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Malcolm Robinson

Love Northumberland

By Malcolm Robinson, in News,

Love Northumberland Awards.




(Rob Halibut, Anthony Johnston (Northumberland Wildlife Trust), Irene Webster, Keith Dalton and the Duchess of Northumberland ,Jane Percy.)
The Duchess of Northumberland has helped celebrate the very best in community and voluntary environmental work across the county at a special LOVE Northumberland Awards event on Wednesday July 4.
The important part of this for us is that a scheme in Gallagher Park was awarded runner up in the "Best on-going project" category. A small group of volunteers devote some of their spare time to cleaning up, reinstating paths and generally tidying up the park so the whole community can use it.
Really there is only one thing to say"¦"¦"¦Well done!
Friends of gallagher Park Award Certficate.pdf
Always looking to recruit more volunteers and helpers the Friends of Gallagher Park hold meetings monthly.
For contact details please see their Web site...FoGP


sa30g
Northumberland's newest community radio station has received a very special message to pass on to Scouts in the county.
One of the station's presenters, Keith Newman who hosts the New Wave with Newman show managed to get an interview with explorer, action man and Chief Scout, Bear Grylls when he visited members of the Royal Naval Reserve at HMS Calliope after completing his Olympic Torch zip wire spectacular.
As a Queen's Scout himself, Keith was keen to find out what message Bear had for the hundreds of Scouts in Northumberland.
"Be proud and remember that Scouting is like life, you get out what you get in," he said. "Keep going, be ambitious and I'll see you at the Queen's Scouts Parade in Windsor one day."
He continued, " Don't take the organisation for granted, you are part of something special, a worldwide force for good with 28 million Scouts and you stand for something special with people looking up to you."
Radio Northumberland is currently providing an internet based service broadcasting music, community information and talk based programming. As the station grows, an application will be made to Ofcom for a temporary RSL licence which will enable it to broadcast on an FM radio frequency to the people of Ashington, Bedlington, Blyth, Cramlington and Morpeth.
The station broadcasts a variety of music styles and genres with shows by experienced presenters and interviewers as well as running shows presented by schools, scout groups and other community organisations.
The station is now looking to recruit more members of the team to help present, operate behind the scenes and promote the station. Anyone interested can contact the station on requests@radionorthumberland.com .
Northumberland's best kept secret can be heard online at http://www.radionorthumberland.com/
For media information contact Keith Newman at Highlights PR 07814 397951 (Queen's Scout 1981) Benton Venture Scout Unit then Scout Leader for 15 years at 1st West Moor until around 1999
John White
An expat Bedlingtonian living and working in other parts of Europe has sent a south east Northumberland community radio station £250 to help fund its next broadcast.
The on-line listener of Synergy "“ which broadcast for 28 days during March "“ is keen to see the station fulfill its aim to stage another broadcast before the end of the year.
The donator, who wishes to remain anonymous, e-mailed station organisers South Northumberland Radio Group (SNRG) to say that the broadcasts, during the short time Synergy was on air, had been thoroughly enjoyed - adding that "listening gave me, an ex-pat, a rather nice feeling of once again being in touch with my roots and being a part of the community I've always loved".
SNRG chairman Colin Heathcote said "We are absolutely delighted to get this entirely unexpected and unsolicited contribution from this listener, who clearly feels that our aim to provide a genuinely accessible community radio service to people in south east Northumberland is worth supporting."
The station "“ which played host to nearly 100 guests "“ plans to apply for a second restricted service licence from the government's broadcasting authority, Ofcom. In the meantime it has to raise up to £10,000 to pay for the forthcoming broadcast and related activities.
Said Colin: "As we are a community radio station we will be applying to local organisations as well as regional and national bodies for funding. And if people who have listened to us either locally or elsewhere are interested in helping they can contribute by sending a cheque made out to South Northumberland Radio Group at 90a Front Street East, Bedlington , NE22 5AE.
Donations can also be made on-line by Paypal to: donate@synergyradio.co.uk."
Stephen
The Town Council, Leading Link, Salvation Army and Bedlington Community Centre have come together to put on events and activities in Bedlington this summer, celebrating the Jubilee and Olympics and making sure that there is something on every week throughout the summer and beyond. Please check with the contacts shown for details of specific events or look on the Town Council website for general updates.
Sunday 2 June - 10:30am to 3:30pm The Lodge (near St Benet Biscops) THE BIG LUNCH ENTERTAINMENT FUN FAIR BBQ & MORE 50p ENTRY see http://www.leadinglink.co.uk
Friday 8 June "“ 8:30pm Bedlington Community Centre STAND-UP COMEDY see Comedy and Crime at the Community Centre
Every Thursday starting 14 June 3:30-4:30pm Dr Pit Park. PLAY RANGER Afterschool Club
The Play Ranger activities will be to encourage active play, this might be from a mini beast hunt, to building dens in the park, or your favourite sports or obstacle courses and traditional playground games, even face painting or outdoor crafts! We have both accessible indoor and outdoor facilities at Dr. Pit park offering inclusive activities for all.
The afterschool club will be on every Thursday starting the 14th June 2012 at Dr. Pit park. The cost will be £1 per child. Come and join in with the fun and games! Children under 5 must be accompanied by an adult.
For more enquiries contact: Heather Ashburner on 07879874168 or heather.ashburner@northumberland.gov.uk or Play Rangers on 07855819256
Friday 15 June "“ 10:30am Bedlington Front Street OLYMPIC PARADE & TORCH RELAY. Parade, brass band, cheerleaders & more, followed by the Olympic Torch at 11:26. See http://www.leadinglink.co.uk
Tuesday 18 June "“ 7pm Bedlington Community Centre DEAD MEN TELL TALES.
Another workshop in murder with forensic artist Norman Kirtlan see Comedy and Crime at the Community Centre
Every Thursday starting 5th July
5-6pm Bedlington Community Centre. Skillz (ages 8-16) "“ including dodgeball, skipping, benchball, boxercise, dance and athletics ( £1 per person, no need to book)
6-7pm Bedlington Community Centre. Circuit Training (adults) "“ body conditioning class combining resistance training with high-intensity aerobic exercises (£3 per person, please book at Community Centre 01670 824141) or see http://www.bval.co.uk for more details.
Kids Club (ages 6-­12) Mon-Fri 9-­12am 23rd July "“3rd August at Bedlington Salvation Army call 01670 829356 for details.
Friday 27 July Salvation Army 6-­9pm. FREE Olympic Opening Ceremony family event: digital screening on large screens, BBQ, crazy golf, skate ramp (bring your boards and scooters), table tennis, penalty shootout, basketball and more. Tickets needed for food, kids to be accompanied by an adult. Call 01670 829356 for details.
More to come, especially for the school summer holidays "“ stay tuned!
Malcolm Robinson
15th June 2012 "“ Olympic Torch through Bedlington's Front Street.
On Friday 15th June, the Olympic Torch passes through Bedlington and over 5000 people will be on Bedlington Front Street in the morning to see its procession.
Leading Link and the Bedlingtonshire Development Trust have got together to help make this historic moment an event never to be forgotten and to bring back that magnificent community feeling that was at the heart of Bedlington years ago.
As a pre-empt to the torch arriving, we have been working with several organisations in the town to put on a "˜carnival' like parade to celebrate the area and entertain the school children and general public that will be there. Local television cameras, including the BBC, will also be in attendance.
We already have a brass band on the procession, local dance companies showcasing, 30 decorated and dressed up wheelchairs from a local residential home, over 15 Bedlington Terrier owners and their dogs walking down the street (numbers growing!), and our own massive Bedlington Terrier in the style of a Chinese Dragon, which will be carried by two children from each of the local schools. We will also have a stage in the Market Place, with a compere and music to give regular updates on the torch procession through the county, and to help excite the crowds.
To make this a true community affair, we are still seeking support from other local groups and communities who may wish to showcase themselves to the community during the parade, and we welcome your input. You could actively promote your organisation and/or help to make a truly great atmosphere to show the nation that Bedlington is here and we're proud of it!
Our parade will start at 10:30 from the top of the street and will proceed down towards the Market Place and back up and into the Community Centre for a 11:00am prompt finish. We must be ready to go at 10:15am and must be clear of the street by 11:05am, to allow for official Olympic procession vehicles to take over. During this time this part of the road will be closed to traffic.
If this is something that you are interested in being involved with, then please do not hesitate to get in touch with us as soon as possible. You can ring me on 01670 820088 or email lyn.horton@leadinglink.co.uk
Malcolm Robinson
Bedlington Carnival parade for the Olympic Torch.
The town of Bedlington is gearing up for the arrival of the Olympic Torch.

Determined not to be left behind as the Olympic Torch passes through the county and onto their streets, social enterprise Leading Link, the Bedlingtonshire Development Trust (BDT) and the Salvation Army have started developing plans together to ensure this once in a lifetime event will be one to be remembered in Bedlington.
The main focus of the plans is a fantastic carnival parade preceding the Torch procession, which will feature a giant Bedlington Terrier, clowns and street performers, a brass band, dancing and cheerleading to name but a few.

Malcolm Robinson, Chair of the BDT said: "With over 2500 young people, families and community residents lining the main thoroughfare of Front Street, the group felt that we had to ensure that the momentum and excitement of this historic event is captured and remembered as being a truly great day for us all here in Bedlington."
The organising team are working with the West Bedlington Town Council, local schools and local providers and hope to involve as much of the community as possible.
The most ambitious part of the plans is to create a massive "˜walking' Bedlington Terrier along the lines of a Chinese Dragon and so the hunt is on to find some artists willing to help create this centrepiece.

The thoughts behind it is that children and young people representing each of the Bedlington schools will come together to bring the Terrier to life on the day.
There is also a big call for anyone who can play a brass instrument to come forward to join the band walking down Front Street.
There are several band practices planned before the event to ensure the music is heard for miles around, however you must bring your own instrument.



( I think we used to do this some years ago!)

The parade will culminate in the market place where we hope there will be several exhibition stalls and a "˜Town Crier' giving spectators updates on the progression of the torch.

The whole event is being covered by St Benet Biscop Catholic High School's BBC Roving School Reporters who have a website link directly to the BBC. The BBC have specifically asked this group of reporters to cover the run up to the day, during and after the event so we are certain they will have a lot to report.

If any local groups or individuals would like to take part in the carnival parade or help with the preparations, please contact Lyn Horton at Leading Link on 01670 820088 or email lyn.horton@leadinglink.co.uk.

sa30g
Radio Northumberland is an on-line community radio station run entirely by enthusiastic and committed volunteers in Northumberland, UK.
The schedule is packed with unique and exclusive content featuring the best in music, talk, features and community information, with an emphasis on involvement and inclusion.
Radio Northumberland has been broadcasting online since January, tune in to hear:
Local news from the News Post Leader
What's On information provided by listeners in "YOU Tell Northumberland"
Health Tips
Features for the Blind
Interviews with Local Performers
The Geordie Hour
Great Music

Contact Us: requests@RadioNorthumberland.com
Radio Northumberland can be heard on all platforms via www.radionorthumberland.com and TuneIn.
Malcolm Robinson
Whilst I still think we could never get everyone needed around a table for Bedlington to become a Portas Pilot I have been keeping my eyes on developments with the "˜Portas Pilots' where 12 Towns are going to be given £100K to help regenerate their high streets. There are some interesting developments in the Governmental response to this initiative. Grant Shapps, the Minister for Housing and Local Government, has now issued the government's formal response to the Portas High Street Review. In it there is a lot of talk about bureaucracy-busting measures, entrepreneurial inducements and a wide range of new incentives all aimed at helping our high streets compete and be sustainable.
The main thrust is to get a team of local people and organisations together and make what they are calling a "˜Town Team' which is then supposed to mould and fashion any regeneration efforts towards a local resolution.
It would seem blindingly obvious that our high streets are going to fundamentally change over the next few years, it could be worth grabbing this initiative now to shape that change into something we can all use and benefit by?
Some of the "˜new' help available is:
A multi-million pound High Street Innovation Fund.
A £1 million Future High Street X-Fund.
A National Markets Day, launching a National Markets Fortnight.
A £500,000 fund for Business Improvement Districts.
Doubling the number of Portas Pilots.

Shapps is adding his own twist as well introducing what is called the 'Portas-Plus' deal which has "˜a range of measures designed to help local people turn their high streets into the beating hearts of their communities once again.'
One important detail I will reprint here is the possible moves on Business Rates.
"How they can work with councils to use the forthcoming new powers to offer local business rate discounts, and to ensure businesses are aware of the option to spread the payment of the retail price index increase in business rates bills over three years, giving them the flexibility to manage their bills and help their cash- flow. This is in addition to Small Business Rate Relief, which in England has been doubled for two and a half years, from 1 October 2010 to 31 March 2013."
He also confirmed the Government was accepting a number of other key recommendations to cut red tape and entice motorists into the town centres.
Looks like a step in the right direction but more of a temperature testing step rather than a full-on plunge!



John White

REUNITED – ON AIR

By John White, in News,

A broadcasting reunion involving two radio presenters who had not met for nearly 30 years featured in Synergy's final week on the air.
The Bedlington-based community radio station which completes its 28-day Restricted Service Licence broadcast at midnight on Friday saw Drivetime presenter John White get together with ex-Radio Wansbeck hospital broadcaster Diana Pasek-Atkinson
Diana, formerly of Morpeth who now lives and works in Nottingham, was visiting family and friends and made contact with John who invited her along for an on-air chat.
John said: "It was great to see and hear Diana again after all these years. She has occasionally done radio work in the Midlands with stints on BBC Radio Nottingham, and during her Trent University days, with a hospital broadcasting service in the city.
"The last time we worked together was on a 48-hour sponsored broadcast to raise money for Radio Wansbeck in the early 1980s, about two years before she left the area. But we have kept in touch and Diana has been listening to Synergy on-line in Nottingham."
John's final programme on Friday, which he is co-presenting with Synergy newcomer Becca Bird, will feature Ashington AFC's press officer Brian Bennett, defender Craig Scott and midfielder Andrew Johnson, and Stewart Grimes from Bedlington Terriers. They will be previewing Saturday's games and reflecting on recent performances.
Earlier in the day, Colin Heathcote will be interviewing Wansbeck MP Ian Lavery and Red Cross senior community fund-raiser Margaret Musgrave.
Colin said: "The past four weeks of broadcasting to people on 87.7FM throughout south east Northumberland has been a wonderful experience for all our presenters.
"Our aim was to provide an entertaining mix of music to suit all tastes alongside speech-based programmes which concentrated on community activities, facilities and events. We hope that we have achieved that aim.
"Our presenters have showcased local musical talent, presented live outside broadcasts and talked to more than fifty guests.
"We are grateful for the many messages of support, including texts, letters, e-mails and phone calls, and we look forward to returning on-air and on-line as soon as possible," he added.
Malcolm Robinson
I wonder if John Deacon had the plight of Bedlington Front Street in mind when he penned the Queen hit "˜'Another One Bites The Dust''. Seems our retail outlets are failing faster than an EU solution to the Greek debt fiasco! The whole thing is like watching a car crash in slow motion. The impending 5½ % hike in business rates due in April is really going to help the situation! Nowadays anyone could take the Front Street with a water pistol on any given day but especially a Saturday afternoon, traditionally a busy time for shopping.
So what's gone wrong and can we recover the situation. The first part of that is easy to answer, ever increasing rents, rates, energy charges, water charges etc. in other words an exponential increase in costs at the same time as a squeeze on family finances and that aligned with not being able to compete with the great consumer cathedrals which have been designed at huge costs to extract the very last coins out of our pockets. The surge in internet shopping cannot be ignored now either as this opens up a world of choice to cash strapped consumers.



The second part of that question requires the processing power of "˜K', currently the most powerful computer in existence, to come anywhere near a solution. Of course the primary question to answer is do we want a solution? I think we should because what we are seeing is an erosion in a national culture and the evaporation of the very raison d'etre for our Market Towns in the first place. Even at a very basic level being able to interact socially with our contemporaries has to be a worthwhile endeavour and probably the only way we can build lasting friendships etc. or has that now been truly relegated to the vastness of cyber space?
It will be interesting to see how the 12 "˜Portas Pilots' develop but given the absolute need for everyone involved to become a committed partner in the undertaking I am just not too sure if it will be possible to roll out across the country up to and including Bedlington. Looks very much like a game we all used to play as toddlers"¦"¦..





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