December Newsround

With Bob Mitchell

News Archive

Have I really been here for a month? In some ways, time has flown, yet in other ways it feels as if we have been here for a lot longer! That’s in no small way due to the warmth of the welcome we have received both from the people in St Mary’s Church and also from the wider community of Haddington. So thank you all for making the transition from west to east so easy for us.

Advent is now upon us. It’s the time in the church when we wait for the Christ Child to be born in the manger once again. But of course we do that alongside the usual Christmas preparations – church and world should never be far from each other.

Whatever your preparations involve in this month of December, I wish you some time of peace at least, and a Happy Christmas when it comes.

Organisers were delighted at the success of this year’s busy pre-Christmas afternoon on the final Sunday in November. Part of Market Street was cordoned off to host a spectacular street fair while the nearby Corn Exchange was the venue of a Christmas Craft Fair and a visit from Santa Claus. More than 300 people, a record, took part in the torchlight procession that immediately preceded

the switching on of the Christmas lights and traditional carol service. Six-year-old Rachael McMaster switched on the lights and the service was conducted by Holy Trinity’s new minister, Rev Paul Keown. Community Council chairperson, Jan Wilson said she was delighted with the large turnout and positive atmosphere which, ‘shows that the sense of community spirit in the town is as strong as ever.’

A busy time is looming for everyone connected with Haddington and District Day Centre for the Elderly. Centre Manager, Caroline Scott, told Newsround, ‘It seems to get busier every year, but it is a time that we all love’.

Things will be getting off to an early start when clients and staff begin their celebrations at the Quay in Musselburgh on Monday 10^th December. They will be joined by children from the Compass School for a Christmas Carol Service in Holy Trinity Church on Wednesday 12^th December. This will be followed by sherry and mince pies and the event is open to all.

Staff then grab the opportunity to say a big thank you to the many volunteers who give so freely of their time throughout the year, at the Volunteers’ Party held on Friday 14^th. Entertainment will be by Bill Crow.

Caroline reminds us that the Day Centre operates a ‘drop in’ café every morning where ‘older adults’ are invited to enjoy tea, coffee and hot snacks in a relaxed atmosphere and at a competitive price.

The centre will be closed on the 25^th, 26^th December and the 1^st and 2^nd of January.

Any announcement that Haddington has won the inter-town sport challenge is fast becoming of the ‘Ducks Can Swim’ category, - its what they do!

Their triumph in November against teams from Musselburgh, Tranent, Prestonpans, North Berwick and Dunbar was their 8^th such success in a row. Haddington won first prize for ladies badminton, hockey, ladies and gents squash and gents table tennis and performed meritoriously in all the other events that took place in the town’s Aubigny Centre.

Since first winning the tournament in 1990 under the stewardship of Val

Laing, Haddington’s dominance has been all but complete, but it was not always so. Prior to that date, Haddington were the perennial ‘wooden spooners’, struggling to pick up points and finding it difficult to persuade people to participate in a number of events.

Whilst it is not easy to put the finger on the magic ingredient that brought about the complete change in fortune great praise is due to the organisers and the significant number of talented sportsmen and women who gladly give up their whole weekend for the honour of representing their home town.

At a time of year when stars are never far from people’s minds, four such celestial bodies can now be observed outside the town’s prestigious Maitlandfield Hotel.

Owner Nico de Freitas, a local community councillor, is delighted that his newly upgraded hotel has been awarded four stars from Visit Scotland. When he bought it in 1999, the Maitlandfield, the second largest hotel

in East Lothian boasted two stars and its rapid elevation is due to hard work, a programme of planned refurbishment and a commitment to service. Mr de Freitas, explained, ‘When I first bought the hotel I could see its potential. I was determined to provide a service that makes the people of Haddington and East Lothian proud’. He has clearly succeeded.

Calum Robb a Haddington student has won the Scottish All Styles Karate Championships for the 11^th year in a row and now has the eyes firmly focused in not one but three world titles. Calum who was honoured by the Community Council last year explains, ‘I’ve got the World University Championships in Poland, the World Wado Kai in Canada and the World All Styles Championships in

Japan next year, and I’m aiming for gold in all three.’

Mounting such a three pronged attack is very expensive and Calum who is part funded by Sportscotland and a scholarship through Heriot Watt University spends about £15,000 a year in competing throughout the world. He is grateful for the financial assistance he gets from his parents, and is always on the lookout for additional sponsors.