Groups to get funding tips

COMMUNITY groups operating in former coalfield wards of Derwentside have been invited to attend a funding seminar. The event has been arranged to enable groups to find out what funding is available to them through the Neighbourhood Renewal Community Chest and Coalfields Community Chest programmes. Groups that operate in the following wards are eligible: Annfield Plain, Burnhope, Catchgate, Craghead, Esh, Havannah, South Moor, South Stanley, Stanley Hall and Tanfield. The seminar will be held at Stanley Civic Centre, Stanley, at 10am on Wednesday, April 17. It is being staged by Derwentside District Council's funding development team. The seminar is free, but places are limited. For further information contact Claire Smith on (01207) 218203.

CLASSIC BALLET: European Ballet will present the classic ballet Cinderella, with music by Prokofiev, at the Sunderland Empire Theatre, on May 14, at 7.30pm. Tickets are on sale from the box office on 0191-514 2517.

MEMORY LANE: Tom Fox, of Doncaster, will give a slide show about the history of Brandon and district on Wednesday, April 24, at 7pm, at Browney School. Admission costs £1 and proceeds will go to the Browney Lodge Banner Action Group, which hopes to have a replica banner for July's Durham Miners' Gala.

DRIVING THEORY: A new course in driving theory will be run at Chester-le-Street Community Association's centre, in Newcastle Bank. The ten-week course will be held on Tuesdays, between 1pm and 3pm, starting on April 23. It costs £20 (concessions £15). For further details and enrolment call the centre on 0191-388 4752.

ACTIVITY DAY: Pupils from Shotton Hall School were given four-star treatment to help them prepare for their GCSEs during a recent visit to Hallgarth Manor Hotel, in Durham. They took part in a day of focused activities, including gaining experience of answering maths papers and getting feedback from an examiner.

FLATS PLAN: Durham City Council is being asked to grant planning permission and listed building consent for a three-storey block of eight students' flats to be built in Hallgarth Street, Durham.

DIARY DATE: Derwentside Pensioners Rights group will meet at Consett's Demi Rugby Club on Wednesday, April 17, at 1.30pm. A speaker from Age Concern will address the group.

BABY MASSAGE: Baby massage courses will run at Sherburn Community Centre, Sherburn Village, from April 18 to May 9, and at the Chester-le-Street Community Association building, from April 20 to May 11. For more details about the courses, costing £26 and £27 respectively, ring Ann Ball on 0191-372 0798