Those with green fingers down Barrmill way will have been busy putting the final careful touches to their carefully crafted gardens this week. It is, of course, time for the annual best kept garden competition which is organised by Barrmill Community Association.

Beith Primary School Prize Giving was held on 22 June when head teacher, Mr Tom Mabon, was able to report on first class progress during the session with the school involved in a number of innovative projects.

Mandy Mack advises that:

I am about to launch a Kickjitsu Class in Beith Community Centre on Sunday 18th July @6pm. Kickjitsu is a family martial art suitable for all ages and abilities. Classes are £3.00 per session and I can be contacted on 01505 681833 or 07986 146418. My classes are suitable for all but I am very keen to get youngsters active.

I currently run Summer Martial Arts Schools in neighbouring villages - Radio City, Kilbirnie commencing Monday 28th June @ 10 am (some Beith Primary School students are attending) and McKillop Institute, lochwinnoch commencing Thursday 1st July @ 10am.

The Beith St Inan’s club members fished their fifth competition of the season last Saturday, and for the fifth time the weather conditions were far from ideal with heavy rain from the start. By agreement of the six hardy fishermen who turned up it was decided to fish from 10.00 am until noon, instead of the normal six hours, and the only fish of the competition was weighed in by Andy Cooper, who took the Mitchell Cup.

There is now a lull in the competition calendar, to allow members to go on holiday and not miss out on a trophy, the next competition being the Thermal Transfer Cup, which will be fished on Saturday August, 21.

Last Monday night saw the penultimate league game for Beith Bowling Club against Glengarnock. Sadly, it turned out to be a disaster for Beith as they were soundly trounced 13-1 and thus ruling them out of the league for this season. After all the results were collected for this years Gold and Silver Bowl competition Beith ended up joint highest up on shots along with Irvine Winton B.C on 20 shots.

The Henry Faulds Society have very gratefully received the donation of a framed drawing of Beith featuring the Saracen’s Head Inn and a mounted drawing of Beith Cross looking towards the Strand. Both superb works are by well-known local artist, Anne McLean, now resident in Wemyss Bay, but with her heart still very much in Beith.

After the last two League fixtures Beith Bowling Club are still in with a slight chance of success. Against Kilbirnie they lost 11-3 with the points being decided over the last few bowls in most of the rinks. Meanwhile on the Dalry green, the Beith lads came away with a convincing 10-4 victory, leaving them second with just two games to go.

Last Monday seen Beith Bowling Club finish their League campaign at home against Kilbirnie and after a 12-2 defeat of the home side, Kilbirnie were declared winners of the league. On Thursday the annual Glasgow versus Ayrshire fixture took place with visitors from Partickhill, Maryhill, Kingston, Anniesland and Camphill enjoying the hospitality from the Beith members.

Locals will perhaps be aware of the recent tragic death of Rev Father Michael Lynch in a fire at his home in Saltcoats last week. The name may not be familiar to everyone in Beith, but local people have good reason to be grateful for his efforts on behalf of the town.

There is an amazing range and variety of community services, facilities and classes to suit all tastes now being offered to the people of the Garnock Valley in Radio City, located at Kilbirnie Cross. Courses to suit young people are very much a priority of Radio City. Are you a young person interested in singing and musical drama and keen to develop your skills?

Beith Bowling Club have been keen to encourage local young people to try the sport of bowling. Their innovative coaching scheme for school children is now in its second year and continues to attract youngsters from Beith Primary. Although the school is now on holiday the club coaches will be running classes between 3.00 pm and 4.00 pm on three consecutive Mondays – 5, 12 and 19 July on the Beith green.

Gateside School are certainly making their special mark in the world of young enterprise. Mrs McGuigan and staff were delighted when the school recently received the Gold Award for enterprise for a number of innovative projects carried out during the course of last session.

Beith folk who live firth of these shores still regard a visit to their old town with great anticipation and real joy at meeting their friends and acquaintances of yesteryear. Nostalgia touches the heart and makes us all a remember our roots with special affection.

Betty Wilson (centre) pictured with her hosts, Bill and Sheila Garden.

Allan Harrison of Beith’s Blackthorn Avenue has been a keen exponent of judo for the past three years. The enthusiastic young sportsman has been in great form with his skills improving all the time. Last year Allan won the Scottish Age category competition. This year he took part in the same event at Murryfield on June, 19 when he again took on all-comers in his age and weight category and beat them all lifting the title for the second year.

It went with a swing, but is now over for another year. Yes, folks, Barrmill festival started with the bowling tournament which was hotly contested between Beith, Barrmill and Longbar’s finest indoor bowlers. The winners were Mrs A Jackson and Miss B Lyndsay from the Barrmill club.

It is truly the end of an era. Popular local man, Bob Marshall retired as the village blacksmith in Gateside on 30 June. He fondly recalls being spellbound as a young lad watching his father, Auld Geordie, clothed in leather apron, pumping the smithy fire with hand-operated air bellows and placing the metal into the roaring fire to get it hot.

Mr G G H Johnstone, one of the masters at Spier’s School, who enlisted at the outbreak of hostilities, now holds the rank of Captain with the forces in Egypt. Captain Ranald Macdonald, formerly on the staff at Beith Academy, is reported seriously wounded. He belongs to Old Deer, Aberdeenshire.

Roll up, roll up! Tickets, tickets, get you tickets now, folks to avoid disappointment! It was Glasgow Rangers who travelled to Bellsdale last season for a friendly game and this year Beith Juniors have again gone straight to the top of the Scottish league and will host the mighty Glasgow Celtic in a pre season game on Wednesday July, 28 at 7.00 pm.

The recent Gateside Fete was a great success with lots of fun for all the adults and children, the good weather bringing in large crowds to enjoy a large variety of stalls. The Fete was opened by Film and TV actor John Murtagh, who currently plays George the taxi driver in River City, and his fellow actor, Carmen, who plays Kelly Marie. The organising committee pass on their thanks to both of them.

At the annual meeting of Ayrshire teachers at Troon, Dr J A Third, Spier’s School, Beith, was introduced as president for the ensuing year. Dr Third enjoys a high reputation for scholarship, and under his skilful and experienced guidance the school is extending its usefulness and making its mark as a progressive institution in which scholastic work and sound physical training go hand in hand.