The North(ish) Lass

Explore the North.

Category: News

  • New Transformation Project at Walltown

    New Transformation Project at Walltown

    Opposite the wonderful Roman Army Museum on Hadrian’s Wall, an exciting new project is in the offing. The ‘Walltown Wider Horizons Project’ aims to transform the seventeen hectare site of a former quarry and countryside park, found just outside of Haltwhistle, into a lively yet sympathetic tourist attraction for visitors to the area.

    Key aims of the project are strengthen the connection of the local and visiting population with the incredible landscape, and to raise awareness of issues that are facing Northumberland National Park alongside the wildlife and communities that call it home. The project aims to make the park fully accessible to people of all needs, abilities, and ages, and is being delivered – in this stage at least – by Glenkemp Landscape Architects, the architects who were responsible for the building of The Sill.

    Jonny Gios on Unsplash

    I visited during the very first stages of the consultation of the project when it was occurring at The Sill a couple of weeks ago. This consultation aimed to capture the community and visitors thoughts and comments about the beginning of the project, and what they would like to see as outcomes of the project. Visitors were invited to put stickers on things they would like to see, as well as leave voice notes and memos about what the National Park meant to them when they were visiting. The artist, Charlie Whinney, who was behind the ‘Coming Home’ installation and exhibition following the illegal felling of the tree at Sycamore Gap, is also involved in the project.

    For my part, I chose that I would like to see areas that are truly wild and have a deep connection with nature; places where it feels totally natural and away from the buzz of it all, such as forest bathing, bird hides, and places to observe the dark skies at night. But that is just what I would like from such a project, and I know that that is not what would suit everybody – some people will inevitably want a much more family-friendly attraction, with elements that will keep children amused when visiting. I hope that they can come to a decent mix, satisfying both elements (and more!) without jeopardising the satisfaction of either.

    Either way, this is a project that is just at it’s very beginning, and I imagine it will be many years before it comes to complete fruition. I look forward to following along with the progress of the project and seeing how it goes!

  • Local Business Owner Invited to House of Lords

    Local Business Owner Invited to House of Lords

    Gayle Foster, the owner of Vintage by the Tower in Corbridge, has been invited to the House of Lords as part of Small Business Britain. Gail has been dedicated to increasing the sustainability of her business, whilst also learning more about the environmental impact of running a small business, by taking additional classes.

    As any regular readers of mine know, I’m really interested in sustainability, particularly when it comes to clothing, so it’s really exciting to find more business owners dedicated to increasing their sustainability. I love vintage clothing, and preloved clothing, because you can find items that are going to last and last and last, rather than be just thrown away after a few wears, or when a minor repair is needed.

    Anyway, congratulations to Gail for the recognition of her hard work, and I hope she has a great time down in London!

  • Happy New Year from The Northish Lass!

    Happy New Year from The Northish Lass!

    It’s 2026 and I hope you all had a wonderful holiday period, and a lovely New Year, whatever that might have looked like for yourself and your friends and family!

    For myself, I had a relatively quiet Christmas, only having two days off from my other life in which I have to go out to work for a living. So, with those two days, me and my small family just spent the time at home, enjoying a little bit of downtime and TLC.

    I did manage to get some Northern things into my festivities though, with a trip to the Lancaster Grand to see the Pantomime (which this year was Snow White), and then celebrating New Year’s Eve at the Old School Brewery, a local Lancashire small brewery on the edge of the Lake District.

    As for things like “resolutions,” I didn’t definitively set any this year. Not because I’m a sceptic of that sort of thing particularly, but just because I couldn’t pinpoint anything discrete. The only thing I did say is that I’d like to explore more in our wonderful countryside, and write more, finding the time to really grow The Northish Lass – I hope you’ll join me on that journey!

    Anyway, whatever the beginning of 2026 looks like for you, I hope you have a wonderful year ahead, filled with good food, good friends, and excellent happenings!

  • First Saplings from Sycamore Gap Planted

    First Saplings from Sycamore Gap Planted

    I don’t know about you, but I remember where I was when I heard that the tree at Sycamore Gap had been felled. It was a few weeks after my thirtieth birthday (September) and I was at Chester Zoo. It seems odd, because it wasn’t a cataclysmic event, nobody died, and yet it was something that shook the nation, created news stories internationally (I had friends overseas messaging me, asking me why this particular tree was so significant, and why they were seeing it on their news), and had people talking here for months afterwards. I’d only walked that section of the wall a few months before, when I’d been staying at Hideaway Huts in the June of that year, and had fondly taken pictures of the tree before wandering off, confidently thinking “I’ll be back soon.” Turns out it’ll be a decade or two before I’ll be able to see such a thing in that location again, and I wasn’t the only one deeply upset by that fact.

    Because the Sycamore at Sycamore Gap was more than a tree. It was a symbol of Northumberland, and one of the iconic images of the UK. Standing between two steep hills with the spine of Hadrian’s Wall winding it’s way down the middle, the Sycamore (and the tiny offshoot next to it) stood as lone guardians of the Gap. People visited here from across the UK and around the world because of its extremely beautiful situation and because of its iconic status, and the tree became a place where people got engaged, where families bonded, where ashes were spread, and where memories were made. It was also famously featured in Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves with Kevin Costner and Morgan Freeman. Despite the tree being conspicuously nowhere near Nottinghamshire, that film introduced Sycamore Gap to the world.

    Marc McGill on Unsplash

    After it was felled people were shocked. It felt like a friend had been taken from us. Why would anyone do such a thing to a gentle giant? Apparently, because they could and they thought it would be funny. I’m not going to waste many pixels or brain space on the idiots who did it, suffice to say that they were caught and charged, and ended up in prison. Good.

    But there is hope.

    Since the tree was felled, offcuts from the felled monarch were taken by the National Trust and by Northumberland National Park, and propagated to create hundreds of Sycamore saplings, all related to that mother tree. Naturally occurring saplings are also shooting where the tree once stood. Communities pulled together and it was decided by local public decision that the main pieces of the felled tree would become art installations, the largest piece ending up at The Sill in an exhibition entitled Sycamore Gap: Coming Home. Many people contributed memories to the exhibition, writing about what the Gap had meant to them. Local schools were also involved in making art to be situated alongside the professional photographs and art that were commissioned to commemorate the tree.

    Clement Proust on Unsplash

    Beyond the art exhibitions, there is even more good news. The first of the propagated saplings have now been planted outside of their careful nursery environment. Two saplings have gone to Coventry and Staffordshire, whilst others are soon to be planted in Cambridge, Hexham, Leeds, Berkshire, Sunderland, and County Tyrone. Eventually, there will be forty-nine locations for saplings, chosen from over five hundred applications that were made.

    “There are always good things worth fighting for, even after something so senseless” – Hilary McGrady, director general of the National Trust.

    These saplings will become notable features at various charity and community centres around the country. These include the Rob Burrow Centre for MND in Leeds, the charity Veterans in Crisis in Sunderland, and in each of the UK’s National Parks (15 in total), which will be planted in early 2026.

    It might be extremely literal, but I think this is a brilliant example of how hope, community effort, art, creativity, and determined spirit can be pulled from the wreckage of something senseless and shocking. I, for one, am looking forward to seeing these sturdy trees flourish and for Sycamore Gap to be once again back to its former glory.

  • Good Northern News!

    Good Northern News!

    Sometimes it can feel like everywhere we turn there’s bad news to be read or heard, so I decided that I was going to spread a little bit of the good things that are happening as well. Whether it’s community groups, charity, or larger environmental/governmental good things, I wanted to push out some of the positive things happening in our Northern Community. In that vein, here are four good news stories that caught my eye…

    £20M secured for Morecambe’s West End over the next decade.

    Local MP for Morecambe and Lunesdale, Lizzi Collinge (Labour), announced this week that she has managed to secure £20M of the Pride In Place (Plan for Your Neighbourhoods) fund, made available by the government, for investment in Morecambe’s West End.

    The area will receive £2M per year for the next decade and be administered by a board of locals.

    Morecambe’s West End was once a booming area of independent shops, businesses, B&Bs etc. and whilst plenty of people have strived to maintain their own businesses, it is great to see investment coming in for the area as a whole. I’m excited to see what projects the money is spent on!

    Long Term Resident Adopted at Lancaster Animal Care

    Lancaster Animal Care has been looking after animals since 1978, taking care of unwanted and abandoned animals across the North-West. They predominately look after cats, dogs, rabbits, rodents, and guinea pigs, although when you go up to the centre you might meet their three resident goats, or their turkey, Twitch.

    But aside from that, in excellent news, their longest resident – Trevor – has been adopted after seven years in the care of the Centre. Trevor is a tri-pawed (three legged) lurcher who is loving life relaxing on sofas, and going for relaxed walks with his new human. Yay, Trevor! I hope you have a wonderful life in your forever home. <3

    If you are in a position to think about rehoming an animal, and it is a (huge) responsibility you are prepared to take on, you can see the animals available for rehoming on their website for more information.

    St John’s Hospice to Host “Jail and Bail” Fundraising Event at Lancaster Castle

    On October 22nd, St John’s Hospice will be hosting a Jail and Bail event at Lancaster Castle, where you have the opportunity to get your own back on your boss for scheduling that Friday afternoon meeting-that-could-have-been-an-email. This pantomime tongue-in-cheek event will be held in the centuries old jail cells at Lancaster Castle, where participants will have to rely on co-workers, teammates, friends and families, in order to raise the £999 “bail” money.

    The prisoner will be issued with a prisoner’s outfit, and have their mugshot taken, before being taken to the A Wing of the Castle to begin the fundraising challenge. All the money will go to St John’s Hospice, a charity that supports people with life limiting illness and their families.

    The event is being sponsored by Atkinson’s Coffee.

    Music Festival Held at Local Pub Raises Thousands for Mental Health Charity

    A Music Festival held at the George & the Dragon pub in Lancaster, has raised £2330 for Positive Futures. The event took place over six days in August and involved music, a quiz, and a raffle. The money is going to be used to help get resources to those who are considering taking their own lives due to mental health issues, and might help them choose an alternative action in a moment of crisis.

    6m Mural of Georgia Stanway Unveiled in Barrow-In-Furness

    A six metre of the 2* Euro-Winning Lioness Georgia Stanway has been unveiled in her hometown of Barrow In Furness, celebrating her and the rest of the team. I wrote an article about Georgia Stanway following the Lionesses win in July, and how she reached the England squad and her links to her hometown.

    Do you have a good news story you’d like me to feature? Send an email to bryony@thenorthishlass.co.uk so I can feature it in a future good news post!

  • Northish Lass: Georgia Stanway

    Northish Lass: Georgia Stanway

    I’ve been watching the nail biting group stages of the this year’s Euro’s 2025. It’s been high drama so far – England’s Lionesses lost the first match to France 2-1 (after a Russo goal was declared offside by a sliver of an inch), the first championship defending side to lose the opening match at the subsequent tournament. So that was a big blow to begin with, but then the team rallied in spectacular form and went on to defeat the Netherlands 4-0, and then play a Home Countries match against Wales, where England won 6-1 to advance out of the group stages.

    “This was about showing who we are […] we fought from the very first minute until the very last” – Stanway on England’s victory over the Netherlands following the defeat against France.

    As the Lionesses are through to the quarter-finals of the Euros 2025, and are set to play Sweden on Thursday night, I thought it would be a good time to take a look at a player from just down the road: Georgia Stanway. Stanway plays in midfield for the Lionesses, and is known for her quick runs, aggressive tackles (which sometimes get her into trouble!), and – when she gets the opportunity – some spectacular sharp shooting.

    Stanway was born in Barrow-In-Furness in 1999, and began her football career young. She was one of four siblings, with three brothers, started playing football because that was what they did, at age 3 training with JP (her older brother) in an under-7 team.

    “I don’t think [parents] realised what I was like and that I was going to kick a few shins and cause a few problems.” – Georgia Stanway

    She continued playing for Furness Rovers Boys team until she was 13, as well as also playing county cricket for Cumbria at under-13 and under-17 level. She’s said that she came from a sporty family, and it was taken for granted that she would play some kind of sport, whatever it was, but that it was football that she fell in love with.

    She was then selected for the newly created England Schoolgirls under-15 international squad, and was the only player to score in all of their matches, as well as joining Blackburn’s centre of excellence after badgering her parents to take her. This was a 145 mile around trip that was made at least three times a week. Stanway talks about how grateful she is to her parents for doing this for her, as it was such a time commitment from them as they both worked full time.

    At club level, age 16 and after taking her GCSE’s, Georgia signed to Manchester City and moved to Manchester, staying with a host family. She stayed with City for seven years, but most recently she has signed to Bayern-Munich, where she will stay until at least 2026.

    In International Football, in June 2022 she was included in the England squad which went on to win the UEFA Women’s Euro 2022, scoring the winner in England’s 2-1 win over Spain in the quarter finals. Stanway played 89 minutes in the final with Germany, which saw England win 2-1 after extra time. She was selected for the UEFA Women’s Euro 2025 squad, despite suffering a knee injury in the previous season, which limited her minutes leading up to the tournament.

    Women’s football has been going from strength to strength, bringing in ever larger crowds and (thankfully) larger pay packets for the players. It’s nowhere near on parity with men’s football as yet, but as the profile of the women’s game continues to grow (the current tournament is being aired on BBC 1&2 and ITV 1, something that would have been unheard of even five years ago), hopefully these talented ladies, Georgia from Cumbria included, will get the profile and remuneration they deserve. As for me, I’ll be avidly watching the game on Thursday night against Sweden, and hoping that we can do the double and walk away with the title in a few matches time!

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