Investment is currently being made to improve Hardwick Park’s play facilities and we’re asking residents and visitors to tell us what they would like to see in a new play area for children aged seven and above. People can visit the park from 23 January, through the half term holiday, until 26 February, to see what might be available in the play area and fill in a survey, which is also available online.

There is more information and a link to the survey at: Development of a new play area at Hardwick Park

At the Town Council’s AGM in May 2022, Councillor David Brown was awarded the status of Honorary Freeman of Sedgefield in recognition of his long-standing public service to the Town and its residents.  David was officially presented with his award by Chairman of the Town Council, Councillor Mel Carr, at a gathering of his family and friends on Thursday 1^st December 2022.

David is a true Sedgefield-ite, brought up on Bog House Farm until his marriage to Elizabeth in 1964, at which time he began farming at Hopper House farm, now ran by his son and daughter in law. Always proud of his roots, David boasts a 60+ ball game attendance record, a feat which earned him the honour of starting off the game in 2009! An avid supporter of Sedgefield’s Agricultural Show, David volunteered as Ring Steward for many years, a role which he has just recently retired from.

David first joined the town council in 2003, passionate about representing Sedgefield’s rural community, which makes up 10% of the Parish’s population. David was Mayor of Sedgefield in 2017/18, raising a significant sum of money for the Great North Air Ambulance Service (GNAAS), Macular Society and other local good causes. It was a particular highlight for David to welcome Burgermeister Bernd Romanski, and his wife Heike, from our German twin town of Hamminkeln, while Mayor.

David continues to serve the town as both Town Councillor and County Councillor, supporting community groups and acting as the voice of rural residents. Congratulations once again!

Our community events started off with an amazing Fireworks Display and Halloween Howler competition on Friday 28^th October. Every year the pumpkin entries get even better, and the display table gets even longer!

Our Mayor, Cllr Dave Jasper, had so much fun judging the array of pumpkins on display and after a lot of careful deliberation, picked this year’s three winners (pictured left with the Mayor and their incredible carved creations), who each received Sainsbury’s vouchers and chocolates for their amazing effort.

Take a look at the full gallery of pumpkins below and some impressive snaps of the fireworks taken by our very own Councillor Paul Heasman.

   

The annual Snow Party event, held on Saturday 26^th November, proved to be as popular as ever with Santa’s Grotto tickets selling out very quickly. The grotto looked stunning and Santa was thrilled to meet all his special guests. With Sedgefield Youth Club selling refreshments and treats from the main kitchen and lots of fun activities like bouncy castle and face painter in the main hall, the Parish Hall was alive with Christmas joy all afternoon. The range of stall holders in Ceddesfeld Hall brought in a large crowd looking to do a spot of Christmas shopping. Thanks to the SCA for continuing to support this event every year, and to the Pop In’s Wendy Rowley and volunteers for the delicious spread of drinks and nibbles. After a lovely, short carol service in St Edmund’s led by Lay Minister Michael King and musical accompaniment by Ukelele Smile Time, Santa and his friends gathered on the Turning Circle to switch on the town’s Christmas lights. Congratulations to this year’s lucky glow raffle winner Ava Kitchen, aged 5 (pictured right with the Mayor of Sedgefield moments before pressing the magic button), who had the pleasure of lighting up the village green and won an annual family pass to Beamish.

   

The Mayor’s Carol Service at St Edmund’s Church was such a delight, with the joint schools choir back for an incredible performance. Well done to everyone involved in the service, it’s such a lovely way to get into the festive spirit and begin the countdown to Christmas. Thanks as always go to Lay Minister Michael King for the service.

Every year we issue a craft activity to Sedgefield Primary School and Hardwick Primary School in the lead up to the Snow Party. This year the pupils were tasked with making a Christmas lantern with a template and LED tea light provided, which they could hang on their Christmas tree or bring along to our lights switch on event. The Mayor of Sedgefield, Cllr Dave Jasper, was tasked with the impossible job of visiting the schools and picking a winner from each participating class! Congratulations to the winners below for their wonderful designs!

 

Active Travel In Sedgefield and Fishburn – Public Consultation:

Over recent months Sedgefield Town Council has been working closely with Durham County Council, the local Area Action Partnership, Fishburn Parish Council and Sedgefield’s Bicycle and Active Travel Group (BATS) on an Active Travel Project.  The aim of this project is to find out how we can improve travel around our local area and identify the issues that matter to local residents, visitors and those who work in the area.  Below is some further information regarding the project as well as the hyperlink (in blue) which will take you to the consultation survey.  We would be grateful if you could take the time to complete this survey.  This project is going to be promoted widely across our local area so that we reach as many people as possible.

www.durham.gov.uk/article/28432/Getting-around-Sedgefield-and-Fishburn-survey.

 

Paralympic gold medal winner Jack Smith received a big surprise when he returned to his old school in Sedgefield on Monday morning. Jack was invited into Sedgefield Primary School to talk to pupils about his life and career as a wheelchair rugby player. What he hadn’t been told was that after presenting to the school assembly, a delegation from Sedgefield Town Council was on hand to award Jack the freedom of Sedgefield, in recognition of his achievements. Jack’s family was also on hand to witness the presentation. Afterwards, Jack was taken outside to unveil a plaque that commemorates the gold medal that he won with his Team GB teammates at the Tokyo Paralympics in 2021.

Jack Smith comments: “This was a very surreal and unexpected experience. I play rugby because I enjoy it and don’t really expect that all of these other things will come off the back of that. It’s hard to believe that there’s now a plaque up in my honour at Sedgefield Primary School, where I was a pupil.

“In the national squad, we’ve already moved on from Tokyo and had other tournaments. Occasions like this are a definite reminder of what we achieved, but looking forward, I hope that more people can be encouraged to try wheelchair rugby. The North East Bulls train at the community college here in Sedgefield and are always keen to welcome anyone who wants to give the sport a try.

“It was brilliant to meet and talk to the children at the school, and I feel very honoured to have been awarded the freedom of Sedgefield. Thank you to Sedgefield Town Council, the school and everyone else who was involved in this.”

Cllr Mel Carr, chair of Sedgefield Town Council, comments: “The award of Honorary Freeman is the highest accolade Sedgefield Town Council can bestow. This award is only given to people who have given a significant to contribution to public life in our local area. The town council has granted this award to Jack in recognition of his fantastic sporting achievements and his steely determination to overcome adversity in order to succeed at the very highest level. We are not only proud of Jack’s sporting achievements, but also the way in which he represents Sedgefield by being an inspiring role model to young people. Jack Smith MBE joins a very small group of people who have been given the title of Honorary Freeman of Sedgefield”.

Andrea Cox, head teacher at Sedgefield Primary School, comments: “I think that Jack has got an inspirational story. It’s lovely that he was a pupil at our school and I often talk to our children about how they could go on to do something amazing by following their dreams and not giving up. Jack embodies that message of resilience that we teach everyone at Sedgefield Primary School, so having him here to pass it on in person was fantastic, and really important. It was also lovely to be able to celebrate Jack’s success in this way and unveil the plaque at the school.”

Find out more about the North East Bulls on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/BullsWRC and find the club on other social media.