Gala Life April 2023

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 Gattonside.

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Photography & Design

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Editor

Willie - 07906375953

22 Recipe

Your Community

All the news from our MPs, Councillors, Clubs, Groups and Churches.

Willie's Wonky Computer

Willie looks at different types of music files and the best use.

Fitness With Alan Clinch

This month Alan looks at all the benefits of Nordic Walking.

Recipe

This month we have a One-Pan Lamb with Hassleback Potatoes.

Spring Trends

We have some great ideas to brighten up your home this Spring.

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Gala Life 57 Glen Crescent, Peebles EH45 9BS

info@galalife.co.uk

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28 Spring Trends

20 Fitness

WELCOME

Are You a Gas Guzzler?

We look at various ways you can save fuel when driving.

Gala Rugby Club

All the latest news, gossip and results from the boys in maroon.

The Gala Garden

Sheila looks at planting and looking after seeds this Spring.

Sudoku

Our Sudoku is also online this month, play every day and keep your brain active!

Welcome to the April edition of Gala Life. The clocks have changed and this month sees us looking forward to some good weather and getting out and about again. I’m looking forward to new lambs in the fields, daffodils and buds on the plants!

For you this month we have walks, trips, shows and great concerts as well as our live music venues, there’s even a Witches Corner! In our fitness column Alan looks at Nordic Walking and in the Computer page Willie explains the different types of music files and where best to use them. In the garden, Sheila Drummond gives tips on sowing seeds - the key to successful gardening.

We have the old favourite sudoko, give it a go, you may be surprised! Gala Rugby is looking forward to an exciting end to the season and a busy 7’s, before that join them for some great fun at their Easter Eggtravaganza.

Meantime we also look at new home trends for 2023 and take a look at economical ways to drive - a budget beater!

Happy Easter, have a great April and see you next time.

52

The Gala Garden

Our Gala Life Community

Please check with individual groups for the latest information.

Bereavement Support Group (BSG) - Meet every Monday 10am – 12 noon at Quins Restaurant. Get mutual support from people in the same situation. Friendly, understanding and very confidential group.

Borders Recovery Group - Meet Fridays at the Focus Centre. Peer support group 3-5pm, Recovery Cafe 5-7pm. For more info contact community@bordersinrecovery.org or 07536455898. www.bordersinrecovery.org

Memory Lane Music - We meet on the 2nd and 4th Wednesday of the month at MacArts in Galashiels from 2pm to 3.30pm. It is a singing group for people living with dementia and their family and friends. It uses the joy of singing together as a way of improving wellbeing and supporting people to build lasting friendships.

Café Connect - We meet in the restaurant at Borders College, on the ground floor of the Galashiels campus, from 10.30am until 12.00noon. Our dates are 19th April and 17th May. There is a small cost for tea/coffee and scones (£1.00 each). A dementia advisor is available for information. This café is for anyone affected by dementia and provides a blether and friendship.

Al-Anon Family Groups - Every Wednesday at 7.30pm, Chaplaincy Centre at the Border General Hospital. Access is through the main entrance to the hospital and follow the pink zone on the ground floor till you see the sign for the Chaplaincy Centre. Many people are affected by the excessive drinking of someone close to them. Find understanding, help and support in Al-Anon Family Groups. For further information call 07709948205 or visit www.al-anonuk.org.uk for meetings in Selkirk and Hawick.

Scottish Borders Versus Arthritis Support Group - meets online first Saturday of each month from 11am until 12.30pm. With a variety of interesting speakers and coffee and catch-up sessions, anyone who is living with arthritis or has an interest is very welcome. For more information, please, email info@scottishbordersversusarthritis.org

Parkinson's Support Group - held on the last Monday of every month at the Chaplincy Centre at the B.G.H. from 2pm to 4pm. The aim of the group is to offer support and company to anybody including families and carers who are affected by Parkinsons. We take part in outings quizzes and other activities suggested by the participants, and a cuppa and biscuits provided. If you require any more information or just want a chat please call Fran on 07790 750 115.

‘Heart for Art’ - Trinity Church Hall, High St, Galashiels every Wednesday afternoon, 1.30pm to 3.30pm. This is a Church of Scotland project which seeks to bring creativity and connection to those living with dementia in Scotland. Come along to our free art classes (with a carer if you wish) where staff of experienced professional artists and volunteers have enhanced dementia training. For more information look on facebook @CrossReachHeartForArt or email: heartfor.art@crossreach.org.uk

Gala Waterways Group - The Group usually meets at 10.00am until noon on the first Saturday of each month and typically prunes trees, clears undergrowth and removes rubbish along the Gala Water and Mill Lade in Galashiels. For more information contact galawaterways@gmail.com or 07763 850087. www.facebook.com/galawg/

Gala Policies Group - Always looking for new volunteers to join us in our litter picking efforts in the Policies. Monthly litter pick is held on last Saturday of each month (Feb to Nov) - meeting 10am at the small car park by the swimming pool. Bags and pickers provided - own gloves are recommended. We're on Facebook so join us, please, as we're determined to make sure this lovely woodland is preserved as a great 'green' town asset.

Continued on page 8

Lindean Carpet Bowling Club - We open for the new season at Lindean Village Hall Wednesdays at 7.30pm. Great fun for all ages, we welcome back members old and new. Don’t worry if you haven’t played the game before, tuition available for beginners. Why not give it a try! For more details phone 01896755316

Gala Waverley Bowling Club - Ever thought of taking up bowls? Gala Waverley Bowling Club are organising a series of fun events in April to give you the opportunity to try the game. See our advert on page 7, or contact Neil Kimber on 07933 513449 for more details.

Gala Squash and Racketball Club - Monday night 7pm - late: Club Night at Gala Squash Club, turn up and have a hit. £2 for members and £4 for Non-Members. Every Thursday 7pm-8.30pm is Ladies Night at Gala Squash Club - Turn up and have a hit about and a laugh, all ladies welcome.

Gala Windbags - We are a charitable group affiliated to chest heart and stroke Scotland with meetings every Thursday 1.30 to 3.30pm in Lucy Sanderson Hall Galashiels. Contact details are Hazel Crombie phone 01896 753788.

Gentle Exercise Class for Older Adults - Langlee Community Centre - £3 per class. 10.30-11.15am every Wednesday - contact 07713357450 to book.

Langlee Badminton Club - Thursdays, 5.15pm-7pm in the main hall at Langlee Community Centre, Marigold Drive, Galashiels, £2 per session. Under-16s must be accompanied by parent/ guardian. We're a friendly group who get together once a week to play badminton, all year round. Beginners welcome, racquets and shuttles provided. Call Kevin Janiak on 07825 269667 for more information.

Eildon Ramblers - If you enjoy walking you’ll enjoy walking with the Eildon Ramblers. We meet weekly on either a Saturday or a Sunday at 10.00am at various locations in the Borders. To see details of upcoming walks visit www.eildonramblers.org.uk or for general information please email eildon.ramblers@gmail.com or phone 07877 159126. Our motto is friendship, fitness, fun and fresh air.

Red Gauntlet Archers - we have restarted the indoor shooting sessions at at Langlee Community Centre on Thursday nights 7.30 - 9.30 pm. Another beginners course will start in January. Red Gauntlet is one of the oldest field archery clubs in Scotland. We currently shoot outdoors in Elibank forest and indoors at Langlee Community Centre. Our current members attend competitions all over Scotland. Field archery can be enjoyed at all levels from a pleasant day out to top level competition. Anyone interested can come along and see what is involved or phone Jim at 01750 20660.

Reiver Petanque - meets at the playing area near The Waterwheel Tea Room, Philiphaugh, Selkirk, TD7 5LU for regular Club days on Wednesday and Sunday afternoons 1pm-4pm. (2pm start in summer months). At other times the area is open to anyone to play with their own equipment unless notices on Facebook or on the noticeboard at the piste state otherwise. There will be occasional league and other matches between other clubs throughout the year. Please contact Peter on 07895 275669 or Ron on 07986 644661 for more information and come along, learn about the sport from established players and have fun. The area is accessible for wheelchair users and the sport is suitable for all ages.

One Acchord Ladies A Cappella Chorus - Ladies, if you want to sing, please come and meet us at Bowden Village Hall, Main Street, Bowden, TD6 0SS. Learn to sing in 4 Part Harmony, no auditions needed. We welcome everyone who wants to join us. Rehearsal times: 3 Wednesdays 7:30-9:30pm and 1 Saturday 2-5pm a month. Phone 07710699619 or visit our website www. oneacchord.co.uk Continued

The Eildon Singers - We are a mixed voice choir of some 40 members from all over the central Borders. We sing mainly classical works, with some lighter pieces. Our rehearsals are on Wednesday evenings from 7.15 to 9.00 pm in the Corn Exchange, Market Square, Melrose. We are working on music for a concert in May. New singers are always welcome (no auditions). If you would like more information, please contact our secretary, Margery Inglis, on 01750 21085

Syrinx Flutes - meet one Monday evening (7pm to 9pm) a month from August to May in the Corn Exchange at Melrose with leader Lis Dooner (07774 813693) lisdooner@btinternet.com Or try elizabethraitt@icloud.com in the first instance. All abilities from approx Grade 3. Why not dust off your underused flute and join our friendly group? It’s such fun playing with others.

Gala Water Singers - we have resumed after the Christmas Break and meet on Tuesdays in Station House, Stow at 7pm, everyone welcome.

Galashiels Clef Club - We are hosting a concert on Tuesday 11th April at 7.30pm in Lucy Sanderson Hall in Tweed Terrace. Music students from Trinity Laban are visiting the Borders for an intense 5 day course with Andrew Sherwood which gives the students the opportunity to focus on, and then present, their programmes. The concert is free but there will be a collection for students' expenses. Refreshments available. Our final meeting for this term is Saturday 22 April at 7.30pm in Lucy Sanderson Hall in Tweed Terrace. We offer a friendly welcome to everyone who can play an instrument or sing and they are free to choose any piece of music to entertain their fellow members. The range of music is wide and includes all styles of classical music, along with folksongs and songs from the shows, excursions into jazz, and members' own compositions. Please contact our president, Dorothea dmghall@hotmail or secretary John jda.wood@virgin.net for more information. Our website is https://clefclub.co.uk

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, Scott Mitchell on galafirefox@gmail.com

The Galashiels Town Band - Mondays - Gala Beginners Band 5.00 - 5.45pm, Tuesdays - Gala Youth Band 6.00 - 7.00pm, Gala Senior Town Band 7.00 - 8.45pm. These take place at the Galashiels Town Band Hall, 6a Roxburgh Street, Galashiels. Open to experienced, inexperienced and beginners of all ages. Instruments can be supplied, so go give it a try. For more information please contact info@galatownband.org.uk or by calling Nichola Broatch on 07856266230.

Rolling Hills Folk - Friday April 21st - A friendly welcome awaits singers and musicians and of course an occasional poet or racconteur. Doors open 7.30 for 8 pm start. BYOB. All ages welcome. Collection and raffle. Venue: Smith Memorial Hall, Abbotsford Road, Darnick, TD6 9AH (with disabled access). Phone 07986 644661 for more information. Rolling Hills Folk will continue to run on the third Friday of the month until further notice. Find us on Facebook and at our website www.rollinghillsfolkclub.org.uk

Galashiels Studio Club - The Club is for artists and people who enjoy art. We meet weekly over the winter in Old Gala House, on Thursdays at 7.30pm for about 2 hours and have a varied programme of talks or demonstrations by professional artists and workshops some led by club members. For more information see our Facebook site or phone 07958 241798. The Club is open to all levels of artists and new members and visitors are welcome.

Dance Class - Circle Dancing is suitable for almost everyone, dancing in simple step patterns to wonderful music from around the world. No previous experience necessary as each dance is taught by dance leader. New dancers are very welcome to join our small friendly group. We dance every

Call 01896 668514

With

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Willie’s Wonky Computer Factory

I have a LOT of music. The majority converted into a format that can be stored on my computer, phone and external drives. Being a bit of an audiophile, that always presents a problem when looking for the very best sound, and I find myself duplicating a lot of it to different file types to suit house, car and phone. I know that sounds a bit geeky, if not even OCD, so let me explain.

There are basically two types of music file formats - Lossless and Lossy

If we ignore Super Audio CDs and accept the standard CD quality as the benchmark (16bit/44.1kHz), as we are all familiar with that quality of sound. CDs are encoded in the WAV format, originally developed by Microsoft and IBM and produce great sound quality, but are uncompressed, meaning huge file sizes. A CD quality WAV file will take about 10MB of hard drive per minute. WAV is also limited in fully supporting metadata, that’s the album/artist name, track names, album cover and a lot more that you probably didn’t know was possible. So, to store music digitally, it needs to be compressed to be practical for the every day user, and that’s where MP3 comes in. I believe Steve Jobs (Apple) presented his iPod in 2003, containing over 1000 music tracks and our listening pleasure changed overnight.

MP3 compresses a music file to around one tenth of its original size, by removing all the high and low frequencies outwith ‘normal’ hearing and by cutting bit sized segments out of the remainder. The result as you know is still quite impressive and when re-encoding to MP3 you can vary the sound quality from very low (128kbps) to ‘near CD’ at 320kbps to meet your requirements.

MP3 is therefor classed as ‘Lossy’ as up to nine tenths of the original file are… lost. That’s fine for phones, tablets and standard car stereos, however if you are looking for excellent sound quality, but still compressed to save on file size, then you need something that is ‘Lossless’, ie all the original sound is included.

That’s where my long time favourite choice for downloading, or re-encoding CDs comes in, and it's called FLAC

FLAC (Free Lossless Audio Codec) is lossless and compressed to nearly half the size of an uncompressed WAV of equivalent sample rate, and that is a serious saving of space on a hard drive with no “loss” in terms of how it sounds. FLAC files can also provide a resolution of up to 32-bit, 96kHz, so better than CD quality, if you have that source as an original file. They can also store practically endless metadata. You will come across many other file types, and probably used them without noticing, the most common are:

AAC (Advanced Audio Coding): which is Apple's alternative to MP3. It is Lossy and compressed and used in Apple Music streaming.

ALAC (Apple Lossless Audio Codec): which is Apple’s own lossless audio compression technology. In addition to AAC, the entire Apple Music catalogue is also encoded using ALAC, and there if you want it (change playback in Settings).

OGG (Ogg Vorbis): A Lossy, open-source alternative to MP3 and AAC, unrestricted by patents. This file format is used (at 320kbps) in Spotify streaming.

The main problem with all the above is that they are not supported by all music players. My computer, home Hi-Fi and Sonos all support my choice of FLAC, but my phone and Command system in the car do not.

The other consideration is whether or not what you play your music on, is actually capable of reproducing the quality on offer, even though it can play it.

That’s why I download as FLAC to enjoy the quality of sound at home, then re-encode to MP3 to listen in the car, or on my phone. Not geeky at all :o)

PS The free VLC Media Player App will play just about anything, and it’s available for a Mac too.

Willie

Tuesday 2 -4 pm at Anderson Chambers, Market Street, Galashiels TD1 3AF. £5 per class. A lovely way to stay active and meet new friends. For further information Contact Kate 07523 466657.

Scottish Country Dancing - Old & St Paul's Church Hall Tuesdays 7-9pm. All welcome. Contacts 01896822354 or 01578730591.

Gala Chess Club - meeting every Tuesday evening at the Focus Centre, Galashiels between 7.00pm and 9.00pm. All levels welcome. Facebook - gala chess club.

Ormiston Bridge Club - The club meets each Monday at 6.30pm in Gala Rugby Club from September to April. New members are very welcome. If your bridge is a bit rusty or you are unfamiliar with club play, we can provide some refresher sessions. For more information email ormistonbridgeclub52@gmail.com or visit the Ormiston club website. Hope to see you.

The Trimontium Museum, Melrose - We will launch a Roman Dance Group at the beginning of April on Wednesday evenings at 6.00pm. A gentle and fun form of exercise, with a dash of history and cultural background. Unique in the UK! And on 15 and 22 April come out to two Family Events, for Easter and World Earth day, with fun activities like face painting, mosaic eggs and storytelling, included with museum admission. www.trimontium.co.uk

Melrose Historical and Archaeological Association - Our next meeting will be on Tuesday 25th April 2023 , at 7:30 p.m in Marmions @ the Wynd, off Buccleuch Street, Melrose – There will be a short AGM followed by our guest speaker, Norrie McLeish, who will present an illustrated lecture'The Haunted Borders'. All welcome. Free to Members, £4 to visitors.

Galashiels & District Probus Club - We provide regular meetings for retired and semi-retired professional and business men and women to enjoy the company of like-minded people who appreciate the camaraderie of being part of the Club. We meet fortnightly from September to May on Thursday mornings at the Waverley Castle Hotel, Melrose and after tea or coffee we enjoy a wide variety of interesting talks by guest speakers. We are always open to welcome new members and if you are interested in joining please ask any member or phone 01896 822892 for more information.

Galashiels Inner Wheel Club - Inner Wheel Club will meet next as usual on the third Tuesday of the month i.e. 18th April in Cafe Recharge Island Street at 7pm when there will be a talk from Nurture the Borders charity. New members are always welcome and for further information call Sheila on 07708732320.

Galashiels Camera Club - we meet almost every Wednesday at The red Room, Langlee Community centre, Galashiels. If you are interested in photography visit our website www.galacameraclub. co.uk Professionals, Enthusiast and beginners are all welcome.

Borders Family History Society - Sunday 30th April at 2.30pm. Monthly meeting: "My Grandchildren: Nine generations of a Borders family”. This month our talk by Dr Murray Watson will give uselful tips on how to write a family history. Venue: St. Peter's Church Hall, Parsonage Road, Galashiels, TD1 3HS. For mre information, email info@bordersfhs.org.uk or research@bordersfhs.org.uk Alternatively leave a message on 01896 750387 and we will get back to you as soon as possible.

The Three Brethren u3a, Galashiels - This month's meeting will be a little different, and will be an entertainment put on by the committee for all our members - entitled 'Your u3a'. It is on Monday 17th April, 2pm at the Galashiels Rugby Club and all members are cordially invited. Details at www.u3asites.org.uk/three-brethren or phone 01896 823493.

with Alan Clinch

Nordic Walking

In last month’s article I summarised a piece of recent research which pointed to the potential benefits of a round or two of golf. You may remember that the piece also mentioned walking with poles, sometimes known as Nordic Walking. This month I’ll take a closer look at Nordic Walking: what it is, and how it can be beneficial. You may have seen people out walking with poles, but this may not be Nordic Walking - there is actually a quite significant difference – a basic walking pole is really designed to help with stability, and spread the load in order to take weight off the knees and ankles, whereas a Nordic walking pole is similar to those used in cross country ski-ing. The poles have been specially designed to allow users to develop upper body strength, and can turn a walk into whole-body exercise that can be done by anybody, anywhere. Another piece of research analysed the effects produced by the use of Nordic walking on functional abilities in elderly women. Three months of walking led to reductions in the pulse rate at rest and blood pressure, and an increase in maximal oxygen consumption. General upper body strength was enhanced, all of which meant that the test group were better equipped for everyday living.

Using the upper body results in a significant increase in energy use - around 50% more calories can be used than if simply going for a normal (ie without poles) walk. It’s common knowledge that regular moderate exercise can help reduce risk of heart disease, stroke, and help with weight loss: when done correctly, Nordic Walking will use most of the muscles in the body, particularly targeting core, hips, thighs, buttocks and triceps. Correctly moving the poles whilst walking requires moving arms in opposition with legs, so balance and coordination will be improved. Looking forward whilst doing the exercise should also help develop visual coordination and posture.

Using poles helps absorb some of the body weight,

taking pressure off the joints in the legs, which makes it an ideal exercise for older people, or those with knee problems such as arthritis.

The set up and grip of the strap and handle allows the user to push through the movement, and increase stride efficiency by using extra power from the upper body. The video clip below gives an overview of the basics of Nordic walking.

www.youtube.com/watch?v=PZBF1cg7Ggc

A number of advantages occur when using Nordic Walking poles:

• It’s generally recognised as safe – it uses biomechanically correct movements, together with appropriate body alignment and posture, which in turn reduces the pressure on knees and other joints.

• It’s possible to burn up to 40% extra calories over that used in simply going for a stroll, which in turn is potentially good for weight control

• Government guidelines for aerobic exercise suggest rhythmic and dynamic movements –Nordic Walking uses these, so will use both large and small muscle groups to increase blood circulation and metabolism

• Improved posture and movement should be transferred to everyday movement.

If you’re interested in Nordic Walking, this site will provide more information. As ever there are a large variety of resources on the web, but try to stick to recognised organisations where possible.

https://nordicwalking.co.uk/

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….

Ingredients

1 leg of lamb, about 2kg

2 garlic bulbs

15 sprigs rosemary

15 sprigs thyme

1.7kg medium-sized potatoes (Maris Piper work well), unpeeled

14 bay leaves

4 tbsp olive oil

1 lemon, juiced

One-pan lamb with hasselback potatoes

Method

Step 1 - Use a small, sharp knife to make at least 30 small, deep, incisions all over the lamb. Halve the garlic bulbs, so at the top the cloves fall away and at the bottom, they remain attached. Peel and slice the tops that have fallen away and keep the other halves for later. Use your fingers to push the slices into each slit. Next, pull off small sprigs of rosemary and thyme, keeping the stalks on, and poke them into the slits, too. Chill. and remove from the fridge 1 hr before roasting.

Step 2 - Heat oven to 210C/190C fan/gas 7. Sit each potato between the handles of two wooden spoons and cut widthways at 3mm intervals – the spoon handles will stop you slicing all the way through. Slot a bay leaf into the middle slit of each potato. Tip the potatoes into a large roasting tin with the halved garlic bulb and the rest of the rosemary and thyme. Drizzle with half the oil and season, then toss to coat and turn the potatoes so they’re all cut-side up. Place the lamb in the middle of the tin, pushing the potatoes to the outside, then rub the lamb with the rest of the oil and the lemon juice and season generously.

Step 3 - Roast for 1 hr 30 mins, basting the potatoes and shaking the tin occasionally, until the lamb is dark brown and the potatoes are crisp and golden. The lamb will be pink in the middle but cooked. For rare, cook for 10 mins less, and for well done, 15 mins more. Remove the lamb from the tin and leave to rest for 15 mins, putting the potatoes back in the oven if you need to. Serve drizzled with green olive & herb dressing or mint sauce.

Borders Philatelic Society - we welcome new members who have an interest in Postal History. Stamps or Postcards at any level from all across the Borders. We are a small friendly club meeting fortnightly on Monday nights, 7.30 until 9pm in the Church Hall, Old Parish & St. Pauls in Scott Crescent Galashiels TD1 3JU. Please contact John Brown on 01721 723759 or Email him at tweedavenue@gmail.com for further information, or just turn up to meet like minded souls! The 2023 dates are:- April 3.

The Great Tapestry of Scotland Afternoon Tea - Available on the last Sunday of the month. Treat yourself or someone you care for with The Great Tapestry of Scotland’s Afternoon Tea in Stitchers Café. Enjoy a range of specialty teas, a selection of sandwiches, savoury bites and sweet treats with a Tapestry mocktail. Booking required, please see www.greattapestryofscotland.com or call 01896 809353.

John Lamont MP

I recently had the pleasure of meeting with young people from Galashiels Academy who were visiting the Houses of Parliament.

The group of students came to London for an OFFICIAL tour of the House of Commons, which takes in all the storied history that has occurred through the centuries around these buildings.

These fantastic tours can cover everything and anything from how the Blitz impacted Westminster, to speeches by monarchs and US President, to the legacy of great British Prime Ministers such as Winston Churchill, Robert Peel and Benjamin Disraeli.

The Borders pupils seemed to have a good time and I was very impressed by their knowledge, keen interest in how Parliament works, and the insightful questions they asked.

One of the things we discussed is that politics is about priorities and choosing which issues deserve our utmost attention.

Just now, we should all be able to agree that the cost-of-living crisis and supporting public services must be our main focus.

Those are the main concerns I hear from constituents in Gala and across the Borders each week. The cost-of-living crisis continues to have a really difficult impact on families, workers and the most vulnerable. I hope we are through the worst of it, now that energy bills are slowly starting to fall again, but the economic conditions globally continue to be tough.

The aftermath of the Covid pandemic left businesses struggling, and the energy bill increases because of Vladimir Putin’s war in Ukraine has only exacerbated an already difficult environment. But the UK Government is firmly focused on the task at hand. The UK has delivered substantial help with energy bills for people and businesses. We have provided financial support packages to help the most vulnerable. And the government’s top priority is bringing inflation back down and restoring stability, which is already starting to happen. By sticking to that task, we will be able to deliver even stronger budgets to support public services.

I think we can all agree too that we need the next SNP leader to have that same relentless focus on our economy and NHS. Unfortunately, that 100% focus on the issues that really matter has been lacking at times.

But I am hopeful, although not resoundingly confident at this stage, that a new First Minister will bring a new approach.

Euan Jardine Councillor - Gala & District, Conservative

A few days ago, I got what seemed to be the hottest ticket in town, and that was a ticket to see Galashiels Amateur operatic Societies' presentation of Grease. It is one of my favourite movies, and I owe that fact to growing up with four sisters who seemed to watch Dirty Dancing or Grease on repeat. So it was a nice treat on a cold Monday night to go along and watch a fabulous and talented cast perform some of the classic songs from the hit musical. I won't tell you if I knew every word of every song, but I do know that the Grease is undoubtedly the word, and it showed the talent we have in this region and the town in terms of performing arts. Congratulations to everyone involved in the production.

I was also recently at the national cross-country championships in Falkirk, where it was great to see three out of the top five in the women's race from the Scottish Borders. Including Sara Green from gala Harriers, who finished 4th and was not only the first veteran athlete home but the highestever ranked veteran in the women's race over the many decades the race has taken place. So once again, congratulations to Sara on a tremendous result.

I am sharing the performance of Grease, the musical and Sara Greens' historic run because positive news stories happen in Galashiels every day but often go undiscovered because we don't look for them, they remain in their bubbles, or there are so many other things in the world to grab our attention. The local press does its best to promote stories, but they tell me that it is rare for people to send reports to them to publish. I encourage anyone with some good news to share to send your stories to the local press and spread your good news.

I will hold an advice surgery on Wednesday, 12th April, 5-6 pm at Quins Restaurant Galashiels. Don't hesitate to contact me at the details below if you need assistance.

Email - Euan.jardine@scotborders.gov.uk

Telephone – 07811977720

Facebook – @VoteEuanJardine Twitter - @VoteJardine

Citizens Advice Bureau Debt Happens You are not Alone

We are currently running a campaign aimed at helping local people who are struggling with debts. If this is you, you are not alone. Please contact us. Being in debt is not just a financial issue – it can affect your mental health and your relationships.

We understand that it can be hard to seek help and we recognise there can be shame and stigma attached – but debt is nothing to be ashamed of. It happens. Events over the past 3 years have had a massive impact on our finances. Unemployment, furlough, ill-health, cuts to universal credit, high energy bills and overall cost of living has created a perfect storm for many of us. This has resulted in it becoming harder to make ends meet without taking out loans and relying on credit cards.

Our service is free, confidential, independent and non-judgemental. Please do get in touch if you would like to find out more about our debt procedure or any other issue. Central Borders Citizens Advice Bureau.

111 High Street, Galashiels RD1 1RZ.

Call 01896 753889.

e-mail: enquiries@centralborders.cab.casonline.org.uk website: www.galashielscab.org.uk

Monday – Thursday 10am – 4pm

NEW FOR 2023 IN THE HOME

Spring is a time to look around - the Christmas decorations come down and the place looks bare. If you want to make a change and be on trend what should you look for?

Headlines. Grey is Gone!! Bold Colours are In and for the Kitchen Black is BACK!

WAVY STRIPES

Wavy stripes are, quite literally, making waves in the design world – As the importance of the home and its role as a place of comfort continues to grow we can add waves which are often associated with water and the ocean known to evoke feelings of calm and relaxation. Go for patterns with wavy stripes as the perfect recipe, therefore, for encouraging moments of mindfulness in the home.

TOP TIP!

DE-STRESS AND HIDE THAT CLUTTER. TIDY PLACE, TIDY MIND.

PRIMARY COLOURS

With the tumultuous times we’re living in, finding moments to be playful and have fun is key – and this is reflected in our homes, as bold colours become increasingly prominent. In 2023 watch out for pops of primary colours as accessories and accents in the home. From a colour psychology perspective, the three primary colours of red, blue and yellow represent the body, mind and emotions respectfully. Loud and unapologetic, primary colours will add a playful charm to a space, bringing with them unmistakable energy. This will include hues of sage green and deep blues. These colours have grown in popularity recently along with a modern classic style which incorporates shades of wood and panelling. The theme of incorporating nature in interior elements will continue to be prevalent in finishes and fittings, we will be seeing colours inspired by nature, like softer greens and blues that are calming and pleasing to the eye. You can also go MOODY if you feel really brave. Along the lines of more dramatic themes, gothic is also said to be making a comeback. We are seeing more and more black decor and paint that creates a moody vibe. A deep moody room all in the same colour, walls, furniture and accessories.

THE RETURN OF ART DECORETURN TO THE ROARING 20’S

As interiors move away from the absoluteness of minimalism, we’re seeing a renewed interest in more decorative styles, like Art Deco. That said, hyper maximalism might not be on the cards yet – but ornate details are on the rise. Expect Art Deco’s brighter colours, geometric patterns, and symmetry to take over interior design in 2023.

SUSTAINABLE MATERIALS - CORK & ALUMINIUM

From rattan and bamboo to cane and linen, there are plenty of materials that are considered environmentally friendly, and it’s cork and aluminium that experts predict will become increasingly popular in households in 2023 and beyond. Cork is an approachable material. Its natural brown colour gives it a grounding, earthy feel, instantly making you feel more relaxed, while its rugged bark appearance adds texture, warmth and cosiness. Aluminium can be recycled endlessly, making it one of the most environmentally-friendly metals you can use in your home. We are seeing a lot of people move the outside in. They want natural items in their house—baskets or plants or natural wood tables. We see a lot of live-edge tables or big stumps used as an end table. Having outdoor elements coming into the house really feeds our soul.

LAYERED LIGHTING

We’ve seen the revival of the artisan and a growing interest in locally crafted homewares. It’s good to support local skilled craft people. Don’t just buy mass produced fashion junk. More and more, we’ve seen our community looking for vintage or up-cycled pieces rather than buying brand new. With this comes quality products, and making long-term sustainable and conscious lifestyle choices when it comes to our homes.

ARTISANAL WARES

TOP TIP! LOOK FOR PIECES WITH CURVES AND ROUNDED EDGES

Lighting is the second most important design element in your home after colour. With its ability to take on new forms from different materials to sculptural shapes, we are beginning to see an increase in layering. Layering your lighting adds warmth and cosiness to a space, and it also gives you an opportunity to have fun with different lighting designs. Layer your lighting with illuminated pockets on the walls, striking linear lines in your floor lamps to zone areas for their function and style, and oversized pendants hanging from the ceiling for added drama.

WORKPLACE WITH FLAIR

The workplace, whether at home or in an office, has been redefined. Yet, only now do these spaces see highly individualised designs. The office may include elements that make work more comfortable. From furniture design to layout to indoor turf, the workspace gets a happy makeover to increase its use and employee productivity. And if you’re working from home, this means setting up the interior to your precise needs. New smart furniture is coming, meaning you can charge your tech stuff without all the cables!

Bohemian and rattan trends have continued to be popular over the last year and it seems the trend will continue into 2023. Rattan beds have also seen a surge in popularity over the past year as the bohemian interior trend has grown. Providing a textured neutral base for decor to suit your personal style, rattan is a great option if you’re shopping for new furniture with a boho feel.

BOHO RATTAN

PARQUET FLOORINGHERRINGBONE

We’re seeing strong uplifts in sales for herringbone parquet flooring, especially in lighter oak shades which works really nicely in contrast with these bold tones on the walls. This style of flooring is classic and timeless whilst giving added texture that can really elevate a room.

Anaward-winning dental group has completed a £400 000 acquisition of MyDentist Dental practice in Galashiels, promising to finally clear the waiting list caused by the pandemic.

Infinityblu Dental Care and Implant Clinic, founded by a Scottish Young Dentist of the Year, Chris Barrowman, has added Galashiels to existing successful Borders practices in Duns and Peebles.

Staffing levels have immediately been bolstered at Albert Place, to accommodate patients who have been waiting for some time, and to reconnect with lapsed patients.

New treatments such as orthodontics and dental implants will be available for the first time in the area, with plans for innovative digital dentistry investment set to follow.

The immediate priority, since the purchase from previous corporate owners, is to make sure townspeople who have suffered through a Covid-related backlog can get the treatment they need.

“It will be really good to fully get going,” said founder, Chris Barrowman, who completed the purchase in early February. “We have plans for investments in new digital technology at the practice, but the immediate priority has been restructuring the appointment diary and increasing numbers of team members, in order to see more patients on a daily basis.

“There has been a pandemic backlog, which has never really been caught up on, and added to this, the previous owners struggled to recruit in the practice. We have brought in a new full-time therapist and existing Infinityblu dentists from our other Borders practices in Duns and Peebles who will now share their time between the new practice and their existing practices.

“The main thing is to get the support for our existing team so we can make sure the patients, who deserve to be seen, are seen. Orthodontics and dental implants will be available within a matter of weeks, avoiding the need for patients, who would have previously been referred out, to have this under one roof in Galashiels.”

The Galashiels buy-out means Infinityblu, established in Pitlochry, now has 11 practices across rural Scotland, spanning 4 different regions making it one of the largest group of practices in Scotland.

The Albert Place practice was temporarily closed following the take-over to allow for staff training and for the company’s patient care ethos to be implemented.

“This is a great location. There is an opportunity for this to become a flagship for Infinityblu and the Borders itself,” added Chris Barrowman, who has already been contacted by interested dentists aware of the recruitment opportunities generated by the acquisition.

“When we first moved into the Borders, in Duns, people weren’t maybe aware of the name we had in other regions, but the patients have been great and, when we took over in Peebles, people knew or had heard about Infinityblu, and there is again this excitement building locally about the Galashiels take-over.”

Three-dimensional digital scanning is to be introduced to the Galashiels practice - the latest technology in dentistry - bringing it into line with other sites within the growing Infinityblu portfolio.

The group’s non-Borders practices are in Pitlochry, Dunkeld, Crieff, Alyth, Auchterarder, Callander, Killin and Auchtermuchty.

Email: galashiels@infinitybludental.co.uk

Phone: 01896 752679

Website: www.infinitybludental.co.uk

Art at Ancrum Returns!

29 April – 01 May 2023, 10am – 5pm daily, free entry

Art at Ancrum returns for a long weekend of displays and demonstrations by artists and design-led makers. The event, now in its ninth year, brings together talented artists from across the Borders to show their work at venues in the village of Ancrum.

Thirty-six exhibitors will be showing paintings, textiles, jewellery, ceramics and glass, and works in wood, metal and stone. Visitors can meet the artists and makers at their stalls in the Village Hall, the Bowling Clubhouse, in the pub and at other venues around the village. There’s a programme of demonstrations by artists on the Village Green, and a display of children’s art from Ancrum and Jedburgh schools.

Twelve artists new to Art at Ancrum have been invited to take part this year. They include James Mackie of Ancrum, known for his detailed paintings of glass marbles, who is planning to show a landscape painted specifically for Art at Ancrum this year. Also from Ancrum, Julie Flannery will be exhibiting paintings and textiles in her own studio. Details of all the participating artists can be found at www.artatancrum.org.uk

Art at Ancrum is a relaxed and friendly experience. As well as paintings there are teas and cakes in the Village Hall, coffee and bacon rolls at the Ancrum Pantry, picnics on the Village Green, musicians, a drink, and maybe lunch, in the Ancrum Cross Keys. There are exhibitors to meet in their own studios or in residents’ gardens, and opportunities to view and purchase high quality local art and crafts.

Art at Ancrum takes place over the three days of the early May bank holiday weekend, Saturday 29 April to Monday 01 May. The event is open from 10am to 5pm daily and entry to the show is free.

Contact: Hugh Williams, Joint Coordinator, Art at Ancrum, Tel: 07712 624424, E: hb.williams@btinternet.com

Mac Arts - April 2023

Saturday 1st The Filthy Tongues + Last Boy (Indie Rock)

Thursday 6th Wandering Willies Tale (Theatre)

Friday 7th Incubator Session with 3 out of 4 / Leatherette/ Yaris (Indie)

Saturday 8th Hunter and McMustard (Comedy / Folk)

Friday 21st The Vintage Explosion (Rock N Roll)

Friday 28th Bronwynne Brent (Americana)

Saturday 29th Horse McDonald (Acousticy)

Sunday 30th Tannahill Weavers (Folk)

For tickets call 01896 756852 / www.macarts.scot

Lindean Village Hall - Quingo 49 Night

The Hall Committee are holding a fundraising Quingo 49 night on Friday 7th April, starting at 7.00pm. Quingo is a unique combination of quiz and bingo so should suit fans of both.

You can play either as a team, or individually. Tickets £5 per person which includes a glass of wine. Why not come along, bring some friends, and join us for a night of fun. I have it on good authority that the questions wont be too hard!

Gala Rugby Easter Eggstravaganza - 9th April

Our Easter Eggstavaganza will be held on Sunday 9th April, 11.am - 2.00pm, at Netherdale. There will be an egg hunt, rugby drills, tea/coffee, hot rolls, bouncy castle, a grand raffle and fun for all the family.

See you there!

Galashiels Church of Scotland

Old Parish & St Paul’s building – Scott Crescent TD1 3JU

St John’s building – Hawthorn Road, Langlee TD1 2JZ

Trinity building – High St TD1 1SE

We are a united congregation who want to be God glorifying and Christ exalting 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 are in these church buildings:

2nd April 11am Trinity

6.30pm St John’s

9th April 11am He is Risen! Easter Celebration Old Parish & St Paul’s

6.30pm St John’s

16th April 11am Trinity

6.30pm St John’s

23rd April 11am Old Parish & St Paul’s

6.30pm St John’s

30th April 11am Trinity

6.30pm St John’s

Girls Brigade

1st Galashiels Girls' Brigade meets on Mondays in St John's Church halls, Langlee.

Explorers P1-P3 6-7pm

Juniors P4-P7 6-7pm

Brigaders S1-S6 7- 8.30pm

Please contact Susan Henderson for more information about joining us: 1stgalagb@gmail.com

Bible Study - House Group meets on Tuesday Mornings

Guild – Tuesdays at 2.15. Will meet again in October

Prayer Meeting – Wednesdays at 7pm in St John’s

Messy Easter – Saturday 8th April 10am-12 md for P1-P7 followed by lunch. Contact Anne.Noble@ talktalk.net or on 07796668847 to register your child or for more details.

For further information

Minister: Rev Graeme Glover e-mail: GGlover@churchofscotland.org.uk phone: 01896 209455, website: www.galashielschurchofscotland.org.uk

Galashiels Baptist Church

Galashiels Baptist Church would like to share stories about what goes on at our church and introduce you to some of the people who are part of the Church family.

This month it is the turn of Sylvia Jones:

Tell us a little bit about you:

Hello, I’m Sylvia, I’m married to Andy and have 2 adult sons. I’m part of the Leadership Team at GBC. You might find me encouraging people to pray in different ways, preaching from time to time or leading our services.

Why did you start coming to GBC:

I made GBC my ‘home’ because I was warmly welcomed. There are loads of amazing people of different ages and from different walks of life. We help each other know more about what it means to love God, each other and everyone else in this crazy world we live in!

Easter is an important time of year in the Christian calendar, tell us why:

So you think Easter is about eggs, bunnies and bonnets? Well, it’s really about remembering Jesus’ death and resurrection.

What does Easter mean to you:

For me Good Friday is a time to quietly reflect on what Jesus, who committed no wrong, went through on that last day of his earthly life – he was tried, tortured, and hung on a cross – a barbaric horrific way to die, all without complaint. Why would someone do this?

Because firstly he recognised that a blood payment needed to be made for every act of humanity’s waywardness and evil. He willingly shed his blood so that everyone’s - both his friends’ and his enemies’ failings could be forgiven. Through Jesus we’re forgiven and what’s more with the Holy Spirit’s help we can forgive! We can live at peace with God and with each otherthat’s life and freedom!

Secondly, in dying he chose to be fully acquainted with the worst and final aspects of what it means to be human. We have a Saviour who identifies with us in every aspect of our human life because he loves each of us! He knew that God would bring him back to life three days later and in so doing conquer death. We can live our lives without the fear of death knowing that we too can experience that same resurrection! That’s what Easter Sunday is about. It’s a day to celebrate – it’s a happy day!

You are welcome to come to Galashiels Baptist Church on Victoria Street on Good Friday (7th April) 7-8:30pm for a quiet reflective communion service. Then on Easter Sunday (9th April) at 10:30am for an All-Age Celebration.

Bowden & Melrose Parish Church

Minister Rev. Rosemary Frew. 01896 822217 email RFrew@churchofscotland.org.uk Office: 01896 823339 email bowden.melrosepc@btinternet.com

Worship for Holy Week and Easter in Melrose and Bowden

Sunday 26 March, 3.00-5.00pm – ‘Get Ready for Easter’ at Messy Church in Melrose Parish Church and Hall. Stories, singing, games, crafts, food and lots of fun. Messy Church is for families. Children must be accompanied by an adult. All welcome!

In addition to our regular services of Sunday worship at Continued

9.15am in St Cuthbert’s RC Church

9.30am in Bowden Kirk

11.00am in Holy Trinity Episcopal Church

11.00am in Melrose Parish Church of Scotland

You are warmly invited to join us as we worship together over Holy Week and Easter

Sunday 2 April, 7pm - Service in Holy Trinity Church

Monday 3 April, 7pm - Service in St Cuthbert’s Church

Tuesday 4 April, 7pm - Service in Holy Trinity Church

Wednesday 5 April, 7pm - Service in Melrose Parish Church

Thursday 6 April, 7pm - Maundy Thursday Service in Melrose Parish Church Hall

Friday 7 April, 2pm - Performance of St Matthew Passion by Waverley Consort in Melrose Parish Church. 7pm - Good Friday Service in Bowden Kirk

Saturday 8 April - Churches open for prayer and contemplation.

Sunday 9 April, 7.30am - Early morning worship for Easter Day on the Saddle of the Eildons

Caddonfoot Parish Church

The lead up to Easter and Easter itself ensured a busy time for worshippers at services in Caddonfoot Parish Church.

Services were led by the minister, the Rev. Victoria Linford, and members of the congregation, and she later told members that she was leaving to take up a post in the Principal Clerk’s office with the new Lothian and Borders Presbytery (after two years at Caddonfoot and 12 years at the linked Parish of Stow and Heriot).

The Rev. Linford said that she was sorry to be leaving, but her theological and legal experience would allow her to serve the national Church and offer advice and guidance to Presbyteries throughout Scotland. She was congratulated by members and friends of the congregation. The move comes at a time when the Church of Scotland is considering a Mission Plan for the future.

Moderator of the new Presbytery is the Very Rev. Dr Susan M. Brown, of Greenlaw Parish Church and Chaplain to His Majesty the King in Scotland. New Presbytery Clerk is the Rev Norman Smith, who has taken up the post after 25 years as an ordained minister.

At Caddonfoot, Bill Birch, Mrs Catriona Bird, Mrs Fay Brydon, and Miss Frances Pringle led worship with other church members reading the Bible. Once again, music is regularly provided by Andy Bird (keyboard and piano) and Mrs Bird (flute). The bell is also rung every Sunday.

The Stated Annual Meeting (SAM) followed the morning service on March 5 while a Good Friday Holy Communion service marked a prelude to the Easter Day service.

The Easter Church and Community newsletter has been published and includes reports by the new Presbytery Moderator and Presbytery Clerk as well as local councillors, Clovenfords Primary School, and groups from the Caddonfoot/Clovenfords area.

Food Bank donations of unperishable items can be left in the vestry where they will be collected and distributed for collection. The Food Bank will also accept dog food.

Visitors should exercise care when walking through the Memorial Garden area, which has re-opened after winter.

Atholl Innes continues to collect disused stamps for the Eden Valley Hospice in Brampton and thanks to all who have donated.

Roman Catholic Parish of Our Lady & St Andrew

Galashiels - Our Lady & St Andrew’s, Stirling Street, TD1 1BY

Holy Mass : Sunday 11am, Wednesday 7.30pm, Friday and Saturday 10am, Melrose - St Cuthbert’s, High Cross Avenue, TD6 9SQ

Holy Mass: Sunday 9.15am, Thursday 10am, Selkirk – Our Lady & St Joseph’s, High Street, TD7 4JX

Holy Mass : Saturday (Vigil) 6pm, Monday 10am

Holy Week & Easter - The times of the Holy Week liturgies are:

Holy Thursday - 7.30pm (Galashiels)

Good Friday - 3.00 (Galashiels)

Easter Vigil - 9.00pm (Galashiels)

Easter Sunday - 9.15am (Melrose)

11.00am (Galashiels)

6.00pm (Selkirk)

Parish Priest : Father Andrew Kingham

Email : parishpriest@galacatholic.org

Telephone : 01896 752 328 Facebook : @borderscatholic

Check our website at www.galacatholic.org for our weekly newsletter and for up-to-date information about events.

St Peter’s Episcopal Church, Galashiels

10.30am services every Sunday followed by tea/coffee and biscuits.

6.00pm Healing service every 2nd Sunday of the month.

Do come along and join us, especially if you are new to the area.

Vestry secretary John Marsden 07538 094986 john@mustardseedsshared.org contact John to book the hall for regular groups or social gatherings.

Bethel Rock Gateway Church

We are continuing as a virtual church. Kathy has been teaching through “Revelation” and is having a recap starting tomorrow. It will be from chapters 6-16, nothing too complicated.

If you would like to join us simply send your email to douglasrenton@hotmail.co.uk

We will send you the joining reference. Every Tuesday at 6pm (7pm BST)

When we finish Revelation, I shall finish off John’s Gospel from Chapter 14.

Pastors Douglas & Kathy Renton

Share Your News

If you would like to be included in our community section then please email us at info@galalife.co.uk Entries should be less than 300 words and arrive by 12th preceding month.

Are You A Gas Guzzler?

Modern cars are far more fuel efficient than we give them credit for, maybe it's the way we drive them?

When I was wee, I remember walking down the High Street with my dad when we passed some fancy Italian sports car parked there. I turned to him and said ‘Wow, that looks really fast!’ Quick as a flash his reply came back...‘Yeah… pass anything but a petrol station’. Back in the day, we never seemed to worry about the price of petrol; cars were a luxury and you could either afford one, or not. Today however, cars are an essential part of our lives, with many families having to run two (or even three), and with the cost of fuel just now, thanks to Putin's 'Military Exercises' and the threat of a 12p rise in the next budget, it’s now a serious monthly outlay.

I now find myself driving not with the old ‘how fast can I get there?’ but with ’what’s the best miles per gallon I can achieve?’ - which has become an enjoyable challenge on regular journeys.

We can’t all afford a new electric car, with some costing up to £20k more than their petrol equivalent, but we could all save fuel, money and the planet by driving smarter. So, let’s bust some myths, then talk about Hypermiling!

Don’t Buy a Fuel Economiser

You will see these advertised on the likes of Facebook. The vast majority are a scam. The ones that might save you a couple of miles

per gallon do so by interfering with exhaust emissions, could damage your engine, and could be illegal.

Don’t Change Your Air Filter More Often Than Recommended

Unless you live in a particularly dusty area, just stick to the recommended interval. Otherwise an air filter changed on an annual service will not get dirty enough to alter your MPG.

Don’t Change Your Oil More Often Than Recommended

Modern synthetic/semi synthetic oils are designed to outlast your service interval. Changing early will make no difference to your MPG whatsoever.

Just make sure you stick to the service interval to keep everything in your car running at peak performance, and don’t change to a heavier grade engine oil. They take longer to heat up and longer to circulate around the whole engine from a cold start, so don’t offer the same protection.

Hypermiling

This is an American thing and is simply the art of squeezing every last inch from a gallon of petrol. A lot of it is common sense that most 6litre V8 owners seem to lack in the first place, but maybe there’s something we could learn. Here are their most popular tips:

Remove bike racks, ski racks and roof boxes when not using them, they play havoc with weeks of testing in a wind tunnel to get your car as aerodynamic and fuel efficient as possible. Then empty the boot, junk might get a free ride, but you are paying for it.

If your car holds 90 litres of fuel, that’s 90kg and that’s the weight of an average adult passenger. Don’t fill it all the way unless you really need to, like when taking a long journey and a full tank will let you sail past motorway bandit stations.

Avoid idling to warm up the engine, even in winter. It’s unnecessary and wastes fuel. A modern car is ready to go after 10 seconds, so start it up, put your seatbelt on, choose your radio station and off you go.

Avoid prolonged idling in general. If your car will be stopped for more than 60 seconds, shut the engine off. If you have an Eco Start/Stop system, let it do it’s job.

However, recent research that measured the amount of fuel an average car uses per second when idling, and compared that to the amount it uses to restart, found that 7 seconds of idling used the same as a restart of a warm engine. So, if you are stuck in heavy traffic moving at a snails pace and the engine is constantly stop/startingswitch the Eco function off.

Acceleration guzzles fuel, so take it easy, build up speed smoothly so you are not working the engine hard. If the car is manual, change up as soon as practical. If automatic, it will change up much quicker when accelerating slowly, keeping the revs down and saving fuel.

Use the fuel consumption display if you have one. Keep an eye on it and learn.

Stick to the speed limit. You are not going to get there any quicker. When you get to traffic lights a few miles up the road, the boy racers that shot past will be 3 or 4 cars in front.

Use the Cruise Control. If on dual carriageway, motorway or any good fairly straight road, use the Cruise Control. Constantly accelerating and

braking just wastes fuel. Contrary to belief - car manufacturers are not in cahoots with the oil companies, they are in competition with each other to give the best drive with the least fuel. Let their inbuilt technology take care of that for you. Just don’t use it in snow or icy conditions. When driving in town look ahead. There’s no point flying up to a red light or stop sign and braking hard. Take your foot off the accelerator in plenty time and let the engine brake for you. Coast. Get used to easing or even lifting off on the accelerator when going downhill. Cars nowadays recognise this and all but stop the

uncomfortable above a certain speed. The drain on power of a car running efficiently at a high speed with air-con on is significantly less than at low speed.

So, if the temperature is bothering you, run with a window open up to 40 - 45mph, then use the air-con above that. Obviously if really hot, just use the air-con. Also, don’t forget that using air-con in winter dries out incoming air and stops the car from misting up, even with the heater on.

Keep your tyres inflated to the correct pressure and check them regularly. Soft tyres create more friction and waste fuel.

Plan ahead. If you have some shopping or errands to do around town, do the farthest away one first. That allows your engine to warm up properly and run more efficient. Then plan your route back so you’re not having to go back and forth. Also consider combining trips so you are only out once and not two or three times over the following days, then try to avoid rush hour traffic so you are not stopping and starting all the time.

fuel flow - if you do have an MPG readout available on the dash, keep an eye on it! Just don’t do it the old way, like when trying to get your dad’s car home without running out of petrol and free-wheeling down all the hills in neutral. The car doesn’t recognise that game and just idles, wasting fuel.

Air-con or windows? There’s always great debate over this. The air conditioning unit is driven by your engine so adds extra strain and uses fuel.

Car prototypes spend hours in wind tunnels perfecting their aerodynamics to make them as economical as possible. Driving with a window open completely destroys this and drops your MPG quite significantly.

There is, however a play off between the two: At lower speeds the turbulence from an open window is fairly insignificant and you will know when it’s not, as the draught and noise becomes

Don't waste time and fuel looking for a parking space. As you approach your destination just take the first space you see. It's odds on that the closer you get, the less chance you will find a space, so park earlier and enjoy the walk. In fact, if you could have walked in the first place, maybe that's the best option?

Don’t treat your car to premium grade fuel. Unless your car is high performance, you don’t need it. It will not make any noticeable difference to your MPG and is just a waste of money. If in doubt, check your handbook, or inside the fuel filler cap for recommended fuel. Your car is set up to run on that.

Your Goal. Your handbook will give you the fuel consumption figures advertised by the manufacturer. These are always at 56MPH as anything above that sees a sharp increase in wind resistance. Whilst the figures quoted are achieved by an award winning weight watcher driving the car stripped of anything not screwed down or bolted on, that figure is your target. Go for it :o)

Willie

Gala Rugby Club

Good Run of Results

Following on from last month’s magazine Gala 1st XV have a good run of results having won four games in that period starting with Highland at home where we won by 27-15 , followed by Stewarts Melville at home which we won 52-22 followed by an away win at Stirling Co where we also won 2420, although this was not quite as good a performance. However all three matches were bonus point wins with more than four tries scored in each match.

At the Stewarts Melville game we were delighted to welcome back crowd and supporters favourite, Marius Tamosaitis, recovered from illness. However his immediate debut lasted only 20 seconds as the referee gave a yellow card for ‘backchat’. This was cumulative and not really down to Marius as the referee had already warned the team. Happily he was restored after ten minutes in the sin bin and has played each week since.

The run of games culminated with a big home derby against Melrose, which was enjoyed by a big crowd, and ended up with a comfortable win by 43-35 for Gala and another bonus point. It was an exciting and enjoyable game with the outcome at half time still uncertain with Melrose having come back from 21-7 down to level the match at 21-21. However the third quarter of the match saw the home team draw well ahead to 43-21 before two late consolation scores from Melrose, leaving the final result as 43-35 and atoned somewhat for the big loss sustained by Gala at the earlier National 1 fixture at the Greenyards in November. This game also saw the return after injury of our captain Liam Scott, who contributed fully to the result.

We have three more games to finish the season with a Friday night fixture against Biggar, followed by another rescheduled game against Ayr, on April 1st, and the last away game of the extended season away to Aberdeen on 15th April.

The sevens circuit kicks off for seniors, U18’s and U16’s at the end of the month.

The Gala Vixens had their first full senior game during the month, joining forces with Berwick to take on RDVC at Peffermill and only lost by 27-22. The Vixens are developing strongly now so any girls or ladies interested in taking up rugby, you will be very welcome! We are also hosting the inter district game between South and Edinburgh on the evening of Tuesday 9th of May.

Photos courtesy of Alwyn Johnston

Gala 1sts

1st April – Gala vs Ayr (home)

8th April – Melrose 7s

15th April Berwick 7s

22nd April – Langholm 7s

29th April – Kelso 7s

30th April – Earlston 7s

Mini’s training Sundays 10-11am

Gala Wanderers

1st April – Kelso 7s

7th April – Melrose 7s

15th April – Hawick 7s

22nd April – Selkirk 7s

29th April – Jed 7s

Vixens training Wednesdays 6.45-7.45pm

O ering bookkeeping, VAT & payroll for small and medium sized businesses. Suzanne Ferguson,

This Month’s Tricky Sudoko

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!

The Gala Garden April

Growing food and flowers from seed is one of the most satisfying garden tasks. True, there pitfalls, but once you get the hang of it, you will be able to fill your beds and boxes with luscious, healthy plants that will provide you with fresh, entirely organic food that hasn’t travelled more than twenty feet to your plate.

In these difficult times, learning how to do this is more important than ever. You might be able to accommodate rising costs but lack of produce is a different kind of problem. Not only that but growing small amounts over the year will help you to deal with future weather conditions more easily than supermarkets will.

So what are the pitfalls? The first is hygiene, then timing, then providing proper growing conditions. Hygiene is important because little seedlings are very vulnerable to fungal disease which can hide in dirty pots or corners of the greenhouse or tunnel. So the first thing to do is to clean everything up. Sweep it all out and especially wash down glass with a solution that has a few drops of Jeyes fluid in it. That will also kill off any over-wintering eggs of flies that will hatch out in the summer and plague you.

Wash little pots, trays and cells with hot, soapy water. Get fresh seed compost and only open it when you are ready to go.

Timing is most important: what you want to do is plan for the seedlings to be on the bench for the shortest possible time. So don’t start too

soon. Remember that up here we are about six weeks behind the south of the country. For most things it is fair to figure two weeks to germination, two weeks to grow on and two weeks to harden off before planting out.

We can’t plant out until the last frosts at the end of May – or the first week of June if we are very unlucky. So that means sowing about the middle of April. You can sow direct into the ground from about the end of the first week of May or when the average night time temperature is 7 degrees. Choose seed of things you want to eat and look for disease-resistant, quick-maturing varieties. To begin with it might be best not to attempt vegetables that require prolonged spells of really warm summer weather. I am anticipating both drought and heat but that doesn’t mean it won’t rain all summer!

Don’t sow it all at once: plan on a couple of sowings so your crops don’t come all at once. Once under cover, once direct before mid-May and another sowing maybe mid-June. You can also use small things like lettuce as a catch crop in the space between cabbages. Otherwise, sow thinly to avoid wasting plants you have to thin out.

Spacing is important: plant too close and you will get smaller plants; too far apart and you will waste space and there will be room for weeds to get in. Pay attention to the information on the seed packet and take advantage of information available online from the seed company.

Learn to protect your seedlings and baby plants from pests. Obviously you don’t want to use chemicals on your food but there are bad guys out there and you have to deal with them. Netting over a framework is a good way to protect crops from marauding birds, particularly pigeons. They will investigate everything, eat the flowers and pull the leaves off.

At ground level, slugs and snails will make a beeline for your sweet juicy plants. If you don’t want to use pellets then make it your practice to go on a slug hunt every morning or evening. Vigilance will slow them down but you will have some losses. Flies, beetles and caterpillars will come calling too but they can be discouraged to some extent by learning to do some companion planting.

Companion planting is based on the idea that some plants have qualities that deter pests on other plants so arranging your plot to take advantage of good companions is a natural and often very pretty way of growing.

Nasturtiums and marigolds are two excellent plants to include in any plot; marigolds deter white fly and nasturtiums attract cabbage whites who will lay eggs on the big round leaves that you can easily remove. Look up companion planting online for a wealth of information.

Providing good growing conditions means protecting plants from late frosts, both under cover and later, outside. It means watching temperature, moisture and ventilation. The last is especially important under cover. Plants need many more exchanges of air than people do so keep the door to the tunnel or greenhouse open on warm days. Be on hand to open and close up in good time every day.

Moisture should be delivered regularly, but remember: if it is cooler than normal, water a bit less to discourage soil-based fungal disease and still give some ventilation. If it is really quite hot, give maximum ventilation and consider applying shading on glass and water regularly, perhaps twice a day in the morning and evening but do not over-water because the stems will just rot.

To sow: fill your trays and pots with fresh seed compost, strike off the excess and water the containers from underneath. After sowing the seeds, cover the trays with lids, or cling film or newspaper and do not water until you can see germination starting. Then water sparingly when the trays feel light, using a small watering can with a fine rose.

Sow big seeds, like courgette, one to a three inch pot; sow medium-sized seeds, like peas and beans, singly in large cells, sow the small seeds thinly in rows in a tray. Label the seeds immediately and maybe think about keeping a wee note of what you sowed when so you can look back next year and learn. Cover the seeds with a thin layer of vermiculite. This is an inert material made of expanded mica and it will allow light through but help prevent the sort of disease that can develop on the soil.

When you move on your seedlings to the next growing stage, always handle the plants by the seed leaves and never touch the stem. A cold frame is an excellent way of putting out plants to harden off but you can equally put them out onto a table and bring them back under cover at the end of the day.

Learn how to do this and there will be years of happy gardening ahead of you.

Sheila Drummond

Tips For Bringing Nervous Cats To The Vet

Do you become stressed by the thought of bringing your cat to the vet? Or do they transform from a chilled kitten into a mauling moggie the moment they sense a carrier?

Take advantage of these tips to help make your cat’s next trip as relaxed as possible.

A good carrier makes a big difference. It should have enough space for your cat to sit comfortably, secure enough to support their weight without buckling, and ideally can be taken apart (and reconstructed!) in a simple way, allowing the vet to examine them in the carrier if need be. Solid carriers are preferred to fabric.

Give your cat a chance to get used to their carrier so it feels like a safe place. Placing a favourite blanket or using pheromone-spray products like Feliway or Pet Remedy can help make the space more appealing.

With non-urgent appointments, give yourself plenty of time to pop them in the carrier and travel safely. For tricky cats, or those suspicious of the sudden Dreamies surplus, your vet team can recommend some tried and true methods to secure them in. Outdoor cat’s might become stressed if shut in for several hours, so try to book an appointment that works with their routine. Make sure to let the reception team know if your cat is especially nervous as they may be able to book you in for a quieter time.

Stress creates mess, which for cats often means soiling their carrier. Your vet team are used to this, but you can make the journey more comfortable by providing an absorbent lining such as a puppy-pad

and considering packing a spare for the return trip. Placing a blanket over the carrier is also a good idea, as it helps to block out lights and noises that could worry them. We especially encourage this if your cat needs to travel via public transport.

It can be tempting to arrive early, but waiting rooms are often a busy place full of ringing phones, strange smells, and pets. Aim for a quiet spot where your cat won’t be disturbed, and make sure to leave them in their carrier until they are safely in the consult room. Once they’re in, allow them to leave the carrier without being dragged out. Cat’s respond best to gentle handling and often want to explore a new space before settling down for an exam.

Extremely stressed or intolerant cats may benefit from prescription medication to help with their visits. You can discuss this with your vet, including when best to give it and how regularly they will need to see your cat to renew prescriptions.

Dr Jessica Payne BVSc MRCVS

Office: Monday - Friday 8.00am - 6.00pm. Saturday 8.30am - 1pm.

Consultations by appointment

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This Month’s Easy Sudoku

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!

HOROSCOPES

BY CHRISTINE CHALKLIN

For April 2023

The month of April moves the fiery sign of Aries to the forefront, emphasising the need for decisive action in all areas of life. Never very good at waiting, Aries is impatient and immediate. The line-up of planets in Aries also means that there could be lots of irritation and resentment building up on a grand scale. Major players Pluto and Saturn have now switched signs and both planets suggest that as more and more hidden information comes to the surface there will be a great deal of shock and tension. Globally we will continue to see some very challenging events and upheavals. On some levels the necessary qualities of patience, kindness and compassion are now needed more than ever. The Libra Full moon on the 6th offers the opportunity to see where we might need a more balanced and harmonious viewpoint. Mars, the planet of courage and enterprise, remains in emotional water sign Cancer all month. Venus, the planet of love and romance, is in sensual Taurus until the 11th, we can all use this excellent placement for injecting more passion into new or long-standing relationships. The powerful new moon in Aries on the 20th is an opportunity for enterprise and new beginnings.

ARIES MARCH 21 - APRIL 20

Your ruler, dynamic Mars, is rather emotional in the watery sign of Cancer and highlights your family and home life this month. Take a deep breath and try to stay calm and patient should any difficulties arise. A financial review could also be in order, preferably before Mercury turns retrograde on the 21st. Communication becomes easer after the 11th.

TAURUS APRIL 21 - MAY 21

Venus, your ruler, sheds her bountiful light on your sign until the 10th, take advantage of this positive time by making the most your enhanced feelings of confidence, particularly in the relationship department. Dynamic Mars in Cancer, assists with intuitive communication as you recognise it is time to turn up the pace in many areas of your life.

GEMINI MAY 22 - JUNE 21

Your finances and assets loom large during April as energetic Mars moves through this area of your chart. A reassessment is on the cards as you take stock and review your options. Stern Saturn, newly arrived in Pisces, is at the highest point of your chart, indicating that a career movie is possible as you start to see a much more realistic path ahead.

CANCER JUNE 22 - JULY 22

Your career area is illuminated by the powerful line up of planets in the dynamic sign of Aries. If you have been wanting to make a change now might just be the best time. It’s best to get your plans up and running before Mercury goes into the retrograde phase on the 21st. The Aries new moon on the 20th offers new beginnings and abundant Jupiter shines a helpful light if you trust your intuition.

LEO JULY 23 - AUGUST 23

The powerful line up of planets in fiery Aries shine a spotlight on higher learning and inner growth for you this month. Perfect timing is on offer as you strive to make sense of things that have recently arrived in your life. Beneficial Venus is strong at your career highpoint until the 11th; make the most of favourable opportunities with positive financial rewards.

VIRGO AUGUST 24 - SEPTEMBER 22

Mercury, your ruling planet, arrives in practical Taurus on the 4th, revitalising your mind and bringing clarity on restructuring some financial issues. It’s a good time to capitalise on professional matters as people around you will appear receptive to your plans. Do try to get these plans underway before Mercury enters the retrograde phase on the 21st.

LIBRA SEPTEMBER 23 - OCTOBER 23

Partnerships and relationships are high on your agenda during April as the Sun, Jupiter and Mercury all illuminate Aries, your opposite sign. Some important and lasting decisions may need to be made, but remember Aries is a volatile sign, so be sure to proceed with caution and have any major changes in place before the Mercury retrograde on the 21st.

SCORPIO OCTOBER 24 - NOVEMBER 22

The Sun, Jupiter and Mercury are highlighting your health and wellbeing sector this month suggesting that some major changes will need to be set in motion. Aries is a powerful fire sign urging you to look at new ways to feel and look your absolute best. The dynamic Aries new moon on the 20th brings breakthroughs and exciting opportunities your way.

SAGITTARIUS NOVEMBER 23 - DECEMBER 21

Creative new ways of earning your living are important this month. The power of the Aries Sun and Jupiter both push you forward to open your mind, try new things and show you that you can turn dreams into reality, providing that you follow your intuition and your passion. Your love life also looks exciting, especially around the enthusiastic new moon on the 20th.

CAPRICORN DECEMBER 22 - JANUARY 20

This is a pivotal month for Capricorns as Pluto has left your sign, for a few months anyway! Mars, in your opposite sign, is challenging you to recognise that all sorts of new and innovative ideas are on the horizon. The Sun and Jupiter in Aries add to this combination and offer you great courage and desire to push forwards in a totally new direction.

AQUARIUS JANUARY 21 - FEBRUARY 18

Communicating your ideas in a big way is the theme for this month, as bold and courageous Aries energy plays a major part in your future. Harmonious Venus adds the perfect creative boost as she arrives in Gemini on the 11th, enabling some major shifts to take place. The Aries new moon on the 20th offers the potential for a positive breakthrough.

PISCES FEBRUARY 19 - MARCH 20

Finances are set to improve this month as the combination of the Sun, Jupiter and Mercury in Aries indicate some new insights are coming to the surface. Beneficial Venus remains in practical Taurus until the 10th, best to get any plans well underway by then. The fiery Aries new moon on the 20th could turn out to be pivotal as your creativity reaches a new height.

Christine is a professional astrologer offering private consultations in astrology, life coaching and Bach flower essences.

NAVIGATE YOUR WAY THROUGH these challenging times, discover your unique birth map and take a refreshing new look at this important year ahead. Find out when positive and productive planetary cycles are working in your favour. Aim to reach your fullest potential in 2023 by booking an astrological reading now - Consultations are available on Zoom, WhatsApp or by telephone.

Christine Chalklin

Inspirational Astrologer and Life Coach

Email: christine_chalklin@hotmail.com Website: www.yourguidinglight.org

Mobile: 07813 483549 Find me on Facebook: www.facebook.com/restyleyourlife

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