District News

Parish church

Pentecost Sunday was celebrated when the service was conducted by the Reverend Elspeth Harley. The Bible reading was delivered by Catriona Bird, and music played by Margaret Blyth and Anne Grieve. Sunday also marked the church census and the kirk session was reminded of the session meeting on May 26. As this is Christian Aid Week, collectors will be making the usual visits.

DARNICK

Wine and cheese

Darnick Village Trust (DVT) held a wine and cheese evening in the Smith Memorial Hall last Thursday. Almost 40 local residents gathered to combine a little business coupled with an enjoyable social event. Additionally, those present were able to see the recent upgrading to the premises carried out by hall trustees. The business focused on seeking approval to convert the existing organisation to a new format and structure known as a Scottish Charitable Incorporated Organisation (SCIO). This was approved unanimously and an application will now be made to the Scottish Charity Regulator for approval. One of the aims of the new organisation will be to promote social activity within the village, along with advancing education, the arts, heritage, science and environmental protection. The social aspect of the occasion provided an opportunity for residents old and new to have a chat, while enjoying a selection of Fairtrade wines supplied by the Melrose Co-op, tasty seaweed and plain oatcakes (Breadworks of Tweedbank), and also a variety of cheeses (Melrose Country Kitchen Deli, who also donated a tin of shortbread for the raffle). The raffle also included prizes given by the DVT directors, featuring a bottle of malt whisky and a meal for six in the Darnick Pop–up Restaurant. The May draw for the 100 club was made and those present had the opportunity to sign-up for the regular “E – What’s on Newsletter” that advertises future village events.

denholm

Flower arranging

In conjunction with the annual flower show, a flower-arranging workshop will be held in the village hall on Wednesday, May 25, at 7pm. Anyone interested should come along with some flowers and a container.

earlston

Lunch club

Members enjoyed a game of indoor golf, Anne Thomson emerging the winner. After the meal, John Burns spoke about his time as a flying doctor. Another gathering began with a game of bingo, followed by a hilarious quiz with Harry after lunch.

Parish church

The Vocal Zone Concert on Saturday, May 21, is in the church at 7.30pm. Donations at the door and proceeds will go to Christian Aid. Refreshments will be served after the concert. The service on Sunday, May 22, at 10.15am will be conducted by the Reverend Julie Woods.

Women’s group

Saturday, May 28, sees the outing to the mining museum. Members will leave from The Square at 1.45pm.

Edgerston

SWI

At the open evening on May 11, members entertained an appreciative audience to readings of poems by Pam Ayres. During supper guests were encouraged to write a limerick and take part in a quiz. The next meeting will be an outing by rail to the National Mining Museum at Newtongrange on June 8 – contact 01835 863625 for details.

galashiels

Probus

Elaine Henderson was guest speaker last Thursday when her subject was ‘Managing Stress’. She explained that she was a driven type of person and had enjoyed success in athletics, going on to a career in banking before starting her own motivational business – Border Hypnotherapy Centre – where she has a team of four providing personal and corporate hypnotherapy, and mindfulness techniques to assist people in dealing with their problems and helping to achieve their goals in life. They provide this both locally and all over Scotland. Elaine’s talk was thought-provoking and gave rise to many questions from members to clarify some of the principles and methodology behind her techniques. She was accorded a warm vote of thanks by Murray Thom. The final meeting of the club before the summer break is on Thursday, May 26, at the Kingsknowes Hotel when Derek Phillips’ subject will be the American Civil War.

Trinity Church

Sunday was Pentecost Sunday and the service was taken by minister Elspeth Harley. Dorothy Howden led music and Bill Cheyne read the lessons. Sunday was also Church Census Day and congregation members were given a form to fill in. This census is for all denominations and every one of the 4,000 local churches in Scotland has been invited to take part. It will measure

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trends in churchgoing, and also explore certain factors which are thought to lie behind some of the recent changes in churchgoing patterns. This is Christian Aid Week and there will be house-to-house collections during the week with a joint guild coffee morning in Trinity Church hall on Saturday morning, from 10am to noon.

glendouglas

Whist

Whist drive prize winners – ladies – 1, Betty Fleming; 2, Sandra Jeffrey; 3, Hannah Wilson; booby, Chrissy Paterson; gents – 1, Sheena Nelson; 2, Ralph Ramskir; 3, George Amos; booby, Angus Cameron. Bingo, Christine Ballantyne. Sweep, Ella Young, Betty Fleming and Mrs Amos.

Lunch club

The latest gathering of the Wednesday lunch club was very busy and went well – with the exception of a slight mishap with a pan of carrot and coriander.

hawick

Probus

Gordon Webber, events manager for the Wilton Lodge Park Regeneration Project, gave an enlighting talk on the current position of the venture. With his assistant, Lisa Brydon, they are at the half-way stage with the bandstand finished and the walled garden well advanced. There will be no catering or toilet facilities in the park this year as, along with the planned new wooden bridge, they are all in the second phase. There is a new section in the museum featuring the history of Wilton Lodge. Giles Passmore gave a vote of thanks.

iNNERLEITHEN

Games committee

There will be a meeting of St Ronan’s Border Games committee to be held on Wednesday, May 25, in the council chamber, Memorial Hall, at 7pm.

Photo plea

If anyone has any photographs of Games Week 1966 – for use in this year’s programme – please contact Keith Belleville on 07775 557156 or email [email protected]. Organisers are particularly looking for pictures of Sash Girls and the Standard Bearer.

Ball tickets

The Standard Bearer’s Ball will take place on Saturday, July 9, in the marquee at St Ronan’s School. Tickets will be on sale at 8am on Saturday, May 28, from The Foresters, Wells Brae, at £35 per person. Payment must be made in full on the day.

Service

There will be a short service held in the Hall of Friendship, starting at 9am on May 22.

Fun day

Innerleithen Family Fun Day will take place on Sunday, May 29, from 1-5pm at St Ronan’s School. There will be a car boot sale and anyone who would like to book a place, or any local organisation wishes to have a stall, call 07775 557156 or email [email protected].

Carnival

St Ronan’s Primary School will hold a new summer event – the Road to Rio Carnival – at the school on Thursday, June 9, from 6-8.pm.

Plant sale

Innerleithen Civic Association will hold its annual plant sale in the forecourt of the Memorial Hall in Leithen Road, from 7am till noon, on Saturday, May 21. The proceeds from the event will go towards this year’s Innerleithen Christmas lights.

kelso

Concert

On Sunday, May 22, Roxburgh Singers will perform Haydn’s Creation in St Andrew’s Church (7.30pm) in aid of Borders community radio station TD1. Conductor is Marion Dodd and soloists include Jim Letham, conductor of the Abbey Consort. A Melrose audience will be treated to the same concert the previous day.

Bridge club

May 11 – match-pointed pairs – N/S – 1, Val Johnstone & Mary Millar; 2, Dominic & Diana Alkin; 3, Alex Jeffrey & Vanessa Wilson; E/W – 1, Maureen Weightman & Helen Long; 2, Elinor Green & Caroline Sutherland; 3, (equal), Ian & Eliz Ross, Miles Browne & John Urquhart. May 12 – aggregate pairs – N/S – 1, Dominic & Diana Alkin; 2, Lesley Dick & Lynda Douglas; 3, John Urquhart & Vanessa Wilson; E/W – 1, Mary & Nigel Lindsay; 2, Brian Saywood & Sheila Urquhart; 3, Jean Henry & Myra Thomson.

Langholm

Awards

Hamish Odinson, of Half-Goat Leatherwork, based at Rowanburn a few miles from the town, has added to his list of achievements by winning another regional award. He was named young entrepreneur at the Dumfries and Galloway Chamber of Commerce awards in Dumfries. Hamish turned his passion for leatherwork into a business. Last year he received the champion young entrepreneur award at the Business Gateway Plus awards and another for most effective networker.

Boys’ night

Cornet Jamie Fletcher completed his final duty when presenting prizes at the Castle Craigs Boys’ Night in the Crown Hotel, accompanied by his Right and Left-Hand Men, Dale Irving and Alasdair Cavers. The function was attended by around 40 boys and the quiz for the R.E. Borthwick Shield was won again by Ryan Johnstone, with Hughie Donaldson second and Danny Tait was third. Winner of design a tie in the seven-and-under section was Caleb Maule, with Robin Graham and Jack Hotson runner-up and third respectively. Victorious in the nine-and-unders was Callum Ritchie, with Ryan Wood second and Danny Hotson third. Danny Hotson won the prize for best-dressed boy.

Rowing

Olympic rowing champion Kat Copeland, who has relatives in the town, and partner in the lightweight women’s double skulls, Charlotte Taylor, failed to make the ‘A’ final at the European Championships in Brandenburg, Germany. The pair are aiming to make the grade for the Rio Olympics and the next chance will be at the world cup at Lucerne at the end of the month.

lauder

Church

Worship was held last Sunday at Channelkirk and Lauder. Both services were led by the Reverend Rae Clark, who will also take charge at services on Sunday, May 22, at Channelkirk (10am) and Lauder (11.30am). The Christian Aid Week door-to-door collections continue until Sunday, May 22.

melrose

Trimontium

One old museum joke is that people come in when it’s raining. But earlier this month, in the sunny weather, one visitor said he had come in to get out of the heat. The 1st-2nd century hoard from Synton and the 3rd century hoard from Kippilaw, near Bowden, on loan from the National Museums, are main attractions. Last week was special in that three further volunteers were inducted into the museum staff to ease the rota situation. The organisers are grateful that people are willing to do their bit for this aspect of local history, which spreads the load and eases the preparation for the possible museum extension. The business plan for this is being drawn up by the trustees for submission to the Heritage Lottery Fund next month.

Parish church

It was sunshine all the way for the congregations at Bowden and Melrose where the theme was the Jewish Harvest Festival, or Pentecost. Activities – Saturday, May 21 – Roxburgh Singers’ “The Creation”, 7.30pm, £10 (for TD1 Radio); Vocal Zone concert, Earlston Parish Church, 7.30pm, entry by donation to Christian Aid; Monday, May 23, church magazine deadline.

Eildon Singers

The spring concert last Sunday was a melodious balance of choral songs, a small mass by Haydn, pieces by Mendelssohn and Gounod, fine instrumental playing by a string quintet, with James Letham at the keyboard, and Melrose’s own splendid soprano soloist, Claire Taylor. The enjoyable atmosphere for audience and musicians alike was due in no small measure to the hard work and ingenuity of conductor James Young who is bringing out the best in the voices under his leadership.

Morebattle

Coffee morning

The coffee morning in aid of Blood Bikes realised the sum of £342. Competition winners – hamper, Linda Tap; magnum of champagne, Linda Fox; second champagne prize, Marie France Taylor; lucky number for dog soft toy, Linda Fox; 50/50 draw, Linda Fox; sweets, Chang.

SWI

Mary Pringle, president, welcomed Fiona Dumma from Selkirk. She brought along examples of her craftwork and told many stories of connections with the materials she had used in producing her work. Then the members had a hands-on demonstration of decoupage, pompom-making, etc. Catherine Mabon gave an appreciative vote of thanks. Competitions: Hand-made bookmark – 1, Brenda Dixon, 2, Nancy Anderson, 3, Margaret Blackmore; Covered coathanger – 1, Marie France Taylor, 2, Margaret Blackmore, 3, Nancy Anderson. Lucky syllabus winner – Nettie Fleming.

Cheviot Churches

One only morning service on Sunday, May 22 – at Shotton Farm at 11am to celebrate the Harvest of the Lambs.

St Boswells

SWI

Members enjoyed a workshop led by Lesley Rosher, of Beadilicious, Kelso. The ladies were introduced to beadwork by being invited to make a bracelet. Competitions: Piece of jewellery using buttons – 1, Elaine Reid, 2, Wilma Morris; Idea for a show schedule – 1, Marilyn McCall, 2, Jean Blackwood, 3, Rose Cameron. The June meeting is the summer outing. The annual St Boswells SWI whist drive will be held on Friday, May 27, at 7.30pm in the village hall, all are welcome.

Traquair

Service

There will be a service to mark the bicentenary of the communion goblets in Traquair Kirk at 10.30am on Sunday, May 22.

Walkerburn

Service

The next service in Walkerburn Public Hall will be on Sunday, May 29, at 10am.