Northumberland communities - Rothbury

Video: Recycling in Northumberland

2009-11-11T11:03:30Z

A video has been launched by Northumberland County Council to help it meet demanding Government recycling targets.

The tutorial video (watch below) shows Northumberland County Council's new recycling centre in action and helps residents understand what can and can't be put into the recycling bin.

In Northumberland the council is responsible for collecting waste from more than 140,000 households as well as thousands of business premises.

The council needs to meet Government targets of 40% recycling by 2010, 45% by 2015 and 50% by 2020.

If these strict targets are not met the council faces heavy fines as ministers push ahead with national environmental changes.

One of the key problems at the recycling plant is low-grade plastic such as yogurt pots and margarine tubs which become trapped among paper and card creating contamination problems for the paper mills.

The problem is made worse when these packs contain food waste which can also cause contamination of the other recyclable materials.

In an effort to reduce contamination the council no longer wants people to recycle these types of items which represent a tiny proportion of household waste and cause quality control problems at the plant .

The video offers advice on exactly what items should be recycled, such as plastic bottles (empty and lids removed), rinsed food and drinks cans, paper and cardboard and aerosols.

Visit www.northumberland.gov.uk for more information on recycling

Share your Northumbrian dialect words

2009-11-10T11:34:47Z

Deek at these kenspeckle words and see if you can save 'the venerable grandmother' of the English language.

What some people call the 'purest form' of English, the Northumbrian dialect, has been eroded over time and no-one knows how much Northumbrians and Geordies still have their own way of speaking.

Words like yari, jugal and skumfish used to be heard regularly but the Northumbrian Language Society is desperate to get a snapshot of the state of the region's dialect and see which Northumbrian words are still in use.

The call comes after Collins English Dictionary asked people to look at three Northumbrian words and let them know, via Twitter, if they are used. If not, they will write the obituary for the dead words.

But if they are still in common use, the words will be reinstated into the Collins Corpus database and could even be included in future dictionaries.

The Northumbrian Language Society chose the three words for Collins to take to the public but they have many other words and want to take the opportunity to learn more about the health of Northumberland's dialect.

Kim Bibby-Wilson from the Northumbrian Language Society said: "It matters. If we all spoke hybrid American English, it would be a very boring world.

"As far as the Collins project is concerned, it's good - it's going to get a high profile and remind people of these words. When you speak about dialect people are fascinated.

"But the more life goes on, the less people hear the speech patterns. It's whether they are speaking these words or not. From anecdotal evidence we're losing words because they're not relevant anymore."

Unlike Scottish dialect, Northumbrian words do not get full recognition, meaning there is no European funding for researching and promoting the dialect, as well as projects to record people still speaking in the tongue.

Northumbrian only holds observer status under the European Bureau for Lesser-Used Languages.

Kim said: "We would love to have the funding. We should be looking at how the Scots dictionary is constructed.

"Northumbrian dialect is the venerable grandmother of English, not a poor cousin. It has always been isolated, by the North Sea, the Pennines, Cheviots and moors, and it is a purer form of English. It has been reserved here for longer because the Vikings and Normans didn't have a great deal of interplay with the locals.

"It's very important, because the language that's spoken in a particular area tells you so much, just like castles do and cathedrals and football teams. You wouldn't knock down Bamburgh Castle because it's no longer used for defence."

Many of the words used in Northumberland are from the Angles, while certain areas also picked up gypsy words because of nearby camps.

For instance, 'gadgy', now used to mean a man, was originally used to refer to non-gypsies, while charver, now a derogatory term, used to mean friend.

Which of the words below do you still use? Do you know of any other current Northumbrian dialect words?

Click on the link on the right to share them

SPREADING THE WORD

THE THREE WORDS COLLINS ARE RESEARCHING ARE

Shawm - to warm yourself

Hippletyclinch - walk with a limp

Bari - beautiful/handsome

FURTHER SUGGESTIONS FROM NORTHUMBERLAND

Deek - to look at

Yari - egg

Jugal - dog

Mort - wife

Netty - toilet

Oxter - armpit

Kenspeckle - distinctive

Skumfish - tired

Spelk - splinter

Gully - sharp knife for meat/general purpose

Puzzly-os - noughts and crosses

Lowp - to jump

Kist - strong box

WELL-KNOWN REGIONAL TERMS

Gadgy - non-gypsy man

Charver - friend

Gan - go

Lang - long

Canny - good

Hoy - throw

Ahad/ahaad - caught fire

Stotty - round bread

NEW ONES

Windy-pick - pneumatic drill

Starry head - Phillips screwdriver

Rothbury shop up for Countryside Alliance award

2009-11-10T10:18:19Z

A butcher in Rothbury is among a number of high-quality community enterprises who are battling it out for four regional titles to go through to a national competition.

The Countryside Alliance Awards recognise quality, characters, skills, traditions and enterprise of the countryside through the people who work so hard to make it tick.

There are four categories and North East businesses have been nominated by customers and supporters. Winners will be chosen before Christmas.

These will then go towards the national titles, which will be announced at Parliament in February.

In the Daily Telegraph traditional business group, The Crown at Catton, Allendale, R G Foreman & Son in Norham on Tweed, Northumberland, and Rothbury Family Butchers in Northumberland take each other on.

In the local food category, Morpeth's Moorhouse Farm Shop and Dropswell Farm Shop in Trimdon Village, County Durham, go up against Piercebridge Organic Farm in Darlington. In the village shop and Post Office category, Blanchland Village Shop, Kielder Village Store, and Belsay Village Shop are competing.

And in the rural enterprise group Allendale Brewery, G & S Organics in Alnwick and the Country Barn, Widdrington, hope for success.

Countryside Alliance North of England director Steve Clark commented: "These finalists represent the very best of the region. The awards are a unique opportunity to celebrate not just the hard work that goes into businesses in the countryside, but also the heart and character of every individual who contributes to rural enterprise."

Blood donor sessions in Thropton

2009-11-10T00:00:17Z

The following blood donor sessions will take place at Thropton Memorial Hall (NE65 7LT):

Friday 15 Jan 2010, 14:00 to 19:00
Friday 12 Feb 2010, 14:00 to 19:00

There are also sessions at Alnwick.

For more information on nearby sessions or to book an appointment visit www.blood.co.uk.

Rothbury pupils rise to butcher's challenge

2009-11-05T12:32:43Z

New flavours are the order of the day for a Northumbrian butcher on the lookout for something different.

Morris Adamson, owner of Rothbury Family Butchers, has issued a challenge to the children from the nearby school to come up with their own flavour for a sausage after seeing the great flavours his own young apprentice created.

Last week, The Journal told how young butcher Callum Garrick, 17, pictured, has got off to a flying start with his great combinations of flavours.

The apprentice won three gold awards out of the shop's four golds and five silvers at the Q Guild Smithfield awards - one of the most prestigious in the meat industry.

Callum, who has only been at the shop for a year, received gold for his pork, caramelised onion and cracked black pepper burger, his dry cured bacon, and his smoked bacon, which scored an incredible 99%.

He will now go down to the BPEX roadshow in Harrogate for the young sausage maker competition with his creations of pork, tomato and cracked black pepper sausage, and a pork, apple and cinnamon sausage.

But now Morris, pictured below, has issued the challenge for new flavours to an even younger generation by launching a sausage-making competition at Dr Thomlinson Middle School.

The children all came up with a new idea for a sausage, and Morris will choose a winner next week before presenting an award to its creator, as well as making their sausage idea in school.

Morris said: "There have been some weird and wonderful ideas, including fish and chips in a sausage skin and a melted caramel and Galaxy chocolate sausage.

"There was even a turnip, potatoes and space dust one."

He has narrowed it down to a shortlist of four, including a spicy sausage wrapped in a tortilla, and a pineapple and spring onion idea.

Meanwhile, there was disappointment in the Champion of Champions competition in London, where all the regional titleholders went head-to-head.

Despite making his sausage in the hotel kitchen very early in the morning alongside two other butchers, Morris was pipped at the post by Alan Bennett, a previous winner from the Midlands.

But Morris has a chance to get back into winning ways with a taste-off at Blackfriars in Newcastle, which will be judged by Paul Daniels and Debbie McGee, as well as reaching the regional final of the Countryside Alliance's best rural business award.

Holystone Wood ant "empire" to be protected

2009-11-05T09:37:19Z

An ant "empire" is to be protected as a major project starts to remodel a Northumbrian woodland.

Satellite technology has been used to give 69 large nests made by the hairy northern wood ant - the UK's biggest - a GPS "address" to be plotted on hi-tech maps to protect them during the operations at the 375-acre Holystone Wood, near Rothbury.

Jonathan Farries from the Forestry Commission checks the GPS settings on one of the hairy wood ant nests in Holystone Wood- photo Owen Humphreys/PA Wire

Such is the scale of the nests in Holystone that on a human measure the tallest would exceed the height of the Empire State Building in New York.

The conical structures - some up to 7ft tall and made of millions of conifer needles - have grown taller over the years on the Forestry Commission Holystone estate. Now they will stay intact as the next phase in the project to restore part of the site to its ancient roots as an oak wood proceeds.

Holystone is one of the most important ancient woods in Northumberland and is also a site of special scientific interest.

Jonathan Farries, from the Forestry Commission, said: "This long-term project will see many of the conifers planted in the 20th Century removed to allow native species like oak and birch to regenerate. But we are tweaking our plans to ensure that the wood ant nests continue to thrive."

Over 10,000 tonnes of timber are due to be felled and rangers have identified the ant nests in the areas affected by the work.

The co-ordinates of each nest have been recorded using GPS devices and then plotted on to a computerised mapping system. This will allow foresters to take them into account when planning forest operations.

The northern, or hairy, wood ant is Britain's biggest and has become so rare that it merits its own species action plan.

Red and black in colour, it occurs at only two other Forestry Commission locations in the North East. Nests are maintained by worker ants who also sunbathe before going inside to release heat and keep eggs warm.

Richard Pow, Forestry Commission regional development manager, said: "The project will contribute to the restoration of ancient woodland in the region, one of the priorities in the Forestry Strategy for the North East.

"A survey two years ago revealed that more than half of such woods in Northumberland - which date back at least 400 years - were in a poor condition.

"We have pledged to restore all the ancient sites on our 200,000-acre estate in the region and we're also offering generous grants to encourage other land managers to follow suit. Such woods are wonderful places for wildlife, including the remarkable hairy wood ant."

Nick Brodin, Natural England's regional biodiversity officer, said: "This is the biggest colony we know of in the North East.

"Hairy wood ants are a very uncommon species in the North East and it's great news that these amazing ant nest stacks in Holystone Wood will be safeguarded thanks to satellite technology.

"Use of GPS technology has revolutionised nature conservation research and habitat management and this project will make it easier to find the nest stack of the wood ants."

Rothbury make progress in cup

2009-11-04T13:00:58Z

In the North Northumberland League's Sanderson Cup, Rothbury kept up their good early-season form to ease past Berwick Town.

Alnwick Town Reserves and Shilbottle were level after normal time. Two extra-time goals saw Alnwick through, while Ashington Athletic made the trip to Berwick worthwhile by netting six times in the victory over Berwick United Reserves.

It took extra time before Lowick went through at the expense of Bedlington Terrier Reserves.

In the Runciman Cup, Lynemouth had Darren Burn netting four times in a seven-goal success over Rothbury Reserves.

At Wooler, it also took extra time before the home club made progress at the expense of Embleton WR.

Belford continue to lead Division Two - but only after just edging out local rivals Bamburgh Castle.

Kevin Greshon and Chris Hay were the Belford scorers, with Kevin Potts replying for Bamburgh.

Springhill had Stevie Eamons and Mark Reid on target as they kept up their challenge with a win over Boulmer, whose single reply came from Mathew Sullivan.

Swine flu drugs can be delivered to north Northumberland

2009-11-04T09:10:28Z

A Northumberland MP has asked health chiefs to ensure people are aware that swine flu antivirals can be delivered.

Berwick Lib Dem MP Sir Alan Beith has spoken out on behalf of constituents who are unable to travel to collection points at Blyth or Byker.

He said: "Travelling from Berwick to Blyth to collect antivirals involves a 120 mile round trip, taking at least two hours by car and much longer by public transport. Byker is even further. Even driving from Alnwick will take at least a couple of hours.

"Although the number of cases does not justify opening an antiviral collection point in Berwick or Alnwick at present, I have been assured by local health service managers that the situation is being monitored closely.

"In the meantime people who have been given a prescription for antivirals and who cannot travel to Tyneside should call the collection centre and ask for delivery. This delivery service is vital for people in north Northumberland and I am very pleased it has been provided."

Flood worries return to Rothbury

2009-11-02T09:12:33Z

Flood worries returned to areas devastated by torrential rain just over a year ago.

Rothbury and Morpeth residents held their breath as they were hit by more than half a month of rain in less than four hours.

The North East was battered by driving rain and wind, with gusts of up to 60mph in parts over the weekend.

Northumberland was worst affected, with homes and roads flooded by surface water.

Emergency services sprung into action at around midday, and worked into the night .

An evacuation centre was set up at Rothbury 's Jubilee Hall in case people were forced out of their homes, and around 1,000 sandbags were dished out.

Hundreds of advice leaflets were also distributed to properties most at risk.

The Met Office said the North East was hit by 58mm of rain last night, and just 40mm of that fell in four hours. The average rainfall for the whole of November is 75mm.

Rob Clow, area manager for Northumberland Fire and Rescue Service, said: "It was a full 12 hour operation lasting until around midnight. It started in the Haltwhistle area where there was localised flooding in different properties from surface water.

"At around 9pm the rivers started to get near to flooding. Luckily, we didn't have any properties actually affected by flooding from rivers, but it was getting close in some areas."

The worst affected areas of the UK were in Scotland.

Around 100 people were rescued from flooded-out properties in Huntley, Aberdeenshire.

And in Tayside, people were trapped in their cars and evacuated from their properties, with roads closed and trains cancelled as water levels soared across Angus, Perthshire, Grampian and Fife.

Rothbury weather »

Road resurfaced in Longframlington

2009-10-29T08:04:26Z

Resurfacing work on the main road through a Northumberland village will begin next week.

The work on the A697 at Longframlington will start on Monday and are expected to last two weeks. The road will remain open and traffic will be controlled with two-way traffic lights.

Six proposals for wind farms in Wingates

2009-10-28T08:21:54Z

A TINY Northumberland village is in danger of being swamped by wind turbines, residents last night said.

Wingates, in the north of the county, is home to just 32 people but there are currently six proposals for wind farms in the vicinity at various stages of the planning process.

If all the schemes are approved, it would mean 33 turbines surrounding the village.

But now a group of horrified residents have got together to fight the plans, amid fears about the economic and environmental impact.

John Thompson, vice chairman of the Wingates not Wind farm action group, said: "They would encircle the village, we would be surrounded. And these would be big turbines, about four and half time the size of the Angel of the North.

"If all the schemes are approved we could have one turbine each.

"Aside from the significant visual impact there would be other adverse effects on habitat and wildlife.

"Also there are a number of small businesses operating in the village and outside which have diversified into areas such as tourism and an equestrian centre. They rely largely on the unspoilt aspects of this area and, despite the developers quoting studies to the contrary they would suffer from the creation of a wind farm in such close proximity.

"We considered one wind farm so close to the village to be inappropriate but when we became aware of the other proposals we were horrified."

Rothbury councillor Steven Bridgett is backing the residents in their fight, pictured above, concerned residents from left, John Thompson, Catherine Thompson, Catherine Pape and Tom Pape.

He said: "I still remain unconvinced that wind turbines are actually as efficient as what is being made out. If you take away the tax payer subsidy from these farms, quite simply none would be built. They are just not efficient enough to operate without government support."

Stephen Hannay, Project Director for Novera Energy plc, the company behind two of the potential farms said it was no coincidence so many companies wanted to put turbines up near Wingates.

"Following an extensive search, Novera identified Wingates as one of the best sites in Northumberland for wind farm development," he said.

"I can appreciate the concern felt by local villagers; however, it is unlikely that every site will be consented.

"It will be up to local councillors to vote for the right site for the area."

A spokesperson for Northumberland County Council said: "The council must assess all wind farm proposals in the context of national and regional policies on renewable energy and climate change, taking into account environmental impacts and the views of the local community."

Rothbury's teenage butcher bucks the stereotype

2009-10-24T11:25:29Z

When you think of butchers, you may imagine plump, red-cheeked, jovial, older men.

And the stereotype is in part confirmed by the fact that the average age in the profession is 52.

But one teenager in Northumberland is doing his best to change all that.

Seventeen-year-old Callum Garrick, who works at Rothbury Family Butchers, is cooking up a storm in the trade.

Already at such a tender age, he has won three awards for his dishes.

In the recently held 2009 Q Guild Smithfield Awards, one of the most prestigious affairs in the meat industry, he picked up golds for his pork, caramelised onion and cracked black pepper burger, his dry cured bacon and his smoked bacon.

The latter two dishes were rated at 92% and an incredible 99%.

And his career as a butcher could be set to go with a bang(er) as he prepares to enter another contest with his sausages.

Callum is to travel to the British Pig Executive roadshow at Harrogate in November to take part in the young sausage maker competition with his pork, tomato and cracked black pepper sausage, and his pork, apple and cinnamon sausage.

The teenager, who lives at Wagtail Road in Rothbury, became interested in being a butcher when he did work experience at the Town Foot shop when in year 10 at Morpeth King Edward VI School.

Callum took a Saturday job there and on finishing school in summer 2008, he asked shop owner Morris Adamson for a job. Morris had no vacancies but was so impressed by Callum's attitude that he created one for him - as the shop's first apprentice.

The youngster said: "It is not like any normal job really, every day is different.

"It is much better than sitting in an office doing the same thing every day.

"You are dealing with customers and it is a hands-on job.

"If you had asked me two or three years ago I would have said no but I like it, I really love it. It is a fantastic trade to be in."

Morris said: "It is a breath of fresh air having him here because he is only 17 and he is so confident.

"He is the future of butchery and its is marvellous to see him being so passionate about his job.

"You get some kids these days sit in front of their computer - he is a good lad.

"It is a pleasure having him."

Callum has proved a hit with the shop's regulars, Morris adding: "The older customers have got a glint in their eye when they come in and see him."

And the feeling is mutual for Callum.

"The older ladies who come in to the shop, they are the best laugh," he said.

"You try and make a little bit of conversation, you can stand and have a bit of a laugh. Some of them are dead funny."

Cragside still lighting the way forward

2009-10-24T11:24:30Z

Cragside near Rothbury was the first house in the world to be lit using hydro-electric power in 1878 and plans are now under way to use water power to heat and light the building again.

One of the estate's original powerhouses set up by visionary Victorian industrialist Lord Armstrong is being examined and the team at the house - now owned by the National Trust - aim to have it working within three years.

The site at Barnfoot dates back to 1886 - a little later that the first Cragside powerhouse at Debden, which is on land not owned by the charity.

Cragside's landscape conservation and interpretation officer, Andrew Sawyer, said: "We're hoping to have a hydro system down at the power house where the original unit was, just a small hydro plant running down the original pipeline using a modern turbine.

"The problem is lining the original cast iron pipeline for the water running down - it's just a matter of getting that water supply to a turbine.

"It'll mainly be used to light and heat the building and keep the dehumidifier going."

The team is also in the early stages of looking at a larger-scale hydro development at the estate's Tumbleton Lake.

"We would like to have the systems as much as anything to reduce our carbon footprint," said Mr Sawyer.

"We are the home of green energy at Cragside. Lord Armstrong was passionate about hydro-electricity."

In 1879, the engineers behind the Niagara Falls hydro-system visited Cragside to see how it was done.

Lord Armstrong also was also interested in wind, solar and wave power but did not have the technology to harness it. Today, Cragside's entrance hut is lit via solar panels and the house's internal radio system is solar and wind-powered.

"We are always looking at ways to keep the spirit of Cragside alive," said Mr Sawyer.

Thropton baker to feature in Taste event

2009-10-24T10:51:01Z

Heather Foggon's smallholding at The Chirnells, Thropton, where she cooks for The Chirnells Farmhouse Kitchen, is always filled with the scent of baking.

"I produce everything in my own kitchen. It's meant I have to have six stoves put in but everything is made there."

She is delighted to be taking part in The Journal's Taste event at the Metrocentre next weekend, on Saturday, October 31, and Sunday, November 1, describing
the event as a "happy family get-together".

The Chirnells Farmhouse Kitchen will feature on a stall alongside great producers, including everyone from Beckleberry's to The Northumbrian Cheese Company.

Heather's ovens are always on the go to make sure plenty of baked goods are available at her stall.

"Currently its Christmas puddings," Heather says, "but over August Bank Holiday I made over 2,000 scones."

Heather, who is married to Christopher, 49, a careworker for Age Concern, has always baked since she was a child.

For 13 years she and her mother, Avril Easton, ran The Sun Kitchen in Rothbury. Heather quit The Sun Kitchen when her mother became ill. She remembers: "After she passed away my friends said 'why don't you start doing farmers' markets?'"

Heather says most of the recipes she uses have been handed down through the generations and her philosophy on food is "farmers' market rules".

She adds: "I use as much local produce as I can, I never buy in to sell, I make all the produce myself."

The Chirnells Farmhouse Kitchen have taken part in festivals from Langou in France, to the north of Scotland.

But Heather says she enjoys working in the North East the best.

"The same people come back, and the Taste events are always fantastic."

Northumberland hospital plans get green light

2009-10-24T10:44:34Z

Health care chiefs have given the go ahead for a £200m investment in services in Northumberland, including a new emergency care hospital on the outskirts of Cramlington.

Wansbeck and North Tyneside hospitals will see significant investment while community hospitals in Berwick and Haltwhistle will be rebuilt.

The package of measures was approved yesterday at a meeting of the NHS North of Tyne Trust.

Board members had indicated in August they would be minded to approve the new hospital - as long as a number of concerns were addressed.

Among those was the provision of services for children with the possibility of conflict arising with the new Great North Children's Hospital in Newcastle.

Members were also concerned whether the proposed location was the most suitable, the availability of maternity care and how easily the hospital could be accessed by public transport.

The new emergency care hospital will be built on a site just off the A19 near Cramlington. However, the location has also caused controversy amid fears that the already-congested Moor Farm roundabout would not be able to cope with the extra traffic from the hospital.

Chris Reed, chief executive of NHS North of Tyne, said: "Throughout the consultation the location of the new hospital was controversial and it was clear that no one site would suit everyone.

"During the consultation there were strong messages about access to the new hospital and about the need to improve public transport arrangements. Work undertaken by Northumbria Healthcare has included seconding a member of staff from Nexus to the Trust to offer expert advice. The Trust is also committed to providing a shuttle service to link into existing public transport services."

Youngsters being treated at the pediatrics unit will only stay for short term care with those requiring more intensive treatment being transferred to the Great North Children's Hospital.

However Coun Liz Langfield, member for adult care and health on Newcastle City Council, said more information would be needed on where people living on the Newcastle/North Tyneside border would be treated.

She also expressed concern over public transport to the new emergency centre.

ROADSHOW TO SHOWCASE HOSPITAL PLAN

People living in north Northumberland are being encouraged to give their views about plans to build a new hospital.

Northumbria Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust is organising a series of roadshows to find out what people want from a new hospital at Berwick.

The trust plans to replace the existing Berwick Infirmary with a new, purpose-built facility and is to take a mobile exhibition trailer to a number of communities.

The first venue for the roadshow will be the market in Marygate, Berwick, from 8am to 12.30pm on Saturday, October 31. Over the next week and a half, it will visit more than 20 venues.

For full details contact (0191) 203-1296 or email: foundation@northumbria.nhs.uk