Newton Aycliffe’s only surviving coach hire firm are looking to the future after investing £100,000 in their fleet of vehicles. J&C Coaches, who are due to celebrate their 45th anniversary in 2020, are committed to maintaining a modern range of coaches which stand up to the demands of a highly-regulated modern transport industry. The...

Aycliffe has long been associated with spectacular floral displays and to continue this tradition Great Aycliffe Town Council are seeking nominations for the best floral displays. Residents are being asked to nominate gardens around the parish for an award. Applicants will be considered for: • best garden (must be front garden) • best...

Special events for carers in County Durham helped celebrate their valuable role and explored their experiences during a week-long campaign. Directors of Adult Social Services across the North East pledged support to the annual Carers Week campaign, which took place last week. A carer is someone who provides unpaid care and support to a...

An award-winning creative agency is hoping to “break the ice” with local companies after expanding to new premises on Aycliffe Business Park. Lemon Top Creative has moved into the Incubation Centre on Durham Way South after several years at Coatham Hall in Coatham Mundeville, just on the other side of the A1 (M). The agency works with...

Woodham Academy has a rich tradition of producing footballers of the highest quality. Previous successes include Jason Steele, Ross Turnbull, Lewis Wing, Christopher Mason and Darren Craddock, all playing professionally over the last 12 years. Charlie Dawson is the next player aspiring to emulate this group, having recently signed a two-yea...

Council staff have worked tirelessly through the night to keep County Durham moving during the prolonged rains. The heavy and continued downpours during the night brought with them challenging conditions and led to flooding incidents in several parts of the county. Both Durham County Council frontline staff and customer services have worked,...

Crafter’s Companion founder and Dragon’s Den star Sara Davies with some useful tips on keeping a happy workforce… Your workforce is one of the single biggest assets to your business, so keeping employees happy and productive is a must if you want to drive success. It’s a two-way street for an employer – for your staff, a healthy...

Students from Greenfield Community College have been selected to become published authors. The students were offered the opportunity to enter a mini-saga writing competition, ran by Young Writers, and after submitting a range of creative and innovative were selected to be published in a short story anthology called Mission Contamination. An...

County Durham’s prestigious Environment Awards are looking for entrants as they mark their 30th year. Groups and individuals are being encouraged to sign up for the 30th celebratory County Durham Environment Awards, with entries open until Friday, July 19. Organised by Durham County Council on behalf of the County Durham Environment...

Training providers Optimum Skills are supporting a neighbouring joinery firm to recruit young staff and support its growth. Optimum are providing top new talent to Kensington Specialist Joinery after recruiting an apprentice joiner and business admin assistant. And a third apprentice is already in the pipeline as Kensington look to build on...