SPOTLIGHT:
CHARITY:
LOCAL WALK:
It’s okay to talk – but how easy is it to actually find someone you’re comfortable talking to? This seems particularly challenging for men, which is why the charity Andy’s Man Club is growing at such a rapid rate. A national charity but with groups all over the country, there are two groups in Livingston. See the feature on pages 8 – 10.
We’re excited about a new distillery producing whisky and rum, in the historic village of Blackness. Read about Blackness Bay Distillery on page 7, they offer quirky and original tours with the option to eat at the renowned Lobster Pot afterwards.
With a diverse range of local businesses, lots of activities for all the family, and all our usual columns - I hope you enjoy the magazine this month as much as I have enjoyed putting it together!
Thank you for supporting local businesses and organisations.
All enquiries, E: M: editor@konect.scot 07854 492638
Blackness Bay Distillery is a newly opened craft business in the oldest building in Blackness on Sea village. We are a family-run business committed to the culture, history and traditions of the area.
The distillery produces whisky and rum in traditional twin copper stills in the time-honoured way, using Scottish malted barley from Alloa to produce single malt, single cask batches of whisky each with its individual characteristics. Our rums are produced directly from raw sugar cane molasses. These are fermented and distilled adding spices and botanicals to produce a range of rums including Flower of Scotland Pink Rum containing rose petals,
heather buds, and thistle flowers; a Jacobite Dark Spiced “Outlandish “ Rum; a white Blackness Bay Navy Rum; and Oak Aged Rum. After some hesitation by the authorities, the distillery has recently been granted the trademark “Mary Queen of Scotch “ for its single malt Scotch whisky, which is currently maturing in oak barrels in our cellars.
We specialise in unique quirky tours of our distillery culminating if required in a meal at our award-winning pub/restaurant, The Lobster Pot, already well-known for its seafood. Tours include the history of the locality, its Jacobite connections and association with Mary Queen of Scots. Visitors also learn about the history of craft distilling in Scotland and see how it is still conducted lagely unchanged.
Perfect for parties, locals and visitors alike. Book now at www.blacknessbaydistillery.co.uk
Blackness Bay Distillery, Shore Road, Blackness on Sea, Linlithgow, EH49 7NL
“Blackness Bay Distillery”
Monday evenings between 7pm and 9pm: the time when men are most vulnerable to losing their lives by suicide.
So discovered the founders of Andy’s Man Club, a club set up initially for male suicide prevention, and which has rapidly become much broader than that.
Andy’s Man Club meets at an ever-increasing number of towns and villages across Scotland, every Monday night from 7pm to 9pm.
It’s a place where men can come and talk about absolutely anything that is bothering them. Work, debt, relationships, health, loneliness, and all the feelings that culturally you’ve been conditioned to believe you should just deal with alone.
While it’s hard to say with any certainty why male suicide is much higher than female, it’s thought that men’s reluctance or inability to talk about their struggles is a major contributing factor.
Andy’s Man Club provides a space to talk in a safe, sympathetic and non-judgemental environment alongside other men who have taken exactly that same step through the venue door on a Monday night.
“ I hit rock bottom at Christmas last year, my world as I knew it fell apart. I started going to Andy’s Man Club in the new year. It was one of the hardest things that I have ever done! But I am glad to say that it has been one of the best. Listening to each different guy’s story has given me a new perspective and outlook. It has given me the context that I needed to gather my thoughts and prepare for my next chapter with positivity ”
“The more we can normalise talking about things, the better,” says Alex McClintock, Head of Groups in Scotland.
A, has been attending Andy’s Man Club in West Lothian since January 2024
“Despite a lot of progress in recent years, men are still expected to be the strong one, to “man up,” deal with their problems alone and not show their feelings. If you’re a certain age you may remember as a kid being threatened, ‘If you cry, I’ll give you something to cry about!’ and there are elements of this attitude that persist.”
The exponential growth of the charity in Scotland speaks for itself of how utterly essential it is proving to be. September marks seven years since Alex helped facilitate the first Andy’s Man Club in Perth. There are now 42 across Scotland; that’s a new one opening every couple of months.
The charity is named after Andy Roberts, a young man from Halifax (Yorkshire) who took his own life in 2016. His mum and brotherin-law opened up a room in Halifax later that year and invited men to come and talk. At the first meeting, nine men turned up; this year, all
across the UK 4,600 men attend their local Andy’s Man Club.
G has been attending AMC in West Lothian since March 2023. “I had been off work for a while and had no motivation to do anything and felt like the weight of the world was on my shoulders. I wanted to shut the world out. I had seen a thing on social media promoting Andy’s Man Club, I contacted the Facebook page and went along in March of last year. I haven’t missed a Monday night since. AMC sets me up for the week, I like seeing the journey every man takes when they walk through the doors for the first time, and see them start to recover and get stronger week by week and hope I’m playing a part in helping them like others helped me. I would encourage anyone who is feeling down or just not themselves to come along to a meeting. It’s good to talk”
“ I could always speak, but over the last 18 months AMC has taught me how to talk and open up about how I am feeling instead of hiding away ”
K, has been attending Andy’s Man Club in West Lothian since February 2023
Alex became involved when he had hit rock bottom personally and had made an attempt on his own life. He went to his first Andy’s Man Club meeting in Halifax and spoke about things he had never shared with anyone. He went with his friend of 20 years. “We thought we knew everything about each others’ lives, until we went to Andy’s Man Club together. He was gobsmacked by what I had to say, he’d had no idea what I had been going through.” Having experienced the transformative power of talking, Alex became a passionate advocate for Andy’s Man Club and went on to formally become the charity’s development champion in Scotland.
You don’t need to have mental health challenges or to be desperate before attending Andy’s Man Club. It’s much better to go before you get that low.
“It sets you up for the week,” says Alex. “Instead of dreading Mondays, it’s now my best day as I get to go to my Club and I look forward to it.” For the majority of men who attend, it becomes a regular habit, a constant therapy - much like going to the gym regularly but for maintaining good mental health instead of physical. The benefits of just going and getting stuff of your chest regularly is immense. And it not only helps you; you’re helping other men by sharing your problems so that they too know they are not alone. There is no need to book, no need to give your name or contact details and no need even to speak if you don’t feel up for it. It’s not unusual for men to come for a few weeks and just listen before sharing their own situations. Simply turn up and get tea and biscuits. What is the worst that could happen?
The charity’s aim is for there to be 1500 clubs all across the UK, so that men have no excuse not to come!
• If you are feeling low for any reason, get along to an Andy’s Man Club near you next Monday! We have listed all the local ones*. >>>
• If you are interested in opening a branch of Andy’s Man Club locally please contact info@andysmanclub.co.uk
• If you are able offer a venue free of charge for a Club to run on a Monday evening, please contact info@ andysmanclub. co.uk. There is always a need for venues in order to keep up with surging demand for the Clubs to run.
ALWAYS FREE, ALWAYS 7 pm - 9 pm , EVERY MONDAY NIGHT (EXCEPT BANK HOLIDAYS)
ARMADALE: Armadale Partnership Centre, North Street, Armadale, EH48 3QB
BATHGATE: Regal Reconnect Theatre, 24 - 34 North Bridge St, Bathgate, EH48 4PS
BROXBURN: Entrance B, Strathbrock Community Centre, 189A West Main St, Broxburn, EH52 5LH
DALGETY BAY: That Place in The Bay, 10a Ridge Way, Dalgety Bay, KY11 9JN
DUNFERMLINE (SOUTH): Dunfermline Sports Club, McKane Park, Limekilns Road, Dunfermline, KY12 7XA
DUNFERMLINE (NORTH): Townhill
Bowling Club, Green Street, Townhill, Dunfermline, KY12 0HE
EDINBURGH (MERCHISTON): North Merchiston Club, Watson Crescent, Edinburgh, EH11 1EP
EDINBURGH (SOUTH GYLE): Upstairs food quarter, The Space to Be, Gyle Shopping Centre, Edinburgh, EH12 9JY
KIRKLISTON: STARTING SEPTEMBER!
LINLITHGOW: COMING SOON!
LIVINGSTON #1: Craigsfarm Community Hub, Maree Walk, Livingston EH54 5BP
LIVINGSTON #2: Livingston Cricket Club, 10A Murieston Valley, Liinvgston EH54 9HB
ROSYTH: Rosyth Eats, 115 Queensferry Road, Rosyth, KY11 2PS
For more information about Andy’s Man Club, please visit andysmanclub.co.uk
This article was written by Helen-Jane Gisbourne after speaking with Alex McClintock, Head of Groups Scotland for Andy’s Man Club, and with an attendee of a West Lothian Andy’s Man Club. Helen-Jane is the Editor of Konect magazines
Home Instead recently conducted research to better understand the hopes, fears and aspirations of our ageing population.
The findings, captured in our report ‘The New Ageing Index’, show that many older people feel excluded and marginalised, leading to an increased sense of isolation and loneliness.
The survey of 1,000 adults covered a wide range of topics from health and wellbeing to technology, politics and social care. Whilst the sense of exclusion is not to be celebrated, the survey did show that retirees are living more active, healthy and dynamic lifestyles and are eager to embrace everything from technology to sport and dating in later life.
Some of the key findings included:
• Over a third of respondents believe being old is like being cancelled
• Their dynamic lifestyles start with fitness –with an incredible 89% of the UK’s oldest people now endorsing an active lifestyle
• 7 in 10 people aged over 75 are worried about not being able to look after themselves, with 80% saying they would prefer to be treated at home if they became ill
• Independence is a priority – people are more concerned about the prospect of ending up a care home (44%) than they would be about the death of a partner (36%)
The broader findings indicate that traditional stereotypes about retirement and old age have become outdated, with today’s older generation wanting to continue to remain active, have fun – and to be involved.
For more information or to read a full copy of the report, visit www.homeinstead.co.uk/newageing-index/
The Living Well column is contributed by Home Instead West Lothian. Contact them for advice and support on 01506 346046, email info.westlothian@homeinstead.co.uk or see www.homeinstead.co.uk/west-lothian
AUGUST CROSSWORD
The crossword solution will be published in the September edition
ACROSS: 7. Not moving (6), 8. Conflict (6), 9. Horrible (4), 10. Wrapper for letter (8), 11. Thrift (7), 13. Loosen (5), 15. Type of snake (5), 17. Country dwelling (7), 20. Against the current (8), 21. Certain (4), 23. Cruel (6), 24. Necessary (6).
DOWN: 1. Celestial body (4), 2. Part of a flower (6), 3. Shrieks (7), 4. Higher up (5), 5. Pinched (6), 6. Tossing (8), 12. Hacking (8), 14. Order (7), 16. Keep (6), 18. Examined (6), 19. Fixes (5), 22. Regrets (4).
Quote “Konect” on your initial enquiry for a 10% discount Applies to services supplied by Taylor Roofs and Taylor Solar
Sometimes I find a bottle of wine that is so good and such amazing value, I must share it!
Not long after our wedding, my husband and I took a holiday to Lake Garda. It’s a beautiful place, with incredible scenery and food. If you look at my holiday photos, you’ll see the gorgeous lake and dramatic mountains. Unlike most holiday photos from the area, you’ll also see lots of photos of stainless-steel fermenting tanks and grape presses, I love visiting wineries!
When I found a bottle of wine from the vineyards around Lake Garda in Lidl, I had to buy it. Vigna Lago from the Lugana region in the Southern banks of Lake Garda is the perfect white wine for the summer. It is an unoaked, white wine, with plenty of pear, pineapple, floral and citrus notes on the nose. When you taste the wine, the flavours continue to the palate but the wine has a soft, richer than expected finish that makes this really easy to drink. It’s the perfect wine to pair with summer foods, perhaps grilled fish, shellfish or chicken salads. Not only is this wine delicious, it’s also fantastic value at only £8.99 a bottle.
Serve the wine chilled, but not too cold, and take a moment to swirl the glass and pop your nose in, can you smell the pear and pineapple notes? I enjoyed a glass with smoked salmon and cream cheese on sourdough bread, it was perfect!
The monthly wine tasting column is contributed by Joanne Frette. Joanne lives in Juniper Green with her husband and three children. For wine recommendations, reviews and details of future tasting events, please go to swirlsipsocialise.com
We were photographing foxes a few weeks ago and looking back through the images, it resurfaced a memory from our childhood. We were obsessed with the Animals of Farthing wood, whether it was the book, TV series or magazine, it was a huge deal for us and was probably what really sparked our love for wildlife.
Thinking about the storyline of the book, it somewhat predicted the future and the challenges wildlife has faced because of humans. For those unfamiliar with the premise, it follows a group of animals forced to move from their home, Farthing Wood, because humans were clearing the land to make way for houses. The book tracks their journey as they seek out a new home at a nature reserve called White Deer Park.
Listening back to the theme tune whilst writing this has given me a wonderful sense of nostalgia for when we raced home from school, ready to watch the next episode or devour the next issue of the magazine.
This vixen has done incredibly well to raise a beautiful family of four very healthy cubs, despite having a visible limp. We’ve been back to see them since I took this shot and the
group has nearly doubled in size. We couldn’t believe it when there were eight or nine foxes charging around, which now included a dog fox aka Dad, we suspect.
Did you know that foxes can retract their claws like a cat? I didn’t. Every day’s a school day!
This column is contributed by Clare Harte and Kate Stevenson, who grew up in Edinburgh and now live in West Lothian. Together they run Scottish Sisters Photography and travel around the country to watch and photograph amazing wildlife and scenic landscapes.
Follow them on Facebook: @ScottishSistersPhotography
EVERGREEN HERBS ARE ALMOST TOO GOOD TO EAT!
This pot of herbs will still be looking great in the winter, the evergreen ones will still be pickable but the pot will give so much pleasure sitting on a sunny patio as well.
There is still time this month to create your own potful of herbs!
Choose evergreen herbs like Rosemary, Parsley, Lemon Variegated Thyme and Purple Sage. Our pot has also got an Alpine Strawberry, French Tarragon, Golden Marjoram and a clump of Chives. All herbs we like to use in cooking and flower arranging. If you already have your own herbs in pots they would enjoy a liquid feed a couple of times this month and if they have finished
flowering now clip them back to encourage new growth.
If you have a crop of new potatoes in the garden try our Crushed Potato Salad.
Boil unpeeled new potatoes until tender, drain and crush roughly with a fork and add 4 tbsp white wine and return to heat for 2 minutes. Stir in 2 tbsp olive oil, lemon juice, black pepper, a thinly sliced red onion and 3 tbsp mixed herbs – parsley, chervil, chives and mint (from a separate pot to control its spreading!). Serve warm.
The gardening project is contributed by Dougal Philip, New Hopetoun Gardens. Inspiring, informing and entertaining, for more than 40 years.
AUGUST SUDOKU
This tax year, full State Pension rose by 8.1% to £221.20 a week.
However, just how much you’ll be eligible for when you reach State Pension Age (SPA) will depend on how many NICs you’ve made during your working life.
If you aren’t on track to get the full State Pension, it’s possible to buy top-ups. Those with big gaps to fill can take advantage of the government offer to make voluntary National Insurance contributions (NICs) going back 16 years.
Normally, you can only make voluntary NICs for the previous six tax years.
However, until April 2025 this period has been extended 10 years.
The offer is open to people who reach State Pension Age after April 2016, which means it’s worth considering for anyone aged 45-70.
If you’ve been working and paying NI throughout your career, you should have paid enough to get the full State Pension.
But if you’ve had extended periods where you haven’t been working or earning enough to pay NI (and weren’t claiming benefits), you might not reach the 35-year threshold you need to get the full State Pension.
Find out whether you’re on track by applying for a State Pension forecast online at the government website.
The Money Matters column is contributed by Lucy Logan. Lucy lives in Calderwood and is the Principal of Calderwood Financial, an Associate Partner Practice of St. James’s Place.
The top of Currie’s Kirkgate is the starting point for my foray into the Pentlands today, a westerly morning breeze bringing a welcome coolness to the air as I set off.
I begin by taking the stony track that continues uphill from the end of Kirkgate, following the sign indicating ‘Glencorse Reservoir 2.5M’. Wildflowers are in joyful abundance by the sides of the path as I ascend, from wild roses in delicate pinks and whites, to tangles of meadow vetchling, swathes of swaying yellow loosestrife, and the exquisite spear-shaped flower clusters of common spotted orchid. This floral spectacle is sound-tracked by cheerful calls of chaffinch, chiff-chaff and yellowhammer. Gradually, as I near open country, the beeches by the path give way to birch and Scots pine. A small, crystal-clear burn meanders beneath the open canopy to my left. Then, leaving the trees and hedgerows behind, I follow the path over heathland towards Maiden’s Cleuch, traversing what was once the old Malleny Rifle range. I admire Carnethy Hill’s camouflage colours between the green of Bell’s Hill and the darker slopes of Black Hill.
A skylark, larger than expected when seen close-up, alights on the drystone wall just ahead. It has a beak jammed full of insects and, despite this mouthful, is calling to its young to come and be fed. It stays close as I pass, parental instinct stronger than the fear of my presence. Soon, the air fills with the sound of larks all around. I see a kestrel speed through the air in the distance, rust-red wings catching the morning sun. It’s not close enough to silence the larks though.
Once over the col at Maiden’s Cleugh, the view opens up south-eastward down the valley to Glencorse Reservoir, with its pine-topped Swallows-and-Amazons island tempting
in the distance. A bench by the shore would make a nice lunch stop were it later in the day, but today, just before reaching the reservoir, I turn sharply left and upslope, following the sign marked ‘Colinton by Bonaly’, heading over Knightfield Rig. Pausing to catch my breath, I turn to look back and am rewarded with a fine vista of the Pentland range, extending from Turnhouse Hill all the way to Scald Law and the Kips.
I continue through the valley between Harbour Hill and Capelaw Hill for a mile or so. On reaching a conifer plantation, I pass through a gate on my left, following the sign to Bonaly. Emerging from the trees, I find myself by the spillway of Bonaly reservoir - smaller, and a little more windswept in character than Glencorse. I perch on the concrete parapet and scan around. An angler stands on the far shore, while little grebes and tufted duck dabble and dive amongst rafts of water plants that patchwork the surface. Closer by, a pied wagtail pecks amongst the shingle at the water’s edge and, as I sit contemplating this scene, a female mallard glides in to land in the shallows and begins to waddle up the beach towards me. She is clearly accustomed to taking advantage of the crumbs tossed by the walkers and cyclists who stop here. I make my apologies that I have no such treats this time before setting off on my way again.
Coming over the rise at the northern end of the reservoir, a panoramic view of the city is revealed, which I soak in at leisure during an easy descent down the next section of path. On reaching the woods above Bonaly car park (another possible starting point for this walk), I take a left, following the sign for Torduff Reservoir. The root-latticed path leads me along the wood’s southern edge and, on emerging from the trees, I bear left. Initially, rocky bluffs shield the steep-sided reservoir from view, their southern slopes blushed with the purples of foxgloves and early flowering heather. Then, the sheltered waters of Torduff’s southern reaches come in to view, still and dark below banks of dense bracken and bramble. A burn runs from the higher altitude Clubbidean Reservoir down to Torduff and, with the sound of its gushing falls in my ears, I begin my ascent to the fourth and final reservoir of the day.
The roadway takes me up the northern side of the Clubbiedean dam, beneath power lines that fizz and crackle, before turning left at the little lodge and café to continue along the northern shore. Here, the tranquil Clubbiedean offers up its own host of life. Three swans are gracefully navigating the calm waters, mature woods their backdrop. The song of willow warblers fills the air, each phrase beginning purposefully before seeming to drift off in an ever-descending lilting reverie, as if lulled by the very summers days which have brought them north once more. A goldfinch takes an impromptu bath in a puddle and swallows swoop and dive to collect insects over the adjacent fields.
The final leg of this walk is an easy roadside march taking me past the steadings of Easter and Middle Kinleith to arrive back once more where I started. This gives me time to reflect on the four reservoirs, each with its own different attributes and welcoming cast of characters - a little like the human towns which they serve and which we, living nearby, are lucky enough to call home.
The walk offers easy hillwalking along established tracks, paths and roads. Allow 3.5 – 4 hours.
This article was contributed by William Weir. William is a scientist and amateur writer/ photographer who lives locally. In his spare time he enjoys exploring the trails and wild spaces of West Lothian and the Pentland Hills.
SATURDAY 3RD & SUNDAY 4TH AUGUST
Open Days at Almondell Model Engineering Centre
A fantastic family day out, with train rides on their new extended track through the woodland. Tea, coffee and snacks. Free parking, picnic area. 10.30am – 4.00pm. Drumshoreland Muir, Drumshoreland Road, Broxburn, EH52 5PF
SATURDAY 3RD AUGUST
Almond Valley Nature Action Ramble and Chat
Guided walk and pollinator identifier workshop. The event will take place on a section of Cycle Route 75 at Easter Inch Moss and Seafield Law. Free but booking essential on Eventbrite: almondvalleynatureaction.blog/2024/07/06/ august-ramble-and-chat/
SATURDAY 3RD AUGUST
Friends of Almondell & Calderwood Country Park Volunteering session
The Friends of Almondell's monthly practical project meeting. Volunteer group helping to conserve and maintain the 220 acre Almondell & Calderwood Country Park including the Oakbank extension. Please get in touch by contacting the Ranger Service on 01506 882254, or email almondell&calderwood@ westlothian.gov.uk to find out more about getting involved. Facebook: 'Friends of Almondell & Calderwood Country Park'
DAILY UNTIL THURSDAY 15TH AUGUST
Summer Adventures at Almond Valley Schools Out, it's time to kick back and enjoy the fun of the summer. Daily alpaca feeding, meet the Clydesdales, animal handling, train and tractor rides and den building - how are you going to fit it all in one visit! Almond Valley Heritage Centre, Millfield, Livingston, EH54 7AR
WEEKENDS THROUGH THE SUMMER Canal Cruises Aqueduct cruises run from the Linlithgow Union Canal centre on Saturdays and Sundays until 29th September (except 4th August) 2½ hour cruise from the canal basin in Linlithgow to the Avon Aqueduct, which carries the Union Canal over the River Avon. The Avon Aqueduct is the longest and tallest in Scotland and the second longest in Britain. £13 Adult, £11 Concession, £7 Child. Information and booking online via www.lucs.org.uk
SATURDAY 31ST AUGUST
Everything Changes – Take That Tribute show 90's hits, current tunes and lots of dancing! Come and join the fun. Reconnect Regal Theatre, Bathgate, 7.30pm (doors open 6.30pm) Tickets £23.50 via reconnectregal.com/show/ WANT TO INCLUDE YOUR EVENT HERE? COMMUNITY AND NOT-FOR-PROFIT LISTINGS ARE FREE OF CHARGE.
EMAIL EDITOR@KONECT.SCOT BY 15TH OF THE MONTH FOR FOLLOWING MONTH’S ISSUE.
We have all become used to the zoom and teams meetings that are now a daily part of our lives and working remotely or from home has become the norm.
Outside of our working lives, this increase in the use of screen time has changed how many of us relate to other people and some important relationships that used to be face to face have become digitised. Online dating has become more prevalent and the old way of meeting future partners in pubs and clubs or just by chance is no longer the norm.
These new ways of working and socialising can very easily take over more and more of our lives if we are not careful but setting a tech curfew at a certain time every day could make a real difference to all our lives. For those who can’t bear the thought of missing a message or an email, the aim of this detox is not to cut off our relationship with technology but to set limits on the connection to our screens. Young people will be able to go home from school at the end of the day and leave the people they don’t want to be permanently connected to behind them and the rest of us can simply disconnect from the pressures of work and working relationships.
Best of all, disconnecting our devices doesn’t mean that we are going to miss anything important. Unless we have decided to go and live in a cave someone will definitely tell us if anything of life shattering importance has happened that we need to know about.
The Life Coaching column is contributed by Francine Orr, NLP coach, hypnotherapist & reiki practitioner. Francine is based within Linlithgow Chiropractic on Wednesday afternoons and is also available online. See www.orrganise.co.uk
SPORTS, HOBBIES, LEARNING, SUPPORT GROUPS & MORE...
MID CALDER COMMUNITY
HUB - Every Thursday 12 till 2.00pm. Institute Hall (Community Centre) Mid Calder. We have free teas and coffee along with cake and biscuits together with a warm welcome and friendly chat. Open to all. We look forward to seeing you soon. Any questions just pop in to see us.
MID CALDER WOMEN’S
GROUP - Mid Calder Women’s Group would like to welcome new members. We are a group aged 60+ who meet each Monday at the Institute Hall, Mid Calder, from 12.45pm until 3pm. Cost per week is £3/member. We organise various activities including, games, quizzes, bingo, well being exercises and regular talks from external speakers and entertainers. We also arrange coach trips to places of interest. Interested? Please contact Jackie on 01506 883205
WOMEN'S 5-A-SIDE FOOTBALL - A fun and friendly group meeting on Thursday evenings to play recreational football in East Calder. All ages abilities welcome. A great way to keep fit and meet new people. For more information text Tracey 07708 700235
EAST CALDER PENSIONERS
CLUB - Held in The Dave King Partnership Centre, Main Street, East Calder on the last Thursday of every month from 1.00pm to 3.00pm (September-April). New members welcome. Contact Carole on 07821 699332 for further details.
MID CALDER BABY & TODDLER GROUP - Tuesday, Thursday and Friday 9am11.30 am in The Institute Hall Mid Calder. We have a huge toy selection, offer arts and crafts and supply a small snack. Adults can have a hot drink and
a chat whilst the children play happily. Session costs are £1 for under 1s and £2 for over 1s. Follow us on Facebook or email: midcalderbabygroup@gmail.com for further details
EAST CALDER PLAYGROUP
- Mon-Fri 9.00-11.00am for 2-3 year olds @ The Dave King Partnership Centre. Lots of fun activities while learning through play. Stories, songs, craft, small world, sand, water, outdoor fun & lots more. For more information call /text 07748053340 or pop in and see us.
SINGERGIE CHOIR - Singergie is a totally free, singing for fun choir with 2 locations in West Lothian. MONDAYS: 7.009.00pm, The Village, Oakbank Road, East Calder. FRIDAYS: 10.00am – 12noon, East Calder Bowling Club. No auditions, no fees, no stress. Good songs, easy harmonies, friendship and fun. And you get a cuppa thrown in too. Won’t cost you a penny. No need to book, just turn up and you’ll be made very welcome.
WEST LOTHIAN LITTER
PICKERS - We’re a group of over 3000 West Lothian residents, so if you want to help clean up your community, like we do, come join the group on Facebook “West Lothian Litter Pickers(Act Local Think Global)”. We organise group litter picks or put you in touch with a buddy in your area to get you started. We can even provide you with equipment at no cost to you.
EAST CALDER
NEEDLECRAFT CLUB - We are back….We meet every Thursday evening from 6.30pm - 9pm at the Dave King Partnership Centre, East Calder. All crafts are catered for whether you are a beginner or experienced in your favourite craft, we want to welcome you
to our group. Why not give us a try? Call 01506 882699 for more information.
EAST CALDER OVER 50s CLUB - Held in The Dave King Community Centre, Main Street, East Calder every Wednesday from 1.30-3.30pm (SeptemberMay) Please contact Gillian on 07415309886 for further details.
POTTER AROUND AT POTTER AROUND - Potter Around is a local pottery and ceramic painting studio based in Kirknewton. We offer taster sessions on the potter’s wheel for ages 5+. We also do clay imprints – a great memento to keep forever and we have a huge range of pre-made ceramics which are great for handprints, but also for people of all ages to paint. Our shop sells gorgeous handmade gifts including pottery and jewellery. Check our website for details: www.potteraround.co.uk
EAST CALDER SCOUT GROUP - Providing fun and exciting scouting programmes for children in the local area, from age 6 upwards. We meet on a Monday or Tuesday, depending on the child’s age. Adults interested in becoming leaders will be made very welcome. We also hire the scout hall for one off occasions or for other groups to use, to benefit the local community. Find out more at our website: www.eastcalderscouts.uk
SLIMMING WORLD - East Calder Bowling Club, 255 Main Street, East Calder. Tuesdays 3.30, 5.30 & 7.30pm, Wednesdays 9.30 & 11.30am and at Geddes House, Livingston, EH54 6GU on Thursdays 9.30. New and returning members always welcome. Contact Sue: 07803 520781
CHORAL HIGHLIGHTS LADIES' CHOIR - Would
JULY CROSSWORD*
you like to join in with some fun at our friendly community choir? We meet in Mid Calder at 7.30 pm on a Wednesday. Our music consists of a wide range of materials
Lothian such as a dance dvd, art demos, reminiscence, recipes, music and song playlists, dance and song classes. Creative activity and learning can unlock memories and skills that have been lost and creates a spark of joy for all. Contact generationarts.coordinator@ gmail.com or phone 07521 358 239 for further information.
MACMILLAN CANCER INFORMATION & SUPPORT
JULY CROSSWORD*
*SORRY!
A technical error meant that last month’s crossword was printed with the wrong puzzle board.
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Chinese film noirs are not the genre of films I would associate with the country, but in all honesty my preconceived bias on what China produces might be out of tune.
Taking place in rural China in the 90’s, Only the River Flows follows Ma Zhe, a detective who must solve the murder of a woman. It has a culprit that at face value seems obvious, but Ma Zhe wants to delve deeper into the case and uncover the truth. The film takes huge swings, takes risks and tests its audience.
While I do not think that every moment works, I loved how it never played anything safe. It plays with your idea of how a murder mystery should play out and takes you on a journey which from the opening moments is truly gripping, pulls you in and never lets you go till the credit roll.
The film is confidently directed by Wei Shujun, who showcases a directing style that is unique
A FILM BY WEI SHUJUN
Robert Ewing interviewed Only the River Flows Director Wei Shujun, at the London Film Festival:
RE: The film is based on a book; what processes enabled you to make the changes from the book to the movie, and what did you want to include?
WS: To adapt the novel into a film is not just interpreting or translating the novel into a film, it is to express the internal elements and feelings. What I did was read the novel and then wrote the script from scratch. It is not a simple adaptation or translation; it is written keeping the facts with all the main points but using the language of the novel to write a film script
RE: So how was it for you as both writer and director, telling a story that has an unreliable narrator, for it to be as effective as possible?
film is the choices made in the latter half. It left
Only the River Flows
and has a true voice to it. There are many shots that, even days after seeing the film, are ingrained in my head and have stuck with me psychologically in very distinctive and unexplainable ways. My biggest issue with the film is the choices made in the latter half. It left me wanting more, I just wanted to have the cherry on top. Only the River Flows is a solid thriller and worth the watch.
WS: What I wanted to do was to make the audience think or see like Ma Zhe, so we tried to present it as how the character is feeling. By midway, we already know who the murderer is, but Ma Zhe cannot believe that, just like we cannot believe it. Even although we know we can’t accept the fact, so we dig more into it and become obsessed. He is blurring everything and his irrational thoughts or his dreams are affected. What I want to do is make the audience feel what Ma Zhe is feeling.
RE: Was there any deliberate connection between how the baby puts the items into the bathtub and how the man puts the jackets into the river?
WS: There is, kind of, it seems that there is always something there, nagging him.
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.
Exclusively in cinemas from 16 August
