The Peeblean: Friday 7 February 2025
Headship confirmed at PHS, Cycling Without Age, junior badminton, Swifties event, lamb feeding, Traquair House, snowdrop festival, Makers Market, Robert Smail's Printing Works.
Spring iz sprung, da grass iz riz, I wonder where dem boidies iz? Da little boids is on da wing. Ain’t dat absoid? Da little wings iz on da boid.”
Author unknown.
If January was a slow month, February is already passing quickly. As lambing season fast approaches, a few early arrivals are already zooming around Springfield Farm near Penicuik. Tweed Trotters also welcomed some new arrivals this week as proud mum Bertha produced nine piglets last Friday night.
If you haven’t made plans for spring activities, read on for some ideas…
NEW WHEELS FOR CYCLING WITHOUT AGE PEEBLES
The distinctive red trishaws of Cycling Without Age are now a familiar sight around the town as they take older or less-mobile Peebleans out for a ‘wind in the hair’ ride along one of our local cycle paths.
Since their launch in 2018, Peebles CWA volunteers have successfully raised the funds to purchase two of the innovatively-designed trishaws. Today they learned that a funding application to the Christine Price Clark Charitable Trust has been successful, enabling the purchase of a wheelchair bike.
CWA volunteers have some experience of this type of bike as the group has previously had one on loan, but this’ll now be a permanent feature of their pedal-powered convoy. As passengers can be wheeled onto the new bike, it’ll enable trips to be booked for those who would have difficulty making the transition to the chair on the front of the standard trishaws.
To help keep up with demand for rides, CWA Peebles have training planned for new volunteers this spring. This is rewarding volunteering, out in the fresh air, chatting and enjoying the scenery around our lovely area. Rides are at a slow pace to take it all in, a solo cyclist accompanies the rides to be on hand for any extra assistance and the trishaws have an electric boost for the hills. To request more information on what volunteering entails get in touch with the group on cwapeebles@gmail.com
Pedal Born Pictures has created an award-winnining short film about the international Cycling Without Age project which has been shown at Kendal Mountain Festival and Big Bike Film Nights across different continents. If any readers are involved in programming something similar locally do get in touch with CWA or The Peeblean.
TOWN CHAT
The newly-painted roof of the Burgh Hall is going to be raised on Sunday 2 March when a Taylor Swift tribute act - Hannah Rubix - takes to the stage. Organised by Priorsford PTA, ticket sales have now been opened up to all other local primary schools. Tickets are £10 for adults and £8 for children (P1 and P2 pupils must be accompanied by a paying adult). The contact email for tickets is priorsfordptaevents@gmail.com and please include the following information with bookings: child’s name, school, class, emergency contact and any allergies.
This wasn’t announced until after the email had gone out last week, but was added to the online article later. Emma at The Super Store (behind Costa) has announced that the shop is for sale as a going concern: “It's a turnkey profitable business still with growth potential. No qualifications or experience are necessary to run the shop, just a sense of humour, a kind nature, and an interest in food, health and the community.”
A pop up pizza sign has been spotted in the former Pie Innerleithen shop at 47 High Street.
Lisa and Gary at Northgate Interiors have announced the opening of a second shop in Biggar. Their current shop at 40 Northgate, Peebles will remain open but the move of their workshop to Biggar means they no longer need the premises at No.42. Lisa was featured in a profile in the Border Telegraph last year. Walker Scott Ireland are marketing the shop unit.
For anyone looking for office/commercial space, Hamilton Property has a number of premises at Cavalry Park on their books.
Due to very high levels of demand, Peeblesshire Foodbank will no longer be accepting self-referrals. Anyone requiring help should make contact via a housing association, health visitor, citizens advice, school, GP, social work or other support services. Anyone struggling to get a referral can email info@peeblesshire.foodbank.org.uk
COMMUNITY NOTICEBOARD
Old People Active Lives is known as OPAL for short and their Borders group run three groups locally for over 60s. Two of the groups are mixed activity social groups and one is a male only group called Pie & a Brew.
Peebles Cricket Club men’s senior team are holding winter indoor cricket training sessions at PHS on Sundays from 14:30 - 16:00. Dates are 9, 23 Feb then 9, 23 March and 6 April. They also have junior and women’s teams.
Candybank Ponies and Events are taking bookings for lamb feeding sessions from 22 February onwards (Friday - Sunday) at their farm near Biggar. £25 for up to four people for a 30 minute session. Message their FB page to book.
AROUND AND ABOUT
The roundabout at Cameron Toll in Edinburgh is shutting again between 4-14 March for railway bridge refurbishment works. Some overnight lane closures may be scheduled in the weeks running up.
Andy’s Man Club is launching in Innerleithen on Monday 17 February and the group will have a pop-up information table at the Co-op tomorrow (Saturday 8) from 10:00 – 12:00.
Kailzie Gardens are donating their garden admission fees to Tweed Togs on Sunday 23 February (10:00 - 16:00) as part of Scotland’s Gardens Scheme snowdrop festival. The gardens are open Friday - Monday each week. Kirkton Manor House is also offering snowdrop walks on Wednesday afternoons and the grounds around Cringletie are free to walk around.
Traquair House event dates for 2025 include an Easter Fair on Sunday 20 April, the annual Medieval Fayre on 24/25 May, A Dog’s Day out (20 July) and the Beyond Borders Festival (23/24 August). They have also announced an Archives Afternoon on Saturday 1 March.
Robert Smail’s Printing Works are taking part in National Lottery Open Week in March and are offering bookable guided tours for free to anyone who presents a National Lottery Ticket or scratchcard. The tours run from 15-22 March and are bookable here.
EVENTS THIS WEEK
Saturday 8 February
Community Coffee Morning, Stobo Village Hall, 10:30 - 12:00
Friends of the Eastgate Quiz Night, 19:30 - 22:00
Fundraising Ceilidh for Priorsford PTA
Sunday 9 February
Golden Retriever meet-up, Hay Lodge Park
This coming week, Peebles CAB has its AGM on Monday 10 at the Park Hotel (18:00), Scottish Land and Estates are at Cardrona Village Hall this week for a Peatland roadshow (Tuesday 11). Tweeddale U3A meet on Tuesday afternoon (14:00) and the latest Tweeddale Society talk is on Tuesday evening at the Eastgate. Peebles High School parent council meets on Wednesday 12 Feb at 19:00 (online). On Thursday 13 it’s band night at Peebles High School and Peebles Community Council meets at the Burgh Hall (19:00).
At the Eastgate on Wednesday, Daniel Craig plays William Lee - a fictionalised version of William S Burroughs - in the Luca Guadagnino film, Queer. Full listing here.
NEXT WEEKEND
Will Barnes Quartet at the Eastgate on Friday 14, followed by the Scottish Opera highlights tour on Saturday 15. Cosy French Classics night at Kailzie Courtyard Cafe on Friday 14, Cheese & Wine Tasting at Cardrona Village Hall on Saturday 15.
Further afield, Borders Chamber Orchestra’s winter concert is at Melrose Parish Church on Saturday 15 February and is a fundraiser for Macmillan Cancer Support. Glentress Trail Races and Marathon take place on Sunday 16 Feb.
A full listing for the weekend of Saturday 15 and Sunday 16 February will be included next Friday. If you have anything to add email planner@thepeeblean.com
BOOK AHEAD
Peebles Junior Badminton Club is organising a series of Come and Try events for P4-P7 pupils on Sundays in March. The sessions run from 15:30-16:30 on the 2nd, 16th and 30th March. Booking is via local primary schools who have all been sent details.
PJBC regular club sessions run every Sunday (16:30-17:30 for primary, 17:30 - 19:30 for secondary players). The club can be contacted at peeblesjbc@gmail.com
Louise at Lou Lou’s Vintage Emporium in Innerleithen is organising another Vintage Fair at Innerleithen Parish Church - this one is summer-themed and will take place on Saturday 7 June. If you are a maker interested in a stall at a forthcoming Peebles Makers Market, the 2025 dates are 27 April, 12 October and 7 December.
A concert featuring students from the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland takes place on Sunday 2 March at 15:00 in Carlops Village Hall. Spring Serenade will raise funds for Nomad Beat community music school.
BENCH OF THE WEEK
This week’s bench is on the way up Jenny’s Brae heading towards Buzzards Nest where the new lodges are. This stunning photo was taken by Mark Sansom of Indigo Six Video.
NEWS ROUND-UP
Current Peebles High School headteacher, Kevin Ryalls, has been appointed to the role permanently by Scottish Borders Council.
An 85-container self-storage yard on the land beyond Harbro at South Park got the go-ahead at this week’s meeting of the planning committee. All three Peeblesshire East councillors expressed concern, as did Peebles CC and individual residents. Paul Kelly has the write-up in this week’s Peeblesshire News.
Tweeddale Area Partnership this week approved funding to Peebles Bowling Club, Tweeddale Flood Advisory Group and Tweeddale Rideability Group. An application from Broughtonknowe Community Woodland was deferred to next month’s meeting. Paul Kelly, Peeblesshire News.
Tweeddale Community Network is a new quarterly catch up for anyone working in the charitable / social enterprise / grassroots community / not-for-profit sectors to share opportunities, challenges and learning. Organised by Borders Community Action, the first gathering takes place on Monday 10 February at 13:00 - 14:30 at Tweeddale Youth Action on School Brae.
At SBC this week, there’s an Executive Committee meeting on Tuesday looking at the council’s capital financial plan and general revenue budget as well as recruitment of trustees to Live Borders. Full council meets on Thursday 20 February to discuss the budget.
SBC is promoting a business/community partnership called Community Benefits Wishlist which invites community projects to express interest in corporate volunteering, machinery hire or excess materials from council suppliers. Suppliers are required to provide specific community benefits under the terms of their contract and the council will match ‘asks’ to ‘offers’.
Thanks for reading! If we have missed anything please add it to the comments.
The Peeblean
Would be good if you would include Dovecot Singers, the free health and wellbeing singing group for those with life-limiting conditions, or just feeling lonely or isolated. Every Tuesday at 2.45pm at Dovecot Court. Songs old and new, followed by a cup of tea and a chat.
Lunch Club at St Joseph's Neighbourhood Centre on Rosetta Road is on each Wednesday 12-2pm. Home made soup, toasties and sandwiches + a hot dish every week. No charge but donations welcome. A warm welcome guaranteed to all!