Last updated 13:31, Thursday, 03 July 2008

LOCAL man, Alan Banks, recently took part in the 62-mile Northern Rock Cyclone Cycle Challenge finishing at Gosforth. LAST Saturday’s big sweep at Falstone tennis courts went very well and they will very soon be up and running again. LAST Sunday’s car boot sale at Tower Knowe went off successfully, this time uninterrupted by rain. ANOTHER North Tyne resident who owes a debt of gratitude to the emergency services is Ian Westwood (Wes) of The Forks, Lewisburn. THE family service held in Kielder church two Sundays ago was very well attended. Children from the after-school group were there with their parents and they enjoyed a pleasant picnic and games afterwards.YOU are urged to “get up close and personal” with some monster timber harvesting machines during the working forest open day at Kielder on Sunday, July 13.

He successfully completed the challenge and raised £400 for the British Heart Foundation. Well done, Alan!

One more effort will ensure that tennis enthusiasts will be able to practise all the tricks shown by the professionals at Wimbledon this week. Watch out for a date for the final brush-up.

Unfortunately, the turn out was disappointing and the bargains on offer attracted only a handful of buyers. Nevertheless, £74 was raised for the village hall fund and the event provided an opportunity for a good natter and the exchange of goods and gossip.

Many thanks to Northumbrian Water for the use of the car park and to all the hardy “booters”.

Last February, while working in the forest, he suffered a seizure and required urgent medical attention. Paramedics and the air ambulance were on the scene and, thankfully, Wes is now back to work and well on the way to recovery.

However, he has been advised not to drive for 12 months and is having to cycle to and from work. He has already clocked up over 500 miles, so decided to turn his “negative” into a “positive” by asking people to sponsor his cycle journeys until his 12 months' “sentence” ends on March 31, 2009.

Sponsorship forms are available from Kielder Post Office or from the Forestry Office, Eals Burn, Bellingham.

Sponsors may choose to give a one-off payment, whatever distance he covers, or pay so much per mile. For example, if he manages 1,500 miles, 1p per mile would cost you £15.

All the money raised is being donated to the Great North Air Ambulance Service. Wes can also be contacted on (01434) 250208. We wish him well.

Minibuses will take groups out into the forest from Kielder Castle at intervals, starting from 10.30am. Booking is advised as these trips are very popular and places are limited.

Contact the castle on (01434) 250209 between 10am and 5pm for more details.