THE efforts of Peebles fundraisers who racked-up more than £10,500 for talking books have been celebrated.

As previously reported, the town earlier this year became the first in the UK to unite as a community sponsor to raise money for sight loss charity RNIB’s talking book appeal.

And to mark the achievement, the organisation headed to Tweeddale last month to film some of the residents who had taken part in the drive.
They also made an appearance on ITV Border’s news bulletin.

The appeal was set up to help the RNIB professionally narrate and record books, which can cost up to £2,500 each, for people with sight loss.

Among the local interviewees were volunteer Marion Anderson and businessman Robert Harrison whose £250 donation kick-started the initiative.

Also filmed were optician Linda Quinn who, along with her children Ciara and Connor, raised money by completing a range of activities; schoolgirls Anna Nethercot, Megan Crosbie and Lila Kitching who did a ten-mile sponsored walk; Keith Russell, depute head of Priorsford Primary School; and MSP Christine Grahame who tabled a motion in the Scottish Parliament commending Peebles for its efforts.

RNIB Scotland fundraising manager Angela Preston told us: “We want our film to celebrate the town’s remarkable achievements and hopefully encourage other communities to follow the great example of Peebles. 

“With Christmas approaching, many of us will of course be hoping for the book we want as a present this year. But without the availability of talking books, those who are blind or partially sighted would be deprived of literature the rest of us take for granted.”

The film will be available on the RNIB website at http://www.rnib.org.uk