However, County Hall bosses have reassured the sector that a funding package of £1.3m will still be available next year. Budget proposals recommend more money for charities directly supporting those people worst affected by the recession.

These will include services such as credit unions and the Citizens' Advice Bureau.

Newly-opened state-of-the- art training facilities at Wentworth Leisure in Hexham have enabled club officials to accommodate the ever-growing demand for new memberships, with numbers rising to more than 200 during 2009.

One Life athletes have also been enjoying remarkable success on a regional, national as well as international level, with four senior members being crowned national champions in their respective age groups.

Volunteers are launching a new project where Northumbrians can buy shares in the community group.

As reported in Journal Extra in August, former members of Tynedale FM decided to set up their own multimedia group to attract film and TV crews.

The Haltwhistle Friends have done everything from footpath repair to tree planting as part of their regular rambles through the Bellister Estate over the past five years.

Haltwhistle Friends, (left to right) Ian Walton, Raymond Walton and Tony Miller taking pictures near Haltwhistle

By snapping themselves in action, they have become one of the first North East entries in a national campaign encouraging people to get out and about and enjoy the environment.

The youth club at Greenhead in the Tyne Valley has now taken the decision to stop taking more children on to its books because they simply do not have the resources to cope with the demand.

Children from Greenhead youth club with leaders Karen Ballantyne and Graham Ferguson, and High Sheriff John Blackett-Ord

With many activities from badminton, football and table tennis to crafts and cooking, it proves popular with children from across the district including Haltwhistle.

Members of Tynedale FM want to expand the currently closed district radio station and are looking into many possibilities to promote the area, including an arts magazine.

They have even discussed cutting-edge technology to keep locals engaged with what is going on in their part of Northumberland, including getting the radio through the mobile and having podcasts for people to download.

Tynedale FM has a new month-long licence from telecoms watchdog Ofcom, and the station hopes it might lead to a permanent licence sometime in the future.

The radio station was given a month-long restricted service licence to test the water back in December, which went successfully and uncovered some talented presenters.

The event, held at Causey Park near Morpeth, also served as a qualifier for the Northern area and national competitions, with winners representing the Northumberland Federation going forward to the next stages of their competitions.

Haltwhistle took the Rally Shield for gaining the lowest total points on the day with 313.

Northumberland Care Trust, in partnership with Age Concern, is looking for volunteers to become "senior health mentors" to other older people in their community.

Ann Kirkup, project co-ordinator for the health mentor scheme in Northumberland, with Jean Sanders in Newbiggin, who has volunteered as a senior peer mentor.

The volunteers will be trained to help, support and encourage those they are mentoring on the benefits of healthy eating and exercise, as well as offering social interaction.

It will last for an hour and start on Wednesday 25th March between 4.30-5.30pm. The club is aimed largely at first school aged children who have experienced playing the ukulele in school and want to do a little bit more within a group.

Pussy cat heifers - Jessica Anderson, Carly Hall, Joanna Harrison, Vicky Harrison, Sinead Fox, Jade Hunter and Stacey Watling (part of the Ponteland and Stamfordham Entertainments cast who represented Northumberland in Blackpool 2008)

Each local group of the federation will put together its own team to take part in some traditional sports such as football and rugby, while there will also be some more unusual disciplines to contend with - such as a pantomime competition.

There is a beginners guitar class for those who are absolute beginners and this short course will give them a taster into the first steps of learning to play the guitar.

The event will be raising money for the Haltwhistle Leisure Centre which is a charity (Reg Charity Number 522067)

There will be a range of local models who will be showing off clothes supplied by Mackays, local businesses 'Innovations' & 'Secrets' will provide the finishing touches to the hairstyles and make up, and, Ian Brown will be acting as the compere for the evening.

Mavis Harris, footpath secretary for the Ramblers' Association Hexham group.

Northumberland County Council is considering cuts to its Rights of Way and Countryside Management Team in its 2009-10 budget, as it seeks to make savings across all departments in order to meet finance targets set by the Government.

Poltross Enterprises has donated almost a quarter of a tonne of seed, grain and nuts to feed the birds at the trust's busy Big Waters feeding station, near Hazelrigg.

The species of birds which will benefit from the generosity of Poltross include trees sparrows, reed buntings, yellow hammer, blue tits, great tits, robins, goldfinches and chaffinches.