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SHARE YOUR VIEWS WITH THE DERWENT VALLEY PARTNERSHIP!

The Derwent Valley Partnership (DVP) wants you to have your say on its community priorities for 2022 / 2023. Our ‘Priority Survey’ is now live and you are being asked about whether you have seen changes where you live, work, go to school or volunteer, and for your thoughts on which priorities the DVP should tackle and invest in during the next financial year. The DVP receives an annual budget to help tackle local priorities and issues so it is really important to us that we know where t...

RICHARD HOLDEN MP - APPRENTICESHIP FAIR 2022

DATE & TIME: Friday, 11th February 2022 - 11:00-16:00Good jobs, great training and long-term prospects for local people are at the centre of what I'm driving for when we talk about 'Levelling Up'.Following the massive success of my #JobsJobsJobsFair in September, I've decided to do an Apprenticeships Fair.  It will be taking place at Derwentside College, Consett, on Friday, 11th February 11, from 11am to 4pm.The fair will see apprenticeships on offer in a range of roles,...

DURHAM COFFEE BULLETIN - A LOOK BACK AT 2021 AND FORWARD INTO 2022

WELCOME to our first 2022 issue of the Durham Coffee Bulletin.  We would like to wish all our wonderful customers a Happy New Year!  May your 2022 be filled with happiness, success, exciting adventures and of course copious amounts of excellent speciality coffee! Before we jump into what is sure to be another amazing new year - we would like to briefly reflect on 2021.  It was certainly quite an eventful year with numerous big changes and excitin...

LIBRARY & POLICING PRECEPT CONSULTATIONS - 2022

Please find below a press release providing details of the current Library Consultation being run by DCC until Friday, 1st April 2022.  This information will also feature on our Facebook page and community website, and it will also be discussed at our March 30th DVP Board meeting. Please also find a link below to the Policing Precept 2022 consultation survey that is being run by Joy Allen, Police and Crime Commissioner until Monday, 24th January 2022. https://DurhamPCC.welcomesyourfeedback...

CHIGIRI-E (JAPANESE PAPER COLLAGE ART) WORKSHOP WITH NORIKO MATSUBARA

Join Noriko for a family friendly 1 hour Japanese paper collage art workshop (Chigiri-e) - an online event DATE & TIME: Thursday, 20th January 2022 - 19:00-20:00 (GMT) Noriko Matsubara is an artist, illustrator and children’s book author, originally from Japan and now based in Consett, County Durham.  She loves to connect children and their carers through art and books, and enrich people's lives through creative activities. Noriko's children's book series "Bocchi and Pocchi" has been publ...

FUNDING AVAILABLE FROM THE DERWENT VALLEY PARTNERSHIP'S 'FUN AND FOOD' FUND FOR FEBRUARY HALF TERM 2022!

Funding available from the Derwent Valley Partnership’s ‘Fun and Food’ Fund for February Half Term 2022 The Derwent Valley Partnership’s ‘Fun and Food’ Fund aims to support activities for children and young people during the February Half Term 2022 holidays, and provides an opportunity for groups, schools, early years settings and community organisations in the Derwent Valley area to apply for a small grant to help them deliver projects locally during this time. Applicants can apply ...

CITY OF CULTURE BID FOR 2025

It’s fantastic that County Durham is one of the eight places that are longlisted!  As highlighted, we now need to show the judges that the county and the region’s business community is backing the bid, which is due to be submitted on February 2nd next year. Securing the UK City of Culture title would bring transformational social and economic benefits to the entire region, at a time when the North East really needs investment, as we emerge from the pandemic. The impacts reported fo...

DECEMBER MEETING AT BEAMISH MUSEUM

Our last networking meeting of 2021 was held at Beamish Museum this morning and they certainly didn’t disappoint!  We had breakfast at the 1950s community welfare centre where we learned about the museum’s involvement with the 2025 Durham City of Culture bid and then we made our way along to the Masonic Hall where Matthew Henderson told us about the founder of Beamish and how a simple idea evolved into the world renowned open air museum that people know and love toda...

EDUCATIONAL DEVELOPMENT TRUST

Thank you to Elaine Murray from the Educational Development Trust for coming along to our last members meeting to tell us about the North East Ambition programme overview and the Governments Kickstart scheme.As promised we have uploaded more information about the programme below and Kickstart scheme below. Eliane has recently emailed us to say that she's been informed that Kickstart is coming to an end and all new applications must be in by the 17th of December.If anyone is interested ...

NEW WILLOW BURN CHARITY SHOP IN CONSETT MAKES RECORD-BREAKING SALES ON FIRST DAY OF TRADING!

A new charity shop in Consett has made record-breaking sales when it opened its doors for the first time on Thursday, the 14th October.Located on Victoria Road in the town centre, the shop was launched by Willow Burn Hospice to generate income to fund hospice care in Derwentside.  The new shop was officially opened by long service volunteer, Maureen Gallagher, who has volunteered for the charity for over 20 years.  Shoppers were treated to goody bags and Bucks Fizz as they joined the t...

CALENDARS MAKE GREAT GIFTS!

My 2022 calendar is selling fast and it includes six landscapes and six wildlife photos.  Just click here to order your calendar.Although you will need to book them this year, I'll be exhibiting at the following:Saturday, 4th and Sunday, 5th December - Linskill Christmas FayreI'm also now doing high end textured wallpaper murals of any of my work.Please contact me for more details. Best wishesPhil Benton, Phil Benton Photography...

THE PROACTIVE GUIDE TO R&D OPPORTUNITIES

Research and development opportunities can be lucrative for your business. If you’re a business in any sector creating new products, processes and services (or modifying existing ones), you may well qualify for funding. You’d be surprised just how much ‘everyday’ activity can qualify for R&D tax relief, particularly if your business is regularly working in the face of uncertainties.But HMRC isn’t going to come to you.In a nutshell, it’s all about knowing what HMRC are looking for, an...

THANK YOU DAVID VICKERS!

I just want to say thank you to David Vickers from Rand Rocket, who has offered to store some boxes of football gear for Liberia in his warehouse.  I boxed up 12 over the last week and will be delivering them to the warehouse by the end of this week.  (I also had a great offer from Craig of MAC Security & Fire, but David got in just before him!)I've also been promoting the appeal via Facebook and have had loads of interest from people who want to give boots, footballs and kit.  I'...

LOOK BEFORE YOU LEAP INTO LATE-LIFE WEDDED BLISS!

Marriage and remarriage in later life can have a significant impact on your financial situation and what you leave to your beneficiaries.  It can create potential for conflict over assets when one person dies, especially where multiple sets of children are involved.  Marriage or civil partnership automatically invalidates any previous wills, except in Scotland.  You can, of course, write new wills together with your spouse, but these can be changed after a partner dies leaving you...

JUSTIN CHILTON & SYNERGY

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TAKE A BREAK WITH NATHALIE!

I was looking for a book that I could use with little ones (2-5 year olds) when I had them for a storytelling session of 30 minutes or more - for a story that would get them moving.  I came across this book, ordered it and I am very glad that I did!I too am mindful that staff and pupils need breaks from their learning and work.  To this effect, I love using this book: we get to do a little yoga and still listen to French! Please remember to take those breaks if you can! I find that whe...

IT MAY BE SNOWING TODAY, BUT SUMMER IS COMING!

Well, after a week of rain I’m missing the summer already. This summer I worked on a project where I filmed across 55 North East based locations and I think when I filmed this video I experienced every weather possible. This is a video I created for the Northern Saints Trail and I just wanted to share a little glimpse of the North East I experienced.  Sitting in my office seeing the rain pour down made me long for those summer days and this video epitomises the summer for me. The Northern...

BLACK, ASIAN & MINORITY BUSINESS LEADERS INVITED TO SHARE VIEWS ON NORTH EAST BUSINESS SUPPORT

North East Local Enterprise PartnershipBlack, Asian and Minority Ethnic business owners in the North East are being invited to a consultation meeting with MP Chi Onwurah to share their views about any barriers they face when trying to access business advice.The meeting will be held on Tuesday, 30th November at 14:00-15:30 as a ‘Question Time’ style panel discussion via Zoom.Expert PanelChi Onwurah will be joined by a panel of business support experts including Yvonne Gale, CEO of N...

DIT TRADE MISSION TO IRELAND - FEBRUARY 2022

DATES: Tuesday, 8th - Thursday, 10th February 2022 VENUE: Dublin, Ireland The Department for International Trade (DIT) is delighted to invite new and inexperienced exporters from multiple sectors across the Northern Powerhouse to join our Trade Mission to Dublin, Ireland*. Ireland is a good place for UK businesses to start exporting for the first time, as business practices, laws, systems of finance and broader culture are similar to the UK. There is a long history of strong trade between the U...

PERSONALISED PICTURE BOOKS & CHRISTMAS CARDS BY NORIKOART

Would you like to treat your loved ones with special gifts this Christmas?  Picture books for little ones, art prints for art lovers, greeting cards for everyone.  You choose!  You can now buy gift cards if you can’t think of what to get! The picture books are written and illustrated by Noriko Matsubara.  As you are buying directly from Noriko, they can be personalised with a unique message of your choice such as ‘To Karen with love’ or ‘Merry Christmas Steve!’. The...

WE'RE SUPPORTING OUR LOCAL COMMUNITY

We really enjoy being active members of our local community and we were proud to sponsor another local business, Consett Ale Works, at the recent Corbridge Beer Festival.   As part of the sponsorship, we had to drink beer, enjoy some great food and listen to bands.  It’s a tough life sometimes . . .We also sponsored Consett Hiking Group (of which Brenda is a Trustee) at their recent flagship event the ‘Steel Town 20’ being a fabulous 20 mile walk around the Derwent Valley, t...

CALLING ALL YOU KNITTERS AND CROCHET MAGICIANS!

Perrera Dogs UK are asking for help in making some puppy jumpers.  Winters in Romania typically reach -3 to -15 and puppies often struggle, even in a shelter.If you're local, I can pretty much guarantee I can gather up some wool for you to use, or Poundland stock it. Free patterns by clicking here, can you help please? Joanne Rowland...

NEW PREMISES FOR HEAD TO TOE AESTHETICS

I have some great news to share, I have moved to my very own premises on Durham Road in Blackhill.  We have renovated the old premier shop into an amazing clinic for my business.  Our first day of opening was Monday 1st November and we will be having an open day for people to visit at the end of November hopefully!  It would be great if you could help me spread the word.  My business is Head To Toe Aesthetics.For a full list of services, please click here. Katie Lishman...

WINTER AT LAND OF OAK & IRON

This winter, discover the history and heritage of the Land of Oak & Iron at the Heritage Centre, situated in the beautiful lower Derwent Valley.  Along with access to stunning walks and cycle tracks right on our doorstep, you can take part in events and treat yourself in our lovely café shrub & shop.We have lots of events happening throughout the year, including guided bird and nature walks, creative workshops, art exhibitions, local artist and maker events, music and pizza evenings, book ...

NORIKO ART - ARIGATO CARTOON

Japanese best-selling author Ken Honda, who is also called “Zen Millionaire,” talks about the importance of “gratitude.”  I’ve been following him for a while and recently joined in his online community.Ken gave us a challenge called “Say Arigato 100 times every day” in our community.  “Arigato” is a Japanese word for “Thank you.”  I told my children about this challenge and they were excited to take on this challenge.It’s been a couple of months since we to...