St Andrews in Focus Issue 94 May June 2019

St Andrews in focus ISSN 2514-409X

• shopping • eating • events • town/gown • people and more

May/June 2019 Issue 94, £2.00

the award winning magazine for St Andrews, Scotland www.standrewsinfocus.com

St

Andrews in focus

• shopping • eating • events • town/gown • people and more

From the Editor

‘But our local press… nevertheless forms a vital function in the workings of democracy. Until a few years ago, it would not have occurred to anyone that our democracy was underpinned by the revenue from classified advertising. Now that revenue is being lost, the workings of that democracy are all the weaker.’ This quotation formed part of the editorial of the Spectator on 2 March 2019. It was making the point that local and regional news availability was becoming increasingly rare because of cut backs, with the result that people have been losing touch with the details of what their local representatives are doing. Extrapolating, I make the case for this, my local magazine. It keeps off politics as such, yet nevertheless it seeks to inform about local matters in its own way. It would be good to think it will continue to do so for a long time, and with even greater future relevance. However, all I am really doing at present is coddiwompling, (according to Google: travelling in a purposeful manner towards a vague destination!)

Flora Selwyn

********

The views expressed elsewhere in this magazine are not necessarily those of the Editor. © St Andrews in Focus (2003) MAY / JUNE 2019 EDITOR Flora Selwyn Tel: 01334 472375 Email: editor@standrewsinfocus.com DESIGNER University of St Andrews Print & Design (printanddesign@st-andrews.ac.uk) PRINTER Winter & Simpson (stephen@wintersimpson.co.uk) DISTRIBUTOR Drop 2 Door (billy@drop2door.co.uk) PUBLISHER (address for correspondence) Local Publishing (Fife) Ltd., Suite 160, 15 Bell Street, St Andrews, Fife, KY16 9UR. Tel: 01334 472375 Email: editor@standrewsinfocus.com SUBSCRIPTIONS St Andrews in Focus is published 6 times a year.

Subscriptions for 6 issues are: £15 in the UK (post & packing included).

Please send cheques to: Local Publishing (Fife) Ltd., Suite 160, 15 Bell Street, St Andrews, Fife, KY16 9UR. £27 overseas (post and packing included).

Please use PayPal account: editor@StAndrewsinFocus.com NOTE: please pay with a Personal Bank Account, as credit cards incur a 3.9% charge.

REGISTERED IN SCOTLAND: 255564 THE PAPER USED IS 100% RECYCLED POST-CONSUMER WASTE

2

Contents FEATURES • The Community Council • Fife Pilgrim Way • News from Loches • ‘Le tour’ • Remembering Margaret Coull • Today • ‘I’m fine thank you!’

• Reviews: – Leo & the Lightning Dragons – Lions & Tigers – J & G Innes recommends

8 9 10

LIVES • Ted Brocklebank • Charles Coventry • Hannah Curteis

11 12 13

SHOPS & SERVICES • Alba’s 10th Anniversary • Top Stitches • Roving Reporter

14 15 16

TOWN & GOWN • Free St Andrews of single-use plastics

17

ORGANISATIONS • The St Andrews Bowling Club • Floodlighting the Castle?

• The Community Safety Panel

18 18 19

EVENTS • Harbour Gala, advance notice • The Greatest Show • Pascal Dubrisay visits from Loches • The Preservation Trust • Tayside Opera • Selected Events • Out of Focus

20 20 21 21 22 23 23

TRAVEL • Antarctic Adventure • Travails of a pregnant immigrant

24 25

OUT & ABOUT • Unseen Paths • Hidden Gems

26 27

NEXT ISSUE – Jul/Aug 2019 COPY DEADLINE: STRICTLY 28 MAY

All contributions welcome. The Editor reserves the right to publish copy according to available space.

Cover: Martyrs’ Monument, photo by Flora Selwyn

3 4 5 5 6 7 7

FEATURES Callum MacLeod, from the Provost’s Chair

The Community Council As our friends in Loches might say – “Plus ça change, plus c’est la même chose…..”.

The Community Council Election did indeed come and go without the need for a ballot.

Fifteen citizens put themselves forward – much better than the eleven in 2014 – and were elected unopposed. There were only two minor changes of personnel, which means that we can hit the ground running without a lengthy period of induction and familiarisation. By the way, the remaining five seats can be filled by co-option – anyone interested should contact the Secretary via our website.

The expected large-scale coming forward of candidates from the student body – half of the town’s population for eight months of the year – actively encouraged by student leaders who wanted students to be treated on an equal footing with other residents did not materialise. This raises an interesting constitutional question. At the moment – and perhaps uniquely – three seats are reserved on the Council with full voting rights for student representatives, on the grounds that students do, of course, play an important and vital role in the life of the town – economically, culturally, socially; it certainly made me proud that my children grew up in such a diverse community as ours. However, in a case of not having your cake and eating it, this begs the question of whether these three seats should be retained if students want to be treated as “ordinary” residents?

If it had indeed come to pass that students had won most, or even all, twenty seats in a ballot, then there would have been no such protection for non-student residents, ie the other 50% of the population. I would be interested to hear your view of this…

GARAGE St Andrews 01334 472882 MOT TESTING SERVICE & REPAIRS ACCIDENT REPAIR VALETING

I am often asked about the silver badge I wear on a blue ribbon on official occasions. Not quite a chain of office, it is still an elegant, even imposing, emblem presented to the Council by a previous chairman, Mrs Mary Freeborn. It shows the coat-of-arms of St Andrews, of which the Community Council is the custodian and guardian, surmounted by the distinctive coronet of a Community Council featuring stylized pine cones and rather prickly-looking leaves, as can be seen adorning this article. On one side is the familiar figure of St Andrew, reminding us of the ecclesiastical origins and importance of the town as the supposed final resting place of some of the earthly remains, now lost, of Jesus’ first apostle. On the other side, less familiar, is a wild boar in front of an oak tree. This reminds us that the origins of our town and community go well back beyond Victorian tourism, beyond the invention of golf, beyond the foundation of the University and even beyond the construction of the Cathedral. Back, in fact, to a time when this area was a heavily-wooded royal hunting ground, reflected in other local place names such as Boarhills and Kingsbarns.

I was delighted recently to rediscover the original beautifully-painted heraldic artwork signed by the-then Lord Lyon King of Arms, showing our coat-of-arms. This has been repaired and framed. It will, I hope, soon take its rightful place on the staircase leading to the Council Chamber of the Town Hall, a room which itself has an impressive, but little seen, heraldic ceiling showing the figure of our patron saint. One way of contemplating it regularly, of course, is to join us at our monthly meetings!

As ever, I welcome hearing from you on any matter at: callummac@aol.com or at 01334 478 584. dum spiro spero

Chinese & Cantonese Restaurant Sit in or takeaway Opening Times: Monday and Wednesday – Saturday 12.00pm – 2.30pm & 4.30pm – 11.00pm

CAR SALES

Sunday 4.30pm – late

24 HR RECOVERY

Tuesday – Closed

Used cars and 4x4’s sourced to your requirements.

Finance available on request.

11-13 Crails Lane St Andrews, Fife Tel: 01334 467822

www.brownhillsgarage.co.uk

3

FEATURES Ian Bradley introduces the Fife Pilgrim Way, officially opening on 5 July.

The Fife Pilgrim Way Anyone walking or cycling along the Lade also come into contact with places and people Braes recently will have been aware of the blue that have not been favoured. King James VI badges mounted on wooden posts showing the famously described Fife as ‘a beggar’s mantle distinctive image of St Andrew on his diagonal fringed with gold’. The golden fringe, with its cross. They mark the last part of the route of quaint fishing villages and breathtaking views the Fife Pilgrim Way, which officially opens this across the Forth, has long been the route of a summer, bringing pilgrims back to our historic hugely popular Fife Coastal Path. town.

The Fife Pilgrim Way allows people to Fife was long known as the Pilgrim explore and encounter the ‘beggar’s mantle’, Kingdom, because within its bounds were not so immediately and obviously appealing found the two most important places of as the coast, but packed with historical, pilgrimage in medieval Scotland: Dunfermline social, and spiritual interest. It has been (also the residence of successive Scottish developed through a partnership between monarchs – hence the ‘kingdom’ designation), churches of all denominations, local history and St Andrews. At the height of the pilgrimage and heritage groups, with others interested in boom in the Middle Ages thousands of people the practice of pilgrimage, brought together by from many parts of the British Isles and beyond the Scottish Pilgrim Routes Forum, with Fife traversed Fife to venerate the shrines of St Coast and Countryside Trust, responsible for Margaret and St Andrew. route planning, way-marking, interpretation, The Fife Pilgrim Way, officially opening in marketing.

Dunfermline on 5 July, allows modern pilgrims The logo chosen for the Fife Pilgrim Way to follow in the wake of medieval predecessors is based on a fifteenth century lead-alloy to walk, cycle, or otherwise make their way pilgrim badge discovered during excavations across Fife towards St Andrews, on a route at St Andrews Castle in 1998. It depicts the that has two starting points apostle Andrew on the on the northern shores of diagonal cross on which St Andrews, at the peak the Firth of Forth: Culross, he is said to have been of its popularity, was with its associations with bound rather than nailed two early Scottish saints, in order to prolong his one of the main pilgrim Serf and Kentigern, suffering. A crown has destinations in Europe and North Queensferry, been added at the top where Queen Margaret to represent Fife’s royal established the ferry crossing for pilgrims connections, specifically Dunfermline, the coming to St Andrews. The routes converge at seat of the Scottish monarchy, where many Dunfermline. prominent kings and queens were born and The new Pilgrim Way is much more than laid to rest. Beneath the figure of the saint an exercise in historical reconstruction. For another image has been added in the form of a start, it does not follow the route taken by a distinctive cross, found carved into the inner most medieval pilgrims, going directly north wall of the tower in Markinch Parish Church, from Dunfermline to Loch Leven, then on via standing roughly at the halfway point of the Scotlandwell. It has rather been deliberately 64-mile route. The two round holes on the left routed through old mining and industrial of the badge are where it would have been areas of West Fife, taking in Kelty, Lochore, sewn onto the hat or cloak of a pilgrim. On Kinglassie and Glenrothes, partly in the hope the other side, the frame or border is missing, of bringing economic and other benefits to as it is in the original badge, now on display places that have experienced decline, not in the Kinburn Museum in St Andrews. This seeing many visitors or tourists. It then goes gap conveniently allows the words, ‘Fife on to St Andrews via Markinch, Kennoway, and Pilgrim Way’, to be inserted, forming part of Ceres. the design. It also points to the brokenness There is a conscious desire that those of pilgrims, many setting out on their travels journeying along the Fife Pilgrim Way will not to seek forgiveness for sins to come to terms only see pretty vistas and affluent villages, but with failings. All pilgrims are in some sense

‘the walking wounded,’ carrying hurts, guilt, unresolved tensions, unease, and fears. The missing border of the pilgrim badge also points to the incompleteness of every earthly journey.

We set out only to come back again, every departure involving a return, until we make the pilgrimage that awaits each and every one of us as we depart this world.

It is well nigh impossible to enter St Andrews on foot nowadays other than alongside a golf course. Pilgrims arriving on the final leg of the Fife Pilgrim Way from Denhead walk along a wooded path beside the Duke’s Course before cutting through Craigtoun Park, down Lumbo Den and along the Lade Braes, through the West Port, then along South Street to the Cathedral. It is a reminder that it is the ‘religion’ of golf today that lures many of the visitors from around the world. The little arched bridge over the Swilken Burn between the seventeenth and eighteenth fairways on the Old Course almost certainly attracts more veneration, and certainly more selfies, than the ruined Cathedral, once the biggest and most imposing building in Scotland; for many modern visitors the most sacred relics are to be found among the ancient putters, balls, and trophies in the glass cabinets of the Royal and Ancient Clubhouse, and the adjoining Museum of Golf!

Long before there were golf pilgrims, people were making their way to this isolated corner of the north-east Fife coast to venerate what they believed to be the relics of the apostle Andrew, the fisherman from Galilee, one of the first disciples chosen by Jesus. From the late eleventh to the late fifteenth centuries, St Andrews, at the peak of its popularity, was one of the main pilgrim destinations in Europe, eclipsed possibly only by Rome, Santiago, and Canterbury in terms of numbers, Those of us behind the Fife Pilgrim Way – I have been involved since it was first mooted at a meeting at Fife House in Glenrothes seven years ago – hope that it will bring a new kind of pilgrim to St Andrews, or perhaps bring back an old kind. As in the Middle Ages, people will make the pilgrimage here for many reasons; to express repentance and make amends, to give thanks, to deepen their faith and spirituality, or simply to wonder at the variety of places they pass through, enjoying the companionship of others on the way. Pilgrimage is healing; as St Jerome said, Solvitur Ambulando (‘It can be solved by walking’).

(Images courtesy Ian Bradley)

4

FEATURES Xavier Roche-Bayard accorde une interview avec l’auteur Patrick Gilles, président de l’association ‘Auld Alliance’, qui vient de publier

«Quand le Chardon d’Ecosse sauva les Lys de France (1419-1429)» éditions Au Loup, 250 pages, prix 23 €.

20.000 Ecossais ont aidé les Français pendant la guerre de Cent Ans, faisant de Châtillon-sur-Indre, dans le Centre de la France leur QG. Le Français Patrick Gilles, qui a des ancêtres écossais, ressuscite ce passé oublié au pays de Jeanne d’Arc. Dans son livre, «Quand le Chardon d’Ecosse sauva les Lys de France» Patrick Gilles ressuscite une période oubliée de la guerre de Cent Ans, quand 20.000 Ecossais sont venus en renfort des Français.

Les Ecossais avaient établi leur quartier général à Châtillon-sur-Indre, rattaché alors au duché de Touraine, et fait office de garde du roi Charles VII à Loches, en Touraine.

Comment abordez-vous cette partie de l’histoire? « Ce livre est une chronique sur cette période méconnue. On cite souvent la bataille d’Azincourt en 1415 et Jeanne d’Arc pour parler de la guerre de Cent Ans. Cette chronique sur dix ans, de 1419 à 1429, rappelle la situation des deux royaumes de France et d’Écosse et comment les Écossais sont venus au secours du dauphin Charles VII dans la reconquête du royaume de France. Sans eux, le royaume aurait été annexé rapidement à celui d’Angleterre. C’était le moment où jamais de sortir ce livre, puisqu’on célébrera le 600e anniversaire de ce fait historique cette année, à Châtillon-sur-Indre, où les Écossais étaient basés. » Quel a été l’importance de la ville de Châtillon-sur-Indre? « La commune a servi de quartier général et de plaque tournante. Entre 1419 et 1424, ce sont 20.000 soldats écossais qui s’y sont installés en trois vagues. Ils se sont illustrés sur les champs de bataille comme à Verneuil-sur-Avre, en Normandie, le 17 août 1424. Un combat d’une violence terrible, plus important qu’Azincourt. » Qui étaient ces soldats écossais? « Ce n’était pas des mercenaires. Dans mes recherches, j’ai lu que les historiens mettent dans un même sac soldats, mercenaires, et

soudoyés. Les Ecossais sont intervenus sur décision du Parlement écossais, dans le cadre de la ‘Auld Alliance’, cette amitié qui lie nos deux pays. Le traité avait été signé en 1295 par Philippe le Bel et John Balliol, roi des Ecossais. On pense que cette vieille alliance remonterait même à Charles Martel avec le royaume des Scots. » A Loches aussi, les Ecossais étaient présents près du roi... « Oui, ils formaient la garde écossaise. Loches a eu pendant quatre mois un seigneur écossais à sa tête, qui était duc de Touraine, Archibald Douglas. » Pourquoi ce passé, cette ‘Auld Alliance’, ne sont-ils pas ou plus enseignés en France? « Ce n’est plus enseigné à partir de 1904, année de l’Entente cordiale entre l’Angleterre et la France, alors qu’au XIXe siècle, on en parle dans les livres d’histoire! Or, en Ecosse, c’est enseigné, car cela fait partie de l’identité des Ecossais qui revendiquent leur particularisme par rapport aux Anglais.

Ce livre, c’est vingt années de recherches dans les archives françaises et écossaises. » Quel est votre lien personnel avec l’Ecosse, hormis le fait d’être président et fondateur de l’association ‘Auld Alliance’? « J’ai travaillé pour une entreprise écossaise dans le consulting en énergie, et j’ai pu ainsi fréquenter la Bibliothèque nationale écossaise dans mon temps libre.

Mes ancêtres sont Ecossais, ils sont venus en France au XVe siècle, ils étaient d’une famille en étroite relation avec le duc d’Orléans. » Châtillon-sur-Indre fête le 600e anniversaire de ce fait historique les 8 et 9 juin 2019. Le 13 avril 2019 se tient un colloque sur l’Alliance France-Ecosse, Mary Stuart, Marie de Guise (mère de Mary Stuart) et sur le château de Châtillon-sur-Indre.

(Photo courtesy Patrick Gilles)

Gavin Reid

Le Tour We solve the medieval maze of Fougère’s unmapped streets, guided by noise, not GPS algorithm, to the start of the race.

The crowd, a collective creature, strains against the capture barriers, its tentacles grasping for clappers, promo sun hats and bonbons.

The temperature soars to forty degrees and the crowd sweats out the onion and garlic of yesterday’s dinners, and vents spirals of perfumed smoke from Gauloises.

Children populate the forest of adult legs, peering through; pensioners sway on tired feet.

The gendarmerie watch, watch, watch.

Exuberant fans batter advertising hoardings with a heavy, bare-fisted drum beat, faster, louder: a growling crescendo, till Allez, allez, allez!

Go, go, go!

They’re off!

5

FEATURES Stan Farrow and Richard Cormack remember

Margaret Coull: Photographer, DPAGB,

ARPS, EFIAP

Margaret Coull was St Andrean born and bred. evenings anyone could turn up, share Her father was a taxidermist, who worked photographic problems (and, in the digital era, for d’Arcy Thompson. She learned about the computer ones), enjoy advice from fellownatural world, developing a passion for wildlife members, experiment with new ideas, be and conservation she maintained throughout warmed with home-made scones and cake. her life. She became a primary school teacher Margaret also played hostess to an annual at Dunino, then at Lawhead. She was a summer supper party in her garden, which over sensitive musician, playing the cello with local the years provided the inspiration for many orchestras and chamber groups, until back successful pictures for all members. troubles made it too painful to continue. Music Her own photographs brought national and nature added greatly to her teaching skills. and international photographic honours, Her two children were educated at Madras. including ARPS (Associateship of the Royal Following early widowhood, she ran Photographic Society) for a panel of 15 wildlife popular B&Bs, latterly at Abbey Cottage, which prints, and EFIAP (Excellence – Fedération remained her family home. There, with family International de l’Art Photographique) based help, she developed an intriguing, varied on the number of acceptances and awards at garden, open occasionally as part of The recognised International Salons throughout the Hidden Gardens scheme. Historic interest and world. Later she became an accredited judge peace were provided by its garden wall – that herself, in which role she honed her skills for of the ancient abbey – with animal interest, by judging a good picture (as opposed to one that treasured fantail pigeons, hens, rabbits, and she merely liked). her beloved dogs, as well as wildlife attracted Margaret’s first wildlife photography trip to the food provided alongside the nesting took her to Japan in search of snow monkeys opportunities in the wall. and cranes in the winter of 1999. She was Our friendship with her began in the early always a person who went out of her way to nineties, when she joined the St Andrews befriend others; she could never understand Photographic Society. travellers who ignored, or In those days of film were rude, to local people.

Margaret was a person In Japan this policy first cameras, she took slides, but also quickly learned began to provide dividends whose friendship was the darkroom skills as she got a lot of help to be treasured required to make creative from the man who looked monochrome prints. She after the snow monkeys. soon started to enter competitions, though Despite her knowing no Japanese and him initially greatly undervaluing her own technical having little English, somehow they managed skills and her own eye for a picture. By 1995 to converse. She learned a lot from him, her photographs were being selected for club coming home with outstanding photographs. battles, while in that year she won the Society’s By 2002, influenced by David cup for “Best colour print”. She was soon Attenborough, Margaret set her sights on elected to the Committee, firstly as an Ordinary a wildlife trip to Africa. She joined a trip led Member in 1995-6, two years later becoming

by David Hoskings and Martin Withers. This Vice-President, then President in the 1998confirmed her interests in wildlife photography.

9 season. She was to remain a committee A return to Africa had to be delayed because member until 2013, acting as a Competition of illness and her first appointment for Secretary for ten years. chemotherapy treatment. After she regained Abbey Cottage became a social centre her strength she left for Madagascar, a trip for Society members. From 2001, on Monday she particularly enjoyed as she could just

Tiger cub scratching itself (Photo by Margaret Coull)

6

Margaret Coull (Photo by Emily Noakes) sit and let wildlife, such as lemurs, come to her, some so close that her zoom lens was unusable. After another African trip she found a brochure offering tiger photography trips to India. Her love affair with tigers began, the first of five trips to Bandhavgarh National Park.

Each time she returned she was welcomed as a long lost friend, and her friendships paid off more than once. She recalled that she once heard a voice behind her say, “Over here Mrs Coull” – her Indian guide had found a much better camera angle. On another occasion her driver certainly helped her photograph a “Charging Tiger”, a shot that Simon King and other BBC professionals, who were also present that day, had missed. That image was one of the highlights of the highly successful exhibition, which she, together with Richard Cormack, held in Dundee Botanic Garden in 2010 (written up in St Andrews in Focus Issue 40). She said after one Indian trip, “A rapport with the drivers and guides is one of the most important factors in photography. They are the people who know the park inside out. I was surprised at some people who did not accord them the respect they deserved.”

A trip to Yellowstone in midwinter 2010 resulted in memorable semi-abstract monochrome prints. For the past decade she spent many weeks each year travelling in Europe with a companion of similar interests, in a motorhome, visiting places of scenic and wildlife interest, largely sitting and waiting for the birds to come to her camera.

Margaret was a person whose friendship was to be treasured. She was always adventurous, willing to explore new subjects, from golf to dog racing. She was fearless in all things. She hated pretension, unfairness, and above all, bullying. She fought like one of her tigers to defend her friends, and others, when they were treated unfairly, especially when they were unable to speak out for themselves. She was always kind with a natural gentle wry sense of humour. She had a constant twinkle in her eye, and a complete mastery of the devastating pomposity-deflating understatement. After a final illness, borne with stoicism and continued good humour Margaret Coull died on 26 January 2019.

FEATURES John Cameron’s column

Today

The Perth-born polymath Charles Mackay is sometimes bracketed with But Is It True? is a guided tour de force of the such eminent economists as Adam Smith, Thomas Malthus, David global environmental causes célèbres since the Ricardo, and John Maynard Keynes. Certainly his book, Extraordinary Age of the Green Apocalypse began in the 1960s.

Popular Delusions and the Madness of Crowds, has never been out of It was written by Berkeley’s Aaron Wildavsky, and print since it was first published in 1841, while his work on economic sums up a lifetime of research on the subject. bubbles is invaluable.

I heard Wildavsky speak in Cal Tech when the He observed that, “whole communities suddenly fix their minds Nobel Laureate Richard Feynman invited him down to talk to his upon one object, and go mad in its pursuit; millions of people become freshman class. Feynman insisted that his students must acquire an simultaneously impressed with one delusion, and run after it, till their attitude of mind that was forever sceptical and questioning. attention is caught by some new folly more captivating Wildavsky’s lecture was iconoclastic, than the first.” But he warned that while, “Men go provocative, insightful, engaging, but his careful Teenagers are truly in mad in herds, they only recover their senses slowly, analysis of the evidence showed that all the frenzied need of a schools’ edition and one by one.” In recent decades economists and claims of imminent catastrophe down through the of, But is it True? business journals have drawn extensive parallels centuries had been, “false, unproven, or negligible”. between Mackay’s bubbles and the financial lunacies He made a clear and compelling case for of the 21st century. challenging conventional wisdom about the “perils” that activists claim He rightly describes the Crusades as a kind of Medieval mania, we are facing, and that the question we must ask when yet another while he holds the execrable witch-hunts of the 16th and 17th centuries celebrity charlatan starts peddling his snake oil is, “Cui bono?” to be a particularly vile example of the madness of crowds – as well as Listening to the teenage leaders of our school-children’s “day a permanent stain on European Christianity. of truancy against climate change” I heard nothing but the usual Bertrand Russell wrote that, “So long as men are not trained to shibboleths of Al Gore presented with such a degree of closed-minded withhold judgment in the absence of evidence, they will be led astray inflexibility it was almost a thing of wonder. by ignorant fanatics or dishonest charlatans.” The greatest challenge Teenagers are truly in need of a schools’ edition of, But is it True? facing mankind is not global warming, but our inability to distinguish – sadly it may have to be read to some of them. In fact Scotland’s dire reality from fantasy, truth from propaganda. This has never been easy, literacy and numeracy rate, not the mythical terror of CO2, is the real but in this age of “disinformation” it has become increasingly difficult. challenge faced by Generation Z.

Reader Margaret Overend, (see her story in Issue 77, July/Aug 2016) now 97, has had this amusing poem for many years. She would like to know if anyone can tell her who wrote it, and where it appeared?

I’m Fine Thank You! There’s nothing the matter with me.

I’m as healthy as can be, I have arthritis in both my knees, And when I talk I talk with a wheeze, My pulse is weak and my blood is thin But I’m awfully well for the shape I’m in.

Arch supports I have for my feet, Or I wouldn’t be able to walk on the street, I’ve had replacements for both my hips, And I walk with a stick, in case I slips, Sleep is denied me night after night, And every morning I find I’m alright, My memory is failing, my head’s in a spin, But I’m awfully well for the shape I’m in, The moral is this, as my tale I unfold, That for you and me, who are growing old, It’s better to say ‘I’m fine’, with a grin, Than to let people know the shape we are in.

How do I know that my youth is spent?

Well, my ‘get up and go’ has ‘got up and went’.

But I don’t really mind when I think, with a grin, Of all the places my ‘get up’ has been, Old Age is Golden, I’ve heard it said, But sometimes I wonder as I get into bed, With my ears in a drawer and my teeth in a cup, My eyes on the table until I wake up, Ere sleep overtakes me I say to myself, Is there anything else I could lay on the shelf?

When I was young my slippers were red, I could kick my heels right over my head, When I was older my slippers were blue, But still I could dance the whole night through, Now I am old my slippers are black, I walk to the store and puff my way back, I get up each morning and dust off my wits, And pick up the paper and read the Obits, If my name is still missing I know I’m not dead, So I have a good breakfast, and go back to bed.

(Image ©iStock.com/maxicam)

7

FEATURES: REVIEWS Stephen Gethins MP reviews

Leo and the Lightning Dragons

by Gill White Published by Fledgling Press. On sale in Waterstones, and all good bookshops, at £8.99 RRP. All royalties are being donated to CHAS.

‘Everybody in the Kingdom is supporting the brave knight Leo in his battle against his fearsome dragons. They try lots of different things to help defeat him, but eventually Leo realises that the most important thing to do is to believe in himself.

This beautifully illustrated book with a poignant and uplifting rhyming story encourages children to persevere and find strength in the face of adversity, even when it seems nothing is working.’

Leo is three years old. All his life he has suffered epileptic seizures; sometimes up to 170 a day will strike his little body. After being diagnosed with Ohtahara Syndrome at just a few months old, Leo continues to defy the odds; it is this battle with the lightning, or seizures, that inspired his mum, Gill White of St Andrews, to write about her hero, the knight in shining armour who overcomes the dragons and goes on to become a king.

In writing Leo and the Lightning Dragons for Leo’s first birthday, Gill did not set out to publish a book. She intended to create a poster for Leo’s room as a gift for her child who faces a constant battle and who deserves his own happy ending. However, with help from local artist Gilli B, Gill soon found herself developing not only a beautiful and incredibly touching story with quirky illustrations bringing Leo’s battle to life, but a great resource for anyone, children in particular, to learn about courage and resilience. Like Leo, everyone has challenges – or dragons – to face.

Leo and the Lightning Dragons has something for everyone, from little ones who will love the colourful characters and rhymes, to older children gripped by the story of how Leo defeats the dragons. Gill’s enthusiasm for sharing Leo’s story with others shines through. It is clear to see why her book has been such a success. Just a week after it was published, Gill had to order a reprint. She has now gone on to develop the book with free storytelling events in nurseries and Waterstones book shops across Fife and Tayside, as well as after-school events in local libraries. Gill has been working with Maureen Phillip of PAMIS (Promoting A More Inclusive Society) to develop the book as a sensory story for children with profound and multiple learning disabilities. They have a series of sensory storytelling events planned over the summer, including visits to schools for children with additional support needs. On the first weekend of June she will take part in the Wildhood Festival at Tullibole Castle, Crook of Devon.

All royalties from the sale of the books are donated to the Children’s Hospice Across Scotland (CHAS) which helps the family with both CHAS at Home service as well as respite care for Leo. For more details on Leo and the Lightning Dragons Gill with Leo visit www.leoandthelightningdragons.com (Photo courtesy Gill White)

8

Gill White and her husband Andrew are also battling for Leo and other people with severe disabilities and mobility issues, who face barriers when it comes to accessibility.

St Andrews is a busy town, where residents, students, and visitors all enhance its culture and appeal. Huge steps forward like making the West Sands beach accessible to all is thanks to the Hamish Foundation, Tourism St Andrews, and others who supported the Beach Wheelchairs project.

However, St Andrews still lags behind other Fife towns in having fully accessible changing facilities, which are essential for those with severe disabilities. Gill knows only too well the challenges people face when out and about; both she and Andrew are supporters of the national Changing Places campaign by charity PAMIS. “Leo has a life-shortening condition.

For us, it’s about making as many memories with him as we can. As he gets older however, getting out and doing things with him becomes harder to do, as we cannot change him safely and with dignity unless he has appropriate toilet facilities. Sadly, these are few and far between. Fortunately, we have PAMIS on our side, an organisation committed to promoting inclusion and accessibility.

They work to ensure that people like our son are included in society and treated with respect.”

I have been happy to lend Gill and others my support. I am glad to see that plans for the redevelopment of the Fife Council toilet block at the Bruce Embankment car park will include the first Changing Places facility in the town.

This is so important to St Andrews; if we want to be welcoming and inclusive then Changing Places facilities must be considered for every new public or commercial building if possible.

St Andrews has taken huge strides in being dementia friendly – the same positive attitude must prevail for people with disabilities and mobility issues.

FEATURES: REVIEWS Roy Chapman reviews

Lions and Tigers

by Chris Sutherland Published by Chris Sutherland, 2019. Also free on Kindle at: https://amzn.to/2T1FJyB The front cover and the title of this book suggest an African safari log, but this is far from the case. Although it describes briefly the author’s (a St Andrews resident’s) early childhood in East Africa, it is principally about the five years he spent at a small boys’ boarding preparatory school in Cheshire in the 1960s. The “Lions” and “Tigers” of the title are in fact the names of Houses in the school, Holm Leigh.

Given that the author is a life-long trade unionist, socialist, and veteran of many marches, one might expect a tirade against “the iniquities and injustices of the British class system” in general, and of private education in particular. Although the narrative is interrupted from time to time by political swipes, the book is essentially an often hilarious, mostly affectionate account of the author’s schooling between the ages of 8 and 13.

He writes with affection and respect of his Headmaster, most of the teaching staff, as well as the non-teaching staff. He loved the sport, especially football and cricket, at both of which he did well, and of his attempts at acting in school plays, at which he admits he was hopeless. He acknowledges that he would never have had these opportunities at a state school. In his academic work, he got by – apart from an incurable blind spot in maths – in spite of the efforts of the Headmaster himself and his

first teacher, the formidable Miss Pink. In short, “For children with lively enquiring minds, Holm Leigh was a place of constant stimulation, innovation and discovery.”

About the regime in general, he says that “the school discharged a very high standard of care to its boys without being too extreme”: “Boarding school can be a harsh environment, but Holm Leigh was abuse free and a largely happy place to be.” His strictures are mainly confined to the compulsory religious observance and teaching, and the fact that there was no science teaching when he started. (It came later.)

There are some very funny passages.

One is the fathers’ cricket match. His father’s inappropriate garb and total incompetence in the game caused the author and his mother acute embarrassment. Another is a lengthy pen-pal scam carried out by his elder sister purporting to be a girl from India; then there is the attempt to replace 6 stolen cigarettes from a packet left lying around by the Deputy Head, before the expiry of the period of grace given in an ultimatum threatening dire consequences.

(He succeeded.)

At various times, the author speaks of his “wonderful time” at Holm Leigh, how he regarded it as his home. He was devastated when falling numbers forced the closure of the school in 1969. “The place and its people

are ingrained in my consciousness, but apart from an unsatisfactory goodbye and a sense of loss when it ended, they were undoubtedly the happiest years of my life.” He describes the closure of the school as “a lasting source of bereavement which I still feel to this day.”

These sentiments are in stark contrast to the author’s political agenda. It is as if he cannot resist the temptation to tilt at his pet windmills, with the result that the entertaining narrative is interrupted on occasions by, for example, a shaft at Shirley Williams for her “betrayal of the Labour Party in 1980 when she co-founded the breakaway Social Democrat Party (along with other Labour failures – David “Dr Death” Owen, Roy “claret” Jenkins, and “foggy” Ted Rogers). Or when he dismisses the England cricket team as “English colonialists”.

In spite of the political asides, the book is a good read. But don’t try to Google Holm Leigh because it is no more. Its building, then Arclid Hall, now renamed as Brookside Hall, is the site of the headquarters of a company which ”transforms raw materials with technology and know-how”. Perhaps the ghosts of many generations of Holm Leigh boys still haunt the corridors.

9

FEATURES: REVIEWS

J & G Innes’ Children’s Book Recommendations Watch out parents! The summer holidays are not far away. Here are some healthy and stimulating alternatives to the snares of technology. All of these books will harness the boundless energies of your child and, hopefully, preserve your own! From things to do to first chapter books these are all new titles out from March this year.

What can you do in a minute? Blink 20 times? Do 77 star jumps? Or, if you’re a hungry anteater, hoover up 24 ants! In a Minute is a clever way to think about time. With engaging contemporary illustrations and irresistible challenges for inquisitive minds, this book encourages children to think about the world around them, and ask how and why! Suitable from 3+ years Celebrating acceptance and being who you really are, this joyful story is about Cliff, the crocodile who wants to wear a dress. When the hyenas laugh at Cliff, he pretends he’s dressing up for a play. But no play exists! Luckily his friend Freddy comes to the rescue and creates a show for Cliff to star in.

But what will his dad say when he sees him?

A funny story about inclusion and supporting your friends and family. Suitable from 3+ years.

This fun activity pad is packed with simple two-player games for young children to enjoy while developing their turn-taking, observation, and logic skills. There are simple instructions on how to play each game, while the tear-out pages are perfect for journeys and holidays. Suitable for ages 6 – 12 years.

10

Ideal for any budding birdwatchers, this book encourages children to get outside and spot birds in the wild! Packed with useful information about how to get started, as well as a comprehensive field guide section full of expert tips on how to identify a species when they’re out and about. This book is the perfect introduction to bird watching for children aged 7+!

This will sit perfectly with our new Seekers magnetic search and find kits due in April.

A gripping mini-mystery from the bestselling author of Murder Most Unladylike. ‘I, the Honourable Daisy Wells, have decided to give an account of another mystery the Detective Society has faced in recent weeks. It was very exciting, and very heroic, and I was very brilliant and brave...’ A daring thief has been robbing London’s most famous museums.

When Daisy’s birthday treasure hunt leads them into the path of the culprit, Daisy and Hazel realise where they’ll strike next – the British Museum! With help from their friends (and rivals) the Junior Pinkertons, the girls must crack codes, unravel clues, race against time to solve the mystery. Suitable from 8+years.

LIVES Ted Brocklebank,

A quintessential St Andrean Ted Brocklebank can trace his St Andrews roots back to 1737 on his coastal waters to Europe, but importantly, not sovereignty over them.

Ainslie mother’s side. His father, Fred, came from Yorkshire, a seemingly Michael Howard, then Conservative UK leader, accepted the policy unlikely marital combination, but one brought about, like so many things, initiative, travelling to Pittenweem, where he announced that a future by the last war. Fred Brocklebank was a young RAF recruit, posted to Conservative government would begin the process of withdrawing from Leuchars before the outbreak of hostilities. He met Ted’s mother, Nancy, the Common Fisheries Policy. Ted, Owen Paterson MP, and Struan at a dance in the St Andrews town hall. Fred became a bomber pilot in Stevenson MEP, were charged with drawing up a blueprint for the Coastal Command and ended the war as a Flight Lieutenant. His plan future of fisheries throughout the UK. However, as the three travelled was to move his wife and young family back to Yorkshire where his to Norway, Iceland, and Faroes gathering evidence for Britain’s brave father had run a small building company. However, while Fred and his new approach to fisheries, not all Conservatives were sympathetic, two brothers were serving in the forces their father died of cancer and including Howard’s PPS, one David Cameron, who prevaricated, but the business folded. Despite their best efforts the Brocklebank brothers as Prime Minister dismissed the Scottish Conservatives’ plans for could not source materials to re-start the withdrawal, with the comment that ‘Britain’s business in post-war Britain and Fred, his lawnmower industry was worth more than wife and three young children returned to its fishing industry’. “What Cameron didn’t Scotland. understand”, said Ted, “was that while in So Ted and his 5 siblings came to be England post-CFP the fishing industry was educated at Madras College. Ted trained in virtually non-existent, in Scotland it was journalism with DC Thomson & Co, Dundee, still a way of life and a totemic one at that. before migrating to Fleet Street. However, This wasn’t about economics, it was about he was canny enough to buy a bolt-hole social resuscitation of Scotland’s fishing in St Andrews to make sure that one day communities.” he would be back. “So it turned out”, in a Ted resigned. Back in St Andrews circular way, working first in Glasgow, then he next achieved a different ambition – a Edinburgh, then for some twenty-five years University degree. In 2012, Ted enrolled in Aberdeen, where he was a reporter in the Lifelong & Flexible Learning Course and in-vision presenter for Grampian TV, at St Andrews University, graduating MA before being appointed Head of News & (General) With Distinction in June 2017.

Current Affairs. Later he set up Grampian’s “Studying for a degree was one of the documentary department becoming an highlights of my later life”, he recalls. “if award-winning producer of documentaries I have one tiny regret it’s that I couldn’t Graduate Ted with Frances his wife, for ITV and Channel Four. “My years as TV do post-graduate studies. During my 22 June 2017 producer were the happiest of my working media career I had interviewed a number life.” Ted travelled extensively throughout of key figures from the Scottish Literary the USA and Canada, Scandinavia, China, Japan, the Middle East, Renaissance, including Sorley Maclean, Hugh MacDiarmid, Neil Gunn, specialising in energy documentaries, before returning to St Andrews, and George Mackay Brown. St Andrews University has some excellent setting up his own TV documentary company, Greyfriars Productions, specialists in Scottish Literature and I’d have loved to continue my with his older sister Pat Anthony. “That was a lot of fun”, remarks Ted, studies into these modernist Scots writers.”

“She kept me in order!”

Ted keeps busy by immersing himself in the life of the town. A With maternal forebears from Pittenweem Ted was particularly lifelong member of the Preservation Trust and former Byre Theatre interested in the Scottish fishing industry and the catastrophic effects of board member, he is also a past president of the St Andrews Burns the Common Fisheries Policy (CFP) instigated when Britain joined the Club, particularly proud of its Award for Citizenship in 2012. He currently EU. During his television career he had sits on the Madras Archive group and interviewed many politicians, including “I consider myself a quintessential St Andrean”, is a trustee of the Kinburn Charitable Ted Heath, who had signed up for the Trust. “I consider myself a quintessential he says. “I was born here, educated here, CFP. Wondering if he might help influence St Andrean”, he says. “I was born here, privileged to make my home here. There is policy by standing for election to the new educated here, privileged to make my nothing I wouldn’t do for the town” Scottish Parliament, Ted decided to try home here. There is nothing I wouldn’t his luck in 1999. He finally achieved his do for the town”. ambition in 2003, entering Holyrood as a regional-list Conservative MSP. Asked about amusing incidents in his TV career Ted said there For a working class lad from Lamond Drive it seemed an odd choice of had been many, but one gives a special insight into the remarkable party to some, but Ted saw no contradiction. Solidly working class, his Margaret Thatcher. “I was interviewing Margaret in Aberdeen about the forebears were committed to strong conservative values – such as selfgovernment’s oil policy. Mrs Thatcher was accompanied by Hamish reliance, minimum government interference, a robust work ethic, with Gray, the Energy Minister, who was MP for Ross & Cromarty. Hamish a healthy suspicion of powerful trade unions. Ted, however, has little in knew a lot about sheep and crofting, but was new to his energy brief. I common with the moribund conservatism of the squires of the shires. asked a question – something about UK oil extraction policy compared Despite his political inexperience he was appointed front-bench to that of Norway. Mrs Thatcher replied, “Well there are three simple spokesman for Agriculture and Fisheries in David McLetchie’s 2003 answers to that question. Remind Mr Brocklebank what they are, Conservative intake. Ted immediately began arguing that Scotland, Hamish”. Poor Hamish was a pal of mine, but he looked as if he’d which still had vestiges of its fishing industry left, should provide the swallowed a wasp, as he spluttered over his answer. The great lady lead for the Conservative party to withdraw from the Common Fisheries merely sighed and pursed her lips.”

Policy. His argument was that Heath had ceded management of our (Photo courtesy Ted Brocklebank)

Watch all the latest movies at the NPH. Oscar Nominations, latest Blockbusters, Dramas and Romantic Comedies, and a great selection of live-by-satellite events.

NPH Cinema, 117 North Street, St Andrews

11

LIVES Charles Coventry remembers how he struggled with disability, was told he had an

‘Aggressive Chip On The Shoulder’ That was how I was labeled by one potential employer, and it stuck. disapproved of Glasgow, so it had to be RGIT. This was the first mistake I was born in 1943 with mild cerebral palsy, slightly impaired mobility, because at Strathclyde I would have had a diploma from the university good fast walking pace after orthopaedic surgery at age 14, and partial itself and help to get a suitable permanent job. It happened that for vision, but above average hearing and a discovered serious learning getting around the city, although they still had their own public transport, difficulty with number and abstract ideas, yet high level of competence for push button crossings, Glasgow had made the most progress, with languages (eventually English to second year university standard; Edinburgh less good, and Aberdeen had progressed the least. Also RGIT French, Higher; Latin to first year university level; Greek to same level; was the ALA (Associate of the Library Association) which, even after and Gaelic postgraduate (MLitt). At school I was left out of PE and sports passing the exams still had to be paid for every year. So it was Gordon’s. with no attempt to find anything suitable, although outside I was able to Of the staff only one was a graduate (LSE) and the other two were get on walks with visiting relatives. from some mining village in Lanarkshire. There were no other graduate From my mother’s side I inherited a talent for music, which in later students and most of the others were school leavers. Much of the time school was my lifeline for keeping in touch with other pupils, when I was was spent in arguments; I failed Part 1, although back home, just reading left out of sports and not supposed to associate with scientists because I the textbooks, I got it and was able to get on with University libraries, was Dux in Classics. historical and analytical bibliography, fine arts and English literature.

In 1963 I got away to St Andrews University, where I was accepted I was allowed what was a temporary job back home in County HQ as normal. I was in St Salvator’s for the four years of my MA, which getting experience with local studies and special collections. This was started badly on completely the wrong subjects. I should explain that my ideal, but the library committee complained that they would have to pay home background wasn’t in the subjects I was good at, that is, a limited a higher salary grade for a graduate. Nobody knew that with my partial range of school subjects, but in politics, economics, and psychology. I vision there were two expensive things I couldn’t do: not being able to was made to go to the school debating society, where I was totally lost. focus on flames or strike matches, I couldn’t smoke, and more important In second year I got back on to classics, in the long term, I was never going to be able to getting Latin and Ancient History, but not Greek drive. Also, because of my upbringing, I would – affected by poor quality school teaching. never be able to raise a family.

I actually got in with a new science subject, During the two years 1970-72, as well as In 1963 I got away to biology. In third year, going for an Ordinary the experience, I completed the Gaelic course, St Andrews University, where starting to write, something that in due course degree, two discoveries came about, one positive, the other negative. The positive one brought me some income. Towards the end I I was accepted as normal was in an extra subject, English, my strong point went to see the librarian of Stirling University being on the linguistic side, but I had also come who promised me the post in charge of special to the compulsory philosophy subject, and much collections, but nothing happened. After what to my parents’ anger and disappointment, my learning difficulty with seemed a very unfriendly interview for the library in Cumbernauld New number turned out to extend to abstract ideas. If I had been at any other Town, with no other options, I went there, and was soon in permanent university, certainly Glasgow or Edinburgh, I would just have failed both trouble, picked on for everything, and with nearly everybody being either times and would have had to abandon studies, but with the small size of Catholic or Protestant they probably had fears about my disability, which the St Andrews department, they came to realise that my exceptionally was a problem with counter duties. poor performance was actually part of my disability, so with extra tuition Desperation to get out made me fail every interview, hence the title of I got through at the resit. Just as maths and arithmetic had taken time this piece. It was realised at home that living in Cumbernauld wasn’t safe, off my strong subjects at school, so Moral Philosophy brought about so I was allowed weekly lodgings in Stirling, still expecting something another resit in General Greek. Later, the tutor who had first wondered from the university. This went on for five years till the suggestion came if my performance in Moral Phil was just picking and choosing likes and about of a second period of study at St Andrews. Even though I had dislikes, was disabled himself, being deaf. He stopped me in Sally’s quad finally got the chance to use my experience, by setting up a bibliography to congratulate me on getting through. To those who think I should be for a local collection, I still had trouble towards the end: doing withdrawals proud of getting through Moral Phil, I just point out the time it took from from the main catalogue on a late shift a small child started pulling cards Greek, and the fact that I can hear a philosophical presentation now and out. I couldn’t get help and next thing, after striking the child full force still not understand a word of it! on the face, I was on the floor knocked down by the father. I was told Fourth year completed the MA with the realisation that through that because they knew I was leaving he had agreed not to bring in the English it had become clear my real strong point was on the linguistic police, so I was sacked on the spot for child assault. I had a fortnight side. Although I had never been very sure of it, I was expected to go before going on holiday, then back home till term started, so I was kept into school teaching. There was a medical examination at Dundee on what I had been doing.

College of Education where the examining “doctor” knew nothing about I went back to university, living in Deans Court and working under disability, and it was clear that disabled people were excluded from Professor Geoffrey Barrow on a thesis for the degree of BPhil, a teaching. I planned to convert my Ordinary MA to Honours English with calendar of the acts of the earls of Fife, graduating in 1979. There was a language specialisation, but the-then professor only took people in no employment and by 1982 with nothing but criticism about “personality the Naval Squadron. What I really needed wasn’t available in Scottish defects” and the like, I was ready to go into the local mental institution. universities; that is, two separate departments allowing somebody to Then I learned Transcendental Meditation, which led to me getting on have a degree in English language, or English literature, according to to a Disabled Workforce in Edinburgh, transcribing a collection of family their strong points. The chance to develop this linguistic ability came papers. after graduation with a move to Perth, where my father, a school careers I then thought about going back to my Gaelic tutor’s advice, namely officer, had moved to a new post. The chance came on going to a ceilidh that after I got the Higher I should go for a degree in Celtic studies at with Perth Gaelic Society, when I asked if there was a Gaelic class. I one of the universities, so I got in touch with Professor WG Gillies. was introduced to the tutor and entered the beginners’ class. That was He suggested that rather than Honours, because of my previous the beginning of what would finally finish as postgraduate research postgraduate experience I should go for an MLitt, the subject being at Edinburgh University. To my father it was a laugh shared with the “A textual and editorial study of the Gillies collection of Gaelic poetry,” St Andrews University Careers officer. My father said that I only needed published in Perth in 1786. I graduated in 1991 and on the way acquired a “working” knowledge of Gaelic, probably an occasional approximation various new skills leading to a mixture of freelance and voluntary work, of “slàinte mhath”, whisky coming first! As for careers, I thought about mostly private, and adult evening class tuition in Gaelic, English, Latin, libraries. I had been in touch with somebody else who had cerebral palsy, and French, also, thanks to my supervisor, proofreading, which gradually with a degree from the London School of Economics, and had been became dominant. I got Disability Living Allowance, then Pension Credit taken on in the library with a regular sedentary job that she could do. I at 60, then the state pension at 65. was supposed to go to a library school, the nearest the university careers Finally, being in Edinburgh and back in academic circles, I came to officer knew being in Aberystwyth, too far away. They both insisted that I realise why I had never got married – I was gay. This brought me to the had to stay in Scotland. There was an established one in Glasgow at the main voluntary work I do now as a member of the LGBTAge Archive University of Strathclyde with a postgraduate course, then came a new Group, while my main leisure activity is singing bass in the Edinburgh one at Robert Gordon’s Institute of Technology (RGIT), Aberdeen. Father Gay Men’s Chorus.

12

LIVES Alice Curteis, proud Mum of

Singer-songwriter Clara Curteis, who launches her first album When she was a little girl Hannah Curteis’s director of the music school she had helped to older sister produced a quarterly magazine for found, including the support of the network of friends and family. It consisted of family news, fans and fellow artists she’d developed through original stories, drawings, letters, recipes, performing both live, and through social media. competitions, and interviews. One of the It’s not surprising then that music is playing interviewees was 8-year-old Hannah, who was an important part in rebuilding Hannah’s life. introduced as ‘a wonderful composer’, who had She’s making a living teaching piano and already written ‘many a beautiful melody’. singing; she’s never stopped composing and Fast forward nearly 30 years and Hannah recording songs. has just released her first album as the These two musical roles are, however, singer-songwriter Clara Curteis. She has also quite different, which is why Hannah adopted recently returned to her native St Andrews from the stage name ‘Clara’, the Spanish version Nicaragua, where she has spent most of her of her middle name ‘Clare’. It gives her the adult life. freedom to express challenging thoughts It’s been a challenging time for Hannah and and feelings. As anyone who has listened to her family, partner Polo, 12-year old Roxana, her album, Yo Nací de Mujer (I was born of and 7-year old Luna. She and woman) will know, these the children had to flee an songs have a raw intensity, Hannah also left attempted coup at a week’s speaking of her encounters notice last summer, travelling behind the whole life with social struggle and through the night to the airport personal loss, of her dreams she’d built up in the to avoid roadblocks manned of justice. They’re all in by violent opponents of the Spanish, but Hannah has community government, leaving Polo translated them into English behind. Polo is here now on a six-month visa, so that non-Spanish speakers can share the but the ‘hostile environment’ means that the depth of her experience. future is uncertain for them.

Clara has a beautifully expressive and Hannah also left behind the whole life powerful voice, her musical style is eclectic she’d built up in the community, her job as and idiosyncratic. Her classical training

shows through other influences, such as Latin American trova, testimonial music, and feminist hip hop.

Yo Nací de Mujer has been well received since it was launched in late March at an invitation-only event in Cupar. The audience was treated to an exciting and moving performance, which was live-streamed so that her Nicaraguan community of fans could listen in.

The album is available on Spotify, Deezer, Amazon, iTunes, or as a CD from Hannah (hannah.curteis@gmail.com), who can also supply the English lyrics.

(Photo courtesy Clara Curteis)

13

SHOPS & SERVICES Gary Ewart, Property Manager, Alba St Andrews,

Would you believe it!?

Alba St Andrews is 10 years old this year!

Alba St Andrews is St Andrews’ Letting Agent with a difference, breaking Properties can be a very personal thing, so many under our down barriers, leading the charge to provide the highest standards in management have emotional significance for our clients, perhaps an residential lettings in St Andrews, wider Fife, and beyond. inheritance, or a second, or previous home. We work closely with tenants Since opening its doors in 2009 in a tiny office in Market Street and landlords, ensuring that this is respected, and regularly inspect with no properties on the books, just a wealth of letting experience and properties to ensure that the highest of standards are met, while any passion, Alba has grown from strength to strength, now overseeing maintenance is taken care of swiftly and efficiently. the letting and management of over 300 For investors, we monitor the rental properties. Moving to larger premises at market on a monthly basis, ensuring that We are delighted to deliver the highest property portfolios achieve the maximum 195 South Street in 2017, the Alba team are enjoying modern offices in a brilliant rental potential, and with minimal void level of service to a terrific group of location. periods. We are also HMO specialists, clients, local, national, world wide!

We are delighted to deliver the highest working closely with the local authority, level of service to a terrific group of also other governing bodies to ensure clients, local, national, world wide! We are so fortunate to represent such licences are secure and renewed effectively. We work with a number of loyal customers; we put our quick growth down to them. Referrals are our investment clients, managing large portfolios with clear reporting and a biggest source of business, and we are so grateful to all of our clients for designated account manager. their confidence in our services to recommend us so widely.

The team: Jade, Laura, Gary, with business owners Paul and Our small team is fully qualified, experienced, and devoted, meaning Kathleen, are overseen by the Top Dog, Monty, newly appointed the properties under our care are in very safe hands. Remaining as Pawperations Director. Our 4-month old Ruby Cavalier King Charles an effective small team allows us to get to know each and every client Spaniel oversees all office matters from his window seat, in between personally, and have them know us. Our service is well and truly tailored sunbathing and posing for photos that is! Monty is our most popular to suit each customer; at the end of the day, everyone is different, so why member of staff, who has brought more footfall into the office since should everyone be treated like a number on a spreadsheet? That’s not starting in January this year, than the rest of the team combined in the the Alba way, we will never change that! last 10 years!

The team constantly monitors the ever-changing legislation in The entire Alba St Andrews team are immensely proud to be the industry, ensuring that all properties are up to the appropriate celebrating 10 years in St Andrews, looking forward to the next 10. legal standards, and that those standards never slip. This both keeps landlords on the right side of the legal system, and keeps tenants as safe as houses. Health and Safety is such an important aspect of what we Do visit us in the office any time at 195 South Street, to discuss do every day; we will always keep you right to ensure that all boxes are your lettings requirements, or contact us on: 01334 470 028 or ticked! info@albastandrews.co.uk (Photo courtesy Alba St Andrews)

14

SHOPS & SERVICES Konstantin Wertelecki visited Huseyin Karaca

Top Stitches: Tailoring, as Service

In a small, white-painted shop on Church Street, across from Holy back together, altering to the new shoulder measurements. That’s a Trinity Church, a quite unfamiliar sound emerges; one does not hear very complicated and costly process that could be avoided by simply the pouring of tea, the snip of hair scissors, or clattering of computer requesting a properly tailored made-to-measure piece.” keyboards, tones ubiquitous to a variety of businesses throughout “Tell me about working in a student town”, I asked. “Do you find it St Andrews; from the small white-painted shop on Church Street, rather, very supportive of your business?” “My customer base is about 40% emerges the meditative thrum of sewing machines. students, 60% local”, Mr Karaca said as a bicycle whizzed by the In 2009, master tailor Huseyin Karaca began looking in St Andrews window, the reflective surface briefly throwing light onto Mr Karaca’s for a space to practise his art. In 2018, he succeeded when he opened face. “My business is especially popular with students, though, because Top Stitches, a couturier offering of all the balls here. I often alterations, made-to-measure get requests for alterations a attire, with handbag, curtain, couple days before one.” luggage, and zipper repair.

“What are your thoughts Stepping into his shop for a brief on the University’s plans for tour, I talked with him about his expansion?’ I asked, curious current projects, future plans, if he had been touched by and thoughts on coming to the town-gown population St Andrews. controversy. “The expansion of “I chose to set up a shop the University is good for me in St Andrews for the many because it means that more positive qualities offered”, he students use my services”, he told me, adjusting the long said, adjusting his spectacles. white tape measure draped “In the future, I would like to over his shoulders. “When I open a haberdashery and let first came, I was impressed at my customers choose from how well dressed the residents a wide selection of leathers were, and I knew that a tailoring and cloths. Already, I have and alteration service would customers asking for sewing probably be in high demand.” kits, thread, and material.”

His hands slid over the lapels of At this point, a young his perfectly-fitted sports coat as woman rushed into the he moved to lay them upon the shop, swiftly plopping onto counter, drawing my attention the counter a pair of blue to his crisply-ironed shirt collar, jeans. “I need these altered underneath his tidily-set pullover. immediately”, she said with “St Andrews is also a good place confidence, “They absolutely for my family”, he added, with a must be ready by tonight!” Mr shy smile, “It’s a calm and safe Karaca carefully surveyed the place for my children.” jeans, paying close attention “How did you get into the to the seams, marking the business of tailoring?’” I asked area of repair smoothly, with him, my eyes roving around a piece of white chalk. “Very his shop, particularly admiring well’, Mr Karaca said softly, “I’ll the touch of the hanging glass have them ready for you in an chandelier and full-length mirror hour’s time. That will be £9, with a circular carpet to stand please.” “No”, said the young upon. woman sharply, “I think you “My father taught me in charge £8”. Reaching over to a Turkey. I then came to work in stack of leaflets on his counter, “The creativity of cutting, setting patterns, the UK a couple of decades ago, he handed one to the young in Aberdeen.” Turkish tailoring woman. “As you see printed designing pieces made to measure, services, as well as many of here, my price £9. But, today, I really like this” those on the continent, are I shall give you a student slightly different from those of discount”. the UK, he explained. In the UK, Upon the young woman’s most clients bring in their clothes departure, Mr Karaca’s turned simply to be altered. In Turkey, however, shops are set up in which rolls to me and said, “My customers sometimes complain that my prices are of materials are displayed so that clients can order made-to-measure high.” Then, raising himself slightly, he said, “I do a proper job. I don’t attire, Mr Karaca’s speciality. take shortcuts so, of course, I charge a price that reflects that. At the “The creativity of cutting, setting patterns, designing pieces made to same time though”, placing a tag on the jeans, “my price could be lower, measure, I really like this”, he said to me, beaming. He raised his mobile if it wasn’t for the extremely high rent.” towards me, proudly displaying a photographic plethora of dresses, With the tag put on, he hung the jeans onto a hanger, neatly waistcoats, and other elaborate formal projects that he had provided for slid them onto a rack, amid the many other pieces to be altered and happy clients. Whilst many in the UK avoid made-to-measure services repaired, glittering dresses, dark suits, and colourful overcoats. due to cost, Mr Karaca explained to me that made-to-measure attire can “What do you like best about being a tailor?” I asked, breaking the actually hold long-term fiscal benefits, as many ‘simple’ alterations can, silence. “I like to make my clients happy”, he replied, “When they come counterintuitively, be more costly. in with a piece to be altered, it doesn’t fit perfectly, but when I finish and “Spatially, you need a perfect-fit”, he demonstrated, sliding his hand they look at themselves in the mirror, they say, ‘Wow! This looks great! down the sleeve of his jacket. “For example, if I’m brought a piece to Thank you so much!’ They become happy – that always makes me feel alter that doesn’t have well-fitting shoulders, I have to disassemble the good.” piece, redesign the shoulder to a proper fit, and then put everything (Photo courtesy Konstantin Wertelecki)

15

SHOPS & SERVICES

Roving Reporter on Shanks’ Pony as usual:

1. Two years ago Brett Lawrence and Gillian McLaren bought a thriving Italian deli in St Andrews, Rocca, 33 Bell Street (01334 473 130). Brett and Gillian have now added tables and chairs – 14 covers – transforming the shop into a cosy eatery for Italian street food. Quality products from independent Italian suppliers provide authenticity – the ciabatta for example is to die for! Students and visitors to the town find a warm welcome 6 days a week from 8.00am to 8.00pm (Sundays 9.00am – 5.00pm). On Wednesdays and Saturdays Rocca is open till 3.00am for night owls looking for a takeaway. The daytime menu is wide ranging, with many vegetarian options, and one vegan one, a tempting Avocado toast with maple toasted walnuts & Apple, at £6.95.

From Soup of the Day, at £3.95, the most expensive item is an Antipasto sharing platter at £15.95. The shop itself is a cornucopia of Italian goodies of all kinds, from wines to pasta, to cheeses, hams, vinegars, sweets, and more. For further information please contact: roccadeli@gmail.com Reporter is salivating unashamedly!

*****

2. Reporter heard from Tim Gosmore that: “R S Robertson & Co (Pension & Investments) Ltd, providing trusted financial advice in Cupar (originally BLT Financial Planning) since 2002, are now delighted to have merged with T G Gosmore Wealth Management.

With 4 fully authorised Wealth Management Consultants, we have an extensive breadth of experience, able to assist clients in areas including investment, retirement, or inheritance tax planning. We are in a well-placed position to provide a personalised service, with the backing of a FTSE 100 company. If you would like an initial discussion, contact gordon.laing@sjpp.co.uk or telephone 01334 479 276. Appointed Representatives of, and representing only St James’s Place Wealth Management plc (which is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority) for the purpose of advising solely on the Group’s wealth management products and services, more details of which are set out on the Group’s website: www.sjp.co.uk/products ”

From left to right: Tim Gosmore, Gordon Laing (Director), Michael Towns, Callum Nisbet (Photo courtesy R S Robertson & Co).

*****

16

3.

Reporter is delighted to be welcoming another family-run business in St Andrews, just what the town needs! Neil Jarvie writes, “Jarvie’s is a new family-run café & bistro located in the Old Cheese Shop premises in Burghers Close, 141 South Street. Following renovation, both the inside space and courtyard are now fully open for business. Managed by Neil and Joanne, the staff also includes their daughter Emily, a recent St Andrews University graduate, and son Lewis, who is studying at Dundee University. Jarvie’s brings a new approach to the site, with seasonal menus that will appeal to locals, students, and tourists. These include a selection of Vegan and Vegetarian options, either to sit-in, sit-out, or take away.

Following an initial launch period, Jarvie’s will also open in the evenings to 10.00pm, offering food alongside a wide selection of alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks, as well as teas and coffees. Initial feedback from customers has been incredibly positive, not only for the quality and value of the menu, but also the remodelling of the café, which has injected new character and flexibility. The team at Jarvie’s is looking forward to welcoming St Andrews to its unique brand of hospitality! Find us at 141 South Street.”

(Photos courtesy Jarvie’s)

TOWN & GOWN Daphne Biliouri-Grant, co-ordinator for the Towards a Plastics-Free St Andrews initiative, talks to Annabel Personeni, a student with the Department of Geography and Sustainable Development at the University of St Andrews

Towards a Plastics-Free St Andrews This initiative is led by the local environmental charity, the St Andrews Environmental Network, in partnership with the Environmental Office of the University of St Andrews, and Transition UStA, a community interest company promoting sustainability. Daphne is also a community leader for Surfers Against Sewage (SAS) for St Andrews.

1. What does Single-Use Plastics mean?

Single-use plastics, also known as disposable plastics, are items used only once, then thrown away, or in some cases recycled. Some of the most prominent single-use plastics include bags, straws, disposable cutlery, water and soft drink bottles, food packaging. It is estimated that over 180 million tons of disposable plastic is being produced on an annual basis; on average less than 10% of these items are recycled globally. Given that single-use plastics have a long lifespan and release toxic chemicals into the environment, it is imperative that disposable plastics are replaced by alternative sustainable products.

2. Why do you think St Andrews is a good town to implement this?

St Andrews is a unique town. It is a prominent Scottish town because of its internationallyrenowned university, also as ‘the home of golf’.

Because of its international presence, it attracts over a million visitors on an annual basis, plus, with a student population of approximately 10,000 it could become a great example for other towns throughout the UK to follow.

3. How does your past professional experience help you in leading this movement?

I have been passionate about the environment all of my adult life. Over the years I have worked closely with numerous environmental groups worldwide on a voluntary basis. Both my academic background and my professional career have focused on environmental politics and corporate governance.

I have spent the past 25 years advising governments, corporations, and SMEs worldwide on reputational risk management, with particular emphasis on stakeholder

engagement. Therefore, I have developed the skills essential for co-ordinating this initiative.

Over the past couple of years, my focus has been on plastics pollution, as I consider this to be one of the most urgent environmental issues that plagues the world. Single-use plastics represent the main cause of plastic pollution on a global scale; no country is immune to the devastating effects of this unprecedented level of pollution. While international initiatives are being considered, the urgency of addressing the issue requires immediate action at all levels – local, national, and international – simultaneously. I have been working closely with various NGOs, conducting extensive research on what the government and the business community can do to provide viable solutions to the issue.

In terms of the St Andrews initiative, my goal is to help develop and co-ordinate a strategic plan that will help all the involved stakeholders to eradicate single-use plastics. I want to share my knowledge with like-minded people and motivate others who are keen to get involved!

4. How are you getting local businesses on board with this campaign? Why are you engaging them rather than pressuring them?

We want to ensure that St Andrews will become single-use plastic free by engaging with all stakeholders in order to promote behavioural changes, with a better understanding of why reducing and eventually eradicating single-use plastics is the best option.

We feel that the best way to achieve results is to educate about the long-term impact of single-use plastics. We recommend to all stakeholders alternative products that could replace single-use plastics for the long-term.

We have already conducted an extensive survey to determine the level of awareness within the local business community and interest in replacing single-use plastics.

The survey indicated that over half of the businesses in St Andrews are already seeking to replace single-use plastics within their businesses – an encouraging finding!

5. What are the barriers, and what measures are you implementing to overcome them?

The survey indicated that some businesses are reluctant to pursue alternative sustainable products because their owners are not aware of other available options. Therefore, part of the initiative will be to educate the business community.

The main issue identified in discussions is the higher cost of alternative products. We hope that local businesses will be able to pursue alternative products at comparable prices that will become available to them through the initiative.

6. How can students and townspeople help this movement accelerate?

This is a great opportunity to demonstrate collaboration between students and the town.

Working towards the same objective could actually provide a reason for strengthening the town-gown relationship. We also hope that by establishing the initiative as a partnership between some of the most prominent stakeholders, it has already given a sense of ‘togetherness’ between the students and the local residents. This initiative could unite them in eradicating single-use plastics and tackling plastics pollution.

7. Do you think this plan is too ambitious/ idealistic?

Of course, any initiative of such magnitude is ambitious and idealistic. But action needs to be taken as change can only be implemented through individual action galvanising other individuals, igniting their passion in realising such a plan. In the words of Mahatma Ghandi, ‘be the change you want to see in the world’, and that’s what should drive us all.

If you want to get involved, please get in touch with Daphne at daphnegrant2014@btinternet.com

17

ORGANISATIONS Pat Cunningham reports on the

Scottish Deaf Bowling Club (SDBA) In late 2015, at a Committee Meeting at the Sometimes the language barrier was a wee St Andrews Bowling Club, a letter was read bit difficult to get around, but we managed! out from Albert Bruce, then the Secretary of Cursing was quite apparent on both sides! the Scottish Deaf Bowling Association, asking Sometimes you don’t need audible words to if they could hold their Finals at St Andrews make your feelings felt; hand gestures and the following year. No one knew anything facial expressions can convey quite a lot! about the SDBA, but the letter was passed Deaf they may be, it certainly didn’t detract on to me to deal with. I met up with Albert and from their bowling skills! Everyone watching his wife, and their daughter, who came along enjoyed some superb games on both as interpreter, but wasn’t interested in bowls occasions. as she was going on holiday when the Finals In 2017, the SDBA told us that Scotland were to take place! Her sister Kimberley, who was to be the host of the Home Nation has hearing problems was Championships in 2019. going to play – not only did They asked permission Deaf they may be, it she play, but she won the to put St Andrews certainly didn’t detract Ladies’ Singles that year! forward to host it, one of The SDBA was the reasons being that from their bowling skills! founded in 1984. It now they love the friendship has around 85 members, and atmosphere any run by six Officials. It is a registered Charity time they come to our Club. How could a Club working hard hosting events to raise money. refuse such an honour? At the time we felt The aim of the Association is to provide that to be nominated was an accolade alone. services to hearing-impaired people, in To be told that we had been successful, well! particular by encouraging deaf amateur words cannot describe the pride our Club felt! bowling.

Near the end of the 2018 season our Not only did St Andrews Bowling Club Club hosted the finals for those in the area hold their Finals in 2016, the following going to represent Scotland in New Zealand year they asked if they could come back in January 2019. It was so nice to see that again! The friendship built up was fantastic. many of the friends we had made over the

years were chosen. From reports received via Facebook, Scotland should be proud of them all.

At the end of 2018, representatives of our Club met up with Keith Hyland, Kimberley Bruce (who has now taken over from her dad as Secretary) and another lady to discuss arrangements for this June.

We are so delighted to be hosting the SDBA Home Nation Finals on 29/30 June at St Andrews. We hope that people will come and support all the players. I know that there will be many hard-fought games played on our green then! We look forward to meeting old friends and making new ones, also we hope that our Club is invited again to host some of their games.

As if that wasn’t enough, our Club was asked to host the Men’s Scottish Area Finals on 21 June, which was accepted, so it looks like being a busy couple of weeks for our Club! It used to be said that bowls was an old man’s game! That is far from the case now. Anyone can learn to play bowls, young or old, with or without a disability. It is a great way of making friends and getting some of that all-important exercise that we all need nowadays!

Lindsay Matheson and Jo Roger forecast

Floodlighting St Andrews Castle – Completing the medieval urban nightscape With its completion of the Cathedral floodlighting project on 30 November 2018 the St Andrews Partnership intends to submit plans to floodlight the Bishops’ Palace/St Andrews Castle site to a similar standard. Agreement in principle to proceed with submitting plans to the relevant authorities has been made with Historic Environment Scotland, owners of this most iconic of sites in the narrative of St Andrews, both ecclesiastical and secular.

A major feature of the proposals will be to highlight the long northerly run of the curtain walls on both eastern and western aspects, thus providing night views deep over the projecting Castle coastline, from the Pier to the West Sands. The famous street frontage at the Scores, and parts of the internal courtyards will also be shown to advantage from the town side.

As with the Cathedral, attention will be given to the interests of any nocturnal residents – bats – that may be in residence. To an extent this will determine the timescale of the project, since winter and summer surveys may be required.

Community interest is high. This is your chance to support an exciting project with a donation, large or small, helping to put the evening spotlight on this last piece in the town’s medieval jigsaw. The

18

address and email below may be used to contact the development team, who will provide further information to those interested. Our outline project budget is £35,000.

J Roger and L Matheson for the St Andrews Partnership, contact: The St Andrews Partnership, 42 South Street, St Andrews, KY16 9JT; email: info@glenderran.com (Photograph by kind permission of Peter G Adamson)

ORGANISATIONS Izzy Corbin, chair of the

St Andrews and District Community Safety Panel The Panel is a self-funded organization, with meetings held bimonthly. The objective of the panel is to educate the public and promote safety in all aspects of everyday life, whether in the home, work, school, play, or business.

It seeks to help prevent vandalism, theft, housebreaking, and violence of every kind.

We raise funds, solely for the purpose of promoting the objectives of the panel, and for certain projects with the help of Police Funding, always subject to the approval of the Chief Constable. We can also apply for local funding, if required.

Anyone with an interest in the local general community, in particular community safety, can apply to be a member of the panel. Individuals should also have the ability and willingness to participate in the panel’s activities.

Over the years the Panel has been very active, informing Fife Council of safety issues, and highlighting to the public some of the improvements dealt with, and issues the Panel felt the community should be aware of, via the media.

Some of the past discussions have included: •

Market Street and its upgrading. The Safety Panel advised Fife Council to have 45% angled parking, which was the preferred option, as it was safer for drivers and pedestrians alike. However, Fife Council’s decision resulted in 90% horizontal parking, which is totally unsafe for all concerned, reasoning that it would maximize the number of parking spaces.

It could be noted here that not all parking bays are of the same width.

•

Pavement Clutter – this has been highlighted by the Panel on numerous occasions. There should always be a 2-metre free passageway on walkways at all times.

•

Consultation on the use of CCTV footage prior to its installation, which was partially funded by the Panel.

•

Supporting the police on safety measures.

•

Funding home security and personal safety items, which are for sale at the Police Station, on which we make a small profit.

•

The tree-lined streets of the town saw some serious incidents of people tripping over or slipping on the tree bases. The Panel brought this to the attention of Fife Council, asking that the bases be infilled with a porous compound.

•

The Panel reported to the Council that the paving slabs in Church Square were dangerous, with slabs being broken and uneven, making them unsightly as well as unsafe.

been at the forefront of many complaints from residents and visitors alike. Issues brought up on a recurrent basis are the non-use of lights – these vital safety features – with many • Police pop-up schemes; these are not bothering to install them at all. Lights cardboard cutouts in the shape of children should be both front and back of the bike, with dressed as policemen, highlighting the the necessity of wearing reflective outdoor dangers of parking outside schools (see garments or clothing that can easily be seen by photo). The Panel made a financial other road users. Pedestrians have, in recent contribution. years, been knocked over on pavements by • Craigtoun Park had been subject to cyclists, who thought that it was permitted to several break-ins and damage. The Panel ride on the pavement – this is totally outwith asked the Community Police to give the law, unless there is a designated cycle advice on CCTV and security. This has lane. Cyclists have ridden down Market Street now been taken up by the Craigtoun Park the wrong way, though this is a designated Management Committee. one-way system.

With regards to parking • Recently, the Panel bicycles, there have been met with a member of The Panel is many bicycles chained to the Confederation of a self-funded trees, railings, and lamp St Andrews Residents Associations (CSARA) to organization, with posts, frequently resulting in bikes falling over causing an discuss the work they have meetings held obstruction that is extremely done on the Lade Braes dangerous for the elderly, Safety Review. bimonthly infirm, those with prams, pushchairs, wheelchair users, The Safety Panel continues to review situations and especially for those who are blind. Cycle constantly, keeping Fife Council informed, safety also requires cyclists to be aware of the taking advice from Police Scotland on many Highway Code and its requirements, also to matters, and working along with them to understand the Law pertaining to cyclists. provide a safer environment for the community We are looking to recruit and involve more of St Andrews. of the public. We would particularly welcome In 2008, the Safety Panel, in partnership schools becoming more involved. If you think with Fife Constabulary and Barnett’s of you have any attributes which could benefit this St Andrews initiated a free Personal Safety valuable committee, please do not hesitate to Course for Women, comprising a series of get in touch. This is your town and the town of workshops over a four-week period, including St Andrews needs you. topics on Personal Safety, Fire Safety, First Aid, Self Defense, Internet Safety, Domestic Abuse, Road Safety, and Basic Car Maintenance.

Chairperson, I W R Corbin, MA at: Places were quickly filled, well attended, but izzy07@btinternet.com or 01334 769 772. above all else, the feedback at the end of the weekly sessions was extremely positive.

For many years now Cycle Safety has been an issue tackled by the Panel. This has •

Lade Braes – the Panel reported the badlyworn surface to Fife Council.

Print & Design

We welcome commercial enquiries St Katharine’s West, 16 The Scores St Andrews, Fife KY16 9AX

T: (01334) 463020 E: printanddesign@st-andrews.ac.uk The University of St Andrews is a charity registered in Scotland, No: SC013532

19

EVENTS Marion Mason looks forward to the

St Andrews Harbour Gala 2019 Our annual harbour gala will be held on Saturday, 6 July, from 11.00am to 5.00pm at the Harbour. As always, we are hoping for glorious weather and a huge turnout! The 2018 gala was such a brilliant day – the weather had a big part to play – but each year the number of people attending has increased, making it enjoyable for everyone.

There will be the usual inflatable castles and slides, rides for children, face painting and various stalls including raffle, books, bric-abrac, and a bottle stall. There will also be a variety of individual stalls selling handmade crafts, paintings, prints, books, cosmetics, and more.

Throughout the day there will be dancing displays, Billy Anderson will play a few well-known tunes on his accordion. We plan to have fun competitions for adults and children, with a quiet corner for story time and for the last-minute entries into the art competition for all primary school children.

One of the most popular games is to try to pitch a golf ball into the rowing boat in the Harbour. There is no need to be an expert golfer for this, it really is just a bit of fun! There are a few local golfers who can be quite competitive, very rewarding for the Harbour income! We are delighted once again to have some very friendly alpacas.

We are extremely grateful to the many local businesses that donate prizes for the raffle, to be drawn at the end of the gala day. Raffle tickets will be available to purchase in some of the local businesses, listed, in due course, on our Facebook page, St Andrews Harbour.

We are hoping to have a visit from the local emergency services to demonstrate fire appliances, discuss police procedures, explain the work of the local coastguard. Once again, we are delighted we’ll have the City of St Andrews Pipe Band, who will march playing all the favourite tunes.

With the sea on one side, the square tower and skyline of the town on the other, hopefully with beautiful weather conditions, it will just be perfect for all!

Our licensed bar will be run again by Heidi Orr of The New Inn, while our usual catering will be situated right next to the bar. We plan to open the bar the evening before with live music, so if you are out for a stroll, pop in for a drink, enjoy the music, and relax by the beautiful sea. We are extremely grateful to the local businesses that donate many of the above-listed provisions.

All monies raised will be invested in the general maintenance and upkeep of the Harbour and surrounding area. If you would like to rent a stall, help with building the marquees, man a stall, serve the burgers, tea/coffee, or make a donation, please contact Marion on: 07580 137 116 or email: marionmasons@hotmail.com or message our Facebook page: St Andrews Harbour.

We look forward to seeing everyone on the day, and hope you have as much fun as we do! Thank you for your support.

(Photo courtesy the Harbour)

From Louise Fraser

The Greatest Show 7.30pm. Saturday, 25 May 2019, at The Old Course Hotel The Greatest Show (aka the St Andrews Ball) emerged from The St Andrews Midsummer’s Ball, established in 2008. Following the success of the inaugural event, the St Andrews Midsummer’s Ball became a fixture on the local social calendar. Over the years, it has distributed almost £275k to children’s charities and clubs in and around St Andrews.

We are a committee of eight local businesswomen with the aim of raising monies to support a wide range of clubs and charities working with children locally. We keep the application process simple, so that smaller clubs can access funding easily.

The St Andrews Ball black-tie dinner in May 2018 raised in excess of £31,000 pounds, which was shared out to more than 50 organisations, all based in and around Fife, most working with children in their respective communities.

Some of the funds went to help with special projects, such as upgrading the kitchen at the Scout Hall, putting on a Christmas party for the toddlers at Cosmos, or contributing towards the cost of a new beach wheelchair, whilst for others we are helping to cover the running costs of the invaluable organisations they represent.

The St Andrews Ball relies heavily on, and is very grateful for, the support of a wide range of small, local businesses, as well as the support of larger organisations, including the Kohler Group, IMG, and Dunhill Links Championship.

(Photo courtesy St Andrews Ball)

Cheque presentation last November

20

EVENTS From John Matthews

Pascal Dubrisay and the ‘grognard’ * Pascal has had a love affair with St Andrews for over two decades. In 1996 he was a key member of the first official delegation to our Royal Borough, led by Jean-Jacques Déscamps, then the maire of Loches.

Pascal was the founder and, for many years, the President of the Nouvelle Alliance Loches – St Andrews; he remains Honorary President FOR LIFE. His love of St Andrews is paralleled by the same deep feelings he has for his home town of Loches. After work in advertising and tourism, he was for many years, as maire-adjoint, responsible for the heritage

and culture of his town. In this role, and with the whole-hearted support of Jean-Jacques Déscamps, he deserves great credit for saving and conserving many key parts of the old town.

An author of several books on local history, he was elected Chevalier des Arts et des Lettres in 2007.

With his wife Annick, Pascal is visiting St Andrews again in May, when he will give, on the 28th an illustrated talk based on his book, Mémorial d’un grognard. This book tells the story of Elie Picard, a previous occupant of the Dubrisay’s 17th Century house, who, conscripted into Napoleon’s Old Guard, survived several major battles before being taken prisoner in Spain, eventually being repatriated to Marseilles, from where he walked back to Loches – a mere 800 kilometres!

So, if you happen to read this before 28 May, why not come along to School 5 in St Salvator’s quadrangle at 5.00pm, hear a fascinating story, and meet a charming man? Don’t be put off by the fact that the talk will be in French – it will be delivered in a manner sympathetic to those whose knowledge of French is scant, by that rare creature, a French royalist, Pascal, marquis de Brisay! There will be a drinks reception after the talk. If you decide to attend, please let me know, so that we can cater appropriately (jfmatthews6@gmail.com).

The support of the University’s French Department in arranging M Dubrisay’s talk is gratefully acknowledged.

(Images courtesy the Loches Alliance) * grognard: a soldier of the Old Guard of Napoleon, a grumbler, a grouser

From the Administrator, Annie Birrell

Fresh Volunteers Keep on Coming to the St Andrews Preservation Trust It looks as if the St Andrews Preservation Trust (SAPT) annual Hidden Gardens event on 5 May, 2019, is headed for its biggest success yet, with the addition of 7 new student volunteers from the University of St Andrews joining an already well-established group of local volunteers.

After five other eager student interns joined STAPT for a two-week internship in January, the Trust has seen some welcomed improvements to its social media presence, online appearance, and volunteer base. Some of the winter interns continue to work for the

Trust, with Adithya Ajith and Sam Ross still working on the Trust website and volunteer development respectively. The Trust has also attracted the help of student volunteers in new gardens participating in the event, including the University of St Andrews Careers Centre and Chaplaincy.

Beyond these developments, the students and their supervisor, Annie Birrell, Trust Administrator, are also excited about the introduction of a Gaelic Poetry and Art exhibition running in the participating gardens.

Grace Wright, a Third Year English and Modern

From left to right: Grace Wright, Rebecca Johnstone, Franciszek Bryk (Frankie), Rebecca Kennedy, Jessica Riley, Fiona Banham.

History student from the Isle of Skye is fluent in Gaelic, eager to put her translation skills to the test to support the exhibition. Grace will be translating Gaelic poetry into English, whilst other volunteers source talented artists from across Scotland to create their artistic interpretation of poetry through painting, drawing, sketching, or modelling. The fresh team spirit and collaboration supporting SAPT appears to be shaping an exciting future for Hidden Gardens 2019, and we can’t wait to see what May brings!

(Photos courtesy the Trust)

From left to right: Sandy Bremner, Adithya Ajith, Catherine Erskine, Claire Macleod, Yasmin Wright, Sam Ross, Soyoun Won.

21

EVENTS Moira Docherty invites you to

Tayside Opera’s 51st Season – Delighted to be bringing Grand Opera to St Andrews again Formed in 1968, the group celebrated its 50th anniversary in 2018 Its constitution distinguishes Tayside Opera from other groups with St Andrews. The Town Hall provided the venue. It was Verdi’s La in that it performs grand opera in English. Bill Dewar was the first Traviata, and this was Tayside’s second year across the water. They President and Principal Baritone until his untimely death in 1985, but were so pleased with the support for them that they are coming back to the enthusiasm has been maintained that has allowed Tayside Opera the Town Hall again for another exciting Grand Opera. to continue its mission to present Grand Opera for Tayside – something Having opened its account in 1968 with Don Giovanni in Dundee that most companies have been unable to sustain for that length of and Kirkcaldy, 51 years later it now presents a performance of Verdi’s time.

Scottish Macbeth. It needs little introduction, but with high drama, a The loyalty and commitment of its Performers, Patrons/Members/ gripping story line of the ruthless pursuit of the Scottish crown, set to a Audience and sponsors, including many local trusts, has enabled the great musical score with rousing chorus, we are in group to reach its significant milestone. for a treat.

It is their hope to keep St Andrews on their This will be Tayside’s This will be Tayside’s biggest year for a decade circuit for many years to come, but they need biggest year for a decade and of course they are also performing at Birnam! your support. They retain the services of Musical Is it Birnam moving towards Tayside Opera, or vice Director, Richard Johnston, and Production versa? But it was a “must do” venue for the company.

Director, Alan Borthwick. The very talented pianist, Robert Duncan, This year is a stark contrast to the 2018 offering, the heartrending, will provide the musical accompaniment. Robert studied in London at emotional love story of La Traviata, but in order to maintain momentum the Royal College of Music; a prize-winning pianist, he was a music another Verdi classic was rightly chosen. Macbeth was last performed teacher for 9 years and has been supporting Tayside for 8 seasons.

by Tayside in 1995.

Principle singers will join us from all over Scotland. This year we welcome Piran Legg from Glasgow as Banquo, and some new talent in supporting roles. Tayside Opera is about performance, but importantly having fun in the process. Whether you are a seasoned singer, a past member, or a beginner, there are no barriers to your joining them. The current President, Peter Gackowski, is keen to open up Opera to a younger audience and widen its appeal. Live performance is so important for art, culture, in the age of the internet for social engagement and interaction. Singing is good for you, so look us up and get involved.

Macbeth is on Sunday, 26 May at 7.30pm in the Town Hall, St Andrews. If you want to know more, please visit: Website www.taysideopera.com Facebook, or contact: moiradocherty@hotmail.com Be part of the 51st season!

(Photo courtesy Tayside Opera)

22

EVENTS

Selected Events Thursday, 2 May – 7.00pm. Bell Pettigrew Museum, Bute Medical Buildings. Concert: Music is Love – jointly with MUSA. Free.

Saturday, 4 May – 9.00am-1.00pm. Argyle Car Park. Farmers’ Market.

– 11.30am. Waterstones Bookshop, Market Street. Saturday Story Time. New picture books as well as classical favourites.

Colouring-in afterwards.

Sunday, 5 May – 11.00am to 5.00pm. Various venues. Hidden Gardens. St Andrews Preservation Trust’s annual fundraiser.

Note earlier date. Contact: trust@stapt.org.uk Monday, 6 May – 12.00 noon-4.00pm. Bell Pettigrew Museum, Bute Medical Buildings. Victorian Mayhem “a family fun day with Victorian science experiments, music, crafts, hands-on activities, ask a historian and a very special guest – all ages.”

Saturday, 11 May – 11.30am. Waterstones Bookshop, Market Street.

Saturday Story Time. New picture books as well as classical favourites. Colouring-in afterwards.

Friday, 17 May – 7.30pm. Scores Hotel, The Scores, St Andrews.

Loire & Rhone Wine Tasting with French Charcuterie. Sampling 13 wines with Master of Wine, Rose Murray Brown.

Saturday, 25 May – 11.30am. Waterstones Bookshop, Market Street. Saturday Story Time. New picture books as well as classical favourites. Colouring-in afterwards.

Till Saturday, 1 June – The St Andrews Museum, Kinburn Park. Unfolding Fans: The Beauty Within – “the fascinating histories connected to these objects, such as their importance in contemporary fashions, and their role in a possible secret language!” Curated by postgraduate Museum and Galleries students at the University of St Andrews.

Free entry. Contact: 01334 659 380. www.onfife.com/whats-on/detail/unfolding-fans-beauty-within Saturday, 1 June – 9.00am to 1.00pm. Argyle street car park.

Farmers’ Market.

Monday, 3 June to Thursday, 13 June – Gardens open in the Fife Summer Trail. £25 for entrance to all the gardens.

Accompanied children, free. Pre-sales tickets available online from Eventbrite. Gardens can be visited individually for £5 on the day. For list of gardens please see Fife’s Open Gardens leaflet, or www.scotlandsgardens.org Saturday, 6 June – 11.00am to 5.00pm. The Harbour, St Andrews.

The Annual Gala. (See page 20 for details). Contact: marionmasons@hotmail.com Saturday 29 & Sunday, 30 June – 10.00am to 5.00pm Craigtoun Park, Mount Melville, St Andrews. Craigtoun Country Fayre.

Free entry, free parking, free entertainment. Displays, charities and craft stalls – plus all our regular seasonal attractions.

Contact: enquiries@friendsofcraigtoun.org.uk

Sunday, 26 May – 7.30pm. St Andrews Town Hall. Verdi’s Macbeth.

Tayside Opera. See p22. Contact: moiradocherty@hotmail.com

Out of Focus

23

TRAVEL Susan & David Adie went on an

Antarctica Expedition When you are preparing for upcoming holidays, way around the cold seas. They do melt. Some as this spring turns to summer, you are make their way over the convergence zone; probably looking out sunspecs, sunscreen, one was found near New Zealand a few years shorts, tops. We went on our ‘summer holiday’ ago. in December last year; our list started with The other smaller icebergs we saw daily sunspecs and sunscreen, but continued with were the result of ice “calving” from the many fleeces, thermals, hats, gloves, neck gaiters. glaciers in the region and were more of the The average temperature was to be 0ºC. traditional iceberg shape. Amazing colours, We were off on our Antarctic adventure shapes, sizes! Throughout our journey in on Seabourn Quest, built specially for cruising Antarctica the terrain was very mountainous in ice. Leaving Santiago, Chile, after a quick with deep bays, glaciers, ice everywhere. tour we cruised down the Pacific coast of Chile Each day involved either a zodiac (a sturdy calling at Puerto Montt, Castro, Punta Arenas, rubber boat) tour round a bay, or a landing on Ushuaia. the Antarctic continent, or the islands of the Chile is a lovely country of friendly people Antarctic peninsula. In the course of these and dramatic scenery. Passing through we saw rookeries of penguins, many seals, the straights of Magellan and the Beagle whales, and seabirds. The penguins were Channel was a privilege known only to a nesting, completely unconcerned by the human few. In Ushuaia, Argentina, the scenery was activity. We were able to watch them go about spectacular, the place remote. their daily business, quite comical in their gait An impending storm in the Drake Passage on land, but magnificent in the water. If you left us travelling to the Falkland Islands next. stood still or sat down, they approached you We visited New Island, its amazing nature and wandered past. The smell was pungent, reserve with nesting Rockhopper Penguins and overwhelming! When cruising in zodiacs we Black Browed albatross. Apart from the wildlife, were able to see the icebergs up close, one it reminded us of the islands off the coast of day cruising around half-a-dozen humpback Scotland complete with few trees, gorse, and whales, who happened to be feeding. The peat. Next stop was Stanley. weather started out with It was odd shopping in brilliant sunshine. During the It was a wonderful, Waitrose thousands of miles course of our 5 days we saw life-changing from home! It is very British. snow, ice, and cloud – just The museum was fascinating. about every type of weather experience quite We took a tour “in Camp” you could expect in the unlike anything to see battlefields of the Antarctic Summer.

Falklands War. The area is governed we have ever The storm having passed, by the Antarctic Treaty. The experienced before we set off for Antarctica. entire continent is to be As we journeyed south the held by all nations for peace temperature dropped. The sea temperature and scientific research. Although no one lives dropped within an hour from 9ºC to 0ºC. there, Argentina and Chile have bases, while a Beautiful sunshine greeted us on the number of countries, including the UK and USA next day. We saw the only tabular icebergs have research stations. of the trip. The first was small, but amazing in We twice had the chance to go kayaking, colour and stratification. The second was 15 a truly special experience up close to the ice kilometres long, tracked regularly due to its and wildlife. Although everyone wants to save size. Tabular icebergs have broken off from the whales and penguins, best would be to save ice sheets in the Antarctic area, making their the krill. Krill are small prawn-like organisms,

the basic foodstuff for all the wildlife, penguins, whales, and seals. In themselves they are not attractive to look at.

As the water and the Antarctic Peninsular is currently getting warmer the krill are migrating further south. Research is taking place to see what effect this will have on the wildlife in the area. Research is also ongoing to try and measure the effects of the melting ice.

Our last day on the white continent started out beautifully sunny. We made our way ashore early for a kayak tour round a couple of bays and in front of a glacier. As happens in that part of the world the weather deteriorated rapidly and a storm blew up. Further landings were abandoned. The ship then cruised by Deception Island, an active volcano. It was a miserable day, snowing and blowing more than a gale. Even the penguins looked miserable!

By early afternoon the captain turned the ship round and we headed back across a rough Drake Passage. As we ventured North the weather improved, the sun came out, the layers of thermals and warm clothing could come off.

After 4 days we arrived in a warm Montevideo in Uruguay, a very interesting small city. The following day saw our adventure end in sweltering Buenos Aires, with time for a walk around the town with a view of the Casa Rosada before setting off to the airport and the long flight home.

It was a wonderful, life-changing experience quite unlike anything we have ever experienced before. The number of tourists privileged to visit each year is less than would fill an average football stadium on one Saturday. It may not be allowed to continue, or the types of ships travelling there and the landings may be further controlled.

We had excellent lectures on board about wildlife, birds, whales, glaciers, history, and environmental issues. There was lively discussion and much humour.

It was truly a privilege to be able to visit and land on the seventh continent. It was not a traditional cruise, much was weather dependent, while for 4 days we lost wifi and mobile phone coverage. The research stations have their own satellites, but they are not for commercial use. There is much debate about climate change and human activity and its contribution to it. The area is ideal for research into these issues. It was a privilege to see such a pristine environment. Keeping the area for the good of all mankind rather than exploiting it, is no doubt in the best interests of all of us.

(Photos courtesy Susan & David Adie)

24

TRAVEL Alexandria Elisia Rintoul relates her

Adventures of a pregnant immigrant It was just behind 3.00pm and the sky was a Mum and Dad are the strongest people I’ve deep hue of orange and blue; my Dad used to ever known, they are the only real gods that I say that the orange was pollution caught in the truly believe in. Funnily enough my favourite air. It was beautiful though. When we finally artist, Eddie Izzard, said the same thing; when reached the airport I felt I could make do with a I watched him say it, my eyes went wide in little more time with Mum and Dad. I remember wonderment, I felt so naked because I felt like watching a wedding video at my pal’s house in him, and I have had that conversation before.

Bangalore – when it got to the part where the How does that happen? The universe works bride had to leave, mother and father of the like Magic. bride cried their eyes out, which made the bride So the magic was just beginning, when cry. I found this really funny at the time, so I watched Mum and Dad getting smaller and karma hit me like a wrecking ball, for it was my smaller, as the moving walkway did its thing... turn. I held my tears at the back of my throat, until I couldn’t see them anymore. Nervous closed my eyes, tried to think of something as ever, I held on to my bag, felt the gross nice, like a cup of chai, some dosa, jellabies, sweat getting worse in my hand. I let out a well mostly food...Indian food. little “phuuuu” and the hair from my fringe did I thought, as I waited in the queue, “I know a little lift off then fell back to place again. It how holidays feel and enjoy them mainly was finally my turn at the check-in desk and as because I know home isn’t too far away to be pathetic as it sounds, I started to ‘greet’ (as the reunited with, but this time, it’s bigger. I’m going Scots say), but I also smiled because the look to be making another place a home for my wee on the lady’s face was priceless, she definitely family…” I sighed in awe of everything that had thought I was mad. She was concerned happened just a week ago; I was denied a visa though, held my hands, and said “madam I twice, heavily pregnant doesn’t make travelling am so sorry. Did I say something wrong?” I an easy or a likable thing to do. I had to do that replied with slight amusement, “No no, I’m just more than 10 times because pregnant. Ha ha.” I thought Meghalaya doesn’t have a that would make her smile a With a big sigh I visa office, my pregnant body little, but it just made her poor hated dairy (and Britain is self more concerned. She conclude my crazy made of dairy) so how was I was lovely, she made it all so journey to Scotland going to deal with that going comfortable for me and the back? Oh this is my favourite baby bump. as a prize definitely one… so Mum, Dad and I I woke up in Scotland. worth fighting for! booked a couple of hotels Could it be that l slept the around Kolkata on a computer whole way? I could already in Meghalaya. When we got there with our smell the excessive perfume and fabric reservation, tired, hungry, getting kicks in the softener on people’s clothes. I notice it more belly, we got turned down, deprived of a place because it’s not a thing in India you see. Of to stay. At midnight we ventured out to find a course, it was raining. I mean, could the day place that would take us in. I felt like the Virgin be more Scottish? I walked like a penguin to Mary must have felt! baggage claim, sat when I got there. My bags By the end of it all I was so fed up, I told must have passed twice already, but I thought, my Mum, “you know what, I don’t want to go “I am so tired, I could just pass out here. Right any more, let’s just stay here.” Mum gave here on this very COLD seat.” me a cuddle, I held her back. I could feel her A gentleman asked me if I was alright; that smile on my shoulder as her cheeks tightened woke me up. I got up, picked up my dignity against my neck, I tried to smile a little too, (wiping the drool off my face) and thanked but succeeded to only raise a half smile, then him. Scotland’s magic started there; people’s just stared at the dull brown door I was facing. kindness, their honesty, their concern, their

whole system revolves around those beautiful things. People helped me with my bags, the ladies at the shop offered to get things to help me relax, I was in a living heaven.

The heaven continued when I saw my husband standing near the exit sign holding two cups of coffee. We were so happy to see each other. No Home Office could keep us apart! We drove to St Andrews, and there was more of that living Heaven, just gorgeous under the rainbow, oh what good timing! The streets glistened, the park released its petrichor. I held my husband’s hand, smiled, and told him, “let’s get a chippy.”

NB – And just like that, it’s been a year and a couple of months since we moved into our humble home in bonnie St Andrews. We have a beautiful baby boy named Callum, who is like a curry pie because he is basically the brown version of my husband, who is very Scottish.

Considering that the previous year was a terrible experience; not seeing my husband throughout my whole pregnancy, fighting to get the home office to accept my visa application, thousands of pounds spent, wasted on false promises and incompetent lawyers, being interviewed by hundreds of journalists, who made an even bigger deal of it all...I’m smiling even just hearing myself say this as I write it all down. With a big sigh I conclude my crazy journey to Scotland as a prize definitely worth fighting for!

(Photo courtesy Alexandria Rintoul)

Would you like to advertise in this space?

Please see: www.standrewsinfocus.com for more information (sizes, costs, distribution/readership, contact details, etc)

25

OUT & ABOUT Craig Gilbert

The perspective of unseen paths As part of my ScotWays volunteering duties, I walk areas of Fife monitoring rights of way, checking if they’re still passable and doing spots of maintenance here and there. A few years back, I had visited a route to ensure we had it mapped correctly; it was one of the many routes in the Lomond Hills Regional Park. I decided to retrace my steps, only this time in reverse, as I wanted to see the path from a different perspective. Sometimes it’s a good thing to walk routes both ways.

The route began this time for me at the Pillars of Hercules organic café (as do most walks in and around the Falkland area!) then proceeding along the road towards Drumdreel Wood (just adjacent to Strathmiglo). From here, I wanted to reach the rock formation known as The Bonnet Stane, via a new method, following fields at the foot of the Lomond Hills, with the immense slopes of rock to my left. I thought this time, in reverse, the route to the Bonnet Stane would start off nice and easy, as I would be traversing a flatter, simpler route.

After a fascinating time walking between large chunks of fallen stones (one was twice as tall as me and three times as wide!) and the discovery of a multitude of bones (I can only imagine why, perhaps this was a buzzard feeding ground), I realised that walking in from this way was neither flat nor simple – in fact I felt I was walking in the distant past, with nobody around, only the calls of buzzards flying above, with the desolation of scattered bones and rocks for company.

However, it was all worthwhile, as I came across a small reservoir, beyond which was the Bonnet Stane. It sits upon a group of rocks made out of calciferous sandstone, made over thousands of years by natural weathering in its exposed position. There is also a cave here, called Maiden’s Bower. The interpretation panel here tells the story of a young maiden who fell in love with a rival family’s son. One day he came to meet her at the cave, was ambushed

by her father’s men and killed. She refused to back at me via the inscription at the Temple, go home, spending the remainder of her life in I decided to walk down directly behind the the cave, becoming a locally-known saint in the Tyndall Bruce monument, onto new paths process.

I’ve never used before. The last part of my Saying goodbye to the area, I climbed walk was truly magical, following unseen the slope behind, then walked an uphill route paths, finding interesting places to sit, with the towards the ridge between sunshine piercing through East and West Lomond. the trees down on me, before The walk made me I carried on towards East reuniting with familiar ground Lomond, but instead of wonder how many of later on. reaching the hill, turned left, The walk made me us just tread our paths wonder how many of us making my way through woodland paths to reach just tread our paths in the in the same way The temple of Decision, same way, following marked which bears the inscription, routes, without seeing the ‘Perspective is the temple of decision’. This had other paths nearby. The ones that are more been built for Falkland Estate back in 1849, hidden can be just as rich in scenery, and even now in ruins, yet still serving a wonderful view more enticing. I certainly had an adventure, across the landscape to Falkland and beyond. discovering way more than I had set out to, I then walked to the Tyndall Bruce which for me, is the beauty and wonder of monument, another feature on the Lomond living in such an amazing country. I shall return, Hills. From there, having been struck with always with a view to walk from a different the synchronicity of walking my route from perspective! a different perspective, seeing this reflected (Photos courtesy Craig Gilbert)

The Bonnet Stane

The reservoir by the Bonnet Stane

26

OUT & ABOUT Arlen Pardoe

Hidden Gems in St Andrews Focussing on features that are in plain sight, though often overlooked Thistles Carved thistles appear on a number of the buildings in St Andrews. They represent the national emblem of Scotland, much as England has the rose, Wales the daffodil, Ireland the shamrock. These symbols are prominently displayed on the rugby shirts of the national teams.

The use of the thistle as the national emblem has several stories, the most common of which dates back to

the Battle of Largs in 1263, when a Norse invading force landed near Largs attempting to surprise Scottish forces at night. To move quietly they had removed their footwear, but one unfortunate soul stood on a thistle! His cries of pain awoke the Scotsmen, so they were able to repel the Norsemen. Since then, the thistle appeared on silver coins in 1470, while the Order of the Thistle was founded in 1540.

(Photos courtesy Arlen Pardoe)

Psychology, St Mary’s

St Mary’s

St Mary’s St Leonard’s Lane

South Street

North Street

South Street South Street Playfair Fountain

South Street

Town Hall

Town Hall

27