ScottishPower Renewables’ commitment to supporting local communities continues to make a significant impact, with its community benefit funds having distributed over £67 million to date. Among the standout projects is the innovative and sustainable play area development by Ashington Town Council, funded through the Lynemouth Windfarm community benefit fund.

A grant of £25,000 from the Lynemouth Windfarm fund, administered through Northumberland County Council, enabled Ashington Town Council to redevelop two residential play areas within the Orchid Meadows Estate. In the recently published ScottishPower Renewables’ Community Benefit Report 2024, it was said that the project exemplifies the perfect blend of environmental responsibility and community development, featuring Kompan Ltd.’s cutting-edge Greenline range of play equipment.

The play areas showcase play equipment manufactured from recycled materials, demonstrating how community spaces can be both engaging and environmentally conscious. The project created inclusive spaces that welcome children of all abilities, setting a new standard for sustainable community development.

Ashington Town Council has installed three additional public access defibrillators, further prioritising the health and well-being of residents. Thanks to funding from County Councillor Caroline Ball and Ashington’s ward councillors, these installations bring the total number of defibrillators installed by the Council to 15. These efforts ensure residents have greater access to life-saving equipment in key locations across the town.

Ashington is preparing to welcome an extraordinary evening of illuminated entertainment as the “Light Nights” spectacular comes to town on the 29th and 30th January 2025

Cycling 4 Everyone is thrilled to announce the launch of the Northumberland Cycling Campaign

Ashington Town Council is excited to announce the opening of the fourth and final round of its Small Grant Fund for the 2024/25 financial year. This quarterly fund provides community groups and organisations with the opportunity to apply for grants of up to £500.

Ashington residents are invited to attend the upcoming Finance and General Services Meeting on Tuesday, January 14th, 2025 at the Town Hall (65 Station Road, Ashington, NE63 8RX) at 6:00pm.

A fantastic community effort yesterday resulted in an incredible 38 bags of litter collected!

As we move through the winter months, we wanted to share an update about our town’s sustainable planting schemes and acknowledge the dedicated work of our Neighbourhood Services Officers, Mark and Ryan, who maintain our public spaces along Station Road, at our town gateways, and alongside our memorials.

You may notice that our planted areas look different from previous years. This is intentional - we have moved away from seasonal bedding plants that, while providing bright bursts of colour, require frequent replacement and have a larger environmental footprint. Instead, we have embraced sustainable, climate-friendly planting that provides year-round interest through varied textures, forms, and seasonal changes.

While winter gardens may appear less manicured than summer displays, there is beauty in seeing plants through their natural cycles. Our officers work hard to maintain these areas, ensuring they remain healthy and well-tended, even as the plants enter their dormant period. The structural elements of our chosen plants - seed heads, architectural stems, and evergreen foliage - create winter interest while providing valuable habitat for wildlife. Spring bulbs will start appearing soon!

As we head into the final days before the holidays, we at Ashington Town Council want to extend our warmest wishes to everyone in our community. Though our office hours will be limited so our staff can enjoy time with their families, we remain committed to serving you in any way we can.

The Town Council office will close on 24th December at 2:00pm and reopen fully on Monday 6th January 2025, but we will be checking messages and emails throughout.

During this time of celebration, let us not forget those who may be facing hardship. The following services are available throughout the holiday period, with some closures on Bank Holidays and weekends. The links below show available hours.

The Alexandra Road Play Area is now available to use following repair after multiple incidents of deliberate vandalism.