Teri Ian Landles has been awarded a British Empire Medal for services to the community in Hawick.
While travelling from Hawick to Hong Kong, Mr Landles expressed his delight in a letter to TheSouthern: “A’m chuffed ti bits and humbled that Her Majesty has seen fit ti honour an ordinary Hawick callant whae hez dune a’ hei’s dune no in hope o’ reward but oot o love for his ain auld toon and its folk.
“A’ve been privileged ti receive a guid few honours in ma life but this yin withoot devaluin it in ony way at a’ is almost – but no quite – up there wi bein’ Chief Guest at Hawick Common Ridin in 2004. In other words the BEM is a huge, huge honour.
“A fund oot the day afore Bonchester rideoot and apairt frae ma wife whae heard ma shout o amazed delight when A opened the envelope A tellt naebody until the Sunday efter this year’s wonderful Hawick Common Ridin when A took a’ oor faimily ti the Woll for what they didni realise was a celebratory meal.
“A’ve been overwhelmed be the kind messages that hev been pourin in be e-mail and Facebook for which A thenk everybody maist sincerely. Their mair than kind responses hev again been very humblin.
“At the moment oo’re in Hong Kong en route ti supportin the Lions – no least Stuart Hogg – in Australia so as fer as A’m concerned ‘a day oot o Hawick’s no a day wasted’ but hevin hopefully enjoyed a great holiday – and a Lions win – A’ve got ‘the fairest spot o a’ and the best kith and kin in a’ the world ti come hame ti for as a minor Hawick song-writer, namely mei yince wrote:
“When on the street guid freends A see / Whae’ll stop and pass the time wi me / There’s naewhere A wad rither be / Than Hawick ma Border hame.”
Ian is a former teacher at Hawick High School; a stalwart of all things Hawick and a crafted after -dinner speaker much sought after across the Borders.