Rally car in Bishop Auckland’s Market Place sets off for Hamsterley

The rally is a classic forest special stage car rally in which competitors cross the start line in one minute intervals. The course comprises gravel roads set in the forest, with the winner simply the quickest crew. Reliability is key to success over the demanding course, and works in Shildon were established to service the cars.

Cars included historic rally Escorts from the RAC Rally Championship and more modern World Rally Championship cars including Mitsubishi’s and Ford’s. Local competitors included Stephen Petch, hoping to do well with a recently acquired ex Jari Matti Latvala Ford Focus WRC, whilst other competitors had traveled hundreds of miles to be at the event.

The Market Place also played host to a vintage bus and classic Rover P6 that have both appeared in ITV dramas. A pristine collection of classic Jaguar cars was also on display.

It is the second large event that the Market Place has hosted this month, following the two-day Food Festival held on the previous weekend.

“Although it’s a cold day, the atmosphere is absolutely electric,” explained Beryl Anderson from Durham County Council’s events team. “Everybody’s really enjoying it. The chequered flags of the grand prix are flowing.”

It is hoped the event will have encouraged visitors into the town with a boost to the local economy.

The lambing season has been severely affected, with sheep aborting or slipping lambs and sheep being in such poor condition that they do not have sufficient milk to feed their young.

Farmers are now so behind with their day to day tasks due to the amount of time they are having to focus on caring for young lambs and sheep, that they are now in crisis. Although Defra has recently announced support for the removal of dead animals, there are more basic problems which must be addressed such as the backlog of general farming tasks and emotional support needed during this very difficult time.

County Durham Community Foundation is matching a donation of £4,000 made by Prince Charles’ Countryside Fund to provide some initial funding to pay for a pool of qualified, insured and local farm workers who can give immediate support to those in need. However, we are also appealing for further donations to increase support to these farming communities that need help NOW.

You can show your support by sending a cheque made payable to County Durham Community Foundation, referencing FCCA on the reverse. You can also visit www.justgiving.com/FCCA to donate through our Just Giving page. Alternatively, you can text FCCA99 with the amount £1, £2, £3, £4, £5 or £10 to 70070. If you need any more information on the Farming Community Crisis Appeal or how you can donate you can visit the CDCF website.

An annual event packed with local food, demonstrations and celebrity chefs has opened in the centre of Bishop Auckland.

This cheese platter won “Best Cheese Platter in Show”

For the first time Bishop Auckland Food Festival takes place over two days in the Market Place, recently re-opened Auckland Castle and the Newgate Centre.

The Festival has food and craft stalls from Durham, Cumbria and further afield along with local breweries where visitors can sample some of their produce.

Another addition to the food festival is a pop-up restaurant with Oldfields Noted Eating House and Empty Shop. Located in the town, the restaurant served tapas-style dishes with seasonal produce.

The first Beer and Wine Festival was held at Bishop Auckland Cricket Club. Sixty hand-pulled ales from local breweries have been on offer alongside a range of wines.

Arts and crafts have also taken part in the festival. “It’s fantastic to see the market place buzzing and full of craft, food stalls and visitors”, said Eric Thompson, resident artist at Bondgate Gallery.

Cookery demonstrations have always been popular at the food festival, and this year the programme boasts John Whaite, winner of the Great British Bake Off 2012, Dean Edwards and ex-Corrie star Sean Wilson. On Sunday the Fabulous Baker Brothers return to the weekend with some of their favourite recipes gathered on a tour of Britain.

Application forms are still available for the sixth annual Youth Awards competition, which is organised by Bishop Auckland Town Council. The competition is open to established groups in the town.

Organisations are invited to apply for up to £1,500 to fund a project which will enhance the experience, creativity or skills of young people and create a lasting benefit. The Bishop Auckland Theatre Hooligans are one group which has been awarded funding previously.

“We have in the past sponsored clubs which are football and rugby – various activities and sporting sides,” explained Cllr Laurie. “We have also given to the scouts, cubs and to youth groups which simply give children different activities to do after school.”

Listen: Cllr Barbara Laurie explains the purpose of the awards

Up to three awards will be given at an award ceremony to be held at the Town Hall. Presentations will be given by previous winners, which is one of the conditions of the award. The public will also be invited to the ceremony.

To qualify for an award details of the project need to be submitted by two adults from an established organisation for young people of any age between give and twenty. The application also needs to be fully costed.

Forms are available from the Town Council’s website or the Town Clerk’s office at the Four Clocks. Applications must be returned to the Town Clerk’s office no later than Tuesday, 16th April. The applications will be assessed anonymously.

Clive and Linda from Bishop Auckland Town Team with Eric from Beales

The Town Team in Bishop Auckland has raised over £10,000 towards the £20,000 required for the new decorations. A grant has also been received from The Sir James Knott Trust.

The team are aiming to raise the remaining £10,000 before autumn so that an order can be placed in readiness for this Christmas.

This weekend a Name the Bear competition was held in the Newgate Centre, and china mugs and fridge magnets are also being sold to raise funds.

The Town Team was established in order to apply for funding as a Portas Pilot, but has since organised events and other initiatives in the town.

Zurbaran paintings hang in Auckland Castle

More than 250 people visited Auckland Castle on Monday, 1st April. New art works and exhibitions have been added for this year, as well as a new gift shop which features local craftspeople and artists. Visitors are also able to stop for lunches and teas with local caterers Love Food.

The Zurbaran paintings, which last year were at the centre of a campaign to retain them in Bishop Auckland, are also on display in the refurbished Long Dining Room.

The castle and its grounds will host Bishop Auckland Food Festival again this month. New events will include a costumed storytelling day, regular evensong in the Chapel feature local choirs, a Spanish-themed dinner in the Zurbaran room, and many more. Guided tours with experts are also being offered.

Visitors in the Throne Room

Ownership of the castle and its famous 17th Century paintings was transferred to Auckland Castle Trust last summer. The future of the castle has caught the attention of local people, Prince Charles and featured in many newspapers.

The castle is open from 11am to 4pm on Sundays and Mondays during April, and then every day except Tuesday from May. Admission is £8 for adults, £6 for concessions and £4 for children over 12. A family ticket (2 adults and 2 children) is offered for £20.

Auckland Castle Trust are also seeking volunteers to join the project.

See more photos of Auckland Castle. Follow @aucklandcastle on Twitter.

This years entries are based on the theme of the holly and the ivy, which links with the town’s Christmas tree lighting ceremony. The switch-on ceremony takes place on Friday, 30th November, with the closing date for shop window entries on 7th December.

The competition is being run by Bishop Auckland Town Team, with support of the town council. So far the team has received 20 entries, and would like to encourage other shops to take part.

The winning entrant will receive a quality hamper and a trophy. The competition will be judged by Charlie Kay, Bishop Auckland mayor, and the Rt. Revd. Justin Welby, the Bishop of Durham.

Entry forms can be collected from The Four Clocks Centre on Newgate Street, or at www.bishopaucklandtowncouncil.co.uk.

The ride will take in South Australia, Russia and western Europe

The first leg of the ride in Australia will take in Rockhampton, Adelaide, Melbourne and Sydney before finishing back in Brisbane. The motorbikes will then be transported to Vladivostok in Russia. The ride will continue overland across Russia and eastern and western Europe, before completing in Bishop Auckland.

The Ride to Remember aims to raise money for Alzheimer’s research in Australia and the UK, and to make more people aware of the disease.

Listen: Paul talks about the Ride to Remember

“My mother was born in 1933 Bishop Auckland, the heart of coal mining country in the English northeast and sadly passed away in a Nursing home that included Alzheimer’s and Dementia sufferers on the Sunshine Coast Australia on the 19th May 2012,” explains Paul Brown, who will be making the journey.

“My mother would often call for her mother, telling me she needed to go home ‘I want to go home back to Bishop Auckland’ she repeated over and over calling out for her mum. She last saw her mother in 1963 before immigrating and in 1968 mourned her passing, unable to attend the funeral back in the UK. It is my determination to return my mother to Bishop Auckland, to lay her ashes next to that of her mother’s in a tiny cemetery in the grounds of St James Church, Coundon.”

Donations can be made via the website for the ride, and will go direct to the charities. Potential sponsors can also find contact details on the website.

The courses are “an ideal way to learn a new skill, discover a new hobby or improve confidence and self-esteem,” according to the PCP, based in Newton Aycliffe.

“Plus it’s a great start in longer-term learning opportunities or employment.”

Ann Foster has attended a number of PCP’s learning courses and has surprised herself at what she’s achieved. It was a daunting experience for Ann starting a course with low self esteem, but she decided to give it a go.

“I had overcome major health problems, lost my job and wanted to start to rebuild my life and self confidence. I did an employability course last year and straight away I felt relaxed, the Pioneering Care Centre is such a lovely place and the people were very friendly.

“I have now done a number of courses and not only have I discovered I’m a quick learner and can achieve, I have made some really good friends who I now socialise with.”

The new courses include:

Indian Cookery from Friday 2 November, 12.30 – 3.30pm for 7 weeks.
Cost: £44 or free if you receive JSA or some other benefits.

Floral Designs for Christmas from Wednesday 14 November, 6 – 8pm for 5 weeks.
Cost:£23

Food Safety Level 2 one day course on Wednesday 28 November from 8.30am – 4.30pm.
Cost: £16 or free to JSA or ESA claimants.

Emergency First Aid one day course on Wednesday 12 December from 8.30am – 4.30pm.
Cost: £16 or free to JSA or ESA claimants.

Enquiries on any courses can be made by telephone on 01325 321234, or email enquiries@pcp.uk.net. All courses run subject to sufficient demand and it is recommended that places are booked as soon as possible.

Ebac are one of 25 North East firms to receive funding. Photo: Ebac

Ebac will develop washing machines in the £7m venture, which will see manufacturing of the units reintroduced in the UK. Currently 4 million washing are imported into the UK every year.

“This exciting new venture is a huge boost to manufacturing in the North East of England, because it opens up new a market for us, creating jobs and making County Durham home to the UK’s only washing machine manufacturing facility,” said Managing Director Pamela Petty on the company’s blog.

The Newton Aycliffe company says the new facility will be based in County Durham, where it has been based since the 1970′s.

“During my 50 years in manufacturing, the trend has been for jobs to be lost in the North East. It is great to have this chance to bring sustainable jobs for County Durham people,” said John Elliott, Ebac’s founder.

Funding has been awarded to 25 businesses in the North East.