Community Pages

This page, and others that link from it, will focus on providing information on events, activities etc within the community in general, and in the village hall in particular. Also any other information or requests to do with the community around Ardross will be posted here.

Please contact the webmaster to have information added to these pages.

In March 2006, at a community council meeting, it was decided to look at the possibility of aquiring a community woodland in or around Ardross for the use of and benefit of the community. A committee has been set up to look into this, and they have just set up their own website to report their progress and findings to the community. The website is at Ardross Community Woodland

I received the following request from Ian Garrow. He is trying to find out more about his familly history. Here is what he wrote:

My paternal grandparents appear to have lived with their children,(including my father), in Dalnacloich,in & around 1917. Grandfather was a sawmiller & seemed to have led a nomadic life, moving from one forestry project to another, before finally settling in Rothiemurcus.

I have seen reference elsewhere that Easter Ardross might have been associated with their stay in that area.

My grandfather was a John Garrow b.1881, married to Christina nee Collie b.1881. Of the children who may have attended local schools they would include uncle William b.1906 & my father Alexander (Sandy) b.1908

If anyone can help, please forward any information to Ian Garrow

On a slightly related topic, I know personally that there used to be a sawmill at Ardross at what is now known as Cuillich. If anybody has any further information about the sawmill, and perhaps any photographs of it, I would be very interested. Contact me by email: [email protected]

Property wanted to rent in Ardross

Stewart Nicolson & Suzy Winton are looking for a property to rent in or around Ardross for at least a year.

They previously lived in Ardross but moved away due to work commitments, and now want to move back. They will consider any property in any location.

You can contact them by email: [email protected]

National Tell A Story Day at the Perrin's Centre, Alness

Friday 28th October is National Tell A Story Day, as part of the 10-day Scottish International Storytelling Festival. Storytellers will be out and about all over Scotland telling tales in castles, libraries and up hills! Come along to the Perrin's centre on Friday 28th October at 7p.m.until 9 p.m. for an atmosphere of spooky tales and humorous words. Storyteller Chris King (of Zenwing), shares the Russian tale of 'Vasalisa', which conveys something of the night and something very wise to all who listen. Other storytellers will be joining Chris, and the evening promises to be entertaining and inspiring. Try some Pumpkin pie or Halloween biscuit� and if you have a story, bring it along and join in the spirit of 'Tell a Story Day'. Tickets are �3:00 waged (or by donation).

As part of the Festival, Zenwing (based in Ardross, Ross-shire) are sponsoring and delivering other events which include:

'Story and Intuition' workshop is at 'New Moon', above Chekos, Dingwall on the Wednesday October 26th (7 -9 p.m.). This Zenwing workshop is facilitated by Karrie (EFT practitioner, counsellor and lecturer in health and social studies) to explore the deeper meaning of the Vasalisa tale, about our own intuitive nature. You will gather ways to tune into heart wisdom (e.g. energy medicine, meditation, signs), and create a simple talisman as a reminder of the deep inner-knowing that exists in us all. Tickets are �4:50 waged (or by donation). This evening is part of a series of 'Therapeutic Stories'. Each one has a different focus e.g. Intuition; Grief; Joyfulness and Abundance; Body Image; Depression; and Life Journey.

Milton Woods, Logbuild for families: Zenwing are running a Spooky Shadow-Puppet workshop in Milton Woods, Kildary, Logbuild on Sunday 30th October from 2:30p.m. until 5:00 p.m. This enables family members to create their own stories and shadow puppets, in the atmospheric log building in the autumn woods, and you will have the option to perform this or watch others perform. There will be pumpkin pie and soup before listening to the spooky Vasalisa story. This family workshop is free, or donations welcome.

Fyrish Monument: For those with more energy and warm clothing, climb to the Fyrish Monument on Saturday 29th October for a 3p.m. start to hear the Vasalisa tale and any others that may grow. This event is free or donations welcome.

For enquiries please telephone 01349 880942 or E-mail [email protected]. Further information about Zenwing can be found at www.hi-arts.co.uk/zenwing_puppets

The following information was submitted by Mike Haycox

Volunteering Highland is a charity, based in Inverness, with local centres. We are funded by Scottish Executive, Highland Council, Health Board etc.

Volunteer Centre Ross-shire is located in Alness and is available for free information and advice. If you are thinking about doing voluntary work and would like to see what opportunities are around, we have a database of over 200 voluntary organisations to help you decide. For voluntary organisations, the Centre can help with recruitment, training, good practice and DISCLOSURES.
Please contact:

MikeHayco
Volunteering Highland
31 High street,
Alness, IV17 0PT
01349 883615

Request for information about Edward White of Milner White & Son.

We are currently working on restoring some memorial gardens in Buckinghamshire designed by Edward White (1873-1952) of Milner White & Son. It seems impossible to find any information on him. We do, however, know that he was responsible for design work at Ardross Castle - whether this was purely a garden within the gardens or other architectural feature we don't know. Have you any information please (however slim)?

Your help would be much appreciated.

please pass any information to Linda Cook

Heritage Lottery Fund - News Update from Helen Macdonald

Please find attached a copy of the Heritage Lottery Funds latest information bulletin. It would be greatly appreciated if your community website or newsletter could include this in your news items / what's on sections in the run up to September.

The main purpose of the bulletin is to update small community groups in the Highlands & Islands of the main priorities of the Heritage Lottery Fund, and also to inform groups of the annual 'new audiences' event which will be held this year in Inverness on the 24th September 2003.

As we are trying to reach new audiences to our heritage, we feel that community websites and newsletters are the perfect resource to do so.

If you would like to find out more about the Heritage Lottery Fund or the event in September, please do not hesitate to contact me for information.

Best Wishes     Helen Macdonald

Links to attached documents: Website_Newsletters.doc     Event_Timetable.doc