IT was fitting that Borders brain injury service Momentum chose a cocktail party to highlight the work they do.

Every day the charity's outreach workers mix a little expertise, encouragement and direction to help the 100 or so sufferers they have on their books.

Sprinkle on some psychology and serve it with a hint of fun, and you have a service that has turned around the lives of almost everyone it touches.

Last Tuesday afternoon, as part of Brain Injury Awareness Week, staff members and clients helped raise awareness with an afternoon of non-alcoholic wallbangers and waltzes.

Amongst the many guests at the Borders General Hospital was Joe Devlin.

The 55-year-old from Greenlaw fell off a quad bike in 1987 and suffered extensive injuries. Most of his wounds healed through time but not the damage to his brain.

Joe told the Border Telegraph: "I was difficult for the people around me and didn't really do much. I was falling out with my family and wasn't getting much help - I was suffering from deep depression.

"That changed when Momentum came along a few years ago. I was talked into going to college and I've never really looked back."

As well as his college course, Joe began swimming with a local group and became more sociable.

Three years on and he now wants to give something back.

He added: "The Berwickshire area has very little for brain injured people, so I started Heads United with help from Momentum. It's all at an early stage but we've set up a constitution and we're exploring ways of getting funding."

Heads United have recently secured premises at the Palace Theatre in Duns.

And they are planning a busy schedule of activities for members across the Berwickshire area.

One Momentum peer group which has established itself is Heads Together.

Under Steven Turnbull's guidance the 23-strong fundraising group recently bought a �35,000 caravan at Berwick Holiday Centre for people with brain injuries and other disabilities as well as carers in need of respite.

Steven's own brain injury stems from a haemorrhage he suffered several years ago. During Tuesday's party, he was quick to acknowledge Momentum's help.

The 51-year-old from Jedburgh told us: "I thought my life was over until I went to Momentum. They built up my confidence and helped me get back on track.

"Raising money for the caravan gave me a big focus and it's now going like a dream. We're almost completely booked up."

Heads Together, with Steven at the helm, have so far raised over �60,000.

But they're not stopping there.

Steven added: "We want to create our own cafe come drop-in-centre for people to meet up. Where there's a will, as they say."

Throughout Tuesday service users, staff and volunteers danced the afternoon away - this was one of those occasions when they all deserved to take a bow.