BUZZ newsletter Feb 21

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Durham County Council’s employee magazine February 2021

Close up

Meet Visit County Durham and our neighbourhood wardens see pages 6 and 7

Money worries

What’s on

see page 11

see page 12

Services to help during the pandemic

Things you can do from home during lockdown

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National award for climate initiative Congratulations to our Low Carbon Team, whose plans to tackle climate change have earned them a top national award.

John Hewitt,

Int er im C h i e f E xe cu ti v e

This issue of Buzz highlights so many fantastic things that are going on across the council and is a real testament to how everyone has continued to pull together in what has been a year we will never forget. At the time of writing we are awaiting the government’s announcement of how lockdown restrictions will be released and we all hope we can return to some sort of normality over the coming months.

I am sure we have all found it difficult at different times of the year, which is why it is so important to look after our own and others health and wellbeing.

We have launched a new portal which brings all of the support that we provide together into one place http://intranet.durham.gov.uk/Pages/ WellbeingPortal.aspx - please have a look as there is a host of information and support available.

This edition of Buzz features our new neighbourhood wardens – welcome on board and best of luck in your new careers – as well as showcasing the great work going on right across the council. Many of you tuned in to our virtual Inspiring People event which seemed to go well and was our way of saying thanks for everyone’s hard work and commitment over the last year. I would also like to thank everyone who contributed to our festive fundraising programme which included the charity jumper day and support to food banks – I know these contributions were extremely welcome in what are extremely difficult times for charities across the county.

Looking ahead we are in the process of finalising the budget for the next financial year whilst the local elections have been confirmed as taking place on 6 May – more on this in the next issue.

Best wishes and take care everyone.

John

The team was named as having the Best Climate Action Initiative at this year’s Association for Public Service Excellence (APSE) awards, which recognise the very best in local government frontline services across the UK. In 2019, we declared a climate emergency and pledged to reduce carbon emissions from council operations by 80 per cent from 2008/09 levels by 2030. We’re also aiming to make the whole of County Durham Carbon Neutral by 2050.

Our award-winning Climate Emergency Response Plan sets out more than 100 actions to reduce emissions from the county’s households, buildings, businesses, organisations and travel activity.

The plan was named as one of the top climate change action plans in the country, following research by Sustrans. A study found that we were one of only 13 out of 92 local authorities to have developed climate action plans with adequate proposals to tackle food emissions.

To view the plan and find out more about the council’s efforts to tackle climate change visit www.durham.gov.uk/climatechange.

Catch up with Inspiring People Did you miss this year’s Inspiring People event?

If you didn’t have a chance to watch the online event in December, you can still watch the recording.

Last year, rather than holding our usual annual awards ceremony, we hosted a special event celebrating the work of staff across the council in supporting our communities during the pandemic. As well as honouring those who have continued to deliver frontline services, it also recognised the many teams who have had to adapt in order to meet the challenges coronavirus has brought our way.

The event included thank you speeches from Cllr Simon Henig, the Leader of the council; Chairman Cllr Katie Corrigan; and corporate management team as well as representatives from a number of our partner organisations.

The video, which is just under an hour long, is available to view on the intranet http://intranet.durham.gov.uk/pages/InspiringPeople2020.aspx Here are just a few comments from people who watched on the day: “Just wanted to say thanks for this - great stuff and great to hear from the directors this way.”

“What an organisation and group of fantastic people. Well done to the entire staff of Durham County Council. You are all brilliant!!“

Cover: New neighbourhood warden Dominique Skelton is enjoying the new role.

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Help fund cancer care for Emma Our refuse and recycling team is rallying round a much-loved colleague as her friends and family raise money to fund her cancer treatment.

Emma Selby, who works in the Peterlee Hackworth Road Depot, has been battling several brain tumours since February 2017.

After a series of operations and a bout of radiotherapy, Emma has unfortunately reached the limit of the treatment offered by the NHS. Emma’s family and friends are now fundraising to help pay for three rounds of specialist immunotherapy, which could potentially save her life.

So far, they have raised enough for Emma to start her first round of treatment, which has already taken place.

Emma Selby and son Thomas

However, further donations are needed in order to raise enough money for the full course of treatment.

Donations can be made at Emma’s Go Fund Me webpage www.gofundme.com and search for Saving Emma.

Festive fundraising We have a fantastic record for supporting good causes, especially at Christmas time, and despite the challenges, last year was no different.

Charity Jumper Day – Once again, staff and members kept up the annual tradition of donning their festive best for our annual Christmas Jumper Day. With many people working from home, collecting donations was difficult. However, an online funding page was set up and, as a result, we managed to raise £781.75, which included Gift Aid of £148.75.

The money will be donated to The Fire Fighters’ charity, the Chairman’s chosen charity for her current year in office.

Food banks – Staff and members also kept up another festive tradition by donating items to local food banks.

Rather than having collection points in council buildings, people were instead encouraged to donate via collection points at their local supermarket. All of the food collected was used to provide meals for vulnerable people over the festive season.

Staff and service users from our Care and Support Pathways service also worked alongside Groundwork to support its Food Banks at Christmas appeal.

The Pathways centres, which provide a range of activities and therapeutic services to adults with disabilities and complex care needs, collected items to help more than 450 County Durham families with children.

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World Social Work Day

Social workers are among the many teams who have played a key role in supporting our communities throughout the pandemic.

Our teams have helped vulnerable adults, children and families when they have needed it most.

We’ll be recognising the contribution of our teams and their colleagues around the globe by taking part in World Social Work Day on Tuesday, 16 March.

Adult Care and Children and Young People’s Services will be hosting an online event based on the theme of this year’s celebration – strengthening social solidarity and global connectedness. Further information will be available soon.

Garden of hope The garden at a respite home has been transformed by staff and service users to provide an oasis of calm during the coronavirus pandemic.

Hawthorn House provides care for people over the age of 16 with learning disabilities and complex needs. Run

by County Durham Care and Support, it has continued to operate in line with government guidance over the past year.

Transforming the garden has helped improve the physical and mental wellbeing of all those involved.

Once a barren and unused area, the garden has seen sunflowers bloom, has helped butterflies find their wings, and has even hosted a festive grotto.

Team members have big plans for the future and although their summer house is currently wrapped up for winter, they are already working on their next project – a multi-sensory, rainbow themed café with a springtime theme.

Putting the system through its paces Teams from across the council have been having their say on a new IT system for managing adult care.

Staff from adult social care, finance, commissioning, and systems teams have been trialling the new AzeusCare case management system.

They have been taking part in testing sessions to check the system’s features and make sure it meets the council’s needs when it replaces the Social Services Information Database (SSID) this summer.

Jamie Karim, project manager, said: “The virtual testing sessions are vital for us to gather the opinions of staff from different areas of the council to make sure the Durham version of AzeusCare will work effectively.”

Find out more about the project and how you can be involved on the intranet http://intranet.durham.gov.uk/sites/ AWH/Pages/Replacement-of-SSID-database.aspx.

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Care Connect heroes save pensioner’s life

Two members of the Care Connect team have been praised for their quick thinking after saving the life of a pensioner during a kitchen fire.

Rebecca Henry and Martin Wanless were the first on the scene when a fire broke out at the Chester-le-Street home of 98-year-old Irma Oliver.

Rebecca Henry

Mrs Oliver had used her personal alarm to alert Care Connect, which helps elderly and vulnerable residents maintain their independence by providing a 24/7 alert system.

Arriving at the property, Rebecca and Martin made their way into the smoke-filled house where they found Mrs Oliver had fallen and was unable to get up.

The pair quickly switched off the cooker, the source of the fire, and opened doors and windows to ventilate the house before calling the emergency services. They then looked after Mrs Oliver until the fire service arrived.

Rebecca, 30, who lives in Meadowfield, said: “The fire service arrived quickly, and with oxygen Irma was chatting away within minutes. My job is very rewarding, Irma was lovely and had such a good sense of humour. If she didn’t have Care Connect in her property, the situation could have ended very differently.”

John Scott, watch manager from the Chester-le-Street division of County Durham and Darlington Fire and Rescue Service, praised Rebecca and Martin for their swift action. He added that their quick interventions had stopped the fire from escalating and contributed to saving Mrs Oliver’s life.

Respected colleagues honoured Tributes have been paid to two long-serving council officers who have passed away.

ICT manager Bernard Haston died last month following a short illness.

Bernard started his local government career at District of Easington Council in 2005 and moved across to the county council four years later as part of the Local Government Review.

Bishop Auckland Town Hall (BATH) operations officer Janet Strong also passed away last month.

Janet had worked for the council for more than 40 years, starting her career with the library service when she was just 17, before going on to manage BATH.

Well respected and much valued by his colleagues, Bernard worked with teams across the council. He was popular with customers and always happy to help.

Described by her colleagues as putting her heart and soul into everything she did, Janet took on the role of a mother figure to those she worked with, treating everyone like family.

Outside work, Bernard loved music and was a member of the Cobweb Orchestra. He also played in folk bands, performing at ceilidhs and other events across Teesdale. He was also a volunteer at local park runs, which he attended with his family.

Janet also played an integral role in her local community, championing up and coming artists, theatre groups and young people’s theatre. In recognition of her dedication to others, Janet was invited to the Royal Garden Party in 2019.

Peter Lunn, Bernard’s line manager, said: “Bernard was an invaluable colleague who was held in high esteem by his peers, clients and management team. On a personal level, he was also an irreplaceable friend.”

Mark Harley, Janet’s line manager, said: “Janet was a wonderful person who always went above and beyond expectation. Her dedication and passion for BATH was undeniable, as anyone who had the pleasure of meeting Janet at her second home would agree. She was an incredibly creative person who just wanted to help others find their true potential, with her calm and quiet approach to any situation proving an inspiration to many.”

A collection has been organised in memory of Bernard, with the proceeds going to a charity of his family’s choice.

Donations can be made at:

https://paypal.me/pools/c/8wrsZOUF97.

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Introducing the new Local Tracing Partnership A new contact tracing scheme is now up and running as part of the County Durham Together community hub.

When the national NHS Test and Trace team is unable to contact people in County Durham who need to self-isolate, the individuals details are passed to the hub, who try and contact them by phone or, if needed, call at their property.

As well as helping to stop the spread of the virus by identifying people who need to self-isolate, our local service also ensures anyone self-isolating has the support that they need to get food, medicines and any financial support.

The new service has taken on 14 full-time staff as well as working with partners in Wellbeing for Life and County Durham and Darlington Fire and Rescue Service. In the first month, we have been passed the details of 942 people and have already contacted 56 per cent.

It’s important that we all self-isolate if told to do so, for all the latest guidance for staff visit http://intranet.durham.gov.uk/ pages/Coronavirus.aspx

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Visit County Durham is the destination management organisation (DMO) for the county, core-funded by Durham County Council, and recognised by VisitEngland as one of the UK’s leading DMOs. Sarah Johnson, marketing and communications manager at Visit County Durham, shares how the team has had to adapt, refocus and reset its marketing strategy during the pandemic.

Sarah Johnson

We work closely with private and public sector partners and tourism businesses to grow the visitor economy, performing the roles of destination management (influencing or delivering activities that relate to visitors), marketing Durham as a destination and giving the county an identity. A DMO consists of interdependent functions, including business engagement, product development, research, information services and marketing. And it’s this integration that has helped us to adapt and respond creatively to the changing landscape brought about by the pandemic, achieving national recognition.

Never did we think we would be telling people not to visit, but that’s exactly what happened last March.

Marketing was paused, and customer data used to reset and shape new campaigns and promotional platforms that would keep Durham top of mind, drive visits when appropriate, and support tourism businesses.

The research function provided data to inform our marketing approach, as not only did our target markets change, consumer behaviour

changed with it. And as plans took shape we got businesses on board to ensure they were benefiting from our work, and to generate the required content.

The start of 2021 has taken us back to promoting virtual visits to the county through the ‘#LoveDurham… from your sofa’ campaign. We’ve created fantastic ways to showcase the county to potential visitors, including online jigsaws, colouring in sheets, a quiz and a section promoting partners’ online events.

Creative digital content provides consumers with entertaining ways to discover the county. And on the run up to Valentine’s Day, we helped businesses connect with consumers by producing a series of Taste Durham at Home recipes and From Durham With Love e-cards.

‘Explore from Your Door’ was created in response to a challenging situation created by the easing of the first lockdown. Many well-known outdoor locations were seeing issues with overuse, parking and littering, so a campaign was devised to highlight lesser-known beauty spots, walking and cycling routes, and to reinforce the countryside code.

The growing ‘local allure’ trend, which sees residents wanting to support their communities, has been harnessed through our ‘Love Local’ campaign, which provides a promotional platform for businesses offering vouchers, online ordering, local collections and deliveries.

The ‘Worth the Wait’ campaign features two emotive videos that include a poem by Lord Byron, who married at Seaham Hall in the 1800s, and another by a Durham resident.

The staycation campaign messaging is now focussing on ‘dreaming of Durham’.

Destination marketing has also been keeping the county at the forefront of people’s mind through an online partnership with the Independent and a feature in the new ‘Staycation’ national magazine.

As well as campaign activity, we also work to secure media coverage for the county by pitching for inclusion in travel features, and extending our reach through partner marketing helping to ensure Durham capitalises on the pent-up demand for holidays.

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Neighbourhood wardens Our neighbourhood wardens work to improve quality of life for residents by working to reduce anti-social behaviour and fear of crime.

Here, warden Paul Rutherford explains how the team helps to keep County Durham a clean, green and safe place to live.

How big is the team?

The team was extended last year, with 11 new wardens funded to provide greater reassurance to residents. This means we now have 50 wardens covering County Durham. Wardens are allocated to specific geographical areas, but some also have specialist areas of work such as tackling flytipping.

What does the team do?

We work to improve communities by dealing with environmental problems. This involves carrying out regular patrols, dealing with any issues we encounter and responding to issues that are reported to us.

We also work closely with the police, fire service, enforcement agencies, parish councils and other council teams in order to deal with residents’ concerns. And we work with the

public to promote community involvement and social inclusion in our day to day work too, especially among young people.

In addition, wardens have the power to issue fixed penalty notices for environmental crimes such as littering, flytipping, abandoned vehicles, graffiti and allowing a dog to foul or stray.

Tell us about an average day

There’s no such thing as an average day for a warden as we deal with such a variety of issues. One day you might be tackling under-age street drinking and low level anti-social behaviour and the next it might be untidy yards, graffiti, a report of an abandoned vehicle or stray horses.

On one of our regular walkabouts in Durham City, myself and the parish clerk helped thwart a street mugging,

Find out more

Neighbourhood wardens

apprehending a man who had stolen a young woman’s purse. Thanks to our local knowledge, we were able to cut off possible escape routes and detain him. We were even able to identify a possible accomplice.

What is the most difficult part of the job?

It can be a challenging job on occasions. Sometimes we need to tackle people about their behaviour and not everyone wants to hear what we have to say. You certainly need to be good with people to be a warden.

People can sometimes become abusive, but that sort of behaviour is something we just won’t tolerate.

Wardens patrolling the streets are there to look after the public and it can be a very rewarding role, knowing that we’re helping to solve the problems that matter to people.

To report any issues and request assistance from our neighbourhood wardens, call 03000 260 000 or find out more by visiting www.durham.gov.uk/neighbourhoodwardens

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Looking after our physical and mental wellbeing has never been more important. Options for getting out and about to exercise and spend time with other people may be limited but it is vital that we all stay active and stay in touch with our friends and family.

If you’re struggling with your mental health, it is important to ask for help and there are many ways in which to seek support. And if working from home has zapped your motivation for exercise there are no shortage of tools to get you moving.

Get on your bike Cycling is a great way to get fresh air and keep fit during lockdown.

Spring is almost in the air. Register for Ride it Out this March and dust off those winter cobwebs and get back in the saddle. Each week in March you’ll get new reasons to ride your bike and advice on how to do it. Each week there will be a new reason to ride, ride healthy, ride relaxed, ride green, ride free.

Remember – in accordance with current coronavirus restrictions, exercise must only be done either alone, with members of your household, or with one person from outside your household while observing social distancing.

Exercise should also be limited to once per day, and you should stay within your local area. The definition of “local area” is not defined, but government guidance is that you should “avoid travelling outside of your village, town or the part of a city where you live”. You can travel a short distance within your local area in order to exercise, but again the distance is not defined.

Find out more at www.lovetoride.net

Free virtual fitness classes

The MyWellness app offers access to a range of daily workouts and challenges for all fitness levels and abilities.

Now, more than ever it’s so important that we look after both our physical and mental wellbeing. That’s why we’ve launched a series of free virtual fitness classes that anyone can join in with at home. From gentle yoga to more active challenges, the classes are on demand at your fingertips via the MyWellness app. Each activity includes a programme to learn the basics and build up your confidence and technique.

To get the app, follow these easy steps:

1 2 3

Step 1: Register online at https://bit.ly/2ET0INZ - You must do this step first Step 2: Download the MyWellness app – Look for the yellow cloud logo Step 3️: Log in and get started

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Round the clock support Staff who are struggling to overcome the challenges of working from home are being reminded that help is available.

Our Employee Assistance Programme is available round the clock to offer information and assistance online, through an app or over the phone.

Provided by Health Assured, it can be accessed by all staff and used for support with work-based and personal issues.

The service offers counselling sessions, with blocks of up to six sessions available over the phone or via video call.

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One member of staff who used the service following a bereavement said: “I contacted Health Assured in confidence as I had experienced a close bereavement and felt that having a counsellor to talk things through with would help. I was at work but found myself understandably tearful and distracted during the day and, due to the pandemic, I wasn’t able to reach out in the ways I might normally have outside of work.

“I was really nervous during the first phone call, but I needn’t have been as they were gentle and understanding. I had six virtual video counselling sessions over a few months. My counsellor texted me the links to join the video counselling session and we agreed times that suited.

“I didn’t realise how helpful talking to a counsellor would be and I am really glad I contacted them. I felt listened to, safe and they helped me process my feelings. She also recommended other sources of support, such as websites and books that could help me moving forward.

“I still feel immensely sad and the grief still comes in waves. It can catch me off guard some days, but I feel able to move forward and the counselling helped with that.”

The Health Assured My Health Advantage app is free. When you first log in you will need to enter the code MHA042951 in order to create an account.

Find out at http://intranet.durham.gov.uk/Pages/EmployeeAssistance.aspx

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New wellbeing portal launched A new wellbeing portal has been launched to bring together the wide range of information, advice and resources available to staff.

Situated on the intranet, the portal aims to provide a central point for support on issues including physical health, nutrition, fitness, emotional wellbeing, stress, sleep and mental health.

There is also information and advice on domestic abuse, finances, bereavement and substance abuse.

The portal is available at

http://intranet.durham.gov. uk/Pages/WellbeingPortal. aspx. If you have any ideas or suggestions for content, email publichealth@durham.gov.uk.

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Worried about a loved one?

Do you have friends and family who need extra support during these difficult times?

Our team of Care Connect workers help residents continue to live independently in their own homes by providing support if they are unwell, have fallen or are feeling anxious or worried.

The team has continued to offer a 24/7 service to vulnerable and elderly residents within County Durham throughout the pandemic and is now offering a discount on the installation of the personal alarm service to all staff.

Council employees who have a friend or a loved one who could benefit from the service, can take advantage of free installation with the code CCSTAFF21.

Find out more by visiting www.durham.gov.uk/careconnect, emailing careconnect@durham.gov.uk or calling 03000 262 195.

Care Connect call responders Keith Horan and John Butt

Help and support for victims of domestic abuse

Domestic abuse affects more than 1.8 million people in England and Wales each year and incidents of domestic abuse often increase when households or relationships are under additional pressure.

Domestic abuse occurs across society, regardless of age, gender, sexuality, wealth, ethnicity or geography. It’s not just between people who are, or have been in, a sexual relationship, it can also occur between family members or those living in the same house.

And domestic abuse isn’t always physical. It could also be someone you know trying to control your life.

It can be financial, psychological, emotional or sexual. Abuse can affect you in the long term by damaging your self-esteem and wellbeing and that of your children.

As an employer, we take domestic abuse very seriously. Last year, we signed GMB’s Work to Stop Domestic Abuse Employee Charter. This commitment ensures that our employees can find confidential support at work and be helped to safety if necessary.

We understand that making the first call for help is a big step, but if you or someone you know is experiencing domestic abuse there are lots of help and support services available.

Take a look at the information on the intranet http://intranet.durham.gov.uk/Pages/HRpolicies.aspx, which includes details of our network of workplacebased domestic abuse advisers who sign post people to specialist help and support and raise the profile of domestic abuse to make sure that it becomes everyone’s business.

Domestic abuse information is also available on our website www.durham.gov.uk/domesticabuse and the government’s website has information on help during the coronavirus pandemic.

If you are concerned that a member of your team is experiencing domestic abuse, take a look at the manager’s guidance on the intranet http://intranet.durham.gov.uk/Pages/HRpolicies.aspx and speak to the staff member.

Making the first move to begin a conversation can be key.

Remember - if you are in immediate danger, you should call 999.

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Seeking support for money worries The coronavirus pandemic has presented many challenges and for a significant number of people this has included increased financial pressure.

We provide a wide range of free help and advice for those struggling to manage their money as well as working alongside partner organisations that can also offer support.

These services are available to all residents across the county, including employees who live in the area.

Mr and Mrs Porter were helped by the Managing Money Better team to lower their high energy bills

Council tax and rent payments

Savings and loans

As well as providing general information and advice on council tax discounts, disregards and exemptions, our council tax team www.durham.gov.uk/counciltax can also talk through any difficulties someone may be having in paying their council tax or housing benefit and discuss a payment plan to help with household budgeting.

They can also check to see if someone is entitled to a council tax reduction and offer advice on claiming a discretionary housing payment if they are having difficulties paying a shortfall in rent.

Free independent debt advice

Welfare rights Our welfare rights team www.durham.gov.uk/ welfarerights helps residents understand what benefits they may be entitled to and can support them in submitting an application or an appeal.

They can even provide representation at an appeal.

Emergency financial assistance Residents may be eligible for support through our welfare assistance scheme if they are having trouble accessing housing or with daily living expenses. www.durham.gov.uk/welfareassistance

Free school meals Free school meals www.durham.gov.uk/ freeschoolmeals are available to all children in reception, Year 1 and Year 2. Primary and secondary school children whose parents or carers receive certain benefits are also eligible.

North East First Credit Union www.nefirstcu.co.uk provides low cost loan facilities and savings accounts as well as a cashback scheme for the purchase of furniture and white goods. Victims of unscrupulous money lenders can seek help from Stop Loan Sharks www.stoploansharks.co.uk while advice on avoiding scams, particularly during the pandemic is available via our website.

Citizens Advice County Durham www.citizensadvicecd.org.uk is a local charity offering free, confidential and impartial advice on range of issues including money worries. Details of other organisations offering support are available on our website www.durham.gov.uk/debtadvice

Energy bills Our Managing Money Better service offers a free home energy assessment to help identify where savings can be made on energy bills. They can support residents in switching to another supplier, help them understand their heating system and controls and provide energy efficiency advice as well as arranging practical support such as the installation of home insulation. For more information email warmhomes@durham.gov.uk or check the Managing Money Better webpage www.durham.gov.uk/debtadvice

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What’s on Library craft sessions

Our libraries are providing monthly online children’s craft activities to promote creative learning.

The activities are quick and simple and use items which families should already have at home.

Children’s cultural development is at the heart of library services and the videos also aim to help improve mental wellbeing, not only for children but also parents and carers.

The videos can be watched at any time, making them convenient and accessible. Alongside the craft activities there are also online jigsaws for both adults and children as well as other events.

Sessions are posted on our Libraries Facebook page (@CountyDurhamLibraries) where other activities and information about library services can also be found.

Go to Library Online www.durham.gov.uk/libraryonline to find out more.

Log in to support local business

A fun interactive app has been launched to support the county’s tourism businesses during the coronavirus pandemic, helping them promote their products to new audiences via an online marketplace. Launched by Visit County Durham, the Virtual Winter Fayre is full of ideas for getaways and days out to look forward to, Durham-themed gifts, and food and drink from local producers. As well as showcasing Durham’s fantastic tourism offer, it provides businesses with a free promotional platform. The online marketplace will be used for themed virtual fairs throughout 2021, to continue to support the county’s tourism businesses during the pandemic and beyond.

Visit www.thisisdurham.com/winterfayre to find out more.

Refugee shares story of struggle

A Bosnian refugee who fled persecution has shared his story of struggle and survival.

Smajo Beso was speaking as part of an event to mark International Holocaust Memorial Day. The moving talk, which formed part of the council’s annual events to remember the victims of genocides throughout the world, is available to watch again at www.durham.gov.uk/hmd.

We normally mark the day with live events for schools and residents but, due to coronavirus, this year’s event was hosted online.

Keynote speaker Smajo reflected on the difficulties of growing up during the Bosnian war in the 1990s, losing family members, and being shelled and shot at on a daily basis.

He also shared his experience of surviving on very little food and water, often going days without anything to eat, and living in ruins and rubble, before escaping and coming to live in the North East of England.

Virtual County Durham

Many of us are missing the chance to get out and about at the moment. However Visit County Durham is bringing the best of our amazing county to you, with virtual visits you can enjoy safely at home.

Test your knowledge of all things Durham with the fascinating facts quiz, dine-in at home and try out tempting #tastedurham recipes featuring delicious local produce and bring the outdoors indoors with amazing videos. Learn a new skill with online workshops, pass the time with special Durham-themed jigsaws or read unbelievable myths and legends from Durham’s incredible past.

You can even pay a visit to your favourite museum or gallery online!

www.thisisdurham.com/lovedurham

Under the current coronavirus restrictions, you should only travel for essential purposes. Please stay at home where possible and if you do have to travel, be sure to practise social distancing.

More information can be found on the government’s website.

https://www.gov.uk/guidance/coronavirus-covid-19-safer-travel-guidance-for-passengers#national-lockdown