September 26th 2003

September 19th 2003

Committee Members	Committee Members	Book launch	B&W 1966 committee

"Action Research for Crippling Diseases of Childhood" was founded as a charity in 1952 , to fund research into the prevention or treatment of crippling and life threatening disorders. A local committee started in Maybole in 1964 and last Saturday the present committee of the charity, which has now been renamed "Action Medical Research", held its annual fundraising event in Maybole Town Hall. This took the form of a lunch and was well attended. more

September 12th 2003

September 5th 2003

September 26th 2003

Last Friday twenty five visitors from Maybole's French twin town Crosne near Paris, flew into Prestwick for the weekend in the Capital of Carrick.  Crosne has a new mayor Alain Girard who unfortunately could not make the trip. The previous mayor, Genvieve Rochereau has given up her post as she has moved to Africa for the next few years due to her husband's work.  Marylene Laug, well known to local twinners since the very first visit in 1981, has been appointed as first deputy mayor and she was delighted to be back in Scotland for the trip.  The French party was met at the airport by local twinners and then took the coastal route south via Dunure and a check at the Electric Brae to make sure it was still working!

Their first stop was Culzean Country Park where they had lunch and then a tour of the castle. Those who were able then meandered along the cliff walk to the Swan Pond to meet the others. Then it was back onto the coach for a tour of the countryside before heading for Maybole to meet their hosts.  On Friday evening they were welcomed by twinning chairman William Grant and entertained by Maybole Pipe Band before sitting down to haggis and neeps and other Scottish fare. Afterwards the entertainment was provided by singers Elaine Wyllie and Alex Davidson, and highland dancer Sarah Flynn.  On Saturday they set off for Millport and a tour of the maritime museum there. The evening had been left free to spend time with hosts although a large number decided that they would all eat together.  Sunday morning was also left free for time with hosts and many visited Burns Cottage and other local sites of interest before gathering for their departure.  William Grant wished the visitors "bon voyage" and Daniel Robin, chairman of the Crosne twinning committee, thanked him and all the Maybole twinners for their warm welcome and hospitality over the weekend.  All too soon it was time to say "au revoir" and head back to Prestwick for the flight home. More photos here.

Could Maybole be the new place to go for a stag night? Not only was the town host to French twinners at the weekend this group of American and Dutch men were celebrating with groom to be Walter van Esch from Illinois. Walter, front right in the photo, was due to marry his bride Amy Lynn Petrusha also from Illinois at Culzean Castle on Sunday and was out for his night out in Maybole when they came across Maybole Pipe Band tuning up for the night with the French twinners. They were invited to join the party and listen to the band before continuing their night out. Walter, a sales manager, is Dutch and Amy, who works in market research, is American and they both love castles. As there are none in the US they decided to marry in a Scottish Castle and of course Maybole Pipe Band was there on the big day.

Maybole Band the Haze recently played their first gig as a 3-piece at ‘The Cathouse’ in Glasgow. Their next gig is this weekend at ‘Harleys’ in Ayr, Saturday 27th. They will be supported by local Prestwick band ‘Fudge’ as they make a welcome return to the Nile Court Venue. The new look Haze sees lead guitarist David Galloway and drummer Jay Simpson share the lead vocal duties since the departure of Jay’s brother Andrew. David Goodwin on Bass Guitar completes the line up. Local band Fudge take to the stage AT 10PM and prepare to be blown away by their enthusiasm, energy and talent, as these boys know how to rock. The Haze take over around 10.45pm playing through till midnight where they will play a mixture of new original material that went down a storm at the Cathouse in Glasgow and a set full of your favourite 70s to 00s rock covers.

Members of the Apprentice Boys of Derry Maybole Walker Club paid tribute to the memory of David McClure, one of their founder members, last Saturday when they laid a black marble bible at his grave. The club paraded from Dailly Road to Maybole cemetery for the short ceremony before leaving the town to take part in the annual Walker Club parade in Irvine.

September 19th 2003

"Action Research for Crippling Diseases of Childhood" was founded as a charity in 1952 , to fund research into the prevention or treatment of crippling and life threatening disorders. A local committee started in Maybole in 1964 and last Saturday the present committee of the charity, which has now been renamed "Action Medical Research", held its annual fundraising event in Maybole Town Hall. This took the form of a lunch and was well attended. The committee also launched a new booklet of pudding recipes, "Paddington's Puddings", named after the charity's mascot Paddington Bear. Dr Elizabeth Haggarty, a founder member of the Maybole committee said, "These delicious, mouth-watering recipes are personal and loved recipes of the members of the 2003 Maybole and Girvan Action Medical Research Committee." She urged as many people as possible to buy a copy which costs £3 or two for £5, saying, "Please buy a copy. Eat and enjoy every one of these delicious recipes, knowing that the money you spend will be used to fund research into treating the formerly untreatable. Congratulations to the Committee members for all their work in producing this wonderful book."

Dr Haggarty also said that the Maybole branch was one of the first in Ayrshire. "It has always had a very dedicated committee," he pointed out, "and has received very generous support from the public in fund-raising for its vital work." The first life-saving projects funded by the charity were for children and included the immunisation of young women against rubella to prevent babies being born with major heart defects; the giving of folic acid in pregnancy to prevent spina bifida and immunisation against poliomyelitis. Since then many vital research projects have been funded to benefit all age groups including hip replacement surgery and ultra-sound scanning. In 2003 Action Medical Research is funding 17 new research projects with a financial commitment of more than £1,250,000. In October 1966 the Maybole committee held a fund raising dance in the Town Hall and the popular dance bands of Mr Alex McKay (Butcher) and Mr Jack Cook provided the music.

Dr Haggarty provided a photograph of the then committee attending what she described as "a very happy and successful evening". There is only one name missing - can any of our readers remember who they all were?  Back Row-from left:Lady David Chrichton Stewart, Mr Crawford Hyslop (Manager R.B.S.), Dr Elizabeth Haggarty, Mr Peter Gatherer (Manager Commercial Bank), Mrs Catherine Hyslop, Mrs Irene Gatherer, ????????  Front row from left: Mrs Angela Pilkington (Ladyburn), Mrs Rita Brown Carrick Hotel), Mrs Audrey Grant (Drumellan)President, Mrs Nora Smith (North Mains of Abbey)

This coming Saturday, September 20, members of the Apprentice Boys of Derry, Maybole Walker Club will pay tribute to the memory of one of their founder members before leaving the town to take part in the annual Walker Club parade which will be held in Irvine this year. They will gather at the edge of Maybole at Dailly Road and parade at 1pm to Maybole cemetery where they will lay a marble bible in memory of David McClure who died age 59 on July 30 this year. Afterwards, they will travel by coach to Irvine and return at around 5.30pm to Redbrae and parade via Cassillis Road, High Street, Whitehall, Coral Glen and Ladywell Road to Drumellan Street.

Registration numbers for broadband in Maybole have now increased to 161. Sarah Anderson, campaign co-ordinator, said at the weekend, "This is great considering it wasn't so long ago that it stood at 61!" She added, "If anyone knows of people who haven't yet registered can they please pass round the word as we need all the registrations we can get." BT have sent Sarah a parcel containing car stickers, badges, stickers and leaflets. If anyone would like some of these they can email her at sarah@broadbandformaybole.co.uk and they can contact her at that address, too, if they can help her in door to door campaigning.

Maybole and District Christian Aid Committee recently held a coffee morning in the Town Hall when the amount raised was £600 and there are still some donations coming in. The committee would like to thank everyone who helped to raise this money, either by donating or by attending the event, very much for their support and generosity. They would especially like to thank Derek Walker for all his help and assistance on the day.

September 12th 2003

Kai Uwe Stutzkeitz by Bryce McCulloch of Maybole Pipe Band

A few weeks ago Maybole Pipe Band traveled to Arran for the Brodick Highland Games and with them went a young German intent in taking part in the heavyweight competition.  Fitted out in the kilt he took his place in the field and fulfilled a dream, he shot putted, threw the hammer, lifted the barrels and attempted to toss the caber, only his height restricted him from competing in throwing the hammer over the high bar.  Behind him cheered 52 people from Maybole, band members and friends of this extra ordinary man.  In 1998 Kai Uwe (oovah) Stutzkeitz arrived in Scotland to work, as a waiter at Turnberry Hotel, his reason for doing so was quite simply to improve his English. He had already qualified as a chef in his native Germany and had spent one year in the Bavarian army under the German national service system. He also undertook a journey around most of Europe by car and then traveled to the Far East to complete a year out of studies and army life.

Being an outgoing young man he soon discovered the night life around the area and much of his free time away from the hotel was in the pubs and clubs in South Ayrshire. In particular Kai visited the High Society bar in Maybole and made many friends with the locals there.  All were very interested in this young German who frequented the bar, smoking a pipe and soon real friendships were made. This was the point where many lives have changed, not only Kai's but to all who decided to befriend him.  He had a typical Scottish sense of humour which help him to endear himself to everyone around him and he was also eager to learn the dialect as well as slang words and phrases, needless to say he was caught out on numerous occasions with his willingness to try out his new words on unsuspecting females, on his most recent visit he did not accept that there was only one meaning for the word fankle and refused to use it.  Kai lived in Scotland for a year and learned an embarrassing amount about the lifestyles of the Scottish people, their cuisine, drinking habits and most importantly whisky. The Germans love Scottish whisky and Kai was no exception, he traveled all over to sample and buy whisky and shipped them home to Germany where they would play an important part later on in his life.

Eventually Kai left Scotland to return to Germany and settled in the Heidelberg area, he worked in an hotel before opening his own restaurant in Malsch, a small town to the south of Heidelberg.  As a close friend of Kai, I went out to visit him on several occasions and was present at the opening of his restaurant. He was still as enthusiastic about Scotland as ever and I was to play the bagpipes in full uniform to show the people that he was not just stocking whiskies and having Scottish nights without some authentic touch to it.  Ever since I have traveled out 3 or 4 times a year to play at Scottish nights and whisky tasting events, as a piper of course. Accompanying me have been a host of his Scottish friends to experience for themselves the way an ordinary German lives his life and how much knowledge they have gained about Scotland from reading and most importantly from Kai himself.  During that time we have picked grapes, visited beer and wine festivals, trade shows, hockey matches, played tennis, played at a volleyball match for the national ladies team and mixed with people from all walks of life: wine growers, vets, butchers, students and lots of others.  The most talked about and biggest event of the year is his official Burns supper where his friends from Maybole are always welcome. We try to share our Scottish traditions with the German people in the best social circumstances we can offer, good eating, drinking, music, songs and poetry and most of all friendship. We take with us the essential ingredient, haggis, neeps and tatties, shortbread and more whisky.

Kai's whisky collection is over 200 bottles of malt and is arguably the biggest in the area (if not the country). He offers the finest German cuisine in his restaurant but people come from near and far to sample the whisky he has on offer. His knowledge of whisky is quite unbelievable, he has a fantastic sense of taste, a memory that could describe characteristics in any food or drink and a preciseness to detail that would attract you to sample anything knowing that what he has described is exactly what you experience.  Kai is also a lover of cigars and pipe tobacco and has a humidor to match his whisky collection. His friend Jens deals in tobacco and they have raised an idea to flavour tobacco with whisky hence their latest trip to Scotland to buy empty whisky casks and believe it or not a full cask of whisky.  Kai tries to travel to Scotland as often as possible but always makes it for the guitar festival in Kirkmichael and the Arran games. He brings friends with him and shares his knowledge and Scottish friends with them as we do likewise.  Many people who read this would have met or know Kai to speak to or to see. Whilst walking up Maybole High Street last week he was recognised by many people and he turned and said to me, "this place is more like home than the place I stay".  Kai has a great love for Scotland and its people and we have helped him to see and to understand what Scotland is, but most of all this young man from Germany has given a lot of people from Maybole an insight into his native land and given us a great deal of laughter, kindness and plenty of friendship.

To say that Doors Open Day at Maybole Castle on Sunday was a success would be the biggest understatement ever!  That was the view of Dave Killicoat, vice chairman of Maybole Historical Society after a very exhausting day for a team of volunteers who opened the castle to visitors. Dave reckons that about 130 people paid the 450 year old building a visit and told us, "They came from all over the south west of Scotland and even from Italy with one couple from Dalkeith. There were not many comments put in the visitor book but the response we all got verbally was extremely good." He added, "One comment in the visitors book, which we left in, says 'disappointed' but this was from a couple of our younger visitors who wrote the comment before they had the full tour. They were really expecting an old traditional Scottish castle with battlements and the rest. Believe you me, they wanted to change their comments at the end of the tour and after they had spent over two hours in the display and exhibition area. The family came for half an hour and stayed for over three!"

The team of volunteers on Sunday Helen McAdam, Arnold Lake, Archie Scobie, Gordon Killicoat, David Hunter, Murray Cook and Dave Killicoat. From 9.45am till 4.30pm at least 17 tours of the castle were conducted plus there were other displays and exhibitions. Dave said, "Our new displays of the regalia and archives - which we are looking for a permanent home for in Maybole - went down a treat along with all the old material and the two laptop computers with all the information on them. A terrific day and apart from all the potential new members we got a new member for the committee in Arnold Lake. We also had the new publication available, the Covenanters of Carrick by David Hunter, and many new single sheet leaflets on Carrick which disappeared like the proverbial 'sna' aff a dyke'."  "All in all," he concluded, "an absolutely wonderful day for both visitors and volunteers alike and the volunteers are certainly looking forward to our next one."

Now into its fifth year, Mayboleline is Borderline Theatre Company's youth theatre in Maybole and it is starting up again in the next few weeks. Paul Brunton, Marketing Manager, tells us, "There are three terms per year and everyone between the ages of 9 and 16 is welcome to join, whether they have any previous drama experience or not." "Workshops are great fun," he added, "and you can meet new friends, explore your imagination and get to perform - if you like - in a show at Borderline Theatre each summer. Last term there was even a trip to be on Top Of The Pops." Mayboleline Youth Theatre meets at Carrick Academy Community Wing, Kirkoswald Road, Maybole on · Friday afternoons from 4-6pm. Drama Workshop Director is Donna Murray and the contact for all enquiries is Fiona Milligan (Associate Producer for Life Long Learning), Borderline Theatre, North Harbour Street, Ayr, KA8 8AA. Tel no 01292 281010.

Maybole Community Association will hold its AGM on Wednesday September 24 at 8pm in Maybole Town Hall. There will be a glass of wine and refreshments available as those attending hear about plans for the coming months. The committee would like to hear any feedback on this year's gala held in June and are asking those who would like to attend to contact secretary Deb Creedy on 01655 889560 to let them arrange the catering. This is also the time of year for local organisations to renew their affiliation and the committee will propose at the AGM that the annual subscription fee remains at £5 which will cover from October 1, 2003 to September 30, 2004. Affiliation entitles groups to agendas and minutes of full meetings and discounts for events such as the gala and the Christmas Bazaar. The committee feels that it also shows commitment by groups to the work the Association does for the town

The Maybole committee of "Action Research" is holding its annual fundraising event as a lunch in Maybole Town Hall this Saturday, September 13. This fund has successfully sponsored research into numerous life threatening illnesses and it has been continuously supported by Maybole since 1965. At the lunch an enticing recipe book "Paddington Puddings" will be launched

September 5th 2003

MAYBOLE'S broadband registrations have now reached 150, and campaign co-ordinator Sarah Anderson is delighted. She said: "This is great news, and BT now have to look at giving us a trigger level!" Sarah has been in talks with campaigners from other areas over the past week, and it seems it takes approximately two months to get a trigger level after the 150 total is reached. She added: "This will give us more time to get even more people registered. I m extremely excited and happy about what this news means, so fingers crossed BT give us a trigger which is easily achievable.  A range of events is happening across the area to allow people to find out more about broadband and how it will benefit them. The events are supported by Scottish Enterprise and the information can be found at www.ecommerce-scotland.org

AN attempt to buy back official minutes (1897 - 1939) of Maybole Burns Club ended in failure, Maybole Historical Society heard. Vice-chairman Dave Killicoat said he was disappointed to hear from Kevin Wilbraham of Ayrshire Archives that a joint auction bid for the minutes failed. Dave pointed out: "We alone initially planned to table a bid, but on advice from Kevin that these lots normally sell for about 30 per cent above estimate, we pooled our money together. "Kevin has been very successful in recovering Ayrshire papers through auction houses, and we pitched our maximum bid at more than 50 per cent above the top estimate. "Unfortunately, this particular auction by Bonham's in Edinburgh was in the middle of the festival in order to maximise the going prices. "Between visitors looking for a 'piece of Scotland' to take home with them, and of course the inevitable Burns aficionados, we probably did not have much chance. "Kevin told me that he was very disappointed himself. "But he hopes this will not preclude future joint bids with our own society, to boost the chances of returning Maybole archives to their rightful home.

"And this could still serve as an example to others that working together is the only way to secure the future of Ayrshire s written heritage." Mr Killicoat hopes Maybole Historical Society will be able to find the private collector who bought the Burns Clubs minutes, and perhaps be allowed copies of the important papers. Better news for Maybole comes from the seminar on developing an oral history project, led by Howard 'Mitch' Mitchell, the former co-ordinator of the millennium 'Salt of the Earth' oral history scheme. Members of Maybole Historical Society, the new Girvan Heritage Initiative, the Workers Educational Association and South Ayrshire Council were all given a thorough overview of the requirements for this type of undertaking, especially regarding copyright and ethics. Mr Killicoat said: "We are very grateful to Liz Kwasnik and her staff at Rozelle for hosting and providing the excellent facilities for this event." Maybole Historical Society launched its new session this week with an illustrated talk on Covenanters by Dane Love. The rest of their programme till February is: October 6 - Major Shaw (Curator RHF Museum) on Sources for Military History; November 3 - Kevin Wilbraham (Ayrshire Archives) on the Early Story of Poor Relief in Scotland; December 1 - Tom Barclay (South Ayrshire Libraries) on Cromwell's Ayrshire; February 2, 2004 - Society Burns Night, Maybole Town Hall.

The oldest resident of Dailly Road, Maybole is in line for eviction some day soon. A tree in Sam and Robina Campbell's garden has Dutch Elm Disease and unfortunately will have to be cut down. Sam and Robina reckon that the tree must be around 100 years old and many local children over the years have played on the tree as it grew to the size it is today. Sam has asked us if we could feature the tree and try to find out if anyone does know its history. "Were you one of the multitude who climbed into its branches," he asks, "or do you have any stories about its history?" "We may be able to find out how old it is, "he adds, "from the stump if we can count the annular rings."