On the 9th September 2011 we posted an article in relation to an E-Petition in relation the the RPI to CPI change : http://www.durhamnarpo.com/2011/09/rpi-to-cpi-e-petition-to-view.html
The e-petition 'Public & Private Pension Increases - change from RPI to CPI' has recently reached 109,392 signatures and a response has been made to it.
“This e-petition has reached 100,000 signatures. The Government has notified the Backbench Business Committee in the House of Commons who will consider its suitability for debate when Parliament returns in September. This e-petition will remain live, and people will be able to continue adding their signatures. The Backbench Business Committee have announced that a debate relating to this e-petition will take place on Thursday 1 March 2012 in the Chamber of the House of Commons. Further information about the debate, and on the workings of the Backbench Business Committee, can be found on the Committee's website at http://www.parliament.uk/bbcom The Government will post a further response to this petition following the debate.”
We have an idea that this is probably Bishop Auckland or Castle Eden football team – year unknown.
Can anyone shine any facts on this quaint photograph please. In particular does anyone claim ownership of this photo?
Government Inspection Durham Constabulary H.Q. 1974 (Traffic Patrols North)
Fred Purser; Norman Lee; Derek Sayers; Jack Blair; George Robson; ?; Ken Garbutt; John Curry; ? ; Ian Irwin; ?; Jack Fidiam;
? ; ? ; Fred English; Norman Davison; Bill Bramfitt; Eric Brown; ?; Eddie Stangroom; Duncan Adamson; Gordon Balderstone; John Knaggs; Bill Sanderson; ?; Chris Dryden; Trevor Morgan; Geoff Carlon; Kenny James; Ronnie Tarn; Dick Hunter.
(Click on the image to view it bigger or to download it)
Many Thanks to Dick Barton of Northumbria for forwarding this picture from his Cadet Training days in Durham in the early 70’s.
The Five Cadet houses were made up of cadets from Durham, Northumbria, Cleveland, North Yorkshire & also some Junior Firemen.
Sgt Ray Clish & PC Alan Goad were in charge of Bede House and the Commandant of the the Cadets was Supt Ray Basham who had just replaced Supt Hugh Blenkin
Back Row - Bob Brown (Durham), John Davies (Cleveland), John Herron (Durham), Ian Snowball (Northumbria), Alan Ashman (Durham), Colin Pearson (Durham), Jeff Willis (Durham), Ian Sharp (Northumbria).
Middle Row - Harry Smith (Durham), Dave Collier (Cleveland), Dick Barton (Northumbria), Ian Bestford (Durham), Steve King (Northumbria), Jim Rowntree (Northumbria), Mick Forbes (Fire Brigade), Ian Aitchison (Durham)
Front Row - Mick Perks (Durham), Chris Catnach (Northumbria), PC Alan Goad (Durham), Sgt Ray Clish (Durham), Supt. Ray Basham (Durham), Harry Stephenson (Durham), Dickie Jane (Northumbria), Gordon Roberts (Northumbria), John Proud (North Yorks)
Click on the image or the link below to sign this petition :
The Air Ambulance Service is forced to meet rising fuel prices year on year including VAT.
The Air Ambulance Service have saved successive governments millions and millions of pounds funded by charitable donations given by the general public to run what has proven to be an essential service.
Whilst the Lifeboat Service has been exempt from VAT on fuel costs since 1977, a similar privilege has not been afforded to the Air Ambulance Service; We call on the government to have an urgent review of this situation and in doing so We call on the government to return in the form of grants to Air Ambulance Service providers all the future VAT which the Treasury collects from them so that the Air Ambulance Service is in practice exempt from paying VAT in the same way as the Lifeboat Service.
Corner (Trainer); McCrae; Argyle; Myles Beautyman; Harry Bennett; McCormack; Ted Scott (Manager)
Bell; Harry Lockerbie; Tommy Nevins; Bill Greenhalgh; McEwan
Many Thanks to Jack Fidiam for providing this photo.
Back row: Jack Fidiam; Jim Connolly; Barry Bell; John Wilson (S/land); B. Bowmaker (S’land); Eddy Bell; Terry O’Connor; Charlie Moore.
Fr.: Albert Scott; Fred Taylor; Ronnie Bell (S.Shields); Albert Johns; Dave Hills (S/land); Bobby Allon; Jim Walton (S. Shields)
Many Thanks to Jack Fidiam for providing this photo.
Back row: ? Gregory; “Pop” Pedley; Joe Hepplewhite; Benny Wright; Frank Allen; Miles Beautyman; Ted Scott; Bob Scott; Bill Tempest.
Front row: Jimmy Greaves; Supt. Headen; ???; Supt. Fred Foster; Supt. Moore; ??? ; Ron Allen
Many Thanks to Jack Fidiam for this photo – if anybody can ‘fill in’ any of the missing names please leave a comment or email durhamnarpo@gmail.com with the details
The following message is circulated on behalf of the Police Treatment Centres :
Due to the current long waiting list at Harrogate anyone who is from Cleveland, Cumbria, Durham, Northumbria, or PSNI forces (or who lives within these geographical locations) will be allocated a place at AUCHTERARDER even if their preference is for treatment is at Harrogate.
With effect from Monday 6th February 2012 any application form received from the Durham force will be automatically allocated Auchterarder (subject to clinical assessment)
The Police Treatment Centre implemented this interim measure in June last year, and it proved to be successful in reducing waiting times for treatment, and enabling officers quicker access to treatment.
If there are unique and significant circumstances why an officer should be admitted to St. Andrews rather than Castlebrae they should submit these in writing (email accepted) either via Welfare with the application form or submissions can be made directly to the Centre. Each case will be considered on an individual basis by the clinical and administrative teams.
Please book early!
The 3rd Retirees Reunion and Social Afternoon Spectacular - Sunday 20th May, 2012
Durham Constabulary H.Q. Aykley Heads, Durham. 1.30pm to 5pm.
Many of you will have already experienced this great social get together, organised as a joint event by Durham Constabulary and Durham N.A.R.P.O. Committee.
Just in case you haven’t heard about it, we invite ALL members of Durham Constabulary, police and police support staff both serving and retirees past and present, to come along and enjoy a truly friendly and sociable afternoon. A great deal of planning by the Force Strategic Management team, the N.A.R.P.O. Committee members and a host of willing volunteers once again promises to make it an afternoon to remember. A number of you have in the past missed out, believing that you don’t know many people now, but here you have the opportunity to renew old acquaintances and friends. It is also an opportunity to socialise with serving officers and Staff who continue the proud traditions of Durham Constabulary.
We are concerned that many of our retired police staff personnel may not be aware (even now!) of the now annual social occasion. If you know any past employees, please share with them this information and give them the opportunity to share it too.
There will be entertainment by the Durham Constabulary Band and Choir, demonstrations by the Dog Section and Motor Patrols, displays by Durham H.Q. Archives, N.A.R.P.O. Beamish Museum , the Blue Knights and more.
Light refreshments will be provided (but please don’t expect a full meal – times is hard…!); a superb raffle organised by N.A.R.P.O.; a souvenir programme and your own personal photograph to commemorate the occasion and best of all, the friendly atmosphere and “war stories” that only old friends can generate between each other. You’re only here once, so why not make the most of this joyous and friendly event.
Please Note:
Avoid disappointment and order your ticket(s) early. Be there!
Retired Police Officers (non NARPO) and Retired Police Support staff, please order from:
Colin Appleby, 21, Lea Rigg, West Rainton, Houghton le String, DH4 6SR. Tel No. 0191 5846178.
Email: appleby.colin@btinternet.com
N.A.R.P.O Members including Widows, please order from:
Mrs. Angie Crawford, 8, Warwick Place, Peterlee, SR2 2EZ. Tel No. 01915180996. Email angiechilton@yahoo.com.
Serving Police Support Staff and Serving Officers please order from
Amanda Dodds or Amanda Wilson, Strategic Management Department.
Photo’s below from the 1st re-union in 2010
Love the fresh air? Enjoy being in the countryside and pulling on your boots to discover just what you have on your doorstep?
Ramblers have groups covering the entire U.K. , with a like- minded membership of people who enjoy walking. Our groups have organised walks which can cater for all abilities. A three mile stroll or a full day adventure – the Ramblers will be able to help.
You can take part in any of the 38,000 organised and led walks. You will receive a quarterly glossy magazine “ Walk” (worth £3.80/ issue)
And you will qualify for a 20% discount off your first purchase at Cotswold Outdoor.
NARPO Members qualify for a 20% discount on whole year membership fees.
Individual membership is only £24.80 ( usual cost £31.00) or £32.80 for a joint membership ( usual cost £41).
To take advantage of this great offer, visit www.ramblers.org.uk/join and quote code U12Y1W
For more information contact Sam Newby-Ricci on 07799 134 710 0r sam.newbyricci@ramblers.org.uk
Facebook: www.facebook.com/ramblers and Twitter: twitter.com/RamblersGB
This correspondence was received from NARPO Head Office and relates to members with AXA Travel Insurance obtained through NARPO
”Dear Colleague,
We will shortly be coming up to the renewal date for the above (1st May) and in an attempt to try and by-pass some of the problems we had at last automatic renewal I would ask if possible that you would consider including something in your next branch newsletter or however you communicate to your branch members.
This is a 2 fold exercise.
Firstly : It reminds those members not wishing to renew to cancel their Direct Debit Instruction with their bank, but they also need to inform this office (Alan Dockerty on 01924.331256) – if they do not follow this through the money will be automatically taken from the member on the 17th May and policy documents issued by AXA,
Secondly : Any member expecting to automatically renew needs to receive:
Without receipt of these two documents they are quite simply not on the automatic renew data file and they will not be covered for travel insurance, we had some members last year travelling abroad thinking they had been automatically renewed but had not received either of these documents – they were not covered.
Reminding members now, might just save problems as above but might also save the office time issuing refunds if they didn’t mean to stay in the scheme.
For information the new rates from 1st May 2012 to 30th April 2013 will be:
Single £120.00
Joint £165.00 (Includes single parent)
Family £175.00
The prices include the NARPO administration fee.”
Light buffet afterwards. All members or prospective members are invited to come along & enjoy
If you don't know where to go, Click On This Link and you'll see a map of the location and you can get driving directions to it.
January 2012 edition of Copper Plate) can be viewed by clicking on the image.
You can view older editions of Copper Plate by clicking on the menu bar above or by CLICKING HERE
We are delighted to let you know that our fame is certainly spreading, both on the web and in the Durham Peeler Magazine. We are now reaching Afghanistan, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, Canada, U.S.A., Chile, Israel and even British West Hartlepool! You will be delighted to know that we have now had more than 55,000 ‘hits’ on the web page’s and over 180 regular recipients of death notifications of serving and retired officers. These recipients also receive advanced notice of up to the minute events. If you’d like to join the list, let us have your e mail details and specific points of interest. It always pays to be informed. (send email to Bob Brown at durhamnarpo@gmail.com)
If you have recently retired on pension, why not take up membership of N.A.R.P.O. and receive the Durham Peeler Magazine (Twice/year), the National NARPO News magazine (4 times/ year) Social Events, really competitive Insurance rates and opportunity to attend the 6 bi-monthly meeting where you enjoy a great atmosphere, meet old friends and colleagues and keep up to date with things that affect your pension. Enough? Well when the meeting ends, have a drink and light refreshments. Not only all this but you also get the Annual NARPO Diary All for £18.48/ year
HAPPY NEW YEAR to everyone may it be a prosperous, healthy and successful New Year. And above all…..Keep smiling
Alan S. Watson
Chairman, Durham Branch N.A.R.P.O.
(To download a NARPO application form please CLICK HERE)
NARPO will be issuing a new style membership card to all existing and future members in early January 2012.
The National Executive Committee has given some considerable thought to how we might improve and modernise the image of our organisation. Most recently the Executive Committee has considered the membership card itself and we felt that a more durable card with a modern design could help in improving that image for new and existing members alike.
We hope that members will find this card more convenient than the card it replaces. As you may know many of the advice lines and service providers, which we provide for members, require a membership number before they will complete any transaction. In the past this has led to many members calling us for that number. We hope that a more durable card, which is similar to a credit card in size, will be more convenient for them to retain in a handy place. The front of the card contains the member name and number. We believe this new card will help to reduce those calls and speed up access to advice and other services.
Most, if not all, of the services we offer are outlined on our website, which also contains significant advice on pensions and contact details for local branches amongst other things. The reverse of the card has all the National Office contact details and our website address, which we hope will make contacting us quicker and easier.
The production and circulation of cards for existing members is being handled for us by the company which has supplied the new card system. Their clients include many well known British institutions including the B.B.C, HMRC, DVLA and Greater Manchester Police.
We are hoping for a smooth transition to this new card system but recognise that in circulating cards to 82,000 existing members there may be the occasional problem but we are confident with your help we will be able to resolve these in relatively short time.
New members are being issued with the new cards as from 30 November 2011.
In short, the Appeal has been ‘kicked out’ and the reasons given by the Judges are shown in the document – albeit one judge did actually support the motion, but this was a minority view.
If you want to read the JBB Circular 031/2011 then click on the image and then either view or download the document.
On Tuesday, 7th December 2011, Steve Webb MP, the Minister of State for Work and Pensions, made a statement in Parliament confirming that it was the Government’s intention to increase the second state pension and thus as a consequence public sector pensions including police pensions, where appropriate, by the September 2011 Consumer Price Index figure of 5.2%, which will be applied to our pensions in April 2012.
Any body help out with this one ??
We received a query from a Uri Smus from Israel, who has been reviewing articles from a collection of magazines called Classic 999.
This picture appeared in issue 3 (June 2004)
Uri is wanting to know if anybody can shed some light about our vehicles at this particular time and the livery (which apparently was part of a Home Office initiative to make police vehicles more visible) and also asks if anybody has any other photo’s of Austin Westminster's or Jaguar Mk2s in this particular livery.
Was the photo taken at Newton Aycliffe and who is the cadet ??
If anybody has any relevant info then either leave a comment on this article or send an email to durhamnarpo@gmail.com so that we can reply to Uri.
To: All Branch Secretaries
NEC Members
21.11.11
Dear Colleague,
Thanks to a kind offer from Lord Wolf of Barleugh and his family, NARPO have access to two of the family villas for an initial period up to September 2013.
Villa Endymion is situated in Bloemendaal a pretty town on the outskirts of Amsterdam in the Netherlands.
Villa Scylla is situated in the suburbs of Lavena Ponte Tresa directly on Lake Lugarno, Italy near to its border with Switzerland.
The villas will be managed on a day to day basis through a charitable trust the Endymion Preservation Society (EPS). NARPO have agreed to manage the booking process to enable our members to take advantage of this generous offer. Access to the villas will be free to NARPO members and their party and neither EPS nor NARPO are making any charge for either the access to the properties or the administration of the booking process.
Costs of the travel arrangements to and from the villas will of course be members’ responsibility. It will also be members’ responsibility to ensure that they have adequate travel insurance to cover, in particular, for medical emergencies and unforeseen cancellations. There will be no charge for gas and electricity at the villas as this will be provided by EPS as will adequate bedding and towels for guests. Guest will however be expected to be as modest as is reasonable in their use of power and treat the properties with the respect a family home deserves. Those visiting the properties will have to leave a deposit against breakages with the caretaker, which will be returned on departure providing no damage has occurred during the visit.
Bookings will initially be for a one or two week period and changeover day will be Friday.
We have a dedicated page, villas@narpo.org on our website at www.narpo.org. This page contains further details of the properties, their locations and some suggested travel arrangements. There are also copies of ‘Housekeeping Brochures’ for each of the properties. Members will be required to complete and sign the appropriate brochures before bookings can be confirmed. You should be able to download these documents from our website. Hard copies of the brochure are available from the National Office.
We will only be taking booking in writing either by email using the dedicated booking address at villas@narpo.org or by letter to villas@narpo.org, 38 Bond Street, Wakefield, WF1 2QP. Members should include the number of people in their party when they initially apply for a booking. The final decision on bookings is entirely a matter for NARPO and we will be as fair as is possible but also be seeking to provide this service to as wide a range of members as is possible over the period that we have access to the villas. Preference will be given to parties which meet the sleeping accommodation available at each villa, initially on a first come basis. We can only take and confirm booking for the current month and the three months following that current month. For example in November 2011 we can take bookings up to the end of February 2012, in December 2011 up to the end of March 2012 and so on. We will not entertain applications that are in advance of those periods. We will only provide acknowledgements of successful bookings, that acknowledgement will include a requirement to complete the relevant ‘Booking Brochure’. Bookings will be confirmed immediately on receipt of a properly completed Housekeeping Brochure.
This is a new venture for both NARPO and EPS and one which we hope will improve and develop over time to allow our members access to this delightful accommodation situated in prestigious locations. Members need to bear in mind that the accommodation is of traditional design and has not been regularly occupied for some time. We will be happy to receive any feedback about your experiences in respect of both the booking process and at the villas with a view to improving within reason the free service we are jointly offering you with our kind benefactors.
Yours sincerely
Clint Elliott QPM
Chief Executive
Computers can ‘drive us up the walls’ at times, and we have had a few enquiries from people who are struggling to put a comment to an article so……. hopefully this will help
 1. First click at the bottom left hand corner of the article where in blue, it says 0 comments (this could be a number if comments have been previously left)
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 2. A white coloured box will then appear, beneath Post a Comment this is where you can type in your comment
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 3. Next click on the upside down triangle to the right of where it says Comment as : select profile A box will then appear and by using your mouse select Name/URL
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 4. Where it says Name : type your name i.e Joe Bloggs then click on Continue
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 5. Finally click on the Post Comment box below where your name is. Your comment will then be sent to the website and will need to be approved by Durham NARPO before it appears on the website. If you still are having trouble, then simply send an email with the comment you want putting on the article to : durhamnarpo@gmail.com and we will put it on for you. Hope this helps… |
Request from TV production company:
“Here at Topical Television was are in production on a series called 'Crime and Punishment' looking at the changes in policing and prisons over the past 50 years . The series is for BBC 1 daytime and will transmit early next year.
One of the short films we are making for the series is on the History of Women in Policing within which we are looking to interview several retired female officers to tell their stories and share their career memories. We are keen to have accounts from several different officers from throughout the last 50 years if possible. Maybe two friends that were in the force together or women who served at different levels of the force, PC'S through to Superintendents. Anyone who has a story to tell especially if it involves key moment or changes in policing over the last 50 years we would love to hear from them.”
Sophie Dunn
Researcher
Topical Television
61 Devonshire Rd
Southampton
Hants. SO15 2GR
Tel: 02380 712233 / 07909946713
 Hardwick House 1972 Back Row : Dave Armstrong (N’bria) Brian Rowley (N’bria) Geoff Rumford (Dur) Chris Hodgson (Dur) Lenny Graydon (N’bria) Stuart Johnson (Dur) Brian O’Neill (N’bria) Paul Murphy (Dur) Stuart Brown (Dur) Gary Bulman (N’bria) Middle Row: Brian Scott (Dur) John Bianchi (Dur) Dave Smith (Dur) George Walker (Dur) Bill Crosby (Dur) Jim Thompson (Dur) Brent Howard (N’bria) Mike Connolly (N’bria) Anton Nichol (York & Yorks NE) Tony Garton (Hull) Frank Whittle (Dur) Keith Poulton (Dur) Front Row: Gary Phillips (Dur) Dave Vickers (Dur) John Bassett (Dur) George Hickman (Dur) Sgt PJ Smith (York & Yorks NE) Supt Hugh Blenkin (Dur) PC Ronnie Lambert (Dur) Alec Francis (Dur) Alf Bowman (Dur) Ronnie Bright (Dur) Richard Hamshaw (York & Yorks NE) |
 Hardwick House 1973 Back Row : Brian Henderson (father of Jordan,) Stuart Brown, Jim Robinson, Neil Hobson, Keith Armstrong , Denny Pygall, Alan Sinden, Y&YNE?, Brian Rogers Y&YNE, Joe Baker, N’bria? To the left hand side is Steve McLean and in front of him Paul Wood Middle Row: Ian Hall, Y&YNE?, Brian Scott, N’bria?, Eric Robson (Junior Fireman), Keith Poulton, Alan Winn N’bria?, George Walker, N’bria?, Y&YNE?, Mike Connolly (N’bria) Front Row: John Bianchi, Chris Hodgson, Geoff Rumford, Sgt PJ Smith, Supt Ray Basham, PC Ronnie Lambert, Gary Phillips, Dave Smith , Paul Murphy |
Durham NARPO committee meet tonight at Bishop Auckland Hospital Club, Escomb Road, Bishop Auckland
Meeting starts at 1930hrs.
Light buffet afterwards
All members are invited to come along and enjoy
Back : WPC Karen Nicholson, PC George Nixon, PC Alan Goad, Sgt John Smith, Sgt Dave Cromarty, Sgt Ray Clish
Front : PC Ronnie Lambert, Sgt Frank Pickering, Insp. Colin Neal, Supt. Ray Basham. Sgt Ralph Atkinson, PC Derek Hall
 Durham Police Cadets Rugby Team 1974 - Winners of the County Colts Cup Back : ?,Brian Gibson, Colin Crathorne,Keith Lowery, Pop Robson
Centre : Neil Patrick, Richard Smithson, Tommy Thompson, Neil Hobson, Bob Brown, Harry Stephenson, Syd Wareham & Graham Alderton
Front : Denny Pygall, Eric Suddes, Fraser Gill, Supt. Ray Basham, Sgt George Nixon, Dickie Gardner,Alan Sinden & Malcolm Patterson
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Durham Police Cadets Rugby Team 1973
Back : Tom Fortune, Dave Collier, M Moorhead, Dickie Jane, John Proud
Middle : Chris Catnach, Ian Snowball, Alan Sinden, Fred Wright, J Massey, Pop Robson, Denny Pygall
Front: Neil Hobson, John Bianchi, Eric Suddes, Sgt George Nixon, Supt. Ray Basham, Fraser Gill, Charlie Kay, Bob Brown & Gary Phillips
(Click on the images to view/download them)
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Paul Murphy has kindly sent us these pictures of his dad, Sgt Jock Murphy, taken in the 50’s / 60’s
We’ll put the pictures on individually so that if anybody can fill in the missing name’s then you can do so by leaving a comment on the webpages :
PC’s Ted Barber, Jock Murphy, George Robson, Athol Burnham, ? , Sedgefield, 1960’s
Paul Murphy has kindly sent us these pictures of his dad, Sgt Jock Murphy, taken in the 50’s / 60’s
We’ll put the pictures on individually so that if anybody can fill in the missing name’s then you can do so by leaving a comment on the webpages :
 PC Joe Millican, a Scottish Instructor, PC Jock Murphy, Aycliffe HQ? Year? Car? |  PC Joe Millican, a Scottish Instructor, PC Jock Murphy, Aycliffe HQ? Year? Car? |  Joe Millican, Jock Murphy, Aycliffe HQ, year?, car?, |
 Jock Murphy – Front Row at left |
 Cadet Camp, Plawsworth, early 1960’s, my Dad was a PTI. I recognise Duncan Adamson and Jack Wharrier |
Publisher IHS has pledged to try to find new positions for editor Chris Herbert and deputy editor Royston Martis, along with three reporters and other commercial staff who will otherwise face redundancy.
The final edition of the magazine is due to be published on 18 November, with the website closing on 28 November.
Announcing the closure, IHS group publishing director Sean Howe said the company would be retiring the entire Police Review product line – including the website, police handbooks and the Gala Awards – due to "changes in the marketplace".
"We have come to this conclusion after a long period of careful consideration and we sincerely regret any inconvenience this will cause our loyal customers.
"We would also like to thank the editor, Chris Herbert, the sales manager, Ian Barrett, and their respective teams for their commitment to Police Review, and the products and events which have grown up around it, both over recent years and in the remaining weeks during which we will be publishing."
Howe thanked the magazine's readers "loyal support over the years".
Shadow home secretary Yvette Cooper said on Twitter: "Sorry to hear of closure of Police Review - it will be great loss to serious discussion and debate on policing" and shadow chancellor Ed Balls called the closure a "tragedy".
The final hard copy issue of the magazine will be dated 25 November. The website will be closed down on 28 November and the last issue of Police Product Review will be published on 18 November
In Flanders fields the poppies blow
Between the crosses, row on row,
That mark our place; and in the sky
The larks still bravely singing, fly
Scarce heard amid the guns below.
We are the Dead. Short days ago
We lived, felt dawn, saw sunset glow,
Loved and were loved, and now we lie
In Flander's fields.
Take up our quarrel with the foe:
To you from failing hands we throw
The torch; be yours to hold it high.
If ye break faith with us who die
We shall not sleep, tho poppies grow
In Flander's fields.
Lieutenant Colonel John McCrae
Click on the image to go to the Durham Peeler webpage where you can then click on the images of the Peeler and either read them online or download them to your own computer in pdf format
Mr. Lear retired from Darlington on 16th January 1985 following 29 years service. He had previously served at Headquarters, Bishop Auckland, Houghton-le-Spring, Dishforth, Teesdale and Darlington.
Funeral arrangements have been confirmed as follows:-
The service will be held at Cowpen Cemetery Chapel, Cowpen Road, Blyth, NE24 5SZ on Thursday 20th October 2011 at 1.15pm followed by interment.
No flowers by request of the family however donations in lieu, if so desired, can be made via a collection box at the Chapel.
Any donations will be split equally between the Oasis Room at Wansbeck Hospital and The Blue Lamp Foundation.
Our thoughts are with the family at this sad time.
I’m sure one or two of our Durham officers had a similar feeling in the past when sat up on the A66 road at the top of Galley Bank when the plane’s used to be on low flying exercises and would ‘shake’ the car as they passed overhead !!
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Theft of metal is causing huge disruption and upset within the region, with copper wire thefts disrupting train services, broadband /phone, electricity supplies etc whilst lead is being stolen from church roofs and even war memorials
Durham Constabulary is boosting its response to metal thefts as part of a major crackdown on this growing crime.
New units are being put together under the banner of Operation Hansel, the crossborder response to metal theft.
Teams of five or six officers, some of which are specific road policing teams, will target those responsible for most of the metal theft and scrap metal crime happening in County Durham and Darlington.
“The theft of metal is an increasing problem not only in this area but across the country because of the high value that it fetches for scrap,” says Chief Supt Dave Orford, who is leading the force’s response to metal theft.
“We’re already doing a lot to combat the problem, gathering intelligence all the time and working closely with the people who run scrap yards in the area. The new teams have been put together to focus specifically on this type of crime and
they aim to target those people we know to be the worst offenders. However, we also need the help of local residents to make the most of this campaign. We’re asking anyone who sees a vehicle carrying metal to report it so we can ensure that it’s operating legally. We’re also asking people not to make things easy for thieves: don’t leave metal items like bikes or garden equipment insecure and keep an eye on any unoccupied property where you live and report anything suspicious.”
Anyone with information should contact Durham Constabulary on 0345 60 60 365 or the independent charity Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.
Andy Watson, a serving W.O.1 Officer in the British Army , having just returned from a second ‘tour’ in Afghanistan will once again be travelling from Chippenham to run (fundraising for charity) in the Great North Run on Sunday, 18th September, 2011
 Rover 2.6, VUP 142V, Alpha Red 49 with PC 1017 Brian Jones. Photograph taken on the Causey Road near Stanley by PC 1153 Keith Butler at the end of a night shift in July 1981 |  Ford Granada - Alpha Red 47 driven by PC 1017 Brian Jones accompanied by Chief Superintendent Alf Charlton and (believed) Chief Inspector Purdy. The photograph was taken by Sgt John Noble at Burnhope Way, Peterlee on 8th July 1983 on the occasion of the visit of HRH Princess Diana to Peterlee town centre and the Fisher Price factory. |
Many Thanks to Brian Jones who sent the above photo’s showing one of our trusty old Ford Granada’s and one of the ‘delightful’ Rover SD1’s which we ran in 2.3(supervision), 2.6(patrol) and 3.5(motorway) versions.
Brian asks the question : Possibly the worst patrol car ever!? Perhaps we could have some debate?
