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Just a heads up that there is a long overdue Gallery update coming in February. The way images are added is staying the same but there will be some fairly big improvements in how the images are presented to members. The main changes are the awful screen overlay is being removed and the overview page will be much better at highlighting images that are being commented on.

Here is what I have spent over the last 4 years out of my Members Local Improvement Scheme. It would seem some members haven’t spent their allowance for local projects and our last Bedlington West Ward councillor left over £20K unspent in his, which then disappeared, so it wasn’t available to me to use for local projects when I started! There are a couple of projects included which are actually just outside my ward area and I’ll explain why I agreed to them. First one is the new accessible footpath behind the War Memorial in the Town Centre. I think that one is self-explanatory, it’s about commemoration and respect! Second one is the bus shelter on Schalksmuhle Road. I think some of my residents would use that and appreciate it as much as anyone. Third one is the BMX track in Gallagher Park. Again I think the cycling kids in this ward will use that outdoor facility as much as anyone so no problem supporting that. I would just point out that in every case these were shared costs and resulted in improvements way and above what a single contribution would mean and brought benefits to the Town as a whole.

2nd load went off yesterday from the Community Centre.

I know it's earlier than normal but I keep thinking my PC might catch an omicron variant, 'Desktop Lock Out'. Stay safe. Eggy

Merry Christmas from the cold NE i wish everyone a healthy 2022

Wilf's here! It's officially Christmas! A very merry Christmas to you all. Stay safe and avoid Covid and we'll see each other in the new year. Meanwhile, I've said this before and it's worth repeating:

Have a good one Alan, Merry Christmas to every one and a Happy New Year

A snap shot of what's been happening in the Bedlington West Ward over the last 4 years. This one!.mp4 536174421_Thisone!.mp4

This is the best I can come up with. The yearly winner gets their membership tag added onto the disc for the year.

Hi Damien,welcome aboard!..I knew your Dad very well,you wouldn't have known,but in the mid 1960's he also worked at Choppington High Pit till it closed,in 1966.He might only have been there for a year,maybe two,he was coalfilling in the Top Busty with Harry [Harper] Dawson.Miners played pranks,and one day,in around 1964, I came off the very wet ,low,atrocious coalface to find your Dad and Harry ,stitching my jacket together with Conveyor belt metal hook fasteners.I remember them being startled by me shouting at them and swinging my jacket,still with the heavy zipping machine attached,round my head and hurling it at them!If it had hit them it would have really hurt,maybe even broke a bone or two..I was seething,but they thought it was funny..well by the time I got outbye to the shaft bottom we were all laughing at the state of my ripped old jacket..miners were like that..no fallouts..lose your rag for five minutes..Marra's just the same five minutes later. I was about 20 yrs old at the time that happened...Me and Mixer used to crack on for hours on the CB Radios from 1981 when they were legalised.In those days,I was into Electronics from 12 years old in 1956,so by 1981,and hooking up with Mixer on the air after not seeing him for years,was great cos he built power supplies for CB'S as his other hobby.So we talked transformers and resistors etc!!..Later he came to Bates ,and when he parked his new Lada in the car park,it always stood alone..he told me..there's no way anybody is gonna park too close to my car and block me from getting in .!![Waxoyl and dust kept not only rust away..it everybody away..including thieves!!] Mixer was the nicest lad you could wish to work with..please tell him Wilma is asking after him..if he remembers..he just might.Everybody knew Mixer..just like they knew Wilma!!Take care Damien.

Billy Mcglen was my Grandad. I often (on what would have been his birthday) Google his name. This year I came across your post. It's nice to think he is so well remembered.

Wow!

Merry Christmas to everyone and Happy New Year

Merry Christmas to all.

Merry Christmas to everyone in this group from Bygone Bedlington:-

Happy to pay the necessary earlier this year to turn the old dilapidated building at West Lea Cemetery into a suitable base for the Friends of West Lea Cemetery. Instead of making their Xmas wreaths in their respective kitchens and having pine needles and holly all over their houses to pick up they can now use this. It took well over a year to sort out with the legals themselves taking for ever, but it been worth all the time and effort put into it. Anyone visiting the cemetery and the lasses are there just say “Hi”, I’m sure they will be pleased to chat and I know anyone wanting to join them in their quest to make this cemetery the very best it can be will be very warmly welcomed. And a big round of thanks for all the help off NCC cemetery staff!

Happy Christmas to you all Maggie

Following a long absence on this site I have just become aware of Derek's passing today, sad news indeed. A true gentleman respected by all who were fortunate enough to have the pleasure of his company.

HAPPY NEW YEAR EVERYBODY! Hope it's a better one than thi last one was! Cheers Bill.

@ShaunL Hi Shaun. Like you, I've come across this site by accident. I was a seafarer, and studied at South Shields. In 1974 I was parachuting at Usworth (before Nissan goth there) and managed to break my leg. After surgery at Sunderland Orthopaedic Hospital, part of my recovery programme was a spell at Hartford Hall. At the time I lived in Cramlington New Town, but was still admitted as a residential patient. I think it was your Dad at the time who had a VW Beetle, and was having trouble with his carburettor. One or two of us fancied ourselves as amateur mechanics, and spent a happy afternoon diagnosing and fixing the problem for him. I remember Joyce Miller very well: I was once invited round to her house for dinner, and gave her a Bohemia cut crystal fruit bowl and water jug in return (cheap as chips in Poland, and I had a house full). Very down to earth, and loved a good chat. She was a bit of a match-maker, though. One of the other residents was in for treatment for a broken neck, and somehow he managed to slip on a walk down to the river, and broke his wrist. He had a yellow Triumph Sprite, which he asked me to look after, since he couldn't drive. One of the junior physios was a lovely Canadian girl. I was 27 and single, so Joyce tried to fix me up with her by telling me to take her home one evening. Being naive, I assumed she only wanted the lift home for a chance ride in the sports car, so dropped her off like the gallant gentleman I was, and drove back to the hall. The next day Joyce gave me a right going over for not asking her out. Those were the days! For my sins, I ended up doing a second spell at the hall in 1975, after a further operation, and this time it all worked out OK, so I have some happy memories of that place.

Have a merry Christmas and happy new year to all.

https://www.northumberlandline.uk/post/bedlington-works

Merry Christmas to all my gud friends on wor great channel!...Nice ti see ye back Brian..mind aav been idle an aal...but aam chinkaplonka,it's looking after Cath full on noo,that limits time for me..nivvor mind,one thing a wud like ti remind ye aal...if ye get tipsy,keep ya phones switched off!!...aam a teetotaller,so aam fully aware constantly......aav had aboot a dozen scam texts and calls owa the last few months,more so this last few weeks..from Lloyds Bank..[supposedly!],Royal Mail wanting 2 quid for a parcel ti be redelivered..[nonsense!]Hermes,[same thing],and just last week and today,a text saying "I think you are in this Video"..beware that one,my marras have fallen for it,thinking it was from old Pit Marras,but it scans all your contacts....I dont know if this has been covered already,apologies if it has,better be safe than scammed! Cheers and all the best folks! Bill and Cath xx

Thank you kind sirs! I am delighted, honoured and humbled to receive this prestigious award. I coudn’t have done it without your help - and the help of Covid which gave me, and you, loads of spare time. There are a couple of others I’d like to mention and thank for their help along the way: My parents, who provided the raw material. The people of Bedlington and Netherton who moulded that material. Friends and colleagues around the world who made adjustments and amendments to the design. The many educational establishments who nurtured my thirst for knowledge. Esther at the corner shop. Tommy the milkman. The colliery pollis at Netherton. The next door neighbours, here and elsewhere. Santa Clause. The Witch of Wookey Hole. Moscardini’s coffee shop. Lidl’s. The staff of Keenleyside’s. The Swedish Government, for letting me in. The British Government, for letting me out. Bedlington YMCA. The Metropolitan Police Force. The Canadian Royal Mounties. The Toon Moor. Newcastle United FC. Morrison’s. SAAB motors. … and not forgetting: Robson’s the printers. Jack, the ice-cream man. Netherton Socail Club. Prestos, Market Place, Bedlington. Jimmy Millne. The French Onion Sellers. The Beano. The nr 48 United Bus. St Cuthbert’s Church. Doncaster Royal Infirmary. … and, last but not least, Old Uncle Tom Cobley (and all). Thank you once again kind people of Bedders.

Greetings and best wishes from Oz. (35 degrees here in Adelaide today). May you all have a wonderful and safe Christmas .

Merry Christmas,and a happy new year to all,if we get that far!! Hope to be seeing you all a bit more next year,past two years have been disastrous ,healthwise,with my Wife. The NHS have been absoloutely MAGNIFICENT ,between Wansbeck,The RVI,The Freeman,and The Mount at Morpeth,all the Consultants and Staff,all the way down the ranks,deserve medals,solid gold ones the size of dustbin lids! My Wife and me hope the NHS gets the Appreciation,and funding that it deserves Nationally. ALL THE BEST! Bill.

Merry Christmas Alan and to all of our friends, followers and families, and a safe and happy New Year.

Just to keep our friends overseas in the loop........

If the project comes off, and I should know better after next week, trees will be supplied.

Update on West Lea Cemetery. Work on the new drainage system started today. Good start more to do! video-1623851069.mp4

.. not enough roughage in their diet, obviously!

Between Christmas and New Year I was contacted by a resident of Heritage Gardens regarding a letter that had been received from Northumberland County Council (NCC) on the subject of removing trees from Gallagher Park that bordered certain streets, namely Newby Close, Cragside Gardens and Stirling Drive. The concern was that the trees are a useful habitat for the endangered red squirrel and encourage the squirrels to come into the garden which this particular resident enjoyed. The letter was dated 24 December 2020 and was asking for responses by 8 January 2021 as work was due to start the following Monday 11 January 2021. I felt that this wasn’t giving residents enough time to be consulted on their opinions so I wrote to NCC to get this work delayed until a proper consultation had been carried out. Following this, I then wrote and hand delivered letters to all the properties that would be affected in the streets that were mentioned in the letter asking them to contact me with their views. The Friends of Gallagher Park, of which I am chair, have been trying to help increase the red squirrel population in the park and so this was quite a concern to me also. I am pleased to say that a considerable number of residents took the time to write to or telephone me with their views and I’d like to thank all those who did so. As with everything there were differing opinions, some wanting the trees removed and those happy to retain them as it encourages the wildlife to visit on a regular basis, and I have passed all of these comments on to NCC. As a result of highlighting this on social media, I was also contacted by residents of streets in Bedlington Central Ward who had received similar letters from NCC and also had opinions to share; my colleague, Russ Wallace, has similarly taken the matter up with NCC. All this has culminated in a response from NCC to the effect that the work will not go ahead as had been planned and that a more thorough consultation will be undertaken with a view to listening to residents concerns. I understand that some work will need to be done as the park does require some form of tree management, but hopefully a compromise can be reached and avoid this “one size fits all “ approach.

Thanks for that -pauls, interesting read and a refreshing one. This is exactly the type of 'conversation' we need in Bedlington so we get the investment, type of development which will focus the Town, help all the existing retailers and add to their ranks. It encapsulates the reasons why I don't think putting in a facsimile of what's available around us will change the fortunes of our Town. We need to be bold, innovative and imaginative if we are ever to see Bedlington become a 'destination' Town.

Was walking the dog in the woods behind the hazlemere estate in bedlington and found a mountain bike thrown in the bushes way off the path. I left it just in case the owner was about but it was still there next day so I dragged it out and brought it home. It is an apollo mountain bike. If you think it is yours you need to describe it to me in detail. I have found the frame serial number so if you give me that good. It also has a unique kind of lock wrapped around the frame so if you have the key for it that would prove ownership to me. I want the bike to go back to its owner so dont 'try it on' please. Reply to this forum and we will go from there.

When Canadians Get Bored...

He was looking for his face mask - Amazon just turned up with a fresh pack

😂 I added a poll (nominations still open). My vote goes to Eggy for maintaining a fantastic gallery and Canny Lass for the quiz.

I am delighted to be supporting Contract Gym and Fitness in Bedlington Station who again are delivering a Christmas Gift Give Away. Gym owner, Lindsey Jordan, is behind the scheme which is now in it’s third year. Lindsey and her team have been collecting donations of nearly new toys and clothes, as well as unwanted gifts since October. Over thirty less well off families have been supported in each of the last two years and even more are expected to benefit this year with the gym overflowing with donations. They include bikes, games, dolls houses, scalextrics, and much more for children and adults. The Give Away takes place on Sunday 6th December at 4pm and is open to any family in Northumberland that need extra help at Christmas. Track and trace details must be provided and the numbers entering the gym at any one time will be limited in line with Tier 3 restrictions. It is also requested that people “Only take what you need to allow others to do the same.” This is a brilliant scheme from a local business that despite having a difficult year of trading is still giving something back to the local community. Lindsey has done an amazing job and I would to thank her for all the smiles that she will put on children’s faces on Christmas morning.

As some will know all NCC elected members received an email which I read last Monday about being able to access some of their member’s local improvement scheme funding for local Covid relief. This was put in place by the Leader and the CeO of NCC. I was initially highly critical and sent an email to all members and some officers saying my main concern was the time lag because accessing this funding usually takes weeks even months! Given the dire straits we found ourselves in that couldn’t be allowed to happen and I wanted that funding available to use ASAP! I was assured this wouldn’t be the case with this initiative. Last Monday afternoon I visited a local charity and discussed putting together two projects with them so they could access this funding. The costed plans were submitted last Tuesday and almost immediately agreed. On Wednesday after work I started asking where the schemes where and how long would they take to expedite the funding? I was told they were going through as we spoke. Thursday morning and I again spoke to the charity and asked them to let me know when they received my funding. I took that call on Thursday afternoon! So for something that usually takes week upon weeks to get through, these were advanced extremely quickly and I again had to write to all members telling them my experience and thanking the Leader and the CeO of NCC. The recipients of the funding is the Salvation Army food bank in Bedlington and we have managed to put in funding for the next 10 weeks. The other initiative is to do a meals on wheels service to our seniors at Xmas because the usual seniors Xmas lunches will not be able to be held in the Salvation Army building. This funding means we can double the provision! More about that closer to the time. So once again a huge shout out to the Bedlington Salvation Army because whenever I have asked them for help their reply has always been…..how many, when, we will be ready! No doubt others have the same attitude; it just leaves me in awe of their values and commitment to our local communities and that’s why we won’t be beaten and we won’t leave anyone behind!

Wasn't "The Shirt Factory" in the council (BUDC) yard? I can remember the outpouring of girls from there at the end of their shift. It was always a place anyone industrious could get employment. The phrase "she works (worked) at the shirt factory" did have a tiny bit of social stigma in those days, though. It implied that the person might have done better at school. Having said that, it probably paid a lot better than shopworker or clerical jobs. The Rag Trade on TV epitomised this type of work. Work which was steadily eroded by the waves of imports from overseas "sweat shops", but don't get me started on so-called "globalism"! I recall they had a problem with asbestos roofing in the BUDC yard, and some poor worker being killed when the roof didn't support their weight. This might jog someone's memory on the place. I can also remember going into the Barrington establishment to deliver or attend to something, or maybe to seek someone out. At this point in time, I can't remember why I was there, though I have a brief mental image of the offices but not the work floor. It was, I think, a conversion and not a purpose-built factory. Update: Ah, yes, that's it above. Should have scrolled up! Just pointing out the social attitudes (snobbery) of the era, and no downers on the industrious salt-of-the earth people that worked there. A lot of that lingers on in the present day, when the thoroughly brainwashed ex-uni types regard themselves as socially superior and have a right to do everyone's thinking for them!

Didn't one of those on the left used to be Wemyss (sp?), the wholesale confectioner, back in the mid 1950s? I can remember carting an unstable load of empty crisp tins there on my bogey as an infant. Yes, those packets of crisps with the little blue bag of salt used to come in oversized biscuit tins to keep them fresh. My motive was purely economic - to pocket the deposit on them. Mr Wemyss, however - god rest his soul - wasn't prepared to cough up the going rate, likely embossed on the tins, and all I got was a pittance (or maybe a few sweets) for my trouble. The sweets are long forgotten, but the bitterness lingers on - such is life! 🤣

"There will be a shuttle bus to get people from one side of the crossing to the other..." Well, I can dream! This one was supposed to be flying by 2018, and it seems there are quite a number of such designs. Maybe it's going to take Elon to bring one to reality!

Well that was a heck of a meeting yesterday! Extraordinary meeting of full council to hear the findings of the Max Caller report into governance at NCC and the chief financial officer’s report into the International business NCC has. Some of us have been asking for quite some time about this International business NCC has and even why the heck we were involved in a healthcare operation in China when there is so much to do much much closer to home! Anyway here is the meeting. With only about 30 mins to read through the report we were allowed one question at each presentation; mine were asking if it was a systems failure or a personnel failure or both and secondly if we have hundreds of thousands of pounds sitting in a unused business bank account, that should be put to better use! It was really disturbing to hear the extent of both but I have to say I think we have seen two female officers who have shown remarkable professionalism and stoicism to get the second item before full council and I would like to thank them for that! The first shows just what some of us have been faced with when trying to get our jobs done! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NUVNDwajSBY

Bedlington share world record with Washington. https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/60688397

Happy New Year 2022 We are going to celebrate and see the New Year in at the clock tower in Morpeth. We were last there 33 years ago . We won’t be there in 33years time . Happy days

I agree a full blown leisure centre is not necessarily what we need, I was just pointing out that some leisure facilities including a swimming pool seemed to be promised/announced by Advance Northumberland 14 months ago and has now seemingly disappeared. I'm just looking for something other than another small budget supermarket and a row of shops and flats which is all that has been confirmed. No sign of any update on plans to "boost the scale of leisure facilities in the town centre" I'd like to think that the millions from the various national regeneration/levelling up schemes that have been announced will land us something more than an Aldi. I appreciate Malcolm's comments here and in the video clip that suggests that there are plans well underway that haven't been announced to the public yet and his request that there can be an update. I am just pointing out again that its more then 6 years since the council took control of the Tesco site and so far there is is still no confirmed leisure offering. In that time I think we've lost half a library and a swimming pool.

The cemetary is a great place to go either by yourself or with your dog to chill out for boosting mental health or with kids to teach them a thing or two. I can't be the only one who remembers being taken by Meadowdale Middle School on science/history and art field trips here. There is so much to see and learn, mostly in the old section, but the wildlife there is astonishing. Over the past few years I've seen a kestrel, a barn owl, foxes, tree creepers, woodpeckers, sparrowhawks, a weird possibly crossbreed white rabbit population (???), bullfinches, long tailed tits and much more. The trees and wildflowers are also amazing, not to mention the art of the grave engravings and some of the incredible stories and histories of the families laid to rest there. I'd hate to think that NCC is trying to make it into an empty no-go zone and I still can't understand what possible reason there is for wanting the rear of the new cemetary blocked off when it's such a sizeable area. I'd encourage everyone in Bedlington to take a walk around the place and just enjoy it, responsibly, of course.

Howw Man,wa Geordie folks on this site,[whey...my Son keeps correcting me...wa not Geordies at aal...wa Northumbrians!! ...wat thi hell!!]...wat does toot de sweetie mean in punds shullin's ind pence?!!....n wa not Frogs eetha!!Heh heh...nea disrespect..ignorance is bliss we used ti say!! When aa was 15 yrs aad,in 1959,a used ti waak from Hollymoont Square,in the deep snaa,when the Buses were laid off,and waak up the Railway [Tanky]line from the Low Pit,at Scotland Gate,reet up ti the High Pit,a stryght mile,mind that WAS hard work,trudging through Snaa two feet deep and deeper wheor the snaa had drifted![ a total of Fower Miles,afore wi even clocked on!!] The point of aal this is,we wad nivvor hae thowt that one day,ye wadn't see the line,for a lovely wood waak,the Friends of Choppingtin Woods have worked a miracle in creating that haven!! But a canna help but think,when a used ti gaan up the entrance road from Guide Post road,[the PIT ROAD!!]wi LBJ,a used ti stop where the Pit Baths were,and reminisce,get me bearings reet,the Winder Hoose was owa theor,[a gud aad Steam Winder..100 yrs aad!],the Timber Yard doon heor,and the Lamp Cabin and Tally Cabins owa thoer....!! A detested that pit,but noo that a haven't got wee LBJ,ti get me oot,a have luvly memories of gaan doon thon woods in the orly mornin sunleet..Magic!! Aye,Alan's the BUGGER ti see if ye waant ti knaa owt aboot Barn'tin!! Cheers Folks!! HPW.[absent a lot,but still kicking aboot!]

Following the consultation on the Northumberland Line the County Council has launched another consultation on the budget proposals for 2021-22. In the current financial year the Council is forecasting a modest deficit due to the additional and unexpected spend linked to the COVID-19 pandemic. Further information on the budget proposals can be found in the link at the foot of this piece but I would also like to share my own views. Like any organisation the Council can set a balanced budget by increasing its level of income or reducing expenditure. Increasing income is always welcome but it very much depends on the source. For example introducing car parking charges in areas that don’t have them is not something I would support. Such a proposal or something similar would be totally unacceptable as it should not be residents that are milked as a cash cow given the rises in Council Tax in recent decades and the current challenging economic conditions. What the Council needs to focus on is other ways to raise income such as the sale of assets that are no longer required. These could be held by the Council or Advance Northumberland and would provide a boost to income that will help cover the extraordinary costs associated with coronavirus. What the Council also needs to seriously look at is its own cost base and whether it simply needs to stop certain things or reduce what is delivered. Councillor Russ Wallace in a recent post highlighted that the Council has an ‘International Team’. As a Councillor of three and a half years I have little knowledge of what that team does or of any benefits. Information online suggests “It will lead to the introduction of joined-up health and care in state-of-the-art facilities in China.” Whilst this sounds extremely laudable is does beg a number of questions including why the second largest economy in the world needs investment from Northumberland for health facilities. More significantly whilst myself and Councillors Robinson and Wallace are fighting for the crumbs from the table for the town centre it is ludicrous that money is being made available halfway around the world. I would therefore argue that this project should be placed under the microscope and if the benefits cannot be demonstrated to Councillors it should be scrapped. Another pot of funding which is a cause for concern is the money that is made available to Councillors for small schemes. Whilst I endeavour to spend the £15,000 I receive every year in the best way possible I am not convinced that it has always been the case in previous administrations or in the rest of the County. Under the former Labour administration I recall that money that should have spent in Bedlington ending up in Ashington. And just recently a Councillor from elsewhere tried to use the money for resurfacing works in his own street. Not only is that fundamentally wrong but it is also the type of scheme that should be part of the Council’s core budget. Reducing the allocation from £15,000 per annum to £7,500 will not only force all Councillors to think much harder but it would also save up to half a million pounds per year. That is a hugely significant sum which can be achieved for very little impact and should be looked at in any case given that some Councillors appear to stockpile the funding over 4 years then rush to spend it with questionable outcomes. A final proposal is to freeze Councillor allowances for 2020/21. The pay of MPs has been frozen as has pay in much of the public sector including local government. It is therefore inconceivable that Councillors should receive any kind of increase in such circumstances. Please take part in the survey and put your views forward. In my opinion it is about cutting unnecessary costs rather than expecting residents to foot the bill that should be the Council’s focus. https://haveyoursay.northumberland.gov.uk/communications/2021-22-budget-consultation/?fbclid=IwAR3XCl1ONb-SoKYTlxh5djpoMspJyccgLcFsWF3C94Sciu-VXsoD3AFTp8A