Culter Courier No. 111 by Culter Courier

PUBLISHED BY THE COMMUNITY COUNCIL MAY 2008

CHAIRMAIN'S REPORT

CAN hardly believe that three months have elapsed since I was writing an article for the February edition of the Courier. Where has all the time gone? Anyway, the members of the Community Council have been very busy over the last few months relating to matters including planning, roads and paths. Neighbourhood Operational Networks CCC welcomed David Henderson who took over the position ofNeighbourhood Community Planning Officer for Peterculter. David has certainly kept CCC up to date with progress (or lack 00 for the Neighbourhood Operational Network in Aberdeen South. Aberdeen City Council is developing a means of services and agencies working together at neighbourhood level to tackle local priorities and agree actions in South Aberdeen. The development of high-level neighbourhood operational networks across South Aberdeen is to enable this process and to assist in the development and delivery of actions contained within the Neighbourhood Community Action Plans. Members of CCC attended the first Aberdeen South Neighbourhood Network event in April at Garthdee. There was clarification on how the Neighbourhood Network was structured but it appears the focus was on collecting information but not feeding back to the individual communities/ neighbourhoods or engaging them in prioritisation of the needs they have identified. There is still a lot of Lvork to be d o n e t o get everyone working together.

"Your Culter" "Your Culter" Day was set for Saturday 10th May at Culter Village Hall ( l lam3pm).

This was an opportunity for residents of Peterculter t o "have their say" and highlight priorities they wished to see included in the next Neighbourhood Community Action Plan. Hopefully you will have had the opportunity to speak to the Neighbourhood Community Planning Ot'ficer and CCC members who also had a stand. We welcomed residents and they were able to talk to the CCC members on Roads, Paths, Environment, and Planning. It was also an opportunity for local people to see what is on offer in and around the village by the way of clubs, activities etc. Soine 30 organisationsigroups/clubs set up their stalls to let residents know what was available for all the ages and interests froin toddlers to pensioners. We hope that you found it a worth-while exercise. AWPR CCC has recently had a meeting with the AWPR team which included a lacobs Baptie representative. The purpose of the meeting was to clarify issues as CCC has been frustrated by the lack of real community engagement and real consultation. The meeting was very helpful as t h e Jacobs Baptie representative clarified many of our

points. However. CCC still has major concerns on the side road design of the AWPRIA93 Milltimber Junction. CCC will be writing to participate in the Public Local Inquiry which is currently scheduled for August. The Pre-Inquiry meeting is set for Tuesday 13th May at the AECC Meeting With First (Aberdeen) Ltd Members of the Community Councils of Culter and Cults, Bieldside. Milltimber held a public meeting with George Mair and Ben Gilligan from First (Aberdeen) Ltd to discuss the No 24 Bus Service which currently operates between Culter, Cults, Garthdee and City Centre. Residents of Peterculter, Cults, Bieldside and Milltiinber feel that the current No 24 bus service could be improved and all suggestions were tabled to First (Aberdeen) Ltd. These included * the time taken to get to the city centre, * the bus timetable which did not have enough flexibility for users * and the routing ofthe bus through Culter itself which did not cover all key areas. An explanation was given by First Culter Courier Courier...!

IT'S GURTAINS FOR YOU 11/13 SCOTT SKILIRIER SQUARE BANCHORY

BEAUTIFUL AND UNUSUAL FABRICS IN STOCK. ALSO LARGE SELECTION OF CUSHIONS AND TIEBACKS. ON SITE WORKROOM.

(Aberdeen) Ltd ofhow historically the% 24 bus represented Lower Deeside and the No 2 1 bus represented Garthdee but neither was economically viable. The No 24 bus is a compromise pushed by the local City Councillors and it is still subsidized by First (Aberdeen) Ltd. Objective points were raised at the meeting and Culter Community Council will be communicating further with First (Aberdeen) Ltd to see how this service can be improved based on several of these points.

Neighbourhood Watch Brochures CCC received a grant from ACC to spend on Anti-social funding within Peterculter. After careful consideration, CCC opted to allocate the grant to providing a Neighbourhood Watch Brochure for each household in the Community. The brochure is very useful for city wide services contact details e.g. Police We are hopeful to have them dropped through each resident's letterbox during June.

James Farquhar Clltll~

Culter Community Council !,:-F-'

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PLANNING S I N C E last reporting in February's edition of the Courier, the members of Culter Community Council ( C C C ) Planning Sub-group have been particularly busy. In March, we received a letter from the Scottish Government Department of Planning which asked Community Councils to comment on the next stages ofmodernising the Planning Act, this time dealing with Regulations and Supplementary Legislation. In 2005 we had commented on the new Act itself which came into force in December 2006. Although its aim was to simplify planning, it also was intended to bring developers and communities 'round the table' to reach a consensus rather than the present 'us and them' confrontation we often have. Keeping in mind that these new stages are dealing with how Structure Plans and Local Plans and applications should be

developed and managed, and some of the proposals should be to the advantage of communities and individuals, we felt we had to take part to ensure that these were not lost. (This took us three afternoons and four evenings of work so we hope our efforts were successful.) The next consultations with which we will have to deal are Modernising Planning Appeals and, following that, the formal consultation on the Draft New Structure Plan for North East Scotland due out, we believe, in mid-May. These are both important to what may happen in and around Culter in the future, and how we will be able to deal with it.

Weekly Lists Some of the Planning Applications I reported o n in February have been decided by the Planning Committee. These were: * Perinission was granted to allow a dwelling house to be built in the grounds of Highgrove House, Culter House Road. and similarly, Houses to be built in the grounds of 46and 48 Culter House Road. * After a detailed evaluation and a site visit by Aberdeen City Councillors, the planning application for Boarding Kennels at the Baads Farm was refused.

New applications a) 1 Towerview Way: planning permission was applied for and granted to purchase a small piece of amenity land to create a driveway. b) 20 Hillview Road: house extensions and a driveway. The members of CCC objected to the design of the extension (not the principle of it) and they did not object to the driveway. c) On the day of our last CCC meeting on 22 April, we were notified that outline planning permission had been made for the site of the Bush Garage, Brighton Place, to replace it with a block of 18 flats. Because there was no time to obtain a copy of the plans or do a site visit, the members of CCC sent a 'holding letter' to the Planning Department and deferred discussion of this until our meeting on 2 1 May. I will certainly keep you posted on this one.

Lavina C Massie Planning Liaison

playing on an area where there are signs clearly indicating that dogs should not be exercised, only for one of the children to have fallen in "dog poo". Another example was where an elderly person came to put her wheelie bin out when the light was fading and stepped in "dog poo" at her front gate. The person hadn't realised and then trailed it into her home, having to spend the best part of the rest of the evening cleaning it up. As with most challenges that are highlighted to me, this problem is caused by a small minority in our community but I would ask that those responsible do the right thing and pick up their four-legged ti-iends' deposits.

THE SHELL Com~nunity Fund Awards 2007108 took place in the Town House on 5 March 2008 at a Civic Reception hosted by the Lord Provost, Peter Steplien. This is the 6th year Shell has supported Aberdeen City Council's Colninunity Planning giving them a total f 120,000 over the period. Each year, Shell has worked with Aberdeen City Council (ACC) to see where the support is needed most. Shell has agreed in principle to a further three years' funding (ÂŁ20.000 per year) and discussion is still taking place as to how this should be used. At the reception, Lord Provost Stephen said: 'Clearly this long-tenn support from Shell has been a valuable example of private-public sector partnership.' Culter Courier was nominated by our Neighbourhood Planning Officer. Ruth Morris, and we are gratefill to her for thinking of us. Twenty-one community newsletters applied for this award and each received ÂŁ955. The newsletters have to: * be non-political, * be not for protit, * keep readers up-to-date with Neighbourhood Planning issues, * serve the whole community and ensure that residents are aware of the many things happening in their area. On behalf of the Courier 'team'. 1 thank Shell for their generous award to us; it is appreciated very much and it w ~ lhelp l us

to continue serving Culter residents in a positive manner. Marjory J Skinner Editor

(Unfortunately I was only released from hospital on the afternoon of the Civic Reception and missed the award ceremony. Anne Russell (Advertising) and Ann Wakefield (Distribution) attended and enjoyed the experience very much.!

The last few months saw an escalation in problems with the street lighting especially in Johnston Gardens North and East where deterioration of underground cables and faulty parts in new lights have been to blame: thankfully the lights are now in working order. The schedule for removing the old street lights is on-going and hopefully we should see the removal of the old street lights in Culter over the next couple of months. The bus infrastructure has now been upgraded o n North Deeside Road, Malcolm Road and Johnston Gardens with a range of improvements such as enclosed shelters, cantilever shelters and raised kerbs.

Finally the crossing on the North Deeside Road beside the BP petrol station is still a cause of great concern. Many people have approached me fearing for people's safety particularly children using the crossing. The problem occurs when traffic is queuing on the North Deeside Road waiting to turn up Coronation Road or for a bus to move away froin the bus stop. The queuing traffic leaves the crossing clear allowing people to use it but the users view of the traffic coming from the other direction is obscured by Councillor Marie Boulton the queuing traffic. Whilst the answer is to wait until you can see in both directions. MY LAST article focused on anti social children in particular don't always use this behaviour by youths but this time the rationale: they see a car has stopped at coinplaints I have been receiving have the crossing and assume it is safe to cross. been about "dog poo". The complaints 1 have had meetings with council officers have come from a range of people across at the location and will continue to pursue the ward including dog owners, u ho, like a 11ghts-activated crossing with the many in the community, are fed up with backing of Culter Community Council lazy dog owners. Some of the co~nplaints and a petition that has been raised by local have been where children have been residents. Please do not be alarmed if you

see someone taking pictures of cars queuing on the North Deeside Road beside the crossing: it will just be me gathering evidence to support our case.

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ensure there is up-to-date, accurate timetable information at each stop. To improve the service, please let me know of any concerns and I will let the bus companies know.

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Councillor Aileen Malone

NORTH Deeside Road Upgrade Work: The road works in Culter on North Deeside Road caused some inconvenience to residents. I followed up various complaints about this. I am pleased that the work has at last finished. The end result is a significant improvement for Culter. Thank you for your patience during this essential upgrading work. Street lights: I have been following up complaints about street lights that remain lit during the day. I have been able to have repairs carried out to address this wasteful problem. Lights are controlled automatically by a light-sensitive switch. The Council's street light progralnrne is replacing the older types of switch with units which cause fewer maintenance problems. The new devices should reduce the frequency of lights burning during the day. Street lights are inspected for faults each three weeks and during the hours of darkness. No specific inspection is carried out during daytime. Please let me know of any problems you notice and I will try to help. Bus route along North Deeside Road: The bus route along North Deeside Road is an important facility for many residents and I am pleased Aberdeen City agreed to install new bus shelters along the route. 1 also have been trying to

Councillor Alan Milne THIS HAS been a very difficult session for Aberdeen City Council (ACC), facing a deficit of E27 million in its funding. As a result, the administration has had to make some hard decisions to effect savings. You all will be familiar with what has been done but it may be possible to integrate some of the effects on citizens; time will tell. If ACC received the average settlement for Scotland, we would have E65 million extra cash but the complex funding formula puts us at the bottom of the heap - the lowest in Scotland. I look forward to the Accounts Commission investigation in May. You will have noticed that work has commenced on the new International School at Pitfodels. The tree cutting seems to be escessive but 1 am assured it is required for a new access road and there will be a replacement programme. The wet weather during March and early April has shown up a number of blocked gullies resulting in flooding. Thank you for your notification of these and I hope resolutions will soon be in place. Fly-tipping of litter is still a problem as is personal dropping of litter which spoils our

streets. Please take it home and make sure bin lids are closed. Dog owners -please clean up, too.

I have contributed to the Cults Scouts and Culter Christmas Lights from my Ward Budget. Good luck to these organisations. As ever, 1 will do my best to help with your enquiries. Contact: Home 86781 6 Office (ACC:) 523 148 Surgeries: 1 st Monday of the month at Cults Primary School (7-7.30pm) -

NEIGHBOURHOOD COMMUNITY PLANNING COMMUNITY Planning is a process through which the council and its public sector partners, in consultation with the voluntary and private sector, and the community, can agree a vision for the area and the actions that each of the partners will take in pursuit of that vision. Three of the main objectives are: * To improve the services provided by local service providers through closer and more co-ordinated working. * To provide a process where coinmunities can consult with public sector providers. * To help the council and their public sector partners collectively to identify the needs and views of individuals and communities and to assess how they can best be delivered and addressed.

CULTER GALA 2008 AFTER doubts as to whether a Gala would get off the ground this year, the Gala Committee is pleased to announce that it will be . . . BUSINESS AS USUAL ... Culter will have its Gala in 2008 The programme is included with your Courier and we hope you will support all the events. Already we have had a lot of help from local Businesses and Associations. Now the success will be up to you all -and the weather!!!! We start off with a Race Night on Saturday 17th May in the Village Hall. There are posters around the Village. This is great fun and is our biggest money spinner. COME Buntings will go up in the main road on Monday 19th May. If you want to help. just turn up at the Pop-in at 6.30pm

* GALA DAY - SATURDAY 3 1st May in the School Field

The Procession route will be the same as usual with the tractors and floats starting at Borsalino's. The Pipe Band will be performing during the parade. However I'm sure you have been wondering about the blockages at the normal entrance to the Field. These won't be moved this year, but the Path down into the Field has For information and work ongoing on been widened to allow pedestrians to enter Community Planning in Aberdeen and the Field there. Culter please go to The vehicles will continue up Coronation www.communityplanningaberdeen.org.uk Road, down School Road and into School Crescent to enter the field. Neighbourhood Planning is an ongoing process and, as some issues are resolved. There will be lots to see and do. Parents new issues will be raised. Aberdeen City with small children are invited to enter Council in April 2008 along with its them in the FANCY D R E S S community partners and voluntary COMPETITION in the theme 'Culter organisations will be continuing the Land of Make Believe'. This will take process where priorities for Culter for place soon after the opening ceremony in 200811 0 will be established. the ring. We hope to have displays to suit a variety of interests and hope you all Should you wish to discuss the plan or enjoy the day. the process please do not hesitate to tact me On 224) 522428 O r The Committee has worked very hard to davidhenderson@aberdeencity.gov.uk make this a success but as always there is a need for more manpower. If you are David Henderson strong, willing and available to help Neighhourlzood Commzrnity Planning setting up the Field and clearing away, Officer

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PETERCULTER MEDICAL PRACTICE FOLLOWING a rather unsatisfactory spell of political pressure to rush the improvement in access to primary care services, the practice will be commencing an evening surgery once per week on Mondays, starting on Monday 28 April. Two doctors will be available to see 8 patients each commencing at 6pm through to 8pm. When booking a GP appointment at the surgery you may be offered one of these 'late' appointments if this is appropriate to your needs or work schedule etc. This availability is for pre-booked appointments only and it must be emphasised that it is only doctors who will be available at the surgery at this time if tests are needed there will be a requirement to return during usual working hours to see the nurse. It also needs to be emphasised that the current method for accessing urgent medical care after 6pm still applies - t h a t is viaNHS24 (on 08454-242424) and the G M E D service - the extension to the surgery hours on a Monday is not meant to be 'open access'. There will be minimal staffing at reception and no opportunity to take incoming phone calls. -

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please come forward; 'Your Village needs you' and so does the Gala C:ommittee. WET WEATHER - The Gala events will still take place * in the School playground and Car Park, * in the Mill Club Car Park. Here's hoping it won't happen! ! Looking forward to seeing you there Ann Wakefield, GULL/Committee

Entry to the field for all stall-holders is by the gate o n School Crescent, opposite the Mill Club Car Park.

We would like to stress that the way in which this development has been introduced by the UK governments has not been popular with the profession. While we are always anxious to work to improve the service that w e offer (including access to us), we feel that with proper negotiation and medical involvement in planning, a more rational method of offering 'extended opening' could have been achieved which individual practices could have tailored to the needs of the populations that they serve. We do however hope that you find our new once weekly late surgery will suit some of you, and would welcome any feedback.

Dr Douglas Harris

PETERCULTER PARISH CHURCH EVERY year, church members contribute to the work o f Christian Aid by undertaking a door to door collection. Over the years, many thousands of pounds have been raised for this excellent cause by residents in the village.

L hope you might feel able to support this again when collectors come around from the week beginning May 17th. Your money can help make a real difference in the countries in which Christian Aid and its partners work. It aims to tackle poverty and its causes by reaching out to some of the poorest communities on earth. I will be holding informal membership meetings for those interested in becoming a member of the Christian Church or who simply wish to explore aspects of the Christian faith without making a commitment. By the time you read this. the meetings will have begun (on May 7th) but you can still come along to hrther meetings on May 14th, 21st. 28th and June 4th. all at 7.00 pm in the church. Our involvement in the Gala this year will include organising a walking treasure hunt. This will take place on Friday May 30th leaving from the church at 7.00 pm. Our Summer Fayre takes place this year on June 14th from 2 . 0 0 4 . 0 0 pm A wide range of stalls will be available on the day. Tickets can be purchased at the door. O u r monthly lunches on [he first Wednesday of the month are proving to be very popular. not least because a delicious lunch is provided to everyone in the community for just f 3 ! The final lunch before the summer break will be on Wednesday June 4th and they will restart on Wednesday September 3rd. Our Saturday coffees continue until the end of June, while our Thursday morning coftkes continue over the summer. John Ferguson

of 'sneak-in' thefts t o homes, garages, outhouses, and sheds, primarily during the hours of darkness. A 'sneak-in' is where the thief does not have to overcome any form of security. In other words, life is made easy for a thief when doors and windows are not locked. One simple step can be taken to avoid being the next statistic. Ensure that your buildings are secure at all times, even when you are 3t home. It is also worth remembering that to assist in the recovery ol'property it is beneficial to the Police for a full description including model and serial numbers of items to be available. In addition. security marking of property is recommended. Fu~-therad\icecanbeobtainedby bisiting the Police Office. T h e Police Office door is open on alternative Saturday mornings, from 10 May onwards, in order to allow those who work Monday to Friday 9 to 5 to report any non-urgent incidents or concerns taking place in the village. Your local officers and the Roads Policing Department continue tu carry out speed checks on a regular basis in and around Culter. This is as a result of concerns raised by residents, who feel that speed limits are not always being adhered to. Grampian Police will have a pitch at Culter Gala on 3 1st May. The on-duty officers look forward to meeting with anyone who is seeking advice on Crime Reduction or a career with Grampian Police You can contact Grampian Police on 0845 600 5 700 for non-emergency calls and of course 999 for emergency calls only.

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LAW! WHAT a pleasant surprisc to receive the ,fbllowing letter from a resident (who p/.<fk/.sto renzain anonymous). It makes a chcingc frotn the i(.slltzl t.eports OJ negligent ond uncaring police who .foil to tzln7 LIPat an incident. W011 done to our loca2 bobbies.

"We all know that Culter is a good place to live. Friends, family and neighbours support each other day by day. Another network caring for us involves our school, church and local organisations and all the folk who give up their own time to be with

us w h e n w e need t h c m . We all acknowledge our good fortune in being a part of such a caring cummunity. There is another important factor In keeping Culter safe and decent in these changing times. That is thc unsung and dedicated work being carried out, at all hours, by our police forces (both local and surrounding police forces). The care and excellent work they continually offer Culter's residents is acknowledged here, by one very grateful person. Thankyolr, most sincc~el~.."

householders on the main road who would like to instal window boxes on their properties please give our secretary Catherine a call on 73371 0 if you would like help or advice

Alex Ednie & Kirn Martin are pleased to announce the o~enincrof:

MEKA

In addition to stocking our ever-increasing numbers of containers, large and small, we also hope to tit baskets to all the lamp posts along the North Deeside Road this year but sadly we've been told that this ambition may fall foul of the Aberdeen City Council cuts as the new lamp posts require stainless steel brackets which are four times more expensive than the old ones.

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PLANNING BEFORE PLANTING Our photograph shows some of our members at one of our regular meetings a reminder that we have to spend considerably more time discussing planting options, new ideas, ongoing projects and budgets than we spend actually planting. However, you'll see our conspicuous yellow safety vests soon enough -the summer planting of our 100 plus minibarrels, mangers, baskets and boxes around the village will take place in mid June, and before then we will have a "clean up Culter" litter clearance initiative involving the young people of the vilIage. Check our website for details w e also hope to see you at the Gala!

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MANY thanks to all the private and business donors and sponsors who are continuing to support Culter in Bloom this year - our postcard appeal with the last Courier brought in over 70 private donations and we hope that the potentillas which we gave by way of thanks will reward you by blossoming in your garden for years to come! We have decided to enter Culter in the Beautiful Scotland contest this ycar. This is like a football club stepping up into the Premier League - unlike the Neighbourhood Awards scheme which we have entered for the last three years this is a truly competitive event for communities throughout the country and we will need to "raise our game" to stand a chance of winning an award when the judges visit us in August. NEW FEATURES However we will have some attractive new features to show. One of these is "Kennerty Community Corner", the amenity area which we have created downhill from the car park and recycling area with the help of our supporters and

sponsors. It's been planted out with shrubs and herbaceous plants and is nearing- completion at last. We'll have a little opening ceremony soon when the public bench is fixed in place. We also will tit two big new window boxes at the Police Station to accompany the hanging baskets which we normally put there they should bring a welcome splash of colour to one ofour " c i ~ic buildings". We will run our usual "adopt a basket" scheme for homes and businesses along North Deeside Road, and we'd also very much like to encourage private

Erik Stien Chairinan www.culterinbloom.org,uk Mapping out this.vear S plarrtingplans H~rckro1il,/ioi11Iq't Georgc .\rllir~r. 1)ick tiagel. S:~nd) Cook. Frotll ~orl'Jevi Cook. secrelar) (:allieri~ic1.a~): .\111ic L\;IISOI~ ;~ti(LU11111 Mire\lces

THE DEPUTY LIEKTTENANTS NOW THAT I am about to retire as a Deputy Lieutenant for the City o f Aberdeen, the editor has asked me to tell you what this cornmission is all about. (I couldn't have been done this at the start of my commission as I myself was not aware o f what honour, duties and privileges it brought!) The Lord Provost ofAberdeen is also the Queen's representative in the City with the commission of Her Majesty's Lord Lieutenant. Because of his many duties, the Lord Lieutenant can appoint deputies to stand in for him on soine occasions but mainly to assist in the duties and act as informal 'ambassadors' for the City. Aberdeen usually has 10-12 Deputy Lieutenants (DLs) serving at any one time so you can see what an honour these appointments are. Lord Lieutenant's Cadets are chosen from the Cadet units in the City. And of course there are the four Town Sergeants. The fact that all of these titles have a military sound is because, in prebious times, the Lord Lieutenant was expected - among other duties to raise an army o f citizens to defend the City in 'emergency situations' until the regular army could come and take over! Those in the post were expected to have some military background and experience. This remained unchanged until the 1920s1930s when changes gradually began. -

By the 1950s, the Lieutenancies across the UK had been 'modernised': Lord Lieutenants and the Deputies now are selected for 'their dedication and public

~OIPIEN IINIG S4l6N 161 North Deeside Road Peterculter Aberdeen spirit', often coming to the notice of the Lord Lieutenant through their voluntary, charitable or community work. They are expected to be 'approachable and ready to listen, enjoy people and be ready to deal with anyone.' They are usually people in the 'eve of their careers who have agreed to take office for which they are not paid. They exercise no power, no insidious patronage and no politics.' (The exceptions to this are the Lord Lieutenants of Aberdeen, Dundee. Edinburgh and Glasgow where they have the 'double duty' as the politically appointed Lord Provost as well as being Lord Lieutenant where they must put politics aside.) Allowing woinen to be DLs (although it had been considered) did not occur until the 1960s following the election of Glasgow's first female Lady Provost and, apparently, Aberdeen has been the first city in the UK to appoint a woman into the post of Vice-Lord Lieutenant,the senior Deputy Lieutenant. The duties I ha\ e carried out have all been most enjoyable and covered a wide variety o f occasions to meet (and congratulate) people: * 100th birthdays

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* 60th wedding anniversaries * Medal ceremonies for the Police, Fire and Rescue, and Ambulance Services * Assessing the nominations of local voluntary groups for the Queen's Award for Voluntary Service * Nominating local people to attend the Queen's Garden Party at Holyrood * Accompanying the Lord ProvostILord Lieutenant to civic receptions * And meeting, greeting and givig the

'Scotland t h e Brave', w e answer, 'Scotland the What?"'

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We are lucky to have another Deputy Lieutenant on our 'doorstep'. Mr James Milne (Balmoral Group) who lives at Ardbeck House and supports C ~ ~ l t einr many ways, is also a DL.

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CULTER SCHOOL PARENT COUNCIL

CULTER School Parent Council is delighted with the recently published HMle Report. Our thanks go to the Headteacher and all the statffor their hard work which is reflected in the positive comments in the Report. We are fortunate to have such a good school in our community.

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welcome s p e e c h at the recently established Citizenship Ceremonies.

(For those who do not speak the Doric "making everybody laugh".)

Beyond the pleasure and privilege of meeting so many people who serve our city and communities, and others who volunteer their time and efforts so generously to everyone's benefit, other privileges are conferred on DLs due to their 'standing' in the city. On ceremonial occasions such as parades to church for the "Kirkin' o' the Cooncil". and for Remembrance Sunday, the DLs march near the front and have their own seating area in the Kirk of St Nicholas Uniting.

The final honour and privilege is that I will be able to retain the 'DL' letters after my name even though I will no longer have to perform any duties.

At ceremonies where chosen celebrities and high achievers are granted this city's highest honour - being given the 'ti-eedom of the city' -the DLs are given a 'front row seat'. I have been privileged to watch Professor John Mallard when he was given his honour for his pioneering work on MRI and PET scanners (so important in medicine now-a-days). And recently the 'Scotland the W h a t ? ' team l'or "maakin' a'body 1at.f".

1,avina C Massie DL MBE BSc

Editor - Points of Interest: Dr Stuart Duncan's open-topped Vintage Rolls Royce was used to transport the 'Scotland the Whats?' team in the parade from the Town's House to HM Theatre. (Tl-ad if ion all^^ is .clzould have been h), horw andcavric~gebzlt one oj'the team is uller-gic to animals.) The other Rolls Royce, which carried the Lord Lieutenant and his officers in the parade, had been used to transport Sir Winston Churchill when he received the freedoin ofthe City of Aberdeen. Why the question mark in the team's title? t r i o qLlip? " W h e n people say

There has been much publicity recently about Aberdeen City Council's budget cuts and the effect those cuts are likely to have on the education services in the City. The Culter School Parent Council has been monitoring the situation very closely over the past few weeks and liaising with the Headteacher on a regular basis to ensure we have the latest information and are able to lend support as and when it is needed. We have attended meetings with other Parents Councils and Nicol Stephen and are keeping a very close eye on any developments which will affect Culter School. It is hope that the number of teaching statfat Culter School will remain unchanged as a result of these cuts but it is still likely that the school will have to find considerable savings in the day-today expenditure. This undoubtedly will have an etfect on what the school can offer in terms of visits and other 'extras'. Since the forniation of the new Parent Council and the demise of the old School Board and PTA regime, it was decided that the Council s h o ~ ~ lstill d have a g r o u p of parents whose special fundraising talents could be tapped. We therefore have formed a sub-group of the Parent Council called "Culter School Fundraising Group (CSFG). We would like to thankeveryone for their

continued support of the Spring Fayre which once again proved to be a very popular and successful event. The amount raised was in excess o f ÂŁ2,000 which is much needed to support the school in enhancing the educational development of the children in this community.

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Alan Veale - Chair, Culter School Parent Council Alison Yule Chair, CSFG -

225 North Deeside Road. Peterculter 4 734734

Editor: Congratulations to Mrs Crossan (Headteacher) and staffof Culter Primary School on the excellent Report from HM Inspectors. Perhaps the first week back after the Christmas holidays was not the best of times for an inspection but proved no obstacle to a well-run school.

CULTER 50+ WALKING GROUP ON A bright sunny day at the end of .January we had a walk on the stretch of the D e e between Park and Crathes, making use of the surfaced railway linc as well as the river path. Our next walk was in thc Forest of Birse. Following that we headed for a coastal walk from St Cyrus to Ciourdon: again the weather was kind for the time of year and we had the wind behind us. Our next two walks were in t h e Monyinusk area followed by a w a l k t h r o u g h the Bellwood at Aboyne.

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For more information on the group please contact Kate Thomson (phone no. 0 l330 81 1275). Although our membership is full at present it tends to fluctuate and we would be delighted to put any new names on our waiting list.

The nest few walks planned will see us at:

* Haddo,

* two local walks at Durris and around Culter,

* the 7 bridges at Ballater and * south to Montrose.

We will be holdinz" our annual summer camp as usual in July and preparations are undel- way Tor that. ,

Ethel Taylor

In April w e did one of our well-trodden walks, starting from Hazlehead and following the Upper Denhum. It was a very cold day but seeing the trees in blossom en route reminded us that it was spring.

Juniors and Seniors and our Juniors recently won the Unihoc -well done!

47TH ABERDEEN (CULTER) CO. THE BOYS BRIGADE BOYS' Brigade is nearing the end o f t h e session once again and w e will finish on the 15th May wit11 our annual open night at Culter School. Parents, relatives and friends of the boys will be ablc to see some examples of what the boys do on a T h u r s d a y e v e n i n g and this will be followed by the prize giving. The Junior Section finish offslightly later, on the 17th May with their tri-annual outing to Landmark. Compared to previous years, w c have entered quite a few o f the Aberdeen Battalion conlpetitions this year with mixed success. We reached the semifinals of the indoor football for both

Preparations are also well under w a y f o r o u r C e n t e n a r y celebrations in 2009. Any old boys interested should keep an eye out for what's going on and we should be in touch if w e know where you are! If w e don't, please make yourselves known to any of the Officers or Centenary Comn~ittee. Mike Reid Comnpany Cupruin mikereid47@hot1nail.com

CULTER BO-PEEPS AND TODDLERS WELL here w e are heading towards suminer at an alarn~ingrate and it is about to get busy for the Culter Bo Peeps & Toddlers Group. It's Gala time and we are getting all set up for it. The group is once again organising the Kids' Treasure Hunt and please note it is on SATURDAY 24th May at I pm leaving f r o m the teachers' car park at Culter School. We had a great turn out last year so hopefully we can repeat that success.

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The Duck Race is on SUNDAY 25th May at 2pm at Bumside with the group selling ducks for three of the races: look out for parents with ducks to sell!!! We will also have our usual stall on Gala Day s o come along and say Hi to us all.

---AmA-u.,

This year w e are hoping to continue with the Toddler Group throughout the Summer with sessions every Monday and Friday from 9.30am-1 1.30am in the Village Hall. These will be open to children aged birth to 3 years (with parentsicarers) and older siblings welcome. The sessions will cost £1 .S0 (up to 91nths) 61£2.50 (over 91nths)with a second child

half price. We would like the s e s s i o n s t o be b o o k e d in advance so that w e know that it will be a viable event. To book a session o r for more i n f o r m a t i o n contact F i o n a Jones 011tel:07775 955 250 or fionaiu)seajays.org.uk This is Iny last article for Toddlers as my wee one will g o full time to Playgroup after the Summer. We'll miss Toddlers and 1 encourage any mum or care!- to come along and find friendship and support while the little 'tikes'run off some steam. Thanks for all the support, Fiona Jones (C17nirpcr:sorl)

CULTS COMMUNITY EDUCATION WE ARE into the summer term of our Adult Learning Programme and are pleased to be offering two new classes in Culter; Card Making and Beaded Jewellery Workshops, both being held in The Pop-In. If these classes prove to be p o p u l a r w e will run t h e m a g a i n in September and can expand the programme to include other arts and crafts. Get in touch if you would be interested in any of these classes. There are still some places left on a few of our courses starting in May:

* First Aid (20 May, &20 for 2 weeks in Cults Comlnunity Centre), * Beaded Jewellery (22 May, £8 for 2 weeks in the Pop-In) * Gadgets ior Grown Ups - MP3 Players ( 2 2 May, £ 2 8 f o r 6 w e e k s in C u l t s Library) and * Computing for Beginners (date to be confirmed). £27 for 6 weeks in Culter Primary School).

~T h,e Italian a n d Spanish language classes have started already but. if you are interested in learning a new language, get in touch over the summer as we will be offering beginners'

L e a r n i n g Programme which will be issued in August ofkring a wide range of classes at various venues across the community.

Contact Alison May, the Adult Learning Co-ordinator at Cults Community Centrc if you would like further information or Tel: 0 1 2 2 4 8 6 8 8 5 8 Email cultsadult1earning@r1npIc.co.uk or visi Website: http:i our beehive.thisisnorthscotland.co.uk/cultsc for up-to-date news on new courses.

CULTER COMMUNITY DIARY Groups leaders are reminded about the Diary which is available at the Comniunity Hall. The intention is to avoid event clashes. S o far there have been very few contributions - please reinember it will benefit your group's fund-raising if there is no other special activity planned for that day or evening.

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CULTER Boys Club held its annual presentation evening in April and celebrated the 2007-08 season; another season of success for Culter Youth Football Club. 2008 sees C'ulter Boys Club into its 25thAnnibersa1-yand it was Culter is encountering anothcr thrilling fitting that Culter YFC attained the much final few weeks to this season with the coveted Quality Mark. We currently have 14s Deeside fighting for proinotion from l 9 teams. aged between 5 and 19 years their B-League. Hopefully it will be our of age all enhancing their football skills, congratulation to this year's 14s Deeside teamwork, and healthy life-styles for both for winning the League and pro~notionto boys and girls. Playcr nurnbers are nearly next season's A-Leagus. At all other age 300, making Culter groups Culter was we1 I represented with YFC one o f the all of our teams winning their fair share biggest Clubs in of games during the season. Long gone $t# the NE o f are the days of C'ulter teams being Scotland, popular involved in Consolation cups season after ~ t s season: this in itsclf is something to be through empl~asis on very proud of in terms of the progress of /le. frieridl~nessand the club. Equally . . e n j o y a b l e important is approaches to youth football. recognising all thc hard work and In the older age colnpetitive league effort put in by the section. seven teams, aged between 14 players and and 19 years have played matches in the coaches of all the Great Northern Trophies League plus teams to improve various Cup conipctitions. Well done to their skills and the 17s who were our only representatives health whilst having fun in the A-League and have retained their A-League status with a \,cry respectable The younger age groups are in a very first season and consolidating their healthy state holding weekly training prornotion last season. The 17shabe also sessions and friendly matches in the 5 to done exceptionally well in reaching the 11 age groups. There have been inany final of the Noskab Trophy to be played good results against traditionally strong later in May. opposition teams. We are now regularly

257 North Deeside Road, Peterculter Telephone: 733100

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Dyce Boys Club at the younger age groups. This again is testament to the progress the club is making. This year saw the new venture for Culter with the introduction of the 5s and 6s age groups. This has proved n grcat success with the nurnbers being high every week and, more importantly. a smile on every kid's face.

DEE-CIDERS WALKING GROtTP IN THE past few months, we have had some very interesting walks, mostly exhilarating, especially in the gorgeous snowy winter wonderland. but also one which had a sad outcome. In February we were in the Balmoral Estates leaving the bus at the Lochnagar Distillery (not open!). A detour from the main path took us through woods past Tornauran to Balnacroft where we met a lady with her dog. Apparently Queen Victoria used to come here to visit a friend but the house in now in ruins as is a small chapel. It's good to meet folk who have knowledge of the history of local places.

3 19 North Deeside Road PETERCULTER AB1 4 OUL TEL: 01224 733773

OPENING HOURS Monday - Saturday: 4.00pm - 10.30pm Sunday: 4.00pm - 9.00pm

Catering for children so young sets Culter Youth FC apart froin every other club in the NE of Scotland and it is with great pleasure that we are able to sit back and say it has been a success. The continued growth of our Club has been recognised by the Scottish Football Association in 3 supporting and assessing C Y F C through the "Quality Mark" Programme. This is part ofthe SFAYouth Action Plan to broaden the role of clubs in the community and to develop excellence at grass-roots level. Culter has been working hard in continually raising the standards at the club. We strive to ensure all our coaches have * recognised SFAcoaching qualifications. * been Child Protection Disclosure Scotland checked. * and First Aid qualifications. This al hard work paid off in December when the SYFA awarded C'ulter Youth F C with the Quality Mark award making us the first youth football club in the NE of Scotland to receive the award. So my congratulations go to Mick Thornton

.,+

for driving this forward C'Y FC also continues ~ts 'WB community role @ through arious aspects including lts 5-a-side tournament and the Culter Gala \c ~ t hits impressive Float entry and popula~Goal-shoot~ngstall.

This year has seen a renewed drive on our pitch project to have our own training and playing facilities vital for a club this size. We hope to make serious strides in 2008 to at least having the area available for training while a huge fund-raising drive is started for the bigger ideas. -

On behalf of Culter Youth FC. we thank all our team sponsors, without whose help our teams would not be turned out looking so smart

We had a lunch break at Bovaglia where we sat in the sunshine looking at snowcovered Lochnagar. This was a great day, full of fun, and one which w e will remember fondly. .& P a u l Shand, our driver for the day was 67 years old, very tit. but he died the following Wednesday. March saw us at Oxen Craig and Rennachie with high winds and trudging through snow and we decided it Ivas too risky to go to Mither Tap. Eric planted a wee holly bush and a lovely white heather plant, at two different spots, in memory of Paul.

I don't know about you, but 'Bogendreip' never sounds inspiring to me so it was with very mixed feelings that I went on this walk through Banchory, past Achattie then Strachan to the Bridge of Bogendreip. I've run our of my allocated space, so I will only add that I've changed my mind about this place (or rather its name!). We had a lovely sunny day...but that may be the topic for next issue. -

For any information about our Group, contact Moira Connon Tel: 734054 Jean Duff

CULTE R CLUB Diamond Day: Culter FC's Crombie Park was opened 60 years ago on 3 May 1948. (see prc ture 2" p s i over t 1 7 ~page) The occasion was attended I by a large crowd 8 including local dignitar~es and businessmen. The tape was cut by Mrs Thom, wife of William Thom the local baker and the inaugural speech was made by J Fraser Geddes, Chairman Culter Mills Paper Company. The official kick offwas by Mrs McNaughton, wife of businessman W R D McNaughton, watched by Referee George J Petrie. Culter's first goal was scored by highlyrated Scorer Bob Willlams who still resides in Culter and is very proud of his special goal. In addition to the Culter Amateur Tealn playing that afternoon, it also featured a Culter Youth team. Thanks to local lady Mrs Norma Scott (daughter o f that era's late Secretary Jim Hunter and centenarian Moll) I have been in contact with a member of that youth team (1946-48). Bill Dick did his National Service then immigrated toNew Zealand. Bill is hoping to be back to see Culter play in mid May. Birthday Boy: Our congratulations went to our former goalkeeper and staunch supporter John Brown on the occasion of his 90th Birthday on Tuesday 19 February 2008. John was our goalkeeper at the 1948 opening of Cro~nbiePark. Lottery Luck: Our most senior lottery winner was 93 year old Betty Duguid who won ÂŁ3,200 outright on 23 February 2008. Betty is our Honorary President and top Lottery Salesman Eric J Duncan's mother-in-law. After our numbers reverted back to the full amount of 1 to 25, it was won for the first time with the fill1 range of numbers and at the earliest stage by The Ploughman Mine Host

Graeme L Wight, an Honorary Vice President who also won our lottery outright with a ÂŁ 1,400 prize on 29 March. Ton-up Tally: In the 1st Round of the Norsco Regional Cup, Culter beat tabletoppers Banks o' Dee 3-1 at Crombie Park on 23 February. John Brown's brilliant injury time goal was our 100th of the Season. It was a superb goal we couldn't have wished for a more spectacular Century cracker.

Stil ar Hair Salon (formerly Aristacut) 172 North Deeside Rd., Peterculter

Playing Pool: Culter added former Rothes and Cove striker Michael Ord plus Martin Cooper from Sunnybank to the playing pool. On the negative side David Angus was recalled by Buckie Thistle. Goalkeeper Gloom: Culter incurred a goalkeeping crisis with the news that Carson Riches had suffered a broken finger in our game against East End on 29March when Culter lost an ATR Group 1st Round Tie 3-2 at New Advocates Park. Reg~ilarGoalkeeper Martin Pirie was already sidelined due to a cruciate ligament iiljury. To make matters worse, stand-in 'keeper Scott Knox, who had been deputising s o well, was unavailable *, . for the big game against Carnoustie Panmure in the lnterRegional Cup Seini Final on 19 April. lncredibly our next deputy 'keeper that day, Fraser Spiers, sustained a broken toe in the first half and after leading 2-0 with only 30 minutes remaining, Carnoustie Panmure fought back and won 4-2.

To arrange an appointment please call: 01 224 733152

Culter Bo Peeps and Toddlers, Culter Village Hall, 9.30am - 11.30am. (Term-Time) Monday: Bo Peeps 1-3 yrs (toys, songs, crafts B snack) Tuesday B Fr~day: Toddlers 0-3 yrs (toys, songs B snack)

Backlog Blues: After Culter's historic Scottish Cup matches. good runs in Cup Competitions and postponements, this has resulted in a major backlog of fixtures. Culter was only half way through the Super League programme on 7 April 2008. The backlog is taking its toll with disappointing defeats and hopes of retaining the Super League title for an amazing 5th consec~itiveseason are dwindling. Albert J Moir

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Past Picture: Inaugural speech by Mr J Fraser Geddes at opening of Crombie Park on 3rd May 1948. Seated left to right:- Mrs P Stuart. W L G a ~ i nMrs . Gavin, Miss E G a ~ i nMrs , McNaughton, McNaughton children, W R D McNaughton, Miss N Hunter (now Mrs Scott) and W Thom.

Dog Walking Et Pet Sitting Service If your Pet is a V.1.P to you 'They are a V.1.P to me tool Tel. Lora~ne:01 224 7341 39 or 078 75 542 284

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ON behalf of Eastleigh, we would like to thank the "Friends of Eastleigh" for all their assistance in promoting the holistic care for our service users. We received a very generous donation from Mr Ronnie and Mrs Norma Scott of Peterculter, in remembrance of the late Moll Hunter. Some of this donation is being used for the arranged picnic outing to Duthie Park. We also are improving our enclosed patio by filling it with plants and flowers to enable our service users to enjoy

Do you know that we have a monthly church service (led by the minister(s) of Peterculter Parish Church)? Please do check the relati\.ese notice board to find details of this. and family members are most welcome to join us.

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Westl~ill .AB32 6SR

Tel: 01234 -44333

Recently we have undergone a major refurbishment within the care centre which has been very welcomed by all. Jana, our activities co-ordinator, is presently undertaking many art therapy projects with our service users. There are many other activities organised - musical entertainment being a favourite. We take this opportunity to thank the local community for all their support.

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CULTER FLOWER SHOW 16 AUGUST 2008

Thursday: 10 OOam - 8 OOpm Friday: 10 00am - 5.30pm Saturday: 9 OOam - 5:OOpm

SCHEDULES for those wanting to compete in our Flower and Crafts Show are now available from Alison Skinner at Culter Village Hall (tel 733371 ) or from

Catherine Lacy (tel733710). The classes include: * vegetables * cut flowers * flower arranging, * baking, * knitting, * sewing. * winemaking and * various crafts For further details. contact Alison or Catherine. The Show itself is on Saturday 16th August in the Village Hall at 2pm. its members with quality leisure and dining.

Gardeners, remember the Culter Garden Competition will also take place in early August, good luck with your efforts over the summer and let's hope for sun every day, and gentle rain every night preferably mixed with some good quality fertilizer!

Memberships are currently available. If you would like to view the facilities, please contact:: Nicky Caldwell on ( 0 1 2 2 4 ) 7 3 4 7 4 7 or visit www.kippielodge.co.uk Kippie Lodge, North Deeside Road, Milltimber,

THE FREEDOM LkWDS &VD MARCH STONES OF ABERDEEN IN TWO charters dated 13 13 and 13 19. Robert the Bruce transferred to the people ofAberdeen "custodianship" of the Royal Hunting Land known as the Forest of Stocket. In return for an annual sum payable to the Scottish Crown of 213 i pounds 6 shillings and S pence (Sterling) - a sum equivalent to ÂŁ90.000 today the citizens of Aberdeen could use the area of the hunting forest for the benefit ofthe city. For example. people were charged for catching fish i n the streams and for ' ' ,1, milling corn. Some of the land was even rented out, the proceeds from which went to the city's coffers. Apart from the annual sum payable to the Crown, the only other stipulation made by King Robert was that the area be preserved (at least in part) as a hunting land. To this end, the citizens were forbidden to cut down any living trees and foresters were appointed to ensure a stock of game. -

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Bar & Pool Room Lounge & Dining Room For Table Reservation, Telephone 733365 "The Freedom Lands of Aberdeen". Land acquired included Rubislaw. Woodside and Gilcornston. The Freedom Lands stretched out westwards of the city, occupying an area of c. 25 square miles. To mark the boundary of this extensive area of land, naturally occurring features were used, such as huge erratic boulders left after the ice from the Ice Age had melted and also several streams and bums, S L I C as ~ the Brodiach Burn and the Silver Burn. By the early years of the 19th Century, however. 67 lettered and numbered stones were erected along the 26 mile long perimeter of the Freedom Lands. The stones o f t e n mistaken for mile stones are about half a metre high and are marked with the letters ABD (for Aberdeen) and also a number. The first stone (down in the Ferryhill area of town) is marked with the Greek letter A (Alpha). The last stone

(near the mouth of the River Don) is marked with the Greek letter (Omega). In between, the stones are marked 1 to 65. Some, for safety and other reasons. are actually laid flat in the ground, such as number 63 behind the Richard Donald Stand at Pittodrie. These 67 stones are the so-called March Stones o f the Freedom Lands ("march" meaning a boundary). Over the years, large sections of the Freedom Lands have been sold off (or feued) and so the income generated has declined. From monies acquired, however, there has been created the Common Good Fund, currently standing at c. ÂŁ40 000 000! The chartcrs which created the Freedom Lands still exist. Some the original great stones still exist. The streams and burns still exist and so, too, do the March Stones.

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They remind 11s of a very important and ancient part ofAberdeen's heritage and it is incumbent upon us in the early 21st Century to be aware of them and their historic significance. Colin Johnston

Editor: O n l 5 April 2008, on behalf o f Culter Community Council, Catherine Lacy attended a special visit to the March Stones. It was agreed that members of CCC would help to take care of a March Stone. The official certificate says: March Stone number 23 is very close by and therefore the rnernbers of Culter Community Council are called upon by Burgesses of Guild of the City of Aberdeen to be a Guardian of the March Stone explaining to all persons the historical significance of this protected and listed monument

CULTER VILLAGE HALL NEWS. THE AGM of Culter Village Hall was held on Monday 17th March 2008 and the following is the report given by the President of the hall. "1 would like to start by thanking the hall staff, Corrine, our cleaner, Karen and Rachel, our wardens, and Alison, the Administrator. They have all worked very hard this year to keep the hall clean and tidy, and to ensure it is managed efficiently and trouble free.

The hall continues to be reasonably well used with most of the regular activities carrying on. Over the year we have lost a few lets and gained some others, s o overall there has been steady but not spectacular usage. Kindergyin c o n t i n u e s to provide us with a good income and without this excellent activity our income would be reduced. My thanks to all those who work to make this such a profitablt and enjoyable activity. We held an enjoyable 60th Rirthda) Celebration Dance in March to mark 6( years of the CDCA. The l940q themec night included a live band, food and raftlr and profits went into the hall's funds. Once again w e had soine life savinl donations this year which have helped tc keep us afloat. These total f 7 163.30~anc include a C5000 donation from Pail MacDonald's ward budget. We cannc count on thls b e ~ n ga regular donation b~ without it we would be in serious troubl

and would have to rely even more on fund raising activities. Our fundraising efforts have made a total of ÂŁ4021 .XO, so my thanks go to all those enthusiastic people who succeeded in raising so much money for us, to Gala, C T C , C C C small improvement's grant, the Hogmanay party organisers, and everq.one else who helped us over the Year. - - - - - - without these donations we would

be heavily in debt even though we made a slightly better profit this past year. However, without the donations and the fundraising, the hall would have to consider only opening part-time. Wc will be looking at closing the hall one day a week after the summer holidays, probably a Thursday. As always our reliance on fundraising is putting unacceptable pressure on volunteers who organise and run these events. Most of the peopie here have been on the committee for many years. and are also active in many other village groups. So, I would especially like to thank all those who currently give up their free time and work so hard to make sure that the hall provides the high

standard of services and amenities needed in our village. This village hall is our responsibility. It is a valuable community asset. We cannot continue to grow and develop without the help of our volunteers. We did manage to carry out some refurbishments in 2007. The front garden is now landscaped and looks much better. We have new chairs in the supper room and internal re-decoration has made the hall look clean and smart. The impact of higher fuel charges still affects us and we feel it is still necessary to have a i'uel surcharge. This has helped, but did not cover the increases we have had to pay. In conclusion, l wish to repeat my heartfelt thanks to those on the committee who helped to keep the hall running in 2007. Special thanks g o to Alison Shintier, who works harder than anyone, and whose hours ofwork stretch to cover us whenever we need. Without her hard work, and the generosity of the people

who make donations both big and small, I am certain we would be unable to carry one. CDCA is going to run a "300 Club" as a fund raising initiative for the hall. The club will start in June and we are looking for members who would like to help the hall and, at thc same time, have a chance to win some money. For an annual fee of ÂŁ 12 you will be entered into each monthly draw and thc winners will be notified of their success. We hope this will help to ease the financial difficulties we face. Hall charges have increased by 5% this year but this is still not enough to break even. We have also increased the fuel surcharge to try and off set some of the huge increase in gas and electricity costs. If you would like to join the "300 Club'' or book an event at Culter village hall, please contact Alison Skinner, hall administrator on 734371 ."

Susan Chappell-Smith P/*c..,ide17t CDCA

CULTER HILLALKING CLUB Weekend day walks 14''' MAY ( Lomond Hills of Fife SUNDAY

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SATURDAY

IJULY SATURDAY 5'"

Connachcraig Corbett

Cairn Toul Munro

Monega Hill

61H JULY I SUNDAY

Lake Dlstrlct May Glen Affric June (midweek)

Mon 19 May Ailnack Gorge

Loch Lomond Arrochar

Oriental Art, Antique5 and fiurniture k n , l a China Antiqut-. and Curioq

August

West Highland Onich Mon l 6 June Lochnagar The Hard September (guided) Way Munro

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From Tibet Ilandmadr X painted Furn~turr

HERITAGE TRUST ~ n ldrtnn Vlrlt~alr~ tllr I lllrst I ;rcqr~r~wnrc

THE Centre has re-opened for the season with a number of new exhibits which are all proving of interest. Onc of them Culter Weddings - is creating much interest particularly from people who were married in the former St. Peter's Church.

NEW S H I P M E W NOW IN!!

,\hcrdeen Anticlue Ccntrc -1he Arches 24 South College Street ,\herdeen, U 1 1 6'rX

Q ABEXFTEEN

KICKERS

AMERICAN SQUARE DANCE CLUB I.

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'F WRI HALL, KIRK BRAE, CULTS Beginners: Mondays 7.30 - 9.00pm New Dancers Always Welcome For i n f o r m a t ~ o n p, l e a s e contact: SANDRA ALLEN (President) Tel: 01224 715181 Email: john.p.allen@tesco.net Square Danclng 1s Fun & Fr~endshlp Set to MUSIC

The Trust is always keen to acquire photos depicting C'ulter life. If you or your family have such photos, please bring them to the Centre; w e can copy them and give you back the originals if you so wish. After the end of the Second World War, a nuniber ofprefabs were built in Culter; it would be good to have some pictures of both interiors and exteriors and also any memories people have of these properties.

Weekends & 2day breaks

THE S I I X ROAD

Teas in the Heritage Hall are serbed each Saturday and Sunday from 2-4p.n~.and are much enjoyed as there is home baking! Hopefully when the weather improves, teas will also be served outside in the Hel-itagegarden. If you would like to help with the serving of teas, please contact the Heritage Centre.

A photo albuin has been created and if you would care to lend us your wedding picture, it will be copied with the original being returned to you. Also interesting arc what weddings cost in previous years! On 9th April, the Trust was so pleased to be able to mark the 80th birthday of our Chairman -Allan Pennie. Contributions were made by a number of people who warmly praised Allan's commitment to the Culter community and beyond. Also we are delighted that Allan is returning to live in Culter.

Also, w e would like to extend o u r collection of ~neinoriesiphotographsof Culter House. There used to be a most attractive garden - does anyone remember working there or in the house? The Heritage Hall is available for let there are a number of times when the Hall is not in use so perhaps some of these times [nay suit your group or organisation. The Hall is also available for private functions. I t is planned to redecoratc thc interior ofthe Hall in the near future which will make the facility e v e n m o r attractive. If you need information about hiring the Hall - contact John Troup at 01224 732701.

DO come down and visit the Centre - it i: interesting! Open Wednesday, Saturda) & Sunday from 2-4p.m.

Evidently true answers from quiz shows DANNY KELLY SHOW (RADIO WM) Kelly: Which French Mediterranean town hosts a famous film festival every year? Contestant: I don't know, I need a clue. Kelly: OK. What do beans come in? Contestant: Cartons?

RESTAURANT b M A R Q U E E BEG, BORROW OR STEAL (BBC2) Jamie Theakston: Where do you think Cambridge University is? Contestant: Geography isn't my strong point. Theakston: There's a clue in the title. Contestant: Leicester.

BBC NORFOLK Stewart White: Who had a worldwide hit with What A Wonderful World? Contestant: I don't know. White: I'll give you some clues: what do you call the part between your hand and your elbow? Contestant: Arm. White: Correct. And if you're not weak, you're. . .? Contestant: Strong. White: Correct - and what was Lord Mountbatten's first name? Contestant: Louis. White: Well, there we are then. So who had a worldwide hit with the song What A Wonderful World? Contestant: Frank Sinatra?

LATE SHOW (BBC MIDLANDS) Alex Trelinski: What is the capital of Italy? Contestant: France. Trelinski: France is another country. Try again. Contestant: Oh, um, Benidorm. Trelinski: Wrong, sorry. let's try another question. In which country is the Parthenon? Contestant: Sorry, I don't know. Trelinski: Just guess a country then. Contestant: Paris.

UNIVERSITY CHALLENGE (BBC2) Jeremy Paxman: What is another name for 'cherrypickers' and 'cheesemongers'? Contestant: Homosexuals.

RESTAURANT & CHEF OF THE YEAR 2007 Crathes Banchory Abet d e e n s h ~ r eAB3 I 5 Q H T 0 1330 844566 www t h e m ~ l t o nC O uk

MILTON STUDIO Needlework & Cmft Shop

A cornucopia of textile crafts on Royal Deeside Gifts, cards, kits, books, magazines, beads and gadgets galore! A colourful riot of over 1,000 bolts of fabric. Amazing specialist materials for embroiderers, felt markers, patch workers and textile atists. Exciting range of knitting and crochet yarns. Fantastic range of threads for hand and machine embroidery. Open 7 days Monday t o Saturday 9.30a.m. t o 5.00p.m. Sunday ll.OOa.m. t o 5.00p.m. Our helpful and friendly staff will give you a warm welcome

MILTON STUDIO ( o p p o s ~ t Crathes e Castle A93) Banchory, Aberdeenshire AB31 5QH Tel. 01330 844000 www.miltonstudio.co.uk email: artists5050@aol.com

Yet more 'c.\~rderztlj* 'true ~~ris~r.rrsfr-orn piiz J IK)IZ..Y

Richmond Arms/Black's Bar

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BIG QUIZ (LBC) Gary King: Name the funny men who once entertained kings and queens at court. Contestant: Lepers.

3 2 3 North Deeside Road, Peterculter Tel: 01224 733983 Regular Live Bands, Discos and Quiz Nights Sky Sports and Setanta

QUIZMANIA (ITV) G r e g S c o t t : We're l o o k i n g f o r a n occupation beginning with 'T'. Contestant: Doctor. Scott: No, it's 'T'. '7'' for Tommy. 'T' for Tango. 'T' for Tintinnabulation. Contestant: Oh, right . . . (pause) . . . Doctor.

Forthcoming Live Bands at the Ricl-rmond Arms: May 17th Pie Shop May 31st Boogie Boys June 7th Bash Street Kits

MAKING MUSIC IN CULTER JOIN us for a friendly, social etening making music. Scotch Broth is a group playing Scottish traditional music on a variety of instruments. 331 ~ o r t h ' b s s i d Road e

O H 2 4 863696 PARKING AVAILABLE

We play for enjoyment and regularly help the Heritage Hall with its fundraising; at the annual Carols just before Christmas, and at this year's opening for afternoon teas. Our open sessions are held in S t Peter's H e r i t a g e Hall ( b e l o w t h e old Culter station) on Sunday evening 7-9pm. ÂŁ3 includes tea and biscuits. Whatever your musical instrument. ifyou are at intermediate level and would like to join us, please do. For further details contact:

Christine Miller 1 Howie Lane, Peterculter. Tel: 730091 (plus answerphone)

CKTLTER THEATRE CLUB WE held a club evening in February to show the D V D o f C'inderella to cast members and friends. This was a very enjoyable evening and allowed the stars of the show to see themselves in action. We now have the photographs printed but are still waiting for the copies ofthe DVD to be delivered. We will inform club members when they are available for collection from Culter village hall. Sadly it seems that there will not be a summer show this year as w e are short of volunteers to direct t h e production. However plans for this year's pantonlime are underway and w e are looking forward to starting work on it over the suinmer. Auditions will be held at the end of August so look out for posters ad\ ertislng times and dates. If you are interested in joining the club, please contact Alison Skinner at Culter Village Fiall (734371) and she mill give you further information. We are always on the look out for new enthusiastic members.

Susan Chappell-Smith

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SPRlNG is on its way. For a safer home, make sure you include your smoke alarm and your chimney in spring-cleaning routines. Smoke Alarms: Like everything 1 I, else, smoke alarms gather dust. It gets inside the casing and can stop them working properly in an emergency. As well as testing your alarm once a week, once a year you should remove the outer cover and gently vacuum the inside. Use the soft brush hose attachment of your vacuum cleaner.

\varm and \vclcoming. Like any other naked tlanle. open tires and sto\es must be treated u.ith respect Meanu.Iiilc.. in 2005. there \\.ere l ,456 cliimne>,tires in Scotland. When \\.asthe last time >,ourchi~nne>, \\.as s\\.ept! Central Heating: Central heating systems are the easy way to heat our homes - set the thermostat and the timer and forget about it. To be safe, gas and oil-fired boilers need to be checked out regularly by a qualified engineer. Having your boiler serviced could help you use less fuel too. Fire Action Plans: Fire action plans let everyone know what to d o in an emergency. But things change - furniture gets moved, people move in and out of properties and little-used windows seize up. Make sure your plan still reflects the way things are in your home. The best way of doing this is to try out your plan with everyone who lives with you. Escape plans are more effective the more often everyone practises them - if you haven't tried out yours yet this year, do it today! For further information contact Grampian Fire and Rescue Service Tel: 01224 696666 e-mail: info@grampianfrs.org.uk www. grampianfrs,org.uk

* "*-

RESTAURAUNT .'

+*+*

~~YATCH *

NEIGHBOKTRHOOD WATCH THE Scottish Government's greatest sign of approval so far is the provision of financing for a staffed office in Stirling for an overall co-ordinator position. Crimestoppers will be accommodated there, too, making this office a hub for crime prevention. When the incumbent is appointed, NW in Grampian will be inviting h i d h e r to come north to explain the benefits and practical workings of the 'hub'. Meanwhile, Grampian NWA is putting the finishing touches to its new Website. This will be the local hub for information and news on Neighbourhood Watch. Details in the next issue of the Courier! Dave 861176

OPEN FOR LUNCHES

All Week 12.00 - 2.00pm OPEN FOR SUPPERS Tuesday - Sunday

5.30pm - I0.30pm 2 Course f 9.95 3 Course f l 1.95 available Tue. Wed, Thu, Sun all evening and Fri and Sat 5.30 till 7.00 pm. All-year-round Outdoor Dining Area with Patio Heaters

337 North Deeside Road PETERCULTER Telephone: 0 1224 732902 For Reservations

21 st Aberdeen (Cults) Scout Group

ANNUAL JUMBLE SALE Saturday 31 st M a y 1Oam - 4pm Scout Centre, South Avenue, Cults ALL WELCOME Tel. 01 224 86871 3 For Further Details

Scott Gilrnour OPTOMETRISTS Eye Examinations (Paid by NHS For All) Contact Lenses - all types Glaucoma Screening Digital Retinal Photography Home Visits Over 600 frames in stock. One of the largest collections of Designer Frames in the North-east including CHRISTIAN DIOR, GUCCI, EXTE, CAZAL RALPH LAUREN, DKNY, DIESEL, ARMANI, OAKLEY, ADIDAS, CHANEL, RAY-BAN + more Designer Sunglasses from GUCCI, DIOR, RAY-BAN, OAKLEY, MOSCHINO, MAUI-JIM, VOGUE, CHANEL, GlORGlO ARMAF Prescription Sunglasses from DKNY, NAUTICA. CALVIN KLEllV - starting fiom ÂŁ99 complete with single vision lenses Large Selection of Children's frames covered by N.H.S Open Saturdays and late night Tuesdays.

5 The Courtyard, North Deeside Road, Cults, Aberdeen AB I 5 9SD

Telephone 0 1224 863344 ROTARY PRIMARY SCHOOL QUIZ

6.45) in the Cults Hotel and anyone interested in joining should contact the secretary Mike Craig on 01224 323732 email rnike@craiglane.co.uk

Bill Jamieson

WHAT is the world's longest river'? What is the coloured part of the eye called? What is the capital of Bulgaria'? How many bits are there in a byte? Some of the questions posed by question-master Alan Veale at the annual Rotary Primary School quiz. This year's event organised by the Rotary Club of Aberdeen Deeside was held in Culter Primary School with teams from Culter, Milltimber,Kingswells and Cults participating. The winning team - Cults now move ahead to the local finals being held at Westhill. The Culter team pictured above were Cameron Moody, Jack Stroud,Megan Olsen and Lindsey Muir. The Rotary Club of Aberdeen Deeside meet on Wednesday evenings (6.15 for

CULTER MILLS SPORTS AND RECREATION CLUB Project Progress Although a little slower than we anticipated, progress is being made with the alterations to the main Club building although the Bowling Section will probably have to use the old pavilion for this season. We expect that come next season they will be fully housed in the main club building. The new facility will include a new state of the art kitchen, a viewing gallery for the bowling green and brand new changing facilities and locker rooms. The main hall will be slightly reduced in size but will have a inore homely feel replacing the current regimental set up. Forthcoming Features For all you believers in Psychics, we have a special night on the 23rd May where your future will be told. This promises to be an interesting evening. More details can be had by calling the Club on 733578 or by e-mail on cultermillsclub@btconnect.com Additionally on the 6th June we are pleased to announce one of our very special nights when we host a Blues Bonanza featuring the world famous Lightning Willie who is coming over from the USA to enthral1 everyone with his wonderful selection of blues music ably supported by Alaskan Bluesman, Son Henry. Advance ticket sales are going well so contact the Club soon for details. Tea-riffic The Thursday afternoon Tea Dances are proving to be a great success with members and guests jigging away to the sounds of Charlie Esson of The Garioch Blend and occasionally George Lamond. These events are held every second week so if you fancy a wee dance and a cuppa, please come along. You can get details of dates by obtaining a copy of the Entertainment Programme from the Club. The programme also contains details of regular Saturday night dances. Membership If you live in Culter or the surrounding area you are welcome to join the Club. Please call into the lounge to get an application form. Ray Gordon Clzairman

SCOTTISH SOCIETY FOR THE PREVENTION OF CRUELTY TO ANIMALS THE SSPCA is Scotland's leading animal welfare organisation. Established in 1839, it is a charity entirely supported by voluntary donations. The Deeside Branch ofthe Society will be holding the following fundraising events: Sat 17 May: Coffee inorningltable-top sale (plus other stalls) in Guide Lodge, Banchory. l Oam- lpin Sun 1 June: Canine Carnival -a fun day out for all family and their canine friends. Venue: Drum Castle. Entries taken from 11.30am, judging commences lpm. Dogs over 6 A m o n t h s welcome.

PERSONAL TRAINER Exercise - A s k m e How... Personal Training: FITing your needs Lifestyle Consultant: Styling your life for Better Health

Laura Walker 01224 315253 0777 302 1851 fitclubaberdeen@msn.com

#Rpm #8UU1,1 Fot all your Qet needs!! ak

Sun 15 June: Companion Dog Show (in conjunction with St Ternan's Fair in Bellfield Park). Pedigree and novelty classes. Entries taken from lpm, judging starts at 2pm. Dogs must be over 6 months to take part. Sat 26 July: Companion Dog Show (in conjunction with Banchory Show). Details as for 15 June. Further information about these events from: Mickey Ramsay 733832; Sue Hawkins 868984; Rosemary Pirie 01330811348

CHRISTMAS LIGHTS CULTER Christmas Lights sub group was delighted to receive a donation from Cllr Milne's Ward Budget. It is appreciated very much and it will bring an even brighter twinkle to Culter during the Christmas festivities

cagrdilpimals

P&3 (B

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Brian Smith Ltd. Funeral Services The only privately run family-owned Funeral Director in Peterculter, Banchory and Aboyne Pre-Paid Funeral Plans 3 17 North Deeside Road PETERCULTER Tel: 01224 732530 85a High Street BANCHORY Tel: 01330 825400 Aboyne Business Centre Huntly Road, ABOYNE Tel: 013398 86625

Contact Brian or Angela Smith (24 hours)

GB Ironing Service Westhill, Aberdeenshire

Call: 01224 743103 Mobile: 07900 890370 Web: www.jgbironing.co.uk Email: info@jgbironing.co.uk

PETERCULTER SPORTS CENTRE

BEGllUNERS YOGA

Coronation Road. Peterculter 0 1224 732069

Petcrculter Sports Centre is here to help you feel and look better. It's a council facility. ivhich means you don't have to comn~itto any expensive Joining fees or memberships to get the benefit of our facilities.

Evenlng Class: Tuesdays 7.30 - 9.30pni St. Peter's Heritage Hall Morning Class: Thursdays 10.00 - 11.45am Peterculter Community Centre

l'he centre has a well-equipped fitness studio, with new machines recently installed, aerobics studio. creche area and main hall.

price: ÂŁ30 per 6-week Block or f 7 per Session

We h a ~ cxtenslve e opening times and our litness stud10 IS open from 7a1n MondayF~iday.Why not pop in tor a workout before work?

for more details, contact: Keith or Beverley on: 01224 732852

I I

lawn cutting h care taking care of your chores m

Crass Cutting

I awn

Care

1 .Hedge Cutting I

Garden Tidy Ups

Leaf Clearance

Patio Cleaning

I I1 I

1 0845 260 7969 / CALL ON

Aberdeen .Lawncar e@rnyhorne.com

Our fitness studio has .jogging machines, cross trainers, cycles and concept rowers as F well a s resistance w c ~ g h t smachines and a select~onof dumbbells. If you've neler been to the gym or you've not been for a while it's not too late to start now. The fitness studio offers a relaxed and friendly environment to en.joy a workout and get you looking and feel~ngbetter. Our aerobics programme offers a wide and varied selection ofclasses suitable for any ability. ?'here are step, spin, toning, boxercise and aerobics classes available. We also have a Fitness Yoga class, which

runs from 8pm Monday and Wednesday, and will improve i'lexibility. posture and core strength. Come along and give it a try. It's open to anyone 16yrs or over although booking a place is advised. We have a new highllow aerobics class starting on Tuesday mornings f r o m 9.45am. We are pleased to welcome Linda Heads who will be coaching the class. Our creche is acailable to book for all customers, so, whether you are working out in the titness studio, aerob~csclass, or even play ing badminton you will be able to put your c h ~ l din the creche at no # extra cost.

We offer e x c e l l e n t membership packages which start at ÂŁ20 pcr month. This will entitle users to use all titness studios, centre classes, swimming pools and health suites in Aberdeen City as well as the climbing wall at the Beach Leisure Centre. If you don't want to commit to a membership then we have off peaklpeak prices as well as countdown cards that offer discounted rates. *

For information on o u r a e r o b i c s programme or fitness studio opening times please pop into the centre or email us at cultersports@aberdeencity.gov.uk. You can also see us at \vww.aberdeencity.gov/sports.

Culter Mills Bowling Club Cairn Road

~Olple~n lDahy Sunday 1 8 t h May ( l o a m - 1 2 noon or 2-4pm) Your local bowling club invites you t o try out t h e sport. Turn up a t t h e 'Green' - all equipment supplied

SEAT BELTS EXCUSES

BUCKLING a seat belt reduces the risk of fatality and serious injury by almost 50 percent. Seat belts are your first line of defence against injuries or death, they provide impact protection, absorb crash forces. and keep you from being thrown out of the vehicle. Yet for all these benefits, people have lot of "reasons" why they don't wear them. For example: "Safety belts are only for longer trips" "I am a skilled driver - never had an accident before" "Seat Belts mess up my clothes" "It will trap me in my vehicle in an accident situation" "Seat Belts are only for front seat occupants"'

CULTER OAPS

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WE finish off our first half of the year with * June 4 Sound of Dunn * June 17 Annual Drive leaving Village Hall at I pm. Lunch at the Grouse Inn then on to Spotty Bag, Banffand tinally High Tea in the New Inn at 5.30pm. Members & 1 5, non-members & 18 - there arc still seats availrrhle. The new session starts on * September 3 Lena and Friends * October 1 Scottish Accordion Club * 4 Sale of Work * November 5 Banchory & Strathspey * December 3 P a i ~ t o i ~ ~ i i n e "

he best of care

1 MCWILLIAM

Flo Will (Plesider~t)

VSA's Easter Anguston Farm

DOG WALKING A unlque senr1ce run by experienced dog handlers with:

1 / ' I

Private secure exercise area Woodland walks Fully inwred 2nd safe en~ironment.

Dog obcd~znze.flyball and n g l l t t ~classes also ataliable

I ?'cl: Y c ~ n n e

: 0 1 330 8248'7:

Open Weekend Saturday 17th & Sunday 18th May 2008 ( 1 Oam - 4.3Opm)

Aberdeen & Deeside Tllition

THlS is a great opportunity to stock up on plants and shrubs, explore local farm life, and enjoy a great family day out!

Aberdeen & Deeside Tuition offers friendly, qualiv tuition tailored to the needs of each student.

A wide range ofAlpine, bedding and patio plants will be on sale. and shrubs, hanging baskets and tubs. There also will be stalls, face-painting, bric-a-brac, Countryside Education Centre, farm animals in their natural setting, and not forgetting a barbeque, home bakes and teas and coffees!

Pri~llary,S r ( r l l d a r y d r ~ tAdull l Fducatinn

All srrhjerb all levels 1 Prilnafy S c l ~ o o lto Hiqhers j 1 ro 1 Iuilion a ~ l dsrnall yrdups

~ ~ I O I I ~ ~ I O L I the I

year

In *11de11t'\ h o r ~ ~orea1 sllldy centres

III~PIIE~VP t aslet holiday ~evisiorl exdlrl plepalarlolr

For further information please contact us on

FREE entry and FREE car parking! Why not come along and support this great local charity. Easter Anguston Farm is located one mile west of Peterculter, and is signposted (to the right) oft' the main road to Banchory.

Tel: 01224 - 330546

We are looking forward to meeting you!

Tel: 01224 -330546 Mobile: 07743 399754

Culter Community Council Members .lames Farquhar (Chairman) Nicola Hector (Treasurer) Catherine Lacy (Minutes) Lab ina Massie (Vice-Chair/Planning) Anne Russell Marjory Skinner (Secretary) Douglas Stewart (PathsiRoads) Ann Wakefield (Vice-Chair)

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46 North Deeside Road AB14 OQN 8 St. Ronan's Drive AB 14 ORA l Brighton Place AB 14 OUN 18 Hillside Road AB I4 OTX 10 1 North Deeside Road AB l 4 ORR 6 Johnston Gardens West AB 14 OLB Benview, Peterculter AB 14 ONT 95 North Deeside Road AB I4 OQL

Aberdeen City Councillors:

Cllr Marie Boulton Cllr Aileen Malone Cllr Alan Milne Opiizions e~pr-e.vsedin the "Cozrriet." crre not rzecessnri[~shured by the E~litor.or the Cotnmurr.i~Council.

For all your Printing, Office & Computer Supplies, Furniture and Equipment. imprint

Deeside Office Supplies Tel: 01330 82 52 82

moint ~

,:/-printing

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EDITOR M r s . M. J. Skinner,

Services Des~gnand Prrnt

6 Johnston Gardens West, Peterculter A B 1 4 OLB

Phone or Fax us on

01330 823163

Tel: 01224 732352

U n i t 2 , T i l l y b r a k e I n d u s t r i a l Estate, B a n c h o r y A B 3 1 5 U N

Email: marjory@UKF.net ADVERTISING ENQUIRIES M r s . A. Russell 101 N o r t h D e e s i d e R o a d Petercrilter A B 1 4 ORR

Tel. 01224 733384 E m a i l : annerussel@aol.com For a Kitchen designed &built to your specifications CALL US TODAY Wide range of materials and Prices

Peterculter Post Office & Shop NEW! Chilled convenience mealsSoups, Main Courses b Desserts

Mini Ice Cream Parlour Variety of Flavours - Cones & Tubs

Baked Daily - Bread, Pastries & Croissants

Fresh Butchery & Fish from Local Suppliers

from our In-Store Bakery

DRUMOAK KITCHENS

We have long experience in the Fitted Kitchen Business and all work, from design to installation, is carried out by our own staff. Wide Choice of sinks and appliances

DRUMOAK 01330 8 1 1555 Drum Station Yard, Drumoak Showroom open 9.00 - 4.30 7 Days a Week.