A SPECIAL service is being held to mark the 150th anniversary of the Durham Miners’ Gala.

Known as The Big Meeting, the annual celebration of community, solidarity and the coal mining heritage of County Durham was first held in 1871.

The Miners Festival Service at Durham Cathedral has been part of every Gala since 1897.

The Gala itself was unable to take place in its 150th year due the Covid-19 pandemic.

A special evensong service at Durham Cathedral is being held on Friday October 29 at 5.30pm to honour the Gala and the communities that have sustained it.

Alan Mardghum, Secretary of the DMA, said: “We are very proud that this anniversary of will be celebrated in the wonderful Durham Cathedral.

“More than a generation on from the closure of the last colliery in Durham, the continuation of the Gala demonstrates that the principles of community and camaraderie at its heart are alive and relevant. The Gala is about the best of us – our desire to look out for each other and to join together to make a better world. It is a beacon of hope.”

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Actor Charlie Hardwick will read a new poem celebrating the Gala and Matt Wrack, General Secretary of the Fire Brigades Union, will pay tribute to key workers at the service, which will feature performances from the Durham Miners Association Brass Band.

There will also be readings by the Bishop of Jarrow Sarah Clark, Dean of Durham Andrew Tremlett and Stephen Guy, Chair of the Durham Miners Association (DMA).

The first Gala was held in the amphitheatre at Wharton Park on 12 August 1871.

Since then, there have been 135 Galas over 150 years.

Before the Covid-19 pandemic, only two world wars and two national strikes had prevented the Gala taking place.

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The Gala has undergone a resurgence in recent years, with more than 200,000 people packing the streets of the city every second Saturday in July. The Miners Festival Service remains a key part, featuring the blessing of new miners banners from coalfield communities.

The Very Reverend Andrew Tremlett, Dean of Durham, said: “Although the Gala itself was unable to take place this year, we’re delighted to be hosting this special service to give thanks, reflect on the region’s mining legacy, as well as celebrate community cohesion and hope for the future.”