South Deeside View - Spring 2010 by NKRCC

THE SOUTH DEESIDE VIEW March 2010 CONTENTS 1

Plant Sale and Coffee Morning

Youth activities

Scouts and Guides

Lairhillock School

Banchory-Devenick School Home deliveries

Clubs and Societies

Leisure activities

Community Halls

Resurrection time

Maryculter-Cookney Church

St Ternan’s Church St Mary’s Chapel Grampian Police

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Ragwort “

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We have been almost overwhelmed with information and articles for this issue. This shows the enthusiasm of around fifty contributors who represent their clubs, groups, societies and schools in our area - a big thank you to you all. Some reports had to be carefully pruned and many photographs omitted to give room for the wide range of interests and activities. We have also reduced print size in places to squeeze as much in as possible. All phone numbers are Aberdeen listed (01224) unless otherwise indicated. The back page, with its Events Diary and list of useful contacts is arranged for handy reference. Other contact information is at the end of each section. Advertisers fund about half of our printing costs, so we are grateful to them all, including a few newcomers. We hope to see you at our annual fundraising Plant Sale and Coffee Morning - see below. We liaise with, but are independent from the Community Council (NKRCC) whose members and their families do most of the newsletter distribution. Please let us know if you can assist with articles, ideas, local information or deliveries. You will find our contact details on the back page.

Driving for the Disabled MP and MSP

Local councillors

Community Council

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PLANT SALE and COFFEE MORNING

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Road Sense

Handy contacts Events calendar

Saturday May 15 from 10.30 till noon Corbie Hall, Maryculter We are holding a sale of garden plants: herbaceous, rockery, herbs, salad vegetables, annuals, bushes etc. These are all grown by local amateur gardeners, so should thrive well throughout our area. Coffee, tea, juice and home baking will be available too. Please let us know if you can offer any plants, baking, or assistance on the day. All contributions will be welcome, and do bring along your friends and neighbours. Contact Rob Winmill about plants Tel: 01569 730308 or Pam Robertson about the coffee morning Tel: 863887

YOUTH ACTIVITIES Maryculter Babies and Toddlers We meet in Maryculter Church Hall, Kirkton of Maryculter on Thursday mornings from 9:30 to 11:30 during term time. It’s a great chance for mums, grandmas, dads or any other carers to meet for a coffee and a chat. The children benefit by getting to know others with whom they will start school later on. We welcome anyone with children from birth to 2 1/2 from Maryculter, Netherley, Banchory-Devenick and the surrounding areas. Mandy Tulloch, Tel: 01569 730577 or Tanya Simpson, Tel: 01569 730352

Maryculter Playgroup Maryculter Playgroup is proud to be providing care to a second generation of local children! It began 36 years ago, starting in the Church Hall and moving to Corbie Hall in 2001, where we still meet 5 mornings a week. Playgroup has always been a non-profit charitable organisation, run by parents, with trained playleaders caring for the children. We are regulated by the Care Commission and approved by Aberdeenshire Council to provide funded pre-school education for children between 3 and 5. We specialise in ante-pre-school care (up to 4 years), our friendly group and individual attention helping each child to become independent, confident and capable of socialising with their peers. We have embraced the new Curriculum for Excellence which is now used in all Scottish schools and have enjoyed its child-centred approach in exploring topics as varied as minibeasts, pirates, Chinese New Year and rhythm in music and language. We would all like to thank the donor of the piano which has been a fine addition to Corbie Hall and is well used! We have been enjoying investigating and playing in the snow and ice this winter and are looking forward to working in our wee garden and outside play area even more when spring arrives. Council funding for playgroups (like everything else) has been scarce this year so we are busy fundraising. The children raised over £200 and had great fun doing a sponsored obstacle course earlier in the year. We are planning a Family Ceilidh on May 15, so do contact Tanya Simpson, Tel: 01569 730352 for full details and bring along a group of friends. We would be delighted to hear from any local businesses or individuals who would be interested in supporting us or perhaps providing raffle prizes, and would like to thank Ardoe House, Maryculter House Hotel and The Old Mill Inn for their support this term. We welcome new children throughout the year – get in touch with us on 07765 525 317 (Mon-Fri 9am-12) or contact Kate Martin, Chair, Tel: 739 843

Maryculter Rainbows Girls aged between 5 and 7 meet on Thursdays from 4.30 to 5.30pm. They have been busy this term and the project for their badge is ‘the world’. So far they have made penguins, carried their dolls in ‘kangas’, celebrated Chinese New Year and made passports and suitcases. We are still at full capacity and have a waiting list. Contact Alison Stephen , Tel: 899703 for more details.

Maryculter Brownies The Brownies meet at the Scout Hut on Thursday evenings from 6.30 to 8pm and have been busy over the last six months. In September we attended the Centenary Launch Party of Girlguiding at Crathes Castle where we celebrated with over 600 girls and leaders from Kincardine and Deeside. We had a great joint Halloween Party with the Guides. We’ve had a visit from the Road Safety Officer who taught us how to keep safe in the dark. John the local SSPCA Officer told us about rescuing animals in distress and on the same night we donated the contents of our 100 pennies jar to the SSPCA. We’ve planted daffodil bulbs for Marie Curie Cancer Care as part of their ‘Little pots of care’ challenge. We enjoyed our outing to the Arts Centre panto Little Red Riding Hood and saw one of our former Brownies perform on stage. Since Christmas we have been busy exchanging postcards with Brownies and Guides from around the world as part of our Thinking Day celebrations. To date we have received over 80 postcards and it has been a brilliant way to learn what girls around the world get up to as part of Girlguiding. We are looking forward to the summer months and getting out and about and taking part in more special events which are being planned as part of Girlguiding centenary celebrations. At the moment we are operating a waiting list and give priority to girls moving up from the Rainbows. However new faces are always welcome. Lynn Murphy: Tel: 01330 825936

District Commissioner’s Report 2010 is an exciting time to be involved in Girlguiding as you can see from these unit reports. With Girlguiding’s Centenary celebrations in full swing until October and with so many events planned for all age groups, there has never been so much interest in Guiding in the area for quite some time. With all units running either at capacity or very close to it, now is an ideal time to consider becoming involved. Please remember more volunteers are always welcome. If you are female aged between 18 and 65 and feel that you could help out at one of the units - it doesn’t have to be every week; then please do not hesitate to get in touch for an informal chat. Lynn Murphy, Tel: 01330 825936 or E-mail lynnmurphy100@hotmail.co.uk 2

Maryculter Guides

1st Maryculter Cubs

What a fun packed time we have been having at Guides since the summer. First was the launch of our Centenary Year at Crathes Castle - see the picture below. We’ve been working towards our World Guiding badge - making campfire blankets and friendship pins, learning about our world flag by playing games and singing Guide songs from around the world. At the Kincardine and Deeside AGM in October we were invited to entertain the group so some of us went along and presented a small show. We had a joint Halloween party with the Brownies, making decorations and menus themed for the occasion. We played games in the dark, sang spooky songs but the best bit has to be the sausage sizzle! Two Guides went to the Scottish World Thinking Day celebrations held at the Royal Highland Showground in Ingliston, Edinburgh. We celebrated the day with 1500 other Rainbows, Brownies, Guides and Senior Section, learning about Guiding around the world as well taking part in dance workshops.

Maryculter Cubs pack has had an active time since the last newsletter with a camping weekend at Templars’ Park in September, a cycling outing in the Kingcausie Estate and two night hikes to make the most of the the snowy conditions in Maryculter Woods. We also had a second visit to Grampian Fire Service, this time to their Altens base for a tour around their facilities and fire-fighting equipment. Indoor activities have included building dens and making guys to be thrown on the bonfire during our traditional Halloween / Guy Fawkes sleepover at the Scout Hut. The Cubs have also completed their Cyclist and Road Safety badges and have embarked on another round of Chef and Home Help tasks to complement those achieved by the older boys last year. Looking forward we will have a visit by an expert on birds of prey along with some of his charges and we will be making the overnight trip to Muir Cottage near Braemar again after the Easter break for some more outdoor activities. We are also trying to make sure that the senior Cubs cover the full range of tasks to qualify them for the six main Challenge badges leading to the Chief Scout’s Silver Award before they move on to Scouts or elsewhere. Numbers have fluctuated recently with some members leaving and then a new intake coming from Beavers and beyond, but we would particularly like to encourage more Cubs from Banchory Devenick to join the group, so that the distribution is more evenly spread across the catchment area and associated schools.

We plan our own activities at weekly meetings, so for Pancake Day we tried making pancakes on an old tin can with only a tea light for heat. It did sort of work. The last Promise Night we held had an international theme tasting different foods from around the world. The busy schedule is going on with a trip ice skating in March, a visit to Aberdeen airport in April, a swim at Stonehaven outdoor pool in June and finally summer camp in July! What a year! Morag Lister, Guider Tel: 07849 315203 Email:moraglister@yahoo.co.uk

Beavers The Beavers meet every Tuesday from 5.30 pm to 7.00 pm in the Scout and Guide hut behind Maryculter Church. We enjoy a programme of crafts, cooking, stories and games and are currently working towards our Hobbies badge. When the light nights arrive we will get out at last to the Glebe Park and the woods for some more adventurous activities and games. We always seem to need more leaders. Here is an opportunity for a multi-talented, extremely fit graduate in child psychology with a never-ending supply of programme ideas to join our team.....or we would be delighted with anyone over 16 with enthusiasm and who is available on a Tuesday evening. Please contact Kathleen Paterson Tel: 868676 for more details on Beaver activities,

The Cubs meet on Mondays from 6.15 to 7.45pm. The pack is currently close to capacity and we give priority to boys moving up from Beavers. For further information contact: David Kirk Tel: 869006, Bill Caffyn Tel: 734080, Dave Burslem Tel: 732819, Chris Grinyer Tel: 732324, John Henderson Tel: 07810 327999 or Andrew Warnock Tel:739602

1st Maryculter Scouts After the long freeze the Scouts are looking forward to some spring camping and hiking. The winter months have been spent practicing First Aid, cooking, knotting and all the other skills needed for outdoor adventures. This summer's main camp is planned for Harris in the Outer Hebrides. I am looking forward to the solitude already and have a feeling mobile phones will not be required! Look for Scarista west of Tarbert on Google Earth - the site is thereabouts and looks a wild and windy place! Next year we hope to arrange a trip abroad so will be doing some fund-raising towards that in the near future. Please support us. Our new trailer arrived in November following a successful lottery application. So far it hasn't had much to do but it will be a great asset for camping and other activities. Although numbers are healthy and we are expecting five Cubs to join us at Easter, we are always open for new members. Information about Scouting on Deeside and Maryculter can be found on the website: www.deesidescouts.org or from myself, Les Paterson, Scout Leader Tel: 868676 3

Lairhillock ECO NEWS A Waste Aware Assembly was led b y M e l a n i e Ba ld w in f r o m Aberdeenshire Council and was followed by workshops for P5 – P7. Weekly eco lunchtime meetings continue. Thank you to everyone who handed in yoghurt pots for our bird feeders. They were filled with bird seed and fat and are hanging on the bird tables in our garden to help feed the birds. The rest of the pots will be used for planting. This month we are starting to plant the vegetable seeds. CAN YOU HELP US? We are looking for containers which we can use as mini propagators such as the plastic boxes that muffins come in from the supermarket or boxes with lids which contained fruit. If you have any, don’t throw them away because we can re-use them. There is a basket under the Eco table for any suitable boxes you find. SCHOOL GARDEN A Tree Planting session was held on Saturday 13 March 2010. The school takes part in the RHS campaign for school gardening and received £500 in gardening vouchers when it reached level 3. We also take part in the Generation Green project www.generationgreen.co.uk and have just achieved our ‘leaf” goal and so will shortly be receiving various gifts including a bird box with a camera in. Monday Morning Community Gardening Sessions start at 9.30am with a coffee break at 10.30 and finish around 11.45. In addition, there will be two open sessions on Saturdays May 8 and June 5 from 2 to 5pm and all are welcome to come and take part. There will be an official opening of the school garden in the last week of June. Over the next term we will be gardening with the school children each week, planting fruit, vegetables and flowers. The Maryculter Brownies will also be coming to help in the garden to work towards one of their badges. Further information from Nicola Oakey, Tel: 735385 or Kate Martin, Tel: 739843 HEALTH Pupils, parents and staff were asked to complete questionnaires to enable the school to draw up a Health Action Plan. The priority areas identified from the questionnaires were Accident Prevention, Food and Health and Drugs. PC Harry Russell, School Police Liaison Officer has started working with P1 - P4 on ‘Stranger Danger’ and will work with Nursery children next term. PC Russell will focus on Drugs, Alcohol and Smoking with P5 - P7 after Easter. P6 will be doing Cycling Training when the P7 class are on their Residential Trip. FOOD TECHNOLOGY New resources have been ordered to enhance the weekly cooking sessions which continue to be extremely popular with pupils. Nursery children recently made feta and chive scones! The children in P2-3 prepared a meal from start to finish and have learned so many skills as a result. We are very grateful to the parent volunteers who give up their time to enhance the children’s learning

School SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY The whole school – nursery to Primary - visited Satrosphere in February and was thoroughly enjoyed by everyone. The K’Next workshops, kindly paid for by the Parent Council, were very well received by the children and staff. P4 – P6 pupils took part in the K’Nex Challenge which involves the children working in pairs to produce a specific design solution for a problem and then build it using K’Nex. Craig Anderson, P7 and Matthew Stewart, P6 were chosen to go forward to the next stage of the Challenge. All classes, including nursery, continue to learn about Forces through fun learning activities. SCOTS POETRY WINNERS Mrs Mary Swinton judged the competition recently and was impressed by the quality of the recitations. The whole school celebrated Burns Day with a traditional meal of haggis, neeps and tatties. Leigh Anne McIntre played the bagpipes and Lachlan Kirk, Kiera McNamee, Ryan Silvers and Yasoda Winmill-Hermann gave the ‘Address to the Haggis’ - see picture

RELIGIOUS AND MORAL EDUCATION Classes are learning about different faiths and beliefs. Primary 1 children celebrated Chinese New Year by cooking noodles, then using chopsticks to eat them, making Chinese dragon and lion masks and performing a dragon dance to traditional Chinese music. A colourful display is on show outside their classroom. Mrs Blair’s class have been finding out about Judaism and have a variety of artefacts on display in their classroom. Marian Youngson, Head Teacher Tel: 01569 732520 E-mail: marian.youngson@aberdeenshire.gov.uk Lairhillock School Football There is not much to report on the school football teams this season because we have managed to play just two league games since September. In over 10 years of schools football I have never known so many games be postponed, first at the start of the year for waterlogged pitches, and then more recently for snowed-under or frozen pitches. Having the games hall at the school has at least meant that we have been able to carry on training indoors every Thursday evening, and all that practicing the fancy footwork in small-sided games paid off in the one competition that was not cancelled. The Mid Deeside Small Schools League indoor 5 aside tournament was held at Banchory Sports Centre in February and the Lairhillock A-team ran out deserving winners against Kincardine O’Neil in the final. We have some very promising players this year from P2 through to P7, so here’s hoping they get the chance to allow our backlog of games to be played. Stephen Davies 4

Banchory-Devenick School The Christmas Clear Out ran very smoothly and was thoroughly enjoyed by all the pupils. A grand total of £57.89 was raised for Marvin. Shell Science Workshops There will be a different workshop for each class as follows: P1/2 – Toys, P3/4 – Toys, P5/6/7 – Balloon Buggies. Melodrama The P5/6/7 class performed a melodrama for parents on Tuesday 9th March. I would like to thank Mrs Petrie, Drama Specialist, for putting together the show with the children and helping them with props/costumes and make-up. The performance went very well and was thoroughly enjoyed by all. A collection was taken for the Eradication of Polio through the Rotary Club. The sum of £50.02 was raised and was presented to Mr Sproul from the Rotary Club. Active Schools Run Balmoral: Saturday April 24 Calling all enthusiastic parents and children to book Saturday 24th April in your diaries and come along and take part in Run Balmoral. If you don't fancy signing up for the running come along and support all the participants as well as taking part in the fringe events and activities that will be running throughout the day! Please go to www.runbalmoral.com for more event information and to process online applications or Tel: 01467 628283 for more event information or an application form. Active Schools - Cricket Scotland Volunteer workshop A Cricket Scotland workshop has been organised for Monday 19th April in Newtonhill School 4.15pm6.15pm. If you have an interest in cricket and would like to give a helping hand when cricket is run in the school for the children, then please contact Sarah Fettes, Active Schools Coordinator for more information or an informal chat. Attendance at the workshop does not commit you to delivery at the school. The workshop will look at the basic skills and games that can be played with children and will increase your confidence when delivering to a group of children! Choices for Life ‘Choices for Life’ aims to help equip children with the right information so they can make the right choices at the right time. It is an information programme around different substances including some illegal drugs, alcohol and tobacco. Supporting materials are provided to schools to complement work already ongoing and to act as discussion points around what pupils will see and hear at the event. SFL Staff Mrs McCrimmon, SFL Teacher, will be leaving at the Easter Holidays. I would like to thank her for all her hard work. Cycling Proficiency The cycle training for the P6 pupils will start in May. If

you are disclosured and would like to help with this please contact the school office. Nicola Harper, Road Safety Officer, will co-ordinate this and support volunteers. Joyce Hill, Head Teacher, Tel: 875237 E-mail: joyce.hill@aberdeenshire.gov.uk School Garden The Banchory-Devenick School Grounds group plan to grow our own flowers, some for the garden and the remainder for the end of summer term sale. Nasturtiums and sunflowers, which gave lots of colour last year, will be planted just before the Easter holiday and we will take cuttings of osteospernums and pink daisies when we return to school. We will also produce potatoes, orange, yellow and purple carrots, onions, beans and lettuce in the vegetable garden. We are going to make bug hotels from recycled wood and using hollow plant stems from our garden. This will give the insects somewhere to live next winter. We plan to publicise our efforts by producing a garden report for local circulation. Christie Milne (P7)

HOME DELIVERIES Fruit and Vegetables Neil Gammie, Fernieflatt Farm, Kinneff delivers vegetables, eggs (and fruit in season) on Tuesdays and Fridays. Orders must be in the day before delivery. Tel: 01569 750374 or 07790 558880 E-mail: fernieflat@aol.com

Fish George Fairweather delivers west of the B979 road on Thursday mornings and east of the road on Friday mornings. Tel: 07974 311326

Coal J.H. Roberts from Auchenblae can deliver orders in our area on Monday mornings. Tel: 01561 320335

Mud Pies Weekly woodland activities for 2 to 5* year olds and their adults to discover nature and explore and play outdoors. Tollohill Woods, Banchory-Devenick Come for some adventures around this wonderful wood to find out about Spring wildlife, make things to take home and have fun playing in the great outdoors! Course 1: Mondays 12 April to 17 May Course 2: Mondays 7 to 28 June Times: 10-11.15am, 12.15-1.30pm, 2- 3.15pm. Contact Mandy Tulloch: 07929 465680 or visit www.mudpieadventures.co.uk to book In partnership with Banchory and Leggart Estates and the North East Forest Education Initiative. Further sessions running in other City and Shire woods throughout 2010. * 5 year olds not yet in P1

CLUBS AND SOCIETIES Maryculter WRI

Glendale Football Club

Meetings are at 7.30pm on the second Wednesday of each month in the Corbie Hall, Maryculter between August and May. We look forward to monthly competitions, a variety of speakers and a Bring and Buy sale. See our programme on the back page. New members will be very welcome. Secretary, Christine Middleton Tel: 861513

Cookney Bowling Club

The 2009-2010 season – has it started yet? Here we are in early March and yet again it is stop/start/stop with only four games having been played since December 6. Firstly floods then frosts and then we were deluged by snow. With only twelve league games played and fourteen still to go, this, combined with Cup competitions will undoubtedly mean the season lasts well into June. This may lead to the shortest close season for many a long time. On a sadder note we report the passing of Charles Abel Summers - Charlie or more simply Mr Glendale. Charlie, a very well known local resident for many a year, was the founding father of the Club back in 1972. He slowly built up the Club from meagre beginnings over thirty plus years, taking teams through Juvenile, Under 27 and finally into Amateur Leagues. Along the way the team has played out of various Council pitches, before Charlie finally managed to secure tenure of a pitch at his long term home of Blairs College. This pitch, hated by opponents for its sheer size and slope, saw many interesting games and outcomes, but never the League title that he craved. However, Charlie did manage to see his beloved Glendale lift their first League title back in May 2009, and though no longer actively involved in the weekly workings of the club, took great pride in celebrating this feat. As the wee man always said, “If success is portrayed by the amount of trophies that are in your cupboard, then we have not done too well. But if you measure it by the camaraderie, loyalty and affection that has been cemented over the years by this club, then we must be a Super Club indeed”.

We meet in Cookney Hall twice a week at 7.30pm to

Jim Grant, Tel: 867512

Netherley WRI We meet in the Lairhillock School on the third Monday of each month at 7.30pm, excluding June and July. See the Events section on the back page for our summer programme. New members will be most welcome. Secretary, Margaret Carmichael Tel: 01569 764330

Friendship Club We’ve had a successful winter programme although the snowy weather caused us to cancel the January meeting. The winter session will end on April 1 with a soup and sandwich lunch in the Maryculter Church Hall at 12.30pm. Our fundraising whist drive is on Friday April 23 at 7.30pm in the Corbie Hall - so do come along and join the friendly atmosphere and banter. Our summer bus outings on the first Thursday of the month start in May when we plan to visit Pluscarden Abbey, a garden centre, Culross in Fife, Glenesk Museum and a heather centre. The syllabus will be available soon. Contacts: Anne, Tel: 732071 and Peggy, Tel: 734888

enjoy games of carpet bowls. Monday is competition evening while Thursday is a ‘hat night’. The club is thriving with 29 members now and we are all delighted with improved hall facilities. Our season finishes at the end of April, starting again in mid September and new members are always welcome.

President: Arthur Durward Tel: 319701

Yoga Yoga instruction is available both privately and in small groups on Tuesdays and Thursdays at Blairs. For more information contact Ilse Elders Tel: 868301

Dee Vale Ladies Football Club Dee Vale Ladies FC switched home pitch to Corbie Park for the 2009 season. This proved to be a good move as the team won the SWFL North Divison 2 League for the first time in their history. With a current squad of 25 players aged from 18 to 40 new players are always welcome. The team currently train indoors on a Wednesday evening at Cults Primary School and play league games on a Sunday afternoon at Corbie Park. If you are interested in finding out more about the team either as a potential player, committee member, sponsor or fan please E-mail Rhoda at deevalefc@yahoo.co.uk

Dog Clubs Ardoe Hall’s fate has not yet been determined. Until then two clubs continue to meet there at 7.30pm. Tuesday Thursday

The Bon Accord Kennel Club Tel: Susan Stewart, 01330 860569 Training for Showing Group Tel: Betty Munro, 632856

There is also a Dog Training School in Cookney Hall on Wednesday evenings Yvonne Reid, Tel: 865249 6

LEISURE ACTIVITIES Drum Castle Our nearest National Trust property with grounds and woodland walks open all year from 9.30am until sunset. Castle opening dates and times: April 2-5 Easter weekend from 11am -5pm May, June and September - 11am - 5pm but closed on Tuesdays and Wednesdays July and August - 11am - 5pm daily The Garden of Historic Roses will be open from 10am to 6pm daily between April 2 and October 31. Sunday events include: May 2 May Day: Alice in Wonderland theme June 6 SSPCA dog event July 4 Rose Garden Party July 25 Jaguar car extravaganza Sept. 3 Bats at Drum There will be two outdoor performances by the Illyria Touring Company, when you should phone to book. Thursday June 24 Romeo and Juliet Friday July 30 Pride and Prejudice Bring a picnic with you for a memorable evening. Tel: 01330 811204 www.nts.org.uk

Gardens open for Charities Two gardens in our area will be open by appointment under the Scotland’s Gardens Scheme this summer. Please phone to arrange mutually suitable visiting times. Blairwood House Garden, June 21 to late September This is a lovely medium sized garden, designed to sit comfortably in the surrounding countryside, providing colour and interest throughout the year without requiring too much maintenance. It contains a small, well packed herbal garden, a sunken patio, and an area planted on a landfill site. Location: Just off the South Deeside Road (B9077) opposite the entrance to Blairs Museum. No toilet facilities or teas but refreshments are available in nearby hotels. Mrs. Elders, Tel: 868301 Gregellen House May 10 to June 13, 2-5pm This former Victorian manse has one and a half acres of garden encompassing herbaceous borders, lawns, rockeries and an alpine house with a wide range of interesting and unusual plants. These include azaleas, meconopsis, peonies and rhododendrons - all at their best when the garden is open in late spring. Location: Turn off the South Deeside Road (B9077) by Banchory-Devenick Church and head uphill to the Tjunction. Turn left here and the garden is a short distance along on your left. Teas and toilets. Mr and Mrs W. McGregor, Tel: 861090

Aberdeen Aeromodellers Club The club owns a 6.5 acre grass flying field at Hare Moss, Banchory-Devenick and is permitted to fly from 9am to 7pm on weekdays, and 10am to 7pm at weekends. The midweek fliers get together on Monday, Wednesday and Friday mornings. Visitors are always welcome, but please contact a member on arrival and ask for an explanation of site safety procedures. The Scottish Model Helicopter National Championship will be held there on June 12-13. www.aamfc.org

Storybook Glen With over 100 nursery rhyme and fairytale characters in 28 acres of rolling parkland, self-service restaurant, garden centre and gift shop, this is an interesting and attractive venue for a family outing. Opening times are from 10am to 6pm daily with season tickets available. Tel: 732941 www.storybookglenaberdeen.co.uk

Kupso Martial Arts Classes for primary-age children are held from 4.30-5.30pm on Wednesdays in Lairhillock School. £4 per session but one trial lesson free. Emma Lester-Smith, Tel: 0776 125 7965 www.kupso.com

Reading Circle We are a small group who meet every six to eight weeks to discuss selected books in each other’s homes over afternoon tea. Our tastes range from the classics to new publications and varied opinions prove stimulating. If you are interested please contact; Muriel Tel: 01569 730302 or Sheila Tel: 01569 731608

Blairs Museum This has been closed due to water damage decisions on to re-opening are expected soon. Contact the manager or access the website for further information. Blairs Museum, South Deeside Road, Aberdeen AB12 5YQ Manager/Curator: Ian Forbes, Tel: 863767 E-mail: manager@blairsmuseum.com www.blairsmuseum.com

We are trying to buy a house in this area (Netherley, Cookney, Durris, Rickarton etc.) to be close to our family who have been here for over 20 years. A relatively small or old house or one needing work with 2 or 3 bedrooms would suit . If you know of anybody selling a suitable property any time this year, please let us know.

Margaret and Guillaume Winmill-Hermann Tel: 07900 963095 mej.w@btopenworld.com 7

Corbie Park and Community Hall Maryculter

MARYCULTER COMMUNITY HALL AND CORBIE PLAYING FIELD situated on South Deeside Road next to the Old Mill Inn

This year so far has been a struggle. The field has been flooded repeatedly, bridge embankments washed away and moles undermined the pitch too! With that and the additional cost of upgrading our fire alarm installation and emergency lighting our finances have been going backwards of late.

An ideal venue for Children’s Parties, Meetings, Ceilidhs, Coffee Mornings, Concerts, Dance and Exercise Classes Available afternoons, evenings and weekends.

It is even more important therefore that we have you, the Community's, support and that the hall is used as fully as possible. We have prepared the advert on the right that gives ideas of what the hall can be used for. Please consider this local facility if you are arranging an event. Maryculter Playgroup continues to make daily use of the Hall and we hope the children enjoy the space and freedom at Corbie. We expect a busy football season from now on as all the postponed games will still have to be played. You are always welcome to come down and support our home teams. We are delighted that Deeside Girls won their league last year using the Corbie Park as their home base. Carol Masson, booking secretary Tel: 733583

Facilities include Kitchen with Cooker, Microwave, Kettle/Urn, Crockery and Cutlery Tables and chairs for 80 people Toilets (including disabled) Disabled entrance to Hall. The Changing Rooms and Showers are separate and can accommodate 2 teams of 15. For further information or to book an event Please contact Booking Secretary Carol Masson Telephone 01224 733583

Friends of Cookney Hall Since the last edition of the South Deeside View, the progress on the Hall has continued. The work in the refurbished kitchen and toilets is virtually complete with the finishing touches being attended to. Attention has now turned to the interior of the Hall itself, with the focus being on the wall cladding and floor surfaces. At the time of writing potential contractors are being contacted for quotes. Despite all the work that has gone on, the Hall has been used in recent weeks for bowling, dance classes, birthday parties and a Burns Supper. We are having a Stovie Dance on Saturday April 24 with music from Ian Isaac’s Sound. Tickets costing £9 from Joyce Murison, Tel: 01569 731236 or any committee member.

Please help to support Maryculter Playgroup and raise much needed funds for FREE when shopping online with over 600 popular retailers including Amazon, Next, Argos, M&S, John Lewis, Comet, Curry’s, Vodafone, DELL and many more - they give us up to 15% http://easyfundraising.org.uk/maryculterplaygroup

Maryculter House Hotel Forthcoming Events 2010

Gourmet evenings

If you have any suggestions for facilities which you would like to see incorporated into the Hall, please let us know. They say more hands make light work and we would always welcome any new folk to assist, so if you feel you have a little time to spare and would like to get involved, please feel free to get in touch with me for further details. Do consider Cookney Hall for future events. Availability, further information and booking can be obtained from Willie Angus. Tel: 01569 730123; wangus@ukgateway.net Bob McKinney, Tel: 01569 730706; bob8930@aol.com

Sundays 11th and 18th April 2010 8 course Gourmet menu - £32.50 pp Special offer - If your food and beverage bill comes to more than £85.00 for 2 people, stay the night free in our luxury 4 star deluxe bedrooms including breakfast (based on 2 people sharing) Wine tasting Evenings Friday 23rd April 2010 5 course dinner with wines to compliment each course and our Wine Expert only £69.95pp including Bed & Breakfast Free dates for corporate Barbecues in 2010 Sundays June 6 and 20, Saturday June 12, Sunday September 12

To book places or for further information, call 01224 732124 or E-mail: conferences@maryculterhousehotel.com

RESURRECTION TIMES AT BANCHORYDEVENICK PARISH KIRK During the first half of the 19th century, the practice of body lifting prevailed to a considerable extent. People abhorred such proceedings and they erected watchhouses in churchyards and used various means to prevent grave desecration. Banchory-Devenick churchyard, being near Aberdeen, was among those that were frequently visited by body snatchers. The following is an extract taken from “History of the Parish of Banchory-Devenick” by John A. Henderson, dated 1890: “In the beginning of the century, owing to each student of medicine being required before qualifying as a doctor to furnish a body for dissecting purposes, various expedients were fallen upon to meet the demand. The usual one followed, however, was that of exhuming and stealing newly interred bodies out of the country churchyards. The persons engaged in the nefarious trade went by the name of “Resurrectionists” and such a feeling of terror and alarm did they instil in the minds of the common orders throughout the country that in the end it became imperative, not only for the Legislature to pass strong measures of repression, but for each parish, independently, to take steps for guarding the graves of their newly buried dead. So expeditiously and at the same time so secretly were the thefts committed however, that in spite of all the vigilance of watchers, bodies were repeatedly lifted and carried off. On a dark and wintry night in the year 1813, three medical students from Aberdeen visited the churchyard of Banchory-Devenick for the fixed purpose of removing a body, which had that day been interred. The relations of the deceased however were on the outlook and secured the three, after a stiff tussle. They were carried to Stonehaven and committed to prison on the double charge of attempting to steal a dead body and for an assault upon the watchers. At the trial, which afterwards took place before the sheriff, their guilt was clearly established and they were ordered to pay a fine of £20. This amount having been recovered, the procurator-fiscal handed over a considerable proportion of the fine for behoof of the poor of the parish. For the comfort and protection of watchers, a small building

was erected on the south side of the churchyard. As many poor people could not afford to pay the expense of “watching”, the late Mr. George Barclay builder, Cults, designed and got cast two massive iron chests or safes – coffin-shaped – each weighing about nineteen hundredweight*, for placing around the coffin when lowered into the grave. The iron safe was lowered by block-and-tackle, and being correctly set, the grave was filled up. Six weeks later, when it was considered that decomposition had made such progress as to preclude the chance of a visit from the “body-snatchers”, the grave was again opened and the safe removed. These safes of Mr. Barclay’s were likewise used in many of the neighbouring churchyards, but by the passing of the Act of Parliament, ordering all unclaimed bodies to be delivered up for purposes of dissection, their further use was happily unnecessary.” Note: One of the iron safes (* around 970 kilograms) and the watch building remain in the cemetery. “History of the Parish of Banchory-Devenick” is available to borrow from Stonehaven Library, Evan Street, Stonehaven.

NORTH BURNSIDE KENNELS AND CATTERY

“where part of your family becomes part of ours” Tel 01224 733474 Netherley Road, Burnside, Maryculter 9

Banchory-Devenick & Maryculter-Cookney Parish Church Minister: Rev. Heather Peacock Tel: 730150 E-mail: hmpeacock@btinternet.com The Church Office Tel: 735983 E.mail:the churchoffice@tiscali.co.uk Morning Service and Sunday School at 10.30am 1st, 3rd and 5th Sundays of the month at Maryculter-Cookney Church and 2nd and 4th Sundays at Banchory Devenick Church Easter Services April 1, Showing of the film ‘The Passion’ in Maryculter church Hall at 7pm, entrance free April 2, Good Friday 7.30pm, Maryculter Church April 4, Easter Sunday 10.30am, Maryculter Church

Rebuilding Lives God has a plan for the physical, emotional and spiritual reconstruction of the community we serve. In the Sunday services after Easter we will be studying the Bible books of Ezra and Nehemiah for God’s insight into how we can reconstruct the church; that is the buildings, and the people and the community which we are called by God to serve. Bible Study and Prayer Group Wednesday from 7.30-9.30pm in the Happy Lounge Contact Rev. Heather Peacock House Groups meet on the 2nd and 4th Monday of each month from 7.30pm-9.30pm for bible study, prayer and fellowship Contact Joan Thorne, Tel: 783834 for the B-D group or Joyce Mackintosh, Tel:733495 for the M-C group The Guild We meet on the first Monday of the month at 7.30pm from September to November and February to May. New members always welcome to come along and hear interesting speakers, enjoy fellowship and a cup of tea. The annual supper rally will be held on May 5 at Ardoe House Hotel , and national AGM on August 28 in the Caird Hall, Dundee Further details from Sheila Bissett, Tel: 01569 731708 Youth Café Thursday 7-9pm in the Church Hall. Fun, friendship and snacks for P 7 to S 6 pupils. After a successful outing last year, we are returning to the Compass Christian Outdoor Centre at Glenshee for the weekend of May 28-30.

Alpha Course An opportunity for anyone to explore the Christian faith in a relaxed setting over ten thought provoking weekly sessions. The most recent course has been a great success with 4 leaders and 11 guests, some of whom were church members and some not. Different volunteers from church and community cooked and served the two course meal each week, and we were extremely well satisfied. As well as enjoying food and fellowship we also enjoyed food for our souls. It was great to see all participants grow in their faith as they found out more about what it is to live a Christian life and shared their own thoughts and doubts in the small groups. The Alpha Course will be running again from September 2010. To make enquiries or register please contact Joan Thorne Tel: 783834

Fair Trade shop Open Monday to Friday 9am-noon for coffee, tea, chocolate, sugar, dried fruit, biscuits and more.

Maryculter Kirk Hall and its extensions are available for hire to local groups for only £5 an hour. The half acre Glebe Field is being used by the church community and uniformed organisations. If anyone wishes to hire the field, please contact the minister or Anne Massie, Tel: 732071 Keep up to date with church news on our website www.bdmc-parish.org.uk and by reading Church Corner in the Deeside Piper and Mearns Leader. Scottish Charity Number Sc013648 CCl 573608

Community Coffee Fresh coffee and home bakes £2 Maryculter Church Hall Every second Wednesday from April 14 10am till noon Why not come and join us for a chat over a cup of tea or coffee and a fine piece in a warm and friendly atmosphere Everyone welcome

Grampian Police

ST. TERNAN’S SCOTTISH EPISCOPAL CHURCH, MUCHALLS St. Ternan’s is the northern-most Scottish Episcopal Church in the Diocese of Brechin. We are part of the world-wide Anglican communion. The Church is to the west of the A90 about a mile from Muchalls village on the Causey Mounth, where the road branches off to Cookney and Netherley. St. Ternan’s continues to operate with a Ministry Team under the direction of Rev. Michael Sabell as Priest in Charge. The Ministry team is made up as follows: Rev. Michael Sabell 01569 730625 George Masson 01224 733583 John Usher 01569 731608 The church is open every day from 10am until 3pm. You are welcome to join us in worship at the 10.30am Family Eucharist on Sundays. Weekly services are held on major Saint Days and are advertised on the Church Notice Boards and in the magazine. Our new heating system has been a great asset over this very cold winter. As soon as the weather allows, we will be in a position to start building our extension which will consist of kitchen, toilets and a Community Meeting Room. This should be complete by the end of July. A Quiz and Meal has been organised in Muchalls Village Hall on April 24 and our Annual Garden Fete will take place on June 19. Please contact any of the above Ministry team for help or information on marriages, baptisms, funerals, pastoral visiting etc.

As I have been unable to meet some of you personally, I thought I had better introduce myself. I am Constable Neil McHattie your Police Liaison Officer based at the Portlethen Police Office and took over from Kirsty Lawie in late 2009. I am 41 years old, married with two daughters and have been a Police Officer for 22 years. During this time I have been fortunate to experience policing in many different areas of the region including Banff, Ellon and Deeside and city areas such as Torry and Fonthill. For the past twelve years I have been in the Traffic and Specialist Support Departments in Aberdeen and returned to front line policing in Stonehaven in September 2008. Since taking over from Kirsty late in 2009 I have taken time to have a look around the North Kincardineshire area and to familiarise myself with what makes the area thrive. Whilst it may be a combination of many factors, the one overriding aspect is the sense of community. So what can Grampian Police do for you? We recognise that consensual policing is critical in meeting the expectations of our communities and that only by working closely in partnership with those we serve can we achieve long-term community reassurance and wellbeing. We strive to make the most effective and efficient use of the resources available and will engage in regular dialogue with our communities to utilise our own experience and knowledge to prioritise our objectives. I attend Community Council meetings when possible or send them monthly updates of police activity in the area. Grampian Police do not issue magic wands but I will try my best to ensure that you enjoy your community in safety. Please do not hesitate to contact me: Neil.McHattie@grampian.pnn.police.uk or Tel: 0845 600 5700

14 , Aberdeen Tel: 01224 632464 Ballater Road, Aboyne, Aberdeenshire Tel: 013398 87665

St Mary’s Chapel, Blairs Easter services are: Thursday April 1 Holy Thursday at 7pm Friday April 2 Good Friday at 7pm Saturday April 3 Easter vigil at 8pm Sunday April 4 Easter Day at 9am Mass is held every Sunday morning at 9am to which all are invited. Father George Hutcheon Tel: 876704 Deacon Peter Macdonald Tel: 780351 11

RAGWORT The Ragwort plant, Senecio jacobaea is a pretty yellow, knee-high plant which flowers from July to September, but is absolutely deadly to livestock, especially to horses because it contains pyrrolizidine alkaloids. The one saving grace is that it doesn’t taste good but once cut and dried is edible and still retains its toxicity. These toxic compounds principally cause damage to the liver that can lead to death. It is most important, therefore, that humans take precautions when handling the plant i.e. wear gloves and face mask. When a horse eats Ragwort, the pyrrolizidine alkaloids it contains are absorbed and pass to the liver where they produce toxins that damage liver cells. When these cells die they are replaced by fibrous tissue and a point is eventually reached where there are not enough liver cells left to maintain liver function. By this time, liver failure is inevitable. Therefore, consuming small amounts over a long period of time is just as dangerous as consuming a large amount in a single session. Sadly, for the horse displaying clinical signs, bizarre or depressed behaviour, jaundice, weight loss, diarrhoea and photosensitisation (inflammation of unpigmented areas of skin when exposed to sunlight) it is too late – liver failure has occurred. That is why it is imperative to control Ragwort and it comes under two Government Acts – The Weeds Act (1959) and The Control of Ragwort Act (2003). The responsibility for the control rests with the occupier of the land on which it is growing. Similar legislation exists under the devolved administrations. Under the latter named Act, DEFRA produced a Code of Practice, giving guidance on how to prevent the spread of Ragwort – this should be essential reading for all of us involved with farming or horses, and copies can either be ordered directly from DEFRA or from the British Horse Society.

risk posed by growing Ragwort e.g. prevailing winds, topography, shelterbelts and soil type must all be considered when assessing risk. The key point to be borne in mind is the likelihood of Ragwort spreading to land used for grazing, and/or the production of feed or forage.

Ragwort rosette in late spring The Code of Practice states that, where a high risk is identified, immediate action to control the spread of Ragwort must be taken, and that where the risk is classified as either high or medium, an appropriate control programme should be implemented to ensure that the level of risk does not escalate. No immediate action is required where the risk is low but, given the ability of the wind to disperse Ragwort seeds, it can be considered good practice to implement a control programme even on low risk sites.

The British Horse Society in its Ragwort Awareness Campaign gives a Code of Practice as follows: “The Code of Practice sets out three categories as guidelines for assessing the risk posed by Ragwort. Where Ragwort is present on land, the occupier should use these categories to determine the extent of action required: High Risk: Ragwort is present and flowering/seeding within 50m of land used for grazing by horses and other animals or land used for feed/forage production Medium Risk: Ragwort is present within 50m to 100m of land used for grazing by horses and other animals or land used for feed/forage production Low Risk: Ragwort, or the land on which it is present, is more than 100m from land used for grazing by horses and other animals or land used for feed/forage production These categories must be seen only as guidelines, however, as there are many factors that determine the

Ragwort flowers - July to September When the presence of Ragwort poses a high risk to horses, other livestock or the production of conserved forages, DEFRA will take enforcement action under The Weeds Act (1959). Before DEFRA take action, it is expected that an informal approach will be made to the landowner or occupier by the complainant. Should this fail to elicit remedial action, the relevant DEFRA Rural Development Service Office should be notified.” Every year, we dig out Ragwort from our fields making sure we extract all the root and although the fields are clean when we finish – back they come again the next year as the Ragwort is a biennial plant. So it is a never ending job – although reducing in the amount of plants coming through each year. Burning is the preferred option for disposal of the pulled plants. 12

The other alternative is to spray with herbicide, although this works best when the plants are young and at the rosette stage. Spring is the ideal time especially if the land is to be used for grazing – however, if it is to be used for forage production, spraying should take place earlier, in the autumn prior to next season’s haymaking. A list of approved chemicals can be found at www.pesticides.gov.uk Spraying should only be carried out by a competent person and a risk assessment undertaken if there is a likelihood of herbicide contaminating a water source. Pasture should be rested following spraying according to the guidelines issued by the herbicide manufacturer. All grazing animals can be contaminated by the plant and although sometimes sheep are used to “clean up” a field – this doesn’t mean that they are immune to the Ragwort – it’s just that their life span is short and the toxicity doesn’t get as long a period to damage the liver. If you have land, please think about the problems that the Ragwort causes and implement some sort of control. Think of the hundreds of horses which graze in our area and could be affected.

MARYCULTER CARRIAGE DRIVING CENTRE Learn the art and tradition of carriage driving Arrive in a horse-drawn carriage for your wedding Enjoy a farm tour and riverside drive Visit our unique carriage collection Bring disabled friends for a drive Let us take you for a drive to mark a special occasion We can do all this and much more with our experienced horses and ponies. We also have a self-contained flat overlooking the River Dee - ideal for business visits or short breaks. Jane and Ewan MacInnes, Home Farm, Maryculter Tel: 01224 732710 and 07889 340362 Email: homefarmmcdc@lineone.net www.marycultercarriages.co.uk

There is a positive side to Ragwort - at least 30 insect species (and 14 fungi species) are entirely reliant on it, and about a third of the insects are scarce or rare. Ragwort is also a critically important nectar source for hundreds of species of butterflies, bees, moths, flies and other invertebrates, helping to maintain what remains of their much declined populations in the UK countryside. However there is plenty of Ragwort on road verges and in places far away from grazing animals, so do not feel guilty about cleaning up your own land. Lynda Keeler For further information and advisory literature on Ragwort, contact The British Horse Society Welfare Department on 01926 707791 or via e-mail: welfare@bhs.org.uk. DEFRA may be contacted on 08459 335577

PILATES CLASSES SOLVEIG DAHLE SMITH Cert. Pilates. Inst. MAPPI Chartered physiotherapist

PETERCULTER SPORTS CENTRE Mon & Tuesday afternoons Tues, Wed & Thursday evenings CULTS CHURCH Friday mornings Contact details solveig@pilatesaberdeen.com www.pilatesaberdeen.com 13

Maryculter Driving for the Disabled

REPRESENTATION Sir Robert Smith MP

The aim of the Maryculter Driving for the Disabled Group is to give the opportunity of driving a pony/ horse-pulled carriage to any disabled person who might benefit in general health and happiness. We are an independent charity registered in Scotland and a member of the Federation of RDA (Riding for the Disabled including Driving). Our season starts on Wednesday April 21 for the first of two pre-season training days for helpers at the Maryculter Community Hall (Corbie Hall) at 1pm. The second is on April 28 at Maryculter Home Farm courtesy of Jane & Ewan MacInnes again at 1pm, where we will be working with George Masson’s horse ‘Corbie’ and Anne’s pony ‘Xantha’ practicing loading and unloading wheelchairs etc. and also checking all the safety equipment. New helpers will be very welcome to attend. The Driving season starts on Wednesday May 5 at 1pm at Maryculter Home Farm, weather permitting (we cancelled a few sessions last year due to inclement weather, which was unfortunate but necessary for safety reasons). These Wednesday sessions continue weekly throughout the year until September 22 and are made possible by our team of volunteers who consist of Able Bodied Drivers, Helpers, Carers and our team of Tea Ladies who dispense fine home baking and hot and cold drinks. Most drives are from Home Farm apart from three through the Maryculter Woods when we start from the Maryculter Scout Hut. The last day is our barbecue when we invite another group for a Cone Driving competition and Treasure Hunt, a fun day for all with rosettes presented to the winners. Last year our friends from the Garioch Group joined us. The final day of the driving season is a general clean up and inventory of all equipment in preparation for the next year. Our fundraising sale at the Plainstones, Stonehaven will be on Saturday August 28 from 9am till noon. Last year’s event was a great success thanks to all who donated plants, home baking and tombola prizes and all who were involved. If you want to volunteer or have more information contact: George Masson, Chairman, Tel: 733583 or Caroline McTaggart, Secretary: Tel: 734093

We have certainly faced a real winter this year. The continuous periods of cold and amounts of snow have been a real test for those that try to keep our roads open. Not only is there the immediate cost of extra gritting and ploughing, but there is clearly a long term issue of the extensive damage the weather has done. Simple patches will not cure many of the potholes. Whole sections of road are going to need to be rebuilt. This disruption is a reminder about how dependent we have become on the car in rural areas. In urban areas there is more choice of transport options. That crucial role of the car in rural areas is why I have argued that environmental taxes should be flexible. The long term solution, if introduced fairly, would charge more for using a car in an urban area where there is a choice and less in rural areas where there is none. Certainly at times the police have closed roads to all but 4x4 vehicles during some of the more extreme weather. This has confirmed that such vehicles are sometimes a necessity and not always a luxury. Of course the use of cars does cause concern in many rural communities. Traffic calming and speed restrictions in the settled areas would certainly help local residents feel safer when out as pedestrians. I would certainly like to hear from readers of the South Deeside Review about their experience of our local roads and any concerns they have on this or any other issue. Let us hope we are rewarded for this winter experience with a good spring and enjoyable summer. Contact details on back page

Mike Rumbles MSP Once again this has been a busy period at the Scottish Parliament with the key development for our area being the announcement just before Christmas that John Swinney, the Cabinet Secretary for Finance had accepted in full the Reporters' recommendations following the Public Local Inquiry into the Aberdeen Western Peripheral Route. The Cabinet Secretary had had the Reporters' findings since last Summer so I expected that some alterations would be made, but this was not to be. One of the results of this is what I consider to be a very unsatisfactory junction arrangement at the Southern end of the ‘Stonehaven Spur’ which will prevent the people of Stonehaven getting the supermarket they had hoped for. The Cabinet Secretary has said that the road will be built using Public Private Partnership funds and that work is expected to start next year, although question marks remain on both these points. 14

REPRESENTATION cont. Councillor Carl Nelson

Councillor Ian Mollison

It is far better to take action to prevent something serious happening – particularly loss of life – than to take action after the event. When the action required costs millions of pounds, it requires careful consideration, but it can be foolhardy to leave it in the hope that nothing will happen.

Tough times lie ahead for Aberdeenshire Council. We are not immune from the economic turmoil. However, it will be a year before difficult decisions have to taken when we face a reduced government grant. Meanwhile this year council tax has been frozen for a third time. Aberdeenshire will have the 12th lowest council tax in Scotland. That’s a good achievement when you consider that Aberdeen, Edinburgh and Aberdeenshire receive the lowest government grants among the 32 councils.

Two ongoing events come to mind. One is the Bervie Braes in Stonehaven and the other is road traffic accidents. I recall when I first became a councillor on Kincardine and Deeside District Council in 1992 that there was a problem with the Bervie Braes. Several site visits were made by councillors. Every effort was made to raise money to make the Braes safe, including approaching the Government. Hundreds of thousands of pounds were spent on surveys and minor works, but it wasn’t really solving the problem. Eighteen years on the situation is more serious, but we are still waiting for a permanent solution. Now the Scottish Government is taking an interest in recent developments. I only hope for the sake of the residents who live in the shadow of the Bervie Braes that they do something before it’s too late. As for road traffic accidents, over the years I have been requested to have action taken at many junctions. Sadly when I try to get something done I am always asked the same two questions: How many serious accidents have there been? - and - How many people have been killed? Unless the road or junction is an accident black spot there is little that can be achieved. One notable success I did have was on the bends at the Bridge of Muchalls. After many accidents over a number of years major safety improvements were introduced. There are still accidents there, mostly caused by speeding vehicles, but thankfully far fewer than in the past.

Nonetheless the council has had to agree almost £4.5 million of savings for 2010/11, including: £682,000 from Community Wellbeing through nonfilling of vacant posts, a review of services commissioned through partnerships with external agencies, and a review of the range and scope of day provision services; £250,000 from Life Long Learning through a review of the Support for Learners Auxiliary provision; £60,000 from Sustainable Environment by a more efficient use of offices and non-filling vacant posts £100,000 savings by accelerating the transfer of frontline services to the council’s contact centre. The council administration of Lib Dem and Tory councillors is not supporting an increase in nursery provision, or the introduction of free school meals for all primary one to primary three pupils. However we will increase primary class contact time for more than 8,000 children by creating up to 50 teaching jobs. This increase will cost £1.6 million. Savings in education will be made through staff turnover, community learning and development, library services, reductions in budgets devolved to schools for repairs, continuous professional development, and travel and subsistence. To finish on a cheerier note, a further 74 rented council houses are to be built in Aberdeenshire, though the nearest to us will be six in Stonehaven. The government is providing £25,000/unit with the total cost put at £8,800,000.

Each of the four councillors for our area were invited to contribute up to 250 words.

Chairman’s report Well here we are, Spring 2010 in bloom, having survived the worst wintry weather we've seen in recent years. Since the last edition of the South Deeside View in Autumn 2009, several things have changed for the North Kincardine area. One of the highest profile is that the go-ahead for the AWPR has been given, fast link included, though at the time of writing the exact route is still unknown and concerns are being expressed about timescales, where the funding will come from and what the final cost will be. The saga rolls on and is no less a thorny issue now than in the past. How it will all end, time alone will tell but the political will to see the project completed seems more determined than ever. Another important area where changes have occurred, though of a lesser profile, is in the planning system. In September 2009 the new rules came into effect, with the intention of streamlining the planning process. It has been the concern of this and adjacent Community Councils that the downside of these changes is the strict enforcement by Aberdeenshire Council of the 21 day rule for objections. We feel this is too short a period and puts a considerable burden on Community Councils, who may only meet once a month, and on individuals to submit their objections on time, especially where the information provided by the applicant is scant. As I write, the views of Community Councils are being put to Aberdeenshire Council to see if this period can be reviewed and we wait to see which course matters take. Fuller details can be found on the NKRCC website: www.nkrcc.org as well as in the following reports. I am a great believer in everyone having a say in and about their community. To that end we are always keen to have members of the public attend Community Council meetings and, should they wish, become Community Councillors. We speak/ correspond on behalf of residents to statutory bodies such as Aberdeenshire Council, Grampian Police, SEPA and others as well as on such matters as planning and licensing applications which affect the area. NKRCC meets at 7.30pm at the Corbie Hall (next to the Old Mill Inn) on the third Monday evening of each month, except July and December. There is no meeting in July and in December the meeting is usually on the second Monday. Please feel free to come along, perhaps learn a little more of what is going on in your community, and have your say too. Bob McKinney, Chairman

Changes to the Scottish Planning System Now that the new system is in operation, it is worth reminding ourselves of some of the details and highlighting one or two possible snags and what to look out for - whether as applicant, neighbour to a development or as interested resident. The intention, of course, is to speed things up, giving planning officers the power to determine many of the applications previously made by the Area Committee (AC). To recap: the Council now issues Neighbour Notification, not the applicant; individuals now have only 21 days to object; more than 5 objectors will mean that the AC makes the decision, not the planner; appeals against planners’ decisions will be to a Local Review Body (LRB); Local applications must be determined within 2 months; where permission is granted, a start must be made within 3 years. Those are the bare bones of the new system, fuller details of which, including the various exceptions, can be found on our website www.nkrcc.org The important change for most of us is the time limit within which we can object to planning applications. The period has – theoretically – been increased from 14 to 21 days. In practice, this is actually a very much more restrictive deadline because, in the past, the Shire Council was extremely lenient and did not enforce the 14 days. There was effectively no time limit. The Community Council (CC) has also been granted 21 days in which to object or raise concerns, but whereas the Council is prepared to allow ‘some flexibility’ where a CC’s objection is concerned, that will not apply to individuals, the 21-day limit will be enforced. Unfair? Perhaps, but most CCs also see their ‘21 + flexibility’ as insufficient and are actively lobbying for an extension. What is clear is that we must all stay alert and check very carefully on all new planning applications. If you are a ‘Notified Neighbour’ you will know of any development next door, PROVIDING your house is within 20 yards of the application’s site boundary. If there are no neighbouring houses, you will only find out about planning applications if you take the Mearns Leader, or if you check the Shire’s website - they are not published elsewhere. So this is a warning that we should all be alert and check regularly, or any one of us could be caught in the 21-day trap. It is also clear that, where the new rules are concerned, the Scottish Executive (as in so many other things) is taking a very hard line and 16

insisting that Councils apply the rules rigidly, with discretion not permitted. Central Diktat Rules, OK ? You can find the plans on: ww.aberdeenshire.gov.uk/planning/index.asp, then click on Weekly List, Kincardine and Mearns. These are available by Saturday each week and within that (Shire) list can be found any relevant applications for the North Kincardine area. In addition, NKRCC will be soon be publishing this North Kincardine weekly list on our website and should be in operation by the time you read this. Note : One other aspect of the changes - to eliminate the need for planning permission for the more straightforward domestic alterations and extensions has not yet been implemented and will be introduced later. Meanwhile we must all be on our toes. Your Community Council will be interested to hear your view of how the new system is working, whether as applicant, Notified Neighbour or bystander, as we shall be making submissions when (if ?) the Council and the Executive review its first year of operation. Local Development Plan (LDP) Since the last ‘View’ the Plan has slowly progressed further towards its publication and eventual adoption. The original (new) policies were amended, some quite radically, and all six Area Committees then debated them. The recent development bid meeting reached what was, for many, an astonishing decision. There had seemed to be so much time and effort invested in the Banchory-Leggart proposal that it would go through on the nod: not so. There was clearly a feeling among the elected members that a major new town was needed so as to avoid the piecemeal development of the past, though the planners and officers said that B-L had significant advantages over Elsick. In the final analysis however, the councillors’ decision, based in part on what their constituents told them, was to go for Elsick. So, as stated above, you CAN make a difference; consultation does have a part to play; local democracy is alive and kicking. The most striking aspect of the affair was how little discussion was involved in placing 4,500 houses. Stonehaven’s 200 prompted a far more agitated debate, not to mention 10 in Findon. For those of you inclined to celebrate, it would be prudent to keep the champagne on ice for the moment, though. The decision has now to be ratified by another committee, then the full Shire Council will review both the bids and policies of the LDP during May or June and the whole Finalised LDP will be published later this

year. At that stage we shall all have another chance to give our views on any or all aspect(s) of the Plan during the 12-week formal consultation period, after which it will be further amended and then adopted at some point in 2011. Your Community Council has actively contributed to the consultation process so far and will continue so to do in what we believe to be the best interests of our residents. As with the last Plan, we again urge you all to take the opportunity to make your views known to the Council during that 12week period, either individually or during debate at meetings of the Community Council: we CAN make a difference! Developments in the Area As we go to press there are one or two outstanding proposals in the area which are of interest. Alba Power has submitted a planning application to test gas turbines, basically jet engines, at Mill of Monquich, but Alba has submitted no supporting information that would ease anyone’s natural anxiety about potential nuisance. We hope that such information will soon be produced to enable the Council to make an informed decision. Meanwhile the Communuty Council cannot view this proposal with equanimity and has objected to it. (21-day limit well past !). Around the Lairhillock School, the initial bid for 300 houses was amended to 220, and has now been further reduced to 60. That still appears a very ‘suburban’ development - a commuting town - completely at odds with the established pattern of housing in this area as well as being contrary to the Local Plan. (With 280 houses committed at Blairs, it also means that the Lairhillock School would be over capacity.) A full planning application will presumably follow in due course. In respect of the changes to the Planning System mentioned elsewhere in SDV, if this proposal for 60 houses were to become a planning application, it would have to be decided by the Area Committee, not the planners, as it would be a Major Development – see our website. The Community Council naturally checks the Weekly Lists but we would ask that you all do the same, to ensure that any comment you wish to make, on ANY application, is made within the time limit. One final point; at present none of the 23 bids in the North Kincardine area has reached the stage of becoming a formal planning application – not even those which were ‘Preferred’ by the Council. Community Council Letters Our meetings are open to the public and the Minutes are published on our website and Notice Boards. In addition, and for the convenience of all residents, we have now decided that any letters that we write should be published on our website. Recently, that would include the objection to the gas turbine application, a complaint about ragwort at the school site, road repairs and so on. Thus everyone will be able to see what the CC has written on his or her behalf. The most recent letters should be posted by the time that you read this. 17

Lembas Organics We have possibly the largest range of organic fruit and vegetables in the N.E. at

The 300 Club - our local fundraiser Community councillors and some helpful friends managed to wade through snow, slush and rain in January and early February to sell 372 £5 tickets locally. Yes, this is our best effort yet with £1,860 banked. Just to remind you, £685 will be returned to purchasers as monthly cash prizes of £5, £10 and £15, plus £25 in February, May and August, £50 in March, June and October and a huge £100 in December. Draws take place in public during each monthly Community Council meeting and cheques are sent to winners . Cash prize winners since last September are: E. Birch, Banchory-Devenick; J. Cowie, Maryculter; T. Fry, Banchory-Devenick; G. Glennie, Netherley; J. Haigh, Netherley; T. Heale, Maryculter; N. Law, Netherley; E. Mann, Cookney; N. Mauthner, Maryculter; M. Milne, Newtonhill; I Mollison, Newtonhill; T. Mutch, Banchory; J. Ness, BanchoryDevenick; K. Pride, Maryculter; M. Scott, Maryculter; F. Simpson, Maryculter; D. Smith, Banchory-Devenick; S. Smith, Maryculter; T. Storey, Maryculter; I. Tulloch, Maryculter; M. Tulloch, Netherley; G. Robertson, Aberdeen; Thus around £1,200 is available for local good causes so local clubs, societies and groups are invited to apply for grants, giving good reasons. Chances of success are always improved if applicants can outline their case at a meeting of the Community Council. Grants have been given recently to Maryculter Community Hall Association for lighting improvements, Maryculter Driving for the Disabled for trailer repairs, Maryculter Senior Citizens Christmas Party and the Banchory-Devenick and MaryculterCookney Church Youth Café activity weekend fund.

Lorieneen Farm Shop including local and Scottish produce, plus organic cheeses and our own eggs The shop is open Wednesday 12.30—6pm Saturday 9.30am—5pm You will find us signposted on the road between Bridge of Muchalls and Netherley. Lorieneen, Bridge of Muchalls, Stonehaven AB39 3RU Tel/Fax: 01569 731746 Do look up our website for further details www.lembasorganics.co.uk

The Lairhillock Inn and Crynoch Restaurant Netherley Nr. Stonehaven, AB39 3QS Tel: (01569) 730001 Fax: (01569) 731175 Email: info@lairhillock.co.uk Web: www.lairhillock.co.uk THE LAIRHILLOCK INN IS OPEN 7 DAYS A WEEK

Dingle Dell Gift and Garden Centre

Community Council Secretary: Robert Keeler, Howieshill, Netherley, Stonehaven AB39 3SN Tel: 01569 764436 E.mail: secretary@nkrcc.org.uk Website: www.nkrcc.org.uk

Storybook Glen, Maryculter, Aberdeen Tel: 01224 732941 OPEN ALL YEAR, SEVEN DAYS A WEEK Garden equipment Good quality hardy plants Children’s toys and gifts Pet food Large selection of cards and candles Large free car park No entry charge for visiting the Garden Centre or restaurant

Free coffee on production of this advert

The Scottish Government announced in December, just after the Copenhagen climate talks had finished, that it intended to go ahead with the Aberdeen Western Peripheral Route. The new road will, by the Government’s own figures, bring about a nine percent increase in emissions of carbon dioxide as well as causing massive environmental damage. Figures from Transport Scotland’s own analysis show that the by-pass will not solve the traffic congestion problems within the city of Aberdeen and that it will generate severe congestion within Peterculter and other entry points into the city. The government has not yet announced how it will pay for the road. The proposed cost is £295-395 million, but these figures were estimated six years ago. Judging by the cost of other similar road schemes the cost is now likely to be between £8 million and £1 billion. Aberdeen City and Aberdeenshire Councils are each to pay 9.5% of these costs, which will bring the budgets of both Councils to the brink. These heavy costs will also rule out other proposals which might improve traffic flow within the city. Road Sense, which has consistently opposed the AWPR as a solution to Aberdeen’s traffic problems, is now likely to challenge the by-pass in the courts. In addition, Road Sense has complained to the European Commission that the environmental damage caused by the road is a breach of European law. Road Sense has maintained that the way the road was approved breaks the Aarhus Convention, which guarantees environmental justice to us all. Representatives of Road Sense have now been invited to attend a meeting of the Aarhus Convention Compliance Committee in March to present their case. Details of the campaign against the road can be found on the Road Sense website: www.road-sense.org

FOR YOUR RENEWABLE ENERGY NEEDS Ground Source Heat Pumps Under Floor Heating Heat Recovery Central Vacuum Systems Paragon Systems (Scotland) Ltd offers a free design and quotation package for supply only or supply and installation on receipt of drawings.

Phone: 01224 735536 Today to discuss your particular requirement.

e-mail: info@paragon-systems.co.uk Visit our web-site ~ www.paragon-systems.co.uk Paragon Systems (Scotland) Ltd, Corbie Cottage, Maryculter, Aberdeen AB12 5FT Other products/services include: Bore-holes/Insulation/UFH

Secretary - E-mail:a.hawkins@btconnect.com

BOOKING OF HALLS AND GROUNDS Maryculter Community (Corbie )Hall and Field C. Masson,Tel: 733583 Carol.masson@btinternet.com M-C Church Hall and Glebe field Anne Massie, Tel: 732071 or office: Tel: 735983 Scout and Guide Hut Les Paterson, Tel: 868676 lesardoe@aol.com Cookney Hall Willie Angus Tel: 01569 730123 wangus@ukgateway.net Blairs College Hall John Evans-Freke Tel: 867626 Lairhillock School Marian Youngson, Tel: 01569 732520 19

REPRESENTATION MP Sir Robert Smith Tel: 01330 820330 Fax: 01330 820338 E-mail: robert.smithmp@parliament.uk MSP Mike Rumbles Tel: 01330 820268 Fax: 01330 820106 E-mail:mike.rumbles.msp@scottishparliament.uk COUNCILLORS Alastair Bews Tel: 01224 784594 33 Bruntland Court, Portlethen AB12 4UQ E-mail: cllr.a.bews@aberdeenshire.gov.uk Paul Melling Tel: 01224 784534 51 Broomfield Road, Portlethen AB12 4SU E-mail: cllr.p.melling@aberdeenshire.gov.uk Ian Mollison Tel: 01569 739087 11 Greystone Place, Newtonhill, Stonehaven AB39 3UL E-mail:cllr.i.mollison@aberdeenshire.gov.uk Carl Nelson Tel: 01569 730733 21 Dunnyfell Road, Muchalls, Stonehaven AB39 3RP E-mail: cllr.c.nelson@aberdeenshire.gov.uk Aberdeenshire Council Viewmount, Arduthie Road, Stonehaven. www.aberdeenshire.gov.uk AB39 2DQ

POLICE Emergencies All non-emergencies Crimestoppers Drugs Information Line

Tel: 999 Tel: 0845 600 5700 Tel: 0800 555 111 Tel: 0800 371553

SERVICES Bluebird buses No. 103 Aberdeen to Laurencekirk via BanchoryDevenick and Netherley No. 204 Aberdeen to Strachan via Maryculter & Blairs Tel: 212266 or 591381 E-mail:Public.transport@aberdeenshire.gov.uk

EVENTS CALENDAR April Monday 12 School term begins Wed 14 Community Coffee begins, M’culter Kirk Maryculter WRI: Local History Monday 19 Community Council Netherley WRI: Keep fit class Friday 23 Friendship Club whist drive Saturday 24 Stovie Dance, Cookney Hall St Ternan’s quiz and meal at Muchalls May Wed. 5 Church Guild supper rally Saturday 8 Friends of Guiding Daffodil Tea Wed 12 Maryculter WRI, Business meeting, Bring and Buy sale Saturday15 Plant Sale + Coffee Morning, Corbie Hall Playgroup Ceilidh Monday 17 Community Council Netherley WRI ‘Family History’ June Saturday 12 Scottish Model Helicopter Championships Sunday 13 “ “ “ “ Saturday19 St Ternan’s Church Fete Monday 21 Community Council AGM July Friday

August Wed. 11 Maryculter WRI Monday 16 Community Council Netherley WRI Saturday 28 Riding for the Disabled sale from 9am noon at the Plainstones, Stonehaven September Wed. 8 Maryculter WRI Monday 20 Community Council Netherley WRI

Editors: Dial a Trip Bus service with tail lift for concession card and taxi card holders. Tel: 01569 765765 Library The mobile van visits Netherley, Maryculter and Banchory-Devenick fortnightly on Wednesday or Thursday. Jaqueline Geekie Tel: 01651 872707

2 School term ends

Hazel Witte Tel: 732738 Monearn, Maryculter AB12 5GT witte@btconnect.com Pam Robertson Tel: 863887 2 Little Banchory Mews, Banchory-Devenick AB12 5XS pambyers@btinternet.com

Please send copy for the Autumn issue of YOUR NEWSLETTER by August 22

Window cleaning Martin Pilley Tel: 01261 815411 20