Lavender Touch’s new festive shop to be opened by Gala’s rugby legend Gregor Townsend

The cancer care charity’s festive shop will be opened by Scotland rugby coach Gregor Townsend at 10am.

It will be manned entirely by volunteers in the run-up to Christmas and will sell its own range of natural therapeutic products and sleepwear created to provide comfort and relief to those suffering from the side-effects of cancer treatments.

Other gifts on sale include good-as-new adult and children’s partywear, ball gowns, accessories and jewellery, toys and books, and a full range of handmade crafts, baking and giftware.

Initally, the shop will be open Thursday to Monday from 10am to 4pm and donations will be accepted during those times.

Gregor Townsend said: “I am delighted to be invited to open the Christmas shop and hope that much-needed funds can be raised over the next few weeks through the ongoing efforts of all supporters and volunteers.”

Charity trustee Sheila Scott added: “We’re passionate about the services and products the Lavender Touch provides to those in the Borders living with cancer, who we help treat with our tried and tested complementary therapies. It now costs around £75,000 a year to fulfil the levels of service we provide and most of this money is raised through fundraising, so we have to get creative. We are indebted to all our supporters within the Scottish Borders community and particularly to Phil Macari, who has given us the use of the old Sorella shop in Galashiels for the next two months”.

This latest fundraising initiative follows several recent sponsorship projects including Edinburgh Half Marathon, Border Elite Rider’s Tour of the Borders, The Kilt Walk and The Glencoe Challenge.