Street and supermarket collections held in Morpeth at the weekend raised more than £2,000 for the Disaster Emergency Committee's Haiti appeal.

The collections were organised by the town's Lions, Rotary, Round Table and Red Cross organisations.

Five voluntary service organisations in Morpeth will hold a collection in the town's streets, and its Morrisons and Marks & Spencer stores tomorrow.

Morpeth Lions, Rotary, Round Table and Soroptimist clubs have joined forces with the local Contact mental health organisation, and the town's churches, on the fundraising event.

Every year since 1991, scores of leather-clad motorcyclists have taken part in the annual Easter Egg run organised by the Northumberland Bikers' club.

They collected thousands of chocolate eggs donated by customers at various pubs and clubs and then set off in a huge motorbike convoy to deliver them to children and elderly people in hospitals and homes across Northumberland and Tyneside.

The community-based initiative, the Healthy Communities Collaborative (HCC), has been set up to help people living mainly in the Blyth, Wansbeck and Morpeth areas.

It aims to raise awareness of the disease so people can spot the early signs of breast, bowel and lung cancer.

Certificates were awarded at an event in the Queen's Head Hotel to recognise how the community worked together to respond to flooding last year.

They were given to representatives of the former Castle Morpeth Borough Council, Morpeth Flood Action Group, and the Methodist, New Life and Roman Catholic Churches.

Morpeth's Rotary and Lions Clubs were also praised for spearheading the charity campaign.

However, County Hall bosses have reassured the sector that a funding package of £1.3m will still be available next year. Budget proposals recommend more money for charities directly supporting those people worst affected by the recession.

These will include services such as credit unions and the Citizens' Advice Bureau.

Robin Cooper from Morpeth Lions, who were instrumental in the clean-up, said the residents of Cockermouth were "in for a tough time" but stressed "there are lots of people who are prepared to help and you only have to ask".

"All of our thoughts are with them. It's certainly brought back memories - it's a heck of a sense of loss because there's nothing you can do. If you haven't managed to shift it you've had it.

More than 20 community forums are being established in the county to help improve local democracy following the switch to unitary local government earlier this year.

The latest one to get up and running is the forum covering the Morpeth area - which has now begun the task of identifying and addressing local problems and concerns.

Red squirrels in the town have been under serious threat of localised extinction, as the town has become invaded by hordes of non-native grey squirrel looking to set up permanent residence in its parks and gardens.

The only way to save Morpeth's remaining red squirrels is to remove grey squirrels from the Greater Morpeth area.

Until the 2009 season, the difference between their junior rate and full rate was £341. As general manager Terry Minett put it: "Our members were starting to pay the full rate at the age of 22, so that was a massive jump.

"We were finding that the drop-off was dramatic. When somebody is 22, it is a significant price rise when golf is competing with many other financial factors such as rent, mortgages, student loans or bringing up a family.

Action for Blind People's mobile Sight Loss service is packed with the latest aids, equipment and specialist advice.

It has been invited to Northumberland by the County Blind Association.

The Morpeth Community Forum will play an influential role in shaping the future of the town and the surrounding parishes of Hebron, Hepscott, Longhirst, Mitford, Pegswood and Stannington.

Organisers have promised it will not be a 'talking shop' but will make a real contribution to community life in the district.

The money for the Greater Morpeth area has come from regional developer The Banks Group.

The Save our Squirrels project, based at Northumberland Wildlife Trust, will use the grant to work with local volunteers from Morpeth Red Squirrels in delivering a strategic grey squirrel control project.

Morpeth Lions Club - which was at the forefront of grassroots aid and recovery work following September's catastrophe in the Northumberland town - has been nominated for the prestigious Queen's Award for Voluntary Service.

Simon Pringle, left, and Les Sage from Morpeth Lions Club

The honour, which is the equivalent of an MBE and sets the national benchmark for excellence in volunteering, is given for outstanding service to the community by voluntary groups or organisations.

The market town's historic buildings, riverside walks and fascinating past are being showcased in the first of a series of signs and interpretation panels which have now gone up around the town.

From left, Kim Bibby-Wilson (Greater Morpeth Development Trust heritage Director), Gemma Gadomski (signage project manager), Alan Davison and John Caffrey from Friends of Carlisle Park

The Greater Morpeth Development Trust - together with a range of local partners - has developed the new guides in a bid to shed more light on the town's hidden secrets.