Nuisance Helpline

Anti-Social Behaviour
Noise problems
CHATTERBOX ASIST
Anti-Social
Investigation Team
Support and Advice
No 197 May 2010 Office 8:45am – 4:45pm
Every day 9am – 10pm
www.lochwinnoch.info Tel: 0141 840 2163
Tel: 0800 169 1283

Community newsletter produced by lochwinnoch publicity committee for lochwinnoch cc

year, singing, dance and performance

Drama in New York ….
What’s On in the second year and, in the third
and fourth years, students’ perform-
Lochwinnoch student, Marcus Guy, has been ances open up to the public when
See centre pages for awarded a scholarship place at the Juilliard agents from New York and Los Ange-
dates of village School in New York to study drama. les will view showcase performances
events, club activities to spot new talent.
and regular classes. Marcus currently attends the Dance School
of Scotland at Knightswood Secondary and Marcus is one of two Lochwinnoch
recently attended auditions in New York to students attending auditions this year
See back pages
compete for a place on the 4-year course. He and he is pictured (centre back row)
for Visitor Cen- was delighted to learn that he had won a alongside his year group contempo-
tre/RSPB events and place at the Juilliard School and moves to raries at Knightswood Secondary
outdoor activities. New York in August. The course comprises after a rehearsed reading of “DNA” -
classical drama and voice work in the first a play by Dennis Kelly.
The scholarship system in the US is
different to the UK and Marcus’ place
at Juilliard isn’t fully funded. Marcus
has to raise around $30,000 to cover
the costs of tuition, residence, books,
etc in the first year and has applied to
the Donald Dewar Arts Award
Scheme to help make up some of the
costs.
Marcus is now trying to raise funds
locally for the remaining costs of his
course. If anyone would like to help
Marcus with a donation and/or with
ideas about fundraising, please call:
01505 842985.
Please be generous, this is a chance of
a lifetime for this young man and
wouldn’t it be just great to see this
rising Lochwinnoch star have his
name in lights on Broadway in the
years to come.
Editorial and copy
for Chatterbox
Let us have your stories, notices, news,
information, events & items of interest —
MATTHEW NEW & SONS
either hand-deliver them to the Chatter-
box drop-box in the Library or e-mail to:
ROOFING - ROUGHCASTING - BUILDING MAINTENANCE
chatterbox@lochwinnoch.info
Emergency Repairs, Storm Damage
To advertise in Chatterbox
Insurance Work, New Roofs, Flat Roofs
Tel: 07899 746403 or e-mail:
chatterboxaccount@btinternet.com Roughcasting –UPVC Cladding—Guttering
Tel No 01505 843400
Copy Deadline for
June Chatterbox Is FMB Certificate No 26366
Tuesday 25th May

Joinery: All including kitchens,
bathrooms, flooring, tiling,
garages, sheds, etc.
Painting/Decorating/
Paperhanging.
Fencing: wooden and metal.
Ornamental metalwork.
Welding.
Gardening/Landscaping.
DIY Disasters put right.
All jobs considered.
FREE estimates/Best prices.
Phone: 01505 682027
Mobile: 07917 654857
E-mail: r-fleming@talktalk.net
MASONIC CLUB
Events
All to be held in the Masonic Hall,
High Street
Psychic Variety Show
Friday 7th May
featuring Joan Charles (as seen in the
Scottish Sun newspaper);
7.30pm for 8pm;
Tickets £7 from Billy on 843359 or Liz
on 842387 also on sale at door.
Book early to avoid disappointment.
Watch out for posters.
Prize Bingo Night
Friday, 21st May
at 7.30pm
All welcome.
Coffee Morning
in aid of Erskine Hospital
Saturday 22nd May
from 10am till 12 noon.
Entry tickets £1.50. Raffle and home
baking. Come along for a wee blether
and cuppa, all for a good cause.
Chat from the Chair
In the hope of increasing the amount of
news from the Community Council in
this fine publication, I am going to try to
write a regular column. This will be my
personal take on things though – for the
official Community Council line you’ll
have to read the minutes!
So what’s been happening, what’s the
Community Council spending its time
on, what are the issues that affect the
community most right now?
We, along with all the other Community
Councils in Renfrewshire, have been
involved in consultations about the in-
troduction of a Renfrewshire version of
a new national Community Council
scheme. This won’t be a lot different to
the one we have now but is the reason
our elections were delayed by about a
year.
Which brings me to an important point –
there will be an “election” in the au-
tumn. If enough people stand then we
will actually have to turn out and vote!
This is a good time for new people to
join the Community Council, so if
you’re thinking about joining and doing
something for your community, start
coming to meetings now and join in the
discussions. (Meetings are held on the
first Tuesday of every month at 7.30pm
in the Guild Room of the Parish
Church.)
Gordon Nicholl has been busy fixing up
LOCHWINNOCH
SWRI
At the final meeting of the session,
members and invited guests
enjoyed a social evening with quiz-
zes, a fun card-making competition
and an excellent supper provided by
the committee.
The points Trophy for this year
was won by -
P Matthews,
the second prize by R Gould and
third prize by E Richmond.
The President and Committee
thanked members for their support
throughout the year and look
forward to seeing them again in
September.
some of the old benches around the vil-
lage as a Community Council project.
At the end of March, the Planning Sub-
Committee held an open meeting to assess
the community’s view of the proposed
wind turbine at Glenlora and hence the
Community Council’s response. About 30
people attended, many vociferously op-
posed to this development.
The April meeting had an interesting pres-
entation from John Smart from the coun-
cil’s planning department, to explain the
effect of the new planning legislation on
the Community Council’s work. We hope
to invite the new Head of Roads, Scott
Allan, to a future meeting to discuss the
winter gritting programme for next year.
We will have discussed the improvements
to the area around the McKillop at the
May meeting – in my opinion a lot better
than it was, but not quite what I was ex-
pecting; at least there's nothing to trip over
now! Also up for discussion at this meet-
ing will be plans for the day of the Christ-
mas lights switch-on – more on this an-
other time, but the lights should include
another prize-winner as we are hoping to
run a competition again, following the
success of last year’s one.
Finally, dig out you walking-boots for a
guided walk round the whole Semple
Trail on Bank Holiday Monday (more
details elsewhere).
Chris Gould
Chairman,
Lochwinnoch Community Council
Thank you
Mrs Agnes Macfarlane and
family wish to express their
many thanks to all relations,
friends and neighbours for their
many kind expressions of
sympathy on the recent sad loss
of Gordon beloved husband,
father and grandfather.
We would also like to convey
our thanks to Mr Ford the
minister and all who were in-
volved in the funeral service,
Lochwinnoch Bowling Club for
the use of the premises, Isabelle
Pratt and ladies of the commit-
tee for the lovely lunch. Also
thanks to Robert and Marion
for their assistance at the bar..
The Macfarlane family
 Councillor Arthur’s
Report
The Arts Festival just gets bigger and
better. It ran from Thursday 18th to
Sunday 28th March and covered a vari-
ety of events for the enjoyment of all
ages. Well done to Morag Thow, her
team and all who participated in the
festival.
I was delighted to accept an invitation
to meet with the good folk from the
French village, Fouquenies during
their visit to our village. The visit came
about due to an informal village twin-
ning, which has developed thanks to a
group of villagers who visited Fou-
quenies back in September.
I was privileged again this year to be
one of the judges of the Elderly Fo-
rum’s Easter Bonnet Competition. The
weather was dreadful but the turnout
was great and the entries were once
again to a very high standard. Well
done to Mary, Cath, Moira and all who
entered, everyone was a winner.
The Easter Football Camp, run by
St.Mirren community coaches during
the Easter holidays, proved to be very
successful. Roll on the annual summer
camp.
What a terrific turnout there was at
the recent Pawsitive Action event at
the Castle Semple and RSPB centres.
Well done to Jacquie, Tony and all the
volunteers who put in the hard work
and effort to promote and bring edu-
cational awareness with regards to the
Outdoor Access Code and the unac-
ceptable Dog Fouling issue. As well as
having a good old natter with various
people and learning more about
Pawsitive Action, I met up with my old
friend Scooby Doo.
THINKING OF LETTING OUT YOUR PROPERTY?
WHY NOT GIVE US A CALL?
WITH COMPETITIVE RATES AND A FRIENDLY,
PERSONAL SERVICE, LET AMG LETTING
TAKE CARE OF EVERYTHING FOR YOU.
GIVE ANNETTE A CALL ON 01505 843589
Over the 5 years we have been suc-
cessful in reducing the amount of LOCHWINNOCH
anti-social behaviour and traffic is- SURGERY
sues but acknowledge that there is
still a lot of work to do to tackle the Surgery Tel: 01505 842200
quantity of traffic that we have trav-
elling in and through our village as
NEWS
well as the unacceptable behaviour
of some of the drivers.
If you have any issues of this type Travel Vaccination advice
is available from the Practice
that you feel you need help with,
then please don’t hesitate to contact Nurses or visit the website
me or the Anti-social Behaviour www.fitfortravel.nhs.uk.
Team (ASIST) - who can be con-
H1N1 swine flu vaccination is
tacted on the numbers shown at the
currently recommended for anyone
top of the front page of Chatterbox.
You can also contact Lochwinnoch travelling to the Southern Hemi-
Partnership by email at: sphere.
lochpartnership@btinternet.com
Thursday Afternoons:
My next Surgery is on Saturday 15th
May but there is no need to wait for Lochwinnoch Practice closes at 4 pm
a Surgery if you require my help, you
on Thursdays and phones are di-
can contact me on Tel: 843507 or
verted to the branch surgery in
e-mail me at -
cllr.david.arthur@renfrewshire.gov.uk Beith where emergency cover is
and we can agree a time when we
provided until 6 pm. Please call the
can meet.
normal (01505) 842200 telephone
Councillor David Arthur number and you will be diverted.

Congratulations to local lass Claire Thank you Sponsored Walk

Hiddleston who recently completed
her Tall Ships voyage. Claire tells me
that she had an amazing time, learned
a lot about sailing, as well as making
new friends. Of course let’s not under-
estimate the social skills that these
types of events provide to our young
people, that’s why I’m always happy to
give my support.
March of this year saw Lochwinnoch
Partnership celebrate its 5th anniver-
sary. The partnership is made up of
the Police, the Anti-social Behaviour
Team (ASIST), Lochwinnoch Commu-
nity Council and Renfrewshire Coun-
cil.
A big thank you to everyone
who kindly contributed to the
collection for Arthritis
Research UK at mum’s funeral
(Barbara Connell).
The sum of £160
has been donated.
Thank you again.
The Connell family
leaving
Lochwinnoch Parish Church
on
Saturday 22nd May at 10am.
Sponsor forms are available from
Mrs Christine Pollard
(Tel. No. 01505 842404) or email
Christine_Pollard@btinternet.com
A light lunch will be served in
the Church Hall after the walk.
 Saturday 12th June
Gala Day is coming together in time for the day itself.
Stallholders can still pick up forms from Crafts of Cal-
der Gallery, 8 High Street, Lochwinnoch. The forms
need to be submitted to us no later than the end of May.

We are pleased to announce that Mr John Smeaton has

kindly agreed to open Gala Day this year. He will also
help to judge the children’s fancy dress costumes from
the parade.

We will be having live music this year, most of which is

home grown. More details of this will be released
shortly.

1st Lochwinnoch Company, We will be doing a collection for our 'Gala Bottle Stall'
The Boys’ Brigade at the start of June. So please, help us by donating a
bottle.
28th running of
We’ve been asked if we’re doing ' Doughnuts' this year
LOCHWINNOCH and, yes, I can confirm that we are !
OPEN RACE We would like to thank Lochwinnoch Community
Council for their generosity in helping with the
purchase of new bunting for this year’s Gala Day.

HELPERS ARE STILL NEEDED ON THE DAY.

Anyone wishing to help, even for an hour, please leave
contact details at Crafts of Calder Gallery, 8 High
Street, Lochwinnoch.
Christine Brown
(Gala Day Chairperson)

on
Saturday Renfrewshire Council for Voluntary Services
12th June 2010 (RCVS)
have started work on the latest issues of our newsletters, due for
Starting at release in May. Do you have any news you’d like to share with a
2.15pm mailing list of nearly 1000 organisations and individuals in the local
area?
in
Calder Street, Lochwinnoch. We produce two bi-monthly newsletters: Connections (which cov-
ers Renfrewshire’s voluntary and charity sector) and SE Connec-
Entry forms are available from the usual local tions (focusing on Renfrewshire’s social enterprise sector).
agencies. Also, watch out for posters with
more information - such as details of the Maybe you have a new service, upcoming event or training course
Waterstone Trophy, entry fees and closing date you’d like to promote? Perhaps you’ve won an award or have an
for all entry forms. anniversary coming up? Are you looking at the possibility of es-
tablishing a new network, partnership or organisation? Would you
like us to do a profile on your organisation to let everyone know
Alternatively, further details who you are and what you can offer? Whatever the news is that
can be obtained from you want to get out to a wider audience, please feel free to contact
Race Organiser, Murray Lawrie Gordon Mclean on 0141 587 2487 or e-mail at:
at Tel: 0141 887 8791 gordon.mclean@rcvsweb.co.uk for further information
or by e-mail at:
amurraylawrie@hotmail.co.uk
 Lochwinnoch
Choral Society
2010 Concert
This year’s concert is on 6th June in
the Parish Church. This is D-Day and
the concert will reflect this historic
occasion. We will be singing sections
of Karl Jenkins Stabat Mater with
other related pieces and a new ar-
rangement of some D-Day songs writ-
ten by Lynda Cochrane our very own
pianist (although we do share her with
the BBC Scottish Symphony Orches-
tra). As usual, the Junior choir will
start the concert under their conduc-
tor Laura Sands, followed by the Sen-
ior choir with extracts from the very
moving Stabat Mater and D Day
songs.
We will also have an exclusive preview
of a new work by Adrian Wiszniewski
and Gordon Rigby. Following on from
the critically acclaimed G.B.H. and La
Befana we will have a chance to wit-
ness this preview performance of the
third piece in the trilogy ‘Foundation
Stone’ (Amber). This piece was sup-
ported by Glasgow University and the
Scottish Arts Council and will have its
official premiere at the Charles Rennie
Mackintosh Church in Glasgow on
Friday the 11th of June.
Like La Befana, Foundation Stone will
be performed by the remarkable
young artist Danielle Stewart with the
marvellous Scottish Philharmonic Or-
chestra. Conducted by the composer
himself, Gordon Rigby and directed by
the well loved figure of stage and
screen, Dave Anderson.
While GBH was based in Germany
and La Befana was based in Italy,
Foundation Stone is rooted in Scot-
land at a critical time in its history –
The Union of the Crowns. Our pro-
tagonist, Amber, comes to Scotland
and finds a nation in turmoil; caught
in a conflict between subjugation and
freedom. Meanwhile she follows her
own personal quest to fulfil her dream,
reach her final destination and find
her chosen destiny.
This is a fantastic opportunity to see
this major new work in our very own
village. Come and see Danielle and the
wonderful musicians from the Scottish
Philharmonic Orchestra at a fraction
of Glasgow prices. Tickets (£8 and £5
cons.) are available from the Junction,
the Brown Bull or from any choir
member. There will be a short inter-
val where refreshments will be served.
ELLISTON GRILL
HAVE YOU TRIED THE FABULOUS ELLISTON GRILL YET?
IF THE ANSWER IS NO THEN YOU REALLY ARE MISSING OUT ON SOME
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WHY NOT COME ALONG AND TRY OUR FABULOUS NEW MENU.
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OR 3 COURSES FOR £15.95
OUTSIDE AREA NOW AVAILABLE WITH TERRACE MENU, SENIOR CITIZENS
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DATES FOR UPCOMING EVENTS
Thursday 6th May - MARQUES DE RISCAL DINNER
6 COURSE DINNER WITH 6 WINES TO MATCH FROM THIS SUPERB
WINERY, WITH FOOD TO MATCH FROM OUR TALENTED CHEFS
Thursday 20th May - CHARITY RACE EVENING
3 COURSES FOR £19.95, INCLUDING ALL YOUR RACES AND
ENTERTAINMENT, A TRULY WONDERFUL NIGHT AHEAD
Thursday 17TH June - QUIZ NIGHT
RETURNS DUE TO POPULAR DEMAND. 3 COURSES FOR £13.95,
THEN THE MAIN EVENT - IST PRIZE £50.00 CASH, OTHER PRIZES ALSO
Sunday 20th June - FATHER’S DAY
WHY NOT CELEBRATE FATHER’S DAY WITH THE FAMILY HERE AT
ELLISTON GRILL. I AM SURE HE DESERVES IT. 3 COURSES FOR £16.95.
COMING SOON - SUNDAY CARVERY
Call: 01505 703020 or visit our website at: www.ellistongrill.com
Junior Choir In Peril
This year the Lochwinnoch Choral Society Intermediate Choir has not had enough mem-
bers and therefore has not happened. The Junior choir is much depleted but is singing well,
and the Children all enjoy the musical experience. The main reasons for running the Junior
choirs is to provide young people the opportunity of singing songs they like to sing, learn-
ing music and musical appreciation outside of a school environment, to instill confidence
in them to perform in public and to become choristers to fill the ranks of the Senior choir.
The demise of the Intermediate Choir has cut that latter link and means that we have to
look carefully at the way the Juniors operate and decide on the best way forward.
The easy option would be to wind up the Junior choir at the end of the session. This
would have the downside of ending a very worthwhile tradition.
The Lochwinnoch Choral Society is therefore looking for volunteers to form a sub-
committee to assist in the rejuvenation of the Junior choirs. This sub committee could be
choir members, parents or people from the village with an interest in developing singing.
The Choir always likes to encourage new members, adults and juniors alike. So, for the
Junior and Intermediate Choirs, if you are between 6 and 16, and for the Senior Choir over
16, come and join us. You don’t have to be a great singer, there are no auditions, you just
have to enjoy singing.
If you would like to learn a bit more about music, improve your singing skills, and make
new friends, please come along and try it out.
The Junior Choirs meet every Monday in Lochwinnoch Parish Church Hall 7pm- 7.45 pm.
For further information please call Laura on 07793 867 220.
The Senior Choir meets every Monday in Lochwinnoch Parish Church Hall 8pm- 9.15 pm.
For further information please call Marek on 07803 058 940,
or speak to any choir member.
 Antiques, Curios and Crafts
A dynamic selection of oils, watercolours and
limited edition prints.
Bespoke crafts by local artisans, vintage and
contemporary jewellery.
Well worth discovering for yourself.
The Barn on the Farm, open 10am till late every day.
Contact Greta Logan on Tel: 01505 683338 Mob: 07786 720586
e-mail: greta@thestirrupcup.co.uk www.thestirrupcup.co.uk

West Bankside Farm, Geirston Rd, Kilbirnie, KA25 7LQ

Just opposite the Golf Course on the Largs Rd.

Renfrewshire
Trading Standards
News
SCOTTISH POWER SCAM
A Renfrewshire consumer received an
unsolicited telephone call from an In-
dian call centre. The salesman claimed
he was calling on behalf of Scottish
Power. He then asked for her electric-
ity meter reading and her bank ac-
count details in order to take a pay-
ment. We have spoken to Scottish
Power who have confirmed that this is
a scam phone call. Please be vigilant
when receiving calls like these and
advise any friends or family about this
scam.
Renfrewshire Trading
Standards Services
• If you would like to report the sale
of counterfeit goods please call 0141
840 3146.
• If you would like to report the sale
of age restricted products to under-
age children please call 0141 840
3460.
• Do you have an item you feel
should be published in our e-update?
Call 0141 840 3285.
• If you require consumer advice,
please contact our partners at
Consumer Direct Scotland on Tel:
08454 040506 or visit their website –
www.consumerdirect.gov.uk or
• visit Renfrewshire Trading Stan-
dards website www.renfrewshire.gov.uk
for information on the following:-
Consumer related advice including
Scams - Your Rights When Buying
on Credit - Home Shopping Advice -
Writing Letters to Traders -
How to Deal with Junk Mail and Un-
wanted Telephone Calls - Recalls
and Safety Notices - Independent
Inspections - Going to Court -
Mobile Phones - Bogus Doorstep
callers - Cross Border Shopping with
the EU - Electric Blankets - Buying
a Used Car Advice - Internet Shop-
ping Assistance - Consumer Statutory
Rights - Package Holiday Advice -
Ripped-Off, Then Tip-Off - Top
Tips for Buying a Car - Trading Stan-
dards FAQs - Electricity and Gas Sup-
pliers Advice - Buying a car on Hire
Purchase - Useful Website Links -
Car Boot Sale Advice
Trading Standards Plans,
Targets & Pledges
Cost of Service Comparison -
Performance and Future Targets -
Our Service Pledges - Policies and
Plans.
Business Related Advice -
Trading Standards Fees and Charges -
Advice for Landlords - Advertising
Advice - Distance Selling Advice -
Offering Credit - Product Safety Ad-
vice - Sale & Storage of Fireworks -
Sale and Storage of Petroleum -
Shoppers Rights - A Guide for Busi-
nesses - Weights and Measures -
Poisons Licence and Storage - Age
Restricted Products - Model Terms
for Internet Traders - Composition and
Use of Packaging - Hallmarking -
Prams and Pushchairs - Restrictive
Statements - Selling New Night-
wear - Selling Second Hand Electri-
cal Goods - Estate Agent Advice
Animal Related Advice
Animal Health - Horse Passports -
Animal Feed - Movement of cattle,
sheep, pigs and goats - Pet Food
Sales Advice.
You can also contact Renfrewshire
Trading Standards by e-mail at:
ts.es@renfrewshire.gov.uk and
write to us or call in to our offices at:-
Renfrewshire Trading Standards
Environmental Services
Renfrewshire Council
Renfrewshire House
Cotton Street
Paisley PA1 1UG
The Strathclyde Police website con-
tains information on all of the local
Community Policing Teams. Check
out our website at -
www. strathclyde.police.uk
for contact details of officers
in your local Policing Team.
You can also
e-mail us from this website.
USEFUL
CONTACT NUMBERS
Strathclyde Police –0141 532 5900
Johnstone Police –01505 404000
Johnstone Community Safety
Office – 01505 404023
Trading Standards 0141 840 3184
Care and Repair – 0141 812 4111
Renfrewshire Council -
Tel: 0141 842 5000
Anti-social Behaviour Investigation
Team (ASIST) - 0141 840 2163
Victim Support – 0141 887 0328
Nuisance Support & Advice
Helpline – 0800 169 1283
Crimestoppers – 0800 555 111

Lochwinnoch Energy
Action Plan- LEAP
Introduction
LEAP was launched by a local group
with funding from the Scottish Govern-
ment Climate Challenge fund. Its ob-
jective is to reduce energy consump-
tion in Lochwinnoch homes and so
help to reduce carbon pollution lead-
ing to Global climate change. At the
same time, of course, it will also cut
down on domestic fuel bills. LEAP is
one of many similar projects around
Scotland with the same aims; it will
last for one year and at the end an
estimate of how successful it has
been will be made.
We will work with the Energy Saving
Scotland Advice Centre (ESSAC),
based in Glasgow, and LEAP will em-
ploy two people to carry out the work
of the project. The project will be man-
aged by the local group, and there will
be regular opportunities for local input
as the project proceeds.
There are two jobs being advertised
for this project.
One is a Project Manager; requiring
some prior knowledge of energy
conservation, good communication
skills and organisational abiliites.
The second is a Home Energy Adviser
visiting houses, carrying out energy
audits and explaining energy conser-
vation ideas to householders. Again
good personal skills are important and
knowledge of the local area an
advantage. Some training will be of-
fered. You can obtain more informa-
tion by contacting Stephanie Barrows
at: leaplochwinnoch@gmail.com
The two employees will complete the
City and Guild Energy Awareness pro-
gramme which can lead to NVQ Level
2 Provide Energy Efficiency Services
Alternative Energy Sources .This will
give them a skills base from which
they might further their careers. Both
jobs are on a self-employed basis.
Project Activities There will be
two parts to the project.
For the first part, we plan that an en-
ergy audit (a one-off visit) will be car-
ried out on 90% of the 1200 homes in
Lochwinnoch giving each household a
report on their current energy con-
sumption levels and advice on how to
reduce the energy consumption of
their home.
The second part of the project is a
more detailed Carbon Reduction
Plan. This will involve about 120
homes volunteering to take part in a
longer term survey.
The advisors will work with the
householders to monitor energy us-
age over a period of about 6 months
and to devise ‘carbon-reduction
plans’ which will help them to save
greater amounts of energy by seeing
how energy is used or wasted in
their household. Thermal imaging,
which shows how energy escapes
from buildings, will be used to exam-
ine the energy performance of the
houses. To encourage the best en-
ergy-saving we will run this as a
competition with energy saving
prizes for the winners.
The energy-saving results from this
part of the project will be publicised
to encourage others to realise how
much more energy can be saved
with a bit more effort.
During the project operation, regular
local advice on availability of grants,
help and loans for energy efficiency
measures and boiler upgrades will
be provided as a free service through
ESSAC. They will also seek out the
best deal on insulation for “hot
spots” in the project, also benefiting
from economies of scale. Also, ES-
SAC will carry out feasibility studies
for micro-renewable energy tech-
nologies for appropriate households
identified in the initial energy survey.
This is a free service offered by ESSAC.
Increasing energy awareness
We hope that this project will lead to
a much greater sense of energy effi-
ciency in the village so that in future
people will go on to make more en-
ergy-saving choices in the way they
live their lives.
Helping children to understand fu-
ture responsibilities is important so
the project will also work with our
local primary school to deliver en-
ergy lessons to upper level primary
school pupils The local Primary
school is already active as an ECO-
school and it is intended to include
energy awareness as part of this
scheme. Also, the pupils involved in
this activity will be asked to complete
an energy survey of their homes,
from which they will receive a tai-
lored energy saving report. This will
ROBERT RARITY
FUNERAL SERVICES Ltd
Garnock Valley
Independent Funeral Service
60 Main Street, Kilbirnie
Family Owned, Family Run
Now serving the whole of the
Garnock Valley
Bringing the independent
choice back to the Valley
The independent undertaker
remains a family’s first choice, for
a personal and more understanding
service at your time of need.
Why Pay To Cover Huge Overheads
Independent Undertakers are up to
20% less for Funeral Costs
Tel: 01505 682 555
60 Main Street, Kilbirnie
E-mail: robert@robertrarity.com
Website www.largsfuneraldirector.com
24 hr Personal Service
Help and guidance
with all arrangements
help us to reach our goal of 1,000
households as described above.
Information
To celebrate the start of this project a
launch event will be held in the village
to introduce the project and the local
group. This will be an opportunity for
interested people and keen supporters
of the project to come along and find
out more. Other public information
events will be arranged during the pro-
ject.
This is the only project of its kind in this
Council area and so we will be passing
on our experiences to other villages in
Renfrewshire. The Project Manager
will produce a handbook detailing what
happened in both the energy audit and
the Carbon reduction plan. There will
be an estimate of how much energy
and carbon pollution were saved and
an estimate of how much money these
households are now saving, and a do-it
-yourself explanation on how to copy
our project as a group, or how to re-
duce energy consumption in an individ-
ual’s home. This will allow us to be-
come a blueprint for other villages to
follow, as well as help to expand the
carbon reductions into the remaining
households.
 Lochwinnoch residents -
Can I help? If so, please don’t
hesitate to get in touch.
Douglas Alexander, Lochwinnoch’s MP
Write to: 2014 Mile End Mill, 12 Seedhill Road, Paisley, PA1 1JS
Tel: 0141 561 0333. E-mail: dalexandermp@talk21.com
or come to one of my advice surgeries.
From the
Parish Church
Easter
Just when I thought
there would be no more light
in the Jerusalem sky,
the Bright and Morning Star
appeared
and the darkness has not overcome it.
Ann Weems
As I write, we are in the midst of the Gen-
eral Election campaign. By the time some
of you read this, it will be all over. Each
of the main parties are promising change.
One major change this time is the “prime
ministerial debates”. Far from moving
our focus from policy to personality, in
comparison with previous elections, the
parties’ manifestos have become best sell-
ers! It is interesting that the debates have
inspired people to buy these records of
what the parties promise to do when in
power. If you are reading this before the
election, please, please vote. We all
know the truth of the adage, “we get the
leaders we deserve.” If we don’t exercise
our democratic right to choose our lead-
ers, we may just end up with leaders that
we don’t want. It is also the slippery
slope that leads us away from democracy
altogether.
In the aftermath of World War One, the
German nation was so shamed by the
Treaty of Versailles, it was almost no sur-
prise that the resultant anger and embar-
rassment led to the rise of Nationalist So-
cialism. At the end of the Second World
War, in an attempt to avoid such a tragedy
striking Europe again, churches in Britain
responded to the horrors of the refugee
crisis on the continent, by raising funds
and showing solidarity with people who
had lost everything in the conflict. Today,
Christian Aid is the UK’s biggest ‘house-
to-house’ collection, with 300,000 volun-
teers delivering and collecting envelopes,
raising about £9 million each year.
The work of Christian Aid has spread
across the globe – anywhere people are
suffering from the scourge of prevent-
able poverty. This year the theme of
Christian Aid Week is POVERTY:
LET’S END IT. All poverty is pre-
ventable, we just need to move re-
sources around the world to ensure that
all people have a fair share of the
world’s riches.
There is an apocryphal story of a minis-
ter who stood before the congregation.
He announced that he had some good
news and some bad news. The good
news was that the congregation did have
the money to pay for the new roof that
was so badly needed. The bad news?
The money was still in their pockets!
The same could be said about our ability
to end poverty, we have the resources.
Are we willing to share them?
Christian Aid is not an exclusive charity.
You need not be a Christian to either
contribute or to benefit. Christian Aid
holds out the hope of life before death to
all who need that hope in their lives.
Christian Aid asks all of us in the rich
northwest to contribute, regardless of
our faith in God because virtually every-
one has faith in humanity’s ability to do
good when the choice is laid before
them.
There is still time left to volunteer. The
little red envelopes will be going out in
the week beginning the 9th May and will
be collected by the 16th. If you can
help, please call 843484. If you don’t
have time to volunteer, please give what
you can. If you are a tax payer, please
fill in the gift aid declaration. Christian
Aid receives over a tenth of its income
from the British Treasury.
Whatever you do this Christian Aid
week, let us all work together to end
POVERTY and to make this a better
world for everyone.
Rev. Christine Murdoch
Christian
Aid Week
9th –15th May 10
POVERTY
Let’s end it
Christian Aid is a Christian or-
ganisation that insists the world
can and must be swiftly changed
to one where everyone can live a
full life, free from poverty. We
provide urgent, practical and ef-
fective assistance where need is
great, tackling the effects of pov-
erty as well as its root causes.
To achieve this we need your
help during Christian Aid Week
- an amazing seven days of fund-
raising, prayer and action against
global poverty. Add your time,
money and voice this week, and
see them multiplied to make an
impact around the world through
Christian Aid.
LOCHWINNOCH Christian Aid
Group will be active in and
around the village on Christian
Aid Week – 9th to 15th May.
Please give generously in your
support when the red envelope
comes through your letterbox.
Every pound given will help
Christian Aid fund projects
throughout the world where
there is genuine need. Take this
opportunity to make a difference
to the lives of those blighted by
disease, famine and war.
Make an even bigger difference
by filling out the Gift Aid part of
the envelope before it is col-
lected. This simple act will ADD
almost 20% to your donation.
The Group will be working hard
to give all in the village the op-
portunity to make a donation.
Please give as generously as you
are able to do.
POVERTY Lets end it.
Christian Aid Week –
keeping hope alive!
 Pawsitive Action Days
In April, Pawsitive Action held two infor-
mation days on Dog Management, the Out-
door Access Code and Dog Fouling issues.
The first event was at Muirshiel Centre on a
crisp, bright Sunday on 4th April. We re-
ceived positive feedback from those who
did manage to beat a track through the snow
to Muirshiel and the Park Ranger hopes we
will be able to return next year. Ren-
frewshire Council Community Officers
were in attendance and took video footage
of the event. They were impressed with our
approach to tackling dog management is-
sues and will be writing a letter of recom-
mendation to the Council, which should
ensure Council support for future events.
Our second event was held on a beautiful
sunny Saturday 24th April (no snow this
time!), with stands at the RSPB Centre and
at Castle Semple Centre.
We received a great deal of interest and
positive feedback from the public, private
landlords, local Park Rangers and even from
two rangers from Gleniffer Braes and Bar-
shaw Parks who have asked us to do some-
thing similar in their parks later on this year.
What a pleasure it was to see our local
Councillor, Davie Arthur, there on the day,
visiting the various charities, chatting with
stall holders and members of the public and
taking the time to learn more about each
Support your local hardware store.
We stock hardware, electrical, plumbing, paint sundries, gardening and fancy
goods at competitive prices. Mobile phone top-ups. Competitive prices.
FREE local deliveries. All major credit cards accepted.
• BEDDING PLANTS, TOMATOES and
VEGETABLE TRANSPLANTS - stock arriving soon.
• BEAUTIFUL RANGE OF HAND-MADE JEWELLERY
• SELECTION OF HAND-MADE GREETINGS CARDS
• CARPET CLEANING MACHINE FOR HIRE
86 Main Street, Kilbirnie, KA25 7AA Tel/Fax: 01505 682125
OPEN - Monday, Tuesday, Thursday & Friday from 9am-1pm & 2.15-5.15pm
OPEN - Wednesday & Saturday From 9am -1pm.
TEENAGE CANCER
charity and support the dog management
issues we were promoting on our own
stand.
TRUST NEWS
Last, but not least, we were absolutely Please support Anne Miller, one of
delighted to have Vanessa Collingridge the Community Nurses in Lochwin-
there to support us, chat to visitors to our noch Surgery, who is running the
stand and hand out doggie goodie bags! Glasgow 10K Race on Sunday 9th
Vanessa was very impressed with the re- May for the Scottish TCT campaign.
laxed atmosphere and delighted to see that
people were actually reading the literature “Training is going well for the 10K
inside the bags and spending a lot of time on the 9th of May” Anne said
taking in the information on the many “though it beats me how anyone can
posters we had put up in the local area that run a marathon!”
morning.
Anne has set up a Just Giving page
A very big thank you to all our volunteers, at -
without whom these events would not www.justgiving.com/Anne-Miller
have been possible. which makes it really easy to donate
to this good cause. You can also
Once again, we hope to attract dogs and
their family pack to come and enjoy a day access Anne’s sponsor forms at the
surgery.
of fun on Sunday 9th May, from 11am-
3pm at Locherwood Park (Car park on the
B786 Lochwinnoch-Kilmacolm Road.) For more details about this year’s
Glasgow 10K and contestants, log
For more information, please contact us onto - www.runglasgow.org
on Tel: 01505 842885 or visit our web-
site at: www.k9chat.co.uk Good luck for Sunday Anne!
Jacquie Dougan and Tony Gibb ***
And, finally, a reminder that …...
the ‘Not the Booze Cruise’
sets sail on Friday 18th June.
Tickets are now on sale at usual out-
lets, price confirmed at £12, payable
in advance please. Bus fare is £5
return, payable on the buses.
This is always an extremely popular
event so don’t delay, get your tickets
early and book that seat on the bus
now.
Yo Ho Ho and a discrete bottle of
wine!
John Delaney
 Primary 1 have been working very hard and have had fun exploring their topic - There was a Princess Long ago.

We had lots of fun making our role play area into the Princess’ Castle. We
made brick walls, turrets, moat, flags, portcullis etc.

All we need are the people to live in the castle . . .

and here they are.

We had great ideas to tell one another about what a prince/princess would look like and what they would wear, also
exploring what life would be like long ago. The children worked well in groups for a lot of their work and were confi-
dent feeding back to their friends what they had discovered.

Our next topic

we are going to
explore
throughout May
is
‘The Park’
 CAMPLE BURN
PROJECT
On Tuesday 20th April, Clyde Muir-
shiel Regional Park led volunteers to
plant aspen and eared willow at its
scrub regeneration project at the Cam-
ple Burn. The main planting has pre-
viously involved juniper, but part of
the aim of the project is to increase the
type of species on the site. The land
for the project is owned by Hunterston
Estate and they have generously al-
lowed use of the site to further the bio-
diversity of the moorland.
An area of 17 hectares has been fenced
This work has been supported by
BULB, a small community group
Elderly Forum
with support from the Heritage Lot-
based in Lochwinnoch and formed in At the time of copy deadline for this entry,
tery Fund to protect the existing juni-
2006 to deliver a variety of biodiver- our AGM was due to take place on Thurs-
per on the Cample site and allow these
sity related projects in the local area. day, 29th April.
bushes to regenerate. Over the next
Currently their main project involves
few years one thousand juniper will be Eileen McLean, Head of Housing at Ren-
the study, research and conservation
planted out with a small amount of frewshire Council, Mark Canavan from
of native Aspen trees (Populus
eared willow and aspen. Juniper pro- ASIST and Sandra Blair responsible for
tremula). Importantly they are ex-
vides nest sites for stonechats and Lochwinnoch housing matters attended our
ploring new economic uses for as-
wrens as well as cover for black grouse. March meeting. A most interesting and
pen. BULB have set up a company
Many rare species are associated with informative experience. Eileen explained
called “eadha LLP” to manage a tree
aspen woodland including moths,
nursery to propagate and grow aspen the system used for the allocation of council
flies, bryophytes, lichens and fungi,
on a large scale. Eadha have do- housing. Mark Canavan discussed the
while five UK priority species are de-
nated £300 worth of trees for the ways ASIST helps deal with neighbour
pendent upon aspen stands.
Cample enclosure and these will be problems and anti-social behaviour and
monitored as part of a research pro- Sandra Blair remained behind to answer
For both juniper and aspen there were
ject. BULB are in the process of es- individual questions and to help if required.
only four sites within the Regional
tablishing the Strathclyde Forest
Park that had isolated amounts of
Trust to create new “Wildwoods” We also welcomed Maggi Boyd, health
these species. The Local Biodiversity
across the region. practitioner, who invited members to form a
Action Plan has defined actions to in-
singing group. An initial meeting in the
crease the amount of these two spe-
It is hoped that further partnership Wynd Centre on Monday 24th May at
cies. Although, eared willow has not
projects will be developed to im- 12.30pm will be held to set this up and
been recorded locally it is found
prove the biodiversity of areas within thereafter all activities will take place in the
nearby in upland areas on Arran and
the Regional Park. village (more on this later).
is an important part of the scrub
structure. It is also essential that
some parts of the Cample site are kept She also gave details of a new service
BULB Contact: Joe Greenlees where, should emergency service personnel
as open ground to allow foraging areas
Tel: 01505 844 896 be called to someone's house, they know to
for hen harriers.
look in the fridge for a special container
holding all that person's medical needs.

The May meeting is on Thursday 27th at

1.45pm following the lunch club in the
McKillop.

Renfrewshire Council provides a 24 hour,

365 day Community Alarm Service an-
swered by staff in the control centre, to
allow older people to live as independently
as possible within their community. A
member of staff from this service has been
invited to come along to the May meeting.

The Tbar (Tuesdays 10am - 1pm) and The

Lunch Club (Thursdays serving at 11.45am)
continue to be popular and well attended.
There was no lunch club on the 6th May
because of The Election.

Forum Contact - Gordon Nicholl: 842632

 What’s On
(Regular clubs, classes
and local groups)
•

• Healing and Creativity Work-
shops & Classes. For details
or to book a place, please Tel
Becky: 0141 8816700 or Libby on:
015105 842604.
• Lochwinnoch Community
Walks - Mondays (ex. Public
Holidays), meet at 10.30 am at
The McKillop Institute.
• Lochwinnoch Playgroup - For
under 5’s, every Monday, Tuesday
and Wednesday from 9.30-
11.30am at the McKillop Institute.
• Lochwinnoch Toddlers - Mon-
days and Wednesdays from 9.30 -
11.30am, McKillop Institute.
• Lochwinnoch Gymnastics
Club - For primary school-age
children every Monday, 5-8pm at
the Annexe. Phone Coby for de-
tails on: 0772 9051615.
• Lochwinnoch Writers
Group—Monday mornings from
9.30-11.30am in the Library.
•
Linda Margaret School of
Dancing - Tuesdays from 4pm-
8.45pm, McKillop Institute. For
details, Tel: 0141 581 9104.
TaeKwon-Do Fitness and Self-
J Quinn & son
Memorials Q
defence classes for youths and
adults. Tuesdays from 5-6pm,
Personal Service & Quality
McKillop Institute and Thurs- Guaranteed
days from 7pm-8pm at Lochwin-
noch Primary School. For de-
tails Tel: 01259 210716.
• Lochwinnoch Scottish
Country Dance Club Every New Memorials
Tuesday, from 7.30-9.30pm,
McKillop Inst.
Additional Inscriptions
• Jogging Buddies - Wednes-
day evenings. Meet at McKillop
Inst. at 6.30pm. For details, Tel: Cleaning & Renovations
0141 887 1357 or 07947 763704.
• Girls Brigade - 1st Loch-
winnoch Company Wednesday SALE ITEMS ALWAYS IN STOCK
evenings from 6pm-9.15pm at
the Parish Church Hall for vari- 42 MAIN STREET
ous age groups. KILBIRNIE
• Boys Brigade - Anchor Boys Please Call 01505 68 5455
and Junior Sections meet on Mon & Fri 10am-5pm
Tuesday nights and Company Tue-Thur 10am-2pm
Section on Friday evenings, Sat 10am—1pm
Parish Church Hall.

• Advice Works - Surgeries BY • Yoga Classes - Wednesday

APPOINTMENT ONLY - Mondays
2-2.30pm at the Library. *
• Morag’s Keep Fit - Mondays
and Thursdays from 7pm, in the
McKillop Institute.
• Lochwinnoch Choral Society.
Rehearsals on Monday evenings,
Parish Church/ Hall. Juniors 7-
7.45pm, Intermediates 7.30-
8.30pm and Seniors 8pm-9.15pm.
• Club Latino - weekly Merengue,
Salsa and Mambo classes for
adults on Monday evenings at
Lochwinnoch Bowling Club from
8.30-9.30pm. Details from Hazel
on: 07812 023343.
• Lochwinnoch Art Group
Meet fortnightly on Monday eve-
nings, 7.30pm, McKillop Institute.
• Keep Fit - Improving With
Age classes, every Tuesday from
10am-11am at the Annexe building
in the Park.
• Drop-in T Bar - Lochwinnoch
Elderly Forum. Every Tuesday
and Thursday from 10am-1pm,
McKillop Inst. For details, Tel
Reta: 01505 842054.*
• Baby and Toddler Rhyme-
time - every Tuesday at 2.15pm at
Lochwinnoch Library. *
evenings: at 6pm and 7.30pm,
McKillop Inst. Yoga, breathing
practice, intro. to meditation.
Tel Mary: 01505 842877.
• Happy Harminis - Fun for pre
-school children on Thursdays
10am-11am, McKillop Inst. Tel:
Frankie : 01505 612248.
• Slinky Strollers - on Thursday
mornings (details on back page).
• ROAR Lunch Club - every
Thursday from 11.45am
PROMPT at the McKillop Insti-
tute. Please Note - ONLY
ONE SITTING.
• TaeKwon-Do Little Tiger
Cubs. Classes for 3-5 year olds,
on Thursdays from 4.15pm-5pm
at McKillop Inst. Tel: 01259
210716 for details.
• Calder Drama Club—
Thursdays, from 8pm-10pm
McKillop Institute.
• Scottish Slimmers - Thurs-
days, 7/7.30pm, McKillop Inst.
• Lochwinnoch Pre-School
Gymnastics ( for children from
18 mths to 5 yrs). Fridays, from
10.15am - 1.45pm at the Annexe.
Further details from Coby on
Tel: 0772 9051615.
on
Saturday 15th May
From 10am—1pm
at Ailort, Johnshill.
All welcome
to this charity Yard Sale.
DogTraining at The Annexe
(Pre-booking necessary)
Mondays 9.30am - Advanced/Intermediate
Mondays 10.30am - Juvenile/Intermediate
Tuesdays 6.30pm - Puppy Course
(8 week blocks)
Tuesdays 7.30pm - Juvenile/Intermediate
Tuesdays 8.30pm - Ad-
vanced/Intermediate
Thursdays 6.30pm - Puppy Course
(8 week blocks)
Thursdays 7.30pm - Juve-
nile/Intermediate
Thursdays 8.30pm - Ad-
vance/Intermediate
Please phone/email for further informa-
tion, to book a place or for information on
outdoor classes.
Anne D Moss MSc (CABC), PGCE,
MBIPDT
 Dates for
your diaries
• Friday 7th May - Psychic Vari-
ety Show, 7.30 for 8pm, Masonic
Club. *
• Saturday 8th May - BBC Dig In
Seed Planting Drop-in session at
the Library from 10am - 12 noon *
• Sunday 9th May - Pawsitive
Action Day from 11am—3pm at
Locherwood Park (Car Park on
B786 Lochwinnoch-Kilmacolm
Road). *
• Sunday 9th May - Saturday
15th May - Christian Aid Week *
• Saturday 15th May - Charity
Yard Sale at Ailort, Johnshill. *
• Saturday 15th May —
Councillor Arthur’s Surgery from
11.30am, the McKillop Institute. *
• Friday 21st May - Prize Bingo
Night from 7.3opm at the Masonic
Club *.
• Saturday 22nd May - Coffee
Morning in aid of Erskine Hospi-
tal from 10am—12 noon at the
Masonic Club. *
• Saturday 22nd May - marks the
start of the Go! Renfrewshire two-
week Festival to celebrate the
great outdoors. Programmes
available from the council, local
libraries, leisure centres and at:
www.renfrewshire.gov.uk
• Thursday 22nd May - Spon-
sored Walk, leaving Lochwinnoch
Parish Church at 10am. *
• Thursday 27th May -
Lochwinnoch Elderly Forum
meeting at 1.45pm, McKillop Hall
(follows the ROAR Lunch Club). *
• Thursday 27th May - Cream
Tea at the Library from 2pm. *
• 31st May - Bank Holiday Monday
Semple Trail Walk. Departs
10.30am from Castle Semple Cen-
tre. (* See Semple Trail notice.)
• Tuesday 1st June Lochwinnoch
Community Council meeting at
7.3opm in the Guild Room, Loch-
winnoch Parish Church.
• Saturday 5th June - Councillor
Neil Bibby’s Surgery at 9am at the
McKillop Institute.
• Sunday 6th June - Lochwin-
noch Choral Society Concert in the
Parish Church. *
www.weansworldjohnstone.co.uk
NEW NURSERY NOW OPEN
FORMERLY ST ANTHONY’S CHURCH
2A HALHILL ROAD SPATESTON
(EASY ACCESS FROM BEITH ROAD)
LIMITED PLACES AVAILABLE
For more information or to arrange a visit
please contact Vicky Gormley on Tel: 01505 702533
Out of school care places available - 43 Brewery Street, Johnstone.
Breakfast club/ After school care/ Holiday playscheme
Bookings now being taken for holiday playscheme and new term.
Tel: 01505 321916
• Saturday 12th June -
Lochwinnoch Gala Day and the
Help Please !
28th Lochwinnoch Open Race. *
• Friday 18th June - “Not the Lochwinnoch Parish Church are look-
Booze Cruise” sets sail again - ing for more members to help with
see separate notice for more de-
Fund-raising events.
tails. *
* For further details about these If anyone is interested,
events and activities, see separate
please phone Norma Bell on
notices inside this issue of Chatterbox.
Tel: 01505 842558
The Semple Trail VILLAGE EVENT
Walk CALENDAR for 2010
There is less than a month now for you
to dust off your walking boots in prepa- Lochwinnoch Post Office has a wall-
ration for the circuit of the Semple Trail mounted calendar, where members of the
public can enter details of forthcoming
on Monday 31st May.
events.
A reminder that we start from the Castle
Please use this calendar to publicise your
Semple Visitor Centre at 10.30am and
events and to avoid any clashes when plan-
there will be a 30 minute break at How-
ning dates to hold events.
wood to allow walkers to refresh them-
selves in readiness for the return leg of
the walk. CHATTERBOX
As the Trail passes through open farm-
Chatterbox is produced and distributed on
land and we are now into the lambing / behalf of Lochwinnoch Community Council,
calving season, and also because we with support and financial assistance from
may have families with young children, local sponsors and advertisers.
it will not be appropriate to bring dogs
The Editor welcomes all items for possible
along. We expect to be back at the inclusion but will reserve all rights over
Visitor Centre by 2.30pm. Further them. All views are of individuals. The
details from David Fowles 01505 Editor accepts no liability for errors or state-
844865 or Joyce Reid 01505 842803. ments and claims made in advertisements.
 THE GLORY THAT
WAS GARTHLAND
by
DEREK PARKER
GARTHLAND House, on the outskirts
of Lochwinnoch, was one of Ren-
frewshire's most majestic mansions.
The greyish-pink Tudor-style architec-
ture of the two-storey building was
enhanced by a pillared porch, elegant
stairway, ivy-clad walls, pedimented
portico, soaring chimneys, sloping
roof and exquisitely-carved dormer
and bay windows.
Built in 1796 by David King for
wealthy land-owner James Adam,
Garthland was embowered by beauti-
ful gardens embellished by manicured
lawns, gravel paths, sprawling rhodo-
dendrons, towering conifers and fra-
grant flowers and herbs.
Sadly the historic house is now but a
shell of its former self. Today it lies
derelict, abandoned and boarded-up
in woodlands now overgrown and ne-
glected.
Yet still the old mansion clings tena-
ciously to its proud history. Even in
the midst of its devastation it is not
difficult to imagine Garthland in all its
architectural and horticultural glory.
Known originally as Garpel House
then Barr House before becoming
Garthland House, the regal residence
was acquired by the Macdowall family
who came initially from Garthland in
Wigtownshire and were descended
from the Lords of Galloway.
During the mid-1930s, Henry Mac-
dowall sold it to the Mill Hill Foreign
Missionary Society that was founded
in the London area in 1866 by Father
Herbert Vaughan to train young men
as priests for service overseas.
Garthland House was renamed St
Jospeh's College by the Society and,
during its heyday, around 30 young
men were students there.
A three-storey dormitory block was
added in 1936 followed by a beauti-
ful brick-red chapel in 1943. Both
the sleeping quarters and the chapel
can still be seen today although, like
the house, they have fallen into dis-
repair and are but fragments of their
former selves.
Despite its ruinous state, the chapel
exudes a powerful aura, which con-
jures up visions of former days when
it was used as a place of prayer and
meditation for the trainee priests as
well as by the people of Lochwin-
noch who worshipped there until the
construction of Our Lady of Fatima
Church in the village in 1955.
Its most outstanding features were
stained-glass windows, pink and
black altar pieces, wooden pews and
mosaic wall panels.
An imposing and awesome aura
emanates from a large statue on the
exterior wall of the chapel.
Portraying the majestic figure of
St Joseph, the serene sculpture con-
fronts visitors when they travel down
the tree-lined avenue to the former
college from the Largs Road.
The inspirational icon would have
evoked a divine sense of mission for
students arriving at St Joseph's for the
first time from every corner of the
British Isles at the start of their voca-
tion to the priesthood.
The carving depicts St Joseph - better
known as the husband of the Virgin
Mary - with a hammer in one hand
and a long plank of wood in the other.
The sculpture reminded students that
St Joseph was the patron saint of car-
penters. But the sermon in stone had
an even deeper significance.
Following their ordination and admit-
tance to the priesthood after their
course of study, the missionaries were
sent to places like Malaysia and
Uganda in East Africa. Their duties
included supervising the construction
of churches, schools, hospitals and
orphanages.
Wood - the material with which St
Joseph worked—was used in these
projects. So the link with their patron
- and St Joseph's College where
they studied - would always be with
them wherever in the world they
served.
Some time after the Mill Hill
Missionaries moved from the college
at Lochwinnoch for pastures anew
around 1985, the building became
St Joseph's Nursing Home, where
senior citizens were looked after for
many years until its closure not so
long ago.
It is hoped that the building will be
saved from destruction by being trans-
formed into flats at some point in the
not-too-distant-future.
Unsurprisingly, a building so Gothic in
appearance as the abandoned man-
sion is linked to ghostly hauntings.
People who worked at St Joseph's
Nursing Home will tell you there were
several incidences of mysterious
things 'which went bump in the night'
during their time there.
These mysterious events included
doors opening and closing, weird
thumping noises, plates and dishes
falling from tables and pictures drop-
ping from walls. There were also re-
ports of ghostly horses galloping up
and down the avenue at dead of night.
Once there was a priests' cemetery in
the woodlands behind St Joseph's.
Following the closure of the col-
lege, the coffins were exhumed and
reburied in sacred ground elsewhere.
For a long time afterwards, there were
frequent tales of phantom priests still
wandering over the burial ground
which once contained their graves.
There were many people who believed
the apparitions were the spirits of
priests who trained at the college and
whose souls had returned to the happy
haunts of their youth after they died.
One of the most inspirational words
in Latin, which was the official lan-
guage of the Catholic Church up until
the Second Vatican Council nearly 50
years ago, is 'Resurgam.' It means: 'I
shall rise again.'
As you look at the stone crosses still
visible on the roof of the old building
and which loom defiantly amidst the
architectural wilderness surrounded
by the briars and thorns of encroach-
ing vegetation you sense a message of
hope.
And that hope is that -
the beauty which was Barr,
the glory which was Garpel,
the grandeur which was Garthland
and the serenity which was St Joseph's
- will rise again from the rubble of
ruination and be restored to its
former elegance.
Derek Parker worked as a coun-
tryside ranger at Clyde Muirshiel
Regional Park from 1985 until
1999.
OMAR’S
EXHIBITION
Today, April the 21st, is the last day
of the RSA New Contemporaries
Exhibition in Edinburgh.
The awards ceremony was on the
opening night and Omar Bhatia was
very surprised to receive two awards;
The Royal Scottish Academy
Chalmers Bursary and the Skinny
Prize. ("The Skinny is a 72 page,
monthly publication, founded in 2005
and distributed in approximately 600
establishments across Scotland. The
magazine features interviews and arti-
cles on music, art, film, comedy and
other aspects of Scottish culture.")
The award itself was presented by the © Copyright Zul Bhatia
editor Rosamund West who, while
reviewing the show, said - He was pleasantly surprised by how
"Omar Zingaro Bhatia’s installation is many people from Lochwinnoch man-
a re-presentation of his Spuriosity aged to attend.
Shop, an archive-junkshop of paint- Omar’s exhibition took over 24 hours
ings and artefacts, fragments of a fam- of hard graft to set up. While he was
ily history and the ephemera of iden- there, Omar was in great demand; he
tity. The loaded objects (amongst attended a press call to be photo-
many others: painted portraits; photo- graphed for The Herald, The Skinny
graphs of forebears of various ethnici- and The Scotsman, he was asked to
ties; a teddy bear; some hats; a shisha speak about his work - and take ques-
pipe; antlers; a stuffed magpie) pre- tions - at an evening event with The
sent clues to a persona deliberately
Friends of the RSA and he has also
conceived and presented by the artist, been asked to do an interview for BBC
and a history imbued with mythology. Radio 4 off the back of the New Con-
The viewer flits between objects, temporaries Exhibition. He even man-
gleaning an idea of a self consciously aged to sell 5 paintings in this time!
exotic identity formed through a child-
hood in Tanzania, a schooling in Scot- John Byrne, one of Scotland’s most
land, a term in Transylvania. The artist
famous artists (and an Associate of the
himself is fond of hanging about in his RSA and BAFTA winner 6 times over
exhibit, treating visitors to the per-
for his playwriting) came to the Acad-
formance of a showman strumming emy specifically to see Omar’s work.
his guitar, sitting in his leather arm- Omar spoke with him for a long time
chair, or regaling with tales of his own and was very pleased to meet him as
history. The installation is absorbing, John Byrne is one of his favourite art-
the tale contained within engaging, ists.
intriguing, playfully told, and ulti-
mately elusive. The Skinny enjoyed it In the near future, Omar will be return-
so much we gave him a prize." - ing to Transylvania on a photographic
Rosamund West, The Skinny, 12th April 2010 expedition and exhibiting at the Talbot
Rice Gallery in Edinburgh in a group
The Chalmers Bursary is awarded by show called "They do Things
the Academy and is a cash prize.
Differently There".
Omar received very positive feedback Alongside Omar’s work, this show will
also feature the work of Martin Creed
from the viewers and would like to
amongst others; Martin is a Turner
thank everybody who made the effort
to go through and see the exhibition. prize-winning artist.
 Lochwinnoch Library
Get back into Reading :
Check out our selection of
Quick Reads
“ Short, sharp shots of entertainment”
www.quickreads.org.uk
OR
Just not sure what you want to read
next !
The following websites
may be useful :
www.renfrewshire.gov.uk/libraries
www.fantasticfiction.org.uk
www.reader2reader.net
OR
Better still ……………….
Pop into the library where a member
of staff will be happy to assist you in
your choice of reading material.
During May , why not take a chance
and borrow a book from our
“ Pot Luck “ Box.
ADVICE WORKS
BY PRIOR APPOINTMENT ONLY
on Mondays
at
Lochwinnoch Library
The Advice Works Surgery operates on
an Appointment Only basis. To make
an appointment, please contact Tel:
01505 382328 in advance.
Advisors can provide advice about en-
titlement to benefits, help fill in claim
forms, advise on welfare benefits,
money problems, provide expert ad-
vice on a wide range of debt related
topics, eg. Credit Card , Mortgage ar-
rears, Council Tax, etc ……….
THE SERVICE IS FREE,
CONFIDENTIAL AND OPEN TO ALL
RESIDENTS OF RENFREWSHIRE.
bbc.co.uk/digin
Cream Tea FREE Computing Class
At Lochwinnoch Library for Complete Beginners
Would you, or someone you know,
Thursday 27 th
May like to learn to email and surf the
Internet? Classes are held
2pm
at Lochwinnoch Library on:
Fridays from 9.30am – 11am
A “wee” event to celebrate For details Tel: 01505 842305
our tidy new garden.
Weather permitting , Len
Howcutt of Muirshiel Country
Baby & Toddler
Park will demonstrate the ancient Rhyme time
art of Bodging and Turning
of green wood.
ALL WELCOME
Renew and Reserve
at
www.renfrewshwire.gov.uk/libraries
Library members can view, renew
and reserve their library loans
At Lochwinnoch Library
online. All you need to get started is every Tuesday at 2.15pm
your library membership number
and a password. If you don’t have a
password just ask at any library.
NORMAL LIBRARY
OPENING HOURS :
Recycling
Monday, Wednesday and Friday:
We are still accepting HP Print 2pm–5pm & 6pm–8pm
Tuesday and Saturday: 10am–1pm
cartridges and mobile phones to
and 2pm–5pm
recycle on behalf of the charity Closed Thursday.
Tel: 01505 842305
CHAS
 Lochwinnoch Arts Festival 19th-28th March 2010
Photographs © copyright Zul Bhatia

Thank you ...

To everyone - members of the pub-
lic, children, performers, musicians,
artists, exhibitors, writers and, of
course, volunteers who all played
their part in making this year’s week
-long Arts Festival such a success.

We tried to include something for

everyone in this year’s festival: -
children’s events such as the Gruf-
falo, Shadow Puppets, and Krafty
Kids were very popular; a variety of
concerts and ceilidhs to suit all
tastes; Sound of Music sing-along,
Scottish Country Dancing, an Art
Exhibition and Craft Fair and, fi-
nally, to round off the Festival, a
Mystery Play which took place all
round the village on the final Sunday
afternoon.

This year’s committee comprised -

Claire Robertson, Franzeska Ewart,
Kathleen Hardie, Richard Mulhearn,
Marek Wiszniewski, Christine
Brown, Gill Bell, Margaret Sweenie,
Rev Christine Murdoch and Morag
Thow.

There were a great many others

who performed, helped with doors,
organised behind the scenes, acted
- the Gruffalo (Jim Spiers), made
tea/coffee, helped as street mar-
shals for the Mystery Play, poets,
writers, sound engineer for musical
events, photographer (thank you Zul
Bhatia) and many other things. The
Rev. Christine Murdoch deserves
special thanks for the Sound of Mu-
sic Sing-along and, together with
the Lochwinnoch Writers’ and a spe-
cial team of volunteers, for putting
on the Village Mystery Play.

As is the way in Lochwinnoch, people

turned out to help, support and
make this event a great success.
Thank you again and here’s to next
year!
Morag Thow
 © Copyright Zul Bhatia
Vive La France !
Over the weekend of the Arts festival
(end of March), you may have seen a
group of beret-wearing people and
heard some unusual accents being used.
The first were a group of visiting French
people, the second were local hosts try-
ing their best to ‘parler francais’! The
guests were from a lovely village, Fou-
quenies, (near Beauvais) and their arri-
val was a return visit following a trip
that some of the local folk musicians
made in September last year.

The Fouquenies folk enjoyed their visit

here greatly, as we did to their village,
and it is likely to become a regular ex-
change. They went to the Friday ceilidh,
the Saturday blues evening with the Re-
public of Soul, the Sunday night music
session in the Brown Bull and some In return we were treated to great
food and wine, a round-the-village
The Stolen Fish
even sat in on a practice session of the
Lochwinnoch choir which they found ‘walk and quiz’, a game of Petanque
(Boules) and music from the Beau- The minnow was swimming
highly impressive. They brought 5 kilos
vais choir and band as well as a down the lake.
of good French cheese and 60 bottles of
splendid rendition of Auld Lang He found some pond weed
wine with them, which we all enjoyed
Syne in French by our hosts. We all and started to play.
greatly. Our Community Council pre-
sented them with a quaich to mark the got prizes for our efforts and a
plaque recording the visit is now in Three little fishes came along,
visit and Renfrewshire Council, through
Councillor David Arthur, provided some our library. A collection of photo- They started to play tig.
nice individual presents. graphs of this visit will be on the vil- One orange and silver,
lage website picture gallery soon. two were the same,
On the Saturday most of them visited they were blue and orange.
Largs and the beautiful coastal scenery Most travellers use Beauvais to go on
around there. Some stayed on a few somewhere else but the area is a One saw a shadow, it was a pike.
days longer and one of the highlights of lovely place in its own right and cer- He shouted OH NO!
that time was a visit to Dalgarven Mill tainly worth a visit. Coming from They started to swim away.
during which there was an electricity Lochwinnoch, you’d get the best of
blackout due to the atrocious weather. treatment from our good friends in Now comes a bird and eats the big pike.
The Dalgarven Hotel responded well Fouquenies. It was a seagull.
and we had lunchtime soup and sand- Dave Mellor It appeared out of the sky.
wiches by candle light. A mass ‘au The minnows are safe.
revoir’ visit to Prestwick Airport saw They continue their game.
H
them on their tearful way home. By the
way, the berets were gifted to us as me-
LOCHWNNOC
WRITER S by Adam Telford
mentos and you’ll probably see them on
and William Douglas
our heads around the village. We were
also left with the desire to learn French The Writers Group would like to thank eve-
and there is a regular get-together to ryone who was involved in the Village Mystery
practise for next time. Play. It was a fabulous community enterprise,
which generated a great atmosphere and we look
Our visit to Fouquenies last September
forward to an even bigger performance next year,
had come about through the efforts of
building on the positive response of this one.
Ronnie McCorrisken and Marek
Wiszniewski who, on an earlier visit
staying at the Moulin des Hugenots, had
described the Brown Bull music sessions
to some of the people there. This
prompted an offer to host a group visit
in return for some good old Scottish folk
music. A party of about 18 made the
journey and during the weekend gave
some good performances, notably
Pauline Vallance with a borrowed harp,
her own lovely voice and a fine collec-
tion of songs. Marek, Linda, Tom, John
and James were amongst the other ap-
plauded performers. Photographs © copyright Zul Bhatia
 Lochwinnoch
Mystery Play
When the idea of a Mystery Play was first talked about, many
people queried the wisdom of an outdoor play in Lochwinnoch
in March. So we decided to have rain as a theme. We even or-
ganised a best dressed wellies and umbrella competition. The
weather on the day? Sunshine until the very end when it just
drizzled enough to justify the theme.

A sincere and heartfelt thank you to every one who took part in
any way in the Lochwinnoch Mystery Play, from the writers, to
the performers; singers, dancers, actors, and the back “stage”
crew. Thank you to the businesses who let us use their prem- At the Lochside, our breath was taken away by both the
ises; the clubs and organisations who helped out with steward- cross rising out of the water and the beautiful rainbow
ing and financing. Thank you to Clyde Muirshiel Regional Park dancers.
for their hospitality. Thank you to all who braved the traffic
until the police arrived and the weather towards the end. I could go on and on. However, perhaps the easiest thing
is to say, “Thank you to our wonderful audience who
Without an audience, we would have felt fairly silly wandering cheered us on and laughed at the right time. Thank you
around the streets singing and dancing and chatting away to to everyone who contributed in any way. You know who
ourselves. The audience laughed in the right places, thanks to you are and I owe you a deep debt of gratitude.”
their sense of humour, the wonderful writing and the excellent Yours sincerely,
acting. The Scottish Country Dancers had us tapping our toes
and our saxophonist, piper and samba band all lent a real
sense of occasion to the day.

Divers The Singing Frog

© copyright Zul Bhatia
The Eel
The eel is wiggling his purple body
looking for his prey.
He sees a rainbow trout
then it swims away.
Now that eel is looking day and night
for the rainbow trout.
He looks for his prey but he is
nowhere to be found.
Finally he sees those rainbow scales.
He eats them all the way
to the harbour bay,
looking for more yummy prey.
by Thomas Hodgson
and Andrew Johnstone
It was a glorious day. One day in the cool blue water
I walked alongside the calm loch. there was a frog hopping along happily,
I was walking my beagle Toby. until a pike came to attack.
He saw a fish swimming The frog jumped over
round and round the pike easily.
SPLASH! The pike never tried again
He flew into the water with his paws to catch the frog.
waving up and down. The frog sang loudly y
ou will never catch me
The fish was going through the because I am fantastic.
pond weed, rocks and stones.
I really, really need that minnow Then a minnow cheered and said
thought Toby well done,
scurrying over blocks of rock. you could out run that pike.
After that day the frog kept singing many
Finally Toby’s paw leads the fish happy songs.
into a rock,
He has his feast at last. by Kira Graham
By Ross Moglia and Ryan Shanks and Shannon Webber
Lee McKinlay ………. Holistic & Beauty Therapies
Swedish Massage Waxing
Aromatherapy Massage Eye Treatments
Reflexology Manicure
Facials Pedicure
A Mobile Service to promote Relaxation
Gift Vouchers Available
Telephone 07854 715625
 Hear
Here
Renfrewshire Hard of
Hearing Support Group
The Renfrewshire Hard of Hearing Group
has now been operating for over one year.
We are a group of people who all have some
degree of hearing loss, and we came to-
gether to raise awareness, campaign for
positive change and provide support and
activities for other people like us.
Because all our members have some degree
of hearing loss, we understand how difficult
it can be living in a noisy world. For some it
feels easier to withdraw and become iso-
lated, yet we are here to support each other
overcome this and to ensure that we get the
best use of hearing aids and modern tech-
nology. At our meetings, we get the chance
to air our frustrations about the numerous
difficulties we face and we invite speakers
to provide information that may be of use to
us, but we have missed because of our hear-
ing loss.
Meetings take place on the first Thursday
of every month, last about an hour and a
half and tea/coffee is available. The next
meeting is on 6th of May at 1:30pm in the
Mile End Centre, 30 Seedhill Road, Paisley.
At this meeting our guest speaker, Bill
Martin, the representative for this area on
the Board of Trustees of Age Concern and
Help the Aged in Scotland, will speak to the
group about his organisation, the work they As usual there will be paintings, photo-
do and the support they have to offer.
You’re welcome to join us if you live in Ren- event, with cups of tea and home baking
frewshire and are affected by hearing loss. available.
For further information or to be put onto
our mailing list:
Phone: 0141 847 4950
Textphone: 0141 848 7232
Fax: 0141 847 4981
BARRMILL
COMMUNITY ASSOCIATION
Greenhills W.R.I are holding a
Spring Whist Drive on
Friday 21st May
at 7.30pm
in Beith Community
Centre, Kings Road, Beith.
Those wishing to book a table should
contact Jean on Tel: 01505 502521 - or
just come along individually. Proceeds
from the evening will go to a local can-
cer support group.
***
Greenhills W.R.I. are holding a
Strawberry Tea on
Sunday 13th June
from 2pm—4pm
in Barrmill Community Centre,
Barrmill.
Cost is £2, proceeds in aid of Yorkhill
Hospital. Tickets are on sale from the
committee or just pay at the door.
ALL WELCOME !
Beith Arts Guild
Annual Art Exhibition
This popular event opens on
Monday 31st May and runs until
Sunday, 6th June
at the Beith Community Centre, King’s
Road, Beith.
graphs and craft items by local artists,
most of them for sale. It is also a social
Anyone wishing to enter their work
should contact Margaret Turner on
01505 502663 - all entries welcome.
Find opening times on our website:
www.beitharts.org
ST VINCENT’S
HOSPICE
BRAEHEAD COLLECTION
A big thank you to Braehead Shopping
Centre for allowing St Vincent’s in on
Sunday 11th April to do a bucket collection.
The weather outside was lovely and even
though a lot of the usual Sunday shoppers
headed down the coast to enjoy the sun-
shine, the generous shoppers who did visit
helped us to raise a wonderful £571.32 !!
Thank you to all our volunteers who came
out on this beautiful day to help us in rais-
ing this great sum for the Hospice.
HOME BOXES
Save those loose coins for charity!
If anyone is interested in taking one of the
St Vincent’s Hospice Loose Change Boxes,
please call in to the Hospice or visit your
nearest St Vincent’s Charity Shop.
FORTHCOMING EVENTS
Sunday 9th May -
Glasgow Ladies 10K
Saturday 15th May -
Summer Fete, Houston Square, Johnstone
Sunday 23rd May -
Edinburgh Marathon
Saturday 5th June -
Wheels ‘n’ Heels annual sponsored
walk/cycle round Millport.
Saturday 19th June -
Annual Ball at the Radisson Blu
Hotel, Glasgow.
Sunday 20th June -
Glasgow Mens 10K
If anyone would like to raise funds for St
Vincent’s Hospice please contact us.
Use the links below to keep up-to-date
with hospice events.
www.bebo.com/StVincentsHospice
www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=
124230589015, and
http://twitter.com/StVincentsHosp
or
Contact: Ashley Moran and
Lorraine Valentine
on Tel: 01505 705635
or e-mail:
ashley.moran@svh.co.uk
 IOM Scottish District
Ranking Race at
Castle Semple Loch
on 17th and 18th April 2010
An impressive entry of 52 skippers
assembled at the Castle Semple loch-
side, for the first of the IOM
(International One Metre) National
ranking events for 2010 of radio-
controlled yachts. With the IOM
World Championships due to be held
at West Kirby in 2011, a clutch of top
skippers, including four former world
champions, were in search of valuable
ranking points.
The fleet was swelled by local Scot-
tish entrants anxious to test their skills
against competitors from ‘down
south’. The wind on Saturday was
from the southwest blowing straight
up the loch at the top of number 1 rig
allowing a long windward/leeward
course to be set.
After a relatively slow start in the
seeding race, Brad Gibson sailing his
championship-winning Widget came
to dominate the A fleet. Such was his
boat speed that, once clear of the pack,
he was able to stretch out a lead
amounting to a whole leg of the
course. Behind him there was close
racing between Martin Roberts sailing
the new Viper design, Robert Walsh,
John Tushingham and Dave Potter
with Lintels, and Peter Stollery with
his trusty Isotonic. Graham Bantock
sailing a Pikanto was in touch ini-
tially, but his chance of a top place
evaporated following a disqualifica-
tion in the third race.
At the end of 6 races, comprising 20
heats, Brad Gibson was the clear win-
ner, with Martin Roberts second and
Robert Walsh third. Best placed Scot-
tish skipper was Steve Taylor, sailing
a home built wooden Zig-Zag. Steve
managed a third place in the final race
of the day, and thirteenth place over-
all.
On Sunday the wind swung through
180 degrees shortly before the first
race and filled in from the north east.
A quick rearrangement of buoys gave
a windward/leeward course in the
opposite orientation to that used on
Saturday.
The wind was again at the top of Boussy medallion for the best per-
number 1 rig, and sometimes a little formance over the whole regatta.
beyond, prompting a handful of
skippers to change down towards the Results Saturday 17th April 2010
st
end of the day. With this wind speed 1 Brad Gibson Birkenhead Widget 8pts
and direction significant waves were 2nd Martin Roberts Birkenhead -
generated, providing testing condi- Viper 12 pts
3rd Robert Walsh Fleetwood -
tions for the fleet.
Lintel 16 pts
4th Peter Stollery Guildford -
Expecting lighter winds on Sunday,
Isotonic 22 pts
Robert Walsh had switched from his 5th John Tushingham Keighley -
Lintel to a Widget and, though the Lintel 23.8 pts
light winds did not materialise, this 6th Graham Elliott Birkenhead -
change proved decisive. While Brad Widget 24 pts
Gibson remained consistently well
placed, the top two places were con- Results Sunday 18th April 2010
st
tested by Robert Walsh and Martin 1 Robert Walsh Fleetwood - Widget 8pts
Roberts. Also prominent were Ken 2nd Martin Roberts Birkenhead -
Binks and Graham Bantock. Viper 8 pts
3rd Brad Gibson Birkenhead -
Widget 15 pts
By the end of race 5 the situation at
4th Graham Bantock Chelmsford -
the front could not have been closer Pikanto 24 pts
with Martin Roberts leading Robert 5th Ken Binks Eastbourne - Isis2 29pts
Walsh by a single point. In the 6th Peter Stollery Guildford -
countdown to the final race Martin Isotonic 29 pts.
Roberts followed Robert Walsh
wherever he went and succeeded in
forcing him over the line before the
gun. However there was a general
recall and after the restart Robert
Walsh was able to gain an advantage
to windward. Martin then stalled
while tacking up the first leg, effec-
tively ending his chance of a first
place finish.
The final race was won by Graham
Bantock, and Robert Walsh’s third
place was just sufficient to ensure
victory over Martin Roberts in sec-
ond and Brad Gibson in third.
With five first places in the twelve
races run over the two days of Robert Walsh being presented with the Boussy
competition, Robert Walsh was a medallion by Clyde Muirshiel Regional Park
very worthy winner of the Manager, Mr Charles Woodward.
 Attention: CYCLISTS
Your rights and responsibilities are ex-
plained fully in the Scottish Outdoor Ac-
cess Code. Advice on the use of green-
ways, paths and cycleways are available
from Sustrans.
For further information, visit -
www.sustrans.org.uk and
outdooraccess-scotland.com
When out and about, the 3 key things to
remember are to:
Respect the interests of other people:
Be considerate, respect privacy, liveli-
hoods, and the needs of others outdoors.
Care for the Environment: Look after
the places you visit and enjoy. Care for
wildlife and historic sites.
Take responsibility for your own ac-
tions: The outdoors cannot be made risk-
free for people exercising access rights;
land managers should act with care for
people’s safety.
When cycling on shared use paths please:
* give way to pedestrians, leaving them
plenty of room
* keep to your side of any dividing line
be ready to slow down/stop if necessary
* don’t expect to cycle at high speeds
be careful at junctions, bends and en-
trances
* give way where there are wheelchair
users and horse riders.
Many people are hard of hearing or
visually impaired. Don’t assume they
can see or hear you. Carry a bell and
use it. Don’t surprise people.
When cycling on roads:
* always follow the Highway Code
* be seen - most accidents to cyclists hap-
pen at junctions
* fit lights; use them in poor visibility
* consider wearing a helmet and con-
spicuous clothing
* keep your bike roadworthy
* don’t cycle on pavements except where
designated - pavements are for pedestrians
* use your bell to be seen and heard.
And in the countryside…
* follow the Outdoor Access Code
* respect other land management activi-
ties such as farming or forestry and take
litter home
* keep erosion to a minimum if off-road
* be self-sufficient - in remote areas carry
food, repair kit, map and waterproofs
* try to cycle or use public transport to
travel to and from the start and finish of
your ride
* cycle within your capabilities
* match your speed to the surface and
your skills.
RSPB Lochwinnoch
From Paula’s blog on 10th April ….
An absolutely stunning day today, really
starting to feel the season changing, and it
seems to have taken so long but suddenly
everything is sprouting and blooming.
There are two beautiful blue flowers out
in the wildlife garden, one Pulmonaria and
another that looks like an Allium, but I'm
not sure (must remember to ask the field
teachers...)
Came into the Reserve this morning to be
greeted yet again by the big group of
whooper swans sitting feeding on the
meadow, 25 in total, all making their
beautiful whooping calls. There were also
teal and black-headed gulls, both of which
looked like they might be starting to nest,
the mute swan is starting to build its usual
giant nest outside the first hide (it gets
bigger as the water level drops!). Lots of
tufted ducks on the Aird Meadow loch
and 3 greylag geese, plus a coot and a
great crested grebe!
The morning continued to be exciting.
We started with no electricity and it's
amazing all of the things you realise you
can't do if you don't have power...makes
you think! Then, at 10am one of our vol-
unteers informed us that there would be a
steam train going through Lochwinnoch at
10.29am, so we all trotted off to the train
station (it's only 5 minutes away) to watch
it fly through - there must have been 50
people on the platform, the most I've ever
seen at Lochwinnoch in one go! As it
raced through, it was a fabulous sight to
see, along with its huge plume of smoke
and that distinctive chugging sound that
only steam trains provide! We returned to
the reserve and the whoopers, teal, grebe
and gulls had all been spooked by the
train (not used to such a loud rumble and
all the smoke!) Never mind!!
Then, as if that wasn't excitement enough,
whilst sitting at my desk I heard the famil-
iar thwack of a bird flying into the win-
dow. I rushed outside to see if the
bird was on the ground, only to find a
male blackcap! Imagine that, flying all
the way from Africa and then thumping
into a window! The bird was stunned as
you can imagine, so I brought him inside
and popped him in a box in a quite room
for half an hour. I checked on him and he
seemed fine, so went out the back door to
let him fly away - at first he didn't want to
go, i tried encouraging him to fly but he
wouldn't let go of my hand! Eventually,
he realised that he was outside and re-
membered what to do and he flew off into
a nearby tree, giving a little chirrup on the
way.
Mr Blackcap in his resting box,
shortly before release
Finally, I've noticed on my walk in to
work that there is a blackbird with a
penchant for mimickery. I thought I'd
heard it the other day, but it wasn't until
today that I could confirm my suspicions
- the blackbird has learnt to imitate the
exact sound and pitch that the doors on
the train make when they open and
close. As part of the beautiful blackbird
song, every now and again he pops in
the 'beep beep beep' sound of the SPT
train doors opening.! It's quite remark-
able and well worth a listen if you can
get along here. Just ask us and we'll
show you where to go to have a listen!
Paula Baker
Keep up to date with news
and events at RSPB
Lochwinnoch.
Wildlife viewing all year round, nature
trails and hides open at all times, Visitor
Centre open from 10am-5pm daily, Bird
Feeding Station and Treetop Tower,
drinks, snacks and a superb RSPB Shop.
An ideal day out for everyone.
For bookings and information,
Tel: 01505 842663
or e-mail us at:
lochwinnoch@rspb.org.uk
or visit:
www.rspb.org.uk/scotland
Find us on Facebook:
www.facebook.com
Search ‘RSPB Lochwinnoch’, click on
us and receive regular updates.
Follow us on Twitter at:
http://twitter.com/RSPBLochwinnoch
Subscribe to the RSPB Lochwinnoch
Blog!
For weekly updates, visit:
http://www.rspb.org.uk/community/
blogs/lochwinnoch/default.aspx
and subscribe using the RSS link.

Clyde Muirshiel
Update for May 2010
Photographic Competition
2010
To celebrate International Year of
Biodiversity the Regional Park has
launched a Photographic Competi-
tion.
Basically, we want you to ex-
perience nature on your doorstep
by exploring the Park.
Photographs should reflect the
wildlife, habitats and landscapes of
Clyde Muirshiel Regional Park.
There will be a cash prize of £250.
The closing date for entries is 31
Oct 2010.
More information can be found
online or pick up a leaflet at a
Regional Park Visitor Centre.
Wildlife on Camera
Work is in progress to provide new
interpretation and a camera at the
nest of a Clyde Muirshiel Hen Har-
rier. All being well we hope to pro-
vide ‘live’ images in Muirshiel Visi-
tor Centre at some point in May or
early June. One must remember
we are working with wildlife so pro-
posals might not go to plan.
The swallows have arrived back
from Africa hence ‘swallow cam’ at
the Greenock Cut Visitor Centre
will be operational when the birds
start to nest. Please look on the
Park website at:
www.clydemuirshiel.co.uk/wildlife
for the latest information.
Scottish Biodiversity Week takes
place from the 15th to 23rd May.
All Regional Park Visitor Centres
are involved in various events and
activities with lizards, flowers,
moorlands, and wildlife homes as
well as hen harriers and swallows!
(See back page of this issue of
Chatterbox for some of the high-
lights.)
New Leaflets
The Rangers at the Greenock
Cut Visitor Centre have produced
a new leaflet about the Kelly Cut
walk. It’s a great walk, as an al-
ternative to the Greenock Cut
walk, with the option to finish at
Wemyss Bay Railway Station.
Work continues on the develop-
ment of the Semple Trail in the
Lochwinnoch / Howwood area.
The Semple Trail @ Lochwin-
noch leaflet has now been
printed, it outlines the route of the
trail and the community and vil-
lage facilities available.
Go! Renfrewshire 2010
22nd May to 6th June
This Outdoor Access Festival will
see people walking, cycling,
horse riding or canoeing around
the boundary of Renfrewshire.
Regional Park located walks are:
Saturday 22nd May - Mine Track
Walk 8km. Meet at Lochwinnoch
Station at 1pm or 1.30pm at Muir-
shiel Visitor Centre. Booking es-
sential.
Saturday 29th May - Maich Water
Walk 8km. Meet at Lochwinnoch
Station at 12.30 pm or 1pm at the
Maich Fishery.
Monday 31st May - Semple Trail
Walk. Meet at 10.30am at Castle
Semple Centre. (See centre
pages of this issue of Chatterbox
for more information.)
Reminder ‘Calling all Cyclists’
We are gathering information on
where and how often people cy-
cle within the Regional Park and
what developments you would
like to see in the future. What-
ever type of cycling you do or
don’t do (!), on road, off road, on
your own, with your family we’d
like to hear from you. Please get
in contact preferably by email to
routes@clydemuirshiel.co.uk
Later in the year there will be
other consultations and surveys
to inform the Park’s cycling initia-
tive. Currently we are trying to
establish a baseline of activity
and need.
Outdoor Activities
at Castle Semple Centre
The Instructors have been busy
with lots of community and school
groups as well as courses for chil-
dren and adults. Now is the time
to book yourself on a course and
take advantage of the Spring
weather.
Coming up is Mountain Bike Train-
ing for the Instructors, a Disability
Sports Day for Renfrewshire
Council, a Special Educational
Needs Day for Glasgow City
Council and a 4 day Coaching
Course for a Stirling Canoe Club.
Pick up a “ What’s On “ leaflet or
look on the Park website -
www.clydemuirshiel.co.uk -
for summer course dates.
Castle Semple Rowing Club
Regatta – Sat 22 May
Note the date and be aware that
Castle Semple will be busy with
lots of long thin boats!
Lochwinnoch
Summer Farmers Market –
Sun 6th June 11am
Please note the date for your dia-
ries and make an effort to come
along to support your local farmers
and producers.
We will be aiming to have a good
range of seasonal produce as well
as entertainment and activities to
keep the children busy.
VISITOR CENTRES
SUMMER OPENING HOURS
RSPB Reserve The Reserve is open
at all times. Visitor Centre open daily,
10am-5pm. Tel: 01505 842663.
Castle Semple Centre Open daily
from 10am - 5pm from April to Octo-
ber 2010. Tel: 01505 842882.
Greenock Cut Centre Open daily
from 11am-4pm from April to Octo-
ber 2010. Tel: 01475 521458
Muirshiel Centre Open daily from
11am-4pm from April to October ‘10.
Tel: 01505 842803
 What’s On at RSPB,
Muirshiel, Greenock
Cut and Castle Semple
Visitor Centres
• Monday mornings - Loch-
winnoch Community Walks - (ex.
Public Holidays). Meet at
10.30am at The Cross.
• Thursday mornings - Slinky
Strollers walks (for parents &
pushchairs) - meet at 10.30am at
Castle Semple Centre.
• Sunday 9th May - Pawsitive
Action Day from 11am—3pm at
Locherwood Park. (Car Park on
B786 Lochwinnoch-Kilmacolm Rd). *
• Sunday 9th May - Map and
• Compass Course: Theory & Prac-
tice from 10am-4pm at Greenock
Cut Visitor Centre. Advance book-
ing essential, Tel: 01505 842 882,
Ext 20.
• Saturday 15th May - Sunday
23rd May —Scottish Biodiversity
Week. See inside back pages for
more information or visit:
www.clydemuirshiel.co.uk/wildlife
• Saturday 15th May to Satur-
day 31st July - Wildlife Watch:
Hen Harriers at Muirshiel Centre
from 11am to 4pm daily.
• Sunday 16th May - Bio Boxes
Build homes for birds, bugs and
bats at Greenock Cut Visitor Cen-
tre from 11 - 4pm.
• Sunday 16th May - Moorland
Wildlife Walk with a Park Ranger
from 1pm-3pm at Muirshiel Visi-
tor Centre.
• Sunday 16th May - First Steps
with Flowers: Wild flower walk in
Parkhill Wood with members of
Plantlife. From 2pm at Castle
Semple Centre.
• Saturday 22nd May - Castle
Semple Rowing Club Regatta at
Castle Semple Loch.
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(10 mins from Glasgow Airport on A737)
• Saturday 22nd May - RSPB
Art Workshop from 10am—12
noon at RSPB Centre. Cost £5,
booking essential, Tel: 01505
842663.
• Sunday 23rd May - Map &
Compass Course: Theory &
Practice from 10am-4pm at
Greenock Cut Visitor Centre.
Advance booking essential, Tel:
01505 842 882, Ext 20.
• Sunday 23rd May - Looking
for Lizards. Walk - 10am at
Muirshiel Visitor Centre - with
Local Biodiversity Officer,
Petrina Brown.
• Friday 28th (9pm till late) -
Saturday 29th May (10am—12
noon) Moth and Bat Night.
Delve into the nocturnal world
of moths and bats with Butterfly
Conservation and RSPB staff at
RSPB Reserve.
• Saturday 29th and Sunday
30th May - Optics Weekend
from 10am—4pm at the RSPB
Centre.
• Sat 22nd May - Sunday 6th
June Go! Renfrewshire 2010
Two-week Outdoor Access Festi-
val with Renfrewshire-wide
events and activities. See inside
back pages for Park activities
and: www.renfrewshire.gov.uk
0141 950 1423 GLASGOW
01505 842176 AYRSHIRE
01786 820130 STIRLING
• Bank Holiday Monday 31st
May - Semple Trail Walk.
Departs 10.30am from Castle
Semple Centre. (For full details,
see Semple Trail notice in the cen-
tre pages of this issue of Chatter-
box.)
• Saturday 5th June - Young Vol-
unteers Group for 12-18 year olds
at the RSPB Centre from 11am -
4pm. Spaces are limited, booking
essential. Tel: 01505 842663.
• Saturday 5th June - Courtyard
Encounters from 2-4pm at Eglin-
ton Country Park. An opportunity
to meet the Rangers and see what
is going on at Clyde Muirshiel Re-
gional Park.
• Sunday 6th June -
Lochwinnoch Summer Farmer’s
Market from 11am at Castle Sem-
ple Centre. *
• Wednesday 9th June - Pound
and Pace the Greenock Cut, meet
at 10.30am for 11am start at
Greenock Cut Visitor Centre.
The restored 6.5km cut makes for
an excellent 10.5 km circular walk
with fantastic views over the Clyde
to the Argyll hills beyond. Allow
3 to 4 hours to complete the walk.
* See inside back pages
for further Visitor Centre news
and Summer Opening Hours.
OUR PRODUCTS ARE INSTALLED
IN OVER ONE HUNDRED
LOCHWINNOCH HOUSEHOLDS.
Contact - PETER McGARVEY
Tel: 01505 614654