SHOW ARRANGEMENTS
Horticultural Society ALTHOUGH it is unlikely that even the keenest of the green fingered will have ventured into their gardens this year there is no harm in looking forward optimistically to better times ahead.
At their recent meeting the management committee of the Horticultural Society firmed up the arrangements for their inaugural Spring Garden Competition. This will be held independently of the annual Flower Show and is open to everyone within the Parish of Benholm and Johnshaven, bounded by the Lauriston Den on the south. Gardens of all sizes, including spring borders and courtyard container displays may be entered, or nominated, with entries closing on Wednesday, March 31.
Free entry forms are available from the Johnshaven Stores or, alternatively, entries may be emailed to morag@johnshaven.com .
Judging will take place during the third week of April and the winner will receive a 50 voucher to spend at a local garden centre. Second prize is a green waste home composting bin for the garden, third prize deluxe flower and stem secateurs with many more runner-up prizes.
The annual plant sale, a perennially popular and fruitful fund-raiser, will be held in the Village Hall on Saturday, May 22 between 1 and 3 p.m.
Schedules for the Society's 51st annual Flower Show which will be held in the Village Hall on Saturday, August 28 have now been distributed amongst committee members who should now be in the process of canvassing their districts .
Mearns Coastal Parish
Reflecting in Johnshaven Church on Sunday morning on the restrictions which rules and regulations increasingly impose on present day society, locum minister, Mr Gordon Anderson, said in his sermon that the law of God should be used to promote Christ's message for the good of mankind.
Earlier, Mr Anderson had intimated that the induction of Mearns Coastal's new minister elect , the Rev Colin Dempster, is now likely to take place after Easter. It had been hoped that the Rev Dempster, currently the minister of Tayport Parish Church, would be inducted in February but Church of Scotland protocol has determined that such an early date was not possible.
The organist was Robin Beattie.
This Sunday's services will be held at the usual times of 10 a.m. in St Cyrus Church and 11.30 a.m. in Johnshaven Church. The following Sunday, February 14 the annual Thinking Day service will be held in Johnshaven Church at 11.30 a.m.
Benholm Kirk
Since the end of November Benholm Kirk has been closed to the public in order to enable extensive and essential electrical works to be carried out. Latest news is that the project, which includes the complete rewiring of the building, is progressing satisfactorily and is expected to be concluded in the near future. Needless to say there has been considerable upheaval within the kirk which at some time soon will be in need of a major clean-up, likely to require volunteers over and above the Friends of Benholm Kirk. It is hoped also to carry out some minor painting to the most accessible areas.
Bought by the Scottish Redundant Churches Trust (SRCT) in 2005 as a community facility Benholm Kirk has been used for a variety of social and cultural activities since then, the last of which was a Celebration of Advent on November 29 last year. The intention of the Trust is to upgrade the church to make it even more viable as a popular venue and once the present work is completed then it will again be available for bookings. Anyone wishing further information should contact Geoff Lawrence on 01561 361631.
Mearns Coastal Guild
President, Mrs Jean Cook, welcomed members of the Guild to their fortnightly meeting in the Church Hall on Monday afternoon and introduced Mr Colin Easton, Curator of the Signal Tower Museum in Arbroath, who gave a fascinating and most informative talk, illustrated with slides, on the history of the Bell Rock Lighthouse. He explained that according to legend the rock was called the "Bell Rock" because a 14th century abbot from Arbroath attempted to install a warning bell on it and went on to say that, designed and built by Robert Stevenson, the lighthouse will have stood on the rock for 200 years almost exactly a year from now.
The vote of thanks was proposed by Mrs Christine Murray and the Bible reading was given by Mrs Wilma Armatage.
The next meeting of the Guild will be the leisure hour in the Church Hall on Monday, February 22 when the speaker will be the well known local historian, Mr Robert Gove from Gourdon.
Bowling Club
The Bowling Club suffered another defeat in the Kincardineshire Indoor League on Tuesday night, this time to bottom of the league, Auchenblae B.C. In a very enjoyable encounter it was nip and tuck all the way until approaching the last end when the Johnshaven rink of Ann Aitken, Margaret Hann, Alan Black and Alan Robbie needed five shots to square the match but could only manage a brave three, so going down narrowly by 14 shots to 12.
The Club's next match is against St Cyrus B.C. on Tuesday, February 16 and the Annual General Meeting has been arranged for Sunday, March 7 at 2 p.m.
Three good days was all Doug Beedie asked for in order to finish the remedial work at the bowling green but at the time of writing they had still not arrived, rain recently having been a bigger problem than frost. The flood prevention wall has been completed and a start made to the construction of the new ramps and the paved areas. However, one section of the concrete slab still remains to be laid and, with Tuesday's weather forecast not in the least promising, the projected date for the laying of the new carpet, February 15, looms menacingly ever nearer.
Beach Clean-Up
SHARK (Safe Habitat Alliance for Rural Kincardineshire), in association with Adopt a Beach and the Marine Conservation Society and supported by the Crown Estates and DEFRA, invites all members of the community to take part in a clean up of the beach on Sunday, February 21. Registration is at the turning point just beyond the composting site at 11 a.m. and then proceeding northwards. All necessary equipment will be provided and with complimentary refreshments being provided after all the hard work is over there is sure to be plenty of "fun for all the family." For any additional information contact Rebecca on 01561 362120.
Answers to Sports Quiz
Before he lost to Roger Federer in the final of the Australian Open tennis championship, Andy Murray had surrendered only one set, to Marin Cilic in the semi-final.
Serena Williams defeated Justine Henin to win the Australian ladies singles title.
The last British male tennis player to reach a Grand Slam final was John Lloyd in Australia in 1977.
The last female tennis player to win a Grand Slam singles final was Virginia Wade at Wimbledon in 1977.
This year's Africa Cup of Nations was won by Egypt.
The Saltires defeated Uganda on a sudden death super over.
The nationality of Robert Karlsson is Swedish.
It was Paul Tosh who scored Montrose F.C.'s second and decisive goal against Berwick Rangers.
The town of Gwent was unlikely to be Ali Carter's favourite place because it was there that he lost the final of the Welsh Open snooker tournament to John Higgins.
The former Aberdeen F.C. player who joined Kilmarnock in the January transfer window was Scott Severin.
Memories
Twenty five years ago thanks to the initiative of seven-year-old Sally Fraser, "Larest", Herd Crescent, the Ethiopian Famine Appeal fund benefited by 70. Sally had lived in the village for only a very short time but she wanted to do something for the famine victims. So, together with her young friends she organised a sponsored walk along the shore between Johnshaven and Gourdon and, although the weather was wet and dreich, the intrepid youngsters completed the walk tired but happy to have been able to help people less fortunate than themselves.
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Weather for Stonehaven
Wednesday 23 May 2012
Today
Sunny spells
Temperature: 9 C to 16 C
Wind Speed: 9 mph
Wind direction: East
Tomorrow
Cloudy
Temperature: 10 C to 14 C
Wind Speed: 7 mph
Wind direction: East
