Haydon News

April 2000

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EDITORIAL

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

Dear Editor

I wonder whether you would allow my wife Inès and I to say ‘HELLO’ to some old acquaintances in Haydon Bridge?

We lived at 8, New Alston from 1992 until 1999. I was, very briefly, on Tynedale Council, stood for election for the Hexham Constituency in the 1997 General Election, and was, again rather briefly, involved with the ‘Friends of Haydon Bridge’ and the Haydon News during Mitch’s period as Editor.

I am now Professor of Linguistics at the Université Paul Valéry in the South of France (Montpellier), but have very fond memories of Haydon Bridge in general and New Alston in particular.

We have swapped the Tyne Valley for the Hérault Valley, where the locals in our village are clamouring for a by-pass! (Plus ça change, plus c’est la même chose!)

We would like to say ‘HELLO’ to our ex-neighbours Pat and Neville, Mick and Anne, and the Bainbridges. Bonjour also to Steven Ford, Enid Garrow, Mitch, the Clarke’s at the Newsagents in Church Street, Gunter at the other newsagent’s, Tony Petts at the Post Office, Eileen Charlton at the Co-op, Mike Fry at Chesterwood, and Ted and John who lived just up the road from us.

I’m sending off my membership fee today, and look forward to keeping up with the Haydon Bridge news on the net.

Yours faithfully

A NOTE FROM FLORENCE

I would like to thank everyone who sent me cards, flowers and presents for my 90^th birthday.

It was a very momentous occasion.

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Millennium Letter – (February 2000)

Coming up to the age of 97, I feel that I should make some contribution in writing about Haydon Bridge in the past, including Altonside, near the village where my late husband and his parents lived for many years. It is believed to date back to the 6^th century.

The walls inside the house are 3 feet in depth; a stone window still exists at the back of the house with carvings on it. The first roof was thatched and later stone slated, before blue slates were introduced; water came from a well outside the house before piped water was installed.

It was a Poor Law work house. The east sheds were the old bath house. Tramps used it when resting for the night at the work house. They were given a pot of tea and a change of clothes. Lighting was tallow candles before paraffin oil lamps were introduced. Papers and old documents were found in a cracked wall inside the house revealing much of what Altonside was like in the past.

I remember seeing two ladies dresses, over a hundred years old, owned by the Thompson family, but which previously belonged to aunt Anna Thompson, housekeeper to the Allgood family of Nunwick, Humshaugh. They were indeed museum pieces. Unfortunately they were loaned out for a concert and were not returned.

There is a story about the servant girl working at the work house. She was challenged to go to the little old church along the Tofts Bank at 12 o'clock midnight when she would learn something, and receive a length of tweed to make a costume. She accepted the challenge and as she was approaching the church she heard voices and slipped behind the church door, when two men walked in carrying a dead body. It was her lover. The story is believed to be true, as highway men did murder people in those far off days.

As a point of interest, my late brother and sister were baptised in the old stone font which is still there today in the little old church. Many years ago I had the occasion to visit the old work house in Hexham, now part of the hospital, and as I walked in tramps were sitting on a bench resting before going on to Prudhoe workhouse. We do not have tramps walking the roads to day as they did in the past. People are now provided for.

HISTORICAL NOTES OF HAYDON BRIDGE

PARISH COUNCIL PICKINGS

Condition of the Land at Tait's Yard. The Chair had spoken to the Head of Planning at Tynedale Council, and reported the following:

The land at the Yard was said to be contaminated. There were said to be two tanks buried under the Yard which would need to be filled with sand, and if used for housing, the land would need to be skimmed first. An earlier potential buyer had apparently surveyed the land for housing development, found it to be contaminated and withdrawn their bid. The land is still available for housing. It is unlikely to be used as a play area as it wouldn't necessarily get Planning Permission. The Head of Planning had, according to the Chairperson, apparently suggested that the current tenants should try to buy the land.

The Chair said that, in her opinion the Parish Council is not able, therefore, to withdraw their remark made last month about contamination of the land.

Community Centre. The debate about this issue was long and complex. It concerned firstly, the Contractor and Architect's underestimate of the cost of building the Centre; secondly, the attempts by residents of adjacent properties to raise their concerns before the building work began; thirdly, the Parish Council's role in relation to the Community Association.

The initial concerns about the construction of the Community Centre were raised in a long and detailed letter from residents of properties adjoining the Centre which was sent to both the Parish Council and the Community Association in November 1998. At this stage, initial trial borings were being done, prior to the start of the building work. The letter expressed concern about the stability of the ground along Ratcliffe Road. It requested that the residents see a copy of the site survey and detailed building plans, before the building work began. It also sought assurance that a guarantee of structural stability of the neighbouring buildings would be sought before the demolition of the existing building.

The Parish Council do not have any recollection of receiving this letter and it does not appear to be in the current files. Some members of the Council do, however, remember discussing the stability of the ground at an earlier meeting.

[ Editor’s note: since the meeting, research reveals that the matter was discussed at the Parish Council meeting on 26^th November 1998, and reported in the Haydon News of December 1998. ]

A letter from the Community Association's Consultant (Architect) to the Community Association had been copied to the Parish Council in response to last month's discussion of the situation about the Community Centre. This long letter was read out to the meeting. It pointed out that the trial borings which had been sunk two metres from the existing buildings, prior to the building work starting, had not revealed any problems and that more trial borings had been done after the neighbour's wall collapsed. It suggested that the neighbour's garden wall was already in poor condition prior to the start of the building works.

However, the main issue of concern is that the Contractor of the Community Centre building is now asking for £50,000 extra money over and above his original estimates and has eliminated some of the internal features of the building whilst reducing the scale of others, namely the front porch. Does the responsibility for this rest with the Contractor, the Community Association or both? One problem which was raised was that the Architect (Consultant) is employed by Northumberland County Council who also won the tender and then sub-contracted the work to the building company. This means that there is no independent Consultant involved in the building work.

The Parish Council is unsure of its role in relation to the Community Association. It was pointed out that the Parish Council had applied for Planning Permission for the building on behalf of the Association. The Secretary of the Community Association at the time was a former Tynedale Councillor who represented the Parish Council on the Community Association. There are only two effective members of the Community Association left and they are felt to be in a very vulnerable position and the Parish Council would like to offer them its support.

Additional problems have arisen with the back lanes and roads adjoining the Community Centre. There is a large puddle in one back lane, whilst drainage problems have occurred with changing road levels near the estate, with mud and gravel being washed along the roadway.

The outcome of the debate was that the Parish Council will set up a meeting to discuss the issues between the contractor, the Community Association and the residents, to be chaired by a Parish Councillor who is a law expert. The former Chair of the Parish Council will be asked for a report about his response to the letter of November 1998. The Council will attempt to trace back the assurances which were given by the Contractor and local residents were asked to supply copies of any documents that they have.

Northern Electric do not want to provide matched funding for underground cabling. They do not think there will be any maintenance savings from this change.

H.E.R.S. £5,000 is still needed for the Riverside Play Area. Three tenders are needed and the Chair is not sure whether it will qualify for regeneration (HERS) funding.

Clean Up Day This was poorly supported but the job was done. The clean up exposed the extent of dog fouling along the riverside.

Whittis Crescent potholes have been cleaned up. Fourstones Road has still not been cleaned up. There is a large puddle between the Heugh House Lane and the Peelwell which needs draining.

Pelican Crossing The lights will only change to let people cross the road when there is no traffic coming. The sensors and sequencing need adjusting.

Martin's Close Speed humps need putting in.

By-Pass/Draft Local Transport Plan The Plan recommends an urgent appraisal of the by-pass needs. The new appraisal will take account of environmental and safety issues in addition to those of traffic volume and congestion. The village need to be pro-active about it. The By-Pass committee will be re-activated after the Millennium celebrations.

Shaftoe Street There are three lights out. The location of the new Brigwood light was discussed.

Hanging Baskets The location of these was discussed. Britain in Bloom will visit next week.

Restoration of the Old Bridge Still no sign of work starting. Should have been completed by May 1999.

HSBC (Midland Bank) have applied for planning permission to put in a cash machine.

Plans for the Churchyard Computer simulations were passed round showing what the Churchyard would look like if it were opened up onto Church Street and some of the gravestones moved back.

Resignation of the Chairperson The Chair announced  that she was stepping down as from this meeting. The job has not worked out as she envisaged. She has not been able to get all the village people behind her. She will remain as a Parish Councillor. A new Chair will be elected at the next meeting of the Council in May.

 S.H

Index

Miscellaneous

A Hexham charity shop, working flat out to raise money for the Mozambique flood victims, urgently needs new volunteers so that it can extend its opening hours.

OXFAM’s store in Battle Hill needs two people every afternoon who are willing to work until 5pm.

Shop Manager, Dodo Weetman says that, at the moment, she has no cover between 4 - 5pm and this is preventing her from extending the shop’s hours from 9 - 4pm to 9 - 5pm. Dodo says that she is flexible about the hours any new volunteers might wish to work.

Dodo’s problem is, that as part of new National Retail Standards being introduced by OXFAM, the Hexham shop should be opening for 48 hours a week - currently it is not reaching this figure. She says that volunteers can benefit from working in the shop ins three main ways:

by gaining experience of retail work

by supporting OXFAM’s work with poor people at home and abroad

by taking the opportunity to make new friends.

All travel costs will be reimbursed and OXFAM offers a meal allowance for 5 hours or more worked in a day.

Founded in 1942, OXFAM works with poor people regardless of race or religion in their struggle against hunger, disease, exploitation and poverty in Africa, Asia, Latin America and the Middle East through relief, development, research overseas and public education at home.

Anyone wishing to volunteer should ring:

01 434 606 529 or call at the shop and have a friendly chat with Dodo.

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A good time was had by all at the Horse Racing Night held recently at Shaftoe Trust First School. A total of £300 was raised on the night, which was ‘fund matched’ by the Halifax Bank, making a grand total of £600. The money is to go towards improvements to the outdoor area at the Nursery.

Thank you to everyone who supported this event either by participating on the night or by purchasing a horse prior to the event. Also to the PTA members and Friends for providing such a splendid supper.

A special thank you goes to all who sponsored the races or donated prizes for the raffle.

The winning horse owners were:

1. Dawn McVay Lunch for two donated by the Haydon Hotel.

2. Barbara Convery £15 petrol voucher donated by Scudamore’s Garage

3. Julie Slater Meal for two donated by the Cart’s Bog (Langley)

4. Judith Telfer Crystal Vase & Golf Umbrella donated by Robbs of Hexham and the Halifax Bank.

5. Vera Hope £15 meat voucher donated by WMH Butchers

6. Stephen Kennedy Meal for two donated by the George Hotel Chollerford)

7. John Kirkup Cut & Blow Dry donated by Antonio Roma (Hexham)

8. Deb Elliot £50 cash. Horses auctioned on the night to the highest bidder.

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The ‘Out & About Group will be starting again on Monday 8th May.

The Summer programme includes popular activities such as Computer Basic Skills, learning to draw, Decoupage and other crafts.

The group will continue to work on a model of the village in clay. Club members may have seen photographing and measuring up local buildings. The finished product will deserve a good display if it comes up to the standard of the paintings "Through the windows of Haydon Bridge" which have recently been on show at the Health Centre and the Haydonian Club.

New members are always welcome. While the group is specially equipped to make things easy for people who are disabled, there are no restrictions on who attends as there are jobs for all.

Is there any interest in having chess or other board games for people who feel that artistic activities aren’t quite their "thing"?

For more information please speak to Patsy McDougall on 01 434 684 482 or call in one Monday afternoon. There is a charge of £1 which covers the tea, tutor’s costs, materials etc. Transport can sometimes be arranged.

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Sunday 9^th April 2000, chill north-easterly ruffling the Tyne and three hundred and twenty-six intrepid abseilers, including one wheelchair user, mastering their emotions and the gear, lined up for the 90’ drop over the Tyne Bridge on the Gateshead side.

It proved to be the most successful abseil in the five years since it began and has raised over £21,000 for Disability North.

All those who volunteered had pledged a minimum of £50. With the help of fellow students from Carlisle College and many people from Haydon Bridge, Louis raised £130 and qualified for a Northern Disabilities ‘T’-shirt. Probably the most expensive ‘T’-shirt he’ll ever possess! Louis wears it with pride and would like to thank everyone who supported him.

Photographing the event was not without its difficulties as the men of the Royal Marines would insist on posing at every opportunity. But who could begrudge them a place in one’s album, when without their good humour, patience and skill the event would not have taken place. At the time, I was too concerned to get a decent photo of my son to ask them for their autographs. E.P

LANGLEY WOMEN’S INSTITUTE

A talk by Mr Robin Crews of the Energy Saving Trust was well received by members at their April meeting.

This Trust was established as part of the Government’s action plan in response to the 1992 Earth Summit in Rio de Janeiro which addressed world-wide concerns on environmental issues such as climate change. The main objective of the Trust is to improve the efficient use of all forms of energy in the UK.

Members filled out energy efficiency questionnaires and later received individually tailored information packs and action programmes.

Myra Bowen. Telephone: 01 434 684 653

I would like to bring to your attention some changes to the format of Committee Meetings of ‘The Friends of Haydon Bridge‘.

Committee Meetings are now held on the MONDAY following the fourth Thursday of each month – not Tuesday. The time stays the same at 8.00pm, as does the venue.

Our invitation to members of the public to participate continues, but it must be remembered these are the monthly meetings of a constitutionally-based committee which are run on formal business lines (agenda, minutes, reports, etc). For this reason, public participation will in future be restricted to a maximum of the first 30 minutes of every meeting only. Items for discussion must be notified in writing to the Chair one week in advance of the meeting so that Committee members can be advised, enabling worthwhile discussion to take place. The Chair will then advise the person concerned of the right to attend.

After the allotted time we ask that you leave the meeting so that the Committee can continue with their formal agenda.

Charles Thomas, Chairman, ‘The Friends of Haydon Bridge’

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The editorial policy of the Haydon News is ultimately the responsibility of the Committee of the ‘Friends of Haydon Bridge’ , although day-to-day responsibility is delegated to the Editor of the Haydon News. Our intention is always to ensure that the content of the Haydon News is as fair and factually correct as possible. Any complaints concerning editorial policy should be addressed in writing to the Chairman of the ‘Friends of Haydon Bridge‘, and will be considered by and receive a formal response from the Committee of the ‘Friends of Haydon Bridge‘. Complaints other than those made above will not be entertained.

The Editor reserves the right to decide which letters are to be published, and to alter or shorten letters when necessary. Anonymous letters will NOT be published. A nom-de-plume may be used provided that the Editor has been advised of the writer’s name and address.

The ‘Friends’ would like you to consider joining as an inactive member by donating 10p a month or active, which means giving a commitment for occasional help in organising various functions.

Organisations to benefit from the Prize Bingo Sessions this year are: ‘Out & About Club’, Canada 2000 Project, The Fire Service Benevolent Fund, ‘The Sunshine Panners Steel Band, Haydon View Residential Home, St. Cuthbert’s Church, The Mothers’ Union, Archive 2000. December’s Prize Bingo Christmas Party will be funded from the sessions in September, October and November.

If your organisation would like to benefit from one of these sessions please contact Chris Sim on; 01 434 684 704

Away v Harraby CC lost 3 – 0
Away v Wallington draw 1 – 1
Away v Newcastle BT lost 6 – 1
Away v Wallsend Utd won 2 – 3
Home v Harraby CC lost 0 – 1
Away v North Sunderland lost 0 – 1
Home v North Sunderland draw 1 – 1

A win, a draw and two defeats from the four away games on the trot isn’t too bad. Although the 6 – 1 defeat at Newcastle BT was a bit of a shock, considering Haydon Bridge won the reverse fixture 2 – 0 at the start of the season. Dan Clarke’s goal earned a valuable point against Wallington at Scots Gap, and a good win 2 – 3 away at Wallsend United saw Haydon Bridge consolidate in mid-table in 8^th position, the game also saw a rare Graham Pigg goal! That win at Wallsend was the first league away victory of the season. Harraby, who look like they will win the division visited Low Hall Park on Wednesday 19^th April, and sneaked away with a 0 – 1 victory.

Winning numbers from the April draw were:

049 A Borthwick £30
096 J Oliver £15
106 I Forster £10
203 M Clarke £5
155 D Irwin £5

There are still a few numbers left if you would like to both support the village football teams and be included in the monthly draw. Call in at J & M Clarkes on Church Street and ask about the ‘100 Club’

Haydon Bridge Football Club are having a Horse Racing Night at the WMC on 13th May starting at 7.30pm.

Giddya self along and place a bet. Prizes include signed pictures of Newcastle United and Sunderland and two match day tickets for Carlisle United, and more besides.

News from the Club

Construction of the new Multi-games Arena is due to start in mid-May, and is expected that 6 – 7 weeks work will see it complete. Just in time for the 2000/2001 football season.

Representatives from Tynedale District Council attended the HBFC monthly meeting at the Railway Hotel, to discuss the possibilities of the Club raising enough funds to be allocated a 16 seater mini-bus. The cost of which would be around £20,000, which means the Club, possibly joining with others in the village would need to find something in the region of £10,000. Sounds like a fair idea, but it might be an option just to go out and buy a second-hand one for a fraction of the cost!

Following last month’s appeal in the Haydon News, the Edward Waite Trophy has now been found. It was in the Haydon Hotel.

The long-lost trophy had indeed been awarded to an U12 player at a time when the team were winning everything in sight in 19 ?? .. ehm .. quite a while ago! Thanks John Fletcher for getting in touch.

The trophy will now be re-presented to the Haydon Bridge Sports Personality of the year who’s identity is currently top secret!

A note this month must go to our gallant U13’s for their refusal to just give in. With three games left for them to play / endure this season, they have so far played and lost all of their 21 encounters. They’ve scored 13 goals, but conceded 247. And at one point suffered the indignity of a manager walking out on them mid-way through a game! They are currently trailing 53 points behind league leaders Gosforth. Perhaps it’s just unlucky 13? But if these lads don’t deserve some encouragement, then I give in as to what does.

Finally. A minute’s silence

Each of our teams from the U10’s through to the seniors held a minute’s silence in tribute to one of our greatest ever players.

Rainbow Writers 

Hello everyone,

Apologies for not submitting a writer’s page in last month’s Haydon News – Chris and I were enjoying a fortnight’s holiday in Majorca at the time.

Since our return the weather here has taken a turn for the worse with March winds and April showers dampening everyone’s spirits. However, I hope the poems and prose featured below will cheer you up a little, perhaps even bringing a smile to a few despondent faces.

Sylvia and I wish to offer our congratulations to Marjorie Copleston of Bellingham who penned the winning poem entitled ‘The Mother’ in last year’s poetry competition.

The Mother

When you are to see me no more,
I want no mourning mood.
No cloudy eyes of rain, or shadowed smiles, remembering.
I brought you to the world with hope
Of beauty, love and peace,
Showing you stars along the way
Whenever I could push the clouds aside.
Lessening that grief, tempering that woe,
Shielding you from reality,
From those truths I had not even known myself.
I painted you bright colours from my life,
And tried to hide the greys and greens and browns,
Which covered the canvas.

But trying to push the world away, I failed,
And doubt and disillusion drifted in our lives
Like clouds
And separated us from the space beyond.
So many things I wished to leave to you
But my life washed them away.
The tides of tears, the storms,
The shallows and the deeps,
Conspired to drown
All but the slender raft on which
Survival was the only way I knew.

February’s workshop comprised of 50 word sagas, prose and poetry. Each piece of work had to combine a smell and touch the writer either loved or hated. Fifteen minutes were allowed for each exercise. Here are some examples from Mabel McCoy.

(contains the pleasant smell of lavender and the disliked surface of horsehair)

(A piece of prose associating the unpleasantness of brambling with the recognisable smell of chimney fires)

The Blacksmiths’ Brew

(A poem combining horsey smells with the unpleasant touching of nettles)In times before the horseless carriage,

When equine cabs and carts were the thing,
The local smithy with blacksmiths to farriage,
Shaped metal shoes on their anvils, with a bell-like ring.
George, their friend, wracked with rheumatic pain,
Collected bundles of nettles to brew on his fire,
And with secret herbs, yeast and grain,
Made welcome beer for the men to taste and admire.

In March we attempted HAIKU and ACROSTIC HAIKU. "What’s that?" I can hear you ask. Well, HAIKU is a Japanese verse form in 17 syllables and ACROSTIC HAIKU is a number of lines of writing, such as a poem, in which the first or last letters form a word or proverb.

Here is one member’s very commendable try:

HAIKU Tiny dustmotes do dance
a happy dance within the sun
beams radiant light.

ACROSTIC Do all you young men
aspire to be free only
yoked to liberty.

The ladies really enjoyed HAIKU. Why not have a go yourself and send your attempts along to me? I’ll give £5 to the best effort and publish the first six entries on the Rainbow Writers page in next month’s Haydon News.

Joyce Sim

Medical - Sorry no page this month