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Two

Destination

Language

Pl​ay

Alone with a crossword, board games with family, quizzes online, inventing ​new games in the garden: lockdown was a time for rediscovering play. ​People read more, listened to more music, sang, wrote and took ​photographs.

Fa​mily

For some, a welcome chance to spend time together which would otherwise ​have been impossible. For others, a heightened sense of distance from loved ​ones - and loneliness.

Ro​utine

Freedom from externally imposed routines (school, jobs) meant some could ​build paths through their days which worked much better for them. Not ​having enforced social encounters was an opportunity.

Ma​sks

Making masks offered a chance to contribute. Wearing masks heightened ​the sense for some that other people were dangerous. It made it difficult to ​hear and created a sense of distance.

Together

Making it through COVID was something that only happened because of ​communities that were local, national and international; communities of ​colleagues, family, sports clubs ... And knowing a neighbour was looking out ​for you was incredibly important.

Food

People delivering groceries for supermarkets, local groups who set up ​pantries or food banks, neighbors who made sure someone had enough or ​ran errands for several household in one trip: sharing the load mattered

Support groups

Both existing groups and informal ways people came together offered ​advice, a sympathetic ear and practical help. The strengthened bonds will ​continue far into the future

School

So often we heard "I'm not a teacher." There was a mixture of delight with ​the opportunity to relearn forgotten subjects and frustration at expectations ​you bought have nothing else to do. Some young people told us they ​enjoyed seeing a timetable that suited them for a while, but for many was ​straight to enforced iPad. What seemed to stick in people's minds, young ​and old, was the importance of freedom and of being prepared for our ​future.

A p​art apart

Whether extremely isolated, shielding, or busy working to care for people, ​everyone seemed to recognise themselves as one part of a whole. People ​noticed for the first time some of the people on whose work their 'normal' ​lives are dependent.

Real life

However effective online meetings and socials were, people craved the real ​life opportunities to be in a space together, to make something together or ​drink together or touch one another. That last one, touch, came up a lot: it ​was the sense most diminished.

Longing

Being deprived of connection made it more important, and people ​recognised something interested in that combination of isolation and ​connection they experienced.

GRIEF

The loss of partners, family members and friends during covid was made so ​much worse by being unable to come together and pay tribute to their lives. ​People also missed thanking the nurses and carers who worked to help ​their loved ones.

ESCAPE

Where home was unsafe or unhappy, we heard of pressures growing and ​relationships ending. Getting outside was often a relief, but in these ​situations the end of restrictions was especially welcome. Sometimes we ​heard about this from young people as well as from adults, and the mental ​health impacts continue for many.

WORK

Sometimes, the changes imposed by covid initiated further changes. From ​working at home to people changing their jobs, moving somewhere new or ​starting a DIY project, many people closed a chapter and embraced ​something new.

The UNknown

Nobody knew what would happen: embracing the novelty was a common ​thread. The chance to take up a new hobby, by yourself, was welcomed by ​many (despite guilt at using supplies from a monolithically large online ​retailer).

bIR​THS

It was hard to be a new parent in lockdown, especially as there were so ​many restrictions on who could help. Partners were often absent from ​medical encounters; there wasn't much help with breast-feeding (and ​online help really wasn't the same) and the babies themselves didn't get to ​socialise as much as parents would like. But this has made parents more ​enthusiastic about finding groups for their toddlers and pre-schoolers.

cOM​MUNITY

Sometimes online, sometimes in real life, people identified communities ​they could be a part of. Spending time together mattered, and still does, for ​gamers, needleworkers and partygoers alike. People told us about ​community gardens, walking groups, swimming together and building the ​things people in their place need: both the practical physical side of that, ​and the fundraising and admin side.

Su​rvivors

We've made it through, and we've got to make the most of it.

To​gether

We're stronger as interwoven communities than any individual could be.

Ac​hievements

Painting the kitchen or developing a vaccine: there are all sorts of things ​people are proud of.

Ho​pe

"You've got to keep looking forward. Better days will come."

Fa​rming

other kinds of farming also came up, but sheep were noticed as part of ​Borders landscapes

Wo​ol

references to heritage industries: spinning, textile design, weaving, finishing

SH​EEP SHOWS

from Teviothead to Westruther, there's a strong tradition of competitive ​breeding (and the accompanying dog trials). The shows are part of the ​cultural lives of these places.

No​thing

we heard often that nothing joins the various parts of the Borders, and there ​seemed a common thread here. Local identities are far more important than ​Borders-wide ones: "we aren't one place, but many."

Dr​iving

Sparse bus networks, winding roads that travel over the hills through ​farmland, and the dangers of driving in front of people who'd rather be on a ​racetrack

Ot​her places

Getting out of the Borders: to England (every one of the 5 districts has a ​border with England), to Edinburgh, to the sea. Travel to places within and ​outside the Borders.

di​fference

People were excited by the way the Borders contains so many different ​things, so many different people.

'T​he' River

The Tweed grabs attention, but the Borders is full of rivers (and Waters). Al​ong with the sea there's a lot of leisure activity on the waters of them. We he​ard about the rivers' past roles in powering and cleaning the Borders' in​dustrial output.

Reservoirs (and lochs)

Thinking of water also brought up the larger bodies of water where people ​swim and paddle.

Th​e sea

Especially for those who live there, the coastline and the sounds of the sea ​offered a soothing reliable rhythm.

Su​mmer Festivals

Each town has its own festival, with a friendly rivalry. While popular, there ​were suggestions these festivals are impenetrable to 'incomers' and r​epresent outdated traditional social hier​archies.

Ho​rses

Riding the bounds and performing ceremonial roles, the Principals in ​each town riding out with their attendant parties were a key part of the ​images of the Borders

Drink

Drinking was a major activity people thought of around Ridings, but they ​were often thinking of a gathering in the centre of town, a community ​coming together

Feedback

If you have thoughts on the proposal, suggestions for groups ​who might like to get involved, or want to offer support to make ​this happen, please let us know.

Just email us on RTBorders@twodestinationlanguage.com

So​ far...

The work we've done with groups ​across the Borders has highlighted ​the experiences and thinking above, ​and the proposal has been ​developed with participants.

In the next phase, we'll make the ​idea a reality, still working with ​groups from across the Borders.