Innerleithen's Standard Bearer for 2018 St Ronan's Games Week unveiled

On Friday night, crowds gathered in the town’s Memorial Hall for the traditional unveiling ceremony, which also sees the introduction of the new Cleikum principals, Lady Busser and Principal Guest, all hosted by new chairman Alan Paterson.

Kicking off the evening, Alan said: “Introduction Night always signals the start of our celebrations and is a sure sign that Games Week is just round the corner.

“The committee are working hard behind the scenes to ensure our events are all organised for your enjoyment.

“The changes we made last year to the week’s programme, the Children’s Sports on the Sunday afternoon and the Senior Citizens Social on the Tuesday night, will remain after both were a great success in their new slots.

“The Games Ball will be held once more in the grounds of St Ronan’s Primary School. Tickets for the Ball will go on sale in the usual manner on Saturday, May 26.

“All the information regarding the sale of the tickets will be published in the Peeblesshire News and on social media.”

The first person to be unveiled to the waiting crowds was Emily McNeil as Lady Busser.

No stranger to Games Week, the former St Ronan’s Primary pupil was a Sash Girl in primary 5 and a Dux Girl in 2013.

Now in her fifth year at Peebles High School, next year Emily plans to study Advanced Highers in Maths, Physics and Mechanics, before going to on University to study Maths.

Next up, Craig Glendinning was revealed as Principal Guest.

Brought up in Innerleithen, Craig was educated at St Ronan’s Primary and was a monk in primary 6 and was also head boy in primary 7. He then went on to Peebles High School, leaving in 1996.

After leaving school, Craig went on to take up an apprenticeship as a mechanic with the family business. He attended Jewel and Esk Valley College and attained a Scottish National Certificate in engineering.

He left home in 1998 at age of 18 and moved to Newcastle where he worked as mechanic for Lloyd Ltd at their Newcastle branch. It was there he met his wife Nicola in 2002.

The couple were married in 2005, and moved to the Borders in 2008 where he resumed employment in the family business where he is now Transport and Workshop Manager.

The pair now live in Walker Street with their two sons and Craig is kept busy as a coach with Leithen Vale Sports Club, helping with the Christmas lights in Innerleithen and Walkerburn and helping wherever he can with the Games and Walkerburn Summer Festival.

Following Craig’s introduction, the moment everyone had been waiting for had finally arrived.

And 24-year-old Jamie Boyd was welcomed onto the stage by a round of applause as the Standard Bearer Elect.

Born in 1994 at Borders General Hospital, Jamie has lived in Innerleithen with his parents and sister all his life.

He attended St Ronan’s primary school where he was a monk in 2002 and Dux Boy in 2006.

He had a keen interest in all sports and chess during his time at primary and was twice a winner of the Scottish Borders Primary School Chess Championship as a member of the St Ronan’s team.

He qualified for the British land chess challenge national finals after finishing fourth at the regional south of Scotland tournament in 2006, but was unable to attend the finals due to his commitments as Dux boy during Games Week.

Jamie went on to Peebles High School, leaving in 2012 for Napier University where he studied animal biology, graduating in 2016.

The 2018 Standard Bearer Elect describes himself as a massive football fan having supported Hearts all his life.

He began playing football with Leithen Vale while in primary school and was a member of the club for seven years, attending many tournaments including one in Le Nouvion in France.

At the age of 12 he was selected for the Borders Development squad and at the same age began playing for Peebles.

When he was 16, Jamie returned to play in Innerleithen with Leithen Rovers and was part of the squad which won the South of Scotland Amateur Cup twice.

Since graduating in 2016 he has been employed in Tesco in Peebles and hopes to pursue a career linked to his studies.

Jamie said: “On accepting the post of Standard Bearer Elect, I would like to thank the committee for choosing me to represent the Burgh of Innerleithen.

“It shall be my earnest endeavour to carry out the duties of the office to the satisfaction of my fellow townspeople.

“On behalf of my Lass and myself, I thank you, Mr. Chairman, for your kind remarks and you Ladies and Gentlemen for the reception accorded to me.”

Accompanying Jamie will be Rosie Graham as the Standard Bearer’s Lass Elect.

Born in 1996, Rosie was educated at St Ronan’s Primary School and was a Sash Girl in the 2007 Border Games. After leaving Peebles High School in 2014, she moved on to Edinburgh College where she completed a two-year HND course in Music Business.

Shortly after completing her course at Edinburgh College, she went on to further studies and gained a place at the MGA Academy of Performing Arts studying and attaining an HNC in Musical Theatre.

The Standard Bearers Lass Elect has been a huge fan on Innerleithen Opera since a young age, and most recently followed the yellow brick road to the Emerald City as Dorothy in ‘The Wizard of Oz’.

Rosie is a keen supporter of the games, and participated in the fancy dress every year as a youngster.

More recently, she has volunteered and helped out at various Games Week events whenever she could.

Her family are no strangers to the Games, her Granny was Dux Girl in 1945, and her sister Dux Girl in 1993 before becoming Standard Bearers Lass in 2000, her brother was Standard Bearer in 2005.

The celebratory evening was rounded off outside the hall as the Standard Bearers Elect, Lass and supporters danced the Standard Bearers Reel.

Jamie follows in the footsteps of past principals Liam Card (2017) Ross Brown (2016), and David Forrest (2015).

St Ronan’s Border Games week will take place in Innerleithen between July 14-21.