Council Papers for 15th November Uploaded

Council will be considering whether or not to become the custodian of Annfield Plain War Memorial, what a brand new war memorial for the whole of Stanley could look like, whether or not to provide a community defibrillator for the town and looking at budgets for next year at Tuesday’s meeting. We will also be considering a request for funding for a charity swimathon being organised at Stanley baths by the Rotary Club of Derwentside, the new ALDI proposal and proposed changes to Dog Control Orders across the County.

The public are both welcomed and encouraged to come and participate in our meetings, this meeting will be held at the Stanley Education Centre (next to Shield Row School) at 6.30 pm on Tuesday 15th November. The hot chocolate from the free vending machine at Shield Row is recommended so we hope to see you there!

The papers are attached below:

Agenda

Background Documents

Remembrance Events in Stanley, November 2016

Details of the Remembrance Events being held this Sunday around Stanley:

 Annfield Plain

1.45 Tesco Car Park march to Annfield Plain Methodist Church
2pm Service at Annfield Plain Methodist Church.
2.30pm March from Church to Memorial in Park
2.45 approx Wreath laying in Park at Memorial

Also in Annfield Plain, ceremonies are held at the Memorial in the Avenue, Greencroft, at 11 am and at the Loud Bank Memorial, also at 11 am.

South Moor

10.45 Memorial Park

Craghead

10.45 at the War Memorial

Stanley

9.45 Service at St Andrews Church
10.45 at the Memorial in St Andrews Church

Tanfield

9.00am for service at St Margaret’s Church with wreath-laying.

Civic Hall, Stanley, Friday 11th November, 11am

In addition to the events at the weekend, the Town Council will be holding a wreath laying event  on Friday 11th November at the Civic Hall. All residents are invited to join us for 2 minutes silence.

Centenary of the Battle of the Somme: 1st July 2016

The 1st July marks the centenary of the start of the Battle of the Somme, also known as the Somme Offensive,The battle was fought by the armies of the British and French empires against the German Empire. It took place between 1 July and 18 November 1916 on both sides of upper reaches of the River Somme in France. It was the largest battle of the First World War on the Western Front; more than one million men were wounded or killed, making it one of the bloodiest battles in human history.

The Durham Light Infantry had two battalions in action on the first day of the Somme, the 18th (31st Division) opposite Serre and the 15th (21st Division) north of Fricourt. The 15th battalion, aided by its Division artillery’s used of a rolling barrage, captured the German front line trenches and pressed on, until by the afternoon the battalion advanced an additional 600 yards to the edge of Shelter Wood, beating off a counterattack until relieved that night. Casualties amounted to 440 officers and other ranks.

The planned advance of D company of the 18th battalion that morning was overlooked by German forces in the ruins of Serre and together with the other assaulting troops of the first wave suffered grievous losses and gained no ground. The retaliatory German shelling virtually destroyed the front line and communication trenches and the remaining companies of the 18th and other battalions were ordered to prepare a defence in case of counterattack.

They remained in these shattered trenches, attempting to repair them and rescuing the wounded from no-mans land, under at times intense bombardment, until relieved during the night of 4 July. When reassembled the battalion had 14 officers and 357 men, having lost 58% of its strength killed and wounded.

An exhibition commemorating the centenary of the Battle of the Somme and the DLI’s role in it is running at Durham University’s Palace Green Library: Somme 1916: from Durham to the Western Front, open now until 2 October 2016 https://www.dur.ac.uk/palace.green/somme/

More information about the DLI’s role at the Somme can be found on the Durham Record Office’s website: http://www.durhamrecordoffice.org.uk/…/BattleoftheSomme.aspx

Stanley Fringe – Remembrance for the Burns Pit Disaster 16th February 2016

What is Stanley Fringe? It’s difficult to neatly categorise it. They have published no list of objectives.  They have no charitable aims.  The group is a loose collective of artists in the broadest sense from this area. It isn’t a historical society, but one of the only clear goals of the group is to remember the anniversary of the Burns pit disaster. It isn’t a political group but their work reflects the politics of the early Labour movement, Their event on 16th February is called ‘Remembrance, Rebellion and Revolt’. Without having yet attended the event I get the feeling that the Stanley Fringe will be settling scores on behalf of the men who died in 1909.  Their first event last summer was branded as an ‘alternative afternoon of music and poetry’ but the music and poetry presented was steeped in the traditions of the north east. There is a certain nostalgia for old Stanley about the group but it isn’t sentimentality. Rather, their work speaks about the continued warmth and optimism of the people of this town despite all the injustices that they have endured. Pit disasters, wars, the end of the coal industry and the pedestrianisation of the Front Street. The Stanley Fringe and Stanley Town Council will be leading the remembrance for the men of the West Stanley Disaster at the memorial by North Durham Academy at 3.45 on 16th February, the 107th Anniversary of the event.

At 7pm come along to the Beamish Mary, join the group for a pint, song and poetry and settle some scores with the pit owners who sent those men down unsafe pits.

Visit the Stanley Fringe group on Facebook for more information or to get involved

Remembrance Events this Weekend

Details of the Remembrance Events being held this Sunday around Stanley:

Annfield Plain

1.45 Tesco Car Park march to St Teresa’s church
2pm Service at St Teresa’s.
2.30pm March from Church to Memorial in Park
2.45 approx Wreath laying in Park at Memorial

Kyo Laws Methodist Church

10.30 ServiceShield Row Lane, Stanley. Co. Durham DH9 7SP

South Moor

10.45 Memorial Park

Craghead

10.40 at the War Memorial

Stanley

10.15 Service at St Andrews Church
10.45 at the Memorial in St Andrews Church

Tanfield

9.45am for service at St Margaret’s Church with wreath-laying.

In addition to the events at the weekend, the Town Council will be holding a wreath laying event  on Wednesday 11th November at the Civic Hall. All residents are invited to join us for 2 minutes silence.