Fearnan Village Association

What’s On Spring/Summer

Kaffee und Kuchen Pop Up – Tuesday 26th May 11.00 – 12.30 in the McLean Hall. Come and enjoy Kaffee und Kuchen. Think Black Forest gateau, apple strudel, fruit streusel, spiced biscuits etc. Experience some genuine German Gemutlichkeit, the equivalent of Scandinavian Hygge and Scottish Coorie.

Strawberry Tea – Saturday 18th July 15.00 – 17.00 in the McLean Hall. What better way to spend a summer’s afternoon than enjoying a strawberry feast in Fearnan. It’s strawberries every which way – from strawberry sandwiches to strawberry cakes and tray bakes, bowls of strawberries and cream, strawberry meringues, chocolate dipped strawberries and much more.

Brew for the Crew Fundraiser

‘A very convivial hubbub’ – that was how one of the attendees at Brew for thekaffee and Crew described our fundraiser for the Scottish Charity Air Ambulance and for the new helicopter that serves our area.

The event, which was well attended, was indeed very convivial with a lovely atmosphere, made even more special by the live music and excellent set played by Doug Law, our local guitar maestro. As ever, our bakers had provided a wonderful afternoon tea for all to enjoy.

Thanks to the generosity of the Courtyard Shop, Aberfeldy Co-op, and Iain Burnett Highland Chocolatier, there was a raffle with two hampers of goodies as prizes. The winners of the hampers were Alistair Grier and Gayle Olivier.

Apart from being a social success, the event exceeded expectations in terms of the amount raised for SCAA! The impressive sum of £648.70 was achieved from donations at the door and the raffle – but there was more to come! At the FVA’s recent AGM, members had agreed that the FVA would use its funds to match the sum raised on the day.  This means that the grand total of £1300 has been paid over to SCAA to help with the costs of the new helicopter.  We thank everyone for their generosity which has made this possibe.

For the Birds

You may have noticed advice published recently by the RSPB asking us to help stop the spread of disease amongst garden birds by making two simple shifts in the way we feed birds. Put simply: Feed seasonally. Feed safely.

Trichomonosis is caused by a parasite that affects the mouth, throat and upper digestive tracts of birds and can make it hard for them to eat, drink or breathe.

Infected birds shed the parasite in their saliva and poo, contaminating food sources when they feed. It can also be passed directly to chicks when adults regurgitate food.

Between May and October, the RSPB has asked us to stop putting out seed and peanuts for the birds. You can continue to offer small amounts of mealworms, fatballs or suet. You could also plant things in your garden that help birds find their own food. The RSPB suggests sunflowers, teasels and ivy. These help provide natural food sources for birds.

When preparing this item, the Blog asked Hazel (one of our resident bird specialists) for her thoughts or advice about this. She has offered some excellent advice that applies to feeding the birds at any time of year, but especially when the weather starts to warm up, and that is to implement very strict hygiene. She says, “there are bird-safe disinfectants which can be used to thoroughly clean all feeders, perhaps rotating feeders, so that one is being cleaned and thoroughly dried whilst the other is out. Where possible hang feeders over a slabbed or hard standing area which could also be scrubbed, sanitised and kept clean. Same with bird baths. Also, any nest boxes, although some will already be in use, but they could benefit from an end of season clean out!”

One of the many things that makes Fearnan special is the fantastic birdlife all around us, from big birds of prey in the sky to tiny wrens and tree hoppers in the hedges and trees, and all the garden birds in between. So please do help to stop the spread of trichomonosis and protect the garden varieties.

The Return of Line Dancing in Fearnan

Janice and Carly are keen to help and encourage beginners. Check the Fearnan Rocket FB pages and village posters for booking details Check your lofts for your old stetsons and cowboy boots!

Fearnan Book Club Review

Linda writes:

The book opens with a kidnapping and involves a serial killer storyline and love story stretching over 26 years.

Our group’s response was very positive, and they found it an enjoyable, moving and engrossing read (quite different from some other books we’ve read recently!).

They thought it was a long, involved, epic read, but the short chapters made it feel fast paced. It was not a book to skim read as concentration was required.

All agreed that after a slow start, the narrative gained pace and most wanted to read on and were happy to invest time on it. It was described by one as a good, meaty read, an involved, unpredictable story worth getting to the end for the revelation and twists.

Some found the writing style difficult to begin with but soon got into the rhythm and the American nature of the language.

It was an absorbing, character driven novel. All commented on the well-drawn, distinct characters especially Patch, the protagonist, and his best friend Saint who relentlessly sought the truth. It was felt that the characters were unpredictable and provided surprises.

It all falls into place in the end in surprisingly satisfying, if rather complex, ways although one member of the group would have preferred a darker ending!

And Finally……Dial 159 – Protection from Bank Fraud

In this digital age, bank fraud is increasingly a problem.  Scammers can impersonate your bank’s phone number, to trick you into thinking that you are talking to your bank.

159 is a secure UK-wide, three-digit hotline to immediately report suspected bank fraud. If you receive an suspicious, unexpected call from someone claiming to be your bank, you stop, hang up, and call 159 to be connected directly with your bank’s fraud department. It acts as a safety barrier against scams.

Easy to remember, the short code number now connects customers of more than 99% of the UK’s retail banks safely and directly with their bank. Unlike many long-form numbers, 159 cannot be spoofed or impersonated by fraudsters.

Easy to remember, the short code number now connects customers of more than 99% of the UK’s retail banks safely and directly with their bank. Unlike many long-form numbers, 159 cannot be spoofed or impersonated by fraudsters.

More than a million calls have been made to 159 since its inception and it has been expanded to bring in new banks, including Bank of Ireland UK, Bank of Scotland, Barclays, The Co-operative Bank, First Direct, Halifax, HSBC, Lloyds Bank, Metro Bank, Monzo, Nationwide Building Society, NatWest, Revolut, Royal Bank of Scotland, Santander, TSB, Ulster Bank, and Virgin Money.

To find out more follow the link https://stopscamsuk.org.uk/our-work/159-phone-number/

What’s On March & April

Games Mornings – McLean Hall, 19th March, 9th April 10.00 – 12.00: Join Frances and Lesley for some fun and gentle exercise playing table tennis, indoor curling, quoits, and quick board games.

Balance & Strength Class: A new, regular class on Tuesdays at 10.30 – 11.30 am in the McLean Hall, to help stay active and improve strength, balance and mobility. The cost is £3.10 per session.

Fearnan Village Association’s Annual General Meeting on 28th March at 4pm in the McLean Hall. All FVA members are cordially invited.

Operation Skyward is SCAA’s ambitious appeal to expand and enhance air ambulance capability in Scotland through the introduction of a new H145 D3 helicopter – the most advanced air ambulance of its type.

All proceeds from the tea will go to this fundraising appeal, so please come and help us ensure that critical medical care can be delivered faster and more safely in our area!

The tea costs £7.50pp and school age children are half price.

Fearnan Resource Hut

The Fearnan Resource Hut has been operating for nine months now, collecting a range of everyday items that cannot be recycled in your PKC recycling bin. The Resource Hut manages to recycle these items through existing recycling schemes run by companies such as Terracycle, or through takeback schemes operated by specific manufacturers, such as Marigold UK. This all helps to keep items out of landfill, and it is quite unusual for a small village such as Fearnan to have this kind of facility – with the result that Jenny, our resource champion, has been invited to talk to other community groups about how they might go about setting up a similar facility.

Some of the recycling schemes, such as those for inkjet printer cartridges, make a small payment for the items received and this goes towards the running costs of the Resource Hut.

Some of the new items that you can now recycle include:

Personal Care Items

In the UK, we spend about £6.4 billion a year on cosmetics. This all goes on making us look beautiful, but it has an ugly effect on the environment by creating lots of waste. Most of the cosmetics packaging (both outer packaging and product containers) is thrown away and goes to landfill.

These items are collected and recycled through a take-back scheme run by Maybelline for all cosmetic brands.

Writing Instruments

Writing instruments include all brands of writing implements such as felt tips, permanent and white board markers, highlighters, correction instruments (pens, tape and bottles) and pens, mechanical pencils and refills.

Glasses are made up of a complex mix of many materials so need very specialised recycling. This is done through opticians and companies that participate in schemes that either recycle the frames, giving them a second life, or repurpose the metals and plastic materials into new products. Lenses can be repurposed to make car headlights. Consequently, the Resource Hut can accept broken glasses, just frames or just lenses.

All this helps to keep those 26 pairs of glasses per spectacle wearer out of landfill!

Other Recycled  Items

Other items not mentioned above that can be recycled in the Resource Hut include contact lenses and foils, coffee and drinks pods (in Podback bags, please – gets messy otherwise) – Optima water filters, and Flash Wipes, Cloths and Pads. (See the Local Recycling Opportunities page on this website for a full list.)

Book Club Reviews

There are two Book Club reviews this month, as we are catching up from the start of the year.

Linda writes:

We enjoyed finding out about this ancient custom. The background of the characters was revealed and their relationships developed as the book progressed. All agreed that it was a well written book, with detailed descriptions of the island and their basic living conditions, which evoked the senses.

The author was experiencing a mid-life crisis and there was a strong message about the positive impact of nature on mood, body and health. The author admired the grit, determination and priorities of the women and we felt the experience would have influenced his future thinking and planning on his return to his own farm.

Some found the pace too slow but agreed that it was an ideal book to dip in and out of during the busy festive period. There was a lively family wedding at the end of the book which we felt was a clever contrast to the quietness and solitude of life on the island.

Karen writes:

Most of the group enjoyed Charlie’s adventurous nature and humour, although the latter did seem to grate a little towards the end of the book for some. His enthusiasm for his subject came through in the writing and all felt we had learned a great deal about the places he visited, for some maybe a bit too much! The more far-flung areas were of the most interest, with the Scandinavian trips particularly enjoyed.

We agreed it was a nice cheery book to read during the dark, wet days of January.

What’s On in February and March

Games Mornings – 19th February & 5th and 19th March : Join Frances and Lesley for some fun and gentle exercise playing table tennis, indoor curling, quoits, and quick board games.

28th March at 4pm: all FVA members are invited to attend Fearnan Village Association’s Annual General Meeting at 4pm in the McLean Hall.

Past Events

Baking for Burns

However, it was the people who came to the event who were the real stars, making it a very sociable and friendly morning that was much enjoyed by us all.

Hair Ice

There have been a number of sightings of Hair Ice on Drummond Hill and the surrounding area. Hair Ice is a relatively rare phenomenon which only occurs in northern areas – Drummond Hill being one of the few sites.

It occurs when water present in the wood freezes and creates a barrier that traps liquid between the ice and the pores of the wood. This creates a suction force which pushes water out of the pores to the edge of the ice surface where it freezes and extends outwards. As this repeats, it pushes a thin ‘hair’ of ice out of the wood which is around 0.01 mm in diameter and keeps its shape for a few hours.

From a distance, it can look like a small clump of unmelted snow, but a closer look reveals its beautiful texture.

In this last Blog of 2025 we have a summary of the events coming up in the new year, a little bit of Fearnan history (the story of the much lamented shop and post office), some pics from the recent Mulled Wine and Mince Pies evening, a fond farewell to those we have lost this year and the Fearnan Book Club’s Book of the Year.

What’s On in January and February

Here are some dates for your brand new 2026 diary!

15th & 29th January Games Mornings: Join Frances and Lesley for some fun and gentle exercise playing table tennis, indoor curling, quoits, and quick board games.

This entertaining morning in relaxed company runs throughout the winter and there’s tea, coffee and Home Baking. We look forward to seeing you at Fearnan Hall 10am-12.00. Free admission.

Fearnan Shop & Post Office 1881 – 2003

When Ian McGregor was writing his book Fearnan, The Story of a Highland Village of Northern Perthshire and setting up the Fearnan archive, he was given an old hand stamp that had been used in the Fearnan post office to frank local mail. It was gifted by Mary Robb, a former village postmistress and was gratefully accepted as a memento of the fact that Fearnan once had a post office. It was put on display in Fearnan Hall for a few years. After that, it was carefully wrapped and put safely in the archive.

However, the hand stamp has proved interesting in more ways than one. Firstly, it is a lot older than we had originally thought (and certainly Mary would never have used this in her time as postmistress). The second and the biggest surprise was that the cancellation mark reads ‘FERNIN P.O.’. Whilst it is not uncommon to find the village name spelt FERNAN in old documents, ‘Fernin’ is a first.

This prompted further research which now suggests that the hand stamp dates from 1881 when the first Post Office (described then as Fernin Post Office) opened in the village, operating from the Tigh-an-Loan Hotel. It seems that early GPO handstamps sometimes appeared with misspellings, especially in rural Scotland, where clerks often worked from handwritten, or Gaelic-derived, names. “Fernin” would fit that pattern — a simple early mistake later corrected in 1892 when a new hand stamp was issued, and it became Fearnan Post Office. The clerk responsible for the first PO probably spelt the name based on local pronunciation – which to this day remains at odds with the actual spelling, Fearnan, (or maybe it’s the spelling that is at odds with the pronunciation).

From a collector’s point of view, error cancellations on envelopes and postcards are highly interesting to postal historians. Misspelt cancellations do add value to old postcards or envelopes. Whilst they are not highly valuable, they are certainly more desirable than regular cancellations — particularly for anyone investigating Perthshire or early GPO errors.  The franking stamp itself could be one of the very few surviving examples of such early mistakes. A “Fernin” postmark on an old card would be a lovely find – if you have any Fearnan mail dating from the 1880s, do check it out and let us know!

As for the post office itself, in 1902, John Stewart, took over the tenancy of the Tigh-an-Loan Hotel along with the shop and post office, before purchasing the hotel and land outright in 1922.

In 1961, the shop and post office moved from the hotel to a building on a separate site, also owned by the hotel, close to the War Memorial. Dolly continued as post mistress and shop manager and had her own unique take on security. Every evening, she would take all the cash, stamps and any other valuables and pop them into her shopping trolley (i.e. old-fashioned shopping bag on wheels) and take it all back to her room in the hotel. This arrangement proved to have merit, as not long after the move to the new site two men broke into the post office and somehow managed to manhandle the safe into their van. They drove round to the back of Drummond Hill where they proceeded to blow up the safe. But there were 2 surprises in store for them- not only was the safe completely empty (all valuables being safely tucked up with the peacefully sleeping Dolly), but the noise of the explosion drew attention and led to the ultimate apprehension of the two men and consequent charges.

After Dolly’s retirement, the post office and shop were run by George and Mary Robertson and in 1981, Mary and Ron Robb, returning from Guinea in West Africa, settled in Fearnan and bought the shop and PO. Mary, who had first worked for the GPO after she left school, was Post Mistress and Ron ran the shop.

Later, the PO and shop were taken over by Willie and Velme Ross, who rebuilt the shop and post office with living accommodation turning it into the building we know today as the Old Post Office. After they retired, the shop continued for a short while before both shop and PO closed forever in 2003, after just over 120 years.

Mulled Wine and Mince Pies

This year’s Mulled Wine and Mince Pies event was well attended and provided a welcome bit of pre-Christmas cheer. The atmosphere was lovely with lots of catching up going on.

Many thanks to all those who helped stage the event and prepare the mulled wine, food and the decorations.  It was run as a fund-raiser for Fearnan Hall, and we are delighted to report that, after expenses, Fearnan Village Association was able to remit a magnificent £230 to the Hall Committee. Thanks to everyone for their generosity, especially those who paid over and above the entry fee.

Fearnan’s Christmas Decorations

The Christmas lights went up on the tree at the Hall just before the Mulled Wine event (thank you to John and Neil) and this year, for the first time, Cath and Linda installed some Christmas greenery and a seasonal arrangement at the War Memorial.

Some Fond Farewells

Before we leave 2025, we need to pay tribute to those members of our community that we have lost this year. So many, that it feels as if a whole generation has gone. Here they are in alphabetic order, by first name:

Ian Marshall: Ian, a former Royal Marine Commando, moved to the area in 1989 and with his wife Winnie ran the Aberfeldy Spar for 3 years before moving to Fearnan in 1991.

Over the years of his retirement, Ian fuelled his seemingly unquenchable appetite for challenge by becoming something of an intrepid hill walker and mountaineer. Even after a long day on the hills, still possessed of an abundance of energy, he would appear at the weekly Friday night sessions of the Fearnan Scottish Country Dancing Club. 

From Commando to devoted carer of his wife Winnie, to supporter and mentor of others, Ian was very much a man of action and compassion, and we miss his infectious energy as well as his cheeky sense of humour.

Jo Millar: Joe was very active and always supportive of life in Fearnan. She was a talented artist and a leading light in the Fearnan Art Club for many years, as well as in the renowned Fortingall Art Fair. A founding member of, and an active participant in, the Fearnan Book Club, she was able to enjoy the celebration of its 10^th Anniversary earlier this year. Jo’s energy belied her years, whether on the golf course or undertaking long international trips and even in the last year she could be seen striding out on a Sunday, to walk from Fearnan to the church service in Fortingall – and back – despite offers of lifts from other members of the congregation.

Joyce Halden: Joyce and Alistair retired to Fearnan after 18 years teaching at Croftinloan School in Pitlochry. Joyce had 2 passions – music and gardening. Moving to Fearnan in 1994, she set about redesigning the acre of garden surrounding their new house. The extent to which the redesign was a success can be measured by the fact her garden was featured on the BBC’s Beechgrove Garden programme in 2001.

From 1997 to 2011, Joyce led the Fearnan Ladies Choir with the choir gathering every Monday morning in her house to rehearse. Regular concerts were held not just in the village hall, but in venues across Perthshire. Another Fearnan resident, Bob Woolley, would join them at their various engagements and entertain the audience by playing saxophone, clarinet and flute.

Joyce was always busy and on the go. She was friendly and helpful and always had a wee story to tell.

Mary Robb: Mary and her husband, Ron, came to Fearnan in 1981, having spent 7 years in Guinea, West Africa. They bought the Anchorage on the shores of the loch, as well as the local post office and shop. Mary, who had originally joined the Post Office when she left school, became Fearnan’s Post Mistress and Ron ran the shop – more often than not whilst still chuffing on one of his favourite Hamlets!

After Ron passed away, Mary moved from the Anchorage to Dalchiaran and developed a close friendship with Mhairi Taylor. Both were talented seamstresses and they set up a sewing club, although it is reported that the G&Ts flowed almost as fast as the stitches!

Latterly, Mary and Mhairi moved together into Abbeyfield House in Aberfeldy where they maintained their friendship right to the end.

Patricia Tinto: Patricia’s passing was very unexpected, coming after a short illness. Very friendly and approachable, Patricia had been enjoying coming to the Games Mornings where she was a ready participant in most activities, including indoor curling where she demonstrated some skill. 

For over 25 years, she was a hard-working member within the Church Guild and wider community, approaching various shops in and around Perth to provide, at a very minimal cost, the contents required for the backpacks which were filled by Guild members annually. Patricia could always be relied on to find a good bargain and get the best for her very appreciative recipients!

Losing so many from our community in one year has been hard, but these photos show the happy memories we have and that we will keep in our hearts forever.

Clockwise from top left: Ian Marshall, Jo Millar sketching and also celebrating the 10th Anniversary of the Book Club, Joyce Halden with her husband Alistair, Patricia Tinto and special friend, Mary Robb with daughter Patsy.

Fearnan Book Club

Linda writes:

2025 was a significant year for the Fearnan Book Club. In January we celebrated the 10-year anniversary of the first meeting. 

Members have come and gone but the enthusiasm for sharing and discussing books has never waned. Over the years we’ve read a wide range of genres and have enjoyed books we possibly would not have picked off the book shelf to read ourselves. 

And finally – Fearnan Village Association wishes all our members and readers a very Happy Christmas and the best of times in 2026!

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November saw the marking of Remembrance Day and the celebration of the 70th Anniversary of the McLean Hall but first a quick look at some of the events coming up……..

What’s On

11th and 18th December: Games Morning: Join Frances and Lesley for some fun and gentle exercise playing table tennis, indoor curling, quoits, and quick board games.

This entertaining morning in relaxed company runs throughout the winter and there’s tea, coffee and Home Baking.

We look forward to seeing you at Fearnan Hall Thurs 11th December and Thurs 18th December, 10am-12.00. Free admission.

So, do join us for the FVA’s last event of 2025. It’s £7.50pp at the door, and proceeds over and above costs, will be donated to the village hall as a contribution towards the hall’s running costs. Oh – and we love Christmas jumpers!

Recent Events

Remembrance Sunday

Despite the rather gloomy and wet day, a good number of local residents gathered at the war memorial for a short service on Remembrance Sunday. The service was led by Shirley Shearer and wreaths were laid by Alistair, John and Fiona.

The war memorial itself looked like a beacon of warmth in the gloom, having been ‘dressed’ in hundreds of bright red poppies by Cath, and it continued to catch the eyes of passing motorists for the next few days.

After the service, the FVA served tea and coffee in the Hall and a collection for Help for Heroes made £74.00 for the military veterans charity.

Many thanks to all who helped out on the day, from decorating the Memorial, to taking the service, laying wreaths, managing the passing traffic, making tea and coffee and, of course, for holding umbrellas for others!

Celebration of the McLean Hall’s 70th Anniversary

After a busy few months making sure the hall was ready for its big day and was looking its best, both inside and out, the McLean Hall’s 70th Anniversary Celebration took place on Saturday 15th November. The event was well attended by around 70 current and past residents, alongside invited guests. They were greeted with a glass of Prosecco and then enjoyed a delicious, home baked, Fearnan Afternoon Tea.

The availability of a communal space has allowed groups such as the Bowling Club, and the Book Club to flourish and residents have been able to enjoy activities, including country dancing, badminton, line dancing and more recently Tai Chi and yoga, literally on their doorstep. It has hosted dances, ceilidhs and coffee mornings, weddings and wakes – and let’s not forget the BBQs and the suppers.

Elaine referred guests to the research related to the history of the hall and the efforts of a previous generation of residents to fund and establish it. The research was carried out by Fiona Ballantyne for the hall’s 60th anniversary in 2015. It can still be read on the Fearnan Village Association website here.

Councillor John Duff, a great supporter of the hall, thanked the current committee and all those who had looked after the hall over the years. They had ensured the village still enjoyed this essential amenity. He proposed a toast, then the cake was cut by the two current trustees, Tom Alexander and Frances Brace, who also had created a detailed model of the hall and decorated the cake which was baked by the Kenmore bakery.

The afternoon was lively and friendly, and both the atmosphere and delicious food were much commented on and enjoyed, and the event provided an opportunity to reminisce and recall many happy village occasions.

Many thanks to the Hall Committee for all their hard work in not just putting the event together, but also for making sure the Hall is kept in such good condition and continues to be available to residents for social and keep fit opportunities, the village would be a poorer place without it. And many thanks to Doug Law for contributing to the excellent atmosphere by playing live music for us all afternoon.

Fearnan Book Club Review

Our last item in this post is from the Fearnan Book Club – something that would probably not exist without the facility of the Hall to host it every month.

Linda writes:

The group had mixed views on this book but agreed it had an impact and was a book worth reading. Some found it a very distressing and a difficult read and were shocked by the graphic and powerful narrative. We felt the the bleakness and despair related to Nora and the other patients, and to the practices in the institution. All agreed that it was a subject that should be aired and understood. There were moments of joy and some people who showed her kindness, but we couldn’t believe that her parents could subject her to this fate.

She spent decades in the institution, and it wasn’t until 1981, when psychiatrist Janet Humphries begins to work with Nora that she is finally helped to leave the institution and her tragic past behind and to rediscover what life is like outside. She was a strong resilient character who finally had a life doing things she loved in her later years.

Towards the end of the book there is a sense of triumph over despair.

What’s On

So, do join us for the FVA’s last event of 2025. It’s £7.50pp at the door, and proceeds over and above costs, will be donated to the village hall as a contribution towards running costs.

PS We love Christmas jumpers!

Halloween Pop-Up

Our Halloween Pop-Up offered a great selection of seasonal baking, such as Pumpkin Cake, Dead Men’s Fingers, Gingerbread, Treacle Scones and other seasonal goodies. It was well attended, and some had dressed especially for the occasion. At first glance, Elanie’s hat looked like something suitable for a wedding – until you realised that it was actually a spider nestled on her head! Fran G went for some more traditional headgear.

Frances created a display for a Halloween Corner which added to the seasonal feel and good atmosphere.

Footsteps – a Boy’s Journey from a Highland Hotel

Alastair Barnett has been a regular contributor of stories about his boyhood in wartime Fearnan to this Blog. He has now re-edited some of those stories, combined them with tales from the rest of his life, and published a book which is part memoir and part reflection on the pivotal people, places and events that shaped his life.

As ever, Alastair’s stories capture the sense and atmosphere of the time in which they are set, and take him from his childhood in Fearnan, to his job as Boot Boy in the Fortingall Hotel in the early 1950s and from there to a lifetime’s career in the hospitality industry, in the UK, America and Canada.  The stories flow from one to the next, led by the subject rather than in a strict chronological order.

The McLean Hall, Fearnan 1955 – 2025 ….and beyond!

Fearnan Hall celebrates its 70^th birthday this month! Unlike many other village halls, the McLean Hall was not sponsored by a benefactor or gifted by a local landowner, and the fact that it exists at all was down to the considerable efforts of those who lived in the village some 70+ years ago.

The story behind the funding and building of the hall was researched and written up for this Blog in 2015, when the Hall celebrated its 60^th Birthday. The article is still available on our website and if you would like to read about how the hall came into being, from an initial donation of £6 in 1931, to a fully funded proposition in 1953 and finally built in 1955, you can find it here: 60th Anniversary of The McLean Hall, Fearnan

Perhaps that earlier generation of villagers would have been surprised to learn that 70 years later, the Mclean Hall would still be the centre of much activity in the village and continuing to offer local social, fitness and fun opportunities to villagers nearly three generations down the line.

Fearnan Book Club

This recent book review was written by Judith.  

There are Rivers in the Sky by Elif Shafak. 

All thought the book was too long and could have been split into 2, if not 3, separate books. The start was quite slow.  All really enjoyed Arthur as a character, although certain things about him were a bit fantastical, eg, tasting words. We did have a discussion afterwards about whether Arthur was autistic (probably not was the consensus). Most thought the water imagery was overdone as if Shafak had to find a link between characters and then overplayed it. There was clearly much research carried out which was appreciated and learning about such horrors as the plight of the Yazidis women was interesting and harrowing. Some thought the ending tied it together well whereas others deemed it too neat. Finally, it was thought Shafak has a certain distinctive style and some said reading this book would not make them want to read it again nor read others by her.

Diary Dates

Fearnan Indoor Bowls: Everyone is welcome  to a new season of Indoor Bowls starting on Monday 6^th Oct. 7.30-9.30pm in Fearnan Village Hall. Contact Angela on a.kininmouth@outlook.com

MacMillan Coffee Morning

Linda writes:

The annual MacMillan Coffee Morning was held on the 20th September in the McLean Hall. Everyone who attended was very generous with their donations and enthusiastically tried competitions, bought raffle tickets and goods from the sales table.

We also had external donations, raising a fantastic grand total of £470. 

There were lots of prizes and winners on the day! The hampers which were kindly donated by the Kenmore Bakery and the Courtyard were won by guests. Fran Gillespie won the star prize of a bottle of whisky and Seb Page was delighted to win a bottle of wine. Alan Patterson, using much skill and judgement, won the Connie the Caterpillar cake by guessing almost exactly how many coffee cups were on a poster.   

Well done, winners! Many thanks to all of our guests and those who donated goods, and to the great team who contributed with setting up, baking, helping on the day and clearing up. Your efforts were much appreciated by everyone.

Ian Marshall

We were saddened to hear of the recent passing of Ian Marshall.

Ian, a former Royal Marine Commando, moved to the area in 1989 and with his wife Winnie ran the Aberfeldy Spar for 3 years before moving to Fearnan in 1991. Ian and Winnie were very close, and when Winnie was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s Disease, Ian’s love for her really shone through in the way he stimulated and cared for her. Ian ensured she remained as independent and active for as long as possible: he pre-walked ramblers’ walks she was going to lead; he bought a bright yellow car she could find in the car park; he held her hand on entire walks; and instructed her actions while out cycling.   Over this tough time their joint love for each other and the outdoors, and their ability to laugh in the face of adversity was evident to all who knew them. Winnie passed away in August 2006 and following her death, Ian applied himself quite resolutely to raising public awareness of this dreadful disease both locally and nationally. He lobbied our MSP, John Swinney and, together with a fellow walker, undertook a trek to Annapurna Base Camp to raise money for Alzheimer (Scotland)

Ian was always very generous of spirit and would find great satisfaction in helping others. In 2011, he helped Sheena Stanbridge (a Fearnan neighbour at the time) to achieve her goal of walking from Loch Tay to Stirling (50 miles) while her bone marrow donor was walking from Kilmarnock to Stirling to meet her. Ian was a ‘mentor’ and trainer to Sheila and her sister for this challenge which not only raised funds for the Anthony Nolan Trust but also improved Sheila’s health both physically and mentally. They started with a walk round Taymouth Castle, which completely exhausted her, but with Ian’s support and encouragement she graduated not only to the Ptarmigan Ridge but later achieved her goal, with an emotional meeting of donor and recipient at the Wallace Monument.

Over the years of his retirement, Ian fuelled his seemingly unquenchable appetite for challenge by becoming something of an intrepid hill walker and mountaineer. Even after a long day on the hills, still possessed of an abundance of energy, he would appear at the weekly Friday night sessions of the Fearnan Scottish Country Dancing Club. 

From Commando, to carer, to supporter and mentor of others, Ian was very much a man of action and compassion, and we miss his infectious energy as well as his cheeky sense of humour.

Glenlyon and Loch Tay Community Council Elections

Glenlyon and Loch Tay Community Council is in a precarious position. Stella (Glenlyon), the Secretary/Treasurer and the Chair Sue Dolan Betney (Fearnan), are not re-standing at the forthcoming election. Willy Graham (Lochside), and Jenny Robertson (Fortingall), will re-stand but this leaves FOUR vacancies to bring the full compliment up to six. One for Glenlyon, one for Fortingall and two for Fearnan.

The current Chair asks you to give serious consideration to the future of this CC and consider standing for election.  It would be very sad if the last job Stella and Sue had to do was to wind up the CC.

By joining your local community council, you can get involved in topics that affect your area.  From a proposed housing development to maintenance of local paths, you can have your say as a local community councillor.

People who are over 16 years old, live in the community council area, and are on the electoral register for the community council area, can join their community council. 

Submit your nomination by 4pm on Thursday 25 September 2025.

Find out more www.pkc.gov.uk/communitycouncilselections

Forthcoming Events

Open Gate Festival: Clach an Tuirc 6^th September 1pm – 4pm: Healthiest Town’s Open Gate Festival will run from 29 August to 7 September with lots of open gardens and farms, workshops, talks and events running throughout the festival period.  The festival aims to connect people to locally produced nutritious food and to encourage people to consider the impact the way our food is grown, produced and processed has on our health and the planet’s health.

Clach an Tuirc here in Fearnan will be open on Saturday, September 6, and Jenny, who has recently developed herorganic veggie and berry gardening, will show you round her first year’s effort.

Tea and cake on offer. Free entry, and donations welcomed for The Woodland Trust. No booking required

MacMillan Coffee Morning: This year the annual Fearnan MacMillan Coffee Morning is on Saturday 20th September. This popular event will be held in the McLean Hall Fearnan from 10.30 -12.00.

Join us for tea/coffee, delicious home baking, games and a raffle. Come and help Fearnan contribute to this fundraiser which will help those living with cancer.

Halloween Pop Up: Tuesday 28th October 11.00 – 13.00. Spooky cakes and other frights as All Hallows Eve approaches

News Updates

VJ Day

Once again, the war memorial was beautifully ‘dressed’ by Cath to mark the 80^th anniversary of VJ Day and to remember the members of the armed forces whose war did not end with Victory in Europe but continued until Japan surrendered bringing WWII finally to an end.

Linda, Alistair and Anita from Invertay helped Cath set up the display.

Bollo and Naboo

Moira writes:

Over the summer we have seen some fabulous improvements with the boys. Bollo (brown) can now be groomed and touched all over. He is now having his feet trimmed “at liberty”…..meaning he has his headcollar on but doesn’t need holding, he just calmly allows Regina (the donkey podiatrist) to deal with his feet (donkey biscuits are liberally dispensed throughout). He is currently at the stage where Regina is now beginning the slow process of lowering his heels to the height at which they should be.

(Before and after photos below show how much work has been done and how their feet have improved.)

Naboo (grey) is also improving, but more slowly, as we expected given how fearful he was. He is still having sedation for his foot trims but is less stressed about being ‘captured’. During his most recent session he allowed all 4 feet to be trimmed without any kicking out and panics (first time for this!) and also, he is now not only accepting treats (we call them donkey biscuits but they are small pony nuts made from compressed hay), but is actively seeking out the next one. This for him is a HUGE step!!…..Remember he was so fearful when he arrived, he wouldn’t take food from our hands.

All in all, they are now very happy healthy wee donkeys that are getting the “species appropriate” care that they need.

Moira would like to say a huge thank you to all Bollo and Naboo’s fans for helping with this and to thank all those who contributed to their Gofundme page, which is still open https://gofund.me/92ff6586

Fearnan Resource Hut

Just a reminder that you can now recycle old pairs of specs and sun specs in the Resource Hut but that medicine blister packs can no longer be accepted.  These need to be recycled at pharmacies, such as Boots and Superdrug, that have collecting boxes for the foils, or at the Aberfeldy veterinary practice. Only contact lens blister packs can be recycled in the Resource Hut.

The Resource Hut signs up to recycling schemes run by manufacturers, and these schemes specify the brands or products that are accepted for recycling. For example, all brands of disposable gloves can be accepted but only Marigold rubber gloves can be recycled in the rubber glove bin.

Fearnan Book Club Reviews

Club Members write:

At our August meeting we reviewed a book recommended to us by Jo Miller who sadly died earlier this year. Jo was an enthusiastic member of the book club and one of the founder members. She enjoyed book club meals and celebrating the club’s 10^th anniversary in January this year. She attended meetings for as long as her health permitted.

At our most recent meeting, where Jo’s book recommendation was reviewed, the group toasted her with prosecco and Frances had made some of Jo’s infamous sardine dip.

The book was Still Life by Sarah Winman. It was a tale of sweeping proportions covering many decades and countries following an eclectic group of characters and their adventures.

All commented on the richness of the characters with a special mention for Claude the speaking parrot! There was consensus that there was little in the way of a plot with an unsatisfactory ending. Many disliked the lack of punctuation for dialogue (of which there was much) although the fast pace of the dialogue was enjoyed. All appreciated the comical moments in the book and agreed that this book reflected much of what Jo was about – art, travel, enjoyment of life and love.

Another recent Book Club read was The Housemaid a psychological thriller by Freida McFadden who is a controversial but popular American author. The book has now been made into a film to be released later this year.

 Millie, the protagonist, is a complex character with a troubled past who goes to work for a rich family, but all is not as it seems. There were various plot twists, which some of the group guessed and abusive behaviour by characters of both sexes, which was not comfortable reading. The author took a unique approach and created a book with the desired effect. One of the group felt the serious themes could have been handled with greater sensitivity.

Many of the group found it compelling reading, easy to read at speed and were keen to see how it would end. All agreed that it was unbelievable as a plot and was described by one as a “good tale of ridiculousness.”

Without giving away any spoilers, there were revealing secrets, behaviour switches, numerous twists, unexpected relationships and an ending that cleverly took the reader into the next book in the series The Housemaid’s Secret. This book continues the story of Millie and features key characters from the first book.

Strawberry Tea

This year’s Strawberry Tea attracted a fantastic turnout of over 60 people and was much enjoyed, according to the feedback we received on the day.  There was a lovely buzz in the hall and lots of connections and re-connections being made with some very enjoyable conversations going on.

Here are some photos, and in case you are wondering, we think Fran is laughing at something Alan (seated) said!

Many thanks to all our bakers and helpers who make it happen.  And thanks also to those who came to join us on a very hot (sometimes uncomfortably hot) day.

Kenmore Church – Public Meeting Thursday 24 July, 7pm

Following the Church of Scotland’s decision to sell the kirk, the Kenmore and District Community Council will hold a public meeting on Thursday 24 July in Kenmore Church at 7pm.

Background

The Church of Scotland (CoS) has decided that, due to falling congregation numbers, it intends to close and sell Kenmore Church. Many similar Church of Scotland churches across Scotland are also being sold. 

This will come as a serious disappointment to all of those in the area, not just our churchgoers – the kirk is very much part of the village and its life and is a special place for many of us.

Worried about the future status of the kirk and being keen not to lose such a precious asset, the Kenmore Community Council approached the Kirk Session to try to explore options to protect the building for community use for the future should a sale take place. Their approach was warmly met, and they have been offered the purchase of the kirk on an exclusive basis for a limited period. The details of a sale, including price, are yet to be firmed up.

Clearly, such a move would present opportunities to retain the kirk as a valuable community space for now and into the future, but it also brings financial and management risks which need to be properly assessed.

The CC has formed a small working group to prepare a feasibility report which will look at all the key issues involved. They are fortunate to have a recently prepared building condition survey and the pro bono assistance of McKenzie Strickland Architects, for which they are very grateful. Their report is linked below.

Possible sources of funds and advice are being researched as well as lessons learned from other communities’ experiences of taking over former religious buildings.

Taking the kirk on as a non-denominational community space would require significant commitment and support from the community. 

The Community Council considered the Feasibility Report at its meeting on July 10 and voted unanimously to carry out a public consultation on the purchase.

Feasibility Report – full

Feasibility Report – Executive summary

Architect’s Report 

In the meantime, if you have any questions, or wish to make your views known, please contact: Kenmore and District Community Council: info@kenmore-and-district-cc.org.uk  or the Kirk Session: lorimer.gray@gmail.com

Resource Hut Recycling Update

As reported in our last edition,the Air Home and Laundry Programme, through which the Resource Hut recycled laundry products, has ended. Many thanks to everyone who managed to beat the deadline and take laundry products in for recycling. They were all packaged up by the recycling team and an impressive total of 3.35 kg of fabric conditioner sheets and trigger heads was sent back for recycling. Good result!

That programme may have closed, but another one has opened up. You can now recycle all spectacles and sunglasses in the Resource Hut. They will be returned to companies and opticians who will check and repair them before sending them to overseas countries in need. But please, please, no spec cases – depending on the materials, these can be recycled in your PKC bin or returned to your optician.

So why not clear some space in your cupboard by recycling your old specs and at the same time, changing someone’s life by giving them a chance to see more clearly?

Community Council Elections 2025

Local elections for new Community Councillors are due to be held later this year. The Glen Lyon and Loch Tay Community Council is already 2 representatives short and as two of the remaining Councillors are retiring this year, it will be 4 members short (out of a total of 6 members). The vacancies are: 1 for Glen Lyon, 1 for Fortingall and 2 for Fearnan.

If you care about the area you live in and want to make a difference, then this is a chance to get involved with your local Community Council. Community Councils are voluntary organisations that have a role in law to represent the views of their local community on issues such as planning applications.

They act as a voice for their local area. Their specific role can vary according to their local area’s needs. If there’s a hot topic which gets your neighbours talking – a proposed housing development, maintenance of local footpaths or improving local facilities – then this is something in which the Community Council could get involved. The item above on the future of Kenmore Kirk and the CC’s role in that is a prime example.

Community Councils must represent all people in the area without prejudice. Therefore, they should be non-party political and non-sectarian; represent a full cross-section of the community and encourage the involvement of the whole community; be proactive in consulting and engaging with local residents.

Their role is to ascertain and express the views of the community to local authorities and other public bodies, and to take action which appears to be in the interests of its community. They can complement the role of the local authority but are not part of local government. They should form a positive working partnership with the local authority – therefore they must be informed on the council’s policies, and keep the council updated on their activities.

Could you (yes, you!) be a Community Council member?

Community Council members bring their enthusiasm, experience and commitment to the local area to discuss the issues and get involved in shaping their community.

Elected Community Councillors will also get the opportunity to receive training and support in managing meetings, and the legal processes around areas such as commenting on planning applications.

Unless volunteers can be recruited, the Glen Lyon and Loch Tay CC could lapse.  This would be very detrimental in terms of our ability to represent our views to PKC and other statutory bodies.  There would be no statutory consultee on planning or the Local Development Plan; no one to sort out problems around road closures; no one to push for road improvements or footpaths; no one to keep track of Planning Enforcement issues; no dissemination of information from PKC or any other statutory bodies and fewer consultations in which the community can have a say. 

The timetable for the CC Elections is:

Notice of Election August 28^th. From this point, candidates can be nominated

Close of Nominations September 25^th. (If there are fewer than 50% nominations for the vacant CC positions, closure will be extended to October 6^th).

A Poll will be required if there are more nominations than vacancies, and if required, notice will be given of the Poll which will take place on November 6^th. Counting of votes November 7^th – 10^th.

If you would like to discuss the role of the CC in more detail and the process for becoming a candidate, or for being a seconder of a candidate, contact Sue Dolan Betney on chair@glenlyonandlochtaycc.org.uk

One for the Diary: Saturday 12th July: Strawberry Tea 3 – 5 pm in the Hall.

A delicious afternoon tea, featuring local Scottish Strawberries – and lots of them.

An Excellent Week for the McLean Hall in the Thrift Shop

Linda writes:

It was a successful week in the Thrift Shop, thanks to all the enthusiastic help and the generous donations from Fearnan residents. Thanks also to those who baked for the Friday sale and to Lesley for organising the popular tombola.

Although challenging at times, our efforts were rewarded by thrift shop and online sales totalling £2,063. After rent this left £1,893. The funds raised will contribute towards the continuing improvement and development of the village hall as we approach its 70^th anniversary.

The monetary rewards were great, but the hidden value was in the feelings of goodwill, positive attitude, friendship and working together. There were lots of laughs and banter between helpers and customers and we were described by one as the ‘friendly Fearnan folk’.

Special thanks to Colin, Phil, Richard and Alistair who loaded up their vehicles to transport things.

As always, the hall committee much appreciates the excellent local support from the village.

Important Info about Recycling Laundry Products

Unfortunately, we have received news that the Air, Home and Laundry Care Free Recycling Programme that the Resource Hut subscribes to is to close. This is a decision taken not by Terracycle, who provide the platform to run the programme, but by the brand sponsors whose products are recycled.

We have a little bit of time before it actually closes, but the important information is that if you have items to recycle under this scheme, please make sure they are in the relevant bin in the Hut on or before 14th July. After this, they cannot be recycled via the Resource Hut.

Success For Aberfeldy Gaelic Choir at the Provincial Mod

Over the years, we have followed the success of our ‘own’ Aberfeldy Gaelic Choir and this year we are delighted to have an up-to-date report from our Vocal Choruspondent, Alan Brown.

Alan writes:

The Perthshire and Angus Provincial Mod has been a highlight of Aberfeldy’s Gaelic-speaking community – and much further abroad – since 1923. As well as the Royal National Mod, held in October at a different venue each year, there are several Provincial Mods hosted by individual branches of An Comunn Gaidhealach and the Aberfeldy event is one of the most popular and highly rated.

The Perthshire and Angus Provincial Mod – I’ll call it the Aberfeldy Mod from now on – is held over two days in June with the Friday being devoted to Junior Competitions. The Saturday sees Junior and Adult competitions in Piping, Fiddle and Clarsach leading up to what is to many the main feature of the Aberfeldy Mod – the Vocal classes including Solo, Duet, Quartet, Mixed Voice and Choral.

This year saw a new beginning for Aberfeldy Gaelic Choir, competing under Musical Director Kerrie Kennedy who took over the baton from May Brown in January with May rejoining the Alto section of the Choir. The changes –including the addition of several new and returning Choir members – were tried out earlier in June at Oban Provincial Mod with pleasing results.

The choirs take part in two competitions. The first is the Puirt-a-Beul – mouth music –  which was won by the mighty Lothian Gaelic Choir from Edinburgh.

This was followed by the Choral Singing: Own Choice competition in which choirs perform two songs for the Westcroft Trophy (overall winners), the Janet MacIntyre Memorial Cup (highest music marks) and the Cuach Clachmhor (highest marks for Gaelic).

In a real upsetting of the odds, the choirs of Lothian, Cumbernauld, Stirling and Dundee had to give way on the day to Aberfeldy who delivered the songs ‘Chi Mi Na Mor-bheanna’ which you may know as ‘The Mist-Covered Mountains of Home’ and ‘Gruagach Og an Fhuilt Bhan’, a love song from Barra, to the delight of the adjudicators and, of course, the audience.

It was a great moment for Aberfeldy Gaelic Choir and, of course for Kerrie who takes weekly practices in the Town Hall, driving from Oban and back each Wednesday evening. Our thoughts now turn to the Royal National Mod to be held in October this year in Fort William with lots of hard work to be done, including learning a new song.

The Choir will try out that song and others from their repertoire at the Aberdeen Provincial Mod held the week before the National.

Join the Gaelic Choir and see the world! If you’re interested in learning more have a look at our website or visit us on Wednesday evenings. You’ll be made very welcome.

Fearnan Book Club Review

Linda writes:

Trent Dalton was a social affairs journalist, so the story was succinct, written in short sentences with the least number of words. It was considered too long by some, and too dense by another who found the short sentences annoying.

The girl, who is the nameless central character, (her real name is not revealed until the end of the story) and her mother have been on the run for 16 years from the police and now live in a van with four flat tyres parked in a scrapyard by the edge of the Brisbane River. She dreams of a life as an artist of international acclaim. Lola finally finds love with a rich boy who waits for her on a bridge across a flooding river.

It was not easy reading, but we learnt a lot about the crisis of homelessness people and the loop they found themselves in with no address to apply for social security.

Drug and alcohol addiction featured, with nasty ‘heavies’ extracting drug money through violence for the underworld drug queen, Flora Box. Some found it hard to get into but most agreed that the second half was more interesting as we became invested in the character and her progress. Most didn’t see the twist towards the end where her background was revealed.

We discussed the symbolism of the mirror related to self-identity, truth and self-perception. We found the love story almost ridiculous and very sentimental. We thought the characters, many of whom were feisty and eccentric, were well portrayed

However finally good triumphed over evil. She decides to attend art school, meets her sister, finds love and acceptance with Danny and hopefully a bright future. The drawings, we all enjoyed throughout the book, featured in her successful art show.

And Finally……

Last month we forgot to tell you how much we raised for Help for Heroes at the VE Day Afternoon Tea. The total collected was £317.70! A big thank you to the generous folk of Fearnan.