The Corbridge Festival gets underway

The Corbridge Festival has been held every year since 2011, and they have certainly picked the perfect weekend for it this year! 28th and 29th June is the Corbridge Festival, with an amazing music line up over three stages. There is also a children's zone, as well as music, stalls and camping.

It's going to be a glorious weekend, so make sure you don't miss out! https://corbridge-festival.co.uk

Legislation passed as UK goes #NetZero to combat Climate Change

The Climate Emergency is one of the biggest challenges facing our nation. We have done a lot, and I am proud of the role that the Coalition and Conservative Governments have played. 

Since 2010, Britain has reduced carbon emissions by 25%. This is by far the best rate of reduction among G20 countries who managed to reduce their overall emissions. Coal is being rapidly phased out, and by 2025 all of our remaining coal fired plants will be closed. 

Fossil fuels are on track to produce less than half the UK's electricity for the very first time. Last year, renewables generated 37.1% of Britain's electricity, up from 6.1% in 2010. 

But there is always more we can do. 

That is why yesterday was a historic day in Parliament. As a country, we have now legislated to ensure Britain's contribution to climate change will end by 2050, so that we have #NetZero carbon emissions. 

Tomorrow, I am looking forward to welcoming constituents from across my constituency to Parliament for an in-depth discussion as part of 'The Time is Now' mass lobby. 

As the Minister for Pensions, I have passed legislation to ensure that our occupational pensions can play their part in helping to tackle our Climate Emergency. For too long, too many of our pension company trustees have considered the environmental practices of the firms they invest in to be purely ethical concerns that they need not worry about. That is wrong. Under new Environmental, Social and Corporate Governance [ESG] legislation, trustees must now consider the environmental practices of firms when they set out their investment strategies.

Click here to read my recent article in The Times to find out more.

If you want to read in more detail what the governments past and present have done to tackle climate change, click here. 

Tackling the Climate Emergency is something I take extremely seriously. Because if we don't address these long-term issues now, there won't be a long term. We need a cleaner, greener future that is increasingly powered by renewable energy.

To achieve this, we all must play our part - from government, down to the actions we take as individuals - and I hope you'll join me in helping to tackle our climate emergency.

Update: Here I am with just some of my constituents who I met in Westminster on Wednesday to discuss tackling the Climate Emergency. 

Walking for health in Ponteland

A new scheme in Ponteland is seeing local residents put on their walking boots for a series of weekly short walks. The West Northumberland Health Walks take place every Tuesday, starting at Ponteland Leisure Centre at 10.30am. The walks are short and all on easy terrain- led by trained volunteers, each walk lasts between 60 and 90 minutes. A great way to take regular exercise and improve your health whilst making new friends- why not get involved?!

To find out more, contact Lorraine Oliver at loliver@activenorthumberland.org.uk or 01670 622368, or Gordon Allan on 07936 135469. 

Eals Bridge is back to its best

I recently went along to see the work which has been done to restore the 300-year-old Eals Bridge near Knarsdale, after it was badly damaged by Storm Desmond in 2015/16. The storm caused structural damage to the bridge, as well as millions of pounds worth of damage to local homes and infrastructure. Northumberland County Council’s repair programme, which was partly funded by the Department for Transport, allocated £14.6m to repair damage around the county, and it was great to be able to see the completed work to Eals Bridge which provides a vital link between some of our most remote communities. 

The National Lottery is funding success in the Hexham Constituency

This year marks the 25^th anniversary of the National Lottery, and in the past three months The National Lottery Community Fund has awarded an incredible total of £130,097 to six local community projects in the Hexham Constituency. 

The National Lottery Community Fund aims to fund great ideas that matter to communities and make a difference to people’s lives. The funding is used to do extraordinary things that will improve lives and communities. Funding is open to everyone, so if you are involved with a project in your local community then I would definitely encourage you to think about applying for funding by following the link below. 

https://www.tnlcommunityfund.org.uk/funding

Busy weekend ahead in Bywell

This Saturday (22nd June) Bywell will be the place to be, with the Bywell Castle Food Fair taking place from 12pm-6pm. Over 20 producers and vendors will gather in the stunning Castle grounds to showcase their products. Entry is free.

Then on Sunday (23rd June) the castle gardens will once again be open, this time for the British Red Cross' Open Gardens Scheme. Meanwhile, the Bywell Arts Festival is set to take place at St Peter's and St Andrew's Churches over the whole weekend (Friday to Sunday).

What a weekend it looks set to be in Bywell!

Stop, Report, Talk

10^th-23^rd June is the National Scams Awareness campaign, and this year’s theme is ‘Stop, Report, Talk’. The campaign brings Consumer Protection Partners together to take a united stand against scams by working with national and local organisations, including Citizens Advice, Trading Standards and the Police. 

Campaigns like National Scams Awareness are so important to help raise awareness, educate and protect people from falling victim to scams, particularly the most vulnerable in our society who are seen as easy targets. I would like to encourage victims to speak up and ensure that these crimes are reported so that perpetrators can be brought to justice and we can help to prevent other people falling victim in the future.

https://www.citizensadvice.org.uk/about-us/our-campaigns/all-our-current-campaigns/scams-awareness-campaign-2019/

Hexham's Hidden Gardens

This weekend ten of Hexham's hidden gardens are being opened up to the public to raise money for the Hexham Community Partnership. The gardens will be open on Sunday 16th June from 1.30pm-6pm- entry to all ten gardens is £5, with under 16s free. The gardens will also feature live music, raffle prizes, tea, cakes and garden advice.

You can get your tickets and a map of the gardens from Cogito Books in Hexham, or on the day at either of the starter gardens- Bridge House, Shaftoe Leazes or Queen Elizabeth High School Walled Garden.

https://www.visithexham.net/events/hexham-hidden-gardens

Final chance to join the Haydon Hundred!

Attention all cyclists- today is your last chance to enter the Haydon Hundred on Saturday! The Haydon Hundred cycling race includes three routes- 60km, 100km and 140km. The event starts and finished in Haydon Bridge and all entrants will be given a voucher to spend on refreshments in the village's shops and pubs, as well as at the famous Haydon Hundred 'Hog Roast'. There aren't many places left so if you would like to take part you need to act fast!

http://www.haydonhundred.co.uk/HHS/HOME.html

The Tour of Britain comes to the North East- and they want schools to get involved!

This September the North of Tyne Authority (Northumberland County Council, North Tyneside Council and Newcastle City Council) has the very exciting honour of hosting a stage of 'The Tour of Britain'. This stage of the race will take cyclists through the beautiful Northumberland countryside and right into Newcastle city centre. The Authority is keen to get local schools involved, both as spectators and to participate in activities to support long-term cycling development in the region.

Schools can download a schools pack from the link below to register their interest in getting involved with our region's stage of 'The Tour of Britain'. The deadline for responding is 28th June. It really is an opportunity not to be missed!

https://www.northoftyne-tob.co.uk/schools-information

Cheers to the Tynedale Beer and Cider Festival

It's one of the North East's biggest beer and cider festivals, and next week the Tynedale Beer and Cider Festival returns for another year. Over three days (Thursday 13th- Saturday 15th June), Tynedale Park in Corbridge will be home to some of the best beers and cider that the region and the UK have to offer, as well as wine, street food and live music. The festival is held by Tynedale Lions Club and Tyndale Rugby Football Club, and the money raised goes towards good causes.

You can buy your tickets for the festival now by visiting the link below-

https://www.tynedalebeerfestival.org.uk

Saturday at the Market

The brilliant Hexham Farmers' Market is back tomorrow (Saturday 8th June) with a huge range of stalls from local producers. From 9am-1.30pm the famous Market Place will be home to twenty stalls selling a variety of locally produced products, as well as a demonstration hive from Northumberland Honey and music from the Tarset Song Revivers Community Choir. The Market is held twice per month and is a great opportunity to speak to and buy from some of the amazing farmers and producers we have in Northumberland. Don't miss it!

https://www.hexhamfarmersmarket.co.uk

Start your summer at the Corbridge Festival

The Corbridge Festival was first held in 2011 and since then it has become a real highlight of the summer in Northumberland. This year’s Festival takes place on 28^th and 29^th June with an amazing music line up over three stages. There will also be a children’s zone, fairground, music, stalls and more, as well as camping so that you can make a real weekend of it.

Tickets for the Festival are on sale now, so make sure to get yours before it’s too late! You can buy your tickets and find our more here:  

https://corbridge-festival.co.uk

Hexhamshire Garden Trail 2019

Hexham's summer events are well and truly underway now and here is a new date for your diary- the always popular Hexhamshire Garden Trail will be taking place on Sunday 23rd June. From 11am-5.30pm fifteen stunning gardens will be open to visitors all in aid of St Helen's Church. The gardens are all incredibly different but for keen gardeners this is a great opportunity to see what can be done with all sorts of terrain and soil. There will also be plant stalls and tea and cake on offer. What a perfect way to spend a Sunday.

More information about the gardens involved is available by following the link below- https://www.hexhamshire.org.uk/church/hexhamshire-garden-trail-2019/

Summer at Charlotte Straker House

The brilliant Charlotte Straker Summer Fete returns this weekend (Saturday 8th June). From 2pm there will be stalls, a tombola, children's games and cream teas and ice creams from local charities and organisations. There will even be music and dancing! The Fete takes place at Charlotte Straker House, Corbridge- it looks set to be a great afternoon.

If you have any unwanted items, second hand books, plants or home made cakes then please do donate them to the stalls at the fete. You can leave items at the Charlotte Straker office any time before Saturday.

https://mailchi.mp/f2537f210933/charlotte-straker-summer-fete-8th-june-2019-tombola-books-plants-and-cakes-needed

Prudhoe Allotment- plant sale today!

The Prudhoe Community Allotment is a fantastic community facility that welcomes people of all gardening abilities, and today from 10am-1pm the Allotment is holding a plant and basket sale. This is not only a chance to buy, but also a great opportunity to find out about all the brilliant things that are going on all year round at the Allotment. It's such a friendly place in the heart of Prudhoe, so I encourage you to go along and find out how you can get involved too.