St Andrews in Focus Issue 21 Mar Apr 2007

St Andrews in focus • shopping • eating • events • town/gown • people and more

March / April 2007, Issue 21

the award winning magazine for St Andrews

£1.50

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Jurek Putter reminds us of yet another remarkable dweller among us who contributed to our town’s fame –

Jozef Stanislaw Kozacki 1909-1990

St Andrews has always been a ‘City of Firsts’.

Pre-eminent in preChristian times as a sacred site, it was the first Christian place to have a Cathedral with the tallest Campanile in Britain,108 feet high. It was the first to have a second Cathedral Church, which remained the largest building to be constructed in Scotland before the Victorian era.

It was the first City in Scotland to be deliberately conceived, planned, and constructed as such by Bishop Robert in the 11th century. It was home to the first University in the Nation. The playing of Golf was first recorded as being played within its streets in the 15th century. Principal of the University, the scientist Sir David Brewster, invented the Kaleidoscope, in the late 1830s, collaborating with his English friend Fox Talbot of Laycock Abbey, in the first successful experiments in Callotype photography. The first custom-built photographic studio in Scotland was built in St.Mary’s Place by that other illustrious early photographer, Thomas Roger.

In the year 1940, during the first year of the Second World War, came the Poles. They came, neither out of choice, nor as tourists, but as a substantial fragment of an army which had rebuilt itself outwith its conquered country; a feat remarkable in itself. Having fought in the Battle for France that year, its survivors extricated themselves, then regrouped and re-equipped, they were stationed on the Eastern Seaboard of Scotland, initially building a long chain of coastal defences against imminent invasion. In their midst was one First Lieutenantt Jozef Stanislaw Kozacki , a signals officer of the first Polish Army, stationed in St Andrews. In 1937 he had been commissioned by the Department of Artillery of the Polish Ministry of National Defence, to develop an electrical machine capable of detecting unexploded ‘duds’ on firing ranges and battlefields.

on the West Sands. In the North African desert theatre of war, the British Army hampered by the lack of an effective land mine detector, appealed to the Ministry of Defence to field a competition for the submission of an effective machine. The Polish Government in Exile, aware of its own accomplishments in this field, submitted Kozacki’s design.

In trials it triumphed and was immediately accepted. 500 examples of ‘Mine Detector nr 2 (Polish)’ were rushed to North Africa in time for the Battle of El Alamein, where it proved its worth. The basic design was still in use during the 1991 Gulf War, and the MK 4 version till 1995. Kozacki’s design weighed 30lbs (14 kilos) was portable, reliable, effective, and relatively easy to maintain in the field.

It is no exaggeration to state the huge beneficial humanitarian implications of Kozacki’s invention; it has saved countless thousands of lives and limbs world-wide, and continues to do so. Kozacki received neither payment nor official recognition for his work, save for a treasured letter of gratitude from King George VI. The mine detector was a ‘first’ for Kozacki, and yet another ‘first’ for St Andrews.

How did it work? It consisted of two coils; the first connected to an oscillator, which generated an oscillating current of acoustic frequency. The second coil was connected to an amplifier and telephone. When the coils came into the presence of a metal object, the balance between the coils was disturbed and the telephone connected to headphones reported an altered signal.

Prototypes were built and tested, appropriately enough, on the West Sands

Based at the military research centres at Stalowa Wola and Radom, he successfully developed a machine constructed at the famous AVA Electronics factory in Warsaw – the same factory which built the first secret Polish replicas of the German Military ‘Enigma’ cipher machine. The outbreak of war arrested development. Escaping to France, Kozacki continued the same objectives under Polish Command, but altered the purpose of the machine to detect land mines.

Evacuated to Scotland and St Andrews, the Polish Military Command, ever mindful of pre-war projects, revived the work. In the Ardgowan Hotel / Eden Court army headquarters complex in Pilmour Place, also the Polish Communications Training Centre, Kozacki was, according to his fellow officer Jan Zakrzewski, ‘given a laboratory, workshop, and an aide with whom to complete and perfect the mine detector’.

Prototypes were built and tested, appropriately enough,

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Kozacki returned to Poland after the war. There he became one of the pioneers of electronic and nuclear machinery. He headed the Chair of Electronics for Nuclear Research in Swierk. In parallel with this work he also became Professor at the Military Academy in the Capital, Warsaw. He died in 1990, but he lived to see the collapse of Soviet domination of Central Europe and the emergence of a free and democratic Poland. He was buried with full military honours. In 2005 the Wroclaw-based Military Institute for Engineering Technology (WITI) was named after him.

He was part of that Polish Pantheon of truly great inventors, who made significant and memorable contributions to the Allied cause in WW2 – Rejewski, Rosicki, and Zygalski, the first to comprehensively understand and then break the German military ‘Enigma’ cipher codes in the mid ‘30s, pioneering work given freely to the British in 1939, and without which Bletchely Park’s Station ‘X’ would have been denied its massive head start resulting in ‘Ultra’ and the access to German codes; Henryk Magnuski, working for the American electronic firm Motorola, invented the SCR-300 miniature hand-held radio transmitter/receiver, the first to be equipped with manually set frequencies, and nicknamed the ‘WalkieTalkie’; Rudolf Grundlach, who invented the Tank Periscope in 1936, eventually used by every tank manufacturer; Wladislaw Swiatecki in 1940, who developed the bomber bomb hatch system; Jerzy Rudlicki, who in 1943 upgraded the design for the American B17 Flying Fortress; Edward Stecke, inventor of the immensely strong and smooth Roller Locking system for automatic small arms.

St Andrews in focus • shopping • eating • events • town/gown • people and more

From the Editor I was brought up in “the good old days” never to boast, never to say I was particularly pleased with myself for having achieved anything. I remember being taken aback at an interview, not knowing how to answer, when I was asked to relate my strengths – I’d actually never considered I had any! Well, for a change I will boast, for I have had a marvellous dose of encouragement from you, my readers! A hearty and sincere “thank you” to all of you who took the trouble to complete and send in the questionnaires from the last issue. 94% approve the balance of articles, and well over three-quarters enjoy reading all of them. Many have used the adverts for specific trades or services.

In other words, the magazine works! However, I don’t want to be complacent. The magazine ought to be a town business, employing local people, boosting the local economy, enhancing our sense of community.

Town magazines do that in England and abroad, so why not here? That’s my challenge for St Andrews for 2007!

Flora Selwyn

******** The views expressed elsewhere in this magazine are not necessarily those of the Editor.

MARCH/APRIL 2007

Contents Features •

Easter Greetings from the Churches

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Ask the Curator

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Signposting St Andrews

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A B Paterson remembered

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‘The play’s the thing...’

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Community Council

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Fiscal drag

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The Wighton Centre

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BOOK REVIEWS •

The Star Seed Legacy

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An A-Z for Lightworkers

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Shops & Services •

Questionnaires – results

• Noah in Internetland

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Toonspot

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MOT your pet!

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From Our Motoring Correspondent

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Roving Reporter

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EDITOR Flora Selwyn Tel/fax: 01334 472375 Email: editor@standrewsinfocus.com

Events

Designer University of St Andrews Reprographics Unit

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National Science Week

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StAnza

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Selected Events

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Printer Tayport Printers Ltd.

ORGANISATIONS

Distributer Elspeth’s of Guardbridge

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The Franco-Scottish Society

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Continuing Care

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Publisher (address for correspondence) Local Publishing (Fife) Ltd., PO Box 29210, St Andrews, Fife, KY16 9YZ.

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Hearts Supporters Club

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Families First

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Tourist Information Centre

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Pilgrim Care

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Volunteering

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Tel: 01334 472375 Email: enquiries@standrewsinfocus.com SUBSCRIPTIONS St Andrews in Focus is published 6 times a year, starting in January. Subscriptions for the full year are: £12.50 in the UK (post & packing included) £21.00 overseas (post & packing included) Please send your name and address, together with remittance to: Local Publishing (Fife) Ltd., PO Box 29210, St Andrews, Fife, KY16 9YZ. Registered in Scotland: 255564 The paper used is 75% RECYCLED post-consumer waste

Cover: Jozef Stanislaw Kozacki, an original portrait by © Jurek Putter

TOWN/gown •

IB & CAS at St Leonards School

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The Kate Kennedy Procession

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Out and About

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Hikes

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Winter blues

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NEXT ISSUE – May/June 2007 Copy deadline: strictly 28 MARCH All contributions welcome. The Editor reserves the right to publish copy according to available space.

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FEATURES

Easter Greetings from St Andrews’ Churches 1. From Rev Rory MacLeod, Holy Trinity Church Along South Street at this time of year expect your eye to be caught by a brace of colourful crosses pushing through the soil in front of Holy Trinity.

Bulbs which were planted as autumn tightened its chilly grip are bursting with full-blown flowers. Their arrangement into the crosses of Jesus and St Andrew are a vernal celebration of the faith and heritage which inspire believers in all seasons!

2. From Rev Bob Gillies, St Andrew’s Episcopal Church St Andrew’s Episcopal Church, on the corner of Queen’s Gardens and Queen’s Terrace, has a full programme of activity from the Palm Sunday procession, through the Maundy Thursday Vigil, Children’s worship, and with the Bishop of St Andrews on Good Friday. All this leads up to the Easter Eve service and the glorious Easter Morning celebration with Schubert’s Mass in G as the musical accompaniment. This is not just worship. It is an enacted memorial of human suffering leading to God’s Resurrection triumph. The suffering and hardships of life are where people are. The Resurrection triumph is where God wants us to be.

3. From John Brown, Pastor of the Eden Church Ever tried to unravel a knot and your efforts just made things worse?

Sounds a bit like life and the way we treat it. Well there’s good news for you this Easter. No knot is too tight for Jesus! Happy Easter St Andrews and love from the Eden Church. (Sundays @ 10.30am Victory Memorial Hall) 4. From Alasdair I Macleod, St Andrews Free Church Happy Easter from St Andrews Free Church! This is such an amazing time of year for all Christians. We celebrate what happened on that first Christian Sunday, when Jesus walked out of his tomb. So at Easter, and indeed every Sunday, we meet to worship a risen and contemporary Saviour. We think it’s what Sundays are for!

5. From Rev David Arnott, Hope Park Church linked with Strathkinness For the linked congregations of Hope Park and Strathkinness Easter is what we work towards for the rest of the year. It is the culmination of all our worship and activities. It is also the springboard which sends us back out into the world there to find and serve the Christ who is risen.

6. From Brian Halloran, St James’ Church It is encouraging that the first Resurrection Appearance of Jesus was to Mary Magdalene, a converted sinner, even described as having been possessed by seven devils. Yet Mary was privileged to be present at the crucifixion and the first Resurrection witness. What a comfort to us, struggling in our weakness!.

(Courtesy Holy Trinity Church)

7. From Jonathan Mason, All Saints Church At All Saints, Easter begins late on Holy Saturday night, with the newly-lit Easter candle carried into the darkened church. Thereafter, all is light and colour as we celebrate the greatest festival of the Christian year, listening again to the accounts of the empty tomb, rejoicing with Christians the world over for, as St Paul writes, ‘Christ has been raised from the dead.’

With Christ’s victory over sin and death, the world is changed for ever.

Ask the Curator

Assistant Curator of the St Andrews Museum, Lesley-Anne Lettice, has more answers.

Q. Can you tell me where the St Andrews street names ‘Butts Wynd’ and ‘Muttoes Lane’ derive from?

A. Butts Wynd is so-called because it led from North Street to the Bow Butts at the west end of the Scores. The Bow Butts is where archery practice for the townspeople was held in medieval St Andrews. Muttoes Lane is most likely named for the Mutto family who owned property in that area in the 16th century.

Q. I recently saw a photograph of a group of men called the ‘rocket brigade’. I believe they were connected to the lifeboat service. Do you have any information?

A. The ‘Life Brigade’ or ‘Rocket Brigade’ were indeed part of the St Andrews lifeboat service, in existence from 1801-1938. The lifeboat was manned by local fishermen and saved many lives over the course of its 137 year history. The ‘Rocket Brigade’ had the task of launching rocket-powered lines from the shore to the ship, so that the crew could be brought ashore in cases where the ship was in a difficult position in St Andrews Bay, or where the

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sea was too rough for the lifeboat to reach the stricken vessel.

The men would then make their way into the water, clinging to the line for safety, and head for the shore. This method was used in the case of the shipwreck of the Swedish barque, the Prinses Wilhelmina, in 1912.

Q. Can you tell me when the first Kate Kennedy procession was held in St Andrews?

A. The procession is generally thought to date from the early 19th century, although some say it is earlier even than that. What we do know is that it was banned by the University authorities in 1874. This was due to a growing volume of complaints from the townspeople regarding the increasingly rowdy behaviour of some of the student body during the celebration. The procession was reinstated in 1926, thanks to the intervention of Principal James Irvine. Further information on the history of the procession can be found by contacting the Kate Kennedy Club through the University (see page 25 in this issue – ed.)

FEATURES Patrick Laughlin, Manager of the St Andrews World Class Initiative...

Pointing The Way? The findings of a major study recently carried out in St Andrews have been released. The “St Andrews Town Audit” provides a wide-ranging and independent assessment of the town’s strengths and weaknesses, as seen from the viewpoint of its different users – local citizens, students, and visitors.

The report – commissioned by the St Andrews World Class Initiative and running to over 100 pages – was conducted during autumn 2006 by the Edinburgh-based Jura Consultants. The study team examined many aspects of the town, including its physical appearance, transport and parking issues, cleanliness, and public amenities. The consultants also spoke to groups of residents, community organisations, students, and businesspeople. A further important element was a service quality audit which involved unannounced visits to many of the town’s accommodation providers, shops, restaurants, and attractions to assess the St Andrews experience as an everyday visitor would encounter it.

The report’s overall message – perhaps unsurprisingly – is a positive one, highlighting that St Andrews has many strengths. It states, “St Andrews is a very attractive, interesting town of great character. Its history and architecture, its linkages to its tourism activities, in particular its role at the centre of world golf, and its world-leading role as a centre of academic excellence make it unique in Scotland, if not in the world ….. its residents and its businesses are the fortunate ones – they live and work in this superb town.”

Many recommendations are made about how the town can capitalise on these strengths. However, some areas of weakness are also identified. One of these is that signposting within the town is falling well below the standard which might be expected of a worldrenowned visitor destination.

The consultants assessed the arrival signposts, town centre road signs, and pedestrian signs currently being used in the town, and have concluded that, in signposting terms, “St Andrews is lagging behind other places and is far from world class”.

Their report considers firstly the “welcome” signs which greet visitors as they enter St Andrews, and states “Nowhere can there be found a sign which reflects the town boundaries and acknowledges it either as the home of golf or as a royal burgh. Overall, the arrival signposting generally undersells the town.”

The study argues that signposting clutter is detrimental to the town, and says that at certain road junctions there is so much clutter that there may even be potential to cause road accidents, as a result of motorists having to decipher a myriad of signs whilst retaining concentration.

Turning to pedestrian signposts, the report is mildly critical of the uncoordinated nature of the many directional signs and information boards around the town. It says that though some signs are attractive, there is a conflict of design style and a poor maintenance regime.

The consultancy report concludes, “There is a need to develop and implement a cohesive signposting strategy which addresses pre-arrival signposting to gateway areas and park and ride; orientation in car parks and on park-and-ride services; and pedestrian signposting.” It recommends that “there should be a seamless experience from driving to and walking into the town centre, (with) sympathetically designed pedestrian signposting”.

Responding to the report’s findings, Patrick Laughlin, the Manager of the St Andrews World Class Initiative, said, “Good signposting is a vital component of any town which aspires to look after its visitors. This study has provided us with graphic evidence that, unfortunately, St Andrews is not always doing as well as it should in this respect. I am hopeful that the World Class Initiative will now put signposting improvements high on its agenda for action, helping to create a more attractive and safer environment for everyone Signage clutter in the who visits the town centre.” town centre

The report’s overall message – perhaps unsurprisingly – is a positive one, highlighting that St Andrews has many strengths

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FEATURES Jimmy Bone, Archivist of the Byre theatre, pays tribute to

Alexander B Paterson – Man of St Andrews and Founder of the Byre Theatre hurried down to where a small group had ARP in St Andrews, based at Kinburn House.

I first worked with A B Paterson at the gathered round the Lifeboat shed. Volunteers Then he was conscripted into the Royal Air Byre Theatre in 1970 when Andrew Soutar were asked to launch the boat and Alex found Force, most of his service being carried out at introduced my wife Maureen and me to the himself on the rope; in the confusion, the ropes Swinderby in Lincolnshire, repairing combatSt Andrews Play Club to take part in one were pulled too early and a man was killed damaged aircraft. He continued using his of Alex’s plays, “Reunion in St Andrews”. falling under the caterpillar wheels. Alex was so journalistic skills, editing the air station’s daily I had known “well-kent” Alex long before shocked that he never took the ropes again. news sheet entitled, “Swinderby Searchlight”. that. A B Paterson and the Byre Theatre are Demobbed in 1946, he again took over Until 1937, St Andrews had no locally synonymous, but I would like to tell you more the Byre Theatre, run successfully by Chas produced newspaper of its own, the Citizen about Alex Paterson, the man.

Marford during the war years. Alex was director, being printed and published in Cupar, but Alex Alexander Brown Paterson was born in playwright, and unpaid administrator of the with local colleagues and a few businessmen St Andrews during the latter part of King theatre for over 40 years. He was Chairman of launched the Edward VII ‘s reign. the Byre Board until the day he died in 1989.

“St Andrews Times”, Alex’s formative Alex’s formative years were in Alex gave freely of his talents, particularly to the a successful weekly, years were in a small a small compact St Andrews University’s Kate Kennedy Club. Almost from which became a compact St Andrews of the revival of the Kate Kennedy procession around 8,000 people, of around 8,000 people, where casualty of Second in 1926, he was called upon to make up Kate World War financial where everybody knew everybody knew everybody and the other characters in the pageant. The stringencies. everybody. His mother Club recognised this service by making him an Alex fostered and grandparents honorary member. a real passion for drama and was a leading lived in the tenement called Peddie Buildings, Twice Chairman of the Federation of member of “The Hope Park Drama Group”. He now better known as Bowling Green Terrace, Scottish Theatres, and an Adjudicator of drama said that he would bore his fellow members to then surrounded by farmland. Alex recalled the festivals from Orkney to the Borders, Alex had tears by continually propounding his theory of University comprising 500 students, known to far-reaching interests: a founder member and one day having a little theatre in St Andrews. most people in the town by name.

Honorary President of the Step Rock Swimming He wanted a means of providing performing Schooling was at the West Infant and the Club; a life-long interest in the Scout Movement; space for all the operatic and drama groups in Burgh School, but Alex left at 14 despite being a founder member of the St Andrews the town, thereby reducing the overhead costs advised by the Headmaster that he was leaving Educational Association, and St Andrews Film of renting church halls or the town hall. too early. His reason was simply that he felt Society; a founder member of St Andrews Lawn Out walking one Sunday with a group of he should contribute to the family finances.

Tennis Club, also of St Andrews Preservation friends, one casually mentioned that the old His first job was junior clerk with Mr J Cargill Trust (and its chairman for 5 years). Alex was cow byre of the Abbey Street Dairy Farm was Cantley who, as well as running a law business an active Rotarian; a member of the St Andrew up for rent. Hearing this, Alex insisted that single-handed, was also the Town Clerk.

Society of St Andrews; a past President and they turn around and go immediately to view Alex went to night school, learning shorthand honorary life member of the St Andrews Burns these premises. A quick assessment from the and accountancy to such a high level that he Club; a member of the New Golf Club and life outside, and Alex announced, “this is the place became a night school lecturer in book-keeping. member of St Andrews Golf Club; a former for us”. He submitted an application to the In 1925, aged 17, Alex began work as trustee of the Scottish Fisheries Museum in Town Council on the Monday morning to rent a local journalist. At that time, newspaper Anstruther, and the Hamada Trust in the premises as a Studio Theatre. The Council work was carried on by Mr Henry Henderson, St Andrews. He was accepted, and the bookseller; Mr William Provan, tobacconist; St Andrews Play Mr Alex Louden, Secretary of St Andrews Golf A quick assessment from the a life member of the National Union of Club was formed in Club; and Mr David Hardie, editor of St Andrews outside, and Alex announced, Journalists and a past December 1933 with an Citizen. Taking over from the first three, he chairman of the Union’s annual rent of £10. The became a full-time freelance. Colleague of “this is the place for us” Fife branch. He also Council warned the Club Mr Hardie and another freelance journalist, served on the board of management of Hope that they might have to move out on one year’s Mr Arthur Symon, he also worked alongside Park Church. notice, as Abbey Street was to be widened, George Cowie, Alex writing the reports and Alex’s work did not go unnoticed – in but that only came about in1969! The cow byre George providing the photographs. Alex and was subsequently equipped and licensed as 1958 he was awarded an MBE, and in 1970 his wife Millie (Bridges), whom he married in a theatre, earning an international reputation. he became the first recipient of the Honorary 1936, and George Cowie and his wife Beatrice, All this through the enthusiasm and direction Degree of M.A. from the University of became great friends. Alex reported on almost of Alex Paterson. To avoid the new company St Andrews, and was holder of the Queen’s every event that took place in St Andrews and paying royalties on plays, Alex decided to Jubilee Medal. In 1970 he was awarded an District for over 50 years. One event in 1931 write his own. Written principally around the Oscar from Scottish Television for services to left him with an abiding memory; the launching Scottish Theatre. people he knew so well, these reflected the of the lifeboat at the East Sands. During the The Byre Theatre is Alex’s legacy to the pathos and humour of his day – The Open; night, when the distress rocket was fired, Alex town. He was always proud of the fact that the Three’s Company; Time is theatre had grown from within the community, All; Reunion in St Andrews; not something that had been imposed from Paw’s Awa; Witching Women of St Andrews; and The Last outside.

Provost, to mention but a few.

I close with an extract from an obituary The last play that Alex wrote written in 1989 by his former journalist colleague and directed was “Young of 43 years, Tom Jarrett.

Tommy Morris”, the sad tale of the short, eventful life of four“The death of Alex Paterson brings an end to times Open Golf Champion, an era in the annals of the town, for he was Tom Morris Jr. Ironically, this without doubt the St Andrews citizen of the play completed the loop, so to 20th Century. His life, and its influence on the speak, as it was performed in community, will be remembered alongside 1988 by the “The Hope Park Sir Hugh Lyon Playfair, Andrew Lang, and Drama Group“, the group Dr David Hay Fleming. There was hardly an Alex had begun with some 55 aspect of St Andrews community life in which years earlier!

A.B.Paterson had not been actively involved During the Second at one time or another. The motivation in Alex and Millie being given a resounding send-off on their World War Alex was Area everything he did was the welfare of his native honeymoon at Leuchars Station by work colleagues and fellow town which he loved so dearly.”

Communications Officer in the St Andrews Play Club Members in 1936”. (Courtesy Jimmy Bone).

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FEATURES The Byre has been host to many illustrious names. Flora Selwyn had the pleasure of talking to two of them, Lyon Todd and Andrew Soutar.

‘The Play’s the Thing...’

Lyon Todd as the Cardinal with Ishbel Macaulay (Ishbel Whyte) in the Mask of the Cardinal in 1952. (Courtesy Ishbel Whyte)

was already 30 “I ran away to the theatre thinking I‘d be a new when he came to Laurence Olivier, but it never came to that.”

St Andrews. Tall Lyon Todd typically, even today, understates his and handsome, talents. Brought up in Edinburgh, but born in he won many Glasgow in 1918, one of 10 children, the son of hearts, but a successful architect, Lyon found his theatrical Pitlochry lured feet gradually. Father wanted his son to him away in 1956. follow in his footsteps, even though Lyon was I asked attracted to the stage from an early age. Being Lyon about a dutiful son, Lyon graduated in architecture other interests, from Edinburgh University; “I became an and he was as architect,” he says, “but a very bad one!” Duty deprecating of satisfied, he went his own way. himself as ever. “I The war intervened, and Lyon served in the played the piano Royal Artillery as an anti-aircraftman, based in – not very well. I just laze around very well!

Glasgow and London.

I played golf very badly, but I tried.” On the While still a student, Lyon had taken walls of his room hang some rather delightful part in a production of Peer Gynt, a play he oil paintings, which I later designed and discover are Lyon’s produced in St Andrews Tall and handsome, he won work. “When I was at the Byre Theatre. It many hearts, but Pitlochry feeling lazy,” he says remained, he said, his airily, “I used poster favourite play. Antigone, lured him away in 1956 colour.” Looking at then Oedipus – “I howled Lyon I couldn’t help wishing someone would my way through that” – and then in 1952, as sculpt a head and shoulders of him – his noble the Cardinal in A. B. Paterson’s Mask of the bearing belies his long years.

Cardinal, played in St Andrews Cathedral. Lyon

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * David Joy is in to me’. That girl is now the middle of Jimmy’s wife! I also writing a new started David Joy in play, to be called the Byre Theatre.”

Granny Clark’s Both these men have Wind (no, it’s dedicated themselves not a typo!). It to the Theatre, “and will feature “all that,” says Andrew, “that the old Byre pleases me.” players again”: None of Andrew’s in the words of family followed him onto Andrew Soutar, the stage. In fact, at it is ”basically one time Andrew took just a load of old nonsense!” It sounds to me a break to make more like something to look forward to! time for his family and Andrew Soutar began his acting career at also to keep on top the Burgh School in St Andrews. He was the of his piping interests milkman in Bachelors Are Bold, in 1955. Before (see issue 19, Nov/Dec he left school at 15, Tom Roche, wishing to 2006 of this magazine). encourage him, had mentioned Alex Paterson’s Andrew is always asked for his advice on play involving students, The Witching Women matters theatrical. He of St Andrews; Andrew was duly engaged to also produces plays for play the lead role. The then- Play Club (it has the WRI. Like everyone been reconstituted since, after an absence) who has been involved used to raise money to pay the £3 per week with the Byre from the wages of an annual repertory company, which beginning, Andrew tells of came to St Andrews in the summer. Andrew shows being fully booked was invited to play with them as a professional. before performances; Thereafter he performed in all of Alex Keep Fit Like, sequel to Paterson’s plays: The Open; Highland Games; Andrew as Rob Roy with David Joy as Baillie Nicol Jarvie Fit Like, was booked up Robin Hood, etc. In the 1970s, The Reunion in Rob Roy. (Courtesy Andrew Soutar) even before the play was played in the Boys’ Brigade Hall in Kinnessburn completed! He remembers, too, times when Road, over three days to an audience totalling and the gigantic safety pin homed in to David’s shows were held up because “the audience 660. The takings for that helped build the posterior! was absolutely helpless with laughter.” AdGlen Isla Cottage where the boys could go to No wonder Andrew told me, “I’ve enjoyed libbing was not unheard work for their Duke of every minute of it. Working with really nice as there was a great Edinburgh awards. people, we rehearsed, worked very hard, did the audience was absolutely of, deal of actor/audience “Alex Paterson our play, then went home. We were all very interaction in the wanted me to go helpless with laughter dedicated.” small theatre. Once, to Glasgow to be a in Three’s Company, David Joy had to bend professional actor, but I wasn’t too keen,” David Joy’s new play should be ready in the over a sofa so that his ‘father’ (Andrew) could Andrew told me. “I started Jimmy Bone on summer, maybe in August. So look out for the pin together a split in his trousers. Andrew and stage. Jimmy played my son in The Reunion. notices, go along, and have a riotous evening, the audience exchanged meaningful glances, ‘My son’ brought ‘home’ a nice girl to ‘introduce just like in the good old days at the Byre.

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FEATURES Donald Macgregor, Chairman of the St Andrews Community Council

“Things fall apart; the centre cannot hold; Mere anarchy is loosed upon the world.”

(W.B.Yeats, The Second Coming) As far as the governance of St Andrews is concerned there is no centre, but a void. Not anarchy, but in some respects stagnation. The town where we live is governed remotely by an expensive and not always efficient Fife Council with headquarters in Glenrothes.

We elect four representatives to that council (total membership 78), who do their best to represent the views of local people, but who are all too often overruled in committees.

The two biggest employers in town, the University and the Links Trust, represent the two oldest activities which have brought our city renown as well as prosperity. The University in particular has a large “land bank” which may turn out to be crucial to any future expansion of St Andrews. Although the University does a lot to promote good town and gown relations, it has its own interests; and the Links Trust has to administer the golf courses (although most of the links land is owned by Fife Council) according to the provisions of the 1974 Links Act and is not permitted to spend money on anything not specified in that document.

Of course we have our Community Council with statutory consultative rights, but not much influence. People know that: when elections were last held for the Community Council – and they were not needed in 2004 as not enough candidates came forward to require an election – the percentage of voters was only about 7%. The

Community Council does take an active part in St Andrews life and is careful to guard its position as a nonparty political organisation, but was set up in the mid-1970s under legislation that restricts its possible influence.

And so we also have a number of pressure or interest groups, all of whom also have the interests of St Andrews at heart in different ways: the Preservation Trust (founded in 1937), the more recent Pilgrim Foundation, the longstanding Merchants’ Association, various residents’ associations set up to defend the interests of their areas of town, and so on. Most recently a St Andrews World Heritage steering committee has come into being, but which certainly has a very long haul ahead of it.

In a unique category is the St Andrews World Class Initiative, which has moved from being a business-led initiative to embrace a much wider range of St Andrews interests and is supported by Scottish Enterprise Fife, Fife Council et al. The role of the World Class Initiative is still a bit hazy (at least to my mind) as it can propose improvements which are then presented for consultation, planning consent etc. by other agencies such as the two main financial backers of the St Andrews World Class Initiative! One of the recommendations of the recently published consultants’ report on World Class is that it should “roll back” a bit and try to get the democratically elected representatives on side. It will

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be interesting to see if the Initiative manages to do that and to see how it develops over the next few months and years.

This proliferation of organisations is a sign that St Andrews people are increasingly frustrated with the response of the statutory local authorities and non-government agencies to the needs of St Andrews and its inhabitants. Poor traffic management, “consultations” (e.g. on the Fife Structure Plan proposals) whose results, no matter how overwhelmingly critical, are ignored, decades of inaction on proper educational provision, lack of an HMO policy, poor road maintenance, insufficient or slow flood prevention measures or repairs…it is all too familiar. There has to be a democratic authority which offers an effective local focus and purpose for all the enterprising people who live and work in St Andrews, and for all the clubs and organisations that seek to improve so many aspects of people’s lives.

On May 3 there will be regional government elections under a new more proportional voting system, which will perhaps produce a different sort of Fife Council. No one can predict either that or the nature of the next Scottish Executive. But even if there were a revolution in Fife House, it is hard to see how St Andrews can be properly looked after until – somehow – its inhabitants are given much more local control of their own destiny.

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FEATURES Andrew Wright explains

Fiscal Drag – a scandal or a clever ploy by the Chancellor?

You are at a social gathering and some boring, clever person starts talking about the scandal of “fiscal drag”. Are they referring to a) a new tax you’ve never heard of, b) a local solicitor in a spot of bother, or c) the Chancellor of the Exchequer in a frock at a fancy dress party...?

Fiscal drag refers to the additional tax gathered by Government because allowances, thresholds, and band widths are not raised in line with inflation or economic growth. The accountants Baker Tilly have conducted an internet survey which concludes that fiscal drag is steadily and insidiously distorting and debasing the tax system. Their survey looked at the tax rates and tax take for the 20-year period from 1986 to 2006. Despite the reduction in the tax rates, tax is now higher as a % of GDP than in 1986.

Perhaps the most striking example is the threshold salary above which an employee is taxed for benefits such as cars or medical insurance paid for by his employers. When Parliament first passed this tax on benefits, the threshold salary was set at £5,000, which rose to £8,500 in 1979. The equivalent threshold in today’s money would be a salary of £28,800, a rate well above the level of average earnings.

So Parliament’s original intention of taxing only those well above the average level of earnings has been abandoned by default, without debate, acknowledgement, or publicity and now

the poorest employees have been dragged into the net.

Income tax is the principal tax source for the Government and the tax take has increased by about 3.5 times over the 20 year period. This reflects the relatively low increases in personal allowances and in the higher rate threshold over the period. Increases have failed to reflect the increase in economic growth and average earnings over the period. The result of the squeeze on the higher rate threshold has been that many more people have become higher rate payers.

The story is similar with corporation tax, where smaller companies pay a lower rate of tax than larger ones. However, the threshold that defines a smaller company has not increased in line with the increase in economic activity. As a result, successful small companies move into the higher tax rate sooner than intended by the original legislation.

With inheritance tax, the explosion in house prices has brought a sharp increase in the number of estates paying the tax. A nil rate band, well in excess of £400K is needed to restore the original purpose of IHT, followed by a link to a property index, instead of the retail prices index.

Based on the results of their survey, Baker Tilly concluded that the effects of fiscal drag are seen across the whole spectrum of direct

taxation and thus fiscal drag causes distortions in markets and adversely affects the taxpayer caught in the middle. The overall picture masks long periods of fiscal drag interspersed with sporadic upratings. This is not acceptable in a sophisticated economy.

Thresholds have consistently been uprated by reference to the wrong criteria; the retail price index consistently lags behind earnings and true economic growth, with the result that middle income individuals and companies bear a disproportionate share of the tax burden.

The overall conclusion is that simply rebasing rate bands and thresholds that have fallen out of date will not be enough; what is required is a system of automatic uprating of bands and thresholds by reference to relevant economic criteria. Otherwise, the system will remain tainted by the stain of institutionalised taxation by stealth.

I suppose another conclusion is that we now know why, despite earning more money, we are feeling worse off!

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FEATURES Simon Chadwick, harpist, (see issue 16, May/June 2006) introduces an extraordinary treasure,

The Wighton Centre – Scottish music in Dundee The Wighton Centre is one of the hidden secrets of the East Coast of Scotland. It is only a half-hour from St Andrews, using the extremely smart and efficient 99 bus service, which runs every 15 minutes during the day.

In the 1840s and 1850s, Andrew Wighton, a wealthy and successful Dundee merchant, collected old music books. He made it his aim to own a copy of every printed book of Scottish music. He also acquired copies of English and Irish music books, and he was so taken with his collecting that he made his own handwritten copies of unique items that he was unable to purchase.

The oldest books he owned date back to the 17th century; most are from the 18th century and he also bought the latest editions and collected anthologies. There are over 700 volumes in total.

When he died in 1866, his wife Agnes and his trustees had to decide what to do with his amazing collection of music books. The Signet Library in Edinburgh very nearly received them, but in the end local loyalty prevailed and the books were given to the Free Library of Dundee. Its successor is Dundee Central Library, at the top of the Wellgate in Dundee City Centre, which is where the books remain to this day.

Although it is a collection of international importance, and has long been known to specialists and academics, it is only recently that the collection is becoming better known.

In 2003 a new room in the Central Library, the Wighton Heritage Centre, was opened by Sheena Wellington.

Funded by Lottery grants, the Centre is a light and airy room with great views of the city; the books are proudly displayed in glass-fronted cases which form a handsome backdrop to an auditorium-cum-study space. The Wighton Centre was conceived from the start as something belonging not just to the City of Dundee, but also to the people of Angus and Fife.

Last year I helped form the Friends of Wighton, which is a voluntary group dedicated to helping people appreciate more the wonderful treasures hidden away in the collection.

We have started running regular recitals on Wednesday lunchtimes and also talks and demonstrations on Saturday afternoons. The music presented at these events varies widely; we have had Fife fiddlers and Dundee singers, as well as stately keyboard music played on the beautiful harpsichord kept in the Centre.

I have also been giving a monthly harp recital or demonstration. The books in the collection are full of the most unexpected and interesting music – Scottish traditional music was a much more fluid thing two hundred years ago, when there was much less of a divide between different genres of music. I have been amazed at the amount of old Gaelic harp music I have discovered, nestled innocently beside Fife fiddle tunes, Burns songs, and arias from Handel operas. It has been a pleasure to perform this old music on my replica medieval harp, in such a pleasant space in front of the old volumes. And there has been an interesting selection of people coming to listen; mostly from Dundee, but a few from further north, and one or two from this side of the Tay bridge!

If you are interested in old music, or Scottish music, you can find details of forthcoming events at the Friends website, www.friendsofwighton.com or you can phone the Friends’ Secretary on 01334 474 263. The recitals are the first Wednesday of each month at 1.15pm, and the talks are on the 3rd Saturday of each month at 2pm. The 99 bus leaves from St Andrews bus station at 10 minutes past-, 25 minutes past-, 20 minutes to- and 5 minutes to- each hour during the day, and takes just under half-an-hour to get to Dundee. The standard return fare is £6. When you get off by the Cathedral on Commercial Street, walk up Murraygate to the Wellgate Shopping Centre; the Central Library is on the top floor of the centre at the far end and the Wighton Centre is upstairs at the back of the Library.

Scottish traditional music was a much more fluid thing two hundred years ago

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Simon & Sheena (courtesy of Fotopress Dundee)

BOOK REVIEWS Professor Richard Hall reviews

The Star Seed Legacy

by Patricia E. Smith (Price £9.99. Available from: www.authorsonline.co.uk and: www.amazon.com) Having read ‘The Star Seed Legacy’, I was not surprised to learn that Pat is a Reiki Master/ Teacher: her interest in spirituality is evident in this adventure story about good and evil, which falls into the fantast genre.

Pat has joined a growing community of authors self-publishing on the World Wide Web, and arranging distribution through Amazon.com.

The heroine of ‘The Star Seed Legacy’ is Arrianna. Following a sinister event, she embarks on a journey forcing her to confront life-changing realities and accept her own true ancestry and destiny. Arrianna discovers Astaurias, a fantastical world in the stars, a world peopled by Star Warriors, Star Beings, Light Beings, Gatekeepers, and Power Animals, governed by the mightiest of all Beings, the Star Council. This Council convenes to find a solution to the threat posed, not only to Arrianna, but also to the very survival of Astaurias itself. Arrianna is unaware these are linked.

Another world out there is a dark world called Skerrilorn, where only evil and all that is dark exist. This world is regulated by Watchers, and the odious Slakers, the most powerful of whom is Karalan, the one true master of the forces of Darkness. His cruelty and evil

ways are legendary. To satisfy his lust for power, Watchers and Slakers have captured, spirited away and imprisoned on Skerrilon vast numbers of children from the Earthly Plane; Karalan’s plan being to turn them over to the Dark.

Arrianna struggles to come to terms with, and accept, what she hears and experiences.

Her mind is awash with Star Beings, galaxies, portals, and parallel worlds. She knows she must overcome her very real fear and find the courage to brave the portal into the Dark world of Skerrilon, where her brother Theo is imprisoned. Aided by the handsome Star Warrior, Kodo, and assisted by the Power Animals, will Theo and the other ‘disappeared ‘ children finally be rescued?

The book’s main appeal will be to young adults, particularly those who enjoy identifying with a young heroine, such as Arrianna. Another strong appeal is the role of some of the Power Animals (Wolf, Hawk, Raven, and Snake) in the quest to rescue Theo.

There is much suspense to do with perilous journeys, ambushes, and battles involving shape-shifting, travel through space, and other (to us) supernatural phenomena. There is also a gentler suspense concerning the outcome

of the relationship between Arriana and Kodo. Will they fall in love, and if so, which world will they/can they inhabit? Some may see the story as a metaphor for heaven and hell, but a heaven and hell some can leave or re-enter. However, I believe that the story is best treated at a less serious level, where disbelief should be suspended so that the reader ‘can allow’ characters to shapeshift and do many other wondrous things.

The ‘transformation syndrome’ evidenced in the Pippa Longstocking, Superman, and Harry Potter stories, to name but three of many, demonstrates the strong appeal which characters with supernatural powers have for young readers. I am sure that Arrianna’s powers of transformation will appeal in similar fashion.

Pat Smith writes with much enthusiasm and imagination. Whilst I am not a young adult, I found I had to read to the end as I wanted to know how my ‘new friends’ fared in their battle against the forces of evil!

Sandi Johnstone, proprietor of Nature’s Way Health Store in Anstruther, reviews

An A–Z For Lightworkers

by Sheila caldwell (Price £7.99) A different, and definitely not boring book. Most books on this subject can be a daunting read to the novice. This is clear, very descriptive and spoken from the heart. It is one I would advise for those wishing to explore a subject not often talked about in the past, but which is a deep part of us – our spirituality.

It shows that there are many journeys one can take to explore the subjects written about by Sheila Caldwell. Being an ‘A – Z’ makes it an ideal reference book, and the layout and informative descriptions on each topic make this easy reading.

From Affirmations to Zen, Sheila not only explains some of the familiar therapies and practices, but also some of the practices from other countries.

This covers, for example, the ancient Jewish tradition of the Kabbalah and also Shamanism which date back 5,000 years and is still practised by different cultures today all over the world incorporating their methods of healing.

of particular interest to me is dowsing. This was introduced to me by an engineer years ago, and he certainly was not an easily impressed person. Dowsing is certainly worth trying and I was pleased to see it as a chapter in this Sheila Caldwell book. It mentions that dowsing is being used by industry and other authorities.

There is a chapter on Forgiveness, which gives advice on how to forgive, difficult for most of us when we have been hurt physically, mentally, or emotionally. The chapter on Healing gives sound advice on how to look after our physical body. There are many other interesting chapters. Feng Shui, which is explained as a mixture of ancient wisdom, astrology, folklore, and common sense, is also included. Another that stands out for me is Prayer and how to relax into praying. Sheila also writes about Auras, Chakras, Crystals, Dreams, Telekinesis, Visualisation, and much more. There is something for everyone.

Even the most sceptical of us will find this an interesting read, giving the opportunity for discussion with others and finding out their point of view. Humans have always searched for their own way to accept what goes on around them and why they are here in the first place! We need to learn to accept that there are cultures, traditions, and beliefs different from our own. ‘An A – Z for Lightworkers’, I feel helps in a gentle way to do this.

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SHOPS & SERVICES Flora Selwyn has been looking at the

Questionnaires The results are most encouraging. Practically everyone thinks that the balance of articles is just right. Three quarters of replies say all the articles are enjoyed. Many have used the advertisements for shops and traders, and the articles about services: to quote one reply, “Was pleased to read the article about St Andrews Osteopathy, and went there almost immediately. Highly recommended.” Others have tried out the various eating places featured in the magazine. The Macgregor Auctions calendar was considered helpful, as was the article on the Farmers’ Market. Another quote, “To support local shops and services people must have clear local advertising.” – I couldn’t agree more! I am reassured that our advertisers have been wholly justified in trusting the magazine and that their money has worked for them – another quote to reinforce this, “Focuses on shops/services I may not have thought to use before, or that I may have been unaware of.”

One person did wonder what relevance Woking Borough Council has to St Andrews. However, another reader found that article interesting, as well as the information on cycling in Copenhagen. Without saying why, a sole reader considers that there is too much Town/Gown. I can’t resist one more quote, “Fantastic magazine. So good to keep up to date with happenings in my home town. Love the history also!”

From that source of all wonders, the Internet!

In the year 2006, the Lord came unto Noah, who was now living in England, and said, “Once again, the earth has become wicked and over-populated, and I see the end of all flesh before me. Build another Ark and save 2 of every living thing along with a few good humans.” He gave Noah the CAD drawings, saying, “You have 6 months to build the Ark before I will start the unending rain for 40 days and 40 nights. “ Six months later, the Lord looked down and saw Noah weeping in his yard – but no Ark. “Noah!” He roared, “I’m about to start the rain!

Where is the Ark?”

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“Forgive me, Lord,” begged Noah, “but things have changed. I needed Building Regulations Approval, because the Ark was over 30m2. I’ve been arguing with the Fire Brigade about the need for a sprinkler system.

My neighbours claim that I should have obtained planning permission for building the Ark in my garden, because it is development of the site even though in my view it is a temporary structure, but the roof is too high.

We had to go to appeal to the Secretary of State for a decision. The Local Area Access Group complained that my ramp was going to be too steep, and the inside of the Ark

wasn’t fully accessible, then the Department of Transport demanded a bond be posted for the future costs of moving power lines and other overhead obstructions, to clear the passage for the Ark’s move to the sea. I told them that the sea would be coming to us, but they would hear nothing of it.

Getting the wood was another problem.

All the decent trees have Tree Preservation Orders on them and we live in a Site of Special Scientific Interest set up in order to protect the spotted owl. I tried to convince the environmentalists that I needed the wood to save the owls – but no go!

When I started gathering the animals, the RSPCA sued me. They insisted that I was confining wild animals against their will. They argued the accommodation was too restrictive, and it was cruel and inhumane to put so many animals in a confined space.

Then the County Council, the Environment Agency, and the Rivers Authority ruled that I couldn’t build the Ark until they’d conducted an environmental impact study on your proposed flood.

I’m still trying to resolve a complaint with the Equal Opportunities Commission on how many BMEs I’m supposed to hire for my building team. The trade unions say I can’t use my sons. They insist I have to hire only CSCS-accredited workers with Ark-building experience. To make matters worse, Customs and Excise seized all my assets, claiming I’m trying to leave the country illegally with endangered species.

So, forgive me, Lord, but it would take at least 10 years for me to finish this Ark.” Suddenly the skies cleared, the sun began to shine, and a rainbow stretched across the sky. Noah looked up in wonder and asked, “You mean you’re not going to destroy the world?”

“No,” said the Lord, “The government beat me to it.”

SHOPS & SERVICES Amanda Thompson BVM&S advises you to

M.O.T. Your Pet I see pets mostly when they are ill. However, many of the services and products available at the surgery are aimed at preventing illness or disease before it arises. Here is my guide to ensuring your pet has a trouble-free year: Vaccination – Prevention is the way.

Animals, like humans, suffer from a range of infectious diseases such as Flu and Leukaemia in cats, Parvo and Kennel cough in dogs, and Myxomatosis in rabbits. Veterinary medicine has advanced and prevention of disease through vaccination has become a priority. The incidence of many of these diseases has fallen greatly in this area due to widespread vaccination of animals.

In addition to the health benefits received through vaccination, your pet will receive a full clinical examination by the vet, often picking up health problems such as heart murmurs or dental disease before clinical symptoms arise. It also gives you, the owner, an ideal opportunity to discuss any health concerns you have about your pet.

Worming – Looking after all the family.

Everyone knows that cats and dogs should be wormed regularly.

However, with worms in the U.K. rarely causing visible illness in your pet, it is easy to become complacent.

Worms carried by cats and dogs pose a health risk to your pet and other animals as well as your family. Roundworm eggs, shed in faeces, can survive for up to three years in the environment. Humans, particularly children, can inadvertently swallow them if they get the eggs on their hands and then handle food. Most infections in humans are mild, causing nothing more than stomachache, however serious eye damage can occur. There are many new products available over the counter at your veterinary surgery designed for their effectiveness as well as their ease of administration. These fall into two main categories: •

•

Oral tablets/pastes/granules – because your vet has in-depth knowledge of the weight and age of your pet, (and many of the products contain more powerful drugs than can be bought in the supermarket or pet shop), a single dose is sufficient to treat all kinds of worms in most animals.

Spot-ons – these are liquid capsules applied to the skin at the back of the neck and have proved invaluable to cat owners for ease of application. Some also treat external parasites such as fleas.

Dental Care – Up close and personal.

Your pet’s dental health is just as important to his or her overall health as your dental health is to your general health.

Tartar can build up over time, harbouring bacteria leading to halitosis (smelly breath) and gingivitis (inflammation of the gums).

Initially, plaque is soft and can be removed in three simple steps: •

Regular brushing. It is important to use a toothpaste designed for animals, as human toothpaste is too high in fluoride.

•

Feeding dry food.

•

Chewing hard toys or dental chews, such as CET chews containing enzymes which dissolve tartar, that can be bought over the counter from your vet.

The Elderly Patient – We all grow old!

As your pet ages and starts to “slow down”, it can be difficult to know if this is due to the normal ageing process or if a medical problem is developing and veterinary advice should be sought. Below is a list of common symptoms which arise in the older patient and require veterinary attention.

Reduced exercise tolerance – this is particularly common in dogs and is often a sign of heart disease or musculoskeletal problems such as arthritis. There are many new non-steroid-based antiinflammatories which may not only improve your pet‘s quality of life and mobility, greatly reducing pain, but are also extremely well tolerated on a long-term basis with minimal side effects.

In addition to conventional anti-inflammatory drugs, there has been great development in the use of nutritional supplements in the treatment of osteoarthritis. Products such as Seraquin contain glucosamine and chondroitin, important for the maintenance of healthy cartilage and normal joint function have the advantage of being formulated for animals, thus preventing the risk of excessive salt intake if human products are used.

Increased water intake – this is common in both elderly cats and dogs and can be associated with diabetes and kidney disease amongst other conditions. A simple blood and urine test can check for this.

Weight Loss – in all species this can be a cause for concern as it is associated with many diseases including cancer. In older cats, dramatic weight loss along with a normal or increased appetite can be suggestive of an over-active thyroid, a condition which is readily controlled with medication or surgery.

Senility – until recently, there has been little treatment available for the treatment of senile changes such as disorientation and disturbed sleeping patterns. However, a nutritional supplement called Aktivait has been shown to improve symptoms in some cases.

In conclusion, my top tip is to think “prevention”, to improve the quality and longevity of your pet’s life.

For further information contact: Wilson & Partners, 33 Argyle Street, St Andrews. Tel: 01334 479 279

Over time, plaque calcifies to form tartar and professional cleaning by your vet will be needed to remove it. Otherwise, infection of the tooth root, resulting in a loosening of the tooth or abscess formation can follow. Dental disease doesn’t just affect the mouth, it can lead to more serious health problems including heart and kidney disease, particularly in older patients, making it all the more important that you provide your pet with proper dental care from the start.

Neutering – The health benefits.

Many pet owners have their pets neutered. There are many health benefits from having your pet neutered at an early age. In females, speying (ovariohysterectomy) reduces the incidence of breast cancer as well as protecting against ovarian and uterine cancer, pyometra (uterine infection) and false pregnancies.

In males, castration (removal of the testicles) protects against testicular cancer as well as greatly reducing the incidence of prostate cancer, benign prostate problems and tumours of the anal area.

Owners concerned about weight gain following neutering, can try adjusting their pet’s food intake and maintaining an active lifestyle.

From left to right, Lorna Spence (reception), Amanda Thompson, in blue, (vet), Wilma Rankin (nursing assistant), Andrew Kennedy (vet), Jane Connell (reception) and John Stewart (vet). The dogs are, from left to right, Lorna’s two spaniels, Briar and Archie and on John’s knee, his labrador, Charlie.

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SHOPS & SERVICES

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SHOPS & SERVICES Jim McGill roadtests

The Peugeot 1007 Yeh, yeh, yeh: if I’ve been asked once I’ve been asked a hundred times – “When are you going to test drive that new James Bond car? Y’know, the Aston Martin in Casino Royale – it looks great.” Well, always eager to please, I’ve finally got my hands on the 007 car. Only problem: it’s the Peugeot 1007.

Now before we go any further, and just to clarify everything, don’t, whatever you do, at any time throughout this roadtest, refer to the aforementioned 1007 as the one-double-ohseven. From hereon, it’s the one-thousand-andseven. Reason? Well, between you and me it’s got something to do with those ultra twitchy legal bods who look after the licensing of the James Bond copyright and things. So there you go.

Anyway, I’m just going to call it the 1007 and you can make your own minds up about how you pronounce it. Just make sure you scan the room – especially the lamp sockets and just under your desk where your knees sit – for carefully concealed mini microphones.

So: to the 1007. Let’s jump right to the little Peug’s most striking features: it’s got sliding doors. Instead of opening in the conventional hinged fashion, press a button and they slide backwards on runners. Now quite why Peugeot decided to go down this route is still not clear.

Apparently, according to the designers, it’s so that children can scamper into the back seats without having to fold the front seats forwards. Only problem with that is the gap, which is left for the aforementioned children to ‘scamper’ through, is so narrow they would have to be models for a Lowry painting. It’s a car for matchstick children right enough.

Now, ok, ok. I can see where there would be benefits for such a car. Let’s say you live in a very narrow lane where opening conventional doors is difficult because of the lack of space, then the 1007 would be ideal. Just pull up outside the front door of your mews-style house, slide back the driver’s door of the Peugeot, unlock the house and traverse seamlessly from one to other.

Yes, I know, it’s a completely illogical illustration. But then again, so really is the 1007. I’m tempted to say gimmick for gimmick’s sake, but I’m sure in Paris Parisians are able to carry off the 1007 with aplomb. Is there anything else about the doors? Well yes. They are exceedingly heavy, which has a double knock-on effect. First, they are expensive to make, which makes the 1007 more expensive than its real rivals, plus the weight dramatically handicaps the car’s performance. The result is that it’s one of the slowest cars in its class from 0-60mph.

I drove the 1.4-litre, 70hp diesel. Peugeot has also bought into what it calls the 2Tronic semi-automatic gearbox, known as Sensodrive in Citroen-speak. This clutchless system is operated as completely automatic, or sequentially via steering wheel-mounted paddles and floor-mounted lever. While the little oilburner trundled along contentedly enough at the British legal limit when on the flat, it ran out of pech on gradients even your granny would have no problem negotiating. With those defining doors weighing 42 kilograms, the diesel struggled to compensate. Taking nearly 17 seconds to progress from standstill to 62mph and a nominal top speed a whisker under 100mph reflects this.

On fast-sweeping motorway curves the 1007’s high centre of gravity was slightly inhibiting and wind noise was higher than expected, although decibels generated from under the bonnet and tyres were minimal.

The 1.4-litre eight-valve and 1.6-litre 16-valve petrol models are certainly more fun and what quickly becomes apparent is that the 1007 is at its best in an urban environment as demonstrated by the manual 1.4.

It felt more agile and sprightly even if it did demonstrate a weird suspension tremble over ridged surfaces. The electrically assisted steering, ultra-light at pedestrian speeds, lacked feedback when placing the car on rural bends, and sweeping curves. In many ways it felt as though I was driving a minibus. Visibility is excellent, with the proviso that allowances have to be made for the thick leading edge front screen pillars and shark-fin-shaped rear roof support. Instrumentation and controls are clear, logical and functional, although switches for the electric windows and sliding doors are too similar when first operated.

Inside the 1007 there’s a problem with practicality. While something like the Honda Jazz – still the best in its class – can accommodate five fully-grown adults, the Peugeot is strictly a four-seater. And while the rear bench can be moved forward and back to satisfy any number of peculiar seating fetishes you may have, the boot is never, ever what you would exactly categorise as generous. The icing on the cake is the fact there’s a high sill over which all your shopping must be humped before it’s placed safely in the boot.

Plus points? Well the 1007 comes with something called the Cameleo concept, a range of jazzy and gaudy interior fabrics and colours. Some are reminiscent of Sixties coffee bars in Day-Glo reds and oranges while garish swirly patterns threaten migraines. The point of Cameleo is that you specify the original fabric and colours and get another 18-element kit free, which – at least according to the men from Peugeot – can be substituted using zips and Velcro within 15 minutes.

It’s a sort of automotive Changing Rooms to spruce the car up when you come to sell it, or an answer to messy dogs or nauseous children.

Style victims can add more sets, incorporating matching air vent surrounds, for around 200 quid.

Anymore plus points? Let me think. How about, you don’t see all that many on the road?

The range starts at £10,850 for the 1.4 8v Dolce and rises to £12,600 for the 1.6 16v Sport 2-Tronic. The entry diesel will set you back £11,545 for the 1.4 HDi Dolce. The Sport is an additional £750.

So there you have it. Not quite the 007 car you expected, but one which certainly explains why Q and the James Bond licensees refused to give Peugeot a licence to kill.

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SHOPS & SERVICES

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SHOPS & SERVICES

Roving Reporter The seasons, and what goes on in town are closely linked, and Roving Reporter has been somewhat sneakily laid back these last couple of months! But spring is in the air, and there is movement.

1.

2.

Karen Ogston certainly has a spring in her step, for she has returned to her native town. What’s more, Reporter found her newly installed in delightfully refurbished premises at 151 South Street, where she has opened The Hairloft (01334 475599). In the true St Andrews tradition, Karen flew the nest in order to gain experience elsewhere. Having completed her hairdressing training at Parrs in the ‘70s, then Salon 51 (no longer here), she owned Vanity Fair in Market Street, before venturing north, working in various places.

She told Reporter, “I felt I needed a change.

But I missed St Andrews and I wanted to come back home.” When she did return last April the opportunity arose to rent her present premises from Stephen Ferguson, who trades down the stair.

What of the future, Reporter wanted to know? “I want to cater for everyone.”

Karen stresses that for her quality and affordability are everything, “I’m looking to provide a warm, friendly and professional service.” One other hairdresser works with Karen. Prices are affordable; a cut and blow-dry costs from £20; technical services (colouring, perms etc) from £35 – “one day a week, on Monday only, I’d like to offer Senior Citizens a discount of 20% for these services,“ Karen told Reporter. She went on, “I’m also doing American Dream hair extensions, and I have Paul Mitchell professional salon products.” Hours are 9.00am – 5.30pm Monday – Saturday.

“If particularly wanted, we will work late nights.”

So, says Reporter, if you’re having a bad hair day, why not pop along and see Karen, and you’ll acquire a spring in your step too!

*****

Garden tools and garden machines – gleaming invitingly, row on row. Now that’s what Reporter finds alluring! Reporter wishes his tools would stay looking so new after he’s used them, but still... Quality is all, and that’s what D M Motors, St Andrews Hire Services can offer you in abundance.

Call in to see Roger Coultherd at 62 Largo Road, St Andrews, (01334 477020 / 477335) and you will find yourself in gardening heaven. Two years ago, Roger

and wife Claire bought D M Motors – a business that was once the agricultural section of Central Motors in Market Street.

Roger, a West Yorkshire man, was an aircraft technician for 28 years, spending the later years of his career at Leuchars.

But, he says, “it wasn’t fun any more”, hence the career change. A month after his purchase, Roger added St Andrews Hire Services, “just trying to grow this side.

Now we hire, sell, and service garden and other machinery – what more could anyone ask for! Actually, hiring has made life a lot better.” How, asked Reporter? “Customers who aren’t too sure what they want can hire equipment to try it out. Then, if they are satisfied they can buy it with the hire price taken off.” Roger can supply parts for many old machines. One customer, an enthusiast, has an iron horse-cum-tractor dating from 1929 and Roger’s men have been able to keep it in working order. He looks after doughnut-makers for a wellknown St Andrews caterer, also commercial washing machines. “If people are stuck for spares, or can’t find anyone to help, we can point them in the right direction, or do it ourselves.” Protective clothing is available too, as well as gloves and footwear, nuts and bolts, screws, and washers and much, much more. Claire lends her office skills, in addition to her time; two sons help Mum and Dad; and there are 5 employees – a true family business. “I enjoy being busy” avers Roger, so he sits on a number of committees, as well as indulging in many DIY projects at home. After all, he says, “I have all the best tools!”

*****

3. Walter McCrindle, tel: 01334 476 979 email: waltermccrindle@hotmail.com got in touch with Reporter, who decided to let him introduce himself: “Sugar ‘n’ Spice and all things Nice” is based in St. Andrews and specialises in hand-made bespoke wedding cakes for the discerning bride who may choose something completely different, or would prefer traditional or non-traditional designs for her special day. Our traditional butter fruit cake is matured for three months in brandy, or grand marnier for extra flavour, and the chocolate cakes are finished using Belgian chocolate.

Sugar sculptures and sugar flowers are all in a day’s work for Walter McCrindle and “ Sugar ‘n’ Nice cakes”. I’m a qualified pastry chef and chef/lecturer residing in St Andrews. I have more than 30 years’ experience in the catering industry and started work as a chef in Glasgow’s Malmaison restaurant (formely British Railway’s Central Hotel), before moving to Gleneagles and the Old Course Hotel.

Over the years I have won 15 Gold medals for competition work in sugar and professional cookery. I still enjoy competing, and at the moment I am working on a sugar sculpture of a Highland scene of stag and otters for the ‘Scot Hot’ Scottish culinary championships in Glasgow. I prefer to work on wildlife subjects, or well-known iconic cartoon characters, or anything interesting or different.

All the sugar pieces are completely edible and ideal for celebration and wedding cakes and range from hand-crafted icing to blown and pulled sugar pieces, a process similar to glass blowing, but in sugar.

Our most popular cake is a Scottish Iona cake of our own design with handmade sugar thistles and Celtic targes (shields) on the sides and finished with a sugar Celtic cross and the bride’s own choice of tartan ribbon or monogram.

Chocolate cakes and combinations of sponge cakes and fruit cake are also very popular with brides. We also have more grooms attending at consultations than ever before, which is great...”

*****

4. Chance encounters make Reporter’s day! Coming along the street, there was Sandra Pearl ‘house hunting’ – they got chatting.

Sandra, an Associate Estate Agent with Re-max Platinum Homes (currently with offices in Dundee) , is hoping to open an office here soon. After 22 years in Hawaii it is quite a challenge. Born in Glasgow, Sandra trained as a nurse in Paisley, then took off for the States. Private nursing was not enough, so she opened a restaurant in Florida, and then Hawaii. “I don’t mind hard work,” said Sandra, “but that’s the hardest business!”

Eventually she sold both restaurants and instead became a ‘realtor’, in other words, an estate agent in Hawaii for twelve years.

Reporter was curious about the choice of St Andrews. Sandra no longer enjoys the big city, so Glasgow didn’t appeal. However, she has ageing parents still living there and that was her reason for returning. Having explored Scotland for a roost, she says she “fell in love with St Andrews straight away”. She believes there is still a sense of community and she appreciates the history and setting of the town. Sandra was trained by Re-max here in Scotland, which according to its promotional literature, has “become recognised as the property marketing experts who get results.”

Globally located, they are a “full-service estate agency” dealing with all aspects of selling property. Sandra states that she “can provide her clients with a new and unparalled level of service.” Reporter was pleased to learn that Sandra had an active role in Hawaii in the conservation movement, fighting over-development. She loves open spaces and wants development to be confined within towns, not spreading outwards. So, if you have property to sell, a chat with Sandra could be productive.

Her mobile number is: 0798 3337393 and email: spearl@remax-scotland.com

17

EVENTS Fraser Keir outlines a full and exciting

National Science Week in St Andrews National Science Week is a fantastic opportunity for people of all ages to take part in science, engineering, and technology activities. From 10 -18 March 2007, the British Association for the Advancement of Science and their university partners are connecting people with science to show its importance and relevance to the world we live in. In St Andrews, the University has organized a series of events to showcase the applied teaching and research that goes on in the University. All the events are free, fun to go to and suitable for all the family.

The Science Discovery Day Why are we fooled by visual illusions? How does memory work? Do I make my own choices or can my behaviour be controlled by others? If the word Psychology makes you think of Freud and psychoanalysis, then you are under the same misapprehension as most of the population.

Psychology is a living, breathing science that tries to explain the world around us. Students and staff from the University of St Andrews have created a series of interactive displays and demonstrations to introduce you to the worlds of psychology, science, and technology.

What else could you and your family do?

You could make your own slime, step inside an inflatable planetarium, make molecules out of special Lego, jump inside a giant soap bubble, and have your picture taken to let you see

what you would look like had you been born a member of the opposite sex! You will also find out about the Secret Life of Diving Mammals under the sea and how scientists map volcanic activity.

Venue: School of Physics & Astronomy, North Haugh, 11.00 am to 4.00pm on Saturday 10 March.

The Bell Pettigrew Natural History Museum Come and find out about our exhibitions and specimens from throughout the world, including extinct species such as the Tasmanian Wolf, and other rare birds and mammals. The Museum Curator and his team will be available to explain the background to this fascinating collection.

Venue: Bute Medical Buildings, South Street, 12 noon to 4.00 pm on Saturday 10 March.

Star Gazing at the University Observatory Did you know St Andrews was home to the United Kingdom’s largest optical telescope, the Gregory Telescope? Visitors can tour the observatory to see the telescopes and displays and interact with professional astronomers.

If the sky is clear, you may be able to view interesting objects in the night sky.

Venue: Napier Building, University Observatories off Buchanan Gardens from 7.00 pm to 9.00 pm on Saturday 10 March.

Back to the Future – Clues about global warming from catastrophes in the ancient past The geological record tells us that the Earth has experienced dramatic climate changes in the past. Only 15 thousand years ago, great ice sheets were still sculpting the landscape around us, and 90 million years ago during the Cretaceous period, crocodile-like reptiles lived in the Arctic and the Earth was sweltering in a `hothouse´. If we go back further in time, some scientists even talk about a time of a ‘snowball’ Earth when there was ice in the tropics. Can any of these episodes from the geological past inform us about future global warming and the response of climate to our continued burning of fossil carbon?

Dr Andy Ridgwell from the University of Bristol is internationally renowned for his work on modeling and documenting climate change in the past and will present ‘Back to the future – clues about global warming from catastrophes in the ancient past’.

His talk will be followed by a “Climate Change Question Time” when the audience can ask questions and a panel of experts who research aspects and outcomes of climate change will address them.

Venue: School 2, St Salvators Quadrangle, North Street from 6.00 – 7.30 pm on Thursday 15 March.

All our National Science Week activities are designed to engage, inform, and answer questions. For more information on National Science Week please go to: www.the-ba.net or www.st-andrews.ac.uk/nsw

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18

Embroidery Professionals

EVENTS From Annie Kelly, Press Officer

Happy Birthday, StAnza!

Scotland’s poetry festival salutes ten years of success with its most vibrant programme ever.

Appearing at Byre StAnza, returns to St Andrews in March, celebrating its tenth birthday this Theatre 8pm events year with a programme of readings, performances, music, and exhibitions, are Sean O’Brien, poet, plus some very special events guaranteed to draw the crowds. playwright, and critic, twice StAnza has grown in stature as a literary festival that is both Scottish winner of the Forward and international in outlook, bringing poetry to audiences in fresh and Prize; Ruth Padel, Mimi entertaining ways. Its success is due in a large part to the support of the Khalvati, Roy Fisher, and local community through sponsorship and support from local businesses George Szirtes, winner and from the University. The festival attracts increasing numbers of of the 2004 T.S. Eliot visitors, who come to make a weekend of it, staying in local hotels and Prize, (who will give the guesthouses and enjoying the attractions the town has to offer. The StAnza Lecture), and programme of events appeals to poetry lovers of all ages. Most events Gwyneth Lewis, who has offer concessions; around a third of them are free. just finished her term as The first of the festival’s twin themes is Homelands & Exile, a subject which underlines StAnza’s international approach. The subject will appeal the first Poet Laureate of particularly to Alastair Reid, poet and translator of Neruda, who has lived Wales, (StAnza’s Poet-inin Spain, France, Switzerland, and South America, but who has also in the Residence). John Hegley’s past made a home in St Andrews. He will be In Conversation with fellow appeal crosses all age Jorie Graham poet Tom Pow, sharing travellers’ tales no doubt (Byre Theatre, 3.30pm). barriers and as well as Reid’s famous poem, “Scotland”, also inspired “Language on Stone”, a starring in our StAnd-up series, he will be heading the festival’s highly series of video installations combining Reid’s words with poetic images, successful Children’s Programme this year with BBC Radio 4 favourite which will be projected on the walls of St Andrews every evening after Matt Harvey. Leading the Scottish voices will be Jackie Kay, and Alan sunset. Look out for them as you Spence, with among others, walk around town. Poems are also Diana Hendry, St Andrews poet the inspiration behind two awardLyn Moir, Rob MacKenzie, Ann Frater, Aonghas MacNeacail, winning short films: Byechild, Janet Paisley, and Willie directed by Bernard MacLaverty, Hershaw. Also gracing the stage based on the poem by Seamus as part of StAnza’s musical Heaney; Half Life: a Journey to programme will be Scotland’s Chernobyl, by David Bickerstaff favourite songwriter, Michael and Phil Grabsky, based on a Marra. work by Mario Petrucci. They Some of these poets will are part of a rich and varied also be part of the major 10th programme of films being shown birthday celebrations, The 100 at the Byre Theatre.

Poets Gathering, on Saturday Among the prestigious line-up 18th March: in this unique event, of poets reading each evening are no fewer that 100 poets will two major poets from the USA. take part in a marathon reading, Jorie Graham has produced nine during one single afternoon. acclaimed collections of poetry.

A selected volume, The Dream This is probably the first time in Scotland that so many poets of the Unified Field won her the will have been brought together Pulitzer prize in 1996. Her latest for one event. Poets from all collection, Overlord (2005) has Ian Stephen workshop over the country have signed been described by one US critic up to be among the 100: many have appeared at StAnza festivals in the as her best and most impassioned work: “Forthright, passionate and past decade and were keen to help celebrate. Poets on the list include ironic, Graham has crafted poems of lyrical steeliness and cauterising Scotland’s foremost poet of his generation, Douglas Dunn, and Bordersbeauty”. Mark Strand, poet, essayist, and translator, is a former USA Poet based Vicki Feaver, Robert Crawford, Dublin poet Tony Curtis, current Laureate, who has published 11 collections during a distinguished career.

Edinburgh Makar, Valerie Gillies, Penelope Shuttle, Angela McSeveney His poetry is spare and surreal, painterly, and philosophical, with flashes and Sheena Blackhall. of dark humour. The poet Octavio Paz described it as “the opening to As a special birthday treat, regular StAnza festival goers will be a transparent verbal perfection.” Both poets will read on Sunday, 18th delighted to see the return of The Reaper to St Andrews harbour, courtesy March at 8pm at the Town Hall. of the Scottish Fisheries Museum, Anstruther. The historic vessel, which drew crowds in 2004, will again become StAnza’s Poetry Boat, the base for two marine-themed sound installations.

With words on walls and poetry all at sea, StAnza is making sure St Andrews lives up to its nickname, Poetry Town. As Festival Director Brian Johnstone says, “A considerable part of StAnza’s success has been due to the atmosphere of St Andrews: always friendly and informal, but also innovative and lively. We’re certainly looking forward to the next ten years.”

StAnza is held at various venues in St Andrews from 14th-18th March 2007.

Festival and programme details can be found at www.stanzapoetry.org Tickets are available from the Byre Theatre, 01334 475000.

To order a programme post free, ring 0159222414714.

StAnza is supported by The National Lottery and the Scottish Arts Council.

Principal Sponsor: Waterstone’s Festival Funders: University of St Andrews; Fife Council Arts Development & Fife Council Major Events Funding Programme.

Alastair Reid

19

EVENTS

Selected Events Thursday, 1 March & Saturday/Sunday 3 & 4 March – at Waterstones, Market Street. World Book Day celebrates its 10th Birthday. Fun for all the family. Contact: 01334 477 893.

Thursday, 8 March – 7.30pm. In the Public Library, Church Square. An author event by Kirsty Scott. Tickets £4.00 (£2.50 with Premier and Super Fifestyle card). Contact: 01334 412 685.

Saturday, 10 March – 8.00pm St Leonards School Music Auditorium, the Pends. Dominant String Quartet. Music by Shostakovich, Prokofiev, Tchaikovsky. St Andrews Music Club.

Tickets, £10, £9 (concessions), students £5, kids £1.

Sunday, 11 March – 7.00pm. The Byre Theatre, St Andrews.

Art For Mercy Auction in aid of Tearfund. Contact: ieb2@st-andrews.ac.uk or dej2@st-andrews.ac.uk For other information: www.tearfund.org Wednesday, 14 March – 1.15pm. Younger Hall, North Street. A special lunchtime concert in aid of the charity Plateau Perspectives, “building Partnerships with Tibetan Nomads”. A full report will appear in the May/June issue of this magazine.

– 7.30pm The Younger Hall, North Street. Scottish Chamber Orchestra. Conductor / violin Joseph Swensen, cello Ralph Kirshbaum. All – Brahms concert. Tickets from the Byre box office and the Music Centre, Younger Hall. More information on: www.sco.org.uk Wednesday, 14 March to Sunday 18 March – StAnza. For full details see web www.stanzapoetry.org – 2.00-5.00pm. Preservation Trust Museum. StAnza exhibition.

Thursday, 15 March – 7.30pm. Hope Park Church, St Mary’s Place, St Andrews. Dahlias – a talk by Tom Cleghorn, for the St Andrews Gardeners Club. Come along and enjoy the social atmosphere with coffee after all meetings. Contact: 01334 477 429.

Friday, 16 March – 7.30pm. Hope Park Church, St Andrews.

Bruce Davies in concert. Tickets at the door £4. Contact Bill Sutherland: 01334 473 541.

Saturday, 17 March – 7.30pm. Younger Hall, North Street.

The St Andrews Chorus, Director Edward Caswell, is performing the Duruflé Requiem. Tickets at the door, or from St Andrews Art & Music Shop,138 South Street – £8, £6 (concessions), £3 students. Contact: 01334 478 625.

Sunday, 18 March – 4.00pm. St Leonards School Music Auditorium, the Pends, St Andrews. The Kandinsky Piano Trio. Music by Mozart, Shostakovich, Schumann, Beethoven. St Andrews Music Club Tickets £10, £9 concessions, £5 students, £1 kids.

Saturday, 24 March – 3.00pm at Waterstones, Market Street. Reading group for 12 -15-year olds. Parental permission is required for this group.

Please contact the Children’s Bookseller, Rachael, at the store.

– 7.30pm. Younger Hall, North Street. Sing-Away Day The Rotary Club of St Andrews. Music from the shows.

Conductor, Gillian Craig, with the Heisenberg Ensemble.

Raising funds for charity. Tickets, £8, £6 or £5 from The Byre Theatre or The Music Centre at the Younger Hall and at the door on the night. Contact: 01334 473 541.

Tuesday, 27 March – 6.00pm. Waterstones, Market Street.

Reading group for adults. Contact: 01334 477 893.

Thursday, 29 March – 7.30pm. St Leonards School Music Auditorium, the Pends, St Andrews. Accompanied by Graeme McNaught, piano, William Coleman, baritone, will sing Schubert’s Die Schöne Müllerin. Tickets: £8, (students £5) from the Music Centre,Younger Hall, North Street, and at the door.

For further information ring: 01334 473 917.

Saturday, 14 April – 2.00pm at St Salvator’s Chapel, North Street.

The start of the annual Kate Kennedy Procession which will wind its way round the town. A colourful pageant celebrating the arrival of spring.

Wednesday, 18 April – 7.30pm The Younger Hall, North Street.

Scottish Chamber Orchestra. Conductor Yannick NézetSéguin, cello Han-Na Chang. Music by Ravel, Saint-Saëns, Tchaikovsky, Mendelssohn. Tickets from the Byre box office and the Music Centre, Younger Hall. More information on: www.sco.org.uk Thursday, 19 April – 7.30pm. Hope Park Church, St Mary’s Place, St Andrews. Gardening for the birds – a talk by Stan da Prato, for the St Andrews Gardeners Club. Come along and enjoy the social atmosphere with coffee after all meetings. Contact: 01334 477 429.

Saturday, 21 April – Hope Park Church, St Mary’s Place. St Andrews Gardeners Club, Spring Show. Contact: 01334 477 429.

– 7.30pm. Town Hall. Wine and wisdom. More than a quiz!

The Rotary Club of St Andrews. Tickets £15 include supper & wine. Contact: 01334 473 541 email: fionaandbill@aol.com Tuesday, 24 April – 6.00pm. Waterstones, Market Street.

Reading group for adults. Contact: 01334 477 893.

Saturday, 28 April – 3.00pm at Waterstones, Market Street.

Reading group for 12 -15-year olds. Parental permission is required for this group. Please contact the Children’s Bookseller, Rachael, at the store.

Sunday, 29 April – Cambo Estate, East Neuk. Spring Plant and Craft Fair under the auspices of Scotland’s Gardens Scheme – nominated charity, Diabetes UK. Contact: 1333 450 054 or see: www.camboestate.com

20

ORGANISATIONS Professor Margaret Sutherland introduces

The Franco-Scottish Society, St Andrews Branch Is France really the most likeable of countries? Some recent research has suggested that many people tend to feel an affection for this country which they don’t feel for other foreign countries – France seems to have a personality which leads to genuine feelings of attachment. St Andrews moreover does have a special historical link with France, since in 1538 a splendid ceremony took place in St Andrews Cathedral to confirm and bless the marriage of James V and Mary of Guise (future parents of Mary, Queen of Scots – and of France).

For whatever reason, Scots have long recognised the Auld Alliance with the French. In past centuries, the two have been allies – possibly by opposition to policies of the English. There is also the popular game of seeking Scots words derived from the French.

Yet it was at a time when attitudes towards the French were not wholly friendly that the Franco-Scottish Society was founded in Scotland, towards the end of the nineteenth century. The creation of branches came rather later and the first St Andrews branch did not survive; but the present branch was established in 1993, thanks to the efforts of an enthusiastic group in St Andrews.

The branch concerns itself with many aspects of life and culture in France and Scotland. Monthly talks deal with topics from literature, history, art, education, or language. Occasionally a session deals with another important facet of French civilisation – food! Thus one highly appreciated evening gave the opportunity to taste a range of French cheeses (popular votes indicated that Tomme de Savoie found most favour). Wine, of course, is another part of French culture which is appreciated in practice.

Since personal contacts are important in getting to know another country, members have also enjoyed hearing from pupils about their experiences on school visits to France; and visitors from Loches have recently been welcome guests.

A different kind of experience is provided by the annual meetings of the Scottish Franco-Scottish Society, the branches taking it in turns to

organise these get-togethers. Those present profit not only from meeting with like-minded enthusiasts, but also from hearing about the activities, and speaker choices, of other branches. Wider contact still is provided by the Bulletins of the French and the Scottish Societies, the Scottish Bulletin being at present edited from St Andrews by Professor Sam Taylor.

Yet another form of meeting occurs in the bus tours organised every two years: some members of the Scottish Society join with some members of the French Society to explore a region of France, or of Scotland (the host country planning the tour and coping with Notre Dame practical arrangements). Recent tours (Courtesy Sam Taylor) were to the Pays d’Oc and the North of Scotland. French colleagues are already organising the 2008 tour to explore some part of France.

A point of changeable policy is the decision on which language to use. For the time being, a compromise prevails; some talks are in English, some in French! Less formally, members use French or English as they feel inclined.

The Branch has been particularly fortunate in finding accommodation for meetings in the premises of The St Rule Club. New members are always welcome. Anyone interested should contact the Secretary of the Branch, who will be happy to send a copy of the programme: Mrs Elizabeth Slack, 24 Church Street, Strathkinness KYl6 9XR tel: 01334 850669 email: elizabeth.slack@btintemet.com

Anne Inglis, Chair of Continuing Care Service N.E. Fife,

Icing the Cake This may seem rather a strange title for a voluntary service which has been working in the N.E. Fife area for more than 25 years.

Continuing Care Service N.E. Fife is not a group of confectioners, rather a voluntary organisation whose members try to ice the cake by improving the quality of life of those needing a little help.

The Service started in 1981 Improving mobility when a Health Visitor in the area was concerned about the quality of care of patients suffering from cancer.

The initial aim was to raise enough funds to employ a McMillan Nurse. Two years’ salary, £25,000 at that time, had to be in the bank before a nurse could start work. Much fundraising took place and as the interest in the project grew various Trust funds, Rotary Clubs, and businesses became interested and were generous with donations. Eventually, after several years, the target was met and a McMillan nurse was employed – the first in the area. After two years the need was accepted by the Health Board, who took over her salary. Nowadays there are hospice beds in Cupar, St Andrews, and Kirkcaldy. The fundraising group then turned its hand to helping the McMillan nurse with her workload in a voluntary capacity and that is how Continuing Care Service N.E. Fife came into being.

With the best will in the world the official bodies cannot provide everything for everybody and we try to fill the gaps. There are three parts to the service: Befriending – which is an extremely important part and adds quality to the lives of people who are lonely and housebound – there are no age limits for people needing help. Many long-term friendships start this way and continue after the initial need has passed. Many and varied tasks are undertaken: reading or writing letters for someone with poor sight, going for a walk, arranging visits to friends and relatives, shopping, etc., little things which make a big difference.

Carer Relief – this part often ties in with befriending and allows a carer a much needed break on a regular basis. A little time away from 24hr caring just to visit friends, go for a coffee, have a hairdo, can make all the difference.

Hospital Transport has become an increasingly important part of the service, living as we do in a rural area with not a lot of easily accessible transport – Crail to Ninewells for an early appointment without help would not be easy. Many people do not qualify for an ambulance or are too frail to cope with the long journeys and waiting time involved. We provide a full escort service when required and will, if asked, sit in with the consultation to report back to families, thus ensuring that everyone knows the correct story. Being able to provide moral and physical support can make a difficult day easier for all concerned.

The referrals come from medical clinics, social work departments, friends, neighbours, and relatives who are needing help and advice. The linchpin of the service is the Coordinator who, on receiving a request, will visit, assess the problem, and decide what needs to be done. Hopefully a suitable volunteer can be found to fulfil the task. The Coordinator has an extremely responsible job, made easier by willing volunteers always ready to help.

Our volunteers come from all walks of life and no degree or special skills are required, just a caring person with loads of common sense and a great sense of humour. Obviously, as we are dealing with frail, mainly elderly people who are vulnerable, all volunteers have to go through the Disclosure system.

The funding comes from various sources including a grant from the Health Board, as they appreciate the amount of work we do at low cost.

As a registered charity we can apply for Trust funds and we also receive donations from charity shops, Rotary Clubs, and fundraising activities. We run an annual coffee morning, which brings the volunteers together and is a social event.

The committee members all work from home which, with no offices or overheads, keeps our costs very low. The Coordinator is salaried, and volunteers’ travel expenses are reimbursed. Clients using the transport service are required to make a donation to cover expenses.

This is a short synopsis of what the service is doing in and around your area. Perhaps some of you know of us – maybe from use of the service or as a volunteer. If, however, you have found this article interesting and would like to know more and perhaps become involved we would be delighted to hear from you. It is a very friendly service – our volunteers stay with us for years, one or two since 1981. I think that is a recommendation in itself.

For further information please contact 01334 828266.

21

ORGANISATIONS Don Burnett introduces the new

St Andrews & District Hearts Supporters Club This Supporters Club was formed in July 2006. Some of the lads in town had been known to arrange buses to travel to games in the past, so it was decided to see if we could get enough support to form a club.

At the first meeting 16 people turned up, and from that we now have around 40 members, mostly from St Andrews, but also from Peat Inn, Chance Inn, Ceres, and Cupar.

The Club usually meets at 7.30pm every fourth Tuesday of the month at Drouthy Neebors, West Port, South Street, St Andrews, and new members are always welcome.

Club Crest, available soon as a lapel badge

For more information please contact either, Ally McLennan, Chairman, 07854563135 or, Drew Maine, Secretary, 07787322453

Some of the Supporters in the Murrayfield car park before a European game (Courtesy, Don Burnett).

Debra Ibbitson, Project Manager,

Families First – St Andrews Families First-St Andrews, now in its 6th year, continues to provide invaluable support services to families and children in St Andrews and the North East Fife area. The team, based at the Rose Lane Centre just off South Street, is headed by Debra Ibbitson, Project Manager, supported

by Vikki Calder, Family Support Coordinator, Adriel Driver, Child Care Manager, and Sharon Taylor, Project Administrator.

Critical to the survival of the organisation is securing sufficient funding. Many sponsors see St Andrews as an affluent town scoring low on a deprivation index. However, as social workers, health visitors, and teachers will testify, this is misleading, as pockets of deprivation do exist and the support offered by Families First is often a lifeline to families on low incomes.

This year, Families First have stepped up their fundraising efforts. In July, a coffee morning was held in the Town Hall and in December a street collection took place in the town centre. Both events were well supported by the local community. In addition, financial donations have come from local groups such as The Art Club, St Andrews University Christian Union, and local churches.

Here are some comments from service users: •

Paul, age 14, “My befriender is great, he’s not too young or old, but just right for From left to right: Debra Ibbitson, me. He is interested Vikki Calder, Sharon Taylor, & Adriel Driver. in what I do and what I have to say. I can tell him things that are really bothering me. I’ve done things like golf, which I would never have tried without him encouraging me.”

•

Holiday Club, by Robert age 15, “The volunteers were really friendly. We did lots of things like the BBQ, cooking, and the cinema. But the best day was going for the Anstruther walk and getting fish and chips, they were the best I’d ever tasted and it was the best day ever.”

Catriona Fothergill, Customer Services Manager, tells us that

St Andrews’ Tourist Information Centre – is more than a stop-over for visitors to the town; it is also a local resource many of us know little about. Rather than make an article of it, here is a summary of what’s available to us all, in person at 70 Market Street, or by phone at 01334 472 021.

Ticket Agents for: • Ticketmaster coming very soon – the only service of its kind in St Andrews – for events all over Scotland including concerts, sporting events and theatres – watch our window for the latest updates.

• Ticket sales for Pitlochry Festival Theatre and Dundee Rep Theatre • Superfast Ferries from Rosyth to Zebrugge • Fisher Tours Day trips • RSCDS Dances – hosted by VisitScotland Fife in conjunction with the RSCDS Summer School held in St Andrews each July and August. A great night for Spectators to see traditional Scottish Country Dancing – tickets available from the TIC • Local events and concerts such at the NYBBS (National Youth Brass Band Scotland) Free Information: • Free local area information available through our Essential Guide and town guides • Weekly Whats On printed each Saturday • Events leaflets and posters – we can display these free of charge for any local event (subject to space)

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•

• • •

Free information on other areas of Scotland, so if you are planning a day trip, short break, or longer holiday, call in and get up-to-date information on what to see and do Ferry information to Orkney/Shetland and the Western Isles Coastal path and other local walks VisitScotland themed brochures, including fishing and golf

Bureau de change • For foreign visitors to the area, or visiting friends and relations, we offer bureau de change facilities to change euros/dollars etc into £ sterling.

Accommodation Booking Service • Whether it’s a short break, business trip or longer holiday, we can book your qualityassured accommodation anywhere in Scotland • Got friends or relatives coming to visit and don’t have enough room for them to stay, pop in and see us and we can book local accommodation for you Expertise of local staff • Our staff have different areas of expertise, but if we don’t know the answer to a question we will endeavour to find out and get back to you.

ORGANISATIONS Chairman of Pilgrim Care, Rev. Marie-Louise Moffett expands on the Trust’s vision for St Andrews, outlined for Roving Reporter in the last issue of this magazine. The Trust surely merits the town’s wholehearted support.

Meeting the Needs Pilgrim Care is convinced, after detailed study, that There was a painter and there is a need for another Care facility for our frail elderly in our own decorator many years ago, who worked all his life in St community – some of our older folk still have to find care places in Care Andrews, his home town.

Homes outside St Andrews, distant from friends and family. Provision of He said that he didn’t like to continuing care removes the fear of facing a second move into a Nursing be out of sight of the square Home. Pilgrim Care therefore believes that these and other considerations tower – St. Regulus – and point strongly to the need for a new continuing Care facility here. It could during the war, he took a also provide new jobs for local Care and support staff, decrease bed picture postcard of it with blocking and shorten waiting lists for Care and Nursing Home places for him wherever he went. That the elderly in E. Fife where some smaller Care Homes have had to close Courtyard Care Apartments love of this place, whenever for economic reasons. Pilgrim Care is therefore negotiating to provide it starts, grows stronger as we grow older and many of us dread the continuing whole-person care from residential to final nursing in a Care thought of having to move away if we need care in later life and risk losing Village in St Andrews. We are collaborating with the privately funded our friends, and in many cases, our church community.

Auchlochan charitable Trust, recognised by the Government as one Moving into care is life-changing, but this can be eased considerably of the highest quality Care providers in Scotland; Pilgrim Care and the if there is provision of continuity of care within the same care facility. If the Auchlochan Trust, a Christian-based Trust established in 1977, share same care complex, or “village”, offers all the the same Christian ethos. Auchlochan has stages of provision from retirement cottages or an exemplary thirty-year record and is now Pilgrim Care is convinced, after caring for over 500 people at its facilities in flats through to sheltered housing with support, detailed study, that there is a need the West of Scotland. Auchlochan intends, to 24-hour care, and then on to nursing, practicable, to provide and operate there is no change of location and a resident for another Care facility for our frail ifsuch a Care complex here when Planning is surrounded by the same friendly faces elderly in our own community issues in the St Andrews area are resolved. throughout. There is now statistical evidence, Pilgrim Care’s Action Committee is in too, that spiritual support greatly enhances the comfort and positive quality of life of an old person and increases their active discussions with Planning officials and landowners through our length of life. So, for those who may wish it, the possibility of providing professional consultants. The proposed Care village would consist of locally a high quality care village offering continuity of care with a Christian retirement cottages, apartments for 24-hour sheltered care and nursing ethos and some Christian care staff can seem very desirable. places, providing continuity of care for up to 100 people. The cottages The vision of Pilgrim Care, a local Scottish Charity set up in 1995, would be permanently owned by the Trust and rented or licensed to is to work towards the building and operation of a Whole Person care residents. All these facilities provision in St Andrews, which offers continuing physical, social, and would be set in landscaped spiritual care. At its Foundation Meeting, the Baroness MacFarlane, grounds as at the magnificent our Patron, reminded us that Pilgrim Care’s role is that of the Good Auchlochan complex in Samaritan. Pilgrim Care has some 60 members and a Board of 9 Lanarkshire. The St Andrews’ Directors whose expertise includes legal, surveying, nursing, ordained facility, like that at Lesmahagow, clergy, and other professions. There are representatives in the local would be non-profit-making, churches which all give support, as does ACTSA, the Action of Churches with surplus income put back Together in St Andrews. St Andrews Community Council have given warm into facilities. The emphasis in support for the proposal as have many groups in the town such as the selection of residents would be Guilds, the Rotary, etc. on their need for care.

Bankhouse Residential Home

Mary Ray at Volunteer Centre Fife, invites you to

Make The Most Of Your Time, Experience, And Skills From its Cupar base, Volunteer Centre Fife covers the whole of East Fife, taking the service out and about to promote volunteering.

The definition of volunteering is very broad – from giving something back to the local community, gaining experience for work or further study, helping in dealing with illness, bereavement, social-isolation, and much more besides.

The Volunteer Centre has links with over 200 groups and organisations in East Fife, including many in the St Andrews and surrounding areas.

Many of these groups already benefit from the

skills and experience of volunteers and we would like to ‘spread the word’ to other non-profitmaking groups and organisations in the area.

In addition, we are keen to highlight the benefits of volunteering to individuals. Over the years we have recruited many students as well as local townspeople of all ages in roles such as tutoring, driving, befriending, IT, heritage work, retail, conservation, promotion, working with animals, and are always looking to develop new openings.

Through our sister project, inVOLve, we are able to offer support to volunteers who may lack confidence to volunteer on their own and the Blether Together project offers home-based

volunteers the chance to feel useful and valued members of the community.

We also offer free training to volunteerinvolving organisations with topics including Effective Recruitment of Volunteers, Support & Supervision of Volunteers, Planning for Volunteer Involvement, Matching Volunteers to Roles and Tasks, Motivation, Retention and Development of Volunteers.

If you would like to volunteer or hear more about how our service could help your group or organisation please contact Mary Ray at Volunteer Centre Fife, 01334 412998, cupar@volunteeringfife.org

Elite Care (Scotland) Ltd. 01334 472834 / 01382 770303

For an all round “Care at Home” service Throughout Fife & Tayside Licensed by the Care Commission

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TOWN & GOWN Kathryn Farrow, Public Relations Officer for St Leonards School, reports that the

International Baccalaureate is FanCAStic fun From a charity leg wax that nearly brought tears to the eyes of strapping sixth-form boys; a town’s inaugural continental-style Christmas market; to a “cosmetic surgery” project on historic books – life outside the classroom has been far from dull for students at St Leonards School and Sixth Form College. Since the introduction of the International Baccalaureate Diploma, extracurricular activities have taken on a whole new significance.

The diploma features an element called Creativity, Action, Service – or CAS for short – that engages the student in 150 hours of activity – from drama, music, and arts, to expeditions, team sports, and community work. Robert Tims, headmaster of the school in St Andrews, explains, “The goal of the IB is to educate the whole person and foster responsible and compassionate citizens. CAS encourages students to share their talents and energy with other people and the wider community. CAS is learning by experience and involves students in roles they have never undertaken before. The emphasis is on learning by doing real tasks that have real consequences and then reflecting on that experience over time.”

So, alongside academic study, students have been throwing themselves into lots of activities in the community.

And among the highlights was a charity leg wax for boys, that raised £420 for Breast Cancer Research UK. Student James Haldane explained they had organised the event to get across the message that it is not just women who can suffer from breast cancer. He said, “Although it is much rarer in men, 300 still contract breast cancer each year.”

Pupils also helped to spread the magic of Christmas when they brought a great European tradition to St Andrews. They were so surprised to hear that the town did not have a Christmas market that they decided to organize one themselves – helping to raise £570 for the Habitat for Humanity charity.

In other activities, students have preserved historic books in a “cosmetic surgery” project in the school’s library, where they are learning about the special collections; volunteered their time to work in the town’s charity shops; and organised their own social events.

There is no formal assessment to CAS, but if the students don’t complete it they cannot be awarded their IB Diploma.

Mr Tims said, “CAS really is helping individuals to shine, and encouraging students of all nationalities to work as a team. They are contributing in a positive and caring way to the community while having lots of fun.”

Student Amy Zhu, summed up the feeling among the students. She said, “The

The goal of the IB is to educate the whole person and foster responsible and compassionate citizens

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International Baccalaureate offers a great education and lots of after-school activities to do for Creativity, Action, and Service (CAS), which makes school life exciting. Busy, busy, busy!”

TOWN & GOWN Spring has come, heralded by

The Kate Kennedy Procession Each year in April, after careful planning, the lovingly cared-for costumes are brought out of storage, and another Procession marks the coming of spring in St Andrews. Tamed in 1926

by Principal James Irvine, with the help of students James Doak and Donald Kennedy (a descendant of Bishop James Kennedy), the procession commemorates those who “have gone before” and shaped the town we know today. St Andrew himself leads, holding his cross of Martyrdom, the saltire of the Scottish flag. Behind him comes a long line of distinguished figures representing the historical personages who contributed so much to both the town and the University. They are churchmen, royalty, scholars, poets, writers, Rectors, benefactors of the University, outstanding students, and citizens of the town. The climax of the Procession is the arrival of a daffodil-adorned coach bearing none other than the Lady Kate herself, with her attendants. The historical Katharine is steeped in mystery, yet her connection with St Andrews is cemented by the words on the bell of St Salvator’s Chapel, cast in Paris for Bishop Kennedy: “That holy man, James Kennedy, Bishop of St Andrews, and founder of the College of the Holy Saviour, had me cast in the year 1460, giving me the name Katharine.” Each year the Kate Kennedy Club, in the greatest secrecy, chooses a first-year male student, a Bejant, to take the role of Lady Kate. The following year, he has the daunting task of organising the Procession as its Marshal. The brochure, ‘College Echoes’, is on sale along the route, describing the characters portrayed, and bearing the good wishes of sponsors and officials. Money is collected for charity – indeed the Kate Kennedy Club has a proud history of raising funds for many charities, both local and national.

So go along and join the crowds, enjoy a unique spectacle, and at the same time support the worthwhile work of the Kate Kennedy Club.

Evening Degree Programme Keen to get a degree?

Too busy to study full-time?

Try the flexible route to your MA General degree at the University of St Andrews via the Evening Degree Programme • • • • •

One or two evenings of classes per week Broad range of subjects Minimum age 21 Flexible entry requirements Fee Waiver scheme for people on low income or State benefits

Find out more from: Alison Andrews Evening Degree Co-ordinator Telephone: 01334 462203 Email: parttime@st-andrews.ac.uk Photos: Flora Selwyn

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OUT & ABOUT Alistair Lawson whets the appetite for

Hikes, history, and heritage a memorial records the fact that the Royal Norwegian Air Force had a Earlier offerings in this column have referred to the connection between base here during World War 2. A few steps away is a second memorial, Callange, near Pitscottie, and the early history of balloon flight, Callange marking the fact that the “Mars” training ship (for the bad boys of being the spot where the so-called “daredevil aeronaut”, Vincenzo Dundee) was also based here.

Lunardi, landed on his flight from Edinburgh in October, 1785.

Continue further west and, beyond the last houses of Bay Road, Starting with a walk in the Fife countryside, one can allow the Wormit, a right of way path continues along the shore to Balmerino, thoughts to weave a thread of connection at this time of year to Burns which has been in the news recently, on account of plans for new Night and to the Bard’s reference (To a Louse) to the ladies of his time housing on part of the extended site of wearing “Lunardi bonnets”, huge, balloon-like Balmerino Abbey. Admittedly, the familiar creations reflecting the surge of interest in the The pathways of Fife lead one to and visible remains of the 13th century amazing new means of travel.

The pathways of Fife lead one to many many more spots with unexpected building will not be directly affected, but there is a strong argument that the more spots with unexpected historical historical associations extended and unexcavated site should be associations. Walk from Tentsmuir Forest left as it is, if for no other reason than to along the seafront at Tayport as far as leave the ruins the context and the perspective they deserve. Given St the harbour area, and one comes across a wall plaque noting the Andrews’ strong ecclesiastical connections, might St Andreans wish connection between Tayport and Ulysses S Grant, Republican President to identify with this issue (“Scotsman” 9th December) and raise their of the United States in the years following the Civil War. As a Grant, he must, one imagines, have had Strathspey connections, and one voices? wonders what train of events led his family from the Highlands to the If we extend our mythical journey further, the old monks used to Tay coast and thence to America. As a general, he was known as cross the Tay and make their way over the Sidlaws by way of Dron and “Butcher Grant”, though he later did valuable work in trying to heal the Redmyre (still a right of way) to Tullybaccart and down to their sister huge rift in American Society. Sad to say, he fell on hard times and was Abbey at Coupar Angus. reduced to selling his swords and medals.

So it is that hikes, heritage, and history are often closely intertwined, Should the walker continue along the Tay coast to Newport and in few places more so than in Fife. Perhaps readers would like to fill the Woodhaven, the next foreign connection is at Woodhaven Pier, where editor’s mailbag with their own h-h-and-h connections?

The Three B’s Bedding Bits & Bobs 47-49 Kinnessburn Road, St Andrews, KY16 8AD Phone 01334 470700

A good selection of haberdashery, including wools and a range of craft materials for card-making.

Dance wear now in stock – shoes and outfits

Come in and see what we have!

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OUT & ABOUT Les Hatton, of Eden Ecology Limited, reviews avian

Winter Blues Apparently late January/ early February is the time when we humans are most prone to depression, according to various articles in the press, so if you’re reading this in the March/April edition the worst is hopefully behind you. Supposition has it that it’s a combination of the financial excesses of Christmas catching up with us, and the dawning reality that holidays don’t last forever. Of late, the tendency for the really unpleasant part of winter to kick in after we’ve eaten the fatted calf and celebrated the winter solstice with some high jinks under the evergreen mistletoe adds poignancy to the daily grind.

For our fellow avian sufferers in our gardens, estuaries, and fields this last twist is of particular relevance. Much of the winter store of food, be it worms, berries, or seeds is now sadly depleted. What is left can often be even more difficult to find when weather conditions turn increasingly severe. The most obvious example is snow cover, hiding just about all the food available. Some birds deal with this by moving, hence the sudden appearance in hard weather of flocks of Skylark and winter thrushes such as Redwing and Fieldfare, and the deserting of our fields and mudflats

by Lapwing and Golden Plover, some of which will escape to Costa del Ireland to survive.

Other birds take the plucky ‘sticking it out’ option. For some of these, even windy weather, such as the prolonged battering we suffered in January, can take its toll. On the Eden Estuary a number of the birds hunt by sight, one of the most obvious is the rather morose-looking Grey Plover. The large eye, often surrounded by a smudge of mascaralike black feathering, is the clue to this bird’s hunting technique. It sits in splendid isolation on its patch of mud, chasing all comers in case they frighten the worms and crustaceans foolhardy enough to reveal themselves by moving. Its hunched misery, followed by rapid walk and peck to dispatch the unwary, gives it a very characteristic jizz. So why would a windy day bother it? Once the wind gets above a certain wind

speed the activity of its prey declines (preferring to stay warm and snug in its burrows); equally important, the ability to see anything move – the shallow pools that are best for finding slimy things become opaque with ripples – is severely compromised.

So as the apparently never-ending winter crawls towards Spring, spare a thought for our birds stuck out there trying to survive. Then remind yourself, the lucky devils have never seen a credit card bill, or heard of Big Brother!

For further information: 07988 676289 Email: les@lydox.fsnet.co.uk Website: www.damandblast.co.uk

Top left: Lapwing by Les Hatton. Above: Eider duck by Flora Selwyn.

The ‘New’

David Brown Gallery Paintings, Glass, Jewellery

Collectable modern glass by Okra, Graham Muir, Bob Crooks, Scottish Border Art Glass.

Paintings and prints by Pam Carter, Charlotte Atkinson, Steve Jones, and several local artists.

Jewellery designed by Babette Wasserman, Tianguis Jackson, Michael Carpenter.

All this, plus our large collection of quality antique silver and jewellery to suit all pockets.

Have a special piece of jewellery made by our in-house Jewellery Workshop, with the unique St Andrews hallmark!

Invite you to visit a hidden treasure in the heart of St Andrews WOODLAND & WATERGARDENS HERBACEOUS & SCREE ALPINES & RHODODENDRONS GLORIOUS GLASSHOUSE COLLECTIONS OPEN DAILY ALL YEAR ROUND

WINTER LECTURES

Tuesday 6th March at 7.30 pm Tuesday 3rd April at 7.30 pm Chemistry Department, North Haugh ENTRY FREE – ALL WELCOME

SPRING PLANT SALE IN THE GREENHOUSE Saturday 17th March, 10 am – 12 noon

ENTRANCE GATE PLANT SALE AREA Opens daily, 10 am – 4 pm from 1st April

9 Albany Place, St Andrews Tel: 01334 477 840 Open Mon – Sat 10.00am -1.00pm and 2.00pm – 5.00pm

TO JOIN THE FRIENDS AND SUPPORT THE GARDEN CONTACT MEMBERSHIP SECRETARY. Canongate, St Andrews, Fife KY16 8RT. Tel: 01334 476452. www.st-andrews-botanic.org

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