Kathryn Tickell and The Sage Gateshead’s Folkestra ensemble will be flying the flag for north east talent by performing together as JigHop during London 2012 Festival.  

BT River of Music, part of the Festival, is a spectacular weekend of free music from across all the Olympic and Paralympic Nations, presented at iconic sites along the River Thames on July 21 and 22.

Running from June 21 until the September 9 it will bring together leading artists from across the world with the very best of the UK.

JigHop comprises of Kathryn Tickell, Folkestra (The Sage Gateshead’s young folk ensemble) and a selection of professional musicians and artists from the North East including Amy Thatcher, Brendan Murphy, Tom Besford, Robby Graham, Paul Kelly, Mariam Rezaei, Hannabiell Sanders and Kevin Lees.

BT River of Music will act as a curtain-raiser for the sporting celebrations to follow and will feature artists representing all Olympic and Paralympic nations.

Kathryn Tickell said: “It’s been really interesting watching connections being made through the development of this piece, seeing how traditional clog dancing and B-Boying actually have common ground and how instruments like Northumbrian pipes and melodeon can work collaborating with a scratch DJ.

“There are lots of unexpected collaborations in this project, but none that have felt forced to us as performers. Throughout the project we have worked only with material that we all feel excited about, and that doesn’t compromise the integrity of our individual traditions or genres, but actually informs and enhances them.”

Brendan Murphy added excitedly: “There’s a great combination of artists and something special is brewing.”

JigHop’s performance will take place on the Europe Stage at Trafalgar Square on Sunday 21 July. Other musicians joining them on the Europe Stage include Amira from Bosnia, The Brazz Brothers from Norway and French soul singer Ben l’Oncle Soul.

For those who can’t join in the fun in London, The Sage Gateshead’s JigHop will be performing on NewcastleGateshead’s quayside when the Torch Relay passes through Gateshead on Friday 15th June. Visit www.NorthEastfor2012Games.com for more details.

Access to BT River of Music is free but capacity is limited. To guarantee entry you will need to get tickets in advance. More details at www.btriverofmusic.com

BT is selling off its famous old red phone boxes for the first time in more than 25 years.

BT last the iconic K6 or Jubilee red phone boxes direct to the public in the mid 1980′s when thousands were snapped up at public auctions. They were made available as part of an extensive payphone modernisation programme.

X2 Connect and BT are selling original cast iron K6 red phone boxes refurbished to a high standard and finished in their original red and black livery. Prices start at £1,950.

The K6 celebrated its 75th birthday last year. The phone box was introduced in 1936 to commemorate the Silver Jubilee of the coronation of King George V. The Jubilee kiosk, as it became known, was designed by English architect Sir Giles Gilbert Scott (1880-1960).

It went on to become the first standard telephone box to be installed all over the country. By the end of production in 1968 there were nearly 70,000 in Britain.

Since 2008, BT has been selling decommissioned red phone boxes to local communities for just a £1 under its Adopt a Kiosk scheme, enabling villages across the land to preserve part of their and Britain’s Heritage.

The scheme has captured the imagination of people up and down the country and more than 1,800 kiosks have already been adopted. Boxes have been fitted with lifesaving defibrillation machines, turned into art galleries, public libraries, exhibitions and information centres. One village even turned theirs into a one-night-only pub.

In 2002 there were 92,000 BT phone boxes on our streets, now there are 51,500 kiosks, including 11,000 traditional red phone boxes, across the UK.

As payphone use continues to fall – calls have declined by more than 80 per cent in the last five years and around 60 per cent of phone boxes lose money – the numbers of red and modern kiosks are set to continue to shrink.

Anyone interested in owning their own piece of telecommunications history, should call: +44 (0)1636 611110 or visit http://www.x2connect.com/shop/BT__Red_Phone_Boxes_.php.

easyJet, the UK’s largest airline, has announced it is to launch a new route from Newcastle to to Amsterdam from winter 2012.  

Seats for the new route are now on sale with fares starting from £22.99 (one way, including taxes). It was one of a clutch of new easyJet routes from UK airports.

Paul Simmons, easyJet’s UK Director, said: “The launch of these new routes cements our promise to offer business and leisure passengers the best schedule and availability of flights from our network of 11 UK bases.

“We’re committed to expanding our route offer to ensure we deliver the best value fares to the places our customers tell us they most want to visit. I’m confident our addition of nine new routes further opens up the best European and mid-haul destinations making travel easy and affordable for all.”

Travellers looking to book winter flights, accommodation and transfers in one go from any of easyJet’s 11 bases can find full details at www.easyJet.com/holidays.

A ‘born again’ St James’ Park will host Brazil and Spain in the Olympic football tournament.

The draw for the competition was made by Brazil legend Ronaldo, Robbie Savage and former Spice Girl Mel C. And under the olympic rules branded names for stadiums are taboo.

St James’ – delivering one of Newcastle NUFC’s best seasons for many a long year – is now preparing to provide a feast of football during the summer months.

UEFA has pledged to work with the club in the event of a clash of olympic commitments and Newcastle United’s forthcoming european fixtures.

Another on-going success story, Sir Bobby Robson’s cancer charity, backed by players at NUFC, provided a memorable occasion for pupils at the soccer legend’s old school in Langley Park.

Staff and pupils are very proud of their association with Sir Bobby, who began his working life as an apprentice electrician down Langley Park Colliery and went on to represent his country as a football player and manager.

Shola Ameobi and Steve Harper both played under Sir Bobby when he was manager of Newcastle United and they paid a surprise visit to the 225-pupil school.

Miss Brennan says: “Sir Bobby is an excellent example of someone who went on to achieve great success through perseverance and effort.  We have a school full of very talented young people and we want to see them go on to achieve success in whatever walk of life they choose.

“We’re extremely grateful to Steve and Shola for taking the time to talk to our pupils.  They were very motivated by their visit, which will live long in the memory.

“I feel sure Sir Bobby would be proud to know his former players had come to his home village to inspire the next generation of pupils at Langley Park Primary School.”

The school has also been remembering Sir Bobby by raising money for the Sir Bobby Robson Foundation and Steve and Shola were pleased to collect a cheque for ?700 on behalf of the north east cancer charity.

After assembly, Steve and Shola visited Year 4 class to talk about their own experiences and how they achieved their ambitions through determination and hard work.

Steve said: “You can tell that the whole of Langley Park is proud of the association with Sir Bobby and rightly so.

“Even kids who are too little to remember him have heard the tales and stories of this local lad growing up, being proud of the area, going on to manage his country and to work at all these fantastic football clubs throughout Europe before coming home and doing well here, too.

“It’s fantastic for them that they have this role model to look up to, to feel proud of and, in turn, they’ve taken a vested interest in raising money for his Foundation, which continues to do vital work.”

Sir Bobby and Lady Elsie launched the Sir Bobby Robson Foundation in 2008 and it has gone on to raise ?4,095,264 to help find more effective treatments for cancer.

It funds projects within the Newcastle upon Tyne Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust that directly benefit cancer patients from across the north east and Cumbria, and which contribute significantly to research into the disease.

It is supported in that aim by committed Patrons including Alan Shearer, Niall Quinn, Steve Gibson, Delia Smith and Mick Mills.

To make a donation, view messages of support, or for more information please visit www.sirbobbyrobsonfoundation.org.uk or donate by sending a cheque to Sir Bobby Robson Foundation, Room 203, Cheviot Court, Freeman Hospital, Newcastle upon Tyne NE7 7DN.

Sir Tom Jones is to perform live on the green, green grass of the Emirates Durham International Cricket Ground on Saturday July 14.

The Welsh legend, who has sold more than 100 million records over a glittering career spanning 46 years, achieved worldwide fame with chart toppers such as It’s Not Unusual and Green, Green Grass of Home.

He still tops the list of online ticket searches, demonstrating that he remains one of the UK’s most sought-after entertainers.

Sir Tom is now a coach on the hit new BBC One show, The Voice, which recorded peak viewing figures of approximately 10 million when it debuted on Saturday 24 March.  His fellow coaches are Will.i.am from the Black Eyed Peas, Danny O’Donoghue from The Script and the multi award-winning Jessie J.

Securing Sir Tom Jones is fantastic news for the cricket ground at Chester-le-Street Riverside as it builds on its growing reputation as a prestigious open air concert venue.  It is expected that the concert will be a sell-out with people travelling from across the north of England.

Durham County Cricket Ground chief executive, David Harker, said: “It’s not unusual for us to attract superstars from the world of sport but we are incredibly excited to welcome a global music superstar to the Emirates Durham ICG.  Sir Tom Jones’ concert will really put us on the cultural map as an iconic venue for fantastic entertainment.”

Tickets for the concert start at just £37.50 and are available from today via:
www.eventim.co.uk or 0844 2491000 or Durham CCC at www.durhamccc.co.uk

Hospitality packages are available from £150 + vat: contact Tom Seymour at Durham County Cricket Club on 0191 3872874

It’s a small crumb of comfort but the average top ISA rate up by 0.20 per cent year on year

And with the start of the new tax year, consumers have the chance to benefit from another year’s ISA allowance and protect their hard earned cash from the tax man.

From April 6th 2012, the ISA limit has been increased to £11,280, of which £5,640 can be saved in a cash ISA.

With average top rates up by 0.20 per cent since last year there is even more reason for consumers to consider how to make the most of their allowance. A comparison of ISA products against non ISA products also shows little difference between rates; however tax payers will reap the reward from tax free benefits offered by ISAs.

In the last couple of days, there have been a number of new ISA bond product launches including the Starter ISA Issue 2 from Nottingham Building Society offering a market leading rate of 5.00 per cent.

In the easy access ISA market there have also been a couple of new launches from the building societies. For example, Nationwide has launched the Flexclusive ISA with a rate of 4.25 per cent. This is only available to new or existing FlexAccount customers.

Kevin Mountford, head of banking at moneysupermarket.com, said: “The start of the new tax year should encourage all those savers who failed to make use of their ISA allowance to make a fresh start this year and ensure any savings they have are in a tax efficient wrapper.

“By thinking about your ISA allowance at the beginning of the year rather than at the end it means you can make the most of protecting your savings from the tax man and help boost your savings pot. Many people will have focused on sorting this year’s allowance rather than transferring their existing pot, so consumers should make it a priority to action this sooner rather than later.

“We have already seen a number of new products come onto the market at the start of the year and it’s encouraging to see rates are creeping up year on year. With rates on ISAs and non ISAs on a par, it’s a no brainer for consumers to make the most of their ISA allowance.
“It’s also important savers who took out an easy access account with a short term bonus to note when the bonus finishes and act to switch. Otherwise, they may well end up on a rate much lower than the leading offers in the market, causing them to miss out on much needed additional interest,” he said.

It was the LP everyone was talking about (I can remember clearly where and when we gathered to hear the first playing) and that included the iconic record sleeve composed by Sir Peter Blake.

The Beatles’ best-selling album of all time, St Pepper’s, was released in 1967 and defined a generation.

The cover featured such icons as Marlene Dietrich, James Dean, Bob Dylan, Marilyn Monroe, Aldous Huxley, Sigmund Freud, Karl Marx and Oscar Wilde. The cardboard cut-outs of the icons seen behind the four band members spanned the world’s of sport, literature, film and music amongst many others.

Now Sir Peter, to mark is 80th birthday, has relooked at the icons for the renowned artwork from 1967 and selected people who have inspired his creative career over the past six decades.

He has selected icons from across the cultural spectrum; featuring pioneering artists, designers, directors, musicians, writers, film stars, fashion designers and chefs, as well as including himself and his own family.

Often referred to as the Godfather of the British pop-art scene in the late Fifties and Sixties, Sir Peter is best known for his artwork on The Beatles’ Grammy Award winning album Sgt Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band. He also designed the cover for the 1984 Band Aid single ‘Do They Know It’s Christmas?’, Paul Weller’s ‘Stanley Road’ album and the 2006 Oasis greatest-hits album ‘Stop the Clocks’.

“I’ve chosen people I admire, great people and some who are dear friends. I had a very long-list of people who I wanted to go in but couldn’t fit everyone in – I think that shows how strong British culture and it’s legacy of the last six decades is,” he said.

Noel Gallagher said of his inclusion: “When they told me I had been chosen I was obviously very chuffed. It’s nice to be recognised by as great an artist as Sir Peter Blake. To be on there with the likes of Vivienne Westwood, Mick Jagger and Paul Weller, just those three people alone, is amazing for me as I wouldn’t put myself up with any of those.”

JK Rowling commented: “Given that I’ve devoted quite a lot of time to gazing at the original Sgt Pepper album cover, you can perhaps imagine what it means to me to be featured.  What an honour.”

And Elvis Costello prominently positioned at the front added: “I always dreamed that I might one day stand in the boots of Albert Stubbins.”

Just for the record here’s a list of the people in the new line up – Agatha Christie – Alexander McQueen – Alfred Hitchcock – Amy Winehouse – Anish Kapoor – Audrey Hepburn – Barbara Hulanicki – Bridget Riley – Chris Corbin – Damien Hirst – Danny Boyle – David Attenborough – David Bailey – David Chipperfield – David Hockney – David Lean – Delia Smith – Elton John – Elvis Costello – Eric Clapton  -Fanny Cradock – Gary Oldman – Gavin Turk – Grayson Perry – Harold Pinter – Helen Mirren – Ian Curtis – Ian Dury  - Jeremy King – JK Rowling – John Hurt – John Peel – Jonathan Ive – Justin de Villeneuve – Kate Moss – Lucien Freud – Lucienne Day – Mark Hix – Martin Parr – Mary McCartney – Mary Quant – Mick Jagger – Monty Python (Foot) – Mr Chow – Nick Park – Noel Gallagher – Norman Foster – Paul McCartney – Paul Smith – Paul Weller  -Peter Saville – Richard Curtis  - Richard Rogers – Rick Stein – Ridley Scott – Roald Dahl – Robin Day – Robyn Hitchcock – Shirley Bassey – Terence Conran – Stella McCartney – Terrance Rattigan – Tim Berners Lee  -Tolkein – Tom Stoppard – Tommy Steele – Tracey Emin – Twiggy – Vidal Sassoon – Vivienne Westwood  -Wreckless Eric.

If you haven’t thought of taking a trip to Belfast, euVue’s theatre critic Seamus Doran‘s nostalgic guide to his home town may change your mind.

Family obligations take me back home regularly and announcing this to my editor Brian prompted the suggestion that I should present an insider’s view into the place I call home, even though I have lived in the North East upwards of 25 years now.

As an honorary Geordie it is my privilege to be your guide.

With the forthcoming opening of the Titanic Belfast being marked by a razzle-dazzle festival (opening March 31) this is an excellent time to visit Belfast for that week end break or holiday that you keep promising yourself.

How to get there?

Easy, by Easy Jet from Newcastle with flights daily. Book early and you will be amazed at the low cost .

At Belfast airport directly outside the exit you can take the airport bus with its very friendly drivers who will whisk you in fifteen minutes to the central bus station just behind The Europa [yes that one from famous long ago headlines].

Service: Airport 300
Cost single £7 return £10.

From the Central Bus Station you are a short taxi or bus ride to nearby accommodation to fit every budget. www.toprooms.com This link will guide you but my tip is if you are staying in the city try a bed and breakfast to get the real flavour of Belfast humour and taste of an epic Ulster fry.

Culture

Belfast has it all.

History Tours. Good prices and fascinating.
www.titanictours-belfast.co.uk
www.belfastsightseeing Visit the places that made the headlines by black taxi. Bob Dylan apparently was seen on this tour !
www.ghostwalkingbelfast.com/history.html
Milltown Cemetery Tour.www.coiste.ie/tours

Churches

On Donegall Street sits Saint Anne’s Cathedral and nearby Saint Patrick’s Church which has on permanent display a masterpiece by Sir John Lavery

Museums
www.nmni.com

The Ulster Museum has everything from Egyptian mummies to dinosaur bones, fossils and breathtaking art.

The work of famous Irish painters such as Paul Henry and Jack Yeats are on display together with work of the greatest English artist of them all Turner [watercolours and an important oil] are always on display.

See a portrait of Nobel prize winner Seamus Heaney in his resplendent youth and the latest in “good modern art”.

Until April take the opportunity to see the Sir John Lavery’s collection of paintings that he gifted to the city of his birth. I know that Lavery has been claimed as one of the Glasgow artists but he was ours first! It was in Belfast that he learnt to paint.

Catch the touring exhibition of ten Leonardo Di Vinci drawings from Windsor Castle in April.

The Ulster Folk Museum and American park – think Beamish Museum with knobs on!

When you are finished there you can walk a short distance to the excellent Ulster Transport Museum. A truly memorable place to visit with a comprehensive collection of historical motor vehicles, trains and The Thomas Edens Osborne [friend of Dunlop] collection of bicycles.

A short distance from there on the Lisburn Road you will find three lovely privately owned art galleries, The Eakin Art Gallerywww.eakingallery.co.uk,The Gormley Fine Art www.gormleys .ie, The Taylor Gallery www.taylorgallery.co.uk

When I was there they featured beautifully presented exhibitions by established artists at affordable prices and easy payment terms.

I was particularly taken with the work of Sarah Longley daughter of distinguished Northern Ireland Poet Michael Longley on show at The Mullan Gallery.www.mullangallery.com

On the Antrim Road a short distance from the city centre you will find The Emer Gallery the hub of the N. Ireland art world. www.emergallery.com

You are greeted by a magnificent sculpture of an Irish wolfhound who stands proudly at the door. The gallery is a showcase for what is hot and upcoming in the figurative and abstract art world. If your visit coincides with an appearance by Michael Flanagan [Gallery founder and legend in Irish art circles] you will be guaranteed a witty and insightful glimpse into what to invest in and stories about the artists themselves. Michael has known them all in his long and colourful career.

As you are on the Antrim Road you should travel a few miles along it to visit the Belfast Zoo which houses a wonderful collection of diverse and happy animals, birds, snakes and insects. With its joyous views over Belfast Lough there is so much that is beautiful and lovely to soak up. Behind you at the Zoo rests The Cave hill with its Napoleon’s nose proudly staring into the Irish Sea.

This day of art and animals can be nicely rounded off with a visit to Belfast Castle with its fine dining and grand views.

Belfast was the birth place of C.S. Lewis of Narnia fame and he and a host of other writers are featured in the walk.www.literarybelfast.org/tours

Night-time you ask?

Where do you go to get some of that Belfast crack?

Try a pint of Guinness in Robinsons or The Crown Bar [opposite the Europa].
A Harp in Kelly’s Cellars [just off Royal Avenue] the oldest licensed premises in Belfast.
A Smithwick’s in the Front Page in Donegall Street  opposite the Irish News newspaper offices.

All have great atmosphere and attract great characters as customers.

For those careless of a budget head for The Culloden Hotel on the Banger Road, Hollywood. The Beatles stayed there on their first Irish Tour and rumour has it that legend Van Morrison is currently in residence recording his new album. which nicely takes us to music.

Traditional and various, The Blackbox offers a wide and classy menu of musical performance and theatre. www.blackboxbelfast.com

“The Waterfront” offers a world-class programme of first class musical performance. The newly refurbished’ Lyric Theatre” offers first class productions at affordable prices. Liam Néeson and Kenneth Branagh call it home!

The John Hewitt pub in Donegall Street [named after a distinguished poet offers Jazz and traditional music [depending on the night]. The collection of beers and lagers on offer will impress even the most discerning palate and add considerably to your by now “relaxed” mood.

Food

Foodies are in for a treat with a stroll around Saint George’s Market, East Bridge Street central Belfast. An Aladdin’s cave of home grown produce with music provided.

Try one of our famous Belfast baps and our sodas and wheaten breads fresh from the oven.
Local oysters and Guinness are simply divine.

Walks

The Lagan walk at Shaw’s Bridge River Lagan [at the top of the Malone Road] is simply one of the best of its kind.

Visit Belfast Castle with its wonderful view down the Lough and if you feel energetic set about climbing The Cave Hill as mentioned – Napoleon’s Nose to the locals [when you see it you will know why].

There is always an ice cream van present to mark the end of your adventure.

Just outside Belfast a visit to the bird sanctuary in Holywood is a lovely way to while away an afternoon. www.rspbBelfast.org.uk

On your way back into Belfast you can pay respects to legendary footballer George Best at his grave in Roselawn cemetery.

In the coming months Belfast is set to mark the anniversary of the Titanic leaving Belfast with the opening of ‘Titanic Belfast,’ a festival which will be the centre piece of a roster of music, film, poetry and performance all across the city.

One event is the showing of the film “A Night to Remember” in the actual yard where the boat was built!

So eat drink and be merry in this rainbow of culture and fun with a visit to Belfast this year.
It is such a short distance away but it feels home in a nicely foreign way.

No Euros and you can still drive on the proper side of the road. Check out www.gotoBelfast.com and plan your trip now.

A world of fun and adventure awaits you!

Austerity, it seems, is good for our health!

Britons are mirroring government austerity measures by cutting back on cigarettes and alcohol – and even becoming vegetarian to save cash.

A study released by savings provider ING Direct shows the sacrifices we are making simply to make ends meet.

As a nation we are smoking 51 million fewer packs of cigarettes, drinking 143 million less pints and eating 75 million fewer take-aways a month.

One in 10 Britons (9 per cent) are even turning vegetarian to save on the weekly shop. This is a direct response to meat price rises and before the latest health warning that red meat is bad for us.

Yet not all of our tactics to save money are quite as selfless. Round-dodging, not tipping at restaurants and giving up charitable donations are among other savings strategies on the ‘skinflint’ agenda this year.

Even our pets are losing out with one in 20 Brits (5 per cent) downgrading the quality of the pet food they buy or reducing the amount they feed their furry friends.

ING Direct CEO Richard Doe said: “People are definitely financially stretched and are doing all they can to save money.

“We know from the ING Direct Consumer Savings Monitor that the ordinary person in the street only has around £1,570 in rainy-day savings so it is not surprising that people are looking to cut corners,” he said.

A North East personal trainer is taking on a mammoth challenge in order to raise money for a cause close to her heart.

Liz Davies, who lives and works in Gosforth is to run 12 marathons this year in the hope of raising £40,000 for Spinal Research.

However, not satisfied with running over 300 miles in planned marathons, Liz has decided to complete the challenge by running her own ‘UltraMarathon’, a 200 mile run from Newcastle to Blackpool, over five days in October.

Liz wanted to do something significant and raise money for Spinal Research, a condition her dad developed two years ago.

George Davies has Cauda Equina Syndrome, a slow and painful neurological condition that may eventually paralyse him from the waist down. The condition is rare and researchers are yet to find a cure.

Liz (pictured with her dad right) said: “Due to my dad’s condition I wanted to take on a task that will raise as much money as possible for Spinal Research so I really had to think outside the box.

“I first thought of doing 12 marathons because I was taking on the challenge in 2012 but as I built up my fitness I decided to get an early start and complete the Anglesey marathon in January, which included running up and down a mountain twice.

“I completed the run in 5 hours and 18 minutes and came 10th out of all the females so I was really happy with that. It inspired me to push myself even further and that’s when I came up with the idea of completing the challenge by running from Newcastle to Blackpool!

“I’d like to thank my sponsors Sue Clark Health & Fitness, UK Credit Services, Perro, Gentle Hands Therapy and Up and Running, because without them this challenge would not be possible and I would not be able to raise money for such a worthwhile cause.”

Liz’s dad added: “I think Liz is crazy but I couldn’t be more proud of her and everything she’s set out to achieve.”

For more information on Liz’s challenge please visit www.lizisrunning.moonfruit.com or to help Liz reach her target of raising £40,000 for Spinal Research please sponsor her at www.justgiving.com/Elizabeth-Davies6.

Just for the record Liz’s marathon menu looks like this:-

January – Anglesey marathon
March – Blackpool marathon, Sussex marathon (coastal trail)
April – Brighton marathon, Greater Manchester marathon
May – Marathon of the North (Sunderland), Brathay marathon
June – Lancaster Castle marathon
July – Lakeland trails marathon
August – Northumberland marathon
September – Loch Ness marathon
October – Kielder marathon