The Village of Wark

Archive for June, 2010

Suddenly I find it’s July and I must admit, it’s rather crept up on me. That means that I probably haven’t given enough early attention to St Michael’s Fete, which will take place on the Green tomorrow, Saturday 3 July 2010. I’ve been told that the fete this year will be opened by our new MP Guy Opperman, so as well as supporting the fete, you’ll perhaps have a chance to have a chat with our representative in Parliament. The fete itself will include bric-a-brac, nearly new clothes, a book stall, garden plants, homemade sweets and a tombola. Of course there will also be a great raffle, a fantastic cakes stall and scrumptious teas in the Town Hall. It is not too late to donate contributions to any of the stalls by contacting Cyril Cooper, Ena Ridley, Millie Murray or Margaret Davison, or by dropping them off on the day itself. The proceeds of the fete go to support St Michael’s Church and opens at 2 p.m. Let’s hope for a cracking day.The school newsletter tells me that there will be a workshop for parents of early years children on Wednesday 7 July 2010 at 6.30 p.m. Over recent years there have been a number of significant changes to the Early years Foundation Stage Curriculum and this meeting allows parents to find out more about these changes. The workshop will be led by Janice Grieveson, a Local Authority Early years Consultant. If you’re interested in coming to that evening, please let the school know. Other events coming up in our school include a whole school trip to Tynemouth on the 13^{th of July and the school sports evening on the 15th. The summer holidays will start on Friday 23rd of July.}

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This week I have some good news and some bad news and we’ll start with the bad. The guy who has been strimming the grass round the school and along the Dene Burn by the surgery has given up the job because he can no longer stand being covered in dog dirt. That’s a pretty poor situation to get to. I have over the years highlighted the problem of people not cleaning up after their dog and maybe I should mention it again. If you have a dog and you don’t yet clear up after it, can you please start doing so. It is not difficult, it’s not expensive and you’re doing everyone a favour when you do.Top North East storyteller Chris Bostock and musicians Ken Patterson and Richard Scott have collected stories from the north east and turned it into wonderful show. Local band Whapweasel doesn’t really need much introduction. All I can say is, get your bookings in early..

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The good news that’s come my way this week, is that the Town Hall will be hosted not one but two Highlights events this coming autumn. We’ll be getting ‘Doon the Waggonway’ on October 1^{st and a concert by Whapweasel on December 2nd.}

In news from our school, I understand that governors have appointed a new head. As meny of you will be aware, Mrs Henry who has been at the helm during the past year is moving to a new job in Gateshead and governors have been in discussion with another school in the North Tyne valley to have a shared head. It looks like those discussions have been very successful and we should be able to welcome our new head teacher in the autumn. In the shorter term, children in the school will be visited by Monsieur Gaston this week. As the names suggests, this is a performance which focuses on French and the whole school will participate in French activities. That sounds like fun.

Finally a reminder of the barbeque at Birtley this weekend, Sunday 27th June. There will be food (as you’d expect at a BBQ), music and games to suit all ages. I understand that can just turn up and pay on the day. The whole thing takes place on the Hall Field in the middle of the village and starts at 2 p.m.

Those of you who cross Wark Bridge regularly will have noticed that we had the benefit of another inspection last week.  No fewer than three days worth of tests to see if our bridge is still sound enough to be used.  Despite trying a few times, I couldn’t get the engineers to express an opinion about what the Council might do, and I suppose they wouldn’t know anyway.  I did get the distinct impression that the tests were not particularly encouraging, but the guy I chatted to explained that they just provide the test results to the County and that they will decide on a course of action.  I dare say our Councillor Edward Heslop will keep his ear close to the ground and will continue to fight our corner in County Hall.

Sally Napier, who coordinates the Christian Aid collection in Wark, has asked me to tell you that the collection a few weeks ago raised just over £460 this year.  This is substantially more than last year, which is a credit to all those who donated money.  Everyone is careful with their cash, but collections and events to help others continue to do very well.  Sally asked me to thank all those who collected the envelopes and of course all those who donated money.  Thank you very much!

I have had a bit of prior warning that the Local History Group will be holding an open evening on Monday 5 July 2010 in the Town Hall to look back on the Wark VE Day celebrations at the beginning of May.  There will be a chance to watch a presentation of a video made of the day.  The open night will start at 8 p.m., entry is £1.50 (which includes your first drink) and everyone is welcome.

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Having enjoyed some absolutely fantastic weather during the half-term week, our area was treated to some soft rain, just when the Birtley Fete started last Sunday afternoon. I suppose there are pros and cons to those situations: on the one hand people might get tempted away from their gardens by the wet, while on the other hand sitting outside enjoying a cup of tea didn’t quite work out.  All in all it was a very nice occasion, with our new MP Guy Opperman opening the fete, with some excellent plants, a great raffle, a cake stall which just about sold out in minutes, tombola, books, bric-a-brac and clothes, and of course those fantastic teas.  I hope the organisers felt the occasion wasn’t let down by the weather; as a visitor, I really enjoyed it.

I’ve been asked to mention a couple of things coming up in Birtley over the summer. Following last year’s enjoyable afternoon, there will be another Barbeque on Sunday, June 27^th starting at 2 p.m. on the Hall Field.  There will be food, music and games to suit all ages.  I’ll let you know how to get tickets for this event a bit nearer the time.  Then, on the first Thursday in each month, beginning on July 1^st, there will be a coffee morning in the Village Hall.  You’re all invited to join for fresh coffee and home baking any time between 10.30 and midday.

The Art Tour started coming to Wark last weekend with Bill Weightman opening his studio on Mote Hill.  In the brochure Bill said: “I am painting landscapes of the two places in my life: the North Tyne Valley, where my family have lived since the Border Raiders in the 15^th Century, and the hills of Andalusia, Southern Spain.”  If you’re curious to see Bill’s paintings, you can still visit the studio this weekend, 12 and 13^th June and on the 26^th and 27^th of June. You can visit between 11 a.m. and 5 p.m.  And of course there are plenty other artists to visit too; there are no fewer than 58 locations to visit across Northumberland and close to 90 artists ranging from water colourists like Bill, to sculptors and felt makers.  Well worth an outing.

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