Venue: Borthwick Primary School, Midlothian
Time/Date : Monday 15th March 2004 3.45pm
CELEBRITY SUPPORT FOR SCHOOL CLOSURE BATTLE
TOP TV interior design gurus Justin Ryan and Colin McAllister are to launch a campaign to save Midlothian's
smallest primary schools.
The duo who fronted the hugely popular BBC £1 million Property Experiment are backing the Midlothian Rural
Schools Action Group campaign at closure-threatened Borthwick School on Monday, March 15, at 3.45pm.
Justin Ryan has strong family connections with Borthwick - his nephews and niece are educated or have been educated
at the school which has a current roll of 31 pupils and 2 teachers.
As well as backing the campaign, Justin and partner Colin will also launch the Action Group's website www.mrsag.org.uk
at Borthwick school on Monday 15th March at 3.45pm.
This action group was set up after a public meeting in Temple village to battle against the threatened closure of
Borthwick and four other rural primary schools across Midlothian - Borthwick, Temple, Howgate, Cousland and Cranston.
The parents of the schools were first informed by a ‘glossy brochure’ about these closures on Friday 5th March. A consultation
period of only 28 days finishes on 16th April. All five schools proposed closure date would be completed by August 2004.
A co-ordinator from the action group said, ‘We welcome plans to rebuild and refurbish urban schools but closing village
schools attack the entire concept of rural re-generation and sustainability and threaten the destruction of great swathes
of Midlothian¹s rural fabric.’
The Midlothian Rural Schools Action Group has been formed and they plan to make a direct appeal to the Scottish Parliament
at the shortness of time implicit in such a draconian swoop on rural life.
Contact details Sandra Crow 01875 830569 / 07971 628066
Notes to editors:
Justin Ryan and Colin McAllister will be available for interview and photos with Action Group members.
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