Saturday 14^th December: Mulled Wine & Mince Pies

Don’t miss this opportunity to enjoy a pre-Christmas drink with friends and neighbours in the village hall from 4pm – 6pm on the 14^th Dec. There will be mulled wine, prepared to a tried and tested recipe, and award-winning mince pies (the brand that came top in the Which? taste tests) along with lots of Christmas cheer. So, do join us for the FVA’s last event of 2024. It’s £7.50pp at the door.

PS We love Christmas jumpers!

And coming up in 2025…….

9^th and 23^rd January: Games Mornings. The Mclean Hall Committee’s Games Mornings will continue on a fortnightly basis in the new year. Join Lesley and Frances between 10.00 and 12.00 for indoor curling, table tennis and quoits as well as homebakes, a cuppa and a chat.

28th January at 11.00: Baking for Burns Pop-Up. The FVA’s offering is not a Burns Supper, more of a Teacup Toast to Scotland’s most famous poet and lyricist. And a celebration of traditional Scottish baking. £3.00pp in the village hall.

4^th March at 11.00: Pancake Pop-Up. Shrove Tuesday falls late this year, so the FVA’s Pancake Pop-Up is not until March this year. Join us on 4^th March for freshly baked pancakes, straight from the griddle to the plate. £3.00pp in the village hall.

29^th March at 4pm: Fearnan Village Association Annual General Meeting. All members welcome, the venue is the village hall.

12^th April between 15.00 – 17.00. The FVA will be serving an Easter-themed Afternoon Tea in the village hall. Join us for some traditional bakes, freshly made tea and coffee, and hopefully some Spring weather.

13^th May at 11.00: Kaffee und Kuchen Pop-Up. Last year, the FVA took some Italian inspiration for one of the Pop-Ups and this year it’s a German theme, so if you think black forest gateau, apple cake, stollen or strudel, you’re on the right lines. £3.00 in the village hall.

That’s our programme up to the middle of the year, we will publish our events for the rest of the year shortly.

Past Events:

Remembrance Sunday 2024

The service was well attended and led by Shirley Shearer.  As ever, Cath had decorated the war memorial beautifully making it really stand out. Afterwards, tea was served by the FVA in the village hall, and many who had attended the service came to catch up with friends and neighbours.

A collection for Help for Heroes raised an impressive £98.37. Many thanks to all those who donated.

Some years ago, we researched the stories of the 8 men who are remembered on the Fearnan Memorial, and if you would like to read about these brave young men, you can find the article here .

Good News for Red Squirrels!

Saving Scotland’s Red Squirrels is a partnership project that is working to ensure red squirrels continue to be a part of Scotland’s special native wildlife.

While 80% of the UK’s remaining red squirrels are found here, their numbers have fallen drastically in recent decades.

With the help of partners, landowners and local volunteers, the project is monitoring squirrel numbers across Scotland, managing the impact of squirrelpox, and helping to combat the spread of grey squirrels in key strategic areas.

Results from the nationwide survey, which took place between the 30 September and 6 October, show that during the week 1802 people reported over 2500 squirrel sightings, the second highest result to date and a 30% increase from 2023.

Contributions by the public also helped to detect low density grey squirrel incursion northwards in Perthshire and other Lowland areas, aiding conservationists in their efforts to protect the red-only population of the Scottish Highlands – the largest red-only area left in the UK hosting around 80% of Scotland’s native squirrels.

Fearnan Book Club Review

Linda writes:

A recent read was Close to Where the Heart Gives Out: A Year in the Life of an Orkney Doctor by Malcolm Alexander.

When Malcolm Alexander, a Glasgow GP applied for the job of an island doctor, he didn’t anticipate how much it would impact on his family for better or for worse. 

Considering this book was an autobiography, it prompted a very interesting and far-reaching discussion.

We found it a gentle, easy read, although perhaps slow to get going. It was set in the wild, remote landscape of Eday, part of the Orkney archipelago. Interesting comparisons were made between his previous city life in Glasgow and his new rural environment.

We enjoyed the descriptions of the landscapes and his observations of the birds and weather as well as the lives of the people in his new community. We could relate to the hard working, down to earth, local crofters most of whom, could turn their hand to anything and coped with the harsh climate. We were enlightened about peat banks and peat cutting! 

Opinions varied regarding the doctor. He had a massive responsibility and had to deal with many situations himself due to the isolated location, lack of facilities and equipment and distance from the nearest hospital. This brought different stresses from life in his city practice. 

Some felt it was “too frothy” and a romantic view of a rural GP. He also took on a range of roles, minister, vet etc. Was he narcissistic? Did he think the world revolved round him? Some felt he lacked warmth or enthusiasm and that there was little social interaction for him and his family of five children. Others felt he had a massive responsibility and coped well with the immense challenges that his new life presented. 

The title of the book reminds us of the importance of listening to our heart as well as to the rhythms of the landscape. 

Although our opinions of the book or the doctor may have differed in some respects, we all agreed that we had enjoyed the discussion generated by the wide range of topics that arose from reading this book.

The Book Club’s next read is The Whalebone Theatre by Joanna Quinn and the Club members will be having their Christmas/end of term meal where they choose their book of the year for 2024.