This picture has been provided by a subscriber who want know if anyone had information about the people in the photo, which was taken during the 1906/7 season. The location looks to be the recreation field [now Riverside housing estate] behind the Crown & Crossed Swords at the bottom of Church Bank.
The County Durham CCG has proposed an updated clinical model for future services at Shotley Bridge Community Hospital.
A programme of virtual engagement sessions has now been arranged throughout March. You can find details of these and an update about the project on their website where there is also a video presentation from NHS staff about what is included in the plans.
They want to be able to make sure that participants are able to engage as fully as possible in the conversations in each of the sessions and therefore would hope to have groups that aren’t too large.
They will then get back in touch with you once they have confirmed the programme, which will likely take place throughout March.
Douglas Vernon, who was a founder member of the Village Trust and its first chairman, published ‘Thread of Iron’ in 2003.
For anybody interested in the industrial history of the Derwent Valley this book is a must. Written in two parts; the first focuses on the history of Shotley Bridge where the famous Sword makers were based. The second part details the history of the Consett Iron Company, from formation until closure in 1980.
The book, which has been out of print for many years, has now been reprinted by the Land of Oak & Iron Trust. To mark the occasion a virtual launch event is being held tomorrow afternoon, via YouTube. Log-in now for a seat at the Premiere.
Find out more about the launch event and where to purchase the book at the Land of Oak & Iron Trust.
This event has been arranged in association with the History of Consett Steelworks Project group who are staging a week long series of activities to commemorate the 40th Anniversary of the closure of the works.
Due to the Coronavirus outbreak it has been decided to cancel the litter pick arranged for 28 March. We may reorganise it for September if the situation improves.
There will be no Village Trust Open Meeting in March this year. The next meeting for members and residents will be on 19th May at 7.30pm in the Catholic Church Hall, after the AGM that evening.
The annual spring litter pick is being held on Saturday 28 March this year, in association with Litter Free Durham’s ‘Big Spring Clean’. Volunteers who can spare an hour or two are meeting at the car park next to the Golden Flower at 10am. We aim to tidy up the village centre and along the roads leading out from it. Litter pickers, gloves, hi-viz vests and sacks are provided.
The Big Spring Clean is LitterFree Durham’s annual campaign, operated and delivered by Durham County Council and Darlington Borough Council.
Both councils work in partnership with LitterFree Durham to plan and execute the campaign every year.
The aim of the campaign is to reduce the amount of litter in the county by engaging with as many members of the community as possible through litterpicking activities and education in schools accross the area.
The campaign was first launched in 2010 to further LitterFree Durham’s work on the Stop the Drop Campaign that had been promoted by the Campaign to Protect Rural England. Since then it has grown year on year by attracting new groups and by maintaining engagement with previous participants.
Yesterday evening the Christmas Tree in the village ‘Triangle’ was switched on and pupils from Shotley Bridge Primary School came to sing carols. Thank you to our County Councillors for providing the funding again.
For the fifth year running, the Trust is taking part in the Heritage Open Days Festival, over the next two weekends.
Volunteers from the Trust’s Heritage Group will be showing visitors around some of the buildings and sites in the village where new ‘QR’ Plaques are being installed and explaining the history of each.
The annual Spring litter pick by the Village Trust was carried out this morning. Thank you to the nine members who volunteered their time. The village is looking much tidier. Lets try and keep it that way. Only 10 bags collected this year compared to 20 in April 2018.
The Consett & District Local Heritage Initiative are holding another exhibition at the beginning of October and the Village Trust will be displaying old photographs of Shotley Bridge.
Again, the Trust is taking part this year in the Heritage Open Days Festival this September. The same walks as last year are being offered, but over 2 weekends. Volunteers from the Heritage Group will be guiding visitors around the heritage of the village.
This morning the Trust’s volunteers planted the summer bedding in tubs and planters, within the conservation area. Thank you to those that helped and Beveridge’s for supplying and delivering the plants.
We are trying out a more experimental mixture of plants this summer, in the hope of adding more variety. We hope you like the difference.