The_WEE_Vine_25_website_version

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Winter 2022/23 Issue 25 £1 

The Wee Vine 

news & resources for the community of Kippen 

INSIDE 

● Special Feature ● Clubs ● Community Affairs 

● Did You Know ● Police Report ● Supporters 

theweevine.org 

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Welcome 


Editor 

Denis Bradley 

Editorial Group 

Ali Thom 

Naomi Hirst 

Rick Dekker 

Stuart Thomson 

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Layout 

Stewart Hislop 

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Annabel Griffin 

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Mixam 

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The Wee Vine magazine is published by The Wee 

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Welcome to 

issue 25 of 


I hope you have had a good Christmas and New 

Year. 

Another packed issue with an update on The 

Reading Room in our special feature and The 

Community Council gives a comprehensive list of 

items on pages 4/5. 

Congratulations go to our Tennis Team who were 

winners of Division 2 on page 6. 

Full coverage of Kippen Over 60s Christmas Dinner 

features on pages 12-15 and The Community 

Orchard Planting on pages 17/18 plus Kippen for 

Ukraine update is on page23. 

I have ben trying for some time to get the story of 

Molly the cat who sits outside McNicolls Country 

Store. This is now featured on page 24. 

It is a pity that we did not receive any items from 

Santa or Bonfire Night this year. 

Our next issue is scheduled for the second half 

of April and contributions will be needed by 31st 

March. 

Your feedback about the Wee Vine is important 

to us so please get in touch with your comments/ 

ideas for this year. 

Email to enquiries@theweevine.org or text/ 

Whatsapp to 07736 362011. If you wish to donate 

go to https://theweevine.org/donations/ If 

you would like your photograph featured on the 

front cover, send to enquiries@theweevine. 

org (minimum size 1 MB). This should feature a 

seasonal picture at time of printing. 

Index 

Special Feature 3 

Clubs 6 

Community Affairs 8 

Did You Know 27 

Police Report 33 

Bin Calendar 35 

The Wee Vine Supporters 36 

2 www.theweevine.org

Kippen Reading Room 

Special Feature 

At last, we have our Rooms back! 

On Christmas Eve, our new carpets were laid, and we are now able to finalise and furnish 

all the downstairs rooms in time for the New Year. 

The year 2022 was a nightmare year in which we struggled to rebuild our kitchen, toilets, 

Main Hall, and the new Garden Room, transforming them to be fit for purpose in this 

century. 

Our committee and contractors have all worked hard to overcome the aftermath of 

Lockdown, which had a major impact on the building industry, creating shortages and 

massive cost increases. 

Thanks to the major support from Windmill funds 

administered by Kippen Community Trust, combined with 

effective control of costs, we now look forward to offering 

redecorated rooms, a new excellent kitchen and modern 

toilet facilities to our users. 

The Main Hall is now served directly by the new kitchen, 

which has been designed mainly for the serving of reheated 

food. 

Projection facilities have been retained, together with its 

drop-down screen and sound speakers. These facilities are 

now supported by WIFI input to allow streaming. 

The old Summer Ice room has been converted into a reception room, opening out and 

giving access to our garden. This will be maintained as a Warm Area, offering comfortable 

seating and tea tables for events such as the Kippen Cuppa. The layout is flexible and 

able to meet most requirements of activities or events. This room may also be used in 

conjunction with the main hall, and the kitchen is positioned to serve both rooms. 

Upstairs, the committee rooms have now been supplemented 

by a redecorated Tower Room which, together with a 

comfortable ante room can offer Hub facilities. 

The Reading Room as a facility provides emergency 

accommodation for Risk and Resilience in time of need, 

including communications and the provision of hot food 

facilities. For certain emergencies, the Warm Room becomes an 

important asset. 

We are delighted to be able to offer the Reading rooms for a 

wide variety of functions and activities, despite being less well 

suited to athletic activities – which are available in the Village 

Hall, the Tennis Club, and the Football ground and in the woods. 

Above all, we want you all back in the Rooms, to take advantage of some new comforts – 

and to meet each other. 

That is what we are really all about! 

Jeremy Gaywood 



The final Kippen Community Council (KCC) 

meeting of the year took place in the Village 

Hall on Wednesday 14 th of December. The 

timetable for meetings in 2023, to which 

members of the public are very welcome 

to attend, can be found at the end of this 

article. 

It was with great sadness that we heard 

of the recent death of Hugh Aitchison, 

the Vice Chair of KCC. Hugh was a lovely 

person and a great asset to KCC as well as 

contributing a lot to the local community, 

notably through his recent work on the 

Kippen Green project. We would like to 

offer our condolences to his family and 

friends. 

Risk and Resilience 

Jeremy Gaywood, who chairs Kippen’s 

Risk and Resilience Group, attended the 

November KCC meeting to share Kippen’s 

excellent Risk and Resilience Plan. The 

Plan currently covers 23 risks and has 

been identified as an outstanding means 

of empowering the village and has been 

highlighted by Stirling Council as one of 

the best. A recent notable success was the 

response to Covid lockdowns where teams 

of volunteers supported the community. 

The team is currently liaising with Stirling 

Council who are offering equipment and 

training to volunteers to help to deal with 

problems arising from snow. 

Defibrillator training 

KCC has recently been in touch with the 

local Search and Rescue Team (SAR) to 

request training for Kippen residents in 

the use of the defibrillator (located outside 

of the Reading Rooms). SAR is a voluntary 

organisation, and they are happy to 

provide training in return for small 

donations which are used to support their 

work. Kippen Risk and Resilience Group is 

assuming responsibility for arranging this 

training and a date for this training should 

be finalised in the near future. Defibrillator 

pads and battery were replaced recently. 

Pothole at the top of Station Brae 

Stirling Council Roads Department is 

aware of the pothole at the top of Station 

Brae which is caused by water, and which 

requires excavation to investigate the 

problem and to carry out permanent 

repairs. This would involve road closure 

which has not been feasible to date as 

the B822 was part of the diversion due 

the road closure resulting from damage 

to the Barnshogle Bridge on the B818. 

The good news is that the bridge has 

been repaired and the road reopened so 

hopefully Stirling Council will now be able 

to expedite lasting repairs to the pothole. 

Station Brae verge cleaning 

In recent years, a local resident has 

been very community minded and has 

undertaken collection of rubbish from the 

grass verges along the Brae. However, due 

to an increase in traffic, particularly HGVs, 

this has become too dangerous. Land 

Services do carry out infrequent verge 

cleaning, but this is deemed to be low 

priority. 

Electric Vehicle charging points 

The electric vehicle charging points on 

Castlehill Loan are now fully operational. 

Signs advising that the parking bays are for 

charging only have been erected. Stirling 

Council will begin charging for the use of 

these EVCs early in the New Year. Users 

are also asked to ensure that they move 

their vehicles out of the bays once their 

cars are charged to allow other drivers to 

use the facility. 

20mph zones 

Kippen residents have continued to 

express concern about speeding within 

the village. Two new activated signs have 

already been installed and additional 

20mph repeater signs and carriageway 

roundels have been promised so that 

speed limits are clear to all users. 


Air Quality sensors 

KCC has been approached by Stirling 

University to ask if the community would 

like to participate in some research 

designed to empower local communities 

to take ownership for air quality 

monitoring, information delivery and 

action within their local neighbourhoods. 

A series of three workshops will provide 

residents with the opportunity to take part 

in a range of activities to decide where to 

place air quality sensors, design feedback 

and engage in discussions about potential 

sources and solutions. Probable dates for 

the workshops are the 1 st , 22 nd and 29 th of 

April and we hope that as many people 

in the community as possible become 

actively involved in this venture. 

Kippen Green 

Ash trees which were affected by ash 

dieback have been felled. New young 

trees to replace these diseased specimens 

will be planted before the end of March. 

Improvements have also been made to the 

path behind the Health Centre. Volunteers 

are being sought to help with some grass 

cutting during the spring and summer. If 

you are able to help, please either contact 

the group directly or via KCC. 

Recycling Centre 

It is still unclear who owns the Glass 

Recycling Facility at the corner of Castlehill 

Loan. The structure is in a poor state of 

repair, so KCC is proposing applying to the 

Windfarm Panel to try and secure a grant 

to upgrade the facility either in its present 

location or possibly at a site which is easier 

to access. 

Local Place Plan 

KCC is keen to promote community 

involvement in producing a Local Place 

Plan (LPP). These afford communities the 

opportunity to develop proposals for their 

local area, expressing their aspirations 

and ambitions for future change and to 

develop positive community identity. 

Stirling Council also uses such plans to 

help inform their Local Development Plan 

which is up for renewal next year. This will 


thus become an important component of 

KCC’s agenda next year. 

Local Police Plan 2023-2026 Draft 

Consultation 

The Local Police Plan will set out priorities 

policing and explain how they will deliver 

them. Members of the public are being 

invited to provide feedback on the draft 

plan. The survey is open until 12 th February 

2023 and can be accessed by logging into 

Local Police Plans 2023-2026 – Police 

Scotland – Citizen Space. The link is also 

available on the KCC website. 

Be prepared for flooding (SEPA) 

The public is being encouraged to sign up 

to Flood line at www.sepa.org.uk/signup. 

Full details can be found on the KCC 

website. 

Preparing for winter outages 

Stirling Council has prepared advice on 

preparing for winter power outages. A link 

to this advice is available on KCC’s website. 

Issues raised by Kippen residents 

A spreadsheet summarising residents’ 

concerns and progress in addressing the 

problems will soon be available on KCC’s 

website. 

Meeting schedule for 2023 

Meetings will revert to the Reading Rooms 

following completion of the refurbishment. 

Meetings usually occur on the second 

Tuesday of each month (excluding 

January, July, and August) however, the 

first meeting of 2023 will be on Monday 

13 th of February rather on the 14 th which 

is Valentine’s Day. The AGM will take place 

on the 13 th of June. 

Get in touch 

You can read about what we do and pick 

up the latest news on our website at 

https://kippencc.org.uk 

You can contact us via the website at 

https://kippencc.org.uk/contact-us 

You can email us at 

kippencommunitycouncil@gmail.com 


Clubs 

Kippen Tennis Club (KTC) 

Welcoming players of all ages and abilities, KTC has 

continued to run a great programme of activities 

throughout the autumn and winter. 

Coaching took place from October into December for 

all age groups, and we were very fortunate to have 

the continued support of our excellent coach Richard 

Knapman with children’s classes supported by Alexander 

Gibb and Edward Boyd. 

Matches were concluded for interclub competitions 

(singles and doubles); Alexander Gibb won the men’s 

singles and Alexander Gibb, and John Wartig won the 

men’s doubles. 

Match play in the Autumn League, Tennis Central Scotland, 

against Dollar, Dunblane, Linlithgow and Stirling resulted 

in KTC mixed doubles WINNING the most points in the 

2nd Division. CONGRATULATIONS to all who played in 

these matches!!! KTC looks forward playing more matches 

in the Winter League from January – March 2023. 

Huge thanks as always to all members of the hard-working committee without which the 

club would not function. This includes the jobs of ensuring the court surfaces are kept 

clean and moss free, the grounds and clubhouse are kept in good condition and working 

order, the treasury, the administration of membership records, setting up coaching classes, 

registering with the LTA, running 

external events, such as the 

Open Day, and Safeguarding. 

Every task is essential and greatly 

appreciated. 

Diana McCall is stepping down 

after many years of lovingly 

looking after the flower tubs, 

which have given the club such 

a lift and we extend our great 

thanks for keeping the club 

looking so beautiful. 

More widely, a special highlight 

this autumn was the Billie Jean 

King Cup taking place in Glasgow 

that raised the profile of Ladies 

Tennis globally. 

As always, we continue to 

welcome new and existing members. Find out more and sign up to membership and lessons 

via: We look forward to KTC marking its 40 th Anniversary next year; please let me know if 

you have any photographs or memorabilia from its earliest days 1983 onwards! 

Annabel Gaywood (President 2022-2023) 


Curling Club 

Clubs 

The club are halfway through the season with some 

competitions won and many games still to play. 

We have teamed up with Drymen Curling Club to play some 

extra games against other teams which seems to have been 

successful. We will play some more games against Drymen 

in the second half of the season and hopefully this will be a 

regular fixture in the seasons to come. 

We are looking to set up some coaching sessions for anyone 

new to curling. If you are interested please contact the club direct at kippencurlingclub@ 

gmail.com or to my mobile 07780 112239. 

Happy New Year and all the best for 2023! 

Dougie Chalmers, Secretary 

Kippen Bowling Club 

that they might be interested in joining. 

In the cold midwinter outdoor 

bowls seem a long way off. 

However, with the pace of life 

April will soon be here. 

In the meantime, we held 

a very successful and well 

attended prize giving dinner 

at Fintry Sports Club on the 

evening of 27th November. In 

the afternoon we had a fun 

bowls session with a number of 

guests present. Several of the 

guests had never played before 

so hopefully they might have 

caught the bug to the extent 

The AGM will take place in late February/ early March with the green opening again in mid- 

April when the warmth of summer awaits. 

John Anderson, President, 01786 870001 


Community Affairs 

Kippen Village Hall 

The Autumn and Winter months have seen the Village Hall busy with regular weekly 

activities, as well as welcoming back some Kippen “favourites” now that Covid restrictions 

have been lifted.... both the Kippen Christmas Market and Over 60s Christmas Dinner were 

a roaring success, thanks to the incredible hard work of all involved in the organisation 

of these events! The “Singing Kettle” made an appearance in November, much to the 

delight of all the children (and those who were reliving their childhood!!); Sharmi led a 

half-day Winter Yoga Retreat; the Christmas Dinner organisers held a fund-raising Jumble 

Sale; the Community Council and one or two other groups found a temporary “home” in 

the Hall for their meetings until the refurbishment of the Reading Rooms is complete; and 

there’s been a few private bookings for birthday parties and events. 

Friday 9th December saw some very exciting activity happening in and around the Hall... 

but we have to keep it secret for now! All we can say is that if any of you saw “camera/ 

lights/action” activity that day, Kippen Village Hall will feature in a new drama series to be 

released around Springtime! We were allowed to take some photos of the filming (as long 

as we kept the secret till Spring!) and will share them later in the year! 

The New Year will see the return of the Village Burns’ Supper and the Cancer Research 

Whist Drive, (although sadly not the New Year’s Day Ceilidh which had to be cancelled). 

If you are thinking ahead to organising an event, a family gathering/birthday/anniversary 

party or a wedding in 2023, please do pop onto our booking system to find out more 

about the Hall and whether it is available - https://hallbookingonline.com/kippen. You 

can also email us at kippenvillagehall@gmail.com if you have any questions or would like 

to see inside the Hall before you decide. 

The Committee continues to keep on top of house-keeping issues and general maintenance 

and are already benefitting from the expertise and enthusiasm of our two new members 

- Frances and George Carlaw. Our aim for 2023 will be to market the Hall to a wider range 

of users, look at ways to improve the technical facilities on offer in the Hall, and source 

funding to cover the costs of some of the larger maintenance jobs needing attention. 

Lastly, here›s a reminder of the regular weekly activities in the Village Hall, with one notable 

exception.... sadly, the Rainbows have stopped as there›s no-one to carry on leading. We 

hope we can welcome back Rainbows and/or Brownies in the future as they are such a 

great organisation to have in the village: 

Mon 19.00 Yoga 

Tue 09.30 Playgroup (term-time only) 

18.30 Fitness Class 

19.30 Badminton Club 

Wed 10.00 Strength & Balance Class 

Thu 08.30 Fitness Class 

10.15 Toddlers 

Fri 09.30 Playgroup (term-time only) 

Sat 08.45 Fitness Class 

Ruth McLaren 

(On behalf of KVH Committee) 


Kippen Parish Church Guild 


“Look Forward in Faith” - “Wee Seeds, Big Trees” 

A PRAYER FOR NEW BEGINNINGS 

Consult not your fears, but your hopes and your dreams. Think not about your frustrations, 

but about your unfulfilled potential. Concern not yourself with what you tried and failed in, 

but what it is still possible to do. Now is the time to put aside past and present setbacks 

and failures and look with confidence to the new day called tomorrow. 

— Pope John XXIII 

All welcome to the meetings detailed below, those who have been before and those who 

have never attended, men and women. Meetings are held at 2.00 p.m. in either Kippen 

Church House or Norrieston Church Hall:- 

Tuesday, 10 th January Quiz - Kippen Church House 

Wednesday, 8 th February Norrieston Church Hall, Thornhill 

Friday, 3 rd March 

World Day of Prayer - Norrieston 

Tuesday, 14 th March 

Kevin and Linda Clarke - Kippen Church 

“A Return to the Far North – 

Exploring the East Coast of Greenland” 

Further information is available from Joanna M. McPhail 01786 870681 or 

joanna.mcphail@btinternet.com 

Burns Supper Sell-Out 

The Village Burns Supper on Saturday 28 

January is a sell-out, says Michael Hirst who is 

chairman of Friends of Kippen Kirk who have 

organised the Burns Supper for many years 

now. Mary Lawson (870202) has started a 

waiting list in case there are any ticket returns. 

The Immortal Memory will be proposed by 

Aileen Green, while the Toast to the Lassies will 

be proposed by Greg Sanders, advocate, and 

husband of Shona of RhubarbLime. Baroness 

Ruth Davidson will reply on behalf of the Lassies. 

Gregor McDonald of Dunblane will pipe in the 

Haggis which will be addressed by Stirling’s 

Neil Benny who will also recite Tam O’Shanter. 

Kath McKellar Ferguson will accompany two 

students from the Royal Conservatoire who 

will sing Burns songs. Cammy Skinner is doing 

the catering for the event. 

“I think it will be a good night, and the local 

response has been very encouraging. People 

are happy to socialise once again,” said Michael. 

Sir Michael Hirst 

Village Flower Tubs 

I’d like to thank the team for their 

support over the year for helping with 

the planting and tending the tubs with 

watering and deadheading over the 

summer season. We had many lovely 

comments about the display. The good 

weather and relatively dry summer 

certainly helped to keep the plants 

going. I’d like to thank Hamish Clark 

especially for doing such a wonderful 

job of removing weeds around the 

monument before Remembrance 

Sunday. He also cleaned the memorial 

itself from all the moss which had 

gathered over years. Unfortunately, 

it revealed some cracks in the mortar 

which will have to be attended to. 

As always, thank you to the community 

for their contributions in the box at 

McNicolls. This is our only funding. 

Naomi Hirst 



Kippen Community Woodland Group 

The Group has again been busy in Burnside Wood. 

In early October we finished strimming the edges of the main path, 

felled a number of trees which were over hanging the main path, 

cleared drains to keep the paths in good condition and finished 

infilling Black Brae path, using the aggregate kindly provided by 

Dawn Homes. 

In November a review of the ash trees was carried out to assess dieback, the main 

paths were checked and the associated drains cleared to ensure that drainage is not 

compromised and some damage to the 

pond boardwalk was repaired. 

In December further work was carried 

out on the main paths checking drains 

and removing fallen leaves to avoid 

deterioration of the surface of the path. 

At the Annual General Meeting held 

inNovember, the current office bearers 

were re-elected with Iain McNeil 

remaining as Chair, Karen Dekker as 

Treasurer and Paula Watson as Secretary. 

It was agreed that the focus of the Group 

for 2023 was: 

• Pre-emptive felling of ash trees with 

progressing die-back starting with 

the trees near the North West corner 

of the pond 

• Obtaining quotes and funding to 

enable mechanical clearance of 

vegetation which is starting to take 

over the pond, hopefully in autumn 

2023 

• Obtaining quotes and then funding to remove the deteriorating pond boardwalk, 

culvert thepond overflow, repair sluice and backfill with aggregate to minise 

maintenance going forward 

Woodland work mornings continue to be held on the first Sunday of the month with a 

start time of 10.30 am. All equipment is provided, and we would encourage local residents 

to become involved. 

Committee meetings are held quarterly, and our next meeting will take place on Monday 

20th February. Please get in touch via FaceBook or kippenwoodlandgroup@gmail.com if 

you would like to come along to the meeting, find out more about the work of the Group 

or receive details of our activities. 

Paula Watson, Secretary 


Community Christmas Concert 


We were delighted that the annual Community 

Christmas Concert was able to take place again after 

three years (due to COVID restrictions). The concert 

started with great excitement as Murray O’May 

piped down the aisle, and Sarah Hill encouraged all 

of us about the importance of music in our lives. 

As well as the children performing in their classes; 

A Gift Called Love (P1- P3), Step into Christmas (P4- 

5), Let it be Christmas (P6-7), soloists performed 

beautiful renditions of Jingle Bells and Deck the Halls 

(Ella), Jingle Bells and The ‘Cello Plays (Marley), Away in 

a Manger and Ding Dong Merrily on High (Elisabeth), 

Ukrainian Carol, Jingle Bells Rock (Niamh), Great Balls 

of Fire (Cameron), The Snowman (Freya), You Never 

Can Tell (Alexander) and St James Infirmary and 

Pinetop’s Blues (Leo). Smaller groups performed 

Jingle Bells on flutes, violins, ‘cello and clarinet 

(Florence, Jamie, Leah, Heidi, Laura, Alexis, Fraser, 

Isobel, Jayne, and Elisabeth), Winter Wonderland 

(Elisabeth, George, Skye), Jungle Book (George, 

Heidi, Marley, Alexander), Christmas Baby Please 

Come Home (P.6 Girls) and ‘Surprise’ by Kippen 

Primary School Teachers. It was wonderful to hear 

the sound of the organ accompanying Christmas 

Carols. The Rev. Ellen Larson-Davidson gave a 

cheering Christmas Message and Mrs Robertson the 

vote of thanks. 

We are greatly indebted to Mrs. Robertson, Staff & Pupils of Kippen Primary School for 

their strong support and participation, David Loosely 

(Organist), The Rev. Ellen Larson-Davidson, Joanna 

MacPhail, Margery Stirling, John Fulton (Church), 

Photography (June Waley), fellow committee 

members (Ellen, Adrian, Kim and Heidi), all Concert 

Participants, all helpers and organisers, parents 

selling the tickets, printing programmes, putting up 

lights (Cat), manning the doors (Jenny, Adrian and 

Ashley) and the mulled wine stand (Lynn, Michelle 

and Jeeka) that helped to raise funds for the 2023 

Over-60s Lunch! 

As always, it was a team effort, and just wonderful 

to see children back performing in the church – a 

beautifully decorated venue complete with adorned 

Christmas Tree - and excellent acoustic for all the 

budding musicians! 

We are looking forward to next year’s concert already! 

Annabel Gaywood 



KIPPEN OVER 60s CHRISTMAS DINNER 2022 

A lively and sociable gathering of around 

100 guests and volunteers gathered 

on Monday, 5 th December 2022 for the 

Kippen over 60s Christmas Dinner. It was 

a welcome return to the village hall after 

a 2 year break due to Covid restrictions. 

There was a warm atmosphere as guests 

enjoyed the company, good food and 

entertainment. The hugely enjoyable 

afternoon only happens because of the 

support of so many local businesses, clubs, 

and organisations as well as individuals, 

both financial and in kind. The committee 

are also very grateful to the Kippen risk 

and resilience group and all the volunteers 

who have helped with this year’s event. 

It would be impossible to host the event 

without them. 



The Christmas Dinner brings together 

the whole community as fundraising 

continues throughout the year by various 

organisations and contributions are made 

to the decor of the hall by children in the 

school and playgroup. Local businesses 

and the wind farm also sponsor the event. 

The delicious 3 course Christmas dinner 

was provided by Cameron Skinner and 

his team. John Burns and Billy Hutton 

provided irresistibly toe-tapping music 

which brought dancers to the floor. 

However, as the village grows and the 

demographic changes, perhaps in the 

future those in their sixties just might not 

be old enough to qualify. But don’t worry, 

you will be soon enough! 



This was Mary Lawson’s final Christmas Dinner 

as Chair of the committee. She has been 

associated with the event since the 1970s, 

acting as chair since 1999. Her contribution to 

village life is enormously appreciated, for both 

the dinner and also associated fund raising 

events such as coffee mornings, prize bingo, 

street fayre stalls and a jumble sale. She has 

undertaken the role with attention to detail and 

great interest in all the individuals concerned. 

The dinner is a highlight of the year for many 

people and the source of very happy memories. 

It has now been running for over 60 years with a 

special Diamond Jubilee Dinner hosted in 2018. 

In order to share photos and memories of the 

dinner throughout the years a social media 

group has been set up for guests and their 

families. A photo album is also held in the 

heritage collection at the Reading Rooms. This 

year thanks again are due to Annabel Griffin for 

recording the event on camera - at times with a 

tea towel in hand! 









Classics@Kippen Christmas Celebration 

I’ve said many times before that 

Kippen is a village which keeps on 

giving and this was never more 

true for our last Classics@Kippen 

“Christmas Celebration” concert. 

Our C@K threefold manifesto to 

give the students from the Royal 

Conservatoire of Scotland a much 

needed concert platform, to give 

the community a wonderful event of 

high class music and to raise money 

for charity, ticked all the boxes….and 

more….much more! A huge thank 

you to John Logan, Head of Brass at 

RCS (who will be moving to Kippen in 

February!) for bringing “Conservatoire 

Brass” to perform along with pianist Jia 

Ning Ng and singers Claire Lumsden 

and Daniel Barratt. Suffice it to say 

we raised £1875 for each charity…. 

Parkinsons Scotland and MND 

Scotland. This now brings our total 

money raised over the past 10 years 

to £28,750. Amazing! A huge, huge 

thank you to everyone who came and 

to every single person who helped in 

so many ways to make this the roaring 

success that it was. If anyone would 

like to sponsor a concert or help in 

any way please do get in touch. Watch 

this space for the next concert which 

will hopefully be in the Spring of 2023. 

Kathleen McKellar Ferguson (Coubrough) 

www.kmckellarferguson.com 

www.classicsatkippen.co.uk 


Community Orchard Planted 


Kippen folk met last weekend to plant the Community Orchard in the extensive gardens 

of Kippen Kirk. People of all ages, around 150 of them, helped to plant a mixture of apple, 

plum, damson and cherry trees as part of the national Green Canopy to mark the Platinum 

Jubilee of our late Queen. 

The Friends of Kippen Kirk Trust, a charity which 

helps to preserve the fabric and setting of 

Kippen’s historic church, sponsored the planting 

which was planned by Naomi Hirst and Lindsay 

Frost. Trees were planted by local organisations, 

and in memory of local figures. One of the trees 

was planted in memory of Winnie Dunlop by her 

family. An apple tree was planted by Ukrainians 

living in Kippen to mark their time in the village, 

and all helped with the planting. In return, the 

Ukrainian ladies made apple cakes which were 

greatly appreciated at the afternoon tea in Church 

House. 

The Toddlers’ Playgroup had already planted their 

trees, enthusiastically getting their little trowels 

into the mud to plant Malus Katie. On Monday, 

41 pupils of Kippen Primary gathered to plant a 

cherry tree. 

Sir Michael Hirst, chairman of Friends of Kippen 

Kirk Trust, thanked the village for supporting the 

planting, and all those who participated with such enthusiasm. “It was fitting to mark the 

Queen’s Platinum Jubilee in a way that gives the people of Kippen a lovely orchard in 

beautiful surroundings with, hopefully, abundant fruit to be picked in future. We’re very 

grateful to Naomi and Lindsay for all that they did to make it happen.” 







Kippen Community Orchard 

On Sunday 23rd October a large crowd gathered in the orchard behind Kippen Parish 

Church to plant more fruit trees. Friends of Kippen Kirk, who partially funded the scheme, 

came together with those responsible for the Church Garden to plant eight fruit trees 

of different varieties. Various groups 

In the village were invited to sponsor a 

tree, and these included Kippen Primary 

School, Kippen Playgroup, Kippen 

Heritage, and there were three trees 

planted in memory of departed loved 

ones. A tree was also planted for our 

Ukrainian friends living in the village, and 

the tree planted for Friends of Kippen 

Kirk was a damson. 

Each group participated in the planting 

with spades, trowels, compost, and 

watering cans. It was wonderful to see 

such enthusiasm with a willingness to 

get hands dirty! 

Fortunately the rain stayed off for most 

of the planting and then everyone 

retreated to Church House for a welcome 

cup of tea and some wonderful apple 

cakes provided by the Ukrainian ladies. 

What was not eaten on Sunday was 

polished off by the children of P2 and 5/6 

from Kippen Primary School who came 

to plant their cherry tree on the Monday. 

The children were equally enthusiastic 

with spades and trowels and didn’t mind 

at all getting dirty! The Playgroup planted their apple tree earlier in the week. 

This venture was organised under the Green Canopy Scheme to mark the Platinum Jubilee 

of the late Queen. 

Naomi Hirst 

Scottish Family Business Awards 2022 

The Inn at Kippen was shortlisted for awards in a 

number of categories at this event, which took place in 

Glasgow on Thursday 1 December. 

They were successful as winners in the “Commitment 

to the Community” award. 


Primary P2/3 Woolly Investigations! 


Well, it’s been another busy and exciting term for 

the P2/3 class. We started off the term exploring the 

properties of wool and learned some clever skills 

turning raw fleece into wool yarn. We washed the 

raw fleece, carded it, and then spun it using a drop 

spindle. Lots of fun even though the classroom did 

smell a bit ‘sheepy’! 

This term also brought book week, with a visit 

from a real author and trips on the library bus. We 

loved reading the story Lost & Found by one of our 

favourite authors and illustrators, Oliver Jeffers. 

Children in Need was another exciting day, and we 

wore our pyjamas in school, even the teachers did, 

it was very cosy! 

The end of term brought lots of festive fun, our 

whole school trip to the pantomime ‘Maw Goose’ 

was a fantastic experience. Christmas jumper day 

with a special Christmas Lunch followed next, and 

finally we had our own show to perform. After several weeks of rehearsals, learning our 

lines and costume fittings, we finally were ready to perform our Nativity ‘The Christmas 

Recipe.’ It was a wonderful show, and we were all amazing performers and singers! 

What a very busy term, we have enjoyed so many new experiences, but, phew… we are a 

bit tired now! 

Primary P3-4 

During our Winter term Primary 3/4 have been busy learning about scientific forces. We 

have explored all the different aspects of forces such as friction, gravity, magnetism, and 

buoyancy. Our class has been a scientific workspace where we created rockets, made, and 

tested our own boats, developed our own aerodynamic helicopters, and even produced lava 

lamps. We learned how to develop a hypothesis and create fair and accurate tests in order 

to prove or disprove a statement of enquiry. 

We developed our understanding of natural 

forces and magnetic energy. Additionally, 

we experimented with chromatography and 

created rainbow designs. 

We also explored our school grounds and 

developed our communication/teamwork 

skills through our involvement in Loose 

Parts activities. We used themes from our 

class novel ‘The Christmasaurus’ to create 

and solve problems using our outdoor 

equipment. # We created a secure dinosaur 

nest where an egg would be safe from predators and protected from cold weather. We 

also explored ‘Big Art’ challenges where we were challenged to create a Christmas scene 

or object using our equipment. 



Primary 4/5 

Primary 4 / 5 have had a lot of fun this term 

exploring our topic of electricity. This has 

involved the pupils experimenting and building 

their own electrical circuits, learning about 

insulators and conductors and also building 

and designing wind turbines. They were able to 

design their own turbine blades and measure 

the power output with voltmeters. This involved 

careful consideration and experimentation 

of an optimum blade shape and size. The 

children went on to design their own leaflets 

about the advantages of wind power and they 

also designed safety posters to help inform people about how to stay safe when using 

electricity. They have also created surrealist art - a world in a lightbulb- to celebrate the 

invention of the lightbulb and to acknowledge the work of Thomas Edison - a figure whom 

they researched using online books. 

In Health and Wellbeing, the class have been exploring the theory of Growth Mindset. 

Having learnt a bit about how learning can “build” their brain, the children have been 

focused on developing, and supporting each other, to apply a growth mindset throughout 

all their learning. This is an approach that will stand them in good stead for an exciting 

term ahead! 

Primary P5/6 Mountains and Rivers 

This term our topic in p5/6 has been mountains and rivers. During this topic we have 

learned about how rivers and mountains are formed, as well as looking at them on 

Google Earth and maps to see where they are and how they are shown. After looking at 

topographical representations of mountains on maps, we created our own cardboard 

version to help us to understand how the distance between the lines related to steepness. 

Using sand, we investigated erosion 

and river formation by pouring water 

onto a slope. We also investigated how 

roots help to stop erosion by holding 

soil together using a similar experiment 

based on a pile of dirt compacted in a 

plant pot and a plant taken out of a pot. 

We enjoyed this topic and learned a lot. “I 

enjoyed when we got to learn about the 

different parts of a river because it was 

interesting and good to know how rivers are formed,” said Ella. “I quite enjoyed using 

shading to draw mountains and painting the backgrounds,” said Harry W. 

In addition, everyone in the class researched a mountain or river from around the world 

and presented the information which they found to the rest of the class. We enjoyed 

learning about these mountains and rivers from each other. Rhys said, “I enjoyed 

researching Ben Nevis because I like learning lots of things about different mountains and 

I also like learning about lots of different things.” Johnny added, “I enjoyed researching the 

Mississippi River, which was more interesting than I would have thought, and I actually 

quite enjoyed it.” 


Primary P6/7 


Primary 6/7 have been working hard this term and a 

lot of it has been based on food (alongside decimals, 

equivalent fractions and using cohesive devices in our 

writing). 

For our Topic in Term 2 we have been looking at the 

benefits of Healthy Eating. The class sorted foods into 

the correct food groups, researched the best foods 

for optimum nutrition, and made links with both short 

term and long-term health. We also had a lot of fun 

in class making a number of healthy snacks, including 

banana and strawberry smoothies, wholemeal wraps 

with various fillings and, as it’s Christmas, some little 

edible Christmas ‘wreaths. 

In the last few weeks before Christmas the class 

took part in a number of STEM (Science, Technology, 

Engineering and Maths) challenges. These included ‘Who could make the longest paper 

chain from only 1 piece of A4 paper?’, ‘How fast can you make your reindeer fly?’, and 

finishing with ‘How HIGH can you make Santa’s sleigh fly?’ 

P6/7 are a talented bunch of artists and have produced a number of beautiful pieces of 

work such as using oil pastels to paint reflections in water, Christmas ‘scratch art’ and a 

Christmas window. We have also made clay Christmas decorations and worked hard at 

practising our song for the end of term service. 

Jumble Sale 

The Reading Rooms were undertaking 

renovations in November and so not able 

to host a jumble sale this year. The Over 

60s Christmas Dinner committee took the 

opportunity to organise a sale rather than the 

traditional bingo. Those who attended were 

enthusiastic about the quality of the jumble 

on offer. Many thanks are therefore due to all 

those who kindly took time to have a clear out 

and donated to our worthy cause. 

A superb sum of £650 was raised. We were 

glad to give our new treasurer,Allan Hunter, a 

good induction to the job. A good number of 

volunteers, for set up on Friday and during and 

after the sale, made for light work. 

Thank you also to those who came and had a 

rummage, spent their money and enjoyed the 

chat. How nice to be able to take part in such 

an event after the last few years of isolation 

due to Covid 

Tracy Hepburn 

www.theweevine.org 25



Kippen for Ukraine Update 

Did you know 

A Taste of Ukraine 

The Kippen for Ukraine (K4U) team has continued to 

explore and be proactive in ways to support Ukrainians 

individually and collectively. 

At the end of November, the team worked with our 

Ukrainian friends in both Kippen and surrounding areas 

to host ‘A Taste of Ukraine Christmas mini market’ in the centre of the village. Its aim 

was to provide a community event for Kippen villagers, allowing them to meet, engage 

and share with our Ukrainian friends. The event offered locals an opportunity to taste 

authentic Ukrainian borscht, Ukrainian cakes, and other delicacies. Mulled wine, home 

baking and a variety of other craft stalls were also available. Thankfully the weather was 

kind and, considering the feedback received, the whole event was a great success. Whilst 

fundraising was not the primary driver for the event, £752 was raised for Kippen for 

Ukraine. 

Support by Local Volunteers 

K4U has begun to explore and set up a system to enable car sharing so that Ukrainians 

can travel locally without the high cost of public transport. 

K4U has been successful in facilitating weekly English language classes in Kippen tutored 

by a Stirling Council member of staff. Funds raised by K4U are currently paying for a 

venue for these classes. Volunteers help with these sessions. This enables two groups 

at different levels to learn at the same time. In addition, volunteers are giving weekly 

language support to most of the adult Ukrainians on a one-to-one basis. If anyone would 

like to help in this way, please contact June Waley (01786 870454). 

Hosting 

The war in Ukraine continues and people are still fleeing their homes. Many Ukrainians 

who have been successful with visa applications are living in Stirlingshire hub hotels, some 

for many months. The reality is that there are more refugees hoping to find hosts than 

there are households willing to share their homes or offer a property. 

K4U has established a supportive network for both hosts and guests. If you would like to 

become part of this, registration can be done via the Homes for Ukraine website. If you 

would like to discuss whether this is a possibility for you, please telephone June Waley on 

01786 870454. 

Further Support 

If you have not already done so and are interested in helping, please complete the Kippen 

for Ukraine form which can be found at https://forms.gle/2CmTfeoakbsEAU4u5. It takes 

one minute. 

Please look out for information on our upcoming initiatives and events and visit our 

Facebook page. 

If you have any queries with regards to hosting, supporting Ukrainians or donating to 

Kippen for Ukraine, please contact kippenforukraine@gmail.com. 

If you would like to be added to our mailing list for updates and have chosen not to 

complete the form, email us and we can add you to our mailing list. 


Did you know 

Kippen for 

Ukraine (K4U) 


Did you know 


Did you know 

Molly McNicoll 

Those who regularly visit the village store will undoubtedly have spotted the local shop cat, 

known affectionately as Molly McNicoll. Although she may seem to have an affectionate 

and placid nature nowadays, this was certainly not always the case for his beloved little 

cat. 

Around 22 years ago, John made the unexpected discovery in one of the shop outbuildings, 

of a young cat who can only be described as feral. Surrounded by her large litter of kittens, 

she put on a wonderfully aggressive display of behaviour, leaving John with nothing to do 

but back away slowly. Little Jeni at only 5 years old was besotted with the kittens and took 

it upon herself to feed and care for them. Over time, despite her continual wariness, Molly 

ventured out of the building and showed no sign of leaving her newly claimed home. 

As the years went on, Molly continued to have extensive litters and kittens, to the great 

delight of little Jeni. With each litter, Molly became slightly more amenable, allowing the 

kittens to be picked up and played with. However, she would never stray far and would 

certainly not think twice to utter a sharp hiss if things went outside of her control. 

It was then decided that it was time to get Molly spayed, which was certainly no easy 

task. Eventually she was lured into a cat 

box, much to her disgust. The car ride to 

Doune for John and Jeni was filled with 

the incessant howling and screeching 

coming from the back seat. However, the 

procedure was a success and Molly soon 

began to transition into her life as a true 

member of the family. 

Her nature gradually over time, allowing 

some people to get much closer than 

others. Although the thought of a simple 

pat or God forbid picking her up was 

near enough a death sentence for most 

of the family, Molly did not seem to have 

any problem with cuddling in the close to 

Isobel’s Father or indeed Marjorie. 

Fast forward to 2023 and now Molly 

McNicoll has changed dramatically. Despite 

her estimated elderly age of 22, she now 

loves nothing more than being around 

people, getting plentiful pats and chatting 

with the shop customers. During the 

pandemic, many customers commented 

on how she took her place in the queue 

outside the shop. However, today she has 

gone one step further, strolling in regularly 

behind the counter, only to be repeatedly 

escorted out again. 

If you have not had the pleasure of meeting Molly McNicoll, simply take a stroll down to 

the village shop and she is sure to be delighted to make your acquaintance. 


Did you know 


Did you know 

Risk and Resilience 

It is just five years since a Risk and 

Resilience plan was created for the village 

of Kippen. 

At the time of writing, there had not been 

a major emergency in the village for more 

than forty years. 

We now take it for granted that, at five 

minute’s notice, a plan can be activated 

to address, (but not necessarily handle), 

any crisis, ranging from a person going 

missing to a global Lockdown caused by a 

Pandemic. 

This is, of course, a complete overstatement 

of what can be done, but it serves to 

indicate that Kippen now has teams of 

volunteers capable of caring for those 

needing help. This team is independent of 

Stirling District Council and costs nothing 

as they give their time freely. 

With that team comes a community spirit 

which is at the heart of village life. 

Kippen used to be a farming village – 

the farmers relied on the village as a 

community centre, while the villagers 

relied on the farming community for their 

support. That relationship has long gone. 

The largely commuter based population 

now has to develop new relationships to 

replace it. 

At recent meetings, Kippen Community 

Council and District councillors have 

expressed enthusiasm at the value of 

a volunteer movement in the village, 

requesting that this group should not be 

disbanded in the wake of the ending of 

the Lockdown. Indeed, one might have 

expected Risk and Resilience to return to 

its normal passive level. 

The reality has been different. 

Firstly, the Ukrainian war awakened the 

village to the need for a response to the 

arrival of refugees. A committee was 

immediately formed which has handled 

their arrival and resulted in a hub being 

created. 

We then began to see the signs of a power 

crisis developing across the nation, which 

has yet to become serious but has caused 

us to start planning for the effects of 

outages. 

The next incident was an alert to a missing 

person emergency, which fortunately 

ended well without loss of life. Some useful 

lessons were learned regarding how best 

to work with the local police, which will be 

followed up in January of 2023. 

More recently, we have managed to play 

a minor role in distributing bottled water 

as the village water supply has become 

unreliable. 

We intend to establish ‘Warm Space’ for 

villagers as we re-open the Reading Room. 

While we can regard our first five years 

as a modest success, we update our 2017 

plan in the light of that experience, looking 

forward to a much wider engagement with 

villagers and reflecting the enthusiasm 

which we have seen from our existing fifty 

volunteers. 

Participation can be great fun – as we have 

found from our Christmas Lunch activities 

which were so well received across the 

village. 

Come and join in – the more the merrier! 

(Contact me on jeremy_gaywood1@ 

btinternet.com) 

Jeremy Gaywood 


Police Report 

Community Engagement and 

Reassurance 

Police Sergeant Sarah Stephenson has 

commenced her new role as Community 

Sergeant for the Forth and Endrick ward 

as well as supervisor for the Community 

Policing Teams at Callander and Dunblane. 

Sarah arrives new in post with eighteen 

years Policing service, having previously 

Policed in the Callander area and also has 

links to the rural Stirlingshire area having 

previously resided in Lochearnhead 

and Callander. Prior to this post she was 

a Response Police Sergeant based at 

Callander and has previous community 

Policing experience from her days working 

in Stirling 

PC Steven Graham and PC Graeme 

McNulty are based at Balfron Police 

Office and can be contacted on 101 or at 

ForthEndrickCPT@scotland.police.uk. It 

is recommended that this email address 

is used by the local community for email 

contact however should not be used for 

crime reporting. 

Please remember that we regularly publish 

useful information and updates on social 

media, including appeals for information, 

updates about road closures and crime 

prevention advice. Our Facebook and 

Twitter pages can be found at: 

www.facebook.com/ 

forthvalleypolicedivision 

www.facebook.com/policescotland 

www.twitter.com/stirlingpol 

www.twitter.com/policescotland 

Fraud 

Within the wider Forth and Endrick area, 

we are still hearing many reports of 

Fraudulent schemes whereby persons 

are coerced into handing over their 

bank details. This is often in relation 

Police Report 

to the energy bills rebate or fraudsters 

pretending to be the victim’s bank and 

telling them they have been defrauded 

and they should transfer their money. Also 

common is a fraudster pretending to be a 

relative of the victim, telling them that they 

have damaged their phone, had a new 

number and require a bill to be paid. The 

victim is coerced into transferring money 

into an account which they believed to be 

their son for example. 

Vehicle safety – Getting winter ready 

Prepare for the winter by keeping your 

vehicle well maintained before you take 

to the road. Take special care that brakes, 

tyres, lights, batteries, windscreens, and 

wiper blades are in good condition. In 

addition, washer bottles need to contain 

an additive to stop the water from freezing. 

Tyres should also be checked weekly to 

ensure they are legal and at the correct 

pressure (consult your vehicle handbook). 

The minimum legal tread depth for cars 

is 1.6mm across the centre 3/4 of the 

breadth of the tread around the entire 

circumference. They should also be 

checked for bulges, cuts or tears which 

weaken the tyre. Failure to maintain your 

tyres could lead to a maximum of £2,500 

fine and 3 penalty points per tyre. 

Make sure your windows are clean, 

properly demisted, and clear of snow and 

ice before you drive. Also make sure that 

your roof is clear of snow as this affects 

drivers behind you and can also cause 

obstructions on your windscreen when 

braking. Be careful with low sun as it can 

make it difficult to see and a dirty, greasy, 

or damaged windscreen can make this 

worse. 

All lights must be kept clean and clear 

and be in good working order, including 

registration plate lights. Use the help of 

someone to check that all of your lights 

are working. 


Police Report 

Consider keeping an emergency kit in your 

car for severe weather, this should at least 

include: 

•An ice scraper and de-icer 

•A shovel for snow 

•A torch and spare batteries 

•Warm clothes, boots, and a blanket 

•Some food and a warm drink in a flask 

•A first aid kit 

•Battery jump leads 

•A map or device with offline maps for any 

unplanned diversions. 

In wet weather, stopping distances will 

be at least double those required for 

stopping on dry roads. Aquaplaning can 

be a frightening experience; this is where 

a wedge of water builds up between the 

front tyres and the road surface. If this 

happens, the safest solution is to remove 

pressure from the accelerator, allowing 

the vehicle to lose speed which will help 

the tyres regain their grip. 

Ice and snow can increase stopping 

distanced by up to ten times so keep well 

back from the vehicle in front. Anticipate 

when you will need to be stopping and be 

alert to other road users. When the roads 

are icy, drive at a slow speed in as high a 

gear as possible; accelerate and brake very 

gently. 

A driver was reported to the Procurator 

Fiscal for drink driving. 

A driver was reported to the Procurator 

Fiscal for carrying out a dangerous 

overtake on the A811 and causing an RTC. 

No injuries were sustained as a result of 

the collision. 

LOCAL POLICE PLAN 2023-2026 DRAFT 

CONSULTATION 

The Police and Fire Reform (Scotland) Act 

2012 requires the Divisional Commander 

to produce and publish a Local Policing 

Plan (LPP) for each local authority area. 

The Local Police Plan 2023-2026 will 

set out our priorities for policing and 

explain how we will deliver them over 

the next three years. The Plan offers a 

significant opportunity to improve how 

we serve the public and our communities. 

Understanding the views and priorities of 

our all of our communities is fundamental 

to how Police Scotland responds to the 

needs of the public and we have taken 

these into account before drafting the 

Plan. Consultation is also an essential part 

of the planning process. Your views are 

very important to us and will help shape 

our policing priorities over the next three 

years. 

We are keen to hear feedback from all 

members of the community as we develop 

and refine the Plan. Adding your views 

gives us the opportunity to consider 

your opinion and experience as part of 

the consultation process. To enable us 

to capture your views and have your say 

on our future policing priorities, I would 

respectfully request that you please take 

some time to feedback on our draft plan. 

The survey is open until 12 th February 

2023, and you can take part here: 

Local Police Plans 2023-2026 – Police 

Scotland - Citizen Space 

The survey can be accessed by anyone, 

and we are keen to hear from as many 

people as possible, so please share it with 

colleagues, family members, friends, and 

your community, if possible. 


Bin Calendar 


Supporters 

Crossword Answers 

Across: 1 Maledict, 5 Upshot, 9 Rational, 10 Mirror, 12 Escape key, 13 Cruel, 

14 Used, 16 Express, 19 Hookahs, 21 Cult, 24 Plonk, 25 Draws near, 27 Adroit, 

28 Vicarage, 29 Ensign, 30 Tegument. 

Down: 1 Murder, 2 Lo-tech, 3 Droop, 4 Cracked, 6 Principal, 7 Hercules, 

8 Tyrolese, 11 Type, 15 Sparkling, 17 Shipmate, 18 Sojourns, 20 Side, 

21 Cyanide, 22 Berate, 23 Orient, 26 Snafu. 


Supporters 

The Wee Vine Supporters 

Without our supporters, there would be no Wee Vine. They offer support in a variety of 

ways. All essential. 

Firstly, our financial supporters. Printing and other costs are totally met through the 

support of a number of local organisations. These have all been affected to a greater or 

lesser extent by the current Covid crisis, but continue to provide support, which is greatly 

appreciated. Currently, these are (in alphabetical order): 

Acorn Cottage (03454986900} 

Arnbeg Farm Stay (01786 871121) 

Arnprior Swimming Pool (870481) 

Brian Reynolds Carpentry (870531) 

Cameron Skinner, Skinner of Kippen (870203) 

Central Auto Repairs (Glengyle) (870254) 

Classics@Kippen 

David Kirkwood, Fishmonger 

Falck Renewables 

John Coubrough & Son, Joiners &Funeral Directors (870737) 

McNicolls Country Store (870237) 

Stephen Paul Associates (870906) 

The Cross Keys (870293) 

The Inn at Kippen (870500) 

The Woodhouse (870156) 

For those not familiar with the name “Falck Renewables,” this is the parent company of the 

community facility known as “The Windfarm,” to whom our grateful thanks are due for the 

significant support provided. 

And a further grateful acknowledgement of a donation from the Cubs and Scouts following 

their bonfire night. 

Each of our financial supporters is entitled to use the magazine to publicise forthcoming 

events, or significant awards obtained. Anyone who would like to offer support in this way, 

can do so by contacting us at enquiries@theweevine.org. 

Secondly, many thanks to those who have supported this issue by contributing articles. 

The Wee Vine is for Kippen, about Kippen and by Kippen. We would like to know about 

events as they happen, and also those which are planned. Also, organisations, clubs and 

their programmes and activities. Plus, comments, queries, photos, and anything else that 

takes your fancy. 

“Letters to the editor” on paper or electronically are welcome from all. 

And finally, those who support by offering help in many ways, such as the delivery of the 

magazine round the village. 

Stuart Thomson 


Kippen Post Office 

Full Postal Service 

• Free cash withdrawals from 

all named banks 

• Full banking service- 

Business and Personal 

• Utility bill and road tax 

payments 

• Full Bureau de Change 

• Euros and US Dollars 

stocked 

• Money Transfers 

Opening Times 

Mon-Tue-Thur-Fri 0900-1300 1400-1730 

Wednesday 0900-1300 

Saturday 0900-1230 

Mobile Outreach Service 

Van 1 - Buchlyvie-Croftamie-Fintry Village, Sports Centre 

and Caravan Park- Gargunnock-Killearn-Thornhill 

Van 2 - Blackford-Braco-Carnock-Clackmannan 

Village and Town- Torrance

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