2016 January Newsletter

Balmullo

Willies Wood by Lynn Maccabe

Community Council Newsletter 2016, [issue one]

Online newsletter www.issuu.com/balmullo www.balmullo.com

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STOCK DOVE & COLLARED DOVE Last month’s article on Wood Pigeons by Jeremy Greenwood prompted me to write this article, looking at two related species, one of which can be confused with Wood Pigeon.

ANDREW FALCONER The Collared Dove (Streptopelia Decaocto) is very similar in size to the Stock Dove at 29-33 cm long but there is little risk of confusion with other doves or pigeons.

The plumage is greyish buff, with darker back, but the most striking feature is the black half-collar. They breed in lowland areas around farmyards and in parks and gardens with large trees. They can be very noisy with a monotonous three syllable “coo”, the second syllable longer.

They are relatively easy to see around Balmullo, often on School Road or near the Main Road. This species is a fairly recent coloniser in the UK, with the first The Stock Dove (Columba Oenas) is pair nesting in Norfolk in 1955 and then smaller than a Wood Pigeon at 28-32 cm spreading pretty rapidly throughout the long. It has a similar blue-grey plumage country. but lacks white patches on the neck and has a dark eye, light-tipped bill and dark (Photos courtesy of John Anderson, Crail). marks on its wings. It can be found in w o o d la n d but more typically on farmland. I have seen them near Balmullo Farm and Cuplahills.

Confusion with similarly-coloured Feral Pigeons is also possible but the latter species has a dark bill & a conspicuous white patch on its rump, usually very obvious in flight.

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Balmullo

COMMUNITY COUNCIL

MEMBERS

Chairman Colin Finlay 870578 colinfinlay52@gmail.com

Secretary: Sue Smith 870221 secretary@balmullo.net

Treasurer & Newsletter Andrew Falconer 870496 anfalconer@tiscali.co.uk

Minute-Secretary: Ann Falconer 870496 anfalconer@tiscali.co.uk

Vice-Chairman: Alison Jeffrey 870674 alison@balmullo.net

Councillors: Ina Cameron

fife

councillors

Gwenyth Mitchell 870010 gwenyth@balmullo.net Peter Lomas 870848 pil77@btinternet.com

870253

twaauldgoats@btinternet.com

Maggie Taylor 07872 423841 cllr.margaret.taylor@fife.gov.uk Tim Brett 01382 330905 cllr.tim.brett@fife.gov.uk Bill Connor 077 1866 8792 cllr.bill.connor@fife.gov.uk

Useful Contacts Burnside Hall Keeper Lynn Murphy 870466 GALA Committee: 077 8033 5250 http://balmullogala.weebly.com Community Police Officers 101 PC’s Susie Martin Non Emergency Police Contact 101 Dog Warden 0345 155 0022

Statements made or opinions expressed in this Newsletter do not necessarily reflect the views of the Balmullo Community Council or any of its officers.

John Normand janormand1@gmail.com

NHS24 M.P. Stephen Gethins M.S.P. Rod Campbell Doctors Surgery Balmullo Balmullo Primary School Bell Baxter High School Madras College

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657765 844971 871164 659451 659459 659402

Advert Prices - Small £5, Half Page £10, Full Page £20. You can rent advertising space on a month by month basis or on a longer term basis. The Balmullo Newsletter has a circulation of 700 and is hand delivered FREE of charge. TO ALL ADVERTISERS – Please check your advert. If you would like to remove it or change it in any way, please let us know.

#Balmullo Life

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ANNOUNCEMENTS A team from St Andrew University led by VicePrincipal Verity Brown, together with 2 representatives from Vital Energi, the main contractors and Rod Cox from Fife Council Transportation attended the meeting to explain the impact of the new Energy Centre.

Main Street, Guardbridge will be closed completely to through traffic, between the Village Shop and the A91/A919 roundabout, from Monday 15 February to Friday 8 April for pipe-laying work. The main impacts are that Balmullo will be the route for all through traffic between Dundee and St Andrews. In addition the C25 Toll Road past Pusk will be one-way only, west from Guardbridge to Balmullo and will be used for most bus routes. A detailed explanatory booklet is being mailed to all households in Balmullo, POINTS FROM THE SECRETARY’S EMAIL Lesley Haycock of the Castle Furniture Project wrote to us – “We are in the process of setting up a befriending scheme which will be aimed at older and isolated people living within the North East of Fife area. I am looking for organisations and/or venues that would be willing to display posters and flyers promoting the scheme and asking for volunteers.

I am also looking for organisations that would be interested in my coming to talk to them about exactly what befriending involves, what we are doing and what we would like to achieve. I am actively recruiting at this stage and would be grateful for any opportunities to talk to people, display posters or distribute flyers.

My aim is to promote our scheme and raise awareness of the necessity for such a project. I am aware that some people may not be in a position to volunteer however they may know of people/ organisations or venues that would be able to help.”

Lesley has been invited along to our

BALMULLO COMMUNITY COUNCIL Guardbridge and Leuchars in the near future.

Obviously the article in the Newsletter on good recycling practice has been ignored by some residents who continue to dump recycling material on the ground when the bins are full. Residents should be aware that Fife Council will be issuing fines for flytipping when it can be established who has dumped the rubbish.

The next meeting is in Burnside Hall at 7.30pm on Monday 8th February 2016.

A copy of the Minutes will be available on the shelves at the Post Office.

SUE SMITH February meeting. Why not come along and hear about this scheme?

Scotland’s Charity Air Ambulance has thanked us for our donation of £101.84 collected at our Christmas Carol Concert.

The new look Balmullo Post Office is scheduled to open on Wednesday 10th February at 13.00. To make this change happen, the branch will need to close for refurbishment on Saturday 30th January at 12.30, however Leuchars Post Office and Cupar Post Office will be happy to provide customers with Post Office services. The new hours for the branch will be Monday – Saturday 07.00 - 21.00 and Sunday 07.00 20.00.

A copy of final plans are published on Post O f f i c e w e b s i t e a t www.postofficeviews.co.uk When entering the website you will be asked to enter the code for this branch : 17084499

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NEW - SPRING SEASON FOR FORGAN ARTS CENTRE Spring 2016 brings back the most popular Candle Making and Pop-up Cards perfect for courses as well as some new and exciting Valentines day as well as Book-making in workshops. There are courses for children time for World Book Day. and adults alike and we round off the season Limited spaces available so Book now to with our celebratory open day in May. avoid disappointment.

The new season starts the week of 11th Jan Become a member of Forgan Arts Centre for with a 10 week block, followed by Easter and only £25 annually and receive discounts on then a new 5 week block. The choice is both classes and workshops. Being a yours, you can do 10 weeks, 5 weeks or the member also give you access to our regular whole 15 weeks. groups; Knitting on Tuesday mornings and Courses include –

Sewing Bee on Thursday afternoons.

Pottery Upholstery Stained Glass Dressmaking Charcoal drawing Photography for Beginners Advanced Photography

Full details – times, prices, how to book and much more can be found in the Spring brochure – available on our website or to pick up in person.

Enquiries always welcome – info@forganartscentre.co.uk and 01382 542 062.

For a full programme of events please contact Forgan Arts Centre.

Booking is open now – get in touch or book We also have seasonal workshops with online.

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JANUARY 200 CLUB DRAW WINNERS

£50 £20 £20 £20 £20 £20

Ms Herrington, School Road

Mr Ross, Park View Mrs Hughes, Smithy Road Mrs Bird, Park View Mrs Kinnear, School Road Mr Crichton, Park View

£10 £10 £10 £10 £10

Mr Butt, Inchlaw Mrs Evans, School Road Mrs Johnston, Anderson Drive Mr Lennon, Murray Row Ms Smith, Main Road

How to Join Our 200 Club? - It's easy to join you like. We are currently trying to raise the 200 Club. Call or email Ina at money for various Balmullo community twaauldgoats@btinternet.com or call activities and projects.

870253. It only costs £1 per entry per month, and you can enter as many times as

GOOD LUCK!

WHAT’S ON? JANUARY 30TH BALMULLO BURNS CLUB. BURNS SUPPER. BALMULLO INN. 6.00 FOR 6.30 PM. 30TH BALMULLO GALA COMMITTEE. FAMILY CEILIDH. BURNSIDE HALL. 7.00 PM. FEBRUARY 3RD BURNSIDE HALL COMMITTEE MEETING. 7.30 PM. 4TH WRI MEETING. BURNSIDE HALL. 7.15 PM. 8TH COMMUNITY COUNCIL MEETING. BURNSIDE HALL 7.30 PM. ALL WELCOME. 19TH BALMULLO BOWLING CLUB. PRIZE BINGO. EYES DOWN 7.30 PM. MARCH 3RD WRI MEETING. BURNSIDE HALL. 7.15 PM. 10TH GARDENING CLUB. FLORAL ART WITH ANDY SMITH. BURNSIDE HALL 7.30 PM. 14TH COMMUNITY COUNCIL MEETING. BURNSIDE HALL 7.30 PM. ALL WELCOME. 25TH BALMULLO BOWLING CLUB. PRIZE BINGO. EYES DOWN 7.30 PM.

RUNNING AN EVENT? EMAIL ANFALCONER@TISCALI.CO.UK LIGHTS AND SOUNDS OF CHRISTMAS CONCERT

ALISON JEFFREY

Many of you will have noticed the full page advertisement in last months Newsletter for the above event. It was held in St Athernase on Saturday 12th December to help raise funds towards the regeneration of the church, and it turned out to be a great evening, enjoyed by everyone! The church was full!

piano, speakers explaining the history of the memorial stones and much more!

The church was illuminated with special lights and the historic stone memorials were floodlit in green and red.

We had a variety of performers..... from a small choir from the Primary School, who sang songs from their Christmas performance, Fijians from the army who sang some of their carols, local choirs who sang and played bells, jazz carols on the

A date for your diary - 10th December 2016, when our theme will be Carols from Britain and Abroad ...... an international evening!

Altogether an excellent Christmas festivities!

start

to

the

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DEREK B CAMPBELL Motor Engineer SERVICING & M.O.T. REPAIRS Tel 870328 ‘Loanhead’ Balmullo St. Andrews KY16 0BQ

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BALMULLO S.W.R.I.

ANN FALCONER

President Mrs. Ann Falconer welcomed Competition winners: everyone to the first meeting of 2016 on 2 Ginger Biscuits Thursday 7th January and wished all a happy and healthy new year. We congratulated our  1st Gina Baird member Katriona on the birth of her second  2nd Margaret McQueen son, Ewan George Addison and look forward  3rd Katriona Addison to seeing him at a future meeting.

The meeting took the form of a members’ night organised by the Committee. Several members brought along items which held special memories and told the history behind them. These ranged from traycloths made almost 100 years ago and dolls about 60 years old to wedding mementos and the star of the evening, a very colourful silk sari from Nairobi brought by Jill Dhanjal. Jill demonstrated how the sari was fitted and worn with the help of willing model Jill Nicol.

Mary Reilly concluded this entertainment with very amusing stories and anecdotes of her mother’s life in Dysart.

Favourite Christmas Ornament 

1st Jan Redpath



2nd Ann Falconer



3rd Elizabeth Hughes

Flower of the month 

Jan Redpath

The next meeting will be on Thursday 4th February at 7.15 pm in Burnside Hall, when the speaker will be from Eden Mill Brewery.

Competitions will be a Favourite Scarf, a Everyone enjoyed our usual supper scented Lavender Bag and Flower of the organised by tea hostess Elizabeth Hughes, month. Members are reminded that some which provided an opportunity to catch up subscriptions are still outstanding. with festive season news. After going New members are always welcome. through institute business, the evening was rounded off with our usual raffle and awarding of prizes.

RECIPE OF THE MONTH Ingredients 175 g / 6 oz plain flour 2 tsp ground ginger 75 g / 3 oz margarine 1 tsp mixed spice 50 g / 2 oz soft light brown sugar 1 tsp bicarbonate of soda 100 g / 4 oz black treacle 2 medium eggs, beaten 75 g / 3 oz golden syrup 100 g / 4 oz icing sugar 100 ml / 4 fl oz milk Cold water Pinch salt Lemon juice

ICED GINGERBREAD SQUARES Method 1. Heat oven to 160°C / Gas Mark 3. Grease and line a 28 x 18 cm oblong tin.

2. Sieve the flour, spices soda and salt into a bowl. Place the margarine, sugar, treacle, and golden syrup in a saucepan. Heat gently until the sugar has dissolved and the margarine melted. Cool slightly.

3. Gradually stir the syrupy mixture into the flour with the milk and eggs. Pour mixture into prepared tin and bake for about 40 minutes until firm. Cool in the tin.

4. Blend the icing sugar with the water and lemon juice to make a thick icing. Spoon over the cake and when set cut into (12) squares.

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OUT WITH THE OLD AND IN WITH THE NEW

CHRISTINA JACK

So you've welcomed in the New Year with lovingly opened arms but wait! What about the clutter you've left behind in 2015? January's days are cold, dark and dreary and now that the decorations are down, the house becomes a match of dreariness with its feeling of the after effect of the Christmas festivities. Your house is more than likely going to be full of extra things scattered all over the place, toys and gifts occupying ludicrous amounts of space. Kids have lots of toys and I can remember the toy clutter problem. To make life simple before the mess took over, my four had designated toy bins, Dusty Bins as they were called back then, a plastic bin with a lid, covered in fur material with eyes, nose, mouth, arms and feet, where we stored one for Lego pieces, another for all the toy figures, one for toy cars and so on. Every toy mess on the floor was easily scooped up into the appropriate bins which meant no more battered toy-indented feet!

of old paperwork at a time and placed them into three bundles: - 'action', 'shred' or 'file' making use of our paper recycling bin!

Decluttering, yes it's boring and could be a daunting task but does your home resemble the January Sales racks of Next? You go to take anything out of your wardrobe, it's all creased as everything is so crammed in you ended up with far too much in your wardrobe, like me, the clothes you've not worn, thinking, 'one day, I will squeeze into! I've just had to say goodbye to several tops and a pair of skinny jeans gone to support a Charity, so why not consider donating some of your clothes you will never wear again.

What about emptying your hall cupboard, mine was filled with all sorts of rubbish like half empty dried up paint tins, dried up silicone tubes, duplicated tools and things that have all departed to the garden shed.

Dealing with teenagers and their inevitable clutter which, in my opinion, is a natural to teens. Glad to say mine have all flown the nest but I remember it all too well when my house was not immune to this problem. As for them to bring friends in was unthinkable. I, exhausted and major frustrated after giving out constant reminders, I would become their 'free maid' and completely clean and re-organise their bedrooms. How they regretted that most of their prized possessions ended up in black bags for charity. There was no telling which clothes were dirty or recently never put away. Under the bed revealed a stash of food wrappers, CD's, books, pile of dirty socks etc.

However, it did reach a turning point when they realised they wanted a corner of the world where they could claim their own privacy and they should keep a clean room if they expected their friends to visit. I had to give specific instructions on how to demonstrate a hoover, polish and glass cleaner. But I counted my blessings as only a messy room was all I had to deal with and I'm glad to say my four aren't scarred from my cleaning behaviour and are all clutter-free adults in their own meticulous homes.

Everyone has a drawer filled with all kinds of stuff!

I love organising junk drawers, only keeping items that need quick access.

Lastly, the coffee table clutter, isn't it so easy to Oh, how I like the freshness of my new store stuff we didn't intend to, you don't unscribbled 'Just for Mum' kitchen calendar with understand where it has all come from but it is its nice little verse for each month. I then look at there taunting you. I'm not saying you have to live the piled up heap of Christmas cards but in a picture perfect home but what does your remember cards contain lots of valuable coffee table say about you? A nice perfumed information so take a special note of family and candle and a vase of fresh scented flowers both friends important changes so you don't forget next add a relaxing touch for me. Plenty of space to lay my nice warm cuppa and nibbles, all within easy Christmas. reach, as I comfortably curl up with a good book Clutter are things that you don't need, you don't use any more so why not get rid? How often have on the sofa! you tried to find something what you want but it Do you have a favourite tip for keeping your home only creates a panic attack? It used to happen in clutter-free? We would love to hear from you our house often until I persuaded my partner to through future Newsletters. create a 'current' file to store recent important documents e.g. council tax, household bills, car insurance etc. We ended up taking a small bundle

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