VILLAGERS are hoping to raise up to £17,000 to celebrate their mining heritage.

Residents of Sherburn Village, near Durham City, are restoring their community’s old colliery banner.

The National Union of Mineworkers (NUM) Sherburn Hill Lodge banner had lain deteriorating in a Hetton-le-Hole chapel for many years.

Some work has already been done to restore the banner over the last few months.

Now Sherburn Collieries Banner Group (SCBG) is hoping to fund more repairs, display the banner in a case in Sherburn Village Workingmen’s Club and create a replica banner to take to Durham Miners’ Gala.

SCBG chairman Stephen Guy said: “The banner was in a desperate condition. It’s part of our past and heritage.

“We’ve been surprised by the level of support we’ve received. It’s quite an emotional thing for a lot of residents.”

The banner depicts aged mineworkers’ homes in Sherburn Hill, above the word ‘Eventide’.

Durham Aged Mineworkers’ Housing Association (Damha) has made a £200 donation to the restoration project.

The repaired banner will be officially unveiled in the workingmen’s club on Friday, May 3. All are welcome.

To support the project, call SCBG secretary Keith Smith on 0191-372-0749.

Photograph: From left, Stephen Guy, chairman of Sherburn Collieries Banner Group, Dave Hopper, general secretary of Durham Miners’ Association, Les Maving, Keith Smith, secretary of Sherburn Collieries Banner Group, Gordon Parkin, Durham Aged Mineworkers’ Homes Association president

and Paul Mullis, chief executive of Durham Aged Mineworkers’ Homes Association