We would like to wish all residents across our area and beyond a wonderful Christmas. Over the last few weeks we have been out and about at local festive events, and delivered nearly 6500 Christmas cards by hand with our Lib Dem parish councillor colleagues and local supporters and helpers. Don’t forget to leave out a mince pie and some carrots tonight and perhaps some Sherry…. Ho Ho Ho.
Luncheon Club Christmas Party at All Saints
I attended the luncheon club Christmas Party in Newton Hall at All Saints yesterday and thoroughly enjoyed it. Three Cheers to Amanda and her assistants not just for putting on this event but for preparing the meals every week at the luncheon club without fail!
If you are interested in joining all the local residents who attend the luncheon club every Monday lunchtime, get in touch with Amanda.
She certainly make a mean Christmas pudding and the roasties were excellent!
Christmas Party a real community boost in Framwellgate Moor
A huge thank you to members of the Framwellgate Moor and Pity Me Women’s Institute for organising this years Christmas party for senior residents.
This year I managed to secure funding for the cost of the event from County Durham Housing Group, topped up with local funding from Mamie, Amanda and my budgets.
We also managed to attract more older residents and many who live on their own, including in County Durham Housing group homes to the event, which had around 60 participants.
As well as an excellent dinner, Durham City Youth Project young people helped out at the event and school children came along and sang Christmas carols.
The bingo was great, although I didn’t win, and it seemed to take a long time for anyone to shout House!
Thanks to everyone who was involved it was a great afternoon!
Merry Benchmas!! Pressure pays off as Arnison Centre gets benches
After a long battle and repeated chasing up, I’m delighted to be able to report that I have been successful in the battle to bring benches back to the Arnison Centre. Two lovely new ones have just been installed by the site owners.
I only wish it hadn’t taken them so long!
3 months free offer at Abbey Leisure Centre
awb://www.durham.gov.uk/article/19692/Leisure-centres-offer-an-early-Christmas-gift
If you sign up at the leisure centre in the next few weeks you will get 3 months free!
All Saint’s Christmas Fair success
Sunday’s Christmas Fair at All Saint’s in Newton Hall was a great success. Over 80 children came to see Santa Claus and all got a present. Cllr Simmons attended as Santa’s helper after assisting making preparations in the kitchen for the cafe.
I helped serve turkey stuffing sandwiches, hot beef baps, scones and soup, all prepared by Cllr Amanda Hopgood who was front of shop serving customers for 3 hours. We had a great time and raised lots of money.
It would not have been possible without all the volunteers including Jack Mason, Elaine Kent and Nicola Finlay in the kitchen who kept me right. Thanks also to Neil, Amanda’s husband for making some of the best leek and potato soup ever!
We raised £150 after costs towards the Church Hall.
It was great to see so many people come through the doors and despite the Christmas tree not arriving until Monday we still had a great Carol service and Christmas lights switch on from Santa Claus!
And big thanks to all the All Saint’s volunteers who helped not just on the day but help out throughout the whole year.
Amanda was back in the kitchen today preparing dinner for over 20 local senior citizen’s for the weekly luncheon club dinner – star performance!
County HQ Planning application NOT going to Decembers meeting
Just seen the agenda for next weeks planning meeting and once again the Council HQ application isn’t on the agenda. Rumours abound about the reasons, but it seems the most logical one is that the Council is still weaiting for/pulling together the response from the environment agency – or perhaps the Council just wants everyone to have a Happy Christmas!
Newton Hall Christmas Tree Up – After plenty of help!
Huge thanks to Mike and John, Council employees Steven and Lewis, and the two guys who happened to be working nearby, who helped in the effort to erect this years Christmas tree, which turned out to be bigger and heavier than last years. I wouldn’t say we had fun lifting it up into place but it was certainly a good workout!!
Reporting issues across the area
Over the last few days whilst delivering our local leaflets we have reported dozens of local issues including:
Pavement trip hazards and road repair issues
Serious problems with some takeaways in the area with overflowing rubbish and un binned piles of rubbish, including some more serious issues regarding unsatisfactory website disposal. Such problems lead to vermin and we have a zero tolerance approach on these issues. The Council has been notified of all these issues and we are becoming concerned about the amount of time it takes to address the issues, and the repetitive nature of many of the problems with particular establishments, so issues have been elevated up to management levels.
We have asked for a lot of areas to be cleared of leaves and other detritus, both on pavements and roads including Rowan Drive, Dryburn Road, Sacriston Road, Folly Terrace and many more. The clean and green department are doing a speedy job to clear up these issues as we report them.
We have also spoken to numerous residents about specific local issues and have had several dozen residents contact us by email so far regarding issues raised in the leaflets or other local issues.
If you haven’t received our latest leaflet by the end of the week please let us know.
Aykley Heads developments
The development of Aykley Heads is progressing, with plans for new offices on what is an existing parking area, likely to come forward soon.
We have raised concerns on more than one occasion over congestion and parking issues across Aykley Heads and will continue to work to make sure that all re development of the area is properly managed and designed.
We are really concerned that whilst the County Council is listening to what we are saying they will not follow through and actually ensure that the development of the area is sustainable.
As soon as we hear anything new we will update on this blog.