Editorial
Christmas is coming,
The geese are getting fat.
Please put a penny in the old man's hat...
or, failing that, save it for 50+ fundraising, and find out why on Page 8.
Quite a lot has been happening this quarter. For example, read all about our new choir on Page 2. They have certainly hit the ground running. Their photo already graces the poster for Ageing Well’s Home Care Network and M & Co.'s in-house magazine - and all that on the strength of one outing. So we look forward to them performing at our Christmas party on December 19th.
The Focus on Retirement Course is now underway under the expert guidance of Anne Clark. In an effort to spread ourselves around the County, we have based this one in Whitburn Community Centre, and that seems to be working well. We have a great deal to offer the newly retired, not least because we run the one and only retirement course in the area!
Then there are the new groups: Genealogy and Paper Craft; both are doing well, and, indeed there is already a waiting list for Genealogy. Waiting lists are a constant problem, as Bill points out on Page 3, so, if there is anyone out there with any skill whatsoever, please come along and volunteer to take a group. No need to be an expert, enthusiasm is all that is required.
And talking about skills, recently the Council informed us of a potential informal twinning with a town in France, so it would be serendipitous if there's a retired French teacher out there just looking for a wee job to fill in time. We, like the boy scouts, like to be prepared.
And prepared we were at our St. Andrew's Night dinner at the Kaim Park on the 20th November which proved to be a great success. It is always a pleasure to have a reason to get dressed up and go out for a nice dinner in good company with good entertainment.
Then, as you'll note from Page 7, Colin Christie's 10 week art courses are drawing to a close. These have been really successful, and Colin is offering to repeat the exercise for newcomers in January, and to offer a follow-up course for the "old hands". Have a look at the paintings on display, I'm sure this will encourage more people to have a go.
You may remember when Margaret Hardy spoke at our September meeting, she pointed out that the Regal is a precious resource for Bathgate, but that "if we don't use it we'll lose it". Well, we have been putting our heads together to think up ways of using it more. She suggested a Film Matinee Club. and. as you'll see from Page 5, we've got it up and running with the help of an Arts Grant from West Lothian Council. We intend to begin with "It's a Wonderful Life" - a feel good film for Christmas. So come along early, buy yourself a wee glass of wine or a coffee and enjoy your hot mince pie before the show. It only costs £3, and, if successful, will herald a long and successful partnership with the Regal Film Club. The next two matinees will be on 2nd January and 6th February and you have to choose the films. So far the only suggestions are: The Court Jester with Danny Kaye and the Benny Goodman story, so, if we don't hear from you that's what it will be. My own favourite is "The Bells of St. Mary's" with Bing Crosby and Barry Fitzgerald - do you remember it?
Now from the old to the new. The Committee have decided that we have to join the 21st century and organise ourselves a website. To this end Joie and Judith are putting the hours in constructing it. So, very soon, you'll be able to look us up, find out what we're doing and even look into our picture gallery and find yourself on a walk, in a karaoke or wearing a funny hat at the Easter Fair. While we hope to improve our communication with this website, we also wonder how many more members we can cope with; as of now we have 329 members. Watch this space.