In this Issue4 Leading the Team - in Greenland
6 Update on the Loch Urr Wind Farm Proposal
8 Lots of News from the Classrooms
11 From the Archives – How the War Memorial was Built
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The Dunscore DigestDunscore Church and Community Magazine
Winter 2014
Joanna Repton at Work See the New Digest Feature on Local Craftspeople on Page 5
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From the Archives 25 Years Ago Sheila Anderson
“Score” Magazine, June 1989 Community Council Report (Colin Mitchell)
“Garden” at entrance to village opposite Dunscore Garage. We are trying to persuade the Council to take over this site.It would be planted and maintained for the amenity of Dunscore. Negotiations are still under way but the CC consideredthat, if we lived in Dumfries, this area of ground would be looked after as a Council responsibility and, as we now pay thesame poll tax, we should enjoy the same amenities as the larger towns’
“Save the Petrol Pumps” Petition Considerable alarm was raised when it was noticed that outline planning permissionwas being sought for housing on the site of Dunscore Garage. A petition was raised by the CC which voiced our concernover the threat to the petrol sales facility in Dunscore. The petition was handed to the Regional Council forconsideration. However planning permission was granted. There appears to be no immediate threat to the pumps but ithas been pointed out that they will eventually reach the end of their working life and the present sales of petrol would notjustify buying new equipment. Increased use of the facility may help!
Sheila's Comment: One success (the Council cuts the grass!) and one failure. It epitomises the hard-workingCommunity Council - particularly Colin! - then and now!
Minister's Musing Jannie du Plessis
Most of us have special memories of Christmas. Some will immediately think of times with dear family and the fun andlaughter around the Christmas dinner table. Others will remember the carol singing in church or at home. I also enjoyedwatching my children opening their Christmas presents –the little faces lighting up with expectation when they receivedtheir presents wrapped in colourful paper, and then the sheer joy of being surprised by what’s inside.
But can the joy of Christmas be stolen? There are several stories (some of them filmed as well) about fictionalcharacters who wanted to steal the joy of Christmas. And maybe it wouldn’t be all that difficult to do, thinking of what ourworld deems Christmas to be all about. So, just put people in a position where they cannot be with loved ones, or ruintheir dinner or strip them of their financial resources so there won’t be any money for gifts...
Let us make sure, for our own sake – and for that of our children, our grandchildren, family and friends – that the truemeaning of Christmas will not be replaced (or overshadowed) by the world’s superficial ways of celebrating Christmas,ways from which the joy can be stolen. Let this festive season be marked with the true, lasting joy resulting fromknowing and loving God, who loved us first. This he proved to us by sending his Son, Jesus Christ, to restore ourrelationship with God (and with one another). Was this not what the angel had in mind when telling the shepherds ofBethlehem, “I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people. Today in the town of David a Saviour hasbeen born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord” (Luke 2:10–12)?
Let us remember the message of Philippians 4:4 as we prepare for Christmas, “May you always be joyful in your unionwith the Lord. I say it again: rejoice!”
Joy to the world, the Lord is come!Let earth receive her King;Let every heart prepare him room, And heaven and nature sing! (Hymn 320)
Digest Production Matthew Aitken
I hope that you find the Dunscore Digest interesting, entertaining and useful. It is produced by Dunscore church and iscirculated widely around the Dunscore area. It costs around 45p for each printed copy and we have been unable, so far,to source any funding. If you would like to make a contribution to the production cost, please let me know (you will findcontact details at the back of the Digest).
Dunscore Writing Group Libby McFadzean
The writing group's latest task was to relate a memory in 100 words. Here is mine:
I scrambled up the muddy bank, shocked and choking after almost drowning. That weight of water above me had beenterrifying as my feet sought vainly for firm ground beneath. I was 14 years old, afraid of water and meant to be learningto swim. This was the wide and murky river Annan (I lived above it on the hill) and I had just emerged from the notoriousSalmon Pool, said to be bottomless! My mother had taken me and my sisters for a swimming lesson, although sheremained safely on dry ground. I stay away from deep water now.
To save everyone counting, I can confirm this to be exactly 100 words!
The group will next meet on the second last Wednesday in January. Contact Libby on 820398 for more information.
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Jane Haining Update Pam Mitchell
There is lots going on.
Two New films are being released this year. I have a copy of the one made last Spring by Hungarian Television (withEnglish subtitles!) and I will organise a showing of it. Watch out for details of this. Sally Magnusson’s film is beingbroadcast on 30th November.
A School’s resource about the life of Jane Haining is being prepared at the moment. It is planned to be launched inJanuary. Alison Robertson has prepared a little script for younger children too.
At a planning meeting last week with others involved in the annual student visit, it was agreed to try to bring the pupils toScotland earlier in the year in 2015 in order that they might meet some students in Scottish schools. I will try to liaise withDumfries Academy (Jane’s former school) to arrange a visit and fit it into their programme. It looks like the visit may be inJune 2015.
Three students will be selected after the Competition which takes place in January. One will come from the VorosmartySchool (where Jane worked), one from another Budapest School (of which there are 30) and one from a ReformedChurch of Hungary School (of which there are also 30).
It is always very enjoyable to meet the students, and to welcome them to Dunscore. This link was started in 1991 andhelps to keep the message of Jane Haining’s life and death alive and her conviction that all human beings are equalbefore God is shared with new generations.
Jane Haining Memorial Aly Robertson
Aly spoke to William McGair, the Principal Teacher in the Faculty of Social Subjects at Dumfries Academy.
Thanks for your interest re the Jane Haining memorial. We had felt that it was a shame that Dumfries Academy had nopermanent memorial to Jane so we decided to try and raise money for such a memorial. We are making good progress.Most of the work in terms of planning and funding the memorial has been taken up by Mr Liam Mika's S5 / S6 Skills forLife and Work class. They have planned fund raising events and have designed a memorial in conjunction with Mr AndyAdair a local artist.
We have some generous donations for the fund from local people including former Academy student Mr Philip Jahn. Ourplan is to have the memorial in place by the Spring / early Summer of 2015 which would be the 100th anniversary ofJane leaving the Academy. I will ensure that we keep in touch with you about the unveiling date so that perhaps you andother members of your group might like to attend.
Once again thanks for your interest.
Hillwalking Group Colin Mitchell
Friday 3 October was scheduled for a walk up Ben Lomond. However the forecast was not good with high winds, lowcloud and heavy rain all day. Consequently we decided to walk in the local Durisdeer hills rather than travel a longdistance and get wet and see no views. Only one brave member, Archie Anderson, decided to accompany me on thewalk. The weather was not too bad as we ascended Durisdeer Rig but soon the rain came on and the cloud levellowered. However we were dressed for the weather and enjoyed the walk along the ridge.
In the valley we met the gamekeeper from the estate who informed us that there was a partridge shoot taking place inthe valley we were about to walk through and asked us to follow the beaters downhill. We had lunch in the bothy beforewatching the shoot as we returned to Durisdeer.
We both enjoyed the walk despite the weather. It is said that there is no such thing as bad weather, just the wrongclothing!
I am not sure I agree with that Colin.
Gala Update Fiona Thompson
We held a very well-supported soup and pate lunch recently and made over £300. Thanks to all who supported this.We are hoping to have another one in February or March.
We are all set for next year's Gala with the main events booked. Amanda Saville's Chariots of Fire and Elaine Hill's dogand duck display is in training and Huggy Bear will be ready for the dance.
The Gala marquee is available to hire. There is more information on this and the rest of the Gala on the website:www.dunscoregala.ndo.co.uk.
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Assistant Editorial Alison Boyes
Today I visited the church of St Martin in the Fields in Trafalgar Square. Sitting in the pews, I heard snoring, and lookingaround, I realised that there were several people stretched out asleep nearby. This church, which also has a cafe, shopand concert venue, seeks to be at the heart of its local community and ministers to a sizeable homeless population.
Dunscore Church also aims to be at the heart of the local community. Thankfully we don't have a problem withhomelessness in our village, but we want to be a welcoming place for anyone, whatever their need or creed.
The Digest, too, is a Community magazine, and a place where community issues can be talked about and celebrated. Inthis issue we have the first of a new series of articles about local artists and craftspeople. We also welcome a newmember, Alison Robertson, to the Editorial Team.
As always, we are pleased to receive articles, letters and ideas for future features. Please send them to our Editor,Matthew Aitken, ([email protected]) for inclusion in the next (Spring) edition of the Digest.
Wallaceton to Greenland Craig Mushet
Extract from my expedition diary, “I woke up at roughly 2:00 am to heavywinds, pouring rain and a strange banging noise. The sun was on thehorizon so there was just enough light to show me the tent was fallingapart. I quickly woke up my tent-mate and we both quietly andmethodically put on our gear so we would survive the elements outside.Got out of the tent and was immediately exposed to the 100 mile anhour, -20° winds. Spent 20 or 30 minutes tightening and re-anchoringropes to hold the tent up. Got back into tent. Didn’t sleep very well thatnight.” –This is why I love expeditions. The unexpected, the thrill andafterwards the reward which, in this case, was having a fully functionaltent to lie awake in.
Last year I went on my first proper expedition where I spent five weeksexploring the fjords, glaciers and ice caps of Finnmark Norway. I wasrelatively inexperienced and had no idea what to expect. This year I wasleading a team of three to the Greenlandic Ice Sheet for four weeks. Theteam included my good friend Cameron who had been on a longduration expedition to the Himalayas and two other people I had nevermet before, Emily and Jamie, who had little experience when it came tolong duration expeditions. When we stepped off the plane atKangerlussuaq international airport in Greenland it dawned on me whatmy role actually was. Leading is not about glory or bossing peoplearound. Being a leader, a good leader, is about motivating your team,making sure everyone is working in harmony and safely for the sameobjective, being a friend, being a negotiator when times get tough andmost importantly being the first one to volunteer for tasks. I am sure there were times when the team hated me, I meaneveryone hates someone at some point on a four week expedition, but I like to think I gave it a good shot and it makesme proud to say the expedition was a success.
We went out to Greenland with a set of objectives. One of which was Filming for Education Scotland: where we wouldshow Geography and Climate Change processes as well as provide an insight to expedition life-style. We also had anaerial drone which I operated so we could collect stunning footage from high up in the sky. Another goal of ours was toset up time-lapse cameras to monitor the ice recession from two different calving bays (areas with high amounts of iceloss) on the Russell Glacier. We also interviewed locals on their perception of climate change and how it is changingtheir life styles. Unsurprisingly one concern they had was of flooding. Since more ice is melting there is more meltwatertravelling downstream. This has already resulted in one bridge being torn apart by a severe flood. Emily came on theexpedition as an artist and is completing the final objective of creating an artistic representation of climate change andwilderness. We are all looking forward to what she will produce!
Cameron and I organised this expedition. We poured blood, sweat and tears into it. We both battled against the odds toreach our goal even when so many people doubted two teenagers could organise and carry off an expedition to theGreenlandic Wilderness. We did it and the rewards were amazing: we found new friends, new experiences and apassion to keep on reaching for our dreams.
To you, the reader, I would like to suggest you also reach for your goals. I’m not saying it will be easy but it will be worthit. Listen to the doubters and the naysayers and use it as fuel to reach your goal. Trust me, it works.
Craig climbing on the Ice Sheet
Why is it?.
Why is it that when the past tense of teach is taught, that the past tense of preach is not praught?
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Bird of the Month Colin Mitchell
The Field-fareThis large and attractive thrush breeds in the high arctic and spends the winter with us, usually arriving in late Octoberand early November. It has a long tail compared to most thrushes and has a light grey rump, white underwings, greyhead and a heavily spotted breast with a yellow tinge.
When the Field-fares first arrive they usually fly high and make a distinctive and loud “chack – chack – chack ” call. Theyfeed on berries and fruits and often defend a good source quite aggressively from other birds. If you have fruit trees withany fruit remaining the field-fares will almost certainly visit during the winter. A final, handy note. The field-fare is apopular bird quiz subject. The answer to the clue “food eaten out of doors”!
Bird Watching GroupThe Dunscore Bird group has had two recent outings. In October we visited Lochmaben and had an excellent walkaround Castle Loch on the new footpath and board-walk that now goes all the way round the loch. We also visited theother lochs in the area. 39 species of birds were seen including tufted ducks, long tailed tit, grey wagtail and reed bunting.In November we journeyed to Stranraer and visited various sites around Loch Ryan as well as at Corsewall Point. 49species of birds were seen including scaup, Brent geese, golden plover, peregrine falcon, guillemot and goldeneye.
If you are interested in bird watching or learning about bird watching, please contact Pam or me. New members arealways welcome.
Dunscore Arts and Crafts Aly Robertson
Joanna Repton
In the first of a new series of articles about local artists and crafts people, Aly Robertson caught up with Joanna Repton tofind out a little about her and her work.
Joanna: I'm thrilled to be the first artist to be interviewed in the local artists andcraftsmen series.
Aly: Have you always been interested in art? Joanna: Yes from the time that Icould hold a pencil, at about the age of three, I drew people, horses, scenes - Iwas always drawing. When I ran out of paper I used newspaper.
Aly: What fostered your passion for jewellery? Joanna: I originally applied fora fashion design course in Newcastle but it was suggested that I take a sevenweek foundation course in Carlisle. I had an inspirational jewellery lecturer whotaught one day a week - I was hooked.
Aly: Where do you look for inspiration for your pieces? Joanna: Nature andthe outdoors. Sometimes it is a conscious process, sometimes unconscious. Ifind pattern inspiring as well as geology. I love the colour combinations that yousee in nature.
Aly: I know that you enjoy visiting the Shetland Isles - do you find that they give
you ideas for your creations? Joanna: Shetland, Hebrides, all points north. I like to be out on the edge. I have travelledabroad - in particular I enjoyed Singapore and New Zealand, but now i like to be closer to home. As the geese fly south, Itravel north.
Aly: What's the most unusual job you have been asked to do? Joanna: Mount a shark's tooth. It came from Oman andthe lady wanted it made into a necklace. I made the necklace using silverwork designs that you find in that area.
Aly: If I want to commission a piece, how do I go about it? Joanna: Contact me through the website, Facebook, phoneor call in. We'll get together to discuss the project and then I make the piece.
Aly: What are you currently working on? Joanna: The Northern Light exhibition and sale has just finished. I amworking on a child's pendant, based on their birthstone and the sign of Aquarius - rippling lines made of amethyst. I madea similar pendant for her sister - they will have these gifts for life.
Aly: What do you most like about your work? Joanna: I love bringing pleasure to others with my creations and workingwith beautiful materials which inspire. I never do the same thing twice.
A necklace in silver with Boulder Opalfrom Queensland, Australia and smoky Quartz, Apatite ,
Aquamarine & freshwater pearls
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Loch Urr Wind Farm ProposalThe application to build a wind farm at Loch Urr is being submitted to the Scottish Government. We have receivedinformation from both E.ON and Save Loch Urr:
From E.ON:Since the launch of the Loch Urr Wind Farm proposal in October 2012, the company has worked closely with residentsand undertaken extensive consultation to understand local concerns. Where possible, changes have been made toreflect both community and environmental feedback including a significant reduction in turbine numbers from an initial 63turbine site to a 26 turbine scheme. We are planning to submit the application before the end of November 2014 to theScottish Government.
Nick Taylor, Project Developer at E.ON, said: “Since we introduced our proposals for both sites we’ve undertakenextensive consultation and held a number of events to share our plans giving local people the chance to provide theirviews and concerns. This included public information days and exhibitions, as well as setting up a Community LiaisonGroup (CLG) which was key in helping us communicate with residents and community councils.
Having also taken guidance from Scottish Natural Heritage, we removed the northern section of our Loch Urr Wind Farmplans to significantly reduce the impact on the neighbouring Moniaive and Dunscore communities.
‘’I would like to thank everyone who provided comment on the proposals, especially members of the CLG, who havehelped shape our final plans. The Meet the Developer Day being held on 25 November in Dalry, will be a greatopportunity for local people to view our final proposals and ask any questions they may have.”
From Save Loch Urr: Caroline Pridham
What value do you put on your landscape? How much is good will and community spirit worth to you? These are someof the questions we need to ask ourselves whilst we continue to be under siege from the big wind farm developers thatare flooding our area with wind farm applications.
E.ON has now submitted applications to build two more giant wind farms, at Loch Urr and Benbrack. If planning consentis granted, this will mean another 44 turbines each over 400 feet high blighting the landscape and skies of Dumfries andGalloway.
We need to fight against these proposals, and send a strong clear message to the Scottish Government, or we riskseeing the whole of our beautiful Glenkens region being covered with wind farms. There are currently over 1,000 windturbines over 260 feet (operational, consented, or in planning) within 20 miles of Loch Urr. Blackcraig wind farm (23turbines) has already been consented and further wind farms are being proposed at Benshinnie, Mochrum Fell,Marnhoul, and Collieston Hill.
Local communities may be persuaded by the idea of funds coming in from the proposed developments. Butunfortunately wind farm developers are not legally bound to explain how much money will be available, to whom and forwhat until after the wind farm has been consented. Currently there is only ‘guidance’ from the Scottish Government as towhat wind farm developers should pay to communities being impacted by the wind farms they will be ‘hosting’. Forexample, Blackcraig wind farm has already been consented and yet how the community benefits are going to bedistributed has not been agreed.
Even before they are built, wind farms are dividing our communities and dividing the Community Councils who try toserve and support them.
Our area already has more than its fair share of power cuts (both planned and unplanned) and this is likely to get farworse with the scale of the new infrastructure required (pylons, sub stations etc.) that will be required to serve the hugenumber of wind turbines being proposed.
E.ON states that it has taken community concerns into account and has liaised extensively with the community. But ifthis was truly the case, they would not be submitting these applications. Many from our communities who will beimpacted by these proposed wind farms have already made it clear to E.ON and Dumfries and Galloway Council that ourareas is already doing more than its fair share for renewable energy. In August a Scottish Government Reporter rejectedplans for an eight turbine wind farm in the Scottish Borders ruling that the development was surplus to requirements asthe Scottish Government is already set to over-reach its renewable energy targets of generating 16GW by 2020. We canonly hope that the Scottish Government takes the same line when considering the applications for Loch Urr andBenbrack.
For our part, we need to let the Scottish Government know that our area is not prepared to be a dumping ground forwind farms. For more information on how to object against these proposals please contact the Save Loch UrrAssociation. www.savelochurr.com.
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But, Do They Work? Matthew Aitken
Have you heard that wind turbines take more energy to make than they produce in their (approximately) 20 year life?Can that be right? It seems not.
I did a little checking. Friends of the Earth state in their publication: “Wind Power – Your Questions Answered” that someemissions of these gases will take place during the design, manufacture, transport and erection of wind turbines, enoughelectricity is generated from a wind farm within a few months to compensate for these emissions. The Centre forSustainable Energy in “Common Concerns About Wind Power” quotes published research showing a 3.5 – 6.4 monthsenergy “payback” time while, in less favourable sites, the Scottish Government calculates this as three years (again usingpublished data).
You many not like what they look like but, at least, it seems that they work!
Cycling Canada Part 2 Ian Eagleton
You may have read the first part of Ian's 4,500 mile cycle across Canada from west to east coast in the Summer editionof the Digest Here is the conclusion:
I'd just passed through another time zone and the most feared leg of my trip was now safely behind me. I'd read so manyblogs and listened to so many people, all telling me to avoid travelling on Highway One. "You'll die"....."You are crazy”were a couple of the things I had to consider if I took the more direct route. The alternative was two hundred extra bumpymiles. It was a no-brainier as far as I was concerned.
For the past 1,800 miles I had been accustomed to a cycle-friendly, six foot wide lane. Now Ontario could only spare mea mere 18 inches. And truck drivers considered they owned that piece too.
I never tired of the views, the solitude or the quietness of this place. They call this part of Canada “the Canadian Shield”and there are hundreds of lakes with beautiful rock formations, all untouched my man. They seemed to run out of ideasfor lake names the further east I rode, Dad’s Lake, Mom’s Lake, Daughter’s Lake. You get the picture. I did chuckle atthe thought of the local council meetings brainstorming this one. The small towns came and went - I say small towns,Dunscore would be a city compared to some and my hopes for a supermarket wouldbuild from around 40 miles out. Shops maybe? A garage possibly? Inevitably it wouldbe the smallest gas station you can imagine but with a coffee machine in the cornercalling my name! A few groceries purchased and that was me for a few more days.
Onwards to another big city this time Ottawa, my eyes wide enjoying the change ofscenery, then along comes Montreal, bigger again this time. Even more to see, justarriving into town my usual first thoughts were: camp spot, washing, bike overhaul thenfood! The first lady I asked for directions was fascinated by my trip, she said that "shewas on a coffee break from a teacher training conference”. Indoors there was as muchfood as I could manage. Well, say no more, in I went and there I met the mostinteresting people, all dressed up and me head to toe in Lycra standing there like it wasthe most normal thing to do – lovely.
I pitched my tent in the park, awakening to workmen setting a scaffold stage next to mytent, Well, would you know it? A Portakabin with a kitchen was offered along with awelcome morning coffee. I cooked a vat of porridge and enjoyed both sitting with theworkers talking about all the things I should visit that day. The sun by now was hotmaking me stay on the bike later and later into each day. My legs, by now, could easilymanage the 100 miles per day and more and my goal was nearing ever more quicklyand my thoughts started to turn to home and my future.
Quebec followed and became the best of all the provinces I had cycled, from fishing villages to holiday coastal towns, allwith beautifully painted houses of old and new design. The thick fog greeting me each morning gave a mystery to themorning rides the eerie silence with just the spinning sound of the wheels.
The towns of Moncton, Sackville, Amherst, Oxford and New Glasgow had been on my mind for so long this was a realstart of the end. I had visualised these towns and the road heading towards New Brunswick and Nova Scotia for solong. The last leg of mainland Canada led me to the port of Sydney, where a 17 hour ferry ride lay ahead. The troublewas that I had cycled 700 miles in seven days forgoing a day off so that I would not miss the ferry. But I had misread thetimetable and was a day out. Oh well, I bought my ticket left my precious bike at the port then headed into town to join inthe celebrations of Canada day, it couldn't have worked out better. I soaked up the atmosphere of the Canadian peoplecelebrating with pride for their wonderful country, with time on my hands and a week of sleep to catch up on I found apatch of grass, kicked off my shoes and slept like a baby.
Newfoundland at 5:30 am. Foggy, cold and wet was not what I'd expected but nothing was going to slow me down. Isped towards Sydney as fast as my legs would carry me. There was a huge tail wind that helped. Finally Signal Hill wasonly a few miles away. I had loved every mile that I’d covered giving me so many memories, so many friends and somuch kindness. I had a final 600 foot climb of pain to the top then the icebergs in the bay giving me of one last, amazingpicture in my mind. No bells, whistles or fanfare. Just me and my bike with all my worldly belongings on board. I wouldn'thave had it any other way.
I Did It! St John's, Newfoundland
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Testing Time at School Sunet du Plessis
Some members of the Dunscore community have been working with groups in the school. One of the groups is calledThe Green Team and Sunet volunteered to help:
Being an Eco-Congregation brings a lot of challenges. It was inevitable that teaching a greener lifestyle to childrenwould become one of our priorities, because the children will suffer if we don't take care of our planet and its preciousresources.
I was scared beyond description on my first day at the school. Butas it usually is when you deal with children – I was the one wholearned from their eager participation! It is said about one of theScottish National rugby players that he is "the most learnable playerin the world." That is how I would describe the small group ofDunscore children in the eco-group. Being learnable is a vital lifeskill: one that will help us and this beautiful planet where we live, tosurvive.
Matthew gave us an electricity meter to measure the amount ofelectricity that is used by different electrical appliances and devices. The children were very interested and we decided on "testing" a number of appliances being used at school, like heaters,kettles, copiers, computers and phones.
What was really impressive to me was the outcome of this exercise: not only did they participate, they also wanted to putthis on paper by compiling a small presentation on the computer with pictures of the appliances, how much energy theyuse and how we can make a difference by using them in a way that saves energy.
So don't be surprised if a wee one questions you about the settings of the heater being so high, or when you arereprimanded about boiling enough water for four cups of coffee, when you only need enough water for two cups...
Sunet and the Green Team Discuss Their Strategy
News from the ClassroomsChildren In NeedFriday 14 November was Children in Need Day and our schools did their bit to support Pudsey. As you may havealready seen in a previous Dumfries Standard, the Fundraising Group at Dunscore Primary were winners in the Childrenin Need Best Assembly Ever competition. They received the most enormous box (which could probably have fitted all theP1s inside it!) filled with lots of lovely Pudsey goodies which they used to help raise funds. They dressed up as super-heroes and hosted a bake sale to raise money.
Remembrance Day ServiceAs you are no doubt aware, this year saw the 100th anniversary of the out-break ofthe First World War. To mark this occasion, Dunscore helped to commemorate this byholding a special Remembrance Assembly in school. Pupils made their own poppieswhich they planted in a grassy area of the playground in remembrance of local
service men and women who gave theirlives during both world wars.
Some of our senior pupils recitedremembrance poems and gave a roll-callof all the local men and women who lost their lives. Rev. Du Plessis said somekind words to mark the occasion. Thank you to parents and members of thecommunity who attended this very special event.
Thanks to everyone who donated to thisvery worthwhile cause and helped theschool raise the grand total of £50.61.
Halloween Party This was a tremendous success, everyone looked fantastic and it was obvious thatmany of you had put a lot of effort and thought into your costumes.
A big thank you to the Parent Council who helped organise the event and also to all theparents, staff and children who helped set up, handed in goodies, run the various stallsand clean up afterwards!
The Roll Call
Planting Poppies
The Party was Fun!
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Dunscore Playgroup (As Was)! Sheila Anderson
On 14 November, we held a Dunscore Playgroup Reunion in Glenriddell Hall. Mums and Dads of children(!) agedbetween 17 and 45 enjoyed an evening of nostalgia, good food and lots of wine! I think we all had a good time andraised £127 for Dunscore Pre-School which, like every other group, is struggling financially. Dunscore Playgroup was set up by the late Margaret Kennedy-Moffat in ?1969 – initially meeting in the Glenriddell Halluntil the old school building was available in 1970/71 and run by Margaret (initially assisted by Sheena Howat) for manyyears – probably with little, if any, remuneration! Possibly the first playgroup in Dumfriesshire, it was a credit to Margaretfor her innovative action at that time.
I do remember being at a superb Barn Dance held at Newtonairds in 1971 that raised enough funds to buy equipmentand cover expenses for a considerable time. This information is sketchy, as I don’t think there are any records for thatperiod in existence, unless anyone knows better! If so let the Pre-School or me know as it would be good to havedetailed information on record.
I have looked through old “Score” magazines and below are snippets from Playgroup reports in the 1990s. I hope youfind them interesting! Both June Drennan and Irene Crocket are mentioned, two ladies who put in a great deal of workand time, using their considerable skills to make Dunscore Playgroup / Pre-School such a success over the years. There were others but I daren’t name the ones I know for fear of leaving out the ones I don’t! But all did a great job. AsLee MacKenzie and her staff do for today’s under 5s in Dunscore.
Spring 90: “Last week saw the fruits of fund-raising when a cassette recorder for playgroup was purchased... Thechildren had a super game of musical chairs and with sing-alongs and stories, its potential is endless... Our thanks go toJune Drennan who has been Playleader for a number of years and who has put a lot of time and energy into makingPlaygroup such a success”
Winter 90/91: “One of the most promising events of the past year has been the commencement of the Monsieur LapinFrench Playgroup which takes place on Thursday afternoons for children between 3 and 5 years of age. The childrencome from all over this area to sing and play but as far as possible only French is spoken.”
Pre-School News Lee MacKenzie
The children and staff would like to say a huge thank you to Mr Crawford who has very kindly and generously installednew gates and cleared a path, so that we no longer have to walk on the road when walking to the woods onWednesdays. This has made the journey much safer and by opening up this path and other areas of his grounds, thelearning potential has been greatly increased.
Children and staff love their Wood Wednesdays and we were recently joined by a member of the Early Years Team whowas hugely impressed by the children's independence, self confidence and investigative skills. A huge thank you also toparents and Irene Crocket who have accompanied us on our trails. Miraculously we have not had one wet Wednesdaysince we started in April although the children are adept at erecting a tarpaulin shelter should we ever need to seekcover during a downpour!
Thanks to everyone who has helped and supported us this year, including everyone who has kindly helped us withresources via Freecycle, most recently Kirsten and Andy. The children love playing with shadows and experimenting withcolored films on our OHP and when linked to the laptop this opens up new areas of learning. The extra monitor alsoprevents our poor laptop screen becoming so sticky from too many tablet-savvy little fingers.
We are gearing up for the Christmas festivities and are starting to rehearse a play we have adapted ourselves entitled "ADunscore Night Before Christmas". I only hope that I can vaguely attempt a reasonably credible Dunscore accent! Wealso hope to join with children from Moniaive and Penpont pre-schools to watch a special Christmas film, busy schedulespermitting.
We look forward to welcoming three new children in the New Year which will boost our total to 12 children.
And from Alison Borthwick...
We would like to thank all the lovely ladies who were involved in the Pre-School Reunion held recently and raised agrand sum of money for Pre-School funds, a huge thank you for all your efforts.
The Committee have been extremely busy organising our next fundraiser which you perhaps will have seen advertisedthrough the village. Silent Auction including some Christmas Craft stalls will be held on Friday 5 December at 7:30 pm, inthe Glenriddell Hall. Entry is £3 which includes a glass of bubbly / nibbles or a tea/coffee traybake. We have somewonderful items to be purchased so please come along to our evening & do some Christmas shopping, grab a bargain orjust have a lovely relaxing time. Everyone is most welcome!
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Church Fair-Trade Stall Alison Boyes
We are a Fairtrade Church in a Fairtrade Village. We use Fairtrade tea, coffee and sugar and for the past 10 years, wehave had a Traidcraft stall every six weeks or so after the church service. Traidcraft (www.traidcraft.co.uk) was set up asa Christian response to poverty and, as Christians, we have a God-given responsibility to help the poor (Matthew chapter25).
With the help of members of the Eco Congregation group, the stall has recently expanded to stock “green” items, suchas recycled paper, aluminium foil and cleaning products that don’t contain palm oil.
Here are some answers to questions you may have about the stall:
Where do the goods come from? I order them from Traidcraft.
Do you make a profit? No, despite the discount, I always end up with goods which go past their best before dateand, if I can't use these myself, I have to give them away. Also, all the tea, coffee and sugar we use in Church comesfrom the stall. So it ends up about even.
Where do you store it all? In a big blue cupboard in the cellar of our house. Chocolate etc is stored carefully toprotect it from mice and hungry boys! We don't have space to set up the stall before the service, so this has to be donevery quickly as soon as the Bible has been carried out. Afterwards, everything has to be packed up again, into the carand then out of the car and back down into the cellar!
How do you decide what to stock? This is not easy and demand changes. Once we sold a lot of tea, coffee andchocolate but now these are readily available in the shops. I try to stock whatever people ask for but avoid stuff with ashort shelf-life such as biscuits and cakes. I am starting to stock more non-perishable things and my stock currentlyincludes greetings cards, tea light holders, bowls, dolls, wooden crosses, birthday candles, washing up gloves, gardentwine and embroidered purses. We also have some Palestinian handicrafts from Hadeel. Come and have a look!
What are the most popular products? Currently these are Malawi brown rice, dried apricots and dark roastedground coffee.
How long do you intend to carry on running the stall? As long as there is demand for it and a need forfairly-traded goods.
Summer 92: “Anyone who has been in the Playgroup building recently cannot fail to see the transformation which hastaken place. It now has a kitchen, double glazing, new doors, new gates, totally refurbished and repainted playroom andthe second room (former store), is nearing completion. Next year it will have a new Playleader (Irene Crocket) as well asa permanent Assistant Playleader (Vicky Finlay).”
Spring 93: “The dreich building where I (Sheila) and many others, took our children twice weekly and tholed the damp,the cold and the somewhat primitive conditions, has been completely transformed into what must be a ‘modelplaygroup’. Cartoon-festooned brightly painted walls, new flooring, double glazing, modern heating, comfy chairs,kitchen facilities, re-vamped toilets and now a second brightly painted room….” “When the playgroup was bought fromthe Education Dept. and upgrading was discussed, many people had reservations about the sheer magnitude of thecosts and the work involved – but it just proves what a set of active fund-raisers with futuristic ideas can accomplish…” A good note to end on!
SLYC Slot Kath Aitken
Due to the previous group of youngsters moving on, SLYC is in abeyance. There is a plan to take some young folk toother local youth initiatives in Gatehouse of Fleet and Dumfries to show them how different youth clubs are run and thento re-launch.
Community Council Column Colin Mitchell
The Community Council last met on 3 November. Business included:
Bicycles on Rural Roads: Following concern raised about large groups of cyclists travelling on the local roadsthe police were consulted about the situation. The response included that if a large group is using the road, they shouldbe treated in the same way as a slow moving vehicle i.e. overtaken with care. The cyclists should pull over to let fastertraffic pass in the same way as any slow moving vehicle.
If the cyclists are abusive in any way the police should be contacted using the 101 phone number.
Flooding at Newtonairds: This is not yet resolved.
Parking by the School and New Surgery: Some traffic congestion and parking problems have
occurred on the road between the school and the new surgery. The school, Council and surgery staff are working tosolve the problem. The lay-by opposite the surgery will be designated as a drop off and pick up only zone.
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Dunscore War Memorial Sheila Anderson
From “Score” - Dec 1998 (written by the late Dick Farish)On 16 January 1919 a public meeting of parishioners was called by the Chairman of Dunscore Parish Council, Rev WBarrowman, Minister of Craig Church, to be held in the Glenriddell Hall to consider what action should be taken towardsraising a memorial for our local soldiers who had given their lives, so that we might perpetuate the memory of thosebrave men who were worthy of a place in the role of fame. Mr Symington of Allanton proposed that a granite obeliskshould be erected and that the 4 sides should bear the names of the 38 men from the Parish who had fallen. Mr Milliganof Merkland supported this suggestion [other suggestions included a library, a clock tower, a bed endowed for theInfirmary and a public water supply for the village]. The committee appointed included: Rev Barrowman (Chair); John NFarish, Broombush [Dick's Father] (Clerk & Treasurer); Mr Nairn, Moss-side; Mr Waugh, Fraserford; Mr Lambie,Gordieston; Mr McNaught, Lanehead [Archie / Jimmy Anderson’s grandfather] and Mr Haining, Lochenhead [JaneHaining’s father].
Mr Symington reported that he had contacted Dr Morton, owner of the proposed site, and he was willing to give theground required free of charge for all time, and a letter from Mr Walker, Dalgonar, Landlord of the grou nd also agreed tothis. An alternative site in the Churchyard was proposed by Mr Waugh, Broadford [Robert’s grandfather] and secondedby Mr McNaught, Burnhead. After a show of hands this was defeated – 4 in favour: 8 against.
At a Committee meeting on 26 March, subscriptions raised totalled £216 6/-. At a meeting on 8 December, it was statedthat the cost of erecting the obelisk was £205 which included additional cost of advertising, preparing site, cartages,wood railings for fence. The additional cost for concrete kerb, iron railings and painting would be £42 10/11. Total exp£247 10/11.
On 21 June 1920, A united service was held in the parish church which was filled to capacity. Mrs Johnston, Stroquhanunveiled the Memorial and Brig. General Johnston gave the address. The company then sang, ‘How bright thoseglorious spirits shine’. The pipers played a lament and the National Anthem was sung.
Note from Sheila: I have condensed this excellent article by the late Dick Farish but plan to type it out in full, togetherwith other historical articles that were in “Score” magazines, and put on the Dunscore Website.
Church Repairs and Restoration Peter Gunnell
In a previous edition of Dunscore Digest there was an article about the damage that was caused to the church by thewinds and rains last winter, and the possible cost of repairing the roof and preventing further ingress of water. Subsequently, since the church’s financial reserves are limited, the Congregational Board decided to explore thepossibility of applying for a grant from the Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF).
As proposed in the HLF guidelines, the Board has invited tenders from three companies with staff accredited toundertake conservation work to act as our professional advisers. The company chosen is ARPL Architects which isbased in Ayr and has considerable experience of working with churches and of successful HLF applications. InitiallyARPL will undertake a conditions survey, a thorough examination of the church, which will identify and then cost all of thework that is required. The conditions survey will then be used to prepare an application to the HLF for any repairs whichmust be undertaken as a matter of urgency.
Two of the requirements of a HLF grant are that the church must be open to the community and to visitors from furtherafield at times in addition to church services. They also require that there is information about the church’s heritage. Inthe case of Dunscore Church, this would include the life of Jane Haining, who cared for Jewish children in Hungaryduring the second world war and died in Auschwitz.
It is anticipated that, before the Board approves a design for display of heritage and an application to the HLF, steps willbe taken to consult the congregation and the wider community. The target date for submission of an application isMarch next year. In the meantime pray for a quieter and drier winter this time around!
Crossreach Week – 2014 Jan Patterson
Crossreach is the Social Care arm of the Church of Scotland. It helps to support quality care for people of all ages whilemeeting the needs of vulnerable people.
The Mission Statement of Crossreach is: In Christ's name we seek to regain and retain the highest quality of life eachindividual is capable of achieving at any given time. No statement says all that could be said and no prayer fullyexpresses our faith. No programme accomplishes the Church mission and no set of goals and adjectives includeeverything. This is what we are about; we plant the seeds. We are prophets of a future not our own.
There are approximately 2,000 full and part time staff are employed by Crossreach and the total cost of providing thesupport is £50,000,000. There are some 70 services available through out Scotland including a dementia service nowavailable in Kirkcudbright. Please contact the Rev Douglas Irving for details of this.
In a world that is characterised by loneliness and hopelessness, may we spread the inspirational news of Jesus Christ.
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Church Fund Raising Theresa McKay
A huge thank you from the church's fundraising team to all those who have supported their events. In a fairly intensivethree-week period the intrepid group held an Arabian Night, ran a Pop-Up Shopand a Christmas Bazaar.
First was the Arabian Night that was held in Glenriddell Hall. Colourful drapesand sheets, lanterns, candles and decorations transformed the hall into acolourful and bright Bedouin tent. Arabian music percolated through the air as adelicious medley of food was served. Alas the belly dancer had to call off as shewas having a baby and the snake charmer took the flu. The evening raised £700.
A massive effort was required for the pop-up shop that materialised for two daysin Dumfries High Street. The shop was manned by enthusiastic volunteers whohelped, served and joked with the customers. The amount of goods that wasreceived for the shop was overwhelming, covering the needs of the manyshoppers that came in to have a look round. The pop-up shop raised £1,530 withsome items to be auctioned, which will add to the final total.
Glenriddell Hall was decoratedonce again, this time in a festivetheme for the Christmas Bazaar.Eight tables representing differentcrafts were set up and items forsale included jewellery, cards,home baking and Christmas decorations. Soup and sandwiches werealso available. Everyone seemed to do well and enjoyed the day. TheChristmas Bazaar raised £260.
Diary DatesOn Saturday, December 13 at 2:00 pm in Dunscore church, there will bea “Christmas Truce Concert” by the Cairn Chorus with songs, prose andpoetry. For tickets (£8 /£6 /£1) call 01848 200681.
On Friday, December 19 at 7:30pm, in Dunscore church, there will be a “Winter’s Night” concert by Emily Smith. Someof the proceeds will go to church funds. Ticket (£10 / £8) are available from Pam Mitchell (and others). Call Pam on820455.
Arabian Andy McKay
Some Older Kids Visited Santa
Musings from Mumbai Raymond Nelson
It is so easy to generalize. Differences between the UK or Europe and India. Oneobvious difference is a general recognition in the west of the goal of jobs, welfare,health, education, housing, pensions etc. for all. And in the UK we do provide that ortry to, at a price which we probably cannot afford or don't want to. In India this is adream and very, very far from fruition (as it is in most of Asia and Africa too). To acertain extent we are just the lucky ones. Mostly our basic needs are met, though nothappiness. You can't buy that or borrow it from the Chinese banks.
They are so far behind. But every time I come here I get a sense of progress. Thereare new national and state governments with radical (for India) agendas that includejob creation, infrastructure improvements, anti-corruption measures, clean-up policiesetc. But fine words butter no parsnips so we will wait and see. Living in India is likebeing inside a swarm of bees. A hectic buzz of activity but seemingly going nowhere.But get outside the swarm and you can see it is moving, if slowly.
I am sitting in an air-conditioned cafe in Mumbai, drinking a cappuccino. Outside in thestreet the drains and road are being repaired. It is all being done by hand, by the samevery dark skinned tribe or caste you see doing such work all over Asia and the MiddleEast. Men and women together, I expect some married to each other. Where in the UKa JCB would do most of the work, here it is all by hand. Women with baskets of stonesor cement perched on their heads, often barefoot but with such dignity, wearingcolourful saris and bright bangles, haughty and expressions that defy pity or sorrowfrom others. They are lean and strong from such work. Sometimes you see themlabouring into the night before eventually going back to their shanty slums and a meal,a wash in a basin, hard earned sleep and then back to work in the morning. Endlesstoil. Their faith may promise them a better life next time. They deserve it.
Indian Road Repairs
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Charity Choices Mary Donaldson
Project LinusWhen Matthew and Kath dropped in to visit us a few weeks ago, myhusband brought them up to my sewing room where I was making a quilt fora charity called Project Linus. Matthew wanted to know more about thischarity and asked me to write a few words for your magazine. I am mostgrateful for the opportunity to do so.
Project Linus was started in America by a woman called Karen Loucks whoread an article about a small child with incurable cancer who had gained agreat deal of comfort from her ‘cuddle’ blanket and took it everywhere withher, particularly when undergoing chemotherapy. Karen decided to organiseblankets for her local children’s cancer unit and started spreading the word.Since then more than four million blankets have been distributed worldwide.
Project Linus UK is a voluntary organisation that aims to provide securityand comfort to sick and traumatised babies, children and teenagers throughthe provision of new home-made patchwork quilts and knitted / crochetedblankets. It started in the UK in March 2000 as a result of a quilter’s desire tohelp children in need. Around 2,000 small quilts and blankets are distributed across the UK each month to sick, disabledor disadvantaged children, some of whom have never owned anything of their own before. As the official blurb says,quilts are given to children who are in need of a hug.
When I started making quilts a year or so ago, I ran out of people to whom to give them, and my sister told me aboutProject Linus. I find it a most satisfying hobby, knowing that perhaps I am bringing a little love into the lives of a child whoperhaps has not had much love in the past. I know from experience of visiting DGRI with the local organiser who wasdelivering quilts to the children’s ward that they are appreciated and I saw the pleasure on the face of a mother nursingan extremely sick baby when the nurse presented her with one of the quilts made by one of the volunteers. The quiltsalso go to local hospices, abuse centres, women’s refuges and sometimes to individual children who, as said before, arein need of a hug. Not every distressed child can be reached, but Project Linus UK tries to help provide tangible evidencethat someone cares, along with trying to provide the physical assurance that comes with being snuggled up in a quilt.The quilts are nearly always delivered to children who are local to the makers.
Project Linus quilts are quite small and not difficult to make – in fact I generally make around three every month. There isalways a need for more as each child owns the quilt once it has been donated. If there is anyone who might beinterested in making even one quilt, either patchwork or knitted or crocheted, I would be more than happy to providemore information and to give the name and telephone number of the local organiser who, I know, would welcome anyoneinterested with open arms!
One of Mary's Quilts
Mac's Memoir Extract from Alexander C. McFadyen's Reminiscences
Space meant that there was no extract from “Mac's Memoir” in the last edition of the Digest but we have managed toinclude another this time.
In all fairness, however, I must share much of that appreciation with my Assistant-Teachers throughout that period – MrsBell, Miss Corrie, Mrs Clark but perhaps most of all with the two young teachers Nancy Lee and Lynne Jones, each ofwhom was, in turn, my sole assistant at Dunscore when the number on the roll fell to sixty-two. At that time I washandling a class of thirty-four, in four different age-groups, with a top class that had to be prepared for the 11-plus exam,of those days.
Looking back at those, for me, delightfully rewarding years in a profession which I have loved – with only one mid-streamexception – right through the forty-plus years of my career, I can see quite clearly how much part of village life I hadbecome without being fully aware of its complete absorption of my time and attention. Most days Chris would tap on theback window of my classroom – our living room had a communal wall with the spare classroom, used only at exam timesor when our numbers qualified our school for a third teacher. The tap on the window would warn me that tea was readyfor serving up. I seldom took any marking into the house.
On Hogmanay, 1946, we had moved into the Schoolhouse, a roomy, stone-built house adjoining the school, with a roll of63 children to be taught and cared for by Mrs Anne Bell and myself. Mrs Bell had early roots in this quiet little village,having lived in the village as a child, the daughter of Dr Morton, who lived in the Corner House by the War Memorial. Now, however, in 1947, she lived in Dumfries, ten miles away and commuted daily by bus.
Nicole, first of our four children, was only three months old. I doubt if she noticed that snow lay deep and even allaround us, the heaviest fall since January 1939 when Jimmy Skinner and I had made our hilarious way back toCloseburn after a night of celebration with our friends, the Murphy family, in Thornhill. Seven weeks passed before wesaw grass in our garden and the surrounding fields, and it was during this period that I met my first Dunscore parents –in a snow-fight by the War Memorial – men like Doug Dunbar, Jimmy Muirhead and Tam Brownlie and many othermembers of the emergency squad of snow-cutters employed by the Council to clear the roads.
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Ethiopia – Work and Travel Alison Boyes
Sarah wrote a piece about her recent work and travels for the Digest but has been unable to send it. I am grateful toAlison who has stepped into the breach!
As I write this, Sarah is on a small cargo ferry crossing Lake Tana, Ethiopia’s largest lake,with no internet access. She is enjoying three weeks of holiday with her boyfriendMatthew after having spent the last few months volunteering in the capital, Addis Ababa.
For the first part of her stay, Sarah was working for the charity Facing Africa. Twice a year,a team of surgeons and anaesthetists and nurses visit Ethiopia for two weeks and rebuildthe faces of victims of the disease Noma. This is a disease of poverty, affecting mostlychildren and kills 80% of sufferers.
Two weeks before the team arrive, the patients travel from all over the country to theLeonard Cheshire home at Menagesha, two hours from Addis. Here they are prepared fortheir surgery by being well fed and clothed and having any dental or medical problemstreated. Sarah’s main task at this time was to befriend the patients (ranging from toddlersup to mid 50s) and to keep them occupied. She had taken a stock of loom bands, Hamabeads, coloring books, pencils and materials for knitting and crochet. All these provedvery popular and, surprisingly, the best knitters were men!
Patients travel to the Korean Hospital in Addis for their operations and Sarah wassometimes able to be with them and assist in theatre. When they travelled back to thehome for four weeks of convalescence, her role was once again to be their friend, keep them occupied and also to helpthe dentist (Donna from Ireland) and nurse (Irene from the Netherlands) with wound care. She was also carrying out asatisfaction survey, to find out how the patients felt about their care.
Once all the patients had recovered and gone home, Sarah had a week to spare before Matthew arrived in Ethiopia. Shespent this at a hospice run by two Italian nuns, Sisters Emma and Carla, who have been working in the poorest district ofAddis for 34 years. Twice a day, the sisters feed up to 60 street children as well as nursing men, women and childrenwith chronic diseases such as TB and leprosy. Sarah was impressed by their energy, as they (and she!) were on the gofrom 5:30 am, when they walked to church for morning mass, to late at night. The nuns have no government fundingrelying on donations and their faith to keep them going.
So… the next three weeks will be a well-earned rest for Sarah. She and Matthew will be travelling north to Gondar andAxum (reputed resting place of the Ark of the Covenant) and then down to Lalibella, home to amazing churches hewnout of the ground and said to be the eighth wonder of the world. She will be home for Christmas and able to tell you allabout it and about what she plans to do next…
Sarah Doing SomeEntertaining
Lubuto News John Drabble
Church Twinning UpdateSince our last report, communication between the congregations has beenmuch improved and Katie Easton has established the prayer link with MaryBanda.
We have remembered them in our prayers, particularly for the 50th
anniversary of both Zambia and theUnited Church of Zambia andfollowing the recent death of theirPresident, Michael Sata, in October.
We have received the splendidnews that the bore hole and pumpin the Lubuto Church compound hasbeen successfully repaired and isproducing clean water available tothe whole community.
The exciting school news is thatthere are now 123 pupils in sixclasses with seven teachers.
Please remember our Lubuto friends and partners in your prayers.
I am looking for someone to help with communication from this end – if youcould assist, please talk to me about what it entails.
Bore Hole Excavations
The "Baby" Class
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The Guild World-wide Kay Keith
You may be aware of the Guild but are unlikely to know a great deal about what it does nationally and internationally.Who better to tell us than this year's National Convenor?
National Convener of the Church of Scotland Guild definitely has a ring about it! What a privilege to be elected into sucha role...but what a responsibility, a challenge, a pleasure as well.
It was with much trepidation that I began my Convenership wondering if I would ever be able to match up to the job. It isa responsibility taking on the role of leader of a movement 23,000 strong. How do you reach out to your members? Howdo you do your bit to ensure this movement, with its long and illustrious history grows and develops in these times ofchanging society, questioning of values and challenging attitudes?
I would love to have instant answers to such searching questions but I know that my role is to support the Guild as itmoves forward, embracing change and adapting and developing how it works in partnership with others to continue to beintegral to service and mission throughout the church. That support has many facets. As Convener, it is challenging andexciting to represent the Guild in diverse forums and groups in and beyond the church. I currently sit on the Church andSociety Mission Forum. The Guild commissioned the Golden Age Project designed to support the inclusion andcontinuing involvement of all older people in church and community - a focus of the work of the Mission Forum. I alsorepresent the Guild in ACTS and their work in anti-human trafficking and on the Task Group on Violence Against Women,required by the General Assembly to consider the church's response to this issue. It is good to know we have a voiceand some influence on the decision-making which informs the service we give.
Exciting, too, are the times when invitations are extended to go to a wide range of activities and events. I was in Canadain May as a guest at the Women's Missionary Society, at a MAF reception in Scottish Parliament in June; attended theCrossreach Week service in St George's Tron Glasgow and look forward to a visit to Nigeria in January to take part inthe centenary celebrations in memory of Mary Slessor. It is a privilege to be present on behalf of the Guild, but anopportunity too to bring back information, questions and comments to lay before our National Executive here. I was alsoasked to write one of the prayers for the referendum which were compiled for the website; I have written a blog on myfavourite hymn for Different Voices (the church's music publication) and am writing my 'speak out' comment for theChurch's campaign which aims to tackle the issue of violence against women.
The challenge of being Convener, however, is undoubtedly the task of moving the Guild forward. There is much to do!We at national level can plan the strategy but getting things done takes the inspired interest, enthusiasm, support andbacking of people at local level. There are 900 Guilds grouped into 60 Presbyterial Councils. Having an effectivecommunication system that allows us to reach out to engage all our members is key. We are in the electronic age ofwebsites, Facebook and Twitter and this can be daunting, indeed overwhelming, for some. But we still needopportunities to meet together face to face, to laugh, to share. That means a lot of praying then doing!
We are widely known for our regular meetings. 'Joining the Guild' seems to mean, to people who are not members,attending meetings every week / fortnight / month, having a bit of worship, a speaker and a cup of tea then going homeagain until next time. These meetings do have an important function in bringing friends together and to support andnurture those in the group who may be in need of that support. But there is so much more!
'Joining the Guild' is also about the service we give, the action we take! Guilds are at work locally, nationally andinternationally. To date over 2½ years we have raised £525,353 towards the six Guild projects , based in Liberia,Rwanda, Malta and Scotland (Glasgow, and Perth).
It is my most challenging and exciting job, as National Convener, to spread this message loudly and clearly whereveropportunity arises, to have this badly underrated organisation fully credited for what it has continued to achieve throughworship, prayer and action over the last 128 years and counting. A privilege indeed!
Friends of the Earth Morag Walker
FoE Dumfries is a very small group of local people interested in promoting a range of environmental issues. In the pastwe have campaigned for improved recycling facilities and signage, more thought-through cycle paths and commented ona range of planning issues.
However, where we are most active is in informing others about environmental issues, on both a local and a world-widescale. Currently we are preparing a display on fracking for the Ewart Library. We have run a number of environmentallyrelated films in the Robert Burns Centre and recently joined forces with Dunscore Fairtrade Village and Flicks in theSticks to show the well received “A Thirsty World” in the Glenriddell Hall. Over 30 people witnessed a highly thoughtprovoking and visually spectacular film on the problems and some of the solutions to water shortages and pollutionthroughout the world. In addition all present enjoyed some tasty snacks and donated towards a toilet twinning at the hall.
FoE Dumfries meetings are held monthly in members' houses in Dunscore, Dumfries and Kirkpatrick Durham, at avariety of times to suit different members. If anyone is interested in finding out more or coming along to our meetingsplease contact me at [email protected].
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Church ContactsMinister: Rev Jannie du Plessis
Phone: 01387 820245 email: [email protected] Clerk: Colin Mitchell Phone: 820455 email: [email protected]
Editor: Matthew Aitken Phone: 820448 email: [email protected] Editor: Alison Boyes Phone: 820263 email: [email protected]
Website: www.dunscorechurch.co.ukDunscore Parish Church – Registered Charity Number: SC016060
Community Council ContactsCommunity Council Chair: Colin Mitchell Phone: 820455 email:
[email protected] Council Secretary: Janet Johnstone Phone: 740335
Why Fairtrade? Matthew Aitken
Are you in favour of buying products made by companies that pay starvation wages and routinely use child labour? Iguess not. But many of us continue to buy tea and coffee made by companies that do these things.
A quick internet search will show that some of the biggest tea and coffee manufacturers pay someof their workers less than $2 per day and have used child slave labour. The Ethical Consumerwebsite produces an Ethical Consumer Score Table. Which instant coffee would you think mighthave the lowest score on this table? It turns out to be the most popular brand of all, Nescafe, witha worrying 1 out of 20 (Cafedirect, a Fairtrade coffee, tops the list with 16/20). Twinings has the“honour” of last place for tea with a paltry 2.5 out of 20 (Tetley has a poor 6). The highest score isEqual Exchange, a Fairtrade tea, with 17 out of 20.
What is it that makes Fairtrade products fair? When you buy a Fairtrade product (one displayingthe “Fairtrade Mark”), you can be sure that the ingredients in the product have been produced by small-scale farmerorganisations or plantations that meet Fairtrade social, economic and environmental standards. The standards includethe protection of workers’ rights and the environment, payment of an agreed minimum price (a living wage) and anadditional Fairtrade Premium for the community to invest in the business or in community projects. Fairtrade also offersrural families the stability of income that enables them to plan for the future.
When questioned, reasons that people often give for not buying Fairtrade products are: “they are too expensive”; “I don’tlike Fairtrade products” and “shouldn’t we be supporting UK farmers instead of farmers overseas?”
Fairtrade products are not too expensive. Many Fairtrade products, and especially tea and coffee, are no moreexpensive (sometimes actually cheaper) than the major brands. But, even where they cost a little more, is this really toomuch to pay to ensure that the producer is not exploited?
People who “don’t like Fairtrade” may have tried a Fairtrade tea or coffee and didn’t like it as much as their usual one. Things have moved on. There are now over 4,500 Fairtrade products and there is a range of Fairtrade tea and coffeeavailable at all UK supermarkets (including Tesco, Sainsbury, The Co-op, Morrisons, Lidl and Aldi) not to mentionindependent shops. If you don’t like one Fairtrade brand, please try another!
And, finally, we certainly should be supporting UK farmers – I am, after all, married to one! There are, however, very fewFairtrade foods that compete directly with UK products so please buy UK produced food wherever you can.
Although UK farmers have been through some tough times (and in some cases are still experiencing very low prices),our children still go to school, we have good health care and have clothes and shoes unlike many Fairtrade farmers andproducers. It is perfectly possible to buy Fairtrade and still support UK farmers - please do.
So, what should you do? Please have another look at the supermarket shelves. Look for the Fairtrade mark and giveFairtrade products another try. Let's stop supporting companies that use child labour and pay starvation wages.
The Fairtrade Mark
Editor's Note: The opinions expressed in the Digest are not necessarily those of the editor, the minister, the Church ofScotland or the Community Council.
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Church Services and Village EventsChurch services are held every Sunday at 10:00 am
Date and Time Event
Sunday 30 November 3:00 – 6:00 pm Flying Pig Sing Along with free pie and peas
Friday 5 December at 7:30 pm Pre-School Silent Auction in the Glenriddell Hall
Saturday 13 December 2:00 pm Cairn Chorus Christmas Truce Concert in Dunscore church
Saturday 13 December 7:00 pm Carol Singing, mince pies and mulled wine in the Flying Pig
Sunday 14 December at 10:00 am Gift Service in Dunscore church
Wednesday 17 December at 1:30 pm School and Pre-School Christmas Service in Dunscore Church
Friday 19 December at 7:30 pm Emily Smith Concert in Dunscore Church
Sunday 21 December at 10:00 am Service of Lessons and Carols in Dunscore Church
Sunday 21 December at 4:00 pm Carol Service in Auldgirth Hall
Wednesday 24 December at 4:00 pm Christingle Service in Dunscore Church
Wednesday 24 December at 11:30 pm Watchnight Service in Glencairn Church
Thursday 25 December at 10:00 am Christmas Service in Dunscore Church
Sunday 28 December at 11:45 am Joint service at St Ninian's, Moniaive.
