Latest News
This page provides the latest news from the AONB
Partnership.
Press Releases
Northumberland Show 2013
We have a stand this year, in the Glorious North marquee. Come
and see us and try your luck at our ‘Pin the Castle on the Coast’
competition. Sticks of rock for all those who know their Coastal
castles………get revising and see you there!
Northumberland Coast Volunteer Summit
We are delighted that the first
Northumberland Coast Volunteers Summit, has been organised
for Tuesday 18th June at Seahouses Sport and Community
Centre.
This is an opportunity for all of our partners to get together to
discuss what we want from volunteers and how we can benefit from a
joined up approach to volunteering on the coast.
We are looking forward to finding out what organisations need and
looking for a way to solve these issues.
If you would like to volunteer on the Coast
please email elizabeth.walters@northumberland.gov.uk
Call for Sustainable Development Fund Applications
The next application deadline for the Sustainable Development
Fund is Friday 31st May 2013. Forms can
be obtained by e-mailing the Grant Scheme Officer. All
applications will be assessed by the Appraisal Panel in early June
and you will be informed of their decision as soon as possible
thereafter.
Meet the Funders
The Sustainable Development Fund will be
attending the ‘Meet the Funders’ event in Berwick on Monday
13th May 2013, 4pm – 7pm.
The event has been organised by Community
Action Northumberland and is for Voluntary and Community Sector
organisations in Northumberland to enable them to talk directly to
funders.
The list of funders confirmed so far
are:
- Big Lottery Fund
- Community Foundation serving Tyne & Wear and
Northumberland
- Northumberland County Council - Community Chest Scheme
- Joicey Trust
- Sported
- Sir James Knott Trust
- BBC Children in Need
- The Hadrian Trust
- Northumberland National Park Authority
- Northumberland Coast AONB
- Hospital of God at Greatham
- Co-operative Community Fund
Entry is by booking only (through www.ca-north.org.uk/contact-us)
and you will only be allowed to enter during your booking slot.
Once you are in you are able to stay until the event closes at
7pm. Two attendees are allowed from each organisation.
There may be some waiting time to see popular
funders but staff are on hand to discuss your funding requirements
and a resources table so you can do some of your own research with
our guidance.
It will take place at The Swan Centre for
Leisure, Northumberland Road, Tweedmouth, Berwick-upon-Tweed, TD15
2AS. The venue has ample parking and is close to bus and rail
links.
Awards for Excellence
The Northumberland Coast
AONB Partnership is inviting nominations for three awards to
acknowledge, promote and celebrate excellence in the care,
management and development of our coast and countryside.
The three awards are for
exemplary:
- Building design
- Farming and land
management
- Sustainable Tourism
The three Awards will reward those whose work
helps to conserve and enhance the natural beauty of the AONB and
improve the area for wildlife, visitors or residents. The
Awards will also provide examples of best practice and, it is
hoped, inspiration to others by illustrating how care of the AONB
can be successfully integrated into a whole variety of areas of
work. In all categories, innovative approaches will be
encouraged.
Has a well-designed new building or
conversion caught your eye?...
Have you gone the extra mile to green your
tourism business?...
Are you proud of the conservation work you
have carried out on your land?...
…Then enter your scheme, or the scheme you
have seen for an Award to recognise this excellent work.
There will be one winner in each of the three
categories. The winner will receive a framed certificate and
plaque. They will also benefit from extensive promotion by
the AONB Partnership through the media, newsletters, in
presentations and other means.
Category 1: Design Award
The award is open to nominations for new build as well as
restoration, conversion or alteration work to existing
buildings. Overall, the scheme should enhance the character
and distinctivemess of the landscape and built environment of the
AONB. We are keen to promote examples of good modern design
as well as more traditional styles. We are looking for design
that:
- compliments (rather than necessarily copies) local traditional
buildings styles
- sits well in the landscape/settlement
- uses landscaping effectively
- follows sustainable principles
- is sensitive to the character of the existing building (in
conversion/alternation work)
Compliance with the principles set out in the AONB Design Guide
will form part of the assessment for the award. This is
available on the AONB website.
Category 2: Farming and Land Management
Award
This category covers all aspects of farming
and land management undertaken by individuals, businesses and other
organisations. The Award is for schemes where land is being
farmed or otherwise managed in such a way as to conserve and
enhance the natural beauty of the coastal landscape.
Examples schemes could include:
- Restoration or creation of characteristic or
vulnerable habitats and / or species
- Conserving archaeological features and
historic landscapes
- Integrating conservation of the natural and
built heritage
Nominations can be for one specific scheme or
a whole farm / land-area.
Category 3: Sustainable Tourism
This category covers any type of tourism
business or facility in the AONB, of any size. For example,
this could include a: B&B, large hotel, large tourist
attraction such as a castle or museum, a TIC, transport provider,
service facility, shop or filling station etc etc
To come forward for consideration in this
category a business or facility should:
- Have introduced a range of green initiatives
or sustainable measures to minimise the business’
impacts on the environment and the AONB
- complement the character of the landscape /
settlement
- provide good quality facilities for
tourists
There is scope for some overlap between the categories,
so if you are not sure which category to enter, please call first
for advice.
Conditions and next steps
How to enter?
Fill in and return the nomination form.
Nominations may be for yourself, or others. Multiple nominations
may be submitted for different schemes by the same individual /
organisation. Nomination forms are available here
Who can
enter?
Any individual, business or organisation is
eligible for nomination
Where does the Awards
scheme cover?
The nominated scheme must be either within the
AONB (which runs along the coast from Amble to Berwick) or one of
the adjacent parishes.
When must nominations
be submitted?
Please submit your nominations by
Monday 14th January 2013
What will happen
next?
All nominations will be assessed by an
independent panel of experts in each Award category. The
panel may arrange site visits; if this is to happen a member of the
AONB staff team will be in touch beforehand to arrange a convenient
time. There will be one winner for each Award. The
Award will be presented at an Awards Event in early March 2013.
Further details, advice and to submit nominations:
Northumberland Coast AONB Partnership, County Hall, Morpeth,
Northumberland, NE61 2EF
Telephone: 01670 622 648 or e-mail: Jessica.Turner@northumberland.gov.uk
Joint AONB and EMS Annual Forum
The Northumberland Coast AONB Partnership and
the Berwickshire and North Northumberland Coast European Marine
Site will be holding its Joint Annual Forum on Thursday
18th October 2012, at Berwick Town Hall. The
invitation to attend is open to all with an interest in the coastal
area.
The Forum will provide an opportunity to:
• Review past work and future challenges for the
AONB Partnership and the Berwickshire and North Northumberland
Coast European Marine Site;
• Learn about Grey Seals at the
Farne Islands, the fascinating geology of the region and the
workings of Eyemouth harbour.
• Hear presentations on the
national perspective of the AONBs; an update on the North East
Cetacean project and progress on Marine Protected Areas.
• Network with others with an
interest in the conservation and enhancement of the AONB.
Cllr Pat Scott, Chair of AONB Partnership said
“I am absolutely delighted that this is the second Joint Annual
Forum between the AONB and the EMS. The joint working between the
AONB and EMS has proved enormously beneficial for all and has the
added benefit of ensuring an incredibly interesting and varied
forum programme. The Annual Forum provides a really good chance for
interested people to find out more and get involved.”
Places are strictly limited, but for further
details, or to register to attend the Forum, please contact Jessica
Turner on 01670 622648, or jessica.turner@northumberland.gov.uk
Be Inspired
The Sustainable Development Fund is now into
its eighth year. Since 2005, we have supported 75 projects
and awarded over £1.5 million in funding. Many of the
projects have motivated people to try something new and given them
different opportunities. From willow weaving at Lucker to the
ever-popular Forest School at Howick, there has been a wealth of
projects that have fired imaginations and helped plant the seed of
sustainability.
Northumberland Coast is not the only AONB to
have a Sustainable Development Fund – they are available from AONBs
throughout England and Wales. Click this
link to find a selection of projects that have been given
funding through the SDF …
Be inspired and apply today!
Seaside Rock Geology Walks
“Fire and Ice - travelling to the edge of
things” is the title for the first of five guided geology walks
along the Northumberland Coast this summer.
The walks are all part of the Seaside Rock
series of geo-walks organised by the Northumberland Coast Area of
Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB) Partnership and Northumbrian
Earth.
Download the
flyer here with details of all of the walks
Whin Grasslands Guide
Northumberland Wildlife Trust, in conjunction
with EcoNorth its consultancy division and local whin grassland
expert Dr Janet Simpkin, has produced a Whin Grasslands Management
Guide.
The Guide, which was funded by the
Northumberland Coast Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty Sustainable
Development Fund, marks the end of the initial three year Whin
Grasslands project, which also received funding from the Aggregates
Levy Sustainability Fund (ASLF) before it was closed by the
incoming government.
Download the
Guide here
Sustainable Development Funds available
The Sustainable D
evelopment Fund supports projects that bring social,
environmental and economic benefits in the AONB as well as
developing and testing new ways of achieving a more sustainable way
of living.
There is still £10,000 available in the grant
fund for 2012/13. The fund can provide grants from £500 up to
£5,000 to those who wish to explore and develop practical projects
that conserve and enhance the local environment, develop local
economic activity, promote local produce and products or link local
communities and improve quality of life.
This year, we would particularly welcome
applications from caravan/camping sites to develop landscaping
schemes and wildlife improvements; renewable energy projects that
benefit the community and proposals that find a viable second use
for locally historic buildings.
More
information on the Sustainable Development Fund
Fresh ideas to solve problems with traffic in
villages
Dorset Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty
(AONB) has just launched a ground-breaking new Toolkit for
communities to help them solve traffic problems in their villages.
The toolkit was launched at a conference in London. The
'Traffic in Villages' Toolkit has been much anticipated by
transport and planning professionals and community groups
across the country and especially here in Northumberland.
Read the
press release here
Holy Island of Lindisfarne Community Development Trust wins
Heritage Lottery Fund support
Holy Island of Lindisfarne Community Development Trust has
received an earmarked first-round pass from the Heritage Lottery
Fund (HLF) through its Landscape Partnership (LP) programme for the
Peregrini Lindisfarne project, it was announced today.
Read the full story here
Young Rangers LOVE Northumberland
The Young Rangers on the Coast group are delighted to have
received a Love Northumberland Award from the Duchess of
Northumberland at a ceremony held at Alnwick Garden on Wednesday
evening.
The Young Rangers, who are based in Seahouses, carry out practical
conservation tasks to help keep the Northumberland Coast AONB a
special place. Their work helping to conserve and enhance the
natural beauty of the Northumberland Coast was recognised by the
judging panel, winning the ‘Best Young People’s Project’ award.
Visit
the Young Rangers Project web pages
Young Rangers swap Northumberland for Netherlands
Two members of the Young Rangers on the Coast group have just
returned from a trip to Netherlands where they took part in an
International Camp for Junior Rangers from across Europe.
Laurence Reeves from Dunstan and Michael Kay from Lesbury (both
17) represented the Northumberland Coast Area of Outstanding
Natural Beauty at the 10th Europarc Junior Ranger Camp at the
Weerribben-Wieden National Park in Holland.
Michael and Laurence joined youngsters from 13 Protected Areas
and nine different countries at the camp, which was organised by
Europarc, an umbrella organisation for Protected Areas across
Europe.
Read the full story here
Visit the Northumberland Coast by Bus
Click the image below for
exciting days out on the Northumberland Coast by Bus. The
AONB Partnership have put together some inspiring itineraries for
you to download.
