A TALENTED dancer has landed a place in the final of a TV talent show.

Darren Mitchell (15), from Auchinairn, is set to face a judging panel including Diversity’s Ashley Banjo, former Pussycat Doll Kimberly Wyatt and West End star Adam Garcia - in the final of Sky One’s Got to Dance on March 4.

The Bishopbriggs Academy pupil reached the final as one of 17 dancers with Dancepoint’s Fear of the Unknown.

Darren started dancing just five years ago and has covered a variety of styles including jazz, hip hop, contemporary, street and disco.

He said: “It is exciting to be in the final, but we’ve really only had three weeks since the semi-final to come up with a new routine.”

Catch Darren and Fear of the Unknown in the final on Sky One on Sunday, March 4.

]]> 1.2134877 Thu, 23 Feb 2012 13:28:36 +0000 http://www.kirkintilloch-herald.co.uk/kirkintilloch_herald_staff_back_organ_donor_campaign_1_2132046

OVER the last few weeks the Kirkintilloch, Bishopbriggs and Springburn Herald has been urging readers to sign up to the NHS Organ Donor Register.

During the campaign the Herald spoke to people whose lives have been saved, or could be saved, by vital transplant operations - operations which are only made possible by an army of selfless donors.

Currently around 90 per cent of the population are in favour of the donor scheme, but only 30 per cent of people in the UK have actually signed the register.

It’s also important to tell your family of your decision, so that in the event of your death they know of your wish to help others.

Staff at the Herald are backing the organ donor campaign by signing up to the register.

It’s simple to join up and age is no barrier - nor are most medical conditions.

To sign up just go to www.organdonation.nhs.uk, call 0300 123 23 23, or text ‘SAVE’ to 61611.

A CHIP shop owner has slammed East Dunbartonshire Council after seeing his business crippled by a road closure.

Eastside, in Kirkintilloch, is currently closed to traffic approaching from the town centre while Eastside Bridge undergoes a £200,000 revamp.

Franco Dinardo, who owns DiNardo’s Chip Shop, says that the diversion put in place has meant that passing traffic, and custom, has virtually dried up.

And his problems worsened when the council carried out road resurfacing work directly outside his shop from Monday to Wednesday last week.

He told the Herald: “My takings are down by about 70 per cent because of the bridge closure.

“There are no buses or taxis going by and there was a sign saying the footbridge was closed, which wasn’t the case, but it stopped people walking down the road.

“It’s a disaster. The work is due to go on until the end of April.

“The final insult was the roadworks. They completely blocked the front of my shop.

“last Wednesday I was working from 10am-2pm and I only had one sale.”

ROAD LAYOUT

Mr DiNardo says the council should have looked at the surrounding road layout before carrying out the work.

He claims that changing the direction of one-way traffic on nearby Ledgate could have solved many of the problems.

He said: “The one-way system around here worked 27 years ago before all the new roads were built, but now it needs to be looked at again. Changing the direction of traffic on Ledgate would make traffic flow better, even after the bridge has been completed.”

David Devine, head of roads and neighbourhood services at East Dunbartonshie Council, said: “The council is carrying out essential works to improve and strengthen Eastside Bridge, which inevitably will cause some disruption to the area.

“The road resurfacing was carried out to coincide with the work on the bridge therefore removing the need for additional disruptions when the bridge reopens.

SAFETY

“Council officers did investigate reversing the one-way system on Ledgate, however, this presented safety concerns for the nursery on Ledgate, and issues for residents including accommodating the existing parking.

“There would have also been a need for temporary four way traffiic lights at the junction of Ledgate and Glasgow Road, which would have exacerbated the delays on the diversion route. “

The council official added: “For these reasons the proposal was not taken forward.”

]]> 1.2133357 Thu, 23 Feb 2012 09:38:36 +0000 http://www.kirkintilloch-herald.co.uk/district_gets_set_for_local_history_week_1_2132336

KIRKINTILLOCH, Bishopbriggs and the surrounding villages are getting set to mark Local History Week.

Local groups have teamed up with East Dunbartonshire Leisure and Culture Trust to stage this year’s event - taking place from March 3-10.

The celebrations launch with ‘The Romans’ day on Saturday, March 3, at Kirkintilloch’s Auld Kirk Museum.

The Antonine Guard re-enactment group will be there and children can try on Roman armour or togas and even make their own helmets.

Also on Saturday, March 3, William Patrick Library in Kirkintilloch will hold activity sessions for kids at 11am and 11.50am, featuring historical costumes and old toys.

Another highlight will be a guided tour of the Thomas Muir Heritage Trail on Saturday, March 10, starting at Cadder Church, in Bishopbriggs, at 1.30pm and taking in local places associated with the ‘Father of Scottish Democracy’.

Lennoxtown Library is also on board - marking the publication of Campsie Local History Group’s latest booklet ‘Traditional Games and Pastimes’ at 3pm on Monday, March 5.

Torrance Local History Group’s contribution will be a sports afternoon at the village’s Caldwell Halls on Saturday, March 10, at 2pm. This event will focus on the history of local sports and leisure activities.

Councillor Amanda Stewart, chairperson of East Dunbartonshire Leisure and Culture Trust, said: “Local History Week is an important event in the calendar and a great way for local groups to highlight their history.

“There are so many exciting activities happening over the course of the week and we would encourage people to come along and learn more about the history on their doorstep.”

Meanwhile, at William Patrick Library from March 3-April 2, there will be an exhibition marking the sporting achievement of local people entitled ‘The Kirkintilloch Olympians’.

A full list of events is available at libraries or online at www.eastdunbarton.gov.uk

SUPPORTERS of a community campaign to transform Bishopbriggs town centre went on a fact-finding mission last week.

Bishopbriggs Town Team members visited an exhibition held in Glasgow’s Lighthouse Centre exploring the past, present and future for Scottish high streets.

The visit gave the group the chance to find out more about the issues affecting town centres across the country and the potential for creative solutions to the challenges they face.

Bishopbriggs Town Team plans to create a masterplan for the town centre and present it to supermarket giants Morrisons, who are hoping to build a new store on the former Bishopbriggs High School site.

A Town Team spokesperson said: “This visit was a great way for local residents to see that many town centres face great challenges, however, there are equally innovative solutions.”  

Meanwhile, the Bishopbriggs group has been invited to take part in a seminar on ‘high streets’ organsied by Architecture+Design Scotland.

Residents who want to assist the Town Team can attend one of the weekly meetings held every Wednesday, at 6pm, in Bishopbriggs Library.

For more information and to contact the Town Team go to www.bishopbriggs.org.uk.

]]> 1.2131548 Wed, 22 Feb 2012 12:22:50 +0000 http://www.kirkintilloch-herald.co.uk/kirkintilloch_cops_issue_scam_warning_1_2129979

DON’T be duped by counterfeit cops – that’s the warning from the real police in Kirkintilloch.

East Dunbartonshire residents have been urged to beware of phone scams where the caller claims to be a bank employee notifying the victim that there has been movement or transactions involving their account.

The caller claims police have been told and will attend.

Bogus callers then arrive at the victim’s home pretending to be police officers where they try to get further bank details and passwords.

After they have gleaned the information, money is stolen from the account and the perpetrators move on to their next target.

Constable Siobhan McCandlish, of the community safety department at Kirkintilloch Police Office, warns: “Never ever give your bank details over the phone or by e-mail, this is not bank policy and they will never ask you to do this.

“Banks have their own procedures in place to deal with these issues. Never give out personal details if receiving unsolicited calls.

“Police officers will never ask you to provide details such as passwords for accounts even if they are dealing with a genuine enquiry on your behalf.”

Kirkintilloch police stress that no-one has been duped in this way in East Dunbartonshire yet – and they want it to stay that way.

If you have any information about a suspected scam or you want advice, call Kirkintilloch police on 0141 532 4400.

A PLAN to attract more tourists to the Campsie Fells has been unveiled.

Several local authorities including East Dunbartonshire Council and Falkirk, North Lanarkshire and Stirling councils have teamed up with the Forestry Commission and Scottish Natural Heritage, to jointly manage the fells.

A strategic review of the area was carried out last year - aiming to boost tourism and ensure the landscape remains unspoilt for future generations.

Stirling Council is currently working towards its Local Development Plan, which will set out how land, including parts of the Campsies, can be used for the next two decades.

East Dunbartonshire Council officers have responded to a consultation exercise asking that the plan commits to the findings of the strategic review.

The Campsie Fells Strategic Review and Action Plan can be viewed at www.eastdunbarton.gov.uk

For full story, see this week’s Herald dated Thursday, February 22.

THE points were in the bag for Lenzie after they beat visitors Strathendrick at Viewfield on Saturday.

Lenzie .......................................... 13

Strathendrick ............................... 3

The men from Fintry were having another fine season and were sitting top of the league, and Lenzie were looking to test their recent form against the table toppers.

The first half was characterized by the dominance of defences from both sides.

Lenzie were playing into the breeze and were trying to play an expansive game but struggled to make much headway against the well organised and resolute visitors.

Fintry used the elements to gain good field position through some pinpoint kicking from their half backs.

Determined tackling and cover with McNeish, McManus and McLean leading the home effort, kept the scoreboard blank until two minutes from half time.

Good handling from the Lenzie backs gave Nisbett the opportunity to burst clear from his own 22, the supporting Scouller and Cameron then took play to within 15 metres of the visitors try line, before a handling error ended the move.

Great work from Paterson at the resultant scrum produced a turnover which resulted in a great effort from all the forwards, culminating in Queenan forcing his way over for a deserved try.

The conversion was not successful and Lenzie turned round with a 5–0 lead at half time.

In the second half Lenzie were also able to use the wind to their advantage and with their scrum in ascendancy pressed to increase their advantage on the scoreboard.

Their efforts were rewarded with a penalty by Scouller after 15 minutes play.

Strathendrick then enjoyed their best spell of the second period and were duly rewarded when Greenock kicked a penalty to reduce Lenzie’s lead to five points.

This set back seemed to galvanise Lenzie to greater efforts.

A long kick from Wilson was returned to McDonnell and the winger’s clever cross kick resulted in disarray in the visitor’s rearguard, allowing McBride to touch down for Lenzie’s second try.

Lenzie continued to press for the rest of the game and Scouller, McAulay, and Byres all came close to adding to Lenzie’s total and were only thwarted by some excellent tackling.

Both sides contributed to an entertaining game for the spectators, and another good performance from Lenzie, particularly in the second half, and they fully deserved their victory.

This week Lenzie travel to Strathaven - kick off is at 3pm.

For more sports reports, see this week’s Herald dated Wednesday, February 22.