By Martin Walker Woodham Academy student Jaydene Chappell impressed judges during the school's Apprenticeship Awareness Programme when she performed a rap. The 13-year-old student put her own spin on Will Smith's Fresh Prince of Bel Air ditty to introduce her team's presentation about Gestamp Tallent - Aycliffe's biggest...

  By Martin Walker Bosses of Durham Council's grant-giving arm say they will always be there for community groups in Newton Aycliffe. Great Aycliffe and Middridge Partnership (GAMP) dished out £27,000-worth of grants to local groups this week. With Durham County Council having to save a staggering £200m over a six-year...

By Martin Walker Gestamp Tallent won Woodham Academy's second annual Apprenticeship Awareness Programme after a closely-fought final presentation on Wednesday night. Six high-profile businesses have spent the last nine weeks taking part in the successful scheme, which is part-funded by the Great Aycliffe and Middridge Partnership (GAMP),...

  By Martin Walker Newton Aycliffe's biggest youth football organisation says a cash boost will enable them to keep subs down. Newton Aycliffe Youth FC were one of 12 local groups to win a share of Great Aycliffe and Middridge Partnership's (GAMP) grant giveaway. In our special Video Feature, the club's secretary Berni...

Newton Aycliffe Cricket Club’s successful year ended on a further high at the North Yorkshire & South Durham Cricket League’s Annual Presentation Night held at the Marton Country Club on Saturday. After already gaining promotion in their first season in the League, Newton Aycliffe were delighted to win the prestigious Gold Award as...

Newton Aycliffe FC have announced plans for an upcoming Christmas Fayre this weekend. The event, to be held at Aycliffe Sports Club from 11am- 2pm on Saturday 30th November, will offer a wide range of stalls perfect for everyone, whether it be to start, continue or finish your Christmas shopping. However the day is also aimed at...

By Martin Walker One of the organisers behind a Dragons Den-style competition says he wants to help an entrepreneur turn a great idea into something “spectacular”. One lucky North East business will bag over £100,000 of services by winning ‘Achieve Your Dream in 2014’, a competition organised by The HUB Partnership on Aycliffe...

Report by Liam Luck Year 6, Stephenson Way School Several weeks ago, at Newton Aycliffe Leisure Centre, seven schools went face-to-face in a battle of athletics and sport. These schools were: Stephenson Way, Broom Cottages, St Johns, St Michaels, Byerley Park, Victoria Lane and Rosa Street. Even before the event began you could tell...

The future business leaders of County Durham were in eager attendance recently as the ninth Future Business Magnates competition was launched. Teams of 12 and 13-year-olds from 24 schools across the county attended the event at the Xcel Centre in Newton Aycliffe to find out which local businesses they’d be teaming up with to design their...

Darlington Spraire Lads 3, Aycliffe Sports Club 1 By Paul Eales Newton Aycliffe Sports Club lost their first league game of the season when they took on high-flying Darlington Spraire Lads at the weekend. With only one defeat this season (against The Huntsman), the Sports Club knew that this would be a tough game to get the points to...