STAFF of a dale archaeology company have raised more than £3,000 for a cancer charity in memory of their former director.
Respected archaeologist Richard Fraser, 58, who founded Northern Archaeological Associates (NAA), on Harmire Enterprise Park, died in January from a rare brain tumour.
Since then his colleagues have completed activities to raise cash for Brain Tumour Research.
In their latest effort Dr Hannah Russ is to have her about 60cm hair cut. Her hair will be donated to the Princesses Trust to make wigs for cancer victims and cash from sponsors will go to the research charity.
Others in NAA recently successfully completed a Yorkshire Three Peaks challenge and, along with a Christmas card drive. Their goal of raising £3,000 in the year has already been reached.
Dr Russ said: “It is really impressive. I had no idea we would reach these kind of numbers. Our target has already been reached. Everyone has been really generous.”
So successful have the archaeologists been that they have now doubled their target to £6,000.
Each year the archaeologists raise cash for a different charity that is close to their hearts, Dr Russ said.
Speaking about Dr Fraser, she said: “He was a real pillar in the archaeological community. Richard started our business in Barnard Castle in 1990. Since then it has grown to provide more than 40 permanent jobs, and carries out work on significant archaeological sites across the region.”
One of the larger contracts was the widening of the A1 at Leeming Bar and Scotch Corner. Dr Russ described how Dr Fraser would discuss finds and plans with her on a daily basis.
She said: “It [his death] had a real impact, not only on me, but on everyone. He was like a mentor to us.”
The length of her hair means Dr Russ can have it cut twice at two different lengths to donate to the Princess Trust.
The cut was due to take place at Hair Studio, on Galgate, this week.
People who would like to contribute to the fundraising effort can visit justgiving.com/fundraising/northern-archaeological-associates4.
![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)
