NOSTALGIA: Looking back 10, 25, 50 years ago (published Gazette, Thursday, March 17)

10 YEARS AGO: Thursday, March 16, 2006

A vital community care service is facing a crisis after revealing a major slump in funds. Each year, it costs North Northumberland Day Hospice, based at Narrowgate, Alnwick, £260,000 to keep itself afloat. More than 80 per cent of the cash is found from within the community with statutory bodies giving between 15 and 20 per cent. And as of April, the purse strings are being tightened as millions of pounds from national voluntary and community funding is cut. The hospice, which supports patients with life threatening diseases and their carers, relies heavily on donations from within the community as well as money from high profile fund-raising activities. Graham Hoe, support services manager, said: “It is always a constant battle.”

25 YEARS AGO: Friday, March 15, 1991

Two local men have received British Empire Medals from Viscount Ridley this week in a special ceremony held in the Council Chambers, Alnwick. Mr Edmund ‘Ebba’ Cummings, 65, of Woodlands, Rothbury, was a former retained fireman at Rothbury Fire Station. He began his fire-fighting career in 1947 when he joined the National Fire Service as a part-time fireman. Since retiring from his full-time job as a refuse collector with Alnwick District Council in 1989, he offered his services to Rothbury 24 hours a day. The second award went to Mr David Young, of Alnmouth Road, Alnwick. Since joining the coal industry in 1965, Mr Young has worked as an underground mechanic, formerly at the Lynemouth mine and now in Ellington Colliery. Mr Young is the Captain of the Mines Rescue team at Ellington.

50 YEARS AGO: Friday, March 25, 1966

With polling day only six days away, candidates in the Berwick and Morpeth Parliamentary Divisions are stepping up their campaigns as the General Election battle nears its climax and in keeping with the mounting tension there has been a marked quickening of public interest. Indications are that next Thursday’s poll will be a high one. Two points have so far emerged from the campaign to save it from an umbrella of dullness and public indifference because of its nearness to the election of 17 months ago. Firstly, there is the air of quiet seriousness which has predominated throughout, an air reflected by the questions asked. Secondly, there is what can only be described as ‘gentleman’s tactics’ adopted by the candidates themselves.