£ 0.70 The Upper Tweed Community News Issue 78 September 2017 Challenging new role for andrew dunlop Mary brownlie awarded beM

Congratulations to Mary Brownlie who was awarded Andrew Dunlop of Corstane, Broughton, has a new and demanding the British Empire Medal in the Queens Birthday role in addition to his farming commitments. He has been appointed as Honours for Services to the Community of Broughton the Development Offcer for South East Scotland for the RSABI (Royal and Upper Tweed. Scottish Agricultural Benevolent Institution, a charitable company limited Mary was born and educated in Biggar. She married by guarantee). Andrew will be working for this unique Scottish charity, her late husband, Neil, in 1955 and after ffteen years established in 1897, that provides assistance and support to those who have farming at Skirling Mill Farm they moved to The been involved or are still involved with farming, crofting and growing. Lodge in Broughton in 1970. While they were there The fnancial pressures in agriculture can be very great in these times of she opened her garden for charity for ten years. complex support for farmers and very uncertain futures. When illness, They bought the Village Store in 1972 and ran it for injury or retirement is added, the demands can be great or overwhelming. eighteen years until 1990. They moved to Dumra The need is to support those in distress. three years later and Neil died in 2007.. Andrew’s new role is to increase the exposure of the RSABI across the Since moving to Broughton, Mary has been a leading South East of Scotland. He said, “throughout Scotland, the success of fgure in the Community of Upper Tweed. She was thousands of businesses depends upon the hard graft of those who live and a Justice of the Peace for thirty years, Treasurer of work on the land. Our Supporter Scheme offers organisations, businesses the John Buchan Museum, Treasurer, Vice-President and individuals the opportunity to support the charity according to their and fnally President of the Broughton Flower Show size and generosity”. for fve years. She also started the Girl Guides in Contact Andrew on 07746677423 if you would like to get involved in Broughton and ran it for several years. In addition, assisting the RSABI. she was Treasurer and later President of the Women’s The RSABI can help by offering one-off grants, regular grants or non-fnancial Rural which is now called the Women’s Institute. support through the helpline. RSABI Helpline - 0300 111 4166 http://www. The British Empire Medal was created in 1922 and rsabi.org.uk. was granted in recognition of meritorious civil or military service. Between 1993 and 2012, the British Empire Medal was not awarded to subjects of the United Kingdom but it was resumed in June 2012, to View Featured in Scottish Game Fair coincide with the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee although only in the civil division.. The presentation to Mary will be made by the Lord Lieutenant Professor Sir Hew Strachan later in the year.

C ontents pages Biggar Music Club 2 WWI: In Memoriam 3 Walter Hogg Remembered 4 Arts for All 4 Wrae Castle 5 Endurance Riding Extraordinary Fundraising 6 Upper Tweed First Responders 6 Tweedsmuir Talk 7 Transforming Care after Treatment 8 New Councillor: Heather Anderson 9 Banans News 9 Noticeboard 10 Alistair Howitt’s view from Stanhope was selected in competition for the Young Nature Watch 11 front page of the Scottish Game Fair programme this year. Sheep in the Show 12 this issue is sponsored by biggar MusiC Club (p2) Upper Tweed Community News 1

wwi: in MeMoriaM In June 2014, the Upper Tweed Community News started to list some of the men from our communities who died in the disastrous, tragic World War. Lieutenant Benjamin Hall Blyth Private Douglas Telfer Henderson Cameron Highlanders Royal Scots Fusiliers SWANS Benjamin’s father was the Inspector of Douglas Telfer of Hartree was working MINICOACH HIRE Works at during its con- as a grocer in Biggar when he joined the struction and he received some of his ed- Scottish Rifes in February 1917. He was later transferred to the Royal Scots ucation at Tweedsmuir School. He was 3 Springwell Brae Fusiliers. rated as “a young man of excellent parts Broughton and of great promise”. After a period in France, he was invalid- 01899 830251 He joined the Cameron Highlanders and ed home but later he returned to France went to France where he fought in the where he was engaged in action at Locre third battle of Aisne. (now called Loker) in Flanders. 16-seater mini coaches On the morning of 27 May 1918, the Ger- The Germans attacked at Locre which for hire mans began a bombardment of the Al- was completely destroyed. There was lied front lines with over 4,000 artillery great artillery activity in the Luce Val- pieces. ley south of Lassigy but further attacks The bombardment was followed by a were repulsed. It was during this action poison gas drop. Once the gas had lifted, that Douglas Telfer was killed on Sunday the main infantry assault by 17 German 28th April 1918. He was nineteen years divisions commenced, part of an Army old. HANDYMAN Group nominally commanded by Crown Douglas Telfer is buried in a cemetery Prince Wilhelm, the eldest son of Kaiser near Lille and his name is on the Brough- fenCing Wilhelm II. ton War Memorial gardening Taken completely by surprise and with their defences spread thin, the Allies were sMall building repairs unable to stop the attack and the German and renovations army advanced through a 25 mile gap in the Allied lines. Reaching the Aisne in under six hours, the Germans smashed DOUGLAS A ROPER through eight Allied divisions on a line THE LOGAN, WEEDSMUIR between Reims and Soissons, pushing the T Allies back to the river Vesle and gaining TEL: 01899 880284 an extra 10 miles of territory by nightfall. Victory seemed near for the Germans, who had captured just over 50,000 Allied soldiers and over 800 guns by 30 May 1918. But advancing within 30 miles of Paris on 3 June, the German armies were beset by numerous problems, including supply shortages, fatigue, lack of re- SCOTT VEHICLE Electrical Contractor serves and many casualties. It was after (Prop: N Curatolo) this action that Benjamin Henderson died REPAIRS from his wounds on 18th June 1918. • Domestic, Commercial & Industrial Benjamin Henderson’s name is on the Installations Tweedsmuir War Memorial. SERVICE, REPAIRS • Security Lighting & Alarms • Electric Showers MOT TESTING • House Re-wires TYRES & EXHAUSTS • Portable Appliance Testing • SBSA Registered Self-Certifer CALOR GAS, COAL AND CAR WASH All work guaranteed Unit 2, Lindsaylands Road, Biggar ML12 6EQ Tel 01899 220160 07860 750982 THE GARAGE Fax 01899 220160 BROUGHTON E-mail: [email protected] TEL 01899 830 240 http://www.nacelectrics.com/

Upper Tweed Community News 3 w alter h ogg upper tweed arts for all 1918 – 2017 Listen out for the drums.....We are Walter was born in Cragierig in Meggat delighted to confrm that Upper Tweed Valley and went to the local school. Both Arts for All will be running a community his home and the school now lie beneath drum project starting in January 2018. the waters of Meggat Resevoir. This has been made possible by substantial He left school aged fourteen and joined funding from SSE Community Fund and his father working as a shepherd at donations from the Broughton Primary Cramalt Farm now also under the water. School Parent Council, the Community News and some of our own funds. The In 1928 he moved to Langhaugh in Manor project will be led by Mat Clements, Valley and at the outbreak of war, having a very experienced drumming teacher, a reserved occupation as shepherd, he who will take participants on a Big Drum joined the Ettrick and Yarrow Home Adventure introducing them to drums and Guard. He was also an enthusiastic hill rhythms from around the world. runner and competed in local events. The core of the project will be happening He married Grace in 1958 and in 1961 at Broughton Primary School where for they moved to Ayrshire where he worked 9 weeks every child will participate in as shepherd manager at Fechan farm weekly sessions of drumming fun and which was part of the Earl of Glasgow’s learning. Mat will also run a 6 week Fairlie estate. He retired in 1976 due to ill course of evening sessions open to local health and Grace took a job at Lilliesleaf teenagers and adults. The fnale of the near Selkirk. Walter had been a dedicated project will be a community performance shepherd all his working life. and ceilidh in Broughton Village Hall In Broughton, Walter was a very keen which will be a collaboration between Walter’s health improved and he started member of the Bowls Club and played the drummers and Tweedsmuir musician working as a dyker. In 1977 there was until he was ninety years old. He and his Sarah Northcott and her band. major fooding at the head of Ettrick brother played Carpet Bowls for Scotland. We are about to have our frst meeting with Valley and hundreds of yards of dykes Walter was a true countryman and had a Mat to set some dates so look out in the were washed away. Walter and a deep knowledge of the countryside and its next Community News for confrmation of colleague spent the next three years wildlife. He was also a most popular and dates and information about how you can rebuilding them. respected member of the community. get involved by helping out or learning to They moved to Broughton in 1998 where drum. Grace worked at Glencotho. In 2002 they Upper Tweed Arts for All is also planning Quotes of the Quarter moved to the Cedar Cottage at Cardon on running a willow lantern making where they remained until 2013 after workshop open to all this autumn, dates which they moved to Springwell Brae. ‘Concensus:the process of abon- doning all beliefs, values and and times to be confrmed. Walter and Grace had fve children. policies in search of something in Alec, a gamekeeper and President of which no one believes’. the Gamekeepers’ Association; Sheena who was a journalist and editor of the Margaret Thatcher News when she was only (Brexit, maybe?) DAVID twenty three – sadly she died in 2015; MUNDELL John who is a farm manager; Innes, a ‘Bad ideas refuse to die; they just horticulturalist; and Grace who lives in wait patiently for the next Missouri USA; . manifesto’. He also had seven grandchildren and Garry Hinscliff MP for Dumfriesshire Clydesdale & three great grandchildren. Tweeddale Comstituencies Six ways to contact David: • write to David at Monro House, Duncan Drive, Moffat, DG10 9JW • telephone on 0800 731 9590 (freephone) • visit one of David’s surgeries – see local press for details

• E-mail [email protected] • David’s website at www. davidmundell.com • Tweet at @DavidMundellDCT Upper Tweed Community News 4 wrae Castle wrae farM, broughton Wrae Castle, a listed building, was thought to have been built around 1524 according to the earliest records. It is one of several remains of castles or forts in the Upper Tweed Valley that were owned by the Tweedies who controlled this part of the valley. The early history is one of lawlessness, typical of the at that time, with deadly feuds between neighbouring families, particularly between the Tweedies and the Veitch family. Only a tall section tower, with a stair, remains standing now. It is situated on the north shoulder of Wrae Hill, looking over the Tweed valley below and on the opposite side of the river to Castle. It may have replaced or been attached to an earlier building. It is said that the family of Geddes of Rachan and Kittlehall owned the lands of Wrae initially. What is known is that a castle was here at Wrae Casrle, least as early as 1524. In that year James Tweedie of Wrae, along with a drawing from William Chambers, 1864 a group of Tweedies, including John Tweedie of Drumelzier, Thomas The fortunes of the family declined and, in 1633, the last Tweedie of and James Tweedie of Kilbucho were involved Tweedie of Drumelzier was forced to sell the Barony of in the murder of John, 2nd Lord Fleming, .and the abduction of his Drumelzier to Lord Hay of Yester. son, Malcolm. The dispute concerned the latter’s intention to marry The last mention of the Tweedies of Wrae in the Records Catherine Fraser. She ended up marrying James Tweedie of Drumelzier. of the Parliament of Scotland was in 1649, when William The main centre of the Tweedie family until the 17th century was at Tweedie of Wrae was included in a list of landowners Drummelzier. Other branches of the family lived at Wrae, Stobo, Dreva, regarding an ‘Act for putting the kingdom in a posture Fruid and other forts and peel towers along the valley. of defence’. William was part of the Scottish army under The Tweedies charged tolls on travellers passing through their territory. General Leslie, and is mentioned in this capacity in 1656. They were accused of, or the victims of, cattle rustling, and they became In 1679 the lands of Wrae were included in a charter to embroiled in affrays, often fatal, in the streets of . Sir William Murray of Stanhope, and sometime after this A long-running feud between the Flemings and Tweedies led to they became the property of the Hunters of . the Tweedie property of Tinnis Castle being destroyed with gunpowder This may have occurred when Robert Hunter of Polmood by the 2nd Lord Fleming’s son, Malcolm, 3rd Lord Fleming. married Veronica Murray, daughter of Sir David Murray In 1592 another James Tweedie of Drumelzier was accused of the murder of Stanhope, in 1721. of Geddes of Glenhegdon in Edinburgh. The complaint against him Walter Hunter’s daughter, Elizabeth, married James states that it was not known how many slaughters had been committed Forbes, 17th Lord Forbes, in 1792, and Wrae passed into by James Tweedie of Drumelzier and his friends. the Forbes family in 1796 upon the death of Walter. In The ancient quarrel with the Veitches of Dawyck still broke out at times, 1847 Thomas Tweedie of Quarter, who had been buying and in 1611 attracted the notice of King James, one of whose last acts up lots of estates in the area, bought the lands of Wrae before leaving for England was to visit the district of Upper Tweeddale from Lord Forbes. with a view to staunching this bloody feud. However a year later it is said James Tweedie lay dead after a duel with Veitch of Dawyck. It seems likely that by this time Wrae Tower was in ruins, as it isn’t marked on Roy’s Military Survey of 1752 – 1755, and so was no longer considered signifcant. It was marked as ‘ruins’ on Mostyn Armstrong’s ‘Map of the County of Peebles or Tweeddale’, published in 1775. Over the years Wrae Tower was evidently used as a source of stone for building feld dykes, and by the late 19th century it was more or less in its current ruinous state. Interestingly, the Ordnance Survey six-inch map of 1859 shows the ruins with an L-plan outline, but whether or not this accurately represented what was visible on the ground at that time is unclear.

Jan Noble, the Wrae

OS Map – showing remains of castles thought to be owned by the Tweedies in the 16th Century. Upper Tweed Community News 5

r Upper Tweed First Responders d ogs Extraordinary Fundraising Getting Going for Upper Tweed from the There’s Labradors & Spaniels, St Bernard’s & Al- satians Scottish Endurance Riding Terrier, Poodles, Greyhounds & Dalmatians For me to say what’s the best would seem to be Club folly. Every year on the frst weekend in The Upper Tweed First Responders But I never would go past a nice loyal collie. team now has funding for equipment, July, The Scottish Endurance Riding thanks to SSE Borders Community They are clever & intelligent & friendly as well Club descends on Broughton and the Fund and to the Scottish Endurance Can often guess what your thinking afore ye ken surrounding area for a weekend of Riders Club. yersel. endurance riding. Local landowners are It has held demanding, educational You can get rough coated & beardies & coats that’s happy to give permission for this and in and enjoyable training sessions for awfy bare return receive an invitation to a lovely volunteers and will be ready to start You can work them till their tongues hing oot supper on the Saturday evening. And they aye come back for mair. when the equipment is delivered. Angus and I have been kindly invited to Many teams across Scotland are serv- this supper in Broughton Hall for the last ing their communities in this way. few years and it is there we have met the There anyone wishing to join in the A poem by the late Jim Sharpe, fund-raising power house that is Cheryl team retired shepherd, from a collection, Wallace. Cheryl hails from Troon and has contact: ‘Jim Sharpe’s Verse’. no connection to our area but as she says Ian Revell 07531 348435 or ‘Our group take over the village. Laura: [email protected] Everyone enjoys the Broughton weekend, so it is important to give something back.’ AWFUL PUNS That ‘something’ is to date over £7,000 P Taylor with £3750 raised this year alone! How does Moses make his tea? Hebrews Painter and Every November Cheryl begins her it. Decorator many and varied ways of raising money Venison for dinner again? Oh deer! to beneft Upper Tweeddale. This year I used to be a banker, but then I lost in- All types of Interior and Exterior saw her commission and produce 6000 terest. Decorating Christmas cards with amusing horse Haunted French pancakes give me the themes. These themes were also used to crepes. Fully Insured decorate 700 mugs. I changed my iPod’s name to Titanic. It’s For free quote Countrywide she chivvies equine syncing now. call Paul suppliers and vets for donations which she Jokes about German sausages are the either sells on online auctions or raffes. wurst. Tel: 01899 220489 Hardware stores fnd themselves donating I stayed up all night to see where the sun Mobile: 07709 323125 wheelbarrows and buckets for the same. went, and then it dawned on me. She ran a photo-show online where owners paid to post pictures of their horses. DAVE CAMPBELL Every endurance event she attends sees her fogging her wares and as she says ‘ I Your local handyman have to keep thinking up new ruses. Folk Available for most home maintenance and DIY jobs, small construction projects, tend to dodge when they see me coming!’ hedge trimming, servicing of petrol strimmers and lawn mowers and 'hire of a Upper Tweeddale is very grateful to man with a van' Cheryl for all her ruses. This year’s cheque will be shared between Tweeddale 01899 830317/ 07531109530 Mountain Rescue, Upper Tweed [email protected] Community Hospital Drivers Scheme and Upper Tweed First Responders.

Please note, Cheryl accosted me at the supper and flled my arms with packs of the aforementioned Christmas cards to sell. So don’t dodge if you see me. coming!

Alison Swan

Upper Tweed Community News 6 Tweedsmuir Talk The Tweedsmuir Community Action Plan event on 1st July. included an entertaining and very testing quiz, followed by At last! The Strategic Timber Transport Fund, in partnership with music from Haydn. The hamper was won by Lindsay Donald. Scottish Borders Council, has granted funding for repair of the The report will be published at the start of September. much-potholed Fruid Road before the winter sets in. Work will also begin shortly to upgrade Patervan Bridge, enabling the timber The new Crook Inn Community Hub brochure has been extraction in the north east of Tweedsmuir without the need to cross published and provides a vision for multiple future the refurbished Carlowse Bridge. The Talla to St Mary’s Loch road developments for Tweedsmuir and Upper Tweed. See th will be closed to all traffc (including cyclists) from 11 September http://tweedsmuircommunitycompany.org.uk/images/ The to 6th November to allow a replacement bridge to be constructed Tweedsmuir Community Action Plan will be published at at Meggethead (adding miles to people who work in the Eastern the start of September. Borders).

Watersports Summer came early to Tweedsmuir and families of swimmers braved the early midgies to swim in the river below Carlowse James Welch presented the case for the Crook Inn Community Hub Bridge. The waters were colder later in the summer holidays , and Upper Tweed to vistors from Heritage Lottery Fund and others. requiring more bravado and wet suits. Tweed Forum visited Tweedsmuir including the Crook Inn The Kirk benefted from with a team from Heritage Lottery and others to present holidaying children desperate their case for an ambitious project involving the entire River to clean (yes really) and used Tweed from source to sea. 3 cans of Mr Sheen polish s – getting it ready for a new minister

Campers arrived early and eager children helped put up tents for a summer ‘weekend rounders event’. Different competitive teams were held over the day Bananasman at the Crook for the Ride to and evening BBQs were fred up again and again to sustain the runners – local the Sun rabbit was the favoured choice. After marshmallows around the campfres, the There was much cycling. The Crook Inn egg-catching game took place -the mixture of ages, abilities and dusk adding to hosted the summer solstice Ride to the the excitement – and mess! Days later there were grown men hobbling about Sun (overnight from Carlisle to Cramond) with stiff leg muscles, twisted knees. with a midnight disco and another Christine Parker appearance of ‘Bananaman’. In early August, 1600 London/Edinburgh/ London international cyclists negotiated ACCOUNTANTS AND TAX ADVISORS TO THE AGRICULTURAL SECTOR SINCE their way through timber lorries, locals 1926. and summer visitors. The Scottish Coast • Self assessment tax returns, tax planning and advice to Coast and Land’s end to John o Groats • Audit and accountancy services cyclists regularly use the Crook Inn • Secretarial and book-keeping services including payroll as a refreshment stop but nothing. will • General fnancial consultancy services including business plans compare to impact of the road closure for Please contact resident partner Leslie W Reid, 25 Bloomgate, Lanark, ML11 9ET the Tour o The Borders on 3rd September Telephone: 01555 663251 Fax: 01555 702034 E-mail: [email protected] when over 2000 cyclists, many using the REGISTERED TO CARRY OUT AUDIT WORK AND REULATED FOR A RANGE OF INVESTMENT ACTIVITIES BY THE Tweedsmuir Hall for a refreshment stop, INSTITUTE OF CHARTERED ACCOUNTANTS OF SCOTLAND. before the famous Talla Linn hill climb. Upper Tweed Community News 7 transforMing Care after treatMent – (tCat) BORDERS ….have you or your faMily been affeCted by CanCer? CHIROPRACTIC reableMent proJeCt

An inspiring new pilot project which has recently been launched in the Tweeddale area, OfferingChiropractic is now being rolled out across the whole of the Scottish Borders. It is a new service for treatment for a variety of people living with cancer, designed to enhance their lives when treatment has fnished. joint, posture and muscle problems Project Coordinator, Angela Davidson, explained: ‘Cancer is a life changing experience which can affect all aspects of your life and result in changes that last long after Acupuncture, massage, and treatments ends. Many people don’t know where to turn to for help with these changes ultrasound also available and struggle on alone. This is where the Reablement Project can help.’ Tel: 01721 720 694 TCAT is part of a national programme to improve the support every person affected by borderschiropractic.co.uk cancer in Scotland receives after their treatment ends and is a joint initiative between British Red Cross, Macmillan Cancer Support, NHS Borders, Scottish Borders Council 2 Cherry Court, Cavalry and Fit Borders. Park, Peebles, EH45 9BJ

The team provide the advice, information and support needed to help people recovering from cancer regain control of their lives. By working in partnership with the person, their family and friends, the TCAT service provides practical, tailored, one-to-one Drummond & support to help identify what is important for recovery, build up emotional and physical Murray Ltd strength and re-engage with friends and activities.

Angela told us about World War II veteran from Peebles, 96-year-old-John McOwan, who was diagnosed with bladder cancer three years ago. In common with many people when their cancer treatment has fnished, John found he was feeling a bit ‘down’ as Plumbing & Central well as suffering from age-related problems with his sight and hearing. Through the Heating engineers Reablement Project, John was visited by an occupational therapist and a British Red Oil - Solid Fuel - Gas Cross Neighbourhood Links Coordinator who then put him in touch with the Linburn Installations & Maintenance Centre for the War Blinded in Edinburgh. John now enjoys weekly visits to the Centre where he swims, paints and has taken up archery. He recognizes how the quality of his Conversions life has improved and feels more outgoing than he was a year ago. TEL: 01683 220065

This is a free service for anyone in the Tweeddale area who has been given a cancer FAX: 01683 221621 diagnosis, regardless of what type of cancer or subsequent treatment and it is available 36 Well Street, Moffat, no matter what stage of the cancer journey a person has reached. If you or anyone in your Dumfriesshire, DG 10 9DP family would like to know more about this project, telephone: the Tweeddale Social Care and Health team on 01721 726355 and ask about the TCAT Reablement Project – or emai: [email protected] Revd Pamela Strachan .

DAWYCK AUTUMN PLANT SALE STUART-MENTETH sunday 8th oCtober 2017 10.aM – 3.00pM OSTEOPATHIC PRACTICE Dawyck Botanic Garden, Stobo, Peeblesshire EH45 9JU Come along to our Bring and Buy Plant Sale and discover a host of Mrs. Rosalind Stuart-Menteth, D.O. plants and shrubs to try out in your own garden. Osteopath Free entry – All Welcome ! Gentle osteopathic treatment, sometimes with ‘cranial’, is given for biggar big band ConCert wine tasting back ache, muscular aches, Friday 22nd September will be performing a concert in the joint stiffness, poor posture etc. at 6.30 pm Broughton Village Hall in early No- All ages are seen: babies to senior citizens. Broughton Primary School Parent vember helping us raise some of the Council necessary funds for the above Arts 31 Elcho Street, in association with for All Drumming Project (page 4 ). Peebles Villeneueve Wines, Peebles EH45 8LQ Please come and support us, we look £10. 10 o/o of sales to the Parent 01721 722301 forward to sharing an evening of great Council musical entertainment. Support the School and enjoy Upper Tweed Community News 8 new Counnunity CounCillor bananas news for tweeddale west ‘Fishes’ was the theme to support heather anderson transition of our ‘Big Bananas’ to Primary One. Everyone was keen to join in singing and clapping to the ‘Little fshes’ song and, after watching the performance by Mrs Lamb’s class, acting out the story themselves. We had lunch in the dining hall and joined in with sports day. On ‘moving up’ day, our’ big bananas’ went to school and we welcomed our Jon - the Music Man new families for a visit. This year we had dads, grannies and childminders as well as mums. We held an open day, inviting the community for coffee and cake, and were able to reminisce about the old days and now how early I am absolutely delighted to be one of learning and childcare is changing to your 3 newly elected Tweeddale West natural resources and loose parts. We councilors. Over these frst few months all had the chance to fnd out about I have learned a huge amount and I books when we visited the mobile am already working hard representing library van. It was much more exciting Engrossed in the mobile library constituent concerns to the Council. to sit on a van foor to read than on I moved to Lamancha back in 2000 and, our carpet! Jon, the music man, together with my husband Pete and our introduced us to some new songs and two sons, run an organic upland farm with some variations on old ones – e.g. farm shop and café that also hosts three “Tony Chestnut knows I love him” – other local businesses. I fully understand if you are struggling - say it slowly….. the pressures many small rural businesses See photos on page 11. are dealing with and the need for support to create and secure local employment and Supporting Bananas via the Co-op improve connectivity both by broadband You may have seen a picture of a and bus. healthy food trolley at Biggar Co- Meals - a social occasion Over the last decade I have been keen op as Bananas are currently a local to encourage people to travel up our community cause receiving 1% of the Bananas still have space for children spectacular road, aptly described as the cost of any Co-op branded product that over 3 and open 8.35 am to 12.35pm, tourist route to Edinburgh. We can do you buy and a percentage of carrier bag Mondays to Thursdays during the school more to make everyone travelling to sales. To support Bananas members term – contact us for more information on Scotland chose that turning and secure can log into your account at www. 01899830589 bananasplaygroup@ benefts for everyone on the way. coop.co.uk/membership These details yahoo.co.uk and visit our web site www. can be found on our new Facebook In our Manifesto we said we would bananasplaygroup.org.uk work for more affordable housing, better page Bananas elc. childcare provision and stronger rural economic development and I will. I am Christine Parker, Coriena Douglas determined to ensure that our beautiful bit of the Borders is not overlooked and that our voice is heard. The Laurel Bank in Broughton I hold monthly surgeries in Peebles on the tea room bistro bar third Tuesday of every month at 6pm but I can be contacted every day by email Tel 01899 830462 on [email protected]

Heather Anderson, SNP Whitmuir Farm, Lamancha, West Linton, EH46 7BB Tel 07811 977 280

Kris ChapMan, lib-deM & eriC sMall Conservative will be invited to describe their aims for the Upper Tweeddale in future issues of the Upper Tweed Community News Upper Tweed Community News 9 n otiC eboard Broughton and District Bowling Club Do you use Heating Oil? The club was delighted to receive a grant from Do you want to save money on your oil costs? the Community Council (via the Infnis Glenkerie Do you want to see fewer delivery tankers on the road? Community Fund) in May this year to purchase Interested in the above? junior bowls to use in Introduction to Bowls sessions with Primary 6 of Broughton Primary Join the Broughton and Area Oil Buying Group School. The provision of further sets of bowls More details [email protected] meant that the pupils had more hands-on experi- or see the insert in the Upper Tweed Community News ence and thoroughly enjoyed learning the skills required and then applying these in games and in BT Community Broadband in Broughton. a fnal tournament at the end of their fve week There are 291 residences served by the Broughton exchange, and some block. are lucky to be able to connect to the fbre network and experience Mary Morrison faster and a more reliable broadband service. However, many aren’t. I’m trying to get together a list of people who are not being served by the new fbre upgrade on the Broughton exchange and would be interested in getting a community broadband service with BT Community Broadband. I am just trying to gather interest at present and move it forward from there. If anyone is interested if they could email me at jan.noble@yahoo. co.uk with their name, full postal address and landline telephone number I will add them to the list and be in touch after speaking with the BT community team. Jan Noble Gentlemen’s Lunch Club Due to the closure of the Glenholm Centre, the Men’s Lunch Club has relocated to Biggar Rugby Club which has an excellent reputa- tion for service and food and is particularly recommended by mem- bers of the Ladies Lunch Club. Our frst lunch at the Rugby Club will be on Tuesday10th October and on the 2nd and 4th Tuesdays thereafter up to the end of April 2018 (except for 26 December and 9th January 2018). The Lunch Club welcomes new members. One can either be a Regu- lar Member and come to every lunch or an Occasional Member and come whenever it suits you. If you are interested and would like to become a member or want more information, contact the Club Secretary, Peter Douglas Tel Students enjoying bowls 01899 830565 or e-mail [email protected]. Witch Wood Walk Sunday 3rd September 2.30pm £6 new in loCal direCtory The updated local directory has new A guided walk around some of the places in and around Broughton that John Buchan entries - the Broughton Oil Group and used as inspiration for his atmospheric novel Witch Wood. The walk will incorporate the First Responders Group (page 1), a few stops to appreciate Buchan’s writing, his descriptions of people, places and Fitness Classes in Tweedsmuir and the landscape. Pilates for novices in Skirling (page This event is part of the ‘Creative Peebles Festival’ and is a fundraiser for the ‘John 2) and updated contact names and Buchan Story’ Museum. numbers for several organisations. The walk will start and end at the Broughton Village Hall, with tea/coffee and shortbread. Tickets available from the Eastgate Theatre, Peebles or on the day of the broughton village hall walk. The walk will be approx 2 hours long,dogs on leads welcome. Reduction in hall charges .

There has been a signifcant reduction UPPER TWEED COMMUNITY NEWS is published quarterly. We in expenditure as a result of changing support the Hospital Drivers Scheme and the Newcomers party. We wel- insurance broker and becoming a come articles and notices of interest to people in Upper Tweed. charity(SC046665).The Management Editor: Duncan Davidson. Assistant Editors: Richard Carr, Denise Lintott, Mur- Committee has reduced charges for do Elder, Lesley Mason. both small and large halls by £2/hour Advertising & Sponsorshp - Murdo Elder; Treasurer - Brian Bushell. and the meeting room by £1/hour The next issue will be published on 1st December 2017. Articles and notices effective from September 1st. should be submitted by November 15th 2017 to: The new charges will be £14, 8 and 6./ Duncan Davidson, Oliver, Tweedsmuir, by Biggar, M12 6QN. Tel 01899 880278 hour respectively. or [email protected] Website www.uppertweed.org Upper Tweed Community News 10 young nature watCh

This little article is just about the Tweed and our gardens, our own little Springwatch. Our area has the most exquisite wildlife with such a variety of species, both great and small. To start off we have our tawny owl. I’m sure that we have more than one but for now I shall talk about this photograph (top). This is a shot taken by me and is a shot of the owl sleeping in a nearby tree. It took its time and slept for a rather long time lazily perched on the tree. We spotted this walking along by the river as we turned to face our small patch of forest. The owl swept in, it was easily distinguishable as you could clearly see the face from the side, fat, but as depicted, very wise looking. I found this certainly one of my top picks of any of the birds I’ve seen, simply for the quiet and perfect owl.

Sleeping Owl

My next choice is our herons and their chicks. I chose these simply because I love watching the birds and appreciating the immense size and noise created by them. I know quite a lot of the birds individually and I love watching the fedglings (baby birds that have left their nest). As this photos shows here I love this shot as it’s rather close to the bird and shows how it looks.

Grey heron

The last on the list is the red squirrel. This is a species that my whole family have put a lot of effort into because, as you may know, we also have invading grey squir- rels here. There are about 2 million greys in comparison to about a 140 thousand of reds. Anyway, what we must do is trap and take away the greys for the reds to thrive because greys give reds the squirrel pox, a horrible disease. Back to the point, I was walking through a pine wood when I spotted this red feeding on the branch about 20m away and my luck improved because slightly farther to the right was another red and this is another reason I chose this shot because it proves how a lot of effort usually ends up with the reward of a good photo.

Red squirrel Article and photographs provided by Alex Lintott, Peebles High School S2.

broughton village store n ewsagent, l i C ensed www.treesurv.co.uk

groC er and M ore establishMent, greetings C ards. fresh bread ManageMent and restoration frozen fish & CooKed Meats of native woodlands fruit & vegetables rboriCultural laundry serviCes a deliveries on reQuest surveys tel 830465 hedge planting & Open daily 7.00 a.m.-6.00 p.m. MaintenanCe Sundays 7.00 a.m.-5.00 p.m. Tel: 01899 830 465 tree surgery tiMber ConstruCtion tel: 01899 830 578 Mob: 07903 924 565

Autumn Exhibition 3rd September to 11th November, 2017

Picture Framing Service Broughton, By Biggar, ML12 6HQ hillhousegallery.com Tel: 07768 690069 OPEN 7 DAYS ALL YEAR 01899 830462 Upper Tweed Community News 11 sheep in the show The summer months tend to be the time for agricultural shows, and there is rarely a weekend without a show taking place. Sheep showing is an important part of many livestock farmers’ calendar, and takes a lot of time and effort. Sheep will be judged in the ring based on a set of breed standards, and the judges are experienced livestock farmers, who will have been part of the industry for many years, so know what to look for in a good animal. To get the sheep ready for the show they are washed, and then “dressed”. Dressing involves preparing the sheep in such a way as to show it to its best. There are lots of rules in dressing sheep, and each breed has its own set of guidelines as to how it should be prepared for the show. Preparation at the ‘Beauty Parlour’ Allan Smellie, Posso - Texel • Colouring feeces – some breeds have their wool dyed to accentuate certain features and make the animal stand out from the others in the show ring. All farmers mix their own colour of dye to their own preference, and guard the recipe of the mixture from other exhibitors. • Trimming the Fleece – some breeds are trimmed, to allow various aspects of the animal to stand out – for example Beltex sheep will be clipped in such a way to exaggerate the size of their hind quarters, Bluefaced Leicesters are clipped to ensure the head of the animal stands out, but Texel sheep have to be shown with a natural feece, and no preening is allowed. • Training the Sheep – Sheep have to ‘show well’ in the show ring, so have to be calm when being handled, so have to be used to being held by the exhibitor. They also have to Line up for judging - Blackface Tups stand in a particular way to show themselves off as well as possible. • The exhibitor – has to be experienced, and know how to hold the sheep, how to get it to look well in the show ring, and be alert. You will often hear the exhibitor making noises to get the sheep’s attention and keep it alert.

So why go to all this bother for a few sheep? There are lots of reasons for showing sheep. It is a lot of fun, it is great to be recognised as having produced a high-quality animal, it rewards livestock breeders for their hard work throughout the year and there is often signifcant prize money and trophies for the winner. However, the most important reason for showing is that prize-winning animals can demand higher prices at future ‘How well do they move?’ - Mule ewe lambs - Malcolm and sales, and Livestock breeders will get a name for producing Gary Thornborrow high quality animals, which will result in all their stock being able to demand premium prices when sold, as there will be a demand for them from other farmers. Most agricultural shows hold stock judging competitions for the public to try their hand at being the judge for the day. If you get a chance to take part, you will see just how diffcult it is to pick a winner, particularly when all the animals in the ring are at the top of the breed. Some farmers prefer to buy their stock from breeders who do not show but use some scientifc evaluation to estimate the pros and cons of each animal. These sheep are not able to command anywhere near the top prices paid for show winner but the purchaser is able to select for traits which may not be obvious or even possible to identify in the show ring situation, e.g. the milkiness of a male animal which he will not show but will Rosettes presented and back to the pen - Beltex: Myles pass on to his daughters. This method is much more usual in Harrison, Zara and Struan Wood countries like New Zealand. Lesley Mason Anne Welsh Printed by Lanark Print Company, 116-119 North Vennel, Lanark, ML117PT Upper Tweed Community News 12