The Foggie Gossip

December 2005 EDITION

Aberchirder & District Community Association placed collection bottles in Aberchirder Bowling Club, The Commercial Hotel and Rennie's Foodstore to raise money towards the replacement and maintenance of the village's Christmas Lights.  Over £1,000 had to be spent this year to replace some of the older decorative fittings and maintenance of others.  Association members and representatives of the licensees are seen below at the opening of the donations.
 

Standing from left:  Gillian Stewart (Bowling Club Stewardess), Davie Chalmers (Vice Chairman), Bob Peden (Secretary), Jayne Michie, Les Chalmers, Donald Graham (Webmaster) & Julie Bell (Commercial Hotel owner).
Seated:  Donald McKay (Chairman) & Stephen Forrest (Treasurer).
 

The sums collected were:

Erecting the tree and lights are L-R:
Willie Bremner, Shaun Gray, Davie Chalmers, Stephen Forrest & Dod Gray.

On Right: Bill Legge, Donald McKay & Duncan Robb.

Pupils from Aberchirder Primary School performed the official opening of the refurbished Co-op supermarket in Main Street, on 8th December.  Store manager, Paul Boyfield is seen below giving guidance on the cutting of the ribbon, supported by sales assistants Pamela Patterson and Tracy Gordon.
 

One pupil from each class year was chosen to mark the event.
They are L to R:  Daniel Wilson, Kirsty Jones, Lee Inglis, Samantha Morrison, Hannah Skyner, Shaun Morrison
and Kerryn Stevenson.

The former Rennie's Costcutter supermarket was taken over by the Co-op on 24th September and, following closure for 4 days to allow the £200,000 refurbishment to be undertaken, re-opened on 8th December with extended opening hours and a larger range of goods on offer.
 

Visit Fiona's site and try and find the hidden key to reveal the first part of the story of Sandy the Sandpit girl.  Locals will recognise familiar people and places in the story and from Fiona's brilliant artwork.
 

Fiona's Website
 

Witte's Website
 

Fiona first studied for a BA hons in Fine Art at Gray's School of Art in Aberdeen.  She then went on to do her Masters in Drawing at the Centre for Drawing, Wimbledon School of Art in London.  Through a Dutch friend who was on the same course, Fiona met Witte at her final year exhibition.  He had travelled all the way from Amsterdam for the event.

For the past four and a half years, Fiona has been living with Witte in Amsterdam, creating artwork and exhibiting.  They moved to Edinburgh in September as Witte is studying for his Masters in Illustration at Edinburgh College of Art.  He will graduate next December.

Fiona's work is inspired by her childhood memories of living in a small village in North-East Scotland (Foggie).  She is busy working on images for the story of Sandy the Sandpit Girl so keep visiting the website.

Fiona & Witte

A committee of 23 people was formed with Kenneth McKilligan as Chairman; Ronnie Paterson as Vice Chairman, Catherine Simpson as Secretary and Elaine Robertson as Treasurer.

The meeting proceeded to an AGM where Kenneth McKilligan led a discussion on fundraising.  A feasibility study is to be carried out in respect of the proposed hall and plans will be drawn up for a multi-purpose building having a strong sporting element.  Meanwhile, monthly fundraising events will take place to boost the present funds.

A Burns Supper is to be held in the New Inn on 14th January, a Soup & Sweet organised for February and there is a possibility of a Fashion Show being organised for March.

If the feasibility study proves positive, a large fundraising campaign will kick off in the second half of next year.

Following last month's election, the new Community Council met on 14th December.

The members are: Jonny Barton, Davie Chalmers, Leslie Chalmers, John Fittall (Treasurer), Stephen Forrest, Bob Peden (Chairman), Susan Shand and Sandra Spackman.  Margaret McKay will continue as Secretary and there is one vacancy which can be filled by co-option.

The Council hopes to develop ways of helping local people make their views known on important issues such as health and sustainable energy.  It also aims to work in partnership with the Community Association and other groups which run local amenities and projects, for the benefit of the whole community.
 

The next meeting of the Community Council is on 18th January 2006