Leisure centre talks “a shambles”

CAMPAIGNERS hoping to save struggling leisure centres from closure have vowed to fight on, despite council chiefs raising serious concerns over all but one of their takeover bids.

Community leaders trying to rescue leisure centres in Sherburn, Coxhoe, Pity Me, Ferryhill and Crook have until 10am on Tuesday to convince Durham County Council bosses that their business plans are water tight, or face them recommending closure.

Leisure chiefs raised concerns over their business plans in letters sent on Thursday night.

Only a Deerness Gymnastics Club-led bid to turn Deerness leisure centre, in Ushaw Moor, into a world-class gymnastics academy went unquestioned.

Last night, campaigners were scrambling to reassure council bosses before Tuesday’s deadline.

Stuart Walton, who is fighting to save Sherburn’s centre, said: “I am gobsmacked. It’s a shambles.

But we shall overcome.”

via Leisure centre talks “a shambles” (From The Advertiser Series).

Deerness Valley Football Club

Deerness Valley Football Club was established in 2003. We currently have 18 teams ranging in age from U7 to U18.

All Club Coaches and Managers are qualified to at least F.A. Level 1 with 2 Coaches holding F.A. Level 2 qualifications

All Club officials and volunteers have completed F.A.Safeguarding Workshops, have First Aid certificates and CRB checks

via Deerness Valley Football Club.

Press Release-Train with Sure Start

Train with Sure Start

Published June 16, 2011.

Places are available for the following training courses at Brandon and Ushaw Moor Sure Start Children’s Centres:

Ushaw Moor Sure Start Children’s Centre

Food Hygiene

Wednesday 13 and 20 July

9.00am until 12.30pm

via Press Release-Durham County Council.

Marsden’s match against Ushaw Moor – Cricket

THE region’s club cricket programme was ravaged by the rain on Saturday with not a single league managing to avoid significant disruption.

In the Dukes NEPL only three games started, and even then it was only for a short time, with the match at Tynemouth easily the longest with 34 overs of play. Visitors Hetton Lyons made 104-2 in that time, recovering from 23-2 through an unbroken third wicket stand of 81 between Shaun Birbeck 40no and Paul Riddle 37no .

Stockton were in a bit of trouble at Sunderland, being 43-3 after 14 overs, with Chris Rushworth 2-25 and Kieran Waterson 1-17 causing problems, while at Jesmond Newcastle had reached 49-0 after nine overs against South Shields. Michael Richardson was looking set to tee off yet again, but at least his unbeaten 23 made him easily the first man to reach the 500 league runs milestone for the season. But for OPENer Nick Corby it was a less pleasant experience after he had to retire hurt after taking a painful crack in the ribs.

The Warmseal Durham Senior League was virtually wiped out, the match at Norton, where Horden were the visitors, the only one to start, the home side reaching 53-1 in 16 overs, with John Watson 36 not out. And it was a similar story in the 3D Durham Coast League with Bill Quay and Easington 30-0 making the one forlorn effort to defy the weather.

The Readers Durham County League fared no better, Marsden’s match against Ushaw Moor the only one to see the murky light of day with the home side 38-2 before they, too, surrendered to the elements.

via Leagues are left ravaged by rain – Cricket – Sport – JournalLive.

Trio make good use of leaders’ week off – Cricket – Sport – JournalLive

WITH Durham County League leaders Brandon sitting the afternoon out, the chance was there for several of the chasing pack to make up some ground, and the main three contenders took full advantage with Esh Winning, Evenwood and Willington all recording convincing victories.

Yasim Murtaza was Esh’s all-round star once more, picking up 4-42 as Ushaw Moor were contained to 203-8, and then cracking a half-century in the victorious run chase as the second-placed side wrapped up a seven-wicket win.

Jon Hodgson (3-28) and Chris Moore (81no) were willing accomplices to Murtaza as Moor were mugged.

It was also a case of the overseas man dominating at Evenwood as Sri Lankan Chandra Kamara featured with bat and ball. Mainsforth were his victims but at least John Sweeney had some fun for the losers as he lofted two sixes and hit eight fours in a belligerent half-century.

Kamara kept on top of things with 3-35 in 12 overs, and set 171 to win he then joined with Ryan Nicholson (47) in a second-wicket stand of substance before seeing the job through with an unbeaten 60.

Shildon put up a decent enough show at Willington as Matthew Brown (49) helped them to 179 despite five wickets for Calvin Stephenson and three for Gary Cummings.

But then Neil Pratt smashed an unbeaten 114 as the home team raced to an eight-wicket win, Pratt’s ton coming from just 81 balls and including 22 fours and three sixes.

via Trio make good use of leaders’ week off – Cricket – Sport – JournalLive.

Ushaw made 203-8 with 68 from Mike Hayton

With leaders Brandon sitting the afternoon out, the chance was there for several of the chasing pack to make up some ground, and three contenders took full advantage with Esh Winning, Evenwood and Willington all recording convincing victories.

Esh Winning could not have been more impressive as they moved 20 points closer to the leaders with their sixth win in eight games.

They’re still 27 points behind Brandon, who have won eight out of eight, but they’re ready to move closer if the opportunity arises having consolidated their second position in the table with a convincing seven wicket victory over Ushaw Moor.

Once again Yasim Murtaza was Esh’s all-round star performer, picking up four wickets and then cracking 55 in a splendid run chase.

Ushaw made 203-8 with 68 from Mike Hayton and Barry Messer contributing 45.

via Esh make ground on the leaders (From Darlington and Stockton Times).

County Durham Leagues – Cricket – Sport – JournalLive

With Brandon sitting out today’s latest round of Readers Durham County League fixtures, the chance is there for the chasing pack to close the yawning 47-point gap which has been opened up by the runaway league leaders.

Nearest challengers Esh Winning should pick up full points as they take on bottom club Ushaw Moor who have lost every match so far. Esh show just the one change for the trip, the unavailable Stuart Hall being replaced by Jon Hodgson.

via County Durham Leagues – Cricket – Sport – JournalLive.

Nine more bids submitted to take over leisure centres (From The Northern Echo)

NINE more bids have been submitted to take over the running of six closure-threatened leisure centres.

Officials at Durham County Council said a detailed study would now be carried out on the strength of the 19 bids before any decision was made on the future of the centres.

The council, which is facing severe cuts in its Government grant, is considering closing centres at Ferryhill, Coxhoe, Sherburn, Pity Me, Ushaw Moor and Crook to save £1.3m a year.

The threat of closure provoked an outcry among users during a three-month consultation.

Several businesses and community groups have since drawn up plans to take over running the centres.

via Nine more bids submitted to take over leisure centres (From The Northern Echo).

Volunteers to run Deerness Leisure Centre if the axe falls – Today’s News – News – JournalLive

MORE than 100 parents of young gymnasts from an internationally renowned club have volunteered to keep it open if council bosses decide to wield the axe.

Representatives from Deerness Gymnastic Club, which train at Ushaw Moor, near Durham City, handed a 4,000 signature petition to Durham County Council chairman Dennis Morgan yesterday urging civic bosses not to close the sports centre where they train.

But one of the coaches, Glen Wharton, said 120 volunteers had offered to help keep it open if councillors did decide they could no longer afford to run it.

“We have parents in all sorts of trades, electricians, landscapers, joiners. They have all offered to work for nothing to ensure the club survives,” he said.

“We have a thriving club with regional, national, international, European and world champions.

“The parents and supporters are determined it will not close. If we have to we will be prepared to take over the sports centre ourselves.”

Local county councillor John Wilkinson said the uncertainty over the club’s future had already cost them a visit from top East European gymnasts.

“They were due to visit this October but called the visit off. This means the county has lost revenue from hotel bookings and the like,” he said. “What I would not like to see would be for the county to sell the sports centre to a private company which is simply in business to make a profit.

“If the council is unwilling to keep it open themselves they should at least allow the gymnastics club the chance to do so.”

Ushaw Moor Sports Centre is one of six which Durham County Council has threatened to close in order to make savings of £1.2m a year. The others are at Coxhoe, Crook, Ferryhill, Pity Me and Sherburn.

This week community groups from Sherburn and Pity Me handed in initial business plans which they hope will be accepted by the council to allow leisure centres to be run by the community.

County Councillor Mark Wilkes, who supports a steering group trying to keep Abbey Leisure Centre in Pity Me open, said: “This is a fantastic opportunity for Abbey Leisure Centre to be run by the community, for the community, building on the successes of the past to make the Abbey an inspirational centre. I am particularly keen to support proposals for enhanced facilities for young people and the disabled. It is also clear that this and other proposals being put forward illustrate there is a future for the Centre. It does not need to close and I hope Durham County Council will recognise the enormous potential a community-run facility can offer.”

The council’s neighbourhood services Terry Collins said: “We have had expressions of interest from a number of parties, including businesses and community groups and asked them to submit initial business plans by June 10.”

via Volunteers to run Deerness Leisure Centre if the axe falls – Today’s News – News – JournalLive.

Fighting for their leisure (From The Northern Echo)

Deerness Gymnastics Club wants to help create a world-class gymnastics academy at Deerness Leisure Centre, in Ushaw Moor.

There are also community-led campaigns to save the Crook, Coxhoe and Pity Me centres.

Sherburn, meanwhile, is the subject of two community proposals – one promising more facilities than the other.

The Pity Me and Deerness proposals were handed in to County Hall yesterday, while the two Sherburn plans were submitted on Wednesday.

via Fighting for their leisure (From The Northern Echo).