Service numbers and bus routes will change. New timetables can be found at CAPs, Council offices, local libraries and from our Public Transport web page.

The new timetables offer many improvements to the bus services currently operating, which have been introduced due to public demand. These improvements can be summarised as follows:

• excellent connections to the ScotRail train services at Alloa Railway Station
• journeys to the new Clackmannanshire Community Healthcare Centre during opening times
• more journeys providing direct links between Alva and Tullibody
• journeys providing a direct link between Menstrie and Tullibody
• a new bus service into Alloa Park Drive
• a new bus service into the Gaberston area of Alloa
• more journeys to/from the Tesco superstore in Alloa
• more journeys to/from the Morrisons superstore on the outskirts of Alloa
• more journeys to/from the Muirside Estate in Tullibody

Councillor Eddie Carrick, Sustainability Portfolio Holder, said: "I am delighted that the Council is able to continue supporting these revised services. I am also very pleased that we have been able to listen to the travelling publics' views and I am confident that the changes will benefit a great number of potential passengers giving them improved opportunities to travel by public transport."

To introduce these improvements within existing resources a few reductions are also required, and these reductions can be summarised as follows:

• while bus services will continue to serve the bus stops at the entrance Sterling Mills Outlet Village in Tillicoultry, all journeys into the outlet village will be withdrawn
• the supported services will be withdrawn from Yetts O'Muckhart on Mondays to Saturdays. Yetts O'Muckhart will still be served by Stagecoach Service 23
• some other areas currently served will experience a reduced frequency

For all public transport information contact Traveline on 0871 200 22 33 (10p per minute) or visit www.traveline.org.uk.

You can make sure that you first experience of living away from home is a good one by taking advice from the experts.

A free event has been organised by the Council in partnership with Ochil View Housing Association, Paragon Housing Association, and Clackmannanshire Youth Council to help your move go as smoothly as possible.

The Independence Event is aimed at 16 to 25 year olds who are about to leave home and will take place at the Bowmar Centre, Alloa, on Thursday 25th March from 2pm - 6pm.

There will be market stalls where you can get information on housing, training, leisure activities, energy saving and benefits. There will also be surgeries where you can speak to a money adviser or get careers advice. In addition to this there will be a chance to have your family portrait taken by a photographer.

Free prize draws and competition will be going on throughout the afternoon and fun activities include creating items for your new home out of recycled household furnishings and learning to cook simple, tasty meals on a budget.

Bring along your ID and Young Scot will take your details so you can sign up for an entitlement card and find out what happens at the polling station with a mock election.

Councillor Kenny Earle, Partnership Portfolio Holder said: "This is a worthwhile event and I would recommend that young people who are thinking about flying the nest go along to the Bowmar Centre and find out what support is available to them. Along with your new found freedom there can be some big issues like managing your money and cooking your own meals which can be daunting. This event is a good chance to pick up some skills which will be invaluable in the years ahead."

A free, one-day training course is being held next week, designed to help young people who are thinking of leaving home and those who have just got the keys to their new place.

Keys training is delivered by young people and runs from 10am to 4pm on Friday 26th March at the Bowmar Centre, Alloa.

The course covers:

• Budgets
• Housing applications
• Rights and responsibilities as a tenant
• Healthy living
• Furnishing your home
• Tips and information to assist you in getting and keeping your tenancy

The day ends with some creative artwork.

This free training has been organised by the Council in partnership with Ochil View Housing Association, Paragon Housing Association, and Clackmannanshire Youth Council.

To book a place call the Council on 450000.

Wasp Leisure at the Leisure Bowl have kindly accommodated the whole class on Thursday afternoon from 1.15 to 2pm. You are invited to send a photographer. Parents are lending support with transport and pupils from S6 in St Modan's High School will be helping out in the pool.

Director of Services to People Grahame Blair said, "This is an innovative way to link learning to health and wellbeing, as well as being fun for everyone! Clackmannanshire Council would like to thank Wasp Leisure for helping us to bring science alive for our young people."

International artist Keiko Mukaide has worked with the company for the last few months getting the colour and texture just right for the unique pieces that will form a major feature of the popular town centre street.

Keiko said: "We chose the yellow shade because it was close to the colour that was used in the old railway carriages, and the original station was at the end of Primrose Street. The glass colour will change as you progress along the street, from yellow to red.

"The glass is a material which is presented Alloa's history. I designed the gradation of colours which would only be achieved using the hand-made skills of a craftsman; it's what makes each piece unique. It's great to see these samples in flesh."

Traders and residents in Primrose Street first saw the designs for the glass numbers at a presentation evening held by the Imagine Alloa project early in February, where they were well received.

Council Leader Janet Cadenhead said: "We're investing heavily in Primrose Street at the moment, including changing gutters and freshening up paint work. All of this work is to create a blank canvas for the art pieces and Keiko's work is a very good example of the creative thought that has gone into each commissioned art piece. The glass looks fantastic and I'm sure when all of the numbers have been fixed to the buildings they will really lift the look and feel of the street."

As well as being an artist, Keiko lectures at the glass department in the Edinburgh College of Art. It is Scotland's only and oldest glass department, being more than 150 years old. Last week Keiko also brought some of her students to Alloa for a tour of the glass works and a visit to Retro Glass. They also had a lecture on glass history in Alloa, from the Council's Museum's Officer, Susan Mills.

Keiko said: "Art can make a space really work if it's organised well, and it has to relate to the local community. I hope the local people like the new developments, and take ownership of them, which is why we've worked so hard with people in the street to let them know about our creative ideas."

Keiko's work has been exhibited at the Royal Botanic Garden in Edinburgh, the Tate St Ives and York's St Mary's Church. All of her work is inspired by the environment of the area where the art will be displayed. She has also has worked for the Hub Edinburgh Festival Centre and exhibited internationally.

Note to editor

The Clackmannanshire Alliance, led by the Council, worked with Clackmannanshire Business and Alloa Town Centre BID to successfully secure £2million from the Scottish Government's regeneration fund earlier this year. Together with additional money from Fairer Scotland, the town centre is benefiting from a massive £2.4 million investment.

Pupils from S1 - S6 represented all three secondary schools at the event with S1-S2 pupils running a 1 mile course and S3-S6 pupils running 1.5 miles. It was a perfect day for the event, dry with firm ground and plenty of sunshine.

Councillor Bobby McGill, spokesman for sport, said: " Every single pupil should be proud of their performance. I'm sure all the participants enjoyed their day and I hope they'll keep active in the future. Thanks also go to all the volunteers who assisted the Sports Development team in the set up and organisation of the event."

Please find below the results of the first three places in each category and the winning teams in each category. The detailed results have been issued to each school.

Summary - Individual Positions

S1/2 Girls Race

1st Eilidh McCorquodale, Lornshilll
2nd Laura Clarke, Alva
3rd Lisa Hardman, Lornshill

S1/2 Boys Race

1st Erik Mitush, Alva
2nd Nathan Betton, Alva
3rd Craig Douglas, Alloa

S3/4 Girls Race

1st Stacey Hardman, Lornshill
2nd Lauren Bell, Lornshill
3rd Julie Cook, Alva

S3/4 Boys Race

1st Gregor Dryden, Alva
2nd Lawrence Allan, Alva
3rd Colin Barron, Alloa

S5/6 Girls Race

1st Lorna Cameron, Alva
2nd Sarah Dick, Alloa
3rd Lyndsay O'Donnell, Alloa

S5/6 Boys Race

1st Christopher Clarke, Alva
2nd David Mackinlay, Alva
3rd David Lyndsay, Alva

Summary - Team Positions

S1/2 Girls Team 1st Lornshill Academy

S1/2 Boys Team 1st Alva Academy

S3/4 Girls Team 1st Lornshill Academy

S3/4 Boys Team 1st Alva Academy

S5/6 Girls Team 1st Alva Academy

S5/6 Boys Team 1st Alva Academy

Anyone interested in developing their running and athletics skills should contact the Council's Sports Development on 01259 450000.

And the beautiful glass pendant was used as part of a promotional pack for a Mother's Day tourism event held in Perthshire yesterday.

The Perth Ladies Rugby Club event saw 250 people attended the fundraiser, including Mr Scotland and members of the Scottish Rugby Team.

The glass pendant was designed by Imagine Alloa Artist in Residence Angela Beardsley. It features three coloured bands in earth tones, representing the local countryside. A red glass dot represents Alloa's location set against the stunning natural backdrop. The pendants are a limited edition and just 12 were created for the event, but the hope is more will be created as the project progresses for use at other tourism events.

Council Leader, Councillor Janet Cadenhead said: "These beautiful pendants represent Clackmannanshire in glass. It's great to see the Imagine Alloa project have a spin off for us in other areas, including tourism. And hopefully the spin-off will be good for local business too. If we can let people outside of the area know something about the work going on in creative industries like glass, then we hope that will encourage people to visit the area and see for themselves what's going on in the area."

The creation of the pendants comes as new jewellery workshops have been announced at the Make Room in Alloa's Drysdale Street. The classes will take place every Tuesday evening between 5pm and 6.30pm from March 30th through to April 20th.

Angela Beardsley, artist in residence for Imagine Alloa said: "We've been running glass workshops in the Make Room for some time and they've really taken off. Now people are asking what else they could do in glass, and creating pendants and earrings is a lovely way to work with glass. We've also had people asking for help in setting up their own business making crafts of this kind so we're hoping the classes will appeal to a real mix of people.

"Clackmannanshire has a wonderful heritage of working from the local land; the ground is rich in many materials and has supported the local community over decades. These pendants celebrate the very fabric of the county, the rich tapestry of earth and highlights the central location that town of Alloa has within Scotland."

Local glass company Retro Glass in Alloa has helped Angela with many of the workshops.

Angela said: "Retro Glass has been a real help to us throughout the project and we're hopeful that these workshops will encourage the growing interest in glass craft in the area, which could obviously help Retro Glass as a major supplier of glass in Scotland."

Note to editor

The Clackmannanshire Alliance, led by the Council, worked with Clackmannanshire Business and Alloa Town Centre BID to successfully secure £2million from the Scottish Government's regeneration fund earlier this year. Together with additional money from Fairer Scotland, the town centre is benefiting from a massive £2.4 million investment. A large part of the success of the bid was the inclusion of public art projects.

A condition of the funding is that the money is spent by March 2010.

EXHALE will be working alongside local organisations and the community from March to May this year as part of the Imagine Alloa project.

The group hopes to focus specifically on women aged 18-25 and explore the issues around smoking, using creative methods.

EXHALE will focus specifically on smoking in young women, we would like to hear from all ages, both male and female, smokers and non-smokers to gain a deep understanding of perceptions, both negative and positive, surrounding smoking. We want to gain a deeper understanding of life in Clackmannanshire and what the county means to local people.

Lesley McKee, PhD Student Researcher with the project explains: "People might ask `what does art and design have to do with smoking? Or what does smoking have to do with public art? And the answer is that artists and designers have, for centuries, played a key role at the cutting edge of medical research and health care practice."

In the late 15th to early 16th century Leonardo Da Vinci's anatomical studies of the human body placed him as a pioneer of medical research. Public art has long been a prolific feature in hospitals, healthcare centres and clinics. Significant sums of money are invested in it because it proves beneficial in reducing stress, enhancing recovery and creating healthy environments. The cool, calming pastel shades associated with healthcare are conscious design decisions.

Lesley continued: "If we strip design down, it is basically problem solving. Art is a tool for exploration and communication. Public art and design can enhance our everyday environment, it can change our behavior or our perception of a place. But creativity is also applied behind the scenes in less tangible ways.

"The work we are doing on smoking pushes at the edges of what public art is by asking the public to collaborate creatively with us to advance our understanding of smoking related issues in Clackmannanshire. It asks you to work alongside us to explore and communicate these issues and to design possible responses."

The group would like to invite people to come to the Make Room in Alloa on Friday 19 March, between 10am and 5pm to have their portrait taken in a professionally lit temporary studio.

The students hope that people will bring along friends and family and to complement the portraits. The group is keen to hear the stories, thoughts, feelings and insights of local people.

They will provide each person with a professionally taken and printed portrait so they will have something to take away from the day.

The group will use the images to explore and question the perceptions and stereotypes around smoking and the final images will be exhibited in the Make Room.

For more information about the EXHALE project contact Lesley McKee at l.j.mckee@dundee.ac.uk

Note to editor 1

Background information on the students involved, showing the breadth of their experience, is included here.

Student Profiles

Malavika Limaye (MDes)
An ambitious designer with a cheery disposition from India. I love a challenge and try to make the most of everything I take on. I graduated as a stage designer and worked within the Bollywood film industry for a year. I try to balance both work and play whilst putting to use my leadership and organizational skills. Being a people person, I am naturally drawn towards service design and I believe that each of us has the ability to make a small difference, to bring communities and generations closer together. In the future I see myself working as part of a design organisation with strong values where people-centered design take center stage.

Elspeth Nicholson (MFa)
I am a student on the Master Of Fine Art course, the main body of my work is Photography based. I graduated in Architecture but after working for sometime as a photographer's assistant I decided to pursue a different route. Currently I am interested in the way that images are read by society and the documentation of different demographics within the UK and ways in which problems can be highlighted to encourage change.

Yue Xu (MDes)
I come from zhenjiang, south part of China. My background is in landscape architecture. I am interested in the relationship people have with their physical environment and the effect the physical environment has on them. I'm really looking forward to meeting and speaking to people in Clackmannanshire. I hope that through this project we gain a deeper understanding of why people smoke, the perceptions of it, and if there are ways design may contribute in a positive way. After I graduate I will go back to china. The things I learn here will be applied to my practice back home. The skills I develop in the masters may be combined with my previous knowledge of landscape design.

Valeria Scharnow (MDes)
I am a Design Researcher, originally from La Paz - Bolivia, with a background in Graphic Design. During my studies of Visual Communication at the University of Arts in Berlin, my interest with social and cultural topics was reflected through my projects. After graduating, I worked for half a year in a Design company focused on Corporate Design. Following this I worked as a freelancer in the realm of information design, as well as corporate identity. Out of the need of wanting to make a bigger contribution to society, and work with people I started looking for something else. Once I discovered the discipline of Service Design, I knew that it would be the realm for my carrier. Currently, in the frame of my Masters year, I am looking into how to engage in a compelling way people for public participation with food growing initiatives. In the future I see myself working as a Service Designer mainly in the public sector.

Note to editor 2

The Clackmannanshire Alliance, led by the Council, worked with Clackmannanshire Business and Alloa Town Centre BID to successfully secure £2million from the Scottish Government's regeneration fund earlier this year. Together with additional money from Fairer Scotland, the town centre is benefiting from a massive £2.4 million investment.

Reigart Contracts Ltd of Coatbridge are a well known and experienced demolition contractor and have previously been involved in several similar contracts.

All buildings will be demolished and the sites temporarily grassed prior to future redevelopment. The swimming pool building and adjacent car park at the former Alva Academy will retained as part of the Council's planned redevelopment of this building to provide improved community facilities.

The contract is due to start on Monday 22nd March and should complete by mid-summer. The contractor will initially set up a compound and erect temporary fencing to enclose the 19,250 square metre site at Alloa and the 17,250 square meter site at Alva. During this process articulated vehicles will be delivering plant and materials to the sites.

Councillor Eddie Carrick, Portfolio Holder for Sustainability, said: "This is an exciting
time in Clackmannanshire - there is definitely a sense of out with the old and in with the new. I look forward to seeing work starting on both these sites. Once works start on site the public should be aware that these are demolition sites and no members of the public should be entering the site. Although the demolition will be carried out in a controlled and planned manner, there will be danger in any unauthorised entry."

There will be security measures in place out with working hours.

All works will be contained to the secure perimeter, however due to the proximity of roads close to the site, temporary traffic management measures or road closures may be necessary.

In order to complete the contract on time or to minimise disruption to road users, some works may be carried out at weekends. Strict working hours however have been imposed upon the contractor, especially on Sundays.

The majority of furniture and other useful items from within the schools has been relocated to local primary schools and other furniture has been salvaged and donated to local charities and community organisations.

The contractor will be taking all necessary steps to recycle remaining materials, furniture and fittings from the site and the Council has set standards to be achieved. Plant will be on site to crush all concrete and brickwork to reclaim these as hardcore and recycle any steel reinforcement. These plant are fairly quiet in operation, but some dust may be generated, although the contractor will aim to minimise this problem. The contractor will be using articulated vehicles where possible to remove the materials from site in order to minimise the number of vehicle movements from the site. At Alloa the contractor has been asked to programme these vehicle movements to avoid school opening and closing times at the nearby Claremont Primary School.

Claremont's head teacher will be liaising with parents about the demolition arrangements. Parents currently use part of the former secondary school playground for parking and this won't be possible during the demolition. Members of the public should note that the use of the playground for parking is at the users own risk. Access however will be provided from the playground to the driveway of the adjacent house during the works.

It is intended that both sites will be developed for housing. The Council is currently negotiating with a national house builder to develop the Alloa site, while the Alva site will be re-advertised for sale at a future date.

Notes to Editor
The contract is valued at £402,000 and Reigart Contracts Ltd won the contract after a tendering process with evaluation on both quality and price grounds.

The pupils will swop their school uniform for shorts and T-shirts as they head for the sunshine of The Gambia in West Africa.

The youngsters will all be making the trip - after raising £7,000 to foot the bill - as one of the main components of achieving their Gold Duke of Edinburgh's Award.

As well as learning about the culture of one of the smallest countries in Africa, they'll spend four days on an expedition in the bush.

The teenagers will be fitting in the trip, which starts on 3rd April, with studying for their exams due to begin the following month.

The seven Clackmannanshire pupils will be joining up with a larger group of 14 pupils from St Mungo's High School in Falkirk.

Six of the local pupils attend Lornshill Academy: Alasdair Eadington, Sean Preston, Louise Macleod, Shelldan Sillars, Sarah Petrie and Hayley Thompson. They will be joined by Alexander Burns a pupil at Alloa Academy. The trip will be the Expedition and Residential sections of the Gold Duke of Edinburgh's Award for six of the participants. While Louise has already completed her Expedition so is using the trip to complete the Volunteering section of her award.

The pupils will be accompanied by Anna Roscoe, a Past Awards Leader, and Emma Dawson, a Maths Teacher at Lornshill and a Duke of Edinburgh's Award Leader. It's a trip down memory lane for Emma, as she completed the Expedition section of her Gold Award seven years ago in The Gambia.

Emma said: "The Gambia is a fantastic place and I know our young people will get a lot out of it, just as I did. The Gambians are such happy people for what little they have. Family is very important to them as our young people see when the go into their counterparts homes."

While in The Gambia the youngsters will stay at the President's International Award skills centre. The PIA is equivalent to the Duke of Edinburgh's Award in The Gambia. To achieve the Residential section of their Award the Alloa teenagers will spend five days refurbishing the skills centre, doing painting, repairing mosquito nets on the windows, repairing school furniture and helping to get the old computers up and running.

The skills centre teaches young Gambians basic skills such as sewing, cooking, mechanics, joinery, IT skills and agriculture. It helps around 3000 Gambians every year who can't afford to go to school. It is funded entirely by Scottish Duke of Edinburgh groups and has been for 27 years.

The four-day Expedition will involve the young people walking about 14 - 16 kms every day, exploring local villages and meeting Gambian children. They will stay in a school, which are very basic buildings. Each of the Scottish candidates will be accompanied by a Gambian counterpart who will also be completing the Expedition section of their PIA.
If all goes well, the group can relax before flying home with a day at the beach.

In order to prepare for the trip, all 21 Scottish pupils have attended two intense training days in Grangemouth where they have learned a little about what to expect in The Gambia, from the weather to the culture.

Another tough part of the preparation is the fundraising. Each pupil has to raise £1000 - £500 towards travel and accommodation costs and £500 towards materials and tools to refurbish of the skills centre in The Gambia.

The group has already received grants from Clackmannanshire Award Advisory Committee, the Schools Enterprise Fund, the Community Chest and the Wood Family Trust, but still has a considerable amount of fundraising to do before the end of the month.

The pupils also hope to be able to take useful items such as bedding, towels, blank CDs, DVDs and USB sticks.

Councillor George Matchett, Inclusion Portfolio Holder, said: "Good luck to this group in their fundraising efforts and on their trip to The Gambia. I am also impressed that a former Duke of Edinburgh's Award participant is putting something back, as we rely on volunteers to run the scheme. Emma has shown great leadership qualities plus the initiative and drive in organising the Clackmannanshire element of this overseas venture and also in co-ordinating the fundraising needed to support it. The Award locally goes from strength to strength on the efforts of volunteers like her. The Awards have very much become part of the culture at our secondary schools and employers like to see candidates who have been involved with the Award. To gain your Gold Award shows that you are a team players and committed to following things through to the end, which is something employers value."