Strathdearn February 2009.Vol.9 Issue 1 Newsletter VILLAGE HALL The Hall Committee is aware that the future of the Hall will impact on everyone in this area, and has decided that before any decisions are made, everyone in the community should be able to give their opinion on the future of the hall. In this edition of the Newsletter, you’ll find a questionnaire for each member of the household eligible to vote, and a stamped addressed envelope. Ignore the number written on the bottom of the page, you can use any of the forms delivered to your house. Please take time to complete and return this questionnaire to me, as the decisions made will affect everyone to some degree, and if we don’t show any interest now, we may not have a hall in years to come. Your opinion is important – please respond to the questionnaire. Duncan Hendry, 53 Sunnyside, Culloden Moor, Inverness IV2 5ES 01463 790483 07881 832004 Two very special occasions celebrated in 2008 by two very special “Strathdearners” On 19th March 2008, Pearl and Charlie Cameron celebrated their 60th wedding anniversary. They were joined at home by their children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren, plus other family and friends who all helped to make it a very special day. Guests were coming and going from morning ‘till night and it proved to be a very hap- py day for us all! Charlie was born and brought up in Tomatin, where as a boy he attended Primary School at Raigbeg. Pearl came to Moy with her parents when she was just a year old, and as girl attended Moy Primary School. Charlie and Pearl met at a local dance but by her own admission Pearl had had her eye on him for some time before, and just bided her time!! They were married at Moy village hall and apart from their first year of marriage have lived happily in Moy ever since. …wishing you both lots more happy times. On 23rd October 2008 Charlie celebrated his 90th birthday, which again proved to be a very busy day for him and Pearl, with lots of family and friends calling to wish him a very happy birthday. There was a lot of laughter and quite a few boyhood stories from Charlie which we all loved hearing. By all accounts, boys then got up to quite a bit of mischief too! We always said he should have written a book! …..wishing you lots more happy times. (sent in by Marnie) This Newsletter is published by Strathdearn Community Council with the help of our sponsors, and seeks to keep local folk informed about what’s going on in the Community Council and in the wider community. We also wel- come feedback – if you want to comment on anything relating to the Community Council in this newsletter, please send your comments to Mrs Elspeth MacQueen, Secretary, Creag Liath, Daviot IV2 5XL e-mail: [email protected] - or if your comments are about articles etc in general – why not pen a letter to the Editor? Educational Overseas Gap Year with Project Trust For the past 6 years, Millburn Academy and Blythswood Care have worked together and selected a team of seven 5th year pupils to spend two weeks working with underprivileged children in Romania. In June 2008 the selected team, of which I was part of, went to help out at the annual summer camp (Talita Kum Centre). I had the time of my life and on returning home I immediately started researching similar projects. I had heard about Project Trust, an educational charity, sending school leavers in their gap year to work voluntarily in 24 different countries. Their aim is to provide the volunteer with an educational experience through living and working with peo- ple in communities very different from their own. I decided to apply. In December I was invited to a selection week on the Island of Coll. There was a group of approximately 25 of us all hoping to be successful. During this week we were assessed on various essential qualities such as team work, physical attributes and teaching abilities. The week ended with a ceilidh which was great fun as we had all become friends. I returned home and waited anxiously to hear the outcome. A week before Christmas a letter arrived telling me I had been accepted. I was delighted. I will spend twelve months in Namibia teaching English in a rural primary school. I return to Coll in July for a week of training and it is then I am introduced to my partner for the year. In the meantime I have to raise £4,400 which seems scary at the moment but with ideas at the planning stage and help from teachers and friends at school, I hope to make it. Look out for a coffee morning planned for February/March! Fraser Manson The Handy Person Service Tomatin and District Gardening Club If you need things done around the home or garden or know of someone who does, we may be able to help. The Handy th Person Service provides free assistance by volunteers to February 16 :Speaker - David Jardine, Forest- elderly, disabled and vulnerable members of the community ry Commission who have no-one to help them, are unable to do the work th themselves and do not have the financial resources to em- March 16 : Question Night; Panel includes ploy someone. If you are not sure whether we can help, Neil Drummond, Show judge. please contact us for advice on 01463 711393 and ask to Come and get an answer to all speak to the Handy Person’s Co-ordinator for more informa- tion your gardening problems! April 20th: John Mackay & friend, from Gol- Become a Volunteer spie (expert gardener and Do you have some spare time, like working as part of a team, enjoy gardening or decorating? Why not become a volunteer Judge) with The Handy Person’s Service and contribute towards helping vulnerable members of our community Meet in Strathdearn Hall, Tomatin at 7.30pm. All welcome. Contact The Handy Person’s Co-ordinator at: THE HANDY PERSON SERVICE VOLUNTEERING HIGHLAND Organ 1a MILBURN ROAD INVERNESS In the Hall there is have an electric organ that IV2 3PX is never use, we would like it to go to a good Tel: 01463 711393 home. It works but may need some adjust- Email: [email protected] Web: www.volunteeringhighland.org ments. Anyone who is interested may have it Funded by: The Highland Council, Lloyds TSB Founda- for a small donation to Hall Funds. tion, The Robertson Trust For viewing please phone Chris West - 01808 Supported by: The Highland Cross, ROK, HBOS 511412 BEAT THE CREDIT CRUNCH LO- CALLY YOGA COME DOWN TO THE Strathdearn Village Hall, TOMATIN TABLE TOP SALE Wednesdays, 5.30pm – 7pm AT THE 18th February – 18th March (5 weeks) STRATHDEARN HALL (Tomatin Village) 15th April – 13th May (5 weeks) SAT 28TH FEBRUARY 10am – 3pm Tables available Contact Anne Hart 01808 511724 2 TOMATIN COUNTRY INN TOMATIN COUNTRY INN Main Street, Tomatin, IV13 7YP CHEFS RECIPE IDEA FOR TWO Special Menu Events BRAISED LAMB SHANK Saturday 14th February 2009 2 x Lamb Shanks about 1.1kg (2.5 lbs) VALENTINE’S NIGHT 1 x Sprig Rosemary 1 x Clove Garlic Friday 27th February 2009 1 x Large onion chopped STEAK AND PASTA NIGHT 2 x Large Carrots chopped 2 x Tablespoons redcurrant jelly Friday 27th March 2009 1 x Glass Red Wine CURRY NIGHT 500ml Lamb stock Salt & Pepper Sunday 22nd March 2009 Oil for cooking Leek Mash and Broccoli MOTHERING SUNDAY Preheat oven 150c/300f/gas 2 For menu details Please telephone 01808 511291 Remove most of fat from each shank and make 2 deep incisions in each joint and insert a sprig of rosemary and a sliver of garlic into the incision. Season the meat with salt and pepper. Heat the oil until hot in a heavy casserole tray THE ROYAL BRITISH POPPY DAY COLLECTIONS Add the Lamb and Brown well over on all sides The four collecting tins collected £203.18. Thank you Add the carrots, onions & rest of garlic all at the Strathdearn Primary School, Tomatin Inn and Cook over a high heat until well browned the Tomatin Inn Shop and the Tomatin Distillery for Add the wine and redcurrant jelly being so helpful and also to the Strathdearn Communi- Bring to the boil and add Lamb Stock to just cover the ty Charitable Trust for paying for the wreath which Ma- Lamb. jor Edward Usborne laid on Sunday 9th November at Cover and cook for 2½ hours until tender. the War Memorial where there was a Service which was well attended. The collection was £77, bringing Once cooked make a gravy from the juices with a little the complete total to £280.18 plus £21 for the wreath. flour. Thank you all for supporting this very important Remembrance Day which we have every year to re- Serve with leek mash and some broccoli and spoon member all our brave men and women who gave their over the gravy lives so that we can live peacefully in our country. Susan Mackintosh-Grant JOB DONE—ENJOY!!! STRATHDEARN BOOK CLUB By the time you read this we will have just finished John le Carré’s novel “Absolute Friends”. This old spymaster has lost none of his touch, with twists and turns that grip till the end. His detail is astonishing, interspersed with clever, funny and even beautiful descriptions – despite the subject matter at times. Not a book to race through, it’s far too enjoyable in the detail.