Come and join us for a Christmas Service of Lessons and Carols at 6 pm on Sunday 18th December.
Do you remember Keith Skinner?
Recently received contact from Keith Skinner of Chester who spent his childhood in Witton.
“Greetings to all at Witton Gilbert from an 81 year old ex refugee who used to live at Westwood Cottage (now demolished) and Fell House with memories of Shirley Lamb brother Ernie, Margaret Wheelan nee Iredale et al- Langley Park primary & Sacriston Junior Schools and many other happy memories of an idylic childhood.Hope to re visit from home in Chester soon.”
Keith Skinner
Does anyone have any memories from this period? If so add your comment by using the comment form below.
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.
Closure of Wallnook Bridge
Durham County Council release the following press release on 8th August.
“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.”
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.
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:
- Comment on all documents via our Planning consultation system. Guidance on how to use this system is included at the front of the system.
- Pick up a response form from your local library or customer access points.
- Write to us using our Freepost address: FREEPOST Spatial Policy
- email: Cdpconsultation@durham.gov.uk
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.
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.
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 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:-
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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.
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The Steering Group have always encouraged people to contribute and to get engaged with the development of the plan. All volunteers are welcome.
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This is an opportunity for our community to set its own planning policies to control development in the parish.
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The Neighbourhood plan is a vision for our community for the next 15 years.
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The plan is designed to protect our parish from unwanted development and protect the facilities and character of the village for the next generation.
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The Neighbourhood Plan cannot make things happen, the aim is to encourage good quality design with a design guide and prevent poorly planned development.
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The policy aims and objectives are based on research and consultation carried out over the last 3 years.
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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.
Download the Consultation presentation sheets below.
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