Charity wraps up its latest fundraiser

Elaine Monro, a member of the committee of the Selkirk branch of Cancer Research UK came up with the idea of creating a tartan.

The Lindean resident said: “I was sitting in the coffee shop here at Lochcarron one day, surrounded by all this tartan, and thought ‘why on earth does Cancer Research UK not have its own tartan?’

“I thought it would be a good fundraiser, so I approached the charity and asked them for permission to use the corporate colours, which they gave. I then came to Lochcarron and they were very enthusiastic about it, and the result is this beautiful scarf.”

The factory’s design team came up with six different tartans, and the local branch of the charity decided on the one shown.

Keith Russell, who works with sales at Lochcarron, said: “I met Elaine over a cup of coffee here just under a year ago, and we both decided this would be an interesting project.

“The design concept came from picking the corporate colours of the charity, and it is quite stunning. I love it, and there is a large number of people in the factory who have said they love it too.”

The tartan has been made into 300 scarves initially. And the offcuts have been made into pendants, earrings and clothes-peg fairies.

A trio of celebrities have been signed up as ambassadors for the tartan.

Melrose rugby player Mark Robertson, who won a silver medal with the Great Britain sevens side at the Rio Olympics; Greenlaw wheelchair racer Sammi Kinghorn, who was named in September as “Scottish Sportsperson of the Year; and famous panto villain and radio personality Grant Stott have all given their thumbs up to the design.

Also at the launch on Friday evening were the region’s political representatives John Lamont MP, and MSPs Rachael Hamilton and Michelle Ballantyne.

The scarves – which cost £22.50 – and other items can be purchased from Liberty Star Trading in Selkirk’s Market Place, or by emailing Elaine at [email protected]

The design has been registered as a tartan on the Scottish register.