Northumberland News - Spring 2016 issue

news
Northumberland
Spring 2016
SPRING
has sprung
at Whitehouse Farm Centre
Tall Ships Regatta
Four Day Sailing Spectacular
What’s on?
Events and Activities

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Working for you
Inside this issue
06 Tall Ships
Available online, by email or in print.
Northumberland News is a magazine packed with features and news
articles written specifically for county residents.
Published in December, March, June and September it is distributed
free of charge by Northumberland County Council. Every effort is
made to ensure that all information is accurate at the time of
publication.
If you would like to receive Northumberland
News in large print, Braille, audio, or in
another format or language please contact us.
Telephone: 0345 600 6400
Type Talk: 18001 0345 600 6400
04 You said we did
Exciting changes for Northumberland News
12 NEW Local News
Community and investment news in your local area
13 Be Digital
Inspirational business women from your area
21 WIN a family pass
Fun on the farm at Whitehouse Farm Centre
22 What’s on guide
The latest events on and around Northumberland
Follow Us:
Facebook at:
www.northumberland.gov.uk/facebook
Twitter at:
www.northumberland.gov.uk/twitter
YouTube at:
www.northumberland.gov.uk/youtube
Front cover:
Spring fun at
Whitehouse Farm Centre
3

Your views
YOU SAIDwe did
In a recent online survey we asked readers what they thought of Northumberland News and you’ll
notice that we’ve made some changes in response to some of your comments and requests. Those
that filled in the survey were entered into a prize draw and one lucky resident, Ms Wallace from Blyth,
took away an Easter hamper from Morpeth Chantry.
87
YOU
SAID
%
“I want to read more information
about MY local area”
we did
To make sure you are getting more content about where you live,
Northumberland News will now become four slightly different
magazines. Each magazine will have the same great content but
the four centre pages will now feature stories and information
about your local area.
90%
of you said that you are
satisfied with the magazine
of you think that the magazine
has a good range of content.
“
YOU
SAID
“It would be good to read more about
real people in the community.”
we did
With the introduction of the new local area magazines, we’re
dedicating space to telling the stories of real people in your
local area.
89%
YOU
SAID
of you agree it has an
attractive layout
“It needs to be more available
and easy to access”
we did
““I’d like a residents’ area where
YOU we can send letters, photographs
SAID
and suggestions.”
we did
We have dedicated a page in each addition to great content from
our readers. Turn to page 20 to find out more.
”
86%
@
Let us know what you think by emailing communications@northumberland.gov.uk
4
”
You told us that it is sometimes hard to get hold of Northumberland
News. We are reviewing our distribution list to make sure that your
residents’ magazine is accessible in the heart of your communities.
The magazine can currently be found in libraries, leisure centres and
all council buildings. The magazine is also available online.
of you said that there is
something in the magazine
that interests you

News in brief
A round up of the latest news and events from around Northumberland
Pothole Priority
The council has repaired 99% of all potholes
reported between November 2013 – November
2015. The ongoing work to tackle potholes
forms part of the council’s Local Transport Plan
Programme – a £19million investment for
2015/16 to maintain and improve the county’s
highway and transport network. The council has
also recently received around £1.2 million
towards pothole repairs to help with damage
caused to roads by severe weather.
To report a pothole visit
mapreport.northumberland.gov.uk.
Launch of the ‘Produced in Northumberland’ scheme at Kirkley Hall
Produced in Northumberland
A new scheme to celebrate and promote food and drink produced entirely in
Northumberland has been launched.
‘Produced in Northumberland’, a joint venture between Northumberland County Council, Active
Northumberland and Northumberland Tourism, recognises producers and businesses that use and
promote food and drink made in the county.
Businesses are already signing up to the scheme and will be displaying their official ‘Produced in
Northumberland’ certificate in their shop, restaurant or B&B and using the logo on their websites,
labels and leaflets so that residents and visitors can find businesses making and selling authentic
Northumberland food and drink.
Visit www.northumberland.gov.uk/produced-in-northumberland for more information.
2015 Local Hero winner, Lynda Waite from Berwick
Your Local Hero
Do you know a local hero who has gone
above and beyond to help out their local
community?
You can now nominate your heroes for a
Northumberland Local Heroes award to say a
special thank you. The county-wide awards
scheme highlights how much good work is
done by local people and groups for the benefit
of neighbours and their local area.
The awards scheme has three categories –
good neighbours, businesses supporting their
community, and community champions.
Nominations can be made online at:
www.northumberland.gov.uk/hero
Public Health
Exceptional
‘Exceptional’ is how the County Council’s’s
approach to public health has been described
by Duncan Selbie, the chief executive of Public
Health England. Mr Selbie recently visited the
council to find out more about local public
health work and to share best practice from
other areas.
Triple Award Win
Three of Northumberland’s popular tourist spots
have scooped top honours at this year’s BBC
Countryfile Magazine awards. Northumberland
National Park won the National Park of the Year
award; Hadrian’s Wall scooped the Heritage
Site of the Year and Bamburgh Castle took the
title of Landmark of the Year. Well done!
Empty Homes
Do you own an empty property? The council
could help you to get it back on the rental
market and find new tenants. Assistance and
various incentive schemes are available now.
For more information call
0345 600 6400 or email
privatesectorhousing@northumberland.gov.uk
5

Event Tall Ships
SAILING
SPECTACULAR
Friday 26 th to Monday 29 th August
Save the date and get ready for a breathtaking four-day Tall
Ships celebration as Northumberland prepares to host the
North Sea Tall Ships Regatta this August bank holiday
The bustling Port of Blyth will
welcome the Tall Ships
extravaganza from Friday 26 to
Monday 29 August. Up to 40 Tall
Ships, steeped in history from
all over the world will sail into
Blyth before they depart in a
spectacular Parade of Sail to the
starting line of their 500 mile race
to Gothenburg, Sweden.
The North Sea Tall Ships Regatta celebrations will
be filling every corner of Blyth Town, marking the
60th anniversary of the Tall Ships Races and
honouring Blyth’s rich sailing history.
Visitors can expect spectacular views from the
quayside and can even hop on board these
impressive Tall Ships to see and learn more
about life on deck. The entire town, port and
seafront will be buzzing with activity, live
music, and entertainment including a
Northumberland Visitor’s Village - a mix of
street entertainers and treats for lovers of
Northumberland’s food and drink delicacies.
The Blyth Tall Ships Regatta will not be short of
traditional maritime celebrations as Tall Ships
crews bring a carnival atmosphere to Blyth with
their world famous crew parade and spectacular
nightly firework displays that will showcase the
ships in all their glory.
The 2016 Tall Ships Regatta is shaping up to be
a fantastic weekend and with vantage points
along the bay between Blyth and Seaton Sluice,
the dramatic sites of the ships under full sail
will be truly breath taking.
Northumberland County Council, in partnership
with the Port of Blyth and Sail Training
International, is hosting the prestigious Regatta
which will be one of the largest events ever
held in the county and the only Regatta in the
UK this year. Fergusons of Blyth has been
confirmed as the principal sponsor for the event
in celebration of their 90th Anniversary.
www.tallshipsblyth2016.com
6

Event Tall Ships
7

h&w
Advertorial Central Heating Fund
Health and Wellbeing
Get active this spring
With miles of rolling countryside, beautiful coastline and award-winning countryside parks, it’s not
hard to see why Northumberland is home to some of the most popular walking routes in the country
Walking has a wealth of benefits, not only
improving your health and wellbeing but
also getting you out and about with friends
and family. Throughout the month of May,
Northumberland County Council is
promoting walking as part of Everybody
Active North East, a project between 13
North East Councils aiming to get the
region active by taking responsibility for
promoting different fitness activities.
Public Health England recommends that
we should aim to do 150 minutes of
activity each week – that’s just 20 minutes
per day which can easily be achieved by
enjoying walking as a hobby or adding it
into your daily routine.
Did you know?
Evidence shows that regular physical
activity can reduce the chance of:
Type II diabetes by 40%.
Cardiovascular disease by more than 33%.
Falls, depression and dementia by
more than 33%.
Joint and back pain by 25%.
Some cancers like colon and breast
cancer by 20%.
How can I get active?
There are lots of ways you can get active.
Instead of jumping in the car, take to public
footpaths, visit one of Northumberland’s
country parks or join in with one of the
following events:
Walking beach litter picks with
Northumberland Wildlife trust
Newbiggin Beach,
Wednesday 11 May,
10:30am.
Blyth Beach,
Saturday 14 May,
10:30am.
Guided walk from Beadnell beach
From Beadnell Beach car park to the Tern
Site and back including a 15 minute talk
from the ranger about flowers, birds and
butterflies that you might see on the walk.
This walk is 2km in distance and covers
some uneven beach terrain.
8
To find out more about Northumberland’s
popular walking hotspots visit
www.northumberland.gov.uk/parks

in Northumberland
Working for you
h&w
New Macmillan
support service
A cancer diagnosis can be an overwhelming experience for you and your
loved ones but Northumberland’s Macmillan Support Service has launched
two new specialist support sessions to help residents affected by cancer.
The service includes the first Macmillan drop-in
service in Northumberland which provides
information and emotional support on a wide
range of subjects including cancer diagnosis,
treatments and lifestyle choices.
A new Health and Wellbeing programme is also
available offering information and social
support for patients, families and carers
affected by cancer. The sessions cover different
themes each week and provide an opportunity
to take part in crafts and meet others in a
similar situation.
Drop-in events:
Fridays 10am – 1pm
Health and Wellbeing sessions:
Tuesdays 10am – 1pm
Sessions are held at:
Nursery Park Health Centre,
Nursery Park Road, Ashington, NE63 0HP.
You don’t need to make an
appointment to attend the drop-in
events but those wanting to attend the
Health and Wellbeing sessions must
book a place by calling
01670 855 533
STOP SMOKING SERVICE
helps more people quit
Stopping smoking is never easy but smokers who use
their local stop smoking service are up to four times
more likely to successfully stop for good.
Northumberland Stop Smoking Service, provided by Northumbria
Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust, has recruited eight new specialist
advisors to help residents beat their smoking habits. The new recruits
have joined a team of more than 100 advisors and will offer support at
sessions across the county.
David Lightley from Stakeford quit with the service and has been
smokefree four years later. He said: “Giving up takes a lot of will power
but it made it easier to have the support of the stop smoking service.
Quitting was hard at first, but now I know I'll never go back to it".
@
For
more information call 01670 813 135
or visit www.northumbria.nhs.uk/stopsmoking
The new stop smoking
sessions include:
4
Tuesdays, 5.30pm- 7.30pm,
Burnbrae Surgery,
Corbridge Road, Hexham
Wednesdays, 9am-11am, Cromies Pharmacy,
Percy Street, Amble
Thursdays, 5pm-7pm, Boots,
Maddison Street , Blyth
4
4
Northumberlands new
stop smoking advisors
9

h&w
YOUNG
PEOPLE
HAVE THEIR
SAY ON
More than 200 young people
took part in Healthwatch
Northumberland’s Young
People’s Health Survey, an
online questionnaire asking
what young people think of the
health services, support and
information on offer in
Northumberland.
This survey was carried out through 1001
Voices, a project run by Northumberland
County Council’s Youth Service, with help from
some of Healthwatch Northumberland’s young
volunteers. Healthwatch Northumberland is the
independent consumer champion for health and
social care services across the county.
The findings revealed a broad range of positive
and negative feelings towards health services
and the quality of support and information on
offer. Young people identified “mental health,
emotions and stress” as the most important
aspect of health to them.
The findings also show that young people know
mental health services exist but are not told
how to access them. Others have had
difficulties making appointments with mental
health services and faced long waits.
10

h&w
Mental
Health
Services
Business Chair Cllr Scott Dickinson
One recommendation, made by young people,
from the report was for them to be better
informed about the various routes into mental
health services and how to access them.
County Councillor Scott Dickinson said: “The
survey was created by young people for young
people and it was really important to hear from
them on these important and delicate issues.
The survey has given some valuable insights
and has been shared with all our service
providers, so that future improvements can be
identified and challenges better understood.”
A more recent report produced by
Northumberland Specialist Health Improvement
Service following Takeover Day at County Hall
also reveals young people’s mixed experiences
of mental health services. The day was attended
by 45 young people and focused on emotional
and mental health provisions for young people.
Whilst many of those who attended felt their
involvement with Children and Young People's
Services (CYPS) had been a positive one and
valued the range of services available, including
those delivered by the voluntary sector, they felt the
journey of accessing services can often be a
difficult one to navigate.
As with the Young People’s Health Survey, this
report highlights that many young people did
not know what support is available or how to
get referred, and felt that mental health services
are not well promoted. Others described issues
relating to a limited number of sessions,
accessing services from rural areas, poorly
managed transitions to adult services and
unhelpful interactions with GPs.
Takeover Day was delivered by Northumberland
Adolescent Service and Northumberland
Specialist Health Improvement Service with
support and guidance from Young Advisors,
a young people’s participation group.
The NHS Northumberland Clinical Commissioning
Group, who are responsible for planning and
delivering health services in Northumberland, will
study the information further to see where
improvements can be made.
Dr Alistair Blair, chief clinical officer at NHS
Northumberland Clinical Commissioning Group
(CCG), said: “Obtaining the views of the young
people of Northumberland is extremely
important to the CCG and it’s great to see so
many have taken part in this survey. The results
give us a much better understanding of the
experiences of young people in
Northumberland and will help inform our
decisions on how we can better deliver mental
health services in the future.”
Healthwatch Northumberland is working with
partner agencies across Northumberland to
create an action plan that will tackle issues
raised in the survey and improve mental health
services for young people.
Contacting Healthwatch
Call
03332 408 468
Email
info@healthwatchnorthumberland.co.uk
Write to us
Healthwatch Northumberland, Adapt North
East, Burn Lane, Hexham, Northumberland,
NE46 3HN
Visit our website
www.healthwatchnorthumberland.co.uk
Where to access
professional support
If you are a young person living in
Northumberland who needs support for
emotional or mental health issues, you can
make an appointment with your G.P who
will help you access the right service.
If you are a young person attending a
school in Northumberland, you can also
speak to your School Health Advisor
(School Nurse).
Useful websites for
young people
www.youngminds.org.uk
www.childline.org.uk
https://www.mentalhealth.org.uk/a-toz/c/children-and-young-people
11

Focus on your area
£2m Bedlington boost
The launch of new £2m leisure facilities for Bedlington is fast approaching as work continues on
the Gallagher Park and Bedlingtonshire Community High School sites
Turf cutting at Gallagher Park with left to right:
Cllr Ian Swithenbank, Roz Dolby, Irene Webster,
Mike Jeffrey (Green Spaces and Countryside
Manager), Trish Fisher, Wes Dolby.
Work started on the new pavilion in February to bring a community room
and kitchen, two changing rooms and toilets to Gallagher Park. The new
hub will add to the range of facilities already available at the park
including opportunities for walking, cycling and picnicking as well as
football pitches, a BMX track, play facilities and a mountain biking
course.
The leisure plans also include improved sport and fitness facilities at the
new Bedlingtonshire Community High School which is currently under
construction. The developments include a new studio for health and
fitness classes and a multi-functional 4-court sports hall for activities
including badminton, basketball, netball and a 5-a-side football pitch.
The Council and Active Northumberland will create a new ‘Sporting Club
of Bedlington’ at the school which will become a public sports centre for
the town offering full use of the facilities to the public at weekends and
during school holidays.
Funding for the new facilities has been provided by the Council and
sports organisations including Sport England and the Football
Foundation. Sports facilities at Bedlingtonshire Community High School
will be open to the public in September this year.
Beach Hut Radio
Clr Margaret Parker, Mayor of Blyth and Grant Davey Leader of
Northumberland County Council at Beach Hut Radio Station
For more information and to find out how you can get involved contact
info@beachhutradio.com or visit www.beachhutradio.com
Listeners can tune in on the Beach Hut Radio website
www.beachhutradio.com or through the TuneIn mobile app.
It’s time to retune your radio
and listen in to Blyth’s all new
community radio station
Beach Hut Radio, based in Blyth Community
Enterprise Centre, officially opened its doors in
January with a packed launch party and special
guests Councillor Margaret Parker, Mayor of
Blyth, and Grant Davey, Leader of
Northumberland County Council.
Fuelled by the hard work and enthusiasm of
local volunteers, Beach Hut Radio is providing
a new voice and a community hub for residents
of South East Northumberland.
Richie Ross, director of Beach Hut Radio, said:
“We’re incredibly excited to have launched
Blyth’s very own community radio station.
There are so many different opportunities for all
members of the community to get involved and
we’re ready to welcome them into the team. You
don’t have to have any experience, just a
passion for the local area and an enthusiastic
attitude.”
As a community enterprise, Beach Hut Radio
relies on the support of volunteers to keep the
station active and is looking for volunteers to
help with producing, presenting, marketing,
events and fundraising.
12

Focus on your area
For generations Northumberland has been home to bold
and enterprising women who play an important role in our
communities. Some of these ambitious women in your
local area are taking the business world by storm with a
little help from Northumberland’s Be Digital programme.
The ‘Be Digital – Women and Broadband Challenge’, funded
by Government Equalities Office, celebrates the
achievements of inspiring women, past and present.
After making it through a competitive application process,
20 female entrepreneurs from Northumberland joined the
training and support programme to learn how to use digital
skills in business.
We talked to Tracey Wilkinson from Blyth and Kim Scott from
Cramlington to find out how being digital has helped their
businesses to grow.
Tracey Wilkinson, Dapa Designs
Tracey
Hi Tracey, tell us a bit about what inspired you to set up
Dapa Designs…
I was working full time but I wanted to spend more time
with my children – so 12 years ago I decided to buy an
embroidery machine to set up my own business.
What tips would you give other women who are thinking
about setting up their own business?
Don’t over think it because you’ll talk yourself out of it. If
you have faith in yourself, work hard and focus on your
customers, you will succeed.
What are the benefits of the internet for your business?
The internet is great for allowing me to reach a bigger
geographical area. I also use the internet for researching
new customers and new products.
What are your future plans for Dapa Designs?
I am looking for premises in Blyth to expand Dapa
Designs. I am taking some risks but they’re in my hands
and I love knowing that the business is my responsibility.
To find out more about Tracey’s business visit:
www.dapadesigns.com
To find out more about Be Digital visit: www.bedigital.org.uk
Photographs by Rachel at RJM Photography.
Visit: www.rjm-photography.co.uk
Kim Scott, These Girls Can Run
Kim
Hi Kim, tell us a bit about what inspired you to set up
These Girls Can Run…
The inspiration for my business was my own journey to
running, from overweight and unfit to being able to run a
marathon. I want to show other ladies just what they can
achieve with the right support and encouragement.
What tips would you give other women who are thinking
about setting up their own business?
I love the saying ‘leap and the net will appear’ – my advice
would be to go for it. Find someone you can bounce ideas
off and who will be honest and constructive.
What are the benefits of the internet for your business?
The internet has helped me build an amazing community
of women. Even when we are not running our ladies can
access some fantastic online support.
What are your future plans for These Girls Can Run?
I would like ladies throughout the North East and beyond
to be able to access one of our groups easily. I am
currently concentrating on building our team of Run
Group Leaders so we can offer more sessions.
To find out more about Kim’s business visit:
www.thesegirlscanrun.weebly.com
13

Focus on your area
Residents’
survey
To capture the views of residents living in Northumberland
and to identify priorities for the county we carried out a
residents’ survey. A sample of residents received the
survey in September 2015, asking them to answer
questions about their local area, their involvement in local
communities, health, the economy, council services and
and communications.
Take a look at some of the top figures from the residents’ survey…
WE
ASKED
69%
WE
ASKED
Do you feel
safe in
your local
area?*
WE
ASKED
How satisfied are you with your
local area as a place to live?
said they are satisfied
with their local area.
91%
said they feel safe during the
day and 67% said they feel
safe at night too
Would you recommend your
children’s school to another parent?
81%
of those with children attending
state schools would recommend
it to another parent.
WE
ASKED
Where would
you like to see
improvement
in your local
area?
WE
ASKED
How do you
prefer to find
out information
about the
council?
Residents said their top three
priorities are:
• Clean streets
• Anti-social behaviour
• Shopping facilities
Residents said they prefer to find
out about the council via:
• Local media
(newspapers, local radio,
television)
• The Council website
• Northumberland News
What does this mean to me?
WE
ASKED
How satisfied
or dissatisfied
are you with
leisure and
culture
services?*
Results show that residents are
more satisfied with parks and
green spaces and sports and
leisure facilities but are less
satisfied with local libraries
than in 2012.
Northumberland residents are at the heart of the county’s
communities and activities like the residents survey allow the
council to plan and prioritise services and address any issues
that residents may have.
Road repairs remain a priority and the Council have started a
£1 million repair programme to repair roads following extreme
winter weather conditions. The lack of affordable housing is one
of the biggest issues facing young people and families in
Northumberland, especially in rural villages. In recognition of this
the Council has contributed over £25million towards housing
schemes including two recent developments in Embleton and
Shilbottle.
*Questions marked with an asterisk indicate a question that has not been split by
area and so shows a county wide response.
You can find out more about what the Council is doing in response
to the residents survey in future editions of Northumberland News.
14

Business news
£BUDGET
the story so far…
Each year the Council must agree how
spending is going to be spread across
different services. In February, the budget
for the next two years was agreed with an
aim to protect frontline services and
promote growth across market towns.
Since 2011 the Council’s budget has been cut
by £148 million but it is now facing an 82.4%
cut in its core funding from Government. This
will leave the council with just £10.3 million of
core funding from the Government by 2020.
At a meeting of full council it was agreed the
authority would make cuts of £11.9 million in
2016-2017, £6 million next year and £58
million over the next four years.
The chart above shows the scale
of grant reduction and financial
pressures faced by the Council
between 2016-2017 to 2019-2020
when compared to 2015-2016. It
also shows how the Council is
funding this through increased
income from council tax and
business rates, the use of reserves
and the savings that the Council is
expected to make to set a
balanced budget.
What does this mean for you?
Protecting frontline services has always
been a key priority for the Council so in
some areas services are changing so that
they can continue rather than being
stopped completely.
This includes the relocation of some
libraries into leisure centres and
introducing one-stop-shops for council
services.
Despite the cuts the Council is focused on
the regeneration of the county and
ensuring it does all it can to drive and
encourage growth in all the county’s
market towns.
From Berwick in the north, across to
Hexham in the west and the towns of
the south east, the Council is working to
bring some buildings back to life, while
selling surplus buildings to reinvest
the money.
The overall capital programme has
already seen the opening of a new £21
million leisure centre in Ashington,
ongoing work on the £30 million
Morpeth northern bypass scheme, the
start of a brand new bus station in the
centre of Hexham and work on a number
of brand new schools across the county.
15

Business news
County recovering
after winter storms
They were storms which devastated parts of Northumberland and beyond –
causing millions of pounds damage, flooding homes and businesses and washing away roads
Extreme rainfall during December caused the
River Tyne to flow at four times its average
speed - faster than any speed recorded since
the 18th century. It also saw almost six inches
of rain fall in a single day - usually the amount
for the whole of December.
During the floods organisations worked together
to support affected communities - with the
County Council setting up a special control
room involving Northumberland Fire and
Rescue Service, Northumbria Police, council
staff and the Environment Agency.
The west of the county suffered the brunt of the
damage but other parts of Northumberland also
suffered heavy rainfall, with Morpeth’s £27m
new flood defence system being successfully
used for the first time.
In all, 187 homes and 84 businesses were
affected by the floods - and council staff
worked round-the-clock during the clean up to
get the county back on its feet.
Following the storms the council opened a
number of funding streams for affected
businesses and householders, including using
its own funds to provide support to those
affected by January flooding which wasn’t
covered by the government.
The council is now getting more than £14
million from central government to tackle the
damage caused across the county, which will
allow the council to start work on a number of
vital schemes including repairs to Ovingham
Bridge, landslips at Bywell and Widehaugh and
works in Corbridge. The authority is also to
receive around £1.1 million towards pothole
repairs. This work is starting immediately as the
council continues to tackle the damage caused
to roads by the severe weather.
@
To report a pothole
people can go to
http://bit.ly/NCCpothole
Flooding in Northumberland
Leader Grant Davey, Deputy Leader Dave Ledger and Business Chair Cllr Scott Dickinson visit Ovingham Bridge
16

Event Northumberland Live
Greg Churchouse, Roy Stride and Peter Ellard - Scouting for Girls
BLYTH IS SCOUTING FOR
SUMMER FUN
The stage is set for this summer to be a real scorcher down on Blyth
seafront, as South Beach prepares to welcome chart-topping and BRIT
Award winning super group, Scouting For Girls
After the huge success of last year’s free family
event, Scouting For Girls will be entertaining
the expected massive crowds with their singalong-pop
classics including their UK smash
number one hit, “This Ain't a Love Song”.
Roy Stride, front man with Scouting For Girls,
said: “We are so excited to be coming to
Northumberland this summer. We'll be playing
all our hits plus a few surprises for everyone
who comes down to the beach. Whatever the
weather we'll bring the sunshine!”
This year’s festival is being supported by Blyth
Town Council in association with
Northumberland County Council. The media
partner, for a second year, is BBC Newcastle
95.4FM Digital.
Northumberland Live is famed for giving local
acts a chance to shine, and 2016 keeps the
same promise with ten North-East bands and
singers being handed the microphone to
showcase their talents.
To accompany the music there will also be a
selection of stalls, crafts and street theatre.
Northumberland Live on Saturday 25 June 2016
starts at 11am and runs through until 9pm.
Come along and enjoy the air of
Community Spirit generated by
Northumberland Live!
@
For
more information visit the Northumberland Live 2016
Facebook wwwfacebook.com Northumberlandlivefestival or Twitter @Nlandlivefest;
and for details about the work of Blyth Town Council please click on www.blythtowncouncil.org.uk
17

Feature Love Northumberland
LOVE NORTHUMBERLAND
hate litter
Following yet another successful year for the Love Northumberland,
Hate Litter campaign, volunteers are signing up to show their love for the county
by continuing to help to wipe out litter in 2016
Clearing streets and public
spaces costs the council a huge
amount of money each year and
in 2015 Northumberland County
Council spent £114,227 on
clearing littering and fly tipping
from across the county.
The Love Northumberland, Hate
Litter campaign is tackling the
huge cost to the council and
bringing volunteers, school
children and community groups
together to help tackle litter in
the county.
During the 2015
Love Northumberland,
Hate Litter campaign,
Northumberland County Council:
4
4
4
4
4
Issued 348 fixed penalties for littering
Prosecuted 42 people for littering
Prosecuted six people for fly tipping and
11 are awaiting prosecution
Removed 2,060 fly tips totalling more
than 443 tonnes of waste
Supported 108 community clean ups
We needYOUR help
Civic pride across the county has already seen hundreds of volunteers,
schools, local businesses and community groups volunteering their own time
to improve their local environment and we’re aiming for another successful
year in 2016.
Anyone can make a huge difference in their local community whether you help
organise a litter pick, report a fly tipping incident or simply help promote Love
Northumberland, Hate Litter in your local community.
@
To
find out how you can get involved contact Nicola Wardle
Nicola.Wardle@northumberland.gov.uk
18

Feature Love Northumberland
Schools
Love their
Northumberland
Pupils from Blyth Croftway Primary
Schools across the county have also been
busy getting involved in the Love
Northumberland Hate Litter campaign. Last
year 965 students from Wooler, Haltwhistle,
Cambo, Prudhoe, Blyth, Cramlington,
Bedlington, Tritlington, Heddon-on-the-Wall
and Seaton Sluice got involved in special
workshops, assemblies and litter picks.
Three schools, Blyth Croftway Primary
Academy, Josephine Butler Primary
Academy in Ashington, and Mowbray
Primary School in Guidepost also became
litter picking pilot schools and took to parks
and public spaces with litter pickers, bags,
gloves and high-visibility vests to improve
their local community.
Love Northumberland award winners recognised in 2014 are
presented by The Duchess of Northumberland at The Alnwick Gardens
LOVE Northumberland
Awards
There’s still time to nominate a special
individual, group, school or business for this
year’s LOVE Northumberland awards. The LOVE
Northumberland awards recognise and celebrate
projects and initiatives improving
neighbourhoods or local areas for the benefit of
the local community. Entries are invited for the
categories of Best Children’s Project; Best
Young People’s Project; Best Urban Project; Best
Coast or Countryside Project; Best New Project
and an Individual award. The closing date for
entries is Wednesday 25 May.
Visit www.northumberland.gov.uk/love
to find out more.
19

Get in touch
YOUR
Northumberland
We want
to hear
from You
Follow us...
For current news of whats
happening in Northumberland
Our brand new residents’ area, Your Northumberland, will be a permanent feature
in Northumberland News and is ready to be filled with residents’ entries.
We want to see and hear why you love Northumberland. Send us your photographs
and messages of your favourite spots and you might be featured in the next edition
of Northumberland News.
Taken by you...
Facebook at:
www.northumberland.gov.uk/facebook
Twitter at:
www.northumberland.gov.uk/twitter
Send us your letters and photographs
followed by your name and your home
town or village to:
nlandnews@gmail.com or
Communications, County Hall,
Morpeth, Northumberland, NE61 2EF
Picture by
Jan Mowbray
of Monty at
Alnmouth
Picture by Jeff Catling
from Warkworth Castle
Picture by John Tweedy
(Lowlight Photography)
of Seaton Sluice harbour
Picture by Elizabeth Hart
of Wallington Hall
20

ENTER to win
Spring has sprung
WIN a
FREE
annual family pass
to Whitehouse
Farm
Chicks are hatching out of their shells, and
spring lambs are taking their first steps. Spring
has finally sprung at Whitehouse Farm Centre!
Whitehouse Farm Centre is Northumberland’s
largest family run farm attraction, spread across
40 acres and home to hundreds of animals,
reptiles and mini beasts.
Visitors to the farm centre can enjoy interacting,
feeding and petting most of the animals, as
well as tractor rides, the Farmers Den Soft Play,
indoor racing cars, adventure playground, cafe,
picnic barn, Donut Dash and gift shop.
Whitehouse Farm Centre is packed with
amazing animals, attractions and activities for
the whole family to discover and explore.
Competition question:
For your chance to win an annual family pass -
answer the question below and send us your
answers.
What is the soft play called at
Whitehouse Farm Centre?
A. Whitehouse Soft Play
B. Farmers Den Soft Play
C. Soft Play Barn
Email your answer, your name, address
and telephone number to
nlandnews@gmail.com or write to
Communications, County Hall, Morpeth,
Northumberland, NE61 2EF to enter.
Willow and Jack Jobson, Bedlington
at Whitehouse Farm Centre
Closing date for entry is 15 June 2016. The
winner will be chosen at random and will be
notified within seven days of the closing date.
Terms and conditions apply.
@
You can find Whitehouse Farm Centre south of Morpeth and just a mile off the A1.
To find out more about Whitehouse Farm Centre visit www.whitehousefarm.co.uk
Terms and Conditions: Only over 18s can enter. Closing date for entry will be 15 June 2016. After this date no further entries to the competition will be permitted. Whitehouse Farm reserves the right to cancel
or amend the competition and these terms and conditions. Winner will be chosen at random from all entries received. Winner will receive one annual family pass for two adults and up to three children. No
cash alternative. If the winner cannot be contacted or does not claim the prize within 14 days of notification, we reserve the right to withdraw the prize and pick a replacement winner. All entries received will
be destroyed once the competition winner has been chosen and the prize has been collected. Entry into the competition will be deemed as acceptance of these terms and conditions.
21

What’s ON
April
Red Squirrel
Conservation Weekend
Help to make squirrel feeding
boxes and join keepers on a
woodland walk to see if you can
spot a red squirrel at Kirkley Hall.
10am – 4pm
Adults £6.95, child £4.95,
concession £5.95,
family £21.95
Phone: (01670) 841235
www.kirkleyhallzoo.co.uk
Saturday 23 – Sunday 24 April
Hexham Spring Festival
Enjoy a day out in Hexham with
St George’s day celebrations, music
and entertainment, food and
drink, book festival and the award
winning Hexham farmers market
in the Hexham Abbey Grounds.
9am – 4:30pm
Phone: (01434) 603022
Saturday 23 April 2016
Thank Folk It’s Friday
Join Chris Kelly with Jim and
Marilyn Gibson at Woodhorn
Café for a programme of free
folk music.
2pm - 3pm
Phone: (01670) 624455
www.experiencewoodhorn.com
Friday 29 April
May
Riding of the bounds
Originating to protect the English
town from Scottish raiders by
securing the boundaries of the
town, the historic ride out has been
ridden every year since 1609.
10am - 3:30pm
www.berwickbounds.webs.com
Sunday 1 May
Cragside Ranger walks
Join one of Cragside’s Rangers
for a rugged hike to explore
parts of Cragside that are off
the beaten track. You’ll be lead
through the amazing
landscape of rocks, caves and
secret pathways.
1:30pm - 5:30pm
Phone: 01669 620333
Saturday 7 May
Bank Holiday
Bubble Train
See if you can make a big cloud
of bubbles as you leave the
Heatherslaw Light Railway
station on the Bank Holiday
Bubble Trains. Free bubbles for
all children travelling on the train.
11am – 3pm
Phone (01890) 920338
www.ford-and-etal.co.uk
Monday 2 May and Monday
30 May
Kirkley Hall
Countryside Festival
Visitors can enjoy a fun day out
for all the family including entry
into the Zoological Gardens, a
dog show, a variety of stalls,
skills displays and refreshments.
10am – 4pm
£4 entry
Phone: (01670) 841235
www.kirkleyhall.co.uk
Sunday 15 May
Amble Puffin Festival
A week of fun and activities, the
Amble Puffin Festival celebrates
everything puffin and the best
time of year to see the Coquet
Island Puffins as they care for
their newly hatched pufflings.
9am - 8pm
Phone: (01665) 712929
www.amblepuffinfest.co.uk
Saturday 28 May – Sunday
5 June
June
Goblin Queen & Dragon
Be prepared for an unsual
encounter as you meet the
Goblin Queen and her dragon at
Alnwick Castle.
Free with castle admission
Phone: (01665) 511100
www.alnwickcastle.com
Friday 3 June – Sunday 5 June
22

Open Farm Sunday
Experience life on a working
Northumbrian Farm at Kirkharle
Lake and Courtyard as part of
the 2016 Capability Brown
celebrations.
Phone: (01830) 540362
www.Kirkharlecourtyard.co.uk
Sunday 5 June
Northumberland
Miners’ Picnic
Celebrating Northumberland’s
heritage with a full programme of
traditional and contemporary
activities, entertainment and
food and drink, the Miners’
Picnic is a jam packed family
day out.
Phone: (01670) 624455
www.experiencewoodhorn.com
Saturday 11 June
Blyth Rotatory Club
Duck Race
Family event and fun for all, join
Blyth Rotatory Club for their
annual duck race with stalls and
refreshments at Holywell Dene,
near the Melton Constable.
12:30pm – 3:30pm
£1 per duck
Phone: (0191) 2980323
Saturday 18 June
The Great North Fly In
Come and see a variety of
aircraft, class cards, military
vehicles and large model aircraft
and enjoy a BBQ and bar at
Ashott Airfield, Felton.
10am-6pm
Free admission
Phone: 07500028372
www.greatnorthflyin.co.uk
Saturday 18 – Sunday 19 June
The Children’s Foundation
Family Fun Day
The Children’s Foundation
Family Fun Day at Kirkley Hall is
bigger and better than ever
before with fun activities and
treats for the whole family
including entry into the
Zoological Gardens, zip wire
and climbing wall.
10am – 4pm
£3 per person
Phone: (01670) 841235
Sunday 26 June
July
Classics in Corbridge
The North East’s biggest ever
classic vehicle show with more
than 800 classic vehicles
expected in Corbridge to raise
money for charity.
11am - 4pm
£5 per adult – free for children
under 16
Phone: (0191) 6602628
Sunday 3 July
Romans Return
World famous re-enactors the
Ermine Street Guard will return
to Vindolanda for a weekend of
military displays and live
entertainment.
10am – 4pm
Phone: (01434) 344277
www.vindolanda.com
Saturday 9 to Sunday 10 July
Felton and Thirston Fair
Recreation Field, Felton,
Northumberland, NE65 9QA.
Traditional village fair with events
and activities for all the family.
11am - 5pm
£3 for adults and
free for children
Phone: (01670) 787206
Saturday 9 July
Sharp Shooters Day
Test your aiming skill on the
Laser clay shooting and archery
ranges at Kielder Water and
Forest Park. Booking is
essential.
10am – 4pm
£10 per person.
Phone: (01434) 250232
www.calvert-trust.org.uk
Sunday 24 and Sunday 31 July
23

WEAVERS’ COURT
Live your
own way
Available to
reserve now
from £93,750*
* terms and
conditions apply
HURRY, RESERVATIONS ALREADY BEING TAKEN!
NOW OPEN come and visit our fantastic new show apartment
at the Weavers’ Court development by appointment only
58 high quality one and two bedroom apartments
If you would like further information about
30 apartments for sale through shared ownership
Alternatively,
you can call us or drop into the
28 apartments available le for rent
Onsite support services and communal facilities
Applicants must be 55 years and over
Must have recognised housing or care need
unal facilities 0191 223 88 88
www.weavers-court.com
A development by