Scottish Borders Council have announced two consultation events on Saturday 09 February to allow the public to find out more about their bid to conserve the historic Union Chain Bridge.

Members of the project team and Friends of the Union Chain Bridge will be present at Hutton Village Hall, 11am to 1pm and Horncliffe Memorial Hall, 2pm to 4pm.

A variety of members of the project team will provide information on plans for:

• the project's main conservation and engineering work

• exhibitions

• site interpretation

• educational and community events.

Engagement with the public is vital to the success of the project, with a second round Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF) bid currently being finalised.

The ambitious project aims to conserve the historic bridge and is currently in a one year development phase after initial support for National Lottery funding from the HLF was approved in March 2018, securing a £360,000 development grant.

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It meant the £7.3million project could be progressed further, ahead of the second round bid submission in March this year.

The bid focuses on conserving and raising awareness of the internationally significant bridge, which celebrates its 200th birthday in 2020.

Along with the council, other partners of the scheme include:

• Northumberland County Council

• Friends of the Union Chain Bridge (community group)

• Museums Northumberland (formerly known as the Woodhorn Charitable Trust).

Built by Captain Samuel Brown in 1820, the Union Chain Bridge is currently the oldest operational suspension bridge in the world still carrying vehicles, and through securing National Lottery support, it is anticipated that the bridge project can also deliver numerous cultural, heritage, educational and community benefits.

A spokesperson for the partners of the Union Chain Bridge project, said: "We need the public to help us shape this project and therefore would encourage as many people as possible to come along to these consultation events ahead of our Heritage Lottery Funding bid being submitted.

"Alongside conserving and promoting the Union Chain Bridge, our project also aims to raise the profile of nearby attractions, providing learning opportunities for young people inspired by the bridge's innovative engineering, and developing meaningful cross-border heritage projects and partnerships."

The Union Chain Bridge project also aims to use the structure and its conservation to develop educational resources and case study materials for the teaching of science, technology, engineering and maths subjects from primary schools up to postgraduate level.

This would aim to inspire a new generation to choose careers in science and engineering and to follow in the footsteps of Captain Samuel Brown.