WOOLSINGTON DAD GOES AN EXTRA 1000 MILES FOR CHARITY

WOOLSINGTON dad of two, Martin Cowell is set to complete a challenge of a lifetime to mark his 40^th birthday by cycling unsupported from John O'Groats to Land’s End in aid of the North East Children’s Charity Heel & Toe.

Starting on Friday June 28 2013, Martin aims to complete his gruelling journey in just eight days, finishing in time to celebrate his 40^th birthday.

Martin, who works for his family-run business Cowell’s Garden Centre, aims to raise £5,000 by completing the End 2 End cycle challenge for the Heel & Toe Children’s Charity.

The Durham-based organisation provides free conductive education to children suffering from Cerebral Palsy and other physical disabilities, and is a cause close to Martin’s heart after seeing how his daughter Macey, 10, has benefitted from its work.

Martin said: “As a family we have witnessed first-hand the fantastic work that Heel & Toe do to support children throughout the region. I wanted to do something really special to mark my 40^th birthday and I couldn’t think of a better way to give back to the organisation which has made such a difference to my daughter’s life. 

“I know this isn’t going to be easy - to start at one end of the UK and get to the other end in only eight days is quite a challenge, especially when most riders take around 14 days and that’s with support.  But I’m confident I’ll succeed and I’ll just have to keep reminding myself why I’m doing it – Heel & Toe is a truly marvellous charity.

“I am grateful for any donations, however big or small, and would like to thank everyone who has donated so far, particularly the Strawberry Foundation based at The Strawberry Pub, Newcastle which has kindly contributed £500.”

By visiting Heel & Toe’s weekly group sessions Macey’s confidence has grown dramatically as she has receives support with everyday practical skills which has helped to improve her interaction with others, coordination and balance. 

Martin, who also has an eight-year-old son Finley, began his training in November 2012 and has currently cycled 3 back-to-back 120 miles in final preparation for his challenge. He has set up a blog to log all of his training efforts which will be used throughout the eight day ride to track his progress.

To support Martin’s End 2 End cycle challenge in aid of Heel & Toe Children’s Charity, donations should be registered via his Just Giving page www.justgiving.com/GeordieJogle or TEXT - DAFT50 £5 to 70070.

To follow Martin as he completes his training and during his challenge, visit his blog http://geordiejogle.blogspot.co.uk/p/blog-page_21.html

FAMILY FIRM CLIMBS TO NEW HEIGHTS

NORTHUMBERLAND family business Gustharts has invested in a brand new 3500 sq ft flagship showroom, which will also offer an additional 3000 sq ft of storage space, on Blagdon Estate to handle the growing demand for its garden power tools and range of equipment for professional users. 

Established in 1985, Gustharts sells equipment to gardeners as well as those working in the woodland, landscape and arborist (tree surgeon) trades. A major Dealer in the STIHL and VIKING product ranges, Gustharts sells everything from chainsaws to hedge-trimmers, multi-tools and lawn mowers to protective clothing.

2012 was the best year to date for the family firm run by Rob Gusthart and his brother-in-law Michael and nephew Phillip Mitchell. The company grew turnover by 15 percent to bypass the £1m mark in the last 12 months, and despite the poor UK weather, April 2013 was their best ever month in the history of the business.

In 2001 they introduced climbing kit for arborists when one customer asked for a single harness and now Gustharts is the biggest specialist tree-climbing equipment supplier in the North, also supplying many colleges across the UK.  Their specialist tree-climbing equipment also gets sent to EEC countries, with some internet sales travelling as far as New Zealand and Australia.

A need for more space for storage and good quality display space for demonstrations led Gustharts to double its space at Blagdon Estate with a brand new showroom and workshop built by the estate owner, Lord Ridley, with Gustharts subsequently investing £120,000 in a state-of-the-art shop fit and green IT equipment.

The new showroom is located adjacent to Gustharts’ former site on Blagdon Estate, but the new enhanced two-storey 6500 sq ft layout has almost doubled their space.

Rob Gusthart said: “Now we have the bigger showroom customer equipment demos are much easier and people are browsing or just popping in to look round, as opposed to before in our smaller workshop when we didn't have much passing trade.

“We have even got a 20 foot tree in the centre of the showroom to try out harnesses and in the summer we’re hoping to take customers outside onto the Blagdon Estate to test equipment too.”

The investment in green IT facilities was handled by EastQuayIT who installed a special ‘veryPC’ server that is designed to consume less power and a number of ‘veryPCs’ at the new premises. Built using a unique chassis which comprises 100 percent aluminum sourced from renewable and geothermal resources, the PCs are engineered for Low Power Consumption with Eco Power Management and consume around 80 percent less power than a typical PC. 

Ian Fraser, director at EastQuayIT, added: “EastQuayIT is happy to be working with Gustharts and to be helping the family firm further develop its green credentials following its recent move, by reducing power consumption and incorporating recyclable equipment into its IT infrastructure.”

The company was established on 4^th November 1985 as Gustharts Chainsaw Centre and coincidentally moved into its brand new showroom on the same day (4^th November) last year. Marking the official opening recently was Lord Ridley and managing director of STIHL GB, Robin Lennie.

Gustharts is one of the first STIHL Dealerships in Britain to benefit from both its smart showroom fit-out and a bespoke workshop facility, making it a flagship Dealer for the German firm. 

Speaking at the opening ceremony, STIHL GB’s Robin Lennie paid tribute to the Gustharts family business which has been a STIHL Dealer for more than 27 years: “Gustharts has long been a top quality STIHL Dealer. They are a pleasure to work with and give excellent customer service, reliable technical support as well as sound advice to their customers. On behalf of all at STIHL, I congratulate them on this new flagship premises, which clearly reflects their quality and scale. We wish them all the very best for long-term and continuing success.” 

Gustharts took on its first employee 15 years ago, and now has nine staff which it hopes to grow considerably in the next few years.

For further information on Gustharts visit www.gustharts.com.

New business group enters debate on Ponteland green belt housing row

BUSINESS people in a sought- after North East community are being asked for their views on controversial housing plans in the hope of providing support for the plans.

Public protests have been held against plans to build 780 new homes at Ponteland and Darras Hall, which campaigners claim will destroy protected green belt land surrounding the upmarket community.

Now a new business-led organisation has been launched in a bid to provide some “balance” in what some see as a one-sided debate, dominated by green belt campaigners.

The Ponteland Business Network (PBN) will hold its inaugural meeting next week in a bid to gauge the opinion of local business people about the housing development plans being proposed by the Lugano Group and Banks Developments.

Yesterday, PBN founder Matt Gray, who owns Ponteland carpet and flooring business Bonner and White, said he can see significant benefits coming from the controversial projects, and wants to know if others share his views.

The Tyneside-based Lugano Group wants to build 280 homes at Birney Hill in a £96m development, which it says will create 672 construction jobs and a further 228 in the region.

Lugano, which owns the 2,500-acre Dissington Estate at Ponteland, says its scheme will pump £4.4m into the local economy and has promised a community benefits package totaling £16m if it goes ahead.

At the same time, Banks Developments is working on plans for 500 homes at Clickemin Farm, east of Ponteland.

Two months ago, more than 300 supporters of the Ponteland Green Belt Group handed out 5,000 information packs to local homes in support of its campaign against the building plans.

The group – which last week claimed Lugano is “more interested in profit margins than job creation” – has also staged a demonstration outside a public exhibition of the company’s plans. Hexham MP Guy Opperman and local Conservative county councillors are also hostile to the plans.

Yesterday, Mr Gray said the PBN has been set up to give the hundreds of local business people in the area more of a voice. He said the proposed redevelopment of Ponteland’s Merton Way shopping centre appears to be going nowhere, and there is a need for new investment in the community, and a boost for local business.

He said: “I believe the green belt views need to be balanced a bit because there has been huge amounts of negativity. Lugano is talking about £16m for the community and that is more than anyone else is putting on the table. It could be used to improve roads, sewage systems, transport and infrastructure.

“On the whole, I think these development proposals are pretty good and a positive thing, but I’m only one businessman. Our inaugural meeting will allow us to find out how other businesses view these developments.”

The meeting – which is by invitation only and limited to 120 attendees – will be held in Ponteland Memorial Hall on April 26, when representatives of development company Arch and the North East Chamber of Commerce will be in attendance.

Source: Journal Live 

Cowells garden centre recognised as UK's best in national awards

Martin and Jane Cowell with parents Mavis and Alan Cowell.

The Cowell Family; father Alan, daughter Jane, mother Mavis

One of the last remaining independent garden centres in the North East has once again been named the UK’s best, after topping two categories in a national awards programme for the second-year running. 

Family-run Cowell’s Garden Centre in Woolsington has been named ‘Garden Centre of the Year 2012’ by industry body the Garden Centre Association (GCA), following a judge’s rigorous inspection visit. 

Martin Cowell of Cowell’s Garden Centre said: “We are delighted to have won such a prestigious award from our industry trade body that recognises Cowell’s Garden Centre as a continuing centre of excellence.  Our staff work hard to make the centre a place for amateur and professional gardeners to access the widest selections of plants and gardening products and we are proud to be flying the flag for the region as a North East Garden Centre with a leading national reputation.”

Cowell’s Garden Centre employs over 50 full and part time staff from its base in Woolsington Village, near Newcastle Airport.  Staff range from garden enthusiasts to trained horticulturalists and the GCA award recognises the significant involvement of the team in contributing to the success of the business.  The GCA singled out Cowell’s as a national leader thanks to its plant-oriented focus to meet the needs of its well- established and loyal customer base  

Originally opening its doors in 1978, Cowell’s is one of the few remaining independent garden centres in the region and prides itself on the breadth and variety of its plant selection, as well as giftware and garden furniture.   The extensive range of plants available led to a second recent award from the GCA, the ‘Ruxley Rose Plant Area 2012’ award in acknowledgement of the quality and choice of plants on offer.  

Jane Cowell continues: “The gardening sector is very buoyant at present, in part thanks to strong demand for grow-your-own fruit and vegetables, which is encouraging more amateur gardeners to create at-home vegetable patches or herb gardens.  In addition to our more everyday plants, we also source specialist stock internationally and have just renewed our partnership with a European-based nursery.  This exclusive partnership offers North East customers access to the type of niche plant collections which truly set us apart as a garden centre focussed on offering only the very best to the everyday horticulturalist.”

“Winning recognition from the GCA has been a great way to kick-off the spring gardening season and we look forward to welcoming customers to view our 2012 range in our award-winning centre.”

NEIL MACKLEY SELLS OPTICIANS BUSINESS

Mackley & Studdert has been the name of the opticians in the village as long as most of us can remember.  Neil Mackley took over from an ailing Mr Studdert in 1979 but kept the name and expanded his premises, from upstairs in the Westminster Bank building to the ground floor corner of Main Street and Brewery Lane.  Neil has gazed into the eyes of many Ponteland residents but he decided it was time to go into semi-retirement and he has sold the business to another optician in the village, Geoff Steven of Merton Way.  He will however continue to work part-time, three days a week, for Steven who has moved into the Main Street premises.

At the age of 62 years Neil says he will find more time for Rotary activities, practice his bowling and go off travelling with his wife Mary.  She has been very helpful at looking after the upkeep of the premises and making sure everything was in working order.  We wish them both well.

Ponteland butcher AC Snaith to close after 180 years

A TRADITIONAL butcher’s shop which has been trading for almost 180 years is closing down after its owner decided to give up his uphill battle against supermarket competition.
The shop in West Road, Ponteland, Northumberland, has been serving customers their meat since being established in 1831, and has traded for the last 89 years as AC Snaith.
Apart from a couple of historic pubs, it is the oldest surviving business in the village.

Now owner Rob Grant, 26, has reluctantly sold up and will close his doors for the last time this weekend, after concluding that there is no viable future for the business.
Fierce competition from supermarket rivals, changes in the way people buy and cook meat and a growing reluctance to support the smaller retailer have all been blamed for the demise of the 179-year-old tradition.
Mr Grant, a former speedway rider with the Newcastle Diamonds, got involved with the shop six years ago and has owned and run it for the last three.
Yesterday he said the opening of a nearby Waitrose supermarket last year had resulted in a slump in trade, and led him to the decision to sell up and try to return to his former profession.
“People’s way of living has changed and they don’t tend to use traditional small shops like they used to now. Things have deteriorated over the last two years and the Waitrose supermarket, 200 yards down the road, has caused horrific problems. People just park there and do all their shopping in one go.
“It is just impossible for us to compete with them, especially on a Saturday when they reduce their stuff to clear it. Also, if I’m being truthful, I don’t think people know how to cook, or want to, these days.It is more convenient to just microwave things.
“It is a sad state of affairs that such a well established business as this is closing, when people used to travel here from miles around and our sausages used to go all over the world at one time.
“I’m not happy about closing but it is the way it has got to be. If I was to continue, the consequences would be catastrophic, because I just see it continuing to deteriorate.”
Mr Grant, who joined the Newcastle Diamonds when he was 16, says he will now try to re-establish his speedway career and hopes to ride again.
Source: JournalLive

Egg-laying hens on sale at Dobbies

Families with a taste for the 'good life' can now combine fruit and veg growing with producing their own eggs by visiting two garden centres in the North East.
Dobbies centres in Ponteland and Birtley have started selling egg-laying hens after a trial in six of its stores.

Hens are now on sale at 15 of Dobbies' 25 stores, after 1,000 were sold during the trial, allowing people to create the ultimate green supply chain of fresh eggs straight from garden to breakfast table.
Chicken coops have also entered Dobbies' top 20 best selling lines.
The company has also reported a 27% increase in May in sales of grow your own fruit and vegetables, which it claims is further evidence that a major trend towards self-sufficiency looks set to stay.
Source: Journal Live