Horsley

Maurice Holliday

It is a great time of year to visit the upper part of Whittle Dene which is managed by the Woodland Trust and is partly within Horsley parish. The bluebells, wild garlic and spotted orchids are in full bloom and quite spectacular under the fresh green leaves in the tree canopy.

At the AGM of Horsley Parish Council the chairperson, Michael Senior, thanked all community volunteers for the work they do around the parish. This includes litter picking, cleaning bus shelters, upkeep of planters and the war memorial, speed gun operation and reports and maintenance of rights of way. The meeting was held in the village hall for the first time in over a year with only two members of the public present. Parish councils are no longer able to address the public using the internet. The next meeting of the council will be at the WI hall on the 19th July.

The Lion and Lamb, Horsley antiques centre and the Hearth arts centre are now fully open to the public albeit with some precautions to help prevent the transmission of Covid 19. There is no need to make an appointment to visit an artist in their studio at the Hearth however it is best to book a table at the cafe and the Lion and Lamb if you wish to dine inside.

Adrian Jackson has been awarded the grass cutting contract in Horsley village and at the cottages near the wood. Community members at Horsley Wood Cottages are asking for new signage to alert motorists to the fact that there are children playing near Mill Way.

Whittonstall

Christine Jewitt

May has whizzed by! The lambs are no sooner here than they are looking robust and behaving like naughty children. The recent snow must have been a bit of a shock to these youngsters. We had two early morning surprise snowfalls and several hailstorms just to confuse us. We now are enjoying heavy rainfall on a daily basis which although a tad excessive, is good for the gardens.

This month has seen us achieve a long- discussed project; namely planting a wildflower meadow to the North end of the village. We have been inspired by beautiful wildflower verges in neighbouring Stanley and Meadomsly and given this is our first attempt, if successful, we aspire to extend this type of meadow planting elsewhere in Whittonstall.

The Anchor Inn “TopDeck” outdoor garden has continued to serve food and drinks when the weather allowed however from Monday 17th May, the pub was permitted to open its doors and invite customers inside. A new, refreshed menu has been published which, together with some old favourites, is sure to entice new and regular customers alike. The outdoor dining space remains open as a fabulous facility for customers to enjoy the glorious views and dramatic sunsets when the weather allows.

Work is ongoing by Northumberland County Council in implementing the Whittonstall traffic calming scheme during May. Sadly, we are still experiencing a significant volume of vehicles travelling at excessive speed through the village. Reassuringly, NCC have equipment in place measuring the traffic volume and speed which hopefully will inform any further action which may prove necessary to restrain speeding vehicles.

Hexhamshire

Ruth Marlee

Well at last! The sun is shining, the rain has done its rejuvenation job and moved on, and nature is flourishing indeed! Colours are crisp, growth is fresh with an energy of youth, birds are a delight to hear and even the dandelions are looking splendid! The lambing season is over and farmers can have a small break before the silage season kicks off. But then it has been noticed that this more peaceful time has been used to rebuild walls, make gates click closed easily and even plant new hedges!

This could be the perfect time to walk one of six new Northern Saints Trails which all lead to Durham. The longest and most scenic route is the Way of Light which starts in Heavenfield and winds through Hexhamshire and Blanchland then on to Edmudsbyres, Muggleswick and Lanchester to Durham. The walk can be done in three days but can be split into shorter routes. It is proposed to have a sponsored walk along this route during June, July and August in aid of church funds. More information can be found at https://sthelenswayoflight.wordpress.com

Whitley St Helen’s Church is also seeking new volunteers to pledge their help to clean the church. It’s not too onerous a job, just a matter of cleaning in preparation for services and making sure the church is pleasant for visitors afterwards. Volunteers often work in pairs for a month each year. If you’re able to help, please contact Andrew Patterson or leave a message on 01434 673762.

Bellingham

Birtley Nail

AFTER 25 years’ service as a member of Bellingham Parish Council, latterly as chairman, David Allen announced in the spring he would not be seeking re-election. Now his huge contribution to village life has been recognised by his appointment as the first ever Honorary Freeman of Bellingham. David, who has also done long stints as a school governor and member of Bellingham Show committee, accepted the honour, along with a gift from fellow councillors, at the annual meeting of the council. The parish council has agreed to introduce the honorary title - which boasts no special privileges - as a way of recognising residents from any walk of life who have made a very significant voluntary contribution to the parish of Bellingham.over a sustained period. The new chairman of the parish council is Coun. Martin Dickson-Green, with Coun. Edwin Wilkinson re-elected vice chairman.

Bellingham Town Hall is slowly dragging itself out of lockdown mothballs, with bookings once again starting to creep up. Parish council meetings, first aid classes, yoga lessons and annual meetings have all been on the agenda, and the new indoor market is pencilled in for July. Bellingham Dramatic Society is hoping to put on a Christmas comedy. The town hall committee has also launched a long term improvement scheme aimed at replacing rotting doors and windows, and ultimately laying a new floor. Many pitfalls lie in the way of bringing the 160 year old listed building into the 21st Century, including a bat survey which could cost over £1,000. However, the town hall committee is in good heart, and at its annual meeting the indefatigable Edwin Wilkinson was re-elected chairman, with Brian Tilley vice chairman, and Joanne Roberts treasurer.

Acomb

Julie Foster

The Great British Spring Clean is happening in Acomb on Saturday 5 June between 10am to 12md, an opportunity to make Acomb an even better place to live! Meet at the Village Hall at 10am to collect equipment and choose an area to clear. Some equipment is available but if you have sturdy gloves, litter pickers and/or Hi Viz jackets, bring them along. Rubbish bags will be provided. Covid-19 Guidance will be followed. Come along! All welcome! Contact 01434 609567 or via action4acomb20@gmail.com for any further information.

HealthWatch Northumberland invite you to join them on their Zoom Forum on care home visiting in Northumberland on Friday 4 June, 10.30-11.30am. Restrictions due to Covid -19 have made it difficult for many to keep close to loved ones. If you feel able to, please share your experience and other ways you have been keeping in touch as well as any feedback you have on visits outside of the care home. HealthWatch will be sharing the results of their recent online surveys for care home staff and relatives/friends of those living in care homes and looking at the next steps for this feedback, moving forward. If you would like to register for the event please email Helen Brown at: helenb@healthwa

tchnorthumberland.co.uk or call on 03332 408468.

Ovingham

Malcom Cairns

The Great British Spring Clean will take place from May the 28th until June the 13th. Launched by the Keep Britain Tidy Group who are calling on the public to organise litter picking in their areas. There is a concern this year, that with lots of people having "stay-cations" could result in a greater litter problem.

There will be a special outdoor service in the grounds of St Mary's Church on Sunday 30th of May at 10am. All five Parishes , Wylam, Heddon , Stamfordham , Matfen and Ovingham can come together with the Rev. Tom Birch and celebrate the Eucharist.

The Chat Club hope to restart their meetings on Thursday 1st July at 10am. They have however not been idle during the long period since their last get together. Members have contributed to a "Stories Booklet" which has been printed and distributed. The tales, some in verse, are reflective of 2020 and demonstrate a positive outlook despite the trying year we have all had.

Matfen

Jean Conteh

As if she didn't have enough to do, Rev Rachel is taking over responsibility for St Andrew's Church in Heddon-on-the-wall in addition to her work in Stamfordham and Matfen. At the moment, services are taking place in Matfen, Stamfordham and Heddon on Sundays in rotation. When all covid restrictions are lifted, the plan is to start a once-a-month Holy Communion service at 11am on a Tuesday with the churches taking turns, beginning with Heddon. This will be a short service followed by a light lunch to give people a chance to spend some friendship time together. Details will be available nearer the time.

Matfen Hall Cricket Club bagged their first win of the season on Saturday, in a home fixture against Hexham Leazes CC. From all accounts, it was a closely fought match, played in good spirit by both sides. Some great teamwork from Matfen led to a well-deserved victory. There's another home fixture coming up next week, against Haydon Bridge; why not walk over to the cricket ground and watch for a while.

If you know of anyone who is in need of wood fuel, the Northumberland Log Bank could help out. It's a charity, supported by Northumberland CC, that aims to end fuel poverty. Get in touch with Kate Thick for more details: 07900963234 or katethick@hotmail.com.