Riding Mill
Lynn Banger

IT is time for Riding Mill to return to being a busy village. Clubs and classes will start again in the coming week.
THE Friday exercise class will be held on January 6; the Drop In on the 10th (hopefully in the Millenium Hall) and the Choral Society will meet on Monday the 9th. The concert the Choral Society gave before Christmas was excellent and as a follow up on January 21 at 2 pm, everyone is invited to come and sing in the Parish Hall - you do not have to be able to read music, just bring your voice and have fun.
THE Jumble Sale organized for January 14 has been moved to February 4, which gives everyone longer to sort out Jumble. As usual, helpers will be needed- ring Penny on 682578 to offer assistance- or prepare to be persuaded!
ALSO, the next popular Pot Luck Lunch will be held on January 10 at noon in the Parish Hall. You can either choose to cook a main course or a dessert or pay £7 for a lovely meal. Ring 682351 by January 8 to book.
PLEASE let us know if you have anything you would like publicising- Linda on 682069 or Lynn on 682052.

Prudhoe 
Ian Warburton

A FREE, safe, welcoming warm space is now open at Prudhoe Methodist Church every Monday from 10:00am till 2:00pm. Come and enjoy drinks, biscuits, games and toys and charge your phones. A warm space will also be available at the Spetchells Centre/Prudhoe Library on Tuesday, January 10 and Friday, January 13 from 10:00am to 2:00pm on both days. Come and enjoy tea, coffee, biscuits and chat.  
HAPPY New Year. I am always pleased to receive requests to include items in these notes. You can email me on ianwarburton25@gmail.com or phone/text me on 07796-820893. Please may I have any date-specific items by 12:00noon on the Sunday before publication of the issue in which you wish them to appear.  

Stocksfield
Ian Warburton

THE next meeting of Stocksfield Local History Society will take place at Stocksfield Methodist Church on Wednesday, January 11 commencing at 7:30pm. Ian McArdle will give a talk on the Victoria Tunnel. Non-members are welcome to attend the meeting. The entrance fee is £3.00.
STOCKSFIELD South of Tyne Flower Club will meet at SICA on Thursday, January 12 at 1.45 pm for its AGM followed by a talk and slides from Dr Nicolette Perry on Dilston Physic Garden. New members and visitors are very welcome. More information available from Janes Irving 01434-682639.
THE next meeting of Stocksfield Plants and Gardens Society will take place on Tuesday, January 17 commencing at 7.30pm, when Sue Fisher will talk on gardening in a changing climate. Sue’s extensive horticultural career spans over 35 years, in the nursery trade and as an accomplished gardening writer, designer and speaker. Her talk considers how gardeners can deal with the challenges of climate change, covering a wide range of topics including plant selection, pest problems and gardening techniques.  This meeting will be held on Zoom. For more details, contact Sue Sinclair on stocksfieldpg@gmail.com

Humshaugh
Herbie Newell

THE first Humshaugh Village Hall Coffee morning of 2023 is this Saturday, January 7 from 10am until 12 noon, hosted by Humshaugh yoga classes. In addition to cake and coffee, those involved in yoga classes will be on hand to answer questions. Proceeds will go to the West Northumberland Food Bank.
THE next meeting of Humshaugh Parish Council is Thursday, January 12 at 7pm in the Village Hall and the agenda is available on noticeboards and online at https://northumberlandparishes.uk/humshaugh/documents/agenda
THE first Film Night of the year is next Friday, January 13 in the Village Hall, doors open at 7pm for 7.30pm.  The film is “Saving Grace”, an extremely entertaining 2000 British comedy starring Brenda Blethyn and set in Cornwall, with some resonance to Humshaugh!  Tickets (£5/£2.50) are available in the Village Shop or on the door and interval desserts will be served.
THE January Crown Inn Quiz is on Tuesday, January 17 at 8pm and is in aid of the Crown Inn Leek Club.  Please call the Crown to book a table on 01434 681231.
A REMINDER of the Willow Basket Weaving Workshop on Saturday, January 21 10am-4pm in the Village Hall.  Detailed instructions will be given, no experience is necessary, and anyone interested in attending should contact Jenny Nohl on jennynohl17@gmail.com, or tickets can be purchased in the Village Shop.
THE service at St Peter’s this Sunday, January 8 is Holy Communion at 10am. As always all members of the community are very welcome.

Matfen and Great Whittington
Jean Conteh

HAPPY New Year for 2023! Christmas is over,  the months of winter are ahead and if you're worried about keeping warm and maybe meeting your fuel bills, there's help available. Energy Advice in Rural Northumberland, (EARN): https://energyadvicenorthumberland.org.uk is a website set up by Community Action Northumberland. It's aimed at helping people living in rural areas to keep warm, sharing tips on energy efficiency, publicising the financial support available and also the events going on around the county as part of the Warm Hubs scheme. There are also two advisers, who will arrange to meet groups wanting to set up or develop community activities.
THERE's a new fitness activity starting up in Matfen village hall this week. Freya Rennison-Benn has been running a class for over-65s on Thursday mornings for a while, and is going to start a Bootcamp on Saturdays  from 8.45am-9.45am. You can find out more on the Functional Fitness website: https://www.functionalfit.org, or via Freya Rennison-Benn@yahoo.co.uk.
AND something to look forward to, coming up at the end of January – a Burns Night Supper. It's in Stamfordham village hall on Saturday, January 28 from 7-11pm. There'll be the traditional haggis, neeps and tatties, and toasts, speeches and poems. There's also a piper and ceilidh band, a cash bar and a raffle. Tables need to be reserved by emailing brigiddennison@btinternet.com. And donations on the night will be very welcome.

Upper North Tyne
Sarah Hallberg

I HOPE you have all had a lovely time over the Christmas holidays and I would like to take the opportunity to say ‘Happy New Year’ and to wish that 2023 brings you health, wealth and happiness.  Good luck, also, with keeping any New Year’s resolutions you have set for yourselves and if you aren’t able to keep them, I hope that at least you can have plenty of fun breaking them!
JANUARY's First Thursday’ film (on January 5) will be ‘The Station Agent’, a 2003 American psychological comedy drama. The life of train aficionado and downcast little person Finbar McBride (Peter Dinklage) takes an unexpected turn when his boss dies and wills him a railroad depot in New Jersey. He decides to relocate to the small town, where he befriends a talkative food vendor and a reclusive artist who is grieving the loss of her son.  As their relationships deepen, quirky conversations and outcomes ensue.  Doors and bar open at 7pm and the film starts at 7.30pm.
SONG Reivers is a community choir which is open to anyone who would like to come along and take part.  The new term starts on Monday, January 9 and all newcomers get their first session free of charge, so if you would like to come along and join in, sit and listen or just see what it’s all about, feel free to do so – you will be very welcome and you don’t need to read music or to have had any singing experience.  It’s a great way to be social and to blow the cobwebs away on a Monday morning! Weekly sessions from 10am – 11.30am at Tarset Village Hall.

Allen Valley
Robert Philipson

IT was good to be able to go down to Allendale to be part of the Tar Bar'ls and bonfire again on New Years Eve. A big thank you to the volunteers who build the bonfire and organise the event including having the whole Square pristine again by the next morning.  Wet conditions and a reluctant bonfire did not spoil the night as friends old and new brought the New Year in with the usual enthusiasm associated with the occasion.
THIS Sunday, High Forest Praise will take place at the High Forest Community Centre,  Sinderhope at 2.30pm. All are welcome with refreshments afterwards as well as the log fire to brighten these gloomy afternoons.
FOR any contributions to the Notes telephone 01434 685266 or email robert.philipson@hotmail.com

Acomb
Julie Foster

GORDON Scorer will be the speaker at the next Acomb Local History Society meeting on Monday, January 9. The title of his talk is 'Bobby Shafto, Alice in Wonderland and the River Team’. It sounds most intriguing and I for one am putting the date in my diary and hoping to be there at the Methodist Chapel at 7.30pm to hear how it all fits together.
ANOTHER date for the diary is Thursday, January 19 for the W I run Community Cafe. This is a must for all those devotees of tasty home baking out there. Come along and enjoy a quick cup of tea or coffee, a snack or the full works for lunch!

Slaley
Stella Douglas

OUR lovely 100-year-old Slaley Commemoration Hall now has two brand-new table tennis tables. Join the Table Tennis Club or book the tables independently. Call 673001 for details.
BOWLS Club continues every Tuesday throughout January, starting at 7.30pm until 9.30pm. They are having a great time in our lovely warm Commemoration Hall and hope you can join them. Contact details www.slaley.org.uk/ go to December/January News.
PARISH Council meetings are open to the public, the next meeting is on January 9 at 7.30pm, in the Commemoration Hall. If you are interested in becoming a parish councillor, please do go along to see how they work.
THE WI say that there is much to look forward to in 2023. The 100th year celebration is in February and there is a yearlong programme packed with exciting visits and activities. If you are interested, do go along to a meeting (dates are on the parish website).
SNACK and Chat continues on Tuesdays in 2023 (January 10 and 24 to start with) in the Commemoration Hall at 12.30pm. It’s great – really tasty food and wonderful company and … it’s warm inside. Please come and join in! 
DATES for the January diary include: January 20, 7.30 pm at the Commemoration Hall, Film Club are showing ‘Boy’. There will be a hot supper, so no need to bring a plate but do BYOB; History Club’s January meeting is Monday 23rd. Watch this space for details; The Vicarage Coffee Morning is January 27 from 10.30am. All are most welcome.

Ovingham and Ovington
Malcolm Cairns

IT is Film Night on Saturday, January 7. Doors open 7pm. Tom Cruise in "Top Gun Maverick" PG. Refreshments, raffle and licensed bar, a great family night out in the Reading Room.
NEW Year, new interest? Here are just a few societies and clubs which may interest you.
The Chat Club, Ovingham and District Choir, Uplifted Women's Choir, Ovingham Drama Group, The Craft Club, Woman's Institute, Mothers' Union, the allotment society, the cubs, country life activities in Whittle Dene and even organised village litter picks. Hopefully we will see the return of The Goose Fair this year and  look forward to activities organised by Ovi-Fun, Ovingham community orchard and others.

Haydon Bridge
Carole Price

FABULOUS Fabulous Festive Fireworks made a comeback to see in the new year.. Many thanks to the organisers GITS who worked very hard to make it happen and the volunteer marshals who braved the weather, it was all worth it! 
FRIDAY Lunch at the Community Centre is back from January 6, £5 for Soup, Sandwich, Sweet and good company. Every Friday at noon.
WHILE you are at the Community Centre, find out about the wide range of activities on offer. If you can't find anything to interest you, organise a group yourself - help and advice is on offer, just ask.
THE volunteer library is open again, next to the station. Let us know about your village event or activity and we will do our best to publicise it. As well as access to the full Northumberland Library service, we have pre-loved books, local crafts, village guide leaflets, postcards etc. for sale. Drop in and have a look.
HEDGE planting at the cemetery, delayed from December because of frozen ground, is planned for Saturday, January 7 at 10am.  Wrap up warm and bring a spade, spare mince pies, chocolates etc.