\Blanefield

\Aberfoyle

Walk in the park Short walk led by trained volunteers (around 45 minutes). Meet on Monday, March 27 at 10.20am for NCR7 to Rob Roy Motel. Contact Cathy Scott on 01877 330055 or email cathy.scott@lochlomondtrossachs.org. Strength and balance For older adults every Monday in the Forth Inn 12.15pm-1pm, followed by 10-minute walk. Scottish country dance Classes will finish at the Memorial Hall on March 29, resuming on October 4. The annual charity country dance is in Blair Drummond Hall on Tuesday, April 4 with music by David Oswald. Dance programme available from Allan 01877 385236. Yoga and mindfulness Classes in the Memorial Hall, Mondays 7.30-9pm. Contact Gillian on 01877 387201 or 07738 225996. Staff training Both Aberfoyle and Buchlyvie Medical Centres are closed from 12.30pm on Wednesday, March 29 for staff training - please call NHS 24 -111 on that afternoon. Green Routes The group’s first open day for 2017 will be held on Sunday, March 26 from 10.30am-3.30pm at the Walled Garden, Gartmore House, FK8 2RS. In the morning visitors can help to lay the new access path, re-invigorate the fruiting hedge or plant up a basket or pot for Mother’s Day. From 1.30–3.30pm, there will be an apple tree grafting workshop for adults – bring your own appletree scions (twigs of pencil thickness with at least three buds) or use the ones supplied to grow a new fruit tree for your own garden, or help Green Routes to graft crab-apple scions for the Nuttery plantation at The Helix. Refreshments and a light lunch will be provided. Contact Gillian Foster to let Green Routes know you are coming on 01877 3898082. St Mary’s Scottish Episcopal Church Holy Communion at 11.15am on Mothering Sunday. All welcome. Contact Rector Richard Grosse 01877 382887. Parish Church Service on Sunday will be at the usual time of 11.15am with worship being conducted by Rev Valerie Allan. Lenten Walk The next in the series tomorrow (Saturday) will be held at Aberfoyle, meeting at 10am at the Milton Forest Car Park, Lochard Road. All welcome and dogs on leads will be welcome too. Coffee afterwards will be in the Church House.

\Balfron

Parish church Sunday worship will be led by Rev Jim Landels at 11.15am. Tea/coffee afterwards in the church rooms. Prayer meeting on Tuesday, March 28 at 7pm and the Guiold meets on the same evening at 7.30pm in the church rooms. Lunch club on Thursdays from noon. Cosy Cafe is tonight (Friday) at 6pm. Bowling club Community cafe Tuesdays from 2pm. There is a small library and patrons can bring along knitting/sewing/ crafts. Anyone who would like to try bowls after the opening of the green on Saturday, April 15 is welcome - bowls provided. Prize bingo There will be prize bingo tomorrow (Saturday) in the bowling club starting at 1.30pm for 2pm. This is a fundraiser for the SWI and it is hoped will be well attended by members. It is also open to the public and children are welcome. Tea/coffee and biscuits at the break. Charity match The George Wybar Memorial Cup between Balfron Rovers and Buchlyvie United will take place on Sunday, March 26 on the 3G pitch at McLaren Leisure Centre in Callander. Kick-off is at 2pm. Afterwards there will be a raffle in the

Buchlyvie Inn. All money raised on the day will be donated to Strathcarron Hospice. Walking group Every Thursday, 2-2.45pm, alternate weeks between Blanefield and Killearn. Call 07557 439111.

\Buchlyvie

Yoga In the village hall on Wednesdays, 9.30-10.30am. Contact Gillian on 01877 387201 or 07738 225996. Otago Adult strength and balance class, Tuesdays from 11.30am-noon in the village hall, cost £2. For more info call 01786 448308. Church Sunday worship will be led by Rev Elaine MacRae at 11.15am. Golf Society First outing of 2017 is on Saturday, April 29 at Dalmahoy. Add your name to the sheet in The Buchlyvie Inn or contact Evan McLean (01360 850351). Village newsletter The AGM of the Buchlyvie Bulletin is in the village hall on Monday, March 27 at 7pm. Retirement There will be an opportunity for patients to join staff of Buchlyvie Medical Centre in saying farewell to Dr Anne Lindsay on her retirement at the end of March at a cheese and wine evening on Tuesday, March 28 at 6.30pm in the medical centre. Staff training Both Aberfoyle and Buchlyvie Medical Centres are closed from 12.30pm on Wednesday, March 29 for staff training - please call NHS 24 -111 on that afternoon. WI news President Mary Benns welcomed members and visitors and introduced the speaker for the evening, Dr John Rankine a GP for 35 years, and a police surgeon for 25 years. Dr Rankine gave a fascinating insight into his work as a police surgeon and his experience of all kinds of criminal violence and the medical evidence which he provided to the police. He spoke about the advances in forensic medicine and the development of DNA evidence and that convictions could now be gained for crimes that were more than 30 years old. He explained the difference between professional and expert witnesses and emphasised the importance of careful choice of words when giving evidence as defence lawyers were adept at pouncing on inconsistencies. Elspeth Murdoch gave an excellent vote of thanks. Competition results: Favourite mug - 1 Eileen Mayhew; 2 Doris Retson; 3 Alison Delaney. Fruit loaf (Mary Mc Gregor Trophy) - 1

Mary Benns; 2 Alison Moffat; 3 Anne Stewart. Hostesses for April are Margaret Newman, Nessie Calder and Anne Stewart. Charity match The George Wybar Memorial Cup between Balfron Rovers and Buchlyvie United will take place on Sunday, March 26 on the 3G pitch at McLaren Leisure Centre in Callander. Kick-off is at 2pm. Afterwards there will be a raffle in the Buchlyvie Inn. All money raised on the day will be donated to Strathcarron Hospice.

\Callander

Walk in the park Short walk led by trained volunteers. Lasts 15-45 minutes. Meet on Tuesday, March 28 at Meadows car park at 10.20am for NCR7 to Leny Falls (car share). Contact Cathy Scott on 01877 330055 or email cathy.scott@lochlomondtrossachs.org. Strength and balance For older adults every Tuesday in the fire station 2-3pm, followed by 10-minute walk. Bridge Club Play takes place in the Waverley Hotel at 6.50pm every Wednesday. Concert Tomorrow (Saturday) a combined concert by Callander Chorale and Callander Brass will take place in Callander Kirk at 3pm. Proceeds to Andrew Murphy, one of the band members, who is spending seven weeks in the summer volunteering in an orphanage in South Africa. A pleasant mix of music to suit all tastes. £5 on the door. St Andrew’s Scottish Episcopal Church Holy Communion on Sunday and Wednesday at 10am. All welcome. Contact Rector Richard Grosse 01877 382887. Callander Kirk All-age service on Sunday is at 11.15am in the kirk conducted by Rev Jim Brown and Time for Silence is at 8pm in the kirk. The Stated Annual Meeting is on Sunday at 12.15pm and all members of the congregation are invited to this important annual meeting. The Thursday Club is on March 30 from 2-4, the final meeting until September 14. There is usually table games, tea and entertainment. New members most welcome. The Teapot Cafe is open in the kirk hall library on Wednesdays from 10.30am-noon. Offers of help much appreciated.

\Crianlarich

Councillor’s surgery Councillor Martin Earl will be in the village hall on Monday, April 3.

\Doune, Deanston

Bridge club Meets on Wednesdays at 7.15pm in the Red Lion Hotel. For more info contact Irene on 01786 841785 or Derek on 01786 842224. Intermediate classes are on Tuesdays from 7-9pm in Kilmadock Information Centre. Call Susan on 01786 842684 or 07778 506406 or email susan.wilson37@tesco.net. Keep fit Classes on Mondays, 7-8pm in the Rural Hall. Aerobics and legs/ bums/tums, suitable for beginners to advanced. Cost £5. St Modoc’s Episcopal Church On Sunday, there will be an all-age service of Holy Communion for Mothering Sunday, with children especially welcome. The fourth session of the Lent Course on King David, looking at ‘Family Values then and now’, will be held on Tuesday, March 28 at 7.30pm in the Information and Heritage Centre. Doune Primary School will hold their Easter assemblies at St Modoc’s on Thursday, March 30 at 2pm and 2.30pm. Everyone welcome to all services and activities. For more details, visit www. www.stmodocsdoune.co.uk or on Facebook.

\Drymen

Senior Citizens Despite the cold and unpredictable weather there was a good turnout for the March meeting on Tuesday. Talented local musician Jim Lightbody played his piano for a good old sing song, and with a powerpoint presentation displaying the words on a big screen everybody could join in. A variety of songs were sung and even a wee bit of tentative harmonising to Neil Sedaka’s “Breaking Up Is Hard To Do”! Church Sunday service is at 11.30am, tea and coffee is available before and after the service. The evening prayer meeting is at 7pm. A huge thank you to everyone for their generosity over the last two weeks. It was the biggest response for the foodbank to date with cash of £420 received in addition to the large amount of food. A great response to the Smile, a WI appeal with more than £300 donated to support staff at the local dental practice. Bridge Results from March 16: NS 1 Joan Duff and Viv McConnaghy; 2 John McGregor and Margaret Neufeld; 3 Lorna McDonald and Helen Lamont. EW 1 Ian Watt and Margaret English; 2 Wilma Brownlee and Flora Hunter; 3 Jeff Hornby and Barbara Ross. Councillor’s surgery Councillor Alastair Berrill will be in the village hall on Tuesday, April 4 at 7pm.

\Fintry

Kirk The service on Sunday will be led by Rev Jim Landels at the usual time of 9.30am. Creche available. Tea and coffee after the service. The Annual Stated Meeting will be in the Session House at 7pm on Wednesday, March 29. All members of the congregation are invited to attend. The Guild afternoon teas will start on Saturday, April 1 from 2-4 pm.

\Gargunnock

Church Sunday’s service at 10.30am in the community centre will be conducted by Rev Lynne Mack. WI news This group meeting had visitors from Cambusbarron and Dunblane. President Kathleen Sinclair opened the meeting by welcoming everyone and she then handed over to Anne Artis, group chairman, who went through all the group business. She then introduced speaker Alisdair Dinsmore, curator of the Police Museum in Glasgow, whose illustrated talk about the history of Glasgow Police was very interesting as he covered 175 years of Glasgow Police. It is the oldest police force in the UK and was first founded in 1779. Competitions: a hand tied spring posy - 1 Margaret Stewart (Cambusbarron); 2 Anne Christie; 3 Cathy Rowle. Limerick with first line “There was a policeman called ... ” - 1 Pat Anderson (Dunblane); 2 Janette Wilson; 3 Anne Christie.

\Gartmore

Parent support group Meets in the village hall on Thursdays, 10.30amnoon. Call Elita Pulter 01877 382886 or Helen Webster 07929 861597. Circle dance group Held on the second Thursday of every month in Gartmore Village Hall, 2-4pm. All the dances are taught first. Contact Romma Clements 01877 382956 or Maria Miller 01259 220679. Church Sunday’s service is at 10am led by Rev Elaine MacRae. Green Routes Open day on Sunday, March 26 from 10.30am-3.30pm at the Walled Garden, Gartmore House, FK8 2RS. In the morning visitors can help to lay the new access path, re-invigorate the fruiting hedge or plant up a basket or pot for Mother’s Day. From 1.30–3.30pm, there will be an apple tree grafting workshop for adults – bring your own appletree scions (twigs of pencil thickness with at least three buds) or use the ones supplied to grow a new fruit tree for your own garden, or help Green Routes to graft crab-apple scions for the Nuttery plantation at The Helix. Refreshments and a light lunch will be provided. Tel Gillian Foster to let Green Routes know you are coming on 01877 3898082.

\Killearn

Walking group Every Thursday, 2-2.45pm, alternate weeks between Blanefield and Killearn. Call 07557 439111. Otago Active adults strength and balance class, Tuesdays from 9.30-10am and 10.10-10.40am in the church hall, £2. Contact Active Stirling on 01786 448308. Strathendrick Embroiderers Guild The annual branch exhibition of members’ work will take place in Drymen Library,March 23-April 11. Strathendrick Singers To celebrate 40 years of singing, the choir will be performing Carl Orff’s dramatic cantata Carmina Burana, and the premiere of a new work A Quiet Life written specially for the choir by Aran Browning, a very talented young graduate of the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland. The concert takes place on Sunday, March 26 at 7pm in Killearn Kirk. Tickets £10 from choir members (children under 16 free),