NEW songs by Karine Polwart and Alex Hodgson are set to be sung at a special event next month in Lauder.

Karine’s Come Away In and Mauchline Belle by Alex have been commissioned by Scotland Sings as part of a project to get more people singing together.

And everyone is invited to take part in a workshop to learn and perform the songs at Lauder Public Hall.

Alison Burns, Scotland Sings coordinator, explained: “The great thing is that the songs are brand new so everyone will be learning them from scratch.

“Everyone is welcome whether they sing every week in a choir or haven’t sung in years."

The new songs are both inspired by the life and work of Robert Burns.

Robert Burns’ wife, Jean Armour, was known as the Belle of Mauchline and is the inspiration behind Alex’s song, while Come Away In celebrates the notion of hospitality from Burns’ poem The Wren’s Nest.

Alison added: "The songs will be included in a book we’re putting together of all the songs we’ve commissioned over the past four years from some of Scotland’s top songwriters, including Mairi Campbell and David Francis, Rab Noakes, and Eric Bogle.”

The workshop in Lauder Public Hall is on Sunday, February 18.

The cost for the day is £15.

More information and booking details can be found on the Scotland Sings website: www.sing.scot.