Linking arms across a distance is known as a human chain. I spoke to Rakesh who volunteers for Greenpeace in Newcastle about his recent trip to Germany and Poland, where people from all over Europe gathered to show their opposition to proposed open pit mining.
Ashington used to be a coal mining town and the large sudden scale loss of work left a deep scar in the population, just as the coal mines left scars in the land. Where a mine used to be there is now a nature area, pond and several wind turbines. Rebuilding the community is taking longer, with many people feeling a lack of hope. I met the new cafe owners at The Bistro who’ve been making a success of their new venture for the last 6 months.
Buzz tour 