ISSUE 15

Winter 2012

FERRY NEWS LETTER

New Lease of Life for Barholm Arms

Since the Barholm Arms closed a lot of people have expressed their concern about the building becoming an eyesore.
A lot of people have also been saying how worried they are now the Solway Steel factory has closed and the impact that is having on local shops, jobs and the local economy in general. These are difficult times and with these concerns in mind, Creetown Initiative have been looking at ways we might support the local economy. We cant replace the jobs lost as a result of the closure of Solway Steel, but there maybe things we can do. One such thing is to look at a new use for the Barholm Arms. Our idea is to create a retail space on the ground floor which would be run by a co-operative of produce and craft makers. The type of things it would sell would be very different from any shop we have in the village and, because it would be run as a co-operative, it spreads the overheads, making it easier for people to get involved. So if you are a craft or produce maker and youre interested in this idea, get in touch. But this is only part of the story; the retail space I have just described would operate between Easter and September; the rest of the year it would be converted into a charity shop. The charity shop would be run for the benefit of local groups, sports clubs, youth groups, dance, drama any group thats interested. So if you are a local community group and this idea appeals, get in touch. It could be a great way to make money for your group and its also a way of recycling locally. For the upper floors we are considering a bunk-house. Essentially this is a place where visitors can get a cheap bed. It wont compete with local hotels or B&Bs. Its a very basic, no frills bed for a night at a cheap price. People who use bunkhouses dont do hotels or B&Bs. Theres no food provided; no luxuries, just a bed. Bunk houses are very popular and attract a different type of visitor. The beauty is that other businesses get to supply the other things these visitors need - food, drink, fuel and so on. Its another way of bringing more people into the village. At the back of the Barholm we are looking to build some work-shops, these would be cheap to rent and designed to help new businesses get started. So if youre looking to start a new business and are looking for premises, let us know. See p2 for the rest of this article...

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Continued from front page...

The next stage is to develop the idea and to talk to people to establish whether this will work. The lottery is supporting the idea with some development money. What we have to do is prove the idea works. Apart from what Ive described, the project will also create some jobs - the facility will need people to run it, so it has lots of potential. We are calling the project Creetown Enterprise Centre. We are keen to hear your views, so please get in touch on 01671 820 654.

CREETOWN SILVER BAND

Creetown Silver Band Christmas season engagements as known at present:
Friday November 30th, 7pm: Wigtown Christmas Lights. Thurs December 13th, 7.30pm: Concert Creetown Bandhall. Friday December 14th, 7.30pm: Isle of Whithorn. Sunday December 16th, 11am: Mochrum Church. Sunday December 16th, 7pm: Kirkcowan Church. Sunday December 23rd, 5pm: Cally Palace. The band has had another very busy summer and will not get much respite with the Christmas season starting so early.

We are still on the lookout for anyone of any age who would like to learn to play a brass instrument. Former players are very welcome.
Stuart McNab

GreenerWheels Confuses Europeans

Creetown Car Club will now be known as Wheels4Creetown, but only the name is changing; everything else remains the same.
The reason for this is, following notification of our infringements to the exclusive trademark of the name Greenwheels (June 2012) by a car club in the Netherlands, we have been instructed to cease the use of, and any reference to GreenerWheels due to the similarity of name and a cause of confusion to members of the public. Wheels4Creetown are here for the whole community to use* offering cars from 2.95 per hour, to as little as 130 for seven days plus the cost of any fuel used**. So whether you want a car for one hour, eight hours, 24 hours, a weekend, a week or anything in-between, why not join the scheme and start to save yourself money. THERE ARE NO OTHER HIDDEN COSTS, NO MEMBERSHIP COST, NO INSURANCE COST, NOTHING. *subject to insurance acceptance ** fuel is charged at cost price based on 50mpg (Grand Scenic) or 60mpg (clio).

We insure them, tax them, repair them and clean them You drive them.

2.95 PER HOUR, 24 FOR 24 HOURS 40 PER WEEKEND

(6PM FRIDAY 8AM MONDAY)

NO MEMBERSHIP COSTS

130 PER WEEK (7 DAYS)

Creetown Knotweed Control

This year, Galloway Fisheries Trust (GFT) carried out Japanese Knotweed control on the Money Pool Burn and the Balloch Burn.

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This work was undertaken by an EU part funded project, named Controlling Invasives, Restoring Biodiversity (CIRB) in which GFT are one of five Scottish partners involved, along with Queens University in Belfast. The project began late 2010 and will run until winter of 2014. The control was primarily focused in 2011 on the core rivers within Galloway, however this year we were able to include the two burns in Creetown. The various locations within Creetown were all sprayed a total of four times between June and September this year. This process will be repeated for at least another two years. For more information on the project, please refer to our website www.gallowayfisheriestrust.org, or contact the Project Officer Neil Dalrymple at our office on 01671 403011.

BRINGING BETTER BROADBAND

A number of people have called into the office to ask what, if anything, we could do to improve broadband.
Those who use the internet will agree that the service is patchy; good one minute, poor the next. The point is that good broadband helps business, and it could bring jobs to the area. We dont know enough about broadband to offer a solution, but what we can do is ask those who do. But...we need some statistics to illustrate what the problems are. So if you are having Broadband troubles or just want faster download speeds, please let us know. Its important that people contact us so we can prove that there is an issue, so please email kevin_ creetown@yahoo.co.uk with your thoughts about local broadband.

October

August

June

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Nature & Wildlife

THE RED SQUIRREL
Red Squirrels Need You
Red Squirrels are one of the best loved animals in the UK and they have one of their strongholds in our region. Many of us feed them and enjoy their acrobatic antics on peanut feeders. However, the red squirrel is threatened by its north American cousin, the grey squirrel through direct competition for food and habitat, but more crucially through the spread of the squirrelpox virus which is being carried by grey squirrels moving northwards from England. This is harmless to the greys but deadly to the reds as they have no resistance to it. Scientists are working on a vaccine to treat Red Squirrels but this could take some time to develop. In the meantime schemes to prevent the spread of greys and the further loss of reds are vital. The long-running Red Squirrels in South Scotland (RSSS) project, set up to preserve our native red squirrels, has now merged with the Saving Scotlands Red Squirrels (SSRS) project to form a national red squirrel conservation scheme managed by the Scottish Wildlife Trust in partnership with Scottish Natural Heritage, Forestry Commission Scotland, Scottish Land and Estates and Red Squirrel Survival Trust. The project also has a new project officer for south-west Scotland, Heinz Traut. Heinz will cover Dumfries, Galloway and Ayrshire and will work with project officer Karen Ramoo based in the Scottish Borders. RSSS are running a Squirrelpox Surveillance Programme involving landowners and Grey Squirrel Control Officers (GSCO). Blood samples are taken from trapped greys and tested to see if they are carrying the squirrelpox virus. Where seropositive (pox carrying) greys are found, further targeted trapping can be carried out in that area to reduce the likelihood of further spreading. To assist this programme RSSS also have a Trap Loan Scheme where landowners can receive training and support to control grey squirrels. The new project officer is particularly keen to find people willing to carry out trapping in the Newton Stewart area as over 50 grey squirrels have been trapped nearby in Kilsture Forest and a recent sighting in Newton Stewart has raised fears of them spreading to this area. Another new scheme to assess

the distribution of squirrels will involve putting out feeder boxes in designated areas fitted with sticky pads under the lid. The hairs left behind on the pad when the squirrels lift the lid will be analysed to determine which species are feeding from the boxes. One hundred sites will be checked throughout the region and 400 feeder boxes will be required for the scheme. If you are interested in helping to construct boxes, please contact Heinz on 07881 016495 or htraut@swt.org.uk. Another way to help is by sending in your sightings of red and grey squirrels. Sick red squirrels and dead squirrels, which can be sent for post mortem, should also be reported. Sightings should preferably be reported on the RSSS website at www.red-squirrels.org.uk or alternately by contacting Heinz. Pete Robinson

YOUTH WORK VOLUNTEERS NEEDED

We are looking to start a youth drop-in for children and young people at the Pavilion in the park, on Tuesday and Wednesday nights initially.
Rather than a club with membership, it will be a place where young people can socialise in a warm, safe, dry environment on these cold winter nights. Please contact Amy at the Initiative if you are interested in volunteering a few hours every few weeks to help supervise.

Get in touch on 01671 820 654 or amydeetighe@gmail.com

This issues photograph is from the cover of the Creetown Calendar for 2013.

The Way We Were...

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How many of you know what the building behind the clock tower was, or what make of car faces you, or the names of the two children on the right? The calendars are selling well, so if you want one for yourself, or to send to relatives or friends, dont delay! By the time you read this, the Heritage Museum will have closed for the year, although we hope that copies will be available volunteers efforts. Fortunately from our local shops until next there have been some lighter year. moments from time to time such The Heritage Museum has had a as the very busy Doors Open weekend, together with visits hard year, probably the hardest from Girl Guides and our local since the foot and mouth school. And new exhibits still crisis because of the downcome in. Among the latest is a turn of visitor numbers to the gurnel - the biggest bradawl area. But, thanks to the efforts you are ever likely to see! (Its of the volunteers who keep it like a 4 ft length of telegraph open, it has just about kept pole with one end sharpened to its head above the waters of a point and encased in iron). It these troubled financial times. was used to make holes in the Its not such an enjoyable task river bed for the upright poles to be on duty when few, if any, people come in. Its always more which supported the salmon enjoyable when there are visitors nets. David Hannay found this one in a shed he was clearing to welcome and show round. out. Maybe you too could find So Committee members are a bit of local history which you very grateful for all our stalwart could donate to the museum?

serving volunteers and she will be greatly missed.

Creetown Initiative Ltd would like to express thanks to the Cooperative Membership Fund which has supported the publication of the Ferry News over the last year.

The Local History Group started its year very well with a most interesting talk about Barholm Castle, past and present by Mrs. Janet Brennan. This was followed by a trio of speakers, John Cutland, Sheena Harvey and Nicholas McKie, who talked about local schools, and no doubt brought back a host of memories for locals and incomers alike. The next speaker will be Tim Stephenson on the geology of Creetown and district, while it is hoped that a visit to Barholm Castle will also be made. Other speakers and topics are being organised by the chairman, Robert McQuistan, who - dare we say it?- seems to be quite enjoying carrying the work started by Janet It is always Hannay. For anyone interested, sad to lose revised copies of the historical a good walk round Creetown are now friend, available and could be obtained and we through the Group. The original lost one in walk was planned by John Mrs. Jean Cutland, but two revisions have Bartlett been necessary as quite a few who died things have changed over the in October. last twenty years. She had Obviously this group is thriving! been one of our Andrew Macdonald longest

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Scary Creetown Characters

The Creetown family halloween party had 40 children and young people in attendance, all in fancy dress.
Winners of the fancy dress were Charlie Ball, Kyle Moffat and Kayleigh Ross. Nicole and Sian McKeevor won the scarecrow competition, Atlanta Hill came second and Hollie Monteith came third.

Park Update
As everyone knows we secured funds to redevelop the park some months ago now.
The idea is to replace the old play equipment, tarmac the car park area and to make some improvements to the walks, tree and planted areas. Well, everyone must be wondering whats going on as nothing visible has happened so far... Unfortunately, a number of issues came up which had to be resolved, eg ownership, gas lines, issues with the pavilion and so on. Hopefully these issues have been dealt with and work should start soon.

Hydro Open Day

Creetown Initiative has been looking into the development of a hydro scheme on Balloch Burn over the last couple of years.
Extensive studies have taken place and we are now able to make a presentation to the community of the proposed plans. We will be holding an open day in the Waverly Hall in which Creetown Initiative staff and directors, Balloch Wood Community Project volunteers and a hydro engineer will be on hand to talk you through the project. In addition, an artist will be commissioned to produce drawings of what the scheme will look like should it be installed. This is your opportunity to learn about the scheme and what it will mean for the community. Posters will be displayed throughout the village and a notice placed in the Galloway Gazette newspaper to advertise the event nearer the time. Following on from the open day, Creetown Initiative will be contacting every household in the Parish to formally ask whether residents are in support of the scheme. This ballot will be undertaken by a specialist company and we hope that everyone will take part so that we get a true picture as to whether the community is in support of a hydro scheme running through Balloch Wood. We look forward to seeing you!

Creetowns New Football Pavilion

Well many said it would never happen, and in all honesty, those closely involved also had there doubts.
But as you can see from the picture, the new pavilion is now built. Its a spectacular and attractive building and inside its even better, offering what will be some of the best facilities, if not the best facilities in the Southern Counties League. Indeed, representatives from SportScotland said it was a better facility than a lot of league clubs have. However, the work isnt finished and we still have to raise funds to complete the fitting out of the building. Hopefully we are getting there and with luck the building should be up and running in the New Year.

Youth Update
Creative Places Summer Programme
During the summer holidays we organised five week-long arts workshops for young people aged 3 16, funded by Creative Places and LEADER Dumfries and Galloway.
Between 9th and 13th July we had Puppetry and Storytelling workshops with the company Vision Mechanics, from Edinburgh. The young people were able to make their own puppets, write their own stories and songs and gave a final performance in the Balloch Woods, where they created a trail for their parents to follow. The second week saw young people participating children of the village, aged 3-6. Young childrens arts and performance group, Starcatchers, came down from Edinburgh for the final week of workshops to teach filmmaking and creative play. By the end of the week the children had made and starred in their own short film about The Creature of Creetown and it premiered to their families in the Waverley Hall on 10th August.

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New Youth Club Members

Both Junior and Senior youth clubs reopened again in September after their summer break.
Many new members have joined both youth clubs and we are planning our next trips. There will be a trip to DGOne in Dumfries again in December to see this years pantomime; Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs. In the new year the Juniors wish to go swimming and the Seniors would like to go paintballing. Once the weather improves we intend to organise a trip up to Stirlingshire to Blair Drummond Safari Park and Deep Sea World in Edinburgh, for all youth club members!

Badminton
in theatre workshops taught by the Scottish Youth Theatre from Glasgow. Workshops were split into older and younger age groups and there were two sharings of work on the Friday from each group, focusing on myths and legends from Creetown. Week three was the circus skills week with The Circus House from Manchester. The young people learnt how to ride uni-cycles, walk on a tight rope and stilts, spin plates, juggle and also the older group learnt trapeze skills. We had over 40 young people perform on the Friday afternoon to a packed audience of family and friends. YDance from Glasgow came down for the fourth week of workshops and taught street dance and contemporary dance. The young people learnt 4 whole dances, based on their own ideas and performed them on the Friday afternoon. The fifth week was especially for the younger

We have started running badminton sessions in the Waverly Hall on Friday nights.
There is a junior class for under 12s from 6pm 7pm and an adult class for ages 12 plus from 7pm 9:30pm. Everyone is excelling well. Why not come and join in the fun? 1 for junior class, 3 for adult class. For information or queries about Junior Youth Club please contact Eddie on 01671 820568. If you have any comments, ideas or questions about Senior Youth Club or about any events, issues or activities affecting young people, please contact me on 01671 820654 or amydeetighe@gmail.com. Amy-Dee Tighe

Support the Ferry News

The Ferry News is distributed free of charge to residents throughout the entire Parish of Kirkmabreck.
Copies are also made available in local businesses for tourists and visitors to access. To enable the future production of the Ferry News, it is now imperative that Creetown Initiative Ltd receives financial support to cover the professional artwork and printing costs. To help do this, advertising slots within the magazine will now be made available to local businesses. Example advertisement rates are provided on the right.

6cm x 4cm - 10 4cm x 6cm - 10 6cm x 6cm - 15 6cm x 8cm - 20 4cm x 8cm - 13 12cm x 4cm - 20 12cm x 6cm - 30 12cm x 12cm - 60 For other sizes please contact us to confirm the cost (contact details at the bottom of this page). One year block booking recieves an automatic 10% discount.

Christmas Market
10am - 4pm, Gem Rock Museum
Showcasing the best of our regions quality producers, artists and makers.
28+ arts, crafts and food stalls will be attending, so come along and pick up that special Christmas gift! Christmas trees will be on sale in various sizes. Hot food and drinks will be available throughout the day, as well as free admission to the Gem Rock Museum.

Creetown

Sunday 9th December

Good food served all day. Great gift ideas for all occasions!

C Morris Newsagents
63 Victoria Street Newton Stewart
A large selection of cards, gifts, stationery and toys
www.cmorrisnewsagents.co.uk

ALAN BLAEN
JOINER, PAINTER & DECORATOR
HOLMBANK,CREETOWN TEL: 01671 820458 MOB: 07809 713765

Open every day 10am-4pm up to 22nd December, re-opens 1st February 2013.

Tel: 01671 402636

To contribute to the Ferry News Letter, please contact Carolyn Stephenson on 01671 820216 or carolynmackay@btinternet.com
Your input is vital so please do get in touch with any news, views, events or advertising.

THE NEXT ISSUE IS DUE TO BE PUBLISHED IN MARCH

Printing the Ferry News is just one way of expressing our commitment to the communities we work in. www.standardlife.com