PARISH INFO -
The Chairman's report given every year has been printed in full to let residents know what we have done over the year. Residents have approached councillors over the years with their concerns and we welcome your comments both good and bad so we can find out what you want. Councillors are all involved with this community in our different ways, whether it be schools and youth groups, W I and other meetings, lunch club, church and chapel, pubs, allotments or shops and can all get different feedback for what people want in the village.
SUMMER 2009
A parish council is a democratic body and represents the interests of the whole community and sees that it gets value for money. Easington Village has no one standing for a political party they all came on as independents for the good of their community and the majority have had experience of village life and what has gone on over many years. When we got our own council in 1983 councillors voted not to claim for expenses for doing our duties, apart from a percentage on phone bills for the Chair, clerk and cemetery superintendent. In the Good Councillors Guide it says a Parish Council is: A vision of democracy at its best; local votes for local people for local action.
EASINGTON VILLAGE MILLENNIUM LUNCHEON CLUB (Reg. Charity No. 1092506)
Another 90th birthday was celebrated with Mary O'Brien then June James celebrated her 80th birthday both cut their special cakes to share with friends. Volunteers are busy planning for the summer lunch out on 22 July to Hardwick Hall Manor Hotel. Then they will close for a well-earned two-week break. We were saddened to hear of the deaths of Winnie Cummings and Doris Sample both long term members.
EASINGTON WRITERS who meet at Easington Colliery Social Welfare Centre received an Awards for All grant of £8,210 to help develop an anthology of short stories written by locals. They want to hear the thoughts and recollections from young and old residents both past and present from around Easington and it's surrounding area. Community groups can work with two local authors in workshops and mentoring sessions over the next year to help develop their writing skills. They hope to publish by March 2010 a special reading event will be held just before publication where excerpts will be read out to a local audience.
GET UP'N'GO CLUB - A Lottery grant of £3,279 went to the Get Up 'n' Go Club in Easington who have been inviting locals to do something interesting and meet new people at their Wednesday meetings in Easington Colliery Social Welfare Centre at 1pm. The award will help to run a programme of activities and help improve the skills of its members and committee. To find out more ring Pauline tel: 5273170.
FAREWELL The District of Easington Council offices closed it doors for the last time at the end of March as Easington District Council when the new Durham County Council came into place on April 1. A badly advertised exhibition to mark the council's 35-year history was shown at different venues in east Durham over the last weeks. Photographs highlighted the achievements that had taken place since the authority's vesting day in 1974 when it changed from Easington Rural District but older Easington residents still think of the older council in its days before the reorganisation. The former People Past & Present Archives are now available on www.ppparchive.info/
PLEASE NOTE BUSINESS IS STILL TRANSACTED ON THESE PREMISES.
EAST DURHAM MUSIC FESTIVAL- Once organised by the District of Easington council it will take place from Saturday, October 3 until Sunday November 22 and anyone wishing to perform or organise an event is being urged to sign up now. Bands and artists who take part in the festival will be featured in the official programme, receive free posters and tickets for their events, and have help in publicising it. As well as performances by amateur and professional musicians there are workshops with expert help for local people to try their hand at making music. Applications can be obtained from the Arts Development Unit on 5270501 ext 4781 or e-mail colin.robson@durham.gov.uk.
Blackhall Alzheimer's Day Centre covering Easington district meets on the last Tuesday of the month from 12 noon to 3pm in Oakerside Park Community Centre for a free get-together for those suffering from loss of memory and their families. There is a changing programme and also professional advice and information , for further information contact Clare Ward tel: 5180872.
GLENDENE
Artist Peter Flynn has worked with Artworks based in Healthworks and pupils from Glendene School and Community Arts College to create a mosaic based on a Japanese carp pool as part of the art work around the healthy living centre. The work was funded by the District of Easington council and County Durham Primary Care Trust.
PEOPLE IN THE PARISH
PEARSON - News has come from Sandra Nicholls, daughter of Anne Hannah Pearson who has died aged 99 in Northants. Older residents will remember Anne who was married to Evan Pearson who ran a garage known as Cockburn's or Cadwell Garage on Sunderland Road and came to live in Easington in 1950. Originally from High Pittington she married Evan in 1947 and he died in 1971. Anne moved to Peterlee until in 2000 she moved into a care home nearer to her daughter and family in Cottingham, she had three grandchildren and three great grandchildren.
CHATTERBOX - Chatterbox Ladies group celebrated their 40th Anniversary in February, the group started in Hall Walks in the home of Anne Monaghan as a place for local young mothers to enjoy a night out. Over the years it has had various venues but now meet in St. Mary's Close and has run various events such as car rallies and the Bonfire night in Stobart's field for all in the village. Two of the original members Pam Stobart and Eileen Hopper are cut the cake as Anne was away visiting her daughter Joanne in New Zealand.
ARTHUR BARTHOLOMEW (91) His funeral service was held at the Church of Ascension, where he married his wife Vera in 1943, followed by interment at the colliery cemetery near to where the victims of the explosion are buried. This was very apt as he was the last surviving member of the Easington Colliery's Rescue Brigade in the 1951 disaster that claimed the lives of 83 men and was presented to the Queen during her Millennium tour. He continued to work at the coalface after the explosion until an industrial accident and he worked as materials overman until his retirement through ill health, a legacy from his days underground. They celebrated their 65th wedding anniversary with family and friends at their home in Byron Street last November. He is survived by his wife, daughter, Margaret Birbeck and four sons, Dennis, Stephen, Kevin and Barry, ten grandchildren, eight great-grandchildren and three great, great-grandsons.
JEZ LOWE - Jez ,brother of Angela, who hails from Easington has come first in the Best Lyrics section of the prestigious American Indie Acoustic Awards for Northern Echoes. This annual event usually concentrates on North American acts and Capercaillie are the only other UK act listed.
JEAN WALKER - Many regulars at Seaton Holme will remember the beautiful dolls on display made by Jean. Mavis had word from her family that Jean had died 10 May at the age of 85 in North-Tees hospital. She was married to Laurie Walker whom she met at the ICI and had been a widow for 41 years. She worked as a Technician in the Photography Labs of ICI at Billingham and also a teacher of cosmetics and beauty at Darlington. On her retirement from teaching she took up doll making, they were exquisitely crafted, thoroughly researched and beautifully made. She won major trophies nine times in successive years in London, New York and Switzerland and was a respected member of the Doll Artisan Guild (DAG) and often conducted workshops in different aspects of the porcelain doll craft.
THE GREEN GUIDE
East Durham Partnership is giving unwanted furniture and white goods a new lease of life and offers them at knock-down prices to people who need them. Durham County Council is supporting the project run by Ellen Foxton and based on the Seaview Industrial Estate. The project collects items from people's homes, and council transfer stations and takes them to their workshop for repair and refurbishment. They also collects unwanted office furniture from businesses, schools and universities which can be reused and offered to community groups, care homes and people starting up small businesses, saving it from landfill. Refurbishment work is done by skilled staff who are also training long-term unemployed and vulnerable adults to make them more employable. When refurbished and checked they are offered for re-sale at favourable prices to members of the public at the showroom. Discounts are given to people on certain benefits. Members of the public who want their unwanted furniture of white goods collected free should call (0191) 586-8493. The showroom is open Monday to Thursday 8am to 4.30pm, Friday 8am to 3.15pm and Saturday 9am to noon.