A pioneering scheme has been launched in Northumberland to tackle the massive downturn in the number of young people seeking careers in agriculture and forestry.
A new Arable Traineeship scheme - the first of its kind in the UK - has been launched by LandSkills North East, working with the North Northumberland Agricultural Training Association.
Landskills North East trainee Tom Sim and farmer Richard Maccallister
This month, 10 unemployed young people are now back into training and employment thanks to the scheme, and for the next 12 months they will complete a hands-on practical training programme with local arable businesses, resulting in a level-two diploma in work-based agriculture.
A grant of £62,700 was awarded to Northumberland yesterday to help protect homes from flooding.
The grant scheme is part of the Government's response to Sir Michael Pitt's review of the 2007 floods.
Nationally, £2.6m was allocated to 34 schemes in areas at high risk of flooding, enabling 532 households to benefit from practical flood protection solutions, such as air bricks covers, storm porches, door guards and flood boards.
An award-winning apprentice is walking in his father's footsteps by building his own house from scratch.
Gareth Moor, 26, helped his father build their family home on Hepscott Road, Morpeth, when he was just 12.
Now, 14 years on, he is coming to the end of construction on his new £250,000 bungalow in Elsdon which he and his dad started almost two years ago.
People living in Rothbury and the surrounding area can read about a local lad discussing his life in this coming week's Journal Extra.
Jon Monks, who runs Shepherds Walks guided hiking company, will be talking about life in the Rothbury area in the 'Why I Love Northumberland' feature of Journal Extra, out tomorrow.
Given his job, Jon has a great knowledge of the county and the feature will reveal his favourite views, pubs and buildings, accompanied by some great pictures of our wonderful county.
A council has set up a new county-wide play partnership to further work that has already been praised by the Government's national organisation which deals with children's play.
Play England has praised Northumberland County Council for its effective community-led approach.
This has coincided with the announcement of the council's latest funding award of £441,000 towards the development of 13 play spaces for children in the county, as well as the establishment of a new partnership 'Northumberland Play'.
The National Trust is taking its cue from a tycoon's billiard room as it adopts a new
and more relaxed attitude to visitors.
Rope barriers and "do not touch" signs will be history in some parts of trust properties in the North East as the new season begins.
From left: Katherine Williamson, Holly Rutherford and Alex Riddell enjoy the snooker at Cragside
At Cragside mansion in Northumberland, the billiard room which was a sanctuary for industrialist Lord Armstrong and where he no doubt sealed a few deals with business guests will be one area where the new approach will be in evidence.
Government rulings which turned down two rural wind farm developments could give planners in the region greater authority to refuse future inappropriate proposals.
Officers at Northumberland County Council said the rejection of the schemes would have implications for future applications in the area.
In a report to go before the council tomorrow, they also raise hopes the decision will force developers to acknowledge the need to protect the county's historic environment when shaping schemes.
Fire investigators will today continue investigating the cause of a blaze which destroyed a popular guest house.
Firefighters from across Northumberland descended on the small village of Swarland, about four miles south of Alnwick, last night to tackle a massive blaze which destroyed the Birchwood House bed and breakfast.
At the height of the blaze 27 firefighters from five stations tried to fight back the flames.
A last minute promise of extra cash for Northumberland's crumbling roads and a climbdown on spending cuts in care of the elderly was enough to avoid a potential council budget crisis last night.
The 11th-hour package of concessions by County Hall leaders enabled the unitary authority to finally agree its 2010/11 budget plans, with just four days to spare.
The agreement averted the risk of the council failing to set a legal budget in the required timescale, and the threat of Government-appointed commissioners being sent in to do the job.
Jobseekers and those looking to start their own business can get more help after an employment service opened on their doorstep.
Following its success in helping people in the Glendale area find employment and start their own businesses, the Wooler Work Web is expanding the project to cover a wider area.
Gemma Douglas of the Glendale Gateway Trust
The Coquetdale and Whittingham Vale Work Web will launch on Wednesday March 3 to help people with work queries.
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Journal Extra, Northumberland's free weekly, is inside copies of The Journal across the county every Thursday, and can also be picked up from these locations around Rothbury »
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