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Friday 30.09.11 Issue 843

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D Day for Alva Pool By Alison Mann

T

he fate of the Alva pool now rests in the hands of Clackmannanshire council as members of Ochil Leisure Enterprises handed in their business plan today (Friday). The group rallied round support and handed their plan to the council, which if accepted could create much needed jobs in the area as well as providing obvious health benefits. Their proposal outlines their plans for

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keeping the Alva pool open for members of the community. Simon Kindlen, spokesman for the group said: “At our most recent meeting we discussed the project and came to the conclusion that it’s about more than the pool. “It’s also to do with the health of a community and the wealth of a community and creating jobs. “It is a fallacy that you can’t make

money from a pool. “It will be a cultural community hub as well.� OLE had previously written a letter to Clackmannanshire council informing them that the report submitted today would be an ‘interim business plan’. Time constraints meant they could not produce a full report. Within the letter, signed by Jenny Paterson, the group state the interim

business plan will: “Summarise research to date and include financial modelling to show what scenario will be sustainable and provide health and community benefit. “The second stage will be to engage a team of consultants to undertake in depth research and business planning on behalf of the group. “Ochil Leisure Enterprises are currently exploring a number of options

Continued on page 13

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Friday 30.09.11

In your weecounty this week Family Announcements

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Including this week’s stars, the witty colum Q’s Views, puzzles, pet of the fortnight and those dodgy pics!

Say it with flowers T

he weecounty news has teamed up with Flowers by Arrangement to bring you a competition to give someone special a beautiful bunch of flowers. We are excepting nominations from readers who think someone deserves a little treat. It could be that they’ve overcome illness, are having a special birthday or are just a special person that deserves some recognition. Whatever the reason, let us know and we’ll pick one winner who will receive some lovely flowers. Send your nominations, plus your name, address and telephone number to:

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weecounty Flower Competition, Hub Media Head

Lifestyle

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To rent or buy?

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Looking for a plumber, builder, roofer inyour area, check out what the weecounty services has to offer.

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Facebook: post your nominations on the Wee County News facebook page. Nominations will close on October 12 and a winner will be chosen on October 13. The editors decision is final.

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Council tweets for 24 hours Local authority takes part in national event

C

lackmannanshire council have been tweeting about everything from school dinners to bins after taking part in a national Twitter event. The council took part in the 24-hour event joining councils from across Scotland to tweet about the services they provide. The event, called ‘What We Do’, is designed to raise awareness about the range of services provided by councils to people across the country. From noon on September 27 to noon on September 28 Clackmannanshire council made a total of 54 tweets during the event. They included one Tweet about how many bins would be emptied during the day, it said: “Our refuse teams are about to start work. They’re emptying 2,159 blue bins and 2,251 green bins today.” They also mentioned a call by one council tenant who wanted to be given a two bedroom house, it said: “A customer just complained that we wouldn’t give him a 2 bedroom house. He’s single and wants the extra room for a model railway.” School food was also a tweet topic, saying: “Lunchtime! We supply 1,800 hot meals to primary school children every school day. Today it’s steak pie or filled roll.” The council has around 1,000 followers on its main Twitter feed; @ClacksCouncil. They use it as a way of informing residents about our services.

It’s also used to announce urgent information, such as road and school closures, and proved useful during the severe weather last winter. Twitter is a micro-blogging social network where users can post tweets of up to 140 characters. These often contain links to other content such as website pages and photographs. Councillor Bobby McGill, depute leader of Clackmannanshire Council, said: “We want to show people the huge range of services councils deliver, which they may not have thought about. If you don’t make use of the services directly, you may not know that we provide elderly care, nursery education, housing repairs for our tenants and so much more. In the current financial climate, there are so many essential services we have to work to protect.” Chief executive Elaine McPherson added: “Social networks like Twitter have become increasing popular as an instant way for us to connect with people. We hope people will let us know what they think so that we can take their feedback on board.”

Friday 30.09.11

Bailey wins £250 prize in competition

LtoR: Mum Louise, Sister Rebecca, Dad Jason, Bailey Robb , Sammy Frost from Bags of Info and Headmaster Ian McNicol

S

t John’s P5 pupil Bailey Robb was smiling recently after winning top prize, after entering a competition via ‘Bags of Info’. He had to write a story about two places he would like to visit and why he’d like to take his family there. His story won the top prize and he and his family were treated to a VIP all-expenses paid day out in Stirling with a trip to the castle and lunch at the Highland Hotel.

£4,000 boost for Hillfoots YMCA H

illfoots YMCA will benefit from almost £4,000 granted to them by the Big Lottery Fund. The club will receive £3,987 from the latest Lottery funding from Awards for All. The money will be used to allow the organisation to provide a youth cafe one evening a week to create a safe environment for young people to meet up and participate in a range of social activities. The grant will fund cafe rental, staff, marketing, publicity, uniforms, residential training, activity resources, volunteer expenses and refreshments. MP Gordon Banks said: “I am delighted to offer my congratulations to Hillfoots YMCA on their Big Lottery Fund Award. The cafe project is an

By Alison Mann

excellent idea and I’m sure that it will be a very popular and attract many youngsters.” “It is good opportunity to for them to socialise in the evening as sadly there aren’t many places for youngsters to meet up in the evenings like this. I wish the project every success.” Awards for All is the National Lottery’s small grants scheme which gives out grants of between £500 to £10,000 that make a big difference across Scotland. The scheme has awarded £1,110,135 to 60 organisations across the Scotland. The small grants scheme is supported by three of the National Lottery Good Cause distributors in Scotland,

Creative Scotland, the Big Lottery Fund and sportscotland. The scheme makes awards to grass-roots community groups and voluntary organisations. An Awards for All spokesman said: “These grants, totalling more than £1.1million, will benefit a hundred and sixty groups across the country. “Awards for All proves that the smallest amounts of funding can make the biggest difference to people’s lives. “Whether the money is spent setting up an out of school club for visually impaired young people or giving families in Glasgow the chance to buy clothes and toys at a reduced rate, it’s great to see so many small groups coming forward with the aim of making a big difference to their local communities.”

The cheque for £250 is also part of his prize and will be put towards a class trip for Bailey’s class. ‘Bags of Info’ are a company

which sends out information packs to participating schools just before the summer holidays with leaflets on days out etc.

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News Brief Alloa residents are being given the chance to take a fresh look at the local library when it holds an open day. There will be a chance to find out more about the activities on offer in the local library when Alloa Library holds an open day. The event is on Saturday, October 8 from 10am until 2pm, as part of the Council’s celebration of National Customer Services week. Drop in an take part in activities including crafts, storytelling, games and badge making. There will also be a chance to find out more about local volunteering opportunities and staff will be on hand to answer questions about library services including book choices, Web 4U, ESOL, computer classes, reading groups, local history and archives. Councillor Bobby McGill, Depute Leader said: “A wide range of services are available in Clackmannanshire’s libraries and this open day is a chance to find out more. “If you haven’t visited your local library for a while, why not pop into Alloa Library on 8th October – there’s something for everyone.”

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Friday 30.09.11

Top printmaker to educate Stirling Uni

T

he University of Stirling is set to play host to one of Britain’s finest printmakers as he provides and insight into a professional print studio. Kip Gresham will be giving a talk on Collaboration and Invention in a lunchtime event in The Enterprise Zone, University Library on Friday, October 14 at 1pm. The lecture is being held in conjunction with Invisible Ink, a selection of original prints from the Print Studio Cambridge, which is currently on display in the library. Kip Gresham has been making original prints for artists, galleries and publishers for over 30 years. Born in Cambridge, he studied at Newcastle and Manchester and returned to Cambridge in 1982 to set up his workshop and start printing for other artists such as Elisabeth Frink, John Hoyland, Eduardo Paolozzi and Alan Davie. He explained his approach to high quality print making, saying: “We work with individual artists, publishers and galleries from many parts of the world. “The staff are passionate about the potential of the printed mark. The work is the product of a collaborative relationship in which an artist works in tandem with the printers. “The proofing is an exploratory process without frontiers, experimentation and invention are the name of the game. Combinations of media, additional hand-applied elements and innovative techniques are encouraged. “Only the very best materials, paper and inks are used.” The talk and the exhibition are free and open to all. For further details and to book a place at the talk, e-mail externalrelations@stir.ac.uk or phone 01786 467055.

Special training day for Duke of Edinburgh Award

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Love at last - after 20 years A

n Alva couple have tied the knot in Mexico after meeting each other over twenty years ago. Lynne McCall, 33 met her now husband Willie, 46 when she was just ten years old as their families were close friends. They attended football matches together and regularly saw each other at family gatherings over the years, but their relationship was strictly platonic. They drifted apart but many years later, they met again at a pub and hit it off straight away. Lynne said: “It was amazing to get on so great and have our friendship blossom into a relationship. “We’re both really social and outgoing so have had some great times. We also bought a house and have done it up room by room.” It sounds like a romantic tale but the marriage proposal wasn’t quite how most people imagine. However, the pair made up for that with an intimate wedding on an idyllic beach in Mexico that they chose so they could become man and wife without the big show that goes with a wedding. Lynne said: “We knew it would end up in marriage, you just know these things. So it was always more a matter of how and when.

By Alison Mann “We wanted to do something very special which would allow us to spend time together as a couple.” The pair did not tell friends and family until five weeks before they left for Mexico, a holiday they had already booked. They noticed on-line the hotel they had chosen conducted weddings so they thought it would be the perfect opportunity. Lynne and Willie organised everything from their Alva home from picking flowers to arranging the perfect colour scheme. Before they jetted off, they only had to buy the rings and their outfits. Willie chose a traditional Scottish kilt but in cream to mark the special occasion. Lynne added: “It was a magical day, we had even chosen the

esidents across Clackmannanshire interested in the Duke of Edinburgh’s Awards Scheme have been invited to a one day training event. Clackmannanshire council are working with the local Duke of Edinburgh’s Advisory Committee to hold a free one-day training course for people living in Clackmannanshire who are interested in working with young people. The course, An Introduction to The Duke of Edinburgh’s Award Scheme will be held on Saturday, October 29 at Alva Academy. The course is a chance to find out more about what is involved in the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award and officers a number of benefits.

songs to walk down the aisle to. “It was a bit strange not having our families there but it was just about us becoming man and wife, not the big show.” They enlisted the help of a Canadian couple and a couple from Lancashire to be witnesses to their nuptials. The couple from Lancashire even attended their celebratory party they held back in Scotland for all their friends and family. Lynne said: “My hair and makeup and our pictures and dvd were amazing. I’d really recommend people to do it this way if they are looking for something special.”

These include increasing your confidence in how to deliver a quality Duke of Edinburgh’s programme to young people, it’s fun and interactive, will increase your knowledge of the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award and offers the opportunity to network with others. The award is also a nationally recognised certificate. Prior to attending this course, all delegates must have completed the online e-induction module and provide a letter of completion prior to attending the course. This is available free online at www.dofetraining.org. The closing date for enrolment is Friday, September 30. For further information contact Katie Patience on 01259 452479 or email kpatience@clacks.gov.uk.

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weecounty Youngsters selected for council apprenticeship News

Friday 30.09.11

F

ive Clackmannanshire youngsters will learn vital workplace skills after securing top apprenticeships it was announced this week. The five teens from across the Wee County; Laura Black, 17, Ross McLauchlan, 19, Lauren McQueenie, 17, Kieran Stolarek, 18, and Jason Ward, 18, will start their nine-month apprenticeships with Clackmannanshire Council. The modern apprenticeships will include on-the-job training, resulting in the trainees achieving their level 2 SVQ in Business and Administration, which is a nationally recognised qualification. The group will be working in the Council’s Business Support team, and the experience, knowledge and skills they learn will help them secure a permanent

Brief

By Katie O’Hara position in the competitive job market. Clackmannanshire Council are also sponsoring two other young people, Daniel Black and Mark Paterson, who are completing a two year administration apprenticeship. Councillor Eddie Carrick is the portfolio holder for sustainability and he spoke about the Council welcoming the new apprentices. He said: “It’s great news that the Council is able to provide this valuable training and experience for young people. Expanding opportunities for school leavers and encouraging jobs in the area are key priorities for us and I’m sure Laura, Ross, Lauren, Kieran and Jason will play a valuable part in the Council’s ongoing improvement.”

Diabetes UK meeting

Pictures By Andrew Wightman Councillor Eddie Carrick shaking hands with admin apprentice Daniel Black. Modern Apprentices and Team Leaders around.

Deadline looming for Community Challenge Local residents encouraged to start their own social enterprise

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oday is the deadline for would-be businessmen and woman to enter the Coalfields Regeneration Trust’s £100,000 Community Challenge. The Trust challenged anyone living in a former mining community to help tackle the scourge of unemployment by starting

By Alison Mann their own social business and be in with a chance of landing the top award of £50,000. The closing date is September 30th.

The Coalfields Regeneration Trust’s Scottish Trustee Nicky Wilson said: “This is the chance of a lifetime for Hand-made sandwiches anyone who Baguettes has been dreaming Hot & Cold rolls of starting Fresh ground coffee their own business. Outside catering service “Our * Look out for our weekly special offers Coalfields 4 High Street, Alloa 01259 215655 Community

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Challenge offers a package of support which includes mentoring from experts who have started their own businesses, as well as generous finding packages to help ten new ventures get off the ground. “Tackling unemployment is the Trust’s main priority, and we believe that helping the people who live in coalfield communities to start their own businesses is a great way to do that. “We are convinced lots of people have the ideas and the enthusiasm, but need a helping hand to turn their dreams into reality. “That’s what we hope the Challenge will do.” Find out more on the Coalfields Regeneration Trust by visiting the website or by searching Youtube for Coalfields Community Challenge. To enter the Challenge phone the Trust’s development officer Diane Bate on 01259 272127 today at the latest.

Clackmannanshire residents are being invited to attend the regular meetings of the Diabetes UK Forth Valley Voluntary Group. The group hold regular meetings in both Clackmannanshire and Stirling. The meetings are informal and organisers aim to provide support to people affected by diabetes in the Forth Valley area. Everyone is welcome to attend, from those who have diabetes to carers and friends or someone with diabetes. The group has many interesting guest speakers, with talks on subjects which are diabetes related and others which are of general interest. The next meeting is to be held in the Mayfield Centre, St Ninians on Tuesday, October 4 starting at 7pm when a representative is coming along from the Food Standards Department of Stirling Council to talk about labelling, environmental food issues and will show a short video. For more information visit the website http:// forthvalleyvoluntarygroup. diabetesukgroup.org.

Sauchie Football

Sauchie Juniors and Treetops are holding a Speakers Night on Saturday, October 15 at Sauchie Hall. The speakers are MC, Tom Patterson, comedians Joe Camay and Scott Glynn, and football impressionist, Paul Reid. Catering will be provided by Michael More. Tickets cost £30 and can be bought from contacting George Goodwillie

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Friday 30.09.11

Thousands taken from pensioners

Alison Mann

Elderly victims across Central Scotland have seen huge sums leave their bank accounts

Passed my test but any good? P Is passing the legal requirements enough or should we have higher standards?

olice are urging Clackmannanshire residents not to give out bank details over the phone after two elderly people were robbed of tens of thousands of pounds. The warning has been issues after two incidents in Central Scotland last week in which elderly residents were conned by fraudsters claiming to be police officers. The victims, a man aged 72 and a woman ages 82, are both from the Stirling area and were contacted by a person claiming to be a named police officer. In both cases, the victims were asked to divulge their bank details in addition to handing over their bank cards after being told they had been used fraudulently. Significant sums of money were then removed from the bank accounts.

Detective Inspector Ronnie Isles, leading the investigation said: “These victims have each been defrauded of a five figure sum of cash by men claiming to be police officers and stating they were there to help them after an alleged fraud. “Neither police officers nor bank staff would ask for bank details over the phone or come to your home, and I have to stress to residents that they should never divulge these details to a third party. “No matter who someone claims to be over the phone, or at your door, refuse to pass on any information to them. Contact the police immediately and make a point of contacting your bank in person to ensure your account hasn’t been accessed. “These latest incidents are particularly despicable

as they are using the trust that local residents have for their police force to gather information from them and commit crime against them and I would ask that anyone who can help us with our enquiries comes forward.” On both occasions the man involved in collecting the cards from the victims is described as being of Asian appearance. He has been described by one of the victims as slim, around 6ft 3inches in height with dark stubble and short black hair. He is around 30-years-old with no visible tattoos and may have been wearing a light/greyish blue boiler suit. Anyone who can assist with information is asked to contact Central Scotland Police on 01786 456000, or Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111 where anonymity can be maintained.

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was the source of some ridicule in the office this week when talking about my failure at driving lessons and the subsequent tests. I am not going to go into figures here but its safe to say I had an obscene amount of driving lessons. Aged 17, bright eyed and bushy tailed, I took my first driving lesson round an industrial estate in Wishaw. It was fine; I didn’t crash and seemed to get the hang of it. Lesson after lesson though, I didn’t get any better then I went inter-railing around Europe and stopped my lessons completely. Back in Scotland and having used the wonderful public transport across mainland Europe, I decided I didn’t need to drive. I would get the bus and train everywhere, there really was no need for a car – public transport is the way

forward. Well, that was a short lived ideal. I quickly found that public transport in dear old central Scotland is not quite the tram system in Amsterdam, or the metro in Prague – I would have to drive. So, after being lesson less for around six months I called up my instructor and booked another lesson and I’d like to say I was driving away like Lewis Hamilton. But I wasn’t, I wasn’t any better and took countless lessons before I could even think about my test – or test’s as it turned out. My dear instructor Jim, who happened to retire just after I passed my test, once said to me: “You’re not a natural driver are you Alison?” Well no, I’m not and that’s why I took lessons – a lot of them. Colleagues in the office

scoffed at my passing my test third time as many had passed in one. So maybe I did go a bit over the speed limit during my first test, and so what if I nearly took the door off a parked car when the driver was trying to get out – it doesn’t make me a bad driver does it? Many of the most reckless drivers I know passed first time, perhaps it gives them a false sense of security in their driving skills. That said, some of the worst also took more than one attempt at their test. However, I do think if it takes more than one try you learn that driving isn’t easy and you really do have to be careful. How many times did it take you to pass your test? Let us know on our new Facebook page. Find us on facebook

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7 weecounty Tourism companies meet in Wee County Inner Wheel of Alloa Friday 30.09.11

Event helps companies take advantage of the lucrative tourism market

A

special event was held for tourism businesses based in Clackmannanshire, Stirling and Falkirk at Alloa’s Gean House this week. They were invited to the event on September 27 with the aim of coming up with some creative business ideas to take advantage of a potential tourism boom. The country is gearing up for a big year in 2012 as we celebrate the Year of Creative Scotland 2012, and the creative theme will extend to the marketing that will capitalise on the Olympics in London. The public and private sector partners in Forth Valley Tourism Partnership want to make sure that local businesses don’t miss out, and organised the Gean House event to prepare the local industry. Guest speakers from Creative Scotland, the VisitScotland Growth Fund, Business Gateway and Scottish Enterprise introduced the funding and other types of support that are available for businesses,

Picture By Andrew Wightman

and the guests had the chance to brainstorm ideas that will deliver the best return for Forth Valley. The event was organised by Forth Valley Tourism Partnership, a collaborative group of public and private sector partners working together to address the tourism priorities for the area. The partnership includes Stirling, Falkirk and

Clackmannanshire Councils, plus Scottish Enterprise, VisitScotland and local industry representatives. VisitScotland regional partnerships director, Liz Buchanan MBE, said: “Next year has the potential to be a big one for Scotland, but we need to work hard to make sure the visitors come to us rather than going elsewhere. Stirling, Falkirk

and Clackmannanshire are a stone’s throw from our two biggest cities, and have everything to gain from the marketing around the Year of Creative Scotland 2012 and the London Olympics. “We organised this event to give local businesses a good understanding of the opportunities available and get them in the right frame of mind to reap the rewards.”

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challenges which lie ahead and also spoke of the great effort we put into raising money for needy charities both at home and overseas. The club has organised a programme of social and fundraising events and with the support of everyone look forward to a successful year.

Monday evening saw the start of the new session of Inner Wheel after the summer break. President Jessie Stuart welcomed the members to the meeting and introduced District Chairman Sandra Bartram who was the guest speaker. Sandra spoke of the

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weecounty School performance to promote healthy eating News

Friday 30.09.11

9

Brief

Pictures By Andrew Wightman All P7’s pupils involved with P7 teacher Mr Murray

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upils from Tillicoultry Primary school showed off their knowledge of healthy eating during a performance in the school. The primary seven pupils displayed everything they had learned during a week of learning about the importance of healthy eating and healthy lifestyles, at a special performance in the school on Friday, September 23. The pupils had been taking part in NHS

By Alison Mann Forth Valley’s Max in the Middle programme which incorporates healthy eating, physical activity and mental health. The programme also gave the children had the chance to discuss healthier food choices and to prepare and taste a range of simple dishes. During the week-long programme, the pupils also learned about food hygiene and how to

have a balanced, healthy diet. One of the highlights was being taught how to make fruit kebabs, salmon boats and cheese on oatcakes while also having the opportunity of tasting other foods that they may not ordinarily have the chance to eat. The presentation showcase highlighted different foods and allowed audience members to taste their creations during the show.

A grand gesture for Diabetes UK Scotland A concert held in St Mungos Parish church raised over £1,000 for Diabetes UK Scotland.

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he event held on Saturday, September 17, saw a By Alison Mann large number of people enjoying an eclectic and entertaining programme of music by Callander Chorale, led by their musical director, Iain Milligan and Clackmannan District Brass Band, led by their resident musical director, Paul McKelvie. The audience enjoyed the high standard of music and interacted

well with performers. Bob McQueen, concert producer and volunteer with Diabetes UK Scotland said: “The Director of Diabetes UK Scotland Ms Jane-Claire Judson and I are delighted that so many people turned out for this very enjoyable even which raised the magnificent sum of £1644. “We would like to convey out most sincere thanks to all concerned for their support and express special appreciation to the folks of St Mungos Parish Church and all our sponsors for their help. “We are also most grateful to local shops and businesses for help with advertising and ticket sales. “The amount raised will help to support Careline Scotland which receives over 30,000 calls, letters and emails each year and provides emotional support, diabetes information or simply a chance to talk things through with a trained counsellor.” PIC CAP: (l to r) Bob McQueen presenting a cheque to Richard Lane, National President of Diabetes UK and Sara Ling, Diabetes UK Scotland Fundraising Manager.

The Charity for People with Diabetes

Alloa residents are being given the chance to take a fresh look at the local library when it holds an open day. There will be a chance to find out more about the activities on offer in the local library when Alloa Library holds an open day. The event is on Saturday, October 8 from 10am until 2pm, as part of the Council’s celebration of National Customer Services week. Drop in an take part in activities including crafts, storytelling, games and badge making. There will also be a chance to find out more about local volunteering opportunities and staff will be on hand to answer questions about library services including book choices, Web 4U, ESOL, computer classes, reading groups, local history and archives. Councillor Bobby McGill, Depute Leader said: “A wide range of services are available in Clackmannanshire’s libraries and this open day is a chance to find out more. “If you haven’t visited your local library for a while, why not pop into Alloa Library on 8th October – there’s something for everyone.” Kincardine History Society will be starting their new season in October. The new session commences on Wednesday, 5th October at 7pm in the Glancy Lounge of the Community Centre. “The History of Airth” by Geoff Bailey is the interesting talk for our opening meeting and all are welcome. The new Winter Syllabus contains a variety of interesting speakers and subjects, and visitors are welcome to attend any that are of particular interest to them. Meetings are held fortnightly and notices for each meeting are displayed throughout the village. There will be a charge of £1.50 each meeting and an annual Community Association charge of £3.50

10

Wee County residents to benefit from ÂŁ295k energy By Alison Mann saving funding W

weecounty

Friday 30.09.11

ee County residents are to benefit from ÂŁ295k energy saving funding Over 200,000 homes across Scotland are in line to be offered free help to save on energy bills through a scheme backed by millions of pounds from the Scottish Government. Over the next year, Clackmannanshire council will receive ÂŁ295,000, part of the ÂŁ12.5million Universal Home Insulation Scheme to be administered by local authorities. The scheme offers a range of free home insulation measures to improve energy efficiency and reduce fuel poverty. Cabinet Secretary for Infrastructure and Capital Investment, Alex Neil said: “With the onset of winter just round the corner, now more than ever, we need to offer support and immediate assistance to those most in need to help them heat their homes. “That is why, through this scheme, we are injecting millions of pounds in our fight to help stamp out fuel poverty. “Councils across Scotland who

successfully bid for the cash will administer the scheme. “Price hikes by energy companies continue to undermine the Scottish Government’s attempts to lift people out of fuel poverty. “It is a disgrace that so many people are suffering from fuel poverty in energy-rich Scotland, and the Scottish Parliament needs full powers so that we can do more to help those most in need.� Trisha McAuley, Depute Director of Consumer Focus Scotland added: “Consumer Focus Scotland welcomes the announcement of awards to local authorities of funding for the Universal Home Insulation Scheme.

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t gives me great pleasure to see the return of the Wee County News and I wish all at the paper every success in the future. I am also grateful for the opportunity to once again, write my monthly columns for the readers. The Centre for Responsible Credit (CfRC) has made recommendations that the Coalition Government’s flagship Work Programme will need to address the high levels of consumer credit debt amongst the unemployed if they are to be successful. The CfRC has forecast that approximately one third of all Work Programme customers will need some money advice as part of their support packages, and that providers should enter into formal partnerships with advice agencies to ensure that jobseekers have greater chance of success when looking for work and then staying in it when they find a job. I couldn’t agree more. The problem is that government moves have already resulted in advice agencies struggling to cope; they now have even heavier workloads to manage and reduced funds to do it with. There seems to be a definite lack of strategy and joined-up thinking on the government’s part regarding this, with no real understanding of the pressures of being unemployed, or the problems that can be involved

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spreading awareness amongst the medical profession and the catering/hospitality industry. I was diagnosed with Coeliac after many years of enduring misdiagnosis and prolonged investigations and it would have made all the difference had my condition been discovered earlier and allowed me to make the necessary changes to my diet. However, as knowledge and awareness of the disease is spreading, day-to-day living is improving for those who suffer from it – I was even stopped by a constituent in Alloa who advised me that gluten-free fish and chips is now available from one of the local chip shops. This is good news for Coeliac sufferers but also makes good economic sense for the business – a point I made during the debate. Long may the progress continue.

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when an individual gets back into work again after a long period on benefits. This Tory-led government needs to look at the big picture. There is no doubt that debt issues can distract people from searching for jobs and also restrict their opportunities in that they have less money to spend on phone calls to potential employers, or travel for training. When they eventually do get back to work, money problems can have a huge impact too - many believe that the extra income from wages will mean an increase in debt repayments too and they will be no better off financially. Integrating money advice with Work Programme provision would ensure that people have the help they need to deal with these issues when they most need it. The government needs to take some action here to properly facilitate this rather than continue to strip the advice agencies who deliver these valuable services – many of whom are voluntary agencies – of their funding. As a sufferer of Coeliac Disease, myself and Secretary of the All Party Group on Coeliac in the UK, I was glad to lead the discussion in a recent parliamentary debate on the subject. This debate centred around the problems faced by Coeliac sufferers in being diagnosed, the longer term management of the disease and

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Alex Neil “The high take up of insulation measures last year showed how effective the scheme is, both in terms of tackling fuel poverty, and also of reducing carbon emissions.�

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weecounty

Friday 30.09.11

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weecounty

Friday 30.09.11

e f i l l rea

N O S I PR STORIES BLAME & BRUTALITY

WARNING: EXPLICIT MATERIAL

From the author of Underbelly

Following on from last week’s prison story, here is the next story in the series, again, this story’s and the rest in the series will be a collection of real life prison stories from someone who started a life sentence when he was only a young man. These will be factual, real and sometimes upsetting, but I believe it’s the only way that they can be told. Sit back and learn, hopefully reading these true life events will tell the youth of today that prison is not a place you want to be.

Prison Story I

would like to make a difference by showing young impressionable kids that a life of crime has no fairytale ending, and either an early grave or a lifetime in and out of prison is something they want to avoid at all costs. This has to be shown to them in a way, without a finger pointing exercise, and from people who have been there, seen it, and done it on BOTH sides of the fence, this would be an achievement well worth the time and effort, I hope this story below can give young guys from the schemes who are on the edge of beginning a criminal lifestyle that it is not the way to go. I have learned from these experiences and I hope you can take something from them. It is not the way I would choose to live if I had the chance to do it all again. Getting a Life Sentence wasn’t a problem, at my age and lifestyle, it was practically the accepted path. By the time the day came to getting the actual words spoken to me by the judge I wasn’t up nor down, and anyway, I had every intention of escaping, asap. All I heard the old guy on the bench say was , Charge 1, Life Sentence, Charge 2, Life Sentence, Charge 3, was 5 year I think, and I also think he tossed a couple of 3’s and 2’s in as well…. And down the stair I went. My main memory of this whole carry-on was 2 of the old court ushers practically fighting to usher me to the waiting jail van so that they could have their photo’s in the papers the next day. And that is how it is at this young age, there is not an impact made at the sentencing point, that all comes much later . Although I was under 21 years of age I was taken to Barlinnie that day, given the blue hospital gown and put in the ‘’FishTank’’. This is a room in the hospital wing where the front wall is glass from the roof down to a foot from the ground. This is known as Suicide Watch and they keep you like this, looking in every few minutes for at least the first 24 hours of your sentence. Prison suicide cell

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ut into the mainstream hall the next day, bottom flat cell and not allowed to mix with any of the

adult cons because I was a Young Offender. So for the first 4 days I had no-one even to talk too. This is how it was then, if you don’t hang yourself within the first 24 hours, then your told to get on with it. There is no such thing like counselling. My only concern in the hours following sentencing was how to get my hands on a blade as there were a few of the other team in the dining hall, and I wanted to get them before they got to me. This is how it is … Life Sentence, a deterrent, not where I come from it ain’t. Eventually I was moved to Glenochil YO and I was thinking, good, I can get on with my escape. Glenochil at this time was a Young Offenders with 4 Halls. A B C & D. Two of them were short term, A & D, and the other two, B & C were for long-termers. I was put in C-Hall, but wasn’t too long before I got into a fight. The result of this fight was to move me to B Hall. A wee guy I knew, Fergie from Blackhill, had, at the same time, just been kicked out of A Hall and into B-Hall. Him and Dycey Cannon had been blamed for instigating attacks on beasts and the Governor had moved him out of the short term hall thinking that this would solve that problem. This wee guy was to lose the Fergie nickname and be referred to in the Press by his proper name of Paul Ferris for many years to come. What he has never lost, to this day though, is the trail of authoritarian figures following him around accusing him of instigating things. Fergie AKA Paul Ferris John McVicar

Everyday between Lunch and going back to afternoon workshop there was a free half-hour. Myself and Fergie would sit at the Record Player, we always played Band on the Run by Wings and the McVicar Album by Roger Daltrey, which was ironic, as many years later Paul and McVicar appeared on a TV programme together. I can’t remember exactly but I think the wee man shot John McVicar down on that occasion. All we discussed when sitting there was my escape, I had a decent wee plan, and although Fergie was younger than me, he had a quiet aura about him that gave out the impression that he was going to

support me 100%. It was a simple plan, I was a decent football player, Scottish Schoolboy level when I was younger, so the plan was to get into the Prison Football Team. Every Sunday they played in the local league (all home games). Prisoner spectators were allowed out to watch the first half and then were taken inside and all the screws went with them. The Screw PTI who stayed with the team was generally the Referee, so would be on the field of play. Although the Prison Fence was alarmed, the part encompassing the playing field wasn’t. The plan was for Fergie to come up the night before the game and cut the fence at a part that was down a slope and out of sight of the pitch. In the second half of the match I would go down, go through the fence, padlock it back so no-one could follow me through it, into a waiting car and Glasgow bound. Another wee guy from the scheme, Dainty McDade, was even going to be in a back-up stolen car, and his job was to drive behind myself and Fergie and slow down any prison car that managed to follow us. It was a good plan, all I had to do was wait a couple of months until the wee man finished his 12 month’er and I’d be free as a bird. As it happened, I was called out of the hall one day around 1pm to see the Governor and was shanghai’d right out of the prison, bundled into a jail bus, and by 4pm that day I was in Perth Prison. As I still had a few month until I was 21 I could only imagine that they’d got wind of my escape plan --- or maybe just because I was sitting next to Paul they thought he’d be instigating something. Whatever it was, it was a blessing in disguise, as where on earth was I going to go, and how on earth was I going to live …. There wasn’t the large amounts of money sloshing around then with the troops that there is now, so all in all, it’s good that it never went ahead. But it wasn’t all a waste of time, as I mentioned the plan to Joe Steel many years later and he put it to good use one night in Saughton Prison, only he never padlocked the fence on the way out and another 4 or 5 guy followed him out the hole to freedom. The Shanghai to Perth Prison was a culture shock, say what you want about Glenochil, but it was immaculate. Perth was the oldest

prison in Scotland, and it showed, it was bogging. I was papped onto the top flat of C-Hall, and this was a weird and wonderful world I was in. I was in the end cell on the top landing, next door to an old ex-Peterhead lifer called Willie McCalman, he was originally from Coatbridge and although he was a good old character, he was certainly a strange one. He had been nicknamed The Count because of his habit of sleeping flat on his back with his arms crossed in a Dracula fashion. His tobacco tin was also the shape of a coffin. He’d came in as a youngster and had done nearly 20 years when I met him. When I asked him if there was any advice he could give me, he told me, never draw a calendar on your wall and score out the days, because they will tell you when your getting out, not a calendar. I hope you reading this will never get a lifer, but if you do, you’ll come to know what this means ….. They tell you when your out. I had only been there a few days when a tiny little incident set off a chain of events that led to the reason why I was to spend almost the next year in this adult prison in the digger. This is where I would point out to young ones who are heading for prison to take on board that once you are in there your life can go in directions that you could never imagine, and also, a very big lesson that is learned in prison, is that there is nowhere to run or hide, if you have a problem then it has to be confronted and dealt with. At evening recreation, which consisted of a Table-Tennis table and a Telly room, there were always around 8 newspapers for reading. At the end of the evening just before lock-up at 9pm, the papers were given out to individual guys to take back to their cells. On this particular night, it was my turn to get a Daily Record, which at this time was always the most sought after one. As I took a hold of it, so did another guy at the same time and a little tug-ofwar began with the newspaper. The newspaper ripped and before you know it a squarego was on the cards. ISSUE 3 OUT NOW!

I couldn’t really understand the guys aggression, it was his fault, and I knew him, had even backed him up one time years before in the YO’s. I could only think that because he had been here a year he considered himself a con and I was just a YO. Whatever the reason, we were now up the stairs in his cell having a square go. I won the fight, but the next day he said he wanted a rematch. I beat him again, and thought that was the end of it ……. But as the days passed, I was hearing that the older crowd he went around with were winding him up to do something about the do-ing. Thomas Totsie Pollok Danny Pollok

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he old mixer was a guy from Clydebank called Rab Pollok, he had 2 brothers in there with him who turned out diamond geezers with me, Danny and Totsie, but Rab was a sneaky lad and I could feel him egging the guy on. Within a couple of days, the guy I’d fought with appeared at my cell door about 8.45 pm, 15 minutes before dub-up, this time with a knife in his hand. It was a round piece of sawn off brush handle with what seemed to be half a hacksaw blade with the end sharpened, stuck into it. He lunged at me and before I knew what had really happened, there was one hell of a stramash and all of a sudden he was lying on top of my bed with the blade in his stomach right up to the hilt; all because of a Daily Record, I was thinking. I went to pull the blade out of him, but only the handle was in my hand, the teeth of the hacksaw were keeping it stuck inside him. I’ll never forget the blood that came out, it was like Jam, thick globuly sticky reddy purply jam. And he was starting to conk out. What a predicament.

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weecounty

Alva Glen truly illuminated Over 3,000 locals turned up to see the sights

A

popular and probably the best it’s ever been. “We had good weather, musicians to entertain people, fairies on stilts and fire jugglers which the children loved. “It’s the best yet in terms of turn out, fundraising and effects.â€? The event managed to raise ÂŁ2.5thousand which will go towards repairing paths in the glen. The event took a lot of organisation and was supported greatly by the community and volunteers who donated their time to run the event.

By Alison Mann They received support from Clackmannanshire Art Forum, Clackmannanshire Council, Community Chest and were donated generators by Marshall. New technology was used this year including under-water lighting and special lighting effects and managed to bring people from as far as Fife, Glasgow and Penicuik to the area. The historical event dates back to when the Alva Glen was first illuminated in 1937 to celebrate

the coronation of George VI. It was organised by the town council and used roman candles and 600 fairy lights. It stopped in 1953. Alva Glen Heritage Trust revived the event which raises funds for the work of the Trust to maintain and improve the glen. Nathan added: “We need volunteers to help update the

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D Day for Alva pool

Continued from page 1

Pictures By Andrew Wightman lva Glen was transformed into a fairytale forest during the annual Alva illuminations event last weekend, Saturday September 24, which saw over 3,000 people flock to the glen to view the spectacular sights on offer. Visitors were entertained by fire jugglers, giant fairies, music, snacks, glow in the dark goodies, beautiful lights and fun for the whole family. Chairman of Alva Glen Heritage Trust Nathan Critchlow-Watton said: “This year was the most

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paths in the Glen. “We hope to run the event next year but need volunteers to make it happen.� To find out more or to become a volunteer visit the website at www.alvaglen.org.uk.

to help fund this work.â€? The group have also requested to address the council when presenting the proposal so to verbally articulate their case. They have also asked that a full site visit of Alva Pool Complex is undertaken by local councillors accompanied by representatives of OLE and key individuals involved in the decision making process. Meanwhile, OLE took part in a membership drive to rally more support for their plan to give local people the use of Alva pool. At Alva Glen Illuminations the group encouraged people to show their support for the Save Our Pool campaign by becoming a member of OLE. During the weekend 32 people signed up for membership, which is ÂŁ1. OLE have also received some extra support from sailor Shirley Robertson OBE who has written a letter to council leader, Sam Ovens. The former Hillfoots resident states: “Growing up in the Hillfoots there was very little opportunity to participate in sport. “I knew as a child I liked being active, but there was nothing to do, the winters would come and I can still remember the feeling of being trapped, stuck in the house, or wandering the streets with friends. “For me personally the opening of the pool was a huge turning point in my young life, I swam every evening after school, for the first time I had coaching and encouragement from the teaching staff, I realised how much I loved being active.â€? To become a member of OLE, download a membership application at http://but.ly/olemember.

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weecounty

Friday 30.09.11

Wee County Scouts take part in annual cooking contest News AND Jamie Oliver was nowhere in sight! Brief By Alison Mann

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lackmannanshire Scouts gathered together at Arndean to compete in the annual cooking contest. The Scouts had to compete over open fires using the minimum utensils to conjure up a wide variety of delicious foods. The Scouts enjoyed the autumn sunshine and the aroma of wood smoke mingling with the smell of potatoes, steak and vegetables cooking in foil parcels. The group also cooked

traditional ‘twists’ which is a tasty dough wrapped in a spiral around a stick and slowly baked over embers. The judges had the hard task of separating the teams, who had all worked really well during the morning to produce such excellent dishes, but in the end awarded Alva the trophy with Menstrie and Tillicoultry coming very creditable runners up. Presenting the trophy John Spruce, District Commissioner, congratulated all who took part and commented how much

Youths in bus station brawl in broad daylight

everyone had clearly enjoyed themselves and thanked everyone for taking part. On Sunday, September 25 over 80 Beaver Scouts also turned out is some showery weather to compete for the Beaver Sports Shield at Tullibody. They were cheered on as they competed in the traditional races including the egg and spoon, sack and obstacle races. The overall winners of the shield were the Alva colony but everyone had great fun despite the rain.

Two youths caused a stir in Alloa last week after fighting with each other. The teenagers started fighting around 4pm on September 22nd at one of many bus stops on Shillinghill in the centre of Alloa. Witnesses were shocked at the behaviour of the youths, one told the Wee County: “Everything was quiet, just a normal day, then two boys who seemed to be waiting on a bus, started fighting with each other, it was some noise as they were shouting and swearing. “I have no idea what started it but it just seemed to kick off. “I think one even kicked a bus as it past.” “They nearly involved other innocent by standers.” A spokeswoman for Central Scotland Police said: “I can confirm we were made aware of a minor assault between two teenagers. “No complaint was made.”

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Schools

Friday 30.09.11

15

Alloa Academy Notes Inter-House competition

Congratulations to pupils in Bruce House who have again won this week’s Inter-House competition and gain 15 points for the House. Schaw were in second place gaining ten points with Erskine in third place gaining 5 House points. 1S1 topped the merit table this week with 1E1 close behind them. Commendable targets were achieved by 2S2, 3S2 and 4B2. Well done to all.

Achievements

A big than you to all our sports Ambassadors who helped make the Primary Schools CrossCountry Event last Tuesday such a success. You were a credit to Alloa Academy. S1 continue to work positively on their Interdisciplinary project with Maths – they are completing a variety of activities and using the data in Maths. By the end of the block, they will have achieved a Pentathlon certificate.

The photograph shows a group of 1S1 resting from their jumping activity.

Monitoring and Tracking

All students in S3-S6 were issued with their first monitoring report of the session last Friday. In the report, details have been given on effort, behaviour and homework. We hope that the report will form the basis for discussion at home of performance in school. October’s report will also contain information on progress with courses.

Charity News

On Friday of this week we will be taking part in the MacMillan Biggest Coffee Morning event with cakes available to buy from the conference room and coffee and cake available for seniors and staff in the staff room. On Friday 7th November we will be supporting Jeans for Genes with pupils and staff able to wear jeans for the day if they pay £1.00. Please note that this is not a non-uniform day – school sweatshirts, shirts and ties are still to be worn, but school trousers can be replaced with jeans.

Faraday challenge

We are looking forward to a successful experience for our

students as they take part in the Faraday Challenge on Friday of this week. We are delighted to be one of only 55 schools UKwide to have this opportunity. Look out for details and photos in next week’s paper.

Assemblies

This week we welcome back to Alloa academy our school chaplains who are leading the assemblies this week. S1 also had a brief outline of the plan for their Curriculum for Excellence experience.

House Captain Elections

and well done to all who took part.

Newsletter

The September edition of the school Newsletter is now ready to be accessed on the school website. The newsletter contains a variety of information and reports about the school as well as several photographs. Should you be unable to access it via the school website, please call into the school where paper copies will be available.

Fortnightly focus

Our fortnightly focus is currently on homework with pupils being asked to note homework carefully and ensure that it is completed. Parents can also help in this focus by asking to see the homework planner and signing off the week’s work.

House Captain Elections were completed last week with all candidates putting in good performances in front of the whole assembled House. Votes were counted by the Senior Prefects and we are now looking forward to having an invigorated House competition. Bruce House captains: Liam Wallace and Chris Thomson: Erskine House: Callum McLean and Sanna Rehman; Schaw House Adam Clark (missing from photo) and Barney Williams-Kelly. Congratulations to Chris Thomson, Barney Williams-Kelly, Sanna Rehman, Liam Wallace our new post-holders and CallumMcLean

Alva Academy News New York/Washington Trip

At the end of last session a group of S5 and S6 pupils went on an adventure through New York City, Philadelphia and Washington DC. The fast-paced, exciting two days in New York included trips to the famous Empire State Building, Statue of Liberty and Ground Zero as well as a shopping trip up 5th Avenue. The more relaxed three days in Washington took them round all the World War II memorials, the Lincoln memorial and US Congress to name a few. The short visit to Philadelphia enabled us to visit the Liberty Bell.

thousands of lives were lost was very saddening. The feeling in some ways is indescribable; you have to be there to experience it.” Another pupil, Ellie Maltman told added: “I felt empty when I went there, it was so emotional” Pupils described the trip to be “the time of their lives” and “amazing” it truly was a once in a lifetime experience.

Vane Farm

The Advanced Higher Biology class, together with a group from Lornshill Academy, visited the RSPB nature reserve at Vane Farm and took part in an outdoor course on succession in plant communities. Despite pouring rain the pupils worked hard throughout the day without a single complaint. The RSPB centre staff were impressed with the pupil’s attitude and the pupils themselves really enjoyed it and thought it was a valuable experience.

S2 Biology Trip Ground Zero, without a doubt, was the most emotional experience of the trip. The pupils stood around the Twin Tower footprints and across from them in the World Finance Centre. Current 6th year Georgina Ferreira said: “The whole area was silent. The atmosphere was very emotional and to think we stood where

All S2 Biology Standard Grade classes went to Jupiter Wildlife Garden in Grangemouth last Monday. They had a chance to practice pond dipping, taking pH and light intensity measurements, identifying insects and sampling vegetation at the site. All pupils had a good time and successfully completed the majority of the practical techniques required for the Standard Grade course. This is the first of two Biology Standard Grade trips. The next outing will be to the Botanic Garden in Edinburgh.

MacMillan Update

The sixth year pupils have been working hard to raise as much money as they can before the actual MacMillan Coffee Morning this Friday. Six pupils cycled 51 miles from Glasgow to Edinburgh and raised a huge amount that is still being counted. Joe Marriott climbed The Cobbler last weekend, through the rain and raised a fantastic £400. Three pupils also ran a glassmaking workshop at Alva’s Scotfest, raising £240. Kirsty Stewart held an Avon Party in her house and raised a brilliant £260. There are five pupils bravely facing sharks in a shark dive this weekend, as well as nine boys climbing up Ben Nevis this weekend. This year’s coffee morning will take place in the school assembly hall on Friday 30th September and is as always, open to parents and the public between 10am and 11.30am. Tickets are £1 and are available on the door. Donations for raffle prizes, home baking etc can be handed in at the school office.

Football

There was great success for all Alva Academy football teams in their respective leagues as the u13’s dominated St Modans away from home to win 9-0. A hat-trick from Kieran Murphy and a man of the match performance from Jack Donald helped to ensure this rampant victory. There was another impressive victory for the u14’s with a hat-trick from Nathan McShane adding to Alva’s superb finishing, winning a thrilling game 9-4 away to Dunblane. In contrast to these dominant victories, the u15’s battled through a very tight game to also beat Dunblane 2-1 with two great goals from Clayton Lancaster, with a strong defensive display to hold on to all three points.

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Friday 30.09.11

The Princess Royal Trust Carers Centre Falkirk and Clackmannanshire A carer is someone of any age who, without payment, looks after or provides help and support to a partner, child, relative, friend or neighbour who could not manage without their help. This could be due to age, physical or mental illness, addiction or disability. Caring, although rewarding, can also be exhausting and can cause difficulties for the carer. Without support, the carers own health and wellbeing can be adversely affected by their caring role. This can include: backache, caused by moving and handling; exhaustion, caused by sleepless nights; loneliness and isolation, caused by an inability to leave the person being cared for; or stress, caused by financial worries. Carers need information - it helps them make early and informed choices about seeking practical, emotional and financial support before they reach crisis point. Help and support is available, however, it can be difficult and confusing trying to find out where to go and who to approach for different kinds of assistance. This is where the Carers Centre can help. The Princess Royal Trust Carers Centre (Falkirk & Clackmannanshire) produces a range of carer information packs to help carers navigate their way through the range of financial, emotional and practical support that is available for them. In addition, to keep carers up to date with any national or local developments and activities being organised for carers, a newsletter, ‘Carers News’, is produced by the Carers Centre and distributed to local

carers twice a year. Carers can also access information through the Carers Centre website: www.carersfalkirk.org. The Carers Centre office in Clackmannanshire is located in the Ludgate House Resource Centre. Carers can make an appointment to see a member of staff for informa-

tion or one to one emotional support at the Alloa Office, or a home visit can be arranged, if required. In addition, carers can drop-in to the Tullibody Healthy Living Initiative on the last Wednesday of the month from 10am – 1pm for information and support. For on-going one to

2012 Cale

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our Wee County Calendar will be back this year . . . with a difference! At the weecounty news we want the Wee County residents to be involved as much as possible, in what is YOUR newspaper. We are holding a competition for the 12 best photographs taken by weecounty readers. A percentage of the proceeds of this year’s sales will be donated to local charity, Central Careers , if you are not aware of this charity, see the information on the great work that they do opposite. So whether you are a budding photographer, or just happened to have snapped in the right time or right place, send your entries in to us. The subject matter could be anything you wish, images from people, pets and scenery from in and around the Wee County will all accepted. We would ask though that you give your photo a name, and we dont mean ‘Henry’ unless it is a picture of Henry! We will need images from all seasons fill the calendar and the winners will have their name published on their photo. Entries are now open and you can get your photos to us in 3 ways:

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one companionship and support, the Carers Befriending Project can link carers with a volunteer befriender The Carers Centre also provides opportunities for carers to have a break from their caring responsibilities and meet up with other carers for support through the following regular programme of group activities: • Weekly Coffee Morning - Community House, Alloa on Mondays from 10am – 12 nooon • Carers Lunch – St Mungos Church Hall, on the second Wednesday of the month from 12.30 pm – 1.30pm • Carers Support Group – Ludgate House, on the last Wednesday of the month from 7.30pm – 9.30pm • Dollar Coffee Morning – Castle Campbell Hotel, on the last Thursday of the month from 10am – 11am • Carers Chill Out Group – Clackmannan Health Centre, on the last Friday of the month from 1pm – 3pm In addition, a range of social activities and events is organised for local carers throughout the year including: trips to the theatre/ cinema; 10 pin bowling; a Burns Supper; a summer BBQ; and a Christmas lunch. To develop the confidence of carers, expand their skills and boost their knowledge a ‘Care with Confidence’ programme has been developed for local carers. Sessions are usually delivered at the new Community Healthcare Centre in Sauchie, however, a block of sessions has recently been deliv-

ered in Dollar and there are plans to provide training in Menstrie later this year. Topics covered at the sessions include: managing medication; dealing with stress; community care services; dealing with incontinence; Power of Attorney and Guardianship; first aid; health eating; time management; communication; assertiveness; welfare benefits. The Carers Centre has recently received funding to assist carers to have a short break from their caring responsibilities. This could be for a few hours or several days depending on the needs of the carer and their family situation. Any local carer who is interested in applying for this funding should contact the Alloa Office for further information. The Carers Centre also encourages and supports carers to ‘have their say’ in the development of local health and community care services. To facilitate this, a Clackmannanshire Carers Forum has been set up which meets several times a year to allow carers and professionals who work with carers to come together discuss local issues that are of importance to carers. To date this has included: respite services; information for carers; carers involvement; and coping with the transition from children to adult services. A young carer is someone under the age of 18 who looks after someone who may have additional support needs, substance and alcohol misuse difficulties or mental ill health. The support the young carer provides can be emotional or practical,

offering a listening ear, providing personal care or carrying out household tasks. Due to their caring role some young carers experience difficulties at school and accessing social opportunities. The Young Carers Project helps to overcome these challenges by providing specialist support to young people, between the ages of 8 and 18 years old, who have caring responsibilities. This includes individual one to one support; support at school; befriending; regular group support and activities; training; and residential breaks. The Princess Royal Trust Carers Centre (Falkirk and Clackmannanshire) is a 3rd sector charitable organisation which is part of The Princess Royal Trust for Carers Network. The organisation is managed by a voluntary management committee elected by the membership of Central Carers Association and the main funding for the service comes from Clackmannanshire Council, Falkirk Council and NHS Forth Valley. For further information about any of the services provided by the Carers Centre, please contact the Carers Centre – Alloa Office, Ludgate House Resource Centre, Mar Place, Alloa - 01259 219288.

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Friday 30.09.11

19

What’s on in your weecounty ALLOA

Alloa Bridge Club: Latest results: N/S 1 Kay Anderson and Anne-Marie Harrison; 2 Sheila Logan and John Bain; 3 Margaret Donaldson and Jilly Broadfelt. E/W 1 Jean Stewart and Dorothy Coulter; 2 Margaret Bowie and Helen McKillop; 3 Kit and David Gow. St Mungo’s Parish Church of Scotland: On Sunday the service of Harvest Thanksgiving took place in a beautifully decorated church. Following the service, an auction of all the produce handed in by members took place which was conducted in an expert fashion by Rev. Sang. The church would like to thank everybody who contributed to this success where £250 was raised for Christain Aid. The guild open their new session on Tuesday, October 4 at 7.30pm when Jack Delaney, friends and family provide musical entertainment. This is an open evening where everyone is welcome. Alloa spiritualists: The medium last Sunday was Ricky Arthur from Paisley. There were 33 people present and seven messages were given. His talk was about the history of spiritualism and there was the usual cup of tea. This week’s medium will be Steven Burns from Edinburgh in the OAP Hall, Erskine Street, Alloa, at 6.30pm. Alloa Trefoil Guild: The next meeting will take place on Monday, October 3 in Alloa Ludgate Church Hall at 7.30pm. All welcome. Charity Family Ceilidh: A charity ceilidh is being held in Alloa Town Hall on Friday, October 7 from 7.30pm – 11.30pm. Monies raised in aid of Chest Heart and Stroke (Scotland). Dancing to the ‘Furry Boots Ceilidh Band’ led by Clackmannan fiddler Dave Sinclair. A great night to be had by all. Bring your own refreshments and nibbles. Tickets cost £8 from Donald

Cowan 0771 475 6274. Alloa Carers Centre: Alloa Carers Centre is working with Community house and has a weekly coffee morning at Community House, 23 Maree Court on Mondays between 10am and noon.

ALVA

Community council: The Annual General Meeting will be held on Monday 10th October, 2011 at 6.30pm followed by the normal Community Council Meeting which is due to commence at 7.00pm in Alva Baptist Church. Community business will be discussed. Members of the public are welcome to attend. Alva Bridge Club: Latest results – N/S 1S C Hopkins and A Smith +2880; 2 B Huntley and M Macleod +1940; 3 A Ross and L Sommerville +1630, 4 D Coulter and A Moore +930. E/W 1 J McGowan and D Colquhoun +30; 2 I Young and K Ross -520; 3 H Courtney and D Thornber -1250; 4 L Morrison and A Frost -1360. Alva Parish Church Guild: There will be a meeting of the guild on Tuesday, October 4 at 7.30pm in the Eadie Hall. Erin McNeil is going to tell the guild about her experience of being trapped in a bad fire and some tips on fire safety. Anyone who is interest will be made welcome. The guild is having a soup lunch and cake and candy stall after church on Sunday, October 2. Entrance is by donation. Age Concern: Whist and dominoes latest results – Domino winner Mrs B Swarbrick, consolation Mrs M Burt. Ladies whist – Mrs Fyall, consolation Mrs Gillespie. Gents – Mrs M Fisher, consolation Miss M Crichton. The next meeting will be held on Thursday, October 6 in Alva Parish Church Hall. Darby and Joan Club: The President welcomed members to their weekly game of dominoes and whist. Domino result – 1 Mrs H Weir, 2 Mrs

M Nolan, consolation Mrs V Spence. Whist result – 1 lady Mrs M Gillespie, consolation Mrs M Hill. 1 gent Mrs G Burt, consolation Mrs M Fisher. New members welcome every Wednesday at 1.45pm.

CAMBUS

Cambus and District Bowling Club: A bingo tea will be held on Tuesday October 4 at 7pm for 7.300pm in aid of Strathcarron Hospice.

COALSNAUGHTON

Coalsnaighton Burns Club: Cash bingo every Monday in the lounge. Contact Cliff on 01259 750517 for details. Eyes down at 8.15pm, finished by 9.45pm.

DOLLAR

DOLLAR PARISH CHURCH CHURCH WEBSITE ADDRESS: www.dollarparishchurch.org. uk SUNDAY 2nd October, the service will be led by Rev Gordon Jamieson, Head of Stewardship for the Church of Scotland. There will be a retiring collection for Christian Aid’s Emergency Appeal. Monday 3rd October: DOLLAR CRAFT GROUP meets 2 – 4pm in the Old Schoolhouse. All welcome. Nova Scotia Jazz Band: Will be performing at The Gibson Hall, Dollar Academy at 7.30pm on Sat 8th October. This is the opening concert in the 2011/2012 season of concerts organised by Dollar Music Society. Tickets are available at the door and refreshments are served in the interval. Tickets: £8, Schoolchildren: free. Rob Adams wrote in the Glasgow Herald: “the classic Dixieland model, played with direct, bluesy concision and presented with humour and creativity.” Please join us for what promises to be a lively and very enjoyable evening!

FISHCROSS

Sauchie and Fishcross U F Church Harvest Thanksgiving Services took place last Sunday. In the morning, Rev Graham Brown spoke on the verse, “The harvest is passed, the summer is ended, and we are not saved”. Tom Dawson read from Psalm 65 and from Jeremiah chapter 8. In the evening, the minister spoke on “Sharing the Harvest”. Jock Hinchliffe read from Galatians chapter 6. The church choir brought music in song at both services. On Wednesday, the Women’s Christian Fellowship meets at 7.30 p.m. The speaker will be Dave Sharp. The Women’s Association hold a Women2gether on Thursday at 2.15 p.m. The Bible Study and Prayer Meeting follows at 7 p.m. There will be no Choir Practice this week. The Friday Club for Kids (Leo Club) meets on Friday from 6 until 7.30 p.m. All children at Primary School are welcome. On Sunday, Services take place as usual at 11 a.m. and 6.30 p.m. The Kites Group (for children) meets at 11 a.m.

KINCARDINE

Kincardine History Society will be starting their new season in October. The new session commences on Wednesday, 5th October at 7pm in the Glancy Lounge of the Community Centre. “The History of Airth” by Geoff Bailey is the interesting talk for our opening meeting and all are welcome. The new Winter Syllabus contains a variety of interesting speakers and subjects, and visitors are welcome to attend any that are of particular interest to them. Meetings are held fortnightly and notices for each meeting are displayed throughout the village. There will be a charge of £1.50 each meeting and an

annual Community Association charge of £3.50

MENSTRIE

Menstrie Parish Church: The young people who attend The Ark told the story of Jonah and the Whale and sang the action song they have been learning. The Dedication of the Guild took place and members of the Guild did the Bible readings and a prayer. Rev. Mairi Lovett used this year’s Guild theme “Walk Humbly” and reminded them that the church is called to serve in practical ways in the community. This Sunday October 2 Rev. M Lovett will be leading worship at the Harvest Thanksgiving Service. As part of the celebration there will be the opportunity to share with others through a special collection of Christain Aid. The Bruce Davies Concert takes place this Friday September 30 at 7.30pm in the church. Tickets £5. All are welcome.

MUCHHART

Muckhart Parish Church Please see under “Dollar Parish Church” for further events and information SUNDAY, 2nd October, the service, which will include the Sacrament of Communion, will be led by Rev Alan Ward, Interim Minister.

TULLIBODY

Tullibody Healthy Living’s ‘Friday Night Takeaway’ is a free event for local young people aged 12 - 25 years. The event will take place on Friday 30th September, 6.30pm - 9pm at Tullibody Civic Centre. As well as providing a healthier option takeaway there will be lots of activities to take part such as Zumba, Graffiti Art and a Smoothie Bike. Young Scot will be there so if you would like to apply for a Young Scot Card please bring I.D on the night. For more information please call 01259 724374 or pop into our office 13 Tron Court, Tullibody.

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Friday 30.09.11

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Your Horoscope Predictions By Anne Smith Aries (21 March - 20 April) dŚŝŶŐƐ ƐĞĞŵ ƚŽ ďĞ ƐĞƩůŝŶŐ ŶŽǁ ĂŶĚ ƚŚŽƐĞ ƉůĂŶƐ LJŽƵ ƉƵƚ ŝŶƚŽ ĂĐƟŽŶ Ăƚ ƚŚĞ beginning of last month seem to be ĐŽŵŝŶŐ ŝŶƚŽ ĨƌƵŝƟŽŶ͘ zŽƵ ǁŝůů ƐŽŽŶ ďĞ ĨĞĞůŝŶŐ ŵŽƌĞ ƐĞƩůĞĚ ĂŶĚ ǁŝůů ďĞ ĂďůĞ ƚŽ ƚĂŬĞ ƚŚĞ ĨŽŽƚ ŽĨ ƚŚĞ ŐĂƐ ĨŽƌ Ă ǁŚŝůĞ͕ some of you feel in need of a break and ŵĂLJ ƉůĂŶ ŝŶ ƐŽŵĞ ĚŽǁŶ ƟŵĞ͊

Libra (24 Sept - 23 Oct) ŽŵĞ ƚŽ ŵLJ ŚŽŵĞ ƚŽ ĮŶĚ ƉĞĂĐĞ ĂŶĚ ďĂůĂŶĐĞ / ǁŝůů ŚĞůƉ LJŽƵ ǁŝƚŚ ĂƌďŝƚƌĂƟŽŶƐ ĂŶĚ ĚĞĐŝƐŝŽŶƐ ĂůƚŚŽƵŐŚ / ǁŝůů ŶŽƚ ũƵĚŐĞ LJŽƵ Žƌ ŽƚŚĞƌƐ͊ DLJ LJŽƵ ĂƌĞ ŝŶ ĨƵůů ƐǁŝŶŐ >ŝďƌĂ ŽƉĞŶŝŶŐ LJŽƵƌ ŚĞĂƌƚ ƚŽ Ăůů ƚŚŽƐĞ ŝŶ ĐŽŶŇŝĐƚ͕ ƚƌLJ looking to help those closer to home ĂŶĚ LJŽƵ ǁŝůů ĨĞĞů ƚŚĞ ďĞŶĞĮƚ ƚŽŽ͘

Taurus (21 April - 21 May) dŚĞƌĞ ŚĂƐ ďĞĞŶ Ă ůŽƚ ŽĨ ƵŶƐĞƩůĞŵĞŶƚ ĂƌŽƵŶĚ LJŽƵ ŝŶ ƚŚĞ ůĂƐƚ ĨĞǁ ŵŽŶƚŚƐ͕ LJŽƵƌ ĞŶĞƌŐLJ ŚĂƐ ďĞĞŶ ƉƵůůĞĚ ŽŶĞ ǁĂLJ ƚŚĞŶ ŽƚŚĞƌ͕ ƚŚĞ ƟŵĞ ŚĂƐ ĐŽŵĞ ƚŽ ƚĂŬĞ ŚĞĞĚ ŽĨ ǁŚĂƚ LJŽƵ ŚĂǀĞ ůĞĂƌŶĞĚ ĨƌŽŵ ƚŚŝƐ ƚĞƐƟŶŐ ƟŵĞ ĂŶĚ ƉƵƚ ƉůĂŶƐ ŝŶƚŽ ĂĐƟŽŶ ĨŽƌ ƚŚĞ ĨƵƚƵƌĞ͘

Scorpio (24 Oct - 22 Nov) KƉĞŶ ŵLJ ĞLJĞƐ ƚŚĂƚ / ŵĂLJ ƐĞĞ ǁŚĂƚ ƚŚĞ ĨƵƚƵƌĞ ŚŽůĚƐ ŝƐ ŝŶ ĨƌŽŶƚ ŽĨ ŵĞ͕ ŽƉĞŶ ŵLJ ĞĂƌƐ ƚŚĂƚ / ŵĂLJ ŚĞĂƌ ǁŽƌĚƐ ŽĨ ǁŝƐĚŽŵ ƚŚĂƚ ĂƌĞ ŐŝǀĞŶ ƚŽ ŵĞ͊ zĞƉ ƚŚĂƚ right everything you are looking for is ƌŝŐŚƚ ƚŚĞƌĞ ŝŶ ĨƌŽŶƚ ŽĨ LJŽƵ ƐŽ ǁŚĂƚ͛Ɛ ƐƚŽƉƉŝŶŐ LJŽƵ͍ 'Ž ŐĞƚ ŝƚ͊​͊

Gemini (22 May - 21 June) zŽƵ ŚĂǀĞ ŚĂĚ ƚŚŝŶŐƐ ŽŶ ŚŽůĚ ŽĨ ůĂƚĞ unable to make decisions as your ŵŝŶĚ ǁĂƐ ǁŽƌŬŝŶŐ ŽǀĞƌ ƟŵĞ͕ LJŽƵ ĐĂŶ ŶŽǁ ďƌĞĂƚŚĞ Ă ƐŝŐŚ ŽĨ ƌĞůŝĞĨ ĂƐ ƚŚĞ ĨŽŐ ŚĂƐ ůŝŌĞĚ ĨƌŽŵ LJŽƵƌ ŵŝŶĚ ĂŶĚ ŶĞǁ ĂŶĚ ĞdžĐŝƟŶŐ ŽƉƉŽƌƚƵŶŝƟĞƐ ĂƌĞ ŽŶ ƚŚĞ ŚŽƌŝnjŽŶ͕ ƚƌLJ ƚŽ ďĞůŝĞǀĞ ŝŶ LJŽƵƌƐĞůĨ͕ ĂƐ ǁĞ ĚŽ͊͘

^ĂŐŝƩĂƌŝƵƐ (23 Nov - 21 Dec) Time to get back to reality as all this ĨĂŶƚĂƐLJ ǁŝůů ĐĂƵƐĞ ƚƌŽƵďůĞ ŶŽ ĞŶĚ͕ ƚƌƵƐƚ ŵĞ͊ WƌĂĐƟĐĂůŝƟĞƐ ĂŶĚ ůŽLJĂůƟĞƐ need to be looked at as some ĐŽŵŵŝƚŵĞŶƚƐ ĂƌĞ ĨŽƌ ƚŚĞ ůŽŶŐ ŚĂƵů͘ Once you can see this then your life ǁŝůů ďĞ Ă ůŽƚ ƐŵŽŽƚŚĞƌ ĂŶĚ Ă ůŽƚ ůĞƐƐ ĐŽŵƉůŝĐĂƚĞĚ͊

Cancer (22 June - 23 July) At last you can begin to make progress ĂƐ DĞƌĐƵƌLJ ĐŽŵƉůĞƚĞƐ ŝƚƐ ĐLJĐůĞ ǁŝƚŚŝŶ LJŽƵƌ ƐŝŐŶ ĨƌŽŵ &ƌŝĚĂLJ ĐŽŵŵƵŶŝĐĂƟŽŶƐ ĂƌĞ ĐůĞĂƌĞƌ ĂŶĚ ĨĂŵŝůLJ ůŝĨĞ ƐĞƩůĞƐ ĂƐ ǁĞůů ĂƐ ǁŽƌŬ ĂŶĚ Ă ŶĞǁ ďŽƐƐ ŵĂLJ ŚĂǀĞ Ă ŶĞǁ ƉƌŽũĞĐƚ ĨŽƌ LJŽƵ ǁŚŝĐŚ ǁŝůů ŚĞůƉ LJŽƵ ƚŽ ŐĞƚ ŶŽƟĐĞĚ͘ ͊

Capricorn (22 Dec - 20 Jan) ĚŝĨĨŝĐƵůƚ ǁĞĞŬ ǁŝƚŚ DĂƌƐ ĂŶĚ WůƵƚŽ ŝŶ LJŽƵƌ ƐŝŐŶ ƚŚŝƐ ǁĞĞŬ ĨŽƌ ƚŚĞ ĨƵůů ŵŽŽŶ ŽŶ ^ƵŶĚĂLJ͘ǁŝůů ƉƵƐŚ LJŽƵ ǁĞůů ĂŶĚ ƚƌƵůLJ ŽƵƚ ŽĨ LJŽƵƌ ĐŽŵĨŽƌƚ njŽŶĞ͕ ƐŽ ďƵĐŬůĞ ƵƉ ĂŶĚ ŐĞƚ ƌĞĂĚLJ ƚŽ ůĞƚ ŐŽ ĂŶĚ ƚĞůů ƉĞŽƉůĞ ǁŚĂƚ LJŽƵ ƚƌƵůLJ ƚŚŝŶŬ͊ Ğ ďƌĂǀĞ͊

Leo (24 July - 23 Aug) ^ĞĞŵ ƚŽ ŵĞ ĂƐ ŝĨ LJŽƵ ĂƌĞ ĂůůŽǁŝŶŐ ŽƚŚĞƌ ƉĞŽƉůĞƐ ƐŝƚƵĂƟŽŶƐ ŐĞƚ ŽŶ ƚŽƉ ŽĨ LJŽƵ ǁŚŝĐŚ ŝƐ ĐĂƵƐŝŶŐ LJŽƵ ƐƚƌĞƐƐ͘ dŝŵĞ to let go you can’t solve the problems ŽĨ ƚŚĞ ǁŽƌůĚ͕ ĨŽĐƵƐ ŽŶ ǁŚĂƚ͛Ɛ ƌŝŐŚƚ ĨŽƌ LJŽƵ ƚŚŝƐ ǁĞĞŬ ĂŶĚ LJŽƵ ǁŝůů ƚĂŬĞ Ă ďŝŐ ůĞĂƉ ĨŽƌǁĂƌĚ͘

Aquarius (21 Jan - 19 Feb) dŚĞ ďĞŐŝŶŶŝŶŐ ŽĨ ƚŚĞ ǁĞĞŬ ŵĂLJ ďĞ Ă ůŝƩůĞ ĚŝĸĐƵůƚ LJŽƵ ǁŝůů ĨĞĞů ĂƐ ŝĨ LJŽƵ ĂƌĞ ŚŝƫŶŐ Ă ǁĂůů Ăƚ ƟŵĞƐ͕ ďƵƚ ďLJ ƚŚĞ ĞŶĚ ŽĨ ƚŚĞ ǁĞĞŬ ĞǀĞƌLJƚŚŝŶŐ ŐŽĞƐ ƐǁŝŵŵŝŶŐůLJ ĂŶĚ LJŽƵ ǁŝůů ƌĞĐĞŝǀĞ ƚŚĂƚ ǁĞůů ĚĞƐĞƌǀĞĚ ƉĂƚ ŽŶ ƚŚĞ ďĂĐŬ ĂƐ LJŽƵ ǁŝůů ŚĂǀĞ ŵĂĚĞ Ă ŐƌĞĂƚ ďƌĞĂŬƚŚƌŽƵŐŚ͊

Virgo (24 Aug - 23 Sept) DĞŵŽƌŝĞƐ ŽĨ ƚŚŽƐĞ ǁŚŽ ĂƌĞ ŶŽ ůŽŶŐĞƌ around you are on your mind as you ĂůǁĂLJƐ ŐĞƚ ŶŽƐƚĂůŐŝĐ ĂƌŽƵŶĚ LJŽƵƌ ďŝƌƚŚĚĂLJ͕ ĐĂŶ / ƌĞĂƐƐƵƌĞ LJŽƵ ƚŚĂƚ ĚĞĂƚŚ ŝƐ ŽŶůLJ Ă ƚƌĂŶƐŝƟŽŶ ĂŶĚ ƚŚŽƐĞ LJŽƵ ůŽďĞ ĂƌĞ ŶĞĂƌĞƌ ƚŚĂŶ LJŽƵ ƚŚŝŶŬ͊ WƵƐŚ ƚŚŽƐĞ plans that have been on the shelf ĨŽƌǁĂƌĚ ŶŽǁ͘

Pisces (20 Feb - 20 Mar) ŐƌĞĂƚ ǁĞĞŬ ƚŽ ƚƌƵƐƚ LJŽƵƌ ŝŶƚƵŝƟŽŶ ĂƐ ǁĞ ĂƌĞ ŚĞĂĚŝŶŐ ŝŶƚŽ Ă ĨƵůů ŵŽŽŶ ĂŶĚ LJŽƵƌ ƐŝdžƚŚ ƐĞŶƐĞ ŝƐ Ăƚ ĂŶ ĂůůͲƟŵĞ ŚŝŐŚ͕ ƚƌLJ ƚŽ ŵĂŬĞ ƐĞŶƐĞ ŽĨ Ă ůŝƩůĞ dispute around those close to you as you may be able to help them sort it ŽƵƚ͘ dƌLJ ƚŽ ƉĂLJ ĂƩĞŶƟŽŶ ƚŽ ĚĞƚĂŝů Ăƚ ǁŽƌŬ ĂƐ ŝƚ ŝƐ ŝŵƉŽƌƚĂŶƚ͘

Anne is a Spiritualist Medium, Tarot reader and a Reiki Master & available for private consultation, healings and church services

contact, ANNE on

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Re-GEN Re-GEN North

07506723569

Email angelanne@btinternet.com or visit www.angelanne.co.uk

ANGEL ANNE Psychic Medium Food for the soul Recently featured in “Pick Me Up” Magazine Is AvailableFor Readings Every Wednesday Day time & Thursday Evenings in Baillieston Glasgow £30 per reading To book call Anne on 07506723569

Anne’s Spirit Art Cards For Divination

Sizzling Suzie’s Entertainment weecounty Summer Spreads Q’s Views! The Wee County is pleased to have the infamous ‘Q, from Airdrie’ writing for the Entertainment Pages, to give you all some comic relief. As a regular contributor to the Glasgow Metro newspaper, and a regular in the comedy scene in Glasgow and Edinburgh, Q has given the Wee County an exclusive column, which we are sure will have you wanting for more in the next edition of the Wee County!

CAUGHT ON CAMERA Last night I came in, switched on the TV, and saw the craze of “Happy Slapping” (i.e- slapping someone whilst filming it) being taken to disturbing new levels. I saw a young man sleeping in his bed, not troubling anyone, when suddenly two youths burst in and began pounding him senselessly. They continued pounding him as their mate filmed it, then dragged him down a flight of stairs, out of his front door, and then hurled him into a river. The poor youth struggled, screaming ‘Help, I can’t swim’ as his assailants laughed and gave each other “High Five’s”. The show then returned to a studio with two presenters. I expected them to say ‘Police really need your help to find these thugs before they strike again, so ring Crimestoppers on...’, but no. They laughed and said ‘That was ace, now here’s another video’. Yes, we’d just discovered a show called “Pranked” on MTV. This show has apparently been out for a while, but this is the first time I’ve seen it. And what a pile of juvenile crap it is. We see innocent people being assaulted, half drowned, having their property vandalised- why one woman even returned home to a prank which convinced her that her house was on fire and her teenage son trapped inside. There wasn’t a single inventive or amusing

“prank” on it. Worst of all was the warning message from MTV. Despite that fact the show consists of amateur videos, it advises us not to replicate anything we have seen and that they will not view any videos that are submitted to them. Which brings me to this weeks competition. £10 is up for grabs for the first person who writes in with the answer the the question “Where in the name of the Wee Man do ‘Pranked’ get their videos from if they don’t allow amateur submissions?”. In the event of a tie-breaker, the winner will be the most imaginative answer to my second question “If you had five minutes alone with the annoying hosts of ‘Pranked’ and could be guaranteed imunity from prosecution; what would you do to them”. THE YEOVIL NINJA Remember in an earlier edition of Q’s Views, I mentioned the Rain City Superheroes- a band of nutters dressed in superhero costumes who patrol the streets of Seattle “fighting crime”? Well somebody called Ken from Yeovil has decided that his town is the crime capital of the UK, and decided to patrol the streets in a ninja suit. I remember a time when, if the police stopped someone in a ninja costume who claimed to be a crimefighter, they’d get rewarded with a night

DODGY PARKING

We are on the prowl to find the Wee County’s dodgy parkers but we need your help! Unfortunately, we cannot do this campaign on our own – so please send in your dodgy parking pictures to weecounty@hubpublishing.co.uk. Does one of your colleagues suffer from dodgyparkingitis? If so, take a picture of the evidence and send it to us! Don’t worry, all identities will be protected and vehicle registrations blanked out. This is all in the name of good fun, and in no way are we personally attacking any individual or group.

in the cells. Normally if you rang the police and reported a man in black with a samurai sword poncing about outside, they’d send an armed response team. But in Yeovil, chances are it’s this numpty, and the 999 operators will have had their valuable time wasted. It also increases the chances that one day a real armed criminal could simply be dismissed as a complete dumpling, with tragic results. We all get bored with life, we all get delusions of grandeur some times, but someone has to tell this numpty to give it a rest before he or somebody else gets hurt. It will be interesting to see in a years time how many crimes he has actually solved / prevented. Assuming he hasn’t been killed. “THE DEVIL’S BRIDGE” During my honeymoon in Italy, I visited a bridge outside Lucca called “The Devil’s Bridge’. How did it get its name, I hear you cry? Well, the architect who built

it was given a very strict deadline for completion- so strict in fact that if he failed to adhere to it, he’d be ruined. The night before it was due to open, he was nowhere near finishing it, and was in a state of utter despair. Just as he was about to jump off the unfinished bridge, none other than the devil appeared to him, and said ‘I will finish the bridge for you in exhange for the first soul that crosses over it’. The desperate architect accepted Beelzebub’s offer, and before he knew it the bridge was complete. However, he felt guilty about condeming an innocent soul to Hell, so sent a dog across the bridge first. So, if you’re working in the Edinburgh Tram project- I think I’ve worked out how you can finish the job on time and within budget. I even have a dog you can use and condemn to Hell; it growls at me every time I walk past it, so has really been riding its luck for some time now.

DODGY Picture

Have you got any dodgy pictures that you would like to add to our ‘Dodgy picture hall of shame’? Then send them in and the next dodgy picture might be yours in a future issue of the hub for everyone to see! weecounty@hubpublishing.co.uk

SUDOKU

CROSSWORD Across 1. Seafarer (7) 4. Attain (5) 7. Catlike mammal (5) 9. Type of rock (7) 10. Respire (7) 11. Gaze (5) 12. Resembling a horse (6) 14. Unit of time (6) 18. Pandemonium (5) 20. Melodious (7) 22. Elusive (7) 23. Fibbing (5) 24. Foe (5) 25. Distinguished (7)

Down 1. Gruesome (7) 2. Variety show (5) 3. Elevated (6) 4. Parts of a ladder (5) 5. Fruit (7) 6. Precipitance (5) 8. Colossus (5) 13. Unwitting (7) 15. Tripod (5) 16. Joy (7) 17. Hinder (6) 18. Pancake (5) 19. Glossy (5) 21. Percussion instrument (5)

weecounty

Friday 30.09.11

Brain boosting exercise Cardiovascular workouts and weight training build up muscles and improve physical fitness, but not many people think of exercise as a workout for the mind. Regular fitness training is proven to help relieve mental stress, which often stems from the workplace, and keeps the mind ticking over like a well-oiled machine. Research shows that for 43 per cent of working people, time constraints prevent them from getting to the gym. Demanding careers and heavy workloads take their toll mentally and without regular exercise, productivity in the workplace can suffer, which is bad for both employers and careers. Many workers are failing to schedule regular breaks and lunchtimes, let alone a fitness regime, into their day. The result is often a sluggish mind and an equally sluggish body. Ros Saunderson, fitness coordinator at LA Fitness, believes the answer is to turn lunch breaks into exercise workouts. “The perfect way to energise your mind is to use your lunch break to take a brisk walk or engage in a short burst of exercise,” he says. “The release of endorphins lowers your stress levels considerably and ensures that you return to your desk in a positive frame of mind, ready to the

most challenging of work demands.” Working life can be extremely pressurised. Saunderson believes exercise is the best way to deal with mental and physical tension, as it reduces the body’s levels of stress hormone, cortisol. “Just 20 minutes of exercise a day will make you better equipped for dealing with stressful situations,” he says. “I always recommend a vigorous workout for when you are feeling frustrated at work or home. Try boxing, weight training or intensity speed endurance on a treadmill for getting anger out of your system.” Bevan Viljoen, a personal trainer at LA Fitness, believes regular exercise is vital for improving working performance and concentration. He says, “I encourage all my employees to take a break at midday and exercise if they can. This ensures I have a more productive taskforce and avoids the midday slump when we all reach for sugary foods as a quick fix.” “To demonstrate how we should look at our bodies, I always use the analogy of a sports car - it’s no good if it looks great but the engine’s not finely tuned.” Many research studies have also linked exercise with better quality sleep. Restful sleep is essential for a clear and refreshed mind, preparing you for the challenges work may bring during the day.

pet of the week

Y E L I A B Age: 16 Months

Lives: with Natalie Haxton Breed: Staffordshire Bull Terrier Likes: He loves lying snuggled up under the covers. Dislikes: Pigeons and absolutely hates the rain To submit your pet please send a photo of your pet to weecounty@hubpublishing. co.uk or post your photo to The Wee County News, Lomond Suite, Ellismuir House, Ellismuir Way, Tannochside Park, Uddingston G71 5PW with your name, your pets name, breed, age and his or her likes and dislikes. * although we will try, we cannot guarantee the return of any photos posted to us.

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WIN A COMPLETE MAKE OVER AT

Eden Beauty Emporium E

den Beauty Emporium has recently opened in Alloa town centre and is the place to go for everything you need to make your look perfect.

The family-run Shillinghill beauticians offer a wide range of treatments and this week launched a hair salon based within the shop. Experienced hairstylist Lyn Hunter, will be stationed within the salon and will offer expert cuts and colours along with advice on what is best for the client. With over 20 years experience in the industry, Lyn also offers a beautiful selection of acrylic nails and treatments. Eden also specialise in Fake Bake, which can be done in store along with intimate waxing amongst other beauty treatments. For those looking to further enhance their look, Eden now offers teeth whitening and Botox injections on appointment. One of the most popular treatments so far at Eden is the fish pedicure with the famous Rufa fish. This treatment involves the feet being submerged in the water tank while the tiny fish nibble away and remove hard skin. Owner Linda Connor also runs an All About Weight clinic in-store in which people can realise their weight-loss goals with tasty food replacements and expert advice. Aside from the range of beauty treatments, Eden also sell a variety of baby gifts including wax bears and Babble Bibs which make great gifts. Gift cards are available to pay for treatments and offer a handy payment scheme that allows customers to save up for treatments they desire – which would be perfect for Christmas parties.

The weecounty has teamed up with Eden Beauty Emporium to offer one lucky reader the chance to win a make-over by one of the expert team. The winner will receive a fish pedicure, a nail treatment, cut and colour and a Fake Bake to get them looking brand new. To win an Eden Beauty Emporium make-over just answer this question:

What type of fish are used in fish pedicures at Eden Beauty Emporium? A) Rufa Fish B) Clown Fish C) Brown Trout Send your answers on a postcard with your name, address and contact telephone number to wee county news Head Office, Ellismuir House, Ellismuir Way, Uddingston, G71 5PW. You can also e-mail your answers plus your name, address and contact details to weecounty@hubpublishing. co.uk or via our new facebook site. Entries must be received by October 12th, the editors decision is final.

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Lifestyle

Friday 30.09.11

Anti-aging foods T

here might not be a fountain of youth for you to drink from but you can fill your fridge with food to help keep age at bay. Age is inevitable and it is more than skin deep. It is a gradual deterioration in physical health. Fight back the ravages of time with food.

Why we age

Your body’s cells are genetically determined to reproduce a number of times, die and be replaced by new cells. Over time, the process slows down, resulting in a gradual deterioration of all body systems. Your skin is just the most visible. Some of this deterioration is due to the action of unstable oxygen molecules, called free radicals, which accelerate the ageing process. Free radicals are fuelled by cigarette smoke, excessive alcohol, air pollution, X-rays and solar radiation. Basically, you are constantly exposing your body to unnecessary free radicals that speed up your ageing.

Fight free radicals

Antioxidants help slow the ageing process by disarming and mopping-up

free radicals before they contribute to irreversible cellular damage. They help to improve your immune system and can help to reduce age-related problems, such as painful joints and even cancer. Like any nutrient, it is best to consume them in their natural state. That means eating lots of antioxidantrich foods.

Folic acid

This is needed for healthy cell growth and division. Folic acid-rich foods include breakfast cereals, beans, leafy green vegetables and orange juice.

Vitamin B12

This works with folic acid and is needed for optimal cell growth, brain and nerve function and reserves fall sharply after the age of 50. Vitamin B12 is found in meat, liver, kidney, dairy products, eggs and fish.

Vitamin C and vitamin E

These help protect against agerelated conditions such as heart disease, stroke, cataracts and even some forms of cancer. Vitamin C also

weecounty

helps to regenerate your vitamin E reserves and is found in foods including papaya, sweet peppers, broccoli, Brussels sprouts, strawberries and citrus fruits. Vitamin E is found in almonds, sunflowers seeds and oils, hazelnuts, peanuts, spinach, broccoli, mangoes and kiwi.

Selenium

This recently praised mineral is another powerful antioxidant, which helps bolster the immune system, protect against certain cancers and lower your risk of joint inflammation. Selenium-rich foods come mainly from fish sources, the highest being snapper, salmon, cod and tuna, but it is also in button mushrooms, shitake mushrooms, calf livers, barley and lamb.

Omega 3

This essential fatty acid has been found to protect against heart disease. Omega 3-rich foods include mackerel, tuna, sardines, salmon, or linseed for vegetarians. These should be consumed at least twice a week.

Lycopene

Tomato products are rich sources of lycopene, which is a potent antioxidant shown to protect against cancer,

The road to Marrakesh

Cabbage - rich in folic acid particularly prostate cancer, and may also lower cholesterol.

broccoli and spinach are among the best sources of magnesium.

Calcium and magnesium

Supplements Superantioxidants

Bone density declines after the menopause, so up your intake of calcium and magnesium. Daily products including almonds, baked beans, salmon, tofu and rhubarb are all sources of calcium. Peanuts, tofu,

Potent antioxidant supplements to consider are alpha-lipoic acid, grape seed extract and coenzyme Q10.

weecounty Recipes

Roasted Vegetable Risotto

T

his cheap and versatile recipe is ready in under half an hour and will go a long way towards giving you your five-a-day. The courgettes, aubergines and peppers will add a sweetness to the dish, but you can use whatever veg you have to hand. Serves 4.

INGREDIENTS 4tsp butter

In the souk in Marrakesh

H

opping on a plane for a city break has become one of the most popular getaways for the British. There are endless cities to choose from within reach of a short haul flight, but none will lead you to a more exotic destination than Marrakesh, the travel capital of Morocco. The imperial city of Marrakesh is colourful, vibrant, aromatic and intoxicating in every way. The dramatic cityscape has a backdrop of the snow-capped High Atlas Mountains, while the city centre features the most stunning architecture and its bustling souks will draw you into another world. Travelling to Marrakesh gives a taste of Arabia without the long haul and with all the comforts of high quality accommodation. Marrakesh is famous for its historic mosques, souks, riads and gardens. Within the ancient red walls of the medina, which marks out Marrakesh’s religious and cultural centre, a maze of medieval-like streets lead to the city’s heart, the Djemaa el-Fna Square, simply one of the most fascinating squares in the world. A walk in Djemaa el-Fna Square will lead you to all the visual treats you associate with Marrakesh: street performers of all kinds, including jugglers and snake charmers, delicious food stalls and sultry souks. The atmosphere is as colourful as the buildings and people that inhabit the square once evening falls. The biggest and most elaborate of the mosques inside the

medina is Koutoubia, which has come to be known as the city’s principal landmark. The red stone mosque was first built in 1147, but demolished and rebuilt in 1199 because it was not correctly aligned with Mecca. As with all mosques, entry is not permitted for non-Muslims, but the Koutoubia is nonetheless a gathering point for tourists. To the south of the medina is the Kasbah, or the royal quarter, with the king’s palace and two former royal residences: the ruins of the once magnificent El Badi Palace and the 19century Bahia Palace with tranquil gardens, fountains and a shady courtyard. While there are many modern and luxurious hotels in Marrakesh, nothing beats staying in a riad in the heart of the medina. Riads are traditional Moroccan houses with an interior courtyard garden. The riads in the medina have been lovingly restored and include all the mod cons of a hotel, but with bags more ambience. These are usually run as boutique accommodation and make a refreshing change from a large and often impersonal hotel. Spring and autumn are the best times to explore Marrakesh, with temperatures averaging 20-25°C. During the summer, it becomes stiflingly hot, with temperatures exceeding 40°C, but in wintertime, the city can feel the cold. It’s also best to avoid April unless you want to risk the chance of encountering a sandstorm.

2tsp extra virgin olive oil 1 large onion, finely chopped 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped 2 courgettes, cubed 1 large aubergine, cubed 1 red pepper, sliced 300g risotto rice 2tsp dried basil 2tsp mixed herbs 1.5l vegetable stock

METHOD

1. Preheat the oven to 200C/Gas Mark 6 2. Put the cubed vegetables in a large baking tray. Drizzle over the olive oil then mix lightly with your hands to coat, then bake in the oven - this will take around 20 minutes. 3. Meanwhile, melt the butter in a deep frying pan or a saucepan. Sautee the onion and garlic for 2 minutes. While they’re cooking, make the stock. 4. Add the risotto rice to the pan. Stir well to coat the rice with the butter. Gradually add the stock in small quantities, stirring continuously each time until all the liquid has been absorbed by the rice. Repeat until all the stock is used up and the rice is creamy around 20 minutes. 5. Remove the roasted vegetables from the oven. Add to the rice mixture and stir well. Finally, add the herbs and serve immediately.

weecounty

To rent or buy? N

otwithstanding the fact that the UK property market is in the doldrums, a range of opportunities exists for people to either continue to invest in the rental property market in some shape or form or to at least climb on the property ladder, so beloved of the British population. Drawn by below market-value prices and the growing number of properties being repossessed, some property investors are looking to increase their portfolio with the added benefit of purchasing assets with ready made tenants. Such people, facing difficulty meeting mortgage commitments, are selling their home for up to 80 per cent of its value to landlords and then staying on as tenants, but with absolutely no guarantee that they can stay long term. The practice, known as ‘sale and rent back’ is growing in popularity at a time when many people cannot afford mortgage payments, coupled with the options for remortgaging being severely restricted. It has also attracted its share of negative publicity ensuing in an investigation by the Office of Fair Trading that found no grounds to ban the concept. Chris Norris, product manager for NLA Rentback, part of the National Landlords Association said: “Homeowners entering into this kind of arrangement need to carefully weigh all up of their options, but it does offer a suitable alternative to repossession.” Some critics of the scheme find it wrong that property investors are able to buy property at a discount simply because the seller is desperate to avoid repossession and its associated stigma, but there are those that counter that sale and rent back properties are often only viable for landlords as the reduced price paid means that rental payments will cover mortgage payments. This is one area where the Mortgage Rescue Network (MRN) warns potential investors to be wary of ensuring that mortgage payments can be met because if not, tenants risk losing their home for a second time with no recourse available to them. Phil Martin, a director of MRN, said: “At the end of the day, the agreement put in place by landlords and their tenants constitute business dealings but while the landlord is in it for a profit, they should take the tenant’s financial situation into account when setting rental payments.” Another option that is growing in popularity for those desperate to either stay or get on the housing ladder is one

which interestingly, for once, is of obvious benefit to both seller and purchaser. Faced with a declining pool of people who cannot afford to buy or who cannot immediately secure finance, some house builders are offering the opportunity whereby properties can be rented before deciding whether to buy. The concept has been welcomed by Norris who said: “Rental options deliver choice, flexibility and best of all affordability that millions need and with this kind of arrangement in place people have decent places to live in while deciding what the future holds as well as house builders standing a much stronger chance of selling properties otherwise left standing empty.” The ‘rent first, buy later’ scheme is heading a series of measures which the government hopes will breathe new life into the housing market and essentially works by allowing tenants to rent a property at 80 per cent of the market value for a fixed period of up to three years, during which time they can save for a deposit. The project is open to those with household earnings under £60,000 per annum and is aimed primarily at first-time buyers who the whole housing market is hugely dependent on. Although the scheme is designed to encourage and assist people to invest in property, critics see it as another route to people overstretching themselves when it comes to taking on a mortgage. Norris said: “People will still need to be highly regimented in how they save money because lending institutions will still require large deposits while there is also the issue of not knowing what the mortgage market will be like in three years time when the fixed rental period is up.” Another element to bear in mind for aspiring property owners is the fact that after their rental period expires and they elect not to purchase the property they have been living in, landlords are under no obligation whatsoever to renew tenancy agreements. 
There appears to be no ideal scenario to solving the current housing crisis but as Norris commented: “The country’s band of property owners and investors appear to be the winners at the moment because not only are bargains to be had in what is a buyer’s market but demand in the rental sector is high driven by those needing homes but who cannot afford to buy one.”

Property

Moving into a new phase - setting up home together can really test a relationship

R

elationships are made up of constant tests that reveal whether or not two people are right for one another. And one of those tests is undoubtedly moving in together. Whether or not the time is right, there are always a few pointers to keep in mind when taking this decision, as this step in the relationship can make or break it. The problem with sharing a home with your loved one is that the event might be premature and simply triggered by a coincidental turn of events. A good

example might be that both of you were planning to move out of your parents’ houses and decided to move in together to share the cost of living. The main issue here is that couples should move in together as a natural transition in a relationship. Finances should not be the basis of the decision for such an important step. Often, a man and woman may decide to settle down together because they see it as the natural next step in their relationship. But the problem is that they may not be ready for it. Unfortunately, a

23

Chris Norris is product manager for NLA Rentback

Pass the moving-in test couple will only realise they moved too fast when it’s too late. The important thing to remember is that when you and your lover co-habit, you will ultimately see all the aspects of each other’s personal life - not just the pretty side. You will be privy to all of his or her behavioural ups and downs, day in and day out. And often, when sex is on tap, it no longer remains unattainable and, thus, becomes less desirable. On the brighter side of things, this step into long-term companionship might actually bring the two of you closer together. This can be the launch pad to solidify a relationship. A man and woman may be fearful of spending every minute of their lives with each other, especially if they were used to simply seeing each other every other day or so. But to many couples’ surprise, this living situation turns out to be great. If each other’s bathroom routines don’t come as too much of a surprise - and don’t disgust you - then both of you could be on the road to something good. A simple checklist can help the unprepared make the most of moving in together. Make it your own place. Remember that the furniture and design of the place should be a joint decision. Don’t reveal everything at once. The idea here is for both of you to become comfortable with each other at a gradual pace. It is not wise to show each other all of your good and bad qualities at once. This might unnecessarily scare the other away, or worse, repulse them.

Friday 30.09.11

Respect each other’s space. Just because the two of you are living under the same roof, it doesn’t mean every second of every minute needs to be spent together. Rather, find some personal places each of you can revert back to for some quiet time. Share the responsibility. Alternate the

housework tasks, rather than splitting them up, so both of you get your hands dirty. This will, in turn, allow both of you to put equal amounts of effort into the whole task of cleaning up. Most importantly, follow your instincts and have the best of times together.

Why not advertise your property with the Wee County News?

Call

01698 803 909 or email sales@hubpublishing.co.uk

24

Jobs

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PSV / PCV COACH DRIVER Job No: ALL/22671 SOC Code: 8213 Wage COMPETITIVE RATES OF PAY Hours 15 - 20 HRS PER WEEK, OVER 7 DAYS, MAINLY DAYS AND EVENINGS Location CENTRAL BELT OF SCOTLAND FK10 Duration Permanent Date posted 08 September 2011 Pension details Pension available Description Must have clean appropriate manual licence and previous experience. Will need to be flexible over availability. Working for a friendly local coach company duties involve driving, generally throughout the Central Belt of Scotland, keeping vehicle clean and fuelled, daily walk-round check, plus all related tasks. An immediate start is possible. How to apply You can apply for this job by telephoning 0125 9215560 ext 0 and asking for Julie Jack. Employer Hunters Executive Coaches

DIESEL MECHANIC Job No: ALL/22672 SOC Code: 5231 Wage COMPETITIVE RATES OF PAY Hours FULL OR PART-TIME HOURS, OVER 7 DAYS, BETWEEN 7AM - 6PM. Location CLACKMANNAN, CLACKMANNANSHIRE FK10 Duration Permanent Date posted 08 September 2011 Pension details Pension available Description Must be a fully experienced and timeserved mechanic. PCV / HGV licence an advantage. Duties involve repairs and maintenance on a variety of buses and coaches, plus all related tasks. Employer will consider full or part-time hours. Days and times of work to be arranged. An immediate is possible. How to apply You can apply for this job by telephoning 0125 9215560 ext 0 and asking for Julie Jack. Employer Hunters Executive Coaches

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take that first step into the world of journalism? Hub Media is looking for a talented reporter /trainee reporter to join its team working on the Wee County News, based in Alloa. The successful applicant will be adaptable and able to cover news and sport while bringing exciting ideas to the table. We are looking for an ambitious reporter or graduate with a qualification in journalism, shorthand and knowledge of Scots Law. The ideal candidate will have an excellent news sense and the ability to remain calm while working to a strict deadline. This is an opportunity to join an expanding company

who have a strong portfolio of newspapers across South Lanarkshire, Perthshire and Clackmannanshire. Three papers will be launched from the Alloa office in the very near future and you will play a key part in shaping their content. A car owner would be preferred.

Send written applications, including CV and clippings to: Hub Media Ltd Scott Mochar Ellismuir House, Ellismuir Way, Uddingston G71 5PW Tel: 01698 803909 Email: scott@hubpublishing.co.uk.

Business and Money

The crazy world of insurance claims

W

e all need insurance. You never know what is going to happen to your valued possessions. And sometimes truth is stranger than fiction when it comes to the bizarre accidents that happen to people’s belongings, judging by some of the odd insurance claims that have been made. Most people take out home contents insurance to protect their possessions from the unexpected, such as theft or accidents. However, a recent survey has unearthed some of the more unusual reasons that prompted people to file claims on their contents insurance. These might sound funny but each was a real-life claim: A diamond eaten by a small child; A digital camera eaten by a dog; A broken window, caused by a woman who threw a plate at her husband but missed; A video recorder damaged when someone tried to put a sandwich in the tape slot; A contact lens which fell from the top of the Leaning Tower of Pisa; A dining chair that melted in the sun; A pram, fortunately empty, which was damaged when a woman reversed over it in her car; A missing copy of the Bible . The survey was conducted by Lloyds TSB Insurance. Phil Loney, managing director

What does a hungry dog have in common with the Leaning Tower of Pisa? Answer - they were both the subjects of wacky insurance claims of Lloyds Insurance, said, “With millions of homeowners in the UK, there’s bound to be variety in the types of claims insurers receive. Even so it’s always surprising what people will admit to.� Apparently not all of these claims were covered by contents insurance, showing it pays to check what you’re covered for before you take out a policy.

weecounty GARAGE DOORS

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weecounty

Friday 30.09.11

From mannequins to motors

M

eet Michael O’Hare, proprietor of ATF (Auto Trim Fix), a small family run business that services the needs of clients across Central Scotland. His services centre on cosmetic repairs to vehicles. Michael (40), a former makeup artist set the business over 3 years ago after working for a larger chain carrying out repair work both internally and externally to vehicles. He was one of the first in Scotland to be trained on this type of work over 15 years ago. His speciality is external work though where as he says,

‘I make scratches vanish with ease.’ His attention to detail and experiences from his previous role ensure that Michael is certainly a cut above the rest when it comes to his workmanship, and it is that attention to detail that has seen him become the preferred supplier to the likes of Audi, BMW and Mercedes whenever any of their customers cars need repairing. Michael said, ‘I could not have expected things to turn out any better than they have, to be the preferred supplier to the likes of BMW and Mercedes is something special, I mean, these companies always take exceptional care over their customers vehicles and for them to allow me to repair them over their in-house team speaks volumes.’ ATF is now highly sought after and Michael has plans to either franchise the business or take on other talented individuals in the future. He also said, ‘I have this idea that one day I’d like to take on a young apprentice and show them the ropes.’ Alongside working with the prestige motor brands, Michael continues to service his ever expanding personal customer base where most of his business comes from referrals. He commented, ‘I really don’t do too much advertising, only carefully selected marketing strategies are implemented. I am delighted that my name is out there and when people think of vehicle cosmetic repair, they think of Michael O’Hare at ATF.’ Michael also enjoys taking time out to work on restoring old and classic cars, bringing them back to life again, making them look as good today as they did when they first came out of the showroom. The HUB asked him, ‘what is the most expensive car you have worked on,’ to which he replied, ‘a brand new Porsche 911 Turbo, it was days old when the owner managed to scratch the paintwork whilst reversing out of their driveway!’

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weecounty

Friday 30.09.11

27

Motoring The Audi A5 Sportback: A Reliable Boy Racer? I

n the competitive market of ‘coupe 4 doors’ you have a mighty impressive lineup. You have the Mercedes CLS, Volkwasgen’s Passat CC, BMWs 5 series Gran Turismo, Porsche’s Panamera to name but a few. Audi have two offers in the form of the A5 and A7 Sportbacks… The question is; are they any good? The Audi A5 Sportback is the luxury car that really stands up to scrutiny. It’s fast, it’s comfortable and it’s spacious. It has boy racer qualities as well as high safety ratings and

great reliability. It outstrips other Audis on fuel economy and space but are they worth the extra money? Let’s take a closer look!

Performance

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The A5 boasts a top speed of 155 miles per hour and makes it from 0-60 in just 6.3 seconds on average. It is also carrying some impressive new technology like the S Tronic transmission which combines the good qualities of manual and automatic gear boxes. The S Tronic’s duel clutch control allows for gear changes in just 0.2 seconds and stops any interruption to power flow to the engine. Audi offer a choice of petrol of diesel engines while maintaining good fuel efficiency and a sporty performance. The A5 uses subtle Stop Start

technology to conserve fuel while the car is stopped and in neutral. It cuts the engine during this period of rest but the engine is quickly restarted as soon as the clutch is pressed. This can be easily disabled if it proves inconvenient to the driver but appears to be a barely noticeable money saver.

Ride and Handling

The A5 is long and wide (4711mm by 2020mm) which can be a problem for parking in urban situations. It is also high which adds headroom and makes for high and easily accessible doors. The car only has four seats, which will prove problematic for that extra 0.4 of a child the very average family have, but they are wide and well spaced making for a luxurious drive. The A5 also offers adjustable steering and throttle response. This technology can be set to auto, which modifies the system to the optimum depending on driving conditions, or to individual, 72,000 miles, Chili Pack with half leather, xenon lights, panoramic which is sunroof, 17” alloys. 3 Door Hatchback, Red, Petrol, Manual, ABS, Front available electric windows, Electric door mirrors, Remote central locking, PAS. New discs and pads, and new MOT. with satellite Great fun car. navigation and allow the driver to customise the Contact 01698 861501 or 07736289899 dynamics.

Car For Sale

MINI COOPER S, 2002, 52 Plate

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Stats Price from: £34,720 Engine: 2967cc Performance: 0-62 6.3 seconds Power: 240bhp Co2: 176g/km Economy: 42.2mpg

Safety and security

The A5 comes with a range of airbags, driver and passenger as well as front side and side protection. At the other end of the spectrum the Audi comes equipped with a first aid kit for bumps and scrapes on days out. To keep the car secure there are locking wheel bolts as well as an intelligent key and anti-theft system.

Toys

To assist with parking the A5 has an electromechanical parking break and a rear acoustic parking system which should make up for the difficulty made by the length and width of the Audi. There is also a colour driver’s information system and an adjustable steering column to make for a comfortable drive. With the A5 it really is a case of spending money to save money. It is more reliable than other Audis and it costs a lot less to run than the average luxury car but the initial price is high. It does provide good value for money. The only thing is that it is a lot of money.

28

weecounty

Friday 30.09.11

Motoring

Park life A

Back up: did that VW just park itself?

Women flirt away fines

Women drivers use their feminine wiles to escape fines and penalty points

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here’s nothing worse than returning to your car after a hard day at work to find a parking fine stuck to the window, or being pulled over for failing to notice a busesonly sign. Not surprisingly, rather than face paying out some ladies use their womanly wiles to avoid a hefty fine or penalty points. Men might mock women’s driving skills but when it comes to slipping out of speeding fines

and worming our way round irate traffic wardens, you have to admit that women have got men licked. Feminism may have come along way but when it comes down fine dodging, one in four of us would bat our eyelashes or reveal a bit too much cleavage if we thought it would get us off the hook with a traffic warden or policeman, according to a recent YouGov survey for car insurance firm Diva.

Women might statistically be the safest behind the wheel but they display considerably less self-control than men when it comes to getting themselves out of sticky situations with the authorities. However, it seems to be the younger female drivers who are most likely to flash a bit of cleavage or flirt with the officer. In the survey of 2,181 women drivers, car insurance provider Diva found that 34 per cent of 18 to 24-year-olds said they would consider giving a traffic warden the come on to avoid a hefty fine. Younger women might be brazen behind the wheel but it seems mature motorists have more driving decorum, with 61 per cent of over 45-yearolds refusing to even consider flirting if caught flouting the law. However Diva believes your flirting prowess is less to do with your age and much more to do with where you come from, as bold Northern ladies are even more likely to turn on the charms when caught for speeding or a parking ticket than their more demure southern counterparts according to the survey. The brazen women of Yorkshire displayed the most temptress tendencies with 25 per cent saying they’d turn on the charm if faced with potential penalty points, while a more timid seven per cent of Londoners admitted to already having had a go at charming their way out of trouble. Head of Diva Kaye Sutcliffe says: “Diva is car insurance designed specifically for women and we wanted to delve into a diva’s mind and see what makes us girls tick. At Diva we think women are better drivers, which is why we have

negotiated such excellent rates for women. But I’m not sure guys realise just how shrewd women are when it comes to getting themselves out of trouble. Flirting is just one more device divas deploy to get what they want behind the wheel.” So who knows? Maybe a beaming smile and puppy dog eyes could save you from that next parking ticket or penalty points!

VW Passat estate drives up, it stops half way into the road, the driver gets out, slams the door shut and, as he walks away from the car, he aims a remote control back at it. The car then proceeds to reverse park itself into the available space, turns off the engine and activates the door locks. No jokes about the parking skills of any particular sections of the population, but it sounds like a dream for many people who feel reversing skills are not the strongest element of their driving. In fact it’s not a dream. It’s a reality. The scene above was plated out at this year’s Hanover Fair in April, where Volkswagen premiered its Park Assist Vision system. This has the ability to guide a Passat prototype with absolute precision into a perpendicular parking space - the kind available in car parks. As any supermarket shopper knows, these parking spaces are often too narrow to allow drivers and passengers to get in and out of the car comfortably. So why not get out before parking? Park Assist Vision will enable that. VW has already launched a semi-automatic parksteering system, the Park Assist, in its Touran, Tiguan, Passat and Passat estate to help drivers parallel park. The concept system at the Hanover Fair, which is capable of perpendicular parking fully automatically,

adds to that. The only thing the driver needs to do is select an available space on the monitor of the navigation system, set the selection lever of the automatic-drive vehicle (DSG) to P and get out of the car. The driver can, of course, choose to stay in the vehicle until the vehicle has been manoeuvred into its space. The system works because two cameras, located in the left and right exterior mirrors, are responsible for gauging the dimensions of the parking space. The video signals are transmitted to a 2GHz high-performance computer, which then analyses them and sends commands to the steering and drive systems. If the driver has initiated the parking manoeuvre, the Park Assist Vision will reverse the vehicle into the parking space in accordance with the previously computed course and using electromechanical power steering, the electronic parking brake, DSG and the engine power produced by the idling mixture. Two additional cameras at the front and rear of the vehicle as well as the system’s ultrasound sensors monitor the operation and will stop the vehicle if necessary. The driver may also interrupt the manoeuvre at any time using the remote control. This new driver assistance system is still in the trial phase of development, and a date has not yet been set for introduction of the system to series production.

ALL CARS AND VANS WANTED Cash £150 minimum paid Bigger the car, Bigger the price Prompt Collection Al paperwork done to DVLA requirments Scotland's Premier Disposal Company

GRAY'S METALS Ltd Kirkcaldy

01592 652666 01592 652684 Unleaded ASDA - Alloa - 130.7 Tesco - Alloa - 130.9 Morrisons - Alloa - 131.9 Highest – 137.9

Diesel ASDA - Alloa - 135.7 Tesco - Alloa - 135.9 Morrisons - Alloa - 135.9 Highest – 142.9 *Prices correct at time of print Source: petrolprices.com

Fuel Price Round Up

weecounty sport

Friday 30.09.11 29

Wee County Golf No joy for Alva at Falkirk tryst I n the final of the Scottish Club Championship held last weekend at Falkirk Tryst Golf Club, the challenge of Alva Golf Club (Lawrence Allan, Steve McIvor, and Michael Robertson) did not materialise and they finished in tenth position out of the sixteen Area Club qualifiers. With the best two scores from three to count in each round, Alva left themselves too much to do in the second round.

Dollar Golf Club

Best in the morning round was Lawrence with a 68—one of only 6 sub par scores from the field of 48….. their score of 145 (Allan 68, Robertson 77) put them in eighth position. In the increasingly rainy afternoon, their second round total was 151 (Allan 74, Robertson 77), giving them an aggregate score of 296, finishing tenth behind the winning team from Ballochmyle (Ayrshire).

2011 County boys golf league T

he County Junior Golf League for 2011 has finished and holders Alva have retained their 2010 title. County Junior Convenor Sam Kinnaird commented “In these difficult times for Junior Golf in Clackmannan County, the team of Alva boys have to be congratulated on a fine win this year. Most of the matches were played--- unfortunately only 4 Clubs participated and hopefully next year will see a return of the other two clubs to the competition” FINAL RESULTS 1. Alva (5 points); 2. Braehead (4 points); 3 Alloa (3 points); 4. Tillicoultry (2 points).

County golf league T he County Golf League in 2011 was well supported, with all six Clubs in Clackmannan County participating. County President George Kay congratulated Alloa Golf Club “ Over 50 golfers from the six Clubs took part in the Inter Club matches---Alloa had an emphatic win with

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ulliallan’s Callum Macaulay missed last weeks Challenge Tour, but is back on the circuit at La Gomera in the Canary Islands. He

Saturday 24th September 2011 - Whyte & Mackey Trophy

Div 1: 1st Kenneth Christie (7) 65; 2nd Walter Thomson (12) 69; 3rd Jim Steedman (12) 70. Div 2: 1st Greig Barker (13) 68; 2nd Stephen Leitch (13) 68; 3rd David Brodie (14) 70.

Saturday 25th September 2011 - Swanston Trophy

Div 1: 1st David Borrowman (11) 61; 2nd Michael Todd (8) 66; 3rd Brian Miller (10) 66. Div 2: 1st Greig Barker (13) 63; 2nd Terry Young (17) 63; 3rd David Brodie (14) 64.

Muckhart Golf Club

Saturday 24th September - Turkey Trot - CSS-73 3 wins and two halves in their five matches. Hopefully some of these golfers will improve to feature in next years County teams, and we look forward to improved results” FINAL RESULTS 1. Alloa (8 points); 2. Braehead (5 points) 3 Tulliallan (5 points) 4. Alva (4 points) 5 equal Dollar, Tillicoultry (2 points)

must be hoping for third time lucky after making two cuts and finishing fairly well up the field recently.

Winner Ian Gwynne 79-10=69 Division 1 1st - B Scott 74-4=70 2nd - N MacDonald 74-2=72 Division 2 1st - R Houston 84-12=72

Clacks win floodlit triples I

t was the annual floodlit triples at Clackmannan Bowling club recently which saw more than 70 teams take part in the event over the past eight nights. At the end of the day, it was a battle between Clackmannan and Grangemouth’s Railway Club. The score

after 7 ends was Clacks 7 Grangemouth 5. The event has been played since 1981 and was formely known as the Beneagles. It is still one of the most popular competitions in all districts. There are already 65 entries in for next year.

ACA Sports East Premier League Results

Final competition of the season

Results: Saturday, 24th September 2011 Armadale Thistle 0 Sauchie Juniors 0 Downfield 0 Glenrothes 1 Arniston Rangers 0 Penicuik Athletic 1 Tayport 0 Broughty Athletic 1 Broxburn Athletic 4 Newtongrange Star 2 Ballingry Rovers 3 Oakley United 4

C

lackmannan Bowling club this Saturday, October 1st will see a drawn competition to mark the end of the season, starting at 1.30 pm. At night there is a good old fashioned rock & roll night book your tickets now on 722440.

Junior Football League W 2 2 2 1 0 0 1 1 0 0 0 0

D 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 1 2 1 1 0

Home L 0 0 0 0 1 2 1 0 1 1 1 2

2nd - C Nicholls 87-10=77 Division 3 1st - A Hetherington 85-15=70 2nd - D Bates 90-15=75 Scratch R Sinclair 73

Ladies - Saturday 24th September - Medal Winners Final - CSS-73

Ladies - Tuesday 20th & Saturday 24th September - Turkey Trot CSS Tues - RO, Sat - 73 1st - G Black 98-23=75 2nd C Malcolm 95-19=76

Continued from back page

Bowling

P 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4

Div 1: 1st Brian Miller (10) 35 pts; 2nd Jock Paterson (11) 34 pts. Div 2: 1st David Brodie (14) 34 pts; 2nd Stephen Leitch (13) 33 pts.

Silver - D Rettie 94-20=74 Bronze - E Black 96-26=70

Callum in action

TEAM Oakley United Glenrothes Penicuik Athletic Sauchie Juniors Broughty Athletic Tayport Newtongrange Star Broxburn Athletic Armadale Thistle Ballingry Rovers Arniston Rangers Downfield

Thursday 22nd September 2011 - Midweek Stableford

F 8 7 8 1 3 1 3 4 0 6 1 2

A 0 4 4 0 5 3 2 2 2 7 3 4

W 2 1 1 1 2 2 0 0 0 0 0 0

D 0 1 0 1 0 0 1 0 1 1 1 0

Away L 0 0 1 1 0 0 1 2 0 1 1 2

F 6 4 2 6 4 4 3 2 0 1 1 3

A 4 3 1 6 2 0 5 7 0 4 5 7

GD 10 4 5 1 0 2 -1 -3 -2 -4 -6 -6

Pts 12 10 9 7 7 6 4 4 3 2 2 0

30

sport

Friday 30.09.11

Pool

weecounty

Rugby

New sponsor for Wee County pool league Alloa 1st xv 26 Harris 1st xv 32

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he Clackmannanshire Pool league are delighted to announce the Azad Tandoori Restaurant as their new league sponsor. The Azad has been a long standing restaurant in Alloa town centre and the league are delighted to have them onboard and would urge all pool players to get down to Azad and taste there wonderful array of Indian delicacies. New Season:- The new season got underway last week with some excellent victorys being recorded. A League Week 1 :- Oakwood A 5 Crown B 4 Locker Room A 6 Peppes 3 The Inn 8 Allabridge 1 Locker Room B 8 Alva GC 1 Crown 8 Oakwood C 1 B League Week 1 :- Oakwood D 6 Weirs 3 Oakwood B 5 Crosskeys 4 Gartmorn 0 Cairn B 9 County 7 Upstairs(K’dine) 2 Rileys 6 Hammies 3 Davy McGowan Memorial This competition has reached the quarter-final stage following last weeks prelim’s with the first two games due to take place in the past week with the remaining two ties due next week all taking place in the Locker Room

Girls Under 13s Football Tullibody Community 5-4 Cumbernauld Colts

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n an entertaining match Cumbernauld started the quickest scoring in the opening minutes, but on 15 minutes Nicole Gray scored two quick goals to push Tullibody into the lead. Cumbernauld fought hard and managed to go in at the break level. Tullibody restarted the second half brighter. Shellie Calder regained Tullibody’s lead shortly after the restart with a shot from 12yards. Regan Thompson scored an excellent goal coming in from the angle to extend Tullibody’s leads but again Cumbernauld pressed forward and managed to pull the two goal difference back. It was fitting that the goal to win this match was a cracker. Nicole Gray received the ball with her back to goal, she knocked the ball inside the defender, turned and struck the ball high into the net, the Cumbernauld keeper was able to get two hands onto the ball but the power was two great. In the closing stages Kayleigh Robertson had to be lively in the Tullibody goal to maintain the lead and earn a hard fought victory. As the season draws to a close Tullibody’s girls section would like to expand their teams for the 2012 season, we are looking for additional girls for under 10s (Born 2002), under 11s (born 2001), under 13s (born 1999-2000), under 15s (born 199798) and under 17s (born 1995-96). Tullibody Community FC continued a winning weekend. Amateurs defeated Dunblane Ams 3-1, under 14s boys won 3-2 against Falkirk FCF Blue while the under 13s boys defeated Dunblane Soccer Club. Tullibody Community boys 2001s are looking for additional players to boost their squad, training on Tues and Thurs at Tullibody Civic Centre (outdoor) 6pm-7:30pm for further information on opportunities to play with the club please contact Sandra Reynolds club secretary for further details 01259721196.

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Mr Azad presents the cheque to the new league chairman Billy Snaddon and fellow committee members Michael Empson and Pete Smith. Alloa following there continued sponsorship to which the league are grateful for. Scottish Ranking Event 4 The finals of this event took place in the new venue of the Red Triangle Cumbernauld last Sunday with Clackmananshire lads having mixed results. Kris Glass(Locker Room A) lost 6-4,Barry Wraith(Crown A) lost 6-5,Michael Boyd(Inn) lost 6-2 and Ryan Hutchison(Crown B) losing 6-2 unfortunately all in the first round with Pete Smith(Locker Room A) reaching the last 16 before losing to the

eventual winner Pat Holtz 6-4. IM 5 Qualifying:- Local qualifying for the latest national tournament takes place this Saturday and Sunday in the Locker Room with all draws and times available at www. clackspool.org Next Meeting will take place in the Azad Restaurant on Monday 10th October at 7.30pm with teams required to bring with them completed team registration form’s, all completed team sheets and all entries for this season’s county doubles where the draw will take place.

RBS CALEDONIA REGIONAL LEAGUE DIVISION 1 Results: Saturday 24th September

Glenrothes 12 Orkney 26 Aberdeen Uni 52 Gordonians 32 Aberdeenshire 30 Hillfoots 12 Caithness 19 Strathmore 30 Highland 30 Mackie ACAD FP 12 Weekend Fixtures: Saturday 1st October Orkney Hillfoots Strathmore Mackie Acad FP Glenrothes

v v v v v

Caithness Aberdeen Uni Gordonians Aberdeenshire Highland

RBS CALEDONIA REGIONAL LEAGUE DIVISION 1 Team Played ORKNEY 4 ABERDEENSHIRE 4 STRATHMORE RFC 4 HIGHLAND RFC 3 HILLFOOTS RFC 4 MACKIE ACADEMY FP 4 GLENROTHES 4 CAITHNESS RFC 3 ABERDEEN UNIVERSITY RFC 3 GORDONIANS RFC 3

W 3 3 3 2 2 1 1 2 1 0

D 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

lloa dominated this Caledonia Regional Bowl tie for an hour leading by 26-8 only to fall to a four try haul from their Tayside opponents in the final quarter. The home side came out the traps quickly and led through a Gary Taylor try from the loose play converted by Alan Keir. Harris responded with a penalty however ran out of tacklers as Alloa pressed their line and centre Stevie Scott forced his way over. As the half drew to a close, a clever chip from Colin Jess looked to have presented Kris Aitken with a certain score only for the ball to bounce unfavourably and the Harris winger scored a counter-attack try running the length of the

field. Undaunted Alloa were soon back asking question and quick thinking from Colin Jess saw the Alloa standoff take a quick tap-penalty and stroll under the posts. Alan Keir’s conversion gave Alloa a 19-8 half time lead. With the elements in their favour Harris were expected to ask more questions of the home side however a neat inside switch by Colin Jess to centre Kris Aitken sent the Alloa Vice-Captain sailing through for a try under the posts. Keir added the easy conversion. Alloa at this point had a real opportunity to make a statement against a Harris side unbeated in four league and cup ties this season, fresh from an away win at last season’s champions,

Madras. However it was not to be as Harris scored a converted try on the 20 minutes mark and then twice more scored tries down the left wing channel. With both conversions missed, Alloa were still hanging on by a solitary point however straight from the restart Harris swung the ball along their back-line and their left-wing weaved his way through for a winning try under the posts. The Dundee side then comfortably played out the few remaining minutes of the match. Alloa can take comfort in that they played some outstanding rugby in that first hour and quickly have the chance to match-up with Harris again as they meet on league business this weekend on Tayside.

RBS CALEDONIA REGIONAL LEAGUE DIVISION 1

Aberdeenshire 30 Hillfoots 12

H

illfoots travelled North on Saturday to Aberdeen to face an Aberdeenshire side that were level on points with them but returned with nothing. Trying to build on the previous weeks high of beating Highland, Hillfoots failed to carry on their good form. Although putting in some good individual performances, ‘Foots failed to gel as a team and it was clear that Aberdeenshire were hungrier for the ball, which showed around the

ruck and tackle area, with the home side continually turning the visitors over. The penalty count was high in the first half with both teams getting on the wrong side of the referees whistle. Aberdeen opened the scoring with 2 penalties before Ali Page reduced the deficit. With the ref’s patience wearing thin, Aberdeenshire lost their No8 to the sin bin, however Hillfoots couldn’t capitalise on the extra man and it was the home side that scored the first try of the game. Ali Page slotted

his second penalty before Hillfoots were reduced to 14 with David Cree going to the bin for a late tackle. Half-time 6-13 Aberdeenshire started the second half the stronger and soon increased their lead with a converted score. Ali Page reduced the deficit only for the home side to hit straight back with an unconverted try. The home side were once again reduced to 14 and Hillfoots enjoyed their best spell of the game. ‘Foots camped themselves in the home ‘22. The home defence was RBS CALEDONIA REGIONAL LEAGUE DIVISION 2 up to the challenge and Hillfoots left with only another Ali Page penalty to show for their efforts. Weekend Fixtures: Saturday 1st October The home side were starting to sense the bonus point was there for Kinross v Grangemouth the taking. Stirling Uni v Madras One final assault on the Hillfoots line paid St Andrews Uni v Fife South dividends and Aberdeen Harris Acad FP v Alloa secured their bonus point with another unconverted Carnoustie HSFP v Blairgowrie score. RBS CALEDONIA REGIONAL LEAGUE DIVISION 2 MIDLANDS

L F : A Bonus Points Team GRANGEMOUTH STAGS 1 82:62 3 15 HARRIS ACADEMY 1 76:57 2 14 ST ANDREWS UNI 1 110:77 1 13 MADRAS 1 64:48 1 9 STRLING UNI 2 76:74 1 9 BLAIRGOWRIE 3 88:122 2 6 FIFE SOUTH 3 58:93 1 5 ALLOA 1 70:69 0 4 KINROSS 2 102:92 4 3 CARNOUSTIE HSFP 3 63:95 2 2

Played 3 3 3 3 3 2 3 2 3 3

W 3 3 2 2 1 1 1 1 0 0

D 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

L 0 0 1 1 2 1 2 1 3 3

F : A Bonus Points 86:19 1 13 73:56 1 13 84:53 3 11 68:30 2 10 68:59 3 7 31:29 1 5 26:60 1 5 18:25 0 4 43:89 0 0 26:103 0 0

weecounty sport

Friday 30.09.11

31

Wasps blast four past Montrose Manager delighted with series of wins

Alloa 4 Montrose 2

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lloa welcomed Montrose to Recreation Park, knowing all too well that another win was just what they needed to keep them in the mix for promotion at the end of the season. Having put together a great run of late, manager Hartley sent his side out to secure another three points. In the end, Alloa managed to secure all three points, thanks to two second-half goals earning them a deserved 4-2 victory in a highly entertaining match. The home fans were celebrating inside the opening minutes when Cawley was brought down by defender Cameron leaving the referee without any doubt of a penalty. Ryan McCord then got Alloa off to a flying start when he netted the spot kick after just four minutes. Gordon could have added a second literally minutes later but the defender could not get on the end of McCord’s free kick. Montrose then had a few decent chances to pull a goal back but keeper Bain was equal to the task. The visitors had a great spell of play around the 20 minute mark, putting sustained pressure on the Alloa defence and should have scored when Pierce put the ball over the bar with only the keeper to beat. Alan Campbell scored from the edge of the area, after turning unchallenged to

equalise for Montrose on the 26th minute. Just minutes later, Alloa were back in front when a 20-yard strike from Kevin Cawley found the right hand corner of the net, restoring their advantage. Montrose fought back into the match and managed to draw level when Martin Boyle found himself in the right place to volley home from close range after 35 minutes.

chance to take the lead. Ben Gordon managed to get on the end of a McCord corner on the 51st-minute, guiding his header home from six yards. Winters had a good chance to make it four when his 20 yard effort drifted past the post and Cawley forced a good save from Andrews. Alloa sealed their victory when Cawley netted his second goal of the game from 18 yards with

Pictures By Tommy Cochrane

Irn Bru Division 3

The first half could have ended in disaster for the Wasps as Boyle had the ball in the net, luckily he was judged to have strayed into an offside position. Into the second period and the Wasps managed to edge in front for a third time, after Montrose missed a golden

11 minutes left. The striker managed to drive his way into the box unchallenged before slotting the ball home. Hartley must take comfort knowing that is now four wins in a row but they face a tough match away to Elgin City this weekend.

Wee County Fanzone

Results: Saturday 24th September Alloa 4 Montrose 2 McCord (4) Campbell(27) Cawley (28,79) Boyle (37) Gordon (51) Annan Athletic 3 East Stirling 0 Sloan (10) Cox (25, 33) Clyde 1 Berwick Rangers 4 Neill (48) Gray (41) Gribben (54, 56) Smith (90+1) Peterhead 1 Queen’s Park 1 Bavidge (73) Watt (52) Stranraer 1 Elgin 0 Shepard (15) Irn Bru Division 3: League Table Annan Athletic Alloa Athletic Stranraer Elgin City Berwick Rangers Clyde Queen’s Park Montrose Peterhead East Stirling

P 7 7 7 7 7 7 7 7 7 7

W 6 5 5 4 3 3 2 2 1 1

D 0 1 0 0 1 1 2 0 1 0

L 1 1 2 3 3 3 3 5 5 6

F 19 15 18 11 14 9 9 9 8 4

A 10 10 9 9 13 9 12 16 13 15

Weekend Fixtures: Saturday 1st October

Berwick Rangers East Stirling Elgin City Montrose Stranraer

v v v v v

Annan Athletic Queen’s Park Alloa Athletic Peterhead Clyde

PTS 18 16 15 12 10 10 8 6 2 3

weecounty sport Missed chances cost Sauchie Beechwood Park side fail to take all three points against Armadale Thistle

Armadale Thistle 0 Sauchie 0

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auchie travelled to Volunteer Park to face Armadale Thistle at the weekend, full of confidence after ditching Linlithgow Rose out of the cup the week before. Despite the light breeze, it was literally perfect playing conditions and the match served up plenty of highs and lows with some controversy thrown in for good measure. A boost for the visitors was the return of Bryn Halliwell in goal after making a full recovery from the injury the week before. Referee, David Munro had a tough time controlling the match as both sides battled fiercely, occasionally spilling over into some slap and tickle. It was the visiting Sauchie that had the best of the chances in the opening minutes, looking to test out home keeper Walker as

Wee County News is registered at the Post Office and is published weekly, every Thursday by HUB Media Ltd., Suite 17, Ellismuir House, Ellismuir Way, Tannochside Park, Uddingston G71 5PW. Printed by Newsquest, Cambuslang, Glasgow.

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they had the sun and wind to their advantage. Striker Cummings had a good early chance but couldn’t get on the end of the through ball and collided with Walker, leaving the striker flat out in the penalty box. Walker was again called into action to make some good saves from Burns and Cummings. Pressure by Sauchie did result in the ball being in the net after about 25 minutes, only for the referee to disallow it. Comrie’s powerful shot was deflected into the net by home defender Brown. The decision by Munro left everyone inside Volunteer Park bemused as to why the goal had been chopped off. Was there an infringement? Was it offside? Sauchie had a golden opportunity to take the lead in 35 minutes when they were rewarded with a penalty kick. The referee judged that defender Morrison had used his arm to block Morgan’s effort as he slid in. Purdie was nominated to take the spot kick and despite a good strike, his shot just right of centre, was easily saved by Walker who was having a good match. Clearly rattled by the miss and the chopped off goal, Sauchie needed to reassess their tactics, however the home side were riding their luck and still level. Tensions started to rise, resulting in the referee dishing out yellow cards like he was the dealer

Daniel Ashe takes a tumble in the box in a Las Vegas casino. allowed Sauchie to run at them Wholesale changes in the but a series of missed chances Sauchie line up were made at and shocking crossing let the half time with Bell, Ashe and home side off the hook. Donaldson taking the field for the The Sauchie wingers really second half. need to have a look at themselves The changes made, assisted as literally every cross ball was Sauchie in their search for goal either too long or drifted out of the but they just could not seem to park, squandering the chances of find the net. taking the points. Armadale looked as though they Couple the squandered chances were settling in for a draw and with an in form Walker in the

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Armadale goal, and you could see that despite their best efforts, Sauchie were looking unlikely to score. On reflection, Sauchie created enough chances to have won the game but their failure to cause any damage whilst attacking really let them down.

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