Saturday 31st August 2019

Gatehouse Horticultural Society held its annual show on Saturday 31st August. It was held, as usual in the Community Centre and proved to be a very successful day, which was surprising after the wild weather the previous two days. It was great to see more new residents entering the many different classes available to them (some even winning prizes), along with the usual exhibitors who come along and make a great effort every year. The show seems to be a great opportunity for all ages to catch up with folk they haven’t seen for a while, and to have a chat and laugh while walking around and admiring the many exhibits on display.

Dumfries and Galloway Doors Open day this year will be held over the weekend of 7 and 8 September.

The Mill on the Fleet is planning to hold a Community Pop-up Museum over the weekend.  The sort of items that the Mill is hoping to display include Gala week programmes, photographs of local people and places, Gatehouse of Fleet souvenirs and memorabilia, and tools and household equipment from the last 230 years.  Does anyone have a pair of Gatehouse clogs or any items relating to old Gatehouse of Fleet industries and trades?  Any items lent for the weekend will be safely looked after and returned. 

Robin Alderslowe went to London last month to receive his Cycling UK Outstanding Young Achiever award from Jenny Graham, the Scottish round-the-world cycling record-holder.  He received his award for encouraging people in our community to get on their bikes.

The Community Council was pleased that more people completed the recent questionnaire about the town than did the last time one was presented for comments, a few years ago. Many of the answers reflect the topics that the Council has been pursuing regularly – the state of the garage site being the most mentioned. The Survey Report is now available in the Gatehouse Store, the Spar and the Library for anyone to read and to discover how hard the Council has been working on your behalf.

Number 1 High Street officially opened on the 4th of May, after 6 weeks of hard graft, providing a new home for TGB Gatehouse.  TGB was formed and is supported by the Community Church for the benefit of our community and our move was made possible through a three-year grant by the National Lottery’s “Young Start” programme.  This is funded from dormant bank accounts, a fact not lost on us as we took over dormant bank premises!

Since the first Men’s Shed was set up in 1996, the concept and interest in them has grown remarkably, particularly in the last few years. Since the opening of the initial shed in Barrhead in East Renfrewshire, there are now 78 in operation and 47 in development.  Men’s Sheds are similar to garden sheds – a place to pursue practical interests at leisure, to practise skills and enjoy making and mending. 

The residents of Riverbank in Gatehouse are currently fundraising for a new play park for the young people as the current installation is over 25 years old and no longer fit for purpose.  The Dumfries and Galloway Council are no longer able to provide new play parks and it is up to the residents to fundraise, to design, and to procure their own playpark.  So far the intitial research has been carried out into what is needed, possible suppliers contacted and tenders received from the preferred suppliers.  A supplier has now been chosen and a range of equipment selected which the children would like to see in their new park.