thenorthumbrian

I recently had nights out in both Jesmond and the Newcastle quayside and it was noticeable that there seemed to be virtually no Geordie accents to be heard in any of the bars we went to. In fact hearing people talk it felt like we could have been in the Home Counties and not Tyneside. I can’t help but think that the influx of southerners has resulted in Newcastle losing its Geordie identity. The quayside has been colonised by wealthy people from down south, as they are practically the only people who can afford the property prices. Many local people have been marginalised in their own city. It seems to me that many of the southern incomers have an almost contemptuous attitude to local people. I have no complaints about people coming to live in Newcastle from other parts of Britain and the rest of the world but its seems a great shame that while Newcastle was once a city known for having a strong identity it could now almost be seen as Essex on Tyne.

The Lindisfarne Gospels The kingdom of Northumbria stretched from the Humber to the Forth and was once the most powerful kingdom in the British Isles and was a nation before either England or Scotland existed. The Lindisfarne Gospels are the greatest Northumbrian treasure. There has been an ongoing campaign to have the Gospels returned to the North East from London for some time. Back home the gospels would be a boost to Northumbrian pride in our own achievements; they would become a focal point for people studying our unique culture & history. And I would like to see regional organisations such as One North-East, the Regional Assembly, and Culture North East put their weight behind the campaign, these organisations seem to keep such a low profile in relation to our regional culture I am sure most people aren’t even aware they exist. It would be nice to see prominent individuals from our region backing the campaign as well. Now there is an opportunity for the people of this region to make their feelings known by signing an online petition for the permanent return of the Gospels at the Northumbrian Association website. http://www.northumbrianassociation.co.uk/index.html & There is also http://mysite.wanadoo-members.co.uk/nepride/index.jhtml

Black and White Day I thought it was pretty good for the first attempt did you know that there is an online petition to make it an annual,expanded event? http://www.petitiononline.com/bwday/