Latest Falkland & Newton of Falkland News

Fletchers of Auchtermuchty, Scotland's longest established deer farm and venison retailer will be creating the largest recorded Venison Haggis in Edinburgh this weekend.

The Daily record has put together a great wee article celebrating the men behind Freuchie Cricket Club's historic win in the National Village Championships at Lords, almost twenty five years ago.

A survey of traditional orchards on Fife's Tay coast has recorded over 1500 trees on 75 different sites, and says Newburgh has such a significant concentration that it must be better recognised as a unique orchard town.

One of the world's deadliest plants has sprung up in the back garden of a home in Freuchie. The highly poisonous jimson weed - otherwise known as the Devil's Trumpet - can kill a human or animal if its toxic black egg-shaped seeds, contained within a thorny hard capsule, are ingested.

The service last Sunday was conducted by Rev. George Nicol and scripture readings were given by Mr. Everett Hill.

Fancy brushing up your artistic skills?

Fife Youth Jazz Orchestra is holding an open night next month.

The Historic Falkland Action Group (HFAG) was set up as a result of the concern of local people about action taken by Lomond Homes.

Pensioners Dougie and Madge Cormack have been locked in battle with the local authority since a line of trees shielding the landfill site at Lower Melville Wood, near Ladybank, was removed 3 years ago.

The unmanned Bank of Scotland branch on Burnside is to close on November 19 - a move that will also affect people in surrounding communities such as Strathmiglo, Gateside and Dunshalt.

Newmacher Golf Club near Dyce in Aberdeenshire was the venue for the latest in a series of brand new golf courses to be played by Scottish Disability Golfers in their 2010 season.

A Fife councillor has suggested that risks to bin lorry drivers could be reduced and some collection costs could be halved by introducing fortnightly collections in rural areas.

Follow Lomond Pharmacy on Twitter to keep up to date with offers and health news.

Erection of wind turbines on a hill in north-east Fife is being resisted by the MoD, with the warning that they would pose a significant risk to air traffic control at RAF Leuchars.

The Fife Diet have come up with 5 top-quality family days out in Fife - places and locations they think offer something special for parents and kids alike (not to mention fantastic food fae Fife!)

The Fife Association of Vintage Vehicle Owners: 22nd Rally at Brucefield created a jolly scene last weekend.

Gardeners are being urged to watch out for hedgehogs before getting out their power tools.

Well done to Lomond United's fitness coach Robbie Blyth who successfully completed a run along the length of the Fife Coastal Path at the weekend.

Kingdom FM is giving away 40 discounted Fife Animal Park Tickets on Friday 27 August.

Classes for children aged from two and a half to seniors, resume in Lumsden Memorial Hall, Freuchie, on Wednesdays at 3.30pm and Ladybank Masonic Hall on Saturdays at 9am.

Well done Clare Penman and Linzi McCann

The Advisory for Heavy Rain affecting western Scotland that was issued yesterday remains in place.

The service last Sunday was conducted by Rev. George Nicol, and scripture readings were given by Mrs. Irene Veitch.

Do you believe that people with a learning difficulty have the right to be fully included within their local community? Then includeME has an exciting and challenging opportunity for you to develop long-term Citizen Advocacy in the North-East Fife area.

NHS FIFE has been accused of coming up with "weak" answers to health secretary Nicola Sturgeon's questions during its annual review on Tuesday.

'Muchty was drenched in sunshine at the weekend as the town's annual festival drew to a close.

Campaigners fighting to save a colony of red squirrels living in woods near Ladybank have expressed their jubilation after a Scottish Government planning official backed their cause.

Local MP Sir Menzies Campbell has denied rumours that he could soon be appointed the UK's High Commissioner to Australia - a move which would spark a by-election in north east Fife.

The road between Auchtermuchty and Dunshalt will be closed for re-surfacing from 25th August for three weeks.

Did you know that Lomond Pharmacy can now collect your repeat prescription slips from Freuchie?

Golfers from the Scottish Disability Golf Partnership took on a challenge, laid down by members of the Glenbervie Golf Club to play a match play competition against their members.

Local woodcraftsman, Alistair Forbes, has just completed an interesting commission as part of a shop refurbishment for Hunter Goldsmiths, in the Crossgate, Cupar.

Howe Rotarian, Charles Dickinson, and his wife, Chris, recently played host to a 'Play & Plonk' Sunday afternoon at their Pitlair home.

The appeal lodged by Angle Park Sand and Gravel Company against Fife Council has finally been dismissed by the Scottish Government Reporter - much to the relief of red squirrel supporters and conservationists in Fife.

'The Chill Grill' is the brand new cafe just opend at the Howe Country Centre in Giffordtown.

The Forest Education Initiative (FEI) in the Howe of Fife has been awarded funds to set up a Forest School Practitioners training course.

At last week's meeting of the Howe of Fife Rotary Club, Dr. Amanda Fleet of St. Andrews' University gave fellow members a detailed update on Chimwemwe, the children's project with which she is actively involved.

Three people were trapped and two children hurt when two cars collided near Easter Cash Farm, between Falkland & Strathmiglo today.

Have you joined the Fife Tourism Network yet? Smart Community Fife in conjunction with several other interested parties in the area, are proposing that a LTA be established to cover Cupar and the wider Howe of Fife area. register and tell us what you think.

The service last Sunday was conducted by Rev. George Nicol, and scripture readings were given by Mrs. Rosemary Stewart.

People in Cupar are being encouraged to get on their bikes and help cut pollution levels in the town at the same time.

Fears have been allayed that one of north east Fife's largest employers may be about to leave Falkland.

Three historic north east Fife tourist attractions are facing an uncertain future.

The Scottish Government reporter who will decide the fate of a historic wall in Falkland is being urged to insist that it is rebuilt by the developer who demolished it amid angry scenes earlier this year.

Falkland Palace is hosting the world's first augmented reality ghost hunt game - Falkland Ghost Hunt - from the 11th to the 22nd of August. And you're invited to come along and get involved!

John Ambrose of the United States will attend the inaugural Scottish Disability Golf Festival to demonstrate his new invention, The L2 Lateral Line Putter.

At last week's meeting of the Howe of Fife Rotary Club, Giff Bradley gave a moving account of how the Macmillan nurses had supported his daughter, Sharon, as well as the whole family, when she became ill with terminal cancer in 1991.

The National Trust for Scotland has been urged to involve local communities in decisions affecting the future of its properties by north-east Fife's MSP.

Are you looking for full or part-time employment to boost your income when the kids go back to school?

Lomond United's fitness coach Robbie Blyth plans to raise funds for the club's new pitch by running the Fife Coastal Path from the West Sands in St Andrews all the way to sunny Burntisland (over 50 miles) on 21 & 22 August.

The service last Sunday was conducted by Rev. George Nicol, and scripture readings were given by Mrs. Pauline Normand.

As part of Fife Art 2010, Fife Council Libraries & Museums will be running free adult art workshops around Fife.

Fife Constabulary have issued their first North East Fife Community Link Newsletter since the start of the Forces Community Engagement Meetings earlier this year. Download using the link below and catch up on who's who and how the community meetigs are going.

The leader of Fife Council has warned that no public services will be exempt from cuts following the publication of an independent review by the Scottish Government.

Falkland's army of green-fingered volunteers are calling on villagers to support them in their bid for horticultural glory.

Wild boar can now be found snuffling among the wildflowers in the orchard at the National Trust for Scotland's Falkland Palace in Fife.

A local gymnast got the chance to train with two of her idols.

Vandals chopped down a tree and left it lying across one lane of a Fife dual carriageway, the police have said.

Fife is making plans to stockpile tonnes of salt to avoid the chaos of last winter's shortages.

Cyclists across Fife have been invited to join a unique and world-record-breaking bike challenge this weekend when the Cobi Conference Bike passes through Kingdom on its route from John O'Groats to Lands End.

Dru Yoga is returning to Kingskettle Memorial Hall on Wednesday nights from 25 August.

Kingdom FM are offering family discounted tickets to Deep Sea World in North Queensferry.

North East Fife MSP, Iain Smith, has raised concerns over BT's plans to increase the cost of line rental from October.

The Provost of Fife Francis Melville has once again lent her support to the Scottish Disability Golf Partnership in their endeavours to promote golf for the disabled across Scotland.

Falkland's small gardens will be open to the public on Saturday, 14 August and Sunday 15 August in conjunction with Scotland's Garden's Scheme.

A number of Freuchie Scouts camped in the grounds of Blair Castle over four days during the last week in July as part of the satellite camp to the main Blair Atholl International Jamborette comprising over 1000 Scouts from Scotland and overseas.

Could you play a part in helping to keep history alive?

A massive drive to raise £50,000 to open a community cafe in Cupar's Adamson Hospital has been given another boost.

The new site of the Big Tent festival has been praised.

Proposals to extend a barrier on the A92 at Ladybank have been welcomed by a local councillor.

The festival committee is running a photographic competition to celebrate the 30th anniversary of the Auchtermuchty Festival.

Over 10,000 revellers enjoyed this year's eco-festival in Falkland.

There will be a joint service with Freuchie in Falkland Parish Church on Sunday 1 August at 10.30am.

The members and coaches of the Scottish Disability Golf Partnership have just wrapped up another month of golf training and competition at various Scottish venues.

The efforts by a north east Fife environmental group to tackle climate change have been given a ministerial seal of approval.

The Auchtermuchty Festival will be celebrating its 30th anniversary when it gets under way next Friday 6 August.

More than 100 boats are set to converge on Anstruther harbour this weekend for the biggest gathering of yachts on the east coast.

Fife Outdoor Access Festival has announced an extensive programme featuring over 100 outdoor events, designed to promote access and enjoyment of Fife’s great outdoors.

Lovers of the great outdoors are being encouraged to take on a physical challenge this autumn.

Fife Council is to rethink its capital spending plans in light of expected cuts in central government funding.

Loch Leven Heritage Trail is in line for almost £250,000 of lottery funding. The Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF) has indicated initial support for the project which will complete access around the loch.

At first glance it might seem like any old outdoor maze, but look closely at the image on the left and you should be able to make out the shape of a true British icon.

Falkland celebrated their 150th anniversary year with a Festival week, blessed in the main with good weather and showing the world the hospitable side of Falkland with their magnificent teas and beautiful ground, argued not without justification to be the finest in Scotland.

The Big Tent Festival saw a record number of people passing through its gates, and the Falkland showcase saw Grammy Award winner Rosanne Cash topping its music line-up.

Following the success of the Auchtermuchty street market in June, it has been decided to hold another one on Saturday 25 September.

My name is Jim Buttar from Vancouver, BC Canada and I'm trying to contact my cousin in Freuchie, Colin Lennie.

Fife Constabulary has urged people to report any instances of crime, following suggestions mementoes have been stolen from gravesides in Falkland.

Young people can get free professional music tuition this month at a series of workshops across north east Fife.

More action has been demanded to prevent a Falkland burn bursting its banks, after the area was flooded for the third time in three years.

The John F Weir's tour of Fife kicked off today from Giffordtown Village Hall. View the photos here.

Music fans poured into Falkland Estate as beautiful weather greeted the start of the three-day Big Tent Festival on Friday.

One of the newest members of the Howe of Fife Rotary Club, the effervescent Linda Ballingall, formally introduced herself to members at last week's meeting at the Village Inn, Pitlessie.

Lochend Farm in Scotlandwell is hosting a weekend of family fun on Saturday 24 and Sunday 25 July in aid of the Children's Hospice Association Scotland (CHAS) and Marie Curie Cancer Care.

Visitors to Falkland Palace and members of the local community joined forces to make a lasting contribution to the gardens by weaving a playhouse for visitors, families and schools to enjoy.

Analogue TV viewers in north east Fife have less than two weeks to prepare for the digital switchover - or be left staring at blank screens.

Several people in north east Fife have been stung by a card cloning scam.

Fife is the safest it's been for over a decade, according to a report just released by Fife Police.

Fife's employability partnership, ‘Opportunities Fife', has just secured £100,000 to work with local employers to up-skill Fife's workforce.

Five years on from the G8 summit which pledged to fight poverty and tackle climate change, this weekend's Big Tent festival in Falkland will provide yet another forum to discuss the biggest challenges facing the planet.

Fife Police have moved to reassure people that registered sex offenders are closely monitored within their communities.

It was ‘house full' last Friday for the latest outing of the Black Cat Juke Band at Newburgh's SteepleArts' Centre.

Following the successful launch of 'Whodonewhat', their latest collection of stories and poems, and an appearance at the recent Dundee Literary Festival, Nethergate Writers presented a selection of readings to a large and appreciative audience at the Lomond Hills hotel in Freuchie.

Big Tent is almost here! Staged at a new venue in the fields surrounding the Stables on Falkland Estate, here's a quick run down on what's happening on Friday's opening night, and a reminder not to bring your car through the village!

Frechie Flood Action Group are reminding residents to be be prepared in light of SEPA's flood watch statement for Fife & Clackmannenshire that was issued earlier today:

The service last Sunday was conducted by Rev. George Nicol, with scripture readings given by Mr. Mike Blair.

Fifers are being urged to support Oxfam's appeal for West Africa.

Christian charity Blytheswood Care will be collecting unwanted goods throughout north East Fife and Kinross-shire over the coming weeks.

NHS Fife has been described as a "shambles" after overspending its operational division budget by £330,000 in just two months.

Kettle flower show schedules are now on sale at Kettle Store for £1.00.

Furniture designer and maker, Max McCance, based at Kinloch near Giffordtown, is currently exhibiting his contemporary furniture at the Rothes Halls, Glenrothes, Monday - Saturday, 10am to 5pm.

As part of the Summer seatbelt campaign "have you clicked", Fife Constabulary's Road Safety Unit have been carrying out in-car safety clinic's across Fife in July and August.

The SDGP will host its third free golf training day of 2010 on Sunday 5 September at the Wellsgreen Golf Academy near Kirkcaldy.

The organisers of the successful Wear the Fox Hat, Auchtermuchty Comedy Festival have organised a special 'Edinburgh Preview' which will take place in the Corn Exchange, Cupar on Saturday 31 July.

In the late 1970s, Johnny Cash was on a flight returning home from Japan when he found himself sitting next to Major Michael Crichton-Stuart.

Resurfacing work on the Auchtermuchty to Dunshalt road can't come soon enough, according to a local councillor.

Read the minutes of the July 2010 Falkland & Newton of Falkland Community Council.

Traditional wood and crafting skills will be on show at this year's Big Tent, Scotland's leading green festival indicating that Scotland's forest and wood culture is alive and well.

Falkland's showpiece fountain could soon be given a much-needed facelift thanks to an £11,000 grant.

Do you have an old pram that can still do some mileage?

Members of the Howe of Fife Rotary Club recently enjoyed a visit to the Dundee, Perth & London Shipping Company Ltd. (D P & L).

Fife Police are investigating a 'hit and run' incident on the A92 near Ladybank last night in which a workman was seriously injured.

The re-laying of Lomond United AFC's pitch in Falkland has restarted after nine months of delay caused over complaints the project had been started without necessary consents.

Householders in north east Fife are being warned about bogus workmen.

One of the Cupar councillors behind a pilot scheme aimed at catching speeding drivers has described it as 'very promising'. Councillor Roger Guy was one of more than 20 volunteers who underwent training for the Community Speedwatch initiative that was launched in the area last week.

The National Trust for Scotland's Hill of Tarvit mansion house, just 15 minutes from St Andrews near Cupar, will be open for visitors this weekend, as the Open Golf Championship gets underway at St Andrews.

On Friday the 27th of August, Kingdom FM hosts the third annual Local Hero Awards at the Rothes Halls in Glenrothes. Nominate your local hero now.

Fife Police are urging Facebook users across Fife to add a new application to make them safer online.

Lomond United donate strips to Nairobi orphanage

Six representatives from Scottish Disability Golf, set off for the Queen's Garden Party on Tuesday in glorious sunshine.

The search is on to find Fife's brightest business stars with the launch of the Fife Business Awards 2010.

Two Fife men were among six Scottish soldiers whose extraordinarily brave acts were recognised by the Queen in an investiture ceremony at the Palace of Holyroodhouse.

Proposals for a wind farm on Clatto Hill, overlooking miles of Fife countryside, have taken another step forward with the submission of a planning application from East Fife Wind Energy.

One of Fife's main roads was closed on the eve of the Open Championship in St Andrews after an articulated lorry crashed into a footbridge.

It was all aboard the good ship, Maid of the Tay, for members of the Rotary Club of the Howe of Fife on a recent watery outing.

Scotland's first school-based TV network has been launched across Fife thanks to a pioneering initiative to promote healthy-living information to the region's secondary pupils.

For the Howe of Fife Rotary Club, 2009 - 2010 was another very successful year.

Looking for a 2/3 bedroom house/bungalow in Rosyth/Dunfermline/Inverkeithing/Dalgety Bay/Crossgates/Cowdenbeath or 3 bedroom house in Fife or Perth or 2 bedroom house/flat central Edinburgh for multi swap.

Celebrations were in full swing recently as members of Falkland Cricket Club and their guests marked the club's 150th anniversary.

In September, Fife Constabulary, working closely with partners in the NHS, FASS (Fife Alcohol Support Services and St Andrews University, will be taking the Alcohol Diversion Scheme forcewide to benefit communities across the region.

Mystery surrounds the long-term future of Amazon.co.uk's Glenrothes site after Fife Council announced plans to move into the firm's current site over the coming years.

Auchtermuchty Theatre Group are looking for two men to perform in their production of "A Tomn with a View" by Norman Robbins in September.

A new Chief Fire Officer has been appointed for Fife. Mr McFarlane, former Deputy Chief Fire Officer, replaces Jimmy Campbell who has moved to take up the post of CFO with Lothian & Borders Fire and Rescue Service.

NHTT e-Xchange is a place where users can exchange ideas, thoughts and perhaps most importantly food, goods and even manure.

The music world’s attention was again turned to Kinross-shire as T in the Park threw open its gates to the first festival-goers.

Time has passed very fast - and only now have I had time to send out a message of thanks to all for their contribution to yet another Fife Traditional Singing Festival.

The Forth Bridge and Shetland's Iron Age settlements are among six Scottish bids for World Heritage site status.

Family food workshops are on the menu for people in Fife this summer.

Glastonbury may have been the headline news for music fans this weekend, but another festival made its mark on a smaller scale among the hills of Fife — as 500 revellers descended on a farm near Auchtermuchty for an eco-friendly weekend of music, dancing, mountain-biking and more.

The world's biggest ever bowl of porridge, capable of feeding 2000 people, has rightly earned its place in the book of Guinness World Records.

Pupil from Lochgelly High School in Fife are to play for the Pope during his visit to Scotland later this year.

Due to an over blown tree, the section of the Fife Coastal Path between Aberdour and Burntisland will be closed for the next 24hrs.

A fire broke out at The Stag Inn in Falkland yesterday evening around 5pm.

She was driving through Cape Cod, en route to New York City but, despite her glamorous surroundings, Rosanne Cash had only one thing in mind — her forthcoming visit to Fife!

Entry forms are available now for all amateur artists living in Fife to submit work to this year's Fife Art Exhibition at Kirkcaldy Museum & Art Gallery.

A cricketing first takes place this July when Falkland Cricket Club (FCC) Fife will play their namesakes from Newbury Berkshire, and the Falkland Islands Cricket Association (FICA) who are travelling 8,000 miles from the South Atlantic to take part in the Festival of the Three Falklands Cricket Week.

Fife Constabulary along with forces across Scotland has today (Monday 5th July) launched the Summer Safety Initiative to tackle those who drink or take drugs and drive placing lives at risk.

Freuchie Library will be closed from Wednesday 14 July to Wednesday 21 July inclusive.

The service last Sunday was conducted by Mr. Iain Mitchell, QC., a reader in Dunfermline Presbytery, and scripture readings were given by Mr. Jim Redden.

A concerted crackdown on organised crime in Fife has dismantled the empires of around a dozen gangs in the past year, it emerged yesterday.

A plan has been produced by Fife Council Transportation for a 20mph speed limit in Newton of Falkland.

The festival office will open in the Lower Town Hall tomorrow (Saturday 3 July) from 10am until noon.

On Sunday there will be a Joint Service in Freuchie Parish Church at 10.30am. Please note there will be no service in Falkland this Sunday.

The officer in charge of policing at Scotland’s biggest music festival has given his assurances that people’s safety and security is top priority.

Fife received mixed news yesterday on jobs in the region with a boost from the announcement that almost 100 jobs are to be created in Leslie with the resumption of papermaking in the town.

The traditional street market held in Falkland at the weekend as part of the burgh's annual festival has been hailed as one of the most successful ever.

Jim Gales of Springfield has just returned from Wadsworth Ohio after the 4-day Ryder Cup of blind golf. Jim who is a member of the Scottish Disability Golf Partnership, was invited to compete in the tournament as part of the Canadian Golf Team, against the USA,

Fed up of World Cup Fever? At a loose end because none of your favourite TV programmes are on? Don't worry, July's A Right Guid Read has all the best ideas for books to relax with and none of them sport related!

Visitors to this year's Open Championship can experience a flavour of Fife's Year of Culture through a snapshot of Celebrating Fife 2010 performances.

In July, the IACD (International Association of Community Development) welcomes the TR14ers to Fife where they will host a series of free street dance workshops in Glenrothes & Cupar.

A 50 year reunion is planned for everyone who started bell baxter in 1960 or joined later that year. The get-together will be at the school on on 28 August 2010, from 11.30am till around 4pm.

Well done to everyone who volunteered their time and energy to help at the 2010 Falkland Festival.

A celebration of classical music gets underway today in the East Neuk of Fife.

Apologies to customers who are unable to access the library catalogue online.

With T in the Park taking place this weekend Fife Fire & Rescue Service would like to remind you of fire safety precautions when enjoying the great outdoors camping.

The new Government's emergency budget will mean bad news for most people in Fife. A rise in the VAT rate to 20 per cent is causing concern among the Kingdom's retail and tourism sectors.

Councillors have approved a plan to build five houses near Strathmiglo - despite a Scottish Government reporter throwing out a similar application last year.

Celebration of Fife talent tops Friday night at the Big Tent. This year's Big Tent festival opens its doors on the evening of Friday 23rd July, kicking off at 6pm with a brilliant evening programme of entertainment for the whole family to enjoy.

More than 7500 hospital operations planned to take place in Fife last year failed to go ahead.

Mobile phones will be banned from the Old Course in St Andrews at next month’s Open Championship, according to the R&A.

Lady urgently looking for a smallish or otherwise cottage / house to purchase and live in. Please contact 01436 678 855.

Over 150 people attended a series of public exhibitions in Strathmiglo, Glenfarg and Abernethy to find out more about SITA UK's plans for a gasification facility at Binn Farm landfill site, near Perth.

New to the Auchtermuchty Festival Community Events programme: Children's Singing Workshops with Aileen Carr

The Lomond United organised 5-aside competition (which is part of the Falkland Festival and was due to take place on Monday 21 June) has been rescheduled.

Iain Banks, one of Fife's literary heroes, made an appearance at Rothes Halls recently as part of the Celebrating Fife campaign.

Every year Elmwood offers a range of evening classes and short courses to satisfy the needs of the local community in North East Fife and further afield. And 2010 is no different! Download the course guide now.

Slow Food Fife and Slow Food Perth have teamed up with the award winning Fletchers of Auchtermuchty to put together a fantastic evening for foodies who would like to know more about venison.

An ex-professional golfer who recently emigrated to Australia from Ladybank, was involved in a horror car crash which killed two people in the early hours of yesterday.

The service last Sunday was conducted by Rev. George Nicol, with scripture readings given by Mrs. Elaine Nicol.

People living in Auchtermuchty, Strathmiglo and Glenfarg were able to take part in a public consultation exercise this week on controversial proposals for a nearby waste plant.

Plans to cut music tuition in Fife schools would cause ''long-term damage'' to pupils.

North Howe Transition Toun are looking for enthusiastic local people who are available to work on a casual, part-time or ad hoc basis to do a variety of work.

The Adam Smith Theatre, Kirkcaldy, will close its doors between Thursday 1 July and Sunday 4 July, reopening on Monday 5 July.

Fife Council has agreed to buy the former ADC building at Bankhead, Glenrothes as part of its plans to modernise and rationalise the buildings it owns across Fife.

The North Howe Transition Toun Transport Group are in the throes of developing a unique sustainable transport idea, which they've called 'TripStop'.

Young people from the Fife Youth Forum, including those elected to the Scottish Youth Parliament, have been presented with certificates from the Scottish Youth Parliament and the Quality Scot Foundation.

Sinbad is our much loved orange winged amazon parrot.

The Bruce Inn is looking for a temporary chef to work 20 hours per week from now until the end of September.

Huge thanks to everyone who completed a Smart Community Fife survey in the last few months. Almost 400 people completed questionnaires on-line and on the street and your feedback has provided some really useful statistics for us.

There will be a volunteer action day on Sun 27 June from 11am - 2pm to tackle the ever growing lowherb and ragwort on Muchty Common.

Auchtermuchty Theatre Group will be reading "A Tomb with a View" by Norman Robbins in the GP room of the community centre tomorrow (Wednesday 23 June) from 7pm - 9pm.

Scotland's leading green festival has now announced a fully packed programme of events for this year's massive three day showcase.

The first region-specific edition of The Larder, The Fife Larder, is now on-line and available for you to access and enjoy.

Thanks to everyone who worked hard to make the event a success and who donated their time and money. £520 was raised on the day, a great effort, which brings the total funds raised by Kobe Osaka Scotland for Help for Heroes, to a staggering £3120 since June 2009.

The service last Sunday was conducted by Rev. George Nicol, and scripture readings were given by Mrs. Margaret Hill.

Following the success of a similar event last summer, Nethergate writers will be back there again reading from Whodunwhat, their latest collection of stories and poems.

A Falkland man has been praised for his efforts in breathing life back into one of the village's well known wooden carts.

A special hearing is to take place in Cupar next Tuesday into the plight of red squirrels living close to Ladybank woods.

Tony and Joan Cran, who live in Freuchie, have opened their magnificent garden to the public for the last time this year.

Have you got any excess produce you would like to share?Do you have any top tips for growing veggies? Are you looking for seasonal recipes? Would you like an answer to a foody question?

Teachers across north east Fife will be protesting against proposed cuts to the education service at a rally in Glenrothes tomorrow (Saturday).

A community wind project in the Newburgh area has taken a step forward. Fife Council this week granted permission for a 50-metre test mast to be built on Lindores Hill.

The Scottish Disability Golf Partnership (SDGP) 2010 Tour set off for the long journey to Machrihanish Golf Club last weekend for their inaugural Scottish Championship.

If you've not yet had a look at what the North Howe Transition Toun are doing in Letham, Collessie, Monimail & Giffordtown, have a look at the you tube link below.

Lomond United are appealing to supporters and members of the community to help turf the new pitch at Tyndall Bruce Park.

Fife Council has pledged to be as transparent as possible in addressing the nightmarish scenario facing its education budget.

Lomond United AFC run a ladies fitness class called 'Strictly Combat' on a Monday evening from 7pm - 8pm in Falkland Village Hall.

Falkland Rural Enterprises on Falkland Estate is a welcome new venture offering free range organic eggs, organic beef and pork direct to the public.

Ever wanted to explore the Fife coastline? Or fancied giving sailing a go?

4 or 5 bedroom house wanted for short-term let in Falkland or nearby vilages for visiting dance troupe from Cornwall.

The Howe Country Centre in Giffordtown is looking for a reliable, honest, hardworking person able to do various cleaning jobs for 3-4 hours per day, between 5 and 6 days per week.

Business sponsorship of the arts will continue to be supported by the Scottish Government with £300,000 allocated to the New Arts Sponsorship Grants scheme in 2010-2011. This fund is managed by Arts & Business Scotland.

The British Medical Association (BMA) has called for health board elections to be scrapped, the day after Fife held its first ballot.

Fife paper-maker Tullis Russell has recorded a loss of nearly £1 million.

Read the minutes of the June 2010 Falkland & Newton of Falkland Community Council.

Volunteers wielding radar guns could soon be out and about in the Cupar area in a bid to catch speeding motorists.

Elmwood College is delivering a record volume of learning to an extremely high degree of efficiency despite funding constraints, principal Jim Crooks told guests at the college's award ceremony last Friday.

Howe of Fife and Tay Coast councillor Donald Lothian has backed the proposed new pedestrian crossing on the main A91 road in Gateside.

NHS Fife will axe 54 jobs over the next year. The majority - 29 of those jobs - will be in midwifery and nursing.

Fife Council plans to shed thousands of jobs over the next four years, and has already advised staff it will be looking for volunteers for redundancy, early retirement or cuts in working hours.

Greener Kirkcaldy are looking for an enthusiastic and suitably experienced Project Coordinator and has some opportunities for volunteers to help in our new environmental advice centre.

The Forth Bridge could today take the first step on the road to joining the Taj Mahal and Egypt’s pyramids on a list of the world’s heritage sites.

The Big Tent Festival is Scotland's leading green festival and with the recent confirmation of some of the biggest acts on the global circuit, 2010 is going to be the music festival's biggest year ever.

Summer sports camps will be running in four areas of Fife in summer 2010, providing a variety of different activities run by local clubs and coaches for young people.

This summer Promote YT, the national umbrella organisation for Youth Theatre in Scotland, are proud to present our biggest, boldest National Festival of Youth Theatre EVER!

The 30th Auchtermuchty festival looks set to sizzle, with a packed programme of events for both the community festival and the music weekend.

Enterprising P7 pupils at Auchtermuchty Primary School have ‘made their mark' in a national competition.

Auchtermuchty Primary school children entered the National Food Safety Week 2010 Poster Competition and they have scooped the Best School award.

Thousands of council jobs are set to go in Fife over the next four years as the local authority battles to cope with a projected £120 million reduction in its budget.

NHTT will have a stall this year in the Climate Challenge Zone and are looking for volunteers to help set up and man our stall on 24th & 25th July.

Fife Council is set to discuss proposals which could see its workforce reduce significantly over the next four years.

Almost 200 nursing and midwifery jobs will be axed in Tayside and Fife as part of massive job losses across the health service in Scotland this year.

During National Volunteers' Week (June 1-7), staff at Volunteer Centre Fife staff are celebrating by getting their wellies on!

Cupar will enjoy a carnival atmosphere tomorrow (Saturday) when the children's gala takes over the town.

Fife's favourite childrens' entertainers were caught up in this week's horrific shootings in the Lake District.

The Energy Saving Trust interest free loans which are available to private home owner/occupiers come to an end on Wednesday 16th June 2010.

A Cupar historian has saved part of the town’s industrial heritage so it can be enjoyed by future generations.

So, there we were, finally arriving at Alloa Schawpark Golf Club, after the usual set of Scottish roadwork's and futile arguments with the SatNav.

Congrats to Fletchers of Auchtermuchty, winners of yet another top food award - the Best Small Meat Producer in the UK - at the prestigious Good Housekeeping Food Awards in London.

Intense activity during April, around the Pleasance walls and buildings has gone quiet in the past month.

An initiative which uses civilian volunteers to help catch speeding motorists might soon be used in Cupar in what would be a pilot scheme for Fife and one of only a handful tried in Scotland.

If you want to have your say on how west and mid Fife is developed over the next twenty years then get involved in the consultation taking place from 31 May to 27 August 2010.

On Sunday 6 June 2010, Kobe Osaka Scotland will hold its first ever inter-school inter-region karate competition at Kirkcaldy High School.

The service last Sunday was conducted by Rev. George Nicol, and scripture readings were given by Rev. A. Cameron Mackenzie.

We were planting at rainbows. The girls brought in pots and got to plant and take home a couple of bedding plants each.

Auchtermuchty Library will be closed from Monday 7 - Friday 11 June. It will re-open on Monday 14 June at 2pm.

Letham Nights, with support from Celebrating Fife 2010, will be offering an all-day, free drama and music workshop for 12-21 year olds called 'Do it in a Day'.

A group of north east Fife martial artists showed their fighting spirit at the European Champion-ships.

Members and coaches of the Scottish Disability Golf Partnership (SDGP) travelled to the Isle of Arran last weekend to play two of the islands best golf courses.

Auchtermuchty will be bustling with activity on Saturday 12 June when an open air market is held at The Cross.

Staff and parents at an award-winning outdoor nursery in north east Fife fear it could be under threat as a result of a 'bonkers' ruling by the Care Commission.

The developers at the centre of the row over a historic wall in Falkland have been dealt another blow.

A scheme that could see rubbish from Perthshire homes used to generate electricity will come under the scrutiny of residents before a planning application is lodged.

Cycling is a great way to save money and lose weight at the same time. And there's never been a better time to start cycling, with fuel costs rising and the holidays just around the corner.

From Monday 31st May 2010, all planning applications submitted by post will now go to Forth House in Kirkcaldy.

Fife's disabled golfers and their coaches have made a strong start to the 2010 golf season, by taking many of the leading spots in the GolfbloggerUK Scottish Order of Merit Tables.

Stella Colleluori of Hatters Tea Room in Newburgh is organising a food tent for Newburgh's infamous single handed coble boat race - to be held on 14 August 2010. Stella would love to hear from local food producers or food retailers who are keen to share, sell and/or exhibit their tasty produce at this day-long event.

Proposals from SITA UK for a waste gasification plant at Binn Farm (that produces energy by heating waste in a sealed chamber) have been submitted to Perth and Kinross Council.

On the 21st May 2010, local photographer Barry Forbes snapped an exciting new butterfly at the entrance to the Whitefield on Auchtermuchty Common.

For the 3rd year running, Lomond United Amateur Football Club will be organising the Falkland Festival 5-aside competition.

Visit Scotland and local tourism businesses have got together to deliver some fantastic offers on accommodation and attractions in the Howe of Fife this spring/summer.

The Scotsman has today revealed 15 of Scotland's 20 leading green champions of the past year - one of which is a Howe of Fife local - Letham Nights organiser Mike Farrell. Well done Mike!

Environmentally friendly students from Elmwood College were busy recently when they embarked on a coastal clean-up in Leven.

All eleven recycling centres across Fife have new opening hours from 29th May 2010.

Householders in Fife with working G rated boilers are encouraged to take advantage of the new Scottish Boiler Scrappage Scheme.

More than a month since a massive fire ripped through the premises of one of north east Fife's largest employers, the cause of the blaze remains a mystery.

North East Fife MP Sir Menzies Campbell has said he believes the new Conservative /Liberal Democrat coalition government at Westminster will provide the UK with the stability to deal with the country's economic crisis.

Fife Constabulary this week revealed that Operation LASER (Local Action Supporting Enforcement and Reassurance) deployments will continue in Fife owing to overwhelming public support.

Big Tent have announced more music acts, a book launch and other activities to add to the already packed line up at this year's festival.

Controversial changes to Fife's concessionary rail travel scheme come into force this weekend. From Sunday, Fifers using the scheme will only be able to travel for £1 within the Kingdom.

Interested in learning Gaelic and meeting new people? Come along to the Bruce hotel between 2-4pm on Saturday 20 May.

The R&A yesterday confirmed news that golfers have been waiting for, as Tiger Woods announced his return to St Andrews for the 2010 Open Championship.

Kirsty Stevens (who is originally from Falkland), is graduating from the Duncan of Jordanstone College of Art and Design with a showcase of her unique work.

Staff and parents from Freuchie Primary School are preparing to take part in a daring abseil to raise funds towards revamping the school playground.

Read the minutes of the 11 May 2010 Falkland & Newton of Falkland Community Council.

The Active Fife Sports Development team helps people, teams and organisations in many ways.

Transportation Services has released a new edition of the popular 'Getting Around Fife' map.

Fife’s 800 tourism businesses are being invited to join a new Tourism Business Network.

Visitor numbers to the fifth annual Open Studios North Fife were up on last year.

Parliamentary candidates and former councillors are among the 60-strong list of candidates for the first ever health board elections staged in Scotland.

Hiking through some of Scotland's most demanding terrain is not every 14 year-old's ideal way to spend their birthday — but that's just what one caring Springfield teenager plans to do in a bid to raise funds to help ME sufferers like her mum.

While uncertainty about who would govern the UK dominated the start of this week, there was no doubt which political party was the winner in North East Fife.

78th Fife (Auchtermuchty) Scout Group are holding their AGM on Monday 17th May '10 in the Scout Hut at 7.30pm- all welcome.

Big Tent, Scotland's environmental festival takes place from 23rd - 25th July and is a must-visit weekend for the whole family.

Eden therapies has a fantastic weekly class programme in our newly expanded bright & airy studio.

Your Piece Baking Company's brand of delicious oatcakes and shortbread are hand made in Fife to traditional recipes using quality ingredients.

The service last Sunday was conducted by Mr. Bill Imlay, Reader in St. Andrews Presbytery, and scripture readings were given by Mrs. Jean Wilkie.

The air is full of warbling song and the water busy with breeding waders.

Job opportunities

61 people have come forward to stand as candidates for the health board election. It's important that as many people as possible to return their ballot paper by 4pm on June 10.

Members of the Howe of Fife Rotary Club welcomed, to their meeting last week, Rotary ambassadorial scholar, Andrew Smeltzer from Virginia, U.S.A.

The RSABI, Scotland's charity dedicated to helping people who have depended on the land, is pleased to announce the appointment of a new Development Officer for Central Scotland to raise awareness and fundraise for the charity.

Congratulations to Auchtermuchty photographer Trevor Russell of Kingdom Photographics who has reached the final stages of this year's British Institute of Professional Photography Scottish region image awards.

At this year's Big Tent Festival, poetry will play a unique and inspirational role. Set in A Place Apart, a quiet corner in the unfinished, atmospheric and beautiful memorial chapel, the poetry programme will include poems, stories and music that connect us to the natural world and focus on the uniqueness of places.

"We are currently reviewing almost 1,650 comments received to the consultation on the St Andrews & East Fife Local Plan and SEA (including Appropriate Assessment).

North Howe Transition Toun have set up an exciting new food forum on their website. The forum is easy to use and is open to everyone. So jump on-line and share today.

In its first week of operation, a month-long campaign specifically targeting the anti-social behaviour of young drivers in Freuchie has yielded good results.

Worshippers in the Howe of Fife have narrowly rejected a proposal to build a new £1 million parish centre in Ladybank.

Auchtermuchty is holding its very own Mercat on Sat 12 June from 10am to 12 noon, in order to raise funds for the Auchtermuchty Community Centre. Exhibit, sell and come along and buy.

Sir Menzies Campbell of the Liberal Democrats has retained his NE Fife seat in Westminster, with over 44% of the vote in yesterday's election.

Increasing the number of allotments in Scotland was the topic on the agenda of the first Growing Spaces summit held at Falkland House,Fife this week.

The Bruce Inn opposite the fabulous (& historic) Falkland Palace is hosting the legendery "Robin and Steve Blues Duo" each Friday night from 9pm. Come along and join in with some of your favourite bloos choons!!

Fife Council and the Royal Yachting Association Scotland are proud to be delivering a new project, ‘Sail2Walk’, one of the key events during Celebrating Fife 2010.

The first of the summer migrants have started to arrive: the sand martin, skylarks and lapwings.

Get Found on Google! FREE Workshop on 6th May @ Kingdom House, Glenrothes, 9.30am - 12.30pm. Call 01592 858333 to book.

Following the success of the after school classes at Auchtermuchty Primary, Shukokai Karate Academy Scotland is delighted to launch new classes for children and adults in Auchtermuchty.

Fife Ranger Service is once again organising a photographic competition, sponsored by Fife Coast and Countryside Trust and the Rotary Club of the Howe of Fife.

The BBC are making a new series with Kirsty Young about the British at work, and we are looking for people to take part.

Lomond United take on Dundee United on 4 & 5 September, to celebrate the opening of their new ground Tyndall Bruce Park. Plus the team have accepted an invite to play a summer friendly in Belfast against Carling premiership side Crusaders FC.

There was drama last night after flames tore through buildings at Jamesfield Farm, near Abernethy.

Last Tuesday's meeting of the Rotary Club of the Howe of Fife was action-packed, with a trio of events taking place during the evening, each one officiated over by President Dennis Beattie.

Falkland Palace is holding a volunteer open day in the Upper Town Hall on Thursday 13th May from 10.00am to 12.00pm.

We are nearly into May and once again all is ready for the Fife Traditional Singing Festival 2010. Wwe've got some great guest singers, workshops and talks lined up for your enjoyment, inlcuding the following...

Police are this week launching a month long campaign in the Freuchie area to tackle the antisocial behaviour exhibited by some young drivers who frequent the town.

Nominations closed on Tues 20 April resulting in this, the final line up of candidates contesting the parliamnetary seat of NE Fife on the 6 May electtion...

Whether you are a cricket follower or a Falkland local, you'll find something in Falkland Cricket Club's 150th anniversary review book to suit.

Falkland's small gardens will be open to the public over the weekend of the 14 and 15 August as part of Scotland's Garden Scheme - gardens open for charity. Organisers are looking for more gardens and more helpers to make the event even better.

Big Tent, Scotland's environmental festival is appealing for volunteers to pitch up to help ensure the smooth running of the event which takes place from 23rd-25th July.

As you know Smart Community Fife is a charity that depends entirely on grants, the small amount we make from advertising and individual donations to keep the Howe of Fife web portal going. Were even more dependent than ever on donations to keep the service going, so here are a few ways you can support us without even trying!

Reports submitted by the various club committees at the annual general meeting of the Rotary Club of the Howe of Fife on Tuesday 20 April reflected another successful year.

Gaelic speakers and those living in Fife who are interested in learning the language, now have an opportunity to become more involved in Gaelic Language Development in their own community.

includeME is a new project that operates within the North-East Fife area as part of the worldwide movement of citizen advocacy.

Last Friday's Concert in Strathmiglo Public Hall, organised by members of the Howe of Fife Rotary Club under the guidance of Joan Potts, raised over £700 for Chimwemwe, a project that helps care for dispossessed street children in Malawi.

Please find below the minutes of the 21 April 2010 Extraordinary Closed Meeting held by Falkland & Newton of Falkland Community Council.

Please find below the minutes of the 4 April 2010 emergency meeting held by Falkland & Newton of Falkland Community Council in light of the wall at Dovecot on Pleasance.

Only a month to go until Letham Nights #12 and over 30 people have already booked their place.

Please look out for a team of friendly folks in your community over the next month, who are conducting a short survey on behalf of Smart Community Fife.

As you may be aware onn Wed 22 April 2010 Fife Council took the initiative in the contest over historic walls in Falkland, and moved in to place a STOP notice on the developer Lomond Homes, before ejecting them from the site.

Artists across north east Fife will be opening their studios to the public next month.

Giant lorries rumbling through the historic streets of Falkland are causing structural damage to surrounding homes and pose a danger to pedestrians, according to worried villagers.

Joy is erupting in households across north east Fife as more travellers find their way home following the crisis caused by Icelandic volcano ash.

Campaigners in a Fife village are celebrating after developers were ordered by the council to stop building work close to a historic wall.

The Big Tent, known as Scotland's leading environmental festival, is stepping up its global performance programme with the announcement of this year's festival theme - ‘Moving with Africa'.

Fife Council served a Temporary Stop Notice with immediate effect on parties last night (Wednesday, 21 April), with regard to ongoing works on the historic wall at the Pleasance in Falkland.

Noise is simply unwanted sound. Noise can cause irritation, stress and affect our health. Noise can upset our mental state, impinge on our social well being or in some cases be so loud that it affects our physical health by damaging our hearing.

Sadly live music has stopped at Fozzies for the time being...

Award winning Fife family bakers Fisher & Donaldson introduce 'Bread Club'.

Business owners in Cupar who have expressed strong concern over the effect of town centre demolition work on local trade now want to bring in their own structural engineer to assess the way Fife Council has organised the work.

Evidence of a giant scorpion which once roamed Fife and was longer than a human has been discovered.

Hundreds of stranded teachers in Tayside and Fife may face a significant loss of earnings on their return to Scotland, it emerged last night.

Tony Wilson, a ranger in North East Fife, was the guest speaker at last week's meeting of the Rotary Club of the Howe of Fife Rotary.

Schools across Fife are bracing themselves for any impact that teachers and pupils stranded abroad may have following the Easter break.

Historic Scotland is now considering granting listed status to the 300-year-old wall that has been at the centre of a dispute between Lomond Homes and Falkland residents.

Read the minutes of the 13 April 2010 Falkland & Newton of Falkland Community Council.

Voters in Fife only have a few days left to secure their vote at the UK general election and are being urged to make sure that they are registered so they can have their say on 6 May.

A Glenrothes electronics company has gone into administration with the immediate loss of 24 jobs, The Courier can reveal.

Keen walkers of all ages are being invited to put on their walking boots for a series of guided springtime walks around the picturesque and historical landscape around the village of Falkland.

Pressure is mounting on developers Lomond Homes to restore a historic wall in Falkland they demolished the day after it was agreed that a consultation group would be set up before any work went ahead.

Plans to cut instrumental music lessons fell out of tune with young musicians who held a protest outside Fife Council headquarters in Glenrothes last Friday morning.

To celebrate the launch of the new mountain bike park, trails and a new mountain bike club at Lochore Meadows, the Country Park is hosting the very first Meedies Mountain Bike Jam this weekend.

Are you passionate about Fife's Countryside? If so, here's how your organisation can make a difference.

Mentorn Scotland are looking for people who have building problems / are living in building chaos as a result of a botch job by cowboy builders and/or tradesmen.

A review of how Fife handled the worst winter weather in 30 years has highlighted lessons to be learned if and when similar conditions strike again.

The organisers of this year's Big Tent festival in July have secured a major coup with the announcement that Grammy-winning singer and songwriter Rosanne Cash is returning to her ancestral home to perform in the event.

Falkland in Bloom and Falkland Community Council were pleased to see sterling progress being made on the redesign of Brunton Green site in Falkland, following the period of awful weather over Christmas /New Year when work was impossible.

Celebrating Crafts at the Big Tent 2010 will bring the best of contemporary Scottish craft expression to a new audience at Scotland's biggest environment and arts festival.

Hopes that an agreement had been reached with Lomond Homes about the demolition of a 300 year old wall on the Pleasance were shattered on Wednesday afternoon, when a squad of six operatives and a JCB moved in to demolish the wall.

Easter weekend saw the popular new Childrens' Play Area open at Blacketyside Farm Shop, Leven.

A rail strike has been called by ScotRail staff from 12-15 April 2010. It is possible that services through Fife will be affected, though ScotRail do have contingency plans in place.

An investigation is under way into a fire that ripped through a Kettle Produce, a vegetable processing factory in the Howe of Fife yesterday.

The Falkland Centre for Stewardship are holding a free one-day public information wood event in the Stables Workshop tomorrow (Sat 10 April).

One of Fife's most respected musicians has hit out at the proposed cuts to the region's music services.

All playground supervisor posts in Fife will be axed in a sweeping cut to primary schools in the area.

An architecture graduate from Kingskettle has been selected to exhibit her work in a prestigious national exhibition which celebrates the finest emerging artists and architects in Scotland.

The Rotary Club of the Howe of Fife is organising a concert in Strathmiglo Hall on Friday 16 April at 7.30pm. entitled 'A Sentimental Journey', featuring singer, Linda Ballingall, and her guests John Grieve and Craig Smith.

A warning has been issued to watch out for hedgehogs as they come out of hibernation.

Mike Saxton, a Brummie born and bred, spoke to club members last week about his long career in music.

Monday April 5th was high noon (well 2pm) for the battle to preserve the historic Pleasance walls from demolition by land developers.

Campaigners fighting cuts to music tuition in Fife are to voice their opposition in the best possible way later this week by staging a protest performance outside Fife House.

The Lomond hills of Fife offer a fantastic upland wilderness. Moorland tracks bounded by higgledy-piggledy walls crisscross the land, and standing above all else is West Lomond.

This year's Big Tent festival opens its doors on the evening of Friday 23rd July, kicking off at 6pm with a brilliant evening programme of entertainment for the whole family to enjoy.

The joint Easter service last Sunday was conducted by Rev. George Nicol, and scripture readings were given by Mrs. Elspeth McIntyre.

A woman bedecked in a splurge of tartan, and holding a fierce firearm, has suddenly sprouted all over billboards and Metro poster sites in Paris.

Women from Fife and beyond gathered at Elmwood College in Cupar to mark International Women's Week.

Falkland Library will be closed on Tuesday 6th April due to staff sickness. Apologies for any inconvenience.

Cafe owners in north east Fife are hoping members of the public will spend more than a penny when they visit their premises as part of a new council initiative.

Mystery surrounds the fate of the workforce at a long-established Auchtermuchty factory that's set to close its doors this summer.

Fife folk are doing it for themselves! Volunteers at Fife Folk Museum are celebrating some of the most famous Fifers in history at a new exhibition currently running in Ceres.

Just two days after the official start of British Summer Time, high winds, rough seas and snow brought chaos to north east Fife and Kinross-shire this week.

Furious residents in Falkland are launching a last-gasp bid to save a historic wall from demolition.

The last steam locomotive to run on British Rail is to make a return visit to north east Fife later this month.

Fife Council, in collaboration with Zero Waste Scotland and the Community Recycling Network for Scotland (CRNS) have launched a Furniture Reuse Campaign.

Instead of spring cleaning; why not try some spring reading with this month's great selection of books.

STV's quiz show, Postcode Challenge, is returning to TV screens with a new look and format, and needs contestants from Fife to compete for a cash prize.

The following bus services which will operate during Easter weekend:

Many Fife residents awoke yesterday to scenes of destruction caused by Tuesday's fierce weather and high tides-and one well-loved local celebrity was missing at sea.

Are you looking for a job or thinking of doing a course? A new Muchty Job Club can support you back into work or learning.

Scott Robb Hairdressing in Falkland will be taking their fashion forward thinking and their technical skill out of the salon and exploding onto the runway in a bid to secure the hair industry's highest accolade on 14th April at the Scottish Regional L'oreal Colour Trophy Finals in Glasgow.

At last week's meeting of the Howe of Fife Rotary Club, Sylvia Kamya, a second year medical student at St. Andrews' University, spoke to members about her gap year voluntary work with the Uganda Child Cancer Research Foundation.

This year's Falkland Festival runs from 18 to 27 June 2010. This year we welcome world acclaimed folk singer Jim Malcolm (of 'Old Blind Dogs' fame) to the village as well as much-loved local musical talent (the Gary Sutherland & Rosely Ceilidh Bands respectively).

A star of cult comedy series, Father Ted, Michael Redmond, is coming to north east Fife to star in ‘Wear the Fox Hat'.

Falkland in Bloom is a dedicated voluntary group working with other organisations in our well loved community to make it even more attractive for residents and visitors.

Auchtermuchty Theatre Group try to keep everyone informed with what's happening in the group via our website and the press. Now we're thinking why not get into the 21st century and use email.

Easter Church Services in the Howe of Fife area:

The future is beginning to look brighter for Hill of Tarvit Mansionhouse near Cupar.

The Scottish Gov-ernment's decision not to go ahead with controversial plans to remove public notice advertising from local newspapers has been hailed as a victory for local democracy.

The new Loch Leven Community Campus in Kinross was officially opened by Scotland's First Minister Alex Salmond on Tuesday.

Heavy rain forecast for Freuchie on Friday 26th March.

Big Shout's Big Films, a new project in Fife has recently received a grant from ‘Celebrating Fife 2010' to make 3 big films!

Read the minutes of the 9 March 2010 Falkland & Newton of Falkland Community Council.

The minister for skills and lifelong learning, Keith Brown, yesterday visited the RSPB Vane Farm Nature Reserve with a group of pupils from Portmoak Primary School.

A roadside memorial to Muchty pensioner Senga elder who died when was knocked down by a car on her way home from work has been stolen. Police would like to hear from anyone who can help with its recovery.

Sadly 6 swans have died so far this winter and we've had more mink sightings, so the traps will be replaced before the breeding season starts in April... Download the Mar 10 Newsletter for more

Get the latest from the Blacketyside Plant Centre in their spring newsletter.

On Sunday 28 Feb Lomond United travelled to Links Park, Montrose for a charity football match against Dundee United All Stars. Match report follows.

The most likely route for any future Auchtermuchty by-pass should be protected from development.

Read the latest news from Pillars of Hercules Organic Farm Shop and Cafe at http://www.pillars.co.uk/News.htm

A Gateside man is stepping out in Nepal this month to give the British Heart Foundation (BHF) a cash boost. Marcus Keaveney, of Bower Park, has pledged to raise a minimum of £3350 for the charity by trekking to Everest base camp.

Cupar could be facing traffic chaos later this month when part of the town's main thoroughfare closes for 15 weeks.

North East Fife MP Sir Menzies Campbell and MSP Iain Smith have urged the National Trust for Scotland to re-open Hill of Tarvit Mansionhouse near Cupar.

Howe of Fife Rotary Club President, Dennis Beattie, last week presented a cheque for £1000, on behalf of club members, to fellow member, Sandy Green, who is about to embark on a humanitarian expedition, transporting computers and other educational equipment to schools in the Republic of Belarus.

Come and try out delicious homemade scones, pancakes and cakes at The Hayloft Tearoom in Falkland.

Zak Yule Hairdressers, Freuchie: Hair models required for training night. Please contact Jade in the salon 01337 858249

People aged 55 and over in Fife can make or amend their will free of charge for the next few weeks, thanks to a scheme launched by the RNLI.

Members of the Rotary Club of the Howe of Fife recently helped Cupar Rotary Club in its bid to raise funds for the Polio Plus campaign, by manning tables in both the Ceramic Experience and Tesco Superstore.

After almost three years we are now reaching 1000 individual registered members. This is fantastic news! To celebrate we're giving away a hamper of local food - to the lucky person who becomes our 1000th member.

The Bruce Inn, 'Falkland's friendly pub' is giving diners the opportunity to dine at the Inn's (former stable) restaurant for an incredible £25 per couple.

There are a couple of places left on Kirsty Lorenz's next flower-painting workshop, 20-21 March, in Ladybank. Book now to reserve a space and be inspired.

Fly Fishing is one of the more laid-back nature activities, where one can relax and enjoy the tranquility of the great outdoors. And Fife is a great location to give it a go.

There will be no cuts in Fife's music tuition budget during this school year.

Fife Council's top earners have confirmed they will forfeit this year's pay rise.

Council bosses have pledged to 'up the ante' in their efforts to prevent flooding on the scale that has brought misery to householders over the past two years.

Householders who already have three bins are to be given a fourth as part of Fife Council's plans to rid the Kingdom of waste.

Strath Garage has withdrawn its interest in taking over Strathmiglo's post office.

A new Forest Education Initiative (FEI), run by the Forestry Commission has been set up in the Howe of Fife.

Parks & Countryside have produced two new leaflets to highlight walks and history surrounding Letham Glen at Leven and Kennoway Den.

Local Big Tent aficionados now have the chance to take advantage of early bird tickets offering a 10% discount by visiting a number of local outlets to get their hands on tickets straight away.

The Bruce Inn in Falkland is offering a 2 course lunch Monday to Friday for only £6.95.

Board or stand for election to the Health Board themselves. To vote or stand as a candidate in the Health Board Election on 10 June 2010 you must register by 10 March 2010.

At last week's meeting, Howe of Fife Rotary Club members were delighted to welcome Ambassadorial Scholar, Lungile Zakwe, from the Rotary Club of Rosebank, South Africa.

Sunday the 28th of February saw the Shukokai students from NE Fife, Glenrothes, Levenmouth and Kirkcaldy congregate at the Chapel Community Centre, Kirkcaldy for their grading examination and course. And after a gruelling 2 hour exam I'm delighted to report all the students passed. Congrats to you all!

Former Liberal Democrat leader Sir Menzies Campbell yesterday added his voice to criticism of Gordon Brown's visit to British troops in Afghanistan at the weekend, just hours after giving evidence to the Iraq war inquiry.

Fife's Members of the Scottish Youth Parliament, along with members of the Fife Youth Forum have been hard at work over the weekend preparing to launch a campaign aimed at encouraging young people aged 16 - 25 to vote in the upcoming Health Board Elections.

Fife Council's 2010 useful guide to council services is out now.

Elmwood College is cutting back its opening hours due to fewer people attending leisure classes.

A potential housing development on the edge of Cupar has been snubbed by councillors amid concerns over views of the town's church spires.

Falkland Cricket Club is publishing a book to mark the club's 150th anniversary.

A retired minister from Freuchie is set to put his best foot forward this weekend to raise money for Alzheimer Scotland.

Plans to move Strathmiglo's post office into the David Sands convenience store have caused "uproar" in the village, it has been claimed.

Life saving sprinkler systems are set to be installed in 57 new build Fife Council homes.

Visitors to a Fife falconry centre are to go where eagles dare thanks to a grant from Scottish Enterprise's tourism innovation fund.

Speciality food wholesaler, New Alliance Ltd has a vacancy for a part-time (with potential of full-time) Warehouse Manager based in Perth.

From April 2010 you can get a one off reduction on your Council Tax bill by installing energy efficiency measures in your home under the Council Tax Energy Efficiency Discount Scheme.

Do you know a group working with the under 12s which deserves recognition for their hard work in helping young children to have a say? If so, we would like to hear from you...

Falkland Cricket Club celebrates it's 150th birthday this year, with a host of events, including a unique triumvirate tournament - the 'Festival of the 3 Falklands'.

Falkland Palace is seeking a Garden Assistant and a Property Guide to work in the Palace on a voluntary basis.

Tayside and Fife pupils have benefited from pilot schemes aimed at promoting non-academic achievement, a study has found.

March is the month in which we celebrate World Book Day, and March's Right Guid Read promises a world of recommendations, new titles and great ideas.

Three lucky residents have already scooped this fantastic prize by winning the competition, now in its fourth year.

A £1 million project to enhance access to Cupar railway station finally seem to be track.

TV viewers across north east Fife are being prepared for the big digital switchover.

Fans of Falkland's Big Tent festival can look forward to an even bigger line-up of musical acts than ever before — and more time to enjoy them — with the popular eco event now running for three days.

Strathmiglo's post office is to move into the David Sands convenience store for a 12-month trial period.

On Friday 19 Feb 2010, a sparsely attended drop-in consultation was held in Falkland Library on the Draft Falkland Conservation Area: appraisal and management plan (January 2010). Download the plan here.

Zoie Interiors invites you to our historic Letham premises to celebrate the opening of our new and extended showroom from 5 to 7 March 2010.

The latest People's Panel survey is being posted out to members over the next few days, but the online version is available now.

The Met Office has issued an early warning of drifting and heavy snow from 00.01 Thursday, 25th February to 23.59 Thursday, 25th February, 2010.

The Peat Inn restaurant in north-east Fife has picked up two high-profile awards only a month after securing a Michelin star.

Anger over cuts to Fife’s extra curricular music service appears to be growing after it emerged over 1000 people joined a Facebook campaign against the move in a weekend.

Dundee Heroes The View have been given their first main stage slot at this year’s T in the Park, The Courier can exclusively reveal.

The big chill may return to Tayside and Fife over the next few days as the region braces itself for more Arctic weather.

Rehearsals are well underway for our next drama productions to be performed in the Victoria Hall, Auchtermuchty on Friday 5 and Sat 6 March.

Planned road and street light improvements in Strathmiglo have been welcomed.

Shoppers in north east Fife are being urged to swap their usual brands for Fairtrade products as the annual Fairtrade Fortnight campaign gets under way.

Plans to build a seven-turbine windfarm on a controversial site near Cupar are set to move forward.

He's cycled some 13,000 miles through 12 countries and reached the summits of the highest mountains in north and South America ... and now the epic challenge is all but over.

Fife Council has defended its position regarding executive pay rises at a time when budgets and services are facing major cuts.

Fife Council is dedicating 2010 as a celebration of Fife's culture and wants your event or project to be part of it.

We are delighted to announce the opening of eden therapies, Fife's newest complementary health centre in Pitscottie, just outside Cupar.

Great news...with 4 weeks to go until Letham Nights #11 - The Bevvy Sisters & Kirsty Keatch there are already over 50 tickets sold.

The Rotary Club of the Howe of Fife has recently made donations to various organisations from their charities funds.

Howe of Fife and Tay Coast councillor Donald Lothian has described the first police community engagement meeting in Auchtermuchty as "postive".

As part of the Snowdrops Festival, Falkland Centre for Stewardship is hosting two evening concerts with traditional songs and music.

The stage is set for the debut performance by north east Fife's newest amateur theatre group.

We'd be delighted if anyone and everyone in NE Fife, that's interested in composting, could please complete the short survey below

A recent donation from the Rotary Club of the Howe of Fife has brought help and comfort to some of the world's poorest children at the Chimwemwe Children's Centre in Blantyre, Malawi.

The minutes of the February 10 Burgh of Falkland and Newton of Falkland Community Council meeting are now available for you to read.

The Big Tent eco festival has released early bird tickets with 10 per cent off for advance bookings for this year's event, which takes place from 23-15 July.

The company whose plans to extend its quarrying operation near Ladybank were rejected amid fears for the local red squirrel population has criticised Fife Council for its 'inconsistent' and 'unreasonable' decision-making.

People in Collessie have been given the opportunity to find out how to reduce energy waste in their homes.

Cupar's historic town centre is blighted by crumbling buildings, traffic congestion and ugly modern architecture, according to a damning new report by Fife Council.

Council tax in Fife will be frozen for the third year in succession after councillors rubber-stamped spending plans for the coming year.

Police in Fife have appealed for a midwife to contact them after she helped at the scene of a road crash where a man died.

Cupar could be faced with traffic chaos towards the end of next month after Fife Council yesterday announced a road running through the heart of town is to close for up to six weeks.

Members of both the Howe of Fife and Cupar Rotary Clubs will jointly take part in the RIBI ‘Thanks for Life - End Polio Now' Project, from 22 to 26 February 2010, with a week of activities organised round Rotary Day 2010 on 23 February.

Residents in East Fife are invited to come along to a series of drop-in events to find out more about the Conservation Area Appraisal and Management Plan in their local area.

Are you looking for a job or thinking of doing a course? The Cupar Job Club can support you back into work or learning.

The Scottish Education Awards celebrate the hard work and success which takes place in Scottish education. Make your nominations today.

Landbased Service Engineering students at Elmwood College are gearing up for an exciting exchange trip to France, this March, as part of the Leonardo da Vinci Lifelong Learning Programme.

Read the latest news from the Eden Estuary nature reserve.

Measures taken by organisers of T in the Park have helped ensure that the festival will remain in Kinross-shire for at least the next three years.

Residents in Collessie have a special reason to be looking forward to the Winter Olympics.

Plans to build an affordable housing development in Freuchie have been given a major funding boost.

Falkland is to feature in a radio documentary about singing star Johnny Cash later this month.

Local newspapers are "central to the democratic process", the Scottish Parliament heard last week.

Some of the music industry's most legendary names will be heading for Fife soon to take part in Fifestock 2010, the world's most intimate rock festival.

Can you spare a couple of hours tomorrow (Saturday) to come up to Muchty common to help clear plants?

Fife Council leader Peter Grant has warned the Kingdom must brace itself for difficult times, ahead of a budget meeting next week.

Falkland Golf Club is offering a fantastic opportunity for local primary school girls and boys to join the club FREE of charge and for P4 to P7 children to receive FREE COACHING and participation in junior competitions.

The busy Howe of Fife Health visiting team run a series of classes and activities for babies & toddlers.

Firstly, if you didn't already know, the wonderful Bevvy Sisters are coming to Letham Nights on 13th March..

There will be a number of changes to the Stagecoach bus services across Fife which will take effect from 15 February onwards..

People in north east Fife are being invited to have their say on the way the police do their job.

A vital new £30,000 service to help Fifers evacuate their homes in a flood or fire was launched recently.

Monday marked the opening day of the Scottish Snowdrop Festival, which celebrates the fragile flower.

Doctors' surgeries in North East Fife will be closed on Thursday afternoon, 4 February for 'protected learning time'.

Smart Community Fife are interested in hearing from any employers or organisations seeking staff or volunteers for jobs in central Fife.

A Fife man has spoken of his pride for the selfless courage displayed by his son who died on foot patrol in Afghanistan last year.

Elmwood College recently hosted an important Golf and Greenkeeping seminar that gave students a chance to see the benefits of studying abroad.

Roses are Red, Violets are Blue, we've got some great Valentines Day books especially for you!

Join Scottish National Heritage and RSPB staff on a guided walk in search of wetland birds on World Wetlands Day, on the anniversary of the Ramsar convention.

Fife Council’s Housing and Neighbourhood Services has, for a number of years, been fitting Solar Hot Water Panels with aim of improving the fuel costs and the carbon footprint of some of its own housing stock.

Fife Energy Park at Methil has received massive publicity this week and this looks set to continue.

The Fife Jazz Festival 2010 takes place from Friday 5 to Sunday 7 Feb in various venues around Fife including Strathmiglo and Freuchie.

Otherwise called "Opera Highlights, this is opera cabaret, a tour of operatic excerpts sung by 4 singers with piano accompaniment. The mood is informal and relaxed, with plenty of humour and simple staging.

Fife Council and its partners have secured funding for 238 new community based jobs as a result of their successful bid to the UK Government’s Future Jobs Fund. These jobs will be aimed at young people of 18–24 years.

Results published today have shown that the UK economy has moved out of recession after growing by 0.1% in the last 3 months of 2009.

Elmwood College have announced a new international programme aimed at strengthening curriculum and expanding work force development across colleges in Europe.

A community safety initiative aimed at vulnerable and elderly residents in north east Fife is being relaunched.

A former north east Fife woman working for Christian Aid has given a moving account of the chaos and despair she's witnessed while helping the victims of the Haiti earthquake.

Councillors in north east Fife have welcomed the proposed changes to Cupar's traffic management system.

The Met Office has issued an advisory warning of widespread icy roads for Friday, 29th January for all Scotland with a moderate risk of severe weather affecting parts of northern England and Scotland on Friday morning.

A new exhibition in St Andrews is just the right recipe for foodies.

Beekeepers in and around Fife are being urged to work together to help protect the honey bee population and prevent further spread of a disease which is threatening its survival.

A Fife woman was among the team that rescued a 24-year-old man from the rubble in Haiti 11 days after the devastating earthquake.

Budding Fife writers are invited to enter Fife Council Libraries & Museums annual Creative Writing Competition.

Fife Council has given a warm welcome to a Scottish Government programme which offers households help with insulation, energy costs and fuel bills.

North east Fife is set to swing next month when the 2010 Fife Jazz Festival gets up and running.

An innovative new facility for young people has opened in Cupar.

A North Fife charity is celebrating the receipt of a grant of almost £10,000 to help the area's native woodlands return to their former glory.

Fife is counting the cost of the big freeze after the extended period of arctic weather played havoc with pavements and roads, creating potholes and loosening paving.

Fife Council's Environmental Services are raising awareness of food allergies and intolerances during Food Allergy and Intolerance Week.

You are invited to visit artists, designers and makers in their studios in the North of Fife over the weekend 2nd, 3rd & 4th May 2009.

Four short courses covering nine breads, 10am till 2pm each Wednesday & Thursday from January to April 2010. Lunch and refreshments included.

The Rotary Club of the Howe of Fife has responded quickly to the disaster in Haiti by donating £1000 for the purchase of two shelterboxes.

Round the world record-breaking cyclist Mark Beaumont (27) reached the summit of Mount Aconcagua in Argentina yesterday on the latest leg of his BBC Cycling The Americas adventure.

As the recession continues to bite, The Courier is backing efforts to get the Fife and Dundee economies back on track and will examine the issues in a series of articles.

Lomond United have the help of a female instructor for a new LADIES ONLY fitness class on a Monday evening. 7pm - 8pm at Falkland Village hall.

Members of the Rotary Club of the Howe of Fife have given £500 to Dr. Amanda Flett of St. Andrews University for her work with the Chimwemwe Children's Centre.

Classes in drawing and painting have resumed in Falkland Village Hall.

The minutes of the January 10 Burgh of Falkland and Newton of Falkland Community Council meeting are now available for you to read.

RSPB Vane Farm nature reserve, loch leven, has been awarded the highest possible accolade by the Green Tourism Business Scheme.

Chest, Heart & Stroke Scotland is appealing for more volunteers in Fife.

The £10 million project to modernise Cupar's Adamson Hospital has got under way.

As the big freeze turns into the slow thaw, the post mortem into Fife Council's handling of events is underway.

In order to show our funders and for us as a community to see the difference we are making we would be grateful if you could you all help to measure our Community Carbon Footprint.

Cleaner required at Falkland Centre for Stewardship based on Falkland Estate, Fife.

Business Gateway is helping Fife companies aim for a higher level of performance by offering expert help to businesses who have aspirations and potential to grow sales by upwards of £100,000 a year.

Vehicle crime accounts for many of the recorded incidents across Fife. This type of crime is however decreasing both locally and nationally. But despite increased security on newer vehicles, we cannot relax.

Proposals for a low carbon crop growing plant fed by heat generated from waste near Glenfarg have been outlined.

Calling community groups, social enterprises, small businesses, voluntary organisations and public sector bodies! Fife Council has 2 new 'pots' of funding available to celebrate Fife culture in 2010. Read on to see if your organisation or event is applicable...

Discover St Andrews Botanic Garden in winter.

Fife Council and its partners have secured funding for 238 new community based jobs as a result of their successful bid to the UK Government’s Future Jobs Fund.

The announcement made by The Crown Estate on Friday for a further wind farm site located in deep water off the coast of Fife presents a huge opportunity for the local economy.

School and nursery enrolment details for 2010/11 school year.

Ever thought about karate? Well now's your chance. Shukokai Karate Fife is now enrolling new members for 2010.

Severe weather advisory for Monday 11 - Wednesday 13 January:

Applicants should possess personal qualities which will enable them to form meaningful relationships through an understanding and an awareness of the needs of our pupils.

Fife Council be set to reap huge rewards from major wind farm developments off the east coast of Scotland, it emerged yesterday.

Local people are being warned to brace themselves for yet more extreme weather.

The big freeze finally caught up with the Fife AC as last week’s tortoise and hare two-man relay at Heatherhall Woods.

An exhibition of nature photographs has been opened at the RSPB Vane Farm Nature Reserve, Loch Leven.

There anger from Leslie residents yesterday as plans to expand a nearby quarry were given conditional approval by Glenrothes area committee.

Fife Council's Libraries and Museums Service is pleased to announce that they will not charge for overdue books during January.

Please see the latest Severe Weather Advisory from the Met Office.

The Scottish Government is to make an emergency statement to parliament on the big freeze tomorrow.

Win a free lunch for 2 at the Lomond Hills Hotel in Freuchie!

Here are a few winter 09/10 images that have been sent in by locals. Please send your contrinutions to jill@smartcommunityfife.org.uk

Happy New Year Everyone! All the best from Letham Nights for 2010 and thank you for your support over the last year.

Bell Baxter HS, Letham PS & Gateside PS now re-opened

As the cold weather continues local curling clubs are preparing for the possibility of a Grand Match on Lake of Mentieth.

Fife Council's severe weather advisory: 5-7 January

Finance secretary John Swinney yesterday moved to assure people that an ample supply of grit remained to keep the country’s roads open, amid concern that some councils—notably Fife and Renfrewshire—were struggling to treat routes in their areas.

A Fife MSP yesterday called for a full inquiry into how the region could be left without grit during the worst cold snap in 20 years.

Bell Baxter High School closed at lunch-time today and will remain closed until further notice due to Severe Weather.

Students from the creative writing class at Elmwood College in Cupar have published their first book.

Work on the £10 million project to redevelop Cupar's Adamson Hospital is to get under way on January 5.

Fife Council, along with many other councils in Scotland, has been left with critically low levels of salt for treating the Kingdom’s roads because of delivery failures from their suppliers.

Fifers have been given a reassurance Fife Council is working hard to keep the Kingdom’s roads safe this festive season.

Responding to the claims of a lack of effort by Fife Council during this period of severe weather, Councillor Tony Martin Chair of Enterprise, Environment & Transportation committee said: “Fife Council’s Winter Maintenance teams have been working 24 hours a day, seven days a week to keep Fife on the move during these extremely harsh weather conditions.

The Fife Energy Park at Methil last night emerged as a key contender after a German company revealed plans to create up to 150 offshore wind industry jobs in Scotland.

Thanks to all our visitors and content contributors for your support this year. Elaine & Jill will be taking a short break from 24 Dec 09 until 4 Jan 10. Any content you submit during this period will be published, but perhaps not as quickly as it usually is! Have a blast over the holidays. See you again in 2010.

Ron Bissett was nominated by Falkand Community Council as a worthy recipient of the Howe of Fife's Rotary Club Citizen of the Year Award.

Transportation Services is trialling a new road gritting product called Safecote to help keep our roads ice-free this winter.

Sandy Mathews, long-standing member of the Rotary Club of the Howe of Fife, was presented with a Paul Harris Award by President Dennis Beattie at the club's Christmas dinner at the Village Inn, Pitlessie, last Tuesday.

People in Fife are being urged to nominate their local schools, nurseries or individuals who have excelled in their field of education as part of the Scottish Education Awards 2010.

NHS Fife is reminding people to make sure they have an adequate supply of regular medication as GP practices in north east Fife prepare to shut down for the festive season.

A charity that brings a little light into the lives of the less well off around the world has thanked Fifers for their generous response to this year’s appeal.

Please give us your feedback on using wood from local sources for fuel.

The Advisory for Heavy Snow on Monday now covers all parts of Scotland.

Prime Minister Gordon Brown was back in his homeland at the weekend to hand out badges to more than 90 war veterans at a ceremony in Kirkcaldy.

We advise road users on winter driving conditions, roadworks and road closures via Kingdom (FM 95.2/96.1) and www.fifedirect.org.uk

Fife Council will only be a call or a click away during the festive break.

Award winning golf course photographer, Mark Alexander, showcased his work at the Scottish Parliament last week.

A row brewing over financial regulations is threatening to disrupt the harmonious relationship between Fife Council and the region’s police force, it has emerged.

Councillors in Fife have backed a proposal that could see six local authorities share services and best practice.

It's been another bumper year for the annual Christmas potato sales, organised by the Rotary Club of the Howe of Fife.

Met Office Advisory on Weather

Following two Drop-In events organised by Fife Council’s Development Services, residents of St Andrews and East Fife are reminded that they have until 24 December to have their say on the future planning policies for their area.

People from across Fife provided a welcome financial boost for our Maggie's Centre recently, with a flurry of fundraising activities.

Comprehensive list of christmas and watchnight services in churches of all denominations across the Howe

Here's the low down on Fife Council's waste collection from Xmas Eve to Mon 18 Jan...

A new guide,‘Kingdom of Fife & St Andrews Where to Stay 2010’ has been launched to market the region’s accommodation providers.

Trading Standards professionals are warning Fife consumers to be on their guard against bogus telephone callers asking questions about home security and alarm systems.

Last Tuesday, President Dennis Beattie welcomed retired pharmicist, Bob Henderson, into the ranks of the Howe of Fife Rotary Club, the fourth recruit this year.

Falkland Nursery was closed due to Heating Problems at 9am this morning. This has now been resolved.

The minutes of the 8 Dec 09 Burgh of Falkland and Newton of Falkland Community Council meeting are now available for you to read.

Falkland Nursery is now closed until further notice due to Heating Problems.

Motorists caught drink driving in north east Fife this festive season face having their cars seized.

If you are looking for a locally made something to give for Christmas then have a look at the range of gifts on offer from Wren Cottage Preserves, Letham.

People in north east Fife are being urged to get into the community spirit as the countdown begins to Fife's Year of Culture.

Sir Menzies Campbell has called on Ofcom and BT to explain why north east Fife, along with other rural areas in Scotland, lags so far behind the rest of the UK in its broadband provision.

Churchgoers in the Howe of Fife could have a new, purpose-built place of worship if radical new plans are given the go-ahead.

Listen out on the morning of Sunday 13th December when Monimail Church bells will be ringing 350 times in support of the 350 campaign.

Infra-red photographs will be used this winter by North Howe Transition Toun in their ongoing project to save energy and reduce carbon emissions in the Letham/ Collessie and Giffordtown area.

The Big Tent has been awarded the Greener Festival Award 2009.

Are you part of an ambitious charity or social enterprise based in Fife?

Philip Graham was welcomed to the Rotary Club of the Howe of Fife last Tuesday by President Dennis Beattie.

With its coastal setting and rich heritage the East Neuk is, unsurprisingly, a popular destination for visitors—so much so that a staggering 10% of local properties are said to be holiday homes.

The deputy leader on Fife Council last night hit out at “inaccurate” Labour Party claims that the rail concession scheme in Fife has been ditched by the council—a thorny issue since it announced that it planned to scrutinise the scheme.

Fife is facing a dementia time bomb, with the number of people affected by the condition forecast to double in the next 20 years.

Fife Health board’s budget is heading for a projected overspend of just over half a million pounds, according to figures for the first half of the financial year.

In a week that delegations from 192 countries have descended on Copenhagen for two weeks of talks for a global treaty on Climate Change, Fife has made headway on a series of priorities in this area.

The team at Scott Robb Hairdressing in Falkland are delighted to announce that they are one of the 20 national finalists in the American Crew Face-Off 09/10 Awards.

Get involved with the Master Composter Scheme - as a volunteer or to access free help and advice about composting

Labour Politicians in Fife have stepped up the campaign to fight the SNP/Lib Dem administration's attempt to scrap Fife Council's concessionary rail travel scheme.

It's coming up to Christmas and we all need something to take our minds off the stress of Christmas shopping, so enjoy our festive Right Guid Read!

Stagecoach in Fife would like to advise passengers of changes to services commencing on Monday 7 December.

Competitors at the British Kitesurfing Championships held recently in Frazerburgh may well envy the kiting home patch of Fifer, Ian Sanders.

The Fife Diet, a small voluntary organisation based in Burntisland, is looking for an experienced and skilled Finance & Admin Assistant to work approximately 0.5 days per week.

On Sunday the 29th November, junior and senior students at the Glenrothes Martial Arts Centre were welcomed to the annual Karate Kata (bunkai) course by Sensei Iain Abernethy BCA.

We are delighted that Big Tent has been chosen to be a Flagship Event in Fife's Year of Culture 2010.

On Saturday 5th December 2009, join people from across Scotland to send a clear message about climate change to world leaders meeting in Copenhagen for the UN climate change negotiations.

Today is Scotland's official national day, St Andrew's day! Here's a guide to what's on.

Recently submitted plans for an affordable housing development on the edge of Cupar have already run into local opposition and have fallen foul of Cupar Community Council and a Fife Council department.

Had your thinking cap on? What are you doing for Maggie's Friday?

On Wednesday 25 November, the Howe of Fife Rotary Club expects a big delivery of Rooster potatoes, courtesy of Albert Bartlett & Sons, ready for their popular annual Christmas tattie sale.

The Fife Community Learning & Development Partnership is pleased to announce that the Annual Fife Adult Learners Awards will be held on Wednesday 19th May 2010 in the Rothes Halls Glenrothes.

Children and young people across Fife will be able to become more active and responsible citizens and make a greater contribution to society following the adoption of a new strategy which was launched on Friday.

Fife Council Transportation Services is delighted to receive the prestigious Cycling Innovation Award from The Scottish Government's Cycling Scotland.

Thanks to those who attended the Smart Community Fife AGM on 12 Nov 09 at Giffordtown Village Hall.

Congratulations to Lindsay McCann. Despite being 60% partially blind and 8 years old, Lindsay beat off competition from adult students to win silver in the kata (forms) Disabled category, at the British Karate Federation (BKF) Championships held at Meadowbank in September 2009.

Thanks to Mr Ed Boyle of Cambuslang who has sent in a selection of historical photos from Ladybank, Giffordtown and Collessie, for all to enjoy.

At a recent meeting of Freuchie in Flower, Joan Cran, who has stepped down after 20 successful years as leader, received two presentations.

Following the collapse of a retaining wall at South Road in Cupar (A914) during flooding in the summer, a report was presented to the Enterprise, Environment & Transportation Committee this week to update on the progress of repairs.

Staff and patients at Cupar's Adamson Hospital are preparing for a massive three-day relocation exercise to allow work to begin on the long-awaited £10 million redevelopment plans.

Advisory Warning for Saturday 21st November

Due to the severe wet weather all outdoor grass sports pitches in Kirkcaldy, Glenrothes, Levenmouth, West and East Fife are closed for the weekend 21st/22nd November.

A decision on the possible reopening of Hill of Tarvit Mansion House is likely to be taken next month.

Less than two weeks to go now to the Luva Anna show on 28th November with the Bum-Clocks.

The minutes of the 10 Nov 09 Burgh of Falkland and Newton of Falkland Community Council meeting are now available for you to read.

The service last Sunday was conducted by Rev. George Nicol and scripture readings were given by Mrs. Pauline Normand.

Fife Council carries out an annual audit of employment land sites in Fife to collect information on the development status of sites and site availability by looking at issues such as site services (electricity, gas, etc) and permitted land uses.

‘Stop great train robbery!’ was Fife Labour leader Alex Rowley’s plea yesterday as the row escalated over plans to axe concessionary rail travel.

Council chiefs are facing 'difficult decisions' with cutbacks in services inevitable.

North East Fife MSP, Iain Smith, has been re-selected as the Liberal Democrat party's candidate for the next Scottish Parliament election in 2011.

A new unit for elderly people with dementia has been officially unveiled at Stratheden Hospital by public health minister Shona Robison.

Dance artist Caroline Bowditch led two creative dance workshops at Elmwood College recently for groups of young people from the College Student Development Department.

2010 will be a year to remember in Fife.

Speculation is mounting that when Pope Benedict XVI comes to Scotland next year he will visit St Andrews University for its 600th anniversary.

Falkland's largest employer Smith Anderson have opportunities for 2 people to join their internal sales team:

The RSPB'S Vane Farm nature reserve by Kinross plays host to a beginners' digital photography course on Saturday.

People across Fife fell silent yesterday as they, like thousands of others, paid their own respects to the men and women who have lost their lives in times of war.

People living in the Newburgh and Taybridge-head areas will soon be able to explore parts of north east Fife they might never have seen before.

Organisers of Auchtermuchty's first ever comedy festival are promising even more laughs when part two of the event takes place later this month.

Fresh calls for action to tackle flooding in north east Fife have been made this week in the wake of last Sunday's torrential rain which threatened to swamp homes and businesses still recovering from the flash floods of early July.

Fife Coast and Countryside Trust needs your help in surveying Fife's fruit trees and orchards.

Fife Council leader Peter Grant has conceded that services are likely to be affected over the next decade as local authorities struggle to balance the books.

The pharmacist at Falkland's Lomond Pharmacy, Raymond Kelly, has been nominated for Scottish Pharmacist of the Year 2009."

Live bridge traffic information, automatic alerts by text or email and an interactive 3D model can all be found on the new Forth Road Bridge website.

Pupils and teachers from primary schools across Fife have binned disposable cups in favour of more environmentally friendly reusable beakers.

The Hospitality Industry Trust is challenging young talent across Fife, Perthshire and Angus to join with applicants from across Scotland in taking part in a £100,000 scholarship scheme.

Fife Council has defended a decision to invest £2.4 million in cultural activities at a time when it is facing a potential budget shortfall of £43.5 million.

The finalised St Andrews and East Fife Local Plan 2009 is now available for consultation and can be read and commented on at the link below.

Since the recent public meeting about plans for Lomond United's new football ground, the planning application is now underway.

Auchtermuchty Church Hall is to host a Christmas Fair in aid of cancer charities next weekend.

November is the month of many things Scottish with the round up of Homecoming Year and St Andrews Day happening, so this month’s A Right Guid Read has a distinctly Scottish flavour – all the reviews featured in this month’s edition are by Scottish authors.

People using car parks on public holidays in Fife will have to pay for the privilege from December 1, it has been confirmed.

Fife Jazz Club celebrates its first anniversary on 8 November with a visit from the George Penman Jazzmen to the Lomond Hills Hotel, Freuchie.

With golf back on the Olympic Games agenda, albeit not until 2016, it has been suggested that the flame kindled in Olympia should burn in the sport's home, St Andrews, in the run-up to the 2012 games in London.

With Guy Fawkes night fast approaching people planning to celebrate with a bonfire are being urged to watch out for hedgehogs.

Prime Minister Gordon Brown has launched a partnership between Adam Smith College and the Open University (OU) to improve further education opportunities in Fife.

One of Scotland’s best known artists was so impressed with Cupar Arts Festival he reckons the event could help Fife rival the Edinburgh Festival.

The approved minutes of the 13 Oct 09 Burgh of Falkland and Newton of Falkland Community Council meeting are now available for you to read.

Fife's Maggie's annual day-long fundraiser, Maggie's Friday, is set to take place on 4 December.

Strugglnig to play all that fiddly stuff? Want to better your practical and theory skills?

More people across Tayside and Fife have been accepted on to a course at university or college this year, writes Grant Smith, education reporter.

Fans of T in the Park are being urged to help the event achieve glory in the festival industry 'Oscars'.

The Big Tent festival is being awarded the 'Greener Festival Award 2009'.

Lomond United drew a blank in their Scottish Cup second round tie against Tynecastle Star at Edinburgh University last Saturday.

They say the truth is out there, and a new book promises to lift the lid on north east Fife's most incredible UFO sighting.

A local artist has spoken out against the organisers of Cupar Arts Festival.

The protest group set up to oppose increases in home care charges is waging a fresh battle with Fife Council, which it has accused of being 'mean-spirited' by considering scrapping rail concessions for the elderly and disabled.

Local members of the Fife Federation of Scottish Women's Rural Institute (SWRI) have lent their knitting skills to an innovative project that has been taking pride of place at the heart of Edinburgh as the city's latest temporary tourist attraction.

The row over funding cuts to the Territorial Army has intensified amid accusations that the Government is putting 'money before morale.'

Postal services in Fife will grind to a halt today as delivery staff stage their walkout.

The curtain will come down on Cupar Arts Festival this weekend after two weeks showcasing the best in contemporary art, music, film and more.

The amateur football club at the centre of a planning row has called a public meeting to clarify the situation.

North east Fife mansion with the dubious honour of being named as Britain's most expensive repossession has been sold for a knockdown price.

Fife's chief fire officer Jimmy Campbell has denied reports claiming the Kingdom's fire service will merge with Tayside and Central Scotland.

Auchtermuchty Health Centre will be holding their annual seasonal flu imunisation programme on Sat 31 October 0900-1230 - no appointment necessary. Ladybank Health Centre will be holding their seasonal flu catch-up cinic on Wed 28 Oct 1330 - 1520.

The Strathmiglo surgery will be closed due to annual leave on Fri 23 and Mon 26 Oct & Fri 4, Mon 7 and Tue 8 Dec 2009.

Councillors at today’s Social Work and Health Committee were briefed on the achievements in dementia care led by Fife Council’s Social Work Services.

Members of Fife Council's Social Work and Health Committee were updated on progress to manage fire safety for the protection of services users and staff.

Auchtermuchty Community Centre is running a "Being Active in Your Community" course beginning Wed 4th November, 6:30-8:30pm

Fife residents expecting to receive a new or replacement myfife card this week or early next week can collect their card from their nearest Local Services Centres to minimise any delays to delivery caused if the planned postal strike on October 22 and 23 goes ahead.

Future activity and training at Cupar’s Yeomanry House Territorial Army centre remains unclear.

Howe of Fife and Tay Coast councillor, Donald Lothian, has again pressed the case for the creation of a new path between Auchtermuchty and Gateside.

The very popular knitting group will start up again in the Craig Room of Falkland Parish Church on Tuesday evenings at 7.30pm from 20 October.

The Blythswood Care Christmas shoebox appeal needs your help.

The service last Sunday was conducted by Mr. Iain Mitchell, QC, a reader in Dunfermline Presbytery.

It was two much changed teams contesting this Glendale Plastics League fixture.

Tis the season to scare, so Kettle artist and professional face-painter, Mary Fairgrieve, invites you to head over to the Chicken Shop, 263 High Street, Kirkcaldy to be transformed, using the halloween/fantasy make-up of your choice.

Fife is becoming an even safer place to live, work and visit.

Pupils at Strathmiglo Primary School have been doing their bit towards recycling.

The widow of the man described as the 'lynchpin' of the victorious Falkland in Bloom campaign was honoured at the organisation's annual community awards ceremony last Thursday evening.

Fife Council would like your feedback on the Fife Council budget for 2010 -11 and the following years.

Fife Community Safety Partnership would like your views on how you feel about crime, antisocial behaviour and other community safety issues.

Fife Safety Camera Partnership is providing copies of the newly revised Official Highway Code interactive cd-rom to all community and school libraries as part of the 2009 winter driving campaign.

Fife's economy should be well placed to prosper in the years ahead as the country comes out of recession, councillors have been assured.

Tens of thousands of pink-footed geese are expected to fly “home” to Scotland from Iceland this month, with many already arriving at the RSPB Vane Farm Nature Reserve on Loch Leven.

Men are being urged to join forces and take part in a service to raise awareness of prostate cancer, which is to be launched on the east coast of Scotland.

After months of hard graft and meticulous planning, the Cupar Arts Festival finally gets under way this weekend.

Included in this issue: LFG Green Library, Apple Press News, NHTT Website, Heart and Soul News, Transition Scotland Events and Letham Nights.

Student leaders have welcomed the Scottish Government’s decision to increase grants and loans by £30 million.

St Andrews is to be the venue for the World Deaf Golf Championships next year.

Schools across Fife are sowing the seeds for pupils’ future health and wellbeing.

A Fife town could become the model used for future planning for the whole of Scotland, it emerged yesterday.

A Fife man will be tested to the limit on what has been billed as perhaps the most dangerous race in the world.

The Rotary Club of the Howe of Fife last week welcomed – with some trepidation – Dr. Beverly Roberts, from Edinburgh University’s Centre for Cognitive Ageing and Cognitive Epidemiology.

Freuchie's real-ale local, the Albert Tavern, has scooped the top spot in a national competition to find the campaign for Real Ale (CAMRA) Scottish & Northern Ireland Pub of the Year 2009!

There was applause in Cupar's County Hall on Wednesday after the NE Fife Area Committee refused to give Angle Sand & Gravel Company permission to extend its site at Melville Gates.

A brave group of Kettle ladies have stripped off for a cheeky calendar in a bid to raise money for charity.

At 9.00 am on Friday 2nd October, all four Arts and Theatres Trust venues will open their doors for a massive twelve hour Box Office spectacular where you can buy tickets to a variety of shows and films for only £5!

BA Fitness classes have started in Kingskettle Memorial Hall on Monday evenings and Wednesday mornings.

Notice is hereby given that the second Annual General Meeting of the Smart Community Fife (Web Portal) will be held on Thursday 12th November 2009 at 6.30pm in Giffordtown Village Hall.

The organisers of the St Andrews Festival have announced an exciting line up of events and concerts in their 2009 programme, culminating in an action packed finale on St Andrews Day.

Cathy Bache, founder of the Letham based Secret Garden Outdoor Nursery has secured herself a spot on the 4th plinth in Trafalgar Square, part of the One & Other project: a live artwork by sculptor Antony Gormley.

Lomond United AFC have a new ground, 'Tyndall Bruce Park' scheduled to open in Falkland in July 2010, with the first match being played vs SPL side Dundee United!

Lomond Victoria AFC are available for Race Night Hires, to help local Clubs, Organisations, and Charities raise funds.

Jubilant residents in Falkland learned yesterday (Thursday) that their village had won the ultimate accolade in the Royal Horticultural Society's Britain in Bloom campaign - the 'Champion of Champions' title.

Unicycling through Giffordtown last Tuesday were Max Parfitt from London and Adam Cass from Gloucestershire, one stop on their 10000 mile sponsored journey from Land's End to John o' Groats.

The Secret Garden Outdoor Nursery is looking for a Part Time Assistant Practitioner and also has opportunities for Sessional workers and volunteers

Judged on criteria based on national best practise, Dunshalt & Freuchie have both been awarded with Silver certificates in the Beautiful Fife 2009 campaign. Seven category awards and a number of discretionary awards were also presented.

A major energy efficiency drive by a group of local communities in the Howe of Fife has been backed by a grant of almost £115,000 from the Climate Challenge Fund.

Maintaining Hill of Tarvit Mansionhouse near Cupar will cost the National Trust for Scotland £100,000 per year. The property was closed earlier this year as part of a cost-cutting exercise by the NTS.

Participative local food research - job opportunity

A reunion to celebrate the Centenary of the Scout Group, was held on 12th September, 2009.

Smart Community Fife has been contacted by Brian Adams, a friend of a 91 year old veteran of the second world war, who is desperately seeking a copy or news of, a publication, thought to have been published and on-sale to troops in or around Auchtermuchty in the mid 1940s.

The approved minutes of the 08 Sept 09 Burgh of Falkland and Newton of Falkland Community Council meeting are now available for you to read.

We are looking for volunteers for NHTT Local Food Festival set up & clear up - can you help?

Auchtemuchty Community Centre is a great resource for the Howe of Fife, but when's the last time you used it?

Past President Joan Potts and Treasurer David Jack, on behalf of the Rotary Club of the Howe of Fife, recently presented a cheque for £500 to Falkland Community Hall. Chairman, Anthony Garrett, accepted the donation, as members of the hall committee looked on. The money will be put towards various equipment needed to upgrade the hall, including a hood for the cooker.

Kirsty has renovated the Old First Aid rooms on Platform 2 to become large bright studios, full of character. From here she is already making her beautiful flower paintings, running art workshops and holding occasional exhibitions.

Lomond United have hit form with two successive league victories in which they scored 11 goals.

The workshops restart in the Town Hall, Auchtermuchty on Sunday 13 September from 2-4pm.

Would you like to get in touch with your creative side?

A teenager from Falkland will be singing at Proms in the Park in Glasgow Green today.

A wind energy project which could reap £18 million for the Newburgh community took another step towards becoming reality this week.

The countdown is well under way to the second Cupar Arts Festival.

Please find attached the latest Bulletin from the North Howe Transition Toun and other supplementary information. Included in this issue: Energy Group get CCF Grant; Local Food Festival and Food Group Latest; NHTT AGM; CCF Gathering 2009; Letham Nights #7; Pillars Open Day; Monimail Tower Project Apple Day; 10:10 Project Carbon Reduction Challenge

Falkland Library will be closed from the 14th to 18th Sept (inclusive) and will be open again on Tue 22 Sep at 10am.

Young people across Fife are excelling in a range of national awards.

Falkland House School has been praised by inspectors for addressing weaknesses identified in a report published two years ago.

A group study exchange team of six members, including team leader, Rotarian Karen Panietz, was hosted over a four day period by members of the Rotary Club of the Howe of Fife.

A Growing Gardens grants scheme worth £250 is available for schools and other educational establishments interested in developing and running growing initiatives.

NHS Fife has said it is ready to deal with any rise in swine flu cases after one MSP claimed the region would be insufficiently prepared for a second wave of the disease.

The Help for Heroes charity is on the lookout for more sponsors for a function being held at RAF Leuchars on the eve of next weekend's international airshow.

A new partnership launched on 1 September 2009 between The Open University in Scotland and Elmwood College will give local people access to one of the country's most flexible and comprehensive learning packages.

Red squirrels living in the woods near Ladybank have been given a reprieve after controversial plans to cut down Scots pines to make way for a quarry extension were put on hold.

East Fife throws its doors open to the public on Sunday, September 6, heralding the start of Doors Open Days in Fife.

The recent fund-raising coffee morning in Strathmiglo proved a great success.

A meeting has been arranged for any parents interested in keeping the toddlers group going.

Art classes resume in Falkland with the afternoon session now held on a Wednesday.

Fife's walkers and cyclists are sharing some of their favourite routes and pathways, thanks to this community web portal! Previously unpublished walks and cycle tracks can now be uploaded onto the portal using the latest technology.

Find out the latest North Howe Transition toun news.

Fife Council's external auditors have told the local authority it needs to improve the way it looks after the Common Good funds.

Tuesday 1st September sees the first Positive Coaching Scotland (PCS) workshop specifically for young female footballers and their parents.

Amateur artists are being reminded that the deadline is looming for entering Fife Art 2009.

Fife’s 13 Community Use Schools offer access to a wide range of excellent recreation and education programmes in an informal friendly atmosphere based within the local community.

The syllabus for the 2010 Fife Festival of Music has been launched.

Recycling services in north east Fife could be extended.

The fight against a proposed waste-to-energy plant branded 'a toxic time-bomb' by campaigners has moved up a gear.

Comedy lovers are being urged to get involved in this year's Kirkcaldy Comedy Festival.

A golden eagle kept in captivity for so long she could no longer fly is spreading her wings once more with the help of Elite Falconry near Kirkcaldy.

Fife Employment Access Trust (FEAT) is a registered charity that supports individuals back into work following mental illness.

The Eden Estuary, Scotland's third oldest nature reserve, is hosting its third annual open day on Sunday 30 August.

Fife Council's Transportation and Education Services, in conjunction with Fife Constabulary, have launched a campaign to improve safety and reduce traffic congestion outside the school gate.

Fife Family History Fair is Scotland’s premier family history event.

The service last Sunday was conducted by Rev. George Nicol, and scripture readings were given by Mrs. Irene Veitch. Wednesday 2 September, will be the final afternoon tea, with proceeds going to CHAS, Kinross. Teas will be from the usual time of 2pm - 3.30pm, and CHAS will be manning a stall selling a selection of their own goods.

The North Howe Transition Toun Local Food Group have organised a Local Food Festival in Letham Park on Saturday 19 September from 12.30 to 5.30pm.

The new St Andrews Community Hospital has been linked in to the bus network in time for its opening next month.

A development in a north east Fife hamlet that was denied permission by local councillors is to come under the scrutiny of a Scottish Government reporter.

All four local authorities in Tayside and Fife have managed to improve their performance in recycling rubbish, according to official figures.

As the recession stretches the gap between the rich and poor in Fife, more people are dying early in the region’s most deprived areas.

How Fife's leading organisations will work with the Scottish Government formed the backdrop to a high-level partnership agreement.

Teams of young conservation volunteers, working with the Scottish Wildlife Trust (SWT), have been transforming kilometres of pathes throughout Fife, as part of the Fife Core Paths Network Project.

Children are invited to join a great day out to the gardens of Scone Palace as part of an outing on Sunday 23 August (1 - 3 pm) planned by the young people's branch of Scottish Wildlife Trust (SWT); Wildlife Watch.

Falkland Youth Theatre Drama classes new term starts back on Monday and Tuesdays.

The Cupar Homecoming team quiz will be held at Cupar Golf Club on Friday 18 September.

Users of Cupar Sports Centre have hit out after a major refurbishment programme was postponed at the 11th hour.

Doubts have been raised over a rail link ever being re-established for Leven.

Young people across Fife are excelling in a varied and interesting range of national awards.

An inspirational Fife doctor is preparing to walk across Scotland in a week-long fund-raiser to raise more money for Maggie’s Cancer Caring Centres.

Hundreds of classic car enthusiasts will assemble at Brucefield Farm, near Ladybank, this weekend for the Fife Association of Vintage Vehicle Owners' 21st rally.

Residents of Falkland are hoping for another blooming success.

A revised bus timetable has recently been issued.

The craft fair on Saturday 8 August raised a total of £245.08 which will be split between Breakthrough Breast Cancer and Marie Curie Cancer Care.

There will be a conservation volunteer day on Auchtermuchty Common tomorrow (Saturday) between 11am and 2pm.

People living in the Howe of Fife are to be given the chance to learn new skills, thanks to a range of courses being launched later this month.

The Ladybank Development Trust are holding consultation sessions outside the Spar store in Ladybank this weekend - 22 and 23 August between 11am and 3pm (weather permitting).

Pupils from Bell Baxter High School have organised a jumble sale at the YMCA in Bonnygate in Cupar tomorrow (Saturday).

Gordon Brown believes Britain can lead the way on tackling climate change - and plans to enlist the help of pupils and businesses across Fife to do so.

C U in the Park returned to Cupar in style last Thursday with young people from across north east Fife converging on Duffus Park for the music and sports event.

Scottish Water's investment programme at the Lomond Hills treatment works is complete.

Threatened telephone kiosks in north east Fife have been given a lifeline.

Fife Council Transportation Services are set to commence a carriageway improvement scheme in Main Street, Gateside.

The second annual Kirkcaldy Comedy Festival was launched yesterday in Kirkcaldy by one of the headline acts appearing in this year's event, Adam Hills.

A recent qualification delivered by a partnership between Elmwood College and Auchtermuchty Primary School has been hailed as a great success.

Fife's reputation as a world-leading player in Scotland’s renewable energy manufacturing industry is set to be enhanced by a multi-million-pound investment.

The Rotary Club of the Howe of Fife last week welcomed, as their speaker, Jean Ballentine of the Fife Branch of the Parkinson's Disease Society.

Fife's Health board has been awarded £100,000 to help lead the fight against heart disease, it has been announced.

Pupils from Auchtermuchty have been busy of late since they decided to raise money for the Children's Hospice Association Scotland (CHAS) at Rachel House, Kinross.

The new paths between Maspie Den and Craigmead wind through a wealth of overgrown rose bay willow herb and countless other shrubs.

Congratulations to Freuchie's very own Katie Muir, who won a gold medal for the 25m freestyle in Leicester. Special thanks to Fay & Ronnie at the Lomond Hills hotel for sponsoring her.

Busy Bees toddler group is now open to all pre-school children. Come along to Strathmiglo Village Hall on Wednesday mornings at 9.30am for a chat and coffee while the kids have some fun. Sessions begin on 19 August.

Active Play Sesssions for pre-school kids are about to get under way in Gateside Memorial Hall.

Almost 200 young Fife musicians will take part in the 2009 Festival of British Youth Orchestras in Edinburgh.

Fife Employment Access Trust have teamed up with the Fife Animal Park in Collessie to offer a half-day training session in mental health awareness.

People with disabilities living and working in Fife can sign up for an innovative service for job vacancy information.

Ladybank Forest Users Group is promoting a series of evening walks focussing on Ladybank Woods for the next four Wednesdays. Participants should assemble in the golf club car park, The Beeches, Ladybank, which is located opposite the water tower. It is anticipated that each walk will take about one hour to 90 minutes depending on stops to look at anything of interest! Walks will commence at 6.30pm.

The Kettle arts and crafts project is now finished for the summer and leaders Pete Cunningham and Susan Reid would like to thank all the youngsters and parents for attending and being a great bunch of people to work with. They would also like to thank all the activity leaders who helped to make it a success.

The next session of Dru yoga starts in the Memorial Hall on Wednesday evening at 7.30pm. Newcomers welcome. Learn how to relax, enjoy stretches and sequences, and feel the benefit of the instruction of Agnes McAdam.

The next Energy Group meeting will be held at Ash Cottage, Monimail, on Tuesday 18 August at 8pm. Please feel free to come along if you would like to learn more about our plans to reduce carbon emissions in our area.

Dance classes for ages three - adults resume in the Masonic Hall, Ladybank on Saturday 22 August. New pupils welcome. Further details are available from Joyce Anderson on 01334 652 418 or 07951 403 460.

The annual Collessie art show, this year entitled ‘... An a' that' (Burns and a' that) is looking for exhibits for this year's show.

Although the General Election has yet to be called, Fife’s Electoral Registration Team is already working hard to make sure that the Kingdom’s eligible residents can have their say on polling day.

Scouts returned last Saturday after a week spent at the Auchengillan International Jamboree, near Glasgow.

The service last Sunday was conducted by Rev. George Nicol, and scripture readings were given by Mrs. Pauline Normand.

Members of the Howe of Fife Rotary Club raised a sum of £280 in aid of CHAS.

Howe of Fife Church will play host to a charity concert given by renowned local singer Linda Ballingall and her guests in Kettle Kirk, Kingskettle, on Friday 28 August.

The biggest changes to hit Fife's planning rules for 60 years came into effect on Monday.

A project set up to help save Fife's red squirrels has been given a £50,000.

Volunteers are needed to take part in an action day on Auchtermuchty Common.

The 2010 Falkland in Bloom calendar has just been launched.

Muchty is set to have its first comedy festival in honour of a classic Fox Hat' beer commercial, which first aired in January 1999 and starred comedian Rich Hall.

Plans have been revealed for a music festival in the grounds of Kinross House.

PEOPLE in Falkland are celebrating the 25th anniversary of their village hall.

FALKLAND is preparing for a visit by representatives from the Royal Horticultural Society next week.

Elmwood College has announced ambitious plans to build a new multi-million pound campus in the grounds of its existing sites in Cupar.

Saturday the 1st of August saw the start of the Shukokai Karate Academy Scotland's campaign in support of "Help for Heroes". To officially open the campaign the students had a visit from Member of Parliament for Gelnrothes, Lindsay Roy.

Could you or someone you know impress Britain's most famous restaurant critic with your cooking? Infamous critic Michael Winner is offering a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to talented amateur cooks.

The charity behind the project to create a heritage trail round Loch Leven is rallying last-minute public support in its bid to win lottery cash.

Fifers are being urged to ‘walk the extra mile' for Diabetes UK Scotland.

About twenty folk turned up at the Transition Toun Group meeting in Giffordtown Hall a week past Tuesday.

The Loch Leven Heritage Trail, a pathway recently opened in Kinross-shire that gives access to a recognised nature reserve which was previously closed to the public, has battled its way through to the final stage of the National Lottery Awards 2009.

We're looking for some paid Sessional workers to undertake a survey amongst local residents about how best to reduce carbon emissions.

If any of you happen to be travelling to Edinburgh this August for the Festival (or any other reason), the Edinburgh convivium would like to extend a warm invitation to join one of our Slow Suppers @ Home, taking place in local members' homes across the city right through the month.

Visitors to Loch Leven were recently surprised to see a boat full of sheep on their way to St Serf's Island.

Fife Council is about to embark on long-awaited new traffic calming measures in Falkland.

T in the Park may be over for another year, but the music plays on in North East Fife with more "Letham Nights".

The grounds of Myres Castle near Auchtermuchty, are to open to the public next month so that people can see a trio of new arrivals that have been making an impression in every sense of the word!

Plans for a residential development in countryside just outside Strathmiglo, cannot be justified, according to a Scottish Governement reporter.

Ladybank Woods provide the backdrop for a new children's adventure from Fife author C. Richard Toye.

A wee tent was erected at the Big Tent by the Rotary Club of the Howe of Fife at last weekend’s eco-friendly Falkland Festival.

A record 10,000 visitors flocked to Falkland to take part in the country's biggest eco music festival, the Big Tent, at the weekend.

Download the latest news from the North Howe Transition Toun (in pdf format).

Come along for a delightful evening of music at Monimail Church, Letham on 20 August.

The Smart Community Fife team had a great time at the festival and enjoyed meeting with the many local people who came to chat to us in the Climate Champions Zone and the the Adam Smith MOLI bus.

Come along to the Scottish Deer Centre on 8th and 9th August for a family fun day.

The service last Sunday was conducted by Mr. Iain Mitchell, Q.C., a Reader in Dunfermline Presbytery.

Download the July 09 newsletter with updates on crime figures across Fife and news and advice for the summer months.

Announcing Shukokai Karate Academy Scotland's (S.K.A.S) support of Help for Heroes

Falkland’s famous lion is rampant once again, with repair and restoration work now completed on the Bruce Fountain at the heart of the historic village.

The children all enjoyed last weekend's activities.

Loch Leven national nature reserve is holding another of its popular osprey walks on Thursday 6 August.

The Big Tent '09 need extra blankets and pillows for this weekend's festival. If you can help please call Helen on 01337 858838 or bring them directly to the Stables, Falkland Estate.

Another stunning T-in-the-Park may be over but for the music scene in Fife, the beat goes on with more ‘Letham Nights'...

The 1959-60 intake of pupils at Bell Baxter High School are holding a reunion at the School on 29 August 2009 from 1130 till around 4pm. For more information contact bellbaxter@googlemail.com by 10 August.

You may have heard a lot about the Falkland Big Book from those who took part in the Falkland Steward’s project (funded by Awards for all and facilitated by Jan Hendry and Alan of FifeOchre Design).

The approved minutes of the 14 July 09 Burgh of Falkland and Newton of Falkland Community Council meeting are now available for you to read.

Thanks to Smart Community Fife in conjunction with Adam Smith College, broadband facilities will be available to all festival-goers for the first time at the Big Tent Festival on 25 and 26 July 2009. Come and visit us in the bus by the stage.

Falkland played host to the annual visit to the village of the Dunedin and New Scotland Dancers on Sunday 19 July.

Why not leave the care and come on our free bus service off the train station at Markinch?

Falkland may not be a regional winner in this year's competition but it has claimed a special category award for sustainability. Well done all those who were involved.

Every year the Festival runs some great family entertainment, but it couldn't happen without the involvement of our community. There are lots of events to take part in and the big ones are looking for contestants.

A group of writers are to hold the Fife launch of their new book in Freuchie's Lomond Hills Hotel next week.

It's vital for Fife that the east coast rail line is maintained and improved.

Pupils at Auchtermuchty Primary have launched a new school bank in partnership with the Royal Bank of Scotland.

One of Shakespeare's most magical works - A Midsummer Night's Dream - will be brought to life for visitors to Falkland Palace on Friday 24 July.

RSPB Vane Farm is offering a series of events to entertain and educate youngsters during the summer holidays.

The NHTT Local Food Group will be holding its next meeting in Giffordtown Hall on Tuesday 21 July at 7.30pm. There will be a presentation by the Newburgh Orchard Group and a short talk on permaculture. It promised to be an interesting evening so please come along. Anyone wanting further information should call Hayley on 01337 810342

As summer takes us full on into the warm and sunny endless days, not even a sudden shower can alter the glow of having a real summer at last, here in Collessie.

Strathmiglo Primary School has been given top marks by school inspectors.

Record breaking cyclist Mark Beaumont has arrived in the city of Whitehorse, Canada, after conquering North America's highest mountain and pedalling over 850 miles.

The Ladybank Development Trust is keen to form an environmental group within Ladybank.

With a record entry set for this year's Tour of Fife we shall need a number of volunteers.

The Big Tent Festival camp site is now almost full. This is a pre-booked camp site only - if you are planning to camp you need to book now. Phone Rothes Halls (01592) 61 11 01 now if you want to come. Please have your card details ready when you call.

Councillor Peter Grant, The Leader of Fife Council's Administration, and Councillor Brian Goodall, the Strategic Chair of the Housing & Communities Committee met recently with two of Fife's Cultural Coordinators to mark the publication of a new ‘story' written for people of Fife, of all ages.

At the recent club assembly, attended by Assistant District Governor Harry Leadbitter, past president Joan Potts handed over the chain of office to incoming president Dennis Beattie.

Have you got your ticket for the ceilidh on the first night of the Big Tent Festival?

Alan Wright, David Jones and his brother are taking part in a charity event playing seven games of golf in seven countries in seven days to raise money for the Quarriers.

Falkland's historic fountain has been restored.

Tennis facilities in north east Fife have been praised this week, amid criticism of provision throughout the country as a whole.

Wellies will once again be an essential item, but the prospect of a mudbath is unlikely to dampen the spirits of revellers at T in the Park this weekend.

Strathmiglo Primary School celebrated the launch of its travel plan by staging a presentation for council officials.

For anyone whose sight loss makes it difficult to get around independently or live life to the full, a guide dog could make a life-changing difference.

Fife councillors have voted unanimously to have their details of their expenses claims published on a regular basis.

As part of Scotland's Homecoming celebrations, there will be a charity concert and fete in Haugh Park in Cupar.

Lomond United AFC returned from their pre-season tournament in Poland with a third place finish.

North East Fife MP, Sir Menzies Campbell, and MSP Iain Smith have called for the protection of people’s properties and ensuring clear transport routes to be top priority during instances of flooding.

Art and design and interior decoration students at Elmwood College in Cupar have staged another successful exhibition.

It’s always a joyous time when the cygnets hatch out and this year is no exception, even though it’s tinged with sadness.

North East Fife MSP Iain Smith has been heralding the virtues of Fife festivals in the Scottish Parliament.

School holiday dates for 2010-11 have been agreed by Fife Council's education and children's services committee.

Elmwood College is playing a key role in a new marketing campaign by Scotland's colleges.

Work to restore Falkland's historic fountain got under way last week, and the need for temporary traffic lights was avoided.

Charitable post office customers in Fife are now able to make over-the-counter donations to Barnardos.

The MacDuff Trust, which manages Auchtermuchty Common on behalf of the people of Auchtermuchty, has a vacancy for a trustee.

The festival office will be open on Wednesdays and Saturdays starting from tomorrow (3 July).

Elmwood College is responding to the growing popularity of family history research by offering two six-week courses on the subject.

Youngsters at Falkland Primary School have been taking a walk on the wild side!

Fraser Clunas (10) received the Best Cub trophy from Cub leader Sally Lawson of the 15th Fife (Freuchie) Scout Group.

Auchtermuchty Primary School pupils have been spending their summer term raising money for Rachel House children's hospice in Kinross.

Thanks to all the volunteers, stall holders, musicians, members of the public and duck racers who turned out to support the damp street festival on Saturday. Here's a few photos of the day.

The Big Tent is looking for old furniture for the festival. We'd be happy to pick up and collect items and promise to recycle the mattresses and sofas afterwards so they don't go to landfill.

World record-breaking cyclist, Mark Beaumont, has achieved the first goal on his 'Cycling the Americas' challenge. Mark, from Newburgh, conquered North America's highest mountain, Mount McKinley, last Wednesday (June 17).

Scottish Water were forced to abandon plans to repair a leaking hydrant in Falkland on Wednesday after local businesses complained they had not been given enough notice that their water supply was about to be cut off.

Some 'otterly' charming new residents have arrived at the Scottish Deer Centre.

Falkland has a new Amateur Repetory Theatre Group. Take part in a new pantomime, McCinders, being premiered in January of next year - written by local resident and playwright Scott Fraser Collins.

Falkland Village Hall Organisation have just received and "Awards for All" Lottery Funded Grant of £9812 to enable them to buy professional theatre lighting, staging and sound equipment.

Frances Rennie has been the organist in Strathmiglo Church since 4 December 1954. She retires this Sunday, 28 June after almost 55 years of being a constant presence in an ever-changing church society.

Wee Fit for Wee Folk starts this August on Wednesdays and Thursdays at Gateside Memorial Hall.

The annual Freuchie plant sale was held on Sunday and raised just over £2800 for Scotland's Garden's Scheme - 40% of the sum goes to the SSAFA (Forces Help).

Fife Coast and Countryside Trust (FCCT) has marked a milestone by signing a five-year contract with Fife Council to continue to deliver countryside services on its behalf.

Lomond United left for Poland yesterday to take part in the International Summer Cup 2009 in Chelmno, which will also include two professional clubs, TKP Torun and WDA Swiecie, with two semi-pro teams, Piast Lasin and hosts Chelminianka.

Fife Council have annouced significant changes to some of the bus services affecting many Howe villages.

Alan Braid, who lives in New Zealand, is tracing his roots in Freuchie and would appreciate any contact with anyone who might be related to him, as well as any old photographs of Freuchie Village and 'the Smithies'.

It was our last meeting on the 18th June before we broke up for the holidays. We took the girls to Muddy Boots and a great time was had by all.

Sustrans and Big Tent 2009 are giving twenty fantastic Sustrans t-shirts away to the festival goers who have travelled the furthest sustainably to the Big Tent 2009!

Families attending this year’s Big Tent festival will be treated to an entertainment extravaganza with the biggest and best ever timetable of fun filled activities.

Balmalcolm based musician and Scots singing talent Pete Shepheard will be a tutor at the 2009 Traditional Music, Song & Dance Week in Dundee (12th to 17th July 2009).

North Howe Transition Staff Appointed Community Gathering, Sat 15th , Collessie Village Hall North Howe Transition Toun e Barter Transition Training Recording CIK (Contributions In Kind) Transition Regional Gathering NHTT Local Food Group Energy Group Successful Climate Challenge Bid - Summary and Budget Monimail Tower Permaculture Course Dates for Diary.....

The Poetry Tent this year is hosted again by Lapidus Scotland, a creative community of writers who use the literary arts for healing.

Dunshalt in Bloom held a very successful coffee morning and plant sale on Saturday 13 June raising almost £140.

FIFE HAS bucked the trend with an increase in the numbers of visitors to local attractions, according to the latest figures issued by VisitScotland.

The Transition Toun movement for North Fife, known as NHTT, offered an open day in Collessie Village Hall on 13 June. This was to give residents in the Howe villages, Collessie, Giffordtown and Letham, a chance to hear of ways and plans to fulfill the Climate Challenge and meet the criteria for climate change in the Howe.

Freuchie Church news 16 June

Auchtermuchty Theatre Group is hoping to run drama workshops again this year.

A former Bell Baxter High School pupil's reputation as an up-and-coming author has been given a boost with an invitation to appear at the Dundee Literary Festival.

Tickets for the fourth Falkland Traditional Music Festival are now on sale.

This Sunday, 7 June from 2pm the Auchtermuchty Scout Group will be holding an afternoon fair with stalls and refreshments in aid of several cancer charities.

As part of the Falkland Festival, there will be an Art Show in the Upper Town Hall showing a range of work by local artists.

Well done to Falkland, one of 9 villages successfully short-listed in the Scottish Calor Village of the Year Competition 2009.

For those of you currently enrolled on any of my classes with the Adam Smith College or Community Use High Schools that use your Individual Learning Account to pay for it...

The Cubs spent last weekend at Fordell Firs as part of the centenary celebrations.

Winner is of the Birnie Loch Photography Competition is announced.

The award-winning Fife Diet project is delighted to announce 4 new posts.

Strathmiglo United win Regional Trophy for the first time in 23 seasons.

Rosyth Civil Service 3 - 2 Strathmiglo United

Strathmiglo United 1 - 3 Leven United

Repair work underway on Falkland fountain

Workshops offering guitar, fiddle, tin whistle, mouth organ, accordion and keyboard in Auchtermuchty Town Hall on 14 and 28 June.

Thanks to everyone who came along to the plant sale.

An update on generous donations from Giffordtown, Charlottetown, Edentown and Kinloch.

July sees the launch of the vibrant new Language & Culture Hub in Fife

Club winners for May 09 announced.

Two former Newburgh Primary School pupils, who attended the 65th anniversary commemorations of the Anzio Landings in Italy, recently recounted their experiences to members of the Rotary Club of the Howe of Fife.

Birnie & Gaddon Loch News June 09

Saturday and Sunday Arts & Crafts Project for young people

Falkland factory bosses insist pay freeze will continue

To celebrate the popularity of great Spanish food & wine, The Crown Hotel & Restuarant in Kingskettle is looking for a local flamenco dancer / guitarist.

Rooms now available at The Bruce

The Falkland Society aims to promote an interest in the history of the Royal Burgh and to act as a repository for photographic and written history of Falkland's past.

For an update on monthly crime figures, and comment from the Howe's community PC Ian Laing, download the May 09 newsletter.

Strathmiglo United win Fife Amateur Cup

Falkland went back to its roots and the Entente Cordiale this week, welcoming many European visitors in the village to shoot motion picture 'Imogene'.

Garden at Lathrisk House - Opens Sunday

International Biodiversity Day - TODAY!

Plants destroyed as vandals strike in Falkland

Falkland fountain damage was 'an accident waiting to happen'

Closure of Hill of Tarvit Mansionhouse confirmed

North Howe Transition Toun Bulletin 10