The afternoon of Sunday June 3rd saw over fifty Dandy Dinmonts (and their owners) descend on Yetholm. This breed of terrier was first bred in the Borders in the eighteenth century and has a strong association with Yetholm - for more info see HERE.
    The dogs and their owners, some from as far away as the Netherlands and Sweden, enjoyed a meal in the Plough Hotel, where they had a talk about Yetholm's gypsy history and were entertained by the foremost maestro of the Border Pipes Matt Seattle. They then went on a walk to Kirk Yetholm and paid their respects to the grave-site of Queen Esther Faa Blythe and visited the Gypsy Palace. The photo below shows Matt entertaining everone outside the Gypsy Palace.

SBC have announced that they will be repairing roads in the Yetholm area - this will, of course, involve road closures. The first dates of the road repair programme will take place between 4th and 8th June and will involve, for a while, the closure of the road from Yetholm to Kelso. The SBC announouncement reads as follows:

Phase 1 – Softlaw East Mains - Blakelaw
• 4th June 2018 for 3 days between the hours of 09:00 and 16:00 each day
Alternative route:
Southbound – northerly on B6352, westerly and southerly on B6436, easterly on B6401, Morebattle Road, High Street, Town Yetholm, westerly on B6352 to point of closure.
 
Northbound – the above in reverse.
 
Access for pedestrian and cyclists will be maintained with minor delays.
 
Phase 2 – Town Yetholm – National Boundary
• 7th June 2018 for 2 days between the hours of 09:00 and 16:00 each day
Alternative route
Eastbound – North-westerly on B6352 to Proctors Smithy, easterly on B6396 to Mindrum, westerly on B6352 to point of closure.

A map of the SBC's suggested diversionary route can be found HERE

The Windfall Committee consisting of; Susan Stewart, Helen Cessford, Karen Kree, Nicky Stevens and Roddy Murray met this morning (Tuesday 23rd January 2018) and allocated £850 to organisations as follows;
1. Morebattle and Yetholm Playgroup £200 for storage units and playmats. 
2. Yetholm School £100 for Art and Craft materials
3. Morebattle School £50 to general school funds
4. Yetholm Fireworks Committee £100 for Insurance/Fireworks
5. Morebattle Family Auld Year's Party £100 for Hall Hire/Food
6. St Aidans Renovation £100 towards next phase of refurbishment.
7. Yetholm History Society £100 towards heating for Old Mission Hall
8. Morebattle Children's Christmas Party £100 for food, presents and table covers.
8 applications were received. Full details of the allocation will be displayed in the village shops shortly and will be available from Committee members and from both Community Councils.
A huge thanks to everyone who supported this initiative during its first year. Let's aim to raise even more from the next harvest !