A WAR Memorial in Cockburnspath has won a top national award from a national veterans charity.

The Cockburnspath War Memorial, was praised by Legion Scotland as the best kept war memorial in its category of 'Best Satellite War Memorial Without Gardens'.

Every year Legion Scotland runs a Best Kept War Memorial competition across the whole of Scotland as part of its role as guardians of remembrance in Scotland.

The competition which has run for the last forty years, has seven categories, covering the different types of war memorial that are important social and historical landmarks of so many of Scotland's towns and villages.

The aim of the competition is to encourage awareness of war memorials and a continued high standard of maintenance by local authorities. Legion Scotland praised the dedicated volunteers from the Eyemouth branch and called on other communities to work together and preserve their war memorial heritage.

Jim Barry, Vice President of the local Eyemouth Legion branch, said: “We're delighted to win the award, and we really must thank David Arnott, the Vice Chairman of the Cockburnspath local Community Council, who has been a driving force behind the restoration and maintenance of the monument. Also the hard work of Ian Lothian, at the Scottish Borders Council. It's been a marvellous effort. ” Legion Scotland is benefitting so many of the Scottish ex-service community, whether they left service yesterday or fifty years ago. The charity is providing grants for veterans in need, running a national wellbeing and befriending programme and managing a variety of comradeship events.

Legion Scotland is also the leading charity for remembrance in Scotland. Through the branches and clubs around Scotland the charity hosts remembrance parades in November. The charity is also working with young people to encourage them to learn about the importance of remembrance through an annual primary school war memorial competition.

Kevin Gray, Chief Executive Officer of Legion Scotland, said: “There was a high standard of entries this year. We are very pleased that Cockburnshpath has won the ‘Best Satellite War Memorial Without Gardens’ category of the Best Kept War Memorial competition beating off stiff competition from around Scotland. We look forward to a continued high standard of maintenance of war memorials over the coming years. As 2014 is the centenary of the start of WWI we feel that this year’s competition is particularly poignant as the vast majority of names on war memorials are from the First World War.” Winners will be presented with trophies on the 17th September at Legion Scotland Head Office for the winners. The Legion Scotland National Chairman Sir Alistair Irwin will make the presentation.