A round-up of this week's community news

Matfen
Jean Conteh
VE Day 75 was quiet in the village, as expected. Residents kept to the guidelines of celebrating in their own homes and gardens. Those using Facebook were able to share the ceremony on Friday afternoon in Stamfordham, led by piper David Jones. Then on Sunday morning, it was very fitting to hear the Tribute to the Millions read by Rev. Rachel by the war graves in Stamfordham churchyard. In Matfen, excellent food was available to take away from both the Black Bull and the village store, so thanks as ever to Marshall and to Ian and Tracey and their teams, especially for the free sandwiches from the shop in the afternoon. The efforts you put in to keep the menus interesting are much appreciated. And if you look on the village Facebook page, you can see, revealed for the first time, signs of Ian’s budding skill as a poet. 
Matfen Parish Council will be running its next meeting online by Zoom on Tuesday, May 19, beginning at 7pm. You can observe by clicking on the link on the website www.matfenparish.org/parish_council.html. Members of the public won’t be able to speak at the meeting, but you can ask a question or make a comment by emailing the clerk, Mandy Senior, before Monday May 18. Mandy’s email is matfenparishcouncil@gmail.com
Humshaugh
Herbie Newell
Humshaugh fell silent last Friday at 11am on the 75th anniversary of VE Day. Many thanks to Roger Langford who rang the bell at St Peter’s to mark the event. Residents remembered family and friends who served in World War II, especially those who did not come home, and all those who suffered on all sides in the terrible conflict. In particular, the village remembered with respect the local men named on our War Memorial who gave their lives: Private CJ Brown - Black Watch, Corporal William Cowan - Durham Light Infantry, and Sergeant JE Saint - Home Guard. Unfortunately, Covid-19 restrictions prevented any communal commemoration of VE Day; however, many thanks to residents who “flew the flag” and put out bunting to mark the occasion.
As a mark of gratitude to those supporting our community during the Covid crisis, Liesbeth Langford has written a delightful poem which begins appropriately: “A huge, huge thank you; To our great Village Shop; Where during the Lock Down; Volunteers work non-stop.”
Funding is available during the Covid-19 outbreak from ADAPT North-East for households in Northumberland which are suffering hardship. Further information is available on the parish pouncil noticeboard and website (https://www.humshaughparish.org.uk/), and those interested should contact the PC chair or vice-chair.
A reminder that the Humshaugh Covid-19 Response Helpline - 07469 796103 – is still open, please don’t hesitate to call.
Virtual church services are again available this coming weekend. For details please go to www.achurchnearyou.com/16162 or the St Peter’s Facebook page @HumshaughChurch.
Newbrough
Rob Tindall
Thank goodness for social media. With three significant villages and three hamlets to cover it is only by checking in to pages on Facebook that one gets to know what’s happening in these curious times.
What the screen showed this weekend were residents celebrating VE day. The tables were stacked with food (no rationing in Sidgate or Broadway!) and due to social distancing there were no scrums around the goodies. Everyone seems to have enjoyed their afternoon in the sun. Just think what parties we’ll have when this current pestilence disappears over the horizon. Not knowing when it will end is the problem – the Old Folks’ Trip, the Produce Show and pantomime rehearsals are all on at the moment but, with the Bishop of London forecasting that churches may not reopen before Christmas who knows what the picture will look like in three months’ time.
There is a new temporary addition to the meals’ market in the villages. Citrus Catering is providing takeaway burgers on Wednesdays and curries on Fridays, both between 5.30 and 7.30pm in the Boatside car park. And how we love a takeaway. When the fish and chip van visited the Millennium Beacon last week the queue stretched nearly to Frankham Road End. The proprietors had prepared for a large demand but even then couldn’t satisfy everyone and had to abandon their usual practise of moving on to Newbrough. They promise a trawler load of haddock next time. Our swallows belatedly have returned. Virus checks at Calais?
Slaley
Helen Savage
It’s great to know that the Rose and Crown is again producing take-out meals. I have heard several rave reports about the fish and chips! They’re open from 5pm to 7.30pm except on Sundays. You must please call (01434) 673996 to order – don’t just turn up at the door. A limited home delivery service is also possible – please ask.
The Pyramid of Care continues to do a valiant job, thanks to our wonderful team of volunteers. Don’t hesitate to call your area rep. if there’s anything you help with, or phone Olwen on (01434) 676852.
Slaley Community Shop continues to be open every day from 9am to noon, thanks to our equally amazing volunteers. This week’s feel-good highlight is a Zoom wine-tasting on Thursday – either at 5pm or 8pm. If you’d like to take part please drop me a line: helensavage1@gmail.com
Please also contact me if you’d like to take part in the ecumenical study group – again by Zoom. It’s at 11am on Friday for 45 minutes.
You may well have heard the church bell ringing every day at around 9am to mark daily prayer (as it now is in some of our other villages too) as well as at 8pm on Thursdays as part of our clap for carers. We’re now able to stream Sunday worship from church too, but government restrictions still mean that church buildings otherwise must remain closed until further notice.
Corbridge
David Walton
VE Day 75 was very quiet in Corbridge although a number of small street parties took place including Synclen Road where residents were out early in the day catching the lovely sunshine, in the afternoon chairman of Corbridge British legion David Burnett doned his kilt and gave his neighbours a display of his bagpipe skills.
In the village centre things were quiet until 3pm when the vicar Rev. David Kennedy turned on the chimes of the St Andrew’s Church Bells just as they had been 75 years ago to mark the end of hostilities.
With temperatures in the early twenties last Saturday it seemed that everyone had headed for Corbridge via car and bicycle with the Market  Place full despite of calls to stay at home. There was also an increased number people on the walk along the river bank in the afternoon.
Posts on Youtube with reflections from St Andrew’s Church continue this Sunday at 10am.
On Wednesday evening (May 20) Corbridge Parish Council take to the Zoom internet site for their annual meeting, if you have any questions or resolutions can you have them with the clerk of the council on or before Monday, May 18, the zooming meeting commences at 7pm.
Ovingham & Ovington
Malcolm Cairns
It seemed like everyone in our villages entered into the VE Day spirit last Friday. Houses and gardens bedecked in bunting, some folk dressed in 1940s clothes and the flying of flags to celebrate and to remember those who we owe so much to for their efforts during World War Two. St Mary’s Church was encircled in red,white and blue and although closed, our vicar, Reverend Tom Birch, live-streamed a special service.
The playing field, by its name and definition that’s what it is, a playing field for children and adults of the parish to enjoy. Football, cycling, jogging or just a casual walk. It is not a “dog toilet”.There have been reports of children’s clothing ruined, shoes and cycle tyres covered in dog poo left by a minority of irresponsible dog walkers. Bins are in place, please bag it then bin it, for your family, friends and neighbours sake.
The White Swan in Ovingham and Winships in Ovington both offer a takeaway service at weekends. Check out their Facebook pages for menus and details.The village store in Ovingham continues to be open each day and for this we thank Jindi, Harvinder and Simran for their support.
People have expressed their concern about the speed of some vehicles as they drive through the village. Castle View, Horsley Road and the West Road in particular.The county council has been informed and is in discussion with the Highways Department. The police are also aware of this problem. It’s 30mph for a reason.

Upper North Tyne
Sarah Hallberg 
A massive thank you must go to Helen Brown and the rest of the unnamed, but vital team who have made the Tarset News such a popular part of Tarset life over the years. As most of you already know, for its summer editor (Chris Reekie), a new look and a new name: the Tarset Diary. For the first edition, Chris is looking for your wedding photographs. For some, it has, ahem, been quite some time since their wedding days, so the idea is for readers to see if they can guess who the people in the photographs are. If you can’t send photos electronically, just let Chris know and he will hopefully be able to help. Of course, there’s a somewhat inconvenient ‘bug’ doing the rounds which may present difficulties for printing and distribution of this new-look magazine, but Chris will make sure that there is an online version and will try to have a few hard copies printed for those who don’t have access to the internet. Please send any contributions plus any wedding photographs to tarsetdiary@cheerful.com or telephone (01434) 240947. The deadline for submissions is Sunday, May 17, so you still have a few days. Here’s hoping the Tarset Diary will continue to be the hugely successful and well-subscribed newsletter it has become over the years under Helen’s leadership, and we wish Chris all the best for his new role.
Redesdale
Emma Anderson
This week is Christian Aid week. The lockdown prevents the personal collection of donations, but this does not lessen the need for support. In fact, the need is possibly greater because so many people urgently need basic sanitation to help stop the spread of coronavirus. The challenges of climate change have also left many people struggling to support themselves. Please visit at www.christianaid.org.uk and make a donation if you can.
The Church of England has slightly relaxed restrictions relating to churches. The clergy are now able to go into the church to pray and to ring the bell; you may now hear the church bell when morning prayer is being said at Elsdon or Otterburn, and when we clap for the NHS in Otterburn. 
Thursday, May 21, is Ascension Day. In celebration, there will be an online service, via Zoom, for the North Tyne and Redesdale parishes at 7pm. Please email the Rev Elaine Ryder at revelaine212@gmail.com if you would like a link to join the service.  
Riding Mill
Pam Pryor
If you have managed to take a peak at the photos on Facebook of the wash bags and scrubs cleverly made by Janet, Judy and Mary and the sewing team, you will have smiled. Let us hope that the front line workers will also be able to raise a smile when they see the Liberty fabrics, child-friendly Minion prints and cheerful material donated by villagers.
The parish council clerk, Catherine Harrison, and the VHT manager, Suzanne Barker, continue to keep residents up to date with voluntary services available and Virginia Steer has created the most delicious menus every week delivered to your door. We are so grateful.
A few reminders if needed. Prescriptions – if these are ordered, please ask that medication is ready by Thursday afternoon for collection and delivery on Friday. Meals service – Virginia’s fresh and frozen dishes must be ordered by noon every Wednesday for delivery every Friday. Shopping – the Station Coffee House – Tel. 239274 – continues to provide basic groceries and take away drinks and snacks. Please keep the Village Assistance Number 07935 271 922 to hand between 10am and 3pm.
If by any chance you find yourself lucky enough to have a well-stocked larder, please give a thought to Hexham Food Bank which desperately requires supplies for those not so lucky. Donations can be left at the Parish Hall at any time.
Keep safe and positive and, as always, our thanks to all the emergency services and our amazing volunteers.
Acomb
Julie Foster
Acomb’s Flood Alleviation Programme – Contractors Esh will be returning to the site across from the chapel adjacent to the Red Burn in the next few weeks to recommence work. This is on the proviso that the supply chain will not be further disrupted by the Covid-19 situation, which has been unpredictable at this time. The site notice dated April 8 is out of date but this will be removed when Esh return to site. Expect traffic lights on this stretch of road.
Acomb’s Volunteer Network remains in place for those who need to contact a volunteer, name and contact number on your leaflet that was dropped through your door. As we come to the end of the eighth week of Covid-19 Lockdown: keep safe, keep well and adhere to Government advice, hard though it is to be separated from friends and family. 
Horsley
Maurice Holliday
The rights of way leading from the village are being used by more local people than usual as a direct result of the current recommendations about daily exercise. Many residents have asked me where each path leads. In order to help I have drawn a topographical map of some of the routes and this has been placed on the parish website and social media. However the best advice is to purchase a copy of the OS Explorer map 316 Newcastle upon Tyne which covers all rights of way in the parish of Horsley.
VE Day in Horsley was very much an internet event with families and friends sharing tea parties and photographs from individual homes.
A reminder that Horsley parish council holds its AGM on May 18, using the internet. Please email any questions before the above date to parishclerk@horsleyvillage.org.uk
Members of Horsley Book Club are purchasing books on line from local book shops until members can access stocks of library books again.
Horsley village church has taken the opportunity, whilst the Hearth arts centre is closed to renew, the heating in the Hearth Hall. All of the public spaces are undergoing a deep clean. The cafe remains open for take outs and doorstep deliveries however please check opening times on Facebook or ring (01661) 853563. Work from some of the artists can be purchased using their internet shops.
Horsley craft club members are producing six-inch squares using a variety of materials. When the group is able to meet members will share their ideas.
Prudhoe
Ian Warburton
Prudhoe Gleemen are very sorry to announce that their 2020 annual concert, originally scheduled for Saturday, July 11, has had to be postponed owing to the coronavirus outbreak. A new date will be announced later, after the situation becomes clearer.
I’ve been informed by the Prudhoe Gardeners’ Association that the Prudhoe Town Show, usually held around the first weekend in September, will not take place this year because of the coronavirus outbreak. The committee is looking at ways of continuing the celebration of gardens and home arts via Facebook or Instagram. It’s hoped that the show will return next year.
Congratulations to various friends and neighbours within Prudhoe, who helped the town have a good VE Day celebration without breaching social distancing rules.
Bellingham
Birtley Nail
DESPITE the lockdown, the 75th anniversary of VE Day was memorably marked in Bellingham, with many households flying flags and staging socially distanced parties outside their homes. Local musician Jason Arnup gave an impromptu concert in the Foundry Yard, playing his rock and country repertoire from a factory unit doorway, to the delight of many people spaced around the yard and listening from their homes. The bell at St Cuthbert’s Church was rung 75 times from 11am to mark the end of the war in Europe.
A major exhibition at the Heritage Centre in Bellingham to mark the 75th anniversary of VE Day had to be put on ice because of the coronavirus lockdown so lovers of local history will have to wait until restrictions are lifted to get a proper look at the ambitious display, and the tributes to the eight men from the village who were killed in the conflict. At the moment, the only glimpses available of the display are on the Heritage Centre website at (www.bellingham-heritage.org.uk), but it will form a permanent display at the centre when life returns to normal. The display will also incorporate various aspects of life on the Home Front and put more emphasis on the children evacuated from Tyneside to Bellingham, both to the village itself and to the newly opened Brownrigg Camp School. The finishing touches will be put to this display as soon as the present circumstances permit. As usual, the centre is appealing for contributions of World War Two memorabilia from friends and supporters.
Allen Valleys
Robert Philipson 
The 75th VE anniversary took place in Allendale and although it was not on the scale planned there was a poignancy and dignity about the two-minute silence centred on the Lych Gate on Friday with a small local and socially distancing group of observers in attendance. Lawrence Archer playing the Last Post added to the occasion and it was fitting that Lawrence Smith was honoured outside his home. There was a patriotic display of flags and bunting throughout the area and no doubt a number of home based tea parties.
One thing that has not been suffering as a result of the lockdown measures is the grass cutting in Allendale and Catton villages. Mel and Paul are doing a sterling job to make the villages look pristine and this includes part of Allenfields where the new play equipment is to be located which is reverting back to parish council ownership. Unlike previously with the fortnightly cut it will be up to the same standard as the rest of the area that is cut by Mel and Paul.
We had intended to have had the drainage sorted on this area as well and the parish council was on the point of seeking quotes when the lockdown started and it was thought prudent to wait until restrictions ease before making progress.
In recent years the village of Allenheads, which does not have any grass cutting done, instead receives a grant towards maintaining the centre of the village paid to the Allenheads Trust. There are various flower beds by the Engine House, Heritage Centre and Hemel Café and the stunning, beautiful colourful display at the moment is testimony to the hard work and loving care of David Fakes who is responsible for these displays.
And finally what a finish to the Allen Valley Churches scarecrow competition something the organisers of the European Song Contest organisers could only dream of. With minutes to go Nancy the Lowgate nurse was trailing Sleepy Robbie Coulson, slumped against his tractor. However when the final result was declared Nancy had acquired 219 votes with Robbie on 218. The Ninebanks Defender was a creditable 3rd and altogether 43 scarecrows had received 990 votes. Congratulations to everyone concerned with this magnificent competition.
Please send any contributions for these notes to robert.philipson@btconnect.com or telephone (01434) 685266 and the deadline is Sunday 6pm
Heddon
John Stewart
While most of you are staying at home, those children still attending Heddon Primary School have been working extremely hard with the incredible staff on their new school allotment will the help of a very generous donation of plants, flowers and vegetables from Halls of Heddon Garden Centre.
A group of residents has been actively taking part in daily get togethers on the popular online video platform Zoom with different themes each night which includes Fun Monday Quiz Nights which I have led over the past few weeks. These friendly gatherings have benefited so many participants by binding us together taking stock and regrouping giving a great opportunity to interact with one another. If you would like to join the daily group online on Zoom, please contact me on 07713 646623 for more details.
The Victory of Europe Day anniversary bank holiday was supposed to be full of planned street parties and commemorations, but due to the lockdown restrictions it brought a smaller scale of celebrations with many residents in each street holding their own parties with their neighbours in their corresponding gardens, not forgetting the importance of the day and ensuring that the strict government guidelines in relation to social distancing was adhered to. It was a real gift to see residents of all ages in their gardens understanding the significant day and the excelling achievements each household gave throughout the parish, decorating their home and gardens in red, white, and blue celebrating the gracious momentous day in 1945. A special thank you must go to Pete Tanton who performed The Last Post at 2.55pm in front of the decorative crosses that adorn the war memorial in the Knott Memorial Park. The Last Post could be heard across many streets in the village which had fallen silent and brought tears to my eyes. 
This week we would have been marking Christian Aid Week. Under the current circumstance, sadly, house to house and other face to face events cannot go ahead this week. If you would like to contribute towards this great cause, we ask that you donate directly to the charity via the relevant resources available.
Once again thank you to everyone for your continued support and tremendous efforts especially to the key workers who are on the front line each day and who we proudly applaud each Thursday from our homes praising the exceptional work that they deliver. We are so very blessed that in the community of Heddon we continue to take pride in where we live, work and being creative in ways of taking care of one another.