313 APRIL 2021 - Gryffe Advertizer

L O C A L NE W S F O R:

• B R I D G E OF WE I R

• B R O O K F I E L D

• H O U S T O N

• H O W W O O D

• K I L B A R C H A N

• K I L M A C O L M

• L A N G B A N K

• L O C H W I N N O C H

• Q U A R R I E R S

No.313: SPRING

APRIL 2021

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P I C K U P Y O U R FREE C O P Y

Welcome to our Spring issue....

local community, local life ............... 2

COVER IMAGE:

Neil Bletcher “Blue Tit”

Next Deadline:

21st April 2021

for the MAY 2021 issue

Contact us:

01505 613340

info@advertizer.co.uk

www.advertizer.co.uk

@gryffeads

1st floor, Neva Place,

Bridge of Weir

PA11 3PN

Previous issues available online:

www.advertizer.co.uk/online-issue/

At long last we are starting to see light at the end of the tunnel ..... as our Spring issue

wings its way to your door, we are tentatively coming out of lockdown and stretching

our legs a little further afield.

We are delighted that there are some events happening again, albeit either outdoors or

online. But hopefully as the vaccines roll out across all age groups, our much loved annual

events will start to recommence.

Sadly, some of the regular early summer events will be affected. As we went to print, we

had heard that the Gourock Highland Games has been cancelled for 2021. However, the

Kilmacolm & Port Glasgow, and Houston Agricultural Shows will take place online again

this year. These were a big success last year, so hopefully this year will be even better!

Also the Paisley Food & Drink Festival and a number of charity fundraisers will all be

online in the coming weeks. We’ve tried to include as many as we can in our diary.

As we hopefully progress into the end of lockdown, we plan to run regular issues of the

magazine. However, delays may be caused due to the ongoing situation and possible

further restrictions.

Our office is only open for limited hours at the moment. Please contact us via email or

social media, or leave a phone message, and we will get back to you as soon as we can.

Please also keep an eye on our website and social media for updates.

Shop local - support your community!

CONTENTS

When the lights go up 06

village news 12-25

GRYFFE Valley Rotary Club 14

Name a guide dog puppy ‘Habbie’ 21

Lochwinnoch Arts Festival 22

Out & about 28-33

Duchal woods-quarriers walk 32

Is it time to switch on to an ebike 33

Pedal the Park 33

schools & clubs 34-41

Regular meets 39

Coming events 42-47

Paisley food & drink festival 43

Johnstone Phoenix Theatre 45

HISTORY 46-47

Urban Historian - weavers project 47

classified ads 48

public defibrilator sites 49

Sales & Wants 49

Advertizer ads directory 50

Paisley Colour Photo Competition 51

02-05 INTRO 313_SPRING-APR21.indd 2 01/04/2021 13:57:07

e: info@advertizer.co.uk | www.advertizer.co.uk | SPRING April 2021 3



Celebrating our 25th Anniversary

Power Doors is an award-winning Prince’s Scottish Youth

Business backed company established in 1996 celebrating

our 25th anniversary and have a combined experience of over

50 years and specialise in the supply & installation of garage

doors along with other associated products.

Like all outdoor projects a garage door can be costly, and we

are here to help advise you on what would best be suitable for

you and your needs. Our showroom based in Lochwinnoch

(10mins from Glasgow Airport) has several doors on display of

all the available designs allowing you see what you would be

wishing to purchase.

We offer a free quotation service for supply only, supply &

install of automatic and manual garage doors in a range of

designs such as,

Up ‘n’ Over – Sectional – Roller – Automatic Doors

We also offer a repair and maintenance service and cover a

vast area throughout Scotland’s central belt.

BAFTA Scotland: Guru Live Online

BAFTA Scotland will host its flagship festival for aspiring creatives,

Guru Live, online for 2021 between the 4th & 7th May!

If you’re a lover of film, games or television then Guru Live is

definitely the right fit – but you’ll find the festival especially helpful

if you’re just making your start in the industry. Whether that means

you’re a graduate looking to take those first steps or you’ve already

got a few credits under your belt, we’ve got a session for you!

Tickets are free! Find out more at http://guru.bafta.org/guru-liveglasgow

BAFTA Scotland: Guru Live Online will take place online from

Tuesday 4th to Friday 7th May 2021, Line up TBC!

Scotland’s Virtual Kiltwalk

On the weekend of April 23rd - 25th, take on a challenge of your

choice and support a charity you care about, as part of Scotland’s

Virtual Kiltwalk!

You can take on any Kiltwalk Inspired challenge you wish – go for

a walk (of any length), a cycle, jump on a trampoline or even a

family scavenger hunt! You decide on your challenge and as long

as you’re raising funds for your chosen charity ... anything goes!

Raise funds for a charity of YOUR choice and thanks to The Hunter

Foundation, all of your funds will be topped up by 50%*.

Once you’re registered, a JustGiving fundraising page will

automatically be created for you to share on your social channels.

Easy! Entry is Adults £12.80 / Children 5-15 £6.50 / Under 5s Free.

All online and offline funds sent to the Kiltwalk by midnight on 3rd

May will qualify for the top-up.

We may not be walking together but the Kiltwalk is with you all the

way!

Sign up at https://thekiltwalk.co.uk/scotlandsvirtual

Child’s Eye Muse Presents:

International Museum Day

Join Child’s Eye Muse online on the 18th and 19th of May for

International Museum Day, celebrating your favourite exhibits and

museum visits!

Let’s enjoy International Museum Day 2021! Whether it’s from the

present (or past), post drawings or pictures your child has taken

or videos, poems, short stories, or commentary on their favourite

exhibits and museum visits for everyone to see into museums from

around the world. Anyone internationally is welcome to join us in

our virtual event.

Child’s Eye Muse Celebrates museums every day. Come celebrate

with us! This is a free event and details can be found at https://

www.childseyemuse.com/





When The Lights Go Up by Rona Simpson

We are lucky to have so many excellent local theatre groups in our

area including the award-winning PACE Youth Theatre, Kilbarchan

Kirk Drama Group, Johnston Phoenix Theatre Groups and Kilmacolm

Dramatic Society. However, with auditoriums empty and no funds

coming in, over the last year many have employed unconventional

ways to keep audiences engaged. From online pantos to community

workshops delivered through zoom, these groups have pushed the

boundaries of storytelling in our communities.

PACE Theatre Company, based in Paisley, was founded in 1988 and is

a non-profit making theatre specialising in work with young people. It

is the largest youth theatre in the UK. Jenni Mason, Artistic Director

had this to say,

“As for everyone, this has been an unprecedented year for PACE.

Young people were quickly identified by children’s charities as being

particularly vulnerable, and it was obvious to us that the arts had a

key role to play ... Lockdown prompted a re-imagining of our core

activity last March and we have been successfully running online

drama classes and building a creative community for new and

existing members since then … members have had access to online

videos, audio adventures, podcasts and digital theatre.”

But you don’t need to be a member to take part in some of PACE’s

online workshops. Connected: A multi arts project for families, has

proved very successful. Family groups are invited each Monday at

8pm to explore movement and share stories of Paisley, which is edited

into a short film. It is also completely free. The group also runs a

series of musical fitness classes for kids twice a week, allowing kids to

connect in person and get fit!

Another winner was their amazing, free, streamed Christmas

Panto, “Lost in Pantoland”, which brought much needed

Christmas cheer in November of last year.

Despite the pandemic, PACE and Renfrewshire Council are

pushing ahead with the conversion of 33 Sneddon Street

– site of the old Mannequins night club – to be restored as

Exchange, a community theatre space for children and young

people. For more info on this exciting project check out this

link: www.pacetheatre.com/exchange/

As the realisation dawned that there would be no performances

for the foreseeable, Kilmacolm Dramatic Society, established in

1945, decided to take matters into their own hands. The team

have written a series of excellent monologues and passed

them to members to perform. Stand outs include SDCA

Monologue and The Doctor. These often funny, moving and

well-observed slices of drama can be found on their website

kilmacolmdramaticsociety.co.uk/ or facebook page.

Johnstone Phoenix Theatre Group, originally known as The

Johnstone Operatic and Dramatic Society, was formed

in 1963 by founder Tom Carmichael. In 1993, daughter

Margaret Carmichael created Johnston Youth Theatre. Both

organisations have brought communities together through

innovative and entertaining allowing children and adults

alike the opportunity to explore the creative arts in a fun

environment. They have a fab facebook page full of funny

memes, streamed theatre, and links to local castings.

Culture and arts are the beating heart of any community and

when local theatre gets the green light to open, we should

all do our best to support them. Not only will you have a

great night out, but you get to share this experience with

neighbours and friends. A truly magical connection that we

have all sorely missed.

Photos by Alex Brady

06-11 FEATURES 313_SPRING-APR21.indd 6 01/04/2021 14:33:47



CO-OP Renfrewshire Food Bank

Donation Bins - Christmas 2020

Thank you to everyone in the CO-OP stores – customers and

staff – in Bridge of Weir, Kilbarchan and Houston who donated so

generously to the Renfrewshire Food Bank Donation Bins in the

run-up-to Christmas 2020.

Due to COVID-19, I couldn’t hold Christmas fundraisers in-store

during Christmas 2020 but your donations of food and toiletries

more than made-up for it!

There have been (and continue to be) so many stories of people

desperately trying to make ends meet due to job insecurity and

being furloughed because of the pandemic – parents making the

agonising choice between ‘heat or eat’.

All of your donations allows Renfrewshire Food Bank to help each

and every client that is referred to them. A three-day, dietician

approved food parcel can then be kindly given to those in-need.

Thanks once again and may 2021 be a brighter and better year for

everyone.. Jenny x


Renfrewshire Women’s Aid -

Christmas Eve Pyjamas

You donated an amazing 292 pairs of Christmas Eve Pyjamas and

156 pairs of Fluffy Socks for the women and children staying safe in

the Renfrewshire Women’s Aid refuge during Christmas 2020.

All of the pyjamas and fluffy socks were packaged-up and delivered

to the staff (pictured) at the Renfrewshire Women’s Aid office in

Violet Street, Paisley in-time for Christmas. As was the case in the

run up to Christmas 2019 (our very first collection), the staff were

overwhelmed with the generosity shown by the kind residents of

Houston, Bridge of Weir and Kilbarchan who donated Christmas

Eve pyjamas and fluffy socks in the village CO-OP stores.

A very difficult Christmas for all of us last year and an especially

difficult one for the women and children escaping from domestic

abuse and being supported by Renfrewshire Women’s Aid.

Your donation of pyjamas

and fluffy socks certainly

helped brighten their

Christmas and showed that

people in their community

are cheering them on as

they stride forward to

their new lives – free from

domestic abuse.

Thanks so much to

everyone who donated

and here’s to a better 2021..

Jenny x

For the collection Christmas

2022, I can be contacted

JennyMeadows10@

outlook.com

Go a step further for people with Parkinson’s

People in Renfrewshire may be stuck for ideas on how to support good causes whilst they aren’t able to meet with friends, family and their

community to fundraise during the corona virus pandemic.

At Parkinson’s UK, our annual ‘Walk for Parkinson’s’ series will return this summer, uniting people in Scotland and across the UK to raise

money that will transform the lives of people with Parkinson’s.

But if summer’s too long to wait, our ‘Organise Your Own Walk’ event is a fantastic way to enjoy some fresh air while also raising funds

for our vital work.

Why not stroll 2 miles for the 2 people diagnosed with Parkinson’s every hour in the UK? Or trek 12.4 miles for the 12,400 people living

with Parkinson’s in Scotland? You choose your route, how far, when and who you walk with - just make sure you follow the local corona

virus guidance.

The funds you raise will help support people living with Parkinson’s, their families, friends and carers right across Scotland and the rest of

the UK, who need us now more than ever.

To download your free pack with everything you need to plan a sponsored walk, visit parkinsons.org.uk/get-involved/organise-your-ownwalk.

If you have any questions, call 0800 138 6593 or email: fundraising@parkinsons.org.uk.




Open Book & Paisley Library Shared

Reading Group

Join Open Book and Paisley Library for an hour of shared reading on

Wednesday mornings, looking at poems & stories from the weekly

Unbound newsletter. This is a free event organised by Paisley Central

Library and sessions run fortnightly on Wednesdays from 11.30am - 12.30

noon. No experience necessary. Ages 16+.

Get your zoom link at https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/open-book-andpaisley-library-on-zoom-tickets-113605127996

Learn more about Open Book Unbound at www.openbookreading.com/

unbound/ and sign up for the Unbound newsletter.

Open Book organise and run weekly shared reading sessions for a

diverse range of community and public participants across Scotland.

Part of a book and a poem are read aloud during these relaxed and

informal sessions, with an Open Book Lead Reader on hand to help

guide the discussion. We regularly run creative writing sessions for our

readers, using the material the group is reading as inspiration to create

new writing.

Dates: 14th & 28th April, 12th & 26th May, 9th & 23rd June.

Great Guide Dogs Virtual Tea Party

Pop the kettle on and join us for a cuppa this April as we take on another

Guinness World Records attempt! Whilst we unfortunately are still unable

to have a big face-to-face tea party safely, that doesn’t mean we can’t

have fun by coming together online to show people with sight loss that

we are still here for them no matter what.

Whether you plan to join the party on your own, with family, colleagues

or as a fundraising group, let’s make a difference and be record breakers

together.

To get involved and for full details visit guidedogs.org.uk/teatime.


For one week every May we see

the posters & bunting, and a red

donations envelope drops though

our letterbox to be picked up

later in the week by a volunteer

collector. And, following the covid restrictions last year,

on-line donations were also made possible through an

“e-envelope”.

This year’s Christian Aid Week will take place from 10th to

16th May.

But what is Christian Aid? Why does it exist? What does it

do?

At the outset it is perhaps worth clarifying what it is not.

It is not “aid for Christians”! Christian Aid is committed to

supporting poor and marginalised people, whatever their

beliefs, sexuality, gender and ethnicity. It is a signatory

to the international Code of Conduct which sets ethical

standards for aid work and, among other things, promises

that aid will not be used to further a particular political or

religious standpoint.

These days it is not even limited to “aid from Christians”.

Because of its excellent record in tackling poverty and the

causes of poverty, Christian Aid is now funded by generous

donations from a wide variety of people with diverse

religious beliefs.

But there is a core belief running through everything that

Christian Aid does. Christian Aid believes that everyone

is equal in the sight of God. Poverty is an outrage against

humanity. It robs people of their dignity and lets injustice

thrive. But together we have the power to transform lives.

Started 75 years ago, Christian Aid now operates in nearly

40 countries promoting sustainable development, striving

for social justice and pursuing a vision of a world without

poverty. It works with local partner organisations which

have first-hand knowledge of the practical needs of the

poor in their area and are able to ensure the sustainability of

initiatives to lift communities out of poverty.

Christian Aid is also prepared to challenge governments and

systems on the underlying causes of poverty. It played a

leading role in securing international Government agreement

to cancel the debt burden which was crippling some of the

poorest countries in the world. In many countries, it has been

able to champion the status of women and unleash the huge

contribution they can make to lifting their communities out

of poverty. Today Christian Aid is not only addressing the

very real and immediate impact of climate change on some

of the poorest communities in the world but also challenging

governments on their response to the climate crisis.

For more information about Christian Aid please visit: www.

christianaid.org.uk . And get ready for that red envelope –

real or “virtual”! Details to follow next month.

Photo: Janice B & Pups




village news

Bridge of Weir Churches Together Easter Trail

The Bridge of Weir Churches Together Easter Trail – Freeland Church, St Mary’s Church and

St Machar’s Ranfurly Church all collaborated to share the Easter story during the school

holidays.

The Easter Trail runs until Sunday 11th April. The Easter Trail begins at St Machar’s Ranfurly

Church (Kilbarchan Road) where you can pick up a free bag for children with the instructions

and items that you need on the trail. There are also laminated cards with a prayer trail for

teens and adults. Each stop on the trail has a large board explaining part of the Easter story.

You can do it in one go or, if it is too long for little or older legs, over a few days.

The trail instructions are also online on www.stmacharsranfurlychurch/community and on

our churches’ social media pages.

Members of Freeland, St Mary’s and St Machar’s Ranfurly Churches have recorded readings

through the entire Gospel of Mark (not as long as it sounds!). There will be two or three

chapters read daily, which will take approx. 15-20 mins. These videos were shared on YouTube

during Holy Week: Palm Sunday (28th March) through to Easter

Sunday (4th April).

Brookfield News

VW Bistro

Since early March, Brookfield has had its very own coffee stall

operating from the car park at the Village Hall. Imported from

California, the VW Bistro is a converted 1969 T2 VW Campervan

and will be serving up tea and premium coffee together with

cake.

Hours: Saturday & Sunday 10am - 2pm. Social distancing rules

apply. For updates, follow VW Bistro on Facebook or Instagram.

delaYed agM

A virtual Annual General Meeting of Brookfield Village Council

covering the period January - December 2019 finally took place

on Thursday 25th February via Zoom. This AGM was scheduled

for March 2020 but was unable to take place owing to the Covid

19 restrictions. At the meeting, several residents expressed

concern at the speed at which some vehicles are being driven

in the Village. Both the Village Council and Community Council

would urge residents to be mindful of driving at a safe speed.

Please be aware that there are 20mph signs in both Albert Road

and Victoria Road. This is an indicative speed but it is hoped that

for the safety of all residents as well as pets, drivers adhere to this

speed on all roads in the village. Thank you in anticipation of your

help and co-operation.

Facebook: brookfieldvillage.org | Twitter: @BrookfieldVPA |

e-mail: brookfieldvpa@gmail.com


Bridge of Weir

Festival Committee/

Santa Sleigh

Santa would like to thank all those

involved with his sleigh tour this year.

A big Thank You to AK Vehicle Rental

for providing the van for the sleigh.

Also, a big Thank You to all those who

came to wave to Santa as he toured

about.

With any luck Santa will be back to his

normal duties this coming Christmas.

The Bridge

Spring is upon us and already we are planning for Christmas 2021!

Alison Bannerman has finished our much acclaimed Christmas card

and members of the Paisley Colour Photographic Club are taking

photographs for the 2022 Calendar.

greetings Cards - due to strong sales we are continually restocking

our selection of cards for all occasions.

easter sunday - is celebrated on 4th April. Brighten up someone’s

day, especially this year, by sending an Easter Greetings card from

our colourful display.

Post Office - The usual postal services are provided during opening

hours.

stuart and fiona - Later this month we are saying goodbye to Stuart

as he retires and welcoming Fiona as she joins the Post Office team.

Stuart, thank you for 4 years of friendly and reliable service. It has

been a great pleasure working with you.

The Co-op Local Community Fund - The Bridge is one of the three

local causes which will benefit from the Fund during 2021. Funds

raised will be used to improve facilities. Please register with the Coop

to support The Bridge. Join online at “coop.co.uk/membership”

or by downloading the “Co-op app.” The reference for The Bridge

is 48305. Becoming a Co-op member is an opportunity to assist

local community groups, not only this year, but in future years.

Thank you for your support over the last number of challenging

months. We look forward to serving you soon.

(Opening Hours: Mon – 10am to 1pm and 2pm to 5pm; Tues to

Sat – 10am to 1pm.

12-27 NEWS 313_SPRING-APR21.indd 12 01/04/2021 15:00:12

WARD 11

Cllr Natalie Don

It is great to be able to write to you all again. The last

year has been incredibly difficult for us all with the

Covid-19 pandemic but with the continued roll out of the vaccine,

we can all hope to get back to some form of normality this year.

Renfrewshire Council’s budget was recently passed, which

prioritises Renfrewshire’s Covid Recovery and puts the well-being

of our communities at it’s heart, despite huge pressures as a result

of the pandemic.

Council tax: Will be frozen for the coming year, more money will

be invested into our play parks and green spaces as a result of the

vital role these spaces played during the pandemic. There will be

funding to support the provision of safe road crossing facilities to

improve safer walking routes to schools and nurseries and funding

for studies to reduce traffic and promote safer walking within rural

Renfrewshire villages. More funding to support social recovery

including more funding into mental health, support for businesses,

support for private tenants, care experienced young people and

young carers and a large investment to support increased pressures

in the Adult Social Care Services.

Bishopton: I am well aware of the growing concern for increased

health provision. This is an absolute priority for me and I have been

continuously pushing for progress with this and will continue to

do so. I am pleased that both the nursery and primary school in

Dargavel are progressing well with the nursery still on track for

completion in July 2021 and the primary school set for its first intake

of pupils in the new school year.

Bridge of Weir: Scottish Water begin repairs in Mimosa Road

following a longstanding issue with sewage overspill. I hope once

complete that this provides the solution that was so badly needed

for local residents. I know that local roads are a concern following a

harsh winter. Renfrewshire Council’s roads resurfacing programme

is now being finalised and I have requested several of our local

roads are included in this years programme including Main Street

in Bridge of Weir.

Finally, I know that many people have been concerned by an increase

in incidents of vandalism and fire raising in our communities with

bins set alight, parks vandalised and play equipment destroyed.

This is simply not acceptable, our outside spaces have been so

important to us during lockdown and it is really sad to see things

that are enjoyed or used by the community being ruined. I have

raised all incidents that have been brought to my attention with the

Police and the wardens service and will continue to do so.

CONTACT: Due to the current COVID restrictions, my surgeries are

taking place remotely at 10am on the first Saturday of the month

however I am happy to arrange a call at anytime throughout the

month. Residents can contact me to arrange a chat by emailing me

at: natalie.don@renfrewshire.gov.uk


Advertising Feature

Spring time turns our attention to pressure washing and

softwashing ready for the Summer ahead. With over 20 years

experience of exterior cleaning systems, we are your local

qualified and experienced cleaning company with the state of

the art equipment, knowledge and experience to achieve the

best results. Whether it is soft-washing moss on roofs, algae

from render, pressure washing decking, patios, monoblock drives

or anything in between, please give us a call for free, friendly

information on our services or for a free quotation.

01505 863 863 www.nutechcleaning.co.uk


WARD 11

Cllr James W.H. MacLaren

CoVid-19: As I write this article, I am pleased to

say that I have my appointment for the vaccine

which I will be getting and I hope that everyone will take up the

offer. We have to wait and see if it will be mandatory to have the

vaccine for events like holidays, or to have a letter of exemption.

CleVens road footpath: As an update on the Clevans

Road footpath, you may be aware that the council has agreed

to put in new drainage along Clevans Road between Donaldfield

Road and Golf Course Road including repairing and tarmacking

the footpath. This will make a much safer route for pedestrians

accessing the Donaldfield Estate and beyond. Hopefully this will

be finished by the time you read this.

litter piCKing: A big thank you to everyone who has joined the

Team Up To Clean Up group. All you litter pickers, and I include

myself in this, are making a huge difference to our environment.

For anyone else who wants to join in, we have free litter picker

and green bags available to get you started.

ContaCt: No surgeries at present but I hope they will be

starting up again soon. 07534 148794 / cllr.james.maclaren@

renfrewshire.gov.uk

Working with you and improving our local area. Please feel free

to contact me with any of your concerns. If there is something

that you would like me to write about more often then please

drop me a line. It is always good to get feedback, particularly of

the positive kind.


Gryffe Valley Rotary Club

MeMBership

There has been a good response to the campaign to diversify the

club by finding new members. Four new members joined at the

meeting on 3rd March (A first for the club on Zoom): Dr Les King

a retired engineer, Dr Astrid Koenig a surgeon, Dr Thorsten Koenig

a trainee minister, and Matt McElroy a retired teacher. A fifth new

member- Councillor James Maclaren – will be inducted shortly.

Several further initiatives are being investigated around attracting

local business people. Watch this space! If you are interested,

please email gryffevalleyrotary@gmail.com and we will talk to you

about the opportunities which Rotary brings.

support for Young people

Youth speaks

The Gryffe Valley Rotary annual public speaking competition could

not be in public this year! However, undeterred, seven teams from

St Columba’s School, Kilmacolm recorded their speeches which

were then judged by members of the Renfrewshire Speakers

Club from the comfort of their own homes. The winners of the

Senior category were team “Chilli Chips”, who debated the issues

around “Social Media is a hindrance to personal development”.

In the Intermediate category the winners were “There is no “I” in

Team”, debating “Foods with high sugar content should cost more”.

The Runners-up were “The Cosmonauts”, discussing “We should

abandon Earth and colonise another planet”. We are very grateful

to everyone who participated in Youth Speaks this year …. The

competitors, the Judges and the St Columba’s staff.



Young Chef

Unable to organise our Annual Young Chef Competition in the

usual format, we decided to add some cheer by offering prizes

for the best Festive Fare produced by classes in Gryffe High

and St Benedict’s. A few hundred pupils from S1 to S3 took

part, with some amazing results. Well done to all the pupils and

many thanks to the food technology staff in both schools for

their enthusiastic support with the organisation, judging and

photographs.

The Youth Speaks and Young Chef events are just two of

many competitions for young people organised by Rotary in

co-operation with local schools. Winners of the Young Writer

competition will be announced shortly and plans are afoot for

the Primary School Quiz. For details of how to get involved

please email gryffevalleyrotary@gmail.com .

Home Start books for kids

Gryffe Valley Rotary helped more than more than 200

disadvantaged children in Renfrewshire and Inverclyde at

Christmas through a project with Home Start - generously

supported by the Arnold Clark organisation. Home Start

(https://www.home-start-renfrewshire.org.uk/) is a nationwide

charity which exists to give emotional and practical support to

parents with young children, in order to give children the best

possible start in life. Approximately £2,000 was spent by Rotary

on selected good quality books - carefully matched to the ages

of the children (6 months to 17 years) - to provide presents which

were delivered by Home Start.

speaKer Meetings

Our speaker meetings continue over Zoom at roughly fortnightly

intervals. We have enjoyed some excellent talks from Rev Willie

McPherson spoke about the work of the Vine Trust, Sue Hope

who talked about the Freedom from Fistula charity, Lewis Bright,

grandson of Jim McBeath (the Club’s Speaker’s convenor) who

told us about his attendance at the 24th World Scout Jamboree,

Kirsteen Plop on the work of the Leonard Cheshire charity, and

Colin Johnson, Head Teacher of Gryffe High School, on the

achievements of the school and current challenges. Topics

for future meetings include “Ski Touring”, “Aquabox”, “The

Mayflower”, and “Local Railways”.


ward 1 - inverclyde

roads prograMMe:

The Council’s roads investment programme for 2021/22 includes a number

of local projects: carriageway resurfacing on Finlaystone Road (Yetts

Avenue to Leperstone Road) and Bridge of Weir Road (Lochwinnoch

Road to Rowantreehill Road); footway resurfacing of Lochwinnoch

Road (Knockbuckle Road to Castlehill Road); and widening of Glenmill

Bridge.

There are also a number of reserve projects: carriageway resurfacing

of sections of Belmont Road; footway resurfacing on Park Road

(Knockbuckle Road to Castlehill Road); resurfacing of the footbridge

over the cycle path on Lochwinnoch Road; and replacement of the

parapet of the Craigbet Avenue Bridge.

After consultation the Barrs Brae and Lochwinnoch Road car parks

will remain as free 24hour carparks. The Local Development Plan will

determine whether the new car park will be on Gillburn Road or behind

the old Police Station.

Cllr Stephen McCabe

CoVid-19: After a few false dawns, at long last there

appears to be light at the end of the tunnel when it comes

to this terrible virus. The virus rate in Inverclyde is again the

lowest in the health board area and the local vaccination

programme is making good progress. We can’t be afford

to be complacent however. We need to stick with the restrictions as long

as they are in place.

farMers MarKet: I received a number of complaints about the Kilmacolm

Famers Market and in particular the huge number of people visiting the

market on 6th March. While in normal times we would be delighted to

welcome visitors to Inverclyde the current restrictions don’t allow for nonessential

travel and the location of the market in Kilmacolm is not suitable

for such large numbers.

CounCil tax: The Council set its budget on 18th March, having previously

set the Council Tax on 18th February. The Council Tax was frozen at the

previous year’s levels, although households will see their bills increase

marginally as the Government has permitted Scottish Water to increase

its charges.

CounCil Budget: The priorities in setting the Council’s budget were to

limit any reductions in frontline services and jobs and support the recovery

from Covid. Despite a disappointing settlement yet again from the Scottish

Government we have achieved these objectives, in large measure through

the use of Council reserves. Key proposals in the budget include a £6m

Inverclyde Jobs Recovery Plan and a £4m Covid Recovery Fund.

ContaCt: My face to face advice surgeries remain suspended due to the

current Covid restrictions.

01475 712020 (during office hours) / Stephen.McCabe@inverclyde.gov.

uk. Alternatively you can write to me at 10 Victoria Gardens, Kilmacolm

PA13 4HL.


Cllr David Wilson

litter piCKing: The admirable Kilmacolm

Litter Pickers, impressively organised

by Jennifer Cowan, have continued all

winter and make a significant difference

to the look of the village. The Community

Council had their annual clean up in March.

sChools: Schools will not be fully back until after Easter.

Some pupils will return for only a few hours a week in

the classroom and there should be more concern for the

logistical problems of working parents.

The Scarecrow competition organised by St Columba’s

Junior School brightened up Halloween as did the

Christmas light competition. Great thanks is due to the

girls at the Cross Café and the Community Council for

organising the Christmas Hamper Raffle which raised a

significant sum for the Guides and the Scouts.

The S1 intake for Port Glasgow High School has increased

from 100 to 120 for the academic year 2021/22. Under

Stuart Clark and Gillian Carroll the school has shown

significant academic improvement and the numbers of

placing requests tell their own story.

KnoCKnairshill CeMetarY: An expansion at a cost of

£1.6m has been approved to go to tender. This removes

any urgency from an extension to Kilmacolm Cemetery

though I do know there would be a demand for lairs in

the village.

BroWn Bins: The final pickups will be the 8th and 15th of

November. I have asked for a later date.

planning: The Local Development Plan will be concluded

after consultation by May. The hearings for both

applications at West of Quarry Drive and Plannetreeyetts

will be conducted around the end of April. Venue and

communication method to be decided. Still no news on

the Carsemeadow appeal in Quarriers.

roads: The safety measures on the Port Glasgow Road

A761 accident blackspot have been implemented. I am

concerned about speeding in the village and believe that a

20mph limit may help and would welcome comment.

laMBing season: I have been asked to remind dog

owners to keep dogs on a lead. Being worried by a dog

can cause a ewe to abort.

CoVid-19: I sit on a cross party Covid 19 Recovery Board of

5 Councillors. We assess sub groups including Economic,

Humanitarian, Education, Sport and Culture. We have

Covid 19 updates, in great detail, on a weekly basis. As I

write we are under 50 cases per 100,000.

ContaCt: david.wilson@inverclyde.gov.uk / 07766

992294, 01475 741969, 712975.


Scotland’s Garden Scheme Plant

Sale

Saturday 24th April, 10am to 12pm

Spring plant sale in the centre of Kilmacolm,

outside the Library, on Saturday 24th April 10am-

12pm. In aid of Pancreatic Cancer Scotland and

SGS charities.

Please check SGS website for updates and visitor

guidance.

Langbank Litter Picking

As lockdown continues we have all being making the most of

our outdoor space (when it’s not too wet) and enjoying walks in

and around the village. However as well as taking in the scenery

many have been saddened by the amount of litter lying around

at the roadside. But as always there are those wonderful people

who don’t just see the problem, they decide that they can make

a difference and so we are grateful to those villagers who have

been picking up litter in and around the village and surrounding

roads. So if you’ve driven along the A8 just east of Langbank and

spotted green bags full of litter waiting to be picked up or extra

green bags beside bins then you’ll know it’s because folks have

been out and about trying to make their village that bit nicer for

everyone. To those kind individuals and families, THANK YOU!

We know Langbank is not alone in this and that many areas are

joining the Renfrewshire Team Up To Clean Up initiative, which

has inspired many to do their bit – more information on this can

be found on council website or Team Up to Clean Up Facebook

page.

Sadly another thing noted by villagers during the past few months

is the increase in dog fouling, which we know is a problem for

other communities too. There are many things about this issue

which angers and frustrates people and we are keen to try to

tackle the issue in a positive way, but how do you reach out

to people? In Langbank we are going to try a bit of Scottish

Education to ask people to think about the inconvenience to

others and the dangers to animals when they don’t pick up after

their dog. So some posters will be going up around the village,

which we hope will help.

On a positive note we continue to support our friends and

neighbours through this pandemic; bikes are still being mended,

grants for village improvements sought, errands ran for vulnerable

neighbours, prescriptions collected. The list goes on so thank

you Langbank and keep it up, even once normality returns we

hope this renewed community spirit will continue.

For further information please contact the Langbank Community

Council at info@langbank-community.com



HOUSTON & KILLELLAN KIRK - Outreach in

Houston Continues During Lockdown

The Local Outreach team at Houston & Killellan Kirk have been anxious not

to allow Lockdown to derail their regular community initiatives. Likewise

the many volunteers, assisting with these projects were keen to maintain the

momentum.

• Weekly Foodbank Collections continued at the West Halls

The Renfrew Foodbank reported that the Houston Community had provided

an inspiring close to 25,000 meals in the first 9 months of Lockdown. Although

Foodbank collections were suspended for six weeks early in the year, in the

interest of the safety of staff and volunteers, collections then re-started with

the same enthusiastic response.

• Warm Clothes Collection in November

This annual initiative was again incredibly well supported, with 26 large bags of

new warm clothes divided between the Simon Community and Refuweegee.

There was also a £200 donation to Glasgow City Mission, to be used to

purchase warm clothes, as they have little storage space.

• Christmas Gifts for the Children of Prisoners

Another annual initiative where there was greatn generosity in the response

from the community for these children, supported by CrossReach at Perth

and Polmont Prisons. Elaine Waugh from CrossReach, who came with a large

van to collect over 200 large gift bags of goodies, said she was humbled

by the impressive collection, which would make so much of a difference to

the children. Her fellow children’s worker was speechless on receiving the

delivery.

• Christmas Cards prepared by Sunday Club

The older folk in our congregation were thrilled with the Christmas Cards

prepared and delivered by the Sunday Club. The oldest recipient was nearing

her 108th birthday, on which she received her COVID vaccination, as well as

a card from the Queen. Not sure she expected a wait of 108 years, before

appearing on BBC & CNN News!

• Hand Sanitiser supply generously donated

The Kirk had a large quantity of hand sanitiser donated and this has been (or

will be when businesses re-open) distributed to various small retail outlets,

sports clubs and pub/restaurants in the village.

• Easter Eggs for the children of families supported by The Star Project

During March, those donating to the Foodbank were encouraged to provide

Easter Eggs for children supported by The Star Project in Paisley. Typically

the Houston Community responded with great generosity.

These are just some of the activities which have continued in this difficult

climate. They don’t include the busy weekly Family and Community

programme undertaken by Frankie. Full details of the activities lead by Frankie

are on the Kirk website: www.houstonkillellankirk.org. Also, of course, there

is all the work undertaken by Revd. Gary, supported by Thorsten (Ministry

Candidate) – much of which often goes unnoticed, as it is in the background.

A good example of this has been Revd Gary’s many hours of involvement in

the preparation of the QR Code Virtual Nativity, displayed in the village at

Christmas.


ward 10

Cllr Audrey Doig

2021/22 Budget: Last month

saw high drama with the eventual

adoption of Renfrewshire Council’s

budget for 2021/22 by only two votes. I very much

welcome the Rural Safe Walking Initiative contained

within the Budget which aims to control and eradicate

speeding in and through Renfrewshire’s villages, such

as Houston, Crosslee, and Brookfield. I know through

talking to other village councillors, of all political

persuasions, that this is sadly a very live issue across

our village communities but it has to be tackled in

the name of health and safety. The Initiative will look

at the full range of anti speeding measures, from

speedbumps to chicanes, and act where appropriate

in consultation with the local community.

roads & paVeMents: Another key element to

the new Budget is more investment into roads and

pavements. We have just gone through another very

cold period and unfortunately the frost rips up many of

the repairs previously completed, even in the last two

years. One notable example which needs attention is

the section of Barrochan Road from Crosslee to West

Fulton, which has badly broken up. I intend to bring

this to the attention of council officers.

Crones & Colitis: I was further pleased that the

last full council meeting unanimously passed a motion

I submitted on better toilet signage for sufferers

from Crones and Colitis. This was raised with me

by a Houston constituent who stressed to me how

difficult it can be to find public amenities when out

and about. She directed me to the Crones and Colitis

UK website, and I decided to do all I could to raise this

very important issue to improve the quality of life for

those who suffer from this debilitating condition.

ContaCt: Councillors are not at the moment

having face to face surgeries due to the Covid 19

restrictions.

cllr.audrey.doig@renfrewshire.gov.uk / 07768

130935.

May Deadline Date:

Wednesday 21ST April

contact info@advertizer.co.uk



Let’s make it easier, safer and fun to get

outdoors in Houston!

The past year has shown how important having a variety of outdoor spaces on

our doorsteps is.

Houston has a good number of outdoor spaces and paths, but there is always

room for improvement. Some places and routes are easier to access than others,

depending where you live.

Fortunately, a solution is at hand! Houston Community Council has secured

money from Sustrans Scotland to make it easier and safer for everyone in Houston

to get outdoors and move about, and to improve the quality of outdoor spaces to

enjoy across the village.

Between now and June 2021, the Community Council has partnered with a design

team (of which I’m part) to work with the community and see what could be

improved where and how, and then what the key priorities are.

The first stage of the project is now live! We want to find out what people think of

a number of path routes and outdoor spaces across Houston.

Please go to our new interactive website at www.connecting-houston.com, where

you can show us where you go outdoors and share your ideas for improvement.

The more people who can get involved, the better the outcome will be for everyone,

so please spread the word! Feel free to circulate this poster....

If you’ve got any questions, I’d love to hear from you. Please give me a call (07900

334110) or email me: nick@nickwrightplanning.co.uk.


NATIONAL LOTTERY

AWARD

Houston & Killellan Kirk News


We are absolutely delighted to report that Houston and Killellan Kirk have been successful in their application for a £10,000 National

Lottery Community Fund Award to establish a Men’s Shed for the Houston Community.

The National Lottery Community Fund Scotland Chair, Kate Still, said “In these uncertain times our priority is to ensure that National

Lottery money continues to flow to charities, voluntary sector organisations and grassroot groups. I would like to congratulate Houston

and Killellan Kirk Men’s Shed group on their award, theirs is an important project and will support people now and in the future when they

can physically come back together to make great things happen in their community.”

The need for a Men’s Shed in the community emerged from the Conversation Café that the Kirk held with the Houston Community in

2019. Mental health and loneliness were highlighted as priority areas with which our community wanted support and the Kirk are keen to

provide this support. Men’s Sheds are a growing movement across the UK and make a significant impact on the health and wellbeing of

the community as they help reduce isolation and empower local communities.

The Houston Community Men’s Shed will be equipped with work benches and tools where men (and women) can meet while pursuing

their practical interests and skills, offering to fix and make items for people in the local community and become involved in community

projects. It will provide a vital service and space for the community, not only where folk can get some practical jobs done, but where social

connections and friendships can be made and concerns shared – or folk can just come along for a blether with like-minded people.

Adam McCartney, the Men’s Shed project lead, commented “I’m really excited to take this project forward on behalf of the Community

here in Houston. The ‘Men’s Shed’ concept

is already well established in Scotland and

we have taken the opportunity to visit a

number of local initiatives already making a

favourable mark on their Community. I was

a strong supporter of this idea when it was

flagged up at our Community Conversation

Café and, as we face the many challenges

resulting from the lockdown restrictions of

the past year, I’m even more convinced of

the benefits which a successful ‘Shed’ could

bring to our Community here in Houston in

the period ahead.”

At the time of preparing this item of news,

the preparatory work on the site had just

started.

Left to right: Adam McCartney (Project Convenor), Jack McNeill, John Wilson & Ian Jackson

Kirk’s Chosen Charities for 2021

As in previous years, Remembrance Sunday retiral offerings will be split between Erskine Home and SSAFA. At our Communions (March

and October), and our Easter and Christmas Services the collections will be divided between the baby milk project in Mwandi, St Vincent’s

Hospice and the Star Project in Paisley.

Erskine Home provides support to Armed Forces veterans of all ages in Scotland, through care homes and a Veterans’ Village, including

an Activity Centre, and has constructed a number of Single Living Apartments.

ssafa is the UK’s oldest national tri-service charity, existing for over 130 years to relieve need, suffering and distress amongst Armed

Forces veterans and their families, in order to support their independence and dignity.

St Vincent’s Hospice will be known to many as providing in-patient care to those with life limiting conditions, but also a day care service

offering emotional and other support. About 70% of the running costs have to be achieved through fundraising. The Star Project is an

award winning Community Development Organisation based in Paisley, delivering a diverse programme of creative group, community,

and individual support to adults and families.

The Mwandi Baby Milk Project has been supported for a number of years by sending funds through the Kirk’s Missionary Partners based

in Zambia. The money is used to purchase baby milk for children where mothers are unable to provide this.

During Lockdown periods, while there may not be the opportunity to make retiral offering donations at the Kirk, these may be made at the

Foodbank at the West Halls on Tuesdays in envelopes, marked accordingly. Alternatively, there will be a tab available on the Kirk website

www.houstonkillellankirk.org at the appropriate times.

The Charities, as always (and perhaps more so in these difficult times) are most grateful for the support!


Name a Guide Dog puppy ‘HABBIE’

West Renfrewshire Guide Dogs for the Blind Fundraising Team -

Name a Guide Dog puppy ‘HABBIE’

We only have £640 to raise to reach our target of £2,500 to

name a puppy ‘Habbie’. As you will know due to Covid we have

not been able to hold events as we have done in previous years.

If anyone would like to donate to ‘name a puppy’ please visit

our just giving page https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/

kilbarchancommunitypuphabbie or if anyone who like to fundraise

with their friends and family and select us as the charity that

would be very much appreciated.

Whether you choose to set yourself a fitness challenge, virtual

quiz or coffee morning we would love your support! If you would

like to support us please contact Anne Ferguson 01505 705602

or anneferguson_1953@hotmail.com

U3A cheery midweek cuppa

Paisley & District U3A members can now raise their spirits over a

mid-week cuppa and chat. A new activity, initiated by member

Mary Law and hosted by group co-ordinator Jane Hughes, allows

safe social contact despite lockdown measures. The free Tea about

Three zoom club on Wednesday afternoons opens at 2.45pm.

Jane Hughes remarked: “All the changes introduced to deal with the

pandemic means face to face group meetings cannot happen for a

while. So it made sense to offer a safe way for younger and older

members to still be sociable and stay in touch. At least we can now

see someone else’s four walls! There’s no agenda for Wednesdays.

People make a cuppa, bring it to the meeting and enjoy a friendly

chat as they put the world to rights. We are a welcoming bunch.

So you’ll feel right at home while staying at home.”

Mary Law, from Paisley, had the bright idea to start an ‘On your own’

activity group in 2020. She explained. “A friend told me about the

U3A one she went to in England. So I suggested starting it here but

then the Corona virus changed everything. Instead of being able to

play indoor games, chat in person or meet for afternoon tea as we

hoped, things have moved online and now we’ve launched the Tea

about Three club.” Mary has also started a beginners’ bridge group

and enjoys helping others to learn the game.

For details on how to join the new Tea about Three club or beginners’

bridge group, please visit the U3A website: https://u3asites.org.uk/

paisley/welcome

DELIVERY PROBLEM?

PLEASE GET IN TOUCH!


INFO@ADVERTIZER.CO.UK

01505 613340

WWW.ADVERTIZER.CO.UK/DELIVERY-FEEDBACK


Lochwinnoch Arts Festival

Future Events

The Swings - Outdoor Performance

Come and enter our world and playground of The Swings. A giant

swing set, 5m high and 2 swings, with 2 aerial artists who use the

Swings as their aerial apparatus to fly high and appear throughout the

day. The Swings will be open at various times for anyone to come and

join in. Feel the rush of air pass your face, as you swing higher and

higher. An interactive event for all the family.

If restrictions allow we’ll be in Lochwinnoch in 2021, fingers crossed!

Outdoor Art Installation at Castle Semple

The ethos of the village and the work of the Arts Festival is a natural

“fit” with Renfrewshire Council’s Great Place scheme. The scheme

aims to promote an area’s heritage and culture, and to develop suitable

places as “cultural destinations”.

Lochwinnoch Arts Festival Committee, Castle Semple County Park and

Sustrans have partnered up to ensure that Lochwinnoch stays firmly

on the map as a popular and memorable visitor attraction.

Working with the community we will be commissioning and delivering

a new sustainable outdoor art installation at Castle Semple.

To keep up to date with what’s happening go to: facebook.com/

groups/LochinnowchArtsFestival

Kilbarchan NWR

We continue to meet via Zoom on Tuesday and Friday afternoons at

2.30pm with a full programme of interesting topics, many lighthearted.

We enjoyed our own speaker on Charles Darwin, with members of local

groups joining us. The National Organiser has arranged a great variety

of speakers each Thursday evening and a fortnight of events towards

the end of April.

If you would like to find out more about the national group, please

visit the website: www.nwr.org.uk or for information about joining the

Kilbarchan group, please telephone Fiona on 01505 348627.

Kilbarchan Parish Church

At the time of going to print, the timescale for easing of Covid

restrictions was fluid, with some prospects of an accelerated return

to the “tiered” system. We intend to resume worship in church when

Renfrewshire moves to tier 3 and hope that this may provide the

opportunity to conduct services during Holy Week. The restrictions

mean that numbers able to attend will be limited and those intending

to worship will need to use the booking system. Full details will be

posted on our website: www.kilbarchankirk.org

Our regular Sunday Reflections will continue and can be found via our

website, on our Facebook page and on Youtube. You can also access

the Reflections by telephone on 01505 805893.


Lochwinnoch International Aid

and Fairtrade News

March 8th was International Women’s day. International

Women’s Day is a global day celebrating the social, economic,

cultural and political achievements of women. The day also

marks a call to action for accelerating gender parity. We

felt it appropriate to mark the day with a donation of £200

to Womankind, an international charity focussed on ending

violence against women and girls, advancing women’s economic

rights and strengthening women’s political participation and

leadership.

Womankind (https://www.womankind.org.uk/) is currently

working with its partners in a number of African countries

and in Nepal. In Ethiopia for example they are working to

end the most prevalent forms of violence against women and

girls including child marriage, female genital mutilation and

domestic abuse. In Nepal they are working to address caste

based discrimination. Lower caste Dalit women for example

experience more violence and discrimination than women of

other castes.

Quoting from their website £100 could help provide a

marginalised woman in Nepal with funding to start her own

Business. £55 could contribute to training a teacher on how to

protect the rights of young female students.

On Tuesday 20th April we will be hosting a talk by Aron Eales

of Strathclyde University. He will be sharing his experiences of

work to provide small scale solar PV systems in Malawi. You can

register for the talk by visiting the Lochwinnoch International

Aid & Fairtrade Facebook page.

During the recent Fairtrade fortnight a range of online events

took place. One event which a number of us attended was a

coffee tasting experience. Samples were sent out beforehand

and we were able to savour the coffee whilst watching a coffee

tasting demonstration and also an interview with the producer.

The coffee was from the Sholi co-operative in Rwanda. One

message that came through strongly was the importance of the

Fairtrade guaranteed minimum price. Coffee prices fluctuate

markedly on the international markets and the guaranteed

minimum means that small farmers can weather the troughs.

One of our members, Mary Alice also posted a cookery

demonstration on our Facebook page. She conjured up a

delicious kedgeree incorporating Fairtrade Kilombero rice from

Malawi. Our 90 kilo Kilombero rice challenge continues and

bags are still available in the Heritage Farmers Market at £3.75

per kg. Alternatively you can ring the number below.

We are still unable to resume any fundraising events but we

continue to receive money via our regular monthly subscription

scheme and we are always ready to welcome new members.

Individual donations are also welcome. Get in touch through

lochintaid@gmail.com or telephone 07702 544868.




ward 9

Cllr Derek Bibby

Budget: Renfrewshire Council’s budget was

set on the 4th March. Council Tax will be frozen

for the coming year. Among the decisions taken

Renfrewshire schools, and mental health and adult

care services will see investment along with support to young

carers. Locally there will be investment in Clyde Muirsheil Park,

which will involve tree works and pathway clearance. There will

also be funding for traffic reduction studies in our villages designed

to bring about safer walking routes.

I would have wanted this to go further in terms of identifying specific

traffic calming measures, as the blight of speeding and other issues

continues to affect the lives of everyone in our local communities.

CoVid-19: One of the very few positives resulting from the Covid

pandemic has been the increased patronage to local shops and

businesses, as advocated in the Advertizer over the last 12 months

and beyond.

It was therefore with some considerable dismay, that the residents

of Lochwinnoch learned of the proposal to end the provision of post

office services at the local Spar store from the middle of March.

This was a nonsensical decision, given that we are still in the throes

of the pandemic, and one which would require villagers to travel to

access these services.

Fortunately, and following strong local opposition, this planned

closure has been put on hold, pending discussions on how post

office services can best meet the needs of the local community.

There seems little doubt that retaining them in their present location

is the best way forward.

Another consequence of the pandemic has been the closure of our

cultural and heritage sites and facilities.

The future of the Weavers Cottage has been raised with me by

some Kilbarchan constituents.

I contacted National Trust Scotland to seek reassurance regarding

plans for its reopening.

Although the cottage will not reopen this year the plan is that

normal service will be restored in 2022.

ContaCt: In common with other councillors, I am currently not

holding face to face advice surgeries.

cllr.derek.bibby@renfrewshire.gov.uk / 0300 300 1274 or 07534

156007


Cllr Bill Binks

I do hope you are all coping with the current

situation and that family and loved ones will

soon be able to meet up once again.

planning: The main topics under discussion

in Ward 9 are planning related. I have received

several complaints in relation to the Reporters

comments and decisions on the Local Development Plan (LDP)

for Renfrewshire. The most verbal being from residents of

Lochwinnoch. By the time you read this the Planning Board

will have made their decisions. However, before making any

recommendation they should heed the comment by the reporter

in the summing up on page 349, paragraph 17 and I quote: ‘The

consideration of any planning application and proposed layout

and final number of housing units would be a matter for the

planning authority’. In other words, the final say on whether

to build or not to build is down to the Planning Board of

Renfrewshire Council.

One final word on the subject. How can the reporter justify

allowing development on a green belt site in Lochwinnoch and

yet refuse a planning application submitted to the Planning

Board to build on land at the Golf Driving Range, Rannoch

Road, Johnstone which was designated a brown field site back

in 2019?

As members of the Communities, Housing and Planning Policy

Board we do not have to adopt the recommendations, but can

apply our own modifications to the proposed LDP. A precedent

which has been set by West Dunbartonshire Council in their

refusal to accept the Reporters revised plan.

roads: I met up with a local resident in Howwood and an officer

from the Councils Roads department to look at the junction of

Midton Road and Beith Road at West Corseford. There have

been many accidents at this junction over the years all caused

by excessive speeding. We discussed the putting up of chevron

barriers, to reconfiguration of the road and more warning signs.

Reducing the current speed limit from 60mph to 40mph is

already in the pipeline for implementation. I did also mention

that the electronic 30mph signs either end of the village were

not working. This again is in hand but delayed because of the

virus situation as the engineers have to travel from England to

complete the works.

hoWWood plaYparK: It’s good to see that the Friends of

Howwood Playpark have secured a ten-year lease from the

Council for the use of the old changing rooms in the park. They

are now actively looking for funds to regenerate the building.

ContaCt: cllr.bill.binks@renfrewshire.gov.uk / 0300 300 1423

or 07976 239949

May Deadline Date: Wednesday 21ST April -

contact info@advertizer.co.uk



Cllr Andy Doig

2021/22 BUDGET: Renfrewshire Council’s 2021/22

budget was passed last month, incorporating

significant investment for my ward.

I am pleased to report that the Budget included

new monies to upgrade and refurbish the kitchens

in Howwood Village Hall. I also requested more

money for priority road markings to put in new safety features

at the notorious Bowfield Country Club junction which has been

the scene of many accidents. There will also be a clean out of the

gullies in Bowfield Road and the resurfacing of George Street. This

represents the biggest tranche of council investment in Howwood

for many decades.

ROADS: Many constituents over the last year in Kilbarchan,

Howwood, and Lochwinnoch, have contacted me in relation to

increased speeding through the villages, and the risk this causes.

Accordingly the Rural Safe Walking Initiative will look at a range of

anti-speeding measures, from speedbumps to chicanes, and consult

with local communities as to the best way forward. Kilbarchan will

be one of the first villages where the Initiative will be piloted, as

there have been several speeding incidents in the village over the

last four months.

SCHOOLS: There will also be new monies to establish a new

Schools Infrastructure Fund which will see a new Thorn Primary

built in the Johnstone North part of my ward, as well as an upgrade

for the playgrounds at both St Margaret Primary in Johnstone and

Lochwinnoch Primary. There will further be an examination of

the drainage issues at Howwood Primary School playground with

remedial action planned.

CONTACT: Councillors are not at the moment having face to face

surgeries due to the Covid 19 restrictions.

cllr.andy.doig@renfrewshire.gov.uk / 07534 148224

facebook Independent Voice/Ward9JohnstoneAndVillages

twitter @CllrAndy4Ward8

visit www.advertizer.co.uk







out & about

Kilbarchan & District Beekeepers

Association

Beekeepers are often asked if their bees will die when winter

temperatures plummet as they did in February this year. Thankfully,

bees can withstand very low temperatures provided they have

enough stores (food) and the hive is wind and water tight with

some insulation added. They also need to have a good number of

bees to form a healthy cluster that will generate sufficient heat for

them to survive.

That is not to say there are not some casualties sadly, especially

toward the end of winter when instead of warming temperatures

there is a prolonged cold damp spell. Beekeepers need to check

the stores in their hives (carefully without letting residual heat out)

and hopefully if all is well the Queen will have begun to lay eggs to

create new young bees. A good sign of early life is bees foraging

on warmer days and taking pollen back to the hive.

Aconites, crocus, snowdrops and gorse are all good food sources

at this time of year, followed by blue bells and early blossom.

Meanwhile beekeepers have not been idle in winter.

Online meetings have continued along with talks and discussions

by speakers as far away as America. At the February KDBA online

meeting medical herbalist Nikki Addiss, gave a fascinating talk on

Honey and Healing, which covered the uses of locally produced

honey as treatment for a whole range of illnesses, from arthritis to

chest and throat infections. She talked about a growing number of

studies that have found honey to be an important addition to the

medicine cabinet. Hopefully, future studies will continue to produce

positive results for its benefits to health.

If you are interested in beekeeping for yourself, please contact our

secretary via helenajbee@gmail.com who will provide more details

about our association and how to join. We have a Facebook page

which is reserved for members and beekeeping friends, but you

can follow us on Instagram via kilbarchanbeekeepers or Twitter @

KilbarchanBees

Colourful Kilmacolm

This year, more than ever before, we are all looking forward to

springtime and hoping for better weather – and better everything

– enabling us to get out and about more. Even gardening activities

have inevitably been curtailed, but the committee of Colourful

Kilmacolm has been active in the background. Learning from our

experience last year when plants were difficult to come by, we have

already placed our order for this summer’s displays, which we can

assure you will be bright and cheerful. Before that there will be

spring bulbs galore to gladden our spirits. Watch out for variations

on previous years’ themes.

We are pleased to report that membership is holding up well, and

we take this opportunity to thank our members for their renewed

subscriptions. These are always welcome, but especially this year

as Inverclyde Council has, understandably, been unable to support

us financially. We were therefore particularly delighted to be given

a generous contribution from the Co-op Local Community Fund.

The local Co-op provides a very valuable service to the community,

and in turn, we hope that our efforts help to make our village a

pleasant, welcoming place for residents and visitors alike.

At the time of writing it seems very likely that our AGM will again

be held virtually. Members will be informed of arrangements in due

course.

If you would like to be involved, either actively or by donating, visit

www.colourfulkilmacolm.org.uk or phone Peter (01505 872448) or

Liz (07963973031) for more information.

28-33 OUTDOORS 313_SPRING-APR21.indd 28 01/04/2021 12:14:30


May Deadline Date: Wednesday 21ST April

Easy does it

At the time of writing, the outlook is beginning

to look a bit more positive. Of course, Brighter

Bridge of Weir’s volunteers haven’t been about

much in the past several months - just enough to

keep things going - but they have been busy behind

the scenes, planning for the better days ahead. Their order has

been placed for the summer plants and they’ve chosen a varied and

colourful selection. Delivery of the plants is expected around the

end of May or early June.

In the meantime, they’ll be tidying up the existing plants and shrubs,

and they hope to be putting the finishing touches to the Heritage

Garden (although when

they say ‘finishing

touches’, like everything

else they do, it will

continue to develop and

change over time).

Let’s hope that everyone

can make the most of

the coming months -

after all, we deserve it,

don’t we?

RSPB Lochwinnoch

A visit to RSPB Lochwinnoch in April is

a chance to see much of our well-loved

spring wildlife. Red and blue damselfly

species are emerging, orange-tip butterflies flit among the pinkywhite

cuckooflower and bluebells open amongst the wild garlic

in the woods. For the birds, the breeding season is in full swing –

and song! – as our avian summer visitors like swallows and sedge

warblers continue to arrive, adding to the rich dawn chorus and

joining our resident birds in building nests, laying eggs and even

raising early broods of young.

Updates for Visitors:

Our trails and carpark are still open! Please abide by government

guidelines while visiting.

We will re-open the shop when the government restrictions on

non-essential retail allow.

Our toilet re-opened on 19th March.

Be mindful of the breeding season: minimise disturbance by

walking dogs on leads or under close control, staying on the trails

and keeping noise to a minimum.

You can visit our website or Facebook page for up-to-date

information on our facilities: https://www.facebook.com/

RSPBLochwinnochNR

Have you been enjoying nature in Spring? Let us know on Facebook

@RSPBLochwinnochNR or twitter @RSPBLochwinnoch



Snappy U3A Winners

There were plenty of smiling faces at this month’s Paisley & District

U3A meeting. Winning entries for the 2020 digital photography

competition were announced online by Gryffe camera club former

chair, Kate Cummings. She and fellow judge, Scottish professional

photographer, Guy Hinks, chose Pat Cook’s wild flower picture in

the nature category as overall winner. Snaps taken by Gordon

Phillips and Allana Parker came top in the humour, landscape and

location categories.

U3A chair, Kathy O’Donnell commented: “Living through a

pandemic obviously affected the way we lived and what we could

photograph. We are so grateful to Kate Cummings and Guy Hinks for

volunteering to judge our second annual photography competition.

They were impressed by the many eye catching submissions from

talented members.”

Kate Cummings said: “We loved Pat Cook’s beautiful photograph

for its detail and colour tones.

It is simple yet striking. In fact,

it’s just the kind of picture we all

aspire to take.”

On being told she was the overall

winner, Pat Cook in Renfrew

said: “I’m extremely surprised

and delighted to discover my

image has been well received. I

enjoy taking photos, especially

of natural history subjects. Being

restricted during lockdown meant

I was searching for subjects

locally, and in the summer there

were plenty of wildflowers

around in the local fields.”

View the judges’ winning

selection of photos at: https://

u3asites.org.uk/paisley/welcome

Pat Cook’s Wild Flower

Kilbarchan Smile

The regular Community Spring

Clean Up has been postponed.

Kilbarchan Smile this year is

joining in with Keep Scotland

Beautiful and the council’s Team

Up to Clean Up to organise events

from 28th of May to 20th of June

– watch this space for details.

Meanwhile, many thanks go to

all the volunteers who do regular

litterpicks around the village,

including Rachel Byrne pictured

here doing her bit for wildlife and

walkers in the Burntshields woods.

Regular young litter pickers aged

5 to 15 can apply for a Blue Peter Green Badge offering free access

to Edinburgh Zoo, Country Parks and many more venues. If you

would like to get involved, refuse sacks, gloves, tabards and info

are available by contacting Kilbarchan Smile on 07952 169341.

Spring

Flowers

Spring flowers

blooming in

Kilbarchan

Community

G a r d e n .

Kilbarchan Smile

volunteers are

looking forward

to welcoming visitors again when restrictions allow. Distanced

access from Friday 12th of March, or to get involved later in the

year call 07952 169341.


Equine Rescue and Education

Equine Rescue and Education SCIO is a registered

charity based in Howwood, run by a board of Trustees

and a small group of volunteers.

We specialise in working with horses and ponies who are hard

to rehome and need long term rehabilitation due to behaviour or

health issues. This includes a little rescue pony who arrived terrified

of people. One of our team has slowly gained his trust, and he can

now be handled by her, meaning he can receive all the routine care

he needs, such as his feet being seen to and dental checks. He can’t

be rehomed as his own health would be at risk without routine care.

This is just the beginning of his education.

All our horses are given the opportunity to find out what they can

and cannot do, what they want to do and what they do not want to

do, in their own time. Patience, time, and kindness is often what it

takes to help our horses heal and flourish.

We believe horses should be loved for who they are and not what

they can do for us. Ridden or not ridden, young or old, cuddly or

like their own space we are the place where they can be themselves

as they recover.

However, due to the nature of horses and ponies we tend to

work with, funding remains an ongoing worry. We have been hit

especially hard this past year as all our fundraising activities could

not go ahead due to the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic. We receive

no government funding and rely on the generosity of the general

public for donations. We are always looking for donations, of any

size, to help us keep the sanctuary going.

We would also ask you consider sponsoring us for the Virtual

Kiltwalk 2021 which we are all (horses and ponies included!) taking

part in. Sir Tom Hunter will even add 50% extra to our fundraiser.

You can stay updated on all our activity and adventures, including

the Kiltwalk and ways to support us, by following us on our social

media - just search for Equine Rescue and Education!

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

| SPRING April 2021 31

Kilmacolm

Horticultural

Society

The Kilmacolm Horticultural

Society are holding a Virtual

Spring Bulb Show, which will be

presented through their website:

www.kilmacolmhorticultural.

com on Saturday 17th April.

Photographs of Spring bulbs in

the garden or home, with thanks

to our members for sending in

colourful entries, by email to:

kilmacolmhorticulturalsociety@

gmail.com, - deadline for

entries is Wednesday

14th April.

We are hoping but

cannot give any

certainty to the

traditional Annual

Flower Show being held

on 4th September, but

gardeners everywhere

will be hoping for

a good summer of

flowers and produce.



This lovely walk follows the Gryffe

Water as it meanders through open

countryside from Kilmacolm to

Quarriers village. Affording plenty

of places to picnic and a great wild

swimming spot if you are feeling

brave enough.

The walk begins at the village

entrance to Milton Woods

– known locally as Duchal

Woods. Walk through woods

to the road at the bottom.

Take a left and follow the road

to a bridge 2 minutes away.

Denniston motte is on the hill

to the right.

Cross the style on the far side

of the bridge then carefully

make your way over the small

burn and follow the feint path

on the side of the woodland with the river on your right.

Pass into the field by a large fallen tree and keep following the edge of the

river as it bends to the left. This is a great spot for a picnic and a dip.

Keep following the river all the way to the road. Cross the road

following the green signpost for Quarriers Village down some steps and

enter the playing fields by the river where at the far side you will see a

playground.

Duchal Woods to Quarriers River walk by Rona Simpson

Length: 4.5 miles

Duration: 2 hours or more if you stop for a swim!

Rating: Easy

Points of Interest: Denniston Motte/wild swimming

Denniston MottE

Mottes were defensive structures built often with a wooden

or stone castle tower built on the flat top. They were

introduced into Scotland by Norman settlers in the twelfth

century.

It is thought that the motte belonged to Hugh de Danielstoun,

a knight who fought on the side of Edward the I. Later this

Motte might have been used as a meeting place indicated

by the discovery of a 15th – 16th century bronze or copper

counting piece, found in a sheep scrape on the north side of

the motte. (Taken from Renfrewshire History Forum).

Keep following the river, now on

your left, and it will take you to the

rear of the Sommerville Hall.

Cross the bridge to join the cycle

track – paying attention to the info

boards as you go which explain the

history of Quarriers.

Follow the cycle track back to

Kilmacolm.

2012-06-30 113 Quarriers Village”

by Martyn Jenkins is licensed with

CC BY-NC-SA 2.0


Pedal The Park

Sunday 23rd May 2021

Castle Semple Visitor

Centre, Lochlip Road,

Lochwinnoch.

Looking for a new training

challenge for 2021? Sign up to

Clyde Muirshiel & Ride63’s annual

sportive Pedal the Park, taking place

on Sunday 23rd May 2021.

The event will start at Castle Semple Visitor Centre in

Lochwinnoch, Renfrewshire at 8am and will follow a

challenging 115km route with approx 1650 meters of

climbing through Renfrewshire, Inverclyde and North

Ayrshire, the rough boundary of the Regional Park. It

is aimed at road bikes but hybrids, e-bikes etc are very

welcome.

This is not a closed road sportive.

Pedal the Park is supporting CLIC Sargent in Scotland for

the third year in a row, helping children and their families

affected by cancer in the local area, with over a third of the

£20 entry fee going to charity. The remaining funds will

go towards Ride63’s target of improving cycling facilities

and routes in the OS map 63 area.

Sign up now via British Cycling and set yourself a winter

training target for you and your turbo, plus it will encourage

you outside! Planning a new bike purchase soon? Signing

up to Pedal the Park will get you new season ready. You

can also ride for your own charity or raise additional funds

for CLIC Sargent. What are you waiting for? Sign up now

through British Cycling.

Food & service stops will be available if Covid regulations

allow at the time and we will update the info here once we

know the current situation.

The event was unable to go ahead as planned on 2nd May

due to Covid regulations so it has now been rescheduled

to Sunday 23rd May. All riders registered already will have

an email informing them and have automatically been

moved to the new date.

Event updates will be posted on the Ride 63 facebook

page

A Rider Information Pack will be issued to all riders 2

weeks before the event by email.

If you entered the 2020 event which regrettably had to

be cancelled due to COVID-19, you have automatically

been transferred to the 2021 event. So get out that turbo

trainer or cycle (as permitted by current regulations) and

get into training.


Is it time to “switch on” to an e-Bike?

E-Bikes are growing in popularity and it’s not hard to see why – especially

if you don’t relish cycling uphill!

Still need a bit of convincing? Here are a few other reasons to join the

e-Bike revolution...

1. They’ll help you go further, faster, longer.

You can get up to 15mph almost instantly on an e-bike and with no energy

sapping hills to contend with you’ll manage to cycle much further too.

2. They get you riding more.

According to a recent report by the Transport Research Laboratory, 46%

of regular bikes are being used just once or twice a week. In comparison,

30% of people with e-Bikes use them once a day, while a massive 81%

ride them at least once a week. Which means that e-Bike users are twice

as likely as regular riders to get out there and ride.

3. They can help keep you fit.

Because you’re riding more, you’ll be pedalling more – even if that electric

motor is helping you out on occasion. E-bikes are especially great for

people who love the idea of riding a bike, but feel they can’t because

their fitness isn’t what it could be, or isn’t what it used to be due to age

or illness or just don’t like hills!

4. They can help save you money.

An eBike is far cheaper than buying, insuring and maintaining a car and

a lot less than forking out for a season ticket or taking regular trips on

public transport.

5. They’re great for commuting.

Not only will they save you cash and get you fit on your way to work,

they can also free you from the misery of either stalemated traffic (the

average speed of cars in central Glasgow is only 7.4mph!) you’ll zip past

everyone on your e-Bike, it also allows you to avoid overcrowded trains

and buses.

Last but not least - they’re just so much fun to ride!

The full range of Hikobike E-bikes costing from £1,375 are exclusively

available across Glasgow and the West of Scotland only through

spokes.



clubs & schools

St Fillan’s Primary School

Learning in Lockdown:

On Monday 16th February, our Primary one to three children returned to school following

a period of lockdown and remote learning. Our boys and girls demonstrated great

resilience and independence as they engaged in all of the exciting home learning tasks

that their teachers had set for them. They participated well in their live interactions and

enjoyed taking part in Mental Health Week. We are super proud of their efforts and their

ability to follow our school values and aims from the comfort of their own homes! We

were so excited about their return to school that we decorated the school gates with

banners and balloons. It was so lovely to see their smiley faces and we hope to welcome

our bigger boys and girls back to school in the same style later on this month.

Golden Ticket Tea Party:

Every month, the Head Teacher, Mrs Mackenzie hosts a ‘Golden Ticket Tea Party.’ Two

guests are selected from each class to join the Head Teacher for a hot chocolate and

snack as a reward for their achievement in living by our school values and going ‘Above

and Beyond.’ On Friday 12th February, every child in the school received a golden

envelope with their invitation to attend an online ‘Golden Ticket Tea Party.’ The children

even received a sachet of hot chocolate, some marshmallows, a sweetie and a certificate

to make the online interaction even more special and enjoyable. We believe that every

child has been a star during this unprecedented time and they have all gone ‘Above and

Beyond’ to cope with the challenges of the pandemic. A great time was had by all!

Men’s Shed Logo Competition:

Our boys and girls were invited to take part in an art competition whilst learning from

home. The competition was organised in partnership with Houston & Killellan Kirk who

were looking for a logo design to be created as a symbol for their ‘Men’s Shed’ initiative.

We were delighted to hear that one of the children in our Primary 5/4 class, Lucy

Dempster was successful in the submission of her design. Her simplistic, yet effective

design was colourful, eye catching and depicted a rainbow. Rainbows are a sign of hope

for us at this time.

Houston Primary

School

Pupils Return

On Monday 22nd February we welcomed

back our EL&CC and P1-3 pupils following

the recent lockdown. It was just wonderful

to see so many excited faces.

Unfortunately our P4-7 pupils have to

stay at home for a bit longer and engage

in their lessons via Google Classroom. We

look forward to them returning on 15th

March.

B&Q Support Outdoor Learning

Lily’s mum organised resources to support

outdoor learning for our pupils who attend

the Hub during lockdown. We are very

grateful to B&Q for their generosity.

Renfrewshire’s Sumdog Competition

A big congratulations to Primary 4B for

coming 15th in the recent Renfrewshire

SumDog competition.

Fantastic effort from Jack Crerar who was

7th and Kyle Moulton who was 18th overall

out of 2246 pupils who took part.

34-41 SCHOOLS-SPORTS 313_SPRING-APR21.indd 34 01/04/2021 14:17:40


Fairtrade Fortnight at Gryffe

Every year at Gryffe High School we support Fairtrade, most notably during Fairtrade Fortnight - and despite not being able to do our

usual run of events, we still encouraged everyone in our school community to think about and get involved with Fairtrade.

Our S1 and S2 pupils undertook a number of remote learning tasks to engage with the Fairtrade Fortnight 2021 theme of climate change.

They thought about what climate change is; the impact of it; and the likely scenarios of what our world will look like in the future if we do

not act now. Pupils were encouraged to ‘Share Their Vision’ of the world they want to see - from climate change reversal to rewilding of

natural spaces.

The Fairtrade Foundation had excellent resources available through their ‘Choose the World You Want’ online festival, encouraging us all to

think about how actions, no matter how small, have an impact. Pupils

also learned that by spending a bit more and purchasing Fairtrade

products, the farmers and producers are guaranteed a living income

to ensure that they can afford to send their children to school, have

safe working conditions and do what they can on the frontline to

protect the environment (when the very tough choice about survival

can often mean selling their land to loggers and miners resulting in

devastating deforestation).

Our main activity this year was encouraging all pupils to bake using

Fairtrade ingredients and create a design feast for the eye (since we

can’t taste anything...!), and pupils and staff took the brief and made

some wonderful creations.

Prizes will be winging their way to entrants to enjoy some well-earned

Fairtrade treats!

Mrs J. Davey on behalf of the Citizenship Committee

Duchal Nursery

After providing a key worker service for the start of the year it has been

wonderful to welcome all the children back to Duchal again, they have all grown

both physically and in confidence since we last saw them and we are delighted

to hear all their chatter and excitement filling the nursery!

We’ve made the most of the recent lovely settled weather, allowing us to make

the most of the garden for activities, including making geometric bubbles of all

shapes and sizes and splat painting to demonstrate the effects of gravity; this

did result in some enthusiastic use of paint.

We’ve built a wormery in nursery so the children can see the amazing job these

creatures do in keeping our soil in a state which supports the growth of our

food.

We are now offering places for August 2021 and delighted that we now provide

free funded places, please do get in touch to find out more, if your child will be

of nursery age after the summer and you are looking at your pre school options,

for August or in the future. We are now open daily from 8.15am – 6pm during

term time.

Duchal Nursery has been established in Kilmacolm for over 50 years and is a

fantastic place to begin your child’s pre-school education. As an independent

nursery our children move on to various schools in Renfrewshire, Inverclyde and

Glasgow. Please visit our website for more information – www.duchal.com and

find us on Facebook. If you would like to come and visit the Nursery please get

in 01505 874358 or email: info@duchal.com


Bridge of Weir Primary School

Lockdown Learning

It’s hard to believe we’re looking back on another period of

lockdown, when the pupils of Bridge of Weir Primary once again

had to learn at home.

The online learning platforms Seesaw and Google Classroom

swung back into action, as pupils checked their devices daily for

their lessons. They completed some maths, literacy, health and

wellbeing, and one other curricular area every day.

Every week we had face to face interactions using Google Meet.

It was great to see our teachers and classmates, even if only on a

screen.

The teachers at Bridge of Weir Primary were delighted with the level

of online engagement, and the amount of work pupils submitted.

School also remained open for children of key workers and became

known as ‘The Hub’.

Pupil Anya said “Hub schooling is very different to normal school.

Usually in school you work all day, but for hub school the teacher

sets tasks to do over the duration of the day everyone gets a

Chromebook to work on. Once everyone in the class is finished

we get to play outside! There are lots of activities to choose from

like tig, hide-and-seek, and sometimes drawing on the concrete

with jumbo chalk! It is great fun, and it gives everyone the chance

to make new friends”. She continued “While having lunch at the

hub school, all the pupils love to watch movies and if one wasn’t

enough, every Friday the P5 – 7 have a movie club where they can

enjoy a drink and a sweet treat.”

At the point of writing, we are all looking forward to seeing everyone

back in school, and we are looking forward to better times.


St Columba’s Thrives in

Lockdown

Since 2020, the closure and partial reopening of schools has

been an inescapable part of school life. While it is undeniable

that there is no substitute for face-to-face teaching and learning,

virtual school and everything our community has achieved in

the last year has been nothing short of extraordinary.

On March 23rd, 2020, St Columba’s School moved the entire

curriculum online, with immediate effect. Since then, teachers’

faces have been projected into the homes of their pupils and

our children and young people have been able to continue

learning, both independently and by working collaboratively

with staff and peers.

In building our virtual school, we have continually sought

the views of our parents, adapting the school day and our

expectations of our pupils, to ensure the learning experience is

as enjoyable and as effective as possible. School events, from

the Summer Fete to the Infant Christmas show have taken

place online; assemblies - pupil led, of course - have been

broadcast every week; and drama, public speaking, music and

sport have continued unabated wherever possible.

Inevitably, some pupils initially struggled with this new way of

learning, but others did not just cope, they excelled. Those with

specific learning needs, such as dyscalculia or dyslexia, have

benefitted from being able to work at their own pace, revisiting

recorded lessons and PowerPoints after the ‘school day’ is

finished. Some pupils who would sit silently in the physical

classroom have found security in learning from behind a screen,

and contributed readily in online forums and discussions.

Remote learning has given students greater autonomy to work

at their own pace, in their own way, choosing whether to have

their camera on or off, to contribute orally or via text; to listen

passively or engage actively. Given this flexibility and control,

many pupils have thrived.

When pupils returned to school in late 2020, webcams allowed

for teaching and learning to continue seamlessly, despite

frequent absences of both staff and pupils due to self-isolation

or illness.

We cannot go back to the model of teaching and learning

of 2019. Instead we must look to the future, based on an

understanding that now, more than ever, we are living in

a digital world and we have a responsibility, as a school, to

ensure that we are equipping pupils with the skills they need

not simply to participate in that world, but to shape it.

Visit us online by registering for one of our virtual open events

– we look forward to meeting you! st-columbas.org

Follow us on social media for details of an exciting community

art trail round Kilmacolm. We will be hosting this event over the

Easter weekend, in partnership with local families, organisations

and businesses.





Lochwinnoch Primary Funding Bid

Lochwinnoch Primary School Parent Council has secured a share of funding made available through the Scottish Government’s Community

Climate Asset Fund (CCAF) contributing to a green and just recovery from COVID-19. The CCAF is providing capital funding for a variety

of items which will help community-based organisations to tackle climate change as Scotland accelerates it’s just transition to a net zero

society.

The CCAF is a Scottish Government fund, administered by Keep Scotland Beautiful, and 279 community-based organisations from across

Scotland have been awarded more than £3.2 million of funding to tackle climate change. Building on the invaluable contribution that

community-based organisations are making to Scotland’s COVID-19 response, the CCAF will help them to play a prominent role in the

green recovery.

LPS Parent Council have been awarded a grant of £4,061 for a community growing hub to help the community of Lochwinnoch reduce

local carbon emissions through growing fruit and vegetables for residents in the village. The parent council has formed a partnership with

Lochwinnoch Community Garden and outwith school hours part of the site will be open for the wider community to use.

Learn more https://www.facebook.com/LochwinnochPSParentCouncil

Alison Ramsey, vice-chair of Lochwinnoch Primary School Parent Council said: “We are delighted to have received this funding to improve

our school garden.

“We plan to use the money to buy raised beds, tools, a shed, seeds and plants. This will transform the garden space and help to educate

all the children in the school in food growing. We are also looking forward to opening up the space to the wider community and forming

strong links with Lochwinnoch Community Garden for the benefit

of everyone in the village.”

Anne Menzies, Principal Teacher at Lochwinnoch Primary said

“We are delighted to be able to expand our school garden and are

looking forward to learning more about how to grow our own fruit

and vegetables. We would like to say a big thank you to the Parent

Council for sourcing the funding and we look forward to working

with them and the local community to bring the project to life.”

The CCAF is designed to support communities to reduce

usage of petrol and diesel cars, cut waste, grow local food, and

reduce emissions from community buildings. Community-based

organisations have secured funding for items including electric

vehicles and bikes, energy efficiency measures in community

buildings, and equipment to grow food and tackle waste.

Further information at www.keepscotlandbeautiful.org/ccaf


Castle Semple Sailing Club

2020 didn’t start well for Castle Semple Sailing Club, it seemed

like every weekend another storm arrived then just as we

thought the weather was improving and we thought we might

get sailing …….lockdown happened and we remained closed

until late June, when having liaised with our fellow water

sports clubs at the loch and RYA Scotland, following CV19

guidance and with risk assessments in place, we managed

re-open in a very limited fashion.

Although all our usual racing and cup events, apart from

one, were put on hold we did continue our casual sailing for

the rest of the year with our cadets enjoying taking part in

training sessions twice a week during the warmer months.


In September we held a one-day RS200 event which attracted

13 boats and some excellent sailing weather for the day – lots of

hiking resulting in some tired – but happy looking competitors.

We are hoping that restrictions will be eased by April and that

we may be able to run some courses for under 18s and possibly

some adult training. But would stress this is all dependent on

restrictions easing. If you would like further details/be kept up

to date with our plans please contact us at: info@castlesemplesc.

co.uk.

We are open for new memberships and have space in our

compound for dinghies.

See our website for further info: www.castlesemplesc.co.uk

Regular Meet Classes

Move it or Lose it!

I’m sure we are all looking

forward to brighter days

ahead. To the day when we

can reunite at our fun filled

classes to enjoy the friendship,

laughter and wonderful music

that lifts our spirits.

As soon as we are able, I will

be in touch with all my class

members to confirm the restart

date.

Contact Fiona 07811 766672 or

visit www.moveitorloseit.co.uk

Zoom Pilates classes

Mondays at 9.30am - 10.30am

& 7pm - 8pm

Tel: Yvonne 07786 224367 or

yvonne@clydephysiotherapy.

co.uk

Zumba Light

St Fillan’s Church, Kilmacolm

Mondays at 10am

All the fun and energy of Zumba

but at a lighter pace! Fabulous

music, full of fun - a fantastic

class for for all levels.

Contact Mo 07505 126416.

Energise with Laura

Online Yoga Classes.

Monday - Beginner friendly DDP

Yoga at 6pm

Thursday - Intermediate DDP

Yoga at 6pm

Contact energisewithlaura@

gmail.com or visit www.

energisewithlaura.com

Jennifer Sloan Physiotherapy

Led Pilates

Kilmacolm Community Centre,

Wednesdays at 6.15pm - 7.15pm

& 7.30pm - 8.30pm

For more information or to

book a class call Jennifer 07731

303709 or email: jennifermcghee@hotmail.co.uk

Rebok Step Class

Freeland’s Church Hall, B of W

Tuesdays at 10am - all levels

Tuesday at 6.45pm - all levels

A brilliant new Reebok Step

class. Lots of fun, fab music and

a fantastic workout. Why not

come along and give it a go?

Booking essential.

Contact Mo 07505 126416.

Due to current government

advice many of the classes which

usually feature in this section

have been unable to resume

for the time being. Check out

previous Advertizers or our

website for various class details

and contact information.


Kilmacolm Golf Club


Old Ranfurly

Ladies Section

The Course Is Open

Thankfully golfers in Scotland have been able to enjoy their sport

during the recent lockdown, unlike their counter parts south of the

border, and the members of Kilmacolm Golf Club have been making

the most of the many health benefits from playing golf.

New Course Manager

With the arrival of our new Course Manager, Jim McMurdo, and his

green keeping team, the course is looking fantastic, despite some

inclement Scottish weather during January and February. With its

wonderful location the course is certainly the place to be enjoying

some fresh air and our fabulous countryside!

Clubhouse opening soon

With the easing of restrictions, we hope the clubhouse will soon

be fully re-opened, giving access to our new indoor studio, which

is perfect for tuition, practice and fun, social golf. We are also

excited to announce our new catering set up, offering members

refreshments before or after their round. Neil Moodie will be

running our catering with some scrumptious offerings, we can’t

wait to have a busy clubhouse again!

Charity Fundraising

Despite lockdown, Kilmacolm Golf Club have continued with their

support for Erskine Veterans. This year has been extremely tough

for the charity sector so we were determined to continue our

support. As we couldn’t host the usual bridge afternoon we held

our 1st ever virtual online event, with 36 enthusiastic players taking

part and enjoying a sociable afternoon game online. First held at

the club in 1977, this annual event has generated around £22,000

for Erskine since its inception.

May Deadline Date: Wednesday 21st April

The ladies golf season has got off to a good start this year. We have

been very fortunate to be able to play during present lockdown and

many ladies have enjoyed winter golf when weather permitted. We

are now able to play 4 in groups of 4 from different households

allowing all the usual competitions to take place. There’s been an

excellent turnout already at a selection of Stableford Competitions

and a Ladies medal. Unfortunately the Fun Tri-am for Monday 29th

March was cancelled due to the severe weather conditions. Many

more competitions are planned for the coming season including in

April a Texas Scramble and the Anne Lavety Memorial Stableford.

An extensive range of competitions is planned for rest of the

season.

One of the highlights of this is the Ladies Open Competition to be

held on Thursday 1st July 2021. It’s a Greensomes format £20 per

couple. It’s a very popular event and attracts competitors from all

over including Helensburgh and Arran. We are looking forward to

welcoming all entrants to our newly refurbished club house for what

is always a competitive and enjoyable days golfing. Since February

we have had a very welcome addition to our facilities on the course

in the form of a ‘Coffee Cart’ As the club house is closed at present

the catering staff have brought the club house outdoors to the

course. As well as our members enjoying a hot drink and snack

many passing walkers also enjoy our hospitality. Hopefully our golf

season this year will be able to proceed as planned as everything

gets back to normal. Fingers crossed and good luck ladies!!



= = = = = ADVERTISING FEATURE = = = = =

Looking for a new golf club?

Ranfurly Castle Golf Club are looking for you! We have a new

Professional and Shop plus a refurbished Clubhouse. There are

also amazing new membership offers and fun programs for Ladies

and Juniors. Social memberships mean all the family can join in!

PGA Professional, Stuart Smith (aka @GolfGuruStu) brings all

the services you’d expect from your local Professional. The Shop

is easily accessible at the Clubhouse entrance. We’ve partnered

with Foremost Golf to access the widest range of products from

leading brands in store, or online via their Singles Service plus

there’s a Price Match Promise!

We are introducing love.golf backed by ground-breaking research

introducing ladies to golf. Love.golf is a proven approach to

women’s coaching, delivered by a community of coaches who

engage, inspire and progress women in the sport. Stuart Smith is

the only love.golf coach in Glasgow, see contact details below.

For Juniors, we offer the Golphin MyPathway2Golf Program; a

digital platform to help Golf Clubs increase Junior participation.

By providing an exciting, fun, and comprehensive package of

resources we hope to inspire more Juniors in the local community

to get involved, love the game and become life-long members at

the Castle.

Introducing “Member Get Member 20/20 Offer” where members

and new member(s) (it’s cumulative too!) get a discount on your

subscription for 2 years! If you have any friend(s) who are looking

for a club to join, then get them to the Castle – it’s a win win!

If you and your family and friends would like to know more about

membership, contact the Club on 01505 612609 or email gm@

ranfurlycastlegolfclub.co.uk.

For any equipment enquiries or information on coaching

opportunities, please contact Stuart on the above number (Tuesday

to Saturday) or email professional@ranfurlycastlegolfclub.co.uk

Follow us: Facebook @RanfurlyCastleGolfClub Twitter @gc_

ranfurly for daily updates.

= = = = = ADVERTISING FEATURE = = = = =

Outdoor Fun at Strathgryffe!

Local tennis players have been enjoying the great outdoors at

Strathgryffe Tennis, Squash & Fitness Club. Despite the local

restrictions, group coaching has been able to continue outdoors

and the children have been having a blast!

Coaching is available for children age 2 years upwards and adults

of all ages. All playing standards welcome. The next block of

coaching starting in April is now available. For further information

go to: https://clubspark.lta.org.uk/StrathgryffeLTC/Coaching.

Strathgryffe continues to offer other social and competitive

opportunities for tennis players and the recent easing of restrictions

now allows for doubles tennis. To find out more information about

Strathgryffe, visit: www.strathgryffe.net.



coming events

APRIL

Thursday 8th - Saturday 10th

Animated Shorts 1

virtual event - daily from 10am

Puppet Animation Scotland - A

selection of short films ranging from

2-8 mins in length. Inspiring, heartwarming

and full of adventure, our

programme of miniature tales is

suitable for all children from age 3+

and their families to watch together.

Once you reserve your ticket, you

will receive a link to watch all of

the films at the pace which suits

you, with all films remaining online

for three days. This programme is

available to audiences living in the

UK only. This is the first of two short

animation programmes.

https://

www.puppetanimationfestival.org/

whatson/animated-shorts-1/

Saturday 10th

Paisley Farmers Market

beside Gilmour Street Station,

Paisley PA1 1BS 10am to 2pm

A huge variety of produce for sale.

A leisurely walk round the market

provides many opportunities to

taste produce and discuss the

characteristics and uniqueness of

each offering.

MonDAY 12th - Mon 31st May

ACCORD Online Art Exhibition

virtual event

All for one ACCORD – an online Art

Exhibition where all paintings have

been donated. ACCORD Hospice

are delighted to be able to have

on sale a variety of paintings, all

that have been donated by our

wonderful and generous artists.

100% of all sales will be coming to

ACCORD. A huge thanks to all the

artists below who donated to this

online exhibition. Arrangements for

the pick up of purchased paintings

will be carefully timed. More details

at https://www.accordhospice.

org.uk/event/all-for-one-accordonline-art-exhibition/

EVENT INFORMATION: Due to Covid restrictions, we STRONGLY

ADVISE that you check with the venue/organiser for updates on

these events. Where we can, we will update our listings to notify

of cancelled, postponed and rescheduled events.

Thursday 15th - Saturday 17th

Animated Shorts 2

virtual event - daily from 10am

Eccentric, adventurous and full

of creativity, our programme of

miniature tales is suitable for all

children from age 7+ and their

families to watch together this

Easter holidays. The programme

offers the chance not only to watch

animation but also to try your

hand at making your own, with

short video tutorials from leading

animators sharing simple animation

activities for families to try at home.

This is the second of two short

animation programmes.

https://

www.puppetanimationfestival.org/

whatson/animated-shorts-2/

Friday 16th - Saturday 24tH

Online Paisley Food and

Drink Festival

virtual event

The popular Paisley Food and Drink

Festival is taking a different shape

for 2021 – with a tempting online

programme across nine days this

April.

Follow @paisleyis on Facebook

and @paisleyfoodanddrink on

Instagram for the latest updates.

Information on the events and how

to get involved in the interactive

experiences and online cooking

demonstrations can be found at

https://paisley.is/featured_event/

paisley-food-and-drink-festival/

Saturday 17th

Virtual Spring Bulb Show

virtual event

Hosted by Kilmacolm Horticultural

Society with photographs of

Spring bulbs in the garden or

home. Please email your entries

to: kilmacolmhorticulturalsociety@

gmail.com, - deadline for entries is

Wednesday 14th April.

42-47 EVENTS 313_SPRING-APR21.indd 42 01/04/2021 14:16:08

Paisley Food and Drink Festival

goes online for 2021

The festival will take place from Friday 16th – Saturday 24th April and

will showcase the rich diversity of Renfrewshire’s food and drink offer

through a series of vibrant short films and a mouth-watering menu

of interactive experiences, including online cooking demonstrations,

tastings, workshops and much more.

Paisley Food and Drink Festival aims to support local businesses, cafes,

bars, restaurants and growers across Renfrewshire and the surrounding

area, with spending local more important now than ever.

As part of the festival, Renfrewshire Council is producing a series of

short films shining a spotlight on local food and drink businesses and

the range of cuisine available across the area’s towns and villages.

The ‘Taste of Renfrewshire’ videos will be screened online across the

nine days alongside a fantastic programme of virtual experiences.

Friday 16th April: Regular partners The Rum Shack and Three Sisters

Bake are back for this year’s online event with a special Rum Shack

Takeover evening of rum tastings (rum boxes can be purchased in

advance), live bands and Caribbean cooking and cocktail making.

Friday 23rd April: Exclusive live Three Sisters Bake-along.

Gantry Paisley will host a virtual gin tasting evening with new local

producer Tear Drop Gin. Virtual tasting kits, including four different

gins paired with a suggested tonic and garnish, can be purchased

online and will be posted out ahead of the event.

Inchinnan’s Barnhill Farm will also stage a variety of farm to table

experiences across the festival with fantastic online cooking

demonstrations. Pick up locally sourced ingredients and recipes

from the Barnhill Farm Shop before learning how to make delicious

food along with ‘how to’ videos from the farm.

Saturday 24th April: Paisley’s historic bar and venue The Bungalow

hosts an online evening of music and cocktail making.

Enjoy performances from The Vegan Leather, Tom McGuire and The

Brassholes, Skaledonia, John Rush and Well Happy Band alongside

tips on how to make some of your favourite cocktails by local

businesses The Gantry, The Lane, The Swan and The Gleniffer Hotel

in Paisley and The Brown Bull in Lochwinnoch.

The festival is also working closely with local takeaway website and

app Paisley Eats to help promote businesses. Food outlets who

would like to put forward a special dish or offer can do so as members

of the Paisley Eats App or through the Paisley.is website.

Zero Waste Scotland will also showcase a number of online cooking

demonstrations as part of its Love Food Hate Waste campaign,

including MasterChef – The Professionals 2016 winner Gary Maclean’s

top tips for cooking with kids, recipes for two special eco-friendly

cocktails and advice on how to avoid wasting good food.

Follow @paisleyis on Facebook @paisleyfoodanddrink on Instagram

or visit https://paisley.is/featured_event/paisley-food-and-drinkfestival/

for the latest updates.


Kilmacolm & Port Glasgow Show

After discussion with the Directors it was agreed that we would

take the difficult decision to cancel the Show again this year.

However, following the success of last year’s virtual show, we will

be running another virtual show this year! Details will be revealed

very soon! Full details available from our Facebook page and

website.

https://www.facebook.com/kilmacolmandportglasgowshow

https://www.kilmacolmshow.org/



WEdnEsday 21Th

Great Guide Dogs Virtual

Tea Party

virtual event

Pop the kettle on and join us for

a cuppa this April as we take on

another Guinness World Records

attempt! Whilst we unfortunately

are still unable to have a big faceto-face

tea party safely, that doesn’t

mean we can’t have fun by coming

together online to show people

with sight loss that we are still here

for them no matter what. Whether

you plan to join the party on your

own, with family, colleagues or as

a fundraising group, let’s make a

difference and be record breakers

together.

For full details visit

guidedogs.org.uk/teatime

Friday 23Th - sunday 25Th

Scotland’s Virtual Kiltwalk

Various

Take on a challenge of your choice

and support a charity you care

about, as part of Scotland’s Virtual

Kiltwalk! You can take on any

Kiltwalk Inspired challenge you

wish – go for a walk (of any length),

a cycle, jump on a trampoline or

even a family scavenger hunt! You

decide on your challenge and as

long as you’re raising funds for your

chosen charity ... anything goes!

Sign up at https://thekiltwalk.

co.uk/scotlandsvirtual

saTurday 24Th

Scotland’s Garden Scheme

Plant Sale

outside Kilmacolm Library,

Lochwinnoch Road, Kilmacolm

10am to 12noon

In aid of Pancreatic Cancer Scotland

and SGS charities. Please check

SGS website for updates and visitor

guidance.

Paisley Farmers Market

beside Gilmour Street Station,

Paisley PA1 1BS 10am to 2pm

A huge variety of produce for sale.

A leisurely walk round the market

provides many opportunities to

taste produce and discuss the

characteristics and uniqueness of

each offering.

MAY

saTurday 1sT

Kilmacolm Farmers Market

Kilmacolm Community Centre,

Lochwinnoch Road, Kilmacolm

10am to 2pm

Held on the first Saturday each

month featuring a great selection of

local Scottish produce! Customer

entry restricted for everyone’s

safety. Please wear face masks or

scarves if you can. Hand sanitizer at

the entrance for you to use. We are

encouraging all of the stall holders to

take card payments where possible.

ACCORD Hospice Virtual

Balloon Race

virtual event - from 12noon

A virtual balloon race is a 100%

eco-friendly simulation whereby

everything about the race is real

except the balloon, so no birds or

animals are harmed during the race!

Track your virtual balloon over the

7 day race period - LIVE! The race

starts at 12noon on 1st May and the

balloons are “launched” from St

Petersburg, Russia. The winning

virtual balloon is the one which has

flown the furthest from the launch

point in Russia. Prizes: First Prize

– £500 Second Prize – Apple iPad

10 runner up prizes – £10 book

tokens

More info here https://

www.accordhospice.org.uk/event/

may-day-balloon-race/

TuEsday 4Th - Friday 7Th

BAFTA Scotland: Guru Live

Online

virtual event

BAFTA Scotland will host its flagship

festival for aspiring creatives, Guru

Live, online for 2021 between the

4th & 7th May! If you’re a lover of

film, games or television then Guru

Live is definitely the right fit – but

you’ll find the festival especially

helpful if you’re just making your

start in the industry. Whether that

means you’re a graduate looking

to take those first steps or you’ve

already got a few credits under

your belt, we’ve got a session for

you!

Tickets are free! Find out more at

http://guru.bafta.org/guru-liveglasgow



Johnstone Phoenix Theatre Group

Johnstone Phoenix Theatre Groups’ last performance was their 2019 panto Alice

in Pantoland and members were devastated at not being unable to perform Jack

& The Beanstalk in December 2020 at Johnstone Townhall.

So, to try give something back to the community at the festive period, the Group

had been rehearsing virtually to perform Carol Singing outside some local Care

Homes. The members and the care home staff and residents were so looking

forward to this but a change COVID restrictions meant that at the last minute,

these could not go ahead. Everyone was so disappointed but the Group hope to

do something for the care homes once restrictions are lifted.

Not only has Lockdown impacted the club members, but it has also has impacted

the Groups’ fundraising and to that end their Just Giving Page is open for donations

- anyone who’d like to contribute to the continued running of the club should

use this link: https://www.justgiving.com/crowdfunding/johnstone-phoenix?utm_

term=gZQVERBPP

Over the last few months some other fabulous fundraising activity has seen

members:

• organise a fundraising raffle

• create and sell fabulous JPTG face masks

• create a virtual concert which involved solo performances and video input from

many club members which was great for members and guests to watch

Further fundraising activities are being planned for 2021 … watch this space.

To keep in touch, group members have also been busy having online quiz nights,

social nights as well as monthly Committee meetings.

If you are interested in joining the club or want to find out more, please contact us

at johnstone.phoenix@hotmail.com or at http://jptg.co.uk/

ACCORD Hospice Virtual

Balloon Race

Saturday 1st May 2021

A virtual balloon race is a 100% eco-friendly

simulation whereby everything about the race is

real except the balloon, so no birds or animals are

harmed during the race!

All you have to do is: Buy a virtual balloon – Virtual

balloons cost £3. You can buy as many as you like!

The more you buy, the more you increase your

chance of winning! Build it – You can customise

your virtual balloons shape, size and composition to

increase your chance of winning. The race company,

Eco racing, use real life weather tracking, so make

sure your virtual balloon is built for all weathers!

Track your virtual balloon over the 7 day race

period- LIVE! The race starts at 12noon on 1st May

and the balloons are “launched” from st Petersburg,

Russia. The winning virtual balloon is the one which

has flown the furthest from the launch point in

Russia.

Prizes: First Prize – £500 Second Prize – Apple

iPad 10 runner up prizes – £10 book tokens More

info here https://www.accordhospice.org.uk/event/

may-day-balloon-race/


Photographs of Glentyan

Estate, 1922

Richard Hunter was proprietor of Glentyan Estate from

1898 until his death in 1939. He kept the gardens well

maintained and invested in new additional features to

enhance his estate. One of these was the creation of an

artificial lake, now known as Glentyan Loch.

Richard’s son, Charles was a keen photographer. When

I was first shown the glass negatives of his photographs,

they were wrapped in pages of an old newspaper dated

1922. The photographs provide a unique visual record

of the estate around one hundred years ago. The image

below shows the rose beds to the rear of Glentyan

House.

Glentyan Loch, and a full sized tennis court, were used by

the family for leisure and recreation. The boat house also

had a punt gun, used for fowling, moored centre front.

A main feature on Glentyan Loch was the Japanese Bridge

which separated the loch from the old mill dam which had

powered Glentyan Corn Mill.


Local history

Listen Closely. Kilbarchan.

Photos: The Cross and Church Street 1900.

Kilbarchan Pipe Band, post-war.

Despite the pandemic Listen Closely: an oral history of Kilbarchan

1900-2000, has sold reasonably well. Any profit that it may make will

be shared between Erskine and St.Vincent’s.

People in the book have been delighted: ‘I read it from cover to cover

and now go back frequently to enjoy many recollections. We now

realise how many things we forgot to tell!’

The publisher, who was responsible for the layout, was pleased that

someone ‘liked the layout, easy to read.’

Folk who do not feature realised how close their experiences had been

to life in Kilbarchan.

‘The opening chapter reminded me of my village in Fife.’

‘There were many similarities to my time in Girvan.’

‘It was just like my youth in Edinburgh.’

‘There are remarkable memories from local boys who could see

Clydebank burning. My own memories of fires at Thameshaven and of

machine-gunning German planes remain...’

Authors Colin Campbell and Christine Macleod realised that the main

strands of life in the twentieth century were shared throughout the

country. Football, pigeons, childhoods, schools, work, the war, prefabs,

national service, the cinema, dancing, roaming the countryside

and farming were all different from today. Change is the underlying

theme of Listen Closely.

The book is available in Kilbarchan shops and at www.thirstybooks

Charles Hunter’s glass negatives were given to me by his

sister, Elspeth. She wanted them to be kept in Kilbarchan.

Ian Trushell processed the photographs and the glass

negatives are in safe keeping in the village.

© 2021 Helen Calcluth, Renfrewshire Local History Forum



Johnstone History Society

Sadly as everyone knows due to the Pandemic and present restrictions the Museum has been closed

for several weeks however as soon as restrictions are lifted we plan to open as quickly as we can

following government guidelines. Our hours will be as usual Wednesday, Friday and Saturday from

10.30am till 4pm .

Like the Museum our monthly meetings have had to be stopped so as things stand we will not be

resuming this season but hopefully in September we will be able to resume as normal with whatever

guidelines are in place at the time. Any of the books and publications we offer for sale in the Museum

may be purchased online on our website at johnstonehistory.org and paid for through PayPal. We

hope all our members and friends are well and staying safe.

Urban Historian - Weavers Project

Weavers of Kilbarchan – Who & Where?

The Weavers of Kilbarchan – Who & Where? Is a new research project being launched by The Urban

Historian in April 2021 to research the people behind Kilbarchan’s weaving industry. A gofundme

page has been set up to begin raising the funds to allow the research to proceed.

The Weavers of Kilbarchan project aims to investigate the weavers of Kilbarchan Parish from the 17th

Century through until the 1921 Census. In addition to the census information the project will also use

contemporary 17th & 18th Century records such a Poll Tax, Hearth Tax and other Tax rolls to trace the

rise and fall of the weaving industry within the parish.

Working on the project will cost about £45 per day to access all of the relevant census data in

Edinburgh over 26 days. All funding received goes straight to the project and will be used to access

the records and produce a final publication report.

The start date for the project will be the 1st April 2021 with the intention to complete the project with

2 years.

Why I’m doing this project

While preparing a talk on the weavers of Kilbarchan in 2019 it became very apparent that previous

research has focused on the weaving processes and the buildings associated with the industry and

not the people. Being a genealogist as well as a historian made me start thinking of the people

themselves - who were they? Can we put names to properties in the parish/ village? Can we trace

the family connections such as children following in their parent’s footsteps or did they move into

different parts of the textile industry in the area?

Through the project I hope to answer these questions.

Donations can be made at https://www.gofundme.com/f/weavers-of-kibarchan-who-where

New Books Published

In addition to the new project, two new books have been published by the Urban Historian in February

2021. The first is “From the Cottage to the Castle” by Andrew Coats first published in 1887 where

Andrew describes his family’s history and then goes on to look at the rise of J & P Coats. The Second

volume “Peter Burnet” is a new look at the life of Paisley’s black weaver, who during his lifetime was

known as ‘Black Peter’. Peter was born in America and arrived in Paisley in the 1790s learning the

weaving trade from Robert Tannahill’s father. He died in Paisley in 1847. Both volumes are available

on Amazon.

Everyone who supports the fundraiser will receive the final report and updates on the project.

We appreciate the support of the community.

Full details of The Urban Historians schedule can be found at www.theurbanhistorian.co.uk

Stephen can be contacted via email (info@theurbanhistorian.co.uk) or on 07557853960 for further

information on any aspect of The Urban Historians activities.



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BOXED AD

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PHOTO

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* Prices subject to VAT

HEALTHCARE/BEAUTY

TUITION

CHILDCARE

Houston registered

childminders. For an

informal chat to find your

best childcare, call Helen

Smith on 07952 390282

Kilmacolm/Quarriers area

registered childminders.

P/time or F/time

vacancies for u-5’s and

after school. T: 01505

873839.

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in the printing of an Advertisement, the Publisher will either reinsert

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.

48-51 CLASSIFIED 313_SPRING-APR21.indd 48 01/04/2021 14:37:36


sales & wants

ITEMS FOR SALE

CLOTHES & SHOES

New Ladies Guess Black

H a n d B a g . H e i g h t

9.1/2”inches x width

13.1/2” inches. £30. Tel:

01505 614503.

Tottenham Hotspur away

shirt 2021. Brand new -

NIKE size L, dark green.

£50. Tel: 07856 610671.

HOUSEHOLD & GARDEN

F LY M O X L 5 0 0 H ove r

Mower 20” cutting

width. Powered by GCV

160 Honda Petrol Engine.

Model No: 9638508-50

/ Serial No: 6090051.

Great working order, able

to deliver / give demo.

Serviced June 2020,

unused since but have

receipt. 5 years old, cost

new circa £500. Selling

for £100 ono. Home:

01505 873165 (BT Call

Guardian). Mob: 07768

631500.

Recliner Armchair - electric,

as new, rarely used, arm

caps and head cover.

Cost £600 sell £140. Tel:

07986 812483.

Chrome/glass bar table

and 2 chrome/wood

chairs. VGC. £30. Tel:

07758 370044.

Light Brown Leather 2

Seater Recliner Couch and

matching Recliner Swivel

Chair with 2 Foot Stools,

all in perfect condition.

Great Bargain £300. Tel:

01505 842558.

DELIVERY PROBLEM?

PLEASE GET IN TOUCH!

Large traditional Office

Desk (2 large drawers

and 4 smaller drawers)

and Swivel Chair with

writing slope. £100. Tel:

01505 842558.

Sturdy White Chest of

Drawers in very good

condition, consisting of

nappy changing shelf,

drawers and cupboard

for storage. £30. Tel:

01505 842558.

2 Patchwork type Quilts

(both different). Bought

in America, lovely

condition. £30 each or

2 for £50. Tel: 01505

842558.

4 wrought iron garden

chairs. £100. Tel: 07808

774209 .

ELECTRICAL & GAS

White Chest Freezer in

good working order. £25.

Tel: 01505 842558.

SPORTS

Chris Hoy CAMMO 650C

Road Bike, Dependent

on size this is suitable

from 7 to 9 years old. A

carbon fork, butted 6061-

T6 aluminium frame and

8-speed Shimano gearing

add up to a proper entrylevel

race bike rather

than a road-bike styled

toy. £200. Tel: 07968

124817.

Ladies Bike with 6 gears,

in immaculate condition

+ extras included. £50.

Tel: 07749 482631.

Gents Racer Bike. £20. Tel:

01505 842558.

TECHNICAL & GAMES

E c h o s h o w 8 s m a r t

display +Alexa 20 x 14cm

screen. BRAND NEW.

£66. Tel: 07856 610671.

OTHER ITEMS

Tre n d M i n i M a c h f o r

sale. £50. Tel: 07763

466490.

Set of 6 Bahco wood

chisels. Never been out

of the box. £50. Tel:

07763 466490.

Artists painting equipment:

easels, oils, brushes,

pencils, paints, etc. All

for £40. Tel: 01505

842558.

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.

Old records Wanted 45`s

& LP`s CASH Paid. Tel:

07710 777571.

Cash paid for Vinyl Records

and Music CDs (a few or

a lot). Tel: 01505 324683

or 07765 115347.

FREE CYCLE

Beautiful dining/

boardroom table free to

good home. Donation

to Ardgowan Hospice

appreciated. Tel: 01505

872345.


01505 613340

WWW.ADVERTIZER.CO.UK/DELIVERY-FEEDBACK

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.

Local Public DEFIBRILlATOR SITES

BISHOPTON

The Cornerstone, Greenock Road

Bishopton Community Centre

BROOKFIELD

Brookfield Village Hall Main Entrance

BRIDGE OF WEIR

Co-Op

Old Ranfurly Golf Club

Ranfurly Castle Golf Club

The Gate House, Bridge of Weir

Leather Works

ELDERSLIE

Elderslie Golf Club

HOUSTON

Outside Church Hall, Main Street

Co-Op

Strathgryffe Squash & Fitness Club

(Reception)

HOWWOOD

Howwood Hall, Station Road

Christ the King Church, Bowfield Road

The Boarding House (opening hours)

JOHNSTONE

Keystore, Spateston

Keystore, Corseford

Johnstone Town Hall

Scottish Fire and Rescue, Thorn Brae

KILMACOLM

Kilmacolm Golf Club

St Columba’s Senior School

Gym, Birkmyre Park, Kilmacolm

Kilmacolm Library (rear of New Surgery)

KILBARCHAN

Scout Hall

Kilbarchan Bowling Club

LINWOOD

Onyx Leisure Centre

Spar, Clippens Road

Asda

PAISLEY

Russell Institute

QUARRIERS

William Quarriers House at entrance

to Faith Avenue

Country View

Some of these may have limited access. Please check with venue for full details.

www.advertizer.co.uk/submit-sales-wants



ads directory by Category

Accountants &

Financial

Affluent Financial Planning . . 7

CLA Accountancy Services . . . 44

Architectural

Services

Abbey Architectural Services . . 3

CHG Architecture Ltd . . . . . . . 17

Grid Design Ltd . . . . . . . . . . . 7

Automotive Services

Collins Tyres . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13

Bathrooms

Affordable Luxuries . . . . . . . 3

Bedrooms

Burndale Workshop . . . . . . . . . 9

Blacksmith &

Metalwork

McLaughlan Metal Fabrication . . 43

Building Services

Bencairn . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25

Bridge of Weir Roofing . . . . . 14

I & J Building & Roofing . . . 7

James Kerr Joiner . . . . . . . . . 17

JBC Joiners and Builders . . . 9

KC Roofing & Building Services . . 4

Kilellan Roofing . . . . . . . . . . 44

M Addison Joiners & Builders . . 9

Old Mill Chimneys . . . . . . . . . 25

SMG Roofing & Building . . . . . 11

Taylor Made Joinery . . . . . . . . 42

Thomas McMaster & Son Ltd . . 19

Care Services & Homes

Confident Care Ltd . . . . . . . . . 11

Catering

Gadds Gourmet . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42

Karen Rankin Catering . . . . . . 42

Childcare

Abbey Nursery . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38

Cleaning & PowerWash

DS Cleaning (Windows) . . . . . . 44

Eclipse Deep Clean . . . . . . . . . 42

Fastclean Scotland . . . . . . . . . 47

Gryffe Roofing & Cleaning . . 7


Nutech Cleaning . . . . . . . . . . . 13

Platinum Cleaning Services . . 21

Cycle Repair

Spokes Bikes Ltd . . . . . . . . . . 33

Driveways

A&G Driveways . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7

Education

St Columba’s School . . . . . . . . 37

Electricians

GasMan Energy . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3

MAS Electrical & Security . . 43

Russell Milne Electrician . . 15

Fencing

McLaughlan Metal Fabrication . . 43

Firewood & Logs

LJX . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30


W B Smith & Son . . . . . . . . . . . 29

Funeral Services

Beaton Brothers . . . . . . . . . . . 5

John Roach Funeral Directors . . 45

Garage Doors & Gates

Garolla Holdings Limited . . . 11

Powerdoors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4

next Deadline

21st APRIL 2021 for MAY 2021 issue

Dates may change - please watch our

webpage at www.advertizer.co.uk

or keep up to date on our Facebook page at

www.facebook.com/GryffeAds

Garden Service &

Design

3D Garden Design . . . . . . . . . . 31

Bencairn . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25


Craig Kennedy Gardening . . . . 29

Garden Services . . . . . . . . . . . 30

Glenmoss Landscapes . . . . . . . . 29


Lady Grafters Garden Services . . 29

R & J’s Gardening Services . . 31

R Williams Tree Services . . . 30

Scotlawn . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31

W B Smith & Son . . . . . . . . . . . 29

West of Scotland Landscape . . 31

Gas & Heating Services

C Hunter Plumbing Heating Gas . . 17

Gasfit Plumbing & Heating . . 23

GasMan Energy . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3

I D Plumbing & Heating . . . . . 45

Mackie Plumbing & Heating . . 44

Phoenix Gas Services . . . . . . . 5

Glazier

1on1 Double Glazing . . . . . . . . 45

Hairdressers &

Barbers

Arlene Mitchell Hair & Beauty . . 42

Nix Hairdressing . . . . . . . . . . 43

Health, Beauty &

Fitness

Arlene Mitchell Hair & Beauty . . 42

Decorus . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7

Ferringtons Hypnotherapy . . . 21

Jamie Scott Personal Training . . 41

LaserLight . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19

Home Hardware

Gibb Stuart . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26,27

Home Improvements

3D Garden Design . . . . . . . . . . 31

Alvic Sliding Wardrobes Ltd . . 9


Kieran Turner Aerial&Satellite . . 43

Nutech Cleaning . . . . . . . . . . . 13

Renfrewshire Handyman Hire . . 21

Home Interiors



Joiners

CLH Joinery . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 44

DJY Joinery Ltd . . . . . . . . . . . 45



M Addison Joiners & Builders . . 9

McGowan Joinery . . . . . . . . . . . 47



Kitchens

Affordable Luxuries . . . . . . . 3




Locksmiths

Arco Locksmith . . . . . . . . . . . . 15

Elliott Locks . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25

Painters & Decorators

A Gallagher Painter&Decorator . . 44

Andrew Hay Painter & Decorator . . 19

GFM Painters & Decorators . . 15

James Martin - Painter & Decor . . 25

John A Kilburn . . . . . . . . . . . 21

John H Barney . . . . . . . . . . . . . 44

John Morgan . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17

M&E Painters . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15

Pest Control

RED Pest Control . . . . . . . . . . 3

Contact us!

WWW.ADVERTIZER.CO.UK

@GRYFFEADS

Plasterers

Bryan Slaven Slater & Plaster . . 17



Plumbers

C Hunter Plumbing Heating Gas . . 17

Gasfit Plumbing & Heating . . 23

GasMan Energy . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3

I D Plumbing & Heating . . . . . 45

Mackie Plumbing & Heating . . 44

Property, Sales & Let

Corum Property . . . . . . . . . . . . Bk

Hames Estates . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11

Kingsley Wood & Co Solicitors . . 5

Re-Max . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Refuse & Clearance

Clyde Carriers . . . . . . . . . . . . 19

Removals

@ease Removals & Transport . . 15

Clyde Carriers . . . . . . . . . . . . 19

Retail

Gibb Stuart . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26,27

Roofing

Bridge of Weir Roofing . . . . . 14

Bryan Slaven Slater & Plaster . . 17






Thomas McMaster & Son Ltd . . 19

Solicitors

Kingsley Wood & Co Solicitors . . 5

Special Occasions

ABC Taxis . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13

Stoves


Taxis

ABC Taxis . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13

Tiling

Gordon James Ceramic Tiler . . 47

Tree Surgeon

Branch Out . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30

Glenmoss Landscapes . . . . . . . . 29

Kenmore Tree Care . . . . . . . . . 29

LJX . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30

R Williams Tree Services . . . 30

W B Smith & Son . . . . . . . . . . . 29

TV & Satellite

Clearline Aerial & Satellite . . 25

Kieran Turner Aerial&Satellite . . 43

Upholstery Services

Eclipse Deep Clean . . . . . . . . . 42


Window Cleaners

DS Cleaning (Windows) . . . . . . 44



Matthews Cleaning Services . . 42

Window, Consv &

Repair

1on1 Double Glazing . . . . . . . . 45

1st Floor, Neva Place

Bridge of Weir, PA11 3PN


01505 613340

Our office is only open for limited hours at the moment. Please

contact us via email or social media, or leave a phone message, and

we will get back to you as soon as we can.

Please also keep an eye on our website and social media for

updates.

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.



Renfrewshire Inter Club Projected Images

Competition

Paisley Colour Photographic Club were the hosts for the long running and hotly

contested Renfrewshire Inter Club Projected Images Competition held on 18th February.

Joining the host club in the competition were Eastwood Photographic Society, Greenock

Camera Club, Gryffe Camera Club, Inverclyde Camera Club and Paisley Photographic

Society. Approximately 110 of the competing clubs members joined the Zoom meeting

to enjoy the submitted images and listen to judge, Peter Paterson’s positive criticism and

scores.

Each club submitted 12 photographs with all images scored out of a potential 20 maximum

marks. Winning club on the evening was Eastwood Photographic Society on 226, followed

by a tie for second place between Greenock Camera Club and Paisley Colour Photographic

Club, each securing 219 points. These were followed by Paisley Photographic Society on

208, Inverclyde Camera Club on 196 and Gryffe Camera Club on 192.

As remarked by the judge, the overall standard of photography throughout the competition

was exceptionally high, with 11 of the submitted images securing the maximum 20 points.

The top scoring images are:

• “Focussed” by Ken Wilkie of Eastwood

Photographic Society

• “Jacana On The Move” by Gavin Hana of

Eastwood Photographic Society

• “Lion Ant” by Keith Beard of Eastwood

Photographic Society best overall image

in the competition)

• “Lonely” by Peter DE Marco of Eastwood


• “The Lonely Bike Taxi” by Ken Lindsay of

Eastwood Photographic Society

• “The End” by Peter De Marco of Eastwood


• “The Leap” by Campbell Skinner of

Greenock Camera Club

• “The Try Scorer” by Gary Bradley of


• “The Swimmer” by Campbell Skinner of


• “Bald Eagle in Snow” by Richard Bennett

of Paisley Colour Photographic Club

• “Chalkhill Blues” by Ken Dow of Paisley

Colour Photographic Club

• “Curious Red Squirrel” by Mike Cruise of

Paisley Colour Photographic Club

View all 12 images online at www.advertizer.co.uk/renfrewshire-inter-clubprojected-images-competition

“Lion Ant” by Keith Beard of Eastwood


“The End” by

Peter De Marco

of Eastwood

Photographic

Society

“The Try Scorer” by Gary Bradley of Greenock

Camera Club

“Bald Eagle in Snow” by Richard Bennett

of Paisley Colour Photographic Club

“Curious Red Squirrel” by Mike Cruise of

Paisley Colour Photographic Club


1 2 3 4

5 6

7

8

01-52 COVER SPRING-APR21.indd 52 01/04/2021 14:16:18

313 APRIL 2021 - Gryffe Advertizer

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