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"

Your letters + email

Old photos

Dear Ambler,
As an ex-Ambler I enjoy reading about the town in each edition. Would it be possible to add an archive for people’s photographs from the past and present. I grew up in the town in the 1940s and there are not that many photos from that period, at least not that I have seen. For example there was the air-sea rescue base, also a POW camp and of course the harbour, in a very different form from today! Do the council keep an archive of photos? It would be nice to see Amble from that period or even further back. I see many small towns also produce their own potted history as a small book, even Shilbottle has one. Perhaps Amble should think about it - maybe a project for schools? Many people with stories from that period are already dead!
Ken Rochester
kenwroch@yahoo.com

Ed replies: Well as if by magic, Ken, we received this old photo of the Boys Club Concert Party at the Parish Hall in the 1940s David Beaty (who is kneeling hand to face) was about 15 years old at the time. Anyone who knows others in the old photo please get in touch with him on 710842. The Ambler knows of a few local history books - by the Social History Group and the Town Council amongst others. They may be hard to find though - perhaps readers can help Ken out?

Peter takes the hump

Dear Ambler,
Those who advocate the transfer of Amble away from Alnwick and into south east Northumberland seem to have overlooked the fact that Amble is part of the Parliamentary Constituency of Berwick-upon-Tweed. The Boundary Commission is unlikelely to view with favour any attempt to move such a large number of people out of the constituency as it would cause massive numerical problems and re-assignment of boundaries.

In regard to traffic calming action in Percy Drive the suggestion of road humps and a chicane is Draconian in character and quite unnecessary. All that is necessary is the installation of pedestrian traffic lights somewhere in the vicinity of Dolphin Court. Such an installation would be of great benefit to those living on the west side of Percy Drive and backing on to the Industrial Estate, bearing in mind that Dolphin Court is the local Polling Station.

Such a crossing would also benefit pedestrian access through the Industrial Estate to the town centre.

Incoming traffic would need to start slowing at about Priory Park whilst outgoing traffic would hardly have time to pick up speed before becoming clear at the residential neighbourhoods.

Yours faithfully
Peter Mather
Priory Park, Amble

Edwin Street School - 100 years

Dear Ambler,
Amble First School (Edwin Street School) reaches its 100th birthday in 2008 and we are looking forward to celebrating the event with pupils and staff, past and present.
We have a number of activities and events planned and will be publicising these in more detail later in the year, but, right now, we are asking for help from anyone who has been involved with our school in the past.

We would like to set up an “Edwin Street Museum” and would welcome loans and contributions from the community. We would love to show old photographs of the school, pupils and teachers, display any items that might be part of the school’s history (books, uniform, certificates and so on) and share stories of the past. We are particularly keen to track down the old “Roll of Honour” board which used to be displayed in the school but has disappeared. If any readers are able to help, we would be delighted if they could get in touch with us at the school – 01665 710388. Many thanks Joyce Jenkins Headteacher, Amble First School

Dovecote Baby & Toddler Group

Dear Ambler,
The Dovecote Baby and Toddler group would like to say a very big thank you to Alliance Fish (Amble) Ltd for their very generous donation of £350 to the group at Christmas. With many of our children having moved on to pre-school education this money will help us cover any shortfall in regular activities whilst rebuilding our numbers.

Also, a special thank you to the brave fisherman who ensured Santa made a guest appearance at our Christmas party.

I will take this opportunity to invite any parents and carers to bring their children along to play and socialise in a relaxed and friendly environment.
We offer freeplay as well as structured art activities, play dough and drawing at each session. A healthy snack is provided mid session. The group runs on Tuesday and Thursday mornings, 9:30-11:30.
Laura Matthews
Dovecote Baby & Toddler Group

Amble Christmas Lights - appeal for volunteers

Dear Ambler,
May I thank the many people in the town who support us in various ways, especially for their financial support, without which we could not function. However, we have problems concerning the size of our workforce and this article is really a plea for volunteers.

Most people only become aware of us when we are on the street putting up or taking down the displays and for that part of the operation we normally have a sufficient number of helpers.

Our real problems concern the work required in order to check, repair, and renew the displays. This work takes place through out the year at our workshop and currently there are just three men available to undertake it. Two of these men are in their mid-seventies, both with medical conditions preventing them using a ladder, the other is 70. Clearly the time will come when we shall be unable to continue. One man is a qualified electrician and another has a good understanding of practical electrics. I would like to think there are others out there who have a competence with things electrical.

We attend the workshop in daytime, often in the morning. We arrange a mutually suitable time, hopefully on a weekly basis, in order to put in a few hours work. It is all very flexible and does not require high technical skills other than with the electrical fittings. New ideas are always welcome as would be anyone with a little creative or artistic skill but we are always constrained by a tight budget. This type of volunteer work is probably best suited to the still active, retired person who is reasonably skilled with their hands and the use of small hand tools.

For a number of years we have had the use of a flat bed lorry for the transportation of displays between the workshop and Queen Street but unfortunately we shall shortly be losing this facility. Is there anyone out there who could help us with a vehicle of this type for one day in January and one day in October each year, both being Sundays?

Any reader that feels they have something to offer, and would be prepared to give of their time throughout the year please contact me on 01665 711453. You will be most welcome.

Trevor Colbourne
Chairman, Amble Christmas Lights

Blood pressure gift

Dear Ambler,
It was with great satisfaction that we, the members of the group, presented Drs. McElhinney, Frazer and Watkins of the Coquet Medical Group, with 16 blood pressure monitors to be used in the community.

You are probably aware, we are committed in our constitution to return any profits we amass back into the community, as we are non-profit making.

We would like to thank you, the public, for purchasing our products, be they CDs, DVDs, books or the calendars, because without your generosity we would not be able to achieve our ambitions.

It was satisfaction indeed to receive the type of reception we enjoyed at the Health Centre, it makes it all worth while.

George Edminson
Amble Social History Group

Demolish eyesore?

Dear Ambler,
The area including the former Breeze Garage, Coquet Street, Amble may be redeveloped if the Planning Appeal supports the building of new flats and apartments.

In the meantime the derelict garage is a total eyesore and a hazard to local people. The fences have been broken down, the petrol pumps vandalised and the garage has been broken into. Amble is trying to develop tourism and be a place local people can be proud of. The present situation is clearly unacceptable.

Can the garage be demolished immediately, or at least a serious effort made to secure the property before some kind of tragedy occurs? Or are potential developers immune to any action by Alnwick District Council, Amble Development Trust, Amble Town Council and local people?

John Bird Mariners View, Amble

Not bats The Ambler did some research on this and was told that the demolition of the old garage had been ‘put on hold’ because of fears that there were bats in the building! We’re glad to be able to report that apparently all is well. Natural England tell us that although the developers did report the project to them, as they are required to do, and they advised them to do a bat survey, there were none in residence in this case. So the demolition is no longer ‘on hold.’ As we went to press, Property Logic Group, the managing agents for Grainger Homes who now own the site, told The Ambler that demolition contractors had been appointed, the mandatory 21 day notice had been given and work was starting as soon as the Health and Safety Executive had given the go-ahead. “It is anticipated work will start on site by the end of February,” a spokesperson for Property Logic Group told us. Ed.