Gala Life
A local magazine with directory of trades and businesses - 12,000 copies delivered FREE to every home and business in Galashiels, Tweedbank, Melrose, Clovenfords, Darnick, Dingleton, Newstead and Ga onside.
July 2018
2 Gala Life
Message Contents from the Team Welcome to the July edi on of Gala Life. Summer is in full swing, the school holidays are upon us and the World Cup has taken over the TV. Take a break, put your feet up for a wee while and read through this month’s magazine. To start, we have a fabulous compe on prize to win 2 pairs of ckets to the great Stowed Out Music Fes val. Loads of great bands, so make sure you enter. If you get a chance with all this on in July then Sheila Drummond looks at Lilies in the garden. Alan Clinch helps get us to a state of Flow for be er exercise and life balance. Willie has considered the benefits of a Mac and we follow up on last month’s E bikes with E cars. That’s just for July!
Features WIN New Diet? E-Cars
5 16 50
Regulars Fitness Garden Horoscopes Recipe Computer
18 20 42 44 48
Community Diary Get Out Poli cs Churches
4 6 24 30
Useful Numbers
54
Index
54
As many of you may be going on holiday, we wish you a fab me and hope everything goes to plan. Just in case, next month we will take a look at flight delays and what compensa on exists if you are held up at the airport. Happy Holidays :o)
Adver sing Debbie - 07545299491
Art & Eds Willie - 07906375953
Deadline for August Edition - 13th July Gala Life is delivered to every home and business in the Galashiels, Tweedbank, Darnick, Dingleton, Melrose, Newstead and Ga onside areas. Copies are also le at various ‘pick-up’ points arond the area allowing visitors the opportunity to join us. If you have any queries, sugges ons or feedback, please do not hesitate to make contact and don’t forget to keep up with us on Facebook. Please Re-Cycle ... Eventually!
www.facebook.com/mygalalife
Gala Life Ltd 7 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 See the Get Out Sec on for full details 2nd July
7.30pm
The Filling Sta on - Corn Exchange, Melrose
4th july
6.00pm
Moving Image Makers Collec ve- Mee ng - MacArts
6th July
10.00am
Councillor Euan Jardine Surgery
6th July
8.00pm
Charity Quiz Night - Quins Restaurant
6th July
8.00pm
Scocha - Earlston Rugby Club
7th July
10.00am
Coffee Morning - Galashiels Trinity Church Hall
7th July
10.00am
Eildon Ramblers - Old Melrose Circula
8th July
10.00am
Eildon Ramblers - E rick Pen Walk
9th July
11.00am
Councillor Andy Anderson Surgery
13th July
7.00pm
Shakespear's A Midsummer Night's Dream - Abbotsford
13th July
7.30pm
Acous c Gallagher - Live Music - MacArts
14th July
2.00pm
Book Launch - Old Gala House
15th July
11.00am
A Dog's Day Out - Traquair House
18th July
4.30pm
Feis Rois Celidh Trail- Family Ceilidh - MacArts
20th July
11.00am
Councillor Andy Anderson Surgery
20th-21st July
5.00pm
Brewery Tap Room Open - Tempest Brewery
21st July
10.00am
Eildon Ramblers - Aberlady-North Berwick
21st July
10.00am
The Roxburghe Shoo ng School Of Excellence Roxburghe Cup
21st July
2.00pm
Annual Strawberry Tea - St Peter's Church
27th-28th July
8.00am
Border Union Show - Springwood Park, Kelso
31st July
11.00am
John Lamont Summer Surgery Tou
4th August
10.00am
Coffee Morning - Galashiels Trinity Church Hall
Monday
5.00pm
Gala Town Band Junior Sec on, Band Hall, 6A Roxburgh St
Monday
7.00pm
Langlee Community Choir at Langlee Community Centre
Tuesday
6.30pm
Gala Youth & Town Band, Band Hall, 6A Roxburgh St.
Wednesday
1.30pm
Mini Mags Toddler Group, St Margaret’s Primary School
Wednesday
10.30am
Gentle exercise for older people in Langlee Community Centre
Wednesday
7.00pm
Gala Ex Serv Pipe Band - Royal Bri sh Legion Club
Wednesday
7.30pm
One Acchord Ladies Acappella Chorus
Wednesday
7.30pm
Eildon Singers, Ormiston Ins tute, Melrose
Sunday
9.30am
Borders Group of Advanced Motorcyclists
Entries in our Get Out sec on and Diary are free to non profit, no commercial, groups and clubs. Just tell us by sending your entry to info@galalife.co.uk, or 01721 720129 by 12th of the preceding month and we will tell everyone else. 4 Gala Life
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Get Out... with Gala Life! Monday 2nd July - The Filling Sta on - Corn Exchange, Melrose - 7.30pm. See Page 38. Wednesday 4th July - Moving Image Makers Collec ve- Mee ng - MacArts, Galashiels - 6.00pm to 9.00pm. Feel free to bring any work in progress or completed films you'd like to share/ discuss with the group on a memory s ck or just come and watch and drink coffee! £3 admission (includes refreshments) www.macarts.scot 01896 756 852. Friday 6th July - Councillor Euan Jardine Surgery - Born In The Borders Cafe, Galashiels Interchange - 10.00am to 12noon. See page 26. All welcome. Friday 6th July - Charity Quiz Night - Quins Restaurant, Galashiels - 8.00pm. £10 per team, includes supper. Proceeds to charity. All welcome. Friday 6th July - Scocha - Earlston Rugby Club - 8.00pm. Catch some Hawick Folk 'n' Roll with the legendary Scocha playing for Earlston Civic Week. Tickets £12.50 from www.borderevents.com Saturday 7th July - Coffee Morning - Galashiels Trinity Church Hall - 10.00am to 12 noon. With home baking stall. All welcome. Saturday 7th July – Eildon Ramblers - Old Melrose Circular: Newstead-Whinnyfield Planta onNewtown St Boswells-Tweed Horizons-Old Melrose-Trimon um – 10.00am. Local Grade C+, 7 miles, Leisurely, Ascent 100m. Map OS73/Exp338. Meet: 10.00hrs Main St., Newstead – GR NT565342 - WT 4hrs. Pre-register email: walks@eildonramblers.org.uk Sunday 8th July – Eildon Ramblers - E rick Pen Walk, Circular: Potburn-Bodesbeck Law-Fauldside Hill-Wind Fell-E rick Pen-Potburn – 10.00am. Local Grade B, 10 miles, Strenuous, Ascent 885m. Map OS79/Exp330. Meet: 10.00hrs E rick Road End, Potburn – GR NT189092 - WT 6hrs. Pre-register email: walks@eildonramblers.org.uk Monday 9th July- Councillor Andy Anderson Surgery - Cloudhouse Café, Stow - 11.00am to 12noon. See page 24 for more info. All welcome. Friday 13th July - Shakespear's A Midsummer Night's Dream - Abbotsford House, Melrose 7.00pm. The Three Inch Fools return to Abbotsford with their unique take on classic Shakespeare. Food, refreshments and bar available. Gardens open from 6.00pm, performance 7.00pm to 9.00pm. 01896 752043 for ckets and further info. Friday 13th July - Acous c Gallagher - Live Music - MacArts, Galashiels - 7.30pm. Local band perform acous c hits from Noel Gallaghers' High Flying Birds and Oasis. Seated gig with licensed bar open throughout. Over 14s (under 16s must be accompanied by an over 18) £10 www.macarts.scot 01896 756 852. Saturday 14th July - Book Launch - Old Gala House, Sco Crescent - 2.00pm to 4.00pm. Double Book Launch of latest novels of two Borders writers, Iona Carroll (McGregor) and Oliver Eade. In aid of Words for the Wounded charity. Books for young readers, teens and adults on sale. Free refreshments. Children welcome to make pictures for the charity. 01896 822013. Sunday 15th July - A Dog's Day Out - Traquair House, Innerleithen - 11.00am to 5.00pm. A day out for dogs and their owners. Bring your dog along for some fun ac vi es, compe ons, displays and demos as well as doggy treats and organised walks. 01896 830323 for more info. Con nued on page 12 6 Gala Life
Entertainment for July
7th July
Mark McGrew(Tom Jones)
14th July
Gillon
21st July
Spirit
28th July
Hi Jack
Gala Life 7
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Gala Life 9
10 Gala Life
Accessories, paint and advice, get it all at your local Dulux Decorator Centre
We’re giving you a free tester pot at your local store.*
Find your local store at:
At your local Dulux Decorator Centre, we’re always centred on you and always looking for ways we can look after our customers. Which is why for a limited time we’ve decided to give you a free tester pot.*
Galashiels Unit 2 Block 1, Netherdale Industrial Estate, Galashiels, Selkirkshire, TD1 3EY
So whether you need top brand paints from Dulux Trade, Armstead Trade or Hammerite or want to stock up on brushes, rollers and all the other accessories we offer, shop in-store and claim your free tester pot, available only at your local Galashiels store until 31st July. We also offer 7am openings, ‘Click & Collect’ and free same day delivery.† Shop now at duluxdecoratorcentre.co.uk or visit your local store.
Tel: 0189 675 5779 Fax: 0189 675 1715 @DuluxDecCentre duluxdecoratorcentre
†Free delivery for account holders. Free delivery for non-account holders on orders over £50 ex.VAT.
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31st July
Available at:
Short code SAMPLE
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Valid until:
Galashiels *Terms and conditions apply. Ask in-store for details. One tester pot per customer.
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Get Out... with Gala Life! Wednesday 18th July - Feis Rois Celidh Trail- Family Ceilidh - MacArts, Galashiels - 4.30pm to 8.00pm. Looking for something to re the kids out in the holidays? Well look no further! The ridiculously talented young Feis Rois musicians return to reel, jig and birl you round the room! Stovies and Macaroni at the interval are included in cket price, and theres a licensed bar for the over 18s. Bring your whole family! £8 adults / £6 concessions / £25 family of 4. www.macarts.scot 01896 756852. Friday 20th July - Councillor Andy Anderson Surgery - Tesco, Galashiels - 11.00am to 12noon. See page 27 for more info. All welcome. Friday 20th & Saturday 21st July - Brewery Tap Room Open - Tempest Brewery, Tweedbank 5.00pm to 8.00pm Friday and 12noon to 6.00pm Saturday. Please phone 01896-759500 or email Sales@tempestbrewco.com to book! See page 10 for more details. Saturday 21st July – Eildon Ramblers - Aberlady-North Berwick: Coastal Walk – 10.00am. Local Grade C+, 9 miles, Leisurely, Ascent 100m. Map OS66/Exp351. Meet: 10.00hrs Wildlife Sanctuary Car Park Aberlady – GR NT471804 - WT 5hrs. Pre-register email: walks@eildonramblers.org.uk Saturday 21st July - The Roxburghe Shoo ng School Of Excellence Annual Civic Week Roxburghe Cup 70 Bird Spor ng Clay Pigeon Shoo ng Compe on – Roxburghe Hotel, Heiton, Kelso – 10.00am. Plus Pool Shoot, lots of prizes, trophies for High Gun, Ladies, & Juniors, all SGC holders welcome! Entries £28.00 - 07798 884643. www.roxburgheshoo ngschool.co.uk/ Saturday 21st July - Annual Strawberry Tea - St Peter's Church, Galashiels - 2.00pm to 4.00pm. Everyone welcome, do come and join us. Friday 27th - Saturday 28th July - Border Union Show - Springwood Park, Kelso - 8.00am. The Show includes compe on for Horses, Ponies,Ca le, Sheep, Donkeys, Goats, Poultry, Rabbits, Shepherds' Crooks, Horse Shoeing, Young Farmers Stock Judging and Industrial Arts, with over five hundred open classes. There are over 200 trade stands including farm machinery, cra s and gi s, motor vehicles, clothing, equestrian goods, food outlets and furniture retailers. The Food Fair with 50 stands of Borders and far and wide produce is full, as is the Exhibi on and Cra & Gi Halls. As always there is the Children's Fun Fair, Catering and Bars. These are open on both days and there is Main Ring family entertainment on the Saturday a ernoon. See www.buas.org for more info. Tuesday 31st July - John Lamont Summer Surgery Tour - 11.00am. John will be in Clovenfords at 11.00am, Focus Centre 11.45am, Tweedbank 1.30pm, Darnick Village Hall 2.15pm, The Corn Exchange 2.45pm, Ga onside Village hall 3.30pm and Newstead Village Hall 4.15pm. See page 25 for more dates and details. No appointment necessary, everyone welcome. Saturday 4th August - Coffee Morning - Galashiels Trinity Church Hall - 10.00 to 12 noon. With home baking stall. All welcome. Langlee Community Choir - Mondays at 7.00pm 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. No pressure, no audi ons, 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 informa on, 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. 12 Gala Life
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Get Out... with Gala Life! The Eildon Singers - Meet every Wednesday in the Ormiston Ins tute, The Square, Melrose, from 7.30pm ll 9.30pm. Mixed voice choir. New members very welcome. Contact Margery Inglis, Secretary, 01750 21085. Just Singing - We meet on the fourth Sunday of the month at 4.00pm - 6.00pm in Newstead Village Hall, to sing songs of peace and jus ce. We welcome new singers and those who think they can’t sing. There is no need to read music, all songs are taught by ear. Contact Kath 01896 820034. Pipe Band: The Galashiels Ex-Service Pipe Band, Wednesday nights, 7pm at The Royal Bri sh 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! Sco sh Country Dancing - Tuesdays, 7.00pm - 9.00pm in Old and St Paul's Church Hall. All welcome. Further info 01896822354 or 01578730591. Eildon Ramblers - If you enjoy walking you’ll enjoy walking with the Eildon Ramblers. We meet alternate Saturdays at 10.00am at various loca ons in the Borders. For general informa on please email eildon.ramblers@gmail.com or phone 01896 823831 or 07590 219301. Our mo o is friendship, fitness, fun and fresh air. Gala Windbags - We are a charitable group affiliated to chest heart and stroke Scotland with mee ngs every Thursday 1.30 to 3.30pm in Lucy Sanderson Hall Galashiels. Contact details are Wilma Turnbull phone 01896 753493. 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 interna onally. Find out more at www.galashiels.rotaryweb.org/ or on Facebook. Borders Philatelic Society - Meets Monday fortnightly from 7.30 pm to 9 pm at Old & St. Paul's Church, Sco Crescent, Galashiels. New faces always welcome, as is any level of interest in stamps & postcards. Contact Michael Dolan, 07801 423089, for further informa on. 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 un l approx. 9.30 pm. Members can a end workshops, talks, and visits. Find out more by visi ng our Facebook page! Tel 01896 820023 or email: marionneilson11@gmail.com Sco sh Borders Prostate Cancer Support Group. The group meets on the first Wednesday of the month, except January, February and August at the `Tryst`, Chaplaincy Centre, B.G.H. At 7.00pm when all men with this disease will be made most welcome. Mini Mags Toddler Group. Every Wednesday during term me from 1.30 to 3pm at St Margaret’s Primary School, Livingstone Place, Galashiels. Its open to all preschool children and their parents/ carers. So come along with your wee one, they can have a play while you enjoy a nice cuppa and a chat with others parents/carers. £1 per adult and 20p per child. An entry in our Community sec on is free to non-profit groups. If you would like to be included, just e-mail Willie at info@galalife.co.uk or phone 01721 720129 The deadline is 11th of the preceding month 14 Gala Life
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Need a New Diet? We’ve Weighed Them Up... We all moan about our weight don’t we? I think many of us have tried various diets…but now there are so many to choose from, so, I’ve taken a look at the most popular to see what the differences are. They all have different pros and cons so where possible, I looked up the Bri sh Diabe c Associa on (BDA) verdict on each. If you start now you can easily lose a few pounds before the holidays! 5:2 The 5:2 diet is based on a principle known as intermi ent fas ng (IF), where you eat normally for 5 days a week and fast on the other 2. Evidence on the effec veness of the 5:2 diet is limited when compared with other types of weight loss methods. More people lost more than 5% of their weight on the 5:2 diet, and body fat loss and insulin sensi vity was be er on the 5:2 diet.
is gradual weight loss of up to 2lb a week and to promote long-term weight management. There's no me limit to the final phase, which involves having a protein-only day once a week and taking regular exercise. Pros - You can lose weight very quickly, which can be mo va ng but it is a very strict diet. You don't need to weigh food or count calories. Cons - It is dras c, so you may experience side effects such as bad breath, a dry mouth, redness, dizziness, insomnia, nausea and cons pa on from cu ng out carbs. BDA Verdict - Rapid weight loss can be mo va ng, but it's unsustainable and unhealthy. The Dukan diet isn't nutri onally balanced, which is acknowledged by the fact you need a vitamin supplement and a fibre top-up in the form of oat bran.
New Atkins Diet. (The Man’s diet) This is Pros - S cking to a regimen for 2 days a week promoted as a rapid loss can be more achievable than 7 days, so you may diet. 15lb in 2 weeks. No be more likely to persevere with this way of carbohydrates and your ea ng and successfully lose weight. body will start burning fat for energy. Similar Cons - Easy to go mad and eat everything on to Dukan but with no fat and a daily carb the other 5 days and therefore not lose weight. allowance of 20 to 25g. The weight loss is likely BDA Verdict - The 5:2 is a simple way to reduce to be more gradual a er phase 1 and regular calorie intake if you follow it. exercise is encouraged. Dukan Diet. We tried this diet for a couple of years. It is hard to do and so long term like many other diets you give up. The Dukan diet is a low-carb, high-protein diet. There's no limit to how much you can eat during the plan's 4 phases, provided you s ck to the rules of the plan. During phase 1, you're on a strict lean protein diet. Carbs are off limits, except for a small amount of oat bran. Unlike the Atkins diet, Dukan's phase 1 bans vegetables and seriously restricts fat. The aim 16 Gala Life
Pros - You can lose weight very quickly, which can be mo va ng. The diet also encourages people to cut out most processed carbs and alcohol. With its diet of red meat, bu er, cream, cheese and mayonnaise, it's one of the diets that appeals most to men. Cons - Ini al side effects can include bad breath, a dry mouth, redness, dizziness, insomnia, nausea and cons pa on from cu ng out carbs, and poten al for lower fibre intake. BDA Verdict - The amount of processed meat, red meat and saturated fat in this type of diet is an issue, as is the advice to add salt. These all contradict current health advice.
South Beach Diet. The South Beach Diet is a low GI (glycaemic index) diet. No calorie coun ng and no limits on por ons. You're encouraged to eat 3 meals and 2 snacks a day, and follow an exercise plan. The meals and snacks though are based on healthy foods such as lean protein, vegetables and unsaturated fats. So no Chinese take outs then! Low-GI carbs are reintroduced during phases 2 and 3, which encourage gradual and sustainable weight loss.
of which foods are higher in energy and should therefore be limited. This is helpful for longterm healthy ea ng and the group can enhance personal mo va on. WeightWatchers Diet - The WeightWatchers Flex programme is based on a points system, which gives a value to foods. It's essen ally a calorie controlled diet where you get a personal daily points allowance. There is a focus on keeping ac ve to earn more points. The weekly mee ngs and confiden al weighins provide support and extra mo va on to Pros - Seems a bit like Dukan and Atkins but encourage long term behaviour change. Target perhaps not as strict. Cons - Just as for Dukan and Atkins it may leave loss is around 2lb per week. Pros - No foods are banned, so you can eat and you feeling weak, and you'll miss out on some drink what you want provided you s ck to your vitamins, minerals and fibre. You may ini ally points allowance. experience side effects such as bad breath, a dry mouth, redness, dizziness, insomnia, Cons - it’s a lot of hassle coun ng points nausea and cons pa on. and you may feel pressured into purchasing WeightWatchers-branded foods. BDA Verdict - The first 2 weeks are the most BDA Verdict. WeightWatchers Flex is generally difficult to get through. This diet promises such significant weight loss – up to 13lb – in the well balanced and seeks to build on both food and exercise with no quick fix- so for long term first 2 weeks. But this won't be all fat: some of it can be successful not just for your weight but the weight loss will include water and carbs, your overall health and fitness. both of which will be replaced when you begin ea ng more normally. Cambridge Weight Plan - As seen on Slimming World Diet - This The Big Crash Diet is a more modest way to experiment on lose weight, aims for 1 – the BBC. This plan is based on “Steps” and 2lbs a week. So slower but replacement meal programmes. The emphasis more realis c? Slimming is on a personal one to one consulta on and World's weight loss plan encourages you to mentoring. The consultant meets with you and swap high fat foods for naturally filling low fat you agree which step you start on. Depends on ones. There's no calorie coun ng but you eat overall weight loss targets and goals. It is a very healthy “FREE” foods in unlimited quan es. tailored plan and looks at long term weight loss You can get support from fellow slimmers at and weight management. Good for people who weekly group mee ngs and follow an exercise have need of more support and counselling. plan. You can also join an online programme if showing up for a weighing is not your thing. Pros - Lots of support and replacement foods make it easier. No coun ng. Pros - No foods are banned, so meals can be varied and are family-friendly. There is one main Cons - Can be quite strict. plan, called Extra Easy, which is flexible. Group Spoilt for choice? Then eat less sugary things support can also be mo va onal. and do 10,000 steps every day. You will look Cons - As with any unrestricted meal plan , you be er and feel be er surprisingly quickly. may eat too much or do too li le. Debbie BDA Verdict - Members gain an apprecia on Gala Life 17
FITNESS with Alan Clinch
Flow - Part 2 Last month the ar cle concentrated on the idea Remain posi ve: The idea of self-talk to keep of flow: this month I’d like to suggest a few focus isn’t new, but it’s important to accentuate ideas that might help you get there. the posi ves rather than the nega ves – telling yourself that there is only another 1km to run is It’s all very well knowing what contributes be er than considering how red your legs are. to a flow state, but you’re s ll going to need If you’re with others, language can make a big the right mindset to actually achieve. It’s difference, choose your words carefully whether possible to try and create posi ve, successful experiences (though here I’m thinking mostly of you’re mo va ng yourself or others. that in rela on to exercise) using this method which will hopefully keep you coming back for more: remember Dr. Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi from last month’s ar cle? He said ‘Experiencing flow encourages a person to persist at and return to an ac vity because of the experience and rewards it promises, and thereby helps the growth of skills over me’. Here are a few ideas to help develop flow during exercise: Challenge your skills: An ac vity should be a challenge, but not too difficult: this means that you have to work slightly above your exis ng capacity in order to develop new skills. A workout that is too difficult is unlikely to result in successful comple on (and could increase the risk of injury).
There are many methods which people use to try and increase focus - learning complex movement pa erns, playing games, or avoiding outside distrac on all create condi ons which might help flow to occur. In the case of exercise Set clear goals: From the book ‘Seven Habits of or physical ac vity, a lack of distrac ons Highly Effec ve People’ comes the statement combined with posi ve feelings (which o en ‘Begin with the end in mind’. Establishing result from exercise) can result in the flow specific goals at the start of the session allows state delivering more and more memorable you to focus your efforts on achieving them: this experiences. increases focus and awareness, causing you to Want to give it a try ? As ever: if you haven’t temporarily forget everything else – that’s flow. exercised for a while, or have any medical Track your progress: When clear goals are set, condi ons which might cause problems, check monitor progress toward them. For example, with your Doctor to ensure it’s safe to increase if you know how much me remains, you can your ac vity levels. Remember, pain is a sign work at an appropriate level through to the end. that something is wrong…. Planning the number of exercises/ac vi es in a session helps you to focus on how hard to work during each one. alan@alalife.co.uk
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The Gala Garden July If you think that bulbs begin and end with daffodils and tulips, or that lilies are limited to supermarket offerings, then think again: consider the lilies. These bulbs grow on many con nents: in sun and shade, on acid and lime soils, on rocky plateaux and on woodland edges. The beauty of their flowers is incontestable; cul va on in the garden or in containers is always gra fying. Asia c hybrid lilies grow in any well-drained soil in sun or part shade. These are easy lilies to grow and include cul vars like Admira on, Bronwen North, and Connec cut King. Martagon lilies are tall, excellent for woodland or shady gardens. The Candidum (eg the Madonna lily) group are European, o en scented, with turkscap flowers, best grown in full sun or light shade. Longiflorums are o en strongly scented, grown for the cut flower market. Trumpet hybrids have large bowl-shaped flowers; usually fragrant, they prefer fer le soil in part-shade. L Henryi and the African Queen group are good cul vars. Orientals are very familiar; these flower late and are o en scented. Orientals hate lime so need to be po ed with ericaceous compost. Acapulco, Casa Blanca and Star-Gazer are some for containers. Species lilies include some of the most beau ful; for example, L regale, L duchartrei and L nepalense. Control of contrast is important: too much contrast and you don’t know where to look; s ck to a limited colour and plant range and you risk lack of impact. The trick is to use contrast effec vely to lead the eye, crea ng sa sfying ensembles in just 20 Gala Life
the right places. Lilies offer contrast because of their flower shape – a large, strong form in the midst of a sea of smaller flowers is very telling; because of their height – some will tower over large perennials, giving instant height; and because of their colours – most are white, yellow and orange-red and these are all advancing colours. They prefer shaded roots so the middle rank is the ideal posi on– in amongst long season perennials like achillea, geraniums, nepetas, alstroemeria and campanula. Here lilies can suddenly appear and change the picture; from a smooth sweep of blues and mauves to a cool plan ng of blues and yellows, or fresh blue and white or roman c blue and pink. Or, if the blues are saturated cobalt and turquoise, what about the shock of blue and super-charged orange? The next best use of lilies is in the container garden. Lilies will do very well in a large, heavy container for two to three years. Remember that bulbs increase so only put three bulbs in a 16 inch pot and use good compost with John Innes mixed in. If the lily requires acid soil, use ericaceous compost. Lilies increase every year and prefer not to be disturbed. Water regularly as the bulbs come into growth: lack of water causes blind shoots. Feed lilies when the growth begins but stop as soon as the buds have formed. A solu on of potash encourages flowers to form. Sheila Drummond Portland Garden Design 07905 397185 drummond.sheila@gmail.com
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John Lamont MP - Conserva ve Gala Wheels It was a pleasure to pay a visit to Gala Wheels recently, who are working hard to raise funds for a new wheelchair-adapted minibus. Run by community development organisa on, The Bridge, Gala Wheels was formed just over 10 years ago to provide affordable, accessible transport for disabled and elderly members of the central Sco sh Borders. The service is subsidised by Sco sh Borders Council, but Gala Wheels has to rely on dona ons and grants to purchase new vehicles. It’s a really great team and community transport is so important in the Borders because it gives disabled and elderly people the opportunity to take social trips and gets them hospital appointments and therefore combats social isola on. The team have worked hard to raise most of the money they need for the new minibus and are really close to achieving that. Hopefully with a bit more publicity, the final bit of money can be found Gala Volunteers Well done to all the volunteers celebra ng 80 years of the Royal Voluntary Service at Galashiels Rugby Club recently. Formerly the WVS, the Royal Voluntary Service are a volunteer organisa on that enrich the lives of older people and their families across Britain. It remains one of the largest volunteer organisa ons in the country, with 25,000 volunteers helping older people stay ac ve, independent and able to con nue to contribute to society. I was delighted to be invited along to their celebra ons at Gala Rugby Club to hand out the long service medals and cer ficates and to thank the volunteers. The Sco sh Borders has a significant elderly popula on and that is set to rise, meaning the demand of the type of support volunteers provide will also increase. It is my job as a poli cian to make sure that public services are sustainable and able to cope with this future demand. But without the reless work of volunteers all of this would be pointless. Summer Surgery Tour My summer surgery tour will be taking place this month and in August. Take a look at the advert in this edi on and on my website for further details. As I’ve only rela vely recently started represen ng Galashiels, you may not be familiar with my summer surgery tour. Each year, I try to get out and about to as many communi es in the Borders, no ma er how small. So for example, this year, as well as stopping at Galashiels, Melrose and Tweedbank, I’ll also be in places like Newstead, Stow, Clovenfords and Fountainhall. The idea is that it gives residents the opportunity to speak to me face to face in their local village without having to travel to Galashiels or catch me at another surgery. I really enjoy it, because not only do hundreds of people come out to see me, but it gives me the opportunity to visit every single part of my cons tuency in a rela vely short period of me. As always, with all my surgeries, no appointment is necessary, so feel free to come along if there are any issues you would like to discuss.
Andy Anderson Councillor - Galashiels & District SNP I have been asked quite a few mes about how the elected part of the council works. Not the most interes ng subject for most, but good to know. SBC is in the minority of Sco sh Councils in that the Administra on has no opposi on councillors in its execu ve, with all the posi ons being filled by Conserva ve and a few ‘Independent’ Con nued on page 26 24 Gala Life
SUMMER SURGERY TOUR Friday 6th July 9.00 Ancrum Village Hall 9.45 Lilliesleaf 10.30 Midlem Village Hall 11.15 Bowden Village Hall 12.00 Newtown 13.30 St Boswells 14.15 Maxton Village Hall 15.00 Roxburgh Village Hall 15.30 Kelso, 7 Abbey Ct 16.15 Sprouston Village Hall Saturday 7th July 9.00 Earlston Parish Church 9.45 Blainslie Village Hall 10.45 Oxton War Mem Hall 11.30 Lauder Comm Centre 12.30 Newstead Village Hall Saturday 14th July 9.00 Leitholm Village Hall 9.45 Eccles Village Hall 10.30 Ednam Village Hall 11.15 Birgham Village Hall 12 Duns Southfield Centre 13.30 Swinton Wheatsheaf 14.15 Allanton Village Hall 15.00 Whitsome Ark 16.00 Preston Village Hall
Wednesday 25th July 9.00 Kirkhope Parish Hall 10.00 E rick, Boston Hall 11.00 Cappercleuch 11.45 Yarrow Feus Hall 12.30 Yarrowford Hall 14.30 Selkirk Victoria Hall 15.30 Ashkirk Village Hall Thursday 26th July 9.00 Coldstream 9.45 Greenlaw, Fairbairn Hall 10.30 Westruther Village Hall 11.15 Gordon Village Hall 13.30 S chill Village Hall 14.15 Smailholm Village Hall 15.00 Makerstoun Village Hall Monday 30th July 9.00 Denholm Village Hall 9.45 Bonchester Bridge 10.15 Chesters 11.15 Hermitage Village Hall 12.00 Newcastleton Hall 14.00 Teviothead Village Hall 14.45 Hawick (25 High St) 15.45 Wilton Dean Hall 16.30 Roberton,Forman Hall 17.15 Burnfoot Church Hall
Tuesday 31st July 9.00 Macfie Hall, Heriot 9.30 Fountainhall Village Hall 10 Stow Town Hall 11.00 Clovenfords 11.45 Galashiels Focus Centre 13.30 Tweedbank 14.15 Darnick Village Hall 14.45 Melrose Corn Exchange 15.30 Ga onside Village Hall Wednesday 1st August 9.00 Jedburgh Town Hall 10.00 Oxnam Village Hall 10.45 Edgerston Village Hall 11.30 Glendouglas 12.15 Lanton Village Hall 13.45 Crailing Lothian Hall 14.15 Eckford Village Hall 14.45 Heiton Village Hall 15.30 Moreba le Ins tute 16.15 Yetholm
13.00 Burnmouth Village Hall 13.45 Eyemouth 15.00 Coldingham Village Hall 15.45 St Abbs, Ebba Centre 16.30 Gavinton Village Hall Friday 3rd August 9.00 Co’path Village Hall 10.00 Cranshaws 10.45 Longformacus 11.45 Abbey St Bathans 12.30 Grantshouse 14.00 Auchencrow 14.45 Reston Village Hall 15.45 Ayton Community Hall
Thursday 2nd August 9.00 Paxton Village Hall 9.45 Hu on Village Hall 10.30 Chirnside 11.15 Foulden Village Hall
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councillors. The opposi on comprises SNP, Liberal Democrat and some independent ‘Independent’ councillors (it is a bit of a mouthful!). As the Administra on is large enough to outvote the opposi on on any issue, there has been much heated debate but li le doubt on the final outcome of any vote, for example that on the Administra on’s budget proposal. Most of the council mee ng is open to the public, but o en there is also private business from which the public is excluded – it rather goes against the transparency I think we should be aspiring to in local government. At the last full SBC mee ng the details of all councillor’s salaries and expenses were agreed to be made publically available on the SBC website, which is also a legal requirement. Expenses are reimbursements for money we have already paid out, so are not an ‘extra’. If a councillor sits on the execu ve of the Conserva ve-Ied administra on, of which there are two in Galashiels and one in Leaderdale, they a ract an ‘enhanced’ salary (you can look it up). Two of us in Galashiels and one councillor in Leaderdale are not in the Administra on and get the basic, which is £16,893; we are also not included in staff pay rises so can look forward to increase of 0.4% this year. My week can be anything from 25 hours to well over 40 hours depending on mee ngs, casework, etc., and o en includes evenings and weekends: I doubt this will be much different for most councillors. A number of issues have raised their heads on social media over the last few weeks. If people wish to discuss issues on social media, that is fine and they are perfectly en tled to do so, but should also be aware that there are also ‘fake facts’, gossip and misinforma on there too. Some mes, people do find what they are looking for in the media but this should not be a subs tute for actually ge ng in touch with SBC or one of your councillors if you feel that you have an issue you want to raise. Councillors do rely on the public, and our community councils and other groups we a end to let us know about local issues, or to advise. 0300 100 0220; Mobile: 07811 976952 E-mail: Andy.Anderson@scotborders.gov.uk Facebook: www.facebook.com/GalaDistrict Twi er: @AndyA4Gala
Euan Jardine Councillor - Galashiels & District Conserva ve Since I last spoke you I've not had the best health. As I recently had to go for an unscheduled opera on. So I would like to use this column, to thank those that ensured that I recovered well. From the surgeon who operated on me to the unsung heroes like the district nurses who I have has to see every day for the past few weeks. They have ensured my wound has stayed clean and offered constant advice on how to recover. Although, the funniest moment for me was just before I went 'under the knife' the nurses in the opera ng room, knowing I was a poli cian asked me which poli cal party I was affiliated to. I told them I would release that info once it was all over! When I woke up the first thing they asked was "So what party is it?" I asked them to guess they said "SNP because of the name Euan." I was quite happy to burst their bubble on that point! It was a funny moment and shows how well they ensure you are relaxed before and a er surgery. Now me to talk about the World Cup, which should be in full swing by the me you read this. I find it frustra ng and disappoin ng that Scotland isn’t there once again. But that doesn't mean I won't be enjoying a fes val of culture and sport that is only matched in my opinion by the Olympics. My personal favourite World Cup is the 1994 World Cup which took place in the USA. It also happened at the height of my love for the beau ful game. I can s ll remember vividly many images from that tournament, like the Irish team having to drink water as it was too warm and Ray Houghton going on to score a wonder goal against Italy. The moment Diana Ross missed a penalty during the opening ceremony, which made Chris Waddle's miss from four years earlier look as if it Con nued on page 30 26 Gala Life
This Month’s Easy Sudoko 4 9
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How to play............
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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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WHATâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S ON AT MACDONALD CARDRONA HOTEL, GOLF & SPA
To book call 01896 833 600 or email specialevents.cardrona@macdonald-hotels.co.uk 28 Gala Life
WHAT’S ON AT MACDONALD CARDRONA HOTEL, GOLF & SPA
CALENDAR OF EVENTS Saturday 25th August – Little Fix Includes an Afternoon Tea and tribute act entertainment for the whole family. Join us from 3:30pm to 8pm. £19 for under 12’s, £28 for adults or £79 per adult and £15 per child including Bed and Breakfast. *Residential prices are inclusive of Tribute Party Night, Bed & Breakfast and based on two people sharing a twin/double room. Single supplement applicable.
CHRISTMAS 2018 Christmas Party night dates are available now! Variety of weekend dates available as well as week night dates dedicated to our Local Heros who work shifts. Saturday 8th & 15th December – Motown & Ultimate Legends Includes a three course meal and entertainment £31.50 per person or £64.50 per person including Bed & Breakfast *Residential prices are inclusive of Tribute Party Night, Bed & Breakfast and based on two people sharing a twin/double room. Single supplement applicable.
Macdonald Cardrona Hotel, Golf & Spa is a great location for family gatherings, christenings, birthday celebrations and stag and hen parties. Please contact for more details on 01896 833 600.
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was a close shave! Also, I remember watching Henrik Larsson in his pre Cel c days, showcase his talents alongside a terrific Swedish team whom I was suppor ng that year as no home countries were in a endance. I will of course be behind Sweden and our neighbours over the border this year but my top p to do well is Peru. As for my number one highlight in any World Cup that has to be Galashiels own John Collins, scoring a penalty against Brazil, in the opening match of the 1998 World Cup. I am sure I s ll have that game on VHS somewhere! I would also like to wish the Braw Lad Greg Kelly and Braw Lass Kimberley O’May all the best this year as they embark on the greatest week of their life. I will be holding an advice surgery on Friday 6th July 2018 from 10am - 12pm at the Born in the Borders Café at the Galashiels Interchange. Email – euan.jardine@scotborders.gov.uk Tel – 0300 100 0220
St Peter’s Episcopal Church, Galashiels Church Diary July Sun 1st
Sunday Squad picnic 10.30am Sung Eucharist,
Thurs 5th Sun 8th
10am Communion Service 10.30am Sung Eucharist, 6.00pm Healing service, Rev Andrew Cooper
Mon 9th
10.00am Oakwood Park Communion
Thurs 12th
10.00am Communion
Sun 15th
8.30am Holy Communion 10.30 Sung Eucharist Service,
Tues 17th
3.00pm A ernoon Tea Service
Thurs 19th
10.00am Communion
Sat 21st
2.00-4.00pm Strawberry Tea
Sun 22nd
10.30am Sung Eucharist, Rev Pip Blackstock
Thurs 26th
10.00am Communion Service
Fri 27th
5.00pm Choir prac ce
Sun 5th Aug
9.30am Sunday Squad 10.30am Sung Eucharist, Rev Tim Morris
Hall Bookings Elizabeth Watret: mob 07780 009355 elizabeth.watret@gmail.com Verger Phil Todd: 07787 729639 Church web site: www.stpetersgala.co.uk
Caddonfoot Parish Church THE Rev Elspeth Harley has been fulfilling her du es as Interim Moderator for the parishes of E rick and Yarrow – and we were honoured on one Sunday have the re red minister, Rev Duncan McCosh, of St Peter’s Episcopal Church in Galashiels, conduc ng our service. Bible Study con nues to be held on Wednesday evenings when we look at the Readings for the following Sundays.
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Members of the Kirk Session and Congrega onal Board met in June when various ma ers were discussed. The church will hold open days in July and August and we would welcome a few more volunteers. The CY group held its annual prize-giving and the church will add its support to the Clovenfords Summer Fair. The church was represented at a Presbytery Planning Conference during the month. Our annual appeal this year is for the Audio-Visual Project Fund and envelopes and details have been distributed. Chris an Aid week was marked in May and final details of our collec ons are not available yet. Cra materials are required for a new project which works with adults who have disabili es or mental issues. Dona ons of wool, bu ons, beads and old jewellery can be le in the ves bule. Services con nue to be conducted each Sunday at 9.45 a.m. by the Rev. Harley. The next Church/Community newsle er is not due un l Harvest Thanksgiving in the autumn, but now is the me to put your thinking caps on. The Church is again to publish a calendar for 2019 – it is well in hand already - and a reminder and a date for your diary of the annual Coffee and Cra morning to be held in the Volunteer Hall, Galashiels, on Saturday, October 20.
Galashiels Bap st Church We are a friendly welcoming church situated in Victoria Street Galashiels. Sundays we meet at 10.30am for morning worship, we enjoy both contemporary and tradi onal songs/hymns. Crèche facili es are available, Sunday Club for primary age and Youth Bible study for teenagers. Tea and coffee are served a er 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 - snooker, table tennis and board games. (not during school holidays) First Monday of each month. 2-3.00pm Prayer and Pudd for Ladies. 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 ou ngs throughout the year. First Tuesday of each month at 11.45 am a service in the church for LAPWinG Lunch Club folk, but all welcome. Tea/coffee from 11.30am. 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 mee ng 7.00 - 8.15pm. Wednesdays at 2pm a cra group meets in the small lounge. The group meets all through the summer, and accompanied children and grandchildren are very welcome. Pain ng and cra ing materials available. Enjoy a cup of tea and a chat whilst you do your kni ng, sewing, croche ng, or pain ng. Friday Club - There will be no club un l a er the summer holidays. Holiday Club July 2nd - 6th the club will run throughout the week from 10 – 12 noon and caters for primary aged children. Registra on forms will be available. Further informa on will be available on the church website. Community Cafe – Saturday 7th July. e-mail admin@galashielsbap stchurch.org.uk Con nued on page 34 32 Gala Life
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Hope Church We are a lively and inclusive contemporary Chris an Church recently established and thriving in the Sco sh Borders. We gather every Sunday to worship together and celebrate the presence of God in our lives. Our mee ngs are lively and informal, family friendly, with a blend of tradi onal 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 ques ons in life. So please join with us any Sunday at 4.00 pm at Tweedbank Community Centre, Essenside Drive. Community Drop In Our team will give you a warm welcome, we are here to listen, care and help Open Tuesdays & Wednesdays 10.00 -1.00pm. Thursdays & Fridays 10.00 - 4.00pm. Hope Central 1-3 Overhaugh St, Galashiels TD1 1DL e: enquiries@hopechurchborderrs.org.uk t: 07377 717705 Check out details of Hope Church on our web site www.hopechurchborders.org.uk
Trinity Church Galashiels Minister: Reverend Elspeth Harley Tel. 01896 758485 Website: www.caddonfootgalatrinity.org.uk Session Clerk, Ed Mar n - 752252 or edwrd984@aol.com Mercy Daniels - Office - 752967 or trinity.cfoot@gmail.com Office hours: Friday 09.30am - 3.00pm. Trinity Church is linked with Caddonfoot church. Both churches have Sunday morning services every week, Caddonfoot star ng at 9.45 and Trinity at 11.15am. Short communion services are held as an addi on to our normal Sacraments of Holy Communion 4 mes a year and are alternated between the two churches. Members of both congrega ons also share Bible Study on Wednesday evenings usually at Caddonfoot Church. At a morning service at Trinity recently, the minister Elspeth Harley was delighted to make a presenta on to Bill Cheyne who recently re red as Session Clerk and she thanked him on behalf of the congrega on for all his hard work and dedica on over the 5 years he held this role. Bill remains as an ac ve elder and his posi on as Session Clerk has been taken by Ed Mar n. The minister, Kirk Session and Congrega onal Board are keen to open the church for 1 hour at lunch mes on weekdays for Silent Prayer and Medita on. The unique thing our church can offer is the spiritual atmosphere of the sanctuary. This would be a real outreach to people who don’t come to services. However this depends on volunteers willing to give up some of their me to implement this. Two people are needed for each weekday. The regular monthly summer coffee mornings have started and are run by members of the congrega onal board. The next one is on Saturday 7th July from 10am -12 noon. The Melrose and Peebles Presbytery recently held a consulta on mee ng in Trinity and over 100 people a ended to give their views and ideas for the future. Over the next five years the Presbytery hopes to reduce the number of ministers from 13 to 11. Sunday morning services throughout July con nue at 11.15am and all are welcome to join us for worship and fellowship Con nued on page 36 34 Gala Life
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Old Parish & St Paul’s Church Sco Crescent, Galashiels TD1 3JU St John’s Church Hawthorn Road, Langlee TD1 2JZ We are two linked churches who want to be God glorifying and Christ exal ng in our worship. The Word of God is faithfully preached and therefore we would like to invite everyone to come and listen to God speaking to us through His Word. Sunday Services in July: 9.45am St John’s 11.30am St Paul’s 6.30pm St John’s Prayer Mee ngs in July: 2nd, 9th, 16th, 30th at 7.30pm in St John’s 23rd at 7pm in St Paul’s Other groups and ac vi es St John’s Bible Study and Girls Brigade restart September Galashiels Food Bank – team involved in distribu on St Paul’s Bible Studies, Guild, Lunch Club, Music Makers, Badminton and Boys Brigade restart September For further informa on Minister: Rev Dr Leon Keller e-mail: LKeller@churchofscotland.org.uk phone: 01896 753029 websites: www.oldparishandstpauls.org.uk St John’s website is currently being re-designed.
Bethel Rock Gateway Church We are a new Chris an church mee ng in the Focus Centre, Galashiels TD1 1DQ at 11am each Sunday. We believe the whole Bible is absolute truth and is relevant for today. Our worship is in contemporary style. We exercise the gi s of the Holy Spirit (eg. prophecy and healing) in church ministry and in our Chris an living. We have a children's church during the main service. We have regular Communion/Eucharist in the usual Chris an style. We have a relaxing me of fellowship a er each service. We don't have all the answers - but we know who does! Contact - Douglas Renton, Pastor on Mobile 07815 682 027 Everyone is welcome. Con nued on page 38 36 Gala Life
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Our Lady and St Andrews Catholic Church Ministers to a weekly congrega on of around 200 at 11.00am Mass. There is a lively choir and me to chat at tea and coffee, a er. We are fortunate in having a flourishing Polish community. Mass mes are Saturday Vigil - 6.00pm, Sunday Mass - 11.00am. All visitors are welcome.
Bowden & Melrose Church of Scotland We have two places of worship with services in both each Sunday – 9.30am at Bowden Kirk and 11.00am at Melrose Parish Church. At 10.00 a.m. on the first Sunday of each month we hold a Family Service in Melrose Parish Church Hall. It lasts half an hour and is a less formal style of worship. Everyone is welcome to a end these services.
The Filling Sta on TThe Filling Sta on meets for regular Monday evening ‘celebra on’ mee ngs held in the Corn Exchange Melrose, every month on the first Monday star ng at 7.30pm and we have seen Chris an’s from communi es across the Sco sh Borders grow in depth, numbers and fellowship. The Filling Sta on offers high quality speakers and teachers, contemporary sung worship and powerful, accessible prayer ministry. Our mee ngs are designed to be overtly spiritual but presented in a manner that those outside the church would feel comfortable. Our mee ngs aim to be short, sharp and focused in character. We find many people meet God through these mee ngs and faith is built up. We welcome Chris ans from all backgrounds, denomina ons and non, Chris an leaders, those seeking to understand what the Chris an faith is all about, and those just inquisi ve. We meet on Monday at July 2nd 7.30pm in the Corn Exchange Melrose when we welcome Andy Hall as our speaker. Andy is part of the leadership team at The Lighthouse Church, Troon. Andy is originally from London, married to Yvonne and has two daughters and live in West Kilbride on the Ayrshire coast. A er gradua ng from London Bible College in 1986 Andy worked with Youth With A Mission (YWAM); serving in evangelism, church plan ng and training projects all over the UK. From 1997 he worked as the Na onal Evangelist for YWAM England following four years as the director of an inter-church Bible School in Guildford, Surrey, which aimed to train up pioneer evangelists and church planters. Yvonne & Andy moved to Scotland in 2001 when Andy was appointed as Na onal Director for YWAM Scotland. In 2007 he le YWAM to concentrate on a full- me teaching and preaching ministry alongside churches and their leadership teams in the UK. Andy is also developing The Lions Roar for Scotland as a resource to promote Renewal Revival and Reforma on across Scotland Along with Andy our own Naomi with her team of musicians and singers will be leading the worship and this should be a Fantas c night of worship, teaching and Ministry. There will be no Filling Sta on in August but in September Rob White from Manchester has been booked for a return visit, and for those who remember him from last year you won’t want to miss his return visit. We look forward to welcoming you to the filling sta on, and if you haven’t been before then why not check us out and enjoy a me of fellowship and ministry. Remember the Corn Exchange Melrose at 7.30pm Monday July 2nd.
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Heart and Soul The weekly Heart and Soul class con nues in the Borders General Hospital’s Chaplaincy Centre each Thursday from 5 to 6 pm for pa ents who have been through the heart rehabilita on programme. Mrs Chris ne Wakefield, Peer Group Support Worker (South-East), Chest, Heart and Stroke Scotland, has encouraged us to take part in such events as the ‘One Billion Steps for Health’ project. A reminder, too, that the Chaplaincy Centre doors are locked each evening at 5pm and arrangements have been made to access and exit the Centre.
Wellbeing College Exploring Resilience and Recovery in the Borders The Wellbeing College, run by Sco sh mental health and wellbeing charity Health in Mind, offers free courses to those aged 16 and over, living in the Sco sh Borders. The college is open to students who want to explore self-care, increase their wellbeing, and realise their poten al through learning opportuni es. The Wellbeing College offers a varied programme of courses to interest and inspire students, ranging from half-day sessions to learning experiences spread over eight weeks. The programme runs throughout the year and students are welcome to join at any me. In addi on to running courses, the college offers a Hub at the college base in the Hive, Galashiels. Students can access a range of resources and informa on at the Hub, including a computer with internet access, books, magazines and leaflets to support their learning. Although the Hub is based in Galashiels, Health in Mind will be delivering courses across the Borders, bringing learning opportuni es to local communi es. Students who a end the courses can also help to shape them. The choice of courses has been developed through consulta on with local groups and the prospectus will con nue to develop according to the needs and exper se of students. Please contact the Wellbeing College team for further informa on. Telephone: 01896 750044 Email: wellbeing.college@health-in-mind.org.uk Website: www.wellbeingcollege.org.uk You can also visit the Hub on Tuesdays 10am to 1pm and Thursdays 1pm to 4pm at The Hive, Low Buckholmside, Galashiels, TD1 1RT
Our entries in the Get Out, Diary and Community sec ons are free to non-profit organisa ons. If you would like to be included, send details to Willie at info@galalife.co.uk or 01721 720129 by 11th of the previous month. Editors decision is final. 40 Gala Life
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YOUR HOROSCOPE For July 2018 By Astrologer Christine Chalklin Ac on-packed Mars is retrograde in Aquarius all month, expect things not to move at the pace that you would like, be pa ent and use this me for revisi ng anything that might need adjus ng. The new moon in Cancer on the 13th brings opportuni es for new beginnings and breakthroughs. Sensi ve Cancer is the sign of the family and of the past, important adjustments in the home can be viewed in a different light and tackled successfully. Venus, the goddess of love and rela onships, is in playful Leo un l the 10th and Mercury remains in Leo all month. Leo energy is passionate, crea ve and fun loving and offers some excellent opportuni es for roman c encounters and all kinds of joyous rela onships. The full moon is in Aquarius on the 27th, emphasising the importance of being an individual and staying true to your heart. ARIES MARCH 21 - APRIL 20 Mars, your ruler and the planet of ac on and mo va on is somewhat thwarted by the retrograde phase. Use this month wisely to review how you use your energy where friendships and groups are concerned. With Venus in confident Leo un l the 10th crea ve skills are at their best. TAURUS APRIL 21 - MAY 21 During July your home and family are posi vely highlighted, you’ll also be amazed at how you relate to intui ve and crea ve new ways of thinking. The new moon in sensi ve Cancer on the 13th brings a new project into focus and help may arrive from unexpected quarters. GEMINI MAY 22 - JUNE 21 July brings a different kind of energy to the forefront as the way you communicate comes into focus. With Venus and Mercury both in fun loving Leo you’ll be ready to examine crea ve new ways of increasing your earning poten al. Now is the perfect me to reach out and be bold. CANCER JUNE 22 - JULY 22 July is your birthday month and new and exci ng opportuni es are strongly highlighted. Jupiter returns to direct mo on on the 11th illumina ng love and romance! The new moon in your sign on the 13th marks a turning point and you’ll feel a strong drive to improve your life on many levels. LEO JULY 23 - AUGUST 23 Venus and Mercury are favourable in your sign, ensuring that there is plenty of scope for renewed success. Uranus makes a challenging aspect to Mercury indica ng that you may have to rethink a career move. The Cancer new moon on the 13th may offer an opportunity to work behind the scenes. VIRGO AUGUST 24 - SEPTEMBER 22 July brings renewed vigour as expansive Jupiter goes back into direct mo on a er the 11th. Projects that have been on hold can be reviewed and there is opportunity to advance in a posi ve way. The Aquarian full moon on the 27th indicates that it may be me to put something firmly in the past.
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LIBRA SEPTEMBER 23 - OCTOBER 23 Finances get a boost as mighty Jupiter moves direct on the 11th indica ng posi ve new earning poten al. The Sun illuminates the highest point of your chart, emphasising your goals and the importance of planning ahead and making long las ng changes. SCORPIO OCTOBER 24 - NOVEMBER 22 Mars is in challenging aspect to Jupiter in your sign, emphasising the importance of staying focussed on the task at hand. Strong planetary emphasis on your career and goals offer excellent opportuni es for new direc ons. The new moon in Cancer on the 13th enables you to broaden your horizons. SAGITTARIUS NOVEMBER 23 - DECEMBER 21 July shines the spotlight on adventures and new direc ons; restless Sagi arians are ready for new challenges. The intui ve Cancer new moon on the 13th focusses on finances and resources and the full moon in on the 27th indicate that things need to become much clearer where your ul mate goals are concerned. CAPRICORN DECEMBER 22 - JANUARY 20 The Sun illuminates the rela onship area of your chart nudging you to set your sights very high; you’re not at all afraid to go a er what you truly desire. Venus and Mercury in Leo bring finances to your a en on as an important issue comes to the forefront around the new moon on the 13th. AQUARIUS JANUARY 21 - FEBRUARY 18 Your work, lifestyle and your health are all in the spotlight this month as the radiant Sun illuminates this area of your chart. With Mars retrograde in your sign all month your energy will be low and you might need to keep a low profile and your demands simple. The new moon on the 13th brings a welcome boost. PISCES FEBRUARY 19 - MARCH 20 The Sun, your ruler Neptune and abundant Jupiter form a wonderfully crea ve aspect pa ern in your chart this month. An exci ng new idea presents itself and there’s vibrant energy for a project to get off the ground. The Cancerian new moon on the 13th helps nego a ons and big plans move forward more posi vely. NAVIGATE YOUR WAY TO SUCCESS – with in-depth knowledge and cosmic awareness. Tune into posi ve and produc ve planetary cycles and become more successful in life and in business. I offer a full mo va onal and transforma onal coaching programme using astrology, coaching and the Bach flower essences. My client base is interna onal, all my consulta ons are available in person, by telephone or Skype. Please contact me for more informa on. Intui ve Tarot card readings for wisdom and guidance are also available. Chris ne Chalklin Inspira onal Astrologer and Life Coach, www.restyleyourlife.co.uk Chris ne@restyleyourlife.co.uk Telephone: 07813 483549
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Let’s Eat The World - Apple Strudel - Austria “Cream coloured ponies and crisp apple strudels Doorbells and sleigh bells and schnitzel with noodles Wild geese that fly with the moon on their wings These are a few of my favourite things” Not just the sound of music is a favourite thing but Apple Strudel too. There seems to be some debate as to whether Strudel is Austrian, German or Hungarian. Popular in the 18th century in Vienna it consists of bu er layered pastry. Try this version with filo pastry for a twist. • • • • •
750g/1lb 10oz Bramley apples, peeled, cored, quartered and sliced 1½ tsp ground cinnamon ½ unwaxed lemon, zest only 2 tsp lemon juice 100g/3½oz golden caster sugar
• • • • •
75g/2½oz raisins 95g/3½oz bu er 40g/1½oz white breadcrumbs 6 large sheets filo pastry 1 tbsp icing sugar
1. Preheat the oven to 190C/170C Fan/Gas 5. Line a baking tray with baking parchment. 2. Mix the apples with the cinnamon, lemon zest and juice, sugar and raisins. In a small frying pan, melt 20g/¾oz bu er and fry the breadcrumbs un l golden-brown, then add to the apple mixture. 3. Melt the remaining bu er in a pan. On a clean, dry tea-towel lay a sheet of the filo and brush with some of the melted bu er. Lay another sheet on top and repeat un l you have used all of the filo. 4. Pile the filling along the length of the pastry along one side about 2-3cm/1in from the edge and using the tea-towel to help you, roll the pastry up to enclose the filling. Tuck the ends in and roll seam-side down onto the lined baking sheet. Brush with the remaining melted bu er. 5. Bake for 40-45 minutes, un l golden-brown. Leave to cool to room temperature and dust with icing sugar. Slice and serve with cream, ice cream or custard. 44 Gala Life
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CARLA MURPHY
&
BVMS MRCVS
MELANIE BROAD
BVMS MRCVS
Return of the Supers July and the school holidays are a me when many families chose to adopt a new pet. It makes perfect sense because you have weeks at home to get to know your new puppy or ki en and have me to teach them the basics. We launched our Pet Health Club back in November which is a great way of spreading the cost of preventa ve care across the year for adult pets. Way before that though we launched our Superstart and Superkit packages for ge ng puppies and ki ens off to the best start. We thought now would be a great me to relaunch them. Our Superstart puppy package covers all the things we would recommend as gold standard in preventa ve health. It covers their vaccinaons including kennel cough, monthly parasite preven on from 8 weeks to 6 months old, a 3Kg bag of Proplan puppy food, a tooth care kit, a microchip if you haven’t already got one and 10% off neutering. That’s spread over 5 visits to the surgery so these puppies are totally cool about visi ng the vet and we can spot any problems and have plenty of opportunity to discuss your puppy health ques ons. They even get 4 weeks free insurance. All this for £130. Once they have completed the course, they can graduate on to the Pet Health Club.
compared to purchasing each item separately. Extra news for cats is that we now have dedicated Cat Clinic mes at each branch to reduce the stress when visi ng the prac ce. At Galashiels the clinic is Wednesday 12.00-1pm, At Innerleithen its Tuesday 2-3pm and at Selkirk its Tuesday 4-5pm. We will aim to keep these slots exclusively for cats. Of course cats can s ll come to other mes and we would welcome you to pop your cat box with the recep onist behind the counter if they are nervous.
Superkits get their vaccina ons, four worming doses, a microchip and neutering for £156 for girls and £126 for boys. Plus 4 weeks free insurance and a ki en pack of food.
Lastly we are really pleased to have a new product in stock that may be of interest to wanyone who has a pet and at any me of their life. Our “Pawpals” keepsake allows you to make a paw print that will last forever. It’s not messy or difficult to do, you just press your pet’s paw in to the kit, add a photo and hay presto – you have a beau ful keepsake. We think it would be nice to take a print at different stages of your pet’s life. These are available at all our branches so please ask if you would like one.
Both packages offer considerable savings
Mel
www.bordervets.co.uk Galashiels Veterinary Surgery Gala Terrace, Galashiels TD1 3JT 01896 752156 46 Gala Life
Office: 8.30 - 6pm Mon-Wed, 8.30 - 7pm Thurs & Fri Sat 8.30 - 1.30pm. Consultations by appointment
This Month’s Tricky Sudoko 2 5
4
1
6 4
8 2
1 9
3
1
6
2
5 8
7
3
That’s all there is to it!
1
Look carefully for what numbers can go where and with a little practice it will get easier!
2 2
Fill the grid so that every row, column and every 3 x 3 box contains the numbers 1 through to 9 with no repetition.
4
4
7 9
How to play............
7
Use reasoning and logic to solve the puzzle - there’s no maths or adding up.
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Willie’s Wonky Computer Factory Should I buy a Mac? Depends. The easy answer is ‘If you can afford it’, but there are a few other considera ons as well. Apple computers do seem to be so much more expensive than their Windows counterparts. If all you want to do is Facebook, shopping and a li le work, then a Mac isn’t really the best op on. If, however you want a device that is built to the highest standards, with top-grade components, elegant styling and an almost fana cal a en on to detail, then Macs will never fail to impress. It is also interes ng to note that, while the Mac market share is obviously smaller than the PC market share, this is based on all the PC manufacturers combined. Apple is in fourth place when it comes to market share when compared with other PC makers. In first place is Lenovo, followed by HP, then Dell, then Apple. You never hear people say ‘Wow, I’ve just bought a new Lenovo’ they will however tell you if it is a Mac Every component in every Mac is designed and manufactured for performance and to ensure that it requires less power. The opera ng system (OS) and all apps approved by Apple are then wri en to work with those components. There are thousands of Windows PC and component manufacturers and Windows downfall has always been compa bility and endless driver upgrades. This doesn’t happen with a Mac, however the downside is that because of the way the components are built into Macs, they are not easy, or in many cases possible to upgrade at a later date. In order to slim down the case and op mise the way the system works, Apple has compromised the ability to upgrade a Mac at a later date. So, if tempted to buy one, bump up the RAM memory to at least 16Gb but don‘t worry too much about the Hard Drive size, you can easily and cheaply add an external solid state drive later on if you need the space. 48 Gala Life
Whilst Windows 10 is shaping up nicely, it s ll lags way behind the latest Mac OS (High Sierra), which is clean, refined, stable and has an easy to use interface that requires no repeated banging on the keyboard or sweary words to help it along. It also syncs magically with your iPhone or iPad allowing you to con nue a task on one or the other without even thinking about it. Did you get an instruc on manual with your iPhone? No. Did that stop you from working out how to use it? No. Macs have be er screens. They just do. They also come with excellent preloaded apps. Straight out of the box you'll be able to edit photos, make movies, create music and get your work done right way, which for most people will be all they need. None of that Trial So ware that pops up a er a month requiring a payment to con nue using it. Incidentally, Mac will also run Microso Office, should that be a major concern. If things go wrong then it's reassuring to know that Apple offers various good support and service op ons. Apple consistently ranks as one of the best for customer support. Most Apple products come with 90 days of complimentary phone support and a one-year limited warranty. The support services offered by Apple include telephone support, support using online tools, and support at Apple Retail Stores where you can book an appointment with a Genius. There are also a number of Apple Authorised Service Providers who can help you with any issues you face. So, apart from the cost, why wouldn‘t you buy a Mac? Well, for me, as a personal computer, not a work one, if you have a par cular interest or hobby that requires specialised so ware, you might not be able to get a Mac OS equivalent. Shame really. You can however get so ware that will run Windows apps in a Mac, or even dual boot a Mac with Windows also installed. Your hobby needs to be computer programming though… Willie
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Thinking of Buying an Electric Car? But don’t know where to start? ‘Electric’ cars are becoming more and more popular; more than 150,000 electric vehicles have been sold in the UK. They offer many advantages over petrol and diesel, especially if most of your driving is around town. Not only do they help you save money on fuel and be more environmentally friendly, but have greatly reduced road tax or are exempt en rely.
or diesel engine is classed as an Alterna vely Fuelled Vehicle. All electric cars fall under this class, but then we have:
Charging an electric car is far cheaper than filling a fuel tank, for example, if electricity costs 10p per kWh, you could home-charge a Nissan Leaf to 100% for a mere £3. A motorway fast-charge will usually cost around £6 to bring the ba eries up to 80%. And with most electric cars now capable of over 150 miles between charges, ge ng there and back is less of a worry.
Hybrid Electric Vehicle (HEV) – these have a regular petrol or diesel engine, plus an electric motor and ba eries. The electric power is generated by the engine and through regenera ve braking technology, which captures the energy that's usually lost under braking. As a result, you never need to charge these cars, but they can't go far on electric-only power. Example – Toyota Prius
Whilst most are more expensive to buy new, there is a government grant available to the dealer that helps with the cost of certain models. See www.gov.uk/plug-in-car-van-grants for more informa on.
EV – Electric Vehicle. These have an electric motor and run solely on ba ery power instead of an engine. They need plugged in to recharge. EVs are exempt from road tax. Example – Nissan Leaf.
Plug-in hybrid electric vehicle (PHEV) – These work in the same way as regular hybrids, but they need their electric ba eries charged from an external power source. They do however As with any major purchase you need to do some have a greater range than regular EVs and can manage very impressive miles per gallon. research. There’s all sorts of confusing jargon involved and simply buying a blue one is not the Example Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV. answer. So, here’s some useful informa on to Hydrogen Electric Vehicle - These mix hydrogen get you going: with oxygen in a fuel cell to produce electric There are different types of electric car. Any car power. They are very rare at present, because that doesn‘t run solely on a conven onal petrol they're expensive and there are only 12
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opera onal hydrogen charging sta ons in the UK. Charging at home by simply plugging into a socket in the house takes about 8 hours, so it is Example – Toyota Mirai. worth considering having a dedicated charger Then of course, you need to charge it. You can charge an electric car or plug-in hybrid through a at home. There are grants currently available to mains socket, a specially-fi ed home wallbox, or help with the cost. at a public charging sta on on the road. There are three types of charger: slow (3kW), fast (7-22kW) and rapid (43-50kW). Public chargers are found at the roadside, in car parks, at motorway service sta ons, at tourist spots and hotels. They are usually fast or rapid chargers. One of the biggest motorway EV charging providers, Ecotricity, charges £6 for a 30-minute charge with a rapid charger. On a Nissan Leaf, this will fill up the ba ery to 80% of its full range.
The ba ery. These are expensive and add a considerable cost to the price of the vehicle (like £5k). The thought of having to replace a ba ery puts many people off, however the technology is improving all the me and most manufacturers usually guaranteed them for up to 8 years. Some even offer a leasing scheme, where you pay monthly, benefit from a cheaper ini al purchase price and never have to worry about it. So, what’s it going to be? An EV? Or would you be be er off with a hybrid for the extra range? If an EV you must then consider where you can find charging points. Is there one at work? You might even need to do some route planning if travelling farther afield. Whatever your choice, be prepared for an amazing driving experience. One final considera on is boot space. The ba eries have to go somewhere, so you may find a smaller boot than you expected and a bigger car might be the only answer if you need that space. Finally, my choice? Eh?... the blue one please, no, not that one, the Tesla. Willie Gala Life 51
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ADVERTISERS IN THIS ISSUE A & A Doyle Ltd Funeral Dir
22
Fencing & Hedges
21
MT Maintenance
37
Ace Carpet Cleaning
52
Finlaysons
37
Need a New Diet
16
All Awards
19
Fitness
18
NSA 24 Accountancy
41
Apollo Blinds
23
Food Train Volunteers
49,
Oven Wizard
23
Bella Aesthe cs
15
Gala Garden
20
Paolo’s Italian
15
Border Buses
55
Grants Gardens
21
Plumbstore
33
Border Garage Doors
49
Greenspaces
21
Rate Card
49
Border Vets
46
Grove Bedding
2
Recipe
44
Borders Handyman
21
Horoscopes
42
SB Cares
39
Bri sh Legion
7
James Graham Roofing
53
School Bell Tui on
41
Cambridge Weight Plan
31
John Lamont MP
24
Simon Porteous Bikes
19
Caravan Fix
19
John Lamont Summer Tours
25
Stowed out
13
Castle Warehouse
56
Jonnie Jones Plumber
53
Sudoko
Churches
30
K 2 Roofing
35
Tempest Brewery
10
Councillor Andy Anderson
24
Keith Penny Décor
37
Teviot Smokery
45
Councillor Euan Jardine
26
Kenkleen
23
The Big Space
7
Cra y Workshops
7
Leaflets
22
Tom Bu ler Furniture
10
Creme De La Creme
22
Macdonald Cardrona Hotel
28
Travelsure Ltd
7
Dawyck
1
Mackenzie Plumbing
37
Vapour Shop
47
Dulux
11
Man with a Van
35
Wellbeing College
40
DW Noble
39
Manor School of Ballet
15
Willie's Wonky Computer
48
Electric Cars
50
Maxwell Roofing
53
Win
5
Emo ves
19
Mike TVww
41
Zest Blinds
8
27,47
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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01896 754350 (Galashiels) 01289 308719 (Berwick)
WE ARE RECRUITING We are looking for self-motivated and customer friendly people to join our growing business. If you are looking to steer your career in a new direction let us take you there. We welcome experienced PCV drivers or those looking for a change. • PCV driver / trainee PCV driver • Full and part time positions available • Location: Galashiels, Berwick and St Boswells For non PCV drivers training is available up to the value of £1500. To apply please email your CV to info@borders.co.uk or visit our website at www.bordersbuses.co.uk. Gala Life 55
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