Scandinavia and Scotland unite in a smörgåsbord of Norwegian and Scottish music and food events this weekend.

On Friday in Maxton Village Hall, Gaelic singer and fiddler Rona Wilkie joins forces with Norwegian mandola player Marit Fält in an evening exploring their home countries’ folk music.

The duo, who won a Danny Kyle Award at Celtic Connections, promise to bring a new perspective to traditional music from both sides of the North Sea.

Rona, an exceptional fiddle player and Gaelic singer from the Highlands, was crowned the BBC Scotland Young Traditional Musician of the Year.

“She has a great drive behind her playing, and is also able to slow it down to tease the beauty of slower airs,” writes a spokesperson for the event, organised by Gaelic in the Borders.

“Marit is a hugely dynamic and inventive Låtmandola and cittern player from Norway, of Swedish parents. She captures the elegance and raw beauty of Norwegian and Swedish traditional music.”

The performance starts at 7.45pm, and tickets cost £3, or £2 for Gaelic in Scotland members.

Then, on Sunday evening, Borders band Riddell Fiddles team up with the Norwegian fiddle group Feleboga for a ceilidh at Selkirk’s County Hotel, followed by a dinner of traditional Norwegian food, including lapskaus, described as a dish between steak pie and stovies.

Teleboga were invited by the County’s owners, Will Haegeland and Trond Dalby, who said: “As Norwegians we are delighted to welcome Feleboga and their 25 fiddlers to the Scottish Borders.

“Both countries are renowned for their folk history and music. We look forward to celebrating this rich history together.”

The evening starts at 7pm in Scott’s Hall, and tickets cost £10 from the hotel.

Four musicians from Riddell Fiddles, Kim and Stuart Hendry, Louise Douglas and Kieran Sapkota, will be on a high after playing Border jigs and reels for the Scottish Parliament, on MSPs’ visit to the Heart of Hawick earlier in the day.

On Sunday December 2, Riddell Fiddles is hosting a concert with Shetland musicians Jenna Reid and Harris Playfair.

For more info, go to www.riddellfiddles.co.uk

The folk music band Lau is performing its new, third album Race the Loser at The Queen’s Hall in Edinburgh on November 6, and TheSouthern is giving away two free CDs.

To win one, answer the following question.

What does ‘lau’ mean in the dialect of Orkney, where the band’s Kris Drever is from?

The trio’s live and studio performances have seen Lau pick up three consecutive BBC Folk Awards for Best Group (2008-2010).

“Race the Loser features Lau’s best, most universal and significant music yet,” writes Lau’s publicists. “It’s the sound of three free-thinking, exceptionally talented friends embracing with open arms yet another new chapter of what has already been an extraordinary musical journey.

“Race the Loser was made in Scotland, with American producer Tucker Martine, and pushes Lau’s complex yet accessible sound even further to the outer reaches of folk music, while retaining all the strengths of the original acoustic trio of Kris Drever on vocals/guitar, Martin Green on accordion, and Aidan O’Rourke on fiddle.”

Kris said: “Tucker picked up our ball and ran the full length of the pitch and off out of the stadium with it.”

O’Rourke added: “We’re more confident in our writing and the noise we’ve created this time feels  closer to the sound which we have been aiming for.”

The band spent the two and half years since their Arc Light album, collaborating on a variety of special projects including EPs with electronic producer Adem and Scots singer Karine Polwart, and a live show and documentary for the BBC with rock legend, Cream bassist Jack Bruce.  

Lau also wrote a vast new orchestral piece, Strange Attractors, with composer Brian Irvine which debuted atthe Sage, Gateshead, and was performed by Lau and the Northern Sinfonia.

The publicist continued: “These collaborations have added much to Race the Loser’s sonic quality, electronic explorations and original songwriting.”

To enter the competition, send your answers and address to Southern Life, The Southern Reporter, The Hermitage, High Street, Selkirk, TD7 4DA.

The Bruce MacGregor Trio is playing at Peebles’ Eastgate Theatre on Wednesday November 7, starting at 7.30pm.

“Bruce MacGregor (fiddle), Tim Edey (box/guitar) and Christine Hanson (cello) have just released an album, Kissin’ is the Best of A, and they’re now on tour to show you just what they can do live,” their spokesperson said.

Bruce is the founding member of Blazin’ Fiddles, Tim is the winner of the BBC Radio 2 Folk Awards Musician of the Year 2012, and Christine appears everywhere on both sides of the Atlantic. Tickets cost £13.

Peebles’ music season continues on Tuesday, November 6, as Pure Brass promises to delight fans of brass instruments as much as the Brodsky Quartet delighted lovers of strings in October.

“This exciting and versatile young quintet brings astonishing virtuosity to music spanning six centuries,” writes the musicians’ publicist. “Pure Brass have been thrilling audiences since 2006, in venues as diverse as St Magnus Cathedral and T in the Park, collecting many prizes along the way.”

The group has won a variety of competitions, including the RSAMD Governors’ Prize for Chamber Music – which was subsequently made into a recording for BBC Radio Scotland – the Mary D Adams Award and the Norman Cooper Prize at the Aberdeen International Youth Festival.

“Pure Brass is an exciting young Scottish brass quintet who have quickly made a name for themselves, not only as brilliant musicians but also as great entertainers,” said John Fox, president of Music in Peebles. “Their concert in Peebles showcases their great virtuosity and also the breadth of their musical interests, spanning from the Renaissance to the present. On the programme are Gabrieli and jazz, Bach and the Beatles – something for everyone!”

The brass quintet is composed of five graduates of the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland: Andrew Connell-Smith and Ian Archibald on trumpet, Martin Murphy on horn, Gordon Seith on trombone and Fraser Russell on tuba. Their programme ranges from Gabrieli, through Bach and Mussorgsky to Peter Maxwell Davies and Steve Reich – and there will even be some jazz, blues and the Beatles.

“Central to Pure Brass’s ethos is providing concerts which are musically challenging but accessible to all,” their publicist continues: “Presented in their own individual style, spoken programme notes are a must alongside demonstrations, and even the occasional bit of audience participation. Introduced and delivered with their own unique panache, this concert has something for everyone.”

They have a passion for new music and have performed premieres at the Scottish Music Centre’s 2012 Composers Marathon, the Sounds New Festival in Canterbury, Scotland’s premier contemporary music festival Plug, and a sell-out recital of contemporary music at the RSAMD.

The quintet has performed in solo recitals in some of the UK’s leading venues including the Wigmore Hall, the Usher Hall, and Glasgow Royal Concert Hall. In 2012 they closed the Sommernachtspiele festival in Nuremburg, and have performed at festivals such as the Sauerland-Herbst Festival Germany, and the Edinburgh Fringe Festival.

Pure Brass will also be presenting workshops in local schools in the lead-up to the concert, funded by Enterprise Music Scotland. John Fox welcomed this, saying: “As well as promoting high-quality chamber music concerts, Music in Peebles is also committed to making live music available to young people. As Pure Brass are also passionate about music education, we are delighted that they will be spending two days in Peebles, during which time they will present workshops in three local schools.”

The Pure Brass’ concert, which is open to all, is in the Eastgate Theatre, Peebles on Tuesday 6 November, starting at 7.30 pm. Tickets cost £13 from the Eastgate Box Office (tel.01721 725777). Entry is free for school students and members of Music in Peebles. For more info, visit www.eastgatearts.com

TheSOUTHERN has four sets of family tickets – each worth £44 – to a historic tour for the Singing Kettle.

Husband and wife Cilla Fisher and Artie Trezise – who founded the musical children’s entertainment show back in 1982 – are retiring after their Fairytale Christmas schedule, which includes two dates in Kelso later this month.

However, the show will go on, with Cilla and Artie planning to take on backstage creative roles while a new female cast member is found ahead of a new tour in March next year.

Speaking about the Fairytale Christmas extravaganza, a spokesperson for the Singing Kettle said: “This electrifying singalong will enthral both young and old and is the perfect treat to get everyone in the festive spirit.

Cilla the Good Fairy, Artie the Mad Hatter, Gary as Prince Charming and Kevin as the Pied Piper will see the Singing Kettle at its breathtaking best.

“Some lucky children will end up on stage to join in the excitement and there’s even a visit from a very special guest with a white beard in a red suit.”

The Singing Kettle perform in the Tait Hall at 1pm and 3.30pm on Sunday, November 25, and at 10am on Monday, November 26.

Tickets are available from.borderevents.co.uk or Brown’s newsagents in Kelso.

To win one of four family tickets for the Kelso show, answer this question:

Which two Singing Kettle cast members are retiring?

Send your answer, name, full address and telephone number by email to kenny.paterson@tweeddalepress.co.uk or by post to The Singing Kettle Competition, The Southern Reporter, The Hermitage, High Street, Selkirk, TD7 4DA, by Thursday, November 8. Usual Southern rules apply.

THE body found in the River Tweed near Norham last Wednesday morning was that of William Purves from Ladykirk, near Berwick.

Search-and-rescue volunteers from the Borders were involved in a five-hour search for the 64-year-old gamekeeper who worked at Ladykirk estate.

Police were alerted at 10am when Mr Purves failed to turn up for work. His boat had been seen on the river that morning and both fire and rescue crews, as well as the police marine unit set up a search for the missing man.

Specialist volunteer organisations, the Border Search and Rescue Unit (BSRU) and the Borders Underwater Search Team were called in at lunchtime when 11 members from BSRU and three divers trawled the banks and river for the Ladykirk man. An aerial search by a helicopter from RAF Bulmer found no trace of him.

BSRU’s Damon Rodwell said: “The recent heavy rain and exceptionally high river levels had made the steep sections of the bank particularly hazardous, and the search was hampered by dense and slippery vegetation.”

The volunteer divers found Mr Purves’ body just upstream of Norham Bridge after 3pm.

Police say there are no suspicious circumstances and a report has been sent to the Procurator Fiscal.

AFTER lying unread for decades and gathering dust in the attic of an Australian farmhouse, the memoirs of the Borders sculptor who carved the statues of Ettrick shepherd James Hogg at St Mary’s Loch and that of explorer Mungo Park in Selkirk, have now been published.

In a new book entitled Carving History: The Life & Works of Andrew Currie, the memoirs form the basis of a biography by freelance Melbourne journalist, Bob Johnstone.

Currie, who died in 1891 and was the author’s great-great-grandfather, was more than just a gifted carver of large-scale monuments in stone and finely-wrought furniture in wood.

He was also an enthusiastic antiquary, an oral historian, and a writer who penned colourful stories of life in the Borders of his youth.

The son of a Howford sheep farmer, Currie worked as a millwright until his mid-forties, when his health broke. Only then did he fulfill a life-long dream to become a sculptor.

Carving History is divided up into three sections; the first being a biography of Currie’s life; part two contains illustrations of his works and part three is a collection of his writings, including memoirs and diaries about growing up in the Borders of the early 19th century.

The manuscripts came to light in 2011, having lain in the house in the Australian state of Victoria for generations, and are being published for the first time, to coincide with Currie’s bicentenary on November 6.

The author of five previous books, Bob, whose father was born in Selkirk and whose mother’s family comes from Galashiels, has also worked as a correspondent for the New Scientist, the Far East Economic Review and Wired magazine.

Speaking to TheSouthern from his home in Victoria’s state capital, Melbourne, he said the chain of events which had led him to start work on the book had began innocuously enough, with a request from his son.

“He asked me to put together a family tree for him. This task I immediately passed on to my eldest brother who, being older, is better-versed in such matters than I am,” Bob explained this week.

“He duly obliged, but there was something lacking in the bare framework of names and dates. It would be nice, I thought, to put some flesh on the bones.”

But where to begin? The only ancestor of Bob’s who had been even remotely famous was Andrew Currie.

As well as the monuments to Hogg and Park, Currie had also carved the figure of Robert the Bruce on the esplanade at Stirling Castle, as well as two of the character statues on the Scott Monument in Edinburgh.

So from his desk at home in Melbourne, Bob started trawling the internet for information.

This included downloading a handwritten page from the parish records of Yarrow in Selkirkshire.

As well as learning that it was almost the bicentenary of Currie’s birth and that he had been the son of a tenant farmer from Howford, Bob also found out that Currie had a younger brother, John, who, in 1841, had emigrated to Victoria, where he became a highly successful sheep farmer.

Taking up the story again, Bob said: “I did some more Googling and it didn’t take me long to discover that we had at least one set of distant cousins – more than one, as I later learned – living right here in Victoria. I emailed them, asking if they had any Andrew Currie-related materials.

“By coincidence, at exactly this time, I came across an exchange of letters about Andrew that The Scotsman had published in 1920.

“One correspondent mentioned that Andrew had been working on his memoirs, the other replied he feared that these were now widely scattered, if they still existed.

“The idea that memoirs existed was new and exciting. They would give at least some sense of the person who had written them. But what were the chances of ever finding these memoirs? Not good, I reckoned, real needle-in-a-haystack stuff.”

However, the very next day, Bob’s email inbox was stuffed with a series of emails from one of his newfound cousins and attached to them were scans of documents, handwritten contracts and letters, a detailed appreciation from a magazine of the life of Currie, and – most remarkable of all – the frontispiece of a diary in Currie’s own hand. Bob continues: “Of all the places they could have been in the world, the memoirs had turned up right here in Victoria, about a two-and-a-half-hour drive from my home!

“Up to that point, I had been musing about doing some sort of website. But now I realised that, with the memoirs, this project could be much bigger. The idea that became this book began to form.”

Bob’s cousin let him copy four handwritten exercise books of reminiscences and diaries.

“Transcribing them was intensely exciting: I felt that Andrew Currie was talking directly to me, telling me stories about his life and times, stories that had lain unread in a trunk for many decades.

“They were, I thought, remarkably well-written, by a man who obviously had a sharp eye, a lively mind and a fine, self-deprecatory sense of humour. And, as the first page of the reminiscences made clear, Andrew wanted what he had written to be read.

“So, in addition to photographs of his works, I now understood that his writings must be published, too, so that other family members, scholars, Borderers, and who knew who else could enjoy them.”

z Through a relative in Selkirk, Bob got in touch with photographer Walter McLaren, from Galashiels, who took a number of the images in the book of Currie’s work in the Borders. Many thanks to Mr McLaren for his assistance with this article.

SATURDAY’S Charlie Hall Chase at Wetherby sees the return of Time For Rupert, a horse that some might say has lost his way.

Rupert made his seasonal reappearance in last year’s renewal of the Wetherby showpiece, but failed that day when a heavily backed 11/8 fav. His season never did take off last term for one reason or another and he really is on a recovery mission now.

It’s interesting to note that prior to his Wetherby exertions last October, Rupert had spent the whole of the previous year running solely at Cheltenham, culminating in a superb second to Big Buck’s in the World Hurdle.

It’s a course that definitely suits this fellow and it was there last March where Rupert arguably ran the best race of his career in the Gold Cup.

Denis O’Regan had taken the ride over from Will Kennedy that day, and he allowed the chestnut a free reign, bowling along right up with the pace jumping cleanly throughout.

At one point the 33/1 shot traded as low as 7/2 in running, such was the ease in which he was travelling.

He finally finished a very respectable fifth, beaten by only nine lengths by Synchronised. Connections must have realised that was the real Rupert but rightly, in my opinion, resisted the temptation to run again. I believe that will prove a blessing in disguise as Rupert seemed to enjoy running fresh and I expect he’ll do the same on Saturday.

As I write, he has a couple of entries for the weekend but I believe he will again make the journey up the A1 and, if he does, the 7/1 freely available now will prove too big for a horse with relatively low mileage for an eight-year-old.

THERE have been no cases of ‘ash dieback’ in the Borders so far, but a local forester warned the killer disease could be the equivalent of the 1970s Dutch Elm disease to the ash population.

Forestry Commission Scotland’s Iain Laidlaw was commenting as an ongoing survey in affected areas this week assesses the situation.

He cautioned: “This disease has killed most of the ash trees in Denmark: it is potentially the Dutch Elm disease for ash trees.”

On Monday the Government introduced a ban on imports of the species and imposed movement restrictions with immediate effect. More than 100,000 ash trees have been cut down and burned in a bid to stop the spread of the imported fungus which has killed 90 percent of Denmark’s ash population.

But last week the disease was reported as being free in the UK’s natural environment for the first time.

The Scottish Wildlife Trust (SWT), which has several reserves in the Borders, is calling for emergency action to save the native species and urging more funding be allocated to ash dieback and other tree diseases.

The charity is also demanding a re-examination of how imported plants are checked for diseases and wants foresters to use of saplings from nurseries that source their trees locally.

The only confirmed case in Scotland so far was found at a Forestry Commission Scotland woodland at Knockmountain, near Kilmacolm in Renfrewshire earlier this year.

An SWT spokesman said: “Its spread could be catastrophic for one of Scotland’s most important ‘keystone’ tree species. Many of our native species are dependent on ash, including birds like the bullfinch and butterflies, such as the dingy skipper.”

The chalara fraxinea fungus causes leaf loss and crown dieback and usually leads to the death of the ash tree.

Around 30 per cent of Scotland’s woodland trees are ash, which host insects, birds and bats, and experts describe the tree as being important ecologically and environmentally.

ONE of Scotland’s oldest licensed hotels, the Spread Eagle in Jedburgh, has gone on the market.

Owners for the last eight years, John Campbell and Dr Lorna Noble, hope to move on to a smaller establishment outwith the Borders.

The former coaching inn, which has been a hotel continuously since the 16th century, has an illustrious history which includes Mary Queen of Scots, Sir Walter Scott – and, according to one source, the Rolling Stones – as visitors.

The Spread, along with the Crook Inn in Tweedsmuir, were among the first Scottish inns to be licensed in 1604.

Mr Campbell, who has extensively refurbished the eight-bedroom hotel, said: “You can see parts of it are very old and the builders reckon bits of the fireplace came from the abbey.”

In 1566 Mary Queen of Scots was reportedly going to stay as she presided over the court in the Royal Burgh, but fire forced her to move to the room in what is now known as Mary Queen of Scot’s House where she stayed to recuperate after becoming ill when she famously rode 50 miles to Hermitage Castle and back to visit the injured Bothwell.

Jedburgh’s Billy Gillies, who leads historic walks around the town on Friday evenings, said the Spread had always been associated with judges. For in earlier centuries the judiciary would come from Edinburgh on the court circuit to Jedburgh and have to be escorted to and from towns for their safety. They would then parade from the hotel up the street to the court carrying the mace .

“They’d get their robes and finery on and the provost would be in his chain to escort them up to the courts. In the 1800s they were still doing it,” said Mr Gillies.

The venerable old inn, which used to have stables behind it, is also associated with the Gentlemen’s Club, now open to allcomers, but which was started in the 1700s by the Duke of Buccleuch, the Marquis of Lothian and other lairds, who later built an extension to the inn so they could hold functions.

One of a series of characterful owners, Robert Breustedt, who sold it in 1971, blew a bugle down the High Street to attract custom on a Sunday. “He did it a couple of times then he was warned, “ said Mr Gillies, adding: “John’s done the biggest changes to it and what a great job he’s done.”

The business is advertised online for £150,000.

THIS year’s Tweed Valley Forest Festival which finished at the weekend was the best so far, say organisers.

Co-ordinator Chris Sawers said the seventh annual woodland celebration was “the busiest festival we have had and very, very successful”.

More than 4,000 people are estimated to have attended the Woodmarket in Peebles alone at the start of the eight-day event, when the Scottish Conker Championships were saved at the 11th hour.

Ms Sawers said: “We were blessed with the weather. Apart from the fantastic Woodmarket and saving the conker championships, a highlight had to be the Giant Nights Out and the 35 people who went on the forest walk led by Forestry Commission Scotland’s Iain Laidlaw.”

The event boosted the local economy, but it was difficult at this stage to quantify it, she said.

BORDERS nurse Sandra Robertson is a finalist in prestigious national health awards, writes Sally Gillespie.

The diabetes-specialist nurse is one of three in the nurses’ category of the Scottish Health Awards for people working in the NHS.

Cabinet secretary for health and wellbeing, Alex Neil, said: “Our ambition is to deliver the highest quality of healthcare to the people of Scotland, and these awards give us the opportunity to recognise those individuals and teams who are making an outstanding contribution to that ambition. All those nominated have gone that extra mile to deliver consistent, reliable and responsive healthcare for everyone.”

Ms Robertson was nominated by a grateful mum for the care the dedicated nurse gave her son and other local families.

The Borders General Hospital nurse helps more than 65 children with Type 1 diabetes in the region and works closely with school nurses, teachers and families.

The middle son of the woman who nominated Ms Robertson was diagnosed with the condition in August 2011

A spokesperson for the awards said: “Sandra proved to be an invaluable source of support during this time. She has also helped the family to set up a support network with help from Juvenile Diabetes Research Scotland.”

In February this year the nurse met with the charity, the parent and another mum to set up a support and fundraising group. Since then, events have been held at Selkirk and Kelso rugby clubs for children with Type 1 diabetes and their families.

The spokesperson continued: “Sandra has helped to take this idea forward and to make the events a success by prompting the families in her care to attend the family days. From this opportunity, a small support group has been formed in the Borders, making a big difference to local families coping with diabetes.”

More than 250 nominations were received across the 16 award categories.

The awards ceremony for all the finalists is in Edinburgh next Thursday (November 8).

This week we have Pebbles and Misty who have been with us for far too long and are desperate for a new home.

They can go together or separately.

Misty is a black and white, eight-year-old female who is very affectionate and likes the quiet life.

Misty is a long haired tortoiseshell and white, 10-year-old female who likes to talk! She is also affectionate and likes a quiet home.

HE became known in Scottish rugby circles as Back-door Stevie because of the number of times he was sidestepped by the national selectors only to receive a late call into the Scottish team.

At 6’2” he was a giant to be playing in the back division during the 1950s and 60s.

George Drummond Stevenson, who died on Tuesday at the age of 79, was a product of Hawick and a man who brought flair and fun to the game he loved.

He was a key component of the Green Machine from 1951 to 1967 and was capped 24 times between 1956 and 1965.

The late Walter Thomson from Selkirk was Fly Half – the Sunday Post’s rugby writer for than half a century.

In his book Rummle Them Up!, he wrote: “‘Stevie’ had the happy knack of making his most guileless afterthoughts seem like a preconceived plan.

“Most people of his generation will have seen him try a dropped goal – he was an inveterate optimist – from some unlikely location around midfield.

“The ball, often as not, would fly off the side of his foot and find a priceless touch right in the corner. If ‘Stevie’ had been trying for that touch he would probably have dropped a goal.”

Fly Half says he was an unlikely club captain, with discipline and predictability never his strongest suits – but he had a way of getting results.

Recalling watching him in a captain’s role on a dense January day in the ‘60s at Inverleith, he wrote: “The fog lay so thick that from the midfield tunnel one could vaguely discern goalposts at one end of the ground and nothing at the other. ‘Stevie’ held up a finger to test the imaginary wind ‘Demm, it’s blawing in circles’, he said. Finally, after long deliberation and soul searching, he bamboozled the opposing captain and referee alike by declaring: ‘We’ll juist play wi’ the fog’.”

Fellow Hawick cap Jim Renwick has fond memories as a youngster of watching Stevenson in action.

He told rugby writer Neil Drysdale for his book Southern Comfort: “In the early days I looked up to George Stevenson because he was so unpredictable – he could be making an arse of it one minute and then suddenly produce a piece of magic, which took your breath away in the next.”

Hugh McLeod – Stevenson’s Hawick and Scottish team-mate – once reflected: “He was raw-boned and tough. He was always a match-winner. He was never happy touching the ball down in the corner. He would always want to touch down under the posts. He was such a character.”

Stevenson gained his first cap courtesy of a late call-up for the Calcutta Cup match at Murrayfield in 1956 – he hadn’t even played in a Scottish trial, but responded with a debut try, the only one Scotland scored in the 6-11 defeat to the English.

He wasn’t always a first choice for the selectors and his late entry into the national XV earned him the nickname of ‘Back-door Stevie’.

After that Calcutta Cup cap, he was asked if he would be looking for more to which he jokingly replied : “What’s the point? They tell me they’re a’ the same”.

Fly Half wrote: “Same or not, Stevenson was to collect 24, sometimes by direct entry, sometimes via the back door, but he always gave abundant value in entertainment and very often in classy rugby, too.”

A product of semi-junior Hawick PSA and junior Linden, he followed his international debut touchdown with tries in victories against France and Australia in his third and fifth caps. Another highlight was his thrilling solo try for the Scottish Districts when they defeated South Africa 16-8 at his beloved Mansfield Park in the 1960s.

Everyone in Hawick that day knew that ‘Stevie’ would sidestep because that was his routine in club colours. The only exception was the poor Springbok defender who was completely bamboozled.

Fly Half maintained that the interception was Stevenson’s speciality: “fine when it worked, disastrous when it didn’t.”

Raised in Hawick, Stevenson served his apprenticeship as an engineer and did two years’ National Service. He worked for farm suppliers Bibby’s, and became a whisky representative for Ballantine’s Whisky, even though he was a teetotaller. His whisky job based him in Glasgow and he moved house to Currie.

He is survived by his wife Jessie, daughter Fiona and son Mark. His funeral is at Mortonhall Crematorium today at 1pm.

BB

ONE of the region’s most experienced children and young people’s services workers has been passed over for the prestigious post of Children and Young People’s Champion at Scottish Borders Council.

At the October sitting of their full session last week, SBC councillors voted 18-11 in favour of installing council convener, Graham Garvie (Tweeddale East, LD) in the role.

In doing so, they rejected the chance to appoint opposition Conservative group leader, Councillor Michelle Ballantyne (Selkirkshire), who has spent most of her adult life involved with children’s services and youth groups of one kind or another.

And for the past eight years, Mrs Ballantyne has also been head of service at Face to Face, the drugs and alcohol service supporting youngsters aged from 11 to 18.

The holder of the children’s champion position has a key role to play in promoting the rights of children and young people across the Borders, especially those who are most vulnerable, including looked-after children and young people, young carers, and children and young people with disability.

However, this time round, the council had also approved a new role profile, based on the results of a working group set up in partnership with local youngsters.

The working group came about after several young people wrote to Council Leader David Parker (Leaderdale & Melrose, Ind) last year, requesting a review of the role, so as to increase accountability and make it more meaningful.

All three children’s champions appointed so far, since the role was first created in 2008, have been Lib Dem councillors, with Mr Garvie following Frances Renton and John Paton-Day.

Nominating Mr Garvie, who was previously the executive member for culture, sport and community learning, and is a member of Borders Sport & Leisure Trust, his fellow Lib Dem councillor Vicky Davidson (Selkirkshire) said the high-profile position needed someone with an equally high public profile.

Arguing her case to be awarded the role, Mrs Ballantyne, a mother of six, said the job was not about being a parent or a grandparent, but about being someone with an understanding of young people of the Borders, their concerns and the issues they faced.

“It needs to be someone who wants and knows how to really engage with young people and children, and bring that information back to this chamber, and then help match that to policies and decisions we are making.

“I don’t always feel they [children and young people] get that and I’m speaking as someone who has worked for the past eight years in children’s services.

“It’s about knowing and understanding all the issues and I already have good engagement with young people.”

However, executive member for education, Councillor Sandy Aitchison (Galashiels & District, BP), who said he did not doubt Mrs Ballantyne’s qualifications for the post, felt Mr Garvie would bring something extra to the job.

“I feel we should be looking towards somebody as an ‘additional champion’, a person at the top who all children can go to, and for that reason I think Councillor Garvie would admirably fill the role,” he said.

A secret ballot was then held, which saw Mr Garvie elected to the post with an 18-11 vote in his favour.

Speaking afterwards, Mr Parker welcomed the appointment: “I am delighted that changes to the role and remit, which came from the young people themselves, have been agreed for the Children and Young People’s Champion and that Councillor Garvie has been appointed to this role.

“These changes and Councillor Garvie’s lead will truly make a difference,” he said.

For his part, Councillor Garvie, said he was delighted to be the new Children’s and Young People’s Champion.

“I am looking forward to working in the newly-revised role to support the rights of our children and young people in the Borders, ensuring that their voice is heard so that we can make a genuine difference in their lives,” he said.

Local MP Michael Moore took a break from the political game last Friday to join Langlee Primary School children at the Galashiels housing estate’s new playpark.

The Langlee Jubilee Play Park, which opened in June, was built to celebrate the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee, and took residents more than two years of planning and fundraising.

The £100,000 park features a giant seesaw, swings, a slide, monkey bars and a climbing wall.

After having fun on his visit, Mr Moore said: “This play park is a fantastic addition to the local area and I want to congratulate residents – particularly Judith Cleghorn – and local councillors for all their hard work to make this happen. I am sure it will continue to provide great fun for local children for many years to come.”

BORDERS car dealers and garage operators Adam Purves raised £800 on Friday when staff dressed in pink.

The 100 employees were raising money for Breast Cancer Care, and 16-year-old Ryan Garrie went a step further when fellow employee Lina Sidlauskiene, a recently qualified beauty therapist, waxed his legs. Organiser forecourts manager Richard Garrie said: “Overall the event was really good and we raised around £800 on the day. But the cash is still coming in so it will be a few days before we have a grand total.”

Pictured are staff from the company’s Melrose head quarters.

AN abseil from Penielheugh in aid of charity raised about £1,500 last month.

Around 20 people from across the Borders undertook the 150-foot jump from the Waterloo Monument near Jedburgh after it was postponed from May because of high winds.

The fundraisers included three generations of the Fletcher family from Melrose - grandfather Robbie, father Jonathon and son Jamie - and Miss Galashiels Kristiana Le Mar who were all raising money for Deafblind Scotland.

The charity’s initiatives officer Drena O’Malley said: “It’s the first time at Penielheugh for Deafblind Scotland. We got a beautiful day and the views were stunning.”

One abseiler, Niall Armstrong, who has a relative who is a member of Deafblind Scotland raised more than £700 for the charity, which Ms O’Malley described as “a wonderful achievement”.

BORDERS Children’s Charity (BCC) raised £500 through painted nails in a straw bale at Kelso Farmer’s Market on Saturday.

Local shops donated prizes and for £1 a shot people pulled nails from the bale with the coloured nails proving winners. Stallholders also donated boosting the total raised.

BCC chairperson Bronwyn Coggan said: “The people and businesses in and around Kelso have been exceptionally supportive this weekend. Lidl, The Factory Shop, the Co-op and Sainsbury’s all donated super prizes for our bale nail raffle and the Kelso Farmers Market stallholders have been very generous too. Special thanks must go to Robin Tuke, chairman of the market for the opportunity to hold this fundraiser within the market, Peter Rae, the market manager who set everything up for us and particularly local farmers Jamie and Fiona Tweedie who supplied the straw bale.

“In the last year we have paid out an average of more than £500 per week in response to requests to help local children and with the arrival of the first flurries of snow the night before the farmers market, it was a timely reminder that too many children who live close to us all are going to need basics like winter coats and boots that their families cannot afford. Thanks to the help from everyone this weekend, the BCC can continue to help such children.”

Volunteers run the charity, which has no overheads or administration costs, so all the money raised goes to buying beds, clothes, shoes and other basics for local children as well as helping with school trips, activities, life skills and specialist equipment.

Donations to the Borders Children’s Charity can now be done by text. For example, to donate £5, text BCCT03 £5 to 70070. Visit www.borderschildrens charity.org.uk

Earlston High School teenager Ryan Snook’s head literally can be found in the clouds these days thanks to his love of glider flying, writes Mark Entwistle.

Ryan, 13, has just been awarded £250 towards the cost of further flight training at the Borders Gliding Club, by the Caroline Trust – a charity which raises funds to help young people to learn to glide.

Ryan and his family live near St Boswells and it was a few months ago that he and his dad, Steve, joined the club. Both have since impressed their instructors with their dedication to training as glider pilots.

Ryan’s application to the Caroline Trust had to be approved by the club’s chief flying instructor – Keith Latty – and the club had to commit £250 of matching funds in the event of an award being granted.

It means Ryan now has a total of £500 to put towards gaining his solo license as a glider pilot.

And although the youngster only has nine training flights under his belt, veteran gliding instructor Alastair Fish, of Kelso, was very impressed on their flight together last week.

Alastair reported that Ryan completed the entire 30-minute flight, including take-off, aerotow, circuit and landing, with barely any instruction or control-inputs from himself.

And if Ryan continues to make progress at this rate, he may well be allowed to fly solo as a glider pilot on his 14th birthday, next spring.

Steve told TheSouthern his son has always dreamed of becoming a professional pilot: “Every spare moment Ryan has is spent learning about aircraft, flying his flight-simulator or reading flying books and he hopes to eventually become a gliding instructor, so that he can give something back to the sport.

“He also plans to start training for his power-pilot’s licence as soon as he is 16, with a view to gaining his licence at 17. He doesn’t yet know which career in flying he wants to try for - Royal Air Force or airline – but he is certain the sport of gliding will always be in his life.”

In addition to being a student pilot at Milfield airfield where the club has its base, Ryan is also a keen and active member of the Air Training Corps’ 1716 squadron (Roxburgh), where he is working towards passing his leading cadet qualification.

Ryan told TheSouthern this week that the cash award from the Caroline Trust was a tremendous opportunity.

“I am so grateful to the trust and to our chief flying instructor, Keith Latty, and all at the Borders Gliding Club for their support,” he said.

“Flying is a huge part of my life and when I’m not flying, I love building models, flying my remote-controlled plane, flying my simulator or reading more about flying.

“This grant has come just in the nick of time. We’re very lucky to enjoy exceptional gliding conditions at our club and every year we host other clubs for a week at a time.

“I participated in one of the weeks during the half-term break and spent all my savings and birthday money flying, so was just coming to terms with the idea of having to fly infrequently for a while until I was able to save enough money again to continue.

“Then news of this grant came through and it means the world to me as it means I can continue progressing with my syllabus at a steady rate.

“I also need to say a very big thank you to my regular instructor, Richard Abercrombie, as he really has looked out for me.

“I love being at the club. We’re very lucky to have such an experienced and wise bunch of members who are always happy to share their knowledge.”