£ 0.70 The Upper Tweed Community News Issue 72 March 2016 flooding in upper tweed The recent fooding in UpperTweed was dramatic and destructive, the worst after Storm Frank. SEPA reported a record level at Kingledores:at 3.144m on 30/12/2015 at 10:30 (the averge is 0.39m.) refecting the massive run-off in Tweedsmuir and above. Water cascading down the burns and running over an already saturated land massively increases the deluge. The damage to homes, businesses and farming was signifcant although less in Upper Tweed than some other areas. The foods have triggered an on-going review of food prevention by Council.. Resilient communities may provide sandbags and other assistence. As it is likely that, with climate change, this pattern will recur it is clear that long- term planning is required. It could involve barriers, alterations in rivers but also in increasing the capacity of land to hold water with strategic fooding and forestry planting.

Flooding over the newly installed food protection at Merlindale pouring onto the B217 Merlindale Bridge,almost breached. - again. This was the third recent food. The barrier held for the frst two. © J.Lintott ©.M.Lukas

CONTENTS Broughton Bowling CluB p 2 ww1 rememBered. p 3 thirlestane- a Century of Change p 4 musiC in ChurCh: poem p 5 Borders forest trust: Vision p 6 Broughton primary sChool p 7 small Village - Big energy p 8 tweedsmuir talk p 9 notiCeBoard p10 Bananas news p11 gill Bateman retiral.& Bft p12 The valley at Stanhope. When food receded the damage was seen as below. ©C.Parker

Dyke destroyed, forlorn barrier, soil Trees uprooted. ©C.Parker Stones from a dykes strewn over the feld eroded, ©C.Parker ©C.Parker This issue is sponsored by Broughton & District Bowling c luB p2 Upper Tweed Community News 1 Broughton and Distict Bowling Club

Season 2016 OPENING OF THE GREEN on Saturday 16th April - 2.00pm New Members will be made welcome

Sunday 17th April – 12.00pm – 4.00pm

Open Day for all Ages

Bowls provided

Flat Shoes please

Secretary : Christine Kay

Tel : 01899 830369

www.broughtonanddistrictbowling.co.uk

Upper Tweed Community News 2 WW 1: In Memorium In June 2014, theUpper Tweed Community News listed the men from our communities who died in the disastrous, tragic World War 1. Some families still live in our community. We will continue to feature some of these men over the next 2 years. SWANS MINICOACH HIRE

3 Springwell Brae Broughton 01899 830251

16-seater mini coaches for hire

Sapper John Bell Gunner George Cochrane Royal Engineers Royal Field Artillery John Bell, also son of John Bell, formerly George Cochrane was the son of the HANDYMAN of The Wrae and later of Duns was a late William Cochrane, shepherd at ploughman at Cardon who volunteered Mossfennan and was by trade a joiner FENCING soon after the outbreak of war. He before joining up in December 1915. He GARDENING joined the 1st Battalion of the Cameron was attached to the Royal Field Artillery Highlander in November 1914 and and was trained at Luton and Woolwich SMALL BUILDING REPAIRS was transferred to the Royal Engineers barracks before being sent to France in AND RENOVATIONS Tunnelling Company in May 1915. August 1916.

The war on the Western Front had In 1899, The Royal Artillery had been DOUGLAS A ROPER bogged down into siege conditions by divided into different elements, The Royal November 1914. Both sides needed to Garrison Artillery (RGA), the Royal THE LOGAN, TWEEDSMUIR break through the enemy’s defensive Horse Artillery (RHA) and The Royal TEL: 01899 880284 entrenched positions. Then mining Field Artillery (RFA). The Royal Field under the enemy lines started, placing Artillery was its largest arm during WW1 explosives and blowing them up. In some being responsible for medium calibre areas, both sides mined and counter- guns and howitzers. There were over 150 mined intensively. For the infantry RFA Brigades active in WW1, the great above ground, the wait for underground majority of them in France attached to Electrical Contractor explosions was nerve-wracking indeed; Army Divisions. The Royal Artillery was (Prop: N Curatolo) for the men underground, hard toil often re-amalgamated into one force in 1924. • Domestic, Commercial & Industrial came accompanied by sudden death. George Cochrane was wounded in action Installations th The pre-war British army had no specifc on 17 October 1916 and died from his • Security Lighting & Alarms organisation for carrying out sapping, wounds in Boulogne Hospital ten days • Electric Showers mining and tunnelling operations, later on 27th October. although most men of the Royal Engineers • House Re-wires The chaplain in his letter said “how received some training in the subject. • Portable Appliance Testing highly Gunner Cockrane was held, how Digging beneath an enemy position with • SBSA Registered Self-Certifer patiently he suffered, tenderly nursed and the object of destroying it was featured in peacefully died” the book ‘Birdsong’ by Sebastian Faulks. All work guaranteed There were over thirty Royal Engineers He was buried with full Military Honours Unit 2, Lindsaylands Road, Tunnelling Companies active on the in Boulogne Cemetery on 20th October Biggar ML12 6EQ Western Front. and his name is on the Broughton War Tel 01899 220160 07860 750982 Fax 01899 220160 Memorial. John was killed in a mine explosion on 1st E-mail: [email protected] June 1916 on Vimy Ridge. His brother http://www.nacelectrics.com/ had been killed only 8 months earlier on 30th September 2015. John’s name is on The Archive the Broughton War Memorial. These biographies are drawn from the excellent book by Dr A Gunn, The Book of Remembrance for Burgh and Parish, published in 1925. The Book of Remembrance for Tweeddale It provides short biographies and photographs of those who died in WW 1. states, “It was said that the two brothers were Additional information from families for the series will be welcome. much esteemed, cheerful, active and patriotic. The book is available in an impressive digitised version from the National They willingly gave themselves at the call of Archives of at duty. Their memory is cherished both by their https://archive.org/stream/bookofremembranc1925gunn#page/n9/mode/2up. bereaved parents and friends” Upper Tweed Community News 3

Thirlestane A Century of Change in Broughton Thirlestane, on the southern edge of Broughton village, was built in 1903 by John Best, the engineer from who was in charge of the construction of the Talla dam. The site was originally a farm steading. The land sloped down from the road but John Best built much of it up to the road level, using soil excavated from a tunnel he built at Broughton Knowe to take the water main to Edinburgh. He named the house “Dalnaskhl”, later changed to Rachanside and now Thirlestane. In the garden, there is a plinth with small red tiles spelling out ‘Talla 1903’. The house, stable block and a tall fagpole in the garden. (postcard 1907) Unfortunately John Best was unable to attend the Talla dam’s In the late 1930s, advertisements to attract paying guests to the grand opening ceremony on 28th September 1905, due to a house were placed by a “Mrs. Cameron, late Crook Inn”, and the car accident reported as “he was being driven in a motor on facilities were described as “Fishing, Tennis and Croquet. First- the road near Broughton when the chauffeur, endeavouring to Class Table; Every Comfort. Moderate. Near Station. Bus keep the car as clear as possible of a restive horse coming in passes door. Personal Supervision.” the opposite direction, swerved so far out of his course as to From 1940-51 Isobel Sked (later Cummings), her parents and run the car into a wall. Mr. Best was thrown from the car and sisters, rented it for £85 a year. They kept a pig, chickens and sustained injuries that were not of a serious description.” After some hives of bees at the bottom of the garden. They took he died on June 1908 in Edinburgh his son, also John Best, and paying guests: the drying poles behind the house were in a contractor, inherited the house but he probably only occupied constant use because of all the linen which needed washing it occasionally. In the 1911 census he was aged 41 and lived in They also served afternoon teas to people who had come out Edinburgh with his wife Helen, their eight children aged 3-15, from Edinburgh. Broughton had no electricity then so they and 4 female servants. had a generator in a shed and also used candles and oil lamps. The house has had various alterations over the years, including There was no central heating and there were freplaces in the an extension in around 1914. An advertisement of May 1914 bedrooms. At frst all hot water had to be brought upstairs via stated “Builders wanted, 10d per hour. Apply Dalnaskhl.” a dumb waiter, but wash-handbasins were later installed in the In April 1916 a couple surnamed Winton and their daughter bedrooms, now disappeared. Isobel recalled that she used to sled Jessie had just moved into the fat over the stables belonging down the feld opposite the house and also climbing along the to the main house, now known as Courtyard Lodge, to act as boundary wall, exciting because of its curved top. caretakers/gardeners. Mr. Winton wrote to his son Jim, then The Polish army, billeted nearby, sometimes used the house serving in the trenches: “We have got settled down in our new for meetings. I have been told that General Sikorski stayed place, it is really a pretty place and we have from the windows in one of the upstairs bedrooms. On one occasion Mr. Sked a view for miles and great high hills… [The fat] is the best we came home from a fshing trip to fnd a Polish army meeting in have had yet, a very large kitchen and two rooms and scullery; progress, and they would not let him in despite his protests that it is quite dry as it is above stabling. The garden is not so big, he lived there! There was a prisoner of war camp in the felds one can easily manage it. This is only a village, still we are near Rachan Mill, and the German and later Italian prisoners only 7 minutes walk from the station. There are plenty [of] sometimes used to do work on the property. merchant vans comes round, so we are not at all bad that way. A household accounts book kept by the Skeds records There is a little pony and governess cart, so we will be able to tradesmen’s bills in 1941 for Linton Bros. (butcher), James use it at times and give Mother an airing. The Family are only Wilson (baker), Johnstone (baker), Brown (fshmonger), Allan here in the month of April and two months in the autumn, then & Horne (fshmonger), T. Noble (milk), J. Renwick (grocer), you see we have the place all to ourselves.” Jim was later killed D. Grieve (grocer) and Marshall (coals). James Smith, , in action in France, and a month later his mother also died. supplied furniture and a carpet. There were also purchases from By 1920 the fat was occupied by Alex Muir, gardener, then Boa of Biggar, ironmonger. In 1942 Peebles County rates for a 1925 the fat by William Mackenzie, gardener. year cost £19.6s.10d and Edinburgh water rates £5.11s.0d. In In May 1926, April 1929 and June 1934 advertisements were March 1943 the very large sum of £253 was spent on a new placed to let the house, furnished, in the summer months. cooking range, which suggests that the establishment was John Best, the son, died in 1935, but the Best family may have prospering. By 1944 there were two maids, Molly Gardiner retained ownership and continued to let the house out. Upper Tweed Community News 4 and Margaret Sked, each of whom was paid £5 a month. Music In Church A visitors book recorded visitors came from other parts of Scotland. They appreciated Mrs. Sked’s cooking and I like a growling congregation hospitality. A lieutenant in the Polish army wrote in July hope creaking through diffcult lives: 1940: “To the family Sked I give my warmest thanks I like choirs of bright voices light flling dark places for the truly Scottish welcome extended to me.” Other comments included, “our hosts are kindness itself”, “you’ll but best I like indifferent singing rest and be thankful in the quiet at Dalnaskhl”, “ideal the soloist who gets the high notes fat, holiday – hope to come again”, and “what a super tea – I the warbler who makes herself heard over it all, love the honey”. In 1950 someone wrote: “Gained 8 lbs the organist who embarks on an extra verse: – need I say more?” Although not licensed for alcohol, dances and parties were held in the hall. for here is the greater challenges to love, amid fastidious, vanity, human failing: Two marriages took place at the house. On 20th October here too, appears the greater blessing 1937 William Thorburn of The Old House, Biggar, married on fnding love sweeter than any singing. Joan Marchbank of Gala Vale, Broughton. On 22 April 1944 Robert Forsyth of Biggar married Elizabeth Sibbald (Words translated from Gaelic by Meg Bateman - author of Broughton. unknown). Published frst in Soirbheas/Fair Wind 2007 by Polygon/Birlinn, When the house was advertised for sale in November Edinburgh. 1949 it had electric light and power. In the 1950s a Mr. Hewlett ran a boys’ club at the house with club activities centred round a billiard table. Mr. Look What Turned up In Peebles! Noble of Wrae farm saw his frst television programme there. His father had a milk round and also emptied the ash cans of this and other large houses. A Miss Campbell lived in the house with her companion, Mrs. Boyd; their housekeeper was Mrs. Watson. On Miss Campbell’s birthday a piper was sent from her family estate in Jura and hidden in the housekeeper’s fat. In the morning he walked round the garden under her window, piping a birthday salute. The house was then occupied by Brigadier and Mrs. McQueen, who carried out alterations to the internal This sign to Hearthstanes in Tweedsmuir was on a bridge that layout and ran the place as a B & B. A couple turned up collapsed in 2013 and disappeared. Curiously, it was washed some years ago had spent their honeymoon in the former down the Tweed and arrived in Peebles in the recent food. housekeeper’s fat during the Brigadier’s time. From the 1970s the house was owned by the Younger, BORDERS Herald and Napier families in succession. In the early 1980s the present garage block was erected and later CHIROPRACTIC the old stable block, at that time in separate ownership, was modernised and extended. We bought Thirlstane in OfferingChiropractic treatment for a variety 1993. The house has, therefore, had a varied history over of joint, posture and muscle problems more than a century, starting as a summer residence for a Acupuncture, massage, and ultrasound also prosperous family in Edinburgh, then becoming a restful available haven where many Scottish people spent their holidays, and more recently a much loved family home. Tel: 01721 720 694 borderschiropractic.co.uk

Chris Lewin 2 Cherry Court, Cavalry Park, Peebles, EH45 9BJ

Upper Tweed Community News 5 Borders Forest Trust’s Vision for Tweedsmuir and Gameshope Estate -what next?

Near the end of 2013 Borders Forest Both these surveys have found isolated We hope you will join us, all you will Trust (BFT) purchased most of the pockets of rare and unusual plants many need is wellington boots and waterproofs Talla & Gameshope estate, a wonderful of which would originally have been How else might the community in combination of two remote valleys more widespread across the site; Tweedsmuir or more widely in Upper and many wild hills south of the Talla Tweed become involved? Reservoir. It is a lovely landscape, Talla & Gameshope will become a draw but bleak and bare. (photograph of for visitors to the area. We hope it will Gameshope valley - page 12) The Trust be one of the local places you like to intends gradually to restore its former visit and can recommend to others, beauty and diversity, and to do so in especially guests at the Crook Inn once collaboration with the community in it is restored. And we hope some of you Tweedsmuir. will be interested in volunteering with There’s already more happening at Talla the rest of us to help the Trust restore this & Gameshope than you might think. If wonderful landscape. There are a wide you’ve been up to Talla recently you will variety of rewarding tasks from survey have seen the deer fence and planting (of Duval’s Thread Moss, one of the survey work to seed collection, tree planting to ~160,000 trees) on Talla Bank to the left fundings fence maintenance. And at the end of a of the road. This is not on land owned day’s work we look forward to relaxing by Borders Forest Trust, but the Trust Stuart’s survey has revealed good brown with you in the comfort of a restored organised it on behalf of the managers and soils in places, especially around the Crook Inn. owner, using local fencing and planting Garelet Hill, which will support a rich contractors. diversity of plants, shrubs and trees. Inaugural planting day at Talla Now let me tell you a little about what Next on our ‘to do’ list is an application & Gameshope – Saturday 30th Borders Forest Trust has been up to on the for a Forestry Commission Grant to April 2016 land that we own, what we are going to be plant the frst of a number of areas in the Do join us (further details to follow) to doing and how we would like to involve valleys and sides of the hills with native plant the frst of the woodland. you. woodland consistent with what would have been there before the land was Last year we raised over £30,000 for a J. Thomas, cleared. As those of you involved in the new fence to be built between Lochcraig Borders Forest Trust Head and Firthhope Rig to restore over restoration of the Crook Inn will know, 1½ miles of the boundary with the Grey grant applications require a lot of time Borders tree planting grants: and energy. Mare’s Tail. We also have had 6 volunteer £1000 grants to plant trees - see work parties maintaining the other 10 Visitors can rest assured that the planting miles of fencing, working in all weathers. will leave plenty of openings and good http://www.bordersforesttrust.org/ view points along the tracks, while the Anyone who has been up to the head of borders-tree-planting-grant/ the may have noticed the upper slopes and tops will not be wooded new gate and curious line of posts at the at all. Talla & Gameshope will end up Open to private landowners, as well as as a patchwork of many different habitats entrance to the Gameshope valley. It is community groups. to block access for motorized vehicles; and species like the Carrifran valley there’s a step-over entrance for walkers over the hill in Moffatdale (photograph and riders. page 12), and will play a major role in realising BFT’s ambitious and long-term Borders Forest Trust has established DAVID vision of Reviving the Wild Heart of good relations with the Mountain Bothies Southern Scotland. MUNDELL Association who will continue to look after the Gameshope bothy, sharing In the meantime we are pressing ahead MP for Dumfriesshire access with BFT through the gate and to with smaller scale planting in places Clydesdale & where montane species will thrive. the barn in the valley. Tweeddale On Saturday April 30th we will hold a Last year Stuart Adair undertook a detailed special Inaugural Planting Day at an vegetation survey of the whole site and Six ways to contact David: easily accessible spot for everyone and David Long, one of BFT’s trustees, has anyone to come along and help to start • write to David at 2 Holm Street, Moffat, been systematically surveying every DG10 9EB the restoration of this landscape. cleuch and cranny for mosses and lichens. • telephone on 0800 731 9590 (freephone) DAVE CAMPBELL • visit one of David’s surgeries – see local press for details Your local handyman • E-mail [email protected] Available for most home maintenance and DIY jobs, small • David’s website at www. construction projects and hedge trimming davidmundell.com • Tweet at @DavidMundellMP 01899 830317/ 07531109530 Upper Tweed Community News 6 the Broughton primary Jim sharpe’s Verse ‘Brave the Shave’ parent CounCil TWEEDSMUIR & PEOPLE BYGONE YEARS The parent council website http://www. NATURE & EVENTS RECALLED broughtonprimaryparentcouncil.co.uk A collection of Jim’s verse has been has information for parents and others published in aid of 2 medical charities concerned about local schooling. and is now available in the Broughton It includes an outline about Broughton Village Store. Jim Sharpe (1921-2012) was a gentle, Primary School, its history, the vision, perceptive person who loved the values and aims for improvement. countryside, his work and the people There are also minutes of the meetings, around him. recording some of the discussion about His Scottish Verse refects on a past school management. era a way of life and observes people, animals, nature and events. There is also a link to its Facebook page. In December 20165 the U T C N featured photos of Fiona Park having her hair shorn in aid of McMillan Cancer support.

The bold step raised £2200.

SCOTT VEHICLE REPAIRS

Service, repairS MOT TeSTiNG STaTiON TyreS, aNd exhauSTS calOr GaS, cOal & car wa Sh

The GaraGe BrOuGhTON Tel: 01899 830 240

ACCOUNTANTS AND TAX ADVISORS TO THE AGRICULTURAL seCtor sinCe 1926. The Glenholm • Self assessment tax returns, tax planning and advice Guesthouse • Audit and accountancy services • Secretarial and book-keeping services including payroll All rooms are en suite and • General fnancial consultancy services including business plans furnished with many extras. Please contact resident partner Leslie W Reid, 25 Bloomgate, Lanark, ML11 9ET Telephone: 01555 663251 Fax: 01555 702034 E-mail: [email protected] REGISTERED TO CARRY OUT AUDIT WORK AND REULATED FOR A RANGE OF INVESTMENT ACTIVITIES BY THE Somewhere different for INSTITUTE OF CHARTERED ACCOUNTANTS OF SCOTLAND. dinner?

We are not a restaurant or a hotel but we do serve fresh, home- cooked dinners to non-residents. Booking essential.

For more information or to book call Fiona on 01899 830408 Upper Tweed Community News 7 Small Village - Big Energy and Inspiration

A small agricultural village in East Some other communiies in Germany Germany with a population of 150 have been taking energy control about 37 miles south of Berlin has into their own hands, although there evolved into a pioneering energy- remains debate on the feasibility of independent village, a remarkable and a roll out of decentralised energy unique example of development in a generation.The model may not be rural community. Perhaps there are transferable to other communites messages in this for rural communities: depending on the availablity of wind, transformation can occur with vision, sun, slurry and woodchips and on enterprise and hard work. It may occur the visual impact in the commnity.. in other felds than energy. The German government’s policies New large battery storage and wind turbines The story developed gradually, on renewables has been changing in a emerging to energy independence confusing manner, as have those the step by step, including battles with the British and Scottish governments. In large energy companies and energy the UK/Scotland the feed-in tarriffs regulators, to become an example to and the support for renewables keep visitors from around the world. It started changing. in 1995 when 4 wind turbines were How about developing coherent erected on a local farm co-operative energy policies here? when income from wheat and other Addendum: There is recent evidence crops fell. Farmers had found another that in the USA renewables provide souce of income in energy generation. more jobs than oil and gas extraction. Since then the numbers increased to 47 Sheep and solar power mix turbines, more than the number of 37 houses and suffcient to supply local Drummond & needs many times over! There has been no comment on the visual impact. Murray Ltd Next, a 284-panel solar farm was built, Glenholm Software producing more than 2,700 MWh per year, its power fed into the grid at a Solutions feed-in-tariff rate. Plumbing & Central In 2008 a €1.7M Euro biogas unit Heating engineers Computer Training for heating was build at the local fre and Assistance for 1 to 1 station, fuelled by unused corn and by Oil - Solid Fuel - Gas pig slurry. There is a back-up from a Installations & Maintenance computer training and local woodchip system, sourced from Conversions problem-solving sessions felled trees. TEL: 01683 220065 When, in 2003, the big energy on Windows based computers compny, E.on, made leasing of its grid FAX: 01683 221621 prohibitively expensive, Feldhein built call Neil on 01899 830408 its own smart grid with EU funding and 36 Well Street, Moffat, villagers’ contributions €3000 each. A Dumfriesshire, DG 10 9DP Most Microsoft applications covered local energy company, Energiequalle, provided technical and fnancial input. Thirty local jobs were created. The Environ-IT Ltd village centre now has an ‘Energy P TAYLOR Forum’ complex including a restaurant, Software Painter and educational facilities and charging development service Decorator points for electric vehicles. The latest pioneering developent was Website development All types of Interior and the installation of Europe’s largest Exterior Decorating battery energy storage for 10MW, whch Content management systems Fully Insured will help to stabilse the grid, coping On-line database and tools with the fuctation in wind and solar Web GIS and mapping generation. It cost €12.8M, funded by For free quote the region and the European Regional Multiple device websites Develpment Fund. call Paul Feldheim has now become a centre tel: AndrewMason Tel: 01899 220489 of international interest, with visitors from all over the world. 01899 880200 Mobile: 07709 323125 [email protected] Upper Tweed Community News 8 t weedsmuir t alk Christmas in Tweedsmuir is a real community event, starting with the Christmas party. The organisers were the frst to beneft from the new kitchen funded by an Infnis Glenkerie Community Fund grant. Santa did not disappoint. There were amazing presents of neon-lit ‘wheelies’ (fancy roller skates to the older generations), target guns and remote control cars - all great fun in a village hall! The Christmas Eve service was full to bursting with carols and readings by Myles Harrison, Michael Hewitson, Rionna and Ewan Semple, Ben White, Kaitlyn, Hannah and Tom Roper, Hazel and Fergus Mason together with ‘The Three Wise Guys’ – Digby Welch, Bob Milne and James Welch. The candlelit atmosphere and the unaccompanied singing of Silent Night was truly emotional. Commuters must also have enjoyed night time journeys through Tweedsmuir with the most ever decorated houses. The Young Sots Night in the Tweedsmuir Village Hall The Crook Inn Boxing day shoot was won by John Bell on a typical cold and wet day. Volunteers helped to paint the new kitchen and entrance hall in time for 2nd January when our Village Hall Ceilidh raised some much- needed funds. More importantly it provided a venue for everyone to try out their social dancing. Tom and Fergus again raised more money towards The Crook Inn by singing Summer of 69. Ann Welshe and Anne-Patricia Shop were surprised by a cake and ‘Happy Birthday’ sung to them at the Scots Night, a traditional event with many songs and poems. Following on from the interest in the stage at the ceilidh, the Christmas Party committee decided to run a ‘Young Scots Night’ where the children were able to perform: piping in the haggis, the address to the haggis and using the microphone to perform their school poetry. By the end of the night we had moved on to Taylor Swift. The next event will be a disco! Gill Bateman, our much-loved, faithful Kirk organist, retired after Volunteers painting the Village hall 23 years and was presented with a lovely water colour of local hills. Gill’s successors are now getting to grips with both the organ and the congregation’s idiosyncrasies’ – just wait to they see the children skating around the Kirk for the collection….. Tweedsmuir Community Council meets monthly to discuss and alleviate local issues in conjunction with Scottish Borders Councillors. The proposed Whitelaw Brae wind farm has gone to appeal. Tweedsmuir Community Company, in seeking funding for their ambitious plans for the creation of a Crook Inn Community Hub, has submitted their application to Big Lottery and has had a site visit from the Big Lottery Funding Offcers at The Crook Inn. The outcome of this and other applications are anxiously awaited. The Crook Inn car park fooded. The Tweed broke its banks Chrsitine Parker at the Crook Haugh cottages, fowed down the A701 into an adjacent feld then the car park but did not enter the Inn. the Laurel Bank in Broughton tea room bistro bar Tel 01899 830462

More than a foot at the Insch, Tweedsmuir. ©C.Parker

Upper Tweed Community News 9 n otiC e B oard Broughton Choral soCiety the musiC gatherings are here It was with sadness that the Choral Society had to say farewell to their Music Director and conductor, Julie Upper Tweed Arts for All has organised 3 relaxed family friendly Morrice after the Christmas Concert in December 2015. music events on Sunday afternoons in different village halls in Upper Julie had led the choir for fve years, but pressures of Tweed over the coming months. The intention for these gatherings is other work and travelling dictated that she had to give for people to come together to enjoy live music performed by local up her commitment to Broughton. musicians right in the heart of their communities. We are planning on Although contingency arrangements were put in having a small ‘local’s spot’ for a short musical performance from a place to carry on, the choir faced a period of great different local young person at each gathering. Entry is by donation uncertainty. It is, therefore, with great pleasure that the and we ask people to bring a cake or some biscuits to share over a cup choir can announce that Fiona Reed has accepted the of tea in the generous interval giving plenty of time for catching up post of conductor and musical director. She is Principal with people. Children are most welcome. They will not be expected Teacher Expressive Arts at Peebles High School, and to sit rigidly in their seats if they want to we invite them to move and very well known in the local music scene. dance to the music being played. Fiona and her husband David will be known to many Any proft made by the Gatherings will go towards providing music in Broughton as former residents who have recently making opportunities for the children of Upper Tweed. returned to live in the village, and were among the If you weren’t there you’ve already missed the frst gathering in founding members of the Choral Society in 1998. February with the Dukes of Uke. Rehearsals for the Summer Concert will be held on The next gathering will be on 20th March with Sarah Northcott on Tuesdays at 7.30pm in the Broughton Village Hall. fddle and her fellow band members Duggi Caird and Matt Smith on Anyone who is interested in singing would be very accordion and guitar playing lively traditional music in Tweedsmuir welcome. No previous experience or ability to read Village Hall from 3pm. music is required as a starting point. The third gathering will be in Broughton Village Hall at 3pm on April 24th with the Peebles High School Jazz Band and guests. Contact; Alan Cameron, Secretary BCS alan. [email protected] or 01968 661104 We look forward to sharing a fun afternoon of music in good company. The Upper Tweed Community Council’s current activities include the following:

1. We are seeking funding from the Clyde Borders Community Fund to enable us to run some more bus trips this year. If our application is approved, there will be three trips to Edinburgh (including one for the Festival and one for Christmas shopping) plus a trip to Glasgow. Unlike last year, when no charge was made, there will be a £5 fare for each trip, as a contribution towards the costs.

2. We will now be able to award more microgrants of up to £250 towards the cost of deserving projects run by local organisations, as a result of additional funding we hope to get for this purpose from the Infnis Glenkerie Community Fund.

3. We have recently approved a process for recruiting new panel members for the Infnis Glenkerie Community Fund, and advertisements will be displayed shortly. There are quarterly meetings of the panel to discuss applications for grants and make awards, and anyone who joins the panel will not only be able to make a contribution to the community but will have the opportunity to enhance their own skills and knowledge. No special skills or experience are required and training will be provided. Anyone over 16 can apply, and applications would be particularly welcome from younger adults. Contact katie@ foundationscotland.org.uk by 25 March. .

4. We were pleased to see that the Infnis Glenkerie Community Fund has set aside some money for food relief locally. Contact Foundation Scotland.

5. Are you interested in the facilities which should be provided in Broughton in future? Now that wind farm monies are available for larger as well as smaller projects, we are wondering whether to hold a community meeting to discuss options and the ways of getting fnance. If you would like to attend such a meeting, please telephone me, Chris Lewin, on 01899-830250, and we will see if enough people are interested.

6. Our very necessary annual litter clean-up in Broughton will again be organised by Dave Campbell. It will take place on Saturday 19 March. Please turn up at the school at 10.30 a.m. to collect equipment - you should be fnished by about noon.

7. We have been in active communication with the Scottish Borders Council about fooding and pothole issues, and we were very pleased when they delivered some extra sandbags just before severe weather arrived.

We are still seeking a new Secretary of our Community Council, to take notes at 10 meetings a year. The role is unpaid but very interesting. For an informal discussion, please contact me, Chris Lewin, on 01899-830250.

Upper Tweed Community News 10 B ananas news Papier mache, glitter and excited Children in the run up to Christmas made for a very messy playroom but everything fell into place for our Christmas show, ‘A Spaceman Came Travelling’, otherwise known as the La, la, la, la song. Our playroom was transformed into a night sky with planets, rockets, shooting stars and the latest Star wars ships. To make things extra special Tim Peake scheduled his take off into space on the same day as our show! We have been learning about the constellations and meteors – that experiment was a bit wet! The puddle suits have been well-tested – extreme mud, lots of puddles and SNOW!

Learning about constellations,stars amd meteors We still have spaces at Bananas for Early Learning and Childcare for children aged 3-5 years and have a lovely purpose-built room with lots of fantastic outdoor spaces and resources – including the most popular mud kitchen and lots of Testing the puddle suits. bikes, tractors, trailers and trikes. For more information email [email protected], We have been trying and tasting lots of different food and making phone 01899830589/07773071920 or visit our web site www. our snack look and taste interesting – reindeer bread, moon biscuits, bananasplaygroup.co.uk talking about the different shapes while eating. Sweet and sour chicken with noodles, pancakes and valentine cookies but the most appreciated snack is still tasty whole meal bread and butter! After a lot of practicing, we entertained our friends and families on Scots Day – piping in the haggis, performing the sword Dance, Three Craws, Ali Bali and, our most favorite song, Donald Where’s yer Troosers. The haggis, neeps and tatties went down well but when we passed round the vegetarian haggis, one boy said “is this REALLY haggis?” and was defnitely not impressed! The fundraising committee have been busy and raised over £400 up to Christmas and, following on from successful events last year, plan to have another pamper night and a car wash so watch out for further information on future events…..…… Enjoying snow at Bananas

Broughton Village store www.treesurv.co.uk n ewsagent, l i C ensed groC er and more estaBlishment, anagement and restoration greetings C ards. fresh B read m frozen fish & Cooked meats of natiVe woodlands fruit & VegetaBles arBoriCultural laundry serViCes 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. tree surgery Tel: 01899 830 465 timBer ConstruCtion tel: 01899 830 587 moB: 07903 924 565

home baking ♦ lunches ♦ bistro meals & bar every evening OPEN 7 DAYS ALL YEAR 01899 830462 Upper Tweed Community News 11 retiral of gill Bateman, organist, tweedsmuir kirk

Sesion Clerk, Digby Welch, presenting a fne landsacpe painting by Graham Buchanan-Dunlop to Mrs Gill Bateman from a grateful congregation. Mrs Bateman with Rev Bob Milne and Mrs Digby Welch, Session Clerk, (front), and members of the congregation. Mrs Gill Bateman retired from her role as organist in Tweedsmuir Kirk on January 17th after 28 years of playing with outstanding skill and sensitivity throughout. The frst organ that she played in Tweedsmuir was a harmonium (pump organ) that came from Hearthstanes and had been designed to accompany entertainment such as dances rather than a church service. Mice got the better of it! Since then she has played the organ donated by Dr N M Tweedie-Stodart in memory of her parents and brother.. Gill started learning the organ in Lichfeld Cathedral before University and has continued ever since. Before moving to Tweedsmuir she had almost as long a commitment as organist in Rosslyn Chapel, playing there every Sunday for 25 years.

gameshope Valley now and regeneration in Carifran Vally

The Middle of the Gameshope Valley: page 6 Carrifran Valley 15 years after the frst planting, trees and shrubs growing once-barer valley in the: page 6. UPPER TWEED COMMUNITY NEWS welcomes artcles and notices of interest to people in Upper Tweed Editor: Duncan Davidson Assistant Editors: Richard Carr, Gill Lindsay, Denise Lintott, Murdo Elder Advertising & Sponsorshp: Murdo Elder Treasurer: Brian Bushell

The next issue will be published on 1st June 2016., Articles and notices should be submitted by 15th May 2016 to: Duncan Davidson, Oliver, Tweedsmuir, Biggar, M12 6QN. Tel 0189 880278 or [email protected]

Mrs Fiona Hamilton receivingher MBE for services to the British Red Cross Transport Service. She started and Printed by Lanark Print Company, 116-119 North Vennel, Lanark, ML117PT still organises the Upper Tweed Hospital Drivers Scheme Upper Tweed Community News 12