Hveoaicdeeor fhtehre People
RSVP WALKING GROUP
Walk leaders with the Retired and Senior Volunteer Programme organise and lead three walks every week, starting at various places across Stirling and Clackmannanshire on Wednesdays and Thursdays. If you want to get extra exercise and have a chat along the way, contact Anne Marie on 07935 911156 for more details.
HANDYPERSON SERVICE
Handyperson volunteers carry out small/minor maintenance jobs in older people’s homes in the Stirling, Bridge of Allan, Dunblane, Callander and Clackmannanshire areas. The service is co-ordinated by registered charity Volunteering Matters. There is no charge and donations are gratefully accepted. Volunteers welcome. For details during the current climate call 01259 928088.
COUNCIL ON DISABILITY STIRLING
The office in Cameronian Street is open and available for all disability related work or enquiries. During the pandemic, COD continues to operate successfully by phone for all types of benefit form completion and follow up work to tribunal if required. Whilst COD is not yet offering face to face appointments, the situation is monitored continually and staff look forward to re-introducing this as soon as it is practicable. A wealth of information on services can be found on the website at www.councilondisability. org . All updates on face to face reopening will also appear here. Please phone 01786 462178 or 07521 186159 or email advisor@ councilondisability.org.
ROCKTALK
Stirling’s talking newspaper for the blind is free to visually impaired members of the community. Contact Mike Milne at enquiries@rocktalk.org.uk or 01786 816673.
NEURO CENTRAL
Neuro Central aims to ensure that people in Scotland who live with neurological conditions, as well as their carers and families, have access to high quality services, therapies, information and support in a friendly, relaxed environment so nobody has to feel alone. Meetings are held on the first and third Monday of the month at Stirling County Cricket Club from 11am-1pm. Precautions will be taken to ensure, as far as possible, the safety of our members, volunteers and therapists. Further information is on the Facebook page, by calling 07526 281747 or on the website ‘neurocentral.org.uk.’ As usual, everyone welcome. If you would like a cuppa, please bring your own cup.
ALZHEIMER SCOTLAND
Contact dementia advisor Donna Paterson at dpaterson@alzscot.org, 01786 8311 or 07733 302772.
TOWN BREAK
The charity group supports people with early to moderate stage dementia to live well. For more information in the current climate, contact 01786 641841 or email admin@townbreakstirling.org.
STIRLING CITY CHOIR
Weekly rehearsals have resumed on Tuesdays from 7.30-8.30pm in Park Church (former St Columba’s). Further details available via the website at www. stirlingchoir.org.uk or through the Facebook page.”
FORTH VALLEY TOP TOES
Part of the Braveheart Association non-profit charity providing personal footcare service to adults who are unable to cut their own toenails. Cost is £15 per session which covers overheads and the customers’ nail care kit. It offers basic nail clipping and filing every six-10 weeks by a team of trained NHS approved volunteers but do not provide other podiatric treatments. The clinic meets at the Bellfield Centre, Stirling Community Hospital, Livilands Gate, Stirling on Thursdays from 9am-12.30pm. To book an appointment contact the Forth Valley Top Toes team on 07596 375674/01324 633505 or email louise.bleazard@nhs.scot.
STIRLING LOCAL HISTORY SOCIETY
The 2021/22 season meetings are being held online, via Zoom. Meetings are held on the last Thursday of each month at 7pm. Registration details can be found on the current season section on the webpage. Online tutorials are available on the Zoom website. For more details on the society, please visit the About Us page.
STIRLING AND DISTRICT FLORAL ART CLUB
The club is returning to in-person meetings after two years of lockdown restrictions. Next meeting is on May 10 at 2.30pm. Please note the club is moving to a new venue - Park Church Main Hall, Park Terrace, Stirling. The entrance is from the side door. Visitors and new members are always welcome. Meetings cost £7 for visitors. Contact honorary secretary Mrs Sarah Murdoch fore more information on murdochsarah@btinternet.com.
STIRLING POETRY SHARING GROUP
The group is restarting on the first Thursday of the month from the new time of 11.30am to 12.30pm in the Smith Art Gallery, Dumbarton Road, Stirling. All are welcome to come along to share and enjoy poetry being read aloud. Bring a couple of poems of any era or style if you wish to read, or just come along to listen. If you wish to hear a particular poem read, but do not wish to read yourself, the group will provide a willing reader. The Smith Cafe is open from 11am for the sale of refreshments. Further details from 07464 602207. Future Thursday dates are May 5, June 2, July 7, August 1 and September 1.
SPIRIT MEDIUM
World-renowned spirit medium David Traynor will be appearing in Stirling this month. One of the UK’S leading mediums, David has toured the UK demonstrating his talent for many years, has appeared on TV and radio and published books on the subject of clairvoyance. He will be on stage at the Golden Lion Hotel, King Street on Thursday, April 21 at 8pm and tickets, priced £20, are available from
David at 07812 019702 or by contacting Helen Henderson on 07771 647326. David will also be appearing in Aberdeen on Wednesday, April 20 and Fort William on Saturday, April 23. For more details contact Helen on above number.
STIRLING PROBUS CLUB
Stirling Probus had its first post-covid meeting on February 23 and held its AGM on Wednesday, March 9 in the Guide Hall, Glebe Avenue, Stirling. There were almost 20 attendees at both meetings. s there had been a two year suspension of activities, this bodes very well for the future. Next meeting will be on Wednesday, April 13 when President Peter Kendall will talk about a trek he and his son did around the Annapurna Circuit in Nepal. The format of meetings is a half hour tea/coffee social time followed by a 45 minute to one hour speaker session. Speakers have covered topics ranging from “History of Stirling”, through “interesting member holidays”, to “experiences in the North Sea oilfields”. The club is part of the world-wide Probuss community - Probus Clubs are for retired or semi-retired ladies or gentlemen from all walks of life and may include business or professional people. New members are welcome – either come along any second or fourth Wednesday of the month or call President Peter Kendall 01786 464457 or Secretary Mike Milne 01786 816673 to find out more. The current programme runs until May 25, resuming for autumn/ winter/spring on September 14.
DUNBLANE LOCAL HISTORY SOCIETY
On Tuesday, April 19 at 7.30pm. the talk at the Cathedral Hall Dunblane will bb ‘The Battle of Stirling Bridge.’ by Craig Mair, well-known local historian and currently president of Stirling Local History Society. In his talk he will describe the events of the battle fought on September 11, 1297. Using recent research the talk will also correct a few myths and legends which have appeared over time about the battle but which are now known to be wrong. Visitors welcome. Admission £2 which includes tea/coffee and biscuits.
LODGE ANCIENT STIRLING NO 30
A regular meeting will be held in the Masonic Temple, Forth Street, Stirling on Tuesday, April 19 at 7.30pm. Business will be an MMM Degree. Visitors welcome.
CARSE OF STIRLING ROTARY
Rotarians met at the Golden Lion Hotel on Wednesday for a social meeting where everyone enjoys a meal and a chat. Members are still working hard, doing the many pieces of preparation that are needed for events like the annual Kids Out Day. While the future can’t be predicted, it is hoped that events like these can go ahead and everyone is optimistically forging ahead with the planning. Anyone who would like more information on Rotary can either visit the Golden Lion Hotel on a Wednesday from 6.30pm or get in touch through social media channels by searching for ‘@carserotary’.
BRIDGE OF ALLAN AND DUNBLANE ROTARY
Last Thursday, Tom Bowser from Argaty Red Kites treated club members to a fascinating and beautifully illustrated account of the rewilding of Argaty on the Braes of Doune. Argaty has become synonymous with red kites, but, as Tom put it, red kites have had, ‘a roller-coaster ride over the centuries’. In the past, the Gaelic word for kite was used as the basis for a place name, as in Gladsmuir, reflecting the prevalence of kites. An account of 1795 stating ‘so common is the kite with us...’ is confirmation of this. However, only some 60 years later, the Bamffshire Journal reported ‘There was shot on Saturday...one of those birds so rare with us nowadays – hawks called kites’. This remarkable turnaround in fortune was a consequence of greater accessibility provided by railways, landowners promoting game shoots and the development of the breach-loading shotgun. Gamekeepers, mistakenly, killed kites assuming that they were predators responsible for killing game birds, whereas they are scavengers – effectively the vultures of the north. By 1917, kites had to all but disappeared: only a small number appeared in Wales, all from one breeding pair. To counter this decline, in 1989, red kite chicks were imported from Europe. Argaty was selected as the second site in Scotland producing, in 1998, its first fledglings. This encouraged a decision to allow visitors to come to see the birds. Not long after this, Tom’s father reached retirement and Tom was faced with the prospect of running the farm, a role to which he was not fully committed. At about the same time the red kites’ head ranger left, prompting Tom’s decision to take on the business. However, as it stood, it was not a financially viable option. Hence emerged the concept of extending the scope of the project, initially by introducing and building up a community of red squirrels. The early success of this prompted Tom to take further steps into rewilding, adding ponds, wildflower meadows, and 100 bird boxes. These, together with nature walks, encouraged many more visitors. In due course this extended habitat also attracted barn owls, an osprey, as well as dragonflies. All this thanks to an initial enthusiasm for red kites. As a means of recording all this, Tom has written a book – A Sky Full of Kites - a history of kites in Scotland from persecution and extinction to re-introduction and beyond. It tells the story of the Argaty Red Kites project and its part in helping to restore these birds to this part of Scotland. And, finally, it is a personal tale about his attempts to rewild the estate and how the birds proved to be a catalyst for that. Stuart Brown expressed the club’s thanks for this insight into a remarkable achievement. Club meetings are held in the Westlands Hotel, Dunblane at 6.15pm on Thursday. It is also possible to attend by Zoom. Non– members are welcome; anyone wishing to attend should contact secretary Stuart Brown at secretary@dunblanerotary.org. uk. The programme can be found on the club website: www.dunblanerotary.org. uk or on Facebook: www.facebook.com/ dunblanerotary.
DUNBLANE ACCORDION AND FIDDLE CLUB
The next meeting will be on Wednesday, April 20 in the Victoria Hall, Dunblane. Doors open at 7.15pm. The guest artists are the Susan Macfadyen Scottish Dance Band. All players (any instruments), and listeners are welcome. The final meeting of the season will be on Wednesday, May 16 when the guest artists will be the Ian Cruickshanks Scottish Dance Band.
INNER WHEEL CLUB OF STIRLING
A recent Retro night raised the magnificent sum of £1000 to be donated in Aid of Ukraine, Organised by treasurer Nanette Thomson and held in Judy Richardson’s home. Special thanks to the committee for supplying the feast, and to all members by participating whichever way they could. Fancy dress , raffle, quiz and much fun and laughter was the order of the evening. Inner Wheel of Stirling members collected 265 Easter eggs to be gifted to local elderly and vulnerable local children. Club president Judith Vaughnsharpe and and community service convener Anne Rankin presented these eggs to the Salvation Army in Drip Road, Stirling More information is available on the club’s activities on www.inner wheel. co.uk or Facebook.
OCHILS MOUNTAINEERING CLUB
Last weekend was a successful family club meet in Kinlochleven. Groups were out walking and indoor climbing at the Ice Factor. The socialising was enjoyable too. Other club members were walking in Glen Etive. With the longer days the climbers in the club are arranging indoor climbing sessions at The PEAK in Stirling and some outdoor climbing at local crags. On the social front, Thursday’s pub meet will take place at the Curly Coo from 8pm, non-members are welcome to attend. Plans are being made for a club alpine trip to Switzerland in the second half of July. Details of forthcoming weekend meets at Lochinver in mid April and Glen Brittle campsite at the end of April are on the Club website, at www.ochils.com, or check out Ochils Mountaineering Club on Facebook for current activities.