Issue 28 January 2008 pontnews&views FREE monthly magazine for Ponteland and district PONTELAND • MILBOURNE • MEDBURN • PRESTWICK • KIRKLEY Ponteland trips the light fantastic Plans for Neighbourhood Watch Milbourne church broadcast “shake-up” scoops national radio award Rep Society brings ’Allo ’Allo to Popular baker loses cancer the local stage battle email: [email protected] pontnews&views January 2008 Stay with us after dinner for only £15.00 per person Ladies Fin n Acceoies on any Friday or Sunday night from now till the end of February 2008 WINTER SALE NOW ON Coats and Jackets Occasion Wear Casual Wear Jewellery Shoes We are delighted to extend and invitation for you to come and enjoy dinner at the Copthorne Hotel – Executive Chef Alan Bell has used the freshest of local ingredients to create an exciting new A la Carte Menu. Once you have enjoyed dinner at Harry’s Restaurant with views overlooking the Tyne, why not make a night of it and stay over for only £15.00 per person – this rate includes overnight accommodation in a twin or double room, full English Breakfast and use of our Leisure Club... To make a booking contact the hotel on: 0191 222 0333 Terms and Conditions: 1. £15.00pp B & B is only available on Friday or Sunday nights and is subject to availability 2. Each adult must purchase a 3 course dinner from our A la Carte menu to qualify for the accommodation rate Mon - Fri 9.30 - 5.00, Sat 9.30 - 4.00 Panache, 34 Merton Road, Ponteland, Tel: 01661 824100 Tel: 0191 201 1389 NATIONWIDE DOCUMENT STORAGE SERVICE AUTOMATED GATE SYSTEMS 20 Years experience in the wrought iron trade. Full measuring design, manufacture & installation. • Floor Mounted & Sliding Gates • Hard Wood & Soft Storage and Management Services Wood Gates Nationwide Coverage • Swing Gate Openers Advanced barcode and scanning • Intercom door Entry system. Systems • Access Control Equipment BOX-IT NORTH • Painting, Blasting, Galvanising GATELAND NORTH EAST LTD We cover the North East Area Manufacturers of all types of wrought iron gates & railings. (based just out of Ponteland) For further information and no obligation quote. Call or visit our automated showroom. Call Peter Riley on 07773795810 Tel: 0191 264 2519 Call free on 0800 22 0707 Mobile: 07765 864 888 Unit 3 Gradys Yard, Ponteland Road, EMAIL: [email protected] Throckley, Newcastle upon Tyne NE15 9EP Pont News and Views is published by Ponteland Community Partnership in conjunction with Ponteland Parish Council. If you would like to submit an article, feature an event or advertise in the magazine, contact: [email protected] or write to Editor, Pont News and Views, 5 East Boldon Road, Cleadon Village, SR6 7SH or tel. 0191 536 2078. 2 www.pontelandparishcouncil.org.uk Printed by Printers (Coast) Limited, Newcastle-upon-Tyne. news&views ’Allo ’Allo Ponteland Repertory Society 11 – 16 February 2008 Listen very carefully. I shall say this only once! By Deborah M Tate There’s no need to let the February (pictured), and the plot is wildly fifteen is directed by Lesley Lofthouse who gloom get you down this year. There’s complicated as you might expect. directed Steel Magnolias, her first play with a wonderful opportunity to escape it the Society last year. As always however, the premise is quite and relax – at least for an hour or two – simple; the Resistance want René to help This is one show not to be missed. If you with the help of the Ponteland them to repatriate escaped British airmen, don’t see any other live music or drama this Repertory Society. while René wants to avoid being shot by year, make the effort to get along to ’Allo The Society, which celebrated its 80th the Germans! ’Allo. Support your local Society and have a anniversary last year, has already sucessfully wonderful evening of laughter. All of the favourite characters are there entertained hundreds of people this winter along the way too including the lusty Yvette The show runs between the 11 and 16 with the traditional pantomime tale of (Heather Thompson), the camp Lieutenant February at the Memorial Hall in Mother Goose, but it is delighted to be able Gruber (Gavin Redhead), the talented Ponteland and tickets are available, as to offer the hilarious ’Allo ’Allo as the play Madame Edith (Brenda Rutter) and the always, from Alan Newton the Butcher in for the season. serious officer of the Gestapo, Herr Flick Merton Way (tel. 822985). The stage play is based on the long-running (Neil Rutter). Watch out for Calamity Jane in April! sitcom by Jeremy Lloyd and David Croft, The central character, René is played with Gorden Kaye and Carmen Silvera brilliantly by John Hutton. The full cast of email: [email protected] 3 pontnews&views January 2008 Richard Coates student wins Peace Poster competition By Muriel Sobo Last month Ponteland Middle School, this month the Richard Coates School. Ponteland Middle School had scooped the District prize for the last three years in the Lions’ Peace Poster competition. Some achievement when the Lions District stretches as far as Filey and includes all of Scotland, but this year they were pipped by the entry from the Richard Coates Middle School. Ellie Barbosa’s painting was best in her school and best in the District and this was the first time that the school entered the competition. Will Ponteland Middle School rise to the new challenge this year? For the Richard Coates Middle School Ellie Barbosa was the winner with Caitlin Ince second and Shelley Liu third. Winning Peace Poster for the District by Ellie Barbosa School wins coveted Green Flag award By Dr Caroline Pryer Headteacher, Ponteland Middle School Environmentally friendly staff and pupils at Ponteland Middle School are celebrating their latest success after the school was awarded the coveted ‘Green Flag Eco-School’ status. Work over the last two years has brought about a major change in the ‘environmental awareness’ of all members of the school. Various schemes have been introduced to improve the habits of local wildlife and to reduce the impact of the school on the local environment. The school’s Eco Action Team, along with Lions President Jim Robertson, Head Paul Rushby and Lion Andy Anderson, with Shelley Liu the School Council, have been involved in and winner Ellie Barbosa at the Richard Coates Middle School presentation. numerous projects, including the building and maintaining of a vegetable garden, the a team of teachers to Kenya to carry out The aim of the work is to make sure all planting of a wildlife area, the construction the same audit to compare results. members of the school are aware of the of nesting boxes and the recycling of waste negative impact they may have on the paper and plastic bottles. The Eco Action team are currently planning planet. We need to do whatever we can to Awareness of environmental issues started a number of new schemes including reduce that impact and improve the with the students carrying out an audit working closely with Newcastle environment for ourselves and future measuring the school’s carbon footprint. International Airport on noise levels and the generations. establishment of a fully automated, This audit has been repeated to measure It is hoped that the green flag will soon be computerised weather recording station. the changes which we made. We also sent flying proudly above the school. 4 www.pontelandparishcouncil.org.uk news&views Shearer celebrates golf success By Chris Espiner Secretary, Ponteland Golf Club Alan Shearer took time out from his Match of the Day punditry to take part in the Ponteland Golf Club Juniors awards ceremony. Ponteland Juniors enjoyed another very successful year, named Team League Champions 2007. Club Champions are Jack Logan and Rachel Bruce. Richard Robson-Crosby was elected as Northumberland Junior boys Vice Captain. Principal event sponsor was Cowell’s Garden Centre & Nurseries, Woolsington, the major benefactor to junior Winners of the NJGC Teams Trophy are pictured (l-r) with Alan golf at Ponteland. Contributions also came from Shearer: Peter Sym, Richard Robson Crosby, Benji Davison and Barclays Bank and Newcastle Building Society. Mark Smith. Cards Jewellery Gifts Ideal for that Valentines Day card, gift and treat 31 The Broadway, Darras Hall PANDORA Jewelry Tel: (01661) 824187 JEWELLERY • PANDORA • HANDBAGS GIFTS • NOUGAT CRABTREE & EVELYN • STATIONERY • YANKEE CANDLES • BALLOONS • TOYS email: [email protected] 5 pontnews&views January 2008 Letters on all issues are welcomed by Pont News & Views. The Editor reserves the right to amend any submitted letters published, for legal or other reasons. All letters submitted should include the writer’s name and address, even if they Your wish it to be withheld from publication. The new plans for Broadway shopping centre, local government letters… reorganisation and ‘furniture’ in Ponteland Park all feature this month. Neighbours suggest changes pedestrians and the many nature based scene. I see no need international, national, and local to Broadway revamp scheme children who use this route to for such installations. The park is requests from charities and good and from school. not so large that visitors are likely causes. The Flag Day makes a Whereas we applaud the to get lost, at least not for long. significant contribution to this. intention to improve the Noise, pollution, Other major fundraising includes building containing the shops disturbance. Will all increase if Then there is the ongoing plague the monthly book stall at on Broadway we, as the the number of flats is increased of park benches. Items of Somerfield’s and the annual nearest residents, have certain by 40% as proposed. Are the domestic furniture, isolated and Swimarathon.