FR EE
Ple as A C e Tak opy e
Summer 2019
BRIGHT BEAULY FAIR We are delighted to announce that the Bright Beauly Fair will be returning on Saturday 10th August, 11.00-16.00 at the Phipps Hall. Growing on the success of last year there will be even more craft traders, a bursting entertainment programme and plenty of mouth-watering food and drinks to taste. We guarantee a fun filled day for the entire family! Entry is free but donations are welcome. The aim of the Bright Beauly Fair is to reinstate the historic marketplace of Beauly and to celebrate the best of the Highlands & Islands Arts, Crafts & Food. We want to give traders (local & beyond) a platform to showcase their work and create an event that people will love. This year the Fair is proudly supported by Campbell’s of Beauly and Lovat Highland Estate. Their partnership has allowed us to bring you an array of stage acts, workshops and children’s activities in addition to the marketplace. Thank you so much to both local businesses. See inside for the full list of traders and entertainment programme.
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Councillors’ Corner I love Beauly in the summer, it always looks so picturesque and there are plenty of independent shops, bars and cafes to spend a pleasant afternoon away from the hustle and bustle. It has been a busy few months! I have had the pleasure to assist many constituents in and around Beauly and Kilmorack with housing and road repairs, planning, environmental health, street lighting, communal garden maintenance, recycling, social care, council tax and many more. You can contact me any time by text or phone 07787 007741 or by email emma.knox.cllr@highland.gov.uk. I was delighted when Full Council agreed to my motion for an immediate ban on the use of Glyphosate in all sports/recreation facilities, playgrounds and schools. Also and importantly the capital spending for the Beauly Primary School extension was finally secured. In response to my written question about the reliability and safety of the School buses, we learned that the Charleston Academy contract has come close to termination and an emergency improvement plan is in place. The Council responded positively to my suggestion that they undertake regular safety inspections of school buses (like we do for licensed taxis). I’d like to say a special thanks to the members of the Community Council who give their time and energy to help our community. They raise and allocate funds for community projects, ensure the village is welcoming and attractive, deal with issues relating to the roads, toilets, public spaces, local businesses, and much, much more. I don’t think they get the recognition and thanks they deserve, so a big thank you from me. I ended my last Councillor’s Corner entry celebrating the wonderful way the community pulled together to raise money for Roz Paterson’s treatment. It was with terrible sadness that I attended Roz’s funeral in May. It was a moving and beautiful service where we heard about how Roz lived life to the full. It was a fitting tribute to a beautiful and generous soul. Our love and thoughts are with Roz’s friends and family. Cllr. Emma Knox
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Lord Lovat and the Commandos in World War 2 by Anne-Mary Paterson It is 6.30am on 6th June 2019. A lone piper starts to play above the beach at Arromanches, Normandy, France. He is commemorating the first landing of troops on D Day 6th June 1944 – the seventy-fifth anniversary of the start of the defeat of the Nazi Army in World War 2. But why a piper? On several occasions during the television commentaries of this event we heard mention of Lord Lovat’s commandos landing soon after dawn on Sword Beach with Bill Millan’s bagpipes blazing for encouragement. Lord Lovat’s father, 16th Lord Lovat (1871 – 1933) was a distinguished soldier who founded the Lovat Scouts during the Boer War. When World War 2 broke out in September 1939, Lord Lovat was a captain in the regiment. He had previously been a regular officer in the Scots Guards but felt the need to return home to look after the estates. In World War 1, some of the Lovat Scouts who were stalkers, so used to camouflage and creeping up on their prey, became Sharpshooters – forces who were trained to operate behind enemy lines in order to find out what the German Army was doing. In World War 2 after most of the British troops had to be evacuated from Dunkirk, there was a complete rethink about operational tactics. Carrying on the Sharpshooter ideas, the Commandos were formed. Most of their training took place in Lochaber, centred around Achnacarry to the north west of Fort William. The training regime was very rigorous, much tougher than that for normal soldiers and this mountainous area was ideal. To distinguish themselves, Commandos wore and still wear green berets. Once trained, the Commandos were involved in several activities in Norway and Dieppe and in the many months of preparation for D Day. On 6th June 1944, Lord Lovat lead his troops up from Sword Beach, Normandy, with Bill Millan’s bagpipes encouraging them to go through the German 4
shoreline batteries. They marched for a few miles to Pegasus Bridge to provide reinforcements for the beleaguered paratroopers commanded by Major John Howard and who were under constant Nazi Army fire. It was essential that the bridge which crossed the Orne Canal was kept open for the advancing troops. Hearing the wail of the bagpipes in the distance, Major Howard knew that reinforcements would soon be on hand. Lord Lovat told his commandos not to rush, just to walk across the bridge. He then told Millan to start playing his bagpipes while they proceeded to advance to and hold the next bridge over the River Orne. Six days later Lord Lovat’s active service ended when he was severely wounded by a German shell and transferred back to England. It took him many months to recover. However his war work was not done because once he was fit, Winston Churchill sent him with a parliamentary delegation to The Kremlin in Moscow to speak to Stalin who had received a letter from Churchill telling him – quoting Byron – that Lord Lovat was “the mildest mannered man that ever scuttled a ship or cut a throat.” Following this meeting, Lord Lovat declined an offer from Churchill to be chief whip in the House of Lords preferring to return to his family and his estates centred around Beauly. After the war he concentrated on his farming activities on the estate and became a noted judge of Shorthorn cattle. He was very keen on promoting the importance of improving cattle stock with the use of good bulls in order to feed a hungry world. He was also active with Clan Fraser business in Canada and USA and other parts of the Commonwealth. Lord Lovat was one of the most important promoters of the Commando Memorial at Spean Bridge sculpted by Scott Sutherland and unveiled by the late Queen Elizabeth, the Queen Mother in 1952. Lord Lovat and the Commandos are commemorated in Beauly in the Lovat Memorial Garden in Ferry Road. It has just recently been given a spruce up by the Men’s Shed for the D Day Commemorations. Beauly can be proud of its support of Britain in both World Wars and in remembering those who did not return after both conflicts.
Highland Hospice Helping Hands Befriending Service In 2015, by way of supporting the wider community, the Highland Hospice initiated its volunteer befriending and support service in Easter Ross. With the wonderful support of the community, the service has now expanded to include Inverness and the surrounding area providing social and practical support to those becoming isolated by their health conditions. Thank you for helping this service to flourish and if you are interested in becoming a befriender come along to one of the information/training days held here in the Hospice. Details can be found on the Highland Hospice Helping Hands Facebook page or you can contact Liz Innes on 01463 243132 or by email l.innes@highlandhospice.org.uk. Some of you may be interested in a new development in your area, Beauly and Glens Helping Hands service. This new service is a 2 year project funded in partnership with Soirbheas and Beauly & District Care project. For further information please contact Natasha MacNicol, Befriender Co-ordinator, The Glenurqhuart Centre on 01456 459077.
‘Go Nuts’ in Beauly Most of you by now will have seen “Flash” the latest edition to the Lovat Memorial Garden. The Squirrel is part of a Highland Hospice project as outlined by them in the abstract below. Further information can be found online at https://highlandhospice.org/how-you-can-help/our-corporatesupporters This summer 23 beautifully painted, Red Squirrel sculptures will be hiding in Inverness and across the Highlands of Scotland, waiting for you to find. Will you be able to find them all? Make it a Red Squirrel summer. Get yourself a free Go Nuts map, and start your trail across the Highlands. We also have a gorgeous sticker book available to help you keep track of those you’ve found and those you haven’t. We hope you love our squirrels as much as we do and that as many people as possible get involved in this exciting summer adventure across Inverness and the Highlands. If you don’t manage to meet all our Squirrels over the summer, you can see the full collection of 23 gathered in Falcon Square in the centre of Inverness on 28th and 29th September 2019. The trail will run from June to September and will culminate in November 2019 with a farewell display and charity auction where they will be sold to raise funds to support our care services. Happy Scurrying, Highland Hospice Go Nuts Team Jenna & Lisa
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In the Autumn, we carried out a survey of all attendees to collect their thoughts on how we could improve the lunch club. We also met with the cook and all organisers and helpers. As a result of this consultation the menus have been extensively revised. These are on the notice board in the church hall and on Facebook. We rely on volunteers to help with all aspects of this weekly event and thank them for their commitment and support.
Afternoon Teas Preparing the Report for the AGM is an excellent opportunity to pause and reflect on how the organisation has fared over the previous year and its pleasing to note the ways in which Beauly Cares continues to flourish. Year on year we have expanded our activities and facilities which include the following • • • • • •
Weekly lunch club in Beauly Monthly afternoon teas in Kilmorack (up until October 2018) A wheelchair accessible minibus and a volunteer driver scheme Weekly walking group in partnership with Step It Up Highland Men’s Shed Community Garden
The latest venture, a Befriending Service in partnership with Highland Hospice, Glenurquhart Care Project and Soirbheas will roll out later this summer. It’s taken a year of planning meetings and negotiations with all the partners and Beauly Cares trustees are delighted the project has reached this stage. We have made a £6000 commitment over the two years of the pilot and we will now be actively looking for funds to help with this project.
Achievements, future plans
performance
The monthly afternoon teas in Kilmorack came to an end in October last year. These were run very successfully by Frances Grant and her team of volunteers. Sadly Frances Grant, a former trustee, passed away earlier this year. We express our thanks for many years of most enjoyable afternoon teas.
and
It has been a very successful year for the charity and the following is a summary of some of the achievements during 2018-19.
Lunch Club The lunch club continues to meet each week, in the Church Hall, Croyard Road, for a meal, social gathering and musical entertainment. 6
Transport Transport plays an important role within BDCP. The minibus with 14 seats and space for 2 wheelchairs,
has been in service for 4 years. The minibus to take people to the Lunch Club (including 2 or 3 from Urray House), to the Senior Citizens’ meetings, to their outings for those who find it difficult to get on a bus or who cannot walk any distance. In addition, a full bus from Urray House was taken an outing to Rosemarkie organised by the Friends of Urray House, there is a second trip planned for August. Also just planned for July is and outing to Inverness for a trip on the Highland Cross Seagull down the Caledonian Canal.
The 2018 open day, during Gala week, proved very popular attracting over 100 visitors. A desire for the garden to be available to all resulted in visits from Beauly Nursery Group, Beauly Brownies and Beauly School Gardening Group – a real pleasure to have them visit.
Walking Group The walking group continues to meet weekly, at Braeview Park, at 10:30am on a Thursday. The number of walkers registered is 44 with the average number of walkers being 13. There are 26 Risk Assessed walks which give great variety for the walkers in terms of scenery and walking challenges. Walk leaders feel that potentially there are many people in the area who might benefit, though they recognise the difficulty of coming along to a group who they may not know, and some people worry that they may hold others back. Of course the essential tea/coffee at the end of the walk is a very sociable event and looked forward to by all.
Men’s Shed The Men’s Shed continues to be an active and enthusiastic group. They produce a range of wooden articles for sale at their open days and refurbish items to raise funds for their activities. They have finished re-fencing and restoring the old tennis court area and it was in use for the Highland Cross as a baggage storage area. Some members have been working hard to restore the Lovat Memorial Garden. They have also been busy restoring and replacing faded street signage, and have made 30 swift boxes for the RSPB. Three open days over the course of the year proved popular and allowed people to see what the Men’s Shed actually do and also raised funds for the Shed. Again the social side of things is looked forward to by all.
The Lunch Club benefits from fresh seasonal produce and flowers on the tables. Following the dry conditions last summer the garden group have started fund raising to provide a permanent water supply for the garden. Lovat Estate granted permission and the Ward Discretionary Fund gave £500 so the fund is up and running. BDCP has had a busy year. We will continue to develop our activities in line with our Development Plan. As we did with the lunch club over in 2018, we intend to review the other groups this year. All members of the groups will be consulted as to their thoughts on how we can improve the services that we are offering. Finally, it remains for me to thank all the Trustees for their hard work in providing the above services for BDCP and to thank everyone who is involved in any way. Without your efforts these activities just wouldn’t happen. Well done to all.
Community Garden The community garden numbers remain steady with a core group of 8 gardeners – there always a welcome to anyone who wants to join in.
George D Borland Chairman Beauly and District Care Project 7
Beauly Primary School News Inspection week. The 13th to 17th of May was a very busy time for the pupils and staff of Beauly Primary as it was inspection week. The teachers were under pressure to make sure that the school passed inspection and luckily all their hard work paid off as at the end of the week the inspectors said that we did very well! Mrs Fraser-Lee told us the inspectors thought the best bit of our school were the pupils but she knew that already! The inspection report will be published by Education Scotland in August.
Charleston Academy transition days. On 17th and 18th of June Primary 7 had a two day introduction to Charleston Academy which is the school they will be attending in August after the summer holidays when they go up to secondary school. On the Monday morning they learned how to use the cashless catering system and got a tour of the school. For the rest of the day they followed the timetable they could potentially get in August. Then on Tuesday we just followed the normal timetable apart from the first three periods when all the new S1s went around the school doing different sporting activities.
Lagganlia. From the 10th to the 14th of June Primary 7 were at their residential camp at Lagganlia near Feshie Bridge. The class had a fantastic time there doing all sorts of activities ranging from hillwalking to mountain biking. At the end of the week everybody including the teachers went home exhausted but with a smile on their faces. Some activities were preferred more than others but there was always one person who liked it.
School trips Beauly Primary School pupils have enjoyed many school trips this term. The Nursery went to Frankie and Lola’s. Primary 1 are going to Robertson Farm. Primary 2 /3 are going to Abriachan. Primary 3 /4 and 4 /5 went to Abriachan. Primary 6 went to the Archive Centre and Fort George. Primary 7 went to Lagganlia.
By Iona Simpson and Louise Campbell P7. 8
1st Beauly Rainbows We covered quite a few skill builders and Unit Activity Meetings; learning about travelling to different countries, why we need Passports, tasting food from these countries, making flowers and finally Mothers/Fathers Day crafts. Thank you Karen Fraser who helped us with our crafting and Rhona for allowing us to have a table at the Brownie Sale where we sold some of our craft items. One of our main activities was a very successful trip to Blair Drummond Safari Park, what a long day, leaving Beauly in the minibus at 7.30 am! We enjoyed the sea lions .....doing some tricks for us, then the drive through, seeing lots of animals including giraffes, elephants, lions and tigers and lastly going on the boat to see the chimpanzees. We even had time to play at the park and spend our pennies at the shop. Finally the road home, stopping for a MacDonalds on the way. What a brilliant day out helped by some fine hot weather. Other activities included a bingo night in the Phipps Hall with the Brownies, thank you to everyone who supported us. End of term came too quickly, we celebrated with a joint end of term water party with the Brownies at Mia's Grandads. It was a brilliant night with a big slide, lots of water balloons, a bouncy castle and lots of food. To close the term, we worked with our Brownie friends selling our craft items at the Gala. We would like to thank everyone for their continuous support and also to Rhona and Helen for being part of the team. Hope everyone enjoys the holidays.
1st Beauly Brownies This session the main focus for the Leaders was learning and delivering our new programme. So far the Brownies have enjoyed adapting to it, learning new skills including woodworking allowing them to learn how to use tools properly. Cooking often featured and one success was making tasty fajitas. We have been busy crafting lots of items to sell at our fundraising events. Our main efforts are trying to raise money for a trip to York in October. Thanks go to Roddy and his staff at the Coop for allowing us to fund raise there again. Later in the session another great family service was conducted by Rev. Ian Manson. We used this occasion to hand out badges the girls had earned. Thank you to Ian and the congregation who came into the hall for tea and home baking and bought raffle tickets. We raised £60 for the Highland Hospice. If you attended our Sale-Of-Work, thank you. It was a slow to start but we still raised £1,000 and the support from the few local shops who donated raffle prizes was very much appreciated. For our end of term party we decided to go with the water theme again. Thank you to James Williamson who provided the venue. The water slide was awesome…… I think some of the leaders had more fun than the girls! The water balloons and bouncy castle were great and joining up with the Rainbows made it extra special. So thank you James and also to KJI Castle & Entertainment. Things settled down and on our last night we painted rocks, made bunting and a Brownie scarecrow to be used in the church during the Gala Week where we ran the tea tent and had a stall with the Rainbows. A huge thank you to all my Leaders for giving up so much of their time to volunteer, they all do an amazing job, using their holidays for fundraising /First Aid courses etc. so thank you all so much. Happy summer holidays Rhona
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Beauly Gala 2019 2019 was another highly enjoyable and successful Gala opened by our lovely Gala Queen, Alicia Forbes with Princess Leanna Weeks by her side, both were supported by the handsome Prince, Harry Chalmers. Rosie MacDonald, herself a Gala Queen….some 60 years ago, crowned the regal party and was assisted by Katie MacLean last year’s Gala Queen. The ceremony was a highlight of a very enjoyable end of year School Fete. Our events this year included: •
Teddy Bears Picnic
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Fancy Dress Disco
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Gala Dance with Ezra
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Mediumship Night
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Community Garden Open Day at the Allotments/Church of Scotland Growing in the Community
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Gala Tea Dance
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Bowling Tournament
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Finale Quiz Night and Raffle Draw
A massive thank you to everyone involved in the planning and organising of Beauly Gala Week and to all of you who came along to enjoy the events and support our effort to raise funds for our Community. We are always looking more for volunteers to help make our Gala Week and other events throughout the year happen. If you are interest in helping raise funds for the local community please get in touch via our Facebook page or email us at Beaulygala@outlook.com Finally a special “Thank You” to all our sponsors: Culloden House Hotel, The Priory Hotel, R Morison Ironmongers, Logolounge, Munro Butchers, Ian Marr Antiques, Fraser Optical, Campbell’s of Beauly and Harry Gow. 10
More photos on page 19
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Beauly Toddler Group Beauly Toddler Group holds sessions in the Church Of Scotland Hall, Croyard Road every Monday and Thursday during the school term 9.30/11.15 at a cost of £1.50 per child. The group is run entirely by an enthusiastic group of volunteers without whom the group would not exist. Our group receives no funding and we rely on our own fundraising efforts and the income generated by our small attendance fee. Through our fundraising we are able to cover the costs to hire the Church Hall/ insurance costs and cover the costs of providing a snack for the children. We offer a wide range of activities and experiences for children and are a vital link between home life and Nursery. Coming to our Toddler Group helps children develop social skills and have fun playing with others of a similar age. It is also a great way for mums/ dads / carers to meet new friends as being at home with a wee one can be quite isolating sometimes. Last September we raised over £1000 through selling raffle tickets. We would like to say thank you to everyone who helped to sell the tickets, to everyone who bought them , and most of all to Joe Gibbs who very generously donated two Belladrum tickets as our top prize. This has made a huge difference to the experiences which the children have enjoyed at Toddlers - we have been able to have the superb Moo Music join us on several occasions throughout this year, to do fun singing and music sessions with the children. We have also invited Hustle Tots to join us for some dancing classes which the children really enjoyed. We also had a trip to Robertsons Farm where we always receive a warm welcome from Karen and Jenny. We would very much like to be able to continue to keep our group going in the future. If you have a toddler who is walking, but younger than three, then please come and join us once school starts back in August. We are a friendly lot and will have the kettle on! Our first session back will be Thursday 24th August Current Committee - Judith Whitelaw (chair), Leah Donaldson (secretary) and Lauren Anderson (treasurer)
Beauly Theatre Club Celebrates And now we are ten! This Theatre Club enters its tenth year this summer. We never thought we would get past one production but here we are. We enjoy the dressing up and performing, thanks to all who faithfully come out to support our work. To mark our birthday we have issued a commemorative CD of our play "A King in the Mind". CDs are available from Cathie and Jack at 01463782 634, price £8 with income above cost going to charity. The play takes the tale of the Jacobite claim to the throne into the future. The Club has a busy rehearsal schedule ahead. Commencing in July; we rehearse for the Bright Fair in August. Our winter Production to be staged in Beauly at the end of October and early November in Kirkhill is "the Wicked Generation" the story of the Clearances at Ardgay. Almost two hundred years ago and yet the story of the Clearances resonates. In researching the subject one is enlightened; saddened and angry. It happened almost in a matter of fact way. The Theatre Club would welcome any family reminiscences of The Clearances, no matter which area. Into the first week of December: we will be performing a "Kris Kringle" show in the Lovat Arms Hotel. What better way to end a morning of hectic Christmas shopping than in the afternoon enjoying the warmth, hospitality and famed mince pies of the Lovat. All served with carols, festive song and laughter. Watch out for the posters. Thanks for your support; a warm welcome ready for anyone wishing to join. 12
Beauly Theatre Club. 01463 782 634
Beauly Tree Planting Programme We are all aware of the benefits of planting trees in our gardens; they are majestic, offer shade in summer months and provide a habitat for birds and insects. Watching TV and reading the press, we are becoming more familiar with their wider environmental benefits. We now know harmful CO2 contributes to climate change. By absorbing CO2 while releasing oxygen, trees help in combatting this worldwide problem. In addition they act as filters absorbing pollutant gases thus purifying the air. Another fact well documented is the replacement of our rain forests by industrial development is adding to global warming. Lastly, because trees provide shade, evaporation is reduced. In fact trees release more water than they take up. In addition they break the rainfall allowing water to seep into the soil, providing natural filtration. Several groups within the village have been considering how we can make a contribution to reduce these effects and enhance the vibrancy of the village with a tree planting programme. A planting plan has been drawn up with assistance from Simon Lord Lovat and encouragement from the Highland Council. You will have noticed oak trees being removed along the Beauly Straight and other mature trees receiving some surgery. This is a reminder that trees particularly the oaks start to become a problem when they pass maturity. Replacing the oaks along the carriageway edge on the east and west approaches leaves a problem in the future. Re-establishment of the oaks is therefore difficult, advice being they require to be some 5m from the road edge. Remembering the number of orchards that were established in and around the village, other species have been considered. Some planting has taken place and further apple and cherry trees will be planted as the year continues. Sites being considered include to the front of Phipps Hall, verges along A862, Maple Vale, Braeview Park and several sites within sight of the river. In addition we will enter discussions with the Council regarding the maintenance of planted areas at Braeview, Croyard Drive and Station Road. These were set out at the time of “Beauly in Bloom� to enhance the approaches to the village centre and now are in need of reinvigoration or replacement by some attractive but low maintenance solution recognising Council budgets are tight. Included in the programme is the monitoring of the Cherry trees in the Square. You may have noticed that whilst the blossom is still beautiful, in leaf die-back of the trees is quite evident. In fact one has already been removed. As part of the project we will monitor the trees and work with professionals to decide when and what they should be replaced with. 13
Happy Memories and Birthday Wishes The most prominent retail site in Beauly Square, now occupied by the very successful Corner on the Square Delicatessen Restaurant was once the premises of the famous Colin Urquhart Grocery Store and the 1959 picture supplied by Gordon Walker brings back many happy memories. The presence of four delivery vehicles outside the shop indicates the very wide area that it served ….. Tesco “Shop and we drop” eat your heart out …. And, this was back in the 50s!! A young Emily Brindle, after a short work experience with Mrs McCallum who had the Iona Restaurant in Croyard Road next door to Colin Urquhart’s, was offered employment in 1944 at the Grocers and thus began a long and well known association until her retirement in 1967. Colin Urquhart sold the business to the Mellis Group shortly before he died in 1953 and Mr Davidson became the manager but relied on the expertise and knowledge of Emily who knew every customer. She particularly remembers the difficult times of rationing and as time went on the good times were at Christmas when Xmas Crackers and decorated merchandise began to appear and lift everyone’s spirits. There were particular busy times starting on the 12th of August, delivering plenty of groceries to the big houses when the shooting parties arrived. The American sisters, Miss Ogden and Mrs de Gersdorf owned Achnagairn House and were in residence every summer. They were regular customers as were Peter Coomb from Strathconon. Emily well remembers the stairway to the floor above the shop which was a store room and the many times each day she had to replenish stock from there. She also remembers a lady customer who was fond of a tipple being helped across the Square from Cameron’s Butchers in the winter time when there was no tarmac and the roadway was treacherous and then helping her
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back across making sure there were no broken bottles !! Gordon Walker was born in Dufftown and worked in a grocers there but answered an advert and was offered a job with the Mellis Group. They told him there was a vacancy in Beauly so he came up in 1953. He arrived in Beauly in torrential rain and was aware there was a lot of bunting and flags on show. What a great welcome he thought, not realising that it was Coronation Year! The delivery trucks attracted his eye and Mr Davidson offered him the chance to become a driver and after passing his test in the small van, started deliveries in the big ones. This consisted of loading the van to its maximum to last a period of 3 days sales and driving to Lochcarron, Shieldaig, Kishorn and Strome Ferry amongst others setting off on Monday morning and returning late on Wednesday with one night in Strathcarron Hotel and one in Shieldaig Hotel. Bearing in mind that after Garve all the roads were single track….. Gordon cannot remember how many ditches he ended up in. He fitted chains over the wheels in the winter time but had to stop many times to remove them on the clear roads nearer Beauly. He said that large boxes were filled with unwrapped buns and bread and they also sold paraffin from a large tank beneath the van. Customers on the Wednesday must have had fairly stale fare but there was no shortage of sales! The other two big vans driven by Ken Tuach and Mr Jamieson covered Strathglass, Guisachan, Affric, Strathconon and Kiltarlity as well as Torridon, Kinlochewe, Diabeg, Gairloch and the Black Isle. An interesting aside involves Colin Urquhart’s son Roger (Roga) was very knowledgeable in Heraldry and wrote books on the subject and early in the 70s offered to design and pay half of the cost of a Coat of Arms for Beauly. This he duly did and with his connections with the Lion Court fast tracked the Coat of Arms through the necessary procedures and proudly presented it to the Beauly Community Council in 1973. In closing I am sure you would all like to congratulate and send very best wishes to Emily on reaching her 90th Birthday in July. James Campbell with thanks to Gordon Walker.
News from Braeview. With the midway point in the season just passed the club can be encouraged by the achievements of the various teams. At all levels there has been promising signs although the senior side has endured a difficult season. Tough draws curtailed our success in the cups and our hopes in the Camanachd Cup ended at Kingussie with a 7 - 0 defeat by the Premiership league leaders. Currently we are in mid table in the National Division but with our remaining four games all at Braeview we are hopeful of a strong finish with the aim of securing a top four placing in the table. Our first team manager Alan MacRae stepped down after a series of disappointing results and Iain Morrison, Sean Stewart (First team captain) and Conor Ross agreed to take over the managerial reins until the end of the season. An interesting side story to our matches against Oban Celtic was the presence of Robert McIntyre in the Oban team. Robert is part of the McIntyre shinty dynasty from Oban but increasingly he is becoming better known for his prowess on the golf course and currently is twelfth in the European Order of Merit and will be playing in the forthcoming British Open. Our reserve team has exceeded expectations and has moved to a challenging position in North Division Two. Comprising largely of lads from our under-seventeen side they have secured some notable victories and impressed not only with their determination but also with their sportsmanship. Much credit is due to the coaches Alan Bruce and Gregor McCormick. Over the years the Highland Cross has figured in the club’s calendar and this year Steven Mackenzie, Roger Cormack and Jamie MacLennan entered as a team representing the club while Elley MacDonald and Elliot Moir also took part. All finished with creditable times.
Once again the junior section of the club has excelled with success at various local competitions throughout the season. Under 14 coach Niall MacLennan gives a brief update: “A successful first half of the season for Beauly’s under 14 and 17’s squads which has seen both teams remain unbeaten in their respective league campaigns. The under 17’s have progressed to the London Shield (Under 17 National Championship) semi-final where they will play a home and away fixture. The under 14’s will also find themselves in semi-final action as they defend the at the MacMaster Cup - good luck to both teams. The 14’s and 17’s recently held their annual skills night and BBQ at Braeview which was a fantastic night and an opportunity for the boys to relax. The under 14’s skills champion was Finlay ‘Stork’ Maclennan, Grandson of Donnie Clechan, while the 17’s champion was Finlay Maclennan. We’re reliably told that both boys aren’t related, it must be something in the name then! A big thank you must go to the coaches who continue to dedicate so much time that allows our young Shinty players to shine on the park and represent Beauly Shinty Club, well done!”. There is also a real buzz at under 12 level with the various age groups enjoying considerable success against local clubs. On a recent skills night the winners were •
P1-3 Brodie Macmillan
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P4/5 Hector Maclennan
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P6/7 Logan Morton
There was also an end of season awards ceremony with the winners in the various categories as follows: •
P1-3 Coaches’ POYT- Callum Maclean
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P1-3 Players’ POYT - Brodie Macmillan
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P4/5 Coaches’ POYT - Torrin Macmillan
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P4/5 Players’ POYT - Hector Maclennan
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P6/7 Coaches’ POYT - Bailey McCuish
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P6/7 Players’ POYT - Logan Morton
Overall skill champion - Harry Rennie Gillian MacDonald spirit of the game award - Brogan Taylor. Tributes were paid to coaches Nikki Grant and Innes MacKenzie who stepped down from their duties they will be sorely missed. 15
Beauly Eco Group Climate Change Anyone can tell that the weather is getting wilder and affecting us all. From floods in the UK to droughts, storms and sea-level rise displacing millions of the world's poorest people. Climate change is happening now. Yet there are clear signs of hope. The tide is turning faster than many politicians realise — as more and more people join together to take action. Friends of the Earth Climate Change is real and it's also very scary. We should be scared, because if we're not, nothing will change and then everything will change. You can do your bit in Beauly with these five simple ways to make a difference and none of them will cost you a penny: 1. Take your empty crisp packets to the Co-op for recycling and at the same time you will help Beauly School access funding. 2. Say no to plastic straws and balloons – they are regularly left about and can harm our wildlife. 3. Don’t dump your garden waste – apart from it being illegal you may be spreading invasive plants that are killing our wildflowers and destroying habitats. 4. Do the ‘One a Day.’ Pick up one piece of litter every day – what a difference we will make. 5. Join Beauly Eco Group’s steering group and help organise our activities and events. Find Beauly Eco Group on Facebook Or call Niki on 077 938 47100 to find out more
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Beauly Badminton Group Welcomes New Players. Whether you are an experienced player or complete beginner why not come and join our 50 PLUS Fun, Fitness and Social Badminton Group. We meet every: MONDAY & THURSDAY 10 - 12PM PHIPPS HALL Players can attend one or both sessions, starting from Monday 2nd September 2019. ALL WELCOME Learn to play from scratch Improve your skills Learn to score (players and non players) We are friendly bunch, so why not come and give it a try. Rackets needed If you have an old racket that you don't use anymore, please consider donating it for our new players to use. Drop them in during any of our sessions, they would be most appreciated.
Beauly Bowling Club. Our club remains one of the village's best kept secrets. Beauly have the oldest and one of the best kept greens in the north of Scotland. We are situated directly behind and to the right of the Phipps Hall. Our green continues to attract the most favourable comments from all the visiting north of Scotland Bowling Club teams attending the many and varied bowling competitions we play. Competitions are organised by Bowls Scotland, Northern Bowling League, Northern Senior Bowling League, Northern Women's Bowling League, Northern Counties Bowling Association and are played at different times throughout the weeks. During the season, members also play in up to five Club organised competitions in singles and pairs format, with the finals of these competitions being played at the end of August. We also have many friendly matches throughout the season against Glenurquhart, Inverness & Dornoch and this year Stornoway Bowling Club at the end of their Highland Tour.
On Saturday, 10th August, we will be supporting the Bright Beauly Fair by holding a TRY BOWLS promotion when our club will be open for locals and visitors to come along between the hours of 11 a.m. and 4 p.m. to play “target� bowls or try a few ends of bowls. The Club has a supply of different size bowls suitable for all ages, so all we ask is that you wear flat soled shoes to avoid damaging the green. Further details can be found on our Facebook and the Bright Beauly Fair pages. Bowls is a game that anyone between the ages of 5 to 90, and of any ability can play. So come along at any time we are playing, to enjoy the craic and friendship, you will be most welcomed. We have a registered Child Protection Officer. Our Club nights are Wednesday & Fridays from 7pm.
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Production Team If you would like an article included in the next edition of Beauly News please contact a member of the production team listed below. Seona Fraser, Maureen MacKenzie, David Taylor, Zane Wright. Or join us on Facebook “Beauly Online” or via our web site http://www.beaulycc.org/feedback.asp
Beauly People A thank you from Anne McIntosh. I held a soup and sandwich lunch in Kilmorack Hall on Saturday 11th of May to raise money for the puffin pool in Dingwall. £1447.64 was raised and I would like to thank all the people who came to the hall to support the event. A special thanks to Beauly Cares for use of the bus and also to all who donated raffle prizes. Thanks, Anne Mcintosh. I am sure all the users of the pool will want to thank you Anne, for your efforts in raising this fantastic sum.
Running for MIND I took on the biggest challenge of my life so far and decided to run the London Marathon on the 28th April all in aid of the Mental Health Charity Mind. This charity raises money for a cause very close to my heart and I wanted to do something to both raise awareness for Mental Health and show that you can come out the other side of it stronger than ever. It was no doubt the hardest task I have ever taken on however it really was just the best experience! Running around the streets of London with hundreds of thousands of people cheering you on was just amazing and to top it off Rosie and I raised over £4500 for Mind. We held lots of charity events including Swap Shops, Christmas carol concerts, Wreath Making and a Ceilidh to help us reach our funds. I would really like to thank everyone who donated to our fund, many of whom kindly donated in our box in Café Biagiotti. Rosie unfortunately couldn’t run this year due to an injury however she has already started her training to take her place next year and I wish her the best of luck! Fiona Paul Emily’s 90th Birthday Emily would like to say a big THANK YOU to everyone who helped her celebrate a wonderful 90th Birthday She received beautiful flowers, cards and presents and had two parties, one on the Thursday in the Lovat Arms Hotel with her old friends and relations and on Friday in the Priory Hotel with her friends from the Senior Citizens. On Saturday she had a day off and rested !! Thank you everyone Emily and Ruth
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Highland Cross 2019 - A thank you to Beauly We would like to share this message James Campbell received from Calum Munro MBE Dear James, With the Cross behind us it is my happy duty to try to properly thank the folk who help make it happen. I can only offer a very sincere "Thank You" on behalf of the Organising Committee for your continued personal support to the Cross and for your work in bringing together the various elements of the Beauly Community who give us such amazing support. The Community of the Highland Cross is the most amazing embodiment of all that is best in the Highlands - people and landscape. Facilitating the Finish of the event in the wonderful setting of the Square event over the decades has secured massive benefit for Highland Charities and cemented Beauly's position as the spiritual home of the Cross. Only you know all the wonderful folk in Beauly who give of their time, talents and substance to make the Finish the amazing success that it is. The atmosphere in the Square was hugely appreciated by the participants and their families and features in many positive appreciations on social media. Please convey to everybody in Beauly who contribute to your work our sincerest appreciation. It is now down to the participants to honour their pledges and to generate the financial benefit that the five great charities need. We intend to celebrate the achievement of the 2019 event in the Autumn at our usual Handover Evening and we hope to have the pleasure of your company on that occasion. Best wishes Yours sincerely, Calum Munro MBE, Organising Secretary Highland Cross