BALDERNOCK GAZETTE 2015 Baldernock Website www. baldernock.org.uk

Welcome to the Baldernock Gazette, giving information on activities in the parish of Baldernock over the past year, contact details for the volunteers who organize activities in the parish and details of future events. An extra warm welcome is extended to everyone who is new to the parish, we hope you will enjoy living here. Hopefully you will have received your welcome pack, and if you found this useful, we would like to have your feedback.

PAVEMENTS

It has taken over a year, but all pavements from Torrance to the Allander Toll have now been cleared and are passable. Resurfacing is needed on some parts, but given the council’s financial constraints, it may be some time before this can be achieved. Residents are reminded to check that their hedges do not overhang or obstruct pavements or footpaths. Thanks are due to the team who carried out the work, good to see them happy in their work!

As a result of local authority cuts, responsibility for maintenance of the flower bed outside the church hall now belongs with the community council. Wild flower seed has been sown, and the bed is very colourful, complementing the WW1 commemorative poppy bed sown nearby. Future plans are for more permanent planting of wildlife friendly shrubs and possibly a small community orchard. has been chosen to trial two different types of wildflower meadows next year, and these will be situated at the western entrance to the village.

Trees grown from seed by the late Professor John Anderson have been planted by volunteers at various sites throughout the parish and those situated alongside the footpath by the trigpoint on Craigmaddie Muir are now appearing above their plastic sleeves. It is a fitting tribute to Professor Anderson that the parish he loved has been enhanced in this way.

ROAD SAFETY CAMPAIGN

In an attempt to respond to continuing complaints by residents about the dangers posed by poor driving and speeding on our rural roads, the community council once again participated in the campaign held annually in November by the road safety charity BRAKE. As there was not a lot of community support this year, and comments that the posters were a distraction for motorists, we would be interested to know if residents feel this campaign is worthwhile. Concerns about road safety continue to dominate the agenda at meetings and we will continue to press for 30mph speed limits on Craigmaddie and other rural roads as well as requesting a greater police presence on the main roads.

PLANNING The new Local Development Plan is being finalized and there are no major proposals for Baldernock, although some sites had been identified as being suitable for new housing. The planning department informed us that as there was little in the way of infrastructure in the parish, it was not really suitable for any major developments. We responded to the Local plan, welcoming the continuing protection afforded to the green belt and the safeguarded areas around the hazardous installations of the high pressure gas pipeline, and chlorine storage facilities at the waterworks in Balmore. The plan documents also referred to protected historical areas in Baldernock as being located in and , we have asked that this be amended. We also feel that it is appropriate that Baldernock is referred to as an entire parish, and not divided into the separate hamlets of Balmore, , Barraston and Barnellan, of which it is comprised.

ANNUAL COMMUNITY SPRING CLEAN Volunteers turned out in atrocious weather at the end of March to help clear up the parish. Many bags of rubbish were cleared from the roadsides and everywhere looks much better as a result. Even the bike shelter at the school had a spring clean!

Everyone repaired to the school afterwards for soup and sandwiches at the Community Café, kindly organized and run by the school and playgroup parents. The school children took part in a poster competition organized by the community council and three winners John Currie, Daisy Murray and Eve Hand won book tokens for themselves, and their classes, which were presented by Provost Una Walker

SCHOOL CAMPAIGN. The council is holding consultations with the community about the future of the school. Repeated threats of closure over many years have taken their toll, but despite this, the excellent team led by Jill Carr continues to provide an inventive, innovative and first class education for our children - and those who choose to send their children to Baldernock - relevant to our unique rural community. There is no other school in East where cycling and walking in the fresh air on rural roads is a feature of physical education, which beats an indoor gym any day! The school is a highly valued community asset and we hope to improve facilities for use by the school and community if our campaign to save the school is successful. Our playgroup, which meets daily in the school house, run by volunteers and staffed by local residents, celebrated forty years with a party in the school garden in May. The weather was kind and the founder members came along to see how their group, started in the church hall, had progressed. The playgroup welcomes new members, and they also run a very popular breakfast and after school club in the schoolhouse.

YOGA AND WELLBEING GROUP Started by Kirstin Langlois and Lesley Wisemen, this group has had a successful start with many expressions of interest. Problems with the let at the school has meant that the group meets in the church hall for the present, although it is to be hoped that the school can be used again soon, as poor access at the hall means some cannot easily attend the classes. It is open to both sexes –gentlemen of the parish please note! And the teacher Melissa is teaching to all ages and abilities. It is worth coming along just for the relaxation at the end of the session.

VOLUNTEERS NEEDED! Many of the footpaths in Baldernock are overgrown and in need of some attention and the flower bed on the roadside outside the church hall will need maintenance and replanting in the Spring. If you can spare a few hours to help keep Baldernock Beautiful, your assistance will be greatly valued. The first project to be tackled will be to clear the footpath alongside the burn which runs through Balmore Golf Course. We will be attempting this in early winter and details will be in the monthly newsletter. The new access officer, Alastair Kyle is taking a keen interest and has offered advice and help. If you know of any footpaths which need attention, or would like to volunteer your help, please contact one of the committee. LOCAL HISTORY GROUP

Intrepid local history enthusiasts explore Dougalston estate

Led and organized by Professors Paul Bishop and Niall Logan, the group has enjoyed great success this year and well-attended talks included a guide to the ancient parish boundary and the discovery of the hidden boundary stones, Dougalston Estate, memories of farming at the Allander Toll before Dobbies and the Tickled Trout arrived on the scene, and a history of the Pit disaster. Talks are already being planned for the next season and include a major community event in March; details will be in your monthly online newsletter. Talks are held at monthly intervals from September to May, and are held at Baldernock Primary School at 7.30pm. apart from the February meeting which will be held in the Church Hall. Occasional walks are conducted in the countryside around Baldernock.

LOCAL HISTORY TALKS

September 17th Bring along night. Come and share any memories, stories, objects or old photographs. Will include display of photographs and Film of old Baldernock October 15th History of the Forth and Clyde canal November 19th Farming in the West of December 10th The Valley Railway 2016 January 21st A History of Mugdock February 18th Robinsfield, its’ history and development. (Church Hall meeting) March 17th The1994 Strathclyde floods and the impact on Balmore. April 21st Horse gins of Baldernock May 5th Baldernock in the last ice age.

OTHER INTEREST GROUPS Baldernock Parish Church, Craigmaddie Road. Sunday services, plus quiet time on alternate Wednesday evenings. Monday Club, for older residents in the church hall. Youth Group, meets on Tuesday evening in the church hall. Coffee morning group, meet in each other’s houses monthly on a Friday. An opportunity for the ladies of the parish to meet and exchange news. Ladies walking group. Local walks meeting monthly on a Saturday morning, with or without dogs. Ladies Book group, meets monthly on a Wednesday evening. (So far, the men of the parish only manage an annual Christmas meal! ) Tennis Club at the tennis courts in Station Road Bardowie. Sailing on Bardowie Loch with the Clyde Cruising Club. Baldernock Gardening Club. The huge popularity of this group means it has a waiting list for members, and now has to meet in the Fraser Centre, Milngavie, having outgrown the Church Hall! Bookbug and Stay and Play sessions for babies and very young children are organized by the playgroup.

Baldernock Community Council meeting dates 2015-16

WEDS 10TH JUNE 2015 WEDS 26thTH AUGUST 2015 WEDS 7th OCTOBER 2015 AGM WEDS 11TH NOVEMBER 2015 WEDS 13TH JANUARY 2016 WEDS 24thTH FEB 2016 WEDS 30TH MARCH 2016 WEDS 11TH MAY 2016 WEDS 22ND JUNE 2016

All meetings at Baldernock Primary School 7.30-9.30

BALDERNOCK COMMUNITY COUNCIL

Chair Jane Logan 01360 620563 [email protected] Secretary Celia Burns [email protected] Treasurer Simon Bucknall Members;- Anne McKirdy, Geraldine Perriam. Co-opted members;- Kimberley Cant Murray, representing the school, and Penny McElhinney, representing the playgroup. LOCAL COUNCILLORS ANNE MCNAIR [email protected] UNA WALKER [email protected] BILLY HENDRY [email protected]

MP JOHN NICOLSON [email protected]

MSP FIONA MCLEOD [email protected]

For road issues, waste collections and illicit tipping contact council 0300 1234510 or use the online report form on the EDC website eastdunbarton.gov.uk

For details of meetings and contact persons of local groups, sign up for the monthly newsletter by contacting the secretary of the community council.

For those new to the parish, and wondering why they are represented by Baldernock Community Council – the parish of Baldernock comprises the hamlets of Bardowie, Balmore, Barnellan and Barraston. Our northern boundary is located in Lennox Forest, Southern, the , Western, Langbank, and Eastern, Tower Road. Hopefully you will have received your copy of the Baldernock gazette, and may have noticed the omission. Neither the editor, nor the proof reader noticed that we had omitted to mention the Community Development Trust, which was a serious error on our part, apologies are due. As this is a vital part of our community, we would reiterate that anyone either living locally, or with a connection to Baldernock can apply to become a member for the princely sum of £1 The trust exists to improve facilities in Baldernock and the more members it has, the more clout it carries, so do please consider joining up. When the future of the school is guaranteed, we hope to be able to improve facilities for the community, and the Trust will be essential for this enterprise. Also, if anyone wants to use the community council notice board to advertise their activities, Jane has the key, and can also laminate notices, which is necessary as the notice board leaks.