Articles February 2025
Articles February 2025
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Longhorsley Village Fete
Longhorsley Village Fete
Save the date! On Saturday 5th July 2025 we will be back with another fun-filled day for our village. Expect stalls, games, an industrial section (bake/grow/make) and much much more!
If you would like to be involved in any way - either to take a stall or to help out with the organisation - please contact longhorsleyfete@gmail.com.
We're also on Facebook/Instagram as “Longhorsley Village Fete”. It promises to be another great day!
Northumberland Cycling Campaign
Northumberland Cycling Campaign
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Longhorsley Parish Council
Longhorsley Parish Council
The next Parish Council meeting will be held on Wednesday, 12th February, in the Village Hall, starting at 7pm, with a parishioner slot at 8pm. Meeting notices are displayed on village notice boards, with minutes and other information found on the Parish Council website.
Contact details for the current members are detailed below:
Clerk: Samantha Doyle, 35 Burghley Gardens, Pegswood, NE61 6TN 07427 123268 or parishclerk@longhorsley-pc.gov.uk
Chairman: Norman Douglas 07485 174529 norman.douglas@longhorsley-pc.gov.uk
Councillors: Sarah Alcock, Kirsty Bell, Peter Boyle, Jennie Parker, Anne Peat and Trevor Potts.
Christmas Festivities
Christmas Festivities
Even though your Christmas festivities are now in the distant past, this is our first opportunity to thank those people who helped erect, decorate and take down the Christmas Tree on the Village Green – thanks to Cllr Boyle, Matthew Boyle and the other people that assisted.
Happy New Year
Happy New Year
Happy New Year to you all. As a Parish Council we are sorry that we had to cancel the New Years Lighting of the Beacon, the weather was certainly not on our side that night. However, we will be lighting it for the 80th anniversary of VE Day, more details will follow.
Speed Camera
Speed Camera
You may have noticed the Speed Camera van in the village on the 8th January, we understand that there was a successful outcome and we hope that this will become a more frequent visitor in efforts to reduce speeding in the village.
Tree removals on east side of South Road
Tree removals on east side of South Road
A number of trees on the East side of South Road have been identified with ash dieback and are at risk of falling onto the road. Work has been scheduled to remove these trees between 24th and 28th February. During this period traffic management will be in operation on the section of the A697 between the Shoulder of Mutton and the entrance to Whitegates. We apologise for any inconvenience caused by this essential work.
Change of Parish Clerk
Change of Parish Clerk
Finally, as mentioned in the last edition we said Goodbye at the end of December to our Clerk, Gillian Turner, who has been our Clerk for the last 9 years. Samantha Doyle has now taken over the role and new contact details can be found above.
Your County Councillor
Your County Councillor
The first visit by the Camera Van took place last week and it created quite a stir - traffic slowed down but some were not quick enough. It is a useful deterrent and so I will ask them to continue until the fixed camera is renewed, hopefully this year.
Budget time is with us again at the County Council and we are having to make serious savings again, but we will protect our frontline services and free town centre car parking. Disappointingly our costs have risen significantly in many services with inflation and potentially at least some of the new NI contributions rule. Care packages for older people and children’s social services have increased substantially, and it looks like any chance of reducing Council Tax is just not affordable this year.
If you have any queries or want more information about the budget please get in touch, or if I can help with anything:
Glen Sanderson 07730 979737 glen.sanderson@northumberland.gov.uk
Hedge Laying Course Report
Hedge Laying Course Report
Brinkburn and Hesleyhurst Parish Council’s climate change and biodiversity committee ran 3 days of hedge laying courses for beginners in December 2024. The one-day courses were held at Thistleyhaugh farm in Longhorsley which is run by the Nelless family.
This hedge laying scheme is the second year B&HPC have managed to offer these courses for free thanks to the support of the Wingates Community Windfarm Fund. Our goal is to encourage and educate people about the benefits of wildlife, biodiversity, and carbon capture from hedge laying. The students gained knowledge over the course of the day to learn how to lay a hedge using basic traditional tools. David Boyson was the instructor and made the courses very informative, sharing his vast knowledge on this subject.
In early 2024 we carried out our first hedge laying project at our parish playing field located at Embleton Terrace NE65 8JJ. Call in to have a look!
B&HPC have been extremely busy over the last 2 years with projects such as: Bird nest box scheme for declining birds, litter picking, wildflower meadow seeding and scything, river quality testing, base line surveying, hedge laying and much more.
To find out more about our schemes or if you would like to join us in our projects, please contact our Clerk clerk@brinkburn.net or search for our parish council website. Volunteers of all ages are welcome. Special thanks to the Wingates Community Windfarm Fund, volunteers, and landowners which make this all possible.
Jamie Whicker
Life on the Track: the Aln Valley Railway and Environment
Life on the Track: the Aln Valley Railway and Environment
The Aln Valley railway is our local steam heritage railway, based near Alnwick.
Alnwick was bypassed by the first railway built in this area; it had been expected that the line would follow the route of the Great North Road to Alnwick, but the gradients were too steep.
Instead, a three mile branch line was authorised in 1845, to run from Alnwick and join the main line at Bilton (later renamed Alnmouth station).
The branch opened in 1850 with a simple platform at Alnwick. A more impressive station was built in 1887 to coincide with the opening of the Coldstream line. It was more in keeping with the historical importance of the town and more suitable for receiving important visitors, such as the King and Queen in 1906.
Fourteen trains ran each way in the week and eight on Sundays with some connecting directly to Newcastle.
The line closed in 1968, partly due to the Beeching Report and partly due to construction of the A1 bypass, which severed the line. The rails were lifted over the next 2 years and Northumberland Estates purchased most of the trackbed. The station was sold and is now home to Barter Books.
There was still interest in the old line and the Aln Valley Railway scheme was launched. In 2010 the Trust was offered the lease on a field on the east side of the A1. A new station and yard has been constructed, Lionheart Station, and the rails have been restored to Greenrigg, about halfway to Alnmouth. Work is continuing to complete the line to Alnmouth with a new station to be built adjacent to the mainline one. There is a footpath/cycle path beside the line and this will also be continued to Alnmouth. The line passes over the Cawledge viaduct just before Greenrigg; it is the world’s oldest masonry heritage viaduct, designed by Robert Stephenson and opened in 1850.
The environment has always been important to the Trust and to date 307m of hedgerow have been planted, primroses planted, small woodland areas developed and flowerbeds planted around the main site. Environmental surveys have and will be done on the unrestored line and as much of the natural landscape retained as far as possible. Bird and bat boxes have been installed and over 40 species of bird and 200 plants have been recorded.
The Trust runs a full programme of steam and diesel train events from Easter to September with added events for Halloween and Christmas. For more information please visit the website, Alnvalleyrailway.co.uk.
Penny Ford and Richard Thompson
The Longhorsley Ball
The Longhorsley Ball
We enjoyed a hugely successful masquerade ball at Linden Hall hotel in December. There were 123 guests who enjoyed a delicious 3 course dinner (while being amazed by our fabulous close-up magician!) and then danced the night away.
As ever we are enormously grateful to all who support this annual event - our guests, Linden Hall hotel, and everyone who donates raffle prizes (including the wonderful hamper that our lovely church ladies put together).
We donate all profit raised on the night to local causes, and are delighted to announce that this year we made an incredible £3,000. This has been distributed between St Helen’s Church, St Helen’s First School, Longhorsley Junior Football Club, Longhorsley WI, Longhorsley Playgroup, Longhorsley Parish Council (for the wood), Longhorsley Fete, the Northumberland National Park Mountain Rescue Team, Northumberland Hedgehog Rescue, Alnwick Dolphins, and Rothbury Christmas Lights.
We are now busy planning this year’s ball - to be held on Saturday 6th December. More details to follow later in the year, but do put the date in your diary - it’s a fabulous event and a great way of supporting the village.
The Longhorsley Ball Committee
Post Office in Longhorsley Village Hall
Post Office in Longhorsley Village Hall
Monday 9.15am to 11.30am
Friday 11.30am to 1.30pm
Please note that this Outreach Service cannot accept large parcels.
Longhorsley Takeaway Food
Longhorsley Takeaway Food
We will send out a Breaking News if we are notified of any changes.
The Shoulder of Mutton
The Shoulder of Mutton
The Shoulder of Mutton is open and offering takeaways every day (apart from Tuesday).
Sunday lunches 12-6pm ~ Monday to Saturday 5pm-8pm
See their menu at shoulderofmuttonpub.com ~ phone 788236 to order
The Flying Fryer
The Flying Fryer
The Flying Fryer will be here every Friday from 4pm to 7pm, depending on demand.
Facebook The Flying Fryer 07984 426 725
Dou_h&co
Dou_h&co
Dou_h&co visits on one Thursday in the month from 4:30pm – 7:30pm.
The next visit date is 6th February.
Pre-order on 07507 834 628 from Monday 9am.
See their menu on the Dou_h & Co Facebook page, Instagram and Dou-h.co.uk
Mobile Library Visiting Times
Mobile Library Visiting Times
The Mobile Library is currently revising its timetable, and we will provide an update through Breaking News once available.
The Mobile Library Service website can be found here
March Edition
March Edition
The last date for submissions is 20th February. You can email or phone us.
Please keep articles under 250 words, if at all possible.
Jan and Sheena Haveman 07834 740649 longhorsley.tree@gmail.com
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