Everyone at Hexham FC knows about the benefits of being a Charter Standard Club but equally how much hard work and effort there is in maintaining the award. Hexham have been a Charter Standard Club since November 2005 but in recent years the FA have rolled this out to the Leagues in which we compete.

Some of our junior sides play in the NABC which are rightly proud of their award but in the recent months the Northern Football Alliance, of which our senior team are members, have also received this honour. In 2008/09 season there was a pilot run and last year it was rolled out to the entire country.

This award is all about raising the standards across the board with all coaches having to have a minimum of a Level one qualification and first aid qualifications to match. This ensures that procedures are in place to ensure the development of all the players and with a promise to attend in house training sessions and a development plan so that the league will continue to prosper and retain playing levels; it is quite a commitment.

For any league to achieve this, 60% of their teams must have a Charter Standard which must rise to 100% within two years of receiving the award. Any new teams entering the League must work towards and complete the qualification in their first season.

The Northern Alliance confidently hit their target of 60% and became only one of four level seven leagues in the country to do so. They are not stopping there- league vice Chairman Bill Derby is working with the other clubs to ensure the Alliance hit that 100% mark before the end of the present campaign.

But Bill took a break recently to receive the award from NFA Development Officer Mark Woodhall at a recent meeting. Alongside holding the certificate is Chairman of the Northern Football Alliance Peter Riley.

Krzysztof Barankiewicz sent in these beautiful winter scenes taken around Chollerford and Brunton Bank.

The dinner was held at the Newcastle Assembly Rooms in October in respect of the tremendous work George did for the Northern Football Alliance and football in the North East. Senior team members and officials of Hexham FC attended the function when the guest speaker was ex Newcastle, Liverpool, Sunderland and England fullback Alan Kennedy with entertainment provided by Rudi West. Players, officials and referees from all over the county along with colleagues from Cumberland, Durham & Yorkshire attended and it was a great evening. But as well as remembering George the object was to raise as much money as possible for the British Heart Foundation.

The final amount raised for this worthy cause was £3,270 which was a fantastic effort. Pictured receiving the cheque is David Storey from members of George's family with Chairman of the Northern Alliance Peter Riley.

The Football Association have renamed the FA National Systems Cup to the FA Inter League Cup this season because the last three winners of the competition have come from outside the national League structure.

Previous winners were:-

2006 Isle of Man League
2008 Southern Amateur League
2010 Guernsey Senior County League

In an attempt to increase participation in the competition the FA Leagues committee have decided to rename the tournament and open it up to any eleven aside Saturday League in the country.

The Northern Alliance forms a representative side to take part in this competition which is played over two seasons. The draw for the preliminary round of the present competition has paired our league with The Lancashire & Cheshire Amateur League this tie has to be completed by Sat April 16th 2011.Our neighbors in the Wearside League have to travel the Manchester League. Down in Teeside the League side has also to travel this time to the Liverpool County FA Premier League and across in the West the Cumberland County League have been handed a bye into the first round.

If we are all successful the first round draw is:-

Northern Alliance or Lancashire & Cheshire v Yorkshire Amateur League
Cumberland League v Liverpool County or Teeside League
Manchester or Wearside v Cheshire League

This weekend cadets of 224 (Hexham) Squadron remembered those that have fought, are fighting or who lost their lives whilst protecting our country.

On Saturday alongside the Mayor of Hexham, members of Hexham Town Council, the Royal British Legion and two Army Cadets Corporal Annalise Laidlow (16) and Cadet Adam Hill (17) represented 224 (Hexham) Squadron at St Andrews Cemetery. With the other members of the community they laid Poppy Crosses on each of the forty-six war graves before laying a Poppy Wreath at the War Memorials in Hexham Hospital.

Later on in the day cadets from the Squadron joined forces with the local Army Cadet Force to sell poppies on the streets of Hexham to raise money for the Royal British Legion, one of the few occasions that the friendly rivalry between the two forces is forgotten to achieve the same goal; to raise money for a fantastic cause. The support from the local community was phenomenal with many generous donations that both the cadet forces and Royal British Legion appreciate.

The main event of the weekend was the Remembrance Parade through the streets of Hexham and service at the Cenotaph in Hexham's Sele Park. The Service of Remembrance began with the history of just a few of the 222 names on the Hexham Cenotaph before The Reverend Canon Graham B. Usher, Rector of Hexham read two passages from the bible. Flight Sergeant Daniel Crowther (18) joined in with the reading of the fourth stanza of the poem 'For the Fallen' before Adult Sergeant Jonathan Dunn played The Last Post followed by a two minute silence and then The Reveille on the trumpet.

The silence was followed by the laying of the wreaths, 224 (Hexham) Squadron was represented by Cadets' Matthew Craigs (15) and Thomas Simpson (17). The Service of Remembrance was concluded with the Lord's Prayer and the National Anthem before the parade marched off.

Flight Lieutenant V(RT) David Elliott, Officer Commanding of 224 (Hexham) Squadron said "Remembering those who gave their lives for our present is a very important event and it is vital that younger generations continue to do so. The cadets and staff of the Squadron gave an exceptional display to honour the fallen and I am extremely proud to have been a part of that."