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BOTH SHOPS ARE NOW OPEN
The Haltwhistle Partnership is delighted to be able to fill the gap left by the Save the Children Charity who closed their charity shops in the town in January by supporting the opening and running of Haltwhistle Community Shop and Haltwhistle Community Bookshop.
Both shops are now open in the same premises as previously on Westgate. The shop volunteers and Partnership Trustees have worked incredibly hard to fit out the shops and ensure all the necessary policies, procedures and equipment is in place and we are very grateful to them all. Our thanks also goes to our wonderful community who donated goods to re-stock both shops and contiue to support us with donations and purchases.
We are grateful to Northumberland County Council's Community Chest Fund for funding to help set up the shops with essential equipment.
All surpluses from both Community Shops will be used for charitable purposes in line with the Memorandum and Articles of Association of the Haltwhistle Partnership for the benefit of the communities of Haltwhistle and its 10 surrounding parishes.
Volunteering Opportunities
The Haltwhistle Partnership has various volunteering opportunities so whatever your interest if you want to help, please make contact in the first instance with our Chairman Julie Gibbon.
We are currently looking for volunteers to help with the following activities:
Community Shops - The Partnership operates two community shops on Westgate - a general charity shop and a bookshop. These are run entirely by volunteers. If you are interested in volunteering to help please call in and talk to them. We are hoping to be able to sell donated electrical goods but need a volunteer to be trained as a PAT tester. If you are interested please let us know. We now have a volunteer for PAT testing but more are always welcome.
Sustainability - in its widest sense. We are looking for 2 volunteers to receive Carbon Literacy training and 2 volunteers to receive training in signposting energy advice. There is also scope for a volunteer to be trained as a PAT tester for the west Northumberland area to help service members of the West Northumberland Community Buildings Consortium. Also if you are interested in helping to make Haltwhistle Carbon Neutral then please make contact.
Station Adoption Team - looking after Haltwhistle Railway Station, litter picking, reporting faults, locking and unlocking the waiting rooms.
Community Gardeners - looking after the garden at the rear of Westbourne House and various beds around the town including the tubs at the Railway Station. The group meet on Wednesday mornings.
Haltwhistle Growing Together Community Allotment - looking after the polytunnel, herb, fruit and vegetable beds in the garden at Hillside, 33 Park Avenue, Haltwhistle (bottom of the school drive). Meeting times vary depending on the season.
Older People's Project - supporting older people with weekly coffee mornings, monthly lunch club and are developing a dementia support group.
Zigzag - supporting those feeling isolated for whatever reason. Meet twice a month for activities and chat.
Trustees - helping to run the Partnership including supporting and initiating projects, operating residential and commercial property, advocating for and representing the community.
The Haltwhistle Partnership is one of 244 local charities, social enterprises and voluntary groups to receive this prestigious award in 2022 which is extra special since we are celebrating the Queen's Platinum Jubilee. Our work, along with others from across the UK, reminds us of all the ways in which fantastic volunteers are contributing to their local communities and working to make life better for those around them.
The Queen’s Award for Voluntary Service aims to recognise outstanding work by local volunteer groups to benefit their communities. It was created in 2002 to celebrate The Queen’s Golden Jubilee. Recipients are announced each year on 2nd June, the anniversary of The Queen’s Coronation. Award winners this year are wonderfully diverse. They include volunteer groups from across the UK, including: a rural support group for farmers in Shropshire; a community magazine addressing isolation in the Western Isles; a running club engaging all ages in County Tyrone; a film academy and community hub based in South Wales, and a food bank in Greater London feeding vulnerable individuals and providing training opportunities.
Representatives of the Haltwhistle Partnership will receive the award crystal and certificate from the Duchess of Northumberland, Lord-Lieutenant of Northumberland at a Garden Party for Volunteers and Carers at Alnwick Gardens in June. 11 volunteers from the Partnership's various projects will attend the event. In addition, two volunteers from the Partnership will attend a garden party at Buckingham Palace in May 2023, along with other recipients of this year’s Award.
Julie Gibbon, Chairman of the Partnership says: “We are delighted to receive such a prestigious award. Whether it is litter picking, gardening, making tea, offering advice, running activities or trailblazing new ideas, we couldn’t achieve anything without our wonderful volunteers. This award is recognition for the efforts that everyone has contributed over the last 25 years and we are truly honoured to receive it.”
Volunteers representing the Partnership received the Award at a Garden Party at Alnwick Gardens
Through the Borderlands Place Programme Northumberland County Council intend to target investment in places that will help boost economic activity across the region, recognising the importance of smaller rural towns to the local economy. Haltwhistle is part of this programme and is developing a Town Investment Plan to be able to secure up to £3m of investment from the Borderlands Place Programme.
A Haltwhistle Board has been set up to work with Northumberland County Council with respect to this opportunity. The Board includes representatives from Northumberland County Council, Haltwhistle Town Council, Haltwhistle Partnership, Haltwhistle Chamber of Trade, Young & Sweet, Haltwhistle Swimming and Leisure Centre, Hadrian's Wall World Heritage Site, Berry Global, Agma and Kilfrost.
The NCC webpage about the Haltwhistle Place Programme can be found here.
Thank you to everyone who took part in the consultation between the 4th and 25th April, your thoughts are much appreciated. Almost 350 responses were received in addition to focus groups with over 100 youngsters and Haltwhistle Chamber of Trade. We are delighted that so many people took part.
The data has been analysed and the report can be found here.