Hello October! The spooky season is upon us and Halloween is creeping closer. It is time to think about getting costumes if you are going out trick or treating with your young ones.

The Advertiser has had a busy week full of stories from a scout group in Cardross welcoming people from the Czech Republic, a Helensburgh dance teacher setting up an empowerment group for women and a Rhu primary teacher bidding a fond farewell to her pupils ahead of her retirement.

But what was happening in and around the town 15 years ago this month?

Even after 25 years, a beekeeper is still gets a buzz out of looking after the insects. And Neil Sandison, from Cardross, hoped to encourage others interested in the hobby to join a beekeepers’ group in the area. He is treasurer of the Helensburgh and District Beekeepers Association (HDBA), which has around 30 members. But the group hopes to expand and to educate people about the ancient past-time.Even after 25 years, a beekeeper is still gets a buzz out of looking after the insects. And Neil Sandison, from Cardross, hoped to encourage others interested in the hobby to join a beekeepers’ group in the area. He was treasurer of the Helensburgh and District Beekeepers Association (HDBA), which had around 30 members. But the group hoped to expand and to educate people about the ancient past-time. (Image: Newsquest)

A Helensburgh businesswoman who started a new business in the height of the recession, had successfully achieved the support of Scottish Enterprise. The business has been assisted by Business Gateway to achieve status from Scottish Enterprise as a growth business allowing them to deliver world class products and services to the tourism business community in Scotland. Director Dawn Anderson, 41, will continue to deliver new business across key sectors in tourism, and she is determined that Ticket Scotland will identify, acquire, develop, and maintain highly personal and visible customer relations with a wide variety of top Scottish Tourism businesses.A Helensburgh businesswoman who started a new business in the height of the recession had successfully achieved the support of Scottish Enterprise. The business had been assisted by Business Gateway to achieve status from Scottish Enterprise as a growth business allowing them to deliver world class products and services to the tourism business community in Scotland. Director Dawn Anderson, 41, continued to deliver new business across key sectors in tourism, and she was determined that Ticket Scotland would identify, acquire, develop, and maintain highly personal and visible customer relations with a wide variety of top Scottish Tourism businesses. (Image: Newsquest)

Generous youngsters across Helensburgh and Lomond gave up their Saturday to do their bit for charity, and helped to raise hundreds of pounds for Macmillian at a coffee morning in Rosneath Caravan Park.Generous youngsters across Helensburgh and Lomond gave up their Saturday to do their bit for charity, and helped to raise hundreds of pounds for Macmillian at a coffee morning in Rosneath Caravan Park. (Image: Newsquest)

A Burgh woman rubbed shoulders with royalty as she accepted an award dedicated to her nursing talent. Prince Harry was the guest of honour at the WellChild Awards in London which celebrated extraordinary health employees across the country. Heather was nominated for the accolade of Best Nurse by colleague Annie Hair, head of children’s services for West Dunbartonshire Community Health Partnership.A Burgh woman rubbed shoulders with royalty as she accepted an award dedicated to her nursing talent. Prince Harry was the guest of honour at the WellChild Awards in London which celebrated extraordinary health employees across the country. Heather was nominated for the accolade of Best Nurse by colleague Annie Hair, head of children’s services for West Dunbartonshire Community Health Partnership. (Image: Newsquest)

The Great North Run half marathon from Newcastle to South Shields attracts, among its 54,000 competitors, a sizeable sprinkling of celebrities. This year, however, a small group of ladies from Helensburgh Amateur Athletics Club drew as much recognition from their fellow runners as did any of the famous stars. Lynda Brown, Kathleen Grieve and Norma Johnstone were widely acclaimed for something which actually started exactly one year previously. For the 2008 run, they supplemented their HAAC running vests with mini kilts which attracted not just a lot of encouraging support from spectators, but also the attention of an official photographer at the end of the run.The Great North Run half marathon from Newcastle to South Shields attracts, among its 54,000 competitors, a sizeable sprinkling of celebrities. That year, however, a small group of ladies from Helensburgh Amateur Athletics Club drew as much recognition from their fellow runners as did any of the famous stars. Lynda Brown, Kathleen Grieve and Norma Johnstone were widely acclaimed for something which actually started exactly one year previously. For the 2008 run, they supplemented their HAAC running vests with mini kilts which attracted not just a lot of encouraging support from spectators, but also the attention of an official photographer at the end of the run. (Image: Newsquest)