Anne Kenyon MBE

School Update

SHMU News

FAirEr ScotlANdFUNd cUtSWHAt it MEANS For oUr coMMUNitiES

oUr StoryArt projEct UpdAtE

torry's visionWinter 2010

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this season...

1 Good Practice Awards

2 Anne Kenyon MBE Torry 2020 Vision

3 Sign Posting Project

4&5 Our Story Art Project

6 Tullos Youth Group

7 School Updates

8 Reading Radio Pipeline Partnership Torry Community Centre

9 SHMU News

10&11 Community Update

12 Torry News

13 Torry Memories

Editorial

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Hooray!! Torry now has it’s own community magazine. The content inside Torry’s Vision is a fine representation of the activities and events which happen on a daily or weekly basis in our community. We are a vibrant and creative village with a big heart.

Torry’s Vision is here to give a voice to the citizens of Torry. We all have something to say about our community – whether it’s about bin collections, seagulls, traffic or more positive aspects like our artistic and musical talents. We now have an opportunity to ensure all of our community has an input.

If you want to get involved in your community magazine or find out more, please contact Denise at SHMU on..

Telephone (01224) 515013 Email denise@shmu.org.uk

Thanks for reading and enjoy the rest of your magazine.

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Contents

Supported by

To view the new

Torry’s Vision in colour

Please visit

www.shmu.org.uk

& click on the print page

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2010 Nomination

The learners successfully planned, organised and delivered an Adult Learners Conference called “Learners Got Talent” which was held on 5th-6th March this year.

The groups involved worked, in both virtual and real worlds through video conferencing and meetings to link up with fellow learners from different areas. A group of literacies learners from Aberdeen worked with learners from the WEA and the Western Isles to plan the workshops for the conference; to decide the content and who would deliver it as well as organising the practical issues of the day. Their achievements have had a continuing effect and impact – on the learners as individuals, as a group and on the wider learning community. It wasn’t only

the success of the conference which was remarkable but the development of knowledge, skills and confidence gained by everyone who participated in the six month project from September 2009 – March 2010 was apparent. One of our Aberdeen learners from Adult Literacies was extremely proud to deliver a workshop in Creative Writing on the day.

The Awards ceremony was held on 29 September in Edinburgh when several representatives of the group attended. The group received a certificate plus a £250 token to be used towards a workshop of their choice. It is hoped that a suitable workshop will be chosen in the near future and delivered by video conferencing so that learners from all over the North of Scotland will have the opportunity to take part.

Literacies learners from all over the North of Scotland, including a group from Aberdeen, Adult Literacies have recently received a “Good Practice Award” in Adult Learning.

Good practice awards in adult learning

I was very surprised but honoured to be told in Nov 2009 that I had been awarded a MBE for my services to the Disability, Carers and Pension Service. It was very hard to keep it a secret from everyone but close family until the official announcements on Hogmany.

Anne Kenyon MBE

New Years Honours

TORRY 2020 VISIONWe recently were shown a copy of a previous newsletter, the Torry Trumpet dating from the year 2000. It was quite surprising to see how much of it consisted of the same faces and the same issues which are still being discussed and debated 10 years later. So we got to thinking, how much change has there been in Torry in the last ten years (if any) and is it for the better?

But, perhaps more importantly, what changes will there be in the next ten years?

But, perhaps more importantly, what changes would we like to see in the next ten years? It’s our Torry; it’s our home; we live there. Whatever decisions are made we have to live with the consequences.

So what kind of Torry do you want in ten years from now?

What is your 2020 vision of (for?) Torry?

Let us know....

Contact Denise Reid on:01224 515013 or emaildenise@shmu.org.uk

The presentation was on 13th July this year at Holyrood Palace in Edinburgh. I was allowed to take 3 guests with me so was very happy to have my mother, son and daughter with me for the moral support.

I was a bag of nerves in the days leading up to it but the actual day could not have gone smoother. The weather was perfect! From the moment we arrived we were all treated with the utmost courtesy and made to feel very special.

Our guests took their seats while all the recipients were taken to a room to receive

instructions on when and how to approach the Queen, courtesy etc. The whole thing was organised with military precision.

I was feeling quite calm up to the point where my name was about to be called then I suddenly felt terrified. However I managed to take my walk and courtesy without tripping up. The Queen was very gracious and spent some time chatting to everyone and seemed genially interested in everyone receiving an award. What did she say to me? My mind is a complete blank!

There were no showbiz celebs the day I was there but I had the privilege of meeting a lot of interesting people from all walks of life who were like me, felt they were receiving this wonderful award for “Just doing their jobs!”

I did however feel humble seeing several very young servicemen receive medals for bravery in battle.

Overall myself and family had a wonderful day we will always remember.

Anne Kenyon.Torry Resident

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27th Girls’ Brigade CompanyTorry United Free Church, Grampian Road

Monday Nights • Aug 10 - May 116.30 to 8pm - P1-P7 • 6.30 to 9.15pm - S1+

Contact Brenda 875490 for more details

Anne Kenyon MBE

The Sign Poster Project works with the 50 plus age group within your community in Aberdeen City to encourage them to take benefits and other services that can improve your health and well being, for example:

• Help with benefits, pensions & pension credit, housing or council tax, help with completing the applications forms.

• Debt management and low costs loans.

• Saving money, low cost foods and saving options with Credit Unions.

• Getting back to work, if you’re looking for work there are range of organisations in the community to help.

• In the home, insulation, fuel meters, fuel suppliers, repairs, improvements and central heating.

• Plus a whole range of other services.

Here are some the other organization that we work with: - The Pensions Service, Care and Repair, Smart Money Advice, Community Food Initiatives North East, Pathways and Job Centre Plus, Grampian Fire and Police Service, Citizens Advice Bureau, Aberdeen Welfare Rights S.C.A.F (Save Cash & Reduce Fuel) St Machar & NESCU Credit Unions, Age Concern Advisory Services and many more.

The Sign Poster Project started in April 2009 and have 13 volunteers Sign Posters in the following local communities: - Altens, Cove, Central Aberdeen, Torry, Tullos, Tillydrone, Seaton, Northfield, Bucksburn, Rosemount, Rutherison, and the Bridge of Don.

We are very fortunate to have 3 volunteer Sign Posters in the Torry and Tullos community Billie Arthur, June Blanchett and Andy Barrie who are among the first funder members of the project. They are very active in their community, not only in our project but with many other projects, working across the various generations and in their community.

The service is free, confidential and we refer people through the Cash in Pocket Partnership. Working with older people in Your Community.

The Sign Poster Project is a VSA Project, working in partnership with Aberdeen Council, Cash in Pocket Partnership and Age Scotland.

For further information and volunteering opportunities in your community, please contact Dennis Moore, Volunteer Project Co-ordinator on 01224 358636. Email: dennis.moore@vsa.org.uk. Office hours: Tuesday – Thursday 10am-2pmVSA, 38 Castle Street, Aberdeen AB11 5YU

Aberdeen’s Older People’s Sign Posting ProjectPurpose and Activity: Information and referral service for the 50+ Working with older people in your community in Aberdeen Cityity

Sign Posting Project

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In Torry, Arts Development are working closely with ‘Torry Arts’ volunteers to bring together generations of the community to, share, create and celebrate stories about one another and the communities they live in. The seven volunteers are currently working alongside four artists to plan and prepare for a sketchbook making workshop, they will help the artists to deliver to pupils in November. The sketchbooks created, will inspire an intergenerational art project with young people from Walker Road and Tullos Primary schools, ongoing until March 2011. The project will culminate in a final ‘Our Story’ exhibition in the Aberdeen Art Gallery from 7 May - 18 June 2011. The exhibition will highlight people’s journeys, stories and achievements through a range of final artworks.

So what’s next for Our Story

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Summer Parade

In the last magazine Arts Development highlighted the year long visual arts project ‘Our Story’ part 1 - Summer Parade. We hope you managed down to Union Street on the day to cheer us on the day? It was a huge success, to see more photos from the parade please visit:

www.flickr.com/photos/artsdevelopment

‘Torry Arts’ AGM

Our annual general meeting took place on Tuesday 5th October, 7.30-9pm 2010 at Tullos Community Centre resources room.

Members of the Torry Arts group have now established a Torry Arts forum and constitution, the overall aim of the forum is to enhance the arts in Torry in its widest sense, creating opportunities for Torry residents and establishing a local arts programme.

The Torry Arts forum is open to anyone who lives in the community who share the same aims as the group. For more information please contact:

Lorraine Young - Community Learning Worker lyoung@aberdeencity.gov.uk Tel: 01224 291882

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Tuesday nights, 7-9pm in Tullos is mainly for 3rd years and they have tried a number of activities such as dance, arts and crafts.

Wednesday nights, 7-9pm is for 1st years. The group is still quite new, they are still developing their programme.

Thursday nights, 7-9pm is for 2nd years and they too have done some activities, including healthy cooking and eating.

In partnership with Tullos Primary School we also run a Friday Lunch Group for P7’s who are working towards gaining a Dynamic Youth Award.

The youth groups are an opportunity for young people to try out activities of their choice, hang out with friends, get information and advice and support to deal with issues that may be effecting them.

For more info contact Lorraine Young on 291884 or email lyoung@aberdeencity

Tullos Community Centre

Youth Groups “One big school; better education and houses; more famous people in Torry; a bigger area and get the swimming pool fixed.”

Shaun.

“A groovy place; more popular”

Owen.

“Improved outdoor spaces and a better skate park”

Peter.

“Improved shops and things and more money”

James.6 7

Youth Vision for Torry

Walker Road Primary School

TULLOS Primary School

A team from Walker Road primary attended the Skills Factor competition in London on Friday 24th September. The four girls, namely Alana Welsh, Abbie Burnett, Courtney Hill-Drever and Kelsey Cameron organised

a Talent Show at the school in May. Chloe Ross and Natasha Potter were also involved but were unable to attend that weekend. The entry to the Skills Factor was based on the skills the team used to organise and present the show. For example, communicating, planning, organising, problem solving and presenting to name a few.

The team created a Business Plan and submitted their entry to the competition in June. An email informed the school of the team’s success in August and they were invited to attend the final. Thanks to the generosity of two sponsors the team flew to London on the Thursday evening, stayed in a hotel

for two nights and flew back to Aberdeen on Saturday afternoon.

The team were commended for showing confidence at such a young age and won a laptop for the school. The other teams were senior pupils from secondary stage.

It was a great experience for the four girls and one that they won’t forget. The final was staged at BAFTA,195 Picadilly and the event was hosted by Saira Khan of The Apprentice fame. She told the teams that Madonna had stood on that very stage. The girls are now in first year at Torry Academy.

A great start to a new term Well done to all our new girls and boys, they have settled in very well to a new routine and are getting on fine with their new teachers.

WhAT’S BEEn hAPPEning SO FAr ThiS TErM;

Successful LearnersTate Movie ProjectRooms 15 & 16 helped to design part of a children’s animation when the Movie project came to Tullos. More details later on when the film will be released.

After School ActivitiesPresently we have a number of activities to keep your youngsters busy after school.

Monday Netball 3-4pm Soo Yangdo 6-8pmTuesday Karate 7-8pmWednesday Football 3-4pm Judo 7-8pmThursday Football 3-4pmFriday Boys Brigade 7-9pm

Writer in residence & The reading BusP4 pupils will be working with a ‘real’ writer later this term. We hope this project will motivate the children to write and improve their skills.

P3 pupils will also have the opportunity to meet with a ‘real’ author, to discover books and develop an interest in reading.

responsible CitizensWoodlands VisitsAfter the October holiday Mrs Stone will be taking groups of P7 children to visit Woodlands School each Wednesday afternoon. This project enables our youngsters to have a better understanding of people with disabilities.

Dogs fouling our playing fieldPlease can we remind everyone that dogs are not permitted on Council Property. We are having increasing problems with dogs fouling the back playing field and youngsters treading in the dog dirt. Please keep your dogs off the

field and report anyone else using the field as an exercise area for their dogs.

Balnagask houseRoom 16 are continuing the partnership we have with Balnagask House. A group of pupils will be visiting the care home on alternate Wednesday afternoons. This project gives the children a sense of responsibility but also offers them a chance to communicate well with the older generation.

First Aid CourseNext term all our P5-7 pupils will be taking part in basic first aid training. We hope to build on the level one course until we have pupils attaining level 3 in first aid knowledge.

SSPCAAll pupils in P4 to P7 found out more about looking after animals correctly when the SSPCA gave talks to each of the classes.

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Youth Vision for Torry

The Reading Bus team are really looking forward to working across schools and communities in Torry over the next few months. We are especially excited to be broadcasting live weekly radio shows on SHMU 99.8 FM.

Rich Langham has recently joined our team as Reading Radio Development Worker and will be working with pupils in Tullos and Walker Road Primary Schools. This post has been funded by Children in Need following a successful application proposal from Station House Media Unit and the Reading Bus. The post is for 3 years and will allow us to greatly expand our already successful radio programme.

You can hear Reading Radio every Thursday from 11am until 12 noon. The Torry Community will be joined by the Northfield and Torry Communities in presenting these fantastic

shows. Rich will be looking for guests to be interviewed by pupils for their radio shows. Please let Rich know if you are interested, email rich@shmu.org.uk

Jenny Watson reading Bus Development Officer

Reading Radio comes to TORRY

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Old Torry Community Centre, Abbey PlaceWhat is it? Small Community Centre - small hall, toilets, stage, office and kitchen

Where is it? The corner of Abbey Place and Abbey Road

What happens there now? Bingo, Social Dancing, Auricular Acupuncture, Meditation

There has been a Community Centre in Abbey Place for over 50 years. The Centre is about to become a leased centre managed by a committee of local people.

Please come along to our Open Day on Sat 27th Nov from 12 - 4pm. Have a cup of tea, a fine piece and try out some of the activities or even tell us what you would like from your local community centre, IT’S ALL FREE!!

If are you are interested in developing a programme of activities in Old Torry Community Centre please telephone 877562 and leave your name.

The Aberdeen Works Pipeline Partnership comprises a range of specialist employability service providers who have come together under the banner of Aberdeen Works, funded by the Fairer Scotland Fund. The aim of the partnership is to help people living in Aberdeen gain key skills and get into work.

Working together, the organisations can help people from all backgrounds to enter the workforce, return to work or upgrade their skills. Support is also available to help you build your confidence, write a CV and much more.

‘Employability Week’

If you want to meet some of the Pipeline providers and find out more about the services that they can offer you, then why not come along to the Trinty Shopping Centre between 11 and 3pm on the 17th - 21st Jan 2011.

Aberdeen Working Together

t 01224 515013 e info@shmu.org.uk www.shmu.org.ukshmuTRAIN

Torry Treasures win a Shmuftie!

Station House Media Unit (shmu) is situated just off Great Nothern Road in the old Station House Community Centre, Woodside. We offer free access to, and training in video and radio production, and magazine and online publications to residents of all ages living in Seaton, Woodside, Middlefield, Tillydrone, Torry, Northfield and Cummings Park.

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Welcome Kelly!Hi my name is Kelly and I am the new Employability Support Worker with SHMU. I have spent the last 6 years in recruitment, specialising in helping people to move back into employment, training or education throughout Scotland.

I am now delighted to confirm that alongside my colleagues at SHMU we are now looking to offer the shmuWORKS programme which is designed for people between the ages of 18-25 living in the regeneration areas of the city who are not currently in employment.

We will be holding four separate, 2-hour information sessions at the beginning of November to explain in more detail what we do here at shmu and what training and support we can provide through this new project. From this information session we are looking to select 8 people who are interested to attend 2-week programme which will run for 15 hours each week in late November.

Some of the things we will cover during these weeks are:Interview Skills • Confidence & CommunicationCV’s & Cover Letters • Presenting & Broadcasting skills • Team Work

For those people not offered a place on the 3-week course, additional employability support will be offered through our shmuWORKS Support Group on Wednesday afternoons. For further information please contact Kelly on 01224 515013, email kelly@shmu.org.uk, or text training followed by your name to 60300.

The Community Radio Show Production Team for Torry Treasures picked up the award for Interview of the Year 2010 at shmuFM’s annual award ceremony, the Shmufties, on Saturday 30th October 2010. The award winning interview was with Bill McArthur, a NASA Astronaut who was visiting Torry Academy. He was kind enough to phone the studio to answer some questions live on air during the Torry Treasures radio show on shmuFM 99.8FM.

Well done to the Torry Treasures team, keep up the good work!

Christmas? Aye, right!

New communitywebsite piloted in TorryAre you living or working in Torry?

Do you want to know what’s going on in the community?

Check out www.torrymatters.com for the latest news and views in the area.

You can go on to our forums page and make your views known on any issues which concern you or affect this area.

If you are involved in providing any services which may be of interest to Torry residents you can email the details to info@torrymatters.com to have a free basic listing on our Local Services page.

If you have any news you feel may be of interest please email news@torrymatters.com

If you wish to contribute but don’t have access to email please hand in or post info to Tullos Community Centre in Girdleness Road.

Maths & Language 4 ParentsDo you want to know more about the maths and language being taught to your children at school? Look out mums and dads for our Maths and Language Course that will be running next term. This course is suitable for children in Primary 1 to 3 and teachers will be on hand to answer any questions that you may have! If you would like to sign up the course nearest to you or find out more, call the Family Learning team on 487822.

COMMUNITY UPDATE

Welcome to the final Torry Vision of 2010, the Christmas issue.

Aye, some people in Torry do celebrate that festival now, but it was different fan I wis a loon. We went oer tae Torry visiting on New Year’s Day – at wis the Scottish Holiday. Christmas – at wis an English thing that wisnae bothered wi here. We hid a great meal starting wi soup then wer beef then (only if we’d ate a wer greens!) we hud wer pudding (usually ice cream & jeely) then efter wer pudding wi hud wer trifle! Then cake and tea (naebdy drunk coffee in em days!).

Then we played bingo till abidy hid won a prize, and the mannies a listened ti the fitba scores.

Kids’ socks (aye, socks – nae pilla cases!) didnae go up on Xmas eve they went up on Hogmanay and Blue Suntie came and pit a toy in them, and usually a tangerine, an apple, and some school stuff like pencils and rubbers as well.So keep yer English xmas an yer reed Suntie Clas, jist gie me an al fashint Torry New Year, but maist important, fitever colour o Suntie visits you lets hope he brings you ahin you need for 2011.

by Little Saint Nick

Celebration For Families Learning!

Although they say its unlucky for some, Thirteen Families attended a day to celebrate learning, on Saturday 23rd of October at the Station Hotel in Aberdeen. The celebration was organise by the Family Learning team to congratulate all the parents that have attended courses over the last year, which have run at various community venues in Aberdeen.

The day was great fun and started with a workout for the

body and mind with some maths aerobics. The parents then got time to relax and discuss their experiences of learning, whilst the children were entertained by Local magician Garry Seagreaves and by the sound of gasps and giggles it was a magical hit!

Next came the Family Fun quiz, which brought out the competitive side of more than a few parents and lunch to follow, which went down a treat.

After lunch the parents were presented with certificates to celebrate their learning, with a photo to record the event. All the staff at Family Learning would like to thank the families who attended and partners and associates that helped to make it a great day, roll on next year!

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HAIR TODAY - GONE TOMORROW

Do you want to stop smoking? There are lots of ways you can do this, all on your doorstep, in Torry!

1. Smoking Advice Service (SAS)The Smoking Advice Service is NHS Grampian’s service for people who want to stop smoking. Last year over 2300 people quit with us – why not join them today! The FREE sessions are held every Wednesday morning at the Torry Neighbourhood Centre from 11am until 12 noon. People who have been, say the groups are friendly and informal and a very good way of stopping smoking. Ask any health professional about the service or phone:

2. Community Pharmacy SchemeYou can also receive help to quit from your local pharmacy. You don’t need to make an appointment – just drop-in for up to 12 weeks of support. Available from all local pharmacies in the area, this is a very successful way of stopping smoking – and again it’s FREE.

3. Just Five Minutes - We have a new website at http://nhsgrampian.justfiveminutes.com, packed with great advice on getting through those cravings one at a time. You also receive e-mail support every week and can e-mail our trained advisors with any questions.

COMMUNITY UPDATE

SHMU’s own Torry Treasures radio show presenter Nick Bruce will be losing the pony-tail at the end of this month. In fact not just the pony-tail but all the hair on his head will be shaved off. And the beard. And the moustache. We asked him why.

“I’m hoping to raise lots of money for the charity Cancer Research.”

Again, we asked him why....

“I lost my mother and both my grandmothers to cancer. My wife was diagnosed 2 years ago, fortunately early enough that with surgery she was able to survive. Last year she ran the Race for Life but this year she wasn’t well enough. I want to do something positive to help raise funds for this worthy cause to help to increase the number of survivors.”

Obviously, as a radio presenter, what he looks like doesn’t make the slightest bit of difference to the show, but we think he

currently looks something like this....

and afterwards he will look something like this....

If you can contribute anything towards this worthy cause please contact:- 898990http://www.justgiving.com/niChOLAS-BrUCE

Celebration For Families Learning! IT COULD BE YOU!Ever fancied taking to the stage to sing as your favourite Star….then we need YOU…

We are looking for local talent to perform, in character, as their favourite singing star for the second Fa’s in their Eye’s fundraising event, which will take place @ the Forum in Aberdeen on Friday the 22nd April 2011.

If you sign up we can provide voice coaching sessions and support with costume design, if needed. We are also keen for

any local bands, comedians, magicians etc that might be interested in offering their support for this fundraising event, free of charge.

For more information and to sign up for the event please contact Louise at Family Learning on 487822 or email enquiries@familylearning.org.uk

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All householders in Torry will be entitled to free insulation in their home, through a new scheme about to be launched.

Free Insulation to all in Torry!

TORRY NEWS

Aberdeen City Council will be leading the scheme, following a successful funding bid to the Scottish Government.

This Free Home Insulation scheme will only be available to householders in the Cove, Nigg and Torry neighbourhood areas. All dwellings, whether owned or rented will be eligible.

Energy Assessors will be visiting every house in the area to carry out an energy assessment and identify whether improved insulation is required. If the property is suitable the following measures will be offered free of charge

-Loft insulation

-Cavity Wall insulation

-Underfloor insulation

The measures being offered to each householder will include loft Insulation to a minimum of 270mm, cavity wall insulation, and underfloor insulation to suspended floors; this is of course subject to the suitability

of a property to accept these improvements. Energy Assessors will be visiting every house in the area to carry out an energy assessment, to identify whether improved insulation is required, and whether property is suitable.

As well as the free installation measures, the scheme will also offer other information and advice to help ensure the residents of Torry can heat their homes affordably. This advice will include; efficient use of heating, choosing and paying for fuel, income maximisation checks for those on lower incomes, renewable energy and any other energy efficiency matters.

The scheme is due to be launched at the end of October and will run until 31st March 2011. No contact details for further information are available yet but every house in Torry will be lettered to advise when energy assessors will be in the area, and every door will be knocked on by them.

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The officers forming the Torry Local Policing Team have wide ranging experience all of which will be put to good use in tackling the area’s problems. We also have young, newly trained officers starting out on their Police career and whilst Torry offers many challenges for them, they will find it a rewarding community to work within.

All we ask is that as a community you keep us informed of what is important to you. We will listen to your concerns and keep you updated with what we are doing to deal with them.

A detailed quarterly update on Police activity in Torry is available via Grampian Police website.

If you would like to have your voice heard with regard to policing in Torry please contact Inspector Findlay and his Team by telephone on 0845 600 5 700 or email mylocalpolicingteam@grampian.pnn.police.uk or call in at the office on Oscar Road.

Can anyone tell us what this odd combination of road signs means?

Beware of ducks with cameras???It’s just accross the river - turn left onto Riverside Drive and you’ll see it when you come out from under the old suspension bridge.

If it was on the other side I could understand - approaching a low bridge - a warning sign - DUCK!

POLICE UPDATES

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Torry MemoriesWe lived in Girdleness Road, Torry, from 1967 (when I was four) to 1980. We were among the first families to move into the new ‘hen houses’ on Girdleness Road, with the flat roofs and the bedrooms downstairs, living rooms upstairs and ‘sunks’ next to the front door which, being a right tomboy, I enjoyed climbing in and out of when a little older. My first friends round about were also boys, and I remember playing marbles, hollowing out a ‘kypie’ in the earth by twirling round and round on my heel, ready to roll the marbles into, or playing Japs and British in and out of the stairs leading to Farquhar Road. I learned to ride my bike (complete with stabilisers to start with) along the path outside our front door. We used to get into trouble for swinging on the whirlie outside, which we shared with next door.

Once I was a little older there were more girls around to play with, and we used to play balls up against the front wall, bouncing the ball under our legs and singing

Red roses on my wallWhen winter comes they’ll fallWhen shall they bloom againHallelujah, Amen.

I also learned all the clapping songs, like...

Have you ever ever ever in your long legged lifeMet a long legged sailor with his long legged wife

and the skipping songs too. I was never much good at skipping in and out of the rope, especially if it was ‘Lindies’ (the rope turned by someone at each end, but turned in rather than out the way – really hard!). I was better at Chinese ropies (jumping in and

out of joined up elastic bands, held round the legs of a person at each end, and raised each time to make it harder).

We also used to buy scraps (sheets of pictures of, e.g. cute animals, angels, Victorian children etc.) from the paper shop up on Balnagask Road, and swap them, and stick them in scrap books. My memory of decimalisation (apart from learning about the new coins at school) is of counting new pennies going up to that shop.

I started school at five at Balnagask Infant School, and went on to Tullos Primary. I remember that the scraps from school dinners at Tullos Primary went into a metal bucket, and were kept to feed the pigs which were kept on what was left of a wee farm just over the bridge at the foot of the Gramps. I remember going for walks and having picnics on the Gramps. I work now in an office on Greenbank Road, and our back window looks out from what was once the Gramps, across the railway line to the house where I used to live. The cement hopper on the railway line is still there – I used to think it was shaped like a dog’s head.

This was a good while before the swimming pool at Tullos was built. We used to be bussed for swimming lessons to the old Middle School (next to Marischal College in the middle of town).

Once I moved up to Torry Academy, we were bussed in first year to the Annexe on Belmont Street, which is now the Academy shopping centre. I remember riding on the bus, listening to Noel Edmonds’ breakfast show on Radio 1 on a wee radio. I remember feeling overawed standing in the large circular hallway looking up the curving staircase, which is still there. I also used to go to band practice on a Saturday morning in the same complex, roughly where The Pier shop would be now, when I was having a (short lived) go at learning the clarinet.

Local Memories

What are your memories of Torry? The No.10 bus? The sweet shop in Walker Road? Paying into the cinema in Sinclair Road with jam jars? The icecream shop in Craig Place? Sunny summer days on the sannies? Post offices that weren’t inside supermarkets?

Torry is one of the oldest parts of Aberdeen with records showing that nearly 900 years ago it existed as a separate community. The name Torry could arise from the Gaelic word torr meaning rounded hill or mound but some people believe it comes from the Gaelic torraidgh meaning thief or bandit. Torraidgh (now anglicised to Tory) Island off the north coast of Ireland was given that name as it was home to a band of infamous robbers. The Conservative party was given the nickname Tories for this reason by their opponents.

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Torry Memories

An end to the Fairer Scotland Fund?What would the cuts mean to Torry?

For many years Torry has had a slice of the Fairer Scotland funding.The Fund has been used to tackle area based and individual poverty through neighbourhood and thematic programmes in Torry. This includes support for vulnerable groups within our community.

The identified priorities for investment are: Employment and Training; Income and Financial Inclusion; Health; Learning; Community Safety; and Neighbourhood work with such groups as Youth, Special Needs, and Senior Citizens etc.

A proposal has been tabled to cut the Fairer Scotland Fund completely as part of Council’s Priority Based Budgeting process. In reality this would mean that £2,375,000 of funding

to organisations that work with the most vulnerable and disadvantaged people in the city would be cut every year.

If this happens, many of our local services in Torry will be hit hard – and many of them will stop completely. Some of the services that could cease would include the Arts Development programme, Alcohol Support Outreach Counselling, Family Liaison Officer, Silvercity Surfers @ Torry, Torry Young People’s Healthy Eating, SACRO Conflict Resolution Workshops, Pathways Employability services, and support for this magazine which would no longer be printed and distributed. This is just a flavour of what could be lost to residents in Torry.

If you wish to keep these services in Torry we need to pull together and demand that our elected

councillors vote against these proposed cuts. We cannot function effectively as a caring community if we do not have the funding to support this work.

The meeting to discuss the proposed cuts is on Thursday 2nd December, with the final decision lying with our Councillors – so make your views known now.

Write to your local councillor and make your comments known to them before it’s too late.

Councillors names:

Cllr Jim Kiddie, Cllr Yvonne Allan, Cllr Alan Donnelly, Cllr Irene Cormack

Address your letter to Aberdeen City Council, Broad Street, Aberdeen AB10 1Ar