THE ROTHESIAN

June 2005 Sponsored by C & W Longmore Issue No 30

The sponsors of this edition of the Rothesian ANGLING ASSOCIATION are Cathie and Bill Longmore. Dear Reader On the 16th July, 1948, Cathie paid her first This is a short note to update all in the Rothes area on visit to Rothes, with the Keith Cycling Club, changes to the sea trout fishing on Rothes, Aikenways on a new Raleigh Roadster, borrowed from fishings. New owners to the fishings had implemented her brother Geordie. They passed through some changes including the replacement of the 'free Rothes on their way from Dufftown to Lossie- fishing' on the lower Rothes beat to four permits only and had stopped fishing on the upper water. mouth, stopping off for a brew at the Boat These changes were fought against by many of our O’Brig. members, with input from Councillor Paul and Marga- Cathie’s memories of that day were of a long, ret Ewing of the SNP. ( Our thanks go to both for their support). A meeting was held at Eastbank Hotel on the 26th May with factor, Mr Peter Graham and Cllr Paul pre- sent. All points were well put across and issues high- lighted by members. Although the new owners would not budge from their stance on the four permits, con- cessions were given to a couple of our older members who can now arrange for permits on the upper water. We still left the meeting with a glimmer of hope. This was mainly due to the fact that a few of our locals, when out walking, had talked to the new owners who were fishing the salmon pools. They explained, very diplomatically, the almost fifty years of good relation- ships and work between the owners and association members. The new owners now seem a bit more at ease with the situation regarding our association, and Mr Graham gave us some hope that we may get back some more long street, with a hump back bridge in the fishing for season 2006. middle. Not realising it was actually three We welcome the Bladon brothers and families as the streets, she thought it was never going to end! new owners of Rothes, Aikenway Fishings and wish Being a Sunday, there were few people on the them tight lines. Gary Logan (Secretary) street, and no cars, and her impression was of Rothes Angling Association. a lovely quiet town. At that time, little did Cathie know that she was going to spend a large part of her life in Rothes. In September, 1970, Cathie and Bill STOP PRESS! bought the paper shop and house in the High The Grant Hall has been successful in gaining grants Street from Ian Clark. Their family, Billy, of £10,000 from Moray Council and the CED Pro- Catherine and Keith, went to Rothes Primary gramme, for replacing the asbestos roofs. School.

You may contact The Rothesian by e-mail, using the following address: [email protected] THE GRANT HALL MAJOR(ETTE) SUCCESS

Six months into another year, and the Hall keeps going The Rothes majorettes have had much success recent- strong. We already have some bookings for 2006. ly. At Easter, they attended the week-long British Ma- We were disappointed recently when Heather Ewen jorettes competition in Berwick-upon-Tweed, and resigned from the committee. She will be sorely were placed in every section they competed in. missed as she did so much to ensure the success of the Leigh Fenton received the Champion of Champions place. Trophy for the Senior section, coming top in all her Jean Grimshaw has taken over as Chairperson and sections. Diane Mackenzie received the Champion Raymond Johnston has taken Jean’s place as Treasur- Trophy for the 16+ Section, and Hannah Slessor re- er. Garry Laing still does a sterling job as Secretary, ceived Champion Trophy for her section. Becca Reid and by the time this is published, we are hopeful of received 4 golds and a bronze, while Rebecca Ander- receiving substantial grants, which will see the various son received 5 bronzes. roofs replaced. This in turn will mean that the rest of At their recent trip to Forfar in June, they came back the building can be restored to it’s former glory. Nice one, Garry! We are, however, constantly on the lookout for new members as we are spread fairly thinly on the ground at the moment. Contact Garry (01340 831482) or Ray- mond (01340 831466) if you have an interest in pre- serving this valuable community asset. What’s new? Keep Fit sessions have been running for a few weeks now, overseen by Linda Anderson and from the 10th June, Salsa Dance classes will be start- ing, thanks to the enthusiasm of Carol Hendry who, up till now, has been holding them at Speyside. Are you interested in Table Tennis or Badminton ses- sions? Brand new equipment is available, just waiting to be used. Again, contact the above numbers. Alterna- tively call the Hall on 01340 831578 any time and leave a message. We are constantly overwhelmed by the financial sup- to Rothes with 3 overall trophies. Hannah Slessor was port we receive from various sources. Shane Younie, the winner for age 9yrs section, Becca Reid for age Chris Murphy, A.J. (Alan Jamieson) and Robert 12yrs primary section, Kim Fenton for 12yrs grade 1 Crombie of ‘As Yet Unknown’ organised a very suc- section and Diane McKenzie for the 16+ section. The cessful dance, which netted us a substantial 4 figure Majorettes also entered the military team section and sum. got a 3rd place trophy for that. The youngsters did so Mackie Tawse and his team (mainly Dorothy and Bet- well! Marion was very proud of them. ty) held an extra special Prize Bingo at the end of May, which saw us benefit to the tune of £650. Thanks are also due to the many and varied local businesses who donated such wonderful prizes. RIDING FOR SCOTLAND Then of course, Graham Jefferson and Betty Johnston are holding another one of their fantastic Photo Exhi- th th Leigh Fenton qualified at Faraway Riding Centre on bitions on the 18 and 19 June. This always brings 19th Feb. for the British Horse Society Riding School lots of visitors to town and with them their money, competition. Leigh was one of 8 youngsters who qual- which is also being donated to us. ified to represent Scotland at Stoneleigh Warwickshire Don’t forget, any help, no matter how small, would be on the 31st of May, immediately after her last SQA greatly appreciated. Or if you have a suggestion for examination. new activities, please get in touch. Leigh was not placed in the top 10, but the experience Till next time, enjoy the Rothesian and come along was fantastic, and to ride alongside riders from all and enjoy the Grant Hall. We’d be delighted to see over the British Isles was an experience in itself. you. Leigh would like to thank everyone who supported her by attending fund-raising events and buying raffles.

2 This issue sponsored by C & W Longmore 1ST ROTHES BROWNIES ROTHES JUNIOR YOUTH CLUB

After weeks of work the girls have now gained their Well we’re nearing the end of another successful yet First Aid badges, so now its time for less work and busy year at the youth club. more fun. We helped out on the Treasure Island Map Our last evening for everyone was on Tuesday 21st of stall at the Gala, and then had a Tropical Fun night. June, then we will be finished for the summer holidays. th We made tropical cocktails; limbo danced under the On Tuesday 27 of June Joanne, Charlene, Moyra and I pole and danced the night away to “Agado”. We will are took the children, who have attended youth club on a be hopefully having another parachute night with Ka- weekly bases for their tea and bowling at the Bowl 2000 ren Murray, as it was a great hit last time, hopefully as our end of year party. Great fun was had by all, but we will get a few sunny evenings so that we can get sadly we will have to say Farewell to Gillian, Scott, Em- out to play rounders etc. Our last evening is the 30th ma, Natasha and Andrew we wish them all the best up at the High School. June, which will be our first venture with the newly st Youth Club will start back at the Grant Hall on Tuesday formed 1 Rothes Rainbows, we will all be going to 23rd of August costing £1, 00. Bowl 2000 for tea and bowling. The evening will be split into two age groups: With some of the girls are reaching the leaving age, Primary 1 – Primary 3 starting at 6pm – 7pm we always keep the waiting list open for new names, Primary 4 – Primary 7 starting at 7pm – 8:30pm so if you wish to place your daughters name on the list There will be a tuck shop prices ranging from 5p up- please call Jennifer 831201 or Bev 831137. We hope wards, plus all the usual fun games, baking, craft, disco’s all our girls have a lovely summer holiday and look etc. forward to hearing of your adventures when we return If there are any parents out there who are willing to help in August. on a rota or weekly bases for one or both sessions, please contact myself Elaine on 01340 831845. We hope all the children have a wonderful HOT summer 1ST ROTHES RAINBOWS - we can all wish! Elaine, Joanne, Charlene and Moyra. Our first meeting was on the 14th April and gave us all a lot of fun learning our new Rainbow Song and all the actions (I still haven’t mastered them). We have had colour themed nights making up the Rainbow logo, ROTHES ROVERS FOOTBALL CLUB learned our promise and played some new games. This was all in preparation for our first Promise Party We are now training outdoors, and the Speyside Leagues when all the girls made their promises in front of their are well into the season, with both age groups having a parents and friends. We had party food, played games, Cup Final to look forward to. and said thank you to the Clifton Heights project, The P5 and Unders team are 4th in the league at the mo- ment, while the P6/7 team are second equal. At the end Moray Council, parents and Moray Guiding for the of March, we took a team from each age group to the help and funding that they have given to the Rain- Walkers Indoor Tournament. The P6/7 team won the cup bows. Now that the girls are fully fledged Rainbows, for the second year in a row, while the P5 and Under we can start on our Rainbow programme, we will be team finished third. The P6/7 Player of the Tournament having more themed nights, new games, songs and the was our captain, Scott Bowie, and the Goalkeeper of the Rainbow Roundabout which will lead us to badges. Tournament was our vice-captain, Andrew Ewen. Our first official job was to help out at the Rothes Gala Not to be denied a trophy for the P5 and Unders, captain on the “Guess the Ducks name” stall it was a cold and Hannah Slessor won the Goalkeeper award. wet day but that didn’t dampen our spirits. Our last With the cheque received from the Gala Committee at night of Rainbows will be held at Bowl 2000 with the the start of the year, we bought speed ladders and train- Brownies on the 30th June. ing cones - a big thank you for the donation. If there are any Primary school boys or girls interested in Anyone wishing to place their daughter on the waiting playing football, please come along to training on a Fri- list for girls aged 4,5 and 6 can contact Jennifer day night, 6.30 to 8.00pm. 831201 or Bev 831137. Finally, a couple of months ago, I went through the SFA Early Touches Coaching Course, Level 1, and training is Bev MacLeod now more varied and more fun. Assistant Guider Willie Younie 01340 831732

This issue sponsored by C & W Longmore 3 ROTHES TENNIS CLUB ROTHES GOLF CLUB

Our Ladies team won through to the District Final of The 2005 season got underway on Saturday 2nd April the Scottish Cup, where they defeated Rothiemurchus, with good weather for the opening club competition. 6-2. As winners, the club then represented the High- 39 players took part and the competition was spon- st lands in the 1 Round of the second (National) stage, sored by Irene’s Fayre. Winners were ; Juniors 1 Roy and were drawn at home to Whitecraigs (Glasgow). Coutts; 2 James Grant; 3 Jamie Sutherland; Ladies 1 Unfortunately, we were unable to fulfil this fixture due Marion Mitchell; 2 Sandra Bruce; 3 Ann Ashcroft; and to prior commitments. Gents 1 Paul Masson; 2 Ian Bruce; 3 Jim Thomson . Two new Knock-out competitions were held this year. The Ladies were defeated at Nairn, whilst the Men Competitions are well underway now although there battled through to reach the Final against Inverness. A have been some cancellations because of the weather. suitable date has yet to be agreed on. The Forblast two person scramble has had to be re- The League competitions are almost over, and three of scheduled for Saturday 2nd July. The ladies first open st our teams look set to confirm their 1 Division status. is to be held on June 11th and is sponsored by I Fraser Several of our younger members took part in the and sons. The gents first open is on Sunday 12th June Moray Open Junior Tournament, held at the Elgin and is a Texas scramble sponsored by Forsyths. Ladies Club and the Cooper Park Courts in early May. Alt- from Dufftown and Keith came for a friendly match hough all were knocked out of the main competitions, on 29th April and this took the form of a Texas scram- William Siford and Hannah Slessor won the Under 14 ble with mixed teams. As usual, the event proved to be Boys, and Under 10 Girls consolation events respec- very sociable. tively. Additionally, four of our under 12 girls trav- The club has so far been unsuccessful in securing a th elled to Keith on Sunday 14 April, to participate in greenkeeper this season. Although a number of candi- the first monthly medal of the season. Laura Watt won dates have been interviewed, they appear to have had through to the semi-final, where she lost out to the offers from other clubs. Bob Murray, however, con- eventual winner. tinues to keep the course in excellent condition in spite th The dance held on 30 April raised approximately of the mixed weather this year. £1200. This money goes to the court resurfacing fund. Thanks to everyone who attended, making it the re- sounding success it undoubtedly was, and to all mem- bers who helped out, with a special mention to Alan RED CROSS COLLECTION IN ROTHES Jamieson (AJ), for organising the bands. The door to door collection for the Red Cross took place in the first week of May by the team organised by Hannah McDonald. The town did very well indeed HOCKEY TEAM PICTURE this year, realising £417.92 which is £130 more than last year. Thank you very much for your generosity. In reading the March 2005 edition of the Rothesian Some of the team are pictured in Elgin in front of the there is a girls hockey team on Page 8 from 1948. Af- Red Cross Emergency Response Unit, which is al- ter much thought & trying to put names to all the faces ready saving lives in the area.. in the team I think I have them all; Back Row, Left to Right; Ruthie Simpson, Valerie MacMillan, Olive Hay, Ellen McWilliam, Helen Mar- shall & Roberta Paul. Front Row, Left to Right; Connie Newlands, Betty Brown, Dolly Macadam, Bermuda Gregg & Noelle Christie. Hope the names are all spelt right, let me know if they are correct. Eric MacFarlane, Nelson, B.C. Canada. [email protected]

4 This issue sponsored by C & W Longmore ROTHES LIBRARY

Following the successful Reading Rollercoaster Chal- lenge during last summer’s holidays, Moray Libraries are again running a scheme during the summer. The theme is ‘The Reading Voyage’. Susan Butts, our Sen- ior Librarian visited Rothes Primary recently to tell the pupils all about it, and we hope it will be as popular as We are almost at the end of our second term and will be last year when Rothes Library was considered to have saying goodbye to Charlie, Lucy, Jamie and Sam as they had the biggest success with the Challenge. So let’s move up to Nursery. We wish them well and hope their see if we can do as well this year. Like last year we time at the 2+ Group will help them adapt to Nursery will have an activity session every Friday morning of the holidays, so we look forward to seeing you there. life. st This term we welcomed Jamie, Kerry and Penny to the Susan also handed out the prizes to our 21 birthday competition winners. Group and they have settled in well. Just a reminder to The prize-winners were: - parents, you don’t have to wait until the start of a term for your child to join the Group. They can come along as P1 Jack Clark soon as they are two. P2 Kirstie Sopp New equipment has been bought and the children have P3 Michelle Christie had great fun using the parachute, cushions and interac- P4/5 Nicki Bell tive books. P5/6 Sophie Stuart We have had a visit from Dawn Russell of Moray Child- P6/7 Struan Oswald care Partnership to check we had been using our Grant wisely, and she was most impressed at what has been The overall prizewinner was Jack Clark. The judges were Susan, Carolyn from Aberlour Li- achieved in a short space of time. brary and the Community Nurses, who had only We had a successful Coffee Morning in May raising over popped in to put up a display!! £250. A big thank you to all those who helped and They all agreed it was a very difficult decision, as turned up on the day. We will be holding another one in there was a lot of effort put in to the entries. The art September. work is still brightening up the library, if you haven’t The Rothes 2+ Group would like to thank Mr Dawes already been in to see it. from the Clifton House Project who donated £200 to the Bearing in mind Rothes Library is very much part of Group. Thanks also to SpeyBurn Distillery who donated a the community, it has been suggested that local groups PC. Unfortunately they were unable to supply a monitor, could put a monthly display in the front window. E.g. so if anyone has a spare one they could give us we in April we could have the Golf Club promoting the new season, or the Church celebrating Easter. We would be most grateful. could supply books to help with the display, and are Finally, as always you can get registration forms from able to assist with it as well. If you would like your Louise Reid on 831851 or Linda Smith, our Health Visi- group to have a display, please call in to the library or tor. phone 01340 831281. In the recent past we have had one off promotions by SCARF, Waste Awareness and the Community Nurses in the library, so if your group has something to pro- SPEY SPRING CATCH UPDATE mote please contact Susan Butts our Area Librarian on (MAY 2005) 01542 882223 to see if we can help you. Just to remind you, as well as books, we lend CDs, The total catch of Spey spring salmon until the end of Spoken Word cassettes, Videos, Flexible Learning April 2005 was 840 compared to 1,100 for the same Packages and now DVDs can be requested at Rothes period last year. Although less than 2004 this catch Library. We also still offer free internet access. still substantially exceeds the ten year average (600). Fishing opportunities were also poorer than the previ- ous year due to wintry conditions, followed by a snow -melt flood in late March. Anglers, proprietors and ghillies continued to support the SFB's Salmon Conservation Policy, releasing 76% of fish caught. Few sea trout have entered the river, therefore it is too early to judge the success of the Sea Trout Conservation Policy.

This issue sponsored by C & W Longmore 5 Dear Rothesian, Dear Editor, In reply to June Perry's letter in the March edition of In the September issue of the Rothesian a concerned the Rothesian, the big gun on the Castlehill, a souvenir resident of Rothes wrote about the problem of people of the First World War, would have need removed at leaving waste paper by the bottle banks outwith regu- the start of the second one both for scrap, to help the lar times of collection by the Moray Council. Is it that war effort, and also because the Germans had made it some people don’t read, don’t understand the written plain that any town or village that was defended or word or maybe don’t even care, because the problem would appear from the air to have some form of de- continues to this day. On top of that this week has seen fence would be liable to be attacked. The gun would the indiscriminate dumping of a pile of rubbish behind have been removed as a safety precaution. the bottle banks by someone who has been doing some The concrete base on which the gun stood now forms household renovations. the base of the stone plinth on which the interpretation Do these people have no pride in the town in which we panels showing the history of the Rothes Castle are live? From experience I consider that we have one of displayed. 'The Castlehill Project' was conceived by the best refuse collection services going, with a regular the Rothes Council to include the interpretation pan- Thursday collection and an uplift of bulky items on a els. a viewpoint, footpath improvements, repairs to the Friday morning by prior arrangement (01343 557073). shelter and improvements to the car park and was car- So come along, don’t turn the town into a tip. Leave ried out in 1998 with funding from Speyside's share of you papers at the correct time and keep your rubbish a Moray-wide environmental improvement fund. The for the weekly collection. Alternatively, take it to the panels were designed by children from Rothes Primary recycling centre on the Tyock Industrial Estate in El- School with help from local graphic designer Mr John gin. There again, they don’t charge for the service and Tasker and the completed project was officially they will take anything. opened in September 1999. Please keep Rothes tidy and a place to be proud of. Incidentally, the DUKW amphibious vehicles known Yours sincerely as 'ducks'. which were mentioned in the same issue, Jim Anderson owe their name to the manufacturer's code - nobody seems to know what the letters stand for. John Tilley Editor's note - The story goes that the gun was a Ger- man gun and the people of Rothes were so angry when war broke out a second time they took the gun to the I would like to thank my son Steve, his wife Anne and River Spey and pushed it in. It was retrieved from my grandson Michael for the surprise dinner for my there by the authorities. If anyone can confirm this eightieth birthday, also my son Clifford and Rosemary please let us know. for their lovely gifts. I must say a big thank you to my family, Ian, Marga- ret, Mary, Lily and my nieces Gail, Donna, Shona, Jill and Karen and my sister-in-law Brown for the lovely Dear Rothesian evening at the Auld Mill, Catherinebraes. Thanks to I am currently finishing editing my mother's life story. all for the presents, money and cake - I was gob- She is now 95, started life in Elgin but grew up and smacked. went to school in Rothes from the age of 7. until she Jean Allan went to work at Gordon Castle at Fochabers. I would love to know whether there are any of her contempo- Editors footnote - The Rothesian team would also like raries living in Rothes or area. We are coming to to acknowledge Jean's 80th birthday. Jean was a Rothes for our annual trip and would be delighted to founder member of the Rothesian team and is still go- organise a tea party for them. ing strong. She is an inspiration to us all. My mother's name was Annie McHardy and her par- ents, Charles and Margaret McHardy lived at Cross Roads Cottage at the bottom of Land Street. Margaret Devitt - [email protected]

Editors footnote - If anyone wishes to contact Mrs De- vitt but has no e-mail facilities please contact myself or the Cottage and we will e-mail it for you.

6 This issue sponsored by C & W Longmore 5th November Social Club Coffee Morning Rothes Diary th 19 November Social Club Tombola 3rd December Social Club Coffee Morning Please note that the diary displayed in the Rothes th Library window, is updated every two weeks and 17 December Social Club Tombola takes in changes which occur during the time be- tween the Rothesian quarterly editions. Please keep Sandra informed of events and meetings as fund- Visit Rothes Community Website raising works best with no competition http;//www.speyside.moray.org/Rothes-on-Spey

July 1st July Schools closed for Summer Break 2nd July Social Club Coffee Morning 8th July Re-cycling facilities at end of Land Street The Four Seasons 9th July Rothes Football Club Coffee Morning in Kirk Hall Early in the springtime when things come alive 10th July Mackie’s ‘Duck Race’ on River Spey The grass and the trees and the bees leave the hive 16th July Coffee Morning in Kirk Hall in aid of Yes my darling be true to me CHAS When you are two, I'll be three 16th July Social Club Tombola Early in the summer when the flowers are in bloom th 18 July Kirk Summer Play Scheme Monday to Fri- Strolling down the glen through the bracken and day 10.am to 12noon in Kirk Hall. Theme to be an- broom nounced nd Yes my darling be true once more 22 July Re-cycling facilities at end of Land When you are three, I'll be four Street 23rd July Bowling Club Open Pairs competition opens Early in the autumn when the leaves turn to gold 25th July Local Holiday Some of them new and some of them old 31st July Final of the Bowling Club Competition Yes my darling we are alive When you are four, I'll be five August Early in the winter there's nowhere to go 6th August Social Club Coffee Morning Everything's bonnie and covered with snow 9th August SQA Results due for Standards, High- Yes my darling we'll fetch the sticks ers, Intermediate, Advanced Highers When you are five, I'll be six th 16 August Schools reopen to pupils after Summer Bill Beattie Break 20th August Social Club Tombola 22nd August Storytime restarts at Rothes Library LAST 2 WEEKS AUGUST DELIVERY OF THE BROWN BIN (GARDEN WASTE) AND RE- CYCLING BOXES

September Postponed kerbside re-cycling collection due to start! Starting with the brown bin and boxes 2nd week green bin and boxes. Alternate weeks for bins thereafter. Boxes every week! 3rd September Social Club Coffee Morning 3rd September Rothes Annual Flower Show at the Grant Hall 10th September Rothes Bowling Club Coffee Morn- ing 12th September Local Holiday 17th September Coffee Morning Rothes 2+ Group Church Hall 17th September Social Club Tombola 24th September Church Coffee Morning

October etc 1st October Social Club Coffee Morning 15th October Social Club Tombola 4th November Rotary Strathspey and Reel Concert at Speyside High School

This issue sponsored by C & W Longmore 7 SPEYSIDE PATHS NETWORK GROUP WALKS

The AGM for the above group was held on the 13 April Included in the COUNTRY AND COAST walking 2005 and the following were appointed to office: Festival are three local events. Chairperson - Jean Oliver Saturday 23 July 11am - 2pm - Easy Peasy Ben Aigan. Secretary - Myra Clive A rare chance to see the great views from Ben Aigan No treasurer was appointed without the long walk in! Drive your car to the top of Ian Douglas, Access Manager Moray Council, attended Knockmore. then it's only a mile and a half to walk to and gave a talk and presentation of slides on the new reach the summit and have a picnic. Meeting Place - legislation "Scottish Outdoor Access Code". The meeting Ben Aigan car park off the A95, 1.5 miles south of was well attended and a vote of thanks was given by the Mulben Crossroads. Forestry Commission Ranger. chair. Heritage Walks - to be pre-booked Work on the Dounie Path will be started to reinstate the Local volunteer led walks Contact 01343 557147 first path section up to the dam. A great deal of damage Sunday 28th August - 2pm start - Cairn Uish, Rothes was caused by planned work to do with the flood allevia- to see the windmills - Ever wondered about these new tion scheme. We welcome assurances from the Head En- gineer of Highland Distillers, that the path will be rein- windmills? Come on a 5 mile walk along paths to the stated. windfarm and be amazed. The section known as "The Fairies Kitchen" leading Monday 29th August - 10am start - Dounie Path, through the forest area has been laid with woodchips. Rothes - 3 mile circular walk taking in the Rothes This work has been carried out by Lochpark Challenge Burn and the Fairies Kitchen. Ltd., a local charity group set up to enable people with For other walks in Moray see Summertime Events learning difficulties to participate in work experience. 2005, Country and Coast available at the Cottage. Further work will be carried out during June/July. Con- tractors will be appointed for the purpose of grass cut- ting, vegetation clearance and creating a new path section around the damaged area caused by the floods. From the top section, which leads to the golf course path - the area Marriage known as the Lynn Falls will be constructed to form a viewpoint with a safety rail plus landscaping. Rothes girl, Jolene Harris married Steven Moore on Since the path was redeveloped and opened to the local the 6th June, 2005 while they were on holiday in community and visitors in April 2004, it is estimated that Cairns, Australia. some 800 people have walked the path, along with the Castlehill walk. Both walks give an interesting and in- formative background to Rothes, historically, geological- ly and in terms of the flora and fauna. Information and guide leaflets can be obtained at the Rothes Visitor and Resource Centre at 86 New Street. Walk for health and enjoy the countryside. Ray Brumby

PROMOTION

Jocelyn Christodoulides (McPherson) who was edu- cated at Rothes Primary School and Elgin Academy followed by her training as a midwife has now been in Abu Dhabi for 18years. When she first went to Abu Dhabi she was a midwife at the Al Corniche Hospital where there are approxi- mately 12,000 confinements per year. Jocelyn who went on to become the assistant matron at the hospital has now been appointed Clinical Service Manager, Obstetrics. Well done Jocelyn.

8 This issue sponsored by C & W Longmore DR. JOHN R. DOW BEQUEST ROTHES OUTDOOR BOWLING CLUB

Dr John Dow died on 14th August, 1965, and his ash- The club opened the greens for the new season on es were taken to Rothes cemetery for burial. In his will Tuesday 26th April and it was good to see a number of Dr Dow left a sum of money for charitable purposes in new members coming along but it was also sad that a Rothes and his trustees had to particularly consider the few old members were not able to come along due to relief of poverty in the aged people of the town. A lo- illness. Bob Murray has taken over the duties of green cal advisory committee was formed to arrange distri- keeper due to Jim McBain's illness. It is good to see bution of the legacy annually. that Jim is once again coming down to the green and Since his death until December, 2003 beneficiaries we look forward to his full recovery. received money annually. The annual Rothes open pairs tournament begins on In December, 2004 the local advisory committee con- Saturday 23rd July, 2005 with the final being played tacted Johnston & Carmichael, Chartered Accountants, on Sunday 31st July, 2005. The main sponsor is once Elgin regarding the amount of money to be allocated again Graham Christie of Rothes Garage and we are for distribution, and were advised that the trust had grateful to him for his continued support. been wound up, and that the balance of funds held has The club held a very successful coffee morning in the been donated to the help the aged charity. Apparently church hall during April and the club funds were given the clause in Dr Dow's will did not give any restriction a nice boost. We will be holding another coffee morn- to the trustees over the use of the capital or the income ing towards the end of the season and hope we get the from the fund and in this regard the trustees exercised same support as in the past. their discretion and made a one off distribution to help Bruce Gordon (Secretary) the aged. This was done without having advised the local advi- sory committee which we find most disconcerting. ROTHES INDOOR BOWLING CLUB The make-up of the advisory committee was John Bri- an. Ilene Newlands, Greta Horne and Charlie Christie. The season ended in the last week in April. This was not one of our better seasons, finishing third in our section. The presentation of prizes was held in the Club-house SENIOR CITIZENS of the Outdoor Bowling Club. Winners were as fol- lows:- Our last meeting was a bus run to Duthie Park in Ab- Singles 1 Mr A Cameron, 2 Mr J Brian erdeen. We stopped at the Swallow Hotel in Inverurie Pairs 1 Mr K Fraser & Mr C R Grant for a smashing lunch which was thoroughly enjoyed 2 Mr G Jamieson & Mr A Cameron by all. we are now having a break for summer but will Triples 1 Mr A Cameron, Mr S Cameron & Mr C be ready to start back in September. Christie, 2 Mr W Masson, Mr R Murray & Mr J Brian The new season will begin in September when it is hoped new members will take the opportunity to join ROTHES CHURCH GUILD us. W Masson The Church Guild session finished with the showing President of the Annual General Meeting video which was very enjoyable. Our outing this year was to the Saint Giles Theatre presentation of 'West Side Story' in the Town Hall with high tea at the Laichmoray Hotel. Both be- PHOTOGRAPH EXHIBITION ing very much enjoyed by all. Mrs Nan McPherson has stood down as president, her The exhibition of old photographs, held in the Grant place being taken by Mrs Eileen Bell. The members Hall, proved to be a big success, with many people wish Eileen all the best in her new post. taking advantage of the opportunity to glimpse the The Guild resumes in the Autumn. Rothes of old. A great vote of appreciation must go to Betty Johnston and Graeme Jefferson, for taking the time to organise the display, and all those who assisted.

This issue sponsored by C & W Longmore 9 FLOOD WORKS PROGRESS SPEYSIDE COUNCIL

The recommended flood alleviation strategy for The Annual General meeting of the Speyside Council Rothes was approved by the Moray Council Environ- was held on Thursday 12th May with a fair representa- mental Services Committee in September 2004. tion from local communities. We were also pleased to In taking the strategy forward further detailed apprais- welcome Duncan Dunbar-Naismith who has recently al of options has been necessary to determine the com- been appointed Deputy Lord Lieutenant for Moray. bination of work and management practices that best Jim Anderson and John Tilley were re-elected Presi- balances the community needs in Rothes, scheme dent and Vice-President respectively but no-one was costs in terms of both capital and revenue investment willing to let his or her name go forward for election and environmental interests. as Convenor. Vice-Convenor or Treasurer. Once more, The work is progressing well and before details of the it was resolved to let matters rest until the next meet- preferred flood alleviation scheme for Rothes are fi- ing of the Executive Committee to be held on Thurs- nalised further consultation is planned with landown- day 23rd June. Since this is just three days after the ers, local businesses and statutory stakeholders prior to public consultation meeting on proposed school clo- making a recommendation to the Moray Council Envi- sures and mergers being held in Speyside High School ronmental Services Committee in September 2005. it is hoped to have a full attendance of local communi- The next phase of the Flood Alleviation Process , De- ty representatives. sign Stage 1, will commence immediately following This is the sort of cross-community issue that the the approval of the Preferred Scheme and work re- Speyside Council was formed to deal with and we mains on target for construction to begin on site in late hope that the forthcoming struggle to keep alive rural 2006. schools will see a resurgence of interest in the Spey- Progress reports will be on show in the Cottage, 86 side Council. New Street. The reports will be updated on a regular John Tilley basis. Vice-President Steve Vernon ROTHES COUNCIL

FLOOD GUARDS At the last Rothes Council meeting two Community Wardens were present to talk on their role in policing Moray Council Housing department will be arranging the Speyside community. The members found this to a trial run in the use of the Flood Guards in Elgin on be an interesting insight into the way forward as seen Thursday 30th June. This will be followed by a test by Grampian Police. run in Rothes in next two weeks. An explanation on The Summer Floral Displays are now in place. We the use of the guards will be given to each household. have ten new hanging baskets which have gone up around the Square, self watering tubs erected on the High Street light columns by Moray Council. All the tubs were planted by Jim Anderson and his team. ROTHES FLOWER SHOW A new lease has been negotiated for the Gala Store. The store will now be insured through Moray Council. We had our Annual Coffee and plant sale on Saturday We have not as yet received the proper cheque from 28th May and despite it being a wet day we were de- the windfarm company, however, we will be calling a lighted with the support we got. The judging of the special meeting of the Rothes Council to discuss the best kept gardens and flower tubs will be held during criteria for grant giving to the community. The Rothes the first week in August. Our next Meeting is to be Council are to sponsor the September edition of the held on Monday 8th August to make final arrange- Rothesian where details of the way forward will be ments for our Annual Flower Show on Saturday 3rd printed. September in the Grant Hall. Schedules for this can be From the 8th July Moray Council will be issuing a got in most of the shops in Rothes. We hope that our draft local plan for consultation. It was agreed at the show will be well supported as there is something for last meeting of the Rothes Council that we ask officers everyone to take part in. of the Moray Council to attend a future meeting of the Rothes so that we can discuss matters pertinent to Rothes and Speyside.

10 This issue sponsored by C & W Longmore ROTHES COUNCIL GALA 2 Bottles of Whisky - McCook, New Elgin Although the first three prizes went to Elgin, Rothes had Rothes Council Gala is now over for another year. This nine winners in the overall draw. years events started with a very successful Prize Bingo in The Pub Challenge Aldridge Quaich was won by the the Grant Hall. This was followed by Gala Day where Victoria Bar. visitors were entertained by the Dufftown Pipe Band, The Rothes Council Gala Committee would like to thank Queen Esmeralda (Arthur Humphries) and Princess the local groups who helped them run the Gala, the local Michelle Christie, Belly Dancers, a clown, Highland businesses who gave generous donations and prizes to Dancers, a children's fun time, Rothes Fire Brigade and the events and the local people who gave so willingly to an excellent Agility Dogs Display. We were extremely the bottle stall. Without your help the Gala would not be lucky with the weather. possible. Although it was rather cold the rain stayed away for the When all the monies are counted and all bills paid an afternoons activities. opportunity to distribute monies to the participating The third event was a Nursery Rhyme Walking Treasure groups will be arranged.

ROTHES COMMUNITY LTD

The Cottage has had a recent face-lift, in the form of newly painted woodwork, windowsills and roans. New brackets are now in place on the window sills to hold the flower containers which were filled by the 1st Rothes Brownies. This was paid for by a grant from Moray Council. Three computer classes are still ongoing and the centre Hunt, which though poorly attended was enjoyed greatly by all who came along on the day. has had a grant from Moray Council and the CED pro- As per most years our last event on the Gala programme gramme to pay for four new laptops. Some work still was the Challenge Day where Henbog won the senior needs to be done to link the laptops to a wireless print- er or perhaps even to our own printers. We are also to get grants of £5,000 from each of the same funders to buy a colour printer capable of doing the Rothesian and other print work, and also to buy a digital camera. This is in response to the frequent requests that we do a 'Rothes' colour calendar. The t-shirts, cotton bags and tea towels have been sell- ing well as we have a number of volunteers manning the centre six and a half days per week. We have al- ready had visitors from all round the world. The tree surgeon has started work on the poor quality and dying trees in the children's play trail. He will be finishing the work when ground conditions are more suitable. No firm date has been set as yet for the drain- age, The school children have put on order the information boards but we have not had a time scale for delivery so far. football match. The spectators enjoyed the junior and senior football, the Fancy Dress Parade, the games, the balloon release , Jim's Bingo and a number of stalls and refreshments. The Gala Raffle was also drawn on Challenge Day. The first three winners were:- Gold Watch and Bracelet - Jean Goodbrand, Elgin £50 - Mrs Cruickshank, The Grove, Elgin

This issue sponsored by C & W Longmore 11 ROTHES FIRE STATION CRIES OUT FOR FEMALES OR SHIFT WORKERS

Rothes Fire Station is operating with less than ideal staff numbers, therefore we are looking at ways to encourage people who would not normally consider joining the retained Fire Service to give it a try. There is no reason why members of the community who have never considered becoming fire-fighters should not decide to give it a go, provided that they can meet our joining criteria. There are several untapped pools of resources out there; females and shift workers are just some of the people who would make ideal candidates. We have around 25 female fire-fighters in the service, some of whom are mothers, and we see no reason why we should not recruit more. There are people who work shifts and are available during the day, when we are always interested in getting extra cover. Our ideal candidates are those who do not work the traditional 9 to 5 day, and would be available to be on call. There are a lot of people in the community who may not consider themselves the usual material for the Fire Bri- gade, but who could prove a real asset. People living and working in the community would make ideal retained fire-fighters, but we understand that people have their own lives to lead too, and we are flexible. In terms of com- mitment, all we generally ask for is for people to attend a two and a half hour training night every Thursday, and a training session when they first join. The number of call-outs is generally in the region of 60 a year, or one a week, so it is not as hectic as many people imagine. These call-outs can be anything from a car crash to a major fire, however the role is as much about pre- vention and education, as fighting fires. We are not looking for super men or women. We want to change the preconception of the fire service as a macho, male environment. Yes, there are physical challenges from time to time, but that is why we work as a team, so that we can pull together and overcome them. The idea that people will be expected to jump into a burning building, and carry a 16 stone member of the public over their shoulder, is old fashioned. These days, the job is as much about brains as brawn. A large part of the job involves interacting with the public, both at incidents and in an education role. In recent years, we have not received as many call-outs as in the past, as public information and education seem to be making a real difference. A lot of the job is about the education side of things. We regularly take the time to visit schools and playgroups in the area. At the weekly training sessions, fire-fighters go through various scenarios, or train on any new equip- ment that has been brought in. The rewards are obvious. Fire-fighters are giving something back to the community. They also get to learn a wide variety of skills, from medical to management techniques. Fire-fighters are paid a yearly retainer between £1800 and £2500, dependant on when they are on call. It can real- ly help with the family income. The criteria for retained fire-fighters include basic medical and fitness tests, as well as a practical test, which checks for fear of heights or confined spaces. Recruits are normally also expected to live or work within a five-minute drive of their local Fire Station. Anyone interested in applying to become a retained fire-fighter should contact Rothes Fire Station on a Thursday evening, between 7.00 and 9.30pm, or Ray Cameron (Moray Command) on 07966 260076. You can also visit www.grampianfrs.org.uk, or call the recruitment hotline on 01224 788700.

RON JOHNSTON, ROTHES LOON FISHSPEY WEBSITE

Ron has returned to his birth place here in Rothes, from The FishSpey website has been launched to advertise Freemantle, Australia and is looking forward to meeting the availability of salmon, sea trout, brown trout and up with old friends and relatives. He will be celebrating rainbow trout fishing in the Spey catchment area. The his 70th birthday while he is here. website provides services for booking fishing, accom- Sadly Ron's wife died last November, hence his return modation, travel advice, tackle services, river heights home to enjoy the company of friends and relatives. Ron and important background information for visiting is still an active man and enjoys walks around Rothes anglers. reviving old memories. Ron is staying with his sister Website :- www.fishspey.co.uk Bunty: Enjoy your holiday Ron with family and friends. For telephone enquiries please ring 01573 470612 Betty Johnston

12 This issue sponsored by C & W Longmore