January: Oban’s Abi selected for international duty

Hope and a Christmas dinner for those in need

AS THE need for food and donations rises this winter

Cammy wins the lights fantastic

RETIRED handyman Cammy Dempster shone brightest in

Tobermory panto packs out hall

TOBERMORY’S Main Street always looks fantastic with

TIMESLINE

A RETIRED teacher from Mull who sexually abused two

Hugh Smith’s letter from

CHRISTMAS has been a particularly busy time on the

Merry Christmas at village ceilidh

AT TAYNUILT’S annual Christmas ceilidh, a large audience

Connel bridge closed

The A828 Connel Bridge was closed for a number of hours

Oban to build on university town foundations

AMBITIOUS plans to build on Oban’s growing credentials

Studying in Oban let Jill explore the world

JILL MCCOLL is an Oban girl – you might have seen her

Man walking the coast of Britain receives warm welcome in Oban

Man walking the coast of Britain receives warm welcome

TIMESLINE

AN ACCIDENT involving two cars at Pennyfuir closed

Song and dance at high school

IT HAS been a busy week for Oban High School, performing

Oban’s Rockfield Gaelic unit features in Gaelic film

ROCKFIELD Primary School in Oban has been invited to

New year is the perfect time to get active

I HOPE everyone enjoyed the festivities and is raring

Mull health care near ‘crisis point’

MULL and Iona’s ‘severely over-stretched’ health and

Zumbathon raises £868 for charities

A WINTER warm-up Zumbathon in the Corran Halls during

Oban mum admits assault

A FALLING out over a Facebook message ended with a

Argyll and Bute’s IJB asks for ‘vital’ £900,000

ARGYLL and Bute Council’s Integrated Joint Board (IJB)

Cabbie just avoids driving ban

A TAXI driver was warned he was ‘on the cusp of being

Gaels of laughter caused by mis-spelled road signs

TRANSPORT Scotland had to replace 17 Gaelic road signs

Driver shocked firefighters

FIREFIGHTERS were so shocked by a driver’s actions

Killin youngsters sparkle in nativity

The young stars from Killin Primary School dressed

Search for nation’s finest woods

THE contest has begun to find and celebrate Scotland’s

Crackdown on mountain bike trails

PROBLEMS created by the unauthorised construction of

Visitors urged to ‘bag’ a castle

WITH research revealing that almost half of Brits have

Festival of Winter Walks

THE cold, crisp days of winter are a magical time to

Mountains project celebrates success

CELEBRATIONS are being held at The Mountains and The

THIS WEEK’S WALKS

THE WALK leader is to be contacted beforehand for meet

Youngsters sparkle in festive shows

There were shepherds, wise men, kings, cats, singers

MSP speaks out over high delivery charges

KATE FORBES MSP has joined the protest against the

Banavie says farewell to head Maxean

AFTER guiding the education of hundreds of children

Lochaber seniors dance night away at Christmas bash

Lochaber seniors enjoy their Christmas bash. Sixth-year

Community ‘heroes’ celebrated at Eilean a’ Cheò Civic Awards 2017

Community ‘heroes’ celebrated at Eilean a’ Cheò Civic

Funeral director retires after 46 years

AFTER almost half a century of service, one of Lochaber’s

West Ardnamurchan gets new minibus

THIS month saw a new community minibus for West Ardnamurchan

First gin distillery opens in Lochaber

HOTELIERS Craig and Noru Innes have opened the first

College music single hits heights in iTunes

WEST Highland College UHI’s HNC Music Student of the

Museum aims for 55,000 visitors

THE West Highland Museum in Fort William is hoping

Recycle Christmas cards for charity

KATH JOHNSTON is once again encouraging people to recycle

Youngsters sparkle in festive shows

St Columba’s pupils are the stars of the show. Photograph:

Arrochar, Kilmun and Drimnin

COMMUNITY groups in Arrochar, Kilmun and Drimnin will

Highlands and Islands

HIGHLANDS and Islands communities are being reminded

Western Isles

A CONSULTATION has been launched including proposals

Volunteers project is resounding success

OVER the past four years, Comann Eachdraidh Uibhist

Islay

PORT ELLEN Primary School on Islay has become the first

At Random

WE HAVE campaigned consistently all this year for safety

Kilmallie

KCC had received a complaint of bad smells from a Loch

Friends Together Club presentation to founder

THERE was a special presentation recently by members

Clootie dumpling session proves a tasty hit

HOW TO make a clootie dumpling was the subject of a

Playgroup youngsters entertain Invernevis House residents

Autism Support Group raises more than £1,200 from bag

A few items going back 30 years

■ Licensing board chairman Catriona Maclean of Ardgour

Final thoughts as another year draws to a close …

Land of chivalry and freedom; land of old historic

Take a trip back in time on Scotland’s canals

THE public will soon be able to delve into the 250-year-old

Viewpoint

The year coming to its conclusion in just a few days

Days gone by – 1995

Celebrating their double wedding in December 1995 at

MacPhail

DESPITE the obvious shortcomings, mankind has a tremendous

Social media

Our story about the ambitious plans to build on Oban’s

Press policy

WE AT The Oban Times endeavour to ensure that all our

Council needs to help firms to innovate

The recent Holyrood budget was disappointing. It ignores

What is council income from fares?

Argyll and Bute Council claims that its four ferry

Did SNP tell truth in referendum?

In response to Iain Macdonald’s letter (‘Brexit claim

Lismore’s second ferry is a luxury

The majority of residents of Argyll and Bute who will

President deserves to be shown respect

Further to the article in The Scotsman on December

Royal Bank is being disloyal to Scotland

I have been a bank customer for more than 60 years

Beachd Ailein

A’ LEUGHADH seo is deireadh bhliadhna a’ teannadh agus

Your letters

THE EDITOR welcomes letters of approximately 300 words

Oban High juniors Jingle the night away

Arranged by a committee of sixth-year pupils, the Jingles

Glasgow Letter

I hope everyone has had a fulfilling Christmas and

Glasgow Letter

I hope everyone has had a fulfilling Christmas and

WIN £200 WORTH Of SHOPPING

COURTESY OF TESCO OBAN

THE OBAN TIMES GENERAL KNOWLEDGE CROSSWORD

January

ALMOST 1,200 people received an award in this year’s

February

TEN Oban Times staff members collectively will walk

March

CONNEL doctor Kate MacGregor has been named Scotland’s

April

AN EIGHT-YEAR-OLD boy from Soroba is doing his part

May

Family of charity hero Nonny hand over cheques in aid

June

SELFLESS, exceptional and committed were three words

February: Billy named volunteer of the year

BILLY Forteith of Oban Sailing Club (OSC) has been

March: Oban public Play the Game Together

OBAN sports stars united against cancer and raised

April: Saints crash out in Scottish Cup semis

DESPITE taking a deserved firsthalf lead, Oban Saints

May: Camanachd reach Celtic Society Cup final

OBAN Camanachd will play Kyles Athletic in the Gregor

JUNE: Podium place for John McPhee in Holland

JOHN McPhee had a barnstorming Dutch GP for the British

Fundraiser smashes £35,000 barrier

A LOCHABER community fundraiser has broken the £35

Gladys’ incredible life journey on TV

A DOCUMENTARY charting the journey of a Spean Bridge

Caol art project lands £50,000 windfall

A COMMUNITY art studio supporting schools across Lochaber

Wheelie bin ends up on Fort shop roof

A CROWD gathered at Cameron Square in Fort William

New bridge helping improve glen

A NEW bridge to take walkers over the River Nevis towards

Real buzz to lunch

LOCHABER Beekeepers’ Association secretary Sarah Kennedy

Bus firm’s U-turn on Sunday service

A BUS company is to reinstate its Sunday service between

Doors open on second Buzz venue

THE BUZZ Project officially launched a second venue

Caol art project lands £50,000 windfall

A DETERMINED fundraising duo planning to become the

Mother and son on track to make history on Jacobite steam train

Mother and son on track to make history on Jacobite

Teacher reunited with 50-year-old ice axe against the odds

Teacher reunited with 50-year-old ice axe against the

Lochaline Terra’s picks up top award

LOCHALINE Primary School pupil Terra Grier won two

Gary makes history as first Scot to win Pre-65

GARY MACDONALD made history over the weekend when he

Volnteers entertain cruise liner visitors

BUSINESSES and groups in Fort William joined forces

Kinlochleven youngsters triumph at VOSCARS

KINLOCHLEVEN High School pupil Jo Shepton has won young

Is it time to choose an Independent school?

INDEPENDENT education is one of the most important

Looking back over 20 years since devolution in Scotland

As a wide-eyed eight-year-old, NFU Scotland’s political affairs manager CLARE SLIPPER recalls watching the off cial opening of the new Scottish Parliament in 1999.

Crofters welcome budget

THE Scottish Crofting Federation (SCF) has welcomed

Around the markets

STIRLING – Caledonian Marts Ltd on Tuesday December

Move starts to link Kintyre and Columba walking routes

RON’S RAMBLERS from Port Ban have raised £2,000 so

SWI lay on a festive treat with party for Killin Primary School

SWI lay on a festive treat with party for Killin Primary

Thought for the week

This week in the year might be thought of as an in

Shinty review of the season - part one

WITH the curtain drawn on another shinty season and

Young guns pay the penalty

Golden Oldies won 2-1 on penalties OBAN Celtic held

North Connel angler rewarded for leviathan salmon

THE 2017 winner of the Malloch Trophy – for one of

Oban Saints prepare for vital Scottish Cup replay

IN AN effort to get some much needed game time before

Lochaber swimmers finish 2017 with a splash

LOCHABER Leisure Centre Swim Team has had a busy period

Rugby clash a festive draw…again!

THE ANNUAL Boxing Day rugby match between a Lochaber

Fort William lose to Lossiemouth in seven-goal thriller at Claggan

Fort William lose to Lossiemouth in seven-goal thriller

Finlay Wild triumphs again in Cruim Leaccain Hill Race

THERE was a good field for Lochaber Athletic Club’s

Lochaber indoor winter league results

RESULTS from week nine of Sammy’s Indoor Winter League:

Lochaber club lottery draws

THE CHRISTMAS Eve Caol Community Centre bingo lotto

Festive fun on Jacobite for Fort youth group

THE AHA Futures group hopped on board the Jacobite

Fungicidal agents to tackle stained walls on Fort homes

LOCHABER Housing Association has confirmed it plans

Lochaber High new head teacher named

THE NEXT head teacher of Lochaber High School will

Nevis radio to resolve signal issue

NEVIS Radio is working to fix a fault in its transmission