A FITNESS pilot study for people with type 2 diabetes is underway in Peebles.

Borders Sport and Leisure (BSL) personal trainers at Gytes Leisure Centre are setting up exercise and healthy eating programmes to help patients manage their condition without medication.

The social enterprise’s chief executive Ewan Jackson said: “It is great to have our personal trainers put their skills to use in such a potentially life changing way. As an organisation we are keen to push forward initiatives that help to remove the barriers to exercise for members of the community and encourage people to live healthy, active lives.”

The programme, called Take 2, is backed by The Borders Diabetes Managed Clinical Network, and new participants are encouraged to join.

Mr Jackson said: “We hope Take 2 will make it easier for type 2 diabetics to start to become more active by giving them the support, encouragement and motivation that our personal trainers are skilled in delivering.”

If the pilot study proves helpful BSL hopes to extend it to other areas within the region.

For more information on Take 2 contact the Gytes Leisure Centre on 01721 723 688

IT was always on the cards that livestock farmers in Scotland would not avoid Schmallenberg disease, a midge-spread infection that causes abortions in sheep and cattle and/or deformed foetuses.

It was also almost as drearily predictable that the first recorded case of Schmallenberg infection in Scotland, a disease unknown in Britain until last year, would be found in an ‘imported’ animal.

And last week so it was: a ram bought from Shropshire and taken to Orkney was found to have the infection. The ram’s new owner was commended by NFU Scotland president Nigel Miller for having his new purchase tested, although his neighbours would probably have preferred – I’m guessing here – that he hadn’t brought the ram to the island at all.

We move into difficult territory by questioning free trade, free choice, it’s a free country and so on. But if it makes sense not to import animals from infected areas in mainland Europe surely it also makes sense not to “import” from infected areas of the UK?

But what am I saying? Bovine TB cases have already been found in Scotland this year in cattle “imported” from known TB hotspots in England and there have been cases of other infectious diseases being found in cattle imported from Europe.

In a modern livestock breeding industry where the technology may be beyond me but I can grasp the essentials, surely – at its simplest – semen can be used in a breeding programme rather than imported animals with their risk of bringing in disease? Or more advanced methods such as embryo transfer and its variations?

Animals that might have been in contact with the infected ram are being tested.

The hope is that the relatively cold weather of October will have prevented Schmallenberg infection from spreading.

In the meantime, Mr Miller said the case emphasised the need for all livestock farmers bringing stock in from areas at risk from the disease to test them.

He can say that again – and he might. But what effect will that have on breeders determined to buy the animals they want from wherever that might be? I think we know.

At least Blackface sheep breeders tend to keep their buying and selling within one country, with the occasional exception from Northern Ireland or north of England, quite often in such a tight circle that it’s hard to spot where buying stops and selling begins.

But as I probably said last year and the year before that, life’s too short to worry about what the select circle of big money breeders do. Suffice to say that in one of the worst and wettest years for farming in a century, there was a new breed record of £90,000 paid for a Blackface ram recently and £60,000 for its twin brother.

The record price ram was bought by a consortium of three farming businesses, the twin by a consortium of five businesses – good examples of co-operation that might be put to better use.

Only a guess, but I suspect that ideas on how the first monitor farm in Peeblesshire can maximise its potential won’t include buying an expensive ram. Kate and Ed Rowell are tenant farmers of 1,800 acres at Hundleshope, on the Haystoun estate, just south of Peebles, in partnership with Mrs Rowell’s parents Ann and John Brown.

They have 75 beef cows and 750 ewes on hard land that runs up to 2,200ft and are under no illusions about becoming a monitor farm, an idea introduced some years ago from New Zealand that has caught on in Scotland. It entails opening up details of a farm’s physical and financial performance to interested farmers at a series of meetings over at least three years.

The idea is that full and frank exchanges, ideas and criticism can help the monitor farm improve, but also benefit all farmers who come to the meetings by forcing them to think about how efficient and effective their own physical performance, costs and returns are in similar situations.

It can only be nerve racking, but Kate Rowell – a qualified vet as well as a member of a family that has held the Hundleshope tenancy for 150 years – said: “To us it sounded like a really positive opportunity. As a vet you have to undertake continuous professional development, but in farming that doesn’t exist. Becoming a monitor farm is a step in that direction and we hope it will give us an opportunity to run our business better.”

One comparison they are already involved in is between rams chosen by Kate on estimated breeding value (EBV) and those chosen by her husband “by eye”. She has not said so far what the results of that comparison have been. But details could be asked for, similar to a freedom of information request, by members of the monitor farm group who sign up for the first meeting on November 7.

I couldn’t help wondering, idly of course, what response there would be to a freedom of information request to a record-breaking consortium of Blackface ram breeders as to how they decided the animal was worth £90,000.

The answer, I fancy, would be succinct.

THE COUNTRY’s top ploughing experts are in the Borders this weekend.

The 50th Scottish Ploughing Championships - including the Six Nations Classic and Vintage competitions - are at Coldstream Mains, Coldstream, for three days from tomorrow.

World ploughing champion Andrew Mitchell of Forfar will be competing as will his father, Andrew, a former three time World Champion winner.

Spectators are welcome to the event and the Six Nations opening ceremony takes place at 8.45am at Coldstream Mains tomorrow.

For a timetable and more information visit www.scotplough.co.uk

THE spending of nearly £227,000 by Scottish Borders Council over the last five years on processing wind farm applications was this week described as “scandalous” by a leading local anti-turbine campaigner.

The comments came from Save Lauderdale campaign chairman, Professor Jack Ponton, who has backed local Conservative MSP John Lamont’s claims that the cash would have been better spent on improving council services.

It was Scottish Conservatives who recently obtained figures which revealed the local authority had spent £226,990 dealing with successful and unsuccessful wind farm bids since 2007.

Mr Lamont said Scottish Government ministers had ruthlessly pursued wind energy, encouraging firms to flood local authorities with applications for new wind farms, and this had taken up a huge amount of time and money.

“Instead of this money being spent on improving services and facilities in the Scottish Borders, it is going towards legal fees and processing countless planning applications,” 
he said.

“This is clearly a waste of money and I am sure that taxpayers in the Borders would much rather see their money spent elsewhere.”

Mr Lamont said it was also frustrating to see decisions made by SBC to reject certain applications then being overturned by the government.

Professor Ponton, an engineering expert, said he agreed with all of Mr Lamont’s comments: “It is quite scandalous how much of the council’s resources in these times of financial stringency are being wasted on both large and small applications.”

It was former SBC chair of planning, Carolyn Riddell-Carre, when giving evidence to a Holyrood committee on energy targets earlier this year, who had pointed out that while the planning fee paid by developers was a maximum of £15,000 in the Borders – in England it can be 10 times this – the cost of dealing with a typical application was actually £50,000.

Professor Ponton added: “And, if an applicant appeals against refusal and a public enquiry is held, the cost is not tens, but hundreds of thousands.”

He said it was also clear the soaring number of one and two-turbine applications was also putting the local authority’s small number of specialist staff able to deal with issues such as turbine noise, under unacceptable pressure.

“Out of a dozen such applications which I have examined in the last 18 months, five underestimated or failed to justify the noise impact on nearby properties,” said Professor Ponton.

And he added: “It is particularly offensive that Holyrood routinely overturns the decisions of councillors elected by local people in pursuit of the ambitions of SNP politicians, none of whom, as far as I have been able to ascertain, lives anywhere near a wind farm.”

But Councillor Stuart Bell (Tweeddale East, SNP), SBC executive member for economic development, was critical of Mr Lamont, saying the MSP for Ettrick, Roxburgh & Berwickshire failed to acknowledge council arguments to the government that charges for large planning applications should be raised to reflect the full cost of processing them.

Mr Bell added: “Mr Lamont goes on to recycle the myth that planning appeals are considered by, and decided by, the Scottish Government, when in reality the overwhelming majority of appeals are decided by reporters who work for the independent directorate for environmental and planning appeals.”

And local SNP MSP Christine Grahame added: “What this is really about is the total opposition of the Tories to green energy and their declared preference for nuclear, with all the dangers and costs that entails, including decommissioning and disposal of waste.”

There are currently nine wind farm applications awaiting a decision by SBC planners, with several others at the scoping stage.

Councillor Nicholas Watson (Leaderdale & Melrose, BP), current vice-chair of the planning committee, says such applications are difficult and complicated to process.

“Besides assessing the huge volumes of ‘visual impact’ studies, checking to what extent several dozen individual houses would be affected by turbine noise or shadow flicker takes many hours,” Mr Watson explained.

“A scheme may then be adjusted and a new round of work has to be done.

“All this costs local councils far more than they charge in planning fees, but fee levels are set nationally.

“The Scottish Government is well aware of this burden on local councils and they should heed calls for reasonable fee levels.”

POLICE are continuing to investigate the death of a 16-year-old boy who was amongst a group of youths rushed to hospital, writes Kenny Paterson.

The boy, named locally as Billy Robson of Kelso, was taken into Borders General Hospital in the early hours of Tuesday, but died later that morning.

The youngsters were admitted after an incident at an address in Newtown St Boswells. It is believed the other teenagers are all from the village.

Police would not confirm the cause of death as TheSouthern went to press yesterday. A spokesman said: “Lothian and Borders Police are investigating following the death of a 16-year-old male within Borders General Hospital on Tuesday, October 23. Enquiries are ongoing to determine the circumstances surrounding his death, which is currently being treated as unexplained.”

Dad Stuart, 42, who lives in London, said his son was a keen rugby player and had left Kelso High last year to study agriculture.

He told reporters: “He was a bright, fun, outgoing lad. He had a lot of school and rugby friends. Everybody is devastated.”

Tributes have been paid to Billy on social network site Twitter, including one from his favourite actor Jack O’Connell, a star of Channel 4 teen show Skins.

Mr O’Connell wrote to his friends: “Sorry to hear the bad news lads. All the best and keep the memory alive.”

Another pal wrote: “Can’t stop thinking about you. Miss you so much.”

Selkirkshire councillor Michelle Ballantyne, whose ward includes Newtown, said: “This is a real tragedy.Hopefully everyone will co-operate with the police enquiries to ensure this doesn’t happen again.” 
An NHS Borders spokeswoman would not comment on the incident.

SCOTLAND’s leading charity for older people believes Borders General Hospital is among a number of healthcare services “buckling under the strain” of coping with elderly patients.

Age Scotland has reacted to the first report to concentrate on how the BGH looks after OAP admissions, including dementia sufferers.

As TheSouthern reported last month, a team from Healthcare Improvement Scotland (HIS) inspected the hospital in July as part of a new Scottish Government initiative to raise standards of care for old people.

They found four areas of strength but 13 areas of concern, including the dignity and confidentiality of patients not always being maintained, and staff using inappropriate language.

Age Scotland has now questioned whether more investment is needed to properly care for the country’s pensioner population.

A spokesman for the charity told TheSouthern: “Let’s be clear; our hospitals are not disaster zones.

“According to Ian Smith, acting HIS chief inspector; ‘In the majority of our observations, we saw staff treating older people with compassion, dignity and respect. We also noted that many hospitals have started to make the hospital environment more suitable for patients with dementia’.

“Yet the report does give a strong impression of hospital services buckling under the strain.

“There is no such thing as a perfect hospital, and often, good and less good practices appear side by side.

“Take Borders General Hospital, where inspectors found good quality and well appreciated food, meal-times that were well managed on some wards, and staff knowledgeable and well informed about individual patients’ dietary needs.

“Here, however, they also found a lack of personalised nutritional care plans to provide information about individual patients’ specific needs or preferences.

“It should be possible to fix some recurring problems, for example the use of inappropriate language, at relatively low cost, although changing culture and habit will demand perseverance and focus of managers.

“Other issues, such as the poor environment in some wards and far too frequent late-night bed moves, raise serious questions about the resources available to fix them in this age of austerity.

“Although pipeline reforms of health and social care should help, by keeping more older people in good health at home, we also need to ask what kind of hospital care we expect for ourselves, and for those we love, in later life.”

The assessment of the BGH noted occasions when the needs of the hospital’s older admissions were not put first, while the Melrose-based facility was also labelled unfriendly to dementia sufferers.

In one instance, a daughter told the inspectors: “My mum, 83 years, was left sitting from 12pm to 10pm with very little attention to her needs. If it was not for her daughters she would have been in distress and dehydrated.”

One patient complained of being moved from ward to ward and another said: “The noise at times has been unbearable.”

Calum Campbell, NHS Borders’ chief executive, told TheSouthern the health board is continuing to act upon the inspectors’ recommendations.

He added: “Since the report we have undertaken an extensive programme of reinforcement of our policies and procedures, specifically including those concerning confidentiality and dignity, which is supported by monitoring and spot checks by senior managers.

“Improving care is an ongoing process and we continue to build on the work we have done to further improve the care of older people.”

BOWHILL will be the venue for a Giant Night Out tonight and tomorrow.

The evening events are the culmination of the Giants in the Forest project, which was launched earlier in the year by Edinburgh-based puppeteers Vision Mechanics.

The creators, regular visitors to the Borders, built enormous heads out of willow and hessian, and seeded and suspended them among trees at sites around Scotland, including Bowhill and Glentress in Peeblesshire.

The Giant Nights Out are 40-minute guided walks with a storyteller and other performers, who take the audience through the forest – transformed by special lighting and sound effects to the giants’ heads.

The aim of the project is to encourage more people to visit forests and to enjoy art in non-traditional settings.

Bowhill’s head ranger Lynsey Menmuir said: “We have been working on the Bowhill project for a number of months now and it has intrigued our visitors who have been to the estate throughout the summer.

“This weekend’s events are incredibly exciting and will be a magical experience for all attending – with lights and sounds bringing our giants, who are nestled away in our woods, to life. It is the perfect grand finale to what has been an incredibly exciting attraction. It’s been a great project which has helped people connect with their communities and the natural environment around them – I am confident that the twilight events will be enjoyed by all the family.”

The evening forest events are part of the Tweed Valley Forest Festival which started last weekend.

Festival organiser Chris Sawers said: “The Giant Nights Out at Glentress (last weekend) were a sell out – I was there on Saturday and loved it – and all the feedback I’ve had is ‘wow, we want more of this’.”

Ms Sawers continued: “I’m hoping the people who couldn’t get tickets for the Giant Nights Out at Glentress will be able to get tickets for Bowhill and that they have as much fun as the people attending Glentress.”

Tours start at Bowhill’s Minstrel Tearoom and run every 20 minutes from 6pm until 8pm, and last approximately 40 minutes. Tickets cost £5 adults, £3 children and £12 for a family of four. The event is not recommended for children under five years old.

Tickets can be purchased in advance from Eastgate Box Office on 01721 725777 and a limited number of tickets will be available on the night. Ticket holders should arrive early and wear warm waterproof clothing and sturdy footwear. A torch is recommended.

For more information, visit www.forest-festival.com and www.bowhill.org

A SELKIRK man has been arrested after his dog allegedly bit a member of the public.

The 53-year-old was charged with an offence under the Dangerous Dogs Act after the incident on October 5, in the Raeburn Place area of the town.

A report is now being sent to the procurator fiscal.

The Dangerous Dogs Act was brought into force in 1991 after a six-year-old girl in Bradford was mauled by an animal.

It banned ownership of four types of dog commonly bred for fighting, but animal charity Blue Cross believe the act should shift responsibility more onto the owner rather than the dog.

CAMPAIGNERS saving the historic Crook Inn at Tweedsmuir have been given nearly £10,000 from Awards for All.

The Lottery boost of £9,666 is for a community needs study into Tweedsmuir and the upper Tweed area.

Tweedsmuir Community Company (TCC) chairman Duncan Davidson said: “We are delighted. Although this is not a grant for the urgent campaign to purchase the Crook Inn in 2012, it will be a great contribution to designing the facilities to meet local needs and to making the project sustainable in the long term”.

The study will look at work, social isolation, local services, business, tourism, the importance of local heritage, housing, and the potential of the Crook Inn for helping in these areas.

Mr Davidson said the survey results will be used in a feasibility study for facilities at the Crook. Questionnaires will be delivered soon and TCC is hoping for good returns.

BORDERS entries are being sought by the Countryside Alliance for their annual awards dubbed the “Rural Oscars”, writes Sally Gillespie.

Now in their eighth year, the UK-wide awards were set up to celebrate the characters, produce, traditions and enterprise of the countryside.

Hundreds of rural businesses – several from the Borders – have won across categories which include local food, village shop/post office, enterprise, butcher and start-up award for businesses trading for 18 months or less.

Countryside Alliance Awards director Jill Grieve said: “This has been a hard year for the countryside. The bad weather has affected the harvest and the cancellation of many country shows has seen the rural economy put under increasing pressure. I think the public is responding to that and really wants to celebrate the hard work and dedication that rural businessmen and women put in, often under the radar.

“The Rural Oscars give people a way to support rural business and the response has already been exceptional. We are still a few weeks away from closing to nominations, so I would urge everyone who supports their local small businesses to get involved and tell us about them. We can all play a part in boosting the rural economy.”

Nominations can be made online at www.countrysideallianceawards.org.uk until Monday (October 29)

FLICK through any copy of the Borders telephone directory and you’ll find numerous surnames of Polish origin.

Many of these Borderers are the descendants of some of the Polish soldiers who were stationed in the region during the Second World War and who, unable to return to their then Soviet-occupied homeland after hostilities ended, chose to make a new life in the Borders and elsewhere in Scotland.

Now an exhibition tracing the story of many of these soldiers has come to the Borders.

The story of the 1st Polish Armoured Division, entitled, For Our Freedom and Yours, is a fascinating and moving exhibition which traces the story of the famous military formation from its formation in Duns in 1942 to its campaigns in Western Europe.

The brainchild of Sean Szmalc and Margot Corson, For Our Freedom and Yours is a moving and evocative national touring show which has already been seen by thousands of people in other parts of the country.

Running until the end of January at Hawick Museum, it features many rare and previously unseen artefacts from soldiers of the 1st Polish Armoured Division, including uniforms, equipment and personal belongings of the soldiers.

The exhibition also incorporates examples of other Polish army units during the Second World War, including a complete combat uniform depicting a paratrooper from the Polish independent parachute brigade as well as a uniform from the Polish 2nd Corps, which famously fought with distinction at Monte Cassino in Italy.

There will also be a selection of props and costumes from the blockbuster movie Saving Private Ryan and the mini-series Band of Brothers.

Mr Szmalc’s fascination with the Second World War began when he was a young boy. His late grandfather, Emil Szmalc, served in the Polish army and later the 1st Polish Armoured Division during the conflict.

Growing up in his local Polish community, Sean Szmalc attended the Polish Ex-Servicemen’s club in Falkirk, where he was good friends with his grandfather’s former comrades.

He and Margot, his partner, have been amassing their awe-inspiring collection ever since.

Mr Szmalc explained: “With the exhibition, we aim to increase the knowledge of the struggles and the plight that the Polish soldiers had to go through, and the fight for freedom which they carried out with much bravery and honour.

“Each individual visitor to the exhibition will get a feeling of what it was like to have been a soldier on the front lines in the Polish army from the invasion of Poland in September 1939 to the end of the war in 1945.”

One Borderer with intimate knowledge of the Polish contribution to the allied effort during the war is Berwickshire author, Aileen Orr.

Her book on Wojtek, the brown bear who served alongside Polish troops in the war before coming to the Borders with his military companions, has met with widespread popular and critical acclaim.

She has seen the exhibition elsewhere and says it is definitely a must-see for Borderers. “I know Sean really well and this is a fantastic exhibition,” she told TheSouthern.

“Whether you are five or 105, you will be able to understand and appreciate it, as you can see and touch many of the exhibits.

“It is a fitting tribute to the Polish soldiers who fought, with many giving their lives, not just for their freedom and that of their homeland, but for our freedom too.”

SBAAG members are to get an update on the group’s work at the St Francis Hospital in Zambia.

The speaker at the Scottish Borders African Aids Group will be Dorothy Logie, who recently visited the hospital with a Borders General Hospital (BGH) team – the hospitals are twinned. The group was set up in memory of her husband, who died from Aids after a needle-stick accident while working with sufferers in Africa.

SBAAG has supported a number of other projects in sub-Saharan Africa which help those infected and affected by HIV/Aids.

Dr Logie will be speaking at the SBAAG agm at 2pm on November 4, in the BGH Chaplaincy Centre. SBAAG invites anyone interested to attend. For further call SBAAG’s secretary on 01573 224753.

THIEVES have stolen a working terrier from kennels at Lauder.

The trained ratter (above) is one of four dogs owned by self-employed pest control man Danny Cassidy.

The three-year-old Border Terrier named Banjo was last seen when Mr Cassidy fed his animals on Friday evening.

Dead Cert Pest Control’s Mr Cassidy has searched lost dogs websites, reported the theft to police, checked with farmers he works for and contacted animal rescue centres to no avail.

“He’s a cracking little dog. For somebody to stay in the Borders and have my dog would be difficult. I’m hoping if I let enough people know, he might turn up: somebody might trip up and he might run away from the person who’s got him.”

He fed his dogs at 6.30pm in the kennels behind his house where he lives in a flat two storeys up. None of his neighbours heard anything. And he says he believes Banjo was stolen because the door to the kennel had been tampered with.

The rest in the pack of four are a pointer, a mongrel and a terrier cross, and Mr Cassidy, who set up his business in 2004, deals with rodents, birds, insects and foxes.

He said: “I think he’s been stolen to order. Border Terriers are worth a bit of money, he’s the only purebred dog I have

“He’s a working dog but he’s also a pet. He’s part of the armoury you have got to have for pest control. It’s equivalent to a joiner having his tool box pinched. He’s in his prime doing his job. It’s gut-wrenching somebody else is taking advantage of the work I have put into him.

“I’m hoping someone starts to panic and lets him go.”

Anyone with any information can contact Mr Cassidy on 07921 212528 or through his website on www.deadcertpestcontrol.co.uk.

ABBOTSFORD, textiles and even mountain biking could be among images used in an effort to revamp existing signage at entry points into the Borders.

However, the estimated cost for replacing the signs across the region is £100,000 – money Scottish Borders Council does not have.

But councillors on SBC executive meeting last week, still approved proposals for a first phase, which involves agreeing the design specifications and ‘branding’ guidelines for the new signs.

This will involve council officers and partners from VisitScotland, BEAR Scotland, and Transport Scotland, as well as SBC.

Phase one will also provide a full breakdown of estimated costs, and options for implementation and will focus on the interpretation/visitor information panels at the key border crossings on the Carter Bar, A1 and A7 to promote more focused visitor information – 
e.g. nearby towns, retail and visitor attractions, nearest place to eat, etc.

The second phase will involve identification of a budget, including research into alternative options such as sponsorship or external funding.

There are no financial implications in delivering phase one beyond use of existing staff and partners’ time.

Councillors also approved a recommendation that officers look at estimated costs and set these in the context of priorities for the budget process for 2013/14 – 2017/18.

It was in March this year that a survey of signs was carried out by council staff, who created a database and photographic record of all visitor signage, and recommendations for which signs should be retained, amended, or removed.

The audit report concluded that the boundary entry points on both the A1 and A7 were cluttered with damaged and non-relevant signage.

The signage on the A68 is in better condition, however, improvements could be made to the associated visitor information.

The existing boundary entry signage was erected in 2003 using the Scottish Borders brand developed by a partnership of SBC, Scottish Borders Tourist Board, and other public sector partners.

The message ‘Scotland’s leading short-break destination’ was originally included underneath the signs, but ditched in 2011 because it was no longer used by VisitScotland to promote the Borders.

Councillors were told an example of good practice was France, where each region has a strong eye-catching image that relays something of the unique flavour of that region to the motorist. Simple imagery is married to only the name of the area drivers are entering.

Council officials will now investigate what single image or multiple images could be used at each location, linked to national and regional branding.

Councillor Stuart Bell (Tweeddale East, SNP), SBC Executive Member for Economic Development, told TheSouthern that, currently, a variety of signs were used across the Borders.

“It is all about encouraging people to visit. Presently at some places there is some clutter and features of the area are not presented very well,” Mr Bell told us. “I think the Borders is an amazing place, but these signs need to be tidied up.

“However, we have no budget for replacing the signs at the moment, so we’re looking at what we can do without incurring any great cost.”

One possibility, says Mr Bell, is where the ‘Scotland’s leading short-break destination’ strapline once featured on existing signs, an alternative promotional message is used.

The Glendale Agriculture Society may be one of the smallest in the UK, however, now in its 120th year, it is a society that unlike so many has stood the test of time and has real vision for the future.

Following on from what was the wettest summer for at least 25 years, the Glendale Show like so many events across the UK was affected by rain but unlike many other events the show went ahead.

Despite ongoing difficulties in the economy, employment and bank lending, not to mention the weather, the team behind the show – that is its secretary, chairman, committee and a raft of volunteers worked tirelessly to secure support and sponsorship from businesses near and far.

Currently a not for profit organisation the society has felt its pockets pinched as a result of both the recession and the rain.

The Glendale Agricultural Society in not just about the Glendale Show however, it plays a vital role in the rural community of Glendale. The region, Glendale has built itself on agricultural roots. Both livestock and arable, the land in the valley is both fertile and exceptionally productive and the hills are renowned for producing some of the UK’s finest livestock. It is supported at every level by businesses amongst the community and it is these businesses that are crucial to the society’s success and development.

The society has evolved with the 21st century, once the show was home to horse and plough displays where the main ring acts now feature stunt motorbikes and sheep racing. It is a pillar of support for farmers throughout Glendale and further, whose vision is to encourage and preserve the special skills and pursuits of the countryside.

With this vision in mind the society started the Children’s Countryside Day, an annual event held at the showground which attracts over 1300 first school pupils from Northumberland and North Tyneside. This is an educational day with exhibitors from a cross-section of local and national businesses, organisations and individuals keen to teach children just how the milk makes it onto their cereal every morning. The now award winning day is one of the society’s greatest achievements and they look to develop it as the years go on.

Chairman, Nick Hargreaves said: “The Glendale Agricultural Society has always been seen as a very progressive society and the current economic climate is not going to stop the society going forward. In this farming community it is very important that the community spirit is maintained, this is where the agricultural society plays an integral role. Highlighting farmers and events and planning for the future as a community, not just an individual farm or property”.”

HAWICK provost, Ron Smith, has spoken this week about the relief in the town, after news that French luxury fashion label Chanel had bought local cashmere mill, Barrie Knitwear.

TheSouthern reported details of the deal last week, and the intervening seven days has seen the news sink in that the jobs of 176 workers and a 140-year-old famous Hawick company have been saved for the future.

There had been months of worry for the 176 workers at Barrie’s mill in Burnfoot Industrial Estate, after the cashmere firm’s parent company, Dawson International, went into administration in August because of pension problems.

Speaking this week, Provost Smith, also a Lib Dem councillor for the Hawick & Hermitage ward, said he very much welcomed the news that Barrie’s long-time Paris-based customer had taken over ownership of the factory.

“This is a tremendous relief to the workers and for the town as a whole. It is also a tremendous compliment to the workforce that such an internationally known leader in the fashion world has confidence in the ability of those workers to provide top-quality products,” said Mr Smith.

“And ‘relief’ is the appropriate word to use. Over recent years, several local knitwear mills have carried through development plans, and there has been evidence of fresh external investment. Mr Smith continued: “This has been recognition of the inherent quality of the workforce and of the products.

“The expectation therefore in the town was that a profitable business such as Barrie would quickly be snapped up. That took a little while to be confirmed, but has been worth the wait, and the town is happy to be now publicly associated with such a flagship brand.”

The deal heralds an exciting new chapter in the history of the Hawick mill.

Local Lib Dem MP Michael Moore, who met with senior representatives from Chanel and Barrie on Thursday, said it brought months of uncertainty to an end for the company, its employees and the people of Hawick.

“I was pleased to hear of Chanel’s commitment to maintain the traditional expertise and craftsmanship which make Barrie such a unique and valued brand,” said Mr Moore.

“I look forward to Barrie flourishing under Chanel’s ownership and I will continue to work with the management and employees in this exciting new chapter for the company.”

Mr Moore’s comments were echoed by Scottish Borders Council leader David Parker (Leaderdale & Melrose Ind), who added: “Barrie has a worldwide reputation for quality and it is great news for Hawick that this has been recognised and that one of the world’s iconic brands has chosen to make this important investment, which will safeguard these much needed jobs.”

A RETURN to public ownership of Scotland’s railways could lead to the reinstatement of trains along the former Waverley line from Carlisle to Edinburgh, writes Kenny Paterson.

Christine Grahame supported a motion at the Scottish National Party’s conference in Perth for such a move, which she believes would bring private profit out of what she says is a public service.

The Midlothian South, Tweeddale and Lauderdale representative previously dismissed claims by fellow Borders MSP John Lamont that other transport initiatives in the region are being ignored in favour of the current Borders Railway project, which is due to run from Tweedbank to Edinburgh.

She added: “We need no lessons from Mr Lamont or his Conservative colleagues when it comes to financial prudence. He should be supporting this crucial infrastructure investment which will be important for the economic well-being of the Scottish Borders.”

Mr Lamont also claimed the completion date of the project will be put back from 2014 to 2015 in the next few weeks.

And he cited a freedom of information request which revealed £54million has been spent on the initiative without a piece of track being laid.

Mr Lamont added: “There is every possibility that with the Galashiels Railway we could see a repeat of the Edinburgh trams debacle. With every delay the cost of the project rises even further over budget.”

However, Scottish Borders Council leader David Parker retorted: “Mr Lamont’s press release is just mischief making and political posturing of the worst kind. It is inaccurate and draws incorrect parallel in relation to costs and quite honestly, no-one will be losing any sleep about what John Lamont is saying in this release.”

A Transport Scotland spokesman said the contract for the project with Network Rail is due to be signed later this month, which is likely to confirm the expected completion date.

A pioneering programme to help teenage parents is being rolled out across Scotland, although there are currently no plans to launch it in the Borders.

The £11million Family Nurse Partnership, for first-time parents aged 19 and under, will be operating by 2015.

The programme is already running in Lothian, Tayside, Fife and Glasgow, and is expanding to Ayrshire and Arran, Lanarkshire and Highland in 2013. But there is no date so far on when it will start in the region.

An NHS Borders spokesperson said: “Within Borders we do have a very low teenage pregnancy rate and a very small number of these would be eligible for inclusion in the programme. This is why Borders, along with Dumfries and Galloway, and the island boards, are not included at this stage.

“The Scottish Government has assured us that they will take the lessons learned from the other (health) boards and adapt the programme for the more rural communities.”

The programme sees family nurses visit expectant mums every one or two weeks during pregnancy and throughout the first two years of their baby’s life. They offer guidance in child development, health, parenting skills, breastfeeding, nutrition, and on education and employment.

First Minister Alex Salmond said: “The established Family Nurse Partnerships have already made a valuable difference to the lives of 450 young families since 2010, and the benefits of the family nurses are clear to anyone who has had the privilege of meeting them and the families they support.”

EARLSTON Primary School has been told to improve its curriculum following a visit by inspectors.

The HM Inspectorate of Education’s (HMIe) report outlined a number of strengths and weaknesses at the village school with a roll of 210 pupils, following a visit in September.

Scottish Borders Council says its education department will now work with the school to improve its curriculum.

Chief inspector Elaine Merrilees praised Earlston’s children, who she said were confident and well behaved.

And she also approved of pupils’ learning experiences in the nursery as well as the school relationship with community partners.

However, Ms Merrilees added: “Overall, the school has not yet made sufficient progress in introducing Curriculum for Excellence.

“Staff need to make better use of assessments and develop programmes which provide progressive, coherent and challenging learning across all subjects.

“Children have begun to develop and apply their literacy and numeracy skills in other areas of their learning, but need more opportunities to do so.”

The inspector also said Earlston had to ensure classes enjoyed consistently high-quality learning experiences, as well as better monitoring of children’s progress and increasing the impact of self-evaluation on learning.

Head teacher Lesley Munro said: “We are pleased that recognition has been given to the strengths of the school and that our recent developments in reading and writing are improving children’s learning experiences.

“The school was encouraged that the development needs we had identified for ourselves were endorsed by the inspectors.

“We are already taking steps to develop and implement our strategic plan to develop the curriculum as well as the other improvements.”

Chair of the parent council, Kelda Stewart, added: “We are confident that working with the head teacher and staff we can implement an action plan to address the recommendations outlined in the report.”

A total of 14 nursery and primary staff work at the school.

WE need more information before deciding on Scotland’s future.

That was the message of students at Selkirk High who discussed the impending referendum with TheSouthern.

We spoke to a fifth-year modern studies class at the school about the prospect of Scotland separating from its English neighbours and being an independent nation.

And we also discussed whether they agreed with the decision to allow 16 and 17-year-olds to vote in 2014.

While the majority felt it was right to allow the previously excluded age bracket to take part in the referendum, many admitted they did not yet fully understand the debate about their country’s future.

Selkirk High rector Wilma Burgon agreed, telling TheSouthern: “The important thing is that the pupils are informed enough to make a decision.”

The issue of 16 and 17-year-olds voting proved a major sticking point with David Cameron during discussions with Alex Salmond, before the Prime Minister eventually agreed to the ground-breaking move last week.

Mr Salmond said: “What is absolutely vital is that all 16 and 17-year-olds are in a position to have their say if the Referendum Bill includes proposals to give them the vote.

“It would be totally unsatisfactory to be in a situation where some of those in that age bracket were able to vote but others were not because of the way the electoral roll is currently constructed.

“This bill will close that potential loophole and make sure that every single person in Scotland who is aged 16 or over on the day of the referendum will be in a position to vote.”

Borders MSP Christine Grahame, of the SNP party, added: “I am particularly delighted that 16 and 17-year-olds will have the right to vote in what will determine not just the future of Scotland but their futures.”

However, any thoughts that young people will flock to the Yes camp appear – at the moment at least – to be unfounded.

In a poll by a national Sunday newspaper, only 26 per cent of 14 and 15-year-old pupils in 24 schools across the country believed Scotland should be independent.

Selkirk High’s fourth year children took part in the survey – and the results make for grimmer reading for SNP supporters.

While 82.6 per cent of Souter students felt 16 and 17-year-olds should be allowed to vote, only 22.1 per cent believe Scotland should go it alone.

It appears there is plenty more work to be done to convince the Borders’ youngsters that Scotland should wave goodbye to its closest neighbour in two years time.