Community Life

Pavement Parking

The Bicycle and Active Travel group have had a lot of interest in improving pavement parking in the area, with many people concerned about pavements being blocked by inconsiderately parked cars. There have also been many incidents of illegal parking on double yellow lines and the zebra crossing zig-zags.

Pavement Parking is Dangerous
Obstruction to Pedestrians: Vehicles parked on pavements obstruct the path for pedestrians, forcing them to walk on the road.

Damage to Pavements: Pavements are not designed to bear the weight of vehicles. Parking on them can cause cracks and other damage, leading to costly repairs.

Restricted Access: Pavement parking can block access for wheelchair users, people with pushchairs, and those using mobility scooters, making it difficult for them to navigate safely.

Safety Hazards: Damaged pavements can become trip hazards, increasing the risk of accidents for all pedestrians.

Legal Aspects of Pavement Parking In the UK, pavement parking is generally illegal. Local councils have the authority to enforce restrictions. In County Durham, parking on pavements where there are waiting restrictions, such as yellow lines, can result in a parking fine.

How to Report Pavement Parking
If you encounter a vehicle parked on a pavement in County Durham, you can report it to the local council or the police.

Council Reporting: If the vehicle is parked on a pavement with waiting restrictions, you can report it to Durham County Council. They have the authority to issue fines and take action against the offending vehicle.

Police Reporting: If there are no waiting restrictions but the vehicle is causing a significant obstruction or danger, you should report it to the police. They can address the issue under obstruction laws.

To report a vehicle, you can contact Durham County Council’s Parking Services via email at parkingservices@durham.gov.uk or by phone at 03000 263 9854. For urgent issues, you can call the police on 101 or 999 if it’s an emergency.

Steve's Nature Diary

I have just got back from doing an enrichment after-school session with some secondary pupils from Middlesbrough. An after-school club in November starting at 4pm, I hear you think! And yes, it was getting dark when we finished but many of the pupils hadn't been out on a nature reserve at dusk, it was a magical experience.

We were at Portrack Marsh in the heart of Teesside and were very lucky with the weather - it was still relatively mild, we had amazing red skies as the sun was going down and, in the distance, we could see the lights of cars going over the flyover, very atmospheric. We started by having a quick pond dip to see what we could find: sticklebacks, minnows and lesser and greater water boatman caused lots of excitement.

As it got darker, we walked to the river and there was so much to see and hear. A skein of pink footed geese flew over with the recognisable honking sound, lots of black headed gulls silently floating down for the evening, an occasional quack as the ducks landed in the reeds for the night and the explosive song of a cettis warbler gave us all a fright.

We continued our walk - it was quite dark now, but it was light enough to see a short-eared owl quartering over the marsh and the occasional small murmuration of starlings swirling over the reed beds before they too fell into the reeds to sleep safely in large groups safe from predators.

So, I would highly recommend a dusk walk around a nature reserve for a slightly different experience even in winter because you never know what you might find.

Winter is also a good time to visit the coast and there is a number of birds that you might see there. One of my favourites that spends its time feeding along the tide line is the snow bunting. Around 13, 000 of these sparrow sized birds spend the winter in the UK. They are large, beautiful, pale buntings, often found in fluttering flocks, flashing varying amounts of white in their wings as they fly. Another flocking bird is Twite.

This LBJ (little brown job) is the northern breeding equivalent of the closely related Linnet. It is a similar size, but browner and streakier, with an apricot wash to the face, yellow bill and the males have a pink rump. So, remember there is no such thing as bad weather, just the wrong clothes, so get out and go for a winter walk.

Ceddesfeld Hall: Home of Sedgefield Community Association
Ceddesfeld Hall: Home of Sedgefield Community Association

Following Churches Together ‘Carols on the Green’ on Friday 20 December, the bar and lounge will be open from 7pm. Mulled wine will also be served, at £4 a glass.

A donation from mulled wine sales will be made to Butterwick Hospice. A Christmas Kanika Pila with Sedgefield Smile Time Ukulele Band begins at 7pm, in the main hall. This is a free event. There will be a range of well known, popular tunes and Christmas songs to enjoy, performed by this very popular group.

Christmas Eve Quiz, 24 December, 7.30pm for 8pm Come along to enjoy a great, social evening with quiz master Peter Hinde. This is also a free event and, of course, the bar will be open. Feel free to bring Christmas nibbles and treats.

Burns Supper, Saturday 25 January starting at 7.15 pm Tickets are £30, to include a drinks reception, followed by a 5-course meal (choice of haggis or roast beef + vegetarian option) with a cheese board and coffee. There will be ‘pipes, toasts, talks and quotes’ too! Tickets can be purchased by contacting Pat, on the number below.

SCA Membership 2025 In January, SCA will begin to collect the annual subscription fees, which have been raised to £8 for over 60s, £9 for adults and £4.50 for young people and students.

SCA is a wholly volunteer-led organisation and member subscription is crucial to the legal governance and running of the association - without it, SCA could not run as it does. Membership fees also provide part of the essential income, with all proceeds going towards the running and maintenance of the hall. Members can benefit from reduced cost for room hire as well as insurance liability protection for any group activities and events.

Because the SCA is a registered charity, any SCA sections may also use this charitable status, when applying for grant funding. Anyone can become a member, as an individual or as part of a group. Contact Jean Easson (membership secretary) on 01740 620656 or contact any of the numbers below.

For more information on Ceddesfeld Hall events, regular activities, room hire and bar opening times, contact Wendy on 01740 620206, Pat on 01740 620607, John on 01740 620042, Sarah on 01740 622185. Visit us on Facebook or see the SCA website, www.sedgefieldsca.org.uk

Mayor's Corner

We have laid a wreath at Remembrance service in St Edmund’s and another at St Luke’s.

We have a sell-out Mayor’s Quiz on 23 November, on 7 December we will be judging a Christmas jumper competition at the Butterwick Hospice event at Sedgefield Racecourse.

The Mayor’s Carol Service is in St Edmund’s on 5 December at 7.30pm - all are invited and welcome. We will finish the year with a dance and live band Mamma Said in the Parish Hall on New Year’s Eve.

There’s a Mayor’s Coffee Morning on Friday 29 January in the Parish Hall and a Valentine’s Dance on 14 February. So it’s busy, busy, busy, but it just shows what a vibrant place Sedgefield is.


Peter and Jaime Hinde
U3A Update

Mark Braithwaite, ex-head of Cleveland Police CID gave a most excellent talk on the criminal case which changed the rules governing Double Jeopardy at trial.

Until 2003, a person could not be tried twice for the same offence, even in the face of new positive evidence. Mark explained that William Dunlop originally stood trial for a murder in 1989. The jury could not reach a verdict and, as the prosecution offered no further evidence, a not guilty verdict was given. While in prison for a different offence, Dunlop admitted his guilt of the murder to a cellmate.

As he could not be re-tried on that count he was prosecuted with perjury and sentenced to six years in prison. Meanwhile, Ann Ming, the mother of his original victim was fighting a strong and intense battle through court and with the government to have the law changed. In 2003, the High Court in London made the decision. ‘Retrials would be permitted in respect of a number of very serious offences where new evidence has come to light’. Dunlop was re-tried for murder, and received a life sentence.

Our Science and Industry Group had an extremely interesting outing on the Weardale Railway when we attended a Dark Skies Stargazing event. We were blessed with dry, warmish weather, no moon and a cloudless sky. Dropped off in a dark field mid-way between Frosterley and Wolsingham, we found a battery of telescopes had been set up and manned by members of Bishop Auckland Astronomical Society. They explained the various planets, stars and constellations we could see and how modern telescopes had widened scientific knowledge of the skies.

We were able to clearly see Saturn’s rings and Jupiter’s Great Red Spot, follow the newest comet, plot our direction using the Plough and the North Star and marvelled how busy the skies are with commercial, private and military aircraft as well as the great number of satellites perpetually crossing the skies.

Having been commissioned to write a modern Pantomime by Radio Tyneside, the Creative Writing Group is completing their edit of ‘Snow White and the Seven Geordie Dwarves’ and are preparing for rehearsals which start shortly. It will be broadcast at 7pm on 18 December. Do listen in. The Lunch Club visited Wynyard Golf Club where we all enjoyed another lovely meal. The weather again added to the day as we were able to watch cross the golf course in bright blue sunshine.

Making the most of the surprisingly dry Autumn weather, the Homes and Gardens Group visited Thorpe Perrow Arboretum where they marvelled at the glorious flamboyance of the acer plantations plus the other marvellous trees which have been able to hold onto their seasonal colour for so long this year. An experience not to be missed.

Our next meeting is on 6 December from 2pm to 4pm in the Parish Hall for our Christmas Party. We will have the shared tables of food, a glass or two of wine, our seasonal quiz and lots of chat and laughter. Come along and see what the u3a can offer to fill your time.


Chris Balfour
Your Letters

The impassable path

Where is the impassable public path in Sedgefield?

As a resident of Sedgefield I’m disconcerted to find that a signposted public path in the centre of the village is virtually impassable. I refer to the pathway between East End and West End.

To be blunt it is a disgrace. It does not appear to have been maintained in any way for quite a while. It is so overgrown in places that people who have used it in the past have nicknamed it "The Impassable Path".

In fact, people with mobility issues are unable to use this pathway and many people without mobility issues have problems negotiating it as well.

I have recently discovered that there is a dispute as to who is responsible for its maintenance, Sedgefield Town Council or Durham County Council. It should be pointed out that there is street lighting in the pathway so one would assume it would be the County Council, however, I have not had this confirmed.

I have discussed this issue with the local ward councillors and county councillors but, as yet, have still not received any logical answers as to why it hasn't been maintained. In the meantime the path is becoming even more overgrown and impassable. Brian

Margaret's magnificent morning for Macmillan

Every year, Margaret Dickerson hosts a Macmillan Cancer Support coffee morning, to raise money for the charity.

Macmillan encourages organisations and individuals to organise an event every September, for what it describes as the "world's biggest coffee morning". Margaret's coffee morning is certainly sizable and raised a very impressive sum of £540 this year.

Margaret wants to express her thanks to everyone who supported the event, either by baking and helping out, or attending on the day. And thanks and well done to Margaret too - what a brilliant effort for such a good cause!

Download and read in your own time

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Sunday 1st Dec
The December Market will be very festive with complimentary nonalcoholic mulled winter punch and mince pies and the Sedgefield Lyric Youth Choir have kindly volunteered to provide the music. This is a great opportunity to buy gifts for your friends and family , including your four legged friends, whilst supporting local traders. All our regular traders will be there providing a great choice of products including: cheese, meats, pies, vegetables, cakes, bread and Christmas wreaths.

Homework Help is starting up again with the new term, so do get in touch if you would like help with homework or schoolwork, or if you could offer such help.

Get in touch at homework@sedgefielddevelopmenttrust.co.uk.

Trees for Habitats On Saturday 11 January 2025 from 10am to 12 noon, we will be welcoming people to bring their real Christmas trees to Skerne Wood. We will be extending the dead hedges we have created in previous years. Dead hedges provide habitats for insects and small mammals and act as a barrier to allow areas of the site to regenerate. Christmas trees can be dropped off with our volunteers on site at TS21 3FD or find us on Google Maps. Families and individuals are welcome to stay to help process the trees and have a look round.

Thermal cameras

TBy the time this edition goes to print, most people on the current list should have been given a time slot to collect the device of their choice from our friends at Mess Charcuterie on North End.

We have 3 devices; two which link to your Android or iOS mobile phone, the third is a standalone thermal camera, the HIKMICRO, from which results can be seen on the viewfinder and/or be exported to your computer.

All 3 models come with a comprehensive guide to use and suitable connection cables. The loan period is one week, Saturday - Saturday and the device must be returned in good time for the next borrower. To be sure that you are getting best value from your heating system, take the opportunity to find out where heat may be escaping from your home.

If you are not yet on our list and you would like to borrow a camera then visit our webpage to find out more and to complete a booking form..

Friendly Fixers

Part of the fun of volunteering at the Repair Café every month, is that we never know what items will be coming in for repair! November's group of Fixers (well, those of a certain vintage), had a mix of objects that reminded us of the prizes that used to be offered on the Generation Game - complete with the cuddly toys! This month saw several garden and household tools being sharpened. Please check our Facebook page near the date of the next Repair Café, to check whether this service is being offered. We also offer textile repairs, so if you have any clothes which need some tender loving care, we are happy to patch, replace buttons, darn, or re-sew seams and tears.

Fishburn Youth and Community Centre. First Saturday of the month, 10:30am-12:30pm

For more information email us at: repaircafe@sedgefielddevelopmenttrust.co.uk.
Follow us on Facebook for all things fixing Friendly Fixers—Repair Cafe!

Bicycle and Active Travel Project

Bees

Would you like to join our group of local beekeepers?
If so, contact Lesley for more details on 07856 625007 or find out further details on our Facebook page – Bees at Hardwick.