Issue 11 November 2012

Saline & Steelend Community Council Bonfire and Firework Display

John Crane

The weather was kind to us for this year’s Bonfire and Firework display held on Saturday 3rd November.

One of our community police officers who attended the event estimated a crowd of about 450. Everyone enjoyed a first class firework display, which was managed as normal by Mark Johnstone, ably assisted by his father and Douglas Hannah. Colin Leask and family produced the Guy and were in charge of a magnificent bonfire.

Other volunteers involved with stewarding the event and clearing the field on the Sunday morning included Donald Murdoch, Jamie Smith, Barry Kelso, Gordon Moyes and Ian Beat (Please forgive us if we have missed anyone out!).

Special thanks go to Clare Cuthbertson who came forward at the last minute as our registered first-aider. We were also pleased that the local scouts were on hand to supply hotdogs etc. together with the PTA who sold light -sticks and toffee apples.

We are extremely grateful to those villagers who turned up on the Saturday morning to help build the bonfire. Thanks are due to Craig Mitchell for arranging the services of Billy Paterson and his front loader. No way could we have completed the task without their involvement.

Could I add special thanks to all our raffle ticket sellers and to those who gave donations and raffle prizes. The proceeds from the raffle are necessary to fund this event. Have I got room to give you the raffle ticket seller’s names? Why not! Mary Mitchell, (who visited all the outlying parish farms,houses and cottages) Cathy Hall, Laura McGuinness and family, Dave Quinney, Linda Moyes, Tina Chapman, Jean Alexander, Jocelyn Miller, Jim Evans, Alistair Clark, Gill Hart, Jim Hensman, Sally McCallum and last but not least, Ken Fraser who did sterling work selling tickets at the entrance to the park on Saturday night.

Finally, we must not forget our Chairman, Jim Hensman. Jim organises the wood for the bonfire and is always ready to give a helping hand where necessary.

This is an extremely worthwhile event that brings the Saline parish community together for an enjoyable evening.

Saline Gala Pantomime

This year’s pantomime is Beauty and the Beast and will take place on 23 December 2012 at 12 noon in Saline Community Centre.

Tickets are £5 each; they are available from Joanna Jackson on telephone 850934.

The Annual November Bonfire & Firework Display

Jim Hensman, Chair of the Saline & Steelend Community Council

For the last 15 years or so, John and Marie Crane have been the main organisers behind the annual November bonfire and firework display and the associated raffle. For a number of good reasons, John and Marie have decided that it is time for some other person or small group of people to take over this task.

John has said that their increased involvement with their grandchildren coupled with their village commitments with the community council and other local committees and trusts, has made it difficult for them over the last few years.

Mark Johnstone has said that he is happy to carry on managing the firework display and Marie, as treasurer of the Community Council, will apply for the Fife Council grant required. John will obviously be available to provide copies of previous documentation i.e. risk assessment details, licence and insurance application forms etc.

John, Marie and I believe that a fresh approach from another person or small team can only improve the quality of this successful community annual event.

Dog Fouling

Donald Murdoch

While the vast majority of dog owners are responsible people who clean up after their pets, there seems to be a hardcore of antisocial characters who do not. Presumably, such inadequates do not realise that dog fouling is an offence.

Fife Council will take action if notified of offences. Ideally, they should be made aware of the times, dates and type of dog involved that would enable the council to tackle the owner directly. Don’t worry if you’re concerned by retribution; any information is covered by the Data Protection Act and there is no risk of offenders being made aware of who reported them.

Bill Rose, Environmental Enforcement Officer, is the Fife Council contact at Transportation and environmental services, Elgin Street, Dunfermline KY12 7SH. His phone number is 08451 555555. Ext 493651.

Wanted – Distributors

The bulletin depends on the good offices of a few people to distribute it to every house in the Saline and Steelend Community Council area.

Could you help out by volunteering to do a small area? Perhaps your own street of a few houses? It would only take a short time once a month and the more people involved, the more likely the bulletin is to be distributed quickly to every house. It’s YOUR community bulletin – please help distribute!

To volunteer, contact Jacquie Clapperton on telephone 852367 or email jacquie.clapperton@btinternet.com

Housing Development Off North Road

David Chisholm

Residents in The Glebe and adjacent properties in Saline were very disappointed that the representations they made about the proposed housing development on the small field behind their homes were largely ignored by Fife Council’s planning department.

The proposal involves creating access to the site through the garden of one of the homes in The Glebe and outline consent was granted by the District Committee in September. They are particularly annoyed that a request from the Community Council for a meeting with planning and transportation officers to discuss an alternative access to the site direct from North Road was also ignored.

The outline consent is subject to a number of conditions which will have to be addressed when a detailed planning application is submitted. In the meantime, the applicant’s architects are seeking to have a condition that restricts the number of homes on the site to four to be removed.

One suspects that the motivation is that the development is not financially viable with only four homes.

The planning officer’s report that the committee considered before making its decision back in September explains that the restriction on the number of homes, and other conditions related to the scale and form of the new properties is necessary to ensure that the residential quality and amenity of this part of the village is maintained.

Social Evening

Friday 16 November

7.30pm, Church Hall

A large selection of handbags, purses and scarves will be on sale. Light refreshments will be served. Come and relax and do a bit of Christmas shopping!

Tickets £3 from Ann Easton or at the door.

Over the last five years we have met every Monday in Kelty Community Centre (next door to the primary school on Main Street), from 1pm to 3pm. Our members come from all across the counties: Stirling, Alloa, Saline, Muckart, Glenrothes, Leven, Dunfermline, Cowdenbeath, Kinross, Kinneswood and Kelty. New members are always welcome to join us to have a knit/crochet/stitch and natter - the members make things for themselves and families as well as for the large variety of charities we support all across the world.

Loving Hands is also a huge online community with over 5000 members and lots of local groups springing up all over the UK , we have members dotted about all over the world as well. The things we produce are donated to charities and individuals who take these items directly to the places they are needed and hand them out themselves.

We do not provide items to be sold for peanuts in charity shops or stored for years in warehouses here in the UK. So far, our work has gone as far afield as Peru, Mongolia, Haiti, India, South Africa, Kenya, Nigeria, Sierra Leone, Sri Lanka, India, Albania, Croatia, Bulgaria, Algeria, Serbia, Mexico and other places besides.

We make everything from Fish and Chip baby jumpers (sent to keep wee babies warm - the term coming from a lady who saw babies being taken off into the jungle from a clinic wrapped in newspaper as the mothers had no access to clothes or blankets for them), to knitted 'boobs' used to teach breastfeeding in the UK and sometimes for ladies who have had mastectomies and can’t bear to wear the prosthetics provided by the NHS, to burial items for tiny angels who do not survive, to blankets for orphaned baby elephants and coats for battery chickens!

There is an extensive wish list on our web site and forum and we also have three- monthly challenges to keep our members motivated and inspired.

We are happy to receive donations of yarn/fabrics/ sheets/duvet covers (sheets and duvet covers can be made into bags for Teddies for Tragedies, washable sanitary wear and our bags of love)/towels (flannelette sheets and towels are made into washable sanitary protection for girls who have nothing)/wedding and bridesmaids’ dresses (which are turned into burial gowns and angel pockets).

I am also available to give talks about our work at SWRI/Women's

Guild/other groups; these are becoming more popular as we grow and expand.

I look forward to welcoming some of the newsletter readers along to our Monday meetings or to our online community if you can’t make it. I could also arrange to pick up work if you can’t get along but would still like to contribute.

Lou Jaap

Loving Hands Charity Knitting Group

18 Clentry Crescent,

Kelty,

Fife

KY4 0LG

http://www.lovinghands.org.uk/

charityknitters@yahoo.co.uk

01383 830277

Community Council Matters

Donald Murdoch

At October’s Community Council meeting, planning matters dominated. Concerns over proposals at The Glebe are reported in more detail elsewhere in this issue but people were concerned that objections to other proposals were only receiving cursory attention and that councillors were only receiving summaries. It was noted that this was a view shared by other West Fife communities and it was agreed that we should be represented at a meeting to discuss this. With specific regard to The Glebe, John Crane reported on “progress”. As the applicant had provided no information as to why Fife Council should relax conditions, it was agreed that an objection should be submitted. However, Fife Council will be informed that the community council remains willing to help broker a decision that satisfies applicant and objectors.

Wind power continues to be controversial. The community council continues to assert that it is vital that we have an accurate view of community opinion and that our approach is determined by this. It is also important to stress that it is impossible to argue against applications on the merits of wind economics or strategy; these are matters for Fife Council and the Scottish Government. The Community Council will be focussing on impact on the community and how best to maximise benefits from acceptable projects.

Parking on Oakley Road

David Chisholm

Problems created by parked cars on Oakley Road across from the school continue to exercise many people so perhaps it is time to revisit an idea that was floated some years ago. Altering and extending the bus turning circle and parking area to incorporate a drop-off point for pupils and making greater use of the rear entrance to the school would help alleviate some of these problems. With the co-operation of the Council and adjacent landowners this large area of dull tarmac and grass could be transformed into an attractive focal point at the heart of the village – a mini village green across which to appreciate the imposing frontage of the church.

Fancy Being Assistant Editor Of The Bulletin?

“The Bulletin” is one of the ways that timely and relevant information, concerning residents, is delivered monthly, to households in our community.

We are looking for a volunteer to help edit “The Bulletin” where there is scope for bringing your creativity to develop its look and style.

The task involves:

 inviting and collating editorial contributions from the community

 preparing and sending material, within agreed timescales, to the printers

 handing over the finished article to volunteer distributors.

Want to come on board? Then get in touch with Mark on 851059

Community Energy Scotland

Donald Murdoch

Community Energy Scotland delivers the Scottish Government’s Community and Renewable Energy Scheme CARES). The Government wishes to maximise community ownership of renewable energy projects and increase the benefits that such schemes can deliver. They provide support and advice on this.

Saline Environmental Group has registered with CES with a view to raising awareness of all the issues so that energy will not be wasted on abortive or irrelevant issues. There will be further articles in future Bulletins.

As a first step, Till Kroeber has attended the CES Annual Conference and will be reporting back to Saline Environmental Group and Community Council meetings on 27th November. It is anticipated that this will lead to further events to give everyone an opportunity to participate.

Saline & Steelend Community Council:

Bonfire & Firework Display Raffle, 2012

Prize Ticket No Name/Address

1st £100 Cash 1581 R.Jack. 9 Bridge Street, Saline

2nd £50 Cash 4113 Betty McAlpine, 59 ECG, Saline

3rd £25 Cash 2437 Mrs Hunter, (Corrie) Oakley Rd.

4th Bottle of Sherry 1547 Tullohill House, Saline

5th Tin of Victoria Biscuits 3457 Anna Quinney, 18 UK, Saline

6th Bottle of Wine 4745 D.Pirie, Inkerman House, Saline

7th Bottle of Wine 3357 Betty 14 UK Saline

8th Crystal Vase 4842 Paul Mellon, c/o Saline Golf Club

9th Biscuits & Tea 0207 The Coach House, UK Saline

10th Chocolate biscuits 2462 Mrs Crabbie, 1 West Park Gate

11th Shortbread 4695 Andrew Carter, Main St. Saline

12th Lavender Soap etc 3638 Mark Johnstone, 7 UK, Saline

13th Perfume Diffuser 4750 Andrew Carter, Main St. Saline

14th Candles & Soap 0667 Mr. McCaffery, 1 ECG , Saline

Bruce Davis in Concert

Monday 3 December

7.30 pm, Saline Church

The internationally well known, popular local singer will be returning to Saline with a programme of Songs for the Season.......a mixture of Christmas and other songs for the winter season.

Tickets £5 from Ada Cooper or other Guild members.

Proceeds will go to two projects helping the resettlement of refugees and homeless people.

Calling All Local Societies and Groups

Are you the secretary or organiser of a local society or group? Would you like to attract new members or remind people of what is coming up? Or perhaps tell everyone of your achievements and activities?

To have news and reports of your group or society included in the monthly bulletin, contact Jacquie Clapperton on 852367 or jacquie.clapperton@btinternet.com

Forthcoming Meetings and Events

Steelend Club

Domino and pool competitions every Friday from 9.00pm

Rainbows

Every Monday 5.30-6.30pm

Saline Church Hall

Brownies

Every Thursday 6.00-7.30pm

Saline Church Hall

Guides

Every Thursday 7.30pm-9.00pm

Saline Church Hall

Highland Dancing Classes

Tuesdays 4.00pm-5.00pm

Saline Church Hall

Thursdays 6.30pm-8.00pm

Saline Church Session Room

The Guild

Alternate Mondays, September-April, 7.30pm

Saline Church Hall

Saline, Steelend & District SWRI

Wednesday 5 December

Joining Night with “Cairry Oot”

7.15pm Saline Community Centre

Over 50s Keep Fit Class

1130am-1230pm, Fridays in term-time

Saline Community Centre

Saline School Events

Bags To School

Uplift at 9.00am on 21 November

The Christmas Fair

Saturday 1st December

10.00am-12.00noon

School and Church Hall Pantomime

The whole school will be out to The Alhambra to see Cinderella

Tuesday 18 December

10.30am-12.30pm

Christmas Service and Nativity

Friday 21 December

9.30-10.30am

Saline Church

School finishes for the holidays at 12.30pm, Friday 21 December.

School resumes on Tuesday 8 January 2013 for children.

This Community Bulletin is produced by Saline and Steelend Community Futures Group