Humshaugh

Herbie Newell

With the return of our swallows and house martins, summer has officially arrived!

In-person voting takes place today in the Village Hall from 7am to 10pm in the Police and Crime Commissioner, County Council and Parish Council elections. Counting will take place on 6 May (10pm – County Council), 7 May (10am - Police and Crime Commissioner) and 8 May (10am – Parish Council). Regardless of the results, very many thanks to everyone who has put their name forward to serve our community.

Congratulations and many thanks to Katherine Dixon who will be retiring from the Surgery in Humshaugh within the next few weeks after 35 years of service. Katherine joined the Humshaugh and Wark Medical Group in 1986 as a receptionist, and in recent years has been more widely involved in the administration of the practice. Katherine has worked tirelessly for all those living in Humshaugh, Wark and the wider community, and residents are invited to contribute to a retirement gift to thank her for her service and to mark this outstanding record. Donations may be left at or sent to Humshaugh Village Shop.

Reports of a domestic cat found dead, possibly due to poisoning, are a reminder that the utmost care should be exercised in using poisons for rodent control. Alternatives to poison traps should be used wherever possible, and traps checked regularly to remove any rodents caught.

The main Sunday Worship continues to be an online Deanery Service at 10.00am, please contact rogerlangford37@outlook.com.

Horsley

Maurice Holliday

Well done Horsley village church. The new entrance to the church is not only aesthetically pleasing but also in keeping with the Gothic revival style of architecture of the building. All of the railings have been made safer by capping the sharp spikes. The lane at the side of the church has been given a top dressing of gravel.

The May lockdown village raffle has been drawn and the winner notified. Many thanks to those who donate prizes.

Horsley Book Club members may like to read “A gentleman in Moscow” by Amor Towles. The story which is set in the years following the Russian Revolution has all the ingredients of a good novel.

NCC mobile library service resumed last month. For details of the time of visits to the village please ring 01670 620204. Unfortunately the service is still using a van as no replacement bus has been provided after flooding in Hexham.

Horsley garden club members have been taking part in the National Trust Blossom Watch by taking sending the Trust local photographs by e mail. The blackthorn in particularly has been spectacular at the east end of the village this year.

It is good to see the swallows back in Horsley despite the cold weather.

Hexhamshire

Ruth Marlee

The “Whitley Chapel Parish Hall 100 Club” is a Charitable Trust Fund with the sole objective of raising funds for improvements, maintenance and structural changes to the parish hall. It is open to those who live in, or who have strong links with Hexhamshire. Members pay £80 per year, or four payments of £20. Each year a prize draw pays out up to 10% of the subscriptions raised the previous year.

Last week at their meeting, the Parish Hall Trustees drew this year’s two winners of the 100 Club. Congratulations go to Rosemary Lee of Harwood Shield and Catherine Wilson of Juniper.

Joining the 100 Club is a good way to support our parish hall for all the community, especially in these strange times. If you are interested in joining, please contact Marge Rastall on 01434 673547.

All being well, government guidelines indicate that the hall will reopen from 17th May. Please look out for further updates, but in the meantime, if you wish to make a booking this can be done online at https://www.hexhamshire.org.uk/parish-hall/availability-and-bookings/, or by contacting Gill on 07836 580902, or whitleychapelparishhall@gmail.com

Please send new contributions for Community News to hexhamshirenotes@gmail.com by the Friday before publication. We’re looking forward to hearing from you!

Redesdale

Emma Anderson

A weeping cherry tree in memory of Elsie Kinghorn was planted on Otterburn Millennium Green last Monday. The task of planting the tree fell to the capable hands of Parish Councillor George Peto and Martin Chilvers, Otterburn Parish Clerk. An engraved, commemorative plaque, made by Slate and Nature of West Woodburn, will be placed beside the tree in the coming weeks. Small donations towards the cost of the tree and plaque will be very much appreciated. Please telephone Jean Turnbull on (01830) 521169 to make your pledge. Cheques should be made payable to M. J. Turnbull.

The Parochial Church Council (PCC) and congregation at Holy Trinity, Horsley, would like to thank the family and friends of the late Alan Dodd for their generous donations, amounting to more than £660, made to the Church at his funeral. Alan always helped and supported the Church when asked. The PCC hopes the donations will pay for a handrail at the steps by the gate. Any money left over will go towards the cost of repairs to the fabric of the Church which are now almost complete. The PCC looks forward to holding services again at Holy Trinity, Horsley, and St. Francis’, Byrness, in the not-too-distant future.

Ovingham & Ovington

Malcolm Cairns

Although St Mary’s Church is open to the public for Sunday services, live streaming will continue via its Facebook page.To quote our vicar, Tom Birch, “all are welcome, all are needed, all are valued”

The Mothers Union meeting this month is on Wednesday 26th at 1.30pm. Margaret Chapman will be the guest speaker and will give a talk on “Women of the Bible”. Contact Anne nearer the time for details for the zoom link.

This month will see more lifting of restrictions on the 17th, which coincidentally is the national day of Norway. That day is celebrated in the land with lots of flag waving, cries of “Heia Norge”, parades and the eating of large quantities of hot dogs and ice-cream washed down with local beer and aquavit. I wonder how we might choose to celebrate?

Stocksfield

Ian Warburton

You may be wondering what the position is with regard to council meetings in May. I haven’t forgotten about these but there are one or two details currently being sorted. I hope to be able to provide an update next week.

If you have any items for inclusion, please could you send these to me by midday on the Sunday which falls at the start of the week in which you want them to appear. You can email me on ianwarburton25@gmail.com, phone or text me on 07796 820893 or send a private message to my Facebook page.