Selkirk group’s legacy of kindness and decades of dedication

​The Children First Selkirk Action Group has raised an extraordinary £73,200 to help protect vulnerable children and support families across the Borders and Scotland.

Since the 1950s, its members have organised countless events and raffles and even ran a thrift shop for a time in support of Scotland’s national children’s charity.

The remaining group of lifelong friends – Cliff Ellershaw, Shenagh Ellershaw, Gillian Inglis, Doris Kellet, Marion Oxnard and Liz Thomson, represented almost 200 years of fundraising experience between them.

Chair Gillian first became involved alongside her mother as a child nearly 70 years ago, while treasurer Cliff joined the group in the 1970s.

With some members now in their 90s, they have made the difficult decision to bring the group’s remarkable fundraising journey to an end.

To mark their contribution, Children First recently welcomed members to its Selkirk service to celebrate their achievements and recognise the difference their fundraising has made.

Mary Glasgow, chief executive of Children First, said: “The Selkirk Action Group is a wonderful example of what can happen when people come together with a shared commitment to helping children and families.

“For more than 70 years, this group brought friendship, generosity and incredible dedication to their fundraising for Children First.

“Raising £73,200 is an extraordinary achievement, but the story behind that figure is even more special.

“It represents decades of people giving their time, organising events, bringing their community together and doing whatever they could to support children in the Borders and across Scotland.

“On behalf of everyone at Children First, I want to say a heartfelt thank you to every member, past and present, and to everyone who has supported the Selkirk Action Group over the years.

“Their dedication has been instrumental in giving hundreds of children safer, brighter futures.”

The group’s efforts had a particularly strong local connection, supporting Children First’s longstanding Borders service.

The service works to protect children from harm and helps children and families recover from trauma and abuse in their homes, schools and communities.

Bill Dunbar, who led the charity’s work in the Borders for many years as an inspector when it was known as the RSSPCC, was a core member of the Selkirk Action Group before his death earlier this year.

A lifelong champion for children, he played a crucial role in the group’s history and is remembered with great affection by his fellow members.

Gillian Inglis, who chaired the committee for the past decade, said: “It’s meant so much to all of us to be able to raise money to help children who really needed it, especially in our local community, and to make people aware of Children First.

“I’ve been on the committee for 40 years and been involved in all sorts of fundraising events – from open garden schemes, supper evenings, fashion shows and silent auctions to concerts and a cappella evenings at Philiphaugh Estate.

“Over the years, our committee has changed. We used to have around 16 members, but times change and we were down to eight of us.

“We’re all getting older, so we decided that sadly the time had come to wind down.

“It’s lovely to be appreciated for everything. I’m glad I was part of it.”

Although the group’s remarkable 70-year journey has come to an end, its legacy will live on through the children and families it has helped across the Borders and beyond.