Can You Lead a Community Group? Would

Issue 55 – March 2017

Can you lead a community group?

Would you like to?

Any ideas?

If so contact SCA – see inside – page 5

Like ‘Shincliffe Community Association’ CHILDREN’S & YOUTH ORGANISATIONS USEFUL INFORMATION SHINCLIFFE COMMUNITY ASSOCIATION BABY AND TODDLER GROUP: Tuesday & Chair: Pete Hagger 386 7085 Thursday—9.30 a.m. – 11.30 a.m. Secretary: Del Faye 386 0369 Contact: Alice Coombes Email: [email protected] [email protected] 07894738386 Contact us on Facebook SCOUTS & CUBS & BEAVERS KEEP FIT BY MOVING AND DANCING Website: www.durhamcityscouts.org.uk Thursdays at 8pm, WI HUT Contact: John Little Tuesdays at 12, St Mary’s Church Hall (Gentle Class) [email protected] Contact: Alison Swarbrick: 383 0346 GUIDES/BROWNIES/RAINBOWS PILATES District Commissioner Carole Forster: 372 1786 Contact: Alison Brown: 386 1094 Regional Office 01904 676076 SHINCLIFFE WOMEN’S INSTITUTE meets in the WI Website: wwwgirlguidingnortheast.org.uk Hall in Shincliffe Village on the first Wednesday in the SHINCLIFFE JUNIOR FOOTBALL CLUB month. Communication Officer: Sarah McGuiggan President: Yvonne Willis: 386 2124 07786911060 Hall Bookings: Margaret Chapman: 386 3730 POLICE SHINCLIFFE PARISH COUNCIL Ring County Police Headquarters, Aykley Heads, for Chair: George Lee: 384 1437 Durham City Police Station and Bowburn Police Clerk: Kate Cuthbert: 908 9540 Station: 0845 606 0365 Meetings on the third Tuesday in the month at 7.00 For all emergency calls ring 999 p.m. For all non emergency calls ring 101 Email: [email protected] COUNTY TRAVELLING LIBRARY – Alternate Website: www.shincliffeparishcouncil.co.uk Thursdays 12.40p.m. - 1.45 p.m. High Shincliffe Contacting Shincliffe Parish Council and the Parish (outside 6, High Street) Clerk: - there are 6 councillors who can be contacted 1.50 p.m. – 3.00 p.m. Shincliffe Village Green by ‘phone: - Nia Cook 384 9151 SHINCLIFFE CHURCH OF ENGLAND David Duell: 384 8281 (CONTROLLED) PRIMARY SCHOOL Peter Ferries 383 2287 Head Teacher: Mr David Tait: 384 3739 Angela Lee: 386 5188 Friends Of Shincliffe School (Foss) Jonathan Lovell: 384 4933 Co-Chairpersons: Andrzej Olechnowicz: 386 5343 Rebecca Powell 07973 101 747 The Parish Clerk can be contacted by phone or Email Claire Ketley 07515 918 685 given above DURHAM COUNTY COUNCIL OTHER USEFUL NUMBERS Councillor: David Stoker 378 4300 County Durham Furniture Help Scheme: Website: www.durham.gov.uk 0138 872 1509 Help Desk: 383 4567 County Durham Handy Person Service: SHINCLIFFE LOCAL HISTORY SOCIETY meets in 375 3705 the Church Hall on the third Monday in the month Bus Service Information - Traveline: Membership Secretary: Barry Lawton: 0871 2002233 384 9979 Link 2: dial a ride bus service: 383 5383 Contact: Bill Hateley: 386 5916 Durham City CVS: fund raising/volunteering: HOSPITAL 384 4801 University Hospital of North Durham: If you wish to have an entry in this section, please 333 2333 send it to the Editor. Durham & Chester le Street Primary Care Trust, Out of Hours service: 215 1333 Please inform the Editor of any changes to, or errors in these entries

Published by Shincliffe Community Association and edited by Ken Watson. Views expressed are those of individuals and not necessarily those of the Association or the Editor. Shincliffe Community Association is registered charity number 1063309 www.shincliffe.org.uk Printed by The Coronation Press Ltd. Coxhoe. www.coronation-press.co.uk

WELCOME Welcome to the March Edition of Shincliffe Community Association Newsletter. Our main aim remains to foster friendship and community spirit within Shincliffe, High Shincliffe, Houghall, Sherburn House, and the outlying farms – a total of over 700 homes. Anyone is welcome to contribute. Please help to keep our readers interested. Once again we have to thank Councillor Stoker for his support as well as Shincliffe Council and St. Mary’s this year. Please support our advertisers and mention SCAN when you employ them.

Ken Watson SCAN Editor [email protected] 5, Meldon Way, High Shincliffe, DH1 2PZ, Tel: 386 8955

Distribution Team: High Shincliffe: Alan & Linda Kelly Tel: 384 9661 Village and Houghall: Bill & Margaret Clatworthy Tel: 375 7480 Advertising: Andrew French Tel: 384 8209 Please use the above email address for any queries regarding adverts and/or contributions.

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27 Shincliffe Council Horticultural Regular Articles Society. What’s happening down 5 The Community Association. your way. News and information about the 32 Shincliffe Diary Association’s activities. 9 Shincliffe Local History Society. Features Programme for the next meetings 13 The Woman’s Institute. The 9 History – Village Greens by Julie current programme. Goodhart 14 St. Mary’s Newsletter. With ‘Your 21 Spring Challenge: Join the local Parish Priest Writes…’ From the cycling group. Richard Swarbrick Registers, News about the Church 28 Down the Lane – Shincliffe Hall and Belfry News. The latest Village Green. Latest article from from the Ringers. Julie Goodhart. 22 Shincliffe Primary School. News 29 Waxwings in Shincliffe by Terry from the school. Fairless 22 Shincliffe Junior Football Club. 30 Alnwick Gardens by Terry Join the club. Fairless 24 The Parish Council News. Update on all of the local issues.

SHINCLIFFE COMMUNITY ASSOCIATION NEWS Chairman’s letter IT‘S UP TO YOU. Shincliffe Community Association was set up over 25 years ago to promote community involvement. In the heady early years it sponsored and ran many weekly and annual events. More recently it concentrated on improving the park at High Shincliffe. Now is the time to stand back and take stock. SCA is focussing this year on developing more regular activities. We currently operate two very successful regular activities: - Keep fit run by Alison Swarbrick at both the Church Hall and the WI Hut and Knit’N’Natter led by Del Faye at the Avenue Inn. Possible new activities could include rambling, art group, film club, book group, dance group, choir, flower club, bridge club, yoga, card making or anything you may wish to propose. SCA is here to serve YOU, the community and wants to promote community activities. Is there enthusiasm for more regular activities? We will provide as much help as we can to ensure that activities are successful. Please do not be afraid that because you respond it will be your responsibility to run a group. We can provide • A focus to gather enough like minded people who may wish to pursue an activity. • Financial assistance at start up and if necessary ongoing, in hiring a venue, advertising the activity, hiring a professional leader if required etc. • Insurance – we have a group insurance for such activities. Please contact Peter Hagger on 386 7085 if you have any ideas or come along to our AGM. Christmas Lunch Our first Christmas lunch was a great success with good company and fine food. It will be back in December 2017. Murder Mystery Night – Saturday 6th May Can our talented cast maintain the mystery? Will you be the super sleuth who solves the case? Please join us for another night of mind chilling mystery and puzzles galore. Community Association Membership Time to re-new your membership – or join for the first time. The cost is £2 for adults and £1 for children. We have included a membership form below, completed ones can be handed to committee members or dropped off at 27, Telford Close Annual General Meeting - Wednesday 29th March Our A.G.M. will be held at The Avenue Inn at 7.30 p.m., you are most welcome to come and join us

SHINCLIFFE COMMUNITY ASSOCIATION

MEMBERSHIP APPLICATION FOR 2017

Name ______

Address ______

______Section______

e-mail______(For us to send community messages only. Your address will not be divulged or shared.)

Please tick box for age range under 18 18+

I agree to abide by the rules of the Association

Signature ______

Fees: Under 18s £1.00, otherwise £2.00

KNIT’N’NATTER Avenue Inn 9.30 - 11.30 a.m. Fridays Only £3 per week and includes tea, coffee and cake! Why not come and join our group of friendly crafters to learn a new skill or enjoy an existing one in like-minded company! We have many talented knitters and crocheters, and world-class natterers! You are welcome to bring along your current projects or join us in charitable knitting as we continue to donate hats, cardigans and blankets to special care baby units. If you would like to donate knitted or crocheted items we make blankets (approx. 20 x 20ins/50cm x 50 cm), cardigans (up to 16 ins/40cm) and hats (up to newborn) in pastel shades. We also welcome donations of wool. Please feel free to contact Del Faye on 0191 386 0369 if you have any questions

SHINCLIFFE COMMUNITY ASSOCIATION KEEP FIT SESSIONS Move and dance to music. Since the New Year both our sessions have been very well attended. Some people come regularly each week, others come when they can. Everyone says they feel better for coming – and they leave smiling Thursdays 8pm till 9pm, WI Hut, Shincliffe (entrance by the traffic lights at the A181 near the Rose Tree pub) (Doors open 7.45pm) Tuesdays 12 noon till 1pm, in St Mary’s Church Hall, Shincliffe village. The Tuesday class is at a gentle pace and includes some seated exercise (Doors open 11.45am) The Keep Fit session helps you stay flexible and maintain good posture. If you would like to know more or are thinking of coming for the first time, please contact me: Alison Swarbrick, 0191 383 0346; Email: [email protected] I am a Keep Fit Association (KFA) Teacher, working for Shincliffe Community Association. You can find more information and a video demonstration of classes at www.keepfit.org.uk

SHINCLIFFE HISTORY SOCIETY SPRING MEETINGS Mon 20th March Alison Hodgson - Poverty through the Ages in Britain

Mon 24th April David Williams - St. Cuthbert's Pectoral Cross

Mon 15th May John Charters - Pubs in Shincliffe.

June Meeting tbc - watch out for the posters.

Come and join us in the Parish Hall at 7.30 pm. Entrance £3.00

SHINCLIFFE LOCAL HISTORY SOCIETY NEWS: Shincliffe Parish Council’s updated website is now live and a new section on Shincliffe Village History with photographs can be seen at www. shincliffeparishcouncil.co.uk

HISTORY: VILLAGE GREENS The study of history always raises questions. What is it about Village Greens that strikes a chord in the heart? Many Village Greens evoke a feeling in us that they are quaint, charming or even homely. It must be an instinct; something deep within us that appreciates security and safety. The idea that there should be an enclosed green space or a Village Green is drafted into many relatively new builds around the villages, as well as the idea being one that goes back in history. The design of St. Mary’s Close won a Civic Trust Award in 1962, in part, as it was a mirror of the old fashioned village greens. Though there had been village greens before Richard I, often for communal stock grazing, the law of the land did not come into effect fully until 1189, when something called Customary Law was bound up in Common Law, this together with Statute Law and this started a new governance of village greens. In 1908 Halsbury’s Law of England explained in 1908 that: ‘By immemorial custom the inhabitants of the town, village or parish should have acquired the right of playing lawful games thereon and enjoying it for recreation. ‘The nature of the enjoyment is a matter of proof in each case, and the custom must be limited to the inhabitants of the parish, manor or other district for which it is claimed.’ I wonder if records exist where we could find out facts about the specific games played in Shincliffe. Its sad to say that so many greens now have signs up preventing games – which is why parks are so important. It was due to industry and in Shincliffe, coal-mining history, that breathing spaces were needed. Yet in High Shincliffe, the Park did not come into existence as we know it, until after the pit closed and it was remarkable that all the houses and indeed the school were allowed to be built so soon, on top of old

9 mine workings. Did an earlier park exist? Do any of the older residents know? E-mail me on [email protected] I would love to know. Though built for the pit, so not a new village, many village greens often have ponds, so there may have been grazing too. There is a Pond Street in High Shincliffe – was there any community grazing available nearby? Some village greens are often just road verges, as is most of Shincliffe Village before it opens at Jubilee Terrace. Village Greens were also places for open-air meeting places for celebrations like May Day or for Street Parties – though Schools often are often taken as the venues for these now. With growing populations, landowners often allowed Village Greens or parks and the Dean and Chapter have provided this in Shincliffe Village Park, which now needs renovation. It will be good to invite everyone to be part of a new history of the park, when a project is launched soon, to improve it.

SHINCLIFFE W.I. Shincliffe W.I. dates for: March and April 2017

All meetings are held on the first Wednesday of the month in the W.I. Hut, beginning at 7.30 p.m. New members will be made most welcome. Wednesday 1st March; Speaker: Howard Leslie; Subject: Whitworth Hall Walled Garden Wednesday 5th April; Annual General Meeting The 2017-18 programme of speakers, from May onwards, is currently under construction. Details will be in next edition of Scan Magazine. Additional events scheduled in March and April 2017 The Banner Group will meet in the W.I Hut on Thursday 2nd March 10.00-12.00 p.m. The next choice of book for the Reading Group to discuss will be made at our March meeting. The Annual Group Meeting, for those W.I.s with which we are linked, will be held in Shincliffe W.I Hut on Wednesday 26th March at 7.30 p.m

Issue 150 Your Parish Priest Writes… I write this letter on the Feast of the Conversion of St. Paul. The account of St. Paul’s conversion includes a commissioning of Paul to “bear the Lord’s name before kings.” This aspect of the apostolic mission is difficult for us to comprehend today, and we too easily neglect its importance. Throughout the centuries of European history, the Church and state have been so closely linked, but today most look on that history with disdain, preferring the thought of a pure church unsullied by politics. Whatever we think about Christendom, all can agree that at the centre of Paul’s teaching on the governing authorities is the central importance of respect for them as those who hold the responsibility of this office, and the concomitant imperative to pray for them in their most difficult tasks. That respect is balanced by a profound knowledge of the shortcomings of all earthly rulers. The gospel was founded on the event of the crucifixion of Christ under Pontius Pilate. Christian theology must always be clear headed about the stark reality of the exercise of power in any state. Yet this knowledge need not lead to a repudiation of rule, since the resurrection of Christ opens a new way of viewing authority. The resurrection of the body of Jesus was a restoration of the body ecclesial and civil, a restoration of the whole creation, in that representative body of Christ. The conversion of Paul shows how a man of violence was turned to an ambassador of peace. Pastoral Care The same hope needs to be held out for our political rulers, and indeed for our whole political The Pastoral Care Team of St. culture. We have a privilege unknown to the Mary’s Shincliffe offers care and ancient world, the vote given to each citizen of our support to the community and societies. However, our participation in the parish. They visit the political process all too often is limited to a range housebound and those who are of either/or choices: Blue or Red, In or Out, and ill. If anyone would like to see a most worryingly, recently the choice between friendly face and have a chat good policies or the acquisition of power, seems to please contact Tess Hagger 386 have presented itself as a valid alternative. The 7085 truth is that all political life, like all human reality, cannot be reduced to such bland alternatives. A perspective of staying with what can be quite unpleasant political realities, without rejecting them too soon, is hard to adopt. If political resistance is called for, we might think about resisting falling too easy victim to such polarised discourse. Here is Peter’s November letter. We include it as it nicely follows on. Why have we become so disillusioned with our political leaders? It is an important question to deal with. If we take it that they are all intrinsically bad, then there is nothing to stop us choosing the worst. Unless we believe that they are a breed of peculiarly corrupt people, there must be some underlying reasons for their loss of position. The scandals our 14 Shincliffe St. Mary’s Newsletter

politicians seem prone to must be symptomatic of some underlying cultural phenomena. I would suggest, as one possible explanation for the demise of our political leadership, the way that economic criteria have become the sole currency of political discussion. It was noticeable in the debate around the European Union that economic issues were always dominant, even when many other questions were at hand. This reduction of our political language boxes our leaders into a corner where the only options open to them seem to be generating more money within tighter controls of trade and national borders. Such a perspective on the world does not breed the kind of liberality we might have looked for in our statesmen. The history of our political life can provide us with resources to remember and imagine other ways in which political authority has been understood. The Prayer Book contains a prayer that the Sovereign would preserve the people in “wealth, peace, and godliness.” Here is a triple scheme within which wealth takes one, co-ordinated part. Peace, especially international peace cannot be relegated to a secondary concern in any measure of good government. The third part of the scheme, godliness, is easily seen to encompass such values as wisdom, compassion, the common good, human dignity and flourishing. This envisages political leaders as having the widest possible interest in the people’s well-being and reflects back on them the need to do what is necessary to promote all of these interests. I wonder how possible it is for politicians today to feel that they could plausibly promote such a comprehensive programme? The location of this political programme within prayer is significant. It was never thought to be the role of the State alone to further all of these goals. The State by itself might well find itself to be concentrating on financial measures that it might hope to have within the purview of its powers. It has been the Church’s mission to witness to the further values and work and pray for them. The Church’s mission is not merely a matter of increasing its own numbers. It includes witness to the kingdom of God, which is the resolution of peace for all the nations, races and languages of the world, and to the possibility of good government, following the kingship of Christ. In the long view of our history, what is remarkable about our time, is not the corruption of our politicians, so much as the devaluation of the mission of the Church. The weakening of the Church and the failing of its mission is not a matter of indifference to our societies. It places too much burden on the State that can only implode under the sole imperative of maximising finances within its own borders. With love and prayers Peter From the Registers Baptisms 29th Jan Louis Coakes (of High Shincliffe) Funerals 21st Nov Joyce Broughton 9th Dec Margaret Lumley 16th Dec Duncan Kirkup

Shincliffe St. Mary’s Newsletter 15

Social Activities A very enjoyable Advent supper took place in the Durham Churches Together Church Hall on Saturday 3rd December when over 50 people heard a variety of readings from www.durhamchurches.uk Peter Kashouris, Stephen Sandham, and Jane This Website has a map and gives Stout. links to the 34 churches -including We are now planning activities for this year and St Mary's Shincliffe. (Submitted by one date for your diaries is the Garden Party that Revd. Alan Middleton) this year will be held on Sunday 2nd July. Further information will follow in due course. The Church Hall In the November issue of SCAN mention was made about a Feasibility Study being undertaken to look at various options for improving the Church Hall. Whilst heat retention is better following work on the windows we still need to look at heat loss, particularly through the walls and the roof. The Feasibility Study will cover these issues but will also look at possible improvements to the entrance lobby and the refurbishment of the kitchen area. Our architect advises us that the Christian Aid Feasibility study should be available for The total raised from house boxes over discussion in early spring. the last twelve months is a magnificent In the meantime we have applied and, we £1009.58 for which the society is are delighted to say, have been successful extremely grateful. There are 30 box in obtaining a grant of £5,000 from the holders on my list of whom only two did Sherburn House Charity towards the cost not hand in their box this year. One of the work we undertake. holder has now withdrawn from the We are extremely grateful for this grant, scheme but three new contributors have come forward. If anyone else wishes to which will be used on further insulation of have a collection box, please ask me. the Hall. You can collect any type of currency you In December, with the help of our local wish: some boxes contain copper only, councillor, David Stoker, a team from the some silver, some £1 or £2 coins only County Council carried out an “Energy and many contain a total mixture. Notes Audit” of the Hall. They made several and cheques are also included in some. recommendations including: Every little counts! • Wall insulation Elizabeth Morgan • Consider installing lighting PIRs • Replace the boiler with a more energy efficient appliance Some of the work will be costly and as cash reserves are not limitless, the PCC will need to give the Feasibility Study due consideration before deciding the best way forward. Finally, it is pleasing to report that Church Hall lettings in the year to December 2016 have increased to £5,470 from £3,249-an increase of 68%. This is excellent news and must reflect to a large extent the investment in the Hall already made during the last 18 months. Please see details in this magazine about how to hire the Church Hall. The contact is Jim Milburn. 16 Shincliffe St. Mary’s Newsletter

A good news story! Just before Christmas we received contact from a Social worker with the County Council to say that the arrangement whereby one of the elderly residents of Shincliffe village received his daily cooked meal had, as a result of circumstances beyond anybody’s control, broken down. The Church was asked to step into the breach to cover the period from 24th December to 10th January. A rota was put in place with the food kindly provided by the Avenue at no cost. We are extremely grateful to Alan at the Avenue for this gesture that made one resident very happy and appreciative over Christmas and the New Year! Thank you to all concerned. BELFRY NEWS I have mixed news about the local ringing scene. Several local mid-week ringing practices are thriving; we have huge fun with the intellectual and musical challenges of producing good sounds from enormous metal objects (bells!); and we have our usual vibrant social lives, centred round the Vic or the Station House, where people actually talk or play cards or board games or do jigsaws. However those at the practices come from many different churches. At St Oswald’s recently we had a practice involving ringers from Shincliffe; St Nicholas; Benfieldside; Lanchester; students, whose church is Brancepeth; the Cathedral; St Oswald’s itself; two new students who came to have their first look at ringing; and a visitor from another part of the country, who, in usual ringing custom, was immediately welcomed as “part of the family”. The other side of the mixed news is that many churches, especially those whose service-ringing occurs at the same time (St Nicholas and the Cathedral, as well as Shincliffe) have not enough ringers of their own to be able to ring for services when others are ringing for services elsewhere. So overall we do need more ringers. If you are interested, or if you have friends who might be, you will be very welcome indeed to learn to ring with us. It costs nothing, and you will immediately be part of the ringing ‘family’. We would like to continue Sunday service ringing at all our Durham churches; it’s part of our ancient English tradition and it would be sad not to hear bells everywhere on Sundays. Being a ringer doesn’t just involve ringing for services – we have ringing competitions, known as striking competitions. The striking is the sounds produced, and can be either uneven [bad] or really even, almost metronomic [good]. Several teams of ringers – bands – ring, anonymously, for a set number of changes, and are judged by ringing judges brought in for the occasion. Last year Shincliffe along with other Durham ringers won a silver Rose bowl in the 6-bell striking competition held at Winlaton. This year we are preparing to defend the Rose bowl in the competition to be held at Benfieldside. In previous centuries such competitions were fiercely fought for, and there were large cash prizes. It is partly because of this competitive element, but also because of the physical exercise involved that I believe ringing should be classed as a sport. In the days of the first Good Queen Bess, ringing was first called “the exercise”, and is still called that by today’s ringers. So if you’re looking for (relatively gentle) exercise, mental and intellectual stimulation, and a great social life – do come along and learn. For more details, do go to www.durhambellringers.org.uk. Jean Woodward – Secretary to the Shincliffe Guild of ringers – 0191 384 9957

Shincliffe St. Mary’s Newsletter 17

18 Shincliffe St. Mary’s Newsletter

Parish Priest: Revd. Peter Kashouris BOWBURN & ELVET METHODIST CHURCHES St. Oswald's Vicarage [email protected] Ministers: Parish Office: 383 0830 The Revd. Andy Longe 384 1221 [email protected] The Revd. Shaun Swithenbank: 340 9701 Church Wardens: Michael Banks 384 0183 Sunday Worship: Michael Stewart 377 9029 Bowburn: 10.30 a.m. St Mary’s Pastoral Team: Elvet Methodist church: 10.45 a.m. & 6.00pm Team Leader: Tess Hagger: 386 7085 Sunday Services: Tuesday Kids Club at Bowburn: 5.30 p.m. (term 8:00 am Holy Communion (3rd & 5th Sundays) time) 9:30am Parish Eucharist. Once a month there is an all age Eucharist, normally the first Sunday of the month. ‘Messy Church’ at Bowburn: 5.30 p.m. (1st Tuesday 6:30 pm Evensong (3rd Sunday in month at St. in month) Oswald’s at 6.00 pm) Additional services and changes to the above are Wednesday Women’s Fellowship: 2.00 p.m. (1st posted on the notice boards at the church door and and 2nd of the month at Bowburn) outside the Church Hall. During university term times we have a Lunch Stop at Confirmation classes: 12 noon at Elvet Details from the Parish Priest Baptisms & Weddings: ST CUTHBERT’S ROMAN CATHOLIC CHURCH By arrangement with the Parish Priest; contact via Parish Office Priest: Fr. Benjamin Earl OP, Ecumenical House Groups: Parish Priest: 384 3442 Details from Martin or Joyce Bott Email: [email protected] 11, St. Mary’s Close, Shincliffe Village: www.stcuthberts-durham.org.uk 386 4021 Choir: Music Coordinator – Harry Morgan: Sunday Masses: 10.00 a.m.& 6.30 p.m. 384 6874 Bell Ringers: Weekday Masses: Keith Hayton: 386 6585 Monday 9.15 am Jean Woodward (Secretary): 384 9957 Tuesday - 12.15p.m. Practice night: Tues., 7.30 p.m. to 9.00 p.m. Wednesday 7.00p.m. Church Flowers: Thursday 12.15p.m. Yvonne Willis - 2, Hill Crest 386 2124 Friday 12.15p.m. Church Cleaning: 2nd Tuesday in the month-more Saturday 9.15a.m. volunteers welcome. Contact Barbara Stephenson 384 2822 Confessions: Parochial Church Council: Saturday 9.45a.m. – Secretary: Pat Gibbs 386 2091 10.15a.m. St. Mary’s Church Hall can be booked for: *private functions *children's parties *group meetings *coffee Holy Days – Obligation Masses: mornings *commercial uses etc. 12.15p.m. & 7.00p.m. Charges: from £30 Baptisms, Weddings & Funerals by arrangement For availability and booking please contact: There is a notice board on the Church gate with Jim Milburn: 372 2477 details of services. Social Activities: A variety of social activities over the year. Details in SCAN delivered to every house in OTHER RELIGIOUS ORGANISATION’S DETAILS the parish can be found in the Clayport Library, Millennium Place, Claypath, Durham: 386 4003

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Shincliffe St. Mary’s Newsletter 19

SHINCLIFFE C.E. PRIMARY SCHOOL Our Year 6 pupils have just returned from the Robinwood Activity Centre near Alston having thoroughly enjoyed a three day residential visit. The children participated in various adventure activities including canoeing, climbing, caving, obstacle course and team-building problem solving tasks. Our Year 1 and 2 Class Assemblies were well attended and the children were able to share with enthusiasm some of the topics they have been studying this term. Our varied international activities continue. We held a Chinese New Year Celebration week with various activities to explore Chinese culture at the end of January. The children greatly enjoyed the opportunity to participate in Chinese cooking and crafts led by staff and parent volunteers. We will participate in Safer Internet Day on 7th February with an assembly led by our School Council to reinforce messages around staying safe online. We will mark the beginning of Lent with a Eucharist Service on Ash Wednesday, 1st March, to which members of the community are invited.Looking forward to Easter, our Easter Coffee Afternoon will be held on 6th April and our School Eucharist will be celebrated at St. Mary’s Church at 10am on 7th April. Mr. David Tait – Head Teacher SHINCLIFFE JUNIOR FOOTBALL CLUB Shincliffe Junior FC is a fully accredited football club, which won the Durham FA Charter Status Club of the year award for 2016. The club is about creating a fun, rewarding environment for young players through well structured training, delivered by level 1 and 2 FA qualified coaches, one of whom was nominated for Coach of the Year by Durham FA. The club has mixed teams from under 7s to under 13s as well as an under 12s girls’ team and a new, under 14s going into 15s, team in development. There is also a development squad for younger players from school years 1-3, run by an experienced coach with the aim of creating new teams in the near future. The club welcomes any children keen to become involved in football. Experience is not important, just an enthusiasm to play, learn and be part of a team. Training is currently once a week, on Tuesday evenings for the development group and under 7s and Thursday evenings for the older age groups. Matches during the season are on a Saturday morning in the Russell Foster League. If you would like any more information, please contact John McGuinness on 07976 025357 or Sam Dale on 07825 334071. SPRING CHALLENGE: JOIN THE LOCAL CYCLING GROUP Did you know that there is a cycling group that meets on Tuesday mornings and provided FREE by Durham County Council? The group meets at the back of car park at the Coxhoe Active Life Centre, where there is a container full of bikes and gear for those who need kit (available FREE), but many who ride bring their own. The ride each week starts at 10:00 and goes out, almost exclusively, on cycleway and minor roads, returning to Coxhoe for coffee or whatever (which you pay for) at 12noon at Seventeen on the High Street. For those with little/no experience of biking there are opportunities to go shorter distances than the main group, and steep hills are generally frowned upon on all journeys, though Durham countryside can hardly be described as flat so we all know what to expect! So….if that is something you think you would enjoy come along. I join the group with a friend most weeks, leaving High Shincliffe at 09:30am. If anyone would like more information about the scheme go to Durham County Council “Bike4Life” page on the web: www.durham.gov.uk/cyclingevents. Richard Swarbrick 21

Cyclists The Parish Council have been made aware of further incidents of cyclists travelling down the footpath from Hill Crest to the A177 at speed. Residents (including parents with infants) have been forced off the path to avoid the cyclists, and one incident in particular involved a motorbike. Given the speeds of the riders, any collision would be extremely serious.

The Parish Council are considering some initiatives to help the situation, but please can I request that residents forward any relevant information to the Parish Council. In particular, the time of the incident, the description of the riders and the licence plate of the motorcycle would be appreciated.

Shincliffe School Traffic Driving behaviour at High Shincliffe School ‘drop off’ and ‘pick up’ time continues to cause concern. Drivers are parking on pavements, blocking pavements and driveways, parking on blind bends and driving at speed, all at a time where children are present. The Parish Council remain extremely concerned that someone will suffer injury as a result of driver actions.

To mitigate these concerns, the Parish Council continues to work with County Cllr David Stoker, High Shincliffe School and the Police. As ever, feedback is welcome; so please contact the Parish Council if you witness any of the traffic related issues above.

Speeding along the A177 The Parish Council continues to closely follow progress on initiatives to reduce speeding along the A177. We are exploring the possibility of barred gates and planting at the side of the road to give the impression of the road narrowing. The Horticulture Committee are working with County Cllr David Stoker to create a proposal to primarily address vehicle speed, but in a way that’s sympathetic to Shincliffe Parish.

Litter Pick The first litter pick of the year is on Saturday 8th April 2017 at 10am. It only takes an hour of your time, so if you would like to be involved and help to keep Shincliffe as litter free as possible, please contact the Parish Council – it would be great to see you there.

Foliage blocking pathways The Parish Survey highlighted that pathways were a particular issue with foliage and overhanging branches impeding or blocking pathways. If you spot anything of this nature, please contact the Parish Council.

Parish Council Website As a Parish Council we are committed to improving our communication and making Parish Council information readily available. I’m pleased to say that the new website in now live. Special thanks to Councillor Nia Cook and our Parish Clerk, Kate Cuthbert, for their dedication and hard work. We are proud of the new website but there is a feedback section, so I’d encourage you to visit the new website and let us know what you think.

In addition to investing in the new website, we have also replaced all 3 notice boards in Shincliffe Village, Sherburn House and High Shincliffe and all the recent information is displayed here.

If any resident is unable to access the noticeboards and does not have an Internet connection, they can call the Parish Clerk to discuss how we can keep you up to date with a paper copy.

Community Engagement The Parish Council remains committed to engaging with the community and receiving feedback from residents. If you would like to raise an issue, or have an informal chat with the Chairman, the Clerk or a Parish Councillor, please come along to one of our informal drop in sessions that take place immediately prior to each Parish Council meeting at 6.30pm.

Cllr George Lee Parish Council Chairman 24

SHINCLIFFE PARISH COUNCIL HORTICULTURE NEWS • Parish Community Gardening Day November 19th We had a good turnout for our first autumn community gardening day. Residents and councillors worked together, sporting our new Parish hi-visibility jackets, to clear paths of mud, fallen leaves and overhanging branches. We also planted spring bulbs along the wall at the entrance to High Shincliffe. Thanks to everyone who took part – and to the Avenue pub for providing bacon butties at lunchtime.

• New flower bed at entrance to Langton Lea The Parish Council have given permission for an additional flower bed to be created at the entrance to Langton Lea. Claire Pragnell, a resident of Langton Lea, has kindly created this bed and will maintain it to complement the existing bed at the entrance. Claire has made a number of contributions to horticulture in the Parish and this was acknowledged with the presentation of a certificate of appreciation and a small gift to Claire at the December meeting of the Parish Council. • Beautiful Durham Awards: At the Beautiful Durham awards ceremony in October, we were pleased to receive a number of awards for the Parish: High Shincliffe won the Best Village Award, Shincliffe Village won Best Small Village and Sherburn Hospital received a certificate of merit. The judges visited the Parish in July and were impressed by the standard of residents’ gardens and the flower beds maintained by Marc Platts, our Parish Gardener. • Parish Spring Front Garden Awards As usual, the Parish Councillors will be judging different areas of the Parish and nominating their favourite gardens. The previous year’s winner will then judges all the nominations. Spring Front Garden judging takes place 3 April – 7 April Summer Front Garden judging takes place 3 July – 7 July A reminder for any new residents: you do not need to enter the competition as we judge only gardens which are visible from the roadside. If you would like to become involved in your Parish horticultural developments, or have any ideas or comments, we’d be very pleased to hear from you - please contact the Parish Council: Email: [email protected] or telephone 0191 3865188. Cllr Angela Lee, Parish Council Horticulture Committee 26

DOWN THE LANE – SHINCLIFFE VILLAGE GREEN

The Village Green at Jubilee Terrace reminds me of thorn stockades around African villages. In Africa thorns keep out the lions and elephants, but just our presence here keeps larger mammals out of our open spaces. The largest wild animal that could be said to cross our greens, either up at Hill Meadows or on Shincliffe Village Green would be mice and rabbits. Or if they became desperate to roam, perhaps there would be an invading badger. Badgers have been spotted on Shincliffe Lane. In times gone by, there were said to be some of Mr and Mrs Brockbank’s llamas seen trotting around, escaped from the Orange Tree. I wish I had seen them.

Escomb Village’s Saxon Church in County Durham is built in the middle of a circular Village Green. This is known as a godscroft. Like our green, Escomb’s is surrounded by houses. What makes Shincliffe’s special is that the roadside greens all down the High Street have the view stopped at each end. This is where the roads have a junction or make a sharp turn - so you could enclose the road. In medieval times, if you closed the road at each end, your animals would not stray away. Even today, if you take a car trip to Teesdale, you can see goats grazing along the roadside greens. But how long is it since there was a tethered horse or goat on the verge here? Can anyone remember it? There is sometimes a gypsy wagon opposite the Rose Tree. Shortly before the Appleby Fair in 2016, we saw a couple of riding gigs parked at the pub there, because the father and sons were having some refreshment. They had come over from Appleby just for the fun of a few days away. In February, apart from the trees, there does not seem to be a lot of wildlife on the village green. Yet you can see fungi and plenty of earthworm casts. As soon as the spring grass comes, rabbits will be hopping up from the park and in the summer there are moths and insects in the trees and grasses. Between five and ten years ago it was fashionable to protect churchyard wildlife. Maybe the same should be encouraged with all greens that were developed alongside the housing. In Home Farm, the central green is small in size but truly mighty with its diversity of birds on the winter feeders – wagtails, goldcrests, lesser spotted woodpeckers, wood pigeon, collard doves, sparrows and blackbirds. (Hence the occasional sparrowhawk) There is also a squadron of starlings and hungry corvids; jackdaws and magpies in particular. Though the bird visits increase with the cold, the cold can back off the flowers. Nevertheless very soon the snowdrops will be opening up. There is something very primitive in us all – that eager waiting for the Spring. Not long now.

SHINCLIFFE DIARY

For full details/times/venues/contacts see inside st 1 Mar W.I. Speaker: Howard Leslie; Subject: Whitworth Hall Walled Garden 1st Mar School Eucharist Service - all invited. St. Mary’s Church Hall Calendar nd 2 Mar W.I. Banner Group of Weekly Events th 20 Mar History Soc. - Alison Hodgson-Poverty Mon. Pilates: 9.30-10.30am Tue. Baby & Toddler Group: 9.30- through the Ages in Britain 11.30am Keep Fit by Moving and Dancing th 29 Mar The Annual W.I. Group Meeting with (Gentle Class): 12.00-1.00pm metafit: 6.15-6.45pm linked W.I.s Pilates: 7.00-8.00pm Thu. Baby & Toddler Group: 9.30- th 26 Mar SCA Annual general Meeting – all 11.30am Pilates class to be re-arranged welcome rd th Notes: 3 – 7 Apr Spring Front Garden judging History Society: 3rd Mon at 7.30pm th PCC meetings 4 per year Mondays 7pm 5 Apr W.I. Annual General Meeting PACT every 2 months at 6pm Thursdays For Private bookings please contact Jim 6th Ap School Easter Coffee Afternoon Milburn: 372 2477 7th April School Eucharist will be celebrated at St. Mary’s Church at 10am h 24t Apr History Soc. - David Williams - St. Cuthbert's Pectoral Cross th 6 May Murdery Mistery Night Weekly Events in W.I Hut th 15 May History Soc. - Mon Dance your Socks Off: 7pm-8.30pm John Charters - Tue Dance your Socks Off Kids Club: 5pm-7pm Slimmer’s World: 7pm-9pm Pubs in Wed. W.I. meetings (first week of each month): 7pm-9.30pm Thu Keep Fit by Moving & Dancing: 8pm-9pm Shincliffe. Fri. Zumba class: 6pm-7pm rd th 3 – 7 Jul Summer Front The hall can be hired for meetings, parties etc. Please contact Mrs Garden judging Chapman (386 3730) for bookings. th 7 Jun Deadline for July edition of SCAN nd 2 Jul St. Mary’s Garden Party Sep Shincliffe Show