Morpeth park one of 13 flying the Green Flag for Northumberland - video
MORPETH’S Carlisle Park is one of 13 parks in Northumberland to have been awarded the prestigious Green Flag by the environmental group Keep Britain Tidy.
And the town’s Millennium Green has again won a Green Pennant.
Northumberland’s winning green spaces are: Alexandra Park (Cramlington), Astley Park (Seaton Delaval), Bolam Lake Country Park, Carlisle Park (Morpeth), Castle Vale Park and Coronation Park (Berwick), Doctor Pit Park (Bedlington), Druridge Bay Country Park, Eastwoods Park, (Prudhoe) Flagstaff Park (Berwick), Hexham Parks, Hirst Park (Ashington), Plessey Woods Country Park, Ridley Park (Blyth).
The Green Flag is a benchmark of quality for a park or green space. This international award, now celebrating its 28th year, is a sign to the public that the space boasts the highest possible environmental standards, is beautifully maintained and has excellent visitor facilities.
Northumberland County Councillor Colin Horncastle, Cabinet member for Looking After our Environment said: “Each Green Flag Award is a testament to the dedication and hard work that has been put in by our residents and local volunteers and our own staff, towards maintaining the parks to very high standards.”
Carrying the torch for tradition at Whalton - video
A HARVEST tradition was kept alive at Whalton tonight with the July 4 lighting of the Bale Fire.
The ceremony dates back to a time when people used to greet the progress of the sun throughout the year with ritual fires.
Before the lighting ceremony children and adults danced on the green and in the street, and afterwards Hexham Morris and the Hexhamshire Lasses joined in the celebration.
Festival of flowers at Longhirst Church - video
Longhirst is extending a floral welcome to visitors this weekend.
Ten village gardens are open to the public and a flower festival is being held at St John’s Church.
Join us as we check out the church displays.
Get back on your bike with help from Jan - video
HELP is at hand for Morpeth’s not so easy riders.
Former cyclists who want to get back on their bikes are sometimes put off by their rusty road skills.
But they can soon regain their confidence with a short course from Bikeability Instructor Jan Chisholm.
We caught up with her at County Hall today where she was busy putting returning cyclists through their paces.
And there was also a chance for riders to get a free ‘health check’ on their machines from cycle mechanic ‘Dr Bike’.
Jan, from Longhorsley, is a lifelong cyclist who has taught hundreds of riders of all ages since 2019.
To learn more about future courses e-mail [email protected] or check out Facebook.com/cyclewithjan
Sunshine and showers for Morpeth Fair Day 2024 - video
A SHOWERY start gave way to sunshine and blue skies for Morpeth’s 2024 Fair Day, which saw another bumper crowd.
Bells and a beacon mark D-Day anniversary - video
BELLS rang out at Morpeth and a beacon was lit at Longhorsley to commemorate the 80th anniversary of the Normandy landings.
Hundreds go on the run at Morpeth - video
THERE was a huge turn out for the Morpeth 10k road race today.
Elite runners were first under way as marathon man Jim Alder fired the starting pistol at the Clock Tower.
In the closest of finishes, Sunderland Harrier Jake Ridding was first across the line in 32m11secs.
Second home was Gala runner Darrell Hastie in 32m12secs. Morpeth Harrier James Tilley was third in 32m20secs.
A staggered start saw hundreds of other runners of all abilities set off 20 minutes after the elite group.
The event was organised by RunThroughUK in partnership with Morpeth Harriers and in support of the Percy Hedley Foundation.
Blooming businesses celebrated in flowers at Longhorsley - video
SMALL businesses are blooming at Longhorsley.
And their success stories are being told in flowers this weekend.
A world-famous company founded in the village, Be-Ro self-raising flour, also features in the three-day event.
The flower festival at St Helen’s Church is themed ‘Celebrating Longhorsley’ and arrangements are based on aspects of local history and some ‘hidden’ businesses visitors might not know about.
It is open Saturday and Monday 10am-4pm and Sunday 11.30am-4pm. Admission is free but donations are requested for the Great North Air Ambulance Service.
Betty becomes Morpeth’s new Mayor - video
MORPETH has a new civic leader.
Coun Betty Bawn became the town’s Mayor at a formal ceremony tonight.
A former teacher, she has been Deputy Mayor to Coun Jade Crawford for the past 12 months.
Coun Bawn, who represents Stobhill, has held various community roles including playgroup leader, Brownie leader and parish church councillor.
She has named her son and fellow Town councillor, David Bawn, as Mayor’s Consort.
The new Deputy Mayor is Coun Richard Wearmouth.
The Mayor’s chosen charity during her year of office is The Oswin Project, which supports people with criminal records, helping them access employment and training.
The retiring Mayor, Coun Jade Crawford, thanked everyone for their help and support during her term and presented a cheque for £4,221.82 to Andy Mace, Chairman of Northumberland National Park Mountain Rescue Team, the beneficiary of her year-long charity appeal.
Up with the larks at Morpeth - video
Join us for a sleepy Sunday morning walkabout in Morpeth town centre.
Village landmark restored at Longhirst - video
VILLAGERS at Longhirst have welcomed the return of a local landmark which was wrecked in a crash almost three years ago.
The Archdeacon of Lindisfarne, the Venerable Catherine Sourbut Groves today re-dedicated the lychgate at St John's Church.
It was erected in 1885 in memory of the Rev Edward Lawson by his children. He was Vicar of Longhirst and had laid the foundation stone at St John’s 12 years earlier.
Morpeth man steps out to help children in Africa - video
MORPETH man Eric Tolman is stepping out on the next leg of his bid to help children in Africa.
He’s walking coast to coast to raise funds towards building a mission house at a school in Uganda.
The landscape gardener has set a target of £25,000.
A June ball at the Gosforth Park Hotel is expected to be a big moneyspinner.
And Eric’s five day Hadrian’s Wall hike which begins on Thursday will add to the pot.
His interest in bringing aid to Africa stems from hosting members of the Pearl of Africa Choir when they first visited Morpeth on a UK tour 14 years ago.
And after spending three weeks helping out at school in a remote area near the Ugandan capital Kampala last year, he knew he had to step up a gear.
In this video he tells us more about the mission and how a boy named Jovan, who he met on that trip, inspired him to do more.
To contribute towards the appeal visit justgiving.com and type in Mission Jovan.
Morpeth care home residents take a poetic trip down memory lane - video
CARE home residents at Morpeth are enjoying the rhyme of their lives, with the help of local writers.
The initiative between Morpeth Poetry Group and Riverside Care Home has been hailed as a huge success.
Among those whose life stories were told in verse was 92-year-old former teacher Marjorie Robson.
She said poet Jan Clarke had done a wonderful job and deserved ten plus out of ten for her work.
Mrs Robson, who is originally from South Shields, gave up teaching when she had her children. She and her late doctor husband, Piers, lived in Dundee before eventually moving to Mitford and then Morpeth.
She said: “Writing the poem can’t have been easy and I admire Jan for what she has done.”
Jan Clarke said all of the poets had enjoyed their work with the care home residents.
“It certainly showed us that they all have interesting stories to tell,” she added. “Even those with levels of dementia have memories which, although they may have faded a bit, are still there.
“We wanted to give validity to them and encourage them to tell us about what had happened to them, what was important to them, what they were proud of, and what they had achieved in their lives.
“I had never met Marjorie before but it has been lovely to get to know her and learn about her life, and it was important to me to honour her memory. To hear how much my poem meant to her has been very emotional.”
In this video Richard Dobinson, Activities Co-ordinator at Riverside Care Home, also tells us what the poetry project has meant to residents and their families.
Ashington’s parade for St George - video
Crowds waved flags and cheered as fusiliers, cadets and veterans marched through Ashington town centre today in celebration of St George’s Day, which falls next Tuesday.
Morpeth on river watch - video
This was the scene at Morpeth tonight after heavy rainfall saw the level of the River Wansbeck rise. Flood gates at High Stanners have been closed as a precautionary measure.
A tuneful farewell to Morpeth’s 2024 Gathering - video
Musicians came together at the Tap & Spile pub to play a tuneful goodbye to another successful Morpeth Northumbrian Gathering.
Shanty singers drop anchor at Morpeth - video
SHIVER me timbers! Meet the motley crew who brought the sound of the sea to Morpeth’s Northumbrian Gathering.
The Auckland Shanty Singers were making their second appearance at the three-day festival.
We caught up with their skipper Christopher Miller as he came ashore from one of two ‘Find your Sealegs’ shanty workshops they hosted at The Chantry.
For more information find theaucklandshantysingers on Facebook and Instagram.
Morpeth Gathering musicmakers - video
Music is always a big part of the Morpeth Northumbrian Gathering. Here’s a couple of contrasting styles from the Pop-Up Folk Ensemble rehearsing at St Robert’s Church Hall, to Storytellers Street Band with some impromptu jazz before taking part in Saturday’s parade.
Morpeth Gathering 2024 street parade - video
Hundreds of people turned out to welcome the Border Cavalcade to Morpeth, a highlight of the town’s annual Northumbrian Gathering.
Official launch for Morpeth’s 2024 Gathering - video
The 56th Morpeth Northumbrian Gathering was officially launched with a ribbon cutting ceremony at the Town Hall by the Mayor, Coun Jade Crawford, and the retiring Morpeth Gadgy, Alex Swailes.
