SEDGEFIELD NEWSNovember 2016

Produced by volunteers for the people of Sedgefield, Bradbury, Mordon and Fishburn

Published by Sedgefield Development Trust: Company No 4312745 Charity No 1100906

Even more fun at the Fun Club Sedgefield Out of School Fun Club will shortly celebrate the opening of its new premises at Sedgefield Primary School. Work began in July and staff are aiming to move into their new base early in November.

The Fun Club offers a programme of extra-curricular activities and a care package which was rated “Good” in its 2015 Ofsted report. Fun Club members take part in a range of social, physical or craft based activities, both indoor and outdoor.

Sue Bell, the Club’s ‘Out of School Manager’ explained, “Originally, children came because parents needed childcare. Clearly, parents want their children to be comfortable, happy and safe but childcare was the main concern. Now parents tell us that that their children want to come because it’s fun and there’s a lot for them and their friends to do.” Sue continued, “We’re particularly pleased that we now work more closely with the school, using a classroom for our younger children. Many of their activities are mapped to the school’s Early Years Foundation Stage; work which contributes to the children’s development and to the school’s overall performance.”

The Fun Club has now been running for 21 years in the old building in the Rectory Row School’s playground. The 50 year old building has deteriorated in recent years. With no double glazing, and the walls and roof

spaces uninsulated, the building was red hot in summer and freezing cold in winter. Faulty lighting and a leaking roof left the building unsafe and cheaper to replace than to repair.

The first problem was finance. As a charitable, non-profit making organisation, Fun Club’s aim has always been to set fees simply to cover basic running costs, so there was no “war chest” to fall back on. Fortunately, the management committee discovered a lifeline, Cornerstone Fundraising. This organisation exists to help charities meet fundraising targets for development projects.

The new building is now weatherproof and the interior is taking shape. “Initially, I knew what I wanted in terms of layout”, said Sue, “so I did a rough drawing that the architect used to draw up plans to satisfy those requirements.”

The children were also involved. They chose colours for their toilets and suggested toys and facilities for their new club. However, while the provision of a swimming pool was ruled out as being a little adventurous, many of their more realistic suggestions have been included. When Fun Club members Faith McCabe and Sam Williams-Hill were asked what they thought the new club would be like they both replied, “awesome!” - especially their new equipment, like “better, stronger hula hoops and a new PS4.”

Sue and her staff are looking forward to the new space’s spacious mezzanine floor and its large, well equipped kitchen downstairs. Children will now learn about basic cooking skills, especially for healthy eating. The older children will be based on the mezzanine level, while the younger children will be in the downstairs areas, facilitating their specific activities.

And it’s nice to know that staff and children can look forward to a cosy Christmas in their new home, without having to pile on the layers just to ward off the winter cold. Tony Magee

SEDGEFIELD NEWS INFORMATIONDeadline for December edition -

Monday 15th November.Send copy to

sedgefieldnews@hotmail.com;call/text 07572 502 904

or post to55 White House Drive, TS21 3BU

For SedgefieldWeb go to www.sedgefieldweb.co.uk

email: sedgefieldweb@hotmail.co.ukSports editor: chrisjlines@aol.com

Diary & Events: Tom Guest at diary.sedgefieldnews@hotmail.com

Scout Hall Grand OpeningOn 10 October, 1st Sedgefield Scout Group celebrated the official opening of their revamped Scout Hall in West End. The project has modernised and

refurbished the hall. Its roof has been raised, the ceiling has been extended and a staircase has been relocated. The work has also created an independent meeting area on the first floor, created new storage areas, replaced a 50 year old toilet and washing area, and relocated and upgraded the kitchen.

Clearly the hall is well used by the four sections of 1st Sedgefield Scouts, but it is also used by several community organisations.

The Scout group anticipates that these improvements will make the building a more attractive venue for the events and activities of other community organisations.

A spokesperson for the Scout group commented, “We are so happy that this work is now complete and that the Scouts and the local community have a flexible and improved space they can use and enjoy. We would like to thank everyone who made this project happen.”

Faith and Sam discussing their "awesome" new equipment

Steve’s Nature Diary The natural world month by month2

Autumn is now upon us and the leaves are turning and beginning to fall. Amongst the leaf litter you can find beech nuts, acorns and of course conkers. It is also a good time to see a number of tumour or wart-like growths on various plants, including oak trees. These are galls, which are caused by invasive agents such as viruses, nematodes, mites and insects. When a plant is invaded by a gall-forming organism, it produces hormones that make the cells in the affected area enlarge and multiply quickly, creating bizarre deformations in an array of colours, shapes and sizes. Some plants are severely weakened by galls (the French wine industry was devastated in the 1860s by the grape gall), but many show no ill effects.

Gall midges or gall gnats and gall wasps are the main gall-forming organisms, but it is the wasps that are particularly important for oak trees. Of the 90 or so gall wasps in

Britain, 42 are parasitic on oaks. Gall wasps are very small and difficult to spot since they spend most of their life inside the galls. So it is not surprising that we know very little about their biology and ecology. Oak marble galls (Andricus kollari) look like marbles hanging from oak twigs - hence the name. This species was deliberately introduced to England from the Middle East around 1840 for the manufacture of inks and dyes, and is now found across Great Britain.

Galls often act as 'resource sinks', drawing chemical compounds from other parts of the plant. In the case of trees, galls concentrate high levels of tannic acid, a substance used throughout the world to produce traditional medicines, hair dyes and tanning agents. From the 5th century to the early 20th century, crushed oak galls were mixed with water, iron sulphate and gum arabic to make gall ink, which was the main medium for writing and drawing in the Western world. Medieval monks relied on gall ink to copy many of the surviving manuscripts from the Middle Ages. Old music scores, drawings, letters, maps, wills, book-keeping records, ship logs, etc. were all produced with gall ink. While some galls are well hidden and hard to spot, others are much more conspicuous. Have you ever looked up into a birch tree and noticed what looked like large, dense birds' nests? Very often they are actually galls called witches' brooms. These are caused by a fungus, which stimulates the tree to produce numerous extra shoots, resulting in a dense nest-like cluster. The fungus can then feed on the shoots. If you spot an odd-looking growth on a dog rose (Rosa canina) it could well be a Robin's pincushion gall, caused by a wasp (Diplolepis rosae). There was once a belief in England that these were caused by the woodland sprite, Robin Goodfellow or Puck. It is hardly surprising that people ascribed supernatural causes to some galls - they look pretty strange, and their causes aren't exactly obvious!

So the next time you take an autumnal stroll, keep an eye open for these strange growths and if you want to know more about galls visit http://treesforlife.org.uk/forest/forest-ecology/plant-galls/

News in brief Sedgefield School Swimming Awards The 2016 Swimathon Awards were held on 22nd September in Spennymoor, and of the 7 awards, Sedgefield Primary School won 3 - Junior Team Highest Sponsorship, The Schools Trophy and a special award of The Stephen Ratcliffe Shield.

Over £7,000 was raised for various charities including £2000 for SSAFA, the armed forces charity.

This annual event is organised by the Rotary Clubs of Sedgefield, Bishop Auckland, Newton Aycliffe, Spennymoor and The Lions Club of Darlington.

Teams of swimmers are challenged to swim in relay style to raise funds through sponsorship.

For more details of the 2017 event in May next year, please contact mariewalker39@live.co.uk or call 07788193874.

Community Defibrillator Training

Photo: Lynne Gibson, Year 4 teacher and Nathan Colling aged 9 (Year 5)

Sedgefield Racecourse has been shortlisted in the 2016 RCA Showcase Awards in the Owners’ Experience category. The winners will be announced in Doncaster on 17 November.

In the winning frame Chris Ferguson, a local amateur photographer, has had success in a Durham photography competition. The I Love Durham Facebook group held a photo contest. Hundreds of photos were entered and the quality was second to none.

Chris has also recently joined the growing Sedgefield News family by becoming our Facebook photo editor and regularly posts some stunning views of our fantastic town and the surrounding area.

A developing oak marble gall

In 2014, Sedgefield Village Games (SVG) presented a community defibrillator to the town, which is located on the wall outside Sedgefield Surgery. At the time, SVG organised some training sessions so that residents could get familiar with what to do during an emergency and how to use the device.

There have been requests to hold more training, particularly in the evening and thanks to the generous support of Teesside Voluntary Emergency Services, two free sessions wil be held on Tuesday 29th November. Each will last an hour and they wil start at 5:30pm and 7:30pm.

The Skerne Medical Group has kindly agreed to host the training at Sedgefield Surgery. The training will cover Cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR), how to use the community defibrillator and advice for emergencies. If you would like to attend, call 620300 or email sedgefieldvillagegames@gmail.com to confirm your place. The training is free, but spaces are limited and will be allocated on a first come first served basis for each session.

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Business breakfast The aim of Sedgefield Business Network is to provide opportunities for people who do business in Sedgefield or who live in Sedgefield, to network and keep up to date with what is happening in our vibrant and growing business community.

Chaired by local businessman Ean Parsons, the latest event was a business breakfast attended by over 30 people representing a wide cross section of businesses from in and around Sedgefield. The event was hosted by Phil and Lynne, owners of Toshachs, and over breakfast everyone could listen to guest speaker Jon Hill, General Manager of Hardwick Hall Hotel. Jon provided us with some insights of some of the plans for Hardwick Hall Hotel and the imminent redevelopment of the Hope Inn in Sedgefield (further details to the right).

Jon was keen to emphasise the importance placed by Hardwick Hall Hotel on employing local people and using local suppliers to support the local economy. Ramside Estates will be investing heavily at Hardwick Hall this winter, starting in January 2017 with a full refurbishment of the Coleman suite, Bar and Lounge.

You can follow SedgefieldBN on Twitter and Facebook, and Linkedin will be set up shortly. The next business breakfast event will take place in the new year.

Local business representatives listen to Ean Parsons as he introduces Jon Hill, pictured right talking ‘cheese’ with a local supplier.

Hoping for a great future A couple of years ago The Hope Inn was purchased by Ramside Estates and now Jon Hill (pictured left) is managing its transformation to a ‘destination inn’.

It will be very much focused on food, with a theatre kitchen in the centre so that diners can watch the chefs at work.

The new Inn will feature a balcony dining area for groups of about 16, that will have a great vantage point in the eaves. To the rear there will be an additional dining area for small parties and private dining, plus 10 new boutique bedrooms.

Work has already started and the inside has been completely gutted. Most of the extensions to the rear have also been demolished.

The inn is due for completion at the end of May 2017, with the bedrooms to follow. It will create 20 jobs for local people and, importantly for local businesses, Jon is keen to continue Ramside Estates’ commitment to local suppliers, especially for fish, meat, cheese and bread.

As The Hope Inn is in the conservation area the front of the building will remain the same. However Jon is not sure whether the name will remain. Some local people will be ‘hoping’ it does.

Civic Trust seeking interested new members The Sedgefield Civic Trust are inviting anyone interested in protecting and enhancing the Conservation Area (historic village centre) to join them at their monthly meetings.

The Trust aims to promote high standards of planning and architecture and to secure the protection, preservation, development and improvement of historic features. Conservation Officers will be working with the trust to help it develop information which will help Conservation Area home owners and businesses when they are considering making changes to their property.

Contact Maxine on 620042. Next meeting 10th November, 7.30pm, Ceddesfeld Hall.

It is with real disappointment that the Sedgefield Village Action Group reports that the Planning Inspectorate has allowed the appeal made by Story Homes and Durham Diocesan Board of Finances that outline planning permission is granted for up to 220 dwellings, and full planning permission is granted for 80 dwellings.

The proposed development includes an access into the site off the roundabout junction of the A689 and the A177. The development also includes the partial closure of the Stockton Road/A689 junction so that access into the town would be through the site from the roundabout rather than along Stockton Road from its junction with the main road. The existing bus stops on Stockton Road and regular bus services to nearby main towns such as Stockton, Middlesbrough and Newton Aycliffe would be diverted through the development and would be served by new bus stops.

The Inspectorate believes that the proposed development would result in the generation of millions of pounds from which Sedgefield would gain benefits. It is also estimated that the additional population of the town would result in the creation of about 45 local jobs mainly in the retail and leisure sectors. We will look with great interest to see how much of this money is actually used for Sedgefield rather than other localities and are curious regarding the creation of 45 local jobs mainly in the retail and leisure sectors.

In addition the Inspectorate believes that there is adequate car parking capacity in the town centre to accommodate the slight increase in demand for such parking resulting from the proposed development, which we as a group challenged and do still believe unrealistic.

On your behalf we tried to argue the case against one large development on our green spaces and once again national policies overruled local wishes. You can still feedback your views to your Town Councillors on this and the other developments at present in various stages of appeal through individual communication and at the Town Council meeting on Monday 10th October. We will continue to try and represent your views in the upcoming appeals as well as discussing this outcome with the Town Council and Durham County Council Planning office.

Permission granted for 300 homes

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Catch that bear! Sedgefield’s ancient churchyard was invaded on 8th October by an army of teddy bear parachutists. They had been despatched from the 90 feet high tower of St Edmund’s Church with a brief to raid the pockets of anyone in the neighbourhood willing to support the work of the Friends of St Edmund’s and Sedgefield Primary School PTFA.

And the mission proved a great success...By the end of the day, organisers were themselves jumping for joy, as almost £600 had been raised and will be shared between the two groups.

“The event was a great success, one of the best we’ve ever arranged,” said organiser Alison Etheridge.

Footnote: There was only one casualty during the action – much to the relief of the church bell-ringers and their partners who acted as despatchers. One teddy got stuck in a churchyard tree but was soon rescued by a resourceful onlooker.

Citylauf… a new twinning experienceWith the coming of autumn, it already seems a long time ago but the great memories are still vivid!

During August bank holiday weekend, a group of nine local residents (Chris and Ciaran Lines, Phil Houghton, Alda Hummelinck, Gary and Amanda Hetherington, Lisa, Graham and Callum Darby) travelled to Sedgefield’s twin town Hamminkeln.

As eight of the group are also members of Sedgefield Harriers, the

initial idea was to take part in the Hamminkeln Citylauf (5km or 10km race). However, as arrangements progressed, it was clear that both the town council and the host families were very much looking forward to welcoming us to their town and giving us a memorable time.

Most of our group had never been on a twinning exchange before so didn’t know what to expect but, without exception, we have all had a fantastic time!After our midnight arrival on Friday night, we were introduced to the mayor of Hamminkeln, Bernd Romanski, and the town council board on Saturday afternoon and discussed potential future exchange events with a sporting theme. That evening we were invited by Hermann Terhorst and the other organisers of the Citylauf to the Biermeile (“beer mile” festival) and sampled some great local beers, food and music!On the sunny Sunday morning we were able to represent our club at the very well organised Citylauf race and could hear our names being announced over the tannoy each time we passed the starting point (10km was four laps of 2.5km through the streets of Hamminkeln). It was 37 degrees that morning so, to offer some coolness to the runners, many residents had set up their garden hoses to create showers and there was a large cold shower on the square by the finishing line as well! Despite the heat, three Harriers (Lisa, Gary and Chris) were awarded trophies for their great running performance! Following the race, we briefly visited Sedgefield Straβe and, that afternoon, had a browse around the traditional Bennen on Butten (“inside and outside”) Stadtfest with street market.

All in all, we all had a magical weekend in Hamminkeln and have made some great new friends! We were bowled over by everyone’s generous hospitality and are very grateful to our host families and everybody else who made us feel so welcome! We hope that it marks the start of a new phase in the partnership between the two communities and we look forward to welcoming our new friends to Sedgefield or perhaps see them again for the Citylauf 2017!

Back row: Chris, Alda, Phil, GrahamFront row: Ciaran, Gary, Callum, Lisa

LettersLost pigeon?A few weeks ago we were adopted by a fancy pigeon. It is very pretty with huge feathers at its ankles, sticking out about 5 inches at 90 degrees from its body. It is very tame and feeds each day in my (or my neighbour's) garden.

However, we are concerned about its future, once the weather turns cold. It is completely unafraid of humans and coos at me when it wants feeding.

If you know someone who breeds fancy pigeons who could advise us on the care of this bird or someone who has lost a bird please ask them to contact me on 01740 629276.Alison Manning

Thank youA huge thank you to everyone who came and supported the Macmillan coffee morning on 30th September at 31 Hardwick Rd, and to all friends who helped with baking, washing up etc.

We had a great morning raising £610. Thank you all.Margaret Dickerson

A heartfelt thank youResidents, staff and guests of Willowdene care home raised a grand total of £116 from their Macmillan Cancer Support charity coffee morning event.

Everyone enjoyed a selection of refreshments and homemade cakes, followed by an afternoon performance from singer Jeff Wright.

We had a wonderful morning and enjoyed supporting such a worthy cause. We’re delighted by the grand total we raised and would like to thank everyone who supported our coffee morning.Angela Penman, Activities Coordinator at Willowdene

West Park Lane lettersLocal residents in West Park Lane and Station Road have raised concerns in letters to Durham County Council regarding the planning permission granted on the Old Pens Site, West Park Lane.

Residents were not aware that the planning application had changed from a single to a double storey dwelling.

These concerns have also been raised with the Town Council and await a response from the County Council.

For further information please contact Jill at alanp1966@icloud.com

Alda Hummelinck.

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Ceddesfeld Hall

Sunday 6th November

Sedgefield Farmers’ Market Stray Aid takes our Community Stall this month. It’s an animal-based organisation in County Durham whose primary aim is to prevent the stray dogs and cats from being put down unnecessarily.

Their mission is to rescue, reunite or re-home abused, abandoned or unwanted animals found on the streets in the North East.

• Sedgefield Farmers’ Market• Sedgefield Energy Switch• Sedgefield News & social media• Sedgefield Web• Days In Days Out (DIDO)• Citizen of the Year with STC & Rotary• Sew Easy• Busy Bees at Hardwick

SDT Current Projects

Home of Sedgefield Community Association What a great way to begin the autumn season - a fabulous concert from Lirica. Beautiful harmonies throughout with new arrangements of songs from different decades and a wide range of genres made for a brilliant evening of exceptional singing. A medley of Eagles' songs and an arrangement of Coldplay’s “I will fix you” were particular favourites.

Lirica have now been together for 11 years. Most of the group started singing together as young children with Sedgefield Youth Choir and their very obvious love of singing shines through with every performance.

Sedgefield is fortunate to have a busy, varied music scene, mostly run by volunteers, which means it is often inexpensive too. Sedgefield Blues Club, the Folk Club, open mic nights, the acoustic group, Ceddesfolk, Ceddesfeld Ukulele Group, Lyric Singers and SLYC to name a few, provide opportunity for local musicians and singers to perform, as well as give great entertainment and enjoyment throughout the year at several local venues. Details of groups and links are on the SCA website.

STC firework display is to take place in the grounds of Ceddesfeld Hall on Friday 4th November starting at 6.30pm. Tickets can be purchased from STC offices or from behind the bar at Ceddesfeld. The bar will be open and everyone is welcome.

Sedgefield Twinning Association hold a cheese & wine tasting plus a selection of deserts on November 12th at 7.30.p.m. New members are very welcome to join. Please email Nancy Wells: nancy@wells05.plus.com

On November 19th Ceddesfeld Hall celebrates 950 years since 1066 with a French themed evening. As well as a cabaret, there will be a delicious meal with a selection of main courses and sweets plus cheese board and coffee and mints all for £18.

The Bridge beginner course is almost over, but people need to practice applying their new skills. So we continue with supported play sessions. You are most welcome to brush up your skills on Mondays at 1.30 pm. Please contact Pat as below.

For information, contact Wendy on 620206: Pat 620607: Sarah 622185 or go to www.sedgefieldsca.org.uk

Thursday 10th November at 7.45pm

You are invited to The Old Court Room, the Manor House for our “TRUSTY OPEN EVENING”

Guest Speakers Janet Todd & Peter McDowell from NETPark bring us the latest news from the technology park, its development so far

and the exciting plans for its future.

All our current projects will be on display and volunteers will be here to chat and to answer any questions.

Please join us for refreshments and some lively discussion!

Sedgefield Development Trust belongs to everyone who lives or works in our ‘area of benefit,’ so take this chance to have some input into what we do next.

Regular Events, Meetings and Get-togethers Acoustic Evenings 1st Fri & 4th Wed. Ceddesfeld Hall, 8.30pm All welcome. Art Group Tuesday 6.30-8.30pm Methodist Church Hall. Tuition, all welcome Bereavement Support Group 3 - 5pm. Thursday, St. Edmund's Church Bowls Club Ceddesfeld Hall. Beginners welcome call 622532 for information Bridge Club Ceddesfeld Hall Sunday & Tuesday 7.30pm Beginners welcome. CAB Advice Sessions alternate Wednesdays 10am - 1pm Advice & Information Centre Café @St Catherine’s Friendly chat & Fishburn gossip! Fridays 9.30-12.00 Ceddesfeld Hall Art Group Small friendly group 10am-12.00 Thursdays Ceddesfeld Hall Pre-School Mon, Wed, Fri am; Children 2+years. 620934 Craft Club Swinhoe Room, Ceddesfeld Hall, 2nd & 4th Tues 7.30-10pm Tel: 620656 Fishburn Art Group Youth & Community Centre, Butterwick Rd. Monday 9.30am-12 Fishburn Taekwondo Tues & Thurs 6pm, Youth & Community Centre. 07743455065 Fitness classes in the Parish Hall Tuesdays in term time: Tai Chi 10 – 11am and on Wednesdays: Exercise to Music 11.30am – 12.30pm: Pilates 12.30 – 1.30pm and Healthy Horizons 1.45 – 2.45pm. Handbell Ringers Weds 7.45pm Ceddesfeld Hall or 1st Mon of month 621292 Lyrics Choirs Fridays in Ceddesfeld Hall. SLYC 6pm Adults 7.30pm. All welcome. NECP Concertina Workshop 2nd & 4th Sun1pm in Ceddesfeld Hall. 01642 588197 New Generation Church Every Sunday 11am at the Parish Hall. All welcome. Playgroup Methodist Hall, Mon, Wed & Thursday 9.15-11:30. 620893 Pop In Club Ceddesfeld Hall Tues 9.30am-12 Wed 10am-12.30pm Thurs 1-3.30pm Rotary Club of Sedgefield Wed 7.30pm Call Bob 07831270892 or Mel 07530315331 Sedgefield Mags Hardwick Arms first Tuesday of month at 8 pm. Tel: 07966029434 Sedgefield Players Parish Hall, 7.30, Sunday & Wednesday and for young people, SPYS Sunday 5.30. 620091 Sedgefield Tappers Parish Hall Mon 7 - 8. Contact 622185 Tea Dance Parish Hall from 1-3pm on the 1st & 3rd Tuesdays (not August) Toddler Club Wed term time 1.15 - 3pm, Ceddesfeld Hall. Tel: Joan Brennan, 622385 This information appears every month at www.sedgefieldweb.co.uk

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Tom Guest’s UPDATE email diary.sedgefieldnews@hotmail.com7

Royle approval for Sedgefield Christmas Trees FestivalForty organisations and businesses in Sedgefield have agreed to sponsor and decorate Christmas trees at the ground-breaking, six-day festival planned for the town’s ancient St Edmund’s Church in early December.

“We have been staggered by the response and regret that we cannot accept any more sponsorship applications for trees,” said festival spokesman Anne Eyley this week. “All the indications are that it will be a very popular event.”

Profits will be donated to Butterwick Hospice and DFW Adoption. Tyne Tees television newsreader and charity worker Pam Royle has agreed to open the festival at 10am on Saturday, December 3rd. A coffee morning in the church will follow and include a sale of unique glassware, greetings cards, refreshments and trips to the top of the church tower. Later in the day, there will be the traditional Snow Parade. On Sunday, there will be a 10am community service to which everyone is welcome.

The church will be open from 11am until 4pm with a varied selection of live music from 2pm. Light refreshments will be available throughout the day. St Edmund’s will be open from Monday to Thursday (December 5th to 8th) between 10am and 4.30pm with the Civic Carol Service on Tuesday at 7pm and a concert by Ferryhill Town Band at 7.30pm on Wednesday.

Tickets for the band performance are available from Aubergine Continental Café in the High Street, Jayne Fashions and Peridot Gift Ship in Front Street, Sedgefield. Further information is available from Anne on 01740 645854 or Brenda Moore on 01740 620758.

Sedgefield Veterans UpdateSedgefield Village Veterans will hold their annual Remembrance Day service at the War Memorial, St Luke's Church, Winterton on Friday 11th November, starting at 10.30 am. On Sunday 13th there will be a Remembrance Sunday service with St. Edmund's Church on the Village Green. At both these services the new Sedgefield Veterans' Standard will be revealed, carried for the first time, and we hope, dedicated at one of the services.

The Sedgefield Veterans Coffee Morning in October was dedicated to the memory of Ron Suddes, who died a few weeks ago. The £122.55 raised was given to Macmillan Nurses, according to the wishes of Ron and his family.

Sedgefield Blues ClubNovember 25th sees the return of old favourite Marcus Malone. Detroit born Marcus is one of the most popular artists on the circuit and tickets will be once again most sought after.

Support band are Hot Tin Roof, who just completed a residency at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival. Get your tickets from www.sedgefieldblues.com or phone Garry on 07957104434.

WI Christmas Coffee MorningSedgefield WI would like to invite you to come along to our Christmas Coffee Morning Friday 18th November, Sedgefield Parish Hall, from 9.30am until 11.30am.

Stalls will include Homemade Cakes, Tombola, handmade Crafts and Christmas Cards. Refreshments available. All welcome.

Butterwick Hospice are calling upon your festive spirit and offering the invitation to enter their annual Santa Run on Sunday 4th December 2016.

Hardwick Country Park in Sedgefield at Christmas time is the perfect place to spend a Sunday having fun and raising funds for the charity. The event is jointly supported by Durham County Council and Sedgefield Harriers, with all proceeds going to benefit the Hospice.

Christmas Fair for NeoAngelsWe are holding a Christmas Fair in aid of NeoAngels on Saturday 12th November at Sedgefield Parish Hall 10:00am - 3:00pm.

Last year’s event was a massive success and was attended by many people from the local community. We would love for this years fair to be just as successful.

Entry is £12.50 for adults which includes a full Santa suit to include trousers, jacket, belt, hat and beard (one size fits all). Children aged 15 and under entry is £6 and they will receive a Santa hat. The route is slightly less than 3km and remember the accent is on FUN rather than RUN. You can run, jog, walk or have a leisurely Santa stroll along this idyllic route.

The main event commences at 10.30am, quickly followed by the ‘Santa Dog event’.

To enter contact Butterwick Hospice, on 01388 603003. Payments can be made over the telephone by debit or credit card, or enter online - www.butterwick.org.uk/santarun All entrants must pre – register.

Santa Fun Run

For more events take a look at November's

Diary on the back page

ARTS & EVENTS

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SPORTS UPDATE email chrisjlines@aol.com10

There’s loads of sports news to get through this month, so the good news for everyone is that my pre-amble is going to be very brief. In fact, that was it.

Keith CharltonMany readers will know Keith Charlton, who is a very active member of our community. Keith was recently nominated in the Volunteer of the Year category in the County Durham Sport and Physical Activity Awards.

After winning the award for the Sedgefield and surrounding area district, he went forward to the grand final at Ramside Hall Hotel on Friday 14th October. I am delighted to report that serial volunteer Keith won the overall award for the county, ahead of some other excellent candidates. I am sure that everyone who has benefited from the many hours of time that Keith freely gives to support sport will agree that the award is richly deserved. And right on cue, Keith was up early the morning after the night before, volunteering (as usual) at Sedgefield Parkrun.

BocciaBoccia is a Paralympic sport, similar to bowls, where the player has to get his ball closest to a jack. The sport is contested at local, national and international levels and Sedgefield boasts one of the best boccia players around in Lee Maddison. Along with his pairs partner, Lee recently secured third place in a friendly international in Poland.

The competition was the third International Boccia Event and was held in Poznan from 6th-10th October and featured 52 competitors from 16 nations. Lee, along with playing partner Karl Parrish from Wales, represented Sans Frontieres Boccia Club, and were third in the BC3 pairs competition. The BC3 category is for players who need an assistive device to play. Congratulations to Lee and Karl for a great result. Lee can be seen training at Sedgefield Community College on a Thursday evening.

Rugby UnionAfter gaining promotion last season and winning the Durham and Northumberland Plate, Sedgefield District Rugby Club continues to go from strength to strength. Moving up a division has seen Sedgefield face a significantly higher standard of opponents, but the team has adapted very well and after a win and draw, is sitting just below mid-table. A few new signings have given some extra strength and depth to the club, and there is great competition for places in the starting line-up for each match. The new players have settled in well and are also enjoying the great social side of the club. The club also runs a social second team called the Saxons. They play every two weeks and have had a great season so far, only losing one game against Darlington 2nd XV.

The club is based at Sedgefield Cricket Club, which boasts excellent facilities and has become a great home for the sport of rugby union. Sedgefield continues to seek new players of all abilities (aged 17+) and has three coaches to lend a hand with one-on-one support for beginners, right through to the most experienced. The club trains every Tuesday and Thursday on its pitch, starting at 7:00pm - people are welcome to turn up and join in or watch to see what they think before getting stuck in.

Sedgefield is also looking for non-playing members who just like to watch or help out behind the scenes. So, whether you are an experienced player wanting to join a new club, a beginner, or someone who wants to have no warm up and play the last 10 minutes (or not at all), then Sedgefield could be the club for you. You can contact the club on Facebook, Twitter (follow @SedgefieldRUFC) or on 07732 399541.

TaekwondoEarlier this year I reported that Mason Lee had been awarded a black belt in taekwondo at the age of nine. Mason is now in Year 5 at Sedgefield Primary School and recently competed in the national championships on the site of the 2012 Olympic Park in London.

Despite still only being nine and often fighting against physically bigger opponents, Mason won a bronze medal for under 11s in the 38kg category. Congratulations to Mason for a fantastic result - I look forward to reporting on his achievements next season when Mason’s opponents will only be one year older than he is!

Aimee BarlowA couple of months ago, I wrote about talented young multi-discipline athlete Aimee Barlow, and mentioned that she was soon due to compete in pentathlon at the English National Schools Championships.

After a very long journey, Aimee took part in the event in Exeter on Sunday 18th September. Despite a couple of events not going to plan, she performed really well and finished 36th, meaning that Aimee is now ranked 36th in the country in the under-15 girls’ pentathlon.

After arriving back into Sedgefield at 1:30am on the Monday, Aimee was back at school the same morning. Six days later, Aimee took part in the North East Championships and although still tired from the weekend, she competed much better in all events. She recorded a personal best in the hurdles, equalled her PB in the long jump, was only 8cm short of a PB in the shot put and 5cm short of equalling her PB in the high jump. After a painful 800m to finish the day, Aimee became under 15 girls North East champion!

After a long season Aimee is taking a short rest from running before November sees the start of the indoor season, when she will move up to the under 17 girls category.

AthleticsThere was a good turnout of Sedgefield Harriers during the Kielder Marathon weekend at the start of October. Now firmly established on the sporting calendar, Kielder boasts a full programme of races over two days, including the marathon, a half marathon, 10K, a run-bike-run and junior runs.

Ray Carmichael was 72nd in the Kielder Marathon in a great time of 3:41:51. This was just one of several marathons that Ray has committed to this autumn and his result was very impressive for someone who had decided to go easy on what is a tough course! On the same day, Chris Lines (1:28:42), Deborah Pennick (1:55:09) and Deborah Mann (2:29:40) all completed the Kielder Half Marathon, and Ciaran Lines finished eighth in the Kielder Junior Run.

Sedgefield was also represented in the Kielder 10K, with mother and daughter Jennifer and Anna Chaytor both completing the event. Meanwhile, the ‘Sedgefield Specials’ won the team event in the Kielder Run-Bike-Run. Harriers Roger Whitehill and Chris Lines teamed up with another Sedgefield resident – and Ferryhill Wheeler – Ian Dunn to tackle the relay race which follows a route around Kielder Water. After several years of finishing close to the front, the Specials finally beat all comers to claim victory in a time of 2:05:26 (a personal best for that line-up).

The following week, an impressive turnout of nine Sedgefield Harriers tackled the Plusnet Yorkshire Marathon, recording some excellent results.

Justin Cox was first Harrier home in a phenomenal time of 2:45:59, followed by Gary Thwaites (3:06:39), Daniel Probart (3:31:38), Tracy Henderson (3:38:10), Andrew Featherstone (3:47:28), Paula Warwick (3:47:45), Ray Carmichael (3:47:45), Jane Spink (4:06:56) and Sheree Lyons (5:49:05). On the same day, Diane Baines (1:26:35) and Irene Ross (1:41:00) took part in the Plusnet Yorkshire 10 Mile race.

Well done to everyone.

Junior AthleticsSedgefield Harriers held its annual junior presentation night on Saturday 15th October, at the racecourse. Always one of the best attended events on the club calendar, this year’s was no exception. The junior Harriers stage managed the event themselves (with some help from willing

Keith Charlton (middle) with Cllr Rachel Lumsdon & former international swimmer Chris Cook

Community Safety

PC Todd’s ReportLast month saw a disappointing increase of crime in and around the village. This increase included an attempted burglary of a business premises in North End and two domestic burglaries. One burglary of a house in Durham Road took place during the afternoon but fortunately nothing was taken. The second burglary, again during daylight hours, took place in Melgrove Way and resulted in significant disruption and the theft of a quantity of jewellery items. The intruder gained access through the conservatory to the rear of the property, smashing a double glazed panel before making a very untidy search of the house.

Please don't become a victim of this or any type of crime by neglecting to think of your own security.

Other crimes reported to police include a vehicle damaged in Eden drive and damage caused to a glass panel in the bus shelter in Durham oad.

Pub WatchTwo separate incidents were reported to the recent meeting in The Hardwick Arms. As a result two adult males received a 12 month ban from all member premises in Sedgefield village. Violent, abusive behaviour will not be tolerated and we will continue to take action against offenders to safeguard all staff and customers.

Pact meetingAt our most recent meeting it was decided that the police Beat Team would continue to monitor the area around Eden Drive and Wykes Close especially on an evening and at weekends.

Please inform your children/young adults to consider local residents when they wander the streets and keep the noise to an acceptable level.

Sedgefield Village Neighbourhood & Crime Watch Panel AGM 2016

The AGM took place on Tuesday 11th October with the existing officers prepared to continue for another year.

In the subsequent Ordinary Meeting, PC Keith Todd gave details of a particularly alarming burglary in our village (detailed left). The owners have been absolutely devastated by the damage caused and the shock of the intrusion.

This incident illustrates the very good reasons for residents to be vigilant and to guard against complacency. PC Todd went on to advise that considering the installation of a burglar alarm might be a sensible first step in protecting yourself and your premises.

At Neighbourhood Watch we continue to urge everyone to take security seriously. Lock your doors even when at home and when not at home ensure you use timer lights or similar measures to make your home appear occupied. Most importantly, keep an eye on your neighbours’ houses as well when out and about.

If you see anything suspicious or out of the ordinary, ring the Police (101) and pass on your concern. They will really welcome your call as this information is invaluable to helping the police recognise patterns in criminal activities and potential links between seemingly unconnected incidents.

Please make the effort to not become a victim of crime and also to help reduce crime in Sedgefield.

adults) and during the evening young athletes of all ages collected performance awards and certificates, all presented by guest of honour Matty Hynes, an international runner who comes from Middlesbrough. Matty shared some words of wisdom with the juniors, urging them to aim high and believe that they can achieve their dreams in sport.

The finale of the evening was the presentation of the Junior Sedgefield Harriers Annual Awards, which went to the following individuals:

Most Improved U11 Girl

Abigail Bell

Most Improved U11 Boy

Harry Thompson and Joe Beurskens

Most Improved Multi Discipline Group

Martha Sharpe

Most Improved Strength & Conditioning Group

Tom Hearmon

Most Improved Sprinter

Eleanor Robinson

Boys' Field Performance of the Year

Ciaran Lines

Girls' Field Performance of the Year

Aimee Barlow

Boys' Track Performance of the Year

Kieran Walker

Girls' Track Performance of the Year

Jessica Hall

Most Improved Endurance Group

Sophie Glaister

Boys' Cross Country Performance of the Year

Kieran Walker

Girls' Cross Country Performance of the Year

Jessica Hall

Club Person of the Year

Kieran Walker

Well done to all the young athletes after another successful year for the junior section of the club.

Junior Athletics (cont.)

That’s all for this month.

As ever, please send any sports news to chrisjlines@aol.com.

All this and a veritable wealth of knowledge about Sedgefield and the

area, plus old issues of the News, can be found on our website at

www.sedgefieldweb.co.uk

11

Fitness Classes @The HubSedgefield Community CollegeClubbercise with Sharon: Tues 6 - 7pmZumba with Emilia: Tues 6.30 – 7.30pm

& Thurs 7-8pmChi Taekwondo: Sat 10.30 – 11.30am

For tennis, wheelchair rugby & other sports, call the Hub on 01740 625300

November entertainment Saturday 5th : Natalie Fergusson.

Saturday 12th : Danny Ocean. Saturday 19th : Steve Lavelle.

Monday 21st : Country & Western Night. Saturday 26th : Stan Lee.

Opinions expressed in Sedgefield News are not necessarily those of the Publisher or the Editor. We strive to be impartial & independent. We reserve the right to edit copy & will not publish letters of unknown authorship. Please send your contact details with correspondence.

Sedgefield News is published by Sedgefield Development Trust and printed by The Print Factory: 01429 264777SDT Company Secretary, John Fitzpatrick, 7 Melgrove Way, Sedgefield, TS21 2JN, email sedgefielddevelopmenttrust@hotmail.co.uk

Send events and diary dates to diary.sedgefieldnews@hotmail.com

NOVEMBER 2016 DIARYemail: diary.sedgefieldnews@hotmail.comDate EventWed 2nd

WI Parish Hall, 7.15pm. "Roman Medicine" by Gordon Henderson. The Members' competition is "An old family remedy". Visitors are always welcome.

Fri 4thSedgefield Veterans Coffee Morning, Parish Hall, 10am - 12noon. U3A Parish Hall, 2pm. "A German Christmas (with biscuits!)" by Eva Gamblin. Members free, guests welcome £3. Tel: 629276

Sat 5thSedgefield Library 10-11am. Surgery with Councillors Rachel Lumsdon and John Robinson. Quiz Night, Sedgefield Cricket Club, 8pm. Presented by Tony Magee.

Sun 6th Farmers' Market on the Green, from 8.30am.

Mon 7th Sedgefield Local History Society, Ceddesfeld Hall, 7.45pm. "Durham City in Old Photographs" by Michael Richardson.

Tue 8th Sedgefield Ladies' Club, Ceddesfeld Hall.

Thur 10th Sedgefield Development Trust OPEN MEETING. See Page 7. Sedgefield Civic Trust Meeting, Ceddesfeld Hall, 7.30pm. Tel: 620042

Fri 11thRemembrance Service, St. Luke's, Winterton. See Page 7. Country Market, Parish Hall, 10-11.30am. Home-baked produce, jams, crafts, cards & plants. Refreshments. A warm welcome.

Sat 12thNeoAngels, Coffee Morning. See Page 7. Wine Tasting, Sedgefield Twinning Association, Ceddesfeld Hall, 7.30pm.

Sun 13th Remembrance Service, St. Edmund's, Sedgefield. See Page 7.

Mon 14th Methodist Wives and Friends

Tue 15thSedgefield Gardening Club, Ceddesfeld Hall, 7.30pm. Sedgefield Flower Club, Parish Hall, 7.30pm. Mildred Stafford "Twinkling Trees and Tempting Treats" (Open Evening). Sedgefield News Deadline

Fri 18thWI Christmas Coffee Morning. See Page 7. Live Music night, Sedgefield Cricket Club, 7.45pm. Bob Fox (songman in War Horse in London's West End). Also featuring: Broadband, John Weighell and John Wrightson Band. £11 inc buffet. Tel: 621347

Sat 19th Sedgefield in Bloom, Parish Hall, Dance, 7.30pm.

Mon 21st Sedgefield Family History Group, Ceddesfeld Hall, 7.15pm. Robert Hillary "Raby Castle through the Ages." All welcome.

Wed 23rd Town Council, York Trip. More details to the right.

Fri 25thSedgefield Veterans Christmas Special Coffee Morning, Parish Hall, 10am. Sedgefield Blues Club, Marcus Malone. See Page 7.

Mon 28th Methodist Wives and Friends

Taking place at the Parish Hall, Friday’s 9.30—10.45am.

Mixed ability class so all are welcome. More info at www.yogaready.co.uk

New Yoga Class

Note from the Diary Editor: Please ensure you email diary.sedgefieldnews@hotmail.com ASAP for your event to be featured.

Coming up next month...The Snow Party 3rd December from 12 – 4pm in the Parish Hall, St Edmund's Church and Ceddesfeld Hall.

Willowdene Care Home Merry & Bright Festive GatheringWednesday 7th December 2-3pm. Featuring entertainment from singer Mark Carter,

mulled wine, refreshments, and Christmas treats. Tel: 01740 771310

Sedgefield Lyric Singers, SLYC and Lirica present ‘The Very Best Time of Year’, 16th - 17th December. Tickets available soon.

Sedgefield Players present ‘Rapunzel’ by Thomas Guest, 27th - 30th December, Parish Hall, www.sedgefieldplayers.co.uk, Tickety Boo, Tel: 621771

Sedgefield LibraryTel: 03000 269521

Opening HoursWednesdays 9:30am - 12:30pm

Thursdays 10:00am - 6:00pmFridays 1:00pm - 7:00pm

Saturdays 9:30am - 12:30pm

Every Thursday, 10.30-12.30. Basic computing class, tailored to

individual needs.Sedgefield Library would like to say a Big Thank you to all of our borrowers

who helped us raise £161.74 for Macmillan charity.

Trip to YorkSedgefield town Council are organising a trip to York on

Wednesday 23rd November.

A coach will leave the Parish Hall at 9.00am and return at approximately 4.30pm.

Start your Christmas Shopping at the popular St. Nicholas Fair, explore the

historic Shambles Market or spend the day roaming the local attractions,

shops and cafes.

Tickets are £9 and are available from the Council Offices on 01740 621273

Sedgefield Social Club