Diary and Events

Friday 2
Sedgefield and District U3A, Sedgefield Parish Hall, 2pm. A talk by David Williams on George Stephenson. Visitors are welcome, suggested donation of £3.
Sedgefield Memory Café Coffee Morning, Sedgefield Parish Hall, 10:30am-12pm. Everyone welcome.
Saturday 3
Friendly Fixers, Fishburn Youth and Community Centre, 10:30am to 12:30pm. Repair café.
Sunday 4
Sedgefield Farmers Market, Village Green, 8:30-12:15pm.
Tuesday 6
Mordon and Bradbury Open Mic Night, Bradbury Village Hall, 7:30pm-10pm. £3 performers, £5 non-performers on the door. Bring your own drinks and nibbles.
Wednesday 7
Sedgefield WI AGM, Sedgefield Parish Hall, 7:15pm. The members’ competition is “a photo frame (including photo)”. Visitors welcome, £4 donation.
Friday 9
Chapel Choir of University College, Durham, St. Edmund’s Church, 7pm.
Inner Wheel Club of Sedgefield Coffee Morning, Sedgefield Parish Hall, 10am-11:45am. A police officer will give a short talk on scams and frauds. Proceeds to Cancer Research.
Saturday 10
Christian Aid Coffee Morning, Sedgefield Methodist Church, 10am-11:30am.
Sedgefield Rock & Blues Club, Sedgefield Parish Hall, Doors 6:45pm. Sean Webster Band & Russ Tippins Electric Band.
Tuesday 13
Sedgefield Town Council Annual Town Meeting, Sedgefield Parish Hall
Friday 16
Ferryhill, Sedgefield and District Flower Club Coffee Morning, Sedgefield Parish Hall, 10am-11:30am. Cake stall and raffle. All welcome—please come along and join us.
Tuesday 20
Sedgefield Memory Café, Sedgefield Methodist Hall, 10:30am to 12pm. For those living with dementia and carers.
Ferryhill, Sedgefield and District Flower Club, Sedgefield Parish Hall, 7:15pm. Demonstration by Kathleen Williams, “Seasonal Influences”. Members free, guests £5 donation.
Friday 30
Sedgefield District Uniformed Services Group coffee morning, Sedgefield Parish Hall, 10am.


Save the date

One Step Forward
A new bereavement support group is running every Thursday afternoon between 2pm and 4pm. Everyone is welcome - of all faiths or none. The Welcome Room @ St Edmund’s Church, Front Street, Sedgefield

parkrun
Every Saturday at 9am there is a free, 5km timed run at Hardwick Park. Register at parkrun.org.uk. All welcome as volunteers, walkers or runners.

Junior parkrun
A free 2km run for 4-14 year olds, meeting at the back of the visitor’s centre at Hardwick Park every Sunday. We welcome volunteers including those doing their Duke of Edinburgh awards. Register at parkrun.org.uk.


Arts Update with Geoff Millichap

Sedgefield Players Update

As usual the Sedgefield Players are not sitting around. On 12 April, they held a Roaring 20’s fundraising evening. Full of flappers and gangsters there were the usual songs, dances and poems as well as newly written sketches, a radio play and a silent film. Thanks go to Christine Walker and Meg Edgoose-Clubley for pulling together such a great show and thanks again to a fantastic audience who always step up to the mark with their own fabulous costumes.

On 4 May, the Players are taking ‘Shakers’ the play which won the preliminary round in March, to the All England Theatre Festival Northern Area Semi-Final at the Royalty Theatre in Sunderland. We are wishing ‘break a leg’ to Lucy, Kelsy, Millie and Emily, who will do us all proud.

Rehearsals are under way for the June production of Sense and Sensibility, which involves many of the group. This lovely period costume play about the loves of Eleanor and Marianne Dashwood (Amy Henery and Lucy Atkinson). Director Sarah Atkinson said, ‘The play has many different locations, so on a small stage, I have to be creative, but with music between scene changes and using the floor of the stage, it will be lovely’.

The SPYS are well into their rehearsal schedule for their July production of The Snow Queen. This is a huge undertaking for directors Sarah Atkinson and Tom Guest, who also writes some music for the play. With almost 60 young people it will be a spectacular show.

Tickets are £10 and available from Tickety Boo and https://www.ticketsource.co.uk/sedgefield-players.


Bishop Auckland Music Society Update

The first concert of the season was a great success and so we move onto our second which features Ewan Millar, who is a prominent young oboist building a career in the UK. Do remember that children are welcome to attend free of charge and they will have the opportunity to meet Ewan).

In 2020 Ewan won the woodwind final of BBC Young Musician, advancing to the Grand Final, and performing Navarro’s “Legacy” concerto with the BBC Philharmonic.

Since the competition he has been selected as a Tillett Debut Scheme Artist and Countess of Munster Trust Recital Scheme Artist, and as such will continue performing regular recitals in the coming years.

As a freelancer, he has had the privilege of playing principal oboe with the RPO, Aurora Orchestra, and Britten Sinfonia. Ewan did his undergraduate studies at St. Hilda’s College, Oxford, and his postgraduate at RAM, receiving firsts in both degrees.

The remaining program of BAMS dates and artists are listed below and as always, the concerts are in the lovely setting of Bishop Auckland Methodist Church (opposite Bishop Auckland General Hospital) each starting at 7.30pm:
Friday 6 June: Lise Vandersmissen (triple harp)
Friday 11 July: Ignas Maknickas (solo piano)
Friday 5 September: Lumas Winds (wind quintet)

Full details of all the programmes and artists are on our BAMS website: bvemv.orpheusweb.co.uk/BAMSWebbams.html.


Sedgefield Players & SPYS The Snow Queen

More local events

VE Day Ceilidh, Field & Fodder, Bearpark
A night of dancing and celebration at Field & Fodder! A traditional Ceilidh to commemorate VE Day. 8 May, 6pm Adults £15, children £7.50
website link.


Hardwick Festival, Hardwick Hall
The lineup has been announced for Hardwick Live in August and tickets are available for all 3 days 15-17 August 2025, prices vary hardwickfestival.co.uk.
website link


There's A Monster In Your Show
Tom Fletcher’s much-loved Who’s in Your Book? series leaps from page to stage in this lively new musical! Expect laughs, mayhem, and a few surprise guests as Little Monster and friends come to life. 21 & 22 May 2025, times vary.
website link