Blairgowrie & Rattray
Hub Magazine May 2014
Photo Courtesy of Blairgowrie Pipe Band from The Weekend
A magazine for Blairgowrie & Rattray
What’s On, Events & Information www.blairgowrieandrattray.co.uk www.blairgowriehighstreet.co.uk
The Hub Magazine
May 2014
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The Hub Magazine
May 2014
Welcome to the May 2014 Hub Magazine! The purpose of this magazine is to let you know how much is going on in Blairgowrie & Rattray. There are so many groups, organisations and clubs doing great things in the town as you may have experienced at The Weekend on 3rd & 4th May - an event that is put together by those taking part and co-ordinated by a team of 3 fab volunteers: Greg Morgan, Lesley McDonald & Jillian Page so well done guys! Listing community events on the Hub website is FREE as is listing your group’s/club/organisation details, so please let us know about you by using the email below or calling Steve on 01250 873072:
admin@blairgowrieandrattray.co.uk One Voice The One Voice Office and Booklore Second-hand Bookshop are moving next door into the premises previously occupied by the Toy Box. This will give more space for books and a much larger office at the back. Part of the office will be sublet to The Ericht Trust. We hope to open in the new premises on 14th May 2014, and are most grateful for other Community volunteers who will be helping move the heavy stuff. Over the years the role and function of One Voice has grown – the Hub website run and managed by Steve Johnson has been a big break through in enabling communications with the public and community groups. (cont’d on page 4)
Advertising Prices revised for next Issue August 2014 (inc VAT) Back Page Full page colour Full page B/W 1/2 page colour 1/2 page B/W 1/4 page colour 1/4 page B/W 1/8 page colour 1/8 page B/W
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Magazine Created by: Graphite Web Solutions, 11 Brown Street, Blairgowrie (0800 988 5521) www.graphitewebsolutions.com Printed via: The Copy Shop, 18 Reform Street, Blairgowrie (01250 873 591) Thank you to all One Voice Volunteers for article/advertisement collection and magazine delivery: One Voice Volunteer Group, 11 Upper Mill Street, Blairgowrie (01250 871 120) Magazine articles are the responsibility of the article owner, The Hub Magazine accepts no responsibility for the content.
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The Hub Magazine
May 2014
What’s On Calendar for Blairgowrie & Rattray This is taken directly from The Hub website www.blairgowrieandrattray.co.uk Add your events to the Hub, it’s free for groups, clubs and organisations. Businesses can take a paid listing on the High Street website www.blairgowriehighstreet.co.uk and have their events added to the What’s On calendar.
May: 21st May 24th May 25th May 27th May 29th May 31st May
Blairgowrie Merchants Association Mtg, 6.30pm The Royal Hotel Perth Citizens Advice Bureau - Blairgowrie Outreach SCYD Leslie Street Ericht Art Club Exhibition - Town Hall 9.30 - 5.30 Ericht Art Club Exhibition - Town Hall 9.30 - 5.30 Strathmore Screen Films - Rio2 @ 4pm then Noah @ 7pm Rattray Hall Strathmore Dementia Information Cafe (10am - 12pm St Catharines Centre) Blairgowrie Wine Circle monthly meeting - The Dalmore Inn Blairgowrie Community Market, Wellmeadow - 10am - 3pm Royal British Legion Dance & Buffet - ‘Chapparal (C & W)’, £5. All welcome
June: 4th June 12th June 18th June 19th June 21st June 24th June 26th June 27th June 28th June 29th June
Blethers Group - informal chat about the past - Royal Hotel 10am - 12pm Perth Citizens Advice Bureau - Blairgowrie Outreach SCYD Leslie Street Blairgowrie & Rattray Community Council Meeting ARC, Jessie St, 7pm Perth Citizens Advice Bureau - Blairgowrie Outreach SCYD Leslie Street Blairgowrie & Rattray Forum Mtg, 5.30pm Royal Hotel Get Scotland Dancing Commonwealth Ceilidh (Ericht Scottish Dance Club) (Town Hall, Coupar Angus) Strathmore Dementia Information Cafe (10am - 12pm St Catharines Centre) Blairgowrie Wine Circle June meeting - The Dalmore Inn Bookmark ‘Meet the Author’ - Gillian Galbraith - Royal Hotel 2.30pm Blairgowrie Community Market - Wellmeadow. 10am - 3pm Then & Now Fair - Antique & Vintage Fair, Angus Hotel 10am - 4pm
July: 4th July 10th July 26th July 29th July
Ericht Scottish Country Dance with Glencraig Town Hall 7.30pm Blairgowrie & Rattray Community Council Meeting 7pm, Venue TBC Blairgowrie Community Market - Wellmeadow. 10am - 3pm Strathmore Dementia Information Cafe (10am - 12pm St Catharines Centre)
One Voice (cont’d from page 3) The Hub website has led to the Forum, which we chair and meets every 6 weeks or so to highlight up and coming events in the town and area. We are indebted to Iain McLean, proprietor of the Royal Hotel, has generously allowed us to use space in his hotel for our meetings. We have close links with Heartland FM radio and helped develop The Blairgowrie Hour which is broadcast on Wednesday mornings every week and repeated on Thursday evenings. Steve Johnson develops and manages this magazine, but the One Voice Volunteers, and the many other willing volunteers, distribute the magazine to over 4,000 homes free of charge. These are
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The Hub Magazine
May 2014 the unsung heroes of the project and deserve an enormous expression of gratitude – so thank you, you know who you are! Please keep the articles coming – great or small, funny or factual - we want to hear more.
of second hand books, donated by the public, we sell new books by local people. The Berried Treasured Memories published by the Local History Trust has been a “best seller”. Finally our latest activity has been to work with PKC on new “You Are Here” signs for Blairgowrie and Rattray – there will be two in Rattray and four in the town. Pat McCarthy has provided the designer with an enormous number of our old photographs of the town and points of interest, and a small group of us have helped supply the texts and ideas to go on these signs. They will be available to view before final printing, sometime later in May.
We are delighted to be more closely associated with the reformed Blairgowrie and Rattray Community Council and look forward to helping them in areas of shared interest. They are enthusiastic people, interested and approachable and want to do the best for the town. We wish them well. Our small but much visited Berry-picking display is back up for view together with old pictures of the families who spent their summers here, picking berries and earning money to buy school uniforms or household goods. We have a huge collection of old photographs of the area and town generously donated by local people. They have been happy to allow us to copy, print and sell these photographs for our charity. As well as selling a good selection
If you are interested in getting involved in what we do please drop into the shop, phone or email us – contact details are at the front of this magazine. J Shaw Chair OVVG. 30th April 2014
A fresh look at the Blairgowrie & Rattray Community Council
What we are aiming to achieve : The 13 members come from a variety of backgrounds, with a good range of ages, tapping into an overall wealth of life experience. The one thing we all have in common is a desire to make this Community Council work well for everyone in Blair and Rattray. All have agreed that involving our public in a meaningful way should be a prime aim. With that in mind, we have started by sounding out areas of mutual interest with ‘One Voice’, which is in all but name a successful community association. We hope to co-operate with them to help achieve agreed joint aims on behalf of everyone in Blairgowrie and Rattray. Of course, this will still leave some subjects to be pursued from different directions for the same ultimate goal, but a more joined up approach will help minimise duplication of effort and prevent unnecessary waste of time and resources. Having the Community Council onside with an integrated approach should prove beneficial for us all. (cont’d over)
On 20th March 2014, 13 local members of the public who had stood for election were confirmed as members of the newly reformed Blairgowrie & Rattray Community Council (BRCC). The office bearers were then elected by the 13 members, and are as follows : Chair Vice Chair Secretary Treasurer
David Bailey Morag Young Tracie Dick Pat McGregor
Additionally, the BRCC decided to appoint a Planning Officer, Gordon Darge, and deputy Planning Officer, Margaret Cowley. Morag Young was provisionally tasked with responsibility for running a BRCC Facebook page when arrangements are finalised. The other members of the Community Council are : Nigel Cowley, Ian Cruickshank, Annie Hunter, Gerry Hunter, Ally Donald, Ian Richards and Sandy Thomson.
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BRCC Meeting Dates :
believe the Community Council can help investigate or help to improve, please come along. Our agenda, displayed in the public library and in ‘One Voice’ offices in Mill Street, always includes a place for items raised by the public. The unapproved minutes of our last meeting are also available in the same locations. In the near future we are hoping to improve our communication with the public by launching our own Facebook page and a dedicated website. We will be publishing details when the final arrangements are in place. Watch this space ! I hope to see you at some of our meetings in the future. You will always be welcome.
Our meetings will be held on the 2nd Thursday of every month excepting August and January with 1 meeting in 3 being held in Rattray. Current Issues under investigation : These include, amongst other items, the landslip at Oakbank Road and the resulting public petition, the new traffic lights scheme at the Wellmeadow, other local traffic related problems included in a new petition, and the proposed sale of Rosemount Farm. The June meeting will be held at the ARC, Jessie Street, Blair, on Thursday 12th June, starting at 7pm. Members of the public will be welcome. If you have a topic which you
David Bailey BRCC Chair
The Blairgowrie Scout group had a great time at Fordell Firs Scout Camp in April. We are taking on new members - contact leeann.mcleod@hotmail. com or 07528 793807
The Ericht Trust Earlier this year the Ericht Trust Board met with officers from the Heritage Lottery to present the plans for the Hill Project and to seek their advice. Their helpful suggestions have been put into action and these are almost complete. We have crystallised most aspects of the Community Survey’s wish list to make the Hill Project a very positive and attractive cultural and heritage experience for all who visit and live in East Perthshire. We have also had a meeting with a PKC officer to go over what still needs to be done to be able to present a formal proposal to the Council. The whole will provide attractions for visitors and locals as well as incorporating social, educational and employment opportunities. Once everything is in place, including a final probable cost, we shall be presenting this to the public at an open meeting which was postponed from April. Watch out for posters and flyers and please come along - this is for the whole community and without your support it cannot move forward.
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The Hub Magazine
May 2014 Blairgowrie and District Hillwalking Club
Evelyn Menzies, Treasurer: Nina Bell, Website Manager James Tweedie, Publicity Officer: Rob Robertson, Committee Members: Iain Mitchell, Irene Rintoul, William Wilson. Planned activities this session are: 16th May - Come and Try (Rattray Hall) 18th May - Lochnagar - 01307 840535 30th Mar - Weekend: Torridon 01350 727144 22nd June -Trossachs 01307 840520 13th July - North Cairngorms 01307 840535 3rd Aug - Arrochar Alps 01307 840535 16th Aug Summer Barbecue (TBA)
Since the February Hub we have had outings to Glendoll, Blair Atholl, the Loch Tay area and Strathtay. Early in the year the weather was somewhat unkind with strong winds and rain. However, at Blair Atholl different groups managed to climb Carn Liath, walk in Glen Tilt and explore the forest behind Blair Castle. For the Loch Tay meet one group climbed up The Birks of Aberfeldy and then walked west over the moors to the Falls of Acharn, another group walked on Drummond Hill while the third party climbed Beinn Ghlas in the wind and rain! Much better weather welcomed our most recent trip up Strathtay, with one group walking The Rob Roy Way from Pitlochry to Aberfeldy while another group enjoyed the waterfalls in The Birks and the views of Ben Lawers from the moor above. It was a delight to hear the returning migrant chiffchaffs and willow warblers along with the resident tits and meadow pipits, to see the trees bursting into leaf and to enjoy the primroses, cowslip, wild garlic and other spring flowers.
Visitors are welcome at all times. You can find out more about the Club and an outline of the walks on our website: www.bdhc.org. uk. If you would like to come on a walk please contact the meet secretary on 01307 840 520 0r 01307 840535 by the Wednesday before the walk or you can book using the on-line form.
At the AGM at the end of March the following were elected: President: Ian Richards, Vice-President: Stuart Nichol, Secretary:
The Strathmore Dementia Information Cafe The Strathmore Dementia Information Cafe meets on the last Tuesday of the month in St Catharine’s Church Hall, George St, Blairgowrie, PH10 6EY, from 10am-12pm. This is a drop-in cafe where people living with dementia, their family and friends can come along to meet with others and chat over a cup of tea or coffee. There is also the opportunity to browse the information stands available or speak to staff from Health, Social Work or Alzheimer Scotland for information, support or advice. There are speakers arranged every 2nd month and free complementary therapies the other months. If you are worried about your memory, staff from the NHS Strathmore Dementia Service are also available to carry out a confidential memory test. No appointment necessary. If you would like more information, please contact Fiona Matthews, Alzheimer Scotland Dementia Advisor on 01738 562358 or fmatthews@alzscot.org.
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Heartland FM studio in Rattray & volunteer opportunities
in presenting a live show to travel to the Pitlochry studio. Expenses and training will be provided and volunteers can host a show about anything that interests them – from specialist music to gardening, creative writing or film. To express interest please contact Bruce Patterson on the number below.
Heartland FM can confirm that the site for their new studio will be in the Rattray Community Hall on Balmoral Road. The premises will comprise one studio and an office space. The studio will be equipped with facilities for pre-records, training and the ability to record live musicians, specialist and speech-based programmes.
Heartland FM is Perthshire’s independent community radio station, broadcasting on 97.5 & 106.6FM plus online. Established in 1992 it is the longest running community radio station in the United Kingdom. With the aim to entertain, educate, inform and encourage local participation, the station is staffed by 50+ volunteers and is supported almost wholly by the local community. Visit www.Heartlandfm.co.uk, their Facebook and Twitter page @ HeartlandFM to see how you can get involved.
Currently, East Perthshire News produced by Blairgowire volunteers, airs every Wednesday morning for an hour at 11 o’ clock. The pre-recorded show comprises music, interviews with locals by Shona Whyte and is presented by Daniel Duncan. The programme highlights what is going on in Blairgowrie and the surrounding area, discussing events such as the Bookmark Festival, The Weekend and Perthshire Open Studios. While the new studio is in development Heartland FM encourages anyone interested
Heartland FM Heartland FM is the longest running community radio station in the UK, set up in 1992 to fill a gap where there was no other radio service. It still operates the way it did from the outset with only one paid part time member of staff and over 40 volunteer presenters, plus others who work together to keep this unique service on air. Recently HFM bought the license to broadcast on 106.6 FM and moved the transmitter in Perth, which now allows it to broadcast into the East Perthshire and Blairgowrie area. As a volunteer, not for profit organisation HFM has an open door policy for new presenters and contributors willing to be trained and keen to learn new broadcasting skills. Currently we are looking for daytime and specialist music presenters, editors and technical staff; if you are interested, contact the station manager Bruce Patterson on 07793673206 or email bruce@heartlandfm.co.uk . Heartland broadcasts on 97.5 FM and 106.6 FM on the shared digital Access channel and the Ninewells and Royal Victoria hospital network on 87.6 FM. Heartland FM encourages enthusiastic volunteers to contact the station via studio@heartlandfm.co.uk. For sales enquiries contact Kate on 01796 47 40 40 or sales@heartlandfm.co.uk
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The Hub Magazine
May 2014 Julie Baird Pilates Body Control Pilates Instructor and REPs member (Register of Exercise Professionals) Practising for 10 years. When: Tuesday Evening Classes: 6pm-7pm and 7.10pm-8.10pm
Individually Designed Cakes and Artisan Chocolates
Wednesday Morning Class - 10am-11am Where:
Courses & Workshops also Available
St Catharine's Community Centre, Blairgowrie Core Strength, Flexibility, Bone Density Management, Back Maintenance, Injury Prevention and Injury Rehabilitation are covered in my classes. 1 - 1 or Group visits are also welcome if this is more suitable for your needs. Matwork classes - pre-booked and paid per block.
Tel: 01250 871196 Mob: 079 79 79 19 55 www.taystful.co.uk info@taystful.co.uk
07963 088 112
Graham Edwards
Chartered Accountant & Business Advisers We will provide you with a comprehensive proactive accounting, taxation advice and support service to meet your individual needs. SERVICES AVAILABLE • • • • • • • • • •
Preparation of sole trader and partnership accounts Preparation of monthly management accounts Preparation of limited company accounts Completion of income tax returns Complete income tax and corporation tax service Advice on capital gains tax and inheritance tax planning Preparation of VAT Returns Business plans and cash flows Payroll & PAYE Start up advice
1 Perth Street, Blairgowrie, PH10 6DQ www.grahamedwards-ca.co.uk Telephone 01250 873465
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The Hub Magazine
Councillor Caroline Shiers
your local Scottish Conservative Councillor By the time you receive this edition of the Hub there will have been the second “Weekend”. Thanks to Greg, Jillian and Lesley for their efforts in pulling everyone together to showcase the best that is on offer locally. Blair in Bloom and the Loon Braes Parknership organised their annual litterpicks in April. Over one weekend there was a great turnout of volunteers collecting a staggering amount of litter. Thanks to everyone who came and helped. It would be lovely not to have to have these events but sadly litter is something we are constantly having to tackle. I have recently been in touch with the Rector at Blair High to see what we can do to address the problems of litter on the route from Tesco’s up to the school at lunchtime and will do what I can to work with the school to look again at this problem. I have received a number of complaints Blairgowrie Golf Club Junior Ryder Cup Less than five months to go until the Junior Ryder Cup takes place over the Rosemount Course at Blairgowrie Golf Club. Plans are well in hand for arguably the most spectacular event to be held here at our club. The best Junior golfers from Europe (6 boys and 6 girls aged between 15 and 18) will compete against the best Junior golfers from the United States of America. Previous notable competitors in this match have included Sergio Garcia, Hunter Mahan, Nicolas Colsaerts, Rory McIlroy, Carly Booth and Suzann Petterson. This will be an opportunity to view the golfing stars of the future playing on our own home course in Blairgowrie. The competition takes place on Monday 22nd and Tuesday 23rd September, following two practice days on Saturday and Sunday 20th and 21st, when spectators will be made very welcome. Entry is free. There
May 2014 from parents and others about the park at the riverside. The facility is great and the children love it but there is a need for a small fence (similar to that around the Burnside park in Alyth) which would serve the dual function of keeping toddlers in and dogs out. I have put in a request for this to be addressed as soon as possible. We continue to put pressure on the council regarding Oakbank Road. Bob Ellis and I continue to work with officers to resolve the ongoing complaints with regards to the traffic light sequencing in the Wellmeadow. There have been some slight improvements to traffic flow but we are working with officers to resolve the problems that remain. I will keep the community council, Merchants and other groups posted. I also post regularly on Facebook about local issues. As always I can be contacted on 01828 632608 (home) or 01738 553990 (work) or email carolineshiers@gmail.com Councillor Caroline Shiers will be a strong emphasis on promoting and encouraging golf amongst young people with Primary Schools across Scotland being invited to send children to have an opportunity to view the as well as try out the game in a fun way. A free park and ride bus system will transport spectators to and from the Golf Course, running from Blairgowrie town centre and Bogles Field, Essendy Road which will also be used for parking during the competition. We look forward to showcasing Blairgowrie Golf Club and the surrounding area as the event will get television coverage across the world. All we need now is good weather! Alisdair Drummond Captain Blairgowrie Golf Club
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Blairgowrie Town Hall Association – SCO28287 - Appeal for Volunteers
members. There will not be a Treasurer post, because with the introduction of telephone and on-line banking, the finances are being managed by the Administration Manager.
It may come as surprise to many folk to learn that The Blairgowrie Town Hall is under the day to day management by members of the local community, all volunteers, who have come together to manage the Town Hall for the benefit of all members of the local community. The Town Hall building is category C listed, with Perth and Kinross Council responsible for all external repairs. The interior is the responsibility of the elected Committee.
The AGM will take place on Tuesday 27th May at 7.30pm in the auditorium of the Town Hall. Please come along and support this very important local facility. If you would like further information or would like to discuss this matter further please contact Don Amer on 01250 873623 or by e-mail: nandon79@ btinternet.com
Over recent years major works have been carried out, examples of which are the installation of a new kitchen in 2010, and complete redecoration in 2011/2012. Minor works have included installing electric hand dryers in the toilet areas, new carpeting and new chair storage areas. Further improvements to the Town Hall facilities are in the pipeline. Sadly the number of Committee members has fallen since the AGM in May 2013 for various reasons, and now with another AGM due to be held on Tuesday 27th May 2014, I am appealing to members of the public and also to the many local organisations who use the Town Hall, to offer their services to help keep this very valuable asset open and fit for purpose. Without a strong working Committee, the Town Hall will close and could possibly be sold off as surplus to requirements by Perth and Kinross Council. In order to increase efficiency in the day to day management of the Town Hall, an Administration Manager has been appointed, whose duties include taking bookings, overseeing the Hall Keeper, and supervising the work of the many contractors who come in to carry out maintenance and new works. Ideally, the Committee should be up to twelve strong, consisting of a Convenor, Vice Convenor, Minute Secretary, General Secretary, Property Convenor and seven ordinary
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May 2014
St Catharine’s Centre is a purpose built modern building that was completed in January 2004. Facilities to rent include a large carpeted hall and two bright meeting rooms. The groups below are some of those who currently enjoy the facilities at St. Catharine’s For availability and more details please contact the coordinator, Anna Bowman at the above telephone number or email address. STILL NOT TRIED PILATES? Do you have stiff neck and shoulders? Do you have pain in your lower back?
NEW CLASSES COMMENCING: Saturday : 10.00 am – 11.00 am Classes run in blocks of 6 weeks, £36.00 per block. Payable in advance. julzenergyhealth12@talktalk.net Mobile: 07846 468816
Chest, Heart and Stroke Scotland
provide a weekly group at St Catharine’s Church Hall on a Monday morning where people with a communication difficulty following a stroke can be supported to participate in a variety of activities. The group is coordinated by a member of CHSS staff and is supported by a team of trained volunteers.
If you would like to find out more contact Hazel Staniforth on 01738 783887.
Ericht Spinning Group
Meet in the hall on the first Tuesday of the month 10am - 3pm. £5 full session/£2.50 half session Tuition in spinning and other hand crafts (wheel available) New members always welcome.
Contact F Young 01250 873392 for more info.
BLAIRGOWRIE & DISTRICT TREFOIL GUILD
BLAIR BELLS Handbell ringers. Thurs evening from 7 till 9. New members welcome – any age; any musical ability. Contact: Mary McGregor 01250 873735.
Questions of Belief
This small group meets to discuss issues about faith and belief. There are no certain answers! We welcome anyone from any church or none. 4th Wednesday from Sept - May, 1.45pm. Contact: M Hall 01250 883437
Blairgowrie Sugar Art Club Demonstrations in cake decorating. We meet on the 4th Monday of the month in the hall. New members very welcome, contact Agnes Hanlin 01250 874961
St Catharine’s Ecumenical Lunch Club
meets monthly to share Guiding memories, for fellowship and to have interesting talks on occupations, lives, or travels of local people. Good way to meet new like minded people. First Wednesday of Sept, Oct, Nov, Dec, Mar, Apr and May at 7.30pm in St Catharine’s. For information, telephone (01250) 875240.
Not really a “club” as there are no membership requirements! We offer a 2 course lunch to everybody, all faiths or no faith and all ages. Wednesdays 12pm September - June For more information contact Anna Bowman on 01250 874583
Mothers’ Union
JULIE BAIRD PILATES
Meet 3rd Thursday of the month at 10.15 till noon. Anyone is welcome to come along. For more information contact Sarah on 01738 710440
Tues Evening 6pm - 7pm & 7.10pm - 8.10pm Wed Morning - 10am-11am Contact: Julie on 07963 088 112 julesbpilates@yahoo.co.uk Body Control Pilates Instructor, and REPs member (Register of Exercise Professionals) Practising for 10 years.
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Blairgowrie Adult Education Association Lip reading - Thursdays 2 - 4pm Dru Yoga - Thursdays 7.30 - 9pm Pilates - Fridays 11.30am - 12.30pm
For more information contact Pam Drysdale, telephone 01250 873641
St Catharine’s Guild
Speakers on varied subjects such as overseas mission, spiritual and physical health, travel, outings to places of interest. Always with tea, cakes and chat. Underpinned by prayer.
3rd Tuesdays from Sept - May, 2.30pm. Contact M Hall 01250 883437
Drimmieburn & Meikleour Womans Rural Institute. Meetings are held in St Catharine’s Centre on the 2nd Wednesday of each month from September to May. For more details please contact the Secretary, H Theaker on 01250 871162
Stitch ‘n Time
We are a friendly group of quilters who meet on a Wednesday afternoon at 2-4 in the hall. All abilities are most welcome Help given if needed. For more information please call Angela on 01250 883330.
Blairgowrie, Rattray and District Local History Trust Meet 4 times a year, usually on the 3rd Thursday of the month in January, April, July and October. The aims of the Trust are to collect, record, preserve, arrange, display and publish items of local history. If you are interested in helping with the work of the Trust contact the secretary, Jean McIntyre, on 01250 884278 or jeancmcintyre@aol.com
The Hub Magazine
May 2014 Why Make a Will? Here are 7 good reasons why:
may not do so if you die without making a Will.
1. With no Will, your hard earned money and assets could end up going to someone other than the people you intend to benefit from your estate or worse still, to the government!
You should review your Will regularly particularly if your personal circumstances such as marital or civil partnership status have changed as an ex-spouse or ex-civil partner may still be entitled to your estate under the terms of your existing Will.
2. Your wishes would not be taken into account and they might be very specific and important to you. 3. It takes longer to wind up an estate if you die without making a Will. 4. Inheritance tax might have implications for your estate so it’s worth taking correct advice before writing a Will. 5. If you do not appoint your own executor or executors the court has to appoint a suitable executor and this all adds to the delay in winding up your estate. 6. Children can take their inheritance at 16 but you might not wish that to happen and you may want either your own children or grandchildren to take their inheritance at a later age of say 18 or 21. 7. If you want your spouse or civil partner to benefit from the whole of your estate, they Blairgowrie Is The Answer (BITA) Blairgowrie is the Answer is a Facebook page set up by Greg Morgan who has lived in Blairgowrie and Rattray since 1985. He set the page up because he noticed there was no page to see what was going on in town. Greg advises “I wanted to know of local events, clubs and other goings on but could not find anything to answer my questions. It was then Blairgowrie Is The Answer was born. Blairgowrie Is The Answer or BITA as it is known is a Facebook page that allows locals young and old and across the globe and of course on Facebook to advertise, sell, promote, encourage, and post anything Blairgowrie and Rattray related. The page was well recieved by the community and I have been invited to a few events because of it. BITA is a forum for the community, a plat-
It’s worth taking the time to think through how you would like your Will to be drawn up and who will be your beneficiaries; if you have specific views about your burial you can put in the type of funeral you would like; who you would like to appoint as your executors; if you have young children who you would appoint as their Guardian; who you would like to leave specific items to and much more. Your will is one of the most important documents you will sign so it is worth taking proper legal advice from a Solicitor, rather than getting an “off the shelf ” version which may not be Legally valid. Advice & Article Provided By Farah Adams LLB, Dip, Solicitor & Notary Public, 19 Newton Street, Blairgowrie. t: 01250 874485 form to turn to if you require an answer to a question about Blair. If I don’t know one of the 1500 people on it will. My original aim and target audience was the young teenagers of this town, but was way out when everyone from all sorts of walks of life started interacting with it. I feel it is a useful tool for tourists as well as locals. I am also aware that it is keeping folks that have moved away in touch with their town and its activities. In the beginning I was constantly managing the page because there was no one else but as I said before I now have 1500 helpers. The page is growing and working on its own and that in itself is an achievement. It means that it is well used and appreciated. BITA has become quite well known to the community and is involved in a few groups around the town. Businesses are using it to
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advertise themselves and their offers. Local youth groups use it to promote their activity and lots of other organisations use it. We like a good debate on the page and it gets peoples opinion on certain activity ongoing in the town. It attracts attention from councillors and Police so sometimes we are heard without going face to face. Social media is a very fast way of hitting your target audience with a massive outcome. Although the page had 1500 likes it reaches sometimes 10,000 Facebook users via friends
of the page. So for example an advert for an event can be seen by thousands within hours of it being advertised. This is why so many business owners use social media and it’s why I try and push the page. Thank you for taking the time to read this brief article. I hope it in some way explains the importance of modern advertising and encourages you to like the page. I would like to thank everyone on the page and to all who use it as a tool for their own benefit.” Greg Morgan
International Womens Day
rescue services. Photo of Nick Cole handing the cheque over in the sun.
The recent successful trip up the Munro Carn Aosda by 63 women in commemoration of International Women’s Day raised £431 for the Scottish Charity Air Ambulance. This event organised by Blairgowrie and District Next Steps gave many of the participants a first hand experience of ascending a mountain in full winter conditions, and an appreciation of the hazards faced at that time if year by all our
Find Your Fit the fun way with Fiona Edwards Qualified Exercise to Music Instructor
Join me for fun energising easy to follow dance fitness routines that can assist you in weight/inch loss, raise your fitness levels and motivate you on your healthy lifestyle journey. Introduce yourself to a healthier happier you!
Timetable. Alyth Town Hall Mondays Bokwa 5.30pm Wednesdays Zumba 6pm Alyth Bowling Club Wednesdays Piloxing 7.30pm Coupar Angus Town Hall Mondays Zumba 7pm
Rattray Hall Tuesdays Zumba 6.30pm Piloxing 7.30pm Thursdays Bokwa 6.30pm Piloxing 7.30pm (trial) Saturdays Bokwa 9am Classes £3.50 or 10 for £28 - Bargain! Check with Fiona that classes are on.
Find me on Facebook Fiona Edwards or ZumbaBokwa Blairgowrie www.findyourfit.co.uk mobile 07921 180 715 Please get in touch with any query, also available for teambuilding corporate events. Exercise has never been so much fun with a warm friendly atmosphere, prepare to smile. Remember consistent Effort = Results.
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May 2014
Blairgowrie, Rattray & District Pipe Band The Blairgowrie Pipe Band is set for the start of the playing season. With new pipe major Derek Marr at the helm the band have welcomed the experience he brings. The band repertoire has been refreshed and they are set to show off their talents in 2014. The band have confirmed to play at various events including ‘The Weekend’ being held in Blairgowrie in May and at the Blairgowrie Highland Games later this year. This year the Pipe Band’s management committee saw a change in membership and now includes a larger representation by the younger members of the band. This reflects the vision of the Band that the youth are the future and their opinions are valued. The band president Brigadier Mel Jameson said “I am delighted to see so many young people joining the pipe band; as a young piper myself, wherever I was in the world I found it a great asset to be able to play the pipes. The Pipe Band has a great future both in serving the local Community and with exciting plans to visit Germany and other places abroad.” The Blairgowrie Pipe Band is in the process of enrolling all of their young people for Youth Achievement & Saltire awards giving them an external award for the hard work and commitment they put into the band. The band are committed to give their members the best pipe band experience they can and are already in the planning process to visit their twin band The Spessart Highlanders in Aschaffenburg Germany in the summer of 2016. To find out more information about the band visit www.blairgowriepipeband. co.uk or contact the Band Secretary Scott Jewell on 07543668871 or email web@blairgowriepipeband.co.uk.
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Councillor Bob Ellis
event. It is without doubt that our town and area will be very busy with golfers and spectators during the Ryder Cup, which has to be good as far as the local economy is concerned.
your local Scottish Nationalist Party Councillor Over the past months, I have been contacted by many local walkers about the Knockie Path and the fact that it looks so bare after the farmer had taken away the verges. I hope that now people will see that a lot of work has been done with the planting of trees, shrubs and a hedge. Obviously these will take time to grow but nevertheless the work which was done by the owner, one of Perth & Kinross’s Rangers along with volunteers will enhance this popular walk.
A public meeting was held on the 9th April in the Town Hall about the possible community buy out of Rosemount Farm, which is owned by the Co-op. I had the pleasure of chairing this well attended meeting and introducing the various speakers. The end result was that a Steering Group was formed to look at exploring a way forward and we now await a response from the Co-op on whether they are selling all 15 farms across the UK or otherwise.
Speaking of walks, we are now waiting on the results of the investigations on the landslip on Oakbank Road. I can assure readers that I will not rest until some positive action has been taken by the Council.
The annual litter picks took place over the weekend of the 12th / 13th April, with the Saturday focussed on the Loon Braes and I think it is safe to say that not one scrap of litter was missed. The paths are looking great but there is more work to be carried out under the Loon Braes Parknership over the coming months. The next day saw numerous people out covering Blairgowrie & Rattray with around 15 to 20 bags of litter and other objects collected. It is a great pity that this kind of work has to be done but there we are. It has to be said though that one of the main areas in question is the Back Brae and I am sorry to say that it appears to be the lunchtime run from the High School down to Tesco. We are at present seeking a meeting with the School to try and rectify this.
All of the work has now finished around the Wellmeadow and down at the riverside although I am aware that there are concerns about the play area and its closeness to the river. My colleagues and I share these concerns and have asked that some sort of fence be erected not just for the safety of children but also to keep dogs out of the play area. It is very pleasing to see a new and vibrant Community Council back representing the residents of Blairgowrie & Rattray. I attended the first meeting, which was held in Rattray and attended by many residents as well. I look forward to working with all of the Community Councillors on the various issues that come up.
Councillor Bob Ellis Home: 01250873899 Work: 01738475041 email: rsellis@pkc.gov.uk
I attended the Junior Ryder Cup Business Breakfast in April wearing a couple of hats and it was a very informative meeting with presentations on all aspects of this prestigious
Ericht Scottish Country Dance Club Wherever you are in the world, The Commonwealth Ceilidh begins at 19.30 on Saturday 21 June, and then follows the time zones to create a 24 hour global ceilidh event to celebrate the Glasgow 2014 Commonwealth Games. Ericht SCD class is holding a ‘Get Scotland
Dancing Commonwealth Ceilidh’ in the Town Hall, Coupar Angus on June 21st at 7.30pm. Band - Jim Lindsay. Entry £5.00. Light refreshments. Tea and Coffee available but B.Y.O.B. All welcome, Tickets will be available at the beginning of June from Jan - tel 01250 870975 or Pat on 01250 873577
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Mike’s Mobile Valet
Professional Vehicle Cleaning Service
Home: 01250 874709 / Mobile: 07894 637764 www.facebook.com/MikeMobileValet Vehicle Washing Full Valet Waxing Clay Bar Cleaning Alloy Wheel Cleaning
Interior Valets ExteriorValets Hoovering and Dusting Stain Removal Polishing Tar and Bug Removal Pet Hair Removal Express Wax Carpet and Upholstery Cleaning
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May 2014
Gastronomy with Gourmet Gandolfo Gaggiolo Gastronomy? Gourmet? Gandlolfo? Gaggiolo? Yes, I hear you asking, “what’s this all about? What does this all mean?” Well, take a breath, (or a chill pill as they would say in the TV recording studios) let me explain. Hello my name is Gandolfo Gaggiolo, world renowned master chef, restaurant critic and Ferret Herder. My dream (apart from world peace and a cure for male baldness) is to take my fans on a journey in all things gastronomic, to get into the kitchen, to know where to eat when dining out and help develop an expert understanding to impress your friends, family and Therapist. So, where do we start? Can you guess? No, it’s not with Prawn Cocktail and Chicken Maryland! I want all my fans to begin our journey with a basic dish, the plain old omelette. Pah, I hear you say! But did you know that when man first landed on the moon, someone in the strategic intelligence department in NASA had an omelette for lunch? I rest my case!! Now, let’s get cooking! This incidentally is one of my four catchphrases! Stage 1 What do you need? Please see the picture on the right. 1. Eggs - I prefer the eggs derived from Chickens but feel free to experiment. Be aware what day you cook though as eggs don’t like frydays! 2. Milk - Again, most people don’t tend to experiment so feel free to use cow milk but if like Aynsley Harriot (who uses Badger Milk) you want go a “bit out-there” try another type. 3. Butter - Be careful here though as I know if you use butter there is little margarine for error. Stage 2 Ok, I have my ingredients in place, what next? Please see picture. I think that the crucial picture is self-explanatory but please be aware that you should remove the plastic bowl from the frying pan before igniting your blowtorch, bunson burner or whatever else you decide you want to cook on. Result So, that was easy wasn’t it? And if you followed my instructions it should taste fantastic and only cost no more than £12.42 (depends on the type of eggs and milk you used as well as your energy tariff) to produce. You will be pleased to know that I have waived my usual fee for the production of this article but I am available for private hire (£394.27 per hour) and Ferret herding should you wish to contact me. My next article in the next edition will be---- “Fun with beans”
Read my lips The Adult Education Association new Lipreading Classes in Blairgowrie have been a great success. It is 20 weeks since the classes started and over a dozen hearing impaired people have learnt the benefits of lipreading. Learning to lip read takes time, but it helps the
hard of hearing to communicate much more easily. The classes teach how to look at and understand the movements and pattern on other people’s lips, about facial expressions, how to interpret sounds and fill in the missing words using your memory. People with hearing aids find it very helpful when coping with background noise. However, the classes include
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May 2014 more than just learning to lipread.
talk about their services within Perth and Kinross. A home visit by a member of NESS could also be arranged to discuss the different types of equipment they can provide, such as a flashing doorbell or equipment to help watch television. Further talks scheduled are from Hearing Dogs for the Deaf and information on Action on Hearing Loss drop in centres.
Since they started Susan Brown, the lipreading tutor, has had many visits from outside agencies that can help the students cope with their hearing loss. These have included an audiologist, who explained how the ear works and who brought along different types of hearing aids to discuss their different advantages and drawbacks. The Fire Service, who talked about “Safety in the Home” and explained about the special smoke alarms available for the hard of hearing, which was followed up with a home visit from a Fire Safety Officer to carry out a safety check. The NESS, North East Sensory Service, came to
Lipreading gives the hard of hearing the opportunity to meet people with similar problems. It is fun, friendly and taught by a qualified tutor. If you would like to know more or find out about local future classes, contact Susan Brown on 01250 872861 or mobile 07940333924.
William Scott Books on Bannockburn
on foot, himself on foot in the lead, down from the Dryfield through Balquhidderock Wood and right up to the English cavalry lines who were best placed for the expected foxhunt of rebels that day. The overconfident English had been drinking all night and never noticed the quiet Scots approaching out of the dark background of the wood. Five yards away, the Scots set their pikes and the English had little space to charge. The pike had the butt in the ground so that the energy of horse and rider was taken by the ground, not the man. The pikes were expected to break and did so but they halted the cavalry, who could not move sideways because of the bounding streams, deeper than usual and muddied by an army. The space behind the cavalry was filled by infantry and hangers on, eager to see the sport, so the cavalry could not retreat and were hauled down and killed. The Scots knelt down and the 15 ft pikes projected over the shoulders of the men in front. 14 pikes hit the horse and rider who were stopped before his lance hit anyone. This saved Scottish lives. Few Scots were killed. The English archers could not see over the heads of their mounted cavalry to aim at kneeling Scots and shot some of their own men in the back and were told to stop. King Edward watched his knights being killed and then, to save paying a ransom for his capture, he fled the field. That is what happened. It has all been proved in these six books by this author.
Two recently published books by William Scott are for sale at One Voice: The Genius of Bannockburn, a 500 page work which explains everything about the battle and proves it using 104 coloured images of maps and photos and numerous documents from the time. This is on sale at a special price of £5. The other book is “Bruce’s Genius Battle”, a Reconstruction of the Battle of Bannockburn in the form of a story which is therefore easily read with, in the end notes, proofs of all the main results and 32 pages of coloured images. This is £9.99. These are the fifth and sixth books by this author, the first, ‘Bannockburn Revealed’, was published in the year 2000 and has all the reports translated and many important documents, seen for the first time. A half hour interview on Heartland Radio was broadcast with William at that time for that first book was written in Pitlochry, which made travel to and from the battle field convenient. All the Bannockburn Problems have been solved in these books. What happened? Bruce defended the road at the bottleneck at Milton Ford and repulsed the English who then camped by arrangement in the Carse among the pools of water which are a regular feature after heavy rain and useful on a midsummer day for thirsty men and horses: an excellent place to camp. Early next day, Bruce led his entire army
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Gardening and Landscaping
FREE Quotations on all Gardening and Landscaping works!
D A Groundcare
D A Groundcare, High Street, Rattray, Blairgowrie, PH10 7DF. 01250 875588 info@dagroundcare.co.uk. www.dagroundcare.co.uk Strathmore Screen Makes Its Mark in East Perthshire Community cinema in the area is going from strength to strength with Strathmore Screen regularly attracting audiences of between fifty and 100 per film screening. Films continue to be shown once a month, on a Sunday in Rattray Hall, with an afternoon children’s film followed by an evening film. The screenings are near to commercial cinema quality with state-of-the-art digital projection equipment (thanks to Film Mobile Scotland!) and films that have only been released in the big cinemas a few weeks earlier. Founder Lesley Crichton said, “we’re really delighted with the way the cinema is going, and it looks like we’re here for the long haul. Local support has been phenomenal, and the people of East Perthshire are telling us that they want community cinema, they want it regularly and they want it to stay. We have been forging links with Film Hub Scotland and other community cinemas in the wider area, and this has given us loads of inspiration as well as possible access to funding for
future projects, which include our ultimate goal which is to raise enough money to buy our own cinema equipment, which would give us a huge amount of flexibility.” Strathmore Screen’s next films are on the 25th May with Rio 2 at 4pm and Noah at 7pm. 22nd June films will be Tarzan and Calvary. Doors open 30 minutes before screenings and as always there will be a tuck shop at the kids’ screening and the now legendary home baking, teas and coffees before the evening film. You can find Strathmore Screen on Facebook and Twitter, and full details are available at www.strathmorescreen. co.uk
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ACG Accounting Services Working with Sole Traders and Small Businesses Based in Alyth, we specialise in Sole Traders, Small Employers and Small Businesses in Blairgowrie and East Perthshire. First consultation is free, so don’t be afraid to give us a call for an informal chat on how we can help. We concentrate on providing a professional and friendly service allowing you to focus on managing and growing your business and doing the work you enjoy, rather than being overwhelmed with administration. Fees are fixed for all our services so there are no surprises and no hidden or set-up costs. We offer a flexible payment plan as an option. A professional, personalised, friendly and confidential service is central to our business approach.
36 Smythe Street, Alyth. Tel: 01828 634140 ; Mobile: 07999694006 Email: enquiries@acgaccountingservices.co.uk
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www. acgaccountingservices.co.uk
The Hub Magazine
May 2014
Share offer ends 9th June. Offer documents available on website, by post or pick up from: A & R Robertson & Black Solicitors, Allan Street, Blairgowrie; East of Scotland Farmers, Coupar Angus; David Sim Hardware, Market Square, Alyth.
Little’s Restaurant 4 Wellmeadow, Blairgowrie PH10 6ND
Tel: 01250 875358 A Dining Experience Not To Be Missed Willie Little is passionate about all things fishy so our daily changing specials always feature a variety of fresh fish and shellfish Local, seasonal meat and game not forgetting freshly made pizza Open Tuesday – Saturday www.littlesrestaurant.co.uk 23
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May 2014
Altamount House Hotel Coupar Angus Road, Blairgowrie - PH10 6JN www.facebook.com/altamounthouse Tel : 01250 87 35 12 / info@altamounthouse.co.uk
New Owners Two Restaurants: Italian and Scottish Cuisine Reception room ideal for Conferences, Parties, Weddings etc‌ Cater for 120 guests, Buffet for 150 24
The Hub Magazine
May 2014 Wester Derry Wind Co-operative builds momentum
An innovative project designed to allow people to own and share in the benefits of local wind turbine is officially up and running. The Wester Derry Wind Co-operative launched on the 7th April and members of the public can now become members of the co-‐operative. They can buy shares from as little as £250 up to £50,000 and will receive a good return on their investment, along with substantial tax benefits. The project is the brainchild of Glen Isla farmers Alastair and Diane Ramsay and aims to be the second wholly co-operatively owned wind turbine development in Scotland. The Co-operative will own a 250 kilowatt wind turbine at Wester Derry Farm, Kilry in the lower reaches of Glen Isla, Angus. Speaking after the launch Diane Ramsay said “It’s great to be up and running and selling shares. We’re really pleased with the Share Offer Document which details everything about the share offer including projected financial returns. The document is on our website and also available for collection from outlets in Alyth, Blairgowrie and Coupar Angus.” The project received a further boost recently when HMRC confirmed that the application for Advanced Assurance of Enterprise Investment Scheme (EIS) tax relief has been successful. This means that most taxpayers will be able to claim at least 30% of their investment back against tax. The co-operative is being developed in collaboration with Sharenergy, a not-for-profit organisation which helps community groups develop renewable energy co-ops throughout the UK. Jon Halle of Sharenergy says “We are really keen that as many shares as possible are bought by local people. Over a quarter of the shares are already sold but we’re prioritising local applicants as long as they apply before the end date of 9th June.” For more information on the co‐operative contact Jon Halle at Sharenergy on 01743 277119 or jon@sharenergy.coop or Diane Ramsay at Wester Derry Farm on 01575 560457 or diane@westerderry.plus.com Project website and share offer document available at www.westerderrywind.org.uk
About The Hub Magazine The Hub Magazine is Created for the Community by Graphite Web Solutions with the assistance of One Voice Volunteers who collect adverts & articles and importantly, deliver the magazine to you. Without these volunteers, there would be no magazine. We print 4,250 copies for each edition at a cost of around £1,400 - each edition is paid for by the local businesses who place adverts so again, without their support there would be no magazine. Finally, we are indebted to Jane Davidson who volunteers to proof read the magazine. Printing Costs Income from Adverts (after VAT) November £1,750 (inc electronic subs) £1,730 February £1,380 £1,340 May £1,583 £1,620 No grants are received to support the magazine - it is fully self sufficient. The shortfall in the first 2 editions was absorbed by Graphite Web Solutions. For this edition the Town Hall have generously donated £50 to One Voice. There are around 80 articles/adverts per edition and each edition requires around 25 hours to collate items, create the magazine, confirm the draft and finally, collect payment.
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The Hub Magazine Brief History of the Friends of Blairgowrie Community Hospital In 1986, a group of local people who wished to support the local Cottage Hospital, as it was then known, formed a committee and became affiliated to the League of Friends, a national body based in London. As the League of Friends of Blairgowrie Cottage Hospital, the group adopted the national body’s Constitution which bound them to commit to them a precentage of their annual income knows as a Capitation fee. By 2002 the Friends’ annual income averaged just under £10,000. In 2003, however, they became engaged in fund-raising for a special project. At that time the committee decided it was unfair to ask local people and organisations to support fund-raising and see much of their money being swallowed up in capitation fees, so they decided to sever their relationship with the League of Friends and become completely independent. A fresh constitution based on the original, but with a new name “The Friends of Blairgowrie Community Hospital” was drawn up and registered with the Scottish Charities Regulator. The Friends are now completely autonomous and responsible only to the Charities Regulator for using their income in accordance with the aims of their Constitution. The Committee comprises a chair, vice chair, secretary, treasurer and twelve committee members. For liaison purposes a local doctor, representing the local doctors, and the hospital Charge Nurses, are invited to attend The Friends’ bi-monthly committee meetings for the purpose of advising on the needs of patients and staff. The Friends’ main annual fund raising events are a Strawberry Fayre in the Town Hall and Coffee Mornings normally held at the hospital. The remainder of their income is derived from donations and legacies. The Friends’ objectives are to promote the welfare of patients and staff and provide aids and comforts for patients, ex patients and
May 2014 staff which are either not provided or, in the current financial climate, cannot be afforded by the National Health Board. Because of increasing income in recent years the Friends have been able to go beyond their original aims and provide additional facilities which have benefited both patients and staff. 7 years ago, after 3 years of intensive fund-raising, the Friends largely financed the building of two beautiful sun rooms, one for the GP unit and the other for the Strathmore Unit which, at that time, was being used for dementia patients. The Friends furnished the sun rooms and, in a separate project shared with the nursing staff, helped to bear the cost of refurbishing the hospital gardens. In addition, the Friends have provided special beds and mattresses for paediatric patient care, bed covers, bedside lockers plus new furniture for the hospital foyer, staff dining rooms, waiting areas, also the day room used for day patients. All this, and much more over the years, has been accomplished to help make the hospital a better place for those in the community who need it. A recent check of the Friends’ accounts has shown that over the last ten years their expenditure has reached nearly £300,000. To have been able to do this, the Friends are grateful to a generous public for their support. The Friends are hoping to be able to play a part in the plans announced recently by NHS Tayside for the planned refurbishment of the hospital. To conclude, the Friends have three teams of volunteers who operate under their auspices and guidance. A team of flower ladies look after the cut flowers and pot plants in the wards, a Quality of Life team act as visitors to patients and provide a library service. There is also a team of 8 gardeners who look after the gardens. Anyone or any organisation wishing to make a donation to the Friends may contact – Susan Edwards, Treasurer, “Craigbeagg”, Burnhead Road, Blairgowrie (01250-873219) or Douglas Kidd, Chairman, 40 Woodlands Park, Blairgowrie (01250-875816)
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Mitchell’s Newsagent 11 High Street, Blairgowrie 01250 798 532 / 07703 186 627 Fully stocked with 100s of Magazines, Cards, Toys, Confectionery, Stationery, E-Cigs, Plants, Free Range Eggs & Parcel Collection Newspapers delivered throughout Blair, Rattray & Rosemount Lots of Promotions for Home News Delivery - ask in store for details Large selection of Plants including Alpines, Heathers, Shrubs, Bedding & Baskets
10% Off Voucher When you spend ÂŁ10 One per Household Ends 30th June 2014
A friendly and efficient local firm of solicitors and estate agents Property purchases and sales Wills and executries Family law Powers of Attorney Miller Gerrard, Solicitors & Estate Agents The Studio, 13 High Street Blairgowrie PH10 6ET Telephone 01250 873468 Email mg@millergerrard.co.uk
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Website www.millergerrard.com
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May 2014
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01250 876735 Riverside, Lower Mill Street, Blairgowrie. PH10 6AQ
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Alyth & District Agricultural Show
Saturday 28th June 2014 Bogles Field, Essendy Road, Blairgowrie
or a f s u Join mily a f t grea ut day o Gates open 8.30am till 5.30pm Adults £8, OAP & Over 12 years £5, Under 12 years Free Car Park £1.00 Cattle, Sheep, Horses, Donkeys, Wild Birds, Trade Stands, Arts & Crafts, Food & Drink Stands, Children Rides, Public Catering, Public Bar. Quack Commandos, Pony Club, Fly Ball, Highland Games, Highland Dancing, Dog Show, Kids Races and more...
www.alythshow.co.uk
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May 2014
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The Hub Magazine
May 2014 Where is the Heart of Blairgowrie? There are quite a few Listed Buildings in Blairgowrie which along with several Conservation Areas should make us feel confident that they are safe for future generations to use and enjoy. This is not the case however for it is one thing to create a Conservation Area and another to encourage the owners of the properties to maintain them to an acceptable standard. The same applies to our listed buildings with some falling into shocking disrepair until the only solution is to knock them down. Quinn’s Picture House has been an example of this although the flatted complex on the site looks attractive. The former St Mary’s Church would seem to be nearing the stage where demolition will be the only solution. If this happens will that space also be given over to yet more housing which seems to be the only ‘growth industry’ in Scotland at present. More and more houses are being built yet the town itself seems to shrink with the loss of what many thought were viable retail outlets. Of great concern to many is the former building known in more recent years as the Hill Primary, which until 1958 was the High School of Blairgowrie and housed both Primary and Secondary pupils. The school was built in 1879 at a cost of £6000 and had a roll then of 378 pupils. There was a headmaster and four teachers who were assisted by several pupil teachers (apprentices). It is of interest to note that when the new High School opened in 1958, the roll numbered 680 and the teaching-staff was 40. Education has most certainly changed over the decades as have school buildings. It is mind boggling to comprehend that our modern school buildings, no matter how efficient they may be for the purpose of education, will at some time in the future be ‘listed’.
To construct a building of this size, at the present time with the stone and slate of the original, would cost a prohibitive amount of money – if one could find the tradesmen with the necessary skills. The former Hill Primary is a ‘Memorial’ to the ‘Tradesmen’ of the past who worked long and hard hours, in all weathers, hewing the stone and constructing and slating the intricate roof. Let it remain as a Memorial to those skilled and hard-working men by finding a present day use for the poor neglected but splendid building of yesteryear the like of which can never be built again. This building housed generations of young local people who were moulded within its walls by education, to become useful members not only our community but of towns and cities throughout the country and further afield. The thoughtful and excellent plans proposed for the poor old school could transform not only the building but could put a ‘Heart’ or if you prefer it a ‘Hub’ into Blairgowrie which at present is sadly missing. By Margaret Laing
The former Hill Primary is built of local red sandstone, has a superbly slated roof and is a very special and handsome building. If this is demolished, and affordable housing fills the gap which it has been reported to be the plan of the Council, we will have lost yet another bit of our local history. When it is reduced to a pile of rubble it will be too late for there is no going back!
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BOOKMARK Writer in Residence
students as well as local writing groups.
BOOKMARK are delighted to announce the appointment of Joan Lennon as our Writer-inResidence.
Christine Findlay, Chairwoman of Bookmark, says, “The BOOKMARK Team are looking forward to working with Joan to really make an impact on the creative talents of young people in the area. Her enthusiasm and natural engagement with people will ensure she gets the best out of all who participate in the programme. She will be a huge asset to BOOKMARK, helping the festival reach out to a wide range of communities and we extend a very warm welcome to her.”
The 6-month part-time appointment, beginning mid-April and running through to the end of the festival (12th October), is funded by Creative Scotland money channelled through P&KC’s Place Partnership initiative. During this period, Joan will work with schools and other community groups to encourage and develop creative writing skills. Joan has had success in publishing children’s fiction, including The Wickit Chronicles, Tales from the Turrets, and The Slightly Jones Mysteries. She has also taught creative writing for all ages.
Work produced by the participants will be performed at BOOKMARK’S main festival in October as well as exhibited in Perth Museum and Art Gallery. A selection of pieces will be published towards the end of the year.
Joan says, “One of the reasons I’m so excited about my appointment as Writer-in-Residence for Blairgowrie, Rattray and the Glens is that I will have the chance to work with writers over the whole six months, helping them to develop and build on what they are learning.” She will be working with primary and secondary school
To follow Joan’s progress, go to our website: www.bookmarkblair.co.uk, or follow us on Facebook and Twitter.
The Friendship Cafe Rattray Hall Friendship Cafe celebrated its 3rd anniversary at the beginning of May. Originally started by the Hall Committee as an experiment to fill a perceived need for a meeting place in Rattray it has now turned into a lively morning of Song and Dance. Song, in that most weeks we manage to coerce local musicians into giving half an hour or so of their time. Dance, in that the infectious music cannot be resisted and often folk are up dancing even though it is 11am not 11pm! The Anniversary was celebrated with a Birthday Cake, decorations and a full house listening to our regular monthly musicians John Allan and Val McDougall singing and accompanying themselves on guitars. Regardless of the weather John has dusted off his bus pass and got on the bus from Perth carrying his guitar and Val has come over in her 4wd from Aberfeldy right
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through the year and sometimes Hugh also has made use of his bus pass and joined them. Over the past 3 years we have sadly seen some of our Friends pass on or go into care. However every week there are new faces and a full house. Everyone is sure of a warm welcome whatever their age and we regular volunteers Aly, Johanna, Hannah, Myra and Helen have now been joined by young Clare on the Teapot rounds. Pop in on a Thursday morning any time between 10 and 11.30 and you will receive a warm welcome and a seat found for you along with a cup of tea or coffee and homebaking. Come along and meet friends old and new and if you would like more details email rattrayartfestival@yahoo.co.uk or telephone the Hall mobile 07866672333, leave a message and we will get back to you. Better still, if you are a musician do get in touch and we will give you an appreciative welcome and platform.
The Hub Magazine
May 2014 Blair in Bloom
for our displays of flowers in the containers, beds and baskets. We will be contacting businesses shortly to arrange the supply of the hanging baskets which bring so much colour to the town. They are enjoyed by visitors and locals who love to see Blairgowrie and Rattray looking so bright and cheerful.
The Blair in Bloom committee hopes to continue the success they had in last year’s competitions. We will be entering the Beautiful Scotland and Take a Pride in Perthshire campaigns.The judging for this is in early August so we are hoping everyone will get behind us in making the town look its best. Plans are in place to celebrate the coming of the Junior Ryder Cup to Blairgowrie with a colour scheme of Blue, Red, White and Yellow which will bring a different look to the town. There is a competition being held this year to award a prize to the community who puts on the best Ryder Cup display so we are hoping to come up with something special for this. Any ideas??
We will be attending ‘The Weekend’ at Davie Park and asking people to plant sunflowers to celebrate the 50th anniversary of Britain in Bloom. The seeds were supplied as part of their Growing for Gold celebrations. We have some new helpers this year but are always looking for more - if you, your business or your organisation would like to help us with our work it doesn’t need to be with gardening. Help with fund raising, marketing or publicity would all be very much appreciated.
April has been a busy month for us. First we held the annual Keep Scotland Tidy litter picks which cleaned up many areas of the town. Next was the Charity Shop held, thanks to the kindness of Howe’s, which raised £1500. Lastly we had to pot on thousands of plants
Helen McCann Chairman Tel 01250 874000 email blairinbloom@aol.com
J & J HOWE
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Blairgowrie & East Perthshire Tourist Association BEPTA is an organisation which represents the local tourist industry. Our aim is to provide support for our members with marketing, networking, training and other assistance in order to help members to develop and promote their business, and in turn, the area, in order to maximise the number of visitors coming – and returning – here, all year round. We have a dedicated volunteer Board representing several different geographic areas and industries, who meet regularly to work
May 2014 through our objectives, and are constantly striving to improve the attractiveness of Blairgowrie and East Perthshire as a “must visit” destination. We aim to build on our strengths while identifying new projects to attract visitors to our area, and looking for new marketing opportunities. We rely on maintaining our membership subscriptions to fund our aims. The BEPTA membership is still growing steadily, strengthening our voice and our profile in the area and beyond. We are also strengthening our links with other individuals, organisations and companies in the area, and further afield. If you are interested in becoming a member of BEPTA, please contact us on visiteastperthshire@gmail.com for more information. Visit our website too! www.visiteastperthshire.co.uk Blairgowrie Scottish Country Dance Club
‘WE WILL REMEMBER’ by Margaret Drummond When the Great War came he volunteered, A fine young man of twenty-two. In a Black Watch kilt he marched to fight Along with other lads he knew. And his mother cried in case he died. The Western Front would be his fate, Carnage and mud for three hard years, Till ‘Killed in Action’ the cable read, Confirming all his mother’s fears. And his family cried because he died. I found his grave five years ago In Ypres old town cemetery Where a group of brave Scots soldiers lie In eternal camaraderie. And there I cried because he died, aged 25.
Members of the Blairgowrie Scottish Country Dance Club brought the winter term of dancing to a close with a Dinner Dance in Blairgowrie Town Hall at the end of March. The club, which has just completed 67 years since it first began in 1947, has this year enjoyed the wide variety of dances taught by Alan Grant. Although closed now for the usual summer break, members are looking forward to Wednesday 1st of October when the weekly autumn/winter classes recommence at 7.30pm in Blairgowrie Town Hall. All are made very welcome whether experienced dancers or new to Scottish Country Dancing. It’s a good form of exercise, very sociable and if you are interested, please contact the Secretary on 01250 875449.
(In memory of my great-uncle James Stevenson, L/Cpl. 9th Btn. Black Watch, killed July 1917)
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May 2014 Professional Bookkeeping with a smile – • Maintaining sales and purchase ledgers • VAT returns • Year end accounts for sole traders • Cash flow and monthly forecasting • Payroll processing and CIS payments and returns • Self assessment • Online filing of HMRC returns Other Services include: Secretarial assistance Provision of competitively priced accounting stationery.
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The Hub Magazine
May 2014
Pete Wishart, MP for Perth and North Perthshire At the time of writing, I’m looking forward to The Weekend in Blairgowrie. The events are wide and varied across Davie Park, the Town Hall and the Wellmeadow, with displays from the emergency services, rally cars and other types of interesting vehicles, a kids’ corner, sporting activity, not to mention llamas and birds of prey! There will also be a showcase of some of the best that local businesses and craftspeople have to offer. There really is great couple of days in store and I congratulate all those who have worked really hard to pull the event together and I hope that everyone who attends has a fantastic time. Figures from the Trussell Trust, who run the Foodbanks in Perth & Kinross, show that the number of people using their foodbanks has increased by 400% in Scotland - are a demonstration of the grim reality of Westminster’s cuts. They have rightly cited benefit changes, benefit delays and low income as the key causes of people in Scotland seeking support from their foodbanks. It is an absolute disgrace that in a country as wealthy as Scotland, Westminster’s actions are forcing so many folk to rely on foodbanks to survive. But the silver lining to that very dark cloud is the evidence it provides of the level of compassion and generosity in our communities. After just six months of operation the Trussell Trust in Perth & Kinross are averaging 31 food parcels per week, totaling 805 for the period, providing 3 day’s food to 1052 adults and 374 children.
House of Commons
Contact Pete Wishart,
MP for Perth and North Perthshire at: Constituency Office, 35 Perth Street, Blairgowrie PH10 6DL
Telephone - 01250 876 576
Email – pete.wishart.mp@parliament.uk Website – www.petewishartmp.com of public generosity and the hardwork by the team of volunteers who make it possible. I understand that the collection at Tesco Blairgowrie recently resulted in 1,738.50 kilograms of food, as well as cash donations totalling £214.37. The generosity continues. A community working together can make a real difference to people in need, the efforts associated with the foodbank make that clear. But community action and co-operation is not just for the hard things in life. We can pull together for a bit of fun as well. If constituents need to contact me, I can be reached at 35 Perth Street, Blairgowrie, PH10 6DL, 01250 876 576 or wishartp@parliament.uk
That is quite an achievement both in terms
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The Hub Magazine
May 2014
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Mental Health and Wellbeing Information I would like to introduce myself to you as I am new to the area and to your community. My name is Claire Thomson, I work for PLUS Perth, a mental health campaigning charity, covering the whole of the Perthshire and Kinross. I would like to share with you what I plan to do within the community. I aim to make mental health and wellbeing information more available to you. I plan to do this by visiting and leaving information in local centres such as, schools, libraries and doctor’s surgeries. I passionately believe that if people have the knowledge and information they need, they can make the best choices for themselves. PLUS is a social movement led by community activists. Please get in touch if you would like to know more about PLUS or you would like to be involved with this initiative. I look forward to being part of your community. PLUS Perth 01738 626242 plusperth@msn.com www.plusperth.co.uk
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May 2014
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RATTRAY CURLING CLUB – ANNUAL SUMMARY OF SEASON 2013/14 The 170th Rattray Curling Club AGM was held recently at Forfar Ice Centre where the annual competition for the George Farquharson Cup was won by Euan Kirkpatrick’s rink. The club continues to be strong with over 20 active members who competed in four external league competitions in Perth and Forfar Ice rinks. The club put up good performances in each league coming 3rd in the Tummel League, 7th in the Strathmore, 9th in the Lomond, and 11th in the Agricar league. The club competitions were enthusiastically competed for and much fun was enjoyed throughout the season with the club trophy being won by Stuart Nichol’s rink, the McGibbon Quaich being won by Margaret Scott’s, and the points competition by Rob Ridsdale. Rattray also were delighted to have won the Nelson Trophy annually competed for between Rattray, Clunie, Ardblair, and Coupar
Angus and Kettins. The magnificent silver trophy was presented by Robert Nelson in 1910 and has been competed for since then. Curling is naturally the main focus of the club, but much fun and enjoyment was experienced by all, not just at the curling throughout the winter, but also at the summer outing to the House of Dun. via the Brechin steam railway. Proposals for this summer’s outing include Go-Karting and other totally un-curling related activities. Anyone who has recently tried curling, or fancies trying it, in the wake of the success of the Scottish teams in the winter Olympics and feel they need a sociable, welcoming club to beginners. Then look no further, Rattray is for you. To join the fun and fellowship contact Margaret Scott our secretary on 01828 670323 or email margaretscott413@btinternet.com . The annual fee is only £30! Go on just do it!
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May 2014 Rattray SWRI Rattray Rural under the leadership of President Muriel Brown has continued to be a very active one. One innovation this session and much appreciated by the members has been members only classes in card-making, crocheting, and patchwork on Saturday mornings. The classes have catered for experienced crafters as well as novices but all have shared the same camaraderie and the original philosophy of the Women’s Rural Institute :“If you know a good thing pass it on!” We were also delighted to win the Stoney Creek trophy as Rattray Rural for being runners up in gaining the most new members in 2013 in Scotland. Stoney Creek is the place in Canada where the Women’s Rural Institute movement was founded over 100 years ago. The Time Bank is launched! The New Blair and Rattray Time Bank was launched in style, in the Royal Hotel on 2nd April. A gathering of around 30 people, including the provost Liz Grant and local councillor Caroline Shiers, came to join in the fun and to find out more. They enjoyed wine and nibbles and a beautiful cake in the shape of a clock, which in the true spirit of Time Banking was made and donated by Morag Young. If you’re interested in finding
In February Helen McCann and Evelyn Caldow gave a potted history of Blair in Bloom and then impressed the members with their description of all the community activities required for their success in Pride of Perthshire and Britain in Bloom. They do not just fill hanging baskets! In March Anne Parker Smith gave a lively talk on the origins of Hobbycraft UK and demonstrated a new felt and card cutting machine. The Rural Federation choir travelled to Rattray from all over Perth and Kinross in April to entertain members and guests with their high standard of singing and their diverse and amusing programme of song and poetry. The Rattray monthly meetings draw to a close with our AGM on Monday 19th May but members remain active all year by looking foward to the National Summer School and all the walking and sporting activities of Perth and Kinross Federation. out more or becoming a member of a group which helps each other out, then contact the brokers: Jim Forrester Tel: 07970243236 and Ivy MacLachlan Tel: 07761233418 or email bandrtimebank@gmail. com
KINLOCH S.W.R.I. Kinloch is a small friendly “Rural” who meet on the 1st Tuesday of the month in the Kinloch Hall. We take pride in owning it, the hall is welcoming, warm, comfortable and much admired by all who visit us. During this session we have had some excellent speakers and are ending on a high with the Air Ambulance and finally a speaker from “Summer Harvest”, the story of Oil Seed Rape. Our members have the luxury of being picked up and delivered safely home by the wonderful Charlie Bisset who drives the Freedom Coach. We start again in September if anyone feels like joining us and you can be assured of a very warm welcome.
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May 2014
John Swinney, MSP for Perthshire North I was delighted to perform the official opening of the Perth and Kinross Credit Union. Thousands in Scotland are signing up to credit unions as an ethical and affordable alternative to high-interest money lenders. Credit unions have no shareholders. They are mutual organisations that offer a variety of ethical financial services. Typically they charge interest rates capped at 26.8% APR when payday loan companies can charge up to 5,000%. The sharp rise in people joining credit unions shows a cultural shift in attitudes to short term credit and provides an accessible alternative to high cost payday lenders. The Perth and Kinross credit union will enable local people to save and access loans, repayable at a more affordable interest rate than payday lenders. Saving in a credit union is a positive step, as savers know that they are investing in sustaining our communities and helping to drive improvements in people lives. A key success factor for any credit union is the support of large local employers who may provide savings deducted direct from wages for staff who sign up. I would encourage all employers locally to engage with the Perth and Kinross credit union and help get it off to a flying start. New legislation that will alter the shape of social care in Scotland recently came into force. The Self-Directed Support Act places duties on councils to offer those needing social care the option of designing their own care package. This could mean receiving a direct payment which they can use, i.e. to employ their own support workers. They might choose to have the council hold the funds, while the individual decides how it is spent. Finally, they could opt for the council to arrange the support package for them. They can also
John Swinney MSP for Perthshire North can be contacted at: Constituency Office, 35 Perth Street, Blairgowrie, PH10 6DL
Telephone - 01250 876 576
john.swinney.msp@scottish.parliament.uk Website – www.johnswinneymsp.com choose a mix of all options. Around 100,000 in Scotland are assessed annually for care in Scotland. Previously, only a relatively small number have been offered the chance to self-direct their own support. The Act gives everyone assessed the right to have these options. This change will give people the ability to choose the care that works for them. Not everyone will feel the need to take this opportunity and people can still depend on the council to undertake this assessment and provision. This legislation is a welcome step forward for care users in Perth and Kinross. I look forward to users benefiting from these changes. I can be contacted at 35 Perth Street, Blairgowrie, PH10 6DL, 01250 876576 or john.swinney.msp@scottish.parliament.uk
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May 2014 THE TREFOIL GUILD committee in 1995, when they re-commenced in Blairgowrie & District, made the decision to not meet in January and February because the weather might hinder people coming to evening meetings. They need not have worried about poor weather this winter, but we did enjoy participating in the Thinking Day service in Blairgowrie Parish Church on the 23rd February. A good turnout which included Rainbows, Brownie, Guides, Trefoil Guild members, Cubs and Scouts enjoyed taking part in the service led by the Rev. Harry Mowbray. As this is the centenary of the
start of Brownies, there was a Brownie birthday Cake enjoyed by all in the hall along with cups of tea. At the March meeting, Janice Cameron gave an illustrated talk on the diocesan visit to India, and at the April meeting, Neil Robertson demonstrated his new invention called a “Spon” as he made his prize winning porridge. The Brownie birthday theme is being used at the ‘camp’ at Newbigging Brownie/Guide Centre in June. Anybody who would like to find out more about “Guiding for Adults”, also called the Trefoil Guild, may contact the Secretary Moira Somerville - 01250 875240.
Creative Care Project comes to Blairgowrie The new Self-Directed Support legislation is providing opportunities for local businesses and self-employed individuals to offer services to clients in receipt of social care funding from Perth & Kinross Council. GrowBiz has been working with a range of micro-businesses in Highland Perthshire to help develop their products and services – and is now offering workshops and learning sessions in the Blairgowrie area. The first takes place on the 19th May at the Royal Hotel at 6pm – http://growbiz.co.uk/events/peer19may14/ If you’d like more information on what Self-Directed Support means, this website will help; http:// www.selfdirectedsupportscotland.org.uk/ More details from Joyce McQuilken at Growbiz on joyce@growbiz.co.uk
Thinking of starting your own business or wishing to expand your current one? GrowBiz is a community-based enterprise support service covering Eastern and Highland Perthshire. We provide support to anyone thinking of becoming self-employed, or starting (or growing) a small business or social enterprise. There is no age limit either upper or lower, and we work right across the community including people from all backgrounds, and those with health issues or disabilities. As well as being friendly and approachable, all our services are free and confidential.
www.growbiz.co.uk for more information 41
The Hub Magazine
May 2014
Bowland Trails Siberian husky experiences Sled dog school of excellence & training centre. Experience the thrill of mushing with an exhilarating husky ride or a fully hands on Husky experience over one or two days
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Open Mon-Sat, Evening appoints available Mon+Tues Microchipping only ÂŁ15.00 3 High Street , Rattray TEL : 01250 872040 http://canine-cuts.webeden.co.uk/ Home of Zorgs Rottweilers and Skye Terrier http://zorgs-rottweilers.webeden.co.uk/ http://www.canine-cuts.webeden.co.uk/ http://www.strutt-a-mutt.webeden.co.uk/
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May 2014
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If you would like help with any issues including benefits, consumer rights debt, housing immigration or problems at work CAB offer a free, confidential, impartial and independent service. The Blairgowrie Outreach is held at SCYD, 21 Leslie Street, Blairgowrie PH10 6AH every 1st and 3rd Wednesday of the month. No appointments are necessary
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The Property Shop, Blairgowrie Messrs. A. & R. Robertson & Black, W.S., Solicitors, Notary Public and Estate Agents A & R Robertson & Black is the oldest legal firm in Blairgowrie, being established in 1838. We provide a complete range of legal services in the East Perthshire area with offices in Blairgowrie, Alyth and Coupar Angus. Services & Advice we can provide:
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