Discover Our Land - the launch

This morning, rather early, I was at the Close House Golf Course for the launch of a Northumberland County Council initiative called Discover Our Land. The aim is to show Northumberland to the rest of the world as a place to live, work, visit and invest.


Business people and tourism providers plus the NHS and Education were all represented.


Here you see the speakers being organised by the official photographer on the balcony overlooking the frozen lake and beyond. It was only -4.5 degrees when I drove from home and there was snow and ice in the car park. I walked very, very gingerly and used my stick, hugely relieved when Arth and I were safely inside!


The speakers were good presenters and the launch was well organised. However, I was beginning to feel as though he buzz words were embedded in my brain by the end. "Power", "Passion", "Ambition" and "Focus" were four of them.


Had I heard some of this stuff before? Where is source of money to run the campaign. Was I being a killjoy (Just in my head of course).


In the panel discussion, the speakers were joined by Sir John Hall, local businessman and former chairman of Newcastle United. As he was helped onto the stage, he muttered, "getting old is no fun, you know"!


He then proceeded to challenge all the rest of the panel. "I've heard all this before", "We have failed" in previous projects. Brilliant stuff, although he spoilt it with an idea to invite Donald Trump to Hadrian's Wall.


The team is looking for people who have stories to tell, so I've offered them the success story of Haltwhistle Walking Festival, the only one left standing/walking in Northumberland and run entirely by volunteers. 


Lots to think about. By the way, Northumberland is a brilliant county and we would love more people to come and share in it.