Artograffi #154
Where are the play areas at Hauxley Grange?
We discovered that Hauxley Grange estate in Amble is supposed to have been provided with TWO play areas for all ages with natural play items.
Persimmon started building the estate in 2020 and now they have nearly finished.
đˇ Skylar and Maisie went looking for the play areas
We walked around the whole estate and didnât find anything, so we tried to find out why they have not been built.
Esme says âI am familiar with the estate because I live there. This is a busy estate and there are kids playing on the roads, especially in the summer when kids need to go outside and get some fresh air. We can make the community a safer place by providing the play areas for the kids.â
On the plans we saw there are supposed to be 3 stepping stones sets, 1 balance beam, 1 balance slalom, 1 double v balance and 1 walk and stretch posts.
We asked Northumberland County Council and Persimmon when they will be built and what they will look like.
A Persimmon North East spokesperson said: âWe are making progress with preparing the land for the opening of two play areas on Hauxley Grange.
âLandscaping will soon be undertaken to enable the completion of the play area at the south-west of the development this autumn. The land for the second play area will also be prepared simultaneously and will be opened once the nearby plots have been completed this winter.â
Northumberland County Council didnât give us a comment.
Esme says âI will keep a look out of my window and if I donât see them building the play areas I will let everyone know.â
By Esme, Skylar and Maisie.
Is Amble a safe place?
We heard that the police do a âpop upâ event in Amble library, so we went around to find out more about it
The police do these events every two months. We found that anyone can go, and that you can talk to them about any concern that you have.
đˇ Artograffi with PCSO Darin Fawcett and PC Rob Younger from Northumbria Police Neighbourhood team, David Bewley from Amble Town Council, and Vicki Kelly, Community Safety Officer with Northumberland County Council
The most common things that people ask about are anti-social behaviour, speeding and housing concerns.
We found out there are two police in Amble, although you can ring 101 or 999 if you have a problem.
They said that Amble is a âsafe placeâ but personally we think itâs not, because we have seen druggies outside Tesco, under the pier and in our streets. Sometimes the police donât even come out.
If you want to ask the police anything come and talk to them. The next event is on Monday 3 November 1500-1800 at the library.
by Eden
We need âgreen bridgesâ to save wildlife
Over the summer, I have been on the A1 a lot. Sadly I have seen a lot of road kill. This makes me feel upset, because the animals are trying to cross over but they havenât been able to get across in time.
Hitting a large animal like a deer can be dangerous for the animal and the car. I think there should be more places where wildlife can cross.
đˇ Green bridges helps prevent road kill
In Canada and the USA there are over 1000 wildlife crossings but in the UK there are only ten. Here they are called green bridges. In the Netherlands there are some which are planted with trees.
In a report from 2021, by Go Compare, small mammals are the most commonly hit animals on the roads in the UK. (about 8580 per year) Then birds, (4,652) then large mammals – about 1000 per year.
We asked Emily from Coquet Vets if they treated many wild animals hit by cars or lorries.
She said âWe treat loads of wildlife – difficult to know how many but probably 2-3 per week. As to how many of those are struck by vehicles is an unknown. Generally if something small is hit then they are killed outright. Many of them are birds so Iâm not sure how wildlife crossings would work/help!â
There is a green bridge in Australia which was planted with eucalyptus trees, and a study found that twice as many species of bird were flying over the bridge as were flying over the road.
I think in this country there should be barriers around the side of the road, or there should be more wildlife crossings and green bridges for them to get across busy roads safely. It wonât work for all animals but it might help some.
Also I think it would be better if people drove with more care.
By Skylar. Image by Lexi
Checking out the new school
We were luckily invited to go explore the new school building site. When we arrived we got fixed up with safety gear and then headed into the site. We all were supplied with safety glasses, a helmet, steel toed boots, gloves and a high viz jacket. It felt unusual and uncomfortable.
đˇ We had to wear safety gear. One of us said: “I felt like an idiot!” đ¤Ł
The new school is on track to open in September 2026. When we went there was only the steel frame for the sports hall but now the whole steel structure is finished. All the steel frames are fire resistant. The lift shaft is nine tons. The building site was very noisy and busy. We didnât see any women working on the site on our visit.
When it is finished, the school will have solar panels, and a MUGA (multi user game area) will be included in Feburary-March 2026. We have been promised more trips to visit the new school, and are excited for when it opens.
By Nina.
Our hero: David Attenborough
Sir David Attenborough, is a famous nature researcher who travels around the world to discover different species of animals. He is a hero to many because he educates children and adults on the amazing world we are surrounded by.
Indie says âMe and my Nanna love watching his show. Sometimes I stay over at her house, we get our favourite snacks and get comfy and watch the show.â
Indie has watched his TV shows since she was little and she has learnt so much about the world just by watching his shows. David Attenborough was 39 years old when he started making his TV show, now he is 99 years old.
Donovanâs dad Graham Hall works on the RRS (Royal Research Ship) Sir David Attenborough which is a survey ship that goes around Antarctica. He has met David Attenborough, so we asked him what it was like. âIt was a privilege to meet a national treasure. He is also a great inspirationâ said Graham.
We hope to interview Graham and learn more about his job on the RRS Sir David Attenborough very soon.
By Eden, Indie and Donovan.
How to make Amble a better place
Here are some ways to help clean our town:
⢠If you see a piece of rubbish pick it up so an animal doesnât get hurt or killed.
⢠If youâre bored maybe organize a litter pick on the beach or on a field.
⢠Consider checking labels on bottles to recycle them.
⢠Donât drop litter! Put in your pocket till you find a bin or carry it
⢠If a bin nearby is full, find another – there are a lot in Amble.
By Issy
