Leisure centre campaigners take to streets (From The Northern Echo)

A DRIVE is underway to saturate households across neighbouring communities with consultation documents to give them a chance to speak out over proposed leisure cuts.

Sherburn Leisure Centre is one of six under threat amid recession-driven cost-cutting measures put forward by Durham County Council.

A campaign group has rapidly formed among centre users to fight the plan to close what they say is a well-used facility serving not just Sherburn, but neighbouring villages to the east of Durham City.

The Sherburn SOS (Save Our Sports) group has taken news of a three-month consultation period as a call to arms.

via Leisure centre campaigners take to streets (From The Northern Echo).

Ushaw Moor Action Group

Early in 2010 the Ushaw Moor Action group submitted a Playbuilder development bid to the Area Action Partnership to develop the Broompark Picnic Area and the railway path from Ushaw Moor as a family recreation/natural play area that would benefit both our own and the wider area communities. This Playbuilder bid was unsuccessful, but the concept was valued by the Area Action Partnership who have appointed Southern Green and D3-Associates to undertake a masterplan of the railway path network that runs throughout the West Durham area.

via Ushaw Moor Action Group.

COUNTY DURHAM CONCESSIONARY FARES SCHEME – SOME QUESTIONS ANSWERED

Durham County Council have prepared the following question and answer information for all bus customers in County Durham and specifically for those who have concession passes and we have agreed to publish it on their behalf.

Introduction of 50p fare for travel before 0930 on Monday to Friday (excluding Bank Holidays), starting 1st April 2011:

Frequently asked questions

via COUNTY DURHAM CONCESSIONARY FARES SCHEME – SOME QUESTIONS ANSWERED.

No saving – Deerness Leisure Centre at Ushaw Moor

PLANS to save four North-East leisure centres threatened with closure emerged yesterday – offering hope to hundreds of campaigners battling to keep them open.

Spectrum Leisure and Management Slam is in talks to operate four of the six leisure centres which Durham County Council is considering shutting to save £1.3m a year.

Slam hopes to operate centres in Ferryhill, Coxhoe, Sherburn and Pity Me as well as providing alternative facilities in Crook, where Glenholme Leisure Centre could close.

The community development trust – which already runs the thriving Spectrum Leisure Centre in Willington – ruled out Deerness Leisure Centre at Ushaw Moor, the sixth centre facing closure.

via Trust in talks to take over Ferryhill, Coxhoe, Sherburn and Pity Me leisure centres From The Northern Echo.

CHANGES TO CONCESSIONARY FARES IN COUNTY DURHAM

From Friday 1st April 2011 there will be a change in the arrangements for Concessionary pass holders in Co Durham. At the moment, Concession pass holders can travel free of charge all day, but this will change from the 1st April as journeys before 9.30am on Weekdays will now be charged at a flat fare of 50p for any journey starting in Co Durham. Journeys made on Weekends and on Bank Holidays will still be free of charge at any time.

via CHANGES TO CONCESSIONARY FARES IN COUNTY DURHAM.

Ushaw Moor – NEW Photos

New PHOTOS just added to Ushaw Moor Community Website of Ushaw Moor and Deerness Valley. Taken March 2011

Ushaw Moor Community Gallery 3

Leisure centre fight stepped up (From The Northern Echo)

CAMPAIGNERS are stepping up efforts to save six councilrun leisure centres threatened with closure.

A day of action to save Sherburn leisure centre, one of six Durham County Councilowned facilities facing closure, was held yesterday, with villagers gathering signatures to take their petition closer to its 5,000-name target.

Lib Dem county councillor Carol Woods said: “It went very well. So many people in Sherburn have already signed, so we had people take the petition to other villages such as Pittington and Shadforth.

“I have every hope that we will get to 5,000.”

Meanwhile, Labour MP Roberta Blackman-Woods held talks in Durham Town Hall with council chiefs and staff and activists from four under-threat centres in her constituency – Sherburn, Coxhoe, Ushaw Moor and Pity Me – to explore whether they could be run privately or by community groups.

via Leisure centre fight stepped up (From The Northern Echo).

Ushaw Moor Action Group Community Garden Concept Plan

Community Garden Concept Plan

The plan below is for consultation purposes only and reflects ideas from initial consultation illustrating how the garden could be used to provide:

• space to grow
• space for events and play
• space for quiet reflection
• space for wildlife
• space to learn

 

 

Ushaw Moor Action Group.

Exmoor ponies land council jobs

WATCH Video Clip of Exmoor Ponies in Durham

Exmoor ponies in Durham, England, are being brought in to help protect the ecology of a local valley.Six ponies will arrive at their new paddock beside the Deerness Valley Way Railway Path at Buttons Bank, between Stanley Crook and Waterhouses, next week.

Their job is to help preserve and protect some of the most delicate and important flora and fauna in the area.Durham County Council ecologist, Stuart Priestley, explains: “The grassland is well established and rich in wildflowers, it’s amazing to think that the entire area surrounding it was opencast in the 1970s.

via Exmoor ponies land council jobs | Horsetalk.co.nz – International horse news.

Protestors gather to stop cuts at leisure centres (From The Northern Echo)

A FIGHT to save six council-run leisure centres is spreading, with thousands of people speaking against closure proposals.

Labour-run Durham County Council, which is facing £125m of cuts over four years, has begin three months of consultation over closing leisure centres in Sherburn, Ushaw Moor, Coxhoe, Crook, Ferryhill and Pity Me, in County Durham.

A high-profile battle to save Ferryhill Leisure Centre is already under way.

Now people in Sherburn, Pity Me and Crook are joining the fight and campaign leaders hope to join forces and co-ordinate efforts.

In Sherburn, more than 2,000 people have signed a petition, 250 people attended a public meeting in Sherburn Village Workingmen’s Club, on Monday night, and 40 people staged a protest outside the centre yesterday, chanting “Save our sports centre”

via Protestors gather to stop cuts at leisure centres (From The Northern Echo).