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"

The Peer Mentors

Coquet High School has recently invested in a team of twelve sixth form students, six boys and six girls, who have volunteered to give up their spare time to be fully trained and educated in the possible problems that students at Coquet may face. This team of students are known as The Peer Mentors.

Peer Mentors at Coquet High

After successfully passing a four day course hosted in Blencathra, Cumbria, and further training since, they have launched themselves to the rest of the school at the beginning of anti bullying week, as they thought this would be a great opportunity to do so. Two members have each been designated to one form class in years nine and ten and they also made their debut in taking PHSE ((Personal, Health and Social Education) lessons and informing students about the awareness of bullying.

One member stated, “We all know that bullying occurs in schools, including Coquet, it can be as minor as name calling or as major as physical fighting, but what we want to do is crack down on it all.”

Training began with conflict management, level one drugs awareness, confidentiality coaching, team building, sexual health and child protection and will continue over time to consolidate and increase their knowledge.

When asked what they hoped to achieve the Peer Mentors said, “We aim to help and provide support to those who are going through the sometimes tough and hard years of High School.”

There will be at least one male and one female mentor available every break and lunchtime during school time; a room has been specially revamped during the Christmas holidays for the purpose. The mentors have also agreed to give up some of their free time during the day to be on call if they are needed for any situation during the school day.

The Peer Mentors are grateful to the members of staff who have made this all possible; in particular they would like to thank Angela Manktelow, Helen Wright and Lisa Waugh. They would also like to thank all the other staff members for all their support.

James Yeoman