In&Around February 2017

FE B R UARY 2017

I S S U E 141

Must - see Febr uar y T V Previews of Girls, The Walking Dead and Broadchurch

Great g if t ideas for Valentine’s Day Some of our favourites from around the web

Remember when Pictures of County Durham as it once was

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WELCOME....

THE TEAM

Another month, another welcome to IN&AROUND!

DIRECTOR Benjamin Kerry

Yes, that’s right - it’s time for another issue of one of the North East’s favourite free monthly magazines. We are distributed throughout Chester-le-Street, Durham and Derwentside, and have come up with another great set of articles of relevance to readers across the region.

MEDIA SALES Val Atkinson ACCOUNT MANAGER Julie Taylor DESIGN TEAM Joe Crooks Ann-Marie Tulip Daniel Haley COPYWRITERS Gavin Lenaghan Jack Crute Ed Quinn Mary-Leigh Watkins Craig Lenaghan SOCIAL MEDIA EXECUTIVE Alex Porritt CONTRIBUTORS Alex Nelson

Valentine’s Day gift ideas? The best February TV? What about the most exciting things to do in County Durham and beyond this month? It’s all covered in these very pages.

As always, we would like to thank everyone who continues to make IN&AROUND such a success, from our copywriters and contributors to our readers and advertisers.

Indeed, if you would like to advertise with us for yourself, all that you have to do is call Val on 0191 388 2698. She’ll tell you about our very reasonably priced advertiser packages, including our discounted three-month and six-month plans. Alternatively, just wing an email our way (sales@inandaroundmag.co.uk).

We read all of the feedback that we receive from you, and rest assured that we remain determined to make IN&AROUND a magazine that you will appreciate reading.

Bye for now!

DISTRIBUTOR Malcolm Cranston

Congratulations to last month’s competition winners, all winners have been notified.

The IN&AROUND magazine is delivered to thousands of homes and businesses every month in Chester-leStreet, Durham & Derwentside with an estimated readership of over 100,000.

We are the largest FREE monthly publication in North Durham and we are also pound for pound the cheapest form of printed advertising in North Durham, If you would like to advertise with us please call 0191 3882698, with prices starting from only £40+vat per month, every business large or small can afford to promote themselves across North Durham.

DISCLAIMER - Whilst we take every care to ensure accuracy in this magazine, we regret that we cannot accept responsibility for any incorrect information. All advertisements are accepted in good faith as to their veracity and we are not responsible for views expressed by contributors or other sources. The copying of any material within this publication is strictly forbidden without the publishers or Studio Managers consent.

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EASY-TO-OVERLOOK GEMS IN COUNTY DURHAM

Dunelm House

Beamish Hall Hotel If you love the idea of an overnight stay in an especially quiet and peaceful part of County Durham, then booking a room at Beamish Hall Hotel could be a great move.

This traditional country house hotel lies in 24 acres of parkland and 12 miles north-west of the city of Durham and 8 miles south-west of Newcastle. This makes it ideal for relaxation away from bustling and hectic city life – and the venue’s programme of regular events, including music and beer festivals, adds to its appeal.

However, especially eye-opening is the eventful history of the hotel and its surroundings.

If you have studied at Durham University at some point during the last few decades, you have likely been in this building in the city of Durham. An angular concrete structure that was initially built, under the supervision of renowned architect Sir Ove Arup, in the 1960s, Dunelm House is today the site of the university’s Students’ Union. Many of you reading this might have lots of fond memories of times spent at Dunelm; however, you might not have long to check it out again, as it is currently under threat of demolition.

The roots of Beamish Hall Hotel can be traced right back to the thirteenth century, when the land on which the building stands was a wedding gift for a Norman couple, Isabella de la Leigh and Guiscard de Charron.

This gift was in gratitude for the help that the two uniting Norman families had given William the Conqueror for his successful invasion of England. Given its popularity as a wedding venue today, how apt that the hotel originally came into being because of a wedding! Nonetheless, it was as a fortified farmhouse that the building was originally put together.

The university has recently applied for Dunelm House to be made immune from listing; this would allow the university to follow through with its favoured strategy of knocking down the building and starting over with a new one in its place. This plan has provoked outcry from some observers. Novelist Ben Myers has cited Dunelm House as attracting him when he was a Durham teenager, recalling “the strange beauty of Dunelm and the contrast between its concrete angles and the lush, beautiful river banks surrounding it.” He added: “It is an oddity that should be treasured.”

Notable northern families that have lived in the building over the centuries include the Monboucher, Percy, Wray, Eden and Shafto families. However, following World War II, Beamish Hall became Durham Coal Board’s headquarters and, later still, was obtained by the then very new Beamish Museum. The museum left the site, albeit only to next door, and the hall was later bought and revamped by the Craggs family. They continue to own and run Beamish Hall Hotel today – and its close physical proximity to the now huge Beamish Museum is yet another reason to seriously consider arranging to spend time at this enchanting hotel.

Furthermore, it was where rock band Free wrote the classic song “All Right Now”, shortly after they had gigged in the building in 1969. In 2008, drummer Simon Kirke told the Newcastle-based news outlet The Journal: “At that particular Dunelm gig, we were a bit flat. We left the stage to the sound of our own feet and we didn’t like that because the fans would normally be screaming for more.” That led them to decide on making an “up-tempo song” – and so, backstage, bass player Andy Fraser worked out the riffs while singer Paul Rodgers wrote the lyrics. Another reason to appreciate Dunelm House while it’s still intact.

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Places to go.

South Shields February is never a great time for long trips out by train. It’s still dark in the late afternoon and we often get the worst weather. So if we do get one of those bright, crisp, February days, why not try a visit to South Shields? Depending on where you live, this might involve a rail journey into Newcastle from north or south, or up the coast into Sunderland and then a trip on the Tyne and Wear Metro via the north Tyne loop or via Pelaw on the route to South Shields. The cut out and keep Metro map might help you, and with an all zones rail fare add-on you can travel in zones A, B and C, and also use the Nexus short ferry crossing between North Shields and South Shields which runs every half hour throughout the day. It leaves on the hour and half hour from the North Shields side, and quarter to and quarter past from the South Shields side.

Closest to the ferry terminal is the new attraction called the National Centre for the Written Word. The Word, for short, opened in October 2016 and is a library with interesting exhibition spaces, at the moment profiling the famous film director Ridley Scott of Alien and Blade Runner fame. There’s also an area to record north eastern dialects, and a screen reviewing all the ships in the Tyne and out on open water. You can find additional information on the vessels, their origins and destinations. Ok, I am sure there is an app which will enable you to do the same thing at home, but it’s more impressive when you can see the real ships in front of you. Back in the 1970s, the Word would have been called the South Tyneside Central Library, but this is a brave reinvention of the traditional library for the internet age.

Don’t think of crossing under the river through the fascinating pedestrian tunnel. It’s closed for refurbishment and asbestos removal, and the replacement bus service between Jarrow and Howdon, whilst free to use, is not very exciting.

Airport

Bank Foot

Callerton Parkway

Fawdon

Kingston Park

Regent Centre

Wansbeck Road

Longbenton South Gosforth

Four Lane Ends

West Monkseaton

Northumberland Park

Benton

Shiremoor

Palmersville

Monkseaton

Ilford Road West Jesmond

Whitley Bay

Cullercoats

Jesmond Newcastle City Centre

St James

Haymarket Monument

Chillingham Road Manors

Byker

Walkergate

Tynemouth

North Shields

River Tyne Gateshead Gateshead Stadium

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Percy Main

Hadrian Road

Central Station

Main Bus Interchange Rail Interchange Ferry (only A+B+C tickets valid) Airport Park and Ride

Meadow Well

Howdon

Wallsend

Felling

Pelaw Heworth

Jarrow Hebburn

Chichester

Simonside Bede

Tyne Dock

Brockley Whins Fellgate

South Shields

East Boldon Seaburn Stadium of Light St Peter’s River Wear Sunderland City Centre

Pallion South Hylton

Sunderland

University Millfield

Park Lane

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Several places in the north east have Roman remains. In South Shields, however, buildings have been reconstructed to look like they were in Roman times. The stunning buildings are replicas of the West Gate, the Commanding Officer’s house and a barrack block. It’s normally closed through the winter, but go at half-term time and Arbeia Roman Fort, as it is known, will be open on two weekends – 18/19 and 25/26 February.

The town is noted for its many fish and chip shops and ethnic restaurants, particularly along the Ocean Road down to the beach. The Ocean Beach funfair reopens in February, but it’s obviously weather dependent. The charming little steam train, known as the Lakeshore Railroad, which goes round the lake near the beach, might also be operating, as subject to weather and mechanical failure they offer rides from 1130 to dusk at weekends, and during half term week.

On your way back from South Shields, you might

like to drop in to the Barbour factory shop which is adjacent to Bede Metro station. With this ticket you can break your journey as often as you want.

If you have never ridden the Tyne and Wear Metro you could ride every route in one day, but I think in February I would prefer to wander the art gallery and museum and then find a good book to dip into at The Word. www.theworduk.org www.arbeiaromanfort.org.uk www.southshieldsmuseum.org.uk www.oceanbeach.co.uk/opening

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BEYOND CHESTER LE STREET/ DURHAM

Simon Weston: My Life, My Story at Square Chapel Centre for the Arts, Halifax If there is one man in the UK who defines the word “hero”, it is British Army veteran Simon Weston. He was at the centre of one of the most horrific moments of the Falklands conflict, the bombing by two Argentine planes of the RFA Sir Galahad. He eventually escaped from the burning and buckled ship, but only after suffering 46% burns to his body.

Today, Weston is one of the most recognised faces of the conflict and takes to the stage of the Square Chapel Centre for the Arts in Halifax, West Yorkshire to tell his story, no holds barred.

Charting Weston’s inspirational journey from the front line of war and the edge of death to his life today as a happy and contented father, grandfather and national treasure, My Life, My Story simply cannot be missed.

The show takes place from 7:30pm on Saturday 11th February. Tickets cost £17.50 – with a 10% discount for membership holders – and can be booked online at www.squarechapel.co.uk or by calling 01422 349 422.

Companion Pieces at the Shipley Art Gallery.

Pride and Prejudice at Theatre Royal, Newcastle Simon Reade’s adaptation of Jane Austen’s 1813 classic charting the romantic story of the Bennet sisters and Mr Darcy has attracted sell-out runs at London’s Regent’s Park Theatre and been described by the Daily Mail as “a perfect Pride and Prejudice: skittish, comical, easy on the eye and moving”.

This production at the Theatre Royal features Felicity Montagu – best known as Lynn from I’m Alan Partridge and Perpetua in Bridget Jones’s Diary – as Mrs Bennet, while Matthew Kelly features as Mr Bennet and Tafline Steen takes on the role of Elizabeth Bennet. Benjamin Dilloway plays Mr Darcy.

Tickets are priced from £14.50 for performances from Tuesday 14th to Saturday 18th February; book now at www.theatreroyal.co.uk or call the box office on 08448 11 21 21.

From Saturday 18th February until the end of 2017, the Shipley will hold an exhibition marking the centenary of its opening, featuring different parts of its collection.

The display is based on a range of themes, including Adam and Eve, the Body Beautiful, Visions of Gateshead, the Japanese Connection and Morals and Politics, to showcase the variety of techniques and ideas used to explore subjects across the collection.

The Prince Consort Road gallery was established in 1917 thanks to a bequest from wealthy local solicitor and art collector Joseph Ainsley Davidson Shipley (1822-1909). However, this year also marks 40 years since the first items were purchased to build the gallery’s now nationally important contemporary craft collection.

All of these elements of the gallery’s trove of works – now numbering almost 800 paintings and collections of works on paper, decorative art and contemporary craft - are represented in the exhibition.

Entry to the exhibition is free, although donations are welcome. The gallery is closed on Mondays and Sundays, but open between 10am and 4pm from Tuesday to Friday, as well as between 10am and 5pm on Saturdays. Visit www.shipleyartgallery.org.uk or call 0191 477 1495 for more information.

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PUB REVIEW

The Queens Head, Chester-le-Street Having made a few somewhat more modern establishments the subject of recent reviews in this section of IN&AROUND, I thought that for February’s issue, I’d turn my attention to what could be described as a ‘proper’ old-school pub, on Chester-le-Street’s Front Street.

However, while The Queens Head - from the outside - certainly has the look of a pub that could have been here largely unaltered a century ago, the cosy inside decor is a slightly different matter. Indeed, words like “comfy”, “warm”, “hospitable” and “welcoming” could be safely applied to an establishment that is actually part of Greene King’s ‘Meet&Eat’ chain, so you get an extremely unpretentious and extensive food and drinks menu that is also right up-to-the-minute.

As I’m timing my visit for early evening immediately after my usual day of work in the JAK Inc office, I see from the outside notice that food is still being served right up to 9pm, and the pub is far from empty, but also has enough unoccupied tables available that I’m hardly fighting through crowds. Perusing the current Greene King menu options that range from ‘starters and sharers’ such as garlic bread, slow roasted tomato soup and cheesy topped nachos, right through to main meals like mac ‘n’ cheese, chicken and bacon salad and lasagne, I settle for a good old-fashioned cheese burger alongside a pint of Guinness.

It’s every bit as tasty and as unashamed a bit of British ‘pub grub’ as I’ve been led to expect so far, presenting me with the perfect chance to soak up The Queens Head’s relaxed and casual atmosphere that immediately leaves me feeling like I’ve been coming here for years.

There appears to be a nice mix of regulars in what is a proudly ‘local’ pub, being situated in - after all - one of the North East’s more easily overlooked small historic towns.

I could have chosen any of a wide selection of other burgers, of course, such as a beef burger, cheese and bacon burger, spiced Mexican melt burger or ‘big daddy’ burger, while the pub can also offer the likes of prime cut steaks seasoned and served with chips, peas, grilled tomato, mushrooms and onion rings, as well as such “tempting treats” as traditional apple crumble and chocolate fudge cake ice cream sundae. As for the drinks, tea and coffee can be ordered alongside the usual pub favourites.

As I work my way through my burger with coverage of US President-elect Donald Trump’s impending inauguration being broadcast on the big screen at the opposite end of the room and Michael Jackson’s “Black or White” among the songs being played, I’m left to reflect on the kind of pub that any town like Chester-le-Street should be delighted to have. I glance through the window at the main street. I’ve been here for the best part of an hour.

It’s time to ‘hit the road’, but this is one little watering hole that I’ve certainly marked for a repeat visit...

Gavin Lenaghan Content Manager

As promised on the menu, the burger arrives in the form of a seeded brioche bun with burger sauce, mixed leaves and sliced tomato, accompanied by skinny fries.

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WHAT’S ON TV

Girls

The comedy drama created by and starring Lena Dunham and charting the lives of four young female residents of New York City has won consistent plaudits from the critics since its first series in 2012, on account of its blend of raw humour and realistic portrayal of women and relationships.

So, what can we expect for the final Girls? We can certainly expect Dunham to continue making her central contributions, assuming both directorial and writing duties while also reprising her role as Hannah Helene Horvath, accompanied by the usual main cast of Allison Williams, Jemima Kirke and Zosia Mamet.

Along the way, the show has also claimed no shortage of awards, including at the Emmys, Golden Globes and our very own BAFTAs, where it scooped the International Prize in 2013. Alas, all good things must come to an end and for Girls, that end will be the sixth series that broadcasts here in the UK on Sky Atlantic - its on-screen home on these shores for its entire run.

With last year’s fifth series earning an 84% approval rating from the critics according to the Rotten Tomatoes website, if you haven’t yet familiarised yourself with the comedic wonders of the Girls experience, now is your final chance to do so while it’s still as fresh as ever.

Broadchurch

The Walking Dead

Another perennial favourite approaching its final series, Broadchurch has been a critical and ratings success for ITV since it first hit our screens in 2013. Starring David Tennant and Olivia Colman as detectives Alec Hardy and Ellie Miller, the Chris Chibnall-created crime drama has had many a viewer on the edge of their sofas, and it’s time to resume the ritual all over again this month.

The third series certainly feels like it has been a long time coming, having been confirmed immediately after the series two finale two years ago this month. Filming for the new series began last year, with Jodie Whittaker, Andrew Buchan, Arthur Darvill, Carolyn Pickles, Adam Wilson and Phoebe Waller-Bridge all back among the cast.

ITV released an ominous trailer of the new series on New Year’s Day, featuring the familiar cliffs on which were imposed the words “Here we suffered grief and pain. Here we meet to part again.” It followed an earlier trailer that gave similarly little away about the final series’ approach to the gripping storylines that we have come to expect from the Broadchurch canon.

18 | IN&AROUND

As its title indicates, The Walking Dead TV series is based on the comic books bearing the same name by Robert Kirkman, Tony Moore and Charlie Adlard, and tells the story of sheriff’s deputy Rick Grimes - played by Andrew Lincoln - after he awakens from a coma to discover a world overrun by zombies. Reuniting with his family, Grimes becomes the leader of a group formed with other survivors, intent on surviving and adapting in a post-apocalyptic world.

Given the high calibre of production and acting talent on board - the latter also including the likes of The Wolf of Wall Street star Jon Bernthal as Rick’s former police partner and close friend Shane Walsh, and Sarah Wayne Callies as Rick’s wife Lori Grimes - it’s perhaps unsurprising that the programme has won no shortage of big gongs, including Critics’ Choice Television Awards, People’s Choice Awards and Primetime Emmy Awards.

The show will finish airing its seventh season from Monday 13th February at 9pm on FOX UK, so now’s your opportunity to see what the fuss is all about.

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Contact Cooper Durham today on 0191 502 0482 to find out more.

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Broomside Park, Belmont Industrial Estate, Durham DH1 1HP 0191 502 0482 www.cooperdurhambmw.co.uk Official Fuel Economy Figures for the BMW Range: Extra Urban 26.2-83.1mpg (10.8-3.4l/100km). Urban 14.6-64.2mpg (19.3-4.4l/100km). Combined 20.3-74.3mpg (13.9-3.8l/100km). CO2 emissions 325-99g/km. Figures are obtained in a standardised test cycle. They are intended for comparisons between vehicles and may not be representative of what a user achieves under usual driving conditions. *The BMW range available on the Motability Contract Hire Car Scheme starts from £499 Advance Payment for the BMW 2 Series Gran Tourer 7 Seater. Price is correct at time of going to press for orders placed and accepted between 1 January and 31 March 2017, subject to availability and change without notice. All models on the Motability Contract Hire Scheme include optional metallic paint at no extra cost. Models featured may include options at an additional cost.

The facilities offered are for the hire (bailment) of goods. The Motability Contract Hire Scheme is administered by Motability Operations Limited (Registered Company No. 1373876), City Gate House, 22 Southwark Bridge Road, London SE1 9HB. To qualify you must be in receipt of either the Higher Rate Mobility Component of Disability Living Allowance, the Enhanced Rate of the Mobility Component of Personal Independence Payment (PIP), the War Pensioners’ Mobility Supplement (WPMS) or the Armed Forces Independence Payment (AFIP), which will be taken in lieu of the four weekly rental. Terms and conditions apply and are available on request.

MINI MOTABILITY. ACCESS ALL AREAS. The MINI range starts from £0 Advance Payment* and delivers the perfect fusion of versatility, economy and performance as well as head-turning customisation options. Combine that with the benefits of the Motability scheme and there’s never been a better time to get into a new MINI.

MINI COOPER 3-DOOR HATCH.

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CONTACT OUR MOTABILITY SPECIALISTS AT COOPER DURHAM ON 0191 502 0482 TO FIND OUT MORE OR BOOK A TEST DRIVE.† Cooper Durham Broomside Park, Belmont Industrial Estate, Durham DH1 1HP 0191 502 0482 www.cooperdurhammini.co.uk Official Fuel Economy Figures for the MINI Range: Urban 26.6-72.4 mpg (10.6-3.9 l/100km).

Extra Urban 46.3-91.1 mpg (6.1-3.1 l/100km). Combined 36.7-83.1 mpg (7.7-3.4 l/100km).

CO2 Emissions 179-89g/km. Figures may vary depending on driving style and conditions. *The MINI range available on the Motability Contract Hire Car Scheme starts from £0 Advance Payment for the MINI Cooper 3-door Hatch. Models shown are the MINI Cooper 3-door Hatch from £0 Advance Payment, MINI Cooper Seven 3-door Hatch from £0 Advance Payment, and the MINI Cooper Clubman from £0 Advance Payment. Prices are correct at time of going to print for orders placed and accepted between 1 January and 31 March 2017. All models on the Motability Contract Hire Scheme include optional metallic paint at no extra cost. Models featured may include options at an additional cost. The facilities offered are for the hire (bailment) of goods. The Motability Contract Hire Scheme is administered by Motability Operations Limited (Registered Company No. 1373876), City Gate House, 22 Southwark Bridge Road, London SE1 9HB. To qualify you must be in receipt of either the Higher Rate Mobility Component of Disability Living Allowance, the Enhanced Rate of the Mobility Component of Personal Independence Payment (PIP), the War Pensioners’ Mobility Supplement (WPMS) or the Armed Forces Independence Payment (AFIP), which will be taken in lieu of the four weekly rental. Terms and conditions apply and are available on request. †Test drive subject to status and availability.

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WHAT’S ON IN COUNTY DURHAM

Go Stargazing at Hamsterley Forest.

There can be few better places to stargaze in our region than Hamsterley Forest Visitor Centre, where the dark skies make visible thousands more stars than it would be possible to see in our towns and cities. So, why not join local amateur astrologers for an evening of stargazing and observing through large telescopes?

The event will run at short notice on a ‘first clear night’ basis on Tuesday 21st, Wednesday 22nd or Thursday 23rd February, with registration required in advance so that the organiser can notify you by email to confirm the date, the decision being made according to the weather forecast.

Visit www.gostargazing.co.uk for more information.

Ruby Wax at Gala Theatre Despite her strident style as a comic interviewer that might still lead many of us to consider her 'all-American', the Evanston, Illinois-born Ruby Wax actually holds both American and British citizenship and has even described herself as being "nothing" in her country of birth.

In any case, having come to prominence in the mid-'80s sitcom Girls on Top and subsequent shows of her own including The Full Wax and Ruby Wax Meets..., the actress and mental health campaigner is held in much affection here in Blighty, and makes a welcome appearance in Durham for the follow-up

to her sell-out touring show Sane New World.

Frazzled!: A Guide To Mindfulness draws upon her bestselling book, A Mindfulness Guide for the Frazzled, and her own struggles with mental health. The discussion promises to be funny and insightful, but even more importantly, it might just be your passport to saner living.

The event takes place from 7:30pm on Monday 20th February; tickets cost £20 and can be booked online at www. galadurham.co.uk or by calling the box office on 03000 266 600.

Twilight Experience at Beamish Museum One of the latest efforts of “The Living Museum of the North” to transport us back to a long-gone past - in all of the best ways! - is this evening of enjoyable baking in a relaxed period setting.

It’s not quite Bake Off and all the better for it, with participants getting to experience the mouth-watering smell and taste of freshly baked goods from a coal-fired range, in the charming setting of the museum’s Home Farm Kitchen.

Not only will you be guided through the recipes and receive hints and tips from members of the knowledgeable Food Team, but you’ll also get a Beamish Bag made from 20 | IN&AROUND

traditional hessian, in which to carry all of your delicious goods home.

For your £85 outlay, you’ll benefit from access to the complete set of equipment and ingredients needed to make a selection of baked goods, in addition to a copy of the recipes used on your experience so that you can replicate the results at home. Oh, and you’ll also get to wear period costume. What’s not to love?

The next Traditional Baking: Twilight Experience takes place at the museum from 4pm to 8pm on Monday 13th February. Visit www.beamish.org.uk or call 0191 370 4025, 9am-4pm Monday to Friday, to book.

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protect those you care about most.

This month we will explain what a Lasting Power of Attorney is and why you should have one A lasting power of attorney (LPA) is a legal document that lets you (the ‘donor’) appoint one or more people (known as ‘attorneys’) to help you make decisions or to make decisions on your behalf.

This gives you more control over what happens to you if, for example, you have an accident or an illness and can’t make decisions at the time they need to be made (you ‘lack mental capacity’).

You must be 18 or over and have mental capacity (the ability to make your own decisions) when you make your LPA.

There are 2 types of LPA: Health and Welfare and Property and Financial affairs.

You can choose to make one type or both.

How to make a lasting power of attorney Choose your attorney (you can have more than one).

Fill in the forms to appoint them as an attorney.

Register your LPA with the Office of the Public Guardian (this can take up to 10 weeks). It costs £110 to register an LPA unless you get a reduction or exemption.

your daily routine, eg washing, dressing, eating medical care moving into a care home life-sustaining treatment It can only be used when you’re unable to make your own decisions.

Property and financial affairs lasting power of attorney Use this LPA to give an attorney the power to make decisions about money and property for you, for example: managing a bank or building society account paying bills collecting benefits or a pension selling your home. It can be used as soon as it’s registered, with your permission.

Health and Welfare LPA Use this to give an attorney the power to make decisions about things like:

Plan for Probate LLP will continue its special offer during February to prepare these documents for £50 per part making a total cost of £100 per person. Should you wish to register with the Office of the Public Guardian the cost will be £110 per part. Local solicitors are charging much higher fees so contact Peter or Marilyn for a written quote.

To discuss without obligation contact Peter or Marilyn on

Call 0191 3889717 or 07463 336330 Email: peter@planforprobate.com

All fees and professional charges will be disclosed in full and agreed upon by all parties before any work is carried out.

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History of the Bowes Museum’s Silver Swan The Bowes Museum, in the town of Barnard Castle in the south of County Durham, is packed with amazing treasures. These are largely in the form of striking portraits, with members of Napoleon Bonaparte’s dynasty especially well-represented. However, one of the best-known artefacts here, to the extent that it has even inspired the museum’s logo, is the “Silver Swan” automaton. To this day, it remains operational – and its history, going back to the eighteenth century, is intriguing in itself.

The Silver Swan’s early history Imagine the world in 1773. George III is on the British throne, the American Revolution is underway, and Captain James Cook is discovering and naming new territories on his second voyage. It’s also in 1773 that the Silver Swan automaton is made, with its internal mechanism put together by the Belgian inventor John Joseph Merlin. The following year, the swan was publicly displayed at London showman and dealer James Cox’s Mechanical Museum.

Of course, today, we know that this museum wouldn't be the only one set to show off the Silver Swan.

However, the automaton’s journey to the Bowes Museum wouldn’t really start until 1867, when jeweller Harry Emanuel displayed it at that year’s Paris International Exhibition. This event was held shortly after a decree of France’s then leader Napoleon III; he was the Emperor of the French and the nephew of the first – and much more renowned – Napoleon who had ruled France earlier in the century. The exhibition was huge in scale, with 50,226 exhibitors in total.

What did Mark Twain think of the Silver Swan?

The American novelist Mark Twain, perhaps best known today for writing Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, was journeying around Europe when he saw the swan in 1867. In his travel book The Innocents Abroad, published in 1869, Twain recorded this experience, writing: “I watched the Silver Swan, which had a living grace about his movement and a living intelligence in his eyes – watched him swimming about as comfortably and unconcernedly as it he had been born in a morass instead of a jeweller’s shop – watched him seize a silver fish from under the water and hold up his head and go through the customary and elaborate motions of swallowing it...”

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Those are the same motions that you can typically enjoy watching yourself every 2pm, when staff of The Bowes Museum put the automaton into action. We say “typically” because, as you read this, the swan might not be in its usual place; this year, from 8 February until 23 March, the Silver Swan is instead on public display as part of the major Robots exhibition being held at London’s Science Museum over that time. Otherwise, the swan has been kept without interruption behind The Bowes Museum’s walls since that institution’s founders, John and Joséphine Bowes, purchased it for 5,000 francs – or £200 – from Parisian jeweller M. Briquet in 1872.

Other fascinating automata from history It was at the 1867 Paris International Exhibition that John and Joséphine first saw the swan. It’s easier to see why the pair were so attracted to the automaton when it is taken into account that Joséphine’s father was a clock-maker and various other forms of automata are at the Bowes Museum – including a seventeenth century lion clock with swivelling eyes. There’s also a mechanical gold mouse that dates from 1810 – when the country in which it was probably made, then known as the Swiss Confederation, was a client state of Napoleon I’s French Empire. And yet, the Silver Swan dates from over a quarter of a century before this military commander’s rule of France even began.

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Remember When county durham

DURHAM A Raphael Tuck Oilette postcard in his “Picturesque Counties” Series.

The card shows Elver Bridge. The Bridge was built by Bishop Pudsey in the 12th Century.

DERWENTSIDE A postcard view of Christ Church Consett by unknown publisher approx. 112 years ago when we had proper winters!

CHESTER-LE-STREET Looking North at Bridge End the crowds gather on the Great North Road for the annual Shrove Tuesday game in February 1920.

Pre-1955 Postcards Wanted. Any Subject, Any Village, Town Or City. Valuation Service Available.

Contact George Nairn | T. 0191 388 8780

Durham Postcard, Cigarette Card & Stamp Fair.

Durham County Hall, Durham, DH1 5UL Saturday 4th February 2017, 10:00am - 3:00pm Entrance fee: Adults £1.00 FREE entry for accompanied children Disabled Access - FREE Valuations provided.

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H

ANC NORTH DURHAM BR HELP US FIGHT PARKINSON’S IN 2017

Parkinson’s is a progressive neurological condition. People with Parkinson’s don`t have enough of a chemical called dopamine. Dopamine carries signals from the brain to the muscles. As a result if you have Parkinson’s your movement becomes more difficult and slower. Medication controls the symptoms and there is a vast amount of research going on to produce better forms of therapy.

HOW WE WILL FIGHT PARKINSON’S IN 2017 In our local North Durham Group we work to support those with Parkinson`s and their carers.

MONTHLY MEETINGS. Held on the last Friday of the month at Newton Hall Community Centre starting at 1 pm. A wide range of speakers on a variety of subjects and activities such as Music Therapy. Buffet lunch and a chance to share experiences and support.

WEEKLY SESSIONS We hold regular weekly exercise classes, specifically designed for those with Parkinson’s every Tuesday at Newton Hall Community Centre, run by `Sky Blue Therapy`. Class starts at 1:00pm

OTHER ACTIVITIES We organise regular subsidised trips to places of interest and theatre visits. We also hold regular classes in creative writing.

FUND RAISING We have a regular programme of collections, raffles and other sponsored events to raise funds for research.

Dates for your Diary Friday 24th February

Group AGM followed by updates from Parkinson’s Nurses on latest therapies.

Friday 31st March.

INFORMATION SHARING

Bill Saunders, local historian, on ‘The History of the Co-op’.

We share information on the latest research and information on where to get specialised professional help tailored to those with Parkinson’s.

Friday 28th April

Everyone affected with Parkinson’s is very welcome to share all or any of our activities.

Musical Entertainment by ‘Fools Gold’. Songs and historical information on famous ‘folk’ songs.

All above meetings at Newton Hall Community Centre 1-00.

Contact information. Telephone: 07594 207 131 Email: northdurham@outlook.com Letter: North Durham Branch PO Box 644. www.inandaroundonline.co.uk | 27

SPLIT: MOVIE REVIEW M. Night Shyamalan has appeared yet again with his own special brand of convoluted sci-fi in an attempt to try and make something as good as The Sixth Sense. His latest offering is Split, a thriller about a dangerous psychopath with an acute split personality disorder. The premise alone told me that this was going to be an entertaining film, but for none of the right reasons. James McAvoy pretending to be 23 different people sounds like something that would never work in a serious thriller, so I approached this film with extreme scepticism.

Split starts with the kidnapping of three girls, Casey, Marcia and Claire, who are held captive in a strange room by a psychopath, played by James McAvoy.

Later on, the three girls find out that their captive is putting on different clothes and playing different characters, some of whom want to do different things with them.

Marcia and Claire conclude that he’s a nutcase, while Casey tries to methodically talk her way around the separate personalities to try and escape.

The film explores the idea of split personalities creating and removing ailments depending on which personality the person is adopting e.g. one character needs to take insulin shots for diabetes, while the rest don’t. McAvoy’s character meets with Dr Fletcher, a psychiatrist who has been studying this phenomenon, trying to find out if a person’s state of mind can change them physically.

28 | IN&AROUND

The way Split explores this is with a touch of the supernatural. Throughout the film, the psychopath mentions ‘The Beast’, a personality who has yet to reveal himself, which possesses amazing strength, huge hands and the ability to climb on walls.

James McAvoy puts on a profoundly silly performance, which does not fit the creepiness that a film about abducting young girls should have. McAvoy plays a man with 23 wildly different personalities, all of which are fighting for dominance; pushing their way towards what is referred to as ‘the light’. These include a fashion designer, a wellspoken lady, a man who enjoys watching young girls dance naked, and a nine-year-old boy named Hedwig – among many others.

Thankfully, we don’t get to see all 23 of the personalities he’s supposed to have because some of the personalities do a good enough job of killing tension as it is. McAvoy puts on a silly child voice when playing Hedwig, and provides much of the comic relief of the film, but it seems very misplaced.

There’s a scene where Hedwig is dancing in front of Casey to some loud dubstep which seemed only to be included purely for a laugh. This movie didn’t need laughs.

Split is billed as a horror thriller and could have executed the ideas of supernatural powers and split personalities in an interesting and gripping way.

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Instead, what is supposed to seem sinister and creepy comes off looking daft.

Casey, played by Anya Taylor-Joy, is your standard colour-by-numbers introvert that thinks the most rationally of any of the characters. Taylor-Joy did a fine job portraying the character, but for whatever reason Shyamalan decided that she needed a stock tragic-back-story, which we see glimpses of throughout the film.

The flashbacks don’t really add anything to what is already established about her character and purely act as transitions from scenes. In contrast, practically nothing is shown about McAvoy’s past, other than some lines of expositional dialogue and a ridiculous trigger word gimmick that tells us a tiny bit about his childhood. His is the more interesting story, so why the film instead needs to put time towards justifying why a teenage girl is introverted is beyond me.

In fact, it would have been more interesting to see how his personalities interacted with other members of the public or other characters, but really all we ever see is him playing dress-up in front of three confused girls and then portraying a range of more dominant personalities in front of Dr Fletcher in

private meetings. It becomes hard to believe that someone like him hasn’t caught the attention of anyone else.

The climatic ending is very strange and at times downright laughable. Sometime halfway through the film, McAvoy’s character starts to rattle off a load of dialogue that might have sounded profound, deep and creepy on paper but ends up sounding like something a stroppy teenager would write about in their diary. He mentions purity and how people aren’t worthy; basically hinting that The Beast is going to be the most powerful version of himself, making him superior to the rest of the public.

The characters warped definition of purity is more confusing than it is sinister or scary, sending a weird final message to the audience. I won’t spoil anything that happens because despite this film's flaws I believe it is worth at least one viewing. On the whole, Split never really meets the criteria for a good thriller or horror should have, but it has a strong first half, and is an overall enjoyable film if you don’t try to take it as seriously as it takes itself.

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HOW ARE THE MAJOR PARTIES’ BREXIT STANCES EVOLVING? It’s admittedly still easy to become overwhelmed and confused by the subject that has so completely overwhelmed and confused so many of us since last June - the UK’s impending exit from the European Union (EU).

So, for this month’s IN&AROUND current affairs column, we thought we’d try to keep things simple to understand ahead of Prime Minister Theresa May’s self-imposed March 2017 deadline for triggering the now-notorious Article 50.

It can be summed up as thus: what are each of the major parties now saying about Brexit?

Conservatives Ms May made a clear play to heal the divisions created by the summer vote with her New Year’s Day message, in which she quoted murdered Labour MP Jo Cox’s words that “We are far more united and have far more in common than that which divides us.”

She spoke of the “momentous decision” that the country made on 23rd June, that had “set ourselves on a new direction”. Significantly, she added that she would sit at the negotiating table in Europe in “the knowledge that I am there to get the right deal - not just for those who voted to Leave, but for every single person in this country.”

Labour When even the Left Foot Forward blog’s Ian Dunt admits that “you need powers of clairvoyance to work out Labour’s Brexit policy”, it’s fair to say that the second most strongly represented party in Parliament has been put in a bit of a pickle by the electorate’s momentous decision.

As late as December, Dunt was bemoaning the party’s lack of “consistency of purpose or language, leaving a mess of competing conversations.” A great example of such confusion came on New Year’s Day, when The Sunday Times reported shadow Brexit secretary Sir Keir Starmer’s call for a “fundamental rethink of immigration rules” in the wake of the vote, a stance at apparent odds with party leader Jeremy 30 | IN&AROUND

Corbyn’s more favourable view of worker freedom of movement.

Liberal Democrats December saw Lib Dem leader Tim Farron declared ‘Remoaner of the Year’ by the Leave.EU campaign.

However, one suspects that the MP for Westmorland and Lonsdale will prefer his party’s own claim to have become “the real opposition” in the still-young Brexit era.

Sure enough, he tore into Ms May’s New Year’s Day Brexit promise as “utterly meaningless”, after “months of platitudes and driving us headlong towards a ‘hard Brexit’ out of the single market, threatening jobs and our economic security”. The Lib Dems continue to demand a second referendum on whatever Brexit deal the Government reaches with the EU. UK Independence Party Meanwhile, recently-elected UKIP leader Paul Nuttall’s own New Year message warned those hoping for a more politically tranquil 2017 that the coming 12 months could bring even greater upheaval than that brought by Brexit and the shock rise to the US presidency of Donald Trump.

He, too, had the Prime Minister in his sights, urging her to pursue a “clean Brexit” that would give the UK complete control over immigration while making no payments to the EU’s budget. He declared 2016 “a year when the ordinary people, the little people, have kicked back against the liberal establishment that’s ruled over their lives for so many years.”

With the blasts and counterblasts of the Brexit debate continuing apace, it’s possible that the conversation about the UK’s imminent departure from the EU will have taken on a rather different complexion again by the time you read this month’s issue of IN&AROUND. One thing is pretty certain in this new era of uncertainty: seemingly everyone will continue to have an opinion on surely the greatest political issue of our times in this country.

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A Gala Theatre Production

by Willy Russell Directed by Rebecca Frecknall

Tuesday 4 to Saturday 8 April 7.30pm (+2.30pm Thursday and Saturday)

Tickets: £15 (£13 conc) Box Office: 03000 266 600 Book online: www.galadurham.co.uk

Gala Theatre, Millennium Place, Durham, DH1 1WA www.inandaroundonline.co.uk | 31

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Our pick of the best Valentine’s Day gifts!

Ah... Valentine’s Day. It’s a day when you dedicate yourself to your beloved and show how much you love them by, in part, showering them with sentimental presents.

However, it isn’t necessarily just the high street where you will find some great gifts. With that in mind, here at IN&AROUND, we thought we’d take a look at a few of our favourites from around the web.

How To Be A Good Husband book Head to Prezzybox (www.prezzybox.com) for the ultimate pocket guide for the man in your life trying to be the best partner he can be.

It was originally written for the husbands of the 1930s and provides sage advice such as “Don’t tell your wife terminological inexactitudes, which are, in plain English, lies” and “Don’t squeeze the tube of toothpaste from the top instead of from the bottom. This is one of the small things that always irritates a careful wife.”

This invaluable portable tome also comes illustrated with contemporary line-drawings and is available for just £4.95.

Personalised Postcode Jigsaw We First Met Here There’s a dizzying array of personalised gifts that you can buy for Valentine’s Day, as one look at GettingPersonal (www. gettingpersonal.co.uk) should be sufficient to confirm.

Grow Your Own Bonsai Trees Gift Box The chance to grow your own bonsai trees in your own home isn’t exactly the first thing that you would expect as a gift from your beloved, which is precisely why we love it so much.

This gift box available for £9.99 – or three for £20 – from IWOOT (www.iwantoneofthose. com) comprises everything you need to start growing, including starter growing pots, compost discs, seeds and a booklet with some lovely growing tips. It goes to show that growing your own trees isn’t just for the hardened green-fingered!

‘Swiped Right’ Valentine’s Card

Of all of the options, though, we might adore this one best. It’s a personalised jigsaw puzzle, taking as its theme the place where you and your lover first met. You can choose from various map styles, including Ordnance Survey Landranger Mapping and Ordnance Survey Street Level, as well as between 400-piece millboard and 300-piece luxury wooden variants.

With one in five relationships in the UK having supposedly started online, it’s possible that you, too, may be with your present partner thanks to the wonders of Tinder or OkCupid – so why not celebrate that fact with your choice of Valentine’s card?

Order yours for just £29.99 now, but remember to do so nice and early, as it’ll take up to seven days for your requested jigsaw to be personalised and despatched.

With gifts like the above available from the leading online stores, when you’re looking for that something special for your beloved, you might never need to leave your cosy home...

This is exactly what this high-quality, 280gsm textured card enables you to do, with its cheeky message reading “I’m so glad I swiped right”. You can nab it from Notonthehighstreet (www. notonthehighstreet.com) for a mere £2.80.

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Are you ready for a better you?

It starts here Find out about our fitness membership options www.durham.gov.uk/leisurecentrememberships

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Trusted Property Services The Complete Property Solution

Decorating, Tiling, Laminates, Cladding Dry Lining, Joinery, Plaster Repairs, Garden work and more services available...

Get in touch for a FREE no obligation Quote.

Contact:

0191 680 7215 07843 195 282

HIR E OF PL ANT, TOOL S & EQUIPMENT

TOOL REPAIR SERVICE Repair s and ser vicing of mos t makes of lawnmower s,garden machiner y, generator s and general building equipment.

Delivery/Collection Service Very competitive prices Family Run Business

LET US HELP YOU SLEEP EASY

For any type of mattress you require from Budget to Luxury Pillow tops.

Mitchell House, Ravensworth Road, Birtley, Co. Durham DH3 1EW

Tel. 0191 410 7930 Email: birtleyhire@live.co.uk

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TRY BEFORE YOU BUY

CRAZY CARPET & FLOORING DEALS

FA S T - F R I E N D LY - R E L I A B L E

DECORATOR FOR 15 YEARS

HANDYMAN SERVICE FULL ROOMS FROM £60

NEVER KNOWINGLY BEATEN ON PRICE Find us in car park behind Costa Coffee at Blands Opening, 44/46 Front Street, Chester-le-Street, DH3 3BG

Call: 0191 388 2159 www.emmersonsfurniture.com /emmersonsfurnitureandcarpets

34 | IN&AROUND

TOUCH OF CLASS DECORATING

OAP 10% DISCOUNT NO JOB TOO SMALL

01207 234588 07821 218480

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NOW OPEN IN GREAT LUMLEY Former Sports & Social Club

Sofed Miah has built a fantastic reputation in the area for exquisite indian cuisine

Order now on: 0191 908 2960 Collection & Home Delivery Service Available Unit 2, Front Street, Great Lumley, DH3 4JB info@haveli.com 36 | IN&AROUND

HaveliGreatLumley

Opening Hours Mon

17:30 - 23:00

Tues

17:30 - 23:00

Wed

17:30 - 23:00

Thu

17:30 - 23:00

Fri

17:30 - 23:00

Sat

17:30 - 23:00

Sun

17:30 - 23:00