A Hawick teenager who stole three buggies from the local golf club and went joyriding has been described as “totally out of control”.

Reece Bridges, 17, was also involved in an incident a fortnight earlier when he threatened to burn down his auntie’s home in Arthur Street, Hawick.

Prosecuting at Jedburgh Sheriff Court on Friday, Claire Bottomley said the dispute at Kimberly Redpath’s home at 3am on June 30 involved him struggling violently with her and spraying her with the lubricant WD40 before making the threat.

She added that the buggies were stolen from Hawick Golf Club overnight on July 16 and a fence was damaged.

Rory Bannerman, defending, said: “The buggies were taken by a friend and himself.He had not taken them to steal them, but it was more about joyriding of a slow type.

“They drove them around until the battery ran out. It was more about high spirits, but they are expensive and he should have been a lot more sensitive.”

He added that the house-burning threats were made during a dispute with his auntie.

After being told Bridges was wanted in Doncaster for sexual offences and reading reports that he was at a high risk of reoffending, Sheriff Kevin Drummond said: “This is a young man totally out of control.”

Bridges – who gave his address as Gladstone Court – was remanded in custody until August 7.

A Peebles man who sent abusive texts to his former partner on Saturday night appeared from custody.

Mark Holleran, 27, pleaded guilty to the offence which happened at his Damdale home.

The court was told he had been out socialising.

Prosecutor Tessa Bradley told the hearing: “There had been an argument and she was messaging him asking where he had been, and he was not responding.”

Ms Bradley went on: “Eventually he sent her three messages which were abusive and told her not to come back to his home, and that he was locking the door.”

His ex was upset at the content of the messages and, after showing a colleague, decided to contact the police.

Defending, Heather Stewart said: “They were previously in a relationship, but it ended with her cheating on him on several occasions with friends and acquaintances. He did not want an argument and just wanted her to leave him alone, but eventually he reacted.”

She pointed out he had spent 48 hours in custody as a result.

Holleran was fined £100.

Tuesday night’s much-heralded televised debate on the independence referendum pitted two heavyweights from either side of the argument – but the verbal punch-up between Alex Salmond and Alistair Darling probably generated more heat than light.

Understandably, Mr Darling, who heads the pro-Union Better Together campaign, posed many questions on a variety of subjects, but particularly so on currency, in the event of Scots choosing independence in next month’s vote. Many commentators felt Mr Salmond was unable – or chose not to – give a straight answer to some of them.

Yes campaigners have repeatedly dubbed the other side’s tactics as “Project Fear”, claiming the No camp is playing the scaremongering game. But asking what the position would be on issues such as taxes, EU membership, border controls, pensions and – yes – currency in the event of Scotland going it alone is not unreasonable.

However, while much has been said about what might – or might not – happen should the referendum go Mr Salmond’s way, relatively little light has been shone on the possible consequences of deciding to stay within the UK.

A No vote would not mean no change. A No vote would change the relationship between Scotland and the UK parliament – regardless of political persuasion. A No vote would give Westminster the sort of democratic legitimacy north of the border it has never previously enjoyed.

The Scottish parliament of 1707 which approved the Act of Union did not speak for the vast majority of Scots – self-interest and greed appear to have been the overriding factors on that occasion 307 years ago.

But on September 18, the true voice of Scotland will be heard. And, as Better Together has often claimed, there will be no going back – whatever way we vote.

A Melrose publican has been accused of sexually assaulting five women inside the bar premises.

Keith McDonald is also charged with making sexual remarks towards female employees at the Ship Inn and exposing himself on various occasions over a 10-year period.

The 48-year-old pleaded not guilty to a total of eight charges said to have been committed between August 27, 2001, and December 31, 2013.

A trial was fixed for December 16, with an intermediate hearing on November 17.

CURFEW BREACH

Breaching her home curfew on two occasions resulted in a £100 fine for Aimee Wightman.

The 28-year-old was not at her home in Glendinning Terrace, Galashiels, on June 12 and June 14 after 7pm when police called at her door.

ROBBERY ALLEGATION

A 52-year-old Galashiels man has been accused of robbing a woman of £50 just after she had visited a cash machine.

George Tunnicliffe is charged with committing the offence against the 63-year-old at around 7pm on Saturday in the Gala Park area of Galashiels.

Tunnicliffe appeared from custody and pleaded not guilty.

Sheriff Peter Paterson said he was willing to grant Tunnicliffe bail, providing he stays within his High Street home between 7pm and 7am, and reports to Galashiels police station daily.

The Crown immediately announced they would be appealing that decision and Tunnicliffe was remanded in custody until a hearing can take place at the Appeal Court in Edinburgh.

Tunnicliffe’s trial was fixed for September 2 with an intermediate hearing on August 18.

DROVE WHILE DISQUALIFIED

A £60,000-a-year financial consultant who “took a chance” and drove while disqualified has been given another 18-month ban and fined £600.

James Boyd, 60, of Coopersknowe Crescent, Galashiels, pleaded guilty to the offence and also having no insurance in the town’s Melrose Road on July 9.

His lawyer, Ross Dow, said: “He had previously been disqualified through totting up of points. He should have known better. Ordinarily he has someone to drive him, but on this occasion his wife had an appointment at Borders General Hospital and he took a chance.”

SENTENCE DEFERRED

Sentence has been deferred on a Hawick man who admitted breaking into the town’s social work offices and stealing stationery on January 20.

He also pleaded to stealing a can of alcohol from the Spar shop in Galashiels on March 29.

David Connolly, 30, of Bright Street, will appear at Jedburgh Sheriff Court on August 22 when he has other matters calling.

FORESTER GETS 18-MONTH BAN

A forester who drove while more than double the legal alcohol limit was fined £200 and banned from the road for 18 months.

Jamie Norman, 27, pleaded guilty to the offence which happened near his Burnfoot Road home in Hawick on Saturday. His breath/alcohgol reading was 83 micorogrammes – the legal limit being 35.

He was stopped after police spotted him driving at 4am with no lights on.

Defence lawyer Ed Hulme said: “He had been out with friends and then was invited to a party which was only 500 yards away, but chose to drive.”

Norman was also fined £100 for having 9.3grammes of cannabis in his car.

JOINER NAILED WITH £250 FINE

A joiner involved in a bust-up with his ex-girlfriend was fined £250.

Ryan Hogg, 31, of North Bridge Street, Hawick, pleaded guilty to shouting and swearing, gesticulating at his former partner and struggling with her to her injury outside the town’s Drumlanrig Bar on Sunday.

Prosecutor Tessa Bradley said that during the struggle Sara Rowan banged her head against a wall. She had soreness to her head and a mark on her cheek, but declined medical attention. She added that the witnesses had been drinking, but were fairly coherent, however, the accused was “fairly heavily intoxicated”.

Defending, Ed Hulme said that while Hogg had previous convictions, there were none of a domestic-related matter.

OFF THE ROAD FOR FOUR YEARS

A motorist who was caught driving while disqualified in his home street was handed a four-year ban and £900 fine.

Wind farm worker Robert Walker, 24, appeared from custody and pleaded guilty to the offence which happened in McLagan Drive, Hawick, on Saturday. He also admitted driving with no insurance.

SHEPHERD’S TRIAL DATE

A shepherd appeared from custody and denied shouting and swearing at his fiancee and mother, and threatening them with violence.

Rikki McLean, 30, is alleged to have acted in a threatening or abusive manner at his home at Hillhouse Farm Cottages near Lauder on Sunday.

Trial was set for October 15, with an intermediate hearing on September 17.

APPEARED FROM CUSTODY

A Selkirk man appeared from custody and denied assaulting his pregnant partner during a row at their Thornfield Avenue home on Saturday.
David Mitchell also pleaded not guilty to threatening or abusive behaviour and damaging a television set and stairgate.

The 22-year-old – who gave a new address of Leyden Grove, Clovenfords – had his trial set for October 15, with an intermediate hearing on September 17.

COCAINE ALLEGATION

A 55-year-old man living in Australia has denied committing drugs offences at a house in Hawick.

Neil MacDonald is alleged to have been in possession of cocaine at the property in Longcroft Crescent on July 5 and also having the class-A drug at Borders General Hospital.

MacDonald, from Randwick, will stand trial at Jedburgh Sheriff Court on November 20. An intermediate hearing was fixed for October 24.

BOILING WATER CASE SET FOR JURY

A 73-year-old Hawick man who denies pouring boiling water over a woman will stand trial by jury on August 11.

Alexander Morgan, c/o Howegate, pleaded not guilty to assaulting her at a house at Tower Knowe, Hawick, on October 24, seizing her by the hair, dragging her into the kitchen and pouring boiling water on her body, to her injury. He also denies assaulting the same woman the following day by repeatedly cutting her on the body with a knife to her injury.

A further first hearing was set for tomorrow (Friday).

Broke sex offence order

Ewan Peddie admitted breaching the terms of his Sexual Offences Prevention Order by repeatedly making contact with an 11-year-old-boy without supervision.

The offence was committed at his home in Croft Road, Hawick, between March 12 and 14.

The 37-year-old had sentence deferred until August 29 to await the outcome of another case against him at the High Court in Edinburgh later this month.

BENEFITS FIDDLE

Store worker David Frew failed to notify benefits officials his hours had increased and received £7,132.65 he was not entitled to.

The offence happened between October 2010 and October 2011 while he was employed at Sainsbury’s in Hawick.

The 31-year-old, of Teviotdale Court, Hawick, was given a six-month community payback order involving 60 hours’ unpaid work.

DOOR DAMAGE

Scott Morrison damaged a door at his home in Talisman Avenue, Galashiels.

The 27-year-old pleaded guilty to committing the offence on July 16 while the subject of an ASBO (antisocial behaviour order).

He was fined £100 and ordered to pay £100 compensation.

PUB ASSAULT CHARGE

A 36-year-old man appeared from custody charged with assaulting a woman in a Galashiels pub on Saturday.

Steven Swinney, of West Denton Park, Newcastle, pleaded not guilty to striking her on the head in the Harrow Inn. He also denies possession of cocaine in the cells at Galashiels police station.

Trial was fixed for October 15, with an intermediate hearing on September 17.

Anyone out and about in the Borders countryside at the moment can hardly fail to notice the variety of thistles by the roadsides, on wasteground, in wet areas – in fact there is a thistle for almost every occasion.

There are around 20 species of thistle in the UK with the three most common in our area probably being the creeping thistle, marsh thistle and spear thistle, but many others do occur, including the welted thistle and melancholy thistle.

Some, such as the creeping, are named after their method of spreading, the marsh from its habitat and the spear from the resemblance of its leaves to the ancient weapon.

When in flower, they are mostly very attractive to insects, especially butterflies, hoverflies and bees, so their place in the food chain is very important. In the old days, thistles in pastures were cut down by scythe and many were missed, but with the much more efficient herbicides of today, most are wiped out completely in one application, leaving only those on waste ground and inaccessible areas available to insects.

Once the flowers are past, seeds are carried on fluffy parachutes on the wind and can travel great distances.

As a result, thistles are great colonisers of bare or disturbed ground, and along with rosebay willowherb, are usually the first plants to become established.

Few could have noticed in recent weeks, how prominent the thistle has been in the media, having been incorporated into the Glasgow Commonwealth Games logo, but how many of you have wondered how on earth such a troublesome weed ever became the emblem of Scotland?

There are many stories and theories about how this happened, but I think the most popular is this: according to legend, an invading Norse army was attempting to sneak up at night upon a Scottish army’s encampment.

During this operation, one barefoot Norseman had the misfortune to step on a thistle, causing him to cry out in pain, thus alerting Scots to the presence of the Norse invaders.

Some sources suggest the specific occasion was the Battle of Largs, but it is not certain.

The species involved was probably the spear thistle as this seems to be the one represented on most heraldic illustrations over the years.

For a plant to be held in such high esteem by Scots all over the world, it deserves a bit of a break in its natural habitat.

A case of “ Flower of Scotland, when will we see your likes again?”

A fish factory worker who had a Christmas Day bust-up with his wife has been fined £150.

Father-of-two Slawomir Korlaga, 33, pleaded guilty to pushing his wife to the ground at their home after spending most of the day arguing.

Selkirk Sheriff Court was told on Monday that their marriage got into difficulties when she went to work in the same factory as him in Berwickshire and had an affair with a fellow worker.

Defence lawyer Iain Burke told a previous hearing: “Matters came to a head last May resulting in a conviction for domestic assault for my client, his only conviction.

“Following the incident both parties decided to remain together for the children’s sake, but by December they were living entirely separate lives.”

He added that Korlaga had been out drinking with his brother on Christmas Day, but an argument flared with his wife when he returned to their home in Beech Avenue, Galashiels.

Mr Burke said that Korlaga wanted to leave the house, but his wife was preventing him, resulting in him pushing her to the ground.

The lawyer said: “He did not see her fall over. He has had no contact with his wife since and the marriage is at an end. The wife has now formalised her relationship with the other person.”

After being of good behaviour for six months, Sheriff Peter Paterson fined him £150.

Sometimes you just have to stop and appreciate how good life is. Not how much money you have/earn, how flash your car is, how big your house is.

A favourite quote of mine is: “If you think of yourself as the woman in the Cartier watch and the Hermes scarf ads, a house fire will destroy not only your possessions but your self.”

Sometimes, you just have to be thankful for what you have, and simply enjoy the good times.

I love the school holidays. No more alarm clocks, no more making packed lunches, no more acting like an unpaid taxi driver to rugby/dancing/swimming/Indian head massage class (OK, so I made that last one up).

Now, I’m not saying it’s endless lie-ins for the grown-ups whilst the kids stand on chairs to reach the bread so they can make their own sarnies. Raised by wolves. No, that’s not good parenting.

What I am saying is that when the sun shines on the Borders, and we have yet another scorchio day, how lucky our kids/grandkids/nephews/nieces are to have the countryside and the freedom to enjoy their school hols.

There’s always something going on – inflatable fun sessions at the local pool or a sport passport with activities run by Active Schools and BSLT and the like. All our local grand houses and estates – Bowhill, Paxton, the Hirsel, Floors, Manderston etc – welcome kids and either put on something special (the Teddy Bear trail at Paxton House which we did recently with the excellent Richard; super-friendly guides with ‘secret doors’ at Manderston) or allow them to run riot in their acres (the ‘circuit’ play area at Floors Castle’s garden centre; the robust play areas at Paxton, Harestanes, Bowhill and Abbotsford).

Then there are events like the Family Fun Day, held by Play Borders, and numerous events during each local festival designed just for kids – shows, fancy dress, sports.

Heck, we have to have events guides in the Borders, there’s so much going on.

The shows and the circus always come to town. Then there’s the mighty Border Union Show, when for two days the showground by the Tweed becomes an agricultural mini-kingdom presided over so brilliantly by King Ron of Cowbog, each year offering something new whilst retaining all the traditional favourites. There’s the quieter day on Friday or the full-on family day out which is the Saturday. Something for everyone, whether you’re the knit-your-own-bunting-and-children type or more the makes-a-change-from-them-being-glued-to-the-XBox type.

Yes, I did used to work for the tourist board, and no, I’m not on a retainer from them, or from anyone else.

But I know when I’m on to a good thing and I almost envy the YMs the fantastic choice of summer holiday activities and possibilities that are on offer for them.

Beats the pants off endlessly cruising about the same two streets of your village on your dodgy, hand-me-down Chopper bike. Let the good times roll.

Ah, the perils of being too cautious - trained by experts never to use superlatives, exclamation marks or absolutes in a newspaper article I suggested last week that this was one of the earliest starts to harvest for some years.

I have now been corrected by those who keep precise records and advised that I could have written: “Earliest start to harvest since 1976!” Not only that I can add that yields and quality are good for winter barley.

That’s in Scotland and the north of England. But in many parts of south and middle England combines are already racing through winter wheat and spring barley. Or were until the weather went from prolonged heat to a more usual for the time of year changeable to wet.

But as noted last week, good yields and quality are being linked to much lower prices than growers have had for years. Expectations of £150 per tonne, modest in some recent years, have been reduced by £20 to £40 per tonne with, for example, futures prices for wheat at their lowest for four years at the end of last week.

Given the volatility of world markets that will have changed by now, for better or more probably even worse.

When weather permits the harvest rush is there for all to see, not only in the fields where combines, tractors and trailers, balers, forklifts and cultivators are at work, but on rural and not so rural roads. A convoy of six pea viners on a main road as I saw a few days ago is exceptional, but there can’t be many regular motorists in the Borders who haven’t found themselves behind farm machinery of some kind in the past two or three weeks.

I like to think that any forced slowing down or delay because of this is met with understanding that the man in the tractor or combine is only doing his job and the general expectation that they won’t be going far on a public road before turning off.

But developments in farming in recent years have changed what a motorist might expect.

One is the dramatic increase in the size of farm machinery and the speed it can travel at. A second is the increase in farm size and/or the number of farms run by one business which means more roadwork between fields or farms. A third is the increase in large-scale farm contracting businesses working over a wide area. A fourth, linked to all of the above by commercial imperatives to get work done as quickly as possible, is a more obvious reluctance by farm machinery operators to pull aside and let queuing traffic past.

That leads to frustration and bad feeling. It has also led to a police force in Wales warning tractor drivers to pull over if there are more than six vehicles behind them or risk getting points on their driving licence. I don’t think that will catch on – make that hope – but I can see why the police might be trying to put the frighteners on.

There is another road hazard to consider as the weather has turned catchy and fields wetter at times and that is mud on the road.

It should have been the easiest question to answer on Tuesday night’s televised Punch and Judy show. Of all the ones that were asked and either answered or dodged, this one seemed innocuous.

As Alex Salmond and Alistair Darling went head-to-head over that most important issue of independence, Darling quivered and, for a moment, became his namesake on Blackadder.

It didn’t come from heavyweight Salmond or the STV’s man-in-the-middle. It came from a woman in the carefully-selected audience and was directed at the Labour MP for Edinburgh Central. She asked simply if he had a house in Scotland.

You’d think she’d asked if Darling was in agreement with David Cameron – but that was another question or few. However, she couldn’t get a straight answer.

Now, if the champion of the No camp who has been an MP in Edinburgh since 1987 and a member of the city council for many years before that can’t say “yes” or “no” to a woman who only wants to know where he bides, how on earth can we take anything from anything he says , or doesn’t say?

For clarification, I phoned Darling’s constituency office at 24 Canning Street in Edinburgh (0131 272 2727) and asked the same question.

Did he have a house in Scotland? I expected a straight answer – but didn’t get one. They wouldn’t tell me. I asked again. I asked thrice – and they still wouldn’t tell me.

I was referred instead to the HQ of the Better Together campaign press office and given their phone number. I told 24 Canning Street,Edinburgh, that I simply wanted to know if their MP ... well you know what I asked and you know the “no” answer.

Better Together were much more forthcoming. He lives in the south of Edinburgh and is registered to vote.

In previous columns, Grey Matter has made it abundantly clear that he is voting Yes on September 18. Nothing I heard – or didn’t hear – on Tuesday night swayed me from that path.

Yes, Salmond hedged a bit on the currency issue. He wouldn’t reveal a Plan B because he is adamant he doesn’t need one as we (an independent Scotland) will be able to stick with the £.

I believe he is right. Popping into the wee shop at Cornhill or the burger van at the Carter Bar to change notes and coins would be idiotic beyond belief.

The gloves are now off. The Commonwealth Games truce is over. The phoney war – fought with scaremongering and sniping – has ended.

The true battle for Scotland’s right to be independent has begun.

On a much lighter note, I enjoyed Lauder Common Riding last Saturday.

I chatted with veteran Jim Middlemiss, cornet in 1954. I found David Steel at the Waterin’ Stane in custody of a baby in a buggy while wife Judy was in the saddle. David Parker was fine company.

And I was so glad that the erstwhile general of the No campaign – he’s still fighting their corner – Michael Moore was there. The former Secretary of State for (a non-independent) Scotland vouched for me when I was challenged if I qualified for a free nip at the open-air bar for guests.

Thank you, Michael – but I’m still voting Yes.

Lesley Douglas, who operates the Langlee Riding Stables at Jedburgh, is taking part in today’s (Thursday) Coldstream Civic Week Flodden Ride side-saddle to raise funds for the renal unit of the Royal Informary of Edinburgh.

Lesley rode side-saddle at Langholm and Lauder (pictured) common ridings – but this is her first time for charity.

Her mum, Anne, died two years ago and Lesley said she was impressed by the treatment she received at the infirmary.

Lesley will be collecting at today’s ride, or on www.justgiving.com/lesley-douglas.

Hawick Art Club’s annual exhibition came to an end on Saturday (August 2). More than 1,400 visitors made this one of the most successful exhibitions to date, with 27 pieces of art sold.

This was the first year that the club has had a Visitors’ Choice award, and it was a great hit with local art lovers. No less than 626 votes were recorded and this year’s winner was Sandy Jarvis for his oil painting of Williestruther. He was closely followed by Tom Elliott for his ‘Voice of Rugby’ painting, a subject close to the hearts of the townsfolk.

Sandy (right) is seen receiving his certificate and prize from this year’s exhibition secretary, Bob Bigwood.

Rachel Fife is to represent the Glendale Agricultural Society at the Royal Agricultural Society of the Commonwealth Conference at Brisbane in October.

The 24-year-old farmer’s daughter of Coldrife Farm, near Chathill, will attend the summit as a ‘Next Generation’ delegate.

Rachel said: “It’s very exciting. I read an article and at the end it said the society was looking for someone to go to Australia. I thought I’m going to apply for it, what’s to lose? I was completely shocked when I got it.

“I’m excited to see the different types of farming across there. Australia is large scale farming compared to us here. There are five days of farm tours and that will be amazing; the whole experience is going to be amazing.

“This really is an opportunity of a lifetime for me: the knowledge that will be available to me at the conference will go a long way in helping me achieve my overall aim to start up my own farming business breeding pedigree Suffolks.

“I am very interested in learning about new ideas and techniques that can help the farming industry, and I am really looking forward to getting an in depth look at the issues facing primary production in South-East Queensland in the farming and agriculture industry.”

A former pupil of The Duchess High School, Rachel has always wanted to farm and currently looks after the family’s 400 ewe flock as well as taking care of all the farm paper work. She has Texels, Suffolks and Mules running on half of the 650-acre farm, with the rest given to wheat, barley and oilseed rape.

Rachel also works at Northumbrian Quality Feeds and is a self-employed contract shepherd during the summer months.

The young farmer spent three months travelling and working in New Zealand just after her 21st birthday. She worked in shearing sheds, grading the wool as it was being clipped, penning sheep and pressing wool, near Dunedin in the South Island. She said: “I really love being in the sheep pens. There’s nothing better than getting up in the morning, knowing you are going to be outside all day. I love sheep and I have the temperament and patience for working with them.”

GAS’ Simon Orpwood, a Royal Commonwealth Agricultural Society trustee, said: “Rachel has agriculture in her blood; we were looking for someone with an abundance of enthusiasm and an interest in the agriculture sector, and Rachel was the ideal person. The society wish Rachel all the best on her travels to Australia.”

The society has contributed £500 toward Rachel’s trip and is looking to secure further funding to cover some of the trip costs.

The RASC Next Generation scheme looks for candidates under the age of 40 with an involvement in agriculture who also have the potential to contribute to the long term face of agriculture in the region, the country and the Commonwealth.

For more information on the RASC Commonwealth Agricultural Conference visit http://www.rna.org.au/rasc.aspx.

Borders farmer Jim Logan has hosted the second in a series of Grazing Groups, set up by Quality Meat Scotland (QMS), on his Pirntaton Farm at Fountainhall, Galashiels.

The new groups are part of an initiative by QMS aimed at improving livestock producers’ profitability by maximising the kilograms of meat produced per hectare of forage.

Mr Logan is currently changing both sheep and cattle livestock systems and believes this is the right time to make changes to his grazing regime too.

By using mostly his existing ewes and bringing in different breeds of rams, Mr Logan is hoping to get back to a closed flock as soon as possible. He will retain the best of the females while everything else is finished and sold deadweight to Woodhead Brothers.

“We have used a lot of genetics which have been heavily selected to cope with a low labour, grass-based system,” said Mr Logan. “I felt our old system was under pressure especially from a labour and purchased feed point of view and it was time to change. With a change of lambing date, altering our genetics and selection criteria, I hope to build a system with more resilience for the challenges of the future.”

The business was also heavily reliant on income from pedigree sales of Texel and Suffolk rams and also Aberdeen Angus cattle, which were all high-input, and Mr Logan feels a better balance within the business has to be achieved.

To join the Grazing Group contact Kirsty at QMS on 0131 472 4040 or email info@qmscotland.co.uk.

Cadet Sergeant Michael Todd, of Minden Company, Galashiels, of the Lothian and Borders Army Cadet Force, has been appointed Lord Lieutenant’s Cadet for Roxburgh, Ettrick and Lauderdale.

In a presentation held during annual camp in Altcar Training Camp, Liverpool, he was presented with his certificate and badge of appointment by Lord Lieutenant Gerald Maitland-Carew.

Cadet Sergeant Todd is in sixth year at Earlston High School.

He will assist the Lord Lieutenant – often on parade for royal visits – and act as ambassadors for their organisations and the young people of the Borders.

Galashiels bakers Alex Dalgetty & Sons has joined forces with Stuart Noble, the town’s last remaining butcher, to put a fine filling in their Scotch pies after struggling to find a reliable meat supplier after the retirement of local butcher Jim Hogg.

“Stuart has come up with the goods and I am delighted to say that our Scotch pies are now better than ever,” Craig Murray of Dalgetty said.

Dalgetty sells around 1,600 Scotch pies a week.

Borders farmer Jim Logan has hosted the second in a series of Grazing Groups, set up by Quality Meat Scotland (QMS), on his Pirntaton Farm at Fountainhall, Galashiels.

The new groups are part of an initiative by QMS aimed at improving livestock producers’ profitability by maximising the kilograms of meat produced per hectare of forage.

Mr Logan is currently changing both sheep and cattle livestock systems and believes this is the right time to make changes to his grazing regime too.

By using mostly his existing ewes and bringing in different breeds of rams, Mr Logan is hoping to get back to a closed flock as soon as possible. He will retain the best of the females while everything else is finished and sold deadweight to Woodhead Brothers.

“We have used a lot of genetics which have been heavily selected to cope with a low labour, grass-based system,” said Mr Logan. “I felt our old system was under pressure especially from a labour and purchased feed point of view and it was time to change. With a change of lambing date, altering our genetics and selection criteria, I hope to build a system with more resilience for the challenges of the future.”

The business was also heavily reliant on income from pedigree sales of Texel and Suffolk rams and also Aberdeen Angus cattle, which were all high-input, and Mr Logan feels a better balance within the business has to be achieved.

To join the Grazing Group contact Kirsty at QMS on 0131 472 4040 or email info@qmscotland.co.uk.

Scotts from all over the world descended on the Borders to attend a clan gathering hosted by the 10th Duke of Buccleuch alongside Abbotsford House.

Guests travelled back to their ancestral home from France, Canada, USA, New Zealand and Australia to enjoy a packed programme of events celebrating their heritage.

Three days of activities took place in and around Bowhill House and Country Estate, located just outside Selkirk, and Abbotsford House. Events were rounded off with a farewell banquet, attended by the 10th Duke of Buccleuch, who is Chief of Clan Scott – and 50 guests, all linked to Clan Scott.

The heart of the original clan area was at Bellendaine, a meeting place for the Scotts, so local band Scocha wrote and performed a new song especially for the Scott gathering, entitled A Bellendaine, meaning “to Bellendaine” – the rallying or war cry of the Scotts of Buccleuch.

The duke also received a special gift from Clan Scott America – a United States flag which had been flown over Washington on Tartan Day earlier this year. The gift held special significance for the duke, who was involved in the instigation of Tartan Day in America.

Across the three days, activities included a birds-of-prey presentation, tours of Bowhill House, visits to the Selkirk Court Room, Smailholm and Dryburgh Abbey, followed by a tour of Abbotsford House, food and whisky tasting in the Abbotsford Restaurant, Ochiltree’s, and a tour of the Sir Walter Scott exhibition.

Rachel Fife is to represent the Glendale Agricultural Society at the Royal Agricultural Society of the Commonwealth Conference at Brisbane in October.

The 24-year-old farmer’s daughter of Coldrife Farm, near Chathill, will attend the summit as a ‘Next Generation’ delegate.

Rachel said: “It’s very exciting. I read an article and at the end it said the society was looking for someone to go to Australia. I thought I’m going to apply for it, what’s to lose? I was completely shocked when I got it.

“I’m excited to see the different types of farming across there. Australia is large scale farming compared to us here. There are five days of farm tours and that will be amazing; the whole experience is going to be amazing.

“This really is an opportunity of a lifetime for me: the knowledge that will be available to me at the conference will go a long way in helping me achieve my overall aim to start up my own farming business breeding pedigree Suffolks.

“I am very interested in learning about new ideas and techniques that can help the farming industry, and I am really looking forward to getting an in depth look at the issues facing primary production in South-East Queensland in the farming and agriculture industry.”

A former pupil of The Duchess High School, Rachel has always wanted to farm and currently looks after the family’s 400 ewe flock as well as taking care of all the farm paper work. She has Texels, Suffolks and Mules running on half of the 650-acre farm, with the rest given to wheat, barley and oilseed rape.

Rachel also works at Northumbrian Quality Feeds and is a self-employed contract shepherd during the summer months.

The young farmer spent three months travelling and working in New Zealand just after her 21st birthday. She worked in shearing sheds, grading the wool as it was being clipped, penning sheep and pressing wool, near Dunedin in the South Island. She said: “I really love being in the sheep pens. There’s nothing better than getting up in the morning, knowing you are going to be outside all day. I love sheep and I have the temperament and patience for working with them.”

GAS’ Simon Orpwood, a Royal Commonwealth Agricultural Society trustee, said: “Rachel has agriculture in her blood; we were looking for someone with an abundance of enthusiasm and an interest in the agriculture sector, and Rachel was the ideal person. The society wish Rachel all the best on her travels to Australia.”

The society has contributed £500 toward Rachel’s trip and is looking to secure further funding to cover some of the trip costs.

The RASC Next Generation scheme looks for candidates under the age of 40 with an involvement in agriculture who also have the potential to contribute to the long term face of agriculture in the region, the country and the Commonwealth.

For more information on the RASC Commonwealth Agricultural Conference visit http://www.rna.org.au/rasc.aspx.

The council is inviting tradesmen and women to find out about how to get contracts to carry out repairs and maintenance on SBC properties, with tenders due to go out later this year.

Events will take place from August 20 to September 3 for contractors to hear about new changes, including a requirement for membership of ‘Constructionline’.

See the SBC website for full event details.

The number of people over 75 and living alone in the Borders is to increase dramatically in the next 35 years, latest projections show.

The National Records of Scotland figures reveal that, despite this increase, the population of the area in 2037 is expected to be almost exactly the same as 2012 – just under 114,000.

But the population of over-75s is estimated to rise by 95 per cent in that time, to more than 20,000, with almost 9,000 of them living alone, up from 5,000 in 2012.

This has raised concerns about even more elderly people becoming isolated and lonely in their own homes.

Valerie Crookston, Scottish executive for charity Contact the Elderly, said: “Social isolation in older age is already a major issue.

“As a charity which works to help relieve this, we understand the impact living alone has in all areas of older people’s lives.

“It is vitally important to tackle the issues so people can enjoy their later years to the full.”

She added: “Social isolation among older people is an issue for this generation to tackle.

“The next generation will be faced with a far higher proportion of people to care for so now is the time to implement initiatives, solutions and develop a caring mindset in society.”

The charity operates two branches in the Borders for over-75s – in Peebles and Kelso.

Morna O’May, east Scotland development officer for Contact the Elderly, said: “One Sunday afternoon a month, our volunteer drivers enjoy taking their older guests to a volunteer host’s home where they join a small group for tea, talk and companionship.

“The group is warmly welcomed by a different host each month, but the drivers remain the same and the groups are kept small so that everyone can join in easily and get to know each other properly.

“It’s a simple idea, but one that can make a big difference.”

The population projections also show that the Borders is expected to experience a 17 per cent fall in those under the age of 65 by 2037.

John Swinney MSP, cabinet secretary for finance, told The Southern during his visit to Kelso: “One of Scotland’s strategic challenges is that we must boost our working age population in the years to come.

“Part of that has got to be achieved by creating more vibrant economic conditions that will enable more of our younger generation to actually stay in Scotland and make their futures here in Scotland, rather than going off to other areas to pursue their economic opportunities.”

Mr Swinney added: “There is a challenge, I accept that, but it is not a challenge unique to Scotland.

“The UK will be facing exactly the same challenges of a shift in the population balance to an older population with a smaller working age population, but we’ve got to succeed by encouraging more of our own people to stay here and to attract others to come and make their opportunities here.”