Trust Life: #123
Welcome back to Trust Life, after an extended break. I’m sure I don’t need to say what a strange time it has been over the last few months and while things appear to be getting back to as near normal as possible for the foreseeable future, so many business and organisations have had to take steps to ensure staff and customers are safe. Having been in many places and observed people wearing masks and thinking it strange, it is now about to become our normal too!
Trust staff are now working part-time, however the office will remain closed to the public for the time being. We can still be contacted by telephone or email if you have any queries or need your CV updated. If you need to speak to any other tenants in the building their contact details are on the posters in our window. Notwithstanding this our regeneration plans continue and the Bird Sculpture trail is progressing.
As I write this we have just heard about the death of Jackie Charlton and I thought I would share one of my memories of him.
Jack Charlton opened the refurbished Amble pier in 2000
For many years the Trust organised the annual Sea Fayre Festival. We had a wonderful steering group of volunteers who each year asked me to contact Jackie to see if he would open the event, which was always held in July. Each year I received an apology because he was away somewhere. After about 4 years he responded saying: ‘Julia, I’m always away fishing in Ireland in July.’ So it was left at that until in 2000, we were set to open the refurbished Pier.
Jack was presented with a bowl made by Amble woodworker Tom Mark
Knowing Jack and his brother Bobby had spent many happy times fishing off the old pier, I thought I would chance my luck again, this time making sure the opening wouldn’t happen in July and telling him if he did this for me I would promise to stop stalking him!
As many of you will know Jack did respond and came along to meet the great crowds that lined the harbour and pier, walking and talking animatedly with everyone he met, which sadly did not include me – I didnt get anywhere near him.
I had done my organising bit and was about to be introduced when someone told him his lunch was ready and he made a beeline into Warkworth Harbour Commissioners to eat!
Exit one stalker who kept her promise.
Julia and Trust staff
julia@ambledevelopmenttrust.org.uk
