Riverdale Hall Hotel was certainly alive and kicking on Thursday night with a sell out crowd at the 'Baa Club'. People travelled from right across the county to see MEGSON, a fresh and delightful folk duo from Teesside who are in the running for a BBC Radio 2 Folk Award next month.

Bellingham All Acoustic kicks off a New Year of superb monthly concerts with the fantastic duo 'MEGSON' The husband/wife duo from Middlesborough are fast becoming 'hot property' on the British Folk & Roots scene and have been recently nominated for 'Best Duo' in the 2010 BBC Radio 2 Folk Awards.

Environment Editor Tony Henderson on a centenary celebration for the North East's bird ringers.

It's the 100th anniversary of bird ringing in Britain and Tyneside ringer Brian Little has been at it for more than half of that time.

Brian, who lives in Blaydon in Gateshead, starting ringing in 1955.

He is chairman of the Northumbria Ringing Group, which includes around 30 ringers, who have a base at Hauxley, near Amble.

Voluntary and community groups in Northumberland have been warned they are facing a reduction in funding for their work - because of the recession and tough budget savings required by the county council.

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.

Doug Robson from Hexham Football Club on a new local sponsor for the girls' team

Hexham Football Club has a new team this season and it's the girls under 12 side who will taking to the pitch very soon in the Northumberland Girls League at Cramlington. The team play in a seven a side competition against some of the best female footballers in the county.

A new squad means we have to find a new sponsor and Alan & Liz Birchall who own A2B private Hire Taxis stepped in to sponsor the group. Pictured are some of the squad with two of A2B six seater taxis's who are a local firm but operate throughout our region.

Also pictured are Alan And Liz with team coach Nicola Davey (centre) proudly showing off the new kit. The club is delighted to welcome them as team sponsors and look forward to the girls driving on to success.

JEZ LOWE is enjoying his busiest year ever. He's been to New Zealand, Australia, North America, Spain, Switzerland, Holland, not forgetting Tyne and Wear, Yorkshire, Cornwall and Scotland.

New songs, new repertoire, new projects, awards and nominations have all mounted up into quite an acheivement for a lad from a coal mining town in County Durham.

Keen followers of the folk scene will be well aware of this mans outstanding song writing talents and will know of his association with The Bad Pennies, who will be celebrating 20 years together in 2010.

Article sent in by Fiona Lander of Bellingham All Acoustic

By the time you read this, Bellingham All Acoustic or 'Baa Club' will be 1 year old! The acoustic music club, set up by local musicians Landermason, run the evening once a month in the back conservatory of the Riverdale Hall Hotel...It's usually the last Thursday of the month but with their own touring committments, occasionally it has to be changed.

The venue is warm, cosy and intimate, limited to around 50 with a small PA used. (This is not necessarily to increase the volume but simply enhance the vocal and instrumental sounds).

Radio lovers in Northumberland will soon be able to have shares in a cutting-edge new media concept in the county.

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.

Tynedale could become a top filming venue for movie and TV crews in the future. This is part of the ambitious plan of a group that wants to promote the area and make the most of its burgeoning arts scene.

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.

A volunteer-run radio station is hoping to become a permanent fixture in Northumberland after being granted a licence to continue broadcasting.

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.