22/04/2014 Look North (North East and Cumbria)

of blue results. He spent just ten months in the

Welcome to Tuesday's Look North In tonight's headlines: Fear for

charity funding after the Northern Rock Foundation announces it's to

close. We have been negotiating for two

years to try and find a way that they could contribute and wd could

do something together that would be a winner for the area. It h`s not

worked. A rare play date for the chhldren

who rely on artificial hearts to keep them alive.

Campaigners fighting to savd Teesside's local airport ard taking

their case to Downing Street. And a tragic training exerchse. The

lifeboat men lost at sea 75 years ago are remembered.

In sport, there's another boxing world title fight on its wax to the

region. And there's one heck of a p`rty at

Hartlepool, as the club makds sure it won't drop out of the Football

League. It's handed out over ?200 mhllion to

over 2,000 organisations across the North East and Cumbria over the last

16 years But today the Northern Rock Foundation has announced it's to

close. It says it can't strhke a deal with Virgin Money, which bought

Northern Rock, for future long`term funding. Virgin Money, which made

?53 million profit last year, says it was prepared to keep providing

support, but not the amount the foundation wanted. Tonight, the news

leaves many charities in thd region already struggling for fundhng with

new concerns about their future Here's our political correspondent

Mark Denten. From premature babies in Newcastle,

to a theatre group in Blyth ` over the last 16 years the Northdrn Rock

Foundation has helped them `ll. Over 1,000 charities benefitted from

grants. But today the news that it's being wound up. Although Virgin

Money's Sir Richard Branson gave the foundation his backing when he took

over Northern Rock, negotiations over future funding between bank and

foundation have broken down. It is the end of the road.

It was the June `` the wonddr of the North East. No other companx has

donated such a high proporthon of profits. It was doing wonderful

things. It is a sad day. The Northern Rock Foundation was

originally set up in 1997. The Rock collapsed in 2008 with the financial

crisis While a buyer was fotnd, an interim arrangement kept thd

foundation going for the next two years. Virgin money took ovdr the

Rock in January 2012 and signed a deal to fund the foundation until

December last year. After months of negotiations,

though, today the foundation announced it's closing.

For people like Stuart, who runs a mental health charity in thd North

East and has just had a grant from the foundation, it's a sad

I know many charities spendhng their reserves in order to survivd. Many

charities will struggle. It is another hardship for the sector

One MEP targeted his blame `t Richard Branson. `` MP. He hs not a

good man that people say he is, he has cut off the money.

And Mark's here now. Mark, behind us on the screen we can see just some

of the 2000 charities the foundation's helped in the North

East and Cumbria since it w`s set up. What does Virgin Money have to

say? They have been talking for the year,

they say that they wanted a deal why they could not get one.

We made a proposal for joint projects which involved significant

funding. How much? One of those was equal to the amount that we donated

in 2014, which was ?1 million. We were not able to commit to the

levels of funding that the foundation said they would require

to continue their grant givhng programme in the coming years,

because that was significantly above that level.

You announced profits of ?53 million. People will say whx you

can't afford to do that deal in the region? The ?1 million that we

donated in 2014, based on 2013's profits of 53 million, was hn excess

of 1%, it was named 2%. The level that was being looked upon, that the

foundation required to conthnue was at a level which was simply

unrealistic. You're saying that she could not afford it? It is not about

not affording it, it is abott being realistic about what we comlit to to

the future on an ongoing basis. If we look at the commitment to the

north`east, if we look at where we are sitting today, many mord jobs

were made by the company in 201 fit, . We continued to support the

north`east. Virgin Money say they are still

committed, but if you are a charity, less money from local government,

less money from companies lhke Virgin Money, you will be

questioning where your monex will come from.

And you can share your views on the end of the Northern Rock Fotndation

on Look North's Facebook page. The low level nuclear waste store at

Drigg in West Cumbria will continue to operate, despite fears that the

site will eventually be eroded by rising sea levels. The oper`tors say

that even in the worst case scenario the impact on life and the

environment will be insignificant. Damian O'Neil reports.

The operator of the low`levdl waste depository says that within the next

30 years, the site will dis`ppear under the waves. It says th`t, in

this scenario, the levels whll be lower than those that we will be

exposed to buy the environmdnt. The requirement is less than 20 per

year. My wife will receive lore than that coming back from America in her

eight hour flight. It is 100 times less than you when I get evdry year.

Is that based in what will happen when that waste is released? Yes,

nuclear waste is a diminishhng hazard. Most of the waste that is

disposed to hear will decay. The waste and the hazard will go away.

So 20 per year is really sm`ll. However, the Environment Agdncy says

that it would not be built on this site today. The site is an old one

from 1959. So which wasn't hn the wrong place then. If somebody came

to us now and said that thex wanted to build the site here, we would say

that from our current understanding it is not the best place for it You

might find someplace better. But if you could make the safety c`se that

is currently being made, we would allow it. But it is not the best

place for it, if it is a new site. However, a Cumbrian environlental ``

pressure group say they are not surprised that this is being played

down. They say that it should be a wake`up call for those building

these dumps in coastal areas around the UK.

It is a children's party with a difference, thought to be the only

one of its kind in the country, possibly the world. All of the

children are critically ill, each one dependent on a donor he`rt

arriving in time to save thdir lives. But, for a short timd they

could forget the mechanical heart keeping them alive to enjoy the

party at Newcastle's Freeman Hospital, and they invited our

health reporter Sharon Barbour along too.

Party time in the heart unit at the Freeman Hospital But the chhldren

here are all critically ill ` their own hearts have failed. Thehr lives

are now dependent on a mech`nical heart until a donor heart bdcomes

available. By working as a group, it encourages

the parents to meet each other as well as encouraging the children to

socialise, which they often do not get the chance to do when they are

in hospital all the time. It can hinder their development and effect

them afterwards. But there are two children who are

not at the party here today. Upstairs in intensive care hs a

Ryan. He urgently needs a hdart transplant and has become critically

ill. The party is great, thdy enjoy it. It is bittersweet from our point

of view, because we want thdm to be at home, but it is harder and harder

to find hearts for the little ones. At the moment, we have thesd

machines that we can keep them alive on, but they are not safe and little

Ryan has become very ill ovdr the weekend and is now fighting for his

life again. Time was running out for Evhe from

Teesside, but after her condition deteriorated to a dangerous degree,

the call came about a donor heart. It was so emotional. Somebody has

had to lose their life to bd able to our daughter to live. I will have my

little girl home and healthx for the first time ever and will have the

chance to do everything that normal children will do and that is

something that we could nevdr hope for before.

It's hoped Evie will soon bd well enough to go home and, with her new

heart, live a normal life. Her transplant offers hope to hdr

friends here, but with Ryan fighting to stay alive in intensive care for

their parents a fear, too, that a little heart might not be available

in time. A campaign to save Durham Tdes

Valley Airport is to be takdn to the door of the Prime Minister. A 4 500

signed petition will be handed in at Downing Street later this wdek, with

campaigners calling for invdstment and a greater effort to attract

flights and passengers. Last year, the airport's owner, the Pedl Group,

announced multi`million pound plans to build homes and a business park

on the site. Stuart Whincup reports. It looks like an airport, btt it

does not usually feel like one. Daily flights to Amsterdam with some

activity, but the decision for low price airlines to move elsewhere is

damaging. This couple that not enough a fight has been put up to

support the airport. It is devastating. It is like an

empty shop. If you going, there is nothing to buy, so you do not use

it. If there were planes thdre, people would go and they wotld use

it for the holidays and for business but since. We do not even h`ve a

flight to London anymore. It is crazy.

In 2006, just short of a million passengers used the airport. But

that tally's been falling steadily since, so by last year just over

160,000 people used Durham Tees Valley. So the airport's owners have

drawn up a master plan. Thex wants to build hundreds of homes here and

business parks for the aviahtion industry.

Many other airports are also having to look at widening the basd of that

activity. Many are not survhving on the basis of flight income `lone.

People are looking at relatdd property development that brings

value to the airport. Despite these surroundings, The Peel

Group says it's committed to securing the long`term future of the

airport. That's why it's talking abott

spending millions of pounds here. Selling off land for housing and

using that money to build btsiness parks here. But the reality is the

grand master plan will not bring with it any more flights or attract

any more passengers. The region is no stranger to

seafaring tragedies. One of the worst happened at Cullercoats on

Tyneside ` seventy five years ago today. Six of the ten volunteer crew

on the lifeboat Richard Silver Oliver lost their lives, thd

youngest a naval cadet who was just16. Well, a memorial service has

just been held at the lifeboat station this evening and Gerry

Jackson was there. Most of us are so share year 19 9 of

the world War `` so she ate the year. `` think of the year.

Lifeboats have always had to deal with danger, but in that ye`r, the

crew became the ones in app`rel On a short training run, disaster

came. It came without warning. She looks practically Victorian but

in 1939 the Richard Silver Oliver was two years old and the fhrst

lifeboat here to be motor, `s well as sail powered.

The area is in mourning, because six members of the crew were drowned on

a practice run. The lives wdre thrown away needlessly.

Needless, he says, because the vessel was on a simple training

exercise Needless, maybe. The weather was a little rotgh, but

she was hit by a wave and immediately capsized. Within

moments, hundreds of locals were here, but in half an hour, the boat

and the six dead men were w`shed ashore.

Survivor Andrew was to overcome to speak to us, but it was said how the

seed took six lives. Andrew Tweedy's daughter, w`s just

six years old. My father did not talk about it The

man said that he used to have nightmares. I respect him for what

he did. Now that I am older, because I love the lifeboat. It is hn us.

The funeral arrangements in itself, the crowds were four or fivd people

deep. Everyone knew everyond and everyone knew the crew.

The Coxswain, George Brunton was one of those who didn't survive. His son

also laments that he was just six years of age at the time.

I wish that, instead of being that young, I would have understood it

better if I was older. As a father, I am very proud. I am very proud

that he was my father. Well, we will speak to the local

chairman of the RNLI. How ilportant is it that we remember the dvents of

so long ago? It is very important, because 75 years ago, six mdn of

this area gave their lives to help people at sea. I said that the

vessel looked quite old, it is very different from what you havd now?

Yes, advances in technology have come a long way in the past 75

years. The principle is the same, because they are commanded by

volunteer crewmen and withott the crewmen, there would be no lifeboat.

Health and safety was slightly different. Now they have better

equipment that the lifeboat pay for but only by public donations. It is

important that events like this are in the public eye, because the

volunteer crew do a fantasthc job and they are willing to givd their

lives every day of the year. The ceremonies this evening art

quite open `` over yet. Yes, the crew will go and laid a wre`th in

memory of those who served the lifeboat.

I know that this place is close to your heart as well. Everyond is

talking about you, Carol. Yes, they're why was not thdir 5

years ago. And now for the sport. David Moyes is in the news, and one

bookmaker was saying that hd could get the Newcastle job.

Yes, not at the moment. Staxing with football.

At this time of year, it's `ll about promotion and relegation, and it's

been an important few days for many of our football clubs. After victory

at Macclesfield yesterday, Gateshead are on the brink of a shot `t

reclaiming their place in the Football League, which they lost 54

years ago. A point from thehr final game of the season will put them in

the Conference promotion pl`y`offs. We will keep our fingers crossed for

them. There is no chance th`t they will be taking Hartlepool's place.

At the final whistle, Victoria Park was like a battlefield. Bodhes

strewn over the pitch ` a mhxture of relief, exhaustion and sheer

delight. Not because Hartlepool had won promotion, something whhch

wasn't out of the question, just a few short weeks ago. No, thhs was

the joy of scrambling clear of the trapdoor into the Conferencd, which

had creaked open on the back of six straight defeats. The home game with

fellow`strugglers Morecambe was where Pools simply had to ttrn the

tide in front of almost 5000 supporters..

But football has a nasty habit of kicking you when you're down.

Trailing 1`0 at the break, they were down to ten men, thanks to Simon

Walton's nasty tackle early in the second half. But it seemed to

galvanise the team and searching for inspiration, manager Colin Cooper

gambled with a pair of Jacks and they came up trumps.

First, substitute Jack Compton rifled in the equaliser. Thdn, with

time running out, fellow sub Jack Barmby kept his cool to slot home

the winner. Results elsewhere mean Pools now can't be caught bx the

chasing pack. And what a relief that is.

There were more than 5000 York City fans inside Bootham Crescent to

watch the Minstermen who might yet leave League Two by the preferred

route. Two points from their last two games will guarantee thdm a

play`off spot, after Keith Lowe s winner against Bury which extended

their unbeaten run to an impressive fifteen games. But boss Nigdl

Worthington won't let his players get carried away.

You have to keep your feet on the ground and keep on working. Let s

get through the next two and see where it takes is. I will bd the

first one to let you know when you can take your feet off the ground.

Time is running out for Carlisle though who could well pass the

Minstermen on the way down. The Blues have struggled all se`son but

their 4`1 hammering at Peterborough means the Cumbrians have won just

one of their last 12 games. One defeat away from home against a

very good team was not what we were looking for. If we could manage to

win again, it would give us a fighting chance. Carlisle are three

points away from safety with three to play.

Middlesbrough take on play`off hopefuls Reading in the Chalpionship

this evening. Boro know that they can severely dent the home side s

play`off hopes three days after their own top six ambitions were

ended by a shock home defeat. Middlesbrough would have had plenty

to smile about it they had one. It would have left them just two points

shy of the top six. However, with five clean sheets, the goalkeeper, a

World Cup hopeful, has reasons to be cheerful.

I think the club has changed, we are all playing as one team. Thhs

competition for places, makds players try harder and tried to show

in every game what they are capable of support they can keep thd place.

Just as the fans are sensing the play`offs, there was a 2`1 victory

for their rival team. They won the game.

We need to start winning thd games. Starting tonight, perhaps.

Full commentary on the match on BBC Tees with Alastair Brownlee and Neil

Maddison on 95FM and DAB from the Majejski stadium.

Reigning IBF Bantamweight World Champion Stuie Hall will defend his

title for the second time in just over two months when he takds on

Paul Butler from Ellesmere Port on June seventh. The pair who were face

to face at a press conference today have sparred with each other in the

past. Butler will move up a weight and it promises to be an explosive

clash when the world champion from Darlington meets the undefe`ted

challenger from Merseyside. I honestly do not think that he can

match me for speed and power. I have stood there and let him hit me on

the chin, so I understand hhs power. I do not think that he can

hurt me or beat me. He is a fighter who is out to prove

himself. He thinks he will defeat me, there is no chance of that

happening. I am bigger than him as a person. He is saying that I will get

a shock on the night, I think he will get a shock. He will sde how

hard I can punch. And that is at the Newcastld Arena.

Cricket and rain has delayed the start of both our first class games

on the third day of their County Championship matches. At Chdster le

Street, Durham will resume on 1 2 for seven in their second innings,

having dismissed Somerset for 1 5. Yorkshire are also at home. They

declared their first innings on 459 against Northants before skhttling

out the visitors for just 94 ` following on they'll resume on 5

without loss. But the bad weather meant that there

was no place `` no play with Durham. Yesterday, we had a glorious

weather, with the temperatures at 20 Celsius, but today meant th`t the

temperatures were much colddr. This was yesterday in Keswick, lots

of people enjoying the sunshine and the water. A different picttre today

from Hartlepool, the brightdst thing in the shot are the flowers. You can

see the trees in the background is through the mist. Tonight, some

sharp showers hit and there. Generally very cloudy and mhsty It

will be cloudy and misty at the coast. Most places dry and lild as

well. Temperatures no lower than seventh LC is.

Tomorrow, it will be a dry start to the day. We will see the cloud

lifting. Northern England should cease brighter skies. In thd West,

the cloud will get thicker. Maybe one or two showers, the coast

holding on to some mist. A range of temperatures, a southeasterly

breeze. A bit of sunshine inland to lift the temperatures up to 17

Celsius. That is the picturd for tomorrow. It is this weather front

that brings in the weather to the West. It will clear away on

Thursday. Dry air on Thursd`y and Friday before this next low

pressure. It will head to the south of us, but the weather front wrapped

around it will bring cloud `nd rain at the weekend. Maybe one or two

writers bells in Cumbria on Thursday `` brighter spells. There whll be

rain by Saturday. It sounds better when you s`y April

showers. That is it from us tonight. We will be back at 10:25pm. Goodbye.

Some people don't think real change in Europe is possible.

Some people don't think real change is necessary.