Tees Valley mayor Ben Houchen has confirmed Teesworks will bid for Freeport status as the government announced the process for applications was now open, while Teesport owner PD Ports has also welcomed the launch of the bidding process. Supporters of freeports believe it is an opportunity set to turbo-charge post-Brexit trade, boosting the...

Students from Greenfield Community College are working alongside staff to show support to each other and promote kindness. Students have been keen to support initiatives that help others and are enthusiastic fundraisers, recently taking part in activities to support Children in Need and Hello Yellow raising money and awareness for Young...

More than £150,000 was paid out by Durham County Council as part of its school meals support offering during October’s half-term holiday, helping to feed over 10,000 youngsters in the process. A new scheme was launched by the council last month which enabled parents and carers whose children are eligible for means-tested free school meals...

Eligible businesses affected by local and national coronavirus restrictions are being encouraged to apply for the latest round of Government grants. Following the recent publication of a number of new Government grants, Durham County Council is contacting businesses that may be eligible for funding across the county to highlight the support...

Thanks to funding from Great Aycliffe and Middridge Area Action Partnership and County Durham NHS Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) leading local health and wellbeing charity the Pioneering Care Partnership (PCP) has launched new free telephone befriending service, “Every Call Counts”. “Every Call Counts” befrienders are trained to...

People across County Durham and Darlington are being urged to take steps to prevent themselves from becoming a victim of crime as the dark nights draw in. Unlike in previous years when often people found themselves still at work when the light faded for the day, many are now working from home. However, officers are reminding people not to...

Crafter’s Companion is launching a brand-new Christmas decoration in support of the Bradley Lowery Foundation. The charity decoration, which is a first for Crafter’s Companion, is a purple stocking filled with crafty tools and essentials. For every decoration sold, £1.75 of the £5.99 retail price will be donated to the children’s...

A major development in the region – built with steel fabricated by Newton Aycliffe firm Finley Structures – has reached a major milestone. Finley’s steel work for the new Premier Inn hotel, which is part of the huge Milburngate development in Durham city, has now been completed. The hotel forms a key element of phase one of the...

Officers are encouraging residents to report any damage following an incident involving quad bikes in Newton Aycliffe on Wednesday night. Officers were made aware of homes in Silverdale Place being covered with mud, allegedly by quad bikes riders. Inspector Sarah Honeyman said: “This type of behaviour is totally unacceptable and will not...

Thanks to funding secured through Great Aycliffe and Middridge Partnership, Groundwork North East successfully delivered their Holiday Enrichment Project across Newton Aycliffe, supporting families during the October half-term holiday. Groundwork were successful in applying for and securing funding through the GAMP Holiday Activities with...