Horden Together Newspaper Issue 5

GOLDEN COUPLE

Jean and Alan Gray celebrated 50 years of marriage by renewing their vows in St Mary’s Church in a service led by Father McNeil. The couple were first married on the 6th October 1973 in St Mary’s Horden, both well known in the area, each having dedicated over 30 years to teaching. Alan was Deputy Head at Cotsford Junior School and Jean head of technology at St Bede’s RC school in Peterlee. Surrounded by family and friends they reaffirmed their love and commitment, and Jean was heard to say ‘here’s to the next 50 years’. Congratulations to Jean and Alan!

HORDEN HUB HOUSE WALKING GROUP

Would you like to walk and talk with a friendly group and enjoy the local countryside? If so, this would be the group for you.

The Horden Hub House walking group meet every Thursday afternoon at 1.30pm and walk for up to 90 minutes followed by a well earned cuppa in the Hub House. All welcome and free to attend.

Walking has many benefits including increasing your fitness, improving your energy levels, reducing anxiety and depression and meeting new people. Come and give it a go!

NEW COMMUNITY FACILITYHORDEN BIGFOOT STUDIOS

Horden Bigfoot Studios, established in 2022, has become a hub for local musicians. The owner, Dave Brown, started work on the building, what was Horden Football Community Welfare Football Social Club, back in 2019 and the facility is going from strength to strength.

The studios are a rehearsal facility for bands to practice music and there is also a recording studio, which will be in use very soon.

Horden Together caught up with Dave who said “None of this would have been possible without the support of Horden Parish Council and the local community for supporting the studio. I have some big plans for the facility, including a community radio station plus a podcast platform, an Autistic Music Academy, and providing opportunities for youngsters to play musical instruments and learn new talents”.

Anyone who wants more information or for a chat with Dave can contact him on 07494 881 801 or via email hordenbigfootstudio@gmail.com

GENTLE STEPS TO WALKING

Starting on Friday 11th November at 1.30pm

New to Horden, come and join our Gentle Steps to walking session taking place every Friday afternoon in the Welfare Park in Horden. Gentle Steps is an accessible and supportive walking session. It is particularly suitable for people with mobility issues and/ or long term health conditions who would still like to exercise but would prefer to do so in a safe and supported environment. The session is led by our experienced and friendly staff and allows walkers to walk for as long as they would like to or take a rest on a bench for as long as they need. No need to book, just come along with your Thrive card. If you need a Thrive card, we can provide one on the day.

6 December 2023, Horden Memorial Park

5.30pm Meet and greet with Elsa and Olaf Service to start at 6pm.

Horden Salvation Army Brass Band

Like and follow our facebook page to keep up to date with news and events happening in Horden.

WELCOME

The fifth edition of Horden Together is being introduced by Father McNeil, Priest of St Mary’s Church.

“Is that Jesus?” whispers a small child to his Mam as I walk past them “No, that’s the Vicar,” she whispers back.

I’ve been here six years now and have come to love Horden and its community. It’s not easy for churches in the twenty-first century: St Mary’s costs about £50,000 a year to keep open, with no national funding that money must be raised locally. There are fewer priests too: St Mary’s must share me with St Andrew’s Church in Blackhall. And then there are the challenges in our community: it’s great to have such strong links with Horden Together as we all try our best to make life better in our village.

But it’s not the challenges that are at the front of my mind: no, it’s the positives. When I was sent to live in Horden, I was welcomed to a strong community with open, friendly residents who aren’t afraid to tell me what they really think! It’s a privilege to know that St Mary’s Church (110 years old now) is still an important part of this village’s identity: an amazing 7,000 people pass through the doors each year to attend baptisms, weddings and funerals alone – not to mention the daily services and visits by schools. What a joy it is for me to be part of the life of Yohden (where I’m also a governor) and Cotsford Primary Schools, providing assemblies and supporting the RE curriculum.

One of the key lessons I’ve learnt: it’s important that we celebrate the strengths of this community; that we talk about its joys, and not just its struggles. Horden remains a place of resilience, courage and hope.

GOT SOMETHING TO SHARE?

You may have seen and met some of the cast when they filmed the movie in Horden back in June 2022 as it created quite a buzz!

Horden residents were invited to join cast members

Angelina Blanchard (pictured) from Horden said, “it was such an honour to represent and be a part of such a true, touching and heart-warming storyline which will hopefully help the community come together and be as one I hope we can all learn from this movie and help where we can”.

This newspaper is for and about you - the people of Horden. We need your help and input to make sure it reflects and grows with the needs of our community. Is there something you’d like to share - a news story, a regular activity, an event, a picture? Get in touch and we’ll do our best to get it featured. Email Horden.together@durham.gov.uk

PLEASE NOTE: All information has been given in good faith, please check with service providers for up-to-date details of events and offers. All images in this newspaper have been given by organisation partners in Horden Together with consent in the transfer of these images

to us. Each organisation is the data controller of these images. Consent has been given in ‘all purpose and perpetuity’ to the photograph provider and sits with the original photographer or organisation consenting to share these images with Horden Together.

Ken Loach’s new film, the Old Oak, premiered with two red carpet events, one at Gala, Durham and the other at Tyneside Cinema, both on Thursday 21st September.

to celebrate the release of the movie at the redcarpet premieres.

WHAT ACTUALLY IS HORDEN TOGETHER?

As the first of its kind in the County, Horden Together started off as a pilot project from Durham County Council to see if we can find ways of just making things work better, make getting help easier, make reporting something simpler and give you, as residents, a better understanding of what is actually going on for you in the village.

What we’ve found is a strong and resilient village with some unbelievably passionate people. There are the dozens of volunteers and staff who are helping to deliver hours and hours of support, leisure, sport, food provision, warm hubs and loads of other services on your doorstep.

Horden Together is a partnership of all of those people, joined by service providers, councillors and anyone else that we can bring in.

PEOPLE

Horden Together have a team of passionate and committed Community Navigators who help people that have a few things going on that they’re struggling with. That might be, mental health, housing, physical health, drugs and alcohol or being a victim of crime or someone who has got involved with crime.

Sometimes it’s a combination of all those things. We get to know people and help them build on their strengths. Often people have become isolated and feel alone with their problems. We get the right services involved and bring people to some of the amazing community activity that is going on such as the Centennial Centre, the Salvation Army and the Ark.

In the last two years we’ve seen many people become well and start getting involved in the community again, sometimes as volunteers supporting similar projects.

Ali Turner, the People Team Leader, has lived in the village nearly all of her life and says “It’s very rewarding to see people go from being ‘stuck’ to getting stuck in with their lives. It builds my hope and belief in Horden moving on from the bad times we’ve had”.

If you know someone you think could benefit from that type of help, then please get in touch via email to horden.together@durham.gov.uk and we can explain in more detail what’s involved.

We are trying to pull together to get more or better or new services/activities/facilities no matter what the issue.

On the less positive side we’re trying to help to take away some of the bad stuff…crime, anti-social behaviour, fly tipping and poor housing is an issue in some areas. We can’t always control how services tackle some of these issues, but we can make sure that your voices are heard and want to work with all parts of the community to make it better.

We want to understand your priorities more and for us to do so we have put together a questionnaire with the help of the police, which you will soon receive through the letterbox. We do hope you will take the time to complete it and return it.

Making all of that happen, we have a core team of 10 staff who work out of the top floor of the Social Welfare Centre on Seventh Street. We make a point of being out and about in the village and available when you have things you’d want to talk to us about. We all work for Durham County Council and as you’ll read have an understanding of the village through either being a resident or a near neighbour or having worked in the area for years!

COMMUNITY

Horden Together understand the importance of community and what it means to the partnership and to residents.

Staff member and Horden resident, Gemma Rowe, takes the lead on all things community at Horden Together, which involves community events, volunteering opportunities and this very newspaper, and if, like Gemma you want Horden to be a great place to live and work she is keen to hear from you!

The community team have mapped the day-to-day activities available in Horden, a directory of which can be found in this paper, the creation of the directory has been of great significance to a number of residents, whether it’s finding an activity for children, accessing a hot meal, or finding a new hobby there really is something for everyone.

If you are looking for volunteering opportunities, to join a local activity or simply want to get involved with a community group, that’s where the community team can help.

Gemma said “Horden Together have a number of projects, events and interventions in place to help residents, and if we don’t have something for you, my local knowledge and experience with working within the community allows me to signpost you to someone who can help”.

Gemma can be contacted via the ‘Horden Together’ facebook page or email Gemma.Rowe@durham.gov.uk.

PLACE

The Place Team comprises of four people, Team Leader, Lindsey, working with Chris, Keith, and Joe. Keith and Joe are Horden born and bred and love the community they work in. Chris worked in Environmental Health in the old Easington District Council days.

The team are often seen helping residents with various issues in the village and generally deal with issues relating to buildings and the environment.

These issues include properties that are empty and are Open to Unauthorised Access, where damage can, or has, been caused to the building. In these cases we will secure the window or door with decorative boards where possible or arrange for local contractors to make them safe and secure.

The officers also deal issues around waste and rubbish and where they can’t deal with the problem themselves, they refer to Neighbourhood Wardens and any other services that need to be involved.

The team are called upon to inspect drainage and some sewer problems and to make sure that manhole covers are replaced when missing or stolen.

These things, together with the building surveys, has reduced the presence of rats in the area and contributed to improving the quality of the environment.

You can report any issues to the Place Team via email to horden.together@durham.gov.uk or via the Horden Together facebook page.

CUTTING THROUGH RECYCLING CONFUSION

Pledge2Recycle Plastics are working with Durham County Council to help reduce residents’ confusion on plastics recycling, what to recycle and how.

A new website has been set up at www.durhamrecycles.co.uk to give information and guidance and answer questions on single use plastics packaging and whether it can be recycled via household recycling across the County.

There are a number of key hints and tips including;-

• Make sure all plastic bottles are empty, and lids replaced before recycling.

• Make sure you recycle plastic bottles from the bathroom as well as the kitchen such as shampoo, conditioner bottles, domestos and cleaning trigger spray bottles.

• Although black plastic containers cannot be accepted for recycling in County Durham all other colours can.

• Plastic bags and wrappings should go to front of store recycling schemes. Check out

go into your GENERAL WASTE BIN include toothpaste tubes, compostable and biodegradable packaging, kitchen roll and tissues, and textiles.

It is important to remember the golden rule of recycling, Clean, Dry, Loose. Items inside other items or inside carrier or black bags cannot be recycled.

Any questions, please e-mail enquiries@recoup.org

HOPE FOR FAMILIES FACING SURGING COST CRISIS AT CHRISTMAS

The Salvation Army is calling on Horden’s community to donate new toys to its Christmas present appeal that will support families in need over the festive season.

Every year, we meet hundreds of distressed parents facing the prospect of their children having nothing to open on Christmas Day. We are concerned that the continuing cost of living crisis will mean even more families struggling to pay for the very basics over Christmas.

Angela Denton, Horden Salvation Army Community Mission Facilitator, who is coordinating the appeal, said: “Every year we ask people to donate new toys and gifts to our Christmas present appeal so we can distribute them to families whose children would otherwise not receive a gift. This year, we are expecting the number of families requesting help to rise as a result of the cost-of-living crisis.

“Please support our Christmas Present Appeal to help our drive to ensure vulnerable children in Horden will have something to open on Christmas Day.

“Last year, we supported 500 families with toys and already we’ve started receiving requests for support ahead of Christmas.”

The Salvation Army will sort and distribute the gifts to children and families in the area through their networks and via local groups and social services.

A church and charity, The Salvation Army expresses its Christian faith by offering

friendship, practical help and support to some of the most disadvantaged people in our communities. To help support The Salvation Army’s year-round work please visit: salvationarmy.org.uk/horden

For more information about the Christmas Present Appeal and ideas about gifts, see our website: salvationarmy.org.uk/horden

The church on Dene Street will be collecting donations of new unwrapped toys and food items until 22nd December. People wishing to donate can drop their kind contribution at:

Salvation Army, Dene street

Horden Together (upstairs at Horden Social Welfare Centre)

Sainsbury’s Horden

Salvation Army Charity Shop at Peterlee

Please contact us if you would like to be a Drop off point.

FOOTBALL CLUB GOES FROM STRENGTH TO STRENGTH

Horden Community Welfare Football Club and Junior Academy continues to grow both on and off the pitch.

The men’s team are currently in top position of Northern League Division 2 and are playing very well.

The women’s team played in the Women’s FA Cup competition for the very first time and won their first preliminary qualifying round football match and through to the next round. They currently play in the County Durham Women’s League Division 1.

The Junior Academy comprises of Under 7’s, Under 8’s, Under 9’s, two Under 10’s teams and an U13’s teams with a membership of over 65 school aged children, with a further 10-15 children attending our training sessions on an ad-hoc basis.

The Junior Academy training and coaching sessions continue to take place very Tuesday evening from 6pm - 7pm, and are delivered by our volunteer FA Level 1 qualified coaches with support from our volunteer sessional support workers.

As a football club and charity we are continually on the look out for additional volunteer coaches, sessional support workers etc interested in football. If you are interested in becoming involved in the work we do within our community then please do not hesitate in contacting us:

Horden Community Welfare Football Club (men’s section): rpcuthbert74@gmail.com

Horden Community Welfare Football Club (women’s section): hordencwwomen@gmail.com

Horden Community Welfare Football Club (Junior section): Hordencwu12@gmail.com

FIRST SELECTIVE LICENSING PROSECUTION SEES LANDLORD FINED £15,000

A landlord who failed to act on orders to improve two County Durham properties has been left more than £15,000 worse off.

Sukhraj Singh Barham also failed to apply for a selective licence from us in respect of each of the two properties at Horden, despite being required to do so by law, and now finds himself with four criminal convictions as a result.

The case represents our first prosecution under selective licensing, which was brought in to improve conditions in the private rented sector.

Lynn Hall, our strategic housing manager, said:

“We are really pleased at the high financial penalty imposed in this case which represents our first selective licensing prosecution.

“We know the vast majority of landlords in County Durham look after their properties and their tenants but selective licensing is there for the minority that don’t.

“That clearly includes Mr Barham whose properties were in really poor condition, one to the point where we took emergency action ourselves out of concern for the health of the tenant.

“He failed to respond to legal orders to carry out work or to get a licence in respect of either property and we hope the sentence imposed will act as a reminder to both him and other landlords of the consequences of not doing so.”

We prosecuted Barham, 35, whose company Front Worth Limited is based at Pinfold Street, Birmingham, bringing four charges under the Housing Act.

We outlined to Peterlee magistrates how we were made aware of concerns for the welfare of the tenant of a property on Seventh Street in Horden, in November 2022.

No contact

The tenant told us his rented property had been sold two weeks prior and he had no contact details for and had heard nothing from his new landlord.

Amid concern over the condition of the property, an inspection was carried out by our officers.

The property was found to be in a state of disrepair, with no heating or hot water due to the boiler becoming unserviceable, and there were also issues relating to damp and mould and a partial ceiling collapse in a bedroom.

Furthermore, the staircase banister was too low, the toilet cistern was cracked and broken, and there was a lack of carbon monoxide and smoke alarms within the property.

We carried out enquiries to trace the new landlord which ultimately led us to Front Worth Limited and its sole director Barham.

Hazards

A further inspection of the property showed none of the issues detected on 15 November had been addressed, with hazards found relating to fire and uncombusted fuel gas. As a result an improvement notice was served on Barham setting out works he must do and a timeframe for doing them.

The court heard no response was received to the notice.

Magistrates were told how similarly, we were contacted by the tenant of a property in Tenth Street in Horden in April of this year. Again the property had been sold while he was living there and he had no information about his new landlord.

The property was in a state of disrepair, with the tenant having issues relating to a large damp area on the kitchen wall underneath the bathroom.

We again made enquiries which led us to Barham and again an improvement notice was served on the defendant but not acted upon.

Damp and mould

The damp and mould remains and we are in the process of obtaining quotes for the work.

Magistrates were also told that both properties are in an area of Horden covered by our selective licensing policy. This was brought in by us to regulate private landlords with the desired outcome that properties will be maintained providing tenants with a better standard of living conditions.

As such licences should have been in place for both and the court was told Barham was written to about each property and reminded of this. However applications for licences were not received for either property.

Barham was not in court and was found guilty of all four charges in absence.

THE CHARITY CRIMESTOPPERS - WHO ARE WE?

Our charity is independent of the police. Our independence and charity status are crucial to encouraging people to come forward anonymously with crime information.

Since we began in the 1980s, we’ve always kept our promise that everyone who calls us (freephone 0800 555 111) or fills in our simple and secure online form (crimestoppers-uk.org) stays 100% anonymous. Always.

Why we exist

We believe everyone has a right to feel safe from crime, wherever they live. We’re here for people who have crime information, want to do the right thing, but feel they’ve nowhere else to turn. The reasons for people being reluctant to speak up directly to the authorities are varied but include fear of reprisals or for cultural reasons among others. Our charity supports people to be brave and to speak up about what they know. We don’t judge. Just listen. This information helps to keep communities safe.

How we are trusted

Our UK Contact Centre takes over 1,000 calls and contacts each and every day with information that helps stop crime. Our information, once anonymised, is passed on to police and UK law enforcement agencies. That information has prevented bomb and acid attacks, gang violence, murders, illegal drugs, child abuse, domestic abuse and modern slavery.

Anonymous information has been used to catch dangerous fugitives who are on the run both here and abroad. We are also proud that intel we pass on helps police investigators solve difficult cases so that families can get the justice they desperately seek.

Our service guarantees anonymity, not just confidentiality

Crimestoppers charity guarantees everyone stays anonymous. We go beyond promising mere confidentiality (where personal details such as name and contact details can be taken and stored safely within an organisation).

Crimestoppers guarantee `anonymity’. Everyone stays completely anonymous. This means we will neither take or make a note of personal details or pass on anything that might allow someone to work out your identity. Protecting your identity is our prime concern.

How to give information

Amid concerns over the impact on the tenants’ health we carried out emergency repairs to get the boiler working, on 17 November.

He was fined a total of £12,600, ordered to pay costs of £1,343.69 and a victim surcharge of £2,000 - a total of £15,743.69.

In over 35 years, our guarantee of anonymity has never been broken. You can fill in our easy online form at crimestoppers-uk.org, or speak to a member of our team on the phone (freephone 0800 555 111).

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HORDEN TOGETHER PARTNERSHIP EVENT AND MACMILLAN COFFEE MORNING

Horden Together were joined by several partners and members of the public Friday 29 September at their Partnership Event and Macmillan Coffee Morning.

The event featured over forty partners with information stalls from the Police Crime Commissioner’s Office, NHS, Wellbeing for Life, Creative Youth Opportunities and many more, we even had a visit from Year 6 pupils at Yohden Primary School!

There was an abundance of delicious sweet and savoury treats on offer supplied and baked by Horden Together staff, friends, and local businesses. A special thank you to Cochranes Funeral Services and Lidl for their kind donations.

The event managed to raise a fantastic £289.66 for Macmillan Cancer Support. Thank you to everyone who attended and made the day a great success.

HORDEN TOGETHER STAFF MEMBERS RAISE OVER £1,200 FOR VETERAN CHARITY

Two members of staff took a leap of faith in East Durham Veterans Trust Parachute Day 26th August 2023, where they took part in a tandem skydive 10,000 feet.

East Durham Veterans Trust is a registered charity based in Seaham, which supports veterans and their families from across the north east, through three main areas. Firstly, case managing issues that a veteran or family member may have by offering practical support, this includes finance, housing etc. Secondly, through social inclusion and finally, to support veterans and their families with mental health coaching and wellbeing.

East Durham Veterans Trust are the only veteran specific charity based within East Durham and the only veteran charity in County Durham that offer mental health

The annual parachute day features in a lineup of fundraising campaigns from the charity

Gemma said “we chose East Durham Veterans charity because we have seen firsthand the real difference the charity makes and the positive impact it has had on the lives of some of the people we have worked with at Horden Together. From mates and bates to the community garden the social inclusion

Together Susan and Gemma have raised over £1,200. Well done Gemma and Susan!

NOVEMBER AT ST MARY’S CHURCH

Saturday 11 November

6pm Memorial Service for all our loved ones who have died including the reading of names of those whose funerals have been hosted by St Mary’s in the last year

Sunday 12 November

11am Act of Remembrance at the Village Memorial followed by Service of Remembrance in St Mary’s Church

Saturday 25 November

10am till 12 noon St Mary’s Christmas Fair in the Centennial Centre with stalls, refreshments, Santa and much more

East Durham Connected is a dynamic programme to transform and improve access to vital information, advice and guidance services across East Durham.

Services supported by East Durham Connected include welfare checks, assistance with benefit claims and reviews, debt management and support, alongside referrals for crisis support such as food parcels and emergency energy vouchers.

What we do

East Durham Connected supports access to information, advice and guidance services through:

Advice Hubs

Advice Hubs are community based and led organisations, with their own premises, who serve their local communities and are available to local residents.

Advice Gateways

Advice Gateways are community based and led organisations, with or without premises, who serve their local communities and are available to local residents.

For more information, 0191 569 3511 stephen.rowe@eastdurhamtrust.org.uk www.eastdurhamtrust.org.uk

CHRISTMAS AT ST MARY’S CHURCH

Christmas Eve: 24 December

4pm Christingle Service

For the whole family, especially children, with carols.

11.30pm Midnight Mass

The traditional Christmas celebration, ending with the blessing of the Christmas crib.

Christmas Day: 25 December

At Easington Employment service, delivered byMental Health Matters, we support individuals who are aged over 18 and have a mental health need, this can be diagnosed or undiagnosed. We support people in building their confidence and skills to help them fulfil their aspirations and goals. These can range from accessing community activities, to volunteering and education opportunities, and paid employment.

We support people to develop CV’s, complete job applications, and offer 1:1 help on confidence building, managing anxiety, personal development, and provide advice and guidance. We work with individuals to empower and overcome barriers. We have no time limit; and work with each individual to achieve goals from start to finish. We are a flexible service, offering support face-toface, over the telephone and via video call, depending on the individual’s needs.

10.30am Solemn Mass

With traditional carols for all the family.

“I accessed the service after being referred by my GP. I struggled with depression, stress, and anxiety after the death of my mum and other family members in 2022, which was also exacerbated by work pressures. Rhianna, my Employment Recovery Worker has been invaluable, signposting me to various agencies in my transition from employment to the realms of the unemployed, a realm I was unfamiliar with after 47 years of being fully employed. Things like bereavement groups/counselling, form filling, applying for Universal Credit, ESA, Welfare Rights, Energy funding and so many more factions I was unaware of. My anxiety makes it very difficult for me to meet new people and talk about my personal issues. They are non-judgemental and have a very professional approach in supporting people like me to find a way back to employability, at a pace relevant to an individual’s needs. I don’t know how I would have managed without their support”.

OPERATION COASTAL

Peterlee Neighbourhood Policing Team would like to thank the local community for their support and patience with the investigation.

Operation Coastal was the investigation around the discharge of a firearm on Sunday 8th January 2023 in Fifth Street, Horden. The incident is believed to have been a culmination of a series of serious criminal offences, which occurred over that weekend in Hartlepool and Horden. In the aftermath of these events Durham Constabulary launched a major investigation involving over 100 officers from around the force. As a result, several firearms, ammunition, and a large quantity of controlled drugs were seized. Several arrests were made and as a result seven males admitted all charges in court in June 2023 and were sentenced at Crown Court in September and received lengthy custodial sentences.

Thankfully, incidents such as these are still few and far between in the area and with the support of the community, we are dedicated to ensuring it stays that way.

Please continue to report incidents to us so we can ensure that we have the right resources in the right place to tackle crime and disorder within the community.

OFFENDER SENTENCE

James Stephenson 16yrs 9m

Connor Ellison 13yrs

Wayne Griffen 19yrs 9m

Paul Frain 14yrs

Jonathon Miller 16yrs 9m

Shane Leigh 9yrs

Graeme Oliver 5yrs 4m

GRIEVING PARENTS SUPPORT GROUP

Every Thursday from 1pm-3pm Horden Youth and Community Centre hold a face-to-face support group that has been designed to help and support Grieving Parents.

This is a group where grieving parents can identify and chat with other grieving parents who have found themselves in the same situation. The effects surrounding the loss of a child will last a whole lifetime, therefore regardless of length of time, age, or circumstances - confidentiality, no judgement, and empathy is requested by all the attendees.

HORDEN MARTIAL ARTS CLUB

Horden Martial Arts Club was originally formed in Horden Catholic Club in 1991 as a spin off club to it’s Peterlee counterpart, when a couple of the young instructors (Margret Hunt & Francis Wilson) wanted to branch out. Due to other commitments, they then passed it on to a father & Son combination (John & Michael Blevins) who were now instructors in their own rights in 92/93”.

The club is currently run by Sensei Chris Anderson as in 2007 John unfortunately had to give up the club because of illness. The club currently has several black belts ranging in various ranks and all have a Level 1 Coaching Certificate. As a club instructor Chris has the following:- DBS check, Safeguarding Certificate, Emergency First aid, also have personal indemnity insurance.

Around 2014 the club changed venues to Horden Centennial Centre where they currently train every Tuesday 7 - 8pm.

The club has a great relationship with its “big

HORDEN - ETERNALLY

brother” the Peterlee club (Monday & Thursdays at Shotton Hall Academy School 7 - 8pm) where some students train at both clubs.

The club train in a style of Karate known as Kamishin Ryu which translates to Way of the Heart, from the Karate of the Seidokan School (Soke Shian Toma) and are currently affiliated to Shi-Kon Budo Kai.

The club has always remained a family friendly place, where you can train from the age of five. The club try to keep the cost of training down to a minimum to make it affordable for everyone. Each session is a good mix of disciplined fun.

And Horden lose its soul.

toll?

Would the village heart still beat eternally?

Since the closing of the mine, While the numbered streets decline, Still the people strive, as everyone can see, For a better life to seize, The opportunities, For the village heart to beat eternally.

Horden Together perseveres, Remembering all the tears, And the spirit’s clearly there, for all to see, So they work to overcome, Continue to beat the drum, For the village heart to beat eternally.

ANON.

An innovative project looking at ways to use heat recovered from minewater has received further funding from the Department of Energy Security and Net Zero to complete the next stage of feasibility and project development works.

Further work to understand how a former County Durham coal mine could be used to grow food and support local businesses in Horden is now underway funded by the Heat Network Delivery Unit, delivered by the Department of Energy Security

The next phase of the project will see a consultant appointed by Durham County Council to develop the business case for further investment.

Cllr Mark Wilkes: “This project has the potential to be a game changer for Horden and the surrounding area, building on our housing and regeneration plans, and providing much needed employment. I am absolutely delighted that our continued hard work as a local authority is having such a huge positive impact.

The Horden Minewater project shows the County Durham is on the map, not just regionally but indeed nationally and even internationally in our commitment to tackle climate change and create the green jobs of the future.”

The project is being developed by a partnership of organisations including Durham County Council, Horden Together, the East Durham Trust and Horden Parish Council, has so far received funding to progress the project to this stage.

In May the group completed a technical feasibility study which found that developing a minewater heat network could reduce carbon emissions associated with heating by 580,704 tonnes of CO2e over its lifetime, equivalent to driving 265 million miles in an average petrol car. Heat networks have the potential to provide low cost, low carbon heat to residents and businesses.

Graham Easterlow, CEO of East Durham Trust said: “‘As a key partner in this exciting scheme East Durham Trust is working with partners like Horden Together and Durham County Council to make sure that benefit for the community of Horden is at the heart of Horden Heat. This really exciting project provides an opportunity to use the mine water heat for the beginning of a heat network for local high-volume users, such as schools and older adults homes, alongside heating green houses for commercial food growing. This is hoped will increase skills and provide new jobs in the village.”

Since then the group has undertaken site visits to Gateshead, Lewes and Leeds to develop their understanding of similar projects and raise the profile of their work.

Hosted in Peterlee by local VCSE organisation East Durham Trust the programme has engaged almost 150,000 people since its launch in 2014 in experiencing, shaping and creating arts and culture about the place they live.

The programme has established a network of nine Cultural Hubs, community facilities regularly supported to lead culture in their spaces. No More Nowt has led a number of large-scale commissions shaped by local people, including If These Walls Could Talk, which transformed bus stops in Horden. East Durham Creates will now be known as No More Nowt, drawing

its name from a project led by local young people. The new name highlights the programmes ongoing commitment to improving and increasing access to great arts and culture in Left Behind places where people often feel ‘nowt happens’.

No More Nowt has already begun to connect with communities in the wider County and we are excited to learn from new places and work with them to co-create culture that tells their story and matters to them.

Visit the growing No More Nowt website to find out more about the programme nomorenowt.org