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Local charity supporting prisoners’ families holds Spring Fair to help raise funds
16 February 2016
Local charity supporting prisoners’ families holds Spring Fair to help raise funds
A local charity which supports families of prisoners is holding a Spring Fair on Saturday 19 March 2016, from 10am – 12.30pm at the Town Hall, Market Place, Durham City.
The fair will give local people the chance to find out more about Nepacs’ work in the north east and help raise funds to support their work with children and families.
Nepacs is a long standing charity which works across the north east region to help support a positive future for prisoners and their families. Staff and volunteers from Nepacs provide a number of services to support friends and families of prisoners, in seven prison and young offender establishments across the north east and within the community, including prison visitors’ centres, play areas, youth projects, family support work and within the Teesside and Durham courts.
There will be a range of stalls selling:
- Cakes
- Plants
- Books and DVDs.
There will also be a raffle and tombola, giving those that attend a chance to win one of the many prizes that have been donated.
Everyone is welcome. Entrance is £1 and includes tea/coffee, biscuits or a hot cross bun!
All proceeds will go towards Nepacs work in helping families and friends of prisoners in the north east.
For more information about Nepacs please visit our website www.nepacs.co.uk or follow us on Twitter and Facebook (@nepacsinfo).
Appeal to help little Alana – A FUNDRAISING event to buy an adapted car seat
A FUNDRAISING event to buy an adapted car seat and pushchair for a sick youngster will be held this weekend (Sunday, December 13).
Alana Beth Dixon, who celebrates her first birthday tomorrow (Thursday, December 10), has a string of medical problems, which means her development has been delayed and she must be fed through a syringe.
Her mother, Claire Dixon, of Ushaw Moor, near Durham City, had a normal pregnancy but at birth it was noticed Alana Beth had a protruding tongue.
The new-born became severely jaundiced and medics finally diagnosed a hole in her heart.
Source: Appeal to help little Alana
New chapter for village school, as builder supports outdoor reading area (From The Northern Echo)
Lisa Merritt, a Taylor Wimpey sales executive, presents £500 to Silver Tree Primary School, with deputy head teacher Tammy Allen, chair of governors Jimmy Jamieson, vice chair Pauline Gates, parent governor Fay Richardson and pupils
A SCHOOL is to get a new outdoor reading area thanks to a housebuilder.
Silver Tree Primary School, in Ushaw Moor, near Durham will use a £500 donation from Taylor Wimpey to pay for seats and landscaping for the Silver Trees quiet reading space.
Head teacher John Trueman said: “We currently don’t have an area outside for our pupils to relax or read books and we hope our Silver Trees project will offer a different setting during lunch and play times at the school.
“Taylor Wimpey’s donation has helped massively with the project and all of the students and staff at Silver Tree are extremely grateful for the support.”
The area will feature sculptures previously installed in the centre of the village.
Taylor Wimpey has been building a 167-home new estate, Middlewood Moor, in Ushaw Moor, north of Ladysmith Terrace. It has also supported Durham Federation FC.
Karl Morton, sales and marketing director at Taylor Wimpey North East, said: “Our Middlewood Moor development is located in the heart of Ushaw Moor, so we’re aware of the vital role the school plays in the local community.
“We’re absolutely delighted to help Silver Tree install this creative space for their pupils and hope everybody enjoys using it.”
A SCHOOL is to get a new outdoor reading area thanks to a housebuilder.
Source: New chapter for village school, as builder supports outdoor reading area (From The Northern Echo)
Durham Coach Wins National Award from British Gymnastics | Bdaily Business News
A gymnastics coach from County Durham has been named as the National Coach of the Year by British Gymnastics this week at the 6th British Gymnastics National Awards ceremony.
The award for ‘Outstanding Coach of the Year” was awarded to Stuart Thompson, of Deerness Gymnastics Academy. This award recognises an individual from the British Gymnastics High Performance programmes who has produced outstanding International results through their athletes during 2014.
The British Gymnastics National Awards celebrated the achievements of some the most inspirational people in the gymnastics community at Manchester Cathedral in a glittering award ceremony where gymnasts and coaches from across the country, from Olympic medal winners to grassroots volunteers, gathered to see who had been crowned the best in the sport this year.
Stuart Thompson, 40, from Durham is a high performance coach in acrobatic gymnastics and last year returned from the world age group championships with all of his eight gymnasts winning Gold. He has previously coached senior world champions and world games silver medallists.
“It’s a real honour to receive this award,” said Stuart Thompson. “As there are so many dedicated coaches involved in gymnastics working tirelessly to develop and mentor their gymnast’s right across the country.
“I am very fortunate to be able to have a career in a sport that I love and I also have to thank my colleagues at Deerness Gymnastics Academy, the gymnasts and their parents for all of their hard work and commitment too. Without that the club wouldn’t gain the success that it does on a national and international stage.”
Following success as a gymnast in his own right, winning a bronze medal at the World Games in a men’s four in acrobatic gymnastics he turned to coaching in 1998 at what has now become Deerness Gymnastics Academy. Over the past 17 years Stuart has coached many British, European and World Champions at the club in Ushaw Moor, County Durham. He is also the coach and choreographer for Acropolis, the entertainment group that won Lets Gets Gold on ITV1 in 2012.
From outstanding elite gymnasts proudly taking medals on the world stage to the passionate workforce and volunteers dedicated to delivering the sport, the national awards ceremony was a fantastic celebration of gymnastics.
“Stuart has been involved in acrobatic gymnastics since he was a teenager, first as a international gymnast and then dedicating himself to becoming one of the top coaches in the country,” said Karl Wharton, director of Deerness Gymnastics Academy.
“It takes a lot of time, dedication and commitment to become a high performance coach and then to go on and win multiple medals on the world stage is no mean feat. The whole club is very proud of Stuart and I hope this award will inspire many of our gymnasts and young coaches to stay in the sport and together we hope the club will go on to be even more successful in the future.”
Over the past few years Deerness Gymnastics Academy has gone from strength to strength. Attracting gymnasts from right across the region, the club located in Ushaw Moor, County Durham provides many young people throughout Durham and the north east with the opportunity to improve their health and physical development, promote social and emotional skills as well as boost their confidence.
As a volunteer-led club, it has responsibility not only for coaching, training and the development of gymnasts, but also the training facility itself, Deerness Gymnastics Academy has maintained its status as one of the most successful clubs in Great Britain and continues to be recognised on the international scene as one of the top clubs in the world, with over 100 international gymnasts with more than eighty World and European medallists, including 15 World and European Champions in its roll of honour.
Gymnastics coaching in acrobatics, tumbling and trampolining is available to all ages from novice to elite level. Recreational classes are available for children from 3 years and Baby gym sessions take place on weekdays..
To find out more call: 0191 373 9413, email: contact@deernessgymnastics.org.uk or visit www.deernessgymnastics.org.uk follow on twitter @deernessga or find on Facebook
Source: Durham Coach Wins National Award from British Gymnastics | Bdaily Business News
Ushaw Moor & Broompark Community Newsletter / Summer 2015
Download the NEW Ushaw Moor Community Newsletter, News and events from Ushaw Moor and Broompark.
Gymnasts vie for national honours – Sunderland Echo
Sixteen gymnasts from Deerness Gymnastics Academy are off to the British Championships tomorrow.
Five gymnasts from the club in Ushaw Moor, Durham, are already reigning British Champions, while nine of the remaining 11 gymnasts are entering the championships for the first time.
Senior women’s pair Chelsea Fisher and Abbi Greaves will compete as senior competitors for the first time after moving up from the age group category following their gold medal success at the World Championships in 2014. They are the reigning British Champions;
In the 12-18 women’s group, Caitlin Owston, Amelia Palmer and Bethany MacDougall are competing together for the first time.
Also new to the competion are the 12-18 Women’s Pair Vicky Gargan and Drew Armstrong.
In the 12-18 Men’s Group Nathan Brady, Michael Gill and Finn Gavin were gold medallists in the world championships last year and are current British Champions, but this is a new line-up, with Ryan Dury joining them.
Gymnastic gem gearing up for two big competitions – Northumberland Gazette
A talented gymnast from Felton is relishing the prospect of competing at two major events, which will pit him against national and international acrobats.
Finn Gavin will be heading to the British Championships in Liverpool this weekend, before representing Great Britain in the Acrobatic European Championships in Germany in September.
The 13-year-old, who trains at Durham’s Deerness Gymnastics Academy, will be competing in the 12-18 age group for men’s four.
His team will consist of fellow Deerness members Michael Gill, 17, from Ponteland, Nathan Brady, 17, from Durham, and Ryan Dury, 18, of Teesside, for both events.
Last year, Gavin, Gill and Brady won both the British Championship and Word Championship in the 11-16 age group. Dury is a new team member.
Finn says he is looking forward to the challenges of both events.
via Gymnastic gem gearing up for two big competitions – Northumberland Gazette.
Ushaw Moor Community Newsletter / 6th June – July 2015
Download the NEW Ushaw Moor Community Newsletter, News and events from Ushaw Moor and Broompark.
Ushaw Moor and Broompark Community Newsletter – June-July 2015
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Broompark Play area Officialy Opened (From Durham Times)
A CHILDREN’S play area in north Durham has been officially opened following a lengthy campaign by residents.
Brandon and Byshottles Parish Council recently completed the refurbishment of the £45,000 Broompark Play Area, on Broom Lane, near Durham City.
Parish council clerk Susan Carmedy said: “The same play site came up as a community concern and request for refurbishment in 2011 when several young people and residents sent a petition to the local MP Roberta Blackman-Woods.
“This was then looked at by Durham County Council’s outdoor sport and leisure department alongside the area action partnership, however further community consultation led to the play site next to Deerness Gymnastics Academy being refurbished.
“A lack of toddler play was again brought to the attention of the parish councillors and the county councillors for the area during the elections in 2013 and as the county council would not take this forward the parish council decided to take the lead.”
The proposed project went on to win £5,000 at the subsequent Village Vote event in November 2013.
Further funding was found from Durham County Councillors David Bell, Jean Chaplow and Anne Bonner, Mid Durham Area Action partnership and from Section 106 money secured from Gleeson Homes as part of their Ushaw Moor housing development at the former infant school site.
The play area is owned by Durham County Council, but the parish council has secured a 25 year lease.
It will be jointly managed by both authorities with the county cutting the grass and the parish maintaining the equipment.
Children from the St Joseph’s and Silver Trees Primary Schools were consulted on the choice of the final design.
Equipment caters for toddlers up to 11 years old and there are also four pieces of adult outdoor fitness equipment on the site.
Andy Coulthard, coordinator for Mid-Durham Area Action Partnership, said: “This project is real example what people power can achieve.
“Local children and their families have campaigned over many years for new play facilities in this part of the village.
“The refurbishment of the play area has been jointly funded and includes contributions from local county councillors and the AAP.
“We’re delighted to be able to support this project, in partnership with the local parish council.
“The new play area, which features new play and fitness equipment, is already proving popular with families.”
via Play area opened following public campaign (From Durham Times).
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