Suddenly . . . everything!

As if the Easter weekend were the dam holding back the waters of activity, this week has flung open the sluice gates and there are things galore to be doing, starting, participating in, enjoying, throughout the Allen Valleys.

It’s more than a single diary item, mentioning just one activity, could do credit to, since it’s a veritable dam-burst (by mighty effort, the cliché stays the same!) of exciting stuff for everyone, and you have to wade (erhhm, scroll) through what feels like dozens of items on Allendale area notices from the last couple of days alone! Although the diary is not meant to be an announcement board, the sheer number of activities on offer is remarkable; this list gives a flavour of the flood-flow of things to do:

• There’s the Ballroom Dancing sessions starting up at Catton Village Hall, with a free taster experience on offer yesterday evening already
• There’s the two day residency in modern dance with the Phoenix Dance Company, at Queen Elizabeth `High School, culminating in a performance at Allendale Village Hall on Friday the 7th of June
• Higher Ground is hosting a Sunflower Growing Competition (assessment 1st September) with starter kits available from the site for only £2 and special prizes for children and adults categories
• Next week the official Junior Cricket season starts, with Thursday training nights: (Under 8s: 5:15-6:00pm; Under 9s 6:00-7:00pm; Under 11s: 6:00-7:30pm; Under 13s: 6:00-7:30pm)
• Susie White will be talking about Wildlife-Supporting Gardens on Tuesday the 7th of May at 7pm at Sinderhope Community Centre on behalf of the Allen Valleys Wildlife Group
• No doubt the Allendale ‘May Fair’ preparations are in full swing for the second May Bank Holiday Weekend
• Catton Village Hall Fair is also announced for the 22nd of June
• The Allen Valleys Local History Group are hosting a talk about the history of Barney Crag at Carrshields, on Tuesday the 30th of April at 7:30pm at Sinderhope Community Centre
• The Dales Garden Society holds its annual Plant Fair on Saturday 4th May 9:30-2:30 at Allendale Village Hall
• Allendale Village Hall’s AGM has come and gone, but the trustees are still eager to recruit younger members with fresh ideas for even younger folks, and hope to chat with prospective volunteers at Monday’s ‘Antiques Valuation’ session on the 29th April in the hall
• St. Cuthbert’s monthly coffee morning is held this Saturday the 27th in the Church Hall, hosted by Shirley Brown
• Year 1 kids- Allendale FC have an FA qualified coach for the age group and will be holding taster sessions for 4 weeks starting Friday 26th April 5:15pm.
• Saturday 11th May Higher Ground hosts a Volunteer Day from 10am at the Pond & Picnic Area on site . . . lots of frogs!
• BaynesTravel are advising of a few availabilities on their day-trip to Rothbury & Cragside, Wednesday 29th May: Rothbury for coffee then onto this truly magnificent Victorian house steeped in history. Take a stroll through the beautifully landscaped gardens or treat yourself to a delicious treat in the tea room.
• Allendale Forge Studios are offering monthly taster sessions in lots of different arts and crafts activities, of which the next one is a Needle Felting workshop with Julia Neubauer from 2-4pm 11th May

Many of these activities, or the groups promoting them, have been discussed already in the diary, of course, but in addition to these things, there’s regular life too! School’s back, the serious spring gardening effort is in full swing, work life goes on after the Bank Holiday weekend, and grandparents are relaxing after the friendly onslaught of the extended family.

And the diary entries must keep moving along too! In just a few days time (May 3rd, to be precise) fully 1/3 of the year will have passed by already, and that’s another milestone for a check on whether the ‘book of the blog’ will fit into the maximum number of pages offered by the friendly ‘Books2print’ folks. There are, still! so many groups, tradespeople, entities, individuals, events, activities, left to write about, so we can hope there will be enough space to fit everybody in!