SOSE Pledges To Listen, Be Innovative, Different & Deliver For The South Of Scotland

May 27, 2021

Jane Morrison Ross

South of Scotland Enterprise (SOSE) has set out its ambitious priorities for the year ahead in its new Operating Plan for 2021/22, published today (Thursday 27 May).

The Plan makes clear that SOSE is for the South, by the South and in the South and will continue to work flexibly and collaboratively to establish the region as a centre of opportunity, innovation and growth.

Economic recovery is a key priority for SOSE, alongside the commitment to look ahead strategically at the opportunities to put the South of Scotland on the map and help the economy flourish.

The region’s economic and community development agency is also prioritising playing a key leadership role to drive change and will be proactive in influencing others to accelerate the realisation of a stronger, greener and fairer South of Scotland.

SOSE will develop its own offering through new services, support and funding and will be developing its performance measurement framework to assess the impact of its work.

Listening to the people of the South also remains a firm promise from SOSE, with plans to actively consult during the autumn of this year to help develop their strategic action plan which will set out SOSE’s longer term priorities and focus.

Chief Executive of SOSE, Jane Morrison-Ross said:

“Our Operating Plan sets out how we intend to make a difference through working in partnership with the people, businesses and communities of the South, and beyond.

“Our team has grown to over 80 incredible staff, with a range of backgrounds and expertise, with a huge passion for the region. We will continue to deliver upon our core values of being bold, striving, inclusive and responsible and we will do so working with everyone in the South with all our hearts.

“We strive to develop the leadership role we need to have for all of us as a voice for the South and we firmly believe that we can ensure the region can come out of this pandemic and look to a positive future.

“We continue to build important relationships with stakeholders – locally, nationally and indeed internationally – to maximise the potential of our area both today and in the future, and make sure we do what is best for the South.”

Professor Russel Griggs OBE, Chair of SOSE added:

“Our aim has always been to become the development agency that the South of Scotland has always wanted and not just a funding agency and I think our first year has shown that in practice.

“We will continue to be seen as an agency which is flexible, adaptable and skilled in providing support and expertise of all kinds to anyone who may need it to achieve their objectives.

“The people of the South of Scotland wanted us to be different and not here to do what might be ‘expected’ or has been done traditionally, but to always consider individual situations and solutions as well as seeing the bigger picture.

“As we publish our Operating Plan, our message to everyone remains – come and talk to us.

“We are very proud of our achievements to date but are firmly focused on the future and our ongoing plans to listen, be innovative, different and continue to deliver for the South of Scotland.”

Since SOSE went live on 1 April SOSE has:

Awarded around £11.7million to 172 organisations, helping sustain 88 businesses and preparing them for recovery; safeguarding or creating 3,700 jobs and investing £8.9m in capital assets and projects
Helped influence the award of around £14.6m to 455 businesses in the South of Scotland through Scottish Government COVID-19 funds
Provided tailored one to one advice and support to over 700 businesses, communities and projects, aiding them to innovate, strengthen and grow

If you are a business, social enterprise or community – and have an idea or need support, no matter what it is – SOSE wants to hear from you. Get in touch by calling 0300 304 888 or visiting www.southofscotlandenterprise.com

The ‘Biosphere Explorers’ Education Project Kicks On!

May 27, 2021

The Crichton Carbon Centre ran a very successful ‘Biosphere Explorers’ project in 2019 and 2020, bringing information and inspiration about the Galloway and Southern Ayrshire UNESCO Biosphere into the schools of the Galloway Glens area. Now the Galloway Glens Landscape Partnership Scheme has confirmed continuation funding, meaning that the project can be expanded into 2021.

We live in a landscape so beautiful and unique that it was awarded the designation of being a UNESCO Biosphere in 2012. Since then, the importance of protecting our environment has become ever clearer, and Biosphere Explorers weaves together these two strands to create beautiful resources for Primary and Secondary students to learn about what the Galloway and Southern Ayrshire UNESCO Biosphere is and how we can all protect it.

With COP 26 approaching, and the importance of raising awareness and education about the climate emergency increasing daily, Biosphere Explorers will continue its work in Galloway Glens Primary Schools through 2021, but also focus on ‘Teaching the Teachers’ about how to talk to their students about these issues. They are also planning a series of family events in the summer holidays, to bring their work to an even wider audience.

Galloway Glens and the Crichton Carbon Centre are excited to be working closely with the Dumfries and Galloway Education & Learning Directorate’s ‘Learning for Sustainability’ Partnership Group. Learning for Sustainability (LfS) is a core part of the Curriculum of Excellence, and both Biosphere Explorers and other Galloway Glens projects such as the ‘Go Wild’ day camps and the John Muir Award programme have contributed work to its LfS Resource Bank, which will be available to all teachers across Dumfries and Galloway for a year after its launch on the 4th of June.

The Family events programme will be launched on the Galloway Glens and Crichton Carbon Centre social media and news articles, so keep an eye out for those!

As the second phase of the project gets underway, Shalla Gray, the Project Officer for Biosphere Explorers at the Crichton Carbon Centre, said:

“It has been hugely enjoyable to work with schools in the area to introduce them to the concepts of sustainability, climate change and biodiversity. We at the Crichton Carbon Centre are delighted to be able to continue this work by empowering teachers to deliver the message to learners ongoing. Thank you so much to Galloway Glens for having the vision to support this next phase of the project.”

Helen Keron, Galloway Glens Education & Community Engagement Officer, added:

“Embedding Learning for Sustainability in the school curriculum is rising rapidly up the agenda for our young people, and it is great that Biosphere Explorers is able to support this for our Galloway Glens schools. The Crichton Carbon Centre has such an amazing track record in delivering high quality science-based environmental education, it was an easy decision to seek to continue the project into a third year – especially with COP26 coming up and the increasing conversation around protecting our environment.”

Galloway’s Viking Hoard Finally Goes on Public Display This Saturday

May 27, 2021

One of the most important UK archaeological finds of the century, The Galloway Hoard, will go on display from Saturday 29 May at the National Museum of Scotland in Edinburgh.

The new exhibition, Galloway Hoard: Viking-age Treasure, offers the first chance to see details hidden by the dirt and corrosion of over a thousand years, revealed by expert conservation, painstaking cleaning and cutting-edge research.

A major revelation is remarkable new detail of the unique lidded vessel which contained the Galloway Hoard’s most precious treasures. The vessel itself is wrapped in textiles which both cover the object and make it too fragile to display. However, new 3D models, taken from X-ray imaging done at the British Museum and produced with the help of the Glasgow School of Art and Steven Dey of Thinksee3D Ltd has enabled researchers to see beneath the textiles for a privileged glimpse of the decorated surface of the vessel.

The modelling, alongside dating analysis of the textiles, has revealed surprising new details about its age and origin.

Dr Martin Goldberg, Principal Curator, Medieval Archaeology & History at National Museums Scotland said:

“This is only the third silver-gilt and decorated vessel to be found as part of a Viking-age hoard in the UK, and so we might have expected it to be like the other two. However, the 3D-model reveals that the vessel is not from the Carolingian (Holy Roman) Empire of continental Europe as we’d expected based on other similar examples. Instead, the decoration and design show leopards, tigers and Zoroastrian religious symbols, all of which suggest that it is a piece of Central Asian metalwork from halfway round the known world.

“Another surprise comes from radiocarbon dating of wool wrapping the vessel, which dates to AD 680-780. So, the vessel is from beyond Europe, potentially thousands of miles away, and the wool wrapping it pre-dates the Viking Age, being more than 100 or maybe even 200 years old by the time it was buried. While the real vessel is still wrapped up in 1300 year-old cloth being kept safely in controlled environmental stores for preservation and future research, it’s wonderful to be able to use 21st century technology in the exhibition to let people see what it looks like under those fragile textile wrappings.”

The Galloway Hoard is the richest collection of rare and unique Viking-age objects ever found in Britain or Ireland. Buried around AD900, the Hoard brings together a stunning variety of objects and materials in one discovery.

Dr Martin Goldberg added:

“A unique combination of familiar objects, exotic materials and exceptional preservation makes the Galloway Hoard a fascinating find. Conservation work is allowing us to see these objects clearly for the first time, and our research so far is pointing to a new understanding of Scotland in the international context of the earliest Viking Age. This exhibition offers a rare ‘snapshot’, the chance to see real archaeological work in progress, both what we have learned so far and the work still to be done.”

Dr Chris Breward, Director of National Museums Scotland said,

“The Galloway Hoard rightly drew international attention both on its discovery and its acquisition by National Museums Scotland following a successful major fundraising campaign. I’m sure people will be fascinated to have this opportunity to see it now far more clearly, to understand its importance and to gain an insight into the amazingly detailed work that we have done and are continuing to do with it. We are excited to finally be able to show The Galloway Hoard in the National Museum of Scotland and are also greatly looking forward to bringing it to Kirkcudbright in October.”

The exhibition will show how the Hoard was buried in four distinct parcels. The top layer was a parcel of silver bullion and a rare Anglo-Saxon cross, separated from a lower layer of three parts: firstly another parcel of silver bullion wrapped in leather and twice as big as the one above; secondly a cluster of four elaborately decorated silver ‘ribbon’ arm-rings bound together and concealing in their midst a small wooden box containing three items of gold; and thirdly a lidded, silver gilt vessel wrapped in layers of textile and packed full of carefully wrapped objects that appear to be have been curated like relics or heirlooms. They include beads, pendants, brooches, bracelets, an elaborate belt-set, a rock crystal jar and other curios, often strung or wrapped with silk.

The exhibition will show these cleaned, conserved objects, with AV and graphics giving behind-the-scenes insight into the archaeological and scientific details which have enabled researchers to begin to understand this unique find.

Dr Mary Davis, Artefact Conservator, said:

“The Galloway Hoard contains a wide range of materials, unusually so for a hoard of this period. That has meant that it has presented a wide range of conservation challenges, requiring a variety of treatments and approaches. The conservation and the research work so far have really gone hand in hand, revealing fantastic details on individual objects which have enabled us to start piecing together the story of the Hoard, and I’m pleased that the exhibition conveys a real sense of that process of discovery.”

The Galloway Hoard was discovered in 2014.  It was acquired by National Museums Scotland in 2017 with the support of the National Heritage Memorial Fund, Art Fund and the Scottish Government as well as a major public fundraising campaign. Since then, it has been undergoing extensive conservation and research at the National Museums Collection Centre in Edinburgh.

The exhibition, which is supported by Baillie Gifford, will open at the National Museum of Scotland on 29 May 2021, and will tour thereafter to Kirkcudbright Galleries (9 Oct 2021 to 10 July 2022) and Aberdeen Art Gallery (30 July to 23 October 2022) thanks to funding from the Scottish Government.

Research meanwhile continues into the Galloway Hoard. The Arts and Humanities Research Council (AHRC) has awarded support for a £1m, three-year research project, Unwrapping the Galloway Hoard, led by National Museums Scotland in partnership with the University of Glasgow which will commence in June.

The Galloway Hoard will eventually go on long-term display at the National Museum of Scotland in Edinburgh with a significant and representative portion of it also displayed long-term at Kirkcudbright Galleries. The exhibition is accompanied by a richly illustrated new book detailing the research findings to date.

Admission to the exhibition is free but, in line with current COVID protocols, pre-booking a timeslot to visit the National Museum of Scotland is required.

In line with Scottish Government guidelines, a range of measures are in place to ensure the safety of visitors and staff. This includes pre-booked timed entry, face coverings, enhanced cleaning, sneeze screens, hand-sanitising stations and one-way routes.

National Museums Scotland has been awarded the UK-wide, industry standard “We’re Good To Go” accreditation. This means we have been following Government and public health guidelines, have carried our Covid-19 risk assessments and have the appropriate processes in place.

Councils & Communities Worked Well Together But Impacts Of Covid-19 are Unequal

May 27, 2021

Scotland’s councils reacted quickly, working alongside communities and partners, to address the unprecedented challenges created by Covid-19. Many challenges remain significant, made more urgent by the multiple impacts of Covid-19 on communities and services says a report from the The Accounts Commission.

Councils have a critical role in providing vital services which communities depend on. In its Local Government Overview 2021 report, the Accounts Commission, who report to the public on the performance of local government, make clear that councils, alongside their partners, quickly provided innovative and sustained support to vulnerable people. This included supporting those who were shielding or self-isolating, switching to delivering services digitally and managing significant funding to support local businesses.

With many council services disrupted, stopped or reduced, in particular education, social care and culture and leisure, the impact on some service users was severe and unequal. This included carers who lacked access to respite care, people with learning disabilities who were unable to access critical services and support, those receiving care at home and school children whose education was disrupted.

Covid-19 has also exacerbated and laid bare fundamental issues that need to be addressed to ensure services are maintained and that councils can tackle the multiple challenges ahead. To help achieve this, longer-term financial certainty for councils will be vital. Whilst the Scottish Government has provided significant financial support to councils to assist in managing the net cost of Covid-19 in 2020/21, considerable amounts of funding took the form of one-off payments. Furthermore, funding for councils beyond 2021/22 remains uncertain. Addressing this issue is vital.

Elma Murray, Interim Chair of the Accounts Commission says,

“Councils, communities and their partners have worked incredibly hard to continue to deliver vital services to local people. The stark reality is that some council services won’t restart, and some services will have to be delivered differently.

Underpinning this is the increasingly urgent need to address inequalities throughout Scotland’s communities. And for councils this is made more challenging because they continue to operate in a climate of significant financial uncertainty, which must now be addressed.”

Kirkcudbright Lockdown Stone Snake Slithers To It’s New Permanent Home

May 27, 2021

Dr Locke of Kirkcudbright Health Centre officially opened the newly redesigned Atkinson Place in Kirkcudbright on Saturday unveiling the Kirkcudbright Lockdown stone snake.

The incredible Kirkcudbright Stones Group have worked so hard over the last six months gathering all the painted stones that adorned the wall at Kirkcudbright Parish Church throughout the COVID pandemic. The stones started to be placed on the church wall by people during the first Lockdown in 2020.

The group beautifully and creatively redesigned the tree lined seated area with the attractive stone snake, new gravel, benches and landscaping.

Andree Paterson, project manager said, ‘It was so exciting to see it all finally come together. It was such a great community project because so many people of all ages got involved and enjoyed the painting stones over the last year or so. The finished snake really has become quite a local celebrity!’

Councillor Pauline Drysdale who attended the opening enjoyed the collaboration of so many groups and she added, ‘It was a wonderful culmination of so many local people coming together thanks to the creative vision of Andree Paterson and Margaret McKinny. Atkinson Place is totally transformed and locals and visitors alike can now enjoy the outdoor seating area and the stone snake for many years to come, hence leaving a positive legacy of Covid. We cannot thank the local community and businesses who got involved enough. We would encourage you to visit Atkinson Place next to The Johnston Building (Old Primary School).’

The Kirkcudbright Stones group would like to thank Irving Broll Builders, David Grant Engraving, Deeside DIY, Tommy Shields Builders, under 12 football team, Jim Ross & team for the amazing gardening, D&G Council, Douglas Swan, Les McDonald, S Jamieson Builder, Tom McLachlan Decorators, Raymond Patterson, Lily Knowles, Tesco Kirkcudbright, Supersave, Tarff Valley, TAS Building Supplies, Wilco CD, Barbara Short, Kacee Knox piper, Wendy at Scrantastic and Yvonne Robinson for the amazing cake.

Legends Of American Country Show Returns To Scotland’s Oldest Working Theatre

May 27, 2021

Now seen by over 350,000 fans live, Europe’s No.1 multi award-winning show The Legends of American Country returns for another fantastic night of toe tapping country classics at the Theatre Royal, Dumfries on January 6th 2022.

The 2022 tour will showcase highly acclaimed tributes to Dolly Parton, Johnny Cash, Don William, Patsy Cline and Kenny Rogers, with new tributes to icons Hank Williams, Charley Pride, Glen Campbell, Tammy Wynette, John Denver and Jim Reeves.

Countless well-known hit songs feature in this must-see musical extravaganza. The show features four fantastic singers accompanied by a superb live band of musicians.

January 6th 2022 – 7:30pm(doors: 7:00pm)

Ticket prices

£22.50 All tickets

*subject to booking fees (except at theatre box office)

Book Your Tickets HERE

‘As good as country show that you will see live anywhere outside Nashville’ Country Music Northern Ireland

‘Pure raw country at its best’ CMT

‘Fantastic show of nostalgic country at its best with superb vocalists and musicians’

Hot Country TV

Traditional Music & Dance Festival Offers Reduced Programme For 2021

May 27, 2021

TRADITIONAL MUSIC AND DANCE FESTIVAL OFFERS REDUCED PROGRAMME FOR 2021

Organisers of the Newton Stewart & Minnigaff Traditional Music & Dance Festival have received a huge blow when they discovered that funding won’t arrive in time for July’s event.

Newton Stewart & Minnigaff Traditional Music & Dance Festival was a finalist in the ‘Best Festival’ category at the National E-Awards in Edinburgh in 2019, with Festival Director Nathon Jones also winning ‘Culture Champion of the Year’ from a local magazine that same year yet, despite that, this important arts, culture and heritage event, which had an economic impact of £147,763 in Wigtownshire in 2019, has seen a steady decline in funding.

It now faces a situation where any funding that is awarded this year won’t arrive in time for this year’s event which is scheduled to take place over 9th-11th July 2021.

Festival Director Nathon Jones said “We’ve already had to start cancelling acts as we simply cannot risk gambling on whether or not we’ll receive any support this year. Without that support, and because of the limitations that Covid-19 still presents, it would be impossible to run events at a profit.”

“After 7 years of incredibly hard work in establishing the festival, and all the work our fabulous volunteers, the local community, the Highland dancers and the Board of Trustees have done in delivering this hugely popular event since 2014, it’s heart-breaking to be facing another cancellation at a time when we would have very likely been able to at least host something this year.”

“In 2019, Dumfries & Galloway Council cut our funding by 55%, despite us having out-perfomed other events in the region the previous year, and whilst they did then increase funding by 17% the following year, we’re now is a position where we won’t receive any support at all, after what has already been an incredibly difficult year for the events, tourism and hospitality sectors.”

2995 visitors attended the festival in 2019 and the event hosted the biggest Highland dancing competition in South West Scotland along with a brand new solo piping competition. It was an outstanding year for the event, it’s most successful yet, but it’s future now looks uncertain with funding being withdrawn and the negative long term effects that 2 years of cancellation will undoubtedly have.

Visitors are still being encouraged to attend the event this year which, despite now being a much reduced programme, will still be going ahead in some capacity however without funding support, and with the limitations of Covid-19 still lingering, it will be nigh on impossible to support performing artists fees, who have also had an incredibly difficult 12-18 months.

We hope you’ll join us though to support the many free events that we hope to run including all the usual tune and song sessions and, if we can find some funding support from somewhere, an open air concert at the charity’s exciting new venue, The Vault Arts Centre in Newton Stewart.

Dates for this year’s event are 9th-11th July 2021.

NEWTON STEWART & MINNIGAFF TRADITIONAL MUSIC & DANCE FESTIVAL

Scotland’s Recovery – First Minister Sets Out Priorities For Government

May 26, 2021

Scotland’s recovery from the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic will be driven by an ambitious programme to build a modern, high-tech economy while staying true to enduring values of fairness and compassion, First Minister Nicola Sturgeon has said.

Outlining her priorities for Government to Parliament today, she added that tackling the pandemic remained the immediate priority but people in Scotland should have the right to decide their future when the current crisis has passed.

In addition to vaccinating all adults in Scotland, the Government’s plan for its first hundred days includes publishing a NHS Recovery Plan to achieve a 10% increase in inpatient, day case, and outpatient activity for those who had treatment or care postponed due to COVID-19.

The First Minister also announced the completion of a £12 million investment to take the East Ayrshire Community Hospital into full NHS ownership, as part of the Government’s plan to invest £10 billion in the NHS estate over the next five years.

Consultation on legislation to establish a National Care Service will also begin in the first hundred days with the aim of introducing legislation in the first year of Parliament, and the service to be operational by the end of this parliament, as one of its most important and enduring legacies.

Continuing the Government’s focus on education and young people, from August all three and four-year-olds, and many two-year-olds, will be eligible for more than 1,100 hours of free childcare a year and free healthy breakfasts and lunches will also be made available to all primary 4 children in Scotland as a further step towards extension to all primary school children.

Recognising the importance of economic recovery, the First Minister said that the Government would continue its support for specific business sectors such as food and tourism, and establish a Rural Entrepreneur Fund to support Scotland’s rural economy.

Ahead of COP26 this year in Glasgow the Government will publish an indicative national defined contribution – setting out how Scotland will become a net-zero nation by 2045 – and introduce legislation to make bus travel free for people under the age of 22.

The First Minister said that that she looked forward to working across the Chamber, and believed this Parliament would be “the most important in our devolved history”.

Speaking in the Chamber the First Minister said:

“The plans I have set out today are unashamedly ambitious. We will tackle the COVID crisis as our immediate priority. We will lead by example in addressing the climate crisis. We will create a National Care Service, to match the post-war National Health Service. We will widen opportunities for young people.

“We will build a modern, high-tech economy, while staying true to enduring values of fairness and compassion. We will seek a better politics. And we will put Scotland’s future in Scotland’s hands.

“Our programme is rooted in today’s reality. But it also shows the way to a brighter tomorrow.”

Background

Priorities of Government statement – 26 May 2021

Actions to be taken in the first 100 days include:

• completing the vaccination of all adults, subject to supply

• establishing a cross-party steering group on COVID recovery to bring people together in pursuit of the strongest possible recovery

• implementing a 4% average pay rise for NHS workers, including full back pay

• opening three fast track cancer diagnostic centres in Ayrshire & Arran, Fife, and Dumfries & Galloway

• publishing an NHS Recovery plan to meet the Government’s ambition of increasing inpatient, day case, and outpatient activity by 10%

• investing £45 million through local partnerships to provide training and employer recruitment incentives

• funding colleges to deliver around 5,000 more short, industry-focussed courses to help young people train for jobs in key industries

• launching the £10 million ‘Scotland Loves Local’ programme to support local businesses and back Scotland Loves Local loyalty card schemes

• funding councils to increase teacher numbers by 1,000 and classroom assistants by 500 – as part of a commitment to 3,500 additional teachers and classroom assistants over the Parliamentary term

• completing the roll-out of 1,140 hours of free, high quality early learning and childcare, and beginning work on extending wrap around childcare

• publishing Scotland’s Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC) towards the global goal of delivering the Paris Agreement

• paying £100 as part of the £520 support for low-income families – the equivalent of the Scottish Child Payment

• legislating to give carers an extra Coronavirus payment of £460 – a double payment of their Carer’s Allowance Supplement in December 2021

‘Women in War’ Conference Held Online by The Devil’s Porridge Museum

May 26, 2021

Last week, The Devil’s Porridge Museum at Eastriggs Near Annan, Dumfries and Galloway hosted an online conference on the theme of ‘Women in War’.

There were 24 speakers from around the world organised onto six different panels on themes such as Women in Industry, Leisure during War and Women in Service. There was also a keynote speech by Professor Angela Woollacott, author of ‘On Her Their Lives Depend: Munition Workers in the Great War’ and a musical performance by award winning folk musician Claire Hastings of her song ‘The Gretna Girls’. “It was wonderful to end the conference where it all began – with the stories of the 12,000 women who mixed the devil’s porridge in World War One.” commented Judith Hewitt, Museum Manager. “The speakers were so inspirational and I personally learnt so much about the amazing women of the past. I was so proud to be part of sharing their stories.”

If you missed the conference, you can now purchase a copy of the recordings via The Devil’s Porridge Museum’s online shop.

https://www.devilsporridge.org.uk/product/women-in-war-conference-access-to-recordings

Network Rail Must Repair Damaged Springfield Heritage Trail – Local Politicians & Community

May 26, 2021

South Scotland MSP Colin Smyth and local Councillor Archie Dryburgh joined chair of Springfield and Gretna Green Community Council Isabella Tranter and spoke with local walkers this week to discuss the state of an important heritage trail in Springfield.

The section of the Quintinshill Walk which leads from Bensmoor Road to the Quintinshill railway bridge is owned by a local land owner but is used extensively by Network Rail to gain access to the railway line. The increased traffic on the lane from Network Rail has caused huge potholes and during wet weather it becomes virtually impassable for walkers.

The local community council have been working to get Network Rail to repair the road but to no avail.

There is extra significance as 22 May marked the 106th anniversary of the Quintinshill Railway Disaster, which resulted in the deaths of approximately 220 people and left 246 injured in 1915. The crash involved a local train, as well as a troop train carrying 500 soldiers of the 1/7^th Royal Scots Territorial Battalion and a sleeper from London. The disaster took place at the Quintinshill siding which the damaged road leads to.

Colin Smyth said: “This walk has a hugely important history and it is shocking it has got into the state it has, as a result of a significant increase in use by Network Rail.

“This week marks the anniversary of the horrendous loss of life as a result of the Quintinshill Railway Disaster and the community council has worked so hard to get heritage status and install information boards and signage but unless the road is repaired soon, no-one is going to be able to use it.

“The area is extremely popular with those walking their dogs and exercising but the size of the potholes means that the road is almost impassable.

“Having met with representatives of the community council, as well as chatted to walkers along the route when I visited, I saw for myself the dreadful state of the trail and heard how frustrated local people were.

“I have contacted Network Rail and I asked them to work with the community and repair this road as a matter of priority. Ultimately, it has been their increased use that led the road to fall into such a shocking state, so I hope they will do the right thing and bring it back up to a usable standard.”

Chair of the community council, Isabella Tranter said: “The local community is stuck in the middle between Network Rail and the land owner.

“The land owner himself hardly uses the road but Network Rail uses it all the time and we have contacted them repeatedly about carrying out repairs.

“The community council raised thousands of pounds to create a heritage trail, but the potholes mean local people and visitors can hardly even walk down it. It’s a very important route, with a very serious history and it is vital that it is fixed.”

The local Councillor for the area Archie Dryburgh, who is also Dumfries and Galloway Council’s Armed Forces Champion, added: “This is one of four walks which make up the Gretna and Springfield Heritage Trail and it is an important reason a lot of people visit the area. Also, as Covid continues, more and more people are walking and exploring their local area more, which is great.

“The military history of the Quintinshill walk is particularly important and the state of the road is vital so walkers can actually get down to the bridge.

“The community has been trying to get Network Rail to sort this out for the past couple of years but they’ve had no response.

“They are stuck in the middle between the land owner and Network Rail, and my understanding is that Network Rail has a contract with the farmer to maintain the road but obviously this hasn’t been happening.”

“Our Operating Plan sets out how we intend to make a difference through working in partnership with the people, businesses and communities of the South, and beyond.

“We strive to develop the leadership role we need to have for all of us as a voice for the South and we firmly believe that we can ensure the region can come out of this pandemic and look to a positive future.

“We continue to build important relationships with stakeholders – locally, nationally and indeed internationally – to maximise the potential of our area both today and in the future, and make sure we do what is best for the South.”

“Our aim has always been to become the development agency that the South of Scotland has always wanted and not just a funding agency and I think our first year has shown that in practice.

“We will continue to be seen as an agency which is flexible, adaptable and skilled in providing support and expertise of all kinds to anyone who may need it to achieve their objectives.

“The people of the South of Scotland wanted us to be different and not here to do what might be ‘expected’ or has been done traditionally, but to always consider individual situations and solutions as well as seeing the bigger picture.

“As we publish our Operating Plan, our message to everyone remains – come and talk to us.

“We are very proud of our achievements to date but are firmly focused on the future and our ongoing plans to listen, be innovative, different and continue to deliver for the South of Scotland.”

“Councils, communities and their partners have worked incredibly hard to continue to deliver vital services to local people. The stark reality is that some council services won’t restart, and some services will have to be delivered differently.

Underpinning this is the increasingly urgent need to address inequalities throughout Scotland’s communities. And for councils this is made more challenging because they continue to operate in a climate of significant financial uncertainty, which must now be addressed.”

We hope you’ll join us though to support the many free events that we hope to run including all the usual tune and song sessions and, if we can find some funding support from somewhere, an open air concert at the charity’s exciting new venue, The Vault Arts Centre in Newton Stewart.

“We will build a modern, high-tech economy, while staying true to enduring values of fairness and compassion. We will seek a better politics. And we will put Scotland’s future in Scotland’s hands.

“Our programme is rooted in today’s reality. But it also shows the way to a brighter tomorrow.”

Colin Smyth said: “This walk has a hugely important history and it is shocking it has got into the state it has, as a result of a significant increase in use by Network Rail.

“The area is extremely popular with those walking their dogs and exercising but the size of the potholes means that the road is almost impassable.

“Having met with representatives of the community council, as well as chatted to walkers along the route when I visited, I saw for myself the dreadful state of the trail and heard how frustrated local people were.

Chair of the community council, Isabella Tranter said: “The local community is stuck in the middle between Network Rail and the land owner.

“The land owner himself hardly uses the road but Network Rail uses it all the time and we have contacted them repeatedly about carrying out repairs.

“The community council raised thousands of pounds to create a heritage trail, but the potholes mean local people and visitors can hardly even walk down it. It’s a very important route, with a very serious history and it is vital that it is fixed.”

“The military history of the Quintinshill walk is particularly important and the state of the road is vital so walkers can actually get down to the bridge.

“The community has been trying to get Network Rail to sort this out for the past couple of years but they’ve had no response.

“They are stuck in the middle between the land owner and Network Rail, and my understanding is that Network Rail has a contract with the farmer to maintain the road but obviously this hasn’t been happening.”

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