Ferryhill Town Council has announced that it will once again be offering youth providers in the Town the opportunity to apply for funds of up to £1,000 to contribute to existing projects that concentrate on providing youth activities during the School Summer holidays.

Through the Town Council’s Events Committee, monies have been allocated to the School Holiday Youth Activities Fund, which is aimed at adding value to existing youth projects being delivered in the Town during the Summer holidays.

Application Forms for the fund, which opens on Monday, 13^th June are available from Ferryhill Town Council.  Funds are limited and priority will be given to those projects that will also help tackle holiday hunger.  Completed applications must be submitted to the Events & Projects Officer at Ferryhill Town Hall or emailed to kyounghusband@ferryhill.gov.uk by the closing date of 18^th July.

Applicant organisations must have an adopted constitution and a bank account requiring two unrelated signatories.

For more information, please contact Karen Younghusband at Ferryhill Town Council on telephone 01740 652157.

Having launched the Members Initiative Fund in April 2022, Ferryhill Town Council is pleased to announce that it recently presented its first two cheques as part of the scheme to two local groups. 

Councillor Kath Conroy and Councillor Paul Anthony Donald joined forces contributing £450 each towards the ‘Carry Respect Not a Blade’ initiative being organised by Paul Eddy of Seconds Out. 

The initiative which is an education intervention will target young people in schools and youth groups who have been tempted to carry a bladed article. The initiative will include the delivery of presentations demonstrating the consequences of knife related crime.

Councillor Conroy and Councillor Donald said ‘we are pleased to be able to support such a worthwhile initiative. Educating young people on the consequences of knife crime is really important in today’s society. If the initiative helps just one young person, then it will be worthwhile.’

Mayor, Councillor Carole Atkinson contributed £225 to the LADDER Centre to help cover costs associated with the delivery of a slow cooker cookery course, providing participants with the skills needed to be able to make a healthy, nutritional family meal at a reasonable price. As part of the course participants will receive their very own slow cooker. 

Councillor Atkinson said ‘I am pleased to be able to contribute funds to such a fantastic project. At a time when many families are feeling the pressure of increased food and energy bills, this project will help equip families giving them the skills and equipment to be able to make nutritional low-cost meals.’

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 would like to say a huge thank to everyone in the Town who has joined in with the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee Celebrations. Residents, businesses and community groups have really come together and entered into the spirit of the occasion.

Congratulations to the DIDO, Chance Drama, Keers Patterson Residents Association, the LADDER Centre, Endeavour Woodcrafts in association with the Dean Bank Dog Walking Association, Dean Bank Chat & Craft and St. Luke’s Church who all secured funds through the Town Council’s Jubilee Community Fund, to enable their organisations to host individual events to mark the occasion.

A big well done also goes to local traders who took part in the Town Council’s Jubilee themed window display completion. It was great to see so many of the Town’s businesses coming together to decorate their windows with Jubilee themed decorations and memorabilia, and really getting into the spirit of the occasion. The judges, who are members of the Town Council’s Events Committee found it very difficult to choose a winner out of so many fabulous displays, but in the end the winner of the competition, who has received a trophy and will receive a free hanging basket, was announced as Shell’s Bakery. All entrants in the competition will receive a certificate signed by the Mayor of Ferryhill and adorned with a commemorative Jubilee coin in recognition of their participation in the competition, and for outstanding efforts in decorating their premises.

On Thursday, 2nd June the Town Council joined more than 3,500 organisations across the UK and the Commonwealth to host a Beacon Lighting Ceremony in the Town Hall garden. Mayor, Councillor Carole Atkinson lead the proceedings addressing the audience and reading out a Proclamation and message from the Lord Lieutenant, Mrs Sue Snowden. A big thank you goes to Julie Hepburn, Ferryhill Town Band who played ‘Majesty’ on the cornet to announce the lighting of the Beacon, which took place at exactly 9.45pm.

The Council’s Jubilee celebrations culminated in a large Party in the Park on Saturday, 4th June. The event saw 2000 people flock to Dean Bank Park to enjoy the sunshine and performances by a fantastic line up of stage acts, children’s entertainment, face painter, refreshments, stalls and circus performer. A huge thank you to Stanley Events for organising the event.

Throughout the weekend the Queen made many appearances in the Town in the form of large cardboard cut outs, which enabled residents to have their photos taken with Her Majesty. A big thank you to Durham County Council’s 4 Together Partnership who contributed funds to provide the cut outs, which proved very popular.

Other initiatives being organised by the Town Council to mark the Queen’s Jubilee will include the presentation of a commemorative Jubilee coin to all schoolchildren attending Ferryhill Schools, and a Jubilee themed painting competition, which is to be held later in the year.

Mayor, Councillor Carole Atkinson said ‘It was fantastic to see so many of the Town’s residents, businesses and community groups getting into the spirit of the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee, participating in the many events and initiatives taking place in the Town to mark the occasion. It really demonstrates just what a strong community we have here in Ferryhill.’

Councillor Joe Quinn, Chair of Ferryhill Town Council’s Events Committee said ‘I would like to say a big thank you to everyone who has participated in celebrations to mark the Queen’s Jubilee.  The Town has really done itself proud and I am humbled to have been able to be a part of it.’

Ferryhill Town Council is pleased to announce that the Northern Bygones Society will be holding its Annual Vintage Car Show at the King George V Playing Field (Broom Rec) from 10.00am – 3.00pm on Saturday 18th and Sunday 19th June 2022. 

The event which is FREE to enter will include a range of Vintage & Classic Cars for everyone to view and chat with the owners about. The event will also include a range of bikes, collectibles, a variety of stalls and burger and ice cream vans. 

Anyone who would like to host a stall at the event should contact the organiser, Paul on telephone: 07968367438.  Stalls will be charged at a cost of £5 per pitch per day. 

Ferryhill Town Council is pleased to announce that a service will be held at 9.45am on Saturday, 25th June 2022 in the Town Hall garden to mark Armed Forces Day. 

Residents are invited to congregate at 9.30am in the garden ready for a speech by the Mayor of Ferryhill, Councillor Carole Atkinson. The Armed Forces Day flag will then be raised by ex-serviceman Paul Gray, 5th Regiment of the Royal Artillery to the sound of the bugle played by Ex-Bugle Major Garry Suggett.

The flag will be flown in unison with other flags being raised across the United Kingdom, Channel Islands and Isle of Man in a universal show of support, honouring Britain’s Armed Forces past, present and future.

Ferryhill Town Council will also be raising the flag on Tuesday, 14th June to mark the 40th Anniversary of the end of the Falklands conflict. 

Mayor, Councillor Carole Atkinson said ‘‘It is extremely important to mark occasions such as Armed Forces Day and the Anniversary of the Falklands Conflict to demonstrate our support for the men and women who make up the Armed Forces and work so tirelessly to defend the UK and its interests.’

In accordance with the requirements of the Local Audit and Accountability Act 2014 and the Accounts and Audit (England) Regulations 2015 (SI 234), the accounts of Ferryhill Town Council for the year ending 31 March 2021 are now available for public inspection.

The accounts were approved by Members at a meeting of the Town Council held on Wednesday, 18 May 2022. They are, however, subject to external audit and may change once this has been completed.

The audit advert and the Annual Return can viewed here: Annual Accounts 2021-22

Ferryhill Town Council will be joining other organisations across the Country in a national Beacon Lighting Ceremony to mark Her Majesty the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee.  Residents are invited to attend the ceremony, which will be held in the Town Hall garden at 9.20pm on Thursday, 2^nd June 2022.  

A programme for the beacon lighting can be found here:  Queen’s Jubilee Beacon Lighting Programme

Councillor Dave Farry carried out his final presentation on Thursday 26^th May 2022 at the Annual Town Meeting.

During his year as Mayor of Ferryhill, Councillor Dave Farry raised funds for five local charities, namely, Chance Drama, Ferryhill Town Youth FC, Little Treasures, Mainsforth Cricket Club and The Rifles – Care for Casualties.   Representatives from three of the local groups were in attendance at the Annual Town Meeting to receive their donations.

Events were held throughout the year, including an Elvis Charity Night, an Italian themed evening at La Mensa, Quiz Night and a Charity Dinner, the total amount raised was £4,365, each charity received £873.

Speaking after the presentation Councillor Farry said “I would like to thank everyone who has supported me over the last year, either by coming along to events or by donating prizes, I have thoroughly enjoyed my time as Mayor and I am very proud that I have been able to help five local charities.”

Ferryhill Town Council are flying the Pride flag this weekend to coincide with the Durham Pride Event.  Flying the flag and supporting this event will send a clear message that Ferryhill is an open and inclusive community in which people can take pride in.  The Ukraine flag will be flown again after the weekend.