Fearnan Village Association

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.

Events Calendar

Thursday 22 May at 7.30pm in the Hall:The McLean Hall Fearnan Annual General Meeting.

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

Celebrating the 80th Anniversary of VE Day

To mark the 80th anniversary of VE Day, the War Memorial at Fearnan was beautifully decorated with a combination of fresh greenery from local gardens and purple poppies, knitted by volunteers.

A big thank you to Cath and her team of helpers who designed and made the decorations, and to all the knitters of poppies, contributors of greenery, and to those who helped put the decorations up and to take them down. A real community effort.

The War Memorial was built in 1920, and a service of dedication was held in August of that year. The Reverend WA Gillies and the Reverend JB Atholl Gordon (both in the picture below) officiated, and the Marchioness of Breadalbane (also in picture) unveiled the memorial, saying in her speech that it would always remind us as we pass along this road of those who gave their lives for us in the Great War and may we, therefore, never forget them.

Fearnan in WWII

The situation in Fearnan during the Second World War was somewhat different, as most of the men of service age were in reserved occupations such as farming, forestry, and other essential industries vital to the war effort, and were not called up.

Apart from the privations of war and shortages of many goods, Fearnan must have been a relatively peaceful place during WWII.  Nonetheless, the community saw the occasional Luftwaffe bomber drone up and down Loch Tay on moonlit sorties, attempting to locate the well-camouflaged hydroelectric dam and power station at Tummel Bridge, some 10 miles to the north, in a parallel valley.

Villagers had witnessed, albeit from afar, the night sky and loch surface illuminated by reflections of fiery explosions from the Luftwaffe’s bombing of Clydebank, over 50 miles away.  However, the cost of war was graphically bought home to the community, just before mid-day on Sat 29^th May 1943, when an Armstrong Whitworth Albemarle, from 305 Ferry Training Unit in Errol, crashed just north of the village, killing the four members of the Allied Forces on board. The crash is commemorated by a stone in the Cow Park and the full story can be read here: The Fearnan Air Crash 1943

VE Day Tea 2025 – Celebrating the 80^th Anniversary.

To celebrate the 80th anniversary of VE Day, Fearnan Village Association hosted an afternoon tea in the village hall. It was also a fundraiser for the charity Help for Heroes. The event was very well attended, by both villagers and people from the surrounding area, and was a very convivial and enjoyable event.

As ever, our bakers didn’t let us down and there was a wonderful selection of savouries and cakes and biscuits to enjoy.

Doug provided live music for the occasion which contributed to the lovely atmosphere, and a small display of memorabilia, including gas masks and ration cards was set out. The list of rations for one adult for a week was a sharp contrast to today’s abundance, particularly when you see it weighed out on a plate.

Thank you to Mairi McAdam of Discovery Land for providing the posters of Taymouth Castle during WWII.

Recycling in Fearnan

The new Resource Hut at the Hall is now open and operational. It is open from 8am – 8pm Monday to Friday, and from 10am – 6pm on Saturdays and Sundays. It is a central point at which residents can recycle items that can’t be put in the PKC grey bin. It extends the recycling collections that Jenny has been making at Clach an Tuirc and recycles goods via various manufacturers’ recycling schemes. By using it, we can make a positive dent in the amount going into landfill.

See below for details of the items that can be recycled in the Hut.  There are copies of this list available to take away from the Hut.

Current Resource Hut Recycling Collections

The Air, Home and Laundry Care Free Recycling Programme – ONLY for Lenor tumble drier sheets, but for ALL brands of trigger/spray heads.

The BIC Writing Instruments Free Recycling Programme – for ALL brands of writing implements including: felt tips, permanent & whiteboard markers, highlighters, corrections instruments (pens, tape & bottles) and pens, mechanical pencils & refills.

The Podback Scheme – for ALL brands of coffee and drinks pods.

The Recycling Factory – for certain makes and models of inkjet cartridges.

The Marigold® Gloves Free Recycling Programme – ONLY for Marigold brand gloves – but for all types of Marigold gloves (disposable and durable).

The Spontex Disposable Gloves Free Recycling Scheme – for ALL brands of disposable gloves (including: nitril, latex, vinyl, polyethylene).

The Flash® Wipes, Cloths and Pads Free Recycling Programme – ONLY Flash brand, but for ALL their soft wipe products.

The Aqua Optima® Water Filter Free Recycling Programme – ONLY Aqua Optima water filters.

The Specsavers® Contact Lens Recycling Programme – ALL brands of contact lenses, contact lens blister packs and blister pack foils, and hard plastic contact lenses cases.

The Burt’s Bees® Personal Care Free Recycling Programme – ALL brands of makeup containers including: eyeshadow compacts, flexible plastic and metal tubes for body and face creams, lip & cheek highlighter & bronzer sticks, mascara tubes & wands, lip glosses and lip balms, lipsticks – ALL personal care packaging not recycled locally.

Jenny Penfold is keen to recruit volunteers to help manage it. She envisages it being a very low time commitment possibly just checking the Resource Hut and the items being recycled a couple of times a month. She will provide additional information to the volunteers and hopes to build a knowledgeable recycling community. If you would like to volunteer, there are forms in the Resource Hut to complete and return to Jenny.

For this first year of operation, Jenny will be pairing up with all volunteers, so that she can see what’s needed and the best way to do it – a continuous learning process for all!

The list above details what is currently accepted for recycling, but please be aware that sponsorship for these recycling programmes changes from time to time, so this list is very fluid.

There is also a Comments Book in the Resource Hut, so any feedback or ideas for other items to recycle are very welcome.

The Resource Hut will not be taking medicine blister packs as these can be recycled at any Superdrug, or dropped off in the collection box in the entrance to the Aberfeldy Vet practice. However, if you have difficulty in accessing these facilities, Jenny is still collecting for friends and neighbours at Clach an Tuirc.

Events Calendar

The War Memorial is to be decorated for the occasion, thanks to Cath, so do come and see the Memorial in all its splendour, and then drop in for for tea in the Hall.

(Please note that the VE Tea replaces the Pop-Up cafe that was planned for the 13th May.)

Mclean Hall Thrift Shop 11th – 17th May – if you have anything to donate, including plants and cakes (Friday only), please bring them to the Thrift Shop during the week, or contact Linda on 07729300708. Funds raised will go towards the continuing upkeep of the hall.

Recent Events

The talents of some of Fearnan’s many excellent bakers were on display at the Easter Tea and visitors were able to tuck into a wonderful selection of savouries, sandwiches and cakes.

It was lovely to see so many turn out for what was a well-attended and enjoyable event, and a relaxed opportunity to catch up and share news.

Our next event is the Strawberry Tea on Saturday 12th July.

Bollo and Naboo

Last November, two new residents moved into the village and although you may not have seen them (depending on where abouts you live in the village), occasionally you may have heard their distinctive voices.  Bollo (brown) and Naboo (grey) are rescue donkeys, being fostered by Moira.

Sadly, they have not experienced much human kindness in their lives, and if they now feel like they must have died and gone to Heaven, then it is understandable. When they first arrived, Naboo was so fearful of people that he wouldn’t even accept food from the hand and, for whatever reason, they are both terrified of Hi-Viz clothing. Their distrust of humans makes them difficult to catch and sudden hand movements make them blink rapidly with fear.

Normally, the hooves would have been x-rayed before the podiatrist began to rehab such severely overgrown feet, as this would reveal the changes that have occurred within the hoof capsule and help inform treatment. With the donkeys being so fearful when they began their treatment, it was decided x-rays would be impossible, but it has meant the podiatrist has had to work very conservatively and treat them little and often.

Bollo had been allowed to get overweight through lack of exercise and as he had been eating the wrong things for a donkey.  Donkeys originated in desert areas and are not designed to eat good grazing – poor conditions suit them much better, and straw forms an important part of their diet. Moira has installed a track grazing system to encourage the right kind of grazing and eating behaviours. Instead of a traditional square paddock that does not encourage a horse or donkey to move, a track system creates a track running around the perimeter of the field. For donkeys, eating and moving should go hand in hand. In the wild, they would travel considerable distances every day to find grazing and water.

Donkeys first came to Britain with the Romans and would have arrived in Scotland around the same time. Although many of them live here quite happily, they do need attentive care as, in addition to their dietary requirements, unlike horses, their coats are not waterproof – which is probably bad news for Perthshire based donkeys – and they do need shelter to be provided.

Slowly, slowly, Bollo and Naboo are settling in and Moira is beginning to gain their confidence, and as their fear subsides, their characters are beginning to emerge – Naboo, who was very timid is now starting to become quite cheeky, and Bollo who showed signs of ‘learned helplessness’ (a stress reaction causing him to shut down when things got too stressful) is now more engaged.

Moira hopes to adopt these lovely boys, and make sure they enjoy life from now on but first their equine passports (which have been lost) need to be found or re-issued.  All horses, ponies and donkeys need a livestock passport – even if they never leave their field. Both Bollo and Naboo will need ongoing care and financial commitment to address their health problems. As the fostering has been arranged on a personal basis, rather than through a charity, there are no grants available for managing and resolving their health issues and getting them back into good condition.

On top of their routine care and feeding, a visit from the podiatrist costs £45 for each donkey and if sedation is required, it costs a further £45 for a veterinary prescription that treats them both. A visit from the vet to sedate them and rasp their teeth costs £100 each. Teeth usually need this done once a year, but more often if they are older or have the sort of issues highlighted above.

This being the case, Bollo and Naboo, realising the extent of their on-going needs, have decided to undertake a little fundraising and have set up a Gofund.me page.

If you would like to meet the boys, please get in touch with Moira, who will be delighted to introduce you. We will provide regular updates on the Blog about their progress.

Fearnan Book Club Review

Linda writes:

Our recent book club read was The Women at Hitler’s Table by Rosella Postorino.

This historical novel was inspired by the true story of Margot Wolk who was a food taster for Hitler. It was set in the closing years of WW2 and gives us an insight from the German perspective. 10 reluctant local women are selected to eat the food prepared for a paranoid Hitler to ensure that it was not poisoned. The book is about those women, their families and relationships. The heart-breaking story is from the perspective of Rosa, a glamorous Berliner who went to live in the countryside with her in-laws while her husband was missing at war. As an outsider in a small rural community, she finds it hard to be accepted.

Although interested in the historical context, some of the group struggled to get into the story. We felt it was not well written, but this may have been due to the translation from Italian.

We generally felt that the characters were well drawn, but we didn’t necessarily identify with or like them. We agreed that the women were in a very difficult situation but were surprised that as a group of women they didn’t bond well with each other. Their back stories were interesting. Although we sympathised with them, we did feel that they were a lot better off than most as they ate good food three times a day and far worse things were happening to many others in the country.

A few aspects of the story we found hard to imagine or comprehend e.g. Rosa’s unlikely, clandestine relationship with an SS officer and her brief friendship with Maria, a local aristocrat.

Some felt that it was very slow moving and there was a big jump from the first two thirds of the book to the ending where Rosa was an old lady and dying. We felt the ending wrapped things up and offered explanations regarding the return of her husband and her post war life etc. We could see that she had been scarred by the experience, as an old lady, she still sat for an hour after eating her meal as she had done as a taster.

Please note that the copyright of all photos in the article above is held by the person who took them, and the copyright of the text is held by the person who wrote it.

Forthcoming Events

Please note that the VE Tea replaces the Pop-Up cafe that was planned for the 13th May.

Recent Events

Pancake Pop-Up

We are glad to report that the tradition is alive and well in Fearnan and plenty of rich ingredients were used up, as well as liberal amounts of jam, maple syrup and other toppings that were consumed by the attendees at the Fearnan Pancake Pop-Up.

On the menu were drop scones, beautifully dropped by Karen at the griddle, and there were also crepe-style pancakes with a range of toppings and smoked trout and cream cheese blinis for those who prefer their pancakes with a more savoury flavour.

.

Fearnan Spring Quiz

Elaine writes:

This year’s Spring Quiz Night was held on Saturday 22^nd March from 7 – 9pm.

Despite good publicity by Linda, we were disappointed to have only three Teams once again.  Quizzes seem popular around the area with some happening regularly in the Kenmore Reading Rooms, Hotels and the Birks Cinema.

Despite low numbers, the dozen or so people who came had an enjoyable evening, including newcomers to the village.

And a very big ‘thank you’ from everyone to Elaine who researched and compiled the questions and ran the Quiz!

Another highly enjoyable Bowls season draws to a close

Lesely writes:

Fearnan Carpet Bowling Club has a winning recipe: friendly, competitive Bowls with plenty of laughter added along the way, and a big helping of good company!

This season’s winners were:

Singles trophy winners-Alastair Kininmonth

Doubles Trophy Winners-Alistair Stalker and Lesley Raeburn.  

Our new season begins on Monday Oct 6th at 7.30 and new members are always welcome!

Warm Welcome Games Morning

Lesley and Frances write:

There was a great turnout for our last Warm Welcome Games morning. As pictured below you can see how much everyone enjoyed the relaxed, friendly atmosphere and the home bakes! 

We also welcomed Mark Westwood from SSE (top right) who chatted with us and gave valuable advice 
in coping with cold weather and power cuts, and emergency contact details. He even provided backpacks with free torches and battery packs!

A big thank you to everyone who supported our sessions. Due to your wonderful generosity our raffles raised £238 for SCAA. 

The Big Hoof’s Sleep Over in Fearnan in aid of Alzheimer’s Reseach

 Louis Dalton Hall of The Big Hoof writes:

The Big Hoof is a Scottish registered charity that creates long distance journeys with horses. Wherever we go we raise funds for local causes and aim to create a sense of community through our horse-led adventures around the UK. To date, we have raised over £97,000 for causes surrounding mental health, well-being and child welfare.

From 27-31 March, we travelled from Tombreck Community Farm to Ardtalnaig estate to raise funds for Alzheimer’s Research UK. As we set off, the group consisted of 6 horses, 2 dogs and 16 humans – quite a gang! After a gruelling first day of snow, bogs and wind, we slept in the tranquil Glen Lyon Church.

After breakfast at the Glen Lyon Tea Rooms, we made our way along the banks of the river Lyon to Fearnan. Exhausted and wet, we found a field for the horses before Olive and Ronnie Munro provided us with a huge feast in the village hall: Spaghetti Bolognese and ice cream!

We would like to say a huge thank you to the McLean Hall Committee for allowing us to stay overnight in the Mclean Hall; warm, cosy and with everything we needed, the hall was more than perfect. All 16 of us bedded down on the floor with mats kindly provided by members of the community. With food in our bellies and after a long night’s sleep, we continued on our way through Kenmore and finally to Ardtalnaig where we had a swim in the loch and a wee ceilidh! 

We cannot thank the Fearnan Community enough for their generosity. With your help in providing us with a space to eat, clean and sleep for the night, we have managed to raise over £4,000 for Alzheimer’s Research UK. 

(If anyone would like to support Big Hoof’s efforts and make a donation to Alzheimer’s Research UK, it can be done through this link https://giving.give-star.com/online/the-big-hoof/the-journey-for-alzheimer-s-research-uk)

VE Day 80^th Anniversary

Cath is planning to decorate the war memorial to celebrate the 80^th anniversary of VE Day.  She is looking for some helping hands to create the memorial display on either the 6^th or 7^th May, and also for some contributions of garden greenery and red, blue  and white bunting. Oh, and she needs some extra poppies knitted! Purple (any shade of) this time for VE Day. There are copies of the knitting pattern in the McLean Hall.

If you can help with any of the above, please get in touch with Cath .(If you don’t have her number or email, you can contact her via the Blog’s email address (fiona@fearnanvillageassociation.com and the message will be passed on.)

As detailed above in the Forthcoming Events section, the FVA will host a VE Day Tea in the Hall on the 8^th May. The theme will be 1940s and we plan to have a small exhibition of memorabilia. If you have any WW2 memorabilia that you would like to add to the exhibition, please contact either Linda or fiona@fearnanvillageassociation.com . We are thinking about things like ration books, gas masks, insignia, clothing etc.

 Wheely Bin Straps

Sue writes:

Does the wind blow open your wheely bin lids with the result that the contents get soaked by rain, or blown all over the neighbourhood? If so, help is at hand!

The Community Council had a small supply which was snapped up very quickly but a larger batch is expected, and it is hoped that a supply can be kept in the McLean Hall, Fearnan.

In the meantime, straps are available from the Public Library in Aberfeldy.

Looking for Fearnan McEwens

The Blog has been contacted by Rupert Willoughby who would like to be put in touch with descendants of Peter McEwen who lived at Lawers View in Fearnan a century ago. Rupert’s grandmother was a Lochtayside McEwen and related to Peter McEwen.

If any of the McEwens read this blog or if you can help put Rupert in touch with them, please contact Rupert here. He will be delighted to hear from you!

Fearnan Book Club Review

Linda Writes:

Among the captives who were sold into slavery in Algiers, were the pastor Olafur, his wife Asta and their three children whose progress we followed throughout the book.

The theme of sagas, folk tales and oral storytelling, a strong Icelandic tradition, was woven through the book and enjoyed by the group. The stories were a source of comfort to Asta as she shared her own or listened to Arabian tales.

The group were impressed by the plot and appreciated the detailed historical and geographical research which had gone into this well written book. The research was based on Dutch, English, Icelandic and Danish records. We felt it was a book of three parts. Iceland, then the journey to Algiers and the life there in slavery. Prior to the arrival in Algiers, the story had been gritty and violent but then some felt it calmed down took on an almost dreamlike quality in the bright sunny and colourful background of the city.

The contrasting descriptions of both locations were evocative. The choice of vocabulary created the realistic smells and images of the landscapes, colours, plants and people etc. The descriptions of life on the ship and the long sea journey were convincing and vivid as was Asta’s traumatic labour!

The characters were well portrayed especially, the feisty and intelligent Asta, who in slavery skilfully handled her slave master’s advances and had her eyes opened to life in other cultures. Asta’s relationship with him was described by one as resembling a “Mills and Boon” story. We shared the sadness of Asta parting from her children and relationship with her master, to return after ten years to her husband in Iceland. Most of us would have liked her to stay in Algiers with the comforts of life with her slave master, perhaps as one of his wives. However, a ransom secured by her husband meant that she felt obliged to return, and it was an unhappy time for her. We empathised with the characters and their various fates in their lives as slaves but was this a better option than life in Iceland at that time.

We felt that Asta’s final years, being cared for by her stepdaughter, were as peaceful as they could have been after all the love, loss and survival she had experienced.

Most agreed that it was an unusual but enjoyable book and provided a range of themes for us to explore.

Upcoming Events

6^th and 20^th March: Games Mornings. The Mclean Hall offers two more Games Mornings this season, on the 6th and 20th March, after which there will be a break. 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.

29^th March 4-5pm: Fearnan Village Association Annual General Meeting. All members welcome, the venue is the village hall.

Celebrating Burns

There were no speeches, toasts or Immortal Memories at our Baking for Burns tribute to our national bard and lyricist at the end of January. But it was an excuse to enjoy some more traditional Scottish baking, and we did have some excellent Scottish music and even a little dancing.

The offerings on the table included mini Scotch pies, haggis ‘sausage’ rolls (very popular!), a Loch Tay fudge cake, Dundee Cake, treacle scones, shortbread and much more. Many thanks to all the bakers.

Extra special thanks to Doug, Hilary and Angus who provided a wonderful selection of Scottish music, helping to create a great atmosphere. The irrepressible Doug also led the dancing!

Don’t miss our next event The Pancake Pop-Up on Shrove Tuesday 4^th March.  Freshly made sweet and savoury pancakes to suit all tastes.

Fearnan Book Club Review of ‘The Secret Life of Bees’ by Sue Monk Kidd

Judith writes:

The novel’s main protagonist is 14-year-old Lily who lives with her abusive father and African-American maid, Rosaleen. Lily has a hazy memory of how her mother died and this, together with her guilt that she might be responsible, has shaped her young life. Rosaleen is arrested and beaten up after spitting ‘snuff juice’ on the shoes of three white men. Lily breaks her out of hospital and the two go on the run, heading to Tiburon, a place written on the back of an image of the Virgin Mary which Lily’s mother had owned.

She sees the same ‘Black Mary’ image on a jar of honey in a store and follows directions to the makers: the Boatwright sisters, August, May and June, who are all black. Invited to stay with the sisters, as Lily’s mother had before her since August used to be her nanny, Lily and Rosaleen learn the sisters’ ways, are involved in the crises of their lives and Lily learns about bees.

Lily finally learns the truth about her mother who had stayed with the sisters to escape her husband. Her mother had returned to the family home to retrieve all her possessions, including Lily, but was disturbed by her husband returning early. In the ensuing fight, Lily is meant to have picked up her mother’s gun which, accidentally discharging, kills her mother. In the final chapters, Lily’s father arrives, agrees to allow Lily to continue living with the Boatwright sisters and suggests (although not quite confirms) that Lily was the one to accidentally kill her mother.

The book was generally well-received with most enjoying the story. The characters, especially the Boatwright sisters and Rosaleen were well-crafted and interesting although, since the point of view was that of Lily, some would have liked to hear more of other characters’ inner thoughts. The prose was considered engaging with wonderful descriptions and images, such as dragonflies flying as though they were stitching up the air. Some questioned the likelihood of Rosaleen spitting on a white man’s shoes and the rather far-fetched coincidence of Lily and Rosaleen landing at the very same house which Lily’s mother had also done before her. There was some reflection of whether the deep prejudices that divided the society at the time were realistically portrayed. However, most believed that the overt, and covert, racism was not the main message of the book; rather it was about finding love, healing, and purpose in unexpected places.