Defibrillators Residents' Summer Picnic
Residents’ Summer Picnic, Saturday 26 August, 12 noon to 4pm, at the Community Woodland event space in Carron Valley.
THE TIME IS GETTING CLOSER and the organising group is trawling the area for exhibitors and speakers who might be of interest to you, including: Green Wood Working, Child and Parent Woodland challenge, Retrofitting Houses, Local Musicians, Honey Tasting and several old favourites. This time round there will be opportunities to buy stuff including: – charcoal, local fruit and veg, marmalade, jams and chutneys to name but a few. Some exhibitors will be selling items with other items being ‘on sale’ for a donation to Strathcarron Hospice.
This year’s autumn social event replaces previous Open Days and will be held at our Community Woodland event space in Carron Valley, so don’t be turning up at Craigend Farm. Willie and Evelyn will be at Carron Valley!
It will be a busy day in the area with other local events on at the Fort and in the forest. Parking for our event has been reserved to the right in the FLS car park, although those needing closer access can be accommodated nearer to the entrance. More information on this nearer the time. In the meantime put the date in your diaries and we’ll see you all there.
2022 Open Day Returns in Grand style
After an absence of two years the Community Open Day returned to Craigend Farm in grand form on the 27th of August with ‘Growing Our Own’ as the theme. The sun shone and everyone attending arrived intent on enjoying themselves to the full. The feed-back was very positive. Up to 250 people attended – a record number – and it was encouraging to see so many children and so many new faces Several people including both new and existing residents were there for the first time. There were also 60 or so visitors and relatives from elsewhere. An anonymous count of addresses for the raffle and using Buckieburn and upper valley as ‘uppies’ and Stirling side as ‘doonies’ showed the latter outnumbered the former by a bit but both were well represented. There were more representatives from the farming community than ever before.
There was a large number of stalls, a free BBQ which was in heavy demand, music, and activities for children. Carron Valley Growers had a magnificent display of home grown fruit and vegetables, local producers were well represented, and advice was available on planting and growing. Donations were received from Graham’s Dairies and Stirling Mushrooms. Woolly articles from Craigend fleece were on display. There was mosaic making and willow weaving, spinning demonstrations and a display of e-bikes. Home Energy Scotland were on hand to give advice on energy efficiency and the impending crisis. Sheila Laidlaw’s archive of local history was a popular draw especially for new arrivals to the Community. Falck energy had a stall regarding further wind farm development.
This was the final time the event will be held at Craigend Farm. A huge debt of gratitude is owed to the hosts Willie and Evelyn Crawford who have done so much over the years at Craigend to make the event such a roaring success. The Open Day will go on form strength to strength in a new venue next year but the Crawford’s have left a great legacy to the Community.
