A COURSE helping those of other nationalities to settle into communities has been launched.

The English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL) team at Newcastle's Westgate Community College has devised the Welcome to Newcastle course to enable students to learn new vocabulary and sample what is on offer in the city. It is aimed at newly arrived asylum seekers, refugees and settled members of the ethnic minority communities. Students will put their language skills into action by visiting the castle keep, Newcastle General Hospital, safety workshops, the central library and other city venues. The course will be launched at Westgate Community College's centre for sport tomorrow.

FRUIT PICKING: Visitors to Crook Hall, Durham's medieval manor, can pick apples and pears from the gardens without charge on Sunday, its last opening day of the season, between 1pm and 5pm. Entry costs £3.80 for adults, £3 for concessions and £9.80 for a family ticket. Call 0191-384 8028 for details.

CLUB'S MOVE: Durham City Chess Club has moved to a new venue - The Exhibition Room in Durham School, Quarryheads Lane. It meets at 6.45pm every Wednesday. The club also runs a junior section. All levels are welcome. For details call Ken Neat on 0191-386 4795 or Paul King on 0191-373 2602.

WINGS TOTAL: The collections held by Durham City Rafa Club recently raised almost £593 for the Wings Appeal.

FOUNDER'S READING: Staff and clients of Butterwick Children's Hospice, at Stockton, will be taking part in Evensong at Durham Cathedral on Sunday and founder Mary Butterwick will give a reading. The service will mark the end of Children's Hospice Awareness Week.

MUSICAL EVENING: Three of the region's leading young musicians performed at the Masonic Hall, Old Elvet, Durham, last night, in a concert organised by Saint Cecilia Lodge. Musicians, Andrew Fox, from Neville's Cross, Ben Cauldwell, from Sedgefield, and Daniel Johnson, from Tudhoe, have all received awards from the lodge in the past two years.

CHILD'S PLAY: Chester-le-Street Community Centre runs a playgroup every weekday, between 9.15am and 11.45am, for children aged between six months and two years. There is a £2 charge per morning and places are available. For details, call the community centre on 0191-388 4752.

HEALING SESSION: The National Federation of Spiritual Healers is holding a healing session on Saturday from 1.30pm to 4pm in Shakespeare Hall, North Road, Durham. Sessions are held on the second and fourth Saturdays of each month.

PHOTO TALK: Don Bennett will give a talk called Once Upon a Lifetime when Pittington Photography Club meets on Monday in Pittington Village Hall starting at 7.30pm. Potential new members are welcome.