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Summer 2023 Issue 27 £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
www.theweevine.org 1

Welcome
The Wee Vine
Editor
Denis Bradley
Editorial Group
Ali Thom
Naomi Hirst
Rick Dekker
Stuart Thomson
Original Design
Rick Dekker
Layout
Stewart Hislop
Proof Reading
Annabel Griffin
Printing
Mixam
Website
www.theweevine.org
Contact us at:
enquiries@theweevine.org
The Wee Vine, The Windings, Fore Road
Kippen, FK8 3DT
The Wee Vine is produced quarterly and
distributed within the Kippen area.
The Wee Vine magazine accepts no responsibility
for the return or the condition of unsolicited
manuscripts, art and photographs.
Whilst every care has been taken to ensure the
accuracy of the information contained within
the magazine, the publishers, printers and their
agents cannot accept responsibility for the errors
or omissions. Views held by contributors are their
own and do not necessarily coincide with those of
the editorial team.
We also reserve the right to edit or refuse insertion
of any article submitted.
The Wee Vine magazine is published by The Wee
Vine, which is a not-for-profit organisation.
Welcome to
issue 27 of
The Wee Vine
We move into Summer and the weather in June
was fabulous but as I write it feels like Autumn. The
street Fayre was blessed this year with sunshine,
and we cover this on pages 14-17.
As a resident of Fore Road, we miss the bongs
from the church and keeping us informed of
the time. On page 8 Rev. Ellen Larson Davidson
provides an update on the interior of the church
clock circa 1880.
Village hall information is on page 3 and WI-FI is
now live!
There are several articles in the Did You Know
section in this issue including the use of water in
our area plus the 2023 UCI World Championships’
event. This will come to Kippen from 9 August to
11 August. To check all the detail, visit the website
wwwstirling.gov.uk/ucichamps and see info on
page 24-25.
Our next issue is scheduled for the second half of
October and contributions will be needed by 30th
September.
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.
Front cover picture - Rev. Ellen Larson Davidson,
Minister
Index
Special Feature 3
Clubs 4
Community Affairs 7
Did You Know 23
Police Report 29
The Wee Vine Supporters 31
2 www.theweevine.or

Our Village Hall needs you!!
Special Feature
Whether you have lived in Kippen for many
years or have only recently moved to the village,
would you consider giving some of your time
to join our small committee of volunteers? It’s
not an onerous task and we like to think we’re a
friendly, welcoming bunch!
We’ve been exploring how we might make fuller
use of the Hall and could also really do with some
more hands on deck to help spread the tasks
around. If you’re interested in finding out more,
please do consider coming along to our next
AGM on Tuesday 5th September at 7.00pm or
contact us via email (details below) or Facebook
and we can have a chat.
The Village Hall is now “live”. Our broadband
connection was finally completed at the beginning
of May which means that anyone using the Hall
can now access Wi-Fi free of charge as part of
their booking or when attending an event. We
hope this will enhance your experience of using
the Hall and that it will encourage new bookings
where access to Wi-Fi is essential for your event.
Regular weekly activities are listed below, and we’re delighted that the Hall will see the
very welcome return of the Kippen Flower Show on 19th August! Another highlight over
the summer will be when the Kippen Dance Club takes over the Hall for two 4-day Summer
Workshops - P4-S1 workshop will be from 17-20th July, followed by P1-3 from 24-27th July.
We hope all the young people taking part will have a great time together.
We are seeing a gradual increase in private bookings but there’s always room for more!
So please do consider using the Hall for community and family events and celebrations!
You can check availability on the booking website - https://hallbookingonline.com/
kippen. Please also keep an eye on our Facebook page for updates/events, or email us
at kippenvillagehall@gmail.com if you›d like to see inside the Hall or ask any questions.
Mon 19.00 Yoga
Tue 09.30 Playgroup (term-time only)
18.30 Fitness Class
19.30 Badminton Club (resumes 5th Sept)
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
(Contact details / further info for the above activities can be found by clicking on the
calendar event on the bookings website)
Ruth McLaren (on behalf of the KVH Committee)
www.theweevine.org 3

Clubs
“Build it and they will come”
For 5 years the good citizens of Kippen were deprived of watching
football in the village. The club had gone onto cold storage and
despite being founding members of the league way back in 1910 it
felt as if football would be lost forever. History shows that once a
side departs bringing it back to life is no easy challenge. Gartmore
and Fintry are no more and this season the league lost Thornhill
too. The feeling was that unless we had the comeback soon it
would just never happen.
However, having utilised the youth talent available through the GSR Central Academy a
team run by former Scotland internationalist David McPherson and Paul Goodwin who
had been using Kippen as a base, a plan was hatched to bring the Grapes back to life.
Prompted by former player Cameron Skinner they went about recruiting and hoping for
the best. Probably our most significant first signing was former player Wallace McGown
who took on the Club Secretary and Assistant Manager role and got the side ready to go.
The old strips were a bit past the sell by date but were gratefully recycled and received
by Balfron High School. The Windmill Fund helped with a donation of £600 and the small
committee took the risk for the balance of £600 in the hope that everything would come
together.
Our story and the search for players was featured on the iconic BBC series A view from
the Terrace and our first friendly saw nearly 30 players appear to try and win a place in
the team. The BBC feature titled The Resurrection was seen far and wide and has attracted
interest in the village and in the “Grapes” from Australia to Canada and the USA. It has
also brought a range of football Bloggers and “Ground hoppers” (fans who try to visit as
many grounds as they can). These folks have travelled from Derby, Aberdeen, Carlisle
as well as Glasgow and Edinburgh. You can see a trailer here https://www.facebook.
com/100063469275204/videos/1265472347740991 and read one of the Blogs here
https://fitbawbag.com/2023/06/24/2022-23-kippen-1-v-2-buchlyvie-united/
On the park, despite being a
new team, we have been very
competitive and managed to get
our first win since 2017 under our
belt as well as secure a few draws
in the first round of fixtures. For
this new Kippen team, it is all
about creating new history as well
making the team sustainable for
the next generation. Sadly, many
of the talented players from the
village of Kippen are still playing
for other teams but we do hope
that in the fullness of time they
will return to the fold to help us make the club sustainable.
Off the park there have been challenges with such a young squad many still at school
it has meant that the fundraising aspect has been problematic, but the response in the
village has been breath-taking with sponsors like The Inn at Kippen and Stirling Man
with A Van stepping forward to support the team in its first season back. What has been
4 www.theweevine.org

Clubs
even more remarkable is the
huge crowds who have been
following the team at
home and often away from
home too. They have been
entertained by the passion
and commitment of the team
who want to do everything
they can to put the village
back on the map.
As we write this half the
season over, we are feeling
very positive and are sure
we will be back next season.
We have already organised
a session in August to paint
the changing rooms and
we are hopeful that in late
September we hope to have
our Players Awards and a
Speakers Night in the Village
Hall featuring some former
Scotland International
players. We are sure that
there will be a guaranteed sell out for that event!
A huge thanks to everyone who has helped put the show back on the road from our
committee, our sponsors, Mike Batstock our photographer and of course all those coming
up to shout for the Grapes. Hopefully there will be much more to come in the season
ahead. You can follow us on Facebook!
Paul Goodwin
Bowling Club
As I write this the season is well underway with various
club and open competitions being played as well as
league matches, inter club and club ties and of course
our normal Club night on Monday evenings and our
informal turn up game on Thursday afternoons.
Attendances have been quite healthy this year with a
number of enthusiastic new members and of course the
weather has been kind to us with long dry sunny spells – albeit that the green itself could
have done with a bit more rain.
We still look for new members however and anyone interested should turn up on a
Monday evening at 6.30pm or a Thursday afternoon at 1.45pm. You will be most welcome
and will receive appropriate tuition if required.
John Anderson 01786 870001
www.theweevine.org 5

Clubs
Tennis Club (KTC)
We are very excited to enter the summer period at Kippen Tennis Club, which is celebrating
its 40 th Anniversary this year!
Kippen Men’s and Ladies Teams have done very well in the Summer League. With one
match to go Kippen 1 Men are 4 th from 6 in Division 2 and will remain in the division
in 2024. Kippen 2 Men are 5 th from 6 in Division 2 and will be relegated to Division 3 in
2024. Ladies being promoted to the 1 st Division winning decisively their matches in the 2 nd
Division.
The Open Day on Sunday 23 rd April with
BBQ and friendly play was fun and well
attended, tennis Coaching (with our
excellent coach Richard Knapman) took
place on Friday evenings for children/
adult beginners, and Saturdays adult
improvers and advanced. The KTC Juniors
Championship (12–16-year-old) took
place on Sunday 18 th June with 9 very
enthusiastic participants, Gavin Rogers,
Arran Bauer, Holly Gayler, Layla Olivarius,
Alexander Satkauskas, Anna Smith, Holly
Fielden, Freya Smith, Freya Mackinnon, supported by active parent’s line judging, ensuring
games were run on time and providing delicious sandwiches – huge thanks! The winners
for Singles: Gavin Rogers 1 st place, Layla Olivarius 2 nd , Holly Fielden 3 rd , and Doubles: Layla
Olivarius 1 st place, Holly Fielden 2 nd and Gavin Rogers 3 rd . Well done to all Kippen Juniors!
For players of all ages and abilities, we have a great programme of activities ahead. Key
activities and events are:
• Children’s Summer Camp - 7 th -11th August
• Coaching for children, adult beginners, improvers and advanced will resume in
autumn.
• Leagues –Over 45s, Autumn, Winter
• KTC Club championships Men’s and Ladies Singles and Doubles, Mixed Doubles over
the summer followed by Championships Weekend and 40th Anniversary Awards and
celebration on 16 th /17 th September. All semi-finals matches must be played by then!
• Quiz Night – Friday 10 th November
If you have not yet done so, sign up to the KTC Championships and put the date of the
16 th /17 th September in your diary – it will be a weekend to remember!
On behalf of a very hard-working committee, we enjoy welcoming new and existing
members to the club. As always, I would like to thank everyone who works so hard behind
the scenes to keep the Club in such good repair, including all the maintenance and the
beautiful plant tubs.
Find out more and sign up to membership and lessons via: www.kippentennisclub.org.
uk
Annabel Gaywood
(President 2022-2024)
6 www.theweevine.org

Community Affairs
The Inn at Kippen – Scottish Hospitality Awards 2023
Congratulations to the Inn for obtaining the award for “Pub/ Inn of the Year Central: The
Inn at Kippen (Stirling)” for the second consecutive year at the awards at a ceremony in
Glasgow on Tuesday May 16 th . Having also recently taken over the management of the
Fintry Inn, it was pleasing to note that they also received a similar award in the Glasgow
region.
Record Collection in Kippen
The Christian Aid collection in Kippen in May raised the record sum of £2,696, with gift aid
declarations raising a further £465. Both of these sums are a record – donations were up
by over 15%, and gift aid recoveries were up by almost 40%, on last year’s figures which
were themselves record.
The organiser of Christian Aid in Kippen, Michael Hirst, praised the generosity of Kippen
people and thanked in particular the team of over 30 people who distributed the Christian
Aid envelopes and collected them in. “With all the pressures of cost of living, this record
collection for the poorest in the world, reflects so well on the open heartedness of the
local community. It’s good too that they are so well wised up on the advantages of gift aid
– we got an extra £465 in gift aid from the Chancellor!”
Kippen has one of the highest figures of giving per household to this and other charitable
causes. “It’s an enviable record, and we work hard to improve on it,” he added.
Sir Michael Hirst
www.theweevine.org 7

Community Affairs
Times and seasons
Green is my favourite colour. Summer’s green is refreshing like dew wet grass under my
bare feet, like the shade of the leafy tree on a sunny Scottish summer’s day. Ordinary time
is for growing and learning, for receiving the energy from the sunlight for growth and
eventual fruitfulness to then go to seed for another season. Green in church is the colour
of ordinary time and no major holidays.
Ordinary time passes and sometimes we barely notice it in its ordinariness. Everyday
events and work to be done. Getting on with the tasks at hand like the weeding in the
garden, the tending, and in summer the mowing. The ordinary conversations and life
happenings go on without much fuss, and yet sometimes something happens, and time
stands still.
On the church tower the clock has stood still for several weeks. The ordinariness of
the clock chiming the hours, the bullet hole on one clockface, and one side being a few
minutes behind were a quirk of Kippen Kirk’s clock reminding the village of time passing.
The stopping of the clock meant I have had some questions.
The church clock built in the 1880s needs tending. It stopped on hot days and other times.
The clock mechanism needed a twice weekly wind. A climb up into the church tower to
crank the two gears a certain number of times not over winding in case it seizes and
ensuring weight is balanced. I’m grateful to Iain Watt and John & Sheila Fulton who in
recent years have diligently wound the clock and tended it to make sure the time ticked on
even during 2020. They climbed the stairs up and up, and counted the turns of the crank,
and when it had stopped worked to get the time set again. A labour of love and diligence.
I’m so thankful for their time and the opportunity for me and our children how to wind
such a treasure.
As it became apparent that the clock needs some TLC and even electrifying so it does
require a twice weekly wind, the clock has been stopped to allow us to seek a way forward
for this community time piece. We hope in due time the hours will be chimed, the time
will read correctly on at least 3 sides and only a few minutes behind for the Manse-facing
clockface.
As time passes, we grow and learn we remember times past and the hard work of many to
keep things ticking over. To quote the wisdom words of the bible’s book of Ecclesiastes, ‘to
everything its time and season, a time for every activity under heaven.’ May these ordinary
times of summer bless you. As time ticks on, may you know love and hope in extraordinary
ways in even the ordinariness of daily life. May you know your time and work matter in our
community life. May you know the preciousness of your time here and now.
God bless, Ellen.
Kippen Kirk Sunday worship at 11. 15 am.
Kippen Kirk will be open for Open Doors Days from 11 am to 4 pm on Saturday
23 rd September and after Sunday worship on 24 th September from 1-4 pm. Explore the
space and place of Kippen Kirk.
The Church gardens are open for all in the community to spend time in, bring a picnic
mat, sit on one of the benches, wander through the high grass in the orchard, and enjoy
the view.
Rev. Ellen Larson Davidson, Minister, Kippen linked with Norrieston Parishes
Church of Scotland
8 www.theweevine.org

Risk and Resilience
As I write, term has ended, and the village
is about to disappear on summer holidays.
However, the need for quiet watchfulness
does not go away.
We have chosen, backed by sound advice
from Councillors, not to disband our Risk
and Resilience team of volunteers who so
effectively came to the aid of the village at
the time of the Lockdowns. They gave us
all a sense that people care and will stand
by when things go wrong.
We have no means of knowing what the
next crisis will be – will it be country-wide
like the Pandemic – or will it be a single
event like a missing person?
What we have learned is that individuals
often do not realise that we, as a
community, do care for every single
person, particularly where life is at stake.
It is very important that each of us should
recognise this fact because it can help
to stave off the depression which can
otherwise grow.
Risk and Resilience is not an exclusive
concept. The community relies on support
from many sources - the Church, from
Community Affairs
associations and organisations such as
‘the Rural,’ the police, the NHS and from
the seasonal associations such as the
Street Fayre and the Over Sixties lunch
association.
But we are there in the back-round, and
we see a growing need for village services
which rely, not on large sums of money,
but upon the goodwill and energies of
those who are themselves part of the
community.
As a village body, we are more than fifty
strong, with more villagers willing to
come on board. Our headquarters, the
Reading Room, has been refurbished,
with improved kitchen facilities and WIFI
communications. We are also being
approached by Stirling Council and are
able to give them a good account of village
activities.
In short, while remaining quietly behind all
village activities, we remind everyone that
we are there, when the times comes, ready
to support the village when things go
wrong, whether it be at communal level,
or simply concerning the individual.
Kippen stands up there, with few other
villages, ready to serve when needed.
Jeremy Gaywood
www.theweevine.org 9

Community Affairs
Heritage
Archaeological Dig at Keir Hill of Dasher, 24 th to 27 th May
Kippen Heritage spent a valuable four days assisting Stirling Archaeologist Dr Murray
Cook and his team continuing the investigation of the Keir Hill of Dasher site which lies
at the edge of the village just north of Station Brae. Many in Kippen have been fascinated
by our unrecorded history and further finds confirm the importance of Kippen’s location
at the edge of the Roman Empire, and its later significance in the struggle between the
peoples of those lands North of the River Forth, and those who sought to extend their
influence beyond the River Tweed.
The dig, carried out in
glorious May weather, has
strengthened the theory of
a defensive Viking era fort
on the site which overlooks
the Fords of Frew, which
was an important crossing
point on the River Forth. The
dig uncovered evidence of a
causeway. With the support
of Kippen Community Trust
and its grant funding, carbon
dating of charcoal is being
carried out to confirm the
date of that feature. Murray
explained to open day visitors
how and why the site would
have been important in those
times of turmoil in our history.
Coins were also found, and
these have been sent for dating too. In another trench the finds of worked quartz indicate
Neolithic and Bronze age activity, and 12th century fragments were also uncovered,
identified as East Coast White Gritty pottery.
Dr Cook will write up his report which will explain further, but he has expressed his
confidence that Keir Hill of Dasher, right on our doorstep, is one of the most important
archaeological sites in Central Scotland. Kippen Heritage will continue to support those
efforts to uncover more of our past, and if you are interested in this subject or would like
to register as a volunteer for future digs, then be sure to visit our website, where more
news will be posted from time to time. www.kippenheritage.org.uk
Heritage Talks at the Reading Rooms
All talks start at 7.30 p.m. Doors open at 7.00 p.m. Refreshments will be available. Tickets,
only at the door, are £4 with a £2 concession for students.
Previous Talk by the County Archaeologist, Thursday11 th May.
Murray Cook, the County Archaeologist, gave a talk on The Fords of Frew and Keir Hill of
Dasher. The evening was a sellout with an excellent turnout of almost 50. It was a superb
introduction to the dig at the end of the month. Many thanks to Murray and the providers
of refreshments afterwards.
10 www.theweevine.org

National Library for Scotland, Maps Department, Tuesday 26 th
September
Community Affairs
Paula Williams, Curator of Maps, will give an illustrated talk on ‘The Lie of the Land: 400
years of Mapping Scotland’. The audience will hear the fascinating story of the history of
maps in Scotland over the centuries. Many of the maps will show the strategic importance
of Stirling and the Forth Valley.
Innerpeffray Library, Perthshire, Thursday 26 th October
Lara Haggerty, Keeper of Books, will speak to us about Innerpeffray’s unique place in
history, as Scotland’s first free public lending library and how and why it was founded in
1680. Just 4 miles from Crieff, and less than an hour’s drive from Kippen, you can still visit
the library and read the rare books in Innerpeffray’s fabulous collection.
Kippen Walks, Tuesday 28 th November
Steven McEwan will introduce us to his new publication, ‘Kippen Walks’, helping us to
explore the countryside round Kippen and find out more about its rich history and natural
beauty. Steven’s book and artwork will be on sale after the talk, and we will be offering
wine or soft drinks with savoury snacks. There is no ticket charge for this event, but
donations will be welcomed if you intend to stay for refreshments.
Doreen Edmunds
Kippen and Norrieston Churches - Guild
Look Forward in Faith - “New Wine, New Wineskins”
The Guild does not have meetings over the Summer. However, a date for the diary is
Saturday, 16 th September 10.30 a.m. to 12 noon, when the Coffee Morning and Monetary
Gift Day will be held in the Church. The funds raised are shared among the Guild Projects
and Kippen Church.
The Guild Service will be held the following day on Sunday 17 th September.
Next Session Guild Meetings will take place on the second Wednesday of the
month and will alternate between Kippen and Norrieston, Thornhill. The first
meeting of the Session will be in Kippen Church on Wednesday 11 th October at
2.00 p.m. when Kevin and Linda Clarke will present an illustrated talk entitled
“A Return to the Far North – Exploring the East Coast of Greenland” Kevin and Linda are
excellent speakers and wonderful photographers – a meeting not to be missed. All
welcome to this and to all meetings.
Let’s not look back, but look forward
with Renewed Hope, Revived Purpose and Confident Trust
as we are held in God’s Hands
M S Lowndes
Further information is available from Joanna M. McPhail - joanna.mcphail@btinternet.
com or 01786 870681.
www.theweevine.org 11

Community Affairs
Kippen Community Trust
Funding
A meeting of Kippen Community Trust
Funding Panel (Windfarm) was held at
the Kippen Reading Rooms, Wednesday
1st March. As well as routine business,
updates to on-going projects were
discussed and new applications assessed.
Panel members reviewed and evaluated
the following new applications:
• Kippen Football Club
• Kippen Playgroup
• Kippen Heritage: Keirhill
• Kippen Curling Club
• Wee Vine
The fund can support a wide variety of
community projects in the Kippen area;
residents are encouraged to submit
qualifying applications for consideration
as soon as practicable. Deadlines for
members of the community to submit
applications for 2023 are:
30 September 2023
If anyone wants further information about
applying for Windfarm money they should
contact Margaret Beaton on margaret.
beaton@yahoo.com or 870536 or Caroline
Thompson on carolinewthompson@
gmail.com or 07880-717493.
We currently have a vacancy on the panel;
this is an important role in the distribution
of available funds to our community
but isn’t a demanding on your time. A
diverse group of volunteers reflecting
our neighbourhood is really beneficial so
if you think this may be of interest to you
or would like further information, please
contact Margaret or Caroline as above.
Mike Bastock
Reading Room
Fully re-opened after the extensive internal
renovations, the Reading Room facilities
have been steadily in use. In particular, the
re-starting of “Kippen Cuppa” on Thursday
afternoons has been very successful, helped
by the generous gift of two comfortable
sofas and the addition of garden furniture.
Reassuringly for the Committee, the overall
tone of the comments from users of the
Reading Room facilities would indicate that
the improvements are much appreciated.
Following the re-opening of the Reading
Room, it became increasingly clear that the
location and purpose of the facility needs
to be universally known to the community,
especially as the village increases in size
and new residents arrive. As a result, an
appropriate sign has been installed above
the front entrance. Secondly an information
“flyer” is being prepared which will, in due
course, be distributed to all houses in the
area.
However, the Committee is not resting on
its laurels and constructive comments are
always welcome. Amongst matters being
assessed is the aim of launching an online
booking / payment facility. Assuming that the
system currently under consideration works
well, it is hoped to launch the online system
in the autumn. Further information will be
available in the next issue of the Wee Vine.
The village Street Fayre found the Reading
Room, once more, as a social centre and we
look forward very much to developing this
aspect of the village.
At the Annual General Meeting of the
Committee held on 27 th June, the Chairman,
Jeremy Gaywood, thanked all the Committee
members for their very important
contributions to the running of the Reading
Room. It was very re-assuring that all
members agreed to remain on board.
Ricky Muir-Simpson, Treasurer
12 www.theweevine.org

Community Affairs
Kippen Community Woodland Group
We would like to take this opportunity to pay tribute to Donald
Smith who sadly passed away on 9 th May this year. Donald, along
with his wife Melanie, were active members of the Group for many
years. There are a variety of wooden structures in the wood today
which provide testament to Donald’s skill
and much missed expertise. We were also
very fortunate that Donald was prepared
to take on the role of Chair to the group from 2014 to 2018. His
chairmanship included presiding over what he proudly referred
to as Super Saturday; 1 st October 2016 when over 30 volunteers
resurfaced the main path between the football pitch and the pond.
Our thoughts are with Melanie and their families.
Members of the Group carried out a variety of work in the wood
on the first Sunday of April and May; the June work morning was
cancelled due to lack of availability of members. The main focus of activity has been giving
the trees that have been planted a bit of a helping hand by clearing away vegetation,
securing stakes and removing/reinstating guards as required. It is encouraging to see that
most of the trees planted in the area to the north of the pond are thriving. The paths have
also been kept free of overhanging trees.
Woodland work mornings continue to be held on the first Sunday of the month with a
start time of 10.30am. 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 21 st August at 8.00pm in the Cross Keys. Please get in touch via
kippenwoodlandgroup@gmail.com if you would like find out more about the work of the
Group, come along to our meetings or receive details of our activities.
Paula Watson, Secretary
Village Flower Tubs
The sun shone for the planting of the tubs in
June. It’s been a wonderful spell of weather
and the plants have responded well. It was a
struggle for the first two weeks to keep them
watered, but they are now nicely established.
Sadly, Una who has been a wonderful help
over recent years is now unable to be part of
the group. I should like to thank her for being
such a support and trusted advisor on what
would look best to plant. I’m hoping she will
remain able to accompany me in the Spring
to choose the plants. Also, thanks to Fionna,
who because of other commitments, is not now so free to join us. However, I’d like to
welcome Kirsty Cuthbert and Eileen Walkerto the merry band of helpers.
Thank you to all who contribute to the box in McNicoll’s. All donations are most acceptable
Naomi Hirst
www.theweevine.org 13

Community Affairs
Street Fayre
This year’s Street Fayre was a resounding success. A large crowd and beautiful weather
ensured that there was a great atmosphere. The whole village appeared to be out to
enjoy the crowing of the king and queen, the parade, children’s entertainment, the many
different stalls and music.
The committee would like to thank everyone that took part; particularly George Goodall
for being the MC, Harry Hewines and Florence Norri (Our King and Queen), Isobel for
judging the fancy dress, Stuther’s and Scott for running the dog show, Kateryna Ivanovo
for doing the flowers, the Cross Keys for sponsoring McFleet and all of the others who
volunteered during the day.
The committee would love to hear from the village on what they›d like to see at next year’s
event. We’re also looking for new committee members. It’s a really fun experience running
the event, where thanks to a large proactive group, no one has to do too much of the
work. Our AGM will be at the Inn on Tuesday 12th September at 7pm. Please come along.
14 www.theweevine.org

Community Affairs
www.theweevine.org 15

Community Affairs
16 www.theweevine.org

Community Affairs
This year the Street Fayre was blessed with glorious
weather and a wonderful range of stalls, entertainment,
activities and eating opportunities. Two of Kippen’s
resident Ukrainian women took this opportunity to take
part in a community event and ran a food stall serving
delicious borscht, Kossack cuisine, traditional savoury
dishes and their ever-popular honey cakes. This was
supplemented by the sale of plants, bunches of flowers
and toys.
A total of £785.72 was raised. Of this £575.72 was donated
to Pickups for Peace Ukraine. This charity provides
vehicles which enable humanitarian support to reach
those fighting on the front line. A young man brought up
in Kippen has donated his pickup truck to this cause.
Street Fayre provided a great opportunity for the women
to feel part of a community event, to share their traditional
foods and many people enjoyed engaging in conversation
with them. The stall was a huge success on many levels.
www.theweevine.org 17

Community Affairs
Playgroup & Toddlers
Firstly, we’d like to express our gratitude for the
support we receive from the village. Our bottle
stall at the Street Fayre was a great success and
we made a record amount so a big thank you to
everyone who tried their luck at the stall or donated
bottles. We will be giving 10% of our earnings to
the Over 60s Christmas Dinner. We were also
very kindly donated a HUGE cuddly Orangutan, so
we set up a ‘Guess the Birthday Fundraiser’. We
managed to raise over £130 and the lucky winner,
Polly Douglas took the big ape home along with a
year’s Orangutan adoption with WWF. The winning
date was the 29 th of April which is the date WWF was founded.
The children also thoroughly
enjoyed their participation in
the fancy dress parade and were
over the moon that our Nessie
came in first prize.
Playgroup have been kept very
busy in Burnside woods this
term; tormenting tadpoles,
making potions to scare off
giants and turning tree climbing
into an athletic sport. As well as
digging for treasure on Rennie’s
Loan, the Playgroup have also
spent a couple of joyful sessions
with the lovely June Waley, canyoning up the burn in her garden.
All these ideas have come straight from
the children’s imagination, and we are
so lucky as a village to have access to a
local organisation that promotes childled
play with outdoor learning, both of
which are hugely beneficial to children’s
development. This is all facilitated by
our wonderful Play Leaders Lindsey
and Pam. Our aim is to establish a
connection between the children and
our local woodland that will stay with
them for years to come. In our two final
sessions of the term, we planted trees
to mark the end of the academic year
which we intend to do annually so one
day we will have a whole Playgroup
Forest. Many thanks to Peter Mitchell
and Fountains Forestry for donating the
trees and assisting us with the digging!
18 www.theweevine.org

Playgroup has now finished for
summer holidays, and we sadly
have to say cheerio and good luck to
our older children; Esmée, Sophie,
Max, Skye, Sofia, Kit and Calum who
are heading off to new adventures
at Kippen Primary and Gartmore
Primary schools. We now have spaces
available on both Tuesday and Friday
mornings 9:30am-12:00noon for
2–5-year-olds. Please email Lindsey at
kippenplaygroup@gmail.com if you
would like some more information.
For children aged 0-5 and their adults
we have a Toddler group which runs
in the Village Hall every Thursday
morning. Between 10:15am-12:00
noon we offer a blether and sweet
treats for the adults and toys and
healthy snacks for the kids. Although
we are mainly based at the village hall,
we have thoroughly enjoyed a few
sessions in the sunshine at the new and
Community Affairs
much improved play park. Thank
you to all who have worked so hard
to organise the refurbishment of
the park.
We will still be running toddler
sessions throughout the holidays
and older siblings are welcome to
join in too, so come on down for a
cuppa.
Alice Gooden
www.theweevine.org 19

Community Affairs
Planting Trees for our Future!
In May all the children of Primary 1-3 at Kippen
Primary had the fantastic opportunity to plant
over 40 new trees in the Kippen local area. Thanks
to a forestry project implemented by Fountains
Forestry, the children were able to extend their
learning based on their ‘Outdoors’ Topic by walking
to the forestry site and plant a variety of tree
saplings. Sir James Hutchison gave us permission
to plant the trees within the Broich estate and the
fencing team from Malcom Contracts even built the
children a stile to access the fenced area. Genesis
forestry loaned us the special planting spades so
that we could dig perfect holes for the trees. It was
a wonderfully sunny day, and the children were
very excited to actually plant their own trees which
they could watch grown in Kippen for many years
to come. The afternoon session culminated with a
drone flying over the newly planted site to inspect
their hard work – the children were so excited and
felt very proud that they had planted so many trees
for the future!
Summer Term P3/4
During our Summer term P3/4 have been busy with our Reuse, Reduce and Recycle topic.
We have explored ways that we could re-purpose materials in order to reduce the amount
of waste that we create in our daily lives. During this topic we have created junk models,
designed recycling robots and even created bird feeders out of recycled materials. We
have spent a great deal of time outdoors this term, enjoying our beautiful school grounds
playing with loose parts and litter picking. This is all in order to reduce the amount of
energy we use and to keep our natural environment as clean and as safe as possible.
We made Eco Pledges where we made
promises to make small but productive
changes in our daily lives in order to help
our environment. Additionally, we read
‘Greta and the Giants’ book that helped us
explore the actions of the young activist
Greta Thunberg and her fight to stop
‘Giants’ destroying natural habitats.
Additionally, we had a fantastic time
exploring the Science Centre in Glasgow on
our class trip. We spent the day performing
experiments and learning about lots of
different things from Space to the Human
Body. We were also extremely lucky to
have the opportunity to visit the IMAX
theatre where we watched a 3D film that explored ‘Life Under The Sea’. This explored the
impact of global warming and ways we can help our aquatic wildlife.
20 www.theweevine.org

“I really enjoyed making our bird feeders
in our outdoor classroom. I hung mine in a
bush next to the multi-court. I hope it can
give food to lots of birds.” Isla M
Community Affairs
Primary 5/6
“My favourite thing about our visit to the
centre was the IMAX movie. The 3D glasses
were fun to wear. The seals in the movie were
very cute.” Amelia D P3
“I really enjoyed making our natural dragon
eyes using sticks and wool. We made lots of
artwork outside this term.” Emily P4
“The bird feeders were my favourite activity
this term. I have been checking it and the
birds have been pecking at the food. I am
happy that I have helped them.” Fearne P4
“The IMAX was amazing. The ending when
the seals kiss the screen was so adorable! I
liked making our Reuse, Reduce and Recycle
posters because it helps remind people to do
things to help save our planet.” Amelia P4
Primary 4/5
Primary 4/5 have had an incredible term.
Fair Trade has given them ‘food for
thought’ as their main topic. They have
enhanced their numeracy skills in money
and data handling. They have also honed
their persuasive writing skills by securing
a bounty of fair-trade goodies generously
supplied by the Coop in Doune.
The fun hasn’t stopped there. Whilst
Primary 5 have been zipping up and
down the pool at Balfron High School the
Primary 4s have been working alongside
Primary 6 with the lovely Ms Mccallun who
was with Kippen Primary School for her
final teaching placement.
Finally, the class were very lucky to travel
to Glasgow Science Centre with their
friends in Primary 3/4. They explored
the exhibitions and were full of new
information upon their return. The optical
illusions were a stand out favourite!
This term, primary 5/6 has been learning
more about our world, in particular the part
of it which we don’t normally see! We have
learned about how the world underneath
us can tell us about history through looking
at fossils and layers in the soil and rock. As
part of this, we were excited to be able to
go again to the Dasher dig site and learn
more from local archaeologists, as well as
having a go ourselves! In art, we also used
natural materials and salt dough to make
their own fossil impressions. As well as
this, we worked on creating texture and
depth through brushstrokes and colour
blending and used this to create a rich
background for a simple fossil painting.
We used our knowledge of syllables to
create fossils haikus to display alongside
the painting. For our school trip, primary
5/6 went to the national museum of
Scotland in Edinburgh. Here we were able
to see more fossils and natural history
exhibits, as well as a wide range of other
fascinating displays. This term, primary
5/6 also carried out experiments on how
to help plants grow, including experiments
on light and watering and experiments on
fertilisers.
www.theweevine.org 21

Community Affairs
PRIMARY 6/7
Choices and Changes
This last term, Primary 6/7 have been learning through the Topic of ‘Planning for Choices
and Changes.’
The class explored facts about alcohol and substance abuse and looked at how these
can affect decision making and they learned about choices around vaping and smoking.
This involved good discussion and explanation about what making an ‘informed decision
‘means.
As our Primary 7’s will soon be leaving us to head to High School, it was a good opportunity
to explore future pathways in terms of career choices and to predict some of the challenges
that might lie ahead! We looked at some ways to plan for personal development and
identified some of the knowledge, skills and experience we might need to build under the
headings of:
Teamworking, Organisation, Leadership, Creativity, Work Ethic, Problem Solving, Values and
Communication
The class explored a range of professions and reflected on what hobbies and interests
might help them onto their respective pathways. Quite a few of our P6/7 ‘s hope to do well
in their chosen sports from ice skating to football, gymnastics and rugby whilst having
another occupation to fall back on.
Harry in P7 explained that:
‘when I was younger, I wanted to be a firefighter because I watched so much Fireman Sam. Now
I would like to be a sport professional in football or rugby and if that doesn’t work out, become
an accountant because that involves maths!
Heather in P7 explained, ‘I would like to be a professional gymnast and maybe compete in
the Olympic games and after that, become a gymnastics coach or a physiotherapist following
university.’
22 www.theweevine.org

Protect a precious natural resource
You may have seen large road tankers
driving through the village recently. Each
one has been carrying 30,000 litres of
fresh, clean drinking water to supplement
our supplies during the warm and dry
weather experienced since mid-April.
Scottish Water have been working hard
to maintain our supplies throughout this
period so I thought I would find out a bit
more.
Kippen’s 550 houses and businesses are
served from the tank at the top of the hill,
as you leave the village to the West. We
are a small part of the larger Gartcarron
network which gets its water from Carron
Valley water treatment works.
Since the middle of May demand for water
has increased dramatically across Scotland
and our area is no different. To keep up,
Scottish Water has been delivering an
additional 150 million litres a day and that
rose to 250 million litres, the equivalent
of 125 Olympic swimming pools, per day
on two consecutive days a fortnight ago.
If you consider the normal flow going
to domestic properties throughout the
country is nearly 1000 million litres a day
this equates to a 15% to 25% increase.
The average volume of water used by
every individual in Scotland is 181 litres
per day. This is a big number that many
don’t recognise, but if you consider every
flush is 7 litres, an average shower (which
is 8 minutes) could be 80 litres and the
average washing machine load above 40
litres it doesn’t take long to add up. Ask
yourself, do you turn off the tap when
brushing your teeth? If not, you could be
wasting 5 litres every minute you brush.
It was also interesting to hear that before
covid restrictions the average domestic
volume was around 165 litres per day so
clearly the changes to living and working
patterns are having a knock-on effect
on our use of resources like water and
energy. It is also wroth noting that this
water is pumped and clean, so has quite a
high carbon footprint.
Did you know
By comparison people South of the border
in England and Wales use on average 145
litres per day so I wonder why we are
different? Is it because we think we have
an abundance of resource that will be
there forever?
Scottish Water are licensed to abstract
water from only 417 individual water
sources across the country and they
estimate they could only ever capture 1%
of all the rain that falls on Scotland, so they
don’t have access to it all.
Brian also mentioned that we heat around
half of the water we use. This is our showers,
washing up basins, washing machines etc,
not our space heating. He went on to tell
me that the water we use accounts for
roughly 6% of the total carbon emissions
in Scotland. That’s not far off equalling
the aviation industry. Only 1% relates to
water treatment, water distribution and
waste water management, and 5% relates
to heating water in the home. Brian points
out that a reduction of 1/5 th in hot water
use would not only save on our individual
energy bills, but it could help reduce the
country’s total carbon emissions by as
much as 1% which is considerable.
The total water stocks for public water
supply are currently at 72% which is 13%
below average for this time of year so
Scottish Water are asking customers to
consider making small changes and use
water as efficiently as possible.
Taking a bit of time off your shower,
turning off the tap when brushing your
teeth, letting the lawn go brown (it will go
green as soon as the rain comes), using a
watering can to water plants and a bucket
and sponge to wash the car instead of
getting the hose out and fully loading the
washing machine before use can all make
a huge difference.
For more information you can visit Water
is Always Worth Saving - Scottish Water.
Peter Singleton
www.theweevine.org 23

Did you know
Opportunity for Stirling’s young people to show their
support for world’s best cyclists
Free summer holiday workshops have
been arranged for Stirling’s pupils to create
banners and flags for the 2023 UCI Cycling
World Championships’ events in the area.
Stirling will stage the Individual Time
Trials from Wednesday 9 August to Friday
11 August for all categories – Men Elite,
Women Elite, U23 Men and Men and
Women Juniors.
The art workshops will be held in
communities along the routes and will give
children and young people the opportunity
to design banners and signs to wave as the
world’s best cyclists pass by during three
days of thrilling racing.
Stirling Council Leader, Cllr Chris Kane said:
“This is going to be the biggest sporting
event in Stirling’s history and it’s incredibly
exciting that we’re just over a month away
until the action gets underway on 9 August.
“These free workshops will be a great
opportunity for our young people to
learn about the races passing through
their communities in a fun and creative
environment.
“By hosting these world-class events we
want to encourage more people of all ages
to take up cycling and get more active,
and it would be fantastic to see Stirling’s
children and young people lining the
routes in August to get inspired by the
power of the bike.”
The drop-in workshops are open to
children aged 5-14 and will be supported
by artists from Creative Stirling and
GOSSIP Collective, with some part of the
Council’s Play in the Park events.
Children must be accompanied by a parent
or guardian at all times at the sessions,
which will take place at these locations at
the following dates and times:
Fintry – 12 July (11am-3pm). Part of the
Play in the Park event that is being held at
Fintry Sports Club Grounds.
Cambusbarron – 17 July (11am-3pm). Part
of the Play in the Park event that is being
held at the King George Play Area.
Kippen – 26 July (10am-12pm) at Kippen
Reading Rooms.
Gargunnock – 26 July (1.30-3.30pm) at
Gargunnock Community Centre.
Raploch – 27 July (10am-12pm) at Raploch
Community Campus.
Stirling city centre – 27 July (1.30-3.30pm)
in the Tolbooth Attic.
Thornhill - 4 August (11am-3pm). Part of
the Play in the Park event that is being held
at Thornhill Play Area.
Covering up to 48km of roads, the
Individual Time Trials will see riders set
off from the King’s Knot in the shadow of
Stirling Castle, before heading out west
into the countryside and looping back into
Stirling’s historic city centre, with a sprint
through the city to the finish on the Castle
esplanade.
Allan’s Primary is based in the heart of
Stirling’s historic city centre with riders
passing the school on their way to the
sprint finish at the Castle.
Lindsey Howland, Headteacher at Allan’s
PS said: “We are delighted that our school
will feature in the final sprint finish to the
castle which will share the heart of Stirling
to audiences across the world.
“Cycling is a firm favourite in our school
as we continue to promote and develop
our children’s love of cycling through the
Bikeability and Play on Pedals initiatives,
and the children are really excited about
the events coming to Stirling in August.”
The 2023 UCI Cycling World Championships
will be the single biggest cycling event in
history, involving more than 8000 athletes
24 www.theweevine.org

from 120 countries, with the 13 existing
UCI Cycling World Championships brought
together into one mega event for the first
time.
The anticipated one billion global TV
audience will place the event in the top-10
most watched sporting events in the world,
rivalling the Olympics and Commonwealth
Did you know
Games and placing Scotland and Stirling
on the world stage as a destination for
elite cycling and cycle tourism.
More information is available at
www.stirling.gov.uk/ucichamps and the
full event schedule can be accessed by
visiting: www.cyclingworldchamps.com.
www.theweevine.org 25

Did you know
Investment in roads network as near £7.5 million
improvement package announced
Almost £ 7.5million will be invested by Stirling Council over the next 12 months in a
programme of works to improve the area’s roads infrastructure.
Details of the funding and infrastructure schedules for 2023/24 were outlined to Councillors
at a meeting of the Environment, Transport and Net Zero Committee last Thursday (30
March).
The Council has allocated more than £7.3 million for the improvement and maintenance
of roads, bridges, street lighting and footpaths, as well as investment in road safety
measures.
This includes a core road maintenance budget of £4.75 million, with a further £1 million
allocated by the Council to improve roads, footways and road safety. Further investment
of around £1.6 million will be made in bridge maintenance, flood prevention and street
lighting and also includes £600,000 from the Scottish Government for cycling, walking and
safer routes networks.
A full survey analysis of the Council’s Road assets in September 2022 has allowed the
Roads Service to prioritise its operations for 2023/24 and beyond.
Routes to benefit include roads in the city centre, such as King Street, and key arteries to
and from rural areas such as Aberfoyle, Kippen and Fintry.
Following the completion of work to Branshogle Bridge earlier this year, and with the reopening
of Catterburn Bridge later this month, focus will also turn to design and repair of
other key structures in the Council›s bridge stock.
It is estimated 70 per cent of the road improvement plans, including road re-surfacing,
pothole repairs and drainage improvements, will take place on the area’s busiest routes,
with the remaining 30 per cent on less busy routes, including residential streets.
Jen Preston, Convenor of the Environment, Transport and Net Zero Committee, said:
“Stirling Council is responsible for a substantial road and footway network, with over 1000
kilometres of roads and over 600 kilometres of footways and footpaths.
“It is our largest and most visible community asset, used daily by residents, visitors and
businesses. Our roads network is key to the economic, social and environmental wellbeing
of our communities and this significant investment recognises its importance.
“We will endeavour, at all stages, to ensure that all work is planned with a view of minimising
inconvenience to road users during key periods.”
A recording of the meeting can be viewed here: https://stirling.public-i.tv/core/portal/
home
26 www.theweevine.org

Did you know
www.theweevine.org 27

Did you know
New charges for planning
applications
Stirling Council is introducing new charges
for several services related to planning
applications.
From Monday 5 June 2023, requesting
a minor variation to existing planning
consent (known as a non-material
variation) will cost £200, while a £100 fee
will be required for written compliance or
discharge of a condition imposed when
planning permission is granted.
There will also be a 25 per cent surcharge
on top of the statutory fee for retrospective
applications.
All the changes, including any exemptions,
will be added to the Stirling Council
website. Additional communication on
how the new processes will work is to be
issued prior to the charges coming into
effect.
Council Officers undertook a
benchmarking exercise with other Scottish
planning authorities before proposing
the new discretionary fees. It found that
21 authorities and Loch Lomond and
Trossachs National Park had introduced at
least one of the charges.
The changes were approved at a meeting
of Council last Thursday (4 May) and follow
new *legislation that came into force in
April 2022 that formalised what planning
authorities can now charge for specific
services.
Stirling Council Leader, Cllr Chris Kane said:
“Charging for these discretionary services
brings Stirling Council into line with
most other Scottish planning authorities
including those in neighbouring areas.
“It’s important that we now raise awareness
of the changes to residents, businesses
and other relevant organisations so they
aware of the new fees, where they will
apply and when they come into effect.”
Conservation key to
protection of sites across
Stirling
A total of 13 areas across Stirling have been
designated as Local Nature Conservation
Sites.
The areas identified are the first of 100
designated sites the Council plans to
protect by 2030 as part of its ‘Climate
and Nature Emergency Plan’, adopted in
June 2021. It is also a priority action in the
Council’s ‘Alive With Nature’ plan.
Councillors agreed to the designation
of the 13 sites, from Killearn Glen to
Manor Powis Bing, at a meeting of the
Environment, Transport and Net Zero
Committee on Thursday (1 June).
The other sites are Abbey Craig; Allan Water
– Ashfield to Laigh Hills; Blairdrummond
Pit/Daira Lochs; Broomridge; Cocksburn
Reservoir; Daldorn Lochs; Doune Ponds;
Kippen Common; Landrick Woods;
Old Wharry Burn and Thornhill North
Common.
The decision follows a 12-week public
consultation between September and
November 2022, with the majority of
consultation responses supporting the
proposals.
Local Nature Conservation Sites are
designated as a result of the diversity of
species in each area, as well as species
and habitat rarity. Criteria also includes
the potential to promote the enjoyment
and understanding of natural landscapes.
Sites with this status should not be
adversely affected by future developments.
In turn, this should give each area an
appropriate level of protection to continue
to flourish, helping to tackle the nature
crisis and the global climate emergency.
Future designations will be considered
following the same process and will be
reported annually.
28 www.theweevine.org

Police Report
New policing plan for the Stirling area approved
Stirling Council has approved Police
Scotland’s new Local Policing Plan for the
area.
The plan sets out the local policing
priorities and objectives for the Stirling
area over the next four years (2023-2026)
and shows how they will be delivered and
assessed.
The five priorities for Stirling are:
• Protecting people most at risk from
harm
• Responsive to the concerns of the
communities
• Road safety and road crime
• Enhancing collective resistance to
emerging threats
• Promoting confidence through
actions.
These all align with Police Scotland
strategic outcomes, with each priority
focusing on several key issues.
For example, the ‘Protecting people most
at risk from harm’ priority is centred on
supporting vulnerable people, protecting
children and young people; working
collaboratively with partners to support
those affected by sexual crime; and tackling
domestic abuse and aiding victims.
The plan was developed following a
consultation exercise that took place
between June 2022 and February 2023
involving the general public, businesses,
key partners, the local authority, the third
sector and Councillors. It was agreed at
last Thursday’s (3 May) meeting of Council.
Stirling Council Leader Councillor Chris
Kane said: “A robust, comprehensive and
flexible local policing plan enhances the
safety and wellbeing of our communities
and helps the Council deliver essential
services to residents and businesses
across Stirling.
“The new policing plan for the Stirling area
recognises the importance of the Police
working in partnership with communities
to achieve better outcomes, with the
key priorities developed following the
input of various community groups and
organisations as well as the general public.
“The Council will scrutinise and monitor
the performance of the plan on an ongoing
basis to ensure it is meeting the needs of
the people of Stirling and making the area
a safe place to live, work and visit.”
Chief Supt Barry Blair, Forth Valley
Divisional Commander said: “We are
delighted to have the Local Police Plan for
Stirling approved. Chief Inspector Caroline
Logan will lead her team in delivering
the priorities detailed in the plan in
collaboration with local partners.
“We both look forward to reporting on
progress made through regular updates
to the Public Safety Committee.”
Stirling Council has a statutory
responsibility to approve the local policing
plan. Ongoing scrutiny of the plan will be
carried out through regular updates to the
Public Safety Committee.
www.theweevine.org 29

Supporters
Across: 9 Bedouin, 10 Rupture, 11 Outcrop, 12 Vanilla, 13 Bar charts,
15 Enrol, 16 Stopper, 19 Enraged, 20 Onset, 21 Abattoirs, 25 Kernels,
26 Caramel, 28 Decried, 29 Deprive.
Down: 1 Absorb, 2 Editor, 3 Purr, 4 Sniper, 5 Crevasse, 6 Open secret,
7 Bullfrog, 8 Detailed, 14 Hypothesis, 16 Stockade, 17 Obstruct, 18 Roadside,
22 Accede, 23 Iambic, 24 Sullen, 27 Ripe.
30 www.theweevine.org

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 were all affected to a greater or lesser
extent by the Covid crisis, but continued 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.
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
www.theweevine.org 31

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