FROM THE CHAIR

Preparing the first Crier of 2017 I am beginning with an apology for an omission in the last Crier of 2016. don't know how many of you noticed on the front page we missed out the month, the year and the number of the edition. For the archivists who keep their Criers the issue was number 33 and the date  December 2016.

We are still working on a new format for The Crier and thinking of regular features we might include. I am rather disappointed we have had no response about the changes we have made so far and the staff would welcome any ideas or suggestions from you,  the readers. We have been looking at how the news, articles, photographs etc are presented in  other local newsletters, journals and the press in general. We want to keep The Crier fresh and interesting.

Regular features could be brief extracts from historical papers eg. old council minutes from both before and after Regionalisation,  old minutes of the WRI (as it was then) from the Churches, (not an error, historically there were several churches in Abernethy) and all the other organisations which were active in the village in days gone by. We have been putting dates in recently primarily appertaining to the First World War but it would be interesting to know what was happening in Abernethy, Aberargie and Dron 25, 50 years ago or whenever. Another idea was a favourite recipe, possibly seasonal. There should be plenty of those around.

The presentation this time is slightly different having an important event on  the front page. It is quite a number of years since sufficient names were put forward from people willing to serve on the Community Council to merit an election and never before has there been a postal vote. It is very encouraging that more people are keen to become involved in matters affecting the whole parish.

INSIDE THE CRIER

In this edition you will find notices of forthcoming events and reports on past events. We welcome the contribution from The Cubs and hope this may encourage more young people to write in to The Crier. There may be a budding Foreign Correspondent or Booker Prize Winner out there!!

On page 8 you will find a useful source of information, more or less all you need to know if you live within the Parish. It would be worth cutting out and keeping near your phone or calendar.

You will notice there are more photographs now so if anyone has something of interest old or current please get in touch.

Now, enjoy reading your first Crier of 2017 and Happy Easter to you all.

Hilda Clow