Would you like to volunteer?
CVA Blyth Valley and Volunteering Northumberland are holding a Volunteer Fair at:

Seaton Delaval and Holywell Community Centre, Elsdon Avenue, Seaton Delaval
Monday 19th March 2012 from 10:00 am--2:00 pm

Whether you want to learn a new skill, gain experience in helping you towards a future career, or you simply want to do a meaningful activity in your spare time, you can volunteer. Pop along have a cuppa and find out what opportunities are available in your local area.

Opportunities include:
Mini bus driving; Cooking for a lunch club; ICT; Photography; Publicity; General Admin; Lighting / backstage help; Pre-school Assistant; And much more ....

Volunteering can help you:
Make a difference; develop or learn a new skill; gain experience; meet a new challenge; explore new ideas; help someone else; make new friends; keep busy.

All Welcome. Transport to the venue may be available, please make any enquiries to:

Ann Broome at Wansbeck CVS, Tel: 01670 858688 / Email: ann.broome@Wansbeckcvs.org.uk

WATBus Community Transport has been awarded funding from Fair Share Trust to provide FREE mini bus use for community groups in the Seaton Valley area.

The project will offer a limited number of free bookings to any community group operating in New Hartley, Seaton Delaval, Holywell, Seaton Sluice or Seghill. If you run a community group in any of these areas and would like to make use of a mini bus for trips, away days, group activities or transport to venues contact Colin Hall at WATBus on 01670 522999 or email colin.watbus@yahoo.co.uk

Written by Kevin O'Hara, conservation officer at Northumberland Wildlife Trust

Where do they all go in winter? - Part 1

Recently I felt the first twangs of winter; the 'first frost' gripped my garden, the chickens came skidding out of their ark, and I had to break the ice on their drinking water. I really like those first days, when we still have some daylight left to enjoy the wonderful colours and smells. I take the camera and binoculars with me when I walk the dogs, keeping an eye out for winter thrushes or other visitors. The clocks have altered and we start the long haul of winter - not until February will some real light return to the sky, and warmth to the sun.

It is during these months that we wonder where, exactly, many of our resident wildlife species go to survive the coldest and wettest days of winter, especially those that are more delicate and less mobile.

CVA Blyth Valley and Carers Northumberland are jointly hosting an event on Thursday 13th October 2011 from 10 am - 2 pm at Seaton Sluice Community Centre.

A day full of information from statutory and social care for all carers, including parent carers and young carers. There will be a chance to meet others in the same position as you - tired, worried or frustrated. A perfect opporunity to see what you can do, what's out there, what's available, but most of all a day which will be informative and fun, also enjoy a FREE pampering session.

For more information please contact Fiona Wardlaw on 01670 353623 or fiona.wardlaw@cvabv.org.uk

Free event for community and voluntary groups

Groundwork North East has teamed up with Community Voluntary Action Blyth Valley to raise awareness of how communities can beat rising prices of utilities.

Rising utility costs are an area of key concern to many people. With the colder months looming and the central heating systems gearing up to spring into action there is no better time to look at the tools and support available to communities to tackle rising utility costs.

Groundwork North East has therefore teamed up with Community Voluntary Action Blyth Valley in running an event to help communities tackle these important issues. The event will be held at Seaton Sluice Community Centre where great strides have been made to reduce their bills and lower their Carbon Footprint.

The event will feature a range of activities and speakers on a variety of important issues including; paying for energy, reducing energy consumption in the home and community buildings, renewable energy generation and the forthcoming green deal, energy consumption of different appliances, reducing water consumption, how and what to recycle and much more. Information will be available on the support mechanisms available for communities. There will also be an opportunity to take away energy monitors and talk to the experts. Fresh pizzas will be available for lunch from a real stone baked mobile pizza oven with loads of delicious toppings on offer as well as hot drinks and fresh scones. Every person attending will have the opportunity to enter a prize draw.

Mark Huggins Green Communities Coordinator for Groundwork North East said "this event aims to give the local community valuable tools and information to beat the rising cost of utilities. We hope that those people who come along will then be able to relay this information to their own friends and families and other people in their local community."

Attendees will also get the opportunity to find out more about the support available from the Green Communities project and Groundwork North East's wider services and current projects at Community Voluntary Action Blyth Valley.

This FREE event will be held on Friday 14th October from 9.30 - 3.30pm at Seaton Sluice Community, Seaton Sluice, Northumberland NE26 4QX and is available to all community and third sector organisations. To book a place contact Gina Robson at Community Voluntary Action Blyth Valley on 01670 365783 or email gina.robson@cvabv.org.uk.

William Carr was without doubt the most remarkable man in the history of Blyth.

Willie "Samson of England," was in his prime reputed to be the strongest man in the world.

Strongman William Carr

He was born on April 3, 1756, at Hartley Old Engine, half a mile from Old Hartley. Willie was the son of a blacksmith, who soon afterwards moved his family to Blyth to live.

There is a special Seaton Valley Community Council meeting in this evening at the Astley Park Pavilion to look at the plans for the new specialist emergency care hospital which will be built in East Cramlington.

Representatives attending the meeting will be the agent for the applicant, County Council planning officer, Cramlington residents who are against the hospital plans.

The meeting will start at 5.30pm this evening (11TH April 2011) at the Astley Park Pavilion, Astley Park, Elsdon Avenue, Seaton Delaval.

The Seaton Delaval and Holywell Residents Association are this year hosting the Seaton Delaval Summer Gala, which will be held on Saturday 20th August 2011.

There is already lots planned for the day, including live entertainment, rides, bouncy castles, craft stalls, information tent, food, sports and more.

The group needs volunteers to help out on the day running stalls and helping with the running of the gala. If you are interested in helping out, no matter how little time you can give, please come along to a public meeting on Monday 21st March 2011 at the Astley Park Pavilion at 2pm.

If you are not available to attend, or if you would like more information please contact Valerie Ellis on 0191 237 3683 or email valerie.ellis59@btinternet.com. You can also contact Stephen Stanners on 07892696394 or email him stephenstanners@seatondelaval.org

This Thursday (March 17th 2011) the Seaton Delaval and Holywell Residents Association will meet for its monthly meeting.

All residents are welcome to come discuss matters which affect them within the community. It will be at The Mustard Seed Church Hall, on Elsdon Avenue in Seaton Delaval, it will start at 7pm.

Free tea, coffee and biscuits will be provided. Come along and make a difference within Seaton Delaval and Holywell.

Following the huge success of the Cupcake Coffee Morning The Festival of Music Team are hosting an:

"Afternoon Tea at the Ritz"
Seaton Sluice Community Centre
Saturday 26 February 2011, 1:30 pm - 5 pm

Priced at £3.50 per head you will have waitress service serving a variety of sandwiches, jam and cream scones, pastries and cakes.

This afternoon treat is for everyone - all welcome, with all proceeds raised going towards the Festival of Music in June.

For further information please telephone 0191 237 5163.