A CANDLELIGHT ‘Reclaim the Night’ vigil to remember all the women who have lost their lives to gender- based violence and to honour all the women who have survived takes place in Hawick tonight.

The event will include key speakers from various organisations in the Borders including Councillor Clair Ramage and Elaine Thornton-Nicol. This will be followed by a one-minute silence.

The vigil is part of a Global 16 Days of Activism Campaign which starts on the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women and Girls, and runs until Human Rights Day on 10 December.

The aim is to raise awareness of the prevalence and impact of violence against women and girls locally including the heightened risk that women and children have experienced as a result of the pandemic.

The event will be family friendly and everyone can get involved including women, men, children, and young people.

At the Garden of Support, local specialist support services will display their organisational banners and organisers are asking businesses, services and groups to bring along their banners to show their support.

The vigil will start at 6pm at Heart of Hawick and finish as Cornucopia where there will be free hot food and entertainment.