e NEWSLETTER
Principal’s Update
This month, I’d like start with some good news. On 25 March, SFC announced the long-awaited 2026-27 indicative funding allocations for the college sector.
As a result of the increases in the Scottish government budget, every college has seen an increase in funding. In our case this equates to an 8.4% increase in revenue funding via our teaching grant. While we still have
a lot of work to do, this will go a long way to reversing our forecast deficit for the upcoming year and will enable us to stabilise our finances in the short to medium term. In the longer term and, in order to reach a sustainable position, we will continue to seek additional Credit funding to meet the needs of our learners and businesses.
Speaking of businesses, I was really pleased to attend the Borders Business Expo at Peebles Hydro last month, where our stand was manned by Dale Clancy and Emma Walsh. The Expo showcased the fantastic talent in the Borders, both at established businesses and in our young entrepreneurs. We
look forward to continuing to build our relationships with businesses and the Chamber of Commerce.
February also saw us welcome Ben McPherson MSP, Minister for Higher and Further Education, to the College. The Minister was hugely impressed by the range of learning being delivered at our College and in our ambitious plans for the future.
Lastly, for those taking time off over Easter, please enjoy yourselves and I look forward to seeing you again as return for the summer term.
Principal & CEO
Pete Smith
Minister for Higher and Further Education Visits College
Borders College was delighted to recently welcome the Minister for Higher and Further Education, Ben Macpherson, to its Scottish Borders Campus. The visit recognised the vital role the College plays as an anchor institution for regional development, supporting skills, innovation and
opportunity across the Borders.
The Minister’s visit provided an excellent platform for the College to showcase its strengths in key areas development. Read more here
News from the People Services Department
Upcoming Pay Dates
Thursday 30th April 2026
Robert SpeirsEstates
Manager
Sarah
Lomax -
Student Support Officer - Curriculum
Goodbye and Good Luck to
Lisa Daly - Student Support OfficerCurriculum
Shona Torbet –Learning Support
Assistant
Great Place To Work
Thank you to all of you who have completed the GPTW survey. The survey is now closed. I apologise to those of you who received reminder emails. The system is set up in such a way that it records from your personal link who has completed the survey and if you have not then you would receive a reminder.
This information is secured within the system and we do not have access to this so the
Tuesday 30th June 2026
responses remain completely confidential and anonymous.
Your feedback is really important to us, and we will now analysis and review the information within the results. Your teams will meet in due course to take a deeper dive into the results and to agree an action plan for your areas. Any questions please get in touch dkerr@ borderscollege.ac.uk or pop by an see me.
Clean-up/ litter picks etc. Register through: THE GREAT GLOBAL CLEANUP™ Quizes: https://www. earthday.org/ earth-dayquizzes/
Policies Update
A meeting of the Joint Consultative Committee Policies tool place on Wednesday 18th March, 2026. The following documents were discussed and agreed and will now been updated on the College website.
• Borders College Logo Usage Policy
• Probationary Period Policy
• Employee Resourcing Policy and Procedure
• Borders College Approach to Quality Improvement
• Student Guide to Assessment and Making Appeals
• Learning and Teaching Guide for Staff
• Borders College – AI Guidance
You should make yourself aware of any relevant policies and procedures.
College Closed - Monday 15th June 2026
The College will be closed on Monday 15th June, 2026 in line with the announcement from the Scottish Government as follows:
Monday 15 June 2026 has officially been confirmed as a national bank holiday to mark Scotland’s participation in the men’s football World Cup finals.
The holiday was proposed by First Minister John Swinney to allow people, businesses and other organisations in Scotland to celebrate
Occupational Health
Occupational Health are retained by the College to offer you support. You can selfrefer by giving them a call – their number is 01896 825982. This service is totally
Equalities Update
Equalities Calendar – the theme this block is Diversity. We have been focusing on Neurodiversity, British Sign Language and LGBT awareness. We are working with BANG (Borders Additional Needs Group) to provide a lunchtime support group for students.
International Women’s Day 8th March – we have a short life working group who are planning events to celebrate and recognise International Women’s Day.
The theme this year is Give To Gain. Please keep an eye out for opportunities to participate.
Equality Impact Assessments (EQIAs) –Equality Impact Assessment guidance has been updated and can be accessed in the document hub.
Equality Documents | Borders College
after the team’s opening game against Haiti.
His Majesty King Charles has approved the Royal Proclamation, confirming the bank holiday which will allow Scotland to celebrate the first time the men’s national team has participated in the tournament since 1998. Although the campus may still remain open to allow access for Heriot Watt University I hope that you all enjoy this extra day off.
confidential and no information is shared with the College unless you ask them to.
Debbie Kerr – Director of People Services
EQIAs are a tool to help colleges, universities (and other public bodies) ensure that their policies, practices, changes and decisions are fair, meet the needs of their staff, students and service users, and that they are not inadvertently discriminating against any protected group. We have a legal requirement to carry out and publish EQIAs.
Men’s and Women’s Health - Healthy Working Lives has delivered two menopause sessions. One about ‘Menopause and the Workplace’ and the other ‘Menopause Champions’ Training. There is work ongoing to support men’s mental health.
Staff Voice Group
The purpose of the Staff Voice Group is to foster a culture of communication, collaboration, and continuous improvement within the college.
The group is a mechanism through which staff can actively participate in shaping their work environment and contribute towards the success of the College. Negotiation on matters relating to terms and conditions of employment is not within the remit of the Staff Voice Group.
The group’s membership consists of nominated members representing one member from each of our professional services teams and up to two members from each delivery team.
The principal duties and considerations of the group are as follows:
• Communication and Feedback
• Recognition and Achievement
• Problem-Solving and Improvement
• Sounding Board for new Policies, Procedures and Developments
• Staff Development
• Wellbeing
• Recommendations
The group have met 4 times since October 2025 and have discussed the following:
Scottish Apprenticeship Week
Borders College staff were out and about during Scottish Apprenticeship Week, engaging with pupils, parents/guardians, employers and members of the public to highlight the power of apprenticeships to create careers, build businesses, grow the workforce and support the wider economy.
We also welcomed a visit from MSP Christine Grahame.
Fiona Turnbull
Business Contracts Manager
• Christmas/End of term staff social events
• The Equalities & Sustainably calendars
• All Staff Teams page
• Cold weather clothing rack
• Wellbeing time and Active Travel
• Draft Nicotine Prevention Charter
• Staff Development Ideas
• Work Rest & Play
• Staff Newsletter
• Men’s Mental Health
• Staff Recognition
• Women’s Health
• Student areas and behaviour
• Executive / Senior Leadership Team are invited to meetings to provide updates if the group requests this
Members of the staff voice group are able to update their teams on the agenda and actions of the meeting, and ask for feedback, suggestions or items to be raised.
Open Day 2026
Thank you to all staff for a fantastic Open Day!
A heartfelt thank you to every member of staff who contributed to making our recent Open Day such a
tremendous success across both the Gala Campus and the Newtown Campus.
Your hard work, enthusiasm, and professionalism created a welcoming and inspiring
experience for all our visitors. From preparing engaging activities and displays, to guiding families around our spaces, to ensuring everything ran smoothly behind the scenes—your collective effort showcased the very best of who we are. Events like this don’t happen without genuine teamwork, commitment, and pride in what we do. Thank you for going above and beyond to make the day memorable for prospective students and their families. Your contributions are truly appreciated.
Davie Lowe - Assistant Principal
College Celebrates HUGE Success at ALBAS 2026 Awards
Borders College students and staff are celebrating an outstanding night of success at the Lantra Scotland ALBAS 2026 Awards, with multiple winners and runners-up recognised across a range of prestigious categories.
The ALBAS Awards celebrate excellence in Scotland’s land-based and aquaculture sectors, highlighting the achievements of learners, apprentices and industry mentors who are helping to shape the future of rural industries.
Leading the celebrations was Beth Millar from Jedburgh, who enjoyed a remarkable evening after being named Agriculture Learner of the Year and Modern Apprentice of the
Year. Beth’s achievements did not stop there, as she was also announced as the overall runner-up at the national awards ceremony. Beth is currently completing an SVQ
in Mixed Farming through Borders College while working as a Farm Worker and Attraction Manager at Kersheugh Farm in Jedburgh.
Read more here.
Avoiding Data Breaches - Change to the Email Address Book
You must take care of the personal data you use or have access to. Borders College has technology in place to protect systems as well as policies and mandatory training. However, sometimes mistakes are made, and this can lead to a ‘Personal Data Breach’ “A breach of security leading to the accidental or unlawful destruction, loss, alteration, unauthorised disclosure of, or access to, personal data transmitted, stored or otherwise processed.”
One of the most common causes of a Personal Data Breach is sending an email to an incorrect recipient. This is usually because the wrong email address is selected in the address list, or from the suggested contact list that appears when you start to type in an email address. To help avoid mistakes from happening, the email address list has been updated to include a ‘College Staff’ only address list.
Now when you open the address list by selecting the ‘To’, ‘Cc’ or ‘Bcc’ in a new email: You can select ‘College Staff’ from the address book drop down:
Graduation 2026
Please note that the new date for Borders College Graduation has now been confirmed as Friday 18 September.
The ceremony will take place at the Border Union Showground in Kelso, where students,
Allowing you to search for staff only.
This helps to avoid accidentally selecting a student or external contact’s email. Use this option when you want to send an email to staff only and especially where the content includes personal or sensitive information.
Whether you use the address book, select from recent emails/auto-complete or type the address in manually, ALWAYS double check everything is correct before sending.
Additional tips when sending emails
• Double check the content and any attachments or links are also correct
• Use the ‘Bcc’ field if sending to recipients who do not know each other. If ‘Bcc’ field not visible: in a new email select Options > Show fields, select Show Bcc.
• Use college email addresses when sending emails to staff and students.
• Avoid using “reply all” - only send to those who need to know.
• Check long email chains; they may contain information other recipients shouldn’t see. If something does go wrong
• Report the issue immediately to your manager AND to the GDPR mailbox GDPR@borderscollege.ac.uk
• Try to recall the email (only works for Borders College emails) or send a NEW email to the recipient asking them to delete the email (and any related emails) from their inbox, sent and delete folders.
If you have any questions, please contact Lizi Bird, the College’s Data Protection Officer (DPO) via GDPR@borderscollege.ac.uk
For further guidance on how to use Outlook and other Microsoft products head to the Staff Portal, select IT + Digital Services > Learn 365.
staff, families and friends will come together to celebrate the achievements of our graduating students.
Comic Relief Challenge Draws Huge Community Support
College was delighted to welcome BBC Radio 1 presenter Greg James to the Scottish Borders Campus as part of his Comic Relief Multi-Day Challenge, with the College serving as a key stop on his journey.
The event saw Greg cycle more than 1,000 kilometres from Weymouth to Edinburgh in aid of Comic Relief. Borders College served as an official finish line for one stage of the challenge, welcoming hundreds of people from across the local community who gathered to show their support.
The campus was transformed into a vibrant hub of activity, with live broadcasts from BBC Radio 1 taking place on site as Greg completed the day’s leg of his journey. Filming also
took place for The One Show, bringing national attention to the Scottish Borders and showcasing the region to audiences across the UK.
Students, staff and members of the public lined the route and gathered at the
finish area to cheer Greg on, creating an electric atmosphere. The event highlighted the power of community spirit, with people of all ages coming together to support an important cause.
Read more here
College Earns 2026 Great Place To Work Certification™
Borders College is proud to be Certified™ by Great Place To Work® for the 6th year in a row. The prestigious award is based entirely on what current employees say about their experience working at Borders College.
Great Place To Work® is the global authority on workplace culture, employee experience, and the leadership behaviours proven to deliver marketleading revenue, employee retention and increased innovation.
Director of People Services at Borders College, Debbie Kerr, commented:
“We are excited to be Great Place to Work-Certified™ for the 6th year in a row! We focus on prioritizing our employee experience daily, and it means so much
that our employees have shared a consistently positive experience with their peers, their managers, and their roles.”
Read more here.
New Teams Backdrop and PowerPoint Template
Our new Borders College Teams backdrop and updated PowerPoint template are now available to download from the Marketing SharePoint. Designed to ensure a consistent, professional look across meetings and presentations, the refreshed branding makes it easy to represent the College with confidence. You can access and download the files from the Marketing SharePoint.
The use of the Borders College logo is now covered by an updated Policy (Borders College Logo Usage Policy). All staff should familiarise themselves with the Policy, available on the College website, before using any version of the logo.
You can find the new policy by following this link.
A full logo set is available on the staff portal in the Marketing area and can be found by following this link
If you have any questions about the use of the logo, please contact the Marketing Team by emailing: marketing@borderscollege. ac.uk.
New Starters and Leavers IT Process
We’ve introduced an updated new starters and leavers IT process to make onboarding and offboarding simpler, clearer and more consistent across the organisation. The revised process is designed to improve coordination between teams, ensure the right actions are completed at the right time, and help new colleagues get set up quickly while supporting a smooth and secure exit process for
leavers. Staff involved in recruitment, onboarding and offboarding are encouraged to review the updated guidance and follow the new steps from now on. Information on the new process can be found from Staff Portal > IT & Digital > Starter/leaver process
Conor Bradley Director of
IT & Digital
Learning
Borders College Logo Usage Policy - New
Beth Takes on Triple Crown Cycle for Doddie’s Charity
Borders College procurement officer Beth McCluskey recently participated in the renowned My Name’5 Doddie Triple Crown cycle ride, travelling from Melrose to Dublin to raise vital funds in the fight against motor neurone disease (MND) as part of a small local group of 8 cyclists (the Tweed Sprocketeers)
Beth and the Tweed Sprocketeers joined a number of high-profile participants, including Doddie Weir’s wife, Kathy Weir, to complete the demanding 750-mile route, cycling close to 220 miles per day from Melrose to Dublin.
Reflecting on the experience, Beth said:
“It was tough going with the weather playing havoc with our plans, especially in Wales, where the last section was deemed too dangerous to continue riding.
“Sleep was rationed with 5 am starts and sleeping on clubroom floors, but we knew that this aspect was going to be difficult.
“It was way more than just a bike challenge; it was about doing something for those who face struggles far
tougher than anything we can imagine.
“We had fabulous support from rugby clubs all along the route who supplied moral support in buckets served with tea and endless delicious food”
The fundraising campaign has already raised more than £1.5 million in total.
Kathy Weir commented: “Doddie would be so proud of everyone who continues to get behind the cause. The money that has been raised is just incredible and shows how many people are still determined to make a difference.”
Donations can still be made
at the Tweed Sprocketeers fundraising page: https:// www.gofundme.com/f/ support-the-tweedsprocketers-for-the-myname5-doddie
Doddie Weir was awarded a Borders College Fellowship in 2018.
Free Sanitary Products Available Across Campus
We’re committed to creating an inclusive and supportive environment for everyone at college. Free sanitary products are now available in all gender-neutral and
accessible toilets across campus. This initiative ensures that anyone who needs essential hygiene products can access them easily, discreetly, and without cost —
supporting wellbeing, dignity, and equality for our college community.
Katrina Fitzgerald Health & Safety Manager
Estates Update
At the Principals update on 17th March, there was a presentation on the progress of the changes to the Galashiels campus.
The key parts of the update and areas currently being progressed are shown below and additional detail and plans can be found on the staff portal
• Transfer of activities from Tweedbank are still being investigated for moving into the current textile workshop area. Funding has been secured from SFC to develop these plans and business case to Outline Business Case phase.
• Borderlands – the College has been successful at the Strategic Outline Business Case stage for the Human Health Innovation Lab and Net Zero Accelerator Hub. These will both move to the Outline Business Case phase.
• Works will commence over the summer break in Student Support area and the ground floor of the library. This will provide a larger and more welcoming Student
Support area and a quite study space for students. The IT department and help desk will also transfer to the ground floor of the library and learning support activities currently in room 0.019 will transfer to the current IT office. It is hoped this work will be complete for the start of the new academic year.
• Proposed opening hours (post October 2026) are currently still be reviewed following feedback from the Principals update but should be finalised by end April.
Kirsty Robb, Vice Principal – Finance and Corporate Services
No Holiday on Centre Parcs Visit
It was a highly productive and inspiring day for colleagues from Borders College, alongside partners from Scottish Borders Council and South of Scotland Enterprise, as they came together to strengthen collaboration and explore future opportunities.
The visit provided a valuable opportunity to gain deeper insight into the wide range of roles and responsibilities available at Center Parcs UK & Ireland. From environmental conservation initiatives, including on-site beekeeping and biodiversity efforts, through to the design, development and management of premium accommodation such as the renowned Treehouses, the day highlighted the diversity of career pathways within the organisation.
For Borders College, the experience reinforced the importance of strong industry partnerships in shaping relevant skills provision and creating meaningful progression routes for learners. By engaging directly with employers and regional stakeholders, the College continues to ensure that its curriculum aligns closely with emerging
workforce needs across the South of Scotland. There was a strong sense of shared purpose throughout the day, with enthusiasm, collaboration and clear forward momentum evident among all partners. As preparations continue for the opening of the new Scottish village, Borders College looks forward to supporting this exciting development through skills, training and talent pipelines that will benefit both learners and the wider regional economy.
This collaboration represents a significant step forward in building a skilled workforce that can contribute to the long-term success of this major investment in the region.
Sam’s Humour Helps Men Understand Menopause
Sam Anderson has released his book Perimenopause:
The A-Z Guide for Us Idiots, a humorous but honest guide aimed at breaking down stigma and making the topic of menopause more approachable for men. The book is now available to purchase on Amazon as an e-book or paperback copy.
Sam was inspired to write the book after seeing first-hand the challenges his partner faced while experiencing perimenopause.
Read more here
Staff Upskill in Fabric First Training
Borders College is continuing its commitment to low-carbon, high-performance building practices, with staff members Colin Waddell and Greg Steel recently completing the acclaimed Fabric First Training Series delivered by Ecological Building Systems.
By participating in this specialist training, the team is strengthening Borders College’s capacity to deliver high-quality learning in sustainable construction.
Read more here.
Glidevale Protect Supports Sustainable Construction
The College is pleased to acknowledge the generous support of Glidevale Protect, who recently donated specialist construction membrane materials to enhance hands-on learning within the College.
The leading UK manufacturer of building envelope solutions including construction membranes and ventilation products, reached out to offer students access to reflective Protect VC Foil Ultra membrane.
Read more here
e NEWSLETTER STAFF
Items for inclusion in the eNewsletter should be submitted to your Senior Leadership Team staff member two weeks prior to the end of the month.
Please report any of the following illness/ disease’s to the Health & Safety Manager or your line manager, as a priority.
Notifiable Diseases
Acute encephalitise
Acute flaccid paralysis (AFP) or Acute flaccid myelitis (AFM)
Acute infectious hepatitis (A/B/C)
Acute meningitis
Acute poliomyelitis
Anthrax
Botulism
Brucellosis
Chickenpox (varicella)
Cholera
Congenital syphilis
COVID-19
Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (CJD)
Disseminated gonococcal infection (DGI)
Diphtheria
Enteric fever (typhoid or paratyphoid fever)
Food poisoning
Haemolytic uraemic syndrome (HUS)
Infectious bloody diarrhoea
Influenza of zoonotic origin
Invasive group A streptococcal disease
Legionnaires’ disease
Leprosy
Malaria
Measles
Meningococcal septicaemia
Middle East respiratory syndrome (MERS)
Mpox (previously known as monkeypox)
Mumps
Neonatal herpes
Plague
Rabies
Rubella
Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS)
Scarlet fever
Smallpox
Tetanus
Tuberculosis
Typhus
Viral haemorrhagic fever (VHF)
Whooping cough
Katrina Fitzgerald, Health and Safety Manager
Kfitzgerald@borderscollege.ac.uk
Stress Awareness Month
March 2026
April is Stress Awareness Month with the theme of #BeTheChange, encouraging individuals to build their confidence in managing stress.
Stress affects everyone, but the good news is that you have the power to make a difference. Change starts with small, confident steps; your actions influence your wellbeing and those around you. By believing in your ability to manage stress, you can adopt positive coping strategies and influence a healthier environment.
When we believe we can influence our situation, stress becomes something we manage, not something that manages us.
Quick actions you can take today:
Action: Set one small achievable goal for your day. Example: Instead of “finish all my work,” aim for “complete the first report and send it by noon.”
Action: Share a stress management tip with a friend or colleague.
Example: Suggest taking a short walk together at lunch or using a wellbeing app like Sorted.
Action: Reflect on past successes to boost confidence before a challenging task.
Example: Recall a time you successfully led a meeting or handled a tight deadline, remind yourself, “I’ve done this before, I can do it again.”
Action: Try a 5-minute mindfulness or breathing exercise. Example: Close your eyes, inhale for 4 counts, hold for 4, exhale for 6 Repeat for five minutes to calm your mind
Check out the resources we have added below to find more ways to help you manage stress.