News March 2016


V.E.G.
We are finalising the arrangements for an inspiring series of Visits to Edible Gardens during the growing season this year - details next month. In the meantime our own community gardeners, who are responsible for several of the pots and beds around Haltwhistle as well as the Community Garden behind the Haltwhistle Partnership office, would welcome new helpers to their regular Monday morning sessions. The gardeners are a friendly group of people - they don't expect new volunteers to have gardening experience and will explain the tasks and allow you to work at your own pace. Contact Libby Scott: 01434 344582 or turn up at the Community Garden between 10am and noon on any Monday.



Verges & pollinators
We have been in discussions with Haltwhistle Town Council and Northumberland County Council promoting the interests of pollinators and their requirement for botanical diversity in road verges. Although our requests haven't been written into policy and procedures we felt that we were listened to and there will be positive, if incremental, improvements in verge management in the town and countryside. Our verge walks with Lesley and Libby will be back for a third season later in the year and will have more of a purpose as we'll be re-surveying, and reporting on the state of, verges that Northumberland earmarked as botanically interesting some fifteen years ago.



South Tynedale Wildlife Group screening
Seeds of Time
Tuesday, March 8th, 7.30pm.
Comrades Club, Haltwhistle.
£2.00 on the door.
Food security is at the heart of the survival of the human race. How do we preserve and protect the genetic diversity of our food supply against the threats posed by increasingly disruptive weather patterns associated with climate change? Seeds of Time is a beautifully filmed documentary following pioneer agriculturist, Cary Fowler, as he travels the globe on a campaign to future-proof our food supplies.





The Central Heating Fund
Warm Up North, a partnership between nine North East local authorities and British Gas, has been awarded government funding to install FREE central heating systems into qualifying properties in the North East of England.
You may qualify for free central heating if:
  • You are a private homeowner, or rent your home from a private landlord.
  • Your household has a gross total income of less than £26,000, including any benefits, or you receive certain income-related benefits.
  • Your home does not have, and never has had, a central heating system, or you have solid fuel central heating which does not reach all the rooms in your house.
  • Installing a new central heating system will improve the energy rating of your house.

If you think you may be eligible for help under this scheme you can contact Warm Up North to arrange for an energy assessor to come out and survey your home, check eligibility and work out the best type of heating system for your property. The surveyor will then discuss these options in detail with you and explain what system could be installed.
To find out if you qualify and to arrange to have your home surveyed you can contact Warm Up North:
Tel: 0800 294 8073, Text phone 18001 0800 072 8626
Full details: http://warmupnorth.com/chf/



South Tyne Sustainability aims to reduce the impact of the community of Haltwhistle and surrounding villages on our environment. This will help individuals, families and our community save money and resources and ensure a more sustainable future for us all.

To join STS contact Sue Seymour, sue@mosspeteral.com 016977 47359