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| Frontpage Voice for Arran 26th August 2010 | Visitors |
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Fri 18 May 2012 15:03:31 BST |
The McLellan Festival
This year, faced with the drying-up of funds that has hit so many good enterprises, the McLellan Festival has turned its energies to a DIY approach to art and enjoyment – and many will say the result looks like being one of the best festivals ever.
It kicks off on Saturday 4th September with a masterclass on poetry given by Don Paterson, himself one of the best known of Scottish poets and a fantastic jazz guitarist as well. In Brodick Library from 2.30 -4.30pm, he will be reading and analysing poems by slightly apprehensive local poets, who have sportingly agreed to do this in front of an audience. Don teaches poetry at the University of St Andrews, and since 1996 has been poetry editor at Picador MacMillan, so he has vast experience of evaluating other people’s work. Anyone interested in writing poetry will find his insights and advice invaluable. Admission £5.
In the evening of the same day, Saturday 4th September, the now well-loved event called Arran and Beyond takes place in the Ormidale Glasshouse at 8.00pm. This, too, features Don Paterson, this time reading some of his own work, and if we are lucky, maybe joining with Arran’s own Jazz Café Band for a little cool swing (or something).
Don’s career in poetry and music has been meteoric. Born in 1963 in Dundee, he moved to London in 1984 to work as a jazz musician, and began writing poetry around the same time. He has published seven books of his own poetry and edited several anthologies, and his list of prizes is deeply impressive, starting with the Forward Prize for Best First Collection then moving on to the Whitbread Poetry Prize, the Geoffrey Faber Memorial Award, and the T S Eliot Prize (twice). He won the Forward prize again in 2009 for his collection called Rain. He is a Fellow of the Royal Society of Literature and received the OBE in 2008 and the Queen’s Gold Medal for Poetry in 2010
On Friday of the following week, Friday 10th Sept, there will be the Blockbuster Opera Gala at 8.00pm in the Arran Community Theatre Lamlash. This will bea dazzling performance of opera from some of the brightest young British talent, given by students and young professionals who have worked with Peter Wilson and his colleagues at the Royal Northern College of Music. Tickets £8.50 including glass of wine or soft drink. Tickets from Book and Card Centre.
The young singers include Elizabeth Karani, who as a fourth year undergraduate at the Royal Northern College of Music (RNCM) has just returned from Tuscany where she was singing the role of Suor Genovieffa in Puccini’s Suor Angelica at the Teatro Verdi, Montecatini. Then there is Adam Smith, who won an entrance scholarship to the RNCM and has sung many operatic roles. He recently performed the role of Tony in a large scale production of West Side Story in association with the Manchester Consort.. Miranda Westcott made her debut at the Royal Opera House in June 2006 as Second Bridesmaid in Figaro and in 2007 sang Glasha in Katya Kabanova under Charles Makerras. In concert Miranda has appeared at many different venues including the Wigmore Hall. (see her website at www.mirandawestcott.com )
That’s just a sample of the talent that will hit Arran next Friday, but there is far more. Don’t miss this, it really is going to be quite amazing.
50 local singers eagerly put their names down to be members of the chorus in a one-day rehearsal and production of Handel’s Messiah. This will be on the day after the Blockbuster Opera Gala, on Saturday 11th September in Brodick Church, which celebrates its centenary this year. Space is limited, but it promises to be a very exciting occasion. The performance starts at 7.30pm, with guest soloists from Royal Northern College of Music. Tickets £5.00.
For more information see www.mclellanfestival.co.uk or download the flyer here
The COAST on Panorama
Don’t miss the BBC Panorama programme on Monday 30 August if you want to see Arran through the eye of the TV camera. It is titled ‘Britain's Disappearing Wildlife’ and some of it deals with the Clyde and the sad loss of its once plentiful marine life. The Clyde estuary has recently been described as ‘empty’, containing no fish at all. The Panorama team came to Lamlash and went out on the Bay, looking at underwater wildlife. Professor Callum Roberts of the University of York was with them, and both he and Howard Wood, chair of COAST, were interviewed here for the programme.
Strong objections to Hunterston coal plans
Over 10,000 people from 100 different countries have lodged objections to a coal-fired power station at at Hunterston. Last Friday, 2oth August, was the final day of the public consultation, and CONCH (Communities Opposed to New Coal at Hunterston) handed in their letter of objection setting out 15 main reasons why the plans should be rejected. Tim Cowen, co-chair said, ‘We are objecting on grounds which are of local, national and international significance. These range from the impact on climate change, to the damage done to our health and the destruction of important wildlife habitats.’
CONCH was formed in July 2009 as a voluntary, independent, community-led campaign, with no vested commercial interests and no party political affiliations. Its members come primarily from Largs, Fairlie and West Kilbride, it now has supporters from across Scotland and beyond. Their latest news bulletin says the final number of objections from CONCH, other bodies and countless individuals is likely to be much higher than the already high estimate as the Scottish Government ‘struggle to keep count’ of a late flood of objections.
see more at http://www.conchcampaign.org
Letter from Civic Trust on ‘Clachans’
The Auchrannie Spa Resort plans to build small groups of holiday-let houses in Glencloy. The intention is to call these ‘clachans’ or ‘clachan steadings’. ‘Clachan’ (stones) is a term which describes a particular type of settlement in Gaelic society with a specific historical significance. It denotes a small, close grouping of houses built for support and communal living in the shared work of tending the land, often through the system known as run-rig. It was the system of living destroyed by the clearances, hence remaining clachans are nearly all ruins. They have been replaced, in the struggle to oppose the clearances, by the historically modern system known as ‘crofting’. Croft houses, built on individual parcels of land (crofts), are often widely separated and groupings of these are called ‘townships’.
When a large business enterprise uses terms like ‘clachan’ to describe something far removed from its original meaning such as a group of holiday-lets, the significance of the word is changed and then lost, with the result that another part of our cultural inheritance is debased. On a larger scale the cumulative effect of this process can lead us to misunderstand our own history.
The Auchrannie Spa Resort has consulted Arran people over its plans. Let’s hope that it can find names which more accurately describe the purpose and function of its buildings.
J Inglis, Arran Civic Trust, Red House, High Corrie
Seal deaths due to turbines?
Following our report last week on seals found with deep spiral lacerations on their bodies, scientists have suggested that the animals may have been caught in underwater turbines, installed either to stabilise ships or to generate electricity. On the east coast, from St Andrews and the Firths of Forth and Tay down to Norfolk, dozens of seals have been washed up on beaches, their corpses torn by a single, deep, corkscrewing cut.
Gill Bell of the Marine Conservation Society thinks an underwater blade is the most likely culprit. ‘Most seals are very wary of propellers,’ she says. ‘But the seals may have been caught in a powerful current and been dragged through a rotating blade.’ The Sea Mammal Research Unit (SMRU) at St Andrews University was prompted to begin an urgent investigation following the finding of seven common and grey seals that had died of these injuries over the last two months. And in Norfolk, police are working with the RSPCA to rule out foul play in the deaths of at least 20 other seals, apparently from the same cause.
Scientists at the SMRU agree that the deaths are unlikely to have been caused by a marine predator. They are more inclined to blame a ‘cowled thruster’ – a caged propeller used by ships such as oil-rig support vessels and tugs that need to remain stationary in the water for long periods. The seals could have swum close to such a propeller and been sucked to their deaths when it was suddenly switched on. Underwater turbines used to generate electricity from tidal flow may also have caused the deaths. Investigations are continuing.
Shock as Young Swan Found Dead
John Kinsman, Marine Editor
Animal rescuers fear that a young cygnet could have been stoned to death by youths.
The cygnet was one of five which had been regularly spotted on the Clyde at Port Glasgow; it was last seen on Saturday August 21st. Groups of youths had been spotted on earlier evenings throwing bricks and stones at the young cygnets and two swans. Animal welfare officer, Karen Wrigley, said that the bird’s body was in a bad state when she went to remove it on Saturday. She reported that she had been told that ‘kids had been seen throwing bricks at the swans’. She thought that the cygnet could have been killed by a brick or stone and its body could then have attracted a fox or other animal.
A local resident said ‘The people who did this are evil. The cygnets are about four or five months old. It’s horrible. I don’t know why anyone wants to harm them.’ PC Stuart Inglis of Greenock Police warned that as swans and cygnets are protected by law, anyone who sees someone disturbing them should report the matter to the police. Anyone caught mistreating swans will be charged and prosecuted.
Kite Surfers in High Winds
John Kinsman
On Saturday morning your Marine Editor was on the West Coast as part of a Rescue Training Session and spotted these intrepid Kite Surfers in action at Troon, taking advantage of the high winds that whipped up huge waves in the Firth of Clyde.
Two Canoeists Rescued From the Sound of Mull.
John Kinsman
Two women canoeists were rescued from the Sound of Mull after capsizing and spending three hours in the water. A massive search involving the all-weather Tobermory Lifeboat, Clyde Coastguards, and an RAF Rescue Helicopter was launched after the alarm was raised at about 1100 hours on 21st August. The pair were picked up from Salem Bay by the dive boat, Peregrin, which had also been involved in the search, after being spotted by the MV Clansman Ferry. They were taken ashore and transferred to hospital suffering from hypothermia.
Clyde Coastguard Watch Manager, Calum Murray, reported that the two women had been pitched into the water by the wake of a passing speed boat. Although they were adequately dressed and wearing buoyancy aids, which allowed them to stay afloat in the water for such a sustained period, they did not have radios or other communications devices to allow them to make a distress call. He stated that ‘The weather on scene was force 4-5, gusting to 6, which is not ideal for open canoes’.
What is the matter with the mussels?
In recent weeks, we have carried constant warnings about the algal toxins affecting shellfish in local waters, and reported that mussels from Whiting Bay, Lamlash and Pirnmill should not be eaten. Sally Campbell of COAST, herself a scientist, sends us an explanation of exactly what is going on, and why the shellfish are currently affected by this natural ‘bloom’ that is causing so much trouble.
What are toxic phytoplankton and how do they occur?
The harvesting of mussels and other filter feeders, such as razors, has been restricted in Lamlash Bay, Whiting Bay and Pirnmill since May. COAST has been asked: ‘What exactly is a toxic phytoplankton bloom and why does it occur?’
In the marine environment, single-celled, microscopic plant-like organisms naturally occur in the surface waters of any body of water. These are phytoplankton sometimes known as microalgae, plant like organisms. Phytoplankton use sunlight to convert simple inorganic molecules, such as water and carbon dioxide, to complex organic compounds, such as protein, carbohydrates, and lipids. The ocean waters that surround continental coastlines are the home of a large number of marine algae, making them the most productive areas for the commercial harvest of marine finfish and shellfish. They are important as they form the base of the food chain for many other marine organisms. However, about 2% of the thousands of species of marine phytoplankton are harmful or toxic and these can have negative effects on the environment, seabirds, fish and marine mammals; or on people who eat marine shellfish which concentrate these contained toxins. Much of the time, microalgae are present at very low numbers, but when conditions are right, they can multiply rapidly and explosively, producing a noticeable discoloration in the water called a "bloom." These blooms can cover very large areas of the coastal ocean that are often visible from satellite observation of the earth. Large numbers of "blooming" algae can, at times, result in the presence of high levels of toxins or result in lower oxygen levels in seawater, thereby creating significant problems for marine life. Examples of this sort of phenomenon, an explosion in numbers of organisms, are widespread in the natural world. Regular monitoring is carried out in the UK by local authorities to ascertain if a harmful algal bloom (HAB) is occurring.
In the spring in temperate and sub-polar waters, as the water warms, and winter tides and winds have stirred up the seabed, nutrients rise to the surface and there can occur a sudden bloom of phytoplankton such as various diatom and dinoflagellate species. In winter, waters are well-mixed, i.e., water is circulated from the bottom to the top of the water column because the water is relatively colder and therefore maintains a more uniform density). In the early spring, the upper water layers have enough nutrients circulated up from bottom waters to maintain phytoplankton growth but the phytoplankton are unable to grow rapidly as there is frequent mixing from wind and sunlight levels are not yet strong enough. Light is a vital ingredient for growth, the essence of photosynthesis. However, as the ocean warms in the later spring, the warm water will remain at the top of the water column as it is less dense. This will create a layer of stratification in the water. At this time, the phytoplankton are maintained in waters with enough light and abundant nutrients, allowing their population numbers to grow explosively. Algae may be considered as blooming at concentrations of hundreds to thousands of cells per millilitre. Under these conditions the sea may turn green, yellow-brown or red. For some species this is known as the Red Tide. In most cases the phytoplankton will use up the available nutrients in a matter of weeks or months, eventually dwindling in number in summer. Many species of diatom will sink to the bottom and create resting cysts, a passive stage in the life history, when nutrient concentrations run low. Also, it is not uncommon to see a succession of phytoplankton species reach their growth peaks at different times through the course of the bloom as different species will have optimal nutrient uptake at different concentrations.
The term Eutrophication is the enrichment in the primary productivity of an ecosystem with chemical nutrients containing nitrogen, phosphorus or both and is a natural phenomenon. Runoff from agriculture, discharge from septic tanks and sewers, waste materials of faeces and food from fish farms, in other words man made pollution, can all enhance the chemical nutrients in the water. So more phytoplankton are produced. It is a process of impact and changes those progresses through various phases in response to the intensity, nature and degree of nutrient loading. Phytoplankton blooms can therefore be promoted by polluted waters.
The growth of marine phytoplankton (both non-toxic and toxic) is generally limited by the availability of nitrates and phosphates, which can be abundant in coastal upwelling zones as well as in agricultural run-off. The type of nitrates and phosphates available in the system are also a factor, since phytoplankton can grow at different rates depending on the relative abundance of these substances (e.g. ammonia, urea, nitrate ion).
Whilst many of the algal blooms are noxious, producing smelly odours, discoloured water and gelatinous masses, some produce marine toxins that enter the food chain when consumed by shellfish and finfish. Mussels have the ability to concentrate and accumulate very large amount of these toxins without apparent harm to themselves.
In Lamlash Bay the dinoflagellate Dinophysis species is the HAB. They produce a toxin okadiac acid and dinophysis toxins. Diarrhetic Shellfish Poisoning (DSP) is a gastrointestinal illness. DSP symptoms usually occur within 30 minutes to a few hours after consumption of contaminated shellfish. Symptoms include diarrhea, nausea, vomiting and abdominal pain. It is suggested that long term exposure may promote tumour growth in the digestive system. There have been no fatal cases of DSP reported and full recovery is expected within 3 days. Whilst there is a bloom of these algae present, shown by analysis of seafood and water samples, legal notice is given to prevent the taking of shellfish from an infected area. Once the concentration drops to a residual concentration two further samples must show the same reduction in density before an area is re-opened. Local authorities are responsible for issuing notifications (North Ayrshire Environmental Health, for issuing the notification for Lamlash Bay/Whiting Bay and Argyll and Bute Environmental Health for issuing notifications for Loch Fyne, which includes Pirnmill). Both come under the Food Standards Agency in Scotland (Shellfish Results Co-ordinator, Food Safety Monitoring and Policy).
Whodunnit at the Castle …
A wildlife murder mystery is going to happen at Brodick Castle next week, and anyone aged between 7 and 11 is invited to come and solve it. Ranger Kate Sampson said: If you’re good at following clues and piecing together information, then come along and help us find the culprit!”
The event takes place next Thursday, 2nd September, from 2:00 until 4:00pm. Come to the Brodick Country Park Ranger Centre to start detecting!
Tickets cost £5.00 per child and booking is essential.
…or dig it
If you don’t fancy playing Sherlock Holmes and like exploring the past better, there’s Archaeology Workshop for Children at Brodick Castle and Country Park on Thursday 26 August. You can take part in a real ‘dig’, using using trowel and brush. You never know what you might find. Time, cost and booking details the same as for the Whodunnit.
Please call 0844 493 2154 or email ksampson@nts.org.uk
Book-swapping in the B&B
Do your guests leave books in the bedroom? Yes? Well, it’s not carelessness, they are just trendy. A recent survey by allaboutyou.com shows that 87% of holiday-makers leave their holiday reading behind when they depart for home. More than half of them said dumping the books lightens the weight of the bag and makes space for whatever presents they have bought, and 31% said they already had too many books at home. (How many, we wonder? Three? Or three thousand? The survey didn’t ask.)
Spots – The Bane of Teenage Existence
I was thirteen when they first appeared. Suddenly, without warning. Blackheads, whiteheads and oozing nodules. Not only on my forehead, my nose and my chin but also on my back and my chest. I tried everything to make them disappear, or at least to hide them. Let my fringe grow until I could hardly see out, slapping on stuff from my mum's make-up box and wearing a polo-neck in the middle of summer. And yet, photos of my as a teenager show hardly a sign of a spot, and my former school pals tell me they never realised I had an acne problem. Well, it may not have been a problem to them, but it was to me.
A recent study says almost 100 % of all teens suffer from acne at some point. It happens because your body is on overdrive, producing all those hormones that catapult you into adult life. The sebaceous glands in the pores of your skin make an oil (sebum) that lubricates your hair and skin. Most of the time, they make the right amount, but in your teens they can become overactive, and your pores become clogged. Bacteria can then get trapped inside and multiply, causing swelling and redness. A pore that gets clogged up and closes but bulges out from the skinis what we call a whitehead. If a pore gets clogged up but stays open, the top surface can darken and you have a blackhead. Sometimes the wall of the pore opens, letting sebum, bacteria, and dead skin cells make their way in, and that’s the small, red bump called a pimple.What should you do? Above all, don't touch them, squeeze them, or pick at them. I know this is hard, because you want so much to get rid of them. But you can cause even more inflammation by poking at them or opening them up. Germs and oil from your fingers don't help, and picking at pimples can leave tiny, permanent scars on your face.
To help prevent the oil build-up, wash your face twice a day with a mild soap and warm water, just using your clean hands. Don't use a wash cloth – acne can't be scrubbed away, and a cloth can be a breeding ground for bacteria. Be gentle with your face. Scrubbing may make the acne worse by irritating the skin and pores.
If you wear make-up or sunscreen, make sure it's labelled ‘oil free’ or ‘non-comedogenic’, or ‘non-acnegenic’. This means it won't clog your pores and contribute to acne. When you wash your face, take the time to remove all your make-up so it doesn't clog your pores. Never go to bed with make-up! If you use hair sprays or gels, keep them away from your face, and if your hair is long enough to touch your face, be sure to wash it frequently. If you have an after-school job that puts you in contact with oil (like in a restaurant or a garage) — be sure to wash your face well when you get home. Wash after exercise, too. A shower can be best if you acne on your back and chest.
There are lots of lotions and creams containing salicylic acid or benzyl peroxide that will to help prevent acne and/or clear it up. Be sure to follow the instructions, specially about checking that you are not allergic to it and don't use more than you're supposed to, or your skin may get too dried out.
I know, it's no consolation at the moment, but most people outgrow their acne before they're 25. But if you feel your acne is severe and you can't handle it at all, do ask your GP for help. A doctor can provide medical advice and help that may solve your problems.
Turkey Stew with Chocolate (inspired by Mexican stews)
Elizabeth White
2 packs Turkey leg chunks (usually about 450g per pack)
1 or 2 tablespoons olive oil
2 medium size leeks (or onions if preferred)
1 red bell pepper
2 medium sized courgettes
1 can peeled plum tomatoes (400g)
250 ml (½ pint) red wine or stock – or mixture
Salt, pepper and garlic to taste
1 tablespoon ground cumin
1 tablespoon ground coriander
1 teaspoon ground ginger
Tabasco sauce (optional)
40/45 g bar of dark chocolate
Place chocolate in fridge or freezer before beginning the preparations.
Remove any fat or fibre from turkey chunks and chop into uniform pieces.
Chop leeks (or onions) and pepper.
Chop courgettes into ½” chunks.
Warm oil in pan with a heavy bottom at a moderately high heat.
Add turkey chunks and stir around to seal.
Reduce heat to medium.
Add leeks (or onions) and red pepper and stir gently for a minute or two.
Add juice from can of tomatoes and a little of the wine/stock and stir.
Add seasoning (pepper, salt, garlic and the cumin, ginger and coriander).
Add remainder of stock/wine and stir.
Chop drained tomatoes and add to dish with the chopped courgettes.
If liked, add a dash of Tabasco (or similar) chilli sauce.
Grate the (cold) chocolate and add it slowly to the dish, stirring it well into the mixture.
Cook (simmer) until the meat is tender – usually about 20-30 minutes.
Serve with boiled rice.
This amount will serve 6-8 and is very good when reheated.
This dish is also tasty with lamb but will then need longer cooking (until lamb is tender).
Any suitable vegetables can replace the pepper and/or the courgettes. If using cauliflower or broccoli, this should only be added for the last 10 minutes (or less) of the cooking time, so that it stays firm..
If a spicier dish is required, increase quantities of ginger and chilli sauce to taste.
For a richer sauce, add a little more chocolate.
Despite the chocolate used in this dish, it is not too calorific and is fairly low in fat. The minimum oil necessary to coat the pan may be used to brown the turkey (a low calorie meat) and the vegetables make this a filling dish. As the alcohol in the red wine evaporates, this adds very few calories. Stock, if used, can be made from vegetarian, low-salt, stock powder. When divided between 6 to 8 people, 40g of chocolate provides only around 30 calories and 1g of saturated fat per serving (varying with the chocolate used)
We are getting lots of interest in recipes from readers and contributors, and are happy to publish anything that sounds particularly tasty. Don’t be put off by the chocolate in this one – the author swears it is delicious!
Haddock à l'Orange
Haddock is one of the leanest fishes, with only ½g of fat per 100g. It has hardly any cholesterol, provides 5g of protein and a valuable trace of iodine. Unfortunately it's also on the list of endangered fishes. So, if once in a blue moon we decide to eat it, why not treat it as a special little feast?
200 g small new potatoes
2 oranges
250 ml orange juice (quality variety or freshly squeezed)
3 tbsp Drambuie or Cointreau (or another orangey liqueur)
100 g roughly chopped pecans or walnuts
2 tbsp lemon juice
3 tbsp mint, finely sliced
freshly ground pepper
600 – 800 g fresh Haddock
2 tbsp olive oil
Boil the potatoes with skin on while you prepare the fish. If they're finished first, keep them warm.
Brush the fish with olive oil on both sides, season it with sea salt and generously with freshly ground pepper. Place in a non-stick or oiled dish and bake for about 10 – 20 minutes at medium heat.
Wash and zest the oranges (Grate them if you don’t have a zester). Put the orange zest, the liqueur and the orange juice into a sauce pan and bring to the boil. Boil until only 3 – 4 tbsp liquid are left.
Meanwhile add the sliced oranges and chopped pecans to the reduced liquid. Heat everything up, add the lemon juice and the finely chopped mint. Season the sauce with salt and freshly ground pepper to your liking. Pour the sauce on top of the fish and serve with the boiled potatoes and a green salad with a light dressing. You might like to try this one, which goes well with the fish.
8 tbsp orange juice
½ tsp freshly grated ginger
salt and pepper
fresh parsley and chives, if available
Your windows could be solar panels
Now, here’s a bright idea. Scientists at a Norwegian company called EnSol AS are collaborating with the University of Leicester to convert windows into solar power generators. You won’t have to replace the existing panes, just apply a transparent thin film that coats the glass with nanoparticles – that’s to say, solar-energy-receiving cells. They hope the new technology will be commercially available by 2016. Chris Binns, Professor of Nanotechnology at Leicester, says, ‘The structural material of the building can also be coated.’ And if that is not enticing enough, the company plans to make ‘clip-together’ solar roof tiles. Chris says the
technology has ‘tremendous potential’ with its low environmental impact and cost effective production, as if uses very simple, standard ‘spray on’ techniques.
Blockbuster Gala Performers
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Postman Pat makes Special Appearance in all Scottish Post Office branches 
· Badges featuring Pat and Jess now on sale for Barnardo’s
Postman Pat can now be seen in all 1,446 Post Office® branches across Scotland through the sale of badges featuring the cartoon character out on his deliveries along side his cat companion Jess.
The sale of the five specially designed badges is part of Post Office’s support for the Barnardo’s Believe in Children Appeal - a month long event taking place during September which aims to help raise funds for Barnardo’s, who work with some of the most vulnerable and disadvantaged children in the UK.
The badges are available from all Post Office branches for a suggested donation of £1. All proceeds from the sales will go towards funding Barnardo’s vital work. Badge designs feature Postman Pat with his black and white cat, delivering a parcel, in his van, on his motorbike and even in a helicopter!
Sally Buchanan, Network Development Manager for Post Office Ltd, said: “We are very proud to support Barnardo’s. We hope that this initiative will help to raise awareness about child poverty and involve customers and their families in the Believe in Children Appeal. The badge sales are just one of a number of initiatives that we are involved in during September to support Barnardo’s.
UK Director of Fundraising for Barnardo’s, Liz Cox, said: “We are delighted to be working with the Post Office to raise public awareness of children in poverty. There are currently 4 million children living in poverty in the UK almost a third of all children. Poverty is the single greatest threat to the well- being of children and families. Growing up in poverty can affect a child’s social, educational and personal development. We hope that the specially designed Postman Pat badges will help us to raise invaluable funds to support our work with children, young people and their families in projects around the UK .”
Scotland: National Rural network
to see the latest newsletter on funding http://www.ruralgateway.org.uk/en/node/2697
For sale
| Well built pine wardrobe, 3 drawers under. Width 3'6", depth 1'9" £50. 302949 |
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| Art deco style glass fronted cabinet bookcase with leaded panes. Cupboard under. Width 2'6", depth 1', height 6'. £50 302949 |
| Beautiful aubergine chenille curtains, fully lined, hardly used. Fit window 8'6" drop, 16'6" wide. Cost £600, sell for £300. 302949 |
By Anne Adams
Macaroni Cheese
1. 350g Macaroni pasta.
2. 40g butter or sunflower spread
3. 40g plain flour
4. 500ml milk
5. 1tsp English mustard
6. 150g Cheddar cheese, grated
7. Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Method
1. Bring a large pan of lightly salted water to the boil, add the pasta and cook for 10-12 minutes until just tender (or follow pack instructions). Drain well.
2. Meanwhile, melt the butter in a pan and stir in the flour, cook for 1 minute, stirring then add the milk, whisking as you do so. Cook, stirring’ until you have a smooth thickened sauce. Beat in the mustard and half of the cheese.
3. Pour the sauce over the drained pasta and mix well. Spoon into a large heatproof serving dish (or individual dishes) and sprinkle remaining cheese over the top.
4. Grill under a medium heat for 2-3 minutes until cheese melts and is bubbling.
Golf Scores
Lamlash Golf Club
Jim Henderson
Thursday 19th August:
Senior Medal from box tees: c.s.s.64, 10 competed.
Two Magic 2's from W.I.Paul and Jim Templeton
1st W.I.Paul 78-21-57, 2nd Ian Heron 83-22-61
Summer Cup and Jim Young Memorial Cup:c.s.s. 64, 35 competed.
Scratch Iain Murchie with a 68
1st Paul Jameson 74-14-60 b.i.h., 2nd John O'Sullivan 77-17-60, 3rd Alan Winship 75-13-62
4th Iain Murchie 68-4-64,
A few Magic 2's but Stuart Campbell aced the 16th to grab the pot.
Winner of the Jim Young Cup: Paul Jameson.
Friday 20th August:
A.G.Association Championship Final, Whiting Bay: congratulations to Malcolm Pennycott who proved to be too strong for Jasper who put up a good show.
Sunday 22nd August:
Summer Stableford: c.s.s. 64, 12 played.
Scratch D.Robertson with a 64.
Thre Magic 2's from I.Bremner and I.Murchie (with 2).
1st D.Robertson on 39 points, 2nd A.Smith on 36 points, 3rd I.Bremner on 35 points b.i.h.
Fixtures:
Every Thursday, Senior and Summer cup arranging games with starter.
Saturday 28th: A.G.Association K.Western Greensome at Shiskine from 1p.m.
Sunday 29th: Final of the Hastings cup.
Whiting Bay Golf Club
John Pennycott
Wednesday 18th August:
Summer Trophy: 24 played, SSS-63, CSS-63.
There were no Magic 2s and scratch was won by Jamie MacPherson with 69.
1st Billy Sturgeon (28)60, 2nd John Simmons (10)64 BIH, 3rd Bob Hastings (16)64 BIH, 4th Eddie Hope (11)64 BIH.
Sunday 22nd August:
Captain's Prize: 23 played and enjoyed the hospitality laid on by Captain Jim Hainey. It was played as a Stableford with the CSS being 35 points. In amongst the merriment there was some good scoring, with winner Dave Hackett rattling up 40 points , 4 clear of second placed Vice Captain Ronnie Mann on 36 points. Jamie MacPherson was third and also won scratch with 34 points (70), and John Kelso was 4th with 33 points. There were no magic 2s. Many thanks go to Captain Jim for providing the generous prizes and keeping us well refreshed throughout the day!
Congratulations go to Malcolm Pennycott for winning the Champion of Champions at Whiting Bay on Friday.
Fixtures:
Sunday 29th August: Medal,
Wednesday 1st September: Bannatyne Cup.
Lomond Challenge 
By Robin Jenks
Three teams from Arran High School competed in a triathlon event – the Lomond Challenge, last Saturday.
The Challenge, organised by Lomond School, involves pairs of students completing 1.7 miles of Canadian canoeing on the Loch, followed by 1.7 miles of mountain biking, with 3.4 miles of running as the third leg, with the average time of the two counting as their score. This was the first time teams from Arran have entered this 20 year old event. 66 girls, boys and mixed S4-S6 teams from schools throughout Scotland entered on a showery, windy day and the Arran 6 can be quite pleased with their performance. Iona Flewitt and Chris Jenks made up one of the 11 mixed teams – and did well on the canoe leg, battling squalls and rough water. They decided to cycle and run together and they should be pleased with their time, considering it was Iona’s firs shot at distance running.
The other 2 pairs - Cameron Flewitt with Michael Jenks and Sam Tattersfield with Cameron Paul were up against tough opposition from some very fit looking senior boys teams from Edinburgh and Glasgow. Michael was the first home for Arran with the 10th best time of the day. His partner found the running tough, with legs like jelly after the bike ride. Their final position was 20th. Sam and Cameron found the canoeing difficult, but thereafter gradually improved their position, finally pipping the other Arran pair by a minute – finishing 19th of the 34 boys teams. This was in no small part due to a storming run by Cameron Paul.
Overall it was a great day out, in dramatic surroundings – by the lochside in the shadow of Ben Lomond. The event was very well organised by Lomond School, and one that the school should support in the future.
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