IF Scotland voted for independence, the agricultural industry north of the border would want to keep affinity with its English customers.

The National Farmers Union of Scotland’s new vice-president, Rob Livesey, of Firth, Lilliesleaf, said: “The vast majority of our customers live south of the border and we don’t want to alienate them in any way. We need to maintain the integrity of the Scottish brand and we would want our customers to continue to feel an affinity with us.”

Otherwise, challenges he and fellow Borders farmer Nigel Miller, now in his second term as president of the union, face, include the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) reform set to be agreed this year.

Mr Livesey said: “It’s important to try and make it as fair as we can, so that it doesn’t discourage production.”

Farmers need to engage better with their customers, though he said their image had “improved greatly” in recent years thanks to food and other television programmes such as Country File and Channel 4’s First Time Farmers.

Attracting younger people into the industry is another priority.

“There are less people involved in farms and they are getting more aged. We need fresh ideas; younger people view the world differently and are generally more positive in their outlook,” he said.

There also needs to be fresh thinking on climate change.

He added: “If we have another year like this (last) one we will be in trouble. If last year was 150 years ago there would have been a famine, but because of technology and changes in the world, it wasn’t.”

He described as “disappointing” farmers still needing public money, saying: “Our farm profitability is less than the support we receive from EU funding. We need that support, but we need to work on our selling. But our product is perishable: when it’s ready it has to be sold and we have to accept that price.

“We really only have four or five major purchasers. The dominance of them (the large supermarket chains) has been a threat and I hope (new supermarket ombudsman) Christine Tacon may help to change some of that. People either pay for the product when they go to the supermarket or through taxes.”

Mr Livesey was elected unopposed at NFU Scotland’s AGM in St Andrews last week.

The livestock farmer, his wife Kath and sons Iain, who works at home, and Rory, a trainee auctioneer, tenant the 600-acre Firth Farm and rent and own a further 180 acres on which they run 1,100 Mules ewes, 80 Salers suckler cows and grow 120 acres of grain.

Mr Livesey is a former NFU Scotland Selkirk branch chairman and steps into his new role after heading up the union’s livestock committee for four years.

Before moving to Firth, Mr Livesey was farm manager at Glenapp Estate in Ayrshire when he was also chairman of the NFU Scotland Girvan branch.

A SELKIRK street is once again being plagued by the anti-social behaviour of youngsters, according to one of its residents.

David Firth says youths have returned to Curror Street to batter footballs around Knowepark Primary School playground and cause nuisance.

And there were also reports of youngsters ‘free running’ – a craze where people acrobatically jump or run over obstacles – through gardens in the town.

David Firth told Selkirk Community Council: “The residents in Curror Street want a sign for 12 years and over saying no ball games allowed. That is all we want.

“The place is locked up, but they climb over the fence and into the playground. When you approach them, they say they are just wanting to walk through the place.

“We as residents can see what is coming. They are slowly coming back.

“The police are as good as no good – we have no faith in them whatsoever.”

Mr Firth also criticised Scottish Borders Council’s education department for failing to take action.

Community council chairman Graham Easton, who remains on the board of youth project Rowland’s, said: “Selkirk has the highest number of youth calls for any Borders town. Police are aware of that.”

Councillor Gordon Edgar replied: “I have not had any comment from Curror Street residents complaining about it.”

A Lothian and Borders Police spokesman said they would address the issue of youths free running through gardens.

LOCAL contractors and suppliers are being given the chance to meet with the main contractor for the Borders Railway, BAM, at an event later this month.

A ‘meet the buyer’ day is being hosted by BAM on Wednesday, February 27, at the National Mining Museum in Newtongrange from 11am to 4pm.

This event will give local contractors the opportunity to meet the people in charge of awarding contracts to suppliers in relation to delivery of the £300million Borders Railway project.

It is part of Network Rail and BAM’s commitment to supporting local communities throughout the construction and delivery of the railway, which includes using local suppliers where possible.

Councillor Stuart Bell, Scottish Borders Council’s executive member for economic development, said: “The construction of the Borders Railway is a very significant project and is a great opportunity for Borders’ companies and suppliers to meet the main contractor for the Borders Railway.

“I would encourage companies, suppliers and service providers in the Borders, including those who have enquired about opportunities in the past, to take up this opportunity to meet BAM.”

The event will involve an introductory presentation on the Borders Railway project, followed by an explanation of the process to apply to become a supplier. There will also be a short networking opportunity at the end of the day to allow attendees to meet members of the project delivery team.

Nissar Mohammed, project director at BAM, added: “There has been overwhelming demand from local firms to get involved with the Borders Railway project, so we are pleased to be able to offer this opportunity to local businesses. Those in attendance will be able to find out more about how to apply for a contract and be able to ask any questions they may have.

“It is important to us to try, where possible, to employ local suppliers to undertake work related to the Borders Railway project.”

Councillor Jim Bryant, Midlothian Council’s cabinet member for economic development, said: “Local companies should not underestimate the potential opportunities that the Borders Railway project can bring and they should be making every effort to get involved.

“This is therefore an ideal opportunity to get face-to-face with some of the key decision makers.”

A significant number of planning applications are currently in the pipeline for railway crossings, while significant vegetation work has taken place at Fountainhall and Falahill, where new roads will be built.

And tree removal will take place in Tweedbank this month, ahead of the summer 2015 deadline for the railway to be completed.

PEOPLE who are deaf or hard of hearing across Scotland should soon start to find dealing with Citizens Advice Bureaux much easier thanks to a pilot project in Hawick.

Roxburgh Citizens Advice Bureau (CAB) launched ‘We Hear You’ last year, with the aim of making services more accessible to the deaf or those with hearing difficulties.

This is the first project of its kind in Scotland and so successful has it been that CAB bosses are now looking at rolling it out nationwide.

It came about after a local man, who is partially-deaf, felt staff were not able to communicate properly with him.

The upshot was an invitation to meet with CAB manager, Pat Buckley, who also then held meetings with local deaf groups.

Funding from Citizens Advice Scotland was then used to set up a two-year project aimed at turning the Roxburgh CAB into as user-friendly a place as possible.

The last six months has seen the recruitment of project manager Natalie Brodie-Clarke, who is herself hard of hearing and a teacher of deaf-language skills.

Improvements have also been made to the Hawick office, including the use of plain walls to make it less distracting for lip readers, plus the installation of hearing loop systems and online interpreters.

All the bureau’s staff have now been trained to recognise those who are hard-of-hearing, with several advisers receiving advanced sign language training.

Ms Brodie-Clark has now been lined up to give presentations at national conferences and possibly the organisation’s AGM in March and also attended a meeting of the All-Party Group on deafness at the Scottish Parliament.

A COMMON Good campaigner is taking his case to the Information Commissioner, writes Kenny Paterson.

Selkirk Community Council’s vice-chairman Dr Lindsay Neil has discovered through a Freedom of Information request that the town’s common good fund was charged £728 by Scottish Borders Council to finalise a £50 lease for Selkirk and District Angling Association.

The fishing rights for the River Ettrick were handed to the common good fund in 2006 by the Crown Estate, following a long-running dispute.

“It was then decided the angling association should pay a nominal charge of £50 to the Common Good, but it has taken three attempts until a lease was agreed last year, and the process has cost £728,” said Dr Neil.

“The council should be getting value for money for the Common Good and they clearly are not. There should be a more stringent procedure when spending Common Good funds.”

However, Selkirkshire councillor Gordon Edgar, defended the three-figure sum, saying it represents around five hours of a lawyer’s time.

When asked by Dr Neil at February’s Selkirk Community Council meeting if the fee was value for money, Councillor Edgar replied: “If there is a requirement for a lease then it would be.”

Dr Neil will now write to the Information Commissioner’s Office in an attempt to find out more about the council’s procedure for charging common good funds.

He is already challenging the local authority’s 2011/12 Selkirk Common Good fee of £15,000, which includes nearly £9,000 in legal fees for one official.

SBC argue that the recharge is for council officers’ time with full council agreement and is solely based on legal work carried out.

INSPECTORS who previously produced a damning report into the cleanliness of Borders General Hospital have praised the facility for its improved performance.

The Healthcare Environment Inspectorate said the hospital was clean and well maintained, staff were aware of infection control policies and there was good compliance with dress code policy and hand hygiene.

Led by inspector Jane Walker in December, while BGH staff tackled a Norovirus outbreak, the HEI team only made three requirements, among them a discovery that paperwork associated with catheter use was not always completed.

The report’s findings are vastly different from the BGH’s first HEI visit in March 2010, when 13 improvements were demanded, leading the Scottish Government’s then health secretary Nicola Sturgeon to describe the results as “clearly disappointing”.

Speaking this week, NHS Borders chief executive Calum Campbell said: “Overall the inspection team has found evidence that NHS Borders has worked hard to improve our compliance with NHS QIS HAI standards to protect, patients, staff and visitors.

“Since the previous HEI report issued in 2011, it is clear that further progress has been made within the BGH and we are continuing to improve our policies and practices.

“This latest report is a testament to the continued effort staff put in to making important improvements to the healthcare environment of our patients.

“Patient safety is our number one priority and we have shown we are committed to providing high standards of care, cleanliness and hygiene to minimise the risk of healthcare associated infection.

“We already have an action plan in place to ensure we implement the recommendations set out in the report and a number of those actions have already been completed.

“I am confident this will ensure sustained improvements to our service.”

Inspectors were hugely critical of the BGH’s infection control measures during two visits to the facility three years ago.

In particular, they noted failures to take into account risks in ward eight.

The HEI team found out-of-date medicines in the ward’s drug refrigerator, and were unable to discover if the supplies had been used.

The 2010 report also showed there was no evidence of a consistent approach to cleaning patient equipment or proper allocation of cleaning duties.

However, along with the catheter issue, the only other requirements made by HEI in December 2012 was to ensure cleaning schedules were consistently completed, and to speak to more patients and visitors about the hospital’s infection control and prevention measures.

The report added: “Staff we spoke with in Borders General Hospital were clear about their roles and responsibilities for infection prevention and control.

“There was evidence that staff felt empowered to challenge others about infection prevention and control, especially the zero tolerance approach to hand hygiene.”

Meanwhile, NHS Borders is looking to minimise the impact of staffing shortages in its children’s ward.

A freedom of information enquiry has revealed two middle-grade training doctors posts within the ward at the hospital have been vacant for two years, as paediatric services are threatened across the country by a lack of suitable staff.

The crisis led to the children’s ward at St John’s Hospital in Livingston shutting for three weeks last year, with fears similar problems could be experienced at the BGH.

Sheena Macdonald, NHS Borders’ medical director, said: “Within the NHS in the UK, it has been recognised that there is a national shortage of experienced paediatric registrars for staffing in the acute specialities.

“NHS Borders is working with the other boards in South East and Tayside (SEAT) and NHS Education for Scotland to look at all options to minimise any potential impact this could have on the provision of existing services within the regions.

“Locally we continue to invest in our children’s and maternity services to ensure we can provide safe, effective and high quality care.

“We have developed an innovative model to support the continuation of overnight paediatric services.

“This involves developing the skills of paediatric and neonatal nurse practitioners to create a service that will be sustainable in the long term.”

South of Scotland MSP Jim Hume added: “Some paediatric units are already operating with less than half the staff they need, with posts remaining vacant for over two years.

“We cannot afford any more time to be wasted in addressing this staffing crisis. It is time the health secretary (Alex Neil) accepted responsibility and sorted out the staffing shortages which are affecting hospitals across Scotland.”

THE councillor in charge of education in the Borders has promised to tackle pupil violence towards teachers.

Sandy Aitchison was responding to Freedom of Information statistics that showed one primary school teacher or member of staff was verbally or physically attacked every day in the last full academic year.

A total of 244 assaults against primary and secondary staff were reported in 2011/12 in the Borders, up from just 54 the previous year.

The majority were recorded in primary schools, jumping dramatically from 45 in 2010/11 to 205 in 2011/12. In 2009/10, the primary school number stood at just 30, comprising 15 verbal and 15 physical acts of violence.

At high schools, the figure rose from nine in 2010/11 to 39 in 2011/12.

However, SBC’s response to the FoI request does not show at which of the region’s nine high schools and 63 primaries the incidents took place, or any details on whether any form of weapon was used.

Councillor Aitchison, executive member for education, told TheSouthern: “During the last administration I remember this coming up with teacher’s representatives and SBC decided to change the way these incidents were recorded. We knew that this would result in an increase of recorded incidents.

“However, no teacher should have to suffer any form of abuse.

“Our teachers do a difficult job and our results show that they do it well.

“The huge majority of parents and children are supportive of their teachers and our management teams do what is necessary to create a safe learning experience for our customers, the children, both in primary and secondary schools.

“We are, however, not complacent and know that constant monitoring is important to identify from where the problems arise.”

While Borders Conservative MSP John Lamont welcomed the council’s new monitoring system, he was concerned by the “worrying trend” of violent behaviour among primary school pupils.

He added: “It is important that we crack down on these assaults as soon as possible and teach young people that these actions are totally unacceptable. There is no room for verbal or physical abuse in any of our schools, and teachers deserve to have a safe and friendly environment in which to work as possible.”

But former education chief George Turnbull believes Borders schools are safe places to work.

He told us: “Freedom of information figures can be frustrating as they don’t show all the facts. “There is a better monitoring system now in place which means teachers can now record incidents easier.

“If you look solely at the primary school figures, they have gone up almost five-fold. But you have to consider that there are 63 primary schools in the Borders.

“And when you look at the high school incidents, many could be to do with just four or five pupils across the Borders.”

Mr Turnbull noted that a new anti-bullying policy – based on the recommendations of a Youth Commissioners report – is set to come into force at the start of the new academic year in 2013, which he believes will contribute to better relations between staff and pupils.

He said: “The Youth Commissioners report on bullying has around 30 recommendations which are set to be implemented by the council.

“It is loosely associated with school violence figures, as it promotes respect between teachers and young people.

“It will be useful and Heriot-Watt University has already shown an interest in using it themselves.”

An SBC spokesman added: “This (increase in school violence) is actually down to the way we monitor these types of incidents, as we have made improvements to our reporting system.

“However, we continue to closely monitor incidents of this nature and take appropriate action.”

TheSouthern revealed last year that 10 pupils had been found in possession of offensive weapons in the region’s schools in 2010/11.

That figure was up from just four pupils in both primary and high schools in 2009/10.

In secondary schools, the weapons recovered included three knives, five ball bearing guns, one rock, one wooden stick, one scriber and one weapon described as “improvised”.

And in primary schools, three knives, one hammer, one screwdriver, one pen knife and one craft knife were found. SBC did not reveal where the weapons were recovered.

eAST OF SCOTLAND FIRST DIVISION

Selkirk 2

Kelso Utd 0

KEVIN JANIAK reports from Yarrow Park

A Jamie Gibson double won Selkirk the points on Saturday, but Kelso coach Prof Blaikie said it was more down to his team being “junk”.

Gibson’s brace – one scored in each half – heaved the Souters out of the depression caused the week before when they were taken apart by Leith.

And the home side’s open style of play was pleasing to Selkirk boss Mike McKinnon.

He said: “No matter where you go in the East of Scotland First Division, you’ll find a hard battle. It’s not easy to play good football.

“I try to get my lads to pass it about a bit, it makes it more enjoyable to play, and more enjoyable to watch.

“Just because you are at a level where nobody expects to see good football, does not mean you can’t try to achieve it.”

Selkirk were the only Borders club to be smiling by teatime on Saturday, with Vale of Leithen, Gala Fairydean, Hawick Royal Albert and Peebles Rovers all recording losses.

See this week’s Southern Reporter for a full report from this game – as well as finding out why Prof thought his team were “junk”. And, of course, our round-up of the other local sides in East of Scotland and Border Amateur circles.

SUNDAY’S shoot saw June Allison (Hawick) join the team at Braidwood Sporting Clays to help manager Lucy Black with the day to day running of the popular shooting venue as well as the well attended club shoots.

Ms Black told TheSouthern: “We are delighted that June is joining the staff here at Braidwood. She coped admirably on her first shoot on Sunday, without any bother at all.”

Despite the miserable weather the club still enjoyed a respectable turnout of 44 shooting for the Lingerwood Cup. Taking it home on a score of 36 ex40 was Jack Carlyle (Lockerbie).

Two guns tied on second place on a score of 35, Jed Burn (Kelso) and Gordon Boertien (Lockerbie) while Dave Allison (Hawick) and Stuart Dawson (Northumberland) also tied on third place on a score of 34.

Special acknowledgement goes to Joe Davidson (Cockermouth) who at only 14-years-old has been shooting for two years and came in ranking fourth on a score of 32.

Second round saw Boertien take the top spot with a 37 ex40. Donald Livingston (Edinburgh) in second place on 35 and, coming in just behind, was Carlyle shooting two behind his first round score takes third place.

All on 32 Nigel Rock (Kelso), Billy Williamson (Linlithgow) and again young Davidson shot a 32. Boertien also donated his aggregate prize to Davidson which was greeted with applause.

The next shoot at Braidwood is on Sunday, March 10 when the Gamekeeper Trophy and Junior Shield, currently held by Struan Brodie (Denholm), is up for grabs. Entries close at noon - all welcome.

SEVENTEEN police officers and four civilian staff based in the Borders are under investigation over e-mails of a “racist and sexual nature” circulating on an internal computer system.

A 51-year-old police officer has already been suspended while the probe takes place with disciplinary action against others anticipated.

All 21 male and female employees work within G Division of Lothian and Borders Police.

The force said they had a facility in place to monitor e-mails entering, existing and being exchanged within the internal police e-mail system.

As a result of this scrutiny, emails containing “inappropriate and offensive material” were recently detected.

Deputy Chief Constable Bill Skelly of Lothian and Borders Police said: “It is of huge disappointment to me, the force, and I am sure, the communities we serve, that e-mails of a racist and sexist nature were circulated on our system.”

More in this week’s Southern.

LOCAL people are being urged to make their views known on proposals for changes to ITV’s regional news programming.

Two options have been put forward by ITV and regulator Ofcom which recommend that the 2009 merger of ITV Border and Tyne Tees is effectively reversed.

There has been increasing disquiet about the coverage the Borders has received on the weekday Lookaround programme since the merger, with local news competing with coverage from-across the north-east and north west of England, as well as south-west Scotland.

Following research last year and discussions with ITV ahead of the renewal of broadcast licences, Ofcom has published two options for consultation.

The first option, suggested by ITV themselves, is for a 30-minute weekday broadcast, purely covering the Border region as it used to be.

This would be supplemented by one 30-minute current affairs/political show a week, mainly covering southern Scotland and Scottish political debate.

The second option would also see an ITV Border 30-minute weekday evening broadcast, with an additional 90 minutes of current affairs/political coverage a week, although the latter would not have to be centred on the Border region.

Neither proposal seeks to maintain the short news bulletins during the week or weekend.

The proposals have been welcomed by local politicians, who have urged the public to have their say.

Tory MSP John Lamont said: “Ever since the merger with Tyne Tees, viewers in the Borders have missed out on having a daily local news service that is tailored to their area, and I’m glad that the ITV Border region will now return.

“I am also hugely supportive of the possibility of having a further half-hour current affairs programme focusing on issues and concerns of those in the south of Scotland.

The SNP’s Paul Wheelhouse said: “In terms of local news output the proposals in this consultation seek to increase that, so I am broadly in favour of such changes being made as they are a positive suggestion.

“In the lead-up to the referendum next year, I would expect increasing coverage of issues relating to independence and it would be a travesty if viewers in the Scottish Borders miss out on being able to see that.”

Lib Dem MP Michael Moore added: “From my own knowledge of what people say and the information from previous consultations, it is clear that Border TV is still popular locally.

“However, there is, of course, room for improvement in the service after a number of difficult years of the regional news link with Tyne Tees.”

The Scottish Borders Chamber of Commerce has arranged a special conference this summer to discuss various issues surrounding the media and the Scottish Borders.

Convener James Aitken told TheSouthern that he was concerned that an option to create an all-Scotland licence had been dismissed by Ofcom.

“There is a lot happening now constitutionally, and I don’t see why the Scottish Borders and Dumfries and Galloway are any different from the rest of Scotland.

“There is a real need for us to be part of the debate in Scotland, and my worry is that the news is just not covering that. How can we make our point of view known if we are not on things like Scotland Tonight?”

He added: “The general consensus is that nobody is happy with what we have at the moment, but was the service before really all that great?”

With the current broadcast licences due to expire at the end of 2014, it is likely that any changes to ITV’s local news will not come into effect until January 2015.

LATEST figures by the British Deer Society (BDS) show the pest muntjac deer knocking on the Borders doors.

There were unconfirmed sightings of the species from China in Dumfriesshire last year.

But last week a spokesperson for Scottish Natural Heritage (SNH) said: “There have been no confirmed reports of muntjac deer in the Borders.”

BDS members and the general public help compile sightings of deer and the society’s map using the latest data shows the diminutive deer dubbed “Asbo Bambis” as far north as Carlisle.

SNH said it is taking various steps to prevent the spread of muntjac into Scotland.

The spokesperson said: “We are raising awareness among deer managers so that they know what to do if they see a muntjac. There is no closed season on muntjac, which means that they can be shot at any time of year.

“It’s against the law to keep muntjac in captivity without a licence, and the enclosures must be secure.”

SNH’s wildlife operations team investigates credible sightings using thermal imaging equipment and camera traps.

SNH estimates the costs of dealing with muntjac in Scotland, if herds became established, would be up to £2million a year.

SNH’s advisor on non-native species, Stan Whitaker, said: “We strongly advise deer managers to shoot any wild muntjac they come across on their land, provided it is safe and humane to do so. Prevention is better than cure, so our objective is to prevent muntjac from becoming established in Scotland in the first place.

“Muntjac deer are among the most destructive animal pests in Britain. They damage young trees and coppiced woodland and, where they are in high numbers, they can cause damage to cereal crops and orchards. They pose a particular threat to our native oak woodlands and bluebells.”

Mr Whitaker said anyone seeing a muntjac on their land must report it to Scottish Natural Heritage by emailing wildlifeops@snh.gov.uk.

BDS’s David Goffin said: “Muntjac deer have been there [nearly into Scotland] or thereabouts for the last 20 years.

“They have never really made any further impact north. I suppose it is inevitable at some point they might turn up, but SNH have a strategic policy to deal with that.”

ST BOSWELLS

AT St Boswells Mart on Monday John Swan Ltd sold 112 clean cattle, 60 OTM cattle, 1,733 old season lambs and 674 ewes.

Bullocks (74) averaged 218.2p per kg and sold to 245p (+1.1p on week), heifers (37) averaged 219.6p per kg and sold to 247p (-1.1p on week), one young bull sold to 200p (n/c on week), and 60 beef type OTM cattle averaged 157p per kg and sold to 211p (+12.5p on the week).

Old season SQQ lambs averaged 178.5p per kg and sold to £86 (+13.2p on week) while the 674 ewes averaged £48.34, and sold to £113, heavy ewes £62.96, light ewes £41.67.

Principal prices per kg: Bee Edge 2.47 M/s WTS Forsyth and Sons, 2.45(2) M/s Moor and M/s JP Mason and Sons, 2.41, 2.40 M/s J Gilmour and Co Ltd, 2.39 W Taylor (Lockerbie) Ltd, 2.38 M/s J Penny and Sons; Saughland 2.41 M/s J Gilmour and Co Ltd, 2.38 M/s WTS Forsyth and Sons, 2.36 Robert Wilson Butcher; Lennoxlove 2.39 M/s J Penny and Sons; Greenknowe 2.38 G and L Archibald Ltd; Honeyburn 2.38 Denholm Meats; Upper Hundalee 2.35 W Taylor (Lockerbie) Ltd; Upper Nisbet 2.35 M/s JP Mason and Sons; Saltoun Home Farm 2.35 M/s J Penny and Sons.

Principal prices per head: Bee Edge £1531.25, £1506.75, £1482; Lurdenlaw £1489.60; Hoselaw £1471.50; Caverton Mill £1443.05.

Cows per head: Phantassie £1455.90, £1262.70, £1258.60, £1162.30; Thirlestane £1304; Gateshaw £1268.75, £1242.50; Marvingston £1256; Honeyburn £1247.40; Todheugh £1224.30; Corsbie £1167.45; Titlington Mount £1160.70; Upper Blainslie £1143.10.

Cows per kg: Phantassie 2.11, 2.07, 203 (2), 1.99, 1.97; Gateshaw 2.03, 1.75; Honeyburn 1.89; Easter Middleton 1.87; Deanfoot 1.87, 1.85, 1.71; Corsbie 1.81; Rumbleton 1.72; Rumbleton 1.64.

Bulls: Birkenside £1639.05 (1.47); Philiphaugh £1224.60 (1.57); Craigsford Mains £1150.50 (1.30).

Principal prices hoggs per head: Tex.x;- £94 Burnhouse Mains, £89 Lower Ashtrees and West Mains, Suff.x;- £90 Burnhouse Mains, £88 Seafield, BFL;- £86 Hartside, Bel;- £80 Lylestane, Cha;- £79 Thirlestane, Chev;- £77.50 North Synton and Saughtree, £76.50 North Synton, BF;- £72 Hartside, £68 Elmscleugh and Hartside, GF;- £70 Aikeyside.

THE charity which helps farmers and others who have worked the land is appealing for those in need to come forward.

RSABI’s chief executive Dr Maurice Hankey issued a statement last week urging farmers who are struggling financially to apply.

Dr Hankey said: “We have funding available and want to help, but we need people to come forward.

“Our primary focus is on providing support to households in situations where the business is unable to provide cash for food, heating, transport costs, school uniforms etc. With pressure being exerted by banks, this sadly appears to be a frequent occurrence.”

The charity’s confidential listening service, GATEPOST, has seen “a significant acceleration of calls” since October he said.

In the first half of February this year there were as many calls as in any full month since the service began in 2010. There have been four times as many calls as last February.

Dr Hankey said: “These calls are a mixture of farmers with financial difficulties and others who are struggling emotionally to deal with their predicaments.”

RSABI is one of several charities to share emergency funding of £150,000 from the Prince’s Countryside Fund in December, a sum matched by the Duke of Westminster. Earlier this month, First Minister Alex Salmond pledged £50,000 from the Scottish Government.

Dr Hankey said: “We are very aware of farmers’ pride and reluctance to ask for help, the sentiment that ‘things are bad but not that bad’.

“Many will feel they have to struggle on, even if this implies hardship for their family, rather than seeking help.

“In reality and after a year like we have just experienced, there should be no shame in accepting a little help: the problem is so extensive that many are in the same position.

“Moreover, no-one need worry that anyone else will know they have asked. Whether you call us in need of financial assistance or whether you are fed up and want to speak to someone at GATEPOST to relive some strain, confidentiality is our top priority. No one, other than the caller and the small team at RSABI, will ever know someone has been in touch.”

As well as helping households, the charity has other support mechanisms including emergency business support and help to take the business forward, said Dr Hankey.

“We have had a few spring-like days in recent weeks but it will take much more than that for many people to forget or overcome the hardships brought about by 2012 and early 2013 weather patterns. RSABI is here to do what we can to make such events easier to cope with, ” he said.

Over 2011-2012, RSABI gave £380,000 to 566 people in 479 homes across Scotland, of which £25,804 was distributed in the Borders to 30 people.

Application forms for financial assistance can be obtained from RSABI’s website or by calling either RSABI (0131 472 4166) or GATEPOST (0300 111 4166).

MORE than 130 people attended the traditional Lauder Herds Supper in the town this month.

Diners and speakers at the Lauderdale Hotel event raised £400 for the kidney dialysis unit at the Borders General Hospital.

One of the organisers, Dougie Scott thanked the speakers for their “excellent speeches” and the 133-strong audience.

Hawick’s Henry Douglas chaired the evening which started with Ken Fletcher, deputy editor of the magazine Scottish Farmer, proposing the toast to the herds.

Mr Scott said: “Kenny started his toast with a few lighthearted stories and tales that had the audience in stitches before praising the task of the herds of today in the present financial climate.”

Northumberland’s Stuart Wallace replied on behalf of the herds.

Local livestock driver Alan “Doze” Henderson toasted the farmers and their industry. Replying on the farmers’ behalf was Gordon farmer Miles Browne.

Auctioneer Scott Lambie toasted chairman Mr Douglas.

Local piper Arch Anderson and Titch Frear from Kinross entertained the diners with pipe tunes,songs and stories.

Neil Stewart, of Grahamslaw near Eckford, Kelso, at the 40ft by 120ft hole left by a landslip on his land, which he puts down to ‘a culmination of the dreadful weather we have seen for months’.

He hopes to fill it with unrequired topsoil from a neighbour.

Photograph: Alastair Watson

IF Scotland votes for independence, farmers could get a better deal through the EU’s Common Agricultural Policy.

So SNP Cabinet Secretary for Rural Affairs Richard Lochhead told a meeting organised by Scottish Borders Chamber of Commerce at Cardrona Hotel, Peebles last week.

He blamed Scotland’s poor payments positioning on the UK government not negotiating properly on the country’s behalf.

Other rural issues such as broadband, mobile phone reception, the renewable energy grid and the price of fuel would be dealt with in Scotland if the country voted for independence.

Scotland 21

Ireland 20

RBS UNDER-20s SIX NATIONS

IN A gutsy display, Scotland Under-20s made it two wins out of two at Netherdale, beating their Irish counterparts in the RBS Under 20 Six Nations Championship.

Ireland had previously beaten England and were expected to follow that up with a win against the Scots, but the luck of the Irish eluded them as Scotland battled it out to win.

It was a dream start for Scotland with two early tries from full back Ruaridh Young and Damien Hoyland, both converted by Tommy Allan.

This came after Ireland’s Tom Daly missed an easy penalty in the second minute – a miss which proved costly after the final whistle, with just one point separating the two sides.

The Irish pack proved hard to handle and began to dominate.

Ireland clawed their way back with two tries before the break from Ryan Murphy and David Planter, and a Daly penalty to make it 14-13 at the break.

Ireland went into the lead with a penalty try and conversion, but four minutes from time, Hoyland sprinted over in the corner, with Allan’s touchline conversion going over to win the game.

Scotland Under-20: R. Young; D. Hoyland, C. Auld, R. Fergusson, R. Hughes; T. Allan, S. Hidalgo-Clyne; J. Bhatti, C. Black, P. Cringle, A. Sinclair, J. Gray (captain), A. Henderson, W. Bordill and A. Ashe. Subs: R. Kennedy, S. Muir, D. Rae, R. Leishman, T. Spinks, A. Price, A. Hagart and K. Buchan.

IT’S been a long time coming, but back-to-back wins in the RBS 6 Nations on Sunday at Murrayfield tasted very sweet.

Captain Kelly Brown said that we should celebrate the fact, but not for long! And he is right, because we never should have won that game. I hate to rain on the parade, but Ireland outplayed us and then did everything in their power to throw the game away.

Against Italy the stats were also poor, but we had four chances gifted to us and we took them all. We didn’t get any try-scoring chances from Ireland, but our rare visits to the Irish 22 – and we didn’t visit that part of the pitch until the 50 minute mark – saw us coming away with four penalties thanks to the accurate boot of Greig Laidlaw.

Scotland have always led the field with world-class kickers. Andy Irvine, Gavin Hastings, Chris Paterson and now Laidlaw have won their fair share of games for us. But Ireland’s new cap Paddy Jackson showed us on Sunday that it doesn’t always go your way. He had a nightmare debut in that department, missing three kicks, and that contributed to our win.

Our attitude, in scrapping for everything and fighting to the death, is admirable, but it’s exactly what fans expect from everyone who pulls on the Scotland jersey.

At 8-0 down, we could have crumbled. Instead, we went on to win the game. Our defence in keeping Ireland out at the end was first class, but we allowed the Irish to cut through us easily in midfield and we were fortunate not to concede a lot of tries.

Irish mistakes kept us in the game when forward passes and wrong decisions let us off the hook.

We need to improve for the Welsh game – that is a given. For all his faults, Dan Parks was a master at putting us in the right area of the park to play in.

Ruaridh Jackson isn’t doing this and maybe a change at 10 would be a good decision. Duncan Weir, Scott Wight and Tommy Allan are all players who offer a lot more in this key position in my opinion and I would like to see one of them – presumably Weir – getting a chance to do so against Wales.

One last thought. We have played better rugby under Andy Robinson in the last two years and lost games.

We have won two matches out of three under Scott Johnson playing worse.

Johnson knows that only too well and, refreshingly, he gives it to the players and media straight. We have potential, but we are a long way from being the finished article. We need a big improvement against Wales.

BSLT CELEBRATION OF SPORT: Friday, March 1 – At Cardrona Hotel near Peebles (6.30pm).

KING CUP FIRST ROUND: Saturday, March 2 – Kelso United v Whitehill Welfare (2.30pm).

KING CUP SECOND ROUND: Saturday, March 2 – Civil Service Strollers v Selkirk (2.30pm).

EOS PREMIER DIVISION: Saturday, March 2 – Vale of Leithen v Lothian Thistle Hutchison Vale (2.30pm).

EOS FIRST DIVISION: Saturday, March 2 – Hawick Royal Albert v Gala; Peebles Rovers v Ormiston (2.30pm).

BORDER CUP FINAL: Saturday, March 2 – Pencaitland v Gala Rovers at Peebles (2pm).

BAL DIVISION A: Saturday, March 2 – Duns Amateurs v Leithen Rovers; Hawick Waverley v West Barns Star; Langholm Legion v Tweeddale Rovers (2.30pm).

BAL DIVISION B: Saturday, March 2 – Ancrum v Gala Hotspur; Coldstream Amateurs v Linton Hotspur; Hawick United v Eyemouth Amateurs; Jed Legion v CFC Bowholm; Stow v Hawick Legion (2.30pm).

COLLIE CUP FINAL: Saturday, March 2 – Chirnside United Colts v Biggar at Greenlaw (2pm).

BAL DIVISION C: Saturday, March 2 – Gordon v Peebles Amateurs; St Boswells v Gala Athletic (2.30pm).

NATIONAL LADIES FIRST DIVISION: Saturday, March 2 – Fjordhus Reivers v Haddington (2pm).

EAST LADIES FIRST DIVISION: Saturday, March 2 – Edinburgh University V v Fjordhus Reivers II.

EAST MENS FIRST DIVISION: Saturday, March 2 – Fjordhus Reivers v Stirling Wanderers (12.30pm).

PREMIER HURDLE DAY: Saturday, March 2 – At Kelso Race Course (first race 1.55pm). See page 25 for preview.

INNERLEITHEN MTB RACING INDURO SERIES: Saturday, March 2 – Alpine Bikes Innerduro Race 2, Multi-Stage Day/Night Enduro.

RBS NATIONAL CUP QUARTER-FINAL: Saturday, March 2 – Melrose v Selkirk; Aberdeen v Gala (3pm).

RBS NATIONAL LEAGUE: Saturday, March 2 – Biggar v Jed-Forest (3pm).

RBS CHAMPIONSHIP B: Saturday, March 2 – Hawick YM v Haddington; Murrayfield v Peebles (3pm).

RBS EAST LEAGUE ONE: Saturday, March 2 – Berwick v Dunbar; Duns v Portobello; North Berwick v Langholm (3pm).

RBS EAST LEAGUE TWO: Saturday, March 2 – Earlston v Dalkeith; Gala YM v Ross High; Forrester v Hawick Linden; Trinity Accies v Hawick Harlequins (3pm).

RBS EAST LEAGUE THREE: Saturday, March 2 – St Boswells v Broughton; RDVC v Walkerburn (3pm).

SEMI JUNIOR LEAGUE: Saturday, March 2 – Duns Colts v Selkirk Youth Club (12 noon).

NATIONAL U18 YOUTH LEAGUE CUP SEMI-FINAL: Saturday, March 2 – Gala Wanderers v Melrose Wasps (2pm).

NATIONAL U18 YOUTH LEAGUE BOWL SEMI-FINAL: Saturday, March 2 – Peebles Colts v Glasgow Hawks (2.30pm).

NATIONAL U16 YOUTH LEAGUE CUP QUARTER-FINAL: Sunday, March 3 – Melrose v Stirling County Colts (2pm).

BORDERS SNOOKER LEAGUE: Thursday, February 28 – Selkirk A v Hawick Conservative Club A; Border Club v Innerleithen; Hawick Burns Club A v Hawick Burns Club B; Jedburgh Legion v Selkirk B; Hawick Conservative Club B v St Boswells.

z If you have items for inclusion, contact Fiona Scott, tel: 01750 724854, fionascott@tweeddalepress.co.uk

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