News & Events
Local News and Events
Murder in the Opera House – A Murder Mystery
Experience the thrill of “Murder in the Opera House” in Skirling Village Hall on Saturday 31st January – start time of 7.30pm.
A truly immersive Murder Mystery event, with a talented ensemble of professional actors and singers, “Murder in the Opera House” kicks off with a captivating 30-minute play, setting the stage and introducing you to the characters and their intricate relationships.
Just when you think you’re just a spectator, a shocking murder happens and you are thrust into the heart of the action as an investigator – seize the moment to interrogate the suspects, uncovering their secrets, alibis and motives.
In teams, you’ll brainstorm and piece together the clues – eventually lining up the suspects and presenting your case against a specific individual as the culprit you passionately believe committed the crime.
Take this opportunity to awaken your inner detective in a unique and unforgettable experience!
Tickets are £8 and are available from Katy Miller or email skirlingvhc@outlook.com to contact the Skirling Village Hall team for more information. You are welcome to BYOB.
Application to Join the Priority Services Register
SP Energy Networks is looking to engage with as many of their customers as possible, to explain that they are not Scottish Power, they are the network provider, so anyone living within southern central Scotland, north west Wales, Merseyside, Cheshire and north Shropshire are their customers.
One of our main reasons they’re looking to engage is to ensure their vulnerable customers are added to, or have updated their details on, the Priority Services Register. Once added this will ensure that during a power cut that they can tailor the support vulnerable customers need during this period and pro-actively keep them up to date where possible.
Click here for the form and for more information on who is applicable to be on the register, which applies to households and not the individual, so SP Energy Networks can take details for anyone in the residence all under one name (i.e. the person filling out the form).
You can also complete the form online by clicking here.
Public Consultations
Please click on the relevant links to read about, and take part, in these current public consultations:
South of Scotland Standard for Community Benefits Consultation
A public consultation on proposals to create a South of Scotland Standard for Community Benefits from onshore wind has been launched by South of Scotland Enterprise.
The consultation is part of the Better Benefit project, which seeks to ensure communities consistently receive the highest standard of community benefit from renewable energy developments.
The aim is to encourage the adoption of best practice as the norm across every community in Dumfries & Galloway and the Scottish Borders.
Click here for more information and to take part.
Safeguarding Scotland’s Water Environment
SEPA has launched a public consultation, Safeguarding Scotland’s Water Environment, about what it calls Significant Water Management Issues – issues that are having a significant adverse impact on the condition of the water environment and that it seeks to tackle.
Skirling 750
The one-day Skirling 750 exhibition in Skirling Village Hall on Saturday 26th October celebrated 750 years of the village’s history. From 10 in the morning until 5 in the afternoon, a steady stream of visitors came through the doors. Residents, former residents, and visitors alike wrote in the comments book of their astonishment at how much history lies within one small village. The event was organized by Bob and Isobel Hunter and funding came from the SSE Clyde Wind Farm via the Skirling Community Development Trust.
An Evening to Remember
In the evening, a good crowd gathered to enjoy refreshments and to listen to brothers George and Charlie Wheeler-Carmichael share stories of growing up in Skirling House. Afterwards, visitors lingered among the displays, exchanging memories and anecdotes of village life.
Looking Ahead
It was a grand day. Although the exhibition in the hall could only last one day, plans are afoot for it to appear at Biggar Museum—possibly as soon as December—giving many more people the chance to discover the story of this extraordinary little village and its people. It is also envisaged that a visual record of the event and some of its exhibits will be available online as part of an eco-museum.
More Details
Click here for the full write up, and for more images, please visit our gallery.
Biggar Medical Practice Patient Group
We welcome views from patients about your experience of the practice and also other NHS and social care services used by you. You can let us know what has worked well and what has not – and how it might be improved. If you would like to give any feedback, please email biggarpatientgroup@outlook.com. Sarah Sinclair is the Chair of the Patient Group, which has membership across the practice area.
If, however, you wish to make a complaint – the practice follows the NHS Complaints Procedure, which we cannot participate in. More details on the complaints procedure can be found below with the practice website link.
The below minutes are also available on the practice website, where there is lots of health information: https://www.biggarmedicalpractice.co.uk/. Under the section About Us/Have Your Say you can find the minutes as well as the NHS Complaints Procedure.
PATIENT GROUP MINUTES: July 2023 | October 2023
Potholes and Road Repairs
To effectively register potholes and road repairs, use the FixMyStreet website or App, which allows you to locate the exact position of the problem and submit a photo. This is then directly submitted to the correct council department and keeps track of when/if the problem is dealt with (including re-contacting the council if nothing is done). A very effective tool.
Regular Skirling Events
These events take place in Skirling Village Hall regularly, everyone is welcome!
Pilates –
Wednesdays from 5pm to 6pm and Thursdays from 6pm to 7pm with Lindy. £7 per person per session. Contact Lindy on 07549 686 116 or by email on pilateswithlindy@gmail.com.
Skirling Lunch –
Every second Thursday in the month from 12pm. £2 per person.
Toddlers –
Toddler group for toddlers and babies now takes place on Mondays from 11am to 12.30pm in Skirling Village Hall. Contact
Katy on 01899 860 252.
Skirling Church –
Service at 11.30am on Sundays. All welcome!
Citizens Advice Bureau / What Matters Hubs
Citizens Advice Bureau –
Contact Peebles Citizens Advice Bureau for information on a range of issues including benefits, debt advice, cost of living support, consumer, employment and housing issues – for free confidential advice, call them on 01721 721722.
The Citizens Advice Bureau, doctors, churches, social work and schools can also make referrals to Peebleshire Foodbank for people in need of emergency food parcels.
SBC – What Matters Hubs –
What Matters Hubs offer drop in sessions and appointments where you can meet people from community groups and voluntary organisations as well as social workers and occupational therapists. For more information, click here.
Live Borders Digital Library
As well as their physical libraries, Live Borders also offer an ever increasing digital library to all their members. Click here for the full details and links.