Tag: lifestyle

North East Campaign Searches For Over 450 Foster Carers

By on 12th January 2016in Lifestyle

Durham County Council’s fostering service has launched a campaign to encourage more people to become foster carers…

 

More than 450 foster carers are needed across the North East, and as part of the campaign ‘Make a Difference in 2016 – Become a Foster Carer’, which runs from January 4th to 18th, information sessions are being held to help people find out more about fostering.

The sessions take place at County Hall in Durham on Saturday 16th January between 10.30am and 2pm, and Monday 18th January between 11am and 6.30pm.

The council’s fostering team and foster carers will be available to answer any questions and help people find out how they can get started.

People will also be able to learn about the wide range of professional support and extensive training that is available to foster carers in County Durham.

Florence Coulter, fostering team manager, said: “We know that foster carers make a real difference to the lives of the children and young people that they care for and we would like to encourage more people to find out about how rewarding a career in fostering is.

“Lots of people have the skills to become a foster carer, but aren’t quite sure what’s involved. Our information sessions are a great way for you to meet our foster carers and hear what it’s like to foster.”

To find out more about becoming a foster carer or the information sessions, visit www.durham.gov.uk/fostering, email fostering@durham.gov.uk or phone 03000 269 400.

Members of the public can also find out first-hand what it is like to foster with Durham County Council by watching this video.

Virgin Trains Unveil Newly Refurbished East Coast Trains

By on 12th January 2016in Local Biz

Virgin Trains has unveiled the first of its newly refurbished trains as part of a £40m project to improve its customers’ experience…

All of Virgin’s trains on its east coast route are being given a makeover with stylish new interiors, bringing added customer comfort and a touch of the glamour for which the Virgin brand is famous.

A total of £21m has been earmarked to complete the refurbishment of the trains’ interiors, including adding luxurious leather seats to First Class, new carpets and fittings throughout, as well as bringing the distinctive Virgin red on-board.

Since taking over the East Coast Mainline in March 2015, Virgin Trains has invested millions of pounds to improve the customer experience. The refurbishment programme, which also includes a £16m investment in new diesel engines and the re-branding of the exterior of the trains, has been brought in ahead of the arrival of Virgin’s new fleet in 2018. These trains are being built in the UK by Hitachi.

David Horne, Managing Director of Virgin Trains on its east coast route, said: “Our new fleet of trains arrive in 2018, but we want to ensure the trains people are catching right now deliver the same comfort and glamour for which Virgin Trains is known.

“The East Coast Mainline features some of the world’s iconic rail journeys and has played host to some of the most famous locomotives ever made, including the Flying Scotsman. Our own uniquely Virgin Flying Scotsman was unveiled last year, and is a symbol of this major investment that will bring the Virgin style and a dash of glamour back to the east coast route in the build up to the launch of our new trains.”

Tyneside Hotels Offer Valentine’s Day Packages

By on 12th January 2016in In & Around

Cupid’s arrow is aimed squarely at Tyneside, with Valentine’s offers at two top Newcastle hotels next month…

Grey Street Hotel takes its name from its location on Newcastle’s most famous city centre, Regency street, while the New Northumbria is at the heart of the upmarket Jesmond area of the city.

Between Friday 12th and Sunday 14th February, loved-up couples can enjoy an overnight stay at The New Northumbria and Grey Street Hotels, from just £60 and £70 per room, respectively.

For an additional £25 per room, Valentine’s weekend guests at each hotel can also upgrade to a Romantic Break package, which includes a bottle of prosecco, rose petals, sweets and bath salts.

For further information or to book, contact the Grey Street Hotel on 0191 230 6777 or at www.greystreethotel.co.uk, and the New Northumbria Hotel on 0191 281 4961 or at www.thenewnorthumbriahotel.co.uk.

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.

Responsible Dog Ownership Campaign Launches In Bowburn

By on 11th January 2016in In & Around

A campaign encouraging people to pick up their dog mess is to be launched in Bowburn…

 

Durham County Council, working in partnership with Durham Constabulary, Durham City Homes and local county councillor Cllr Jan Blakey, is behind the campaign which will see people encouraged to clean up after their pet and fined if they do not, and take advantage of free microchipping.

The campaign, which runs next week, will see patrols of dog fouling hotspot areas and a microchipping event.

The microchipping event takes place on Friday 15th January between 10am and 12pm at Bowburn Community Centre, Durham Road, Bowburn, DH6 5AT.

It offers people the chance to have their pet chipped before a change of law on April 6th, after which all dogs aged eight weeks old and over must be microchipped.

All dogs must be aged 12 weeks and over and have their up-to-date vaccinations to be microchipped at the event.

Proof of address showing residency in County Durham will be required.

Dog owners attending the microchipping event can join the Green Dog Walkers scheme.

Once signed up, dog owners take a pledge to carry extra dog poop bags to share to others who do not have one.

Throughout the week, the council’s neighbourhood wardens will be carrying out patrols in dog fouling hotspot areas.

Those observed failing to pick up after their pet will be handed an £80 fixed penalty notice.

If the fixed penalty notice is not paid, the offender will be taken to court and could face a maximum fine of £1,000.

Council officers, Durham City Homes and police will be talking to residents about responsible dog ownership, carrying out an estate walkabout and encouraging people to join the Green Dog Walkers scheme.

The campaign comes after local councillors raised concerns over the level of dog fouling in the area, having been approached about it by residents.

Cllrs Blakey, Mac Williams and Maria Plews have funded and helped organise the campaign.

Cllr Blakey said: “Dog fouling is a blight on communities, and we have listened to the concerns of the local people who have told us they have had enough.

“Through this campaign we are striving to reduce the amount of dog fouling in the community and in doing so enhance the local environment.”

Dog owners who cannot attend the microchipping event can sign up to the Green Dog Walkers scheme by downloading a form at www.durham.gov.uk/greendogwalkers, calling 03000 261 000 or emailing civicpride@durham.gov.uk.

Dog fouling can be reported online, in confidence, at www.durham.gov.uk/dogfouling or by calling 03000 261 000.

Willy Wonka Leads Kids To A Healthier Future

By on 10th January 2016in In & Around

Pupils from Peases West Primary School in Crook have enjoyed a Willy Wonka walk of pure imagination…

 

Caitlin Holiday, 10, won a MEGA Motion competition to decide the theme of a special walk by writing about having a lie-in while Roald Dahl’s Big Friendly Giant carried her to school in his pocket.

As her prize, however, she asked for her very own golden ticket and chose another Roald Dahl favourite, Willy Wonka, to join her and her classmates as they walked, cycled and scooted to school. Once there, the pupil’s enjoyed a tasty treat with a special assembly from Willy Wonka highlighting the benefits of healthy and environmentally friendly ways of getting to school.

The special day was the latest Durham County Council supported MEGA Motion event, which comes under the wider Local Motion campaign promoting sustainable transport throughout south Durham. The campaign aims to encourage children to walk, scoot or ride to school, and to make them aware of the health and environmental benefits from an early age.

As well as the fun walks, pupils earn points every time they use sustainable travel to get to school, aiming to collect enough points to become MEGA heroes by the end of the year.

Cllr Neil Foster, Cabinet member for economic regeneration, said: “MEGA Motion is a brilliant scheme that encourages our children, in a fun way, to be healthier and more environmentally friendly every day. It’s great to see the kids enjoy such a memorable day, and we’d like to wish them all good luck in their quest to become MEGA Heroes!”

Council Seeks Community Opinion Over Youth Services Review

By on 8th January 2016in Have Your Say

Councillors are to be asked to launch a consultation seeking parents’ and children’s views on the future of Durham County Council’s youth service…

 

Across the county, the council funds a range of activities, groups and youth centres – but where that support goes has been based on historic agreements, and not where it could have the most benefit.

Now, following a review of the service, proposals are being put forward that would see money and resources targeted towards helping more young people at risk of poor outcomes who need extra help.

Overall it is hoped they would lead to improved school attendance and grades, and fewer exclusions; fewer young people not in education, employment, or training (NEET); fewer referrals to children’s services; and fewer teenage pregnancies.

The council’s Cabinet will discuss the proposals when they meet next week, on Wednesday 13th January at 10am.

Carole Payne, Durham County Council’s head of children’s services, said: “Across County Durham there are nearly 18,000 children living in areas that are among the most deprived in the country.

“Yet currently, despite prioritising and protecting youth services for as long as possible, the service is in regular contact with only 7 per cent of all young people and 9 per cent of those in the most deprived areas.

“Other authorities in the North East have cut their budgets for youth services, in some cases by over 70 per cent, while Durham has reduced its funding by less than one fifth.

“However, with continued budget pressures we face some difficult decisions, and it is important that we ensure every penny we spend has the greatest benefit.

“With this in mind, a review of youth services has been carried out and a series of proposals have been drafted that would see a new approach introduced to identify and help the young people and families who would gain the most from our support.

“No decisions have yet been made. The results of the review will be presented to the council’s cabinet on January 13th and, subject to approval, the recommendations it contains would be put out for a full 12 week public consultation beginning in February.”

In County Durham there are 17,987 13 to 19-year-olds living in households in areas that are among the top 30 per cent most deprived in the country.

There are also 7,670 children from homes whose income is at least 60 per cent below the national average.

Only 9 per cent of young people from the least well off areas have regular contact with the council’s youth service.

It is believed that – despite the council having to find £1m of savings from its £8.67m One Point budget – the service can have a bigger impact by redistributing funding across the service’s 10 areas, and targeting services to young people who need them most.

The consultation is also looking at the funding given to more than 50 youth projects through the Youth Work Support Grant.

Currently groups receive grants ranging from £430 to £27,768, but again this is based on what each organisation historically received and not on where needs are greatest.

In 2015/16 the budget for the Youth Work Support Grant is £194,684, but after meeting savings targets that will be reduced to £138,000. It is proposed to reassess where grants are made, and to transfer control of this funding to the council’s Area Action Partnerships, which are better placed to identify local priorities.

As well as this, discussions are already underway over the possibility of transferring youth centres in Fishburn, Newton Aycliffe, Peterlee, Seaham, Spennymoor and Stanley to community ownership through the Durham ASK programme.

No decisions have yet been made, and subject to agreement, a public consultation on the plans would run from 1st February to 27th April 2016.

Following feedback from that consultation, final proposals could then be developed and presented to cabinet in autumn 2016.

#ThrowbackThursday: Criminal Faces Of 1930s Newcastle

By on 7th January 2016in Lifestyle

Ever wondered what the bad guys looked like back in the day?

 

This week’s #ThrowbackThursday comes from the pages of a very old book.

It’s a Police Identification Book believed to be from the 1930s, and was found hidden away in a junk shop by a member of the public, who then went on to donate it to Tyne & Wear Archives & Museums. The images are now available on their Flickr archives.

Although there is no definitive information regarding which police force compiled the book, there is strong evidence to suggest that it’s from the Newcastle Upon Tyne area. As such, it provides a unique glimpse at some of the not-so-law-abiding citizens of the time.

See the gallery here:

 

 

Each mugshot is accompanied by the criminal’s details, and we can only imagine what some of those stories must be.

Some of the M.O.’s may also bring a wry grin to the face. For example: DODGSON, John. M.O., etc. Larceny and False Pretences. A general thief and bad character.

To see more of Tyne & Wear Archives & Museums photographs, click here.

To see more local #ThrowbackThursdays, click here.

Do you have your own North East memories or photographs to share? Leave a comment below, or email online@inandaroundmag.co.uk!

Bannatyne Health Club Invests In New Facilities

By on 7th January 2016in Local Biz

Bannatyne Health Club in Durham has received a boost to its equipment levels and facilities thanks to extra investment…

The club has installed state of the art equipment on the gym floor following refurbishment. This includes upgraded CV and resistance equipment at the club, based on Eden Terrace in Belmont near Durham City. The club also has an expanded free weights section, which contains new plate loaded equipment.

The Bannatyne Group has also invested in a brand new function area at the health club, which includes Technogym Omnia 3. This is a new functional training system that is designed to maximise interaction. The system covers all aspects of training, including strength, endurance, stability, flexibility, coordination and speed. Improvements have also been made to the CV equipment, which now include interactive televisions.

A new Spa recently opened at the Durham health club, further enhancing the facilities, with five treatment rooms, three of which are individual treatment rooms and two dual treatment rooms, which enables users to share their relaxation with friends or family.

Matthew Emery, General Manager at the Durham health club, said: “The new gym floor at Bannatyne Health Club Durham is a great addition to the club. The new equipment is state-of-the-art and will help members achieve their fitness and health goals even more effectively.

“The company has developed and improved the gym floor, and installed fantastic new equipment to further enhance the range of functional training equipment available to members.

“Functional training is the way the industry is progressing, and focuses on training movement patterns rather than isolation individual muscle groups. The new equipment provides fantastic fat burning workouts, and will improve strength, endurance, and boost metabolism.”

He added “Bannatyne Health Club Durham’s new gym floor is just one of the amazing facilities available at the club. Alongside the gym, the club offers a swimming pool, sauna, steam room and a spa pool. With such fantastic new facilities and a brand new Spa, it’s a great time to join our improved club.”

Ramside Spa Offer Healthy (And Luxurious) Start To 2016

By on 6th January 2016in Local Biz

The North East’s most luxurious spa has seen 2016 get off to a healthy start – with a huge boost to memberships…

The Spa at Ramside, which opened last summer, has seen a rush of people signing up to use the facilities, which include five pools, a state-of-the-art gym, thermal suite and sleep sanctuary.

A new studio timetable offering around 40 classes, which include aerial yoga, Salsa, Clubbercise, pilates and spin, has also enticed people from around the region to take advantage of membership offers, which give unlimited access to the facilities at Ramside Hall Hotel near Durham.

“At this time of year, when people are getting over the excesses of the festive season, you would expect to see membership numbers rise,” said Anthony Woodhouse, General Manager of Spa and Leisure at Ramside.

“But we have been overwhelmed by the interest in what Ramside has to offer, with people loving not only the facilities, but the huge programme of classes we are offering.”

To celebrate 2016, the spa has also put together ‘Rock That Resolution’, to help people keep their promises of making time to train, finding time to spend with loved ones, or time for themselves.

Three resolution choices have been created with personal training sessions, shared spa experiences, or a day spa for one.

Information on all the spa days and memberships is available at www.ramsidespa.co.uk or calling the Spa at Ramside on 0191 375 3088.

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