Blooming Good Fun Awards 2019

Last night (21st October) Stanley Town Council hosted the 2019 Blooming Good Fun awards, a gala evening to award prizes for the most beautiful gardens, yards and business in the Stanley area and to thank the people and organisations from around the Stanley area who contributed to the Town Council’s first entry of the town into Northumbria in Bloom.

The winners of the three categories were Alan Gleghorn for best garden,

 

Kathleen Gibson for Best Yard, and

Stanley Park Care Home for Best business.

The overall winner was Alan Gleghorn, see below being presented with his award by Town Mayor Cllr Carole Hampson

Speakers included Oliver Sherrat, Head of Environment at Durham County Council, discussing the importance of partnership work in improving the street scene, Nathan Hopkins from the Woodshed Workshop – a social enterprise based in Sacriston which works with people who are long term unemployed, taking mental or other health issues and uses reclaimed materials to make bespoke furniture and Cllr Les Timbey, the Leader of the Council who outlined how working together with residents, charities and community groups had made the project such a success.

At the event, Town Mayor Carole Hampson re-presented the Tanfield in Bloom group with the Percy Boydell Cup for overall winners of Northumbria in Bloom which they won, beating off the likes of Durham City, Hexham, Corbridge and Saltburn-by-the-Sea to take the trophy. Tanfield are competing in the National Britain in Bloom finals in Friday in London and we wish them all the very best.

A raffle was also held for the Town Mayor’s chosen charity, PACT House, which raised £171.

Remembrance Events in Stanley – November 2019

Details of the Remembrance Events being held on Sunday 10th November around the Stanley area are listed below.  The Council is pleased to announce that following the positive reaction from the community last year, the remembrance beacon in Front Street will be lit again at 7pm on Sunday evening. 

Sunday 10th November

Annfield Plain

11am The Avenue, Greencroft

11am Loud Bank Memorial, West Road

Annfield Plain Cenotaph

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

Craghead

10.45 at the War Memorial

South Moor

10.45 Memorial Park

Stanley

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

6.45 pm “Battles Over” Beacon Lighting Ceremony on Stanley Front Street

Tanfield

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

Tanfield Lea

1.00 pm Tanfield Lea Club

Monday 11th November 

Civic Hall Stanley, 11 am

 

Northumbria in Bloom 2019

This year has seen Stanley Town Council’s first entry in the Northumbria in Bloom competition in the large town category. As we shared earlier, some of the groups and organisations we worked with this year received their own recognition in Northumbria in Bloom as well as being a part of the town’s overall submission.

St Josephs School in Stanley received a GOLD award in the Schools category; the Just for Women Centre has received a SILVER award in the Special Awards category and PACT House Stanley has received a BRONZE in the Commercial Premises category! Copper Beech community garden in White le Head received a SILVER award and the Town was awarded an overall SILVER.

There were also special mentions for the Haven, Catchgate Partnership and Annfield Plain Infants school in the “It’s your neighbourhood” category

These are fantastic results Congratulations to all our partners who worked with us to deliver our In Bloom entry this year and brighten up the town.

This is a great achievement for our first entry and the fact that so many of our partners also received separate recognition is a great thing for our communities.

Celebrating Tanfield’s Railway Heritage

Stanley Town Council, working in conjunction with the Tanfield Railway and Midland Railway Society recently unveiled a heritage plaque in celebration of local man, the son of a pitman from Clough Dene who went on to become a pioneer in the development of the Victorian railway, the first Locomotive Superintendent of the Midland Railway,  founder of the massive Derby works and designer of steam locomotives some of which survived in service for 80 years, through both world wars to the end of steam.
Matthew Kirtley was born in February 1813 in Clough Dene, Tanfield. It is perhaps no coincidence given that Tanfield was a pioneering place in the development of the railway that Kirtley joined the Stockton & Darlington Railway as an apprentice aged 13 in 1826 and would have worked under either the Stephensons or Timothy Hackworth. In any case, it is likely he was present as a 16 year old at the now legendary Rainhill trials, won by Stephenson’s Rocket (but at which Hackworth also sold his locomotive, Sans Pareil). Indeed he was soon on the Liverpool & Manchester Railway working as a fireman. Kirtley’s career was closely linked to the Stephensons and it was under their patronage that he rose through the ranks.
Kirtley’s career progressed – he became an engine driver and by 1836 he was employed by the London & Birmingham railway looking after locomotives and static engines at Camden shed. An urban myth has persisted for many years that it was he who drove the first train into the new terminus of the railway,  Euston station – he may well have driven works trains into Euston before it was opened but it is highly unlikely he would have taken the controls of the first public train into the station.
By 1842 Kirtley had risen to the position of Locomotive Superintendent at the Birmingham & Derby Junction Railway. Two years later, when the Midland Counties, North Midland and Birmingham & Derby Junction merged to form the Midland, Kirtley only 33 years of age and the Superintendent of the smallest of the three companies was appointed Locomotive and Carriage Superintendent for the new railway.
Kirtley had to oversee the standardisation of a vehicle fleet which contained a myriad of different locomotive designs from different makers. This trend continued as the Midland expanded rapidly, absorbing company after company. Kirtley needed to consolidate the repair maintenance and manufacturing capability of the railway. By 1851 Derby could build its own locomotives.
Matthew Kirtley died on May 24th 1873 at his home in Derby aged 60. His funeral was attended by all the management and foremen of the company and some 800 workers, such was his popularity after 30 years with the company.
The plaque was unveiled by Town Mayor Cllr Carole Hampson in a ceremony attended by Don Asher of the Midland Railway Society, representatives of the Tanfield Railway, local residents and Town Councillors for the Tanfield ward who put the request for recognition of Mr Kirtley forward.
A more detailed biography of Matthew Kirtley by Don Asher of the Midland Railway Society can be found HERE

Play in the Park Dates Summer 2019

We are pleased to announce the dates and locations for this year’s summer Play in the Park Events, which can be found on our Play in the Park page HERE

Now in our fourth year, the popular free events have become a firm family favourite in Stanley. This year we are bringing an even more diverse mix of activities to the events – the full programmes will be announced closer to the day. For now, just get the dates in your diary!

Announcing Blooming Good Fun 2019!

The Town Council are announcing the return of the ‘Blooming Good Fun’ competition for 2019, this time to support our application for an award in the Northumbria in Bloom competition.

We are hoping to encourage gardeners from right across our Parish to make a special effort to brighten up their surroundings – and everybody else’s by bringing colour and floral displays to Stanley.

Entry is FREE and there are CASH PRIZES to be one.  There are awards for the best garden, tubs, window boxes, back yard, open space or communal space and  businees so it’s open to everybody.

To get an entry form, see our Blooming Good Fun page

Full Council Agenda Uploaded 26-2-19

Next week’s Full Council meeting will see the Council considering proposals for a new Community Funding strategy for the Town, discussing a new ‘Miner’s Sunday’ Event to be held on the August Bank Holiday weekend together with other mining heritage initiatives.  The meeting starts at 6.30pm on Tuesday 26th February 2019.

Agenda

Background Papers

All Town Council meetings are open to the public and the public are encouraged to attend.