THE ROTHESIAN

June 2017 Sponsored by Speyside Plumbing & Building Supplies Issue No 78

Sponsored by Speyside Plumbing & Building Supplies

Incredible as it seems 18 months have already passed since acquiring the business Plastic for Building in New Street and it’s been an interesting journey so far, one helped by excel- lent collaboration and support from local trade businesses and the wider public so we’ll start this piece with a thank you to everyone who has con- tributed to our business thus far. The premises for many years were used by a po- tato merchant, hence some of the more elderly Rothesians still refer to the rear warehouse as the “ Tattie shed “ a business which was owned by Forbes MacKenzie. I can remember coming into the shed one day when I was a young loon and someone was hammering on a big metal machine standing in the back corner which looked to me like a metal conveyor belt which dispensed with the smallest taties and stones before the tatties were then fed into another contraption to be washed. That was my first experience of the place and it never occurred to me then that I’d go on to duly serve my time in my teens lifting tatties for Gordon Scott and Donald Forsyth, as well as John Womble down at Bogincur, and one day run my own business from the same buildings. It was 1990 and I was working in the showroom at William Wilsons in Elgin when Barry Brown approached me and asked if I’d like to come and work for him as he was setting up a small plumber’s merchant in Rothes. Barry had many years of experience working for a plastics manufactur- er and he had bought a house and some land in Edinville and moved up from Norfolk with a plan to make a living from the business and develop the land for housing. It was a no brainer for me as the opportunity to work at hame in Rothes, in an industry in which many of my friends were also my customers, so I started in September 1990. The business was developing nicely but in March 1992 another attractive opportunity and challenge was presented to me by McGruther and Marshall so I left to join them for what was a 23 year career working for different brands of the company over the years. I had only seen Barry occasionally in recent years but since 2010 the conversations usually included his asking me “ are you ready to buy my little old business yet Iain ?” Sadly when the time was right for me, Barry had passed but after nearly 25 years absence it really did feel like coming home again.

You may contact The Rothesian by e-mail, using the following address: [email protected] Initially I worked full time, supported by my wife Jan ROTHES FC SOCIAL CLUB part-time and our son Robert helping as required, whilst completing his computing course at Col- It is the 50th anniversary year of the Social Club, and lege. Since September 2016 Robert has been full time at the Coffee Morning on Saturday 1st July there will and he has been instrumental in us being able to mod- be DVD of the opening of the bar in 1967 and the Hall ernise our business with a new computerised system in 1969. There will also be a display of photos taken from which we are now just starting to enjoy the bene- over the years since the club opened. Come along and fits. see if you recognise any faces. Our priority was to establish exactly what existing It is hoped that other events will be organised to cele- customers wanted us to keep and we have significantly brate this milestone. increased our stock range and depth to meet those re- If you enjoy a game of Bingo come along on a Sunday quirements and their demands. We have changed the & Friday evening and you could be a winner. layout and storage facilities and very recently devel- Tombola is held once a month, and a Coffee Morning oped the ‘ wee hoosie ‘ at the front into a bathroom is held on the 1st Saturday of the month. showroom and fire & stove centre. Despite the im- The club now has a competition pool table for mem- provements there is still much to do to realise its full bers to use. potential and exceed our customer’s expectations. If you are planning an event, the hall is available for hire.

ROTHES MEALS ON WHEELS

The Royal Voluntary Service is currently looking for help delivering meals in Rothes. Meals are delivered on a Monday, Wednesday and Friday, but it’s not a big commitment to make as you can volunteer for as little as one lunchtime per month. You collect the meals from the school canteen at noon, and return to insulated bag when completed. It takes an hour maximum although usually a lot less. If you would like to find out more please contact Tina at the Royal Voluntary Service on 01343 542862 or myself on 07526 120417 or through Facebook. You are welcome to shadow one of the current volunteers at a lunchtime to see more for yourself and meet our lovely recipients. This is a great opportunity for anyone looking to help It was this wider demand for more general building out in their community, get out and about to meet new products which prompted us to change the business people, or simply to give yourself a lift as you always name to Speyside Plumbing and Building Supplies feel great afterwards! which tells everyone where we are and what we offer Vivienne Addison and it is our intention to continue the expansion of our stock range and service to better serve the people of Rothes and Speyside. The regular trade customers are very familiar with our ROTHESIAN CONTACT premises and our stock range but I’ve been surprised at the number of first time visitors who never realised Please note that Pearl’s email address has changed that we have such a substantial store and yard behind since she is no longer at the Moray Council. the wee hoosie. So if you haven’t been in before or not for a while please do pop in and see what we now Her new address is: [email protected] offer, there’s definitely something here for everyone She can also be contacted through the visitor cen- and you’ll receive a warm welcome. tre: [email protected] Iain Paul

2 This issue is sponsored by Speyside Plumbing & Building Supplies A WALK ON THE WILD SIDE enough and you are content to manage by using them for looking at the scenery and watching where you I have a fun loving friend who comes to me every day, place your feet then I am pleased for you, but I feel hail, rain, snow or shine and insists that he takes me very sad that you choose not to be fully engaged and out for a 'walk on the wild side' whether I feel the need paying attention to your friend at the same time, and to go out or not. consequently happy to miss out on all the fun. Of My companion is a bit scatty when exploring, and it's course, even though you could end up facing a hefty so enjoyable watching him trying to make sense of a fine, this is entirely your prerogative, but for the cost strange smell on the wind, or a new hole in the ground. of a few plastic bags and a couple of seconds of your It makes me slightly nervous though, as I do feel the time spent bending down to pick up your friend's need to keep an eye on him at all times because of his 'litter', everyone else could go back to being just as tendency to shoot off if something catches his atten- satisfied as you are with only their two eyes again. tion, and I would really hate it if I was abandoned 'out It's possible that someone knows who it is that's re- in the wilds' and became lost. sponsible for leaving such a mess, but as we are all There's also something else about him that I feel the neighbours and from conversations I've recently had I need to watch out for, because when he's out and fully know that lots of people would be grateful to anyone engaged with his surroundings he does have a nasty who could just help to put a stop to this antisocial be- habit of relieving himself (you know what I mean) haviour so that we can all fully enjoy, and be proud of, whenever and where ever he is. We all agree that this the area we live in, work in or visit once again. is antisocial and not at all nice, especially if it gets on- to your shoes or your wheels - I did try mentioning it to him but nothing changed. I know full well that he doesn't have any pockets in his coat, so that's why I ROTHES BALL GROUP choose to remember to take a supply of plastic bags with me which I use to pick up this 'litter' of his. Another busy term for the Rothes BALL group is Somebody should do it and he's always far too busy to drawing to a close with our trip scheduled for Wednes- th do it himself anyway. day 28 June to the Strathspey Steam Railway. This is All of this attention takes up the full use of at least one a change from our usual Tuesday as the railway does eye, and contrary to popular belief, I'm not an alien not operate on a Tuesday. and (much as I'd love one) I don't have a third eye in The term started with a grand tour with Jim Davidson the back of my head. Usually I manage quite well, but and his slides and other visitors have included Help recently I've noticed that this is placing me at a slight the Heroes and our chocolate lady back again Eliza- disadvantage as I increasingly feel the need to keep beth Runcie. This time we made choccies! We‘ve had my one and only other eye firmly focused on the quizzes, making cards and knitting/crochet sessions as ground to watch out for other 'litter' of the sort men- well as a visit to Glen Grant Gardens. We have a re- tioned, and to constantly check where I'm placing my placement set of boccia balls – these do not leak sand feet. So much so that now I feel that I am missing out and a new game with a numbered wedge to roll balls and not able to enjoy the sights, the scenery and the into. These have fairly been used. With a pusher for changes that so constantly occur around us for fear of the ‘curling stones’ more have been able to participate what I might step in. too as you can use these sitting down. In fact most of If, like me, you are fortunate enough to have a com- our games can let you sit, so those not so steady on panion who takes you out, then you will probably be their feet can take part. having similar difficulties which I'm sure you struggle In addition four members of the group attended the with in exactly the same way, and you will agree that Spring BALL in Elgin in early May where we met now the 'better' weather is here there will likely be members from other groups and were able to partici- more children walking or cycling around who need to pate in new activities and get ideas. be able to enjoy an adventure too, and it's a real shame At the moment, with a few new members we are at if they aren't allowed to because of what they may take capacity and are running a waiting list. Too many peo- home on their feet. It would also be very embarrassing ple trying to participate in activities, can be hazardous for us all if a tourist where to take home memories of a and we have to keep safety in mind. For everyone who th new pair of holiday shoes ruined whist walking round is a member we start back on 5 September which is the Spey or visiting the churchyard. first Tuesday in September. If, on the other hand, you have a companion to go wandering, with but you find that two eyes are still

This issue is sponsored by Speyside Plumbing & Building Supplies 3 BOOST YOUR HEALTH AND WELLBEING ROTHES BOWLING CLUB.

Vivienne continues to provide fun fitness classes dur- At the A.G.M. the committee for the year was appoint- ing term times at the Grant Hall: ed. President Peter Burdekin Vice President George McKenzie Wednesdays: Dance Aerobics 9.30-10.30am Secretary & Treasurer Scott Cameron Heart-pumping fun! Great music, Match Secretary Innes Shaw great moves, great atmosphere with The committee appreciate the award from the Rothes guaranteed giggles! Windfarm fund which has been used to maintain the Stretch 10.45-11.45 grass cutting equipment and to purchase fertilizer for At time of going to print, currently the green. This season the club has nine new members a trial class but confident this class with the membership now the highest for many sea- shall go ahead after the summer sons. Hat nights on a Monday evening have been well holidays too. supported with the President and his wife Carol An opportunity to improve flexi- providing tea and biscuits after every hat night. Bow- bility, posture, circulation and to lers meet on Friday evenings at 7.00pm when anyone lessen stress and anxiety. interested in giving bowling a try would be welcome. Play is in progress in the seven competitions which the Thursdays: Boot Camp 7-8pm club has for the members. A coffee morning has been We work hard but play hard too! arranged in the Church Hall on Saturday 19th. August. Workouts vary but include body weight work, free weights, cardio bursts, team games and races. Fit- ness testing to track progress and MARATHON MAN achievement. Unleashing your inner beast and You may have seen our son John Westmacott out run- inner child in one evening! ning around Rothes and other parts of Moray On the 28 May 2017 John ran his first ever Marathon in Edin- Morning classes are £5 per class and payable on the burgh. All the training paid off and he completed it in day. Boot Camp is a prepaid block of classes. 4 hrs 34 min. He was running in aid of Downs Syn- drome Society and here's his inspiration - his beautiful For enquiries please contact Vivienne on 07526 godson Armand Du Toit. 120417 or through Freedom Fitness on Facebook Final totals have still to be counted but due to the gen- One to one sessions are also available for workouts, erosity of his stretch and relaxation and are designed to suit your e m p l o y e r s individual requirements. For example, relaxation ses- Edrington and sions can include very gentle movement, breathing the Robertson exercises and meditation. Trust who will add £2 to every I look forward to seeing you soon! £2 raised we reckon it will Vivienne x be in the re- g i o n o f £12,000. We are unbelieva- bly proud of him as you can imagine.

4 This issue is sponsored by Speyside Plumbing & Building Supplies SOAP BOX RACE DAY MORAY WALKING GROUP – ROTHES On Saturday 27th May, we held our first ever Rothes Golf Club Soap Box Race. There were 7 karts all competing for the fastest A cheery crowd meets on Thursday morning time down our race track, which included a chicane and jump to at 10am in the vicinity of Post Box and Gal- test both steering and build, with straw bales and tyres galore. lery to go for walks of varying length around We also had a custom built start and finish line arena, cleverly Rothes, culminating in coffee/tea. With the crafted by McCormacks. better weather, we have ventures farther The crowds came and lined the track, which made for a great race afield well to Glen Grant Gardens, to the atmosphere, with each run timed and marshalled by The 63 Car Biblical Gardens in Elgin with picnic eleven- Club. ses and to where the group were

The times and winners were as follows: disappointed to discover the Station Tea 1st - Massey Ferguson Tractor (31.1 secs) – John Patterson, Grae- Rooms were only open in the afternoon. me Geddes & Neal Anderson They were not stuck! We’ve been blessed 2nd - Rod Bike (32.9 secs) with glorious weather for these forays afield. 3rd – Fear The Beard (37.8 secs) We are not about to tackle the Ben but gear 4th – The Dream Machine (43 secs) walks to get people out and moving – there 5th - The 63 Car Club (45.6 secs) are shorter routes for those less able and 6th - The Kart (1min 46 secs) longer ones for the fitter. Those wishing DNF - Postman Pat’s van more demanding walks may be better with Check out our Facebook page for some footage of the race! the Monday walkers. The last group walks finish on 29th June then ‘Best Kart’ was awarded to James Nicol for ‘The Dream Ma- restart 17th August the week the schools re- chine’, which was a kart cleverly disguised as a bed. sume. Well done to all the kart builders, they were all brilliant. After the main team race, we held a crowd race, for anyone brave enough to jump into one of the karts and race down the track. SPEYSIDE STRENGTH AND 1st was David Farquhar with the best time of the day (29.5 secs), BALANCE 2nd was Neal Anderson (30.4 secs). Away from the track there were attractions galore with bouncy castles, face painting, various stalls and golf games. The winner of nearest the pin (for a 4-ball at Gleneagles) and the The Strength and Balance Group is going Crazy Putt competition was Kevin Rumbles. strong with a steady attendance in the high Straightest drive was won by Charlie Anderson. teens virtually every week. The last class for rd Nobody guessed the correct number of sweets, which was 973, this session is 23 June with the class re- th but Liam Anderson won with the closest guess of 998. suming on 18 August in the Kirk Hall. Cost 200 Squares winners were: 1st G Downie (£100), 2nd Chris Grant £3 with tea/coffee at end. (£60), 3rd Rachel Widgery-Grant (£40). We were sorry to lose Denice Blades at East- We would like to thank our main sponsor Walkers Shortbread for er as she has moved south to Kent. We wish supporting the event. Thanks also go to Riverside Kitchens, her all the best in her new home. Her place McCormacks, The 63 Car Club, Rothes Fire Brigade, Willie with the money has been taken by Helen Younie (Trocadero), and Jennifer Dodd (for her fab face painting Puddy who has been rather ill recently. She skills). is still undergoing treatment but bouncing Various other local companies and individuals gave their support along. Get really fit Helen. as well. They were Forsyths, The Station Hotel, Hendersons, Many thanks are due to Louise who makes Rothes Garage, Speyside Car Sales, Rothes Butcher, Costcutters, the class such fun. Maybe laughter should be Speyburn Distillery, Glenrothes Distillery, Macallan, Glen Grant added to the class title? Pretty sure there will Distillery, Vanity Hair & Beauty, Oakwood Cookery School, be homework given of ‘sit to stands’ over the Rothes Brewery, Rothes Chemist, Mark Fraser and Mr Retson. summer break! Finally, we would like to thank everyone who donated bottles and home bakes, and to everyone who helped set up on Friday and on race day.

We look forward to seeing you all next year! The date is to be announced soon!

This issue is sponsored by Speyside Plumbing & Building Supplies 5 LINNBURN ROTHES BABY AND TODDLER GROUP

Hello everyone Sadly Rothes Baby and Toddler Group have had to close as I have stood down from running the group We would like to thank everyone who came and sup- after 5 years. We currently don't have the 3-4 people it ported us when we held our Pancake Tea in April, also needs to run it. thanks to all who donated raffles and helped on the I have thoroughly enjoyed being part of the group and day organising various things for the children. The ladies who attend our service are currently knit- Numbers have been really low for sometime now and ting baby jumpers and squares which are then given to sadly we were constantly running at a loss. the Church Guild to be sent to Malawi. At the start of the year we received a cheque from Our service offers a variety of activities which include McColls through there making a difference locally armchair exercises, reminiscence, quizzes, pampering, scheme which was used to have a fun day in the Easter arts and crafts and gardening. We are very apprecia- holidays where we hired a bouncy castle and a few tive of the support that is given to us by our volunteers other things. The kids and adults had a great day. on a Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday. We have just donated £300 out of the funds to the Rothes Nursery. Thought they would make good use Regards all at Linnburn Day Centre. of that and it will benefit a lot of the children coming from toddlers now and throughout the years. I'd like to take this opportunity to thank local business- LADIES GROUP es and everyone else who donated in any way over the years towards our coffee mornings. We give a big thank you to all our members for their Jan Stewart support this session. We concluded our last session before the summer break with a day out at Boyndie, where we were made very welcome. We then popped into the Spotty Bag Shop for a bit of shopping before ECHOES FROM THE PAST finishing with a lovely pot of tea at Christies on the way home. Have a great summer and we will meet In the ‘Echoes from the Past’ (Ten years ago) In the th again on Tuesday 19th September. Northern Scot dated 9 June there was an article about the Rothes Flood Scheme. Not a single member of the public objected to the scheme despite the significant disruption to be faced by the town and the community. THANK YOU BURNSIDE STREET This was unusual for such a complex application and was mainly due to the close co-operation which had The collection from Burnside Street and the two developed between residents and the flood team. friends in Spey Drive amounted to £61. This goes to The Flood Scheme was officially opened in 2010 with provide funds for Marie Curie Nurses who help people many people still a bit dubious as to whether it would with terminal illness and give emotional support. work under pressure when we were faced with the Thank you very much. days of continuous rain that had been known in the Anne Smith. past. Well now we know!! After two to three days and nights of almost continual rain, at the beginning of June, Rothes remained warm and dry, despite a possi- DONATE YOUR UNWANTED CLOTHES ble flood warning. IT WORKS!

Donate your unwanted Clothes and help us support injured Fire-fighters by putting your unwanted clothes, pairs of shoes, linen and handbags in the clothes bank located at the front of the Rothes Fire Station.

6 This issue is sponsored by Speyside Plumbing & Building Supplies ROTHES TENNIS CLUB With the completion of the leagues, the focus turns to the local tournaments – Nairn, Elgin & Grantown. The club’s challenges for the various CKD Galbraith First up though are the two End of League Season leagues have proved rather mixed this season. Johan- events at Grantown. The Juniors on 1st July – Rothes ne’s Ladies are leading the race for the 4th Division will be defending the Grant Cup – and the seniors on title, Eoin’s Men look set to finish 3rd in their event 8th July. but Michelle’s Mixed team is facing relegation from The club’s fundraising continues. The Quiz Night and the top league. Coffee Morning were successes. The money raised The 14 & Unders – Scott H Anderson, Liam & Ciaran was boosted by Gordon Bremner and Dave Watson’s Stuart, Bradley & Fraser Scott - decided to try out successful application to their employer – Edrington – playing in the 1st Division this season and coped very for match funding. well despite being up against strong opposition.. A couple of dates for your diary – 9th September Our three 12s teams met with varied success: the A’s, (Coffee Morning) and our Annual Race Night on 28th competing in the 1st Division, came up against power- October. ful opponents from Inverness & Nairn, and although they did not defeat either there were some very close individual contests. The boys gained points from the other teams in the competition. The B team won Division 2. Despite having to cancel against , the boys have the title sewn up. A win at Tain proved to be the icing on the cake. The three SIX WEEKS IN……. regulars – Liam Anderson (captain), Jack McConnachie & Kenzie Shepherd - were joined by Thanks to everyone for their support during my election Reece Davies (twice), Scott Anderson (once), Keil campaign and to everyone who voted for me. After the Laing (once) and Alannah Ayres (once). election results on Friday 5th of May we got straight to Our third team started the season tremendously, notch- work on the Monday. I’m missing all my colleagues and ing up six successive victories. The signs were point- customers at Mcolls but enjoying my new challenge. ing to a division victory but two heavy defeats, away The Moray Council have been giving all us councillors to Elgin B and Inverness C, have knocked the boys old and new training and offered lots of information days hopes. which I have been attending. It’s been hard going learn- In the Mini leagues: the 8 & Unders came second in ing all the new information at the same time as everyday their event; the 9s were 4th and the 10s look as if they work. I’ve been appointed to the licensing board, chil- dren and young people, communities, planning and audit will end the season winless. and scrutiny committees. I have also been put forward The age group mini-tennis players were: Bethany An- for the Community engagement group and still waiting to derson, Harley Fairbairn, Charlie & Ian Kennedy, An- hear if I’m in. tony Lewis, Alfie McConnachie, Riley Mitchell, Lew- I’ve enjoyed helping some of you already with different is & Michael Myron-Petrie, Ben Ross, Hamish Scott, issues. It has helped me find out who is who at the coun- Harry Slaughter, Kayla Smart cil at the same time as solving some of the problems peo- Several names on that list will not be known to many ple have faced. Rothesians. Some have family connections to the If you have any queries that I can help with please get in town but others hail from various locations – Aber- touch. My phone number is 07980898292, email lour, Craigellachie, , , Mosstod- [email protected] and if you look on the loch etc. They are examples of the success of our Moray Council web page there is a link to my Facebook coaching programme, linked with the Inverness Ten- page. Thanks again for your support, nis Academy, which is now a year round affair. That information leads perfectly to thanking the Windfarm Cllr Louise Laing Fund for all the backing received over the years. Still on the coaching front we are pleased to announce that former professional player Keith Meisner will be holding sessions on Mondays throughout the summer holidays. Keith hails from Elgin. He competed on the International Junior circuit at the same time as Andy Murray,

This issue is sponsored by Speyside Plumbing & Building Supplies 7 JOHN STEWART HODGE OF ROTHES SENIOR CITIZENS GROUP 22/02/1925 TO 28/04/2017 We have come to the end of another season which It is with great sadness that the family of John Hodge started last October. announce that John crossed the bar peacefully at Rich- Over the last 7 months we have had fortnightly meet- mond Hall Nursing Home on Friday 28th April. ings which included a variety of excellent entertain- ment. Reunited with his beloved Irene. Shipmate, Husband, We also held 2 very successful Coffee Mornings, the Dad and Grandad. He will be greatly missed. first in November, the proceeds going towards our Xmas lunch in the Grant Hall where we had a lovely Thank you. meal and good entertainment. Joanna Hodge The second was in April which helped to fund our Bus Run to Turriff. We had a superb lunch at Celebrations where they did up proud, then Afternoon Tea at Chris- The Rothesian Group tie,s of , before heading home. A good fina- were saddened to hear of le for this season. the death of long time 'Rothesian' supporter John Helen and Jean Hodge. John was well Joint President known in British Rail circles throughout a wide area of Scotland, and also at one time in Highland League football circles. ROTHES FC LADIES DAY When Rothes loon, John was a stationmaster at After another successful ladies day we'd like to thank Rothes, Craigellachie and all the ladies who attended, and to everyone who also Aberlour for a helped prior, on the day and after. number of years, he was Thanks also to anyone who donated raffles, a fantastic also associated with the amount ! running of the Rothes We still don't have a figure of what was made for the Football Club, mainly as club, but I'm sure that will come soon. their treasurer. Here's to 2018, watch this space for a date. On moving to Inverness with British Rail, John was co -opted to the Inverness Thistle FC board as treasurer, Denise, Pauline & Debby where he was credited with taking the club 'from rags to riches' in eighteen months. He turned a one thousand pound deficit into a six hundred pounds balance. This was during a time of great change in the THANK YOU history of British rail, and John was soon moved to Falkirk. From there he went to Birmingham as I would like to thank everyone who came and joined managing director of Fashionflow (National Carriers) me in celebrating my 40th Birthday. Also thank you to Ltd. RIP John. everyone who donated before, after and during the We wish to thank Graham Jefferson for his help in party. In total £600 was raised for Marie Curie which researching Johns life. will be trebled by Edrington thanks to Jimmy Thom- son. Hilary Cameron

8 This issue is sponsored by Speyside Plumbing & Building Supplies ROTHES FOOTBALL CLUB first night of our “Strictly” dancing event which took place recently priced at £10, again see a committee Although the last game of the season finished for us member to buy or for more details. on May the 6th we have certainly not had time for a break! Fixtures We were privileged to host our first ever senior cup We have a few friendlies scheduled for pre season all final as the North of Scotland Cup came to away from home to allow Mackessack more recovery Mackessack Park which saw Brora Rangers win the time. We travel to play Dufftown on July 1st, cup after a 4-1 success versus Fort William. We were Thistle July 3rd, Inverurie Locos July 8th and delighted at all the positive feedback received from Thistle 15th July. The season kicks off again both teams, the North of Scotland FA and fans alike, on 29th July at home to Strathspey Thistle. so a huge thank you to everyone who helped out in the Youths planning and execution of the day! Congratulations to youth team coach Graeme Christie Immediately following the final we started work on who recently achieved his C License coaching badge the Mackessack Park surface. This was a 5 step pro- from the SFA. A lot of hard work has been put in to cess starting with top dressing being applied then the achieve this. The coming season will see us expand verti-drain procedure, followed by disc seeding, into having two active youth teams at u-17 and u-15 brushing and finishing with the application of fertilis- level in the Highland League so if you are able to help er. We look forward to welcoming you all to a rejuve- out in anyway please contact a committee member. nated Mackessack Park next season! Trials will commence soon and the league is set to begin in mid August. Come and cheer on the stars of Player Recruitment the future if you can! Manager Steven MacDonald has been very busy re- Finally, thank you all for your continued support and cruiting and signing up players for next season. At see you all at Mackessack Park soon! time of writing we have signed a total of ten new play- ers for the forthcoming season. Some may be familiar to you as they have worn the tangerine of Rothes FC before… Kris “Baker” Duncan joins us from Keith FC. STUDENT OF THE YEAR Paul Macleod from Nairn County Steven Fraser from Deveronvale Scott Dunn free agent most recently playing in Aus- After running my business, Health and Beauty Moray tralia for 13 years in Rothes, I finally bit the bullet and de- James Fraser from Buckie Thistle cided to return to university to study Professional Daniel Moore as assistant manager/player from Elgin Cookery. It has been one of the most fun and inspiring City FC years I have ever experienced! The course has intro- Chris Brown & Stephen Rennie free agents most re- duced me to famous Chefs, fine food and an exciting cently at Inverness CT and with us on loan last season future! So far, I have had the honour of doing my Craig Cormack from Keith FC work experience at Boath House, Nairn, which has 1 Darren “Mini” McConnachie as Goalkeeper/ Michelin Star and I am off to Skibo Castle in August Goalkeeper Coach from FC before I return to Moray UHI to do their HNC course. I have been thoroughly supported by my clients within Fundraising the community and would like to thank them for all Our recent Ladies Day was another roaring success their encouragement and belief in me. It has really thank you to all the ladies involved in organising it paid off and I completed my City and Guild Diploma and all those who attended. More on this elsewhere in 2 Professional Cookery course with an overall distinc- the Rothesian. tion and I was awarded ‘Student of the Year’! It just We are hosting a Sportsmans Dinner on Saturday Au- goes to show, it is never too late for a fresh start and gust 26th in The Grant Hall. Please register your inter- new adventures. est for a table with a committee member. Rothes loon Mezz Mcauslan Dave Edwards will host the dinner with guest speakers Joey Harper and Jim Leishman. More details to follow soon. We also now have DVDs available to buy from the

This issue is sponsored by Speyside Plumbing & Building Supplies 9 SOAP BOX RACE DAY Ladies Day at the Grant Hall

The Rothes Tennis Club B Team (12s) who won Division 2

And the Winner is……..

Rothes Rovers

Megan “Princess” Gordon!

10 This issue is sponsored by Speyside Plumbing & Building Supplies STRICTLY ROTHES! CONGRATULATIONS

Rothes FC held a very successful Strictly dancing Congratulations to Lesley Nicol who passed the Asso- event recently, in the Grant Hall. ciation Board of the Royal School of Music’s Grade 8 The Friday winner was Dave Simpson, and Lynn piano exam. Lesley has also obtained her Grade 8 on Munro on the Saturday. the Euphonium. Since leaving school Lesley has com- pleted a Grade A HNC pass in Applied Science. She will be going on to further her studies at Heriot Watt University in September, where she will be studying Actuarial Science.

COLIN FARQUHAR Shown here with the BAFTA award pre- sented to his team in the ceremony in May. The team won in the Best Live Event Cate- gory. The programme which took the prize was The Queen's 90th Birthday Celebration at Wind- sor Castle. Colin was the Produc- er of the event and he should be very proud of himself and his team. We are all very proud of him indeed. Edna Farquhar

This issue is sponsored by Speyside Plumbing & Building Supplies 11 THE GRANT HALL FREE SMOKE AND HEAT ALARMS

Cannot believe that’s another 3 months gone by. Get your free 10-year smoke alarm fitted by your local They’ve flown in. What’s been happening? Fire-fighters. Well, we’ve had our usual very busy schedule of You can request a free Home Fire Safety Visit, this is weekly activities plus: where the local fire-fighters come to your home and give you some Fire Safety advice and can fit a smoke Another Money for Moray Event alarms for free, if you need any. Our alarms have a 10- Rothes F.C. Strictly Come Dancing year battery too, so you don’t have to spend any- thing. Don’t wait, request your free Home Fire Safety A Charity Dance hosted by Liz Masson Visit by texting text "FIRE" to 80800 from your mo- A Craft Fair bile or call 0800 0731 999 or contact Andy Cameron A Council Election on 07771872285 or [email protected]. Rothes F.C. Ladies Day uk Davy Cowan CD Launch R.H.I.S. Coffee Morning and Plant Sale A General Election LIVE LOCAL, WORK LOCAL? WE NEED YOUR HELP A concert with the Sing For Life Speyside Choir

Gymnastics Open Day Rothes Fire Station are reaching out to the community

and local businesses in the bid to recruit more retained Despite all this going on, we still managed to have our fire fighters following a drop in their crew num- new lighting installed along with our ceiling projector bers. The minimum crewing levels for getting the ap- and giant screen, 3.3 metres wide (that’s 10 feet for pliance turned out is 4. older readers). We also have a couple of Portable Retained Duty System (RDS) Fire-fighters are invalu- Hearing Loops for use when there are any people with able to their communities, providing a fire and rescue hard of hearing issues. service on an 'on call' basis. We are currently looking Keep an eye out for posters promoting some more for men and women from all backgrounds who can community events in the not too distant future. work in a team, attending a range of incidents includ-

ing fires and road traffic accidents. Most incidents are Thank you for your continued support. over with-in 45 minutes. You will also, from time-to-

time, be involved in local community education in the area you live in. SANDPIPER TRUST You must be able to respond safely to your preferred station within 7 minutes of being alerted, and you will Sandpiper Wildcat Project is looking for volunteers in be expected to undertake training one evening a week, Rothes to be part of a team of people going to Out of and carry out further training on an occasional basis. Hospital cardiac arrests. They are looking at putting In return, you will receive an annual retaining fee of defibrillators into the Town and for them to be looked up to £2,848, in addition to an hourly rate of up to after by the volunteers on a rota. Even if you can give £13.00 when called out and for performing other role a few hours a day this is all their asking for. All train- related duties. Applicants must be 18 or over and in ing will be given and continual training and assistance good health. will be given. To find out more contact Andy Camer- We are taking on contracted hour availability on by email [email protected] or by now, whereby someone who only works in Rothes phone 07771872285 or go to: through the day, or someone that can give as little as 4 WWW.SANDPIPERTRUST.ORG hours a day either in morning or afternoon. Those wishing to apply to become a retained fire fight- CPR er can do so by coming along to the Rothes Fire Sta- tion on a Thursday between 1900-2130, or contact The personnel at the Rothes fire station are offering Watch Manager CPR training to anyone or group that would like to Andy Cameron by phoning or texting learn about CPR and get some training on it. on 07771872285. Contact Andy Cameron on 07771872285 or [email protected]

12 This issue is sponsored by Speyside Plumbing & Building Supplies Rothes Diary 9th September Coffee Morning in Kirk Hall – Rothes Tennis Club

9th September Buffet Dance at Grant Hall Please note that the diary displayed in the Notice 16th September Car Boot Sale, 10.00-12.30 in Board is updated every few weeks or so and takes Amenities area in changes which occur during the time between the 16th September Coffee Morning in Kirk hall – Rothesian quarterly editions,. Please keep Sandra Rothes Kirk informed of events and meetings as fundraising 16th September Tombola in Rothes FC Social Club works best with no competition! 17th September Whisky Tasting in the Cottage at Please note the special email address for the diary: 3pm [email protected] 23rd September Coffee Morning in Rothes Kirk Hall If you would like the diary emailed to you, please – Ladies Golf contact this address. You can also make contact via 27th September Senior Citizens AGM in Kirk Hall facebook. 30th September Coffee Morning in Kirk Hall –

Rothes Toddler Group July October 1st July Coffee Morning in Rothes FC Social Club 6th October Schools close for Autumn Break 8th July Coffee Morning in Kirk Hall – Rothes Coun- 7th October Coffee Morning in Rothes FC Social cil Club 15th July Coffee Morning in Kirk Hall – Stable & 11th October Senior Citizens New Session starts Able (Elgin) 14th October Coffee Morning in Kirk Hall – Stable & 15th July Tombola in Rothes FC Social Club th Able (Elgin) 15 July Grant Hall – Private Booking st st 21 October Coffee Morning in Kirk Hall - Moray 21 July Mobile Library in Square 13.00 to Health 16.00hrs 21st October Tombola in Rothes FC Social Club 22nd July Coffee Morning in Kirk Hall – Speyside 28th October Coffee Morning in Kirk Hall – Rothes Leg Club Primary School August 28th October Race Night – Tennis Club – in Grant 5th August Coffee Morning in Rothes FC Social Club Hall 10th August Sing for Life resumes for new session 28th October Golf Club Prize Giving 12th August Sing for Life Coffee Morning in Kirk

Hall 12th August Summer Craft Fair Grant Hall 10am to 2.30pm 15th August Schools Re-open for Autumn Term 17th August Rothes group walks resume 10am Square 18th August Strength and Balance resumes 19th August Coffee Morning in Kirk Hall – Rothes Bowlers 19th August Tombola in Rothes FC Social Club 25th August Coffee Morning in Kirk Hall – Rothes Junior Golf 26th August Rothes FC Sportsman Dinner in Grant Hall September 1st/2nd September Grant Hall RHIS Flower Show 2nd September Coffee Morning in Rothes FC Social Club th The Burgh Amenities area, beside the bridge. 5 September BALL restarts Kirk Hall at 10am

This issue is sponsored by Speyside Plumbing & Building Supplies 13 NEWS FROM THE COTTAGE NEWS FROM THE CAR SHARE SCHEME

Thanks to all the volunteers we are able to open this First of all I'd very much like to thank everyone who voted year Monday – Friday 11.00am – 3.00pm and Satur- for us by going along to the #You Choose events which day mornings. were held around our area or voted for us online. We were fortunate enough to receive £2,000 earlier in the year as a We are already able to offer you the opportunity to direct result of your efforts. pop in and see one of our 2018 calendars. The 'Rothes The Tomnabat Hill committee have also chosen to help us Old' has been produced very early this year and hope- again this year, and we are always very grateful for their fully the others will follow soon. continuing support. Local support is a great advert for the This was made possible thanks to all the people who scheme, and lots of people have found out about us, and were kind enough to share their old photos with Pearl. many have been able to benefit as a result. Elgin Rotary Club has very generously chosen us to be one We will be keeping a steady supply of the Poetry of the 100 local charities to benefit from their bi-annual books, Jimmy Logan's 'Tales of a Rothes Loon' and MARAFUN event again this year. We were fortunate to copies of the 'Rose of Rothes' and we will be updating have their support in 2013 and 2015, and we really appreci- ate the efforts made by the organisers, the volunteers on the some of our popular notelet packs and pictures. day and the athletes who take part. As well as the coasters, and fridge magnets we are A kindly reminder now to all our members; now able to offer you the chance to pick up a new When booking a journey, I would ask you to remember that keyring. We will have a supply of ready-mades but if for legal and accounting reasons, the details of each journey you would like us to personalise any of these items must be logged. then let us know because we can do that too. Please make sure that you tell us exactly what you are need- New Rothes tea towels are planned which will have ing to do. pictures of local landmarks on and should be a well- For example - If you have a medical appointment and would placed addition to our popular stock. like to shop as well, then please let us know at the time of Sometime in September we hope to have a Car Boot booking. Also if you will be taking a companion to help you with your journey, then again please let us know. This infor- Sale to tie in with the 'Tattie Bogle' competition. mation is also passed on to your driver, as it helps them to If any other community group would like to hold an work out roughly how much time they will need to spare for event on the same weekend then we would be happy the journey. to advertise it on our posters. At the last committee meeting, it was noted that some hos- pital appointments are for very early in the morning or late in the afternoon. In light of this, it was thought best to try to decide on what is a fair and reasonable time to ask our vol- TATTIE BOGLES unteers to leave their homes. To err on the side of caution, all of our drivers like to give at least 2 hours for the journey to Aberdeen, and the committee decided that we really can- As we said earlier in the year we are going to hold the not expect people to be leaving before 8.00am or to be re- TATTIE BOGLES during September. The idea is to turning home after 5.00pm. get the tattie bogles in place during the week and have Given the distance between ARI and where we all live, I them ready for judging over the weekend. would suggest to anyone who is given one of these appoint- This year you are all going to be the judges so you will ments to try and change it, as it is often possible to get a be getting a score card to mark your favourites, with more suitable time slot. the winners coming from the public choice on I'd also like to remind you all that everyone, regardless of Saturday the 16th and Sunday 17th September. income, is entitled to some assistance with travel expenses when visiting ARI. Forms can be obtained from the General Office or by telephoning 01224 552237. Also on that weekend we are holding a car boot sale in th If you live in Rothes, Aberlour, Archiestown, Dufftown, the Burgh Amenities area on Saturday 16 from 10am Glenlivet, , or the surrounding areas, and you to 12.30pm. To book a table, please phone 831761 or have difficulty getting around to certain things because of 832350 age, disability or infirmity, then we might be able to help. On Sunday 17th we will be holding a Whisky Tasting Telephone 01340 831748. The lines are open between Session in the Cottage, starting at 3pm. 9.00am-5.00pm (Mon.-Fri.), and speak to one of our volun- teer telephonists who will give you all the information about Rothes Community Ltd. eligibility for becoming a member. If you would like any other information about the scheme or how you could get involved, then please telephone Irene on 01340 832 350 or email [email protected]

14 This issue is sponsored by Speyside Plumbing & Building Supplies ROTHES COUNCIL REPORT DEFIBRILLATOR SIGNS

Hi everyone the Rothes Council will be taking a break In order to increase awareness of the location of the in July and August, but if you have any pressing urgent defibrillator to both residents and visitors alike, the matters please inform me Jean on 01340831808. Rothes Council is offering to supply an A4 poster to We have had a busy year this year and we say thank you any business, club or public building wishing to to Margaret Stuart and Jim Anderson who have worked display one (or more) in a prominent location. tirelessly for the people of Rothes. We also say thank These will be supplied “free of charge” and will be you to Pearl our councillor and thank her for her ser- designed to show directions from your premises to vices to Rothes. We welcome Walter Wilson, Derek the Police Station, along with the relevant access Ross and Louise Laing as the new councillors for Spey- code and emergency telephone numbers. side. Should you require a poster(s) please email I am putting out a plea to you generous people of [email protected] stating the name of your Rothes asking for Home Bakes, Raffles and donations organisation and the number of posters required. for the pick a card tables at our upcoming coffee morn- Once printed, they will either be delivered to you or ing on Saturday 8th July. We also hope our three new arrangements can be made to collect them from The councillors will be in attendance so that you can chat to Cottage Visitor Centre. them. Hope you have a good summer break and see you on the DOG FOULING ISSUES first Monday of September at the Cottage. You are all welcome to join the committee, we don’t bite and we try The council would like to start this article by apolo- to do our best for Rothes. Jean gising to the many responsible dog owners in the town, who behave in the correct manner, for having WIND FARM FUND to raise this matter again. Failing to “pick-up” after a dog has defecated on pavements, footpaths and We had hoped to be in a position to announce the latest playgrounds is a persistent problem within Rothes round of awards in this issue of the Rothesian, but un- and has now reached a point which needs to be ad- fortunately there has been an administrative delay due dressed. to staff changes within Fred Olsen Renewables. We The council recently received a complaint from a will inform all applicants as soon as possible. resident of the town, who, upon visiting the ceme- Andy Cherry tery to tend a grave, found that a dog had been al- lowed to foul the burial plot without the owner hav- HANGING BASKETS ing sufficient respect for the deceased, to tidy up the waste. Rothes Council wish to thank Heather, Peter, Fred, Whoever was responsible needs to take a long, hard Anne Smith, Andy Cameron and Diane Mackay for look at themselves and ask how they would feel if it their efforts in enhansing the town. The hanging was their relative’s final resting place that had been baskets are up throughout the town, as you will see we treated in such a disgusting manner. have provided baskets and hangers for High Street for There are clear signs at the entrance to the cemetery the first time in a few years, the barrells are all filled as requiring dogs to be kept on a lead, with Moray are the planting areas and the tiered planters are filled Council having responsibility for the upkeep of the and in place. The Moray Council has cleared the grounds. The Rothes Council has spoken to Rev. amenities area where the Burgh Chambers was and the Anderson about this matter and will also relay its’ area looks so much better and bigger, giving visitors a concerns to Moray Council with a view to introduc- more friendly area to sit in. We have had comments ing tighter monitoring of the situation. from local people that we should also do the area next to One final point to consider is that The Cottage Visi- the bank so will put this to the Rothes Council when tor Centre receives yearly requests from descend- they return after summer break. ants of Rothesians who are tracing family history We have got permission from Moray Council to put the and wish to visit graves belonging to their ancestors. late Sheila Patersons seat in the grassy tree area at the What kind of picture of Rothes are they present- Land Street end of Anvil Garden. This will be done ed when irresponsible dog owners behave in such a over the summer, and hopefully so will the fountain manner? structure. BAG IT – BIN IT - SIMPLE!

This issue is sponsored by Speyside Plumbing & Building Supplies 15 3RD YPRES: ‘BITE AND HOLD’ 6 extra brigades. This allowed 1 x 18 pounder gun every JULY – SEPT 1917 125 yards. 23 July: well acquainted with part to be played, moved to General: This battle opened at end of July, commonly Volckeninckhove, Belgium, for more training especially called Passchendaele, but this term should refer only to in map work, signals and use of new ‘Yukon’ pack the last phase when that village was attacked & captured which allowed men to carry more material with them to in November. It was the terrible conditions of mud etc the front. that the troops endured in the last months that gave it 28 July: date of assault postponed as French units, to the prominence in the public’s eye. Massive bombardments North, were not yet in position. before each assault destroyed the complex drainage sys- 30 July: 7.30pm units moved to their attack points in the tems of the area plus very heavy soil, high water table forward trenches. and days of extreme rainfall produced a quagmire. Dur- ing planning lessons learned at Arras would be incorpo- 30/31 July: 3.30am assault starts. The artillery laid a rated into training. These included troops following close creeping barrage as well as firing barrels of burning oil at behind ‘creeping Barrages’, the use of massed MG fire in the strong point known as Fort Caledonia in enemy re- support using the recently developed Machine Gun serve line. The infantry also had support of 64 heavy Corps & the use of ‘bite and hold’ methods advocated by machine guns from 232 MG Company reinforced by 48 Vickers from 11th Division. General Plummer. This meant breaking up every planned nd assault into small engagements one after another, not Our local battalion was assigned the 2 wave along with 5th & 6th Gordon’s and 6th Black Watch, (see map), in- allowing too much time for counter strokes by the enemy st and each phase to be at a different point. tending to leapfrog 1 wave at Blue Line and proceed on General Haig had, after the relative success at Arras, to take the Black Line. They captured most of it, but turned his attention to his plan to the offensive in the were held up near MacDonald’s Farm by mini pill boxes. Ypres salient. Initially, in June, 19 huge mines were det- These eventually taken with help of tank G50 and all onated to destroy the fortifications of the Messines Ridge objectives taken by 6.40 am. It was during this action & Wytschaete, south of Ypres, then seized, to deny the that Sgt Edwards from Lossiemouth won his VC. enemy high ground to overlook his preparations. The One company had the task of attacking the Green Line in explosions were so great as to be heard in Southern Eng- front of the Steenbeek, but shell fire had turned the area land. The main efforts were to be later, at the centre and to a morass and they also faced fierce resistance from northern salient sectors. This was to include the 51st Di- Mon Du Rasta strongpoint. They tried to set up a post to vision now in XVIII Corps under General Maxse. allow the cavalry through but this was stopped by heavy The 15th Scottish Division was also in attacks in same machine gun fire. area and local casualties resulted from them. 1 August: They were withdrawn and given rum & soup. 2 Aug: consolidation, roll call etc. th Local Battalion: After training in late June early July, During 31 July – 1 Aug. 6 Seaforth’s lost 3 Officers & 6th Seaforth’s moved to Belgium and by 4th July en- 60 ORs KIA, (42 with no known grave), plus 7 officers trenched near St. Julien. {This was their first time in & 180 ORs WIA. ‘The Salient’ with its fearsome reputation, having been 4 – 6 Aug: moved to Seige Camp, routine training. Ger- fought over virtually continuously since Autumn 1914 man Planes dropped bombs, no casualties. with terrible casualties. This can be witnessed by the 8 Aug: moved to billets at Jan Le Biezen for 3 weeks dozens pf cemeteries in the small area plus the 2 huge routine training and medal awards ceremony. The battal- memorials, separate from the many divisional/regiment ion received 20 Military Medals and 1 bar to the MM, memorials that abound also. The large ones are a) the more than any other unit of the Division. Menin Gate with the names of 54000 Canadian & allied 28 Aug: now restored too full strength returned to posi- troops lost up to 15 Aug 1917 having no known grave tions on the Yser-Ypres canal, involved in patrol activity and b) Tyne Cot, at the edge of the village of Passchen- acquiring information on enemy positions, strength etc. daele, which has another 34000 British missing from 16 31 Aug – 1 Sept: caught by very violent artillery duel, Aug 1917, along with 12000 graves over 8000 of which some against pill boxes. German long range shells caused are unnamed.} casualties early on. 7 – 9 July: relieved, moved to good billets near St. Omer. 3 – 19 Sept: relieved & returned to camp, routine work Next 2 weeks involved major training over ground simi- parties, training and hot baths and chance to replace/ lar to that they were to attack later. clean equipment. During this period Sgt. Edward’s VC th was confirmed and he was sent home to receive it from In meantime, on 9 July, the battleship HMS Vanguard th blew up at her moorings in Scapa Flow with huge loss of the King on 26 . life including Lt Dunbar-Rivers from our area. 19 – 25 Sept: back to trenches on canal and later near 16 July: the artillery which supporting the assault opened Bulow Farm. Placed as reserve for attack by 154 brigade up. This included the Divisional artillery units as well as on Menin Road, but not used though under fire causing

16 This issue is sponsored by Speyside Plumbing & Building Supplies losses.. Relieved late 25th and back to Seige Camp to THE GREAT WAR MEMORIAL recuperate and light training. th PLANTERS 29 - 30 September: The Battalion and Division moved out from Belgium to Bapaume in France transferring th rd After the lull after November 1916 losses, the Battle from 5 Army to IV Corps, 3 Army under General of Arras saw quite a rise in Rothes casualties. Moray Byng near Flesquieres, and later to V Corps. st was represented in Arras by two youngsters from This move was to spare the 51 Division and our local Forres, but the local commemoration in the Grant boys the horrors of the latter stages of 3rd Ypres with its Park, saw Speyside High School pupils along with mud and slaughter, but only because they were being representatives from every secondary in Moray, partic- required for another assault. Cambrai loomed. Notes: a) A General Staff Officer, after the battle, actual- ipate in the planting of memorial crosses on the slight ly came up to the front and was heard to say in a horri- hill. The pupils marked every Moray casualty. It was fied voice, ‘My God did we really send men out to quite a ceremony with re-enactment soldiers suddenly fight in that.’ appearing over the hill through the mist. b) A Memorial was recently unveiled at Frezenberg, at Locally, we cannot re-enact but every one of the casu- the side of the main Ypres - Passchendaele road, to all alties from Rothes are now marked in the 1917 planter the Scots divisions and units that fought in the ‘Salient’. in the middle. Quite a few had members of the family The position is close to the area in which they all took place the cross, and in others we had families with the part at some time or other. same name do the honours. Special thanks are due to the Hay children and the McGregor family who did Casualties during this period: the honours for casualties of the same name and point- Rothes: ed out the names on the War Memorial. 9 July: Lt Evelyn Dunbar Dunbar-Rivers, RN (HMS The next phase of the War starts with the Third Battle ‘Vanguard’, age 26, Glen of Rothes, Chatham Naval of Ypres at the end of July. It would be great if we Memorial. could find more relatives to place the cross on the 30 July: L/Cpl. John Innes, 6th Seaforth Highlanders th st 100 Anniversary Day so if you recognise any name, (152/51 Div.), age 19, 91 New Street, Menin Gate Me- please make contact. We have already filled in info for morial. st nd families who had little and we may be able to help. 15 Aug: Pte. John Winchester, 21 Canadians (4/2 Can. For those of you who have discovered a connection Div.), age 33, Upper Inchberry, Vimy Memorial. but who have no Rothes link, there is a special planter 7 Sept: Pte. Arthur Milne, 4th Seaforth Highlanders for you to use if you wish. We have spare crosses for a (46/15th Div.), age 19, Glen Grant Distillery, interred Dozinghem Cemetery. donation to Poppy Scotland. 8 Sept: Pte. Millenio Thomson, 4th Seaforth Highlanders (46/15th Div.), age 20, born Rothes, interred Bard Cot- tage Cemetery. 20 Sept: Pt.. Alexander Proctor, 6th Seaforth Highlanders (152/51st Div.), age 20, 53 New Street, Tyne Cot Memo- ROTHES MEDICAL CENTRE rial. At the Rothes Doctor Patient Group meeting on 20th Knockando: June we were informed about the renovations due to th 8 July: Pte. Thomas Sellar Ritchie, 8 Seaforth High- start on the 1st August which will mean a bit of dis- th landers (44/15 Div.), age 19, High Street, Archiestown, ruption for both doctors and patients, for approximate- Menin Gate Memorial. ly 3 months. They are hoping to secure a premises in 20 Aug: Pte. Harry John McDonald, 8th Seaforth High- th Rothes to use as a temporary surgery. Whatever hap- landers (44/15 Div.), age 30, Nether Borlum, Tyne Cot pens something will be kept in place about a reduced Memorial. service, but it will be worth it in the end. Also we were

informed that all donations for surgery are kept in a Rothes account. Anyone with nebulizer's at home that are no longer needed are to be returned please. Lastly anyone interested in joining the group, usually only meet once/twice a year, please inform Louise at the doctors surgery. Looking forward to the future of Rothes Health Centre.

This issue is sponsored by Speyside Plumbing & Building Supplies 17 HONOUR FOR ROTHES LOON CANCER RESEARCH

Rothes loon, Ron Johnston, club life member of the On Friday 16th of June, I held a quiz night in the South Freemantle Football Club in Western Australia Seafield Arms which is in aid of Cancer Research UK. was recently awarded the Bernie Hughes Achievement In total we raised £410 on the night. I'm also doing the award for his tireless efforts as a volunteer during Edinburgh 10k on Sunday 25th of June, donations are match days and organising social evenings for club currently sitting at £260 which again all proceeds will goers. His fellow club members commended Ron for go towards CRUK. I would like to thank everyone his efforts for the club and congratulated him on his who donated to the quiz raffle and to all who attended much deserved win. the quiz and sponsored me for my Race For Life. The timing of this award was perfect as Ron had family in Perth from his homeland in Scotland who Kind Regards, were on hand to see Ron receive his award. Kirsten Robertson Ron, his late wife Valerie and their son Colin (57 New Street, Rothes) emigrated to Freemantle in Western Australia in 1962. Ron who still lives there has returned to his native Rothes many times. Over the years all of his brothers ROTHES ROVERS and his sister have visited Our P6/7 team have had a very successful season in him at home the Speyside League which is celebrating its 30th in Australia. year. At the moment we have won the league without Robert lives in losing a game, and we are in 2 cup finals, which Elgin, Derek are still to be played. They also won the first 2 tourna- l i v e s i n ments and finished Lossiemouth 3rd in the Aberlour tournament. and Cyril and We had also entered a p6/7 team into the Moray Pri- Roger live in mary School league, which runs from September Rothes. Sadly through to March. After a 2-1 defeat in the first match Eddie, Willie they went undefeated in the next 12 matches, which and sister meant we were sitting at the top of the table, with 3 of Bunty are now our close challengers sitting a few games behind us. deceased. They were taking forever to catch up on the back log of games, and we then found out there was going to be a playoff between ourselves and Andersons (Forres). Finding a suitable date & venue was the next head- Ron with his brother Derek ache, but we finally agreed on Burghead on the 11th June. After being 2-0 down at half time we came back to 2-2, then went 3-2 down, then back to 3-3. By HAPPY BIRTHDAY this time I had chewed my finger nails down to my elbows! With 3 minutes left we took the lead for the On behalf of the Rothes quines and loons who did first time and managed to hold out to win the league their secondary education at Speyside High School, playoff. we wish the school a HAPPY FORTIETH The P4/5 team have had a mixed season. With only BIRTHDAY, and all the best for the future. 10 players in the squad they have done well and won't finish bottom of the league. The P3& unders have been enjoying friendly games and tournaments. We are still getting good numbers at training, but there is plenty room for more primary school age children. A big thank you every one who has helped during the season, setting up and taking down goals, and trans- porting children to matches. Willie Younie 01340 831732.

18 This issue is sponsored by Speyside Plumbing & Building Supplies BOXING CLEVER A MORAY COMMUNITY Boxer Megan ‘Princess’ Gordon has made history by CHRISTMAS 2017 becoming the first female boxer from Scotland to be selected for the Youth Commonwealth Games.

Due to be hosted in the Bahamas next month, the 3 On 25th December 2017 there will be a Community times Scottish champion has been competing in the Christmas at the Grant Hall Rothes. This is available sport for 4 years now and has already experienced the to anybody of all ages who are socially isolated, alone, highs and lows of boxing. Winning titles from as far in poverty. as Ireland and Sweden, she narrowly missed out add- We are two families who have come together hoping ing the British title to her collection in April by a 3/2 to bring the joy of Christmas to those that may other- split. wise go without. We are especially proud of our chil- dren and grandchildren’s input and that they have giv- en up their time to get involved, (no mean feat when it comes to teenagers!) The event will consist of a three course Christmas din- ner, entertainment, a game or two of bingo, Santa, nib- bles, fun, and laughter. Transport will be provided and will be available throughout the day. We are raising the money by various fundraising and begging letters. We have had soup and sweets, craft fairs, and there are more to come. Currently future events are: Wednesday 21st June and then every 3rd Wednesday of the month there will be family Prize Bingo at the Scout Hall in Aberlour, doors open 6.30pm, eyes down 7pm. Craft Fayres on 12th August and 25th November at the Her relentless training is split between the Elgin box- Grant Hall Rothes. ing club (along with other Rothes boxers Iain Reid and Indoor table top boot fair Grant Hall Rothes 8th July Corey Rizza who picked up silver in the Scottish In- 10am. Anybody wishing to have a table please get in termediate championships this year) travelling to touch. Glasgow to train with the Scottish international team; We are hoping to plan further soup and sweets, and as attending the Institute of Sport in Aberdeen for the weather is improving will likely have ploughmen’s strength and conditioning training as well as working lunches on the menu, for those who don’t want soup. in The Station Hotel. We can take nominations for Christmas day as of now, Before travelling to the Caribbean where she will be and will be in touch with various agencies for nomina- competing against the best boxers from throughout the tions later in the year. Please make contact by email. Commonwealth, Megan will be joining the other 8 Any donations for prizes gratefully received. Lookout Scottish youth boxers selected on a 10 day intensive for lucky squares too. training camp in Ireland. This preparation it is hoped As of yet we are not a registered charity, but if this will enable her to follow the success of the last Scot- year proves to be successful we will be looking at this; land team who managed to bring gold, silver and providing the Community Christmas every year, and bronze medals back home. also getting those nominated involved in the events Paul ‘Ratch’ Gordon throughout the year. Stephanie Walby / Allsop and Linda Allman Email: [email protected] Facebook page: verymoraycommunitychristmas

This issue is sponsored by Speyside Plumbing & Building Supplies 19 ROTHES NURSERY

Well nearly another school year over already, time sure does fly when you are having fun and we have lots of fun in the nursery!!

Our morning children have been out and about Rothes doing their shopping. They have been learning why we need money and what we can do with it. We all decided we would like to have lots of money!!

Our afternoon children have been looking after the nursery garden, keeping it tidy and making it look pretty by planting some lovely flowers. We also planted tatties and onions so are looking after them to help them grow so that we can dig them up in the autumn and eat our produce for snack.

We are busy at the moment preparing for the morning children’s graduation and the afternoon children’s gar- den party.

The graduation is on the 23rd June in the school hall and all par- ents/carers of the morning children are invited to attend. The children have been busy practising songs for the graduation and they are all excited to be heading off to school after the summer holidays.

Our afternoon children have been practising songs to sing to their parents at the garden party on 14th June.

For our end of term treat we are having both nursery sessions in for a whole day for a pirate/princess themed party. We are planning lots of fun games and activities before our special lunch then afterwards we have Mr Bubbles the entertainer coming to perform for us.

We are all looking forward to the summer holidays but will be sad to say goodbye to our morning children. We wish them the very best as they move up into the “BIG” school.

We would like to say thank you to all parents, carers and the Rothes community for their support throughout the year, it is much appreciated.

We are all hoping for a lovely summer of sunshine and wish everyone a great holiday.

Rothes Nursery Team.

20 This issue is sponsored by Speyside Plumbing & Building Supplies