Nisbet Churchyard Restoration

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During 2019, SBC encouraged local community organisations to bid for grants from the SBC Localities fund. In our area, this was publicised through the Cheviot Local Area Forum and Crailing, Eckford and Nisbet Community Council. Not having a Village Hall, residents needed a ‘Club/Organisation’ structural vehicle, in order to apply for such local improvement funds. Some residents decided to form ‘Nisbet Initiatives Collective’, to serve such a purpose, in order to seek a grant to make improvements to the Churchyard and to which any resident could be involved. This was led by William Elliott, assisted by Malcolm McGregor and supported by a number of other residents from all parts of the village.

In 2019/20 we were awarded a grant of £4000 to improve the entrance to the Churchyard from the main road, structurally resolve the issue of a gully through the lower part of the grounds, created some years earlier, to relieve a serious flooding incident, create an informative noticeboard, clear overgrowth and provide several benches, to enable visitors to enjoy this tranquil setting.

The vast majority of the ‘spadework’ was done by our able coordinator Will Elliott. However, he experienced a number of stumbling blocks along the way: accessing suitably SBC approved contractors who could satisfy SBC health and safety risk assessments, particularly for the work adjacent to the main road, as well of course, the inertia due to the Covid 19 pandemic. It is due to his perseverance that we are where we are today. Regrettably, due to ill health, Will had to take a step back in 2021 and he passed on his progress file to Malcolm and Hugh Wilson, with his best wishes. During 2021, they were able to convince SBC to act as our ‘Contractors’ for the project.

In early January 2022, SBC completed the works associated with entrance to the Churchyard and the filling in of the extensive gully in the lower part of the site. They have done a superb job, as these two aspects of the project were always perceived as the most significant and problematic. Most of the grant has been consumed in accounting for the cost of this work. However, SBC have kindly agreed to carry out the remaining issue of the clearance of undergrowth as part of their annual grounds maintenance cycle. Malcolm and Hugh plan to apply for additional grants for the remaining project objectives.
 
Malcolm McGregor, {Project Coordinator}

January 2022