Trust children to plant trees

The Acorn Trust and Stanley Woods Group have worked with children at two tree planting events. The first was at Craghead Millennium Green when children from Bloemfontein Primary School helped plant trees on Tuesday. A second community tree planting day took place at the Grove Ponds, in Consett, yesterday.

Summer camp: Steven Peveller, 18, of Stanley, is off to work at a summer camp in New Jersey in the US after getting the post at a Camp America job fair last month. Steven will spend the summer as a counsellor at Camp Tecumseh. Representitives travelled to Edinburgh to meet and hire staff in the UK.

SPRING WALK: Rangers at the Havannah Nature Reserve, in Newcastle, will give tree enthusiasts the chance to have a closer look at the budding trees from 2.15pm to 3.45pm on Sunday. Anyone interested should meet at the Three Hills Car Park, Coach Lane, Hazelrigg.

BEST VALUE: Almost 100,000 houses and businesses across Gateshead are to get a summary of Gateshead Borough Council's report for the past year, along with its plans to improve services to residents. The summery of the Best Value Performance Plan 2002/2003 will be sent with council tax statements.

LIBRARY CLOSED: The Children's Library in South Shields will close for a week from Monday for a refit, including the installation of a suite of computers with Internet access. During the closure books can be returned to a desk in the foyer, but there will be no further borrowing until the library re-opens as a Fun and Learning Information Centre for Kids on Tuesday, March 26. The facility will be re-opened by author Anne Fine.

DANCE NIGHTS: Durham City RAFA Club, in Crossgate, holds bingo and dance sessions on Saturdays, between 7.30pm and 10.45pm, featuring an organist and drummer. Dance nights are held on Mondays from 8.30pm to 10.45pm featuring 50/50 and sequence dancing.

CHARITY SALE: The Elvet Charities Supporters' Group is holding a "something for everyone sale" on Saturday, March 30, at 2pm, in The Institute, Church Street, Durham. Toys, books, bric-a-brac, household goods and clothes will be on sale.

STRING THING: Haswell Folk Club is holding a "string plucking weekend" on Saturday and Sunday next week at The Wayfarer pub, in Front Street, Haswell. Workshops in guitar, banjo and mandolin and evening concerts will be held. For details call Fred Brierley on 0191-517 1274.

LIVE DATES: Jon Amor, ex-guitarist with The Hoax, will perform at The Gallery, Chester Moor, near Chester-le-Street, next Friday and at The Ropery in Sunderland the following night. He has released his debut album, Amor, a mix of blues vocals and contemporary guitar.

OPEN DAY: The Hanover Housing Association will hold an open day on Tuesday, March 26, from 10am to 2pm at Hanover House, Allergate, Durham City, for people to discuss housing issues. Call 0191-386 2036 for details.