BLACK MOUNT BUGLE

BMCC MEETINGS

Meetings are held on the first Monday of each month, except Public Holidays.
Dates and venues are posted outside Dolphinton, Elsrickle and Newbigging Village Halls or from Committee Members.

Church of Scotland, Dolphinton
Morning Service – Sundays 9.30 am

St Isadore's Roman Catholic Church, Biggar
Holy Mass Sundays 12 noon
Weekdays (Mon, Tues-Thurs, Fri) 9.30 am

St Mungo's Scottish Episcopal Church, West Linton
Sung Communion Sundays 10.00 am
Said Communion Wednesdays 10.30 am

At the time of writing (late January) we are experiencing the first real snows of this winter but thankfully there have so far been no school closures or major problems in our area.
By the time this article appears the final decisions on the Council budgets will have taken place. There is a series of meetings scheduled for 3 dates up to 14th February when the final decisions will be ratified by the full Council. Savings of £12.2million are required this year with the expectations that £14million will be required next year and over £16million the following year.
There has been unanimous agreement on most of this year’s savings already with only the final £600000 to be agreed.
One of the savings agreed is the closure of Newbigging Hall. Regular usage of the hall has been very low for many years now with the SWRI being the only regular booking. Consultation is underway with the Rural regarding alternative venues with the probable one being Carnwath. The closure takes place on 31st March.
Elsewhere in the ward Lamington Hall will also close. The only regular bookings there were by Lamington School and these have now ceased as the school is decanted to Symington and the new school building, due for completion next year, will fulfil all the school’s requirements.
If there is a Community Group out there that thinks it would like to keep Newbigging Hall open and run it themselves, please get in touch and I can put you in touch with the correct people.
I have recently been appointed to the Board of Strathclyde Partnership for Transport. South Lanarkshire has three representatives on the Board and until now they have all come from urban areas. I attend my first meeting on Feb 15th and look forward to putting forward the rural perspective on transport issues.
My wife and I thoroughly enjoyed attending the Senior Citizens dinner at Elsrickle in December. I know that the work of Ann and her team of “willing” helpers, including members of the Community Council is really appreciated in the Community and a great night is had by all.
There is a certain amount of disquiet in Walston regarding proposals to convert the Church into a house. I cannot express my own views one way or the other about the proposals because of my position on the Planning Committee but I have been involved in a series of meetings with the Planners and the department responsible for the cemeteries about the application and I can say that because of certain legalities and further searches that have to be undertaken it is likely to be some time before a decision can be reached. Under normal circumstances I would have expected this application to have been decided by now.
As always I can be contacted on 07748 114 582 or by e-mail at Hamish.stewart@southlanarkshire.gov.uk or by phoning or writing to South Lanarkshire Council in Hamilton.

Hamish Stewart

WRI

ELSRICKLE
The December meeting for the members was a very interesting demonstration of how to make Christmas treats, by Margaret Leiper. As ever, Margaret showed such talent and made the tasks look deceptively easy. The ladies had a great time tasting the goodies and took away a few new ideas to try.
The New Year started with the ladies trying yoga. Local instructor Norma Duncan took the group through a series of exercises devised to stretch the body and focus the mind on posture and relaxation.
The evening was a great success with many feeling thoroughly refreshed at the end.
The February topic will be ‘In the Kitchen’ by E McDonald, in March we have ‘Gardening’ by I Warnock and the season finishes on 27th March with the AGM and a Beetle Drive.
The Elsrickle Flower Show will take place on 31st August.

Norma Love

DOLPHINTON

The children's Christmas Party on the 22nd December was a great
success, enjoyed by all.
The January meeting took the form of a talk & film show by Ros Kerry on her work with the charity Lepra.
The Bowling Tournament is on Saturday 26th January. The February
Meeting on the 20th is ‘My Career in Horticulture’ with Gordon
Buchanan. March 6th is a members’ night when we are going to make up miniature gardens and spring pots.
Final arrangements will be made for the Bulb & Craft show on March 8th & 9th.
April 17th is date for the A G M and the demonstration will be ‘My Kind of Crafts’ by Carrie Duthie.
Everyone is welcome to come to these meetings.

Betty Ross

The Blackmount community is now on Facebook! You can check out our new page at http://www.facebook.com/groups/bmccouncil where we'd welcome you to become a friend to receive news and updates.
The site is a work in progress as we need you to help us get it properly set up. We'd love to receive any photos you have of the area, together with any information on groups and events you'd like the community to know about.
David Darling
webadmin@blackmount.org

BLACK MOUNT SOCIAL CALENDAR

BLACKMOUNT SPORTS
The provisional date for the Blackmount Sports this year is Thursday 23rd May at Newbigging sports field. This is to coincide with the school holiday on Friday 24th May. Please pray for some sun this year.

BLACKMOUNT SOCIAL GROUP
This year 3 founder members of the social group have indicated that they are retiring: Anne Hutchison , Chairperson, Sheena Edwards, Secretary, and Joan Stephenson have served the community for many years and leave a depleted group in every sense. I'd like to thank them all very much for their dedication, enthusiasm and long service. Anyone who has enjoyed the Sports, Bonfire night, Sponsored walk and Christmas dinner will appreciate their efforts.

The Golden Jubilee beacon was a highlight of 2012 and was again the brainchild of Anne.

We are now looking for some willing volunteers to get involved or we may struggle to put on some of these events. Ideally a coordinator for each event would be perfect, with help from the rest of the group. It's a small amount of time and effort but is rewarded by an active and sociable community.

Anyone interested can contact Mara on 01899 810219 or Anne on 01968 682256.

Mara Orr

CHRISTMAS DINNER

‘Muckle Ado’
Alas the Christmas Dinner is now a distant memory…a good one for those who managed to dodge all the various ailments that were lurking about at the time!
Entertainment by “Muckle Ado” was much enjoyed…just right for all over 60s…long forgotten “hits” to which suddenly everyone remembered the words and were singing along with great gusto!
Many thanks as usual to all who helped with cooking, washing up, serving, and donating raffle prizes.
Thanks too to South Lanarkshire Council for the grant towards the costs.

Anne Hutchison

NEWBIGGING MARKET CROSS
This cross, situated on a knoll in the centre of Newbigging village green, stands on a stepped base. Its head and shaft are all one stone square, and the head is flattened out into eight foliated projections, a medieval form of cross, bearing in its centre a lozenge- shaped panel containing a Latin cross, while in each of its spandrils is carved a circular ornament. The date 1693 and the initials "G.L." are cut in the back of the cross, but if this date is authentic, it must have replaced an older model. (Presumably this cross replaces the one the history book ‘Orig Paroch Scot’, states is said to have been erected at Newbigging in the 13th century by Walter of Newbigging. This one had a double cross engraved on it.)
J W Small 1900

There’s a tale that is told that the cross was initially intended for Dolphinton. Apparently the cross was being moved from the original position…. the exact spot is unknown…..to Dolphinton when the company was overcome by a fierce snowstorm. The men left the cross at Newbigging for some time till the storm passed and the roads to Dunsyre and then on to Dolphinton were clear. On returning to continue with the journey, the people of Newbigging refused to let it go and it was erected in the village market square.
This account is not recorded as fact but the story is known by some throughout the district.

Many thanks for this information must go to well-known local Elsrickle resident Jock Gibson….a man of infinite local historical knowledge and many artefacts.

BLACK MOUNT FUEL GROUP

Our December order went to Bryce Oils. We had an order for 18100
litres between 27 people and paid 57.5/litre.
It was a peak time for oil deliveries and it would perhaps have been better to order at the end of November.

The next order will be mid-March.

Margaret Lancaster. (lancaster974@btinternet.com 01899810296)

FIRST SIGNS OF SPRING
When the weather is cold, grey and miserable, it can be hard to imagine when winter will finally end and spring will begin.
The birds in your garden and in your local park can't afford to sit around, feeling glum and wishing the sun would come out. There's important work to be done - breeding!
Perhaps the most noticeable evidence of birds getting geared up for the new breeding season is the increase in birdsong that occurs from mid-January onwards
While some birds, such as robins, sing throughout the winter (indeed, both males and females sing to protect their territory), others recommence singing at this time of year, both to attract potential mates and to signal to other birds the boundaries of their ‘patch’
Keeping eggs warm in sub-zero temperatures
Amazingly, for a small bird (only just bigger than a house sparrow), the crossbill can lay eggs in January. You could ask why on earth they want to do that - surely they should wait until spring has arrived and the weather is kinder?
The answer lies in food. For the same reason that blue tits time their egg-laying so that the hatching of their chicks coincides with the appearance of all those tiny caterpillars, crossbills time their offspring’s arrival into the outside world so that the availability of food is at its peak. For crossbills, that means pine seeds, extracted from cones by the parents’ specially-shaped bills.
Information - RSPB

WALSTON PRE- 5 GROUP
Wednesdays
9.15am until 11.30am

Walston Pre 5 Group offers the opportunity for children from the Blackmount Community to play together on a weekly basis before attending school.

The Pre 5 Group helps the children develop their social and learning skills through free play and creative art work, such as: dressing up, painting, play dough, reading, singing and musical games, as well as playing outside with balls and games, all in a safe environment.

We meet at Walston Primary School on a Wednesday morning, for children from 2½ years up to school age, and children do not need to be toilet trained to attend.

Each session runs from 9.15am until 11.30am. We would welcome children of this age to come and join our group. If you would like to register your child please telephone Leah Girdwood (Playgroup Leader), Hannah Cairns or Carrie Allison at the numbers below or call in on a Wednesday morning.

If you’d like to contact the playgroup, please call
Leah Girdwood Tel: 0797473255

Carrie Allison Tel: 07725170123

Hannah Cairns Tel: 07980681978

CLYDESDALE RURAL COMMUNITY TRANSPORT SERVICE
Do you need help with

Hospital visits, Doctor Appointments, getting to Clinic, Dentist, Optician or visiting Family in Care Homes?
We cover Biggar, Symington, Carnwath, Walston, LIbberton etc…etc
A small mileage charge is made for each journey.

We also have vacancies for volunteer drivers within these areas. Do you have any spare time? Training is provided.

If you require more information please contact: 01555 895491

Please send your articles, dates, reports, news and advertisements to:
Norma Love : Tel: 01899 810285 email bugle@blackmount.org

The Bugle is published by the Black Mount Community Council, but views expressed therein are not necessarily those of the committee.

The Community Council cannot accept responsibility for any errors printed in the Bugle.