Nuisance Helpline

Anti-Social Behaviour
Noise problems
CHATTERBOX ASIST
Anti-Social
Investigation Team
Support and Advice
No 184 April 2009 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

See centre pages for club activities, See back pages for Visitor Centre/
village events & classes. What’s On RSPB events and outdoor activities.

Lochwinnoch Partnership
will be holding a
PUBLIC CONSULTATION MEETING
on
Wednesday 22nd April 2009
at 7pm
in the McKillop Institute, Lochwinnoch

Lochwinnoch Partnership was established in March 2005 to address village policing and traffic
issues. The Partnership operates on a community-based approach to solving problems together
and depends, for its success, on the co-operation and support from local people in our village and
local area. Over the past 4 years, a number of initiatives have been undertaken by members of
the Partnership and considerable progress has been achieved.

Although the Public Meeting on Wednesday 22nd April is primarily to address traffic issues in
the Johnshill area of Lochwinnoch, there will be the opportunity for members of the public to raise
any other village traffic issues.

This is your community and your views matter so help us to help you
and come along to this meeting and have your say.

Lochwinnoch
Community Council

Editorial & 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
Tel: 07899 746403 or e-mail:
Insurance Work, New Roofs, Flat Roofs
chatterboxaccount@btinternet.com Roughcasting –UPVC Cladding—Guttering
Copy Deadline
Tel No 01505 843400
for May Issue Is FMB Certificate No 26366
Monday 27th April ‘09

Lochwinnoch Surgery
and Branch Surgery
at 5 Mains Road, Beith.
The results of our practice survey con-
ducted in February this year were once
again very encouraging with the high-
est scores being overall satisfaction
with the practice and staff and lowest
scores with waiting times and opening
hours. Unfortunately we do not have
the resources to open the practices out
with the normal 8am–6pm surgery
hours. We have had many requests to
open on Saturday mornings but have
found this service to be unsuccessful
in the past as there are no support ser-
vices, eg. blood uplifts to lab, which
has meant patients having to make a
return appointment during the week.
The practice in Lochwinnoch is now
open till 4 pm on Thursdays (pre-
viously half-day) and Doctors are
available for advice by phone every
morning. If you require confidential
medical advice urgently (eg emergency
contraception) and there are no ap-
pointments available, please ask the
receptionist for a telephone consulta-
tion and the Doctor will call you back
after morning surgery.
Practice nurse appointments are also
available for chronic disease manage-
ment, wound dressings, minor ail-
ments, cervical screening and contra-
ceptive advice.
We would like to thank our patients
very much indeed for the many kind
and complimentary comments re-
ceived. We will continue to improve
the practice. Any suggestions are wel-
come.
Lochwinnoch Surgery Tel: 01505
842200 and Beith Branch
Surgery Tel: 01505 502344
MASONIC CLUB
EVENTS
EASTER DANCE
Saturday 4th April
Dance to “Time and a Half”
7.30pm for 8pm
in the Masonic Hall
Tickets £5
Prize for the best Easter
Bonnet, which must be modelled
by a man!
Contacts for tickets are Liz on
842387 or Willie on 843359.
***
PRIZE BINGO NIGHT
Friday 1st May
7.30pm at the Masonic Club
Everyone welcome.
***
SPORTSMAN’S DINNER
Saturday 2nd May
6.30pm for 7pm
at the Masonic Hall
Presenting - Ken Buchanan, Boxer
and Paul Reid, Sporting Celebrity
and Impressionist
Tickets £25
Contact for tickets:
Willie on Tel: 843359.
LCBG
The Struthers Project
UPDATE
Despite the current deadlock, the
Struthers Feasibility Report under-
taken by Community Enterprise in
Scotland (CEiS) has now been
finalised for LCBG. A copy of this
document is available to view in
the library. An electronic version
will in time be made available on
the village website.
This report assesses the feasibility
of the proposals put forward by
LCBG for the Struthers site. This
provides an in-depth analysis of
LCBG’s proposals in the context of
local, regional and national trends.
Despite the site specific nature of
this report, the content may be of
interest to many individuals and
groups in the village as it covers
such a wider range of subject mat-
ter and contains such a wealth of
data. For example, the report pro-
vides an overview of the socio-
economic profile of Lochwinnoch
and the wider area, the market
profile for community based social,
business and leisure services, and
the feasibility of a range of poten-
tial commercial ventures in the vil-
lage. This information may there-
fore be of particular value to exist-
ing business operators in the vil-
lage, as well as anyone wishing to
start a new business.
The conclusions of the report vin-
dicate LCBG’s proposals by sug-
gesting that there would be a
strong business case for establish-
ing a community run operation fo-
cusing on local products including
beer from a microbrewery and fruit
and vegetables from a market gar-
den. Arts and craft workshops,
business space and leisure facili-
ties could also be integrated into
the development.
To date LCBG have had no further
correspondence from the site owners.
 LOCHWINNOCH
SWRI
Members and friends enjoyed and par-
ticipated in an interesting demonstra-
tion of caricature drawing by Meg
McLucas with interesting results.
The competition winners were:
Three Gingerbread People -
1st P Matthews, 2nd L Benzie, and
Photograph of a Scottish Landscape
1st R Gould, 2nd K Brunton and
3rd I Templeton.
The next meeting is on Wednesday
15th April at 7.30pm in the McKillop
Institute, when we will celebrate our
56th birthday and have the presenta-
tion of prizes. Members only.
SWRI Federation Show
A wonderful array of crafts, flowers
and foods were on display. Lochwin-
noch was very successful in the com-
petitions, winning the Team Work
Trophy, Mrs Elma Richmond won the
Curran Cup for the Outstanding Em-
broidered Article, Mrs Dorothy Donn
won the trophy for the Chairman’s
Choice and other members won vari-
ous other prizes.
Lochwinnoch
Elderly Forum blessing
Our well-attended March meet-
ing featured a talk from Harry
dental care
Gould of the Renfrewshire Me-
diation Services. He gave a lot of
information on how the media-
tors handle issues of anti-social
behaviour and neighbour dis-
putes. Advice was given on how
they help to deal with instances
of these which may be experi-
enced and gave assurances that
all calls for assistance in these New spaces
matters are dealt with in com- available to register
plete confidence. The number to
call, should their services be re- NHS patients
quired, is Tel: 0141 840 5140.
Our next meeting is on Thursday Check-ups are free
30th April at 1pm in the McKil-
lop. Our AGM takes place at this
meeting when the the office bear-
ers are elected. Tel: 01505 843105
We expect to welcome as speaker,
Alex Stafford from Strathclyde
Fire and Rescue. 69 High Street,
An amplifier should be in place
Lochwinnoch PA12 4AB
by then to ensure that members
at the back of the hall can hear www.blessingdentalcare.com
speakers more clearly.

The ever popular T Bar will be

Lochwinnoch Branch of
Arthritis Research
are holding their annual
Coffee Morning
In the McKillop Hall on
Saturday 25th April
from 10am to 12 noon
All the usual stalls
Home baking, Nearly New,
Jewellery, Bric-a-Brac
Books and a super Raffle!
Donations for any of these stalls
will be most welcome. Please
phone 842407 or 842558.
Tickets/Tea:
£1.50 for adults
75p for children
opening on Thursday mornings
as well as Tuesday during this
month.
LOCHWINNOCH
COMMUNITY
COUNCIL
NOTICE
The Community Council is look-
ing for ideas for a smallish pro-
ject that would provide lasting
benefit to the village and/or com-
munity. We are thinking of
something with a budget of
around £4,000 to £12,000.
If you have any ideas, please con-
tact the Community Council by
the usual channels, or come to
the next meeting on -
Tuesday 7th April at 7.30pm
in the Guild Room of Lochwin-
noch Parish Church
Lochwinnoch Historical
Society
The speaker at the meeting on
Thursday 19th March was archi-
tect Gordon Gibb who designed
the restored India of Inchinnan
building.
He gave a most interesting
powerpoint presentation on the
design and on the history of India
tyres and how the building was
originally used to build airships.
Our next meeting, our last for
this season, is on Thursday 16th
April at 7.30pm. The speaker
will be Judith Bowers from the
Britannica Panopticon in Glasgow,
the oldest surviving music hall.
Her talk "Get aff - yer rotten!"
promises to be entertaining.
As usual visitors are most wel-
come; entry £2 to include tea,
coffee, biscuits and cake.

FIREWOOD
* Seasoned hardwood logs and kindling from
sustainable sources, split and ready to burn.
* Supplied bagged, loose or by the trailer load.
* FREE local delivery.
* Order now - discounts available
for advance purchases.
Tel: 07973 719688 and ask for Mark
The Muirshiel Monkey
Extract from the Largs & Millport Weekly, May 1906
(The strayed monkey found at Muirshiel, Lochwinnoch, by beaters during
shooting operations last week, has now been returned to its rightful owner)
My puir wee beastie, a’ alaine
You’ve wandered in the win’ and rain;
Mang bleating sheep and blooming
heather
You’ve freedom had without a tether.
You’ve jinked shepherds’ dogs and
foxes
In daylicht, aye as weel’s the noctes
You’ve frichted weasles, hoodie craws,
And rabbits sped as win’ that blaws.
You’ve had to fen yourself as weel,
‘Tis hard to guess what you could steal
In such a barren waste o’ heather,
What kind o’ food you chanced to
gether.
But He who feeds the ravens knew,
And ilka day provided true
Your earthly food frae morn to eve,
Nae lack of meat ye had to grieve.
I’d gie a croun almost to gether
Your thochts when coming thro’ the
heather,
Ye saw a human face aince mair,
When almost given to despair.
For monkeys, like the human race,
Scorn solitude as out of place,
And follow man in earthly zone,
Feel “’Tis not good to be alone”.
Your joy however, was cut short
As, gleefully, in playful sport,
Ye made a spring to catch his
shouther
But faith! He had ye doon like pouther.
Wi’ throbbing head amang the
heather
Ye lay, puir beastie, like an ether;
Your joy was soon turned into sorrow,
No sympathy from man could borrow.
But gentle zephyrs fanned your head,
And brought you from ‘mang the dead;
Your captor, feeling death’s alarm,
Then kindly took you in his arm.
You’d solace plenty at Muirshiel,
Were kindly treated, fed fu’ weel,
And brought wi’ care doon to the village
And kept so that ye couldna pillage!
But ye were sought for, far and wide,
By those you left at Noddle side;
And when ‘twas known you’d landed
here,
It gave your friends at Largs good cheer.
On Tuesday last, in motor grand,
I saw you leave for native land
I’m sure your heart wi’ joy will fill
When hame aince mair at dear
Hawkhill.
Where Art Our Queen (Mary)
Like a murky shawl over
Carnoustie green
trying to explain would trial the queen
dungeoned blanket holding a scream
frankly not the words that I mean.
If I met this lady what would she say
standing above the estuary
across the Tay
her bosoms nurturing like
Lomonds drift
kingdoms of the world can heal
that rift.
So lady warrior of the weathered soul
cast amid places our spirited soul
emerald green diamonds
glitter of thee
land locked mermaid soul
seeking free.
Ron Sinclair
While working in Fife I learned a wee bit
about Mary's captivity in Leven Castle
and the views she would have seen then in
1542, would be the Lomonds and out into
the Tay, but not the golf course. Where
does poetry come from? if I knew that I
would go and live there.
The Muirshiel Monkey
Notes Added by Nigel Willis:-
Gether = gather, shouther = shoulder,
pouther = powder, ether = adder,
aince = once
Hawkhill, or Halkshill as it became shortly
after this, is situated in the Gogo glen east
of Largs. My grandfather, Charles Scott
and his family (Scotts’ of Greenock, the
shipbuilders founded in 1711) lived there
in 1906 and the monkey was a very
popular family pet. The poem mentions
Noddle side which is wrong; it should be
Gogo side!
The distance travelled by the monkey over
the hill from Hawkhill to the Muirshiel moor
is 6.5 miles, as the crow flies; a long way
from home!
(Thanks to Ron and Nigel for these
wonderful contributions to this month’s
Chatterbox. If you have items you would
like us to feature, e-mail or write in to us -
contact details on front page. Ed.)
 Councillor Lazy Sunday afternoon? Not any more..
Arthur’s Report Now there is a good excuse not to mow the lawn, clean the car or
visit the mother-in-law on Sunday afternoons.
As Chairman of the Just wander into the village instead and have a leisurely look in
Lochwinnoch Partnership I am Now & Then for that wedding, birthday, new baby or anniversary
delighted to report that, in present – or buy a gift from you to you.
March, we celebrated the We are now open each Sunday from 12-4pm
and have all sorts of interesting stuff for you and your home.
4th anniversary of our
Good stock, good prices and friendly local service.
Partnership.

Our Partnership, which is made up

of the Police, the Anti-social
Behaviour Team (ASIST),
Lochwinnoch Community Council Gifts Cards Jewellery Leather Home
and Renfrewshire Council, was
originally set up to focus on polic-
ing issues but quickly took on the
issue of speeding traffic, nuisance
drivers and traffic movement The second area is the drainage on I enjoyed my time spent with the Pri-
issues within the village. Calder Street between the school and mary 6 children speaking about the
Bridgend. Ground water running off council election and what councillors’
Over the 4 years, we have been suc- the field gathered on the road due to duties are. My visit was part of one
cessful in reducing the amount of anti- the inadequate drainage. of their recent topics.
social behaviour and traffic issues but
This meant that the flooding could If your group would like to apply to
acknowledge that there is still a lot of
easily reach two feet in depth with, Renfrewshire Council’s Johnstone
work to do to tackle the quantity of
at times, its only escape being and Villages Local Area Committee
traffic that we have travelling in and
through the wall behind the houses for a grant, then grant application
through our village as well as the un-
on Speirs Road. With the weight of forms can be downloaded from the
acceptable behaviour of some of the
this water on the wall, the Speirs Renfrewshire Council website, by
drivers.
Road residents feared that the wall contacting:
would give way and a deluge of wa- Corporate Services,
If you have any issues of this type that
ter would hit their gardens and Renfrewshire Council,
you feel you need help with, then
homes. Hopefully this fear has been Cotton Street, Paisley PA1 1TR
please don’t hesitate to contact me or
removed. or Tel: 0141 840 3399 or by emailing
the Anti-social Behaviour Team
local-area-committees.cs
(ASIST) who can be contacted on the
It was great to see such a large turn- @renfrewshire.gov.uk
numbers as shown at the top of the
front page of Chatterbox. out at the recent St.Vincent’s fund- My next Surgery is on Saturday 18th
raising sale in Our Lady of Fatima April but there is no need to wait for a
I am delighted to report that funding Church on such a wet March Satur- Surgery if you require my help, you
was secured to carry out improvement day. As always the tea and home can contact me on 843507 and we can
work in two areas of the village, baking was superb as was the com- agree a time when we can meet.
which have been causing concern and pany. Thanks again to Anne, Moira
and her dedicated team of helpers. Councillor David Arthur
distress for quite some time.

The first area is the steps which lead

from the corner of Semple Avenue
and Braehead to Grahams Avenue, a
W. A. THOMSON
route that is used by some of our Tel: 01505 842498
school children as well as many of our Mob: 07778 680933
other residents. The intensive work
that has just been completed will keep • Monoblock driveways • Tree and hedge pruning
the ground water from emerging from • Patios and walls and trimming
between the steps and from continu- • All types of landscaping • Exterior painting around
ally running down the pavement, • Ground maintenance the house and garden
making underfoot conditions slippy • Gardens cleared • FREE estimates
and therefore difficult to walk on.

LOCHWINNOCH
INTERNATIONAL AID
NEWS
Fairtrade Fortnight and
Go Bananas
The local campaign group was de-
lighted with the positive response to
the various events it organised during
Fairtrade Fortnight, the annual cam-
paign that raises awareness of Fair-
trade in an enjoyable and interesting
way. This article briefly describes the
fortnight as a whole; whilst the accom-
panying report on Cornelius Lynch’s
talk, by Tristania Currie, explains why
buying Fairtrade goods makes a differ-
ence to farmers and workers in parts
of the world that are poorer than Scot-
land.
The Junction, a major supplier of Fair-
trade in the village, held two coffee
mornings which raised £80 to help
subsidise a new Fairtrade shopping
bag, going on sale after Easter. An-
other highlight was the coffee tasting
evening given by Ivan Minucci when
he introduced coffee lovers to four
single origin coffees. Comparing the
aroma and taste of these distinct Fair-
trade coffees, all available at the Junc-
tion, was great fun. Ivan plans to re-
peat this venture so please let him
know if you are interested.
A packed Bowling Club audience loved
the warmth of the group Quinteto Son
al Son who played son, a 1920’s style
of music still played in cafés and bars
across Cuba. We raised £462 for Cu-
ban musicians, promoting Fairtrade
goods in the raffle. We also aim to
develop a closer relationship with St
Lucia after hearing the talk by Corne-
lius Lynch.
Around 140 people joined the na-
tionwide attempt to set a world re-
cord for eating Fairtrade bananas in
24 hours. Highlights of this were the
pupils in three primary school
classes (and their teachers!) each
eating a banana; the many custom-
ers at Cucina Minucci who chose the
banana themed items and a 'Go Ba-
nanas' event involving staff and
young volunteers at the RSPB which
also offered free Fairtrade tea and
coffee to visitors. We are very grate-
ful to the Co-operative store in Beith
who donated the bananas for several
of these events and sell a wide range
of Fairtrade products throughout the
year.
Fairtrade Fortnight ended with a
Stall at The Castle Semple Centre
selling the wide range of products
supplied by the Rainbow Turtle in
Paisley which is the major Fairtrade
hub in the West of Scotland. Consid-
ering the appalling weather, there
was strong interest in this new initia-
tive. All of the products sold on the
stall – tea, coffee, chocolate prod-
ucts, dried fruits – can be bought at
the Rainbow Turtle.
Finally, the stunning photographs
taken by Trevor Leighton, shown in
Lochwinnoch Library, highlighted
the positive impact that buying Fair-
trade products has on poverty and
explained why the featured celebri-
ties buy Fairtrade.
More Fairtrade Products available
Fairtrade is no longer on the fringes
of business. Tate and Lyle is commit-
ted to selling sugar bought on fair-
trade terms and plans have been an-
nounced to achieve Fairtrade certifi-
cation for Cadbury’s Dairy Milk by
the end of Summer 2009. This move
sets a new standard for the main-
stream chocolate industry and will
result in the tripling of sales of cocoa
under Fairtrade terms for cocoa
farmers in Ghana. It also means con-
sumers will be able to enjoy Fair-
trade ingredients in Britain’s top
selling chocolate bar.
A Cadbury’s spokesman claimed
“the Fairtrade Foundation and
Cadbury’s believe we can get more
people in the UK to buy Fairtrade
products and achieve more for this
cause … what’s good for the farmers is
good for our customers and our busi-
ness.” The Fairtrade Foundation and
its international partner certification
body, FLO-Cert, will be independently
monitoring and auditing the supply
chain against internationally agreed
Fairtrade standards.
Cadbury’s will also be sourcing cocoa
from Kuapa Kokoo with over 40,000
registered cocoa farmers across
Ghana. Here Fairtrade has allowed
them to construct primary school
classrooms, wells and corn mills. Sell-
ing cocoa to Cadbury’s on Fairtrade
terms will increase their Fairtrade pre-
miums, and therefore the range of
farmer support and community devel-
opment programmes.
Moving the campaign foward
Over the fortnight, the campaign
group arranged meetings between the
Director of the Rainbow Turtle and
local shops in an attempt to extend
the range of Fairtrade goods available
in the village so making it easier for us
to include them in our regular shop-
ping. We also hope that fairly traded
aromatic rice from Malawi and jams
from Swaziland will be available for
sale in the village soon. If you want to
know where to buy Fairtrade, copies
of the Fairtrade Guide to Ren-
frewshire for 2009, produced by Ren-
frewshire Council, are available in the
Library, Post Office and all of the Fair-
trade outlets in the village. More folk
have registered as supporters of the
Lochwinnoch Fairtrade campaign:
households not already signed up are
welcome to complete the forms avail-
able from the Junction.
Fairtrade Fortnight was a great
example of how much can be
achieved when many people net-
work together to support a com-
mon cause. Thanks are due to Ivan
and Jo Minucci at the Junction;
Christine Murdoch, the Minister of
Lochwinnoch Parish Church and
its Kirk session; staff at Lochwin-
noch Primary School; staff and
young volunteers at the RSPB Cen-
tre; staff at the Castle Semple Cen-
tre; and, finally, Pauline Moss and
Margaret Sweenie at the Library
for arranging to bring and display
the exhibition.
If you wish to help the
Fairtrade campaign in the
future, please contact
Bob Turner (843068).
 FROM ST LUCIA
TO
LOCHWINNOCH
A personal insight
Lochwinnoch was privileged to host a
talk by banana producer and Fairtrade
farmer, Cornelius Lynch on Tuesday
3rd March. Those who braved the
sleet to make it to the Parish Church
that evening were treated to a unique
personal insight into the difference
that Fairtrade really does make to pro-
ducer communities. Cornelius Lynch
left his family and beautiful, warm
homeland of St Lucia for two weeks
to travel in the UK winter to spread
the word about the success of Fair-
trade in his own country.
The introduction of Fairtrade
Cornelius’ story is an inspiring tale of
how one person’s endeavours can
make a difference to a whole commu-
nity. He was one of four children
raised by his mother who funded her
children’s education by growing ba-
nanas. After a period of studying and
working for the Ministry of Agricul-
ture, he worked for 13 years as a ba-
nana farmer. During this time, the
number of banana farmers decreased
from 5000 to 3000 due to the effects
of trade policies that squeezed the
farmers’ profit margins.
In 2000, Cornelius was closely in-
volved in the introduction of Fairtrade
to St Lucia which was possible
through close collaboration with
WINFA (Windward Islands Farmers
Association). By July 2002 the first
shipment of Fairtrade bananas had left
St Lucia. The price difference was
noticed immediately. There was a
significant rise in numbers of farm-
ers joining the scheme between 2002
and 2006; 12 Fairtrade groups were
established with a membership of
over 1400 farmers.
Why a commitment to Fairtrade
makes a difference
Membership of Fairtrade is volun-
tary but farmers must meet strict
criteria to ensure fairness for all;
equality, democracy and transpar-
ency are the watchwords here. Fair-
trade farmers also demonstrate a
commitment to respect the environ-
ment by using non-GM seeds and by
ensuring that the plastic used to pro-
tect the banana trees is collected and
disposed of responsibly.
Community projects have benefited
from the ‘social premium’ which is
paid per box of bananas and the im-
portance of this premium lies in the
fact that the farmers’ groups get to
decide where and how the money is
spent unlike previous projects. The
current social premium rate is US$1
per box. Some projects that have
benefited from the social premium are:
* fans were purchased for a medical
centre to keep patients cool in the
heat
* a hospital received an autoclave –
expensive sterilising equipment –
to replace the pressure cooker they
had previously had to use to sterilise
medical items
* a computer lab for a primary school
* a new resource room at a secondary
school, including computer equip-
ment and new reading materials
* a new truck to distribute banana
packaging materials & fertilisers.
The future?
However, there is a threat hanging
over the success of Fairtrade in the
Windward Isles. If the World Trade
Organisation resurrect talks that aim
to reduce trade tariffs on bananas, this
could have a disasterous outcome for
the farmers. It would mean that the
market would be flooded, possibly
forcing the Fairtrade farmers out of
business. Cornelius says that this is
his biggest fear and ‘definitely is
worse than any hurricane for us if it
ever happens.’
Where you come in…
Cornelius ended his talk by comment-
ing on how delighted he had been to
discover the extent to which people in
the UK were supporting Fairtrade,
not just by purchasing the products
but by proactively organising and par-
ticipating in events such as the recent
Fairtrade Fortnight activities.
Show your support for farmers such as
Cornelius as they continue to strive
for fair reward for their labour –
buy Fairtrade and consider giving
some time to Lochwinnoch’s ongoing
Fairtrade campaign.
 Easter Annie Davis
Holiday On behalf of the family, can we ex-
tend our sincere thanks to our
Club good friends in the village and be-
yond for their kind words of sym-
pathy and respect shown for Annie
during our sad and difficult time of
We have a fantastic programme lined up for the Easter Holidays, including her passing.
specific themes at the club, making use of the local facilities, and trips outwith
Lochwinnoch. We would also like to thank the Co
-operative Funeral Service for their
This year, we are introducing the voucher system (that we use during the professionalism and com-passion
summer) which will be used at Easter too. We are open every day of the school shown during and after
holidays, apart from 7.45am-6pm on Good Friday (10th April) and on Easter the organisation of the funeral;
Monday (13th April). Remember, Monday 20th April is an in-service day but the Rev. Brown and the staff of the
LOSC will be open as holiday club from 7.45am-6pm. Calder United Free Church; and
our thanks to the Ladies Section of
For more details, you can come into the club between 7.45am - 9.30am or be- Lochwinnoch Bowling Club.
tween 2.30pm - 6.30pm to talk to the staff and find out more about our exciting
Thank you, once again,
programme. Alternatively, you can phone us on 0775 780 1042.
From the Davis family.

To make sure I call at your door,

Councillor
Neil Bibby’s Report
I am pleased that calls made by local
residents and I for a public meeting
about speeding traffic on Johnshill
have been heard. This meeting organ-
ised between the Roads Department
and the Community Council will take
place on the evening of Wednesday
22nd April in the McKillop Hall.
I will be at the meeting to listen to the
views of local residents and to make
sure they are also listened to by the
Roads Dept. As I have said before,
concerns over safety for motorists and
pedestrians, young and old, are very
serious and all that can be done should
be done to address these concerns.
As a local Councillor I have over
10,000 residents to represent in
Lochwinnoch, Kilbarchan and
Johnstone. I try my very best to get
round every area to listen to as many
of the people as possible.
I will be in the following streets on the
afternoon of Thursday 23rd April to
listen to the views of local residents in:
Crookhill Gardens,
Crookhill Drive,
Calderpark Avenue,
Calderpark Street,
Calder Drive,
Calder Street and
Speirs Road.
please call or leave a message for
me on 07917 882 294.
Blue badge holders in Lochwinnoch
will welcome new laws aimed at
preventing the abuse of disabled
parking spaces which were recently
approved by the Scottish Parliament.
This means that disabled parking
bays will now become legally en-
forceable and anyone without a blue
badge caught parking in these bays
can get fined.
There are 224,000 blue badge hold-
ers in Scotland and I know that there
are a number of Lochwinnoch resi-
dents who will welcome these
changes.
The new laws proposed by my col-
league, Jackie Baillie MSP, will also
put an obligation on the Council to
negotiate with owners of private car
parks - e.g. supermarkets, on how
the scheme can be extended to those
areas.
I hold my regular advice surgery in
the McKillop Hall on the first Satur-
day of the month at 9am.
You can also contact me on -
Tel: 0141 840 3653
or by emailing -
cllr.neil.bibby@renfrewshire.gov.uk
about any issue at any time.
Councillor Neil Bibby
Notices from Renfrewshire Centre
for Voluntary Service (RCVS).
NATIONAL SPRING
CLEAN
runs from 1st to 30th April 2009.
This annual, month-long blitz on litter
is now here and Keep Scotland
Beautiful is looking for volunteers.
Clean Renfrewshire are keen to
support local groups who want to
organise a clean up.
If you’re interested, please contact
Seona Boyle on Tel: 0141 842 4448 or
0141 840 6227 or e-mail :
seona.boyle@renfrewshire.gov.uk
CHARITIES UPDATE
The Office of the Scottish Regulator
(OSCR) is removing 85 charities from
the Scottish Charity Register. The 85
charities that are being removed have
either been verified as inactive or have
served their charitable purpose and
have been wound up.
790 charities, listed as “defaulting”
because they have failed to submit
annual accounts - despite repeated
reminders - are also being pursued.
It was reported that the 790 charities
have been instructed to provide the
required information, and most have
given the OSCR assurance that they
will comply.
For further details, contact OSCR at
their Dundee office on: 01382 220446
(Mon-Fri) or visit their website at:
www.oscr.org.uk
 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
You will know by now that Ann
Weems is one of my favourite po-
ets. Not just because of the beau-
tiful word which she writes, but
also because the joy radiating
through her poems was born out
of heartache. Her poem Easter,
above, is one to which I turn
again and again at this time of
year.
As I write, I am beginning to look
forward to Easter. Before I reach
that wonderful day, I will journey
through Lent and Holy Week.
Easter is a joyful celebration
within the Church which lasts not
for one day, but for forty. Before
that we have a time of prepara-
tion, Lent and the last week of
Lent, Holy Week is a time when
we travel with Jesus through the
events which led to his death.
Each day in Holy Week brings to
mind a different encounter in the
closing days of Jesus’ earthly life:
we remember Jesus’ feet being
anointed with oil – a symbol of
burial in Judaism; we recall Jesus
predicting his own death and that
a friend, Judas, will betray him to
the authorities; on Maundy
Thursday we re-enact Jesus shar-
ing the Last Supper with his
friends, some Churches include
ritual foot washing, a reminder of
Jesus being the servant of all; on
Good Friday it is Jesus’ walk to
the cross which comes to mind.
This is not meant to be an easy
journey. This is a time when the
mood of the Church reflects the
pain and hardship which we
often experience in life.
Of course we want life to be full
of happy occasions, but, as so
many of you know all too well, it
is just not like that. Bereavement
and loss are as much part of life
as celebration and joy. Even the
changes we initiate ourselves,
such as moving house or chang-
ing our jobs can bring us pain
when we leave the old behind,
before embracing the new.
Living in Lochwinnoch, we are
fortunate to see this reflected in
nature each year as the trees be-
gin to lose their leaves in the au-
tumn, the flowers and shrubs in
our gardens die back for the win-
ter and the song-birds depart for
warmer climes. Yet we also
know that in the spring the flow-
ers will grow again, the birds will
return and the trees will once
more open their buds and blos-
som to the welcoming sun.
So too in our lives. Yes there is
pain and sorrow; of course there
are days we are glad to leave be-
hind. Yet the promise of the
Christian faith and the truth of
each new dawn is that the future
does hold brighter days. I am
not saying that all of the future
will be rosy, yet the return of
spring, the reality of Easter is
that darkness does give way to
light and no matter how hard it
tries, the darkness can never
overcome the light.
However you will be spending
Easter this year, I pray that the
joy of that first Easter morning,
when the disciples and the
women who were closest to Jesus
journeyed to the tomb in deep
sorrow and were given the good
news that Jesus was alive, will
touch your own hearts, giving
you the courage to face any
darker days which may come
your way, knowing that the
Bright and Morning Star will re-
appear and that the darkness will
not be able to overcome it.
God bless you all,
Yours,
J Quinn & son
Memorials
Personal Service
& Quality
Guaranteed
New Memorials
Additional Inscriptions
Cleaning & Renovations
Mon 10am –5pm, Tue –Fri 10am –2pm
Evening & Weekends by Arrangement
4a Dalry Road, KILBIRNIE
Please Call 01505 68 54 55
Palm Sunday
in Lochwinnoch
Palm Sunday is the first day in Holy
Week. It is a day when the Church re-
members the time when Jesus entered
Jerusalem on a donkey and those who saw
him hailed him as their King, proclaim-
ing, “Hosanna! Blessed is he who comes
in the name of the Lord! Blessed is the
king of Israel!” The people also took
palm branches and laid them on the
ground as Jesus passed by.
This year in Lochwinnoch, we will be
welcoming Molly back to our Palm Sun-
day service. Molly is quite an elderly don-
key and has helped us to celebrate Palm
Sunday before. She will be walking from
the McKillop Institute down to the Parish
Church. Some of the children will follow
behind her with their palm branches. You
are very welcome to come and join with
us on Sunday 5th April at 11 o’clock.
During the rest of Holy Week, Calder UF
Church will be open for prayer on Mon-
day, Tuesday and Wednesday from
7.00pm. There will be services of Holy
Communion in both Calder United Free
Church and the Parish Church on Thurs-
day, again at 7.00pm, while on Friday 10th
of April there will be a joint service in the
Parish Church at the same time. You are
welcome to all and any of these services.

What’s On
(Regular Clubs,
classes and local
groups)
• Lochwinnoch Community
Walks - Mondays (ex. Public
Holidays), 10.30 am at The
Cross.
• Lochwinnoch Playgroup -
For under 5’s, every Monday,
Tuesday and Wednesday from
9.30-11.30 (during term time) at
the McKillop Inst. *
• Kickjitsu for Kids - Monday
nights, from 5pm-6.45pm in the
Parish Church Hall.
• Lochwinnoch Gymnastics
Club - For primary school-age
children every Monday,5-7pm at
the Annexe. Phone Coby for de-
tails on: 0772 9051615.
• Morag’s Keep Fit - Mondays
and Thursdays from 7pm, in the
McKillop Institute.
• Lochwinnoch Choral Soci-
ety. Rehearsals on Monday eve-
nings, Parish Church/ Hall.
Juniors 7-7.30pm, Intermedi-
ates 7.30-8.30pm and Seniors
from 8pm.
• Lochwinnoch Art Group
Meet fortnightly on Monday
evenings, 7.30pm, McKillop
Institute.
• Advice Works - Tuesdays
10am -12.30 at the Library. *
• Drop-in T Bar - Lochwinnoch
Elderly Forum. Every Tuesday
and Thursday from 10am-1pm,
McKillop Institute. All welcome.
For details, call Reta on: 01505
842054.
• Boys Brigade - Anchor Boys
and Junior Sections meet on
Sarah Stewart
Tuesday nights and Company (Morag)
Section on Friday evenings,
Parish Church Hall. (See Church Sarah Stewart, better known
notice board for more details.)
as Morag, would like to thank
• Girls Brigade - all well-wishers from the
1st Lochwinnoch Company village of Lochwinnoch and for
Wednesday evenings from 6pm-
the prayers said at church
9.15pm at the Parish Church
services on her behalf.
Hall for various age groups.
• Yoga Classes - Morag would also like to thank
Tuesday day-time classes for
Beginners from 1pm-2pm at the everyone for the kindness
McKillop Inst. and shown at this difficult time.
two Wednesday evening classes -
Yoga & Relaxation from 6-7.20pm The Stewart family.
and Yoga & Meditation from
7.30-9pm at the McKillop Inst.
Contact Mary for further details
on: 01505 842877.
• Yoga and Healing Medita-
tion Workshops (See separate
notice below for details.)
• Happy Harminis - Fun for pre
-school children. Thursdays
from 10am in the McKillop Insti-
The Strathclyde Police website
tute. Contact Frankie Plater for
details: 01505 612248.
contains information on all of the
new local Community Policing
• Slinky Strollers - on Thurs- Teams, which aims to increase the
days (see back page for details). visibility of the officers within their
• Calder Drama Club— communities.
Thursdays, from 8pm-10pm
McKillop Institute. Take a look at our website -
www. strathclyde.police.uk
• Scottish Slimmers - Thurs-
for contact details of officers
days, 7/7.30pm, McKillop Inst.
in your local Policing Team.
• Lochwinnoch Pre-School
Gymnastics ( for children from Please note the new phone number
18 mths to 5 yrs). Fridays, from for ASIST (Anti-social Behaviour
10.15am - 1.45pm at the Annexe. Team) - see below and front page
Further details from Coby on (top right-hand corner) of this
Tel: 0772 9051615.
issue of Chatterbox.
• Tai Chi for Beginners -
Friday nights, 6.45-7.45pm, The
USEFUL CONTACT NUMBERS
Room, Lochwinnoch Library.

• Baby and Toddler Rhyme- Strathclyde Police – 0141 532 5900

time - every Tuesday, 2.15pm at
Lochwinnoch Library. *
• TaeKwon-Do Fitness and Self-
defence classes for all. Tuesdays
from 5-6pm, McKillop Institute.
For details Tel: 01259 210716.
• Scottish Country Dance
Club - On Tuesdays, from 7.30-
9.30pm, the McKillop Institute.
• Linda Margaret School of
Dancing - Tuesdays from 4pm-
8.45pm, McKillop Institute. For
details, Tel: 0141 581 9104.
YOGA and HEALING
MEDITATION WORKSHOPS
April 26 Sunday "KINDNESS"
May 17 Sunday "TRUTH"
June 21 Sunday "ENTHUSIASM"
All workshops are held in Kilbarchan
Guide Hall. Cost £15.00
Contact Rebecca on
Tel: 0141-881-6700.
Johnstone Police – 01505 404000
Johnstone Community Safety
Office – 01505 404023
Trading Standards – 0141 840 3233
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
Johnstone Police Office.
 Dates for
your diaries
• Friday 3rd April - The Groan-
box Boys and special guest, The
Shed Inspectors - 7.30pm,
McKillop Hall. Admission £12,
tickets from the Corner Bar.
• Saturday 4th April -
Councillor Neil Bibby’s Advice
Surgery, at 9am, McKillop Inste. *
• Saturday 4th April - Easter
Dance, 7.3opm in the Masonic
Hall. *
• Sunday 5th April -
Palm Sunday service at 11am in
the Parish Church, Lochwinnoch.
(See Palm Sunday notice in this
issue of Chatterbox for dates,
times and venues of prayers and
services during Holy Week.) *
• Tuesday 7th April - 7.30pm
Lochwinnoch Community Council
meeting, in the Guild Room of the
Parish Church.
• Thursday 9th April - Yugen
Puppet Company at 2pm in Loch-
winnoch Library. Book tickets in
advance. FREE event. *
• Friday 10th April — Prize Bingo
evening at Lochwinnoch Bowling
Club. Doors open 7.30 for 8pm
start. Entry £1, which includes
tea. All welcome.
• Friday 10th to Monday 13th
April inclusive - Lochwinnoch
Library will be closed for the
Easter holiday weekend.
• Easter Holidays. LOSC is run-
ning an Easter Holiday Club. See
separate notice for details.
• Wednesday 15th April -
Lochwinnoch SWRI meeting at
7.30pm in the McKillop Inst. *
Get the new BBC Freesat system - also available in HD
Call now for a FREE quotation
LCD and PLASMA SCREEN INSTALLATIONS
DIGITAL UPGRADES MULTIROOM AERIAL AND SATELLITE FREE ESTIMATES
FREEPHONE 0800 955 2056
• Thursday 16th April -
Lochwinnoch Historical Society
evening “Get aff - yer rotten!”
with speaker Judith Bowers.
Starts at 7.30pm in the Guild
Room of the Parish Church. *
• Friday 17th April - Chips and
Opera Night at Harry Rams-
den’s. (See separate notice in
this issue of Chatterbox.) *
• Saturday 18th April—
Councillor Arthur’s Surgery from
11.30am at the McKillop Insti-
tute. *
• Saturday 18th April - Creative
Class - Mind Detox, from 1.30-
4.30pm in Lochwinnoch. The
start of a 21 day intention ex-
periment to rebuild a ‘positive
state of mind’. For details, Tel
Becky on: 0141 881 6700.
• Thursday 23rd April -
Councillor Neil Bibby’s Doorstep
Surgery, 1pm-4pm. See Council-
lor Bibby’s report for locations
and contact details. *
• Saturday 25th April - Annual
Coffee Morning by Lochwinnoch
Branch of Arthritis Research,
from 10am to 12 noon at the
McKillop Hall. * VILLAGE EVENT
• Thursday 30th April -
CALENDAR
Lochwinnoch Elderly Forum for 2009
meeting and AGM at 1pm in the
McKillop Inst. * Lochwinnoch Post Office has a wall-
• Friday 1st May - Prize Bingo mounted planner, where members of
Night at 7.3opm, Masonic Hall. * the public can enter details of forth-
coming events.
• Saturday 2nd May -
Sportsman’s Dinner, 6.3o for
7pm, Masonic Hall. *
Please use this planner to -
• avoid any clashes when choosing
• Sunday 10th - Saturday 16th dates to hold events, and
May - Christian Aid Week. *
• to help publicise your own
* See inside this issue of Chatterbox
events in and around the village
for further details of these events. and local area.
WALL MOUNTS SUPPLIED AND FITTED REPAIRS
FULLY INSURED
 Lochwinnoch Library
New Books for April
Jessica Stirling : A kiss and a promise
Servant girl Betsy McBride thinks she has
as much right as any girl to Tom Brodie,
the most dashing young man in the dis-
trict. When her master asks her to help out
the Brodie family she jumps at the chance
to get a bit closer to him. She doesn't real-
ize that Tom Brodie thinks the only way
to save his family's fortune - or at least
their farm - is to dazzle his landlord's
daughter. There is heartbreak on the hori-
zon unless Tom's down-to-earth brother
Henry can catch Betsy's attention.
Michael Marshall : Bad things
On a beautiful summer's afternoon four-
year-old Scott Henderson walked out onto
a jetty over a lake in Black Ridge, Wash-
ington State. He never came back. John
Henderson's world ended that day, but
three years later he's still alive. Living a
life, of sorts. Getting by. Until one night
he receives an email from a stranger who
claims to know what happened to his little
boy…………
Anne Baker : All that glistens
When jeweller Edwin Jardine gives a job
to Hilda Thorpe, his daughter Jane sus-
pects that he's been blinded to the attrac-
tive widow's flaws by her looks and her
hard luck story (she's alone with a teenage
daughter, Kitty). Jane's dismayed when
Edwin and Hilda become romantically
involved; she knows that her father de-
serves happiness again after the death of
her mother, but must it be with Hilda?
John Macken : Breaking Point
Reuben Maitland is a forensic scientist
forced to work outside of the law. Fired
from his job with the CID, he takes work
where he finds it. But when he discovers
that his long-abandoned work on Behav-
ioural Profiling, to predict latent homi-
cidal behaviour from people's DNA, is
being put back on track at his old unit
GeneCrime, he knows he has to act.
Rogue elements within GeneCrime be-
lieve that prevention is better than cure,
and are using Reuben's research to hunt
down and incite innocent people beyond
their breaking point. Reuben turns to the
one person in GeneCrime he can
trust………….
Christian Jacq : Tutankhamun – The
last secret
After receiving an anonymous letter, New
York lawyer Mark Wilder arrives in Cairo
to learn the shocking news that he is the
illegitimate son of Howard Carter, the
famous British archaeologist who
Renfrewshire Libraries
Present
discovered Tutankhamun's tomb. Before
he died in mysterious circumstances,
Carter informed Abbot Pacomas, the last Baby & Toddler
descendant of the great priests of Amon,
that only his lost son could continue his
life's quest: to find the papyrus hidden in
Tutankhamun's burial place and reveal
its contents to the world. The quest to
uncover Tutankhamun's final secret is
fraught with danger……
Sarah Rayne : Ghost song
The old Tarleton music hall on London's
Bankside is the subject of a mysterious
restraint order that has kept it closed for
over ninety years. When Robert Fallon
Rhyme time
is asked to survey the building, he finds at
clues indicating that its long twilight
sleep may contain a sinister secret…… Lochwinnoch Library
AND
Every Tuesday 2.15pm
Wendy Holden : Beautiful people
Dean Koontz: Your heart belongs to me
Jayne Ann Krentz : Running hot Yugen Puppet Company
Jeff Lindsay : Dexter by design
Roisin McAuley : Finding Home The Magic Horse
Nora Roberts : Born in Fire ( Book 1 in Puppet Show
a new trilogy) at
Lochwinnoch Library
* * * on
Thursday 9th April at 2pm
Renew and Reserve Suitable for 6 ~ 9 year olds
at
This is a FREE event.
www.renfrewshwire.gov.uk/libraries
However, Tickets must be
requested in advance,
Library members can view, renew
and reserve their library loans online. as numbers are limited.
All you need to get started is your
library membership number and a EASTER
password. If you don’t have a pass-
word just ask at any library. HOLIDAY NOTICE
LOCHWINNOCH LIBRARY
WILL BE CLOSED:
Friday 10th,
ADVICE WORKS Saturday 11th and
Tuesdays 10am –12.30pm Monday 13th April
Advisors are on hand to help fill in
claim forms, check and advise on
welfare benefits/money problems. NORMAL OPENING
HOURS :
Advisors can provide expert advice
on a wide range of debt related
Monday, Wednesday and Friday:
topics, such as credit card, mortgage
2pm–5pm & 6pm–8pm
arrears, council tax, etc. Tuesday and Saturday: 10am–1pm
The service is FREE, confidential and 2pm–5pm
and open to all Renfrewshire Closed Thursday.
Residents.
Tel: 01505 842305
 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.

ART NOUVEAU
Emerging around 1890 and lasting for
less than 30 years Art Nouveau was a
major design movement which com-
pletely transformed the decorative
arts. Often thought of as purely in-
spired by nature it was in fact a com-
plex reaction to the previous decade’s
heavy and overly ornate styles. Art
Nouveau came about when a group of
disparate artists, designers and crafts-
men felt the need to dictate a new de-
sign foundation, as the 20th Century
dawned, rather than simply rework
the designs of the past.
It is the second of three art design
movements spanning the period 1880
to 1939. The other two are Arts and
Crafts and Art Deco each of which pro-
duced their own distinctive and influ-
ential styles.
Genuinely international, Art Nouveau
had a profound influence on an aston-
ishing variety of art forms in many
different countries.
Across Europe, the movement was
interpreted in many different ways,
reflecting the individual character
of each country and hence it was
known by various names e.g. Le
Style Metro in France, Jugenstil in
Germany, Secession in Austria, La
Stile Liberty in Italy and Modernista
in Spain. What united them was the
desire to break free from the past in
order to forge a new artistic iden-
tity.
But it is Britain which must take the
credit for laying the foundations for
change, beginning with William
Morris, writer and craftsman who
promoted the virtues of hand crafts-
manship over the industrial ma-
chine. Morris had already helped
initiate the Arts and Crafts move-
ment from which Art Nouveau de-
veloped in the United Kingdom. His
colleague Arthur Heygate Mack-
murdo, a progressive architect and
designer set up a Craft’s Guild
called the Century Guild of Artists
in 1882.
It was the linear simplicity, flowing
asymmetrical composition, abstract
plant motifs and undulating move-
ment of his designs that paved the way
for the European interpretation of Art
Nouveau.
Credited with being one of the most
interesting and important exponents
of the Art Nouveau movement is our
own Charles Rennie Mackintosh, but
more of him next month.
Art Nouveau’s success was ultimately
responsible for its brief life and subse-
quent decline. Hand made products
became too expensive for the masses,
who under increasing industrialisation
were becoming poorer.
As the popularity of Art Nouveau be-
gan to wane, it was the simpler more
geometric strand of design that en-
dured, transformed during the 1920’s
into the linear graphic style that
formed the foundations of Art Deco
and Modernism.

Keeping hope alive!

Christian Christian Aid Week is seven amazing days of fundraising, prayer
and action against global poverty. Add your time, money and
Aid Week voice this week, and see them multiplied to make an impact
10 – 16 May 09 around the world through Christian Aid.
Be the lifeblood for poor communities.

LOCHWINNOCH Christian Aid Group
will be active in and around the village on Christian
Aid Week 10th to 16th May. Please give generously in
your support when the red envelope comes through
your letterbox.
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 collected. This
simple act will ADD almost 20% to your donation.

Every pound given will help Christian Aid fund pro- The Group will be working hard to give all in the
jects throughout the world where there is genuine need. village the opportunity to make a donation. Please
Take this opportunity to make a difference to the lives give as generously as you are able to do.

Be the lifeblood for poor communities! Christian Aid Week – keeping hope alive!
 PUTTING THE KETTLE
ON FOR THE
DUKE'S BROTHER
By
Derek Parker
THE rain was pouring from grey skies
and the Misty Law was wreathed in
low-lying clouds as I sat in the visitor
centre at Muirshiel Country Park
where I worked as a countryside
ranger.
It was the year 1985 and at that time
the centre was just a wooden shed
with one small staff room, kitchen and
an exhibition gallery with photographs
illustrating the wildlife and history of
the former Muirshiel estate before its
conversion to a country park in 1970.
Because of the inclement weather, the
visitor centre and the park were quiet
and I hadn't seen a soul all day. Then
the phone rang and at the other end of
the line was Betty McKellar who lived
with her husband, well-known sheep-
farmer Quintin McKellar, at Conveth
Farm a couple of miles back down the
lonely Calder Glen Road.
"Put the kettle on. The Duke of Nor-
folk's brother is coming up the road to
see you. He's just visited Quintin and
me," said Betty.
To be forewarned is to be forearmed,
as they say. So, by the time Major-
General Lord Michael Fitzalan-
Howard, brother of the 17th Duke of
Norfolk, stepped out of his car and
came into the visitor centre, the mugs
of tea and a packet of biscuits were on
the table and we sat down to enjoy a
fascinating blether about the role of
his family in the illustrious history of
Muirshiel.
His visit was a veritable trip down
memory lane for Lord Michael who
had gone on to become a war hero and
one of Britain's top soldiers during a
military career which took him to
many of the world's most dangerous
trouble spots.
But life had been more tranquil back
in the 1930s when Lord Michael's
father, Baron Howard of Glossop in
Derbyshire, owned the magnificent
Muirshiel mansion at the head of the
Calder Glen, along with the sur-
rounding moorlands and woodlands
which covered 3300 acres and in-
cluded a 1000 acre grouse moor, two
sheep farms and several cottages.
Baron Howard purchased the man-
sion, which had eight rooms, a hall,
drawing room, dining room, gun
room, two dressing rooms, five ser-
vant's rooms, and two bathrooms, for
£7250 on June 24, 1935.
The Fitzalan-Howards - the family
name of the Howard Barons - were
descended from Walter Fitzalan, the
High Steward of Scotland, who
founded Paisley Abbey in 1169, and
granted its monks land and fishing
rights in the Lochwinnoch area.
Their main residences were Carlton
Towers in Yorkshire and Arundel
Castle in Sussex. Every autumn, the
family travelled north to Muirshiel
for the grouse-shooting season
which started on August 12 and
ended in mid-December.
"Lord Howard brought two cooks,
six domestic staff and six cleaners
when he came to Muirshiel," re-
membered well-known Lochwin-
noch man Tom Clark, whose father
lived and worked at Muirshiel estate.
"He had a beautiful Rolls-Royce car.
The servants travelled by sleeper
train and my father picked them up
at Lochwinnoch station and drove
them to Muirshiel."
Among the family members who
came to Muirshiel in these idyllic days
just before the Second World War
were Lord Michael Fitzalan-Howard
and his elder brother, Lord Miles
Fitzalan-Howard, who succeeded a
cousin as the 17th Duke of Norfolk in
1975.
One of Lord Michael's happiest
memories of these happy family gath-
erings at Muirshiel was the 21st birth-
day party of Lord Miles on July 21,
1936. The glittering event took place
in the mansion one beautiful summer
day with all the estate-workers and
members of the local farming commu-
nity among the guests.
The meal was a true ducal, mouth-
watering feast with the menu includ-
ing Scotch broth, sirloin beef, pota-
toes, vegetables, apple tart, trifle, bis-
cuits, tea and coffee. Those who at-
tended what was described in Loch-
winnoch as the social event of the sea-
son included Archibald McKellar, fa-
ther of Quintin McKellar, who lived at
Heathfield Farm, near the Muirshiel
estate entrance.
For Archibald McKellar, it was a
noteworthy occasion in more ways
than one. After the meal was finished,
he was invited to present Lord Miles
with a beautiful silver salver in the
walled garden which was situated
betweeen Muirshiel House and the Lochwinnoch residents -
River Calder to commemorate his 21st
birthday. Can I help? If so, please don’t
hesitate to get in touch.
The rare photograph (to the left of this
page) shows Archibald McKellar
handing over the gift to Lord Miles,
watched by Baron Howard. Lord Douglas Alexander, Lochwinnoch’s MP
Michael can be seen in the back row,
far right. Write to: 2014 Mile End Mill, 12 Seedhill Road, Paisley, PA1 1JS
Tel: 0141 561 0333. E-mail: dalexandermp@talk21.com
However, the rural idyll was to last for or come to one of my advice surgeries.
just three more years.

On September 3, 1939, Britain de- Lochwinnoch Gala Day BRIDGE

clared war on Germany and Lord
Miles and Lord Michael went off to
join the colours.
"It was all so very sad," said Betty
McKellar, who is better known today
as the Bard of Lochwinnoch and
whose poetry is inspired by the history
and heritage of Muirshiel estate and
the Calder Glen.
"Miles and Michael visited all their
tenants, including Quintin's family, to
bid them farewell because they were
all going off to the war.
It was the end of an era when the
Fitzalan-Howards sold Muirshiel es-
tate soon afterwards. Happily, both
Lord Miles and Lord Michael sur-
vived the war. Miles became Duke of
Norfolk and died in 2002, aged
87. Michael passed away, aged 91, on
November 2, 2007.
He took part in the Normandy, Pales-
tine and Malayan campaigns, attaining
the rank of Major-General and win-
ning the Military Cross for valour
along the way.
Nearly quarter-of-a-century has
elapsed since I was privileged
to welcome Lord Michael Fitzalan-
Howard on his final visit to his child-
hood home at Muirshiel.
But the passing of the years has not
dimmed the memory of that historic
day when I put on the kettle for the
Duke of Norfolk's brother.
Derek Parker worked as a country-
side ranger at Clyde Muirshiel
Regional Park from 1985 until 1999.
takes place this year
on
Saturday 13th June
So mark that date in your diaries.
It promises to be
another exciting event.
Our theme this year is
Country and Western.
If you think you can help us out in
any way at all with this Gala Day,
please contact Christine on
07815 087794.
Lochwinnoch Scottish
Country Dance Club
Are you fit, active and
looking for a new interest?
Join our Scottish Country Dancing
Club at 7.30pm on Tuesday nights in
the McKillop Institute and learn how
to enjoy our traditional country
dancing with Reels, Jigs, Strathspeys
and the various steps associated with
them. It's all good exercise for the
mind as well as the legs and a most
enjoyable and inexpensive evening.
New Members will be most
welcome - come and have a try.
New Teacher
Our Club is delighted that we can now
confirm that a Mr Les Lambert from
Kilbarchan will take over from Janie
Andrews when we start back on Tues-
day 1st September. He is a very experi-
enced Scottish Country Dancer/ Teacher
and presently teaches at Bridge of Weir
on Thursday evenings, Glasgow School-
children in term time and appreciates
our sociable and enjoyable classes we
have on Tuesday evenings which he will
be pleased to continue.
We’ve had an encouraging response
from people who are interested in be-
ing part of a local Bridge club. If you
missed our appeal in previous issues
of Chatterbox, here it is again.
To date, we have 14 people expressing
an interest but we need at least 20
people to make it viable, given that
some people will inevitably drop out.
Over the years, a number of people
have commented about the lack of a
Bridge club in Lochwinnoch. The
Scottish Bridge Union is very keen to
support any new initiative when it
comes to the development of Bridge
as a game at all standards. They are
willing to give grants to aid the set-up
of a Bridge club. This will include the
provision of lessons both for begin-
ners and returnees to the game.
There are a number of conditions at-
tached, the most important of which is
that there are sufficient numbers of
people to make it viable in both the
short and medium term. Conse-
quently, I am trying to establish the
level of interest in the village and any
surrounding areas.
In order to do this, I would be inter-
ested to hear from anyone who would
like to participate. (There will be a
number of issues which will need to
be resolved, e.g. where we would
play, etc but these can be discussed
once it is identified that there is suffi-
cient interest.)
I can be contacted on 01505 842151
(please leave a message on the an-
swerphone if I am not in) or e-mail
at: rogerandjune@ukonline.co.uk
Alternatively, leave a message at the
Library, marked for the attention of
Roger Evans.
 1st Lochwinnoch Company,
The Boys’ Brigade
27th running
Of
LOCHWINNOCH
OPEN
RACE
on
Saturday 13th June
2009
Starting at Calder Street,
Lochwinnoch at 2.15pm
In 1983, the Lochwinnoch Fun Run
was born as part of the Boys’ Brigade
centenary celebrations. Local events at
that time fixed the second Saturday in
June as the best date and it has been
held on that Saturday ever since - so
this year’s race is on
Saturday 13th June.
Many changes have been made
over the years, with the adults now
racing over 6 miles (previously 7);
and the race is now firmly fixed in
the Scottish Athletics Calendar.
Last year, the adult trophies were
won by local lass Jacquie
Donaldson and Michael Finlay
(Kilbarchan). Will they retain their
titles, is the big question - and will
Allan Penny maintain his domi-
nance as the Leading Local, or will
David Nicholls made a comeback?
There are also medals for veterans
(ladies and men) and Leading Lo-
cal boys and girls.
Entry forms will be available from
the usual local agencies. Also,
watch out for posters with more
information - such as details of the
Waterstone Trophy, entry fees and
closing date for all entry forms.
Alternatively, further details can
be obtained from Race Organ-
iser, Murray Lawrie at Tel:
0141 887 8791 or by e-mail at:
amurraylawrie@hotmail.co.uk
SAVE YOUR
REGIONAL PARK
CAMPAIGN
Update
Wings Law - application for 24 tur-
bines was rejected by North Ayrshire
Council, as reported in last month’s
Chatterbox.
Leapmoor, Inverkip - application for
10 turbines lodged with Inverclyde in
July 2006 has not been before the
Planning Committee yet.
Wardlaw Wood, Dalry - 6 turbines
were constructed in 2006. In re-
sponse to SYRP’s letter in January,
North Ayrshire Council has written to
Community Windpower Ltd, con-
cerning the conditions of planning
that would appear to have been ig-
nored. A further response is awaited.
Kaim Hill, Fairlie - no further news
on this application for 5 turbines by
Fred Olsen Renewables. If you
have not already objected to this
application, please do so online at:
www.saveyourregionalpark.com
Glenlora, Lochwinnoch - Glenlora
Estate have indicated that considera-
tion was being given to a windfarm
with between 1 and 6 turbines
within the property which is in Clyde
Muirshiel Regional Park. Glenlora
were to make a presentation to the
meeting of Lochwinnoch Community
Council on 3rd March but this was
cancelled. It has not been confirmed
whether or not this should be inter-
preted as cancellation of the pro-
posed windfarm or merely a post-
ponement of the presentation. We
will report further as matters are
clarified.
Kelburn, Fairlie - Scottish Ministers
supported the appeal of the develop-
ers, subject to satisfactory agree-
ment on certain conditions within the
next 3 months.
The Save Your Regional Park cam-
paign will continue to fight all pro-
posals for windfarms in the Park and
take heart from the section in the
Reporter's report pointing out that in
giving the go ahead to the Kelburn
wind farm, it should NOT be taken
as an indication that other appeals
will automatically be allowed by
them in future. They will deal with
each application on its own merits.
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.
 TEENAGE CANCER
TRUST NEWS
Thank Yous !
I collected a cheque for £392.49
from Beith & District Young Farm-
ers at their recent annual dinner
dance. Many thanks to all con-
cerned for their donation, hard
work and support.
Thanks to the Johnstone Chapter
of the Eastern Star for a £200 do-
nation from their Divine Service
collection. Thanks also to every-
one for their private donations.
TCT Yorkhill Appeal.
Work is due to begin on the 6-bed
TCT unit on 6th April. Despite fan-
tastic fundraising efforts through-
out the West of Scotland over the
past 18 months (especially in
Lochwinnoch!), unfortunately we
are still well short of the amount
required of £350,0000. Please
help us by continuing to support
our fundraising events and by
spreading the word to your friends,
families and work colleagues. I
will of course tell you all about the
new unit once work is in progress.
Chips & Opera - Last year’s event
was a sell-out success, so get your
tickets ASAP (details in main
notice). Alternatively, you can
order them from me, John, on
Tel: 01505 844801.
The Midsummer Evening 'Not the
Booze' Cruise sets sail on Friday
19th June. Tickets will be on sale
nearer the time - keep your diaries
free.
2009 Teenagers.
In May, with the help of the Scot-
tish Football Association, TCT will
be launching a campaign to have
2009 teenagers throughout the
West of Scotland each pledge to
raise £50 for the charity. I hope
as many local teenagers as possible
will sign up to help us. Full details
will be released at the time, but
maybe the young 'uns can get their
thinking caps on now and come up
with ideas on how to raise their
money.
John Delaney
Chips & Opera
Yes fans, it’s back !!! Another fabulous fun-filled night with bubbly, 3
course meal, outstanding opera from Scottish Opera members and danc-
ing the night away to the floor-filling sounds of Penny Dogs! So fluff up
your frocks, dust off the tux and enjoy yourself, all in aid of Teenage Can-
cer Trust’s Yorkhill Appeal.
Harry Ramsden’s Restaurant, Glasgow
Friday 17th April 2009
Champagne Reception 7.30pm Carriages - 12.30
Tickets £25 from TCT@KarenKellyDesigns.com
Tel: 01505 705767 / 07801 898196
or send a cheque to Karen Kelly Designs Ltd, 14 High Barholm,
Kilbarchan PA10 2EF (cheque made payable to TCT GladRags & Gowns)
Oh no, she’s at it again !!
RUNNING that is! Yes, this time Alternatively, you can contact me
it’s the Flora London Marathon on direct by phone or at my address
Sunday 26th April 2009 below for details of how to donate.
AND
the Edinburgh Marathon on In all seriousness, your donation is
Sunday 31st May 2009. incredibly important in helping
Scottish teenagers deal with can-
(Good preparation for the TEN in
cer so please be as generous as
TEN – 10 maras in 2010!!!)
you can and consider passing this
I’m running (read walking/ crawl-
request to your friends.
ing/ gasping) round the 26.2
miles to raise funds for the Teen-
Thank you very much.
age Cancer Trust’s Yorkhill Ap-
Karen Kelly
peal (see John’s main article).
Please consider donating on my Tel: - 01505 705767
JustGiving page Email - info@KarenKellyDesigns.com
http://www.justgiving.com/fortct .
Its quick, its easy and if you go Karen Kelly Designs Ltd
there you’ll even get a good 14 High Barholm,
laugh at my photograph, now Kilbarchan,
that’s gotta be worth £10 at Renfrewshire
least!!! PA10 2EF

Muirshiel Stargazing
and Moon Watch Night
On Friday 3rd April, from 7pm,
staff from Coats Observatory in Pais-
ley will join the Rangers to lead ob-
serving sessions, which will look at
various wonders of the night sky.
Away from the artificial lights of ur-
ban living, the night sky becomes a
wondrous sight in this truly dark sky
location.
This event takes place during National
Moon-watch week, which is part of
100 Hours of Astronomy, from 2nd -
5th April. Saturn will be the other
highlight of early evening viewing.
Telescope observing can only take-
place in clear, dry weather and in the
event of poor conditions, a talk and
planetarium show will operate.
The event is FREE but places must be
booked, in advance, by telephoning
Muirshiel Centre on 01505 842803.
Easter Bunny Hunt
at Castle Semple
over the Easter Weekend.
We want families to come and search
for our rabbits over the four days of
the Easter Weekend - Friday to Mon-
day, and finishing on Monday at 4pm.
The hunt is for a number of 'Bunny'
shaped silhouettes hidden around the
trails in Parkhill Wood, each of which
have a letter on them. Families can
collect the clue sheets in Castle Sem-
ple Visitor Centre and the search will
take people around the loch side and
up into the woods which are already
full of bird song and bursting
buds, giving people a nice spring
walk, with something to occupy the
children too!
The letters will make up a codeword,
each sheet handed back in with the
correct codeword will collect a small
treat per sheet, and the names will be
put into a draw for a large Easter Egg.
For further details please call 01505
842 882 ext 22
Flying the family flag
To celebrate Homecoming Scotland
2009 Castle Semple has a special
invitation to all members of the
Semple family, however distant, to
raise the Semple Clan Flag when
they come to Castle Semple – the
ancestral home of the Semple Clan.
This little ceremony will be avail-
able from Monday the 6th April
when local man Jim Semple has
been invited to raise the first flag,
until the 30th September 2009 during
centre opening hours. All the visitor
has to do is call into the reception
area, sign a special family visitor
book, after which they will raise the
standard on the flagpole outside.
This will notify that a member of the
Semple family is visiting the area.
At Castle Semple Visitor Centre,
there is an exhibition, which gives
information about the history of the
Semple clan and the area, and a
large-scale reproduction of the origi-
nal mapped lands of the Semple Es-
tate. Copies of this map will soon be
available for sale from the shop, in
conjunction with Paisley Museum.
‘Pawsitivity’
a dog-day afternoon
Join enthusiastic dogs, and their
owners, in a Sponsored Dog walk
and other canine orientated activities
at Castle Semple, Lochwinnoch on
Sunday 26th April 2009 from 12.00
until 3.30pm.
Have fun and raise funds for St.
Vincent’s Hospice at the same time.
There will be a variety of dog-
orientated activities at the centre
during the afternoon, to help raise
funds, including face painting to
look like a dog. For further infor-
mation, Tel: 01505 842 882 ext 22.
Spring at Ardgowan
Estate Woodlands
There will be a Springtime walk
through the Ardgowan Estate Wood-
lands, led by the Clyde Muirshiel Re-
gional Park Ranger Service on Sun-
day the 12th April 2009 starting at
13.00 hours from Lunderston Bay
Car Park. Numbers are restricted so
reserve your place now by calling
Cornalees Centre on 01475 521 458
This is the best time of year to dis-
cover the flowers of the woodland
floor such as Bluebells, Lesser Celan-
dine and Wood Sorrel as well as spot-
ting those elusive small birds that are
busy with courting displays and nest
building. This private woodland is
rarely disturbed and is well worth a
visit, so take your chance to find out
more about this area with a Ranger.
Peelers wanted!
WANTED - enthusiastic people to
help give the historic Peel Tower is-
land in Castle Semple Loch a good
spring clean!
The Rangers are planning to give the
Peel island in Castle Semple Loch,
Lochwinnoch a good clean up on
Wednesday 15th April 2009. They
will be crossing over by boat at 10.30
am. The area around the tower is in
need of some vegetation control and
also, over the year, there has been a
build up of litter brought in by the wa-
ter level changes and flooding.
The island is only accessible by boat
and this transport will also be pro-
vided for volunteers who reserve a
place. If you would like to spend a
day assisting the Rangers then call and
book a place as soon as possible, as
boat numbers are limited. For further
information or details please call the
Rangers on 01505 842 882 ext.22

The single track road to Muirshiel
has undergone extensive repair
work and is now virtually pothole-
free. Charles Woodward the Park
Manager said: "We are delighted that
these repairs have been completed
before the start of the 2009 season. It
makes a great difference to the quality
of the drive up to the Muirshiel Centre
above Lochwinnoch".
The new Regional Park “What's On”
brochures should be available by the
end of March. These are distributed
around the visitor centres, so pick up a
copy soon and check out the events
and activities for the year ahead.
Activities Courses
Please book your places with our
activities staff by phoning Castle
Semple Centre 01505 842 882 Ext 21.
Bespoke service available - for
groups of 4 or more people courses
can be arranged out with published
dates. Why not arrange a party with a
difference!!
Magical Muirshiel
Moorlands
Discover some of Clyde Muirshiel’s
wildlife with the Rangers by joining
them for a walk along some moor-
land tracks from Muirshiel Centre
on Saturday the 25th April 2009
leaving the centre at 1.00pm.
This will be the first of six moorland
walks over the summer to enhance the
enjoyment of moorland habitats. Lis-
ten to the natural sounds of the moor-
lands far from traffic noise – Meadow
Pipits, Skylarks, even the droning of
Bumble bees flying over the heather
moors. Keep your eyes peeled for
sightings of Red Grouse and the fabu-
lous wind-dancer the Hen Harrier.
This is a great opportunity to tune into
the natural world and forget about the
cares of daily living for a few hours.
Reserve a place now or get further
information and details by calling
Muirshiel Centre on 01505 842 803.
RSPB
LOCHWINNOCH
A Quacking Good Easter
Tuesday 7th April - 11am-3pm
Are you an egg-cellent egg painter?
We have plenty of wildlife-themed
Easter activities for children of all
ages, including egg decorating a
treasure hunt and face painting.
£3 non members, Free for RSPB
members.
Lochwinnoch Holiday Club
Friday 10 April & Friday 17 April
11am – 2pm
Throughout the school holidays, join
us to take part in mini-beast safaris,
pond dipping, bird watching, wild-
life gardening or indoor activities if
the weather is poor.
Friday 10th : Hopper Helpers – learn
more about frogs, toads and newts
Friday 17th : Birds Eye View –
there’s treasure to be found if you
can piece the map together!
Please bring a packed lunch and be
sure to book in advance.
£2 Wildlife Explorer members.
£4 non-members. Adults must ac-
company children aged 8 and under.
Wildlife Wander Plus
Saturday 18 & Sunday 19 April
10am – 12noon
Get your listening apparatus in gear
with this great opportunity to learn
more about bird song, with expert
help from the reserve team. Stout
footwear and waterproofs recom-
mended. Booking essential. Cost £2
non-members, FREE-RSPB members
Subscribe to the RSPB
Lochwinnoch Blog!
For weekly updates about what is
happening at the reserve, visit:
http://blogs.rspb.org.uk/
lochwinnoch/default.aspx
and subscribe using the RSS link.
Arts and Crafts for
Young Teens, Lochwinnoch
The Chameleon Club Art Classes are
for anyone aged 11+ who would like
to try some arts and crafts, e.g. plas-
ticine animations, ceramic money
banks, printed and folded origami
creations, mosaic frames/boxes,
drawing and creating comics.
Classes run from 2-4pm at the RSPB
Centre, Beith Road, Lochwinnoch and
are led by local artist Cáit Gould. The
cost is £10 per session, all materials
included. Contact Cáit on 01505
842380 for more details.
Classes will continue to be held on the
last Saturday of each month,
except for the months of April, July
and December when classes will be
held on Saturday 18th April,
Saturday 18th July and
Saturday 19th December ‘09.
 News & Events at
RSPB, Muirshiel,
Cornalees & Castle
Semple Centres
• Thursday mornings - Slinky
Strollers - Morning walks, meet at
10.30am at Castle Semple Centre.
• Friday 3rd April - Stargazing
Night, focusing on National Moon
Watch week at Muirshiel Centre.
Details inside. To book Tel: 01505
842882 *
• Saturday 4th April - Teenage
Volunteers Group join us at the
RSPB Centre from 11am-4pm and
take part in bird surveying, out-
door work and much more. Book-
ing essential; Tel: 842663.
• Tuesday 7th April - A Quacking
Good Easter. Wildlife-themed
Easter activities for children at the
RSPB Centre. *
• Friday 10th April—Monday
13th April. Easter Bunny Hunt
in Parkhill Wood. *
• Fridays 10th April & 17th April
Lochwinnoch Holiday Club from
11am to 2pm at RSPB Centre. *
• Sunday 12th April - Ardgowan
Estate Springtime Walk, led by a
Regional Park Ranger. *
• Tuesday 14th April - Does that
nest need a duvet? Help and learn
about nesting birds, from 12 noon-
2pm at RSPB Centre.
• Wednesday 15th April - Peel
Tower island clean up. Enthusias-
tic volunteers wanted. To book a
place on the boat and for further
details, see inside. *
• Friday 17th April—Natural
spring-cleaning at Lunderston Bay
beach area. To book, contact
Cornalees Centre: 01475 521458.
ESTABLISHED 1989
20 YEARS IN BUSINESS AND THE RECOMMENDATIONS GO ON AND ON …
UPVC WINDOWS AND DOORS
MAINTENANCE FREE UPVC
ROOFLINE AND FULL
WINDOW REPAIR SERVICE
HINGES, LOCKS AND MISTED
AND BROKEN GLASS REPLACED.
UPVC DOORS FITTED FROM £430
For All Your Garage Door Needs
Garage Doors . Remote Control Openers
Installation . Repairs . Spares
FREE ESTIMATES
FREE SURVEYS
FREE INSURANCE REPORTS
The Cross, Lochwinnoch PA12 4DB
(10 mins from Glasgow Airport on A737)
• Saturday 18th April & Sun-
day 19th April - Wildlife Wan-
der Plus: Bird Song. From
10am-12 noon at RSPB Centre. *
• Saturday 18th April -
Chameleon Club workshop with
Cáit Gould, 2-4pm at the RSPB
Centre . *
• Saturday 25th April -
Plant Sale and Wildlife Garden-
ing Day from 1oam-2pm at
RSPB Centre.
• Saturday 25th April - Magical
Muirshiel Moorlands - first of six
Ranger-guided walks. *
• Sunday 26th April -
‘Pawsitivity Day’ St Vincent’s
Hospice Sponsored Dog Walk at
Castle Semple Centre. *
• Thursday 30th April - Coffee
morning at the RSPB Centre
from 11am—1pm. Enjoy a hot
drink, a chat, the wonderful
view and wildlife of the reserve.
£2 to cover tea/coffee & biscuits.
* See inside back pages of
Chatterbox for further
information on these
events and activities.
0141 950 1423 GLASGOW
01505 842176 AYRSHIRE
01786 820130 STIRLING
VISITOR CENTRES
SUMMER OPENING HOURS
Castle Semple Centre Open daily,
10am-5pm. Tel: 01505 842882.
Cornalees Centre - Open every day
from 11 am-4pm (April to Oct ‘09.)
Toilets open daily. Tel: 01475 521458
Muirshiel Centre - Open every day
from 11am-4pm (April to Oct ‘09.)
Park and toilets open daily.
Tel: 01505 842803
RSPB Reserve - Reserve is open at
all times; Visitor Centre open daily,
10am-5pm. Tel: 01505 842663.
CHATTERBOX
Chatterbox is a free community news-
paper, produced for the Community
Council of Lochwinnoch through finan-
cial assistance from local sponsors and
advertisers and distributed every month
by volunteers. The aim of those involved
is to produce an informative and enter-
taining journal for those who live, work
and visit in this area.
The Editor welcomes all items for
possible inclusion but will reserve all
rights over them, i.e. the right to shorten,
edit or not publish any item. Please
note, all views are of individuals and the
Editor accepts no liability for editorial
errors or statements and claims made in
advertisements.
OUR PRODUCTS ARE INSTALLED
IN OVER ONE HUNDRED
LOCHWINNOCH HOUSEHOLDS.
Contact - PETER McGARVEY
Tel: 01505 614654
ERROR: syntaxerror
OFFENDING COMMAND: --nostringval--

STACK:
/Title
()
/Subject
(D:20090411115925+01’00’)
/ModDate
()
/Keywords
(PDFCreator Version 0.9.5)
/Creator
(D:20090411115925+01’00’)
/CreationDate
(Barbara)
/Author
-mark-