WELCOME TO AMBLE
Working Towards a Brighter Future
"Act as if what you do makes a difference. It does"
William James
TRUST INITIATIVES
COMMUNITY ANCHOR
Providing space and support for the community to thrive
Amble Development Trust is community-led and firmly rooted in the town and we are here for the long term. Because of this we can act as an anchor, providing stability as the external environment changes and finding new ways of working as circumstances change around us.
We work interdependently with other agencies and organisations operating in the town in the public, private, voluntary and community sectors; building trusted relationships that strengthen over time.
Amble Development Trust provides added social value in our services through involving volunteers, bringing in inward investment, using local suppliers and creating local jobs and through making best use of local assets – always striving to ensure the best outcome for Amble.
THE AMBLER COMMUNITY NEWSPAPER
All the news from around the town
The Ambler is a community paper and hyperlocal website. It is run by one full time worker and a dedicated team of volunteers. Our first edition hit the streets in January 2000, and we have produced six issues a year ever since. In 2023 we were Commended as an Independent Community Newspaper at the Newspaper of the Year Awards.
Our purpose is to keep local people in touch with local events, and to inform and encourage discussion on issues of interest to the community. We deliver a free newspaper to every house in Amble, and a number to neighbouring communities. We also have a thriving website, Twitter and Facebook pages.
The centre pages of the paper are produced by the Artograffi team, a group of young people aged 9 years upwards, who are interested in having their say and developing journalism, layout and photography skills.
AMBLE HARBOUR VILLAGE
An attraction for visitors and an opportunity for local business
Amble Harbour Village is a unique concept comprising 15 retail outlets or pods, designed to allow small businesses the opportunity to try out their business ideas at low financial risk.
As part of a £2.5m project funded
through the Coastal Community Fund, the Village was officially opened by HRH The Countess of Wessex in April 2016.
The Village also hosts a lobster hatchery conservation project initiated to aid the sustainability of our fishing fleet.
The Village, hatchery, harbour and main shopping area are now visitor attractions welcoming the many tourists visiting the town.
AFFORDABLE HOUSING
Providing homes within the town
Amble Development Trust has developed 4 affordable housing units above Queen Street retail premises. Comprising 2 x 2 bed and 2 x 1 bed flats, the accommodation is bright and spacious.
The units were developed to meet a community need for low cost housing for local workers or those returning to our community.
Affordable housing is a very real issue within the town and an activity we will be focusing on over the coming years.
NATIONAL BIRD SCULPTURE TRAIL
Bringing iconic arts to Amble
The Bord Waalk is a new walking trail of public sculptures inspired by the bird-life found around the Amble coast. The artworks are being created by nationally and internationally renowned artists, bringing something unique and very special to the area. The Bord Waalk will be enjoyed by residents and attract visitors from across the country to Amble.
The Bord Waalk is funded by the Coastal Communities Fund, Arts Council England and Northumberland County Council, with the aim of attracting new visitors to the area, creating more commercial skills and opportunities for artists, engaging local communities with creativity, and encourage a closer connection between art lovers, outdoor enthusiasts and bird watchers. The app that overlays the trail with sound, music, poetry and virtual reality can be found at bordwwalk
EMPLOYMENT COUNSELLING
Helping people back into work
The Trust offers assistance with employment advice and services including access to computers, CV writing, email and fax as well as advertising local jobs. We also offer signposting to outside supporting services eg CAB, CVS and DWP
SEAFOOD CENTRE & LOBSTER HATCHERY
Developing Amble as the 'Seafood Town'
One of the town's greatest assets is the sea. We aim to use, celebrate and conserve the great seafood that is landed locally. The counter is stocked daily using fresh fish and shellfish and the hatchery is returning young lobsters to the sea.
RETAIL UNITS
Supporting a thriving High St
Retail Units – Following closure of the former Co-operative non food store in 2009 and the development of a robust business case the Trust secured funding from Northumberland Strategic Partnership to purchase the property.
In 2011 work began to split the property into 3 retail units which included new shop frontages.
Initially the Trust retained one unit for its own social enterprise Pride of Northumbria, producing jams and preserves as well as promoting local produce, arts and crafts. The two remaining units were rented out to form an income stream for the Trust.
In 2015 another initiative saw the Trust unit transformed into a training restaurant as part of the successful funding application to the Coastal Community Fund, which included the Harbour Village development, Coquet Shorebase Trust redevelopment and public realm improvements.
Currently the retail units are home to an Italian Restaurant, Fish & Chip shop and Financial Services.
AMBLE WELFARE
Space to play
Amble Welfare – has provided recreational space for the town for over 60 years. Formerly a Miners' Welfare Park maintained by local miners who agreed to make a small payment from their wages to maintain the area. With the closure of mines locally the park ownership was taken over by the then Alnwick District Council. However in 2007 recognising they could no longer invest in the park and provide modern facilities, ownership was handed to Amble Development Trust, who began a programme of investment with the promise of funding from a Section 106 agreement once commencement of a housing development began. As with many of these plans, this did not happen for 9 years. Rather than play the waiting game, Trust staff secured funding to install a children's play park, multi use games area, skateboard park, carry out some refurbishment work to the pavilion, and install floodlighting as well as widening the access gates.
In 2016 the Trust received Section 106 funding and was able to complete the pavilion refurbishment, as well as major drainage works to the pitches and playing fields.
VOLUNTEERS
Making a difference in your community
Amble Development Trust actively encourages the involvement of volunteers in all its activities. This can be anything from serving on the management committee, to gaining experience at the seafood centre or writing an article for the Ambler.
TOWN SQUARE
A place to celebrate
Completed in May 2001 and transforming a previously run-down area of derelict buildings, the town square now provides a focal point in the town for residents and visitors alike.
The gnomon (sundial) is one of the largest in Europe and accurate to within 15 seconds.
A historic trail depicted in carved stones, shows images from the town's history taken from original designs by Amble school children with words by local poet Katrina Porteous.
Get in touch today and get involved with our cause.
PAST PROJECTS
QUEEN ST
Queen Street is the main thoroughfare in the town and home to a diverse range of independent businesses. In December 2015 Queen Street and Amble Harbour Village won the Best Coastal High Street category in the Government backed Great British High Street Awards.
Amble Development Trust completed a very successful project to develop Queen Street whilst keeping the traditional nature of the shops and shopping available in the street.
Changes were made to restore Queen Street's appearance and to improve usability of the street. Parking bays were allocated with distinct cobbled areas and street furniture had been provided.
Amble Videos
Amble Development Trust - The friendliest Port
What's design got to do with the price of fish?
Amble Seafood Town
CONTACT AMBLE DEVELOPMENT TRUST
Fourways 2, 6 Dilston Terrace, Amble, NE65 0DT, UK
01665 712929