Latest news from Newtonhill

First Queen's Awards for Newtonhill Girls' brigade
After two years of hard work, dedication and commitment, ending with the final interviews in Glasgow, both Rachael Crockett and Rachel Conkey have been awarded the Queens Award — a first for Newtonhill. Their award ceremony took place early in May in Hamilton.

Everyone can relax now it's all over!

BB Chess champions (again!)
Congratulations go again to our outstanding BB Chess team who have successfully defended the Scottish Trophy for the sixth time in seven years and the National Trophy for the 3rd year in a row (they have won it a total of four times).

We achieved this, despite having to travel for all but one round of the Scottish competition. Their travels took them south to Newport, north to Buckie, before a home tie against Kirkintulloch. Next we had to head to Edinburgh before finally going to Drymen, where the Scottish and National Finals took place.

The final itself had a familiar look about it: we had met both 32nd Nottingham (the English champions) and 1st Knocknamuckly (the Irish champions) in previous finals. After a slightly nervy start, our boys triumphed in the semi-final against 32nd Nottingham to meet the Irish champions in the final. The fourth side in the finals were from the hosting battalion, 3rd Kilsyth.

After winning the National Final, we played 3rd Kilsyth for the Scottish Title. After the competition, all of the teams joined with local councillors at a Civic Reception hosted by Provost Tom Curley, Provost of North Lanarkshire in Colzium House, Kilsyth.

Early Easter
This year Easter was very early. In fact, the earliest possible date for Easter is just one day earlier, and Easter won't fall on that date for more than a hundred years. So this was about as wintery as Easter can get, with the odd flurry of snow and a gentle Siberian breeze.

However, it takes more than a little bit of cold weather to stop people turning up for the early morning Easter service on Newtonhill football pitch, nestled in a corner away from the wind. Even Nelson, Pam and Eddy's beautiful latest guide dog puppy, was there to join the celebration.

As usual we were treated to hot bacon sandwiches for breakfast afterwards cooked by Malcolm and Morag.

Why the celebration? It's not everyday that someone conquers death and proves it by rising from the dead!