290 November 18 - Gryffe Advertizer

November 2018 No.290 

V&A Dundee in the Autumn sun 

FOLLOW US 

GryffeAds 

your LOCAL community magazine November 2018 No. 290 

A community magazine delivered FREE to homes in the Gryffe area

2 

The Advertizer 

Advertising Feature 

What’s growing in your gutter? 

Are they clear and ready for the winter downpours? We can remove moss, 

plants, silt, twigs etc., that can block the gutter and stop the water from 

fl owing down the spout where it should go, causing them to overfl ow and 

potentially causing damage to the outside of your home. 

We use a state of the art carbon fi bre gutter vacuum system which 

is safer for your gutters and safer for us giving a more effi cient 

& effective clean than old fashioned methods whilst potentially 

saving you money. Call now for a free quote on 01505 863 863. 

Important dates for our December ‘18 Issue 

Deadline: 16th November Delivery: 27th November 

This month 

The Big Issue - Planning 

Since the Government announced last year the need for 20,000 new houses 

per year, the developers have been inundating us with proposed sites for 

housing. As we went to print, I saw a post on Houston Community Council’s 

Facebook page advising that Gladman Developments has submitted a proposal 

for a residential development with associated infrastructure and landscaping 

on the site between Crosslee Poultry Farm and Crosslee Bridge, Barrochan 

Road, Houston. Further details can be found on the Renfrewshire Council 

website by clicking on Search for Planning Applications and Appeals and 

entering 18/0572/NO in the search box. It is not yet clear how many houses 

are intended for the site. 

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. 

Bonfires & Fireworks 

It’s all going off starting on Friday 2nd November with the Fireworks Display 

in Kilbarchan Park at 7.30pm. Then on Saturday 3rd November we celebrate 

Bonfi re Night with Kilmacolm Knapps Bonfi re & Fireworks from 4.30pm, Paisley 

Fireworks Spectacular from 2pm and Bishopton Scout Group Fireworks at 

6.30pm. 

Theatre Treats 

There’s lots to look forward to. In November we’ve got The Carrick Players 

presenting a Chekhov Double Bill in Kilbarchan Performing Arts Centre, 

Kilbarchan Drama Group are presenting It’s a Wonderful Life and Kilmacolm 

Dramatic Society will perform their Pantomime, Sleeping Beauty. Then in 

December, Johnstone Phoenix Theatre Group will perform Freezin - The Panto 

in Johnstone Town Hall. 

All these groups absolutely love performing, and it is an excellent chance to 

see some brilliant performances, all in the local area. Please go along if you 

can - with the costs of hiring venues and performing licences creeping up, your 

support is much appreciated - and it provides some great entertainment. 

Santa Sleigh 

The annual Santa Sleigh will be going round the villages in December. We’ve 

got dates in each of our village sections to keep you updated. 

Festive Lights 

There are lots of festive light switch-ons - Paisley is on Saturday 17th November, 

Erskine on Friday 23rd November, Elderslie and Renfrew on Saturday 24th 

November, Johnstone Xmas Lights on Saturday 1st December, Bishopton on 

Sunday 2nd December and Bridge of Weir on Monday 3rd December. As we 

went to print we did not have details for the other villages. 

Rounding off 

Continuing our partnership with Gryffe High School, we enjoyed the company of 

Brooke Allison during October as part of her work experience. She was a delight 

to have in the offi ce and I hope she learned a few useful skills while with us. 

She certainly heard a few jokes round the lunch table anyway! I used to think 

this 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 

Deadline date for our December issue - Friday 16th November - you don’t want to miss it!!

November 2018 t: 01505 613340 e: info@advertizer.co.uk 

3 

Contents 

local news...............4-13 

what’s on ............. 14-19 

finance & tech ..... 20-23 

school news ......... 24-28 

outdoors............... 33-35 

local history.......... 36-37 

pet news .............. 38-39 

Contact 

us 

t: 01505 613340 

e: info@advertizer.co.uk 

www.advertizer.co.uk 

village news ......... 40-53 

sport news ........... 54-55 

business classified ...56 

sales & wants ............ 57 

advertizer directory...58 

pick up a copy ...........58 

on the road ................59 

@GryffeAds www.advertizer.co.uk

4 


Teaming up to make it a 

Spotless September 

Volunteers from across Renfrewshire hailed the Spotless September Challenge 

a success as they took to the streets to make a difference to the cleanliness of 

their local area. More than 700 inspiring local people, both young and old, took 

part in more than 20 clean ups as schools, community groups, businesses and 

volunteers donned their bibs and set out with their litter picker to tidy up their 

community. 

A fantastic 280 bags of rubbish 

were collected by Renfrewshire 

Council’s StreetScene team as 

part of the joined-up approach 

which the Team Up to Clean Up 

campaign has become known for. 

Jake Fulton, Houston Litter Crew, 

said: “We were delighted to 

have taken part in the Spotless 

September Challenge. Litter 

picking is such a worthwhile 

thing to do in support of our community and to be part of a Renfrewshire-wide 

event makes it all the more meaningful and special. Team Up to Clean Up is a 

wonderful initiative, which mobilises and assists communities to improve their 

environment. It creates a sense of momentum, it brings communities together 

and it allows new friendships to form.” 

Litter picks are supported by the Community Wardens who offered advice, 

encouragement and the equipment to take part as part of the drive to change 

the behaviour of those who drop litter and fail to take care of where they live. 

To close the weekend, a special thank you event was hosted at Paisley Town Hall 

to pay tribute to the local people who have driven the campaign forward from 

the grassroots level. Local groups were awarded certifi cates of appreciation as 

they gave short presentations on why they’ve taken part and what they have 

achieved so far. 

The Team Up to Clean Up campaign has been allocated £2.5million across 

fi ve years to make a difference to the 

local environment in Renfrewshire. As 

part of the investment an increased 

programme of road sweeping and 

gully cleaning is in place, as well 

six community litter pickers across 

Renfrewshire and an enhanced 

Rapid Response Team who deal with 

roadside litter and local community 

issues. 

For more information on the campaign, what it entails and how to get involved, 

visit www.renfrewshire.gov.uk/teamuptocleanup. 

Public Defibrillator Sites in the Gryffe Area 

Bridge of Weir & Quarriers 

Co-Op Bridge of Weir 

Old Ranfurly Golf Club 

Ranfurly Castle Golf Club 

William Quarriers House @ 

entrance to Faith Avenue 

Country View, Quarriers 

The Gate House, Bridge of Weir 

Leather Works 

Houston & Brookfield 

Carrick Centre Houston 

Co-Op Houston 

Strathgryffe Squash & Fitness 

Club (Reception) 

Brookfi eld Village Hall Main 

Entrance 

Call for Charities 

Kilmacolm 

Kilmacolm Golf Club 

St Columba’s Senior School 

Gym, Birkmyre Park, Kilmacolm 

Kilmacolm Library (at rear of New 

Surgery) 

Kilbarchan, Johnstone & Linwood 

Scout Hall, Kilbarchan 

Kilbarchan Bowling Club 

Onyx Leisure Centre, Linwood 

Spar, Clippens Road, Linwood 

Keystore, Spateston 

Keystore, Corseford 

Bishopton 

The Cornerstone, Greenock Road 

Bishopton Community Centre 

SANTA SLEIGH DECEMBER 2018 

Houston - 2nd - 7th 

Brookfield - 9th 

Kilmacolm - 8th (lower) & 10th (upper) 

Bridge of Weir - 11th - 15th 

Quarriers - 16th 

Please note that if bad weather causes cancellation of any night due to a shortage of 

volunteers these nights will not be rescheduled. 

Call for Charities to Apply for £1,000 raised from 

sales of “Supreme Sacrifi ce: A Small Village and the 

Great War” 

The Bridge of Weir Memorial Society is delighted to 

announce that sales of “Supreme Sacrifi ce: A Small 

Village and the Great War” have been so successful 

that it is able to fulfi l its hope expressed two years 

ago that all surplus royalties may be donated to a 

local charity. The small village in the title is Bridge 

of Weir in Renfrewshire. After receipt of the latest 

royalties from book publisher Birlinn, the Society’s 

bank balance was just short of £1,000 and a 

donor has topped it up to the round fi gure. 

The Society is therefore inviting registered charities with activities or benefi ts 

local to Bridge of Weir to apply for the £1,000 with a one-page description of 

what the funds would be used for, and how this will relate to the local community, 

ideally in a way that is relevant to the subject matter of the book. 

Applications should be made to the Secretary, Janet Birch by email at 

gorselandsb@aol.com before Friday 2nd November 2018. The proposals will 

be displayed in “The Bridge”, Main Street, Bridge of Weir from 3rd to 10th 

November, as part of a Society Exhibition, and the public will be given the 

opportunity to vote. The winning proposal will be reported at a village joint 

churches memorial service in Freeland Church on the evening of Sunday 11th 

November 2018. 



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. 

Great 

Scottish Run 

Success! 

5 

Sarah Cameron, Kimberley 

Cameron, and Tommy Cameron 

ran the Great Scottish Run for a 

charity called Radio Lollipop and 

they raised £1,331. Sarah and 

Kimberley have been volunteering 

at the children’s ward at the 

hospital for a year now and do so 

one night a week. Radio lollipop 

relys on volunteers to raise funds 

so that they can buy games books 

and toys to give to the children in 

hospital. 


6 


Glasgow 

Mural 

Trail 

By Brooke Allison 

The Glasgow Mural Trail 

is an award-winning 

collection of street art 

made by various artists 

that can be found all 

around the City Centre. 

With the fi rst mural being produced in 2008, there are still more being added to the streets of Glasgow in 

2018. You can fi nd these pieces of art on the walls of buildings and vacant shop units. The murals have 

been designed so that you can see them all in one easy walking route and it takes around 2 to 3 hours 

to see them all. 

The trail was created to promote the city centre and to provide features to the city that will attract more 

visitors and tourists. One of the most popular murals in the city is the “Glasgow’s Tiger” which is located 

next to the River Clyde and was created by the artist James Klinge. 10 of these 25 murals were created 

by the artist Rogue-One (also known as Bobby McNamara). He has created pieces such as the Hand 

Shadow Puppets which can be found in a subway underpass near the M8. Rogue-One created this mural 

to “Brighten up what was becoming an increasingly dingy, although very well used underpass”. 

If you would like to follow this trail you can get the app, go to the website, or go into a Tourist Information 

building and pick up a guide to the trail. 

Renfrewshire 

Winter events 

Renfrewshire is gearing up for a spectacular 

winter events season with lots of free fun for all 

the family. 

Paisley will enjoy a special 90’s themed Fireworks 

Spectacular on Saturday 3rd November. 

Featuring a 90s themed Silent Disco, arcade 

games, face painting and children’s arts and 

crafts workshops in the Town Hall during the 

afternoon, as well as a funfair in County Square. 

Capital FM DJs will entertain the crowds with a live set before the skies above Paisley Abbey are lit up in a 

stunning fi reworks display which starts at 7pm. 

The excitement continues with the annual Paisley Christmas Lights Switch-On two weeks later, on Saturday 

17th November. The famous Reindeer Parade 

will start and fi nish on Paisley High Street, before 

Santa opens his grotto in the Paisley Centre. 

There will be Christmas family fun in Paisley 

Town Hall with chocolate-making workshops, face 

painting, soft play area, craft workshops, as well 

as of course the chance to meet and greet with 

Santa. There will be plenty of unique Christmas 

shopping opportunities too, with the addition of 

the Urban Market at Paisley Abbey. 

Everyone can enjoy the Live Stage, with 

entertainment from Capital FM and performances 

from family-favourites Funbox, Princesses of Pop and X-Factor semi-fi nalists 

The Cutkelvins, before Paisley’s festive season is offi cially marked with the 

annual Christmas Lights Switch-On at 6pm. 

The town centre also sees the return of the annual WinterFest event from 24th 

November, run by Paisley First, and featuring an outdoor ice rink, a Big Wheel 

and a free festive Nutcracker Trail from Saturday 17th November. 

The winter event thrills will also extend across Renfrewshire with Christmas 

Lights Switch-Ons in Renfrew on Saturday 24th November and Johnstone on 

Saturday 1st December. 

Renfrew will enjoy a day of festive treats and free entertainment before the big 

Christmas Lights Switch-On and a stunning fi reworks display set against the 

beautiful turrets of Renfrew Town Hall. 

Johnstone will have a jolly fun time in Houston Square as the twinkling town 

centre lights are switched on for Christmas alongside a host of free family 

entertainment. 

For more information about Renfrewshire’s winter events, please visit www. 

paisley.is. 

YOUR NEW LOOK advertizer.co.uk 

THE PLACE FOR LOCAL INFORMATION AND BUSINESSES 



Gryffe Valley Rotary 

ROTARY DONATIONS SET TO EXCEED £250,000 ! 

In the Rotary year 2018-19, the Gryffe Valley Rotary Club 

is budgeting to donate £11,320 to charitable causes and 

this added to the monies spent previously (£239,303) 

will take the club’s total donations over the twenty-four 

years since the club’s foundation to a colossal £250,000! Over the years, the 

donations have been split 40% to International Service and 60% to Community 

and Youth Services: 

International: £20,721 has been donated to Emergency Relief, £28,439 to 

Rotary Foundation (including End Polio) and £47,133 to international projects/ 

charities (including Mary’s Meals, 500 miles, WaterAid etc). 

Community: Donations (£123,314) have included a Wheelyboat, a hoist and 

adapted dinghy for disabled sailing, a Toy Library, numerous medical and social 

charities of interest locally, two mobility scooters, annual outings for Young 

Carers, support for gardening groups and for the hospices. 

Youth Services: Most of the Club’s “Youth Service” is in the generously- given 

time of members who organise the various competitions for local schools 

(Primary School Quiz, Primary School Photography Young Writer, Youth Speaks 

and Young Chef). In addition, £19,696 has been spent on the costs of these 

events and also on the annual Euroscholar project. 

Most of these monies have been raised through the club’s fun and fund-raising 

events. This year those planned are the Curry Night at Shimla Cottage, the 

Santa Wagon in Brookfi eld and Houston, the Burns Supper at the River Inn, the 

Gryffe Valley 10K run, the Car Wash at Beatons, stalls at local shows and raffl es 

at weekly meetings. A big thank-you is due to all the people who support our 

events and the club members who have enjoyed making them a success. 

The club are currently estimating – for input to the Rotary national database - 

the number of man (fun)-days of service that they give on top of these fi nancial 

donations! 

If you are interested to give some of your time and enjoy yourself in the process, 

please come along to one of our speaker meetings and fi nd out more about 

Rotary. There is a very varied menu of speakers as demonstrated below. While 

most of our recent recruits are recently retired people who wanted new things 

to do with their time, younger working people are very welcome. There is the 

possibility to form Satellite Groups which meet less often but still offer the 

networking opportunities and the chance to participate in Rotary projects. 

7 


8 


Gryffe High School Xmas Fayre 

Wednesday 28th November from 6.30pm to 8.30pm 

Please come along and support our fundraising efforts whilst enjoying festive 

music, food and shopping. Munch a delicious Xmas pie and sip a glass of 

mulled wine as you listen to seasonal music provided by the fabulous school 

choir. Then browse the fabulous selection of gifts and crafts on offer, including 

jewellery, candles, handmade elf & fairy doors, personalised wooden Xmas 

boxes, decorations, pet gifts & homebaking. As always we will have our fabulous 

raffle, chocolate tombola and an array of fun games to participate in. 

Tickets are £3 for adults and £1 for school aged children which includes tea/ 

coffee/mulled wine & a mince pie or shortbread. 

Looking forward to seeing you there. 

Christmas Sparkler Ladies’ 

Lunch 

Join us at the Grand Central Hotel, 

Glasgow on Sunday 2nd December 

for our hugely popular St. Vincent’s Hospice Christmas Sparkler Ladies’ 

Lunch! 

The afternoon will begin with a sparkling drinks reception and the opportunity 

to browse and shop amongst our exclusive selection of Hospice pop-up stalls, 

followed by a delicious three-course lunch. 

Our host for the afternoon will be the fabulously entertaining Steve McKenna, 

who will guide us through all the festivities on the day. 

Don’t forget to bring your dancing shoes, and take to the floor with our amazing 

band “Could it be Take That” taking you on a journey through their smash hits 

from the early 1990’s to the present day. 

As we celebrate our 30th Anniversary of offering essential care for countless 

individuals and families all across Renfrewshire, this is a perfect opportunity for 

you to support us, and enjoy a glamorous, entertaining afternoon with friends. 

For further information or to purchase tickets please call 01505 705635 or 

email: info@svh.co.uk. 

CHRISTIAN AID – Indonesian 

Tsunami Appeal 

Along with the 13 other DEC (Disasters 

Emergency Committee) partners, Christian 

Aid is making an appeal to help the hundreds 

of thousands of survivors of the Indonesian 

Tsunami who are in desperate need of water, food, shelter and health care. 

Please give what you can at www.christianaid.org.uk 

Fundraising Candle Party 

Saturday 10th November 

7pm for 7.30pm 

Freeland Church Hall Bridge of Weir 

Tickets: £5 includes Refreshments 

Linzi and Muriel Searl are hosting 

a “Partylite” Candle Party to raise money for DREAMFLIGHT 2019 (www. 

dreamflight.org). All the commission from sales and money raised during the 

evening will be donated to this amazing charity. 

We really hope that you can join us and help to change a young life, whilst 

treating yourself or starting your Christmas shopping! Tickets available from 

Linzi: 07873 828514. 

Christmas Fayre 

On Saturday 10th November, join us for a Christmas Fayre in Aid of Animal 

Support and Rescue SCIO at Elderslie Village Hall, Stoddart Square, Elderslie, 

Renfrewshire from 11am to 2pm. 

There will be Home baking, Christmas Gifts, handmade Jewellery, luxury 

baskets Santa will also be popping along on the day. 



Hair Today, Gone 

Tomorrow 

10-year-old Mitchell Strachan has raised £400 for St. 

Vincent’s Hospice as part of their 30th Anniversary by 

growing his hair for 30 weeks straight. 

Finally getting his haircut this week at First Class 

Barbers in Johnstone, Mitchell has become the first 

person since Renfrewshire Provost, Lorraine Cameron, 

to complete their own 30 Challenge for the Hospice. 

St. Vincent’s is a specialist provider of palliative 

and Hospice care for individuals and families who 

are affected by life-limiting conditions, as well as 

bereavement support and counselling for children and young people who have 

suffered the loss of a loved one, from all across Renfrewshire. 

Commenting on the challenge, Senior Fundraiser for St. Vincent’s Hospice 

(and Mitchell’s Mum), Louise Strachan, said: “This year, as part of the 30th 

Anniversary Celebrations, we are encouraging people to take on a challenge 

to raise vital funds for the Hospice, the only rule being that is has to include 

the number 30. I am so proud of Mitchell for being one of the very first people 

to not only accept, but stick out the challenge, especially dedicating so much 

time to it. This was extremely difficult for him, going on holiday during this time 

and taking part in football practice (when he sometimes was struggling to see 

through his locks!” 

Mitchell, primary six at Howwood Primary, said he wanted to take on the 

challenge to: “raise as much money as possible for St. Vincent’s, because the 

people who go there are very sick and need help. Louise added: “More than 

half the money required to run the Hospice and take care of so many people 

is generated directly from voluntary donations and fundraising efforts from the 

community. The 30 Challenge is a fun and light-hearted way that you can do 

your part to generate vital funds. We can’t do this without your support, so 

please, take part!” 

What do we need you to do? 

Undertake your own #30Challenge! Send us a video, or some photos of you 

doing it either on Facebook or Twitter using the hashtag: #30Challenge. Text 

“STVH30 £1” (or however much you would like to donate) to 70070 to help us 

care for people and families affected by life limiting conditions. 

Thanks to all our loyal clients old and new in our first 

year of opening. This month we have a new stylist 

joining our team... Introducing, Rachael Jamieson. 

Rachael is a highly skilled stylist and joins us 

following an impressive career training and working 

in the best salons in Glasgow, including Taylor 

Ferguson and Vidal Sassoon London Academy. 

To celebrate, Rachael is providing an introductory 

offer of £5 off a cut and style dry and up to £20 off 

all colour services throughout November. Please 

call the salon to book. 

The Big Sing 

in concert West of Scotland Military Wives Choir 

Falkirk Junior Gaelic Choir (Under 19’s) 

Sunday 2nd December 2018 

7pm until 9.30pm 

The Sanctuary, 

Orchardhill Parish Church, Giffnock G46 6JR 

All proceeds raised will go towards supporting families 

impacted by Huntington’s disease 

Entry £10 - To pay online please contact Linda on 0141 848 0308 or by 

visiting www.hdscotland.org 

9 

Christmas 

Fayre 

Join us to help beat 

blood cancer! 


from 11am to 2pm 

Giffnock URC, 163 

Fenwick Road, Glasgow 

G46 6JB 

Lots of stalls, 

competitions and tea 

room. Entry £1. 


10 


New Lease of Life for 138 year 

old Sugar Tycoon Fountain 

An historic drinking fountain gifted by one half of the world famous Tate & Lyle 

partnership is set to be brought back to life. 

Inverclyde Council has unveiled proposals to 

restore the Lyle Fountain in Greenock as part 

of its £1.9million regeneration plan for the 

town centre. 

Chair of Greenock Regeneration Forum and 

Depute Leader of Inverclyde Council Councillor 

Jim Clocherty said: “The fountain was gifted 

to Greenock in 1880 and has become a local 

landmark admired by residents and visitors 

alike. Regeneration is not just about building 

the new but ensuring we preserve, protect 

and renew the old. The fountain is a perfect 

example of Inverclyde’s proud civic heritage 

and something that deserves to be given a 

new lease of life.” 

Caption: Councillor Clocherty at The fountain in Cathcart Square was gifted 

the Lyle Fountain. 

by Abram Lyle - founder of the Lyle sugar 

refinery which would later merge with Henry Tate’s refinery to form Tate & Lyle. 

A pious man and a strict teetotaller he served as Provost from 1876 to 1879 

before moving to London to set up a refinery producing golden syrup. The 

circular fountain is capped with an ornamental dome featuring the crests of 18 

prominent families of Greenock including Ardgowan, Watt and Morton. 

Councillor Clocherty added: “We have found that water and electricity supplies 

to the fountain were disconnected some time ago but we are confident they 

can be restored. Our history and heritage are hugely important community 

assets and we will do all that we can to preserve and protect them for future 

generations.” 


Houston - 2nd - 7th Kilmacolm - 8th (lower) & 10th (upper) 

Brookfield - 9th Bridge of Weir - 11th - 15th 




Winter weather and your eyes 

by Kerry Taher, New Vision Opticians 

With the cold weather, most people will be 

thinking about scarves for the face and neck, 

gloves for the hands, hats for the head and warm 

boots for the feet. But what about the eyes? 

Cold winter winds and central heating can 

cause havoc with the eyes, sometimes leaving 

them very dry, gritty, red and sore. If you’re suffering then you should keep 

well hydrated, take Omega-3 daily as this can help stimulate tear production, 

try a room humidifier and use artificial tears. It’s always best to have an eye 

examination to determine the exact cause of any problems. 

Colds and coughs are very common in cold weather - they can be highly 

contagious and the germs can very easily transfer from the hands to the eyes 

causing various eye infections. Make sure to wash your hands (and your 

children’s hands) regularly to minimise the risk of infection. 

Don’t put away your sunglasses yet! Summer is when we traditionally think 

of wearing sunglasses but they are equally important in winter, protecting our 

eyes from glare, harmful UV reflections from snow and ice and even acting as 

a barrier to block the cold air and wind. Snowy conditions reflect much more 

UV radiation into your eyes, so ensure you have proper UV protection especially 

when enjoying winter sports such as skiing/snowboarding. Polarised sunglasses 

are particularly good when driving towards a low sun in wet conditions. 

Winter is a good time to have your eyes tested as poor light conditions mean 

that your eyes have to work harder, making them more likely to feel tired and 

strained. If you experience any difficulties, eg driving in the dark (one of the 

most common winter complaints) then it’s a good idea to have your eyes 

checked. There’s almost always something that can be done to help. 



11 


12 


Remember Loved Ones at 

Hospice Light up A Life Service 

Ardgowan Hospice invites members of the community to remember loved ones 

by attending its service of remembrance at Westburn Church, Nelson Street, 

Greenock on Sunday 6th December at 6.30pm. 

The moving and uplifting service of remembrance will culminate with the switch 

on of hundreds of twinkly lights on the 60 foot tree, in celebration of the lives of 

family and friends at this special time of year. 

The service will mark the culmination of the Light up A Life Appeal which raises 

valuable funds to support the hospice. This appeal is an opportunity for family 

and friends to dedicate a light on a tree and make it shine bright in celebration 

of light and love. A personal message can be written on a special star either to 

be hung at home or on the tree in our Day Hospice. 

The Light up a Life Appeal will open this month (November) and will feature the 

family of Jennifer Stewart-Shaw who was supported by the hospice and died 

aged 30 and leaves a daughter age 3, husband, mother, sister, brother and lots 

of family and friends. Donations can be made online at www.ardgowanhospice. 

org.uk and forms are also available in the local Ardgowan shop in Kilmacolm. 

World’s Toughest Mudder 

World’s Toughest Mudder is the most extreme, imposing, 

pulse pounding, heart-stopping 24 hour obstacle course 

challenge on the planet which takes place in Georgia, 

USA and John Watt of GlenMoss Landscapes will be 

flying out to Atlanta at the beginning of November to 

take his place with all the top competitors. 

Tough Mudder challenges take place all over the country 

with the World’s Toughest Mudder being the ultimate 

world challenge which consists of a 5 mile circuit race 

with 20-25 of Tough Mudder’s biggest, baddest, most 

insane obstacles to overcome, over 4 obstacles per 

mile. The 24 hour race will take place on 10th & 11th 

November 2018. John is hoping to complete between 

60 and 70 miles over the course of the 24 hours. 

Although John is taking this on as a personal challenge, he is well aware of the 

challenges we all face on a daily basis and will be raising money for cancer 

research, to help people with their own personal challenges. 

The World’s Toughest Mudder really is the ultimate challenge and we wish John 

all the best of luck! He will be Supporting the Fighters, Admiring the Survivors 

and Honouring those no longer here with every step. GOOD LUCK JOHN!!!! 

To donate go to : www.justgiving.com/fundraising/john-watt5 

Renfrewshire Model Railway 

Club Exhibition 

Join Renfrewshire Model Railway Club for their exhibition at Johnstone Town 

Hall on 10th & 11th November! 

Come along to see a number of model train layouts of varying scales from T 

gauge to G scale featuring iconic British locomotives. There will also be trade 

stands buying and selling various model train related items including locos, 

coaches, wagons, cars, buses, books, dvds, scenic materials etc. 

The event will feature our interactive zone where visitors are encouraged to 

participate in the operation of a LEGO layout and a Scalextric race track. There 

will also be other layouts to entertain our younger visitors. And for the not so 

young there will be demonstration layouts showing what can be achieved at low 

cost using electronics. 

A cafe will be open where meals, sandwiches and hot and cold drinks are 

available. The event is being held in the recently constructed Johnstone Town 

Hall which caters for people with disabilities and it is also all on one level. 

Open Saturday 10th from 10am to 5pm and Sunday 11th from 12noon to 4pm. 

Entry Adult £5 / Concession £4 / Child £2 / Family (2 Adults and 2 Children) 

£11. Find out more at www.renfrewshiremrc.co.uk/railway-exhibition.html 

Nurse Nicholson Retires 

This month Kay Nicholson retires after 

more than 40 years in nursing. She 

started her training as a children’s 

nurse at Yorkhill when she was only 

17, then quickly got her first job in 

outpatients at the Southern General. 

After having children of her own she 

moved on to night shift in Geriatrics 

where she worked for over 20 years, 

and for the last few years has been 

assisting surgeons with day clinics for 

breast cancer and heart problems at 

the Southern General and new QEH. 

Kay has always loved being a nurse and helping others, in fact when asked 

by her son recently how she felt about retiring, she said “I’m not sure, I’ll be 

sad not to be a nurse anymore” to which he replied “Mum, you’ll always be a 

nurse”. Whilst her husband joked “I’ll need to hide the Ipad so she doesn’t 

start booking holidays”. 

Nurse Nicholson, the readers of the Advertiser would like to wish you well for 

your retirement and thank you for all your years of service. 

Winter Craft Fair 

CALLING ALL CRAFTERS! Join us on Sunday 4th November for a Winter Craft 

Fair at Castle Semple Visitor Centre. If you would like a stall (just £25) then 

please email Helen with a sample of your work at helen.dowson@clydemuirshiel. 

co.uk 

Just like to browse? Put Sunday 4th November in your diary now and pick up 

some early Christmas Presents. We have some exciting stallholders booked 

in already! 



Mouth Cancer Action Month 

13 

by Sheila Macintyre 

Practice Owner at Kilbarchan Dental Practice 

Kilbarchan Dental Practice is once again supporting 

Mouth Cancer Action Month - a charity campaign which 

aims to raise awareness of mouth cancer and make a difference by saving 

thousands of lives through early detection and prevention. 

In the UK, more than 7,800 people were diagnosed with mouth cancer last year 

and globally there are in excess of 300,000 new cases every year. 

The number of people being diagnosed with mouth cancer has grown by 

around a third in the last decade and remains one of very few cancers which 

are predicted to increase further in the coming years. 

Although risk factors such as smoking are heavily linked to the disease, mouth 

cancer can affect anyone – that’s why it’s so important that we all know what 

to look out for and what preventative measures we can take: 

- Don’t leave a mouth ulcer unattended for more than three weeks. 

- Don’t ignore any unusual lumps or swellings or red and white patches in your 

mouth. 

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

if you smoke and drink. 

- Maintain a healthy diet. Eating plenty of fresh fruit and veg and cutting down 

on smoking and alcohol consumption will certainly help lower the risk. 

- Early detection could save your life. If you notice any changes in your mouth 

speak to a dentist or doctor immediately. 

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. 

5 Marathons in 5 

days 

My dad, Laurence Christie (aged 63 from Bridge 

of Weir), arranged a charity event to raise money 

for Stand Up to Cancer in the Cancer Research 

shop, Linwood. He’s been running 5 marathons 

over 5 consecutive days with members of the 

public, staff and friends and family taking small 

stints to let him grab a drink/help out in the shop 

with tills etc. You see celebrities doing all these 

things and getting massive publicity but he’s 

just quietly gotten on with it and enjoyed every 

second (well maybe not the chafing). 

Day one my dad did 22.4 miles averaging 6.1mph, 

wife Liz and Cancer Research volunteer Chris did 

3.8 miles taking the full marathon 1 to 4hours 

41mins 30secs. All this at a 10% incline. 

Day two my dad did 22.4miles and members of 

the public and Cancer Research staff made up the rest of the 26.2 marathon 

taking it to 4hours 52mins and 20secs. Today a wonderful 80 year old survivor 

happened to be in the store, did a few minutes stint (think he was scared what 

his wife would say if he did any more) and shared his story. Also at a 10% 

incline. 

Day three my dad had help from a few Houston residents (my friends roped in) 

meaning he only had to do a mere 13 miles himself of the total 26.2. Totalling 

4hours 12mins between them. Today they discovered that the treadmill had 

been at a 10% incline for the past two days. 

Day four my dad did 20 miles with volunteers taking on the other 6.2. 4hours 

20mins. 

Today I’m taking my children in to “help Grandad out”. So his average speed 

may be slightly dented (not by the kids, by me). I wanted to give him a big 

shout-out because we’re all so proud of him. My dad has been volunteering 

several days a week in the Cancer Research shop during his retirement. He 

had already begun organising this event when we actually lost a family member 

to the horrendous disease, so this gives it all the more meaning. My dad is a 

wonderful example to all and my boys are lucky to have him. 

He opened a just-giving page (probably the most surprising achievement that 

he managed to work out how, heehee) to try and raise some money for this 

amazing cause. 

https://fundraise.cancerresearchuk.org/page/Laurences-giving-page-12 

Lynda 

Erskine Christmas Lights Switch On 

Friday 23rd November at Bridgewater Shopping Centre, Erskine 

Santa will lead the procession from Mains Drive shops, Erskine, to Bridgewater 

Shopping Centre at 6.45pm. Dress up in your Christmas lights, tinsel and 

bells. 

Festivities (Santa, live music, children’s rides, refreshments and more) at 

Bridgewater Shopping Centre from 6.45pm to 7.45pm. Lights switch on at 

7.15pm. 


14 


NOVEMBER 

THU 1 NOVEMBER 

SAT 3 NOVEMBER 

MON 5 - TUE 6 NOV 


Outlook 

Kidston Hall, High Street, Kilmacolm 

2pm - 4pm 

Short Stories and Poems. 

FRI 2 NOVEMBER 

SING ALONG FILM 

Calder Church, Church Street, Lochwinnoch 

PA12 4AE 2pm 

Come and Sing along to SUMMER HOLIDAY. 

Call 07761 114567 for more information. 

Elderslie Community Council - 80’s 

Disco 

Elderslie Bowling Club, Stoddard Square, 

Elderslie PA5 9AS 7pm 

Come and join us for a fun filled night of Disco 

fever! We’re hoping people will come along in 

fancy dress but it is by no means compulsory! 

We will be holding a raffle during the evening 

and hope to raise lots of money towards the 

park. For more information check out our 

updated website www.elderslie.org.uk. £5 

Fireworks Display Kilbarchan 

Kilbarchan Park, Park View, Kilbarchan 

7.30pm 

Hot soup and snacks in the Scout centre 

afterwards. This is a great family night in the 

village so come along and join in! 

Islay - Queen of the Hebrides - An 

illustrated talk. 

McMaster Centre, Donaldson Drive, Renfrew 

7.30pm 

Gary Turnbull will deliver an illustrated talk 

entitled ‘Islay - Queen of the Hebrides’. All 

welcome. 


Kilmacolm Bonfire & Fireworks 

Knapps Loch, Bridge of Weir Road, 

Kilmacolm from 4.30pm 

Gates open at 4.30pm, bonfire lit 6pm, 

fireworks at 6.15pm. Police request that 

people do not stand on the pavement opposite 

and in the lane up the side of the field. Entry 

is only £5 (adults) £2 (youngsters). Enquiries 

to David Wilson 07766 992294. 

Paisley Fireworks Spectacular 

Paisley Town Hall, Abbey Close, Paisley 2pm 

Paisley Fireworks Spectacular - details TBC. 

Bishopton Scout Group Fireworks 

Display 

Bishopton Village 6.30pm 

Bishopton Scout Group Fireworks display 

at the RoF Car Park, Bishopton, gates open 

6.30pm, display starts 7.30pm. Come and 

join us for our annual fireworks display. Hot 

food and drinks available. £2 per person, 

under 5’s free. 

Duchal Nursery Halloween Party 

Duchal Nursery School, Kilmacolm 

10.30am to 12.30pm 

It’s going to be a spooky fun filled morning at 

Duchal!! There will be witches hats, halloween 

masks, pumpkins and spooky arts and crafts, 

some games and halloween fun. Open to 

all families with pre school children. Come 

along to join in the fun, we can’t wait to see 

your costumes! 

SAT 3 - SUN 4 NOVEMBER 

Binocular & Telescope Open Day 

RSPB, Largs Road, Lochwinnoch 

10am to 4pm 

Looking to choose your first pair of binoculars 

or a telescope, or thinking of upgrading? Come 

and meet our friendly and impartial team 

in the viewing tower, overlooking our lovely 

reserve, for hands on advice about our wide 

range of optics! Our binoculars and scopes are 

competitively priced, with the added bonus that 

you are helping conservation! For bookings 

and further information: Email. lochwinnoch@ 

rspb.org.uk Tel: 01505 842663. Free. 

SUN 4 NOVEMBER 

Winter Craft Fair 

Castle Semple Visitor Centre, Lochlip Road, 

Lochwinnoch 11am to 3pm 

Join us on for our fantastic Winter Craft Fair 

and pick up some early Christmas Presents. 

We have some exciting stallholders booked 

in already! 

Donations of Warm Clothes for the 

Homeless 

Houston & Killellan Kirk, Main Street, 

Houston 


Homeless 

St Columba’s School Open Days 

St Columba’s School, Kilmacolm 9am - 3pm 

Junior School, Knockbuckle Road, Kilmacolm 

PA13 4EQ and Senior School, Duchal Road, 

Kilmacolm PA13 4AU. There is no better 

way to experience the true atmosphere of St 

Columba’s School than to come and see it for 

yourself. Our Open Days provide the perfect 

opportunity to see our Early Years, Junior and 

Senior Schools in action. Please contact Junior 

or Senior School to arrange a visit and let our 

pupils show you what makes St Columba’s so 

special. www.st-columbas.org 

TUE 6 NOVEMBER 

Christmas Card Sale 

Kilmacolm Community Centre, Lochwinnoch 

Road, Kilmacolm 10am to 1pm 

Christmas Card sale in aid of MND (motor 

neurone disease). 


Solas Bereavement Group 


2pm - 4pm 

Solas Bereavement Group. 


Houston and Killellan Kirk 


Houston 7pm to 9pm 

The Big Remembrance Sing (in aid of Solar 

Lamps for Mwandi) Community singing – all 

the old favourites from long ago and also up 

to date. Something for everyone - older and 

younger. Guest appearances – including Eilidh 

Grant, St Fillan’s & Houston Primary School 

choirs. Entry - Donations at the door. 

FRI 9 - SAT 10 NOVEMBER 

The Carrick Players - Chekhov 

Double Bill 

Kilbarchan Performing Arts Centre, 8 Steeple 

Square, Kilbarchan 7pm 

A Sketch, a Sandwich and a Swally The 

Bear - Adapted by Bernard Lawrence & 

The Anniversary - Adapted by Mary Fairley. 

Saturday Matinee @ 1pm. Tickets available 

online at http://thecarrickplayers.eventbrite. 

co.uk or from Bobbins Coffee Shop. (£1 

booking fee for online tickets) £10. 

Christmas Fayre & Coffee Morning 


10am to 12noon 

Kilmacolm Friends of Ardgowan Hospice. 

Please come along to our annual Christmas 

Fayre and Coffee Morning. Tickets can be 

purchased from committee members or at the 

door. Any donations of baking or preserves will 

be gratefully received between 2pm - 4pm at 

the Kidston Hall. 

Gaelic Singing Workshop 

Church of the Holy Trinity and St. Barnabas, 

Back Sneddon Street, Paisley PA3 2AB 

9.30am to 1pm 

Seinn Òrain Gàidhlig (No prior knowledge of 

Gaelic required) PLACES MUST BE BOOKED 

IN ADVANCE Contact us by e-mail at fios@ 

clanngaidhlig.org or telephone 07805 918509. 

Organised by ClannGàidhlig community group 

promoting and developing Gaelic in the local 

community. £10. 

Annual Fall Ball Charity Ceilidh 

McKillop Hall, Main Street, Lochwinnoch 8pm 

Featuring Alastair McCulloch the Coila Band 

has developed into one of the leading 

traditional groups in Scotland and is in 

constant demand at home and abroad. From 

performances at international music festivals 

such as Celtic Connections and The Shetland 

Folk Festival to Hollywood film premières. 

Proceeds to Johnstone and Gryffe School 

Students World Challenge and Lochwinnoch 

Primary PTA. Entry by ticket only £8.50. Bar, 

Buffet & Raffle Tickets @ Now and Then and 

Café Cucina Minucci at the Junction. 

Fundraising Candle Party 

Freeland Church, Main Street, Bridge of Weir 

7pm 

Linzi and Muriel Searl are hosting a “Partylite” 

Candle Party in the church hall to raise money 

for DREAMFLIGHT 2019 (www.dreamflight. 

org). All the commission from sales and 

money raised during the evening will be 

donated to this amazing charity. We really 

hope that you can join us and help to change 

a young life, whilst treating yourself or starting 

your Christmas shopping! Tickets available 

from Linzi: 07873 828514. Tickets includes 

Refreshments £5 

Kilbarchan Messy Church 

Kilbarchan Steeple Hall, Steeple Square, 

Kilbarchan 4pm to 6pm 

All Welcome. Children need to be accompanied 

by an adult. 



15 



MON 19- SUN 25 NOV 


Elderslie Village Hall 11am to 2pm 

In aid of Animal Support and Rescue SCIO. 

There will be Home baking, Christmas Gifts, 

handmade Jewellery, luxury baskets Santa will 

also be popping along on the day. 

TnT Bird Ringing Demonstration 

Muirshiel Visitor Centre, Calder Glen Road nr 

Lochwinnoch PA12 4LB 10.30am to 1.30pm 

The last opportunity of the Tag-n-Track season 

to see our native birds up close! A unique 

event. MORE INFO: tel 01505 842 882. 

SAT 10 - SUN 11 NOV 

Renfrewshire Model Railway Club 

Exhibition 

Johnstone Town Hall 10am to 5pm 

Come along to see a number of model train 

layouts of varying scales from T gauge to G 

scale featuring iconic British locomotives. 

Open Saturday 10th from 10am to 5pm 

and Sunday 11th from 12noon to 4pm. 

Entry Adult £5 / Concession £4 / Child £2 / 

Family (2 Adults and 2 Children) £11. www. 

renfrewshiremrc.co.uk/railway-exhibition.html 

RYA Powerboat Level 2 Course 


Lochwinnoch 9.30am to 4pm 

A comprehensive course to enable you to 

gain your powerboat licence. Practical on the 

water activities with overnight homework! For 

more information tel: 01505 842882 or book 

online. £150. 



Homeless 


Houston 

Donations of Warm Clothes welcome. 

Remembrance Services 

Various venues 

There will be a number of events around 

Renfrewshire and Inverclyde to commemmorte 

the ending of hostilities. 


Outlook 


2pm - 4pm 

A Topic of Personal Choice, Dr Peter McEnhill 


Astronomy Evening 

RSPB, Largs Road, Lochwinnoch 7.30pm-9pm 

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: 

£4.80 (RSPB members: £4.80/£3.80). For 

bookings: Email. lochwinnoch@rspb.org.uk 

Tel: 01505 842663. 

Advertizer Issue Deadline 

The Advertizer - Neva Place, Bridge of Weir 

If you would like anything published in our next 

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

call the office on 01505 613340. 


Paisley Christmas Lights Switch On 

Paisley Town Hall, Abbey Close, Paisley 1pm 

Join Santa, Rudolph and some very special 

musical guests for Paisley’s annual festive 

extravaganza. 

Calder Church Christmas Fayre 

McKillop Hall, Main Street, Lochwinnoch 


Stalls include:- Christmas Stall (cards, wrap & 

gifts), Home baking, Jewellery & accessories, 

Books, DVDs & CDs, Toys, Bottle stall (non 

alcoholic), Bric-a-Brac, Lucky dip and lots 

more..... Children FREE includes tea, coffee, 

juice & Christmas goodies. All welcome! £2. 


Giffnock URC, 163 Fenwick Road, Giffnock, 

Glasgow G46 6JB 11am to 2pm 

Join us to help beat blood cancer! Please 

come along to this fantastic event - lots of 

stalls, competitions and tea room. Entry £1. 

Bishopton Art Group Christmas Art 

and Craft Fair 

Bishopton Community Centre, Gledstane 

Road, Bishopton 10am to 3pm 

Local artists and crafts people will offer a 

variety of products for sale that will make 

ideal Christmas presents. Free parking and a 

5-minute walk from Bishopton railway station. 

Tea, Coffee and delicious home baking will be 

available during the event. Free. 

Practical Conservation Day 

Muirshiel Visitor Centre, Calder Glen Road nr 

Lochwinnoch PA12 4LB 10.30am to 3pm 

Improve the trees and woodland of Muirshiel 

Country Park for a day. 

Lochwinnoch Wildlife Explorers – 

Sharks 

RSPB, Largs Road, Lochwinnoch 10am to 

12noon 

Come and learn all about sharks. These 

amazing apex predators have been about since 

before the dinosaurs roamed the earth! 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). For bookings and 

further information: Email. lochwinnoch@rspb. 

org.uk Tel: 01505 842663. 

SUN 18 NOVEMBER 


Homeless 


Houston 

Donations 

welcome. 

Book Week Scotland 

Various locations 

Celebrate books and reading wherever you 

are. Come along to hundreds of events for 

all ages and spread the joy of reading. Check 

out our Digital Festival for videos of your 

favourite authors, our livestream poetry slam 

and more. Visit www.bookweekscotland.com 

for full details. 

THU 22 - SAT 24 NOV 

KDS presents Sleeping Beauty 


The Kilmacolm Dramatic Society presents 

an amateur production of Sleeping Beauty. 

Thursday 22nd, Friday 23rd and Saturday 24th 

November at 7pm inc. Sat matinee at 2.30pm. 

Doors open 7pm - performance at 7.30pm. 

Tickets available at the Cross Cafe, Kilmacolm 

or from Rosie Thirde (01505 873088) and on 

the door. Tickets cost £12 for adults, £8 for 

children under 14. 

It’s A Wonderful Life 

Kilbarchan Parish Church Hall, Steeple Street 

7.30pm 

Presented by Kilbarchan Parish Church Drama 

Group. Tickets £9, school-age £5, are now 

available by phoning the hotline 704048 and 

from Bobbins Coffee shop. The production is a 

play based on the well-known and much-loved 

film with James Stewart. 


Erskine Christmas Lights Switch 

On 

Bridgewater Shopping Centre, 8 Bridgewater 

Place, Erskine PA8 7AA 6.45pm to 7.45pm 

Santa will lead the procession from Mains 

Drive shops. Dress up in your Christmas lights, 

tinsel and bells. Festivities (Santa, live music, 

children’s rides, refreshments and more). 

Lights switch on at 7.15pm. 


Renfrew Christmas Lights Switch 

On 

Renfrew Town Hall, Hairst Street, Renfrew 

PA4 8PF 12noon 

There’s entertainment on in and around 

Renfrew Town Hall before the sky is lit up with 

the festive lights switch on and a spectacular 

firework display. 

Christmas Fayre & Lights Switch 

On 

Elderslie Village Hall 2pm 

Come and join Santa and the ECC ladies 

with an array of stalls and entertainment 

culminating in the raffle at 5pm then outside 

for carols and the light switch-on at 6pm to 

round off the day. 

CMRP Volunteer Groups Craft Fair 


Lochwinnoch 11am to 3pm 

The rustic wooden Snowmen, Rudolphs and 

other decorations will be back! Get down soon 

as they sell out very quickly. MORE INFO: tel 

01505 843271. 


Houston & Killellan Kirk Guild 

Victorian Christmas Market 

West Halls Main Street Houston PA6 7EL 

(next to Carrick Centre and Village Hall) 

10.30am to 1pm 

Lots of gifts for the children to buy for their 

parents, grandparents, family and friends 

too. Don’t miss Santa, he’ll be here to meet 

you too! Stalls include - Baking, Preserves, 

Toiletries, Children’s gifts, many under £1 and 

many more for you to browse. 

Bird Feeders 

The Cut Visitor Centre, Cornalees Bridge, 

Greenock 1pm to 3pm 

Build your own bird feeder and make fat balls 

for the birds. MORE INFO: tel 01475 521458 

or book online. 

Houston and Killellan Kirk 

Bearsden Fiddlers Concert 

West Halls Main Street Houston PA6 7EL 

(next to Carrick Centre and Village Hall) 7pm 

Tickets includes tea/coffee and shortbread. 

BYOB. Contacts: Ina, 612962 and Kate, 

613676. £5. 

SAT 24 - SUN 25 NOV 

RYA Level 2 Powerboat Course 


Lochwinnoch 9.30am to 4pm 

A comprehensive course to enable you to 

gain your powerboat licence. Practical on the 

water activities with overnight homework! For 

more information tel: 01505 842882 or book 

online. £150. 


Lochwinnoch Community Garden 

Making Bird Boxes 

Lochwinnoch Parish Church 2pm 

We are encouraging people in the village to 

help nature in our gardens. Come along and 

make a bird box for your garden or the village. 

Meet at the Community Garden behind the 

Parish Church at 2pm tea and coffee too! 

Bring a hammer if you have one!!. 


Homeless 

Houston & Killellan Kirk, Main St, Houston 

Donations of Warm Clothes welcome 


16 

Weekly Memory Café 

Our Memory Cafe is a wonderfully welcoming place for individuals living 

with Alzheimer’s, or any type of dementia, their families, friends & carers. 

Drop by to fi nd out about Community Activities, Community Support, and 

professional advice on living with Dementia 

Active Communities Hub 

16 Quarry Street, Johnstone 

Every Wednesday 

from 

10.30am -12.30pm 

Educate - Support - Engage 

Johnstone Phoenix Theatre Group 

proudly present “Freezin - the Panto”, 

the story of the Snow Queen. 

At Johnstone Town Hall on Saturday 

1st December until Saturday 8th 

December (including Saturday 

matinee). 

Evening shows - doors 

7pm / curtain up 7.30pm | Matinee 

- doors 1.30pm / curtain up 2pm. 

Tickets price £14 (adults) or £11 

(concession) 

Book tickets now on 07748 827727 / 

jptg.tickets@gmail.com 

Note: Booking number open between 

4.30pm & 6.30pm - outwith these 

times please leave a message. 

Gaelic Singing 

Workshop 

. 

Seinn Òrain Gàidhlig 

(No prior knowledge of Gaelic required) 

Saturday 10th November 2018 

9.30am – 1pm 

Church of the Holy Trinity & St. 

Barnabas, Back Sneddon Street, 

Paisley PA3 2AB 

Places Must Be Booked In Advance 

Cost: £10 

Contact us by e-mail at fi os@ 

clanngaidhlig.org or telephone 

07805 918509 

Organised by ClannGàidhlig 

community group promoting and 

developing Gaelic in the local 

community. 


Ranger walk around Loch Thom 

The Cut Visitor Centre, Cornalees Bridge, 

Greenock 10am to 2pm 

Tread the new link path which now makes 

this a wonderful circular walk. MORE INFO: 

tel 01475 521458 or book online. 

Early Bird Christmas Craft & Gift 

Fayre 

Kilbarchan Guide Centre, Barn Green, 

Kilbarchan 1pm to 4pm 

Over 20 stalls filled with gorgeous gifts for 

all the family including Threepwood Fayre, 

All things nice and Braw Bricht Jewellery, 

Thread Bear Inc, Bumble Buttonz and Shirley’s 

vintage teacup candles and xmas decos. 

Come along and bring a friend to browse our 

stalls and have a chat over a cup of tea or 

coffee. Can’t wait to see you there! Entry 

£2/ u12 go free. 

Birds for Beginners 

RSPB, Largs Rd, Lochwinnoch 11am-1.30pm 

Workshop ideal for introducing bird watching 

for beginners to this fantastic hobby! Learn 

more about common garden birds and pick 

up tips and advice on wildlife watching 

techniques. Head out onto our beautiful 

reserve , then top it up with a hot drink back 

at the reserve. Binoculars available for hire 

from the shop! Please book, as places are 

limited. Cost: Adults: £6; Children: £4.80 

(RSPB members: £4.80/£3.80). For bookings 

and further information: Email. lochwinnoch@ 

rspb.org.uk Tel: 01505 842663. 

WED 28 NOVEMBER 

Johnstone High Christmas Gift and 

Craft Fayre 

Johnstone High School, Beith Road, 

Johnstone PA5 0JN 6pm to 8pm 

Jump right into the Christmas spirit at our 

annual Christmas Gift and Craft Fayre. Plenty 

to choose from with over 30 stalls, gifts for all 

the family. We welcome back Liz’s beaded 

jewellery, Kilbarchan soaps, The wood old 

days, Gifts to keep and many more.............. 

Get lucky on the raffle and tombola and join 

in with a singsong with our school choir. Entry 

£2/ Under 12 go free (inc tea/coffee). 

Gryffe High School Xmas Fayre 

Gryffe High School, Old Bridge of Weir Road, 

Houston 6.30pm to 8.30pm 

Please come along to our Xmas Fayre and 

support our fundraising efforts whilst enjoying 

festive music, food and shopping. Tickets are 

£3 for adults and £1 for school aged children 

which includes tea/coffee/mulled wine & a 

mince pie or shortbread. 


Gibb Stuart Late Night Opening 

Gibb Stuart Hardware, Main Street, Bridge of 

Weir 5pm to 8pm 

Need some time for Christmas shopping? 

Come along to Gibb Stuart’s late night 

openings for extra special discounts and deals 

on the night! We’re open until 8pm - also on 

Thursday 6th, 13th and 20th December. 



Scott Gibson Comedy Tour Comes 

to Lochwinnoch 

McKillop Hall, Main St, Lochwinnoch 7.30pm 

Tickets: £10 (£8 concession) for sale “Now 

and Then” the “Junction café” Lochwinnoch 

On line /www.ents24.com/uk/tour-dates/ 

scott-gibson Or call 07868 752814 

Houston and Killellan Agricultural 

Society Quiz Night 

Houston Bowling Club 7.30pm 

Ticket price includes a light supper and are 

available from committee members and 

Isabelle Stuart on 01505 613479 or e-mail: 

issistuart@gmail.com £5 


KDS - Scottish Themed Quiz Night 

Strathgryffe Tennis Squash & Fitness Club, 

51 Fleming Rd, Houston, Johnstone PA6 7EU 

Scottish themed quiz night on St Andrew’s Day. 

Full details and tickets can be obtained by 

contacting John Gilchrist by email: gilchy57@ 

gmail.com or phone: 01475 540392 

SAT 1 DECEMBER 

Johnstone Christmas Lights 

Switch-On 

Johnstone Town Centre 12noon 

There’s family entertainment throughout 

the afternoon in Houstoun Square, with live 

music, Christmas activities and a fun fair 

before the town’s Christmas lights are officially 

switched on. 

2nd Bridge of Weir Guides 

Christmas Craft Coffee Morning 

St Machar’s Church, Kilbarchan Road, Bridge 

of Weir 10am to 12.30pm 

Please come along and support this fantastic 

event! 


Kilbarchan Parish Church Hall, Steeple Street 


A large variety of gift stalls and the opportunity 

for children to have their photo taken with 

Santa. Entrance is £3, which includes coffee, 

mince pies and shortbread. 

SAT 1 - SAT 8 DECEMBER 

Freezin - the Panto! 

Johnstone Town Hall, Johnstone 

Johnstone Phoenix Theatre Group presents 

“Freezin - the Panto”, the story of the Snow 

Queen. Saturday 1st December until Saturday 

8th December (including Saturday matinee). 

Evening shows - doors 7pm / curtain up 

7.30pm | Matinee - doors 1.30pm / curtain 

up 2pm. Tickets price £14 (adults) or £11 

(concession) Book tickets now on 07748 

827727 / jptg.tickets@gmail.com Note: 

Booking number open between 4.30pm & 

6.30pm - outwith these times please leave 

a message 



17 

SUN 2 DECEMBER 

Santa Sleigh - Houston 

Houston Village general 

South Mound, Glenartney, St Fillans Dr, Manse 

Cres, Hagart Rd, Speirs Rd, Glebe Gdns, Four 

Windings, South St, North St, Fleming Rd, 

Burnlea Cres, Houstonfield Quad, Houstonfield 

Rd, Kirk Rd, Kilmacolm Rd, Fields Lane, 

Cricketfield Lane, Old School House Lane, 

Barochan Rd 

St Vincent’s Christmas Sparkler 

Ladies’ Lunch 

Grand Central Hotel, 99 Gordon Street, 

Glasgow G1 3SF 

A sparkling drinks reception, exclusive Hospice 

pop-up stalls and a delicious three-course 

lunch, all hosted by Steve McKenna! Get your 

dancing shoes on and boogie to “Could it be 

Take That”. Please come along and support 

us, and enjoy a glamorous, entertaining 

afternoon with friends. For further information 

or to purchase tickets please call 01505 

705635 or email: info@svh.co.uk. 

Bishopton Christmas Tree Light 

Switch On Ceremony & Community 

Carol Singing 

Bishopton Community Centre, Gledstane 

Road, Bishopton 6.30pm 

Carol singing starting at 6.30pm in the 

community centre with the Christmas tree 

light switch on ceremony in the Community 

Centre’s car park. Singers will include children 

and adults from community organisations. 

Refreshments available. Please leave cars at 

home and walk to the Centre. It is likely to be 

cold so please wrap up appropriately. Free. 

0 1 5 0 5 

ARE YOU PLANNING OR 

HAD AN EVENT? 

SEND IN THE DETAILS AND 

YOU COULD BE ON THESE 

VERY PAGES! 

613340 

MON 3 DECEMBER 

Carol Service & Lights on - Bridge 

of Weir 

Freeland Church, Main Street, Bridge of Weir 

6.15pm. Livery Walk, Bridge of Weir 7pm 

Carol Service in Freeland Church at 6.15pm 

with the Primary School Choir, followed by 

the Lights Switch-On at Livery Walk at 7pm 

by the village Gala Queen. A few changes to 

the format this year - details will be posted 

on the Community Council Facebook page 

once finalised. 



Crosslee Pk, Dunnet Dr, Whirlie Rd, Back o’Hill, 

Strawberry Fields, Whirlie Dr, Pine Gro, Mill 

Brae, Crosslee Gdns, Brierie Hills Cres, Brierie 

Hills Rd, Brierie Lane, Brierie Gdns, Goldenlee 

View, Brierie Hill Gro, Earlsgate, Brierie Ave 

TUE 4 DECEMBER 



Crosslee Cres, Leeburn Ave, Craigholme, 

Woodside, The Beeches, Birch Gro, Riverside, 

Broomfield, The Meadows, Brackendene, 

Crossways, Neuk Cres, Neuk Ave 

WED 5 DECEMBER 

Weir Networking 

Amaretto Ristorante and Pizzeria, 60 Main 

Street, Bridge of Weir 9.30am 

Breakfast starts at 9:30am with cover 

charge of £5. Please email colin@magifilms. 

co.uk or visit our facebook page at https:// 

www.facebook.com/Weir-Networking- 

350783798430333/. We look forward to 

welcoming you all. £5. 

WED 5 DECEMBER 



Locher Cres, Locher Gdns, Locher Avew, Locher 

Way, Locher Gait, Gryfebank Ave, Gryfewood 

Cres, Gryfewood Way, Gryfebank Clo, 

Gryfebank Way, Gryfebank Clo, Cunningham 

Gdns, Crawford Rd 

Psychic 

Evening 

Thursday 1st November from 

7.30pm 

SALLY BUXTON is coming to the Old 

Library Centre, Kilbarchan. 

Tickets must be paid by Friday 26th 

October. Tickets £10. Doors Open 

7.30pm for 8pm. BYOB. For tickets 

and info telephone 01505 706070 

email kipcokil@hotmail.com. KIPCO 

is a charity SCO 31251 

Afternoon Tea in the Church 

St Machar’s Ranfurly invites you to 

Afternoon Tea in the Church 

Sunday 18th November 

2.30pm to 4.30pm 

£5 Afternoon Tea with unlimited Tea & Coffee 

£8 Afternoon Tea with unlimited Tea & Coffee and a Glass of Prosecco 

Tickets available from the Church Vestibule or by calling (01505) 874319 

Celebrating 25 years!! 

For 25 years Kingsley Wood & Co have worked hard 

to provide an effective and personal legal service 

to you, our clients. 

We want to say a big thank-you for your loyalty 

support and instructions over the years. 

Your business is important to us and we aim 

to keep delivering for you. 

Our aim is to provide a fi rst-class personal 

professional legal service at a reasonable 

price to individual clients and businesses 

throughout West Renfrewshire and Inverclyde. 

In Bridge of Weir too, Kingsley Wood & Co Letting 

and Estate Agents complement our legal work by 

offering a full range of estate agency and property letting services. Why not 

have a look at our website to fi nd the latest properties to buy or rent? 

www.kingsleywood.co.uk 

Kingsley Wood commented: 

It’s fantastic to have had so much local support and encouragement over the 

years. I want to thank everyone for that. We look forward to continuing to work 

with you and develop our business in the future. Since 1993, when we opened 

our offi ce in Kilmacolm, we’ve advised on everything from intellectual property 

law and computer software to licensing, planning and property development 

and from buying or selling your home to court actions and winding up estates. 

From our initial focus on providing commercial advice to individuals and 

small businesses the practice has developed a comprehensive range of legal 

services including:- 

● House purchase and sale, re-mortgage and security work; 

● Wills and Executries, Powers of Attorney, Guardianship and trusts 

● Matrimonial work including Separation, divorce, co-habitation and contact 

Litigation & dispute resolution, debt recovery property disputes and 

employment law issues; 

● Company law, commercial contracts and property matters; business 

purchase and sale; 

To keep up to date join us on Facebook https://en-gb.facebook.com/ 

KingsleyWoodCo/ 

Keep in touch 

With best wishes from all of the team at Kingsley Wood & Co 


18 


EVERY MONDAY 

Lochwinnoch Community Walk 

The Cross, Lochwinnoch 10.30am 

This event will not take place on public holidays. 

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 

Strathgryffe Motorcycle Club 

The Trust Inn, Kilbarchan, 9pm - 10.30pm 

Visit www.strathgryffe.org for details. 

EVERY TUESDAY 

Singing for Wellbeing 

Bishopton Community Centre 6pm - 7.15pm 

A fun, no pressure choir singing feel good songs. 

Bridge of Weir Walking Group 

Outside the Co-op, BoW, 10.30am 

1 hour walks. Call Senga on 0141 842 3000. 

Bridge of Weir Choral Society 

Small Hall St Columba Church, Kilmacolm 7.30pm 

- 9.30pm 

All welcome. 

Crafty Play Café 

Quarriers Village Café, Faith Avenue, Quarriers 

Booking slots available 10am-12noon; 12noon -2pm; 

2pm - 4pm 

Relax and have a coffee while your children or 

grandchildren play! Free entry; £2 for kids craft 

materials (optional) 

EVERY WEDNESDAY 

Knitting Group 

Three Sisters Bake, Quarriers 10am - 12noon 

Knitters of all levels welcome! 

Weekly Memory Café 

Active Communities Hub, 16 Quarry Street, 

Johnstone, 10.30am -12.30pm 

A welcoming place for individuals living with 

Alzheimer’s, or any type of dementia, their families, 

friends & carers. Drop by to find out about Community 

Activities, Community Support, and professional 

advice. 

EVERY THURSDAY 

Weekly Volunteer Group 

Castle Semple, Lochwinnoch 12.30pm - 3.30pm 

Conservation Volunteers - adult group. Newcomers 

always welcome. 

Kilmacolm Walkers 

Birkmyre Park Pavilion, Kilmacolm, 10am 

David 01505 874192 kilmacolmwalkers@talktalk.net 

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 


EVERY SUNDAY 


Castle Semple, Lochwinnoch 10am - 12noon 

Youth Volunteer Group - age 14 - 18 years. Newcomers 


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. 

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, Kilmacolm. 2pm - 4pm. 

3RD FRIDAY MONTHLY 

Hearing Aid Clinic 

The Bridge, Bridge of Weir 1 - 2pm 

Hearing aid batteries and hearing aid checks. 

2ND SATURDAY MONTHLY 

‘Brunch & Browse’ 

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

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

LAST FRIDAY MONTHLY 

TheTerrace 

St Machar’s Ranfurly Church Hall 

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

LAST SATURDAY MONTHLY 

Table Top Sale 

Linwood Parish Church, Blackwood Ave 11am - 1pm 

This is a free event. Call 01505 328802 for 

details. 

1ST SAT 

Cargill Centre, Kilmacolm 

10am - 2pm 

1ST & 3RD SUN 

Loch Lomond Shores 

10am - 3pm Tel: 07977 179 861 

2ND THU & LAST SAT 

Paisley Cross 

10am - 2pm Tel: 01655 770217 

2ND SUN 

Kip Marina, Inverkip 

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

YOUR TICKET TO LOCAL EVENTS 

/GryffeAds 

advertizer.co.uk /content/what-s-on 

01505 613340 info@advertizer.co.uk 

“The lines” are a group of 15 and 16 year 

old boys who all attend Gryffe High School in 

Houston. The band members are Michael 

Macgee (Houston, drums, guitar and vocals) 

Harry Gallacher (Bridge of Weir, guitar and 

vocals) Marc Sermani (Lochwinnoch, guitar) and Matthew Kennedy (base 

guitar). 

Their latest gig at Callum’s Cavern Paisley on Saturday 20th October was a 

huge success. With around 130 paying fans attending. Which apparently was 

one of the busiest nights at that venue. As well as many more watching live 

on Facebook. 

All money made from the gig is going towards recording their fi rst ever demo. 

They played a set of 20 songs. Most of which were their own songs. Their next 

gig is at Ivory Blacks in Glasgow on 15th November 2018. 

Get Your Dancing 

Shoes On 

The OIR Dance Group meet on a Monday at 1.30pm 

in the Clark Memorial Hall, Largs. Dancing consists of 

Ballroom, Sequence, Old Time and Scottish. 

All new members are made welcome, so dust off your old dance shoes and 

come along and join us, come alone or bring a partner. 

Contact: Bill Alexander 01475 522043 or Archie Adams 01475 649008. 

The Carrick Players 

A Sketch, a Sandwich and a Swally 

Chekhov Double Bill 

The Bear - Adapted by Bernard Lawrence 

The Anniversary - Adapted by Mary Fairley 

When? Fri 9th Nov 7pm - Sat 10th Nov 1pm - Sat 

10th Nov 7pm 

Where? Kilbarchan Performing Arts Centre 

Tickets? £10 Available online at http:// 

thecarrickplayers.eventbrite.co.uk 

or from Bobbins Coffee Shop . (£1 booking fee for 

online tickets) 

Book Week Scotland 2018 

Celebrate books and reading Monday 19th - Sunday 25th 

November. 

We’re excited to bring you the 2018 programme for Book 

Week Scotland. It’s bigger and better than ever, with 

incredible events taking place across Scotland. 

During Book Week, people of all ages and walks of life will 

come together in libraries, schools, community venues and 

workplaces to share and enjoy books and reading. They will be 

joined in this celebration by Scotland’s authors, poets, playwrights, storytellers 

and illustrators to bring a packed programme of events and projects to life. 

Find out how you can get involved below; go to an event near you, hold a reading 

lunch, organise a book sale and lots more! Visit http://www.scottishbooktrust. 

com/reading/book-week-scotland/about for full details and events 



19 


Houston - 2nd - 7th Kilmacolm - 8th (lower) & 10th (upper) 

Brookfield - 9th Bridge of Weir - 11th - 15th 




YOUR NEW LOOK advertizer.co.uk 

THE PLACE FOR LOCAL INFORMATION 

AND BUSINESSES 

In association with M&D events, this Christmas 

spectacular will help the town get into the festive 

mood from 24th November, running daily apart 

from Christmas Day, until Sunday 30th December! 

This year’s plans will see the return of the outdoor 

ice rink, a Big Wheel and an improved continental 

Christmas market, as the town looks to attract 

visitors and shoppers from further afi eld. 

Paisley First is also bringing back its successful 

free festive Nutcracker Trail with 15 Nutcracker 

Kings spread throughout the town from Saturday 

17th November until Sunday 30th December. 

M&D Events is currently submitting the necessary 

consent applications to Renfrewshire Council. 

Paisley First Chairman, Graeme McGowan, said: 

“These will be two great events to showcase 

everything that Paisley has to offer during the 

festive season. 

“We will also be running our Christmas Golden 

Ticket competition where visitors shopping and 

socialising in the town centre will have four 

chances to win £500 of town centre gift vouchers. 

And when it comes to festive shopping we have a 

lot of fantastic independent retailers as well as 

national chains throughout the town centre. 

“After hitting the shops and enjoying the Christmas 

entertainment, visitors can take advantage of our 

many cafes, restaurants and bars. 

“Following the success of Jurassic Bricks in the 

summer, the return of our Christmas events will 

help cement the town’s reputation as a visitor 

destination.” 

M&D’s Events Director, Douglas Taylor, said: 

“WinterFest was a great success in Paisley last 

year and those who enjoyed the festivities made it 

clear that there was an appetite for it to return. 

“We are working with Paisley First to ensure 

this event will be a great attraction for the local 

community, who will be eligible for discounted 

rates, as well as visitors from further afi eld.” 


20 


Gift Aid – support good causes 

and get the taxman to help 

Updates, updates, updates 

Microsoft’s Autumn 2018 Update did not materialise as expected early last 

month. When the update installed itself onto Windows machines, user data 

from a specifi c kind of folder structure was deleted from a small minority 

of units. A small minority of half a billion is still quite significant so the 

brains Redmond have pulled it for now. When the update does come you 

can expect a signifi cant delay followed by an insignificant change in user 

environment, if you are lucky you may get a nice new picture to look at on 

start-up. 

I gather Virgin Media are increasing their prices soon. For those of you 

whom were driven to VM from BT’s copper network (or copper coated 

aluminium network), there may be a window of opportunity to press for a 

price reduction on your contract. I understand that, from the moment you 

receive a letter from VM informing you of such a price rise and up until thirty 

days thereafter, you are eligible to leave or negotiate terms on your current 

contract. A popular money saving expert website recommends that you do 

this as about 80% of hagglers get their way. 

Finally, Skype ‘Classic’ is due for the chop. If you are using Skype, then you 

may need to make the change to Version 8 imminently. This is available 

free online. The reduced functionality of V8 makes it unpopular with many 

users but Skype is a Microsoft product and they have a plan, and bigger 

things to worry about just now. 

by Colin Fyfe of Colcom 

What is Gift aid? 

We may not be able to be as generous as Bill Gates, Microsoft founder, 

in giving millions away to charity, but a little philanthropy is good for the 

soul. Gift aid is a tax efficient way to make a donation to help charities and 

community groups where the taxman will add 25p for every £1 you give, 

and it won’t cost you any extra. 

It’s easy to do this. You just complete a form to allow the charity to claim the 

extra money from the taxman. You need to fill out a form for each charity 

you support. Y ou can even go back 4 years to claim any tax relief due on 

past donations. 

Paying enough tax to claim 

Your donations will qualify if they are not more than 4 times what you have 

paid in tax in that tax year (6th April to 5th April). This could be either 

income tax or capital gains tax. However, the key issue is that to claim tax 

relief on donations you must have paid enough tax, and you must tell the 

charity if you stop paying enough tax. 

Higher rate taxpayers 

If you pay tax above the basic rate of income tax (20%), you can claim the 

difference between the rate you pay and basic rate on your donation. You 

can do this in one of two ways; 

• through your Self-Assessment tax return 

• by asking HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) to adjust your tax code 

Example You donate £100 to charity – the charity claims Gift Aid to make 

your donation £125. You pay 40% income tax, so you can personally claim 

back £25 (£125 x 20%). 

So why not help a charity get a little extra from the taxman? And all at no 

extra cost to you! 

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

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

is no obligation. 

Call us for a FREE financial review on 01505 59 50 60 or info@affl uentfp. 

co.uk. Alternatively, pop into the Affl uent offi ce opposite Amaretto restaurant 

on Main Street, Bridge of Weir. www.affl uentfp.co.uk 

by Carl Melvin, Affluent Financial Planning Ltd 



21 


22 

Orchard Flooring 



Where beauty meets functionality 

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

For a lot of our clients, having a floor that isn’t going to be ruined by mucky feet, paw prints 

or spills is a top priority. As well as looking great and tying in with the rest of your fi ttings and 

furnishings. 

Karndean and Amtico flooring are perfect for any room or situation in the home. They are both 

waterproof, slip resistant and warm underfoot, as well as being a beautiful and luxurious 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 flooring to your home without the hassle. As opposed to 

some natural products they are also warmer under foot and comfortable to walk on. 

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

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

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

fl oor from Orchard Flooring who have built their reputation in the Gryffe area for nearly 

20 years. 

You can contact Scott on 0141 334 8731or 07563 633 432 Email - sjmproducts@hotmail.com website- www.orchard-flooring.com 

Inspirational Women visit 

Weir Networking 

We have two fabulous speakers for the last Weir Networking event of this 

year on Wednesday 5th December in Amaretto, Bridge of Weir. Breakfast 

starts at 9.30am. There is a cover charge of £5. Please email colin@ 

magifilms.co.uk or visit us at https://www.facebook.com/Weir-Networking- 

350783798430333/ We look forward to welcoming you all. 

Rhona Baillie, Chief Executive of the Prince and 

Princess of Wales Hospice Glasgow 

Rhona is a highly experienced senior healthcare 

director with a strong history of redesigning 

healthcare models and a special interest and 

education in cancer and palliative care. She started 

her career in the Bank of Scotland in Glasgow before 

moving into healthcare. Rhona qualifi ed as a nurse 

in 1984 and attained RN status in Canada, living and working in Toronto. 

In 1995 she graduated from the University of Glasgow with a postgraduate 

degree in cancer nursing, progressing to a BSc in community health at 

Glasgow Caledonian University. After working in community palliative care, 

she took up the first of two project management posts with Lanarkshire 

Health Board. 

During that time Rhona identified a gap in the provision of care in the 

community, campaigned for Cancer in Scotland funding, and developed a 

service to support terminally ill patients who wished to die at home. The 

project received a special commendation by the Scottish Parliament. 

She was then seconded to the Scottish Executive Centre for Change and 

Innovation as a national facilitator within the cancer service improvement 

programme and worked across Scotland. Rhona was appointed CEO of 

the hospice in 2008. 

Her passion and strong commitment to Glasgow sees her leading a 

£21million capital fundraising appeal to provide the city with a new hospice. 

She is a past chairman of the Scottish Hospice Forum and a former member 

of the council of The Scottish Partnership for Palliative Care. 

Corinne Hutton 

Corinne Hutto, founder of Finding Your Feet charity and fi rst ever quadruple 

amputee to climb Kilimanjaro 

is returning to Weir 

Networking to share with 

us her story of the climb, 

which she completed only 

weeks ago. We cannot wait 

to hear about this incredible 

adventure. 

We are thrilled to have such 

inspirational women coming 

to speak at our last meeting 

of the year. 



23 

Gryffe Valley Rotary 

FUTURE EVENTS 

Dinner Meetings: 

• Wednesday 31st October – Tony Fitzpatrick CEO of St Mirren 

• Wednesday 7th November – Business planning meeting 

• Wednesday 14th November - Becky Haldane of the Sailors Society Scotland 

• Wednesday 21st November - Phil Godfrey on awareness and support 

for people with “Antiphospholipid syndrome (APS)” 

Santa’s Sleigh: Rotary will be accompanying Santa’s Sleigh on 6th 

December in Houston and 9th December in Brookfield and raising funds to 

support Young Carers. 

Burns Supper: Saturday 12th January 2019 

The venue (the River Inn) is booked and speakers arranged for the first 

major social fund-raiser event of the new year. 

Young Carers: Rotary are once again supporting “thank you” nights out 

for Young Carers on 28th - 31st January 2019 to The Experience at 

Hillington for Electric Go-Karting, Laser Tag, and an American buffet. Any 

young carers who would like to attend are encouraged to contact Pauline 

(Pauline@renfrewshirecarers.org.uk). 

Gryffe Valley Rotary 10K Run: Sunday 19th May 2019 

In 2019, the date of the run has been moved by one month to the middle 

of May. Please save the date! A main sponsor is being sought and local 

sports clubs and groups will be encouraged to enter teams. 

Buying a House in Scotland by Terence Docherty, Head of Private Client at Dallas McMillan 

Following upon our opening article last month, we have been asked to 

outline the basic process of buying a house in Scotland, in particular the 

missives process. 

A house is usually the most expensive item you will ever buy, so it is important 

to consult with your solicitor at an early stage to make sure you get it right. 

Your solicitor will formally note interest on the house with the estate agents, 

just to be kept informed of any developments with the marketing of the 

house. If you decide to make an offer, having examined the Home Report 

on the property, your solicitor will send a written offer to the estate agent 

to include your preferred price, date of entry and other conditions you may 

wish to include such as your purchase being conditional upon you receiving 

a mortgage. If your offer is acceptable, the estate agent will phone your 

solicitor to confirm but, as most clients are surprised to learn under Scots 

law there is no contract at this stage. The seller’s own solicitor will send 

to your solicitor a signed and witnessed Qualified Acceptance which will 

delete or change some of your clauses in the offer and insert some of their 

own. There is still no contract in place at this stage. If you accept the 

Qualified Acceptance, your solicitor will issue to the other side a fi nal formal 

letter concluding the missives and it is only at that stage that there will be a 

legally binding contract in place. The contract is made up of these formal 

missive letters issued by the respective parties’ solicitors. 

Once missives conclude neither party can pull out of the contract. Although 

missives for houses in Scotland are now standardised to encourage 

conclusion as early as possible, this is not always possible. 

LITIGATION TEAM OF THE YEAR 

Law Awards of Scotland 2018 


24 


You’re Hired! 

Local companies are being urged 

to sign-up to an Inverclyde Council 

scheme supporting jobs for new 

graduates. 

Up to £9,000 a year is available to 

firms hiring a local young person 

who has recently graduated. 

Environment & Regeneration 

Convener Councillor Michael 

McCormick said: “This is an ideal 

way to keep local young talent in 

Inverclyde that also benefits local 

companies. 

“We are working hard to develop a 

thriving local economy and make 

Inverclyde an attractive and diverse 

area for investment. 

“Our schools continue to provide 

many young people with the 

springboard into further education 

and schemes like this provide 

attractive opportunities for them 

to bring their newly acquired skills 

home to Inverclyde.” 

The wage subsidy is for half of 

the actual hourly rate payable to a 

maximum of £9,000 or 52 weeks 

– whichever comes first – and is 

available to an Inverclyde employer 

hiring a recent graduate who lives 

in Inverclyde. 

Posts must be a minimum of 30 

hours per week and a maximum 

of 40 hours per week. Zero hours 

contracts are not eligible. 

Councillor McCormick added: “We 

only have a limited number of 

subsidies available so I would urge 

any employers who are interested to 

get in touch. They don’t necessarily 

need to have an eligible person in 

mind. We can provide support 

finding a suitable candidate.” 

Abbey Nursery 

It’s not just the children who have fun at the nursery but we all like a good 

time as well and would like to congratulate the Quiz Queens as Trophy 

Winners at our recent quiz night and also those individual winners of the 

Plank; Bingo and Marshmallow competitions!! 

The Little Ladybirds have 

still been having a great 

time outdoors thanks to 

the covered play area 

and the revamped garden 

area where there is lots of 

opportunity for exploring, 

creating and mark making. 

Our Busy Bunnies 

meanwhile had a great time 

recently when they visited 

Finlaystone Country Park 

and the children enjoyed 

walking the nature trails, 

finding Fairies and exploring 

the different adventure play parks. The Pirate Ship was a real hit with lots 

of ‘Ship Ahoy’ role play before everyone moved onto the twisted slide on 

the wooden Bus and riding on the Train. The open-air picnic in the middle 

of the forest was a lot of fun as well as discovering wigwam shelters built 

by other children. 

We would like to thank our Parent Group who have supported the Eco Team 

over the summer and given their time to organise the vegetable boxes and 

generally ‘sort out’ the planting. We have also been delighted to receive 

plants and bird boxes which were immediately put to good use and have 

greatly enhanced our garden area. 

Finally, thank you to all the parents who popped in for coffee and a cake and 

helped raise funds for MacMillan Cancer Support. 

Johnstone High Christmas Gift 

and Craft Fayre 

Wednesday 28th November 6pm - 8pm, Johnstone High School, 

Beith Road, Johnstone PA5 0JN Entry £2. Under 12s go free. 

Jump right into the Christmas spirit at our annual Christmas Gift and Craft 

Fayre. Plenty to choose from with over 30 stalls, gifts for all the family. 

We welcome back Liz’s beaded jewellery, Kilbarchan soaps, The wood old 

days, Gifts to keep and many more...Get lucky on the raffle and tombola 

and join in with a singsong with our 

school choir. 

Working with 

GHS 

We were delighted to have Brooke 

Allison from Gryffe High School join 

us last month for a week of work 

experience. Brooke was tasked 

with regular office duties including 

sourcing pre-Christmas events for 

our diary, photos for our banners 

and researching and writing up an 

article for this issue. 

It was a delight to have her join us 

and we hope this will become a 

regular event at the Advertizer! 

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 - 11.30am 

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 - 11.30am 

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 



9.30am - 11.30am 



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. 



Lochwinnoch Primary School 

This month has 

been an extremely 

busy month at 

Lochwinnoch 

Primary School. 

We had our 

Macmillan Coffee 

Morning, which the 

pupils and parents 

contributed to by 

baking lots of cakes 

and goodies. The 

afternoon itself was 

packed with visitors 

including some 

special invited 

guests from Mosswood Care Home. They enjoyed chatting to the children 

and we raised a HUGE £649. 21. Well done everyone! 

The Primary 7’s took part in the Tag n Track programme with Clyde Mursheil. 

They learned how the rangers safely catch and tag different seagulls in 

order to see their travel habits and flight paths. Some seagulls even flew 

as far as Morocco or Portugal! 

Primary 1, 2, 3, 6, 7/6 and 7 took part in a school litter pick as part of 

Renfrewshire Councils “Clean Up” campaign. We used the litter pickers 

and bin bags to rid our playground of litter as well as tidying up the side 

streets next to the school, the car park and the front garden. It is now 

looking much neater and tidier. 

Primary 1 have been very busy learning all about Autumn for their topic. 

They were lucky enough to have a volunteer who came in to help them build 

their very own hedgehog houses. These are very important as they help 

the local hedgehogs find cosy, dry places for hibernation in the winter. 

Primary 7 House Captains attended their first Tea Dance of the year. They 

enjoyed getting to meet new people and having a chance to dance with the 

ladies and gentlemen. They also had to showcase their own talents and 

create a short performance. The talents ranged from clarinet playing, to 

singing, to a poetry recital and even to a magic show! 

Chatterbox Champions 

We were delighted to hear about the role the Advertizer played in the 

development of an exciting new product which has just been launched by 

Brookfield resident Elaine Kent. 

Chatterbox Champions alphabet cards provide simple ideas for games, 

rhymes, songs and activities to help encourage vocabulary development 

and important pre-reading skills for 3-5 year olds. Elaine got in touch with 

Kilmalcolm based graphic 

designer Mark Hutton after 

seeing an advert for his 

company Hutton Creative in 

the Advertizer. Mark’s talent 

for design combined with 

Elaine’s extensive experience 

in primary and early years 

education has resulted in a 

beautifully illustrated product 

which can be used by parents, 

grandparents, childminders 

or nurseries. For more information go to www.chatterboxchampions.com 

25 

St. Fillan’s Primary School 

We held our first Fairtrade coffee morning of 

the school year raising a grand total of £150 

and we couldn’t be prouder of our efforts as 

Fairtrade is an issue that is very close to our 

hearts. 

Our Primary 7 children enjoyed attending 

a “Fun Run” which was organised by Gryffe 

High School. Every child took part and we 

were thrilled when Grace came back having 

won first place in the girls section. 

Four of our children recently organised a 

“Crafty Kids” stationery stall where they sold a 

range of pencils, rubbers, pencil toppers and 

stickers to raise an amazing £60 for a nearby 

horse charity. We are super proud of their 

efforts. Great team work! 

Our transition programme for our pre 5 children is underway and we were 

delighted to welcome youngsters from our partner Nurseries Abbey and 

Gryffe Manor along for a STEM (Sciences, Technologies, Engineering 

and Mathematics) “Transition Taster” visit. Mrs Kaney, who is our STEM 

curriculum champion, was thrilled with their enthusiasm and we are looking 

forward to the children visiting over the next few months. 

Three ‘green fingered’ Primary 7 boys helped Jake Fulton from Houston 

Community Council in planting some pots in the village. The boys were 

really pleased to be involved in helping Jake keep the area in tip top 

condition. 

As part of our ongoing consultation around the issues of Anti Bullying, the 

whole school enjoyed a visit from Debbie and Kieran who are ambassadors 

of the “I Am Me” Scotland Charity. They do great work in highlighting 

awareness of the issues around bullying, disability and hate crime and each 

class benefited from a session that was age and stage appropriate. We 

look forward to another busy few months before the festive period begins! 


26 

Bridge of Weir Primary School 

Thank you to everyone who came to parents’ night. It was good to share 

the children’s progress. In addition, your support at the Book Fair will help 

us buy exciting class novels. 

On the subject of books, all classes have been chatting with their teachers 

about their favourite authors and genres. Each class is to have a brand new 

reading corner, which we hope will encourage a lifelong love of reading. 

We’re looking forward to a visit from the Book Bus to help us choose new 

titles. 

And it’s that time of year again; the Christmas Fayre is on the evening 

of Thursday 22nd November. There’ll be stalls run by pupils and local 

businesses. Please come and support them all. 

Our school reporters have been busy this month. Here are their efforts: 

Macmillan Cake by Alice Ferguson (P7b) 

When pupil, Rebecca 

Paterson, heard people 

across Britain were hosting 

cake sales to raise money 

for Macmillan Cancer 

Support, she loved the 

idea and asked to hold 

one at school. She had 

lots of volunteers eager to 

help out. There was lots of 

preparation. Balloons and 

bunting were put up. Pupils 

brought lots of home baking, 

and the tables were soon covered with a delicious selection of home-baked 

cupcakes, brownies, pancakes, cookies, and flapjacks. The girls worked 

hard all day and raised a whopping £180.66. Well done to everyone who 

helped. 

Edinburgh Castle by Tristan Mills (P6) 

In October, both P6 classes went on a brilliant trip to Edinburgh Castle 

where they were able to see Mons Meg, one of the largest cannons in the 

world. It was massive! The pupils all said it was a great experience. They 

even got to stand in the very room where Mary Queen of Scots son, James, 

was born. 

Science Centre by Alexander Higgins (P4) 

Primaries 4, 5 and 7 were lucky enough 

to visit the Glasgow Science Centre 

for a special school trip. They went 

on the hamster wheel, played Mindball 

and even controlled solar panels! 

While they played at BodyWorks, they 

learned about organs in the human 

body, blood and heart rates, DNA, and 

stem cells. At Powering the Future, 

they learned about renewable and 

fossil fuels, electricity and light. The 

P4s even got to make batteries in a 

real-life lab. It was a great day, and 

everyone agreed they know lots more 

about science. 


Playgroup is enjoying a busy term of learning. We enjoyed the story of the 

Gingerbread Man and decorated our own gingerbread biscuits and made 

fantastic door hangers. 

We have also been looking at different modes of transport and we have 

been learning our road safety. We had our own Zebra crossing and the 

children took it in turns to be the lollipop person enforcing all 

our road safety rules. 

Playgroup is open to all children from 2 years 4months 

and operates on a Monday, Tuesday & Thursday 9.30am 

- 11.30am. Spaces available. Please email Kirsty on 

playgroupmembership@gmail.com for more details. Our 

baby & toddler group on a Wednesday 10am - 11.30am is 

open for all new parents /carers to drop in for a cuppa and a 

chat while your child enjoys a play. 

For more information on any of our groups https:// 

kilmacolmplaygroupand toddlers.jimdo.com or check out our 

Facebook page for latest information. 


Duchal Nursery School 

We’ve had a really busy time recently. 

There’s been music, mud, water play, strolls 

in the park, arts and crafts and baking! 

We’ve been introducing the children to 

some classical music listening to Mozart 

and Berlioz. They loved making their own 

music, some loud, some quiet, some fast, 

some slow. Everyone was amazed at what 

different sounds can be made, and loved 

using the glockenspiels. We have even 

created our very own Duchal Marching 

Band! 

Our wonderful new “mud kitchen” has been 

a big hit and the children have spent lots of 

time in our garden being very imaginative 

and creative playing with it, as well as having lots of water fun with our new 

outside aqua flow and being arty on our new chalkboards. 

Madame, our French teacher, has been spending time introducing the 

children to French, and they all thoroughly enjoyed their French Breakfast. 

We are very lucky to have such talented staff with such diverse experiences 

which the children are really benefitting from. 

We can’t wait for our Halloween Fancy Dress Party on Saturday 3rd 

November, it’s on from 10.30am – 12.30pm and is open to all families with 

pre school children – come along for some spooky arts and crafts, Halloween 

games and lots of fun – we look forward to seeing your costumes!!. 

We are currently taking registrations for August 2019, if you would like to 

find out more and arrange a visit to see us, 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. 

Langbank 

Playgroup 

What an amazing and fun filled place to be! 

At playgroup, children have the opportunity 

to develop their social skills, independence, 

creativity, numeracy, literacy skills and many, 

many more….. What’s not to like, when all 

of this can be done through play! 

The children had great fun developing 

their creative skills by designing some 

lanterns for Halloween. They also showed 

enjoyment while experimenting with a range 

of malleable activities such as shaving foam 

and coloured spaghetti with hidden rats, 

spiders and some other spooky creatures. 

Do you have a child aged between 2.5yrs to 5yrs 

old? Then why not let them come along and 

experience the fun! Everyone welcome from 

Langbank and surrounding areas. 

Playgroup is held on a Friday morning (term time) 

in Langbank Village Hall and we currently have 

spaces for children aged 2.5yrs to 5yrs. If you 

would like to join us on a Friday morning or for 

more information, please contact Jen Burrows on 

07947983025. 



St Columba’s School, Kilmacolm 

World Renowned Artist Hosts Workshop 

We were delighted to welcome the 

world-renowned Artist and art educator 

Ian Murphy to the School. In addition 

to twenty four of our own artists we 

invited the Head of Art from Kelvinside 

Academy to join us with eight of her 

keenest pupils who participated in an 

engaging workshop hosted by the artist. 

Students were taught to consider how 

to hold the drawing tool and the kind of 

action each movement would make as 

a result. They learned how to prepare 

grounds, to add pictorial images whilst 

considering composition, to distress the 

paper, to add energy and movement to paper, to work in layers, to subtract 

and add again through a constant rhythmic process leading to the creation 

of confident and personal responses - a very productive and informative 

day indeed! 

Active-Learning 

Junior 3 have been 

studying ‘The Owl Who 

was Afraid of the Dark’, 

by Jill Tomlinson. To 

further the children’s 

knowledge of British owls, 

they ventured to Muirshiel 

Country Park to learn 

about the appearance, 

sounds and habitats of the 

various owls to be found 

in Britain. All the pupils 

agreed it was the best trip they had ever been on! Junior 6 had a fantastic 

active-learning session to support their WW2 topic. They created Anderson 

shelters and gas masks and made sandwiches and scones for their VE Day 

tea party to which parents and grandparents were invited. 

The Gift of Giving 

In the lead up to the festive season, Junior School will be focusing on its 

charitable work, supporting the Renfrewshire Foodbank and the work of the 

charity Social Bite. Both charities support those in crisis and need in our 

own communities in Scotland. To support both of these charities, Junior 

School will be gathering foods for Renfrewshire Foodbank and Senior 

School will be collecting for Inverclyde Foodbank. Junior School children 

will be participating in the ‘Wee Sleep Out’, where the children will spend 

the night sleeping in the School. Whilst this is not outdoors, the Junior 

School Hall floor will give a small flavour of the discomfort felt by those who 

experience homelessness on a daily basis. With Christmas and the time 

of giving fast approaching, it is important to understand the importance of 

giving gifts rather than receiving. 

Christmas Fayre: Saturday 8th December, 2pm - 5pm - Community Event 

We are looking forward to hosting a Christmas Fayre at Senior School on 

Saturday 8th December from 2pm - 5pm. Entry to this family event is free 

and open to the wider community. If you or someone you know is interested 

in taking a stall please contact Kay Cameron on kcameron@st-columbas. 

org who will be happy to book a stall for you and discuss any requirements. 

The cost for an L-shape stall (180cm x 120cm) is £35 and we offer free 

stalls to charitable organisations. 

Open Days: Monday 5th and Tuesday 6th November, 9am - 3pm 

There is no better way to experience the true atmosphere of St Columba’s 

School than to come and see it for yourself. If you missed our Open 

Morning, you are most welcome to visit our Open Days on Monday 5th and 

Tuesday 6th November from 9am - 3pm. 

Our open events provide the perfect opportunity to see our Early Years, 

Junior and Senior Schools in action. Families are welcome to visit both 

Junior School and Senior School to learn from staff about all that St 

Columba’s has to offer within the classrooms and beyond in our wide range 

of clubs and societies. You will have the opportunity to meet with the Rector 

or Head of Junior School and our pupils will take tours of the School to 

provide you with a first hand, honest perspective on all aspects of life at St 

Columba’s. 

Please contact Junior School on 01505 872768 or Senior School on 01505 

872238 to arrange a visit and let our pupils show you what makes St 

Columba’s so special. www.st-columbas.org 

27 


28 

Howwood Primary School 

Charity at Howwood 

At Howwood Primary 

School we encourage 

our pupils to be 

good citizens and 

like to celebrate their 

achievements. In 

September Lorna 

Russell, Ruth Bedford 

and Eva White 

organised and ran 

their own cake sale. 

The girls baked 

enough goodies 

for the whole school and raised £134 for St.Vincent’s Hospice. We were 

very proud that they wanted to take on such a task and wanted to do 

something for others. 

A primary 6 pupil, Mitchell Strachan, also accepted a challenge to raise 

money for St.Vincent’s ‘30 Challenge’. Mitchell grew his hair for 30 days 

and raised £400 for the charity. A keen footballer, Mitchell managed to 

continue training despite his long locks. An excellent effort! 

On Friday 28th September P7 pupils held a MacMillan Coffee Morning. 

This resembled the final of the Bake Off! This amazing effort raised 

£194.25. 

The head teacher at Howwood would also like to thank her Renfrewshire 

Headteacher colleagues who supported her Macmillan coffee morning at 

Tweedie Hall, raising £430 to support the great work done in supporting 

people with cancer. 

Houston Primary School 

Welcome Rev. 

Noonan: The 

new minister 

from Houston 

and Kilellan 

Kirk, Mr. Gary 

Noonan joined 

us to celebrate 

our Harvest 

Assembly. A 

superb variety of 

freshly harvested 

items from 

our polytunnel 

and food donations were brought in by pupils. Many thanks to all 

the families who kindly donated. The food items will be delivered to 

Renfrewshire Foodbank. 

The Gardening Club: also presented their freshly harvested fruit and 

vegetables and shared their gardening knowledge with pupils from 

Primary 4-7. The leeks they had grown were particularly impressive. 

We really appreciate the skills they share with our pupils and the time 

they willingly give to support our club. A special thanks to ‘Gardening 

Granny’ Mrs Morrison. 

European Day of Languages: The whole school engaged in a 

variety of cultural activities to promote European languages. The 

pupils learned some new vocabulary, sang songs, dressed up and 

even made some traditional foods to taste. 

Woodland Fun: Primary 2/3 have been learning about Woodland 

creatures and requested to go on an outdoor adventure to find out 

more. As it was a bit chilly, the Primary 3 children also learned how 

to make fire using a flint and steel. With the campfire successfully lit 

the children managed to toast marshmallows. Yummy! 

Magnificent Mathematicians! What a wonderful week of maths 

we had as part of Maths Week Scotland. P2 measured out the 

ingredients to make bird balls for the birds in winter, P6 planned a 

trip to Paris on a budget and P7 brought in board games to play with 

their P1 buddy. Please see our school website to find out more. 

Eco News: The Gardening Club enjoyed a trip out to Mr McKelvie’s 

beautiful garden in the village. We thank him for his kind invitation. 

Roofing Works: The roof replacement is taking longer than originally 

planned due to the Scottish weather! We thank all the staff, pupils 

and parents for their patience at this time. 

Kilbarchan 

Community Nursery 


The children have been learning about animals 

and have been out and about on visits. A group 

of children visited the local vet. They listened to 

a dog’s heartbeat with a stethoscope, found out 

about measuring heart rates with the monitor and 

saw the xray room. 

We also went by bus to Kelvingrove museum 

and saw some much bigger animals and some 

skeletons. We had a return visit from the popular Zoo ed who brought a 

range of small animals and min-beasts. Great fun had by all! 

Gryffe High School 

SportScotland’s Active Girls Day 

This annual event celebrates the 

amazing work going into girls’ 

sport, the progress around girls’ 

participation, and the incredible role 

models making it happen. Here 

at Gryffe High, our S3 girls took on 

the challenge this afternoon in a 

‘Girls Only’ session. Here are just 

some of our recent girls sporting 

achievements…..The U15 Basketball 

Girls recorded an away win in the 

Scottish Cup against Auchinleck 

Academy. Our S1/S2 Girls Football teams tasted success at the Renfrewshire 

Leisure Active Schools League held at Renfrew Juniors. Recent press highlights 

have shown that former pupils National Golfer Eilidh Briggs and Athlete Rona 

Tytler are still showing their dedication to their sport with top performances as 

they continue to be an inspiration to all. 

Vertical Learning Day 

Our S1, S2 and S3 pupils were all mixed together for one day to experience the 

theme of Wellbeing in some of our practical subjects for Vertical Learning Day. 

They had a Taster of everything, while working as a team outwith the comfort 

zone of their peers. From Music (linked to physiological moves) to Technical 

Towers, Health Stations, Group Art, Smoothies, Drama and Microbits. S6 

pupils also were a great help with Event Organisation and In Class Support. 

World Challenge Bolivia 2019 team members also baked some lovely cakes 

for interval. 

Young people in Renfrewshire 

have their say 

More training on youth mental health in schools and young people being given 

the tools to help peers who may experience issues, are among ten proposals put 

forward by Renfrewshire’s Youth Commission. 

The recommendations came after a survey of young people aged 11 – 22 across 

Renfrewshire, which revealed that 45 per cent believe there should be quicker 

access to mental health services. 

Other findings revealed that half of young people speak to a parent or carer first 

if they are experiencing poor mental health and more than half - 57 per cent - 

believe the best place to get information is online, 

The proposals, which also included using Apps to bring resources into the 21st 

Century, were put to the Youth Generations Assembly in Paisley Town Hall. Pupils 

from every secondary 

school in Renfrewshire 

were asked for their 

feedback. 

The 

final 

recommendations 

will be presented to 

professionals working 

locally with young 

people experiencing 

poor mental health. 

They will be asked to 

adopt these within their 

organisational practice. 

YoYP Champion Cllr Michelle Campbell with young people at the Youth 

GenerationsAssembly 



29 


30 




31 


32 




33 

Gateway Community Garden 

Astronomy Evening 

Friday 16th November 

from 7.30pm - 9pm 

Hear all about the stars and galaxies. 

Weather permitting we will get out to 

look at the night sky for ourselves too. 

Booking essential. 

Cost: Adults: £6; Children: £4.80 

(RSPB members: £4.80/£3.80). 

Find out more at: 

rspb.org.uk/lochwinnoch. Tel: 01505 842663. 

Now that winter is upon us our woodland trees are nearly completely stripped 

of their leaves, revealing the wonderfully twisted, bare branches, and this 

season’s crisp clean mornings are perfect for walking through the woodland 

as it crunches underfoot. In the evenings the clear, cloudless nights are 

perfect for star gazing, as long as you wrap up warmly! 

If you would like to discover more about the constellations, stars and galaxies 

in our night’s sky why not come along to our Astronomy Evening on Friday 

16th November at 7.30pm - 9pm? 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. 

The lack of foliage on the trees and bushes also allows us to get good views of 

our wildlife as it scurries and fl utters about in its search winter food. If you’re 

a beginner to bird watching, why not join the team at RSPB Lochwinnoch 

for a Birds for Beginners workshop on Sunday 25th November, ideal for 

introducing you to this fantastic hobby! Learn more about common garden 

birds and pick up tips and advice on wildlife watching techniques. After this, 

we’ll head out onto the reserve to put these new skills into practise and then 

top it all off with a hot drink back at the centre. You don’t even need your own 

binoculars, as they are available for hire from the shop! 

If you are interested in buying your own binoculars, why not pop along to our 

Binocular & Telescope Open Day on Saturday 3rd & Sunday 4th November, 

and try out a range of telescopes and binoculars, with knowledgeable staff 

on hand to help you fi nd the right one for you! Our optics are competitively 

priced, with the added bonus that you are helping our conservation efforts. 

For the kids, we also have our Lochwinnoch Wildlife Explorers group will 

be running between 10am – 12noon on Saturday 17th November and this 

month they will be doing Sharks! These amazing apex predators have been 

about since before the dinosaurs roamed the earth! 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). 

For more information about the reserve or any of our events, please call 

01505 842 663 or email lochwinnoch@rspb.org.uk 

This is open to visitors over the next few months, but due to the 

unpredictability of the weather over the coming season, the regular Open 

Days are on hold. For information please call 07952 169341 and for access 

07751 461859. 

More online at Facebook - Kilbarchan Smile; Habbies2Chat; and Kilbarchan 

Past and Present. All welcome for a relaxing visit in nature, a change of 

scene, and gardening tips or swaps etc. 

Many thanks for your continuing support. Regular Opening Days will recommence 

in the spring.’ 

Kilmacolm Horticultural 

Society 

We held the first lecture of the season, 

in October. Our guest Alan Mackie 

delighted a full house of members 

and visitors with his ‘Ramblings of 

an old Drone’, a light-hearted look at 

the incredible life of the honey bee. 

We learnt a thing or two about caring 

for the environment too. The Annual 

General Meeting of the Society will 

be held on Wednesday 21st November at 7.30pm in the New Community 

Centre, Kilmacolm. The business matters will be followed by a short interval 

for light refreshments, plus a special presentation by Kilmacolm’s talented 

photographer - David Walker - showing his unique style through ‘My Kind 

of Photography’. 

This coming year following the AGM is a celebration of our 140th anniversary, 

KHS is one of the oldest gardening groups in Scotland, formed in 1879 by 

gardeners attached to some of the grandest estates in Inverclyde, sharing 

friendship and gardening tips. We try to maintain their policy today in 

welcoming everyone with an interest in ‘things that grow’. We invite you 

to a very special evening on Wednesday 5th December when SAFA fl oral 

artist Jane Gordon will demonstrate versions of Flower Arranging with 

a Christmas theme. There will also be light refreshments, a Christmas 

Tombola, auction, and other stalls. Come and join us, everyone welcome. 

Members free, visitors £2. 

For details of membership (£5 annual fee), winter syllabus, outings, fl ower 

show, please contact the secretary : Jill Russell 01505 872393. 


34 


Welcome to Clyde Mursheil Regional Park 

Pedal the Park Night Rider: This exciting evening 

cycle will take place on Friday 23rd November, leaving 

Castle Semple at 8pm. The ride will be 80km. Entry £5 

through British Cycling online. Find more information 

on our website. 

Craft Fairs Galore! The season is approaching… We 

have a winter craft fair on Sunday 4th November with 

quality handmade items from local crafters. Booked 

so far are some stunning stained glass and jewellery 

makers. Plus don’t miss the CMRP volunteer groups’ 

fair on Saturday 24th November. 

Stargazing Evenings Return: The next date is 

Monday 17th December, book your place online today 

for just £5 and look forward to an evening of galactic 

exploration. 

2019 Events Save the Date: For those who like to 

be super prepared pop our 2019 events in your diary 

now… Pedal the Park is on Sunday 5th May and the 

second Clyde Muirshiel Walking Festival will take 

place on Saturday 25th until Monday 27th May! 

Inverclyde Volunteer of the Year Award: Good luck 

to Greenock Cut Conservation Volunteer Kathleen on 

her nomination for volunteer of the year and at the 

2019 Nature of Scotland awards. 

Clyde Muirshiel Conservation Volunteers: The 

Park’s conservation volunteers are gearing up for 

a winter season of hard grafting and Christmas 

Decoration making! Look out for them at their 

Volunteer Craft Fair on Saturday 24th November. 

New programmes of work online now. 

In a Group looking to help make a difference? Or have 

a few colleagues looking for a team building challenge? 

Muirshiel Country Park’s conservation needs you 

to help us with the woodland management for 

example work. Please email rangers.castlesemple@ 

clydemuirshiel.co.uk if it’s of interest. 

Ride 63 Community Cycle Club: Look on our 

facebook group for details of weekend runs. Contact 

the club by emailing the secretary ridesixtythree@ 

gmail.com for a membership form. 

Tag-n-Track Project update 

It’s time for the monthly roundup from the Tag-n-Track 

Ranger Hannah Riley. TnT is funded by Heritage 

Lottery Fund, Greater Renfrewshire and Inverclyde 

LEADER and Clyde Muirshiel Regional Park. 

Project News 

With all the terrible weather lately, it will be no surprise 

to you all that all of our gulls have left Scotland. 

We have five gulls 

in Ireland, one in 

England and the rest 

are further south in 

Portugal. We told you 

last month that Stuart 

had returned to 

Ireland and we were 

hoping he would 

travel further south 

and he has! He flew 

down to Portugal on 

the 5th of October and is following almost the exact 

route that he did last year. Stuart is currently just north 

of Gibralter therefore it is likely that he is heading back 

to Morocco, as he did last year, and heading back to 

his favourite city - Casablanca. “Play it again, Stu!” 

Luna and Pladda are both in Portugal, however they 

are taking their time travelling down the coast. They 

are not too far away from each other with Pladda just 

north of Figueira da Foz and Luna just south. Many 

gulls spent the winter in Portugal and the pair’s slow 

progress may be a sign of them deciding to stay put. 

Event News 

Come along to Muirshiel Visitor Centre for a day of 

bird ringing on Saturday the 10th of November. It is 

a chance to see our native wild woodland birds up 

close. Please pop in and say hello anytime between 

10.30am-1.30pm. 

Gull adoptions. Looking for that something different or 

are you interested in supporting our gull project? Gull 

adoption packs are £25, include sponsorship of one 

of the gulls, an adoption certificate, factsheet, monthly 

email updates, your name on our website and a fl uffy 

gull to call your own. Look for details on our website 

or email us to find out more. 

Volunteer with TnT: One of the project’s aims is to 

train volunteers in the use of our camera traps for 3 

month periods. All training will be provided and it is 

something that only requires a couple of hours a week 

to collect and go through the footage. Fancy it? Get 

in touch. 

Connect with TnT: 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 

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 fi nding out more 

about the project and its findings. 

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. 



35 

Brighter Bridge of Weir 

REMEMBER, REMEMBER… 

The absence of Brighter Bridge of Weir’s planned Fun Casino night this year 

threatened to put a dent in the Group’s finances, so thanks to the staff at The 

Gryffe Inn, who put together an eventful day at the pub with raffles, tombola, cake 

sales and free samples of their new menu as well as an evening of entertainment. 

Thanks to the efforts of the staff, the generosity of their customers the sum of £1004 

was raised. Thanks also to the local businesses (too many to mention here) who 

donated prizes. 

Next up for us is preparing for the forthcoming “Festive Season”. Because our 

aim is to keep Bridge of Weir brighter all year round, we’ll be keeping the growing 

areas looking at their seasonal best and installing our festive lights in the Woodland 

Garden. They’ll be ready, hopefully, to coincide with the Community Council’s 

installation. 

Oh, and look out for our Pop Up Shop at the beginning of next month (Saturday 1st, Livery Walk 10am ‘til 1pm). Featuring arts and crafts and sweetmeats 

made by our own volunteers – be early, our rustic reindeer and planters sell quickly! 

Remember, you can follow us and ‘like’ us on facebook.com/brighterbridgeofweir. 

Bridge Of Weir Horticultural Society 

A good attendance of members and guests welcomed our first speaker of the season, David Palmar. David’s 

subject was “The Flowers of The Hebrides”, where he spent his summer holidays as a boy. Now a retired geography 

teacher, he remains ever-drawn to the beauties of The Hebrides. Visitors crossing over may see dolphins, seals 

and otters as well as numerous seabirds and wading birds. David took us to Barra, South and North Uist, Harris 

and Lewis. 

Stretches of white sandy beaches are backed by rich machair grasses interwoven with seasonal wildflowers. The 

diverse conditions of sandy machair, peaty bogs and tufted moorland support an array of wild flowers, including 

Pink Common Spotted Orchid and Marsh Orchid, blue Dog Violets and Gentians, Yellow Flag Iris, red Poppies, 

yellow Birdsfoot Trefoil, red Clover, purple Knapweed, yellow Hawkweed and blue Tufted and Kidney Vetchs. Three 

heathers: Bell, Ling and Cross-leaved predominate and insectivorous plants such as Sundew and Butterwort can 

be found. The variety of conditions supports insects, supplies nectar for butterflies and provides ground cover for 

birds. 

Man’s harnessing of the land, through past centuries, can be seen in old crofting strips which run down to 

sandy beaches and David believes swathes of nettles indicate longgone 

settlements. Islanders work with wildlife and nature to retain a good 

balance. “Rafts” are built for birds which nest on tidal lochs. These flexible 

habitats rise and fall with the water levels and are quickly taken up for safe 

nesting. Hedgehogs on the Uists are rehomed to the mainland - where their 

numbers are in crisis - to allow the eggs of ground nesting birds to hatch. 

Corn Bunting numbers are recovering, thanks to farmers leaving grain and 

seed on the land after harvesting. 

The November meeting will take place at The Bridge on Thursday 8th 

November at 8p.m. “The Benefi ts of a School Garden” will be the subject. If 

interested, do come along - guests are always welcome! 

Gardening tip of the month - it’s not too late to plant spring bulbs such as 

Crocus, Daffodils and Tulips. 


36 

LOCAL 


history 

The 51st (Highland) 

Division in the Great 

War 

Originally published in 2013 this book is being 

reprinted by Pen and Sword in November. This 

year the author has spoken about the 51st at 

the Pibroch Society’s AGM, at Piping Live and 

at Lochwinnoch History Society. In November 

he will take its story to the National Library of 

Scotland. 

Duchal Castle & The 

Siege by James IV 

Kilmacolm and in particular Duchal Estate was for a brief period, in the 15th 

century, right at the centre of Scotland’s affairs of state in a major way and 

pivotal in evolving the fortunes of the lairds of Kilmacolm. 

The lands of Duchal were owned by the Lyle family from at least the 12th 

century. The family residence was Duchal Castle, which stood on a peninsula 

of land between the Green Water and Blacketty Water in Kilmacolm parish 

and was protected by deep ravines through which the rivers flowed. 

In 1445, Robert Lyle was created Lord Lyle by James II. His son Robert, 

the second Lord Lyle was an associate of James III but turned against 

him, as did many of the Scottish nobles. With Lord Lyle as leader they 

rebelled against him with his son the future King James IV on their side. 

The rebellion came to a head at the battle of Sauchieburn in 1488 which the 

rebels won and where King James III was killed. 

The new King James IV appointed Lord Lyle as a Justiciar of Bute and 

Arran. Subsequently, however, Lord Lyle supported an unsuccessful 

rebellion against James IV and the King ordered him to forfeit his 

holding as a result. Lord Lyle refused, so James IV ordered his army 

to lay siege to Duchal Castle and take it. King James IV himself arrived 

for the last stages of the siege. Big cannons were brought to help 

subdue the castle including, it is rumoured “Mons Meg”, now preserved 

at Edinburgh Castle, although it is unknown if they were ever fired. 

However the family punishment was short lived as Duchal was restored 

to Lord Lyle in 1491. All charges against him were dropped and he and 

the King remained friends for the rest of their lives. 

The remains of Duchal Castle can be seen today but are very 

overgrown and in a hazardous condition. It was replaced in 1710 by 

Duchal House, a new family home a mile or so downstream from the 

Castle to the East of the Green Water. 

A r t i s t ’ s 

Impression of 

Duchal Castle 

Kilbarchan November 1918 

Private John Lindsay served in the 10th Argylls, 97th Brigade, 32nd 

Division, which stormed the Sambre Canal in early November 1918. He 

was the son of David and Jean Jamieson Lindsay, who, in 1905, lived at 5 

Steeple Square. He was 19 when he fell on 6th November 1918 and he is 

buried at Cemetery Cross Roads Cemetery, Fontaine-au-Bois, 8 kilometres 

north-east of Le Cateau. 

Sapper James Muir, Railway Operating Division of the Royal Engineers, 

was the son of James and Jeannie Muir, who lived at Wheatlands Cottage 

before later moving to 35 High Barholm. James was operated on in France. 

He was then invalided to hospital in Dewsbury, where he died, aged 19, on 

8th Novemer 1918. He had been an Assistant Scoutmaster. He is buried 

in Kilbarchan Cemetery, reference: E 540. 

Temporary Second Lieutenant Robert Crawford served in the 12th Highland 

Light Infantry, which was in the 106th Brigade, 35th (Bantam) Division in 

1918. His father William was a draper, at 35 High Barholm. Robert was a 

victim of the Spanish Influenza epidemic that swept Europe in 1918-1919. 

He died at Shorncliffe Military Hospital, Kent on 15th November 1918 at the 

age of 24 and is buried in Kilbarchan Cemetery, reference: H.299 

Johnstone History Society 

November 13th is the date of our next meeting and as usual will be held in 

the Masonic Hall Collier Street at 7.30pm. The subject this month will be 

“The History of the Victoria Cross “ and telling us about it will be Alex Hall. 

Alex has been with us on two previous occasions and gave very informative 

talks. We hope for a good attendance of members and any visitors will 

also be very welcome .Everyone is also welcome to join us for a cup of tea 

or coffee. Our October meeting was very well attended and was enjoyed 

by all. We also ran our bi monthly raffle and are very grateful to all who 

donated prizes as we managed to raise the sum of £74 which will go to 

Society funds . 

The Museum continues to open Wednesday Friday and Saturday from 

10.30am till 4pm. We have a wide selection of books and maps on sale 

they are also available online at: johnstonehistory.org and can be paid via 

PayPal. 

Interested in Photography? 

Our local camera clubs continually supply us with stunning shots which we 

use throughout the magazine, sometimes as banners or even front pages. 

If you’ve been inspired, why not join them and maybe see some of your 

photographs in print! 

Paisley Colour Photographic Club: 

Thursday evenings at the McMaster Centre, Renfrew. 

www.paisleycolour.co.uk 

Langbank Camera Club: 

Second and fourth Mondays of the month. For more information please 

contact Derrick McPherson at 

langbankcc1@gmail.com. 

Gryffe Camera Club: 

Wednesday night at The Carrick Centre, Houston between 7.30pm and 10pm. 

Kilmacolm Camera Club: 

Tuesday evening, 7.30pm (October to March) at the Kilmacolm New 

Community Centre, Room 1.01. For more information contact: Billy Blair, Tel: 

873383; Janice Stevenson, Tel 873595. Website: clikpic.com/kilcamclub/ 

Diaporama Meeting 

Monday evenings at 7.30pm in the Carrick Centre, Houston. For further 

information contact Hugh Kerr at 01505 612687 or hughkerr14@gmail.com 



37 

Supreme Sacrifice 

Bridge of Weir and the Great War 

100 years ago this month – November 1918 

Lance Sergeant William Neil, 13th Black 

Watch (Royal Highlanders) 

Sapper Robert Jackson, Royal Engineers 

By November 1918 there was no vestige 

of doubt that the Central Powers would be 

defeated. Yet while the politicians and military 

elite in Germany struggled to get to the point 

of discussing terms for an armistice with the 

Allies, which they knew by then was in truth 

a surrender, men on both sides continued to die. The German Navy 

had been planning a break out from Kiel for a final glorious sea battle, but 

a mutiny by the sailors, soon spreading to other naval bases, strangled that 

mad idea. A general strike in Berlin on 9th November saw workers’ councils 

set up cultivating the seeds of revolution. The day before that, Ludendorf’s 

successor, Groener, had to tell the Kaiser that the army would no longer 

stand behind him. It was over. The armistice terms would be dictated to a 

German Republic, not an Empire. 

But on the fi ghting front, William Neil would never know how close he got 

to surviving the war. The son of a carting contractor in Cornmill House, 

William had survived being gassed at Ypres, returning home for a month to 

recuperate, then back to France in June 1915, onwards to Salonika, and 

returning to France for the fi nal advance in July 1918. On 8th November 

the 13th Black Watch was charged with taking Semousies, near the Belgian 

border about 20km south of Mons. Battalion diary records “At the beginning 

of the advance there was some enemy shelling which caused one or two 

casualties.” A stark, soulless memorial for the loss of Sergeant Neil, the 

veteran of four years’ fi ghting. 

Three days later, the eleventh hour of the eleventh month silenced the 

guns on the Western Front for the first time in over four years. For Henry 

Williamson, the author of “Tarka the Otter”, his enduring memory was: “No 

more Very lights going up with their greenish, wavering flare. No flash of 

howitzers on the horizon. No droning of shells. No machine guns. Just 

nothing. Silence. “ 

But for those who thought they had survived the horrors of war, there was 

to be another hidden danger, the “Spanish Flu”. Probably starting in the 

troop camp at Étaples, the virus raged through the combatants then spread 

worldwide, a pandemic that was to kill 50-100 million, far more than the 

war itself. Robert Jackson, a house painter from Glasgow trained as a 

railway engineer by the Army, lasted just two weeks in a Rouen hospital, 

succumbing on 16th November. His wife Elizabeth Andrew, mother of his 

two children, and the sister of John and Henry Andrew, already lost to the 

war, was living in Kirkinner Place close to her parents. After the general 

rejoicing for the armistice, she’d be expecting a letter from her husband with 

news of his return. But a War Office telegram was delivered to her home 

with news of his death. 

Read more about William and Robert’s lives and untimely deaths at http:// 

www.bridgeofweirmemorial.co.uk and in the book “Supreme Sacrifice: 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 

The Semples of Beltrees, 3 

Robert Semple, 3rd Laird of Beltrees (c1595 – 1660s) 

Robert Semple, 3rd Laird of Beltrees, was born c1595 and most likely spent 

his early childhood years at Beltrees in Lochwinnoch Parish or in the family 

house in Paisley. He was well-educated and matriculated at the College of 

Glasgow in 1613. He married Mary, daughter of Thomas Lyon of Auldbar 

and had a son, Francis, and a daughter Elizabeth. In 1626, on the death 

of his father, Sir James Semple, Robert inherited his title and the lands of 

Beltrees. He lived through difficult times - the Reformation, three Civil wars, 

and the Commonwealth. He was a staunch Presbyterian and fought as an 

Officer in the Royalist army in support of Charles I and Charles II. He was 

instrumental in promoting the restoration of Charles II in 1660. 

His main claim to fame, however, is that he was a poet of considerable 

talent. Unfortunately only three of his works are known to have survived. 

His poem, The Life and Death of Habbie Simson, gives a humorous account 

of Habbie Simson, the famous Kilbarchan piper. It is written in a stanza form 

which was later to become known in literary circles as the ‘Habbie Stanza’. 

This form was used a century later by Robert Burns. 

Robert Semple was a contemporary of Habbie Simson and the poem 

can be regarded as a valuable local history resource. The poem tells of 

occasions and events where Habbie played his pipes, - the kirkyard on 

Sundays, weddings, Kilkbarchan Horse Races, St Barchan’s Day Feast, 

the gatherings of Spearmen, and Clark plays in Edinburgh. Robert 

Semple’s second surviving work is Epitaph on Sanny Briggs, written in the 

same Habbie stanza. Sanny Briggs is said to have been nephew to Habbie 

Simson. 

His third work, on a more serious theme, is A Pick-tooth for the Pope or The 

Packman’s Paternoster. The poem takes the form of a dialogue between 

a packman and a priest. It was originally written by his father, Sir James 

Semple, and was augmented and enlarged by Robert. The poem takes the 

form of a discussion between a simple packman and a priest. Throughout 

more eight hundred lines of rhyming couplets the packman politely questions 

the parish priest, whom he addresses as Sir John, on modes of worship 

and dogma of the Church of Rome - the need for mass and prayers to 

be in Latin, the Pope as successor to St. Peter, and, what he regards as, 

undue exaltation of Virgin Mary. Despite the serious nature of the theme an 

ironic humour pervades the work. It was printed in Edinburgh 1669. 

Around 1650, Robert and his family moved from the old hall at Beltrees to 

Thirdpart in Kilbarchan Parish. Robert appears to have taken an active part 

in village life. In 1660 he was witness to the baptism of Marie, a daughter 

of Alexander Hamilton, in Forehouse, Kilbarchan. Robert Semple died later 

in the 1660s. 

© 2018, Helen Calcluth, Renfrewshire Local History Forum 

NEXT LECTURE: Thursday 8th November, Coats Building Paisley 

Renfrewshire Local History Forum will hold our next lecture in Room 116, 

in the Coats Building, University of the West of Scotland (entrance in Storie 

Street, Paisley) at 7.30 pm on Thursday, 8th November, 2018. 

Our speaker is archaeologist, Heather James, from Calluna Archaeology. 

Her lecture topic is the recent archaeological dig at Inchinnan and is entitled 

St. Conval to All Hallows: 1400 Years and Counting. 

Looking for someone local? 



38 


Check Bonfires For Hedgehogs 

As the bonfire celebrations creep up on us, 

please remember to check bonfires carefully for 

sleeping hedgehogs before lighting. Every year 

rescue centres receive numerous hedgehogs 

with burns from bonfires or fireworks. 

If possible the entire pile should be re-sited 

before being lit, if not possible, use broom 

handles to lift the base of the pile, and shine torches, looking and listening 

carefully for any sign of life. 

Going to an official organised fireworks display is a far safer option for 

humans and animals. 

You can also help hedgehogs by offering food such as meaty cat or dog 

food, and water, especially in the run up to their hibernation months. 

Please #rememberhedgehogs on Bonfire Night. 

www.britishhedgehogs.or.uk 

Fireworks Fear 

While Bonfire Night is very entertaining for 

most of us, our pets don’t appreciate it as 

much. 

The days leading up to fireworks events can 

be hugely stressful for all pets, but it’s dogs in 

partiuclar that are often the worse affected. 

This is often the time of year that sees the 

most pets being reported as missing when 

they’ve scarpered at the louds bangs of 

fireworks. Vets see a particular increase in 

pets involved in road traffic accidents after 

being spooked. 

Not all pets are affected by fireworks but it’s always best to take precautions 

such as: 

• make sure that your dog is inside on Bonfire Night with windows and 

doors securely closed 

• try to provide background “white noise” such as the TV, radio, or music 

in advance of the fireworks starting to try and drown out the sharp 

bangs 

• take your dog for their usual walk before the fireworks display is set 

to begin and make sure that they are kept on their lead at all times, 

especially if you’re in any doubt about whether they will bolt or not at 

the sound of a firework 

• ensure that your pet is wearing ID so that if they do run away there is 

a greater chance of them being returned to you 

• also ensure that your dog is microchipped and wearing a collar with a 

tag - these are both legal requirements 

• comfort your pet if they are acting scared - just like us, our pets seek 

comfort in numbers, so your presence will be reassuring 

It is illegal to buy “adult” fireworks if you are under the age of 18 or to set 

off fireworks between 11pm and 7am, except on bonfire night when the 

cut off extends to midnight, and New Year’s Eve, Diwali and Chinese New 

Year, at 1am. 

Even with these rules in place, it’s not uncommon for stray fireworks to be 

heard beyond the cut off time and after organized events have ended, so 

try to keep your pet inside at night unless you have a fence that they can’t 

vault over if they get spooked. 

Re-homing Pets 

Newspapers for Hedgehogs 

Hessilhead Wildlife Rescue are running 

short of newspapers. Hedgehogs 

especially are really messy, and some 

of the bigger birds in care need lots of 

newspapers too. If you can drop any off 

at the centre they’d be really grateful, 

or perhaps you could start collecting 

some at work or from friends. 

Hessilhead Wildlife Rescue Trust 

Gateside, Beith, Ayrshire KA15 1HT 

Can you offer a home to any of our 

featured pets? 

Leo - 9 y/o male Domestic 

long-hair 

Leo came to the centre as a 

stray, with a rather interesting 

and unique story. He had been 

spending his days sitting in the 

trolleys at his local Tesco! He became a bit 

of a local celebrity in his time there! He isn’t 

Leo 

too fond of other animals, just people and 

supermarkets apparently. However he should be okay with older 

children who will give him space when he wants it. His ideal home is 

one with outdoor access (not near a busy road). Is this you? Every 

little helps.... Couldn’t resist! 

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

Telephone: 0141 779 3341 

Isa - female 

Gerbil 

Isa is looking for a new home after she 

arrived in our care through no fault of her 

own. 

She is a very sweet little gerbil who is well 

handled. She likes nothing more than 

constructing new tunnels in her substrate Isa 

and rolling around in a sand bath. 

Ideally we are looking for Isa to be homed with another female gerbil 

so she has some company. 

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

or visit www.scottishspca.org/rehoming 

Bodie - 8+ y/o male 

Terrier Cross 

Bodie is an older boy who 

is like a puppy at heart and 

loves to keep active. Living with a family 

who enjoy walking or outdoor activities 

would really benefit him. He is looking 

Bodie 

for an owner that has owned dogs before 

and is around most of the day to let him settle. 

Bodie can live with other dogs but not with cats. He loves to be out 

in the garden playing so having a secure garden with a 6ft fence is a 

must! A home with children over the age of 16 years old is required. 

Don’t let Bodie’s age put you off as he will make a wonderful addition 

and is still full of beans! 

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

G71 7SL. Open: 12noon - 4pm (inc weekends); 12noon- 7.30pm on Tuesdays; 

closed: Wednesdays 

Deadline date for our December October issue - - Friday 14th 16th September November - you don’t want to miss it!!


Birds for 

Beginners 

Sunday 25th 

November 

11am – 1.30pm 

Learn all about birds in this introduction 

to wildlife watching. Head out onto the 

reserve then finish with a hot drink. 


Cost: Adults: £6; Children: £4.80 

(RSPB members: £4.80/£3.80). 

Find out more at www.rspb.org.uk/ 

lochwinnoch. Tel: 01505 842663. 

Lochwinnoch 

Explorer Group - 

Sharks! 


10am - 12noon 

Come and learn all about sharks! 

These ape predators that 

have been about since before 

dinosaurs! Ages: 5 - 14 (under 8’s 

accompanied by adults) 


Cost £5 

(£3 RSPB Members) 

Find out more at www.rspb.org.uk/ 

lochwinnoch. Tel. 01505 842 663 

Arthritis 

As the colder weather starts to 

set in many of us may notice 

our older pets are a little slower 

and stiffer. 

Arthritis is a painful 

degenerative condition of the 

joints caused by erosion of the cartilage in the joint leading to chronic 

pain and reduced mobility. It is very common in our pets, affecting 20% 

of adult dogs and 50% of cats over 10 years old. 

Arthritis is most commonly seen in older animals but is also more 

common in certain breeds, in cases of previous joint injury and in 

overweight animals. 

Signs of arthritis can include: 

• Limping 

• Reduced activity 

• Resenting being stroked in certain areas 

• Sleeping more 

• Increased grumpiness 

• Withdrawing from interaction with owners/other animals 

• Increased clinginess 

• Chewing or licking joints 

Treatment of arthritis is normally with a combination of medication and 

lifestyle changes. 

Joint supplements are used to aid flexibility, protect remaining cartilage 

and help reduce inflammation. Anti-inflammatory medications are used 

to reduce inflammation and pain. Additional pain relief can be provided 

in cases of severe arthritis using opioid medications. 

Control of exercise routine to provide regular, gentle exercise helps 

prevent joints stiffening up. Hydrotherapy (controlled swimming 

exercise) is a good option for some patients. 

Weight management to maintain an ideal body weight is an important 

factor in control of arthritis as being overweight increases the strain on 

joints. 

Ensuring your pet keeps warm and dry and has a comfortable bed to 

sleep on can also help reduce joint pain. Aids such as orthopaedic 

foam beds, ramps, steps, low sided litter trays, etc can also help your 

pet keep comfortable. 

Complimentary therapies such as physiotherapy and acupuncture can 

be used in addition to medication and lifestyle changes. 

If you think that your pet may be suffering from arthritis give us a call on 

01505 800366 for an assessment, there’s a lot we can do to help. 

Scottish Outdoor Access 

Code 

If you’re a member of the public wanting to enjoy some fresh air in a 

local park, or a dog walker, hill walker, mountain biker, horse rider or 

kayaker, there is information for you and much more. 

https://www.outdooraccess-scotland.scot/ 

Gary Turnbull 

Islay – Queen of the Hebrides 

an illustrated talk 

Friday 2nd November from 

7.30pm at the 

McMaster Centre, Donaldson 

Drive, Renfrew PA4 8LX 

All Welcome 

Do you run a 

local animal 

charity? 

Want to get 

the word 

out about 

fundraising? 

Contact us on 

info@ 

advertizer. 

co.uk or call 

01505 613340 

Pet Fostering 

Service 

Scotland 

Lost Pets? 

39 

Pet Fostering Service 

Scotland provides a 

short term emergency 

care service for pet owners who are 

temporarily unable to care for their 

pets. 

We’re always seeking more foster 

homes throughout Scotland. If 

you’re interested in fostering dogs, 

cats or small pets, on a short term 

basis, please drop us an e-mail at 

volunteering@pfss.org.uk 

Visit our website for more info at 

www.pfss.org.uk or find us on 

Facebook 

If your pet has gone missing and 

you would like to place a notice in 

The Advertizer, please call 01505 

613340 or email info@advertizer. 

co.uk. We can also put updates on 

our website & Facebook. There is 

no charge for this service! 


40 


. . . Bishopton, Langbank & Bridge of Weir . . . 

bishopton, langbank & bridge of weir 

Royal British Legion Scotland Bridge of 

Weir and District Branch 

A time to remember. Our thoughts on the 11th Day of November will be fi rmly on 

100 years from the end of the First World War. A time for refl ection and giving 

thanks to those who have served their country and those who gave the ultimate 

sacrifi ce. 

The Annual Remembrance day Parade in Bridge of Weir will meet in the Village 

Car Park at 2.30pm, setting off at 2.45pm and march to the War Memorial for 

the Service of Remembrance at 3pm. Back to the car park then onto Freeland 

Church for tea. 

Poppy collection tins are located in commercial premises within the Village we 

urge you to support Poppyscotland who aim to help as many people in the Armed 

Forces community as possible. They 

support people of all ages, where 

diffi culties have arisen during time 

in the Armed Forces or many years 

later. They help the families of ex- 

Servicemen and women, including 

partners, widows, widowers and 

children. 

We are all inspired by those who have 

gone before us so please support the 

appeal. 

Special Service 

Come and join us at Freeland Church 

on Sunday 11th November at 6.55pm 

a Special Service The Ultimate Sacrifi ce 

joining people all over the UK for the 

Last Post 100 years on. Bridge of 

Weir Primary School Choir and Gryffe 

Voices will be joining the churches in 

Bridge of Weir for this service. 


Bridge of Weir Hillwalkers reborn 

We are pleased to announce that after 

a period of years that BoW Hillwalkers 

are back on the scene. 

Originally founded in 1985 in the 

Railway tavern, it is appropriate that the 

walking group was reborn in Amaretto 

We intend to run walks on two Mondays 

per month and to get away most 

months on a Sunday with a peppering 

of weekends away in the hills up north (and maybe down south as well). 

The group is well trained and very friendly. In fact our boast is that the social side 

of things is just as important. 

We are open to all like minded folk regardless of age, in particular. We cover 

an area from north Ayrshire into Inverclyde and Renfrewshire. There are no 

subscriptions so why not come and join us on an outing and see what you think. 

Contact Alison Johnstone on 01505 874989 or Don Smith on 01505 321720 

also Don at donwwsmith@gmail.com 

We have a Facebook page Bridge of Weir Hillwalkers which will give more 

information. 


Now the leaves are falling along with the wind and rain and so 

the drains are being covered, roads and pavements become 

slippery. We also have the dark evenings so remember to wear 

bright clothing if out after dark and it is a good idea to carry a 

torch to be seen by as much as to see with. Cycle tracks can be 

particularly risky if using them after dark without lights. So be 

careful out there. 

A few weeks ago while I was distributing some leafl ets in 

Langbank, I was surprised to see water fl owing out a gully 

on Houston Road and into the next gully and away. This was 

strange as this was the only water on the road as it had not been raining and 

wondered if there was a burst water pipe somewhere. Naturally I reported this 

but it was no surprise to fi nd a fl ood at this point a couple of week later. I will 

continue to work to fi x this. 

Similarly in Bridge of Weir, the recent heavy rainfall again caused the sewer 

manhole to overfl ow at the side of Amaretto, and probably further up the Glen 

also. This is not the fi rst time that this sewer has exceeded its capacity and I 

have raised the matter with both Scottish Water and SEPA and I will follow this up. 

Further development in Bridge of Weir will only exacerbate this situation. 

Speeding traffi c is a subject that affects all the villages. In Bridge of Weir, I am 

expecting the 30 limit to be extended beyond St Mary’s Church on the Johnstone 

Road. In Bishopton, I am requesting traffi c calming on the Old Greenock Road at 

the entrance to the village from Linburn, and also speed restrictions on Greenock 

road by the primary school. Langbank roundabout on the A8 continues to be a 

concern. 

Please note my surgery details: 

• Langbank Parish Church Hall - 1st Monday of every month (6.30pm) 

• Bridge of Weir Cargill Hall - 2nd Monday of every month (6.30pm) 

• Bishopton Community Library - 3rd Monday of every month (6.30pm) 

I can be contacted by phone on 0300-300-1291 or by email to cllr.james. 

maclaren@renfrewshire.gov.uk . Check out my Facebook page for more 

information and articles www.facebook.com/councillormaclaren 

Working with you and improving our local area. Please feel free to contact 

me with any of your concerns, and I am happy to meet with you at a mutually 

convenient time. 

Your Ward 11 Councillors ... for Bishopton, Langbank & Bridge of Weir 

James MacLaren, Natalie Don, Colin McCulloch | Advice Surgeries: http://www.renfrewshire.gov.uk/councillors 

______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 

Community Council ... Visitors are welcome at these monthly meetings. 

BISHOPTON: Primary School: 1st Thurs at 7.30pm | www.bishoptoncouncil.com 

BRIDGE OF WEIR: 1st Tuesday of the month, Cargill Hall: 7pm | www.bridgeofweir.org 

February - June & September - December (October AGM). (No meetings July and August) 

LANGBANK: Church Hall: 2nd Wed at 7.30pm 

Community Halls to Let ... 

Bridge of Weir: Freeland Church. Tel: 612245 

Please add your community hall 

details to our list - email to 

info@advertizer.co.uk 



41 


Bishopton Christmas Tree Light Switch On 

Sunday 2nd December 

Bishopton Community Centre, Gledstane Road, Bishopton. 

Bishopton Community Centre Association and Bishopton Parish Church have 

once again organised the free Christmas tree light switch on ceremony and 

community carol singing. The carol singing will be held indoors starting at 

6.30pm. 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 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. 

Lynne Hutchison, Chair of Bishopton Community Centre Association said, 

“Bishopton Community Centre Association is delighted once again to be involved 

in helping to organise this year’s Christmas tree light switch on ceremony. 

The lights will be switched on by a local noteworthy person or persons. I am 

anticipating that we will have a special seasonal guest making an appearance 

too.” 


Guide Dogs Coffee Morning Success 


BoW SWI 

On Thursday November 1st 

we will have a speaker from the 

Scottish Fire Service. This should 

be an opportunity to fi nd out 

more about how we can keep our 

homes and community safe as 

well as learning about the work of 

our fi re services. 

We meet at 7.25pm for 7.30pm at 

the Pirie Centre in Freeland Church 

and look forward to welcoming 

members and guests for what will 

be an interesting evening. 

The coffee morning for Guide Dogs on 

Saturday 6th October was a wonderful 

success. West Renfrewshire Guide 

Dog Fundraising Team are delighted 

to say that they raised over £900 on 

the day. 

A huge thank you to all those 

who helped, attended, baked and 

supported in any way. A special 

thanks to Freeland Church. 

As Rev. Marshall said on the day the 

practice of gratitude was defi nitely 

seen for guide dogs. 


Langbank SWI 

The October Scottish Quiz was a fun 

evening, with Langbank winning, closely 

followed by the Bridge of Weir team. The 

questions set by our Quizmaster, Pauline 

Simpson were challenging, and everyone 

left with a lot more Scottish knowledge. 

Next month we have a cookery 

demonstration from Drew Alexander, the 

Butcher in Port Glasgow, this will be in the 

Church Hall on Thursday 22nd November 

at 7.30pm. All are welcome and further 

details are on the Village notice boards. 


The Bridge 

Happy Birthday!!! We are delighted to report that come mid November ‘The 

Bridge’ will celebrate its Seventh 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 2019, 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. The Citizens Advice Bureau has 

bookable appointments every second Monday and our MSP, Derek Mackay, and 

MP, Gavin Newlands, each hold monthly surgeries. 

Forthcoming Exhibition - for 2 weeks around the 11th November we are to host 

a WW1 exhibition to mark the centenary of the end of the Great War. Please visit 

to see the impact men from your village had during this war. 

Post Office – 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 finally, as we approach our seventh anniversary, a very big ‘Thank You’ to 

the residents of Bridge of Weir and to our loyal volunteers who all continue to 

support us. 


Would you like to 

be an Owl? 

Girlguiding Bridge of Weir are on 

the look out for new volunteers who 

LOVE ADVENTURE, HAVING FUN 

and CONTRIBUTING TO OUR LOCAL 

COMMUNITY. 

If you would like more information, 

please contact Kim, District 

Commissioner on kimcowling40@ 

gmail.com 


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. 


Churches in Bishopton, Langbank & Bridge of Weir ... 

___________________________________________________________________________________________________ 

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. 

FREELAND CHURCH SPECIAL SERVICE - Come and join us at Freeland Church on Sunday 11th November at 6.55pm a Special Service The Ultimate Sacrifice 

joining people all over the UK for the Last Post 100 years on. Bridge of Weir Primary School Choir and Gryffe Voices will be joining the churches in Bridge 

of Weir for this service. 

ST MARY’S EPISCOPAL CHURCH, Johnston Rd, Bridge of Weir, PA11 3EE. St Mary’s Episcopal Church is a small, lively and mature Christian community. We 

are united by our belief in Jesus, the One in whom God fully revealed Himself and through whom we have life in all it’s fullness. Come and worship with us. 

Our main Service is held on Sundays at 10am. A warm welcome awaits you. Contact: Rev. Heller G. 01505 872961 www.heartlandsec.org/BoW 

ST MACHAR’S RANFURLY CHURCH: Sunday morning service 10.30am. 

HOPE HALL: Sun 1.15pm Sunday School, 4.30pm Gospel Service; Mon 6pm Investigators for Kids, 7.30pm Bible Study and Prayer. www.bridgeofweirchurch. 

co.uk 



42 


Bridge of Weir Tenants & Residents 

Association 

The October meeting of the Bridge of Weir Tenants and Residents Association 

was well attended, and our thanks go to Cllr. James MacLaren, PC Steven Reid, 

Housing offi cer Barry Scott and Warden Brian McLaughlin for their attendance. 

The police report showed six crimes committed within the village over the past 

month, at present one has been solved, but this is expected to go up to fi ve once 

investigation are fi nished. The crimes were two thefts, two road traffi c offences, 

one bank card fraud and one under the dangerous dogs act. The Renfrewshire 

Wardens Service are happy to report that their dog fouling campaign in Mimosa 

Road and Loch Road seems to have been a success. Increased patrols and 

posters on lampposts, etc. have helped to bring this about. 

The Wardens would like to point out that if a vehicle is abandoned on private land 

it is not the responsibility of the Council to remove it. All our local Councillors are 

chasing up separate reports of overgrown foliage all around the village. It’s also 

the time of year when many streetlights are blocked out by overgrown branches, 

and we would like to remind residents to get trees cut back on their land if they 

are causing an obstruction to street lighting. 

An issue that came up at the meeting was the exorbitant costs involved with 

trying to hire the Cargill Hall for events. Local organisations are fi nding it almost 

impossible to hold large events in the village and are either having to use facilities 

in neighbouring villages, or cancel events. TARA will be contacting Renfrewshire 

Council and Renfrewshire Leisure over the running of this hall. 

The next meeting of Bridge of Weir TARA is on Tuesday 20th November at 7.30pm 

in the Pirie Centre at Freeland Church. This will be the last meeting this year, so 

if something in the village is bugging you, be it drains, bins, foliage, etc. Why not 

come along and air your views. All at welcome. 


Christmas Lights 

Switch-On 

The Annual Christmas Lights Switch- 

On event will take place on Monday 3rd 

December with a Carol Service in Freeland 

Church at 6.15pm with the Primary School 

Choir, followed by the Lights Switch-On 

at Livery Walk at 7pm by the village Gala 

Queen. 

There will be a few changes to the format 

this year and arrangements are at an 

advanced stage, these will be posted on 

the Community Council Facebook page 

once fi nalised. 



Christmas Craft 

Coffee Morning 

on Saturday 1st December from 

10am - 12.30pm 

St Machars Ranfurly Church Hall, 

Kilbarchan Road, Bridge of Weir. 

Please come along and support 

this fantastic event! 

Recently speeding has been a concern for local residents in both 

Bishopton and Bridge of Weir. In Bishopton, Greenock Road and 

Kingston Road have been causing particular concern and while 

this has been raised with the police, I have also requested that 

council offi cers look at any other measures which could be used 

to make these particular streets safer. 

In recent months, I have noticed a big drop in the number of 

complaints I receive about roads. In Bridge of Weir, the recent 

resurfacing of Kilbarchan Road has greatly improved another 

route out of the village and in Bishopton while still underway, the 

previously rescheduled works on Ferry Road couldn’t come soon enough for many 

people. Further works are still scheduled for Torr Road and Greenock Road in the 

coming weeks. While there is still work to be done the investment in our roads 

and work carried out so far this year, is continuing to make a huge difference. 

One road that I have received several complaints about is Warlock Road in 

Bridge of Weir. During the summer, this road was surface dressed as opposed 

to resurfaced. Surface dressing acts as a way to prolong the life of the road 

when repairs are needed, however I am aware that the fi nish seems to have 

deteriorated quite signifi cantly in a short space of time. I have requested that the 

overall quality of this job is inspected and proper repairs are carried out. 

Last month I really enjoyed taking part in the shortlisting for Renfrewshire 

Council’s “Name Our Gritters” competition. Local people really got behind the 

competition, submitting lots of creative Renfrewshire inspired names and it was 

really great to be involved in something fun and light hearted. The fi nal shortlist 

was put to the public at the end of October to vote for their favourites. While I 

certainly wouldn’t want to be biased, wouldn’t it be great to see “Fridge of Weir” 

or “The Gryffe Gritter” out patrolling our streets to keep them clear this winter! 


Bridge of Weir CC 


At the Community Councils Annual General Meeting all Offi ce Bearers were 

unanimously re-elected. The Chairman in his annual reported welcomed fi ve new 

members to our ranks following the Interim Election in May. 

The majority of the Community Councils workload this year has been spent on 

campaigning for better bus services and on planning matters. There has been 

no solution to the inadequate bus service in Bridge of Weir and we can only hope 

the Transport Bill currently progressing through the Scottish Parliament will offer 

a solution. 

In Planning we welcomed the Reporters decision to dismiss the appeal’s for both 

Kilmacolm Road and the Whitelintgate development. We were delighted to hear 

Renfrewshire Council had fi nally approved planning permission for the Bull’s 

Garage site although we still await construction. 

The Chairman thanked the Convener of the Project and Fund Raising Committee 

for overseeing the installation of the exercise equipment at Ranfurly Park. 

Guest speaker at the AGM was Karen Anderson Amenities Manager at 

Renfrewshire Council she spoke about the Councils proposals for new waste 

collections due to be rolled out in November. 

At the Ordinary meeting which followed the AGM Community Police Offi cers E 

O’Hanlon and Stephen Reid informed us there had been eight recorded crimes 

during the previous month, these included theft by house breaking, road traffi c 

offences, and fraud. They also said that there has been a small increase in 

bogus workmen in other areas; residents should report any suspicious persons 

or vehicles by calling 101. 

Concerns were raised at the meeting on the condition of the fi nished road 

resurfacing works at Warlock Road, Main Street at Amaretto’s and the Georgetown 

Road by Houston, although out with our jurisdiction used by many Bridge of Weir 

residents. The secretary will write to the roads department asking if the fi nished 

works were acceptable to the Council. 

Members of the Traffi c Calming sub-committee held a site visit with Drew McNab, 

Transportation Manager at Renfrewshire Council. At this meeting alternatives 

were discussed and a fi nal list will be sent by the Community Council to 

Renfrewshire Council for consideration. 

Following the review of community level governance, a new model of Local 

Partnerships was agreed by Renfrewshire Council in September. These Local 

Partnerships will replace the previous Local Area Committees. Members of 

Bridge of Weir Community Council were invited to attend a local event to see how 

they will work and how we become involved. 

The next meeting of the Community Council will take place on Tuesday 6th 

December at 7pm in the Cargill Hall. 


Bridge of Weir 

Choral Society 

Christmas Concert 

This year’s concert will be on Sunday 

16th December in St Columba Church 

at 7.30pm. Our featured composer 

this Christmas is John Rutter. We 

will be singing several of his carols 

including ‘Rejoice and be merry’, ‘All 

Bells in Paradise’, and an arrangement 

of ‘O Holy Night’. The programme also 

includes ‘Totus Tuus’ by Gorecki and 

‘Carol of the Bells’ by Barlow Bradford. 

We are looking forward to welcoming 

the Johnstone Brass Band and the 

Handbell Ringers from Houston 

Primary School to our concert. Tickets 

priced £10 will be available from choir 

members and at the door. 


BoW 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. 


Bishopton Art 

Group Christmas 

Art and Craft Fair 

Saturday 17th November, between 

10am and 3pm 

Bishopton Community Centre, 

Gledstane Road, Bishopton 

Bishopton Art Group will host their 

annual Christmas Art and Crafts Fair. 

Local 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 is free. Tea, Coffee and 

delicious home baking will be available 

during the event. 



43 

kilmacolm & quarriers 

Duchal Nursery Celebrating 50 years 

Duchal Nursery School is celebrating 50 years with an anniversary ball at Mar 

Hall on 16th March 2019. This will be a wonderful opportunity to celebrate 

Duchal Nursery School, which was established in 1967 by a group of local 

parents looking to give their children the best start in life. The nursery has gone 

from strength to strength over the years providing hundreds of local children 

an amazing experience of pre school care. We hope that as many parents, ex 

pupils and friends of Duchal will join us in the celebrations, for tickets and more 

information email; fi ona905reid@btinternet.com 

Saturday 3rd November 10.30am - 12.30pm Duchal Nursery School, Birkmyre 

Park, Kilmacolm 

It’s going to be a spooky fun fi lled morning 

at Duchal on Saturday 3rd November. There 

will be witches hats, halloween masks, 

pumpkins and spooky arts and crafts, some 

games and halloween fun. 

Open to all families with pre school children. 

Come along to join in the fun, we can’t wait to 

see your costumes! 


Crafty Play Café 

Every Tuesday, Quarriers Village Cafe 

Booking slots available 10am - 

12noon; 12noon - 2pm; 2pm - 4pm 

Cost: Free entry; £2 for kids craft 

materials (optional) 

Sick of softplay? Come along to our 

Quarriers café every Tuesday when 

the upper section of the café will be 

transformed into a children’s play and 

craft area. Relax and have a coffee 

while your children or grandchildren 

play! 


Guide Hut to Hire 

A great venue with easy access near to 

the village centre. Refurbished main 

hall, 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. 

Tips for a stress free Christmas Dinner 

By Linsey Reith, Chef at Three Sisters Bake, Quarriers 

Village 

In response to many customers telling us how stressful they 

fi nd Christmas dinner, we have listed our top tips below! 

For those who want to remove the stress entirely, we have 

created “Just Add Turkey” - we provide the sides, trimmings 

and handmade condiments, leaving you to prepare the turkey 

and enjoy the day. For full details see below or -www.threesistersbake.co.uk/ 

christmas 

Delegate! We run Christmas dinner somewhat like a business and allocate 

different courses to different family members. 

Reduce your menu. Life (and 

Christmas Day) is too short to spend 

it making 20 sides! 

Think outside the box. None of us 

particularly like turkey so we cook 

exactly what we fancy, whether that 

be roast lamb or a homemade curry! 

Do dessert in advance: We love a 

meringue bomb - smash meringues, 

mix with whipped cream and press into a pudding bowl. Freeze, then remove 

20 minutes before you want to serve. Slice and serve with raspberry coulis. 

Just Add Turkey is priced at £13.95 per person and includes - homemade turkey 

gravy; pigs in blankets; rosemary roast potatoes; Three Sisters Bake sage and 

onion stuffi ng; brussel sprouts with toasted almonds; cranberry sauce; bread 

sauce; caraway roasted carrots; honey roast parsnips; creamy mash. Email 

info@threesistersbake.co.uk to reserve your handmade festive feast! 

. . . Kilmacolm & Quarriers . . . 

Your Ward 1 Councillors ... for Inverclye East (includes Kilmacolm & Quarriers) 

David Wilson, Stephen McCabe, Christopher Curley | Advice Surgeries: http://www.inverclyde.gov.uk/meetings/councillors/ 

______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 


KILMACOLM & QUARRIERS: Last Tuesday at 7.30pm, Kilmacolm Cargill Centre 

(NB: No meetings: July or Dec) | www.kilmacolmcc.co.uk 

Any details we've missed? - email 

them to info@advertizer.co.uk 


Kilmacolm, Cargill Centre. Tel: 873994 

Kilmacolm, Brownie/Guide Hut. Tel: 07584 359007 

Kilmacolm, Masonic Hall. Tel: 873059 



44 


KURC Annual Charity Night 

Kilmacolm Unoffi cial Running Club’s annual charity night 

was a runaway success! An 80s Disco, held in the Kilmacolm 

Community Centre, raised a fantastic £1,350 for the FEAT 

Sepsis Charity. Members and friends, bedecked in fl orescent 

lycra, legwarmers, leotards, denim and lace boogied the 

night away until the wee small hours. A hot buffet, supplied 

by the KURCers, helped sustain the enthusiastic dancers! 

Prizes went to the best dressed and much fun was had by 

all. Over the past fi ve years KURC have raised over £10,000 

for charity - an incredible achievement. 


September Meeting of the 

Kilmacolm Community 

Council 

A special welcome was extended to Frances Fulton who was 

attending her fi rst meeting in her newly appointed Co-opted 

Member role. 

PC Jamieson reported that in the month of September 2018 

a total of seven crimes in the Kilmacolm and Quarriers 

Village area had been recorded. Included in these crimes 

was the theft of lead from the Cargill Centre doctors’ surgery 

roof. 

In the written replies to the concerns passed onto 

Riverside Inverclyde it was explained that the Kilmacolm 

Horticultural Society would be involved with the contractor 

in the improvements to the planting and in the ongoing 

maintenance of the ‘Village Cross garden’. The plans 

for cleaning up the memorial water fountain and its ‘relettering’ 

were yet to be agreed. 

Unfortunately for those using the No1 Bus service a decision 

had been made to decommission the No1 bus stops at 

Quarry Drive and Finlaystone and to have the terminus for 

the service at the Wateryetts roundabout. The reason for 

the change was because the number of cars irresponsibly 

parked on the roads leading to those stops means the 

buses cannot safely negotiate these roads. 

Concerns were raised about the slow progress of the redevelopment 

of the former Kilmacolm Institute site and 

the impact this was having on the village. The Chair would 

write to the developer expressing these concerns and 

requesting details of the plans and timescales to complete 

the development. 


Boogie on in Kilmacolm! 

‘Boogie Effect with Jen’ is a new dance class which has 

started in Kilmacolm. It is a unique and fun fi tness/dance 

class, bringing together the heart pumping fun of ‘boogie’ 

with the strength and conditioning ‘effects’ of dance 

technique to create long, lean, strong and healthy bodies 

that aren’t just the privilege of the pros! Start your Saturday 

with a boogie in Kilmacolm Guide Hut, Woodrow Avenue, 

9.10am - 10am. 

For more information call Jennifer Lang on 07709 340675 

or visit www.fi tsteps.co.uk and www.boogieeffect.com 



KDS presents Sleeping Beauty 


The School Pipe Band will be busy on the 11th, Remembrance Sunday. Commencing 

at 6am at the War Memorial, they will play The Retreat March, WHEN THE BATTLE’S 

O’ER. They will be part of a National mass bagpipe playing at many locations across 

the UK. This marks the signing of the Armistice of Compiegne at 6am on the 11th 

November 1918. The wider community is invited to what is a poignant Tribute to all 

who died and suffered in the terrible 4 years of WW1 including the deaths of 2,000 

pipers. I am quite sure that the villagers would not object to this event being held on 

the Piazza if the decision was made to hold it there. 

Pipe Major Gordon Bruce and the band will then at 10am lead the youth organisations 

parading from Birkmyre Park to the Church for the traditional 10.45am service. The 

St Columba’s Pipe Band will then at 12.15pm proudly lead the big parade in Port Glasgow. The school 

pipe band is a credit to the school, the village and Inverclyde. 

The village Bonfi re and Fireworks is on Saturday 3rd November at Knapps. Doors open 4.30pm 

and I remind our various volunteers to come along to help steward. It is increasingly becoming more 

bureaucratic and costly to run so please support a 50 year old village tradition. Enquiries to myself. 

St Stephens and Port Glasgow High Schools prizegivings were splendid affairs. PGHS invites former 

pupils to tell of their experiences workwise following school. This year there was a PE Teacher, a top 

Cop and an MSP. All interesting careers and examples of what can be achieved with hard work and 

application. KPS parents held their October meeting at the Campus and were given a tour by Stuart 

Clark the Head of PGHS. 

Gladman have appealed the Council decision to refuse their housing application at Knapps and North 

Dennistoun. It will be considered by written submissions by a Reporter appointed by Scottish Ministers. 

Our new Local Development Plan will be submitted to Scottish Ministers on the 18th November. At 

this stage areas of disagreement will be resolved again by a reporter. The major Local disagreements 

will be the suggestions for housing sites at Planetreeyetts, West of Quarry Drive , Knapps and North 

Dennistoun (under appeal) and Carsemeadow in Quarriers. The plan will be adopted in August 

2019. 

I am afraid the no1 bus service has stopped serving the stops at Quarry Drive and Finlaystone 

Road. This is a great inconvenience to many older people and I am personally disappointed that a 

minority parking carelessly caused the buses to be withdrawn from these stops. The service continues 

to be subsidised by SPT and runs through Quarriers Village. 

The grass seed at Birkmyre Park is growing and the drainage is looking good. Some domestic tidying 

is needed beside the putting green but this will be done. I have received complaints about dog poo on 

the Park. Again a minority but I have had a case of a Port Glasgow youngster being temporarily blinded 

by the disease caused by dog faeces. Playing at Parklea does not seem to have affected the Rugby 

club as they are through to the fi nal of the West Bowl Cup competition where they will play Glasgow 

University Medics on the 8th December. (I suggested to the Club President, JP McCarroll, that he 

delays the date by a week until half the students will be off home and unavailable to play!) 

The climbing frame at the Children’s Play Area in the Park has eventually been fi xed. The Police are 

monitoring cars with loud exhausts following complaints from elderly residents in the village centre. 

Last month there were 7 reported crimes for minor offences. 

My surgeries are 12th November 5.30pm - 6.30pm at St Mary’s Episcopal Port Glasgow and 24th 

November 10am - 11am Cargill Centre Kilmacolm. I can be contacted on david.wilson@inverclyde.gov. 

uk 01475 741969, 712727 and 07766 992294. 

Don’t miss Sleeping Beauty, which Kilmacolm Dramatic Society is performing 

in the Kidston Hall this November. The panto is directed by Mandy Robinson. 

John Gilchrist once again dons the Dame’s wigs and wonderfully wacky outfi ts 

and is joined by a large cast of enthusiastic KDS members. Megan Smith is a 

delightful Sleeping Beauty, wooed by Kevin Curran as the Prince. Also taking 

part are Paul Donnachie, Anne Crawley, Julie Gibb, Jude Kent, Claire Fraser, 

Russell Craig, Ruth Quigley, Caroline Money, Jennifer Craig and Val Crookston. 

KDS is delighted that the cast includes several children. Benjamin Ross (who made his KDS debut in A 

Christmas Carol), his brother Elijah and Patrick McAlindon will all appear on stage, as will children from 

Terry Ferguson’s dance school. There’s even a special guest appearance from ‘Andy the Highlander’, 

otherwise known as Andy McAlindon. 

Our indispensible backstage crew are busily beavering away on brilliant costumes, sound, lighting, 

props, make-up and stage sets for our latest panto. It promises to be a real treat for all the family, so 

make sure you don’t miss it. Why not put it in your diary now? 

There are three evening performances - at 7.30pm on Thursday, Friday and Saturday 22nd, 23rd and 

24th November - and there’s also a matinee at 2.30pm on the Saturday. Doors open 30 minutes 

before each performance. Tickets cost £12 for adults and £8 for children available from the Cross 

Café in Kilmacolm, from the KDS website - kilmacolmdramaticsociety.co.uk - or from Rosie Thirde on 

01505 873088 or on the door. 

As always there’ll be lots of prizes to win in the raffl es, which help to raise much needed funds for the 

Society – putting on live theatre is very expensive! 

We look forward to seeing you there – oh, yes we do! 

KDS Scottish Themed Quiz Night 

Sunday 30th November, St Andrew's Day, at Strathgryffe Tennis Squash & Fitness Club, Houston 

Full details and tickets can be obtained by contacting John Gilchrist by email: gilchy57@gmail.com or 

phone: 01475 540392. 



45 


Chrismtas Fayre & 

Coffee Morning 

Kilmacolm Friends of 

Ardgowan Hospice 

Saturday 10th 

November, Kidston 

Hall, 10am - 12noon. 

Any donations of 

baking or preserves will be gratefully 

received on Friday 9th November 

between 2pm - 4pm at the Kidston 

Hall. 


St Fillans Choir 

Concert By Voskresenije Russian Choir on Sunday 18th November at 7.30pm in 

St Fillan’s Church, Moss Road Killmacolm. 

There is a welcome return visit of the celebrated ‘Resurrection’ Choir Ensemble 

(‘Voskresenije’ in Russian) from St Petersburg. Conductor Jurij Maruk, has 

brought together a superb choir has eight professional male and female vocalists. 

The repertoire includes sacred music, ballads and traditional Russian folk songs. 

Tickets £10 (Pay at Door) Refreshments of wine, soft drinks & savouries. Contact: 

Maureen Russell: mob. 07905 950028; email: maureenmrussell@hotmail.com 

The Community Children’s Choir ‘Angel Voices/Voices+’ are having a Recital 

Concert on Saturday 27th October in St Fillan’s Church Hall at 7pm – This time 

our professional musician team who lead the choir are giving a performance 

too! 

On the Programme will be songs by the children, recital pieces from Archie Morris 

on Flute and Piano and solo singing by Helen Knight. The Junior and Senior 

Choir will be making their contribution of songs from their repertoire. Tickets £5 

including refreshments (pay at door). Contact: Maureen Russell 07905-950028 

or email: maureenmrussell@hotmail.com 

Treatments at Sole Solution 

Podiatry – Our most popular treatment. Podiatry is a branch of medicine 

dedicated to the treatment of the foot and lower limb. We have 3 University 

qualifi ed and Health Care professionals registered Podiatrists at Sole Solution 

who will provide in-depth foot assessment followed by the appropriate 

treatment such as removal of hard skin, corns and nail care within our relaxed 

clinic environment. Leaving you pain free and smiling! 

Biomechanics – If you suffer foot pain that is mechanical our Podiatrists will 

carry out a full gait analysis and assessment of the structure and function of 

your foot and lower limb to diagnosis any anomalies causing pain/discomfort/ 

injury. We can then treat most conditions will corrective insoles/orthotics and 

exercises. For symptom relief we also offer mobilisation and acupuncture. 

Mobilisation – As Podiatrists we are fully trained in foot and lower limb 

mobilisation. Different to manipulation in that we gently and painlessly aim to 

restore joint mobility and fl exibility with passive movement on the deep tissues 

of the foot. This technique with corrective exercises will stretch, strengthen 

and stabilise your feet allowing them to function better. 

Acupuncture – A treatment derived from ancient Chinese medicine which is 

used to manage musculoskeletal conditions affecting our bodies. It is used in 

the treatment of joint and muscle pain where needles are inserted into specifi c 

places on the foot, ankle or lower leg, which practitioners call ‘acupuncture 

points’. A course of 2-4 treatments is normally recommended to receive the 

full therapeutic advantage. 

Warm wax therapy – This treatment can be added to your Podiatry treatment 

for a luxury experience. Warm wax is applied to your feet from single use sterile 

pods to the areas requiring intense hydration. The wax rejuvenates the skin 

and reduces localised infl ammation helping with any pain you are suffering. 

Laura Lauren Helen 



Kilmacolm Books for Sale 

Deborah Winters would like to thank villagers who have 

purchased her books Village Memories and its sequel, 

Tales of Kilmacolm - memories of the village in the 20th 

century. The sales of which have raised over £600, which 

she is donating to two charities. There are still a few copies 

left! The books are on sale at The Cross Café, Kilmacolm 

Newsagent and Kilmacolm Post Offi ce, priced £7 each; 

perhaps suitable for a small Christmas gift, or for friends 

or family who no longer live locally. 


Grace Church Kilmacolm Ladies 

Fellowship 

November meetings, alternate Tuesdays at 2.15pm in the Guide Hut, Woodrow 

Avenue, Kilmacolm. Tuesday 6th November Margaret Linnie, “Why Nursing?” 

Tuesday 20th November Helen P & Barbara H, “Singing Together” 

All ladies welcome. 

Churches __________________________________________________________________________________________________ 

in Kilmacolm & Quarriers ... 

KILMACOLM OLD KIRK: Church of Scotland (Charity no. SC009291). www.kilmacolmoldkirk.org.uk. Minister Rev. Dr. Peter McEnhill (01505 873174). 

Church services resumed in the Old Kirk on 21st October. Morning services begin at 11am except for November 11th, Remembrance Sunday when it 

begins at 10.45am. All Welcome. Tea/coffee served after service. Night Kirk, a reflective service will be held on Sunday 4th November at 6pm. Songs 

of Praise will be held on Sunday 25th November at 7pm. Solas Bereavement Group is held in Kidston Hall on the 2nd Thursday each month at 2pm. 

Outlook on the 1st & 3rd Thursdays at 2pm. 

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. Rosary 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! www.heartlandsec.org/KLM/index.html Contacts: Revd. Heller G.P 01505 872961 

/ Maureen Russell (Pastoral Assistant) 01505 872905. 

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. Please come and invite others: all welcome! 



46 


Proposals To Build Houses At Knapp’s 

Loch and North Denniston in the 

greenbelt around Kilmacolm 

Local-residents will be aware that the Gladman Group has 

proposed building a new housing development on land at 

Knapp’s Loch and North Denniston on the outskirts of Kilmacolm. A campaign 

orchestrated by the Kilmacolm Civic Trust and the Kilmacolm Residents 

Association gave evidence objecting to the application at the Inverclyde Council 

pre-determination hearing at which Inverclyde Council REFUSED the application 

unanimously. Kilmacolm Community Council also gave evidence. Gladman have 

now appealed the Inverclyde Council decision to the Scottish Government which 

means an independent Reporter will review the application and will visit the sites 

at some point in the future. 

If local-residents wish to protect the Greenbelt around Kilmacolm, it is important 

that their views are heard. Any individual who submitted an objection to the 

Gladman application should have been informed by Inverclyde Council of the 

appeal process and been invited to comment to the Reporter by 23rd October. 

The Kilmacolm Civic Trust has submitted a written statement of evidence, 

prepared by professional planning consultants, to the Reporter’s offi ce and will 

keep local-residents informed of any developments. We will alert everyone to the 

date of the Reporter’s visit once known. No questions or commentary may be 

directed at the Reporter during that visit, but the Kilmacolm Civic Trust intends 

to ensure that there is a large turnout on the proposed sites, so that the scale 

of objection may be evident. Further updates will be placed on our website at 

www.kilmacolmcivictrust.org under “News”. 

SANTA SLEIGH 2018 - KILMACOLM 

Saturday 8th - Lower Kilmacolm 

Monday 9th - Upper Kilmacolm - Churchhill Rd, Myreton Ave, Belmont Rd, Beauly Cres, 

Belmont Rd, Churchhill Rd, Cargill Ave, Rannoch Rd, Myreton Ave, Kenmore Rd, Cargill Ave, 

Churchhill Rd, Lochwinnoch Rd, Whitelea Rd, Whitelea Cres, Whitelea Ave, Whitelea Rd, 

Victoria Gdns, Nursery Lane, Nursery Grove, Castlehill Rd, Broomknowe Rd, Whitelea Rd, 

Carruth Dr, Castlehill Rd, Lochwinnoch Rd, Knockbuckle Rd, Knockbuckle Lane, Millburn Dr, 

Florence Dr 

Please note that if bad weather causes cancellation of any night due to a shortage of volunteers these nights will not be rescheduled. 


Old Kirk News 


After 16 weeks of remedial work, the Old Kirk reopened for worship on October 

21st. We were made very welcome by St Columba’s minister and congregation 

during this time and enjoyed sharing services. Mr Ronnie McDermid gave a short 

speech on behalf of the Old Kirk, thanking St Columba’s for their hospitality. We 

were given a great send off by St Columba’s, including a song entitled I’m Going 

Home set to Dvorak New World Symphony. 

A St Andrews Night, proposed for November 30th will not be held. There will be a 

Christmas Fair on 8th December and a Burns Supper on February 15th 2019. 

Outlook 

‘OUTLOOK’ Kilmacolm, is a social community group, formulated for 

friendship and fellowship. It is led by the Community Issues team 

of Kilmacolm Old Kirk. The group meets in Kidston Hall on 1st and 

3rd Thursdays monthly, 2pm - 4pm. Everyone is most welcome. 

The varied programme includes invited Speakers, followed by items of community 

issues for discussion, then afternoon tea is served by our dedicated OUTLOOK 

team. Tea money is donated monthly to a chosen charity. 

Programme for November: 

1st November - 

Short Stories and Poems, written and narrated by Prof Frank 

Walker. 

15th November - A Topic of personal choice, presented by our Minister – Dr 

Peter McEnhill 


Green Waste collections suspended 

The garden waste collection service in Kilmacolm & Quarriers will be temporarily 

suspended for the winter months from Friday 16th November. For the fi nal 

garden waste collections of 2018, please place your brown bin beside your blue 

bin by 7am on your regular recycling collection day during week commencing 5th 

November OR week commencing 12th November. There will be no changes to 

other bin collections. 

Garden waste can still be recycled at Pottery Street and Kirn Drive Recycling 

Centres between 8am and 6pm. There will be no changes to your other bin 

collection arrangements. Brown bin collections are due to resume in Spring 

2019. For more details contact the Recycling Helpline on 01475 715901 or visit 

Inverclyde Council’s website www.inverclyde.gov.uk 


Positive Thinking 

Learn how to take control of your life 

by thinking positively. The only thing 

you control in your life is your thoughts, 

the only thought you have power over 

is the present one. Dates, times and 

venue to be decided. Contact: 07463 

570464. 


St Columba’s 

School Christmas 

Fayre 

Saturday 8th December, 2pm - 5pm 

Fun for all the Family 

Crafts, Gifts & Christmas Baking 

Santa’s Grotto • Real Christmas Trees 

Performances by our Junior Choir 

Christmas Films 

Games & Surprises 

Free Entry 

Please use the 

Gryffe Road 

entrance 

St Columba’s Senior School, 

Kilmacolm Tel.: 01505 872238 

www.st-columbas.org/christmasfayre 


Kilmacolm 

Christmas Card 

“ Winter - Auchenbothie Farm with 

Aged Yew Tree, - Kilmacolm “. 

From an original oil painting by the 

impressionist James A Wood - 

Kilmacolm. 

The cards will be available for sale in 

Threads and the Post Offi ce. 


Kilmacolm Surgeries 

Every 4th Monday PC 

Jamieson, the local 

neighbourhood offi cer, 

will hold a surgery in 

the Community Centre 

between 10.30 - 

11.30am. Please pop in and see him 

if you want to share any concerns or 

need advice. 



47 

kilbarchan - howwood - lochwinnoch - elderslie 

Elderslie Community Council 

Elderslie Community Council have been busy this month with the installation of 

4 railing planters near Stoddard Square on the Main Road. We had a very well 

attended Quiz night on the 29th September where we raised just over £800 to 

go towards the play park fund. We have been very lucky in securing another 

grant from Renfrewshire Council to install a defi brillator in the village, we are very 

hopeful that we will have this installed by the end of the year. 

Our plans to make the park between Lomond Gardens and Queens Road into 

an accessible park for all are still very much part of our focus. We have applied 

for grants through many different funding sources and we continue to fund-raise 

ourselves. Our next one is going to be an 80’s Disco hosted by our lovely friends 

at Elderslie Wallace Bowling Club once again. The event is on the 2nd November 

and will start at 7pm, tickets are £5 per person. We’re hoping people will come 

along in fancy dress but it is by no means compulsory! 

We would really appreciate your support once again in making our wee village 

the best that it can be and having a bit of fun along the way. We know that we 

need community engagement to make a difference in the village so if you can 

come along we’re sure you’ll have a great evening. Come and join us at Elderslie 

Wallace Bowling Club on Friday the 2nd November 7pm for a fun fi lled night of 

Disco fever! We will be holding a raffl e during the evening and hope to raise lots 

of money towards the park. 

We have updated the website where you can see all of our meetings, events 

and what we are all about and it now has the information for our disco night at 

www.elderslie.org.uk. It is a work in progress but we are very pleased with how 

it has come out so far and we’re looking forward to developing it further with the 

communities’ involvement.’ 


Christmas Fayre & 

Lights Switch on 

Thanks to being granted funds from 

the Local Area Committee, Elderslie 

Community Council are in the process 

of buying new lights for the Village! 

Come and join Santa and the ECC 

ladies in the Village Hall from 2pm 

on Saturday 24th November. There 

will be the usual array of stalls and 

entertainment culminating in the raffl e 

at 5pm then outside for carols and the 

light switch-on at 6pm to round off the 

day. 


The Lochwinnoch Art Group 


Calder Church 


Calder Church Christmas Fayre 

will be held in the McKillop Hall, 

Lochwinnoch on Saturday 17th 

November from 10am - 12noon. 

Stalls include:- Christmas Stall (cards, 

wrap & gifts), Home baking, Jewellery 

& accessories, Books, DVDs & CDs, 

Toys, Bottle stall (non alcoholic), Brica-Brac, 

Lucky dip and lots more..... 

Adults £2 Children FREE includes tea, 

coffee, juice & Christmas goodies. 

All welcome! 

The Lochwinnoch Art Group had a most enjoyable workshop at the last meeting, 

Ayrshire artist Gillian Park took the group through a fantastic demo in fi nger 

painting in oils, our thanks to Gillian for another great day. 


Scott Gibson Comedy Tour 

Comes to Lochwinnoch 

“Anywhere But Here” 

Friday 30th November 7.30pm 

McKillop Hall 

Tickets: £10 (£8 concession) 

Award-winning comedian Scott Gibson is back on the 

road with his eagerly anticipated third solo tour 

Churches in Kilbarchan, Howwood, Lochwinnoch & Elderslie ... 

__________________________________________________________________________________________________ 

KILBARCHAN PARISH CHURCH: Services continue throughout November at 11am each Sunday, with Junior Church and the crèche meeting in the hall from 

10.45am. On Sunday 4th, filled Shoeboxes for the Blythswood 25th anniversary appeal will be dedicated and dispatched to the warehouse in Hillington. 

On Sunday 11th, there will be a short service at 10am at the Cenotaph with the organisations, followed by a parade to the church, where the service of 

Remembrance is at 10.45am, with 2 minutes silence at 11am. Both services will be conducted by Rev Stephen Smith. The Midweek Fellowship is on 

Wednesday at 10.30am for coffee, followed by a short service, in the small hall. All welcome to all services. 

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. 

LOCHWINNOCH PARISH CHURCH: Mary Jane Bird. Sunday 11am: Morning Worship and Sunday School. All welcome. 

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. 

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. 

Delivered in his breathlessly inimitable style, Photo by Steve Ullathorne 

Gibson takes you on an epic odyssey that charts the 

bullheaded adventures and choppy waters of youth. A refl ective and blisteringly 

funny treatise on the escapism and hedonism that travel promises, this is a 

story about friendship, love, pool parties, travel insurance, pushing your limits, 

plunging headfi rst into the deep and the Greek third-choice goalie. 

In recent years, Scott has successfully established himself as one of the best 

Scottish comedians of his generation, a title that was cemented when he received 

the Edinburgh Comedy Awards’ Best Newcomer trophy at the 2016 Fringe. He 

is also known as resident MC for BBC Introduces in Scotland, as host of The 

Hashtag Show, and for supporting some of the biggest names in comedy on their 

national tours, from Des Clarke and Daniel Sloss, to Kevin Bridges and Frankie 

Boyle, who describes Scott as a “natural, gifted, and unapologetic storyteller”. 

Scott and comedian Richard Gadd made history at the 2016 Edinburgh Comedy 

Awards when they became the fi rst Scottish winners to scoop both of the main 

prizes – Best Newcomer and Best Show – in the same year. 

"A big, bold, belter… riotously funny… his storytelling skills are 

undoubtedly degree-level standard” - The Herald 

"Irvine Welsh meets Billy Connolly” - Evening Standard 

"You need to remember his name because he’s going to be big… 

an absolute pick of the Fringe” - The Mirror 

Tickets for sale “Now and Then” the 

“Junction café” Lochwinnoch 

On line /www.ents24.com/uk/tourdates/scott-gibson 

Or call 07868 752814 


Lochwinnoch 

SWI 

The November meeting of Lochwinnoch 

SWI is on Wednesday 21st in the 

McKillop Hall at 7.30pm. 

Valerie Reilly is coming to talk to us 

and her subject is “Just a Bucket 

and Spade”. So, it is time for a bit of 

nostalgia as she describes holidays in 

the past. 

Please remember to bring your cup for 

tea/ coffee. 

We look forward to meeting members 

and friends to what should be an 

interesting evening. 

For further info contact Elma Richmond 

tel: 843193 or richmond32@tiscali. 

co.uk 

. . . Kilbarchan, Howwood, Lochwinnoch & Elderslie . . . 


48 


Lochwinnoch Community 

Garden Making Bird Boxes 

25th November 


We are encouraging people in the village to help nature in our 

gardens. Come along and make a bird box for your garden or the village. 

Meet at the Community Garden behind the Parish Church at 2pm tea and coffee 

too! 

Bring a hammer if you have one!!. 



In light of the tragic fatality recently on the A737 between 

Lochwinnoch and Howwood I have written to the Transport 

Minister at Holyrood calling for the immediate installation of 

speed cameras in and around the notorious Howwood junction, 

as we can see the difference on driver behaviour this has had 

on other road blackspots such as the A9. Holyrood has to act 

and upgrade the A737 urgently. I have also invited the Transport 

Minister to the A737 in person to meet local Cllrs to see the 

challenges of the road for himself. 

I am extremely angry that the SPT has decided to cut the 

McGills 307 Johnstone Train Station to Lochwinnoch service midweek as far as 

the 11.21pm late bus is concerned, and as promised I lodged a motion at the 

last full council meeting on 27th September calling on the SPT to do its duty by 

Lochwinnoch and reinstate the bus. I am delighted to say that my motion was 

passed unanimously and received all party support. The fi ght will continue as far 

as I am concerned. 

At the last Leadership Board I extensively questioned the Council Leader with 

regard to the remit of the new, much welcome, Village Improvement Fund which 

has a budget of £370k. I received confi rmation that it is possible for groups to 

use VIF monies to try and level more funding to improve village buildings and 

halls. Accordingly I have been working to get Kilbarchan Community Council to 

liaise with Council offi cers about what options may be available, for example from 

Historic Environment Scotland, especially regarding the upgrade of the much 

loved Steeple Hall. 

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 on the 

4th Wednesday of the month in Howwood Village Hall at 6.30pm, then at 

Lochwinnoch also on the 4th Wednesday of the month in the McKillop at 7.30pm, 

excluding July and Christmas. But I am also always available to constituents who 

can call me on 07534 148224, tweet me on CllrAndy4Ward8, facebook me on 

Independent Voice/Ward9JohnstoneAndVillages, or e-mail me at cllr.andy.doig@ 

renfrewshire.gov.uk 


Howwood 

Parish Church 

Community 

Coffee Shop 

Community Coffee Shop - 

First Friday monthly 

Howwood Parish Church: 

10am - 12noon 

“In the community, for the 

community” 

Adults £2 

Children free. 

All welcome. 


Pre-Christmas Craft 

Fair 


12noon – 3pm 

McKillop Hall, Lochwinnoch 

Free entry and free tea and coffee 

Come and do some early Christmas 

shopping. Lots on offer: knitting, pottery, 

jewellery, handmade felt, crystal and 

much more! 


Howwood WI 

November – Tuesday 20th: 

Whist Drive – Catered by Mrs 

J Burns. 


Help Morag and Liz reach 500 

(we are at 468!) people through 

Heart Start to save a life! 

Morag and Liz beside 

the AED in Lochwinnoch 

Would you know what to do in 

an Emergency? 

Everyone welcome! 

♥ Every week in Scotland, 70 people suffer cardiac arrest. 

♥ More than 3500 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 

To learn the simple skills that save lives, contact Morag Thow on 07868 752814 

to book onto one of our courses: 

Wednesday 28th November 7pm - 9pm Lochwinnoch Masonic Lodge 

If you have a group in the Lochwinnoch / Howwood area that would like a Heart 

Start Course Liz and Morag are pleased to come to your group to deliver the 

course. 


Kilbarchan Messy 

Church 

Our next 

M e s s y 

Church is on 

Saturday 

10th 

November from 4pm to 6pm in 

the Church halls. Please note this is a 

week earlier than usual. Come along 

and join in the crafts and games and 

fi nish by all of us sitting down to eat 

together. Everyone is welcome, so just 

remember to bring an adult along with 

you. 


Kilbarchan 

There are 3 meetings in November, 

fi rstly the latest Murder/Mystery play, 

then the national Telephone Quiz and 

fi nally a book review of All the Light 

We Cannot See by Anthony Doerr, set 

during the 2nd world war featuring a 

young blind French girl and a German 

orphaned boy. If you’d like to fi nd out 

more about NWR and the Kilbarchan 

group, please contact the website: 

www.nwr.org. 

Your Ward 9 Councillors ... for Kilbarchan, Howwood, Lochwinnoch & Elderlsie 

Andy Doig, Derek Bibby, Bill Binks, Emma Rodden | Advice Surgeries: http://www.renfrewshire.gov.uk/councillors 

______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 


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 

Lochwinnoch: Bowling Club: 1st Tues at 7.30pm 


Kilbarchan, Guide Centre. Tel: 702758. 

Kilbarchan, Old Library Centre. Tel: 706070 



49 


Lochwinnoch Dementia Friendly News 

Lochwinnoch Dementia Friendly Village Tea 

Dance - Friday 5th October 

We had a fantastic turn out at the tea dance 

at Lochwinnoch Golf club. There was great 

dancing and singing to ‘Music Box’. The Lochwinnoch Primary School captains 

joined in with enthusiasm. Following the fantastic afternoon tea the captains 

entertained the audience with a selection of poetry, dancing, clarinet playing and 

magic!! 

A huge thank you to the Golf club, Carol and the catering team for the wonderful 

tea, the keep fi t group, dementia friends and the primary captains for all the help 

with the raffl e and clearing up. Lastly, thanks to Councillor Andy Doig and MSP 

Tom Arthur who came to support the dance. 

Dementia Friendly Training Tuesday - 16th October 

A good turnout of over 20 attended the training in the Calder Church by Gerry 

McCoy and Carolyn Irvine from Alzheimer Scotland. There will be more training 

in the New Year watch this space!! 

Christmas Tea Dance Friday - 7th December Lochwinnoch Golf Club 

Note at earlier time of 1pm (Transport from the cross at 12.45pm). Dance and 

sing to ‘Music box’! Call 07868 752814 for more information. 


The Annual Fall Ball Charity Ceilidh in 

McKillop Hall Lochwinnoch 

Saturday 10th 

November from 

8pm - 12am 

Featuring Alastair 

McCulloch the Coila 

Band has developed 

into one of the leading 

traditional groups in 

Scotland and is in constant 

demand at home and abroad. From 

performances at international music 

festivals such as Celtic Connections 

and The Shetland Folk Festival to 

Hollywood fi lm premières. 

Proceeds to Johnstone and Gryffe 

School Students World Challenge and 

Lochwinnoch Primary PTA. 

Bar, Buffet & Raffl e. Entry by ticket only £8.50 per person, tickets available @ 

Now and Then and Café Cucina Minucci at the Junction. 

Home - Gryffe Advertizer 



Early Bird Christmas Craft and Gift Fayre 

Sunday 25th November 1pm - 4pm, Kilbarchan Guide Centre 

Over 20 stalls fi lled with gorgeous gifts for all the family. We 

welcome back some of our favourites including Threepwood 

Fayre, All things nice and Braw Bricht Jewellery to name 

a few. We are excited to introduce new crafters Thread 

Bear Inc, Bumble Buttonz and Shirley’s vintage teacup 

candles and xmas decos........ A must see!! 

Come along and bring a friend to browse our stalls and have 

a chat over a cup of tea or coffee. Can’t wait to see you there! 

Entry £2/ u12 go free. 

Advertisement Feature 

Home Support for 

Mum and Dad 

At Home Instead Senior Care, we work with 

you to provide fl exible, personalised home 

care based on your specifi c requirements. 

We’ll help you to stay in your community 

and live under your own roof, surrounded 

by your own things continuing to live by 

your own rules. Our home care services 

span home help, companionship, personal 

care and specialist dementia care. 

Our Promise: 

• To Match you with a CAREGiver 

• To see the same CAREGiver everytime 

• To spend a minimum of one hour each 

visit 


West Renfrewshire Guide Dog 

Fundraising 

Team 

West Renfrewshire Guide Dog 

Fundraising Team would like to 

thank all those who participated 

in the pub quizes on the 10th and 

11th October. A special thank you 

to Fraser and the staff at The Trust 

and Habbies. 

The collection boxes will remain in 

the local businesses over the next few weeks. 

0141 280 8210 

Bridge of Weir, Kilbarchan, Houston, Bishopton, 

Renfrew, Johnstone, Paisley 

https://www.homeinstead.co.uk/renfrewshirebarrhead 

Registered with Care Inspectorate 

We are hoping to continue the appeal to raise £5,000 and name a guide dog 

puppy ‘Habbie’ over the next year. For any ‘Habbie’ donations please visit: 

https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/kilbarchancommunitypuphabbie 

If anyone would like to help us at future events, please call Anne 01505 

705602. 


Knitting Bee 

Meets fortnightly on a Tuesday 

from 7pm to 9pm at Knit Knax, 37 

High Street Johnstone, also weekly 

Thursday from 2pm to 4pm. 

Contact: Pamela 07743 156738 or 

email bknitting@hotmail.co.uk. 


Howwood 

Community Council 

Meetings are held on the second 

Tuesday of each month at 7.30pm in 

Howwood Village Hall. Please feel free 

to come along - all welcome. 




50 


Despite mounting public concern regarding plans by Renfrewshire Council to reduce 

grey bin collections to 3weekly, this and other changes are due to be implemented later 

this month. Questions have also been asked regarding the advisability of introducing 

changes at the beginning of winter when the weather is at its most problematic, and 

in the lead up to Christmas when household waste is at its most prolifi c. 

Applications for grants from community groups to the village investment and green 

space play park funds are now open. I have circulated the relevant guidance and 

criteria to Kilbarchan, Howwood and Lochwinnoch community councils, and it can 

also be found on Renfrewshire Councils website. 

The issue of funding to Renfrewshire Citizens Advice Bureau was the subject of a recent report to 

the Councils Leadership Board. Although a funding package was agreed that will enable the Bureau 

to continue in the short term, uncertainty remains in regard to its long term future, and its ability to 

respond to increased business, predicted as a result of the roll out of universal credit. 

At the same meeting a report was tabled outlining the continued investment in Paisleys cultural 

monuments and heritage sites. I was concerned that monuments elsewhere in Renfrewshire were not 

part of the recommendations, and I moved an amendment, which was accepted, that a further report 

be brought to the December board with details of proposals for Johnstone town and the villages, which 

should include Kilbarchan Steeple and the Steeple Hall. 

The ATM machine in Lochwinnoch has recently been out of action for several weeks which coincided 

with the breakdown of the mobile bank, meaning that many villagers who do not use internet banking 

had to travel to Johnstone. This is unacceptable and shows the folly of the decision by RBS to close the 

bank. Lochwinnoch Community Council is to invite a representative of the bank to a future meeting to 

discuss how to avoid a repetition. 

At the time of writing I have received assurances that following the recent walkabout in Howwood,repairs 

to potholes in Station Avenue, Hillfoot Drive and Midton Road would be completed by the beginning 

of November. 

My surgeries are on the fi rst Saturday of every month except January and July at 9am in the McKillop 

institute, at 10am in Howwood Village Hall, 11am in the Steeple Hall Kilbarchan and 12.30pm in 

Johnstone Town Hall. Meantime please contact me anytime at cllr.derek.bibby@renfrewshire.gov.uk 

or phone 0300 300 1274 or 07534 156007. 


It's A Wonderful Life 

Kilbarchan Parish Church Drama Group is pleased to present “It’s a Wonderful Life”, a 

live radio stage play by Joe Landry, produced by special arrangement with Playscripts 

Inc, original Music and Musical Arrangements by Kevin Connors. This takes place on 

Thursday - Saturday 22nd - 24th November at 7.30pm in the church hall off Steeple 

Square. Tickets, £9, school-age £5, are now available by phoning the hotline 704048 

and from Bobbins Coffee shop. The production is a play based on the well-known and 

much-loved fi lm with James Stewart. 



At Kilbarchan Parish Church on Saturday 1st December from 10am - 12noon in 

the halls, when there will be a large variety of gift stalls and the opportunity for 

children to have their photo taken with Santa. Entrance is £3, which includes 

coffee, mince pies and shortbread. 


Kilbarchan Parish Tots Club 

Continues to meet on Mondays from 9.15am - 11.30am. There will be NO club on 

Monday 19th November to accommodate the Drama group’s production. 

SANTA SLEIGH 2018 - HOUSTON/BROOKFIELD 

Sunday 2nd - South Mound, Glenartney, St Fillans Dr, Manse Cres, Hargart Rd, Speirs Rd, 

Glebe Gdns, Four Windings, South St, North St, Fleming Rd, Burnlea Cres, Houstonfield Quad, 

Houstonfield Rd, Kirk Rd, Kilmacolm Rd, Fields Lane, Cricketfield Lane, Old School House 

Lane, Barochan Rd 

Monday 3rd - Crosslee Pk, Dunnet Dr, Whirlie Rd, Back o'Hill, Strawberry Fields, Whirlie Dr, 

Pine Gro, Mill Brae, Crosslee Gdns, Brierie Hills Cres, Brierie Hills Rd, Brierie Lane, Brierie 

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

Tuesday 4th - Crosslee Cres, Leeburn Ave, Craigholme, Woodside, The Beeches, Birch Gro, 

Riverside, Broomfield, The Meadows, Brackendene, Crossways, Neuk Cres, Neuk Ave 

Wednesday 5th - Locher Cres, Locher Gdns, Locher Avew, Locher Way, Locher Gait, 

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

Clo, Cunningham Gdns, Crawford Rd 

Thursday 6th - Netherburn Ave, Netherburn Gdns, Craigburn Ave, Craigburn Pl, Locherburn 

Pl, Locherburn Ave, Locherburn Gro, Craigburn Cres, Woodburn Pl, Hillside, Hillfoot, Fulton 

Gdns, Beatrice Gdns 

Friday 7th - Leman Dr, Leman Gr, Alwyn Ave, Bream Pl, Viking Cres, Cormorant Ave, Forties 

Rd, Claymore Dr, Piper Rd, Piper Ave, Ninian Ave, Brent Cres, Murchison Rd, Hutton Ave, 

Hewett Cres, Dunlin Cres, Berl Ave 

Sunday 9th - Brookfield 

Please note that if bad weather causes cancellation of any night due to a shortage of volunteers these nights will not be rescheduled. 


Remembrance 

Service 

On Sunday 11th November, there 

will be a short service at 10am 

at the Cenotaph in Kilbarchan 

with the organisations, followed 

by a parade to Kilbarchan Parish 

Church, where the service of 

Remembrance is at 10.45am, with 

2 minutes silence at 11am. Both 

services will be conducted by Rev 

Stephen Smith. 

houston, crosslee & brookfield 

Brookfield News 



Houston 

and Killellan 

Agricultural 

Society Quiz Night 

Friday 30th November, 7.30pm 

in J. G. Fleming Bowling Club, 

Houston 

Tickets are £5 to include a light supper 

and are available from committee 

members and Isabelle Stuart, 01505 

613479 or e-mail: issistuart@gmail. 

com 

ANNUAL SYLLABUS: Residents should by now have received a copy of the 

2018/19 Annual Syllabus. This publication provides a variety of useful 

information, including details of the village clubs/activities, dates of forthcoming 

events and times of local councillor surgeries. Keep it handy! 

See below for details of the programme of events in the Village during 

December: 

SUNDAY 2nd DECEMBER: Christmas Tree Light Switch On from 

5.30pm FREE 

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 Brookfi eld 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’ on a giant screen! 

SUNDAY 23rd DECEMBER: Christmas Carol Service 2pm FREE 

A musical celebration of Christmas with the Brookfi eld Brass Necks leading the 

carols followed by mince pies and mulled wine. A collection will be made in aid 

of a local charity. 

THURSDAY 27th DECEMBER: Cheese & Wine 2pm FREE 

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. 

MONDAY 31st DECEMBER: Hogmanay Dance 8.30pm - 1am 

Dance the night away and see in the New Year with live band, DIZZY HEIGHTS. 

Tickets £12.50 (minimum age 14) available from brookfi eldvpa@gmail.com or 

from any Village Councillor. Bar/Raffl e. 

E-mail: brookfi eldvpa@gmail.com | web: www.brookfi eldvillage.org.uk 

Facebook: www.facebook.com/brookfi eldvillage.org | Twitter: @Brookfi eldvpa 



51 


Co-op Houston - Food 

Bank “Christmas 

Collection” Weekend 

Saturday 8th & Sunday 9th December – 9am 

till 9pm both days 

Jenny and Margaret will be collecting your 

food and toiletry donations along with cash 

donations over the course of the Renfrewshire 

Food Bank Christmas Collection weekend in 

our Houston Co-op. 

A few items that the Food Bank is always short 

of.... 

● Tinned Potatoes ● Tinned Tomatoes 

● Tinned Fruit ● Tinned Creamed Rice & Tins or Cartons of Custard 

● Jam ● Litre cartons of orange juice (from the shelf not the fridge) 

● Toiletries – shampoo/conditioner, deodorant, men’s shave gel etc 

*We cannot accept fresh food 

Jenny and Margaret are looking forward to seeing you all in our Houston Co-op on 

Saturday 8th & Sunday 9th December 9am till 9pm both days. 

Thank you for your kindness... x 

Jenny Cowan runs the Food Bank donation bins in the Co-op stores in Houston, 

Bridge of Weir and Kilbarchan. 

Jenny can be contacted – JennyMeadows10@outlook.com 


Houston & Killellan Kirk - Social Bite 

Social Bite – Sleep in the Park 


Brrrrrrr…… It is getting cold out there! 

Houston and Killellan Kirk are gathering donations, for men 

and women, of socks, gloves, hats, scarves and winter undies 

for the Glasgow City Mission and the Simon Community in 

Glasgow. 

Many folk are not able to get enough warm clothing for 

the winter, and these donations will help keep some 

vulnerable people comfortable in the cold weather 

over the next few months. 

If you would like to contribute, please contact c.e.morrison@btinternet.com, 

or leave the items at the Church at any Sunday service in November. 


Houston & 

Crosslee SWI 

After our great visit to 

Limetree Larder we look 

forward to welcoming Mr Jake Fulton 

on Wednesday 14th November with 

his interesting talk entitled Bee Happy 

Houston. Please remember your gifts 

for Erskine Hospital. Our meeting on 

12th December will be our Birthday 

Party when we will have a Christmas 

Quiz/Games night. 

We meet in the Compass Centre, 

South Street, Houston on the second 

Wednesday of each month. Please 

come and join us, everyone will be 

made very welcome. If you wish 

further information please contact, 

Arlene MacKay on 07932 459994. 


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 (or 

biscuits) 

We are a group of ladies who enjoy 

making things. No experience 

necessary. We just have a chat and 

do a bit of sewing/knitting/cross stitch 

or anything you like. We meet the 

fi rst and third Thursday in the month. 

Please come and join us. 

Lorna Cairns - 01505 612844. Shirley 

White - 01505 610721 

An intrepid group of 10 from our Kirk are supporting Social Bite in their mission 

to end homelessness in Scotland within 5 years, by taking part in “Sleep in the 

Park” on 8th December in Kelvingrove Park. Lead by our Minister, Rev Gary 

Noonan, the team don’t expect tropical weather, but they believe it will be worth 

it, if it increases awareness of the fact that very many folk have to sleep out 

like this every night, in often appalling weather conditions. In taking part they 

are also raising funds for the Social Bite initiative, particularly as we approach 

Christmas. 

If you feel able, there are ways to sponsor the team through the sponsor forms in 

the Kirk, or on our Virgin Money giving page: http://uk.virginmoneygiving.com/ 

Team/HoustonKirk There is a link to the giving page on the Kirk website: 

www.houstonkillellankirk.org Do share also on Facebook and Twitter. Together 

we can achieve Social Bite’s target! 

Unfortunately only 7 of the team were available for the photo shoot – but all 10 

will be there on the night!! 

Houston Kirk Postie 

A Service For The Whole Community 

Raising funds for ‘Renfrewshire Home Start’ 

(Supporting families with young children) 

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 12 

noon, and again from 7pm 

to 8pm, every day from 

10th to 13th December. 

(Cards may also be 

taken to the Church on 

Sunday 9th December). 

Delivery is guaranteed not 

later than 18th December. 

The Big Remembrance 

Sing 

(in aid of Solar Lamps for 

Mwandi) 

Friday 9th November 

7pm - 9pm in Houston & 

Killellan Kirk 

Community singing – all the old 

favourites from long ago and 

also up to date. Something for 

everyone - older and younger. 

Guest appearances – 

including Eilidh Grant, St 

Fillan’s & Houston Primary 

School choirs. 

Entry - Donations at the door 

. . . Houston, Crosslee & Brookfield . . . 

Churches in Houston ... 

___________________________________________________________________________________________________ 

HOUSTON AND KILLELLAN: All Services will be led by Rev Gary Noonan unless otherwise stated. Sunday 4th November - Early Morning Communion - 9-45am. 

Morning Worship - 11am. Sunday 11th - Morning Worship - Remembrance Day Service - 10.45am. Sunday 18th & 25th - Morning Worship - 11am. 

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 10am - 10.30am and after Vigil Mass. Baptism: By arrangement. Parish Priest: Rev. Joseph Burke. 

Pastoral Assistant: Sr. Mary Frances Collett, RNDM (Tel 01505 613514). Address: ‘Abbotsfield’, St. Fillan’s, Main St, Houston, PA6 7EL. T. 01505 612046. 

E. parish@stfillan.org.uk www.stfillan.org.uk 

HOUSTON BAPTIST CHURCH at Carrick Centre: 11am Family services with SS for children age 5 - 12; 6pm Eve Service; Mid-week Home Bible Study; For more 

information contact; Rev. D Snelson 01505 612722. 

CHURCH OF THE NAZARENE Village Hall, Main Street, Houston PA6 7EL. Rev Geoff Austin (Interim Pastor) Family Service at 10.30am, Creche available. 

Communion service first Sunday of the month. Tel 01505 610862. www.houston.nazarene.org.uk 

Bearsden Fiddlers Concert 

Saturday 24th November in the West 

Halls, Main Street, Houston at 7pm. 

Tickets £5 including tea/coffee and 

shortbread. 

BYOB. 

Contacts: 

Ina, 612962 and 

Kate, 613676. 


. . . Houston, Crosslee & Brookfield . . . 

52 

H.O.S.T. The Carrick Centre, Houston 

(Houston Old School Trust) 

Monday to Friday, Gryffe Manor Out of 

School 01505 615438 

Coffee Shop: - Mon - Fri 9am - 4.30pm 

Sat, 9am - 4pm 

MONDAY 

Yoga (Weekly) @ 1pm - Mary Laidlaw 01505 229112 | Diaporama 12th @ 

7.30pm | Houston Show 12th @ 7.30pm | Sewing Group (Weekly) @ 10am 

- 12noon | Handiwifes 19th R4 @ 7.30pm 

TUESDAY 

Paint Pot Tots (Weekly) @ 10am - Dawn Campbell 07789 262350 | Galaxy 

(own room weekly) @ 4pm - 7pm | Yoga (Weekly) @ 7pm - M/s Lawson 

01505 613690 | Councillor Surgery Alison Dowling 20th @ 6.45pm - 

7.30pm | Councillor Surgery Scott Kerr 6th @ 6.30pm - 7pm | WRADS 

13th @ 7.30pm | Elizabeth Benzie 20th @ 10am- 3pm 

WEDNESDAY 

Cricketfield Res 7th/28th | Gryffe Melody Makers 14th/28th @ 7pm 

| Community Council 21st @ 7.30pm | Gryffe Camera Club (Weekly) @ 

7.30pm | Galaxy MH @ 3.45pm 

THURSDAY 

Gryffe Quilting Group @ 1.15pm - 3.15pm (21st 10am) | Primary Colours 

(Weekly) @ 3.30pm – 4.30pm | Crafty Friends @ 7.30pm | Folk Club 

(Weekly) @ 8pm - iaintdawson@gmail.com 07786 078952 | Councillors 

Surgery 22nd Audrey Doig @ 7.15pm 

FRIDAY 

Yoga (Weekly) @ 10.30am - M/s Lawson 01505 613690 | Galaxy Dancing 

(Weekly) @ 3.30pm - 7pm | M.P. Surgery Gavin Newlands @ 12.30pm – 

1.30pm 

SATURDAY 

Galaxy Dancing (Weekly) @ 9.30am - 5pm | Councillors Surgery 3rd - Jim 

Sheridan @ 11.30am | Sarah Bain B/Party 24th @ 6pm - 8pm 

SUNDAY 

Baptist Church (Weekly) @ 11am and 6pm | Vicky Bennett B/Party 25th 

@ 2pm - 4pm | Caroline Bush Photography 18th @ 10am - 4pm 

Booking enquiries to: Ian Simpson 01505 612203 

Bill Haddow 01505 690693 Stewart Scally 01505 674277 

hostbooking@outlook.com or The Coffee Shop 


Over the years as a local Councillor it has been a privilege to 

serve the people of Houston, Linwood, Crosslee, and Brookfi eld, 

villages which all have a wealth of community minded individuals 

in them. These are too many to name every month but I would 

like to mention one of them, Mr Jake Fulton. Jake is the Leader 

of the Houston Litter Crew which organise litterpicks every 

Sunday morning, and they took part in the Spotless September 

Challenge for Team Up to Clean Up, organised by Renfrewshire 

Council. Once again Jake has shown his dedication to the 

people of Houston so well done. 

I have worked in the sports and leisure industry for nearly forty years. So it was 

with great pride and passion that I witnessed the Scottish Womens Football 

Squad qualify for the Womens World Cup in France next year. I put up a motion at 

the last full council meeting congratulating the Womens Squad and wishing them 

every success, I also called on the SFA to reward the success of the Womens 

team and put more money into Womens football in Scotland. I am delighted that 

all parties supported my motion. 

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 the Carrick Centre, Houston, 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 


Warm Clothes For 

The Homeless 

Warm clothes for the homeless, supported 

by the Glasgow City Mission and the Simon 

Community, is a key Home Mission appeal 

at Houston & Killellan Kirk. We are seeking 

donations of warm underwear, woolly hats, 

scarves, gloves & socks to keep these 

vulnerable men & women warm during the 

winter months. 

The Kirk’s Mission Team are confi dent 

that those attending the Kirk Services 

will respond generously by bringing their 

donations on one of the following Sundays: 

4th, 11th, 18th or 25th November. 



Houston & Killellan Kirk Guild 

Victorian Christmas Market 

On Saturday 24th November 10.30am – 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 fi nd 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, Raffl es, 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. 


Local Painter Comes to 

the Rescue 

Following a post on Facebook regarding the sad 

state of the goalposts in Houston village park, 

local resident and tradesman James Martin, 

assisted by his 

pal Alan, came to 

the community’s 

rescue. Together 

they rubbed down, 

undercoated and repainted the goalposts - and 

what a difference it has made, as you can see 

from the pictures here. Many thanks! And thank 

you to Jake Fulton of Houston for the update and 

photos. 


French 

Conversation 

Our French conversation groups are 

still going strong. The age range 

in the morning group is one year 

up to 90 years! In the afternoon 

group our oldest member is 95. 

We meet in the Fox and Hounds 

in Houston on Wednesdays 

9.30am till 12noon and 2pm till 

4pm. If you want to join us just 

come along. Details phone or 

text 07463 570464 or email avril. 

forbes2015@outlook.com. We 

look forward to welcoming you. 

Your Ward 10 Councillor ... for Houston, Crosslee, Brookfield & Linwood 

Audrey Doig, Scott Kerr, Alison Jean Dowling, James Sheridan | Advice Surgeries: http://www.renfrewshire.gov.uk/councillors 

______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 


BROOKFIELD: Brookfield Village Hall: 2nd Thursday at 7.30pm 

February, April, June, August, October and December. 

HOUSTON: Carrick Centre: 3rd Wednesday at 7.30pm | houstoncommcouncil@yahoo.co.uk 


Brookfield, Village Hall. Tel: 335562 

Houston, Carrick Centre. Tel: 612203 / 331488 

Houston, Compass Centre. Tel: Gillian Peters - 07879 407574 or 

01505 613759. 

Linwood Masonic Hall. Tel: 07825 222944 



53 


54 


Gordon Trophy Winners at 

Gleddoch 

The annual Gordon Trophy was won by the team of Roisin Black, John 

Smillie, and Gary Brown. Gents Captain Michael Donnelly, on the left of the 

picture, presented the trophy to Roisin and John. 

Habits 

A habit is a routine or behaviour that is repeated regularly and tends to 

occur subconsciously. For example, brushing your teeth before you go to 

bed or putting the kettle on when you go into the kitchen first thing in the 

morning. 

We are all creatures of habit, and we all have different ones. The only thing 

we probably all have in common with them is that we all have some bad 

ones we could afford to lose. 

Bad habits are hard to break, here are my top 5 tips to help you potentially 

break yours. 

1. Understand. Understanding why we have bad habits in the first place is 

important. A lot of them can be formed out of stress and/or boredom. Be 

conscious about when a bad habit is happening and acknowledge how you 

feel at that time. 

2. Replace, don’t eliminate. You can’t just eliminate a bad habit, you 

must replace it with a new one that provides a similar but healthier benefit. 

For example, if you eat chocolate when you become stressed, it is almost 

impossible to give that up. You need to insert a new habit to help handle it. 

3. Start small. Be patient. Instead of making big dramatic adjustments, try 

focusing on one habit at a time and take small improving steps to change it. 

For example, you can’t go from having a chocolate biscuit with every cup of 

tea to absolutely nothing – it won’t last long term. Try changing the biscuit 

initially to something with less calories in it. 

4. Remind yourself. When willpower fades we fall into our bad habits. 

Often towards the end of the day when you could be at your weakest point. 

Set reminders to avoid situations before it is too late. 

5. Change your environment. Changing your route to work to avoid going 

past the Starbucks or changing your walk round the office to avoid the 

vending machine will help stop you gravitating towards them as you would 

usually do. Avoid the triggers. 

Everyone has their own habits, some good, some bad. Find the ones you 

want to change and take the steps to do so. 

Lesley Handley, FitSmart Fitness Ltd. 

Da n c e 

Adult Jazz Class 

Mondays - Bridge of Weir, 10am 

Tel: 01505 690757 for further information. 

Adult & Pre School Ballet Class 

Mondays - Bridge of Weir, 11.30am / 1.45pm 

Tel: 01505 690757 for further information. 

Bishopton Belles Line Dancing 

Tuesdays - Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic 

Hall 6.30pm - 8.30pm 

Improver class. All welcome. Call David or Mair 

07886 034037. 

Fitsteps with Jen 

Monday - Kilmacolm Guide Hut, Woodrow 

Ave 6.30pm - 7.30pm 

Strictly inspired dance/fitness class that 

allows you to learn the basics of ballroom 

and latin style in a fun environment. All 

welcome. Call Jennifer 07709 340675 or f: @ 

fitstepswithjennifer. 

Boogie Effect with Jen 

Saturday - Kilmacolm Guide Hut, Woodrow 

Ave 9.10am - 10.00am 

A unique dance based fitness class, bringing 

together the heart-pumping fun of boogie with 

the strength and conditioning effects of dance 

techniqes to create long, lean, strong and 

healthy bodies that aren’t just the privilege 

of the pros! All welcome. Call Jennifer 07709 

340675 or f: @fitstepswithjennifer 

Athletics 

Kilbarchan Athletic Club - On-X, Linwood 

Mondays & Thursdays, 7pm 

All abilities welcome. Tel: 07941 686990. 

Ma r t i a l Arts 

The Shotokan Karate Club 

Woodlands Primary, Linwood 

Mondays & Thursdays - 7pm - 8pm/8pm - 9pm 

www.linwoodkarate.co.uk 

Taekwon-Do - Johnstone Sports Complex 

PA5 0LD 

Tuesdays & Thursdays, 6pm 

Call 07951 365166 for details. 

Falun Dafa practice 

Thursdays - Port Glasgow Library 5pm - 7pm 

With five gentle exercises, Falun Dafa is an 

ancient self-cultivation practice based on the 

principles of Truthfulness, Compassion and 

Forbearance. 

Fo o t b a l l 

5-a-side Football 

Mondays - Powerleague Paisley, 6pm 

Tel: Jim on 01505 874215; or jimbretherton@ 

aol.com 

Football Training - Johnstone High School 

Tuesdays & Thursdays, 6pm - 9pm 

Call Ali on 07775 578795 for details. 

Sp o r t s 

Bridge of Weir Ladies Badminton 

Mondays - Cargill Hall, Lintwhite Cres, 

7.30pm 

Gryffe Badminton 

Tuesdays - Strathgryffe Tennis Club, 8pm 

Greenock Hockey Club 

Wednesdays - Inverclyde Academy, 

Greenock, 6.30pm - 8pm 

Contact Liz Baldwin, mobile 07944 607005. 

Birkmyre Rugby Club, Kilmacolm 

Sundays - Youth Rugby Section, 11am - 

1pm 

www.pitchero.com/clubs/birkmyre 

Keep Fit 

Zumba Light 

Mondays - St Fillan’s Church, Kilmacolm, 

10am 

Tel: 07505 126416 For more information. 

Reebok Step Class 

Mondays - Freelands Church, Bridge of 

Weir (Opposite Amaretto), 7pm 

Tel: 07505 126416 For more details. 

Move it or Lose it! FABS Fitness - 

more than just a Fitness Class for the over 60’s. 

Come and join the fun! To check availability 

please contact Fiona on 07811 766672. 

Tuesdays - Cargill Hall, BoW, 10.30am 

Tuesdays - West Burn Church, Greenock 

2pm Thursdays - Old Library, Kilbarchan, 

2.30pm 

Pilates classes 

Mondays - St Machars Church Hall, Bridge 

of Weir 9.30am & 10.40am. Kilmacolm 

Community Centre 6.30pm 

Tel Yvonne 07786 224367 or yvonne@ 

clydephysiotherapy.co.uk 

Mondays - Kilellan Halls Houston 6.15pm - 

7.15pm & 7.30pm - 8.30pm 

For more information or to book a place call 

Katie on 07972 474965. 

Hatha Yoga Classes 

Mondays - Tweedie Halls, Linwood, 

10.00am to 11,00am 

Wednesdays - St.Columba Church Hall, 

Bridge of Weir Road entrance 6.30pm to 

8.00pm. 

Suitable for both beginners and experienced 

practitioners. Anyone interested in joining us 

please contact me at: janicestewart02@gmail. 

com. 

Advertise your regular classes here for £20 for 4 months - contact our office for 

full details on 01505 613340 or pop us an email to: info@advertizer.co.uk 



Strathgryffe Squash Player wins 

European Junior Title 

John Meehan, a member of 

Strathgryffe Tennis & Squash 

club won his first European 

Junior Squash title, taking the 

Boys Under 17 Nordic Junior 

Open held recently in Malmo. 

His performance in the quarter 

finals was watched on a live 

stream by many Strathgryffe 

members, when John moved 

into his first European tour 

final, up against the U17 top 

ranked junior in Europe and number 1 seed, another Czech player Marek 

Panacek. 

The final was again streamed live so Strathgryffe squash players, including 

one in Miami, were able to see John in action as he attempted to bring a 

European squash title to Houston for the first time. 

Despite the best efforts of his opponent John had enough in the tank to take 

the 3rd game 11-9 and with it his first European title. Not one to rest on his 

laurels, the day after winning in Malmo John was back on court in Houston 

passing on his skills as he took a squash camp for the next generation of 

Strathgryffe juniors. 


Prestigious Scottish Event “Scottish Women’s County Finals” held at 


In mid-September, Kilmacolm Golf Club were delighted to host the Scottish 

Women’s County Finals comprising the top four qualifying county teams in 

Scotland playing against each other over 3 days. Two of our own members 

Megan and Eilidh Briggs were in the Renfrewshire Team and the club 

were delighted Renfrewshire qualified making it an even more exciting 

tournament. In challenging weather, Aberdeenshire were worthy winners 

just holding off the close efforts of the other three teams. 

All teams highly praised the condition of the course and the warm welcome 

received in the clubhouse. The Club were very grateful for the support of 

all the volunteers and supporters for this prestigious event. 

Kilmacolm Golf Club Ladies 

On the Saturday 22nd and Sunday 23rd September Romy Erskine made 

her Scottish debut in a U16/14 friendly against Wales at Ratho Park. She 

lost her Saturday morning foursomes match but bounced back to win her 

afternoon singles and Sunday single match to be Scotland’s top point 

scorer. Sadly the team lost but all the girls had a fantastic time. 

Macmillan Coffee Morning 

Thank you to all the ladies for their tremendous support of the Macmillan 

Coffee morning that was held at the club on Friday 28th September. We had 

some superb bakers from our ladies members and the final amount raised 

was an amazing £856.26. Thank you also to Lynda Bradley, the kitchen 

staff for the tea and coffee supplies and to our wonderful hostesses, Sylvia, 

Carolyn and Netta, without them the event would never have happened. 

Macmillan Cancer Support is such a worthwhile cause and we are delighted 

we could take part in the Worlds Largest Coffee Morning. 

Paisley Pirates 

Image: Al Goold Photo 

55 

Paisley Pirates have 

added a cosmopolitan 

element to their team 

with the addition of 

three foreign players 

to their ranks for the 

Scottish National 

Ice Hockey League 

season. Austrian 

Felix Huber, Finn Sami 

Harju and Slovak 

Karol Divok have all 

been signed following 

a change in the rules which now permit a maximum of two foreign players 

in any match, the remainder of the team roster made up from the usual 

local talent. 

The club faces tough challenges at Braehead Arena in November with 

the visits of Dundee Tigers on Sunday 4th November, Dundee Comets 

the following Sunday (11th November) with Aberdeen Lynx providing the 

opposition on Saturday 1st December. All Sunday matches commence at 

5pm, with Saturday fixtures starting at 6.30pm. 

Walk of Hope for Scottish 

Huntington’s Association 

On 15th 

September 

Margaret 

Moncrieff and 

friends did a 

sponsored Walk 

of Hope along 

the banks of the 

Clyde in Erskine 

to raise funds 

for Scottish 

Huntington’s 

Association 

(SHA). 

SHA is the only Scottish charity dedicated to helping people affected by 

Huntington’s disease (HD). A diagnosis of Huntington’s can be devastating 

news, meaning as it does that you will very gradually become more 

dependent on care over the course of 15 to 25 years. In addition, it is 

genetic and every child of a person with the condition has a 50% chance of 

inheriting the disease. This means that other members of your family may 

also develop the condition. 

In layman’s terms HD is 

like having motor neuron 

disease, Parkinson’s and 

elements of Alzheimer’s 

– all at the same time. 

While there is no cure, 

there are now real 

hopes of a treatment 

but it will be many years 

before these drugs are 

available. Even once 

treatment is available, 

the families affected by 

HD will continue to need 

the support of SHA. 

Donations to date 

amount to £1,500 which 

is a marvellous result. 

Very many thanks to 

all who contributed. As 

ever, further donations 

will still be welcomed 

directly or at the following 

JustGiving page 

https://www.justgiving. 

com/fundraising/ 

margaret-moncrieff8 


56 


MISCELLANEOUS 

Trades and Services 

Situations vacant 

HEALTHCARE/BEAUTY 

Property to let 

TUITION 

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. 

ADVERTISING RATES 

TRADES/SERVICES/PROPERTY/CARS 

BOXED AD £7.75* per column cm 

PHOTO £7.75* (car sales only) 

* Prices subject to VAT 

The Business Advertisements (Disclosure) Order 1977 

- 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. 

ADVERTISING RATES 

PRIVATE SALES ONLY 

UP TO £500 

FREE 

£501 to £1000 £5.00 

OVER £1000 

MAXIMUM 40 words 

Call for details 

Email your items to info@advertizer.co.uk or fill 

in our online form at www.advertizer.co.uk 



57 

Items For Sale 

Baby Equipment 

Baby changing table in light 

oak. Approx 78.5cm wide 

x 57cm deep x 76cm high. 

Two shelves for storage (Four 

wicker baskets included). 

Great condition, smoke free 

home. £25. Tel: 01505 

672175. 

Phillips AVENT combined baby 

food steamer and blender 

with instructions and recipe 

booklet. Good condition. 

Smoke free home. £20. 

(Cost £75 new). Tel: 01505 

672175. 

Potty Chair Mothercare red & 

pink, VGC, £5. Tel: 07720 

299588. 

Smoby Rosy Doll, 63 cm 

long, in good condition with 

clothes. £10. Tel: 07720 

299588. 

Clothes & Shoes 

Men’s light grey suit new without 

tags +free tie. £60. Tel: 

07856 610671. 

Brand new brown leather and 

suede boots. Size 6. £50. 

Tel: 07480 560821. 

Closet clearout - women’s 

clothing. Coats, dresses, 

boots, cardigans, blouses etc. 

All good quality. Reasonable 

prices. Tel: 07480 560821. 

Brand new Windsmoor Coat. 

Size 18. Tickets still attached. 

Cost £300, selling for £100. 

Tel: 07480 560821. 

Naturalizer women shoes brown 

low wedge, size 5, New, made 

in Brazil. £16. Tel: 07856 

610671. 

Men’s XL lightweight waterproof 

golf jacket with half zip in 

black and charcoal. Excellent 

condition as unworn. Smoke 

free home. £20. Tel: 01505 

672175. 

Men’s M&S waxed casual coat 

in dark green. Size large. As 

new, smoke free home. £20. 

Tel: 01505 672175. 

Suzanne Neville Beaujolais 

wedding dress in ivory silk. 

Size 10. Professionally dry 

cleaned, good condition. 

£250. Tel: 01505 672175. 

Black Jazz shoes, good 

condition, junior size 

11/12. £8 Tel: 07720 

299588. 

Black Jazz skirts, VGC - 

never used, junior size 

Medium. £10 Tel: 07720 

299588. 

Pink Leotard, good condition, 

size 00. £5 Tel: 07720 

299588. 

Tap shoes pink junior size 9/10 

& 10/11. £8 each. VGC. Tel 

07720 299588. 

Household & Garden 

Cream brocade lined curtains, 

width 2 - 106inches x drop 

2 - 82inches. £50. Tel: 01505 

614503. 

Tefal Actifry, unwanted gift. £50 

ono. Tel: 07784 578343. 

Range Cooker - Used Delonghi 

range cooker with 6 burner 

hob. 2 ovens. Larger one 

fan assisted. 900mm wise. 

Full working order recently 

replaced oven element 

and function switch. £95. 

Pic available. Tel: 07958 

914585. 

B and Q standard lamp. Height 

from top of shade is 154 cms. 

£10. Tel: 01505 872813. 

Tassimo 60 coffee capsules 

storage system. Black. New. 

Still in box. £5. Call: 01505 

706639. 

Kitchen for Sale - Quality 

Howdens Quaker style 

kitchen, 100% oak doors, 

brushed steel handles. Wall 

and floor units, integrated 

doors, granite work surfaces 

included. £400 ono for 

everything. Pics available. 

Tel: 07958 914585. 

Antique Fire Surround - Vintage 

cast iron fire place. Beautiful 

period design. £260. Pics 

available. Tel: 07958 

914585. 

Propagation tent: Hydroponics 

Grow Tent Bud Dark Room 

2.4m x 2.4m x 2m. VGC. 

£160 new, yours for £80. Tel: 

07876 563768. 

760 x 760 stone white shower 

base. Good condition. £15. 

Tel: 07876 563768. 

760w glass & aluminium shower 

door. Good condition. £15. 

Tel: 07876 563768. 

John Lewis shaggy rug, 

measures 174 x 120. £8. 

Tel: 01505 872813. 

Howdens full height pull-out 

larder storage. As new. 

Suitable for 500 width full 

height kitchen unit. Cost 

£400 each new - selling 1/2 

price £200 each. Tel: 07850 

126150. 

Beautiful ducal pine furniture. 

1 double wardrobe with 

lock, 2 seven drawer units, 1 

dressing table/desk. £480 for 

lot. Will sell separately. Two 

free bedside units to match if 

bought as a lot. Tel: 01505 

872009. 

One large mirror wooden 

dark frame solid and IKEA. 

Bathroom cabinet two doors 

mirrored. £50. Tel: 07943 

258312. 

Mahogany Glass Fronted Hi- 

Fi Cabinet, H 30”; D 16”; W 

19.5”. New Condition. £30. 

Tel: 01505 705288. 

2 reclining Arm Chairs, maroon 

fabric. Excellent condition. 

£75 each or £120 for the pair. 

Tel: 01505 572366. 

Two sets of cot bed duvet cover 

and pillowcases suitable for 

boys or girls (farm animals on 

one, giraffe and elephant on 

the other). Good condition, 

100% cotton. £8 for both 

sets or £4 each. Tel: 01505 

672175. 

Retro style oak and veneer 

coffee table from the House 

by John Lewis range. Handy 

shelves and drawers for 

storage. Approx H38cm x 

W110cm x D60cm. Excellent 

condition, smoke free home. 

£170. Tel: 01505 672175. 

Pair of tan leather two seater 

sofas. Very good condition. 

£300. Tel: 07950 261902 or 

01505 872101. 

Beautiful Marks & Spencer 

mahogany coffee table. 

Excellent condition as good 

as new. Cost £750 sell for 

£100. Tel: 01505 872213. 

2 x 3 seater brown settees. Very 

good condition. Plain and 

patterned cushions included. 

Size: 3m x 300mm. £300 

for both ono. Tel: 07796 

225146. 

Old fashioned plant stand. £10. 

Tel: 07480 560821. 

Steel Dog Guard with Boot 

Divider. Genuine Mercedes 

part. To fit Mercedes ML350 

model W164 2005-2011. 

Excellent condition. £90. 

Tel: 07876 563768. 

Large table lamp cream; £50. 

Tel: 01505 614503. 

2 Marks & Spencer 2 seater 

armchairs. Excellent 

condition, as good as new. 

Cost £1,000 each would sell 

for £150 each, collection 

required. Tel: 01505 872213. 

Double, pine-topped Z-bed, with 

cover. Nearly new. £70 ono. 

Tel: 07480 560821. 

Sports 

Raleigh T1 Racer Cycle. 20 

years old. Good running 

order. Offers. Tel: 07784 

578343. 

Golf clubs - Lynx black cat irons 

and cobra wood plus practice 

clubs, bag, caddie car and 

extras. £325. Tel: 01505 

326262. 

Exercise bike, basic model, 

never used. £20. Tel: 07935 

519867. 

“Carberg” Motorcycle Helmet, 

“Downtown”, Size Small. 

Brand New, Never used. Have 

a receipt for £80. Will accept 

£30 ono. In Kilbarchan. Tel: 

01505 705264. 

Dinesse large Matt black ski/ 

snowboard helmet. Good 

condition. £20. Tel: 01505 

672175. 

Sportplus Fitness Trampoline 

(erected) with adjustable 

handlebar. 36 bungee rope 

design. As new with full 

instruction booklet. Full 

width 126cm. Trampoline 

width 32cm. £40. Tel: 01505 

341763. 

Pair of water skis Kidder Hotline. 

£30. Tel: 07876 563768. 

Kids Microlite Scooter - excellent 

condition as good as new. 

Ideal for child age 6 -10. Cost 

£100 would sell for £25. Tel: 

01505 872213. 

Technical & Games 

IMac 21.5inch computer with 

apple magic pad mouse and 

wireless apple keyboard. 

Excellent condition. 1TB 

hard disk, iris pro, 2.7QC, 

8GB ram. Late 2013 edition. 

No box. £360. Tel:07896 

641167. 

Nokia sky box with remote 

control. £20. Tel: 07856 

610671. 

Pink Nintendo DS Lite with 

case and 12 Nintendo 

games in cases. Good 

condition. £50. Games are 

Fashion Design, Imagine 

Dogs, Imagine Teacher, Zoo 

Hospital, Cooking Mama, 

Pippa Funnell 2, Dolphin 

Legend, Brain Training, 

Disney Friends, Mario and 

Sonic Winter Games, Crash 

Bang and Drawn to Life. Tel: 

07508 450305 

Other Items 

Brand new steel car wheel 

6JX15H2 and new Jinyu tyre 

185/60 R15. Stored as spare 

wheel only. £80. Tel: 07736 

067169. 

Caravan items for sale: towing 

mirror, towing stabiliser, aqua 

roll 40 ltr, waste master - 

£60 for the lot. Tel: 07983 

380358. 

Toys 

Playskool baby Weebles House, 

box includes House, Wendy 

Weeble, Waggles the dog, 

scooter and 3 matching play 

pieces. £10. Tel: 01505 

705288. 

Little Tikes 4-in-1 trike in brown 

and turquoise. Ages 9 months 

to 3 years. Great condition. 

£30. Tel: 01505 672175. 

Other Items 

Accessories for Nissan X Trail 

2016 T32: Rear boot floor 

cover (ASSY-LUG 849B8 

4CE5A). £20. Rear boot 

retractable load cover (cream) 

£50. Both very good condition. 

Tel: 07715 089810. 

Prism Mercury electric mobility 4 

wheel scooter, VG condition, 

excellent working order. £275 

for quick sale. Tel: 07715 

089810. 

Black & Decker Workmate, 

perfect working order. £15. 

Tel: 07784 578343. 

Natural amber bracelet. £25. 

Tel: 07856 610671. 

Natural amber necklace cognac 

colour, 85g. £60. Tel: 07856 

610671. 

Acoustic “Yamaha” FG400 

Guitar. Excellent condition. 

£30. In Kilbarchan. Tel: 

01505 705264. 

Wanted Items 

Local lily grower requires the use 

of a greenhouse/polytunnel in 

Kilmacolm area in return for 

light gardening duties. Tel: 

Vince 01505 872082. 

WANTED. Large plastic plant 

pots (8-10inches). Will collect 

Kilmacolm, Bridge of Weir, 

Houston, Langbank area. Tel: 

01475 540423. 

Westclox Big Ben alarm clock. 

Tel: 07756 981917. 

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 

Wooden Mamas And Papas 

Cot. Very good condition (no 

mattress). Free to a good 

home. Suitable from birth. 

Three height adjustments. 

Smoke free and pet free 

home. Tel: 01505 871843. 

Custom made massage table, 

portable though rather heavy. 

Good condition. Tel: 01475 

540666. 

Outside storage bench for 

garden tools - quite large and 

in reasonable condition. Tel: 

01475 540666. 

Toddler Bicycle helmets (44- 

48cm) pink (have two), 

suits appr. 1-5 yrs old, GC. 

Tel: 07720 299588. 

Toilet trainer seat, white, 

VGC, (have two). Tel 07720 

299588. 

Peppa Big DVDs - 8 in total. Tel 

07720 299588. 

Single “Z” Bed & single mirrored 

white wardrobe. 3 pronged 

light fitting in old gold with 

3 glass amber shades. Tel: 

07989 860019. 

CONTENT OF THE GRYFFE ADVERTIZER 

CANNOT BE REPRODUCED WITHOUT PRIOR 

CONSENT FROM THE PUBLISHER - 

The Gryffe Advertizer is a magazine published by The Gryffe Advertizer Ltd 

Advertising throughout The Gryffe Advertizer: 

Definitions: “Standards” means the British Code of Advertising Practice and 

the provisions of any law applicable to advertising including, but not limited to, 

the Trade Descriptions Act, 1968, the Consumer Credit Act 1974, the Control 

of Misleading Advertisements Regulations 1988, the Financial Services Act 

1986, the Business Advertisement (Disclosure) Order 1977 and all amendments 

and replacements. 

It is hereby agreed that: 

• The placing by the Advertising Client of an Advertisement is deemed to be 

acceptance of these Conditions of Acceptance of Advertising. 

• All Advertisements in this Publication must not contravene the Standards. 

• Insertion of Advertisements and/or Editorial is strictly at the discretion of 

the Publisher. 

• The Publisher shall not be liable for any loss or damage incurred by the 

Advertising Client as a result of any failure, negligence or omission by any 

party in the course of the distribution or circulation of the Publication in which 

the Advertisement is scheduled to appear. 

• In the event of any error, misprint or omission by the Publisher in the printing 

of an Advertisement, the Publisher will either re-insert the advertisement, 

adjust the cost or provide a refund. This does not apply if the Advertisement 

has been approved by the Advertising Client prior to publication. The total 

liability of the Publisher for such an occurrence shall not exceed the amount 

of a full refund for that particular Advertisement. 

• The Advertising Client agrees to indemnify the Publisher in respect of all 

costs, damages or other charges falling upon the Publisher as the result of 

legal actions or threatened legal actions arising from the publication of the 

Advertisement, or any one or more of the series of Advertisements, published 

in accordance with the copy instructions supplied to the Publisher. 

• Readers are reminded that when purchasing items or services advertised 

in the Publication that the Publisher cannot be held in any way responsible 

for the quality or correctness of the items or services included in the 

Advertisement. 

Editorial throughout The Gryffe Advertizer: 

The opinions of the Contributors to this Publication are not necessarily the 

official views of the Publisher. The Publisher reserves the right to edit or refuse 

any material submitted for publication. 


58 


Accountants & Financial 

Affluent Financial Planning . . 20 

CLA Accountancy Services Ltd . . 23 

F Christie Accounting . . . . . . 23 

Fergusons CA . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22 

GMH Chartered Accountants . . 20 

Stewart Independent Financial . . Bk 

Architectural Services 

CHG Architecture Ltd . . . . . . . 7 

Grid Design Ltd . . . . . . . . . . . 7 

Automotive Services 

ABC Taxis . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Bk 

AK Vehicle Rental . . . . . . . . . 1 

Collins Tyres . . . . . . . . . . . . . 59 

Gryffe Garage Motor Engineers . . 59 

Bathrooms 

Affordable Luxuries . . . . . . . 7 

Bathroom Solutions by MPH . . 9 

G Woods Bathrooms . . . . . . . . . 6 

Instyle Kitchens & Bathrooms . . 19 

Bedrooms 

Burndale Workshop . . . . . . . . . 9 

Blacksmith & Metalwork 

McLaughlan Metal Fabrication . . 17 

Building Services 

A O’Hare - Building Services . . 5 

Bridge of Weir Roofing . . . . . 10 

Clippens Roofing . . . . . . . . . . 3 

DJD Services . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33 

I & J Building & Roofing Serv . . 2 

James Kerr Joiner . . . . . . . . . 14 

JBC Joiners and Builders . . . 55 

KC Building & Roofing . . . . . . 4 

Kilellan Roofing . . . . . . . . . . 13 

M Addison Joiners & Builders . . 3 

MBS Roofing & Building Contrac . . 20 

Old Mill Chimneys . . . . . . . . . 12 

SMG Roofing & Building Contrac . . 2 

SW Scott - Joiners & Builders . . 16 

Taylor Made Joinery . . . . . . . . 37 

Thomas McMaster & Son Ltd . . 25 

Business Services 

Hutton Creative Design . . . . . 13 

Care Services & Homes 

Confident Care Ltd . . . . . . . . . 23 

Home Instead Senior Care . . . 16 

Catering 

Gadds Gourmet . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15 

Karen Rankin Catering . . . . . . 16 

Cleaning & PowerWash 

CleanDryCarpets . . . . . . . . . . . 8 

Come Clean . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 50 

DS Cleaning (Windows) . . . . . . 41 

Eclipse Deep Clean . . . . . . . . . 3 

Fastclean Scotland . . . . . . . . . 13,47 

Gryffe Roofing & Cleaning . . 6 


Nutech Cleaning . . . . . . . . . . . 2 

Platinum Cleaning Services . . 9 

Coffee Shops 

Three Sisters Bake . . . . . . . . . 43 

Computer, Web & 

Graphic Design 

ColCom . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20 

Computer Repairs . . . . . . . . . . 1 


M2 Electrical and Data Service . . 17 

Contact us 

by category 

1st Floor, Neva Place, Bridge of Weir PA11 3PN 

t: 01505 613340 m: 07731 923970 

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

@GryffeAds 

Driving Instructors 

AL Stewart - Driving School . . 16 

Education 

St Columba’s School . . . . . . . . 27 

Electricians 

Delta Electrical Services . . 7 

GasMan Energy . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11 

JDPS All Trades . . . . . . . . . . . 1 

Lamont Electricians . . . . . . . . 3 

MAS Electrical & Security . . 2 

Russell Milne Electrician . . 49 

Fencing 

Boundaries . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34 


Firewood & Logs 

LJX . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34 

Miller BioFuels Ltd . . . . . . . . 6 


W B Smith & Son . . . . . . . . . . . 34 

Funeral Services 

Beaton Brothers . . . . . . . . . . . 5 

John Roach Funeral Directors . . 19 

Garage Doors & Gates 

Powerdoors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Bk 

Garden Service & Design 

3D Garden Design . . . . . . . . . . 35 

A Peebles Landscape Contractor . . 33 

Apple Tree Gardens . . . . . . . . . 35 


Craig Kennedy Gardening . . . . 35 

DJD Services . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33 

Garden Services . . . . . . . . . . . 35 

Glenmoss Landscapes . . . . . . . . 35 


M&M Garden Services . . . . . . . . 34 

MJ Lawnmowers . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34 

R Williams Tree Services . . . 34 

The Garden Landscape Co . . . . 35 

W B Smith & Son . . . . . . . . . . . 34 

West of Scotland Landscape . . 34 

Gas & Heating Services 

Bell Plumbing & Heating . . . . 23 

C Hunter Plumbing Heating Gas . . 15 

GasMan Energy . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11 

I D Plumbing & Heating . . . . . 48 

Jack Murphy Plumbing & Heating . . 40 

Phoenix Gas Services . . . . . . . 1 

Glazier 

1on1 Double Glazing . . . . . . . . 3 

Cloudy2Clear Windows . . . . . . . 5 

JayBee Double Glazing Repairs . . 10 

TD Cameron . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 

Hairdressers & Barbers 

Adele Houston . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9 

Arlene Mitchell Hair & Beauty . . 45 

Nix Hairdressing . . . . . . . . . . 43 

Health, Beauty & Fitness 


Bluewater Dental . . . . . . . . . . 25 

Brite Dental Bridge of Weir . . 53 

Celtic Shamanic Practitioner . . 17 

Decorus . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7 

Ferringtons Hypnotherapy . . . 26 

Kilbarchan Dental Practice . . 13,Bk 

LaserLight . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41 

New Vision Opticians . . . . . . . 10 

NLP Positive Changes . . . . . . . 4 

Sole Solutions Podiatry . . . . 45 

Sole Therapies . . . . . . . . . . . . 45 

Home Hardware 

Gibb Stuart . . . . . . . . . . . . 29,30,31,32 

Home Improvements 



Alvic Sliding Wardrobes Ltd . . 22 



Conservatory Conv & Windows . . Bk 


Kieran Turner Aerial&Satellite . . 3 


Orchard Flooring . . . . . . . . . . 22 

Scotland’s Bath Company . . . . 12 


Home Interiors 




Home Security 

Brookfield Alarms Ltd . . . . . . 51 

Joiners 


CLH Joinery . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3 

DJY Joinery Ltd . . . . . . . . . . . 15 





McGowan Joinery . . . . . . . . . . . 12 




TD Cameron . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 

Kitchens 







Locksmiths 

Arco Locksmith . . . . . . . . . . . . 16 

Elliott Locks . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4 

Painters & Decorators 

A Gallagher Painter&Decorator . . 17 

Colin Docherty Painter Decorat . . 8 

David Kennedy Decorator . . . . 3 

James Martin - Painter & Decor . . 3 

M&E Painters . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14 

Ranfurly Decor . . . . . . . . . . . . 10 

Pest Control 

RED Pest Control . . . . . . . . . . 12 

Pet Services & Training 

Leading Petcare . . . . . . . . . . . 39 

PetVets . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39 

Smart Dog Grooming . . . . . . . . . 39 

Suzanne’s Grooming Pad . . . . . 39 

Waggys Dog Grooming . . . . . . . . Bk 

Plasterers 

Bryan Slaven Slater & Plaster . . 23 



Open Tuesday to Thursday 9am-4pm; 

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. 

Plumbers 




GasMan Energy . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11 




The Shower Expert . . . . . . . . . 41 

Property, Sales & Let 

Corum Property . . . . . . . . . . . . 21 

Dallas McMillan Solicitors . . 23 

Hames Estates . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8 

Kingsley Wood & Co Solicitors . . 1 

Lind Letting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 

Removals 

@ease Removals & Transport . . 8 

The Right Move . . . . . . . . . . . . 19 

Retail 

Gibb Stuart . . . . . . . . . . . .. 29,30,31,32 

The Bridge, Bridge of Weir . . 41 

Roofing 












Solicitors 

Affinity Family Law Experts . . 3 



Special Occasions 

ABC Taxis . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Bk 

Stoves 


Taxis & Minicoach hire 

ABC Taxis . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Bk 

Johnstone TOA Taxi Co . . . . . . 59 

Tiling 

Gordon James Ceramic Tiler . . 16 

Scott Russell . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37 

Travel Agents 

Travel Actually . . . . . . . . . . . 3 

Tree Surgeon 

Branch Out . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35 


Kenmore Tree Care . . . . . . . . . 35 

LJX . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34 


W B Smith & Son . . . . . . . . . . . 34 

TV & Satellite 

Derek McBride Aerials . . . . . . 24 


Upholstery Services 



Window Cleaners 




Matthews Cleaning Services . . 37 

Window, Consv & Repair 



TD Cameron . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 

Window Scene Scotland . . . . . . Bk 

Bishopton: 

Woodrow’s Store, 

Library, May’s Coffee 

Shop 

Bridge of Weir: 

Gibb Stuart, Bernie’s 

Cafe, Lochnagar, The 

Bridge, Library (Cargill 

Hall) 

Erskine: 

Garden Centre, Library, 

Sports Centre, 

Swimming pool 

December ‘18 Issue 

Deadline: 16th Nov. Delivery: 27th Nov. 

@ease Removals & Transport . . 8 



A Gallagher Painter&Decorator . . 17 


A Peebles Landscape Contractor . . 33 

ABC Taxis . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Bk 

Adele Houston . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9 

Affinity Family Law Experts . . 3 

Affluent Financial Planning . . 20 


AK Vehicle Rental . . . . . . . . . 1 

AL Stewart - Driving School . . 16 

Alvic Sliding Wardrobes Ltd . . 22 


Arco Locksmith . . . . . . . . . . . . 16 


Bathroom Solutions by MPH . . 9 

Beaton Brothers . . . . . . . . . . . 5 


Bluewater Dental . . . . . . . . . . 25 

Boundaries . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34 

Branch Out . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35 


Brite Dental Bridge of Weir . . 53 

Brookfield Alarms Ltd . . . . . . 51 




Celtic Shamanic Practitioner . . 17 


CLA Accountancy Services Ltd . . 23 

CleanDryCarpets . . . . . . . . . . . 8 

CLH Joinery . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3 


Cloudy2Clear Windows . . . . . . . 5 

ColCom . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20 

Colin Docherty Painter Decorat . . 8 

Collins Tyres . . . . . . . . . . . . . 59 

Come Clean . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 50 

Computer Repairs . . . . . . . . . . 1 

Confident Care Ltd . . . . . . . . . 23 

Conservatory Conv & Windows . . Bk 

Corum Property . . . . . . . . . . . . 21 

Craig Kennedy Gardening . . . . 35 


David Kennedy Decorator . . . . 3 

Decorus . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7 

Delta Electrical Services . . 7 

Derek McBride Aerials . . . . . . 24 

DJD Services . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33 

DJY Joinery Ltd . . . . . . . . . . . 15 



Elliott Locks . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4 

F Christie Accounting . . . . . . 23 


Fergusons CA . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22 

Ferringtons Hypnotherapy . . . 26 


Gadds Gourmet . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15 

Garden Services . . . . . . . . . . . 35 

GasMan Energy . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11 

Gibb Stuart . . . . . . . . . . . . 29,30,31,32 


GMH Chartered Accountants . . 20 

Gordon James Ceramic Tiler . . 16 

Grid Design Ltd . . . . . . . . . . . 7 

Gryffe Garage Motor Engineers . . 59 


Hames Estates . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8 

Home Instead Senior Care . . . 16 

Pick up a Copy 

Houston: 

Co-op, Carrick Centre, 

Post Office, Newsagent 

Howwood: 

Village Store, 

St Vincent’s Hospice 

Johnstone: 

Henderson Kilts, 

Papa Mac’s, Library 

Kilbarchan: 

Post Office, Campbell’s, 

Newsagents, Bobbins, 

A to Z 







James Martin - Painter & Decor . . 3 




John Roach Funeral Directors . . 19 

Johnstone TOA Taxi Co . . . . . . 59 

Karen Rankin Catering . . . . . . 16 


Kenmore Tree Care . . . . . . . . . 35 


Kilbarchan Dental Practice . . 13,Bk 



Lamont Electricians . . . . . . . . 3 

LaserLight . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41 

Leading Petcare . . . . . . . . . . . 39 

Lind Letting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 

LJX . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34 


M&E Painters . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14 

M&M Garden Services . . . . . . . . 34 

M2 Electrical and Data Service . . 17 

MAS Electrical & Security . . 2 

Matthews Cleaning Services . . 37 


McGowan Joinery . . . . . . . . . . . 12 


Miller BioFuels Ltd . . . . . . . . 6 

MJ Lawnmowers . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34 

New Vision Opticians . . . . . . . 10 

Nix Hairdressing . . . . . . . . . . 43 

NLP Positive Changes . . . . . . . 4 




PetVets . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39 

Phoenix Gas Services . . . . . . . 1 

Platinum Cleaning Services . . 9 

Powerdoors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Bk 


Ranfurly Decor . . . . . . . . . . . . 10 

RED Pest Control . . . . . . . . . . 12 

Russell Milne Electrician . . 49 

Scotland’s Bath Company . . . . 12 

Scott Russell . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37 

Smart Dog Grooming . . . . . . . . . 39 


Sole Solutions Podiatry . . . . 45 

Sole Therapies . . . . . . . . . . . . 45 

St Columba’s School . . . . . . . . 27 

Stewart Independent Financial . . Bk 

Suzanne’s Grooming Pad . . . . . 39 



TD Cameron . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 

The Bridge, Bridge of Weir . . 41 


The Right Move . . . . . . . . . . . . 19 

The Shower Expert . . . . . . . . . 41 


Three Sisters Bake . . . . . . . . . 43 

Travel Actually . . . . . . . . . . . 3 

W B Smith & Son . . . . . . . . . . . 34 

Waggys Dog Grooming . . . . . . . . Bk 

West of Scotland Landscape . . 34 

Window Scene Scotland . . . . . . Bk 

Langbank: 

Finlaystone Visitor 

Centre 

Kilmacolm: 

Newsagent, Cross Café, 

Gibb Stuart, Library, 

Community Centre 

Lochwinnoch: 

Keystore, Library, 

Dolce Vita, 

Castle Semple Centre 



59 

59 

Gourock Bridge Repairs Postponed 

Essential bridge repairs along a major route through Gourock are to be 

postponed until January. Inverclyde Council was to have begun work to 

remove and replace the waterproofing membrane on the bridge on Cardwell 

Road in October. 

Environment & Regeneration Convener Councillor Michael McCormick 

said: “There will be disruption whenever these works are carried out but the 

simple fact is the repairs are essential and they have to start sometime. We 

have received a number of representations and have agreed to reschedule 

the works to allow people to better plan ahead. Again, these repairs are 

needed to protect the bridge and increase its lifespan so that more extensive 

and disruptive work can be avoided and must be completed in this financial 

year.” Repairs will also be carried out to the existing concrete bridge deck 

and new kerbs and pavements installed. 

MP pledges to back a law to end 

unsafe pavement parking 

A survey by Guide Dogs showed that 97% of blind or partially sighted 

people encounter problems with street obstructions, and 90% of those had 

experienced trouble with a pavement parked car. 

The MP for Paisley and 

Renfrewshire North heard 

of the difficulties that 

councils face in trying to 

tackle the issue with their 

current powers, and why 

Guide Dogs is calling for 

a clear law on pavement 

parking. To illustrate the 

problem, the charity asked 

Gavin to clear the streets 

of pavement parked cars 

against the clock on a 

specially-themed whack-amole 

game. 

Gavin Newlands MP is supporting Guide Dogs’ campaign to make pavement 

parking an offence, except in areas where local authorities grant specific 

exemptions. This would give local authorities real power to properly tackle 

this problem. Guide Dogs Scotland is supporting the Scottish Government’s 

proposals in the Transport (Scotland) Bill that would prohibit pavement 

parking in Scotland, except in areas which need a legitimate exemption. 

Niall Foley, Engagement Manager at Guide Dogs Scotland, commented: 

“Cars blocking pavements are a nuisance for everyone, but can be a real 

danger for people for people with sight loss, potentially forcing them out into 

the roads to get by. The powers that councils and police have at the moment 

aren’t sufficient to tackle the problem, and that’s why we are supporting 

the Scottish Government’s proposals in the Transport (Scotland) Bill for a 

clear law where drivers cannot park on the pavement unless they’re in a 

specifically designated area.” 

Deer on the road 

Twice a year, in May-June and October-November, there’s an increased 

chance of deer running into the road. October-November is the rutting 

season when deer have only one thing on their minds, and May-June is the 

time of year when young deer disperse from breeding areas. 

• More than 42,000 deer are killed in collisions on the roads every year. 

• More than 400 car occupants are injured in accidents with deer. 

• Deer present a greater risk than other roadkill incidents because of their 

large size. 

However, if you understand a little about deer, you may be able to change 

your driving to avoid them, and will have a better idea about what to do if 

you hit and injure one. 

Accidents involving deer peak in May, October and November and the worst 

times of day are around sunrise and sunset to midnight. Be extra vigilant 

where you see ‘deer’ or ‘wild animal’ road signs. 

A deer can appear almost instantly – nature makes them hard to see and 

they don’t follow the green cross code. Use your high-beam headlights 

(without dazzling other drivers) when it’s dark, but dip them if you see a deer, 

otherwise it may freeze in your path. 

Don’t over-react or swerve excessively. It’s safer to continue on your normal 

track rather than swerving or braking hard to try to avoid a deer. Bear in 

mind that if you do swerve and miss a deer (or any other animal), but hit 

something else, it will be very hard to prove that the deer ever existed. 

If you do hit a deer, try to stop somewhere safe. Report the accident to the 

police – they’ll contact someone who can help the injured deer. 

In the UK there is a national deer-vehicle collisions project. The Deer 

initiative is running a study aimed at getting as full a picture as possible of 

the extent of minor and major traffic accidents involving deer. 

If you have information on a deer road casualty or deer-related traffic 

collision you can report it via the project website. http://www.deercollisions. 

co.uk/pages/participate.html 

Find out more at www.theaa.com/driving-advice/safety/deer-collisions 


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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 

Distributed to: • Bishopton • Bridge of Weir • Brookfield • Houston • Howwood• Kilbarchan • Kilmacolm • Langbank• Lochwinnoch • Quarriers

290 November 18 - Gryffe Advertizer

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