ANNUAL AWARDS
STIRLING JAZZ RECORD SO
CIETY Next meeting is tonight (Wednesday) at 7.30pm in the Allan Centre, Bridge of Allan. Evening entertainment will be a Boogie Woogie Night where all members are requested to bring along a track of such music. Guests and new members welcome. Further information can be obtained by phoning 01786 822039.
RSVP FORTH VALLEY The group is hosting one of its regular coffee mornings for older people who knit on Friday, June 19 at St Columba’s Church Hall, Stirling at 10am-noon. Entry is free. Contact Jo Allport on 07787 420533 or jo.allport@gmail.com for more details. Knitting groups in Dunblane and Stirling are looking for volunteers to knit for charity. RSVP Forth Valley provides yarn, needles and patterns and members meet up for a coffee and a chat every three months or so. If you are interested in the Dunblane Knitting Group, then contact Janet Henderson on 01877 330706 or email georgehenderson410@btinternet.com. For the Stirling group, contact Jo Allport on 07787 420533 or email jo.allport@gmail.com.
COUNCIL ON DISABILITY STIRLING Support for anyone living in the Stirling Council area who has or who cares for someone with a disability or a chronic heart condition. Volunteers aged 55 and over required, CoD is in the Norman MacEwan Centre, Cameronian Street, Stirling, and can be contacted on 01786 462178.
HOME-START STIRLING Needs volunteers for its home-visiting service. See www.homestartstirling.org.uk.
SCENE 2 The amateur musical society meets on Wednesdays at 7.30pm in the Cowane Theatre, Stirling. Talent of all ages is encouraged.
CHRONIC PAIN GROUP Pain Association Scotland runs monthly support groups for people with all forms of chronic pain. The focus is on helping sufferers gain control and live more effectively with their pain as well as meeting others in the same situation. The next meeting is Friday, June 19 at 10.30pm in the NHS suite at the PEAK. For more information visit www.chronicpaininfo.org or phone 0800 783 6059.
STIRLING, FALKIRK AND DISTRICT RAMBLERS Tomorrow (Thursday) the group is having an easy two-hour stroll along the River Allan returning to Bridge of Allan for refreshments. Meet at Bridge of Allan Station car park at 7pm. Map ref: OS: 57 GR: NS785977. Leader: Ray Finlay Tel: 01786 449135 Mob: 07792 549363 email: rayfin_1@hotmail.com. On Sunday, June 21, the walk is the Glen Devon Loop. This has been altered from the description in the programme and is now a B walk. Grade B: nine miles: 5.5hrs: Ascent 1430ft. Meet at Linden Avenue car park at 9.30am or Castlehill Reservoir car park at 10.30am. Map ref: OS: 58 GR: NO002028. Leader: Martin Scottsmith Tel: 01259 214906 email: martinscottsmith@googlemail.com.
CENTRAL SCOTLAND SAFETY FORUM The next meeting is tomorrow (Thursday) at 2pm in the Arran Room of the Ineos Exhibition Centre, Gate 3, Powdrake Road, Grangemouth. An update on health and safety standards will be provided by Paul Lavin, Client Manager for Scotland with BSI.
STIRLING ROTARY CLUB President David Paterson welcomed members; there were no visitors. Sandy Leven pointed out that more helpers were needed to take care of planting, weeding and general maintenance on the existing floral displays at the railway station. Speaker was Rotarian Alan Bradshaw whose subject was Top Ten Stress Management Tips”. Alan is a well-known workplace stress management consultant of many years’ experience, advising major organisations, as well as individuals, on this increasingly important and topical subject. The tips were: 1 Make a decision in the daytime, not in the early hours, when you are likely to be below your best. 2 Work out what is stressing you out. “Know your enemy”. 3 Prevent stress where you can. It’s better to avoid it than to have to seek a solution. 4 Develop an “if-then” plan. Look ahead to identify and evaluate possible future sources of stress. 5 Manage attentional bias. It is easy to pick up on potential negatives in a situation, rather than positives. 6 Encourage and develop “present moment thinking”. This is very topical at the moment and involves not re-fighting yesterday’s battles by dwelling on the past. 7 Balance your positive/negative attitude. Challenge negative thinking by examining the facts, looking at other explanations and fully considering alternatives. 8 Indulge in joy-making activities, such as sport, family, concerts. 9 Play to your strengths rather than continually confronting and dwelling upon your failings. 10 Never worry alone. Men are particularly guilty of “bottling up” their problems, feeling they should be tough enough or strong enough to handle situations on their own. The vote of thanks was offered by Stewart Wilson and well supported. This week’s speaker’s host is Bill Bryce. Visitors’ host is Gordon Murphy. More info on Stirling Rotary can be found on the website.
STIRLING RAMBLING CLUB On Saturday, June 20 the ramble is the Dumyat Circular from Menstrie. Grade B; distance six miles and four hours. Meet 10am at Dumyat Centre, Menstrie. Map ref: NS850969. Members will be leading walk on behalf of Open Secret Charity who have centres in Falkirk, Alloa and Stirling. Sponsorship will be managed by the charity. Ascent 418m. All members welcome on walk. Leader Martin ScottSmith Tel: 01259 214906 martinscottsmith@googlemail.com. Contact Denis Taylor. Tel 07720 885676 or
denis45@tiscali.co.uk.
STIRLING AND UNION BRIDGE
CLUB Results from June 5: (Winners) NS 1 M Ainsworth and S Wilson; EW 1 M Gillespie and M Macleod. (Evening) NS 1 M Macleod and E Huntly; 2 Mr and Mrs Boyle; 3 A Smith and J Douglas; EW 1 P Booth and D Sutherland; 2 C Gill and B Wales; 3 H O’Brien and S Copland. June 8: (Afternoon) NS 1 S Wilson and J Jamieson; 2 M Milton and M Cochrane; 3 T Rogers and U Evitt; EW 1 E Jamieson and M Findlay; 2 P Maclachlan and D Tavadia; 3 C Gill and B Wales. (Evening) NS 1 A Smith and A Adam; 2 T Jackson and D Raynor; 3 R Thomson and A Kilpatrick. EW 1 Mr and Mrs Brown; 2 I Condon and D Sutherland; 3 P Bruneau and B McIntyre. June 9: (Improvers) NS 1 J Barrett and K Park; 2 D Beckham and D Neilson. EW 1 B Wales and A Kadar; 2 A Falconer and J Douglas. June 10: (Afternoon) NS 1 M Findlay and S Wilson; 2 S Barclay and M Penman; 3 S Campbell and S Mackenzie. EW 1 K Park and V Kasthala; 2 E Conley and M Henderson; 3 J Main and B Morton. (Evening) NS 1 A Smith and P Mackay; 2 K Munro and D Raynor; 3 A Adam and D Colquhoun. EW 1 R Thomson and G Harrower; 2 J Brown and I Taylor; 3 H Milne and I Condon. June 11: NS 1 M Anderson and C Gill; 2 B McIntyre and B Inglis; 3 S Campbell and N Monaghan. EW 1 J Douglas and P Galletly; 2 S Mackenzie and A Roberts; 3 Jean and Jimmy Hamilton.
CATS PROTECTION LEAGUE Found at Cedar Grove, Menstrie, a black and white adult cat with black mask to eyes, all white nose, white front paws, white back socks. Found at Sprotwell Terrace, Sauchie, an older adult black/brown female tabby with white back feet, with a white bib /nose and white toes to front paws. Anyone who may have any old unused coins or foreign currency coins which they are unable to change can donate these to the shelter. There is a collection box within the shelter especially for this
or ask to speak with Donna.
GOING FORWARD STROKE
GROUP Going Forward offers stroke survivors and their carers the opportunity to meet with others and to participate in sociable and beneficial activities for a couple of hours on Thursday afternoons. Tomorrow (Thursday) there is a discussion on “The Best Thing Since Sliced Bread”. This will be followed by tea and some short musical entertainment. The group meets in the Chalmers Hall in Bridge of Allan. If you have had a stroke, or know someone who has, and would like more information, please telephone 01786 832228 or 07789 735639, or visit the website at www.stirlingstrokesupportgroup.com . New members are always welcome. Going Forward is affiliated to Chest, Heart and Stroke Scotland.
FRIENDS OF LOGIE KIRK The Friends of Logie Kirk held their annual awards ceremony on Wednesday when principal of Stirling University, Professor Gerry McCormac presented the awards. The Friends are a charitable trust set up to support the work of Logie Kirk in the community and have a special emphasis on supporting the young and on the evening brought together the schools and the university. Awards of £300 were made to Cornton and Riverside Primaries and to Wallace High. Cornton will use this towards their Seasons for Growth resources supporting children with loss or bereavement; Riverside will put it towards microphone headsets so that children presenting at school events can be heard and Wallace High towards their charity committee for their Christmas Shoebox Appeal. In addition Citizenship Awards were made to the schools. Cornton decided to present this to their road safety officers to help them supply each school pupil with a reflector for their school bags. The winner of the award for Beaconhurst School was Claudia McKew and a commendation for all her work in the school was given by the headmaster. Individual
awards of £50 book tokens to pupils from Wallace High going on to university to help them buy books for their courses went to Kerr McMaster, Calum Henderson, Dean O’ Hare, Murron Brown, Lucie McFarlane and Lucy Sanchez. The Jim Meldrum Memorial Prize of £300 for the student at the university with the best dissertation on a Christian theme went to Jenny Nielsen. In addition the Friends awarded two travel awards of £300 each to Rebecca Norman, who is going to China with Project Trust and Anna Ridley, who is going to Chile with Project Trust. Professor McCormac presented the awards and gave an entertaining address to a packed hall and students from Wallace High provided musical interludes on an enjoyable evening celebrating the young in the community.
BRIDGE OF ALLAN AND DUNBLANE
ROTARY CLUB President Peter Farr welcomed five visitors to last week’s meeting. Speaker for the evening was Bill McColl talking about his life as a vet. Members were also joined by Rotary Youth Leadership Award candidate Fiona Dick, who was accompanied by Jacquie Bradley. Fiona has just started S5 at Dunblane High and will be going to the RYLA camp at Nethybridge in three weeks’ time. Fiona thanked the club for sponsoring her and said she was very much looking forward to the opportunities and challenges she will face. She will give a presentation to the club on her return. Finally the club welcomed Beth Young along with her dad, Graeme. Beth (11) attends Beaconhurst School and has recently been awarded a place at an international Round Square conference. Round Square is an education charity that “promotes in young people a commitment, beyond academic merit, to personal growth, and responsibility through service to others and through practical, experiential learning.” The club had agreed to a donation to help Beth attend the conference and looks forward to hearing about her experience later in the year. Bill McColl gave a very entertaining talk on his life as a vet. Inspired by the James Herriot books, farmer’s son Bill went from school to the Royal Dick Vet College in Edinburgh. This was in 1976 when the intake was 40 male and 20 female students. Current intake is around 120 of which over 100 are female – a significant change, as is the cost; then is was £5000-8000 now £90,000 to get through the course. On graduating in 1981, Bill went to Belize for a short spell, then to a small animal practice in Kent where the salary was £40005000 with a car and a flat; current salaries are around £25-28k with no car or accommodation. Bill set up his practice in Dunblane in 1984 and was one of the founders of the Broadleys Veterinary Hospital when his practice merged with others. Bill interspersed his talk with many amusing anecdotes about his experiences but also reflected on one of the most harrowing times in his career during the foot and mouth outbreak in 2000. Rod Jones thanked Bill for sharing his experiences and for giving a most entertaining talk.
RSVP FORTH VALLEY HEALTHY
WALKS Walks at various locations in Forth Valley start at 10.15am prompt every Wednesday and 10.30am prompt on Thursdays and Saturdays. The walks which have slightly differing distances, gradients and pace and are led by trained volunteer walk leaders. The RSVP Forth Valley walk programme is also integrated into the Stirling Walking Network. For your free list of RSVP walks, please call the team on 01259 928088. Anyone interested in becoming a volunteer walk leader should call the above number.