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INNERLEITHEN COMMUNITY NEWSINNERLEITHEN
NEWS Quarry
Blasts Gravity Assisted Uplift Working Group - Update September 2007 Group
members
Background Scottish
Enterprise Borders funded an initial feasibility study and work was
completed in February 2007 details available at Progress to date Uplift Scotland has been operating on the hill at weekends for several months. The last dates for 2007 are 15/16 December. Dates for 2008 are still to be finalised. Feasibility
study is now underway and to date the following activity has taken
place •
Initial meetings with agencies regarding Environmental Impact Assessment
and scoping information will be sent out to appropriate public bodies
in January Study should be completed by early March 2008. A meeting held on 6 December 2007 – tourism and retail businesses in Innerleithen & Walkerburn, plus both community councils were invited. There were over 30 people present and feedback was positive. To view the presentation from the meeting please go to www.tourism-resources.co.uk/innerleithenbikepark
Innerleithen
Community Trust There is a Committee of Trustees that manages the Trust and apply the funds of the Trust including all donations, contributions and bequests to further the objects of the Trust. Since it was set up the Trust has employed a community development worker, progressed charitable status, produced a ‘What’s On’ leaflet, granted money to St Ronans Primary School pupils to publish a town trail booklet, conducted historic town walks, produced a commissioned history of Innerleithen for use in visitor information boards and leaflets, and developed a photographic archive for the community. Current projects include providing funds and overseeing maintenance on the popular woodland walkways along Leithenside from Horsbrugh Terrace to Cuddy Brig and Pirn Hill. Anyone interested in the work of the Trust, requires information on donating by bequest, or has a project that the Trust could undertake should make contact via the Trust secure email address on innerleithen@hotmail.com or contact the Secretary: Malcolm Cattermole, 5 Montgomery Square, Innerleithen, Peeblesshire, EH44 6LE. 01896 831825. INNERLEITHEN CIVIC ASSOCIATION This past year, Innerleithen Civic Association celebrated its twentieth anniversary and it was yet another extremely successful year where the support from the people of the town ensured that the organisation went from strength to strength.
The ICA, which has responsibility for organising Innerleithen’s fantastic Christmas Lights display, recently held its annual general meeting where Chair, Jean Wilson reviewed a very successful year.
“In May 2006, Adrian Keddie facilitated another extremely successful Plant Sale, an event with dual benefits: contributing to some very special bedding, pot and hanging basket displays throughout the town as well as substantially swelling the Association coffers. Our thanks are due to Adrian, his wife Sheila and our Treasurer Margaret for the organisation of this venture.
Jenny’s Well is now a popular beauty and picnic spot – excavated and restored and the site established in the early years of the Association. Early June saw a group of volunteers undertake the annual grass cutting, well cleaning and general tidy-up in preparation for the summer season. Our thanks there go to Ian Gillie, a neighbour who takes on the maintenance of the well area during the summer season. This year he dug out and replaced the outflow pipe. Our thanks are also due to SBC Local who keep the grass looking good once we have made the original cut.
September saw the annual door to door collection, a task which few relish, but one where the response by the public can only be described as phenomenal. Where else would a door to door collection raise the equivalent of £1 per head of population? What a testament to the grass root support for the work of the Association. We are building up an excellent team of volunteer collectors, thereby sharing the burden of the work, and our thanks are due to all concerned.
On the subjecting of ‘collecting’ our local shops and pubs continue to place the Civic collecting tins in priority positions. Despite the original plan to gather the boxes in over the summer, many of our ‘hosts’ have specifically requested that they be allowed to collect on our behalf throughout the year – our thanks to them. Also thanks to John Murdie who has taken on the task of checking the boxes, ensuring they are regularly emptied and kept smart and clean.
Our Coffee Morning in November was yet again an excellent source of income for the Association and was again well supported by the public and more specifically by the Civic Team – committee, lights crew and other volunteers who turn out to help at this event. Our thanks to all those who donated items, who came along to help, and who turned up to support us.
In early December, Margaret McDermott organised the annual Christmas shopping trip/outing. This is not a profit making exercise but a service providing an annual festive outing where, I suspect, more is spent on lunches, teas and the social aspects than on any serious shopping.
Regarding the lights – once again we had an excellent and consistent squad of light ‘putter-uppers’, admirably led and managed by Robert Wilson, who has enthusiastically undertaken the role of electrical contractor for the Christmas Lights. Many, many thanks to Robert and the squad for all their hard work. In recognition of the 20th Anniversary we made a major purchase this year in the form of our bespoke Innerleithen motif – a splendid show bringing a smile to everyone’s face as they entered the town down Peebles Road. We also purchased a large reconditioned motif to span the notorious gap site - again adding to the fine display in Innerleithen High Street. My, we do have the best lights in the Borders! Thanks to St. Ronan's Silver Band for their continued support on Switch-on Night
To celebrate our 20 years we held a social evening in February 2007. Adrian Keddie provided a superb buffet supper for committee, lights squad and their partners and invited guests who had provided hospitality for the ‘Squad’ throughout the winter. Our thanks again to Adrian and the 856 Social Club for their hospitality.
Our storage and work facilities have been sold by Scottish Borders council to Eildon Housing, but after a great deal of negotiation on behalf of the Community Council, Ross McGinn has arranged the lease of a ‘Community Unit’ at Leithenside School. There has been some delay in accessing the facility due to essential repairs – however, we hope to move in there in the very near future. Thanks to Ross for his work on this.
I just want to reiterate my thanks to the committee and office bearers, to the volunteers and the people of Innerleithen. Here’s to 2007 and continued prosperity for Innerleithen Civic Association.”
The Office Bearers for 2007/2008 are as follows:
Chairman Jean Wilson Vice-chairman John Murdie Secretary Ted McKie Treasurer Margaret McDermott Committee Adrian Keddie, Margaret McGinn, Ross McGinn, Reid Meikle and Robert
Wilson. Submitted by Keith Belleville, Innerleithen Correspondent.
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