Hello everybody, I do hope that you and your families are all staying well.

We may not be able to meet at present but that is no reason not to communicate. As we hopefully start to see an end to our isolation I wanted to bring you up to date with all of the fantastic things that have happened and are happening in this wonderful community.

First on the agenda is to ask all of you to give each other a huge round of applause for the outstanding support you have shown for each other and the community over the last couple of months. These acts large and small from individuals, groups and businesses have been so numerous that I am not going to mention individuals. I will though touch on our Isolation Support Group separately. This has been inspirational and a model to other communities. It was entirely worthy of the air time it got on TV and the double spread in the Herald.

So let me now pick up on a few things that I want to mention after our last meeting in February.

Our local police officer Jac Irving has been picking up on matters, particularly scams, and a number of particular ones have been highlighted on our website. Do remember that you can contact Jac if you are concerned about anything or report anything that you are suspicious of. There is very little vehicle movement at present but as we come out of lockdown we need to be vigilant so if you are suspicious get a registration number and report it.

I am pleased to say that we remain in a healthy financial position with sufficient funds to see us through the year based on the budget you approved at the last meeting. Your decision to maintain a year’s expenditure on account was extremely prudent. Our Treasurer reports that we had income of £262.51 and expenditure of £220.80. Our balance in the bank is therefore £7,589.81. I have renewed our annual insurance and we have replace the batteries in the speed sign at Bankend. Obviously our income is nil whilst we have the current travel restrictions in place but equally that has reduced our outgoings. For the time being we shall be spending very little and some budgeted activities such as first aid training have been cancelled for now.

I have received brief reports from NIR, WWT and our Primary School which are detailed below. Whilst our Kirk has remained closed we are extremely grateful to our locum Minister Rev Douglas Irving for his weekly online services. We look forward to the time when we can worship together at our Kirk.

Lady Clare has been keeping in touch and whilst there are no estate matters to report at present we are extremely grateful for the support we have all received from The Boathouse as she does what she can to keep it open. I must admit that on our walks to the village as part our exercise regime just being able to treat ourselves to an ice lolly has been fantastic. A small thing but important to maintain a sense of normality!

I have no specific D&G Council matters to report but I have been working closely with them in respect of our Isolation Support Group. Aside of general advice on related matters they have provided all of our volunteers with ID documents and 6 months of insurance at no charge to CCA. Thank you DumGal!

Of course the big topic for our last meeting was the potential to create allotments on a one year trial basis thanks to the vision of Rob Wells and Sue Greig and the support of John, Helen and Graham Jamieson together with Lady Clare and the Caerlaverock Estate. I have to admit to being fearful that this would not happen this year but it was a recognised and permitted activity by Scottish Government. The enthusiasm of our “allotmenters” has driven this forward and I am sure you will all have noted how the plots have developed as you peek over the fence. A separate report is included below.

For now that is enough from me. As soon as both permitted and deemed safe we shall reconvene our meetings but in the meantime watch our website and do get in touch with me if you wish to raise any community matters.

Best wishes
David Gilbert

Email: davidgilbert56@gmail.com or call: 01387 770 605 BEFORE 9pm

NIR Report

In these strange and difficult times we are continuing to ensure the lifeboat service provided by Nith Rescue is available, should it be needed.

Thankfully we have only been called out once during lockdown, and we are very grateful to everyone who is being especially careful and staying safe around the coast during this time.

Although we have suspended training for the time being, in line with Coastguard guidelines, we are grateful to our maintenance team who continue to ensure the boats and equipment are ready for emergencies.

St John had to be given a run on the water on 21st May as it had not been out of the lifeboat station for so long. Social distancing on a boat is not easy, but the crew did a great job, with relevant PPE, to keep them and potential casualties safe.

As we get news of restrictions easing in Scotland we hope that everyone will continue to take extra care around the water as we enjoy some more time away from our homes.

www.nithrescue.org.uk

Barbour Hall

The Barbour Hall were successful in getting in £2400 from D&G Coastal Communities Fund, and £10,000 from a Small Business Support Fund.

We can now move forward with a Feasibility Study to assess the structural work needed (to fix water ingress and exterior surface damage) as well as look at our aspirations for future renovation.

That is something we want to engage the whole community in and would very much welcome working with the CCA to help us reach CCA members, alongside other businesses, charities and stakeholders in the area.

We will be working on the Feasibility Study through to the end of this year (which will include Buildings Conditions Survey, building our future vision for all and commissioning architect sketches for these) with the aim to submit grant applications for larger sums in early 2021 to help us fund improvements works over the next 5 years.

www.facebook.com/barbourmemorialhall

WWT Report

Having closed to visitors at the start of the lockdown, we remain closed for the time being. However, a very small team have been continuing to manage the reserve as best they can, undertaking essential duties on site. The livestock are doing well, and the wildlife is going about it’s business as if very little has changed.

The Whooper Swans left us for Iceland in early April, and the Barnacle Geese made their usual move from Caerlaverock to Rockcliffe (Cumbria) at the end of April and many are now on the Norwegian coast on their way to Svalbard, with the last of our satellite tagged birds leaving Rockcliffe on 15th May!

Spring is in full swing with breeding birds, wildflowers, butterflies and damselflies now appearing. After the wettest February since we began recording the weather in 1994, we have now had our driest April since our records began; this certainly fits with the extremes of weather being seen around the world these days. It makes life much harder for wildlife that may be used to more regular weather patterns and for us managing the reserve.

Although much of our conservation work is on hold, we are still able to monitor some of the key areas of the site and you will see updates on our Facebook, Twitter and Instagram accounts. We are very busy planning for re-opening, whenever that may be and we look forward to welcoming all our visitors back when we can.

There will no doubt be some changes to help keep visitors, staff and volunteers safe so please keep an eye on our website and social media for information when we are re-opening. We will obviously be sticking to the Scottish Government guidance, and this means some of our sites in England could open sooner than we are able to.

We would like to thank all of our supporters during this difficult time, and to say that your continued support allows us to keep managing our wetlands for wildlife and people. We look forward to seeing you all again very soon.

Watch our website for developments:

www.wwt.org.uk/wetland-centres/caerlaverock

Caerlaverock Primary School

Message from Mr. Tennant – Principal Teacher…

Just a little update of how the school are interacting and managing to continue communication between teaching staff and home…

We use Microsoft Teams on a Monday and a Friday morning to enable the pupils to chat with their teacher and friends.

We communicate potential activities for parents to do with their children at home through platforms such as Class Dojo, WhattsApp, Microsoft Teams and Email.

The teachers are on hand every day to answer any questions or respond to any queries that the pupils or parents may have.

The pupils and parents have access to school resources that were sent home before lockdown and digital resources that continue to be uploaded through the various platforms.

Children have been sharing what they have been doing through photographs and videos.

We have made two videos that are now on the CCA website – one from the staff and one involving all staff and children.

We continually make sure that everyone is managing OK during this difficult time.

Message from Miss. Cochrane – Head Teacher…

The First Minister announced that it is expected that pupils will return to school on 11th August with measures in place to keep children and staff a safe distance from each other and make sure everything is kept clean and hygienic, so that children can return safely.

While the schools are reopening, they will not, however, be going back to the way they were before. The reason for this is to ensure that children and staff are in as safe an environment as possible.

This is likely to mean that not all children can be in the school building at the same time – we will balance this with learning outside and at home. This might mean that pupils will take it in turns to go into school for a few days or a week, and then learn at home for the rest of the time.

Pupils will start to spend more time in school as soon as it is safe to do so. We are currently planning what this blend of school and home learning will look like, taking account of the needs of pupils and families, as well as practical arrangements like cleaning and transport.

Caerlaverock Community Association Allotments:

Are off with a bang (well – the thuds of many spades). Following the generous allocation of space by farmers John, Helen and Graham Jamieson and support for the project from Caerlaverock Estate and Lady Clare, 10 organic allotment plots have been started in the field by the Barbour Hall.

The development of the site coincided with the lockdown, and we gave much thought as to whether to continue or not. However, the UK and Scottish Government advice has been clear – that you can work allotments provided you follow the social distancing rules. So the plots were laid out following that rule, and the plots have a path of over 2 metres between each plot. Allotment holders are carefully following the rules.

Each plot is 20 metres long by five metres wide. They have been given a good start by the farmer manuring, ploughing and rotataving the site. and each plot is being worked steadily. There are 13 plot holders – (3 plots are divided into half plots and shared). Tatties are in, beets are in, all sorts of seeds are in, runner beans, broad beans, peas, courgettes, strawberries, fruit bushes…….and much more to go in the next week or two.

Allotmenteers age range is from nearly three years old to over 70.

The plot holders are taking very different approaches to their allotment design. You will find military precision, artistic and patterned layouts, and the more conventional “plant in rows” approach. But individuality is a hallmark of allotmenteers. And if you visit the site (and you are very welcome – come and have a blether and check our progress – a long tradition of allotment holders is to peer over the fence, and state “aye – you’re doing well there”, or (sharp intake of breath) “I wouldn’t do that like that if I were you”). You will hear much debate about how best to deal with plantain, creeping buttercup and cooch grass, the effect of a late frost on tatties, and when is the right time to plant the next potential crop.

It’s a lovely site – softening as the grass in the field grows, surrounded by farmland and birdsong. Do come and visit.

www.caerlaverock.org.uk/caerlaverock-community-allotments-in-pictures

Caerlaverock Community Isolation Support Group

When the Caerlaverock Community Isolation Support Group (with it’s catchy acronym of CCISG) was set up in mid March, nobody really knew how it would all pan out. 

The core team of Lynda Anderson, Gerry Donnelly, Elaine McGuffie and myself (Malc) set up a Facebook group (www.facebook.com/groups/caerlaverockisolationsupport).

This group lets people request shopping trips, medication pick ups, or notify others if they were going into town to reduce exposure by combining trips.

Members of this group have also been sharing inspirational drawings, photos and any local news they find too, offering firewood, eggs, and plants for gardens.

It has been a valuable online hub for people in the area, and we intend to keep it going in some form in the future too. (A Facebook Group lets people directly post their messages themselves, unlike a Facebook Page, so it is complementary to the CCA Facebook Page.)

In addition, the 0800 048 7499 freephone number was organised for those not online – and of course, regular updates are provided on the CCA website on this dedicated page www.caerlaverock.org.uk/support

Requests for volunteers to help with shopping, getting medication, sharing resources were sent out. The response was amazing – so many people offered their help in so many ways, and still are. Thank you to all!

We know that so many of these volunteers haven’t been asked to do anything in particular (which is the case right across the country too!). This could be because we haven’t been affected so much in our rural location, but also because friends and neighbours have been stepping in directly to help others isolating in our close and kind community.

Some distancing and shielding measures may be in place for a long time to come. So if anyone is needing any assistance with provisions or med pickups, or even just a chat on the phone, there are volunteers still standing by ready to help.

If you have any news to share, bring up issues or want to discuss anything that is happening locally, you can email us on caerlaverockcommunity@gmail.com