October 2020 Ford Castle Adventure to withdraw from historic Ford Castle Ford Castle Adventure Ltd, which has operated a residential adventure and activity centre in Ford Castle since 2012, has taken the decision to withdraw from the site and to concentrate on its longer- standing activities in France. Leased to Northumberland County Council from 1956 until the Council formally surrendered it in 2016, Ford Castle has welcomed many thousands of young people from Northumberland and further afield, to enjoy a residential opportunity full of activity and learning. Peter Smith, director of Ford Castle Adventure, said: “The world pandemic of Covid-19 has brought unforeseen consequences to a business like ours. We were looking forward to having full occupation of the castle once the crucial building restoration works were completed last year. Although we have explored every possible way to keep an activity centre of this type open for groups of young children and their teachers, and to uphold the requirements of distance, hygiene and protection, the issues have proved insurmountable.” Lord Joicey, director of Ford & Etal Estates where the castle lies, added: “To say we are sorry that Ford Castle Adventure is withdrawing is a massive understatement. Peter and his team have committed so much to providing activities for school groups and young people. Young people and school leaders who have enjoyed being here in recent years will know what Ford Castle offers, but the outbreak of Covid-19 means that no-one can say how, or indeed whether, it can operate in the future. It is upsetting for everyone, particularly the locally-employed staff.” Dating from the 14th century, Ford Castle has a long history that reflects the Border skirmishes. King James IV of Scotland spent his last days here before his death at the Battle of Flodden in 1513. Children staying in the castle were able to see the dungeons and to experience aspects of life through the centuries, even sleeping in the same room as King James IV himself. In the 19th century the Castle passed to the Waterford family and was subsequently bought by the 1st Lord Joicey in 1907. It is still owned by the Joicey family and is classified by Historic England as a Grade One Listed building. Significant repairs carried out between 2015 and 2018 have resulted in it being removed from the Buildings At Risk register. Volunteers needed The Fourum is currently looking for volunteers to deliver the newsletter to the following areas :- Branxton, Duddo and a run to Cornhill (which takes in Barelees, Crookham Eastfield and Westfield, New Etal and Pallinsburn). If anyone would be willing to take on any of these monthly delivery runs then please get in touch with Steve Taylor – [email protected] or telephone 01890 820566. Many thanks to those who have helped in the past with delivering to these areas. Your help has been very much appreciated. 1 TillVAS at Ford Forge Late last year Ford and Etal Estates asked TillVAS to look at a first floor space in a disused building at Ford Forge in the Heatherslaw Heritage Hub for possible use as a workshop and exhibition space and for storage of archaeological equipment. Our first inspection was not promising – the site had been abandoned in the early 1980’s and was strewn with unidentified objects overlain with jackdaw nesting material. But we saw possibilities, particularly as the Estates kindly offered to make repairs if we cleared the rubbish. Now the space has been cleared and the repairs are complete. We have an airy, well- lit and ventilated space for exhibitions, experimental archaeology and storage and are keen to research what was once a thriving industrial hamlet. Fourum readers who would like to see this space, and a small exhibition of the agricultural and industrial artefacts that we found there, are invited to visit us on Sunday 11th October between 10.00am and 2.00pm. We’d love to see you. It goes without saying that we must be Covid-compliant, so . We are offering time slots of 20 minutes for a maximum of 4 people. To book, please email [email protected]. We’ll try to accommodate any time preferences, but the slots will be allocated on a first come first served basis. We’ll provide hand sanitiser and ensure surfaces are clean, and everyone must wear a mask. 2 Get ready to follow the famous Scarycrow Trail at Ford & Etal Estates this October (26th-31st). Enjoy a gentle autumnal stroll to see what extraordinary Scarycrows the creative locals have been building for this annual event. Join in the judging to decide which ones deserve to be awarded prizes. The Scarycrow Trail helps to raise money for Radio Borders’ Cash 4 Kids, via donations received for the Scarycrow Score Sheets. Cash 4 Kids helps disadvantaged children in North Northumberland and the Scottish Borders. If you’d like to take part there are entry forms in the Lavender Tearooms in Etal and at Ford Village Shop. If you don’t live in Ford, Etal or Heatherslaw, but would still like to participate, we’re more than happy to display your creation somewhere on the trail. Just email: [email protected] or call 01890 820338. Entry forms should be completed and returned by Friday 9th October, and all Scarycrows should be on display by 10.00am on 26th October. Let’s make the 2020 Scarycrow Trail the best one yet! 3 HospiceCare North Northumberland’s charity shops in Amble, Hello everyone, Wooler and Berwick are I do hope you’re all well and have been surviving lockdown as best you now open for business can. I’m getting in touch about the Golden Guide to let you know what and are back to my plans are. I have published the guide in Northumberland for 15 years generating much-needed funds for their clinical services, and had originally thought I would carry on producing it for another which are delivered free at the point of need to people living year or two before retiring (I am 65 now). However, the lockdown in North Northumberland, who wish to die at home rather than period has led to some serious thinking. So with very mixed feelings, I won’t be publishing another edition. in a hospital setting. I’ll be sorry not to be helping promote the excellent work all the Kelly Burton, Central Support Manager said “We would like community groups do. I have always felt committed to making every to reassure our customers that our shops are a safe place to single entry as effective as possible, to explain services for older people. I’ve enjoyed doing that enormously, and very much felt we were all visit, and that we have followed all Government guidelines partners working towards the same ends. to make the shopping experience as safe and enjoyable as Reasons - funding possible. We currently have slightly reduced opening hours There are a number of reasons – funding is one. As priorities for all to allow the shop to be sanitised at the end of each day. We kinds of organisations have had to shift, it would be difficult to maintain funding for the guide in its current form, in the way I usually do it. have a limit on the number of customers in our shop at any one time and ask customers to pay by card where possible. Revamp needed Donations are being accepted at all shops and need to be The 2020 guide was an excellent edition - one of the best – for comprehensive depth of coverage, more health and care information, dropped off at the back door.” greater detail on the most suitable activities and services on offer for older people. It was one for all of us to be proud of! For a follow-up in 2021, significant change would be needed in the light of COVID19. Realistically this would probably mean a revamp of the layout and structure of the guide. So it would need to be re-imagined, and it’s probably time it was! Time for change – would you like to run the Golden Guide? It would be an exciting challenge to get stuck into it all this– the guide needs a facelift! But I feel someone new would be better placed to do it. They could develop it in forward-thinking ways and make closer links with other information provision in the county. It has always had massive potential - being a well-established title with a very enviable niche market for older people. Lots more can be done with it. So I will sell on the copyright for the title: ‘Golden Guide’, and its format, and also its standalone website. If you would be interested in Julie Frost, Marketing and Communications Officer said owning it yourselves, please let me know – I’d be delighted to answer “Our shops are a vital source of income contributing any queries. directly towards the delivery of our specialist Hospice at If there are no takers I’ll continue running the Golden Guide website Home and Family/Bereavement Support services . Our online until January 2021, answering all the usual enquiries and posting info etc, and then it would cease. nursing team continue to receive daily referrals from the local District Nurses, social services and Macmillan and work to ensure that our communities get the care and I hope that all makes sense. It’s hard to think of losing the guide – it’s support they need, particularly at the end of their life. We been so well loved, and a lifeline for so many older people and carers.