Page 10 - The Light Easter 2020

IN THE PAST
Pathway to Paradise
On Sunday morning in the late 1940s, the newly On return to the collapsed cart, accompanied by
inducted minister at Appin Parish Church a stalwart equipped with tool bag and shovel, we
delivered a powerful sermon, producing a long- found the new minister on top of the cart, actively
lasting influence on the adolescents attending. using my shovel to scoop the sea-washed pebbles
through the granite pillars on to the path leading
Main thrust was, that it is much better to give
rather than receive, with the moral being, any to the front door of the church.
such deeds will most certainly be taken into On receiving a genial request from the minister
consideration on the fickle day of judgement. to thank my parents for their kind donation to the
welfare of the church, with the aid of the
Having become aware that my mother, while
visiting Ardtur farm, caught sight of a bank of stalwart’s shovel, (seemingly the size of a modern
JCB bucket) we helped spread the pebbles over a
white tide-bleached pebbles on the beach, and
her aspiration to have our garden path enhanced wide area and could only agree wholeheartedly
with the Reverend’s verbal sentiment, (on hearing
by this natural world work of art instilled in me
the need to accomplish her desire. about the cart breakdown) , that the Lord does
indeed function in mysterious ways.
At the time, though still in short trousers, I was
considered capable of taking a horse and cart on Nowadays, seventy-five years on, when attending
the public road unaccompanied, (the equivalent church on a Sunday morning I sometimes see in
of passing the driving test today); subsequently, my mind’s eye a few of the sea-washed pebbles
with light heart, and the new minister’s among the gravel and wonder if ?……..and
compelling sermon in mind, I set off to Port wonder if?………
Appin with Dolly the Clydesdale mare only to Ian Weir, Easter 2020
have the cart collapse at the Church gateway
leaving no alternative but to seek help.

APPIN COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT TRUST
Appin Community Transport Port Appin Playpark
There has been little progress during the very wet
It is with great regret that we are obliged to pause
for a while as a result of the COVID19 outbreak. months. However, work is about to start on
The scheme has been running very smoothly, preparing the surface. This is expected to be
with 32 registered passenger members and 15 completed shortly so that the equipment can be
registered volunteer drivers. Some our passengers installed at the end of April. The Appin Young
travel regularly and frequently with us, as part of Parents Group have continued to raise some
their continuing with their lives in their own additional funding to top-up that already secured
familiar homes in our community. Our pool of from grants and the Community Trust.
volunteer drivers has grown steadily, and we
have generally been able to meet all passenger Appin Calendar
needs. Journeys have included routine shopping, Following the resounding success of the 2019
local social and essential medical trips. We calendar, we plan to do the same for 2020. A call
sincerely hope to be back up and running as soon for suitable photographs will be issued in April!
as it is sensible to do so. In the meantime, we are
exploring how our volunteers and resources may Appin Defibrillator Network
be used in a different way to provide some
essential living services during this challenging A plan is in place to install one further publicly
time, especially to those who have become available unit shortly. This will bring the Appin
dependent on the scheme. network up to 5, all of which will be fully
— 9 —