There was a warm welcome for the 2014 Peebles Beltane Festival principals when they were announced in the town’s Burgh Hall on Friday night.
Former Kingsland Primary and Peebles High School pupil, Kevin Smith, was announced as Cornet-Elect for 2014.
Kevin worked for Travis Perkins in Peebles for nine years before setting up his own business, Technical Solutions, in early 2013.
He told The Southern this week that he is “over the moon” at being selected as Cornet-Elect for this year: “It’s fantastic. It’s still very much something every Peebles lad wants to do from a very young age and I am now looking forward to a very busy summer,” he said.
Cornet-Elect’s Lass for 2014 is Sharon Rusnak. Born and brought up in Peebles, Sharon has been active in Beltane from an early age.
She, too, attended Kingsland Primary School and the local secondary before attending Telford College.
Sharon currently works in 1st Nursery and she and Kevin have an eight-year-old daughter, Hannah.
The Warden of Neidpath for 2014 is Mrs Jacqueline Wilson, current headteacher of Kingsland Primary School, and is the first woman to be elected as warden since 1967.
Crowning Lady for 2014 is Mrs Anne Snoddy, who served as a cub leader for 10 years, latterly combining that with the role of Assistant District Commissioner for Tweeddale. She has been with the Citizens Advice Bureau for nine years and is their social policy co-ordinator.
Warden of the Cross Kirk this year will be the Rev Jim Benton Evans, who moved to Peebles from Cornwall almost two years ago, with his wife and three children, to become Rector of St Peter’s Episcopal Church.
Boundary Reader will be Nathaniel Buckingham.
A former pupil of Priorsford Primary School and Peebles High School, he served as First Courtier in 1995 and now works for the firm of Shepherd and Wedderburn as a trainee lawyer.
Nathaniel lives in Peebles and is married to Katy. They have two young children.
Festival chairman Alastair Dodds, who is in his fifth and final term in office, was also delighted with the evening’s events. He told us: “Once again we have a great group of principals.
“Kevin is a very good choice – he’s a popular young man and I’m sure he’ll do a very good job for us.”