HE no longer lives in Innerleithen but the town’s former long-serving doctor understands the importance of St Ronan’s Games Week in uniting the community.

In a speech bursting with passion and humour Principal Guest Robert Cumming told a capacity crowd at the Memorial Hall on Friday to heed the importance of the historic event, celebrating its 188th renewal.

“There have been a lot of changes over the years but one of the main things that binds us together is these fabulous Games. They go on every year steeped with tradition and unchanging,” he said.

Dr Cumming, 67, the GP for 33 years in the town, was playing a key role in Cleikum Ceremonies night, the culmination of an exciting week of gala events in Innerleithen.

Minutes later it was David Forrest’s turn to receive rapturous applause as he was installed the Standard Bearer with Shannon Knox following him a short while after as his Lass.

It was a dream come true for 25-year-old David who has been immersed in the tradition of the Games from a young age, taking part in children’s sports, athletics and the car treasure hunt.

During a break in the exciting and stamina-sapping night he told the Peeblesshire News he had been given plenty of assistance from his workmates at Glendinning Groundworks.

Included among his colleagues were the outgoing Standard Bearer Robbie Scott and Jason Card, the holder of the office in 2010.

“I’ve been lucky in that five of the guys I work with have done the job. They’ve been great at giving me advice and tips but there has been quite a bit of teasing as well,” said David who has worked for the land drainage specialists for seven years.

Watched by dad Alan, mum Christine and brothers Graeme and Gary, David was determined to do his family proud.

“I was emotional and a wee bit nervous when getting up there on the stage but it all went well in the end. Tonight and the ball have been the highlights of the week,” he said David is well-equipped to represent Innerleithen at other Borders festivals as he has taken riding lessons - even though his hometown event does not require him to sit on a horse.

He decided to have lessons to enable him to support his good friend Kieran Scott, who became the Peebles Cornet last month.

“The riding has gone well - and I am looking forward to doing more of it at other festivals over the coming months,” said David.

Shannon, 20, was enjoying her spell in the limelight with her mum Leeann, dad Colin, stepdad Lenny, stepmum Wilma, brothers Doug and Luke all watching as she presented medals to the Sash Girls.

“I had the easy task really but it’s just been so exciting,” she said. “The Cleikum night has been one of the highlights and the Ball was great when we danced the reel.” Games chairman Keith Belleville launched the Cleikum Ceremonies by welcoming visitors from United States, Canada and Australia. Making the journey from New Zealand and appointed a special guest for the occasion was Bruce Gilkison, the great-great-grandson of the Games founder James Hogg.

Also present in the Memorial Hall were the principals from Galashiels, Peebles, West Linton, Walkerburn, Melrose, Duns, Coldstream, Penicuik, Biggar, Lanark, Edinburgh and Musselburgh.

The 10 monks, from P3 to P7 at St Ronan’s Primary School, made their way on to the stage to be joined by the Lantern Bearer, Ian Campbell, from P2, and the 10 sash girls from P3 to P7.

Ally Norman, the Dux Boy, was installed as the Patron Saint, before it was the turn of Ruby Finn to be invested as the Dux Girl.

The familiar Festival anthem On, Saint Ronan’s On was the backdrop as the Lady Busser Ellen Frost assisted the Dux Girl in Bussin’ the Crozier and Staves.

The chairman then introduced Dr Cumming and said Innerleithen had a debt of gratitude to him as the driving force behind the health centre that opened in 1989.

Dr Cumming, who now lives on the Isle of Arran, had intended staying in Innerleithen for one year in 1974 and ended up staying 33.

“I am delighted to be back in the town and it’s the first time our family have all been together here for for 10 or 12 years,” he said.

“I am honoured to be asked to be Principal Guest and I look at some of the people that have done this in the past and I think 'wow’.” He told the audience he would not copy the Principal Guest of 1971. When the time came for her to make her speech “she stood up and said: 'I’ve had a lovely evening, thank you very much’ and sat down,” he said. “I think the committee were quite apoplectic - and I don’t intend to do that tonight.

“Now children, I am not very good at public speaking, not like your headmaster here, Mr Belleville, but he tells me that St Ronan’s is the best behaved school in the whole of the Scottish Borders. You are not at school tonight for the next few minutes you can do what you like!

“We came here in 1974 when there was a three-day week and half the country was on strike. There were no jobs really and we decided to come here just until things got better before we moved on, but over 33 years later we were still here.

“It’s one of the few things that my wife Ethne and I agree about that it was probably the best life choice we ever made. Innerleithen had been described to us as a windy street with a bus-stop - a whisper of gossip at one end was a roar of thunder at the other. It was in fact a warm and close, welcoming community where families and people looked out for each other and rank was based on what you were rather than who you were. A better place to bring up children I couldn’t imagine. It certainly served our family well.

“Everyone knew everyone else and everyone seemed to be related to everyone else! You could get almost anything you wanted at the Co-op superstore on Chapel Street. I think I came to know everyone in the town and I’ve certainly been in most of the houses, often at three in the morning.

“Coming from the city, I didn’t think people realised how lucky they were with the beautiful surroundings, the hills, the river, there were no real social problems or difficulties.

“In the 80s we moved to a purpose-built health centre - I’ve seen a lot of health centre but haven’t seen one as nice as the one at Innerleithen and take some pride in that. I had the enormous privilege and pleasure in working with some fabulous people over the years - some sadly not here today.” He regaled the audience with his memories of the Games including having enough ginger beers - “well at least that’s we called them!” - by lunchtime to ensure his first time at the event went off a bang.

His family had enjoyed being involved in many events over the years and he described himself as being sad that he had not been invited to take part in the Lee Pen Hill race. “I am sure many will remember my athletic prowess and stunning physique,” he said tongue-in-cheek.

“Looking back I don’t think I appreciated what an institution the Games were and all the work involved in making it happen.” Dr Cumming visits Innerleithen three or four times a year and said: ”I hardly recognise it these days, so many strangers and strange faces. People that I do know, I can remember what was wrong with them but I can’t remember their names.

“It has changed in many ways but not necessarily for the worse. You can still get an ice cream at Caldwell’s, butcher’s meat on the high street and a prescription and you can still go to the Co-op, albeit at a different store.” The ceremonies in the Memorial Hall completed. the night continued with a short service outside the War Memorial before the show moved up to St Ronan’s Wells where David drank the water given to him by the Dux Boy.

Darkness had set in but the town was illuminated by the torchlight procession which made its way back from Hall Street to Innerleithen Parish Church for the Masonic Ceremony. The Dux Boy, representing St Ronan, had his hands bathed in water from the Wells before two white doves were released. The night was brought to a close with the procession going to the home of the Dux Boy in Plora Terrace.