What you say… #147
Thanks from Poppy Appeal
I would like to thank her volunteers, Morrisons Supermarket and the very generous customers of Morrisons, Amble.
A table set behind the checkouts for four days taking donations in return for special D-Day lapel pins raised an amazing £893.20, all of which will be donated to The Poppy Appeal. Many stayed at the table to read about our very own Bill Wake. We thank Bill and his family for giving us permission to use his photo and words which were brought to us by Dave Shoemaker.
The Poppy Appeal is always so well supported by the good folk of Amble and surrounding areas, something for which we are always grateful. We’ll be back at Morrisons in November for the Remembrance fundraising campaign and look forward to seeing you there.
Marion Long,
local Poppy Appeal Organiser
Horrified at the state of our green spaces
I am horrified at the state of our green spaces and have today forwarded the following communication to NCC.
I am a resident of Amble and walk my dogs daily in my local area. To say that I am appalled by the state of our green spaces through lack of grass cutting is an understatement!
I also attended the Northumberland Rescue Dog Show and was horrified at the state of the area utilised for this event. What sort of impression does this neglect give to visitors coming to Amble either for a day out or for a longer period
I appreciate that you will likely use the weather as an excuse but, quite frankly, that is rubbish! Yes, there has been rain but there have also been dry days when grass cutting could have been undertaken. I also do not expect or wish to be informed of any policy relating to “re-wilding”: to my mind, just an excuse to save money.
We are expected to pay our rates and to pick up our dog waste, a difficult task when the grass is so long! This we do, and we should, therefore, be able to expect that the County Council carries out its responsibilities on a regular basis.
I am also sending copies to Amble Town Council and Warkworth Parish Council
Sue Barton
via email
Memories of tragic incident never forgotten
One Sunday morning recently, I went to the RNLI coffee morning. I can recommend a visit for such a good cause. The home-cooked scones and cakes on offer all looked delicious.
Coming down the stairs, I caught sight of a board, recording the lifeboats’ rescues. One date, April 10 1941, sent me back to an incident 83 years ago, which I have never forgotten. I was on my Easter holidays from school and was supposed to be studying. Mother came in from shopping and said there was a lot of activity at the harbour: a ship had been sunk during the night.
Later that morning, I slipped out and made my way to the harbour. In those days, to the side of the fish quay, there was a large fishermen’s hut, where the men kept their nets and lobster pots, and where they would bait their lines. I went to the entrance and saw lots of navy people and policemen. They chased me away. So, I went round to the back of the hut, and through a crack in the wood I saw lots of bodies, propped up on the benches. The police were going round, putting cotton wool in the ears and nostrils of the bodies to stop the bleeding. I got quite a shock and went home, but said nothing.
Fast forward to Easter this year, when I was spending the time with my daughter, Valerie, who lives at Kelso. One morning I was having coffee with my granddaughter, and telling her of the 1941 incident. She said she would Google it. Now, I am 99 years old, and not into that sort of thing, but in a couple of minutes, she was giving me lots of information.
HMS Portia, 5,000 tons armed merchantman, was sunk by an enemy bomber, off Boulmer, on the Northumberland coast. Boulmer and Amble lifeboats were called out. The Boulmer boat had great difficulties in launching: it was the middle of the night, pitch black and because of the blackout, no lights could be used; also there were coils of barbed wire and concrete defences to get through.
The ship’s lifeboats had been safely launched and 41 survivors made their way north to Embleton Bay, but had to wait till dawn before making shore, where the authorities took care of them.
The local lifeboats, searching, found an aircraft rubber dinghy. The only thing in it was a watch, which had stopped. Perhaps, the ship had shot down the German bomber.
The Google report ended with this information: the Boulmer lifeboat was recompensed with the sum of £10; the Amble boat received £9.
I wonder who the brave Amble coxswain was on that dark, difficult night. Was it Mr. Handyside, or Willie Henderson? I remember them both.
George Young, Amble
Thanks to art group
I would like to thank those in my new group of artists for supporting me for months, after a long absence of past classes in Amble. We met in our library and what a happy lot they are.
It has been a pleasure to show them how to paint and not to be afraid to try. Amble is well supported so my thanks go to them and to the library for giving us a room to meet each Friday as spaces are few.
Many thanks and my best wishes; thank you for giving me that opportunity. I look forward to seeing you all in September when we will have more laughs and paintings to do.
Pauline T, via email
