ABC Magazine: North Shields & Tynemouth Edition, Oct - Nov 2021

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PUZZLES INSIDE

CELEBRATE AT THE COAST

SQUARE RESTORATION

Work begins to recreate historic town Square

Seasonal events at Spanish City

CAN YOU KICK IT?

Women’s walking football group appeals for members N O RT H S H I E L D S

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WELCOME TO ABC MAGAZINE Welcome to the South edition of ABC, your bi-monthly local magazine.

ABC is distributed free of charge to thousands of homes in North Shields, Tynemouth, Royal Quays and surrounding areas. You can also read it online, visit www.yourabc.co.uk for more information.

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LOCAL NEWS

Winter Events at Spanish City The iconic Spanish City was returned to it’s former glory in 2018, to rekindle its love affair with the residents and visitors of Whitley Bay. Spanish City hosts everything from Christmas markets and corporate exhibitions to birthday parties and spectacular weddings. Awardwinning Trenchers Restaurant and Takeaway, fine-dining 1910 restaurant, Valerie’s Tearoom and The Champagne Bar take permanent homes inside the historic building.

They have also built a name for our stunning afternoon teas, which can be enjoyed under the dome in The Gallery or with sea views in 1910.

Here is a selection of some of the upcoming events you can look forward to at this historic local venue:

HALLOWEEN TRIBUTE: LADY GAGA ROCKY HORROR SHOW Sunday 31st October, 7pm

The perfect Halloween treat for all of you “Little Monsters” out there. The fabulous Lady Gaga tribute is coming to Spanish City on the scariest night of the year. And, to make it extra spooky, there will be a Rocky Horror Show twist.

So get your paws up and join them this Halloween. Walk the red carpet on arrival so you really feel like the star that you are, then indulge in a stunning two-course meal and dance the night away to the live singer, followed by DJ until 12.30am. £25 per person.

CHRISTMAS TREE LIGHT SWITCH ON

Sunday 21st November 5pm – 7pm Kick off the festive season on Sunday 21st November and come along for the stunning Christmas tree light switch on. On display will be a tremendous glittering tree, awarded 6

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the Best Christmas Tree in Europe in 2019, so the switch on is not to be missed.

Under the grandeur of the Dome, listen to carol singers, sip on mulled wine and eat mince pies, while children are entertained by stilt walkers, bauble decorating and balloon modelling. Let the countdown commence! £3.00 per person or free entry if you book and dine in Trenchers or 1910 between 4pm – 7pm.

CHRISTMAS MARKET

Friday 26th November – Sunday 28th November The annual Christmas Market, which received 8,000 visitors in 2019, features a variety of traditional stalls where you can buy unique, handcrafted gifts for your loved ones and stock up on local delicacies. There will be festive food stalls selling a variety of sweet and savoury treats, all handmade by the in-house team of chefs.

Make it extra special and have a meal in the award-winning Trenchers Restaurant or enjoy a Festive Afternoon Tea with stunning sea views in 1910.

Event times: Friday 26th 5pm – 9pm, Saturday 27th 10am – 5pm, Sunday 28th 10am – 5pm.

Entry fee: Advance booking: £2 per person, on the door: £3 per person.

Book an Afternoon Tea during the market and receive free entry.

CHRISTMAS TRIBUTE NIGHTS Are you organising a special gettogether with family and friends, or treating the team for all their hard work? These Christmas Tribute

Nights are the perfect way to celebrate the festive season.

You’ll enjoy a three-course meal with the perfect backdrop of the stunning sea views. Later let your hair down and dance until 12:30am with the resident DJ. Each Tribute night is £40.00 per person and are held in the St Mary’s Lighthouse Suite.

Thursday 2nd - Michael Bublé Is it really Christmas with Michael Bublé? Get in the festive spirit by singing along to all of Bublé’s Christmas hits.

Sunday 5th - Freddie Mercury The ultimate Freddie Mercury tribute act performs songs from a huge repertoire from every decade of Queen’s musical legacy and his solo career.

Thursday 9th – Tom Jones Come along for the ultimate Tom Jones tribute act performing songs from the pop sensations’ huge musical repertoire.

Sunday 12th – ABBA Celebrate a night of dazzling entertainment with a fantastic ABBA tribute act that will bring back to life all of your favourite singalong hits.

Thursday 16th – George Michael The ultimate George Michael tribute act performing songs from his Wham! and his solo days.

▪ For more details on all of these events, plus a comprehensive list of more events, visit www.spanishcity.co.uk

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LOCAL NEWS

Rebrand for Rejuvenated Retail Centre A Tyneside retail outlet centre is celebrating its 25th anniversary by embracing change and catering for a new generation of shoppers and leisure seekers.

Royal Quays Outlet Centre in North Shields has rebranded to recognise the many small independent businesses that have moved into the centre. Now known as the Royal Quays Independent and Outlet Centre, centre manager Matt Dawson is confident that the change will encourage more retailers and a new cohort of customers looking for a fresh shopping and leisure experience.

Since taking over management of the centre at the height of COVID, Matt has had to cope with forced shop closures, lower than average footfall, competition from online sales and a decline in the popularity of brandbased stores.

The situation reached a critical point in October 2020 when there were 17 empty units in the centre but with careful market research, planning and thinking outside of the box, Matt has reduced this to just four empty units and footfall has risen considerably.

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“Retail has been battered in the past year and we have anticipated, embraced, and supported the many new businesses here. We're not going to see large brands expand soon and it's not easy to just pull in any large store especially as online sales have decimated many high street household names, “said Matt.

“We've rebranded because the expectations of people when they see Royal Quays Outlet is that it’s just an Outlet with lots of designer brands at outlet prices. We want to highlight the changes we’ve made and lead the way in showing our support to the many businesses we have here, both outlet and independent. Our hybrid model is constantly adapting, and we are proud of what we have done to make the retail future bright again.”

Indeed, many new, local independent businesses have moved into the centre including Garden World, Hauticulture and Quay Furniture. Steven Ward from

Hauticulture is one of the business owners who have moved into Royal Quays Outlet and Independent Centre.

“We welcome the change of name at Royal Quays as we feel it better reflects the new and exciting direction Matt is taking the centre. Customers continually tell us how positive the atmosphere is now and how much of an improvement it is to see so many small local independents within the centre, offering something different that you just can’t get elsewhere.”

With additional transport links created and a new vibrant feel to the centre, Matt is optimistic that Royal Quays is gearing up to face the next 25 years with confidence and a new vision for what the next generation of shopper expects.

“We are already seeing a huge difference in the centre and things are moving at a lot faster pace than even I had planned. We have embraced fantastic local independents who have integrated with our established branded outlet stores and added unique leisure and hospitality to compliment them to create a visitor destination rather than just a visit to the shops, “said Matt.

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LO C A L N E W S

New report finds improvements needed in menopause support for women in North Tyneside

Healthwatch North Tyneside spoke to 65 women in the borough about their experiences of menopause support and found dissatisfaction with what is currently available.

In March, health and care champion Healthwatch North Tyneside undertook exploratory research into experiences of menopause support in the area, following a request for information that highlighted potential gaps in local provision.

Healthwatch received detailed responses to an online survey giving a clear insight into people’s experiences of the support and information available from local health providers.

Respondents said they felt poorly informed about what to expect during the menopause and struggled with symptoms for many years without realising the cause. Health, work, relationships, and quality of life were adversely affected.

Accessing information about menopause was described as a ‘minefield’. Respondents told Healthwatch that they wanted clear, reliable and comprehensive information and support.

The report highlighted the need for GPs to talk to women about options to manage their symptoms and not focus on HRT, and for specific training for GPs to diagnose menopause-related symptoms.

Healthwatch has shared the report with North Tyneside Clinical Commissioning Group, North Tyneside Living Well Locally Board, and with the local GPs responsible for training and education.

In response to the report additional GP training is being made available and a menopause services page will be added to the new Living Well North Tyneside website, a portal of local health and wellbeing information for North Tyneside residents.

Menopause, a subject that is still not often talked about openly, usually occurs between 45 and 55 years of age, but can occur for some before the age of 40. Most women experience symptoms, including hot flushes and anxiety, that can significantly impact their daily lives.

Menopausal women are the fastest growing demographic in the workforce (Professor Jo Brewis, co-author Government Report on Menopause). According to the Faculty of Occupational Medicine, almost 8 out of 10 of menopausal women are in work.

It’s estimated that there are around 13 million women who are currently peri or menopausal in the UK– that’s equal to one third of the entire UK female population.

Paul Jones, Director of Healthwatch North Tyneside said: “Improving menopause support in North Tyneside makes sense because it will enhance wellbeing and enable women to stay healthier for longer, potentially reducing later demands on local NHS services.

“The current level of support is disproportionate to the number of women affected and the impact it has on women’s personal and working lives.”

The full report is available to download at https://healthwatchnorthtyneside.co.uk/report/menopause-services

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LOCAL NEWS

Work Continues to Re-vamp Whitley Bay Promenade

Further work is to get underway to continue the transformation of Whitley Bay’s popular Northern Promenade.

North Tyneside Council has made a significant investment to refurbish the seafront walkway in recent years. The promenade has undergone major upgrades from the area around Watts Slope, linking to the Spanish City Plaza, all the way along to the Rendezvous Café.

The improvements so far include new surfacing, railings, lighting, shelters and seating, upgraded steps to access the beach, refurbishment of public toilets, car park resurfacing, a new kiosk at Watts Slope and repairs to the iconic Rendezvous Café.

A new storage facility has also been created on the promenade for local charity, Beach Access North East (BANE), which provides free beach wheelchair loans to disabled and elderly people.

The next phase of work will focus on an area of promenade north of the Rendezvous café and will involve repairing and replacing the original ‘Battenberg-style’ yellow and red flagstones to retain the character of the promenade.

The edging blocks along the sea side of the promenade will be removed and new railings will be installed to match those previously put in along the stretch and near St Marys Island. Two new shelters and pebble seating will also be installed to match the previous phase. The unsightly concrete plinths and shelters, which have fallen into a state of disrepair, will be removed and three sets of steps down to the beach will be refurbished and made safer with new handrails installed.

Elected Mayor Norma Redfearn CBE said: “I am so pleased, and I know many of our residents will be 12

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too, that we’re about to carry on the excellent work to transform and bring the seafront promenade up-todate and really change it for the better. We have one of the best coastlines in the country, visited by around 2 million people every year, and the promenade is a hugely popular place for visitors and families to enjoy a stroll and grab a coffee and take in some sea air to get away from it all.

“The work we’ll be doing along this stretch of the promenade is all about retaining that wonderful heritage and distinctive feel it has with the fantastic Battenburg-style paving stones, which even Beamish Museum were interested in at one stage! But we had to turn them down as we wanted to keep them as we know how popular they are. I’m really looking forward to seeing the work progress over the coming weeks and months and this is yet more to look forward to among all the other exciting things happening along our coastline and around the rest of the borough.”

Work is due to get underway later this Autumn (2021) and continue until Spring 2022.

The project forms part of the Council’s Ambition for North Tyneside strategy, which outlines plans for major investment in each part of the borough.

As part of the Ambition strategy, a number of major achievements have already been made, including the major £6million flood alleviation project at Killingworth Lake and the revamp of Forest Hall shopping area, while major regeneration work is underway on the Masterplan for North Shields aimed at revitalising the town centre and improving its connectivity to the Fish Quay.

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BOOKS

UNCOVER THE SECRETS OF NORTH SHIELDS & TYNEMOUTH NEW BOOK OFFERS FASCINATING INSIGHT

The neighbouring communities of North Shields and Tynemouth are very different, but each has depended on the other for its existence over the years. Tynemouth the small pretty seaside village overlooking the harbour of the River Tyne. Conversely, North Shields the hard, industrial town, which was founded on the industries of mining, fishing and salt. The ruins of Tynemouth Priory and Castle dominate a rocky headland and today attract many visitors. The priory was built in around 1090 on the site of a much earlier chapel and although the prior had considerable influence, critically, he had no power over neighbouring Newcastle upon Tyne.

In this book author David Scholey explores the rich history of the area and uncovers some surprises and secrets along the way. The book relates how the town and village came into existence and the battles with Newcastle over the existence of North Shields, once described as ‘a town where no towns ought to be’. Readers will also discover more about the local people – the sailors, inventors and entertainers – and how, against the odds, they still remain proud and defiant.

Illustrated throughout, Secret North Shields & Tynemouth offers a fascinating insight into the heritage of this part of the North East, and will be of immense interest to residents, visitors and all those with connections to the area.

▪ Secret North Shields & Tynemouth will be available from 15th November 2021 from www.amberley-books.com and all good bookshops.

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Image: North Tyneside Council

LOCAL NEWS

Brendan and Claire Giles at 43-44 Howard Street

Historic North Shields Townhouse Set for New Lease of Life

An historic North Shields townhouse is undergoing a much-needed facelift thanks to a new funding scheme

C

laire and Brendan Giles recently purchased 43-44 Howard Street, – a run-down three-story Georgian property in the heart of the town’s heritage and cultural area.

The couple secured funding to help with the refurbishment through a third-party grant scheme as part of the North Shields High Street Heritage Action Zone (HAZ) project, a partnership between North Tyneside Council and Historic England.

The HAZ project, which is part of the council’s Ambition for North Shields and the Fish Quay regeneration Masterplan, is a four-year programme of physical improvements, community and cultural activities. It is a place-based scheme designed to secure lasting improvements to historic high streets and the communities who use them.

It involves repairing and restoring key architectural heritage buildings through the third-party grants scheme, which is aimed at businesses and residents in the area.

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Once restored, Claire and Brendan plan to run their greetings card business, Claire Giles Ltd, from the premises, which has previously been home to a solicitor’s firm, architect’s practice and office furniture business, but has stood empty for around six years.

Brendan said: “It’s an old property and is very tired but it is so full of charm and character and has so much potential, so when it came onto the market we jumped at the chance. We also really love the area and there’s so many exciting and ambitious plans as part of the regeneration works getting underway in the town, and Howard Street is an amazing location.

“We’ve got an awful lot of work to do but the grant scheme has been a huge help. We’ve had regular contact from the council, with someone involved in the scheme, right from the start to run through what was possible with the building but we have also had a consultant architect

through that, as well as the financial support.”

Claire added: “I grew up in Gateshead and we used to come to the coast every weekend and we moved to North Shields a few years ago out of chance and just fell in love with the area.”

Work is about to get underway to recreate the Georgian-era appearance of the historic Northumberland Square sympathetic to its heritage and roots as part of the An Ambition for North Shields and the Fish Quay Masterplan.

The scheme will be the first step towards creating a new Cultural Quarter for North Shields, incorporating the Square and the top end of Howard Street (north of the Saville Street junction to the Square), offering a new, pedestrian and cyclist-friendly environment and cultural scene.

Cllr Carl Johnson, North Tyneside’s Deputy Mayor and cabinet member for Regeneration and Economic Development, said: “It’s great to see that this historic property is undergoing much-needed renovation thanks to the support of our third-party grants scheme in partnership with Historic England.

“It’s also a real sign of confidence that business owners like Brendan and Claire have chosen to relocate to North Shields and invest in the town.

“The scheme is all about revitalising this part of the town, which has so much heritage and culture. Breathing new life into streets like Howard Street, alongside the ambitious transformation going on around the rest of the town, will really help give the local economy a shot in the arm and attract more people to live, work and visit here.”

Jules Brown from Historic England said: “It’s wonderful that this historic vacant building is being given a new lease of life and we wish Claire and Brendan all the best with their new business venture at the premises.

Hopefully, their restoration of this Georgian property will inspire others to redevelop and improve the appearance of similar buildings on Howard Street.”

To find out more about the third-party grants scheme email Haz@northtyneside.gov.uk

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LOCAL NEWS

WORK TO RECREATE HISTORIC TOWN SQUARE GETS UNDERWAY

Artists impression of Northumberland Square

W

ork to recreate the Georgian-era appearance of North Shields’ historic Northumberland Square began this month.

The project, which is part of North Tyneside Council’s Ambition for North Shields and the Fish Quay Masterplan, will see the redevelopment of the historic Square, sympathetic to its heritage and roots.

Supported and co-funded by Historic England, the work will take the Square back to its original layout of footpaths and a perimeter of trees.

Traditional sandstone paving and cobbled-style paths will be installed along with new contemporary lighting and up-lighting throughout the Square.

The scheme will be the first step towards creating a new Cultural Quarter for North Shields, incorporating the Square and the top end of Howard Street (north of the Saville Street junction to the Square), offering a new, pedestrian and cyclist-friendly environment and cultural scene.

The new-look Square will create a welcoming open space to enjoy and use for leisure activities and events, adding to the appeal of the town centre and complementing the other North Shields regeneration projects.

It comes as the new development of high-quality family housing in the town centre moves a step closer with the former Unicorn House site having now been cleared.

Cllr Carl Johnson, Deputy Mayor of North Tyneside and cabinet member for Regeneration and Economic Development, said: “These are exciting times for the regeneration of North Shields, with work on the ground really starting to gather pace.

“The reshaping of Northumberland Square, which will hark back to its origins in the late 18th and early 19th Century, will complement the various other projects 22

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taking place, such as the redevelopment of the Unicorn House site and recent completion of high-quality new homes in the Square. The work to the Square will create a welcoming modern feel and tranquil, pleasant and more flexible space in this historic part of the town for events, such as the popular Victorian Christmas Market, and leisure activities that everyone can enjoy.

The work, which got underway at the beginning of October, will include removing lighting columns and reducing the number of trees in the Square, in line with the Masterplan proposals outlined during the public consultation, in order to recreate the original design.

A total of 24 trees are to be removed, including one diseased original. The decision to remove the trees has been taken in line with good arboricultural management.

Opening up the space will allow for an increase in biodiversity throughout the Square with a diverse range of nearly 5,000 new plants and shrubs to be planted, including a native beech hedgerow around all sides, which will diversify habitats and enhance ecology.

New, high-quality trees will be planted to create a tree-lined boulevard along Howard Street and elsewhere as part of the regeneration works, resulting in an overall increase in the total number of trees in the town in addition to the ongoing programme of tree planting across the borough.

The park area of Northumberland Square will be closed until October, when it is due to be reopened until after Christmas to allow for events, including the Victorian Christmas Market, to take place.

The first phase of the redevelopment of the Square is expected to be complete by summer 2022.

Funding for the redevelopment has come from Historic England and The Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government’s Getting Building fund. The scheme will be delivered in partnership with Capita.

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LOCAL NEWS

Annual Green Flag Event Sees North Tyneside Win a Magnificent Seven Awards Seven of North Tyneside’s parks are once again the proud recipients of the prestigious Green Flag award.

The award is the international benchmark of quality in a park or open green space and is given out each year to parks which meet the very highest standards.

The Rising Sun Country Park, Benton Quarry, Marden Quarry, Killingworth Lakeside Parks, Wallsend Parks, Northumberland Park, and Chirton and Redburn Dene Parks will proudly fly the flag again in 2021/22 after meeting strict criteria.

A record 2,127 parks and green spaces have been achieved Green Flag status this year as the scheme, run by Keep Britain Tidy, celebrates its 25th anniversary. The flag is a sign to the public that a green space boasts the highest possible environmental standards and has good visitor facilities.

Welcoming the announcement of the awards, Councillor Sandra Graham, Cabinet Member for the Environment, said: “I am delighted that our parks have retained their Green Flag awards again in 2021/22.

“Like the Blue Flag that flies above our beaches, the Green Flag is a signal to the public that they can expect the very highest standards when they visit one of our parks or green spaces. These spaces are cherished by many people across the borough, and they took on added importance during the dark days of the pandemic, giving people an escape into nature and some respite from their confinement at home.

“This award is made possible by the community and the council working together to maintain incredibly high standards in North 26

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Tyneside and I would like to thank everyone who has played a part in this achievement. I’d also like to thank Jerry Dronsfield, who led our parks service with great distinction until his retirement earlier this year and played a key role in achieving the Green Flag standard and improving all our parks in North Tyneside.”

Research carried out by YouGov for Keep Britain Tidy over the summer has revealed that having access to a quality park or green space helped improve people’s mental health with almost six in ten (59%) saying they felt less stressed when using the park and 55% saying they felt more positive in general.

The survey also showed that more than half of people (53%) visit a park or green space at least once a week and more than nine in ten (93%) think that parks and green spaces are important to their local community.

Commenting on the announcement of this year’s winners, Keep Britain Tidy Chief Executive Allison Ogden-Newton

OBE said: “As Green Flag Award celebrates 25 years of raising the standard, Keep Britain Tidy is delighted to be the custodian of a scheme that does so much to ensure our parks and green spaces go from strength to strength. At a time when parks have been at the heart of every community across the country it is perhaps not surprising that 95% of the public thinks that their local parks and green spaces need to be protected.

“This is why the Green Flag Award is so important. It ensures that parks and green spaces are managed to the highest standards and are safe and accessible for everyone to enjoy and we look forward to the next 25 years.

The Green Flag Award scheme, managed by environmental charity Keep Britain Tidy under licence from the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, recognises and rewards wellmanaged parks and green spaces, setting the benchmark standard for the management of recreational outdoor spaces across the United Kingdom and around the world.

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ENJOY YOUR A WARM CONSERVATORY THIS WINTER If you’re fed up with your conservatory being freezing cold and unusable during the winter then Thermos Roof explain how they have the answer...

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construction. The materials we use are lightweight, therefore no roof strengthening is required, no planning application is necessary and no long periods of mess and upheaval in your home. In addition to this the look and finish of your Thermos Roof will be as fresh in 10 years as it is now.

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W H E M A V E I N

Woody plant

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E N TE RTAIN M E N T

FILM REVIEWS GHOSTBUSTERS AFTERLIFE Genres: Comedy, Fantasy, Supernatural Age Rating: PG-13 Release date: 19th November In ’Ghostbusters: Afterlife’, two grandchildren of the 1984 original ghostbusters get together to fight against a supernatural phenomenon that returns years after the first movie.

The story starts with two siblings and their mother moving into a decaying farmhouse in the tiny Oklahoma city of Summerville, to take over their late grandfather’s failing farm.

Following their arrival in town, the family begins to notice and sense odd activities taking place around the city. Mr. Grooberson (Paul Rudd), Trevor’s teacher, shares his thoughts on how current circumstances link to supernatural events of the 1980s. The family then proceeds to learn about their grandfather’s hidden legacy, and how supernatural powers threaten to take over the world once again. As a result, the children must blow the dust off the Ghostbusters’ equipment and use it to save the world, their friends and their family.

Bill Murray, Dan Aykroyd, Ernie Hudson, Sigourney Weaver, and Annie Potts have agreed to reprise their roles as five of the Ghostbusters original cast from the 1984’s ’Ghostbusters’.

At the same time, in a moment that can almost be called a passing of the torch, the movie is directed by Jason Reitman, the son of director Ivan Reitman - who directed both ’Ghostbusters’ (1984) and ’Ghostbusters II’ (1989).

Jason has already directed a number of other films as well, including ‘Tully’ (2018), ‘Labor Day’ (2013), and ‘Thank You For Smoking’ (2005), and in this one will also be acting as co-writer for the screenplay along with Gil Keenan and Dan Aykroyd.

‘Ghostbusters: Afterlife’ is set for UK release on 19th November.

CRY MACHO

Genres: Thriller, Western, Drama Age Rating: TBC Release date: 12th November Clint Eastwood’s new movie ‘Cry Macho’ is a western drama-thriller about a fired horse trainer who takes

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the job of returning his former boss’ 11-year-old son from his alcoholic wife. The mission doesn’t go as planned, but the horseman learns what it takes to be a good man as he crosses Mexico into Texas.

Based on a 1975 book with the same title by M. Richard Nash, ‘Cry Macho’ has been announced under several previous projects. Director Brad Furman announced at the 2011 Cannes Film Festival that Arnold Schwarzenegger would play the horseman, but the project was cancelled after Schwarzenegger divorced Maria Shriver.

The now 90-year-old Eastwood takes three main roles in this movie - leading actor, director, and producer. The multi-talented star becomes Miko, the horseman, along with several other cast members. They are Dwight Yoakam, Natalia Traven, Horacio Garcia Rojas and Fernanda Urrejola.

It is not the first time Eastwood has taken more than one role. The last movie where he both acted and directed was ‘The Mule’ in 2018, playing the role of a horticulturist who turns into a courier for a drug cartel. Screenwriter Nick Schenk reappears here, adapting Nash’s screenplay for ‘Cry Macho’.

HOUSE OF GUCCI

Genres: Crime, Drama, Thriller Age Rating: tbc Release date: 26th November

‘House of Gucci’ depicts the real-life events leading to Maurizio Gucci’s death and the aftermath of his murder. It is based on a book titled ‘The House of Gucci: A Sensational Story of Murder, Madness, Glamour, and Greed’

by Sara Gay Foden.

Adam Driver portrays Gucci, an Italian businessman, grandson of the luxury brand founder Guccio Gucci, and head of the family and business, before his assassination in 1995. He is assassinated just outside his office by a hitman.

Soon after, it is revealed that the hitman and the whole murder was planned by his ex-wife Patrizia Reggiani, played

by Lady Gaga. She goes on to spend 16 years in prison for the crime.

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Ridley Scott, known for his work in ‘Blade Runner’ and ‘The Martian’, directed the movie, based on a screenplay written by Roberto Bentivegna. Driver teams up with Scott for the second time after ‘The Last Duel’, which was just released at the beginning of this year.

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LOCAL NEWS

Revolutionary Food Scheme Opens as part of Charity Building Refurbishment A new Food Membership Scheme which will help people living on the breadline feed their families has taken centre stage in North Shields – thanks to a TV interior designer.

George Bond became famous on 90s TV show ‘Better Homes’ with Carol Vorderman, and he has headed up the redevelopment of the Cedarwood Trust’s building on the Meadow Well Estate, North Shields.

The charity, which helped over 32,000 people across the North East during the first three months of the year, officially opened the building on Tuesday.

A potentially life-changing ‘Nourish Store’ has taken centre stage, with residents paying £4 a week membership to be able to take home up to £15 worth of food and household goods a week.

The revitalised hub also houses the Trust’s new Nourish Bistro, as well as its Nurture Academy, where people from complex backgrounds are able to train and earn industry-specific catering qualifications. The Trust aims to train 50 people in 2021.

The Trust’s ‘Step Up Into Care’ programme also provides training and qualifications in the care sector, while there is an entire timetable of community groups including Breastfeeding Support, Arty Play and wellbeing groups.

The redevelopment project has taken five months, and has been met with praise on the estate.

Charity CEO Wayne Dobson said: “I can’t believe the difference, and it seems the community feels the same way. Everyone who has walked through the door has responded really well to what we have done here.

“People have found it warm and welcoming, and have really been enjoying all of the opportunities on offer.

“I think anybody who came here now would not believe their eyes – it looks more like a place you’d expect to see in Jesmond or Gosforth than on the Meadow Well estate.

It really is a sight to behold.”

Statistics show more than 65,000 people in the North of Tyne Combined Authority moved onto Universal Credit over the past year after losing their jobs or their selfemployed income, and food poverty is on the rise in the region.

The Trust’s decision to open its Nourish Store came on the back of its work in the pandemic, during which it used 15,000 tonnes of donated food to provide more than 40,000 fresh meals to struggling families.

Supplies in the Nourish Store are donated by organisations including FareShare North-East, Tin on the Wall and all the major local supermarkets, as well as through private donations.

Wayne added: “The shop is designed to help provide food security to people who often live hand to mouth – if 36

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Cedarwood Trust CEO Wayne Dobson and interior designer George Bond at the refurbished hub

an unexpected bill comes in it can be a choice between paying the bill or feeding your family.

“The scheme will help prevent people reaching crisis level and needing to visit food banks. While we have been giving meals away in the pandemic, people still want to give something in return.

“This is about people feeling like they are keeping their dignity, and putting something in to take something out, and it is available to anybody, no matter their income or background.”

Natasha Amos, 32, has been using the centre for five years and has just signed up for several of the Trust’s training courses.

She said “The centre looks absolutely beautiful now. It’s like a beautiful restaurant, shop and community centre rolled into one.

“The Food Membership Scheme is a brilliant idea and a god-send for people like me. It will really help when I’m struggling with money.”

The George Bond Interior Design studio has won numerous awards over the past 25 years, while George himself has recently appeared as a design consultant on BBC’s ‘Put Your Money Where Your Mouth Is’.

His idea for the design of the building came from the lack of green space nearby, and a desire to ‘bring the outside inside’.

He said: “When I first arrived one of the first things that struck me was the lack of green space, so I wanted to bring a bit of greenery to the place.

“By making the space light and open, filled with plants and green imagery, I think we have really managed to bring the outside inside.

“I wanted people to come through that door and feel comfortable, not threatened, and I think we have achieved that.

“I have loved working with the Trust and am proud of what we have achieved together. I would love to be more involved in the Trust and community projects in the future.”

For more information on Cedarwood Trust, head to www.cedarwoodtrust.com or search Cedarwood Trust on social media.

If you would like to help by volunteering at Cedarwood Trust or would like to donate food, please contact call 0330 094 8454 or email info@cedarwoodtrust.com.

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LOCAL NEWS

TELEPHONE BEFRIENDING SERVICE HELPS LOCAL RESIDENT MAUREEN COMBAT

Age UK North Tyneside’s free telephone friendship service means you can enjoy chatting with someone over the phone, all from the comfort of your own home. of the befriending services that she is becoming more confident again and is beginning now to get out and about. She’s able to visit her husband again and this she really looks forward to.

Maureen’s volunteer befriender Gary is a full time primary school teacher who relocated to the North East from Norfolk 12 years ago. During the initial lockdown Gary felt that he wanted to give something back to his local community and so considered volunteering.

He says that befriending fits in with his busy schedule but in the future he’d consider face to face volunteering too. Gary said “My befriending coordinator Carole is very supportive of Maureen and I and checks in regularly with us both to make sure that everything is continuing to go well”.

To find out more about the telephone befriending service available from Age UK North Tyneside or to ask about volunteering with the service Tel: 0191 2808484 Option 1 or email enquiries@ageuknorthtyneside.org.uk

MAUREEN ENJOYING A GAME OF SNOOKER

Maureen is 67 years old and lives alone following her husband’s stroke. Her husband moved into a residential care setting and prior to this they had led an active life together playing snooker competitions across the country.

She had been originally introduced to snooker by the Chairman of the disability sports group in 1996 and met her husband when his business agreed to sponsor her on the Ladies Tour.

They participated in numerous competitions and this resulted in them winning the 2010 World Championships.

The couple had been fortunate enough to meet many of the leading snooker legends along their way. She was a loyal supporter of the World Women’s Snooker Tour for over 15 years.

Alongside major ranking events, Maureen also competed in several side events including senior’s competitions, reaching eight finals.

Known as the ‘Gadget Queen’ for her wide range of cue adaptations, Maureen also competed on the World Disability Billiards and Snooker Tour.

Maureen appeared in the Evening Chronicle at the time to comment on the fact that some snooker halls would not accept female players. She was runner up in the North Tyneside Sports Personality of the Year award.

During the lockdown period Maureen had become more isolated from her friends, family and her fellow snooker players and was referred to the Age UK North Tyneside Telephone Befriending service.

The co-ordinator took great care in matching Maureen with a volunteer befriender who had a personal interest in sport. Although at first their conversations were quite “reserved” Maureen says they quickly struck up an ongoing friendship.

Maureen says “We have a good laugh, Gary’s a canny lad. I look forward to our calls and would definitely recommend the service to others”. She feels as a result 38

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GIVE SOMEONE POWER OF ATTORNEY… BEFORE IT'S TOO LATE Lasting Powers of Attorney are invaluable documents as part of the overall planning of your estate as managing your financial affairs can become more difficult as you get older.

If a person is unable to manage their affairs due to mental incapacity and they have not made a valid Enduring or Lasting Power of Attorney, their assets will be frozen as no one (including their spouse and children) has the authority to deal with them.

At this point someone will need to apply to the Court of Protection to be appointed as the person’s Deputy. The Court will then authorize the Deputy to deal with the person’s affairs in a certain manner. This is a very time consuming (around 6 months) and expensive (in the region of £1,750) process. This situation can be simply avoided through the making of a Lasting Power of Attorney.

By making a Lasting Power of Attorney you can decide whom you would like to manage your affairs in the event that you are unable to do so either due to physical or mental incapacity.

There are two types of Lasting Power of Attorney that can be made, one dealing with your property and financial affairs and the other dealing with your personal welfare.

PERSONAL WELFARE This power gives your attorney the authority to make decisions regarding your healthcare and medical treatment.

PROPERTY AND AFFAIRS This power enables your attorney to deal with your bank accounts and your property. This includes decisions in relation to selling or renting your property, paying your bills, applying for benefits you are entitled to and all aspects of dealing with your bank accounts, savings and investments.

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All work we undertake is at fixed fees: Single Property and Affairs Lasting Power of Attorney: £300 inclusive of VAT Double Property and Affairs Lasting Power of Attorney (suitable for couples): £420 inclusive of VAT Single Will: £180 inclusive of VAT Mirror Will: £240 inclusive of VAT It is imperative that specialist advice is taken in order to ensure that the power given accurately reflects your wishes.

Call Crichton Wills Trusts & Probate on 01670 514772 and speak to a specialist adviser today who will be happy to discuss any concerns you may have and offers a free no obligation appointment in the comfort of your own home.

55 Beaumont Court, Pegswood, Morpeth, Northumberland, NE61 1BF

Price of Family Trust £1,800 (inc. VAT)

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LOCAL NEWS

are

ENERGY ADVICE AVAILABLE FOR OLDER PEOPLE

Older people will be some of the mostaffected by the energy bills crisis but are missing out on vital support, according to charity Age UK North Tyneside.

The charity’s Information and Advice service has seen an influx of queries from worried older people across the area since the price-cap on energy bills was raised last month.

This comes as temperatures begin to drop, and a recent survey from clothing firm Damart showed that more than three million people across the UK will not turn their central heating on this winter due to worries about the rising cost of bills.

And Age UK North Tyneside’s Head of Charity Services Yvonne Probert says there are many people who are not accessing the financial support they are entitled to and are on unnecessarily-expensive energy tariffs.

She said: “Older people are one of the most vulnerable groups at risk from this price rise. They are at home more often – especially during this pandemic – and feel the cold more than most people, so will need the heating on higher, for longer.

“Unfortunately, we have seen that there are a lot of older people who are not getting the money they are eligible for.

“When somebody uses our Information and Advice service we can see what benefits, pensions, credits they are getting, and then we can help them access the money that can help them pay their energy bills.

“A lot of older people also do not switch providers, which means they end up on a standard tariff paying a premium amount of money, when they could be paying a lot less, so we help them with that as well.”

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Yvonne and the charity as a whole are encouraging older people to get in touch to find out how they can avoid having to take the drastic action of keeping their heating off for winter.

They are also encouraging customers to use SMART meters to help them stay in control of their energy use She added: “Fundamentally, many older people just don’t understand their energy bills – they are really quite complicated with lots of information and technical terms, making them quite confusing.

“Ultimately, it is about being more informed about what you are entitled to and how you can make changes to make the rising cost of bills more manageable.

“We can help people make those changes, and put them in touch with other organisations that can help make their homes as energy-efficient as possible.”

Last year the Information and Advice service achieved an astounding benefit gain of almost £1.2m for North Tyneside residents, while average incomes of these customers went up by £140.62 per week.

In the last three months alone it has responded to a massive 1,616 queries from customers across the borough.

Age UK North Tyneside’s Information and Advice service is one of a number of offerings designed to help older people make more of life.

It also has customer service team who can support older adults to explore a variety of other services that are available such as healthy habits, health and wellbeing group/activities, befriending and dementia support.

To find out more about how Age UK North Tyneside could help you check out www.ageuknorthtyneside. org.uk, call 0191 2808484 or email enquiries@ ageuknorthtyneside.org.uk.

Home Befriending and Telephone Befriending Would you enjoy some extra company?

Join our befriending service to build and maintain a trusting, close relationship over time. Supported by Age UK North Tyneside, your one-to-one relationship could help you pursue a new direction in life, open up a range of activities, and build confidence.

Our befrienders can visit you at home, or you might prefer someone to call you. To find out more about the service, call us on 0191 280 8484 Option 0.

Registered charity number 1049527. Company number 1763579.

ADVERTISING FEATURE

THE RISE IN OVER-50’S DIVORCE When I began assisting divorce clients in the late 1980’s most of them would be in their late twenties or early thirties. Today the vast majority of my clients will be over 50 and this has been the case for at least ten years.

If you listened to your friends in the pub, you may well be given bar room advice that bears no resemblance to the way that such cases are settled.

Traditionally divorce solicitors would try to maintain the matrimonial home at all costs on behalf of a lower earning wife who was going to look after the children whilst her exhusband went out to work.

But when dealing with divorce clients in their fifties the situation is completely different. Quite frequently the mortgage will be very low or non existent. Therefore there would be a considerable amount of equity to play with. The property may also be more valuable as the couple traded up throughout their marriage. An entirely different scenario to dealing with low equity and a lower value matrimonial home which would have been the case earlier in the marriage.

FUTURE MORTGAGE COSTS Time and time again solicitors put forward a deal whereby one party maintains the house and the other party will keep their pension. But how can this possibly fair upon the other party?

Rick and Elaine are both 53 years of age. They have a house worth £750,000 with no mortgage. They both have savings, their cars are paid for and they both have pensions.

Rick’s pensions are worth £950,000 and Elaine’s £100,000.

Elaine wishes to retain the matrimonial home I am told, Rick can retain his pension and we will adjust savings to make everything equal. But it won’t be equal will it? It may have taken Elaine and Rick over twenty years to pay off the mortgage. For Rick to buy himself a new home may well involve him having to take out a new mortgage. He would therefore have mortgage interest payments to make for years ahead, stamp duty, legal fees and removal fees.

THE PENSION CONUNDRUM Rick’s pension is quite high. He wants to go on working and contributing to his pension. But soon he will have reached his Lifetime Allowance of £1million+ Meaning that when he wishes to take his pension he may well be taxed at 55%.

It was always the case that a higher pension would probably be offset against equity in the matrimonial home. But this is no longer the best way forward in many instances, it is not very tax efficient.

It is necessary to be more creative when dealing with an over 50’s divorce. That’s why I’m doing it differently.

Some people refer to these clients as Silver Splitters!! As someone who is over fifty I actually find this term to be rather insulting. It almost assumes there is nothing left to give, and yet many people achieve bigger and better things in life once they have created financial freedom and their children, if they had any, have grown up.

In Elaine and Rick’s case I would potentially suggest 46

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JACQUELINE EMMERSON

that the matrimonial home is sold. They should split their pensions and savings equally - their current incomes and future earning capacity must be taken into account as this may cause an adjustment.

They should also have their pensions valued by a specialist. You cannot swap like for like. Even if they both had a pension worth £500,000 it is highly unlikely that would result in the same monthly income. If Elaine had an NHS pension and part of Rick’s pension was self funded then her pension would pay out substantially more per month than his.

It can be very difficult to obtain a mortgage in this age group, lenders criteria can be very strict. And don’t assume that either party will be able to, or will want to, go on working in order to pay off a mortgage; ill health, the need to look after your own parents or redundancy could all come your way. Or, after years of working very long hours to build up assets it may well be time to reduce working hours or cease working altogether.

When dealing with a younger family who have children then the needs of those children would be the focus of any financial settlement. However, when dealing with a couple over fifty I am more likely to concentrate on a mortgage free home, the ability to maintain that property - what if the boiler blows or the roof needs to be fixed? There is also the need to have enough money to live on upon retirement.

That’s where taking time to sort out pensions is essential.

HELPING YOU AND YOUR FUTURE One of my most important roles is to obtain a settlement for a client that helps them not just now but in ten or twenty years time. Whilst my client can often only deal with now, my task is to protect their future.

If you would like to chat about any of the issues outlined here then please don’t hesitate to contact me je@emmersons-solicitors.co.uk

If your relationship has just ended we understand that you may feel lost or worried.

Relationship in difficulties?

Talk to the matrimonial specialist

EMMERSONS SOLICITORS has helped thousands of people in your situation.

You will find us to be very approachable. We can offer you help with divorce, separation, financial settlements, arrangements for children, pre-nuptial agreements and same sex partnerships.

Our well-trained staff can obtain the best settlement for you. Due to their experience, excellent negotiating skills and use of Round Table Meetings the vast majority of our clients never have to visit court.

137a BackStreet, High Street, Gosforth 145 High Gosforth

emmersons-solicitors.co.uk

0191 284 6989

Why not let us help you reach agreement, avoid court and move on with your life.

Contact us now on 0191 284 6989 to see how we can help you.

01022 - Emmersons divorce.indd 1

7/12/15 08:39:13

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GARDENING

PROTECT & SURVIVE

By Rachael Leverton No…not the 1970s public information campaign exhorting us to hide under a table in case of nuclear attack. This is far more useful. It’s about protecting tender perennials and taking cuttings to over winter so your plants survive and even multiply. First the protection: to protect tender perennials such as Salvias and Pelargoniums, lift them and bring them into a greenhouse. If you have a heater, set it to the frost setting (around 5C). You can use bubble wrap to insulate the greenhouse for additional heat conservation. If you do this the heater will only need to kick in on extremely cold days and nights.

For tender bulbs and tubers such as dahlias, wait until the foliage has been blackened by the frost, then lift them and place in a box of sand in a dry, dark, frost-free location.

Plants like Agapanthus, which are generally happy to be left in the ground with a little protection, are best left undisturbed. Cover the top with a generous quantity of wellrotted compost or bark mulch. This can be removed from around the crown of the plant in spring and will help retain moisture throughout the spring growing season.

November is the start of the bare root planting season.

Plant roses, hedging and trees, and it’s also a good time to move any of these plants which you think are in the wrong area of the garden. They are more likely to survive this treatment if moved at this time of year.

SO, WHAT ELSE CAN WE DO IN NOVEMBER? • Ideally your spring bulbs should already be planted but if you haven’t done it yet, just put some in this month. November is actually the perfect month to plant tulip bulbs are because the less time they are in the ground the less likelihood of them developing a virus called tulip fire blight.

• Plant garlic cloves if you have an area with free draining soil.

• Dig over the vegetable plot, leaving clods to break down over winter • Rake the fallen leaves regularly from lawn areas because if you leave them they deprive the lawn of light.

• Bring in garden tools for the winter. Clean, sharpen, and oil them first.

• Keep removing weeds. It is easier to see them once garden plants have died back. November is a great time to get rid of persistent perennial weeds

ADVERTISING FEATURE

CRE ATE A WILD & WONDERFUL ECO-FRIENDLY WREATH

Eco Wreath, Lanterns, from left: Arana iron lantern, £24.99 and, £19.99; Iron brass lantern, £29.99; Coloured glass hurricane lantern, £12.99; Iron brass lantern, £54.99, all from Dobbies.

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Wreaths are set to be bigger than ever for Christmas 2021, with many using wreaths to decorate their front doors for the entire winter season, not just for Christmas. While traditional wreaths tend to be colour and decoration adorned, for those looking for a more natural and pared back look, Dobbies eco-wreath fits the bill. Bringing the outdoors in, quite literally, this wild and wonderful wreath adds natural flair to Christmas décor this season. With no metal or plastic required, flora and fauna can be foraged from the garden, including earthy greens like Conifers and Pine, while dried flowers are perfect for adding pops of colour.

Dobbies Lead Stylist, Rebecca Stanton, commented: “We know our customers love being outdoors and, in their gardens, so creating your own eco wreath is perfect for our green fingered friends. Rustic wreaths can be hung on front doors or indoors and add a modern, fuss-free festive feel.”

Rebecca explains how to create your eco wreath:

YOU WILL NEED: Twine Scissors Twigs Cut/foraged greenery STEP 1: Get the look by gathering twigs together and moulding into a rough hoop shape. Don’t worry, this doesn’t have to be perfect. Secure as you go with the twine.

STEP 2: Time to get creative by using the greenery to make little individual posies and secure with twine. This is where you can inject pops of colour with flowers – fresh or dried.

STEP 3: Next, place each posey on the hoop, securing each one with twine. Layer the next one on top of the last, to hide where you have tied.

STEP 4: Once you have taken the posies as far round as you would like, stop. It’s nice to leave some of the hoop exposed for a rustic feel.

STEP 5: Hang your wild eco wreath and prepare for compliments as you wow your festive guests.

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Healthy Habits Recipe Book

Veggie Risotto

Veg e

taria

Ingredients • 1 tablespoon of olive oil • 1 finely chopped onion • 1 diced courgette • 150g of pearl barley or Arborio (risotto rice) • 1 vegetable stock pot or cube • ½ teaspoon mixed dried herbs • 80g frozen peas • 160g spinach • 20g of butter Steps

• • • • • • • • • • •

Bring 1.2 litres of water to the boil in the kettle or in a pan.

Heat the olive oil in a large pan over a medium heat.

Add the onion and courgette and cook for 6- 8 minutes, stirring occasionally, until soft.

Add the pearl barley or Arborio rice and cook for 1 minute.

Add 200ml of the boiling water plus the stock pot or crumbled stock cube. Stir well to make sure all nicely mixed.

Stir in the mixed herbs and season according to your tastes.

As the water becomes absorbed by the rice/barley, slowly add more in small amounts, stirring continuously until the rice/barley becomes soft. This can take about 40 minutes. Note: you may not need all the water.

About 5 minutes before the end of the cooking time, add the frozen peas.

When the rice/barley is almost soft but still has a firmness to the bite, stir through the spinach until wilted, then remove the risotto from the heat.

Add the butter and stir through until fully melted. Serve the risotto.

ENJOY! This tasty recipe has been put together by Carole, the Telephone Befriending Coordinator at Age UK North Tyneside.

For more great health and wellbeing tips from the Healthy Habits team, call 0191 280 8484 or email Rebecca.Williams@ageuknorthtyneside.org.uk.

Registered charity number 1049527. Company number 1763579.

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Prams • Pushchairs • Car Seats • Nursery Furniture • Changing Bags • Raincovers

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PramsNewcastle ∙ Open Tuesday to Saturday by appointment only ∙ Tel: 0191 266 1190

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ADVERTISING FEATURE

FANCY A BREAK? Right now we all need something to look forward to, and a UK coach break could be just the ticket!

Local coach tourism experts Graham Wright and John Hindhaugh have started their own coach tour company and are taking bookings now.

Graham explains more...

John and I have worked in the coach tourism industry as drivers for many years, the last few spent as tour drivers for the same local North East coach holiday company, until the Global pandemic had a catastrophic effect on our industry, with many companies going out of business.

Over the years, on our numerous tours both abroad and in the UK, we have built up a fantastic relationship with many of our passengers, and are lucky to call many of them friends. They really appreciated our experience and knowledge of the places we visited, to the extent that a lot of passengers started asking who the driver would be before they actually booked a tour with the company. It was during a conversation with one of our friends that the question was asked about starting our own company doing our own holidays, so here we are.

We have put all our years’ experience and knowledge to good use while planning our exclusive tours. All the tours are exceptional value for money, and we only select the best-established quality hotels, that are generally either known to us, or we have previously used before.

The specific day trips on each tour are also carefully created, all based on our knowledge as well as any relevant previous customer feedback and suggestions to ensure they are always enjoyed. The trips do not leave the hotel too early, or return too late, so as to allow 52

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everyone to make full use of the facilities of the chosen hotel. Guaranteed free time as well as entertainment are also key factors that we take into account to try and make a tour as pleasurable an experience possible.

In such a short space of time, from the initial concept, we have managed to make massive progress. During this current difficult time we all need something to look forward to, and we currently have a wide range of fantastic tours in Great Britain. Our advert on the opposite page shows you what’s on offer, with more to follow!

You can rest assured that you can book with confidence with us. We have been granted a COVID-19 Industry Standard Certificate which shows government and industry COVID-19 guidelines are followed. Plus, if your tour is cancelled due to the COVID restrictions, you will receive a full refund.

We look forward to welcoming you aboard!

■ United Group Travel Ltd

Tel: 01670 632460 / 07957 141654 www.unitedgrouptravel.com Facebook: United Group Travel Ltd E mail: graham.john.unitedgrouptravel@gmail.com Company no. 13052351

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NewSpace Loft Storage We create space so everything has a place

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TECHNOLOGY

How Much is that Phone in the Advert?

By Tom Hancock

Mobile phones are expensive. The latest iPhones and top of the range Android phones cost upwards of £1000 so they are a big financial commitment.

But are they value for money? Is £1000 phone any better than one which costs £200?

When you watch a phone advert it's easy to believe that owning the latest model will make your life infinitely better.

With ultrahigh resolution screens, multiple professional quality cameras and massively powerful computing engines, you could easily use your phone to replace your laptop, camera, TV and, at a push, your spouse!

But how many of these fantastic features will you actually use?

Most of use our phones for fairly mundane, lowpower tasks. We text, check our social media, post selfies or snapshots, watch YouTube videos, make quick videos to post on social media, play a game, and some of us even use them to make phone calls.

But none of these tasks require any of the high-end features that are pushing the cost of your phone through the roof.

Budget phones summon up the image of a piece of sad plastic that struggles to turn on, let alone do anything useful. But there's a big difference between ‘budget’ and ‘great value for money.’

Big brand names such as Apple and Samsung market their phones as status symbols. Pulling out the latest iPhone or flipping open your foldable Samsung is the same as wearing a Rolex watch or rocking up in your sports car. If you enjoy that feeling and are happy with the cost then these are the phones for you.

If you want a phone that has almost all the features of the top brands; screen, cameras, powerful processor etc., there are a range of less well-known 56

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brands that will deliver all this for a lower cost.

Many of these from Chinese manufacturers where components and labour costs are lower. You'll still get a high-quality product, and the phone will power through all of your day-to-day tasks with room to spare, but people won't recognise the logo on the back.

For example, my 12-year-old needed a new phone and we wanted to get one that would be fun to use rather than the low powered basic model he’d started out with. I came across a phone from Xiaomi, the Redmi Note 9. This has a powerful octa core processor, loads of memory, 64 GB of storage space, ultrahigh resolution screen, three high resolution specialist cameras, fast charge, and long battery life and all for the very pocket friendly cost of £150. From a pre-teenage point of view, he’s pleased as punch with the power and quality of the phone. Form a parent point of view, I’m delighted with the price.

So, when buying a new phone my advice is to be honest about what you're going to use it for. If you feel a premium phone is worth the money go for it. If you want a phone that does everything and is a pleasure to use but is easy on your pocket, shop around.

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LOCAL NEWS

Woman Pleads for Footballing Team-Mates, 50 Years after her First Newspaper Appeal Football-mad Judy Collins is desperately searching for women to join her playing the beautiful game – 50 years since she made the same appeal through her local newspaper.

Judy, now 67, fell in love with football during the World Cup in 1966, but wasn’t allowed to play football at school because she was a girl.

Instead, when aged 17, she decided to appeal for players in her local newspaper, the Whitley Bay Guardian.

Now, half a century on from her 1971 appeal, Judy is once again after players to join her – this time at Age UK North Tyneside’s Women’s Walking Football group.

The new group, which takes place every Wednesday at 10am on the all-weather pitch next to Foxhunters Pavilion in Whitley Bay, is open for any women aged 50 or older.

Judy, from Cullercoats, said: “Watching the World Cup got me into football, but at school girls weren’t allowed to play which seems crazy now – you see women’s football everywhere in 2021.

“I wish I had been born later so I could fully experience women’s football now and how popular it has become.

“Back when I was young I just played with my brother and his friends and thought it would be nice to have a girls’ team, so I contacted the local paper.

“I managed to get a few girls together but we had nobody to play against. I can’t believe it’s 50 years later and I’m still struggling for games!”

Judy has so far found it difficult to spread the word with just two other women turning up at the most recent group.

She is desperate for a kick-about with anybody who is interested in keeping active, and is particularly keen to find any of the women who joined her team 50 years ago.

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Judy Collins, 67, with her original newspaper clipping from 1971

and school lunchtime supervisor, added: “It has been extremely frustrating not finding anyone! But now the Age UK North Tyneside group is up and running I’m hopeful we can get a few people interested.

“Ultimately, I just want to get as many people together as possible to get together to have fun and keep fit.

“All those ladies I played with all those years ago – if you see this please come along and have a game!

I would love to see you again.”

Walking Football is just one of a number of activities run by Age UK North Tyneside with a view to keeping older people fit and active.

These also include yoga classes, seated exercise, Walking Tennis groups and even Line Dancing.

The charity is also running a Healthy Habits programme, where older people are encouraged to attend peer-to-peer sessions but also have access to a ‘Co-ordinator’, who help them focus on their own fitness goals.

Yvonne Probert, Head of Charity Services at Age UK North Tyneside, said: “The mission of Age UK North Tyneside as a charity is ‘to help older people make more of life’ and we believe that a holistic, personcentred approach is the best way to achieve this.

“Like all physical activities, Walking Football supports individuals to maintain or increase their level of physical activity and by doing this improving their overall health and wellbeing.

“Also as Age UK North Tyneside delivers locally at neighbourhood level, this assists people to remain active and part of their community, hence Walking Football helps in reducing loneliness and social isolation in older adults.

“We would encourage anybody who is aged 50 or over and keen to get active and meet new people to have a look at what Age UK North Tyneside has to offer.”

To find out more about the sessions, call 0191 2808484 Option 0 . You can also email enquiries@ ageuknorthtyneside.org.uk or head to www.ageuk.org.uk/northtyneside/

Book your MOT before the end of November for just £35

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Davidsons of Morpeth, Coopies Way, Morpeth, NE61 6JN www.davidsonsofmorpeth.co.uk 01670 512 115

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ADVERTISING FEATURE

Alternative Advent Calendars For 2021 Christmas is nearly in full swing and if you are looking for a little bit different this year, B&M may have the answers - from scented tea lights, hot chilli sauce to a cute beauty, cruelty-free option. All in store now.

FABULOSA ADVENT CALENDAR £3.99 Impress the Mrs Hinch in your life, with a gorgeous alternative to a chocolate advent calendar with this Fabulousa scented tea lights advent. Light up your home with festive scents including sugared almonds, festive lights and fairy dust!

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AIRWICK ADVENT CALENDAR £4.99 Create a winter wonderland - discover Airwick seasonal festive candles, a collection of carefully blended winter home fragrances to fill your home.

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BOOKS

A GOOD READ

By Tash Donovan

PROJECT HAIL MARY

by Andy Weir

Ryland Grace wakes up on a spacecraft with no idea how or why he is there-or even who he is, and on top of this he has to work scientific miracles, from scratch using a Heath Robinson approach to staying alive.

If this sounds like the plot of The Martian there are indeed similarities. Grace, like Mark Whitney is a scientist’s scientist, self-deprecating, highly intelligent, and funny.

The book alternates between Grace-on-Earth and Grace -in-Space as the narrative flips between the present day on the Hail Mary, and the events that led to him waking up alone and with no memory at the beginning of the book. The best science fiction happens when the author has put in the background work, uses it to craft a world we believe in, then creates characters we care about. Andy Weir has achieved all that here, and maintains a slick, fast paced plot to boot.

There’s loads of real science for the geeks, interesting, well-developed characters, excitement, thrills, and a touching friendship between the central characters. During the final third of the book, the stakes are raised ever higher, and I found myself reading ever faster in suspense all the way to the final page.

EVERYONE DIES FAMOUS IN A SMALL TOWN

by Bonnie-Sue Hitchcock

This is a young adult novel with a difference. It’s a collection of interconnected short stories all set in the mid-1990s, in Alaska and small towns scattered across the American west. Each story centres around one or two disparate teen characters who each face the challenges and rewards of small-town life. Told through the ordinary events of their lives, we 62

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glimpse brief moments, like peeking through a window.

We can see their inner struggles, how they deal with pain or boredom or survival, and how they find new paths and moments of healing.

There are hitchhikers, kids with a 'reputation', free spirits, and young people who have suffered loss.

Woven through the stories are some common threads; we get an early warning of wildfire in one story which is at the centre of the plot of another. The aftermath of events in one story, pop up in later ones.

Each character's life has a 'butterfly effect' on the lives of other characters, some big and some small, and most of the characters never know the threads that connect them, even though we as readers are treated to the bigger picture and have the pleasure of seeing where all these lives overlap.

In Everyone Dies Famous in a Small Town, Hitchcock takes us into the inner workings of young minds and hearts. A beautiful read for older teens.

IN THE NIGHT KITCHEN

by Maurice Sendak

Another book from the Seventies, In the Night Kitchen is not as wellknown as Sendak’s other dreamscape, Where the Wild Things Are, but is every bit as magical, with beautiful illustrations.

The story is a fragmented, comic book romp through a child’s dream. A streamof-consciousness, random, quirky, child’s-eye-view of the world, set in a sort of kitchen-cum-cityscape built from giant boxes of baking ingredients. Written in a poetic meter that stretches and contracts with the ebb and flow of the action, it’s almost as much fun for an adult to read as for a child to listen.

My kids (aged 5 and 3) love it, but I will issue a nudity warning to those parents who may not appreciate some of the illustrations. The little boy Mickey is naked for most of the book, which my three-year-old finds utterly hilarious for some reason. My husband had no problem with the nudity, but he wasn’t fond of the Oliver Hardy look-alike bakers, proving that even Sendak can’t please everyone.

Giant milk bottles, planes made from bread: for me, Sendak is a master storyteller who doesn’t talk down to his audience. It’s highly stylised and like Where the Wild Things Are it feels slightly of its time, but that doesn’t matter; the kids feel a mixture of intrigue, excitement, trepidation, and wonder - it’s perfect storytelling.

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