THE FELL M A G A Z I N E
September / October 2013 - Issue 4
Your FREE comprehensive guide to life within the NE8, NE9 and NE11 postcodes.
What’s Inside? Fantastic Local Events Brilliant Local Businesses Interesting Local Stories Fun Puzzles ...and much, much more!
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Contents 4.
From The Editor’s Desk
The Fell Magazine September / October - 2013
Editor James Tennant
6-7. What’s On? 8.
Gateshead Aiming High
10.
Silver Sounds @ The Clubhouse
11.
Achieve Your Goals With Tune-Up Tuition
12.
Childcare Focus
13.
A Few Words From Northumbria Police
14.
A Large Income Is The Best Recipe For Happiness...
15.
Local Dance School Raises £6000+ For Charity!
16.
Clean It Up!
17.
Charity Profile: Daft As A Brush
18.
Sudoku Challenge
Want to contribute or suggest an improvement? Saw something you really liked? Want to tell us off for making a speeling mistoke? (Hilarious, we know.) All you need to do is send your comments, articles, corrections and suggestions to info@low-fell.com. We’re looking forward to hearing from you!
Regular Columnists Jeff Bowron
Jeff Bowron is a local Freelance Sports Journalist who has followed the fortunes of Gateshead FC for over four decades.
Anthea Lang
Local history nut. Enjoys teaching and making people smile. Author of “Low Fell in Old Picture Postcards.”
Alice Venus
Alice is new to Gateshead, having moved from the South last year, but her family is orginally from the North East. She works as a freelance copywriter.
Contributors Eve Trew Northumbria Police Sara Forrest
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The Fell Magazine
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Chris Minnis Paul Steel Paul Emmett Leslie Caisley Front cover photograph by Ian Britton www.ianbritton.co.uk PLEASE NOTE: The Fell Magazine is politically and religiously neutral. Any of the messages or opinions found in the paid-for advertisements do not necessarily represent the views of The Fell Magazine.
Remember to let these businesses know you found them in The Fell Magazine!
For over 30 years Craigielea has served the community of Gateshead, offering first class nursing, residential and dementia care for older people. With excellent facilities and catering, along with a dedicated staff, Craigielea offers high quality nursing and personal care to those that need it. We can provide events, activities and outings at no extra cost to our residents, along with an on-site hairdressing service too! Our fees reflect our not-for-profit, charitable status, and residents who are eligible for funding from the Local Authority towards their fees are fully funded and are not charged top up fees. Telephone 0191 487 4121, or contact us via our website www.craigieleacare.co.uk for further details. CRAIGIELEA – FOR CARE YOU CAN TRUST CHARITY NO. 516997 Visit us online - Low-Fell.Com
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From The Editor’s Desk Welcome to another issue of The Fell Magazine! We’ve been around for just about 6 months now and we’ve really enjoyed putting this magazine together for you every two months. What makes us really happy, however, is the response we’ve had from you, our readers! We’ve been inundated with letters, postcards, emails, phone calls and even thank-you cards, and we’d like to take this moment to say thank you for the support and we’re glad you’re enjoying the magazine so much! Gateshead has enjoyed a really good Summer this year (although anything short of another flood would have been good compared to last year!). We’ve had plenty of sunshine so I hope you all got outside as much as possible now that Autumn and the shorter nights are fast approaching. There were some great sporting achievements, highlighted by the recent Ashes victory over Australia, and the fantastic three sets to love victory Andy Murray achieved over Novak Djokovic at Wimbledon to become the first British Wimbledon winner in 77 years! We’ve also got a new member of the British Royal Family - Prince George! Although James would have been a better name, I think... What have we got in store for you this issue then? Well, we’ve got another great article from The Sage, and some more excellent local events to tell you about too. We’ve got articles from newcomers, Northumbria Police, and veterans, Gateshead FC, along with another couple of Sudoku puzzles to give your brain a workout. Paul Steel is back with more sound financial advice, and the Eve Trew School of Dance tell us about the astounding amount of money they managed to raise for Charity in one day! We don’t have any competitions for you this issue, but we have announced the winners of the last two competitions later in the magazine.
Advertise with The Fell Magazine Advertising with The Fell Magazine is the best way to promote your business within the NE8, NE9 and NE11 neighbourhoods. Those postcodes cover Low Fell, Saltwell, Bensham, High Fell, Allerdene and Lyndhurst, as well as the Team Valley Trading Estate. It’s also not as expensive as you might think. With costs starting from as low as £80 per issue, our prices will suit most budgets. So if you’d like more information about our advertising rates, please use the contact information on the right to get in touch with us. We look forward to hearing from you. 4
The Fell Magazine
The last thing to tell you about is a new project that will be arriving in Gateshead in 2014. All we can say at the moment is that it’s called Engage Magazine, and it will be Gateshead’s ONLY dedicated lifestyle magazine. Gateshead has been without a proper, dedicated magazine/newspaper for some years now and we hope to fill that void. If you would like to know more about Engage Magazine, just send us an email with your questions and we’ll do our best to answer them in as much detail as we can. OK, that just about does it. All that’s left is to say we hope you have a great couple of months, enjoy the magazine and we’ll see you for our first ever Christmas issue in November!
Cheerio!
Contact Information Email:
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Phone:
0779 205 8918
Address:
6 Denewell Avenue, Low Fell, Gateshead NE9 5HD
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What’s On? PLEASE NOTE: All times and dates are subject to change - please double check times and dates with club/organisation/society separately. Please get in touch with us to promote your NE8, NE9 and NE11 non-profit events for free! 13th Gateshead Scouts 0191 488 8688 Miller Youth Centre Tuesdays 6:00 - 7:00pm - Beaver Scouts Wednesdays 6:30 - 8:00pm - Cub Scouts 21st Gateshead Sea Scout Group 0191 492 2484 Scout Hut, Back of Beaconsfield Road Wednesdays 6:15 - 8:00pm - Cub Pack Fridays 5:30 - 6:30pm - Beaver Colony 6:45 - 8:30pm - Scout Troop Gateshead Amateur Operatic & Dramatic Society 0191 477 6924 Joseph Swan School Monday 7:30 - 9:30pm Low Fell Singers 0191 487 6431 Hardman Centre Mondays 7:15 - 9:15pm Silver Rock at the Clubhouse 0191 499 8055 Clubhouse, St. Georges Church Silver Rock is an exciting project which gives people over 50 the chance to learn and perform favourite songs from the 60s, 70s & 80s. Times valid from the 16th of September. Mondays 1:30 - 3:00pm Advanced Microphone Technique (Cath) 3:30 - 5:00pm Silver ROck Choir (Cath)
11:30 - 1:00pm Sing ‘n’ Strum (Ian) 1:00 - 2:30pm Pick ‘n’ Mix (Tom) 2:00 - 3:00pm Beginner Guitar (Ian) 2:30 - 4:00pm Silver Rock Band (Phil) 4:00 - 5:30pm Roots Rock (Ian)
North East art world, known for his scenes of everyday life in the North East and exhibiting paintings in Newcastle from 1878. This exhibition commemorates the centenary of Hedley’s death in June 1913.
Fridays 11:00 - 12:30pm Solid Rock (Phil) 11:00 - 12:30pm Beginner Bass Guitar (Ian) 11:00 - 12:30pm Intro To Pop and Rock Singing (Cath) 1:00 - 2:30pm Intro To Guitar (Ian) 2:00 - 3:30pm Quicksilver (Juliette) 3:30 - 5:00pm Silver Skiffle Band (Ian) 3:30 - 5:00pm Silver Soul (Phil)
Events:
St John’s Parish Church Gateshead Fell Rev Andrew West 0191 4422463 churchonthefell@gmail.com Our main service every Sunday is at 10.00am. Shipley Art Gallery Events For further information, please contact the Shipley Art Gallery on (0191) 477 1495 Weaving Group 2nd and 4th Wednesday of each month. 10am -1pm Lace making Group Thursdays 10am-12am Quilting Group Thursdays 1.30pm-3.30pm Embroidery Group First Saturday of each month. 2pm-4pm Northern Guild of Silk Painting Last Saturday of each month. 10am-3pm. Shipley Scamps Every Wednesday in term time 10.15am - 11.15am Shipley Scamps provides a great opportunity for you and your young family to enjoy being creative in an informal atmosphere. The sessions are suitable for children aged 2 4 and offer a range of creative activities along with singing and stories. Sessions are £2 per child. Exhibitions:
Tuesdays 10:30 - 11:30am Intro to Roots (Tom) 11:00 - 12:30pm Music Theory (Ian Patterson) 12:00 - 1:30pm Banjo Group (Tom) 1:00 - 5:00pm Drum Kit 1:1 Sessions (Phil) 2:30 - 3:00pm Bluegrass (Tom) 3:30 - 5:00pm Silver Folk (Rachel)
Once Upon A Time In Lithuania Until 2 November 2013 Paintings, watercolours and prints by Naomi Alexander, created as the result of a number of visits to Lithuania where the artist went to discover more about her family’s past.
Wednesdays 11:00 - 12:30pm Silver Sambanistas (Phil) 1:00 - 3:30pm Drum Kit 1:1 Sessions (Phil) 1:30 - 3:00pm African Percussion (Jim) 3:30 - 5:00pm Advanced Percussion Ensemble (Jim) 3:30 - 5:00pm Rock Steady (invitation only) (Phil)
Tales from a Forgotten City Until 21 December 2013 Spectacular dresses made in paper, fabric and metal are inspired by human stories - missing persons, unfulfilled dreams, the plans we make and the risks we take. This exhibition showcases new work by Ruth Fettis, printmaker, in collaboration with Jo Palmer, Michelle Wren, Rusty Nut, Vic Cruz and Yvonne Pinkney.
Thursdays 10:30 - 11:30am Don’t Fret (Ian) 11:00 - 12:00pm Silver Mandolin Orchestra (tom)
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Ralph Hedley: Painting in the North East Until 21 December 2013 Ralph Hedley was an influential figure in the
An Afternoon With Ralph Hedley Saturday 14 September, 12-3pm Free entry, no booking required The Shipley Art Gallery is holding a special event to celebrate the work of 19th century artist Ralph Hedley, who is best known for painting scenes of everyday life in the North East. On Saturday 14 September from 12pm to 3pm, visitors can join art historian John Millard and experts from Tyne & Wear Archives to discover more about the artist and even handle rare items relating to the artist from the Archives such as his sketchbooks and documents. Gallery Talk: The Richardsons, A Newcastle Family of Artists Thursday 26 September, 7.30pm (No booking required. Free entry for Friends of the Shipley, £2 for non-members). Marie-Thérèse Mayne, art historian and Assistant Keeper of Art at the Laing Art Gallery talks about ‘The Richardsons. A Newcastle Family of Artists,’ drawing upon examples of their work in Tyne & Wear Archives & Museums’ collections. This talk is organised by the Friends of the Shipley. Non-members are welcome to attend. Shipley Late: Craft Digital Friday 18 October 2013, 6pm to 9.30pm Join us for an evening celebrating digital craft and design as part of the Northern Design Festival: Create:Digital. The evening will feature digital making activities and talks by leading makers. Tickets: £5 from the Shipley Art Gallery or £5 + 95p booking fee via www. shipleyartgallery.org.uk. Gallery Talk: Talking About Drawing Thursday 24 October, 7.30pm (No booking required. Free entry for Friends of the Shipley, £2 for non-members). Award-winning artists Lesley Hicks and Simon Parish who work extensively in drawing, talk about their work and discuss items in the Shipley’s collection. Family event: Creative Containers Tuesday 29 October, 10am - 1pm £2 per participant (no booking required) Get creative and turn your old cereal boxes and old plastic bags into beautiful bowls and baskets at our recycling workshop. Eve Trew School of Dance 0191 4201266 enquiries@evetrew.com Dance, drama & fitness classes for most ages and abilites including: CATS theatre school Saturday 10.45-12.45 Pre-school children Saturday & midweek Senior ladies & Zumba Gold Tuesday 10.0011.00 Please contact us for futher info
What’s On? Low Fell Running Club 0191 487 0518 WinG (Way Out In Gateshead) The Courtyard (near Whinney House) Tuesday 6:50pm Wednesday 6:50pm Gateshead Older People’s Assembly Get Together Group St Peter’s Church Hall, Kell’s Lane, Low Fell For information, please call Kerry Pattison on 0191 438 1721 Are you over 50? Would you like to meet new friends or catch up with existing ones? If so come along! New members always welcome Monday 14th October 2013 1.30pm to 3pm “The History Of The 30’s, 40’2 & 50’s - Fun look at the history of the early century with guest speaker Andrew Clark of Summerhill Books
31st Gateshead Scouts For information, please call Jan Askwith on 0191 487 7723 St Ninians Church Hall, Ivy Lane, Low Fell
As this is a special year celebrating 50 years we are having an evening dinner with entertainment at Lumley Castle in August. Other events are planned throughout the year such as outings to Floors Castle, garden visits, floral workshops and a Christmas afternoon tea. New members and visitors are always welcome.
Monday Beavers 6.30pm - 7.30pm Friday Cubs 6.00pm - 7.30pm Scouts 7.30pm - 9.00pm
Low Fell Flower Club
Low Fell Bridge Club Contact John Wears - 0191 482 2933 St Helens Hall
We meet once a month to enjoy watching a demonstration of flower arranging and there is the opportunity to take one of the arrangements home as they are raffled at the end of the evening when we have a cup of tea.
Looking for new members. Friendly club. Please call for information. :) Gateshead Flower Club Please contact Miriam Holmes on 0191 482 5746
The meeting is held at Gateshead Fell Rugby Club on the first Monday at 7.00pm.
The monthly meeting featuring guest demonstrators who show various styles of flower arranging is at St. Ninian’s Church Hall on the third Wednesday each month except August and December and the next on is on July 17th at 7pm.
The next meeting is on 7th October, we have Mrs Margaret Earl. Do come along everone is welcome.
£1.00 entry includes tea/coffee & biscuits Venue: St Peters Church Hall, Kells Lane, Low Fell Monday 11th November 2013 “Christmas Shopping Trip Boundary Mills, North Shields” Pick up from St Peters Church, Kells Lane, Low Fell. Bus leaves St Peters 10.30am. Bus Leaves Boundary Mills at 2pm, arrive back 2.30pm (approx)
Could you be a voice for your community?
Cost £TBC. Payment must be made at time of booking.
Elections to the Council of Governors of Gateshead Health NHS Foundation Trust will begin in October 2013. This year, 12 seats are becoming vacant in various constituencies.
Gateshead Older People’s Assembly Friendship Group Contact Helen on 0191 438 1721, or just turn up on the day. Everyone over 50 welcome. Come and join us for a cup of tea and a chat. Time 10.30am to 12.00pm. Refreshments available Held on the 2nd and 4th Wednesday of the month at St Helen’s Church Hall, Belle Vue Bank, Low Fell. Friends of Saltwell Park The Friends meet monthly, usually on Saturday mornings, with guest speakers and visits. Meetings are open to Members of Friends of Saltwell Park.
Are you interested in health services? Would you like to be the voice of the community with regards to your local hospital?
The role of the Council of Governors is to provide local assurance to the people of Gateshead that the Trust is being properly managed by its Board of Directors and that it is listening to the views of its members who access services, in its forward planning. If you are interested in becoming a Governor you are invited to attend an information session being held on Thursday 3rd October 2013 at 5.00 pm. To book a place please contact the Membership Office on 0191 4453713 or via email to foundation. enquiries@ghnt.nhs.uk. This is also the number to call to request a nomination form. Membership is free and is open to anyone aged over 16 and who is resident in the local area, with patient membership being open to anyone who has been a patient within the last two years. It is simple to sign up and add yourself to the membership, so that you can vote in the elections and receive regular news from the Trust. Please log onto our website www.qegateshead.nhs.uk or ring the Membership Office to register your details.
For details of how to become a Member please contact Diane on 07949 267 602 or visit www.ourgateshead.org/FriendsofSaltwellPark to view events and download an application form.
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Gateshead Aiming High
Sport
Jeff Bowron
Gateshead stage three big home games in September against former Football League clubs Hereford United, Wrexham and Chester. Hereford’s exploits in the FA Cup against Newcastle United back in the 1970s are legendary, but the Edgar Street outfit, like many clubs, have fallen on tough times financially. Wrexham, meanwhile, have suffered play-off heartbreak for the past three years in their desperate bid to regain Football League status. They will be hoping to go all the way this season and have a good record on Tyneside though Gateshead have had some good results at the Racecourse Ground including a record-breaking 7-2 win two years ago. Wrexham are at the International Stadium on Tuesday 17th September and a week later on the 24th their arch rivals Chester head north to face The Heed. Like Wrexham Chester are a fans run club, who reformed after going bust, and are on a high after winning three consecutive promotions. Unlike Wrexham and Hereford they are one of the part-time clubs in the Skrill Conference Premier and in summer signing Michael Kay they have a former Gateshead loanee in their ranks. Two more part-time outfits, Dartford and Alfreton Town are at the International Stadium in October on the weekends of the 5th and 12th with the month finishing with an important game in the FA Cup. Victory in the 4th and final qualifying round of the Cup will put Gateshead into the 1st round proper and in the draw with League One and League Two clubs. The Tynesiders missed out on a money-spinning FA Cup run last year when they lost at Alfreton and will not want to make the same mistake on 26th October. 8
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Off the field the club has secured a two-year sponsorship deal with local asbestos and removal firm Meta who are based in Blaydon but operate across the country.
in the second half of the season manager Anth Smith has assembled a strong squad and hopes are high that The Heed can mount a promotion push.
Meta are home shirt sponsors while Sevcon, also based in Gateshead, have extended their sponsorship with a three-year deal for the away shirts. The new and improved Gateshead FC Club Shop, meanwhile, has been launched online, giving supporters the opportunity to purchase a wide range of official club merchandise.
A couple of marquee signings in the shape of star striker Richard Brodie and play-maker Josh Walker, who has played in the Premier League for Middlesbrough, have signalled The Heed’s intent.
Powered by Sondico, the brand new website store will stock an extensive collection of Gateshead FC products, including replica versions of the brand new 2013/14 home shirt, sponsored by Meta Ltd and the 2013/14 away shirt, sponsored by Sevcon. The site also carries a large collection of training, travel and leisure wear with a range of sizes available on all items. There is an an impressive selection of official Gateshead FC accessories including club scarves, hats and mugs with new items being added from time to time. All items come complete with the club crest Supporters can view the new look club shop by clicking the ‘shop’ option on the Gateshead FC website with the new white home shirt and claret and blue away shirt priced £37.95 for adults and £27.95 for juniors. After a traumatic campaign in 2012/13 due to not being able to play at home
“What we now have is strength in depth,” said Gateshead boss Anth Smith “there is quality cover for every position and the players are aware that they will have to perform well to keep hold of the shirt. “This is my squad now and my first full season in charge. I stand and fall by the squad I have assembled but I am confident the talent is there for us to have a good season. “Last season we defended well but lacked firepower. That has now been addressed and there are options all over the pitch which gives me a lot of scope. “Bringing the likes of Josh Walker to the club shows the potential there is. He was playing in League One for Scunthorpe United last season and is a top-drawer player. “I am delighted with all the players I have brought in. There are plenty of reasons to be optimistic and I hope the Gateshead public get behind us and come down to the International Stadium to get behind their local club.”
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Community
Silver Sounds @
The Clubhouse Travelling along Durham Road or coming out of the Shipley, St. George’s Church is a familiar landmark, with regular notices about recitals on its renowned organ. But how many people are aware of the other, very different musical activities that take place there? – not in the church itself but next door in The Clubhouse. With its bright red door and signs, the church hall is now the base for Silver Sounds, the rock, pop, folk and percussion section of Sage Gateshead’s Silver Programme. The recent warm weather helped create the perfect atmosphere on July 18th for a steel pan carnival. That evening passers-by heard strains of Caribbean rhythms coming through the open doors as six different steel pan bands performed. Players ranged from relative beginners to those with several years’ experience and the varied repertoire reflected the versatility of the instruments. Yes, they did play Jamaica Farewell and Yellow Bird but also more up-beat tunes such as Shake, Rattle n Roll and Mambo Number 5. The tempo changed as the second half of the evening began with a performance by the Silver Sambanistas, a Brazilian style samba band based at The Clubhouse. An assortment of drums and bells beat out complex rhythms that got feet tapping and shoulders swaying. The following afternoon provided an opportunity for local people and anyone interested to drop in and sample what goes on at The Clubhouse. A variety of instrumental and vocal groups played and sang – when did you last hear mandolins or banjos, not to mention a skiffle group? The evening Extravaganza concert show-cased the rock groups and choirs that regularly come together and practise at the Clubhouse. Whether your taste harks back to the 60s or you rocked through the 80s and 90s, whether you enjoy classic rock, folk or bluegrass, there was something for everyone in the packed hall. Whilst some of those who enjoy life and music at the Clubhouse have been playing or singing since their teens and twenties, the majority have not. Forget the teacher who told you that you couldn’t sing – you can! Fulfill a secret longing and learn to play an instrument – you too can buy yourself a drum kit in your sixties! For more details of the opportunities available at The Clubhouse (on your doorstep) call 0191 499 8055 or email silver@ sagegateshead.com And watch out for more in this column. Written by the Silver Sounds team at St. George’s Clubhouse 1-9 Inskip Terrace, Gateshead, NE8 4AJ 10
The Fell Magazine
Community
Achieve Your Goals With
Tune Up Tuition!
Paul Emmett It’s never too late in life to learn something new. Every day I see people day who have come some way toward believing this, but sometimes just need that extra push to remind them that they can do something about achieving a lifetime’s ambition– starting today! My name is Paul Emmett and I run Tune Up Tuition, a multi-instrumental, multiindividual music teaching practice in Low Fell. I also work in a music shop and frequently meet people of all ages who want to learn to play the guitar, bass or other instruments for the first time. My role is to help them achieve their personal goals, using a range of course books and my 12 years of musical experience, while enjoying playing music.
Having spent a lot of time teaching in the last 18 months, I have had some fantastic success with students. My first student, an older gentleman, came with the intention of learning bass but had no idea where to start or what he needed to know. Building on his natural sense of rhythm, we concentrated on developing a good playing technique in a stress-free environment. Once he had mastered the technique we added theory to the mix, which enabled him to compose solid and creative bass-lines in a variety of different styles as well as playing the songs he’s always wanted to jam along to. All this happened despite some challenging health issues with his hands, which made it even more gratifying for both of us to see this progress happen.
My passion for helping people achieve their goals means that Tune Up Tuition is highly rewarding for me – as well as for those I teach. I have had the good fortune to teach an exceptional range of pupils. Some just need a break from their busy lives, others use the skills they have learned, in conjunction with other courses that they do, to help them achieve their ambitions. Teaching slots are available on various weekday evenings and daytimes and I can be contacted on email at tuneuptuition@gmail.com for bookings or questions. Whatever your musical interest, whether in groups or one-on-one, there is a tailored instrumental course waiting for you with Tune Up Tuition.
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Community
Childcare Focus – The Valley Nursery & Kids Club Samantha Chapman Childcare On Our Door Step Child care close to home or work that offers exceptional standards of care and education, with 100% reliability as well as flexibility is not easy to come by. However, that’s exactly what’s offered at The Valley Nursery & Kids Club on New Road, in Team Valley Trading Estate. Success Is Child’s Play The key ingredient to the safety, health, happiness and proactive support in development of any child experiencing nursery life is the quality of its staff. In the case of The Valley Nursery & Kids Club Ofsted states: “Children are highly motivated and consistently demonstrate the characteristics of effective learning. The educational programmes have depth and breadth. They are delivered by staff who have very high expectations of themselves and children, with expert knowledge and a clear understanding of how children learn.” (ref. Ofsted inspection report). Samantha Chapman, director and founder, adds: “The investment we make in our team in terms of training and an ethos of old fashioned hard work with a high focus on tailoring ourselves to each individual child’s needs and interests means we not only employ a soundly motivated child care team but we also gain excellent staff retention benefits that contribute significantly to promoting stability, continuity and the best platforms for building children’s confidence and sense of achievement.” Other areas also play a key part in attracting parents to The Valley Nursery & Kids Club. On the safety front there is a CCTV network in all of the children’s areas, indoors and outdoors, as well as a sophisticated biometrics entry system. The children enjoy their days in bright, airy, spacious and well maintained age resourced rooms coupled with external play areas ready to provide 12
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hours of outdoor adventure to its curious toddlers. There is a varied and healthy menu for children at all stages promoted by staff that are committed to ensuring children’s healthy attitudes are developed beyond this advocating plenty of fresh air and exercise with organised activities from companies who are experts in their field, such as “Kids R Fit”. For quieter times, the children can access a calming and relaxing sensory room, as well as dedicated sleep rooms. All of this and more not only means that The Valley Nursery & Kids Club can boast an excellent Ofsted inspection report as well as 5 stars in Environmental Health (a rating of EXCELLENT issued by the local authority) but, more importantly, it means that parents are happy to recommend The Valley Nursery & Kids Club to friends, family and colleagues. Sam explained “In our sector a proven track record and deserved reputation are vital so the fact that over 75% of the children registered with us are here as a result of word-of-mouth recommendation, rather than marketing, is something that we are very proud of.”
If you would like to find out more about childcare on Team Valley, you can visit the website: www.thevalleynursery.com, e-mail manager@thevalleynursery.com or ring 0191 4915050.
Community
Think Security For Darker Nights
101 Switch-Over
Police are urging Gateshead residents to think about crime prevention as the nights draw in.
Northumbria Police is reminding callers that now, 101 is the only number to use to report a non emergency.
Darker nights can make it easier for burglars to get around unnoticed - so make sure you keep your home secure.
The non emergency phone number - when it’s less urgent than 999 - should be used to report crimes that have happened or suspicious activity. It should also be rung to get advice from a neighbourhood officer.
However, residents can do their bit to keep burglars at bay by making sure their doors and windows are locked both at the front and rear, even when they’re inside the property. Keys should always be removed from locks and items moved away from display, such as mobile phones on window sills or laptops on kitchen benches which will attract passing opportunist thieves. Light timers should also be used. Neighbourhood Policing Team patrols are also being stepped up in areas where burglaries have taken place recently. Inspector Colin Lowther of Gateshead South Neighbourhood Policing Team said: “ Thieves look for easy targets where people have left doors and windows unlocked. This makes it simple for a thief to sneak-in and steal from your home, this can happen in just a few seconds. “Small, portable, but valuable items are what burglars like to steal, including iPhones, laptops and cash, which are easy for intruders to grab and go. We’re also asking people to keep car keys out of sight too, to prevent thieves stealing cars as part of a burglary. “We’re reminding people to think about security to keep your home locked and to report any suspicious behaviour to the police. While officers are continuing to target this type of crime.” “By taking these simple precautions you can make a real difference and keep your property safe.” Further crime prevention advice is available on the Northumbria Police website, www.northumbria.police.uk.
Since September 1st, 101 has replaced older telephone lines which begin with 03456 and 08456, now these numbers are no longer in service. Police have issued regular reminders to the public about the 101 switchover to enable a smooth transition as well as posters displayed in prominent places from Metro stations to buses, fuel pumps and community centres. The telephone number is also prominently displayed on police vans across the force to help get the message across. Chief Superintendent Laura Young, of the force’s Communications Department, said: “We’ve been running several telephone lines for non-emergency calls to the police for more than 18 months as the 101 number got bedded in. Now we have decided the time is right to switch off old numbers and have a single non emergency number. “The 101 number is certainly easier to remember. But in an emergency - if a life is at risk or a crime is happening ring 999 straightaway. For everything else, 101 is the number to use.” 101 was launched in Northumbria Police area in December 2011, along with other local forces as part of a Government initiative to make contacting the police simpler. Calls to the 101 service cost 15p each for the whole call, however long it takes, callers to the old numbers had been paying up to 40p a minute - depending on their service provider. Visit us online - Low-Fell.Com
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Finance
“A large income
is the best recipe for happiness I ever heard of ” At least that’s what Jane Austen claimed in Mansfield Park. Was she right? Only you can decide, but aside from health many people would place their finances as their next biggest concern, and nowhere more so than in the shifting sands of the pensions landscape. The new Basic State Pension with the proposed flat rate of £144 per week will no longer punish those that have been prudent enough to save for their retirement and reward those that haven’t with benefits. Plus of course it will simplify things for all of us, but the clue is in the name; it is the Basic State Pension, not the Fabulous State Pension or the Incredible State Pension. It will provide, hopefully for your basic needs, but very little else I imagine and it will not be payable until you are 66, 67, 68, and ever upward. Mr Osborne keeps moving the finishing line and he hasn’t finished yet. A little reported speech he made at the recent G8 summit in Northern Ireland clearly demonstrated Government thinking. He stated that
he hopes to automatically link the State Pension Age with increases in longevity so that it remains a constant in Government expenditure. When pressed what that would means in the real world he replied it would mean a retirement age of 77! A recent survey by Prudential found that Pensioners have an average 18 years in retirement, but enjoy only 10 of them in good health. So if the retirement age is to increase by 5 years that means the 5 years I should have spent walking in the Lake District in robust health will be consumed by work and the largest proportion of my so called golden years will be spent in declining health. Hardly seems fair does it? The only alternative is to make provision for ourselves and this is the message that is coming loud and clear from all Political Parties, good old UK PLC can no longer afford to keep us in anything like the style we would like. What is the best way to go about it? With all their tax benefits are Pensions still the best way?
What about property or ISAs as an alternative? What can your business or employer do for you to ease the pain? Everyone is different and retirement income is very often a jigsaw of various pieces to make your very own retirement picture. How those pieces fit together requires careful thought and you should really have a plan otherwise your retirement income will be determined by the winds of fate, or worse politicians. You will retire only once, we have experienced it hundreds of times so we’ve put together a whole range of jigsaws over the years of very shape and size you can imagine and quite possibly some you can’t. Whatever your income jigsaw looks like we can help you end up with the picture you want.
Paul Steel
www.pensionmatters.net - psteel@pensionmatters.net - 0191 404 6806 / 0800 612 454 * Pension Matters is a trading style of Estate Matters Financial Limited which is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority
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The Fell Magazine
Community
Low Fell Dancing School Raises Over £6000 For Cancer Charities...
...IN ONE DAY!
What an exciting day was Saturday 13th July for all the young girls and boys of the Eve Trew School of Dance situated in the Saltwell Business Park, Joicey Road, Low fell. This was the day when for the first time in their lives they would experience the thrill and excitement of performing on the stage of the Theatre Royal in Newcastle in front of two full audiences. How wonderfully they all danced and sang, under the bright lights of this iconic theatre set in the heart of Newcastle, where so many of the country’s leading stars have performed before. It was a long, hard day but at the end of the evening everybody went home happy knowing they had helped to raise £5000 for the R.V.I. Children’s Cancer Fund, with a further £2005 for the CLIC Sargent cancer charity. Eve Trew was delighted with the way the children had performed and said she thought this would be a day that would stay in their minds for ever. We thought our last charity show at the Sage, Gateshead in 2011 was our best ever but the inclusion of our 40 strong boys only class who performed a street dance to the music of James Bond this year really stole the show and has made 2013 a year to remember. The audience were very appreciative and it was lovely to see so many former members of the dancing school giving up their time to support our activities. One such lady, Susan who attended Eve’s classes in the 1960s but now lives in Bristol said “I am so pleased I came up to see the performance, it brought back so many happy memories of my own days at dancing school....Please let me know when your next show is scheduled, I’ll be first in the queue for tickets!” FOR FURTHER INFORMATION PLEASE SEE OUR WEBSITE
- www.evetrew.com
Visit us online - Low-Fell.Com
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Community
Clean It Up! Sara Forrest
Dogs are wonderful animals, but they sure can make a mess! So make sure you clean up after them!
Poo, poop, stool, call it what you will, my life is one big number two. In my daily job offering pet care, I spend a significant amount of time picking up poo. On average I walk seven dogs a day, in addition to my own Jack Russell Toby. As a result I am never without my trustee poo bags but I wish all dog owners were the same. It’s really frustrating to see dog mess littering the pavements of Low Fell (and other areas too! - Ed) and I’m pleased to see Gateshead Council toughening up their laws by adopting the Dogs (Fouling of Land) Act which deems it a legal offence to let your dog foul and not to clear up afterwards. Those caught failing to pick up their dog’s mess could be issued with a Fixed Penalty Notice, or if the case goes to court a fine of up to £1,000. It is not just unpleasant, dog mess also carries a whole host of diseases; salmonella, tapeworm, hookworm, and toxocariasis. Toxocariasis is an infection of the roundworm toxocara canis. The eggs of the parasite can be found in soil or sand contaminated with faeces and if swallowed, result in infection that lasts between six and 24 months. The disease causes blindness in up to 100 children each year. As a responsible owner I feel shame that ignorant dog owners are giving me a bad name and I know I am not alone in this. I have recently signed up to become a Keep Britain Tidy supporter committed to tackling the issue of dog fouling nationally but also locally and will keep you updated on the work being carried out to help put an end to dog mess on our streets. Dog ownership is about responsibility and safeguarding the reputation of good owners and caring for our communities. If you can’t pick up after your dog then you don’t deserve to keep one.
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The Fell Magazine
Charity Profile: Daft As A Brush
Charity Profile
Leslie Caisley
Daft as a Brush Cancer Patient Care has existed as a local cancer charity since May 2010 when our founder, Brian Burnie, sold his luxury hotel at Doxford Hall, Chathill, Northumberland and used funds from the sale to create the charity. The aim of the charity is to take cancer patients free of charge from their homes in the North East to and from their treatment at the Northern Centre for Cancer Care, Freeman Hospital, Newcastle upon Tyne in our own brightly coloured ambulances. Each ambulance has a driver and a companion. The companion waits with the patient until it is time for their treatment and is a friendly face once the treatment has finished. All of our drivers and companions are unpaid volunteers who give up their time to help the cancer patients of the North East. We have over 100 volunteers and, without their hard work, this charity would not be able to exist to help the patients. We are extremely proud of our fantastic volunteers. Our service helps cancer patients in the three North East Counties. It is extremely useful for the elderly and those who do not have access to transport. We have made over 2500 patient journeys so far this year and currently have 12 vehicles . Our hope is to eventually have 25 ambulances. Each of the ambulances are named by local primary schools, including St. Peter’s R C Primary School, Low Fell, Gateshead. The children give the ambulances distinctive names such as Twinkle Toes, Sparkle and Sunshine! Our link with the schools helps the charity to become better known in the local community. If you see our ambulances around and about please give us a wave. We aim to continue to grow during the next few years and to become well known to the people of the North East and the medical practitioners in the area. To continue to grow we will need support, funding and more volunteers to man the additional ambulances. We exist to help the cancer patients of the North East and we see ourselves as part of the Road to Recovery. Please remember any sums we receive are used to help the cancer patients of the North East as we only operate in this area. If you wish to contact the charity please telephone 01912328999 or e-mail info@daftasabrush.org.uk .If you wish to write to us our address is Daft as a Brush Cancer Patient Care,Grainger Chambers, 3-5 Hood Street, Newcastle upon Tyne NE1 6 JQ. Leslie Caisley Trustee Visit us online - Low-Fell.Com
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Sudoku Challenge Fill in all the squares in the grid so that each row, column and each of the 3x3 squares contains all the digits from 1 to 9. Good luck!
Competition Winners! Win A Print Of The Quayside Winner - Helena Simmonds
Win ‘Walks In Hadrian’s Wall Country’! Winner - Anna Slowikowska As mentioned in the Editor’s article, there are no competitions in this issue of The Fell Magazine. Congratulations to the winners on their success!
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The Fell Magazine
Fun & Games