Getty ImagesHollywood star Jack Lowden has joined the battle to save his former nursery in the Scottish village where he grew up which is at risk of closure.
The actor, known for his roles in Dunkirk, Mary Queen of Scots and Fighting with my Family, was born in Essex but went to Channelkirk Nursery in Oxton in the Borders.
The nursery is now one of several within the region that are under threat of being mothballed.
Posting to his 177,000-strong following on Instagram – along with a childhood photo in a Channelkirk uniform – the actor urged the council to rethink their decision.
He added that he was aware that the Borders was not the only area affected, with parents in Aberdeenshire told that four rural nurseries would be closed.
“Hearing that Scottish Borders Council have been closing rural nurseries across the area, with many more slated for closure or ‘mothballing’,” he wrote.
“Specifically in my old stomping ground of Channelkirk.
“This is apparently happening all across the country in rural areas.
“These nurseries are a vital lifeline for many families.
“Money’s tight across the board of course, but these decisions seem counter-intuitive to attracting people and businesses to our areas.
“Hope Scottish Borders Council can find a way of keeping these nurseries open and help the bairns and families of oor hame to thrive.”
Channelkirk is not the only nursery that the Scottish Borders Council has proposed to shut this coming summer.
The council is set to close seven nurseries in a bid to save £400,000, with Channelkirk, Cockburnspath, Ednam, Fountainhall, Walkerburn, Westruther and Yetholm all said to be operating at half their capacity or less and within seven miles of a suitable alternative.
Borders MSP Rachael Hamilton backed Lowden’s message. She said: “It’s basic common sense that parents and children need good nursery care near where they live.
“Closing these nurseries would be a huge inconvenience for local families and working parents, and could prevent people from moving to small towns in the future.
“The failure to engage meaningfully with parents has been disgraceful, with many completely blindsided by these proposals.
“I urge the council to listen to parents and not go ahead with these proposals.”
A Scottish Borders Council spokesperson said : “A report is being presented to Executive Committee on Tuesday 15 April.
“The report outlines the process which has been followed each year to establish the Early Learning and Childcare provision for the coming session. This year, this process has resulted in a greater number of nurseries being identified as potentially being mothballed than previous years, and therefore we have decided we should formulate something more detailed.
“Therefore, an addition has been proposed to the school mothballing policy which will apply with specific reference to Early Years settings and is now being put forward for approval.
“No decisions have been made. The report identifies seven nurseries where it is recommended that consultation is held with those within communities affected before any decision is taken.
“We have allowed a 3-week period of consultation which will begin after schools return from the Easter break on 21 April. Following this, a further report is planned to be presented to committee, and it is only at that point that any decisions on which settings may be mothballed for one year would be made.”
It comes just a week after parents in Aberdeenshire claimed their council “doesn’t care” about children in rural communities after they unexpectedly made a last-minute decision to mothball four nurseries.
The council stated that children at Glass Nursery near Huntly, Ballogie Nursery near Aboyne, Crossroads Nursery near Durris, and Sandhaven Nursery near Fraserburgh will be placed at their second or third choice nursery in August 2025 after their current placements are closed.
They cited financial issues and declining birth rates as reasons for their decision to mothball the nurseries later this year.
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