THE Margaret Kerr Unit will make a 'lasting impression’ at the 2014 Borders Book Festival.

The annual Brewin Dolphin Borders Book Festival will take place at Harmony House, Melrose, on June 12 to 15.

Some of the world’s best writers and entertainers will come together for this four day event, including Jennifer Saunders, Paddy Ashdown and Steve Blackshall.

The Margaret Kerr Unit is the chosen charity for the event, and representatives will be on hand for the four days to talk to people about the unit and the specialist palliative care service in the Borders.

On Saturday and Sunday, June 14 and 15, from 10am to 4pm, a 'Lasting Impressions’ tile workshop will be hosted by Jedburgh artist, Clair Norris.

'Lasting Impressions’ is a beautiful mosaic which is situated in the lounge of the Margaret Kerr Unit. It is made up of hundreds of individual tiles which have each been imprinted with a memory.

The artwork will continue to be added to over time. If you are coming to the Book Festival and would like to participate, bring a small item that means something to you and you can imprint it onto a tile which will be glazed and added to the mosaic panels. Clair will be on hand to help you on the day.

The Margaret Kerr Unit is an in-patient specialist palliative care unit at the Borders General Hospital and was fully funded by a £4.1 million fundraising appeal, with the final million raised by our local community.

It was named after a nurse from West Linton whose bequest marked the launch of the project.

The staff in the Unit provide complex pain and symptom management, holistic care and end of life care to patients and their families.