Help turn county red and yellow for Northumberland Day

Celebrations for Northumberland Day 2021 on Sunday, May 30, have taken a unique turn with organisers adding a new dimension.

A new Northumberland Day Sea Shanty has been recorded by mascot Northumbear and his crew and is now on major social media channels explaining how to help spread joy.

The video can be seen on Vimeo while the lyrics are at the Northumberland Day website – www.northumberlandday.co.uk – so people can download them and create their own videos.

Another new feature is escape game-style challenge, Unlock the Treasure, downloadable at the website to challenge the minds of participants.

The mystery can be downloaded as a paper game, cut up in order to play, and then solved to find a magic word that will unlock the treasure in the fictional Warlang Castle.

Anyone finding that word can then use it to enter a competition to win a £150 voucher to spend at Langley Castle Hotel, either on private hire of one of the castle’s brand-new domes, or on accommodation.

Additionally, Northumberland Day is remembering those not with us through a Northumberland Stars initiative. People can submit the name of a loved one, who has passed away during the past year.

There is also children’s letter-writing competition, Letter to Northumbear, plus a Northumberland Day Education Pack for 2021, on the theme of castles.

The pack also carries news of this year’s ‘Bunties’ awards and rewarding the Best Decorated School, Community Place, Business and Home with hand-made glass awards by artist, Helen Grierson.

Already in contention are shops like Lindsay’s Opticians in Berwick, plus towns like Seahouses.

A Taste of Northumbria in Alnwick is launching four new beers and a new gin for Northumberland Day and will have lots of red and yellow decorations around.

Events are taking place at Northumberland Museums’ sites, Woodhorn, the Morpeth Chantry Bagpipe Museum, Berwick Museum and Art Gallery and Hexham Old Gaol and there is a Northumberland Day walk to Holy Island with Footsteps Northumberland.

Langley Castle will also be turning one of its brand-new domes red and yellow while the Blyth lightship, LV50, has launched a new virtual tour of the ship.

There will also be some social media competitions in the build-up to the day.

Northumberland Day organiser, Jane Hunt, says: “Some of our most avid participants have still not been able to reopen their venues yet and some have literally only been open for a few days.

"It was not fair to expect them to lay on a variety of events as usual but we are promoting those events that are taking place over the Bank Holiday weekend, to help people find those.

“Our virtual activity is really exciting this year and our education activity will help children refocus on their learning skills in a fun way, after so much lost time in class.

“We thank everyone who has shown so much enthusiasm for Northumberland Day this year, despite everything.

"We cannot thank people enough for what they do, whether it is just sticking a flag in a window or sharing a social media post of themselves celebrating.”

For more visit www.northumberlandday.co.uk

To submit any details of activities you are staging, or photos of what you are doing, email [email protected]