Surf spectacular
National championship at Druridge Bay

A Dog's life
We have the best dog beaches - it's official!

Affordable housing
Dreaming of your own house?

Deer Ambler
Spring surprise

Everybody's talking
Community forum promotes our interests

Hedging bets
Doing what comes naturally

Saving wildlife
Making a river change its mind

RNLI station shop
Spend money and save lives

Amble slimmers
Get thin and save lives

Editorial
Supermarket snags and what's in this "life saving" issue.

Have your say
Letters and email, including photos

Improving Queen Street
Grants can give you an uplift

National 'Elf
Dress up as an elf and save lives

Veggie basket scheme
Disadvantaged people help community

Neighbourhood watch
Keeping an eye on your neighbours

Coquet High School Partnership
Expected drop in pupil numbers

Women's house building project
The house that Jill built

Artograffi
Easter fun

David's Diary
News from Amble Development Trust

Town council report
News update from the Town Council

Confessions of an addict
Harry gives up the weed

Age Concern Northumberland
...need people who are concerned

Chinese freeze affects Welfare
Snow stops take-away

Child Trust Fund
Invest in your child's future

Penny
New year Resolutions

Amble Churches Together
Thoughts for New Year

County Councillors report
Future developments

A tale of two thefts
You have been warned

The Peer Mentors
Students help each other

Residents get the hump over bumps
Calming the traffic?

Dirty wellies in a wine bar
Rural romance

Small skinny latte
Toddlers make their own coffee shop

Poetry corner
Safe to shore

Paddlers Paradise
New look play area

Snippets...
Local food, recycling, school numbers, welfare update

What's On
Including live music, Easter services, volunteering at Warkworth Castle and more.

Greetings from Aglaia
Message from a tall ship

Ray King column
Kevin Keegan takes over. "We all eagerly await"

What's on

Amble & Warkworth Rotary and Round Table Christmas Collections

Amble West - Monday 17th December
Broomhill/Acklington - Tuesday 18th December
Amble Central - Wednesday 19th December
Amble East - Thursday 20th December
Warkworth - Friday 21st December
Amble Queen Street - Saturday 22nd December

Support your community via these festive collections!

Monday 17th December 2.45pm - 7pm
County Middle School, South Broomhill
Friday 21st December 2pm - 7.30pm
Dovecote Centre, Amble

Preparations for Christmas often put giving blood out of mind. Please give as usual – stocks decline at this time of year.

Choir Christmas Celebrations

Warkworth Village Choir is hosting a Christmas Celebration Concert in Warkworth Memorial Hall on Monday 17th December at 7.30.p.m.
Seasonal refreshments will be served during the evening. The audience will be invited to join in with favourite carols and there will be readings by choir members and other Christmas music.

The choir will sing in Ellington, Acklington and Rennington, throughout the Christmas season.

Rehearsals will resume in the New Year on Monday 7th January 2008 in Warkworth Memorial Hall. If you like to sing and think you would enjoy being in a choir, come along and give it a try. The Choir sings a wide range of music to suit all tastes and everyone is welcome. Practices are on Mondays during term time at Warkworth Memorial Hall. 7.30.p.m.

Contact Elaine Bowden on 01665 830373 or Margaret Prudhoe 01665 712208

Plessey Woods Country Park

Sunday, 16th Dec. Make a rustic reindeer for your garden
10.30am – 12noon and 1pm – 2.30
Tools and materials provided.
Cost: £10 per reindeer Age: 5 and over
Bookings only. Phone 01670 824793

Sunday 16th December Christmas Crafts Festival
11am – 3pm Free event All ages
Willow wreaths, candles, pottery and stained glass.
In association with Groundwork Northumberland.

East Coquet Local History Society

Programme for 2008
January 17th - Alan Fendley:
“Spare the Rod”, a history of schooling, 1850 – 1950
February 21st - Irene and Ken Lillico:
History of the lifeboat – Safety at Sea
March 13th - John Almond:
The Falkland Islands, 25 years after the conflict
April 17th - Chris Burgess, County Archaeologist:
“The Loch Doon Scandal”
May 15th - Guided summer walk 6pm

All indoor meetings held on Thursday evening at 7.30pm
in St. Mark’s URC hall, Wellwood St.

Christmas Services

St. Cuthbert’s Church, Amble
Dec 15th Carol Sing along. 10.00 - 12 noon. Coffee and a mince pie £1.00 and the choir will sing a carol of your choice.
Dec 17th Mothers’ Union Carol Service 2.00pm
Dec 23rd Carols by Candlelight at 6.00pm Join us in celebrating the story of Christmas in music and words from scripture
Christmas Eve Christingle at 6.30pm.
Come and join in the joy of the Christmas story and the fun of the Christingle.
Christmas Day Family Christmas Communion 9.30am

Sacred Heart, Amble
Christmas Eve Carols 6.15pm Vigil Mass 6.30pm
Christmas Day Mass 10.00 am
St. Marks URC, Amble
Christmas Eve Around the Christmas Tree service
Christmas Day 10.30am Service
Sun Dec 30th 10.30am Joint service at Warkworth URC

Hauxley Chapel
Sun. Dec 9th Carols in church; mulled wine, coffee, tea, mince pies in village hall
Christmas Eve The First Communion of Christmas 11.30pm: Rev. Barry Cooper

St John the Divine, Chevington
Sun Dec 16th at 4.0pm Christingle Service
Tues Dec 18th at 6.0pm Broomhill First School Carol Service (all welcome)
Sun Dec 23rd at 6.0pm Carol Service
Mon Dec 24th Christmas Eve Midnight Mass 11.30pm
Christmas Day 10.00am Family Service with Holy Communion
Sun Jan 6th 10.00am Epiphany Family Service with baptism

Widdrington RC Church
Christmas Eve Vigil 5 pm

WEA course

Reading Poetry
An 8-week course which tries to answer questions like:
What is poetry for? How does it work? What is its history?
Why do people write it? How do you read it?
Tutor: Peter Regan 8 Thursdays beginning Jan 24th.
St. Mark’s Church Hall, Wellwood St. 10am - noon

Warkworth shivers their timbers

When Robert Louis Stevenson penned Treasure Island, he probably did not realise that his action and suspense-filled masterpiece could be enhanced by the inclusion of a six-foot white rabbit and a cross-dressing pub landlady.

And he almost certainly didn’t envisage Jim Hawkins and Long John Silver being saucily propositioned at Amble docks.

But Warkworth Drama Group is no respecter of literary icons; if it can maul Dickens’ “Christmas Carol” or maim J M Barrie’s “Peter Pan” then Stevenson’s tale of piracy and heroism on the high seas is fair game. And if the search for buried treasure is assisted by a long-eared lettuce-chomping mammal called Roger, then so be it.

With its boat-load of gags, double entendres and cheeky songs, the drama group’s panto ‘take’ on the Limelight Scripts interpretation of Treasure Island is packed with fun, music and comedy.

Performances will be staged at 7.30pm on Wednesday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday, December 19 to 22nd, with a matinee at 2.30pm on Saturday, at the Memorial Hall, Warkworth. Admission is £3 on Wednesday, and £3 children and £5 adults for all other shows. Tickets are now on sale at Warkworth Post Office, N & F Young of Amble or via the group’s web site www.warkworthdrama.org.uk
Coinciding with the production is an art competition open to children up to 15 with prizes in two age categories; under 11 and 12 to 15. Art works, in colour or black and white, must be on A4 sized paper and related to Treasure Island. Entries, with name, age and contact number printed in black on rear of picture, must be left at Amble Library. Closing date is December 15.

The best entries will be displayed at the Memorial Hall and the winners will be announced at the performances.

Youngsters attending the Saturday matinee are invited to turn up in fancy dress. Members of the cast will cast their eyes over the costumes worn by the young audience and deliver their verdicts during the interval. Prizes will be given.

More information about the art and fancy dress competitions can be found on the drama group’s web site.