Tag: must read

#ThrowbackThursday: Icebreakers Of The Tyne

By on 31st December 2015in Lifestyle

The Tyne & Wear Flickr Archive provides a unique view into Newcastle’s shipbuilding past…

 

 

Although the days of the Tyne being crammed with ships may be long gone, the proud memories of North East shipyards are still as strong as ever.

The region’s marine heritage dates as far back as 1294, when a galley was built in Newcastle for the King’s fleet. By 1346, ships were being built in Sunderland, and then in Stockton a little over a century later. From then, it remained a key industry in the area until the late 20th century.

So of all of the thousands built, where were these ships going to? As documented in this Tyne & Wear Archives & Museums Flicker album, some were destined for the far reaches of Russia.

 

The SS Baikal (pictured above) and the Ermack were both built by W G Amrstrong Whitworth & Co Ltd in the 1890s, in their Low Walker yard. These were sent east for ice-breaking duties across frozen waters.

Click through the gallery below to see the fantastic images of both ships in action.

 

Included in the gallery is a photograph of the workforce which reassembled the SS Baikal upon its arrival at Lake Baikal. As the caption reads:

“They were mainly exiles and criminals. They also included Isaac O’Henry, the Chief Engineer, who often told a tale of a long walk in the tundra alone with a guide who later turned out to have murdered his entire family with an axe.”

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

To see more local #ThrowbackThursdays, click here.

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

County Durham Gets Fit For Free In 2016

By on 30th December 2015in Lifestyle

Friends could win the chance to improve their fitness for free as part of a three month effort urging more people to exercise this New Year…

 

Durham County Council is committed to improving the health of families, and is introducing new offers across its 10 managed leisure centres.

To celebrate, the authority is seeking one individual or two friends to take up the challenge and try out the centre of their choice for three months, with their progress tracked to inspire others to follow in their footsteps.

Further encouragement will come in the form of free exercise classes, open to all members of the public, from Monday 4th January to Friday 15th January.

The sessions – which will include new Body Combat classes – will give visitors a chance to try out new things, and learn techniques and routines.

Then, on the weekend of 16th and 17th January, all 10 centres will be hosting a free workout weekend, with open access to gyms, swimming pools and classes.

That will include Spennymoor Leisure Centre, which on 20th December will see its pool re-open following essential maintenance and improvements to its changing rooms.

If visitors choose to join as swimming or gym members during the free weekend, they will receive their first month’s membership for free.

To be in with a chance of getting fit with a friend for free, email your details to sportandleisure@durham.gov.uk by Friday 8 January 2016.

Full terms & conditions are available on the Durham County Council website at www.durham.gov.uk/leisurecentres.

Council Provides Essential Winter Weather Tips

By on 29th December 2015in In & Around

Following the continued wintry weather, people in County Durham are being urged to stay warm, well and safe…

 

Durham County Council is reminding everyone that online resources are available at www.durham.gov.uk/warmandwell to ensure that no one is left out in the cold this winter.

As well as advice on staying healthy and looking after elderly or vulnerable neighbours, there’s also information on coping with the snow and ice. This includes everything from finding out the location of your nearest salt bin, to tips for driving in wintry conditions.

There’s also guidance on how to make sure your home is warm and energy efficient, including information about the Government’s Warm Homes Discount Scheme, whereby energy companies must offer extra help to their most vulnerable customers, with a possible one-off rebate of £140 on energy bills to those who qualify.

Cllr Eddie Tomlinson, Durham County Council’s cabinet member for assets, strategic housing and rural issues said: “With the winter weather well and truly underway, we’d like to remind everyone that a range of advice and information is available on our website to keep people warm, well and safe.”

International Magic Festival Returns To Tyneside

By on 28th December 2015in Entertainment, Events

One of the North East’s most magical events is making a welcome return for 2016…

The South Tyneside International Magic Festival will celebrate its 13th year with a trio of spellbinding shows at the Customs House, South Shields.

This includes a Family Magic Extravaganza, sponsored and produced by Magicbox Newcastle on Wednesday 9th March and two International Gala Shows, featuring leading magicians from around the world, on Friday and Saturday (March 11th and 12th).

The South Tyneside International Magic Festival 2016, organised by South Tyneside Council and magician John Archer, will also feature a three day convention designed specifically to help professional performers share best practice and hone their skills.

Councillor Alan Kerr, Deputy Leader of South Tyneside Council, with responsibility for Culture and Leisure, said: “The South Tyneside International Magic Festival is one of the most unique and awe-inspiring events on the North East calendar.

“Over the years, we’ve attracted visitors from as far afield as Hong Kong, and we hope that 2016 will be just as successful, making it our lucky 13th year.

“Tickets for the festival are already on sale, offering the perfect gift idea for anyone who could use a little magic in their lives this Christmas.”

A full line up for the South Tyneside International Magic Festival 2016 will be announced next year, but tickets are already on sale starting at £7 each.

For more information, visit www.southtyneside.gov.uk/magicfestival and to buy tickets, visit www.customshouse.co.uk or call the Box Office on 0191 4541234.

Tickets for the festival’s three-day convention, running from Friday March 11th, are also available and have been frozen at the 2015 rate of £65 each. For more information, or to book your place, contact South Tyneside Council Events Officer Karri Prinn on 0191 4554031 or karri.prinn@southtyneside.gov.uk.

County Durham Curbs Nuisance Problems Throughout November

By on 26th December 2015in In & Around

Dozens of nuisance problems which damage the environment and affect people’s lives were tackled in November…

 

Neighbourhood wardens from Durham County Council handed out 77 Fixed Penalty Notices throughout November for offences such as littering and untidy back yards.

The council’s neighbourhood protection teams work with police and other partners to improve the environment and promote safer communities.

Using powers under the Anti-Social Behaviour, Crime and Policing Act 2014, they tackle nuisance issues that affect people’s quality of life, including persistently straying dogs or anti-social behaviour.

In November, 66 Fixed Penalty Notices were handed out for littering, one for dog fouling, nine for untidy yards and gardens, and one following a waste carrier stop and check operation.

A further 64 Community Protection Warnings were issued to properties with untidy gardens or yards.

Wardens removed 110 stray dogs, a total of 173 anti-social behaviour incidents were investigated, and the council’s Civic Pride team educated more than 500 children and young people about caring for the environment.

Meanwhile, as part of Operation Stop It, a multi-agency taskforce set up to tackle flytipping, six people were prosecuted for offences around illegally dumping waste.

More than 560 flytipping incidents were reported and investigated in November, and 12 CCTV cameras were deployed in areas know to attract flytips.

Seven stop and check operations were carried out – one failed to produce waste transfer notes and was issued with a notice, known as a producer, requiring them to provide the documents, one person was referred for prosecution, and two people were prosecuted.

Cllr Brian Stephens, Cabinet member for neighbourhoods and local partnerships, Durham County Council, said: “It has been another busy month for our neighbourhood protection teams who have been working hard to tackle those issues that cause a nuisance in people’s everyday lives.

“When enforcement action is needed, we will not hesitate to use the powers available to us, but our aim is always to educate people from an early age about the importance of looking after the environment.

“We live in a beautiful area, and we will continue to do our best to keep it that way.”

Find details about Household Waste Recycling Centres at www.durham.gov.uk/hwrc or call 03000 261 000.

Environmental crimes can be reported at www.durham.gov.uk or by calling 03000 261 000.

Businesses can find a licensed waste carrier at www.gov.uk/find-registered-waste-carrier or arrange a council trade waste collection at www.durham.gov.uk/commercialwaste or by calling 03000 262 660.

Unlicensed waste carriers and waste crime can be reported anonymously to Crimestoppers at www.crimestoppers-uk.org or by calling 0800 555 111.

Free dog microchipping is available for County Durham residents at Stray Aid in Coxhoe and by The Dogs Trust. Visit www.durham.gov.uk/microchipping for more information or call Stray Aid on 0300 999 4247.

Stanley Couple Celebrate Diamond Anniversary

By on 24th December 2015in Lifestyle

A couple who enjoyed their first date at a dance hall in Stanley 64 years ago have celebrated their diamond wedding anniversary…

 

Former Middlesbrough FC player Joe Birbeck, 83, and his wife Edna, 82, marked the occasion with a family get together – and a surprise visit from Cllr Jan Blakey, chairman of Durham County Council.

Cllr Blakey popped in to congratulate the couple on their 60 years of marriage and present them with a bouquet of flowers.

The couple, who went to the same school together in South Moor, got together at a local dance at Castles Dance Hall, in 1951.

Joe made his name as a professional footballer, playing for Middlesbrough during the 1950s alongside team mates including Bobby Robson and Brian Clough.

Edna, meanwhile, was well-known as a shop worker in Broughs – which became Liptons – in Stanley, and later as a cleaner at East Stanley Primary School.

The couple have two daughters, Sandra and Elizabeth, four grandchildren and twelve great grandchildren.

Cllr Blakey said: “I was delighted to meet Mr and Mrs Birbeck, and to pass on my warmest congratulations to them on their 60th wedding anniversary”.

#ThrowbackThursday: A Very Victorian Christmas

By on 24th December 2015in Lifestyle

The Tyne & Wear Flickr archive has a few more wintery snaps to offer…

Last week we shared an album of wintery North East photographs from years gone by, and with Christmas just a day away, we’re keeping with the festive theme for this week’s #ThrowbackThursday.

History buffs among you will know that early in the 19th century, Christmas was hardly celebrated, but by the time Queen Victoria was reigning, the festivities were becoming somewhat recognisable to what we know and love today. Vic’s husband Prince Albert brought the country’s first Christmas Tree with him from Germany, and the tradition has stuck ever since.

The album below, titled A Victorian Christmas gives us a window into a North East Christmas just as the holiday was becoming a time for family festivities. Take a look…

Snowy Christmases like these might be a thing of distant memory, but it’s great to see a real local winter wonderland. Highlights are youngsters ice skating, kitted out with – most likely hand-knitted – mittens, and a lady wrapped up tight in a scarf and jacket, about to brave the cold weather.

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

To see more local #ThrowbackThursdays, click here.

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

Sunderland Ice Rink To Remain In Place Until New Year’s Eve

By on 22nd December 2015in In & Around

Christmas fun in Sunderland is set to continue, with plans for the city’s Frost Village to remain open…

The ice rink at Keel Square was due to close on Christmas Eve, but the attraction has been such a success that it will now stay in place until New Year’s Eve.

The rink will close at 4pm on Christmas Eve, as originally planned, but will reopen until 8pm each day from December 27th to December 30th, and until 10pm on December 31st.

This means visitors attending the city’s firework display on New Year’s Eve will also be able to enjoy early evening entertainment.

More than 5000 people have already visited the ice rink, which has also brought a huge economic boost to the city, with traders reporting an increase in sales.

“We’re delighted to be able to keep the ice rink open until New Year’s Eve,” said Ken Dunbar of Sunderland BID, which organised the Frost Village.

“The ice rink has been particularly successful, and even the bad weather didn’t put people off from coming along and enjoying the city’s first ever Frost Village.

“Our special characters, The Frostlings, have also proven really popular with families, and have brought their own special magic to the attractions.

“We’ve also had some very positive feedback from retailers in the city who have seen a real upsurge in trade.”

The BID’s social media campaign around the Frost Village has raised awareness to around 400,000 people across Facebook and Twitter.

“The Christmas programme has been a great success, and we’re thrilled that the fun is able to continue for another week,” said Ken.

2016 Adult Learning Courses Are The Perfect New Year’s Resolution

By on 21st December 2015in Lifestyle

Thinking of making your New Year’s resolution to learn a new skill, brush up on your maths or English, or get qualified for a whole new career?

 

Durham County Council’s Adult Learning and Skills Service offers a wide range of courses, and details can be found in its new Spring 2016 Learning Guide.

As well as helping people boost their skills, confidence and job prospects, courses offer the chance to meet new people, and many can also lead to nationally recognised qualifications.

This year’s classes include Maths and English at all levels up to GCSE equivalent, Information Computer Technology courses, and vocational qualifications in subjects including Childcare, Health and Social Care, and Business and Administration.

The service also offers apprenticeships at intermediate and advanced level in a wide range of employment-related areas including Business Administration, ICT, supporting teaching and learning in schools and customer service.

There’s also a range of self-improvement courses including Starting Your Own Business, Confidence Building, and Family Fitness.

Most courses are held in community venues, where they offer a friendly and welcoming learning environment. However, some are also available online, offering people the chance to learn at a time and place that is convenient for them.

Cllr Maria Plews, Cabinet member for leisure, libraries and lifelong learning, said: “If you’re looking to make a positive change in the New Year, our courses are an ideal place to start. Meet new people, feel more confident in your skills, get the new job you deserve, or start a whole new direction in life. With courses on getting back into work, setting up your own business, or a recognised qualification to take you onto a new level in your career, there really is something for everyone.”

With courses starting in January, people are being encouraged to enrol now. The Spring Learning Guide is available to download at www.durham.gov.uk/adultlearning.

For further information on courses and how to enrol, contact the Adult Learning and Skills Service on 03000 266 115 or email alss@durham.gov.uk.

Virgin Trains Bring In Extra Staff For Christmas Period

By on 18th December 2015in Local Biz

Worried about travelling with extra luggage this Christmas?

And how will you carry all those presents? If you’re travelling by Virgin Trains, then you no longer have to worry.

Virgin Trains will be bringing in more staff this festive period, helping travellers along their way during the busy Christmas holidays.

David Horne, Managing Director of Virgin Trains on the east coast route, said: “Our trains are often busy throughout Christmas time, as people travel across the country to spend time with their loved ones.

“We’ve noticed that customers are bringing bigger, bulkier luggage onto our trains, so we thought we’d make our customers travel easier this festive season by providing more people to help with their luggage.”

Luggage assistants will be in place at Leeds, London King’s Cross and Edinburgh throughout the festive holidays, and a dedicated luggage check-in will be available at London King’s Cross and Edinburgh.

For further information, visit www.virgintrainseastcoast.com.

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