Tag: have your say

Durham Foster Carers Lauded At Awards Ceremony

By on 19th March 2016in In & Around

The amazing efforts of foster carers in County Durham have been lauded at an awards ceremony…

Durham County Council has held its Foster Carer Awards Ceremony, an annual event to recognise the work of foster carers and celebrate their achievements.

Foster carers were recognised for completing national training qualifications and long service.

Four foster families were also given Special Achievement Awards for going the extra mile in caring for children and young people.

Thursday night’s celebration at County Hall in Durham was organised by the county council’s fostering service.

More than 70 people joined in, including authority staff and members led by chief executive Terry Collins, corporate director of children and adult services Rachel Shimmin, cabinet member for children and young people’s services Cllr Ossie Johnson, and chairman of the corporate parenting panel Cllr Peter Brookes.

John Angus and Keven O’Shea, who are long term foster carers for three children, received a Special Achievement Award.

John said: “This is the first Fostering Awards Ceremony we have attended and we were overwhelmed!

“We see fostering as something normal that we do, but being recognised for everything we do for the kids is just amazing.

“Fostering can be challenging sometimes, but to us it’s the best thing we have ever done, we love having the children as part of our family.”

Florence Coulter, the council’s fostering team manager, said: “Foster carers make a real difference to the lives of the children and young people that they care for.

“We have amazing carers in County Durham and these awards are our way of saying thank you for everything they do.”

Anyone interested in finding out more about becoming a foster carer can contact the fostering service on 03000 269 400 or visit www.durham.gov.uk/fostering.

MFC Foundation Introduce New Transition Project For Teesside Schools

By on 18th March 2016in In & Around

Last October, Head of Ofsted Sir Michael Wilshaw said that the importance of a good start to secondary school “cannot be overstated”…

And now, a new schools project on Teesside is set to give children their best chance yet when making the step up from primary to secondary education.

Middlesbrough Football Club Foundation is teaming up with Middlesbrough Council to roll out the schools transition project, with more than 300 children to receive support from ‘transition coaches’ from the later years of primary education through to their first years at secondary school.

Delivered by qualified staff from MFC Foundation, the official charitable arm of Middlesbrough Football Club, the pull of the Boro badge will be used to engage with the young pupils. As well as leading classroom activities to prepare youngsters for the step up, the transition coaches will provide a consistent point of contact for the children throughout the process.

The £100,000 scheme, which includes £70,000 of funding from Middlesbrough Council, will be piloted in three Teesside secondary schools and their 12 feeder primary schools from May.

Recent government research has suggested that the culture shift from primary to secondary school is one of the most critical periods of a child’s education. Published by Ofsted in September 2015, a report entitled ‘Key Stage 3: The Wasted Years’ concluded that “the rate of pupils’ progress and achievement [in Key Stage 3] were not good enough”.

It is hoped that the project will provide a positive catalyst to improve Key Stage 3 for children in the Tees Valley.

MFC Foundation is currently advertising three staff positions to work on the transition project. The closing date for applications is Tuesday 22 March. Please visit www.mfcfoundation.co.uk for more details.

Stewart Smith, MFC Foundation’s Chair of Trustees, said: “Raising aspirations through education is a huge part of MFC Foundation’s vision for the Teesside community.

“We’re delighted to have the opportunity to work with Middlesbrough Council to target and improve a crucial part of the school experience for our young people.”

Middlesbrough Mayor Dave Budd said: “We are committed to improving outcomes for all young people, and the transition from primary to secondary is one of the most important periods in a great many young lives.

“Through this important scheme Middlesbrough Football Club Foundation is creating a unique opportunity to engage children in our disadvantaged communities and help them improve their self-belief, life skills, employment prospects and health.

“It is a fresh approach which has the potential to change lives for the better, and we are pleased to be able to support it.”

Princess Anne Awards Youth Offending Service Butler Trust Award

By on 17th March 2016in In & Around

Two staff from County Durham Youth Offending Service have received a prestigious national award for their innovative work…

Practice improvement officer Sarah Caden and speech and language therapist Susan Stewart have been given a Butler Trust Award 2015/16 – an “Oscar” of the criminal justice world – for their “outstanding dedication, skill and creativity” in transforming the service’s approach to young people’s communication needs.

And at St James’s Palace, the pair were presented with their accolade by the Trust’s patron, HRH The Princess Royal.

Sarah Caden said: “Receiving this award is brilliant as it gives us a platform to highlight the significant needs of young people who offend.

“Sixty to 90% of them have speech, language and communication needs and we hope to transform youth justice to put meaningful conversations at the heart of everything we do.

“This award is for all the young people we work with.”

Sarah and Susan – who is seconded to CDYOS from North Tees & Hartlepool NHS Foundation Trust – won one of just 10 Butler Trust awards handed out to staff working in prisons, probation and youth justice services across the UK this year, following over 300 nominations.

Lord McNally, chairman of the Youth Justice Board for England and Wales, attended the award ceremony and praised the work of the Durham duo.

Lord McNally said: “It was a real pleasure to attend the Butler Trust award ceremony and to see so many inspiring examples of dedication and innovative work being formally recognised.

“Congratulations in particular to Sarah Caden and Susan Stewart at County Durham Youth Offending Service on their award and the tremendous work they have done in improving the service’s approach to young people’s speech, language and communication needs.”

Conservative Mayoral Candidate Hits Back At Anti-Mayor Group

By on 7th March 2016in Have Your Say

Self-made businessman and North East Mayoral Candidate Jeremy Middleton says the “Campaign Against an Elected Mayor” group, demonstrates a lack of coherence within the Labour Party about the direction they want to take the North…

Mr Middleton will address a rally of his own supporters on Saturday about the need for devolved powers and the benefit of an elected mayor, and will formally ask them to support his bid to be the Conservative candidate in the North East mayoral election.

The event is being held at the same time as the ‘Campaign Against an Elected Mayor’ launch. Both follow Newcastle City Council’s announcement that they will back the North East Devolution Deal, signed by Chancellor George Osborne and all seven North East Combined Authority leaders in late 2015.

Jeremy Middleton said: “A directly-elected mayor is the key to making devolution work for the North East. We need someone to unite the region, someone can speak up for us in Westminster, and make our voice heard among the other Northern Powerhouse leaders.

“The organisers of this event, whose list of speakers almost entirely consists of figures from the left-wing of the Labour party, have chosen to hold this event in the same week Newcastle’s Labour-led City Council have given the green light to the devo-deal, this is perhaps more about infighting within their party than about whether or not we have a mayor.”

Share Your Memories Of Barnard Castle

By on 29th February 2016in Have Your Say

Do you have memories of the way Horse Market in Barnard Castle was in the past?

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Where exactly was the Co-op? Where was the best place to meet friends, or get your hair cut? Which businesses always seem to have been there, and whatever happened to places like the Star Inn and Angel Hotel? How has market day changed over the years?

Children in Barnard Castle will soon be working on a fascinating project to develop a new walk booklet aimed at children, looking at the history of Horse Market in Barnard Castle. The project is seeking memories and stories about the shops, the pubs and the market itself.

This project is part of the Heart of Teesdale’s ‘Trails Through Teesdale’ Programme. This programme aims to provide local people and visitors with the knowledge they need to make the most of exploring the area, by providing leaflets, booklets and audio trails. Children from local groups will be involved in developing the walk book, as well as families and other members of the community.

“The project will result in a walk booklet taking in the history and stories of Horse Market,” says project leader Jude Irwin.

“For example, several people have already told me about a shop where takings were put into a container and whizzed around the shop on wires, with the person’s change being delivered moments later in the same container. It must have seemed pretty high tech at the time. I’d love to know which shop this was, and whether anyone remembers working or shopping there.”

The project has already started gathering photos and anecdotes about the street’s past. The project is also willing to hold reminiscence sessions in local care homes and with community groups to collect more.

If you have some memories or photos you would like to share, or if you would like to arrange a visit to your care home or group, call Jude Irwin on 07766 485188 or email theworddoctor@btinternet.com.

Conservative Party First To Enter North East Mayoral Election

By on 26th February 2016in Local Biz

Self-made North East businessman and philanthropist, Jeremy Middleton, is the first politician to declare his intention to run in the North East mayoral election, which is expected to take place in May 2017…

Speaking to journalists and supporters at Durham County Cricket Club, Jeremy announced his intention to seek the Conservative Party nomination for the North East Region; which includes the Newcastle, Durham, Northumberland, Sunderland, North Tyneside, South Tyneside and Gateshead local authority areas.

Mr Middleton, who sits on the North East Local Economic Partnership board and chairs its investment fund, outlined his priorities for the region; including support for the NHS, investment in schools and work experience to create more opportunities for young people, and a billion pound jobs and investment fund to tackle unemployment and create good jobs. He also called for a fairer funding settlement for the region and more investment in transport infrastructure.

Jeremy said: “I want to be Mayor because I am passionate about making sure we invest more in skills, apprenticeships and jobs here in the North East. I want our young people to have the same life chances here as they do everywhere else in our country. I’m frustrated that the North East gets a raw deal.

“The old model of trying to run everything in our country from the centre of London is broken. We must not settle for what we are given. There should be no limit our ambition.

“The mayor must be able to stand up to vested interests, both from within our region and from outside it. That is why we need a mayor with a strong independent voice and not a career politician. I am a member of the Conservative Party, however they may or may not endorse me, and whatever the outcome, I do not and will not hesitate to criticise the Government it if it fails to deliver.”

Mum Braves Freezing Sea For Charity Fundraiser

By on 23rd February 2016in Have Your Say

A mum whose son died for forty minutes after a cardiac arrest is getting ready to battle the freezing cold sea to raise money for the charity that kept her by her son’s hospital bedside over 60 miles away from home…

 

Elizabeth Bruin, 29, from Berwick-Upon-Tweed, will be swimming in the North Sea on 20th February to raise money for The Sick Children’s Trust.

Four years ago, the charity gave Elizabeth and husband Paul, 35, free ‘Home from Home’ accommodation so they could be with their seven-year-old son, Lewis, when he was rushed to Newcastle’s Royal Victoria Infirmary.

Lewis, now 11, was a very healthy and active boy before he had a sudden cardiac arrest. He had a complex heart defect which caused his heart to beat abnormally fast, resulting in a heart attack at home, where he was then resuscitated for forty minutes. Once stabilised at his local hospital, Lewis was rushed to Newcastle’s specialist children’s hospital. Elizabeth and Paul were given a ‘Home from Home’ for four days at The Sick Children’s Trust’s Crawford House before their son was transferred to Freeman Hospital, Newcastle, for keyhole surgery.

Elizabeth, who volunteers for the British Heart Foundation, says: “I couldn’t get my head around what was happening. Lewis had been absolutely fine – we thought he just had a sickness bug. When I got the call from my Mum and Paul to say an ambulance was on its way, I couldn’t believe it.

“During this hell, we were fortunate enough to stay at Crawford House. When we went to Freeman Hospital there was no accommodation available for us, as the new ‘Home from Home’ Scott House hadn’t been completed, which made us appreciate just how much The Sick Children’s Trust helped. It was the worst time of our lives – we had no idea whether he would pull through or not, so being just a minutes’ walk away from his bedside and having a direct telephone to the ward was so valuable.

“The Sick Children’s Trust provided us with a ‘Home from Home’ for four days – it was crucial that we could stay together as a family and be there for one another. Because of their wonderful support, we’d like to thank them by raising some funds to help other families with sick children.”

Lewis, who attends Scouts every week, and is the ‘happiest he’s ever been’, will be supporting his Mum on the day.

Crawford House Manager, Gail Stonley, says: “After all these years, it’s wonderful to hear this news from Elizabeth, and we’re so pleased that Lewis is doing extremely well. Elizabeth’s event will do wonders to support families whose children are seriously ill at the Royal Victoria Infirmary, but it will also help raise local awareness of the charity in Berwick-Upon-Tweed. It’s vital that families know that this service is available to them, as a ‘Home from Home’ helps make things just that little bit easier.”

To find out more about The Sick Children’s Trust, please visit www.sickchildrenstrust.org.

Claire Hickey: One More For The Road?

By on 19th February 2016in Have Your Say

Claire Hickey struggled with alcoholism, smoking, loss and depression. This is her story…

Once upon a time, I would use this phrase all the time: “One more glass of wine wouldn’t hurt… would it?”

But then I’d find myself waking up on the sofa in the middle of the night, freezing cold, unsure where I was. It just became the norm.

I would get up in the morning, drop my two young girls at breakfast club and childminders, then work a full day as a teaching assistant. Later, I’d pick them up at teatime, get them home, fed and quickly to bed, and then it – once again – it was wine o’clock.

After the breakdown of my marriage in 2013, I thought I was doing alright. I was holding down a full time job, I had childcare for my two younger children, and my two older children had stayed with their dad, a 40 minute drive away. I would see them as often as I could, but I found myself coasting through the day until… wine o’clock.

This was okay though, wasn’t it? Everyone enjoys a glass of wine at the end of a hard day, don’t they? I didn’t have a problem…

In January 2015, my Great Aunty Norah – the matriarch of our family – was diagnosed with terminal cancer, and after a short battle she passed away in late February. My drinking accelerated, and now thing were beginning to spiral.

I was signed off work, and my doctor diagnosed depression. Along with anti-depressants, my wine became my way of coping. It made me feel better.

Days turned into weeks. Weeks turned into months, and time became one long, drunken haze. But I was still okay, wasn’t I?

One day, I found myself hiding wine in the cupboard. Another day, I asked a friend if she could bring me some more, because I had none in. I was drinking a bottle before 7.30, and topping it off with 20+ cigarettes a day. What on Earth was I doing?

I began to pile on weight. I had no energy, and I became snappy with my two young girls. I hardly saw my boys at all. I was staying up late, waking up early, taking hungover naps between school runs… I was a mess.

I had to change.

I had been sent leaflets for giving up smoking, which was something I had done sine I was 15 years old. I had stopped during my four pregnancies, but had always started again. This time I wanted to stop for good, so I made an appointment at my doctor’s surgery and began a 12 week programme.

Then, I thought if I’m quitting the fags… why not the booze too?

I ditched the wine and the takeaways, swapping it for healthy food. I joined a gym, and the wight began to slip away. In June, my brother signed me up for the Darlington Park Run, a free 5km timed event that took place every Saturday morning. I stepped up my treadmill training, and began to enjoy working up a sweat. I felt like I was doing something really good.

 

On the 20th June 2015, at 9 o’clock, I arrived at South Park. Lo and behold, I completed three laps of the park in a respectable 33 minutes. What a feeling when I crossed that finish line!

Running became a passion. I continued with my Stop Smoking programme, I stayed off the wine, and I lost 3 stone in weight, dropping from a size 18 to a size 10. Nothing happened overnight, but I enjoyed the journey. My running went from strength to strength, and in August I completed the Darlington 10km. Somehow, I even completed the Great north Run in September!

I had found a new addiction.

Today, it’s nearly a year since we lost Aunty Norah, but what a year it’s been. Who would have thought that after her death, I would be able to turn my life around. I often think that it was her way of helping me. It was the push I needed to sort myself out.

I was determined not to slip back to my old ways. For the sake of my own mental health, and for my children, I decided that I would have to give up the job that I loved. It would give me the opportunity to focus on keeping fit and healthy. It was a big decision, but I now continue to run, and I’ve since completed my first half marathon in just over 2 hours. My aim is to complete four half marathons and even more 10km runs before I turn 40.

I love encouraging other people to go down to the park on a Saturday morning and have a go at the run. Sometimes it’s just the first step they might need.

And when I feel like I need a ciggie and a class of wine? I think about how far I’ve come, and how great I feel now. The craving soon passes.

I still have bad days when I feel down, but I’ve surrounded myself with beautiful friends and family, and I’ve ditched all of the negativity that was in my life. I love life again, and my confidence is at an all time high. Throughout my journey, I’ve met some truly remarkable people, and I’m proud to have started my very own running group for ladies. #TheseGirlsCanRun.

Who knows? Maybe running can change their lives too.

These days – whether it’s a mile or ten miles – my motto is #ThisGirlCan. If I can, any girl can.

So one more for the road? No thanks. I’d rather go for a run.

Claire Hickey

Submit Your Ideas To Strengthen Rural Economy

By on 18th February 2016in Have Your Say

Over £2m worth of European funding is now available for projects to strengthen the economy of rural areas across the North Pennine Dales…

 

The North Pennine Dales (NPD) LEADER programme is seeking applications for the grant to fund projects which increase farm and forestry production, boost rural tourism, or support small and micro businesses and farm diversification. Bids are also welcome for projects which provide cultural and heritage activities or offer rural services.

Running until 2020, Durham County Council acts as the accountable body for the NPD LEADER programme, which covers an extensive rural area across Gateshead, County Durham and south of Northumberland.

The aim of the €2.666m programme is to create jobs and support strong and sustainable economic growth, as well as helping to conserve the unique nature of the local landscapes. By funding projects put forward by people, groups and businesses in the area, it also hopes to target areas that the communities themselves see as a priority.

Cllr Eddie Tomlinson, Durham County Council’s Cabinet member for rural issues, said: “The LEADER programme promises more jobs and stronger economies for rural areas across the region. By offering funding towards priorities that local communities themselves feel are important, these projects can make a real difference for generations to come, so we’d encourage everyone in the area to get in touch with ideas.”

Find out more by contacting northpenninedales@durham.gov.uk or calling 03000 266 895. You can also visit www.durham.gov.uk/npdleader.

Northern Powerhouse: Just Another Fad?

By on 17th February 2016in Have Your Say

Leading business figures, politicians and academics recently delivered a lively – and hotly contested – debate on the merits of a Northern Powerhouse for the North East…

 

Unedited Conversations: Towards a Northern Powerhouse?, was held at Newcastle Business School and chaired by Lucy Winskell OBE, Pro Vice-Chancellor (Business & Engagement) at Northumbria University.

The panel included Simon Henig, CBE, Leader of Durham County Council, Jeremy Middleton, CBE, Director of Middleton Enterprises LTD, John Fenwick, Professor Emeritus Leadership and Public Sector Management, Northumbria University, Andy Pike, Professor of Local and Regional Development, Newcastle University and Keith Shaw, Professor of Politics, Northumbria University.

Chancellor of the Exchequer George Osborne has said that building a Northern Powerhouse “is a revolution in the way we govern England”. Key to the policy is the devolution of more power to the regions from central Government, including the creation of directly elected majors. Devolution is seen by many as an opportunity to re-balance the UK economy, offering regions like the North East greater prosperity, life chances and health and social parity with London and the South.

There is, however, disagreement on whether a push for a Northern Powerhouse is the best way to achieve this.

While some on the panel advocated the need for an elected major as a driving force and strong voice for the whole region, others argued there would be a lack of trust in such a powerful individual, even when it was an elected position.

The Northern Powerhouse was described by one panel member as a “big idea with breath-taking ambition” that could make the North as rich as the South and give young people the same life chances. Another, however, asked whether it was merely a “brand and fashionable label that had become the latest flavour of the month, but that would wither on the vine.”

Challenges ahead were also identified, including competition from an increasingly devolved Scotland and the North East’s capacity to deliver on any potential benefits in a continuing era of austerity and public sector cuts.

Doctor Lorraine Johnston, Senior Lecturer at Newcastle Business School and event organiser, said: “Assembling such an esteemed panel of speakers made for an insightful, productive and at times feisty debate, and we were delighted with the enthusiasm of both the speakers and the audience. Despite the differences of opinion, one area of consensus was that this is an incredibly important issue that will affect us all. Politicians, businesses, academics and the media therefore need to engage far more with the general public. Hopefully this event has contributed to the debate, and will help move it forward.”

In October 2015, the North East Combined Authority – covering County Durham, Tyne & Wear and Northumberland – signed an agreement with the Government to take on more powers. The deal included a financial commitment for the region to receive £30 million a year over the next 30 years, and for North East voters to choose a directly elected major by 2017. A similar deal has been announced in Tees Valley.

We want to know what YOU think about the Northern Powerhouse. Leave your comments below!

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