A grateful grandad defied serious health issues to take part in a gruelling sponsored walk to thank a charity for the support it has given to his granddaughter.

Alexis Jade Walsh was born prematurely on February 8 this year with gastroschisis, a birth defect leading to her intestines being on the outside of her body.

While Alexis Jade and mum Toyah Chetwynd, of Hawick, were at the Royal Hospital for Sick Children in Edinburgh, they were helped out by the Sick Kids Friends Foundation.

Now known as the Edinburgh Children’s Hospital Charity, it provided free accommodation for Toyah and her partner Jamie Walsh while their daughter underwent intensive treatment.

The youngster spent three weeks in a neo-natal ward under 24-hour supervision but is now making great progress.

Alexis’s grandad, Paul Chetwynd, was so grateful for the support she received that he decided to take part in a 62-mile Northumbrian coastal walk in aid of the charity.

That was no easy effort as handyman Paul, 51, of Teviothead, suffers from both osteoporosis and a serious heart condition, but he completed the hike last week, accompanied by his new puppy Skylar and, for parts of it, by his brother-in-law Joe Hemsley.

Paul has raised £500 for the charity via a JustGiving page, and he said: “The new family couldn’t thank the team enough, so we did this to show them our support and gratitude for helping them out in a tough time, in a place they didn’t know and in a situation all new to them both. Alexis is doing great. She’s a fighter.”

Toyah added: “We were worried about being up in Edinburgh on our own with a poorly baby and, at first, we weren’t sure if we were going to be able to stay there.

“After being transferred over from the maternity hospital, we were offered a room upstairs in the parent accommodation.”

“There’s a few bedrooms, toilets and bathrooms, a wee kitchen and sitting room, all looked after by the charity and offered free to parents with sick kids in critical care.”

A decision on whether Galashiels JobCentre Plus should be allowed to move to Douglas Bridge in the town centre will be made by a Scottish Government reporter in November.

The Department for Work and Pensions has appealed against this month’s rejection by Scottish Borders Council’s planning committee of that proposed move.

The committee overruled a recommendation by planning team leader Carlos Clarke that the plans should be approved and instead unanimously agreed that for the former Internacionale fashion store at 6-8 Douglas Bridge should be retained for retail use despite having been unoccupied for the past three years.

The department, currently streamlining its built estate throughout the UK, had sought consent for change of use – from retail to office – to facilitate a move from its home of the past 11 years at New Reiver House behind High Street.

The committee ruled that such a bid, opposed by Galashiels Chamber of Trade, was contrary to two policies in the council’s local development plan and would “result in the loss of prime retail floorspace in a prominent location within the core activity area which forms part of a principal shopping street and a key approach to the town centre”.

Immediately after the planning committee meeting, the department said it was considering its options, and last week, the department lodged an appeal with the Scottish Government’s planning and environmental appeals division.

In their submission, agents for the department claim the policies cited by the committee do not directly relate to the loss of prime retail floorspace and are, rather, intended to “deal with maintaining and enhancing flexibility, vitality and viability” in town centres.

“It is the applicant’s position that bringing a vacant retail unit back into active use, with an estimated footfall in excess of 150 persons per day, would achieve this policy objective,” state the agents. “Loss of prime retail floorspace is not an appropriate reason to refuse planning permission with regard to either policy.

“The applicant finds that material considerations, such as bringing a vacant unit back into active use, are supportive of planning permission being granted.

“The applicant finds that there are no material planning considerations that would support planning permission being refused.

“In this regard, the applicant notes that some matters set out in public representations, making assertions regarding the operational nature of the jobcentre and how this may detract from the area’s vitality, are without foundation and not material in planning terms.”

A decision on the department’s planning appeal is expected by Wednesday, November 15.

Minister of Duns and District Parish, Stephen Blakey, is currently serving on his last tour as Padre of 6SCOTS, who are in Italy for Exercise Roman Star.

It marks the end of an amazing 40 years of army service for the minister, who looks after the churches of Duns, Bonkyl, Cranshaws, Edrom and Gavinton.

Stephen, who is a chaplain to the forces class three (which carries the rank of major) joined the regular army in 1977 and served for 16 years.

After a short break, he joined the TA, working with the Signals Regiment. But when the opportunity came to join 52nd Lowland, he jumped at the chance.

He said: “I have always worked with “Jock” soldiers, and I understand their lingo and their needs better. And with 6SCOTS being my local reserve unit for the Borders, it works very well with me being the minister there.

“The role of the Padre is just like being a church minister. You are there with the soldiers doing a wide range of things, the formal services such as funerals, baptisms and weddings, but beyond that you are with the soldiers 24 hours a day, on exercise and at camp, so it’s a mixture of chaplaincy and parish minstery.

“I also do work with the army training unit, so when new recruits come into the army reserves, they do their standard training at Redford Barracks in Edinburgh and I do the values and standards lesson as part of that.

“And some of them remember me when I see them in camps later, which is nice.

“In peace time, when we are not on operations, the soldiers sometimes come to talk to me , and on operations such as Afghanistan and Iraq, where they are in heavy, commmitted roles, soldiers often want to talk through what life is all about, and their fears and so on. It is a reality of life that when death is a possibility, people want to talk and the easiest person to talk to is the Padre.

“This is my last anuual camp, my swan song, although I never thought I would be in this long.

“I will miss it. The army has been very good to me. Although I have to admit that when I get the odd weekend off, I do enjoy having the Saturday with little to do.”

In Italy, one of Stephen’s main tasks was to perform a service in a “hollow church” on the training ground, commemorating the death in 2011 of a soldier from their hosts for the fortnight – the 8th Alpini Regiment of the Italian army.

He had been killed in a “Green on Blue” incident – one which involes an attack on coalition servicemen by Afghan forces.

Marketing professionals from across the UK are invited to ‘shoot it out’ for a £250,000 media prize by showcasing their creativity with a one minute video.

1XL, one of the UK’s leading digital advertising partnerships representing over 800 trusted local news sites including this one, has teamed up with The Creative Shootout, the innovative awards for the creative industry, to launch The Creative Shootout 2018. Formed by a UK media-first partnership between 30 of the UK’s longest established regional news publishers including Newsquest, Johnston Press and Archant, 1XL is the UK’s largest source of premium digital news media audience, with a unique reach exceeding 26.403m people(Comscore January 2017).

The Creative Shootout 2018 is open to agency teams from any marketing discipline across the UK (Advertising, Content, Digital, Experiential, Integrated, Media, PR or other), the winning agency will receive a £250,000 media prize fund from 1XL to help stage their campaign, as well as £30,000 in fees from Charity of the Year, FareShare, the UK’s largest food re-distribution charity. Responsible for feeding half a million people a week, FareShare re-distributes good, surplus food to over 6,700 frontline charities and community groups. 

Entry to the award is open from 25th September – 28th November. To enter, agencies need to give the judges just ‘60 seconds’ on why they have the creative clout for FareShare. The format can be any content; visual, video, showreel, app, audio, written, just a simple email or even a cake – but it must be viewed, read (or digested) in 60 seconds by the judges. From there, entries are shortlisted to eight finalist teams, who go on to compete in the live head-to-head final at BAFTA in in London on 25th January 2018.

Lindsay Boswell, CEO of FareShare, said: “For us, creativity is a major driver in our organisation. It’s critical we’re creative in our thinking to help drive awareness and engagement of FareShare. We’ve got a very specific brief for The Creative Shootout this year and we hope the winning creative is a game changing moment for food poverty in the UK.”

Stellar line up and live final

In addition to high profile industry, agency and media personalities, the judging line-up also includes TV personality and Founder & Creative Director of The Rabbit Hole Group, Jason Gardiner, and entertainment and talent mogul, Professor Jonathan Shalit OBE. An Advisory Council was also set up this year, comprising 40 leading names from across the industry, and was chaired by producer and presenter, Scott Wimsett, who will also host the live final in January.

At the live final, finalists receive the real brief from FareShare at lunchtime, have four hours to work their creative magic in the afternoon, before pitching their ideas back in 10 minutes each to the judges and live audience at BAFTA. In the evening a 1st, 2nd and 3rd will be crowned at an after party – with the winning team walking off with the trophy, £30,000 in agency fees and the £250,000 media prize fund from 1XL.

Commenting, Creative Shootout Founder Johnny Pitt said: “The Shootout came from a simple place; namely, that creativity needs to be celebrated and showcased better.  It’s ripped up the awards rulebook in the process, nurturing and showcasing the best creative talent out there, in a radical and real time format - and doing some good in the meantime.”

Ashley Highfield, CEO of Johnston Press, a founding partner in 1XL, adds: “Innovation and creativity have always been at the forefront of 1XL’s advertiser offering, which is why we’re delighted to support this event. Not only are we providing the winning agency with £250,000 worth of media spend, but we will also help them reach every corner of the UK through 800 trusted local news brands and a digital audience of over 23 million people a month. The Creative Shootout is unique with its real-time focus and we hope to make a meaningful difference for Charity of the Year FareShare.”

A number of prominent supporters including film star Hugh Bonneville have encouraged the UK marketing industry to support the Shootout, learn more about Creative Shootout at www.creativeshootout.com.

The British Heart Foundation (BHF) is offering schools across the UK the chance to win a unique fun-filled workshop with a BHF-funded researcher to inspire pupils to learn about how their hearts work.

The competition is open to all primary and secondary schools, and is simple to enter. All each school need to do is sign up to one of the BHF’s school fundraisers; AllStar Games, Jump Rope for Heart or Ultimate Dodgeball before midnight on Wednesday, February 28, 2018.

By taking part in one of these fundraisers, the pupils will be in with a chance to have one of the BHF’s cutting-edge researchers come into your school and lead a fun-filled, interactive day of activities about what the heart does and how it works.

The BHF runs three school fundraising initiatives which show children and young people how to keep fit and maintain a healthy heart through exercise. The money raised goes towards the BHF’s life saving research, and the school can also keep 20 per cent of the money raised to put towards new equipment and resources to promote a healthy lifestyle for its pupils.

Last year’s winners enjoyed crawling through blood vessel tunnels, learning about blood clots through volleyball, cell activities and playing an operation game.

Jessica Rose, programme manager for school fundraisers at the BHF, said: “Our school fundraisers are a great way to get pupils involved in energetic, heart healthy exercise whilst having fun and raising money for life saving research. We’re delighted to be offering a school the chance to win a workshop with one of our BHF-funded researchers, who work tirelessly to help fight heart disease.

“We’re calling on teachers across the country to get involved and sign their school up.”

By signing up to one of these school fundraisers before the end of February 2018 you will automatically be eligible for a chance to win. The winners will be notified by email by no later than Thursday 31st May 2018 and the workshop will be arranged during the Summer Term.

For more information on AllStar Games, Jump Rope for Heart or Ultimate Dodgeball and be in for a chance to win, sign up for free by visiting www.bhf.org.uk/researcherday

6Scots soldiers from the Borders joined other reservists and regulars from around the country to train alongside Italian soldiers over the past couple of weeks.

Hosted by the 8th Alpini Regiment, a mountain infantry corps based in and around the town of Gemona Del Friuli, nestled under the beautiful Dolomite mountain range, near Udine in the north of the country, the men from 6SCOTS were there to develop their skills to ‘CT2 (company level)’ which would mean that they could serve alongside the regular army anywhere in the world, and in any situation.

In today’s changing army, in which regular soldier numbers are being cut, reservists are now beginning to fill the gaps – and as such, they are shaking off the Territorial Army “weekend warrior” tag which has dogged them for years.

Now, trained to a relatively similar level and equipped with the same kit supplied to any regular soldier, they form a fair slice of the army cake,

While many 6SCOTS recruits end up joining the regular army, there is a good mix of youth and experience, as soldiers leaving the army often join the reservists to keep their eye in as well as share their knowledge and skills with the young lads.

One of these is Colour Sergeant Gary Simpson, a 38-year-old from Berwick, who mans the recruitment office in Galashiels for two days a week.

He said: “I did nearly 18 years in the regular army, with the Kings Own Scottish Borderers.

“When I got out, I just fancied a change, and my sergeant major said I should get into the reserves ... you still have the comradeship with the boys, you can still keep in touch with your friends and you get to travel to places like this.

“I’ve never been to Italy before ... it’s breathtaking scenery ... it’s great getting out into the world and seeing new places.

“There are a lot of opportunities within 6Scots for young lads joining up.”

Also bringing a wealth of experience to 6Scots is Warrant Officer 2 Mark ‘Sparky’ Hogarth from Eyemouth.

By day, he is a gravedigger for the council, but at weekends and for several weeks throughout the year, the 45-year-old, originally from Denholm, shares his 24 years of experience in his senior signals role in the battalion.

In 2004, Mark did an observational tour in Iraq, posted with the 1st Battalion The Princess of Wales’s Royal Regiment.

He said: “I was running Y Company’s operations room in Al-Amārah city as det commander for the six months I was out there.

“It was probably one of the roughest tours in Iraq at the time, as we were basically under contact for the whole six months.

“We were getting mortared daily, we were being shot at, there were rocket attacks, RPGs [rocket-propelled grenades], IEDs [improvised explosive devices], everything they could throw at us.

“In terms of the length of time we were there, it was a long six months ... but the days flew past as we were busy for eight hours every day.”

Asked how he felt about putting himself into that sort of situation as a volunteer, he said: “It feels good, because you are actually doing the job that you trained to do as a reservist.

“The changes in the army have been changes for the better.

“We are getting a lot more professional training and we are no longer weekend warriors – a lot of the boys in the reservists now have service or operational tours of service under their belts.”

Organisers hoping to set up a business improvement district (BID) in Galashiels will host an information evening at the town’s transport interchange next Wednesday, October 4, from 5.30pm.

The project aims to join more than 30 successful BIDs already operating in Scotland, and it follows an application by Energise Galashiels for Scottish Government funding.

It has also received financial support from Scottish Borders Council and the Borders Railway Blueprint fund.

Mike Gray, chairman of Energise Galashiels, said: “It became clear during the course of our work that Galashiels would benefit from a larger, more defined and business-led initiative.

“The business improvement district model is the ideal vehicle to lead town-centre regeneration, and this prompted us to apply for Scottish Government funding to develop a BID.

“We were delighted when this was awarded earlier this year and look forward to supporting the development of the BID project in the coming months.”

A BID sees businesses pool resources and ideas to their mutual benefit and to that of the town and wider community, and each one is specific to the town it serves, is business-led and seeks to meet local needs and aspirations.

Businesses and commercial property owners are asked to vote in favour of a business improvement district before one can be created, as has already happened unsuccessfully in Peebles and is about to go to the polls in Selkirk.

Galashiels BID chairman Craig Murray said: “Our aim is to position Gala as a visitor destination and equip the town to capitalise on the benefits of the Borders Railway and the arrival of the Great Tapestry of Scotland in 2020.

“We are in the early stages of consulting with businesses and are asking business owners and managers to tell us what they would like to see in the Galashiels business plan.

“Our information evening will allow business and community groups to find out a bit more about BID for Galashiels and at the same time give us the opportunity to hear what businesses want a Galashiels BID to deliver.

“I think we can all agree that everyone who lives and works in Galashiels is fiercely proud of the town and wants it to be the best it can be.

“We want to help the town reach that goal.”

Tweed Forum representatives returned from Australia this week after winning a finalist’s trophy in the Thiess International River Prize.

One of four rivers to make it through to the final of one of the world’s most prestigious environmental awards, the River Tweed was pipped to the post by the San Antonio River in Texas. The award is presented annually by the International River Foundation and previous winners include the River Niagara, the Rhine and the Danube.

The Tweed had made it through to the final four in recognition of the unique partnership approach developed by the Tweed Forum in order to protect and conserve the natural, built and cultural heritage of the river and its 5,000 sq km catchment.

James Hepburne Scott, Tweed Forum chairman, said: “To be chosen as a finalist for this important global award is a monumental milestone in the history of Tweed Forum.

“It is hugely rewarding that the forward-thinking blueprint for cooperative working developed by our organization, and the results we have all achieved, has received this kind of recognition.”

The work of the Tweed Forum’s partnership with farmers, foresters, landowners, ghillies and public and private sector bodies on both sides of the Border has delivered significant benefits in river restoration, habitat management, improved water quality, the protection and enhancement of fish stocks, flood management and tourism and recreational opportunities.

This has been achieved through initiatives such as tree planting and woodland management, and pond and wetland creation.

The Tweed Forum was represented at the 2017 International River Symposium in Brisbane by director Luke Comins and trustee, Professor Chris Spray.

The Tweed Forum also runs educational initiatives including school visits, field trips and talks, and works with statutory agencies and policy makers to improve legislation and shape policies to help manage land and water assets across the whole country. The organisation’s work led to UNESCO recognition in 2009, and the receipt of the first UK Rivers Prize in 2015.

Professor Bill Dennison, chair of the Thiess International River Prize jury said; “This year we received a record number of submissions, and the overall quality of the submissions has been higher than ever.

“The finalists represent a stellar selection of river management efforts from around the world.

“From the restoration efforts in the River Tweed in Scotland to the conservation efforts for the Nushagak and Kvichak Rivers in the remote Alaskan wilderness, to urban river restoration in the Pasig River in the Philippines and the San Antonio River in Texas, these different river stories are united by a common theme: excellence in river management.”

Borders police are appealing for information to trace a woman reported missing in Melrose.

Alison Roxborough was last seen in the Huntlyburn area at around 1am on Thursday 21st September and has failed to make contact with anyone since this time.

Concern is now growing for the 40-year-old's welfare and anyone who knows Alison's current whereabouts is asked to contact police immediately.

She is described as white, 5ft 8ins tall with a medium to large build, dark blonde curly hair that is usually tied up and was last seen wearing dark leggings, a camouflage jacket and a hat.

In addition, Alision is also in possession of three distinct rucksacks, which are pink, black and camouflage in colour. The black rucksack has a teddy bear on the front.

Inspector Tony Hodges from Galashiels Police Station said: "Alison is from the Rosshire area and it is believed she is looking to travel back up north. Our inquiries so far suggest she may have travelled through Edinburgh, North East Fife and even Perthshire, however, we have yet to locate her.

"I would ask that anyone who believes they have seen Alison since last Thursday, or who knows where she is, comes forward and assists with our ongoing inquiries.

"Similarly, I would also urge Alison to get in touch and let us know she is safe."

Those with information can contact police in Galashiels via 101 and quote incident number 430 of the 21st September.

The silver screen is returning to Kelso this week as part of a pilot project aimed at bringing monthly showings of new films back for good.

Organisers are bringing the magic of movies back to the Tait Hall after the curtain went down on a previous project in March.

The Kelso Community Cinema group, formed in June 2016, was responsible for the public consultation that originally brought back a picture-house to the town.

Live Borders, the trust responsible for the running of the region’s libraries and sport and community venues, including the Tait Hall, got on board and held a first screening in August last year.

However, seven months later, the plug was pulled on the project, so the voluntatary group reformed in a bid to save townsfolk a 34-mile round trip to Galashiels to see films on the big screen.

Group secretary Eleanor Wood said: “Once we knew for certain that Live Borders had pulled out, we got together again and saw it had the potential to be a success.

“We’ve worked our socks off and have pulled out all the stops to get to this point.

“There are considerable start-up costs which we are having to meet.

“Public liability insurance is going to cost us, and until we are given charity status, we won’t be receiving any of the additional help that will bring.

“We want to be self-sufficient, and the long-term aim is to be showing one-off classics and having special screenings in between the monthly events.

“It’s a pilot over the four months, and if it’s not supported or financially viable, it will stop, but we very much want it to be for the community, and going forward, profits will go back into the community.”

A core team of 10 volunteers is looking for more people to get involved and is hoping new members, in particular youngsters, can offer ideas for one-off screenings.

In the meantime, four monthly screenings, showing a total of eight films, have been lined up between now and Christmas.

The group must sell 180 tickets a month to break even, but with the hall’s raised seats alone capable of holding 220, it is hoping for bigger attendances to secure the future of the project.

Indy Cinema Group, a mobile screening company bringing mainstream movies to rural communities, will cover the financial risk for the first screenings, but after that, the buck will stop with the Kelso team.

“It’s going to be make or break for us between now and Christmas,” group chairman Peter Cooper added.

“If we do not get volunteers and plenty of support, then it will go kaput.”

Any businesses, groups or individuals able to help financially or by volunteering can contact Peter by emailing: petercooper44@btinternet.com

The first screening takes place tomorrow.

Kelso Laddie Craig Logan will officially open the children’s film The Nut Job 2 at 5.30pm, and it will be followed by Dunkirk, starring Borders actor Jack Lowden, at 8pm.

Tickets, costing £6.50 and £5 for concessions, are available on the door.

The demolition of an old petrol station in Newcastleton is set to fuel the rebirth of the village, residents say.

Newcastleton lost its last petrol station eight years ago, and since then, villagers have had to make a return trip of an hour and a half to Hawick to get fuel, at an average cost per household of £300 a year.

That has presented a huge challenge for people in the village and the countryside around it, particularly during winter, but petrol and diesel are about to return to the village, thanks to a community-led initiative.

Newcastleton and District Community Trust was set up in 2015 to improve the lives and wellbeing of everyone in the village, and getting fuel back was its No 1 priority.

The trust secured funding from the Scottish Government’s land fund in 2016 to buy the old petrol station site in the village.

This week, demolition of the old eyesore filling station, built in 1946, began, clearing the way for work on the new community-owned forecourt, hosting unmanned fuel pumps and electric vehicle-charging points, to start.

Trust chairman Steve Hartley said: “This week marks a new page in our history.

“The trust’s vision doesn’t stop with the reinstatement of the fuel. It is the start of a series of projects that the trust is undertaking on behalf of the community. All are designed to bring regeneration, jobs and prosperity back to the Liddesdale Valley.

“The fuel pumps will ensure that the village once again becomes a hub for the wider hinterland as well as the community.

“Our shops, cafes and pubs will all reap the rewards.

“We are all looking forward to seeing the demise of the old derelict eyesore and a brand-new fuel forecourt in its stead, and the next few months will see that come to fruition.

“We would like to thank all our funders and partners who have worked with us to make this happen – the Big Lottery Fund, Scottish Enterprise’s rural fuel fund, BCCF Environmental, Transport Scotland, Scottish Borders Council and all the local voluntary organisations that have contributed in so many ways to get us this far.

“We still have a way to go to achieve this milestone but are confident that once the site is operational, everyone one in our community will benefit.”

The monks who arrived at Selkirk from Tiron knew the need for, and had experience of creating, a water supply for an abbey.

The abbey they left at Tiron was still under construction. The site of Tiron abbey was a swamp and the first thing the monks did was build a dam across the river Thiron and drain the land for their abbey.

The dam created a lake which is still there today and a sluice was built to control water in a canal or lade designed to run past the abbey kitchens and latrines. Although the abbey is no longer standing, the lade is still there, running underground past the site of the abbey.

A section from an information board at Thiron Abbey is significant.

“Une Resource Indispensable. L’eau conditionne l’implantation des monastères. C’est pourquoi de nombreux monastères se sont d’abord installés provisoirement afin d’apprécier les ressources hydrauliques locales et de réaliser les aménagéments nécessaires. L’insuffisance de cette ressource naturelle à parfois justifié le déplacement d’un monastère ou son abandon.”

Translated, it reads: “An Indispensable Resource. Water affects the implementation of the monasteries. This is why many monasteries were first provisionally installed to utilise local water resources and produce the necessary amenities. The inadequacy of this natural resource sometimes justified moving a monastery or abandonment.”

It seems very likely the ‘particular terra’ was provided to facilitate a lade or great drain to service Selkirk Abbey.

The cauld, necessary to build a head of water would have been built or planned to be built just above where the Shaw Burn would enter the Ettrick, well enough upstream from the important ford giving access to the Minchmoor Road.

The lade coming out of the Ettrick above the cauld would run down the east side of the Ettrick, fed by the Shaw Burn and continuing north picking up water from the Batts Burn and on to rejoin the Ettrick after servicing the Abbey.

Water cannot run uphill, so the course of the lade was dictated by the contours of the land. Some believe that the site of the Abbey was in the vicinity of Lindean Church, but as the Church lies on higher ground that rules this out.

An indication of where the lade would have been intended to run might be given by the existing line of the disused lade, down river from the lade system built in the 18th century, along with a cauld further up river to provide power for the Selkirk textile mills.

This lade began close to Bridgeheugh and then, fed by the Batts Burn, continued to Lindean Mill.

Significantly, Lindean and Lindean Mill were recorded at the time of the Reformation as being part of the rental of Kelso Abbey. There is still a mill building at Lindean, close to the Ettrick, which was serviced by the lade.

It is in the flat area, east of the lade and north of the Batts Burn, that we can look for the site of the intended Abbey. The usual format would be for the kitchens, latrines and dormitories to be built close to the lade or great drain, and then the Abbey nearby.

In the 1850s a railway was constructed, linking Selkirk to the main line at Galashiels.

A raised embankment was built which was extended to accommodate the A7 road in the 1970s. These works may have been built over remains of preliminary works to create the Abbey.

● Next week, Frank concludes the series with a look at how the monks abandoned the building of the abbey in Selkirk and moved their efforts to Kelso.

More than 1,000 mobility aids handed out in the Borders have not been returned, leaving their providers £34,000 out of pocket.

That figure, revealed under freedom-of-information laws, has prompted Scottish Borders Health and Social Care Partnership to launch an amnesty to encourage people to return unused equipment so it can benefit others.

The partnership, together Scottish Borders Council-owned social care provider SB Cares, is asking Borders residents to search their homes and those of relatives for any pieces of kit supplied by NHS Borders or the council such as walking aids and frames, bathing aids, hoists, bath lifts or adapted chairs that are no longer required.

Other items wanted back include height-adjustable seating systems, shower stools, commodes, bed-rails and wheelchairs.

Once returned, they will be assessed by SB Cares’ Tweedbank-based community equipment service and, if possible, recycled and reissued.

Sandra Pratt, the partnership’s interim chief officer for health and social care integration, said: “Being able to recycle equipment in this way is a sensible and efficient way for us to respond to the needs of our clients and patients, and I would encourage everyone to play their part and get in touch with SB Cares so that we can arrange for items to be returned.”

SB Cares managing director Philip Barr added: “Our team do everything they can to ensure that unused items are returned to us, but this is an opportunity for the community to help us to help others.

“Every item of equipment we receive will be assessed and, wherever possible, put back into use to help someone else stay able, supported and independent.”

Items can be dropped off at the service’s unit at Tweedbank Industrial Estate from 9am to 5pm on Mondays to Thursdays and 9am to 3.45pm on Fridays. Collection can also be arranged. For details, call 0300 100 1800 or visit www.sbcares.co.uk

That amnesty has been welcomed by Rachael Hamilton, MSP for Ettrick, Roxburgh and Berwickshire.

Mrs Hamilton said: “I support the Scottish Borders Health and Social Care Partnership amnesty on care equipment. It is sensible and the correct course of action.

“The current trend highlights that more and more people are not returning walking aids, and NHS Borders is having to spend thousands of pounds replacing them.

“This is money that could be spent elsewhere.

“Those who no longer require their walking aids need to return them.

“These can be reused and can save NHS Borders thousands of pounds in doing so.”

A freedom-of-information request earlier this year revealed that 1,047 walking aids, worth £34,210 altogether, were identified as irrecoverable over the last five years.

The number of such aids going missing increased from 155, worth £5,246, in 2013 to 273, valued at £9,317, in 2016.

That means that more than a quarter of money spent on walking aids last year went on gear that would be never be returned, up from 20.5% the year before and 16% in 2013.

Hawick’s new £5m Aldi store is taking shape and is now just months away from opening its doors.

The majority of the external structural work needed at the former Wilton Mills site in Commercial Road is in place, and the new supermarket is on target to open early next year.

German-based Aldi, now operating 9,000 outlets in 18 different countries, first announced plans for the new store late in 2014, but problems over planning approval have delayed its arrival.

The forthcoming Hawick store is one of eight new Aldi supermarkets being built in Scotland, bringing the total number nationwide up to 72.

An Aldi spokesperson said: “We are very excited about coming to Hawick. The Aldi brand is very popular with Borders customers. There is no doubt that Aldi is growing in popularity across the UK, and Scotland is a significant success story in its own right.”

The new Aldi will take the number of supermarkets in Hawick to four, there already being a Morrisons, in Mart Street; a Sainsbury’s, also in Commercial Road; and a new-look Lidl, next door in Wilton Path, opened in February this year.

Almost 60 businesses in the Borders are expecting to increase their annual turnover by at least £100,000 over the next three years, thanks to support they’ve been given by the region’s Business Gateway service.

A total of 219 new start-up businesses also began trading last financial year after receiving free advice and support from the service, run locally by Scottish Borders Council.

That figure was revealed in the service’s latest annual report, presented to the council’s executive committee last week.

A total of 59 businesses are accessing growth support through Business Gateway, with 38 expecting to increase annual turnover by £100,000 in three years, 15 predicting growth of more than £200,000 and four anticipating an increase of at least £400,000.

A further two firms, after accessing account management support, are targeting growth of more than £1m a year.

The report to councillors also showed that almost 900 people attended workshops and seminars during the last financial year.

Mid Berwickshire councillor Mark Rowley, the authority’s executive member for business and economic development, said: “Our Business Gateway service continues to deliver vital advice to local entrepreneurs and established businesses of all sizes, which helps them grow and develop, take on additional employees and expand into new markets or start exporting.

“The support provided is proven to have a positive impact on the survival of businesses, and I’d encourage anyone in businesses in the Scottish Borders, or thinking about setting up a new business, to get in touch with the team and get this invaluable advice, which, of course, is free of charge.”

The Business Gateway service, now based in Hawick, offers a one-stop shop for support inquiries as well as providing a conduit to other sources of help provided by the likes of Scottish Enterprise and Skills Development Scotland.

The service’s business plan for the next year includes increasing the delivery of workshops in hard-to-reach communities and running more events bringing leading businesspeople to the region to inspire and stimulate innovation and improvement.

Gordon Henderson, a senior development manager for the Federation of Small Businesses, said: “Business Gateway is an essential source of expert help for businesses, new and existing, so I regularly signpost their workshops and advice services to our members in the Borders.

“The Business Gateway service in the Borders changed from a sectoral to a geographical approach last year to widen their reach across the region and that has paid off, with huge numbers attending their workshops.”

A proposed wind farm at a remote location south of Hawick is one of the most “ill judged and deficient” schemes ever put forward, according to community councillors.

Cheshire-based Community Windpower has submitted scoping plans for 46 wind turbines, some up to a maximum height of 200m, to be located on land at Cliffhope, north of Saughtree Station House in Newcastleton and a few hundred yards from the hamlet of Singdean.

The development is so large that it will be decided by the Scottish Government, although Scottish Borders Council has been asked for its views.

The applicant has pledged to fully engage with the local community through a lengthy consultation process and has pledged to meet all environmental protection standards to ensure it is not detrimental to tourism and historical sites, including Hermitage Castle.

However, residents and elected representatives have expressed strong objections to the plan.

Southdean Community Council discussed the plans this week, and its response to a scoping report filed by the developer is scathing.

Its response pulls no punches in criticising the “horrendous scheme”, labelling it “not remotely sympathetic to the local surroundings” and calling on local communities not to engage with the developer until it is “radically reappraised”.

The community council’s response criticises the developer for plans to locate turbines on ridges and high points that maximise visibility, thus heightening their impact on the landscape.

The community council also says the cumulative impact of all the wind farms proposed for the area should be assessed when considering this latest scheme, adding: “These would currently include Langhope Rig, Windy Edge, Barrel Law, Birneyknowe, Pines Burn, Wauchope East, Wauchope West and Newcastleton Forest.

“The 46 turbines proposed by Community Windpower would add to the huge number already proposed for the area, taking the running total to 189, which would overwhelm the area if all were approved.”

That approach proposed by the community council was fully endorsed when members met at Southdean Hall on Wednesday night.

Philip Kerr, chairman of the community council, said: “We had people there from other community councils, and issues were raised from the floor. The conclusion was that this is an extremely large development that would have a significant visual impact.

“People from the floor questioned why this is being called a community wind farm when it has no community support.”

Hawick and Hermitage councillor George Turnbull said: “Cliffhope is at the very early stages and will be dealt with by Scottish Government officials, with Scottish Borders Council being invited to submit their views on the application.

“It is of major concern to the residents that will be affected if this development is given permission.

“These turbines will be the biggest ever and require to be fitted with lights for aircraft safety.

“I would think the Ministry of Defence will have observations to make, as well as locals and others further afield.”

Christa Dobson, co-owner of the Singdean Guest House, opposes the development too, saying: “We’re all in favour of the national park for the area but wind farms play no part in a national park.”

A spokesperson for Community Windpower said the proposal would yield £20m for the local community over the course of its lifespan.

They added: “Cliffhope Community Wind Farm is strategically sited and has the potential to make a valuable contribution to renewable energy generation in the Scottish Borders and in Scotland.

“The Scottish Government recently re-stated an ambition to generate the equivalent of 50% of heat, transport and electricity requirements from renewable sources by 2030, representing a near threefold increase on current renewable generation.”

Fears are growing that a movie tribute to a famous Teri might never hit the silver screen.

Hollywood legend Mel Gibson plays Denholm-born headteacher James Murray, one of the creators of the Oxford English Dictionary, in a new blockbuster film.

The movie, The Professor and the Madman, has been adapted for the big screen from the 1998 Simon Winchester novel The Surgeon of Crowthorne.

The film, co-starring Sean Penn, revolves around Murray discovering that one of his leading disctionary contributors, William Minor, was a murderer and patient in Berkshire’s Broadmoor criminal asylum .

That revelation caused a furore in the 1890s, and now a legal disputeabout the making of the movie is causing controversy too.

Earlier this week, a legal complaint was filed in the US by director Farhad Safinia, alleging copyright infringement and defamation against Voltage Pictures, one of the production companies behind the independently-financed movie.

In a federal court lawsuit, Safinia argues that Voltage defamed him by issuing a statement to the Los Angeles Times in August claiming that he and Gibson had “failed to live up to their professional and contractual responsibilities”.

Safinia, also co-writer of the 2006 Gibson-directed film Apocalypto, is asking the court to impound the film’s negative and for an injunction against subsequent screenings and attempts to sell it.

Voltage is contesting those claims.

Gibson acquired the rights to the original non-fiction book, retitled The Professor and the Madman in the US, within months of it coming out and has been working to get it into cinemas ever since.

The £19m-budget film, shot in Dublin in Ireland, co-stars Natalie Dormer, Steve Coogan, Laurence Fox, Jennifer Ehle and Ioan Gruffudd.

Murray was born in Denholm in 1837 and died in Oxfordshire in 1915 at the age of 78. He left the Borders in 1856 in search of milder weather and took charge of the dictionary project in 1879, overseeing it until his death.

The Hawick Grammar School teacher will be the second Scot to be played by US-born but Australian-raised Gibson, 61, following his portryal of William Wallace in 1995’s Braveheart.

A proud daughter is trumpeting the claims of her charity champion dad to be hailed a hero for his life-saving efforts.

Hawick hosiery worker Steven Quintus is the driving force behind Blood Bikes in the Borders, a free motorcycle courier service operating through the night for hospitals.

It was back in 2013 that Mr Quintus, 61, bought an ex-police motorbike, modified it and donated it to the charity.

He joined forces with Blood Bikes Scotland in Edinburgh to launch a group to work primarily in the Lothians, Borders and Fife.

Now his daughter Kimberly, 24, wants to see her dad’s unsung efforts recognised.

She has entered him for the Carole Nash Insurance company’s online Biker Hero competition, held to reward motorcyclists for helping their communities.

Kimberly is now calling on fellow Teries to give her dad support by signing up to the competition’s online site and voting for him.

She said: “A few months back, I nominated my dad for the Biker Hero award. It has now come to voting time, and we are now asking people if they could please vote for him so he makes the top 10.

“My dad brought Blood Bikes Scotland to the Borders and has put a lot of time and hard work into doing so.

“This is a free courier service for the NHS, and everything the charity does is voluntary.

“This service saves lives on a daily basis by couriering emergency specimens from one hospital to another.

“I think he deserves to be nominated as biker hero for that alone and would appreciate the help if you would be willing to support him.”

Dad Steven said: “I was quite shocked to hear that my daughter Kimberly had nominated me as a biker hero.

“It is an honour to be one of the candidates in this competition, and I look forward to the outcome.”

To cast a vote, go to www.facebook.com/insidebikes

The closing date for entries is Wednesday, October 4.

An end could be in sight to a long legal battle over damage caused during the construction of the Borders Railway.

Scottish Borders Council and Network Rail are in dispute over which of them should foot the bill for repairs needed to roads and bridges because of damage done while the 30-mile line was being built.

Two years since the line was officially opened, a civil action by the council claiming compensation of £1.6m was due to be heard this week at Selkirk Sheriff Court, and two days had been set aside to debate the issues.

However, the hearing was postponed, and further discussions are now planned in a bid to reach an out-of-court settlement.

“The hearing has been postponed pending further dialogue,” said a council spokesperson. “No further comment will be made while these discussions are ongoing.”

The claim relates to work, much of it already undertaken by the council, to repair infrastructure in and around the A7 corridor north of Galashiels allegedly damaged by heavy plant involved in the 18-month construction of the £353m rail link between Edinburgh and Tweedbank.