SEDGEFIELD LIBRARY TEMPORARY OPENING HOURS Wednesday 9.30am-12.30pm, Thursday 10am-4pm, Friday 1pm-5pm Masks must be worn and your library card is essential. If yours is lost please speak to staff on entry. You will be asked to hand sanitise on entry and to scan your library card on a Track & Trace machine, on both entry and exit. A maximum of 4 people, children included, are allowed in the Library at any one time. You may be asked to wait on spaced markings outside, to allow for safe social distancing within. Children under 12 must be accompanied. Visits for browsing & choosing books are limited to 15 minutes. 1 person at a time may use the computer, time limited to 30 minutes. The Click & Collect service has now ended but the online catalogue system has resumed and is available again for reserving books. BorrowBox is still available with membership. Tel: 0300 026 9521.

COVID-19 Covid-19 has had a significant impact on events in the village. We suggest contacting the club, organisation individually. We will post any information that is sent to us.

Event Posters

After COVID-19 would you like your event poster published here?
Just email us the poster and we can also add a link to your website or Facebook page. All for FREE!

Sedgefield Library

Check with the club for COVID-19 updates.
Usual Opening Hours:
Wednesdays: 9:30am-12:30pm
Thursdays: 10am-6pm
Fridays: 1pm-7pm
Saturdays: 9:30am-12:30pm

Thursdays 10:30-12:30: Basic computing, tailored to your needs.
Thursdays 2.15pm: 'Boogie Beat' Pre-school session. Booking reqd.
Craft Group: 1.30pm 2nd & 4th Friday
Book Circle: 2pm 3rd Friday. New members welcome. New Borrow Box Service. Download the app and gain access to audio e-books or audio books on computer, tablet or mobile phone. This is a free service to all our members. More information at the library. Summer Reading Challenge: Space Chase, limited spaces, please book

Tel: 03000 269521

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The Hub

Sedgefield Community College
Closed due to COVID-19.
New Dance Generation: Monday U9s 5-5.45pm. Over 9s 5.45-6.30pm
Clubbercise:Tue 6.00pm
Zumba: Tue 6.30pm & Thurs 7pm
Blade Taekwondo: Sat 10.30am
Call 01740 617882 for all enquiries

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Sedgefield Community Association

Ceddesfeld Hall is closed with immediate effect. In line with Government advice, relating to Coronavirus, COVID-19, Ceddesfeld Hall is closed from Tuesday 17th March, initially for two months. All SCA events up to mid July have been cancelled. Very best wishes to all members and patrons of Ceddesfeld Hall.

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Sedgefield Social Club

Check with the club for COVID-19 updates. Usually Entertainment every Saturday. Telephone Number: 01740 620591

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St John Fisher Catholic Church

Check with the contacts for COVID-19 updates. Wed & Fri mornings, 9.45am. Sunday 10.45am with Children's Liturgy in term time. Adoration on Thursday at 7pm. Legion of Mary meeting Friday mornings after Mass. To contact The Parish Office, email parishsecretary1961@btconnect.com

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New Generation Church

Check here for COVID-19 updates.

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One Step Forward Bereavement Support Group

Check with the contacts for COVID-19 updates. One Step Forward is a group offering mutual support after bereavement. We meet every Thursday from 3pm to 5pm in The Welcome Room in St. Edmund's Church. Further details from Panny Pighills: 01740 620909/07443 423113

Sedgefield Methodist Hall Non-Profit Playgroup

Check with the contacts for COVID-19 updates. Mon, Wed & Thurs 9.30am - 11.30am in term time. For children aged 2 to 4. Contact Barbara Smith 01740 620923 or Jane Jones 01740 620893.

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Youth Club

Check with the contacts for COVID-19 updates. Monday Evenings in Term Time. Parish Hall. Juniors (50p) 6-7pm, Seniors (£1) 7-8:30pm. Table tennis, Xbox, Playstation, tuck shop and more. For info email natalie@Sedgefieldtowncouncil.gov.uk

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Sedgefield Tea Dance

Check with the contacts for COVID-19 updates. For information, call Joyce 01740 622601 or Ann 01740 629070

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Fishburn Art Group

Check with the contacts for COVID-19 updates. Fishburn Art Group is looking for new members. The group meets every Monday from 9.30am till noon. Anyone interested is welcome to visit to see what goes on and meet members. For further info call Julie Underwood on 07770 972 988 or email underlogs@talktalk.net

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Sew Easy Sessions

Check with the contacts for COVID-19 updates. Mon 6.30-9pm & Wed 1-4pm. Venue: Parish Hall Boardroom

Durham Book Festival

The line up for Durham Book festival has now been released & it promises to be one of the most exciting yet.

Of course, this being 2020, changes have had to be made, so all events will be available online-only, making this the first virtual festival in 30 years hosting the event. The festival will run from October 9th to 18th and headline acts include Ian Rankin discussing his new novel A Song for the Dark Times and introducing his first book, Richard Osman, with his crime novel, The Thursday Murder Club.

Ann Cleeves will be interviewed about her new novel The Darkest Evening, the ninth in the series featuring her North East detective heroine Vera Stanhope. Ann has also penned a new Vera story set in Durham. Entitled Written in Blood it is especially for the Big Read initiative, which sees 4,000 free copies distributed regionally with the manuscript also made available as an e-book on the Durham Book Festival website.
You can participate in the Big Read and claim a free electronic copy of Written in Blood here: https://durhambookfestival.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/Written-in-Blood.pdf Away from crime writing, Booker Prize winner and committed friend of the Miners' Gala, DBC Pierre (see right) will be in virtual attendance speaking about his latest publication Meanwhile in Dopamine city and about his childhood, which featured many summer visits to his mother's family in Durham City.

One innovative project being run this year is a special audio tour of Durham available as a downloadable podcast & intended to be listened to while walking. With a running time of around 90 minutes, it will provide information about the literary history of Durham city itself, with reference to the locations' literary links & the poets, authors and events that put the city in print.

Though it is disappointing that the event could not be attended as usual this year, it is testament to the determination of the organizers that it is going ahead at all. Of course the silver lining is that we can now experience the whole thing from the comfort of our own homes. As always there is far too much in the packed schedule to list here, with a whole host of live readings, essays, talks, writing masterclasses & workshops but please do visit https://durhambookfestival.com to see the scope of the events being hosted, most of which are free of charge.

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Sedgefield Players Film Festival

Sedgefield's first ever virtual drama festival ran 7-11 September and was a great success. The festival featured 18 short films submitted by 8 groups, including Bananadrama, Saltburn '53 Society, NESST & The Sedgefield Players.

It was broadcast online over 5 nights of highly varied entertainment, with awards assigned at the conclusion.

There was a mix of original writing & re-staging of familiar pieces. Each had something to reward viewers & leave us wanting more.
Please visit Sedgefield Players' YouTube channel and Facebook pages to view the films. You won't be disappointed!

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Beyond the Village Pump - Illustrated stories from Sedgefield

newly published book features stunning photographs of the Sedgefield area, accompanied by stories and poems.

Members of local U3A interest groups, Scribes Creative writing, and Photography, have worked together to produce the book.
As Maxine Patterson, a member of both groups, explained. “There is so much of beauty and interest around us in the village so we challenged ourselves to capture it in words and pictures.” The two U3A interest groups are made up of members from both Sedgefield and Stockton. Combining their talents to produce an illustrated book seemed an ideal way forward.

Work started early in 2019, and was progressing well until the virus arrived. Stories and poems cover local events and legends, such as the Shrove Tuesday Ball Game or New Years Eve, as well as some flights of fancy, and “might have beens”.

U3A hope you enjoy their beautifully produced glossy book, & expect to bring pleasure to readers both through the photographs and the words. It makes an ideal extra Christmas present or stocking filler, or you could just enjoy it for yourself.

Priced at only £6 or £7 including post and packing, the book is available from group members, Maxine Patterson (01740 620905, Pat Buckley (01740 620607).
Alternatively, you can email the local U3A group - SedgefieldU3A@gmail.com