Why I Love Northumberland, Matt Goldsmith
15 April 2010
Who are you and what do you do?
I have worked as the Contract and Relationship Manager at DAWN Advice for the last 18 months. My role is to ensure we meet and deliver all the contractual obligations we have with the Legal Service Commission and other partners.
DAWN Advice is based at Seaton Burn - it's a regional and national telephone advice service offering free legal advice covering five key areas of social law including debt, housing, employment, welfare benefits and family law.
We pride ourselves on the quality legal advice which we offer to people in Northumberland. Many of our employees are financial and legal experts, including fully-trained solicitors, who provide advice to people who may not otherwise be able to afford it.
How long have you lived in Northumberland?
I have lived in Northumberland for 13 years. I'm originally from Teesside and moved to Bedlington in 1997, then over to Morpeth in 2002, where I now live with my wife and three children.
What is your favourite view in Northumberland?
My favourite view in Northumberland is Bolam Lake, near Morpeth. It's an ideal way to spend an hour walking round with the children and our dogs.
What is your favourite building in Northumberland?
My favourite building is Linden Hall. Apart from spending many enjoyable social evenings there I also enjoy reading about its history, which dates back to the early 1800s.
What is your favourite Northumberland pub or restaurant?
That would be my local pub, the Dyke Neuk at Meldon. Having been educated in real ale by my father-in-law, it's an ideal place to try out new beers whilst listening to the lively banter of the locals.
What do you like the most about Northumberland?
I love that everything is on your doorstep here. We have the countryside which is ideal for my family's passion for horse riding, the city centre for shopping and the coast for when the sun shines (occasionally).
What would you do to improve the county?
To help improve Northumberland I would push for a more joined-up approach to services in the county, particularly around excluded social groups and people living in rural areas. There are lots of excellent projects going on across Northumberland but finding somewhere central to access them all is sometimes a difficult task.
DAWN Advice is involved in many projects to provide assistance to residents who need free legal help on a range of matters, but also those who need educating in managing and controlling their finances. We come into contact with other organisations that have similar objectives, but often by chance. We always try to establish working links with them, publishing our partnerships on our website and circulating their details to our advisors and caseworkers who work throughout Northumberland.
Our family solicitors sit on many Family Panels throughout the county - these give us access to vulnerable clients who need urgent help and also allow DAWN Advice to promote our services.