Alyth Voice 137th Edition, August 2009 Tel. 01828 633045 Minimum Circulation 1725 Email address: [email protected] Website: www.alythvoice.co.uk ALYTH PRIMARY PRIZE-WINNERS Above: Alyth Primary School prize-winners, back, from left--Sean Thomson, Heather Stewart, Adrienne Donaldson, Ashton Dobie; middle, from left--Liam Pogson, Natasha Barclay, Lori Harden, Alex Donnelly, Rhys Fraser, Angus Montador; seated, from left--Conner Robertson, Nathan Thomson, Christopher Currie (dux), Louise Dickson (proxime accessit), Ross Murray. ALYTH Primary School prize-givings were held on June 30 when awards were handed over by the school chaplain, the Revd Sheila Kirk. Parents and pupils were welcomed to the Upper Primary prize-giving by Mr Mark Lindsay, head teacher, and other members of the platform party were Councillor Ian Miller; Karen Anderson, chair, Alyth PS Parent Council; and Sandra Heap, chair, Parent Staff Association. Musical selections were by Louise Dickson and Christopher Currie who played That's How It Goes on violin. P4/5 sang Bring Me Sunshine, and P4 sang Highland Cathedral and Where Do We Go From Here? After Mr Lindsay's address Rev. Kirk presented the prizes. Dux-Christopher Currie; Proxime Accessit-Louise Dickson. Awards for effort. P7--Adrienne Donaldson, Heather Stewart, Sean Thomson. Alyth PS P3 pupils (above) P6-Ashton Dobie, Alex Donnelly, Liam Pogson. performed an Egyptian concert for P4/5-Natasha Barclay, Angus Montador. parents, staff, and pupils, the P4-Rhys Fraser, Lori Harden. proceeds of which were presented Dictionaries from the PSA were presented to P7 pupils by to Riding for the Disabled Mrs Heap. Blairgowrie. A cheque for £140 was House championship-Balhary (captains Conner Robertson presented to Chris Humble, and Heather Stewart). secretary, RDA Blairgowrie, by Sports champions-Ross Murray and Louise Dickson. pupils Liam McLeish, Ryan Whyte, House football-Bamff (captain Nathan Thomson). and Kieran Phillips, who have all taken part in riding lessons at the INFANT PRIMARY RDA in the summer term (photo At the Infant Primary prize-giving effort prizes went to: right). The money raised will be P3-Kahia McGillivray, Morgan Mollison. used in caring for the RDA's seven P2-Emma Tait, Ross Tait. ponies over the next months. © All images/text on this page DM Phillips Book prizes were presented to all P1 and Nursery pupils. The Alyth Voice is a free monthly newsletter, managed, written, and delivered by volunteers. DOCTOR SUCCESS Saturday 11th July saw Dr Graham Johnston of Alyth Health Centre and his brother-in-law, Graeme Gath- erer, a GP in Blairgowrie take part in the Great Kindro- chit Quadrathlon, an arduous race around Loch Tay. Proceedings kicked off at 6am when, alongside 120 other teams, they entered Loch Tay to complete a 1 mile swim. The second leg involved a 15 mile run over 7 neighbouring Munros and then down to the shores of the Loch. They then had to kayak 7 miles back up the Loch only to finish up with a 35 mile cycle. To stop the clock they had to slice a water melon in half with a Claymore - an occasion for which they felt it was nec- essary to don their customary "Jimmy" hats. The months of intensive training would appear to have paid off as not only did they finish first, they also broke the existing course record by 36 minutes - completing the race in 8 hours 10 minutes. Dr Johnston would like to extend a massive thank you to all those who sponsored him in the race, Prac- tice staff and Patients alike. Thanks to everyone's generosity he and his brother-in-law have raised in © G Johnston excess of £1,700 for Mercy Corps, an international aid Above: Drs Gatherer & Johnston prepare to slice the water melon and declare victory organisation. Thank you everyone! HAPPY BIRTHDAY DIRLIEBANE The Dirliebane Coffee Shop has been open for a year on 2nd August and has proved to be a very popular meeting place for locals and visitors alike, with many people returning on a regular basis. Various groups have found The Dirliebane a perfect venue to hold meetings and presentations. The Coffee Shop is acquiring a good reputation for its excellent coffee, delicious home baking and friendly atmosphere. They have a varied menu with everything available to take away as well as sit in. All in all a welcoming place to come and relax whether you are on your own or with friends to peruse the daily papers or wide range of books, or just sit and chat. Rhona and Dave are assisted by Glenda and Margaret during the week and at the weekends by Eileen, Evonne and Kerry. Photo right, L-R: Margaret Aitchison, Dave Middleton, Glenda Keene, seated Rhona Murdoch © DH Todd PERTHSHIRE BRASS Perthshire Brass had another fantastic trip to Aschaffenburg in July, having been invited back after last year's tour. Traffic problems meant we were late arriving on the Friday evening, and our first concert was delayed by 2 hours! That didn't stop local band Melomania Obernau giving us a fanfare welcome as we stepped off the bus, then providing us with a fantastic meal and fun evening together. On Saturday we played in the city's main square, before doing a quick sound check and radio recording for the concert that night. Saturday evening was the main event, and we shared the huge stage with German, Hungarian and French groups. We received a standing ovation from the audi- ence of 1200, and some of us were interviewed for radio and TV. The whole concert lasted over 4 hours, meaning another late night for the players. Sunday was another full day, and following the previous evening's concert, we attracted a huge audience for our usual morning con- cert in Schontal park. A quick lunch provided by the Friends of Perth was followed with a performance at the Miltenberg festival. Again, we were made so welcome, and the local band gave us a nice send off by playing Highland Cathedral and Auld Lang Syne. Alyth was well represented through some of the players in the band, our drivers Ricky Don and Alan Lamb, and our pipers Callum Strachan and Kyle Macintyre. Callum will feature heavily on the TV broadcasts in Germany as the cameras were all around him for his performance. Kyle received lots of compliments for his playing and professionalism at the official reception with the Mayor of Aschaffen- burg. He obviously enjoyed his first trip with PB too, as he has de- cided to start brass lessons in an attempt to join the © G Annan band 'properly'! George Annan 2 Alyth Family History Project In this year of Homecoming, Alyth Parish Church is launching an exciting new project in conjunction with Alyth Library and Alyth Museum. Funded by the Drumderg Windfarm Community Benefit Fund and Alyth Community Council, the objective is to provide a FREE resource of information and photographs for genealogists in, or visiting, Alyth. WHEN: Find Auld Alyth Businesses SATURDAY 1ST AUGUST 2009 at 2pm in the church WHAT: ~ An extensive collection of Alyth photographs on a computer to browse through, covering Businesses, Events, People, School and Views. ~ A display of sample photographs from the database. ~ A map/lair plan of Alyth cemeteries with details of records extracted to date. ~ Family History advice from the Library & P&K Council ~ A ‘scanning station’ to copy your photographs WOULD YOU LIKE TO HELP? This project will never end as long as photographs and memories are added to the database. Share your photos now, and with future Enjoy Auld Alyth Events © D. Brough generations, by allowing us to copy the original images. We are looking for photos with any Alyth connection; people, buildings, organisations, school, businesses, events, etc. Any age of photograph is suitable, but older than 20 years is preferred in the first instance. All photographs will be scanned and the originals returned. Please accompany all photos with your name, address, telephone number, and the details known about EACH photo e.g. what/who it shows, year, names, background story, etc; as much information as is known please. There is no deadline for submitting photos. Get in touch now with Irene Robertson (01828 633045 or email [email protected]), or BRING YOUR PHOTOS ON 1ST AUGUST TO THE LAUNCH. If you know someone who has Auld Alyth photos, please pass on our request. All original photos will be returned once scanned, therefore there is no risk of losing your precious memories. Further info. at www.alythparishchurch.org.uk Meet Auld Alyth People © D. Husband AFTER THE LAUNCH A Once the Project is launched, opening times are as follows: D Alyth Parish Church: Saturday 10-12 M (for Auld Alyth photos & Sunday 2-4 I Cemeteries database) S S Alyth Museum (May-Sep): Wednesday - Sunday 1-5 I (for ever-changing exhibitions O on Alyth life over the centuries) N Alyth Library: Monday 10-12.30, 2-4 (for FREE Internet access Tuesday 10-12.30, 6-8 F and advice on tracing Wednesday/Sunday Closed R your ancestors) Thursday 2-4, 6-8 E Friday 2-4 Laugh at Auld Alyth School ! E Saturday 9.30-12.30 3 NEW HOLIDAY COTTAGE RENTAL IN ALYTH Having only ever had as much as a passing thought about buying an old cottage to renovate as a holiday rental property, we found ourselves, quite unexpectedly, the proud owners of the little cottage at 11 Mill Street, Alyth on the 6th December 2008. Since that time, we have spent every weekend lovingly restoring it and finding some original features, such as the old stone fireplace, which was hidden behind two more modern additions.