The Consett & District Heritage Initiative is holding another exhibition which will include old photos of Shotley Bridge and the Consett area. There is ample parking on the Sherburn Road car park and refreshments are available each day.
The Trust will be displaying some of its own photos and collections from local residents.
Yesterday, three judges from Northumbria in Bloom were shown around the village during their spring visit. Although only 20% of the total marks are awarded at this stage in the year, it gave the Trust an an opportunity to showcase the area and explain the improvements which have been carried out or are planned. Particularly as none of the judges had visited us before.
The damaged coping stones around the ‘Kaydar’ bed have been repaired and new turf laid. Two new parking bays have been added outside Rumi’s and are expected to be marked out by the end of April, including a 2 hour waiting restriction. Durham County Council has also completed the new paving and bollards in front of the shops on Front Street.
The replica Pant is to be commissioned and work on its foundation and the new paving and seating area around it is expected to start at the end of this month and completed in May. The new ‘Victorian style’ lamp posts are on order and hopefully will be installed and working by the end of June.
These improvement schemes have been funded using S106 money from the Storey Homes development on the former hospital site.
David Wright and Ian Pattinson gave a very informative talk last evening at the Trust’s Open Meeting. 38 persons listened intently about the origins of the Memorial Cottages, one of only two such memorials in County Durham, built in memory of men from this neighbourhood who died as a result of service in the Great War. It was evident that a huge amount of research had been undertaken by David and Ian about the cottages, those named on the original memorial and the additional 15 persons that were added to the new plaque, unveiled last Remembrance Sunday. They intend to publish a book on the subject.
A dozen volunteers turned out this morning to tidy up the village. A big thank you to all who helped.
All the roads leading from the centre of the village were cleared of litter, throughout most of the conservation area.
Shotley Bridge Village Trust 