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KIRKNEWTON COMMUNITY
NEWSLETTER
During the Covid-19 lockdown Kirknewton has been working together to deal with the challenges we all face. Over the next few pages we hope to capture some of that and what is going on around the village.
Keep up to date with the news at www.kirknewton.info Facebook: www.facebook.com/groups/kirknewton/ Twitter: @KirknewtonEH27 Newsletter produced by Kirknewton Community Development Trust. Charity Regulator Number: SC037895.
KCDT NEW COMMUNITY PARTICIPATION & DEVELOPMENT PLAN
Vikki Hilton has been commissioned by the KCDT Board to help with community participation work and a new five year Development Plan for Kirknewton. This brings an outside perspective to the Development Plan and where to focus our resources. She will be asking what do you like about Kirknewton, what do you not like and what would you like to see. The Development Plan is then used as a cornerstone of all our funding applications and the projects we undertake, as
well as evidence what skills may be required for the Kirknewton Community Development Trust Board. If a Board isn’t for you but you have the skills or interest to take a project forward we also run a Community Skills Survey to pick up active volunteers who are willing to take ideas forward. Keep you eye out for an online survey soon and hopefully more active street and door participation when lockdown eases.
THE COMMUNITY FRIDGE hursday 21st May saw the doors of the Green Room open for the first time in a while. It opened so we could launch The Kirknewton Community Fridge and Larder. This community initiative is supported by funding secured by the Kirknewton Community Development Trust. They have installed a fridge, provide basic food essentials and soup ingredient bags every Tuesday and Thursday from 10am til 1pm. This service will remain in place for the forseeable future. You can now donate cash or food alongside the supplies we are putting together if you so wish on the day.
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The Larder is available to anyone who lives in Kirknewton who needs to use it. This could be for a variety of reasons. We have all got the kids at home who seem to have hollow legs, or you may be furloughed and missing
that 20%, or you just might be struggling those last few days before pay day. Whatever the reason you are more than welcome to come in. We are also doing Soup on a Thursday where you can pick up a “soup bag” which will include organic vegetable sourced from Cyrenians Farm together with the recipe and any other bits you might need to make it. We have tried Leek and Potato and Carrot and Coriander so far. If you have any easy recipes for soup you think would work please just email us infokirknewton@gmail.com. If you would rather not come into the Green Room (or are self-isolating) but still need some help you can contact Tony on tonykirknewton@gmail.com confidentially to ask for food packs or help with fuel costs. We are here to help please do not worry about asking.
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The Larder is available to anyone who lives in Kirknewton who needs to use it
GOOD FOOD KIRKNEWTON KCDT, in association with Festival Stores, Greener Kirknewton and Cyrenians Farm, have been supporting Good Food Kirknewton. In the shop you can order and get fresh farm eggs every Friday, fresh bread for collection every Friday (order at Festival Stores before Monday each week) and Veg Bags are available for collection in Festival Stores every Monday. Please note Veg Bags are available by arrangement only.
CYRENIANS VEG BAG SERVICE As you will know, like many other veg bag/box schemes, Cyrenians Farm has not been taking on new customers and our distribution partner ‘Pete’s Farm Run’ is still working through a long list of new enquiries. However, we have noticed an increase in local interest and wanted to respond to this as a priority so we wanted to let you know that we have set up a new community Veg Bag collection point at Kirknewton Festival Store. Cyrenians Farm Veg Bags are filled with fresh, seasonal and locally grown Organic veg. Throughout the year an average of 50% of produce in the bags is grown on Cyrenians Farm just outside Kirknewton. All other produce comes from Chapel Farm in East Lothian, neighbouring farms or from West Lothian based wholesaler Organic World. By choosing a Cyrenians Veg Bag you are supporting the work of Cyrenians to create sustainable solutions for the causes and consequences of homelessness and supporting our Good Food Programme. You’re also giving your household a regular supply of local, healthy, seasonal, Organic veg which always includes the staples of potatoes, carrots and onions, as well as up to 7 additional items.
Our veg bags are available in: • Large (10 items @ £15) • Medium (8 items @ £12) • Small (6 items @ £9) To set this up please email farm@cyrenians.scot or phone 0131 333 5202 with: 1 Your name 2 The size of Veg Bag you would like 3 The frequency you would like (weekly or fortnightly) We’ll then confirm the first date when your bag will be available for collection. Veg Bags will be delivered to the store each Monday by 6pm, and should be collected that evening or by Tuesday evening ideally to get your produce as fresh as possible. You can pay for your Veg Bag at Kirknewton Store along with your regular shopping at the till-points by card or cash. You can also pick up Cyrenians Organic Eggs and other items with your Veg Bag while shopping in the store.
Additionally, if you know someone selfisolating in your community who might like a Veg Bag from us, but can’t collect it, please speak to us. With your help and with your knowledge of our community we can reach those who are most in need. For those of you who are unfamiliar with Cyrenians Farm here’s a little bit about us: Cyrenians Farm is a community farm near Kirknewton in West Lothian. The farm is home to a Cyrenians Community of young people who have experienced tough realities, living in peer-supported accommodation and provides opportunities for residents and volunteers to grow food, skills, ideas and confidence. We are a small farm or ‘market garden’ with 8 acres (about one field to most farmers). We have an orchard with 250 fruit trees, 8 indoor growing houses, outdoor growing spaces, 110 free-range laying hens, a craft workshop, a production kitchen and an eating and meeting space. We grow a range of Organic fruits, vegetables, flowers and herbs, and produce free-range, Organic eggs.
www.kirknewton.info | Facebook: www.facebook.com/groups/kirknewton/ | Twitter: @KirknewtonEH27
LOCKDOWN STORIES small resilience team was put together between KCDT, the Community Council, Church and Primary School to ensure we got communication out there regarding COVI-19 arrangements as and when required and worked on other initiatives. Our volunteer co-ordinator Maria Bathgate has been busy over the last few months.
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Here are a few words from her explaining what she has been up to. “I have been helping out with the food delivery from Festival Stores to doorstep and it is a lovely opportunity to meet new people and enjoy a blether on the front path. This has sometimes led to me offering help with their computer / tablet / mobile phone. I’ve delivered help sheets to people and supported them step-by-step over the phone. I helped organise our Volunteers to pick-up and deliver the VE Day flowers. There are over 40 representing each street and in touch with individual street groups too. It was a lovely to meet some of our volunteers in person. I have been keeping up with our seniors over the phone, ask them how they’re doing, let them know what’s going on in the village, and all the new foods available at Festival Stores. I’ve signposted people to organisations that can help with their needs. Also, like many in the village with shielding neighbours I’m helping with their supermarket shopping, and printing off pages from Kirknewton.info for one of my neighbours who does not have a computer”. If you need to get in touch with Maria her email is mariakirknewton@gmail.com
CLAPPING FOR THE NHS For ten weeks many of you showed support for the NHS by clapping on your doorsteps. There was projections, pipers and people singing for charity and each week the noise got louder. Rainbows appeared in windows alongside teddy bears supporting key workers and providing trails for families to follow. Colourful stones appeared to cheer up those walking to places they hadn’t visited for a while – or for the first time at the Stone’s Progress by Charles Jencks to the East of the Village. The stone snake outside the school is getting bigger.
I’ve signposted people to organisations that can help with their needs.
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VE DAY CELEBRATIONS VE75 in Kirknewton
KEEPING GARDENS
With our original plans not able to take place it was time for plan B. We decided that our Seniors Group could do with a lift and what better day to do it than VE75. The flowers were ordered from our wonderful local florist “Flowers by Isla”, shortbread and whisky from our amazing Festival Stores Kirknewton and special handmade labels by our local volunteer Linda Hughes.
KCDT Community Gardener Greg Young had to delay work on the Community Woodland, Meadowbank Bus Stop and The Stone’s Progress maintenance but did still provide garden services to those who needed it during lockdown.
It was time to assemble the volunteers. We are so lucky in Kirknewton to have a large group of volunteers and we called upon them to help us to do our large delivery. We staggered collection to maintain our socially distancing and they were off. We had amazing feed back from both the volunteers and our Seniors, lots of thank you cards and it created such a fabulous community spirit. Lots of long chats were taking place, neighbours catching up after weeks of not seeing people. Everyone is keen to do something else again very soon so watch this space!
We are starting to get back to business now and Greg is available at gardenkirknewton@gmail.com for quotes – remember any profits go back into community projects. Other gardeners in the village are lending their support to the development around the new Pavilion in the park. We hope to introduce more places to sit around the Pavilion, store your bikes and possibly even charge your phone with a solar panel bench.
FOOD BANK DONATIONS & COMMUNITY LOTTERY Kirknewton has been very generous making donations to the West Lothian Foodbank. Also with group activity not happening during lockdown and into the summer we have been using the Kirknewton Community Lottery funds to help support those in need and projects such as the Community Fridge. You can donate food at any time and buy your Kirknewton Community Lottery tickets at £1 each before 7pm every Monday.
NEW KCDT DIRECTOR KCDT has appointed a new Director who has lived in the village for 16 years. John Mundell was formerly Chief Executive of Inverclyde Council and has been brought on board to support the Board when working with local authorities.
www.kirknewton.info | Facebook: www.facebook.com/groups/kirknewton/ | Twitter: @KirknewtonEH27
LOCKDOWN PHOTOS By Lyndsey Roberton
ockdown has been a weird time of highs and lows, but one of the definite highs for me has been being able to gather photos of willing households round the village. Its been a strange time in history and I wanted to capture a snapshot of the people who were here during this time.
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When I first started, I was not sure anyone would agree to having their photo taken, but I was so delighted that people welcomed me to their doorstep for this project. I have had so much fun meeting so many people and hearing so many stories. It reminded me, once again, what a great village we have. Thank you all so much.
A STONES PROGRESS BY CHARLES JENCKS Many of you have been walking to and from the new artwork at the east of the village – A Stone’s Progress by Charles Jencks. It’s not quite finished yet but you can walk to and through it. KCDT have put some more information on the Kirknewton website at kirknewton.info if you want to learn more at https://kirknewton.info/charlesjencks-a-stones-progress/
KIRKNEWTON HISTORY PROJECT The Stones will play a time travelling part in our future Kirky History Comic, from the time of the original Iron Age Fort at Kaimes (the Stone’s depicting the defensive walls used to protect the original Fort) to modern day history and the recent Covid-19 outbreak. It’s been a little hard to collect your memories so please do email infokirknewton@gmail.com with any snippets of your own or village history by the end of July and drop off any artifacts or photographs we can use for the book and a small exhibit to accompany the new book. You can read more about Kirknewton history here kirknewton.info/ kirknewton-history/
to introduce current P6 – going into P7 children to the Youth Club. Open to P7 to S2 we hope to return soon, pending advice on social distancing, but we wish every member of the Youth Club and the wonderful parent/carer volunteers who helped a very good summer.
KCDT HOUSING AND WIND FARM We have been discussing tenders for the Housing for the Elderly at the east of the village and will be progressing with that during the summer. We are also in discussions with the Camilty windfarm developers regarding investment and community benefit. KCDT has been able to support the community during Covid-19 as we had staff to get in funds and our regular funders allowed us to adapt our funds to suit the current crisis. However most of our current funding ends March 2022 and a regular source of income means we can continue and adapt to the needs of the community for the next 30 years and beyond
FOOD WASTE, BOOK SWAP, SCHOOL MATERIALS AND COMICS Don’t forget to get your food waste bags in Festival Stores that you can use in the brown bins (profits go back to community). There is also a book swap box next to the tills in Festival Stores if you are looking for a kids book. The schools have dropped off free pens, pencils and jotters in the store too for kids to use. And finally if you haven’t already pick up your free comic/how to draw comics magazine for the history project.
GET YOUR PENS OUT AND DRAW/PAINT FOR KIRKNEWTON – ADULTS AND KIDS SUMMER PROJECT We’d love to get your kids drawings and paintings of Kirknewton. We’d love adults to join in too. Please hand them in over the summer months to the Green Room which will be open every Tuesday and Thursday from 10am til 1pm for the Community Fridge and Larder (or you can pop it into the post box at the left of the door at any time).
WELL DONE AMY We will include some of them in the forthcoming Kirky History Comic and maybe as part of an exhibit when restrictions lift. Draw/Paint anything you like – Kaimes Hill, the Stones, Waterloo Tower, the buildings in Main Street, the White Lady, Highland Cows, the park, the school, the church, the train station, your house or just use your imagination. Remember kids can also collect their free comic and during the summer follow the exercise and do their comic strip for the Kirky History Comic if they wish. The comic artist Gary Erskine, who came to the Kirknewton Youth Club and was due to do workshops in the school pre-Covid 19, was on BBC Bitesize showing you some drawing tips. We might be able to get Gary to give some one to one advice on your comic strip via Zoom if you wish. Contact us at infokirknewton@gmail.com and we will try and arrange that.
END OF SCHOOL
Well done Amy Douglas, who won the First Minister Reading Challenge award in the Pupil Reading Challenge (and also presents our Kirknewton Lottery Results online show from time to time!). Here’s what the website at https://www.readingchallenge.scot/blog/ 2020-06/reading-challenge-awards-2020 said about our winner! “Amy from Kirknewton Primary School in West Lothian is our P4 winner. Her presentation about how the author Lari Don has inspired her in her reading and writing was heart-warming and showed just how much authors can impact young readers.” Well done Amy.
HISTORY PROJECT We are still collating your Kirknewton History stories, photographs and memorable items. During the summer do drop them off in the Green Room 10am to 1pm on Tuesdays and Thursdays or in the silver post box in an envelope with your details enclosed. If you want to speak about your Kirknewton Memories we are now conducting socially distanced interviews and films – get in touch and we can arrange that with you at infokirknewton@gmail.com
Congratulations to all the Primary 7 children leaving Kirknewton Primary School this week. Enjoy your summer and enjoy your High School experience.
KCDT YOUTH CLUB This year with slight changes to the Youth Club we had great attendance and the members of the Youth Club also did some great projects with Heriot Watt University, Senior Citizens on Burns Night and sharing stories for the History Project as well as Cartoon Workshops, Magic Shows, Pizza Nights and Dodgeball. Unfortunately Covid-19 curtailed our activities and being able
PLAYPARK TO RE-OPEN The date the Kirknewton Playpark is due to re-open is Monday 9th June. For all other news and important dates go to kirknewton.info where we are running weekly news updates.
www.kirknewton.info | Facebook: www.facebook.com/groups/kirknewton/ | Twitter: @KirknewtonEH27
ELECTRIC BIKE HIRE & EXERCISE KCDT were lucky to get two electric bikes for hire with a third on the way! You can hire them from Festival Stores. They have been very busy during lockdown with many people trying an electric bike for the first time, travelling many miles than they wouldn’t usually. Morning, full day and weekends available Kirknewton Community card holders Half day £4 Full day £8 Weekend £15 Non card holders Half day £8 Full day £16 Weekend £30 Helmets and high vis available if required
USEFUL CONTACTS & INFO In Kirknewton if you require any help with shopping, prescriptions, or just a general chit chat then please feel free to contact the appropriate numbers below: • Festival Stores – 01506 885331, this number is available from 6:30am-9pm (8pm Saturday, 6pm Sunday), for any general queries or local advice. We will update any Question and Answers on this site. • Pharmacy – 01506 883048, for any prescription needs or health advice. • East Calder Medical Practice – 01506 882882 (latest Medical Centre advice below)
• Maria Bathgate is a new part time member of staff at Kirknewton Community Development Trust with specific funding to support our volunteer and senior citizen programme until December 2021 – Email or call 01506 885331 and she will help and co-ordinate volunteers to support everyone at this time. If you feel you can volunteer time please give us your name / address / mobile. • Free Tampons The Green Room is now providing free tampons for those who need them. Collect on Tuesday and Thursdays from 10am til 1pm.
I KN KIRKIE ROCK' COVID19 SNAKE The inspiration for the 'Kirkie Rock' Covid19 Snake came from a post we saw on Facebook showing a similar snake that was happening in Corstorphine, Edinburgh. Olivia, my daughter, had seen so many lovely rocks around the village on our daily walks during the lock down she thought this would be a great idea to show off all the fantastic colourful rocks that so many people had been doing in one place. When I put the idea out on the Kirknewton Community Facebook page it was lovely to get the support of so many. I have to give a special mention to Nicky Alexander whose encouragement and assistance
for the idea really made this happen. One follower on the Kirknewton Community Page is sending us one from America! Hopefully it has brought a bit of enjoyment to all those who have added a rock and to everyone that has seen the 'Kirkie Snake'
BURNS NIGHT Before lockdown on Friday 31st January the Kirknewton Youth Club and Senior Citizens had a joint Kirknewton Burns Night Supper mash up. Over 50 people were in attendance. There was an address to the haggis, music, a quiz, a meal & everyone on their feet linking arms and singing Auld Lang Syne at the end. Thanks to Norma, Joan, Martin, Billy, Debbie, Ian, Maria, John, Steph and all the Youth Club members for their help. This event came from a suggestion made after the successful Christmas event and was turned around in just three weeks. It turned out to be a bigger event than originally planned and thanks to Gill and the Hall Committee we were able to try out the new Village Hall oven. Based on recent feedback more investment is being made to the Hall and Green Room from the funds raised from your party and event bookings. New KCDT staff member Maria Bathgate, whose role will be to work with Senior Citizens and volunteers over the next two years, who got up and addressed the haggis and also well done to Adam from the Youth Club who then got up and read the translated version.
THE LANG WHANG WOMBLES
KCDT is supporting a great new initiative and the Lang Whang Wombles are now a Committee of the Board alongside the Gala and the group that look after the Village Hall. Here’s the recent story on BBC New about the Lang Whang Wombles. We are purchasing new signs so you can choose an area you’d like to clean up if you so wish. Check out their website for more details.
STORY FROM BBC NEWS hen Paul Osborn moved to a cottage on a historic Scottish road just before the lockdown, he could not believe the amount of litter he found on the route. Rubbish had built up over decades along the grassy verges and laybys of the A70 from Edinburgh to Ayr, which is known locally as the Lang Whang.
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So the 52-year-old started arming himself with a litter picker when he left his home in Kirknewton, West Lothian, for his daily exercise. He said: "Often when you have an outsider's view you have a different perspective and it was obvious to me immediately how much litter there was blighting this beautiful part of the countryside. "Under the lockdown I could litter pick in a socially distancing way without breaking any rules." The management consultant - who had lived in Seattle for 20 years - was soon joined in the clean-up by his wife Teresa. Local support then started to grow, so they named themselves the Lang Whang Wombles and started up a Facebook page to seek more help. "The idea is to create a self-sustaining structure once we have cleared the road,
where people opt in and take ownership of the litter," he said.
research - used the road to transport bodies to Edinburgh Medical College.
Part of the route has been divided up into 300m zones where local residents can clear their own area.
In 1992, two Scottish men said they had been abducted by a UFO while driving on the A70 from Edinburgh to Tarbrax.
Paul, an Agile coach, has made signs along the route in a bid to encourage others to get involved.
So far 52 people have joined the Wombles group, with about 20 active members.
He said: "Litter picking can get really addictive. There is enormous soul satisfaction in litter picking as you turn a horrible mess into something nice again.
They have collected 270 bags of rubbish and more than 30 tyres, and have alerted the local council to nine fly-tipping locations.
"The idea of the zones is that people feel a sense of responsibility to keep their own area clear. They take ownership of their local bit of road.
Paul, who is originally from the Midlands, said: "We could assemble two cars with all the parts we have found from the wreckage left from car accidents.
"I'm creating a chain of ownership from shore to shore, from east coast to west coast."
"We have found a lot of litter buried under the grass and a lot of rubbish has built up over the decades.
The A70 is known locally as the Lang Whang, which is Scots for a long leather bootlace.
"We found a lot of Strongbow cans dating between five and 15 years at the weekend."
The tales from the road's history are said to involve national bard Robert Burns, body snatchers Burke and Hare, and UFO sightings. It was said that Burns had rested at the Wee Bush Inn in Carnwath after a day of walking along the route. He apparently summed up his exhaustion by daubing the words "Lang Whang, Lang Whang, Lang bloody Whang" on the inn's window. Burke and Hare - who carried out a series of murders in the early 19th Century, then sold the bodies for anatomical
The volunteers had been storing the rubbish in their gardens until council recycling facilities reopened on Monday. They have also built a Womble artwork at the side of the road from litter and painted hub caps. Paul said they were looking for more people to join them along the route. He said: "We don't ask or create expectation. They can do as much or as little as they like." https://langwhangwombles.org/
www.kirknewton.info | Facebook: www.facebook.com/groups/kirknewton/ | Twitter: @KirknewtonEH27
A GREAT DEAL MORE FROM YOUR LOCAL STORE NEW SERVICES • UPS Parcel Services Drop off and pick up • Cash Back Minimum spend £1 • McGills Butchers Pies, pastries and fresh butcher meat to order
• Stamps, envelopes and greetings cards • Takeaway Food, Cakes and Hot Drinks • PayPoint - Bus passes and pay your bills • Lottery Tickets • Paper Delivery
OPENING TIMES 51 MAIN STREET, KIRKNEWTON Monday to Friday: Saturday: Sunday:
6.30am-9pm 6.30am-8pm 7am-7pm
Keep creative at home with one of our take home pottery boxes! The boxes contain your chosen ceramics, paint and brushes We'd like to offer local customers who can collect their own pottery boxes £2 off the total price. Deliveries are still available at the normal price. Alternatively if you fancy trying your hand at throwing a pot we're planning to start offering potter's wheels for hire! We'd like to say a big thank you to all our lovely customers who have supported us during lockdown. Please message us on Facebook and Instagram or email us at chat@potteraround.co.uk
Instructions on painting are posted on our website www.potteraround.co.uk
DOOR-THROUGH-DOOR TRANSPORT FOR PEOPLE WITH MOBILITY CHALLENGES Dial-A-Bus West Lothian provides a shopping service. We collect passengers in Kirknewton on Tuesday and Thursday afternoons to go to Asda, Morrisons and The Centre in Livingston.
FIRST TRIP FREE - SINGLE OR RETURN Call 01506 633336 to find out more
The bus will pick you up at your home and will set you down at the shopping centre. You will have between 1 and 2 hours to do your shopping, or meet friends and have a coffee and then we return you to your home.
Destinations are unrestricted and can include visits to social and recreational facilities, friends, family, health appointments, day trips etc for up to 9 passengers.
Dial-A-Ride service runs 7 days a week including evenings 365 days a year.
ÂŁ5 DISCOUNT APPLIED TO FIRST TRIP Call 01506 633953 to find out more Our services are designed for older people and people with limited mobility. All HcL vehicles are specially adapted to carry combinations of wheelchair users and other passengers safely and comfortably. The driver will give you assistance from your home, on and off the vehicle and with your shopping as required.
www.kirknewton.info | Facebook: www.facebook.com/groups/kirknewton/ | Twitter: @KirknewtonEH27
KCDT, in association with Festival Stores, Greener Kirknewton & Cyrenians Farm
Order Cyrenians Eggs at Festival Stores Order Fresh Bread by Monday for Friday White Tin Loaves, Sourdough Loaves and Rye Multiseed Loaves
Order Vegetable Bag for Monday pick up Whole Food option coming soon
Keep up to date with the news at www.kirknewton.info Facebook: www.facebook.com/groups/kirknewton/ Twitter: @KirknewtonEH27 Newsletter produced by Kirknewton Community Development Trust. Charity Regulator Number: SC037895.