DEESIDE CHORISTERS

WE have had a busy term so far. In August we travelled out to sing at, Pluscarden Abbey, something we have done almost every year since 1978. In September, as well as our monthly service at St John's Church, we held our annual Choir Camp, staying at Linlithgow for two nights. We called in at the Science Centre at Dundee on the way down.

The following day, making our way to Falkirk, we were raised up 150 feet in a barge by the Falkirk Wheel (opened by the Queen last June), - a fantastic piece of engineering, and then went on to Rough Castle, the remains of a Roman fort on the Antonine Wall. The attraction there was the Roman man-traps, which are still visible; rows of pits in the ground, originally quite deep and fitted with a pointed spike in the middle. The purpose of these was to avert a night attack from the Picts! Finally, we explored Stirling Castle and sang Evensong at the Church of the Holy Rude, the biggest church in Scotland with a wonderful organ.

At the beginning of October, we sang Evensong at St Andrew's Cathedral in Aberdeen , marvelling at the acoustics and another wonderful organ.

We are almost at the end of our recruiting season. This year 30 children have applied to join, and it is likely that 20 of them will stay: a very satisfactory situation which keeps us vigorously viable! Many thanks to Culter Primary School and other Primary schools in the area for their help.

We now look forward to the Carol Services, the first at St Machar's Cathedral on Saturday 7 December at 7pm (see you there?) and the second at one of the mid-Buchan churches on 22 December. Seems as though we will need the Christmas holidays!

Malcolm Love

P. S. We are looking for one more musical boy to reach our target. Do you know one who enjoys good company?