Scottish Borders Housing Association has signed a deal with Travis Perkins worth more than £4million which will see the building merchants supply repair materials.

The national firm has four depots in the Borders, including one on the same Selkirk road as the SBHA headquarters.

Alan Vass, director of technical services for SBHA, said: “The preferred supplier of maintenance materials agreement with Travis Perkins offers SBHA a value-for-money partnership ensuring that our tenants receive the highest quality materials and service delivery available.”

Travis Perkins’ representative James Clack added: “We are looking forward to providing further product, people and community investment to support SBHA and their operatives in delivering the best possible service to tenants.”

SBHA are planning to spend £5million improving homes over the next five years.

- Urea, or carbamide, is an organic compound with the chemical formula CO(NH2)2

- The white crystalline solid is extremely soluble and odourless, but when mixed with water creates ammonia which gives off a strong smell. When dissolved it is neither acidic nor alkali

- Urea is a waste product of the human body breaking down proteins in the liver, cleared from the blood by the kidneys, and then passed out as urine. The average person excretes about 30 grams of urea a day. A small amount of urea is excreted, alongside salt and water, in sweat

- Urea can be irritating to skin, eyes and the respiratory tract. Repeated or prolonged contact with urea in fertilizer form on the skin may cause dermatitis

- Urea is used as a raw material to produce plastics, glues, toilet bowl cleaners, dish washing machine detergents, hair-colouring products, pesticides, fungicides, and nitrogen-rich fertilizers and animal feed additives,

- Urea can cause algal blooms to produce toxins, and its presence in the run-off from fertilised land may play a role in the increase of toxic blooms

SERIOUS lessons need to be learned, says a local MSP, after a woman was left blind in one eye after an operation at Borders General Hospital.

NHS Borders was forced to apologise this week after the Scottish Public Service Ombudsman upheld three complaints and made five recommendations to the health board surrounding the case.

MSP Christine Grahame hopes the incident leads to changes at NHS Borders.

The SNP member said: “Incidents like this dent the trust we have in clinicians and in the complaints process, and we need assurances that serious lessons have been learned, for the sake of the distressful experience of this patient and so it is not repeated.”

The woman, named Mrs C by ombudsman Jim Martin, had attended the BGH in January 2010 for cataract surgery on her left eye.

When she woke up the next day she could not see. The consultant believing that he had nicked the sclera – the white area of the eye – with the needle containing anaesthetic during the operation, causing a haemorrhage.

After four further appointments, she was referred to the Eye Pavilion in Edinburgh in February 2010 for a specialist opinion, and Mrs C had surgery three more times, having been diagnosed with a vitreous haemorrhage and retinal detachment.

She has been left with limited vision of shade and outline only in her left eye. Another cataract operation in August 2010 on her right eye proved successful.

Mr Martin upheld that the use of a sharp needle anaesthesia was inappropriate and believed staff should have considered another method of pain relief.

He also criticised the “unreasonable and unexplained” delay of nearly four weeks in referring Mrs C to a specialist, while he deemed the post-operative care and treatment inadequate.

NHS Borders was slammed for its handling of the complaint, and Mr Martin said he is “concerned” the health board did not see the need to change their policies or conduct an investigation.

Among the recommendations to be met by the end of this month, Mr Martin has requested that staff be reminded of the risks of sharp needle anaesthesia, to refer patients for a specialist opinion as soon as possible and to conduct a review following an adverse incident.

He also asked for two apologises to be made for the botched surgery and the delay in making a specialist referral.

Ms Grahame added: “I am somewhat concerned on studying the ombudsman’s report that there was ‘an unreasonable and unexplained delay’ in referring the lady for a specialist opinion after her eye suffered damage during a cataract operation at Borders General Hospital.

“I have been told on numerous occasions by constituents that standards of care at the hospital are among the best in the country.

“While mishaps do occur from time to time, I find it surprising to read that an inappropriate and unreasonable procedure involving sharp needle anaesthesia was used in this case.

“I’m also disappointed that the handling of Mrs C’s complaint by Borders NHS Board was inadequate.

“I sincerely hope the hard lessons learned will ensure this kind of unfortunate incident is not repeated in the future.”

Commenting on the report’s findings, Calum Campbell, chief executive of NHS Borders told us: “We accept the recommendations of the Scottish Public Services Ombudsman in this case and we will be contacting Mrs C to offer our sincere apologies to her.

“We fully recognise, and regret, the aspects of Mrs C’s treatment and complaint handling which did not meet expected standards.

“NHS Borders takes every complaint very seriously and an action plan has been developed to implement the recommendations made in this case.

“The lessons we learn from this experience are being implemented and will provide us with valuable opportunity to improve our services.”

Reading about the Moonzie farm rent case in Fife, details of which I’ll get to later, was another reminder that if at all possible, lawyers and courts should be avoided, even by tenant farmers driven to distraction by a rent review. Many have learned that too late and to their cost, no matter how many warnings are flagged up.

In the old Scottish NFU headquarters in Edinburgh there was a woodcut of three men and a cow – one farmer was hauling at the cow’s head, another its tail, and the lawyer was sitting on a stool in between milking hard.

Another joke comes to mind:a mild dispute between two hill farmers that they thought would be better settled legally. The lawyer for one sent a note to a colleague: “Twa fat hoggs frae the braes o Balquhidder – you shear yin, I’ll shear the ither.”

My own favourite, from America, is the man who spat, was fined two dollars on the spot, wanted to pay, but was urged by his lawyer with him at the time to fight the case. He was dragged off shouting: “Pay the two dollars.”

After losing home, job, family, money, he did eventually win his case. Congratulated by his lawyer, he said: “Won! I’ve lost everything. That’s what I think of the law.” And he spat. As his lawyer shouted “We’ll take it all the way to the Supreme Court!” the man was hauled away, crying: “For God’s sake, pay the two dollars.”

My sentiments exactly. So much so that ever since I saw that story I’ve used “Pay the two dollars” as a catchphrase for anything that threatened to turn something minor into a big issue.

It could be argued that a rent increase is not a minor consideration, but it is compared with the years of litigation and expense that the Moonzie case has turned into.

The most recent development is that the Lord Justice Clerk, Lord Gill, with the agreement of fellow judges at the Court of Session, overturned a decision by the Scottish Land Court that that had effectively been in the Moonzie tenant’s favour.

As I understand his finding, Lord Gill ruled that the fundamental mistake by the Land Court was to base a rent for Moonzie on what he called “the method of last resort”, a farm budget. There are many reasons, he said, why a credible rent offer on the open market would exceed what a profit/loss budget for a farm might suggest.

Hands up anyone who has ever made a tenancy offer who doesn’t agree, reluctantly or otherwise, with that? Think of the optimism, hope, and heart-over-head that goes into some tenancy offers and the connection between an open market offer and a farm budget is tenuous at best.

The case revolved largely around whether the entitlement to the Single Farm Payment – annual subsidy – should be taken into account when agreeing a rent. The Land Court ruled it should not. Lord Gill said it should. It is a subsidy, he said, and the tenant could only unlock it by occupying land (belonging to the landowner.)

In short, Lord Gill ruled that the Land Court’s conclusion that a fair rent for Moonzie of £30 an acre at the time of the original dispute was wrong. Rent for comparable holdings was £60-£65. Rent under a short limited duration tenancy nearby was £90.

I don’t know what size Moonzie is. I don’t know what has led tenant and landowner to such lengths. I do know that the legal fees will by now have dwarfed any rent increase and that if and when this dispute is ever settled, another three-year rent review from 2011 has to be agreed.

Small wonder that demands are being made for a cheaper and simpler method of rent dispute resolution.

Nigel Miller, NFU Scotland president, said: “There are successful landlord-tenant relationships, but the number of breakdowns is increasing. All can lead to lengthy, costly proceedings.”

However, Phil Thomas, chairman of the Tenant Farming Forum which has representatives of tenants, landowners, chartered surveyors and the NFU, said, in effect, that Lord Gill’s ruling was interesting, but not necessarily a watershed change for rent assessments; not everyone agreed with Lord Gill’s “primacy of the open market” as a basis for farm rents.

Hmm. I met Lord Gill when, as Brian Gill, QC, he published the definitive legal guide to farm tenancies in the early 1990s. I’ve spent time with him on a couple of occasions since. Good company, but not a man, I think, likely to change his mind or a ruling. I suspect that any other farm rent case reaching the Court of Session would produce the same result.

But in spite of disputes, demand for tenancies is unabated and recent news of more available from Buccleuch Estates and the Forestry Commission was welcomed. Now the Crown Estates have announced details of four new tenancies in north-east and south-west Scotland “to encourage new entrants with drive and innovation.”

Want to bet that there will be no shortage of applicants, some offering open market rents that bear little relation to a farm budget except in their imaginations?

ST BOSWELLS

AT St Boswells on Monday John Swan Ltd sold 134 clean cattle, 59 OTM cattle, 1,736 old season lambs and 586 ewes.

Bullocks (53) averaged 207.8p per kg (+2.8p on the week). Heifers (81) averaged 202.3p per kg (-1.8p on the week). The 59 beef type OTM cattle averaged 155.3p per kg (+6.2p on the week).

The 1,736 old season lambs averaged 197.4 per kg (-3.1p on the week) including 632 38-42kgs averaging 208.5p per kg. The 586 ewes averaged £76.46 (+£5.95 on the week).

Principal prices per kg: Bee Edge 2.29 M/s WTS Forsyth and Sons, 2.27 M/s J Gilmour and Co Ltd, 2.24 M/s Moor, 2.22 Robert Wilson Ltd, 2.21 (2) M/s Moor and John Scott Meat (Paisley); Wester Ulston 2.27 M/s WTS Forsyth and Sons; Inland Pasture 2.26, 2.25 M/s JP Mason and Son, 2.21 M/s Moor; Rumbletonlaw 2.20 M/s Moor; Pathhead 2.20 John Thompson; West Mains 2.20 M/s J Saunderson Ltd; Gospelhall 2.19 Malone of Edinburgh.

Principal prices per head: Inland Pastures £1638.50, £1524.90, £1524.90, £1500.15, £1496.25; Saltoun Home Farm £1424.75, £1390.50; Honeyburn £1424.50.

Cows per head: West Newbiggin £1548, £1490.40, £1404, £1402.80, £1336.50, £1235.25, £1223.20; Kersknowe £1522.50, £1352; Kirkton £1381.60, £1252.80; Headshaw. L £1336.60; Wester Middleton £1307.20, £1201.70; Traprain £1198.80.

Cows per kg: Howtel 2.04, 2.03; Wester Middleton 1.97, 1.72; West Newbiggin 1.84, 1.83, 1.80, 1.78, 1.76, 1.72, 1.68; Kirkton 1.77, 1.74; Kersknowe 1.74, 1.69; Mervinslaw 1.72.

Bulls: Cacrabank £1549.40 (1.27).

Principal prices per head: Tex.x;- £119, £117.50 Lee, £115, £113 Burnhouse Mains (Middlehurst), Suff.x;- £114 Burnhouse Mains (Middle-hurst), £111 Thornfield, GF;- £108.50 Lee, £104 Woodhouse, NCC;- £95 Gilston, £90 Whitchesters, Beltex;- £90.50 Sydenham, CM;- £88.50 Gilston, Chev.x;- £87, £86 Westwood, £85 Larriston, BF;- £86 Larriston, £83 Horseup-cleugh.

Principal prices per kg: Beltex;- 244.6 Sydenham, Tex.x;- 231.9 Glenalmond, 230.8 Bedrule, Suff.x;- 211.9 Whitchesters, 211.8 Broomilees, Cha;- 210.3 Gilston, NCC;- 209.3 Whitchesters, SCC;- 206.6 Kirklands, BF;- 199.4 Glenalmond, GF;- 198.7 Cathpair and Glenalmond.

Cast ewes: Suff;- £139 Parklands, £137 Spotmains, Tex;- £137 Greenend, £129 Wedderlie, Suff.x;- £115 Smailholm Mains, £111 Mowhaugh, BFL;- £107 Cathpair, £91 Hillhouse, Chev;- £107 Brockhouse, £105 North Synton, GF;- £105 Wedderlie, £101 Mowhaugh, Lleyn;- £103 Kilnknowe, CM;- £95 Gilmanscleugh, £91 Girrick, BL;- £89, £85 Gilmanscleugh, EC;- £85 Kilnknowe, £83 Girrick, BF;- £83 Wedderlie, £77 Cathpair.

Rams: Suff.x;- £133 Hermiston, Tex;- £129 Thistle Doo, £121 Camieston, BDM;- £113, £109 Borthwickshiels, Suff;- £110 Treaty Park, £99 Camieston, BFL;- £105 Horseupcleugh, Chev;- £99 Borthwickshiels, Lleyn;- £93 Borthwickshiels, BF;- £93 Horseupcleugh, £89 Wedderlie.

WOOLER

AT their fortnightly Store Sale at Wooler last Tuesday, John Swan Ltd had forward and sold 141 head of cattle.

A show of mainly young cattle were presented to a large ring of buyers, vendors received returns described as the dearest around.

Leading prices per head – Steers:- Char.x:- £1210, £1120, £1090 Newstead, £1025, £1010 (2), £1000, £990, £960 Fawdon Farms, £1010, £970, £960 Great Ryle. Lim.x:- £1150 Newstead, £980, £970, £930, £910 Branton Eastside, £930, £920, £900 Barmoor Red House.

Leading prices per head – Heifers:- Char.x:- £1160, £980(2) Newstead, £870, £845, £800 Great Ryle, £870, £865, £815, £810 (2), £800 Fawdon Farms. Lim.x:- £1125, £1110 (2), £900, £915 Goswick, £920 Newstead, £820 (2), £800 Branton Eastside.

Leading prices per kilo – Steers:- Char.x:- 258.5p, 230.2p, 221.1p, 210.9p Great Ryle, 252.5p, 249.4p, 247.5p, 239.9p, 237.8p, 231.9p, 226.7p Fawdon Farms, 216.5p, 216.3p Newstead. Lim.x:- 257p, 248.6p, 243.2p, 238.1p, 234p Barmoor Red House, 246.2p, 239.1p, 234p, 231p Branton Eastside.

Leading prices per kilo – Heifers:- Char.x:- 244p, 239p, 219.5p, 216.6p Fawdon Farms, 216.8p, 212.7p, 211.8p Great Ryle, 211.3p Newstead. Lim.x:- 229.7p, 224p, 221p, 214.3p, 210p Branton Eastside, 218.8p, 213.3p Barmoor Red House.

At their weekly Primestock sale last Wednesday, 638 hoggs and 221 ewes were forward and sold.

Rumour’s circulating of a crash in the sheep trade proved unfounded, all classes remained at late rates.

Leading prices per head:- Bel:- £106.50p, £101.50p Clarabad Mill. Suff.x:- £106.50p Brandon, £104.50p Fawdon Farms, £104.50p South Fallaknowe, £103p Castlelaw. Tex:- £104.50p Fawdon Farms and Brandon, £102.50p Clarabad Mill, £100 South Fallaknowe. Mule:- £94 Fawdon Farms. BF:- £80 Clennel.

Leading prices per kilo:- Tex.x:- 219.7p Greystonnes, Warenford North, 217.1p Old Cambus, 213.2p Ladykirk and Elwick, 212.8p Mindrum Farming Co, 211.5p Elwick, 211.4p Shawdon Woodhouse, 211p Mindrum Farming Co and Ladykirk. Suff:- 217.1p Old Cambus, 214.5p, 213.2p Greystonnes, Warenford North, 211.3p Howtel, 211p Mindrum Farming Co. Bel:- 214.3p Shotton. Chev:- 205.4p Greystonnes, Warenford North. Mule:- 197.4p Howtel, 192.3p Reavley Greens. BF:- 192.3p Reavley Greens.

Ewes a mixed show, very dear returns for all vendors.

Leading prices:- Tex:- £149 Wrangham East and Clarabad Mill, £127 Prenderguest, £124 Cresswell Farms, £122 Ladykirk, £116, £114 Cresswell Farms. Suff.x:- £145 Fawdon Farms, £129 Brackenside, £127 Old Cambus, £122 Berryhill, £121 Clennel (W Waite), £120 Castlehills, £119 West Longridge. BFL:- £106 Fawdon Farms. Mule:- £102 Brackenside, £99.50p Elwick, £99 Brackenside and Berryhill, £97 West Longridge. Chev:- £95.50p Old Cambus. BF:- £85.50p Cold Martin.

Rams:- BFL:- £139 Howtel. Suff:- £118 Old Cambus

BORDER LIVESTOCK

DURING the week ending February 24 Border Livestock Exchange Ltd sold 134 cattle including 61 cast cows, 791 prime lambs, 347 cast ewes and 186 store cattle.

A good trade was experienced with quality cattle heavily sought after with prices firming as the week progressed. Aberdeen Angus cross heifers from Bonjedward Mill, Jedburgh, sold to 360p per kg to Well Hung and Tender, Berwick. Other Aberdeen Angus cross steers sold to 355p per kg Lucker Hall, Belford. Hereford and Aberdeen Angus heifers to 350p per kg Howden Farm, Jedburgh. Continental cross steers from New Houses, Hallington, also sold to 350p per kg and £1,432. Home bred Limousin cross heifers from Hallrule Farms, Bonchester Bridge, realised 350p per kg £1,326 per head.

A tremendous consignment of top quality cast cows was topped by Whitmuirhaugh Farm, Kelso, with a home bred Belgian Blue cow which weighed 524kgs at 310p per kg £1,624.40. Dairy veal calves at 10 months old sold for 300p per kg £645 to Linden Foods, Newcastle.

Organic lambs sold to 510p per kg Tullochallum, Keith, £107.50 for Shetland cross Suffolk May born lambs. Export weight lambs from Raecleugh Head, Duns, sold to 455p per kg and £95.50. Cast ewes firmer with mules to £96.50; Cheviot crosses £106 and Black Faced £87.50. Suffolk rams to £156.

Store cattle: Trading on farms has started earlier with several consigners selling a month quicker than in pervious years, as they take advantage of the very strong demand. Several batches showing a rise in excess of £200 up on last year. Strong Charolais cross bullocks sold to £1,265 a record on farm price for this Centre. Small Limousin cross bullocks seven months to £900 and 272p per kg.

Researchers working on controlling Johne’s Disease in cattle will be holding a meeting and discussion for farmers in the Stair Arms Hotel, Pathhead on Tuesday at 10am.

The meeting will hear from Ivan Glendinning and Neil Stoddart of Halflawkiln farm and their vet Isabelle Truyers of the University of Edinburgh, about their involvement in the five-year control project. There will be presentations by staff from SAC, the James Hutton Institute and the University of Glasgow.

Please contact Jo Baughan on 01463 246061 or email jo.baughan@sac.ac.uk if you wish to attend.

The Lauder Herds Supper Committee held another successful annual dinner in the Lauderdale Hotel last month, Dougie Scott writes.

Piper Arch Anderson got the evening started by playing in the top table speakers.

The chairman, Malcolm Corbett, welcoming the company and said grace.

Andrew Kerr from Fountainhall, proposing the toast to the herds, delivered an excellent address with some light-hearted stories for good measure. John McDougal from the Loch Lomond area, gave an fine reply.

The toast to the farmers was proposed by Alan Bain from the Edinburgh area. Replying, Selkirk farmer Alec Telfer, had the company highly amused with his dodgy French accent.

Tich Frier provided the musical entertainment and the odd humorous tale thrown in.

The £400 raised through the raffle and auction will go to the Margaret Kerr Unit at the Borders General Hospital. The committee would like to thank everybody who attended and all the businesses who gave raffle prizes.

Next year’s supper will be in the Lauderdale Hotel on February 15.

As the number of UK farms affected by the Schmallenberg virus rises to 83, the National Farmers Union (NFU) in Scotland has put out an alert.

The Animal Health and Vetinary Laboratories Agency (AHVLA) confirmed that nine more farms in the south of England had shown the virus, which causes birth defects and miscarriages in livestock.

Five cases have been in cattle, 78 in sheep, and none in other animals. The Food Standards Agency said it was “unlikely” that the disease poses any risk to humans.

There have been no confirmed cases in Scotland, Wales or Northern Ireland, but the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) said it was vitally important farmers continued to report any suspicious cases as soon as possible.

NFU Scotland put out an alert to all Scottish farmers: “There are no validated antibody tests available to demonstrate exposure to the virus and no vaccine is likely to be available in the near future. The over-riding priority of all organisations is to keep Scotland’s livestock free of Schmallenberg virus.

“On that basis, the group appeals to all keepers to exercise extreme caution when considering importing animals from the risk areas. Risk areas already extend into Belgium, the Netherlands, Germany, France, Italy and Luxembourg, and more than 1,400 cases have been identified. The situation in England is evolving rapidly and risk areas are likely to be growing all the time.

“The disease is notifiable, so the Scottish Government are not able to put in place import restrictions. It is up to industry to stand together and protect itself.”

“As Scotland is at the periphery of the virus’s apparent range, there is still the risk that fluctuating weather patterns may allow incursion,” Bob Carruth, communications director of NFU Scotland, said.

“That scenario spells danger for Scotland. However, farmers can take responsibility when it comes to exercising caution over imports. The risk associated with imports is increasing as the evidence of longer term infection within Europe builds.”

The Schmallenberg virus causes mild to moderate symptoms in adult cattle, including reduced milk yield, and stillbirths, and birth deformities in sheep, cattle and goats. Mortality rates of up to 25 per cent have been recorded in newborn lambs.

David Willison, who keeps sheep and Jersey cattle in south Cumbria, told BBC Radio 4’s Farming Today programme of his concerns: “The not knowing is the worst feeling of all. Because you are trying to plan the management of your stock and the sale of your stock, and you’ve got this niggle in the back of your mind that something might be coming around the corner and it might take it all away from you.”

The NFU is urging Scottish livestock farmers to:

z Avoid imports from high-risk areas, but if they are unavoidable restrict them to when midges are least active, from November 1 to April 30.

z Avoid importing pregnant animals as they may have been exposed to the virus and the foetus already affected.

The NFU also urges Scottish livestock keepers to remain vigilant and report any suspicious abortion, malformations and neurological damage in new-born beasts.

A HAWICK pub has been forced to shut up shop after its licence was suspended for three months at Friday’s meeting of Scottish Borders Licensing Board.

The call for action came in a report from Lothian and Borders Police which urged councillors to review the premises licence of Frankie’s Bar at 14 Bourtree Place. The hearing at Newtown was heard in private because it concerned “matters which are still being dealt with in the criminal court”.

However, board chairman Councillor Gavin Logan said the unanimous decision to suspend the pub’s licence had been taken “on the grounds of breaches of the licensing objectives of preventing crime and disorder, securing public safety and preventing public nuisance”.

After the meeting, which was attended by co-licensee Joanne McFarlane, police inspector John Scott, who had presented a report on various alleged incidents which had occurred over recent months at or around the premises, told TheSouthern: “There is a clear relationship between alcohol and offending in the Borders and everyone involved in the sale and supply of alcohol has an obligation to maintain high standards in the running of their premises.

“This [Frankie’s Bar] has been a premises which has not met these high standards.”

Inspector Scott, who is head of the safer communities team in the Borders, said the police welcomed the board’s decision.

“This sends out a clear message ... that the standards set out in the terms and conditions of premises licences must be met,” he added.

The board also went into private session to consider a police report urging a review of the personal licence of Charlotte Cloquhoun, whose address was given as Abbey Court, Melrose. Councillors agreed to revoke her licence.

Earlier, in the public session, the board refused to grant a personal licence to Colin Kerr of Stirling Street, Galashiels.

In his application, when invited to outline relevant convictions which were not spent, Mr Kerr stated he had been fined £1,000 and banned from driving for 18 months for drink-driving at Haddington Sheriff Court in September 2010.

However, a police report, urging refusal of the application, revealed that Mr Kerr had failed to disclose that, at the same court, he had been fined £175 for breach of the peace in 2008, and fined £100, also for breach of the peace, at Edinburgh Sheriff Court in 2006.

Failure to notify the board of a relevant court conviction within the statutory 28 days resulted in Angela Gray having her personal licence suspended for six months.

The board heard that Ms Gray, the proposed designated premises manager of the Queen’s Head Bar in Hawick, had been fined £200 at Selkirk Sheriff Court in April last year for assaulting a security guard at Borders General Hospital.

Two applications for variations of premises licences elicited no adverse comments from either the police or the licensing standards officer.

As a result, Vivienne Bardoulet of Cringletie House Hotel in Peebles, was given leave to amend her operating plan to cater for 120 people (up from 80) and J. D. Weatherspoon’s Bourtree outlet in Hawick was given permission to have children, aged 15 and under, and young people, aged 16 and 17, on the premises until 10pm (currently 8pm) from Sunday to Thursday.

SCOTTISH Borders Council is in early talks to extend a path between Galashiels and Clovenfords in order to safeguard walkers.

However, there are no plans at present to construct a footway along the dangerous bend of the A72 road when approaching from Galashiels, which has previously witnessed accidents.

Currently, members of the public have to walk along the grass verge to reach the village, with the path running out hundreds of metres short of Clovenfords.

Councillor and Clovenfords resident Gavin Logan brought up the subject at last week’s SBC meeting – and executive member for works and infrastructure Jim Fullarton confirmed the local authority was in negotiations with the landowner.

Mr Fullarton said: “The local member will be aware that when the shared access route between Galashiels and Clovenfords was constructed, it was stopped short of the village because there was a live planning application for a housing development at the Station Yard site.

“This proposal achieved full planning permission and as part of this application, the council negotiated the development of a new roadside footway, which would link the village to the newly-constructed path.

“The housing developer eventually decided not to take this application forward. I believe that the site has recently been sold to another party. The council has no immediate plans to construct a new footway at this site.

“However, I can advise that the completion of this link remains an aspiration for the council and officers have held initial discussions with the new landowner of the Station Yard site regarding the possibility of developing a footway link at this location in the future.”

Speaking before the meeting, Mr Logan said: “This issue has been a major concern in Clovenfords since the path from Gala to Clovenfords was completed five years ago.

“Walkers, cyclists and mothers with prams have to negotiate this dangerous stretch if they want to use the new path/cycleway. It seems a waste because people are not using this facility because of the dangers.

“I think that the council will have to take the bull by the horns and try and remedy this unacceptable situation.”

In May 2009, TheSouthern reported on a couple who miraculously escaped injury when their van careered off the road on the bend concerned.

Councillor Logan said then: “Anyone on the path at the time would have been wiped out. It is truly frightening.”

Young Teris’ achievements will be recognised on April 27 at Hawick Town Hall.

The first Top Teri awards presentation will be a glittering event, open to people aged 11-25, to recognise young people’s achievement in the community and an opportunity to showcase the positive impact they have.

The awards will acknowledge the many young people who give something back, go out of their way to help others, have strived in their chosen field, have overcome a difficulty in their life or who just did that special something that went unrecognised.

Nominations are open: fill out the simple nomination form at www.surveymonkey.com/s/TopTeriAwards2012. Copies are also available from Think Fitness, Hawick High School, Burnfoot Community Centre and Hawick Library, and can be posted in the ballot boxes at the four venues by March 9.

With 10 categories, the judging panel of young people will select three finalists for each award, who will be invited to the event along with two guests. The evening will include performances from Hawick Pipe Band, Shields Dance Group, Creative Fashion students and local bands.

Tickets, £10, which include a buffet, can be bought from March 30 at Think Fitness. A discount is available for table bookings of 10.

For further information, email sian.escape@yahoo.co.uk or call 07906 890752.

The awards are funded by the Scottish Community Foundation and Scottish Borders Council.

CANCER Research netted just over £1,200 as a result of Friday night’s performance by the Border Boogie Band in Selkirk Rugby Club.

Along with a contribution from the gate at the hastily arranged rugby “friendly” between Selkirk and Melrose the following day, the coffers swelled to nigh on £2,000.

“That makes February one of our best ever fundraising months,” said Keith Hendrie, who helped organise Friday’s dance.

The Border Boogie Band return to their pub rock roots next Friday, March 9, at the Bridge Inn in Galashiels and will play the Eastgate Theatre in Peebles on Good Friday, April 6. Booking details for the latter event on 01721 725777.

REHEARSALS are well under way for the annual spring musical production by senior pupils at St Mary’s School in Melrose.

The show, Oklahoma, takes place on Wednesday, March 21, at 2pm and 7pm, and on Thursday, March 22, at 7pm.

For the first time, the youngsters, aged 10 to 12, have chosen to donate the proceeds from the Wednesday evening performance to charity, in this case the Margaret Kerr Appeal which is raising funds for an in-patient specialist palliative care unit at the Borders General Hospital (BGH).

Tickets (£5 adults, £3 children aged 15 and under) are available for the charity performance from Martin Baird Butchers and Jackie Lunn, in Melrose, and the Macmillan Centre at the BGH.

Alternatively, they can be purchased from the St Mary’s box office on 01896 822515 or at office@stmarysmelrose.org.uk

The picture shows some of the cast during rehearsals.

HOW did modern Galashiels come to look the way it does? If you are curious, TheSouthern has four copies of a new book on the history of the town to give away in a new competition.

Entitled Historic Galashiels: Archaeology and Development, and published jointly by Historic Scotland and the Council for British Archaeology, the book charts the events that shaped the town – from when massive ice sheets that gouged out the valley, to the social, economic and architectural impact of Galashiels becoming the Scottish centre for tweed manufacture.

The book is part of Historic Scotland’s series on Scottish burghs, which has covered the history and archaeology of more than 70 of Scotland’s historic towns and cities. The book starts with the archaeological evidence for settlements on the site of the modern-day town, moves on to the arrival in 1849 \and examines the woollen industry, which affected everything, from the town’s water channels and housing to society in general.

By identifying areas that may hold an archaeological resource, the book will allow developers and local authority archaeologists to better plan how to record and learn from these sites.

To be in with a chance of winning a copy, all you have to do is answer the following question correctly:

When was Galashiels made a burgh of barony?

Send your answers by email to: markentwistle@tweeddalepress.co.uk or on a postcard to Gala Book Competition, c/o Mark Entwistle, The Southern Reporter, 19 Bridge Street, Kelso, TD5 7HT, no later than 9am on Monday, March 12. The usual rules apply.

The hugely successful TV Book Club is back on our screens. Tune into More 4 on Sunday evenings where hosts Dave Spikey, Laila Rouass, Meera Syall, Rory McGrath and new presenter Caroline Quentin will be helping you pick the best books to read.

Throughout the 10-part series the team are joined by celebrity guests to review 10 titles, chosen by a team of TV Book Club experts, with viewers invited to read along.

To celebrate the new show, Specsavers Galashiels is giving away one set of 10 books to Southern Reporter readers, plus £150 worth of designer eyecare, so that readers can enjoy their books while wearing the latest fashion frames.

The lucky winners can look forward to reading all 10 books in the series: Before I Go To Sleep, S.J. Watson; The Sisters Brothers, Patrick de Witt; The Somnambulist, Essie Fox; Into The Darkest Corner, Elizabeth Haynes; Riles of Civility, Amor Towles; Girl Reading, Katie Ward; The Report, Jessica Francis Kane; The Family Fang, Kevin Wilson; Half of the Human Race, Anthony Quinn and You Deserve Nothing, Alexander Maksik, without forking out a penny for the pleasure.

To be in with a chance of winning this fabulous prize, simply answer the following question:

Which of the following is a presenter on the TV Book Club?

a)Laila Rouass

b)Myleene Klass

c)Kelly Brook

Send your answer, plus your name, full address, including postcode, and daytime telephone number by email to susanwindram@tweeddalepress.co.uk or on a postcard to Specsavers competition, The Southern Reporter, The Hermitage, High Street, Selkirk, TD7 4DA, to arrive by March 7 at noon.

Terms and conditions: One prize per household; Specsavers TV Book Club books and eyecare voucher will be distributed by Beattie Communications and its partner agencies, on behalf of Specsavers. Terms of the eyecare voucher are set out on the eyecare voucher itself and must be adhered to. This prize is non-transferable, cannot be exchanged and no cash alternative will be offered.

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By giving us your email address and phone numbers, you agree that we may contact you by these methods for marketing. If you do not wish to receive information from us or from our business partners tell us so in your response. For your information, we may monitor communications for quality and training purposes.

z The winner of last week’s competition to win tickets to see Richard Holloway at Main Street Trading bookshop in St Boswells was Judith Hardie of Newtown St Boswells.

Jedburgh youth cafe CO2 is involved in an art project launched recently, as a partnership between Education Scotland and Creative Scotland to engage different groups to do something creative in their community.

Kathleen O’Neill, who helped make this happen in Jedburgh, told us that they were employing local artists to work with young people in creating pieces of art. The idea is to create glasswork to be displayed in the abbey near Easter.

The group of young people were getting an introduction to glasswork by Inge Panneels from Lilliesleaf, an expert in glassmaking.

Chatting beforehand about what they wanted to put on their piece of glass, a popular choice among the girls was flowers.

The course will consist of six workshops, the last being the unveiling of their creations in the abbey. Accompanying the glasswork will be a video showing the young people as they work to create their glasswork.

There’s a great deal more going on in Jedburgh and Ancrum, though:

Borders Youth Theatre workshops, Jedburgh Grammar School, Thursdays: age eight – P7, 4-5.30pm; S1- 25, 5457.15pm.

£45 for 10 weeks. Call 07896 620404.

Beavers: Wednesday 6-7pm Jedburgh Town Hall £15 per school term.

Cubs: Wednesday 7-9pm Jedburgh Town Hall £15 per school term.

Scouts: Monday 7-9pm Jedburgh Grammar School games hall.

Drop in @ CO2, Monday, 6.30-9pm; Wednesday, 6-9pm; Friday, 6 -10pm.

Ancrum Youth Club @ Village Hall: March 1, 15 and 29, 6.30-8pm each day.

Army cadets, Monday 7-9pm, Old Bongate, phone 07842 701657.

Jedburgh Swimming Pool: aquacise sessions Monday and Wednesday, 7-7.45pm £4.45; Inflatable session Friday 6.30-8pm, plus Saturday and Sunday sessions.

Hamster Ball water walkers will be returning on the March 10.

Jedburgh Sports Centre: a wide variety of classes suitable for all ages – take a peek at the noticeboard for a full list.

I STARTED the Youth Campaign last month through Facebook after a very informative conversation with my mum, writes Louise Chapman.

It was about the popular misconceptions and stereotypes used on the news, especially the BBC.

The one that really annoyed us is that it seems that when young people are mentioned they mainly use pictures of them hanging about in hoodies and then elderly people are all shown to be frail and helpless.

We talked about how great it would be to see a campaign by people of all ages to help change people’s perspective. The majority of young people are hard workers – young carers, students with part-time jobs, babysitters, working with the media and lots more things to help their family and communities.

I created the Youth Campaign on Facebook and added people from around the Borders and we started working on the best ways to change the stereotype.

I’d like to get a better understanding of why people see groups of people in a certain way and what we need to do to change stereotypes. Maybe then we can get involved in making a real difference in the community.

To get involved, search Youth Campaign on Facebook – we would like to hear your ideas and opinions.

A NEWS bulletin last month about the rise in unemployment quoted statistics that 1.04 million young people were unemployed.

Many people wonder why so many young people are unemployed? So I put these questions to the public in my own investigation.

One person told me: “When leaving school or college, young people aren’t always given enough support in moving forward.”

The increasing demand for careers advisors and lack of local jobs seem to have taken their toll and good grades don’t automatically mean a job you want – more often it’s a case of taking what’s available, if anything.

A Borders Youth Council study about youth unemployment found surprising results.

z 65 per cent of respondents expect youth unemployment to worsen across the UK in 2012.

z 51 per cent expect it to worsen in their area,

z 61 per cent think there will be an increase in competition for university places in 2012.

z 68 per cent felt that the government’s strategy for economic growth doesn’t include young people.

z 60 per cent of young people agree with the statement “I am optimistic that in the future I’ll have the job and career I want”.

z 60 per cent disagree that the government strategy will tackle youth unemployment.

z 44 per cent expect their family’s financial situation in 2012 to remain about the same.

z 22 per cent expect it to improve.

z 31 per cent expect it to worsen.

The Youth Campaign on Facebook offered me the opportunity to ask a wide range of people their thoughts on the situation and Janine Jeffrey from Newton St Boswells suggested: “Some young people literally can’t work, but then there are those who just cannot be bothered.”

That got me thinking! There are jobs that some young people can’t do because they need to be able to drive – who can afford to learn if they aren’t working? It’s a vicious circle at times.

Many people seem to perceive young people these days as unemployed due to laziness. This of course is not the case for the majority. I, among so many others, am unemployed due to unavoidable circumstances but remain active with volunteering while searching for employment, adding what I can to my CV.

I am an unemployed 19-year-old, so people could consider my opinions on youth unemployment biased, but I work hard as a volunteer in a number of projects. I am working on courses and doing placements, all the while actively searching for work in my local area.

I really hope to see the support offered to young people in the transition from youth to adulthood improve so that we can become successful and confident. We deserve a good start in life – the same as anyone else.

I believe a lot has to be changed within government in order for this to happen so in the meantime I will keep on applying for jobs and working as a volunteer.

Eating Disorders Awareness Week last month revealed shocking statistics through the Beat and Young Scot websites.

More than half those surveyed (500-plus) said they didn’t know how to talk about their disorder.

At the start of the week Beat, the UK’s leading charity supporting those affected by eating disorders and campaigning on their behalf, published the results of a survey of nearly 1,000 people with direct experience of the illnesses.

z 56 per cent didn’t tell anyone about their eating disorder because they didn’t know how to talk about it

z 64 per cent waited longer than six months before confiding in someone

z 87 per cent didn’t seek medical help when they first realised they had a problem

“I hate that I feel ashamed, because it’s an illness just like any other, and just like any other illness you don’t choose it, it chooses you,” said one response.

The two best-known eating disorders are anorexia nervosa and bulimia nervosa.

People with anorexia are convinced that they are overweight and starve themselves to lose weight, even when they are dangerously thin – one per cent of young women have anorexia, and they tend to become so obsessed with food and weight that they don’t understand what’s normal and healthy anymore.

Anorexics can also become obsessed by exercise.

About four per cent of young women have bulimia nervosa – they appears to eat normally but binge on and then immediately make themselves sick. It’s usually a release because the person feels overwhelmed by their problems.

Other eating disorders include binge eating disorder, where you binge on lots of food but don’t do anything to get rid of it afterwards. Compulsive overeating is where you eat lots when you are not hungry. Both are serious and need to be treated professionally.

Often eating disorders are about needing to feel in control of something, because there are other problems in your life, such as a family breakdown, a bereavement, abuse or stress at school.

Treatment can take several years because often people with eating disorders don’t think there is anything wrong with them – or they relapse and need more treatment. It isn’t something you can tackle on your own and professional help is vital. Often anorexics are in hospital because they are dangerously underweight and suffering serious health problems as a result.

Treatment includes getting back to a normal weight and eating a healthy amount. Counselling and therapy tackle problems that have sparked the disorder, and sometimes medication is given to help with depression or anxiety.

Sometimes people assume that only girls are affected by eating disorders, but guys can get them too – visit www.MenGetEatingDisordersToo.co.uk to find out more.

Beat said: “We all need to break the silence about eating disorders so that sufferers come forward, loved ones can approach those they are concerned about, and everyone is aware of the illnesses. The more people talk about eating disorders in an understanding way, the more those affected will feel they can reach out for support.”

Beat’s call to action is to get people to speak up about eating disorders. No-one should face an eating disorder on their own. Break the silence and talk about eating disorders at school, at home, in the workplace.

If you think you or someone you care for may be suffering from an eating disorder and you would like further information or support you can visit www.b-eat.co.uk. You can become a member for free. They also offer One2One, where you can chat online to an advisor for help and support.

Beat has a helpline for young people. Call 0845 6347650 (Monday to Friday, 4.30-8.30pm; Saturday 1-4.30pm). If you want them to call you back, text “callback” and your name to 07786 201820.

And your doctor will be able to offer you information and support in your local area.

COMMUNITY projects in Galashiels and Greenlaw have been boosted with major cash awards from the Big Lottery’s new Community Spaces fund.

In Galashiels, the Waverley Tenants Organisation (WTO) has received a grant of £85,000 to develop a playpark in Beech Avenue, Langlee.

The facility, which will include new play equipment, will improve physical activity levels among children and provide a focal point for families to meet.

WTO chairman Gerry Moss said: “The new Diamond Jubilee playpark in our area will greatly improve the lives of all our children and their families. It will also encourage healthy play and social interaction across the community.”

On Tuesday, WTO secretary Judith Cleghorn conveyed the good news to a packed assembled at Langlee Primary School. “The kids cheered with delight at the fantastic news,” she said.

Most of the £85,000 will go on the provision of new play equipment, along with security cameras, but the WTO is hopeful some money will be left over to carry out further environmental improvements on the estate.

Tenders for the project are being sought from local contractors.

The land, which has been gifted for the project by the Waverley Housing Association, was last year the subject of an unsuccessful bid for funding from the People’s Millions fund.

Meanwhile, plans to return Greenlaw War Memorial Hall to its former glory will come to fruition thanks to a grant of £250,000. The hall committee will use the money to renovate and extend the historic building, erected as a temperance hall in 1882 and donated to veterans of the First World War in 1918.

The upshot will be a modern community hub with space for youth activities, a museum, a cafe, an area to display local arts and crafts and a flexible and accessible meeting space.

Committee chair Kym Campbell-Whitton said the funding was the result of five years’ hard work and determination by fellow members to create a multifunctional facility fit for the 21st century.

“This will allow the residents and seasonal visitors to access services on a local level, reduce the village’s carbon footprint, reduce social isolation, improve the wellbeing of the community and increase services and opportunities for our vibrant children and young people,” she added.