Two Borders pubs have proved themselves to be among the best bar none at a national award ceremony.

Rutherfords in Kelso and the Central Bar in Peebles were among the winners at the inaugural Scottish Bar and Brew Awards, held yesterday, Sepember 30, at the Marriott Hotel in Glasgow.

Rutherfords was named south east pub of the year and the Central Bar took the prize for best south east bar.

The Kelso bar, Scotland’s only micropub selling real ale, was opened in the Square four years ago by husband-and-wife team Simon and Debbie Rutherford.

The couple didn’t attend this week’s ceremony, sending along instead their bar host, Audrey Anderson.

Debbie said: “Audrey is such a great asset to the pub, so we invited her to attend on our behalf as a treat, and the cherry on the cake was that we won. She had a great night.

“I think the award recognises that we are something different. It was a risk setting up a bar which is so different, with no TV screens or sport showing, but people seem to love it.

“It’s a place where you can go along for a chat and drink something a little bit different.”

Roddy Mackay, 61, took over at the Central Bar in Northgate in 2006.

He said: “About three weeks ago, we found out that we had been nominated by a customer.

“We were told that we had made the top 10, and I went along with my daughter Michelle and a couple of members of staff without any particular expectations.

“Our category was the last to be announced, by which time we had enjoyed a lovely meal and had had a few drinks. It was a great night.”

As a bonus, the bar got a mention on air by BBC Radio 2 DJ Sara Cox.

“Michelle had sent her a message and she gave us a mention, which was lovely too,” Roddy added.

Irfan Younis, chief executive officer of event organiser Creative Oceanic, a Glasgow-based marketing firm, said: “Although in its first year, we received a fantastic response from the public.

“This industry has grown massively over the past year, and we aimed to reward those who have managed to make a real difference by providing fantastic drinks and great hospitality.

“The winners are an outstanding example of excellence, whose dedication to be the best has made them stand out.

“We would like to congratulate all finalists and winners for their amazing achievements.”

The Borders’ other finalists were Niki’s Bar and the Salmon Inn in Galashiels, the Cobbles and the Border Hotel in Kelso, the Neidpath Inn and County Hotel in Peebles, the Fleece Bar and Kitchen in Selkirk, Jedburgh’s Belter’s Bar and the Mayfield Bar in Hawick, along with the now-closed Plough Inn at Lilliesleaf.

Kelso’s new £248,000 play park was opened with a bang on Saturday as hundreds of children turned out to try out the new space-inspired equipment.

A party in the park event at Shedden Park, organised by Kelso Community Council and the local authority, offered up live music, games, face-painting, and a visit from the town’s fire engine.

Guide leader and all-round volunteering stalward Susan Glendinning, winner of this year’s Ex-Kelso Laddies Lifetime Achievement Award, officially opened the park with help from this year’s lady bussers Skye Nairn, Ellie Burton and Madison Wemyss.

See all our photos from the day in our gallery: https://www.thesouthernreporter.co.uk/news/people/in-pictures-kelso-s-new-play-park-opening-goes-with-a-bang-1-5015682

Town provost Dean Weatherston, said: “It was great to be a part of a wonderful day and I enjoyed taking my daughter and nieces into the new park.

“It is a great asset for the town and I am especially pleased there is equipment for children with disabilities.

“Thank you to everyone who contributed to the project and those involved with the opening.”

The all-inclusive play park, which includes ramps, wide slides, a swirl roundabout, disabled swings and a sign language panel, is the sixth to be opened in the Borders in the last 18 months as part of the council’s £5m investment in new play parks, skate parks, pump tracks, all age outdoor spaces and shelters.

Kelso councillors Simon Mountford, Euan Robson and Tom Weatherston, added: “Many thanks to all who attended and contributed to the celebrations for the Kelso’s new play park.

“This facility will benefit local people and should attract more visitors to the Kelso area, while helping our young people to get active in a fun environment.”

Kelso, Galashiels, Stow, Oxton, Harestanes and Coldstream have now all received new play parks as part of the investment programme announced last year.

Peebles, Earlston, Duns, Eyemouth and Jedburgh are all scheduled to see new play areas in the next three years, with further outdoor facilities to be installed in other towns.

Councillor Sandy Aitchison, Scottish Borders Council’s executive member for neighbourhoods and locality services, said: “We have had some great feedback already on the new Shedden Park Play Park and we hope families in the local area will get along to try it out in the coming weeks.

“We have plans for further play parks right across the Scottish Borders as well as new pump/skate parks and fitness and youth shelters as part of the investment strategy, which is aiming to improve the right facilities in the right places.”

These are the top 10 dog names which are predicted to be popular next year according to Tasty Bone, so if you’re looking for inspiration there’s plenty to choose from. If you already have a pooch - does your dog’s name make the list?

A painting of Jedburgh war hero Sgt John Daykins has been presented to the club’s Royal British Legion club by military artist David Thorp.

Sgt Daykins earned the highest military honour – the Victoria Cross – in 1917 in Solesmes, near Cambrai in France, by utilising his skills in hand-to-hand fighting, while under fire, to take 25 prisoners and an enemy machine gun.

David had heard of the story of and was so impressed he took it upon himself to make sure a worthy memorial of the soldier was put in place.

He came to the Borders, dressed in WWI uniform, to do a charity job with Brooke Animal Hospitals, and was asked to take part in a special parade for Sgt Daykins, and later got talking to members in ther bar.

He also later met members of the town’s pipe band when they visited Normandy, and the idea for the painting was born.

David, who normally takes commisions for his artworks, told us: “When I did the painting I had hoped that there may be a relative or two who may be able to accept a print from me, but from what I hear there do not appear to be any, which is a shame.

“The painting is set at a particular junction in the town of Solesmes Nord, and the battle took place near the church about 300 metres back.

“The wrecked building at the back is now part of the garden of a bungalow.”

On Saturday, September 21, David, dressed as a WW1 general, and his nephew Jeremy Stuehmeyer, presented the painting, again, dressed in period military costume.

Shaun Carroll, chairman at the legion and area chairman for the Lothian and Borders region, was delighted with the piece, which now hangs pride of place in the club.

He said: “It was a big surprise when David told us what he was doing, and the finished painting is beautiful.

“It really represents Daykins well.

“His story was passed down to me from the late George Miller and what a story it is.”

The track at Kelso is in perfect condition for the valuable fixture this Sunday, October 6 – as might be expected from the racecourse which has just won the Racecourse Association Jumps Track Groundstaff Awards 2019.

Jonathan Garratt, managing director of Kelso Races Ltd, said: “Everyone here is immensely proud that the efforts of our groundstaff have been recognised in this way. They are an excellent team, always open to trying something new and, above all, dedicated to presenting the track in the best possible condition for our participants.”

Head groundsman Brian Meikle said: “The team have worked hard in all weather conditions and we take a lot of pride in everything we do.

“It’s great that we were nominated for the award by trainers who have run their horses here and it is humbling that the judges have singled out Kelso Racecourse for the award ahead of so many other hard-working tracks.”

In addition to providing a consistently good surface for racing, the groundstaff at Kelso have been complimented on their eagerness to innovate. Four seasons ago, the track was an early adopted of the new style of padded hurdles, which have since been brought in at some larger racecourses, including Ascot.

Last winter, Kelso became the first racecourse in the country to deploy a lighting gantry to stimulate grass growth on the track during the darkest part of the year.

The Borders track worked with specialist equipment providers Bernhard & Co, as part of an innovation project which was supported by Scottish Enterprise. Similar lighting gantries have since been used at other racecourses to aid the recovery of damaged turf after race meetings.

A quality field will assemble for the feature race on Sunday, the £40,000 Belhaven Best Handicap Steeplechase, including the winners of each of the last five runnings of the two-mile event.

Last year’s winner Nuts Well, trained in Northumberland by Ann Hamilton, will take on Theflyingportrait, who won at Kelso’s latest fixture in September, as well as this race in 2016.

Simply Ned, who won the race in 2014 and 2015 and who has been placed in each year since, will be making his seasonal debut on Sunday, while 2017 winner Forest Bihan also looks likely to line up.

The first race on the card is the Scottish Racing Supporting Alzheimer Scotland Handicap Hurdle but it is possible that more than one charity could benefit from the race.

All prize money collected by Royal Reserve, trained by Lucinda Russell, will benefit the Doddie Weir Foundation for Motor Neurone Disease. The charity was set up by Doddie, who was capped 61 times by Scotland at rugby union before being diagnosed with MND in 2017.

Donald McCain won the William Hill Bookmakers Novices Hurdle Race last year and the Cheshire handler will fancy his chances of retaining the spoils with Onthefrontfoot, who is two from two over hurdles after wins at Ayr and Cartmel back in the spring.

The Kelso Groundstaff Champions Novices Hurdle has produced a number of decent horses in the past, the race was won most recently by Harriet Graham’s progressive hurdler Aye Right.

Lucinda Russell could hold the key this time as Scotland’s leading jumps trainer is four-handed with A Ladies Man, Looks Like Murt, Lucky Flight and Speak Of The Devil.

Dual Borders National-winning jockey Rachael McDonald, of Selkirk, has already been booked for the ride on Pena Dorada by Hawick trainer Alistair Whillans in the NSPCC School Service Handicap Chase. Rachael has won five races under Rules and between the flags on the 12-year-old and gets on with him really well.

The final race on the card is the Racing TV Conditional Jockeys Handicap Hurdle, in which James Moffatt is likely to give Charlotte Jones an opportunity to enhance her already excellent record over hurdles aboard Mondlicht, who has dropped to an attractive handicap mark for the Cartmel-based trainer.

The seven race programme, starting at 2.20pm, is preceded by the annual Town Principals Race at 1.30pm.

Nominees from the local town festivals will race down the track representing their towns, after which the riders and their supporters will celebrate throughout the afternoon in a marquee adjacent to the parade ring. Niamh Dobie from Annan was last year’s winning rider.

The gates open at noon.

A nurse found to have mistreated patients and wrongly administered drugs has been struck off the medical register again.

It’s the second time Matthew McCardle, of Galashiels, has been banned from practising at the Borders General Hospital in Melrose.

In 2009, he was stuck off for similar offences, but he returned to the wards in 2015, taking up a staff nurse’s post within the medical assessment unit at the hospital in March 2016.

However, at a Nursing and Midwifery Council hearing last week, he was struck off again.

Allegations that between June and October 2017, Mr McCardle wrongly administering drugs, was rude to the wife of a dying patient and was confrontational toward a colleague were referred to the council in January 2018.

And last week, its fitness to practise committee found him guilty of 13 of 19 charges relating to his conduct and nursing practice.

It found that during October 2017 he was involved in three incidents involving the administering of medication to patients.

They included not checking the correct prescription of a blood-pressure drug being administered, wrongly diluting an antibiotic drug and failing to change a leaking bag of anti-overdose treatment about to be given to another patient.

The panel said: “These errors related to fundamental clinical nursing skills in respect of which Mr McCardle had completed training.

“Due to the repetitive nature of the errors within a short period of time, there was a significant potential for serious harm.

“There was nothing to indicate Mr McCardle had learnt from previous incidents.”

At the same time, Mr McCardle also displayed unacceptable behaviour towards staff, patients and visitors.

One colleague told the hearing in Edinburgh that she had been left frightened by his aggressive behaviour, and a further complaint told of how he had been unprofessional and abrupt with the wife of a dying patient.

The council’s case presenter, Charles Drinnan, said: “Mr McCardle’s behaviour towards a patient’s relative and to a colleague in terms of his lack of empathy and aggressive and intimidating behaviour had brought the profession into disrepute.”

The council hearing further criticised an apparent failure to learn from mistakes, with Mr Drinnan adding: “The reflective piece provided for this hearing and the reflective piece provided for Mr McCardle’s restoration hearing in 2015 are similar in nature.

“He has expressed some regret about what has happened and has admitted some of his errors, but the panel considered he has also made excuses and attempted to justify his actions rather than take ownership of his mistakes.”

He suggested that Mr McCardle should have demonstrated an “extra layer of care” given his previous striking-off order.

Mr McCardle did not attend the hearing, at which eight witnesses gave evidence, and he has 28 days to appeal against its decision.

An NHS Borders spokeswoman said: “We take the safety of both our staff and patients very seriously, and any cases of misconduct are dealt with appropriately in line with policies.

“NHS Borders referred Mr McCardle to the Nursing and Midwifery Council and is satisfied with the outcome.

“Mr McCardle is no longer an employee of the board.”

The trial of a 25-year-old man accused of distributing a sex tape online has been adjourned until December after a witness failed to turn up.

Greg Halfpenny had pleaded not guilty at Jedburgh Sheriff Court to two charges of disclosing a film showing a man and a woman in what was described as an intimate situation.

It is claimed he sent intimate videos of the pair engaged in coprophiliac sex acts over social media without consent and, by doing so, intended to cause them fear, alarm or distress.

Those offences are alleged to have taken place at a house in Hawick on December 29.

Halfpenny, of Guthrie Drive in Hawick, is charged under the 2016 Abusive Behaviour and Sexual Harm (Scotland) Act.

A new trial date has been set for December 10, with an intermediate hearing on November 26.

A witness arrest warrant was also granted.

Residents have hit out at a Scottish Government reporter’s decision to overturn the rejection by council planners of proposals for a 69-home housing estate on the outskirts of Galashiels.

Coppersknowe Residents Association chairman John Birnie said he felt so strongly about the developer’s appeal being allowed that he will be looking into options to take the matter to the Court of Session.

Eildon Housing Association had already been granted planning consent for 58 flats and houses next to Coopersknowe Crescent at Easter Langlee, and it has now been given the green light to add another 11 after government reporter Amanda Chisholm upheld the social landlord’s appeal.

Mr Birnie said: “We are certainly not happy with the decision.

“We can’t believe that one woman has the power to overturn the decision of elected members.

“We are trying to figure out if we can, in turn, appeal to the Court of Session if we can find a backer to do so because it won’t be cheap.

“It is undemocratic and, like the decision of the UK prime minister to prorogue parliament in recent weeks, we believe it might be unlawful.

“If we take this matter to court, I have no doubt that we would win.”

In rejecting the bid to build 11 extra homes, the council’s planning and building standards committee cited concerns over increased traffic on the C77 Langlee-Lauder road.

However, Ms Chisholm argued they would have a “negligible effect” on traffic levels, something Mr Birnie disputes.

He also has issues with the 13 conditions the reporter is insisting on before building can commence and with her optimism about a roundabout being built at the junction of the C77 and B6374.

“The land that would be required to build the roundabout is not even being purchased,” he said.

“We were told by the financial department at Scottish Borders Council that it is not in the pipeline.”

“The reporter has also made it a condition that a crossing would be put in place across the C77 at Melrose Gait.

“We were told by the council that such a crossing would be refused as it would make the traffic on the road even more dangerous.”

Another condition by Ms Chisholm states that no work should be carried out until the developer submits an approved scheme, at its own expense, “to identify and assess potential contamination on site”.

The site was previously farmland, and Mr Birnie claimed: “Due diligence was not done into contamination concerns at the site.

“If we had known this, we would have objected strongly to the 58 houses. We would never have agreed to it.

“If the land is contaminated, it will cost hundreds of thousands of pounds to put right.”

Mr Birnie says he also has concerns over disabled access to and from the cottages at what he calls the pinch point between Coopsersknowe and Melrose Gait.

He added: “The council is sending me paperwork on the appeals process, and we’ll go over it and see where we stand, but we definitely think the reporter has made a real blooper here.

“The traffic congestion caused by this will be absolutely horrendous, with three developments all converging into one exit onto Melrose Road.”

It could be game, set and match next week for a developer planning a housing development next to Selkirk’s tennis courts.

Scottish Borders Council’s planning and building standards committee meets on Monday and it’s being recommended to grant approval for 13 detached properties on a one-hectare site in Hillside Terrace known locally as Kerr’s Land.

The bid has been put in by Melrose-based developer Rural Renaissance. It also wants to create a new entrance to the site from the A7.

The recommendation for approval comes despite concerns being raised regarding access to the site being from a busy trunk road and potentially creating an additional hazard.

Among those expressing concerns were the A7 Action Group and Selkirkshire councillor Elaine Thornton-Nicol.

The latter said: “The speed of vehicles both north and southbound on the A7 at Hillside Terrace prevents turning in and out of driveways, and there is concern that adding approximately 20 more vehicles will simply exacerbate this.

“There is a concern that the development will require traffic control for access and egress from the site. This is a major trunk road and that would have a serious impact on traffic movement.

“The narrowness of the carriageway at this point means there may be the need for vehicles entering and exiting the site to cross onto the other side of the carriageway, causing further risk.

“There is a concern that the sight lines are not good enough for safe egress from site.”

Marjorie McCreadie, secretary of the A7 Action Group, said: “Although the site is allocated for residential development in the current local development plan, creating a new access onto the trunk road at this time is controversial.

“The group considers the development to be premature and potentially unsafe.”

In his report, council planner Carlos Clarke addresses those concerns, however, saying: “The layout is now considered generally acceptable and a significant improvement on the original design.”

A magnificent seven tourist attractions in the Borders have been shortlisted for honours at this year’s Scottish Thistle Awards.

The awards, now in their 27th year, help shine the spotlight on individuals and businesses going above and beyond the call of duty to attract visitors to Scotland.

Seven of the region’s leading attractions have made it onto the awards’ shortlists, one of them – Johnstons of Elgin’s Hawick mill – twice.

Two organisations here, Lauder’s Thirlestane Castle Trust and Visit Berwickshire Coast, are also shortlisted, taking our tally of award contenders to nine.

They will vie for 10 honours at a regional final to be held at Prestonfield House Hotel in Edinburgh on Thursday, November 14.

Competing in the best bar or pub category is Rutherfords in Kelso. It became Scotland’s first micropub after it was opened in a disused former knitwear unit in the Square four years ago by Simon and Debbie Rutherford.

In the best restaurant section, the nominees include Provender in Melrose.

Launched in November 2017 in the town’s High Street by brothers Justin and Christian Orde and childhood friend Christian Edwardson, it bills itself as specialising in contemporary British and French food at affordable prices.

Textile company Johnstons of Elgin’s base in Mansfield Road in Hawickis up for two awards at this year’s ceremony, for best heritage tourism experience and best informal eating experience.

Kingsmuir House in Springhill Road in Peebles is hoping to be named the region’s most hospitable bed-and-breakfast or guesthouse.

Two Borders businesses will also go head to head in the best outdoor or adventure experience category - Beirhope Alpacas at Beirhope Farm, near Hownam, and Wild Tree Adventures at Bowden, near Newtown.

Ride Scottish Borders, based at Lindean, north of Selkirk, is also vying for recognition, in the working together for tourism section.

2019 saw almost 600 entries submitted following more than 1,000 nominations by members of the public keen to give hotels, restaurants, bed-and-breakfasts, visitor attractions and individuals the opportunity to earn the recognition they deserve from their industry peers.

Last year’s regional winners incuded two from the Borders – Walkerburn’s Windlestraw restaurant and hotel, named most hospitable hotel, and Fauhope Country House at Gattonside, named most hospitable B&B.

VisitScotland regional leadership director Paula Ward said: “I am delighted to see such a strong representation from the Borders in the Scottish Thistle Awards regional final.

“Those individuals and businesses should feel very proud to have reached the regional finals, and I wish them the very best of luck.”

Rebecca Brooks, chairperson of the awards panel, added: “Once again, the Scottish Thistle Awards have attracted entries from right across the country, with the regional winners earning their place at the prestigious national final in March, where they will join the country’s tourism elite to be honoured with the highest accolade in the Scottish hospitality and tourism sector.

“Tourism is more than a holiday experience. It is the heartbeat of the Scottish economy and touches every community, generating income, jobs and social change.”

“The Scottish Thistle Awards are a chance to celebrate those people and businesses responsible for offering the warmest of welcomes that our country is famous for.”

Nominated in the best self-catering accommodation experience is the Thirlestane Castle Trust at Lauder.

Committing a series of offences on the day he was released from prison resulted in a 40-year-old man being sent straight back to jail for another nine months.

Ricky Lee, 40, returned to the Borders after getting out of Low Moss Prison at Bishopbriggs, East Dunbartonshire, but he arrived too late to collect the keys to his home, so instead he went to a pub and then to a superstore to get more alcohol.

Lee, formerly of Wellfield Road in Hawick, pleaded guilty at Jedburgh Sheriff Court to shouting and swearing and threatening staff at the Asda store in Galashiels on September 2 while on bail.

He also admitted behaving in a threatening or abusive manner and repeatedly striking the interior of a police vehicle during a journey between Galashiels and Hawick police station.

While at Hawick police station, Lee was found to be in possession of a small amount of cocaine.

Defence lawyer Stephanie Clinkscale said her client had been remanded in custody since September 3 in connection with those latest offences.

She explained that Lee had been released from prison on September, having served a four-month sentence for breaching a night-time curfew and had been using public transport to get home via Glasgow, Edinburgh and Galashiels.

Ms Clinkscale said: “By the time he got to the Borders, the office where he was to collect his keys was closed.

“He went to the pub and had alcohol.

“In relation to the Asda incident, he foolishly tried to buy alcohol after hours and reacted inappropriately.

“In the police van, he said the cuffs were on him too tight and was complaining.”

Lee was also sentenced for breaching a community payback order.

Causing a disturbance at his estranged wife’s home has resulted in a £250 fine for a 52-year-old man at Jedburgh Sheriff Court.

Andrew Coyle, of Priors Meadow in Jedburgh, pleaded guilty to behaving in a threatening or abusive manner at a house in Longcroft Crescent in Hawick on February 5.

A not-guilty plea to an assault charge was accepted by the crown.

A motorist has been banned from the road for three years at Jedburgh Sheriff Court after he admitted eight offences including two counts of dangerous driving.

Kieran Borthwick pleaded guilty to committing those offences in High Street in Coldstream on July 10 and on the A68 in Jedburgh on August 3.

The 24-year-old, of Bongate in Jedburgh, admitted having no driving licence or insurance, failing to stop when requested by the police and dangerous driving on July 10.

On August 3, he committed a further offence of dangerous driving, as well still having no licence or insurance.

In addition, he pleaded guilty to another charge of failing to reveal the identity of a driver when requested by police at Edenside Court in Kelso on January 3.

Borthwick was also given a community payback order involving 260 hours’ unpaid work.

A man has been fined £300 at Jedburgh Sheriff Court for repeatedly attempting to punch his estranged wife’s new partner.

Jamie Gent, 31, of Fairhurst Drive in Hawick, pleaded guilty to committing that offence in High Street in Hawick on July 10.

Defence lawyer Ross Dow said his client claimed the man smirked at him as they passed each other in the street and Gent saw red.

A 59-year-old man has been ordered to be of good behaviour for the next six months after admitting brandishing a weapon during an incident in Gala Park Court in Galashiels.

Robert McMillan pleaded guilty to shouting and swearing, threatening a man with violence and brandishing a weapon during on June 8 last year.

Selkirk Sheriff Court was told that McMillan’s son Philip had invited a man dating his partner’s best friend to his father’s home.

Once their guest was there, though, the father and son began threatening him, claiming he looked like a “lassie-basher” and waved a crowbar or similar weapon close to his head, as well as bragging about their criminal activities.

The court heard that the man was alarmed at what had taken place, and after he left the house, he called the police.

Defence lawyer Mat Patrick said his client was of very poor health and would be unable to carry out unpaid work.

McMillan had sentence deferred until March 23, 2020.

A warrant was issued for the arrest of 22-year-old Philip McMillan after he failed to appear for sentence.

A man was arrested for breaching bail after intervening to break up a fight in a Galashiels pub.

Stuart Gallagher, 29, had been on bail with a special condition not to contact Deborah Streets, but he failed to heed that ban and was found by police in her company at Reivers Sports Bar in Galashiels High Street on Sunday.

Depute fiscal Fiona Hamilton told Jedburgh Sheriff Court that Gallagher had come to the attention of officers after he had split up a fight, and when they checked him out, they found there was a bail condition preventing him from contacting the woman.

She was in the bar with him and her purse was in his pocket, the court heard.

Sentence was deferred on Gallagher, of Minto Place in Hawick, until October 21.

Healthcare heroes have been honoured at this year’s NHS Borders Celebrating Excellence Awards.

More than 250 volunteers, staff and guests attended a prize-giving ceremony at Springwood Park in Kelso.

NHS Borders chairwoman Karen Hamilton said: “This event gives us a valuable platform to publicly recognise and pay tribute to the work of staff across all our services. It’s also an opportunity for our teams to celebrate their hard work together.

“It was wonderful to share the evening with members of our business community, to whom we are very grateful for sponsorship and support.

“It was exceptionally difficult to select the winner of the chair’s award, which went to ward seven in recognition of their strong teamworking, always putting their patients first and demonstrating the core values of NHS Borders.”

Other winners were the Cauldshiels ward for person-centred care, the pulmonary rehabilitation team for using resources better, Joey Dalit for work behind the scenes, mealtime volunteers for support, Katharine Rolland for innovation, Elaine Agnew for excellence in primary care provision, Lukasz Bogus for partnership in practice, the school immunisation team for values and Colm McCarthy for inspiration.

Commendations went to Health in Harmony, the Borders General Hospital’s sewing room and emergency department and Shonagh Milne of Haylodge Hospital in Peebles.

A 29-year-old man has admitted six offences on indictment at Jedburgh Sheriff Court including threatening to assault police officers.

John Chapman pleaded guilty to behaving in a threatening or abusive manner at a house in Forest Avenue in Galashiels on June 24 by carrying out a search of the premises and threatening to assault others.

He also admitted being in possession of offensive weapons – namely a screwdriver, hammer and knives – spitting over a police vehicle and causing damage to a cell at Hawick police station, as well as threatening to assault police officers.

Chapman, of Galashiels, had sentence deferred until November 11 for a drug treatment and testing order assessment to be carried out.

Fiona Hamilton, prosecuting, said the incident started at about 9.30am, when a man received a message from a witness to say ‘Pinhead is here and not leaving’.

“He was saying things such as that he had money stolen and was worse for wear.

“Pinhead is the nickname for the accused.

“The man returned home to find the accused in his home address. He was searching every room within the house. He was shouting that he had lost possessions and was verbally abusive towards the witness.

“He was asked to leave and eventually did, but he returned and threatened to assault one of the men.

“They contacted 999, and police arrived and found Chapman in the middle of the roadway holding a carrier bag and he also had a hammer in the same hand.

“The officer asked him to drop the weapon, which he ignored, but after a third request, he did drop it.

“Police took hold of him and searched him and found a kitchen knife in a jacket pocket and the hammer was lying on the roadway.

“The carrier bag was searched and two hammers were recovered, plus a screwdriver and three Stanley knives.”

The fiscal said that Chapman was taken into custody but was verbally abusive to officers on the journey to Hawick police station, spitting all over the rear cage of the vehicle, and he later caused damage to a cell at the station.

Defence lawyer Ross Dow pointed out that his client had been on remand since June 25, the equivalent of a six-month prison sentence.

Devising a fraudulent scheme to steal £150 worth of goods from his employer has resulted in a £400 fine for a former shop worker.

Aaron Swan, of Stonefield Place in Hawick, pleaded guilty at Jedburgh Sheriff Court to committing that offence while employed as a team leader by catalogue store chain Argos between February 7 and March 3.

The 35-year-old admitted activating gift cards and processing excess stock as returns to obtain goods to the value of £150.

Defence lawyer Ross Dow said his client had lost his employment as a result of that offence and was in low spirits at the time.

Sheriff Vinit Khurana told him: “It is a serious offence to commit fraud against your employer.”

He reduced Swan’s fine from £600 to £400 to reflect his guilty plea.

Hawick Community Council’s latest incarnation is vowing to get back on track after a turbulent few months.

Former vice-chairman and long-standing member Cameron Knox was elected as chairman at the group’s first meeting on Monday night.

And he says he’s delighted with his new team and is ready to get on with the job in hand.

“We have one goal, and that’s to put Hawick forward on the map,” he said after being chosen to replace Gillian Morgan following her resignation in August after less than six months in charge.

“We want to be a proactive community council and to move forward by working with our fellow country community councils in the future.

“We want to put the community back into the community council of Hawick and make the town proud.”

More than 100 townsfolk turned out for the community council’s first meeting since June to witness the election of its office-bearers.

“Remember, this is your community council,” Mr Knox, 60, told them.

“You make this community council work, so any problems or ideas you have, please come forward with them.”

The council last met in June, when a heated exchange took place between councillors and townsfolk over a dispute surrounding a gift to Hawick Cornet Connor Brunton and his lass Victoria Campbell during the common riding.

There was no meeting in July, as that’s traditionally when the council takes a summer break, and August’s scrapped meeting saw the community council fold after a string of resignations.

This week, though, it was business as usual as Marion Short, returning after leaving the council in 2017 following a six-year stint included five years as chairwoman, was appointed as Mr Knox’s second in command.

Previous council members Duncan Taylor, John Wilkinson, Drew Dickson, French Wight, Brian Bouglas and Wilson George also returned as part of the new-look committee.

New faces Catriona Young, Keith Irving, John Campbell, Jim Adams, Margaret Hogg, William Wear and 16-year-old Braden George filled the remaining seats.

Mrs Young and Mr Adams took the positions of secretary and treasurer respectively.

After the meeting, Mr Knox, also chairman of the town’s common riding committee, told the Southern: “The main thing is we have got youth and a great range of age groups from our youngest member at 16-years-old to experienced members.

“We want to bring the community back into the community council and it’s a conduit for ideas and problems between us and Scottish Borders Council.

“We’ve seen great support from townsfolk, and we hope that will continue.”

The council next meets on Monday, October 14, at 6.30pm in the lesser town hall.