A DUO from a Peebles community group have blossomed as the stars at the 2016 Tweeddale Citizen of the Year awards.

Founders of Bonnie Peebles, Avril Murray and Margaret Wightman were both bestowed with the award by Councillor Graham Garvie at the celebratory event held in the Council Offices on Rosetta Road on Thursday, March 2.

The Selection Committee met in January to consider the nominations and selected the award winners at the time.

Highlighting the efforts of Avril and Margaret and the Bonnie Peebles team at this years awards, Councillor Graham Garvie said: "Every year Mrs Murray and Mrs Wightman organise the funding, planting and maintenance of flowerbeds in Peebles. They work with a small committee of nine folk but can call on a wider band of volunteers when it comes to planting, pruning and weeding. 

"They draw up and issue a calendar of tasks at the beginning of every year but it has to be very flexible depending on weather conditions and the number of volunteers who show up.

"The ladies have to calculate how much compost to buy, and how many flowers and shrubs. They do not receive any financial support from SBC so fundraising takes place throughout the year. 

"They have held coffee mornings, quiz nights, organised a ‘mile of coins’ in the High Street, and received donations from individuals as well as income from collecting tins in the shops. 

"This year they were thrilled that Peebles received Scotland’s Floral Gateway Champion of Champions Award thanks to their endeavours and the rest of the Bonnie Peebles volunteers."

The past 12 months have been important for the community group, as Bonnie Peebles turned 10 years old in December 2016, and that month also unveiled a life sized sculpture of world renowned show jumper Scott Brash and horse Hello Sanctos.

Avril told the Peeblesshire News: "I'm absolutely delighted to have won this award along with Margaret. It means a huge amount that our efforts have been recognised across Peebles, and I'd like to thank everyone who has donated and helped us over the past ten years, we couldn't have done it without them.

"We'll continue to do our best to keep Peebles looking bonnie!"

Margaret told us: "This is an amazing award and both me and Avril are shocked, yet delighted to receive it. The Bonnie Peebles group is ten years old now, but it is our magnificent team who are out in force come rain or shine throughout the year to help us who also deserve to be recognised for their efforts. Thank you everyone."

Bonnie Peebles was launched in December 2006 by Avril and Margaret after they became award that the town was no longer being entered into Scotland's Floral Gateway or Beautiful Scotland competitions.

Their first undertaking was to create pretty flowerbeds on he Edinburgh Road at the site of the old railway station.

They marked that historical link by commissioning a sculpture of a train which is mounted on the wall behind the beds.

Previous Winners of the Tweeddale Citizen of the Year Award

  • 2015 - John Beveridge Swanson
  • 2014 - Alison Cameron
  • 2013 - Dr Duncan Davidson
  • 2012 - Margaret J Harrison
  • 2011 - Norman Elder
  • 2010 - Douglas Wright
  • 2009 - Allan Beveridge and David Turnbull
  • 2008 - Mary (Mollie) McIntosh MBE
  • 2007 - Donald Swanson
  • 2006 - Thomas Melville Shearer MBE
  • 2005 - Charlotte Hunter
  • 2004 - James Morrison Noble
  • 2003 - James Macrae Munro
  • 2002 - Peebles Rugby Football Club
  • 2001 - Keith Belleville
  • 2000 - David Geddes BDS