Tag: featured

1916: No Turning Back Simulates Sights, Sounds & Smells Of The Somme

By on 20th April 2016in In & Around

Accompany a new recruit as he volunteers to fight for his country, immerse yourself in the sights, sounds and smells of the trenches and experience one of the bloodiest battles in human history…

1916: No Turning Back promises to be an exhilarating experience for audiences who will feel the fear of the front line first hand, gain insight into the camaraderie of the battalion and rush for cover in the bunker before making the push ‘over the top’, witnessing the imagery of the brave men who took part in the Somme Offensive.

The experience continues in a field hospital as audiences learn that for some the war is over, but for most they are patched up and sent back out or to return home as changed people.

Starting on Thursday, July 21 and running until Sunday, August 28, 1916: No Turning Back is unlike anything previously staged at Durham County Council’s Gala Theatre and tickets are on sale now.

Cllr Neil Foster, Cabinet member for culture and economic regeneration, said: “The Pals battalions of World War 1 were specially constituted battalions of the British Army comprising of men who had enlisted together in local recruiting drives, with the promise that they would be able to serve alongside their friends, neighbours and colleagues, rather than being arbitrarily allocated.

“1916: No Turning Back will take audiences on a walkthrough experience like no other seen here before and ensure the bravery and sacrifice of the Durham Pals is remembered in this special year of commemorations.”

Robin Byers, service manager for place experience said: “The centenary of the Battle of the Somme is a poignant anniversary and a time to reflect on the bravery and sacrifice of Durham men and women.

“The experience is going to be something that is completely new for our audiences and we’re excited to be developing plans for the transformation of our auditorium.”

1916: No Turning Back is part of Durham Remembers, a wide range of events, exhibitions and experiences commemorating the centenary of The Battle of the Somme and remembering the bravery of the Durham Pals. More info www.durham.gov.uk/DurhamRemembers

Tickets are now on sale for the experience priced £7.50 (£6.50 concession) and can be purchased at www.galadurham.co.uk or by calling the Gala Box Office on 03000 266 600.

Lumley Castle To Host Swinging Afternoon Tea This May

By on 19th April 2016in Entertainment

Enjoy afternoon tea with a difference at a special event at Lumley Castle Hotel this May…

On Sunday 22nd May, Lumley Castle, Chester-le-Street are hosting a swing afternoon tea in their breath-taking surroundings with live music by singer Alexander Lomas.

Starting at 2.30pm visitors will enjoy the ambience of the castle in their Garter room which oozes elegance and luxury. Combining historic architecture with views from the County Durham landscape the setting is truly a dream come true.

Alexander Lomas has 15 years of experience within the industry and has won many awards including North of England Wedding Awards for entertainment. He encapsulates his audience with classics from greats such as Sinatra, Dean Martin, Sammy Davis, Bobby Darin and Tony Bennett.

Not only will guests revel in fabulous music, they will relish in Afternoon Tea designed by our top class restaurant team. Including a selection of finger sandwiches, scones and delicious cakes your taste buds will be tantalised.

“This event has always been a hit at Lumley Castle and we are very excited to be running it again,” said the hotel’s director of sales Tina Lowes, “Alexander Lomas is a great entertainer and makes the experience of our fabulous afternoon tea even more enjoyable.”

“We guarantee that anyone attending will have a fantastic afternoon in one of the castle’s most beautiful rooms, and we already planning more events like this for the future.”

Places for Swing Afternoon Tea at Lumley day cost £20 and can be booked by calling 0191 3895845 or emailing banquets@lumleycastle.com.

www.lumleycastle.com

Katherine Jenkins Performance Introduces Exclusive Event Marquees

By on 18th April 2016in Entertainment

Two relative newcomers are bringing a breath of fresh air to the festival circuit ahead of a landmark North East event…

Northern Sessions and Contemporary Event Structures are joining forces to cater for classical music fans at a special outdoor performance by songbird Katherine Jenkins in Sunderland next month.

The concert, on Friday May 6, is the first to be organised by Northern Sessions, a division of events company Sunderland Live, which plans to bring more big names to the city in the coming months.

It is also one of the first North East contracts for Birmingham-based Contemporary Event Structures, which will be supplying four inflatable marquees for the concert in Herrington Country Park.

These cube-shaped structures, measuring up to 15m by 30m, will each house a separate pop-up bar provided by specialist subsidiary Contemporary Event Bars, including a Pimms bar, Prosecco bar and main bar for all attendees, as well as a separate bar for hospitality guests.

“Herrington Country Park is an amazing space but there is little on site to cater for visitors in large numbers,” said Alison McDonough, Chief Executive of Sunderland Live.

“The inflatable marquees offered by Contemporary Event Structures represent the perfect solution and their pop up bars will allow all our concert goers to enjoy Pimms, Prosecco and other drinks throughout the evening.”

Contemporary Event Structures, which launched its specialist bars arm in 2012, offers a wide range of inflatable and temporary event structures, all of which are relatively simple to install and secured for safety.

The company’s existing clients include Bentley Lamborghini, BBC and the University of Bath.

“We have already worked with several prestigious companies and are delighted to be bringing our innovative solutions to Northern Sessions, Sunderland and indeed the North East,” said Ryan Miller, Director at Contemporary Event Structures.

Tickets for Katherine Jenkins at Herrington Country Park, supported by the National Symphony Orchestra and violinists Vladimir and Anton are priced at £33 each and available from www.thenorthernsessions.co.uk

For more information please visit the website, follow @thenorthernsess on Twitter or search The Northern Sessions on Facebook.

Further details about the services offered by Contemporary Event Structures can also be found by visiting www.contemporaryeventstructures.co.uk or calling 0121 7483377

The Voice Contestant Joins Newcastle LGBT Event

By on 16th April 2016in Entertainment

Shane Richie Jnr and The Voice favourite, Jordan Gray, are among the stars adding a touch of extra ‘Sparkle’ to one of the UK’s leading LGBT events…

Newcastle Pride, which returns for its 9th year in June and July, has joined forces with national transgender charity, Sparkle, to help make this year’s event more inclusive than ever.

As part of the landmark partnership Sparkle, based in Manchester, will be programming some of Pride’s Main Stage weekend, which runs at Newcastle Town Moor on July 16 and 17.

This includes performances by Shane Richie Jr, Jordan Gray and a host of other acts that have previously proven popular at Sparkle’s own weekend festival, which is already the largest free trans event in the world.

Debbie Roberts, Interm Chair of Sparkle, said: “The Sparkle mission is to promote a positive public image of the trans community within society, to challenge stigma and to build confidence.

“Our involvement in Newcastle Pride highlights trans as part of the wider LGBT family and we are delighted to be bringing this positive message to the North East.”

Transgender singer Jordan Gray, aka Tall Dark Friend, made it to the semi-finals of BBC singing contest, The Voice, earlier this year and has since toured across the UK and Scandinavia.

She will be joined for the Sparkle slot at Newcastle Pride by Shane Richie Jnr, the eldest son of entertainers Coleen Nolan and Shane Richie, who has carved out a successful career as a solo singer, band frontman and musical theatre star.

“My Mum introduced me to Sparkle a few years ago,” said Shane, “and I’ve since had the opportunity perform at a number of associated events, including The National Transgender Awards.

“The right to be who you are is fundamental and it’s a real honour to be able to celebrate that fact at Newcastle Pride 2016.”

Sparkle’s Main Stage slot will form part of three days of live music and entertainment for Newcastle Pride 2016, including headline appearances by boyband 5ive and songbird Heather Small.

Other acts set to appear at the Town Moor include reality TV favourite Jake Quickenden, 90s icon Sonia, actress and singer Heather Peace, clubland star Tina Cousins, former Brother Beyond star, Nathan Moore and Lorraine Crosby, a former contestant on BBC show, The Voice, who is perhaps best known as the female vocalist on Meatloaf’s I’d Do Anything For Love.

A number of themed entertainment zones and activities will also be open throughout the weekend, including the regular Steve Paske Health Zone (SPHZ), which has a key focus on the health and wellbeing of gender diverse communities.

Mark Nichols, Chair of charity Northern Pride, which organises the Newcastle Pride festival, “Newcastle Pride is all about encouraging inclusivity, opening up communication and promoting greater understanding of all aspects of gender diversity and the LGBT community.”

“The theme for this year’s event is be yourself, change the world, #be proud and it’s highly fitting that Sparkle is going to be a key part of that.”

A full line up for Newcastle Pride 2016 can be found online at www.northern-pride.com or by searching northernprideuk on Facebook and Twitter.

The festival’s Main Stage weekend is free to attend, however a number of Gold Circle and VIP tickets are available for those who want to guarantee prime viewing spots for the main weekend.

These are priced from £12 per person and are on sale now at www.northern-pride.com/shop/tickets.

Sunderland Brands Join Forces For 2016 Air Show

By on 15th April 2016in Local Biz

Two of Sunderland’s biggest brands are joining forces to cater for visitors at one of the city’s most popular events…

1879 Events Management, part of the SoL hospitality brand, has been awarded a new contract to provide a wide range of services at the Sunderland International Airshow 2016.

The event, which annually attracts close to a million visitors, returns for its 28th year from Friday July 22, with a host of airborne acrobatics, air displays and entertainment at Roker and Seaburn seafront.

As part of the event, organised by Sunderland Live, 1879 Events Management will now be operating a world food and drink village in the former amusement park overlooking Seaburn beach and providing new hospitality packages for VIP guests throughout the weekend, as well as a family zone.

Sue Stanhope, Airshow Director, said: “The Sunderland International Airshow is one of the North East’s biggest events, not just in terms of visitor numbers but in the positive impact it has on the economy too.

“This year we’ve got another exciting line up and we are delighted that 1879 Events Management have come on board to add a new dimension to the weekend’s food offering and help enhance the overall visitor experience.”

1879 Events Management, which currently runs catering and events operations at the Stadium of Light and National Glass Centre, Sunderland, has successfully managed a wide range of high profile events since launching in 2012, including concerts, weddings, business dinners and festivals.

It was recently awarded an extended five year contract to provide catering for leading LGBT festival, Newcastle Pride, which also takes place in July.

Gary Hutchinson, Commercial Director for SAFC and 1879 Events Management, said: “It’s been a real privilege to be involved in some of the North East’s biggest events over the past four years and we are thrilled to now be lending the same expertise to such an amazing occasion in our home city of Sunderland.

“With the Sunderland International Airshow and Newcastle Pride both taking place in July and Beyonce’s concert at the Stadium of Light to look forward to in June, it looks set to be another busy summer for 1879 Events Management and our partners.”

Full details for 1879 Event Management’s food village and hospitality packages for the Sunderland International Airshow will be released in due course via www.1879events.com or @1879Events on Twitter.

To enquire, or for more details, please contact airshow2016@1879events.com

More information about the event itself can also be found at www.sunderlandinternationalairshow.co.uk

Can I Avoid Selling The Family Home To Pay For Long Term Care Fees?

By on 13th April 2016in Local Biz

With no prospect of a Government cap on long term care costs, and annual fees for care homes exceeding £30,000, having to sell the family home to pay for a place in a care home is a major worry for many older people.

But is it possible to protect the family home and other assets from the impact of long term care fees, asks Andrew Simpson, Lead Panel Solicitor with legal and financial planning specialist Ensure Inheritance.

Legal trusts, often known as Wealth Preservation Trusts, when used for estate planning purposes can have the useful side effect of protecting assets from the impact of long term care fees, but they cannot be used specifically to avoid care fees.

Many people do not realise that current legislation demands that anyone owning assets valued in excess of £23,250 is required to make a 100% contribution towards the cost of their care. However, anyone requiring care with assets worth less than £14,250 is not required to make any contribution from their capital.

The legislation also prevents people from deliberately moving their assets in order to avoid paying care fees. But it does not prevent anyone in relatively good health, who is not presently intending going into long term care, from estate planning and establishing a Wealth Preservation Trust.

By placing assets in a Wealth Preservation Trust, you are no longer (technically) the owner of the assets, but rather the principal beneficiary of the trust. So it can fully protect your assets for your children, provided the local authority cannot prove that at the time the trust was set up it was reasonably foreseeable you would enter long term care.

Using a Wealth Preservation Trust to plan your estate is a powerful means of achieving total control over what happens to your assets, who benefits from them, and who controls them.

Wealth Preservation Trusts can avoid claims on your estate after your death; reduce the time it takes for beneficiaries to receive their inheritance; protect your children against disinheritance; protect your assets from bankruptcy; protect your assets from divorce, as well as protecting your assets from the impact of long term care fees.

Setting up Wealth Preservation Trust is a job for a specialist solicitor who can establish the trust to meet your particular needs and future wishes, according to your unique set of financial circumstances.

Ensure Inheritance has produced a booklet which provides further information on Wealth Preservation Trusts. For a free copy, please contact Ensure Inheritance on tel. 0191 338 5143, via email at info@ensureinheritance.co.uk or via its website www.ensureinheritance.co.uk.

Based in Seaham in County Durham, Ensure Inheritance provides a range of legal and financial planning services which help protect financial assets to provide their clients and their loved ones with peace of mind. In addition to long term care planning and wealth preservation trusts, services include funeral planning and pre-payment plans, Wills and Estate planning, funeral planning, inheritance tax planning, powers of attorney, court of protection deputyships, and probate.

AYP Financial Planning: Divorce

By on 12th April 2016in Local Biz

It’s a fact of modern life that as many as 40% of all marriages in the UK end in divorce. The break-up can be a traumatic time for all concerned and brings with it the need to make financial arrangements that can have ramifications for years after the settlement is made.

There are no hard and fast rules governing how assets should be divided, although there is a broad starting point of 50 : 50. If the divorcing couple are unable to come to an agreement on the division of their financial assets, the court will decide how these should be apportioned between them, based on factors such as their age, earnings ability, property and investments and role in the relationship (e.g. breadwinner or primary carer). The needs of any children of the marriage are always considered paramount.

At AYP Financial Planning we specialise in providing advice on divorce and can offer sympathetic, patient and pragmatic support throughout the whole process. You will need help to decide on your future financial goals, review your mortgage, life insurance, savings and investment plans and you’ll need to remake your will. Post-divorce, reorganising your finances is an essential step in moving forward to a new life.

Contact AYP Financial Planning for a confidential review now. First meeting is without charge but could prove to be the best time you ever spend. We can help, contact AYP Financial Planning on 01434 607808 or email info@aypfinancial.co.uk.

Restaurant Review: Le Raaj, Sedgefield

By on 11th April 2016in Lifestyle

Andy Knowles shares his thoughts on Sedgefield’s newest premium dining experience…

For years I had been driving past the derelict Little Chef building at the round-a-bout between Sedgefield and Stockton. A road I use each evening on my way home from the office in Chester-le-Street so when I noticed the Le Raaj ‘coming soon’ signs appear I was quite excited. Not only is it great to see one of our clients expanding from Durham into my region of Teesside, its also great that a new Indian restaurant was opening as I consider myself an Indian food aficionado.

After many weeks of anticiptation I noticed the ‘we are open’ banners were on display so I made a mental note to organize a babysitter and treat my other half to a night of beer and a curry. Who said romance was dead!

As we arrived at the restaurant the grand entrance looked stunning with a pitched roof and marble pillars that stood out with mood lighting similar to something you might expect to see at an exclusive members club in Mayfair, London. We were both very impressed.

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On entering the restaurant there was a great ambience and we were greeted by the polite manager who ushered us to a comfy seating area where we ordered some drinks and were handed the menus that were so new and the ink was must have barely dried. This was going to be a great evening I thought.

After a comfortable and relaxing wait the manager took our orders and we were showed to our table by the window. The restaurant was relatively busy considering it was a Tuesday night and the sound of chatter and music made the atmosphere really great and added to the overall ambiance.

As we caught up with each other on this very rare ‘date night’ the waiter arrived with poppadum’s and pickles and it wasn’t long before we started to break them up and work our way up to the lime pickle.

After another comfortable break it was time for the starters. My wife opted for Tikka chicken paneer that was described as marinated boneless chicken in tandoor and served with homemade Indian cheese. I opted for Onion Baji that was one of the best I’ve ever tasted.

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For main course Kelly selected a predictable Chicken Korma and I went for one of the chefs special dishes called ‘Goan chicken’ A classic northern dish, slow cooked with aromatic spices, whole zera, garlic Goan chilli and coconut – spicy dish

We finished off with a nice coffee and complimentary chocolate before heading home after a great evening of good food and exceptional service.

So would I recommend Le Raaj in Sedgefield? Absolutely! And I hope its not too long before we get to visit again.

City Tavern Invites Couples To Tie The Knot

By on 9th April 2016in Lifestyle

A stylish city centre bar is providing a quirky alternative venue for weddings with three unique packages…

The award-winning City Tavern at Northumberland Road, Newcastle, is opening its doors to couples who want to tie the knot in a stylish city centre location.

Offering a range of wedding options is the latest initiative from the bar’s entrepreneurial owner, Dave King, who has put the historic pub back on the map since taking it over two years ago.

The weddings are aimed at smaller, more intimate ceremonies suitable for parties of between 10 and 50 guests.

Couples can choose to say “I do” in the bar’s library or even marry on the City Tavern’s terrace, followed by a reception on the mezzanine level.

And chefs at the venue have also created an imaginative range of menu options including dishes such as canapés of seared tuna and caviar tartlets and tempura king prawns, with main courses of Northumbrian beef, steamed mussels, ‘gold leaf’ flatbread and vegetable and apricot tagines.

“The City Tavern is unique as it’s a venue with a really historic feel and a sense of tradition,” said Mr King.

“It’s perfect for more intimate weddings for people who like somewhere truly original and for couples who find a city centre venue really appealing.”

The packages on offer include a range of extras for the couples, including candle-lit candelabra in the library windows, PA system for the speeches and a variety of drinks options.

The bar is also able to provide everything from personalised wedding crackers to individual cupcakes, to add a real “wow” factor to the day.

“We are an unconventional venue but we find that more and more couples like that,” said Mr King.

“And we promise anyone who does choose to get married here a really memorable day.”

City Tavern, widely recognised for its Tudor style façade, was taken over by Mr King early in 2014 and then enjoyed a £450k refurbishment to create a state-of-the-art bar while still retaining the venue’s historic features.

City Tavern’s wedding packages include a range of options. Details and prices can be found at http://www.citytavern.co.uk/weddings/

Truly Tempting To Hold Budding Chocolatier Masterclass

By on 8th April 2016in In & Around

Budding chocolatier’s, both young and young at heart, can enjoy a taste bud-tingling masterclass at one of the region’s biggest food festivals this month…

Bishop Auckland Food Festival (BAFF), which boasts 150 producers and traders, returns for a weekend of foodie fun April 23 and 24, with a range of fantastic masterclasses at its heart. BAFF is a Durham County Council event and is partnered by The Auckland Castle Trust and Bishop Auckland Town Council.

Amongst those set to provide mouth-watering entertainment will be Truly Tempting Chocolate. Their indulgent classes will offer would-be chocolatiers a flavour of what it’s like to work with one of the world’s most loved ingredients. There are separate sessions for adults and children for just £5 per person.

They’ll be run by David and Wendy Sanderson from Darlington who pride themselves on using only quality Belgian chocolate for all of their products, sourcing as many natural ingredients as possible and making many of the added flavours themselves like peanut butter and crystallised ginger.

Looking ahead to another fabulous festival Wendy said: “Bishop Auckland Food Festival is a great event as it’s local to us and we have family that live nearby. Also the quality and variety of food produce is excellent and as most of the stall holders are the producers of the food that is great.

“The best thing about working with chocolate is being creative and coming up with new products and flavours as well as the tasting, it’s also great when customers try our products and the lovely reactions and feedback we get from them.”

With his masterclass planning complete David can reveal exactly what participants can expect: “We run two different chocolate workshops, one for adults and one for children.

The adults get to make two different kinds of chocolate truffles and the children make a chocolate lolly and a chocolate caterpillar.

“We have a lot of fun doing the workshops and really like educating people about good quality chocolate and how it’s made from the cocoa beans, and just having fun and getting messy with our groups as everyone loves chocolate.”

Cabinet member for culture and regeneration, Cllr Neil Foster, said: “The festival masterclasses have proven to be a real hit with foodies and this year we won’t disappoint.

“We are offering 13 different workshops across 26 sessions, ranging from chocolate and charcuterie to cheese and craft beers, but don’t forget to book your place because tickets are selling like hot cakes!”

Details on the full range of classes can be found at http://www.bishopaucklandfoodfestival.co.uk

Tickets for workshops can be purchased in person from Gala Theatre and Cinema box office in Millennium Place in Durham or by calling 03000 266600.

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