All posts by Terry

Village centre project

Village Centre project update

A lot of progress has been made on the Village Centre project in recent weeks, SouthernGreen (the Landscape consultants) have produced the design proposals and landscape details and they are currently compiling the tender documents. The Parish Council have secured £33,000 of additional outside funding  for the project. The pre-tender estimates are on target and the tenders will be returned at Christmas time with work hopefully starting in January. Visit the the Village Centre page to see some of the design sketches and download the master plan.

Village Centre page

 

News

Closure of Wallnook Bridge

Durham County Council release the following press release on 8th August.

Wallnook Bridge

“Wallnook Bridge, over the River Browney near Langley Park, closed to vehicular traffic in March 2013 but remained open for use by pedestrians and horse riders.

However the structure’s condition has now deteriorated further and we are to close it to all traffic in the interests of public safety. 

Signs will advise pedestrians and horse riders of alternative routes where possible.

Short diversion routes are already in place for vehicles.

Letters advising of the full closure have been sent to residents living close to the bridge.

Committed to new crossing

We are committed to providing a new crossing over the River Browney at Wallnook subject to funding being obtained.

Options for a new crossing are being considered.

Brian Buckley, our strategic highways manager, said: “The bridge is being closed in the interests of public safety and people will not be able to cross it on foot, by bicycle or on horseback.

“We are working to provide a crossing at this point in the long term and thank people for their patience in the meantime.”

Whats On

Tai Chi & Qigong @ Cooper Hall

Tai Chi & Qigong is a gentle martial art suitable for all ages and abilities .

Classes are every Monday 1-30 2-30 at Cooper Hall we are in the playgroup room . We have a group at present with 14 learners who enjoy learning different styles of Tai Chi .

Cost is £4 per session

We welcome new learners . The group is well established we have been at Cooper Hall for over 6 yrs .

Go to the Whats on page for more details or follow the link below.

Whats on page

 

Uncategorised

COUNTY DURHAM PLAN: ISSUES and OPTIONS

The County Plan will have an impact on Witton Gilbert. This is the first consultation phase; so it’s important to have your say!

DEADLINE FOR COMMENTS IS THE 5th AUGUST

 

What’s it about? – Issues and options for the County Durham Plan

Durham County Council have set out the issues we believe affect the future development of County Durham including jobs, housing, shopping and infrastructure and identified options for how they can be addressed. This your opportunity to influence this first stage of the plan they want to you view on  :

  • Are these the right issues?
  • Do we take account of the needs of you and your community?
  • Are the options the right ones?
  • Are there others we’ve missed?

How to get involved

There are a number of ways you can contact us with your comments:

  1. Comment on all documents via our Planning consultation system. Guidance on how to use this system is included at the front of the system.
  2. Pick up a response form from your local library or customer access points.
  3. Write to us using our Freepost address: FREEPOST Spatial Policy
  4. email: Cdpconsultation@durham.gov.uk
Whats On

WI @ Cooper Hall

Information about the Witton Gilbert WI meetings at Cooper hall has been added to the What’s on/ Community Hall page.

Witton Gilbert WI meets at the Community Centre on the second Monday of the month. Except for August when we have our Summer Outing. This year we visit Wynyard Hall Gardens. Meetings start at 7pm and a wide variety of speakers and social events have been organised for the year. Members also have the opportunity to attend workshops covering a wide variety of interests.
Visitors are welcome at any Meeting and can be assured of a warm welcome.
Uncategorised

Witton Walking Group

The Witton Walks page has been updated with details of the Witton Walking Group; giving information of where and when to meet, to enjoy a pleasant walk in our beautiful countryside with a group of like minded people. What could be better to give a boost to the spirit and help keep you physically fit.

St Michael & All Angels

Candlelit vigil for Jo Cox MP

Tonight a candlelit vigil will be held in church from 7pm in response to the tragedy yesterday of the death of Jo Cox MP.

The following hymn was written by Ally Barret who, in her grief, was up all night unable to sleep and used her anguish to compose this heartfelt hymn. The hymn will be played at Sunday’s 9.15am Eucharist. (It can be sung to ‘I heard the voice of Jesus say’)

O God of all salvation
In this our darkest hour
Look down at your creation
with pity and with power.
in all the pain we’re seeing,
for parent, partner, friend,
we’ll cling with all our being
To love that cannot end.

O God, your loving passion
Is deeper thanour pain,
Look down and in compassion,
Bring us to life again.
When we are found despairing,
when all seems lost to sin,
we’ll hear your voice declaring
that love alone will win.

O God, when hate grows stronger,
with fear to pave its way,
the cry ‘Lord, how much longer’
with broken hearts we pray.
In all that is dismaying
In humankind’s freewill,
we’ll join our voices praying
that love will triumph still.

O God whose love will never
Be silenced, stalled or stilled,
set us to work wherever
there’s bridges to re-build.
we’ll take our lives vocation
to make, like heav’n above,
in this and every nation
a kingdom on love

Neighbourhood Plan

Neighbourhood Plan consultation UPDATE

The  public consultation events held at Cooper Hall on 2nd and 4th June were well attended and lively events.  With about 70 people attending the meetings over the two days. Although the responses to much of the plans policy content were generally positive, one area did result in a more robust debate and that was the potential new housing site allocation to the rear of Front Street.

This was the first time a single draft document has been presented, setting all 13 policies in context. The draft document is some 60 pages long  and difficult to digest in the relatively short time at the drop in events. The events were an opportunity for the residents to ask questions and raise issues which concern them, but the consultation will continue online until the 17th June.  The residents were urged to download the plan from this website, look at the whole plan and submit their comments via the online form or to drop off hardcopy comments at Cooper Hall.  Though residents can make their views known or ask questions at any time during this draft stage of the Plan.

All written comments received at all stages of the Plan are documented and will be retained for scrutiny in the later formal stages of the Plan.

We welcome the opportunity to talk to the residents and feel that a single document brought some clarity and answered some questions posed previously.

To clarify some misunderstandings expressed at the meeting:-

  • The Neighbourhood Plan Group consists of volunteers who all live in the parish. This is a community based initiative and is not driven by the County Council.
  • The Steering Group have always encouraged people to contribute and to get engaged with the development of the plan. All volunteers are welcome.
  • This is an opportunity for our community to set its own planning policies to control development in the parish.
  • The Neighbourhood plan is a vision for our community for the next 15 years.
  • The plan is designed to protect our parish from unwanted development and protect the facilities and character of the village for the next generation.
  • The Neighbourhood Plan cannot make things happen, the aim is to encourage good quality design with a design guide and prevent poorly planned development.
  • The policy aims and objectives are based on research and consultation carried out over the last 3 years.
  • The Plan is still very much in its informal consultation stage and there is more work to do.

Please do not think that you have missed the opportunity to have your views heard. You can contact us at any time. Suggestions and ideas from residents are always welcome, we would appreciate any help.

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Download the Consultation presentation sheets below.

Consultation sheet 1

Consultation sheet 2

Consultation sheet 3

Consultation sheet 4

Consultation sheet 5

Neighbourhood Plan

Neighbourhood Plan Consultation

Don’t forget to come along to the consultation events at Cooper Hall  on Thursday 2nd June 6:00pm to 7:30pm and Saturday 4th June 11:00am to 1:00pm.

 

Its important that you express your opinions and ask questions at this stage as we will soon be moving onto the more formal Consultation phase of the process.

community engagement leaflet No3 copy

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

  • My community video

    • My community video

    • Watch Video

 

The Power of Neighbourhood Planning

St Michael & All Angels, Whats On

Breathing Space SHOWCASE WEEK

Showcase Week 13th-17th June

Come and join us for a week long taster of activities from Breathing Space Project at St Michael & All Angels Church

Monday 13th:               Tai Chi in the Churchyard!
Tuesday 14th:               BBQ @ The Men’s shed
Wednesday 15th:       Get Active Free Taster @                                                                   Methodist Chapel
Thursday 16th:             Woodland Wonders Taster
Friday 17th:                    Sensing the Seasons Walk &                                                           Folk singing

This is the 4th Year of the Breathing Space Project and the Trustees and team would like to invite you to see what we have been doing. Please visit the Church this week to find out !

During the summer months the church will be open between 9am and 4pm.

Men’s shed

The Men’s Shed has been going over 3 years and has a regular group of volunteers from Changing Lives homeless project and Free the Way . The Men’s Shed is being supported financially through Durham County Council Cree project fund and Awards for All lottery fund.
The project runs on a Tuesday 11.30am-1.30pm and 1.30-3.30pm
Gillie and Dave work alongside the group to support Friends of Witton Dene to manage the nature reserve by doing maintenance work to keep the pathways accessible.

BS4

Join us on Tuesday in the Churchyard 12.15– 2.15 for a BBQ and to see the work so far!

Tai Chi

Join us on Monday 12.15-1.15 in the Churchyard for an outdoor session of Tai Chi!

BS3

Get Active Again

Get Active Again is a Gentle exercise group aimed at those who want to start to increase their physical activity. It is suitable for older members of the community and for those who are recovering from illness or those who just want to enjoy physical activity in a safe and supportive atmosphere. Led by Sandra Mountjoy the sessions are enjoyable, fun and challenging. The sessions operate 2-3.15pm on Wednesdays at the Methodist Chapel( normally £2 per session).

Join us on Wednesday at the Methodist Chapel 2-3.15pm for a free taster session

BS6

Woodland Wonders

Family activity encourages shared experience and can support the development of positive relationships within the family unit. Within the Woodland wonders programme there are opportunities for families to work together to problem solve and to create.

BS5 copy

 

 

Join us on Thursday in the Churchyard 3.30-4.30 for a free taster session

Mindfulness

Mindfulness is a really useful tool to support the development of positive health and wellbeing. The monthly Sensing the Seasons sessions use the mindfulness techniques to enable the participant to be aware of themselves in the present and to allow judgmental thoughts and negative emotions to flow through.

Join us on Friday 10-11am to experience the calm

BS1

Folk Singing

The Folk Singing and Songwriting course is a partnership between Breathing Space and Colour Your Life and has been a huge hit.
The activity is currently running on Fridays 1-3pm in the Church.
Benny Graham a local Folk Singer and Songwriter has given us a great insight into local folk music tradition and has led us in songs from The Lambton Worm to the Sandgate Lass.

Join us on Friday 1-3 for a free taster session or simply come along and enjoy the singing!

BS2

 

 

 

 

 

 

To download the full Leaflet click the link below

Breathing Space Showcase Leaflet

Contact information

Gillie Boggon, Project Officer.
Phone: 07508 471522/01913711387`
E-mail: breathingspacedurham@gmail.com

Web: wittongilbert.durhamnorthteam.org/breathingspace/

St Michael & All Angels Coach Lane
Witton Gilbert DH7 6SX