Little school is a big winner
Ettrick Primary School might be one of the smallest schools in the Borders, with only six pupils, but it has been proving that it can still make its mark on a national stage.
The school was recently chosen as winner of Appetite for Action’s Get Growing challenge which focuses on green initiatives.
The news comes just weeks after Ettrick was presented with the national Toshia Namba trophy for winning both first and second prize in the Robert Burns World Federation Art Competition 2010. Well done Ettrick!
WASTE MINIMISATION: Message from the Greens
Ernie the Recycling Elephant felt very much at home with the Greens when he called in at Hawick Rugby Club.
These children from Drumlanrig St Cuthbert’s Primary School joined Hawick rugby players to give Ernie a hand as he urged Borderers to remember to do their recycling – and be green.
The 10-foot inflatable elephant was on a six-week tour of Scotland’s iconic locations urging people to recycle more items, more often. A recent Scottish Government report shows some items such as newspapers, magazines and glass are being recycled at high levels, but that other waste now needs to be targeted.
The report found that, each year, the average Scottish household throws out 260kg of items which could be recycled.
WASTE MINIMISATION: Do it at work
Recycling at work now makes more sense than ever. Charges for uplifting general waste have increased again while those for recycling encourage firms to make good environmental decisions about their waste.
Rob Orr, SBC Environmental Services Business Officer, is keen to encourage commercial operations to recycle much more.
He said: “You’ll be amazed by how many cans, plastics and drink cartons are thrown out at work and if businesses make sure they are not put into general waste bins, they can be recycled.”
For more information
Contact the Trade Waste team on 01835 825 111 or email environmental services@scotborders.gov.uk
Who wants to be a milliner?
A charity gala event celebrating the art of millinery and raising funds for the Teenage Cancer Trust took place at the Tower Mill in the Heart of Hawick recently.
More than 20 hats were modelled during the ‘hatwalk’ – most of which were made during a weekend of millinery workshops run by the Hatwalk charity at the Borders Textile Towerhouse in Hawick. Participants created highly individual hats using donated and recycled materials sourced from the Borders.
Among the creations modelled was ‘Surf and Turf’ (pictured) by Felicity Faichney. It is a playful interpretation of the working hats worn by fishermen.
The events have been designed in partnership with the Heart of Hawick and the Creative Arts Business Network (CABN) at Scottish Borders Council, which supports artists in the Borders.
As part of the project, CABN has commissioned a talented photography graduate from St Boswells, Christopher Keatinge, to photograph the new milliners’ hats.
For more information
Visit www.scotborders.gov.uk/cabn
New safety campaigns launched
Following a successful TV campaign to raise awareness of child protection, the Scottish Borders Child Protection Committee is now turning its attention to two growing concerns: the dangers of internet use and child trafficking.
Information on how to use the internet safely is being prepared. Every parent needs to be aware of the dangers their child faces through the internet to ensure they can keep their child as safe as possible.
An introduction to ‘e-safety’ and a list of useful links to sites with detailed guidance has been published alongside the Child Protection Guidelines at www.scotborders.gov.uk/childprotection
A leaflet about child trafficking is also available on the website. Child trafficking is defined as “the recruitment, transportation, transfer, harbouring or receipt of a child for the purpose of exploitation”.
Most children and young people do not know they are being trafficked. They may arrive with adults they know and still be controlled by their traffickers who use deception, violence, threats and debts to them.
For more information
If you suspect a child or young person is a victim of trafficking, contact the police immediately on 0131 311 3131
Procurement road shows a hit
A series of road shows took place across the Borders earlier this summer to help local businesses work with the Council.
Part of the ongoing Supplier Development Programme, officers met more than 250 suppliers and discussed how the Council advertises contract opportunities, provided details of the changes taking place in public sector procurement – both at national and local levels – and gave information on the support available to local businesses to help them compete for public sector contracts.
The road shows visited Peebles, Galashiels, Hawick, Duns, Kelso, Selkirk and Newtown St Boswells.
Feedback from the events was very positive and comments from suppliers included:
- “Good to meet with the team.”
- “Helpful process and reference documentation provided.”
- “Enjoyed meeting the people behind the telephone. Very informative.”
- “I picked up key points on tendering that will be useful to my business activity.”
Quarterly surgeries are now being introduced to provide ongoing support and advice to businesses.
For more information
Further information on all future events will be advertised on www.scotborders.gov.uk/procurement
Local businesses can find more information and advice about how to tender for public contracts at www.sdpscotland.co.uk
Association gets creative
A new trade association for the creative services industries in the Borders held a successful launch event at Main Street Trading in St Boswells recently.
More than 60 members of Borders Creative Ltd heard from similar organisations from Derbyshire and Lancashire about how they set up local associations and the activities they offer.
Borders Creative has been supported by the South of Scotland Creative Clusters Project, a Scottish Borders Council and Business Gateway project, part-financed by the European Union, to provide ongoing support to businesses in the creative services sector.
Hugh Williams, who manages the project, said: “It was great to see so many creative people and businesses at the event, and we’re looking forward to offering our members a range of stimulating and informative events in the future.”
For more information
Contact Hugh on 01835 826773 or email hugh.williams@bgateway.com
Touchscreens make libraries child's play
New self-service terminals are now available at Coldstream, Melrose and Innerleithen libraries.
The machines allow any library user, including those who use National Entitlement Cards, to borrow or return books through simple touch-sensitive screens, easy-to-follow instructions and smart card technology.
A receipt is printed when books are borrowed showing what has been borrowed and when they are due back.
A receipt is also issued when books are brought back to the library confirming that they have been returned.
For more information
Visit www.scotborders.gov.uk/libraries
A handy guide for sporting volunteers
To help support the growing amount of sports volunteers in the Borders, the Council and Volunteer Centre Borders (VCB) have joined forces to produce two new Volunteering in Sport Guides along with a Volunteering in Sport Action Plan.
These were officially launched at the Volunteer Hall in Galashiels recently by Scotland rugby and British Lions player Ross Ford.
The two new guides (one for clubs and one for new volunteers) were produced in consultation with a wide range of sports volunteers and groups with the aim of helping to recruit, train, reward and retain volunteers in sport in the Borders.
For more information
The guides can be downloaded from www.sportborders.org.uk
Website is now in Polish, Russian and Portuguese
The information website for migrants and people new to the Borders has been redesigned and translated. It is now available in Polish, Portuguese, Russian and English.
It enables newcomers to the Borders to find out about the services that are available and provides a comprehensive range of up-to-date information specific to migrants’ needs in recognition of their cultural and economic contribution to the region.
The website complements the work carried out by the Migrant Support Service and the Peer Mentoring Project.
For more information
Visit www.newtotheborders.co.uk or contact Magda Wojcicka on 01750 724 077 or e-mail migrantsupport@eildon.org.uk
Sight and Sound Day
The Sensory Services team has organised a Sight and Sound Day on Saturday 11 September from 10am to 3pm at The Volunteer Hall, Galashiels.
The free event aims to raise awareness of visual and deaf or hard of hearing issues. There will be information stalls and demonstrations of equipment and technology.
For more information
Contact Sensory Services on 01896 826272
Locals act as a link
The Local Licensing Forum connects the Licensing Board more closely with the Borders community. Members of the forum are local volunteers appointed by the Council.
For more information
Visit www.local-licensing-forums.org.uk
£60,000 to improve shops
A £60,000 Shopfront Improvement Scheme has been launched to provide grant support towards repairs and enhancement works to shop fronts in the main Borders towns.
The scheme has been developed through discussions with local business and tourism partners.
Grants of up to 80 per cent of a project’s eligible costs will be available to local independent retailers, up to a maximum of £3,000. The deadline for applications is 1 October.
The funding will be available for commercial premises such as shops, cafés, restaurants, pubs, professional services or tourism and leisure facilities.
Owners or agents of vacant properties are also eligible.
Businesses in Coldstream, Duns, Earlston, Eyemouth, Galashiels, Hawick, Innerleithen, Jedburgh, Kelso, Lauder, Melrose, Newcastleton, Newtown St Boswells, Peebles, Selkirk, St Boswells and West Linton can apply.
For more information
Contact Julie Hogg, Regeneration Officer, on 01835 826527 or email shopfronts@scotborders.gov.uk
Bring back our reach pole!
A plea has gone out for a reach pole stolen from the pond at Gala Policies woodlands to be returned. The pole was put in place in an effort to improve safety as an aid for anyone getting into difficulty in the water.
Jason Hedley, Parks Manager, said: “We are asking the perpetrator to return the pole. It was there for safety reasons and had been paid for through funds generated by pay and display parking in the town.”
For more information
If anyone has any information, please call 0300 100 1800
Competition is flourishing
Entry numbers are up again for the 2010 Floral Gateway Competition, with 27 communities taking part, compared to 24 last year.
This is the 11th year of the competition, which is run by the Parks and Open Spaces team in association with Beautiful Scotland.
New entrants are Ayton, Westruther, Ancrum and Ettrickbridge. Judging was due to take place over the last two weeks in July, with winners being announced at an awards evening at Tweed Horizons on Tuesday 7 September.
Judges were looking at all aspects of floral presentation including cleanliness and community effort.
Good luck to all entrants!
Beware of phone scam
Trading Standards has received complaints about a company cold-calling residents, claiming their computer has a virus and offering protection.
The company provides a code and asks people to enter this into their computer. Once the code is entered, the computer is taken over remotely by the person on the telephone.
For more information
Visit www.consumerdirect.gov.uk/watch_out or call Trading Standards on 0300 100 1800.
Kelso shows the 'art' of Hawick
Pupils from two primary schools in Kelso joined forces at the Wee Gallery recently to officially open a joint exhibition of their artwork on the past, present and future of Kelso Town Square.
P6 pupils from Edenside Primary School and P7 pupils from Broomlands Primary School have been taking part in ‘Trading Places – the Kelso Living Room’ project organised by the Council’s Arts Development Service.
The project saw pupils explore their built heritage, developing artwork which ranged from ceramics, drawings, 3D buildings and wooden sculptures to film.
The exhibition is currently on display at the Heritage Hub at the Heart of Hawick.
Newtown raises amazing £1,323
Newtown Primary School pupils were presented with a plaque from LEPRA recently after raising £1,323 for the charity.
All pupils from P1 to P7 took part in the fundraising by collecting sponsorships for a ‘Fun Workout’ day which marked the opening of the school’s Health Week.
Mini-enterprise benefits UNICEF
Primary six pupils at St Boswells Primary School have raised more than £400 for UNICEF through a mini-enterprise project.
The class set up their own business and took on their own separate roles in finance, advertising, research and sales. They organised a series of events to raise money including selling handmade gifts at the school Christmas Fair, organising a church collection and having a non-uniform day.
Edenside learns about renewables
Edenside Primary School’s Eco Committee visited the Energy Fair at the Heriot Watt campus in Galashiels recently to learn about renewable sources of energy.
The pupils saw how different kinds of solar panels worked. They also learned about wind turbines and wave power.
MOTs donated to book fund
Craig Motors Ltd has donated almost £500 to the Hawick schools’ book fund.
The garage donates £1 from every MOT it carries out to the book fund – which is held by Teviot and Liddesdale learning community.
This year, Drumlanrig St Cuthbert’s Primary School pupils were presented with the cheque by Laura Craig from Craig Motors Ltd. All schools in the Hawick area can apply for some of the money.
Can you picture your past?
Borders Heritage Week, from 11 to 19 September, will this year feature the first Picture your Past amateur photo competition.
The theme is ‘Conflict on the Frontiers’ and the organisers are looking for images of Iron Age hill forts, fortified houses, Roman camps or medieval castles. Prizes will include passes to Historic Scotland properties and winning entries will be displayed at the Heritage Hub in Hawick.
Archaeology Officer Chris Bowles said: “The Scottish Borders has a long and often terrible history of warfare and fortification building going back at least to the Romans and probably longer. There’s no shortage of incredible archaeology and buildings to photograph.”
For more information
Contact Chris Bowles on 01835 826 622 or email archaeology@scotborders.gov.uk or visit www.scottishbordersheritage.co.uk
Walk It group really takes off
Local walks run by the ‘Walk It’ project and Borders Disability Forum (BDF) have been proving popular.
The first three walks toured The Hirsel, Bowhill and Harestanes, with around 17 walkers attending, with a mix of disabilities such as visual impairment, wheelchair users and members from the Adult Learning Disability Community.
The participants enjoyed getting out and about so much that a summer programme was arranged, taking the group to the wave-torn shores of Eyemouth. Eyemouth Museum opened especially for the day and the visitors enjoyed a talk on the town and the fishing disaster of 1881.
The group continued their visits to include a walk along the Tweed in Peebles, Earlston Mill and Wilton Lodge Park in Hawick. Plans are already being made to continue into the autumn.
Denise Carmichael, Paths to Health Co-ordinator, said: “These visits offer the opportunity to join in on an organised tour where the needs of the group are considered carefully.
The social aspect is paramount.”
Anniversary of champions
Two locally born sports stars joined pupils, parents and teachers as the Scottish Borders Active Schools Network celebrated the first anniversary of the Champions in Schools programme.
Former Celtic FC and Scotland footballer John Collins and 100-cap Scottish rugby internationalist Chris Paterson are two of 24 Scottish sporting role models involved in the two-year pilot programme, launched by the Winning Scotland Foundation.
For more information
Visit www.championsinschools.com
Tour de Heriot
Heriot Primary School’s Primary 6/7 class, who make up ‘Heriot Road Rippers’, successfully completed their 12.7 mile cycle run from Heriot to Innerleithen in aid of LIVESTRONG – the Lance Armstrong Foundation (LAF) which helps people affected by cancer.
The Tour of Heriot involved pupils, staff, parents and members of the wider community and is the culmination of a longer-term enterprise and cycling project at the school based on the Tour de France.
The children took part in coaching sessions with Scottish Cycling to prepare for the event.
For more information
You can still make a donation online at fundraising.livestrong.org/grassroots2010/heriot_road
_rippers
You can also donate at the school or by contacting Fiona Hanlin on 01875 835223 or at fhanlin@heriot.scotborders.sch.uk