Ad Gefrin's Tácnbora Tour is shining a spotlight on those who bring communities together, make a difference, and inspire others.
On Sunday 12th October 2025, St. Edwin's Day, Northumberland’s Ad Gefrin Anglo-Saxon Museum and Whisky Distillery and Destination North East England have announced a Tácnbora Tour in 2026.
As part of the tour they have launched a call for Tácnbora (‘Standard Bearer’) nominations. Individuals or groups who make a difference in bringing their communities together, unsung heroes from across Northumberland, Newcastle, Gateshead, North Tyneside, South Tyneside, County Durham and Sunderland.
Rooted in the Old English meaning of Tácnbora - ‘Standard Bearer’; the one that carries the standard - the Tour offers the North East an opportunity to celebrate those that inspire and lead the way with their sense of community spirit.
Nominations are open to those individuals and groups who actively make a difference and support their community, be it regular sporting, cultural, recreational, leisure ctivities orspecialist interest events or wellbeing initiatives; ongoing and committed acts of service; or advocates for change.
From gardening, cycling, running, walking to football, break-dancing, sewing, bowling, coffee mornings and pidgeon-fancying , the common thread lies in bringing people together and addressing community needs.
Across the region, communities are encouraged to nominate their ‘Standard Bearers’ for the region before applications close on 28th November 2025.
Nominations will then be judged by an independent panel, with successful applicants invited to take part in the Tácnbora Tour around the North East from 12th January – 1st March 2026.
Throughout the tour, the Tácnbora Standard – a staff topped with a goat's head emblem – will pass from one finalist to the next. This staff is a modern-day interpretation of that carried by the figure preceding King Edwin of Northumbria in Anglo-Saxon times. The goat’s head emblem is also a central tenet of the Ad Gefrin identity, including that of Tácnbora, Ad Gefrin’s Northumbrian Blended Whisky.
Across the region, one can expect handovers of the Standard in every guise - on foot, by bike, on horseback, in canoes, even on train platforms - depending on the activities nominated.
As part of the Tácnbora Tour, judges will visit each finalist in their community, celebrating their efforts in a string of community events and through a regional storytelling campaign. TheTácnbora Tour will spotlight each community group or individual, weaving together a networklike-minded people all working towards a common goal of bringing people together.
All finalists will be invited to the Tácnbora Tour Awards Celebration at Ad Gefrin in Wooler, Northumberland on 20th March 2026. This date not only marks St Cuthbert’s Day, the patron saint of Northumberland, but the third anniversary of the opening of Ad Gefrin. The evening will champion the extraordinary community work of these finalists and one individual will beawarded the official title of Tácnbora (Standard Bearer) Award Title for 2026.
The Tácnbora Tour will become an annual event celebrating community spirit, creating opportunities for connection and swelling pride across the region: an opportunity to showcase the diverse, energised, creative and vibrant culture that exists in the North East.
Eileen Ferguson, Co-founder of Ad Gefrin Anglo-Saxon Museum and Whisky Distillery comments: “Community lies at the heart of everything we do at Ad Gefrin: we love bringing people together to celebrate what is so unique and wonderful about the North East. TheTácnbora Tour shines a light on the incredible groups and individuals that make our region so special . A tour set against the stunning backdrop of the North East landscape. The word Tácnbora comes from Old English – the language of Northumbria when it was the most powerful kingdom in England. This was a language of a Golden Age, and now is the time to celebrate a new Golden Age for the North East.”
John Marshall, Chair of Destination North East England adds: “This exciting initiative is a great way to recognise the unsung heroes who volunteer their own time to bring people together. These are the groups and individuals that make our communities stronger and more resilient.“Destination North East England work very closely with Ad Gefrin, who have community andlocal people at its core, with 80% of its workforce from the region – this initiative further highlights this commitment.“This Anglo-Saxon award-winning visitor attraction has had national and international recognition, working with us on our collective ambition to double the value of our visitor
economy – bringing in more visitor, creating jobs and creating a lasting legacy for future generations.“We look forward to working with the team to put a spotlight on local communities and our region.”
