FEBRUARY 2020
COMMUNITY:
LOCAL HISTORY:
HOW DYNAMITE CAME TO
SCOTLAND
CHARITY:
P28 TO OUR FEBRUARY EDITION
W
elcome to the first Konect of 2020. We’re looking forward to another year of celebrating all things local! It’s a special year for East Calder and District Gala, which turns 100 this year! They are running a fundraiser in order to put together a very special gala week, please see page 13 for details. I had the pleasure of attending a music and dance session recently in Livingston run by MUSAC – Musically Active Dudes – who feature as our Charity of the Month in this issue. Set up by a Livingston resident who wanted a meaningful activity for her son to do, it offers a range of clubs for people with severe to complex additional support needs and is a wonderful local resource; see our article on page 28 and do get in touch with them if you know anyone who would enjoy attending. I stumbled across the fact that Alfred Nobel, of Nobel Prize fame, had been much more closely connected with this area than simply his name associated with the factories that used to be in Linlithgow and Falkirk. So I enjoyed looking into the history of Nobel explosives in Scotland and I hope you enjoy the local history article this month. All our usual columns are here. Thank you for reading Konect and for supporting local businesses, charities and organisations.
THIS ISSUE History: How dynamite came to Scotland.... 8 East Calder Gala Centenary Fundraiser....13 Property Matters............................................16 Gardening: Kitchen Seeds & Leaves.........18 Health: Focus on Yoga.................................20 Health & Beauty............................................22 Local Lab: Science is Magic.......................25 Charity: MUSAC............................................28 Vet’s Tip..........................................................36 Parenting: A Mini Adventure........................40 Puzzles / What’s On......................................45 Film Review....................................................46 Clubs & Classes..........................................47
COVER IMAGE: Focus on Yoga: See P20
Konect is delivered to 5,500 homes in Kirknewton, East Calder, Mid Calder and Pumpherston every month. Copies are also left at the libraries, community centres, convenience stores and other locations within the area.
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Alfred Bernhard Nobel (1833 ~ 1896)
LOCAL HISTORY
The Nobel Prizes are announced annually; world-famous coveted prizes for those who confer “the greatest benefit on mankind” in sciences, literature, economics and peace. They are named after Alfred Nobel, the Swedish chemist who, horrified that his armaments and explosives empire would earn him the epitaph “Merchant of Death,” left his fortune for the furtherance of world peace and progress. many looking for a safe way of using it. The route was punctuated by explosions and tragedy; a nitroglycerine explosion at his Alfred Nobel himself lived for a period of family’s armaments factory in Sweden in time at Hawthorn Cottage in Laurieston, 1864 killed his own brother and four others. near Falkirk. His story meets that of a Undaunted, Alfred pressed on and a year former Falkirk High School pupil, George later with German business partners he McRoberts, a local chemist and explosives built a factory at an isolated location near expert who founded a chemical factory Hamburg. This business (Alfred Nobel at Westquarter, Falkirk, and who was & Company) exported a liquid blend of instrumental in helping Nobel establish nitroglycerin and in Scotland the gunpowder called world’s first and “Blasting Oil,” but it Initially marketed as Nobel’s Blasting largest factory for was still extremely his revolutionary Powder, he changed the name to unstable; the factory new explosive – dynamite, from the Greek dýnamis buildings were dynamite. “power.” He patented it, and was on destroyed twice in the road to massive fortune Born in Sweden in explosions. 1833, Nobel was But Alfred was a prolific inventor. tenacious and, carrying out experiments on Dynamite, his most famous invention, a raft anchored on the River Elbe , by 1866 revolutionised the construction of tunnels, he found a way of stabilising nitroglycerine canals, railways and roads as well as the by absorbing it into a siliceous clay which mining industry. Previously, black powder could be shaped into lengths and handled (gunpowder) had been used for mining and fairly safely. This, together with a safety quarrying, but industrialists were looking fuse and detonator (that he also invented), for a high explosive. One discovered by was dynamite. Initially marketed as Nobel’s an Italian chemist in 1847 – nitroglycerine Blasting Powder, he changed the name - was powerful but highly unstable and to dynamite, from the Greek dýnamis dangerous, and Alfred Nobel was one of But what does this Swedish and indeed global story have to do with this area?
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-”power.” He patented it, and was on the road to massive fortune.
Nobel’s cottage in Laurieston Swing Bridge at the Reddingmuir Westquarter factory (1930)
McRoberts became Nobel’s chief chemist and factory manager at Ardeer in 1874. He relocated from Laurieston to Ardeer, selling his home “Hawthorn Cottage” at 1 Polmont Road, Laurieston, to Alfred Nobel. Hawthorn Cottage is still a private residence and is the only building remaining in Scotland that is directly associated with Nobel. By 1876 Nobel decided to manufacture his detonators in Scotland too instead of importing them, and he chose the Westquarter factory to make them, using mercury fulminate brought in from abroad. A couple of years later he decided to also make the fulminate on site here, and a purpose-built factory was added to the Westquarter site, about half a kilometre south at Reddingmuirhead on the other side of the Union Canal. There was a swing bridge across the canal linking the two factories.
The swing bridge today
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CREDIT: Historic Environment Scotland
Dynamite rapidly gained wide-scale use in several countries, but in the UK it took Nobel two years of persistence to gain some relaxation of regulations governing explosives. The Explosives Act of 1869 prohibited the manufacture, transport or sale of nitroglycerine or any product containing it in the UK. Although not able to set up in England, he turned to Scotland where he gained the backing of some Scottish entrepreneurs including one George McRoberts. McRoberts had just founded the Westquarter Chemical Company in 1871, manufacturing sulphuric acid. He and a co-investor raised the substantial investment required for Nobel to build a dynamite factory in Scotland, and the British Dynamite Company was formed. Nobel also bought a half share of McRoberts’ Westquarter Chemical Company, since the sulphuric acid was a key ingredient for dynamite manufacture, and the two men were close business partners. Ardeer in Ayrshire was chosen as a sufficiently remote site for the factory, the first charge was produced there in January 1873 by Alfred Nobel himself; and the British Dynamite Company started taking orders.
A new factory was opened at Linlithgow in 1902. It was named the Regent Factory in a nod to Linlithgow’s link with the Regent of Scotland James Stewart, 1st Earl of Moray, who was assassinated in Linlithgow in 1570. His death was the first recorded assassination by a firearm, so it seems fitting that this name was chosen for an explosives factory. (A plaque on the wall of the Courthouse Residence on the High Street commemorates the assassination). The Nobel factory was located at the end of High Street where Tesco and the Regent Square flats are today. It manufactured safety fuses for the mining industry, mining explosives and detonators. At the onset of war in 1914 Nobel’s in Linlithgow successfully tendered for the War Office contract to provide guns, shells, small arms and ammunitions. Ironically given Alfred’s will, the Regent factory flourished and expanded as the war continued. Work also continued at Ardeer and Westquarter in the production and development of explosives and detonators throughout and after the two world wars. At its peak during World War II, the Westquarter works employed 1,700 people, predominantly women, producing detonators. Nothing remains today of the armaments factories at Westquarter or Linlithgow, although walking the sites for this article I found the old swing bridge in the canal at Reddingmuirhead. There are very few references to the industry, even in street names. Nobel didn’t want his legacy to be about armaments and explosives though, so perhaps just as well the name is fading here, and his famous prizes take centre stage. This article was written by Helen-Jane Shearer. Helen-Jane is the editor of Konect Magazines. 10 | CALDERS
Merchant of Death In 1888, Nobel was shocked to read his own obituary in a newspaper. Entitled “The Merchant of Death is Dead,” it was a case of mistaken identity as it was Alfred’s brother Ludvig who had died. However it made Alfred think about how he would be remembered, and he eventually changed his will, specifying that his fortune be used to create prizes for those who confer the “greatest benefit on mankind” in physics, chemistry, physiology or medicine, literature and peace. The peace element is awarded to the person who has “done the most to bring about the brotherhood of nations, the abolition or reduction of standing armies as well as for the formation or popularisation of peace congresses.” Alfred Nobel died in December 1896 in his villa in San Remo, Italy, from a cerebral haemorrhage.
A spoonful of high explosive - for your heart Nitroglycerin is used to treat angina and high blood pressure, amongst other things, and is a World Health Association Essential Medicine. Don’t try this at home, but diluting it makes it non-explosive . . . Alfred Nobel was bothered with poor health throughout his life, and when first prescribed nitroglycerin in 1890 he refused it. A couple of months before his death in 1896 however, he wrote: “My heart trouble will keep me here in Paris for another few days at least, until my doctors are in complete agreement about my immediate treatment. Isn’t it the irony of fate that I have been prescribed N/G 1 [nitroglycerin] to be taken internally! They call it Trinitrin, so as not to scare the chemist and the public.”
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The Nobel Prize medal
and Nobel in Italy in December. The worldwide Nobel business empire at the time consisted of more than 90 factories manufacturing explosives and ammunition.
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Special Centenary Year Now that we are into 2020 the East Calder Gala Committee have been working away in the background for the last five months planning to have a very Special Gala Week this year to celebrate our 100th Birthday. We will have the usual sporting events during the week with a few surprises in store. Following on from the Grand Parade on Saturday 13th June we will start with the fun-filled children’s races, inflatables and pony rides. We will then introduce our Music Festival (Music on the Muddies) in the park including an outside bar with security fenced area restricted to 500 over 18’s. A larger area will be available for families to enjoy the six local bands playing for your entertainment. Mr Morrison’s Big Shows will be at the other end of the park with his rides starting on Thursday 11th June, Friday 12th and of course Saturday 13th. More information on
the Centenary events will be displayed on the East Calder Gala Facebook page when confirmed, please join to keep yourselves informed. Our “GoFundMe” page is sitting at £1,209.00 today and should you wish to donate to the East Calder Gala Centenary Fund please click on the link on the Facebook page: www.facebook.com/groups/ecwgala Search: East Calder & District Gala
This article was contributed by Eddy Goodfellow, Secretary, East Calder and District Gala
Sketch: Plans for the big day
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PROPERTY MATTERS
“You don’t need to wait until Spring!” As we find ourselves in the middle of the dark winter months, there is usually the feeling that it would probably be best to wait until the spring before putting your property on the market. After all, spring is traditionally associated with a time of change and this has always had a bearing on the property market. Serious buyers, however, do not give up over the Winter and can even become frustrated by lack of choice as the volume of available properties drops considerably at this time of year. You can take advantage of this temporary imbalance of supply and demand by being one of the properties that is new on the market! New properties attract strong interest at any time of the year however when the choice is more scarce, buyers who need to secure an onward purchase are more open to
compromise on their desired search criteria and often more likely to pay a premium than they might be at a time when the choice is greater. Properties with gardens do tend to photograph better in the spring and summer months however with the aid of market-leading software, agents are able to present properties to the market with a blue sky, green grass and the sun shining as shown in our examples. BEFORE
AFTER (Enhanced)
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Total visits to Rightmove per month
Many sellers will inevitably wait until the spring before putting their property on the market however, contrary to the mistaken belief that nobody will be looking at this time of year, the current backlog of frustrated buyers are already looking today as the Rightmove graph of web traffic from January to July last year shows.
If you are contemplating a sale next year, I suggest you take advantage of the situation, be strategic, and position your property for an early sale at a time when demand is currently outstripping supply. The monthly Property Matters column is contributed by Craig Turpie. Craig is a director at Turpie & Co Estate Agents and Letting Agents with extensive knowledge of the West Lothian Property Market and over 20 years experience in bespoke sales and marketing. Website: www.turpies.com
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Kitchen Seeds & Leaves Whatever the weather… you can sprout seeds and baby salad leaves indoors all year round!
As kids we grew mustard and cress on kitchen towel on an indoor windowsill, snipping off enough of the baby leaves we would need to go in our egg sandwiches. Today there are so many different leaves and seeds we can grow in different colours and with distinct flavours. The Kitchen Seed Sprouter is a very convenient bit of kit for indoor salad production that you can use all year round. Sprouting Seeds like Mung Beans, Alfalfa and Sunflower are great in the lower trays and are ready in 4 – 6 days. Seeds of
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Beetroot, radish, Fenugreek and other salad leaves are allowed to grow into microgreens and can be Seed cut when they Sprouter are about 5cm (2”) tall, just using what you need for that day. They’ll take two to three weeks to be ready for cutting. What flavours will you be trying? The sweetness of beetroot, the spicy flavour of radish or perhaps the aromatic smokiness of fenugreek? The gardening project is contributed by Dougal Philip, New Hopetoun Gardens. Inspiring, informing and entertaining, for more than 40 years.
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-The experience of a yoga teacher The physical benefits of yoga are limitless. The right teacher and an appropriate class can ensure significant improvement in strength, flexibility, breathing capacity and also a holistic view of the body and health. It can be part of a fitness plan or can be a core part of a spiritual lifestyle and journey. It can bring a school of philosophical thought into your awareness and provide moral/ ethical guidelines by which to benchmark daily experiences. How far a practitioner takes this is completely up to them. A regular yoga practice as part of a rehabilitation programme after illness or injury almost always ensures physically and mental improvements, when facilitated by an instructor who embodies yoga as a way of life, rather than only a physical activity. After several classes you may just realise that your yoga night is the best night’s sleep you get in the week. That you stand a bit taller after class, breathe a bit fuller and that your mind is surprisingly clear on the drive home. Yoga night may also inadvertently become the evening that you choose not to indulge in your usual glass of wine or sugary snacks. Yoga teaches us to take control of our own bodies; to be intentional and resilient and to be sensitive to ourselves during different life stages. Our practice can be adapted restoratively, energetically and mindfully depending on what is needed at that time. The focus on breath teaches students simple techniques to expand the chest, clear the respiratory system and balance both sides of the brain (helpful if you find it difficult to slow down). 20 | CALDERS
And now we come to relaxation/meditation/ mindfulness. All these terms sound wonderful but can mean nothing if we are not in the correct frame of mind. Yoga provides an opportunity for mindfulness, and a good instructor will guide you through the different stages of relaxation. A legitimate opportunity is provided for your mind to process everything it hasn’t yet processed, to completely surrender the body physically and to ‘tune out’ from the constant over-stimulation we are subject to. When I found myself sampling vastly contrasting yoga classes, after the departure of my inspiring first teacher, I quickly became disillusioned and frustrated at the diversity of teaching methods and the required level of physical exertion. It quickly became apparent that a teacher’s knowledge of yoga wasn’t enough; it was their ability to translate that knowledge, with relevance, that was important. An individual’s initial attraction to yoga may be fitness or relaxation but it’s the teacher’s ability to communicate their knowledge persuasively and sensitively that makes an individual return to the mat. Whether or not you choose yoga, the most important thing is that you Choose You! This article was contributed by Eva Paterson, Owner of Choose YOU – yoga studio and wellness hub in Livingston | www.chooseyouyoga.co.uk @KonectMagazines
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LIFE COACHING
Everything is POSSIBLE...
THE TRUTH ABOUT For those who avoid oils or moisturising products for the fear of having greasy heavy hair, I thought I’d take the fear out and dispel some myths!
Firstly your scalp needs oil; we produce it naturally and it helps to protect your scalp. If possible don’t wash your hair every day give oil the chance to produce rather than stripping it out. Dry shampoo is a great way to stretch out the time between washing. Dry scalps can be treated with an oil massage, try warming coconut oil and massaging in to scalp. Make sure to shampoo this one out! Fine hair doesn’t need conditioner ... UNTRUE!! Finer hair needs conditioner to help close the cuticle which keeps the hair strong. It needs moisture just as much, it helps build elasticity within the hair which helps it stretch and keeps it supple, which in turn will stop it from becoming brittle and breaking. So don’t be afraid to put oil on your scalp, skip a shampoo and go get regular withmoisturising treatments regardless of your hair texture!
The Hair column is contributed by Sophie Laidlaw. Sophie is Director @wonderland Livingston. www.wonderlandlivingston.co.uk 22 | CALDERS
‘You must do the things you think you cannot do’, so said Eleanor Roosevelt and that sentiment is just as true today as it was back in the late 1930s and early 1940s when she was America’s First Lady. Many of us spend a lot of precious time avoiding doing anything new or different and going out of our way to avoid any activity we regard as being even remotely challenging. The fear of looking foolish or worse prevents us from trying out new things as we scuttle back to that same old comfort zone.
There can be many reasons why we’re afraid to put our heads above the proverbial parapet. Maybe someone made a casual comment or criticism about our first attempts at swimming or cycling or reading in public when we were very young, and this was taken to heart and carried long after the person who said it had completely forgotten all about it. Maybe our first attempt at driving a car resulted in a series of embarrassing stalls all along a crowded high street and we decided that driving was obviously not for us. Dwelling on what we consider to be embarrassing incidents from our past can really affect our confidence and get in the way of trying new things. The good news is that no matter how long we have held a negative belief about ourselves and however much it has undermined us, it’s never too late to change our thinking and begin to live the life we want to live. “The life coaching column is contributed by Francine Orr. Francine is an NLP coach, hypnotherapist and reiki practitioner, based within Linlithgow Chiropractic. She supports people to find real and practical solutions to the things that hold us back in life. See orrganise.co.uk ”
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LOCAL LAB
Science iS MAGIC! Magic tricks are often based on scientific principles. Science on the other hand can look like magic to the untrained eye. It was only a matter of time before the two teamed up!
In their dazzling show, full of tricks and illusions, Heriot-Watt University PhD students Adrian Garcia-Burgos and Boy van Basten combine science and magic to explain and illustrate basic concepts in chemistry and biology. Tell us about the show: Science is Magic is a family friendly show that uses magic to demonstrate scientific concepts, focusing on the most fundamental building block in all living things: the cell. We explain what cells are, why and how they multiply, and the role of DNA in this context. Sponge balls are magically multiplied to illustrate cell division, beakers that suddenly change colour demonstrate chemical reactions in our bodies and ropes that appear to change length explain how DNA is copied. These are just a few of the tricks the audience see and we keep things light-hearted by breaking up science-heavy elements with banter, jokes and a few tricks just for fun. What inspired you to come up with the idea?: Boy: As PhD students we are expected and encouraged to share our research work with non-expert audiences, but we’ve both been passionate about sharing our love of science generally since long before we started our research careers. Adrian: For me this show is a long-time dream come true! Developing and performing
the show has given me the opportunity to think outside the box and grow, both as a person and a performer, expressing myself through my two passions: magic and science.
Where have you performed the show so far?: We were delighted to first perform the show to a small audience at the Kirknewton Youth Club. The young people gave us useful feedback which helped hone our performance for the first official show at The Centre in Livingston in September last year. We even inspired five young volunteers to help us out on the day! Since then we’ve been touring primary schools throughout Edinburgh and the Lothians. Are there any opportunities coming up for people to see your show?: Yes, we’ve had lots of requests to perform the show over the next few months and have already confirmed more primary school visits as part of British Science Week in March. The next public event at which we’ll perform will be the Scottish Parliament’s family days as part of Edinburgh Science Festival. The Scottish Parliament’s family days will take place at Holyrood on Saturday 4th April and Saturday 18th April. They are open to people of all ages and are free to attend.. You can find out more about this research on the Heriot-Watt University website www.hw.ac.uk/news The Local Lab column is contributed by Heriot-Watt University to engage the public in a range of their research projects.
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FILM REVIEW
The film’s original concept was to take place on Air Force One. I wish this idea had stuck, rather than the setting used.
Angel has Fallen is a film of missed opportunities, trying to be an action film with a personal story interweaving real world fears and politics, to varying degrees of success.
Gerald Butler’s character Mike Banning is pretty decent. He deals with lots of inner demons but being the President’s bodyguard, he has to portray the tough guy. I feel the concept could have been interesting, exploring his struggles with events and the decisions he makes, but his issues are ignored until its relevant to the plot. He never struggles in combat, knowing exactly what do. Morgan Freeman’s character is ok but is under-utilised and the rest of the cast are average. The film is predictable. It’s a slog getting from one plot point to another. There is one unique and creative action set piece - the drone strike. However, it was inconsistent, extremely fake-looking although the explosions were awesome. Being honest, the film’s biggest flaw is the use of extremely distracting CGI.
MUSICALLY ACTIVE DUDES
A class with an energetic dance vibe and great music, from a DJ who regularly spins the discs at Boteco do Brasil in Edinburgh and Glasgow, as well as Mango in Glasgow. This is just one of the great quality classes available via Musically Active Dudes (MUSAC), a dance, music and movement charity set up in 2008 by Livingston resident Ruth, who wanted a meaningful activity for her son to do. He still attends, 11 years later, and the group now offers a range of movement and music classes for people of all ages who have severe to complex additional support needs. “Our attendees range from young adults who come here when they graduate from their school environment, as well as older adults. The groups are also suitable for those in the early stages of dementia,” explains Sophie, who is on the committee of volunteers and whose brother has been enjoying MUSAC classes for eight years.
In 2019 action films rose to an all-time high, proving that well-choreographed, wide action shots and well-edited visible action which is not hard or confusing to follow, avoiding lots of CGI and with everyone involved putting in 100% - all produces some of the best action films. This film lacks the innovation of the other large-scale action films which disappoints. The Film Review is contributed by Robert Ewing. Robert is passionate about film as an art form, and shining a light on films that may not be on people’s radar. Robert is from Kirknewton. 28 | CALDERS
91% of support workers feel that MUSAC has made a difference to lth their client’s physical or mental hea @KonectMagazines
“MUSAC improved her social well-being, and interaction skills.”
I attended the Brazilian dance class at Crofthead Community Centre in Dedridge one December morning, to get an idea of what the group offers. It’s busy and energetic with a great buzz. Each person attends with their support worker. The class is run by Beats of Brazil, which is one of the three professional companies who provide four different classes for MUSAC. After a few sets of toe-tapping tunes, I got to find out a bit about the group and what drives it. West Calder resident John Dirkie’s love of all things Brazilian led to him starting dance workshops a number of years ago; one thing led to another and now, along with his (Brazilian) wife, they run a programme of classes for special needs schools in North Lanarkshire, as well as the Livingston classes for MUSAC and a range of other classes and performances throughout Scotland. The two MUSAC classes are Samba dancing on a Monday and Brazilian-inspired percussion on a Thursday. “It’s so good to see people getting out to the classes, being active and social,” says John, who is also on the committee of MUSAC. “They always leave with a smile on their face. There are almost certainly people within West Lothian who are looking for meaningful activities to get out of the house, and who could benefit from the classes, but they don’t know about MUSAC yet. We’d love to welcome them!” Besides the Beats of Brasil classes, MUSAC offers dance and movement via IndepenDance, a Glasgow-based company which provides classes for both disabled and nondisabled. Participants use their imaginations to inspire and create routines and to develop rhythm and movement. Singing and @KonectMagazines
vocalisation classes are also offered via Hear My Music, allowing participants to express themselves and their thoughts and feelings through singing. All of the tutors are experienced not only in their area of music and dance, but also in working with the disabled community, so you can expect a very high-quality experience offered at each class. Participants are supported to retain, relearn and develop skills, improve fitness, physical and mental health, as well as socialisation. It also offers support workers the chance to meet each other and further their professional development. There is nothing else like it in West Lothian. “It definitely beats sitting around at home. There are spaces in all the classes, and new members will be warmly welcomed.” “Everyone always gives it 110%”
For more information please contact MUSAC on, Email: musicallyactivedudesw@gmail.com Facebook: @musicallyactivedudes Call: Ruth on 07890 522864 or, Mary on 07876 073710. There is a small contribution of £7 per session with membership (membership is £5 per year) paid in blocks of 6 weeks. (£8 for drop-in without membership). Come and try first class for £6. MUSAC is a charity registered in Scotland SC040674. This article was written by Helen-Jane Shearer based on information provided by MUSAC and visiting one of their classes in Livingston. Helen-Jane is the editor of Konect and lives in West Lothian with her family. CALDERS | 29
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GUINEA PIG FACTS How long will my guinea pig live? Guinea pigs usually live for 4-6 years if cared for properly. What about diet? The three main things they need in their diet are: fibre, protein and vitamin C. A good quality pellet, hay or chaff will have the correct nutrient balance. Fruit and vegetables are great for them to chew on as treats. Remember to empty and replace the water daily to maintain palatability. How big should their hutch be? The hutch should have a feed bowl, a water bottle, hiding places and room to run around. As a bare minimum, the SSPCA recommend that each pig should have a hutch 30cm x 60cm and a run at least twice this size.
What should I put inside the hutch? Guinea pigs love to play so any toys, or objects (cardboard boxes are great) are a great addition to a hutch. These enrichments help to entertain your guinea pig, improving their quality of life. Their bedding could be shredded paper, shavings or straw. How often should I clean my guinea pig’s hutch out? The hutch should be cleaned at least weekly as soiled bedding can quickly cause sores on your guinea pigs feet. How many guinea pigs should I have? Guinea pigs are social animals and enjoy living in groups. The amount you have depends on the amount of room in the hutch, and whether you are mixing boys and girls. Guinea pigs make great pets - they are normally friendly and great companions. The Vet’s Tip is contributed by Lamond Veterinary Clinic.
LAMOND Veterinary CLINIC YOUR PETS ARE OUR PRIORITY
ASK ABOUT THE LAMOND HEALTH CARE PLAN, GIVING THE OPPORTUNITY TO BUDGET MONTHLY AND SAVE MONEY ON YOUR PETS’ PREVENTATIVE HEALTHCARE The Lamond Veterinary Clinic Limited Bankton Square, Murieston, Livingston EH54 9EY Telephone: 01506 461 462 E: info@lamondvet.co.uk
www.lamondvet.co.uk
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BUSTER THE DOG
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PARENTING
A mini Hole in one! adventure for a rainy day... Is it just me or does it feel like it’s been raining non-stop since Christmas?
By this point in the winter my kids are practically climbing the walls. The novelty of their Christmas gifts has well and truly worn off and we’ve exhausted all the crafty stuff in the house. Yet still there is no hint of spring in the air. So the way I see it there’s two options. Option 1 stick the kids in their waterproofs and wellies and dance in the rain. Embrace the weather for what it is. Go to the park, head out for a walk…after all there’s no such thing as bad weather, only inappropriate clothing! There are some lovely scenic spots to explore around West Lothian. Bonus being that this, of course, is totally free. And if you’re still feeling the pinch after Christmas that’s a big plus.
Option 2 make the most of some indoor fun. I like a giggle-inducing muddy puddle as much as the next mum but there’s only so much a girl can take of being soggy. My girls love a trip to Paradise Island Adventure Golf in Livingston when the weather is 40 | CALDERS
leaving us in a bit of a funk.
rk! Golf Sha
The first time we took them we thought it might just be a waste of time because they wouldn’t be able to really do it. And we were right; they were pretty rubbish all things considered. At getting the ball in the hole anyway. But their serous lack of skills and alarmingly poor grasp of how the game should ACTUALLY be played didn’t take the shine off. I knew we were on to a winner when they each got to choose their own coloured ball before we even went inside. One pink ball, one purple ball, everybody’s happy. And I’m sure any seasoned parent will agree…big tick for mini golf so far. Once we got inside they were totally captivated by the themed courses (the lost lagoon is their favourite owing to the magic pearl half way around). They love a bit of make-believe so before long the coloured golf balls became precious gems and we were explorers on a grand adventure.
We had to let a fair few “serious” golfers overtake us on our quest but they couldn’t get enough of it. It was like Indiana Jones meets Jumanji with a bit of Ryder Cup action thrown in for good measure. We’ve been back quite a few times since that first trip and I’m happy to say that the balls are getting picked up less often and going in the holes more often. On our last trip it was even worthwhile keeping score. Nothing beats the winter blues quite like a bit of friendly competition. We’ve found this activity keeps little kids and big kids alike entertained. And they do kids parties too so it’s always a good one to keep in the back pocket for a rainy day! The parenting column is contributed by Laura Archibald. Laura lives in West Lothian with her family and their campervan Hank. She is mummy, wife, blogger and full-time personal assistant to her two girlie girls. @KonectMagazines
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PUZZLES
CROSSWORD SATURDAY 8TH TO TUESDAY 18TH FEBRUARY First Tingles of Spring It might be chilly outside, but if you look carefully there are all sorts of signs that spring is on its way. At Almond Valley Heritage Centre, after braving the spring spotter’s trail, have fun in the warmth of the museum, planting seeds, building nests, and joining in other crafts to prepare for the year to come. For more info and entry prices please see www.almondvalley.co.uk or call 01506 414957. FIVE SISTERS ZOO Lion Experience - Selected dates in February and March Go behind the scenes and get to know the four ex-circus lions, including meeting and feeding. Tickets £100 per person, gift vouchers are also available for this unforgettable experience. Participants must be 16 years or over. Information and booking, please call Five Sisters Zoo on 01506 870 000.
Solution in the March edition of Konect ACROSS: 1. Mail (4), 3. Smallest in length (8), 9. Rested (7), 10. Line of people (5), 11. To do with sums (12), 14. Early morning moisture (3), 16. Very angry (5), 17 Neckwear (3), 18. Despite (12), 21. Deal with (5), 22. Washing (7), 23. Interfering (8), 24. Enquires (4). DOWN: 1. Egyptian structures (8), 2. Divide (5), 4. Tool for carrying bricks (3), 5. Specific needs (12), 6. Graceful (7), 7. Long walk (4), 8. Still being tested (12), 12. Modify (5), 13. Letters or texts (8), 15. Saturday and Sunday (7), 19. Leaves (5), 20. Part of a flower (4), 22. Prohibit (3).
Sudoku Solution on Page 61
SUDOKU
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West Lothian History and Amenity Society Talks • WEDNESDAY 19TH FEBRUARY Pilgrimage in late medieval Scotland (c.1200-1560) Speaker: David Santiuste, Edinburgh University tutor. Acredale House, Mid Street, Bathgate, 7.30pm • WEDNESDAY 18TH MARCH Bridgescapes: Scotland’s bridge-building heritage Speaker: Bruce Keith, writer and retired chartered surveyor. Glenalmond Hall, Main Street, Mid Calder, EH53 0AN, 7.30pm • WEDNESDAY 15TH APRIL Approaching Henrietta Liston: the travel diaries of a diplomat’s wife - Speaker: Dora Petherbridge, curator of US and Commonwealth Collections, NLS. Philpstoun Village Hall, Main Street, Philpstoun, 7.30pm • WEDNESDAY 20TH MAY West Lothian Life, then and now: a journey through the archives of Historic Environment Scotland - Speaker: Neil Fraser, Historic Environment Scotland Chalmers Hall, Linlithgow Bridge, 7.30pm For more information, see @WLHAS on Facebook, or contact sybil.cavanagh@hotmail.co.uk, or come along to any meeting
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Whilst February may usually be a quieter month on the events calendar, there’s still plenty to see and do right across West Lothian.
Starting in Linlithgow, the Linlithgow Arts Guild celebrates their 50th anniversary with an Orchestral Concert By Scottish Sinfonia. The orchestra is a highly successful mixture of professional players and amateurs, with an age range of 17 to 70, all united in one common aim: to make music of the highest standard of which they are capable. Tickets are available online for the show which takes place on Saturday 8th from 18.30. If you’d prefer to get out and about, why not head over to Hopetoun House for Snowdrop Sunday on the 16th where you can explore the natural snowdrop display in the Hopetoun hundred acres. Afterwards, warm up on the Stables Kitchen with a hot drink or bite to eat. Guided walks are available too from 10.30 and 14.00. The events calendar at Howden Park Centre is in full flow, with the monthly acoustic open night taking place on the 24th February. Join the performers or simply sit back and listen to a range of great local music – you never know who you might hear! If comedy is more your thing, Jim Davidson’s “Last Man Standing” takes place on the 21st – tickets are available online through the Howden Park Centre website. Follow us on social media to stay up to date with the latest attraction information: www.facebook.com/VisitWestLothian www.twitter.com/SeeWestLothian www.instagram.com/VisitWestLothian 46 | CALDERS
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CLUBS & CLASSES
SPORTS, HOBBIES, LEARNING, SUPPORT GROUPS & MORE... FIREFLY ARTS Firefly Arts provide fun and friendly theatre, film and drama workshops for children and young people (5 to 25 years) in venues across West Lothian. Call 08447 744496 or email admin@firefly-arts.co.uk for more information on our current programme. Firefly Arts Ltd, Howden Park Centre, Livingston, EH54 6AE. www.firefly-arts.co.uk LOTHIAN RUNNING CLUB We welcome runners of any standard. We believe that running clubs are not just for the elite (although we will let fast people join too). Suitable for all ages and we have a junior section from age 6. Training sessions in/ around Livingston, meet at Inveralmond High, Craigswood Sports Centre and Dechmont Law car park. For more info see website www.lothianrunningclub.co.uk. WEST LOTHIAN CLARION Cycling club – our aim is to help cyclists plan and reach their own goals through training with, and seeking advice and support from fellow club members. Weekly club runs leave from Linlithgow Leisure Centre and East Calder Sports Centre. See www.westlothianclarion.co.uk or email secretary@westlothianclarion.co.uk WEST LOTHIAN BAKING CLUB We meet approximately every 6th Wednesday 7:30 – 9:30pm in Dechmont Hall to talk about all things baking related. No requirement to be the next Mary Berry! £2 per meeting. Email wlbakingclub@yahoo.co.uk or find us on facebook. WEST LOTHIAN GYMNASTICS Craigwillow Centre, Craigshill, Livingston Pre school classes for boys and girls, learn gymnastics in a fun and dedicated full time gymnastics facility. Classes lead by fully qualified coaches and morning, afternoon and weekend classes available for children 18 months 3 years and 35 years with direct progression to recreational pathway age 5 without waiting list. First class free, please contact westlothiangymnastics@gmail.com. SEATED EXERCISE CLASS FOR OLDER ADULTS This class is ideal for older adults who can’t stand for any length of time. Have fun exercising to great music from the 1950s, 60s and 70s! 3. East Calder Partnership Centre, every Wednesday from 10am to 11am. Cost is £3 per class. For more information please contact the instructor, Jan Malloch, on 07835 680984. HULLABALOO Music classes for babies and toddlers with their carers. At Hullabaloo the focus is on having lots of fun with colourful props, toys and musical instruments. Through favourite songs and rhymes, children will develop early musical skills including a sense of beat, rhythm and pitch. Mondays 10.00am (term time) East Calder Parish Church Hall. e: info@mcmillanyoungmusicians.co.uk w: www.mcmillanyoungmusicians.co.uk/ hullabaloo/. KNEC BAIRNS’ ROCK Bible story, music, singing, craft, play, snack and support for all babies and preschool kids with parents/ carers. Wednesday 9.30-11.30am (in school term). East Calder Church Hall, EH53 0EN. Call or text Alistair on 07791 524504 for details.
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EAST CALDER PILATES CLASSES East Calder Community Centre. Thursdays 9.30 – 10.30am, 6.15 - 7.15pm, 7.30 – 8.30pm (Beginners / Intermediate). Additional classes at Mid Calder and Hatton Sports Club. Contact Mairianne 07912 963 851 for more details or email: pilates@bodyandcore.co.uk. See www.bodyandcore.co.uk and facebook.com/bodyandcorepilates MEN’S MENTAL HEALTH GROUP Are you a man that suffers from Anxiety/ Depression/PTSD/OCD/Addiction/Panic Attacks/Social Anxiety/Mental Health Issues? The first step to getting better is coming along to our group. You are not alone! Free, drop in Wed 7pm-9pm, East Calder Partnership Centre 143 Main Street, East Calder. FORGET-ME-NOT CAFÉ East Calder Church Hall, Manse Court. Last Thursday of the month, 10am – 12pm. A meeting place for people with dementia and their carers of all ages. Drop in and join us for information, support and social activities. Supported by Alzheimer Scotland and East Calder Church. For more information please phone 01506 533 116. EAST CALDER BOWLING CLUB Bingo every Sun and Wed 8pm– 9.30pm. Junior coaching (10 to 16 years old) every friday 2pm – 4pm. We can also coach adults, free, so come along and give it a try. Hats every Mon 6-30pm. See club website at www. eastcalderbowlingclub.com. Members can find details here of competitions, play by dates and club news. EAST CALDER JOG SCOTLAND GROUP Meet every Tuesday at East Calder Health centre car park at 7pm. All abilities welcome, a social way to get fit, make friends and enjoy local countryside. Contact Dawn on 01506 883330 or 07806 772935 for more details. YOGA FOR EVERYONE East Calder Partnership Centre. Wed 7.00pm – 8.30pm For further info contact Ruth Plevin: 01506204338 or ruth@sukha.co.uk EAST CALDER COLTS FC East Calder Park. Soccer school every Friday night and teams for all ages groups please check website for details www.eastcalderfc.co.uk/ EAST CALDER OLD FOLKS CLUB East Calder Partnership Centre. Last Thursday of the month, September to April 1.30pm 3.30pm. Pensioners and non-pensioners welcome. Contact Carol Anne Murray (Sec). EAST CALDER LADIES’ CIRCLE East Calder Partnership Centre. Second Thursday of the month, Sept to May at 1-3pm. Secretary: Mrs E Bennett, 73 Mansefield, East Calder, West Lothian EH53 0JE. EAST CALDER YOUTH CLUB East Calder Partnership Centre. Fri 6.15pm - 8.45pm. Ages 10 to 14 yrs. Cooking, football, baseball and other outdoor sports, pool, video games, board games and arts/crafts. Contact Gary Sneddon 01506 774473.
NEW MUMS GROUP This group is for new mums of any age. East Calder Partnership Centre. Mon 11.00am - 12.30pm. Free. Contact health visitor via health centre for further details 01506 880582. BREAST FEEDING SUPPORT GROUP East Calder Church Hall. Wednesday 11.30 am – 12.30 pm. Contact Health Visitors via Health Centre for further details 01506 880582 BOYS BRIGADE East Calder Church Hall. Anchors (age 5 - 8) Fridays 6.30 7.30pm. Juniors (age 8 - 11) Fridays 6.45 - 8.15pm. Company Section (age 11-18). Fridays 7.30 - 9.45pm. Call Jean Gilchrist 01506 880367 EAST CALDER PLAYGROUP Now located in East Calder Partnership Centre. Mon-Fri 9am-11am from 2 years. For the best introduction to your child’s education - lots of fun to be had! £5.50 per session. Contact Carol on 07748 053340. RAINBOWS, BROWNIES AND GUIDES East Calder Church Hall, Main Street. Rainbows: East Calder Church Hall, Mon 6.30-7.30pm & Wed 6.15-7.15 Brownies: Kirknewton Church Hall Tues 6.30pm-8pm. Brownies contact Gillian Maben 01506 880640 or Sally buchanan. sally@btinternet.com Guides: Kirknewton Church Hall Mon 7pm-9pm and East Calder Church Hall Wed 7.30-9pm. Guides contact Fiona Wilson 07595 679117 fionamhwilson@sky.com. EAST CALDER SCOUT GROUP Scout Hall, Calderhall Terrace. Beavers Mon 6.15 - 7.15pm (boys 6 - 8 yrs). Cubs Mon 7.30 - 9.00pm (boys 8 - 10 yrs). Scouts Tues 7.15 - 9.00pm (boys 10 - 14 yrs). Contact Jack Galloway on 077907 93889. www.eastcalderscouts.org.uk EAST CALDER YOUTH CLUB For P6 to S4, Fridays 6.30-8.30pm. Entry £1. Contact Errin Anderson Community Education Worker 01506 871278. EAST CALDER NEEDLECRAFT CLUB We are a group of ladies who would like to invite you to our weakly Thursday meetings, between 7 and 9.30 pm in the Partnership Centre. We enjoy a range of needlecrafts including cross stitch, embroidery, knitting, crochet, sewing. Friendly tuition given. Our members range in age from 18 to 80. Outings include a trip to Hobby Craft in Glasgow, S.E.C.C. Also away day trips - something to please everyone. Tea and biscuits provided. Please contact 01506 882427 for more information. EAST CALDER OLD TYME DANCE CLUB East Calder Partnership Centre We meet Tuesday afternoons from 1 pm to 3 pm, and dance to live music from Iain MacPhail, accordionist. Beginners/ learners are very welcome to join us in this very friendly club. SLIMMING WORLD East Calder Bowling Club, 255 Main Street, East Calder, EH53 0EL Tuesdays at 3.30pm, 5.30pm and 7.30pm. Wednesdays at 9.30am and 11.30am. Contact Sue on 07803 520781 for more information.
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WEST LOTHIAN EAGLES – AUSSIE RULES FOOTBALL We have just started and are looking for new players, of all shapes and sizes, beginners especially for free training sessions. Get fit, have a laugh, make new friends and play a new sport. We train mainly in East Calder football pitch on the Main St. on Monday evenings at 7.15pm but we also train on various other places throughout West Lothian. Check the facebook page for details. www.facebook.com/wleaglesarfc/
KIRKNEWTON KIRKNEWTON STITCH ‘N BITCH Friendly informal group for men and women of all skill levels who have their own sewing projects they are working on or want to start working on. If you get stuck along the way you can ask for advice and we can all help each other. Thursdays 7pm-8.30pm at Potter Around, Overton Farm, Kirknewton. To take part you will need your own sewing machine and or any tools/materials for your project. Cost: £2, to cover use of the room and for tea/coffee. For more information, please contact Amy McMillan - search “Kirknewton Stitch & Bitch” on Facebook and request to join the group. COMMUNITY PLAYGROUPS KIRKNEWTON Kirknewton Village Hall Main Street, EH27 8AH. Manager Claire Contact: 07958530681. Open Tues, Wed and Friday 9:15 to 11:30am £7.50 per session. RAINBOW UNIT (Girls aged 5-7 years old) take place on Wednesday night. For more information please visit www.girlguiding.org.uk/get-involved or alternatively you can email us on westlothiangirlguiding@gmail.com. BROWNIE UNIT (Girls aged 7-10 years old) take place on Tuesday and Wednesday night. For more information please visit www.girlguiding.org.uk/getinvolved or alternatively you can email us on westlothiangirlguiding@gmail.com. GUIDE UNIT (Girls aged 10-14 years old) take place on Monday night. For more information please visit www.girlguiding. org.uk/get-involved or alternatively you can email us on westlothiangirlguiding@ gmail.com. KIRKNEWTON BABY & TODDLER GROUP Every Thursday 9.30-11.30 in Kirknewton Church Hall. £1.50 per family includes snacks and hot drinks. Join us for child-led play and ending the session with fun group songs. Keep up to date with us on Facebook! KIRKNEWTON RUNNERS Meet at Kirknewton Park every Monday at 19.30 KIRKNEWTON STOMPERS Walking group, meeting at Kirknewton Park entrance on Park Terrace. Every Wed 7.30pm. Join the group on the community facebook page where people post details of the walk, or any other time they are walking. HATTON SPORTS CLUB Tennis and squash. Burnwynd, Kirknewton. Social and competitive play. LTA-qualified tennis coaches. Contact Carol Blamire 01506 880208 SIMPLY PLAY Kaspars Out of School Care for Kirknewton. Kirknewton Primary School. Mon – Thu 3.15-6.00pm, Fri 12.30 – 6.00. Call 07871 791000 KIRKNEWTON WOMEN’S INSTITUTE Come and join us for a friendly evening of craft, demonstrations and fun. 2nd Thursday of each month, 7.15pm in Kirknewton Church Hall.
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KIRKNEWTON PLAYGROUP A happy and friendly playgroup for children ages 2 to 5 years. Open Tues, Wed & Fri 9.15am - 11.30am in Kirknewton Village Hall. Contact admin@communityplaygroups.co. uk / 07593165100 or pop in and see us in the hall. £7.50 per session. Funded places are also available for eligible 2 year olds. BOOKBUG Songs and Stories for 0-5-years old, Kirknewton Church Hall Thursdays 10.00am – 10.30am weekly during term time. ACCESS 2 EMPLOYMENT JOB CLUB Kirknewton Village Hall. Adult dance class to encourage adults back into dance and raise money for good causes. Wednesdays 8.15-9.30pm. Contact Cathy on 01506 881674.
MID CALDER PILATES CLASSES Mid Calder Institute Hall. Wednesdays 9.30 – 10.30am (Beginners / Intermediate). Additional classes at East Calder and Hatton Sports Club. Contact Mairianne 07912 963 851 for more details or email: pilates@bodyandcore.co.uk. See www.bodyandcore.co.uk and facebook.com/bodyandcorepilates RAINBOW UNIT (Girls aged 5-7 years old) take place on Wednesday night. For more information please visit www.girlguiding. org.uk/get-involved or alternatively you can email us on westlothiangirlguiding@ gmail.com. BROWNIE UNIT (Girls aged 7-10 years old) take place on Tuesday night. For more information please visit www.girlguiding. org.uk/get-involved or alternatively you can email us on westlothiangirlguiding@ gmail.com. GUIDE UNIT (Girls aged 10-14 years old) take place on Wednesday night. For more information please visit www.girlguiding.org.uk/get-involved or alternatively you can email us on westlothiangirlguiding@gmail.com. MID CALDER SCHOOL OF DANCE Mid Calder Institute Hall. Highland, Disco Tues 6.00pm - 7.00pm and Fri 6.00pm 9.00pm. Various ages. Contact Heather 01501733054. WEST LOTHIAN WOMEN’S CYCLE CLUB Meet every Thursday at Mid Calder Primary School Car Park at 6pm. Get on your bike! All abilities welcome, should have own bike and kit. A great way to get fit, have fun and meet new friends around the local area. Contact Elizabeth Logan on 07515 161 307. WELCOME CAFÉ Glenalmond Hall. Every Tuesday 10am-12noon. This is a Fair Trade Café all proceeds of which to the Vine Trust in Peru. Do come along and enjoy a cup of tea or coffee and some home baking with friends. CUNNIGAR HOUSE ACTIVITY GROUP Are you over 60? Looking to get out and meet new people? Come and join in our activity group in Cunnigar House, Mid Calder, weekly Tuesdays (2-4pm). A mix of gentle physical activity, quizzes and games. We also love a good chat over a cup of tea! All welcome, cost is just £1 per session. Get in touch if you’d like more information, with Cyrenians OPAL (Older People, Active Lives) on 01506 815815 or email opal@cyrenians. scot www.cyrenians.scot. at Cunnigar House, Mid Calder. MID CALDER CAMERA CLUB Institute Hall, Market Street. Wed 7:30pm – 9:45pm. All levels of photographers are welcome. For more information, visit www. mccc.org.uk or call Steve Collier at 01506 881398 or Gordon Scott at 01506 882616.
MID CALDER COLTS FC Teams covering all ages, playing soccer 7s, 11-a-side and also a soccer school. For more information see the Colts’ website www.mid-caldercolts.org. Contact Carole 883934. Contact@mid-calder-colts.org. MID CALDER BABY & TODDLER GROUP Institute Hall, Tuesdays & Thursdays 9am-11am. £1 per baby / £1.50 per toddler per session, all welcome. Please email midcalderbabygroup@gmail. com for more details. YOGA CLASSES Masonic Hall. Wednesday evening class 7.30 -9pm. Contact Linda Bibby 01506 884115. www.wholebodybalance.co.uk
FOLK CLUB The MidCalder Inn, Mid Calder. Meets every third Tuesday of the month 8pm at the “Tap Shop”.
CHORAL HIGHLIGHTS LADIES’ CHOIR A choir of around 20 ladies, new members most welcome. An ability to read music is not necessary, just lots of enthusiasm with a focus on fun! We hold two concerts a year, in June and December. Accompanied by the excellent West Calder Brass Band. Available on request to perform at other venues eg fundraising, local clubs and sheltered housing. Wed 7.30pm - 9.45 pm in Kirk of Calder, Mid Calder. Please contact John 01506 880029; Janice 01506 437658; or Iris 01506 431410.
PUMPHERSTON UPHALL STATION CREATIVE PLAY Meets in Uphall Station Institute Hall. Tues 1-3pm and Thurs 9.30-11.15am. Parents/carers of babies/toddlers age 0-5 very welcome. Supported by SureStart. Different play activities every week.
PUMPHERSTON UNITED FC Four groups, including a soccer school for 5-12 yrs (Thur 6.00pm - 7.30pm); 1998 age group (Tuesdays); 1997 age group (Mon and Wed) and 1995 age group (Mon and Wed). Training at Pumpherston Recreation Park. For more information, please email feedback@pumpherston-united.co.uk
WEST CALDER POLBETH W.R.I. 1st Wednesday of the month at 7pm. Come along for an interesting programme of talks and demonstrations. New members always welcome. Further info on 01506 435708. ALMOND VALLEY FOLK CLUB We meet at 8pm on the third Tuesday of the month at the Railway Inn, Main Street, West Calder. Come along to sing, play or just listen; or see our full programme on our Facebook page. WEST CALDER AND DISTRICT MODEL FLYING CLUB For all ages and genders focusing on model aircraft flying and building. Please see www.modelclub.org for further details.We have an excellent custom made flying site situated half a mile north of Woolfords Cottages (search Google Maps for West Calder and District Model Flying Club) A small annual fee applies. Please e-mail club-secretary@modelclub.org or visit on Saturday or Sunday mornings, weather permitting.
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STAR HARMONIES Singing * Dance * Acting * Shows* Performance Group * 1:1 Singing and Musical Theatre Lessons Star Harmonies Musical Theatre School Polbeth Harwood Church Tuesdays: 5:30 - 8:30pm - Singing, dance and acting & show work (ages 3-18) Saturdays & Sundays - Dance classes including adult tap 1:1 Singing lessons in Mid Calder 07545178310 for more information. See www.starharmonies.co.uk email: starharmonies.musicworkshops@ gmail.com
WEST LOTHIAN FIBROMYALGIA SUPPORT GROUP Meets usually third Sunday of the month, 1.30pm-3.30pm, West Calder Community Centre. (No meetings July, Aug, Dec, Jan). New members warmly welcomed. Join us for support, advice, friendship, talks, outings. Check website to confirm future meeting dates sites.google.com/site/wlfibromyalgia. For more information phone Alison 07931355495 . COMMUNITY PLAYGROUPS WEST CALDER West Calder Community Centre, Dickson Street, EH55 8DZ Manager Julie. Contact: 07591734155 Open Monday to Thursday 9:15 to 11:30am £7.50 per session. THE LOOK GROUP Outdoors activities in Almondell and Calderwood Country Park for ages 8-12. Meeting at Visitor Centre 10.30 - 12.00 Saturdays - not every Sat, check programme with the Rangers on 01506 882254.
18TH WEST LOTHIAN SCOUT GROUP West Kirk Hall, West Calder. Beavers Mon 6-7pm. Cubs Wed 6.16-7.30pm Scouts Thurs 6.30-8pm. Girls and boys 10.5-14 yrs. Contact Jean Walkinshaw 01506 873638.
WEST CALDER WALKING GROUP Every Thurs at 12.30. Meet outside the Co-op, West Calder Main Street. Walk approx 1 hr then coffee/tea stop to finish. Call 01506 871773 for more info.
CHURCHES WEST KIRK OF CALDER & POLBETH HARWOOD CHURCH West Kirk of Calder Service 9.45am every Sunday; Polbeth Harwood Church Service 11.15am every Sunday. Minister: Rev Dr Jonanda Groenewald, 3 Johnsburn Road, Balerno, EH14 7DN. Tel 0131-261-7977 KIRKNEWTON AND EAST CALDER CHURCH Kirknewton Services: 9.45am in Kirknewton Church, Station Road. East Calder Services: 11.15am in East Calder Church, Main Street. EnerJ (Sunday School) available. Crèche available. Minister: Rev Alistair Cowper, 8 Manse Court, East Calder, EH53 0HF. Tel 01506 357083. Our website: www.knec4jesus.org.uk has full details of current services/activities.
MID CALDER Services 10.30 every Sunday in the Kirk of Calder, Main St, Mid Calder. Sunday School and crèche available. Pumpherston services - The Kirk of Calder also holds fortnightly services on Wednesday mornings at 10:15 at the Pumpherston Institute Hall. The website www.kirkofcalder.com has full details of current activities/services.
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ST THERESA’S CATHOLIC CHURCH Times of service - Sunday 11.30am. www.livingstoncatholicparishes.co.uk 01506 880918. Parish Priest, Fr Kenneth Owens, Email: catholic126@gmail.com
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SOLUTIONS
SOLUTION TO DECEMBER CROSSWORD
MOVE IT Craigsfarm Community Hub, Maree Walk, Craigshill, Livingston, EH54 5BP Tues 1.30-2.30pm FAB- For All Bodies. A light intensity, dance fitness class with sway and swing roots. Get fit at your own pace while learning dancing styles from across the ages such as; Bossa Nova, Flamenco, Argentinian Tango, Disco, Jazz, Foxtrot and more. Easy to follow, fun routines suitable ‘For All Bodies’ £5 per class. moveitdanceandfitness@gmail.com Tel 07737 927463 LIVINGSTON RAMBLERS Livingston Ramblers has an enthusiastic group of walkers from Livingston and surrounding areas who enjoy a varied programme of mountain, coastal and woodland walks to suit different abilities. We welcome new members. Walks are on most Sundays, second Thursdays and one Saturday a month. Thursday walks are 5-8 miles with minimal ascent. Walkers meet at Livingston Football Club carpark at 10am Saturday walks are more challenging with Munros and Corbetts, starting at 7 or 8am from Livingston North railway station. Sunday walks are more varied, around 10-12 miles with some mountain, coastal or woodland. They meet at Livingston North railway station at 8 or 9am.
ACROSS: 1. Alpaca, 4. Tribes, 9. Tornado, 10. Drake, 11. Stews, 12. Shocked, 13. Electricity, 18. Traffic, 20. Risky, 22. Nails, 23. Elegant, 24. August, 25. Stream DOWN: 1. Artist, 2. Purse, 3. Classic, 5. Radio, 6. Blanket, 7. Speedy, 8. Constructed, 14. Leaving, 15. Correct,16. Stanza, 17. System, 19. Fists, 21. Scare
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Please check us out on Facebook or Google to see the current programme or contact Hilda on 01506 882399 for more details or to join one of our walks. CHOOSE YOU – YOGA STUDIO AND WELLNESS HUB Wide range of classes at our permanent wellness studio in Carmondean. Yoga classes include Iyengar, Ashtanga, Seasonal, Bihar, Hatha/Vinyasa and Core Strength as well as yoga for kids, teens and men. We also offer Tai-Chi. For a full list and timetable, please see our Facebook page - www.facebook.com/ chooseyouyoga, call Eva on 07810 824 195 or email info@chooseyouyoga.co.uk for more information.
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Disclaimer: The publisher cannot accept responsibility for loss or damage caused by error in the printing of an advertisement. We do not endorse any advertisers in this publication. All material is accepted for publication on the understanding it is copyright free. No part of this publication may be reproduced without prior consent of the publisher. Publisher: Lothian Publications Ltd. Geddes House, Kirkton North, Livingston, West Lothian EH54 6GU. Magazine Design: Universal Appeal Ltd. M: 07729 911858 W: www.universal-appeal.com E: info@universal-appeal.com
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INDEX OF ADVERTISERS
ACCOUNTANCY & BOOKKEEPING AKT Bookkeeping 19 APPLIANCE REPAIRS Home Appliance Repair 12 ARCHITECT Plan-It 34 BARBER TJ Barbers 23 BATHROOMS & KITCHENS 1st Choice Living 5 Bathgate Bathroom Studio 43 Paragon Bathroom Solutions 2 S and S Home Improvements 26 BEAUTICIAN Lisa Blair 23 BOWLING CLUB East Calder Bowling Club 39 BUILDER Build-It 34 CAR SERVICING, MOT & REPAIR Autocare Solutions 11 JWG Car Care 35 Kirknewton Garage 35 CARPET & UPHOLSTERY CLEANING CW Services 4 CHARITY The Rock Trust 45 CHILDREN’S NURSERY Angela Elizabeth Nursery 41 COMPUTER/PHONE REPAIRS Sprint Computer Repairs 19 CURTAINS & BLINDS Harvey Bruce 30 DANCE: CLASSES/SUPPLIES Highland Dance Shop 23 DENTIST No 9 Practice 23 ELECTRICIAN A&A Electrical Solutions 32 Walls Electrical Services 12
LANDLORD SERVICES ESTATE AGENT Alba Property 52 Weslo Property 12 Drummond Miller 24 LOCKSMITH Turpie & Co. 17 CVC Locksmiths and Security 11 EXTERIOR CLEANING West Lothian Locksmith Cleaning & Maintenance 11 Company 4 FLORIST MOBILITY SERVICES Vicky’s Flowers 24 Ableworld Franchise 7 GARAGE DOORS NAIL TECHNICIAN Garolla 33 Eloise Watson Nails 23 Max’s Garage Doors 34 GARDEN CENTRE OVEN CLEANING New Hopetoun Gardens 18 Shiny Bright Ovens 19 GARDEN DESIGN/ PAINTING & DECORATING MAINTENANCE Braekirk Decorators 12 D Greaves Landscape Gardeners Lane Decor 4 14 Evergreen Balerno TML Decor 43 14 PET SITTING/BOARDING GARDEN FURNITURE AND South Lodge Cattery 37 BUILDINGS Champfleurie Estate 15 PLASTERING Alexander Aitken Plastering 12 GAS STOCKIST Charles Gas 34 Nu Walls 32 GLAZING REPAIRS PLUMBING & HEATING CR Smith 27 SERVICES Currievale Plumbing & GOLF CLUB Baberton Golf Club 39 Drainage 12 Dewar Plumbing 12 GYM/HEALTH CLUB EPH Scotland 32 Dalmahoy Hotel & Country Club 21 Heating Care Scotland 31 HAIR SALON Mech A Tech Home Heating Jane & Friends 23 Services 33 HANDYMAN McLellan Plumbing 43 1st Call Handyman Services 11 Plumb-It 34 JEWELLER PUBLIC HOUSE Jewellery Workshop 24 Black Bull Inn 38 JOB OPPORTUNITIES RESTAURANT Capability Scotland 6 Al Borgo Ristorante 39 JOINERY Craigcrook Joinery 32 ROOFING Geoff Vinter Joinery 32 Taylor Roofs 31 Loft Boarding Scotland 4 STORAGE FACILITIES Morrison Dick Container Storage 19 Top Box Self Storage 5 TRAINING Road Haulage Association 42 TRUSTED TRADER SCHEME West Lothian Trusted Trader Scheme 30 VET & ANIMAL WELLBEING Lamond Veterinary Clinic 36 Pentland Veterinary Clinic 37 WOULD YOU LIKE TO ADVERTISE YOUR BUSINESS TO WINDOW & GUTTER CLEANING CS Window and Gutter 5,500 READERS IN KIRKNEWTON, MID CALDER, EAST Cleaning 14 CALDER AND PUMPHERSTON EVERY MONTH? Suburban Window Cleaning 4 For more information or to be included, please contact us. YOUTH EMPLOYMENT SCHEME Our details are on page 3. Developing the Young Workforce 41
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