Thousands of young footballers and their families came together in Galashiels on Sunday 7 June as a major community football festival brought the Borders Railway tenth anniversary celebrations to a close.
Around 2,500 players, coaches and spectators from 140 boys and girls teams gathered at Netherdale Playing Fields for a packed afternoon of football and other community activities.
The festival was organised by the Borders Railway Community Partnership (BRCP), in partnership with Network Rail, ScotRail, Scottish Borders Council and the Scottish Borders Junior Football Association.
Alongside football matches, the event also helped promote railway safety and highlighted ongoing investment in the Borders Railway, including the electrification project now underway.
The event was the final one of a series marking the tenth anniversary of the Borders Railway, which reconnected the Borders with Edinburgh and Midlothian in 2015 for the first time in more than 40 years.
The £353m project, funded by the Scottish Government, restored the 30-mile route and opened seven new stations. It’s estimated to reduce peak-time car journeys by around 60,000 each year.
Judith Cleghorn, vice chair of the Borders Railway Community Partnership, said: “The BRCP are delighted to have been involved in such an amazing event and are grateful to everyone who made it possible.
“To have such an event to celebrate 10 years of the Borders Railway reminds us all of what the railway means to the Borders – most of us can no longer imagine life without it. The BRCP feel privileged to support the Borders Railway in every way we can.”
Jeremy Spence, route delivery director at Network Rail Scotland, added: “Seeing so many young people, families and volunteers enjoying themselves in Galashiels for the festival really demonstrates what the Borders Railway has helped achieve over the last ten years.
“The railway has strengthened connections and created new opportunities across the Borders, and with further investment underway, those benefits will only continue to grow.”
Learn more about ScotRail’s work in the community here.
