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WHAT’S NEW
Seaboard Resilience Group
Balintore Fire Brigade
Meals on Wheels
Seaboard Poly Tunnel
JUNE 2020
FREE ISSUE
SEABOARD COMMUNITY NEWS
The Seaboard Centre could
not let VE Day pass
without doing something to
pay tribute and show
respect to the memory of all
those who played their part
in the Second World War.
These Seaboard Villages
saw a great number of
losses, as did other
communities up and down
the country. So with the
help of digital technology
and some expertise various
video clips, old
photographs and recordings
were assembled together to
produce a short video. This
video can be found on our
website www.seaboardcentre.com/
seaboard-remembers-ve-day/
VE Day Tribute—A work of Collaboration
Grateful thanks go to Charlie Ross, Ailsa Ross and William Ross – great to have such a musical family who were
able in the circumstances that we find ourselves these days to produce such a high quality recording. To Rev
Andrew MacLeod, for his inspiring message, Andrew is becoming something of a You tube celebrity in these
parts as he puts out his twice weekly message from various locations in the community and to Rev Alasdair
Mcaulay for a closing word, to Nicky Murray and Maureen Ross for their interpretation and recording of the song
‘Who Knows Where The Time Goes’ and finally to Chloe Rodgers who pulled it all together.
Seaboard Centre Distribution Hub
Grannies arrive at Seaboard Memorial Hall to prepare Meals on Wheels amid Crisis. (At the time of this photo being taken the grandchildren’s ages ranged from 1 day old to 21 years!)
The Resilience work continues on two fronts, Meals on Wheels are now up to 150 meals twice a week and also the
Food Boxes supplemented with other produce. There is no doubt that we could not carry out all this work without
the support of the volunteers who help to prepare and deliver the meals and for the work that goes into the
administration of both these operations, but we must not forget the generosity of contributors such as Balmuchy
Egg Box, Brunton Potatoes (via Donald Ross, Rhynie), Cullisse Rapeseed Oil, ASDA, Tesco & Morrisons who
help us to top up food boxes supplied by CCAST and the Meals on Wheels with those little extras.
What has been encouraging is the working relationship between the communities of Seaboard, Nigg and
Fearn, the upside to all of this is that we can see that there may be opportunities to work more closely after this
time of Covid-19 is over.
Many have been asking to donate towards the Meals on Wheels service. This is a free service but reacting to this a
Donation button has been set up on our Facebook Page and already many have given most generously. For those
of you who are not used to online banking a letter will go out with Meals on Wheels soon advising of other
options. However, I must stress this is a free service and nobody must feel obliged to make a donation, we are
providing this service to assist with the ‘Stay at Home’ Government message for our over 70’s and most
vulnerable and at the moment we have secured funding for this service which will see us into July.
Finally, if you need either of the services we are providing then get in touch: –
for those impacted by loss of earnings or reduced earnings then please contact Norma Balfour on 07818024200
for the Meals on Wheels service contact Chris at Seaboard Centre on 01862 832888
Monday – Friday 10.00am – 12.00 noon.
I would like to take this opportunity to thank all those who have sent in little messages on their return menus,
messages on facebook, thank you cards and expressing their thanks whilst on the telephone – please be assured
these are encouraging and most appreciated. Last week there were two messages in particular which really
brought home the measure of how important the resilience work is that is going on in communities throughout the
country, the first was an extract of a letter from one of the families who are receiving the foodboxes and the other a
Thank You card sent in by 2 young children thanking us for looking after their Granny.
Seaboard Community News PAGE two
Almost 150 meals are prepared twice weekly and delivered from the Seaboard Memorial Hall, we would love to
know what some of your favourite dishes were so please let us know. Lots of lovely fresh vegetables for one of
the dishes, lettuce grown in the Seaboard Poly Tunnel and served with the Cheese & Pineapple Salad and the
Mince & Tatties, tatties donated by James Brunton and delivered by Donald Ross. The cool bags have to be
sanitised after every use and ready for the next set of meals to be delivered by some of the wonderful volunteers
who help us week in week out. All the organisation, preparation, and delivery of this service is done totally
voluntarily. Thank you to everyone who helps in every way. Continued overleaf…...
“Just writing to express my gratitude for the Covid-19 food boxes we have received during lockdown. Several weeks into lockdown, our household income was abruptly cut to a level which left us unable to cover our basic bills. We also found that we were not eligible for financial help and became quite panicked. But then we spotted a facebook message by Norma at the Seaboard Memorial Hall, Balintore offering help to folk affected by Covid-19. We contacted Norma, explained our situation, and she informed us we qualified for a Covid-19 food box. We were so overjoyed to finally get some help! We went to collect our first Covid-19 food box, not with any great expectation, and I cannot even express just how wonderfully touched and emotional I felt when Norma presented us with the bag upon bag of groceries we were met with!!!!... There was rice, cereal, milk, soups, meats, bread, fruit and veg and even some essential toiletries like shower, deodorant, toothbrushes and much more. I simply couldn't believe it!!! I had tears in my eyes and felt immediately overcome by how cared for we felt. It was such a huge relief to know that we at least had enough to eat and didn't have to worry about not having the money for this. I got home with our first set of Covid-19 food bags and we got so excited unpacking everything and thinking what we could use for meals. Not only that, but we were astonished to find out from Norma that all the time our finances were affected by Covid-19, we could continue to get the food boxes!....so it wasn't just a one-of gesture, but has now been a continuous weekly help that has allowed us for the first time in our lives to feel so cared for and has lifted us from that initial state of despair and helplessness. We cannot thank the folk at the Seaboard Memorial Hall, Balintore, enough for being able to support and care for us. We felt so awkward about the whole situation, and even scared to admit we needed help - but have been met with such care and compassion by Norma at the Seaboard Hall, these feelings have since vanished. We just hope that we will be able to give back to others in need when we are able to again."
Seaboard Community News PAGE three
Thank You card received from 2 grateful grandchildren.
Pictured are some of our Meals on Wheels delivery
men & women. Steve Keith, Joanie Whiteford,
Maureen Ross, Sandra Skinner & Jan Carrison. Other
delivery people are Tony & Diane Hawksey, Kevin
Gordon, George Skinner, Vanessa Morrison, Lynda
Durrand & Leigh MacKenzie.
Well Done to our Bin Men &
Women, a well deserved Bacon
Roll from the Seaboard Hall.
Seaboard Community News PAGE four
In our Library at the Seaboard Hall we have a large
selection of books. You can borrow and return or take
away and leave a donation . We are very grateful for
all the books donated to our library. Please come and
visit once we re-open.
The Best Funny Exam
Answers
From Scotland
Since there will be no exams this summer we
thought we would give you some previous
answers to exam questions.
Question—Name a major disease
associated with cigarettes?
Answer—Premature Death.
Question—Name Six animals that
specifically live in the Artic?
Answer—Two polar bears and four seals,
Question—What are Hieroglyphics?
Answer—I don’t know for sure, but they
are taller than lowerglyphics.
Birthday Parties
Have your kid’s birthday party
at the Seaboard Memorial Hall
£55.00. for 2 hours
tel: 01862 832888
The winners of the May draw for our 200 Club are
1st—£100.00 No. 25 John Smith
2nd—£50.00 No. 26 Jenny Tattersal
3rd—£25.00 No. 43 Laura Grant
4th—£25.00 No. 181 Robin Cattanach
Seaboard Community News PAGE five
Grass cutting; tidying;
rhone cleaning; path laying;
general maintenance etc.
B.B. Garden Maintenance
01862 832954
07922319452
The winners of the June draw for our 200 Club are
1st—£100.00 No. 12 Annette Blackstock
2nd—£50.00 No. 101 Cristal Johnstone
3rd—£25.00 No. 145 Geoff Spicer
4th—£25.00 No. 199 Steven Paterson
Thank you to Dp TAXI
Thank you to David Purvis for keeping an eye on the
‘Green Ticks and Red Crosses’ in the windows in
Fearn to make sure that everyone is safe.
Dp Taxi is operating with special measures for Covid-19,
please call Call David on 07999844706 for more info.
Seaboard Community News PAGE six
RAINFALL DATA
FOR BINDAL FARM mm
Year JAN FEB MARCH APRIL MAY JUNE JULY AUG SEPT OCT NOV DEC TOTAL
1997 28 48 64 23 130 78 92 67 39 18 76 59 722
1998 82 43 74 79 21 65 112 68 67 128 98 48 885
1999 48 43 37 60 113 86 158 58 87 48 84 93 915
2000 37 44 56 112 50 56 17 78 75 121 76 100 822
2001 6 58 59 31 59 49 95 218 97 157 62 75 966
2002 63 95 26 24 28 30 164 39 8 108 43 23 651
2003 43 7 31 52 101 27 48 25 46 43 45 87 555
2004 107 40 28 43 38 121 34 87 72 172 76 64 882
2005 89 45 51 36 83 80 29 58 63 83 69 63 749
2006 18 28 49 47 68 37 29 119 112 238 111 93 949
2007 78 59 41 24 118 73 132 105 18 24 124 66 862
2008 112 48 70 54 13 80 28 148 58 82 41 71 805
2009 56 43 60 31 77 41 67 70 106 99 101 56 807
2010 32 43 28 21 43 15 145 67 110 46 48 17 615
2011 37 77 68 34 91 90 68 131 126 54 38 55 869
2012 59.1 20.1 5.3 99.7 27.8 71 66 96 67 92 29 112 745
2013 46 57 31 38 77 59 31 57 40 86 70 81 673
2014 52 42 31 35 59 71 36 175 34 139 77 104 855
2015 126 34 39 45 63 64 82 98 45 50 62 100 808
2016 78 80 42 47 40 47 112 69 71 28 48 51 713
2017 61 51 62 44 44 111 48 54 89 66 112 52 794
2018 70 42 78 34 33 21 38 45 92 81 50
25 609
2019 60 32 57 30 71 50 75 121 76 44 104 56 776
2020 67 122 31 23 35 278
Hi there,
It is lovely to see the rain yesterday 4 mm that was forecast as our ground is very dry. We need to remember to pray for rain to keep our crops growing. We have been very fortunate as other parts of UK have had little or no rain in May. I got an email to say the land around Spalding Lincolnshire big cracks appearing in the heavy land due to the lack of rain. Our crops are looking well as we have had enough rain and dew to keep them growing during May. We have now finished planting all the potatoes, then liquid fertiliser is injected into the ground below and either side of the planted potatoes. Then the potato the ground is sprayed with a herbicide to kill off any weeds that are growing. The spring Barley as at flag leaf which is the last leaf before the head comes out which is already formed inside the stem ready to push out. The Oil Seed Rape is now losing its flower and the pods are forming, which will contain the seeds. The grass field next to the golf course is very bare due to being on sand and lack of moisture. There has been lots of Golden Finches coming to the bird feeder and they are beautiful birds to look at.
Roskill house at Munlochy has had 53.8 mm of May and 407 mm YTD Kind regards
Douglas
Seaboard Community News PAGE seven
Seaboard Community Poly Tunnel
Seaboard Community News PAGE eight
Due to COVID-19 restrictions the Poly Tunnel is
‘CLOSED TO THE PUBLIC’ and will remain so until
restrictions have been lifted. Notices were placed
outside the poly tunnel when this was first announced,
and they are still in place.
The Poly Tunnel is run by a committee who oversee the
activities and source funding to sustain the work on an
ongoing basis. The whole concept of the poly Tunnel is
to grow products for the benefit of the community and
it is hoped that volunteers will come along and assist
with the many tasks required to make it a success.
Should space be available, it may be possible for the
public to ‘Grow Their Own’, but this is at the discretion
of the committee and would be on a first come first
served basis.
At present the Poly Tunnel capacity is at maximum
with tomatoes, cucumbers, peppers, aubergines,
courgettes, radish, lettuce, strawberries, and various
other plants growing. Unfortunately, this year due to
COVID-19 our order for flowers for the village planters
was cancelled by our suppliers. There are several boxes
placed throughout the community and if you would like
to adopt one for this season please feel free to plant
some flowers and keep it tidy.
The Poly Tunnel has already supplied produced for the
Seaboard Resilience Team—COVID-19 to use in Food
Boxes, Meals on Wheels and Vulnerable Groups. As
plants come to harvest, we will continue supplying to
these groups on a regular basis.
As stated, the Poly Tunnel is currently ‘CLOSED TO
THE PUBLIC’, one member of the community Mr
Jamie Holloway is working on a voluntary basis in the
Poly Tunnel and he has the full support of the
Committee to be there. We are extremely grateful for
the excellent work he is carrying out and we are
delighted to see a young family man develop his
gardening skills. Jamie adheres to all restrictions within
the poly tunnel and his close young family members
can share this time with him.
The Committee are currently looking at various options
to compliment our current activities and will keep you
appraised on all progress.
Any questions concerning the Poly Tunnel can be
addressed to the:
Seaboard Poly Tunnel Committee, Chairman,
Ross Balfour, on mobile: 07505772092 or
Email: [email protected]
Balintore Fire Station
Follow the work of the Balintore
Fire Station on Twitter
@Balintore_Fire
Our crews work hard to protect life, property and the environment when fires
take hold. It is crucial that people act safely and follow the countryside code.
The Balintore crew attended a fire in Tain recently where burning garden
rubbish set fire to a hedge, the fire was quickly extinguished but it shows
how quickly a simple fire can take hold and cause devastation.
A Firefighter keeps watch over the Kishorn Community following a recent wildfire.
Seaboard Community News PAGE nine
Has Banksy been to Nigg?
Can our readers help solve the mystery of these
beautifully painted stones, which can be found
on the fence posts on the roadside from
Chapelhill to Nigg Hall?
Seaboard Community News PAGE ten
Available SEVEN days per week
Collection from 5pm until 7pm
To order call 01862 850328 before 5pm
We offer a range of popular traditional dishes including Battered Buckie Haddock (we take in
fresh fish twice a week, so now available all week), Bannerman’s Premium Scampi, Macaroni
Cheese & Beef Lasagne. Plus a selection of Continental and Oriental dishes available such as Ital-
ian Meatballs, Creamy Chicken & Mushrooms, Thai Red Chicken Curry, Thai Beef Massaman
Curry, Indian Vegetable Masala, Indian Chicken Vindaloo etc.
Please see our FACEBOOK page for current menu.
Childrens Menu available: children’s meals half-price Monday, Tuesday & Wednesday.
Many of the Household Waste Recycling Centres are now open for essential waste disposal. This includes bagged
household waste, garden waste, flattened cardboard, small electrical items, large electrical items. Cars only, no
trailers or vans allowed. 1 person only allowed out of the car. Please observe social distancing at all times.
Over the coming weeks, once we are satisfied that the amount of waste and visitor numbers using the sites are at
safe and manageable levels, we will add more types of waste to the list of items that are accepted.
Please regularly check our website for updates - bit.ly/HCRecyclingCentres
Tain Recycling Centre Now Open
Seaboard Community News PAGE eleven
Oisean Gàidhlig Machair Rois
The Seaboard Gaelic Corner
Although the Villages
were primarily fishing
communities, and held
themselves to a large
degree apart from the
farming ones, there were
of course overlaps. The
women would carry fish to
the countryside and bring
back eggs, vegetables and
other foodstuffs, or
firewood and tourcans,
and some village folk
worked on the local farms
either all year round or
seasonally, e.g. tatie-
lifting. Some of the words
I have collected reflect this
activity, and also the fact
that family vegetable
gardens were important for
a more varied diet.
Go to the tuath – the
countryside. Tuath (too-a)
is a loaded word in Gaelic.
It covered the land itself,
but also the people living
and working on the land,
the ones who made it what
it was. This is reflected in
the motto chosen for the
Highland Land League,
who campaigned for land
reform in the 1880s: Is
Treasa tuath na tighearna
– the (lands)people are
mightier than the lord.
Although mainly
representing crofters, this
movement was quite
strong in Easter Ross, a
high-level champion of
Highland tenants’ rights
being Thomas Nichol of
Resolis and Dingwall.
A key crop, in fields and
garden, was the buntàta
(boon-taa-ta), potato.
Usually shortened to
buntàt’, which is
probably a step on the way
to the Scots word taties,
pronounced with a long A,
as in sgadan is buntàt’,
herring and taties. A
favourite childhood meal
of ours was salt herring
and taties, as we were
allowed to eat it with our
fingers because of the
bones, and always a mug
of milk on the side
because of the salt.
A dreel was clais (clash), a
furrow, ditch, hollow. We
still see this word today liv-
ing on in the local place name
Clashnamuaich, clais nam
maigheach – ditch of the
hares.
The flower on the potato
plant was barra-guc, local
pron. barra-kook.
After the potato harvest was
over came the “laachoo”,
làmhachadh - handling. This
was the word for the lifting
by hand, after the fields had
been harvested and harrowed,
of the remains of the potato
crop – a kind of gleaning. By
the time of our parents this
was probably more a histori-
cal word than still something
that was done. The poorer
people would be the ones
who took part. But the word
has also been given to me as
one that continued in use for
the regular lifting of taties.
A cappan was a sort of fork
for lifting taties in the garden,
possibly from cupan, any-
thing curved or cuplike, or
from Scots coup/cope – over-
turn, spill. Can anyone tell
me if that is the same as a
hawk?
And one more tatie word:
“runnach” – dry bracken to
cover taties. raineach /
roineach -bracken.
And once you had your taties,
you of course needed a
plocan, a wooden chapper ,
to mash them!
The turnip too was a staple:
snèap (snape/shnape), as was
the onion, “eenyan”- uinne-
an, or Scots ingan.
Another word that came up a
few times is “mawchoo”, ma-
nure. This is the local pronun-
ciation of mathachadh – im-
proving (math = good), and in
a farming context manuring
to improve the soil. As one
of my sources said, “ If there
was a whiff of ordure in the
air, the diagnosis was, "They
are putting mawchoo on the
fields". Mawchoo was also
dug into the gardens of the
village.”
In the garden the beairt
(byarst, byarsht) was used for
a garden frame for laying
seeds (line and sticks) . It
was also the word for a
square frame round which a
handline was wound. In
Gaelic it refers generally to
equipment or tackle, or a con-
traption, or frame. Beairt-
iasgaich – fishing tackle;
beairt-fhighe – a loom.
Another useful item was the
corran, or sickle. Some peo-
ple told me the Scots word
heuk (related to hook) was
used instead.
Yochal – a load, was another
farm-related word, probably a
Gaelicisation of yoke. I re-
member a packed lunch being
called a half-yocheen by my
uncle who worked on a farm.
i.e. the break halfway be-
tween re-yoking the horses.
Seaboard Community News PAGE twelve
Of course animals were
kept too, including pigs
fattened on scraps for sell-
ing on. It’s probably muc,
a pig, in the name Bal-
muchy – baile nam muc -
the pig settlement/farm.
“Coolan”, cuilean – pup-
py, whelp, cub, was used
of the young of the pig,
referring to the sow and
her coolans. My source
here says: “Presumably
should be “cuilean
muc” (pig whelp), but
maybe many young ani-
mals were referred to like
that. Strangely, I don’t re-
member anything but pup-
py for a young dog.”
Does anyone else remem-
ber anything about the
names used locally for
young animals, or indeed
any other animals, like
goat or cow?
Hens were also kept – I
remember having to feed
my grannie’s ones, kept
down at the sea end of the
garden, where nothing else
would grow. The cockerel
was “callach”- coileach,
and young hen or chicken
was “ayrack”, èireag. Eggs
were “oo-yan” – uighean.
I don’t remember the hens
themselves being called
cearcan, just hens, but I
vaguely recall hearing
taigh-chearc for hen-
house. I also recall the
hens being described as
“goggling”, which I took
then to mean the way they
looked at you (especially
the rooster), but in fact I
realise now it must have
been from Gaelic gogail,
clucking or cackling.
I hope this wee trip down
the collective memory
lane (thanks, as ever, to all
my sources!) might have
sparked some more Gaelic
or local words used in the
Villages in living memory.
And as ever, all additional
memories gratefully re-
ceived! (Via the Hall or by
email to me:
davine_sutherland@yahoo
.co.uk ) Mòran taing!
Accident in Tain
On Easter Weekend
It has been reported that a local man from Tain, by the
name of Humpty Dumpty was sitting happily on a
wall when suddenly he had a great fall!!!
We are happy to report that there were no serious
injuries!!
Seaboard Community News PAGE thirteen
Seaboard Virtual Churches
Tain & Fearn Free Church It has been a very strange few months for everyone, not
least in the church. We had to adapt almost overnight to
a completely different routine which will never be ideal
but has been widely appreciated. Both of our ministers
are now recording the Sunday services from their own
"home studios". With the help of dinning room chairs,
placemats, three Capri-sun boxes the camera is placed
on top to be at eye level with the preacher. We are very
thankful to have individuals in the congregation who
have skills to edit these videos and then publish them on
our Tain and Fearn YouTube channel every Sunday at
11am and 6pm. For those not online, CD's are provided
and delivered safely.
The Sunday School has also continued (virtually). At
10am a video goes out on our YouTube channel for all
the young ones to tune into (all are welcome whether
you are a regular or never been before) and then at
12:30pm they all meet on a Zoom call to talk through
and show the craft they have made that morning.
Through the week we all meet on Zoom for our prayer
meeting which is excellent as everyone can join in -
even if you do not have internet - because you can just
call a number on your house phone and listen in to the
meeting.
Minister's Message airs on YouTube and Facebook
every Monday and Friday where Andrew shares a very
short message from different locations around the
villages. He has been at the lambing shed, Shandwick
stone, down at the beach and on the cliffs. Thankfully,
the weather has generally been so good to show off the
beauty of God's creation.
Meeting physically in church has had to stop, but the
Church never does. We continue to meet together and
worship the Lord through these difficult times.
Everyone is warmly invited to tune in.
Andrew Macleod (Assistant Minister)
God Bless
Andrew
Rev Alasdair Macaulay
Isla Scaman teaches in Virtual Sunday School
Rev Andrew MacLeod’s Minister’s Message
Seaboard Community News PAGE fourteen
Balintore United Free Church of Scotland Since lock-down began back in March Balintore
United Free Church of Scotland has moved on-line via
Zoom – the church building unused. We are blessed to
have internet and computer technology that keeps us
video & audio connected during safe-distancing
separation.
After ‘daein oor heid in’ technology challenges were
navigated without too many hiccups, regular groups of
worshippers gather on-line each Sunday morning from
11.00am for praise, prayer & Bible preaching. Each
Wednesday evening we meet for Bible study, praise
and a time of public open prayer from 7.30pm – when
we pray for particular needs known to us [pic of
preaching via lap-top computer]. Prayer, praise and
Bible preaching are God’s means of grace to help us, to
feed us spiritually, to strengthen us in our weakness
and need – a need felt more sharply in face of ill-health
and rising death toll under coronavirus pandemic. We
pray out God’s grace for all who live in the Seaboard
Villages and beyond.
It continues to be hugely encouraging to see and to
hear each other on screen and to join in worship
through separated in our own homes. The pre & post
worship chat and joking are an additional blessing—
comments about lack of haircut or DIY haircut raising
the biggest laughs! A number of our folks, who don’t
have the internet, phone in and enjoy audio access –
so can join in worship and share the prayers, praise
and sermon, with additional friendly chat.
From individual homes prayer is led by members &
Elders and praise is led by a precentor or by Alitia
Robb on the keyboard. Via Zoom ‘share-screen’ praise
lyric is streamed from the host on individual lap-tops
and tablets and, though isolated by the lock-down and
by mic muting, folks sing individually in communal
praise, worshipping Jesus as Saviour and Lord.
Each week we have visitors joining us for Sunday
worship around the country – from Glasgow &
Edinburgh, from Bradford, from the Shetland Islands
and from the Island of Benbecula, even on a couple of
Sundays from Australia!
During lock-down the Hilton Primary school Friday
after-school-club has morphed into a home door-step
club, with thirty three children from twenty one fami-
lies receiving weekly Bible story work-sheets and craft
activities – often with a treat to eat or something to
plant.
Norma D has taken leadership of this, with delivery
help from Lesley R & Andrew R and tray-bake &
planting help from Catherine S.
This is response from the Lochhead family in
Shandwick,
Our girls miss after school club on Fridays but we
are so grateful for Norma and friends who have
kept them going throughout this lockdown with the
JAM club where we enjoy reading bible stories
and do fun activities!
Thanks to you all!! Tara & Alex.
Olivia enjoys Jam Club.
As does sister Victoria.
Continues over page...
Seaboard Community News PAGE fifteen
A Sensible Rabbit
‘Be ye therefore ready also’...........
Luke Ch 20 v 40 During their childhood years my daughters were
given two rabbits. One rabbit was white and the
other was black. I made a fairly sizeable hutch for
them inside a large enclosed area of ground and they
soon made themselves at home there.
As time went on the black one started to dig a hole
that every day went deeper and deeper beneath the
hutch. While this was going on the white rabbit
would sit and watch with a look of disdain on its
face, as if to say ‘what a silly rabbit you are.’
Then one day I came home from work to find the
poor white rabbit was dead, killed by a dog that had
managed to get inside the enclosure. There was no
sign of the black rabbit and I at first assumed that the
dog had taken it away.
The next morning I was pleasantly surprised to find
the black rabbit munching contentedly on some
grass. I had forgotten about the burrow that it had
been digging! The sensible rabbit had prepared a
place of refuge and was saved. The white rabbit
made no preparation and was lost.
What have you and I done in preparation for the
life to come?
With ‘phone buddies’ caring for a small group, we
keep up phone contact with most of our folks and each
Friday we send out a weekly prayer & pastoral news
bulletin via e-mail to keep folks connected and to
encourage personal prayer, printing the bulletin and
delivering it to local families who do not have internet
connectivity (edited by Alice C). Each week Alice also
includes news for prayer from missionaries serving
Christ around the world.
We have been in touch with most of the
missionaries whom we support in prayer. All are
affected by the coronavirus pandemic – from
Manchester, Bedford and Derby to Iraq, Spain,
Greece, South Africa, Uganda and Indonesia - all
are confined to their homes.
Churches and schools are closed, holidays and
conferences have been cancelled; some courses,
however, have been held on line. Staff meetings
for prayer and encouragement are grateful for
Zoom facilities. The McKellars and Lyttles have
been prevented returning to their mission fields
and still await flights to be resumed. In Uganda, an
extra burden was the need to find separate
isolation homes for the orphans in their care
because the school and hostel had to be closed
down.
Like us, they are grateful for technology as a
means to keep in touch not only with their
societies but with the folk they are pastoring and
teaching. Alice
Any who wish to join in worship with BUFCofS are
very welcome – access is via e-mail to Andy Downie
Doesn’t the Seaboard Scrub up well!!!
What would the country do
without volunteers?
We are so proud of the efforts of all those
who have been making masks and scrubs –
these brightly coloured scrubs have been
made in the Seaboard Villages for
distribution where needed, not only have
they been helping the care homes and NHS
but they have been saving mountains of
material finding its way to landfill and
thereby helping our environment.
Heroes everyone for sure.
Seaboard Community News PAGE sixteen
To live in the Highlands
We truly are blessed,
Surrounded by water
Is just simply the best
Our life on the whole
Is normally quiet and serene,
Like a bolt out the blue
Came ‘Covid 19’.
Now lockdown is here
We cannot go far,
But how lucky we are
For our local spar.
Inside we go
And keep our space,
And once inside
A friendly face.
As for now it is just straight home
As no longer we have the joy to roam,
We still are told to obey the rules
Then ‘god willing’ re open schools.
We cannot see daughters, grandsons or mums
But make sure we get it done,
Time will pass just wait and see
And how we will enjoy that cup of tea.
We are told so often we will get through this
And then return to normal bliss,
So, one more step along the road well go
And pray each will find their own rainbow!
‘Ode to Covid’
Shearings Coach
Tours
Since 2010, every year from May till October the
Seaboard Villages have been visited by hundreds,
indeed thousands of visitors on the Shearings Coach
Tours. The guests staying at a Shearings Hotel in
Dornoch, have all enjoying a Pictish Trail Tour, which
would take them to the Nigg Old Church and Stone,
down to Shandwick where they would look at the
Shandwick Stone, into the villages where they would
have a look at our Mermaid of the North before
stopping at the Seaboard Hall for morning tea and cake
or afternoon tea and cake. Sometimes we would have
90 people in the space of an hour and a half!! They
would then board the coach once more to visit the
Hilton of Cadboll Stone before travelling to
Portmahomack to visit the Tarbat Discovery Centre. It
is very sad that since the Coronavirus outbreak the tour
operator has gone into administration and it is highly
unlikely that we will see the blue buses coming down
the Shandwick hill and start rushing around to ensure
that all tables are set and ready for our guests.
Seaboard Community News PAGE seventeen
Father’s Day, Sunday 21st June, Collection or Delivery
Choose from the menu opposite, a burger, 2 sides, a dessert & a beer for only £20.00 to place
your order please message on Facebook, email [email protected] or
call on 01862 893874.
Seaboard Community News PAGE eighteen
If you're looking for a fun activity to take part in which supports Alzheimer Scotland, we would love you to print
off our forget me not colouring sheet and colour it in. The brighter, the better and you could display them on the
back window of your car, the window of your house or post them on social media.
Let us see your completed colouring sheets too! You can share them on social media and tag us: we're @alzscot on
Twitter, @AlzheimerScotland on Facebook and @alzscot on Instagram.
Highland Hospice Last year the Seaboard Memorial Hall supported the Highland
Hospice by taking part in the Wear Yellow to Work Fund Raiser. Unfortunately this year that was not possible due to the Lockdown.
However we can help them by knitting or crocheting sunflowers. Head of fundraising, Andrew Leaver, has taken inspiration from the fabulous poppy displays in 2018 to mark 100
years since the end of World War I, but instead of poppies, he is keen to create an “amazing cascade” of knitted
and crocheted sunflowers to flow over the balcony in the hospice reception. The display would not only mark the
Wear Yellow event but also celebrate staff and volunteers and raise much needed funds. He added: “Please spread
the word and encourage your friends and relatives to get involved too. The more sunflowers we have, the more
impressive it will look.”
Anyone keen to take part can download knitting or crochet patterns at: www.highlandhospice.org/sunflowercascade For more information, email Mr Leaver at: [email protected]
2 of our very
Young
supporters from
last year.
Our baking stall,
left, and our staff
wearing Yellow to
Work in 2019.
Seaboard Community News PAGE twenty
Out & about with Linda
Vass & Friends
Caroline Browning Linda Vass
Linda Vass Caroline Browning
If any readers have any nice photos that you would like to share with us please send to [email protected]
Seaboard Community News PAGE twenty-one
Session Clerk
Alex Gordon
01862 832 222
Diary of Worship
April 2020
Morning Worship
will be held
each Sunday at
10.00am in Tarbat
11.30am. in Fearn
Abbey
Every 2nd and
4th Sunday at
6.30pm in Inver
The Parish of Fearn Abbey
& Nigg with Tarbat
Balintore United Free Church
Sunday
11.00am and 6.00pm Sunday School and
Crèche during morning service
Wednesday
Mums and Tots 10.00am - 11.30am
Prayer Meeting 7.30pm
Women's Association
Meet 2nd Tuesday of the month
October - May
Transport available to all services
Contact Numbers
Rev. Andrew Downie 850098
Session Clerk Robert Allan 842563
Elders Andrew Ross 832293
Graham Skinner 832518
God is our refuge and our strength
Balintore United Free Church
Morning Worship Sunday
10.00am (Creche, Sunday School, Bible
class)
Evening Sunday 6.00pm
Prayer Meeting Wednesday
7.30pm
Free Lunch & Foodbank:
Mondays
12 noon - 2.00pm (Term-
time)
Contact:
Rev. Alasdair MacAulay
01862 892156
Rev. Andrew Macleod
01862 832104
Our weekly morning and
evening services are now
available on our website.
King Street, Hilton.
All Welcome
Church Information—All services are via
Seaboard Community News PAGE twenty-two
Seaboard Community Toddlers Group
All babies and toddlers welcome.
Must be accompanied by an adult.
Why not come along, have a cup of tea and blether while your children have great fun!!
Every Thursday during term time at the
Seaboard Memorial Hall
10am – 11.30am
Admission fee £1.00
Tea, coffee, juice and light snack
provided.
Balintore Post Office
Fearn Butcher
The Shop, Portmahomack
Tain Library
Seaboard Memorial Hall
Where You Can Buy
Your Copy Of The Seaboard News
Do you want to advertise your business in
our monthly Seaboard Community News?
Our newsletter is available to people in the
B.B. Garden Maintenance
Grass cutting; tidying; rhone cleaning;
path laying; general maintenance etc.
01862 832954
07922319452
Please Note
Articles may not be printed in the Newslet ter i f the wr i t -er ’s name and address is unknown. This does not mean that the writer’s name or address must be printed. The writer can state if he/she does not want this information shown.
The Editor retains the right to select which articles to publish and to alter or amend them as deemed necessary.
ENTRIES FOR THE NEWSLETTER
If you have any articles, stories,
poems, birthdays, photos, etc.
that you want included in the
Seaboard Community News
please submit them as soon as possible,
To enable us to get them into the
Rainbow Mums & Tots
invite all mums, childminders, etc. with babies and any children not
yet in school to come along for company, friendship or fellowship
in the United Free Church Hall, Balintore, during school term
(right hand side between Ross Crescent and Park Street)
Wednesday mornings
10-11.30am
Thanks to
George Skinner for
planting some flowers
at the Seaboard
Memorial Hall.
Seaboard Community News PAGE twenty-three
Hugh M Campbell BSc (Hons) MPhil FCOptom FAAO
OPTOMETRIST
CONTACT LENSES
CAMPBELL EYECARE www.campbelleyecare.co.uk
36 High Street ALNESS
IV17 0PS
01349 882863 [email protected]
28-30 Tower Street TAIN
IV19 1DY
01862 892559 [email protected]
Seaboard Community News
Now available on e-subscription
Subscribe for a year, 10 issues, have them
emailed to you for £15.00.
Contact Pat or Lynda at Seaboard Memorial Hall
for details Tel: 01862 832888
email: [email protected]
Tues—Fri : 10.30-
3.00pm
Tea, Cof-
fee,
snacks
Lunches
served until
2.30pm
*Tues & Fri Pensioner
Special*
Seaboard Memorial Hall East Street
Balintore, Tain, IV20 1UA
Tel: 01862 832888 E-mail: [email protected]
Office Opening Hours
9am —12pm
Monday — Friday
We do:
Typing
Structuring and/or typing out CV’s
Photocopying
Laminating
Ring binding
Desktop Publishing
Scanning
Preparation of Memoirs
Royal Bank of Scotland
Drop In
Theses have been
Suspended for the
Time being.
The views expressed in the newsletter are those of the author and not necessarily those of the Seaboard Memorial Hall