The Fife Herald has kindly given the Dairsie web site permission to copy the Dairsie News that is printed in the Fife Herald every week.
The decorating of the church is complete: the colours are unchanged: and all is looking very fresh and bright. The "Hit Squad" are at the big clean-up, and it is hoped to welcome all back into the church on Sunday.
Minute of meeting held on Thurs. 20th January 2005 at 7.30pm in Memorial Hall.
Present - Chairman G.Becher, Vice Chair N Davis, E Woodcock (Secretary), D May (Treasurer), S Swinley, S Williamson, Cllr Peter Douglas. Colin Stirling, Lead Officer, Fife Council Transportation Services was invited to the meeting. Approx 40 members of the public attended.
Apologies - J. Edwards.
The Chairman welcomed everyone to the meeting. The first item regarded the 20mph Zones and Traffic Calming in Dairsie. Mr Stirling was invited to address the meeting and members of the public were given the opportunity to respond (see separate account).
The normal agenda followed.
Minutes - These had been previously distributed and were adopted as correct with the addition of recording Mrs Woodcock's apologies for the previous meeting, which had been omitted. Proposed N Davis. Seconded S Williamson.
Matters Arising-
20 zones-This had already been discussed - see separate account. The secretary would request a response from Fife Council.
Treasurer - The Treasurer reported that the Current Account held £318.44 and the Savings Account £298. Suggestions for the distribution of funds would be discussed at the next meeting in March. It was not appropriate to fundraise further as there was a limited financial "pot" available to all the local organisations and there was a problem about insurance.
(We have previously supported the local newsletter, the Pitcairn Trust and Memorial Hall as these involved the whole community and would be open to any other suggestions).
Correspondence - there were various leaflets and consultation reports to circulate.
Community Council Noticeboard - this item would be included in the agenda for March.
Cllr Douglas - Cllr Douglas informed the meeting that house lettings in Dairsie comprised of 14 one-bedroomed houses, 12 two-bedrooms and seven 3 bedrooms.
45 schools in NE Fife had 20mph zones. Dairsie was in the middle list as traffic accident rates dictate priorities.
The list of Community Council members he had sent to Fife Council had not arrived. The secretary agreed to e-mail a list to Sandra Hutchison.
The website has a list of members.
Any Other Competent Business -
Bus Shelters- There had been complaints about the bus shelters being like "wind tunnels". The Secretary agreed to e-mail Derek Crowe of Transportation to enquire about end pieces whilst bearing in mind the narrow pavement.
Dairsie "Common Good Fund"
Mr Littlejohn, representing the Hall Committee, said that every effort was being made to raise money for the ongoing roof repairs, and there were memories of a fund of money available to Dairsie and which the former NE Fife District Council had administered. Cllr Douglas pointed out it would not have been a Common Good Fund but must have another name. Mrs Woodcock agreed to e-mail Mike Melville of Law and Admin to enquire about the existence of a Dairsie Fund.
Date of next Meeting - Thursday 17th March at 7.30pm in Memorial Hall.
[Secretary's note - a summary of the meeting has been sent to Colin Stirling inviting a response. Derek Crowe has forwarded the bus shelter item to appropriate official. The Fund is the McIntosh Bequest for poor relief. Fife Council Finance department are checking if there is any other fund, which is highly unlikely. We are waiting to find out the amount of money available and if the needy Hall qualifies for poor relief.]
The minister, the Rev. Alex. Strickland welcomed the congregation back into the newly decorated church on Sunday, and thanked warmly the ladies who had given a great deal of time and effort to the necessary cleaning-up. Mrs. Manzie has given up, after a number of years, the organisation of the rota for the flower arrangements in the church - including not infrequently doing the arranging for those happy to supply the flowers, but unable to display them, and for her service the minister expressed appreciative thanks from all. Mrs. Jean Anderson has kindly offered to take on the duty. The retiring collection at a recent service was given to Christian Aid, Scotland for the Asian Appeal - the sum of £131 will go to help the victims of the tsunami.
Les Hutton, Fife Ranger, was welcomed by the President, and gave a very interesting illustrated talk on "Bats" - in which he has a special interest. Fife has five of the 1000 or so species in the world, ranging in size from tiny to large enough to eat small mammals. As is so much wildlife, they are under threat from changes in agriculture, loss of habitat for a number of reasons, and so on. As he said, they are not always liked, but should be popular to humans for the 2000 or so midges they each consume nightly! He was thanked by the President, then after a break for tea, a business meeting was held, at which arrangements were made for the annual coffee morning on the last Saturday in February, and numerous other items.
Competition winners were -
Mrs. Scott died on 31st January at the grand age of 91 in a care home in Glenrothes. The minister, the Rev. Alex. Strickland, led the funeral service in Kirkcaldy Crematorium, and paid warm tribute to a quiet, retiring lady, who was devoted to her family. From school, she went straight into service, and was employed in service throughout her working life. Originally from Falkland, she married her husband, Stewart, in November 1934, and there were to share 56 years of happily married life, living for most of that time in Ardencaple Terrace, Dairsie. They were blessed with three sons, David, Stewart and Ian, and six grandchildren and nine great-grandchildren were to follow. She is warmly remembered by all her family, setting them a fine example, and constantly loving and supportive.
The funeral service for Mrs. Rose Nicol was held in Dairsie Parish Church on 12th February. Rose had been living latterly in England, but came to visit her family here, and died peacefully in Ninewells Hospital. She is remembered by many in the community, as she ran the village shop with her son John for many years. Always cheerful and welcoming, the shop became a focus of village life, and she was greatly admired when it became necessary to help John to raise his three children - a task she undertook unstintingly and very lovingly. She married her husband, John, in Wiltshire in 1936, and soon after came to Dairsie, where John had family, and they were to be happily married for 37 years. John built Dairsie Garage, and together they worked there, until their move to the Post Office and Shop, where John was postmaster, and she looked after the shop.
There were four children, Pat, John, Gordon and the late Janet, and seven grandchrildren and five great-children. She is remembered deeply and lovingly by them all, and by all who knew her.
The thoughts of all in the community are with both families in their sad loss.
Dairsie Senior Citizens and Forth Park Premature Babies are the charities to benefit from the proceeds of the coffee morning, to be held by Dairsie "Rural" on Saturday, 26th February in the village hall from 10-11.30am. Usual stalls for which donations are welcome, raffle and of course cheery company! You are asked to please, please come along to support these two charities.
Following the well-attended Community Council meeting with Colin Sterling from Fife Council Transportation Services on 20th January, the committee have written to him on our behalf as follows:
Winners of the February draw of the Dairsie War Memorial Hall 200 Club were: J. Westcott - £20: S. Suleiman - £10: J. Rothery - £5.