Join over 100 LCDT members!
A huge thank you to everyone who has already renewed their membership with us, we had a great response from last week’s Community News. Here is the link if you haven’t had a chance to renew yet.
In light of our proposed merger with Transition Linlithgow, which will sit as a project within LCDT, we are reviewing our membership list and ensure it is up-to-date, relevant to the new organisation and data compliant.
- Opportunity to take part in our annual members ‘Have Your Say’ consultation to influence LCDT priorities.
- Be part of a community-led organisation.
- Develop new skills and experiences by accessing our volunteering opportunities.
- Access to learning and training events.
- Receive our Community News e-newsletter.
PLEASE NOTE we will stop using our old mailing list at the end of the year. Anyone who has not renewed their membership or joined via the link will cease to receive member benefits, including this Community News email, from that time.
Linlithgow Community Development Trust also wants to continue to focus our priorities on what is important to the local community. So, we are asking our existing members to renew their membership which helps support the work we are doing.
Linlithgow Digital Christmas Market
After the success of the Christmas Digital Market over the Advent Fayre weekend, One Linlithgow BID is hosting it again this Saturday on the My Linlithgow website.
Eddie Linton-Smith, One Linlithgow manager, described the digital market as an “enormous success”, with very positive feedback from businesses. He said, “They received close on 100 orders in total, and sold over 200 items and vouchers. It has certainly brought an unexpected and welcome boost to many of our members”.
There will be a fantastic mix of local businesses, retailers and crafters products online. A great chance to get some more Christmas presents sorted! https://mylinlithgow.com/digital-christmas-market/
Business Spotlight – The Little Craft Shed
The Little Craft Shed was formed by me, Sarah Walkinshaw, during Lockdown 2020 when I had a lot more spare time on my hands and wanted to find a new hobby. After watching a lot of Tik Tok clips about resin I decided to order a starter pack and the rest is history!
I did a few experiments in the shed in my back garden and decided that the coasters and keyrings I was making were good enough to sell!
I moved to Linlithgow in February this year when I married my husband Daniel and love Linlithgow High Street and all of its lovely little shops. Maybe one day The Little Craft Shed will have a shop of its own, but for now, my Little Craft Shed is situated in my back garden, fully insulated – it even has a toilet! It is the perfect space for designing and making lots of handmade goodies. At the moment I am making a variety of different coasters, bookmarks, coasters and just this week completed my first comb. But I am looking to order a few new moulds to start making domino sets, wine butlers and possibly venture into larger items including trays and chopping boards!
I launched The Little Craft Shed officially in October on Facebook and Instagram and I have had non-stop orders ever since which is really encouraging! My cute little cocker spaniel – Jo Jo is head of quality control and loves to inspect everyone’s orders before they are packaged and posted!
You can follow The Little Craft Shed page on Facebook or Instagram to stay up to date with the latest news and get in touch at 07412083511.
During Advent, we are featuring the town’s churches in our Community Spotlight. This week it’s St Michael’s Parish Church and St Ninian’s Craigmailen Parish Church.
Community Spotlight – St Michael’s Parish Church
St Michael’s Parish Church is almost a millennium old. It witnessed the Wars of Independence in the 14th century, with Scots and English fighting for control of the town on the Peel. It was the site of the christening of Mary, Queen of Scots in the 16th century, and served as a stable for Oliver Cromwell’s troops in the 17th century. Yet like other groups and businesses in the town, Covid has forced us to bring our ministry and mission in the 21st century, reaching and supporting people in new ways.
That means that this year, in 2020, Christmas is going online!
Our popular Christingle service will take place on Facebook Live on Christmas Eve at 7pm, with emoji competitions, sketches, and much more. We’re also handing out – with all good hygiene practices followed! – special Christingle goodie bags in the next week and a half, with all you need to join in the fun. In addition, our Watchnight Service will be live-streamed from the church on the St Michael’s website at 11.30pm on Christmas Eve, when we welcome in Christmas Day with the bells.
On the subject of bells, we are also delighted to take part in the Santa’s Christmas Eve Jingle at 6pm, when the ancient bells of St Michael’s will ring out across Linlithgow to bring some festive cheer to what has been a difficult year.
Because Christmas 2020 will be so challenging, however, we are conscious of the need to support those who are struggling. Building on our Bereavement Support service, we are now launching a new Listening Service for the town. Trained listeners will be here to support anyone who is feeling the strain this time of year, and who want to get things off their chests. Please email [email protected] for more info.
The original image of Christmas is of a small child, born into poverty and persecution, brightening the darkness with his light. Whether this Christmas finds you happy or sad, know that you are loved, and that your future will be brighter than your past.
Community Spotlight – St Ninian’s Craigmailen Parish Church
It has been a difficult year since the outbreak of Covid19. Even so, St Ninian’s-Craigmailen’s work has continued but changed as we had to adapt quickly to new circumstances.
After the “lockdown” began, we started holding services on-line at 11.00am on Sundays and began recording services for our Facebook page. During Advent, we are holding “on-line” services, starting at 9.30am daily except Sunday. On the Sunday before Christmas, we will have a Nativity and will hold services on Christmas Eve and Christmas morning too: details on our website and Facebook page. We have taken part in several virtual events including a “Peace One Day” vigil in September praying for peace in our world.
We kept in touch with members through newsletters and “Thinking of You” cards. Also, one of our members regularly calls a small number of people who are “shielding”. Our Guild Convener keeps Guild members regularly updated, and our Girls’ Brigade company hold “virtual” company meetings via Zoom.
We support the 1st Step Recovery Café. Volunteers from the cafe use our hall as a storage and distribution point for a food bank that serves Linlithgow and other areas. We helped the West Lothian Foodbank too in its “Reverse Advent Calendar” appeal, by donating over 150 kgs of food for people to receive a Christmas Dinner Pack.
The Minister, Richard Houston, has chaplaincies at Linlithgow and Linlithgow Bridge primaries, and the Academy. He has made videos for their “virtual assemblies” and will make more for Christmas. In September, he made a video of our building for West Lothian “Doors Open Day”.
For Christmas, we have decorated the church with a tree and lights, an Advent Crown and other decorations people can see when they “log-on”. We have erected a Christmas tree in our grounds hoping it might cheer people up. You can see it as you drive up from the town centre or pass the church on Falkirk Road.
This is only a small part of what we have done this year, all of it by members and others quietly working away. We wish all of you a Happy Christmas and Good New Year and hope that for all of us 2021 is better than 2020 has been.
Membership Renewal
Latest Covid-19 Guidance
From 6pm on Friday 11th December West Lothian will move into Level 3 of Scotland’s Strategic Framework. More details can be found on level 3 restrictions here. Shops will be able to open from 6am on Friday.
The current advice to stay safe, protect others and save lives is available on the Scottish Government.
Many thanks to everyone who has been so vigilant in following these procedures already. This will help to keep our community safe.
