News July 2009

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).

Ladybank Ladybirds are pleased to announce that our recent Strawberry Tea on the 18 July in Corn Exchange Cupar raised over £770.

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.

As part of the Scout Group centenary celebrations, Freuchie Scouts leave on Saturday for a week at Auchengillan, Glasgow.

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.

Shukokai Karate Academy coach and manager, Stuart Maxwell, explains why the club's recent commitment to raise funds for 'Hope for Heroes' (those wounded in war), means so much to him.

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.

A poignant exhibition inspired by a local artist’s relationship with her late father has opened in Glasgow

Freuchie is a mass of colour, thanks to the efforts of villagers and the Freuchie in Flower team.

The Monimail Woodland Group has organised two educational events for primary aged children from the local community.

We hope your sunflowers have been growing well and if you wish to have yours judged for the Letham Flower Show please let us know by Sunday 26 July by telephoning Alison McDonald on 01337 810 250 and someone will come to measure it.

Ladybank Panthers 97s are holding trials for players for their development league side, whose season kicks off in August.

St Mary's Episcopal Church, Monkstown would like to thank the generosity and help of our friends and neighbours in the Ladybank and Cupar area.

Fifers have been advised that repairing broken gravestones is not the responsibility of Fife Council.

The Kettle yoga group continues to meet over the summer evenings.

The children all enjoyed last weekend's activities.

Kettle United have started their preparation for season 2009-10 and had a friendly at Kettle Park last Saturday.

The committee would like to thank everyone who helped out at the recent open garden afternoon

There are still some tickets for the senior citizens bus trip available.

Loch Leven national nature reserve is holding another of its popular osprey walks on Thursday 6 August.

Fife Council representatives will be judging Dunshalt's entry into the Beautiful Fife (Best Kept Small Village) competition on Wed 29 July, from 08.30am.

Weather permitting the Freuchie in Flower Garden Competition will be judged on Monday 27 July.

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 DRAFT minutes of the 29 Jun 09 Kettle Community Council meeting are now available for all to read.

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?

Download the minutes of the 06 July 09 Giffordtown & District Community Council Meeting

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.

In the event of headstones being damaged, here's some tips about how to follow up.

The approved minutes of the 25 May 09 Kettle Community Council meeting are now available for all to read

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

Birnie & Gaddon Loch News July 09

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.

North East Fife MSP Iain Smith, recently joined Butterfly conservation volunteers on a survey visit to Auchtermuchty Common.

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.

Kids were enthralled by the skills of the teachers as they learned and crafted wonderful designs on the tee shirts and then made fantastic 'Rain Sticks'.

The schedules for this year's flower show which will be held on Sunday 23 August, are now available at Kettle Convenience Store.

The new season is not too far away but a couple of weeks ago on 3 July the final match of last season in the Kingdom Caledonian Association was played at Kettle Park when Eastvale beat Bowhill Rovers by two goals to one in the final of the Scottish Brewers Cup.

Ladybank Ladybirds playgroup are holding a Strawberry Tea in the Corn Exchange, Cupar on Saturday 18 July from 9am - 1130am.

Ladybank toddlers are meeting up in the top park or in the church hall every Wednesday morning during the school holidays from 10am - 11.30am. Everyone welcome.

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

The annual art exhibition will be on in September and contributions for the exhibition are requested from the wider community. Anyone is welcome to show their art work at this exhibition.

A popular figure around Collessie for the past four years or so has taken his leave for foreign shores, so we bid a fond farewell to Sean Sanders, who lived at Braehead and now goes on to Oregon to join his lady Lindsay, who has visited here often in the past few years.

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.

Find out about the latest Food Group meeting, the forthcoming Local Food Festival, the Fish Box scheme and planned meetings for the Energy, Transport and Co-ordinating groups.

A battle royal broke out at last week's Giffordtown Book Club meeting - all very amicable, of course - concerning Michel Faber's short story collection, ‘The Fahrenheit Twins'.

Have you got your ticket for the ceilidh on the first night of the Big Tent Festival?

Congratulations to Innes Christie from Innerleith, drummer with the winning band in the finals of the recent Fife Schools’ Rockband Competition.

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.

The joint service in Freuchie last Sunday was conducted by Rev. George Nicol.

Scouts from 15th Fife (Freuchie) Scout Group recently celebrated their 100th birthday by spending the weekend kayaking and dinghy sailing down under the Forth Railway Bridge.

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.

Pupils at Auchtermuchty Primary School rounded off the school term with a production of 'Hoodwinked', their own version of the classic tale of Robin Hood.

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.

The monthly quiz took place in the Cycle Tavern on Monday with Ian Santry posing some interesting questions including a completely blank picture section.

On a beautiful Scottish summer’s day (give or take a shower or two) people from near and far gathered in the church last Sunday.

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.

The latest NHTT bulletin

Art and design and interior decoration students at Elmwood College in Cupar have staged another successful exhibition.

The Freuchie in Flower team is hard at work planting out tubs, hanging baskets and beds around the village.

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 service on Sunday morning was a farewell to Frances Rennie after 55 years at the organ in Strathmiglo Church.

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.

The stable gallery in Auchermuchty will be opened this weekend (4 and 5 July).

The coffee morning raised the fantastic sum of £723.

Lyn Hughes, Judy Black and Ailsa Malcolm, members of staff of Kilmaron School in Cupar, took part in the women's 10k run in Glasgow on 10 May.

Last Sunday started misty and damp but fortunately brightened up in time for the Y.P.G. to set off around the village.

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 next Giffordtown & District Community Council meeting will be on 6 July 09, at the Giffordtown Village Hall. Start time: 7.30pm