£16,500 Return to the Ridings
Monday, November 3 2008
To celebrate the historic Border Common Ridings & Festivals coming together for the first time to support the Year of Homecoming, organisers of the Return to the Ridings have announced a £16,500 community grant initiative for the events.
As part of the Return to the Ridings activity each of the Border Common Ridings & Festivals Committees has been invited to apply for grants of up to £1,500. The money can be used for any improvements to the Common Ridings that will leave a legacy for the events in 2009, the year of Homecoming Scotland, and beyond.
The Return to the Ridings is part of the Homecoming Scotland programme, extending the invitation to Border Scots throughout the world to return to their Ridings and join a series of co-ordinated ancient festivals across the Scottish Border towns.
During the Homecoming year 2009, the towns of Hawick, West Linton, Selkirk, Peebles, Melrose, Galashiels, Jedburgh, Duns, Kelso, Lauder and Coldstream join together to celebrate their historic Common Ridings and Festivals for the first time. The Return to the Ridings grant is open to each of these towns and the Ridings’ Committees have been asked to put forward their proposals for activity that will make the most of their grant.
Councillor Vicky Davidson, Executive Member for Economic Development, Scottish Borders Council, said: “said:
“The Return to the Riding’s community grant initiative will ensure that the event achieves a lasting legacy for the Scottish Borders Common Ridings. The grant is designed to allow the Common Ridings to choose how they wish to augment their events and where the funds will have the most impact.
“The common ridings are very important to the Borders and, having been awarded funding from the Homecoming programme, I’m glad that we can now make it available to the hard working committees and volunteers who do so much to keep our traditions alive.”
Andrew Johnston Chairman of the Border Common Ridings and Festivals Association, said:
“The Border Common Ridings and Festivals Association fully supports the Return to the Ridings. The grant initiative is one of the first steps in ensuring 2009 is a memorable year for all the Common Ridings & Festivals and for our visitors from both home and abroad.”
The Return to the Ridings will announce the improvements being carried out under the community grant initiative in December 2008. The Common Riding’s Committees have already started developing their proposals and many already have a strong idea of how they would like to allocate their £1500 grant.
For the first time, the historic Border Common Ridings & Festivals united to launch Return to the Ridings, a major initiative as part of Scotland’s first Homecoming celebrations.
The centuries old Scottish Borders Common Ridings & Festivals have joined together to support Scotland’s first national Homecoming celebration by issuing a joint invitation to Border folk around the globe to Return to the Ridings in 2009.
Since the beginning of the 16th Century, Common Ridings & Festivals have formed an integral part of Scottish Borders tradition. Common Riding is an annual celebration that involves townsfolk in a grand ‘ride-out’ around the town boundaries.
In total, 11 towns in the Scottish Borders use horses for the ride out. The events are friendly, heart-stirring and steeped in local history, including rousing music and song specific to each town. Visitors are always made welcome and will soon find themselves joining in – whether it’s linking arms as the procession moves through the town or cheering the stunning displays of horsemanship as the riders gallop back into the town.
ENDS
For further information, interviews and images please contact Stephen McLean, McLean communications on:
E: stephen@mcleancommunications.co.uk or
T: 07739 043 599
Notes to Editor
- For further event information log on to: www.homecomingscotland2009.com/scottishborders
- The Return to the Ridings is funded by Scottish Borders Council and Homecoming Scotland.
- Homecoming Scotland is a Scottish Government initiative managed by EventScotland in partnership with VisitScotland.
- For the first time, the historic Border Common Ridings & Festivals united to launch Return to the Ridings, a major initiative as part of Scotland’s first Homecoming celebrations.
- The centuries old Scottish Borders Common Ridings & Festivals have joined together to support Scotland’s first national Homecoming celebration by issuing a joint invitation to Border folk around the globe to Return to the Ridings in 2009.
- Return to the Ridings brings together the Common Ridings and Festivals of: Hawick, West Linton, Selkirk, Peebles, Melrose, Galashiels, Jedburgh, Duns, Kelso, Lauder and Coldstream
- Return to the Ridings Dates:
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- 1-6 June: Hawick Common Riding
- 5-13 June: West Linton Whipman
- 8-13 June: Selkirk Common Riding
- 14-20 June: Peebles Beltane
- 14-20 June: Melrose Festival
- 19-28 June: Galashiels Braw Lads Gathering
- 27 June-10 July: Jed Callants Festival
- 5-11 July: Duns Summer Festival
- 13-18 July: Kelso Civic Week
- 26 July - 1 August: Lauder Common Riding
- 2-8 August: Coldstream Civic Week
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