The Village of Wark

Archive for March, 2011

On Thursday of last week I spoke with someone who’d seen Ro:Toro somewhere else and was very excited by their performance.  Well, the Estonian band didn’t disappoint. With two women bagpipe players, an electric guitar, a percussionist and an alto sax it was always going to be interesting and that did indeed prove to be the case.  The audience soon learned that much of the traditional music of Estonia had died out and had just survived in archives.  The break-up of the Soviet Union led to a re-investigation of these old tunes, but Ro:Toro had done their best to give them a modern slant. I’m always excited when traditional music is reinvented by a new generation.  It was interesting to hear that many of the traditional tunes in the Estonian archive had no title, although it is probably more likely that they did have a title but that these had not been recorded.  The percussionist was perhaps the star of the show. He played a fantastic array of implements, ranging from washing up bowl to a bicycle wheel and he by using everyday objects he made it look very easy.  As I have said before, the Highlight programme really gives us some fantastic bands and provides rural communities of access to music that we’d never be able to find ourselves. After having paid costs to Highlights etc. The Town Hall made about £120 in the bargain.

I need to give you a bit of a correction with regard to the Service for Mothers which is being held on Friday 1 April. Last week I said it would take place at St. Michael’s while in fact the service will be held in the school.  The start time is 2.30 p.m.

Also last week I mentioned the issue of school meals. I understand that other schools in Northumberland have offered Meals on Wheels and have encouraged the community to enjoy a meal at school on a monthly or weekly basis.  Any increase in the number of meals taken will help to reduce the deficit .  You can contact the school if you would be interested in supporting the school in the way.

Eleven people came out to help spread the Whin chippings on the road round the Green last Saturday and I’ve been told that the whole job was done by 11 o’clock.  Thanks to the support from Tarmac providing the materials, various bits of machinery from local people and the volunteers, the road looks fit for purpose again.  You might well find a picture elsewhere in the Hexham Courant.

You may remember that I reported a few weeks ago that school governors were having a meeting with the County Council about the provision of school meals.  I’m pleased to be able to report that the school meals service at Wark will continue. However, that service currently costs £1,200 per year over and above the contribution from parents and the school is looking to increase the uptake of meals. They will be sending out a questionnaire in the near future to gather parents’ views on the current service and how it can be improved.

The bridge liaison committee heard last week how the work is currently being held up by BT. Apparently a set of cables needs to be diverted before the work can go any further.  I’m told that BT were due to start work more than 2 weeks ago but at those of you who walk across the bridge regularly will be aware, this has not yet happened.  Let’s hope that they get on with it soon.

Brian Long has asked me to let you know that 40 tons of fine Whin chippings and dust will arrive very early on Saturday morning, 26 March 2011.  This is needed to finish off the work on the road around the Green.  Volunteers will be needed to spread the material around the Green and a roller will be on hand to pack it down.  You’d be most welcome to come and help out; you’ll need to bring a rake or as shovel and the work will start at 8 a.m.

It’s not yet too late to get tickets for Ro:Toro, the next Highlights event in the Town Hall, also tomorrow, 26 March 2011.  Ro:toro play traditional Estonian tunes and should be worth seeing.  Tickets costs £6.60 with £4.50 for concessions. Family tickets (2 adults and 2 children) are £20.  There will be a bar (and probably a raffle too) and tickets are available from Judith Weir on (01434) 230250.

Mothers day, or Mothering Sunday is only just over a week away and Wark School with be holding its Service for Mothers on Friday 1 April 2011 at St. Michael’s Church at 2.30 p.m.  I’m sure you’d be very welcome to join them, whether you are a mother or not.

The History Group heard a talk from Eric Morton on Abel Chapman last week. Eric was a taxidermist at the Great North Museum- Hancock in Newcastle until recently and has worked with the Chapman collection of animals for many years.  It almost looked like the pictures might not be seen when the Powerpoint projector that had been borrowed wouldn’t start, and wouldn’t start at all!  Fortunately the Scargills of Willow Cottage turned out to have a suitable projectors and everything was working for the 7.30 start.  Eric’s talk was a bit rambling at times and he was not always easy to hear, but he showed some real gems. The archives in the Hancock contain Abel Chapman’s diaries and notebooks and there were some lovely sketches on all sorts of subjects, ranging from napkins to a black-throated diver. I understand that the Town Hall Committee is considering getting an audio system which should make it easier for an audience to hear speakers who don’t project their voices well.  Such a system might have helped Mr Morton, but the content of his talk was fascinating anyway.

The next Highlights event is almost upon us. The Town Hall will host Ro:Toro, an Estonian band on Saturday 26 March 2011 at 7.30 p.m.  If you haven’t looked at the posters around the village in detail it’s worth doing so: the Estonian bagpipes in the picture are very intriguing and it be very interesting to see (and hear!) the in action. The ‘blurb’ on the Highlights website says: “Ro:Toro presents traditional Estonian tunes with lady pipers, an improvising saxophonist, accompanied by a rocking guitarist and a mad percussionist playing water drums – plastic bowls on a waterbed.  The group works largely with traditional bagpipe tunes, which also inspire the members’ own compositions. The saxophone and water drums provide a modern counterpoint to the bagpipes’ traditional sound-scape. Acoustic or amplified, Ro:Toro will guarantee an enthralling performance.” Tickets are available from Judith Weir on (01434) 230250.

Those of you who didn’t get to the Town Hall last weekend to hear the six young musicians performing, missed a real treat.  The talent and enthusiasm on show was very exciting to see and I reckon the future of folk music is in safe hands.  Jessica Lamb, from Bellingham kicked off the evening with a series of lovely songs and great tunes played on the Northumbrian pipes.  The tune that sprung out to me was one by Kathryn Tickell in which she recalls the pewits displaying overhead.  Absolutely gorgeous.  Jess was followed by Izzy Bolt from Hexham.  I found out only afterwards that this was Izzy’s first performance before an audience and we would never have known. Yes, she was a bit nervous but then, who wouldn’t be?  After the break the four members of Clockwork played a whole range of tunes and songs and seemed that have a great time making music.  The next music event at the Town Hall is another Highlights event on 26 March when Ro:Toro, a Estonian folk band comes to visit.  More details next week.

I understand that governors and staff are having a meeting with the Local Education Authority during this week to discuss the provision of school meals.  The Chair of Governors, Craig Moore, has circulated a letter to parents about this issue to seek people’s views.  In essence the financial situation of the County Council means that the LEA will no longer subsidise school meals from the beginning of April onwards. In his letter Mr Moore sets out various options, none of them easy. He also says that the County has very little option and that the school will have to adapt to a new situation. I trust I’ll be able o report how things develop over the coming few weeks, and I suspect there will be other changes, not just in the school, that we’ll become aware of over the next few weeks and months.

You’ll have seen the work on the bridge mentioned in last week’s Courant, so you will have concluded that it did indeed get underway.  It was interesting to see the bridge close off early on Monday the 28^th and a few cars still checking out the route on that Monday. At the time of writing, things have progressed a little with the BT cables having been diverted and the village side of the temporary footway well underway. People have also started changing their habits with the new car park on the other side regularly used by people who work on ‘the other side’ or those who walk over the bridge to go to the shop or catch the bus.  I suspect this bridge will continue to be the topic of conversation and reports for some time to come.

It’s not too late to get tickets for the Northumbrian Folk Music night in the Town Hall on Saturday.  Clockwork is a group of young musicians from West Northumberland drawing their inspiration from all over the British Isles. Jessica Lamb from Bellingham is a Northumbrian piper and folk singer and was a semi-finalist in the Young Folk Award 2011 competition.  Our part of Northumberland seems to produce some great musical talent and we’re excited to be able host some of these young performers here in the village.  Tickets for the evening are £5 and £4 for concessions.  There will be a bar and a shared supper and tickets are available from Judith Weir on (01434) 230250 or Peter Samsom on (01434) 230605.  The evening starts at 7.30 p.m.

I was struck last week by the efficiency of the repair of the road round the Green.  Change seemed to happen in no time at all and by Friday everything was operational again and looking a lot better than it did before.  It is inevitable that the new surface will take a little time to weather and bed in, but so far so good.  We can only hope that the work on the bridge will be as efficient.  By the time you read this we’ll have had one week of bridge work and we’ll all have a much better idea of the practicalities of day-to-day life without our bridge. 

I had an opportunity to drop into the ‘Green Homes Green Communities’ event in the Town Hall last Saturday.  Northumberland National Park had organized this event and about 15 or so people were there when I arrived.  I was slightly surprised that the talk from the Green Energy Doctor went on as long as it did, but perhaps I’m more impatient than most.  I hope that those who attended the event found it useful and we have to commend the National Park Staff for organizing these events around the area and continuing to raise the issues surrounding our energy use.

Finally, a reminder about the St Michael’s Annual Prize Bingo, which takes place in the Town Hall on Tuesday March the 8^th.  The Bingo starts at 7.30 pm and you’ll be very welcome to join in.  Those of you who travel from the Birtley side of the North Tyne will be able to park in the little temporary car park and walk across the bridge to the Town Hall.