Tag: darlington

Panto Improv For Grown Up’s

By on 15th December 2016in What's On?

It’s panto time at Gala Theatre – but audiences are encouraged to leave the kids behind for a very different Christmas show this Friday.

For one night only, The Suggestibles will be taking over the Gala stage on Friday, 16 December for an evening of panto improvisation aimed at grown-ups.

The Newcastle-based comedy improv group will be staging their own pantomime but with no script, no score and no kids.

The off-the-cuff, off-the-wall show will see audience suggestions turned into spontaneous scenes, skits, stories, sketches and songs.

Expect the unexpected but previous performances have included goodies, baddies, fairies, soppy love songs, scary bits and bags of sweets.

This is the first time The Suggestibles have appeared in Durham and to mark the occasion, they will be joined by special guest Niall Ashdown. A member of the Comedy Store Players, Niall was a regular on Whose Line is it Anyway?

Tickets for the performance, which starts at 8pm, are priced at £17.50.

To book, visit Gala Theatre box office, call 03000 266 600 or go online at www.galadurham.co.uk

New Road Opens In Leadgate Following Major Works

By on 15th December 2016in In & Around

A new road linking Leadgate to Villa Real has now opened, making life easier for motorists and aiming to boost local businesses.

The major £2.4 million Durham County Council scheme has seen the old Villa Real bridge – which had to be closed due to its poor condition – demolished and a new road layout put in its place. Due to the narrowness of the bridge the old layout only allowed traffic to flow in one direction at a time causing a bottleneck for users of the route. The demolition of the bridge has also removed ongoing maintenance costs.

The new road layout is a direct, two lane carriageway linking Front Street in Leadgate and Villa Real, allowing for traffic to flow in both directions. As well as the new and vastly improved road, the scheme has also seen new bus laybys installed. Crossing islands for pedestrians and cyclists using the coast-to-coast route have been added with this section of the popular route also being widened and improved.

Cllr Neil Foster, Cabinet member for economic regeneration, said: “We’re delighted to officially open the new road and complete this major investment in the area. The improvements will mean a much better flow of traffic, making life easier for motorists and supporting local businesses by improving access to shops and housing.

“Once again we’d also like to thank local residents and businesses for their patience while this work has been carried out. It has been a lengthy and complex scheme to bring forward but we hope that everyone will now be able to appreciate all of the benefits the new road brings.”

It is hoped that the new layout will promote the local economy with potential investors and visitors previously deterred from visiting the area by the congestion caused by the old bridge.

 

Cabinet To Discuss More 20mph Limits Around Schools

By on 11th December 2016in In & Around

A successful scheme to introduce 20mph speed limits on roads near County Durham schools could be extended.

Part-time limits are already being put in place near more than 30 schools across the county following the launch of the initiative in 2014.

Now members of Durham County Council’s Cabinet are being asked to approve a list of 33 more schools to be included in the scheme.

The schools have been selected based on factors including traffic speeds, accident data and potential risk to pedestrians.

Cllr Brian Stephens, Durham County Council’s Cabinet member for neighbourhoods and local partnerships, said: “Lower speed limits have now been implemented at almost all of the schools chosen for the first phase of the scheme.

“This is not only ahead of schedule but also under budget. That’s why, earlier this year, Cabinet was able to agree that the money we have left should be spent on doubling the number of schools covered by the scheme.

“Our aim is to improve road safety and promote a healthy and active lifestyle by encouraging more people to walk or cycle instead of using the car.”

The project is funded by a one-off Public Health Grant of £952,850 and is accompanied by an education programme which aims to make children more road aware, promote cycling and walking and increase speed awareness among motorists.

Cabinet meets at County Hall on Wednesday, 14 December.

If the recommendations are approved, part-time 20mph speed limits would be introduced on roads near the following schools:

 

Annfield Plain Infant School, Annfield Plain

Annfield Plain Junior School, Annfield Plain

Byron Sixth Form College, Peterlee

Chester-le-Street C of E Primary, Chester-le-Street

Cockton Hill Infant and Junior School, Bishop Auckland

Consett Academy, Consett

Delves Lane Primary, Consett

Easington Academy, Easington

Easington Colliery Primary School, Easington

Framwellgate Moor Primary, Durham

Framwellgate School, Durham

Green Lane C of E Primary, Barnard Castle

Neville’s Cross Primary, Durham

New College, Durham

Our Lady and St Thomas RCVA Primary, Willington

Our Lady of the Rosary RCVA Primary, Peterlee

Our Lady Star of the Sea RCVA Primary, Horden

Pelton Community Primary, Pelton

Ropery Walk Primary, Seaham

Roseberry Primary and Nursery School, Pelton

Sacriston Primary, Sacriston

Seaham Harbour Nursery, Seaham

Shield Row Primary, Stanley

Shotton Hall Primary, Peterlee

St Bede’s Catholic Comprehensive School, Peterlee

St Bede’s RCVA Comprehensive School, Lanchester

St Joseph’s RCVA Primary, Stanley

St Leonard’s Catholic School and Sixth Form College, Durham

Tanfield School Specialist College of Science and Engineering, Stanley

Teesdale School, Barnard Castle

The Academy at Shotton Hall, Peterlee

Whitworth Park School and Sixth Form College, Spennymoor

Willington Primary, Willington

Coffee, Crafts And Cards At Spennymoor Library

By on 10th December 2016in Events

Coffee, crafts and card-making are among the Christmas activities at a County Durham library.

Spennymoor Library is hosting a series of festive special events over the coming weeks.

On Thursday, 15 December, there’s a Christmas coffee morning between 9.30am and 11.30am, with warm drinks, nibbles and a tombola.

Youngsters can make their own Christmas tree decoration at a craft session on Tuesday, 20 December. Starting at 10.30am, the session costs £1 per child and places should be booked in advance.

Free Christmas card-making workshops are also taking place from Monday to Saturday throughout December.

For more information on any activities, contact Spennymoor Library on 03000 269 531.

County Durham Town Masterplans Updated

By on 10th December 2016in In & Around

Durham County Council’s Cabinet will hear the first half of an update on recent successes and future plans for towns across County Durham when it meets next week (14 December).

The masterplans are the council’s regeneration framework for each major town in the county and Cabinet will be asked to approve updated versions of the plans for Consett, Crook, Newton Aycliffe, Durham City, Chester-le-Street and Stanley when they meet. This will be followed by masterplan updates for Peterlee, Seaham, Spennymoor, Shildon, Barnard Castle and Bishop Auckland which are due to go to the next Cabinet meeting in January 2017.

The updated plans profile each of the towns, detailing investment and work across the county as well as plans for the future. In addition to highlighting the range of activities undertaken by the council – including improvements to town centres, highways, education and health provision – they also identify the development of new businesses, housing and community facilities.

If approved by Cabinet the adopted masterplans will continue to evolve, with the council’s Area Action Partnerships continuing to play a key role in shaping them to ensure that they reflect the priorities of local residents.

Cllr Neil Foster, Cabinet member for economic regeneration, said: “The updated masterplans are key documents, setting a clear way forward to bring even further investment and improvements to towns throughout the county.

“The masterplans show how the council has invested millions of pounds, right across County Durham, and encouraged even more investment from the private sector; boosting business, safeguarding and creating new jobs, improving education and transport and creating new housing and community facilities.

“Future plans are just as exciting, with the development of Forrest Park in Newton Aycliffe aiming to create over 3,000 jobs and boost the economy by nearly half a billion pounds and a major private sector investment promising a total redevelopment of the riverside in Durham City. Major retailers are planning new supermarkets in Crook and Stanley and we will continue to invest in our roads and schools as well as targeting support for businesses and high streets countywide to improve the local economy.”

Among a range of other success stories and future plans, Cabinet will hear how Consett has benefitted from over £600,000 of public realm works to improve the town centre and encourage more shoppers. Looking forward, Dunlop BTL will be expanding operations into the area following a £2.2 million investment which will see the creation of around 60 new jobs and the company take over the former KP Crisps factory.

As well as a range of targeted business improvements in the town centre, works to a new pedestrian area in Crook will support the development of two new supermarkets which are both due to open next year. The town can also look forward to nearly £1 million of investment in Crook Primary School next summer.

In Newton Aycliffe Hitachi continues to go from strength to strength with the £82 million vehicle manufacturing facility now established. The recently announced council plan to prepare the 52 hectare Forrest Park site for private sector investment – following a successful £13 million funding bid to the Local Enterprise Partnership – aims to create over 3,000 jobs and add nearly half a billion pounds in Gross Value Added to the local economy.

Durham City has seen the successful relocation of the Passport Office and National Savings, keeping jobs in the county, to the new Freeman’s Reach development. This freed up the Milburngate House site for redevelopment and, alongside the redevelopment of The Gates, is due to completely transform the riverside area, creating restaurants, cinemas and housing. The council has also recently consulted on designs for the new bus station as part of the ongoing regeneration of North Road, one of the key gateways to the city, creating a pedestrianised area and freeing up a potential site for a major retailer.

Significant improvements have been delivered to the road networks in Chester-le-Street, increasing traffic flow, reducing congestion and improving air quality. As well as major National Pinch Point Fund improvements to Junction 63 of the A1(M), works have also been delivered in line with the Local Transport Plan which has benefitted the A693 Drum Industrial Estate roundabout and the A167/A693 Northlands Roundabout.

Continued support for the town centre will see targeted business improvements carried out to shop fronts to enhance the look of the main retail area and encourage more trade. Housing has also been boosted in the area with Cestria Homes’ new development The Elms, which includes an extra care facility, as well as Chapter Homes also considering development on Newcastle Road.

Targeted business improvements have also played a major part in measures taken in Stanley with £389,000 of council and private investment in recent years. 23 businesses have been supported with funding targeting town centre firms to regenerate derelict and underused properties. As well as continuing this approach with a focus on the South Moor and Craghead areas, proposals for a new supermarket are also expected to provide a boost to the regeneration of the top end of the town. The council will also be looking to implement its Landlord Accreditation Scheme in the area to ensure better quality housing is available to tenants.

Cabinet will hear about the work carried out so far and be asked to approve the updated masterplans when it meets at County Hall at 10am on Wednesday, 14 November.

 

More Foster Carers Needed In County Durham

By on 9th December 2016in Lifestyle, Uncategorised

The number of foster carers in County Durham continues to rise – but more prospective parents are needed to help provide a loving home for looked after children.

Councillors will next week hear how Durham County Council’s fostering service has seen an increase in the number of potential foster placements – but that the number of children in care continues to outstrip that supply.

A report to Cabinet, on December 14, will set out four main priorities for the service over the next year, including recruiting more foster carers to ensure that children remain in County Durham communities; and developing its Foster Xtra scheme that supports children with some of the most complex needs.

Margaret Whellans, the council’s corporate director of children and young people’s services, said: “The majority of our looked after children are placed within our fostering service, but it is increasingly challenging to manage the growing demand for placements.

“Our foster carers tell us that nothing gives the same feeling of love and warmth as fostering and by working with us you could make an enormous difference to a child’s life.

“We know that there are many myths that surround fostering and so we would encourage people to find out the facts before they rule themselves out.

“You don’t need any special qualifications – just a genuine interest in caring for young people, patience, understanding and a sense of humour – and we can offer you training and specialised support along the way.”

For more information about fostering with Durham County Council visit www.durham.gov.uk/fostering.

Society Lends A Helping Hand At Dementia Cafe

By on 8th December 2016in In & Around

Darlington Building Society’s Lynn Marriott swapped banking for baking to volunteer at a local Dementia Café.

The Society encourages its staff to commit to two working days per year to carry out voluntary work in the community and Lynn, a customer service consultant at its Bishop Auckland branch, used one of her days to volunteer at the Memory Lane Dementia Café hosted at Cornerstone Christian Centre in Evenwood.

During her day volunteering, Lynn, who lives in Evenwood, served the café’s patrons some of her home-baked goodies, spent some time listening to their stories and joined in with activities which test skills affected by dementia, such as hand and eye co-ordination and numeracy.

In addition, the Society has made a £100 donation from its Community Fund, which was established to support local causes as part of Darlington Building Society’s 160th anniversary celebrations.

Dementia Cafes provide a safe and supportive environment for people with dementia and their carers to socialise, take part in activities designed to help delay the onset of dementia, and is also a chance for those with dementia to get information and advice from others with similar problems

Lynn said: “Darlington Building Society encourages all of its staff to take time out of the business to support local organisations. As I only live down the road from the Dementia Café I’ve seen how popular the sessions are and I wanted to use my volunteering day to support this fantastic local initiative

“I had a great time and got to speak with some very interesting people. It was fantastic to see how much the cafes benefit people living with dementia and their carers.”

Some Easy-To-Overlook Gems In County Durham

By on 7th December 2016in In & Around

National Railway Museum Shildon

You only have to think of the Stockton and Darlington Railway, which operated from 1825 until 1863, to recall what a huge influence the railways have had on County Durham. You might be disappointed, then, that this area doesn’t have a railway museum… except that it actually does! Yes, many physical remnants of the North East’s railway history are reassuringly right on our doorstep for easy viewing. Perhaps you had previously considered the York-based National Railway Museum to be the closest railway museum, but that same organisation has a notable presence over here, too.

To see it, make your way to the County Durham town of Shildon, which is just 13 miles south-west of Durham city and easy to reach by a direct train from Darlington. At Shildon, you can enjoy browsing what is officially known as the National Railway Museum Shildon, an annexe of the main museum in York. The Shildon site comprises a 1 km demonstration line, along which you can follow a trail taking in, for example, the original Sans Pareil steam locomotive and the house of early 19th-century engineer Timothy Hackworth. He was the Stockton and Darlington Railway’s first locomotive superintendent.

If you are a railway enthusiast, you will likely appreciate the programme of events which, before the year is out, includes opportunities to take your kids to meet Santa. There’s no doubt, then, that the National Railway Museum Shildon has plenty to keep you occupied before you head off to check out NRMYork as well. Even if don’t currently have a keen interest in the history of the railways, visiting both of these attractions could inspire you to read up on it. The local story of the Stockton and Darlington Railway is certainly fascinating when read in thorough detail, and is commemorated at Darlington railway station to this day.

No Place

“Hang on a minute,” we can imagine you thinking. “Have they just given up now?” Yes, have we really decided to give you only one “easy-to-overlook gem” to check out this month, leaving the rest of the article to… well, admit in a long-winded way that we haven’t got any other place to recommend to you? No, of course not; there is genuinely a place in County Durham called No Place. Before you even visit, simply reading about its unusual name could engross you.

No Place is a small village between the town of Stanley and the village of Beamish. Beamish is itself, of course, notable for its large and exciting open air museum – so if you’ve visited that, you could find getting to No Place surprisingly easy. Before you make your way there, though, we have to ask ourselves from where No Place’s name originates. It’s unclear, but theories have included that the name is simply a shortening of “North Place”, “Nigh Place” or “Near Place”, or that the village originally stood on a boundary separating two parishes that were both unwilling to accept the settlement, leaving it… nowhere.

On your way to No Place, you might spot signs pointing to both No Place and “Co-operative Villas”. This is the result of the now defunct Derwentside Council’s attempt, in 1983, to give the village this name, only to be met by protests from residents. Still, some residents have liked the proposed new name enough for it to stay on local signs to this day. This peculiar story about “Co-operative Villas” has been kept on record by the website of the Beamish Mary Inn, the much-loved real ale pub where you could enjoy a drink once you’re in No Place.

What’s On TV This Month

By on 3rd December 2016in Film & TV

Kirstie’s Crafty Christmas

Far from the world of Location, Location, Location, Kirstie Allsopp has built quite the reputation in recent years for her televised celebrations of all things humble, handmade and crafty, something that otherwise seems all too rare on British TV. This month, she returns with Kirstie’s Crafty Christmas, which sees many of the UK’s most talented crafters battle it out in a series of festive categories.

Who will be deemed the best in Britain at the hand-making of Christmas decorations? What about the honour of the best-decorated Christmas tree, the best decorated Christmas cake or the best handmade toy?

There are even competitions for the likes of the best gingerbread house, the best floral art and the best Christmas dish, among others. It all surely demonstrates once more that even in an age in which many of us seem to be glued to our laptop and phone screens, there are still plenty more of us who adore few things more than getting resourceful with our hands and the most basic materials found around the house.

Find out which crafters triumph in their respective categories on Channel 4 this month.

Doctor Who Christmas Special

Given the absence of any full Doctor Who series at all in 2016, it’s fair to say that the return of Peter Capaldi’s Doctor to BBC One ahead of a full 10th series next year is more than eagerly anticipated.

So, what do we know about the Christmas special? Well, its title has been confirmed as “The Return of Doctor Mysterio”, with the news accompanied by an image of the insignia for a superhero character played by Justin Chatwin.

It has also been reported that the special will see the return of Nardole, the character played by Matt Lucas and who first appeared in last year’s Christmas special, “The Husbands of River Song”. We’ve heard that Nardole will have a “sizable role” to play in the full 10th season.

A source recently told Radio Times that the Doctor wouldn’t have a temporary companion this Christmas, with that “space” essentially taken by Nardole. Nonetheless, we already know that the new full series will see Capaldi joined by new assistant Bill, played by actress Pearl Mackie.

The rumour is that Mackie only signed a one-year contract, and will depart with Capaldi after the 2017 Christmas special.

Blankety Blank

Simply mention the words “Blankety Blank” to anyone of a certain age (who may well be you!), and some of the most evocative images of 1980s British TV are conjured up – the stick-like microphone known as ‘Wogan’s Wand’, the similarly notorious ‘chequebook and pen’, the comedic double entendre answers (“Did you catch a glimpse of that girl on the corner? She has the world’s biggest blank“)… you get the idea.

So, depending on your point of view, it may be either welcome news or a certain kind of heresy that the show is being revived once more this Christmas, for the first full episode since the end of the Lily Savage era in 2002. Of course, the show hasn’t been completely off our screens in the intervening 14 years, as new one-off versions have been broadcast, not least a Comic Relief segment featuring the man who will fill the boots of the late and legendary former host Sir Terry Wogan, the similarly late and legendary Les Dawson and the still-very-much-with-us legend behind Savage, Paul O’Grady.

That man is Little Britain star David Walliams. Amid the whispers of this ITV Christmas Special marking the beginning of a full-blown revival of the show if it is well-received, needless to say that here at IN&AROUND, we can’t wait to see how he gets on.

Library To Close In Preparation For Move

By on 2nd December 2016in In & Around

Newton Aycliffe Library will temporarily close later this month in preparation for a move to a new location.

The library is set to reopen in refurbished premises within the town’s leisure centre in late December.

In the meantime, the existing library building, on Central Avenue, will be closed to the public from 12.30pm on Saturday, 10 December. The last day for revenue and benefits appointments at the current site will be Tuesday, 6 December.

The library move is part of a £1million scheme, being carried out by Durham County Council to help regenerate the town centre.

The initiative will see the transformation of a number of shop units adjoining the leisure centre, in Beveridge Way, and the creation of a new shared entrance and reception for the centre and library.

Cllr Maria Plews, Durham County Council’s Cabinet member for leisure, libraries and lifelong learning, said: “This is a very exciting time for current and future library users in Newton Aycliffe.

“We are working to keep the transition period between the closure of the current library and the opening of the new location to a minimum.

“There will be a short wait for customers but I’m confident that the new facility will be well worth the wait.”

The new library will include sections for children and teenagers, a study area and updated computer facilities offering internet and email access.

Residents will also be able to make an appointment to discuss revenue and benefits enquiries with customer service staff.

For further information and to find out more on the progress of the scheme, visit www.durham.gov.uk/NAlibraryrelocation

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