THE Bishop of Hexham and Newcastle, the Right Reverend Ambrose Griffiths, dropped in at the opening of a community hall at St Anne's Church, in Pennywell, Sunderland, yesterday. Bishop Ambrose said the hall had been converted from classrooms attached to St Anne's Primary School, which were going to be demolished because they were no longer needed.

KUNG FU: Classes in Wing Chun Kung Fu for the over-13s will be held at the Chester-le-Street Community Association's centre, Newcastle Bank, on Sundays between 11am and 1pm. For further details call instructor John Agar on 0191-410 0613.

TASTER SESSION: Durham Clayport Library, in Durham's Millennium City complex, is holding a free taster session in counselling skills, led by a New College Durham tutor, on Friday between 1.30pm and 4.30pm. The event, which is free and aimed at people of all ages, will be held in the library's meeting room.

ADVICE SESSIONS: Durham Citizens Advice Bureau is holding outreach sessions next week at Brandon House, Brandon, on Monday between 11am and noon, on Tuesday, at Bowburn Community Centre from 11am to noon and on Thursday, at Esh Winning Community Centre between 1.30pm and 2.30pm. The city's main bureau has moved to Durham Clayport in the Millennium City complex.

GARAGE PLAN: Dragonville Developments is seeking to renew the outline planning permission granted by Durham City Council in 1999 for car showrooms, access and service roads to be built on land between Rennys Lane and Alma Place, Dragonville, Durham.

CENTRE ATTRACTIONS: Sherburn Hill Community Centre will hold an evening with hypnotist Tony Sands on Saturday, May 4; a 1960s, 1970s and 1980s disco on Saturday, May 11, and a country and western night featuring singer Andy Brown on Tuesday, May 21. For more details call 0191-372 0024 or 0191-372 3472.

BEE CLASSES: Durham Bee Keepers' Association is running free beginners classes and basic exam classes at Houghall College, Durham, every Thursday, starting on May 2, at 6.30pm. For more details, or to register, ring George Eames on 07970 926 250.

FLOWER DISPLAY: Peterlee and District Flower Club is staging a demonstration by Cynthia Scott on May 1, at 7.15pm, in Shotton Hall Banqueting Suite, Peterlee. Call 0191-586 2930 for tickets, priced £4.

SESSION off: A blood donor session scheduled to take place at Stanley Community Association, from 2pm to 7pm on Monday, has been cancelled due to a fire in the building. Those who planned to attend are encouraged to ring the National Blood Service's call centre on 0845 7711 711 to arrange an alternative appointment.