THE MONQUHITTER MESSENGER and Monquhitter Community Council February Edition 2021 Contact [email protected] with news, stories & views

‘Knight’ and Day RESCUE!

A BIG TO OUR LOCAL HEROES

On Feb 13th, while most of us were hiding from the fast-building snowdrifts and Cuminestown made a dramatic entrance on the national weather news (thanks to ‘Panda pops’ whoever you are!), heroes amongst us were called. Please join us in thanking our ‘knights in shiny tractors’ who mounted up and battled the elements to dig out the many drivers in distress. They saved lives, and saved Valentine’s Day!

Monquhitter Community Councillor Malcolm Beverley Do you have any lockdown tips, ideas or I was born in and met my wife, Linda at aged 15 on a school trip to London. stories then get in touch and we will print We have six children and seventeen them in the March edition grandchildren living in England and USA. [email protected] I served as a Police Officer for fifteen years in Aberdeen and was awarded the Queens Commendation for Brave Conduct in 1985. I resigned from the police to study law in England with my wife 63 NEW FB MEMBERS IN ONE DAY! and six children in tow, passing the bar exam to qualify as a Barrister. A few years later, I cross qualified as a Solicitor and All week the snow had been teasing us with flurries opened my own legal firm in Chorley, Lancashire. I practiced in overnight, dusting the roads with a white covering , Civil Law spending most of my time in court, which I loved almost only to be gone by midday. Disappointed kids wanted as much as being on a golf course!. After 21 years in Lancashire more…and they got it! we moved back to settling in Cuminestown. On Saturday 13th February, the scenes around I love living in Cuminestown. In 2016 my wife and I bought the Monquhitter were beautiful, but were the cause of Cuminestown Junior Social FC Club. It had been empty for chaos and dramatic rescue attempts by Farmers as eleven years and was in a state of dereliction with water they worked all day and into the evening to pull cars pouring in from broken windows and leaking roofs with a stuck in huge drifts! Our normally quiet Facebook Page condemned function room. Being able to take early retirement as was buzzing (literally) as information, pictures and a Solicitor, I have had the time to do almost all the renovation stories were posted by community members in a united work myself. It has been fun. There is still a bit to do, but it’s effort. It was an extraordinary day with 63 new almost there. members being added in just one day to the Hoping that this will be our ‘forever home I wanted to get involved ’Monquhitter Community’ page. with the local community and so in 2018 I became a Community THANK YOU TO ALL WHO POSTED Councillor. I serve as the Community Council Secretary and look ADVICE AND INFO TO KEEP US SAFE! forward to supporting our magnificent Community in 2021.

The Monquhitter Messenger cont’d

The Wednesday ‘Treat’ -Chips 2 Go Jonathan in Cuminestown Our names are Jill Hay and Jonathon Williamson, I (Jill) originally started the business Wednesdays 4pm-6.30pm myself with one van back on 1st February 2010 (it was quite a bad winter back then too) so it was a tough couple of months for a start, but all our lovely customers supported us really well. I’ve always had the support of my family to help me along with members of staff, especially my dad (Alan Hay) who is supposed to be retired but at 72years young still works with us several days a week! I met Jonathon a few years later. He is actually a plumber to trade but decided that he fancied a change and joined me in April 2015, which was a great help, especially as we had added a second van to our round in the January of 2015. How did I get into this business? My parents have owned several chip shops/vans so I was brought up in it. Jonathon and I both love that we are able to provide a service that’s a weekly treat for many to local towns and villages that don’t already have a chip shop. Our area is large and includes Highlands, Moray and Aberdeenshire. Look out for the We know many regulars look forward to seeing us as much as we do them, and we really Beautiful NEW Chip Van! do appreciate that they come out in all weathers, helping us be busy come rain or shine. When we closed for 9 weeks last year due to the pandemic we were extremely worried that it was the end for us, with no private functions either, we wondered if the customers would come out once we were back open. We put all the safety measures in place to make it as safe as possible and are grateful to our customers for using our queuing system. It seems to work really well. We would just like to say a massive thank you to all our customers for their support, because without them we wouldn’t be able to continue as we do, it is very much appreciated. PS Audrey who served me last Wednesday, said that it’s still cash only here due to no phone signal in the village Nisa Shop Deliveries Continue A reminder for those who are shielding or elderly or just need a delivery for any reason, ‘Lockdoon Bosie’ by Imogen Baron the Nisa Shop can help- Tel no 01888 544166 [email protected]

Slow Cooker Chocolate Fudge!

Imogen’s Granny and Great Nana were very emotional when they heard

the poem. They live in East Lothian and haven’t seen her in a long time The Monquhitter Messenger cont’d

cont’dcont’d Our Mobile Post Office Call to say “Hello” Out in all weather, friendly Postmistress My Dear Friends; Moira Stewart and Well, it is only about 6 weeks now until Easter! This assistant Karen, park the P.O. van outside the is a time of new beginnings, of new birth in the world. Community Hall in We get to start back in to school again, although limited. Cuminestown, (across That is a time of celebration! We, the people, have been from Nisa) on the learning to work together to accomplish much! Maybe following days/times. this is what God has intended all along. To teach us to The Mobile Post love one another. Maybe with more time on our hands, Office visits Cuminestown:- we should start to read more of God’s love for us in the Monday 13.30-15.30 Bible! We should set aside a little time each day to read Wednesday 13.30-15.30 the Bible. BIBLE, stands for Basic Instruction Before Thursday 9.00-10.00 Leaving Earth!! Something for us to remember during Friday 13.00-1400 these difficult times. We do not need the Church Buildings to be ever present with God, because we ARE the Church! So call someone you know, in fact call many people you know, just to say “ hello” and see if they are Cuminestown Youth Active Football Club all right, or if they need anything! You might just make their whole day by doing so. I remain yours in An Interview with Vice-Chair and 2013 Coach Christ....Jim (Rev. Jim Cook)

– Gary “ Nez” Cowie

1. How long have you been a football coach ? I’ve been a coach for the famous Town for 3 years 2. What do you like least about being a football coach? It’s got to be the beautiful scotch mist on training nights. 3. Who was your favourite footballer when you were a child? It’s a Goooaaaallll...... DUNCAN SHEARER 4. What’s your earliest footballing memory? School Football at , New Byth so good they named it twice. 5. What do you most enjoy about being a kids football coach for CYAFC? Happy Birthday from all of us too!! It’s got to be the joy on the kid’s faces. It’s very rewarding when you see them improve. 6. Why should someone become a football coach at CYAFC? It’s a very friendly and welcoming club. It’s got great kids and parents too. 7. How could someone become a coach at CYAFC? Easy. Just get in touch with anyone at the club and we will happily help along the way.

Next Month …a players view.

The Monquhitter Messenger cont’d

The Monquhitter Community Councillors picked their favourite five photographs from the 38 posted to the ‘Monquhitter Community’ Facebook Page on 11th February and here they are…..

Kirk Brae by Ryan Mann Snowman by Jae Weatherby with Aria and Blair

Snow Igloo by Kayleigh Baron with James, Evelyn, Henry, Imogen and Poppy the dog

Sledging by Rachel Andrews Snow Angel by Rachel Webster with Jayden Andrews, Daniel Seed Smiling baby is Scott Williams and Iona Seed

It has been very stressful for our mummies and Lockdown – A Parent’s Perspective daddies trying to work at home and teach us our As a family we are actually really enjoying lockdown. schoolwork every day, but I really liked spending more We like having the kids at home . time with them and mummy was a very good teacher. Being able to help with the home learning has given us a real insight We have had lots of fun and I have been learning how into their strengths and weaknesses. to cook and bake with mummy, and daddy has been We have learnt some important lessons as well. teaching me how to play golf in the back garden. We were too busy before. Something after school nearly every night I really enjoyed when we had all that snow as I learned and weekends. We thought it was for the benefit of the kids but they how to ski and went sledging every day down at the have expressed relief at having a break from the full schedule. park. We are learning to relax. Properly. Without guilt. I am going back to school on Monday which makes me We miss family but there is no changing that. a little bit nervous as I have a new teacher, but I can’t We miss holidays and day trips but are rediscovering how simple things wait to get back and see all of my friends. like a picnic at home can be fun. Stay Safe Everyone , Kaitlyn xxx We asked the kids what they thought of lockdown (aside from their concerns for everyone’s wellbeing) and their answer was…really fun and cool! ‘Lockdown’ by Kaitlyn Robson Their negatives were : No swimming, football training or grandparents. (aged 6) Their positives were: Family time, games, just being together and outside play. (name withheld)