CALLING all writers in Teesdale. A new creating writing group has been set up at McNab’s Books, in Barnard Castle, to help inspire and encourage budding authors, poets and songwriters to flourish.
Set up by bookshop owner and self-confessed scribbler Emma Rowell, the inaugural session of the writing group took place last week at McNab’s Books.
Ms Rowell said: “The idea is we get people who have not written, people who do write, those who want to be published and those already in print together in one place to and work to support each other.
“Writing is a very solitary thing, but to come together with other people who enjoy doing that solitary thing I think it will help get creative juices flowing and will provide the support and encouragement as well.”
As well as providing a space to share ideas, Ms Rowell said speakers will also be arranged.
She added: “We have got a course leader from Darlington College coming along. He leads a creative writing course and is going to offer it remotely here which means people don’t have to travel.
“Rose Drew, from Stairwell Books, in York, is going to be coming along in the new year. She wanted to be here for the first one, but she’s in America at the moment.
“We did a group before lockdown but when the pandemic hit it tailed off. Rose came along to every meeting then and she was really great. She wants to work with us and she is really inspirational.
“If by starting the group we can help one person achieve their dream and help bring on new talent, and possibly get someone published that would be wonderful.”
For more information contact 07547 931296.
![A COUNTY councillor is backing a campaign to get a pedestrian crossing in Staindrop. Frustrated parish councillors in the village summoned their county council representative Cllr George Richardson to their latest meeting to discuss several issues, including the call for a safe way to cross the A688. Earlier this year their request for a crossing was turned down by the county council’s highways officers. Parish council chairman Jonothan Raper described the reasons for the refusal as “spurious” and called on Cllr Richardson to support their campaign. He added: “One of the arguments they made was there is no clear line of desire when they studied the village – well this isn’t a clear line of desire because there isn’t a crossing, people cross whenever they can. “When the lollipop person was there, one of the things I noticed was people would walk all the way down to the lollipop person to cross the road to go to the shop or to go to the school.” He added a problem of parking at the primary school is exacerbated because people are too afraid to walk their children across the road. Cllr Richardson said he had supported previous attempts for a crossing point with the first being made about 15 years ago. He added: “We went fairly well down the road with that and they looked into it. The only recommended place was where the bus stop is and to get the visibility splays, people on the other side of the road would lose their parking. “That didn’t go down well so it just died a death.” Cllr Raper said he suspected the real reason for the officers’ refusal was the cost of installing a crossing. He added that much of the cost could be recovered from savings made on not having to employ a lollipop patrol. Cllr Raper said: “A lollipop person only provides a benefit of crossing for three hours of the day. You are getting 21 extra hours of crossing time [with a pedestrian crossing].” Cllr Richardson said he would raise the issue with the county council’s cabinet member for highways, Cllr John Shuttleworth.](https://teesdalemercury.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/georgeR-120x86.jpg)
