It doesn’t matter if they are playing in front of 80,000 in the Millennium Stadium or crammed into a tiny Borders cricket clubrooms.

All the famous Treorchy Male Choir want to do is one thing – sing.

The 67-year-old ensemble from the Rhondda Valley completed a hugely successful tour last Sunday at Gala Cricket Club after helping to raise tens of thousands of pounds for the Rowan Boland Memorial Trust (RBMT).

Last Thursday saw the 60-strong group sing at a sportsman’s dinner in aid of the Trust, with an auction of two Scotland rugby jerseys worn and signed by Jedburgh’s Greig Laidlaw raising £1,700. Speakers included Jim Leishman and Finlay Calder.

After a trip to Murrayfield to perform, the choir played to a capacity audience of 530 in the Volunteer Hall on Saturday, with support from Langlee Community Choir, for another RBMT fundraiser.

And after performing in Berwick-Upon-Tweed on Sunday afternoon they returned to Galashiels for a farewell reception and sing-song at the Cricket Club.

An RBMT spokesman said: “It has been a great weekend and we are thankful to the choir for entertaining us and helping to raise so much money.”

A video of the choir performing at Gala Cricket Club is available now at www.thesouthernreporter.co.uk

The council is proposing to spend up to £17,400 on signage and line painting to ensure school ‘zigzag’ markings can be enforced.

This week councillors in the Cheviot area, which covers Kelso, Jedburgh and St Boswells, were told up to £3,900 would be spent in their patch to make the markings, which are currently only advisory, subject to a new traffic regulation order (TRO).

It has taken almost three years for progress to be made on the matter.

In November 2010, the council backed a motion by then member Fiona Lackenby for a ‘move forward’ to be made which would see such markings come under a TRO.

The proposed regulation will make it illegal for vehicles to park on the ‘School Keep Clear’ markings on weekdays between 8am and 4pm.

The report which went before councillors at the Cheviot area forum yesterday stated: “The order is proposed to further promote road safety in the vicinity of schools by making currently advisory zigzag school entrance road markings enforceable.”

A two-stage consultation process, with statutory consultees and the public, drew no objections.

The report added: “All schools that currently have keep clear marking have been included in the TRO and there are no schools which were considered to require either additional lengths or new markings where none exist at present.”

A council spokesman told The Southern that the May 2011 election, the preparation of plans and legal documents, and changes in the council’s committee system had all held back the proposal.

He added that demands on the legal services team had also led to delays with the consultation and draft of the proposed TRO.

The spokesman said: “Of the spend of £17,400, roughly half this estimate (c£8,500) relates to road markings and is what is seen as necessary should all sites need their existing road markings ­refreshed.

“The remaining costs are required to provide signs. These sites currently do not have signs and the traffic regulation order will introduce restrictions that will be enforceable.

“At present, the traffic warden service and police have limited enforcement powers.”

The work will be paid for from the council transport department’s ‘Aids to Movement’ budget.

The Borders has yet to receive an application for fracking, the controversial drilling technique for gas.

Depute leader for finance, John Mitchell, said: “I have spoken to Brian Frater, head of planning at SBC, and he said there have been no enquiries at present.”

Network Rail says a new road layout at Falahill will not entrap the tiny community of 11 homes between the new railway and A7.

The quango is wishing to drop its proposals to add a double roundabout to the A7, and have submitted an application to Scottish Borders Council for an alternative design which would see the road continue close to its current alignment, with the railway passing underneath, south of Falahill.

The newly submitted scheme will be welcomed by commuters who feared longer journey times and a possible safety hazard with the double roundabout, but Heriot Community Council (CC) chairman John Williams still has concerns.

He told The Southern: “The new design looks the preferable of the two options but the whole idea of the two roundabout layout was that both the railway and road would be on the eastern side of the 11 properties at Falahill.

“If this proposal goes through, the road will be on the west side and the homes will be sandwiched between the A7 and the railway.”

But Craig Bowman, communications manager with Network Rail, believes that would not be the case.

He told us: “We feel this is the best option for drivers of the A7 and provides a little bit more space for the cottages.”

He added that a National Grid gas main, that would cost over £4million to move, would not be affected by the new design, and there would not be additional costs to the £300million Borders Railway Project.

Mr Bowman added: “This is a slightly less challenging engineering solution we have put in place now, provided it gets passed by planning.”

Galashiels and District councillor Sandy Aitchison, who last year said the double roundabout plan was “short-sighted and frankly ridiculous”, described the latest proposals as common sense.

He said: “Now we have a sensible solution that considers road users, who will be the majority of travellers, and their safety.

“It would also be an excellent outcome for the environment, minimising light pollution.

“The local ratepayers will also benefit since the expensive annual maintenance costs of these follies will no longer be necessary.

“I feel sorry for the residents at Falahill. Whatever the decision, they have had a very uncertain few years and it is shameful that their lives have been so dreadfully disrupted by unnecessary changes and uncertainty.”

Heriot CC are likely to call a special meeting to discuss the new proposals.

PENSIONERS in Walkerburn are set to benefit from a project which could see new technology help avoidtrips to hospital and health centres.

The project, called Walkerburn Watch, has been funded by the Scottish Government through the £70million Older People’s Change Fund.

The funding, managed locally by a partnership of the NHS, council and independent sector groups, has enabled a project worker to be put in place.

The project will see a ‘health hub’ created at the village hall, and while it will look at more traditional health advice, such as exercise classes, diet advice and home and personal safety, the project will also seek to use cutting-edge technology.

Project worker Steve Bonner said: “It is anticipated that the equipment will allow users to live more independently and be able to check on their health with medical professionals without having the inconvenience of travelling out of Walkerburn.

“The health hub will connect the community with NHS staff, and the equipment has the potential to be used in the homes of residents who are unable to visit the village hall due to ill health or mobility issues.

“As Walkerburn does not have its own health centre or pharmacy, Walkerburn Watch will provide an invaluable service.”

The project is funded for a year, but Mr Bonner hopes to be able to attract other funding or sponsorship to enable the scheme to continue, and maybe even be rolled out across the Borders.

Molly McIntosh, community councillor and member of the steering committee, said: “This is an exciting phase in the development of the health and care support services being provided in Walkerburn.

“We are approaching the 10th anniversary of the drive to develop community-based services in Walkerburn and it is testament to the hard work in the community that we are able to attract Scottish Government funding for projects of this type.

“Working in conjunction with NHS Borders, Walkerburn Watch will help to greatly improve the health and well-being of older residents whilst enhancing their independence, general well-being and ability to socialise.”

An information day will be held in the village in the coming weeks.

Nancy Norman will attempt to get back into Scottish Borders Council, ten years after first being elected.

The former church minister has been named as the Liberal Democrats candidate for the Tweeddale West by-election in October.

The ex-Independent councillor was elected to one of the two former Peebles wards in 2003 but failed to claim a seat in the revamped Tweeddale West seat in 2007.

She then lost the 2012 Tweeddale West election but has vowed to return more power to Peeblesshire if elected.

Mrs Norman said: “I am worried about power and services being taken away from the area, most recently exemplified by the closure of Peebles Sheriff Court.

“I am standing as a Liberal Democrat as I want to be part of a strong team that has, and will continue, to deliver for Tweeddale.”

Current Tweeddale West Lib-Dem councillor Catriona Bhatia added: “Nancy has a wealth of experience as a councillor, crucial for someone being elected mid-term.

“Her experience and her passion for the local area, means she would be a great asset.”

Jeremy Purvis, announced as a peer earlier this month, said: “Nancy will be known to many as a compassionate but also tenacious local spokesperson with unparalleled integrity.”

The use of an iconic image of Robert Mapplethorpe to promote an exhibition of his work in Galashiels should have been stubbed out.

Community Councillor Drew Ketchen believes Self Portrait, which shows American photographer Mapplethorpe smoking and has been used across the world, encourages people to take up the habit.

The photo was used by Scottish Borders Council to advertise the display in Old Gala House, which ended on Sunday.

Speaking at Galashiels CC’s August meeting, Mr Ketchen said: “As a former smoker, I think it sends out the wrong message about health. It is telling people it is cool to smoke.”

Galashiels councillor John Mitchell said SBC could “perhaps” have chosen a better poster to promote the three-month exhibition, adding : “It is art and it exists. We can’t stop everything.It has been a very successful exhibition.”

An SBC spokesman said visitor numbers to Old Gala House had been up by 49 per cent midway through June, thanks to the showcase of original photographs by Mapplethorpe.

He added: “We have not had any complaints regarding the famous self portrait image of Robert Mapplethorpe taken in 1980. 
The response to the exhibition has been extremely positive.

“The image is known around the globe for advertising this specific artist and generally we feel our marketing campaign has worked well.

“As the exhibition only finished on Sunday we are yet to finalise figures for the total show, but overall this has been well received by the Borders community, with people asking for more exhibitions of this status.”

The late Robert Mapplethorpe was seen as a controversial photographer known for pushing the boundaries.

He hit the headlines in the late 1970s with his 
photograph’s of New York’s S & M scene, while his explicit 
homoerotic and nude images caused outrage within 
religious and conservative sectors of America.

Mapplethorpe was diagnosed with AIDS in 1986 but increased his workload before he died in 1989 at the age of just 42. Even after his death, he still proved controversial, including the confiscation of a Mapplethorpe text book by police from a University of Central England student in 1998 on the grounds of obscenity.

His legacy lives on, with the Robert Mapplethorpe Foundation promoting photography, and the fight against AIDS and HIV-related infection.

A NATIONAL charity has joined forces with Scottish Borders Elder Voice (SBEV) to help locals people prepare for their future in later life.

Age Scotland is helping put on a free event titled ‘Afore Ye Go’ at Hawick Town Hall at 10am next Wednesday.

The event will offer insight into some of the challenging topics facing people as they grow older, such as living wills, power of attorney, care costs and funerals.

George Higgs, SBEV chairman, said: “For some time we’ve been aware of the need for such an event and are delighted to be working with Age Scotland to host it.

“We believe that much of the anxiety felt by older people over making plans for when they are no longer around can be eliminated through addressing it head on and providing clear and simple information.”

There will be speakers from Age Scotland, Solicitors for Older People Scotland, the NHS and Police Scotland. A local funeral director will also be on hand to offer insights into options available.

Logan Steele from Age Scotland said: “We hope that this event will encourage more older Borders residents to start thinking about planning for their future and tackling this taboo.”

Lauder’s new £1.8 million health centre will open for business on Monday after the keys were handed over to NHS Borders last week.

On Friday, John Raine, chairman of NHS Borders, collected the keys to the Stow and Lauder Practice from Jo Elliot of Hub South East Scotland, representing the project partners.

Mr Raine said: “This is a wonderful new facility which the staff and the people of Lauderdale can be proud of. It provides bright modern facilities and easy access which can be enjoyed by both staff and patients.”

He added: “It is a great asset for the community, both now and for generations to come.”

The building of the centre was a partnership between NHS Borders, Hub South East Scotland, who work with community planning partners on developments, Morrison Construction and Border Construction.

Jo Elliot, chair of Hub South East Scotland, said: “We are proud to have completed our first project in partnership with NHS Borders, ensuring modern, state of the art health facilities for the Lauder community.”

Planning approval for the centre, which has been built on Lauder Common Good land, was granted in March last year, despite more than 80 objections, mainly from members of the Protect Our Greenfield Site group.

They argued that better sites were available and that the one-way Crofts Road would not be able to cope with the increase in traffic associated with the new health centre.

MSP John Lamont has congratulated the owners of Hawick’s Brydon’s Bakery and Cafe on reaching the landmark of 20 years as owners.

Nick and Jackie Powolny have helped the business, which has been on the High Street for more than 100 years, go from strength to strength.

Mr Lamont said: “With many high street stores struggling in recent years it is encouraging to see their continued success.”

IT IS not just the kids going back to school this month, as entrepreneurs across the Borders can brush up on their business skills at a series of free workshops.

The Borders’ business community can access expert advice and support throughout August from the programme of events run by their local Business Gateway office in Selkirk.

The workshops cover a range of issues, including business planning and social media, and will allow networking opportunities with like-minded people in the area.

Isabel Brass of Business Gateway said: “Our workshops are designed specifically so everyone, regardless of business experience, can learn something new and gain knowledge that can help them run and continue to develop a successful business.

“At Business Gateway we are always aware of the key issues facing local entrepreneurs and we tailor our workshop programme to meet these needs.”

All workshops take place at the Selkirk office in Ettrick Riverside from 9.30am to 12.30pm.

They can be booked online through the Business Gateway website, where more information is also available, or by calling 0845 609 6611 or 01835 825600.

A network of business advisers are also available for free help and advice at the local Business Gateway office.This month’s workshops are as follows:

20th – Business start-up: Business planning; 21st – Improve your search engine ranking; 27th – Social networking for business; 28th – Marketing your business; 29th – Bookkeeping.

In September, a total of 16 free workshops are on offer, including repeats of some of those available this month. They also include workshops on finance and building your own website.

TWO local companies are among those shortlisted for Scotland’s top environmental business awards.

The VIBES (Vision in Business for the Environment of Scotland) Awards are a partnership between various organisations, including the Scottish Government, Scottish Environment Protection Agency, Scottish Water and the Energy Saving Trust.

Shortlisted for the management award for a small or medium-sized enterprise is Whitmuir Organics, based near West Linton.

It is one of the country’s leading organic shops and also operates a butchery and licensed restaurant on the working organic farm.

Ecofitter, from Stow, has reached the final selection for the micro-business award. The firm provides architecture advice and installation of eco products, as well as project management.

Following site visits by the judges the winners will be announced at a ceremony in November.

Gillian Bruce, VIBES chair said: “This year we received a record number of entries from businesses across Scotland which we believe reflects the growing interest throughout the business community in reducing carbon emissions, and indeed costs.”

She added: “We’ve been very impressed with the standard of the submissions from the Scottish Borders and we look forward to finding out more about the fantastic work they are doing during our visits.”

Last year Mainetti scooped the management award for a large company, recognising their commitment to recycling, and sustainable and low-carbon products.

The Jedburgh-based clothing hanger firm has sponsored the award category this year.

Last week saw Ettrick Forest play there penultimate game in the league and, already relegated, introduced some new young members to the team.

After a tricky start the Forest played well away to Jedburgh and were eventually beaten by 81 shots to 70.

In the Border Qualifying on Saturday the single (I. Hogg) and the senior rink (T. Brown, T. McColm, J. Pringle and F. Forster) made it through to Finals Day on August 24 at Earlston BC.

The club three bowl was won by I. Hogg, who defeated E. Roberts in a closely-contested final.

Lastly, the club saw a good entry for the Willie McLean Mitchell trophy which was won by P. Houston and the runner up was A. Allan. £100 was raised by members for Marie Curie.

Just up the road, Selkirk Bowling Club held their Open Singles Tournament on Sunday, which was sponsored by Belhaven. Beaten semi-finalists were Colin McKinnon and Ewan McGregor, runner up was Neil McNally (Melrose) and the winner was Graham Smith.

The club would like to thank Belhaven for their continued sponsorship.

Organisers of Sunday’s fourth Philiphaugh Hill Run are overwhelmed with the growing success of their event.

More than 140 competitors lined up for the seven-mile and four-mile races which all started and finished at Selkirk Rugby Club’s Philiphaugh ground.

Gala Harrier Fergus Johnston set a new course record of 45 minutes 22 seconds to finish first in the men’s seven mile run (his third successive win) while the ladies’ seven mile, title went to Carnethie runner Charlotte Morgan in a time of 51 minutes 58 seconds.

Meanwhile, the men’s four mile race was won in emphatic style by 10-year-old Easson Elder from Peebles, with Zoe Pflug of Midlem triumphing in the ladies equivalent.

“Everything went very much according to plan,” said event organiser Sheila Cochrane.

“There was a slight change to the route this year, which included a change to the downhill finish, through fields instead of the hard track road.

“Feedback was very positive and there was many new faces this year and good turn out from the Gala Harriers.

“It’s very satisfying to see the number of entries increasing every year. The support we receive from helpers and sponsors makes it all possible, so a big thank you goes to each and every one of them.”

The Philiphaugh Hill Run came into existence in 2009 to help raise funds for the Selkirk Play Park Project, and four years later the event is going from strength to strength.

“We raised £1,200 from this year’s run alone,” added Sheila.

“We were also presented on the day with a cheque for £1,100 from the Selkirk Incorporation of Hammermen, the result of a collection they took at their Common Riding foy – a fantastic gesture, and very much appreciated.”

l A full list of results can be found at http://scottishhillracing.co.uk

Local athlete Iain Douglas (trained by Zahid Aziz and Stephen Nesbit) ran in the 400m Scottish Championships in Glasgow on Saturday.

The 21-year-old ran a personal best of 50.95 seconds, just missing a final spot by half a second.

Running against the top one-lappers in the country will certainly not have done him any harm.

A cup final medal awarded to former Selkirk footballer Bob Mercer has been stolen from Tynecastle Stadium in Edinburgh.

Mercer, after whom Selkirk recently named their new stand, picked up the Victory Cup runners-up medal in 1919, playing for Heart of Midlothian.

Last Friday, police appealed for information following the theft, which occurred on Wednesday, August 7.

Also taken in the raid on a glass cabinet in Hearts’ stadium were two Scottish Football League Championship medals, won in 1895 by George Scott and in 1897 by James Mirk. A gold pocket watch was also stolen.

It was only following police inquiries that it emerged that staff at the Edinburgh stadium had noticed a man acting suspiciously around the time the items were taken. The man is believed to have forced open the display cabinet and made off with the items.

Inspector David Hynd from Police Scotland said: “These medals have significant historic value, not just to Heart of Midlothian FC, but to the city of Edinburgh.”

Mercer, who played for Selkirk in the early years of the 20th century, died on the Ettrick Park pitch in a friendly match for Hearts against Selkirk on April 23, 1926.

Capped for Scotland twice, Mercer had been captain of Hearts before the First World War broke out.

Caught in a gas attack in 1918, it is believed that this could have contributed to his early death at just 36.

FOUR Borders’ rugby teams kick-off the new season today when the 2013/14 Booker Border League swings into action.

Melrose take on Selkirk and Hawick YM host Peebles at Mansfield Haugh (both 3pm).

The tournament once again is being played in two pools of four with the final taking place next April.

In terms of pre-season matches ­Hawick will continue preparations for their return to the top flight when they take on Northern Irish side Ballymena at Mansfield Park.

The Greens have been working hard in pre-season with the RBS Premiership opener against Aberdeen Grammar on 24 August looming large. Hawick won their first pre-season match at Kelso 50-14 last week and will be keen to build on that.

Other pre-season training matches involving Borders clubs taking place today are: Boroughmuir v Gala; Duns v Kelso A; Gala YM v Penrith A.

West Linton’s Chris O’Hare will appear in tomorrow’s 1500 metres final at the World Athletics Championships in Moscow.

The 22-year-old Borderer produced a strong run to finish fourth in his semi-final yesterday with a time of 3:43.58.

O’Hare struggled in his heat but looked much more comfortable in the semi as he held off his rivals with a determined final 200m.

The final takes place at 2.25pm tomorrow (Sunday).

A bid from the Borders Water Rescue Team for support from the council is being recommended for approval.

The group could be set to get a £4,645 windfall from the Community Grant Scheme.

Kelso’s Eric Paxton (centre) hoped to raise £3,000 walking the Borders common ridings and festivals’ main rideouts this summer.

Instead, the 250 miles of hikes with more than 100 supporters have raised nearly £11,000 for MND Scotland and Marie Curie Cancer Care.

Eric said: “It’s been amazing. The support from throughout the Borders has been tremendous. It’s been good fun.” To donate visit http://uk.virginmoneygiving.com/team/trampers3.