(this presentation was executed with the aid of many beautiful slides)
Howard Dixon
Rotarian no mi-na-sa-ma, kon-nichi-wa.
Watashi-wa, sen-sanju chiku, GSE team no, toshi-oita Rotarian de-su.
Watashi-no na-ma-e wa Howard Dixon to mo-shi-ma-su.
Ok, I will speak in English hereafter. You will be relieved because it will be much easier for you to hear.
Fellow Rotarians, guests;
My name is Howard Dixon. And I am the leader of the team and I bring greetings
from our District Governor John Billany and best wishes to you.
I am a member of the Rotary Club of Hexham, a town in Northumberland, the large county in the north of our district. My club was founded in 1926, is a very active club with 60 members and is growing. We hold many fund-raising events, some outdoors like our annual Raft Race on the River Tyne.
My home is on the edge of a village in the Tyne Valley. where I live and work as a freelance designer.
I live with my wife, Jan and two children, Ross and Joanna. My parents live 30 miles away near the North Sea coast. We visit them often.
I am honoured to be accompanied by four talented young team members who will introduce themselves.
On the southern border of Scotland lies the wild and beautiful landscape we now call Northumberland. For many centuries this region was home to warlike Tribes and families who fought, not only with their Scots neighbours, but also among themselves. For this reason Northumberland has the remains of more castles than any other English county.
But by far the most famous monument is Hadrian's Wall, built by the Romans between AD122-128 to separate the Romans from the Barbarians. It marks the northern frontier of the Roman Empire and today is a World Heritage Site.
The wall stretched 73 miles between Wallsend in the east and Bowness Housesteads in the west. Large forts were constructed every seven miles to accommodate garrisons of infantry or cavalry. Over the centuries the wall has been robbed of its stones which were used to build roads, farmhouses, castles and churches. Even so, the area still contains some of the finest Roman remains in England including a hospital and bathhouses with drainage and under-floor heating systems.
Our country was occupied by the Romans until the decline of the Roman Empire from AD 400 when northern England was overrun by Picts and Scots from the north and Anglo Saxons from Western Europe.
Christianity, which was introduced by the Romans, was forgotten until AD 635 when monks established a community on the island of Lindisfarne, now also known as Holy Island. Here begins the Golden Age of Northumbria.
I should like to ask team member Emma-san to continue the story.
Emma Duff
Christianity is the main religion in England today. It was introduced by a Northumbrian prince called Oswald. He was exiled to Iona, a Scottish Island, and became a Christian there. When he returned to England he was made King of Northumbria. He wished to convert the Northumbrian people to Christianity, and so he asked the monastery at Iona for help. Some of the monks from Iona came to Northumbria, led by a man called Aidan. He established a monastery on Lindisfarne, a small island off the coast. He became the first Bishop of Lindisfarne. From here Aidan and his monks brought Christianity to the whole of Northumbria.
One of the most famous Bishops of Lindisfarne was Saint Cuthbert, who was a shepherd before he became Bishop. The ring worn by St Cuthbert is worn today by the Bishop of Newcastle whenever he ordains a priest. St Cuthbert and King Oswald are buried in the Cathedral in Durham, a historic city in the south of our district. The Cathedral itself is considered to be one of the most beautiful buildings in the world. Today Christians from all over the country come to Durham and to Holy Island as places of pilgrimage.
The bodies of 3 Kings of Northumbria are buried in the Priory at Tynemouth. The Priory itself stands in the ruins of Tynemouth Castle, which dates from 1096. Services are still held in the small chapel there about four times a year. Since 1668 services have been held in the local Parish Church.
(Intorduction)
Kon-ni-chi-wa. Hazi-me-ma-shi-te. Watashi-no na-ma-e-wa Emma Duff de-su.
I live in Tynemouth, which is next to the sea and about 8 miles from Newcastle, the largest town in District 1080.
This is the church in Tynemouth, where I go most Sundays, and often play my flute with other musicians to accompany the hymns we sing.
I am a solicitor and I work in North Shields, which is one mile way from where I live.
The firm I work for is quite small - it employs 50 people. The work I do is dealing with Wills and Estates, and buying and selling both commercial and residential properties.
I have lived in Tynemouth for most of my life. I live in a flat on my own.
Here my parents are on a sailing boat - all of my family enjoy sailing on rivers in the south of England.
We sleep and eat aboard the boat we sail on, and it can sleep five people.
I have two elder brothers - John and James. James is in the British Army.
This is a picture of myself and John in the Cheviot Hills in Northumberland.
These hills are in the North of the District, and in fact the fence we are standing beside is the border with Scotland.
Andrew Birks
Wa-ta-shi-wa Andrew Birks de-su. Do-zo yo-ro-shi-ku o-ne-gai-shi-ma-su.
I am 24 years old and live at Alnwick in Northumberland which is only 25 miles from the border with Scotland. I live in a small village which has approximately 250 residents.
I am single and live with my parents in the village. I have 1 sister and 1 brother.
I work for a retail company called Woolworth's which has approximately 900 branches throughout the UK. I am the Assistant Manager of the branch at Whitley Bay and have worked with them since 1996. I am responsible for the personnel and Marketing issues as well as community involvement for the store.
I am also a voluntary Police Officer with Northumbria Police, working in the city of Newcastle Upon Tyne. I am currently the equivalent of a Sergeant. I look after 2l Constables.
Today I am representing Newcastle Central Rotary Club in Newcastle City. They have 67 members who meet on a Friday Lunchtime.
The industrial North East of England deve1oped during the last two centuries and employed a large work force of skilled and unskilled labour, but decline in heavy industry in recent years has lead to now development which has attracted modern manufacturing and service industries to our region.
Sheep farming and agriculture have always been important in our large and rural counties. This is still true today although efficient farming methods mean that few people are now employed on the land.
Fishing too was a major industry until recent years when declining fish stocks, European Community fishing quotas and intense competition caused, fishing fleets to decrease in number.
The rivers Tyne and Wear were once world-renowned for shipbuilding and local shipyards set international standards for quality of construction. Today new companies work on refitting vessels and the skills of generations are now being used in the building of off-shore platforms, for oil and gas companies.
One of the main industries for which the NorthEast was famous was Coal Mining which employed thousands of people until the late 1960s, when the mines began to close. The last working mine in the area, EIlington which stretches out under the North Sea, may close later this year.
Heavy Engineering is also an important part of our industrial heritage. Lord Armstrong of Cragside was a Tyneside engineer and industrial revolutionist in the late 1800s. He appointed architect Norman Shaw to design the house in which he lived - it became the first house in the world to be powered by hydroelectricity, generated from man-made lakes and a system of underground pipes. His engineering factories received many orders from Japan and foreign dignitarie often visited Cragside, his private estate and mansion.
Cragside is now owned and maintained by The National Trust, a charity which looks after 249 historical sites and buildings in England and Wales.
Tourism has become a major industry in the NorthEast, not only because of the beautiful scenery and landscapes but also for the industrial heritage, which has shaped our region.
Helen Brown
In the present day, the Traditional Industries have given way to modern commerce and new business parks, and Industry in the NorthEast is concentrated much more on electronics and manufacturing.
I work for a manufacturing company for the automotive industry -Magna Kansei Ltd.- a joint Canadian/Japanese company. Magna Kansei was set up 10 years ago to supply the NISSAN manufacturing plant in Washington but has since developed and now supplies many other major car manufacturers including BMW, Rover and Jaguar. Another Japanese company within our district is Komatsu in Birtley, which recently received a Queen's Award for Enterprise.
Watashi-wa Helen Brown to-mo-shi-ma-su. Ni-ju-kyu-sai de, Low Fell ni sun-de-ima-su.
It is approximately 3 miles from Newcastle upon Tyne. My parent also live in Low Fell: my father works for the Department of Health and my mother works part time as a Dental Nurse.
My l brother works as a Tax Inspector and lives in the South West of England, -in Bristol- with his wife and 2 children - James (5) and Louis (2). Their 3rd child is due in July. My grandmother lives in sheltered housing in Low Fell and my Aunt Uncle and 2 cousins live in, Norfolk in East Anglia.
My main hobbies are Amateur Dramatics and Music and I also enjoy, cooking and doing various handicrafts, and recently finished this quilt for a friend's baby.
I am sponsored by Gateshead Rotary Club - established in 1928, which currently has 32 members.
("Geordie" Culture and Local Traditions) The "heavy " industries of the past created very close communities within the NorthEast. These communities are still a feature of this NorthEast today. The NorthEast is known for its hospitality to visitors. Brewing Beer is still important within the region - especially our famous "Newcastle Brown Ale". More recently, Tourism has become important in the NorthEast, bringing many visitors to the region to see such sights as Hartlepool Quays, the Metro Centre and The Angel of the North.
The NorthEast has many traditions and customs, Newcastle, like Osaka, has it's
own regional dialect - GEORDIE - the equivalent of OSAKA BEN, A few examples
are:
Gob: meaning Mouth
Worm: meaning Serpent
Whey eye manl: medaning "of course"
There is also a lot of regional heritage. For example: - NORTH EAST FOOD: - Stotties (a type of local flat bread), Ham & Peaspudding, Black Pudding and tripe.
New Years Eve ritual in the town of Allendale is the Pagan tradition of processing through the town carrying burning barrels of tar.
REGIONAL MUSIC is also a strong feature in North East, the Northumbrian Pipes, and many REGIONAL SONGS.
Many of these songs describe regional history - such as THE BLAYDON RACES. Other is more legendary. This year being the year of the Dragon, we would like to demonstrate a local song about our own "Dragon". THE LAMBTON WORM is a song about Sir John Lambton who caught a worm when out fishing in the River Wear. The Song tells how the worm grew so big that it could wrap itself 10 times around Penshaw Hill. The story goes on to tell how the worm ate lambs and sheep, and even small children who were asleep in their beds. It is said that the terraces in the hill were made by the worm's enormous body. But do not fear, Sir John saved the day by catching the worm and chopping it in half!
The North East also has it's own REGIONAL DANCE, such as Clog Dancing, Morris Dancing and Country Dancing.
We would now like to give you a short demonstration of Counrty Dancing.
HELEN ILLINGWORTH
Wa-ta-shi-wa Helen Illingworth de-su. Do-zo yo-ro-shi-ku o-ne-gai-shi-ma-su
I am representing my sponsor club Longbenton with Killingworth and send you their warm regards.
I live in Jesmond in Newcastle upon Tyne.
My father and stepmother live close to me in Newcastle.
I have one brother, called Martin. He is a teacher. Martin is married.
He and his wife Rachel have three children, twin boys, Adam and Laurie and a little girl, Amy. Amy recently had her third birthday.
I also have family who live in Canada and London.
I enjoy sport and support Newcastle United Football Club.
One of the main football songs is sung to the tune of "Blaydon Races".
My favourite sports events I have taken part in are a sponsored bike ride in Egypt from Luxor to Aswan and a sponsored run in Toronto, which I ran with my Uncle Peter who lives in Canada with his family.
I work for Northern Rock plc, a bank based in the North East of England with offices throughout England and Scotland.
I joined Northern Rock plc in 1998, as a Management Trainee. I am now a Corporate Research Manager based at Head Office. I work on a variety of research projects as well as coordinating the company's business plans.
(The Future of the North East)
I would like to tell you some of our plans for the future in the North East.
In Alnick, a small town in the north of the District, the gardens of Alnwic Castle are being redesigned to include a water maze, a garden designed for the blind and ice sculptures for the winter.
Gateshead and Newcastle, which are built on the banks of the River Tyne, are bidding to be chosen as the European Capital of Culture in 2008.
In the next two years L250m will be invested in projects to build a new Music Centre, a Contemporary Arts Centre, a leisure complex with cinemas and hotels and a new bridge over the River Tyne, "the Gateshead Millennium Bridge".
The Music Centre will include a concert hall and a school. It will be the home of two North East music companies, "Northern Sinfonia" and "Folk Works".
In Newcastle upon Tyne, the International Centre for Life is being built.
The project costs L58m. It includes a centre for visitors, research and education. It also includes the Institute for Human Genetics.
South of Newcastle, the City of Sunderland on the River Wear, has a population of 300,000.
Development projects include new housing and shops along the riverside, an extension of Sunderland's football stadium, the Stadium of Light, and the growth of Sunderland's main shopping centre, to double its current size.
Middlesbrough is a town in the South of District 1030, with a population of 150,000. Middlesbrough is investing in its young people through a sports development programme.
The North East is proud of its strong industrial heritage. Its plans for the future are based on new strengths, new technologies and skills, ensuring a prosperous future for the region in the new Millennium.
HOWARD-SAN TO TAKE OVER AT THIS POINT
We have enjoyed telling you about our region. Thank you for this wonderful opportunity to visit you. Through our GSE trip we aim to build our own bridge of friendship and knowledge between District 2660 Osaka and District 1030 Northumbria, Thank you.
