Wartime talk

 

I will be doing a talk on local locations with a wartime connection at 7pm on Wednesday 7th May at Sunniside Social Club. All welcome.

Whickham street surgery

 

Whickham Lib Dem councillors held a street surgery outside the Library today. It was a good chance to meet residents and talk about issues important to them. Conversations were wide and varied!

Taking a goat to the library

 

Okay, so taking a goat to the local library may seem a bit odd but for us it is an annual event. Whickham Voluntary Library held their Easter fair on Saturday 12th April and we took Nettle and Dandelion to the fair to drum up support and encourage people though the doors. Thanks to everyone who made donations in the collecting tin next to the pen in which the goats were placed. I've no idea how much the goats raised but a number of notes and coins were parted with!

Re-opening The Whinnies

 

The Whinnies Community Garden in Sunniside reopened earlier this month. I was there with camcorder ready to film the opening event.

Photo gallery

Gateshead Lib Dems have set up a photo gallery page on the party's website. Photos included range from members campaigning across Gateshead to councillors attending party or council meetings. You can see the March photos on this link.

Low Fell action day

 

On Sunday I was in Low Fell to help with the ward's action day. I delivered 2 patches before returning to HQ (the home of Cllr Dawn Welsh).

Lunch was a lovely way to put back on the calories that had just been burnt off through delivering Focus around the streets of Low Fell. Not visible in the photo, but I caught site of the delivery bundles being prepared for Chowdene.

Whickham Focus delivery

 

I am pleased to report that the most recent Whickham Focus has now been delivered. This edition has been delivered across the three Whickham wards of Gateshead, minus Sunniside, Swalwell and Dunston which get their own editions (I'm working on the Sunniside version now.) The lead story was about changes to boundaries and proposals to set up a banking hub in Whickham.

Down the drain

 

Quite a few people in Sunniside have asked me what's going on at the bottom of Metal Bank between Whickham and Sunniside. I checked what's happening and it turns out that Northumbrian Water are relaying the sewer, not houses being built, which is what some feared.

Gateshead West meetng

 

Gateshead West Lib Dem branch meeting met last week at Cllr Peter Maughan's house in Whickham. Campaigning for the local elections next year was the main item on the agenda. Social events were also discussed. After all, you have to have some fun after delivering thousands of Focus newsletters!

Whickham Library fair

 

On Saturday morning I headed to Whickham Voluntary Library to visit the Easter fair being held there. As usual I was asked to bring an assortment of animals to help raise funds so I brought Nettle and Dandelion, two of my goats. Thank you to everyone who donated to the library via the collecting box next to the pen which contained the goats.

Meanwhile, Cllr Marilynn Ord took a shine to Nettle and walked her around St Mary's Green! This turned out to be a bit of a mobile photo opportunity for parents and their children to utilise.

Gateshead Lib Dem Leader speaks about Sister Winifred Laver Centre

The Sister Winifred Lavery Promoting Independence Centre was opened in Felling just last year, but has already been put into "special measures" following an inspection by the Care Quality Commission. Cllr Ron Beadle discusses the issue.

Cllr Ron Beadle speaking on the council tax rise in Gateshead

 

Council tax bills are now arriving in Gateshead. Like most councils, Gateshead residents will pay 5% more. Lib Dem Leader of the Opposition, Ron Beadle, explains in this video how the government is, in effect, forcing councils to increase council tax.