District News

Longridge

Psychic evening Friday July 21 from 7pm at Longridge Community Centre. Tickets £5 available from Margaret 07835612541. Bring own refreshments all welcome.

Linlithgow

Linlithgow Grange Rotary President Harry Millar welcomed Rotarian visitors Gregg and Kathleen Boswell from Sedalia, Missouri, USA to Monday night’s meeting. Gordon Young hosted the guests and introduced them as the speakers for the evening. This was a return visit for Gregg and Kathleen as they visited Linlithgow Grange Club two years ago and gave a talk on the history of their home city Sedalia from its growth after the Civil War and its prosperity due to it being the railhead for transporting cattle from the prairies. Sedalia’s prominence continues with it hosting the annual Missouri State Fair but the subject of Kathleen and Gregg’s talk on Monday night was another annual event in their home city, the Scott Joplin Ragtime Festival. Kathleen gave a brief history of the composer and pianist Scott Joplin, known in the late nineteenth century as “The King of Ragtime Writers”. Joplin lived in Sedalia at the start of his career until 1901 when publication of his most well known composition, Maple Leaf Rag, brought him fame. Gregg handed round copies of posters and programmes showing how popular and influential Joplin had been at that time. Despite having one of the earliest contracts in music publishing Joplin died in poverty in 1917. Sedalia’s annual Scott Joplin Ragtime Festival, running from 1983, has resulted in increasing recognition of Joplin’s contribution to music and his unmarked pauper’s grave is now marked by a proper headstone and the 100th anniversary of his death was recognised by a dedicated concert at Carnegie Hall in New York on 1st April 2017 when all 53 of Joplin’s compositions were played. Kathleen and Gregg ended their talk appropriately by playing Joplin’s best known piece, Maple Leaf Rag. Gordon Young thanked Gregg and Kathleen on behalf of club members, partners and guests for a very interesting, informative and entertaining talk. Ken MacKenzie advised members that the District Young Golfers competition would be held at Linlithgow Golf Club on Thursday, 3rd August and asked for volunteers to contact him to help support the event. President Harry presented Immediate Past President John Reid with a well-deserved Paul Harris Fellow award.

Seafield

Caroline Fraser 01506 635518 Seafield Senior Citizens are planning a Trip to Largs on Saturday 12th August, leaving at 10am. Tickets for the Trip will be on sale at the Community Centre from the Youth Café at the rear of the Building on Tuesday 1st August from 1.30-3pm. Any further enquiries, please call David on 01506-635445. Full Circle Pipes & Drums is a performance pipe band which provides a high standard of piping and drumming tuition. We’re now recruiting new beginners and experienced players to expand our team. Practices are held weekly on Sunday nights at Seafield Community Centre from 6.30pm-8.30pm. Visit our group page at facebook.com/fullcirclepd or call us on 07834 815 571 for more info. Drop-in for Seafield Senior Citizens runs every fortnight in the Youth Cafe at Seafield Community Centre from 1-3pm. The next meeting will be held on 26 July. Transport is available if needed. Come along and join in the activities and have some tea/coffee and a chat with the others attending. Please call David with any enquiries or if you require transport on 01506635445. 50+ group meet each Thursday afternoon at the Community Centre from 1-3.30pm. If you would like to meet others and enjoy taking part in activities such as arts/crafts, flower arranging etc. come along and join in and have a cup of tea/coffee and a chat. For further information, please call the Community Centre on 01506631791. Community connexions Are you 5070 years old and looking to socialise with people in your community. Come along and enjoy a day of activity, friendship and fun on Monday’s at Seafield Community Centre from 11am-3pm and bring along a Friend. Any enquiries please call 01506631791. West Lothian Food Bank Blackburn Branch is now open every Tuesday from 2-4pm in Blackburn & Seafield Church, 41 East Main Street, Blackburn EH47 7RE. Stepping Stones for Primary School Children meet on Sundays at 10.45am in Blackburn & Seafield Church Hall. Contact Tracy Newall: 01506 632847. Community Centre Classes – Call 01506-631791. Yoga classes run at Seafield Community Centre each Monday evening from 7-8.15pm and also on Thursday from 7.00-8.15pm. Call 07762856907 for further details. Circuits Class is held each Thursday at the Community Centre from 6.00–7.00pm. Call 01506-631791 for further details. Aerobics class is held each Monday evening at Seafield Community Centre from 5.45-6.45pm. Highland Dancing class runs each Wednesday at the Community Centre from 6-8.30pm and Fridays from 3-4pm. Tea dances are held each Wednesday evening between 7.30-9.30pm at Seafield Community Centre, so don’t miss out, bring your friends and get involved. Please bring along your own cup. Call the Community Centre on 01506-631791 for further details. Tae kwon do is held at the Community Centre each Saturday from 9-11am. For further details on any of the above activities, call the Community Centre on 01506-631791. Rooms are available for hire at Seafield Community Centre. Any enquiries please call Caroline on 01506-631791. Snooker Two full size snooker tables are available for booking at Seafield Community Centre. Any enquiries please call 01506-631791.

Bowling club Function Room is available for private bookings on Fridays and Saturdays. For booking information please call 01506-652980.

Howden/Ladywell

Step Out Walking Group The Step Out Walking Group meets every Thursday morning at the Baptist Church Car Park at Cedarbank at 9.45a.m. New members welcome. Contact 01506-811354 for further information. Messy Church Monthly “Messy Church” Service on first Sunday of the month from 4 – 6 at Mosswood Community Centre, Knightsridge. Craft, food and worship activity for all the family, and for all ages. Charity Shop Braid House Day Centre, Labrador Avenue, Howden, Livingston EH54 6BU has opened a ‘Little Charity Shop’ within the Day Centre. This sells all sorts of bric-abrac. Anyone is welcome to come along and have a look. For more details please contact Reception on 01506-430615. We hope to see you soon.

Café Connect Extra is for people who have dementia and their carers to meet and give each other support. The café runs on the first Wednesday of the month from 2.00pm to 3.30pm at Dedridge Baptist Church, Quentin Rise, Dedridge EH52 5LH. Everyone is welcome to come along.

Ladywell Work Club help yourself and others into work. A weekly dropin club will be available to jobseekers in Forestbank Community Centre in Ladywell. The aim of this new initiative is to help local unemployed residents find a new job by providing resources and professional support in the local area. You will influence the topics you want to know more about to help you find a job. You will also have the opportunity to share your experiences with others and access support including CVs, completing application forms, undertaking job search, or learning interview techniques and you will have access to the most up to date vacancies. Dropin any Monday from the between 2:00pm and 4:00pm, or phone access2employment on 0800 032 9768.

West Lothian Credit Union Local voluntary organisation, West Lothian Credit Union encourages savings, and offers affordable loans to everyone living or working in West Lothian. The Shop opposite Primark in The Centre, Livingston, is open 9 to 5 Monday to Friday, and 10 to 12 on a Saturday, telephone 01506 436666, or visit the website on www. westlothiancreditunion.co.uk for more information.

Memory Café, Newyearfield meets first Thursday of the month, 2.15 -3.30pm at Newyearfield Farm Community Centre, Hawk Brae, Livingston North EH54 6AB. This friendly café welcomes people with dementia and their carers, where they can meet others in a similar situation for support and social contact whilst enjoy- ing refreshments, friendly company and various activities. Carers on their own are also welcome, as are people with dementia who are able to make their own way there.

Fauldhouse

June Close Juneclose@ymail.com Swimming ‘free of charge’ in the Partnership Centre for all children under 16 years Mon- Fri throughout the school summer holidays from 10-4 pm. Fauldhouse United F. C. AGM will be held on Sun 30 July at 11.00 am in the Howff and a good turn out would be appreciated. Everyone welcome. Citizens Advice Bureau West Lothian hold an outreach advice session every Thursday morning in the Hub on Main Street ( CDT). Appointments are available at 9.30, 10.30 and 11.30 am. The service can help with a wide range of issues including debts, benefits, employment, housing and family issues. To book an appointment phone the CDT on 01501 773 699 Information and application forms are now available at the Hub on Main Street for those wishing a stall at the CDT’s annual Fayre Day from 11-2pm on Sat 2 Sept. If you are interested and wish more information the drop into the Hub and speak to Lesley or Paul. School uniforms appeal to anyone who may have items of school uniforms that your kids have finished with or grown out of. Why not hand them into the Indoor Market at 1 Blackfaulds Place and they will be used to help families in need for the start of the new school term. CDT Any community group or organisation wishing to put on an event for the CDT’s Septemberfest17 can apply to the CDT for funding. Applications and more information can be obtained from lesley.dunsmore@ fauldhouse.org.uk Macmillan Cancer Support Service is available in the Partnership Centre every Tuesday. This is a free service for anyone affected by cancer, their family or carers. For more information telephone 01506 283 053 or email MacmillanWestLothian@ westlothian.gov.uk Summer Toddler Group from birth - 7 years at the Partnership Centre on Wed from 1-3pm. All welcome.