| Status: | Active, open to new members |
| Contact: | |
| Contact: | |
| When: | Monthly on Mondays 2nd Monday |
Convenors: Karen and Shelagh, please contact via the links above.
Indoor meetings 3.00pm. Outdoor meetings as arranged...

The Wildlife group has a large membership who are enthusiastic about all aspects of wildlife.
The membership is encouraged to participate in the running of the group, make presentations, arrange field trips and organise speakers.
Indoor meetings generally take place at the County Hotel in Hexham from October to March. They run from 3.00 to 4.30pm. There is no charge for the room, but members are expected to buy a drink.
Field trips tend to take place in the warmer months. The length of the trips is variable. We meet on site. Car sharing is encouraged. NOTE: for reasons of safety and to avoid unnecessary disturbance to wildlife we have a No Dog policy.
There is a Whatsapp group where members communicate to assist car sharing, and share news of sightings and exhibitions.
2026 Programme
- Jan 12 - Book Review Afternoon (and if you have any wildlife books that you would like to swap please bring them along)
- Feb 9 - Speaker from the Otter Network
- March 9 - Visit to Northumberland Zoo - booking now closed
- April 13 - Talk by Jenny Loring on John Ray (1627-1705) . John Ray has been described as 'Britain's Finest Naturalist' and 'The Father of modern Botany' working at a time of scientific and religious turmoil.
- May 11 - Visit to Northumberlandia. Meet at the Entrance at 2pm. No formal organisation for this visit. No booking necessary. If you would like to have lunch first the options are the visitor centre cafe, a picnic or 'The Snowy Owl' which is adjacent to Northumberlandia.
- June 25 - Karen has offered a walk from Ramshaw to Sikehead Reservoir. Please note that this is not on our usual day.
Parking at Ramshaw, keeping access to field gate open. Location: 54.820631, -2.079484. What3Words: broken.dices.slowness
Steep walk up to Sikehead Lead Mine chimney and Sikehead Dam through heather and rough grass. Perhaps two hours but we could shorten it by not walking around the reservoir. For more information please contact Karen (07963 725662, Karen@melvin.slaley.clara.co.uk or via the WhatsApp group)
We leave lunch arrangements to you. There are a few possibilities on the way including the Lord Crewe Arms or The White Monk Cafe in Blanchland.
Any items or suggestions for indoor or outdoor meetings are most welcome, please let the convenor know
Other Groups
Groups listed alphabetically
-
Art Appreciation 1
Status: Active
Fortnightly on Monday mornings
10-12 -
Art Appreciation 2
Status: Active
Monthly on Thursday mornings
Last Thursday, 10-12 -
Art Appreciation 3
Status: Waiting list
Monthly on Tuesday afternoons
Forth Tuesday -
Bird Watching
Status: Waiting list
Monthly on Monday mornings
Third Monday at 10.15 a.m. Additional trips in spring. -
Book Group 1
Status: Active
Monthly on Wednesday mornings
Last Wednesday, 10.30 -
Book Group 3
Status: Active
Monthly on Thursday mornings
Second Thursday, 10-30 - 12.00 -
Book Group 4
Status: Waiting list
Monthly on Thursday afternoons 2:00 pm
3rd Thursday, 2.00-3.30 -
Book Group: Page Turners
Status: Active
Monthly on Monday afternoons
Second Monday 1.30 - 3.00 -
Book Group: The Detectives
Status: Waiting list
Monthly on Monday afternoons
Third Monday, 2.30 - 4.00 -
British Sign Language
Status: Active
On Thursday afternoons 2:00 pm-4:00 pm
We meet twice a month on 2nd and 4th Thursday afternoons at the Garden Coffee House Hexham. -
Craft
Status: Active
Fortnightly on Tuesday afternoons
2pm, 2nd and 4th Tuesday -
Cryptic Crosswords
Status: Active
Monthly on Thursday mornings
Second Thursday, 10.30 am -
Cryptic Crosswords 2
Status: Active
Monthly on Tuesday mornings 11:00 am
Second Tuesday, 11am -
Dawdling with Dogs and Without
Status: Active
Monthly on Tuesdays 1:00 pm
3rd Tuesday -
Discovery Award Support Group
Status: Active -
Easy Going French
Status: Waiting list
Weekly on Thursday mornings
10.00 - 11.30am -
Environment Group
Status: Active
Monthly on Tuesday mornings
3rd Tuesday, 10.30 -
España Viva
Status: Active
Monthly on Monday afternoons
First Monday -
Family History
Status: Active
Monthly on Monday mornings
Third Monday, 10.30 -
Family History 2
Status: Active
Monthly on Thursday mornings
10.00 -
French Conversation (Group 2)
Status: Full
Fortnightly on Monday mornings
10.30 -
French For Fluent Speakers
Status: Full
Fortnightly on Monday mornings
10.30 am -
French Intermediate
Status: Full
Weekly on Tuesday mornings 10:00 am-11:30 am -
Garden Visits
Status: Active
Meeting times vary -
Geology
Status: Dormant
Monthly on Fridays
Third Friday -
German Language
Status: Full
Weekly on Tuesday afternoons
2:30 -
German Language 2
Status: Active
Weekly on Wednesday mornings 10:30 am -
Great Whittington and Matfen Friendship Group
Status: Active
Monthly on Tuesday evenings 7:30 pm
First Tuesday, in either Matfen or Great Whittington village hall -
Hadrian's Wall
Status: Waiting list
Monthly on Thursdays
First Thursday -
History
Status: Active
Monthly on Mondays
1st Monday afternoons most frequently except Bank Holidays -
Industrial Archaeology
Status: Active
Monthly on Wednesday afternoons 3:00 pm
Second Wednesday, Dining Room of County Hotel -
Italian Intermediate Conversation
Status: Active
Weekly on Tuesday mornings 10:00 am-11:30 am -
Italian post beginners
Status: Active
Weekly on Tuesday mornings 10:45 am-12:15 pm -
Jazz Appreciation
Status: Active
Monthly on Thursday mornings
Third Thursday at 10.30 -
Landscape
Status: Active
Monthly on Monday afternoons
4th Monday. -
Latin Learners
Status: Active
Fortnightly on Monday afternoons
Monday 2:00 - 3:30 -
Mah-Jong
Status: Closed
Weekly -
Music Appreciation
Status: Active
Monthly on Monday afternoons 2:00 pm-4:00 pm -
Northern Rocks
Status: Active
Monthly on Tuesdays
2nd Tuesday -
Out and About
Status: Active
Varies according to programme, -
Play Reading
Status: Full
Fortnightly on Friday mornings -
Playing Music
Status: Active
Fortnightly on Wednesday afternoons 2:00 pm-4:00 pm
First and third Wednesday of the month -
Poetry 1
Status: Waiting list
Monthly on Thursday afternoons
Second Thursday, 2.00 - 3.30 pm. -
Poetry 2
Status: Active
Monthly on Monday afternoons
3rd Monday 2.00 to 3.30 -
Putting the World to Right 1
Status: Active
Monthly on Wednesday afternoons
2th Wednesday, 1.30 - 3.00 -
Putting the World to Right 2
Status: Active
Monthly on Friday mornings
Fourth Friday 10:30am to 12 noon -
Real Ale Appreciation
Status: Active
Monthly on Thursdays -
Science
Status: Active
Monthly on Monday afternoons
Third Monday, 3 pm -
Scrabble
Status: Active
Fortnightly on Thursday mornings -
Showtime!
Status: Waiting list
Monthly discussion, 4th Tuesday morning from 11.30 am, plus one or two shows each month. -
Space Exploration
Status: Full
On Friday afternoons
2nd Friday, 2.00pm -
Spanish Conversation
Status: Active
Fortnightly on Wednesday mornings -
Tai Chi CH'UAN
Status: Full
Weekly on Thursday mornings
Weekly, Torch Centre, 10.00-11.00 -
Taijiquan
Status: Full
Weekly on Thursday afternoons
Torch Centre -
Topical Discussion Group
Status: Active
Monthly on Thursday mornings
2nd Thursday, 10.30-12.30 -
Walking
Status: Active
Fortnightly on Wednesday mornings 10:00 am -
Watercolour Painting
Status: Active
Weekly on Thursday afternoons
1.45 - 3.45 -
Welsh Improvers (N Wales)
Status: Active
Weekly on Monday mornings
10.30 for about an hour -
Wildlife Group
Status: Active
Monthly on Mondays
2nd Monday -
Wine Appreciation
Status: Full
Monthly on Tuesday afternoons -
Wine Appreciation 2
Status: Waiting list
Monthly on Wednesday evenings
First Wednesday of the month at 18.00 -
Writing Together
Status: Active
Fortnightly on Thursday afternoons 2:00 pm