Pupils at Forfar Academy were given the opportunity to learn another language without speaking when Deafblind Scotland’s “Touching Lives” project came to visit the school.

A member of Deafblind Scotland Fiona Linton along with her Guide/Communicator Fiona McCreadie taught the class of second year pupils deafblind manual. This is a tactile communication method used by deafblind people, where the letters of the manual alphabet are delivered onto the hand of the deafblind person.

The teachers Mrs Innes and Mr Martin were impressed by how much it raised their own awareness as well as the pupils, They said: “It was one of the most interesting talks we have had from a visiting speaker in a long time!”

The “Touching Lives” project continued in Forfar Academy over the next two weeks raising awareness and teaching deafblind manual to 240 pupils at the school.

Duel sensory impairment affects more than 5000 people in Scotland These sessions are funded by the BIG Lottery fund under the “Touching lives” project and are aimed at promoting awareness of this uniquely disabling condition while creating practical skills within the population, particularly young people.

For more Schoool News turn to page 21.

Are you living with arthritis? The Angus Arthritis Forum invites you to comepop in the Parkview Community Care Centre in Carnoustie on Wednesday, February 29 between 6.30pm and 8.30pm.

Angus Community Health Partnership (CHP) in conjunction with the Arthritis Forum has organised this informal evening and would encourage anyone living with arthritis, their family and friends to come along for this informal two-hour session.

This will be the first meeting of the Angus Arthritis Forum to be held in Carnoustie. The evening’s three topics will focus on providing practical advice and support and will look at a range of equipment and adaptions that can help make things easier at home as well as information on benefits and advice on mobility.

Staff from Angus Community Health Partnership’s occupational therapy department and physiotherapy department will be joined by a representative from Angus Council and will be on hand during the evening to answer questions.

During the evening attendees will also have the chance, over a cup of tea, to meet others affected by arthritis.

If you would like more information about the evening, please contact Rhona Guild, Angus Community Health Partnership, on 01307 474889.

THE on-going problem of dogs’ dirt in Forfar is not going away, with more and more residents contacting the “Dispatch” to speak of their “utter disgust” at the mess that is now being left throughout the town (writes Janet Thomson).

One Forfar resident of 20 years popped into our office in Castle Street last week, clearly distressed about the embarrassment of walking through the town centre the previous Saturday with a friend from Dundee.

Mrs Ann Smith was upset about the state of the town, stating that on her way to our office she had passed four large piles of mess in Queen Street.

However, it was the mess she and her friend witnessed in East High Street on the Saturday that forced her to speak out - after her friend said she would no longer visit the town because of the mess on the pavements.

She said: “It was an embarrassment. It has always been bad but it is getting worse. People just don’t seem to bother picking up after their dogs. It’s disgusting in a wee place like Forfar.

“ I think the owners should be fined if they don’t pick up after their dogs. I feel so strongly about it.

“We have police officers and, I believe, only two wardens for the whole of Angus. It is absolutely disgusting.

“ I always take my shoes off before I go into my house to check I haven’t walked in anything - it’s that bad.

“I am 72 years old and would never approach anyone with a dog who failed to pick up their dogs’ mess.

“But it is such a shame that a nice wee place like Forfar is being destroyed - it is an embarrassment to us all.”

The Forfar Dispatch Facebook page has been littered over the last few weeks with people highlighting problem areas.

Jacqueline Gilchrist said: “I am sick and tired of walking down the high street and not being able to look up from the pavement.

“It seems like every 30 seconds I tell my kids; “watch your feet”.

“It’s right across the road from the police station, it’s right across the road from the CCTV camera above Subway.

“It’s at the bus stop at The Cross, which is looked at by a camera above The Queen’s Hotel. Why does nobody stop these people?”

Jacqueline’s frustration was echoed by Ryan Urquhart who posted on Wednesday: “I would like to raise the following problem: as I walked from the Westfield area in Forfar towards Langlands school on Tuesday through Kemsley Place and down Taranty Road the amount of dog excrement was unbelievable!

“There was even a used condom lying on the pavement near the flats in Lowson Avenue.

“I find this firstly frustrating regards the dogs’ dirt this is utterly unacceptable and a used condom next to a primary school!

“I would like to see the council do something regards the fouling in Forfar.

“It is unacceptable that a minority of dog owners can’t pick up the mess and it give ALL other dog owners a bad name.”

A spokesperson for Angus Council said: “Dog fouling is regularly highlighted as an issue nationally as well as locally and is one of the problems most complained about by communities. Angus Council remains committed to tackling the problem of dog fouling and irresponsible dog owners across Angus.

To assist in resolving the problem and to allow clean-ups to take place, we would encourage residents to continue to report occasions of dog fouling and offending dog owners to the ACCESSline on 08452 777 778.”