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

Warkworth Village Choir

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

Alnwick Stage Musical Society

Alnwick Stage Musical Society will be performing Orpheus in the Underworld, the comically irreverent version of Greek mythology, in Alnwick Playhouse from Monday, 10th to Saturday, 15th March at 7.30pm.

A reluctant Orpheus sets about retrieving his wayward wife, Eurydice from Hades, assisted by a rabble of gods and goddesses led by Jupiter. This outrageous send up is carried along by Offenbach’s wonderful music, including the famous “Can Can”.
Tickets 10th & 11th £7/£6(conc); thereafter £8/£7(conc); are available from the Playhouse (tel: 01665 510785).

Previous shows by Alnwick Stage Musical have included The Mikado, Wonderful Town, Fiddler on the Roof, The King & I, Annie Get Your Gun, Kiss Me Kate, Oklahoma, Carousel, Guys and Dolls to name but a few.

Live music in Amble

Live music in Warkworth

Strum the guitar and play the fiddle! The 5th Lush Acoustic Music night returns on Saturday April 5th at The Black Bull, Warkworth, Entry is free – 8.30 pm.
Northumbrian musicians are taking music to the coast and hills with a series of monthly music shows across the county. The April Lush Acoustic Night will feature four local musicians playing original material sprinkled with a few choice cover versions. Each evening features a surprise guest artist as well. It’s free to get in and the music goes on till 23.00.

Saturday night’s bill includes: soulful songs and social comment from ‘Mark Bezerk’ of Hauxley; finger-picking virtuoso Bill Read from Warkworth whose repertoire includes Tommy Johnson songs and northern folk classics; and the new folk-blues of Carl Cape on acoustic guitar and harmonica. Carl, from Hadston, Northumberland will be playing songs from his forthcoming album ‘Gaia’s Garden’. Alnwick’s bright, young fiddler Jamie Robb will also be taking to the stage.

The ethos behind the LUSH night is to take original live music to new audiences, and to the more remote venues and settings of rural Northumberland. The organisers are setting up gigs in towns, villages, pubs, hotels and halls across the county - and in places where live music isn’t necessarily the norm.

More details available at : www.myspace.com/lushacoustic

Lent lunches

Lent lunches continue on Wednesdays in February and March at Amble Parish Hall, Dovecote St. at 12 noon and will be provided by the following:
Wednesday February 27 - Hauxley and Coquet Community Church, Amble.
Wednesday March 5 - St John’s, Chevington and Christ Church, Broomhill.
Wednesday March 12 - Trinity, Amble.
Soup, rolls and tea are served and the proceeds will go to a Christian charity. Cost £1.50.

Easter in the Churches

Good Friday, March 21st 10.45am: Ecumenical Act of Witness at Walters Corner, after procession behind the cross from St. Cuthbert’s up Queen Street.
Everyone welcome.

St. Cuthbert’s, Church Street
March 17th, 18th, 19th: 10am Communion services
Maundy Thursday, March 20th: Service of the shadows
Good Friday, March 21st: 9.30am service
2.00pm Hour at the cross
Easter Sunday March 23rd 8.00am 9.30am
6.00pm Easter Songs of Praise

Hauxley Chapel Services
Sunday March 2 Rev. John Pugh (Holy Communion)
Sunday March 9 Local arrangement
Sunday March 16 Palm Sunday. Rev. Carla Hall
Sunday March 23 Easter Day.
Rev. Carla Hall (Holy Communion)
Sunday March 30 Mrs Lilian Dixon
Sunday April 6 Rev. John Pugh (Holy Communion)
Sunday April 13 Rev. Ruth Crofton
Sunday April 20 Area Service (No service here).
Sunday April 27 Mrs Sarah Mitchell
We are a small ecumenical congregation who worship in Low Hauxley on Sundays at 4pm unless otherwise stated, followed by a cup of tea. All are welcome.

Sacred Heart
Maundy Thursday Mass of the Last Supper - 7.pm.
Good Friday Stations of the Cross 10am
Reading of the Passion 3pm.
Saturday Vigil Mass 6.30pm.
Easter Sunday Mass 10pm.

Brambles charity night

Following the success of Ladies Night last summer, Brambles Childcare Centre presents an 80’s Charity Night with special guest Aaron Jackson, 80’s quiz and bottle raffle. Fund raising in aid of equipment for Amble’s Community Nursery.
The event is on Friday 4th April at the Bede Street Club from 7.30pm – Midnight. Tickets cost £5 and are available at the door, on the night. All over 18s welcome. Fancy dress optional.

Volunteering at Warkworth Castle

English Heritage is sending a call-out for volunteers to help out with education activities at one of the largest and most impressive fortresses in the north. Those who are recruited will get the chance to dress up in costumes of the time, lead art and music events and even re-enact some of Warkworth’s more notable events.
Part of English Heritage’s Discovery Programme, this is the first time volunteers have been recruited in the region to help support school and youth groups who visit the dramatic 14th century stronghold of the Percy family.

As Kate Davies, English Heritage’s Education Volunteer Manager said: “This is a great opportunity for those who have a passion for the past. Launching the North East education volunteer programme here at Warkworth is a really exciting development. It was people who shaped our past, so we really do need people to help explain to youngsters how that happened. As well as having the opportunity to meet new people, volunteers will have a chance to develop their own skills. We are looking for people who would like to make a difference.”

The volunteer roles on offer at Warkworth Castle range from taking part in Discovery visits, to meeting and greeting groups of youngsters on Free Educational Visits or carrying out research into the castle and its area to help develop resources for young people at the site. All volunteers will be given training and an induction by English Heritage.

If you are interested in volunteering, please contact Rebecca Bough on 0177 975 0720 or email rebecca.brough@english-heritage.org.uk No experience is necessary – just enthusiasm for the historic environment and a willingness to pass that on.

Western Front Association
24th March ‘Book at Bedtime: Part 2’ David Easton
28th April Members night
Meetings take place at 7:30 [for 8:00] p.m. on the fourth Monday of every month at Alnmouth Ex-Servicemen’s Club & Institute, Northumberland Street, Alnmouth. Do join us – A warm welcome awaits visitors & WFA members new to the branch.
Donations – Suggested minimum £1
Enquiries to: Chairman Secretary Speaker
Neil Brison David Easton David Thompson
602349 830928 710718

Upstix Touring Theatre Festival

The Pride Of Place Theatre Festival in Alnwick Playhouse from 3rd - 6th April is a fantastic opportunity to see the work of 14 national and international theatre companies. On Thursday evening there will be a procession through Alnwick with the town crier, traditional music and a hog roast in the market square. On Saturday the market will have a Northumbrian theme with street entertainment. Later there will be a ceilidh, comedy impro and dancing to the music of the Baghdaddies. Workshops and discussions will also be held. Tickets are available from Alnwick Playhouse 01665 510785, or visitwww.alnwickplayhouse.co.uk for festival passes and booking info.

If you have an event you’d like to be included in our What’s On listings, please contact Anna on 01665 712929 editor@theambler.co.uk