Borders youngsters put best feet forward to win awards

All the winning schools in the active challenge, plus PC Shona Furness, PC Karen Ballantyne, PC Dianne Lauder and PC Sharon Lackenby, with Karen McGrath of Scottish Borders Council.

Nine primaries were given shields for having the highest percentage of pupils travelling in by either walking, cycling or using a scooter, and Hawick High won the prize competed for by the region’s nine high schools.

The winners are decided using information provided by a national survey and collated by travel charity Sustrans.

Besides Hawick High, this year’s winners were Chirnside and Cockburnspath primaries in Berwickshire, Tweedbank Primary, Knowepark Primary in Selkirk, Burnfoot Community School in Hawick, St Ronan’s Primary in Innerleithen and Ancrum, Ednam and Newtown primaries.

Scottish Borders Council infrastructure manager Colin Ovens and network manager Brian Young with Ross Lothian and Lucy Brennan of Hawick High School.

The council’s executive member for education, Galashiels councillor Sandy Aitchison, said: “These awards aim to recognise the efforts of pupils, teachers and parents in actively travelling to school.

“Well done to all the winners, and I hope to see another year of active travel by schools throughout the Borders.”