

and flutters about readying for winter. Our 

migrating birds have long since flown off to 

warmer climates and, some others have arrived 

in their flocks. Can you tell the whooper swan 

(Cygnus cygnus), which has flown in from 

Iceland for the winter apart from the resident 

mute swan (Cygnus olor)? Cygnus is the Latin/ 

Greek word for swans. It is based on Cygnus 

the Constellation which is also known as the 

Swan constellation and features the Northern Cross within it. Swans are featured in Greek mythology and Zeus, the king of the Greek gods himself is 

said to have once transformed himself into a magnificent swan. 

If you would like to discover more about the constellations in our night’s sky why not come along to our astronomy evening Friday 17 November and 

hear all about the galaxies and stars. This event will have highly knowledgeable speakers from the Astronomical Society of Glasgow. Additionally we 

will be holding a birds for beginners’ event on Sunday 26 November. Here you can learn about some of our common resident species of birds as well 

as the winter visitors. 

For more information about the reserve or any of our events, please call 01505 842 663 or email lochwinnoch@rspb.org.uk 


42 

Weir on the River Calder, Lochwinnoch by Ian Woolner 


bishopton, langbank & bridge of weir 


The September meeting of Renfrewshire Council saw 

some very progressive motions accepted and achieving 

cross-party support. Motions passed which included a 

commitment to provide free sanitary products in all schools 

across Renfrewshire as well as a commitment to make the 

necessary steps to move towards piloting a universal basic 

income trial. I am extremely proud to be a part of a council 

that is implementing forward thinking, progressive policies. I 

look forward to what we can achieve in the future. 

Both Brighter Bridge of Weir and the Bridge of Weir Community 

Council have recently signed up to the National Tree Charter, 

which is an initiative set up to increase the planting of trees 

in communities. A tree will be planted for every signature received. I am extremely 

supportive of this initiative which aims to protect and improve our environment 

as well as creating natural woodlands for communities. You only have a little time 

left to show your support so head down to the Bridge, in Bridge of Weir to sign 

the charter. 

In September I attended several coffee mornings across the ward supporting 

Macmillan Cancer Support. These were well attended and it was great to chat 

with local members of the community while supporting a good cause. I also 

recently had the pleasure of attending Brighter Bridge of Weir’s annual casino 

night fundraiser. It was a fun and busy night with many local people attending to 

support a fantastic group who do great work in the local community. 

Team Up to Clean Up: Calendars are now online with details of when and 

where litter pickers, street sweepers and gully cleaners will be from day to day. 

Check when they will be in your area by searching Team Up to Clean Up on the 

Renfrewshire Council website. 

Get in Touch: Many issues have been raised with me recently and it is impossible 

to list them all here. I report regularly to the local community councils and tenants 

and residents associations to keep constituents informed on the issues that I 

have been working on. Alternatively, for up to date information on issues raised, 

search for - Cllr Natalie Don on Facebook and Twitter. 

If you have any issues you would like to discuss, please get in touch by emailing at 

cllr.natalie.don@renfrewshire.gov.uk or pop along to one of my regular surgeries. 

Surgery details: First Saturday of the month. The Bridge, Bridge of Weir - 10am, 

Bishopton Community Library - 11am, Langbank Parish Church - 12pm. 


Bridge of Weir Lace Group 

Bridge of Weir Lace Group meets fortnightly on Tuesday mornings (10am - 

12noon) during the winter months. If you’d like to try lacemaking we can provide 

materials & tuition. For further details phone (01505) 613967. 

Voice Of Hope 

warmly invite you to a 

Langbank Village Centre 

Friday 8th December 7pm - 9pm 

Mulled Wine, Tea, Mince Pies, Cakes, 

Carols, Readings, Musical Items 

Speakers: David and Allyson Tyrrell 

from Healing Rooms Scotland. 

REGULAR GATHERINGS: 

Weekly Ladies Bible Studies Tues 

10.30am 

Fortnightly Friday Night Church 7pm 

For venue and info: 

07890 777710 or 01475 540700 



Elderly Forum 

Our next meeting is on 14th November 

in the RBLS Hall in Bridge of Weir at 

3pm. Our speaker will be from the Fire 

Service giving advice on Home Safety 

and all members are invited to attend. 

Our Christmas Dinner is on Wednesday 

13th December in the RBLS Hall and 

tickets will be on sale at that meeting. 

We are not going round our members 

to collect the money this year so if you 

wish to come to the dinner you will be 

able to pay on 14th November. We 

are having a speaker from the Advice 

Works at our January meeting. She 

will give advice on Benefi ts which are 

available. 


Christmas Lights Switch-on 

Bridge of Weir Community Council announce that the Christmas Lights Switch-on 

will be on Monday 4th December. 

It’s that time of year again when the Community Council organise the Christmas 

Lights switch-on, and once again we have enhanced our lighting display. 

The evening kicks off with the Carol Service in Freeland Church at 6.15pm 

followed by the Switch-on of the lights at 7.00pm at Livery where Santa will arrive 

in style. 

Light refreshments will be served in the Royal British Legion Club. 


Bridge of Weir TARA 

The latest meeting of Bridge of Weir TARA was well attended, and our thanks go 

to Cllr. James MacLaren, P.C. Eilidh O’Hanlon, Housing Offi cer Alan Boyack, and 

Renfrewshire Wardens Alan O’Hara and Kevin Price for their attendance. 

The police report showed that there were nine crimes committed within the 

confi nes of the village in the last month. These included, the theft of a generator 

from a building site, the theft of a wheelie bin, the vandalism of a window, one drug 

offence relating to cannabis, one threatening communication via the internet, 

and four road traffi c offences. One of the crimes has already been detected and 

the police have defi nite lines of enquiry in respect to the others. 

Both the police and the Renfrewshire wardens have attended the viaduct on the 

cycle track near to Locherburn Cattery, with reports of a gang of youths regularly 

congregating there to drink. Related to this has been the theft of wheelie bins 

from the cattery, which have then been set alight on the cycle track. Anyone who 

has any information regarding these incidents should contact the police on 101 

and asked them to pass on information to P.C. Eilidh O’Hanlon who is one of the 

two Community Police Offi cers who cover Bridge of Weir. 

TARA has been in regular communication with Renfrewshire Council regarding 

play equipment issues in both Houston Road Park and The Glen/Ranfurly Park. 

In addition TARA will shortly be having a site visit at Houston Road Park with 

the Land Services Manager from Renfrewshire Council in regards to the general 

upkeep and maintenance of the park. 

The drains at the primary school crossing point on Houston Road have been 

reported to Environmental Services at the council as they are blocked and 

fl ooding is affecting the road and the pavements. They have promised us they will 

work to resolve this issue. 

After discussions with TARA, the low tree branches overhanging the wall at Bridge 

of Weir Primary School will be attended to by the council as part of their winter 

maintenance programme, which should result in better visibility come the spring. 

They have also said they will incorporate a more thorough road sweeping regime 

along in front of the school. 

The next meeting of Bridge of Weir Tenants and Residents Association is in the 

Pirie Centre at Freeland Church on Tuesday 21st November at 7.30pm. As usual 

all are welcome, so if something regarding the village is bothering you why not 

come along and air your views. 


Bridge of Weir SWI 

On Thursday 2nd November we will 

hold a craft evening. There will be 

an opportunity to learn papercraft, 

candle decorating, napkin folding and 

making crochet poppies. Alongside 

this our evenings are an opportunity to 

meet friends and make new ones over 

refreshments. 

We meet at 7.15pm for 7.30pm at the 

British Legion and we welcome visitors 

and new members. 



43 


Important Notice LDP2: Torr Road 

You may be aware of the new Consultation on Potential Development Sites in our 

village and in particular, Torr Road, Bridge of Weir. 

The proposal is for up to 250 houses to be built over a period of 7 years, in the 

fi elds behind the existing houses to the south of Torr Road and stretching along 

to Thriplee Farm. 

The knock-on effect of this would be more cars using the roads and parking 

facilities in the village, even more children needing places at local schools, and 

many more patients looking for support from our medical facilities. 

Full details of all proposals are online at: http://www.renfrewshire.gov.uk/ 

article/3070/preparation-of-the-next-local-development-plan 

Send your emails to: localplanconsultation@renfrewshire.gov.uk, ref LDP 2083 

DEADLINE FOR INPUT: MONDAY 20 NOVEMBER 2017 


St Machar's Ranfurly Church 

Service for Remembering those who have Died 

A short refl ective service will be held on Sunday 5th November at 4 pm in St 

Machar’s Ranfurly Church for all those who have been bereaved in the past year 

or previously, and wish to remember their loved ones. Everyone is welcome. 

Remembrance Sunday Service 

This will be held on Sunday 12th November at 10:30 am in St Machar’s Ranfurly 

Church with participation of the Guides and the Boys Brigade. This will be an all 

age service and everyone is most welcome to remember with us the price and 

the challenge of freedom. 

St Machar’s Ranfurly Guild Guest Night 

Join us to hear the the Langbank singers on the 20th of November at 7.30pm in 

St Machar’s Hall. 

The Terrace Lunch Club 

Last Friday of each month, this month 24th November - Join us in St Machar’s 

Hall for a chat over lovely soup and sandwiches, followed by coffee/tea and a 

biscuit, all for £4. Open to all. 


The worry of new housing developments continues to plague 

the village populations, and Renfrewshire Council have just 

published their Additional Proposed Housing Sites which list 

the site at Thriplee Road for 250 houses and another on 

Kilbarchan Road for 50 houses, both in Bridge of Weir; If you 

have already put in an objection for any of these sites then 

because of changes that have been made to the application I 

would advise you to resubmit your objection with amendments 

if you desire. Even if you objected to the previous smaller 

proposal, put in a new one as the others may not count. 

More details can be found at http://www.renfrewshire. 

gov.uk/media/4635/CONSULTATION-DOCUMENT- 

Background-Paper-2---Update-Additional-Housing-Site-Assessments-Oct-2017/ 

pdf/Background_Paper_2_-_Update_Additional_Housing_Site_Assessments_ 

Oct_2017_Reduced_Size.pdf or contact me for more information. Note your 

objection must be submitted by 20 November 2017. May be you will also fi nd 

the “Our Village Bridge of Weir” Facebook page to be useful to alert you to the 

ongoing discussion. 

As I write this, the storm Ophelia is hitting our shores, and you can expect a certain 

amount of chaos in its wake as leaves already creating slippery surfaces on the 

roads and pavements get washed into the gutters causing localised fl ooding. In 

Langbank, I expect Main Road will be fl ooded both because of leaves already 

lying on Station Road and because the outlets to the drains in the Clyde being 

under water. Depending on the wind speeds, but expected to be high, some trees 

may be blown over as the ground is already saturated. 

Surgeries: Langbank Parish Church Hall - 1st Monday of every month (6.30pm), 

Bridge of Weir Primary School - 2nd Monday of every month (6.30pm), Bishopton 

Community Library - 3rd Monday of every month (6.30pm) 

Contact: 0300-300-1291 or email cllr.james.maclaren@renfrewshire.gov.uk . 

Check out my Facebook page for more information and articles www.facebook. 

com/councillormaclaren 



Bridge of Weir Community Council 

AGM: At the Annual General Meeting, held on 3rd October, offi ce bearers reelected 

(unopposed) are Chair: Sandy Clark, Vice-Chair: Tom Fulton, Secretary: 

Sandra Liddell, Treasurer: Neil Ferguson, Minute-Secretary: Pat Allan. 

We welcomed our guest speaker Sharon Marklow, Strategy and Place Manager, 

Renfrewshire Council. 

Sharon spoke about the Local Development Plan (LDP) process. In summary, the 

current LDP was adopted in 2014 and has a life span of fi ve years. During this 

period, the Development Plan Scheme is updated annually and identifi es any 

changes or updates required to statutory documents that form the guidance for 

the next LDP which is scheduled to be adopted in June 2019. 

PLANNING: As part of the LDP process, there has been new suggestions for land 

use in the Main Issues Report. These new suggestions include the site lying to the 

West of Thriplee Road, although previously assessed for the current LDP the site 

has been re-submitted with a boundary change that increases the potential size of 

any future development. Anyone who commented on this site during preparation 

of the 2014 LDP should note that their comments will not be carried forward into 

the next LDP process. New comments will be required when consultation opens. 

The consultation will run from the 9th October for a period of six weeks. 

Decisions by the Scottish Government’s Reporter on the planning appeals for 

Whitelint Gate and the land lying to the North of Kilmacolm Road are expected 

during November. 

The former Bull’s Garage site: Renfrewshire Council Planning Department is in 

discussion with the developer on the proposed layout of the Care Home and retail 

units together with any associated junction enhancements. 

Cala Homes at Lawmarnock Road: The Cala proposal for eight villas and a block 

of fl ats has been refused and to date they have not presented any new proposal. 

The length of closure on Clevans Road has been due to hinderance of shallow hard 

rock. Delaying replacing drainage and Scottish Water re-routing high-pressure 

water mains. Notwithstanding this, we understand that the road has been open 

to through traffi c for the last few weeks. There is a section cordoned off to allow 

the fi nal connection by Scottish Water, but this is simply a ‘drive around’. 

ROADWORKS: Residents will be relieved to learn that the works at Deafhillock 

roundabout are due to be completed on the 8th December. However, there may 

be further disruption in the New Year when modifi cations are made to the slip 

road onto the A737. The Community Council will provide Facebook updates. 

Gullies have been cleared in Hazelwood Road. The fence at River Gryffe is due to 

be repaired. The decorative wall on Livery Walk is also due for repair. 

PARKING: Our Renfrewshire Councillors reported that Wardens have been 

issuing notices to drivers who have been parking out with bays and misusing 

parent, child and disabled bays in Livery Walk Car Park, further meetings are 

scheduled with Council Offi cials. 

STREET LIGHTING: The contractor Power 1 has gone into administration. This will 

have an effect on the works programme as a new tender may have to be issued. 

OTHER ITEMS: A meeting has been arranged with Cargill Hall Mother and Toddlers 

Group to resolve issues with Renfrewshire Council’s Hall’s Department. 

Renfrewshire Council Team Up to Clean Up initiative is under way, all Renfrewshire’s 

30,000 gullies to be inspected. Locally litter pickers will return to our streets on 

a regular basis and street sweeping programmed works will commence in late 

October. Check the Team Up to Clean Up page on Renfrewshire Council’s website 

for further information. 

Issue raised by the public include: Residents in Woodside area unable to gain entry 

or leave their properties at Nursery and Primary School start and fi nish times. R 

residents are often subjected to verbal abuse from parents and guardians when 

dropping off and collecting their children. Cars speeding in the vicinity of Park 

Road and Southview Crescent. Drinking in public spaces. 

The Community Council and Brighter Bridge of Weir have jointly signed up to the 

Tree Charter. This is an initiative to plant trees in communities throughout the 

UK. Trees are vital to the Earth’s ecology and the Tree Charters aims will help to 

improve the local landscape and environment, provide habitats for wildlife; create 

natural woodlands for recreation and the benefi t of everyone in the community. 

Please take a moment to sign the Charter that is placed in The Bridge for every 

signature a tree will be planted. 

NEXT MEETING: Tuesday, 7th November at 7pm in the Cargill Hall. 

bishopton, langbank & bridge of weir

ishopton, langbank & bridge of weir 

44 


ROAR Information Day 

Join us at the Pirie on Tuesday 31st October. 

ROAR - Connections for Life is a locally based organisation providing 

a variety of activities and services which enable older adults to make 

the most of their lives. The options available include digital classes, 

gentle exercise sessions, health and well being clubs, befriending, 

foot care and fi lms. There are also opportunities for volunteering. 

To fi nd out more please visit us at the Pirie Information Centre Freeland Church 

from 10am to noon on 31st October. Anne Marie Cullen from ROAR will be happy 

to tell you more about all that is available and details of venues and eligibility. 

Come along if you wish to fi nd out more for yourself or for someone else you think 

may be interested. 

We will be serving tea and coffee and hope to make you very welcome. 


Bishopton Art Group Annual Christmas 

Art & Crafts Fair 

Saturday 18th November between 10am and 3pm 

Bishopton Community Centre, Gledstane Road, Bishopton 

Local amateur artists and crafts people will offer a variety of products for sale 

that will make ideal Christmas presents. The venue has free parking and is a 

5-minute walk from Bishopton railway station. 

Admission to the Christmas Art and Craft fair is free. Tea, Coffee and delicious 

home baking will be available. 

Linda Mitchell, organiser of Bishopton Art Group’s Christmas Art and Craft Fair 

said, “Bishopton Art Group is pleased to announce that our annual Christmas Art 

and Crafts Fair will be held on Saturday 18th November at Bishopton Community 

Centre. As usual, there will be a wide selection of art and craft on display, which 

would make ideal Christmas presents. Tea, coffee and some great home baking 

will also be available during the event. Admission is free.” 


Senior Citizens Club 

We meet at Cargill Hall every 2nd 

and 4th Wednesday 7 - 9.15pm. 

Subscriptions are only £6 per year 

and £1 each week pays for your tea 

and biscuits. Entertainment provided. 

Previous entertainers include a male 

voice choir & live music. Contact Sheila 

Patterson for further information on 

01505 690521. 


The Bridge 


Bishopton Scout 

Group Fireworks 

Saturday 4 November 2017 

RoF Car Park, Bishopton 

6.30pm to 8.30pm 

Come and join us for our annual 

fi reworks display. 

£2 per person, under 5’s free. 

Hot food and drinks available. 

GATES OPEN 6.30PM - DISPLAY 

7.30PM 

Happy Birthday!!! we are delighted to report that come mid November ‘The Bridge’ 

will celebrate its SIXTH birthday. 

Your Support – we are well into the Christmas season and, due to strong customer 

demand, we have increased our stocks of Christmas Goods. Please make 

sure you visit ‘The Bridge’ for your packs of Christmas cards, individual cards, 

wrapping paper, Christmas tags and money gift wallets, etc. Our very popular 

locally produced Calendar for 2018, showcasing Bridge of Weir scenes, is on sale 

as is a selection of Diaries for the coming year. 

Community Centre - please use the expertise provided within The Bridge. The 

Hear to Help Service takes place on the third Friday afternoon of each month. 

Please visit to obtain free hearing aid batteries or have questions answered 

without having to travel to the RAH in Paisley. The Citizens Advice Bureau has 

bookable appointments every second Monday and our MSP, Derek Mackay, and 

MP, Gavin Newlands, each hold monthly surgeries. 

Post Offi ce – Thinking of buying Christmas gifts - why not send a Gift Card. These 

can be exchanged in many well known stores. Please ask Donald, Anne or Stuart 

for details. Please remember the overseas posting deadlines!!! 

And fi nally, as we approach our 6th anniversary, a huge ‘Thank You’ to the residents 

of Bridge of Weir and to our loyal volunteers who all continue to support us. 


Gryffe Voices/ 

Freeland Church 

Bass player wanted for Freeland 

Church Praise Band in Bridge of Weir - 

mainly Sunday mornings. Call Graham 

on 07718 630127. 


Langbank SWI 

Our Opening Coffee Evening was a 

big success. The picture shows our 

hardworking treasurer Fiona Cumming 

ready to take our fees. 

The display of cakes and savouries 

for supper was much appreciated by 

members old and new. 

November 16th, the talk is on Heart 

Health, and an expert from the heart 

transplant team at the Golden Jubilee Hospital will 

be giving us all information and advice. 

Competitions: Red velvet cupcake x 1, Christmas 

card – any craft, Piece of heart shaped jewellery. 

We meet in the village centre at 7.30pm, monthly 

on every third Thursday. 


Christingle Service 

Sunday 3rd December from 4pm - 6pm 



Singing for 

Wellbeing 

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. 


Bishopton Christmas Tree Light Switch on 

Sunday 3rd December 2017 at Bishopton Community Centre, 

Gledstane Road, Bishopton 

The village Christmas tree lights will be switched on after a carol service that 

starts at 6.15 pm. There is an open invitation to the local community to join in 

too. 

Bishopton Community Centre Association and Bishopton Parish Church have 

once again organised the Christmas tree light switch on and community carol 

singing. The carol singing will be held within the building. The Christmas tree light 

switch on ceremony will take place outdoors in the Community Centre’s car park, 

adjacent to the Christmas tree. The carol singers will include children and adults 

from community organisations. Song sheets will be distributed for everyone else 

to join in. Refreshments will be available. 

The Community Centre car park will be closed to allow the ceremony to take 

place. It is recommended that motorists should leave their cars at home and 

walk to the Centre. It is likely to be cold and those attending should wrap up 

appropriately. 

Billy Arrol, Chairman of Bishopton Community Centre Association said, “Following 

on from the previous successful Christmas tree light switch on ceremonies and 

carol singing, Bishopton Community Centre Association is delighted to be involved 

again in helping this year’s too. The lights will be switched on by a local noteworthy 

person or persons. I am also hoping that we will have a special seasonal guest 

appearance. It promises to be a good community event for all of the family.” 

“It is a free event. Light refreshments will be available.” 

Bridge of Weir Messy Christingle service and everyone 

is welcome, young and old, to come along and make a 

Christingle (see below). We will be making them in the large 

hall at Freeland with other activities from 4pm - 5pm. We will then move into the 

church for a short candlelit service with the Christingles which is really lovely. 

After this, we will be back in the hall for food and a chat. 

Lots of different people come along and it’s a great way to meet people. Babies 

and toddlers welcome. Adults are welcome to come along without a child but not 

the other way round as we don’t want to lose them! 

Christingles have been around since 1747 when a German bishop was trying to 

explain the birth of Jesus to a group of children. It consists of an orange wrapped 

in a red ribbon with a candle in the centre and four cocktail sticks with fruit and 

sweets. The orange representing the world and the red ribbon representing God’s 

love wrapped around the world and the blood Jesus Christ shed on the cross. 

The dried fruits and sweets are symbols of God’s creations and the candle 

symbolises Jesus the light of the world who brings hope to people living in 

darkness. We all need hope, the service is lovely and the children love eating the 

sweets before they should so come along and join us! Just turn up on the day. 

Facebook (Bridge of Weir Messy Church) 



*SOUP* *DILUTING JUICE* *TEA* *COFFEE* 

*TAMPONS & SANITARY TOWELS* 

Renfrewshire Food Bank are also busy getting ready for Christmas and the holiday 

season and any donations of long use by PARTY FOOD eg. Crisps, nuts, popcorn, 

biscuits, Christmas cake and Christmas Crackers (to pull at the dinner table!) would 

be warmly welcomed. 

Many thanks for your kindness – Renfrewshire Food Bank 

kilbarchan - howwood - lochwinnoch - elderslie 

Kilbarchan NWR 

During the month of November the 

group has 3 meetings. The fi rst is a talk 

about the Camino walk to Santiago de 

Compostela in Spain, which was also 

the theme of the fi lm “The Way” starring 

Martin Sheen. In mid-November we 

shall be testing our brains by taking 

part in the national Telephone Quiz 

and at the end, we shall be enjoying 

a new Murder/Mystery play, the 4th by 

an NWR member in England who has 

raised thousands of pounds for charity 

with her plays. We would be delighted 

to welcome new members, please 

phone 703786 for more information 

or see the website: www.nwr.org.uk 



Lochwinnoch SWI 

The November meeting of Lochwinnoch 

SWI is on Wednesday 15th November 

at 7.30 in the McKillop Hall. 

Aileen MacLeod is coming to give us 

a talk on “As a Result of Footering”. 

Aileen makes items for formal and 

informal occasions from scraps of 

tartan fabrics. Perhaps some ideas for 

Christmas, ladies! 

We look forward to 

welcoming members and 

friends. 

For further info contact Elma 

Richmond at 843193 or richmond32@ 

tiscali.co.uk 

Traffi c issues around the villages are seldom absent in 

correspondence from constituents, and no wonder. The 

ongoing delay in completing the work being undertaken at 

Deafhillock roundabout is completely unacceptable. The 

impact in Kilbarchan in particular has been signifi cant, 

exacerbating an already major problem of through traffi c in 

the village. 

The developers who are building the adjacent homes on the 

Merchiston Hospital site, Scottish Water and Renfrewshire 

Council, must all bear some responsibility for the current 

situation. The disruption and inconvenience is causing 

both frustration and anger amongst resident and business 

communities. I cannot understand why it seems impossible 

for the developers, the Council and utility companies to carry out both joined up 

work and thinking on these matters. 

Once this particular project is fi nished with the date now being 10th December 

- no apparent guarantees here - the council needs to look carefully at conditions 

applied to future planning applications on time scales, to make sure this does not 

happen again. I will be pressing for such action. 

Continuing the traffi c theme, representatives from Howwood, Kilbarchan, and 

Lochwinnoch community councils attended a meeting with myself, and other 

local councillors, to discuss the way forward in seeking improvements to the A737. 

The response from Transport Scotland, the responsible authority for the road, 

has at previous meetings at best been underwhelming. Requests for updated 

accurate accident statistics, site visits, with further pressure on Transport 

Scotland, and lobbying of local MSPs at Holyrood will be undertaken in the near 

future. Recognition and action is required from Scottish Government ministers 

for improvements for a road built a quarter of a century ago to refl ect traffi c and 

safety issues in 2017. 

Carers and people with learning disabilities in Kilbarchan, Howwood, Lochwinnoch 

and elsewhere, who attend the day centres at West Lane Gardens in Johnstone 

and Whitehaugh, have been told that the centres which were due to close at 

the end of last month will remain open until the end of April next year. This is 

as a result of pressure from the users and their families, and I applaud their 

endeavours. While this extension is a step in the right direction it does however 

not go anywhere near far enough in implementing the decision of the council 

on 30th August, that the service continue to be protected for a minimum of 3 

years. I sincerely hope that over the coming weeks and months, the council 

administration and its health partners, will secure the long term future of the 

service through the existing arrangement with Capability Scotland, an alternative 

provider, or by bringing the service in house. 

My surgeries are on the fi rst Saturday of every month except January or July at 

9am in the McKillop Institute Lochwinnoch at 10am in Howwood Village Hall and 

11am in the Steeple Hall Kilbarchan 

Meantime please contact me at cllr.derek.bibby@renfrewshire.gov.uk or phone 

07534156007 or 0300 300 1274. 



Early Bird Christmas Gift and Craft 

Fayres 

45 

Sunday 5th November, Kilbarchan Guide Centre, 

High Barholm, Kilbarchan: 1pm to 4pm. 

Beat the rush and start your Christmas shopping 

early!! There will be a variety of stalls from local 

crafters to suit your every need. Stallholders 

include Annabelle’s Christmas Decorations, 

Sweets and Knits, Threepwood Fayre, BrawBricht 

Jewellery, Mandy’s Rainbow Glass, All Things Nice 

Jams and Pickles and many more. Browse our 21 stalls 

and stop for a coffee and a chat with friends. All funds raised will go 

towards World Challenge India 2019. Check out our facebook page ‘Kilbarchan 

Craft Fayres’ for further information. 

Entry includes Tea and Coffee: Adults £1.50 Children £0.50 



Sat 28th October Kilbarchan Parish Church Hall, Steeple Street 

20+ Stalls including Forever Living, Scentsy, Crafts, Frames, Usborne Books, 

Book Art, Sweets, Jewellery, Avon, Hair Bows, Handbags, Homemade Cards, 

Sewing, Garden Items, Pets Accessories, Photography, Kids items, Face Painting 

AND MUCH MUCH MORE! 

Afternoon tea with Entertainment also being served. Raffl e with amazing prizes 

up for grabs. Tickets £3 adults, £2 kids over 5yrs, under 5’S FREE. Can be 

purchase prior to the event or on the day. Contact Lynsey 07939 032269 or Ann 

07951 112653. 


Kilbarchan Smile Catch-up 

Old Library Centre, 9 High Barholm, Kilbarchan. 

On Monday 6 November 7.30pm, come along to The Old Library, Kilbarchan to 

meet new friends and help care for your village. 

New members always welcome - please bring your ideas! For more information 

and to get involved email hello@kilbarchansmile.co.uk, contact Francesca on 

07952169341 or join the group Kilbarchan Smile on Facebook. 

kilbarchan, howwood, lochwinnoch & elderslie

kilbarchan, howwood, lochwinnoch & elderslie 

46 


Elderslie Kirk Guild Coffee Morning 

We are holding a Coffee Morning in the Church Hall on Saturday 4th November 

from 10am - 12noon. £3 entry with Cake & Candy stall. 

The Guild will meet on Wednesday 8th & 22nd November in the Church Hall, 

Main Road, Elderslie from 7.30pm - 9pm. All welcome. 


Lochwinnoch Community Council News 

Lochwinnoch Community Council held its Annual General Meeting on Tuesday 

3rd October 2017. Offi ce Bearers were re-elected as follows: Chairperson - David 

Arthur, Vice-Chairperson - Morag Thow, Secretary - Yvonne Ross, and Treasurer 

- Jane Owens. 

Over the last year we’ve operated with 16 Community Council members and 

have representatives on the Renfrewshire Community Council Forum (RCCF), 

Local Area Committee (LAC), South Renfrewshire Access Network Initiative 

(SRANI), the A737 Partnership, Clyde Muirshiel Regional Park Consultative Forum 

(CMRPCF), Renfrewshire Outdoor Access Forum (ROAF), Renfrewshire Fairtrade. 

We continue to liaise with our community groups, activities and businesses 

and have supported our Christmas Lights Display, Lochwinnoch Gala Day, the 

Community Planting Volunteers, Friends of the McKillop Group and the Fezzes 

Ukulele Band. 

Community Council members and volunteers have carried out litter picking and 

clean ups around the village, we have worked alongside the Renfrewshire Unpaid 

Workers Team on fl ower planting projects and acknowledge the tremendous 

work that the Johnshill Residents carried out on our community’s response to the 

recent Leith Planning Application. 

We communicate with our community via our Minutes, Newsletter, Posters, 

Community Council Website and local Facebook pages. We have an excellent 

attendance at our meetings from Police Scotland and from our four Renfrewshire 

Councillors, which is very much appreciated. Earlier this year, we had a major 

role in facilitating a successful outcome pertaining to the replacement of 

Lochwinnoch Bridge. 

It has been non-stop on planning matters over the last year with two major Solar 

Panel Applications, consultation on the Main Issues Report / Local Development 

Plan, the Johnshill Planning Application, the Struthers’ Planning Application 

and now with the Stewart Milne Group POAN (Proposal of Application Notice 

Application) being lodged, it looks like a busy year ahead. 

The Chair thanked all Community Council members who have served over the 

last year for their support and hard work in making it another very successful 

year. There was special thanks to Duncan Adam (Planning Convenor) and 

Kerry MacKendrick for the considerable amount of time and effort they have 

spent researching, drafting and writing up responses to the various planning 

applications and planning consultations; the Local Development Plan and 

Renfrewshire Council Main Issues Reports were major tasks. 

There were guest speakers at the AGM. Karen Keane and Archie White (Unpaid 

Work Co-ordinators from Renfrewshire Council) talked about the tasks that their 

teams have undertaken in the local area over the past 12 months. 

In addition, Stuart Graham (Partnerships, Planning & Development Manager 

at Renfrewshire Council) gave a very interesting presentation about the Local 

Outcome Improvement Plan (LOIP) - now known as “Our Renfrewshire”. The 

focus is on improving outcomes and reducing inequalities in communities. Over 

a period of many months, communities have been consulted on what matters to 

them, the results have been analysed and prioritised and the new plan came into 

existence at the start of October 2017. 

Our next meeting will be on Tuesday 7th November, starting at 7.30pm in 

Lochwinnoch Bowling Club. All welcome. You can also contact us at: http:// 

lochwinnoch.org 




Scottish Country 

Dance Classes 

Tuesdays in the McKillop Hall, 

Lochwinnoch at 7.30pm. 

We always have great fun and it's 

good exercise too! Phone Lorna Black 

01505 843048 for more info. 


2nd Lochwinnoch Golf Club Tea Dance 

The second free Tea Dance in support of Lochwinnoch Dementia Friendly Village 

will be on Friday 1st December 2pm till 4.30pm. Come and dance, sing and have 

fun with the fantastic ‘Music Box’ and 

enjoy a lovely afternoon tea from Janice 

and her team! 

The dance has been sponsored by one of 

the Lochwinnoch Golf club life members 

what a generous and kind gesture! 

For more info contact Morag on 

07868752814 

Calder Church Christmas Fayre 

Saturday 18th November 10am - 12noon in the McKillop Hall, Lochwinnoch 

Stalls include: Home Baking, Christmas Gifts, Cards and Wrap, Bottle Stall (non 

alcoholic), Jewellery, Arts and Crafts, Books, Toys, Lucky Dip and more! 

Adults £2, Children FREE includes Tea/coffee/juice and Christmas goodies. All 

welcome. Please come along. 


Kilbarchan Parish Church Messy Church 


Our next Messy Church takes place on Saturday 11th 

November from 4pm to 6pm in the Church Halls. 

Come along and enjoy a fun fi lled couple of hours 

ending in a time to eat together. Children must bring 

an adult to join in the fun. Everyone will be made most 

welcome. 

Given increasing concerns raised to me by constituents across 

the ward about the length of time taken by Scottish Water 

to repair the Deafhillock roundabout I have taken the fi ght 

to the utility company itself, and written to them, calling on 

them to initiate 24hr working to ensure that local businesses 

and residents alike are not further inconvenienced by the 

incompetence of Scottish Water. I have made it clear to them 

that plodding on until December is not acceptable either to 

me or my constituents. 

As Convener of the A737 Partnership Group, to which 

Lochwinnoch, Howwood, Kilbarchan, and Johnstone 

Community Councils send representatives, I recently 

convened a meeting to which I was pleased to report that several local MSP’s 

of all political persuasions are willing to support our campaign. This is crucial 

both to ensure that the Howwood junction is fi t for purpose and to secure future 

economic investment in Johnstone and the Villages. 

I have recently been contacted by residents in Lochwinnoch High Street as we 

are once again approaching the worst time of the year for blocked gulleys, and 

certainly I have stressed to council offi cers that effective cleaning and prevention 

is better than cure. The new administration has made ambitious claims for their 

gulley cleaning programme and I certainly mean to hold them to that. 

The former Kilbarchan West Church has now formally been put up for sale at a 

price of £175,000. My motion to which Renfrewshire Council agreed in April, of 

seeking to explore the viability of establishing a Museum of Village Weaving at 

the site, remains on the table. To take this idea forward we need to establish 

a group to explore funding streams with Historic Environment Scotland. If you 

would like to help me do that, please contact me on 07534 148224 or e mail me 

on cllr.andy.doig@renfrewshire.gov.uk, to express an interest. 

My advice surgery in Kilbarchan is on the 2nd Wednesday of the month in the 

Steeple Hall at 7:30pm, and my advice surgery in Howwood is at 6:30pm on the 

4th Wednesday of the month, and then in Lochwinnoch on the 4th Wednesday 

of the month in the McKillop at 7:30pm, all excluding July and Christmas. But I 

am also always available to constituents who can call me on 07534 148224, 

tweet me on CllrAndy4Ward8, e-mail me at cllr.andy.doig@renfrewshire.gov.uk, or 

facebook me on Independent Voice@Ward9JohnstoneAndVillages. 


Kilbarchan 

The NWR group meets fortnightly 

on Wednesdays and has a varied 

programme of speakers and discussion 

topics. If you’d like to fi nd out more 

about NWR and the Kilbarchan group, 

please contact the website: www.nwr. 

org. 



47 

Would you know what to do in an Emergency? 

♥ Every week in Scotland, 70 people suffer cardiac arrest. 

♥ More than 3,500 people per year in Scotland are treated by the 

Ambulance Service following a cardiac arrest. 

♥ Only one in 20 people will survive. 

♥ Without resuscitation, cardiac arrest is always fatal. 

♥ But, performing CPR could double that person’s chance of survival 

Heartstart courses are free of charge and it only takes two hours to learn the 

skills which may someday save a life: 

♥ Recovery position 

♥ CPR and using an Automated External Defi brillator (AED) 

♥ Heart Attack 

♥ Choking 

♥ Serious bleeding 

New venue for Howwood courses “The Boarding House” 

To learn the simple skills that save lives, contact Morag Thow on 07868 

752814 to book onto one of our courses: 

Wednesday November 15th 7 - 9pm Masonic Lodge Lochwinnoch 

Tuesday 12th December 7 - 9pm The Boarding House Howwood 


Howwood Community Council 

Meetings of the Community Council are held on the second Tuesday of each 

month at 7.30pm in Howwood Village Hall. Please feel free to come along - all 

welcome. 


Being as I only intend to be a one term Councillor affords 

me the luxury of being frank and forthright when it comes to 

managing peoples’ expectations. It does not stop me from 

campaigning on issues, however sometimes one has to be 

realistic in what is actually deliverable. 

I have been a Councillor now for a few months and I have 

managed to visit most departments within Renfrewshire 

House in pursuit of information. I fi nd it much easier to 

communicate with Council offi cers “face to face”, rather 

than the prescribed email. This way I am able to obtain the 

information I am seeking, much quicker. 

Another luxury of exploring Renfrewshire House, is that I 

have been able to establish that there is not a department of psychics. If you are 

wondering why the Council has not fi xed that pothole, lamppost, gulley, etcetera, 

then it may be due to the fact, that the defect has not been reported in the fi rst 

place. It is better that the Council receives multiple reports of a defect, rather 

than none at all. May I encourage you to make a note of the date, time and name 

of the person to whom you have reported the defect. If after two weeks there has 

been no response, please contact me, or any of the other Ward 8 Councillors, 

with the details of your defect report. This way I can go direct to the department 

concerned, with the information you have provided, and ask why your report has 

not received attention. 

I am aware that there is increased interest in local development and hopefully 

between myself and other Ward 8 Councillors, we will keep you informed of 

developments. I know there have been many issues regarding the Abbey Road 

development. I spent two hours engaged in conversation with Fraser Carlin, the 

head of Planning and Housing, which was very informative and enlightening. Not 

everything is what appears. 

If you have issues, with the Council, you would like me to investigate, I would be 

happy see you at my surgery or by appointment at a mutually convenient location. 

My contact details are: email: cllr.alistair.mackay@renfrewshire.gov.uk, tel: 0300 

300 1418. My November surgery will be held in Elderslie Village Hall, on Saturday 

11th November 2017 from 10:30 until 11:30. 


Knitting Bee 

Knuts4Knitting 

Meets fortnightly on a Tuesday from 7pm to 9pm at Knit Knax, 37 High Street 

Johnstone, also weekly Thursday from 2pm to 4pm. 

Contact details: Pamela 07743 156738 or email bknitting@hotmail.co.uk. 



Dementia Friendly Village 

Developments 

We had a fantastic Tea Dance at Lochwinnoch Golf Club 

dancing to ‘Music Box’ and enjoying a fi ne afternoon tea 

served by Janice and her team at the club. A very kind 

Life Member of the golf club has sponsored another tea dance on Friday 1st 

December!! More in November newsletter 

In addition, Annette Gulliver 

presented a cheque to Ian 

Houston from Dementia 

Scotland from one of her many 

table top charity events. 

DEMENTIA TRAINING 

The fi rst of many training events 

will be hosted by Lochwinnoch 

Primary school Ian Houston will 

visit the school and work with the students over the Annette presenting her cheque 

next few weeks. Other groups involved in training 

will be our local GP practice, Dentist and pharmacy. In addition, our three church 

groups will be given training Iain is going o be very busy!! Following these groups 

our shops and businesses will be given advice and support on dementia friendly 

ways to help customers. 

DEMENTIA STEERING GROUP 

An excellent response to establishing a steering group was established on 

Wed 30th August the group will meet again Wed 8th November 8pm in Calder 

Church. 

WATCH OUT for a village wide survey on DEMENTIA coming through your door. We 

want to gather local people's views and possible needs. 


Elderslie Community Council 

Renfrewshire Council’s petitions process was introduced to enable members of 

the public to raise issues of local concern with the Council, either on their own 

behalf or on behalf of an organisation. Petitions about the services provided 

by partner organisations such as the Police and Health Service can also be 

considered. 

The Council reviews the petitions process regularly in order to identify and 

implement improvements to the way petitions are considered - and your views 

are important to us. 

Your community council, members of the public and any other interested party, 

can participate in this review by undertaking a short online survey to let us know 

what you think of the Petitions process. 

Https://www.surveymonkey.co.uk/r/3HCRCWH Please submit your responses by 

22 November 2017 - after which this survey will close. 

kilbarchan, howwood, lochwinnoch & elderslie

kilbarchan, howwood, lochwinnoch & elderslie 

48 


Howwood W.I. 

Tuesday 21st November: WHIST 

DRIVE - Catered by Mrs J Burns 

New members will be made very 

welcome. For further information 

please contact Irene MacTaggart on 

01505 704800. 


Festive Fair 

Saturday, November 11 from 

12pm to 4pm at Lochwinnoch 

Parish Church 

Please join us at the Lochwinnoch 

Christmas Fair hosted by Beautiful 

Crafters Events. Hand-made and 

unique gifts will be available for all 

tastes. 


Kilbarchan Parish Church 



Saturday 2nd December from 

10am-12noon 

Kilbarchan Parish Church Hall 

Many gift stalls and a chance for the 

children to have their photo taken with 

Santa. 


Elderslie Kirk Guild 

Join us on Saturday 4th November for 

a Coffee Morning in the Church Hall 

from 10am - 12 noon. £3 entry with 

cake & candy stall. For 

More 

information 

call 01505 

341 206. 

Services continue at 11am each Sunday throughout November, conducted by 

Rev. Stephen Smith. It is hoped that the church will have reopened for worship. 

The shoeboxes for the Blythswood Shoebox Appeal will be dedicated on Sunday 

5th during the service. Armistice Sunday is on 12th. The service at the Cenotaph 

is at 10am and the uniformed organisations will then parade to the church for the 

Service of Remembrance at 10.45am, with the 2 minutes’ Act of Remembrance 

at 11am. 

We continue to support the Paisley Food Bank each Sunday . 

Sunday School and the Crèche will meet in the hall from 10.45am each week. 

ALL WELCOME TO ANY OF THESE SERVICES. For further information about 

the church and the organisations, please visit Kilbarchan Kirk online: www. 

kilbarchan-kirk.btck.co.uk 


Lochwinnoch Art Group 

This Group is always glad to welcome new members. We are not a class, as 

such, but sharing knowledge and ideas from the group as a whole does result in 

an improvement in performance. All abilities are urged to come along and give 

us a try. Hope to see you there....meetings restart on Monday 4th September 

from 7.30pm to 9.30pm in the Space Room in the McKillop Halls. For more 

information phone Lorna 01505 843048. 


What is Pilates? 

At the Old Library centre we are often asked “What is Pilates?” 

The main goal of Pilates is to strengthen the abdominals, improve posture, 

stabilise and elongate the spine and develop balance and overall strength. It 

was invented in the 1920’s by Joseph Pilates. Physiotherapists use it in recovery 

and encourage people to keep on using the exercises to protect against any 

future injury. Pilates exercises your core while emphasising strengthening your 

back, arms, inner thighs and glutes. Classes offer a total body work out and uses 

movement to increase muscle elasticity and improve fl exibility. The movements 

are often done against resistance, with the abdominals pulled in and up to 

support the spine. 

Like yoga, Pilates is a mind and body exercise. Practising Pilates on a mat centres 

your mind and body and increasing awareness. Mat work places an emphasis 

on the breath. Due to the fl uid movements blood circulates more freely during 

exercise. 

If you have thought about trying Pilates but were unsure we hope this has helped. 

Why don’t you come along to a class and fi nd out. We have classes on a Monday 

at 10.00 am and a Wednesday at 2.00 pm. Each class last about 1 hour 15 

minutes. 

Classes in The Old Library Centre are as follows:- 

Monday: morning Pilates. Tuesday: afternoon Craft Group (every 2nd week). 

Wednesday: morning Yoga, afternoon Pilates, afternoon Credit Union, evening 

Yoga. Thursday: morning “1st Love Music” – music and movement for babies 

and toddlers, afternoon FABS exercise class for over 60’s. Friday afternoon 

Bridge Club. 

Please note the Credit Union have changed from a Wednesday morning to 

Wednesday afternoon. If you are interested in any of the groups mentioned 

above please contact The Old Library Centre to register your interest and to get 

more details of the group times. 

Tel 01505 706070 or email - kipcokil@hotmail.com 

kilmacolm & quarriers 

Greenbelt Update 

There has been a fantastic response 

from the village in opposition to 

building on our precious Green Belt - 

but we need to keep going! 

We are under no illusion that this is 

going to be anything other than a long 

haul and we will need the whole village 

to keep working together because it 

will affect us all wherever we live in 

the village. 

There has been a change in venue for 

boxes for the copies of your responses 

to Gladman and they are now in Gibb 

Stewart’s and Vino13. 

McTaggert-Meikle , Taylor-Wimpey and 

Cala will all, no doubt, hold their own 

presentations in the next few months... 

(more dates for EVERYONE’S diary!) 

In the next couple of weeks you will get 

a leafl et through your door with some 

further, hopefully helpful, information. 

Remember this is OUR village-no one 

else will look after it but US! 


Afternoon Tea 

Concert 

Angel Voices and Voices+ invite you to 

our Afternoon Tea Concert on Saturday 

4th November 2– 3.30pm at St Fillan’s 

Church Hall, Kilmacolm. With Coffee, 

Tea, Scones and Cake & Raffl e, the 

Choir will give a little Concert of Songs 

they have been rehearsing at 2.30pm. 

Tickets £4 – pay at the door. 


Guide Hut to hire 

A great venue with easy access near to 

the village centre. Newly refurbished 

main hall, with additional kitchen 

facilities and outdoor area. Perfect for 

children’s parties, weekly classes and 

one off special occasions. Anyone 

wanting to hire the Guide Hut please 

contact Roz on 07584 359007. 




Bonfire & Fireworks 

- Knapps 

Saturday 4th November 

The 50th Kilmacolm Bonfi re and 

Fireworks will be at Knapps, Kilmacolm 

courtesy of Lord McLay and Robert 

Baxter on Saturday 4th November 

- doors open 4.30pm, proceedings 

commence sharp at 6pm. Come early. 

Any queries to David Wilson 07766 

992294. 


Friends of 

Ardgowan Hospice 

We would like thank all those who 

contributed to our recent collection we 

raised £2842. 

Saturday 11th November Coffee 

Morning and Xmas Fayre 

Kidston Hall 10-12 

We look forward to welcoming you at 

our Annual Coffee Morning. 

Donations of baking, jams/marmalade 

and chutney will be most welcome. 

Kidston Hall will be open from 2-4pm 

on Friday 10th November for your 

donations. 


Advent Carol 

Service 

With Angel Voices & Voices+ 

Community Children’s Choir on Sunday 

3rd December at 6pm at St Fillan’s 

Church Hall, Kilmacolm. 

Come and prepare for the Season 

before Christmas with this lovely 

Service on the theme of Light and 

Darkness through Music, Readings 

and Advent Carols. Refreshments 

after the Service. 

At the start of October I was pleased to welcome the Deputy 

First Minister, John Swinney, to Kilmacolm. During his visit to 

Kilmacolm Primary School he was able to see the school’s 

successful literacy ‘Reading Challenge’ and other strategies 

being used to encourage reading within the School. The 

children were excellent hosts and told Mr Swinney about 

their favourite books and how much they enjoy the activity 

of reading. At a wellbeing level, in preparation for the 2018 

Commonwealth Games, it was also good to see the progress 

being made by the pupils in their endeavour to walk the 

equivalent distance to the Gold Coast in Australia. 

During October I also had the opportunity to take part in a 

Police patrol in Ward 1, seeing fi rst hand some of the issues 

they deal with and discussing with them a variety of policing issues in the ward 

and the wider Inverclyde area. 

Inverclyde Council are currently in the process of determining the future council 

budget. This budget process is occurring under the continuing austerity by the 

UK Government and will be impacted by the Chancellor’s autumn statement. It is 

anticipated that the formal consultation will begin in January (to take account of 

spending decisions by the UK and Scottish Governments). A summary of those 

savings which the Members’ Budget Working Group propose should form part 

of the public consultation is available online in a report to council on the 28 

September. 

My next two surgeries will be 7-8pm on the 29th November (St Francis School, 

Port Glasgow) and 7-8pm on 13th December (Kilmacolm Community Centre). 

You can contact also me directly to discuss any matters by telephone on 

07768460073/01475712370, by email to christopher.curley@inverclyde.gov.uk 

or by messaging me via my Facebook page (@Ward1chriscurleySNP). 



49 


Kilmacolm 

Surgeries 

On the last Monday of every month PC 

Jamieson, the local neighbourhood offi cer, 

will hold a surgery in the Community 

Centre between 10.30 - 11.30 am. Please 

pop in and see him if you want to share 

any concerns or need advice. 


MND Christmas 

Card Sale 

Tuesday 7th November 2017, 

10am - 1pm, in the New 

Community Centre Kilmacolm 

Thank you for your support. 


Local Artist selected as a Finalist in 

Scottish Portrait Awards 2017 

Local artist, Moira McInally from Kilmacolm, has been selected as one of 30 

Fine Art fi nalists for the Scottish Portrait Awards 2017, which is to be held in the 

Scottish Arts Club, Edinburgh in November. 

One of the judges is the esteemed Scottish artist, John Byrne (who has recently 

completed a portrait of Billy Connolly, shown on BBC 1) Moira’s work is called, The 

Apprentice, and is a portrait of her son who is an apprentice with BAE Systems 

in Glasgow. It will be on display, along with the other fi nalists’ work within the 

Scottish Arts Club, 24 Rutland Square, Edinburgh from the 7th November until 

the 2nd of December (Tuesday - Saturday only). 

If you love Art, and want to see some of the amazing artistic talent Scotland has 

to offer, then this exhibition is a must-see! 


Village Art Class 

The 2017/18 session is our 9th year, and the class 

still enjoys the help of our tutor, Mr David Craig who 

has once again set us a project for the year. These 

undertakings, apart from being a great learning 

process, are usually great fun. Last year’s self 

portraits were a very mixed variety - some excellent work, some slightly less so 

and a number hilarious. None, of course, taken seriously. This year’s, once again 

ambitious, remains to be seen. 

One of this session’s highlights will be our annual Artist’s Demonstration. In 

November we will welcome GARETH REID, the 2016 SKY Portrait Artist of the 

year, who, competing against wonderful artists from all parts of the U.K. Won this 

prestigious competition. Gareth, originally from Northern Ireland, lives in Glasgow 

with his family, so he’s almost a local lad! We, and some fellow ‘painters’ from 

other local classes, are very much looking to the event. 

The class runs for 22 weeks over winter months on Friday mornings, between 

September and March. We are a small group of 18 and although once again the 

class is full, we do have a waiting-list. Contact Ruth Lamont, Sec/Tres T: 01505 

872368. 

Ashes Hair has been in business in Kilmacolm for over 11 years now and new 

exciting things are happening within the salon. 

It is now under new management offering sensational new treatments and 

services designed to create the ultimate client experience. 

The salon is currently undergoing a revamp and 

will have a fun, quirky feel to it. Our new manager 

Jacolyn Kincaid has over 10 years experience in the 

hairdressing industry and has trained with the likes of 

‘Joseph Lawrence’ and the ‘Rainbow Room’. 

She has recently gained her Higher National Certifi cate in 

hairdressing, and is now qualifi ed to teach hairdressing. 

She is also a fully trained extensionist offering a variety 

of different method of hair extensions. 

We are also delighted to welcome Vivacious Beauty and Make-up to our salon. 

Alyson Scott is a highly qualifi ed beauty therapist offering a variety of different 

treatments, allowing clients to get pampered at the same time as getting their 

hair glammed up. 

The salon has a talented, friendly team of experienced stylists, and we pride 

ourselves on our excellent customer care and high standard of services we 

provide. 

We have just recently become a Wella Professional salon and therefore offer our 


The Remembrance Sunday service is at 10.45am at 

St Columba’s Church on the 12th. I have the honour of 

representing the Council in my role as Depute Provost. The 

youth organisations will parade at 10am from Birkmyre Park 

to the Church. St Columba’s pipe band will lead the parade 

as it will do again at the main local parade in Port Glasgow at 

12.15. Wreaths will be laid at the Memorial on Lochwinnoch 

Road after church, the service being led by local clergy and 

marshalled by Bridge of Weir British Legion. On the 11th at 

11am we will observe the 2 minutes silence in the Cargill 

Hall at the wooden memorial therein. 

Could I remind our regular bonfi re stewards to be at the 

Knapps at 4.45pm on Saturday 4th November. The Police have taken a great 

interest in our village celebration and I would remind all who come that for “crowd 

control” reasons we need everybody through the gate. Most people who use the 

Knapps for dog walking use dog poo bags but I have had a complaint from a BoW 

Road resident who has been having to collect poo bags from the fence at the 

bonfi re entrance. Better if we take these home. 

A special meeting of the Environment and Regeneration Committee has been 

convened to hear an objection from one individual to the removal of the parking 

discs from use in the village. The initiative to remove the discs has come from 

our traders who have lost customers who are visitors to the village and do not 

appreciate that discs are required. At a June prizegiving 11 parking tickets 

were issued, mainly for disc offences and mainly to visitors. This is an excessive 

amount for a village and is not proportionate. Previously, with Police wardens 14 

tickets were issued in 4 months. Council Offi cers are supporting the removal and 

I do hope the councillors will also. 

I attended both Port Glasgow high School, and St Stephens Prizegiving and 

Awards Ceremonies. Both these schools are doing well and taking advantage of 

the facilities offered by the joint campus. I look forward to continuing cooperation 

between the two schools particularly in the upper school curriculum. 

SEPA have commissioned the salmon ladder on the Gotter Water in Quarriers 

Village. The decision not to divert the Gotter into the Carruth Burn has meant 

that the project can proceed. Flooding on the Gotter will be dealt with by a culvert. 

John Blair and the BoW angling club have been key movers in this exciting initiative 

to allow salmon access to some 4km of spawning grounds upstream. 

My surgery is at the Cargill 9.45 – 10.45 on the 11th November. I can be 

contacted on david.wilson@inverclyde.gov.uk 01475 741969 and 712727 and 

07766 992294 

clients a high end service using only the best products. This allows us to deliver 

city styling from the heart of the village. 

We hope to see all clients old and new very soon and are very excited to welcome 

you to this new chapter for Ashes. 

Great hair - the investment that pays dividends every day 



50 

Lochwinnoch 

Bridge 

of Weir 


PLANNING - Local Development Plan 

With Scottish central government stating a need to build at least 20,000 new homes each year, 

developers have ceased an opportunity to place demands on the Green-Belt. 

The Green-Belt represents protected areas of open ground, within and surrounding the villages, 

designated to safeguard the Village’s character, bringing the countryside into the heart of our 

community. This close proximity and open access is a key feature of village life. Alongside 

agriculture and farming, wildlife fl ourishes with deer, foxes, rabbits, hedgehogs and a myriad of 

birds, including hawks, being common sights. 

Our villages have changed signifi cantly over the last fi fty years, therefore some might consider 

this “threat” as a part of the same on-going progress. However, if protecting our open spaces 

and what they mean for village life doesn’t "fl oat your boat", there must still be serious concerns 

for over stretched services such as schooling, doctors, dentists; roads infrastructure, parking, 

traffi c congestion and safety; fl ood risk, air quality and general well being. 

It’s your village, your children’s future, so make sure that your views are raised. 

Renfrewshire Council has established a mailing list to ensure that interested parties are 

kept informed of progress on the Local Development Plan. If you would like to be informed of 

progress then please get in touch with your full contact details at 

localplanconsultation@renfrewshire.gov.uk or call 0300 300 0144 

Each of the site assessments can be viewed in “Consultation Document Background Paper 2- 

Update Additional Housing Site Assessments (Oct 2017)” under the related documents section, 

follow the link 

www.renfrewshire.gov.uk/article/3070/preparation-of-the-next-local-development-plan 

Of particular interest in Renfrewshire, some newly identifi ed sites... 

Reference Address Capacity (estimated) 

LDP2083 Thriplee Rd, Bridge of Weir 200-250 

LDP2050 South of Brookfield (north of A737) 250-500 

LDP 2085 Barochan Road, Crosslee/Houston 100 

LDP2091 Kilbarchan Rd, Bridge of Weir 50 

LDP2092 Howwood West, north/south of B787 150 

Similarly, for Inverclyde, the “Main Issues Report March 2017”can be accessed at 

www.inverclyde.gov.uk/planning-and-the-environment/planning-policy/ 

development-planning/new-ldp 

Fewer details available for Kilmacolm prior to publishing. However, clearly a signifi cant 

(huge !!!) number of houses given the scale of the highlighted sites. Interestingly, the 

Inverclyde Council Report projects a shortfall for Kilmacolm & Quarriers of just 52 

houses in the period 2016-2024. The number of planning applications seems wholly 

disproportionate. 

Howwood 

Houston 

Brookfi eld 

Kilmacolm 



51 


Bridge For Beginners 

Do You Want To Learn To Play Bridge?? Classes held on 

Tuesday evenings commencing Tuesday 5th September 

7pm – 9pm in the Kilmacolm Community Centre. This class 

is suitable for beginners and those with a little experience in the 

game. Further details telephone 01505 872345. 


The Council has decided to postpone the public consultation 

on our budget savings until our fi nancial settlement from the 

Scottish Government is announced by the Cabinet Secretary 

for Finance Derek Mackay MSP on 14 December. This follows 

the failure of the cross-party Members’ Budget Working Group 

to agree suffi cient savings to go out for consultation. 

The fact we have not yet been able to agree on enough 

savings options for consultation underlines the nature of the 

very diffi cult choices faced by Members. None of us came 

into local politics to cut services that are vital to the future 

wellbeing of our community. 

With 10 of our 22 Members being new to the Council I think 

it is important we proceed at a pace that Members are comfortable with. We 

also know there is still signifi cant uncertainty around the approach to public 

expenditure the UK Government will outline in the autumn statement and the 

subsequent decisions on the funding of local government services that will be 

taken by the Scottish Government. 

We are hoping that Mr Mackay comes up with a much better deal for Councils 

than currently forecast. If he doesn’t there will inevitably be major cuts to services 

and an increase in the Council Tax. 

The Council’s current estimated funding gap for the next two years is £13m. More 

than half of this is due to offi cers anticipating that the Scottish Government will 

cut our grant once again. 

Savings proposals totalling £6.3m have been approved for consultation. These 

include closure of the public space CCTV system, a 50% cut in the number of 

community wardens, transferring the running of Kilmacolm and Inverkip Libraries 

to community groups, moving to a 3 weekly grey bin collection and an increase in 

burial and cremation charges. The consultation will commence in early January 

2018. 

I have one surgery this month in Boglestone Community Centre from 6 to 7pm 

on Tuesday 7 November. You can contact me directly to discuss any matters that 

are of concern to you by telephone on 01475 712020 (during offi ce hours) or by 

email to Stephen.McCabe@inverclyde.gov.uk. Alternatively you can write to me at 

10 Victoria Gardens, Kilmacolm PA13 4HL. 

You can keep up to date with my work as a Councillor by visiting my blog: 

http://councillorstephenmccabe.blogspot.com/ and follow me on Twitter @ 

CllrSMcCabe. 


Brown bin collections - Winter 

suspension 

As British Summer time draws to a close this month, Inverclyde Council is 

advising householders that garden waste collections will be suspended for the 

winter months. 

From Monday 20 November until March next year there will be no brown bin 

collections. 

Environment & Regeneration Convenor Councillor Michael McCormick said: 

“During the winter months garden waste can still be recycled at our Pottery Street 

and Kirn Drive Recycling Centres which are open between 8am and 6pm.” 

For the last garden waste collections of 2017, residents are requested to leave 

their brown bin beside their blue bin on their regular recycling collection day 

during the week beginning Monday 6 November or Monday 13 November. 

There will be no changes to the other bin collection arrangements. 

The Recycling Helpline number is 01475 715901. 



Coffee Morning & 


Saturday 11th November - 

Kidston Hall 10am-12noon 

Friends of Ardgowan Hospice would like 

thank all those who contributed to our 

recent collection we raised £2842. We 

look forward to welcoming you at our 

Annual Coffee Morning. Donations of 

baking, jams/marmalade and chutney 

will be most welcome.Kidston Hall will 

be open from 2-4pm on Friday 10th 

November for your donations. 


OUTLOOK 


St Colm’s 

celebrates 25yrs 

Friday 24th November 

Celebrating 25 years since the 

opening of the new church building in 

Smithy Brae. We would be particularly 

delighted to share this special occasion 

with anyone who has a connection 

past or present with St Colm’s, and 

extend an open invitation to join us. 

Bishop John Keenan will celebrate 

mass at 7pm in St Colm’s, followed 

by refreshments in the Kilmacolm 

Community Centre. 

‘OUTLOOK’ is a social community group in Kilmacolm, that was created to 

welcome everyone, young and old, to come to share friendship and fellowship 

together. It is led by the Community Issues team of Kilmacolm Old Kirk. The 

group meets In Kidston Hall on 1st and 3rd Thursday afternoons monthly, from 

2.00p.m. To 4.00p.m. The programme includes invited Speakers, afternoon tea, 

items of community issues for discussion, dates for your diary, plus entertaining 

activities. 

PROGRAMME – November/December 2017 

02 NOV: Dickens Revisited with Gerard McKeon - A Walk 

through Old City of London 

16 NOV: Sole Solutions - Laura Kelly and Vino 13 Drinks 

for Christmas – James Kelly. 

07 DEC: With our Minister - Rev Peter McEnhill, plus, 

Christmas Tea followed by Carols at the Piano with Sandra 

The OUTLOOK team of Margaret Cook, Sandra Crawford, Andrea Hargreaves, 

Gordon McGibbon, Rae McPhee, Heather Mutch, Catriona Miller, Judy Adams 

and Jill Russell invite you to Come along, bring a friend, spread the word that 

OUTLOOK is for fellowship and friendship. 

OKFest 2018 

Early bird notice of OKFest 2018. Kilmacolm’s music and literature festival will be 

taking place over the weekend 2nd - 4th March 2018. Mark it in your calendars 

now and look out for details in future editions of the magazine’ 


Kilmacolm Xmas Cards 

Jim Wood’s Xmas card this year is from his oil painting ; 

“Kilmacolm -Early Winter’s Evening Market Place-late 1890’s” 

The painting is on display in Threads and the cards are now 

available for sale in Threads and the Post Office. 

kilmacolm & quarriers

houston, crosslee & brookfield 

52 


Parlez Vous 

Francais 

French Conversation group meets 

every Wednesday from 9.30 till 12 at 

Fox & Hounds. Informal tuition same 

venue 2-4 pm. Phone 01505 871 

343, 07463 570464 or email avril. 

forbes2015@outlook.com 


Who, Why, How? 

Are you interested in discussing who we 

are, why we are here, predestination 

or free will, western philosophy versus 

eastern philosophy? We meet in Fox 

and Hounds once a fortnight. Contact 

01505 871343 or 07463 570464 or 

email avril.forbes2015@outlook.com. 


New Sewing Class 

Got a sewing machine but never 

used it or just lost confidence? Do 

you want to know how to raise/lower 

a hem or change a broken zip? We 

might just have the solution. A new 

SEWING CLASS has started in the 

Village Hall Library on a Tuesday 

evening from 7-9pm. Come along 

and learn essential techniques every 

Beginner or Refresher Sewer should 

know. £10.00 per class. Places for 

6-week block must be booked in 

advance. Contact brookfieldvpa@ 

gmail.com for more information or to 

book a place. 


Crafty Friends 

Crafty Hobbies is what we do 

Come and join our Crafty crew 

Come and learn some Crafty makes 

Followed by some tea and cakes 

We meet the 1st and 3rd Thursdays 

in the month at 7.30pm in the Carrick 

Centre Houston. No previous craft 

experience necessary. We are just 

a group of ladies who enjoy making 

things! Contact - Lorna Cairns 612844 

or Shirley White 610721. First meeting 

is Thursday 7th September. 


Victorian Christmas Market 


Brookfield SWI 

The November meetings of Brookfield 

S.W.I. will take place in the Village 

Hall, Brookfield at 10am on Tuesday, 

7th November and Tuesday 21st 


Tuesday 7th, Six Dos and Don’ts for 

the Over Sixties. Speaker Mrs Alison 

Murphy, Solicitor. Competitions, 

Favourite Spoon, Jar of Fruit Jelly, 3 

Custard Creams. 

Tuesday, 21st November The Scottish 

Mask and Puppet Centre Open 

Meeting Visitors £3.00 including tea, 

coffee and home baking. Everyone 

welcome. 


Johnstone 

Christmas Lights 

Switch-on 

Johnstone gets in the festive spirit as 

we switch on the Christmas lights in 

the town. 

Highlights this year include Santa’s 

Grotto in Houston Square, St 

Vincent’s Hospice Christmas Market 

in Johnstone Town Hall, Stage 

entertainment, Face-painting and 

Children’s entertainment. 

Provost Cameron will switch on the 

Christmas lights at 5pm. 

Don’t forget...Johnstone Business 

Consortium will also have a Christmas 

Market 10am-4pm, 1 & 2 December. 


Houston & Killellan 

Agricultural 

Society 

Houston and Killellan Agricultural 

Society are holding a Quiz night in 

J.G.Fleming Bowling Club Houston 

on Friday 24th November at 7.30pm. 

Tickets cost £5 to include a light 

supper and are available from Isabelle 

Stuart issistuart@gmail.com or from 

any committee member. 

Houston & Killellan Kirk Guild invite you to our event on Saturday 25th November 

2017 from 10.30 – 1pm in the West Halls, Main Street, Houston. 

Christmas Shopping All Done? No? We have the answer! 

What you need to do is come along to our Victorian Christmas Market where 

you’re sure to find all the little gifts you are looking for. There are lots of gifts for 

the children to buy for their parents, grandparents, family and friends too. 

For the children, we couldn’t miss Santa, so he will be here to meet you too 

and listen to your Christmas wishes. Also many gifts for the children to buy at 

affordable prices. 

Our stalls include - Baking, Preserves, Toiletries, Children’s gifts, many Under £1, 

Knitting, lucky boxes, gift mugs, 2 Luxury Hampers in our Prize draw, Raffles, 

Competitions, Book Stall, Crafts Stall, and many more for you 

to browse. 

You will love our FREE mulled wine so enjoy! We have hot rolls 

to tempt you and of course our Tea Room will be ready to serve 

you with tea or coffee, juice for the children and delicious hot 

mince pies, all getting you in the mood for Christmas. 

This is an event you cannot afford to miss! Come and join our 

fun day and listen to music and relax away from the hustle 

and bustle of High Street shopping. 



Co-op Houston - Food Bank ‘Christmas 

Collection’ 

Saturday 2 December & Sunday 3 December – 9am To 9pm Both Days 

John (Manager of the Houston Co-op), Jenny, Margaret and Morgan will be in our 

Houston Co-op on Saturday 2 December and Sunday 3 December 9am to 9pm 

both days with their trusty trolley - and charity collection bucket - busy receiving 

your food parcels to help make Christmas and the holiday season a much happier 

time for children and their families in Renfrewshire. 

As well as the essentials of everyday life, we will be collecting PARTY FOOD and 

those extra wee luxuries that help to make Christmas and the holiday season so 

pleasurable – 

*CRISPS* *NUTS/PRETZELS* *POPCORN* 

*CHOCOLATE BISCUITS* *SWEETS* *SOFT DRINKS* 

*CHRISTMAS CAKE* 

*CHRISTMAS CRACKERS (TO PULL AT THE DINNER TABLE!)* 

*Please ensure long use by dates* *No alcohol drinks* 

There is a Renfrewshire Food Bank donation bin in the Houston Co-op all year 

round – please feel free to use! 

We’ll see you all in our Houston Co-op SATURDAY 2 DECEMBER and SUNDAY 3 

DECEMBER 9am to 9pm both days. 

If anyone requires any further information regarding the Renfrewshire Food 

Bank or the Christmas Collection then please contact Jenny – HYPERLINK 

“mailto:JennyMeadows10@outlook.com”JennyMeadows10@outlook.com 

07725 897 833 

Thank you for your kindness – Renfrewshire Food Bank 


Brookfield news 

As another month slips by and we near the end of year, thoughts turn to the 

festive season. A reminder of the programme of events in the village throughout 

December: 

SUNDAY 3 DEC: Christmas Tree Light Switch On from 5.30pm 

Following the success of last year’s event, this is the perfect way to get into 

the Christmas spirit! Meet at the Village Hall at 5.30pm and join a candlelight 

procession to the Millennium Garden where our group of village brass players – 

the Brookfield Brass Necks – will entertain us with some Christmas music prior to 

the switch-on of the tree lights. Then it’s back to the Hall for some refreshments 

and a viewing of ‘The Snowman & the Snowdog’ on a giant screen! 

SATURDAY 9 DEC: Children’s Christmas Party 3.00 - 5.00pm 

Fun and games with The Song & Dance Factory and of course, a visit from Santa! 

Residents are reminded that tickets (£5.00) must be booked in advance – please 

e-mail brookfieldvpa@gmail.com by Wednesday 29 November with the number of 

tickets required and confirmation of children’s names/ages. 

SUNDAY 17 DEC: Christmas Carol Service 2.00pm 

A celebration of Christmas with the Brookfield Brass Necks leading the carols 

followed by mince pies and mulled wine. 

WEDNESDAY 27 DEC: Cheese & Wine 2.00pm 

This ever-popular event is the ideal opportunity for residents, visiting family 

members, friends and neighbours to get together for a really sociable afternoon 

between Christmas and New Year. 

SUNDAY 31 DEC: HOGMANAY DANCE 8.30pm - 1.00am 

Dance the night away and see in the New Year with live band, DIZZY HEIGHTS. 

Tickets £12.50 (minimum age 16) available from brookfieldvpa@gmail.com or 

from any Village Councillor. Bar/Raffle/Refreshments. 

Facebook: brookfieldvillage.org Twitter: @BrookfieldVPA 




Volunteering at 1st Houston Girls’ Brigade 

No matter how much time you have to give, there’s an 

opportunity for you at 1st Houston Girls’ Brigade. 

Join our group of motivating Leaders to offer occasional 

support, or simply share a skill or passion with girls in our 

Company. 

Our volunteering opportunities can fi t around your skills, 

commitments and interests. 

You don’t need to have been 

involved in Girls’ Brigade before to make a big difference and fi nd a role that’s 

perfect for you. 

Whether helping each week, or helping out more casually, you’ll run activities, 

games, projects and events that give girls the opportunity to discover their 

potential in achieving their badge work. If you’d like to help, you’ll be supported 

with training. 

These roles are perfect for you if you: 

* would like to join our Company 

* can support our girls on a weekly basis - giving you the opportunity to see 

them develop and achieve their badge work 

* help our girls with a range of exciting, adventurous and often messy 

activities 

* would like to be part of a team and develop great relationships with our 

team and our girls 

If you aren’t able to volunteer on a regular basis, you can still make an impact in 

a supporting role. No commitment is too small - every role is vital to the running 

of our Company. 

If you would like to register an interest in our Company please contact Lisa 

Dickson on 07739 641816 or by email at 1sthoustongb@gmail.com 


Houston & Crosslee SWI 

On 8th November Mr Harper of Gryffe Wraes Farm will talk to us 

about “Farming in Scotland”. We celebrate our birthday on 13th 

December when we are entertained by The Fables Theatre Concert 

Party... 

We meet in the Compass Centre, South Street, Houston, Please come and join 

us, you will be made very welcome. If you wish further information please contact, 

Arlene MacKay on 07932 459994. 

H.O.S.T. The Carrick Centre, Houston 

(Houston Old School Trust) 

Monday to Friday, Woodlands Out of 

School 01505 615438 

Coffee Shop: - Mon - Fri 9am - 4.30pm 

Sat, 9am - 4pm 

MONDAY 

Yoga (Weekly) 1pm Mary Laidlaw 

01505 229112 

Diaporama 13th 7.30pm 

Young Farmers 27th 7.30pm 

TUESDAY 

Paint Pot Tots (Weekly) 10am Dawn 

Campbell 07789 262350 

Galaxy, Musical Theatre (Wkly) 4-7pm 

Yoga (Weekly) 7pm M/s Lawson 

01505 613690 

Lirico Languages (Weekly) 7 – 8.30pm 

(Fiona 01505 614306) 

Councillor Surgery 7th 6.45 – 7.30pm 

WEDNESDAY 

Big Kids Little Learners 10 – 11am 

Janine Neil 07870 697010 

Galaxy (Weekly) 4 – 7pm 

Gryffe Melody Makers 6th/20th 7pm 

Community Council 15th 7.30pm 

Gryffe Camera Club, (Wkly) 7.30pm 

THURSDAY 

Gryffe Quilting Group (2nd, 9th,16th, 

23rd) 1.15 - 3.15 (16th 10am) 

Primary Colours (Wkly) 3.30–4.30pm 

Crafty Friends 2nd,16th, 30th 7.30pm 

Folk Club (weekly) 8pm iaintdawson@ 

gmail.com 07786 078952 

FRIDAY 

Yoga (Weekly) 10.30am M/s Lawson 

01505 613690 

Big Kids Little Learners (Wkly) 1–2pm 

Janine Neil 07870 697010 

Galaxy Dancing (Wkly) 3.30-7pm 

Gavin Newlands M.P. Surgery 10th 

12.30- 1.30pm 

SATURDAY 

Galaxy Dancing (Wkly ) 9.30am-5pm 

Councillors Surgery 4th 11.30– Noon 

Carrick Concert 4th 8pm 

SUNDAY 

Baptist Church (weekly) 11am and 6pm 

Booking enquiries to: 

Ian Simpson 01505 612203 Bill Haddow 01505 690693 

Stewart Scally 01505 674277 

hostbooking@outlook.com or The Coffee Shop 



A Christmas Concert by the B Flats 

Friday 1st December 2017 in Houston and Killellan Kirk, 7.45pm 


Houston and Killellan Kirk Postie 

HOUSTON KIRK POSTIE A SERVICE FOR THE WHOLE 

COMMUNITY 

Raising funds for 

Alzheimer Scotland 

‘Paisley Memory Lane Club’ 

For a donation of only 25p a card the Houston Kirk 

Postie will deliver anywhere in Houston, 

Crosslee or Brookfi eld. 

The Sorting Offi ce, in the West Church Halls, will be 

open from 10am to 12noon and again from 7pm to 

8pm every day from 11th to 14th December. Cards may 

also be taken to the Church on Sunday 10th December. 

Delivery is guaranteed not later than 19th December. 

53 

The B Flats are a four part (soprano, alto, tenor and bass) harmony group of 31 

singers, drawn from around their base at Gartocharn. The group formed about 18 

years ago, original members from Gartocharn Church, a small body of folk who 

enjoyed each others company , home baking and singing. 

The group attracted more members and in November 2001 they gave their 

fi rst public concert at Gartocharn Village Hall. Since then they have had 

traditional Christmas and Spring Concerts in the hall. In addition they have 

performed in Drymen, Alexandria and other locations raising money for charity. 

So far they have raised £29,000 for primarily, local charitable bodies. 

The concert in the Kirk will be a mixture of traditional and less well known 

Christmas songs with some original arrangements by the founder of the group, 

Robin Barr. We are assured that enjoyment and fun are very much central to 

their ethos. 

Come along and join in the beginning of Christmas festivities hosted by Houston 

and Killellan Kirk Scottish Country Dancers. Donations will be gratefully accepted 

which will be given to our Extension Fund. 


GHS PTS Annual Xmas Fayre 

Thursday, 23rd November 6:30-8:30pm 

Christmas is all wrapped up this year at Gryffe High School with our annual 

Christmas Fayre offering a wide variety stalls with many lovely gifts for the Festive 

Season, from scarves and handbags through to handmade soaps, cards and 

Christmas crafts. 

Get a free mince pie and mulled wine/tea/coffee with each adult ticket and juice 

with each child ticket. Tickets are priced £3 per adult and £1 per child and may 

be purchased in advance or at the door. 

So, come along and support the school and the PTA and help to raise 

extra funds for the benefi t of all the Gryffe High students. Thank you! 


Local villagers will be more than aware that Christmas will 

soon be here. I have great pleasure to report therefore that 

the date for the Christmas Lights Switch On Party in Houston 

will be at 6:30pm on Friday 1st December, with a Christmas 

Fayre in the car park of the Fox and Hounds prior to this 

starting at 3:00pm. After the Christmas Lights Switch On 

there will be fi reworks in the evening as well and I would like 

to thank all the Houston Community Council members who 

work so hard throughout the year to make events like this 

happen. 

Congratulations also to those local businesses that have 

invested money into the new Houston Christmas Lights, 

these being the Fox and Hounds and the Houston Inn, who donated £400 each, 

and the Newspaper Shop who gave £200. HOST (Houston Old School Trust) who 

run the Carrick Centre, have also donated £1,000 to the new Christmas Lights. 

The reminder of the funding was provided by the Linwood, Erskine, and Riverside 

Local Area Committee which I supported. 

The winning designs from Houston Primary, and St Fillan’s Primary pupils for the 

new Houston Christmas Lights will be on display on both the Fox and Hounds and 

the Houston Inn, so please come along that night and celebrate the true spirit 

of Christmas. 

My advice surgery in Brookfi eld is on the 2nd Thursday of the month at 6:30pm in 

Brookfi eld Village Hall, and my advice surgery in Houston is on the 4th Thursday 

of the month in Houston Village Hall, at 7:15pm, excluding July and Christmas. 

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. 

houston, crosslee & brookfield

54 



Primary School 

The first few months have whizzed 

by and with the October holiday 

already behind us we’ve got time 

now to draw breath and review our 

first term. We were delighted to 

welcome our new Head Teacher Mrs 

Susan Bell who took up her post in 

August this year. Mrs Bell has been 

Depute Head Teacher at Bridge of Weir 

Primary for 13 years so is a familiar face to 

us all. She knows the pupils, parents and staff of the school very well and 

has ambitious plans to build on all that has been achieved over the years 

to ensure that every child at Bridge of Weir Primary School has the best 

possible educational experience. 

Our new Primary Ones have settled in extremely well thanks in no small part 

to their amazing P7 buddies who have carried out their duties with impressive 

commitment. The care and kindness which they have shown towards our 

younger pupils is heart warming and has been much appreciated by parents 

too. 

This year all classes will have a focus on Art and Technology with lessons 

delivered by Mrs Devine and Mr Lowit. The standard of art work being 

produced is outstanding and pupils are developing skills in portraiture, 

printing, painting and design. Technology allows children to co-operate with 

their peers, problem solve, work in teams and think creatively and projects so 

far have included P5 designing their own fidget spinners and P7 constructing 

periscopes. 

In Primary 3 pharaohs, pyramids and Canopic jars have been the order of 

the day as the children have been exploring the mysteries of ancient Egypt 

whilst Primary 2 have been designing their own torcs and round houses as 

part of their Celts topic. A few classes have already been out of school on 

educational trips - P7 enjoyed their visit to Whitelee Wind Farm, Primary 5 

were very impressed when they visited the Bannockburn Centre and Primary 

6 are all up to speed with Scottish history after their visit to Linlithgow Palace. 

History has also been the focus for Primary 4 who have been finding out 

about the Vikings. 

In the nursery the children having been enjoying learning about what goes 

on “Under the Sea” and they had great fun during Maths Week Scotland 

working with numbers, patterns, shapes and measuring. There’s a whole lot 

of learning going on at Bridge of Weir Primary! 

Houston Baby & Toddlers 

Mobile Phone 

Recycling 

Thanks to everyone who collected 

old mobile phones for us as part of 

Recycle Week. 77 were collected 

by our participating primary 

schools alone! So a special 

thanks to Bridge of Weir (Eco 

Committee members pictured), 

Fordbank, Houston, Howwood, 

Kilbarchan, Lochwinnoch and 

St Fillan’s Primary Schools and 

to Lochwinnoch and Kilbarchan 

Community Nurseries. These 

phones, along with the ones 

handed into the LEAP offices, 

have been passed to St Vincent’s 

Hospice and will be sent to be 

refurbished/recycled, preventing 

the precious metals, rare earth 

elements and other recyclable 

parts they contain from ending 

up in landfill and raising much 

needed funds for St Vincent’s in 

the process! If you have still to 

hand in phones, the good news 

is St Vincent’s Hospice have 

decided to continue the collection, 

so they can be handed into their 

shops, or to a LEAP office. 

What a great time we have had at toddlers 

recently. We enjoyed lots of great costumes on 

show at our Halloween party along with all the 

usual fun and playing with our friends. 

A little reminder that toddlers will not be on 

Thursday 30th November due to the St Andrews 

day holiday. 

We welcome all children age between 0-4 years 

old, together with their parents, grandparents or 

carers to join in with the games, crafts and play 

on offer every Thursday. The children can enjoy 

playing, making friends and of course snack time 

while the adults can catch up with a cuppa. 

We meet between 9.30 - 11.30am, so come 

along when you are ready to the West Hall, Main 

Street, Houston PA67EL (next to the Carrick 

Centre) 

We look forward to meeting you. 

Bridge of Weir Primary School Eco Committee members 

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 

EVERY WEDNESDAY 

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. 



PGHS Prizegiving Successes 

55 

PGHS Prizegiving Successes 

Pupils, parents, staff and invited guests came together to celebrate the 

academic and wider achievements of the hard working pupils at PGHS. 

Hosted by the Julia Ballingall and Daniel Blaikie, head girl and boy, the 

audience were entertained with speeches from former pupils and musical 

talent from current pupils. Lucy Pollock and Courtney Bowie received 

prizes for DUX and runner up DUX, respectively. Congratulations to all 

prize winners. 

A close shave for a good cause 

Mr Cochrane, chemistry teacher raised over 

£700 for the Brain Cancer Trust charity, by 

having his head shaved by former pupil, Emma 

Carson. S6 pupils Rhys Lappin and Murin 

Keith organised the lunchtime event by selling 

bands and tickets. Money was also raised at a 

coffee morning by staff. 

“Help your child to pass” Information evening 

There was a fantastic turnout at our “Help your 

child to pass” Information Evening. Parents 

participated in workshops from teachers on 

how to support their children through their studies with advice on study 

skill, sleep and exam stress. Careers Advice was also available by Derek 

from Skills Development Scotland. 

School Trips 

All S2 pupils spent a day at the Glasgow Science Centre. Having a fun 

packed day, pupils spent time at the interactive activities, on workshops 

and in the planetarium. On another trip, pupils also spent a fun evening at 

the theatre watching a production of the “The Addams Family”, following the 

school’s own production last term. 

Tail o’ the Bank Credit union come to PGHS. 

As part of their Duke of Edinburgh award, Lucy Stone, 

Jordyn Ingram and Eilidh Kennedy , S5, have been trained 

by employees of the Tail o’ the Bank Credit union to run a 

branch of the credit union from the school. S1 and S2 pupils 

have been given £10 with their new account to encourage 

good saving habits for the future. 

Enterprising Maths competition 

Congratulations to Erin McCafferty , Emily Anderson , Karla 

Bridges and Sarah Harrison who were runners up in the 

Inverclyde Enterprising Maths Competition. The all-girl 

team participated in a variety of challenges to take second 

place out of six and will now proceed to the Regional 

Finals. 

Follow us on Twitter @PortGlasgowHS and @PGHS_PE_ 


Houston Primary School 

Magnificent Mathematicians! 

What a wonderful week of maths we had as part of a new initiative to help 

everyone in Scotland to see maths in a more positive light. 

The staff and pupils engaged in very many creative mathematical activities 

with cross-curricular links and to real life experiences throughout the week. 

The staff worked collegiately sharing ideas and resources to ensure the 

children had the best possible experience. In P1, the pupils engaged in 

‘Sum Superhero’ activities solving number crimes and helping numbers to 

escape. They even made their own superhero capes! P2 went on a trip 

to Lunderston Bay and used SEAL maths techniques on the beach. P3 

played fun, team number games, making the answer using their bodies. 

P4 planned a meal for their family, costing out each item and then made 

it at home with an adult. P5, opened their very own Stationery Shop, with 

tricky prices to add up. They calculated change and worked out how much 

profit they made on each item. It was so popular that it is going to stay until 

stocks last! P6 & 7 linked their learning to Social Studies topics by planning 

a holiday to Paris on a budget and P7 calculated what excellent value their 

residential trip is to Loch Insh. 

Grow Your Own Potatoes 

Houston Primary School won the West of 

Scotland section of the Grow Your Own 

Potatoes Competition by growing their very own 

Saffiyah potatoes weighing in at 1474g. Well 

done to the Gardening Club and the wonderful 

grandparents who support the children. 

http://growyourownpotatoes.org.uk/pc192/About-the-project/Competition- 

Winners/Competition-Winners-2017 

Kilmacolm Primary 

P3 & P5 organised a coffee morning in aid of McMillan 

Cancer Care, to which they invited our parents. The boys 

and girls organised the whole event, including some extra 

activities and they raised a massive £274 to donate to this 

worthy cause. Well done boys and girls! 

Earlier this month we welcomed the Deputy First Minister, 

John Swinney, to school to let him see the great work we’ve 

been doing to encourage our boys and girls to love reading. 

In conjunction with the First Minister’s Reading Challenge, 

the boys and girls have focussed on their love of reading 

and have certainly shown us some of the strange places they like to read. Mr Swinney 

spent a considerable time with our Junior Leadership Team who conducted a tour of the 

school, showing him all the wonderful learning which happens in KPS. Mr Swinney visited 

all the classes, asking questions of 

our boys and girls and the boys and 

girls had many questions ready for him 

about what he likes to read and what 

was his favourite book. We know Mr 

Swinney enjoyed himself in KPS and 

was impressed by our learning. Mr 

Swinney thought we would like the 

Makar’s details and he has passed on 

the address so we can get in touch. 

KPS certainly loves reading! 

When you read our next news we will 

have returned from our well - deserved 

October holiday.

56 

Johnstone High School 


Ardentinny 2017 

After the September weekend, 

S2 pupils made their way to 

the Cowal Peninsula to visit 

Ardentinny Outdoor Centre. 

Though it was a gloomy morning 

the ferry journey was enlivened 

by the sight of a submarine 

coming up the Clyde! 

Over the next few days pupils 

experienced many different 

activities and they all seemed 

to enjoy themselves. Many of 

the pupils commented that the 

activities were “fun and fast 

paced” and that it was “challenging”. 

At the end of the trip, teachers from the Primary school, who also stayed at the centre, 

commented on how our pupils had provided great role models to their P7s and had 

been very friendly towards them. Well Done S2! 

Challenging Gender Stereotypes in the Workplace 

Johnstone High have been working closely with young people to determine what they 

will do with their skills after leaving school. Two pupils who really stand out are Emma 

McDonald and Paul Gilmour, who are challenging gender stereotypes with their hopes 

for the future. 

Emma wants to become a car mechanic. Emma is one of our S4 

pupils, she is a practically minded student and enjoys subjects 

such as woodwork. For Emma’s work experience she went to 

East Fulton Garage and enjoyed it so much she hopes to move 

on to full time employment there when she leaves school. 

Paul Gilmour hopes to become a 

successful theatre makeup artist. As 

a 6th year pupil, he enjoys artistic 

and creative subjects such as art and 

photography. When Paul leaves school 

next summer he hopes to go on to study 

make up artistry at West College Scotland. We are very proud 

of these young people. 

World Challenge Update 

The 3rd World Challenge in-country experienced happened 

this summer in Southern Tanzania. This World Challenge expedition was an exciting 

adventure and every element of the trip was a new challenge. 

The trip was monumentally successful which the challengers will look back on with 

extremely fond memories for the rest of their lives. 

The planning for the 4th expedition to the Himalaya in India in 2019 is already well 

underway and the team of 27 are busy fundraising with bag packs, cake bakes, race 

nights, abseils and a whole bundle of other ventures. We look forward to supporting the 

staff and pupils on this adventure. 

Langbank Playgroup 

What an amazing place to be! At playgroup, children have the opportunity 

to develop their social skills, independence, creativity, numeracy, literacy 

skills and many, many more….. 

Over the last month, the children have been learning about sharing and 

also working together as a team. As we have had a few new faces to 

the group, the children have also been making others feel welcome and 

showing respect. 

Do you have a child aged between 2.5yrs to 5yrs old? Then why not let them 

come along and experience the 

fun! Everyone welcome from 

Langbank and surrounding 

areas. 

Playgroup is held on a Friday 

morning (term time) in Langbank 

Village Hall and we currently 

have spaces for children aged 

2.5yrs to 5yrs. If you would like 

to join us on a Friday morning 

or for more information please 

contact Jen Burrows on 07947 

983025. 

Kilmacolm Playgroup & 

Toddlers 

Playgroup is embracing the changing seasons this month 

as Autumn blows into Kilmacolm. Our lovely little team have 

enjoyed collecting and crafting with leaves and talking about 

the bright autumn colours. We’re also enjoying dressing up 

and getting messy 

with play-doh, paint 

and water fun! 

We’re looking 

forward to our weekly 

our sessions with 

Morton Football club, 

who are coming to 

play some fantastic 

footy games with us 

in our upstairs hall! 

Playgroup runs on 

Monday, Tuesday 

and Thursday 

mornings. For more 

information contact Playgroup on: playgroupmembership@ 

googlemail.com 

Our Toddlers group is on Wednesday mornings from 10 - 

11.30am and gives 0-3 year olds a chance to play with lots 

of different toys, make friends, and share a snack, while the 

grown-ups catch up over a cup of tea. Drop in to find out more, 

or contact Fiona at kilmacolmtoddlers@outlook.com. 

Our website is http://kilmacolmplaygroupandtoddlers@jimdo. 

com. 

Kilmacolm Playgroup & 

Toddlers - playleader wanted 

We are looking for a Senior Playleader vacancy to commence ASAP working 

8.45am to 1pm on a Monday, Tuesday and Thursday morning during termtime. 

We cater for children from 2yrs 4mths to 4yrs, experience with this 

age group essential. Minimum qualifications needed are HNC or SVQ level 

3 in Early Learning and Childcare. The Senior Playleader will manage the 

delivery of Playgroup sessions plus help administer the fees and parenthelper 

rota, manage staffing and liaise with the Care Inspectorate. 

Managed by a voluntary committee of parents, the Group is regulated by 

the Care Inspectorate and the successful applicant must undergo a PVG 

check and register with the SSSC. 

For more details and an application pack, email linda.duffy1@hotmail.co.uk 

The closing date is 12th November with interviews soon after. 



St Columba School 

Open Day 

It was all go at St Columba’s just before 

the October break as we celebrated a 

wonderful Open Morning for current 

and prospective families. Pupil tours, 

a wide variety of fun activities and a 

welcome presentation from the Rector 

showcased life at St Columba’s. We 

have our next Open Day for Early Years, 

Junior and Senior School on Tuesday 

28th November from 9am-3pm. Please 

call to make an appointment to visit and 

let our pupils show you what makes St Columba’s so special. 

Sporting Highlights 

As well as revising our pupils have been busy with 

sport and extra-curricular activities at St Columba’s. At 

the time of writing our senior hockey and rugby teams 

were in Milan for an action-packed sports tour. 15 pupils 

were selected to represent South West District at Girls’ 

U16 and U18 level in the Scottish Inter-District hockey 

tournament while Niall Taylor played for West District 

in the Boys’ U16 Inter-district competition. Jack Patton 

was accepted for the Triathlon 

Scotland Academy and his 

brother Oliver finished third in the Great 

Scottish Run in Glasgow. Kirsty McLean 

was crowned the Scottish Champion for 

Trampolining and DMT, Cara Ewing- 

Mackie won gold in the Greenock 

Waterfront NISA ice skating competition 

and Julia Smith was named the U14 Road 

to Wimbledon 

West of 

Scotland 

winner…to 

name but a 

few. 

DofE Goes Mini 

To encourage independence and 

self-motivation, Junior School 

children from J2 to J6 can now 

join a brand new award scheme 

for St Columba’s called The Mini 

Duke Award and The Junior 

Duke Award. This scheme has 

five award levels: Mini Duke 

Silver (J2) and Gold (J3), and 

Junior Duke Bronze (J4), Silver (J5) and Gold (J6). Through participation 

in the scheme, children will engage in a variety of challenges and learn 

invaluable life skills. J2-J6 children attended a special launch assembly 

with our Award Patron Mr Ally McCoist. Mr McCoist shared a variety of 

challenges that he himself had met, and really motivated our children to 

challenge themselves whilst trying to achieve this award. 

Coding Bee-Bots 

We thank the Parents’ 

Association for their 

help in assisting with the 

purchase of Bee-Bots for 

our Junior School children. 

Bee-Bots are colourful, 

easy-to-operate, friendly 

little robots that help in 

the teaching of counting, sequencing, estimation, 

problem-solving and just having 

fun! Ian Downie, Chair of Parent’s 

Association said, “The PA are delighted 

to support the Infant Department with 

their purchase of Bee-Bots. Bee-Bots 

give children an early introduction to 

coding and are an enhancement into 

the Junior School ICT curriculum.” 

For further information on St Columba’s 

School please visit www.st-columbas. 

org of follow us on facebook.com/ 

stcolumbasschool and twitter.com/ 

ColumbaSchool. 

57 


58 

Abbey Nursery 

What is not to love about the changing seasons 

and in particular the colour, texture and interest 

provided by the move into autumn. 

Whilst the rain is not ideal, the children in the 

nursery have all weather suits so will not be 

deterred and have been busy collecting a variety 

of leaves (many from our own trees!) as well as 

conkers and pine cones to use creatively. They 

have also been talking about animals we see in 

Autumn such as foxes and hedgehogs and will be 

making shelters and thinking about how we can help them during the winter 

months. 

This is also perfect weather for exploring different textures and getting 

outside making leaf rubbings and prints, painting with celery and using dish 

brushes to make an Autumn tree! 

The nursery already has a strong curriculum and excellent home learning 

links to support literacy and promote a love of reading and appreciation of 

stories, words and illustration. To extend this further we are looking in depth 

at a number of children’s authors over the year 

and Percy the Park Keeper by Nick Butterworth 

fits in perfectly with the Busy Bunnies exploration 

of the outdoors just now. 

The Grasshoppers meanwhile have chosen Emily 

Gravett as their author and continues the animals 

theme with great books to explore such as 

Orange, Pear, Apple, Bear; The Rabbit Problem 

and Monkey and Me. 

The Little Ladybirds 

are using all the natural 

materials around them 

for sensory activities 

and lot of messy play as 

usual! 

Parents evening for all children takes place 

on the 7th November when progress reports 

and children’s individual learning plans will be 

discussed. 

PTA Italian Quiz Night 

After a delicious meal of Italian Food in the River 

Inn, the teams were organised and the quiz began. 

Despite some tricky questions and an extremely 

close final between the Teachers team and the Pupils 

team, everyone thoroughly enjoyed themselves. 

Unfortunately the Teachers team were pipped to 

the post and missed out on the final prize of £80 in 

Amazon Vouchers. Well done to everyone who took 

part! The evening ran seamlessly with a tombola and a variety of games such as ‘house 

corners’ between each quiz round. 

Thank You to the River Inn, Mr Christie, The Gryffe PTA and the S6 Pupil Management 

Team for organising a fun-filled evening. 

Can you answer this question (without using Google!) that had everyone stumped? 

Q. What is the second largest coffee producing country in the world? 

Seonaid Murray S6 

Mr Johnson would like to express thanks to the ‘River Inn’ for their support to the school 

with the PTA Quiz night, contributing to the Theatre Refurbishment and also generously 

providing a delicious buffet for the Theatre Opening Night for the MADD show. 


Kilbarchan Community 

Nursery 

In October as part of our new topic, we 

were out and about on visits. We went 

to Glasgow by bus, train and subway 

and to Millport by bus, train and ferry. 

The children were very excited by 

all the different transport also and 

enjoyed having lunch in Millport and at 

the Kelvingrove museum in Glasgow. 

A group of children also visited the 

Foodbank in Johnstone with donations 

of food and other essential items for 

families in need. 

Our Forest Kindergarten visits are now 

also well under way and with the help 

of parent volunteers we hope to have 

these twice a week. Preparations are 

now under way for our Christmas 

show which will take place on Friday 

8th December. 

Duchal Nursery School 

We’ve had a really busy time recently. There’s been music, sport, strolls 

in the park, arts and crafts and baking! Can you believe our 3 & 4yr olds 

have been playing Vivaldi’s Four Seasons on the Glockenspiel! Our very 

talented Mrs Campbell used her music background to teach the children 

about pitch and tone and we had a very lively and noisy morning! 

There are definitely some budding musicians amongst us. 

Madame, our French teacher, has been spending time teaching 

the children numbers and colours in French, and they all 

thoroughly enjoyed their French Breakfast of brioche, croissants 

and chocolat chaud! We are very lucky to have such talented 

staff with such diverse experiences which the children are really 

benefitting from – find out more about our team of teachers on 

our website. 

We had a very successful Open Morning welcoming new families 

into Duchal. If you weren’t able to make it please get in touch 

and we can arrange for you to pop in to find out more about what 

we can offer your child. 

Duchal is an independent nursery with our children moving on to 

various local schools in Inverclyde, Renfrewshire and Glasgow, if 

you would like to find out more, please come and visit the Nursery 

to meet the teachers and see our facilities. Contact us on 01505 

874358 or email info@duchal.com. Visit our website www. 

duchal.com and our Facebook page for further information. 



RAMH Challengers 

Birkmyre RFC 

59 

Many congratulations to the wonderful RAMH supporters who have recently completed 

challenges. Special thanks to Duncan McGlynn who completed his first ever marathon 

in aid of RAMH, in the Highlands. Duncan ran the Loch Ness Marathon, a famously 

beautiful but gruellingly solitary run, raising over £350 for local mental health services. 

And huge congratulations to Alana Alcroft who recently completed the Edinburgh Kiltwalk 

in 3hr40mins in memory of her late brother Adam. Alana has raised around £2,400 for 

RAMH and SOBS (survivors of bereavement by suicide), providing services for local 

people. 

RAMH are delighted at the extraordinary lengths their 

supporters go to, to empower people in their communities 

to recover from mental health issues, and wish to thank 

everyone for their much valued dedication and efforts. 

If Duncan and Alana inspire you to get involved, contact 

RAMH on enquiries@ramh.org or 0141 847 8900. 

Photos show Duncan McGlynn & Alana Alcroft 

Our senior XV had a marvellous finish to West Division 3 

last year which resulted in promotion for season 17-18 to 

West Division 2. 

After a challenging start our young 1st XV team have 

picked up three bonus points in recent games and our fi rst 

victory is on its way! Several of last years under 18 team 

are now playing regularly for the 1st XV which augurs well 

for the future. We also have players who need to shave 

more regularly as well! 

Training is (weather permitting)on every Tuesday and 

Thursday night between 7-9pm at Birkmyre Park so if you 

interested in joining a great club with a very active social 

calendar why not pop down or call Donald Hall 07799154597 

for more information. 

Our first class coaches can help ex players shake off any 

rustiness and if you have no experience but are keen to 

learn you will be in good hands. 

Our junior section continues to thrive with our under 14s in 

particularly being very busy.. 

The U14s played at haft time in the recent Pro14 match 

between Glasgow Warriors and Benetton Trevino at 

Scotstoun Stadium. 

This was followed by a short trip to Kilmarnock where the 

secret an excellent victory was secured. 

GryffeStyles Week - 3k Fun Run 

Finish 

Our annual GryffeStyles 

Week fi nished, as always, 

with our showpiece 3K 

Fun Run on Thursday 21st 

September. A rain soaked 

course at 6:30am was 

nervously inspected before 

the decision that the show 

must go on! By the start of 

the school day, the course was in perfect condition and we even had a visit from the sun 

before our fi nal afternoon race. 

Over 600 runners participated in the races which included all year groups from Gryffe 

High School, all Primary 7 pupils from Bridge of Weir Primary School and Houston 

Primary School and even a new staff race at lunchtime! All participants paid £1 to enter 

the race with this, and all other sponsor money raised, being donated to Breast Cancer 

Now charity. 

As per tradition, our S6 experienced their ‘first last’ this session as they participated in 

the fun run for final time all dressed in 

their ‘hippie’ theme! Mr Johnson and 

Mrs Brown mixed in well with the fancy 

dress runners though question marks 

were raised as to whether they were 

just dressed in usual attire!? 

Well done to all participants. 

Mr. G. O’Hare – FH Health and 

Wellbeing 

Kilmarnock U14 11 v 26 Birkmyre U14s 

Birkmrye U14s defeated Kilmarnock last Sunday in their 

first away fixture of the season. 

Underfoot conditions were incredibly tough due the poor 

weather conditions the local area had experienced in the 

days running up to the match. However, that did not prevent 

“the bears” from playing some free following rugby. Having 

identified that the opposition had a considerable size 

advantage, Birkmyre stretched the game wide utilising the 

superior passing skills of their half backs and centres. This 

resulted in a total of 4 tries for winger, Adam Hannah, during 

the course of the match. 

Birkmyre dominated the play throughout the game however 

it was not an easy contest with Kilmarnock running well with 

the ball in hand and aggressively at their opponents. Strong 

tackling was required to blunt these attacks and Birkmyre’s 

superior rucking saw them win back a considerable amount 

of ball. 

Try of the day was saved to the end. Birkmyre were awarded 

an scrum inside the opposition 22, left of centre. Stand-off 

Finlay McLaughlin and winger Adam Hannah lined up to 

the left with the rest of the backs taking up positions to the 

right. When the ball was put in, Birkmyre Centre, David 

Cruickshank, looped round the back of the scrum, creating 

an overlap and collecting the ball to score an excellently 

worked try. 

Birkmyre No 8, Ryan Rooney scored the other 2 tries and 

Kilmarnock managed 3 scores of their own during the 

match. David Cruickshank converted 5 of the tries with one 

successful conversion. 

For more information on what’s happening at the club at 

all levels visit our Facebook @birkmyrerugbyclub or, www. 

pitchero.birkmyre.com 


60 


Kilmacolm Tennis Club Championship 

The sun shone on Kilmacolm Tennis Club’s Championship Finals day, opening with a hard-fought men’s 

doubles fi nal, where the gent’s first team first pairing of Ali Robertson and Dave Finch just edged 

out Club President John Davies and tournament rookie Steven Lucas, resplendent in their cheeky 

commemorative shirts. 

Ali Robertson then played Stuart Love in the 

men’s singles Final. Stuart didn’t give his best 

performance in the fi rst set, but then recovered 

well to make a real match of the second set. Ali 

was the beaten fi nalist last year, so a popular 

winner in the battle of the club’s next generation. 

We had fewer fi nals than usual because the 

Junior Squad were off at Gleneagles competing with kids from all over Scotland in the final of the 

Jamie Murray National Junior Doubles Competition under coach Melissa Stewart. Having vanquished 

all before them in the regional qualifying at Glasgow in the summer, they put up a very creditable show 

and had a lot of fun on the day – 5th place out of 12 teams qualifying is 

pretty impressive, so well done to Romy Erskine, Zander Davies, Fraser 

and Alistair Currie. 

Gents Singles, Ali Robertson on the 

left and Stuart Love. 

The longest and most 

competitive of the finals was 

fought in the Senior Ladies 

Doubles. In the end Shirley 

Morrison and Rosemary Nott 

beat Diane Wood and Irene 

Hicks in the third set after one 

brief rain interruption. In the wee 

gap between Singles and Mixed 

Mixed Doubles, from left to right Dave Finch, Gillian Finch, Liz Reid 

& Fraser Reid 

Gents Doubles, from left to right Ali Robertson, Dave Finch, John Davies 

& Steven Lucas. 

Ladies Senior Doubles, from left to right Irene Hicks, Shirley 

Morrison, Rosemary Nott & Diane Wood. 

Doubles finals, an Exhibition Doubles match of astounding quality was 

played with Isobel Evans partnering John Davies to victory by the narrowest 

of margins against Graeme Robertson and Marian Wardell. 

A brilliant finale to finals day was provided by Gillian 

and Dave Finch in the mixed doubles family affair 

showdown with Fraser and Liz Reid. Two very high 

quality sets of tennis with very close games saw the 

Reids win it, as the sun set on a capacity crowd. 

Both the ladies doubles and singles finals had to 

be rearranged due to injury and the results of those 

matches will be revealed at the Dinner Dance / Ceilidh 

and Prize Giving on Saturday 2nd December being 

held at the Kilmacolm Golf Club. Please make sure 

you reserve your tickets soon for that; last year’s was 

a great night and sold out. To ensure that we have a 

civilised evening with enough space for dancing, we 

are selling slightly fewer tickets this year and limiting 

numbers to under 75. Ticket prices are 

held at the same price, £15.00, as last 

year. Email kilmacolmtc@gmail.com for 

tickets – or membership enquiries. 

Strathgryffe 

Celebrates 25 

Years 

Strathgryffe Tennis Squash & Fitness Club is 

celebrating its 25th Anniversary this year. The 

club which resulted as a merger of Elderslie 

& Bridge of Weir Tennis Clubs relocated to 

Houston in 1992. 

The club when it opened included a clubhouse 

with lounge and bar area, 6 outdoor all weather 

tennis courts (3 floodlit) and 2 glass backed 

squash courts. Over the years Strathgryffe has 

gone from strength to strength and now has in 

addition 4 indoor tennis courts, a fi tness suite 

and all 6 outdoor courts floodlit. 

To celebrate their Anniversary the tennis, 

squash & fitness sections hosted a family fun 

day with competitions for all ages, followed by 

a BBQ. 

For more information on the club please 

visit www.strathgryffe.net or email info@ 

strathgryffe.net 

KGC Ladies 

County Golf team 

Two of Kilmacolm’s lady members were 

in the Renfrewshire Ladies County Golf 

team which won the County Finals at 

Glenbervie on 17th September. Well 

played Megan & Eilidh Briggs. The team 

hope to defend their title next September 

at Kilmacolm Golf Club. 



Castle Semple Sailing Club 

KGC - mixed open 

61 

Ian Brown Cup Day 

The forecast the day before this event was not looking at all good windwise 

for any sailing at all and there were some comments that the event would 

need to be postponed, but it did go ahead and we managed 5 races as 

planned albeit 2 of the races were shortened. 

Only 9 boats took part several others didn’t due to lack of wind, however 

there were 4 GPs (almost half the fleet!). 

One of the shortened races was the Bart’s Bash race which was disappointing 

but thanks to Mike and Arthur for measuring the course. 

Congratulations to the winners: 

1st Peter Collings and Yuan Wong 

(RS200) 

2nd Doug McQuilken and Pamela 

Hunter (Enterprise) 

3rd Angus Winchester (Laser EPS) 

Thanks to all those who helped in 

the safety boat, OOD (Janet and 

Ray) and Marion and Eleanor in the 

kitchen. Great to see Alan down for 

a quick visit and special thanks to 

Alan’s wife for continuing to supply 

her delicious cakes. 

Although the official sailing season is now drawing to a close, sailing will be 

continuing throughout the winter season (weather permitting i.e. snow!). 

www.castlesemplesc.co.uk 

Gleddoch Ladies Enjoy The 

Sunshine At Last 

The Gleddoch Ladies ‘Invitation 

competition took place on a beautiful 

day. The photo is taken on the 15th tee. 

What a view! A good time was had by 

all. The course was in good condition, 

especially considering the amount of rain 

in the week before. The Afternoon Tea 

provided by Gleddoch was delicious. 

The winners were Shirley Back and her 

partner Liz Hale, and runners up were 

Margaret Adams and her partner Sandra 

Reid. 

Unfortunately the weather has deteriorated ever since! Some competitions 

have been played though: 

The September medal 

winners were Isabell 

Donnelly (Division 1) 

and Linda Brown from 

Sheena Wallace after 

countback (Division 2). 

The Autumn Meeting 

Division 1 winner was 

Shirley Back, and Mhairi 

Bryce won Division 2. 

Our club champion and 

runner up, Shirley Back 

and June Lockhart, 

paired up to win the 

Renfrewshire County 

Greensomes which 

was held at Gleddoch. 

Many congratulations 

to them both! 

Here’s hoping for some 

dry weather before the 

end of the season! 

Brookfield Tennis 

Club 

The ladies held their end of season doubles 

tournament on Tuesday 26th Sept , where the 

fi nal was very closely contested. The winners 

were Margo Nelson & Anne Sutherland, who 

beat Pat Leon & Anne Cook by 6 games to 5. 

Afterwards, everybody enjoyed a buffet meal. 

124 people played in the Kilmacolm Golc Club’s mixed greensomes open 

competition. It was well supported by couples from nearby golf courses & 

from far away places; Blairgowrie, St Andrews, Elie, Blairmore , Strone& 

Dunaverty to mention a few. 

Prizes for winners, runners up, 3rd 

place ,nearest the pin, longest drive 

& nearest the line, were all hotly 

contested. 

The winners were Barry Reid & 

Debbie Wallace from Linn Park with 

an amazing 42 points, including 

a penalty which they called on 

themselves [& had us running to the 

rule book!]. The runners up were 

Graeme & Lesley Handley from our 

own club, Kilmacolm, with 41 points. 

Vice Captain, Jane McDonald, organised & ran this successful day, with a 

little help from volunteers. 

The kitchens were busy all day; & most poplar was the table laid out with 

home baked scones, homemade jam & a whole host of delicious cakes 

& tray bakes prepared by Ros, & enjoyed by all 

competitors before & after golf. 

Jane presented the prizes; the prize draw of a 

4 ball at one of 7 courses on offer was won by 

a golfer new to the game. He chose to return to 

Kilmacolm. 

Walking Buddies 

If you enjoy the great outdoors then why not try to walk towards better 

health by joining a Walking Buddies group. The Johnstone-based group 

meets at 9.30am every Tuesday, leaving from 31 Maple Drive. 

Walks last for around an hour and are suitable for all ages and abilities. This 

is a great way to get active and meet new people. 

For more information, phone 0141 258 9923 or send an email to info@ 

activecommunities.co.uk 

Ranfurly Castle Golf Club 

On 13th October 25 Ladies travelled across the river to Cardross Golf Club 

for the annual outing. The weather forecast was not on our side but we 

started our round in dry conditions. Sadly the conditions deteriorated fairly 

rapidly and webbed feet and a boat might have been helpful by the end of 

the day! Despite the conditions, 

everyone had a good day 

and enjoyed the hospitality of 

Cardross. 

The winning team members 

were Denise Cowan, Morag 

Cunningham and Vicky Rennie 

Team were the overall winners 

of the Trophy. Congratulations 

to Denise Cowan for her 

contribution to the team. 

This competition was first played 

in 1909 and Renfrewshire 

have been overall winners 

on 10 occasions. The last 

Renfrewshire winning team 

played in 2010. 

while Joy McLeod won the 

Bunker prize which aptly was 

an umbrella! 

Last September the Scottish 

Woman’s County Finals were 

played at Glenbervie Golf Club 

and the Renfrewshire Ladies 


62 


KILMACOLM BOWLING CLUB 

LADIES SECTION 

EVERY MO N D A Y 

Adult Jazz Class 

Bridge of Weir, 10am 

Tel: 01505 690757 for further information. 

Zumba Light 

St Fillan’s Church, Kilmacolm, 10am. 

Tel: 07505 126416 For More 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 

Old Skool Step Class 

Freelands Church (Opposite Amaretto), 6.30pm. 

Tel: 07505 126416 For More Information. 

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 

Hatha Yoga 

Tweedie Halls, Linwood, 10 - 11am 

Classes available to all levels. Tel: 07968 207272. 

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. 

Winners at the Renfrewshire Sports Awards 2017 

LADY MEMBERS WANTED 

Try your hand at Green Bowling at the ladies’ 

aernoons. Games commence at 2pm on 

every Tuesday and Thursday aernoons. Come 

along for the aernoon and have a game. 

Bowls will be provided, flat shoes required. 

For details contact Sandra on 01505 873126 or 

Morag on 01505 872218 

or just come along and have some fun. 

EVERY WEDNESDAY 

Greenock Hockey Club 

Inverclyde Academy, Greenock, 6.30 - 8pm 

Contact Liz Baldwin, mobile 07944 607005. 

Callanetics 

Brookfield Village Hall, 5.15, 6.15 & 7.30pm 

Hatha Yoga 

Large Hall, St Columba Church, 6.30 - 8pm 

Classes available to all levels. Tel: 07968 207272. 

EVERY TH U R S D A Y 

Kilbarchan Athletic Club 

On-X, Linwood, 7pm 

All abilities welcome. Tel: 07941 686990. 

Kilmacolm Walkers 

Birkmyre Park Pavilion, Kilmacolm, 10am 

David 01505 874192 kilmacolmwalkers@talktalk.net 

Callanetics 

Brookfield Village Hall, 9.15am & 10.30am 

The Shotokan Karate Club 

Woodlands 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 

Falun Dafa practice 

Port Glasgow Library 17:00 - 19:00 

With five gentle exercises, Falun Dafa is an ancient 

self-cultivation practice based on the principles of 

Truthfulness, Compassion and Forbearance. 

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 

info@advertizer.co.uk 01505 613340 

COACHES from Kilbarchan Amateur Athletic Club ran out with a 

hat-trick of wins at the annual Renfrewshire Sports Awards. 

Arthur Smith won both the Community Coach of the Year and 

Dedication to Sport awards along with John Rodger, who lifted the 

Event Volunteer of 2017 award. 

Arthur has been a member of Kilbarchan 

AAC for more than 50 years and has been 

coaching young athletes for three decades, 

including Scottish internationalist, Laura 

Stark and GB runner, Jemma Reekie. 

John has been involved with the club 

for more than 20 years and has been 

instrumental in the development of athletics 

– cross-country, road race and track and 

field events in Renfrewshire’s schools. He 

is also heavily involved in organising the 

popular annual Paisley 10k Race and Fun 

Run. 

Other winners presented with awards at the 

event,organised by Renfrewshire Leisure 

and held at a ceremony in Johnstone Town 

Hall, were – Development Coach of the 

Arthur Smith - Community Coach of the Year 

and Dedication to Sport Award 

Year, Susan Wright, who is head coach of Clyde Judo Club; Young Coach 

of the Year, Claire Scougall, who coaches Paisley Juniors Netball Club and 

Volunteer of the Year was won by Joanne McDowall, who has developed 

sporting activity at Barsail Primary, in Erskine. 

Young Volunteer of the Year went to Lusia 

Steele, who delivers school health days 

at Barsail Primary and volunteers at the 

Johnstone Jets cycling club; Disability 

Coach of the Year is Rachel Killens, who 

is a disabled athlete herself and coaches 

swimmers with additional support needs. 

And Jack Thomson, a referee at 

the Basketball Paisley Friday Night 

Superleague, West Regional Development 

League and other Scottish League games, 

won the Technical Official of the Year 

award. 

The Honour Our School Sports Award 

was given to one student from every 

local secondary school who has shown 

John Rodger - Event Volunteer of 2017 commitment to sport. The winners were – 

Alan Rice, Linwood High; Amy McCann, Renfrew High; Craig Kennedy, Park 

Mains High; Eilidh Murphy, Gleniffer High; Franca Paterson, St Andrew’s 

Academy; Gemma Whyte, St Benedict’s High; John Martin, Johnstone 

High; Mario Girasoli, Trinity High and Rebecca Telford, from Gryffe High. 

A Level Six Award in Higher Sports Leadership was presented to Alan Rice, 

Calum Findlay, Emma Driver, Heather Fawcett and Laura-Rose Reid. 

The special guest at the awards ceremony was Corinne Hutton, from 

Lochwinnoch who has defied the odds after having had both her hands and 

legs amputated when she suffered acute pneumonia and septicemia. 

Since losing her limbs, Corinne has gone on to set three world records 

including becoming the first female quadruple amputee to climb Ben Nevis. 

She has also set up a charity called Finding Your Feet to support families 

affected by amputation, or limb differences through a range of sporting and 

social inclusion initiatives. 

Corinne took to the stage for a Question and Answer Session with the event 

host, broadcaster Lorraine Herbison. 

The successful event was sponsored by Renfrewshire Council, West 

College Scotland, Renfrewshire Sports Network, and SportScotland. 

www.paisley.org.uk/2017/10/hat-trick-of-wins-for-kilbarchan-aac-in-annualsports-awards/ 



Running Club are Charity 

Champions! 

For the third year in a row Kilmacolm Unofficial Running Club – or KURC for 

short – have become local heroes through their charity fundraising efforts. 

This year their Race Night proved an odds on favourite with the community 

raising a staggering £2577.20 in aid of St Vincent Hospice. 

Over 100 people attended the event and enjoyed a bar, hot buffet, edgeof-the-seat 

racing and a disco all for just £5 per ticket. Running members 

send their heart-felt thanks to the local businesses and organisations 

that supported the event through raffle prize donations and sponsorship. 

KURC’s next charity fun night is set to be a sure thing! Watch this space! 

Hatha Yoga 

On Wednesdays 6.30 pm - 8pm 

in the large hall at St. Columba 

Church and on Mondays in 

the Tweedie Halls, Linwood 

(previously held in Brookfi eld 

for 17 years) from 10am - 11am. 

Both these classes are available 

to all levels, from beginners to 

experienced practitioners. Both 

are friendly, lively environments. 

For further information please 

contact Janice on 07968 207272. 

63 

Supported by: 

St Vincent’s Hospice 24 hour 

Cyclathon 

2 bikes, 48 cyclists and a lot of sore legs later, Andrea and Alan Gibson, 

along with friends Lesley and Mike Gallagher and Stuart and Eve Gibson 

completed a gruelling cycling challenge at the Houston Inn that raised an 

incredible £4, 403.10 for St Vincent’s Hospice. 

The motivation for event organiser Andrea, was the care that her father in 

law received during his fi nal days at the hospice. 

Andrea said “We cannot express the gratitude we as a family feel towards 

the staff at St Vincent’s Hospice. My father in law was very passionate 

about cycling so the cyclathon seemed like a fitting event to raise money 

for the hospice.” 

A total of 48 cyclist took part in the event with 2 stationery bikes outside the 

Houston Inn from 8:30am – 8:30pm. After the challenge around 200 locals 

danced the night away and took part in a raffle and competitions to win 

some fantastic prizes. 

Andrea said: “We really appreciate all the companies and businesses that 

have supported our fundraising, without which, it wouldn’t have been the 

success that it was.” 

Laura McDade, fundraiser at St Vincent’s Hospice said “Well done to all 

48 cyclists that took part. What a fantastic way to fundraise! We know the 

preparation that goes into these type of events so we really appreciate the 

support.” 

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

Vincent’s Hospice please contact the fundraising team on 01505705635 or 

email info@svh.co.uk” 

Pictured in the hospice community garden 

“Vinnie” the hospice mascot and Elaine Grealey, volunteer services 

manager, receive cheque from cyclathon event organised by Andrea 

Gibson and friends. 

Sunday 10 December, 10am 

Sign up today at www.ardgowanhospice.org.uk 

email fundraising@ardhosp.co.uk or call Alex on 01475 558888 

Early Bird Discount* 

£8 per adult (16+), £4 per child (5–15), 

and kids aged 4 and under enter free 

Standard Entry** 

£10 per adult (16+), £5 per child (5–15), 

and kids aged 4 and under enter free 

Ardgowan Hospice, 12 Nelson Street, Greenock, PA15 1TS 

www.ardgowanhospice.org.uk 

Registered Charity No: SC011541. Registered Company No: SC075515 

Sponsorship 

All entrants are encouraged to 

raise a suggested minimum of £30 

per person (£15 for under 16s), on 

top of the registration fee, which 

only covers the costs of the event. 

* Early bird discount open from Monday 23 

October until midnight on Sunday 29 October. 

** Standard entry open from Monday 30 

October until midday on Friday 8 December. 

No entrants can be accepted on the day. 

All entrants under 16 years old must be 

accompanied by an adult entrant. 

Sporting Blog 

by Lesley Handley 

What your body type can say about your health. 

According to Doctors, there are 3 main body types; apple, pear and 

hour glass (they can also be known as Ectomorph, Endomorph and 

Mesomorph). Which one you have can say a lot about your health, and 

can sometimes explain why losing weight can be a bit tougher. 

“Apple” body types tend to carry excess weight around their waist. This is 

where a dangerous amount of fat often accumulates. The type of fat that 

accumulates here is known as visceral fat and it penetrates deep under 

the skin. It builds up around the organs and can harm them over time. 

The result of this is a higher risk of heart disease, high blood pressure and 

type 2 diabetes. The ‘upside’ for ‘apple’ shape body types is that visceral 

fat is the easiest type to get rid of through diet and exercise, meaning this 

body type can often lose weight faster than other body shapes. 

“Pear” body types tend to store most excess fat in the lower half of their 

body. This type of fat is often referred to as ‘passive fat’ and can be a bit 

harder to lose. While it is not deemed as dangerous as visceral fat it does 

place a lot of extra stress on 

the legs and can increase 

the risk of varicose veins or 

knee and leg joint issues. 

The ‘upside’ for ‘pears’ is 

that they are at a lower risk 

of the diseases that ‘apples’ 

can often face. 

Finally, there are the 

‘hourglass’ shapes or also 

referred to as ‘rectangle’ for men. These body shapes tend to carry 

excess weight all over. This includes visceral fat around the trunk area 

meaning they are also at risk of heart 

disease, high blood pressure and 

type 2 diabetes. 

So, which body shape are you? 

Lesley 

For more information on personal 

training or to get a health check on 

the Tanita Scales at Birkmyre Park 

Fitness Gym contact me at lesley@ 

fi tsmartfi tness.co.uk or visit my website 

at www.fi tsmartfi tness.co.uk 


64 

TRADES AND SERVICES 

BUSINESS 


CHILDCARE 

Houston registered 

childminders. For an 

informal chat to find 

your best childcare, call 

Elizabeth Waddell T: 

01505 614925 

Kilmacolm/Quarriers area 

registered childminders. 

P/time or F/time 

vacancies for u-5’s and 

after school. 

T: 01505 873839. 

HEALTHCARE/BEAUTY 

MUSIC TUITION 

SITUATIONS VACANT 

MISCELLANEOUS 

ADVERTISE 

HERE FOR ONLY 

£18.00 PER 

MONTH (INCL. VAT) 



PROPERTY 

HOLIDAY HOMES 

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 

confi dent 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: 

Welcome to our Sunday services 

at 10.30 am with Junior Church 

and All Age services. For 

more information about our 

congregation please see www. 

stmacharsranfurlychurch.org.uk 

or fi nd us on Facebook. Contact: 

Rev Hanneke Marshall 01505 

612975 Hanneke.Marshall@ 

churchofscotland.org.uk 

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. 

ADVERTISE 

HERE FOR ONLY 

£18.00 PER 

MONTH (INCL. VAT) 

HOUSTON 

Houston and Killellan Services 

schedule: All Services conducted 

by Rev.Ian Bell unless otherwise 

stated. Sunday 5th November 

9.45am. Early service and 

communion 11.am. Morning 

Worship. Sunday 12th November 

10 . 4 5 a m R e m e m b r a n c e 

Service. Eleanor Hood Sunday 

1 9 t h N o v e m b e r 1 1 . a m . 

Morning Worship. Sunday 26th 

November 11.am. Morning 

Worship. Baptism. 

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: 

‘Abbotsfi eld’, St. Fillan’s, Main 

St, Houston, PA6 7EL. T. 01505 

612046. E. parish@stfi llan.org. 

uk www.stfi llan.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 

KILBARCHAN 

Kilbarchan Parish Church: 

Services continue at 11am each 

Sunday throughout November, 

conducted by Rev. Stephen 

Smith. It is hoped that the 

church will have reopened for 

worship. The shoeboxes for the 

Blythswood Shoebox Appeal will 

be dedicated on Sunday 5th 

during the service. Armistice 

Sunday is on 12th. The service 

at the Cenotaph is at 10am and 

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: 

Defi nitions: “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. 

the uniformed organisations will 

then parade to the church for 

the Service of Remembrance at 

10.45am, with the 2 minutes’ Act 

of Remembrance at 11am. We 

continue to support the Paisley 

Food Bank each Sunday .Sunday 

School and the Crèche will 

meet in the hall from 10.45am 

each week. ALL WELCOME TO 

ANY OF THESE SERVICES. For 

further information about the 

church and the organisations, 

please visit Kilbarchan Kirk 

online: www.kilbarchan-kirk. 

btck.co.uk 

KILMACOLM 

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. 

Sòlas Bereavement Group, 2nd 

Thursday each month at 6.30pm 

in Kidston Hall. Kilmacolm Old 

and Kilmacolm St Columba are 

having United Services at 11am. 

During the month of August, 

they will be held in St Columba 

Church. 

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. 

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: 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 6.30pm 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! 

65 

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: Cargill Hall: 7pm in February, 

March, April, May, June, September, October(AGM), 

November, and December on the 1st Tuesday of 

the month. (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 

Brookfi eld, Village Hall. Tel: 335562 

Houston, Carrick Centre. Tel: 612203 / 331488 

Houston, Compass Centre. Tel: 615441 / 612617 

Kilbarchan, Guide Centre. Tel: 702758. 

Kilbarchan, Old Library Centre. Tel: 706070 

Kilmacolm, Cargill Centre. Tel: 873994 

Kilmacolm, Brownie/Guide Hut. Tel: 07584 359007 

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 

your local councillors 

RENFREWSHIRE COUNCIL: www.renfrewshire.gov.uk 

Ward 8 - Johnstone South & Elderslie: Jacqueline 

Cameron, John Hood, Alistair Mackay, Andy Steel 

Ward 9 - Johnstone North, Kilbarchan, Howwood 

& Lochwinnoch: Derek Bibby, Bill Binks, Andy Doig, 

Emma Rodden 

Ward 10 - Houston, Crosslee, Brookfield & Linwood: 

Audrey Doig, Alison Jean Dowling, Scott Kerr, James 

Sheridan 

Ward 11 - Bishopton, Bridge of Weir & Langbank: 

Natalie Don, James MacLaren, Colin McCulloch 

Ward 12 - Erskine & Inchinnan: Tom Begg, Michelle 

Campbell, Jim Harte, Iain Nicolson 

INVERCLYDE COUNCIL: www.inverclyde.gov.uk 

Ward 1 - Inverclyde East (includes Kilmacolm & 

Quarriers): Christopher Curley, Stephen McCabe, 

David Wilson 


66 

ITEMS FOR SALE 

BABY EQUIPMENT 

Girl junior bike pink without 

stabilisers, VGC. Suitable 

age 4-6 yrs old. £20. 

07720 299 588 

Tomy walkabout classic 

baby monitors as new. 

£15. Tel: 01505 690426 

Selection of children’s toys, 

suit two year old, including 

Raleigh tricycle, Little 

Tikes Car, Garden chute, 

all in good condition. Can 

be sold separately or as 

a package. £40 ono. Tel: 

01505 322854 or 07867 

548973. 

Potty Chair Mothercare red 

& pink, VGC, £5. 07720 

299 588 

Figure skates white Graf 

Bolero, junior size 12 

(EU size 31), VGC, £25. 

07720 299 588 

Figure skates white Graf 

Bolero, junior size 11 (EU 

size 30), good condition, 

£20. 07720 299 588 

Figure skates white Riedell 

junior size 10, good 

condition, £10. 07720 

299 588 

Toilet trainer seat, white, 

VGC, £2.50 each (have 

two). 07720 299 588 

Toddler Bicycle helmets (44- 

48 cm) pink, suits appr. 

1-5 yrs old, GC. £5 each. 

Tel 07720 299 588 

Black Jazz shoes, good 

condition, junior size 

11/12. Tel 07720 299 

588 

Fisher Price Rainforest 

Jumperoo. Like new. 

Bouncy and in full working 

order. Smoke and pet free 

home. £40 All reasonable 

offers welcome. Tel 

07765550180 

Tap shoes pink junior size 

9/10 & 10/11. £10 each. 

VGC. Tel 07720 299 588 

Mothercare Moses Basket 

with stand, smoke free 

home, clean and in good 

condition with lining, 

mattress and blanket. 

£10. Tel: 07502 562 293. 

Pink Leotard, good 

condition, size 00. £5 Tel 

07720 299 588 

Shnuggle Moses Basket 

& Stand. Excellent 

condition. Larger than 

traditional moses basket. 

Unlike a wicker basket 

it is easy to clean and 

silent when baby moves. 

Smoke and pet free 

home. £40. Reasonable 

offers welcome. Tel 

07765550180 

Design Peter Rabbit 

bespoke furniture. Toy 

box. Wardrobe. Chest 

drawers bedside cabinet. 

Matching cushions x2 

matching curtains. £350 

Fisher Price Rainforest 

Jumperoo - Like new. 

Bouncy and in full working 

order. Smoke and pet free 

home. £40 - All reasonable 

offers welcome. Tel: 

07765 550180. 

Maxi Cosi Pebble car 

seat in Black, Group 0+. 

In good condition and 

rarely used as it was an 

additional seat for second 

car, smoke free home 

and car. £15. Tel: 07502 

562 293. 

CLOTHES & SHOES 

Pair of (Peter Storm) size 

8 Walking Boots, nearly 

new, tan colour. £20. Tel: 

07990 776288. 

Pair of (Raichle Winter 

Boots) size 9 in vgc. £ 40. 

Tel: 07990 776288. 

Beautiful size 8 dress from 

Coast. Black & white 

stripe. Party dress longer 

at back. Worn once. £30. 

Brand new grey “Guess” 

purse in box with tags 

on. £10. 

Brand new ladies size 4 

pink suede puma trainers. 

Never worn. £10 

Firetrap Brand - Dr 

Osindero lace up trainer 

shoes, Black UK size 11. 

Brand new in original box 

and never worn. £10. Tel: 

07502 562 293 

HOUSEHOLD & GARDEN 

Boudoir chair lemon yellow 

cushions perfect condition 

£25 ONO. T: 01505 

842711 

Mahogany Unit with Glass 

3 Door Top, 3 Drawers 

and Cupboards at bottom. 

V.G.C. £150 ono. Tel: 

07753 234653. 

Royal Doulton The 

Franklin Mint, Cottage 

plate collection. 6 display 

plates. Cherrytree Lane, 

Lilac Bend, Daisy Lane, 

Swan Lake, Lamp Post 

Stream and Rosetree 

Pond. Excellent 

condition. Limited 

edition with certifi cates. 

Can sell separately. 

Any reasonable offer 

accepted. Tel: 07814 

408192. 

Celebrity recliner chair. 

Beige fabric. Used but 

good condition. £250. Tel 

01505 872459 

Microwave Russell Hobbs 

(red), Toaster Russell 

Hobbs (red), Kettle 

Russell Hobbs (red). 

VGC. Three for £70. 

Prolex Electric Grill and 

Oven as new. £25. Tel: 

01505 614053. 

3 door Howden Wardrobe 

7’0” x 6’0” x 2’0” (approx). 

White doors. As new. 

£25.00. 01505 873295 

Stunning Dwell curved floor 

lamp with suede shade 

and marble base, as good 

as new, cost £250 sell for 

£75. Tel: 01505 872213. 

2 White PVC Double glazed 

fi xed windows 650 x 600 

x 70mm. Brand new. £10 

each. Tel 01505 873295 

Hedge Trimmer - Garden 

Groom midi safety with 

volume bag attachment. 

Good condition £40. Tel: 

01505 690426 

Electric Powered Leaf 

Blower and Vac with 

collection bag. MAC 

Allister MBV 3000w. £20 

ono. In Kilbarchan. 01505 

705264 

Recliner Armchair by HSL. 

Fantastic buy. Waltham 

Petite Single Rise and 

Recline armchair in Thyme 

Boucle material (soft 

green). As new condition. 

Smoke free home. Also 

includes matching 

armcap protectors. 

Only used for 6 months. 

All original paperwork 

available. Photographs 

can be emailed or texted 

if required. Local delivery 

negotiable. Price when 

purchased £1386. Price 

now £495 ono. Tel: 

01505 690751 or 07768 

682611. 

Turquoise armchair (part 

of 3 piece suite). Good 

condition. £40 Tel: 01505 

873252 

Full size Bed Settee. New 

£90. Tel: 01505 703433. 

Must collect. 

Painted solid oak wardrobe. 

Mirrored door. Large 

drawer. Dressing table. 

Three drawers. Swing 

mirror (white). £100. Tel: 

07763 806936 

ELECTRICAL & GAS 

LG TV Flatron M2780D LED 

Full HD 1080P, complete 

with stand. Bought 2011, 

VGC. £50 ono. Tel: 01505 

614019. 

SPORTS 

Mountain bike 26 inch 

wheels 15 gears £40 Tel 

or text 07810 523742 

BMX bike 20inch wheels £40 

Tel/txt 07810 523742 

Bicycle Hybrid, suit 5’6 to 6’. 

Very good condition. £90. 

Tel: 07413 750114 

US kids golf club set - ideal 

for child age 7-9. Consists 

of lightweight golf bag, 

Driver, 3 wood, 6,7,8 

irons, pitching wedge and 

putter. Excellent condition. 

Cost £150 sell for £50. 

Tel: 01505 872213. 

Mitsushiba Adult size 

golf clubs with original 

Mitsushiba bag and also 

including a Slazenger 

bag with stand and 36 

Slazenger brand new 

balls. The set is three 

Titanium metal Drivers 

with covers, seven Irons 

and one Putter. Very good 

condition, only used twice. 

£50. Tel: 07502 562 293 

Hand-delivered every month 

to households & businesses 

in Bridge of Weir, Brookfield, 

Crosslee, Elderslie, Houston, 

Howwood, Kilbarchan, 

Kilmacolm, Lochwinnoch, 

Langbank and Quarriers 

Village 

Extra copies available from 

many local outlets in all 

villages plus Bishopton, 

Erskine & Johnstone. 

OTHER ITEMS 

Artists studio easel 5ft 

tall, wood. £15 ono. 

In Kilbarchan. 01505 

705264 

Homebrew 20 litre 

pressurised keg with gas 

canister and 20l brewing 

bucket. £40. Tel or text 

07810 523742 

How to Pass - Higher 

Business Management 

book. Never used. £5. 

Lightweight wheelchair. 

Good condition. £100 Tel 

01505 872459 

HP DESKJET INK 

CARTRIDES. No. 56 

Black 3off. No. 57 Tricolour 

3off. No. 58 Photo 3off. 

£30 the lot. In Kilbarchan. 

01505 705264 

Brand new steel car wheel 

6JX15H2 and new Jinyu 

tyre 185/60 R15. Stored 

as spare wheel only. £80. 

Tel: 07736 067169. 

Model Kit - wooden Mantua 

President 1750 English 

frigate period. 1:60 scale, 

length 520mm. Brand 

new. £40. Tel: 01505 

690426 

New tyre, Hankook 235/55 

r18 100h plus new alloy 

wheel r18 would suit Kia, 

Nissan 4X4 both for £120. 

Tel: 01505 614053 

Saxon Saddle, 17.5 size, 9” 

d to d (width). Reasonable 

condition. £100 ono. Tel: 

07984 794503. 

H i g h e r B u s i n e s s 

Management Practice 

Papers Book. £5. 

Crazy Fit Massage vibrating 

plate exercise machine 

– excellent condition – 

hardly used. £120 ONO. 

Tel: 07715 089810. 

Brand new spare (get you 

home) Wheel for a Honda 

Jazz. Will accept £75 ono. 

Tel: 01505 863268 


How to Pass Higher English 

Book. Brand new. £5. 

Accessories for Nissan X 

Trail 2016 T32 for sale: 

Rubberised boot tray and 

bumper protector £25, 

Rear boot floor cover 

(ASSY-LUG 849B8 

4CE5A) £30, Rear boot 

retractable load cover 

(cream) £75, All very good 

condition. Tel: 07715 

089810. 

4 x winter tyres for Hyundai 

Ix35 (or similar). Size 

225/55 R18 98T. In use 

3 winters, stored indoors 

when not in use. In good 

condition. £150. Tel: 

01505 874887. 

Stentor full size violin very 

good condition for sale. 

£45. Tel: 07815 606022. 

Leckie Book - Religious, 

Moral & Philosophical 

Studies. Grade A booster 

book. Will help with 

Higher. £5. 

Large collection of over 400 

old LP’s for sale. Only 

£1 each. Various genres 

all in good condition. Tel 

01505 70 3753. 

WANTED ITEMS 

Westclox Big Ben alarm 

clock. Call 07756981917 

Local lily grower requires 

the use of a greenhouse/ 

polytunnel in Kilmacolm 

area in return for light 

gardening duties. Tel: 

Vince 01505 872082. 

Old records Wanted 45`s 

& LP`s CASH Paid. Tel: 

07710 777571. 

Cash paid for Music CDs (a 

few or a lot). Tel: 0141 882 

5594 or 07765 115347. 

FREE CYCLE 

Girl toddler bike without 

stabilisers, good 

beginners bike. Free. 

07720 299 588 

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. 


67 



ADVERTIZERS - A TO Z 

BY CATEGORY 

Pick up a Copy 

December ‘17 Issue: 

Deadline: 10 November 

• 

Delivery: 24 November 

• 

January ‘18 Issue: 

Deadline: 8 December 

• 

Delivery: 27 December 

• 

Bishopton: Post Office, 

Woodrow’s Store, 

Keystore, Library, 

Ingliston Country Club 

Bridge of Weir: Gibb 

Stuart, Bernie’s Cafe, 

Lochnagar, The Bridge, 

Library (Cargill Hall) 

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 

Quarriers: Three Sisters Bake 

@ease Removals & Transport . . 2 

1on1 Double Glazing . . . . . . . . 3 

3D Garden Design . . . . . . . . . . 39 

4 Paws & A Tail . . . . . . . . . . . 33 

A Gallagher Painter&Decorator . . 16 

A O’Hare - Building Services . . 5 

A Peebles Landscape Contractor . . 39 

A&G Driveways . . . . . . . . . . . . . Bk 

A&J Plumbing Heating & Gas . . 16 

ABC Taxis . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Bk 

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 . . 29 

Apple Tree Garden Design . . . 37 

ARC Fleet Services . . . . . . . . . Bk 

Arco Locksmith . . . . . . . . . . . . 10 

Arlene Mitchell Hair & Beauty . . 49 

Ashes Hair & Beauty . . . . . . . . 49 

B Hughes Builders - Houston . . 5 

Bathroom Solutions by MPH . . 11 

Baytree Interiors . . . . . . . . . 5 

Beaton Brothers . . . . . . . . . . . 7 

Beautique . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 49 

Bernie’s Cafe Deli . . . . . . . . . 17 

Beyond Beauty . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15 

Bluewater Dental . . . . . . . . . . 9 

Boundaries . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37 

Branch Out . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38 

Bridge of Weir Dog Walking . . 32 

Bridge of Weir Roofing . . . . . 6 

Brookfield Alarms Ltd . . . . . . 3 

Bryan Slaven Slater & Plaster . . 2 

Burndale Workshop . . . . . . . . . 5 

C Hunter Plumbing Heating Gas . . 12 

Carness Consulting Ltd . . . . . 26 

Casa Homes & Gardens Architect . . 7 

Charlie Orr Plasterer . . . . . . 9 

Cheetham & Co . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29 

CLA Accountancy Services Ltd . . 15 

Classical Ballet Classes . . . 63 

CleanDryCarpets . . . . . . . . . . . 2 

CLH Joinery . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16 

Clippens Roofing . . . . . . . . . . 3 

Cloudy2Clear Windows Glasgow . . 5 

Cochran Dickie Estate Agents . . 27 

ColCom . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24 

Colin Docherty Painter Decorat . . 11 

Collins Tyres . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31 

Come Clean . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19 

Computer Repairs . . . . . . . . . . 1 

Confident Care Ltd . . . . . . . . . 11 

Conservatory Conv & Windows . . Bk 

Corum Property . . . . . . . . . . . . 25 

Craig Kennedy Gardening . . . . 38 

David Kennedy Decorator . . . . 3 

Decorus Beauty . . . . . . . . . . . . 21 

Delta Electrical Services . . 11 

Derek McBride Aerials . . . . . . 10 

DJD Services . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41 

DJY Joinery Ltd . . . . . . . . . . . 6 

DMG Garden Services . . . . . . . . 37 

DS Cleaning (Windows) . . . . . . 14 

Eclipse deep clean . . . . . . . . . 14 

Elliott Locks . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4 

Erskine Christmas Cracker . . . . . . 21 

Fastclean Scotland . . . . . . . . . 15,4 

Fergusons CA . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29 

Ferringtons Hypnotherapy . . . 8 

Fiona Christie Accounting Serv . . 14 

Firstsight Opticians . . . . . . . 13 

FitSmart Fitness . . . . . . . . . . 63 

Freelance Florist . . . . . . . . . 15 

G Woods Bathrooms . . . . . . . . . 6 

Gadds Gourmet . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15 

Garden Services . . . . . . . . . . . 38 

GasMan Energy . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11 

Gibb Stuart . . . . . . . . . 14,15,16,34,35 

Glenmoss Landscapes . . . . . . . . 39 

GMH Chartered Accountants . . 28 

Gordon James Ceramic Tiler . . 14 

Grid Design Ltd . . . . . . . . . . . 7 

Accountants & Financial 

Affluent Financial Planning . . 24 

Cheetham & Co . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29 

CLA Accountancy Services Ltd . . 15 

Fergusons CA . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29 

Fiona Christie Accounting Serv . . 14 

GMH Chartered Accountants . . 28 

Stewart Independent Financial . . Bk 

Architectural Services 


Grid Design Ltd . . . . . . . . . . . 7 

Art, Gifts & Flowers 

Freelance Florist . . . . . . . . . 15 

Automotive Services 

AK Vehicle Rental . . . . . . . . . 1 

ARC Fleet Services . . . . . . . . . Bk 

Collins Tyres . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31 

Gryffe Garage Motor Engineers . . 31 

Bathrooms 


Bathroom Solutions by MPH . . 11 


Instyle Kitchens & Bathrooms . . 17 

Bedrooms 


Blacksmith & Metalwork 

McLaughlan Metal Fabrication . . 4 

Building Services 


B Hughes Builders - Houston . . 5 



DJD Services . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41 

I & J Building & Roofing Serv . . 2 

James Kerr Joiner . . . . . . . . . 12 

JBC Joiners and Builders . . . 11 

KC Enterprises . . . . . . . . . . . . 4 

Kilellan Roofing . . . . . . . . . . 16 

M Addison Joiners & Builders . . 3 

MBS Roofing & Building Contrac . . 3 

Old Mill Chimneys . . . . . . . . . 2 

SMG Roofing & Building Contrac . . 2 

SW Scott - Joiners & Builders . . 17 

Taylor Made Joinery . . . . . . . . 30 

Thomas McMaster & Son Ltd . . 55 

Business Services 

Laptop and PC Repairs . . . . . . 26 

Care Services & Homes 

Confident Care Ltd . . . . . . . . . 11 

Catering 

Gadds Gourmet . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15 

Karen Rankin Catering . . . . . . 14 

Charity 

Erskine Christmas Cracker . . . . . . 21 

Quarriers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23 

Cleaning & PowerWash 

CleanDryCarpets . . . . . . . . . . . 2 

Come Clean . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19 




Gryffe Roofing Services . . . . 6 


Nutech Cleaning . . . . . . . . . . . 2 

Platinum Cleaning Services . . 5 

Coffee Shops 


Computer, IT & Web 

Carness Consulting Ltd . . . . . 26 

ColCom . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24 

Computer Repairs . . . . . . . . . . 1 


Gryffe Garage Motor Engineers . . 31 


Hames Estates . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30 

Healing Rooms . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26 

Henderson’s Kilts . . . . . . . . . 12 

Husse Pet Food . . . . . . . . . . . . 33 


I D Plumbing & Heating . . . . . 29 


Iron House Stoves Limited . . 23 

Jack Murphy Plumbing & Heating . . 6 


James Martin - Painter & Decor . . 3 

JayBee Double Glazing Repairs . . 8 


JDPS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 

John H Barney . . . . . . . . . . . . . 43 

John Roach Funeral Directors . . 47 

Johnstone TOA Taxi Co . . . . . . 31 

Karen Rankin Catering . . . . . . 14 


Kieran Turner Aerial&Satellite . . 3 

Kilbarchan Chiropodists . . . . 47 

Kilbarchan Dental Practice . . 13 


Kingsley Wood & Co Solicitors . . 1 

Lamont Electricians . . . . . . . . 3 


LaserLight . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 46 

Lifestyle Beauty Salon . . . . . 9 

Lind Letting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 

Linda Stewart - Slimming World . . 15 

LJX . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37,38 

Loop Carpets & Flooring . . . . 14 


M&E Painters . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 

M&M Garden Services . . . . . . . . 41 

MAS Electrical & Security . . 2 

Matthews Cleaning Services . . 15 


McGowan Joinery . . . . . . . . . . . 16 


Miller BioFuels Ltd . . . . . . . . 29 

MJ Lawnmowers . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37 

New Vision Opticians . . . . . . . 10 

Nix Hairdressing . . . . . . . . . . 51 

NLP Positive Changes . . . . . . . 8 

Nutech Cleaning . . . . . . . . . . . 2 


Orchard Flooring . . . . . . . . . . 19 

P Thomson Upholstery . . . . . . . 8 

Paul Brady Painter & Decorator . . 15 

Pawz and Co . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32 

PetVets . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32 

Phoenix Gas Services . . . . . . . 1 

Platinum Cleaning Services . . 5 

Powerdoors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Bk 

Quarriers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23 

R Williams Tree Surgeon & Grou . . 38 

Ranfurly Decor . . . . . . . . . . . . 26 

RED Pest Control . . . . . . . . . . 4 

Revamp . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37 

Saks & Hart Country Living . . 7 

Scott Russell . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15 

Shower Expert . . . . . . . . . . . . . 43 

Smart Dog Grooming . . . . . . . . . 33 


Sole Solutions Podiatry . . . . 51 

SP Groundcare . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7 

St Columba’s School . . . . . . . . 57 

Stewart Independent Financial . . Bk 

Suzanne’s Grooming Pad . . . . . 32 



TD Cameron . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 

The Bridge, Bridge of Weir . . 44 

The Furniture Barn . . . . . . . . . 3 

The Right Move . . . . . . . . . . . . 4 

The Sourcery . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9 


Travel Actually . . . . . . . . . . . 3 

W B Smith & Son . . . . . . . . . . . 41 

West of Scotland Landscape . . 37 

Woodburn & Beattie Joiners . . 14 

Driveways 

A&G Driveways . . . . . . . . . . . . . Bk 

Driving Instructors 

AL Stewart - Driving Instruct . . 14 

Education 

St Columba’s School . . . . . . . . 57 

Electricians 

Delta Electrical Services . . 11 

GasMan Energy . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11 

JDPS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 

Lamont Electricians . . . . . . . . 3 

MAS Electrical & Security . . 2 

Fencing 

Boundaries . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37 


Firewood & Logs 

LJX . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37,38 

Miller BioFuels Ltd . . . . . . . . 29 


W B Smith & Son . . . . . . . . . . . 41 

Funeral Services 

Beaton Brothers . . . . . . . . . . . 7 

John Roach Funeral Directors . . 47 

Garage Doors & Gates 

Powerdoors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Bk 

Garden Service & Design 

3D Garden Design . . . . . . . . . . 39 

A Peebles Landscape Contractor . . 39 

Apple Tree Garden Design . . . 37 


Craig Kennedy Gardening . . . . 38 

DJD Services . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41 

DMG Garden Services . . . . . . . . 37 

Garden Services . . . . . . . . . . . 38 



M&M Garden Services . . . . . . . . 41 

MJ Lawnmowers . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37 

R Williams Tree Surgeon & Grou . . 38 

SP Groundcare . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7 

W B Smith & Son . . . . . . . . . . . 41 

West of Scotland Landscape . . 37 

Gas & Heating Services 



GasMan Energy . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11 



Phoenix Gas Services . . . . . . . 1 

Glazier 


Cloudy2Clear Windows Glasgow . . 5 


TD Cameron . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 

Hairdressers & Barbers 



Nix Hairdressing . . . . . . . . . . 51 

Health, Beauty & Fitness 



Beautique . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 49 

Beyond Beauty . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15 

Bluewater Dental . . . . . . . . . . 9 

Classical Ballet Classes . . . 63 

Decorus Beauty . . . . . . . . . . . . 21 

Ferringtons Hypnotherapy . . . 8 

Firstsight Opticians . . . . . . . 13 

FitSmart Fitness . . . . . . . . . . 63 

Healing Rooms . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26 

Kilbarchan Chiropodists . . . . 47 

Kilbarchan Dental Practice . . 13 

LaserLight . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 46 

Lifestyle Beauty Salon . . . . . 9 

Linda Stewart - Slimming World . . 15 

New Vision Opticians . . . . . . . 10 

NLP Positive Changes . . . . . . . 8 

Sole Solutions Podiatry . . . . 51 

Home Hardware 

Gibb Stuart . . . . . . . 14,15,16,34,35 

Home Improvements 

Alvic Sliding Wardrobes Ltd . . 29 


Conservatory Conv & Windows . . Bk 

Orchard Flooring . . . . . . . . . . 19 

Revamp . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37 

Home Interiors 






Home Security 

Brookfield Alarms Ltd . . . . . . 3 

Joiners 


CLH Joinery . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16 

DJY Joinery Ltd . . . . . . . . . . . 6 



JDPS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 


McGowan Joinery . . . . . . . . . . . 16 




TD Cameron . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 

Woodburn & Beattie Joiners . . 14 

Kilt & Dress Hire 

Henderson’s Kilts . . . . . . . . . 12 

Kitchens 







Locksmiths 

Arco Locksmith . . . . . . . . . . . . 10 

Elliott Locks . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4 

Painters & Decorators 

A Gallagher Painter&Decorator . . 16 

Colin Docherty Painter Decorat . . 11 

David Kennedy Decorator . . . . 3 

James Martin - Painter & Decor . . 3 

John H Barney . . . . . . . . . . . . . 43 

M&E Painters . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 

Paul Brady Painter & Decorator . . 15 

Ranfurly Decor . . . . . . . . . . . . 26 

Pest Control 

RED Pest Control . . . . . . . . . . 4 

Pet Services & Training 

4 Paws & A Tail . . . . . . . . . . . 33 

Bridge of Weir Dog Walking . . 32 

Husse Pet Food . . . . . . . . . . . . 33 

Pawz and Co . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32 

PetVets . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32 

Smart Dog Grooming . . . . . . . . . 33 

Suzanne’s Grooming Pad . . . . . 32 

Plasterers 


Charlie Orr Plasterer . . . . . . 9 



Plumbers 




GasMan Energy . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11 



JDPS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 

Shower Expert . . . . . . . . . . . . . 43 

Property, Sales & Let 

Cochran Dickie Estate Agents . . 27 

Corum Property . . . . . . . . . . . . 25 

Hames Estates . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30 


Lind Letting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 

Removals 

@ease Removals & Transport . . 2 

The Right Move . . . . . . . . . . . . 4 

Restaurant & Bars 


Retail 


Gibb Stuart . . . . . . . 14,15,16,34,35 


Saks & Hart Country Living . . 7 

The Bridge, Bridge of Weir . . 44 


The Sourcery . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9 

R o o fi n g 












Social Care 

Quarriers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23 

Solicitors 

Affinity Family Law Experts . . 8 


Special Occasions 

ABC Taxis . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Bk 

Stoves 

Iron House Stoves Limited . . 23 


Taxis & Minicoach hire 

ABC Taxis . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Bk 

Johnstone TOA Taxi Co . . . . . . 31 

Tiling 

Gordon James Ceramic Tiler . . 14 

Scott Russell . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15 

Travel Agents 

Travel Actually . . . . . . . . . . . 3 

Tree Surgeon 

Branch Out . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38 


LJX . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37,38 

W B Smith & Son . . . . . . . . . . . 41 

TV & Satellite 

Derek McBride Aerials . . . . . . 10 

Kieran Turner Aerial&Satellite . . 3 

Upholstery Services 




P Thomson Upholstery . . . . . . . 8 

Window Cleaners 




Matthews Cleaning Services . . 15 

Window, Consv & Repair 



TD Cameron . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2

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

you can contact us @GryffeAds using #Advertizer 

or by email info@advertizer.co.uk or phone 01505 613340

278 November 2017 - Gryffe Advertizer

Create successful ePaper yourself

Delete template?

Save as template?