The largest ever summer surgery tour to take place in the Scottish Borders has begun in Ancrum today.
Local Scottish Conservative politicians John Lamont MP and Rachael Hamilton MSP have started their busy 10-day summer advice surgery tour today which will include stops in Ancrum, Lilliesleaf, Midlem, Bowden, Newtown St Boswells, St Boswells, Maxton, Roxburgh, Kelso and Sprouston.
During the next few weeks, the politicians will be visiting 84 locations between them across the Scottish Borders, finishing on Friday 3rd August in East Berwickshire.
As well as visiting all the major towns and villages, John and Rachael will be holding advice surgeries for some of the more remote locations in their constituencies, including Cappercleuch in the Yarrow Valley, Abbey St Bathans in the Lammermuir hills and Hermitage in Liddesdale.
The joint tour will take place in John and Rachael’s largely overlapping constituencies, with John attending the surgeries on Saturday 7th July and Tuesday 31st July on his own.
The sheer number of locations means that no constituent will live more than a 9-mile drive from their nearest advice surgery.
Borderers are being encouraged to use the tour as an opportunity to discuss face to face with their local MP and MSP, any issue which they might be having difficult with no matter how large or small.
To coincide with the first day of the tour, John has also launched a Snapchat account to better communicate with his constituents.
John Lamont MP, said: “During our summer surgery tour, we expect to see hundreds of constituents, which is great in itself, but it’s also about making sure we get out to every community, no matter how small.
“It’s really important for me to be as accessible as I can be to all of my constituents and part of that is making sure I hold regular, traditional advice surgeries."
The dates and locations are as follows:
Friday 6th July
- 9.00am Ancrum Village Hall
- 9.45am Lilliesleaf Currie Memorial Hall
- 10.30am Midlem Village Hall
- 11.15am Bowden Village Hall
- 12noon Newtown St Boswells, Community Wing
- 1.30pm Buccleuch Arms, St Boswells
- 2.15pm Maxton Village Hall
- 3.00pm Roxburgh Village Hall
- 3.30pm Kelso Office, 7 Abbey Court
- 4.15pm Sprouston Village Hall
Saturday 7th July (John only)
- 9.00am Earlston Parish Church Hall
- 9.45am Blainslie Village Hall
- 10.45am Oxton War Memorial Hall
- 11.30am Lauder Community and Leisure Centre
- 12.30pm` Newstead Village Hall
Saturday 14th July
- 9.00am Leitholm Village Hall
- 9.45am Eccles Village Hall
- 10.30am Ednam Village Hall
- 11.15am Birgham Village Hall
- 12noon Duns Southfield Community Centre
- 1.30pm Swinton Wheatsheaf Hotel
- 2.15pm Allanton Village Hall
- 3.00pm Whitsome Ark
- 4.00pm Preston Village Hall
Wednesday 25th July
- 9.00am Kirkhope Parish Hall
- 10.00am Ettrick, Boston Memorial Hall
- 11.00am Cappercleuch, St Mary's Hall
- 11.45am Yarrow Feus Hall
- 12.30pm Yarrowford Hall
- 2.30pm Selkirk Victoria Hall
- 3.30pm Ashkirk Village Hall
Thursday 26th July
- 9.00am Coldstream Community Centre
- 9.45am Greenlaw, Fairbairn Hall
- 10.30am Westruther Village Hall
- 11.15am Gordon Village Hall
- 1.30pm Stichill Village Hall
- 2.15pm Smailholm Village Hall
- 3.00pm Makerstoun Village Hall
Monday 30th July
- 9.00am Denholm Village Hall
- 9.45am Bonchester Bridge, William Laidlaw Hall
- 10.15am Chesters, Southdean Public Hall
- 11.15am Hermitage Village Hall
- 12noon Newcastleton Village Hall
- 2.00pm Teviothead Village Hall
- 2.45pm Hawick Office, 25 High Street
- 3.45pm Wilton Dean Hall
- 4.30pm Roberton, Forman Memorial Hall
- 5.15pm Burnfoot Parish Church Hall
Tuesday 31st July (John only)
- 9.00am Macfie Hall, Heriot
- 9.30am Fountainhall Village Hall
- 10.00am Stow Town Hall
- 11.00am Caddonfoot Hall, Clovenfords
- 11.45am Galashiels Focus Centre
- 12.30pm Tweedbank Community Centre
- 2.15pm Darnick Village Hall
- 2.45pm Melrose Corn Exchange
- 3.30pm Gattonside Village Hall
Wednesday 1st August
- 9.00am Jedburgh Town Hall
- 10.00am Oxnam Village Hall
- 10.45am Edgerston Village Hall
- 11.30am Glendouglas Community Hall
- 12.15pm Lanton Village Hall
- 1.45pm Crailing Lothian Hall
- 2.15pm Eckford Village Hall
- 2.45pm Heiton Village Hall
- 3.30pm Morebattle Institute
- 4.15pm Yetholm, Wauchope Hall
Thursday 2nd August
- 9.00am Paxton Village Hall
- 9.45am Hutton Village Hall
- 10.30am Chirnside Community Centre
- 11.15am Foulden Village Hall
- 1.00pm Burnmouth Village Hall
- 1.45pm Eyemouth Community Centre
- 3.00pm Coldingham Village Hall
- 3.45pm St Abbs, Ebba Centre
- 4.30pm Gavinton Village Hall
Friday 3rd August
- 9.00am Cockburnspath Village Hall
- 10.00am Cranshaws Village Hall
- 10.45am Longformacus Village Hall
- 11.45am Abbey St Bathans Village Hall
- 12.30pm Grantshouse Village Hall
- 2.00pm Auchencrow, The Craw Inn
- 2.45pm Reston Village Hall
- 3.45pm Ayton Community Hall