Dates for Your Diary
Pancake Pop-Up Tuesday 13th February 11.00-12.30 £3.00 pp: The FVA will be serving delicious warm pancakes in the Hall – drop scones and crepe-style pancakes – with a choice of toppings.
We will also have oat milk pancakes and savoury blinis. Pancake Day only comes once a year, so don’t miss out!
The next Games Afternoon run by the Hall Committee is on 22nd February, 1.30-3.30 pm. (See below for more info.)
PopUp Coffee Shop Tuesday 12th March 11.00 – 12.30 £3.00 pp: The FVA’s regular Pop-Ups are back for 2024 offering a chance to catch up with friends and neighbours in the Hall over a fresh cup of coffee or tea and some delicious home-baking .
The Fearnan Village Association’s AGM will be held on Saturday 23rd March at 4pm in the Hall. All members welcome.
Daffodil Tea Saturday 6th April: The FVA’s popular Daffodil Tea returns to the Hall from 3pm to 5pm. Join us for a superb afternoon tea.
Games Afternoon
Lesley writes:
The most recent Games Afternoon get-together went very well with about 10 people coming for some fun – and sometimes challenging – games and to enjoy Burns-themed food at teatime.
Indoor Kurling has been added to the list of activities and is proving a great hit, especially with former curlers.
The next one is on 22nd February, 1.30-3.30 pm and will include a mini beetle drive as well as the usual games.
Everyone welcome!
Join the Big Plastic Count!
If you’ve ever taken part in the RSPB’s Big Garden Birdwatch, then you’ll be familiar with the idea of citizen surveys. And if you have ever felt concern about the amount of plastic waste that we seem to generate, then you might be interested to know that Greenpeace have launched The Big Plastic Count – the UK’s biggest investigation into household plastic waste. By taking part, you can help quantify the problem and produce the information needed to prompt government action to make legislation to limit plastic production and usage.
For just one week – 11th -17th March 2024 – households of all shapes and sizes, schools, community groups and businesses all over the country will count their plastic packaging waste and share their results.
This video explains how it works.
When you submit your data at the end of the Count week, Greenpeace’s whizzy data analysts will send you your own personal plastic footprint. It’s simple to take part in The Big Plastic Count and when you sign up you get a free counting pack with everything you need for the investigation.
Scottish Charity Ambulance Collecting Box
Our SCAA collecting box was returned to the charity recently as it was absolutely full-to-bursting – and that’s not an exaggeration.
Over the past couple of years, the generous folk of Fearnan have quietly popped the magnificent sum of £121.50 into the box in support of the air ambulance! That’s more than just loose change – there must have been quite a few notes in there as well. Thank you!
We have received a letter of thanks from SCAA, along with a brand-new box.
Fearnan Book Club Review
Linda writes:
We recently reviewed The Mercies by Kiran Millwood Hargrave, an award-winning poet, playwright, and novelist.
After a storm has killed off all the island’s men, the women in a 1600s Norwegian coastal village struggle to survive against both natural forces and the men who have been sent to rid the community of alleged witchcraft.
The colourless and barrenness of the wild coastal setting of the island of Vardo, made this an appropriate read in the dark and cold of the winter months. Some of the group felt they had a love/hate relationship with this unforgettable book which was described as perhaps not beautiful, but beautifully written. Some enjoyed the fiction blended with historical facts, while some found it a hard read.
It was a well-researched book with a historical context related to the great Vardo storm of 1617 and the pursuit of witches that was happening around that time. References were made to witch-hunting during the reign of James V1 of Scotland and Absolem Cornet, a god-fearing man and an experienced witch hunter, was summoned from Scotland to search out and persecute witches. The men of the time were afraid of the women’s power and independence, which was not sorcery but resulted in the Vardo witch trials from 1621 onwards.
It was a beautifully written descriptive book with poetic language which painted vivid pictures of the landscape, characters, clothing, homes and the smells of animals and food. The strength of the women shone through despite the harshness of their lives and their persecution.
The Mercies evoked a range of strong emotions including anger at the injustices and violence by men. We felt frustrated and upset at the helpless and unrelenting despair of the women in this situation. Racism and persecution of the Sami people also featured.
We empathised with the characters particularly Maren and Ursa who drew comfort from their close relationship. We were disappointed that the priest didn’t stand up for the accused women and that other women betrayed their female neighbours.
Some felt it was a novel of two parts: initially a slow burner, with a build-up to what was perhaps a rushed or rounded ending.
Staying with the witch hunting theme, our next book is Ashes and Stones by Alyson Shaw. This is a non-fiction book and described as “a moving and personal journey in search of the traces of those accused of witchcraft in 17th century Scotland.”
Fearnan Village Association 