Absolutely everyone is welcome. So please do join us and take this wonderful opportunity the night before Christmas to say hello and wish well to all your neighbours, family, friends and everyone in Glendale the Glen. And of course perhaps join in with a few tunes if you’re feeling a little musical. Natalie Page | 1 News and Glendale Wildlife & Nature The main highlight of the autumn has come from outer space, Views rather than Iceland and Siberia, as we have experienced numerous beautiful displays of the aurora borealis or Northern Lights in the To all the Residents and skies over Glendale. Friends of Glendale The sun is just coming to the peak of its 11-year solar cycle, with the ‘solar maximum’ currently predicted to be in May 2013. And the surrounding area During its peak, the sun has the most sun-spots and it is eruptions from these, called Coronal Mass Ejections (CMEs), which trigger Happy Christmas, Solstice and spectacular auroras, in our skies. Fulfilling New Year 2013 CMEs travel relatively slowly, which usually allows scientists to give us between one and three days’ notice of impact. Then we Winter 2012 - The Glendale Trust - Suggested Donation £1 just need to hope for clear skies, with no moon, when one arrives. Company No. SC 327627 – Charity No. SCO38741 During October and November, we had over 10 nights when the th aurora was visible in Glendale. The most vivid aurora of the Results of the EGM on 12 December autumn was on the night of October 8th/9th. It was visible Chaired by Chrissanne MacDonald SCLVO throughout the UK and widely reported in the press. However, it was nowhere near as impressive as the aurora we experienced in April that was missed by the UK at large. A huge thanKs is due, to all those who made it out to the People who have never seen the aurora before are often very Hall, in freezing temperatures. There were 40 attendees at disappointed, as they expect to see the dazzling colours of the least which I thinK was incredible and unexpected! photographs with their naked eye. In reality, most auroras just appear white to the eye and if you see a milky, moon-washed It is great to say there has been a new board unanimously glow to the North, when there is no moon, then you are almost elected consisting of 5 new directors and 2 previous certainly seeing the aurora. The way we prove it is to take a directors. Their aim to work in the best interests of photograph on a long exposure and if it captures greens then it is definitely the aurora. Glendale in an open and transparent manor and more details will come out when they publish their minutes etc. You can view photographs of all these auroras on the Glendale The Trust is now in a very strong position to move forward web-site at http://www.glendaleskye.com/aurora_borealis.php with a wide range of skill base ages and levels of and there is also a Facebook page providing advance warning of expected auroras at indigenousness! http://www.facebook.com/GlendaleSkyeAuroras New Committee: Ray Coughlin, Ellie Knight, Gordon Back on Earth, the autumn migration got under way on September th Thompson, Joy Talbot, Richard Powell, Maggie 20 , when the first skeins of geese and whooper swans began arriving from Iceland. The first of the winter thrushes reached us MacPhee and Angela Finlay. Well done!! By Elgar. on October 13th, with some small flocks of blackbirds and redwings around the glen. Then on October 27th, the whole of Glendale Free Church Carol Service Christmas Eve 24th December 2012 - 6.30 pm - 7.15 pm All Welcome Precentor John Angus Gillies….and featuring Home BaKed Mince Pies and Refreshments After the phenomenal success of last year’s carol service in Glendale Free Church (standing room only for the latecomers!) John Angus Gillies has agreed to precent again this year. Daniel will give the service from 6:30 to 7:15pm after which there will be homemade mince pies, tea and soft drinks. Skye was flooded with a massive influx of fieldfares and we had over 1500 stripping rowans around Holmisdale House. The scale of Meeting with Dave Thompson MSP this invasion was unprecedented in Glendale, as we normally only rd see isolated flocks of fewer than 30 fieldfares in winter. On the 3 December I met with Dave Thompson our MSP. We discussed Broadband connection, Emergency Healthcare, VAT on On November 4th, Skye was invaded again but this time with rural businesses and the Dental Practice waiting lists. As I have embarked on this process, prompted by concerns over emergency beautiful waxwings from Siberia. They were mostly concentrated Page | in the Broadford area but we were lucky enough to find a flock of health care access, it has become clear that there are many issues 14 in a garden at Upper Milovaig. of concern for Glendale residents i.e. those issues that I was able 2 to raise with Dave Thompson and more that have come to light In the latter half of November, Mairi Fawkes was again hosting an and my appreciation thereof since e.g. transport, grid connections extremely rare visitor at her bird feeders: a female great-spotted and overfishing by foreign boats. It is clear that all of these issues woodpecker, which we believe is a first for Glendale, the closest have been around for some considerable time and that some other record being one at Dunvegan Castle in 1985. Andy Stables individuals interested in specific issues, all community groups and the LDO have put a great deal of work into researching specific problems and exploring solutions. Las columnas de Alhóndiga Bilbao We are one of a number of special geographical cases within the A great setting for art highlands or especial remoteness as well as being on the very “Behind columns people hide, they fall in love, they kiss… Behind outer boundary of the constituency and this is the cause of some columns people spy, they kill, a quote is born…” Philippe Stark’s but not all of the issues affecting us. It is clear that we need to reflection has come to life in the Atrium of Cultures of Alhóndiga take the initiative in maintaining regular communication with our Bilbao. The 43 pillars holding up the three buildings symbolise, representatives at a local, regional and national level so that we according to Lorenzo Baraldi, the millions of columns and the can ensure that we are not forgotten but are instead involved in infinity of cultures, architectures, wars and religions man has gone discussions at Inverness, Edinburgh and London that affect us. Not through over history. The Italian theatrical designer has, in this only do we need to ensure that we are canvassed as a community space, brought to life the cinematographic vision of the designer in the process of finding solutions but that we benefit from any proposed solution as well. So with regard to emergency healthcare Dave Thompson reassures us that there is no intention to cut or relocate the ambulance service in Dunvegan. The first responder scheme does appear to be the solution for bridging the gap left by the long ambulance response time to Glendale. We are not the only area in the highlands and Islands with long ambulance response times but it seems that only Ardnamurchan has response times longer than of Alhóndiga Bilbao in his particular interpretation of this place. Glendale. To enter the Alhóndiga Bilbao atrium is to become lost on a During our discussion I learnt about the 1912 Report of the journey through that cultural and geographical diversity which has Highlands and Islands Medical Service Committee aka the Dewar influenced man’s transformation. There is no established order, report. This surveyed medical care in the highlands and no closed script to travel through this history. Every visitor can transformed it through the establishment of the highlands and contribute their view, creating their own itinerary, awakening islands medical service, the forerunner of NHS Scotland and their capacity to invent histories. The only aspect governing the eventually the NHS for the UK as a whole. 100 years on, lay-out of these sculptures is the intention of not placing columns demographics, mobility, communities and needs have changed. of a similar material or style together, so that each one has its One particular issue being the ability to attract and retain medical own importance and just relevance. This journey is an opportunity staff in remote rural areas, the commitments, responsibilities that to reflect on the importance art has in our lives, even when we are we can reasonably expect from them and the access to training unaware of it. and further support that they require. For this reason an The stage designer, Lorenzo Baraldi, stage designer by career, has independent body Rural GP has established a centenary Dewar used his great professional experience to materialise the idea and committee to celebrate and review primary healthcare in the the sensations this space suggested to Philippe Starck. Once the highlands. Early in November Alex Neil, Cabinet Secretary for concept had been defined, he resorted to the most skilful Health and Wellbeing endorsed plans to go forward with the workshops and craftsmen to develop each column. That is why establishment of a pilot review by the Scottish government and the pieces have come from Milan, Rome, Florence or Eibar. Ann NHS Scotland. Bowes Message from the Universe Contents: 1. Results of EGM, Carol Service, Wildlife and Nature In the beginning, before there were beaches to walk along, Notes clouds to float upon, or stars to wish on, Dear Reader, the 2.