Lifetime achievement honoured

Two decades of dedication which have helped not just the agricultural community but also businesses and tourism were recognised when Border Union Agricultural Society (BUAS) secretary Ron Wilson was honoured with a Lifetime Achievement Award at the 2017 Scottish Borders Business Excellence Awards.

Wilson, who announced recently he will retire later this year following 20 years as Border Union secretary, received the award from the Borders Chamber of Commerce in recognition of his role in overseeing the development of the society’s home at Springwood Park as a major events venue.

This included the building of Springwood Hall which has helped the society attract more than 100 lets each year to the Border Union Showground and his stalwart work organising a host of major events which have made a significant contribution to the Borders economy, includ- 0 Ron Wilson, left, receives his lifetime achievement award from Border Union Society chairman Douglas Stephen ing the annual two-day Border Union Show, the Kelso tup sales – Europe’s biggest one-day ram sale – and the annual Championship Dog Show.

His role in championing the BUAS’S educational initiatives, including the Schools Countryside Day, which has been attended by more than 6,500 primary school children since it began in 2013, was also praised.

Thanking the Chamber of Commerce for the award, Wilson said: “It’s truly humbling to receive an accolade like this. I, my wife Joan and our small team here at the showground have all worked incredibly hard on behalf of the Border Union over the years and I’m delighted that the significance of the society’s work, both to the agricultural community and the wider business environment in the region, has been recognised.”