Hundreds of people turned out on a chilly, but dry evening to enjoy the town’s Christmas Fayre and Switch-on on Friday, 25^th November.

Festivities began with a parade from St Luke’s Church to the Town Hall led by Sox and Bandit from Blackberry Donkeys and two pipers from Newton Aycliffe Pipe Band.

Christmas lights were switched on by Sam Shepherd, a pupil from Ferryhill Station School.  This was followed by children from Cleves Cross, Broom and Dean Bank Schools singing carols in the Town Hall garden.

130 children met Santa Clause in a specially created grotto built in the Town Hall to let him know what they would like for Christmas.  Each child received a selection box from Santa.  Surplus selection boxes have been donated to the Food Bank.

There was also a Christmas market, show rides provided by Turners, stilt walkers Mel and Mel from Mint Management and Glittery Girl face painter.

Earlier that day a craft fair was held in St Luke’s Church.  Alongside a variety of craft stalls, the Mayor of Ferryhill, Councillor Carolle Atkinson, held a tombola which raised £170 for her chosen charities, Endeavour Woodcraft and Ferryhill Ladder Centre.

A Council spokesperson said that it was disappointing that the canopy of lights could not be installed this year.  Following advice from a structural engineer it was discovered that suitable supports for the lights required more work than expected.  This meant that the canopy cannot be installed prior to Christmas.  Despite this, it was a fantastic event and it was great to see so many people in attendance.  A special thank you to all of the traders, entertainers and everyone in attendance that made it such a special event.

Further festivities are planned in the run up to Christmas including a Mayor’s Civic Christmas Carol Service at St Luke’s Church on Monday 12^th December starting at 6.00 pm.  Refreshments will be served in the Church Hall after the service.  Everyone is welcome to attend.

Local school children will be singing Christmas carols in the Town Hall garden on Friday 9^th December.  Children from Dean Bank School will begin the proceedings at 10.30, followed by Cleves Cross Infants at 11.00 and Cleves Cross Junior Schools at 11.15.

Santa will also be taking time out of his busy schedule to visit all primary schools in the town to deliver selection boxes.

Also keep an eye out for announcements on the Santa Tour which will be held on Thursday 22^nd December.

Ferryhill Town Council is pleased to announce that the latest group to receive funding through its Members Initiative Fund is Mainsforth Amateur Boxing & Fitness Club.  A representative from the Club, Ashley Anderson recently attended a cheque presentation at Ferryhill Town Hall, where Councillor David Farry presented him with a cheque for £450 from his MIF allocation. Funds donated through the Scheme will be used to provide a new Boxing Kit for the Club’s Members.

Councillor David Farry said ‘I am delighted to be able to contribute funds towards Mainsforth Amateur Boxing & Fitness Club. The Club work extremely hard developing young people’s fitness and boxing talent, and it is great to be able to support them in this way’.

For more information on the Town Council’s Members Initiative Fund please contact Karen Younghusband at Ferryhill Town Hall on telephone: 01740 652157 or Email: kyounghusband@ferryhill.gov.uk

Ferryhill Town Council are pleased to invite residents to attend Ferryhill’s Annual Christmas Fayre, which will be taking place on Friday 25^th November 2022.

The Fayre will commence at 2.00pm with a Craft Fayre in St. Luke’s Parish Centre and a Christmas Market in the Market Place Car Park. A procession led by festive donkeys and involving children from local primary schools will leave St. Luke’s Church at 4.00 pm. The procession will make its way to the Town Hall garden for carol singing at 4.15 pm. All adults and children wishing to take part in the procession and carol singing are asked to meet outside St. Luke’s Church at 3.45pm.

The official switch-on of the Town’s Christmas lights will take place in the Town Hall Garden at 4.30 pm. The honour of switching on the Town’s lights this year will fall to a pupil from Ferryhill Station Primary School.

The event this year will also include show rides in the Market Place Car Park (from 2.00 pm), Donkey rides in Chapel Terrace, Santa’s Grotto inside the town Hall (£2 per child) Grab a selfie without Christmas stilt walkers and free face painting upstairs in the Town Hall from 4.30 pm – 6.00 pm.

For any queries about the Christmas Fayre please contact Ferryhill Town Hall on (01740) 652157.

Christmas Fayre EVENT PROGRAMME on 25^th November

 2.00 pm – 6.00pm  –          Craft Fayre at St. Luke’s Parish Centre / Christmas Market in the Market Place Car Park

2.00pm – 6.00pm    –           Show rides in the Market Place Car Park

3.45pm                     –           Children from local primary schools congregate outside St. Luke’s Church for the Christmas Procession

4.00pm                     –           Procession leaves St. Luke’s Church led by festive donkeys

4.15pm – 4.30pm   –           Carol singing by local school children in the Town Hall garden

4.30pm                     –           Official switch-on of the Town’s Christmas lights by a pupil from Ferryhill Station Primary School

4.30pm – 6.00pm   –           Santa’s Grotto (£2 ground floor in the Town Hall)

4.30pm – 6.00pm  –           FREE … Festive donkey rides in Chapel Terrace

4.30pm – 6.00pm  –           Children ‘s FREE Face painting Upstairs in the Town hall

Christmas stilt walkers (walkabout)

 

Preparations are currently underway for Ferryhill’s Annual Christmas Fayre and the official switch-on of the Town’s Christmas Lights.  As in previous years Ferryhill Town Council will be holding an indoor Craft Fayre at St. Luke’s Parish Hall as part of the event, which this year will be taking place from 2.00 pm – 6.00 pm on Friday, 25th November 2022.

A limited number of stalls are still available for the event.  Anyone who would like to have a stall this year is therefore being urged to contact Ferryhill Town Hall at their earliest opportunity.  Craft Fayre Stalls in St Luke’s Parish Hall are available at the cost of £20 each. Tables and chairs will be provided. Please note tombola stalls have already been allocated for this year’s Fayre.

Application forms for stalls are available at Ferryhill Town Hall. All applications must be submitted by no later than Wednesday, 22nd November 2022.  Please return completed applications to Ferryhill Town Council, Town Hall, Ferryhill, County Durham, DL17 8JL.

For more information about the event please contact Ferryhill Town Council on telephone: 01740 652157 or email: enquiries@ferryhill.gov.uk

The Co-option for a Town Councillor in the Ferryhill Village & Dean Bank Ward was held on Wednesday 9th November 2022, to view the notice see below:

Co-option Notice of Result – 9 November 2022

 

Having launched its Members Initiative Fund (MIF) in April 2022, Ferryhill Town Council is pleased to announce that it has already been able to support fifteen local groups through the scheme.

The latest group to receive funding is the 1^st Ferryhill Scouts Group, who recently attended a cheque presentation at Ferryhill Town Hall, where Councillor Sue Jones presented representatives from the group with a cheque for £100 from her MIF allocation. Funds donated through the Scheme will be used to provide essential training for young Scout Leaders.

 

Councillor Sue Jones said ‘I am delighted to be able to support such a worthwhile group. The 1^st Ferryhill Scout Group have been operating for decades, providing enjoyable social and educational activities for young people. It is great that the Members Initiative Fund can contribute to the costs of providing young scout leaders with the training that they need to be able to develop their skills as leaders.’

 

For more information on the Town Council’s Members Initiative Fund please contact Karen Younghusband at Ferryhill Town Hall on telephone: 01740 652157 or

Email: kyounghusband@ferryhill.gov.uk

Ferryhill Town Council is pleased to announce that the latest group to receive funding through its Members Initiative Fund (MIF) is the Ferryhill Branch of the Women’s Institute (WI). In a cheque presentation held at Ferryhill Town Hall, Councillor Peter Atkinson presented a cheque from his MIF allocation for £125 to the President and Treasurer of the Ferryhill WI, Christine Lymer and Loraine Maddison.

Established in 1927 Ferryhill WI will use the monies donated to contribute towards the cost of hosting a celebration event to mark the organisation’s 95^th Birthday.

Councillor Peter Atkinson said ‘I am delighted to be able to support the Ferryhill branch of the WI.  The organisation has been providing social activities, education and support to women in the community for decades.  The organisation provides an invaluable service helping combat the barriers to social isolation that many women face.’

For more information on the Town Council’s Members Initiative Fund please contact Karen Younghusband at Ferryhill Town Hall on telephone: 01740 652157 or Email: kyounghusband@ferryhill.gov.uk

Ferryhill Town Council is pleased to announce that it has finally managed to present one of its 2022 Civic Award Winners with their award. Unable to attend Ferryhill’s Annual Presentation Evening due to Covid, Val Watson was finally presented with her award by Mayor, Councillor Carole Atkinson at Ferryhill Town Hall earlier this week.  Val was nominated for her services to the community as a volunteer.

Councillor Carole Atkinson said ‘I am delighted to be able to present Val Watson with her award. Val continues to work tirelessly as a volunteer in the local community, a role that she has undertaken for many years. The award is very well deserved.’

Ferryhill Town Council is pleased to announce that the latest group to receive funding through its Members Initiative Fund (MIF) is Durham County Carers Support.  In a cheque presentation held at Ferryhill Town Hall, Councillor Kim Tinkler presented a cheque from her MIF allocation for £450 to a representative from the organisation.

Monies will be used to support carers from Ferryhill who are experiencing financial hardship, helping out with items like fuel costs, travelling to appointments and food etc.

Councillor Kim Tinkler said ‘I am delighted to be able to support such a worthwhile cause.  Carers work incredibly hard to look after the needs of the elderly and vulnerable in the community, and I am only too pleased to be able to help support our local carers by contributing to their essential costs.’

For more information on the Town Council’s Members Initiative Fund please contact Karen Younghusband at Ferryhill Town Hall on telephone: 01740 652157 or Email: kyounghusband@ferryhill.gov.uk

Tickets for this year’s Fireworks Extravaganza are selling quickly.  Around two thousand people are expected to come to Dean Bank Park to celebrate fireworks night.  Residents are being urged to purchase tickets as soon as they can to avoid disappointment.

The Extravaganza is taking place on Friday, 4th November 2022 at Dean Bank Recreation Park and promises to be a great night out for all the family. The event will be compered by Steppin’ Out DJ Keith Martin, along with Soloist Alex Hall and includes professional singers live on stage.

Residents are encouraged to walk to the fireworks display and to leave their pets at home. There will be children’s rides, food vendors, sweets, treats and hot drinks and also a licensed bar.  The finale of fireworks will be choreographed to music, taking on a family movie theme.

Entrance fees for the Fireworks display are:

£2.00 per ticket for residents of Ferryhill

£3.00 per ticket for residents of other Towns & Villages

Children under 3 years of age will be permitted entry free of charge.

Tickets for the event will remain on sale at Ferryhill Town Hall until 3.00pm on the day of the event.

This year’s event program will comprise of :

5.00pm      Gates Open for show rides and street food caterers and music from DJ Keith Martin and soloist Alex Hall

6.15pm      Build up to the fireworks with DJ Keith Martin

7.00pm      Fireworks display choreographed to music, taking on a family movie theme.

Town Mayor, Councillor Carole Atkinson said ‘Ferryhill Fireworks has become a fantastic community event.  I would encourage anyone wanting to celebrate bonfire night to join us at Dean Bank Park. It takes the worry and expense out of organising your own fireworks which, by their very nature, can never be as safe or as spectacular as a fully regulated, professional display. The display is always extremely popular with residents of all ages. We are looking forward to seeing you there’.

Please be aware no pets will be allowed into the ground, any remaining tickets sold on the evening of the event are cash sales only – £3 per ticket (card payment at the gate will NOT be available).

For more information about this year’s Fireworks Display please contact:

Ferryhill Town Hall on telephone: 01740 652157

Email: enquiries@ferryhill.gov.uk