A GALASHIELS funeral director has brought some festive cheer to a local cancer charity.

Throughout this year A & A Doyle have been offering bereaved families the chance to have a bespoke ‘leaf’ manufactured from glass in memory of loved ones who have passed away.

The leaves have been displayed on a special memorial tree at the firm’s Bank Street offices.

And they have now been passed back to the families to be hung each year on their own Christmas tree.

Last Saturday an event was held to allow families to collect their leaves.

The mood was upbeat, mulled wine and festive nibbles were being served and members of the Town Band were standing outside playing Christmas carols.

Each leaf has generated a donation of £20 for local charity The Lavender Touch.

A total of £1,520 raised from the project was presented to Alex Moffat and Sheila Scott who represented the charity.

Awdri Doyle from A&A Doyle told us: “I can’t believe how much interest this project has generated in the town.

"It has been great to be able to organise this support for the Lavender Touch and also to do something to help bereaved families have a permanent memorial of their loved ones on their Christmas tree.

"Throughout the year families have brought their children to see the leaves hanging on our memorial tree – it’s a great way to help people cope with the pain of bereavement which is so acute at this time of year."

The money raised from the glass leaves will fund 76 Lavender Touch treatments for people suffering from cancer or their carers.

The individual glass leaves were manufactured by local glass artist Kenny Scott of Caddon Design.

And the memorial tree was made by Galashiels Mens Shed.