Gala Life August 2017

Gala Life

A local magazine with directory of trades and businesses - 11,500 copies delivered FREE to every home and business in Galashiels, Tweedbank, Melrose, Clovenfords, Darnick, Dingleton, Newstead and Gattonside.

August 2017

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Message

Contents

from the Team

Features

Welcome to the August edition of Gala Life.

Seems like summer’s not really started and already the kids are heading back to school. We have a handy guide on page 24 with all the term times for the coming year, watch out for the In-Service days!

Sheila looks at gardening… in the wet. Willie talks about PDFs in his computer page and Alan Clinch explains best exercise for you, whatever your age.

We also look at Defibrillators this month. You could save someone’s life with one of these, and you will be surprised by how many there are in the Gala area!

With Andy getting knocked out, and lack of sunny days, there was no great desire to celebrate Wimbledon this year. However, I’m assured we will see better weather, and not wanting to miss out, our recipe this month is for Pimm’s. Too good to miss on a hot sunny day in the garden with the BBQ going.

We have another great competition this month and you could win tickets to the Stowed Out Festival at the end of August. However, not winning is no reason why you shouldn’t go, it’s a fantastic weekend with lots of great bands.

Enjoy the rest of the holidays and I’m sure we will catch up soon.

Win! School Term Times Defibrillators

13 24 28

Regulars Vet Garden Fitness Recipe - Pimm’s Horoscopes Computing

16 18 22 36 48 50

Community Diary Get Out Community News

4 10 30

Useful Numbers Index

54 54

Advertising Debbie - 07545299491

Art & Eds Willie - 07906375953 www.facebook.com/mygalalife Deadline for September Edition - 15th August Gala Life is delivered to every home and business in the Galashiels, Tweedbank, Darnick, Dingleton, Melrose, Newstead and Gattonside areas. Copies are also left at various ‘pick-up’ points around the area allowing visitors the opportunity to join us.

If you have any queries, suggestions or feedback, please do not hesitate to make contact and don’t forget to keep up with us on Facebook.

Please Re-Cycle ....eventually!

Gala Life 57 Glen Crescent Peebles EH45 9BS Office - 01721 720129 Sales - Debbie: 07545 299491 Artwork - Willie: 07906375953 info@galalife.co.uk

www.galalife.co.uk

Community Events & What’s On In Galashiels Full details in the Get Out pages 31st July-4th Aug 3rd August

10.00am 2.00pm

Holiday Club - Galashiels Baptist Church Who Framed Goldilocks - Galashiels Library

5th August

7.30pm

Aly Bain & Phil Cunningham - Tait Hall, Kelso

8th August

10.30am

Children’s Summer Craft Session - Galashiels Library

12th August

10.00am

Coffee Morning - Galashiels Trinity Church

12th August

9.00am

Peebles Show

12th August

7.30pm

Summer Ceilidh - Volunteer Hall

18th - 20th August

Various

Innerleithen Music Festival

25th-26th August

Various

Stowed Out Festival

26th August

10.00am

Car Boot Sale - George & Abbotsford Hotel

27th August

11.00am

Massed Pipe Band & Family Day - Floors Castle

30th August 1st September 1st September

7.30pm 7.30pm 7.30pm

Eildon Singers - Ormiston Institute Kelso Folk Festival - Breabach - Old Parish Church Keats Quartet - Caddonfoot Hall

2nd September 2nd September 9th September

10.00am 7.30pm 2.00pm

Coffee Morning - Galashiels Trinity Church Kelso Folk Festival - Old Parish Church Melrose Flower Show - Melrose Parish Church Hall

Monday

5.00pm

Gala Town Band Junior Section, Band Hall, 6A Roxburgh St

Monday

7.00pm

Langlee Community Choir at Langlee Community Centre

Tuesday

1.30pm

‘The Roman Way' Guided Walk from Heritage Centre, Melrose

Tuesday

6.30pm

Gala Youth & Town Band, Band Hall, 6A Roxburgh St. Gala

Wednesday

10.30am

Gentle exercise for older people in Langlee Community Centre

Wednesday

7.00pm

Gala Ex Serv Pipe Band - Royal British Legion Club

Wednesday

7.30pm

One Acchord Ladies Acappella Chorus

Wednesday

7.30pm

Eildon Singers, Ormiston Institute, Melrose

Thursday

1.30pm

‘The Roman Way' Guided Walk from Heritage Centre, Melrose

Sunday

9.30am

Borders Group of Advanced Motorcyclists

Sunday

2.00pm

Informal guided walk round Roman Fort site, Newstead

Remember to keep us informed of all your events, there is no charge for diary entries for non profit and charity organisations. Call 01721 720129 with details, or e-mail to info@galalife.co.uk 4 Gala Life

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Paolo’s Italian Just a short stroll from the Gala Interchange, Paolo’s Italian serves everything from exciting street food to classic pizza and all your favourite traditional Italian dishes.

Restaurant open 12 - 2.00pm & 5pm - 10pm Deli Bar open 11.30am - 2pm Paolo's Italian, 88 Overhaugh Street, Galashiels TD1 1DP 01896 750 888

Apples For Jam Charming small café with a very friendly welcome and delicious food.

Excellent range of soups and bakes. All freshly home-made. Perfect for a snack or light lunch. Gluten free options available.

Lovely pictures and gifts on sale in their Gallery.

Open Mon to Sat 8.30am to 4pm, Sun 10am to 3pm Apples For Jam, 14 High Street, Melrose TD6 9PA 01896 823 702

Quins is a fully licensed coffee house, restaurant and bar, set near the town centre in Galashiels and a 5 minute walk from the Interchange.

From breakfast to dinner, with everything in between.

Mon to Sat 9am - Midnight, Sun 10am to 11pm Quins of Galashiels, 23 Market Street, Galashiels TD1 3AD 01896 757 004

Bank Street Coffee and Waffle House Lovely café with a warm friendly atmosphere.

Fabulous coffee, waffles, delicious cakes and even Turkish food.

Centrally situated in Bank Street and a short walk from the Interchange.

Open Mon to Sat 9am - 6pm. Sun 11am - 4pm Bank Street Coffee & Waffle House, 11 Bank Street, Galashiels TD1 1EN 01896 208735

The Grapevine A two minute stroll from the Interchange. From an illy coffee house in the morning, providing speciality coffees, patisserie and informal lunches. A place for high tea to a Prosecco and Gin Bar in the evening, with light bites, or full service restaurant.

Open Monday to Friday from 9.30am, Saturday from 9.00am and Sunday from 11.00am The Grapevine Galashiels, 2 Douglas Bridge, Galashiels TD1 1BH 01896 753 784

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Silver Star Chinese Restaurant & Takeaway 3 Course Lunch £8, 2 Course Set dinner £11.90 Tues to Thurs open 12 – 2pm and 5 -11 pm Fri + Sat 12 – 2pm and 4.30 – 11.30pm Sunday 4.30 – 11.30 Next to Interchange. Delivery service available Silver Star, 19 Stirling Street, Galashiels TD1 1BY 01896 752000

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31st July - 4th August - Holiday Club - Galashiels Baptist Church - 10.00am to 12noon. For primary aged children. The title this year is Guardians of Ancora. Come along to find out what it is all about. Registration required. Application forms are available from the church.

3rd August - Who Framed Goldilocks - Galashiels Library – 2.00pm to 3.00pm. A fun forensic challenge for Children 6+ (under 8’s must be accompanied by an adult) £2 per child. For more information or to book a place contact 01896 664170 or email libgalashiels@liveborders1.org.uk 8th August - Children’s Summer Craft Session - Galashiels Library – 10.30am to 11.30am. For children 4-10 years (under 8’s must be accompanied by an adult) This event is free. To book a place contact 01896 664170 or email libgalashiels@liveborders1.org.uk 12th August - Coffee Morning - Galashiels Trinity Church - 10.00am to 12 noon. Scones and home baking stall. All welcome.

12th August - Summer Ceilidh - Volunteer Hall, Galashiels - 7.30pm. Presented by Energise Galashiels to raise funds in support of local community projects. See page 7 for more details.

25th - 26th August - Stowed Out Festival - Stow. Our two-day mission is to support local talent, showcase young bands, and boldly entertain you with the very best in music, poetry and art. See pages 5 and 46 for more information and tickets.

26th August – Car Boot Sale - George & Abbotsford Hotel Back Car Park, Melrose (entrance from St Dunstan’s Park) – 10.00am to 2.00pm. Set up from 9.00am. Cars £6, Small vans £10.

Refreshments, Tombola, Lucky Dip for children. For more information or to book a place please phone Mary Drover 01896 822798. In aid of Borders Challenge, Arthritis Research UK – Melrose Branch 27th August - Massed Pipe Band & Family Day - Floors Castle - 11.00am. Fantastic family day, see advert on page 21 for more details.

30th August - Eildon Singers - Ormiston Institute, The Square, Melrose - 7.30pm to 9.30pm.

Start of our winter programme. Mixed voice choir. New members welcome. Contact Sheila Wilson, Secretary, on 01896757500.

1st September - Kelso Folk Festival - Breabach - Old Parish Church, Kelso - 7.30pm. With Jenny Biddle in support. See page 7 for more details and tickets.

1st September- Keats Quartet - Caddonfoot Hall - 7.30pm. Returning as part of their Borders Far and Away Tour. Tickets £12 from Clovenfords Hotel. Licensed: Canapès at the interval. Book online at infocaddonfoot@btinternet.com or phone 0751551731.

2nd September - Coffee Morning - Galashiels Trinity Church - 10.00am to 12 noon. Scones and home baking stall. All welcome.

2nd September - Kelso Folk Festival - Old Parish Church, Kelso - 7.30pm. Featuring Tom McConville & Andy Watt and Northern Company. See page 7 for more details and tickets.

9th September - Melrose Flower Show - Melrose Parish Church Hall, Weirhill - 2.00pm to 4.30pm.

Traditional show with classes for flowers, fruit and vegetables, baking, craftwork, floral art, photography and a children's section. Schedules available from Melrose Library, local shops and the Secretary on 01835 823994 or email bowercarolyn@yahoo.co.uk Tweedbank Toddler Group - Wednesday 9.30am - 11.00am at Tweedbank Community Centre. Cost is £1 per adult and 20p per child. You can find us on face book too- just search for Tweedbank Baby and Toddler Group. continued on page 12

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Langlee Community Choir - Mondays at 7 p.m. in Langlee Community Centre, Galashiels. The choir always welcomes new singers of any age or ability. If you are a shy singer, the choir will bring out your confidence. If you only sing in the shower, why not come along and have a go? No pressure, no auditions, just good fun. Keep watching out in Gala Life or listen to local radio for upcoming performances. To book the choir or for any other information, please visit www.langleecommunitychoir.org.uk/contactus.html One Acchord Ladies Acappella Chorus - invites you to join us most Wednesdays 7.30pm 9.30pm, plus one Saturday pm per month at Newtown St Boswells Community Hall TD6 0QX. Try free for 4 weeks. For more info call 01896 668594 or 07989461012.

The Eildon Singers - Meet every Wednesday in the Ormiston Institute, The Square, Melrose, from 7.30pm till 9.30pm. Mixed voice choir. New members very welcome. Contact Sheila Wilson, Secretary, on 01896 757500.

Pheonix Singers - Mixed choir meets on Mondays starting 25th September 7:30pm - 9:30pm No auditions. Come and try 1 or 2 sessions with no commitment. For more info contact altrotterps@gmail.com Pipe Band: The Galashiels Ex-Service Pipe Band, Wednesday nights, 7pm at The Royal British Legion Club, Park Street, Galashiels. Experienced players and beginners most welcome to join. Please contact the secretary, Lynn Ker on 01896 755814.

The Galashiels Town Band - Mondays - Gala Junior Band, 5.00pm - 6.00pm, Tuesdays, 6.30pm Gala Youth Band and 7.45pm Gala Town Band. Band Hall, 6A Roxburgh Street, Gala. Open to experienced and inexperienced players of all ages. Instruments can be supplied, so go give it a try!

The Gala Gazelles: Gala’s first netball team needs you! We meet on Thursday evenings 8.00pm 9.30pm in Gala Academy’s large PE Hall (at the back of the building) to indulge in a little 'me' time with like minded netball nerds! Everyone from beginners to pros welcome - good fun, keeps you fit and there's always a bit of banter! £2.50 per session or £20 for the term. For further information email Rhona on rsrf@galamclemans.co.uk Gentle Exercise For Older People Of All Abilities: Every Wednesday 10.30am - 12noon in Main Hall, Langlee Community Centre. £2.50 per class provided by FitBorders and SBC. No need to book, just come along. Refreshments and chat afterwards.

The Dorothy Dobson method of over-60's exercise. Fun exercising to music. Monday mornings 10 till 10.45 in Old and St Paul's Church Hall. £4.

Gala Windbags - Thursdays, 1.30pm - 3.30pm in The Lucy Sanderson Hall. An Exercise Club for people with Chest and Heart problems. Approved by Physiotherapy, BGH. Only do what is right for you. We help each other with transport if required. For further details phone Wilma Turnbull 01896 753 493 or John Owen 01896 755 488.

Walking Football - We play (older adults-men mainly but women very welcome) each Monday in Langlee Community Centre 2.30 -4pm and every Thursday afternoon 3-4pm at Netherdale-GFR 3G 5-a-side cage. We have been playing since February last year and regularly have 10-12 players turning up, come and join us.

Jog Scotland - ‘The Galavanters’ We meet every Tuesday and Wednesday evening at Gala swimming pool 6.30pm, the group is for all levels from the absolute beginner to the more experienced jogger and everyone is welcome, we charge £2 per session and there's no need to book just turn up. People can email me for more info arlenebotha@yahoo.co.uk continued on page 14

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Tweedbank Guid Fettle - Gentle exercise for the over 60’s - Wednesdays in Tweedbank Community Centre. 11.00am - 12.30pm. For more info contact Leona on 01896 754273.

Stitch and Chat Craft Group -Galashiels Library. Meets every Tuesday 10am -12pm at the library.

All welcome -meet new people, share ideas. All you need is to bring a piece of work with you. A cup of tea/coffee is included. Galashiels Library on 01896 664170 for more info.

Gala Rotary Club - Meets every Tuesday at 6.00 for 6.30pm in Kingsknowes Hotel for a meal and fellowship. The Club is involved with many projects locally and internationally. Find out more at www.galashiels.rotaryweb.org/ or on Facebook.

Borders Family History Society can help you build your family tree and trace your ancestors. Our Library & Research Room at 52 Overhaugh Street, Galashiels, TD1 1DP is open on Monday evenings 6pm – 8pm, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday 10am to 4pm. Find out more at www.bordersfhs.org.uk or email research@bordersfhs.org.uk Discover Roman Scotland - visit the Three Hills Heritage Centre in Market Square, Melrose, to see the amazing coins, gems and artefacts of the Roman capital of southern Scotland. Open Mon-Sat 10.30am - 4.30pm. Adult £2, student/pupil £1, family £5. For further information phone 01896 822651.

The Roman Way - guided walk from Medieval Melrose to the site of the Roman Fort of Trimontium at Newstead. Every Thursday, leaving the Three Hills Heritage Centre, Melrose, at 1.30pm, returning 5.30pm. Refreshments provided. Adult £4, student/pupil £1, family £10 max; dogs welcome. For further information phone 01896 822651.

Roman Site Walk - learn about the Romans in Scotland during a leisurely guided walk round the pivotal Trimontium Fort site. Leaves the millennium milestone at the east end of Newstead village every Sunday afternoon at 2.00pm, returning 4.30pm. BYO refreshments. Adult £2.50, student/ pupil £1. For further information phone 01896 752429.

Border Prostate Cancer Support Group meetings held at the Macmillan Centre, B.G.H. on the first Wednesday of the month. 7.00pm.

New Horizons Borders is a Member Led Mental Health Charity Organisation which run local Peer Support Drop-ins for anyone over 18 yrs. The groups meet Mon in Hawick 10–12pm, Galashiels 1.30–3.30pm. Tuesday in Duns 10-12pm. Wednesday in Kelso 12-2pm. Friday in Galashiels 10-12pm, Hawick 1-3pm. We offer 1-1 Emotional Support, Workshop and Courses. For more information contact 01896-755510. www.newhorizonsborders.org Galashiels Dementia Café. Last Friday of the month at The Restaurant, Borders College, 10am 11.30am (during term time). Worried about your memory or that of a family member or friend.

Then come along to our friendly café where staff are on hand to offer advice and support. Tea, coffee and scones available to purchase. For more information call 01896 827105 Galashiels Studio Club is for people who enjoy all forms of art. We meet from October to March every year, in Old Gala House, at 7.30 pm until approx. 9.30 pm. Members can attend workshops, talks, and visits. Find out more by visiting our Facebook page!

Tel 01896 820023 or email: marionneilson11@gmail.com Borders Group of Advanced Motorcyclists - We have meetings every Sunday at McDonalds in Galashiels, with an organised run somewhere for 2-3 hours leaving about 10.00am. All levels of experience welcome.

Entries to info@galalife.co.uk by 12th preceding month please.

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CARLA MURPHY

&

BVMS MRCVS

MELANIE BROAD BVMS MRCVS

Give The Dog A Phone Just as in human medicine, obesity is one of the biggest challenges to health that our pets face these days. Healthy pets is what we're all about and we try to help you access the easiest ways to keep your pets healthy for as long as possible. Since healthy shaped pets live on average 2 years longer than those who are overweight then we think getting them back to trim is one of the best value for money health improvements we can offer; enjoy their company for longer and with less incidence of costly and debilitating illness like arthritis, heart disease and diabetes mellitus.

Rather than going just by weight we use the Body Condition Scoring (BCS) system to determine body size in pets. We score from 1 to 9 with 1 being skeletal and 9 being dangerously obese.

Body Condition Score 4 and 5 are accepted as normal. Like us it’s best to ignore all the silly fad diets, calories in vs. calories out is what it's all about and measuring food portions is the starting point to getting this right. People often tell us they give a scoop or a mug but you can't beat the kitchen scales for accuracy. Some pet food manufacturers provide a measuring cup we have these in stock for Proplan but each food is a different density so you have to use the right one for the food you are using.

Exercise is the other big part of weight loss and now you can get your dog it’s very own Fitbit called a “PitPat”. You download the app to your phone and attach the PitPat to your dog’s

collar. PitPat suggests an exercise guideline for your pet based on their age and breed and then measures their daily activity. All the stats are downloaded to your phone so you can see how you are doing. It’s fun.

So between watching those calories and monitoring their exercise regime, the only other thing you need to know is weight and body condition score. Our team is really interested in keeping pets slim and fit so that we can help them live longer healthier lives, and so we provide free weight clinics run by our nurses to help. The nurses will weigh your pet and determine their body condition score for you once a month until your pet is perfect ☺ Just phone any of our surgeries to book.

www.bordervets.co.uk Galashiels Veterinary Surgery Office: 8.30 - 6pm Mon - Wed, 8.30-7pm Thurs & Fri Gala Terrace, Galashiels. TD1 3JT

01896 752 156 16 Gala Life

Sat open 8.30 - 1.30pm.

Consultations by appointment

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The Gala Garden August 2017 Gardening on heavy, clay soil can be difficult, especially with excessive rainfall and poor drainage. If it ever does dry out this ground can become as unyielding as concrete.

However, with some hard work, you can unlock the goodness of this soil and have a garden that flourishes in spite of the rain.

Cultivation and compost are the keys to success: digging and planting will start to open the soil and the application of garden compost, both in the planting holes and over the top as mulch, will improve the texture of the soil.

Add some 3-4 mm grit and only remove large stones bigger than your fist. Stones keep the water flowing through the ground and they also help to warm it in the spring.

Most woody plants don’t like water at the root. In really boggy places only willow and dog wood will do but there are many good forms to choose from. Avoid planting willows near the house and any drainage systems that they can get into.

Poplars and alders are top tree choices for really damp 18 Gala Life

ground. In large gardens you could try liquidamber, nyssa or parrotia as specimens.

Pretty trees for medium to smaller gardens include amelanchier, halesia, cercidiphyllum and Davidia involucrata.

Although most conifers dislike wet ground there are a surprising number that prefer moist planting sites: many good forms of pinus, abies and picea are candidates, as are Chaemacyparis lawsoniana and C leylandii. Choice conifers include Cryptomeria japonica, Abies koreana and Sciadopitys verticillata.

Generally shrubs like well drained, sunny positions but there are some which could be used on damp ground; for example, the whole tribe of Acer palmatums, skimmias, Mahonia japonica and M aquifolium, smaller forms of amelanchier and Salix lanata.

Many beautiful perennials suit damp conditions so you can have flowers from spring to the end of the year, starting with epimediums, doronicum, brunnera, primulas like P florindae, P japonica and P

sikkimensis, and continuing with Euphorbia polychroma.

Summer flowers include all the monardas, astilbes and filipendulas. Set them off with any of the persicarias, Iris sibirica and I laevigata, or Lythrum salicaria and Lysimachia clethroides. You can go right to the autumn with ligularias, eupatorium, rodgersias, and Veronicastrum virginicum.

There are some good grasses for the water’s edge or damp places in the garden: try Carex elata aurea or Spartina pectinata but do avoid anything rampant like Phalaris arundinacea (Gardener’s garters) which can be hard to eradicate.

Many stately ferns will furnish the edge of streams or ponds or else live happily in shady damp corners: Matteuccia struthiopteris (the shuttlecock fern) and Osmunda regalis are two good choices but aspleniums and onoclea will also thrive.

Tulips and narcissi want well drained ground but leucojum and fritillaria will cope, as will bluebells and snowdrops.

Camassia, nectaroscordum and nomocharis are also worth a try where you can improve the drainage.

Sheila Drummond Portland Garden Design 07905 397185 drummond.sheila@gmail.com

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A Lifetime Of Physical Activity….. (Part 1) I’ve written on many occasions in this column about the importance of physical activity.

Developing effective physical activity habits early in life is certain to pay off in later years.

Maintaining those habits with age will really help too - here are some ideas and priorities for exercise broken down by decades.

Childhood - When we’re young, regular exercise helps control body weight, reduces blood pressure, encourages healthy cholesterol profiles, and helps develop bones, muscles and joints. Research has shown that exercise helps children develop self-confidence, readiness to learn and healthy sleep patterns.

Children strengthen their muscles with play, like skipping or climbing trees. As they grow older and reach adolescence, they might take part in more structured programmes with football or rugby teams.

20s - The body undergoes big changes during now. We’ll make massive progress in terms of strength and cardiovascular endurance, with large muscle group or full body exercises, or high intensity interval training. The 20s are the time to really build a fitness base. With age, we’ll lose muscle strength and bones become weaker, so starting strength training while you have time and enthusiasm means that losing muscle mass and bone density later will be less of a problem. Lifting weights is great (as long as it’s an appropriately designed programme) but equally effective are body weight exercises (for example pushups and lunges).

Equally important are cardio workouts – research has shown that exercising 1-3 hours per week can reduce a woman's risk of breast cancer by up to 30%.

30s - You’ll start to notice in your 30s that it’s harder to progress as easily as when you were 22 Gala Life

younger, and injuries are more likely to occur.

Most of us will try to maintain a relatively high level of physical activity, but a key additional focus needs to be on recovery – this will help to avoid injury and a more insidious condition known as burnout (where you lack motivation as well as the physical ability to exercise). It’s important to try to continue resistance training to maintain strength. Cardio vascular activity such as running or cycling, that elevates your heart rate up to 80/90% of maximum will be very beneficial (a very rough way to calculate your maximum theoretical heart rate is 220 minus your age). During this decade, it’s also important to diversify your activities. It’s likely that if you are/were a regular exerciser during your 20s that you stuck with one sport or activity. With age we become a little more susceptible to ‘overuse injuries’, where habitual positions or movements eventually cause failure in muscles or tissues. Swimmers might develop tight neck, chest, and shoulder muscles. Runners may suffer from runner’s knee, shin splints, or plantar fasciitis. Cross-training is an effective way to prevent muscle imbalance and overuse injuries: look to include activities which will ensure a good mix of upper and lower body workouts, and will help to maintain balance and flexibility.

In Part 2 next month, we will look at the 40s, 50s, 60s, 70s and beyond.

Want to give it a try ? As ever: if you haven’t exercised for a while, or have any medical conditions which might cause problems, check with your Doctor to ensure it’s safe to increase your activity levels. Remember, pain is a sign that something is wrong….and if you’re going to try this one, be very careful!! alan@galalife.co.uk

5th August

Steel Horse

12th August

Omni

19th August

Altitude Duo

26th August

Tom Jones Tribute Act

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Borders Council School Holiday Dates 2017 - 2018 Well the kids are heading back to school and we can get on with our lives in relative peace until at least the middle of October. Here are the term times for the coming year; they will let you plan holidays, childminders, days out, days in etc. Watch out for the 2 casual holidays and the 5 dreaded ‘In-Service’ days. Then there will be the snow.....

Autumn Term Autumn Holiday

Christmas Holiday

Winter Term

Spring Holiday

Summer Term

Monday 14th August 2017

Staff resume, in service day

Tuesday 15th August 2017

Pupils resume

Friday 6th October 2017

All break, mid-term

Monday 9th October

Start

Friday 13th October

End

Monday 16th October 2017

All resume

Thursday 9th November 2017

Staff in service day

Friday 10th November 2017

Staff in service day

Monday 27th November 2017

St Andrew's Day holiday, schools closed

Thursday 21st December 2017

All break, term ends

Friday 22nd December 2017

Start

Friday 5th January 2018

End

Monday 8th January 2018

All resume

Thursday 8th February 2018

Pupils break, February holiday

Friday 9th February 2018

Staff in service day

Wednesday 14th February 2018

All resume

Thursday 29th March 2018

All break, term ends

Friday 30th March 2018

Start

Friday 13th April 2018

End

Monday 16th April 2018

All resume

Friday 4th May 2018

Staff in service day

Monday 7th May 2018

May Day holiday, school closed

Wednesday 27th June 2017

All break, term ends

Each learning community allocates 2 casual holidays for pupils and staff which are usually aligned to their local festivals. Our local schools fall under: Eildon East Earlston - 14th February 2018 and 4th June 2018.

Eildon East Selkirk - 14th June 2018 and 15th June 2018.

Eildon West Galashiels - 14th February 2018 and 4th June 2018.

The Autumn Term 2019 commences 20th August for staff and 21st for pupils.

Further information relating to schools in the Borders can be found at the Borders Council website - www.scotborders.gov.uk/info/878/schools/

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CHRIS (tiv) MACKENZIE & SON Plumbing & Heating Engineers All types of plumbing & heating work carried out

15 Craigpark Gardens Galashiels TD1 3HZ

01896 757586 07890 100681 Gala Life 25

Slating & Roofing Contractors

James R Graham (Roofing) Ltd • • • • •

Slating Flat Roofs Tiling General Repairs All our Tradesmen are Time Served

www.jrgroofing.com info@jrgroofing.com Brae House, Plumtree, Galashiels TD1 1PZ

Tel: 01896 800717 Fax: 01896 758746 26 Gala Life

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YOU Could Save Someone’s Life…

AEDs are easy to use, compact, portable… and very effective.

We’ve all seen them on TV, in documentaries, movies, even in Casualty, but now we also see small portable versions in public places, so what are they and how do they work?

When someone collapses with a cardiac arrest, it can be caused by disorganised electrical activity in the heart’s ventricular muscle. Their heart then quivers instead of pumping and this results in loss of consciousness and no pulse.

This condition is called ventricular fibrillation.

If your heart stops beating properly and blood stops flowing, your brain starts to lose its oxygen supply and you can die within five minutes. That's why people who suffer cardiac arrest (when their heart stops or goes into a dangerously abnormal rhythm) need emergency medical treatment. CPR (cardiopulmonary resuscitation) can help maintain the flow of oxygen to the brain, but getting the heart restarted and working normally often requires defibrillation with an electric shock and that's the life-saving job a defibrillator does.

As the name suggests, defibrillation stops fibrillation by using a moderately high voltage (something like 200 - 3000 volts, depending on machine) to pass an electric current through the heart so it's shocked into working normally again.

The units you see on TV in hospitals and in ambulances that feature handheld paddles and gel applied to the skin are usually manual external defibrillators. With these devices, the doctors, nurses, or paramedics have to figure out themselves whether defibrillation will help and also what shock voltage or energy level to use. Semi-automated defibrillators can work either automatically or in a manual override mode if the doctor prefers.

Equipment like this used to require hours of training, but now portable, fully automatic defibrillators are being installed in public places and are designed to be used with little or no 28 Gala Life

training. These units are called automated external defibrillators (AEDs), sometimes referred to as public access defibrillators (PADs) as anyone can use them in an emergency. They have self-adhesive electrode pads and a built-in computer that automatically analyzes the patient's heart rhythm to figure out whether a shock will help them (defibrillation doesn't work if the heart has actually stopped beating altogether) and, if so, what level of shock is appropriate. Whilst in use, the unit will ‘talk’ to you, giving clear easy to understand instructions.

You shouldn’t be afraid of using a defibrillator if someone has had a cardiac arrest and there is no legal comeback for trying.

Patients who suffer regular problems with their heart rhythm sometimes have an internal defibrillator permanently implanted into their chest (a bit like a pacemaker) or worn on the surface of their skin under their clothes. Units like this constantly monitor the heart rhythm and deliver a shock whenever it's needed.

The chance of surviving an out-of-hospital cardiac arrest increases the more quickly defibrillation is used. Depending on underlying cause, defibrillation within 2 minutes can have as much as 60% success rate, even up to 10 minutes can produce results, so much so that there have been calls for them to be as commonplace as fire extinguishers.

If you do come across someone who has had a cardiac arrest, it’s vital to call 999 and start CPR. Then you should find out if there is a defibrillator nearby.

There are many defibrillators placed throughout the borders. You don’t need to remember them all, as on calling 999 for an ambulance to attend a cardiac arrest, the operator will be able to identify the location of a defibrillator nearest to you.

There are lots of organisations that provide training in emergency first aid and use of a defibrillator, these include St John’s Ambulance Service, Red Cross, Fire Service and the British

Heart Foundation (Heartstart) to name a few.

A Scottish charity www.lucky2bhere.org provides training and can supply equipment through assisted fundraising. They also have a terrific free smartphone app (Crowdsav) with defibrillator locations across Scotland. The app can even direct you to the nearest location from where you are standing, using your mobile phone GPS. It currently locates more than 15 defibrillators in Galashiels alone.

The majority of courses are free, they usually include other basic first aid and no prior medical knowledge is required.

So what’s stopping you?

The defibrillator was invented by Professor Frank Pantridge (1916–2004), a doctor from Northern Ireland. In the 1960s, he realized that many people were dying unnecessarily because they typically experienced cardiac arrest at home, at work, or in some other public place. By the time they'd been taken to a hospital where there was a defibrillator to kick-start their heart, it was already too late to save them. He developed the first "portable," battery-powered defibrillator in 1965.

Although it weighed 70kg it could be carried around in ambulances, which gave a few valuable extra minutes to save people. Another of his important insights was realising that anyone could use a defibrillator with only very basic instruction and that eventually led to the development of the small, easy-to-use AED, weighing just 2 or 3 kilograms.

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Andy Anderson Councillor - Galashiels & District SNP It does not seem a month since the last issue. It has been such a busy time with council work, briefing and other events. I was delighted to be invited to many of the Braw Lads events in Galashiels – some of which I had not attended before. The committee work very hard to ensure the success of the great annual event, as do others in our Border towns. It was great to see that they had even pre-booked the sunshine for the Saturday!

I am now one of the vice-chairs on the planning committee and local review body, so I though I would give a brief overview of what we do. Despite the common misconception that we say yes or no to all applications, most are dealt with by planning officers and only a small proportion of plans come before us. These are generally those that have received a number of objections, are large or where a decision by the planning officer is being appealed.

These groups are termed quasi-judicial, and are non-party political, which means that we can only make our judgements on the material presented, not on any personal information or opinions we might have. At the beginning of each meeting, councillors are asked if they have any interests to declare in any of the applications and will be asked to leave during any discussion on that application; they will not be able to have a comment or vote on it.

If you ask a member of the planning committee for an opinion on a particular planning application, you will be politely informed that they cannot express an opinion. This does not mean we are being evasive or dismissive: it is because any comments made could be deemed as holding a particular view before reviewing the evidence and this could preclude us sitting on the committee for that application. In Galashiels, I have directed anyone asking for a comment to the two councillors not on planning – they are free to express an opinion (though perhaps they might not thank me for the extra work!). There are also legal implications, as any comments could be used as evidence in an appeal.

I hope that has given a wee insight into one aspect of Councillors' work and I hope to give more brief insights in future articles.

I am aiming to start regular surgeries in August and will advise on dates and times in the next issue.

Tel: 0300 100 0220; Mobile: 07811 976952; E-mail: andy.anderson@scotborders.gov.uk; Facebook: www.facebook.com/GalaDistrict

Euan Jardine Councillor - Galashiels & District Conservative Firstly, I would like to use this platform to once again thank everyone that supported me during my election campaign. I would also like to thank those that offered their congratulations after my successful induction to the Scottish Borders Council.

The past few months have been enjoyable but also eye opening in many ways. One of the most eye opening facts that I have discovered, is the amount of groups that are part of our community. They range from crochet to cricket and even though all groups are different. They all have one common denominator and that is hard working volunteers. Without volunteers the Braw Lads ceremonies for instance, would not be the successful event it has been over the years.

Unfortunately, in my short period of time as a councillor I have also heard about clubs and continued on page 32

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organisations that have folded due to a lack of volunteers. As a volunteer myself I do understand the amount of time and effort required in helping events run smoothly and for clubs and organisations to continue to flourish. That is why through this column I want to say thank you to all those that have volunteered in the past and continue to do so. Without volunteers, communities do not thrive so if you are interested in volunteering and are not sure how to, please get in touch and I will be happy to assist in helping you find the correct path.

I will be hosting surgeries in the Autumn but until then if you have any issues you would like to raise with me please contact me through email on euan.jardine@scotborders.gov.uk or by telephone on 0300 100 0220.

Caddonfoot Parish Church A visit to Iona with a group from Caddonfoot Parish Church and Trinity in Galashiels was one of the highlights of the Rev Elspeth Harley’s address to the congregation in the past month. Also, for what is believed to have been the first time, the ‘Lord’s Prayer’ was sung at a morning service.

Music has been played on a regular basis by Andy Bird, Mrs Margaret Blyth, Mrs Fiona McDougal and Mrs Anne Grieve. Monies are still coming in for the Annual Appeal, which is in aid of the heating project.

Bible Study continues to meet each Wednesday with the Church of Scotland’s report on ‘An Approach to the Theology of Same-Sex Marriage’ one of the most debatable subjects. Members also assist with items for the Food Bank, while a team, led by Mrs Jo Lawson, leads a group which helps with services at the Borders General Hospital.

The church is open to members of the public on certain days during the summer.

Galashiels Baptist Church We are a friendly welcoming church situated in Victoria Street Galashiels.

Sundays we meet at 1030am for morning worship, we enjoy both contemporary and traditional songs/hymns. Crèche facilities are available, Sunday Club for primary age and Youth Bible study for teenagers. Tea and coffee are served after the service with a fellowship lunch on the 2nd Sunday of every month. In the evening, 6.00-8.00pm there is a Youth Club for P7 upwards when they enjoy a variety of games. E.g. snooker, table tennis and board games.

Tuesdays at 12.30pm there is a Lunch Club for the elderly. Enjoy a 3 course lunch followed by tea/coffee. Cost is £5. There are occasional outings throughout the year.

Tuesdays and Thursdays a Parent and Toddler group meets from 10 – 11.15am. This is a great opportunity to meet new people and for children to enjoy play with others.

Tuesday Prayer meeting 7.00 - 8.15pm.

Wednesdays at 2pm a craft group meets in the small lounge. Enjoy a cup of tea and a chat whilst you do your knitting, sewing, crocheting, or painting.

No Friday Club during school summer holidays.

Holiday club – This year the holiday club, for primary aged children, will run from Monday 31st July – Friday 4th August 10am-12noon. The title this year is Guardians of Ancora.

Come along to find out what it is all about. Registration required. Application forms are available from the church.

All welcome, for further info of all church events – www.galashielsbaptistchurch.org.uk e-mail admin@galashielsbaptistchurch.org.uk continued on page 34

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St Peter’s Episcopal Church, Galashiels Church Diary August 2017 Thurs 3rd 10.00am Communion Service Sun 6th 10.30am Sung Eucharist Rev Ursula Shone Thurs 10th 10.00am Communion Service 12.30 Soup ‘n’ Pud lunch come & bring a friend Sat 12th Sun 13th 9.30am Sunday Squad followed by juice & toast 10.30 Sung Eucharist Rev David Dalglish 6.00pm Healing service Father Philip Blackledge Tues 15th 3.00pm Afternoon Tea Service Rev Bob King Thurs 17th 10.00am Communion Service 8.30am Holy Communion Rev Duncan McCosh Sun 20th 9.45am Family breakfast 10.30 Family Eucharist Rev Duncan McCosh Thurs 24th 10.00am Communion Service Fri 25th 5.00pm Choir practice Sun 27th 9.30am Sunday Squad followed by juice and toast 10.30 Sung Eucharist Thurs 31st 10am Communion Service Sun 3rd Sept 9.30am Sunday Squad followed by juice and toast 10.30 Sung Eucharist Contact Information Caretaker Phil Todd 07787 729639, Hall Bookings Elizabeth Watret 01750 23207 / 07780 009355 e-mail elizabeth.watret@gmail.com

Hope Church We are a lively and inclusive contemporary Christian Church recently established and thriving in the Scottish Borders. We gather every Sunday to worship together and celebrate the presence of God in our lives. Our meetings are lively and informal, family friendly, with a blend of traditional and contemporary worship led by a great band. Everyone is welcome, whether you have a church background or are just seeking answers to the big questions in life. So please join with us any Sunday at 4.00 pm at Tweedbank Community Centre, Essenside Drive.

Check out details of Hope Church on our web site www.hopechurchborders.org.uk

Trinity Church Galashiels Sunday morning services during the summer continue at 11.15 am whilst other church activities such as the guild and choir have a well earned rest. Congregational Board coffee mornings take place throughout the summer months and the next one is on Saturday 12th August between 10am and 12 noon in the church hall. The money raised goes to church funds.

Also on Saturday 12th August at 2pm there will be a memorial service in the church for Joyce Lindores who died in Melbourne Australia in June. Joyce was born in Galashiels and she went on to win countless Border, Scottish, Commonwealth and World titles in both indoor and outdoor bowling. continued on page 38

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It wouldn’t be summer without Pimm’s, and you needn’t be at Wimbledon to enjoy this delightfully refreshing drink… But, what is it?

Pimm's is a brand name of what is classed as a ‘fruit cup’, but may also be considered a liqueur.

The most popular is Pimm’s No 1 Cup and is 25% proof.

Pimm’s was first produced in 1823 by James Pimm a farmer's son from Kent. He was the owner of an oyster bar in the City of London, near the Bank of England and offered a gin based drink containing a secret mixture of herbs and liqueurs as a tonic and aid to digestion. It was served in a small tankard known as a "No. 1 Cup", hence its subsequent name. Pimm's began large-scale production in 1851 to keep up with sales to other bars and began selling it commercially in 1859. In 1865, Pimm sold the business and the right to use his name to Frederick Sawyer. In 1880, the business was acquired by future Lord Mayor of London Horatio Davies, and a chain of Pimm's Oyster Houses was franchised in 1887.

Over the years, Pimm's extended their range, using other spirits as bases for new "cups". In 1851, Pimm's No. 2 Cup and Pimm's No. 3 Cup were introduced. After World War II, Pimm's No. 4 Cup was invented, followed by Pimm's No. 5 Cup and Pimm's No. 6 Cup in the 1960s.

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The brand fell on hard times in the 1970s and 1980s. The Oyster House chain was sold and Pimm's Cup numbers 2 to 5 were phased out due to reduced demand. Since 1997 Pimm's has been part of Diageo. In 2005, they introduced Pimm's Winter Cup, which consists of Pimm's No. 3 Cup (a brandy-based variant) infused with spices and orange peel.

In total, seven Pimm's products have been produced, all fruit cups, differing only in their base alcohol. Only Nos. 1, 6, and a 'Winter Cup' based on No. 3 remain.

Pimm's No. 1 Cup is the most popular version.

Based on gin.

Pimm's No. 2 Cup was based on Scotch whisky.

Currently phased out.

Pimm's No. 3 Cup is based on brandy. Phased out, but a version infused with spices and orange peel marketed as Pimm's Winter Cup is now seasonally available.

Pimm's No. 4 Cup was based on rum. Currently phased out.

Pimm's No. 5 Cup was based on rye whisky.

Currently phased out.

Pimm's No. 6 Cup is based on vodka and although still available, Diageo also now produce Pimm’s Blackberry and Elderflower, also based on vodka.

There is also a Strawberry, based on No 1.

There’s always great debate about how Pimm’s is best served. Here are some popular recipes, but bear in mind if having friends round, it is best made by the jug. Experiment!

PIMM'S CLASSIC Ingredients • 1 part Pimm's • 3 parts lemonade • Ice Method Mix all ingredients in a highball or half pint glass.

Garnish with orange, strawberry, mint and cucumber.

PIMM’S CHERRY PUNCH Ingredients • 100ml Pimm’s • 200ml Cherry Juice Drink • 200ml soda or lemonade Method Half fill a serving jug with crushed ice, add Pimm’s, cherry juice drink, the soda water or lemonade.

Pour into tall glasses, garnished with cherries.

PIMM'S ROYALE Ingredients • 25ml Pimm's • sparkling wine Method Mix all ingredients in a champagne flute.

Garnish with a strawberry.

You can of course use Champagne!

Make Your Own Pimm’s Mixture You can of course mix your own Pimm’s mixture. Experiment with different gins, vermouths, and orange liqueurs to find your favorite combination of the classic bottled cup. Hendrick’s or Bulldog gin will offer something completely different than a London Dry style like Beefeater.

Martini and Grand Marnier both work well.

PIMPOM Ingredients • 1 part Pimm's • 3 parts Pomegranate • Ice Method Mix all ingredients in a highball or half pint glass.

Garnish with orange and some fresh ripped basil.

PIMM'S DEUCE Ingredients • 1 part Pimm's • 1.5 parts orange juice • 1.5 parts cranberry juice • Ice Method Mix all ingredients in a highball or half pint glass.

Garnish with orange and strawberry.

PIMM'S GINGER Ingredients • 1 part Pimm's • 3 parts ginger ale • Ice Method Mix all ingredients in a highball or half pint glass.

Garnish with lemon and sprig of mint.

BASIC HOMEMADE FRUIT CUP MIXTURE Ingredients: • 10 oz. Dry Gin, such as Beefeater • 10 oz. Sweet Vermouth • 5 oz. Orange Liqueur

Preparation: Add all to a bottle and shake.

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The board and session are currently looking for a new treasurer as the present one is retiring after a long stint in the job and anyone interested could give the minister the Rev. Elspeth Harley a call on 01896 758485.

Already preparations are being made by the Galashiels fellowship of Churches for Christmas as they plan to have another Christmas Tree Festival after the success of the one last year. This will again be hosted at Trinity.

All are welcome to come and join us and enjoy fellowship with us. Tea and coffee are served every Sunday before and after the service.

Holy Trinity Church, Melrose Taizé worship is held at Holy Trinity Church, High Cross Avenue, Melrose, on the last Wednesday of every month. See 'What's On' for dates and times.

Taizé is a form of non-denominational Christian worship involving sung and chanted prayers, meditation, a period of silence, and liturgical readings, with no preaching. The experience has been quoted as being "poetic and contemplative." The style of prayer practiced is sung in an almost Buddhist style of meditative chanting. All are welcome to join in the service, which is based on the worship style of a monastic community located in Taizé, northern France. Members of the community make a life commitment to live in joy, simplicity and mercy as a "parable of community," a sign of the Gospel's call to reconciliation at the heart of the world.

For further information visit our website at www.holytrinitymelrose.org.uk, telephone 01896 822626, or you can e-mail us at infoholytrinity@gmail.com

Old Parish & St Paul’s Church Scott Crescent, Galashiels TD1 3JU

St John’s Church Hawthorn Road, Langlee TD1 2JZ We are two linked, welcoming churches centred on bible teaching and prayer, and wanting to take Christ into the community.

Sunday Services in August: 9.45 am St John’s 11.30am St Paul’s 6.30pm St Paul’s There are children’s and youth groups during the morning services in term time.

Prayer Meetings in August: 1st, 8th, 15th, 29th at 7.30pm in St John’s, 22nd at 7pm in St Paul’s.

Other groups and activities, restarting in the Autumn St John’s Bible Study – House group on Wednesday evenings.

Girls Brigade – Monday evenings.

Messy Church – Saturday afternoons – look out for dates.

Galashiels Food Bank – team involved in distribution. continued on page 40

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St Paul’s Bible Studies – House groups on Monday & Tuesday mornings.

Boys Brigade – Friday evenings, starting 18th August.

Anchor Boys (P2-P3) 6pm - 7pm Juniors (P4-P7) 7pm - 8.30pm Company (S1-S6) 7.15pm - 10pm Guild – Wednesday afternoons.

Lunch Club – Thursdays 12.30pm, starting 17th August.

Music Makers – Thursday evenings.

Badminton – Wednesday mornings.

For further information - www.oldparishandstpauls.org.uk/ St John’s website is currently being re-designed. e-mail lkeller@churchofscotland.org.uk phone 01896 753029.

Our Lady and St Andrews Catholic Church Ministers to a weekly congregation of around 200 at 11.00am Mass. There is a lively choir and time to chat at tea and coffee, after. We are fortunate in having a flourishing Polish community.

Mass times are Saturday Vigil - 6.00pm, Sunday Mass - 11.00am. All visitors are welcome.

The Filling Station The Filling Station meets for regular Monday evening ‘celebration’ meetings held in the Corn Exchange Melrose, every month on the first Monday starting at 7.30pm and we have seen Christian’s from communities across the Scottish Borders grow in depth, numbers and fellowship.

The Filling Station offers high quality speakers and teachers, contemporary sung worship and powerful, accessible prayer ministry.

Our meetings are designed to be overtly spiritual but presented in a manner that those outside the church would feel comfortable.

Our meetings aim to be short, sharp and focused in character. We find many people meet God through these meetings and faith is built up. We welcome Christians from all backgrounds, denominations and non, Christian leaders, those seeking to understand what the Christian faith is all about, and those just inquisitive.

Our next meeting is Monday September 4th at 7.30pm when our own worship band will be leading worship and Guest speakers are Rob and Marion White. Rob currently leads Life Church in Wilmslow, Manchester, a new church which seeks to 'do church differently' and meets in 'Revolution' bar in Wilmslow town centre. The church welcomes people with a coffee and bacon butties and there's a live band which leads the worship, along with an informal and relevant way of delivering a Christian message in a relaxed way.

Rob who started life as a salesman, is a former senior minister in charge of Poynton Baptist Church, and before that was also national director of 'Youth for Christ', which works in schools and on the streets in towns and cities all over the UK. They are both regular contributors to Spring Harvest are also co-founders of Hope for Justice, whose work is the rescue and rehabilitation of trafficked victims here in the UK. Rob left his selling job to help set up the Open House Trust continued on page 42

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which involved taking needy people into their home. Should be a great night so why not Join us?

Remember NO Filling Station in August but see you in September So why not drop into the Corn Exchange and check out the Borders Filling Station!

Heart and Soul The weekly Heart and Soul Group meet weekly in the Chaplaincy Centre at the Borders General Hospital. The exercise group is those who have been through the heart rehabilitation classes and there have been regular attendances despite the summer holidays. There is always room for new members. We meet in the Chaplaincy Centre on Thursday evenings from 5 to 6 pm. With warmer days, we have had to have the doors open!

Borders Family History Society Borders Family History Society - to commemorate a hundred years of the Scottish Womens Rural Institute in the Scottish Borders, the Society will be holding a small exhibition at 52 Overhaugh Street, Galashiels. The exhibition will be open on Tues, Thur & Fri from 10am – 4pm until the end of September.

Fresh Help For Older People In The Borders Meal Makers and Food Train, two services to help older people with food and shopping, have launched in the Scottish Borders.

Meal Makers is a community food sharing project which pairs volunteer cooks with older neighbours who would appreciate some home cooking, while the Food Train Shopping service arranges volunteers to do the weekly grocery run for older members of the community. Both services are run by Dumfries-based charity Food Train who have been helping isolated older people for 22 years.

Meal Makers originally launched in Dundee in August 2014 and now operates in eight council areas across Scotland. It brings together people who love cooking (‘cooks’), with older neighbours over the age of 55 who would appreciate having some delicious home-cooked food delivered to them (‘diners’). Cooks and diners are matched using an online platform. Once matched, the cook prepares an extra portion of their evening meal and takes it round to the diner at a mutually convenient time. How often meals are shared, and when they are shared, is decided between the cook and diner. Typically, meals are shared once a week.

The Food Train shopping service operates in nine council areas around Scotland, having started in Dumfries in 1995. Over 1,000 Food Train volunteers are helping 2,700 customers across Scotland.

Volunteers collect a weekly shopping list from older people in the area, visit the supermarket, collect and pack the groceries, and deliver them back to the older person’s house on a nominated day. Anyone over 65 is eligible for the Food Train service.

Both services are now looking for volunteers to help out and for older people who may benefit. It only costs £1 for a year’s membership to Food Train, and £4 for each delivery. Meal Makers costs £5 for a year’s membership.

“We’re delighted to be bringing these services to the Borders,” said Robert Peacock, Development Officer for Meal Makers. “A weekly shop and a good home meal are something it is easy to take continued on page 44

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for granted, but many older people struggle to manage, for health reasons, or because they are isolated from the community.�

To volunteer or to sign up for either service call 0800 783 7770, e-mail hello@mealmakers.org.uk or visit either website www.mealmakers.org.uk or www.thefoodtrain.co.uk Food Train is a registered charity, voluntary organisation and social enterprise providing vital support services to enable older people to live independently at home for as long as possible. It began in Dumfries in 1995 following a community survey of older people that found many of them struggling with their weekly grocery shopping.

Galashiels & District Probus Club Probus Clubs provide an opportunity for retired or semi-retired professional and business men and women to attend regular meetings and enjoy the company of like-minded people who appreciate the camaraderie of being part of the Club.

We usually have around 60 members at our fortnightly meetings on Thursday mornings at the Waverley Castle Hotel, Melrose. After tea or coffee we have a guest speaker and have talks on varied interesting subjects. More information is available on the Probus UK website and if you are interested in joining us please ask any member or speak to our secretary at 01750 76243.

AccessAble AccessAble is the recognised access panel for the central Scottish Borders. We work towards achieving equality for disabled people and creating an accessible environment for all.

What is an access panel? The panel is made up of volunteers who have a genuine interest in promoting equality for disabled people. We can be involved in reviewing existing buildings and planning applications for new developments from an access perspective, providing feedback to local and central government on policies which affect disabled people, and providing a forum for the views of disabled people to be heard.

Access is not just about physically getting around buildings - it includes everything people might need or desire to live a full and independent life, including equal access to information, services, job opportunities, and social events.

This year, we have been working with NHS Borders to give input on their services from a disability equality perspective, and carried out an access audit in Selkirk, assessing what barriers there are to full accessibility.

For more information on the panel and what we do, please visit our website: www.accessable.org.uk Join us! AccessAble is interested to hear from people who would like to join the panel or work with us in any other capacity. Our members have a wide range of skills and may go out into the community to conduct accessibility audits, engage with public bodies, review planning applications, and run training sessions.

Membership is open to individuals living in the central Scottish Borders who are interested in supporting the aim of improving equality in its widest sense for disabled people. Panel meetings are held every two months at our office in St Boswells, and we make reasonable adjustments to ensure all our members can attend these. We are a user-led organisation and aim for the majority of our members to be disabled people, but we do not ask potential members whether of not they are disabled.

If you are interested in becoming a member of the panel, please contact Margaret Simpson MBE email margaret@accessable.org.uk or phone 01835 822099. continued on page 46

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Victim Support Scottish Borders is Volunteer Friendly Victim Support Scottish Borders has become the first of Victim Support Scotland’s regional offices to achieve a prestigious award recognising its support for its huge team of volunteers.

VS Scottish Borders has been awarded ‘Volunteer Friendly’, a national scheme delivered locally by Volunteer Centre Borders (VCB). Assessors scrutinised the charity’s policies and procedures in five strands covering things like training, motivation, equality and communication.

VCB Executive Officer, Gordon Brown, said: “Volunteers are an integral part of Victim Support Scottish Borders and this is obvious from their workplans and how they are supported in their volunteering roles.

“At a time when volunteers are needed more than ever before to help support delivery of many of the services which make our communities so healthy and vibrant, it is great Victim Support Scottish Borders are one of many organisations putting their volunteers at the forefront of their strategic planning.

“The fact that the VS Scottish Borders are the first of Victim Support Scotland’s regional offices to achieve this award is real credit to all the staff and volunteers in the area.”

VS Scottish Borders’ manager Karen Lawson commented “We are delighted our commitment to supporting and developing our volunteers has been recognised by the Volunteer Friendly Award.

“Our vital work could not be done without our dedicated team of volunteers and we will continue to ensure our policies and procedures reflect our appreciation for all their efforts.”

Stowed Out Festival From the heart of Stow our two-day mission is to support local talent, showcase young bands, and boldly entertain you with the very best in music, poetry and art. We are very excited that The Van T’s will be our raucous headliners in the 9 band Saturday line up. Hailing from Glasgow and fronted by twin sisters delivering classy harmonies, the Van T’s who have been out on tour with The Jesus and Mary Chain will rock you with their blissed-out wall of sound and sunny surf guitars.

Friday evening is an equally glorious affair. You cannot fail to dance to headliners Orkestra del Sol. Their sun-soaked blend of brilliant bonkersness will lead you to a magic place of maximum fun.

Delivering funked-up jazz tones and uniquely blended global rhythms, the Orkestra del Sol will get even the most staid of audience members to on their feet and boogying Follow Stowed Out at on Facebook and get your tickets online at Eventbrite and search Stowed Out Festival and remember jump on the train as the festival site is only 2 min from the station.

Note: No alcohol to be brought on site.

Remember - you can win a pair of tickets, see page 13 for our competition.

Do You Have Any Spare Wool?

The ladies of Cornmill Court Knitting Club keep busy by knitting patchwork cot blankets, which are then distributed to those in need around the world, by The Red Cross.

Not only is this an enjoyable, worthwhile pastime, it is therapeutic for members suffering from the onset of dementia.

They urgently need more wool to keep up with demand and ask that if you have any spare, or odd balls of Double Knit wool, would you please hand them in to the Reception at Cornmill Court, St John’s Street, Galashiels, between 9.00am and 5.00pm. There is no minimum amount.

Many thanks.

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This Month’s Tricky Sudoko 2 8

6 4 3

How to play............

8 2

4

9 2

5

9

1

8

7

5

1 3

2

7

3

5

7 6

4 6

2 3

Fill the grid so that every row, column and every 3 x 3 box contains the numbers 1 through to 9 with no repetition.

That’s all there is to it! Use reasoning and logic to solve the puzzle - there’s no maths or adding up.

Look carefully for what numbers can go where and with a little practice it will get easier!

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YOUR HOROSCOPE For August 2017

By Astrologer Christine Chalklin The Cosmos During August August brings an abundance of Leo energy, the lion is roaring and he brings passion, fire, love and romance - just in time for the holiday season! The love planet Venus is in retrograde motion all month, providing lessons in evaluating the real worth of relationships and partnerships. Direct motion commences early September when life goes much more smoothly. Mighty Jupiter, the planet of abundance and good luck, leaves fiery and dramatic Leo on the 10th, moving into more sedate and industrious Virgo for a one year stay. Last in this sign twelve years ago we can now prepare and be ready for focus and consistency. Jupiter in Virgo helps us to pay attention to detail and turn our visions into reality. Mars, the warrior planet, moves into Leo on the 9th, there is still plenty of opportunity for creative ideas to flourish in preparation for the practical Jupiter in Virgo times ahead. The Leo new moon is on the 14th and the Full moon in Pisces is on the 29th.

ARIES MARCH 21 - APRIL 20 It’s all change after the 9th , as no less than five planets occupy the love and romance sector of your chart – fun and games are in the spotlight and the focus may well be on any children that happen to be in your life. There is an abundance of creative energy available, make the most of it!

TAURUS APRIL 21 - MAY 21 Home and family are a strong focus this month, particularly after the 9th when fiery Mars moves in to Leo. Action on the domestic front is called for and this can show itself through renovations or general comings and goings of friends and family. The Leo new moon on the 14th brings a surprise!

GEMINI MAY 22 - JUNE 21 Creative communication is at the top of your list for August. After the 9th five planets occupy this imaginative and resourceful area of your chart. The energy is high and this could be the time for that long held vision to become a reality; particularly after Mercury changes sign on the 8th.

CANCER JUNE 22 - JULY 22 August brings your thoughts and focus to your financial situation. Motivational Mars moves into Leo on the 9th and with it comes fantastic new ideas for making money. Creativity is at an all-time high and you need to let your imagination run wild, particularly after the spectacular new moon on the 14th.

LEO JULY 23 - AUGUST 23 The heat is on for roaring lions this month as an overabundance of passion and intensity peaks with energetic Mars moving in on the 9th. Tread carefully to avoid burn out, but do use this creative energy wisely and make your plans for the months ahead. Jupiter is with you until the 10th VIRGO AUGUST 24 - SEPTEMBER 22 Prepare for exciting life changing events over the next twelve months! Jupiter enters your sign for a one year stay on the 11th. It’s time to ditch some of your perfectionism, give yourself the credit you deserve and celebrate your achievements. The new moon on the 14th boosts confidence.

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LIBRA SEPTEMBER 23 - OCTOBER 23 Energetic Mars remains strong at the highest point of your chart until the 9th .This continues the trend of bringing new opportunities your way, you are on a roll this month so do make the most of personal ambitions. The new moon on the 14th emphasises successful group endeavours.

SCORPIO OCTOBER 24 - NOVEMBER 22 It’s all change this month as mighty Jupiter moves into a pivotal sector of your chart. Group events and social endeavours are highlighted and success may come through community activities. Stern Saturn is back in your sign and helps you see a project through to the end.

SAGITTARIUS NOVEMBER 23 - DECEMBER 21 Innovation and broadening your horizons are the main themes of the month. Important times are ahead as Jupiter, your ruling planet, changes signs on the 11th. Your career, goals and ambitions take on a new meaning for the next year as your focus turns to completion and success.

CAPRICORN DECEMBER 22 - JANUARY 20 Energetic Mars moves out of your relationship sector on the 9th, you may well breathe a sigh of relief as any conflicts and disagreements should lessen now. Jupiter changing signs on the 11th and the new moon on the 14th make this a very special time for exciting new beginnings.

AQUARIUS JANUARY 21 - FEBRUARY 18 An abundance of energy in your opposite sign of Leo ensures that this is an exciting month.

Challenges may come from all directions, but take this opportunity to increase your social connections. Jupiter arrives in your financial sector on the 11th, this could be the start of a lucky twelve months!

PISCES FEBRUARY 19 - MARCH 20 Work and every day matters are the main focus for this month. It is a good time to make creative changes to your diet, nutrition and fitness routine. Abundant Jupiter arrives in your relationship area on the 11th, you can expect plenty of rewarding times with people who are close to you.

Unlock the secrets of your personal birth chart by booking a personal astrology consultation now.

Navigate your way to success with in-depth knowledge and cosmic awareness. Tune into positive and productive planetary cycles and become more successful in life and in business. I also offer a full motivational and transformational coaching programme using astrology, life coaching and the Bach flower essences. My client base is international and all consultations are available in person, by telephone or Skype. Please contact me for more information.

Christine Chalklin Inspirational Astrologer and Transformational Life Coach, www.RestyleYourLife.co.uk Christine@restyleyourlife.co.uk Telephone: 07813 483549

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Willie’s Wonky Computer Factory You see PDF files everywhere. At Pitlochry Life we use then all the time, our magazine goes to print as a PDF, on our web all the recipes etc are stored as PDFs. So what are they, and why are they so popular?

In 1992 Adobe launched their ‘paper-to-digital revolution’ with the introduction of the Portable Document Format (PDF) file. It is used to present and exchange documents reliably, independent of software, hardware, or operating system, and most importantly, they look exactly the same no matter what device you open them on.

You will often see instruction manuals, eBooks, flyers, job applications, scanned documents, brochures, and all sorts of other documents available in the PDF format. You will mostly come across them online and if you have Windows 10, your internet explorer (Edge, Chrome, Firefox) will open them automatically.

In older versions of Windows you will need to install a PDF reader. The best is, for obvious reasons, from Adobe, called Adobe Acrobat Reader, and is free from: https://get.adobe.com/uk/reader/ To edit a PDF you need slightly more complex software than a reader. Adobe Acrobat is the most popular, but costs money. There are loads of free options available, just Google ‘PDF editor free’ and take your pick. Be wary though, some leave a watermark on the document. If you just want to edit one document, the easiest option is to use a free online editor like PDF Buddy (www.pdfbuddy.com) You simply upload the PDF to their website, make your changes, insert images, text, signatures, links etc and then download it back onto your PC. This is great for those online forms, like job applications.

You can of course convert a PDF into other formats that you might feel more comfortable working with – like Word. Again there are loads of free online services, or if you want to install a program, try Doxillion, just make sure you download the free version, not the trial version.

Converting to PDF is just as easy, there are loads of free programmes/online services. One that I have used is PrimoPDF: (https://primopdf.en.softonic.com/). It acts as a printer, you simply print your document, then select PrimoPDF from the dropdown list of available printers on the print screen and follow the instructions.

Another advantage of PDFs is that you can secure them with a password. That means you can stop others from reading them without the password, or you can not allow editing, printing etc. Most design companies use this to stop their artwork, or parts of it, from being stolen or copied.

One problem I encounter frequently is when trying to open a PDF on my phone/tablet, it appears as a winmail.dat file and just won’t open – but does open on my PC. This is a problem caused by the sender using the desktop version of Microsoft Outlook with outdated settings. To correct this, simply open Outlook, click File, select Options, go to the Mail category. Now make sure ‘HTML or Plain Text’ is selected for ‘Compose messages in this format’ under ‘Compose messages’ and ‘Convert to HTML format’ or ‘Convert to Plain Text format’ is selected for ‘When sending messages in Rich Text format to Internet recipients’ under ‘Message format’. (That will make sense when you see it) Older version of Outlook will look slightly different, however the phraseology will be much the same. This won’t work on the online version of Outlook, that’s something Microsoft need to fix with an update.

Willie

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This Month’s Easy Sudoko 6 9

7

5

5

8

8 4

5

3 6

7 3

9

8

2 1 2

3

6

1 8

1

6

7 4

4

4

4

9

9

1

6

2

3

1 5

4

7

2

How to play............

Fill the grid so that every row, column and every 3 x 3 box contains the numbers 1 through to 9 with no repetition.

That’s all there is to it! Use reasoning and logic to solve the puzzle - there’s no maths or adding up.

Look carefully for what numbers can go where and with a little practice it will get easier!

Gala Life 53

INDEX OF ADVERTISERS A & A Doyle Ltd Funeral Dir

31

Galashiels Dog Walking

39

Oven Wizard

27

A to Z Decorations

26

Grants Gardens

20

Paolo's

6

AccessAble

44

Greenspaces

20

Pest Problems

19

Ace Carpet Cleaning

2

Grove Bedding

52

Pimm's

36

Apollo Blinds

23

Handyman Services

25

Plumbstore

15

Apples for Jam

6

Harrison Ford

55

Quins

6

Bank Street Coffee House

6

Hearth & Home

41

Rate Card

51

Border Brides

45

Horoscopes

48

SB Cares

33

Border Vets

16

Hutchisons Carpets

17

School Bell Tuition

31

Borders Garage Door

11

James Graham Roofing

26

School Term Times

24

British Legion

23

Jean Muir Student Village

45

Silver Star Chinese

6

B-V-Tv

39

Jonnie Jones Plumber

26

Simon Porteous Bikes

43

Caravan Fix

27

Just Eat Out

6

Specsavers

56

Castle Warehouse

11

K 2 Roofing

47

Stowed Out Festival

5

Churches

32

Keith Penny DĂŠcor

25

Sudoko

Councillor Andy Anderson

30

Kelso Folk Festival

7

Summer Ceilidh

7

Councillor Euan Jardine

30

KenKleen

26

Symington Shoes

1

Creme De La Creme

27

Kip Mcgrath

35

Tarot Readings

35

Crolla's

23

Mackenzie Plumbing

25

Tempest Brewery

53

Defibrillators

28

Major Tree Solutions

20

The Grapevine

6

DW Noble

17

Man with a Van

43

Travelsure Ltd

35

Fencing & Hedges

20

Manor Ballet

21

Victim Support

46

Finlaysons

25

Massed Pipe Band Day

21

Willie's Wonky Computer

50

Fitness with Alan

22

Maxwell Roofing

41

Win with Gala Life

13

Flexible Respite

33

Mike TV

31

Your Local Blind Man

27

Floors Forestry

19

Minfullness Skills4Life

39

Zest Blinds

8

Food Train

42

ML Garden Services

19

Gala Garden

18

MT Maintenance

31

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Helpful Numbers to Hand Gala Police Station Scottish Power Gas Emergency BGH Social Work Emergency

01896 752222 08452727999 0800 111999 01896 826000 01896 752111

Scot Borders Council Citizens Advice Bureau BorderLine NHS 24 Victim Support

0300 100 1800 01896 753889 0800 0274466 111 01896 751212

Whilst every care is taken in preparing this magazine to ensure accuracy, the publishers cannot be held responsible for loss, damage or omission caused by an error in an advert. Artwork is accepted on the condition that it is legal and copyright free and that the advert is fair and accurate. The publishers cannot accept responsibility for the accuracy of claims made by the advertisers or the views expressed by contributors, nor do the publishers necessarily share such views. We reserve the right to refuse articles and advertisements. Reproduction in whole or part without written permission is strictly prohibited.

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