VOLUNTEERS NEEDED AT MILL
Mill of Benholm "Volunteers are urgently needed to help in the running of the Mill of Benholm."
That was the message which came over loud and clear from a power point presentation given by Mike Burleigh, Project Manager at the Mill, to the monthly meeting of the Community Council in the Village Hall on Wednesday night.
Since first opening to the public as a tourist attraction in July 1995 and enjoying a very successful inaugural year, the Mill has had something of a chequered career and in the late 1990s and into the new century there were serious doubts over its long-term viability.
However, in 2002 with the formal launching of the Mill of Benholm Project, (henceforward the Project) formerly the Benholm Mill Interest Group, with the object of providing employment opportunities in the caf and gardens for adults with special needs, financial support from Aberdeenshire Council's Social Work Service, and the appointment of a Project Development Co-Ordinator and a Day Support Worker, the Mill's prospects have picked up considerably.
In the last couple of years or so an even greater dynamic has been evident at the Mill which is now an A-listed building. A new management board, now a Registered Charity, was elected in 2008 and in the same year Mike Burleigh was appointed project manager with day-to-day responsibility for all aspects of the site and its amenities.
Mr Burleigh's presentation on Wednesday night illustrated the very many necessary and indeed urgent improvements which have recently been carried out, including repairs to the wall of the mill dam which was leaking, crucial drainage work on the access slope from the car park and fulfilling health and safety requirements to the approaches to the gardens and other paths.
However, Mr Burleigh's main purpose was to highlight the need for more "friends and volunteers" to be involved with the running of the Mill.
He stressed that the management of the Mill is a partnership between the Mill of Benholm Board and Aberdeenshire Council in the shape of its Social and Landscape Services and that people should not be put off by the word "board" which was simply the technical name for the volunteer group section of the partnership.
He went on to say how important it was that in order to stay viable the Mill must increase visitor frequency. Saturday art, craft and science family workshops help to attract more visitors to the tea room at weekends and a small shop has been created out of a former tractor shed while a number of regular events drawing people in already take place at the Mill throughout the year – Yellow's on the Broom workshops in May, North East Open Studios in September and a Christmas Fair.
The environs of the Mill have also provided a film set for the "Father of the Bard" while Mr Burleigh is presently working on how to create an art gallery within the working mill itself so that the key element of the enterprise can earn its keep.
Accompanying Mike Burleigh was Ian Hunter, a member of the board, who emphasised that because the Mill was in trust for the community it was vital that the community of Benholm and Johnshaven became involved with it. He said there were many rewarding opportunities for individuals with different skills and interests.
The Board would welcome people from business and commerce: the working mill would benefit from someone with mechanical or technical ability: the mill pond and wood have attractions for the environmentalist and the caf for the caterer.
A huge asset to the wider community, the Mill of Benholm, in its idyllic setting by the Burn, has never quite fulfilled its full potential and if it is to do this it clearly needs support.
It was, of course, the Benholm and Johnshaven Community Council which took the initiative in persuading Kincardine and Deeside District Council to purchase the Mill of Benholm in 1984 and over 300,000 was eventually spent on its renovation.
On Wednesday night, councillors listened intently to what Mr Burleigh and Mr Hunter had to say and in particular to the suggestion that everyone keen to promote the attractions Benholm and Johnshaven should pull together in the interests of both.
Bowling Club
Another cold, damp and generally dreich night on Thursday in the Kincardineshire League was brightened up when the home rink recorded the Bowling Club's first win of the season.
Meggie Hann, Clark Simpson, Brian Weston and Bett Bedie rattled up 13 shots without reply after only six ends at the Wairds against M. Harrison, F. Young, S. McGillivary and J. McNicoll.
A ditched jack at the seventh end, however, gave the visitors the opportunity to shorten the mat which they did to great effect keeping the home rink in the dreaded graveyard for the next three ends while reducing the deficit to six (7-13).
Johnshaven stopped the rot with a single followed by a count of three but then lost the plot completely losing counts of five at the twelfth and four at the fourteenth separated by only a single (18-16). Although another single at the fifteenth put them three ahead (19-16) their situation had become needlessly precarious and it was made more so when, helped by two wicks at the penultimate, Jack McNicoll's second took out Johnshaven's shot bowl to give him two and reduce his rink's deficit to one shot (18-19).
With the cold now largely forgotten and the match on a knife's edge an early Johnshaven bowl inches from the jack and removing unmoved, settled both the nerves and the result, giving the home rink a narrow and nervous victory by 20 shots to 18.
Across the Garvock, Roy Mowatt, Alan Black, Alan Robbie and Bryan Duff got off to an equally sound start against F. Cannon, M. Wallace, A. Wilson and A. Macdonald, leading 9-1 after six ends but then they stalled and, hit by a count of six at the eleventh, were six down (12-18) at the fourteenth. Singles at the fifteenth and at the last were as much as they could muster before succumbing by 20 shots to 12.
Winners of Friday's hat night were Brian Weston and Twig O'Brien and Mary Brebner and Alan Robbie,both pairs winning by a margin of seven shots.
Members are reminded that the club's triples competition takes place this Sunday, May 22 at 1 p.m.
Hat nights continue on Fridays and points nights on Tuesdays, both at 7 p.m. Non-members welcome..
Don't forget the prize bingo evening in the clubroom at the park tomorrow night (Saturday) at 6.30 for 7 p.m. Admission 1.50 which includes refreshments and two books. Extra books 25p each. Raffle. All welcome.
Mearns Coastal Parish
This Sunday's services will be at the usual times of 10 a.m. in St Cyrus Church and 11.30 a.m. in Johnshaven Church. The following Sunday, May 30, the Sacrament of Holy Communion will be celebrated in Johnshaven Church at 11.30 a.m. There will be no service in St Cyrus Church that day.
Meanwhile the Bible study group continues looking at the Book of Revelations on Monday nights at 38 Invergarry Park, St Cyrus at 7 p.m. and all are welcome to join.
On Saturday, May 29 the annual plant sale will be held in the St Cyrus Public Hall between 10 and 11 a.m. The Hall will be open from 9 a.m. to receive donations for the various stalls.
Mearns Coastal Guild
The very good attendance in the Village Hall on Friday night for the concert in aid of Christian Aid were treated to excellent entertainment by the Brownies, pupils of the Primary School and "Standby." The sum of 375 was raised and the Guild wish to thank all who supported the event.
Heritage Society
On quite a pleasant day , the Heritage Society's car boot sale at the harbour was very successful. Fourteen boots were open and 86 was raised.
Games Club
The Games Club' s annual presentation of trophies and prize bingo session takes place in the Village Hall tonight (Friday). Doors open 6.30 pm., eyes down at 7 pm. Admission 1.50 which includes refreshments and two books: extras books 25p each. Raffle. All welcome.
Horticultural Society
The Horticultural Society's annual plant sale will be held in the Village Hall tomorrow (Saturday) from 1 until 3 p.m. Admission is free but tea, coffee and biscuits will be available for a donation only. There will also be a home baking stall and a raffle. Items for the sale, whether they be plants, bulbs, containers, baking or raffles should be taken to the hall from mid-day on Saturday.
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Weather for Stonehaven
Thursday 09 February 2012
Today
Light rain
Temperature: 4 C to 5 C
Wind Speed: 13 mph
Wind direction: West
Tomorrow
Cloudy
Temperature: 4 C to 5 C
Wind Speed: 16 mph
Wind direction: South
