ANOTHER team effort has resulted in an award for the Brighten Up Kirkconnel group.

The tight-knit community won the Silver Gilt medal in the Small Village category of this year's Keep Scotland Beautiful competition.

Judges visited the area last month and were impressed with the voluntary efforts and hours spent at numerous sites.

A grand total of 160 points were awarded, from a possible 200, with several areas of achievement highlighted in the judges' summing up.

They said: "In 2018, The Year of the Young People, it was good to see the work being done and to meet the Brownies beside their imaginative herb cooker.

"It was also encouraging to see the Brighten Up Kirkconnel group's identity and profile being highlighted.

"This was done by the new logo on polo shirts and signs on containers recognising donations from sponsors.

"Finally, the generous donation from a residents' estate which gave the group a welcome boost."

Other successes included the 'stunning number of well-maintained displays of tubs' and the 'maturing display of sustainable planting at the War Memorial'.

Praising the group, the judges added: "Brighten Up Kirkconnel certainly does so, with a wide range of containers and displays creating a ribbon of colour along the main street of this village, which does not forget its past history and heritage."

Group members attended an awards ceremony at Haddington where they were presented with the well-earned silver medal.

Well-done messages have poured in to Brighten Up Kirkconnel's social media sites — even from different continents.

Ina Macnab said: "Congratulations...it was lovely walking through my village every morning a couple months ago and admiring all the beautiful work you have all done, keep up the good work, from Perth — West Australia."

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