October 2026

FREE EDITION 430 OCTOBER 2026

Local News, Events and Information

This Issue: Editorial

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Arts

3

3 Churches in the Community

Our Wonderful Birnam Book Festival Flies Back Home!

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Arts

6

Sports Hub

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Nature & Climate

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23 - 25 October

Enjoy three inspiring days of Legends, Lore and Song. See page 6 Full programme and tickets: www.birnamarts.com/festival-Birnam-Book-Festival-id867

A spellbinding community! Dunkeld & Birnam in Bloom and The Field get us all into the spooky Halloween spirit. Why not join in the fun and let your creativity take flight? See page 9

REPAIR CAFE - Have you still got things stored away waiting to be mended? See p8.

Staying safe The community thanks Dunkeld & Birnam’s firefighters - most of whom give their time as volunteers - to help keep us safe. Interested in joining them? See page 12

Dunkeld Community Archive Public Consultation

on progress towards a new Heritage Centre Please join in Wednesday 14th October at the Duchess Anne 7pm for discussion on how the remarkable story of Dunkeld and Birnam can be told. See page 15

Men’s Shed at the Birnam Highland Games. See p9.

Classified

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Community Noticeboard

12-13

Community Development

13

Classified

14

Learning & Community History

15

Classified

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Notes from a Councillor 18 News for our Community Council

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Stick on the Fridge

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Classified

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YOU CAN ALSO READ THE BRIDGE ON-LINE! Scan here or go to www.dunkeldandbirnamnews.co.uk Copy Dates for the Next Issue: Friday 16th October for publication Friday 30th October

www.dunkeldandbirnamnews.co.uk

Editorial Meet the Team EDITOR

Sally Robertson EDITOR

Betsy Shaw

Tel: 07594 753404 Please e-mail your article to the ediitorail team: editor@dunkeldandbirnamnews.co.uk or post to: The Bridge Dunkeld & Birnam Community Co-Working Space Lagmhor, Dunkeld PH8 0AD ADVERTISING MANAGER

Kirsty Gowans

Please e-mail your advertising to Kirsty at: adverts@dunkeldandbirnamnews.co.uk Advertising rates from £8.07 per month. Contact Kirsty for details. Tel: 07967 117149 The Bridge, edited by volunteers for the people of Dunkeld, Birnam and the surrounding villages since 1974. Thank you for all your support.

Dunkeld & Birnam, The Bridge The Bridge Newsletter is produced and distributed by Dunkeld and Birnam News CIC a Community Interest Company Registered in Scotland SC813544

Last Thursday morning I met one of the youngest members of our reading community coming out of a Bookbug session at the library. At nine months old, her eyes were sparkling. I asked whether she had enjoyed herself and Mum helped her out with an enthusiastic “Yes, I loved it!” It made me think of her wonderful journey ahead: hungry caterpillars and Gruffalos, and, perhaps one day, adventures with Tintin and Snowy – off to the moon or encountering the Incas. I have loved books for as long as I can remember. Growing up, I would run my hands along the library shelves, hoping the next book in the Anne of Green Gables series would be there. The excitement of finding Anne of Windy Willows! And then that happy feeling of a book burning a hole in your bag all the way home. Books are extraordinary things. You open the first page and step into another world: the imagined futures of Iain M. Banks, or Thomas Hardy’s Wessex, walking alongside Tess or discovering the fate of the Mayor of Casterbridge. Without leaving your chair, you travel far beyond the everyday and see life through someone else’s eyes. Right now, a book given to me by a friend whose reading tastes are similar to mine sits beside my bed. There is something almost comforting about its presence, a little warm glow of anticipation, waiting to be picked up.

And alongside the stories we discover in books, there is a conversation unfolding about how we tell our own story here in Dunkeld and Birnam. Like a diamond, our community has many facets. The side each of us sees is shaped by our history, interests and experiences. How do we bring those perspectives together? Whose stories have we yet to hear? Historic Dunkeld invites everyone to a public consultation on Wednesday 14 October, at 7pm in the Duchess Anne, to hear about progress towards a Heritage Centre where Dunkeld and Birnam’s remarkable story can be told. There will be drinks, nibbles and discussion about the way ahead. Whether you are nine months old and discovering the joy of a shared story, choosing your next novel, or helping write the next chapter of our community’s history, there is something wonderful about turning a page and wondering what comes next. Sal Robertson

I hope our Birnam Book Festival, on 23–25

Birnam to Ballinluig A9 Community Group Working constructively to get the best community outcomes from the A9 dualling proposals

The next A9 Community Group meeting will be on Thursday 22nd October at The Guide Hall, 7.30pm. All welcome! Pass of Birnam to Tay Crossing Public Local Inquiry (PLI) On 1st September Adrian Phillips the Case Officer for the PLI wrote to all those who had submitted objections during the statutory consultation period which ended in July 2025 to advise a timescale for various information required, in particular a deadline of end September for “outline statements of case”. We asked for this to be extended in view of the considerable amount of work required. He also advised that the Reporter. for the PLI, Gordon Reid, will hold a virtual “pre-inquiry meeting” on 1st December for all objectors who wish to attend. We requested that this be held in person in view of the unreliability of wifi/internet in many rural locations. If you submitted a formal objection which was replied to by Transport Scotland and you did not receive the 1st September PLI notification email from Adrian Phillips please write to adrian.phillips@scot.gov.uk and copy to me, thanks. A reminder that TS still advises that it is continuing to work “ to properly consider all matters raised by objectors and to resolve these where possible”. So they should be continuing to engage with any objectors who are expecting replies or who have further questions or comments for them. If you need clarification or wish to comment on any aspect of the TS reply to you, write to A9dualling@jacobs.com Thanks again to those of you who have copied your submission/ objection correspondence with TS to me - all welcome! Tay Crossing to Ballinluig A9 Dualling Construction If you want to receive notifications about progress of the work on this section write to Enquiries.A9TC2B@willbros.com. Wills Bros Community Liaison Manager Angela Newlands can be contacted at AngelaNewlands@willsbros.com 01698 479230 As always you can contact us at email: dunkeldA9workinggroup@gmail. com, also to have your details added (or removed from) our mailing list; or just phone me! Alasdair Wylie Coordinator 07927 175121 awylie2002@yahoo.co.uk For our reports on “The Bridge” website: www.dunkeldandbirnamnews.co.uk

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October, will kindle that feeling in others. What a wonderful opportunity to celebrate books together and meet the authors creating our next reading adventures.

BIRNAM BOOK FESTIVAL

IS BACK! 23-25 Oct 2026

Authors: Doug Johnstone, Sarah Rankin, Jude Reid, Fiona Valpy, Natalie Jayne Clark, Gabriella Bennett, Debra Murphy, David MacPhail, Janis MacKay. Poets: James Appleby, Jon Plunkett, Taylor Strickland, Morag Anderson. Artists: Kate Leiper, Marion Archibald.

Full programme: birnambookfestival.co.uk Tickets: birnamarts.com

Plus, music (including Colleen Nicoll-Johnston), writing competition and more!

Arts News Just Singin’

Community Singing Group We are a friendly singing group, open to all. Usually around 25 to 30 people turn up, almost half are men, which lends a wonderful depth to the sound we make. We meet at 7.30pm on Wednesday evenings in the upstairs room at Birnam Arts for four, eight-week terms during the year with variety provided by a mix of different tutors.

Our current block finishes on 7th October, and we start a new block on 21st October running until 9th December with wonderful tutors, Hannah Rarity and Debra Salem. We sing a wide range of different music from around the world and feature traditional and contemporary Scottish songs ranging from Robert Burns to Karine Polwart. We usually sing unaccompanied, learning the songs and harmonies by ear, a line at a time. No auditions, no sheet music, no homework - we just turn up and enjoy singing. We always stop

for a cuppa and a chat halfway through, and our aim is for everyone to leave with a smile on their face. If you enjoy singing in any shape or form, we guarantee you a warm welcome any Wednesday evening, why not pop in and give it a try? Further details are on our website and if you have any queries, please send an email to enquiries@justsingin.co.uk Really hope to see you there!

Dunkeld & Birnam Traditional Youth Music Group We’ve been growing rapidly in numbers since the beginning of the new year. Spread the word: If you know someone who would like to learn to play, or take up a second instrument, we run classes teaching whistle, guitar, fiddle and accordion with a focus on learning traditional Scottish music. Classes are in small groups lasting half an hour, led by our experienced and professional trad musicians. They’re completely free and we provide instruments, without cost, for our members to take home and use as their own. Suitable for P5 to S6. Beginner fiddle classes are full. There are limited spaces for anyone who can already play a little or would like to transfer their skills to playing trad music. Beginner guitar classes are full. There are some spaces available for beginners who can play ukulele, as the skills are transferable and limited space for anyone who can already play a little. Beginner accordion classes have limited spaces available. Beginner whistle classes have limited spaces available. Our advanced whistle class currently has spaces available – only suitable for high school age pupils who can already play or bagpipers who would like to expand abilities and adapt their skills to whistle.

Birnam and Dunkeld Film Society Birnam and Dunkeld Film Society is putting on a new season of films in conjunction with Birnam Arts. The films will be shown on the second Sunday of every month from September 2026 to April 2027. Showing next is I Swear, a true story about living with Tourette’s, on 11 October. Then On Falling in November and The Golden Spurtle as the Christmas film in December. Entrance to all eight films in the season will be a bargain £40 for membership + booking fee - much cheaper than buying individual tickets and you can join on the Birnam Arts website or on the night of the film. All films begin at 7:30pm. Doors open at 7pm. Scott Herbertson Chair, Birnam and Dunkeld Film Society

If you’d like to join one of our bands and can already play at least a little, they are suitable for most instruments. We welcome accordion, string, wind and brass players, guitarists, pianists, percussionists and more to come along and join in with our musical adventures and opportunity for various concerts throughout the year. We have a full size cello available for any cellists out there who would like to join our senior band but perhaps don’t have access to an instrument. All classes and bands run on Mondays during term time based at Birnam Arts. ½ hour group lessons – 4 to 6pm Junior trad band (P5-S2) - 6:30 to 7:30pm Senior trad band (S3-S6) - 7:30 to 8:30pm We rely entirely on funding and donations to keep our group accessible to all and as always, our thanks go to SSE Renewables, National Lottery, Gordon Duncan Memorial Trust, Basil Death Trust, Scops Arts Trust, The Lang Foundation, Hugh Fraser Foundation and Enchanted Forest for their funding, and all of the local Email dbtradgroup@gmail.com or call 07958 324 766 for more info. facebook.com/dbtradgroup instagram.com/dbtradgroup

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Three Churches in the Community THOUGHT FOR THE MONTH Roderick Campbell Guion OCDS

Here we are once again with autumn approaching. Reviewing a previous edition I see that I made comments on how newspaper headlines nowadays seem to openly incite our prejudices to catch our attention. This may seem obvious for those of us in the later stages of life but maybe not so noticeable for those brought up in the world of social media. From the perspective of the relative peace we have enjoyed in the Western world for most of my lifetime the present conflicts in Ukraine and the Middle East have caused a disturbing shift in international alliances which threatens to destabilise the balance of power that has previously guaranteed peace in Europe. If journalism is to be believed we are currently facing an unprecedented risk of a widening international conflict. Spending on weaponry and defence to provide a guarantee for peace might seem to be a logical contradiction, however experience seems to confirm that countries that are unprepared for war inevitably provide a tempting target for aggressors. So how may the seasons help us to understand this? If we can see that the seasons change, we must accept that the world does as well. Change can bring forth beauty but also anxiety. Living in rural Perthshire we are neither able to stop the seasons nor control the course of international politics but as individuals we can decide how we will face the events that occur in our own lives. The conclusion I have come to is that if we must accept the things that we cannot control, we can at least retain control over how we see these things from our own perspective. Life must go on since we still need to continue with our everyday work, bring up our children and look after those who need our care. It’s reassuring to note that problems are not unique to our own time and using the wider perspective of history we can see that this has always been so. Empires rise and empires fall but life still goes on. From a Christian perspective the Bible provides us with an everpresent witness to this. In the Hebrew Scriptures the successes and misfortunes of a nation are related to a message that Israel found could only be ignored to its own cost. In the New Testament we see Jesus widen this to the whole world with a message that became the foundation stone for our Western values and challenging these puts those long held values at risk. We can however play our part because as the saying goes: ‘Charity starts at home’. To make our own contribution we can refuse fear and we can refuse hatred. We can pray for those caught in war. We can pray for wisdom for those who govern. We can care for the person next door and we can give thanks for the good that remains with us. As with the seasons, the leaves may fall, the evenings may draw in but springtime and new growth will in time return. As we live through periods of change the Christian message remains stable and calls us to hope. These seasonal changes are just part of an ongoing process that brings with it the magnificent colours of autumn which are surely one of the great joys of living in Perthshire. In the meantime as the leaves fall, we must keep in mind that this forms part of a process that each year will bring us back to the growth of a new spring.

Pilgrimage and the Columba Way Various Pilgrim walks have been developed in Scotland over recent years taking in routes connected to historic figures (like the St. Cuthbert’s way between the Borders and Lindisfarne). The big figure here, of course, was St. Columba and a small group of folk from the Cathedral have been busy working on ideas connected to pilgrimage in this area. Two ideas have been developed: 1. Two small ‘reflective walks’ have been devised, both starting and ending at the Cathedral. One south of the river, on the Birnam side, goes along by the Birnam Oak, up to St. Mary’s and back around to the Cathedral. The other, on the north side, goes up to Polney Loch then on to St. Colme’s well and comes back along the river to the Cathedral. Along the way we pause for reflection and prayer at significant points, considering what they mean for us today. These walks are ideal for church groups or other walking groups and can be booked through Rosie Mackie (rosiemackie@aol. com) There is a walk scheduled for 10am on the 29th September so if you would like to join it send a note to Rosie. 2. The more ambitious part of the Pilgrim Group’s work has been to be involved in the development of the Columba Way - a route which will eventually go from Iona to St. Andrews. Dunkeld Cathedral, despite bearing the name of St. Columba, was not on the proposed route so our wee group has been

hard at work mapping a route between Amulree and Dunkeld to ensure that this parish is included. Although quite a bit of work remains, the National Pilgrims’ Forum has decided to award the John Henderson Trophy to our group in recognition of the contribution so far. This award is made annually, in memory of John Henderson from Melrose, who did so much to establish the St. Cuthbert’s way, and it is quite an accolade for the group here to be recipients. Congratulations to all involved!

Oct 4th 11am Morning Service in the Cathedral 6:30pm Prayers for Help & Healing in St. Mary’s, Birnam. Oct 11th 11am Morning Service in the Cathedral. Oct 18th 11am Harvest Thanksgiving Service in the Cathedral. 2:15 Harvest Thanksgiving Service at Amulree Oct 25th 11am Morning Service in the Cathedral. Nov 1st 11am Morning Service in the Cathedral. 6:30pm Prayers for Help & Healing in Little Dunkeld Kirk. Nov 8th 10:45am Remembrance Service in the Cathedral. Please note the earlier start time. This will be the last Sunday service in the Cathedral for the year.

12:30pm Act of remembrance at the War Memorial. The main ceremony will be down at the roadside so that those who aren’t able to climb up to the memorial can attend. Tea and coffee are served after the morning service each week in the Chanonry.

Stepping Stones Children are always welcome at Services and can stay for the whole time if they wish or they can leave after the first 20 minutes of the service and go down to the Chanonry where activities are organised for those who would like to participate. So, parents, no longer do you have to worry about your child getting bored or making a noise – come and join the fun!

Harvest Appeal Three Churches Charity Shop I had just received a call at home from the volunteer who was on duty. It was just before closing time, and she had found credit cards left on the counter by a lady who had been looking at a dress which she decided not to buy. A few minutes or so after this call, I had another call, this one from the Archive, to say there was a lady there who was on holiday from abroad, and she was looking for her lost credit cards. I was able to ring the volunteer back at the shop and she went outside and met the lady to return the cards. The lady then decided to buy the dress she’d been looking at. She also left a donation to the shop. An advantage to living in a small place where people know each other.

THE 3 CHURCHES CHARITY SHOP 4

Church of Scotland Services

The Church of Scotland Kirk Session has decided that our Harvest Appeal should be for Christian Aid’s response to the horrific events in Nepal. Christian Aid is part of the umbrella ‘Disasters’ Emergency Committee’ and while the floods there have fallen from the news now it will take a long time and a lot of support to help folk there rebuild. You can give at the Harvest Thanksgiving Services at the Cathedral and Amulree on 18 October, or for a couple of Sundays after that. If you are unable to be there you can also hand donations to your district elder.

Prayers for Help & Healing On the first Sunday of the month there is a short service held jointly between the Parish Church and St.Mary’s Episcopal Church at 6:30pm. This follows the pattern of the service of healing in Iona Abbey and lasts about 45 minutes.

We are an independent local charity raising money for our 3 local churches. All money raised is divided by three equally and presented to each Church. New Volunteers always welcome – just pop in and let us know if you are interested in joining our friendly team. SC043359

Three Churches in the Community It is a very gentle, quiet time of worship and prayer for specific things people may mention if they want to, or you can simply join in the service and have your own time of prayer. The next two will be on October 4th. in Little Dunkeld and in St. Mary’s on November 1st. All welcome from any church or none.

Kirk Session The next meeting of the Kirk Session will be in The Duchess Anne on Tuesday 13th. October at 7:30pm.

The Meeting Place Now that the Art Exhibition is over the Meeting Place is in the Duchess Anne on Friday mornings from 10 to 12noon. All welcome. Art Exhibition At the Stewards’ Party on Monday 7th. September Margaret Scott gave a report on this year’s exhibition and a cheque for £4,000 was handed over to the Parish Church. A huge thank you is due to Margaret and Aileen Paulin for the work they have put in over the summer and, of course, to all the stewards – it would not happen without you and it is greatly appreciated!!

Fellowship Group

‘Exploring faith and life together’ Two Groups meet, fortnightly, one on a Tuesday evening at 7pm and the other on Wednesday mornings at 10:15am - both in the Chanonry. The dates for the Wednesday group are September 30th October 14th & 28th. and November 11th. The Tuesday group is continuing with ‘Coffee & Questions.’ Everyone has questions about

life, belief or ethical issues which bother them – whether it be assisted dying or world peace. There is still time to come and add in your own questions. One will be drawn out each night, to provoke discussion on that theme. So, if there is an issue about faith or life you would like to discuss with others then come along. No special knowledge is required, just a willingness to be stretched and challenged.

Men’s Breakfast The smell of bacon and sausages will once again be wafting out of the Chanonry as the Men’s Breakfast gets started again. It starts at 9am and meets fortnightly. Upcoming dates will be September 30th , October 14th & 28th. and November 11th. There is no need to book; just turn up and enjoy. All are welcome.

The group will meet on September 29th., October 13th & 27th and November 10th. If you find it difficult to come in person, it is possible to join by this zoom link: Meeting ID: 898 7502 | Passcode: 809745

Booking Halls Anyone who would like to book either the Duchess Anne or the Chanonry for meetings and events should contact Jill McCrory on chanonrydunkeld@ gmail.com

Christians Against Poverty Highland Perthshire are joining the mission to: Challenge Poverty in Scotland in 2026 During the week of 5th - 11th October 2026, events across Scotland will aim to bring about greater awareness of peoples’ struggle with the crisis cost of living, and we are acutely aware that this can be very tough in rural areas; people often have to travel to reach out for help, and shop prices are often higher than in the large supermarkets, cheaper accommodation is sparse, fewer work opportunities etc. Please support CAP in Highland Perthshire in their mission to gain support, and to reach out to those in our area who are struggling. We will host a Stand in both Aberfeldy and Pitlochry Coop Shops, on 6th, 7th & 8th October 10.30am to 4.30pm, achieving this mostly with volunteers who care greatly about justice for all, and about opportunity for all in the future. Come along to open conversation and learn more of what help is available, in terms of Energy support, fair work strategies, tackling child poverty, standing up for mental health. Together we must believe that we can make a real difference. Challenge Poverty Alliance aims to highlight the injustice of poverty in Scotland, and to show that collective action based on justice and compassion can create solutions. The CPW is an opportunity to raise your voice against poverty and to unite others by calling for a just and equal Scotland.

Church Services and Contacts: Weekly Services Church of Scotland: Dunkeld Cathedral at 11am. Every Sunday from Easter Sunday to Remembrance Sunday. Little Dunkeld Kirk at 11am. Every Sunday from the Sunday following Remembrance Sunday to Palm Sunday. Scottish Episcopal Church: St Mary’s Birnam at 10am. Every Sunday. Roman Catholic: St Columba’s, Mass 4pm. Every Saturday

Monthly and Occasional Services Church of Scotland, Amulree Third Sunday of the Month 2.15pm

Contact Details:

Church of Scotland: Congregational Office Bearers: Minister: Rev. R. Fraser Penny,B.A. B.D., Cathedral Manse, Dunkeld, PH8 0AW Tel: 01350 727249 e-mail: r.fraserpenny@gmail.com Session Clerk: Alison Gillies The Chanonry, Cathedral Street, Dunkeld PH8 0AW Tel: 07736 423198 e-mail: sessionclerk@dunkeldcathedral.org

Treasurer: Mrs Louise Luke The Chanonry, Cathedral Street, Dunkeld Tel: 07773 604372 e-mail: treasurer@dunkeldcathedral.org Covenant Officer: Mrs. Ann Bryce Tomnagrew House, Dunkeld PH80BX Tel: 01350 723228 e-mail: annbryce228@gmail.com Organist & Choir Leader: Mrs Hazel Murch Tel: 07867 642954 e-mail: music@dunkeldcathedral.org Parish Office: Mrs Jill McCrory The Chanonry, 07808 703641 email: chanonrydunkeld@gmail.com www.dunkeldcathedral.org

St Mary’s Episcopal Church, Birnam

Sunday Quiet Prayer from 9:15am in the Chapel for 30 minutes Sunday Service of Holy Communion with hymns and sermon at 10am for an hour, followed by refreshments. Now the summer is over, the church can be opened for visitors and those needing a space to sit and reflect or pray by prior arrangement with Revd Tina The monthly Servite worship Service is at 2pm on the last Saturday of each month, led

PLENTY OF CLOTHING AND BRIC A BRAC, COME ALONG AND TREAT YOURSELF TO A BARGAIN

ecumenically by folk from our 3 Churches in Dunkeld and Birnam All Together Music Sessions: 2pm on the first Thursday of the month. The Rector: Rev. Tina Minett Stevens Tel: 01350 727755 Email: rector@stmarysbirnam.org.uk     www.stmarysbirnam.org.uk Treasurer: Charles Cox (contact via below) Vestry Secretary: Adrian Freer Tel: 01821 650536 Email: adrianfreer@btinternet.com

Roman Catholic Churches Mass Times St Columba’s Catholic Church: Birnam (PH8 0BJ) Saturday Mass 4pm Our Lady of Mercy Catholic Church: Aberfeldy (PH15 2AL) Sunday Mass 9:30am St Bride’s Catholic Church: Pitlochry (PH16 5AL) Sunday Mass 11:30am For any further information please contact: The Parish Priest: Canon Steven Mulholland stbridespitlochry@dunkelddiocese.org.uk

OPENING HOURS Monday - CLOSED Tuesday - Saturday 10:00 - 16:00 Sunday - CLOSED 5

Arts News BIRNAM BOOK FESTIVAL ~ Back by popular demand Birnam Book Festival brings legends, lore, stories and song to the heart of our community, Friday 23rdSunday 25th October at Birnam Arts. We’ll celebrate launches: Sisters of the Midnight Sun by best-selling author Fiona Valpy, and A River of Words, the new poetry collection from the Royal School of Dunkeld. We’ll debut songs sung by our schoolchildren with Colleen Nicoll-Johnston, marking the 160th birthday year of Beatrix Potter. And we’ll announce the winner of our brand-new Short Story Competition, inspired by Jude Reid’s The Nightkeeper’s Apprentice with a special appearance by Brodie the Scottie dog (we did say “short”). There’s so much more for families, including a Gaelic storytelling workshop, Velda the Awesomest Viking, and creative activities for all ages. Follow a few threads running through the weekend. There will be food and drink with chef Sarah Rankin, a poetry brunch (complimentary cuppa and pastry with poets Morag Anderson, Jon Plunkett, Taylor Strickland, and James Appleby), and the distinctive aroma of single malt on site, with Accredited Whisky Ambassador Natalie Jayne Clark. Her Malt Whisky Murders makes a Tartan Noir twosome with Doug Johnstone and his darkly funny Ghost Notes. Across three novels we’re On a Northern Shore with stories set in Caithness, Orkney, and Shetland/Norway (Janis MacKay, Jude Reid,

and Fiona Valpy). And did we mention dogs? Hear about the life-changing companionship of Beatrix the Time Travelling Collie. There are things for you to do! Help create community art, learn how to make your very own notebook, and contribute to Q&A at our sessions, especially when we welcome writer Gabriella Bennett. In How To Build a City, the globetrotting journalist has ideas to share about remarkable urban solutions and spaces she’s explored that embrace the challenges of contemporary living and build hope for our shared future. At our signature Saturday night blend of words and music, filmmaker and author Grant McPhee chronicles the transformation of the Scottish Indie music scene through the ‘90s in his acclaimed oral history A Scene Within a Scene. He’ll chat with Martin Hadden of Birnam CD about how Scotland rebuilt its contemporary musical landscape. New sounds emerged during that decade, including Lung Leg. This legendary pop-punk/indie band joins us for a special performance, straight from the pages of Grant’s book. Re-discover your inner riot grrrl or garage-pop dude with a live set from Lung Leg! View full programme: www.birnambookfestival.co.uk Book tickets online: www.birnamarts.com Latest festival news on social media @birnambookfest

COMMUNITY RESILIENCE Big Community Chat

On 31st October 2026 at the Birnam Institute from 11 am - 2 pm (times may be extended) and Guide Hall from 11am-4pm everyone in the community is welcomed to an open, free drop in session for the community to share ideas, experience and contribute to helping build community resilience. This event will be co-hosted by community groups and organisations who are seeing the urgent need for this chat and planning to include everyone in our community. At time of going to print, 10+ community groups and organisations are working together on this and the list is growing. If you, your group, organisation or business would like to be involved in cohosting and contributing - contact info@climate.cafe. Climate Cafè Dunkeld & Birnam are helping to host the event. With extreme weather and storms, accidents, road closures and more - this is an open event for all to drop in to discuss and share information and ideas on what everyone can do, skills and resources we have and what is needed to reduce vulnerabilities, plus prepare and improve resilience across the community. This is a chance to chat and an opportunity for everyone to feed in ideas to the Community Resilience Plan being developed by Dunkeld & Birnam Community Council - who are planning to share their plan earlier in October. This is an open event for all, all ideas, contributions and actions welcomed. Thanks to those who have already offered support, experience and examples to share.

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Dunkeld Cathedral Art Exhibition

The Dunkeld and Birnam Art and Crafts Fair takes place in The Drill Hall on 7th and 8th November from 10am to 5pm each day. Demonstrations and free admission. Lots of interesting crafts. Old friends and new faces. Perfect gifts for Christmas

Sports, Health and Wellbeing AIMS:

1: To transform the lives of people in the villages and surrounding areas through sport and leisure. 2: To promote the various sports and leisure activities in the Dunkeld & Birnam area. 3: To support the building and maintenance of sports facilities including a sports hall. All sports and leisure clubs are invited to join ‘The Sports Hub.’ Membership is free. Please send details of your club’s activities and events to editor@dunkeldandbirnmamnews.co.uk for inclusion in the hub page of ‘The Bridge.’

Food Share Thanks to the people who share their surplus fruit and vegetables on the tables. It seems to have been a good season for plums, so I hope you’ve all been making plum jam. Now we’re in the Apple season, so please feel free to share those too. As always, we welcome new volunteers to collect from the Coop once a month- contact j.silburn@btinternet.com

Butchers, Explore Chocolate, Garden Café, Love Sweets, Aberfeldy Pet Shop and The Aberfeldy Watermill. The Show was an excellent way for us to promote our group’s work and catch up with local friends and supporters. New volunteers urgently needed. Do get in touch by contacting Helen at: breadalbanerda@gmail.com

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Food Bank If you need help with food, please contact our confidential links- 01350 700018 or email PH8foodbank@gmail.com .

Sit- in & Take-away

We’ve had a fantastic summer season, welcoming both our lovely local customers as well as visitors from around the globe to our cozy wee café. Autumn has arrived to this beautiful part of the highlands, so we’re planning a few tweaks to our menu to include some winter warmers – drop in to check out what’s new!

Dalguise Meditation Group Do you have to be already fit to join a gym? Of course not. And you don’t have to already be calm, focussed and full of lovingkindness to begin to meditate. Quite the reverse, in fact, because those are some of the qualities that a meditation practice can help you to develop. Whether you are completely new to meditation or have an established practice, you are welcome to come to our meetings. These take place on the first and third Tuesdays of every month, from 10.30 to 12.30 in Dalguise Village Hall. October meetings are on Tuesday 6th and 20th. We enjoy sitting and walking meditations, discussions and refreshments. There are no charges, no formalities, and no religious affiliations. If you can’t attend in person, you might be interested in going on our mailing list. Members receive thought-provoking and helpful compilations about meditation and mindful living, in the weeks between live meetings. If you would like to know more about our meetings or about meditation in general, please do contact faithanstey@gmail.com

Hours: Mon to Sat 9:30am – 4:00pm Sun: 10am to 4:00pm

All our dishes and prepared fresh to order. We’re a small, friendly team who really care about what we do, . Pop in to enjoy the relaxed atmosphere, the tunes, the coffee, the food & the craic! • • • • • • • •

Breakfast: Traditional & Workers breakfasts, filled rolls, freshly made pancakes, Dunkeld smoked salmon & more! Lunch: Home-made soups & quiche, filled baguettes & sandwiches, mixed veggie, cheese & meat boards, baked potatoes, stews & kids’ funky lunchboxes. Coffee: We only serve Glen Lyon Coffee to ensure you experience the best in coffee making & tasting. Tea: Loose-leaf tea served in tea-pots & with our beautiful mix of donated Bone China. Real tea, real teacups!! Treats: Delicious selection of cakes/traybakes, cheesecake, apple pie, crumble, scones & pastries…we like to change it up all the time and always try to cater for various dietary requirements Wine: Fantastic collection of wine from around the globe for both off-sales and on-sales….come & enjoy a glass of wine/cheese/nibbles with friends in The Nest, our relaxing sofa & comfy chair zone. Antipasti: Deli counter filled with a range of of cheeses, meats, olives, sundried tomatoes, artichokes. Gifts: A lovely selection of pocket-sized gifts, cards and accessories. Contact us to discuss your catering requirements. Ashleigh makes all the amazing food, bursting with flavour. Jane does what Ashleigh tells her to do….it works really well !

email: hello@feast-catering.com.

Breadalbane & District Riding for the Disabled (SCO47991) It was wonderful to see the children and ponies again as our new term started. They all looked so well after the summer break, with some pupils having grown out of last term’s riding gear! Riders quickly settled back into their saddles with several now able to take control of their pony without a leader or side-walker and more riders are now managing rising trot. Progress indeed! This term, pupils will have the opportunity to be assessed on their knowledge of pony care and anatomy and riding equipment and terminology, all while enjoying their riding and helping look to after the ponies. Volunteers enjoyed two successful days at the Aberfeldy Show in August, where the “nail in a bale” game and our “famous” cake sales raised much needed funds. Our heartfelt thanks to volunteers and local supporters for the prizes, including Pitlochry Hardware, McDonald’s

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Nature and Climate pink on cooking); ‘Russet’ (eater, nutty, reliable, stores well); ‘Winston’ (eater, self-fertile); ‘Laxton’s Superb’ (eater, stores well, biennial); Tydeman’s Late Orange’ (eater, Cox-like, stores well, biennial); ‘Pixie’ (eater, small fruit, crisp and juicy); ‘Fiesta’ (eater, a new variety, developed from the Cox); ‘Blenheim Orange’ (dual-purpose, creamy, nutty); ‘Howgate Wonder’ (cooker, vigorous growth, large, striped fruit, greasy skin).

The Field September was a busy month at the field. We’ve been harvesting our bountiful crops for the very popular Thursday stall at Birnam Arts and to stock the gate on Saturdays. We also had several meetings with volunteers and members to discuss forward planning for cultivation of our plots next year. To reduce our workload as far as weeding is concerned we plan to put half of some plots under a grass ley which will be regularly scythed, mowed or topped by the tractor. Other plots will be covered with a silage tarp to hopefully eliminate couch grass. Our growing area will remain much the same and, if this year is anything to go by, will yield more than enough herbicide/ pesticide-free produce to supply our volunteers, the stalls and food share. By the time you read this our soft fruit and plums will be over, but we look forward to autumn raspberries, apples and pears as well as the main crop, tatties, which will be lifted soon. The BA Thursday stall will end at the beginning of October, but we will continue to stock the gate twice a week with autumn vegetables as they come into season: onion, tatties,cabbage,kale, carrots,parsnip, beetroot, French and runner beans, squash, courgette, and leeks. We welcome visitors and new volunteers every Thursday and Saturday morning. If you arrive later in the morning, you might even enjoy a cup of coffee and a chat with us?

Community Orchard: Apples galore! It can be tricky to work out what to write some months because we can’t be sure when you will be reading this – this month some of you might get this before “Big Apple Day” on 26 September, others will be reading this the following week. Either way we are looking forward to this high point of the orchard calendar and hope that if you are/were able to come along you enjoyed the day. We have been in full swing at this harvest time, bringing in the different varieties of apples according to when they ripen and/or are ready to pick for ripening off the tree. We have been putting apples out on the benches at the roadside for you to take (a share please, not all!) and you are also welcome to pick up “windfalls” as well as pick from any trees with the “pick me” tags on them. Some will keep for quite a few weeks in the right conditions (see tips below), otherwise they can be cooked into purees and frozen, and of course made into delicious cakes, crumbles, pies, chutneys and other tasty treats! As we move into October, among the laterripening apple varieties we have are:- ‘Kidd’s Orange Red’ (eater, a New Zealand variety, similar to Cox); ‘Edward VII’ (cooker, flesh goes

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Once the harvest has been gathered in, things go a bit quieter until it’s time to begin the annual cycle of winter pruning. But let’s not think about winter yet, other than to ask that if you would like to learn more about helping out then we’d love to hear from you. Beginner or expert, all are welcome to join the team, on a one-off basis or more regularly.

Tips for apple storage To store apples, choose a cool, dark place such as a garage or shed which won’t get too cold during the winter. Ideally you want a slightly humid environment, but you must ensure good ventilation – and no mice! The apples should be laid in crates or in shallow wooden trays, making sure they aren’t touching one another and that there is good air movement around and over them. Only store fruit that hasn’t been bruised/damaged and lay it in a single layer. Make sure there are no strong-smelling items such as paint (or onions!) nearby to avoid them picking these up. Check the fruit regularly and use or discard anything that has signs of rot to avoid it spreading. To see what’s happening in the orchard over the year please look for and follow us on social media. You can also email us dunkeldbirnamorchard@gmail.com

Repair Cafe Have you still got things stored away waiting to be mended? Jumper with a hole in? Broken ornament? Lamp with a loose wire? Broken or shooglie leg on a stool or small chair? Anything portable - bring it all to our next café: Monday 5 October from 3pm to 6pm in the Birnam Arts Community Room-- next to the Birnam Library. Our lovely volunteers work for free. The only cost might be for spare parts. Donations also welcome to help with running costs.

Come along and have a tea or a coffee, and we’ll see if we can help. We’ll also pass on repair skills if you want to learn to fix things. Come and see what we do. Future dates are starting again on: Monday 2nd November Monday 7th December Contact for queries: dbrepaircafe@gmail.com

Drink, Chat, Act Part of the growing Climate Café® movement that began in this village over ten years ago, the Climate Café® Dunkeld & Birnam offers a welcoming space to share ideas, news, concerns, practical actions and find out more about local initiatives to tackle the climate emergency – all over a friendly cuppa. The café connects our community with the wider network of Climate Café® spaces springing up across Scotland and beyond, making it easy to learn, connect, and take action together. Join the chat and action in the Community Archive Dunkeld, the first Thursday of every month from 7pm to 9pm. There’s no formal agenda, chat is led by those who come along, it is a place to share information, keep up with events, get support with your ideas and find inspiration. Find out more at www.climate.cafe or follow the conversation online #ClimateCafe #DrinkChatAct

Dalnacardoch: The Beginning of a Restoration Journey Monday 19th October 2026 Join the Pitlochry and Highland Perthshire Branch of the Scottish Wildlife Trust for an evening with Sam Buckland, Restoration Manager at Dalnacardoch, as we explore the beginnings of an ambitious 100-year journey to revive ecosystems across this remarkable Highland landscape. Once part of the 12th-century Forest of Atholl and a former sporting estate, Dalnacardoch is now embarking on a new chapter under the management of the Durrell Wildlife Conservation Trust. The charity has an ambitious vision to reinvigorate the landscape, benefiting biodiversity, climate and local communities along the way. Sam will share how the team is investigating the past, understanding the present and planning for the future – reconnecting woodland, restoring damaged peatlands and monitoring the landscape as it responds to the return of natural processes. With more than a decade of experience in landscape restoration, Sam will offer a fascinating insight into the challenges and opportunities of restoring nature at scale. Date: Monday 19th October 2026 Time: 7.20pm for 7.30pm to 9pm Place: The Tryst, Church of Scotland, Church Road, Pitlochry, PH16 5EB Suggested donation: £3 non-members, £2 members (cash on the day). For more information, contact markandrosie@ btinternet.com. To hear about future events, sign up to the Scottish Wildlife Trust mailing list: https://scottishwildlifetrust.org.uk/sign-up-toour-mailing-list/

Nature and Climate Men’s Shed

Where people and nature thrive Dun Coillich is a community owned landscape regeneration and rural skills training project in Glen Goulandie. Highland Perthshire Communities Land Trust owns and manages the land for the benefit of wildlife and the local community. Project Officer ‘s 10-year anniversary Heather Hamilton, our Project Officer at Dun Coillich, has been in-post for 10 years. Volunteers and trustees gathered on the Tuesday volunteer day 1st September to celebrate this milestone with talk and cake. The appointment of staff, first Heather and later Fred Cochrane, has transformed the operational organisation and achievements at Dun Coillich. The Trust’s founders created a volunteer-led charity, so change was inevitably slow in the early years. Heather has brought impressive personal human and physical skills to engage and inspire volunteers, rural skills trainees and now apprentices. The transformation of Dun Coillich into a wooded landscape is a rejuvenation success story we can all be proud of. As we approach the Trust’s 25th anniversary, the pace of change led by Heather has been remarkable. We all hope that this is only the start. HPCLT wins the PKC Apprentice Employer of the Year Award The Apprentice Awards for Perth and Kinross were developed by Perth and Kinross Council, Skills Development Scotland, Developing the Young Workforce Tay Cities, and UHI Perth to showcase the value of apprenticeships. The event on 3rd September brought together apprentices, employers, mentors and education partners to recognise outstanding achievements and celebrate the positive impact apprenticeships have across Perth and Kinross. HPCLT is delighted to be awarded as Apprentice employer of the year, a fantastic recognition of the work done by our staff, our apprentices and our partners Forestry and Land Scotland, National Trust for Scotland and the Dalchosnie and Kynachan estate. Events We will have a barbecue at Dun Coillich on Saturday 31 October, do come along to find out more about our work, see our emerging woodlands and meet some of the people involved. Get involved! There are many ways to get involved with our small charity’s work: • Visiting – to walk our well-marked network of footpaths and spot wildlife • Membership - costs £20 a year; our members become part of our community. Further details at https://www.duncoillich.org/supportus-2025/. • Business partnership scheme – a way for local businesses to give back to communities and the environment, and to support our work. • Volunteering - every Tuesday we enjoy time outdoors doing something practical. • Become a trustee - to help steer the work of HPCLT among a friendly group of fellow board members. More information Visit our website www.duncoillich.org to find out more about where we are and what we do or follow our Facebook Group (Dun Coillich Community Land) for regular updates.

For the second year running the Dunkeld and Birnam Men’s Shed attended the Birnam Highland Games. Last year we attended with a stall to promote Men’s Shed, to tell everybody what we’re all about and to show how we can help the local community. This year we decided to have a stall to showcase all the items our members have hand-crafted at our HQ on the Birnam Industrial park where we have an ever-growing workshop kitted out for woodwork and metalwork projects. Over the last twelve months we’ve made multiple items such as sgian-dubhs, dirks, squirrel boxes, bird boxes, quaichs, wooden bowls, pens, slate coasters, spurtles, barrel staves, jigsaws. These items were on display at our stall as well as some quality products kindly provided by Rob at Jeremy Law, a great local supporter of Men’s Shed. Like last year, our stall was well attended by the local community as well an international audience with people from all over Europe, North America, even as far afield as Australia and New Zealand. We would like to thank everyone who

came to our stall this year and for their support in purchasing some of our items which ultimately helps to keep the Dunkeld and Birnam Men’s shed running. We look forward to seeing you all again next year. The ‘Shed’ is open every Tuesday from 1pm to 5pm and currently has several community projects on the go. If you would like to participate in these activities, please feel free to stop by to learn new skills, or just to relax with a group of supportive men. The best part is membership is free! Please call Jackie on 07777 696953 for more info or just drop by next week, Unit 5 Birnam Industrial estate. We look forward to seeing you there!

Dunkeld and Birnam in Bloom We spent two Mondays cutting back and edging the Lagmhor borders. The yellow dahlia tubers which were lifted and overwintered again are looking good with the blue agapanthus behind them making a nice welcome for the games and the entrance into both villages. The Birnam team were given sunflower seeds, from one of the volunteer’s son’s wedding, which they each potted, nourished and planted out in the border at the entrance to Torwood walk and in the park. As the picture shows, the heads are fantastic and the stakes have kept them upright. We are getting narcissus bulbs from the council which we will plant out in the pollinator beds at Torwood, St Ninians and the station steps when they arrive in October. We are also going to attempt to beat the rabbits and plant a few

opposite the Niel Gow statue. Unfortunately, the crocus we planted two years ago don’t get a chance to bloom as the heads are taken off them as soon as they appear. I have been reliably informed rabbits don’t like daffodils. Time will tell if that is right. We will also be emptying the tubs and planting spring bulbs throughout both villages so if you can spare the time to help us, we would really appreciate that. We meet on Monday mornings at 10am. Groups can be found in St Ninian’s Garden, Dunkeld and Torwood Park, Birnam. Or give me a call if you would rather do another day and time. At the end of October, we usually see the appearance of an extra “witchy” helper so we will see if she puts in an appearance next month. Moira (07931 758 456)

The Dunkeld and Birnam Community Energy (DBCE) group, along with the Film Society, showed ‘Power Station’ on 30 August at Birnam Arts and it was fantastic. Power Station is a film about ordinary folk who converted their street to green energy using solar panels, through their passion and initiative. It is a heart-warming story about what a community can achieve when folk work together. We were delighted to have around 40 attendees, on a wet Sunday night, and even more so that half of them ‘signed up’ to: keep informed; offer occasional help; attend community engagement events and even a good handful to join the steering group.

January 2027, for 12 months. Meantime we are in discussions with Perth and Kinross Council and other groups like Community Energy Scotland about the wide range of possibilities for green energy and energy saving, including an initiative in Blairgowrie and Rattray, which is taking shape looking at solar and batteries in the council housing stock, and potentially broadening that out for all properties. There is a lot of government funding into community energy initiatives and lots of opportunities which we aim to fully explore and see how the folk of Dunkeld and Birnam can take charge of our energy future locally. If you would like to bring your enthusiasm and participate in some way with this initiative, please email: dbcommunityenergy@gmail.com.

You can stream the film yourself (for a fee) if you are interested and missed the screening – just go to https://power.film We will be appointing a Community Energy Officer to support community engagement and participation and identify what may be possible for our area. The appointee is expected to start in

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Community Noticeboard Dunkeld and Birnam Fire Station Training remains a major part of life at the station, helping our crews maintain the skills and confidence needed to deal with a wide range of emergencies. Recently, crews have been developing their skills in road traffic collision (RTC) rescue. This training involves using powerful hydraulic rescue tools to carefully cut, spread and remove parts of a vehicle. The aim is to create space for firefighters and paramedics to safely access and release casualties. It is a highly skilled operation requiring teamwork, communication and an understanding of vehicle construction and casualty care. Crews also took part in a multi-agency training exercise at Killiecrankie Waterworks, working alongside Scottish Water and firefighters from Pitlochry and Kirkmichael stations. The exercise focused on hazardous materials and decontamination procedures, providing a good opportunity to practise working across agencies and stations in a realistic environment.

This intense, 5 -day course will give him all the knowledge and experience for driving an 18-tonne vehicle under blue light conditions. Congratulations are also in order for Firefighter James Hayes as he passed his Green Phase assessment in July. This is a significant milestone in a firefighter’s career and represents a considerable amount of dedication, learning and practical development over 3 years. We’ll share more about what is involved and the knowledge required to reach this milestone in next month’s newsletter. We are delighted to welcome a new community member who is progressing through the recruitment pathway, with plans for them to begin their firefighter training early next year. If you would like to serve your community, learn new skills and become part of a team, why not get in touch? Contact us through our Facebook page or come along to the station on a Wednesday evening between 7pm and 9pm.

Stay safe!

We would like to congratulate Firefighter Robbie Macdonald on successfully passing his initial HGV driving course. He will now build up his experience driving the fire engine as a normal HGV until his emergency response driving course in February.

Folkie Weekend Invite I organise folkie weekends away from time to time and our next one is in the Royal, Dunkeld. It’s Friday and Saturday 2nd/3rd October. There are usually about 35 of us playing informal sessions from late Friday afternoon through to Saturday night. It would be great if any local musicians of all genres would like to join us, plus of course anyone who would enjoy some free entertainment over these two days. Cheers Kenny Speirs from the Borders.

Absent Friends “To absent friends” is a week-long festival held across Scotland the first week in November in which we are encouraged to get together and celebrate the lives of our loved ones who have died. As part of this festival of events, St Mary’s Birnam is hosting a free event at Birnam Arts on Tuesday 3rd November from 10am to 12noon. This is a drop-in session open to all in our communities, of all ages, and is not faith-based. Tea and coffee will be available, as we remember our loved ones in conversation, by creating a picture or poem and/or by writing them a letter – a thank you, a love letter, an apology…whatever feels right to you. This is an opportunity to come together and remember both people and our much-loved companion animals. There will also be a free drop-in session at the Duchess Anne in Dunkeld on planning your funeral/ celebration of life event on Thursday 5th from 10am to 12noon, with a cup of tea and a biscuit on offer. This is also open to the whole community. The Rector of St Mary’s, Revd Tina, will be offering a service in the church on All Saints Sunday, 1 November at 3pm to remember loved ones with music, readings and prayers with the opportunity to light a candle and bring a flower to create a colourful display of all remembered. For more information, please contact Revd Tina on 01350 728091.

Atholl Gallery & Giſts Begins an Exciting New Chapter Atholl Gallery & Gifts is delighted to begin a new chapter while celebrating more than 20 years of dedication and passion from Marc Dirollo. Thanks to Marc’s vision, the gallery has become a

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Community Noticeboard much-loved place in Perthshire, offering beautiful art, handcrafted gifts and a warm welcome to everyone who visits. As the gallery moves forward, the new owners are committed to keeping everything people love about Atholl Gallery while bringing in fresh ideas and a new look. The gallery will continue to support local artists and makers, with updated displays and new events that help bring the community together. “We are delighted to continue Marc’s work,” said

Don and the team. “Everything he created is at the heart of the gallery. We want to build on that, keeping the same friendly atmosphere while adding new ideas and giving the gallery a fresh new feel.” Atholl Gallery & Gifts will remain a placewhere people can browse, be inspired and findsomething special. This is not about changing what makes the gallery unique—it’s about building on its success for the future. We look forward to welcoming both loyal

customers and new visitors as we begin this exciting new chapter. Thank you to everyone local and beyond for your continued support. Donald Coltart and the Atholl Gallery & Gifts Team

DAVE MACDOUGALL would like to say ‘Thank You’ to all who sent me Good Wishes on my 90th Birthday.

Community Developments

TIME TO CARE? “People like me would never make a good care worker” “Care work? It’s just not my thing” “I don’t have the skills”

Heartland Cares is looking for people exactly like you Heartland Cares is the not-for-profit company recently started by the Dunkeld and Birnam community to help local people get the right care at home. We’re here for people when things get more difficult around the home, helping to make everyday lives that bit easier so people can stay living well in their own homes. To make our community-centred model work well, we’re looking for people who live in and around Dunkeld and Birnam to be our workforce. With the right people in our carer team, we can make a difference. We’re offering paid roles with hours and client locations to suit you, a competitive package including pension and annual leave and the support of a locally based team. We’ll sort the paperwork and the training while you focus on making people’s everyday lives that bit easier. We’d like to talk to you, if - You are a people person - You can fit a few hours of paid work into your week - You want to make a contribution and join a positive local team - You are happy to learn some new skills If you think care work is not for people like you, please think again and get in touch to find out more about being part of our team. Eilidh Wild Dunkeld and Birnam Local Care Connector Tel. 07432569447 eilidh@heartlandcares.org www.heartlandcares.com

Care and support Designed and delivered with your community For your community

Dunkeld & Birnam Friends of Asheville NC 2026 AGM The 2026 AGM of the D and B Friends of Asheville NC will be held on Tuesday 6th October at 730pm at the Chanonry, Cathedral St. Among other things we’ll be talking about plans for celebrating the 10th anniversary of our twinning with Asheville in September 2027 and finalising roadside twinning signage. All welcome!

Dunkeld and Birnam & District Community Development Trust Two Job Opportunities - The Trust is currently recruiting for both a Development Officer and a Community Energy Officer. For details, see our website https://www.dbdtrust.org/news Housing - Fraser Livingstone Architects have completed their information gathering and the Birnam Park Feasibility Study is in final preparation. The Trust aim to have the document published in November. Artisan Village - We want to hear from local creatives - what do you think of the proposals, would you be interested in using the space, and what would your priorities for it be? Have your say at https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/NYKX2P5 The Trust is pleased to have been able to assist the Birnam Book Festival, Lego Club and Dunkeld Dance Society. Our Annual General Meeting - we will be shortly posting a date in November for our AGM.

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The Birnam Arts Centre North Car Park Toilets Dunkeld Brodies Sawmill Inver The Community Telephone Box, Butterstone The Community Telephone Box, Willowbank,Birnam Amulree Village Hall Caputh Village Hall Dalguise Village Hall BASC office Trochry Auchnacloich Farm, Amulree Dunkeld and Birnam Golf Club Office Wall, Erigmore Holiday Park Davidson’s Chemist Dunkeld Inver Caravan Park Sports and Recreation Hub All these defibrillators are located externally and give 24 access Contact shoetrees@btinternet.com

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Learning and Community History Culture Perth and Kinross Libraries Bookbug sessions - every Thursday from 10:30am to 11am. Come and join us for a session of songs, stories, and rhymes for under-5s. Prebooking for each session is essential. Please get in touch with the library to book a spot. Books on Wheels - For individuals who cannot get out and about to visit the library, this includes books in large print and audio formats. For further information, please get in touch with the library. Bin Straps - Are you having issues with your grey-lidded bin toppling over in high winds and spilling its contents? Why not collect a bin strap for your grey lidded bin at any Culture Perth & Kinross library? Stock is limited; only one bin strap per grey bin. Dog Friendly Fridays and Saturdays – Did you know you can bring your (well-behaved) fourlegged friends into Birnam Library on Fridays and Saturdays? Recycling – Looking to recycle your used batteries or stamps? Birnam Library accepts used stamps and batteries for recycling. Maximum borrowing limit - Did you know that the maximum number of items you can now borrow on your Culture Perth & Kinross library card at any one time is 12? E-resources - Culture Perth and Kinross Libraries offer online library services available 24/7 via the library website at www.culturepk.org.uk/libraries or by downloading the library app. Services include browsing the catalogue, online joining, requesting and renewing items. A selection of e-resources is also available, including e-books, e-audiobooks, e-magazines, e-news and e-reference resources, including trove.scot, Theory Test PRO and Ancestry.

Regular Opening Hours: Sunday to Wednesday: Closed Thursday: 5pm to 7pm Friday: 12pm to 5pm Saturday: 9.30am to 12pm Birnam Library, Station Road, Birnam Dunkeld PH80DS Contact: 01738459709 birnamlibrary@culturepk.org.uk

Birnam Bridge Club – New Members Welcome! Birnam Bridge Club meets every Wednesday from 1:15pm to 4pm at Birnam Arts. We usually play around 20 boards of duplicate bridge. There’s always lots of chat as well as bridge! Members come from Birnam, Dunkeld, Murthly, Blairgowrie and Pitlochry and car sharing is often possible. We have a WhatsApp group which enables members to find partners and lets us know how many people will be playing. Tea, coffee and biscuits are included in the £5 charge for each session. If you are interested in joining us, please call Erica Robb (07958 136215) or Gerald Johnson (07817 421561). We’re happy to provide lessons for beginners or polishing up for those who are a bit rusty.

12 The Cross, Dunkeld, PH8 0AN. www.historicdunkeld.org.uk manager@historicdunkeld.org.uk

01350 727786

OPENING HOURS Monday to Friday 10am to 3pm

PUBLIC CONSULTATION FOR OUR REDEVELOPMENT

Please join us on Wednesday 14 October in the Duchess Anne at 7pm to learn what progress we’ve made towards a Heritage Centre where Dunkeld and Birnam’s remarkable story can be told. Please join us for drinks, nibbles and discussion on the way ahead.

COMING SOON …. DUNKELD ESCAPE ROOM

Thanks to funding from Museum Galleries Scotland, we hope to launch our exciting new Escape Room in the Archive soon. Watch this space!

ADULT ARCHAEOLOGY & HISTORY CLUB DATES FOR YOUR DIARIES Monthly on a Wednesday in the Perth Arms (upstairs – grab a drink and come on up) from 7:30pm until 9:30pm. We’re now entering our winter talks season. Members discussions including Souterrains, Chapels, Witches of Atholl and the Auld Alliance, to name a few.

**** COMPETITION TIME ****

We need to raise £450 to pay for the Radiocarbon dating of a sample of charcoal found during our excavation at St Jerome’s Chapel. Tickets cost £5 and are available in the Archive. Prize – A voucher for £50 for dinner in the Perth Arms (very kindly donated by Karen and Ewan at the pub – so a huge thank you to them!) All you have to do is try and guess the age of the charcoal sample

YOUNG ARCHAEOLOGIST CLUB

Fortnightly on a Thursday in the Community Archive, 3:30pm to 5pm in the Archive for children age 8 – 16. Next meeting - Thursday 8 October.

SUPPORT US BY BECOMING A MEMBER + ADULT ARCHAEOLOGY/HISTORY CLUB By becoming a member of Historic Dunkeld you can help support our developing museum. We also have an annual get-together. You can choose to just be a supporter, or you can sign up for our archaeology and history club (local community only) where you will gain access to all our talks, skills workshops and fieldwork, and get half-price tickets to most of our events. For further details contact manager@historicdunkeld.org.uk

MONDAY MEMORIES CLUB Monday in the Archive from 3pm to 4:30pm in the Archive. Reminisce over tea/coffee & biscuits. If you need transport please get in touch as we have a taxi available. Newsletter To keep up with all our news and what’s on in Historic Dunkeld, sign up for our free monthly newsletter. Sign up at www.historicdunkeld.org.uk

Birnam & Dunkeld WI October 20th Meeting An Evening with the Scottish Air Ambulance The Birnam and Dunkeld Women’s Institute are delighted to welcome the Scottish Air Ambulance for a special talk on Tuesday 20 October at 7.30pm, at the Duchess Anne. All ladies are warmly welcome to join us for what promises to be a fascinating and informative evening. Admission: £5 for non-members. There will also be a raffle (£1 per strip), and

all money raised through the raffle and guest admission fees will be donated to the Scottish Air Ambulance Charity.

OCTOBER COMPETITIONS “Take” – Any item of interest beginning with the letter U “Make” – An autumn scene photograph

Come along, bring a friend, support a wonderful charity and enjoy an evening with Birnam & Dunkeld WI!

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Rivendell provides high quality care and support for you and your elderly relative. Based in Birnam and Dunkeld our homely environment providesD o a safe y o u :and fun community spirit. OurL i vtrained e o r w o rstaff k in a str provide care and support e n vfor i r o nall m e your nt? needs 24 hours a day, we F e e lare o v ealways rwhelmed, e there. or unsatisfied with W a n t tcontact, o be proactiv So, if you are looking for social s u p p o r ting your wel a safe and supportive environment, support with health or medical needs then contact us. Our mission is to provide a home for life, so come and live life with us. Please phone 01350 727413 and speak to Gina or email: manager@rivendellcarehome.co.uk.com for more information.

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Colin and Lizzy offer a caring and professional 24 hour service from custom built premises at Inver, Dunkeld. You can visit loved ones in privacy at our small chapel of rest beside the River Braan. For a personal service tailored to your requirements please contact us. Colin Gerrie Mobile: 07836 343967 Telephone: 01350 727364 Email: wkgerrie.inver@gmail.com www.dunkeldfuneraldirectors.co.uk

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Birnam Library Opening hours: Thursday: 5pm – 7pm Friday: 12pm – 5pm Saturday: 9.30am – 12pm Birnam Library is situated in the Birnam Arts Centre, Station Road, Birnam, PH8 0DS Tel : 01738 459709

Birnam Library is run by Culture Perth and Kinross a charitable trust bringing art, culture, books, learning, creative communities and local history and heritage to people across the whole of Perth and Kinross. https://www.culturepk.org.uk/

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Notes from a Councillor Although this Council term finishes in early May next year (2027), there are many important and possibly long-reaching decisions to be made in the next few months. On this Wednesday, 23 September there will be a special Council meeting which has been called to discuss the Scottish Government’s proposals on public service reform and the implications that these may have for Perth and Kinross. Personally I believe that while there is some scope for local authorities working more closely together, I don’t think a return to the regional format that was disbanded in 1997 would be a positive step for Perth and Kinross. We are a large authority in terms of land mass and to take decision making further away from local people would not be optimal for those decisions to be made in a positive way. Dundee city council is a totally different beast from Perth and Kinross and I can’t imagine P & K residents wishing their decision making HQ being in Dundee City and likewise Dundee residents are unlikely to welcome an HQ in Perth. Later in the year a decision will be made on the introduction or not of a Visitor Levy to be implemented. I would ask that people do some research on the subject and take part in the consultation which is ongoing. The future of our Leisure offer is still a hot topic for discussion as is the future of retail in our City and towns and there will continue to be initiatives brought forward in regard to these topics. Locally in Dunkeld, parking issues and the formation of a local resilience plan are important pieces of work which are ongoing, along with the latest planning application at Newtyle Quarry. Hopefully this nice Autumnal weather continues….until March 2027 would be acceptable. Cllr Grant Laing - GLaing@pkc.gov.uk

News from our Community Council Dunkeld & Birnam Community Resilience and Emergency Response Plan - have your say

Followed by an opportunity to provide input and share local knowledge. We’d love to hear about local groups, skills, equipment and resources that could support our community in an emergency. Thursday 8 October Further opportunity to shape the plan, speak to and join the Community Resilience Group. Café and bar open both evenings. The draft plan is found on the Dunkeld and Birnam Community Council web page at https:// dunkeldandbirnamcc. co.uk/

We’re inviting the community to come along to Birnam Institute on Wednesday 7th and Thursday 8th October 7-8.30pm to help inform our Community Resilience and Emergency Response Plan. Wednesday 7 October Short presentations from: • Dunkeld & Birnam Community Council • Perth & Kinross Council Resilience Team • Dunkeld & Birnam Energy Group

Plan will be activated by the Community Resilience Group in response to an extreme weather event or similar. A new Climate Ready Tayside Handbook, “Staying Safe and Preparing Your Home for Extreme Weather” will be delivered with your November Bridge and will provide advice on how individuals and households can prepare for climate-related risks. Dunkeld and Birnam will be the first town in Tayside to receive this! We will also provide helpful information across our Facebook page and Website.

How we got here.... Our local Community Resilience Group formed in February to review the existing plan. Using other examples and templates recommended by the Scottish Government, with input from PKC Resilience Team, Scottish Fire and Rescue, NHS Tayside and Adaptation Scotland, we then researched locally and developed this draft. Now we need the wider community to help shape it. This Emergency Response

JOHN SWINNEY, MSP for PERTHSHIRE NORTH can be contacted at:

OFFICE 6, 18 HIGH STREET, BLAIRGOWRIE, PH10 6ET

COUNCILLOR GRANT LAING

MURDO FRASER MSP

Member of the Scottish Parliament for Mid Scotland & Fife Region FOR HELP & ADVICE Details of regular surgeries in the local Press You can contact Murdo on 01738 553676 or write to him at The Scottish Parliament, Edinburgh EH99 1SP Email: murdo.fraser.msp@parliament.scot The cost of this publication has been met from parliamentary resources

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(Independent) 01738 475000 or 07881 500501 Email: GLaing@pkc.gov.uk

COUNCILLOR IAN JAMES (Conservative) 01738 475000 Email: IJames@pkc.gov.uk

COUNCILLOR CLAIRE MCLAREN (Scottish Liberal Democrats) 01738 475000 Email: ClaireMcLaren@pkc.gov.uk

Tel: 01250 876576

SCOTTISH PARLIAMENT, EDINBURGH EH99 1SP Tel: 0131 348 5717

e-mail: john.swinney.msp@parliament.scot

October ‘Stick on the Fridge’ Local Organisations - Contact Details

Listing for local voluntary organisations are free however The Bridge welcomes donations to cover the cost of these listings. Please send donations to Kirsty Gowans adverts@dunkeldandbirnamnews.co.uk Many thanks. Please contact the editor with amendments/additions.

Phone 01350+ Organisations - General 3 Churches Charity Shop Alcoholics Anonymous (Helpline) Chapter House Museum (in Dunkeld Cathedral, open 7 days) D&B Paths and Nature Action Group DBDCDT Dunkeld Birnam District Community Development Trust Dunkeld & Birnam Community Orchard Dunkeld & Birnam Historical Society Dunkeld & Birnam in Bloom Dunkeld & Birnam Men’s Shed Dunkeld Masonic Lodge Dunkeld Community Archive (Mon – Fri, 10am – 3pm) Food Share Friends of the Cathedral Gardening and Growing Club (Horti) National Trust for Scotland Royal British Legion Repair Café RVS (Supporting You At Home and Home Library Service) SWRI

07751 593421 Anne Graham 0800 917 7650 727786 Ruth Brown archive@historicdunkeld.org.uk stewartpritchard@aol.com 07864 232116 www.dbdtrust.org/ 727048 Katharine Melville dunkeldbirnamorchard@gmail.com 07584 434253 Dave Roberts daveroberts132@btinternet.com 07931 758456 Moira Forbes Forbes50@hotmail.co.uk 07777 696953 Jackie MacLean dbmensshed@outlook.com 724232 Tom Gordon secyonefour@gmail.com 727786 Ruth Brown archive@historicdunkeld.org.uk 07881 813835 Jan Silburn j.silburn@btinternet.com 728697 John Gray friends@dunkkeldcathedral.org 07740 982465 Andrea Cox acox325@gmail.com 07548 757060 Karen Clark kclark@nts.org.uk 728811 Kevin Forsyth Kevforsyth@hotmail.com 07788746127 Liz Duguid dbrepaircafe@googlemail.com 01738 633975 Geoff Bird perthsupportingyou@royalvoluntaryservice.org.uk

SWRI Amulree The Field The Meeting Place (Fri, DA) Tourist Association

Community Learning & Development PKC CLD Staff U3A

Sport

723203 / 07783 618535 Jane Gordon cjsgordon7@gmail.com 723203 Jane Anderson 07584 434253 Dave Roberts dblandtrust@btinternet.com 07474 183042 Margaret Scott 723297 Adrian Blundell

01738 459701 Cat Gordon/Alison May/ Robin Crawford Enquiries: cld@pkc.gov.uk https://bit.ly/PKCCLD 07714 103309 Sandra Cairncross smcairnx@hotmail.com

Butterstone Hill & Trail Group

07761 673231 Adrian Davis wildoutdoorscotland@gmail.com 727911 / 07786 073686 Arthur Robert Hewines bobhewines@hotmail.com Dunkeld & Birnam Angling Association secretary@dbaa.co.uk Billy Davidson Dunkeld & Birnam Bowling Club 07977 911068 Gael Shaw Gaelshaw@btinternet.com Dunkeld & Birnam Golf Club 01350 727524 Rhona Pollok (Visitors Welcome) dunkeldgolf@outlook.com Dunkeld & Birnam Sports 07970 778525 Sally Robertson Leisure Hub dbsportsleisurehub@gmail.com Dunkeld & Birnam Tennis Club 07731 631563 Morna Mitchell mornaamitchell59@gmail.com Glendelvine/Spittalfield Cricket Club (all ages) 07816 982140 Andrew Ross Grass Track & Field Group 07736 724113 James Jarvis Highland Perthshire Clay Shooting Club 07821940252 Ted Carr tedcarr@waitrose.com Leisure Group (Sports Hall Project) 727361 Alasdair Wylie awylie2002@yahoo.co.uk Over 35’s Rugby 07738 006738 Iain Gordon iainhg@aol.com Running Club (8 – 12 year old,) 07761 673231 Adrian Davis (Mondays at 3.30pm) wildoutdoorscotland@gmail.com Swimming & Alexander Technique 07778 778007 Jan Osband jmosband@gmail.com Tai Chi 07551 029076 John Connelly dachutaichi@gmail.com Tayside Orienteers 727048 Bill Melville Bill.b.melville@btinternet.com Yoga 07858 817915 Sue Atkinson atkinsue93@yahoo.co.uk

Clan Bowmen (Field Archery)

Music & Arts BIPS

07872 505516 Melanie Brockway mbroc02@hotmail.com 727674 Manager admin@birnamarts.com arts@birnamarts.com Birnam Arts Ballet (Mon – Thurs, Emma Gray age 4 upwards & adults) ballet@birnamarts.com Cathedral Tower Bell Ringers 742218 Iona Connor lowesfarm@hotmail.com Dunkeld and District Strathspey & Reel Society 07740 664052 Theresa MacVarish Clark secretary@dunkeldstrathspeyandreel.org Film Society 727740 Tom Barnard tom_barnard@btinternet.com Just Singin’, 7.30pm Weds (BA) 07765 405203 Katie Dalgliesh www.justsingin.co.uk Traditional Youth Music Group 07958 324 766 Karys and Gill dbtradgroup@gmail.com and Facebook Birnam Arts

Annual Events

Art Exhibition Arts & Crafts Fair (Apr, Aug & Nov) Christian Aid Week Highland Games (August) Niel Gow Festival (weekend closest to 22 March)

For Children

Baby & Toddler Group Caputh Baby & Toddler Group (Tues, 9.30 – 11.30am) Nursery at Royal School of Dunkeld Sunday School – Church of Scotland

dunkeldart@aol.com Margaret Scott 727968 / 07743 400938 Na’an Meikleour poppyseednaan@yahoo.com 727867 Jim McCafferty 07880 588433 Duncan Sim duncan_sim@hotmail.com 07766 406313 Liam Manion LManion41@gmail.com 07546 128902 07722 183546

Lesley Singers Catherine Thomson

01738 454470 727249

Royal School of Dunkeld Fraser Penny

Local Organisations - Continued

For Younger People

Girlguiding Dunkeld (Rainbows, 07770 324173 Trix Stephen Brownies, Guides, Rangers) (District Commissioner) The Black Watch Army Cadets 07429 113439 2nd Lt Craig Ross 1989ros@armymail.mod.uk 727249 Fraser Penny Youth Group (for P7s & 1st years, Thurs 7 – 8.30pm)

For Older People

Caledonia HA and Willowbank House Senior Citizens

Hall Bookings

Amulree Village Hall Birnam Arts Caputh Hall Chanonry Dalguise Village Hall Duchess Anne

Health Community & Services

07595 651446 Joanne Lawrie joanne.lawrie@caledoniaha.co.uk 727311 Ronalda Pattullo 07749 914906 Isabel Brady northamulree@btinternet.com 727674 Manager 07832 235607 Lorna Lyle 07808 703641 Jill McCrory chanonrydunkeld@gmail.com 07746 392268 Anne Cameron annedunkeld@gmail.com 07808 703641 Jill McCrory office@dunkeldcathedral.org

Birnam Library (Thu 5 – 7pm, Fri 01738 459709 Margaret Quigley birnamlibrary@culturepk.org.uk 12 – 5pm, Sat 9.30am – 12 noon) Chemist (Dunkeld) 727210 Davidsons Chemist 01738 494610 Asda, Dunkeld Rd, (on Sunday) Perth Doctors 727269 Craigvinean Surgery Lachlan MacEwan Dunkeld & Birnam Community Council admin@dunkeldandbirnamcc.co.uk Infinity Blu Dental Care(Birnam & Pitlochry) 729198 / 01796 470001 PKC Environmental Services 01738 476476 01738 475000 PKC Roads Dept 01738 475121 3/5 High St, Perth Registrar perth-registrars@pkc.gov.uk Tayside Police (non-emergency) 101

Dates for your Diary BA = Birnam Arts Centre, DA = Duchess Anne Hall, The Cross, Dunkeld Oct Climate Café 7-9pm Community Archive Dunkeld at 12 The Cross 1 The Field Thursday mornings from 9am 1 Youth Group - Thursdayd 7pm to 8:30 Duchess Anne 1 The Meeting Place- Friday mornings 10am to 12pm The Duchess Anne 2 Ashtanga Yoga- Fridays 6pm to 7:30pm Birnam Arts 2 Ronald Forbes Artist Talk Friday 6pm to 7:30pm Birnam Arts 2 The Field - Saturdays from 9am 3 Musical Memories of Martyn Bennett, Saturday 8pm to 10pm Birnam Arts 3 Monday Running Group 6:15 Highland Games Park 5 5 Monday Memories Club 3 to 4:30pm at Community Archive Dunkeld Birnam in Bloom-every Monday at 10am.St Ninians or Torwood Park 5 Repair Café Monday 3pm to 6pm Birnam Arts Community Reading Room 5 Bridge Club -Wednesdays 1pm to 4:15 Birnam Arts Community Reading Room 7 Men’s Shed-Tuesdays 1pm to 5pm Unit 5,Station Rd. Birnam 6 AGM of Friends of Asheville NC Tuesday 7:30pm The Chanonry 6 7 & 8 Open Meeting Community Resilience Planning Wed and Thurs 8:30pm Birnam Arts 8 Shooglenifty Thursday 8pm to 10pm Birnam Arts Auditorium 11 Film Society presents I Swear, 7:30pm Kinnaird Auditorium, Birnam Arts 12 Community Council Meeting Monday 7pm to 9pm Birnam Arts 14 Historic Dunkeld Public Consultation Meeting Wednesday 7pm Duchess Anne 15 Iona Lane Thursday 8pm to 10pm Birnam Arts Auditorium 17 The Bubblyjock Collective:Quines Saturday 8pm to 11pm Birnam Arts 20 WI- Scottish Air Ambulance talk Tuesday at 7.30pm, Duchess Anne 21 Rich Hall Chin Music Comedy Wednesday 8pm to 10pm Birnam Arts 22 A9 Community Group Thursday 7:30pm The Guide Hall 23-25 Birnam Book Festival at Birnam Arts| birnambookfestival.co.uk 26 Community Council Meeting & AGM 7-9pm venue TBA dunkeldandbirnamcc.co.uk 29 Heidi Talbot Thursday 8pm to 10pm Birnam Arts 31 Big Community Chat Drop-in from 11am Birnam institute and Guide Hall Nov 2 Repair Café Monday 3pm to 6pm Birnam Arts Reading Room To Absent Friends drop-in Tuesday 10am to 12noon, Birnam Arts 3 5 Climate Café 7-9pm Community Archive Dunkeld at 12 The Cross 7 & 8 Dunkeld and Birnam Art and Crafts Fair 10am to 5pm The Drill Hall 8 Film Society presents On Falling, 7:30pm Kinnaird Auditorium, Birnam Arts 18 Gardening & Growing Club Wreath making 7pm at the Guide Hall. 30 Community Council Meeting 7-9pm venue TBA dunkeldandbirnamcc.co.uk

For more information on groups that meet weekly and for dates further and for all contact information see www.dunkeldandbirnamnews.co.uk If you notice an inaccurate entry or that contact information needs updating please contact the editor on editor@dunkeldandbirnamnews.co.uk Thank you.

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