I sat in a tattoo studio thinking about permanence, and the inspiration for this article was born.
With tattoos, the artwork is permanently placed on the body unless you laser it off or cover it up with more artwork. It has a permanent home but, as with everything in life, it changes. Tattoos fade over time; new scars or injuries may impact it, life in general, and ageing can distort it.
And it got me thinking. At the time of writing, the Sycamore Gap tree had been cut down – the investigation of which is still ongoing. I had the privilege of seeing the tree just once, and now I regret not going more often. The tree was more than a landmark, it was a staple of Northumberland, with many memories attached to it. From appearing in Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves to appearing in many spectacular photographs and illustrations, it had history. Although it is gone, it will always be remembered and, in that sense, always have a sense of permanency. Permanency also lingers in how the community rallied around to condemn the destruction and how they came together. There have been many ideas on how the tree can be commemorated and remembered. One such way is that Forum Cinema in Hexham screened Robin Hood, with a portion of the proceeds from ticket sales going to the National Trust to help with the rejuvenation of the site. It is a small way to help, but every little bit helps, and viewers will get to see the tree on screen once more.
In another story, one of my local schools, which had previously sat desolate and closed for years, was finally knocked down in a decision to be remade into a housing estate. It was sad to see part of people’s lives and memories be knocked down incredibly fast. But a fact that may have alleviated some of the destruction was that some of the bricks and stones from the school were also going to be used in the construction of the new estate. Whilst the school was no more, a part of it will physically live on.
The point is that things are permanent, just not in the way that we expect them to be. Permanency comes with transformation.
Transformation can come in many forms. I recently saw that Queen’s Hall in Hexham celebrated their 40th Anniversary with a commemorative cake. The theatre was transformed into a massive, lifelike edible replica thanks to Sticky Sponge. Sometimes transformation can be tasty.
On a more serious note, communities transform all the time, sometimes for the better and sometimes for the worse. My grandmother can recall the exact locations of old bars and hangouts, and when we pass them, she will always talk about a memory associated with each one.
The changing relationship we have with our communities is an important one. And if the felling of the Sycamore Gap Tree taught me anything, it’s to experience everything as much as I physically can before it goes or transforms into something else. Our memories of our communities will make them permanent. Their heritage will live on even if they are no longer there.
When this article is published, it will be November, officially autumn, and we’ll face the run-up to Christmas and New Year’s.
November is always a month where I challenge myself – I take part in Nanowrimo every year, a challenge to write 50,000 words in just one month. I strive to find inspiration in every corner to assist me with this challenge. Local writers such as LJ Ross and Ann Cleaves have immortalised local areas in their works before, which is another way our communities can live on.
I also know a man who has challenged himself to cycle 365,000ft in elevation this year. He’s accomplished most of this, but he’ll be encountering the cold and dreary weather again to finish this challenge. And that always makes it hard to exercise. That total is higher than the beginning of space – 330,000ft in elevation. You may have seen him around Hexham and Northumberland, tackling hills and valleys to try and get in as much elevation distance as possible. If you want to donate to that challenge, you can search for Jonny Cycles to Space on Facebook or JustGiving. His challenge was featured in the Chronicle a few months ago, but you can also read about it online. This isn’t his first cycling challenge either, throughout the years, he has embarked on various trips cross country to fundraise for various charities.
Even though both challenges will have an end date, they will be permanent in a sense (mine by words on a page, and Jonny’s in fundraising efforts, in PR stories, in memories, and in the pain from cycling that far!)
Throughout the Tyne Valley, seasonal events will come and go. Calendars always fill up with community events, and I’m sure there will be some published in this edition.
There will be the final chance to see the Museum of the Moon at Hexham Abbey – which concludes on November 11th. The Abbey hosts Luke Jerram’s moon installation, which measures six metres in diameter with a display full of lunar imagery and surround sound music composition.
In Newcastle, the Northern Lights Christmas Light Trail will light up Leazes Park from November 23rd to the 1st of January. With immersive lighting and illuminations, this display is a must for the dark nights coming in.
With that, you’ll have the market season, from local Christmas Markets to smaller town markets. There, you may find Christmas presents or a new favourite small business to support.
As the time comes closer, there will be more and more to do, more ways to support our communities and make memories. With these memories and challenges, even if things change or are destroyed, they will always be permanent. Time may change things, but they will always be there.