We’re just a couple of days away from @durhambookfest’s return (Friday 9 October to Sunday 11 October) to @GalaDurham. 📖 Hosting a superb variety of inspiring authors throughout the weekend. Find out who’s appearing and book tickets today. 👇 shorturl.at/4OwLr

Thinking about a new role? One of these opportunities could be for you: 🔹Home Support Worker 🔹Waste and Projects Officer 🔹Waste and Recycling Engagement Officer 🔹Supporting Family Time Worker 🔹School Business Manager View all our current vacancies: durham.gov.uk/CurrentJobVaca… Follow us: facebook.com/durhamcountycou…

Next week, our Cabinet will hear about the improvements we have made since receiving a Good rating for our adult and social care service from the Care Quality Commission in 2024. ✅ A robust plan is also in place to ensure the service can continue to evolve to meet the individual needs of residents who require support. The experiences of people receiving care, along with their families, carers and advocates, are at the heart of the plan. We also received feedback from a number of channels, including our annual Adult Social Care Survey. This is a key indicator of service user satisfaction and Cabinet will hear how County Durham consistently scores about the regional and national average. 👏

We are set to consult on measures to tackle anti-social behaviour in County Durham. New Public Space Protection Orders would give us more enforcement powers. Find out more: durham.gov.uk/article/37360/…

Can you find all the pumpkins hiding around @TheStoryDurham ? 🎃 Take on the pumpkin trail throughout October. Grab a trail sheet and stickers from reception. Once you've found them all, trade in your sheet for a tasty treat! There's also the chance to enter into a prize draw to win exciting goodies from The Story gift shop! 👻

Helping children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) to feel included, that they belong, and that they are able to do their best. That is at the heart of a new strategy that goes before our Cabinet for approval next week. In County Durham, a local area partnership is responsible for the strategic planning, commissioning, delivery and evaluation of arrangements for children and young people with SEND. The Durham SEND Strategy 2026-2029 has been developed with children and young people, families, schools, health partners and other professionals, and sets out how the partner organisations will continue to strengthen support for children and young people with SEND over the next three years. Cllr Cathy Hunt, our Cabinet member for children and young people’s services, said: “Every child and young person deserves to feel included, valued and supported to achieve their potential. “This strategy sets out how partners across County Durham will work together to strengthen early support, improve confidence in the SEND system and ensure that children and families receive the right help at the right time.

We’d love to hear your views on proposals to install fencing on part of Waldridge Fell to help conserve this special habitat for the future. The fencing will support plans to introduce a small number of cows at certain times of the year to graze the south fell area. Waldridge Fell is one of only three lowland heath habitats in County Durham. It is a Natural England Site of Special Scientific Interest, a designation given to only the best habitats and a variety of rare plant and animal species call the fell home. Therefore, we have a duty to ensure we do our best to help it thrive for future generations. Alongside the online survey, we’ve organised two drop-in sessions where you can come and chat to us: 🏢Edmondsley Parish Hall 📆Wednesday 21 October: 2.00pm-4.00 pm and Saturday 24 October: 9.30am – 11.30am Allowing cows to graze Waldridge Fell is a very natural and sustainable way to manage the landscape and is supported by Natural England due to the profound positive impact it will have on improving and protecting the Fell. Cows wrap their tongues around vegetation, pulling it out and helping to reduce the dominance of grasses and allowing wildflowers to flourish. Cattle also play a crucial role in spreading seeds across sites in their cowhide and cowpats. Disturbance by their trampling also creates the right conditions for plants to germinate. We recognise that Waldridge Fell is an important place for local people, particularly dog walkers, to visit. So, although this proposal means some changes to the south fell area, we still intend to retain public access to it. Find out more about the proposals, including the plans for grazing and retaining public access, and give us your views at: letstalkcountydurham.co.uk/w… The consultation is open until Monday, November 2

A major milestone has been reached in one of Britain's first large-scale mine water heat projects, with the scheme now officially up-and-running. We've worked with a number of organisations to deliver the project, which sees mine water used to heat affordable properties at Seaham Garden Village. We've teamed up with @KarbonHomes, @VitalEnergi and the @MiningRemAuth and others on the scheme, which also delivers hot water to residents. Following completion of construction of an energy centre, the project is now operational - using naturally warm water from the nearby Dawdon Mine Water Treatment Scheme. The project has received more than £3.8m in government funding and will go on to heat 750 affordable homes. Cllr Kyle Genner, our Cabinet member for neighbourhoods, environment and police relations, said: "We're really pleased to have helped facilitate this scheme which makes impressive use of the legacy left by our coal mining heritage, using mine water to create a heat network supplying heat and hot water to around 750 homes. "This is an exciting emerging option for heating our homes, and we're looking closely to see where else it might be viable in the future."

Together with the National Farmers Union we celebrated the importance of food and farming in County Durham 🚜 durham.gov.uk/article/37358/…

We joined the National Farmers Union to celebrate the importance of food and farming in County Durham and the challenges facing the sector. 🚜 Find out more: durham.gov.uk/article/37358/…

🚴Have your say on the future of active travel in Durham Join us at the next Active Travel Forum: 🗓️Wed 7 October, 5.30pm at Merryoaks Community Hall, Park House Road, DH1 3QF Come along for collaborative discussions and share your ideas durham.gov.uk/CycleWithOther…

Could you restart a heart? ❤️ #WorldHeartDay Durham Employment and Skills are running events in October where you can learn the steps to CPR and how to use a defibrillator, ahead of Restart a Heart Day on 16 October. Restart a Heart (RSAH) is an annual initiative led by @ResusCouncilUK every October, which aims to increase the number of people surviving out-of-hospital cardiac arrests by improving cardiac arrest awareness and CPR education. Events run from 10am – 2pm on the following dates: 15 October – The Louisa Centre 15 October – Woodhouse Close Leisure Complex, Bishop Auckland 23 October – Meadowfield Leisure Centre No need to book, just turn up on the day.

Tudhoe Household Waste Recycling Centre (HWRC) has been forced to close in the interest of Health and Safety due to strong winds Alternative HWRCs can be found on our website: durham.gov.uk/hwrc

Happy 104th Birthday Sheila! 🎉🎂 Sheila, who lives at our Maple Court Extra Care Scheme in Consett, celebrated her 104th birthday on Friday with family, friends, and staff. They had a singer perform and tucked into a buffet tea. A little bit about lovely Sheila 👇 Sheila grew up in Felling and went to Jarrow school before working in an office from about 15/16 years old. She loved her all aspects of her job and learning new things. Sheila met her husband Lawrence through her sister, as he was a family friend. They were married in 1960 and later moved to Low Felling as they had changed churches. They travelled the world together and loved a trip to the local dancehall. Lawrence sadly passed away in 2022. Sheila enjoys having her nails painted and her hair styled. She has a great sense of humour and is very witty. We hope you had a fantastic day Sheila!

Looking for autumn craft activities for adults? 🎃 Check out Ceramic Pumpkin Painting at @TheStoryDurham on Sunday 18 October, 1pm - 4pm. Hosted by @Paletteandpop, you can sip, paint and relax for three hours, transforming your pumpkin into a colourful creation to take home just in time for Halloween. To book visit: thestorydurham.org/whats-on/…

Find out more about proposed travel improvements in Framwellgate Moor and Pity Me. We're developing plans to make it easier and more convenient for people to: • Walk, wheel and travel independently • Cycle safely and confidently • Travel by bus • Access schools, shops and local services Three drop in sessions are taking place to provide your views at Parish Hall, The Pavilion, Front Street, Framwellgate Moor, DH1 5BL on: 🔹Tuesday 6 October, 9am-11.30am 🔹Tuesday 6 October, 3pm-6pm 🔹Saturday 10 October 9am-12pm You can also complete the survey online before 5pm on 20 October 2026 letstalkcountydurham.co.uk/e…

Antiques expert Mark Smith will delve into the origins of the Victoria Cross at @BishopTownHall this month. Find out more: durham.gov.uk/article/37338/…

Community and voluntary sector providers can now bid to access £100,000 to help with the prevention of homelessness 🏠 Find out more: durham.gov.uk/article/37337/…

🌳 Together with our partners, North East Community Forest we are consulting on plans for a new woodland between Thornley and Wheatley Hill View the draft proposals, find out more about the project and let us know what you think at one of our drop-in events: 📍 Tuesday 6 October, 9am-11.30am, Thornley Village Centre 📍Tuesday 6 October 12pm-2pm, Greenhills Centre, Wheatley Hill You can also take part online through the Let's Talk County Durham website:👇 letstalkcountydurham.co.uk/e…

People of Bishop Auckland can get the chance to meet Antiques Roadshow star Mark Smith when he appears at @BATH this month durham.gov.uk/article/37338/…