Community Action Northumberland

Bailiffgate Museum in Alnwick and Volunteering Northumberland are working together to host a recruitment fair at the Museum on 11th November, 3 till 7 pm.
Participation is open to volunteer involving organisations, community groups, and societies.
If you need volunteers or new members and would like to take part, please contact me on This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it or 07900 998 933.

Terri Bearhope

October 18th 2011

Hexham Children’s Centre has organised a Sporty Fun Day in partnership with Wentworth Leisure Centre – on Tuesday 25th October.

This is a great opportunity for local families to take part in fun, free healthy activities over the half term holiday so the Centre is hoping for a good response !

For further information please contact Maureen Murray - Community Development Worker – on 01434 601698 or email her on This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

Flyer attached.

Tweed Music Centre - Launch
Once upon a time …children who played an instrument visited Saturday morning music centre and played in a band or did classes to back up their weekly lessons. Jump forward thirty odd years and the only original group (but not the original members!) is String Band. Now grown to four groups, with a Junior Choir, a Senior Choir and a Wind Band, together they form TWEED MUSIC CENTRE! At our launch on 29 October, we hope to ...show you what we can do, wearing our new uniform t-shirts (thanks to Edward Oxnard of Sureswift). There is something for everyone, with all groups performing. We’ll treat you with a String Quartet, a woodwind trio, a vocal duet (sung by Oliver Payn and Katie Hindmarsh, former Youth Choir members) and fireworks on a trumpet! There will be an opportunity to try out instruments (before hitting the refreshments!) and a second hand book stall. A collection will be made. We have already given two children the chance to borrow an instrument. There is still a violin waiting for someone! Come to The Maltings Berwick on Saturday 29th October in the Studio at 10.30. Prepare to be amazed!

On 11th November, Bailiffgate Museum is hosting a volunteering fair, in partnership with Volunteering Northumberland, the volunteer centre for the county. Among the organisations that will be available to speak to members of the public are Age Concern, Alnwick and District Mencap, Northumberland Credit Union, and Northumberland County Blind Association.

Join local charities and groups to find out more about their work and what you can do to help from 3 pm till 7 pm on Friday 11th November. Entry to Bailiffgate Museum will be free during these times.

November 29th 2011

HOME ENERGY ADVICE EVENT

Community Action Northumberland together with National Energy Action and West Northumberland Citizen’s Advice Bureau are holding a Home Energy Advice event at The Forge Studios in Allendale Market Place on Friday December 9th.

The aim of the event is to offer impartial and free advice and guidance to local residents on a wide range of energy saving and energy efficiency measures for the home as well as information about renewable heat technologies.

Those attending the event will also be able to access individual advice on fuel debt, on how to get the best tariff for their energy supply and learn about grants available for those most in need. A key part of the event will be an online internet facility to enable householders to switch energy suppliers on the day – if they wish to!

The event is being held in Allendale as it is in one of the areas with the highest levels of fuel poverty in the country.

Last Friday (November 24th) the government released the sub-regional fuel poverty statistics for England based on 2009 data. Twelve of the Lower Super Output Areas (LSOAs) with the highest levels of fuel poverty are in Northumberland – and three of those are in the Tynedale area – with the percentage of its fuel poor households averaging almost 50%.

Fuel poverty – which is where a household needs to spend more than 10% of its income on fuel in order to maintain adequate warmth in the home -can be particularly severe in rural areas where properties are often older and are hard to treat because they have solid walls or no capacity for loft insulation. This situation is made worse for households when their homes are also off the mains gas grid supply and they are faced with having to rely on more expensive fuels – like oil. The three main factors that contribute to whether a household is fuel poor are the cost of energy; the household’s income, and the energy efficiency of the property.

With the recent announcement that six major suppliers have raised their energy prices, adding approximately £300 onto the average household energy bill, the ability of householders to heat their home affordably is going to become more difficult.

The Home Energy Advice event on the 9th of December will take place over two sessions.
The first session starts at 10.30 am until 12.30 and will be repeated in the afternoon from 1pm until 3pm. The event is free and no booking is required.

Householders wishing to get advice on getting the best energy tariffs available or on switching their energy supplier are asked to bring their latest energy bill with them to the event.

The event is part of a three-year country-wide rural energy advisorship programme – the Future of Rural Energy in England - aimed at off-grid communities across the country and is supported by Calor Gas and involves Action for Communities in Rural England, the Rural Community Action Network and National Energy Action. The project brings practical independent advice and information to households on fuel choices, energy efficient technologies, and carbon reduction measures - by working at a local level with communities most at risk of fuel poverty.

Enquiries about the event should be made with Melanie Hall at Community Action Northumberland’s Hexham office – 01434 607871 or she can be emailed at melaniehall@ca-north.org.uk