County Durham’s Environment Partnership Newsletter: Autumn 2017 Altogethergreener

Oliver Sherratt Interim Chair of Environment Partnership Best Overall Entry - Durham

Welcome

Welcome to the Autumn edition of the Altogether Greener newsletter St Cuthbert’s Cross

Congratulations to everyone taking part in this year’s Northumbria in Bloom competition, helping to make County Durham Altogether Greener. I’d like to thank everyone who has played their part by giving their time and effort towards helping our county scoop these Chester-le-Street in bloom Stanley in bloom fantastic honours. Well Done to all of the In Bloom groups across the county. Northumbria in Bloom 2017 There’s been a fantastic response to this year’s Environment Awards County Durham is blooming with success in this year’s regional gardening with 51 applications submitted. competition, winning a range of awards. Judging will take place over the next few weeks and winners will be Local groups made up of residents, schools, businesses and volunteers all worked together to get their communities looking ship shape in time for judges’ visits. announced in November.

Here are the category winners: A list of winners will also be Winner in Coastal Resort category - Gold published online at: www.countydurhampartnership. Best Overall Entry, winner of Small co.uk/envawards City category and the Percy Boydell Other County Durham towns and award. villages awarded this year are: Durham - Gold • Tanfield; Middleton in Teesdale - Please get in touch if you have any Gold news for a future edition of this Best New Entry and winner of the • ; Waldridge - Silver Gilt newsletter, we would love to hear Whickham award • Medomsley; Newfield/Pelton Lane from you. Our contact details are North Lodge - Silver Gilt Ends; Shadforth; ; Stanley; on the back page. - Silver Winner in Small Towns category • High ; Ouston; Littletown - - Gold Bronze Winner in Large Towns category • Low Pittington - Merit Chester le Street - Silver Gilt A range of other special category Winner in Urban Community category awards were presented. For full details Belmont - Silver Gilt go to www.northumbriainbloom.co.uk 2

Coastal, heritage and landscape

Apollo pavilion Binchester roman fort Heritage Open days 72 venues opened their doors at the beginning of Vote for your favourite September to celebrate County Durham’s fantastic architecture, parks, gardens and culture, offering free Green Flag park access to properties that may usually be closed to the public or normally charge an admission fee. Residents in County Durham are being asked to vote for their favourite beauty spot in a national competition. Parks Durham Woodland Revival and open spaces in County Durham, which were Durham’s woodlands have received funding from the awarded Green Flag status for 2017, are in the running Heritage Lottery Fund for a ‘Durham Woodland Revival‘ to be crowned Britain’s Best Park in Keep Britain Tidy’s project. The project will run from 2019 to 2023 and will People’s Choice award. manage woodlands and revitalise the forestry sector in County Durham. You can vote online at www.greenflagaward.org by selecting the region on the interactive map and finding your Woodland cover in the county is low and often neglected favourite park or green space from the list. and undermanaged. This has led to a decline in value for Closing date for votes is 30 September timber, wildlife and amenity. The scheme will focus on the eastern area of County Durham where woodlands tend to be small in size and uneconomical to manage.

For more information contact [email protected] AONB Partnership project wins national award The North Pennines AONB Partnership’s Nectarworks project beat competitors from across England and

Wales to win an annual award L-R: Ruth Star-Keddle and Mandy Oliver for the best project, best Caring for your Environment Award practice or outstanding contribution to the wellbeing of Malcolm Watson from Stanley is the latest County an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. The Bowland Durham resident to be presented with a Caring for Award, is awarded by the National Associations for your Environment award. Malcolm, who is blind, goes AONBs and voted for by representatives of each AONB to exceptional efforts to improve his local area. He was across the country. presented with his award by Oliver Sherratt. Ruth Starr-Keddle from the AONB Partnership said: “We are delighted to win this award. The project has involved Chester’s Best practical conservation, surveying, oral histories, education Well Done to everyone who took part in the Chester’s and training and it engaged thousands of people Best competition. For the results please see – farmers, school children, beekeepers, volunteers, www.durham.gov.uk/article/13792/Chesters-Best-competition smallholders and other local residents - in looking after and celebrating meadows and pollinators. 3

Environment in your community Local nature partnerships

North East England Nature Partnership will launch an elected members guide to the natural environment and green economy which aims to provide an overview of the economic and societal benefits that investing in our environment can have for the North East. Waste Less, Save More: Environmental Growth in the North East can only be A project designed to help residents reduce the amount achieved with the support of elected members and the of food they waste is coming to County Durham. guide will provide context, evidence and case studies to aid decision-making and to promote the importance of Sainsbury’s Waste Less Save More programme will be the natural environment. The guide will be available at delivered by Food Durham, led by Durham County Council neenp.org.uk/ in partnership with REfUSE, Alive, The ALT Group, Durham University and Durham Community Action. iiE – North East is a scheme that allows local businesses Among the range of activities will be a zero waste to demonstrate their challenge and ‘Feed the 1000’ events using surplus environmental and social food. There will also be an initiative to install three value. community fridges, where surplus food is provided by

local businesses and made available to local residents. Small business workshops will be held in October, November and December to guide those new to For more information, go to www.facebook.com/ recycleforcountydurham/ sustainability , helping them to save money and become more competitive. Community Action Team visit Dawdon Durham’s Community Action Team (CAT) brings Visit www.iie.uk.com/regions/north-east/ The first 10 workshop together residents and a range of organisations, to sign ups in each council area will receive a 20% discount tackle housing and environmental issues and offer advice when quoting ‘EP Newsletter’. on health and wellbeing. The team is currently working in Dawdon. Climate change

For more information on the work of the Community Action Team call 03000 261016 or visit www.durham.gov.uk/ Young people in the county cat have been working on projects to raise awareness of climate change.

During September, students from School are working with artists to create Mobile recycling site extended designs to show the impact climate change A mobile recycling centre in Weardale has proved has on communities. The so popular with residents that it will remain open on waterproof designs will be alternate Saturdays from 9am until 12noon into 2018. installed on the pavement in Wolsingham Market The facility in Frosterley, which is found next to the Place and will be visible in Sherburn Stone quarry entrance, off the A689, was set wet weather. The students are joining secondary school up in August 2014 on a trial basis. students from Willington Parkside Academy; King James I Academy and Bishop Barrington in Bishop Auckland; and www.durham.gov.uk/hwrc For further information visit or call Seaham High School in this innovative art project. 03000 261 000. 4

To find out more about the County Durham Environment Partnership or to get involved: visit: www.countydurhampartnership.co.uk email: [email protected] What’son... call: 03000 264 712 You can also look out for #altogethergreener on Twitter

Lanchester Wildlife Group 14 November 2017 7.30–8:30pm Lanchester Community Centre Dining Room Anne Kelly - Trails and Countryside Guided tribulations, a year using Walks and Events Recycle Week wildlife spy cameras. October 2017 to March 2018 25 September - 1 October 2017 Month, 10am-12pm. Food Durham Annual Recycle Week is a celebration National Tree Week The latest guided walks and Gathering and Launch of recycling, with this year’s 25 November – 3 December 2017 events programme for County of Durham Food Hub theme being ‘Recycling - It’s See www.treecouncil.org.uk/ Durham will be available soon. www.partners. 25 October 2017 Worth It!’ See Take-Part/national-tree-week for Visit www.durham.gov.uk/ wrap.org.uk/campaigns/recycle- 10am–1pm Annual Gathering information. countryside or call now/ Reserve your place: 03000 264 589. www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/ Wildlife Watch food-durham-annual-gathering- Durham Hedgerow Low Barns Nature Reserve, Food Durham: Talk by tickets-37757455566 Competition DL14 0AG. First Saturday of the Charles Dowding “No 12noon Local food lunch 6 October 2017 Month, 10am-12pm. Dig Gardening” followed by Launch of the Woodlands Hall Farm, Knitsley, Booking essential at 31 January 2018 7.30pm Durham Food Hub , DH8 9EY. Details at www. durhamwt.com/events. £1 To book a place go to www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/ www.durham.gov.uk/haw per child. All ages welcome, www.durhamcommunityaction. food-durham-launch-of-durham- activities are aimed at age 5-11. org.uk/event.html/290/ Lanchester food-hub-tickets-37758596980 Wildlife Group Please book events separately. 10 October 2017, 7.30–8.30pm Volunteering opportunities Lanchester Community Centre Dining Room. Civic Pride Durham Wildlife Trust Help us make your neighbourhood Durham Wildlife Trust are John Grundy - Revealing a cleaner greener place. always looking for willing Reptiles in the North East. Email [email protected] or volunteers. Get in touch at call 03000 261 000. www.durhamwt.com/ or call World Food Day 0191 584 3112. 16 October 2017 A day of action dedicated to Durham Community tackling global hunger. Action – A one stop www.fao.org/world-food- shop for volunteering day/2017/theme/en/ Coffee Morning If you want to gain experience, 4 November 2017, 10.30am–12pm volunteer in a certain area, Crafty Café Low Barns Nature Reserve, get skills for work, volunteer Durham Countryside 25 October 2017, 10.30am-2.30pm DL14 0AG occasionally or help at one Volunteers off events. Low Barns Nature Reserve, Come along whilst we unveil Join us and make your own Email volunteering@ DL14 0AG. Drop in for some our new winter shop items. valuable contribution to improving durhamcommunityaction.org.uk call wildlife themed crafts and £3 per person to include tea/ the County Durham countryside. 01388 742 040 or visit coffee and cake, please book activities. Book you place at Visit www.durham.gov.uk/countryside www.durhamcommunityaction.org.uk www.durhamwt.com/events or on at www.durhamwt.com/events or call 03000 264 589. or on 0191 584 3112. 0191 584 3112. National volunteering website check out https://do-it.org