Jim Cockburn, a top player, coach and friend

Jim Cockburn picking up a Service to Local Sport award in 2007.

The Borders badminton scene is mourning the death of one of its most renowned coaches in Jim Cockburn, aged 86.

I met Jim when I moved to Kelso to stay in 1971 and became a great friend of his for 52 years, mainly through our sporting connections from badminton, and through his 20 years as chair of Roxburgh Sports Council representative for the area on the Scottish Association of Local Sports Councils.

In Roxburgh he oversaw the distribution of SBC/Live Borders grant aid support to numerous individuals, clubs and sports organisations to enable them to reach and even surpass their potential, which proved highly successful.

He also participated in and managed inter-district sporting events in Scotland. To reach your potential makes you a winner, but to do better makes you a champion.

In badminton, Jim was not only a renowned player, but was recognised worldwide for his coaching ability and skills, where he won high accolade awards for his work. Awards for Jim were purely his way of ensuring his youngsters and even the more senior level players continue winning or excelling at local, national and international level.

He has friends in badminton circles throughout the world, including the world-famous Danish contingent, but also the UK, US, Spain and China.

His true love was always local and he played in the top leagues in Berwickshire and the Borders.

Jim’s other interests were in the farming community, working with Kelso Tractors in transport and sales where he was very well respected for his agricultural prowess and knowledge.

He was also a UK judge at ploughing competitions both horse and tractor drawn ploughs. He and his wife Isabel loved gardening and allotments and were part of the Open Garden scheme in Yetholm.

He was a community man, too, and helped out in the village and Wauchope Village Hall as an odd-job man. He was a genuine gentle giant.

There is much more to Jim, but to finish he became a first class wood turner and his products are still sold all over the UK. He knew all the wood types with which he worked as a well self-educated worker.

Rest in Peace my dear friend. DL