Alyth Voice 111th Edition, April 2007 Tel. 01828 633045 Minimum Circulation 1600 Email address: [email protected] Website: www.alythvoice.co.uk

PERTHSHIRE Brass has enjoyed a rich vein of form since our last appearance in BLUEBEARD Alyth. Following a highly enjoyable con- A WORLD PREMIERE Concert cert with the Alyth & District Pipe Band nd th st In Aid of Maggie’s in October, the band went on to claim 2 17 – 21 April 2007 Cancer care Centres place in the Scottish Challenge Cup in Glasgow Concert Hall. After a busy FROM April 17th - 21st Alyth Musical Society will Alyth Town Hall Christmas period, when we played at be performing a new production, 'Bluebeard'. Leading almost every Lights ‘Switch On’ in th roles are played by Helen Marshland (Sophie Sunday 29 April 2007 Perthshire (!), it was down to the serious Laurent), Claire Gruneberg (Angeline Laurent), 7pm stuff in January, when we started work on Chris Duke (Emile Bonnet), Alan Calder-McNicoll the Scottish Championships Test Piece (Bluebeard), Nick Wallace (Hugo Laurent), Isobel Perthshire Brass “Prelude and Jubilate” by Darrol Barry. McCurdy (Madame Laurent). Perthshire Youth Brass We have played this piece hundreds of They will be accompanied by 24 other performers times, slowly improving it as the rehears- in minor roles and chorus. The show has been written Alyth & District Pipe Band als wore on… but it all paid off in the end by the Society's Producer and Musical Director and with another runner up placing! This offers a night of drama and dark deeds. There are means we travel to Harrogate in Septem- around 24 songs written to suit the mood of the pro- ber to represent Scotland in the British Finals. While all this has gone on, some of the players duction. have decided to attempt the ‘Maggie’s Monster Bike & Hike’ in May, involving a 30 mile As with all productions the Society depends on cycle followed by a 22 mile hike, all in aid of Maggie’s Cancer Care Centres. Fundraising is good audiences to allow us to exist and pay for the going well, but we could always do with a bit more! That’s why we’ve invited our friends ever rising costs of costumes, set, lighting and so on. from the pipe band to As has been the history of AMS, our production again join us for a will be as professional as we can make it and it is concert in the town hoped that hall. Details above, everyone's and again we’ll be hard work attempting to collabo- both on and rate on a couple of off stage will numbers. The last be rewarded concert was well at- by a large turn tended, but I heard out of local from several people people. Inter- who said they wished est has been they’d been there, so shown from all please arrive in plenty PERTHSHIRE BRASS over Tayside of time. Entry is free, in this show. but as always it will cost you a donation to get out! I’m also hoping to have a choir in place, Many Socie- collaborating on the piece “Hymn to the Fallen” by John Williams, the theme tune to the film ties play safe ‘Saving Private Ryan’. I look forward to welcoming Alyth Voice readers to the concert! with the classi- George Annan cal musicals, which we will RED NOSE DAY AT GLENISLA GOLF COURSE return to in the STAFF at Glenisla Golf Course supported Red Nose Day on Friday 16th March by wearing future, but we Helen Marshland aka Sophie Laurent red noses and top hats along with their pyjamas! Wendy Mitchell explained this odd behav- have received iour “We many favourable comments from larger Societies on decided to our willingness to try new things and take a risk. Visi- support Red tors to rehearsals including the local National Operatic Nose Day and & Dramatic Arts representative have all remarked on make it a fancy the power of the music and what appears to be an dress pyjama exciting show. party for the Bluebeard is based on an old tale for children, staff. Staff and which many say was a story told by mothers to their members daughters to warn them of the dangers of men. Cer- donated bottles tainly the arrival of the Count Gilles de Rais for the bottle (Bluebeard) to a small French village brings devastat- stall, raffles, ing results. cake and Tickets will be available to the general public at the candy, and 3 of Post Office at Alyth Post Office from 3rd April or can be booked by telephoning 01828 632656. Image by D.M. Phillips our members did a sponsored Please come along and support the Society and round of golf wearing kilts - not so easy on a very windy day! We all had a fun day and it enjoy a night at the 'theatre'. But be warned this show was well supported by members and friends, but most importantly we raised almost £500 for does contain some violence! Email a very good cause.” [email protected] for details. John White

Useful Telephone Numbers

Airlie Street Hall (contact-Fiona Dorchester) - 01828 632455 CHRISTIAN AID WEEK Blairgowrie Police Station - 01250 872222 th Perth Police Station - 01738 621141 13-19 MAY 007 Hydro-Electric Emergencies - 0800 300999 HOW it all began… In 1945, British churches raised £1million to help to Scottish Gas Emergencies - 0800 111999 rebuild church and family life in war-ravaged Europe. This was the begin- Scottish Water - 0845 6008 855 ning of the church’s involvement in refugee and resettlement. The ecu- Alyth Post Office - 01828 632301 menical organisation was originally called ‘Christian Reconstruction in Alyth Health Centre - 01828 632317 Europe’. It became, in 1949, the ‘Department of Inter-Church Aid and Alyth Primary School - 01828 632462 Blairgowrie High School - 01250 873445 Refugee Service’ as part of the newly created British Council of Churches, Alyth Environmental Group - 01828 632907 and in 1952 Janet Lacey was appointed as the first director of Christian NHS 24—new 24 hour health service - 08454 24 24 24 Aid. In 1957, the very first Christian Aid Week was held. It is a powerful If you offer an emergency or breakdown service, send the Voice your name and number. act of Christian witness uniting hundreds and thousands of Christians to put their faith into action against global poverty – and is now ‘seven most Alyth Voice Team amazing days’ of fundraising. It therefore must be said that you, the people Paul Ramsay 01828 632992 Editor of Alyth, have played your part admirably in this campaign over and over [email protected] again by giving so generously. This year there will be two main occasions Irene Robertson 01828 633045 Compositor/Secretary for you to help Christian Aid Week grow, and grow and grow!!! [email protected] The first, a ‘tree planting’ event. The second, the familiar annual ‘red Margaret Stanford 01828 633083 Advertising envelope’ door to door collection. The ‘tree plant’ will be a simple and [email protected] great way to mark the 50th anniversary of Christian Aid Week. Full details Paul & Barbara Prettyman 01828 633725 Distribution of this will appear on posters, newspapers, church intimations, etc, Margaret MacKenzie/ Marjory Macpherson Advertising (children and adults be on the look out!). In this connection you will be Michael Kay 01828 632252/632690 Treasurer invited to buy a 65 pence fruit tree sapling to help people ‘grow’ out of [email protected] poverty. Derek Todd Webmaster The ‘door to door’ collection will again be conducted during Christian Aid [email protected] Week throughout Alyth and district by our faithful team of representatives In order to avoid disappointment please ensure that articles/ads for publication are from our three local churches, St. Luan’s, St. Ninian’s, and Alyth Parish – submitted before the 21st day of each month. Note: The views expressed in the Alyth so look out for them, they will be knocking on your door next month col- Voice are not necessarily those of the team nor can they accept any responsibility for accuracy and spelling of any article. lecting on behalf of the world’s poorest people. We ask you to please con- tinue supporting this very deserving cause and if you are a taxpayer please ARTICLE SUBMISSION to the Voice Please note ALL articles must be accompanied with a name and address also consider signing the Gift Aid envelope attachment whereby tax on BEFORE they will be published in the Voice. your donation may be reclaimed. Grateful thanks go to all supporters of the On request, the name and address may be withheld from publication. past, and to those of the present. Nan White. Local Organiser Any submission without these details will NOT be included.

*~*~* Dates for Your Diary *~*~* ALYTH CHRISTMAS LIGHTS 200 Club APRIL March 2007 Winners 1st-8th Easter Services (see notice on page 8) Alyth Parish Church 5th Writers’ Group /Craft Group Alyth Community Wing £50 No. 128 Ian Brodie 7th Coffee Morning - Airlie St. Hall Conservative Assoc. £30 No. 127 Jack Payne 12th David Cowie - Airlie St. Hall Alyth Parish Guild £20 No. 57 Mrs. M. Bell 14th Coffee Morning - Airlie St. Hall Alyth Parish Guild 14th Book Signing Glenshee Pottery A big thank you to everyone who has renewed their 15th Subscriptions Due Lights 200 Club 200 club membership for 2007/08. If you have not 17-21 Bluebeard - Town Hall Alyth Musical Society already done so, monies are due by 15th April 2007. 19th Writers’ Group /Craft Group Alyth Community Wing Thank you for your continued support. Liz Gordon 21st Coffee Morning - Airlie St. Hall Alyth in Bloom 21st Open Day Belmont Castle 25th Al Gore Film - Airlie St. Hall CAT Project Group 28th Coffee Morning - Airlie St. Hall Alyth Scout Group AYP COMMUNITY FESTIVAL 29th Table Top Sale - Town Hall Alyth Halls Committee ALYTH Youth Partnership is planning to hold a community festival, cele- 29th Concert - Town Hall Perth. Brass & Friends brating youth provision in Alyth. The event will allow various youth groups MAY and organisations in and around Alyth to showcase their services, and pro- 3rd AGM - Airlie St. Hall Alyth Parish Guild vide a fun filled day of activities which the public can enjoy. The festival is 3rd Writers’ Group/Craft Group Alyth Community Wing planned for Saturday 12th May 2007 ~ 11am-3pm ~ Diamond Jubilee 5th Coffee Morning - Airlie St. Hall The Samaritans Park. Some of the activities on offer are a Skate Jam/Competition spon- 5th Ceilidh - Town Hall Alyth Playgroup sored by Alyth Business Group with prizes and a trophy for best trick, Graf- 12th Coffee Morning - Airlie St. Hall Freedom Coach fiti Art sponsored by the stART Oot Festival with the theme focused around 12th Caring Cuppa - Burnside Court Red Cross Week environmental issues, a BBQ, live bands, DJs, cake and candy stalls, bouncy 12th Community Festival - Jubilee Park AYP castle, mini assault course, five-a-side football and much more. Alyth Youth 13th Event, Airlie Street Hall Christian Aid 17th Bingo Tea - Town Hall Alyth Scout Group Partnership hopes this informative and exciting event will demonstrate the 17th Writers’ Group/Craft Group Alyth Community Wing various clubs and activities available for young people in Alyth. Although 19th Coffee Morning - Airlie St. Hall St. Ninian’s Church we have endeavoured to contact most organisations there may be some 19th Wrestling Show - Town Hall Scottish Wrestling Ent. which were unfortunately missed out. This was unintentional and we would 26th Coffee Morning - Airlie St. Hall Alyth Primary PSA like to give these organisations the opportunity to take part in the festival. If 27th Songs of Praise Celebration St. Ninian’s Church you would like to take part then please contact Paul MacFarlane, on Due to the advance notice of these dates, please check for changes! 07921 710 097 or email: [email protected]. Community Markets will recommence Strathmore & The Glens on 28th April PO Box 6621, Blairgowrie PH12 8YF in Blairgowrie Wellmeadow. www.strathmoreglens.org Anyone interested in taking a stall should E-mail-: [email protected] contact Sue on 01828 640763

2 MEMORY LANE

MISS ORAM’S CLASS 1946 Back Row L-R Ian Mollison, Raymond Henderson, Iain Ferguson, John Heron, Scott Wallace, David Shepherd, Billy White, Sandy Calder, Ian Johnston, Charlie Penncook, -?-, Billy McBain. 2nd Row L-R Miss Oram, Maureen Tripney, Margaret Findlay, Norma Findlay, Stella McBain, Claire Watson, -?-, Margaret Carrie, Mabel Clark, Margaret Robb, Eleneor Clark. 3rd Row L-R Betty McKinlay, Evelyn Brown, Ailie Fraser, Margaret Robertson, Marjorie Milne, Helen Elliot, Rhoda Lamb, Sheena Kay, Chrisse White, Elma Tavendale Front Row L-R Billy Doig, Charlie Smith, David Hunter, -?-, David Robertson, Ian Ray, Billy Mill Submitted by John Heron, Romsey, Hampshire Opening of the DIAMOND JUBILEE PARK - 1st October 1898

THE gentleman with the bowler hat and the medal on his left breast is James Tod, who was provost of Alyth at the time of Queen Victoria's Diamond Jubilee in 1897. Evidently, all the mayors and provosts throughout the land were awarded this medal. Included in the platform party are the Earl and Countess of Airlie, the Earl in military uniform. There would also be the local minister. The photo in which James Tod has doffed his hat (above left), indicates they were praying. I was always intrigued by the banner type thing held by the Boys Brigade (tall staff with ribbons). STRATHMORE UNITED 9th (ALYTH) circa 1890 PERTHSHIRE VOLUNTEERS THE members of the team which I can identify are:- Back row - 3rd th from left, William Howie Tod, seventh from left, Andrew Soutar ~ Mid- The soldiers are the Officers and N.C.Os of the 9 (Alyth) Perthshire dle row - 3rd from left, George Robertson ~ Front row – 1st on left Volunteers David Carstairs Tod, 4th from left - Stewart Robertson. [late 19th Stewart Robertson went on to play for Clyde, which I believe is still century?]. going strong. The Tods were brothers as were the Robertsons. Andrew I can only Soutar was a brother-in-law of the Robertsons. Note that all the players identify one are wearing the same shirts, i.e. the goalkeeper does not have a different of the sol- colour of shirt. I believe that this was the case when soccer first started diers, the first and one could imagine various players other than the goalkeeper making on the left hand saves in a crowded goal area. I am of the opinion that the photo- who is my graph was taken against the west facing wall of the town hall building, great grandfa- opposite the tennis courts (if they are still there!) ther, James Tod. James was reputed to be a bit of a crack shot competing at Wimbledon and Bisley. Wimbledon preceded Bisley.

MANY THANKS to Mr. James Tod of Whitley Bay for submitting the above four photographs with accompanying information. If any reader has further details, or can identify those in the photo- graphs, please contact the Voice.

3 A NEW TOWN FOR STRATHMORE? Following the article on March’s front page, a number of readers have been compelled to respond...

A NEW TOWN FOR STRATHMORE? THE CITADEL LET’S be in a great deal of doubt about it…the doubt is raised by the level of exag- (with apologies to A J Cronin) geration in the front page letter in the March Voice. An 80 dwelling development in IN last month’s ‘Alyth Voice’, the writers of a letter headed: ‘A New Town for Strathmore is of the size of a hamlet or village perhaps more worthy of the ancient Strathmore?’ feared that their critique might be construed as ‘raising the draw- Scottish locality description of ‘ton’. bridge to keep further boarders at bay’. Although they refuted this, the likeness Dalziel and MacKenzie show an abysmal lack of knowledge of the planning obviously did occur to them, and the metaphor seemed apt enough for me to take process. Likewise they show an equal lack of faith in the elected members of Perth up the challenge it seemed to have been inviting. & Kinross Council, who have the final word on planning and development control. As their objections were voiced in a non-vitriolic tone, I think that a little joust- Environmental Impact Assessments are mandatory on all major developments. ing may be appropriate, rather than a frontal, battering-ram assault, and as no There is currently an embargo on any further development in the Alyth area that is knight in shining armour, banners flying and trumpets sounding, seems to be not already outlined in the Local Plan, because of inadequate sewage treatment appearing on the horizon to champion the cause of the oppressed, I offer myself facilities. Obviously consideration of the Strathmore development will include as a humble serf to enter into the lists (well aware that he who putteth on his ar- either a sewage treatment plant for the development, or considerable expansion to mour ought not to boast like him that taketh it off). the Alyth plant. Both represent additional planning matters. It is insulting to the The crippling showers of arrows loosed on the wretched boarders seem to have planning officials or the P&K elected members who will deal with this application, been fired in two flights of certain devastation: firstly the supposition that the to even suggest that the points Dalziel and MacKenzie raise will not be properly planners of Perth and Kinross Council had negligently (or incompetently?) over- dealt with. looked the necessity of providing an infrastructure for this development, and Within a falling Scottish population, Perth & Kinross is showing a growth rate of secondly that they are blindly unaware of existing architectural qualities and some 6% per annum. Along with the need to house the people represented by the blissfully insensitive to aesthetic harmony. These arrows fall, shattered, on the growth, there is an urgent need, recognised by all of the agencies, for housing, both shields of common-sense: the former is so elementary to housing planners that it for the elderly and the young homeless. must surely be taken for granted; the latter is pre-empted by the proposed provi- Not all of the elderly moving into the proposed development, will come from sion not of high-rise dwellings, but of bungalows and chalets, scarcely an obtru- outside the county. People moving out of existing accommodation into the new sion on the landscape, and not just ‘slapped down’ as emotively suggested. development are creating possible vacancies for Alyth homeless, or those seeking Leisure centres, luxuries of a privileged past, are becoming more of necessities to move to more adequate houses. in a more affluent present (and are these not envisaged as being available to edu- One of the considerations when the Community Council first looked at the pro- cational establishments?). Furthermore, fewer people will need to ‘jump into their posed Strathmore development was the possible economic advantage to Alyth. cars’ to join the objectors’ queue shunning the amenities of Perth and Dundee. Statistically it is certain that some of the additional money brought to the area will As for the hotel, all hotels are not blots on the landscape – some enhance it. be spent in the town. The road improvement proposals were thought to be com- This will be purely a commercial venture: if it succeeds it will have been needed; pletely inadequate. All of the other points raised by your correspondents will be if it fails, somebody will have lost their investment. Continuing prosperity cannot argued over in what will be a long drawn out planning process. be guaranteed, but it can be provided for – if not by Alyth, then by somewhere I am prepared to defend the right of any or all of our citizens to object to any else. planning application. What I do not accept is, using the vehicle of that objection to I see that the spectre of Eastern European immigration is raising its ugly head ‘have a go’ at the volunteers of the Community Council. Gratuitous insults cannot again, (pardon the cliché’). However much we might all like to cling to parochial advance the cause of any argument. We do not “call ourselves a Community Coun- exclusiveness, we are going to have to come to terms with global influences. cil” the Scottish Executive does that. Immigrants have come here to work, not to idle; to contribute, not to scrounge. I am sure Alyth Community Council will continue to serve the interests of the The objectors were ‘astonished’ that the Alyth Community Council should not town as best they can. Jim Adam have sought to ‘destroy the emergence of a dangerous growth at source’. I find it more astonishing that the members of a highly respected body – with no axes to A NEW TOWN FOR STRATHMORE – A GOOD IDEA? grind – should have ever been expected to do anything other than, as they ex- I WRITE in response to the article last month regarding the proposed development plained, reserve their opinions until affairs had reached a more meaningful stage. at the Strathmore Golf Centre. Whilst it does raise many issues including power, The rhetorical questions the objectors ask of them e.g. ‘Have they got any concern sewage, roads etc, I don’t believe these are insurmountable and I am sure all these at all with the status and preservation of Strathmore as an area of great natural will be considered in great detail by the planning authorities at Perth & Kinross beauty?’ suggest very strongly that the members of the Community Council are Council. not thought to have any such concern, but that they have no right but to support But let’s look at what is being proposed. Firstly eighty retirement homes in part- the bias of the objectors. nership with Servite Housing. I understand there is a shortage of suitable homes for Perhaps Voltaire (drat those Europeans!), in his hitherto famous principle of our mature citizens and a great many are now choosing to live in such accommoda- democracy, has all along been misinterpreted as having said: ‘I approve of what tion where they feel safer and can enjoy a peaceful life. Also Alyth‘s retired resi- you did not say so much that I will defend to the end any objections to your right dents do bring custom to the local shops and are more likely to join societies and not to have said it’. become involved with community events than many of the younger people. We Now back to our boarders. Could there just be something on the other side of have a wonderful sense of community in Alyth and we all benefit from events such the drawbridge that they dare to believe to be rightfully theirs? As part of a much as the Gala Day, and our Christmas lights are a triumph. I am sure new residents earlier assault, I remember living in a town without electricity and where eight would be attracted to our community and want to be part of it. But if we are honest houses shared two outside taps – and a row of communal toilets! The proposal of I suspect the majority of us do our weekly shopping in a large supermarket (or on building houses with baths was opposed on the grounds that the baths would just the Internet if the regularity with which I see the Tesco.com van is anything to go be used for holding coal. However, progress prevailed over tradition, and houses by) and I don’t suppose new residents would be any different. were built, lights were switched on, ( inside!) toilets were flushed and, as far as I Secondly, a new hotel and leisure complex – sounds good so far. A decent facil- know, nobody kept coal in the bath (Would you believe it: They now have cen- ity including swimming pool and spa which we can all enjoy. Many of us would tral-heating!). certainly prefer that to the very limited alternative offered at Blairgowrie recreation But take heart, objectors, these are still only proposals and may never happen, centre. The idea of a clean, modern gym etc on our doorstep that our children and and even if they do, the French philosopher (drat those Europeans!) may just have grandchildren could enjoy and visitors too – sounds more appealing the more I got it right: ‘Plus ca change, plus c’est la même chose’. (Or, as is whispered in the think about it. A hotel providing a whole range of employment opportunities – streets of Alyth: ‘The more things change, the more they remain the same’) what’s wrong with that? The suggestion made was that these jobs would not be En avant, mes serfs! - Arise! Storm the Citadel! available to local people which I do not believe. I am sure if locals applied they Bob Norman would be considered the same as anyone else or perhaps Alyth has full employment or some of its residents choose not to work! As I understand it there is only one < will soon be beyond repair and the empty charity shop in The Square, not ex- employee currently at the Golf Centre originally from overseas and if people from actly a warm and inviting first impression. We need people who are prepared to Europe choose to work and settle in this area should we not welcome them into our invest in Alyth and Alyth’s future. community, and not display a xenophobic attitude totally at odds with the modern And what of this area of natural beauty and pleasant rural roads of considerable world in which we all live? If an employer cannot fill their vacancies from within attractiveness? Who benefits now from these – golfers and a handful of proper- the local community should they let their business fail or look further a field for ties. The rest of us won’t even be able to see the development and hardly anybody staff, perhaps we should ask the local farmers?! walks in the area precisely because the roads are too narrow, perhaps it is about A great many businesses in this area rely on visitors for their livelihoods and time they were upgraded. Those direct neighbours are bound to object, that always provide a large proportion of our community with employment, but we must move happens perhaps because it impacts on their own development plans! Could it be forward and grow and develop if we are to survive. Do we want Alyth to become the new facilities will enhance the area and attract both visitors and new residents, like Coupar Angus, a rural town full of boarded up shops inhabited at night by and perhaps the value of our homes will increase? gangs of youths intimidating the quiet majority – no thanks. Already in Alyth our The Community Council has quite rightly reserved its judgement at the present visitors are greeted by empty premises and shabby facades, just how many unused time perhaps because they can see the many benefits the development offers, commercial properties are there on Airlie St – four/five? Look at the old dentists, a whilst being aware that there are still issues i.e. the roads on which more informa- property being left to decay, the paint peeling, the old auction house, which > tion is required. Maybe we should all be so open-minded! H. Miller 4 A NEW TOWN FOR STRATHMORE? Following the article on March’s front page, a number of readers have been compelled to respond... THOUGHTS ON NEW HOUSES FOR STRATHMORE. REPLY TO NIGEL Dalziel and John MacKenzie’s article last month about the Strathmore devel- PROPOSED STRATHMORE DEVELOPMENT opment proposal was excellent and very informative. WELL, it didn’t take long for the ranters and ravers and Community Council The contemporary approach to new house building is so often disappointing and bashers, to come out of the woodwork at the merest hint of any development in the proposals for Strathmore seem to be no exception. In the past when new houses our area! were built, in what then were called streets or villages rather than developments or Since the two gentlemen, who put pen to paper to write to the Voice, ask so housing, they were either organic responses to need, and vernacular in style, using many questions, let me ask them a few! local materials and skills, or they were designed by architects who wished to make beautiful buildings that would be pleasant to live in, and at the same time make prof- • How do they know that the planners will pass any or all of this its for the developers who had put up the money. An example of the latter is the proposed development? Edinburgh New Town, where after nearly 250 years flats and houses are still greatly • How do they know that some people, from Alyth, may not want to live sought after and cost a fortune. People come from around the world to see the elegant there? I bet that in many houses in Alyth, there resides golfers or golf streets, squares and crescents. And it is worth remembering that this is dense housing fans. – incorporating tenements four floors high in terraces, not detached or semi-detached • How do they know that lots of folks around Alyth would not be buildings. delighted to have the use of a leisure centre on their doorstep? Other successful examples of planned development are villages such as Spittalfield • How do they know that the businesses of the town haven’t got the or Pitcairngreen, where attractive buildings are grouped around a green on which gumption to make sure that new residents will be made aware of the residents can play ball games, walk their dogs or hold a fete. Such villages, along goods and services they offer? with old towns like Alyth, Dunkeld or Aberfeldy, are part of the reason why tourists • How do they know that the Roads Department and environmentalists want to visit Perthshire. They don’t come to see our new developments, but if they won’t look at the issues seriously? were better they might! The Strathmore development plan includes houses in cul de • How do they know that the houses will not be fully eco built? sacs. Similar developments usually have open plan front gardens that, more often • How do they know that Alyth’s economy will not benefit from a new than not, are concreted or gravelled over. Keen gardeners may enjoy them and make development in close proximity? them interesting but many people feel they have enough to do with looking after their • How do they know that Alyth Community Council won’t debate long back garden. They are not much use for children or dogs or sitting out, as they have and hard and take on board the opinions of those who matter – the no security or privacy. It does not strike me as very good use of scarce land. Would it people of Alyth, whom we exist to represent? The Community Council not make more sense to group all these little bits of unwanted land together into a can only have an opinion – we haven’t been given the teeth to make village green or park which would be better for people and wildlife? Or perhaps they actual decisions - large or small. could be used for allotments to enable people to grow vegetables? • How do they know that there won’t be public discussion on the matter House designs are often bland and neutral or have retro touches such as “Victorian” of this development? or “Georgian” style windows and doors (in plastic). While these touches may some- One last question for Messrs Dalziel and McKenzie. times improve the appearance of the building I regret the fact that in Britain we feel • How come they won’t stand for election to the Community Council? that we have always to look to the past for good models of building. In Scandinavian There is to be one soon! Perhaps they are the ones who have all the countries and in New Zealand and Australia houses are built which are modern, inno- answers! vative and at the same time beautiful and a delight to live in. In this country we tried Although I am Vice-Chair of Alyth Community Council, this letter is written innovative modern buildings back in the sixties, made a mostly bad job of it, and entirely of my own volition. Barbara Prettyman largely gave up. Other countries do not have our obsession with retro architecture and we should look around the world for ideas, and employ really talented architects to relate new ideas to local landscape and building traditions. I also agree with March’s article that climate change needs to be taken into account when new houses are built both from the point of view of architecture and of town planning. The Strathmore project is being proposed to finance golf course and tourism development, not to provide sustainable housing for the area. Its location is problematic. Even if people can drive in the short run, carbon rationing (or peak oil forcing up prices) may leave them stranded in future if they have no alternative way of getting about. In London car-free developments are becoming widespread. We don’t have London’s congestion problems yet, but let’s not create them. I do sympathise, however, with the Alyth Community Council, which, like all community councils has to carry responsibility without much power. It should be the job of Community Councils to decide, in consultation with residents and talented designers, what kind of expansion, if any, they wish to see. They should not just be left to comment on proposals coming from developers, who have no connection with the area and little interest in anything apart from profit. Profit is not a bad thing, but it is not enough in itself to define the future of our environment. Louise Ramsay

ST. NINIAN’S COMMANDO SPEED COMMUNITY MARKET CELEBRATES MARCH STRATHMORE & the Glen’s Community Market celebrates the return of a num- THE venue on Saturday 10th March ber of regular stallholders to the market in Blairgowrie Wellmeadow on the 28th 150 YEARS for four local Army Cadets was Spean April. Customers are attracted to the monthly market by the wide variety of pro-

IT is recorded (in the Minutes for the Bridge, where the annual Commando duce on offer. From local lamb and beef, free range eggs, fish, award winning meeting of 21st February 1957, in the St. Speed March took place. The cadets preserves, seasonal fruit and vegetables, and a range of plants. The market is also Ninian’s Vestry Minute Book) that the were:- Cpl. Grant Duffy, Blairgowrie an excellent opportunity for the local craftworkers to showcase their talents. Centenary of the Dedication was the 16th – Cpl. Graeme Low, Cadet Paul Whilst visiting the market you could also spend time to visit the wide range of September (the Feast of St. Ninian), 1957. Stewart, Coupar Angus – L. Cpl. independent retailers situated in the High Street, or have lunch at one of the many So, although I have not yet seen the origi- Corrie Aitken. The team came in 2nd, restaurants whose use of local produce will certainly tempt your taste buds. nal record, we assume the dedication took 3rd and 4th places. Unfortunately Cpl. Research shows that markets help bring life into towns aiding regeneration and place on 16th September 1857. Low who was running in 1st place had encourage social interactions particularly between rural and urban communities. Alyth had become the principal Charge to drop out near the half way point of Strathmore & the Glen’s Community Market takes place on the 4th Saturday of the of the Scottish Episcopal Church in the the 7.5mile run due to a knee injury. month between 10am - 3pm in Blairgowrie Wellmeadow. area in 1854, and the building of St. A cadet from the Argyll and Suther- For more info contact Sue at Strathmore & the Glens on 01828 640763 or email: Ninian’s in 1856 was part of the develop- land Highlanders then went into 1st [email protected]. Regular updates and press releases will be ap- ment and extension of Alyth in the 19th place as he was running 2nd at this pearing on the Strathmore & the Glens web site http://www.strathmoreglens.org century – a process largely initiated by point. The young team had given all Lord Airlie, who arranged the conveyance they had, but they still managed to be HOAX CALLERS of the site of St. Ninian’s to a set of Trus- the first team to finish overall. They ROY Davidson of Tayside Fire & Rescue told the Voice “Every day tees on 21st October 1856. were disappointed not to bring home emergency services around the UK receive hoax 999 calls. Calls to the So, we are holding several events in the Quaich, which they have won two fire & rescue service can result in appliances being sent to a false address, celebration of this “building” and we consecutive years, but never mind, and they’re not only a waste of resources – they put lives at risk. If you dial 999 and invite you to celebrate with us. We hope there is always next year. Well done make a hoax call, you may be committing more than one offence. Did you know if in a few future articles to bring you some boys! caught, you can get a £5000 fine, six months in prison or both?! And the fire & reminiscences and ideas on the part which The cadets now wear their new rescue service will know where you are calling from, a recording is taken of your the St. Ninian’s congregation has played badges for The Royal Regiment of voice and this may be given to the police. Dialling the prefix 141 before your call in the local community. Scotland which they received at a does not block your identification! If you are suspected of making a hoax call you On Sunday 27th May (Pentecost or parade at Dunkeld Cadet Training will be challenged by the fire and rescue operator and details of your phone call Whit Sunday) at 6pm, St. Ninian’s will be Centre. The cadets meet on Tuesday will be passed onto the police and to your service provider who may cut off your holding a ‘Songs of Praise’ service as part and Thursday nights 7-9.15pm. Why service. So your hoax call could turn out to be the most expensive call you ever of these celebrations. All welcome. not come along and check out the make!” Tayside Fire & Rescue received 340 hoax calls in 2006, compared to 712 in David Carver opportunities on offer. Joyce Duffy 2001/2002 - a 47% decrease, but one hoax call is still too many.

5 DO YOU WISH TO RAISE MONEY FIRST MINISTER ENDORSES FOR A SPECIAL EVENT? LABOUR CANDIDATE TO HELP BUILD

DUNDEE Lions Club Members SERVE the A BETTER SCOTLAND LABOUR’S campaign in the North Tayside constituency has begun with the local community in many ways including:- unanimous endorsement of local party members for a new candidate to take on Providing TACADE (Advisory Council for sitting MSP John Swinney in the forthcoming May election to the Scottish Par- Alcohol and Drug Education) packs to local liament. primary schools, Organising social events for A party meeting held on 28th February backed Michael Marra, a Labour Party activist from Dundee. Mr. Marra met with First Minister Jack McConnell in pensioners and Disabled people, Participating Dunblane on Saturday 3rd March to discuss the forthcoming campaign and to in local events and sponsorships for charitable causes, Organising receive his endorsement. Mr Marra said: “Over the coming weeks Labour in the Lions International Youth Awards Schemes for Tayside area, North Tayside will be making the case for a Scottish Executive that builds Scot- Running Race nights for sports clubs, people requiring sponsorship land rather than breaks-up Britain. I firmly believe that the people of North Tayside want a government that builds on recent successes in the NHS, contin- and funds for various causes etc. - these events can be run using ues to build on the last ten years of outstanding economic growth and builds an Hobby-horses or DVD films. education system that is the best in the world. The last thing Scotland needs is four years of an Alex Salmond led executive focussed on one thing - breaking up Recent causes helped by Dundee Lions:- Childline Scotland / Britain. It is a great honour to be chosen by North Tayside Labour and to receive Ninewells Hospital Renal Unit / Local Athletes for Special Olym- Jack McConnell's backing to fight the SNP and to make the case for a better pics / Medic-Alert / Purchasing special equipment for disabled Scotland. I'm looking forward to meeting and hearing from many local people.” children / Message in a Bottle / Marie Curie Cancer Research. MEIGLE & DISTRICT HISTORY SOCIETY Interested? Ask about membership now, raising money for charity THE final meeting of the season (October-March) on 14th March was about 'The through race nights, or details of our meetings by contacting Picts'. Speaker Niall Robertson gave an illustrated talk with slides. Thirty people listened with interest, and learned that Meigle had significant Lion President Dick Lawson on 01382 580620 or Pictish history, perhaps even a Royal estate. The Picts themselves were organ- Lion Malcolm Davison on 01828 640678 ised, extremely artistic both in body tattoos and stone carving, and certainly in their day, some of the best animal illustrators in Europe. They had an obsession WATER VOLES AND BEAVERS with marking their graves with elaborately carved headstones, showing a natu- AS the evenings draw out the prospect of seeing a beaver at the ponds increases and ral love of hunting and warlike activities. On several stones, a carving of combs a patient wait by the waterside may be rewarded. That was how it was some days and mirrors were seen. Did this indicate the grave of an important female, or ago when I stood on a chilly evening, gazing into the growing dusk and chewing were the Pictish males, besides covering their bodies with garishly col- over various matters. Pheasants cackled as they went up to roost and owls called to oured tattoos, very proud of their long hair?! each other. I had been standing for over an hour, as the temperature dropped and I For the best collection of Pictish stones in Scotland, visit the Scottish Heritage regretted not being more warmly clad, when there was a disturbance in the water – museum in Meigle. a toad, I wondered. And then for a moment the thought went through my mind that Jim Collins, Secretary it might be a beaver kit. But no, it was far too early in the year and too small. A muskrat? Now that would have been an excitement for the Scottish Executive’s ALYTH & DISTRICT PIPE BAND Environment and Rural Affairs’ Department! What would the Scottish Agricultural Science Agency make of that when they took their collective mind off the diseases of potatoes or the genetic manipulation of crops? No, it had to be a water vole. And that was a real excitement. Water voles have been declining over the years partly, as usual, due to loss of habitat, and partly to predation by the American mink (which is itself under some pressure with the recovery of the otter). The water vole swam rather like a child who has just learned to swim: it held its head well back as though to avoid breathing in water. I lost sight of it as it entered some dead vegetation on the bank of the pond and disappeared. A moment later it reappeared, swam straight across my field of view and disappeared again. Some moments later it retraced its steps and then, to my amazement, ran with great speed up the branch of a fallen tree, rushed down the trunk and vanished. Some years ago a couple of PhD students from Aberdeen University (David Hetherington and Alan Mackintosh) came to visit me and we walked to that pond. Theirs was one of my most gratifying visits because they were thrilled by what they saw. ‘This’, said one of them,’ is the most wonderful habitat for water voles!’ So it was and, thanks to the work of the beavers since then, has become even better in the years since their visit. Recently, a spokeswoman of the Scottish Executive referred to the beavers at the Image by D.M. Phillips Sandyknowes Fishery at Bridge of Earn as aliens. How long does an animal species have to be absent to qualify as an alien? It is clear now, thanks to Professor Bryony Coles’s research that beavers were still living in Yorkshire in 1790 and that they THANK you to all who attended our coffee morning on Saturday 10th may have survived, though in very small numbers in the South-West of England March at Airlie street hall, Alyth. The grand total raised was £811.00 into the 1830s. which included a generous donation of £50 from Wheatley & Son I didn’t wait any longer to see a beaver that evening as it was now all but dark Electrician, Alyth. The coffee morning was a great success once again and, as I was getting really chilled, I legged it for home. Paul Ramsay due to the tireless work of volunteers, helpers and the local businesses and community who donated raffle prizes, baked and made produce for the cake & candy stall. Jackie Macintyre FOR FOR SALE SALE BT PAPERJET 100 FAX MACHINE - WANTED Scottish Wrestling Entertainment Presents: New bathroom suite. £20 **AMERICAN WRESTLING** Still in boxes. WC with Fax/photocopier/telephone all-in-one 2 paper persons

dual flush integrated With user guide, needs ink cartridge required for New *********SHOW********* cistern, pedestal ~~~ Alyth paper rounds: Saturday 19th May wash-hand basin com- PHILIPS TRAVEL SHAVER - £5 1 weekly round, doors open @ 7pm show starts @ 7.30pm Monday to Saturday, plete with single tap Battery operated, unused, unwanted gift Tickets £6 Adults & £3 kids (under 14yrs) and waste £195 Telephone 01828 63510 1 Sunday round. Family Ticket for 4, 2 adults 2 kids £15 May also sell steel Must be 13 years old Lasts 2½ hours bath & electric WANTED TO BUY or over. Wrestlers will include: American Wrestling Star shower, as new, to be Apply to Anne on CJ Summers, IWW Stars Ballymun Bruiser, removed from site. MUTTON 01828 632321. Bingo Balance, Bravehart, Chaz Phoenix, Red Devil, Body Snatcher, The Solution and many Phone Alyth 632506 Tele: 01828 632056 Immediate start. more great stars of TV Wrestling.

6 NEW BUSINESS IN TOUTIE STREET ORDNANCE SURVEY BENCH MARKS READERS of the 100th edition will recall the back page photo from 1913 of Wm. April’s Voice showed a stone carving on page 13 – various suggestions have Robertson & Son’s Shoe Shop on Toutie Street, which was established in 1837. It been forwarded, including this article by Mr. Bevan, has been long since No. 6 Toutie Street housed a business, and passers-by will be whose father-in-law lives in Alyth. delighted to see some regeneration in this area with Amanda Blakeman’s Book- SHOULD you happen upon a strange individual staring blankly at a piece of keeping and Accountancy business moving in. eroded masonry about one foot above the ground on the corner of a building or in the middle of a wall, as if they’ve lost something important, don’t despair – they are probably just looking for a Bench Mark. Everyone who walks will be familiar with the large concrete triangulation pillars or trig points which are scattered around the country in their thousands in 1913 prominent positions [on top of Alyth Hill]. These were erected from 1935 on- wards for the Retriangulation of Great Britain, an immense task initiated by Major-General Malcolm MacLeod, the Director General of the Ordnance Sur- vey, to replace the Principle Triangulation of Great Britain performed between 1783 and 1853. They are sometimes known as Hotine pillars after the mathema- tician and cartographer Martin Hotine who directed the Retriangulation. On the top of every trig point is a plate where a specialist theodolite was mounted for triangulation; taking sightings to establish the horizontal topology of land and buildings. A little less obvious is that each pillar has a bench mark in the form of a flush bracket mounted on the side. This is a rather magnificent metal plate bearing a unique identification number, the three-pronged arrow-head OS sym- bol, the letters ‘OSBM’ and sockets into which a detachable bracket was mounted in order to support the staff used for levelling. The more observant may also have noticed Ordnance Survey cut marks, in the form of the OS arrow-head below a horizontal bar, chiselled into masonry or brickwork scattered liberally around our cities, towns and villages – often on churches and prominent buildings, gate posts and pillars, but in fact scattered all across the country (more sparsely in the countryside) and sometimes in quite peculiar places. Flush brackets and cut marks are just two of the more obvious 2007 and common form of bench mark – others include bolts (60mm mushroom headed brass bolts engraved with ‘OSBM’ and the arrow) and rivets and pivots which are respectively a small brass rivet inserted in a surface and a small hol- low cut in a surface, fortunately both marked by the arrow symbol. A bench mark is simply a mark, the height of which relative to Ordnance Datum has been determined by spirit levelling. A network of around 200 Funda- mental Bench Marks (FBMs) were established across the country with founda- tions set on stable bedrock strata to minimize the likelihood of movement. There is one of these in a field above Kinfauns Castle near Perth, one near Glenshee, and another near Laurencekirk. The surface manifestation – a granite or concrete pillar about a foot square with a brass bolt on top – belies the existence of an After 6 years of combining the role of mother of two lively boys with offering underground concrete chamber set on the bedrock and containing two reference home based book-keeping services to clients both locally and in Perth, Dundee and points; a gunmetal bold and a polished flint! Primary levelling lines were sur- surrounding areas, Amanda has finally decided to go one step further and move into veyed between adjacent FBMs using a series of flush brackets and bolts at inter- a newly refurbished office. She told the Voice “I made a conscious decision not to vals along the lines. relocate to Perth or Dundee, primarily because I love the rural aspects of Alyth and The levelling of Great Britain was undertaken in three main phases as accu- it is closer to home. I also wanted to be able to offer employment opportunities to racy and techniques improved. The First primary levelling was carried out be- local people as my business expands, and have already employed an accounts assis- tween 1840 and 1860 and used a datum measured at Liverpool for mean sea tant, Val Stewart, who is now a valuable member of the team.” level. This datum was unsatisfactory due to the short period of observations (10 days) and its location on a tidal river. The Second geodetic levelling, using more The business offers clients a accurate instruments and techniques, was carried out in Scotland between 1936 fully interactive online ac- and 1952, and this was based on the Newlyn datum. The Ordnance Datum at counting service enabling Newlyn in Cornwall was established using hourly readings of sea level automati- them to have full access to cally recorded on a tide gauge on the south pier at Newlyn over a period of their financial information nearly six years from May 1915 to April 1921! The Third geodetic levelling was 24/7 (one of only five busi- carried out in Scotland from 1956 to 1968. Although all heights for the funda- nesses in Scotland offering mental bench marks obtained from the second levelling were accepted un- this facility). Of course the changed, heights for intermediate bench marks were revised and new areas lev- business also offers the full elled which had not been covered by the second geodetic levelling. range of bookkeeping and The sophisticated use of aerial photography, and more particularly the advent accounting services both of Global Positioning System (GPS), have rendered the traditional horizontal manual and computerised. and vertical control systems (trig points and bench marks) all by redundant, so Amanda added “we hope our the Ordnance Survey now only maintains a networks of active and passive GPS friendly and informal style stations – often traditional trig points and FBMs which have been re-used and makes us approachable and can be identified by a National GPS System plaque. However, they have pub- encourages people to come lished the entire database of traditional control points and these can be accessed and seek advice. I would like online at http://benchmarks.ordnancesurvey.co.uk/. Using the Bench Mark to take this opportunity to Locator on this web page one can enter a km square grid reference and obtain a thank all my local clients for list of all the bench marks in that square in spreadsheet form. It becomes a their support over the last 6 straightforward exercise to plot these points on a 1:25,000 map and go searching years and I hope we can for them, armed with the rather cryptic one line descriptions such as “HO SW continue to grow and develop SIDE RD E ANG NE FACE” and “STO E SIDE TK JUNC WALL”. If you together.” want to make it a little easier then the 1:1250 and 1:2500 maps which cover most urban areas and are often available to view at local libraries show bench mark locations, using the ubiquitous arrow symbol. Of course bench marks are pro- EASTER WINDOW COMPETITION gressively being destroyed due to road and building development and they are no ALYTH & District Business Association is sponsoring an Easter Window longer maintained, but they were built to last and a high proportion can generally Dressing Competition this year as a change from our St. Valentines Win- be located. In Alyth there are 13 cut marks, 6 rivets and a pivot listed on the OS dow Dressing Competition (next held 2008), as decreed from the results of database, and a trig point on the Hill of Alyth. the questionnaire delivered to all businesses with a previous year’s news- We are blessed in the UK with a national mapping agency second to none, which has produced maps of unrivalled quality and accuracy over a long history. letter. It is hoped that all businesses in the town will enter the competition. I hope this brief note has given you a little insight into how it was all done and Mrs. Seonaid Don, Alyth’s Citizen of the Year and Daniel Gow Alyth some background to the variety of Ordnance Survey paraphernalia which you nd th Young Citizen of the Year will judge the windows between 2 - 7 April can find scattered across the country. Peter Bevan and certificates will be awarded for 1st, 2nd and 3rd prize winners. [Ed. If you would like a copy of the map & bench mark list for this area, please Michael Kay Chairman ADBA contact the Voice.] 7 GLENSHEE POTTERY

PUBLIC NOTICES Glenshee, by Blairgowrie, PH10 7LP Tel: 01250 882238 Mob: 07796590778 Alyth [email protected] St. Ninian’s Church SATURDAY 14TH APRIL Parish COFFEE MORNING 19th MAY 2007 ‘NOW AND THEN, NOTES AND LETTERS’ Church

Hilarious NEW Book by Andrew & Sigrid Appleby

Airlie Street Hall, 10-12 noon

Book reading & signing ~ cheese/a glass of wine Usual Stalls From 2pm onwards... EASTER SERVICES Palm Sunday 1st April The Alyth Out of School Club ALYTH HEALTH CENTRE Morning 11am, Evening 6pm

is situated within Alyth Primary School. During May we plan to upgrade our Mon. 2nd-Wed. 4th April Opening Hours 8–9am & 3.15-6pm. computer system. The GPs and staff Evening Services 7pm Tel: Catherine Chalmers 07718-573-511 apologise for any inconvenience this Maundy Thursday 5th April may cause to patients, and ask that you Holy Communion 7pm Looking for a bit of exercise and light please bear with us. We hope that Good Friday 6th April banter during the long winter evenings? minimal disruption will ensue. Evening Service 7pm Then why not come along to the If your repeat medication is due for Easter Sunday 8th April Alyth renewal during the first 3 weeks in May, Alyth Hill service approx. 9am we would be grateful if you could help us Badminton Club (depart Airlie Street Hall 8am - by ordering your prescription early - at, return to church for breakfast) (more of a social meeting) or before, the end of April. Please call Meets every Tuesday Morning Service 11am the 24 hour repeat prescription line on 7.30pm - 9.30pm www.alythparishchurch.org.uk 01828 633663. Thank you. Airlie Street Hall

Alyth Environmental Group invite you Open to all over the age of 18. Any ALYTH IN BLOOM standard. Come and give it a try! COFFEE MORNING to a FREE showing of st ‘An Inconvenient Truth’ Saturday 21 April Alyth Parish Church Airlie Street Hall by Al Gore Scottish Country Dance Group 10am-11.30am Don’t miss this opportunity to see this thought April Cake & Candy, whisky trail, tombola, raffle, etc provoking film by the former US vice-president. 5th - Airlie St. Hall - Contributions to cake & candy and raffle Shown to public acclaim around the world, the PLEASE NOTE CHANGE OF VENUE would be greatly appreciated film finally comes to Airlie Street Hall, Alyth on th ALL WELCOME April 25 at 7pm Light refreshments will be served. 12th, 19th - Airlie St. Hall Tel: Marguerite McKenzie 01828-632749 Live Music/Pot Luck Supper/Social Evening NCT ANTENATAL CLASSES ALYTH PARISH CHURCH GUILD 7.30 - 9.30 pm in Strathmore For further information, please call Airlie Street Hall ~~~ If you are expecting a baby, be it your first or last, Anne on 632971 or Moira on 632770 PLEASE NOTE A CHANGE OF DATE/TIME then the course of antenatal classes hosted by FOR APRIL MEETING to 12th at 2pm the Strathmore Branch of the National Childbirth LIBRARY EASTER HOLIDAYS David Cowie - Music & Pictures Trust (NCT) are exactly where you should be ~~~ heading. ALL Perth & Kinross libraries will be CLOSED With a flexible agenda, set by the attendees, th th th COFFEE MORNING on Friday 6 , Saturday 7 & Monday 9 April. the classes offer the opportunity for prospective SATURDAY 14TH APRIL parents to meet and discuss any concerns they 10-11.30am Stall donations gratefully received might have about what lies ahead and acquire Freedom Coach Association ~~~ Transport for The last meeting of this session is the AGM on skills and ideas for coping with labour, birth and elderly & disabled in Blairgowrie & District Thursday, 3rd May at 7 pm in Airlie Street Hall, life with a new baby. COFFEE MORNING with Mrs Sylvia Jeffrey, Macmillan Cancer Support. The classes, which are taught by a qualified ~~~ NCT Antenatal Teacher and NCT Breastfeeding in Airlie Street Hall, Alyth Everyone is welcome at these events. Counsellor, are being held in on Saturday 12th May 2007 St Catherine’s Hall, Blairgowrie on 10–11.30am ALYTH CEILIDH Wednesday 2 & 9 May, 7.30–10pm, Usual stalls/raffle raising funds for Alyth Playgroup Saturday 19 May, 10am–1pm Donations accepted on Friday evening or on the morning 5th MAY 2007 - TOWN HALL Saturday 26 May 10am–4pm

7.30pm onwards To book or for more information contact Louise BELMONT CASTLE OPEN DAY Music by The Glenside Band Copeland, of the NCT Strathmore, on 0870 421 is planned for Ticket details to follow soon 4729 or email: [email protected] st Saturday 21 April Tel: Nihoma Macfarlane on 633655 from 2-4pm when visitors may view the Alyth Halls Committee facilities at the home, meet the dedicated staff RED CROSS WEEK TABLE TOP SALE and talk with the residents whose craft work Alyth are having a CARING CUPPA Coffee/Tea Alyth Town Hall will be on view and for sale. Donations for a th Cake & Candy stall will be gratefully received. morning on Saturday 12 May, 10-12noon Sunday 29th April 2007 Tea and biscuits will be available at no charge. at BURNSIDE COURT Community Lounge. 1-4pm It is hoped that many people will take this Come & have a cuppa and raise funds for the Refreshments available opportunity to visit this beautiful Red Cross in Tayside To book a table phone hall keeper on Church of Scotland Residential Home. Raffle ~ Home-baking ~ Quiz sheets 01828 633846

8 Don’t have access to email? Alyth Library is now offering FREE access to the Your Letters Internet for SURFING the WEB/sending EMAILS. Visit the library for more details...

Dublin, Ireland 2 Cambridge Quad, Alyth Carriage House, Bank Street, Alyth 13/03/07 13th March 2007 Email: [email protected] Email: [email protected] DEAR Voice, 19th March 2007 DEAR Sirs I am writing this as a partial apology to a DEAR Editor, Would you have any information on exactly member of the Voice production team, after what the Miller of Inverquich (Mill of Quiech) saying I thought the March issue was disap- DRUMDERG WIND FARM WEBSITE would have been responsible for? And/or where pointing as it seemed too political with pages 1, www.drumdergwindfarm.com can I get records on who might have been the 7, 8, 9, 10 and ½ of page 11 all taken up with Following on from my in-depth involvement Miller in 1800-1821, possibly Alex McFarlane? the ‘IN’ subject we are getting daily in the press in the planning issues regarding Drumderg, I I am also trying to find out about a on TV and radio, The Environment and Global have decided to start up and operate the above Millwright factory fire in Coupar Warming. I was informed however, that the website. The main purpose of the site is to Angus between 1881- 1900. I believe the four pages of figures, percentages and assump- capture a historical photographic record of the apprentices would go in on a Sunday afternoon tions from Alyth CAT was, although not shown development as it is constructed, and inform to light up the forges for the Millwrights, so as such, actually a paid for advertisement. and educate of the benefits of Renewable that they would be good and hot for the Month after month I am amazed how the Energy. Millwrights on a Monday morning, and it was Voice has improved and become more interest- Whilst somewhat a novice at running a during one of these shifts it burned down. ing (better than the ‘Blairie’), and would not website, I have managed to get things up and Yours, like to think any group or political party, could running, so that is a positive step! I will at- Keith Macfarlane use or buy 25% of an edition to further their tempt to update the site on a frequent basis, own ideas, even telling you how often to flush and whilst being run totally independently, I ALYTH CRAFTS GROUP the toilet and what butter to buy. Did the adver- hope to liaise with Scottish & Southern En- tiser check where the clothes he was wearing ergy to intimate important dates and events After the successful inaugural session on the were made, and aren't Renault's made in during the construction phase. This will com- nd 22 March, the Alyth Arts Group will meet France? plement and run alongside their community fortnightly in the Community Wing of Alyth Let’s keep the Voice local, with our coffee information programme. Primary School, St. Andrews Street, from mornings, pipe band, pictures of our school Work has already started on the site, and as 10.30-12.30pm. kids, wee poems and ‘Couthie’ stories. Surely with most construction projects, it will be The April sessions we have enough Councillors, MSPs, MPs, very much a rapid transition from conception th MEPs telling us how to run our lives, so let The will be on the 5 and 19th to completion, I trust that my camera and National Press take care of the politics. computer skills will keep up with the pace. Everyone interested in craft work or painting or To finish, surely the biggest blight on our other arts is welcome. Some of the equipment Regards, local landscape, the Strathmore Valley, is the Steve Tait for beginners will be available. For further ever increasing unchecked explosion of plastic information telephone 01828 633287. tunnels now covering acres of our countryside. Jim Robertson Email: [email protected] CHIANGMAI, THAILAND 12/09/06 ALYTH WRITERS’ GROUP [Ed: The Voice is a FREE delivered monthly news- nd letter, thanks solely due to advertising and Part seven of Peter Webster’s epistle… Having got off to a good start on 22 March, donations. The Voice policy is that any person, MY MEMOIRS OF ALYTH Alyth Writers’ Group business or organisation may use the columns of the MONDAY and Thursday were washing days. will continue meeting on Thursday Voice for paid advertising or editorial, and unless the The old ribbed washing board was brought out th 5 April 10.30-12.30pm content is slanderous, libellous or contains bad along with the bar of Sunlight soap and the thereafter fortnightly at the same time. language, it shall be printed space permitting.] clothes washed, scrubbed and rinsed before The venue will remain Alyth Community Wing being wrung through the mangle. They were then hung out to dry on the washing green at in St. Andrews Street. CONGRATULATIONS KYLE! Ring 01828 633287 for further details. the side of the house. This annoyed me some- KYLE Macintyre entered the Perthshire Everyone welcome. what as I had turned the drying green onto a Musical Festival Novice Solo Piping putting green and the hanging clothes inter- Competition on Saturday 3rd March 2007 at St rupted my sport. Over the years I played golf KILRY RURAL Leonards- in- the- Fields Church, Perth and was a few times on the Alyth course, always early KILRY W.R.I. held their coffee morning on awarded 91 points (Honours award certificate) on a mid-week morning, as it was quiet then rd Saturday March 3 , and the amazing sum of for his rendition of ‘Atholl & Breadalbane and nobody ever saw me taking a hundred and £764.25 was raised. The fantastic sums of Gathering’. WELL DONE KYLE! something to get round the course. It was a money raised every Saturday never ceases to renowned Club in those days and had a long amaze the organisers, who are always ALYTH CHORAL UNION waiting list for membership. I was never any astounded at the generosity of the Alyth people. good at golf though and preferred the putting President Janey MacFarlane wishes to thank THE Committee of Alyth Choral Union green at Blairgowrie. the Committee for their generosity and the un- would like to thank all those involved in At Westpark most summer afternoons were th stinting support she receives from them on their coffee morning on February 24 in spent with the adults picking red and black these occasions, and added “Once again Alyth Airlie Street Hall, Alyth. The princely sum currents or me up a tree collecting plums or residents you have turned up trumps with your of £984.60 was realised due to the gener- greengages from the large orchard. I disliked generous support. A special thanks to all those osity of the people of Alyth, who sup- picking the small berries as it took hundreds who gave so generously and manned the stalls. ported the event in their usual enthusiastic to weigh a pound. It took even longer to get Well done again!” and generous manner. Special thanks must the juice stains from your fingers. However, I be given to those who contributed to the would turn my hand occasionally to a day on MCDONALD - THANKS the rasps at West Pitnacree. Some evenings various stalls to make it such a success. saw the extra fruit from the garden being I WOULD like to thank Effie and Geraldene Well done everybody! Janey MacFarlane most sincerely for organising the retirement made into jam that lasted all of us through the party as Chairwoman, Womens Section RBLS. winter and a fair number of extra pots for the What a wonderful surprise! Thanks to all who THANKS to family, friends and neighbours Sale of Work at the Kirk into the bargain. The came on 9th February 2007. for good wishes, cards etc, when in hospital. plums also made excellent crumble and I en- joyed that with custard. To be continued... Helen McDonald, Toutie Street Now at home, Jock McGibbon 9

73-75 Licensed KILRY HALL RENEWABLE ENERGY PROJECT Airlie St. THE only obvious green thing about Kilry Hall is its roof, but being green is no longer as simple as that. March’s Grocers Alyth

Voice advertisement from the Climate Action Town group, showed that being green is something that ultimately

affects us all, and many of us are still unaware of how many different green ways there are.

An excellent example in the immediate area is Kilry Hall. Built from a single layer of concrete block in 1938, National Lottery outlet the hall was extended in 1970 and since then has undergone the usual domestic improvements of double glazing, new kitchen and toilets, some insulation, but also a new roof. Video & DVD rental. In 2002, Kilry Hall Management Committee investigated the possibility of installing photovoltaic panels, but found the expense too great relative to the output. On the back of this, representatives from Kilry Hall were in- Irvines Butcher Meat volved with Angus Village Halls Renewable Energy Group, and an assessment of wind speed, temperature, hu- Dry Cleaning: Shoe Repair midity and electricity consumption was conducted over a period of time. In March 2004, the Committee accepted a recommendation that the hall was suitable for a wind turbine, photo- Credit/Debit card facility now available voltaic panels and insulation. Detailed applications for planning and funding were drawn up, but the wind turbine planning application was refused. The Committee decided not to appeal and the application was revamped with FREE HOME DELIVERY SERVICE AVAILABLE two pellet wood stoves being substituted for the wind Telephone Orders Welcome turbine. At a cost of over £64,000 the Committee se- The smaller of the two pellet Tel No: 01828 632306 cured an incredible £62,000 through the Energy Saving Trust, Leader+, the Scottish Rural Partnership and stoves in Kilry Hall Established 1980 Angus Council, leaving them to find just £2,500 them- selves. Electrical Contractor The work began in February 2006 and was finished 3 E.C.A. Registered and Approved months later. The pellet stoves are attractive and throw out considerable heat, not to mention being surprisingly clean and low-maintenance, while the roof panels and external walls blend in well with the original building. Stewart MacDonald The resulting hall is warm, comfortable and will stand 8 Cambridge Street, Alyth PH11 8AW the test of time, while being an innovative example of how voluntary bodies can get things done, and be green Telephone 01828 632 995 at the same time. Malcolm Connor, Kilry Halls Management Committee Chairman would be delighted to discuss this project further, and can be contacted on 01575 560 339. The hall can be hired for functions through Committee Secretary Pippa Clegg on 01575 560 274. A 30% grant is available towards renew- able energy installation from the Scottish Community & Householder Renewables Initiative – Tel: 0800 138 8858 or visit www.est.org.uk/schri

Has anyone any details of Isabella GLENSHEE POTTERY S. Ross, (c1868)? A landscape & Glenshee, by Blairgowrie, PH10 7LP flower painter from Alyth, she Tel: 01250 882238 Mob: 07796590778 [email protected] exhibited at the R.S.A.(3) & G.I.(2). Glenshee Pottery will reopen for the season on 1st April 2007 DAVIDSONS PETS PANTRY 7 days a week 10am - 5pm

CHEMIST Come and browse our extensive selection of PRESCRIPTIONS pottery, local crafts and gifts. DISPENSED

DELIVERY SERVICE AVAILABLE Paint-a-Pot – fun for all the family this 19 High Street Blairgowrie MINOR AILMENTS SERVICE AND Easter ADVICE ALWAYS AVAILABLE Tel: 01356 623006 Workshops held throughout the year. FROM YOUR LOCAL PHARMACIST 9 Airlie St, Alyth Tel 01828 632302 Keith Nicol All this in warm, welcoming surroundings

You’ll find Glenshee Pottery in the RENDEZVOUS COLIN & CATHY FORD Glen of the Fairies on the A93 **HAIRDRESSER** Number 5 Toutie Street, Alyth 59 Airlie Street, Alyth. CHIROPODY Home of the “Wee Bothies” SUGARING, FACIALS Margaret and Paula will be pleased to advise you EYELASH/BROW TINTING on that new look for Spring PEDICURE, MANICURE Tel: 01828 632097 by CREATIVE NAILS ALYTH POST OFFICE Open Tues - Sat **Late Nights Tues. & Thurs.** GALLERY BUSINESS AS USUAL Gift Vouchers Available Airlie Street Tel:01828 632297 Tel: 01828 632301

MEG’S MINI MARKET GEO’s BAR ON DISPLAY GEO’s BAR Works in oils, watercolours, etchings and 22 Commercial Street, Alyth & & sketches. Prices range from £24.95 to £395. Tel: 01828 633143 THISTLE LOUNGE Come in for a browse and a chat. AIRLIE STREET, ALYTH ** Bedding Plants Now In ** Tel : 632276 Fax: 633939 GREETINGS CARDS All kinds of Household Goods in Stock Email: [email protected] New issues of National Geographic, Medici and from bed linen, kitchenware, cleaning agents, Lounge available for Scottish National Trust cards now available. Also rugs, dried flowers, gifts and cards. meetings a wonderful new classic series of event cards, FOOTBALL ‘LIVE’ ensemble and Wordsworth greetings cards * Get Your Fly Fishing Tackle Here * on Digital & Five

10 THE ORGANIC HUT

LUNAN En Classified s v r e e N lop ap s ote es sp ne P pad South West Fullarton, Meigle ew zi ens s N ga s Newsagent G , P a y ift enc Tel - 01828 640391 Alyth Pet Shop M To 8-10 Airlie Street s ils 17 Airlie St, Alyth Telephone – 01828 632330 Wednesday 1pm—6pm Tel: 01828 633555 Friday 1pm—6pm OPEN: Mon Tues Thurs Fri - 9am to 4.30pm

Saturday 10am—5pm Sat - 9am to 5pm Wed - 9am to 1pm All-year round newspaper and magazine Half mile south of Meigle on Dundee delivery. Road. Follow signs Large Selection of Tropical Fish, A great selection of cards for all occasions Accessories and Foods Stationery, wrapping paper, gift bags and **Hi-Spec Dog Food Reduced to Cost toys Visit us for a wide range of organic Price to Clear** fruit and vegetables. Other organic goods include eggs, various teas, Tinned Foods for Dogs and Cats Shop Open: 5.30am - 5.30pm Mon - Fri 5.30am - 4pm Sat oatmeal and chocolate. We also Pet Accessories stock Ecover products, soaps and 7.00am - 1pm Sun

recycled paper goods. THE BURNSIDE INN 4/6 Mill Street J. & M. KAY Alyth Ladies & Gents Tel: 01828 633 356 Hairdressers ***** All joinery work undertaken 13 Airlie Street Alyth Beers, Wines, Spirits For more information contact Covered Smoking Area Derek Fairweather on Beer Garden Tel: 01828 632252 07740 986 069 Children welcome Baby changing facilities ROBERTSON’S DAIRY Parties catered for - golf, fishing, etc BALKEERIE Airlie Computers BY GLAMIS FORFAR ***** Simon Bogle Tel/fax 01307 840431 FULL RANGE OF COMPUTER SERVICES FOR HOME & SMALL BUSINESS USERS Suppliers of milk, cheese, butter, cream, eggs, yoghurts, rolls, and many other dairy products to I&D Insurance Repairs - Maintenance - Upgrades - Networking Private Houses, Hotels, Restaurant, schools, New & Used Computer Sales - Tuition - Web Design Nursing Homes, etc. in Alyth, Blairgowrie, Services Tel: 01828 632244 Mob: 07732y524139 Coupar Angus, Burrelton, Woodside, Meigle, www.airliecomputers.co.uk Newtyle and Auchterhouse We have secured special rates for All PH, DD and KY postcodes 9.00am to 9.00pm. Monday to Saturday

Extremely competitive premiums for both SBEF Ash Chimney Household and Private Car James Tripney Quotes provided without obligation. Systems Joiner & Undertaker Going on holiday? All aspects of joinery work, Professional Chimney Sweep Let us arrange your travel insurance. domestic & commercial. Prompt and reliable – Your local broker serving your local community a clean sweep guaranteed. Double Glazing etc. 16 Airlie Street House No’s Pots, Bird guards and Cowls fitted. Alyth 36 Smythe St 01828

Call Simon on 01828 633000 632890 01382 580245 or 07709-340575 Email: [email protected] Alyth 01828 632717 Tel/fax: 01828 632260 GEORGE W. RENNIE 2 St. Malcolm’s Wynd Kirriemuir

Tel: 01575 573292 Mobile: 07711 818238

Repairs Spares & Servicing Washing Machines, Cookers, Tumble dryers & Vacuums. Cycle Repairs & Spares by Post [email protected]

• Drystone Dyking Alyth Road, Rattray • Stone Garden Features Telephone: 01250 875502

• Stone Planters and Seating Open 7 days serving • Wall Repairs LUNCHES • and Pointing • Patios, Paths SNACKS and Decking • Roof Repairs EVENING MEALS and Guttering

Robert Miller Food served all day Sunday Cherrybank Cottage, Leitfie Terrace, Children welcome New Alyth, PH11 8NF Function catered for

11 JEANNE REDGRAVE

THE PROPERTY SHOP ALYTH A & R Robertson & Black, W.S., 11 Airlie Street, Alyth, PH11 8AH Tel: 01828 632 116 HER many friends in Alyth and surrounding Website:www.robertson-black.co.uk areas would have been saddened to hear of Email: [email protected] the recent death of Jeanne Redgrave, of 16

Toutie Street, in her 87th year. Jeanne died at her daughter’s in Essex on 27th February, FREE VALUATIONS after a short illness. She was pre-deceased It’s knowledge of your local patch, by her husband of more than sixty years, which makes the difference! Chris, who passed away in August 2005. Jeanne and Chris came to Alyth in 1988 BLAIRGOWRIE PROPERTY SHOP IS OPEN 7 DAYS! and soon became well known in the commu- nity through her establishment of the Alyth Call Mel on 01828 632 116 School of Art and, perhaps more widely spread, through the many holiday makers who used their cottage as a holiday home. It Alyth Arts & Framing is a testament to Jeanne and Chris that many 4 Mill Street, Alyth, Blairgowrie, PH11 8BJ of those holiday makers came back year after year and became life-long friends. Jeanne was probably best known in the Opening Hours community for her talents as an artist, and her ability to teach others to become rea- Open . Mon. Tues . Thurs . Fri . Sat sonably capable, and to derive the same 10am - 5.30pm pleasure as she so obviously did. Those who Closed . Wed . Sun attended her classes over the years will very much miss her guiding hand and readily NAE DISCIPLINE – CHAOS Telephone: 01828 633477 given advice and support. She enjoyed paint- by Dan Dewar, 9 Commercial Street, Alyth Mobile: 07929 406163 or 07946 109682 ing local scenes and many homes in the community and, probably, much further Strict teachers, in oor schuill-bag days, afield, will have the attraction of a Jeanne rammed-in! the soond three – Rs; Redgrave painting of an Alyth scene gracing an’ crammed oor heids wi’ a’ we’d need Tony Flavell & Ros Moran their walls. fur graft, or play – or Waar.

The sympathy of all her friends in the We didnae slack, or schuill-rules, brack; community is extended to her son, daughter an’ sat-up straicht, in raas – and their families, including her several a’ kennin weel, if lackin zeal, LOCHSIDE LODGE great grand-children. Jane McLeod we’d tangle wi’ the Taas! & Roundhouse Restaurant “JUST BE THANKFUL YOU If ye waant tae win ‘strict discipline’ is tapmaist on yer list. CAN STILL DO IT!” by Josi F’ Ye’re aff the track if this ye lack – Bridgend of Lintrathen, Near Alyth TAE hae a friend like June who says that, (On Discipline, insist!) Tel:01575 560340 when you’re peching and straining tae tie shoe-laces, after battling wi’ the buttons on Self-Discipline, an’ strang wull-power, e-mail: [email protected] your blouse, you are indeed blessed. ur needed fur the fecht: www.lochsidelodge.com So, I thocht o’ ither blessings – guid practi- withoot thae tools, a’ men ur fools cal friends; a memory still intact; an ability wha throw-aboot thir wecht! Alongside Lintrathen Loch, this award winning tae still walk in the Den with twa toe-trag Ye must respect, an’ no neglect, Restaurant offers Lunch and Dinner using the best of Yorkies; and whit guided me tae Alyth – 16 the next man’s point-o’-view – the local produce and producing interesting dishes years ago. One of my better decisions – oh, then chances are, ‘there’d be less Waar’ presented to the highest standard. I’ve made some bummers in my time! I ap- (‘cause, he’d consider you…) Please phone for reservations and to check opening hours. preciate the loyal folk o’ this community; the friendly shops with their repartee and smiles; But, if some monstrous tyrant rears – the Christmas lights funded and erected by yersel, ye’ll need tae shak! Or visit our New Restaurant in the centre of Blairgowrie local guid folks; the efficient and pleasant An’ dinna turn the ither cheek, chemist and health centre where you CAN get ‘cause, that, he’s shair tae brak! Situated within the unique setting of an appointment with a doctor or nurse (not It deaves tae think some worthless tink an Antiques Showroom, we are open like some city friends); a Kirk where people kin ca’s sic grief an’ din… for Morning Coffee and Pastries, chat to you; a chiropodist (get well soon, If forced tae waar, then it’s richt shair – Colin); a musical show with a world pre- ye’ll need ‘Strict Discipline!’ Lunches and Afternoon Teas. miere; Scout bookfests; Saturday charitable Fully Licensed with a selection of and chatty coffee mornings; weekly fish van fine wines. frae Arbroath; daily milkman; honest pleasant tradesmen who do arrive and do the job proper; and now we have an Alyth Pipe Band, started by great and busy philanthropists o’ Alyth area. Open 7 days a week, Mon – Sat 9.30am-4.30pm & Sorry, I’ve omitted lots of good eateries and hostelries. My favourite is still ‘The Joinery’ at Sunday 10am-4pm Meigle. Have you been there? Great soups and carrot cake, and friendly, relaxed ambience (always wanted to use that word). Beforehand, in my glen and city days, I never knew my coun- We are down by the River Ericht cillor or MP, but now I do (including now MSP), and I find them to be honourable, approachable @ Roy Sim Antiques, and downright commonsensical. Last century I loved Dennis & Libby’s Sunday tea-dancing in Lower Mill Street, Blairgowrie the Toon Hall, and the Yoga in the Guide Hut. Wonderful times! Wonderful memories! Well Tel: 01250 873232 for reservations or more details I’ve had polio and 2 heart attacks and I’m still here. One can’t have everything, but one can try! 12 FURNITURE STORE CLASSIC Perth Street, Blairgowrie Classified (Adjoining Shell Garage) RESTORATIONS Beds: Divans from £69 . Pine Frames £55 . Tel:01828 633293 MetalFrames £35 Pitnacree MUIR Mattresses: Single from £39 . Double from St, Alyth, DRIVING SCHOOL £59. Also 3/4, Kingsize & 6ft

Dave Muir Wardrobes from £169 . Chest of Drawers DSA Approved Driving Instructor from £75 . Bedsides from £39

Pass Plus Registered Suites from £395 . Dining Sets from £99 . Sideboards £105 Wedding Hire Tel: 01250 870725 Mob: 07732 531767 All Waxed Pine at Rock Bottom Prices

Let us make your day extra special with our Gift Vouchers Available Tel: 01250 876888 unique collection of classic Rolls Royce Silver Open Monday to Saturday Cloud, Bentley Mk V1 & Jaguar Mk 1X. R. D. Builders THE ALYTH Driving rk wo s . ne ns ion Etc TRADITIONAL Sto sio vat ng ten eno arli Made Ex R H FISH BAR

easy For Free Estimates Telephone Orders Welcome Tel: 01828 632231 or 01828 632000 Mobile 07729924784 Contact Colin Sidley New Opening Hours: Home: 01828 633 017 19 Tay Road Alyth, Perthshire PH11 8EB Mobile: 07751072408 Monday 5pm — 9pm Text: ‘PRICE’ Tuesday CLOSED to my mobile number for information G CLARK Wednesday 5pm — 9pm Email: [email protected] Thursday 5pm — 9pm PLASTERING & TILING Friday 5pm — 9pm Lessons available by the hour or in block Walls & floor tiling bookings Saturday 5pm — 9pm Pass Plus Registered Harling Sunday CLOSED Member of the Driving Instructors Association Coving Plastering AIRLIE GARAGE Dry Lining Ames taping ALYTH Wet Dash

Telephone: 01828 633363 NO JOB TOO SMALL Servicing, Mechanical &, MOT Repairs FREE QUOTES Welding & Steam Cleaning Specialised Dementia Care

Panel Beating, Spray Painting and TEL:01828 633970 in a Domestic Setting Restoration. or 07821294678 . RESPITE CARE All Jobs Considered . RESIDENTIAL CARE . SELF CONTAINED DAY CARE UNIT Carpet Care All bedrooms en-suite: Beautiful Enclosed Gardens : Carpet, Upholstery and Leather Home Cooking & Baking with Choice of Menu: Free Estimates Cleaned and Protected Trained Staff to promote independence and choice.

Tyres at competitive prices Neil Stewart www.hopeparkhouse.co.uk Winter Tyres Studded and Wheels Balanced Call for a Free Quote: Breakdown Recovery and Car Transportation Service 01828 632771 or 01250 875216 Quality Used Cars For Sale Open 9 am ‘til late Tel 01250 872349 Balmoral Road, Rattray, Blairgowrie CHIROPODIST H.P.C. REGISTERED

TRISHA WALTON

HOME VISITS 4WD Specialist 01828 640229 Cars & Light Goods Vehicles Servicing and Repairs Bike & Car MOT Testing Tyres & Exhausts GRANGEMOUNT Bike & Car Oils CATTERY Aberbothrie, Alyth SPECIAL DIETS CATERED FOR INDIVIDUAL HEATED CHALETS Set in the quiet rural setting of beautiful Strathmore PERSONAL ATTENTION FROM THE OWNERS DENNIS & LIBBY MELLOY Tel: 01828 632284

13 ALYTH PRIMARY SCHOOL COUNTRY DANCERS

Fantastic Golf Offers

APRIL SILVER BALL SAVER

Available 7 days a week

Coffee and Bacon Roll on arrival 18 Holes on the Rannaleroch Course Soup and Sandwich Lunch after Golf

Standing: Coral Harden, Heather Stewart, Alicia Gibson, Sean Thompson 2 Ball - £44. 3 Ball - £60. 4 Ball - £76 Kneeling: Eilidh McLauchlan, Victoria Ramsay, Allanis Erskine, Linsey MacDonald

ALYTH Primary School Scottish Country Dancers took part in a competition, run by the Dundee Branch of the Royal Scottish Country Dance Society, on February April Golf on the Rannaleroch Course: 24th in Newport. The children are novices, but excelled with their neat footwork, good poise, teamwork and cheerful charm. They came 3rd in their section of 6 teams Midweek - £20 Weekend - £25 and were a credit to themselves, their parents and the School. Well done children.

If any beginners, adults or children are interested in attending a ‘fun and family’ class once a month, I run a class on the first Sunday of each month in the Y.W.C.A. Hall (behind The Dreadnought), William Street, Blairgowrie from 2.00 pm to 4.00 Memberships Now pm. (Adults £2, children £1, refreshments available). Marilyn Galbally Tel: 01250 874 667 Available for 2007 GEO'S COMES TOP IN QUIZ LEAGUE

Member’s Loyalty Cards offer 10% discount on Food and Beverages at The Golf Centre, Lands of Loyal Hotel, Alyth Hotel and Strathmore Arms at Glamis.

Please call for a membership pack or to make a tee reservation Tel: 01828 633 322

AFTER 16 weeks of hard fought, but good natured competition, the quiz master did not need to attend any out-patient departments, and Alyth Quiz League ended with Sample our hospitality! a presentation night at Glenisla Golf Club on Tuesday 13th March. Many organisations had been invited to the evening to receive donations given to them from the various teams who took part. These included National Child Birth Great Menu – Great Prices – Trust, Cystic Fibrosis, Alyth Out of School Club, Alyth Musical Society, Gala Committee, Alyth Environmental Group, Christmas Lights, Youth Partnership and All Day – Every Day Hope Park House in Blairgowrie. Each charity received £160. The quiz league had three parts to it this year. The traditional league, a football style league where each week teams were pitted against each other, and a knock out Our Restaurant is open all day, every tournament. The winner of the traditional competition and Football style league was Airlie Street Bar (Geo's Team above). The Knock Out Cup was won by the day, from 8am. Non-Members and Pars and Birdies based at Glenisla. Grateful thanks must go to all the local hotels and bars who allowed us to use Parties are welcome. The Main their premises during the year. John White Menu is available all day and we - - - VOICE TEASER - - - have a children’s Menu and What is Steepies? Daily Specials. Answer to last months Teaser- What is a Doup? Your bum!

14 MURRAY PENNYCOOK Est. 1975 Plumbing & Heating Classified

Gas . Oil . Solid Fuel Central Heating Installations

Rhones . Leadwork . Drains Market Square, Alyth, Perthshire, PH11 8AA Tel.: 01828 632309 . Fax: 01828 632609 Free Estimates Charles A Davidson

For New Season Plants, Bedding & Shrubs Blacksmith, Welder and Fabricator Special Offer on Compost - Levingtons 3 x £12; Murphy’s 3 x £10 Gates and Rails made, erected and repaired Large Selection of Gifts - Household and Garden All fabrication and farm work undertaken Open Monday to Friday 8.30am - 5.30pm Saturday 9am - 5pm Tel: 01828 632948 Sunday 12.30pm - 4pm from Apr. 8th Mobile: 07957-766546

Tel: 01828 632 135 Mob: 07850 733481 Traditional Acupuncture in Blairgowrie

MOBILE HAIRDRESSER Meigle Road, Alyth, Blairgowrie PH11 8EX Acupuncture can help a variety of symptoms LADIES and health problems 3 GENTS 7034 Free 15 minute consultations available in Blairgowrie 50 8 CHILDREN 012 to discuss whether acupuncture may be helpful. Tel: Practitioner is fully qualified and insured and is a member OAPs of the British Acupuncture Council.

Have your hair done in the comfort CAKES FOR ALL OCCASIONS Judith Bryden MA(Hons)LicAc.MBAcC. Contact Judith at 01250 876345 or of your own home 14 AIRLIE STREET 07762 188418 (mobile) CUTTING ALYTH Te l: 0 PERMING TEL: 01828 632426 125 EXTENSIONS 0 8 www.cakesbysally.co.uk 703 ETC. 43 Glenfernate Fresh Meats

Enochdhu, Blairgowrie PH10 7PL Tel: 01250 881 215 CAMPBELL GERRARD Mrs Susan Marsh (Cert Ed) Fax: 01250 881 780 FENCING CONTRACTOR E-mail: [email protected] Cherrybank, Lands of Loyal

www.glenfernate.com Tel: 01828 633501 TEL: 01575 574284 MOBILE : 07977 316035 Beef, Lamb & Venison ****** Direct from a Local Perthshire Farm All types of agricultural and garden delivered to your door Bred here and raised naturally with no intensive rearing, fencing & gates supplied and erected. hormones or additives. Properly hung, cut and prepared on the farm. Just good meat that is tender and full of flavour A.A. ROGERROGER ****** with no fancy seasonings needed to give it taste. Patios, Decking, Gravel Work, The venison is from our own wild deer from the same hills Decorators that the sheep and cattle graze. 3 Bank Street, Alyth, PH11 8DB Drystone Dykes and Landscaping If you are not satisfied, we will replace or refund in full. ****** FOR INTERIOR DECORATING AND EXTERIOR PAINTING, ALL TO THE HIGH- FREE ESTIMATES BEEF PACK £37.50 LAMB PACK £32 EST STANDARD 3x 450g (lb) Steak Mince Leg of Lamb approx 1.5kg 3x450g Diced Shoulder (3lb) call 01828 632879 for free estimates 1kg Topside Rst 1kg (2lbs) Rolled Shoulder 1kg Silverside Rst 450g Diced Shoulder 450g Braising Stk 4 Dble loin chops 230g Frying Stk 4 Leg Steaks 450gStk Saus. 4 Noisettes BIG GAV HOBBIES BIG GAV 31 AIRLIE STREET 450g Lorne Saus. 1 Pack Lamb Burgers 1 Pack Steak Burgers (1/4 pounders) BARONY VIEW Tel: 01828 632565 ( 1/4lb) GROUND

For card making classes contact above MAINTENANCE BBQ PACK £26.50 HAY STREET Cards for all Occasions ALYTH 2 Packs of Stk Burgers 1 Pack of Lamb Burgers Easter gift boxes and decorations 1 Pack of Venison Burg. 1 Pack of Pork & Apple For all the usual garden services including New Selection of Jigsaws Burg. 1 Pack of Stk Saus.450g 1 Pack Lamb Saus.450g. fencing, gravelling and paving 1 Pack Venison Saus 450g 1 Pack Pork Saus. 450g 1 kg Frying Stks appx.6 450g Lamb Leg Stks It’s now time to spring clean your garden. appx.4 Call me for all those extra jobs needed around the garden just now - scarifying the David Scott Ltd Venison Pack £30 lawn, pruning and digging, FUNERAL DIRECTORS 1 Haunch of Venison 1.5kg(3lbs) clearing out that garden shed or garage. & MONUMENT AGENTS 2 Venison Stks. Also Golden Charter Pre-Paid Funeral Plans 3x450g Diced Ven. 3x450g Ven. Mince Storm damage? I can fix those damaged

7 Toutie Street Alyth 450g Venison Saus. 1 pack Ven. Burgers fences and trees and make them safe. Open Tuesday Mornings 9 a.m.-11.45 a.m. Plus free delivery in the local area I can also jet hose your paths and patios Or by appointment Our staff are happy to assist with all enquiries We deliver every Friday in the Blairgowrie/Alyth Area. and clear out gutters and down-pipes. A 24 hour service is maintained on For more information, For a price-list with all our cuts and 01828 633 433 produce, or to place an order, Contact Ann, by Telephone, Tel: Big Gav on 07739 833595 Fax or E-mail. ‘Glenfernate Fresh Meat are licensed Game Dealers’ 15 POLICE REPORT ALYTH COMMUNITY COUNCIL SPRING Forward…With the change of the clocks on the 25th it’s THIS business of being a Community Council member has its good points. You that time of year when we start to think of the garden. Well, it’s a are working with a small group of people over a very wide range of topics. From timely reminder to remember the security of our gardens and out time to time, when differences are expressed in discussion, you just keep talking buildings. If you are tidying up in the garden and planning for the until a consensus is reached, or until a vote is taken. As Chair, I like to work for a coming gardening year, please consider including some crime prevention measures consensus. At all times, members must be conscious that they are trying to repre- in your plans. Crime Prevention starts at the outermost boundary, so it pays to sent the whole community, or at least what they perceive as the community’s best check your fences, walls and gates are in good order, if not, repair any damage. As interests. A virtual impossibility, you may say, but we do our best, sometimes far as possible, boundaries at the front of the property should be lower, about waist under considerable pressure of time. high. This discourages thieves, because they cannot work without being seen. Also Next month (May) will see, not only the Scottish Parliamentary and the local check security of sheds and outhouses, and keep garden furniture and tools secure. authority elections, but later in the month after all of the big excitement is over, Remember that garden furniture can be used as a climbing aid to gain entry to your there will be an election of seats on Alyth Community Council. home. If upgrading or changing paths and driveways, consider using gravel or chips If you have managed to read this piece thus far, you are already showing, at as an alternative to slabs or lock-block. If laid fairly deeply, it will crunch under- least, a mild interest in what we are up to. Why not stand for a place on your foot and no thief wants to be heard walking up to your property. Lighting can en- Community Council? The process is not stressful. Gain the sponsorship of two hance your garden, as well as acting as a deterrent. If you are installing decorative other electors and your name will be put to the town for approval at an election lights consider putting up floodlights, in conjunction with passive infra red sensors, later in the month. Watch out for the official nomination forms appearing in the to light up the area if movement is detected. When choosing new plants consider Post Office. As I say, it will all happen after the bigger elections, and I hope by using ‘aggressive planting’. Plants and shrubs which are prickly, such as Berberis, then you will have cast your votes on Thursday May 3rd for Perth & Kinross Hawthorn, Pyracantha, Holly and Roses, will help to deter an intruder. Any of Council, and the Scottish Parliament. these can make a good boundary hedge, or give additional protection to boundary Jim Adam, Chairman walls, fences and drainpipes. Low growing plants should be used in the front, again to prevent a thief being hidden from view. SCOUT REPORT Bogus Workmen…As per previous articles we continue to remind everyone to be vigilant for bogus workmen at this time of year. Should you or your neighbours, especially elderly residents, receive ‘cold callers’ seeking to carry out garden work or property maintenance., then please report the circumstances to Police and wher- ever possible provide the registration number of vehicles to aid us in tracing them. Please contact Police at Blairgowrie with any information you have on the activities of any ‘bogus workmen’ in Alyth. Mark Stewart, CCO Blair. 01250 872222 CRIMESTOPPERS 0800 555 111

ALYTH OUT OF SCHOOL CLUB

Image by D.M. Phillips Above: The motley crew of car-washers!

“IT jist fell aff”. Four dreaded words at the start of our car wash at the Fire Sta- tion. The very first car, and now it was missing an ariel – what a start! Fortu- nately our customer was very understanding and not only didn’t sue – she also paid to have her car washed – and very generously. Now I know she would be very embarrassed if I thanked her through these columns, so I wont… but I would appeal to everyone if you hear something interesting on the radio, would you mind telling Marion Ferguson of Fyall Farm, as her radio isn’t working terribly well at the moment! Despite this setback, we soon got into cracking form, and a constant stream of customers rolled up and were rinsed, soaped and rinsed, and some of the water landed on the cars as well. When a dozen or so Cubs and Scouts descend on a vehicle, they may not be the most diligent of op- eratives, but they pack a gusto all of their own, which carries the day. I can usu- Back Row L-R:- Paul MacFarlane (AYP), Rhys Philips, Liam McPherson, Louise Dickson, Arran Fraser, ally pick out “our” cars on the way home, they are the ones with the grey Jack Dickson, Matthew Mollison, Catherine Chalmers (Playleader). patches! In all honesty I had to count the cash twice when we were finished as I Middle Row:- John Gibson, Cameron Fraser, Brandon Scofield, Rhys Fraser, Fergus Barron, Ryan was convinced I had made an error, but no, there was £310.40 raised – an amount McWilliam, Iain Bowman I can only describe as staggering. Thanks to all who helped raise this amount, Front Row:- Wody Gilmore, Callum Dawson, Adam Strachan, Cameron McKinley, Morgan McLeish, Emily especially Scott Macdonald for arranging and manning the Fire station, and a Hatton, Jaymz Forrestt. Absent:- Christie Fraser and Euan Dobb generous donation from a local electrician who probably would not like to be ALYTH Out of School Club ran a 6 week football session coached by Paul named, but they have white vans and a shop in Commercial Street. MacFarlane of Alyth Youth Partnership. All the children were presented with a It was unfortunate that we had to cancel a Bingo Tea having rearranged the medal and certificate at the end of the 6 weeks. We would like to thank Paul date. Sometimes things just don’t work out and the moral of this story is “if you MacFarlane for his continued hard work with the club. fall in a hole - stop digging.” Please accept our sincere apologies for any incon- The next session will start after the Easter Holiday - for further information or to venience caused, and I can only marvel at the efficiency of the bush telegraph book a place, contact me at the club on 07718 573 511 (please note places are that got the word round so quickly and comprehensively. We now have an alter- limited). Catherine Chalmers native date of 17 May, when I hope it’s ‘Eyes Down In A Full House’! We have been very fortunate to have been offered the services of a local band BLAIRGOWRIE for a dance in the Town Hall, which is really generous of all concerned. Sandy McCurdie is putting it together for us, and we are very grateful for his services TOURIST INFORMATION CENTRE and those of the band. MARCH was a busy month in the TIC, as the office had to be all packed up and A few of the Scouts expressed an interest in tackling the Chef’s Activity emptied out by the 18th of the month to let the shop fitters in to start on the re-fit. Badge, and we have devised a leaflet where the Scouts can carry this out at home, Stuart and Jackie at The Dome very kindly lent us storage space, which proved to and upon return of the completed certificate, the Scout can gain his badge. Doing be invaluable for all our many boxes and bits and pieces. Thank you both for your this in the comfort of their own home, has several advantages – the main one patience with all our comings and goings. The task was quite daunting, but every- being a dishwasher. They are in for a shock when we go to camp! A shrewd thing ran quite smoothly, and from 19th - 31st March we relocated to The Royal move would have been to seek a sponsor – like Rennies! To date I have only had Hotel by kind permission of Ian & Maureen McLean. Thank you both and your good reports from our guests, and who knows we may find new recipes creeping staff for making us so welcome. into our camp menus…like Dundee Steak! Thank you also to our customers who were very understanding during this time, We have just received a very generous donation of £400 from the Blairgowrie and for realizing we were not quite functioning at full capacity! Rotary, as part of out Malawi Fund raising. Our thanks to them for such generos- The first few days in April will be spent busily re-stocking the shelves with all ity and support. the leaflets, brochures, etc as well as our exciting new range of merchandise. th I hope you will all support our Coffee Morning on 28 April, and I know We are now open again in our lovely fresh, office looking forward to welcoming Pauline Adamson and Trish Wheatley would be very pleased to call upon assis- our valued local customers, along with the many visitors we get to the area over the tance in running the event. busy holiday season. Our official opening will be on the 27th of April - watch the th th Future dates: Bingo Tea 17 May ~ Duck Derby 10 June press for details… Jessie McLean www.alythscouts.co.uk Thank You. Ron Kirkpatrick

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