Nuisance Helpline
Anti-Social Behaviour
Noise problems
CHATTERBOX www.lochwinnoch.info
Support and Advice
Every day 9am – 10pm
Tel: 0800 169 1283
Community newsletter produced by lochwinnoch publicity committee for lochwinnoch cc
What’s On
See back page for RSPB, Castle
Semple and Muirshiel Centre
activities.
• Advice Works - every Tuesday
from 10am—12.30, Lochwinnoch
Library. *
• Tai Chi for Beginners -
Friday nights, 6.45– 7.45pm at
The Room, Lochwinnoch Library.
• Yoga Classes - Wednesday
nights, 7.30pm in McKillop Hall.
All welcome.
• Kickjitsu for Kids - Monday
nights at Parish Church
• Lochwinnoch Art Group
Annual Exhibition - on until
20th October- the Library Room *
• Friday 5th October - Prize
Bingo Night at the Masonic
Club *
• Sat 6th October, Councillor
Neil Bibby’s Surgery - from
11.30am McKillop Institute *
• Saturday 6th October,
Autumn Fete at Lochwinnoch
Bowling Club from 1-4pm
• Sunday 7th October -
Lochwinnoch Autumn
Farmers Market from 1100 -
1430 hrs, Castle Semple Centre.
• Sunday 7th October -
afternoon Dawg Dawdle *
• Saturday 13th October—
Billy Connolly Tribute
Night at 7.30pm at the
Masonic Club *
MATTHEW NEW & SONS
ROOFING - ROUGHCASTING -
Emergency Repairs, Storm Damage
Insurance Work, New Roofs, Flat Roofs
Roughcasting –UPVC Cladding—Guttering
Tel No 01505 843400
FMB Certificate No 26366
ASIST
Anti-Social Investigation
Team
Office 8:45am – 4:45pm
No 166 October 2007
Ask for David McLaren or
Lisa Simpson
• Saturday 13th October - ANOTHER
Sportsman’s Dinner at
Lochwinnoch Golf Club - details
HALF-MARATHON
from the Golf Club. BY “ OOR RONNIE “
• Thursday 18th October -
Historical Society evening meet-
ing in Parish Church hall. *
• Sat 20th October,
Councillor Arthur’s Surgery
from 11.30 am at the McKillop
Institute *
• Saturday 20th October -
Silent Auction - 10am to
3pm in the Parish Church. *
• Saturday 20th October -
Musical Allsorts from 8pm
at Lochwinnoch Bowling Club.
Saturday 27th October -
Krafty Kids afternoon at Space
Rooms, McKillop building.
• Saturday 27th October -
Fall Ball Ceilidh from
8.15pm at McKillop Institute
• Sunday 28th October—
TCT Champagne Tea and Among the thousands of runners in the
Fasion Show at 3pm at Mar recent Great Scottish Run was “oor ain “
Hall Hotel, Erskine. Ronnie Brown who once again belied
• Monday 29th October— his 65 years to finish in a terrifically fast
Community Council AGM, time.
7.3opm McKillop Lesser Hall. *
As in his previous thirty-two half-
• Wednesday 31st October
marathon or 10 kilometre runs, Ronnie
Lochwinnoch RNLI Guild
Lunch*
made great efforts to secure local spon-
sorship and then augment this by col-
• Friday 9th November - lecting donations from spectators en
Robert’s Farewell. route in a bucket. The additional £72
Open Evening and buffet at the must have felt pretty heavy by the last
Bowling Club, from 7pm on- mile or so ! The total amount raised was
wards. All welcome. * £476 and this was donated to the Cystic
Fibrosis Trust.
* for more details on these events,
see inside this issue of Chatterbox.
Particular thanks are due to his regular
local sponsors, the Staff and Patrons of
the Corner Bar and the Doctors and
Staff of the local surgery.
BUILDING MAINTENANCE Ronnie is one of the characters of the
village and his efforts on behalf of a
range of charities over the years has
been done without fuss or fanfare.
Time to change that, Ronnie.
YOU ARE A REAL
LOCHENYOCHIAN STAR

86 Main Street, Kilbirnie, KA25 7AA
CARPET CLEANING
MACHINE FOR HIRE
Support your local hardware store.
We stock hardware, electrical, plumbing, paint sundries, and fancy goods.
• Competitive prices
• all major credit cards accepted • mobile phone top-ups
OPEN - Monday, Tuesday, Thursday & Friday 9am-1pm and 2.15-5.15pm
Councillor
Arthur’s
Report
It’s very satisfying to see that the
long awaited restoration work has
finally started on Auld Simon.
Here’s hoping that it will preserve
this very important village landmark,
against all the elements, for many
years to come. I have made a request
to Environmental Services to lop
back the two holly trees to allow
Auld Simon to be more visible.
It is very pleasing to see the old mu-
seum room, which is part of the li-
brary building, opening its doors
widely to our community and taking
its rightful place on the front line. As
well as hosting the Lochwinnoch Art
Group’s fantastic exhibition, it also
played an important part in celebrat-
ing the MacDowall School Build-
ing’s 150th birthday. I thoroughly
enjoyed my visits to both and must
say that we are very fortunate indeed
to have such dedicated library staff,
in Margaret, Dorothy, Margaret and
Janet, who always go that extra mile
to organise so many events for our
enjoyment.
For just over 6 weeks, four houses at
the bottom of the Johnshill had dirty
water flowing through their taps but
I’m delighted to say that after many
phone calls on their behalf, their wa-
ter is now ‘crystal clear’ and, to cap
it all, Scottish Water have been
forthcoming with some compensa-
tion to the suffering residents.
Lochwinnoch
R N L I Guild
The Annual General Meeting of the
Tel/Fax: 01505 682125 Lochwinnoch RNLI Guild was held
on 18 September and the calendar
CHRISTMAS STOCK
IN SOON
for the year was decided.
The President reported that the
members of the Guild have been
• free local deliveries greatly saddened this session with
the passing of Mary Campbell and
Helen Waterstone. Both these ladies
have been loyal and committed sup-
porters of the Guild and over many
Thanks to Renfrewshire Council’s
Roads Department for erecting the
years have given both time, effort
and considerable funds to the char-
‘20’s Plenty’ signs in Lochhead
ity. Mary was also very generous
Avenue to remind drivers that 20
mph really is plenty when entering
with the use of the Bowfield Country
Club facilities and many enjoyable
this area.
evenings were spent there raising
funds for the RNLI. Helen Water-
The kitchen in the McKillop Hall is
stone was not only an exceptional
now looking a lot better since the
supporter of our charity but she was
fitting of the new units and the new
a wonderful character . Her sense of
windows in the cloakroom, Lesser
humour as well as her youthful atti-
Hall and Space rooms certainly
tude to life meant we were guaran-
make a big difference. Next is the
teed fun when she was around.Given
repainting of the ceiling in the main
the spirit of the lady in her 80s, she
hall and the painting of the entrance
was filling bags at Asda in Decem-
hall. At last the new part for the
ber 2006 to raise funds for the RNLI.
heating system should be here and
Both ladies were very special to all
fitted by the middle of October.
of us and we shall sorely miss them.
As well as having walkabouts with
From a variety of events last session,
the Council’s Early Warning Indica-
the Guild raised approx. £3,000 for
tor Team last week, I’ve also had
the charity. The RNLI lunches raise
Jim McManus and Peter Holman
considerable funds and these occa-
from Environmental Services visit
sions provide an opportunity for a
the village where I pointed out to
good chat, the catering is always
them several areas that require main-
first class and the money is going to
tenance. We visited the cemetery
a very worthwhile cause. However
where they witnessed the overgrown
we need more support for these
rhododendron bushes and brambles
lunches so anyone who wishes to
that are encroaching on several
find out what the Guild does, is very
headstones. These areas are planned
welcome to join us over the session.
to be cut back between the end of the
The lunch costs £8 and consists of a
growing season and the beginning of
main course, glass of wine and cof-
next year. Also viewed were the
fee. If you are interested in joining
boundary walls, which are falling
us please telephone 842274. Our
down. The current estimate for resto-
first lunch is on 31 October at 12.30.
ration of these is around £20,000.
The Guild also organise theatre trips
My Surgery is on the third Saturday
and this session we shall be going to
of each month at 11:30am in the
the James Gilmour Theatre on 13
McKillop Hall but there is no need
December to see the Christmas Re-
to wait for a Surgery if you require
view by the very talented pupils of
my help, you can contact me on
the national Musical Theatre Course
843507 and we can agree a time
from The Dance School of Scotland.
when we can meet.
Details will be advertised nearer the
Councillor David Arthur time.
 COMMUNITY
COUNCIL NEWS
The Community Council met on
Tuesday 2nd October. Items dis-
cussed included the following:
The police reported that, of the 8
crimes recorded in the month of
September, 6 of these had been
detected. Crimes included 2 mis-
use of drugs, 1 housebreaking, 2
drinking alcohol in public, 2
breach of the peace, 1 assault.
Again, the figures reflect a down-
ward trend on previous years.
Cucina Minucci at The Junction
Licensed Caffè
2 – 4 High Street, Lochwinnoch, PA12 4DA Tel: (01505) 842 225
!!! Live Jazz Night !!!
Thursday 25th October - Tickets £15.00 / person
(including a welcome drink, Antipasti & Cheeses.)
• Scottish Breakfasts • New Range of Healthy snacks
• Jo’s Home Baking including Nuts, Seeds, & Fruits
• Eat in or Take Away • Fresh Farm Eggs
• Homemade Soups • Cheeses and Cold Meats
• All Food made to order • Continental Breads
Ivan and Joanna Minucci and the Team
Mon to Sat 9am to 5pm & Sundays 10am to 4pm
www.cucinaminucci.co.uk

A number of other matters will be

addressed at the next Community
Partnership meeting, which will
be held on Monday 8th October.
Those attending tonight’s meet-
ing were treated to a very inter-
esting presentation and slide-
show by Girls Brigade, 1st Loch-
winnoch Company. The girls
travelled to Romania with the
organisation, Children for Christ,
and they described their experi-
ences and work with around 48
children at the camp in Romania.
It was reported that Lochwin-
noch Community Buyout Group
are continuing to work on appli-
cations to the Big Lottery fund
and it is hoped that a meeting
may be possible with solicitors
acting for Struthers, to look at the
future of this site.
Councillor Arthur was in atten-
dance at tonight’s meeting and
gave feedback on a number of
current issues. His report is
shown opposite.
A number of planning issues are
still ongoing and will be covered
at a future point.
The Community Council AGM
will be held on Monday 29th Oc-
tober at the McKillop Institute at
7.3opm, to which members of the
public are invited.
The next Community Council
meeting will be held on Tuesday
6th November at the Guild
Room. All welcome.
YOUR
COMMUNITY
COUNCIL NEEDS
YOU!
As you will see elsewhere in this
edition, the AGM of the Community
Council will be held on Monday 29
October 2007 in the McKillop Hall.
This is the meeting when we elect
our office bearers for the coming
year and which, in theory, could lead
to competition for the posts. The fact
that the ground is prepared before
the event is to help with the smooth
running on the night and hopefully
to make sure that there are no sur-
prises at the meeting. However, that
is just for the office bearers and we
do have vacancies on the Commu-
nity Council for additional members.
It is not an onerous task (we meet on
the first Tuesday of each month) and
the rewards of helping to guide and
to safeguard the future of the com-
munity are well worthwhile, plus the
fact that on most items you get to
know what is happening before your
friends and neighbours do! The only
qualification you need is enthusiasm.
So instead of being 'anonymous' and
posting on the village website, come
and have your say as a Community
Councillor.
To find out more why not phone me
on 01505 844865 or drop me an e-
mail to dandsfowles@btinternet.com
David Fowles
Chairperson
History of
Harvey Square
The Community Council is cur-
rently carrying out research into
the history of Harvey Square and
would be interested to hear from
anyone who can add information
to this research.
This could take many forms. For
instance, we would like to hear
the memories of older members
of the community. How has the
Square been used? What was it
like before the war memorial was
built? Have the boundaries and
road layout changed over the
years?
We would be interested to hear of
the origins of the Square.
In her book, “The Parish of
Lochwinnoch”, Elizabeth
Anderson recounts that Harvey
Square was planned by William
MacDowall but completed by
Colonel John Harvey after he
bought the Semple Estate in 1812
and the land of the Square gifted
to the village. Do you have any
evidence to confirm this account,
or do you have an alternative his-
tory of the origins of the square?
We would like to collect any
newspaper articles, photographs,
other written material or per-
sonal accounts.
To contribute, please contact -
Graeme Brown, 23 Station
Rise, phone 842768, email
graeme@lochwinnoch.info
LW hwinnoch around Brodgar
in the simmer dim
Embers
Loc I remember that day
Writers did you see as I have seen
the lark rise up
She was holding my hand
I clutched her tightly
from the precise centre of the Ring By high iron gates
trilling its song
In thick scratchy socks
to the far reaches of its heaven
DEBBIE WINTERS is a Renfrewshire na- My small legs itching
tive but with strong Orkney connections. did you love the wide sweep Hard new shoes as heavy as bricks.
This beautiful poem takes us to those of the low bird-haunted hills She squeezed my hand gently
wonderful islands famous for their Neo- the plaintive cry of the white maa And looked into my eyes
lithic monuments, now World Heritage ‘See you at four’.
the pleep pleep pleep of the
Sites.
redshanks
in the still evening air II
A thrush sang in the sun
Who Were You From a branch on a tree
have you felt that the loch
was made of gossamer As I walked to the church
Who were you
that built the high walls silver and pale pink On my proud father’s arm.
of the houses at Skaill orange and soft mauve In his grey borrowed suit
the stones mesmerising He looked so out of place
so neatly laid in its wide unbroken gleam But my mother was proud
one upon another You could see by her face.
did you ever feel The bells rang in time
inside each one you dared not move To my fast beating heart
great slabs of flat rock that time had stopped But I knew it was true
fashioned to your taste and held you captive That this was their day.
into beds and dressers in the stillness of a summer night
store for shell fish III
and the hearth They look so old
did this long-lived-in land Huddled by the fire
when wild winds claim you as its own Firewood at the ready
flung their rage keep you in its thrall Warm flames flickering.
upon the shore at Skaill your whole life long
were you snug Happy lines bequeath a smile
as it has done to me But tell of sadness
inside your biggin
laughing and singing Memories glow in embers
did you surrender The embers are dying.
while you feasted
willingly
on meat from the ebb
and heather ale without demur IV
as I have done? Frail and vulnerable
were you there They cling to one another
at Maeshowe Then you A climbing hydrangea
when the mid-winter sun and I
With hands entwined
reached down are one.
Reaching for the sky.
to cast his last glow
on the souls A glance of reassurance
of our ancestors The sequence of poems in the next Silent understanding
buried there column is by GINNY DAVIS, a clari- They stare back into the ashes.
netist who has played with leading Stories still to be told
in mid-summer Scottish orchestras. EMBERS was Things to say but LW
did you dance written in memory of her parents. Time is running out. LW
or did you pray

THE WRITERS MEET

IN THELIBRARY, HIGH STREET ,
ON MONDAYS 9.30 -11.30AM.
All Welcome.
All types of writing.
Professional tutor.
Friendly atmosphere.
Try our feature-packedwebsite at
www.lochwinnochwriters.org.uk
W. A. THOMSON
Tel: 01505 842498
Mob: 07778 680933
• Monoblock Driveways • Quality Assurerd
• Patios and Walls • Inspection of previous
• All types of Landscaping work welcomed
• Ground Maintenance • FREE estimates
 Mr S Acheampong & Mr S Elgarib LOCAL BUSINESS
D E N T A L S U R G E RY
SUPPORT FOR
16 Wilson Street, Beith, Ayrshire KA15 2BG
LOCHWINNOCH
FULL RANGE OF NHS AND PRIVATE TREATMENTS CHRISTMAS
For appointments, telephone: 01505 502632
LIGHTS
Monday 9am to 6pm
Tuesday and Thursday 9am to 5.30pm Well, it's that time of year –
Wednesday 9am to 1pm Friday 9am to 4pm almost - and LMEG are plan-
(Closed for lunch between 1pm and 2.15pm) ning Christmas Lights in the
village once again.

Although we have some ‘light We started last year with the

Sky at Night
over
Lochwinnoch
October/November
In the west, as the light
fades, the eye is drawn to
the orange star Arcturus. It
is the third brightest star in
the heavens, Sirius being the
brightest and rising just be-
fore dawn.
Arcturus is found at the bot-
tom of a kite shape constel-
lation – BOOTES. In Greek
mythology, Bootes was an
agricultural demi-god who
invented the wagon and
plough. His wagon became
the ‘Wain’, which is the con-
stellation Ursa Major, com-
monly referred to as The
Plough. Bootes is literally
"the ploughman".
Arcturus is 36 light years dis-
tant and shines at Magnitude
-0.05 [minus values are
brighter, plus values dim-
mer]. It is 110 times more
luminous than our Sun.
pollution’ around Lochwin-
noch, it is still possible on a
good night to see, unaided,
the Andromeda Galaxy-M31
which appears as a fuzzy
white ball.
Focus on the top left star
Alpheratz [actually in Andro-
meda] of the Square of
Pegasus.
In the top left of your periph-
eral vision you should see
the galaxy. You may see it
better if you do not look di-
rectly at it.
Venus is brilliant in the
morning despite being only a
crescent phase. It will con-
tinue to brighten and is the
most visible daylight planet!!
Meteors - Orionids: Peak
expected on 22nd October
but only if you can observe
late in the night after the
moon has set (about 2am on
22nd).
There is a broad maximum
occurring between October
20th and October 24th
and sometimes surprises
such as unusually high rates.
trees at The Cross and this
year we plan to light up the
trees at Harvey Square, Auld
Simon, Our Lady of Fatima
and The Cross - it only gets
better !
Help from local businesses,
organisations and groups (or
even individuals) would be
gratefully received. Any dona-
tion – large or small – would
be much appreciated. Contri-
butions will be used towards
the costs of the lights and the
installation of electrical supply,
so we can reproduce the dis-
play in the village each Christ-
mas.
If you’d like to make a dona-
tion, Margaret Sweenie at the
Library has kindly agreed to
collect cheques, which can be
made payable to Lochwinnoch
Millennium Events Group.
For further information, con-
tact Carol Gemmell on Tel:
843 858 - THANK YOU.

Jupiter is still visible in the The radiant is on the border

west for a short time setting of Gemini and Orion rising
about 8pm. around 11pm over the Loch.

Mid October 8pm – the For this, and more updates,

great square of the constel- visit Lochwinnoch Village Lochwinnoch
lation Pegasus fills the sky Forum -
above the Loch. www.lochwinnoch.info Millenium Events

Fairytale
of Lochwinnoch
Once upon a time, there was
a 3-year old boy. At play-
group one day, he was given
3 seeds. He brought them
home and his mum helped
him plant them in the garden.
He watered them faithfully
and watched them grow,
wondering if they would grow
into beanstalks. They grew
and grew until they were
nearly 13 feet high, then
opened up into lovely sun-
flowers. He was very proud
of them.
On waking up one Sunday
morning, he went out into
the garden to discover some
MINDLESS MORONS had
ripped the heads off two of
his flowers. He was heart-
broken. Why did the bad
boys do that he asked?
Not much of an ending to a
fairytale but, unfortunately,
this is real life in Lochwin-
noch. Hope whoever is re-
sponsible for this act of
mindless vandalism is proud
of their self.
(name and address supplied - Ed)
AIRCRAFT
DOWN!
In last month’s Chatterbox we
covered the crash of a Vickers
Viking airliner on a hill near
Largs in 1948. We next cover
some of the other aviation wrecks
which lie upon the Muirshiel hills
in a three-part series.
Part One
Over the years approximately 25
military and civil aircraft have
crashed within or near to the
Clyde Muirshiel Regional Park.
Some of the military aircraft
which fell foul of the local hills
were training aircraft operating
from Abbotsinch, the airfield
which is now Glasgow Airport.
Others involved military planes
being ferried from one location to
another. Of the civil aircraft
which have crashed in the area, a
number were trying to land at the
old Renfrew airfield.
The causes behind many of
these accidents are often similar.
Rather than being due to one sin-
gular mistake, quite often the
accidents occurred due to a cul-
mination of several factors or
errors. Poor weather conditions
and navigational mistakes usu-
ally feature as factors in the
crashes. We should also remem-
ber that the navigational equip-
ment on board was more basic
than modern systems, as were
the aircraft themselves.
There are also geographical fac-
tors to consider. The 108 square
miles of Muirshiel Park features
peaks which rise up to 1713 feet.
Given the relative proximity of
these hills to the old Renfrew and
Abbotsinch airfields, it is not sur-
prising that a number of acci-
dents have taken place in these
hills over the years.
Each accident holds it own
tale. It may be a tragic tale, when
an airman’s luck deserted him.
Or, in the case of several, the tale
of how shocked, bewildered and
lost survivors battled the ele-
ments and struggled off the
boggy moors to safety. But in
many cases, the difference be-
tween life and death was very
slight. If only the pilot had flown
a few feet higher, or flown
slightly farther in one direction,
then they would have made it
back to base. Conversely, the
same holds true for those who
were dealt a luckier hand by fate.
In the case of the 1948 Viking
crash, had the pilots waited a few
seconds longer before levelling
the wings, the outcome would
certainly have been very differ-
ent. Rather than a tale of a dra-
matic lucky escape, our intended
book Viking Down! would be the
story of a night of tragedy when
twenty perished upon the slopes
of Irish Law. Such is the dividing
line between survival and death.
There are seven aviation
archaeology sites within the
Muirshiel Park in which wreck-
age is still visible on the surface.
A number of walkers enjoying a
wee stroll on the Muirshiel hills
have stumbled across aircraft
wreckage, while many enthusi-
asts have purposely set out to
visit these sites.
The most popular walk to find
aviation crash remains in the
Muirshiel hills is arguably the
Viking/Devon trek. Only a mile
apart, both the Viking and Devon
wreck sites include significant
wreckage. The wing sections, tail
cone, both engines and their na-
celles, and other parts of the Vi-
king still remain on the hillside
today. They are an eerie reminder
of the drama that unfolded that
night and in the aftermath.
James Towill & Dougie Martindale
Please visit our website at http://
groups.yahoo.com/group/VikingCrash1948/
 150TH ANNIVERSARY Now and Then
CELEBRATION OF
THE ”WEE SCHOOL“ Make Christmas hassle free by shopping locally and early.
New this month:
A gift for the home? Beautiful new glass; design led enamel; hand forged ironwork by Belltrees of Kil-
birnie; thistle and Christmas linens and Scots language inspired stuff
Something personal? A fresh delivery of Italian leather handbags and purses; copper, glass, silver, gem-
stone, costume and girls’ jewellery; Arran Aromatics and Caurnie soap - vegan and organic soap from
Scotland’s oldest producer.
Keeping in touch? Boxed, individual and Lochwinnoch Christmas cards.

Graphic by kind permission of artist Christine Brown
By one of those extraordinary co-
incidences, exactly 150 people attended
the 150th anniversary celebration of the
opening in 1857 of the MacDowall
School on 13 September. The staff of
the Community Library, which is now
housed in the building affectionately
known as the “wee school “, presented
an excellent display of memorabilia un-
covered from their extensive research
into this aspect of village history.
Included in the display were classroom
items such as writing slates, certificates
awarded to pupils, the admissions regis-
ter and, of course, the infamous “strap“.
This latter item was of particular interest
to the pupils from our local primary
school who visited the exhibition !!
To give context to the role the school
had in village life, the Library team in-
terspersed a slide show presentation of
old photographs with comments from
former pupils. Among these was 96 year
old Annie MacDonald who was guest of
honour along with Councillors David
Arthur and Neil Bibby. Annie’s recol-
lections of village and school life now
form part of a growing archive held in
the Library. For older residents, Annie
was one of the O’Neill family which
lived in the cottages at Lochside Station.
Against the backdrop of the permanent
display of photographs and historical
notes in the Library, this small exhibi-
tion provided a valuable and most enjoy-
able look at the past. For many older
residents it provided happy recollections
and, for more recent arrivals, a glimpse
of very different times in Lochwinnoch.
The hospitality extended to visitors was,
as always, excellent with tea, coffee and
home baking of the highest quality.
Special thanks and congratulations are
due to Margaret Sweenie and her team
for their efforts to keep local history
alive.
We haven’t forgotten the chaps and youngsters either. That’s just a fraction - you won’t believe what we
have squeezed in. But if you can’t decide, we also do gift vouchers!
Open 7 days 9-5 Mon-Sat and 12 noon - 4pm on Sundays.
8 Church Street, Lochwinnoch
News from
Councillor Neil Bibby
It is an honour to have been
elected as one of the Council-
lors for Johnstone North, Kilbar-
chan and Lochwinnoch in the
May election. It is my intention
to work tirelessly for all the
people of this new ward and I
hope I can be of assistance to
you in the months and years
ahead.
I have spent my time since the
election getting to know the
issues that are of most impor-
tance to local people.
Over the summer I was suppor-
tive of and worked with the
Lochwinnoch Community Buy-
Out Group during the successful
village ballot. Despite the re-
cent bad news regarding the
sale of the site I want to reas-
sure people in Lochwinnoch
that this project continues to
have my full support.
In terms of more specific issues
I was pleased that after raising
the issue of sub-standard drink-
ing water in the McConnell
Road area of the village with
Tel: 01505 843311
Scottish Water that this has
been rectified to the satisfac-
tion of those involved.
I was pleased to recently visit
the MacDowall School Building
150th Anniversary at Lochwin-
noch Library. The wide variety
of exhibition items and photo-
graphs show the great history
of the village and how it has
grown over the years. Credit
must go to the Library Staff and
all other contributors who
made the event possible.
Further to that, I recently took
part in the Council’s Early Warn-
ing Indicator Visit of Lochwin-
noch. This identified a number
of roads and housing problems,
which the Council needs to re-
pair. If there is anything you
feel that should be included in
this report then please don’t
hesitate to contact me.
I hold regular advice surgeries
for Lochwinnoch residents on
the 1st Saturday of the month
at 9am in the McKillop Institute
but I am of course available any
other time on 01505 704 874.
Councillor Neil Bibby
 Chatterbox 1:
October 2007
“The sun shines on the righteous.”
So we are often told. However, the
correct quote from Matthew chapter
5, verse 45 reads,
“God makes the sun rise on the evil
and on the good, and sends rain on
the righteous and on the unrighteous.”
Having attended 2 Gala Days in
Lochwinnoch I know first hand your
luck with the weather. So it was with
a slightly heavy heart that I looked
out on rain on 9th September. This
was the day we had chosen to begin
our bi-centenary celebrations of the
opening of the Parish Church in
Church Street. We re-enacted the
parade which took place 200 years
ago when the foundation stone of
our Kirk was laid, by processing
from Auld Simon to our present
building, in the company of the
Houston BB & GB Pipe Band. As I
left the Church the rain was still fal-
ling, yet when we left Auld Simon
the rain had stopped – the sun was
shining.
Thank you to everyone who helped
us in our celebrations by encourag-
ing us on the day. You have no idea
how much we appreciate your sup-
port. I only hope the pipes didn’t
disturb your peace too much!
Looking out from my study window
the leaves are beginning to turn the
most glorious shades of gold and
brown – Autumn is well on its way
and so in the Church our thoughts
turn to thanksgiving; in particular
Harvest Thanksgiving. This year the
Parish Church and Calder UFC will
again celebrate at a joint service in
Calder Church at 11.00am on Sun-
day 28th October.
Growing up on the south side of
Glasgow, Harvest was very differ-
ent, as we were somewhat removed
from the source of our food. While,
of course, we were grateful for all
our blessings, harvest wasn’t neces-
sarily linked to the ingathering of the
crops. Indeed in suburban churches,
Harvest Thanksgiving may be cele-
brated before the harvest is even
gathered!
Living in a village, surrounded by
working farms, harvest is more
poignant. This is the first harvest I
will celebrate in Lochwinnoch, how-
ever, this year I am asking, “Is there
a harvest worth celebrating?”
As I write, our farmers are strug-
gling to come to terms with the arri-
val of blue tongue disease in Britain
and movement restrictions intro-
duced after the recent outbreaks of
Foot and Mouth disease. Our sheep
farmers in particular have been hit
hard by the timing of these restric-
tions, missing markets at which
sheep would be sold on for further
feeding. This crisis is not just an
economical one, it concerns the wel-
fare of the animals. Farmers have
also struggled with a wet summer
and are fighting an uphill battle with
the supermarkets to be paid a fair
price for milk in particular and dairy
produce in general. Again I ask, “Is
there a harvest worth celebrating?”
The answer is of course a resound-
ing, “Yes!” for even as our farmers
struggle, there is still a harvest,
unlike many other countries in the
world. We must also remember that
Harvest is not just a festival of the
countryside, but a time when we
give thanks for all our blessings.
One of my favourite Harvest hymns
begins, “Praise God for the harvest
of orchard and field,”. Each verse
takes a different theme and we praise
God for the harvest that comes from
afar; for the harvest that’s quarried
and mined; the harvest of science
and skill.
In the final verse we -
“Praise God for the harvest
of mercy and love
for leaders and peoples
who struggle and serve
with patience and kindness,
that all may be led
to freedom and justice,
and all may be fed.”
Brian Wren © 1974, 1996 Hope Publishing Coy
This is the essence of the Christian
festival of Harvest Thanksgiving and
it is an attitude most people in our
village would support, whether they
attend Church or not. We are en-
couraged to ensure all people are
fed, not just with food for their bod-
ies, but also food for their souls,
their hearts and their minds.
Of course we must support people
abroad who are struggling to make
ends meet and ensure producers are
given a fair price for their produce.
Yet surely that principle should ap-
ply at home too? This hymn also
reminds us we must work to make
sure that all people are treated with
patience, kindness and all people
given the opportunity to live in free-
dom, with justice and with peace.
That is a huge undertaking, yet let us
never forget the Chinese proverb,
“The longest journey begins with the
first step.”
Another of my favourite hymns has
the lines,
“The angels cannot change
a world of hurt and pain
into a world of love,
of justice and of peace.
The task is mine to do,
to set it really free.”
Jorge Maldonado (Public Domain)
We can all make a difference to the
world around us, we can all make a
difference to the lives of people
across the world. Each time we shop,
our decisions affect other people –
do our decisions bring freedom and
justice or oppression and inequality?
As the Bible reminds us when we
treat people with dignity and respect
we are honouring Christ. In the im-
age of the Last Judgement in Mat-
thew’s Gospel (chapter 25 verses 31
– 46), we are not asked whether we
attended Church or not, we are not
even asked if we kept each of the 10
Commandments. Rather we are
judged on whether or not we fed the
hungry; gave the thirsty something
to drink; welcomed the stranger;
clothed the naked; cared for those
who are sick; visited people in
prison.’As Jesus himself said, ‘Truly
I tell you, just as you did it to one of
the least of these who are members
of my family, you did it to me.’
May God bless us all with a harvest
of mercy and love, in Lochwinnoch,
in Scotland and all around our
world.
Yours,
Reverend Christine Murdoch
 MUSIC, MUSIC,
MUSIC
The Scottish Philharmonic Orches-
tra is a new orchestra that has its
roots in Lochwinnoch. The or-
chestral management team are
scattered here and there around the
village.
Last month the orchestra opened a
series of concerts in Oran Mor at
the top of Byres Road. The con-
certs are on Monday nights at
6:00pm.
As well as refreshing the mind
with some fabulous music you can
also refresh the body with a free
cocktail and a canapé.
The season runs until November
19 so why don’t you wind down
one of these Mondays, escape
from the traffic, the balttalions of
shoppers, screaming weans and
treat yourself to a concert a cock-
tail and a canapé.
Forthcoming concerts feature El-
gar (October 8), Vaughn-Williams
(October 15), Mozart (October 22)
Holst (October 29) and Handel
(November 5).
SILENT AUCTION
Saturday 20th October ‘07
10am to 3pm at
Lochwinnoch Church Halls
Tea & coffee will be served
Admission £1
Help us repeat the success of the
last auction by looking out any
quality items, i.e. furniture, pic-
tures, bric-a-brac, jewellery - in
fact, anything - to donate to the
auction.
The hall will be open from Mon-
day 15th to Friday 19th October
to receive donations. Alterna-
tively, for larger items, contact
Norma Bell (Tel: 01505 842558)
or any Fundraising Committee
members to arrange pick-up.
We also need helpers on the day
or during the week. Please con-
tact us if you can help with this
project.
Lochwinnoch
Historical Society
As the new season started on
Thursday 20th September, we
welcomed Robert Ferguson of
Dalgarven Mill, who gave an
amusing talk on the colourful,
eventful history of its restora-
tion. An evening visit to the
mill is proposed for the near
future.
Our next meeting is on Thurs-
day 18th October. We look
forward to a welcome return
visit from Joy Blair, who will
give a powerpoint presenta-
tion on the history of light-
houses and keepers. Her own
grandfather was one such
keeper.
Why not come along and join
us. An evening visit, includ-
ing tea/coffee and biscuits
costs £2. If you wish to be-
come a member, the cost is
£8 for the season of 7 meet-
ings, all with a guest speaker.
For more details, contact
Gordon Nicholl on 842632.
NEWS FROM
JOHNSTONE HIGH
Before the schools broke up for
the summer, Lochwinnoch pupils
were achieving awards for effort
and attainment.
Those in 1st Year were:
Gillian Brown, Finn Campbell,
Lucy Campbell, Emma McDon-
Those in 2nd Year were:
Jennifer Aitchison, Jade Cook,
Rhubekka Cunningham and
Kirsten Holmes.
Those in 3rd Year were:
Marcus Guy - English (1st),
Maths (1st), Modern Studies
(1st), Chemistry (2nd), Art (2nd).
Ewan Jarvis - Maths (Merit)
Caitlin Patterson - Biology (1st)
The following 2nd Year pupils
gained Silver Awards in the
United Kingdom Mathematics
Trust UK Junior Mathematics
Challenge -
Jennifer Aitchison, Jade Cook,
Kirsten Holmes and Ami Oliver.
Some Sports achievers now -
Mala Stewart won Gold, Silver
and Bronze medals in the High
Jump, 100 metres and 200 me-
tres respectively in the Renfrew-
shire Sports event.
Katie Waddell won a Silver medal
in the High Jump.
Kirsten Holmes won a Bronze
medal in the 400 metres event.
Kirsty Porteous won a Silver
Medal in the 800 metres and a
Bronze medal in the 200 metres
races.
Alison Ford won a Bronze medal
in the 400 metres event.
(Next month, we will bring you
more news on recent rowing and
sculls achievements by our young
local people - too much to fit in
this month - Ed.)
 LOCHWINNOCH
ART GROUP
Tuesday, 25th September saw
the start of a new era for
Lochwinnoch Art Group. Their
exhibition preview opened in
The Library Room.
The Library Room, which was
once the Community Museum,
has taken on a fresh new look
and one that is most welcome.
There was a good turnout on
the evening. The Art Group has
been well supported by the vil-
lagers over the many years and
has been a much looked for-
ward to event.
The sixty six paintings exhib-
ited are varied in style and
subject. Something to please
everyone. Ten were sold on the
opening night, much to the de-
light of the members of the
Group.
There is plenty of time for
everyone to see this exhibition
as it runs until Saturday 20th
October.
The opening times of the
Library are:-
Mon,Wed, Fri - 2-5pm & 6-8pm
Tuesday & Saturday 10am - 1pm
and 2.pm-5pm
Closed all day Thursday.
LET’S TRY TO SAVE
OUR REGIONAL
PARK
An e-petition has been lodged on
the Scottish Parliament website
stating the following –
"Petition on behalf of the
Save Your Regional Parks
campaign, calling on the
Scottish Parliament to urge
the Scottish Executive to
provide greater protection
for the National and Re-
gional Parks of Scotland
from industrialisation, in-
cluding wind farms and
their associated quarries,
roads, cable trenches and
sub-stations."
If we all make an effort, this
could be the final battle in the
war so your co-operation with
this is vital.
The Scottish Parliament has a
Petition Committee chaired by
Frank McCaveety, MSP. Mem-
bers of the public can petition
the Parliament on issues which
are important to them and the
Petition Committee has to con-
sider each one. If there is
enough support for the petition
either by e mail or written signa-
tures, then Mr McCaveety has to
invite the petitioner or organisa-
tion to the meeting to debate the
issue. If we get sufficient sup-
port, then it will be members of
LWFAG who will appear at the
meeting and ……..
if we convince the Petition’s
Committee that our cause is an
important one, then the issue
will be addressed by Parliament.
If this is successful then either a
policy or a ministerial statement
could be made which states that
national and regional parks will
not be used as sites for wind
farm development.
This would save a huge number
of people a whole load of work
and Clyde Muirshiel Regional
Park would be saved.
If you care about the future of
Clyde Muirshiel Regional Park,
please act at once and put you
name to this petition.
Please remember there are more
than 280 wind turbines at various
stages of planning destined for
Clyde Muirshiel Regional Park.
The link can be accessed either on
the website of -
saveyourregionalpark.com
OR
direct to -
http://epetitions.scottish.parliament.
uk/view_petition.asp?PetitionID=180
All that is required is that you fill
out your name and address. This
petition needs thousands of signa-
tures for the Members of Parlia-
ment to realise that it is a national
issue which requires their atten-
tion.
Once you have signed up, please e
mail all your friends, relatives,
colleagues and urge them to do
the same. Remember that e mails
from folks in other countries re-
flect the opinion of tourists, which
is very important.
This is probably the most signifi-
cant step taken by the Save Your
Regional park campaign and it
needs your support. Act now and
who knows ...... if the MSPs are
on the ball, wind farms in Parks
should not happen and future
generations will thank us for look-
ing after one of Scotland‘s pre-
cious assets.
A paper version will be available
very soon so that we can also
gather written signatures from
those who are unable to access the
website.
Thank you for your continuing
support.
Ladymoor Wind Factory
Action Group
www.saveyourregionalpark.com
Christmas with a
Conscience
Saturday 10th November
from
10.00 till 1.00pm
in
Lochwinnoch
Parish Church
Christmas with a Conscience
has been very successful the
last two years it was held in
Bridge of Weir.
This year it will be held in Kil-
macolm and Lochwinnoch.
ALL monies made at the event
go, with no profit to the stall-
holder, to the organisation
represented.
A huge array of beautiful cards
and crafts from around the
world are available.
• African and Peruvian
goods help impoverished
villages
• Philippine jewellery is un-
usual and interesting
• Fair Trade and Save the
Children stalls are well
stocked
• Olive Tree goods from "The
Holy Land" are stunning
(ceramics from Jerusalem,
olive wood from Bethlehem
with embroidery from sur-
rounding villages and glass
from Hebron)
Come and Browse and Christ-
mas shop, AND benefit others
directly.
Entrance with tea/coffee and
shortbread is £1.
If anyone would like to dis-
play/sell items for a similar
cause please contact Carol
Whyte on Tel: 01505 843289
BILLY CONNOLLY
TRIBUTE NIGHT
Saturday 13th October ‘07
7.30pm at the Masonic Club
PRIZE BINGO
NIGHTS
Friday 5th October
Friday 9th November
Friday 23rd November*
& Friday 7th December
7.30pm at the Masonic Club
* Proceeds raised on 23 November
will go to Garpel House.
For tickets and more information,
contact Billy Davey on
Tel: 01505 843359
DAWG DAWDLE
Sunday 7th October
Leaving the Glendale Arms,
Glengarnock at 2pm
Last year’s sponsored dog walk
raised £1900. Please join us for
the second Dawg Dawdle and
help support Hessilhead and St
Vincents Hospice.
This year’s walk is from Glengar-
nock to Lochwinnoch, following
the cyclepath route. Scotrail will
provide free travel to Dawg Daw-
dlers on the 1 o’clock train from
Lochwinnoch.
LOCHWINNOCH
SUSTAINABLE
COMMUNITY
GARDEN
This growing season has been
very successful despite the poor
summer weather. We now have
a few more regulars, including
Gordon Walkinshaw, who has
worked hard at weeding, clear-
ing and planting new areas and
Tom Muir, a successful vegeta-
ble grower. We will gain much
knowledge on the subject by
having Tom with us.
We now have a Mantis tiller,
which will make light work of
soil cultivation. This lets us dig
to a depth of 10 inches and cre-
ates a fine tilth for seed sowing
and planting. This tiller is
available for hire at a cost of £15
per day or £50 per week. It can
also be hired, with operator, at
£20 per hour, with a reasonable
sized garden taking about 3
hours. (No fuel surcharge or VAT.)
Why not join in and support
your garden? Even a couple of
hours a week - every little helps.
Let’s give Lochwinnoch a gar-
den to be proud of - as well as
being a visitor attraction.
Call Gordon Nicholl on Tel:
01505 842632 for information
about the garden or about hir-
ing the tiller.
ROBERT THE BAKER
Giving up but not giving in!
Robert Wilson of The Garthland Bak-
ery was celebrating his 69th birthday
with tea and scones on the day I called
round. It was a very long chat and the
scones were delicious. Read on ….
In my day, when you left school at
Quarriers, you stayed on to become a
kitchen boy for 6 months. This in-
volved getting up at 5 in the morning
to light the coal range, make the por-
ridge for 22 other boys and then start
thinking about dinner and tea. I was
taught to bake and make scones dur-
ing this time and developed an instinct
for baking. Had I not taken to baking,
then I would probably have become a
farmer or a gardener.
As a boy, at 15, I left Quarriers to
serve my time as a baker in Glasgow.
Up to then, all I had was a halfpenny
of money on a Sunday for the church
collection. My first job was at James
Craig’s in St George’s Road, Glas-
gow, which was taken over 6 months
later by the then famous City Bakers
in Clarendon Street, Glasgow. I fin-
ished serving my time at the age of 21
and moved to Galbraiths in Craigton
Road, Govan, where I was put in
charge of 70 people.
I then did 2 years’ National Service
and went to Aldershot and on to Ye-
ovil, where I passed my driving test.
From here, I was posted to Kenya then
on to Bahrain, Sharjah and also to Ku-
wait. While in Kenya, I drove for the
24th Infantry Brigade Commander.
The bonus here was that because I
drove for the Brigade Commander, I
didn’t have to wait for my meals like
the other soldiers and I ate in the
kitchen of the Officers’ Mess!
Following National Service, I returned
to the bakers in Craigston Road where
Galbraiths had been taken over by
Lyons of London. Later, I moved on
to United Biscuits in Tollcross Road
as a Night Shift Production Manager
for some 300 employees. Having had
enough of mass production, I joined
family bakers, John McMillan and
Son in Paisley. After 5 years, the time
had come to set up in business on my
own account in Renfrew.
At this time, I had a baker who did
night shift and one day I arrived to
find the bakery door wide open, the
steam press was dried out and the
element was red hot and nothing was
made! Later, these premises got too
small to cope with our two shops in
Renfrew and Paisley) so we moved
to premises in Nitshill in Glasgow
and what a wonderful time we had
there. The shop and bakery had a
flat roof and there was an opening
from the roof into the front shop.
One night, the night shift workers
felt a draught and discovered two
pairs of legs dangling through the
opening - the sight of the bakers’
rolling pins scared them off. On
another night, the night shift baker
felt a draught coming from the shop
area, only to find two lads making
off into the night with the micro-
wave oven. In between times, we
did manage to do some baking!
By around 1987, there were 12
shops in Johnstone, Busby, Renfrew,
Nitshill and other locations in Pais-
ley, including some I had taken over
when my former employer had gone
bust. One morning, the van driver
was loading the van and said there
was no hot plate board (which was
needed for making scones, etc) at the
Neilston Road shop. I insisted that
it must be there, the girl in the shop
insisted that it wasn’t so we quickly
picked up goods from the other shop
to make up the delivery. The van
was only away 2 minutes when a
couple of big policemen chapped at
the door, produced a board and
asked if it was mine; they had just
stopped some lads who had been
walking up the road with it.
In 1990, we heard that The Garth-
land Bakery in Lochwinnoch had
come onto the market. At that time,
the premises needed a bit of atten-
tion but we felt that, given time, we
could make it into a shop. We
opened for business and shop num-
ber 13 came into being, increasing
the number of staff in the shops to
34 people. We soon learned that the
people of Lochwinnoch were very
friendly and appreciated our efforts
and we, in turn, appreciated their
comments, which helped us to im-
prove our bakery over the years.
The people of Lochwinnoch have
also been very generous and have
given their unstinting support in all
of our fundraising activities. During
our time here, we have done a num-
ber of window displays, including
one for Christian Aid when we made
a cake in the shape of a globe of the
world. I was very impressed when 3
schoolboys stuck their heads through
the door and said “Robert, you’ve
put Ireland in the wrong place on the
globe”! That particular window dis-
play was special as it was made to
commemorate Christian Aid’s 50th
anniversary. One Saturday morning,
we asked the people of Lochwin-
noch to be generous and see if we
could raise £50 that morning. It is
thanks to this generosity of spirit that
we did just that. We also did win-
dow displays to mark 60 years of
charitable work to help Arthritis suf-
ferers, where a cake was cut up and
pieces handed out in exchange for
donations to the charity. £60 was
raised this way. Other window dis-
plays marked different events that
had occurred in particular years.
Local people had to guess the year
by looking for clues in the window
display – sometimes there would be
two displays for the one year. If
they guessed right, they could come
into the shop and claim a prize.
We also did a number of summer
holiday window displays, when we
shut up shop and took a break. Even
though the shop was closed, word
got round that there was a new win-
dow display at the bakers. Picture
the scene – blue sky in the back-
ground, rice flour to make a sandy
beach, specially made mini deck-
chairs, flip flops and a sign, which
said -
“We have made our dough,
we knead to rest,
we are off to bake in the sun,
see you when we get back.”
On returning from holiday one year,
I was met by some schoolchildren
who pulled me up about my spelling
and they said
“that is not how you spell need”.
I replied by saying that when you
have spent 50 years baking, then that
is all you need to know!
Since the shop opened back in 1990,
we have always done a Christmas
window display, which is on view
from the 1st of December through to
Christmas Day and is our way of
‘giving’ a Christmas card to every-
one in the village.
One year, I heard that a mother had
to bring her little girl down to see the
window display at 11 o’clock at
night, as her daughter wouldn’t rest
until she had seen the display all lit
up and looking its best in the dark.
Another peculiar thing would hap-
pen from time to time. When we
had special displays in the shop win-
dow, there was no space for cakes or
bakery items in the window. People
would gaze through the window at
the displays and, thinking that it was
a gift shop, would come into the
shop to try to buy the Christmas
decorations. Only when they
stepped inside, did they see the
cakes and bread on the counter and
they realised that they were not in a
gift shop after all.
The shop has seen holidaymakers
and visitors from all over the world,
including France, Switzerland,
America, Canada, Holland, New
Zealand, Sweden, Germany and
many more.
One day, a Swedish doctor, his wife
and family were looking round the
bakery and the doctor said that if
there was an emergency in Lochwin-
noch, he was quite sure that they
could use the bakery as an emer-
gency hospital as it was so clean.
On another day, a group of 3 Ger-
man lads were looking round and I
was telling them how proud we are
of our bakery and of our baking.
One of the lads, who was about 6’ 3”
tall, said that his bakery was better
and I joked that he would not be
leaving the premises by the front
door and that I would get my 2 assis-
tants to throw him out through the
window!
I have always believed that if com-
munities are prepared to support us
then we should also put something
back into the community.
Over the years, in the various loca-
tions where we have had shops, we
have helped groups of people - in-
cluding nurseries, schools, church
groups and so on - by baking goods
for their events and summer fetes to
help them raise funds.
My own involvement in fundraising
started when my daughter was 12
years old. This happened to be in
the same year as the Salvation
Army’s centenary year, when Save
the Children Fund held a wonderful
concert in Glasgow and raised over
£4,000. Guests and performers in-
cluded the Lord Provost of Glasgow,
the Earl of Dalhousie, Moira Ander-
son and Bill McCue.
For the last 25 years, on the first Sat-
urday in May, we have gone along
with our Donut making machine to
the charity Enable in Sandy Road in
Renfrew to help raise funds. If you
ever want to arrange an outdoor
event, choose the first Saturday in
May as this event has never been
rained off in all these 25 years. We
have also raised funds in this way
for the Accord Hospice in Paisley, St
Joseph’s in Lochwinnoch (when it
was still a nursing home) and this
year we produced donuts and pan-
cakes to raise funds at Ralston Pri-
mary School summer fete.
We also raised funds at the bakery,
by recycling the large plastic buckets
that had contained baking products.
In exchange for a donation, local
customers would receive an empty
bucket to store dog food, hold fish-
ing bait or for use as plant contain-
ers. So far, well over £2,000 -
£3,000 has been raised for various
charities, including a Ukrainian or-
phanage.
For a great number of years now, I
have been very conscious of the sup-
port that the men of The Salvation
Army Band in Govan have given to
my wife, Dorothy, and I and this was
shown in a very memorable way at
Christmas 2006.
The Band came out to Lochwinnoch,
voluntarily, and played outside the
shop in the High Street. Local peo-
ple joined in the fun, everyone
tucked into hot Christmas pies and
although this was not an official col-
lecting exercise, the band and villag-
ers collected around £300 on that
one occasion alone. There are some
great photographs of this impromptu
gathering on the Salvation Army
band website –
www.salvationarmy.org.uk/
I would like to say, without reserva-
tion, that the past 17 years at the
bakery in Lochwinnoch have been
wonderful and all that has been
achieved would not have been possi-
ble without my wife, Dorothy, my
family and staff in the shops and at
the bakery. Right from the begin-
ning, the people of Lochwinnoch
have been more like friends and
family, sharing their joys, sorrows
and worries and our customers will
always be remembered for their gen-
erosity and support.
Last but not least, there will be a
farewell Open Evening and buffet on
Friday 9th November, from 7pm on-
wards, at the Bowling Club.
Everyone is invited and donations
and funds raised on the night will be
split between Govan Salvation Army
and Lochwinnoch International Aid.
Robert Wilson
 LOCHWINNOCH
LIBRARY LOCAL
HISTORY QUIZ
Questions -
1. Which local landowner was
responsible for building the
“Wee School”?
2. Which famous yacht was sup-
plied with chairs made in Joseph
Johnstone’s Furniture Factory?
3. Lochwinnoch Curling Club is
one of the oldest in Scotland. In
which year was it formed?
4. The McKillop Institute was
opened in which year?
5. Which trade mark was used by
Whitton’s Mill for their tweeds
and blankets?
6. In which year did Colonel Wil-
liam MacDowall buy the Castle
Semple Estate?
7. Who owned the first car in
Lochwinnoch?
8. In which year was Lochwinnoch
Railway Station opened?
9. Which regiment’s barracks were
located in Lochwinnoch during
WW2?
10. Garthland House was used as a
Missionary Training College and
also as a Nursing Home. But
what was the original name of
the House?
And Answers -
1. Henry MacDowall.
2. Royal Yacht Britannia.
3. 1827.
4. 1931
5. Cauder.
6. 1727
7. Peter Dewar.
8. 1905 (will accept Lochside 1840).
9. 1st Maritime Regiment Royal
Artillery.
10. Garpel House.
And the winners are -
Adults: Linda Gee and Reid Davidson
Junior: James Reston
1st Lochwinnoch
Boys Brigade
Meetings are held in the Parish
Church Hall, Church Street,
Lochwinnoch.
Anchor boys (p2 - p3)
on Tuesdays at 6pm
Junior section (p4, p5, p6)
on Tuesdays at 7pm
Company section (p7 upwards)
on Fridays 7.30 pm
New members always welcome ,
pop along on the relevent evening
to meet the officers and mem-
bers.
Volunteer helpers and drivers are
always needed for meetings and
trips arranged.
If you feel you could spare a few
hours now and then please do, as
it is a shame if we have to cancel
a trip due to lack of transport.
Jumble sale coming up soon, so
sort through those cupboards be-
fore Christmas and let us collect
from you and raise money.
Call 01505 842825 , 842064 ,
842407 to arrange a collection or
e-mail:
FLOWINGCRYSTAL@AOL.COM
for more information on any
Boys Brigade event.
VILLAGE EVENT
PLANNER
Lochwinnoch Post Office has a
wall-mounted calendar, where
members of the public can enter
details of forthcoming events.
Please use this calendar to avoid
any clashes when planning dates
of events and, of course, to help
publicise your events within the
village.
ADVICE WORKS
at
Lochwinnoch
Library
Tuesdays 10am –12.30pm
Providing advice about enti-
tlements to benefits. Advisors
on hand to help fill in claim
forms, check and advise on
welfare benefits and money
problems.
Advisors can provide expert
advice on a wide range of debt
related topics, such as credit
card, mortgage arrears, coun-
cil tax, etc
The service is FREE,
confidential and open to all
residents of Renfrewshire.
 CHATTERBOX
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 News & Events at Sunday 21st October - Wild
Harvest at Castle Semple Centre
HOW TO FIND THE
VISITOR CENTRES
RSPB, Muirshiel, from 1330-1530 hrs. Autumn
seed gathering season is here. RSPB
Cornalees & Castle Plant them and check on how last
year’s seeds are progressing into The reserve is open at all times and the
Semple Centres our trees of the future. visitor centre is open daily from 1000 -
1700 hrs (except Xmas and New Year
Saturday 27th October - holidays). Easily accessible by train, bus
Sunday 7th October - Feed the Birds Day from 1300- and car, the RSPB centre is located 18
16hrs at RSPB Centre. Pick up miles SW of Glasgow, beside A760 Largs
Lochwinnoch Autumn Farmers Road (off A737 Irvine Road—easily ac-
Market at Castle Semple Centre tips and information on looking cessible from J 28A of the M8). Car
from 1100 to 1400 hours or until after birds over the winter. parking available. Tel: 01505 842663
sold out. Sunday 28th October -
Saturday 13th October - two Conservation Volunteers at Muir-
MUIRSHIEL PARK
events at Cornalees Centre:- shiel Centre from 1300-1500 hrs. VISITOR CENTRE
Hibernating Shadow Puppets from Do a bit of healthy outdoor work,
midday/early afternoon. What is it’ll keep you fit and be helping The Centre is 4 miles NW of Lochwin-
about to go to sleep? Come and the natural environment at the noch at the top of Calder Glen Road.
same time. For more Info. and to Open from 11oo-1600 hrs/1700hrs at
have fund finding out. weekends for Hen Harrier CCTV view-
Water Lanterns - come and try book, Tel: 01505 842803 ing, walks/trails, wildlife plus refresh-
making a floating lantern, from Friday 2nd November - ments, snacks and gifts. Pre-book a
1300-1500 hrs. Fright Night at the RSPB Centre place on the FREE bus from RSPB Cen-
from 1800-2100 hrs. tre to Muirshiel on designated Saturdays
Sat 13th October to Mon in July. Car parking also available at
22nd October - October Fest. Sunday 4th November - - Muirshiel. Tel: 01505 842803
At Castle Semple Centre from an illustrated Hen Harrier Talk
1100-1600 hrs daily. Enjoy fresh and 2007 CCTV Hen Harrier
footage at 1345 hrs at Muirshiel CASTLE SEMPLE CENTRE
autumn air on foot, by bike or on
the water. Centre. Located on the loch shore in Lochlip
Sunday 14th October - One Sunday 4th November— Road, Lochwinnoch. Open from 1000-
Day Map and Compass Course: Craft Fair with a selection of the 1700 hours every day. Wide range of
best of local craft producers at water sports, cycle hire, footpaths,
Theory and Practice at Cornalees snacks and refreshments available in the
Centre from 1000-1600 hrs. Class- Castle Semple Centre from 1100- Centre. Car parking at the Centre. Tel:
room and hill work. Advance 1530 hrs. 01505 842882.
booking essential. Tel: 01505 CORNALEES VISITOR CENTRE
842882 Ext 20. WINTER VISITOR CENTRE
OPENING HOURS FROM
Sunday 14th October - Aren’t The Visitor Centre is located at Loch
28th OCTOBER 2007 Thom, Nr Inverkip. Fabulous views,
Birds Brilliant: Feed The Birds at
Cornalees Centre - 1030-1500 wide open spaces, moorland walks, in-
Castle Semple Centre from 1300-
hrs weekends only until March. cluding The Greenock Cut Walk. Open
1600 hrs. Find out how to look from 1030-1600 hours week-
Muirshiel Centre - 1100-1500
after your friendly garden visitors. days/weekends. Car parking is available
hrs weekends only until March.
Wednesday 17th October - Castle Semple Centre Open
at the Centre. Tel: 01475 521458 for
further information.
from 7.30pm to 9pm at the RSPB
Daily from 1000-1600 hrs.
Reserve, Lochwinnoch. Talk Time:
Upland v Lowland: The changing
faces of Inversnaid and Baron’s
Haugh RSPB Reserves. Book in
advance - Tel: 01505 842663.
Friday 19th October - Build a
bug a home! 3 sessions being held
at RSPB Centre where kids and For All Your Garage Door Needs
adults alike will have the opportu- Garage Doors . Remote Control Openers
nity to learn how to build homes Installation . Repairs . Spares
for hibernating animals and in-
sects this winter. Book in advance. FREE ESTIMATES 0141 950 1423 GLASGOW
Tel RSPB on: 01505 842663. FREE SURVEYS 01505 842176 AYRSHIRE
FREE INSURANCE REPORTS 01786 820130 STIRLING
Chatterbox is produced for the Community Council of
Lochwinnoch through financial assistance by Lochwin-
noch Community Council, Renfrewshire Council and
The Cross, Lochwinnoch PA12 4DB
advertisements. The editor welcomes all items for
possible inclusion but will reserve all rights over them.
(10 mins from Glasgow Airport on A737)
All views are of individuals. The editor accepts no
liability for errors