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Village Notes Archive 2025

Thursday 17th April 2025

  • Spring has come to Gardeners Cottage and to the Horsebox Gallery, which will be open from 11am-6pm on Good Friday, Saturday, Easter Sunday and Easter Monday!  Packed with new paintings, cards, gifts, and notebooks, this charming little gallery is well worth a visit.  Also, keep your eyes open for their Garden and Gallery event coming up later in May.  Otherwise, the gallery is open when the board is out (by the gateposts at the top of the driveway) or by appointment (via phone, text or WhatsApp).  Further details and contact info at https://www.facebook.com/GardenersCottageGreenhaugh
  • Following the success of the previous Quiz Night at Tarset Village Hall, the next instalment will take place on Saturday 10th May.  Doors and bar will open at 7pm, with the quiz starting around 7.30pm.  Ticket price includes cheese and a glass of wine (with additional glasses available to purchase). Team size is limited to a maximum of 4 members and the quiz will consist of several rounds covering various topics to cater for a diverse range of interests and knowledge! There will even be modest prizes for the winners!  For catering purposes, it would be extremely helpful to know if you are planning to come along, so please email [email protected] or call on 240337.
  • 8th May 2025 will be the 80th anniversary of VE Day, with events being organised all around the nation recognise this important celebration of unity, peace and the end of World War II in Europe.  Not only is the day a tribute to the many millions who lost their lives fighting to uphold the freedom we all enjoy today, but it is a chance to remember the resilience and unity that we need to continue progressing in an increasingly divided world.  Tarset’s event will take place on Bank Holiday Monday (5th May) at Tarset Village Hall and takes the form of a community tea party.  Doors open at 3.30pm and everyone in the area is invited to come along and bring a contribution to the ‘pooled tea’.  The village hall committee will provide a complimentary glass of Pimms (non-alcoholic alternatives will be available) and teas/coffee.  In the evening, there will be a screening of the film ‘A Royal Night Out’, a 2015 romantic comedy drama loosely based on the true story of the teenage Princesses Elizabeth and Margaret venturing out of the confines of Buckingham Palace to enjoy the VE celebrations. This film is particularly notable for the big screen appearance of Tarset’s very own Ben Lucas! The film will start at 6pm and of course, the bar will remain open throughout.

Thursday 3rd April 2025

Tynedale Hospice has launched an appeal for new volunteers to help with its Patient Transport Service, which provides free private car travel to help people attend medical appointments safely and with as little stress as possible.  If you have to receive treatment for a life-limiting illness, getting to medical appointments can be a huge source of anxiety and difficulty, especially for those folks in rural Northumberland who need to attend hospital appointments but who now no longer have access to specialist treatment at 'local' hospitals and who must now travel long distances to bigger hospitals in Newcastle or Cramlington - or even further afield.  The hospice currently has a team of over twenty volunteer drivers, who cover a pretty staggering 800 sq. mile radius (which includes people in Tynedale, Ponteland and West Northumberland). Many of our drivers choose to volunteer with us because they want to give back after they, a friend or family member, have received care or support from Tynedale Hospice at Home. They know the service they offer is indispensable to many people who otherwise would struggle to attend medical appointments for vital treatment associated with their condition.  The Hospice offers a one-to-one direct pick up and drop off service, so there’s no waiting around or having to share a car with others (although a companion is welcome to accompany you to your appointment) , and you will be taken straight to the entrance of the hospital, health centre or GP – no more worry about walking to or from car parks, or catching public transport, especially after treatment.  If you think you may be able to help, please do have a look at the Tynedale Hospice at Home website, or email [email protected] or telephone 01434 610041 for further information.  

Thursday 20th March 2025

  • This weekend (Sat 22nd March) sees the Race Night at Tarset Village Hall with real-life race action on the big screen.  Individual or teams will have the opportunity to study the form guide and place their bets (no real money allowed, of course!) before watching the races unfold.  There will be a modest prize awarded to whoever accumulates the highest ‘winnings’.  Admission is free, so you can enjoy your thrills with none of the spills!  Doors, bar (and raffle) open at 7pm and the races start at 7.30pm.
  • Margaret Bird (Whitemere Crafter) will be running a needle-felting workshop (suitable for beginners and more experienced felters alike) on Saturday 5th April in Tarset Village Hall.  You can choose to make animals, brooches, other creations – or even a felt picture.  The session will run from 10.30am-4 pm and the course fee includes all equipment and materials, plus tea/coffee and homemade biscuits, but please bring your own packed lunch.  Places are strictly limited, so book early by calling 01434 240691 or emailing [email protected]
  • The next concert by The North Tyne & Redewater Choral Society will be at St. Mungo’s Church in Simonburn at 7.30pm on Sunday 29th March 2025.  Conducted by John Roper and accompanied by organist Michael Haynes, the concert will feature the Dvorak Mass in D and music by Haydn.  The admission price will include light refreshments.
  • A reminder that tonight (Thursday 20th March), Tarset’s contribution to the Tyne Valley Film Festival 2025 will be the critically acclaimed ‘Touching the Void’, a 2003 documentary that tells the remarkable story of Joe Simpson and Simon Yates’ survival after making the first ascent of the West Face of Siula Grande in the Peruvian Andes in 1985. Again, doors and bar at Tarset Village Hall will open at 7pm, with the film starting at 7.30pm.
  • During Lent the churches of the North Tyne are running a collection across the Deanery in support of the charity Children North East, a local charity (established in 1891) helping to provide life-changing support for babies, children and young people in the region.  The charity is looking for donations of items they can use for fundraising/raffle prizes (such as bottles, small electronic items, toiletries etc), donation to help young people (new toys, sanitary products, colouring pencils and pads etc), and office stationery for the charity organisers.  St Aidan’s has a box already installed so please leave any donations there by 30th April, or bring them along to Falstone coffee morning on Tuesday 22nd April 10.30 in Falstone Village Hall. There are more boxes at Falstone, Bellingham and Byrness churches.  Please contact Lizzie (tel: 240939) if you would like to donate but cannot get to Thorneyburn.

Thursday 13th March 2025

  • A reminder that a Tabletop Sale (refreshments also available) will take place at Falstone Village Hall on 15th March (11am–1.30pm).
  • The next collection for Great North Air Ambulance Service (GNAAS) will be at the usual locations on Wednesday, 19 March 2025 and for our area, this means that:  Tarset Village Hall will be open from 11am until 12.30pm and you can drop bags off earlier in the morning (leave them outside on the ramp).  Alternatively, if you are in the hall a couple of days prior to the collection, you may leave any bags stacked tidily on the stage.  Falstone Village Hall (Matthew Ridley Memorial Hall) will be open between 10.30am and midday.  Please note that Falstone VH will be hosting its regular coffee morning on the same day.  Bags for donation to GNAA may also be left at the Hall on the 15th at the Table Top sale, and if the Hall is not open when you get the time to drop your items off, bags can also be left in the small shed at the side of the Hall. 
  • On Sat 22nd March, there will be a Race Night at Tarset Village Hall.  As with last year’s very popular event, the evening takes the form of real-life race action on the big screen.  Individual punters (or teams) will have the opportunity to study the form guide and place their bets (no real money allowed, of course!) before watching the races unfold.  There will be a modest prize awarded to whoever accumulates the highest ‘winnings’.  Admission is free, so you can enjoy your thrills with none of the spills!  Doors, bar (and raffle) open at 7pm and the races start at 7.30pm.
  • Margaret Bird (Whitemere Crafter) will be running a needle-felting workshop on Saturday 5th April in Tarset Village Hall.  The workshop is suitable for those new to needle felting and for more experienced felters.  You will have the opportunity to make animals, brooches, other creations – or even to create a felt picture.  The session will run from 10.30am-4 pm and the course fee includes all equipment and materials, plus tea/coffee and homemade biscuits – although you will need to bring your own packed lunch.  Places are strictly limited, so please book early by calling 01434 240691 or emailing [email protected]

Thursday 6th March 2025

  • The next collection for Great North Air Ambulance Service (GNAAS) will be at the usual locations on Wednesday, 19 March 2025:
    • Tarset Village Hall will be open from 11.00am until 12.30pm (if this isn’t a convenient time slot, please give me a ring to make other arrangements.) Alternatively, you could either drop bags off earlier in the morning and leave them outside on the ramp OR if you are in the hall a couple of days prior to the collection, you could leave any bags stacked tidily on the stage.  Unfortunately some items that were previously accepted are now classed as industrial waste and are too costly to handle therefore the GNAA are no longer taking: Any household textiles (such as curtains, towels, sheets etc.), duvets, pillows, cushions, rugs, bathmats, books, CDs and videos.  However, don’t despair -  there are still a lot of items that the Great North Air Ambulance do collect:  Clothes, shoes (in pairs), coats, hats, gloves, scarves, bags (especially handbags), belts, handheld musical instruments,  mobile phones and laptops or iPads (each should be packed in a separate bag).  If you have any queries, please contact Megan 01434 240426.  Thank you for your continuing support.  
    • On the same day, Falstone Village Hall (Matthew Ridley Memorial Hall) will be open between 10.30am and midday.  There is a coffee morning at the Hall that morning, when bags of donated items can be placed on the GNAAS van.  The Hall will also be open for a table-top sale on Saturday 15th March, between 11am and 1pm, when bags can be left at the Hall.  If the Hall is not open when you get the time to drop your items off, bags can be left in the small shed at the side of the Hall.  
  • A quick reminder that on Thursday 6th March, along with the monthly coffee morning at Tarset Village Hall, there will be a cake sale - all proceeds from which will go towards fundraising for the Hexham Milan U19 football trip to Barcelona.  Charlie Moore and his football teammates are very much hoping to reach their goal (pun intended!) of travelling to the Barcelona Football Festival in May.  The boys and their families have managed to raise an impressive amount of money so far, and are nearly at their target, so a huge thank you must go to everyone who has supported the boys already.  Any further donations are very much appreciated, and if you come along to the Village Hall on the 6th, you will be supporting a good cause in exchange for baked goodies…a win all round!
  • Falstone Village Hall will be holding a Table Top Sale on 15th March, from 11am – 1.30pm.  To book your table, please contact Lynsey on 07583 929353. Tea, coffee and biscuits will also be available on the day.

Thursday 27th February 2025

  • Tarset Village Hall will be debuting its newly installed projector for the First Thursday Film showing on Thurs 6th March.  The film will be  ‘Out of Sight’, which is an American action-comedy starring George Clooney and Jennifer Lopez.  Critics described the award-winning film as an “intelligently crafted adaptation of the Elmore Leonard novel” and went on to describe it as “witty, sexy, surprisingly entertaining, and a star-making turn for George Clooney” while claiming Jennifer Lopez’ role was “her best movie role thus far”.  Doors and bar open at 7pm for a 7.30pm start.
  • On Thursday 20th March, Tarset’s contribution to the Tyne Valley Film Festival 2025 will be the critically acclaimed ‘Touching the Void’, a 2003 documentary that tells the remarkable story of Joe Simpson and Simon Yates’ survival after making the first ascent of the West Face of Siula Grande in the Peruvian Andes in 1985. Again, doors and bar at Tarset Village Hall will open at 7pm, with the film starting at 7.30pm.

Thursday 20th February 2025

  • St Cuthbert’s, Thorneyburn, will be running its next popular Soup and Pud Social at Tarset Village Hall on Wednesday 26th Feb from12 noon - 2pm, with the usual range of lovely Soups and Puds available and Tea and Coffee available afterwards. There will not be a cheese course this time, but there will be plenty of lovely things to delight you…so why not go along and wash away those February blues! Anyone needing a lift, contact Caroline in the first instance and it can be arranged.
  • A reminder that on Thursday 6th March, to accompany the monthly coffee morning at Tarset Village Hall, there will be a cake sale - all proceeds from which will go towards fundraising for the Hexham Milan U19 football trip to Barcelona.  Charlie Moore and his football teammates are very much hoping to reach their goal (pun intended!) of travelling to the Barcelona Football Festival in May.  The boys and their families have managed to raise an impressive amount of money so far, and are nearly at their target, so a huge thank you must go to everyone who has supported the boys already.  Any further donations are very much appreciated, and if you come along to the Village Hall on the 6th, you will be supporting a good cause in exchange for baked goodies…a win all round!
  • Falstone Village Hall will be holding a Table Top Sale on 15th March, from 11am – 1.30pm.  To book your table, please contact Lynsey on 07583 929353. Tea, coffee and biscuits will also be available on the day.

Thursday 13th February 2025

  • On Thursday 6th March, to accompany the monthly coffee morning at Tarset Village Hall, there will be a cake sale - all proceeds from which will go towards fundraising for the Hexham Milan U19 football trip to Barcelona.  Charlie Moore and his football teammates are very much hoping to reach their goal (pun intended!) of travelling to the Barcelona Football Festival in May.  The boys and their families have managed to raise an impressive amount of money so far, and are nearly at their target, so a huge thank you must go to everyone who has supported the boys already.  Any further donations are very much appreciated, and if you come along to the Village Hall on the 6th, you will be supporting a good cause in exchange for baked goodies…a win all round!
  • There has been a change of date for Falstone Border Shepherds’ Show AGM.  The meeting will now take place on Weds 19th February at 7.30pm in the Pheasant Inn, Stannersburn. As many members as possible are encouraged to attend, and this is an excellent opportunity to have your say and to discuss the Show's plans for 2025.
  • Monday 3rd March is the copy deadline for your submissions to the next issue of the Tarset Diary and all contributions are most welcome - Tarset memories, stories, events, anniversaries, birthdays, obituaries, births, newcomers’ introductions, photos, etc.  Please send your articles or other interesting bits and bobs to Chris at [email protected] or call on 240947
  • Volunteers are being sought for the Northumberland Wildlife Trust’s ‘Osprey Watch 2025’.  Training sessions will start on 13th March and further details will be available nearer the time. 

Thursday 23rd January 2025

  • Jean Swailes, from Falstone, has successfully organised the twice yearly Great North Air Ambulance Service collections in Redesdale and the North Tyne for a number of years, but is now retiring and is handing over the reins to Emma Anderson, from Otterburn.  Huge thanks must go to both Jean and Emma!  The next collection takes place on Wednesday, 19th March and Emma is hoping to enlist someone in Falstone to help organise collections in the village.  If you feel you could help, she would love to hear from you, so please email her at [email protected] or telephone 07904 473628. 
  • Falstone Border Shepherds’ Show will be holding its AGM on Wednesday 12th February 2025 at 7.30pm at The Pheasant Inn, Stannersburn and members, residents and people involved directly with the show are invited to attend.
  • Contributions for the Spring issue of the Tarset Diary are now being invited, and any information or articles you would like to submit would be most welcome.  Chris, the Editor, is looking for Tarset memories, stories, events, anniversaries, birthdays, obituaries, births, newcomers, introductions, funny local stories and photos, etc.  Please send your submissions to [email protected] or call 01434 240947 before Monday 3rd March 2025. 

Thursday 16th January 2025

  • A reminder that tomorrow night (Friday 17th January), there will be a Quiz Night at 7pm in Falstone Village Hall.  Teams of 2-4 people are permitted and there will be a Pooled Supper, Raffle and Bar.  The event is in aid of Falstone Border Shepherds Show & Sports, so why not go along, have a bit of friendly competition to support something worthwhile!
  • The Bellingham Fund is a small Community Foundation fund that makes grants in support of community activity in Bellingham, the North Tyne and Rede Valleys.  The fund is primarily set up to provide benefit to the general area of Bellingham. It prioritises support for projects and groups in Bellingham, Tarset, Greystead, Falstone, Otterburn, Rochester and West Woodburn areas, over those further afield.  The fund is open for applications (for grants between £1k - £2k) from constituted groups between 6th January 2025 and midnight on the 17th February 2025. Details on eligibility and the application process can be found on the Community Foundation website: https://www.communityfoundation.org.uk/apply/ .  If you would like any further information about the fund, please call Michelle Hardie on 0191 222 0945.

Thursday 9th January 2025

Firstly,  Happy New Year to everyone!  Here's wishing you all a very happy and healthy 2025 and to start the New Year off, the first Village Notes for Upper North Tyne are as follows:

  • On Friday 17th January 2025, there will be a Quiz Night at 7pm in Falstone Village Hall.  Teams of 2-4 people are permitted and there will be a Pooled Supper, Raffle and Bar.  The event is in aid of Falstone Border Shepherds Show & Sports.  Come along, have fun and support something worthwhile!
  • The Hollybush Inn at Greenhaugh would like to wish everyone a very Happy New Year!  The pub is now back to its usual winter hours so will be open as normal Monday and Tuesday at 4 o’clock until around about 9 o’clock for drinks only, closed on Wednesdays completely and then open the other days as normal with food being available as well. 
  • First Tursday Films will be screening its first film of 2025 on Thursday 9th January.  This month’s film will be ‘Happy-Go-Lucky’, a 2008 British comedy drama written and directed by Mike Leigh, which stars Sally Hawkins as a cheerful and optimistic primary school teacher and focuses on her relationships with those around her.  A funny, not too serious, life-affirming film with  a lightness of touch to kick off the new year.  As usual, the doors and bar open at 7pm, with the film starting at 7.30pm.
  • Tarset Song Reivers starts back on Monday 13th January at 10am in Tarset Village Hall.  New members are always welcome, so why not pop along and see if it’s something you might enjoy!
  • To start off 2025,  Land of Joy would like to wish you a very joyful and peaceful New Year and to invite you to a special meditation class with a special guest, Geshe Sherab.  This is a chance to connect and practice with an experienced meditation master.  All are welcome to attend at 6pm-7pm on Tuesday January 14th at Land of Joy.  To help with numbers, please call Land of Joy to confirm your attendance. Tel:  01434 240412.