Merry Xmas

Yes it is that time of year already and our sixth Christmas of providing you with update information, topics and photographs.
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 545,000 ‘hits’ on the web page’s and over 300 regular recipients of death notifications of serving and retired officers.

If you’d like to join the list, let us have your email details,brief service details and specific points of interest. It always pays to be informed. (send email to : 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.

This year has seen a change of chairman as long standing chairman Alan Watson retired from the post at the Durham NARPO AGM in March (Although he still is very busy with ‘pen & paper’, preparing & publishing the Durham Peeler magazine). Vice Chairman Ray Jones took over Chairman.

To those who have sadly lost their loved ones this year we especially extend our deepest sympathy at this time of the year.
Here’s wishing you all a Merry Xmas & a Happy New Year,  may it be a prosperous, healthy and successful New Year.

NOTE :
Durham Branch Committee have recently agreed to move our AGM from March to January
(to align with H.Q. financial Year.)

Monday 9^th January, 2017 7.30pm Durham Indoor Bowling Centre (Annual General Meeting)
Monday 13^th March, 2017 7.30pm Durham Indoor Bowling Club
Monday 8^th May, 2017 7.30pm Bishop Auckland Hospital Social Club
Monday 10^th July, 2017 7.30pm Bishop Auckland Hospital Social Club
Monday 4^th Sept., 2017 7.30pm Bishop Auckland Hospital Social Club
Monday 13^th Nov., 2017 7.30pm Durham Indoor Bowling Club

Durham Indoor Bowling Club: Rylands Way, Pity Me, Durham. DL14 6TZ Tel. No. 0191 3840700
Bishop Auckland Hospital Club: 32, Escomb Road, Bishop Auckland. DL14 6TZ Tel. 01388662336

To quote Bob Dylan… ‘The Times They Are A Changin’

All new police officers in England and Wales will have to be educated to degree level from 2020, the College of Policing has announced.
It said the training would help address changes in crime-fighting.
Prospective officers can either complete a three-year "degree apprenticeship", a postgraduate conversion course or a degree.
The National Police Chiefs' Council said the changes would "help modernise the service".
'Patrolling online'
The college's Chief Constable Alex Marshall said the feeling was the nature of police work has changed significantly and officers were just as likely to be "patrolling online" as on the street.
"Cyber-enabled crime has increased," he said, "So has the need for officers and staff to investigate and gather intelligence online and via information technology."
He also said protecting vulnerable people has become a "high priority", with officers now spending more of their time working to prevent domestic abuse, monitor high-risk sex offenders and protect at-risk children.
Even investigating a pub fight - which used to mean interviewing the victim, perpetrator and the bar staff - now also extends to researching videos, pictures and comments published online.
But retired police officer Norman Brennan, who served 31 years in London and now campaigns for police protection, said degrees came "at the bottom of the priority list" for police.
He said: "The only degree a police officer needs is a degree of common sense - they'll learn on the job.
"The public don't care about police having degrees. They want someone competent, caring and capable."
Policing degree: the changes

The College of Policing, which is responsible for setting standards of ethics and training for the police service, is in talks with 12 universities about running the degree courses.
The syllabus is likely to cover the law, safeguarding the vulnerable, understanding how an officer behaves on the street and how to build trust by interacting well with communities.
There will be three options at entry level:
A three-year police constable degree apprenticeship paid for by the force, allowing individuals to "earn while they learn" - spending 80% of their time on the frontline, and the rest completing their degree while receiving a salary
A practical policing degree, as seen in other professions, where the student would complete a three-year self-funded course and apply for a job once qualified
For graduates, a six-month postgraduate conversion course funded by the police
Other changes to be introduced include:
A national set of qualifications for officers following promotion, for example in skills such as management and leadership
A requirement for officers applying to be assistant chief constable or above to have a master's degree - to be paid for by their police force
The college plans to publish a directory of education qualifications for officers and staff next summer, with guidance as to how their on-the-job experience counts and what funding might be available to support them.
There are currently no standard recruitment requirements for officers across the 43 forces in England and Wales.
Some forces accept officers with Level 2 qualifications (A-C grade GCSEs), while others insist on Level 5 (diplomas or foundation degrees).
But Emma Williams, deputy director at the Canterbury Centre for Policing Research, said it was about formalising the training police already receive: "This is not about saying police are not already professionals. There's the assumption that police officers aren't academic but I'm not sure that's true."
Currently, 38% of those going into policing already have a degree or post-graduate qualification (Level 6).
Ms Williams, who is working with the College of Policing on the new qualifications, said the police would continue to provide practical training, while academics might focus on evidence-based policing and criminology.
The money for the apprenticeships, due to be introduced next year, is expected to come from a new 0.5% apprenticeship levy on all employers with a wage bill of more than £3m.
'Fair and right'
The announcement follows a two-month public consultation which received more than 3,000 responses, almost 80% of which were from police officers.
The majority were keen to gain accreditation for their existing skills, Mr Marshall said.
Police officers of all ranks account for 124,066 of the 200,922 people employed by police forces in England and Wales, official statistics show. Some 4,735 officers joined the forces last year, accounting for 4% of all officers.
The new qualification rules will not impact on current officers, unless they apply for a promotion to assistant chief constable or above.
Andy Fittes, general secretary of the Police Federation of England and Wales, welcomed the move to accredit qualifications to serving officers, and supported the idea of a framework that might standardise courses.
However he questioned the implementation of the training, given the "immense demands" being placed on the service.
Chief Constable Giles York, the National Police Chiefs Council lead for workforce, said the scheme would "improve our ability to attract and retain really good people"
He added that it was "fair and right" that officers receive the recognition and accreditation they deserve as professionals

Dishforth Police Training Centre, Yorkshire, 1967

Dishforth Police Training Centre, Yorkshire, 1967.
Student Police officers from constabularies far and wide - from the top left -Steve Hargest (Gloscester)  J.D.Brooks (Leeds) Roger Fry (Bristol) Haymer (South Shields)  John Hodge (Northumberland)  Pete Collins (Lincolnshire)  Dave Carrington (West Riding Yorkshire)  Clifford (Durham County)  Paul Green (Durham County)  Harry Moore (Hull City)  J.S.Gorman (Middlesborough)  Elizabeth Baty ( Lincolnshire)  Doyle (Hull)  R. Hayward unreadable (West Rising Yorkshire) Pamela J. Rymer (West Riding Yorkshire)  Alice L Copthorne (West Riding Yorkshire)  Linda Steele ( Lincolnshire)  Elizabeth Beall (Sheffield and Rotherham,  Alan Cowie ( Newcastle City Police.
Many Thanks to Roger Fry (Bristol) for sharing this photo

A walk down memory lane

A few of the vehicles used by Durham Constabulary over the years. To view more photos of ‘the past’ please visit the :

 ‘Those were the days’ photo album 

If you have any photos of Durham Constabulary that we could use on the website please drop us an email to : durhamnarpo@gmail.com

OFFBEAT : New constabulary electronic magazine

Copperplate Light has now been replaced by a new electronic magazine named OFFBEAT.

First issue has just been issued and can be viewed by clicking on the image which will take you to where it is stored online.

You can then view the magazine fullscreen by clicking on the square, to the right of the + sign on the line below the magazine homepage.

To view old issues of Copperplate visit the Copperplate page : http://www.durhamnarpo.org.uk/p/copperplate_17.html  on the Durham NARPO website

Death of a retired Police Officer : Sgt 1278 Joseph Hann

It is with regret that we have to notify you of the death of a retired Police Officer : Sgt 1278 Joseph Hann who died on December 7^th, aged 79 years.
Joseph Hann spent 2 years as a police cadet with Durham Constabulary from 30^th November 1953 until 11^th May 1955, before serving with the RAF for 2 years.
Joseph then joined Durham Constabulary on 17^th June 1957 and from HQ training served at Durham, Consett, Eastgate, West Hartlepool, Hartlepool, Newbottle, Grasswell then in scientific aids at Consett. In March 1969 he moved into fingerprints where he remained until he was promoted to Sgt in NECRO then Durham CRO. In January 1984 he moved onto DCIB and was medically retired on 20^th September 1984.
Joseph was the dearly loved husband of Anice and dearly loved father of Lesley, Stephen and Darren
Friends please meet for funeral service at St. Aidans Church, Framwellgate Moor on Thursday, December 22^nd, at 2.15pm.
Flowers welcome, donations in lieu if desired to Marie Curie Cancer Care.
Our thoughts are with the family at this sad time

Carol Service 2016

Any officers who were serving when HQ mast was erected in the late 1960s?

Do you know any Durham Constabulary officers who were serving when our mast was erected in the late 1960s?
The communication tower, which is a listed structure, will soon make the short journey from its place at the old headquarters to our new HQ just along the road.
The mast was built and designed by Sir Ove Arup between 1965 and 1968. Arup was also responsible for the Sydney Opera House and the Pompidou Centre in Paris.
We are keen to try and find some of former colleagues to invite them to our new HQ to watch the mast being moved.
Please email :  media@durham.pnn.police.uk

Death of a retired Police Officer : PW Marie Richardson

It is with regret that we have to inform you of the death of a retired Police Officer : PW Marie Richardson, aged 90 years, who passed away very peacefully on Friday 9^th December after a long illness.
Marie joined Durham Constabulary in 1950, working at Stockton, Hartlepool, Consett and Chester Le Street, and received six chief constables commendations for outstanding police work.
She was married to Inspector Derrick Richardson, and became one of the first police women in the UK to take maternity leave and return to full time police work.
Marie retired in 1963.
Marie and Derricks daughter, Julie Crick, retired from Durham Constabulary in 2010.
The celebration of Marie's life will be held at Durham Crematorium on Wednesday 21^st December at 1pm.
All former colleagues are welcome to attend - family flowers only
Our thoughts are with the family at this sad time

Death of a retired Police Officer / Civilian Support Staff : Sgt Ralph Atkinson

It is with regret that we have to inform you of the death of a retired Police Officer / Civilian Support Staff : Sgt Ralph Atkinson who died on November 28th, in hospital,  aged 91 years.

Mr Atkinson's service details are not known but many will remember him as Admin Sgt in Training in the early 70's and upon retirement he continued in this role as a civilian.

Friends please meet for service at Durham Crematorium on Tuesday, December 13th, at 2.00pm.
Family flowers only please, donations in lieu if desired to Willow Wood Hospice, Willow Wood Close, Mellor Road, Ashton-Under-Lyne, OL6 6SL.

Death of a retired Police Officer/Civilian support staff : Mrs Audrey Loughlin

It is with regret that we have to inform you of the death of a retired Police Officer/Civilian support staff : Mrs Audrey Loughlin who died on 24^th November aged 92 years.
Mrs Loughlin served as a PW in Durham Constabulary but dates of service are not known. She continued to work as a civilian member of staff as clerical officer in HQ Workshops from 1970 to 1987.
The funeral will take place on Thursday 15^th December. All are welcome to attend 2.30pm at St. Gilesgate Church, followed by refreshments in the church hall.
Family flowers only please, however donations can be made to the Macular society (www.macularsociety.org)
Our thoughts are with her family at this sad time.

We need your views on the governments autumn statement

The Autumn Statement is a key moment in the Parliamentary calendar as the Chancellor takes centre stage to update MPs on the government's taxation and spending plans, based on the economic projections provided by the Office for Budget Responsibility (OBR) - a body set up in 2010 to provide independent economic forecasts.
This year’s Autumn Statement will be the most important in years. It is the first set-piece event for new Chancellor Philip Hammond MP, and will be a key opportunity for the new Government to outline it’s economic plans and priorities for the coming years.
We are already hearing some rumours emerging in the newspapers, and MPs are beginning to press their views upon the Chancellor.
Later Life Ambitions wants to know what our members want to see in the Autumn Statement:
 
Do you believe universal benefits should be protected for all pensioners after Britain has exited the European Union?
Do you agree that better off pensioners should not be entitled to winter fuel payments, TV licences and bus passes?
Which universal benefit do you value the most?
 
We have created a short survey where members can tell us their views. We want to use your ideas and opinions to form the basis of the Later Life Ambitions response to the Autumn Statement and share this information with MPs, Peers and the Government.
The survey should take no longer than 5 minutes to complete, and can be filled out online by using this link:
 
https://www.surveymonkey.co.uk/r/LaterLifeAmbitions
 
The survey will remain open until Wednesday 16 November, and we’d be very grateful for your participation.
It is also posted on our website at: http://www.narpo.org/index.php/notices.html
Please circulate to members for completion.
Regards
                  
Steve Edwards
Chief Executive Officer
01924 331 251
www.narpo.org

Death of a retired Police Officer : Chief Superintendent Don Moody

It is with regret that we have to announce the death of a retired Police Officer :  Chief Superintendent  Don Moody, who died on 9^th November, 2016 aged 79 years.
Mr Moody leaves widow Ann Moody, and their two sons Ian and John.
Mr Moody started his policing career in March 1958 and served until the 31^st December, 1988.
Whilst working for Durham Constabulary Mr Moody served in various locations across the North East such as Durham, Billingham and Hartlepool. His proudest achievement was his initiative to create the Darlington Independent Advisory Group which was launched in June 1985.
The service will be held at Elmridge Methodist Church on Thursday 17^th November at 12.45pm, followed by cremation which will take place at 1.45pm at Darlington Crematorium.  This service is not private and friends are invited to join family to a reception being held at The Spotted Dog, High Coniscliffe , Darlington afterwards.
The family have requested family flowers only, however, donations if so desired can be made to the Pulmonary Hypertension Association Ltd (PHA).
Our thoughts are with the family at this sad time.

Winter 2016 Durham Peeler now online

Durham Peeler editor Alan Watson has been keeping himself busy over the last few months to produce the Winter 2016 edition of the Durham Peeler.

To view this latest edition of the magazine online, please click on the image.

If you would like to view other editions of the Durham Peeler please Click Here

Hard copies of the magazine will be distributed to members soon

Remembrance Day

Remembrance Day is also known as Poppy Day.

It was first observed in 1919, however until 1945 it was called Armistice Day. Traditionally there is two minutes of silence at the eleventh hour of the eleventh day of the eleventh month because that was the time (in Britain) when the armistice became effective in 1918.
Today, in the UK Remembrance Sunday is also observed on the Sunday nearest to November 11th. So, in the United Kingdom, two minutes' silence is observed on November 11 itself, and on the second Sunday of November. Remembrance Sunday, ceremonies are held at War Memorials, all over the UK and over the years it has become a day to commemorate not just the sacrifice of servicemen and women but the suffering of civilians in times of war.

Remembrance Sunday is commemorated by church services around the UK and a parade of ex-service personnel in London’s Whitehall. Wreaths of poppies are placed on war memorials from the Cenotaph, a war memorial in Whitehall, to the tiniest war memorials in villages all over Britain. Small wooden crosses are placed in Gardens of Remembrance as private acts of remembering individual losses and suffering and people pin poppies to their coat or jacket.

History states that it was the poem 'In Flanders Fields' written in 1915 by Colonel John McCrae, a Canadian Medical Officer, that captured the imagination of the British people in the dark days of trench warfare on the Western Front when so many young soldiers failed to return. Six months before the Armistice, McCrae was brought on a stretcher to a big hospital on the French coast and saw the cliffs of Dover from his room. He died that night and was buried in a cemetery above Wimereux. Before he died, he said to the doctor: "Tell them this . . . If ye break faith with us who die, we shall not sleep." An American woman, Miss Moina Michael, wrote a moving poem in reply and bought 25 red poppies, wearing one herself as a way to keep faith with the war dead; a French woman, Madame Guerin, came up with the practical idea of making and selling artificial poppies to help ex-service men and their dependents in need.

Britain's first Poppy Day was held in 1921 and the money raised helped children in war-devastated areas. The Royal British Legion opened its own poppy factory in London in 1922 to give practical help in time of need to all who have served in the armed forces and their widows and dependents. The paper poppies that are worn today are made by ex-service personnel and are sold by representatives of the Royal British Legion, an organisation of ex-servicemen and women. Today, they make more than 35 million poppies and 65,000 wreaths for the annual poppy appeal. Poppies grew in great abundance in the shell-torn fields of Flanders during the War. Because of its abundance it became the symbol of remembrance of two world wars.

Death of a retired Police Officer : PC 1181 John Stoker

It is with regret that we have to announce the death of a retired Police Officer : PC 1181 John Stoker, who died on 28^th October, 2016 aged 88 years.
John was appointed to Durham Constabulary on 13^th November 1948 and went on to serve at Chester-le-Street, Birtley, CID crime cars, Motor patrols at HQ then at West Hartlepool, Chester-le-Street, then back to motor patrols until he retired on 8^th February 1981.
The funeral will take place on Wednesday 9^th November, 2016 at 11.30am at Durham Crematorium. The family welcome friends to join this service.
The family have requested that instead of flowers, donations if so desired can be made to Bowburn Nursing Home.
Our thoughts are with the family at this sad time.

"Please wear a poppy"

"Please wear a poppy", the lady said
And held one forth, but I shook my head.
Then I stopped and watched as she offered them there,
And her face was old and lined with care;
But beneath the scars the years had made
There remained a smile that refused to fade.
A boy came whistling down the street,
Bouncing along on carefree feet.
His smile was full of joy and fun,
"Lady", said he, "may I have one"?
When she'd pinned it on he turned to say,
"Why do we wear a poppy today"?
The lady smiled in her wistful way
And answered, "This is Remembrance Day,
And the poppy there is the symbol for
The gallant men who died in war.
And because they did, you and I are free –
That's why we wear a poppy, you see.
"I had a boy about your size,
With golden hair and big blue eyes.
He loved to play and jump and shout,
Free as a bird he would race about.
As the years went by he learned and grew
And became a man – as you will, too.
"He was fine and strong, with a boyish smile,
But he'd seemed with us such a little while.
When war broke out and he went away
I still remember his face that day.
When he smiled at me and said, Goodbye,
I'll be back soon, Mum, so please don't cry.
"But the war went on and he had to stay,
And all I could do was wait and pray.
His letters told of the awful fight,
(I can see it still in my dreams at night).
With the tanks and guns and cruel barbed wire,
And the mines and bullets, the bombs and fire
"Till at last, at last, the war was won –
And that's why we wear a poppy son".
The small boy turned as if to go,
Then said, "Thanks, lady, I'm glad to know.
That sure did sound like an awful fight,
But your son – did he come back all right"?
A tear rolled down each faded cheek,
She shook her head, but didn't speak.
I slunk away in a sort of shame,
And if you were me you'd have done the same,
For our thanks, in giving, if oft delayed,
Though our freedom was bought – and
Thousands paid!
And so when we see a poppy worn,
Let us reflect on the burden borne,
By those who gave their very all.
When asked to answer their country's call
That we at home in peace might live.
Them wear a poppy!  Remember – and give!
 
 
WEAR A POPPY

Death of a retired Police Officer : Supt. 261 Harry Leathard

It is with regret that we have to advise you of the death of a retired Police Officer : Supt. 261 Harry Leathard who died on October 23^rd, peacefully in hospital aged 88 years.
Harry retired in 1984 and spent much of his police career in Traffic.
Harry leaves two sons David and Jeffrey and will be much missed by his family and friends.
Friends are asked to please meet for service in Durham Crematorium on Monday, November 7^th, at 11.30am.
Family flowers only, donations in lieu are being made to St Cuthbert’s Hospice, Durham.
Our thoughts are with them at this sad time

Reunion reminder….

Billy Walker & Alan Courtney are organizing a reunion of staff from Bishop Auckland, Newton Aycliffe & Spennymoor offices on :

Thursday 3^rd November,2016 at the Oak Leaf, Sports Complex Newton Aycliffe from 4.30pm onwards

Food can be purchased, if required, from the bar i.e. beefburgers, pizza, chips etc.
Alan and Bill are looking forward to meeting old colleagues and having a bit craick and a laugh over a few beers.
In order that they have some idea of numbers attending could you either email: alancourtney1947@talktalk.net or william620walker@btinternet.com .
If this is a success, they are thinking of making it a yearly event

Part time work : Pet Amigos

“Dear Sir
I came across your organisation whilst doing some research in relation to our recruiting needs, as we are in need of two additional part time staff (we currently have three part time staff, consisting of a retired civil servant, retured nurse and retired travel agency manager).
Due to the nature of the trust our customers have in us, we are careful about who we recruit, hence this e-mail to yourself.
With the above in mind, do you think and of your members who reside in, or close to Durham City may be interested in working for us?
More info about what we do can be found on our website at www.petamigos.co.uk
Kind regards”
Ian Clayton (ian@petamigos.co.uk)
www.petamigos.co.uk

September CPI now released

The ONS have now released the Consumer Price Index for September 2016 which shows an increase of 1% . As a result, Police Pensions will increase by 1% as of 1st April 2017.

For further info please click on this link to the ONS website

Death of a retired civilian staff member : Malcolm (Max) McAloon

It is with regret that we have to announce the death of a retired civilian staff member : Malcolm (Max) McAloon, who died on 5^th October, 2016 aged 78 years.
Mr McAloon was a driver handyman in the Derwentside area, he retired on 4^th April 2003.
The funeral will take place on Friday 14^th October, 2016 at 10.00am at St. Mary’s Blackhill. This will be followed by a cremation at Mountsett Crematorium. The family welcome friends to join both services.
The family have requested that instead of flowers, donations if so desired can be made to the Cardiothoracic Centre at the Freeman Hospital.
Our thoughts are with the family at this sad time

Death of a retired Police Officer : Sgt 76 Dennis Dunnill

It is with regret that we have to announce the death of a retired Police Officer : Sgt 76 Dennis Dunnill, who died on 4^th October, 2016 aged 85 years.

Dennis joined Durham Constabulary on 5^th July 1952. During his time with us he served in various locations across the force such as, HQ Training, Consett, Blackhill, Ebchester, Traffic, Special Incident Squad, Durham, Sherburn. He later became a member of Police staff within the HQ Firearms department where he retired on 30^thJune 1991.

The cremation will take place on Wednesday 12^th October, 2016 at 2.30pm at Durham Crematorium. This service is not private.

The family have requested that instead of flowers, donations if so desired can be made to the Great North Air Ambulance.

Our thoughts are with the family at this sad time

Death of a retired Police Officer : Constable 1253 George Taylor

It is with regret that we have to announce the death of a retired Police Officer :  Constable 1253 George Taylor, who died on 27^th September, 2016 aged 86 years.
The cremation will take place on Tuesday 11^th October, 2016 at 10.45am at Darlington Crematorium, Carmel Road, Darlington. This service is not private.
The family have requested that instead of flowers, donations if so desired can be made to a Dementia Charity.
Our thoughts are with the family at this sad time.

Death of a retired Police Officer : Chief Inspector William Frederick Purser

It is with regret that we have to advise colleagues of the death of a retired Police Officer : Chief Inspector William Frederick Purser who died on 26^th September 2016, aged 94 years.
Mr Purser retired from Durham Constabulary on 24^th September 1977.
Funeral service is to be held at 11am on Tuesday 18^th October,  2016 at St Clare’s Church, Central Avenue, Newton Aycliffe to be followed by interment at West Cemetery, School Aycliffe.  The service is not private and friends and former colleagues are welcome meet at church.
Our thoughts are with Fred’s family and friends  at this sad time.

Their memories live on….. in bricks and mortar

Officers from Durham Constabulary who lost their lives in the line of duty are to have their memories live on in bricks and mortar.
A new housing development on the site of the old police headquarters at Aykley Heads, will have streets named after the fallen officers.
The first two - Woodward Way and Maddison Court - reflect two men killed in 1958 and 1997.
Four others will refer to men who died between 1927 and 1982.
Aykley Woods development, by Persimmon Homes, is where the force's base was from 1968, until it become too costly to maintain.
'Fitting tribute'
The force's new £14m HQ was opened by the Princess Royal in May 2015.
Chief Constable Mike Barton said: "It seems a very fitting tribute to those who lost their lives protecting the public of County Durham and Darlington that they are remembered at a place so important to Durham Constabulary and our history."
The six officers to be honoured are:
- PC Matthew Walls Straughan, shot in June 1927 by a man on whom he had just served a summons
- Sgt Robert Little, killed by fumes in December 1930 rescuing an elderly woman trapped in a burning house
- PC William Ralph Shiell, shot chasing two burglars in March 1940
- Sgt Stanley Woodward, killed by a sniper while seconded to the British Police Unit in Cyprus October 1958
- Det Con James Brian Porter, shot chasing two armed robbers in March 1982
- PC Keith Maddison, died chasing two suspects from a stolen vehicle in May 1997

Any Ex Consett/Stanley officers who can help with this one ??

I hope you're well and don’t mind me getting in touch.
My name is David Finch and I am making a short, independent documentary about a boxer from a town in County Durham called Consett. 
I wanted to get in touch because I am trying to track down a police officer who is a key part of the story and I was advised by Consett Police dept that you might be able to help.
On the night of 3^rd June 1989 a boxer called Glenn McCrory won a world title in his home town of Stanley in Co Durham, when he defeated Patrick Lumumba at the Louisa Centre, Stanley to win the IBF World Cruiserweight Title. 
Glenn had a disabled younger brother who was not at the fight as their mother thought it would be too overwhelming for him, given his condition. 
During the fight; three local police officers arrived at the house, picked  up the Mother & Brother and rushed them to the fight just in time for them to see Glenn win the world title in his home town.
Needless to say; if we were able to track down any of the officers involved in that incident it would be a huge boost for our film. 
I appreciate what a long shot this is and I can only guess at how unlikely it is that a record exists of who was working on a given night more than 25 years ago.  Despite that, I wanted to get in touch to see if there is anything you could suggest that might help me track one of the officers down.
Once again I appreciate how unlikely this is but I hope you understand that I wouldn't be doing my job if I didn't at least ask so I wondered if there is any possibility that you might be able to reach out to any retired officers in the Consett /Stanley area’s on my behalf to see if they might know any way that we could track down the officers working that night on June 3^rd 1989.
Really appreciate any help or advice you can offer on this
All the best
David Finch

Surely… somebody out there can remember this memorable night & help David, who can be contacted on the following number or email :
Producer / Director - 300 Yards From Home
+44 771 7712556
david.finch@btinternet.com

Death of a retired Police Officer : Sgt 819 Malcolm (Max) Newby

It is with deepest sadness that I advise you of the death of a retired Police Officer : Sgt 819 Malcolm (Max) Newby who died on Thursday 22^nd September 2016 , aged 63 years.
Max joined Durham Constabulary on 28^th July 1975 and from HQ Training he spent his probationary period as a constable based in Derwentside area. 
In 1978 he moved on to work at Lanchester section, moving to South Moor in 1982. 
In 1987 he transferred to CID and spent 2 months at Durham before moving to Stanley CID.  Max was promoted to Sergeant in May 1989 and transferred to Seaham in uniform. 
In 1990 he moved back into CID,  firstly operational CID and later an Intelligence role at Chester-le-Street. 
In January 2000 he continued to work within Intelligence in a supervisory role but moved to work out of Durham City then in November 2000 he joined the Community Safety Team at Durham. He retired from this role on 27^th July 2005 having completed 30 years police service.
Funeral arrangements are not yet confirmed but will be circulated when known.
Max is survived by his wife Ann and daughter Tori.
Our thoughts are with Max’s family and friends at this sad time.

Funeral arrangements are now confirmed as follows:
Friends and family are asked to meet for the funeral service at Mounsett Crematorium, Dipton  at 12.30pm on Friday 7^th October 2016.

Reunion of staff from Bishop Auckland, Newton Aycliffe & Spennymoor offices

Billy Walker & Alan Courtney are organizing a reunion of staff from Bishop Auckland, Newton Aycliffe & Spennymoor offices on :

Thursday 3^rd November,2016 at the Oak Leaf, Sports Complex Newton Aycliffe from 4.30pm onwards

Food can be purchased, if required, from the bar i.e. beefburgers, pizza, chips etc.
Alan and Bill are looking forward to meeting old colleagues and having a bit craick and a laugh over a few beers.
In order that they have some idea of numbers attending could you either email: alancourtney1947@talktalk.net or william620walker@btinternet.com .
If this is a success, they are thinking of making it a yearly event

NARPO Branch Meeting : November : Guest speakers

Secretary Stuart Ingram has been busy in the background and has spoken to the new Mayor of Darlington, Brian Jones and his Mace Bearer David Allaway, who have agreed to give a talk at our next meeting scheduled for November 28^th at Durham Indoor Bowls Centre. 
Something along the lines of “My Public Life since retirement from the Police Service”
Brian is a member of NARPO and by midnight on the 28^th November Stuart fully expect to have a signed application  from Mr Allaway !!
Can you please spread the news.
It would be nice to see a good number at that meeting in support of Brian and David.

Ron Storey’s son to be married in Durham

Claire Ingram, the fiancé of the late PC Ron Storey’s son Adrian Storey has been in touch with us  to tell us that Adrian is now living in Yorkshire and has done for 20 years, however he is extremely proud of his Durham heritage and of his late father.
Adrian and Claire are to be married on 3^rd September 2016 at Aykley Heads House and will be holding their reception at the Royal County Hotel as its location holds many happy memories for Adrian and his family.
Claire said it would mean such a lot to Adrian if we could mention their special day and his late father, if this is possible?

Well it is possible Claire & from all the retired officers in Durham , many who worked with Ron over the years we hope you & Adrian have a fantastic wedding day up here in Durham and that all your hope’s, dreams & wishes for the future are fulfilled.

NARPO Luncheon at Durham Bowling Club

The Durham NARPO Luncheon which is to take place on Sunday, 9^th October, 2016, at the Durham Bowling Club as usual. Commencing at 12.30pm to sit down at 1pm. for the meal.        
The Catering is being done again this year by Oldfield's Restaurants at Durham and should prove another good all round meal.
If you are going to the luncheon please contact Barry Crawford.

Death of a retired Police Officer : Supt John Anthony Lonsdale (ex Durham & Northumbria)

It is with regret that we have to inform you of the death of a retired Police Officer : Supt.John (Jack) Anthony Lonsdale who died recently (date not supplied) aged 89 years.  He is survived by his daughter, Margaret.

John served in Durham until the amalgamation in 1974 when he transferred to Northumbria & served there until retirement in 1984 

John's funeral will take place at 11.30am on Monday 22^nd August, 2016 at St. Michael & St Nicholas' Church, Hetton Lyons with Eppleton, Easington Lane, Houghton le Spring.

Death of a retired Police Officer : Superintendent Allan Alderson

It is with regret that we have to announce the death of a retired Police Officer : Superintendent Allan Alderson, who died on 21^st July, 2016 aged 85 years.
Mr Alderson leaves no widow.
Mr Alderson started his policing career as a young cadet on the 22^nd March, 1947 and served until the 23^rd April, 1949.
Mr Alderson was then appointed to Durham Constabulary as a Police Officer on the 28^th April, 1951 and was medically retired on the 16^th December, 1983 at the rank of Superintendent , Deputy Divisional Commander based at Durham City.
Whilst working for Durham Constabulary Mr Alderson served in various locations across the county such as HQ, Stockton, Durham, Tow Law, CID, Peterlee, Newton Aycliffe, Recruiting, Spennymoor, Personnel & Sedgefield.
The cremation will take place on Thursday 28^th July, at 9.30am at Durham Crematorium.  This service is not private.
The family have requested family flowers only, however, donations if so desired can be made to the Salvation Army.
Our thoughts are with the family at this sad time.

Death of a retired Police Officer : Chief Superintendent Alice T HARDING

It is with deepest sadness that we have to advise colleagues of the death of a retired Police Officer : Chief Superintendent Alice T Harding who died in Marie Curie Hospice, Solihull on the afternoon of Monday 11^th July 2016.
Chief Superintendent 545 HARDING joined Birmingham City Police on 17^th October 1964. In 1968 she was promoted to Sgt then through force amalgamation she served with West Midlands police from 1^st April 1974 until 7^th July 1974. She then transferred to Warwickshire Constabulary and was promoted to Inspector and on 1^st August 1976 she joined Durham Constabulary as Chief Inspector with particular responsibility for women in training.
In 1976 she moved into Admin then on 1^st April 1977 she was promoted to the rank of Superintendent and became assistant personnel officer with the responsibility for women.  In May 1979 she was appointed temporary sub divisional commander at Durham and the posting was confirmed in July 1979. She went on to spend the next 2 years in the same role at Wear Valley then from December 1981 at Sedgefield.
In December 1982 she became deputy to the divisional commander 'C' division based at Chester-le-Street.  In 1984 she was promoted to the rank of Chief Superintendent and was appointed as deputy departmental commander, Admin department, then as Chief Clerk.  From May 1988 she was departmental commander in Admin and Management Services and she retired on pension on 31^st March 1995.
Her funeral service will take place at 1pm on Monday 18^th July 2016 at Robin Hood Crematorium, Streetsbrook Road, Solihull
Alice requested that there be no flowers but would like donations if given to be distributed to Cancer Research, British Heart Foundation and the Alzheimer’s Society.
Our thoughts are with Alice’s family and friends at this sad time.

Death of a retired Police Officer : Inspector 96 Don Smith

It is with regret that we have to announce the death of a retired Police Officer :  Inspector 96 Don Smith, who died on 1^st July, 2016 aged 85 years.
Mr Smith leaves a widow Maria, eight children and nine grandchildren.
The funeral will take place on Thursday 7^th July, at 1.00pm at St Mary’s Church, Woodhouse Lane, Bishop Auckland. This service is not private. This service will then be followed by a burial at Witton Park Cemetery. This is also not private.
The family have requested that instead of flowers, donations if so desired can be made to McMillan Nurses.
Our thoughts are with the family at this sad time.

BikeWise 2016 Show Posters

Click on either of the images below to download a BikeWise 2016 poster – please share it amongst your friends, on Facebook / Twitter or at work to let people know when the show is on.

The website will be updated regularly from now to the 24^th July with updates about what is happening at the show

 

Death of a retired Police Officer : PC 477 Norman Holdsworth

It is with regret that we have to announce the death of a retired Police Officer : PC 477 Norman Holdsworth, who died on 9^th June 2016, aged 71 years.
Mr Holdsworth leaves a widow Margaret Holdsworth.
Our thoughts are with the family at this sad time.

Death of a retired Police Officer : PC 729 David Matthew BEST

It is with deepest sadness that we have to advise colleagues of the death of a retired Police Officer : PC 729 David Matthew BEST who died on Tuesday 21^st June 2016, aged 67 years.
David initially joined Durham Constabulary on 31^st August 1965 as a Police Cadet before being appointed as a constable on 23^rd October 1967.  After initial training at Newby Wiske David was posted to Darlington where he completed his probationary period before moving to Durham in November 1969.  In June 1971 he moved into Traffic where he served in various roles until January 1983 when he transferred to Chester-le-Street.  In January 1989 he moved into Control Room where he served until November 1998 when he returned to Chester-le-Street.  In January 2001 he transferred to Durham City and it was from here that he retired on 7^th October 2001.
David leaves a wife Valerie, and daughters Tracey-Ann and Victoria and four grandchildren
Funeral service is to be held at 3pm on Wednesday 29^th June 2016 at Durham Crematorium. 
Family flowers only.
Donations in memory of Dave can be made  to St Cuthberts Hospice, Park Road, Durham.  A collection box will be available at the crematorium for anyone attending the service who wishes to make a donation.
Friends and former colleagues are invited to join the family after the service at The Honest Lawyer, Croxdale Bridge, Durham DH1 3SP.
Our  thoughts are with David's family and friends at this sad time.

CG Luncheon

The CG Luncheon, which was popular with and attended by many NARPO members, is to be resurrected and will take place on 3^rd November 2016 at the Durham Indoor Bowling Club.  Attendance at the luncheon is open to all former police officers and civilians who who have served at the former CG Sub Division. Anyone interested in attending should contact the organizers by telephone on 0191 3840505. In addition, it would be appreciated if you could pass on this information to any retired officers or civilian staff who served at CG

Death of a retired Police Officer :Inspector 2147 Trevor Coppock

It is with regret that we have to announce the death of a retired Police Officer :Inspector 2147 Trevor Coppock who died on 3^rd June 2016 aged 81 years.
He  originally joined the River Tyne Police & then on amalgamation with Durham served at Hartlepool, Bishop Auckland, Mounted Branch Admin at Harperley Hall, Wear Valley, Sedgefield, Harperley Hall, Force Training, Cadet Training, Special Branch, Consett, and Chester-Le-Street before he retired on 1^st March 1992
Mr Coppock leaves a widow Fleur Coppock.
The funeral service is private but donations in lieu of flowers can be made to Friends of the Royal Navy Submarine Museum.
Our thoughts are with the family at this sad time.

Death of police widow Mrs Rosa Veitch

It is with regret that we have to inform you of the death of police widow Mrs Rosa Veitch, aged 80 years, who died after a long illness on 10^th June 2016.
Rosa was the wife of ex-Supt Frank Veitch who sadly died in December 1985 aged 53 years.
A private cremation is to take place in Birtley on Thursday 23^rd June.
Donations in lieu of flowers to the British Heart Foundation.
Our thoughts are with family members at this sad time.

Death of a retired Police Officer : PC 1460 Edward Wilding

It is with regret that we have to announce the death of a retired Police Officer : PC 1460 Edward Wilding, who died on the 31^st May, 2016.
Mr Wilding retired on 27^th March, 1996.
Mr Wilding leaves a widow Una Wilding.
The funeral will take place on Wednesday 15^th June 2016 at 10.30am at St Mary’s Church, Easington Village.
The service is not private & will then be followed by a cremation at Durham Crematorium, this is also not private.
Our thoughts are with the family at this sad time.

We’ve seen the picture but now watch the video

The old HQ is virtually all demolished, the radio mast still stands waiting to be moved to its new ‘home’ in the grounds of the new HQ.

The video from the vaults of the BFI shows the mast being built in 1968, great to watch and have a look at the workmen's clothing !! (No Health & safety in those days)

Interesting to see it being dismantled and then rebuilt ?

From Britain on Film available at BFI Player

Every Picture Tells A Story !

Says it all really…..

Our ‘old’ Police HQ at Aykley Heads Durham.

‘Behind the Badge’ – Family Open Day

Saturday 18^th June 2016 1pm to 4pm
We would love as many current and retired officers and staff and their families to join us for our annual open day. This year we are celebrating being rated as the only ‘outstanding’ force overall across England and Wales – why not come along and see some of our work and meet up with friends past and present!’
The format of the day will be as follows:
⦁    Open to you and your family, but you must arrive together for security purposes.
⦁    Displays and demonstrations will include demonstrations by the dog section, view the helicopter and meet the crew, history displays, firearms and several stalls showcasing ‘what we do as an organisation’ plus much more.
⦁    Bring the children to join in with fun activities and meet ‘Jet and Ben’ our two Labrador dogs who attend primary schools throughout County Durham and Darlington providing stranger danger and internet safety advice.
⦁    Entertainment will be provided by the Durham Constabulary Brass Band.
⦁    Staff from Human Resources will be in attendance to talk to your friends and family who might be interested in becoming a police officer – we will be recruiting soon!
⦁     Refreshments will be available to purchase on site.
⦁    Contact Ray Jones on 01388 663098 and Stuart Ingram on 01388 814768 should you wish to come and join us.  Deadline for requests will be 6^th June 2016. Please state if you require disabled parking.
⦁    Tickets will be posted in the second week of June prior to the event and will be required for entry on the day for security purposes.
Please inform any fellow colleagues so that we can make this a day to remember!

Durham Peeler : Summer 2016

Durham Peeler editor Alan Watson has been keeping himself busy over the last few months to produce the Summer 2016 edition of the Durham Peeler.

To view this latest edition of the magazine online, please click on the image.

If you would like to view other editions of the Durham Peeler please Click Here

Tours exclusively for NARPO members

NARPO HQ have teamed up with SLT travel who are offering tours exclusively for NARPO members, they plan to arrange tours which only NARPO members, from all over the country can book.

So even if you travel alone or are a small group, you will know that the other travellers on your tour will be NARPO members from around the Country.

This is in my view a good opportunity for those who like travelling to travel with other NARPO members and may be something your Social Secretaries may wish to enquire about.

See more information on the website at: http://www.narpo.org/index.php/member-services/leisure-time.html

Regards

Steve Edwards

Copper Plate Light–Issue 3 : April 2016

Copper Plate Light  : Issue 3 – April 2016

With a new name of Copper Plate Light & a bi-monthly issue to keep you up to date with all the latest news from across the force.

Many Thanks to the Media team at HQ for producing the paper once more.

If you have any items which could be of interest for the Copper Plate Light then please either ring the team at HQ on (0191) 3752157 or email at media@durham.pnn.police.uk.

To view the Copper Plate Light please click on the image or to view previously issued  Copper Plate magazines please visit the Copper Plate page on the website : http://www.durhamnarpo.org.uk/p/copperplate_17.html

The Police Mutual Foundation

The Police Mutual Foundation has launched a pilot respite scheme, specifically aimed to support
the retired police community.
Since its launch in 2011, Police Mutual has been supporting the wellbeing of police officers and
staff by offering a range of services.

Police Mutual’s  Head of Police Service Engagement, Claire Long says;
“For some time now we have been working hard to improve the wellbeing of the police family.
It is only right that this support should extend to those who have retired from the service.
We also appreciate that the health and wellbeing demands in retirement increase and that they
become more complex.  By working with NARPO, RPOAS and NIRPOA we hope to significantly
increase our support to this community in a meaningful and manageable way.”
 
The respite pilot aims to help those retirees who are either suffering from or caring for
someone with dementia.  Police Mutual will be working with a number of specialist providers
to source a respite break.  The breaks will be planned based on the demands of the people who
are being supported.  There are up to 20 breaks available between now and the end of the year,
with a view to extending the programme in 2017.
 
Branch chairs and secretaries can make nominations so if you know of someone who would
benefit from some time away, you can contact either foundation@pmas.co.uk or
call  01543 305351 for an application form or more information.

Death of a retired Police Officer:PC 873 Ronald John Matthews

It is with regret that we have to advise you of the death of a retired Police Officer: PC 873 Ronald John Matthews who died on Wednesday 11^th May 2016, aged 82 years.
Ronald retired from the Force on 24^th October 1979 at the rank of Police Constable.
Ronald leaves no widow.
Funeral service is to be held at 12.00 noon on Tuesday 24^th May 2016 at Durham Crematorium. The service is not private.
Our thoughts are with the family and friends at this sad time.

Death of a retired Police Officer : Chief Superintendent 179 Lawrence Henry Heslop

It is with regret that we have to inform you of the death of a retired Police Officer : Chief Superintendent 179 Lawrence Henry Heslop who died on Monday 9^th May 2016, aged 93 years.
Lawrence first joined Durham Constabulary on 1^st March 1940 as a Clerical Assistant and served in this role until 16^th September 1941.
During his time as Police Staff, Lawrence worked in many departments such as Control Room, Admin, Housing, Durham and HQ Personnel.
He was appointed as Police Officer on 17^th September 1941. Lawrence served in many locations including Seaham Harbour, Felling, Blaydon, Castle Eden, Horden and Pelaw. Retiring in 1982 at the rank of Chief Superintendent.
Lawrence leaves no widow.
Funeral service is to be held at 9.40 am on Wednesday 18^th May 2016 at Rawdon Crematorium in Leeds. The service is not private. The family have requested that instead of flowers, donations if so desired can be made to the RNLI Charity.
Our thoughts are with the family and friends at this sad time.

Next Meeting of NARPO (Durham Branch) : Monday 9th May 2016

The next meeting of NARPO (Durham Branch) will be held on Monday 9^th May at 7.30pm at Bishop Auckland Hospital Club.
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.

Death of a retired Police Officer : Sergeant John Simpson

It is with regret that we have to inform you of the death of a retired Police Officer : Sergeant John Simpson who died on 13^th April 2016 aged 94 years.
Mr Simpson retired from the Force on 24^th April 1966.
Mr Simpson leaves no widow.
His family have requested that the funeral will be private.
Our thoughts are with the family at this sad time.

Death of a retired Police Officer : PC 1833 George Neville Barlow

It is with regret that we have to advise you of the death of a retired Police Officer : PC 1833 George Neville BARLOW who died on Friday 8^th April 2016, aged 81 years.

Neville initially joined the police service with Sunderland Borough where he served from 1961 until 1967 when he transferred to Durham County Constabulary as a Dog Handler.  He continued to serve with the Dog Section at Bishop Auckland and at Chester-le-Street , later moving to Community Relations and medically retiring from Wear and Tees on 2nd April 1989.

Funeral service is to be held at 11:15 on Friday 22^nd April 2016 at St Stephen’s Church, Willington. 
The service is not private and friends and former colleagues are welcome meet at church.  This service will be followed by cremation at Durham at 12 noon.
Our thoughts are with Neville’s friends and family at this sad time.

Death of a retired Police Officer : William Appleton (Ex Durham & Northumbria)

It is with regret that we have to inform you of the death of a retired Police Officer :
William (Bill) Appleton, aged 91 years died 26^th March, 2016 in a nursing home. (His son, John is making arrangements re. the funeral). Details are :-Church  Memorial and Funeral service at St. Paul’s Church, Winlaton  at 12.15pm Monday, 12^th April, 2016. The funeral is not private. Family flowers only. Friends welcome to attend.
Bill joined Durham County Constabulary in 1947 and served at Blaydon at the time of amalgamation in 1974, joining Northumbria force . He continued to serve in Blaydon and then Town Office at Whickham until his retirement in 1976.

Our sympathies and condolences have been shared with his family at this sad time.

The Elvet Project

The congregation and friends at Elvet Methodist Church, Durham believe that an important part of their mission is to support charities help people all over the world. In the last few years Elvet has raised hundreds of thousands of pounds for good causes in Africa, Cambodia, South America and India as well as more local charities in Northumberland and Co. Durham.

The  current project (between September 2015 and August 2016) is the Grace Haven Orphanage in Myanmar (formerly known as Burma) and retired officers Sue and Paul Harrison have coordinated a busy programme of events to raise money for this worthy cause, run by Ex-Inspector Fred Farley and his wife, the Reverend Ma Lay.

The Orphanage was built in 1998 to help the poor and disadvantaged by providing shelter, education and a home to children who have lost one or both parent(s) through malaria, tuberculosis or deprivation of medical help. They have jointly established a mission that has now swollen to helping over 200 deprived children who receive help in the way of accommodation, availability of education and hope for the future. Grace Haven has grown from housing 15 children and now supports 75 who are aged 3-20 and who live there and attend the government-run school. Fred and Ma Lay have also funded and constructed 2 ‘Light of Education Centres’ where a further 125 children live. They receive after-school tuition and further education where appropriate and whenever financial help is available. The children pray frequently and take part in services. They enjoy artwork, singing hymns, and popular songs.

Grace Haven has a food-producing programme where rice and vegetables are grown and harvested, and they breed pigs (to sell) which brings in revenue, but life is hard and the Monsoon season can be devastating.

Events such as a Treasure Hunt, Murder Mystery dinner, Art Exhibition, Concerts, Fayres and the sale of related merchandise have provided frequent opportunities for socialising and have been very successful in raising funds. Coupled with the generosity of members, friends, family and visitors, the magnificent sum of £13,000 was raised within 13 weeks!

Shortly after Christmas 2015 the Project committee were able to forward most of this initial amount to Grace Haven as an urgent, interim payment and soon saw the delivery of a brand new KIA Vehicle to the Orphanage.  On Sunday, 14^th February 2016 Ma Lay and Fred Farley dedicated it to the orphanage in prayer at their morning service.  They have named the vehicle ‘Elvet’.

Fred has taken some photographs to show the congregation and friends just how delighted they all are. These can  be found on Elvet’s Website and Facebook page.

Now, the children of the Orphanage can prepare each day to go to school without the worry of having to walk the four mile return journey and have peace of mind, especially at this time in their lives as they struggle to meet the recent demands made upon them to either pass their monthly and annual exams or remain static in their year.

Fundraising continues until 31/8/16 as the Orphanage still needs financial assistance to fund their food and medical expenses and to employ English-speaking teachers. Details of forthcoming events can be found on Elvet’s website (see ‘Project’ and ‘Events’) and also Facebook page. Pens and Original Burmese Art can still be purchased at reasonable prices.

Tuesday 12^th April  Millennium Banquet A delicious Indian meal at the Millennium Restaurant, Framwellgate Moor.

Saturday 16^th April    10am – 2pm Table Top & Bric-a-Brac Sale at Elvet.

Donate unwanted gifts to the Grace Haven Tables (100% profit goes to the charity) or hire your own table to sell your wares, homemade crafts or recycle unwanted gifts. Come and buy some bargains. Refreshments available. Ring 07522444788 to book a table; £10.00

Saturday 14^th May - Games Night. ‘Call my Bluff’ meets ‘Would l Lie to you?’ Be in a team (of 3) or just come to watch; a fun night in the hall - with nibbles.  £5.00 Per person

18^th June - Open Church and gardens –  A  Treasure Trail and refreshments.

Follow the clues in a fun, indoor (and weather permitting outdoor) trail and discover things in and around the church you didn’t know and which will help to solve the puzzle. Fun for all the family.

More events in summer include a Sponsored Walk (4^th June )and a Sponsored Cycle (proposed for early August).   All are welcome to join us - or to help support someone who is able to undertake these events.

Anyone wishing to support Grace Haven can contact Sue Harrison on 07522444788.

Death a retired Police Officer : DC 739 Stephen Wintrell

It is with regret that we have to inform you of the death a retired Police Officer (And serving member of Police staff) :  DC 739  Stephen Wintrell, who died on 26^th March 2016 aged 58 years.
Steve initially joined Durham Constabulary on 28^th August 1973 as a Cadet then went on to serve as a police officer from 8^th March 1976.  From HQ Training he served at Sedgefield working in uniform on operational duties and in 1980 he spent 4 months working with Special Branch.  He returned to Sedgefield and worked both in uniform and temporarily in CID before transferring to Special Branch in November 1983.  From April 1984 he spent 5 years working in CID at Spennymoor moving on to Sedgefield/Aycliffe CID.  In 1990 he returned to uniform duties and in 1992 joined ASU.  He remained in that role until April 1997 when he moved into Telephone Investigations on Crime Desk then from January 1999 he took on the role of Field Intelligence Officer at Aycliffe and Spennymoor until his retirement on 11^th October 2009.  On 12^th October 2009 Steve was appointed as an Information Officer and he has continued to work in this role in Intelligence.
Steve leaves a widow Val, son Karl and daughter Debbie and their families, and also a brother Paul.

The funeral service will take place on Tuesday 5^th April 2016 at 10.15am at Wear Valley Crematorium, Coundon. Friends are asked to meet at the Crematorium please.
The family have requested that there is no guard of honour formed but are very happy for colleagues and friends to attend the service and they extend an open invitation to all who wish to join them afterwards for refreshments at Woodham Golf Club.
There will be family flowers only by request however donations in lieu of flowers can be made to Cancer Research if so desired and there will be a collection plate available at the Crematorium.
 
A book of remembrance will be taken to the Golf Club and all are invited to record any messages they wish to leave for the family in the book. 
For those who are unable to attend the Golf Club if you can send any messages you would wish to have included to the WELFARE email address ( welfare.office@durham.pnn.police.uk) then they will ensure all messages are incorporated. 
Ideally they would like to have all messages by no later than Thursday 7^th April so that these can be passed over to the Wintrell family promptly.
Our thoughts are with the family at this sad time.

New chairman of Durham NARPO

There was a good turnout at the recent AGM of Durham NARPO, where members listened to talks by Chief constable Mike Barton, Assistant Chief Officer Gary Ridley & Durham Police & Crime Commissioner Ron Hogg before getting down to the evenings business, which involved the Chairman Alan Watson stepping down after almost twenty years service as Branch Chairman. Alan will remain on the committee & of course continue as editor of The Durham Peeler magazine.

Ray Jones who has been the Vice Chairman of the branch was elected as Chairman.

Photo shows Alan congratulating Ray on his election to Chairman.

Barry Crawford took the vacant position of Vice Chairman, Derek Sayers as treasurer & Stuart Ingram as Branch Secretary

HOLMES Reader/Receiver role in the South West

I am currently recruiting for a HOLMES Reader/Receiver role in the South West and am seeking expressions of interest from people with this skill-set. I am trying to expand the way in which I can directly appeal to a number of people with this specialist skill-set. It is very niche and very in demand at the moment so I was wondering if you would be able to assist in any way by disseminating the role to your members?
Please find details for the role below - I would be more than happy to discuss anything in more detail with you should you wish to contact me.
Your assistance in this matter is very much appreciated and I look forward to possibly hearing from you soon.
Thank you.
 
Police Skills is currently recruiting for experienced HOLMES 2 trained Reader/Receivers to work within the MIR of a high-profile inquiry based in the South West of England. This is a long-term, temporary contract paying up to £24.69 p/h LTD and £18.82 p/h PAYE. For more details please send your CV to emma.palmer@redsnappergroup.co.uk or call on 0203 119 3343 if you would like to discuss this opportunity.
 
Kind Regards,
Emma Palmer
Recruitment Officer
Tel: 0203 119 3343

Widows Pension For Life

Following recent changes to the Regulations concerning survivors’ pensions, and how they are dealt with should the survivor remarry, co-habit or form a civil partnership, it has become clear that there are three different approaches in operation within the United Kingdom.

The Justice Minister in the Northern Ireland Executive, David Ford, announced on 21st March 2014 that all survivors of members of the RUC pension scheme should retain their pensions for life irrespective of the circumstances of the death of the former officer. As a result all survivors are entitled to have their pensions reinstated effective
from 1st July 2014.

On the 18th January this year the 2006 Police [Injury Benefit] Regulations were amended [see Circular 39/15].

This change means that survivors’ pensions paid in respect of 1987 Police Pension scheme members will no longer have to forfeit their pension where the police officer dies on duty or dies as a result of an injury received on duty.

In England and Wales this change only applies to widows, widowers or surviving civil partners, who marry, remarry, form a civil partnership or start to cohabit on or after 1st April 2015. This change came into force retrospectively from 1st April 2015.

In Scotland however the change applies to all those wives, husbands, or civil partners of police officers who died on duty who have already had their pension withdrawn because of remarriage, forming a civil partnership or cohabitation and, consequently they will have their pension reinstated with effect from 1st October 2015 irrespective of when the remarriage, cohabitation or civil partnership occurred.

In view of the changes made we would encourage all our members to write to their MP to highlight the injustice in an effort to bring pressure on Government to adopt a standard approach across the UK in respect of this matter.
Please click on this link to get the template letter

Durham NARPO Annual General Meeting : Monday 21st March

 

Date for your Diary…….

Monday 21^st March at 1930hrs

The Annual General Meeting of Durham NARPO, with guest speakers from Force Executive and Federation.

This year see’s our current Chairman Alan S Watson stepping down from the role (although he will remain active as the editor of The Durham Peeler magazine)

At this moment Vice Chairman Ray Jones & Treasurer Colin Appleby have been nominated for the Chairmans post.

Nominations are therefore requested for the role of Treasurer.

All members welcome to attend and participate
Ideal time to meet your old colleagues and friends.
Please put the date in your diary and see if you can attend, meet / vote for who you want on the committee and see the hard work they are doing throughout the year on your behalf

There is a bar at the premises & light refreshments are provided
The meeting will be held at the Durham Indoor Bowling Centre, Pity Me, Durham, DH1 5GE, (starts at 1930hrs)

 

View Durham Indoor Bowling Club in a larger map