FOUR volunteers from Robert Smail’s Printing Works landed the National Trust for Scotland’s Group of the Year award.

At the annual ceremony in Edinburgh’s Charlotte Square last week they beat off stiff competition win the prestigious honour.

It was a small group of seven volunteers who began working at Smail’s back in 2006 - three of them are still giving their time each week.

Over the years a further seven locals have offered their time and services to help make the working museum the success that it is today.

Throughout the past couple of years a core of six volunteers have actively helped at the High Street premises. And last Thursday all of that work was recognised by the National Trust for Scotland.

Gen Harrison, property manager at Robert Smail’s Printing Works, told the Peeblesshire News: “The Volunteer Archive Project started at Smail’s in June 2006 after a local appeal brought together a small group of volunteers to begin archiving the business and associated records.

“Visitors to the property when greeted in the original office, find themselves surrounded by pile upon pile of ledgers and brown paper parcels holding the business records and correspondence for the once thriving Borders business.

“A question often asked is, what do they contain? Now through the Volunteer Archive Project we are able to tell them.

“Their tasks have been varied and often dirty but all have been approached with enthusiasm, care and dedication.” The volunteers who have worked on the Archive Project are Bill Thompson, Lorna Ramage, Carol Rudram, Jim Martin, Ted McKie, Bill Harvey, Bill Murray, Robert Harold, Chris Berger-North, Eric Deane, Lois Steadman, Gwen Stein, Molly Robertson and Jacqui Bent.

They have cleaned the 52 giant Guardbooks, which contain every job that Smail’s printed for nearly 100 years, catalogued and recorded the Shipping Records, which formed the framework for the first part of Smail’s archive website, recorded the 'Hatches, Matches and Dispatches’ from the 23 years worth of bound copies of The St. Ronan’s Standard and Effective Advertiser, recorded and catalogued more than 300 ¼” glass plate negatives in the collection, cleaned endless bundles of business invoices and receipts, produced an electronic version of the typefaces held in the Caseroom and cleaned, checked and proofed over 60 cases of wooden type.

Ms Harrison added: “The work they have completed has identified the need for better storage and care of the archive and has helped us with our plans to make the property fit for purpose with an archive store and reading/research space.

“It has helped us to improve access to the records, provide information for people completing research into their family histories, provide information for talks, books and exhibitions and strengthen links within the wider community and build partnerships with other organisations.

“Without their efforts and commitment none of this would have been possible.

“This richly deserved award is for you all.” Last week’s ceremony was held at the Trust’s own Georgian House and the award was presented by Sir Ken Calman, chairman of the NTS and Violet Dalton, head of volunteering.

The recognition for the team comes on the back of the Diamond Jubilee Volunteer Award given to our Honorary Archivist, David Rudram in 2012.

Robert Smail’s Printing Works is open from April 1 to October 31 each year from Thursday to Monday between noon and 5pm.