Local Organisations

Riding Mill Play & Regeneration Group

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Summer 2026

The response from everyone is that they love our park.  It’s a great place to play.  Parents would love it if the swings for toddlers and older children could be in the same area so that siblings can play together and it would be easier to supervise the children.  They’d also love some seats in the shade!!

The children love what is there but if space and money were no object they would love to see:  a zip wire, trampolines, more swings, access to the MUGA court to play football, better access to the river where they play with friends and create secret play areas…

The play and regeneration group has met with 3 play companies so far and have a host of ideas to consider.  Equipment and play surfaces are expensive so the fundraising campaign begins in earnest in September 2026….

If you’d like to be involved please get in touch.

Spring 2026

The Play & Regeneration Group has been reformed with a new set of parents to help us update the park.  A recent inspection report has highlighted that some of the older pieces of equipment are starting to show signs of rot.  We’re currently gathering ideas from parents and children and hope to share our ideas shortly.

December 2022

You will have noticed that the Play Park is looking a little sad.  Some of the older pieces of equipment need some TLC and, over the coming months, the Parish Council will be replacing the rope parts on the climbers, installing new platforms and roofs and making repairs to the wetpour surfaces.  In addition, the Regeneration Group have been tasked with raising funds to help install two new springers.

 

 

 

 

 

 

We’ll keep you updated as our fundraising ideas progress.

May 2018

The Riding Mill Play & Regeneration Group was formed in January 2016 with the objective of improving play and keep fit equipment for young people and adults in the village.  Working in conjunction with Broomhaugh & Riding Parish Council, the Group has helped raise £41,000 to allow our Play Park to have a total revamp.   The main objectives were to improve play items for older children and those with disabilities, and to make it easier to access the equipment for anyone with mobility difficulties.  Initial ideas of what to add were sought from the children at Broomhaugh First School who identified that their number one priority was a set of monkey bars!  These were duly included as part of a fun adventure trail together with a climbing boulder and team swing.

In May 2018, we were pleased to invite a special guest with particular climbing prowess, Spiderman, to help open the newly designed Play Park.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Our Group and the Parish Council would like to thank the many sponsors.  The project secured over £6000 from residents and local businesses including Osbit Limited, together with grants from the Parish Council, the Big Lottery Fund, the Community Foundation, Northumberland County Council, Postcode Local Trust, the Sir James Knott Trust, Tesco Groundworks and Tynedale Lions.

The Group will now look to new projects in the village – further details to follow in due course.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

FULL LIST OF MAIN SPONSORS

Broomhaugh & Riding Parish Council

Osbit Ltd

Big Lottery Fund

The Riding Grange Grassroots Fund at the Community Foundation

The Thornton Family Grassroots Fund at the Community Foundation

Northumberland County Council Community Chest Fund

Northumberland County Council S106 Housing Developer Fund

County Councillor Anne Dale, Members’ Local Improvement Scheme, Northumberland County Council

Postcode Local Trust

The Sir James Knott Trust

Tesco Groundworks

Tynedale Lions

 

 

Riding Mill Outdoor Pre-School

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Riding Mill Outdoor Pre-School

In September 2018, Riding Mill Preschool re-located to the Broomhaugh C of E First School site and became an outdoor preschool. This move to the school emphasises our existing strong links with our excellent village first school and allows us to work even more closely with the staff there.

At this new setting, the emphasis is on outdoor education – and our very own yurt will be the focus of indoor activities.  

This is a fantastic environment for young children to play, run, climb, swing, dig and just be the physical beings that young children are! With a big focus on time spent outdoors, exploring nature and discovery through play, children will gain life skills such as problem solving, teamwork and creativity.  It is now widely accepted that outdoor education of this type has enormous benefits for young children and we are very proud to be offering this exciting and unique opportunity.

For further information please contact Siobhan Stephenson, the Pre-School leader on 07754 395572 (phone answered 9 am – 3 pm term-time only). Alternatively please email Siobhan at leader@rmop@outlook.com or see our website.

Riding Mill Women’s Institute

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In 2015 the Women’s Institute celebrates its Centenary and in Riding Mill we will be having our 86th Birthday.

The Organisation has evolved over these years and still aims to be for women everywhere, inspiring, supporting, educating, and providing an atmosphere of friendship and fun for our 34 members.

We meet at the Parish Hall, Millfield Road, Riding Mill at 7.30pm on the first Thursday of the Month, except August.

Our programme includes speakers, demonstrations, and entertainment with organised outings and fundraising events including Film Shows and Afternoon Tea.

We also have the benefit of taking part in walks, food events, craft days, and quiz and games competitions with other WI’s in Northumberland.

Our meetings are a chance to meet old friends, make new friends and be somewhere to inspire you.

Come along and join us.

Contact – Barbara Nelson,    01434 682739

Website

 

The Mothers Union, St James Riding Mill

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Welcome to the Mothers Union!

The Mothers Union (MU) www.themothersunion.org is a Christian organisation with more than 3.6 million members worldwide. The backbone of the MU is its worldwide network of volunteers. Whatever their individual backgrounds, members are related by a commitment to marriage and family. They give their help generously to others, whether by running local projects, supporting international campaigns or fundraising.

Mary Sumner, the founder of the Mother’s Union was all too aware of the burdens and responsibilities of parenting: of the feelings of inadequacy that swamp young mothers.

She believed that the primary responsibility was to raise children in the love of God.

The MU is a Christian organisation that fully embraces the ideal of love and service at home and abroad.

Branch leader: Lynda Padgett

For further information, contact Anne Foster 01434 682437.

Lunch Club

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Riding Mill is fortunate in being able to provide a Lunch Club and Meals on Wheels service twice a week. Every Tuesday and Thursday volunteer cooks and helpers prepare and serve lunch in the Parish Hall and other volunteers deliver meals around the village.

At the moment we cater for around 15 to 20 people but we have the capacity to cook for more. Those “who lunch” would welcome more company.

We are always looking for volunteers to help us continue this service. If you would like to join us, please contact Christine Andersen 01434 682535 or Anne Lawrence 01434 682351.

 

Riding Mill Drama Club

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Riding Mill Drama Club is a friendly, busy group; currently has about 65 members and is always happy to welcome new people. Younger members are particularly welcome.

We were established 60 years ago and usually perform plays twice a year (in March and November) as well as holding acting workshops, play readings and other social events.

There really is no limit to the kind of play we tackle – if somebody has a play they want to direct, we will consider it. This attitude makes for a varied and challenging repertoire that has seen us perform everything from farces and musicals to Shakespeare and Chekhov. The group has also performed at the Edinburgh Fringe, to commercial and critical success, (the last occasion in 2007) and we have participated in, and won, the Tynedale Drama Festival on a number of occasions.

Not everybody who is part of the Club wants to act – there are opportunities for all kinds of backstage roles from something as simple as organising props to as complex as ‘doing the lighting’. All you need is enthusiasm and a team spirit.

If you would like to find out more, please contact the Secretary, Judith Wilthew on 01434 682590 or any committee member whose contact details may be found on the Club’s website.

Dry Stone Walling Association – Northumbria Branch

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Dry stone wallServing the craft – preserving our heritage

The Northumbria Branch of the Dry Stone Walling Association was formed in 1993 and actively promotes the aims of the association; namely the preservation of Dry Stone Walls throughout Great Britain and the training of people in the craft of dry stone walling.

The branch holds “introduction to dry stone walling” taster days locally throughout the year and has demonstrations at most of the region’s agricultural shows.

The branch has members from all over Northumberland, Tyne & Wear and Durham and meets 6 times a year in the Church Cottage, Riding Mill.

Vist their website: www.northumbria-dswa.co.uk

Riding Mill Cricket Club

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Cricket Club

Cricket ClubRiding Mill Cricket Club have been established since the late 1800’s and have been back at Broomhaugh since 1987 when the late Mr Dickinson provided the funds for the clubhouse and re-modelling of the outfield to allow the housing development at the top of whiteside bank.

Games are mostly played on a Sunday afternoon from around 2pm. There are a handful of 20 over night games played throughout the season. We play friendly fixtures against a mixture of opposition, always played in a good competitive yet friendly spirit. There is no selection policy, if someone wants to play then it’s as simple as putting your name in the book.

Tea is taken at around 5pm, anyone wishing to come and watch is more than welcome to pop in for a cup of tea and a cake.

We are keen to develop cricket in the village from a young age and are very keen that anyone wanting to play should come along or contact myself. However as our very own Bryan Stevens continues to demonstrate at the ripe old age of 77 that age is no barrier.

 Contact Simon Law – Captain: 01434 682397 or 07897 551100.

 

Computer Association

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Macbook ProThe Supper Room in the Parish Hall houses four computers with printers and also a laptop supplied and funded initially by a government grant and now the property of the village.

The Computer Association look after the administration connected with the computers and have organised various courses ranging from Instruction for Beginners to Digital Photography and Computers. We also open the facilities for drop-in sessions and are willing to answer queries by telephone or by home visits if knowledge permits.

The computers are there for the benefit of the village – either organisations or individuals – and the Committee are currently considering the most effective way of using this asset. If you have any views or if you wish to suggest any courses that could be of interest, please contact:

David Harle: 01434 682234 or
Christine Andersen: 01434 682535.

Riding Mill Choral Society

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The Riding Mill Choral Society is a long established part of Riding Mill village life. We are a four part choir of about 45 members who live in and around the area.

We usually perform two concerts a year, normally in the Parish Hall. One concert is before Christmas, and the other before Easter.

Our repertoire is fairy extensive, ranging from Steiner’s Crucifixion to Hiawatha’s Wedding Feast to Gilbert and Sullivan and a lot more in between. We meet on a Monday evening in the Parish Hall at 7.30pm and are always pleased to welcome new members – no audition!

Although the months between April and September are free from rehearsals, we are sometimes called upon to perform at various functions in the summer months.

We are non-profit making a happy band of singers who enjoy singing for the love of it!

The Riding Mill Choral Society also have their own website , you can see it here.

Contact – Val Barnes on 01661 843787.

Riding Mill Allotments Association

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Allotment

Riding Mill Allotments occupy a small site In Broomhaugh.  There are just 18 plots of all sizes with rentals starting at around £20 per year inclusive of water and a discounted seed scheme.  The soil is an easily worked light sandy loam which can produce good crops of a variety of fruit and vegetables from raspberries to radishes or leeks to lettuces!

The Association is run by Members who have recently negotiated a new long lease from the Parish Council.  As before, plot holders are limited to Village residents which means that plots may become vacant as people move away.  So if interested, find out more and put your name down on the Waiting List by contacting the current Secretary via sallyrogers2306@gmail.com.

Riding Mill Photographic Society

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The Photographic Society meet in the Parish Hall Annexe on the Second Wednesday of every Month at 7pm.

Our aim is to promote the hobby of photography in all its forms and at all skill levels. They mount an Annual Exhibition of Photographs to share their images with everyone.

Contact, Rosie Cunningham

Tel 07415912237

Email: rosie.cunningham@ymail.com

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