Tag: have your say

Chance To #HaveYourSay Over Future Of Sedgefield And Lanchester

By on 28th January 2016in Have Your Say

People at Lanchester and Sedgefield are being invited to help shape the future of where they live, work and shop…

 

Durham County Council has launched a consultation on new character appraisals which have been produced for the communities’ historic conservation areas.

An appraisal helps raise awareness of the special character and interest of an historic area. The documents recommend ways to improve a conservation area and to manage change, and also provide an interesting history and snapshot of the area.

The Lanchester appraisal includes proposed extensions to the designated boundary, changes to rules on external alterations to some properties, and management proposals. The Sedgefield document includes minor changes to the boundary, no alternations to the rules on external alterations, and management proposals.

Both appraisals are at the draft stage, and people who live, own businesses and shop in the two communities are now being encouraged to have their say.

Drop in information sessions are being held at Lynwood House, Lanchester, on Wednesday 3rd February 2016 from 2.30pm to 6.30pm, and Ceddesfeld Hall, Sedgefield, on Tuesday 16th February 2016 from 2.30pm to 6.30pm.

Staff from the design and conservation team, who are leading on the publication of the appraisals, will be in attendance.

Cllr Neil Foster, the council’s cabinet member for economic regeneration, said: “The purpose of character appraisals is to make sure that the unique characteristics and historic features of our conservation areas are preserved, whilst ensuring that they meet the needs of modern communities.

“I hope local residents and businesses will help us build a detailed picture of what is special about the area in which they live and work, by taking part in the consultation events.”

To find out more about the appraisals and to #HaveYourSay, visit www.durham.gov.uk/consultation, email design.conservation@durham.gov.uk or phone 03000 267146.

The consultation period for both documents ends on Friday 27th February.

One Week Left To Enter Northern Writers’ Awards

By on 28th January 2016in Entertainment

Writers based in the North of England have one week left to enter the Northern Writers’ Awards 2016…

Northumbria University is a key supporter of the awards, with £40,000 available for writers, including cash awards and developmental bursaries. This year will also see a brand new category introduced that is specifically for Northumbria students and alumni.

The Northern Writers’ Awards are free to enter and are open until 11pm, Wednesday 3rd February 2016 at www.northerwritersawards.com.

The awards were founded by New Writing North in 2000, and are the country’s premiere talent development programme for writers. They offer opportunities for both new and established writers to develop their work towards publication or broadcast, and to progress their careers as writers. The Northern Writers’ Awards receive support from Northumbria University and funding from Arts Council England.

Lucy Winskell OBE, Pro Vice-Chancellor (Business and Engagement), Northumbria University, said: “The Northern Writers’ Awards are a fantastic opportunity for new and emerging writers in the North of England. I’m very excited to see which talented writers win this year’s awards, and I’m especially pleased to see a number of new categories, including the new Northumbria University Student and Alumni Award, which is open to final year students and alumni of the University.”

Claire Malcolm, chief executive of New Writing North, said: “It is always incredibly exciting nearing the deadline of the Northern Writers’ Awards and watching the entries coming in. Each year we are introduced to new writers whose work we can support in many ways, from developmental support or introductions to publishers and agents to future commissions.”

The literary agent Euan Thorneycroft (AM Heath), publisher Hannah Westland (Serpent’s Tail), poet Patience Agbabi and children’s book publisher Leah Thaxton (Faber), will judge the flagship Northern Writers’ Awards, which are open to poets, novelists, children’s writers and writers of creative non-fiction. Graphic novels are also accepted in this category for the first time in 2016.

Other awards on offer in 2016 include the Channel 4/Northumbria University Writing for Television Awards, which offer three new writers the rare opportunity of a 12-month development period with independent production company Lime Pictures. The Clare Swift Award, sponsored by North East Chamber of Commerce, is open exclusively to writers in the North East, and will award £1000 to the best unpublished short story. It will be judged by the journalist and editor Peter Wilby, a former colleague of Clare Swift, who died in 2013.

Northumbria is a key partner in the Northern Writers’ Awards, and a new award, the Northumbria University Student and Alumni Award, will be presented to one past or current student of the university. For a full list of awards and criteria, including information on how to enter, go to www.northernwritersawards.com.

Holocaust Survivor Marks Memorial Day At Northumbria Uni

By on 28th January 2016in Have Your Say

One of the youngest known survivors of the Holocaust has spoken about her experiences at Northumbria University, Newcastle, to mark this year’s Memorial Day…

Eva Clarke was born in Mauthausen Concentration Camp, Austria in 1945, three days prior to the collapse of the Third Reich and liberation of the camp by the US Army. Eva and Anka, her mother, were the only remaining survivors, following the death of 15 other family members in Auschwitz-Birkenau.

Northumbria student Michaela Crawley contacted Eva to give a talk at the University, and helped organise the lecture for Holocaust Memorial Day, which was held in partnership with Newcastle City Council, and in conjunction with the Holocaust Education Trust and the Anne Frank Trust.

Michaela, a first-year History student, said: “For the last three years I have been active in organising Holocaust Memorial Day events following a Holocaust Educational Trust course known as the Lessons From Auschwitz. This, coincidentally, was also when I came into contact with Eva for the first time. Following a very successful event that I arranged last year in my school, I felt I had to try and bring the event to the University with me to involve even more people in Holocaust education.

“I spoke to the Head of History at Northumbria, Michael Cullinane, to ask if it would be possible, and managed to contact Eva and confirm that she would speak at our event. I have heard Eva’s testimony twice now, and I am honoured to finally get to meet her in person, as it was her story that convinced me that I wanted to teach and that History was definitely the discipline I wanted to specialise in.”

She added: “One of the first sources I was ever presented with when learning about the Holocaust was a quotation from a German philosopher claiming ‘we learn from History that we do not learn from history.’ I believe through education we can prevent humanity from repeating its mistakes, and that is why I am taking an active role in Holocaust education and preventing prejudice.”

Eva has shared her story with communities, schools, colleges and prisons, and has campaigned to ensure that those who died during the Holocaust are remembered. Her mother’s story is also featured in a new book by bestselling author and journalist Wendy Holden. Born Survivors highlights the experiences of three expectant and new mothers living in concentration camps.

Also speaking at the event at Northumbria was Newcastle City Council Leader, Councillor Nick Forbes, and the University’s Associate Dean for Arts, Design and Social Sciences, Professor Tom Lawson.

He said: “We are delighted that Eva Clarke has been able to join us for Holocaust Memorial Day. Holocaust Memorial Day is an opportunity for us to reflect on our collective past and our obligations to all members of the international community in the past, present and future.

“The theme of this year’s commemorations encourages us to think about our role as bystanders to atrocity, which is an essential theme as we face the challenges of our interconnected world. We are especially pleased to host this event as it is organised by one of our History undergraduates, showing how far Northumbria students are impacting on the world from the very beginnings of their studies with us.”

Michaela’s tutor, Dr Michael Cullinane, Reader in US History and Head of History, added: “This event owes a great debt to one of our most enterprising undergraduate students, Michaela Crawley. Michaela, a first-year student on the single-honours History programme, expressed an interest in raising awareness of the Holocaust, and reached out to the Head of History and Associate Dean Academic of the Faculty of Arts, Design, and Social Sciences.

“While the University often hosts public events on Holocaust Memorial Day to stress the social importance of holocaust education, the initiative to do so has never come from a first-year student. We in the History subject group are proud that Michaela has organized a wonderful event, and are as proud that she is one of ours.”

Northumbria offers a range of courses in History. In the Research Excellence Framework 2014, the University was rated Top 20 in the UK for the quality of its History research publications. For more information about studying History at Northumbria, go to www.northumbria.ac.uk/history.

Northumbria is a research-rich, business-focused, professional university with a global reputation for academic excellence. To find out more about courses, go to www.northumbria.ac.uk.

2016 Big Spring Clean Calls For Volunteers

By on 27th January 2016in In & Around

Litter legends are being called upon once again to help spruce up their communities as part of this year’s Big Spring Clean…

 

LitterFree Durham, Durham County Council and Darlington Borough Council are teaming up for the sixth time to stage the annual campaign.

The Big Spring Clean brings communities together to ‘clean up and green up’ their towns and villages.

Over the last six years, thousands of volunteers have rolled up their sleeves and armed themselves with litter picks to rid their streets and open spaces of dumped rubbish.

This year’s campaign will be held from Monday 29th February until Sunday 17th April, and calls are being issued now for people to sign up and get involved.

Cllr Brian Stephens, Durham County Council’s Cabinet member for neighbourhoods and local partnerships, said: “We are delighted to support this excellent campaign. It is always fantastic to see residents come together and do something rewarding in their community.

“This is a great opportunity to make a real difference to where you live, and we would urge everyone to give up some of your time, whatever you can spare, and take part.

“Although most people get rid of their rubbish properly, we work hard to educate the minority who leave their litter lying around.

“Campaigns like the Big Spring Clean make a huge difference to the environment, and help us achieve our aim of making County Durham a safer, cleaner and greener place to live, work and visit.”

Gerald Lee, Chair of LitterFree Durham, added: “Every year more and more people in County Durham and Darlington pledge their time to this extremely worthwhile cause.

“We could not achieve the levels of success that we have without the support of groups, schools, partners and local residents, and we thank everyone for their continued support, including bus company Arriva and the Environment Agency.”

Anyone wishing to take part in the campaign will be supplied with equipment and support, and arrangements will be made to collect all bagged rubbish following litter picks.

Last year’s campaign saw 1,490 volunteers turn out in County Durham, with 147 litter picks carried out. Nearly 3,000 hours were dedicated to collecting a total of 1,458 bags of rubbish.

The Environment Agency also used specialist equipment to remove trees and debris from the River Wear in Chester-le-Street.

In Darlington, 489 volunteers gave up 529 hours of their time to carry out 28 litter picks and collect over four tonnes of bulky waste from rivers using specialist equipment provided by the Environment Agency.

It means that across County Durham and Darlington last year, nearly 2,000 volunteers dedicated more than 3,500 hours to collecting 2,013 bags of rubbish in total.

To take part in a litter pick in County Durham, email litterfreedurham@durham.gov.uk or call 03000 261 000 – in Darlington email litterfreedurham@darlington.gov.uk or call 01325 406 648.

Visit www.durham.gov.uk/bigspringclean for more information.

Litter problems can be reported at www.durham.gov.uk/litter or call 03000 261 000.

Teesside Charity Aims To Raise Awareness Of Dyspraxia

By on 25th January 2016in Lifestyle

A Teesside charity is launching a new support group which aims to help young people affected by dyspraxia…

Roseberry Community Consortium has set up Dyspraxia Support Group, which will offer assistance and a wealth of support for anyone in the region, aged between 13 and 25, suffering from the condition.

Pritthijit Datta, the brains behind this new group, suffers from dyspraxia himself, and has been a trustee of the Stockton-based charity for five years.

He said: “The support group will give members the opportunity to share their experiences with others who are affected by dyspraxia, and also help to build their confidence levels and social skills.

“There will be numerous activities which members can get involved in, ranging from art to one-on-one sessions, workshops and more.

“The charity has gone from strength to strength, and we would like to see this continue by getting as many people involved with the support group as we can.”

Dyspraxia is a life-long condition which specifically affects a person’s co-ordination. It is thought to affect around 3% of adults in the UK, and is more common in men.

Pritthijit – who was diagnosed with dyspraxia at a young age – has played a pivotal role in moving the charity forward, but believes the condition is still misunderstood.

He said: “I hope the support group will help us raise awareness of dyspraxia across the Tees Valley, and also help not only those affected by it, but also the people around them.

“Our aim is to educate people so they get a better understanding of the condition.”

Roseberry Community Consortium was established in 2009, and offers guidance for disadvantaged young people across the Tees Valley through numerous projects, including music tuition, dancing, heritage, education and life skills.

The charity also runs a horticultural project, Plot to Plate, which is transforming a once derelict piece of land between Stockton and Middlesbrough into a vibrant garden and horticulture resource.

“Plot to Plate encourages young people to think about healthy eating and wellbeing, and also aims to help members build their self-confidence,” said Pritthijit.

“It’s a fantastic project, and we’re hoping the area will become a community hub for the region.”

Roseberry Community Consortium wants to develop the Plot to Plate further, and is looking for volunteers to join the project in March.

Dyspraxia Support Group will launch on Saturday 30th January at Arc, Stockton, at 1pm and is currently looking for volunteers and new members.

For more information about the forward thinking charity, or to become a member or volunteer with Dyspraxia Support Group, visit www.roseberrycommunityconsortium.org.

County Durham Cracks Down On Public Smoking

By on 22nd January 2016in In & Around

A crackdown is being launched on smoking in County Durham bus stations…

 

Durham County Council officers are teaming up with bus companies Arriva and Go North East to send out the message that smoking will not be tolerated in the county’s stations.

The campaign, which runs until February, will see staff visiting bus stations and issuing fines to anyone caught smoking.

Since 2007, almost all indoor public places and workplaces, including vehicles, have been required to be smoke free by law.

Smoking is also prohibited in all enclosed or ‘substantially enclosed’ public places and workplaces, including bus stations.

But despite the law, some people continue to smoke in and around county stations.

A recent survey carried out at some of the county’s bus stations revealed that over 71% of people have seen smoking in or around the sites.

Public Protection Officers and Neighbourhood Wardens will be visiting stations at Durham, Consett, Stanley, Peterlee and Bishop Auckland while the campaign is running.

They will be reminding people that it is against the law to smoke in bus stations, issuing fixed penalty notices to anyone caught doing so, and providing advice and guidance on smoke free issues.

Information posters will also be displayed in the stations.

Arriva and Go North East are supporting the campaign by spreading the message among their staff, especially those who work in county stations.

Joanne Waller, head of environment, health and consumer protection, said: “Smoking in bus stations is illegal, and yet some people continue to do it.

“It is a health hazard and a nuisance to other station users, and we will be taking action against anyone we catch flouting the law.”

Virgin Trains Voted Among Best UK Workplaces

By on 18th January 2016in Local Biz

Virgin Trains has been recognised as one of the best companies to work for in the UK…

 

Ahead of British Airways, EasyJet and Transport for London, Virgin Trains’ east coast business was ranked second out of all transportation and logistics companies, and 43rd overall in an independent UK-wide survey of 1,600 companies.

The Bloomberg-sponsored survey, which lists the top 400 employers in the UK, used a robust sample of 15,000 UK employees who answered questions about their employer.

Clare Burles, People Director for Virgin Trains on its east coast route, said: “We’re absolutely delighted to feature so highly in this list. It’s our people – both customer-facing and behind the scenes – and their commitment, skills and personality that drive our amazing business.”

The company has already enjoyed an eventful January, delivering the first of its newly refurbished trains as part of a £40m investment in its train fleet. This includes a stylish makeover with new interiors, including luxurious leather seats in First Class, and new carpets and fittings throughout to bring added customer comfort and a touch of the glamour for which the Virgin brand is famous, as well as an improved working environment for staff.

Since it launched in March 2015, Virgin Trains has been transforming the business, including introducing new uniforms, a revamped staff benefits package, and a Red Hot awards ceremony to recognise the great work of its customer-facing, operational and engineering employees.

A new recognition scheme, Virgin Stars, has also been launched to recognise and celebrate the company’s best people, and examples of customer service. Meanwhile, Newcastle Driver, John Scott was awarded an MBE in the New Year Honours.

Council To Close 12 Adult Day Care Centres Across County Durham

By on 14th January 2016in In & Around

Changes to council-run adult day services in County Durham have now been agreed…

 

Members of Durham County Council’s Cabinet agreed a reorganisation of services that will result in the closure of 12 centres by September 2016.

People using the 12 centres which will close will be supported in finding alternative provision to meet their needs in the independent and/or voluntary sector.

All people who are assessed as needing a service will continue to receive one, and any changes will be carefully planned.

The decision was made in response to significant changes to the way in which people choose day services, which has led to drop in demand for traditional council-run centres, as well as the need to make £1.59m savings during 2016/17.

The council will continue to run five centres from across the county in order to continue to offer specialist services to people with complex needs. Around 101 people currently fall into this category.

Cllr Lucy Hovvels, cabinet member for adult and health services at Durham County Council, said: “This was not an easy decision to make, and we recognise that it will be disappointing for many of those affected.

“However, we must respond to the changing demand for these services, as well as the financial pressures we face, and therefore we must make these changes.

“Many people are already choosing alternative care services in the community and voluntary sector – particularly as a result of national changes such as the introduction of Direct Payments, which enables people to make their own choices about where and how to get support.

“Our staff are very experienced in helping people to make the right choices for their needs and in supporting people through the move to a new service.

“We will continue to work with people to understand their needs, and any concerns they have so that we can support them through any changes.”

The five centres which will provide specialist day services are Durham Pathways, Pity Me; Spennymoor Pathways, Spennymoor Leisure Centre; Newton Aycliffe Pathways, Aycliffe Leisure Centre; Peterlee Pathways; and Stanley Pathways, Louisa Leisure Centre.

The 12 day services which will close are Ebony Woodwork Unit, Consett; Chester-le-Street Pathways; Crook Pathways; Proudfoot Centre, Bishop Auckland; Annfield Plain Pathways; Silver Street, Spennymoor; Consett Pathways; Harmire Unit, Barnard Castle; Bishop Auckland Pathways, Tindale Crescent; Bracken Hill Centre, Peterlee; Bede Day Centre, Barnard Castle; and Stanhope Pathways.

All people who use the existing 17 centres, their carers and staff at the centres have been consulted on the proposals, and their feedback was included in the report to Cabinet.

Northern Writers’ Awards Open For Applications

By on 13th January 2016in Entertainment

Northumbria’s final year students and alumni have the chance to show their literary promise this month…

Applications are now open for a brand new award exclusively created for Northumbria students and alumni as part of this year’s Northern Writers Awards. The Northumbria Student and Alumni Award is open to final-year undergraduates, current postgraduates or alumni who have graduated from the University since 2013.

Worth £2,000, the award is open to writers of fiction and poetry who are based in the North of England. To enter, you must submit between 3,000 and 6,000 words of prose, up to three short stories (of no more than 6,000 words in total) or up to 30 poems, by the deadline of 3rd February 2016. The award will be judged by Professor Michael Green and colleagues from the Creative Writing team at Northumbria.

Supported by Northumbria University and Arts Council England, the Northern Writers Awards are the country’s leading talent development programme for writers, and attracted more than 850 entries from across the region last year. Organised by New Writing North, this year’s awards are worth more than £40,000 to emerging writers and poets.

Northumbria University Pro Vice-Chancellor (Business and Engagement) Lucy Winskell OBE said: “The Northern Writers’ Awards are a fantastic opportunity for new and emerging writers in the North of England, and I’m delighted to see the awards open for submissions once again in their 16th year.

“I’ll be very excited to see which talented writers win this year’s awards, and I’m especially pleased to see a number of new categories, including the new Northumbria University Student and Alumni Award, which is open to final year students and alumni of the University.”

She added: “The awards are at the heart of Northumbria’s partnership with New Writing North, and we were delighted to confirm a further three years of support earlier this year. Our continued investment demonstrates our commitment to celebrating and nurturing creative talent in the region. Northumbria’s partnership with New Writing North goes from strength to strength each year as we develop exciting collaborations for our students, staff and the wider writing and cultural community. This enables us to share expertise, develop innovative research and provide a wealth of unique creative opportunities.”

For aspiring writers, winning a Northern Writers’ Award can offer introductions to publishers and agents, support from New Writing North, and the possibility of mentoring and other professional development advice. The awards available for 2016 include the flagship Northern Writers’ Awards, which offer cash prizes of up to £5,000 for writers of prose and poetry, New Fiction Bursaries, which provide new writers an in-depth editorial report from The Literary Consultancy, and the new Northumbria University Student and Alumni Award.

The Channel 4/Northumbria University Writing for Television Award and The Clare Swift Short Story Award, sponsored by the North East Chamber of Commerce, are also among the categories. To find out more about these awards and to read the full terms and conditions for all categories, go to: www.northernwritersawards.com. To enter the Northumbria Student and Alumni Award click here.

The Northern Writers’ Awards are open for entry until Wednesday 3rd February 2016. Winners will be notified in June 2016, with the awards ceremony taking place on Thursday 30th June 2016. Northumbria University offers a wide range of courses in English Literature and Creative Writing. To find out more go to www.northumbria.ac.uk/humanities.

Heart Of Teesdale’s ‘Donate A Gate’ Scheme A Great Success

By on 11th January 2016in In & Around

A walking group, which donated two gates at Gainford as part of a ‘Donate a Gate’ scheme, used its annual Christmas walk to visit them…

 

Members of the Darlington Countrywide Holidays Association and Holiday Fellowship Rambling Group decided to see the work for themselves, festively dressed and singing carols along the way.

Chairman of the Darlington club, Ian Bagshaw, said: “It makes everything much more accessible. If you don’t walk so well, you don’t want to be going over wobbly styles, so it just makes things safer and easier for everybody.”

The Heart of Teesdale Landscape Partnership and the Friends of the North Pennines have been working together to roll out the ‘Donate a Gate’ scheme across Teesdale and the wider North Pennines area. The idea behind the scheme is to make the area’s popular footpaths more accessible by replacing awkward stiles with gates, and members of the public are being encouraged to sponsor a gate to make this possible.

Thanks to the scheme, 45 new gates have now been installed by Jay Marrison of 4Nature.

The ‘Donate a Gate’ scheme invites members of the public to pay for a stile to be replaced, and the new gate fitted with an engraved plaque. This could be in remembrance of a loved one, to commemorate a special occasion, or as a gift to someone who loves walking in Teesdale and the North Pennines. Everyone who ‘Donates a Gate’ will be given a choice of the location of the gate (subject to conditions), choose their engraving, and receive a personalised map of the area around their gate.

This scheme forms part of the Heart of Teesdale’s Paths for All People project, which aims to improve the footpaths and bridleways around the project area to make them more suitable and accessible. This includes work on the Teesdale Way and the Greta Walk.

For more information on the scheme, contact Emma Ashton-Wickett on 03000 260645 or emma.ashton@durham.gov.uk, or Friends of the North Pennines on fotnp@hotmail.co.uk.

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