|
27/06/07 West
Auckland Carnival |
| The Carnival is back with a
vengeance after a 4 year absence. It will take place
on Saturday 21st July
from 1pm - 4pm on the village green.
The event is being coordinated
by the West Auckland Community Partnership and is
being supported by the Parish Council. It will
follow the pattern
established in
previous years. Any profits from the event will go
towards village community projects, after a sum has
been set aside for establishing the Carnival
as an annual event. The process for bidding for
funds will be set out in the
September edition
of West Life.
- Carnival Queen Parade
- Jazz Band
- Fancy Dress Competition
- Dancing Displays
- Children's sports
Demonstrations
- Quoits
- Football Finals
- Fairground Roundabouts
- Hot Food
- Ice Cream
- World Cup Display
- Stalls
There
is a whole range of events and competitions for
villagers to enter
and enjoy. So why not join in and be a part of the
fun?
Carnival Queen Disco
The West Auckland Workingmen's Club has kindly
agreed to
host the Carnival Queen Disco again this year. It
will be held
on 16" July from 6.30
-
8.30pm. The
Carnival Queen will be
chosen during the
evening along with her attendants. The
ages are as follows: Queen's age 12 -16 years; Attendants
ages 5 -
7 years and 8 -
11 years.
Fancy
dress
competition
The
theme of this year's fancy dress competition will be
'Scarecrows'. All entrants will accompany the Carnival Queen
at the opening
parade. As always, prizes will be presented for
the most original costumes.
Football, quoits and tug of
war
teams
We plan to hold:
Five a
side football
competitions for adults and children
Quoits
competition
Tug
of war competition.
Entry
forms will be available from The Village Centre,
village shops, pubs. and other village community
groups. Subject to
entries, knockout matches may need to be played
prior to the Carnival with the finals on the day.
Photographic
competition
The theme will be 'West is best!' This can include
places,
people. events, anything in fact that celebrates
life in the
village. Winning photos may be used as Christmas
cards or in
a Christmas
calendar if content is suitable. The best entries
will be displayed on the Carnival day and
later at The Village
Centre. The
competition will be for children and adults, with
prizes for
all age groups All entries should be handed in to
The Village Centre before the Carnival day,
with details of
photographer, age and address. (Photos will not be
returned unless specifically requested).
Raffle
There will be a
Grand Raffle
with a cash prize of £100 and
many other prizes. Tickets will be available on and
before the
Carnival Day. So if your days as a Carnival queen
are long
gone, and the thought of stuffing an old shirt with
straw doesn't
thrill you, then please support the raffle. Every
penny raised
will go towards village community projects.
Children's
Competitions
Painted egg competition
Garden on a plate
(max size 25cms /10 inch diameter)
.
Entries to include name, age and address, will be
accepted up
to 12 noon on Carnival Day.
Best decorated house and business premises
Finally we hope the village will be looking its best
in the week running up to the Carnival Day (14-21
July). There will be two competitions, one for the
best decorated house and one for business premises
(shops, offices, hotels, etc.). These competitions
are for the whole village, not just those around
the Village Green. Please collect an entry form from
The
Village Centre or make sure you submit details of
your property for judging before Carnival week
begins.
Carnival
stalls and side shows
The Partnership is currently organizing stalls and
side shows
for the Carnival. If you would like to help with a
stall, or have
an idea for a good Carnival attraction, please make
contact
with those listed below. The Carnival is a fun
village event and
all who want to take part should be able to do so.
The next Carnival committee meeting is at The
Village Centre
at 7pm on Wednesday, 27th
June. You will
be very welcome!
Carnival Contacts - Chris McHale (832717), Jill
Wheeler
(833646), Lynn Evans (834194). John Niven (834368)
or
Martin Roberts (833214)
|
|
21/06/07 New Bypass Grand Opening |
| The Long awaited
West Auckland Bypass is due to Open on
Friday 29th June
officials will declare the bypass open at the
Oakley Garage, a688, at 11am.
The 7 million
pound scheme consists of a 7.3m wide
single carriageway, approximately
2.4 kilometres in length, connecting
the western end of Stage 1 of the
scheme, south of St Helen Industrial
Estate, with the A688 south-west of
West Auckland (near to Oakley
Service Station). The new road also
intersects the A68 between Klickem
Gables and Hummerbeck Bridge. The
first stage of the bypass (completed
in October 1998) provides access to
an area of land which is proposed as
a new ground for Bishop Auckland
Football Club.
|
|
.JPG)
|
|
07/05/07
More bypass update in pictures |
|
|
Looking towards
the a68 from the a688 near the jet garage.
.jpg)
Looking towards
St Helens from the a68 near the glass factory
|
|
.jpg)
|
|
07/05/07
Events at the memorial hall |
|
|
WEST AUCKLAND MEMORIAL
COMMUNITY ASSOCIATION
Registered Charity
No. 700076
Memorial Hall, Darlington
Road, WEST AUCKLAND
(Hall Telephone Number
01388 833924)
|
|
WHATS ON |
|
|
TIMES |
|
MONDAY
New Age Kurling - Main
Hall
Carpet Bowls - Main Hall |
From 10.00am to 12noon
From 7.00pm to 9.00pm |
|
TUESDAY
New
Age Kurling (AUCKLANDGATE
CENTRE) - Main Hall
Twenty Club (Once a
month) - Main Hall
Weight Watchers - Main
Hall |
From 10.00am to 12noon
From 1.30pm to 3.30pm
From 5.45pm to 7.30pm |
|
WEDNESDAY
Tea Dance - Main Hall
Children’s Line Dance
Class - Main Hall
Western Partner Dance
Class - Main Hall
Vinovium Lodge - Back
Room (Last Wednesday only)
Vinovium Lodge - Building
(First Wednesday only -
alternate months) |
From 1.30pm to 3.30pm
From 6.30pm to 8.30pm
From 8.30 pm to 10.30pm
From 7.00pm to 9.00pm
From 7.00pm to 9.00pm
|
|
THURSDAY
Carpet Bowls - Main Hall
Committee Meeting - Back
Room (First Thursday only) |
From 7.00pm to 9.00pm
From 6.45pm to 8.00pm |
|
FRIDAY |
|
|
SATURDAY
Bingo - Main Hall |
From 7.30pm to 9.00pm |
|
SUNDAY
Line Dance Get Together -
Main Hall (Twice A Month)
Paul’s Line Dance Class -
Main Hall (Alternate Sundays)
|
From 8.00pm to 10.00pm
From 7.30pm to 10.30pm |
|
Bypass update in
Pictures
Click on
Pictures for bigger version
The above panoramic is a reduced version
of a 10mb file.
31/01/07
A Meeting that was not to be
DOZENS of villagers were left
disappointed after a council officer failed to address a
meeting about improvements to houses, following a bizarre
mix-up. St Helen Auckland Residents Association's committee
were shocked when its Selby Close Community Centre was
full to the rafters on Monday evening. It emerged that
leaflets had been sent to houses in the village advertising
the presence of Wear Valley District Council's interim
director of development, Wayne Seaborn, to talk about a
programme of replacement windows, doors, kitchens and
bathrooms. But neither the association, nor Mr Seaborn, were
aware of the leaflets, which had the Wear Valley District
Council postmark on the envelope and St Helens Residents
Association in large text at the top. Kevin Graham, who
chaired the meeting, apologised to the residents whose
questions were left unanswered. He said: "This committee's
been embarrassed. It's in our name and we know nowt about
it. "It is the first time we have seen this letter. I must
apologise on behalf of the residents association."
Yesterday, it was still unclear who had sent out the
leaflets, which also carried an incorrect date. Mr Seaborn
said: "I was unaware of this meeting and have spoken to
Councillor Margaret Douthwaite to explain the situation and
apologise. "I am writing to her today to see if I can attend
the next meeting, which we will hopefully address. "I had no
prior knowledge of this meeting - had I known, I would have
been there."
Dan King
Reporter - Northern
echo
31/01/07
Football club Thefts.
THE winners of the first ever World Cup have been left
without goal nets and an expensive grass cutter following a
theft at their ground. West Auckland Town FC, who beat
mighty Juventus to win the Sir Thomas Lipton Trophy in
1909, had their Darlington Road ground broken into on Sunday
night. The thieves made off with a grass cutter and their
goal nets, which will cost several hundred pounds to
replace. The club, who play in the Arngrove Northern League,
are now appealing for the return of the uninsured items, or
face paying out to replace the vital equipment. The grass
cutter, which is red and marked with WAFC, cost about £400
and had recently been serviced at the cost of £170. The goal
nets are plain white and are the only set the club owns,
meaning they will need to be replaced before the team's next
home game against Dunston Federation on February 17. The
club's general manager, Stuart Alderson, said: "It is really
shocking. Every penny counts at a football club like ours
and these are going to cost us £500 or £600 to replace.
"When we come to the end of the season, we are always
struggling for cash. "I can't believe that anyone who lives
in West Auckland would do this - or what they are going to
do with a grass cutter and some goal nets. We would
appreciate getting them back." The famous World Cup trophy
was stolen from West Auckland Workingmen's Club in 1994 and
never found, although it has since been replaced by a
replica. Anybody with information should contact police on
0845-60-60-365.
Dan King
Reporter - Northern
echo
23/01/07
£680,000 CONSERVATION SCHEME FOR WEST AUCKLAND
Plans for a near-£680,000 conservation
scheme at the heart of a County Durham village will go on
display on Wednesday (January 24). The massive investment
will be used to upgrade the historic centre of West
Auckland. Homeowners and businesses will be able to
apply for grants towards the cost of repairing or
reinstating historical architectural features on properties
around the Village Green. Roof, masonry and window repairs
will all come under the Partnership Schemes in Conservation
Areas’ Grants Scheme. (CORRECT) Work will also be carried
out to reinstate the original river cobbles and York stone
paving on Front Street and part of Station Road. Durham
County Council is putting £200,000 into the project under
its Urban and Rural Renaissance Initiative. English Heritage
has contributed £225,000 with £60,000 coming from Wear
Valley District Council and £15,000 from West Auckland
Parish Council. Homeowners and businesses are also putting
£176,000 into the scheme.
People can find out more by attending an exhibition in West
Auckland’s Village Centre on:
· Wednesday, January 24, 2pm to 7pm;
· Thursday, January 25, 2pm to 6pm.
Representatives from the County Council will be available on
those dates to talk to people about the scheme and how they
can apply for grants. Information showing how the project
will link with other environmental initiatives in the area,
such as the West Auckland Bypass and the South West Durham
Heritage Corridor, will also be available. The exhibition
will run until Wednesday, February 7. People who are unable
to attend can contact Tamsin Harrison, Urban Design Officer,
at Durham County Council, on 0191 383 5670 for more
information. Councillor Bob Pendlebury, Cabinet Member for
Transport and Sustainability, at Durham County Council,
said: “This is a superb opportunity to invest in the
environmental improvement of West Auckland. “People and
businesses can tap into grant money to repair or reinstate
their unique historic buildings while also enhancing the
appearance of one of our oldest communities. “This scheme
shows our commitment to regeneration in neighbourhoods such
as West Auckland and underlines the work we are doing,
together with our partners, to build stronger communities.”
More
19/01/2007
Volunteers Needed
A COMMUNITY drop-in centre in West
Auckland is seeking volunteers to help run its services. The
Village Centre, on the village's Front Street, has proven
successful as a meeting point for youngsters since opening
last August. But the renovated venue, which also hosts
coffee mornings and other events for residents, needs more
people to help out as the range of sessions continues to
expand. The centre holds weekly sessions for two age groups
of eight to 11-year-olds and 11 to 17-year-olds, as well as
catering for adults and elderly people. West Auckland beat
officer PC Andy Hucker, who is involved with the West
Auckland Community Partnership Group who run the centre, is
hoping that villagers will come forward. "The ideal person
would be a local member of the community who wants to help,"
he said. "It's not just about children because it also holds
coffee mornings and events for adults." Anybody who is
interested in working at the centre can contact PC Hucker on
0845 6060365 ext 6231710.
Dan King
Reporter - Northern
echo
12/01/07
Spring Mill Dam
Its great now when the heavy rains
come, West Auckland residents can rest assured they can
sleep well because the Spring Mill Dam will be holding back
the rain water and allowing it run down the Gaulness valley
at an appropriate level where there is no risk to flooding
houses. Have a look at the photos below, notice railway
multi-user route is submerged in places and the wooden
bridge is completely covered.
Many Thanks to Neil Douthwaite for the
Photos- Great Stuff, Once Again thanks.
|
17/12/06
Bypass Update in Pictures
WORK on the main
phase of a £7m bypass resumes today. Site staff will
return to the site of the long-awaited West Auckland
bypass, following the Christmas break, where work
began last August. Due to heavy rain, the oneand-a-half
mile stretch of single carriageway is about one week
behind schedule. But the project, which is being
carried out by Balfour Beatty Limited on behalf of
Durham County Council, is still on course to be
completed by the middle of this year. The
council's resident engineer, Alan Cutty, said that
work was going well on the project, which motorists
have waited more than 50 years for. "Construction on
the main phase continues to progress well despite
poor weather conditions, " he said. "The works are
approximately one week behind programme. This is due
mainly to the above average rainfall in October and
November." He said that an area of unexpected poor
ground conditions had been encountered, and
additional rainage was being installed. When
finished, the work will link the first stage of the
bypass, adjoining St Helen Auckland Industrial
Estate with the A688 on the southwest outskirts of
West Auckland. The new highway will include three
roundabouts - on the A68 at Hummerbeck, at the
western end of the first stage and where the road
joins the A688 near Oakley Service Station - and a
path for pedestrians, riders and cyclists. Mr Cutty
said: "Construction of the new roundabout on the
A688, close to Oakley Service Station, is under way,
with some kerb lines in place to define the new
road. "In January, work will start at the roundabout
at St Helen Auckland Industrial Estate. The
link road will be closed to traffic during this
period and access to the industrial estate will be
from the A688 mini roundabout only."
Part-time traffic signals, which were removed over
Christmas, will be in operation again. Mr Cutty
said: "After the Christmas break, temporary traffic
signals will be required on the A68 and A688, and
there will be a temporary road closure of stage one
on the bypass at St Helen Auckland."
Dan King
Reporter -
Northern Echo
.JPG)
The Bridge over the River Gaunless |
.JPG)
Looking Towards St Helens |
.JPG)
Looking Towards St Helens |
.JPG)
Looking Towards A688 (towards Jet Garage) |
.JPG)
Looking toward A68 (Darlington Road) |
|
|
.JPG)
.JPG)
.JPG)
.JPG)
.jpg)
.jpg)
.jpg)
.jpg)
.jpg)
.jpg)