A TEESDALE theatre group that puts the emphasis on fun and community spirit has paid homage to members past, present and future.
A commemorative plaque has been erected on a beech tree by Teesdale Players, who are known for not taking themselves too seriously but still putting on a fine show and raising cash for community causes in the process.
The idea came about to remember a villager who died recently and grew from there.
The plaque has been pinned to the fence around a tree that has been planted to replace one brought down by Storm Desmond in 2015.
Wayne Mann, from the Cotherstone-based group, said: “We decided to do something to mark everything Teesdale Players do for the Teesdale community.
“We’ve got two aims – to have a good time and help good causes.
“We have members aged eight to 80. The audience get a lot of pleasure because it’s by the community for the community.”
The theatre group grew from the ashes of the well-known Mad Mads drama group in the 1980s.
Long serving member Stephen Lamb said Teesdale Players productions have raised tens of thousands of pounds over that time.
“I took part in my first production when I was 21 in 1985.
“It’s just about having fun,” he said.
Members work closely with the Teesdale Branch of Cancer Research UK, whose members provide refreshments at the productions.
The Teesdale Players stage two big fundraisers every year – a murder mystery night and a pantomime. Much of the amusement comes from residents seeing friends and neighbours in garish costumes but members have also picked up an acting skill or two.
The many groups and organisations to have benefited include Cotherstone pre-school, the village hall and the Great North Air Ambulance Service. The plaque was erected on a sapling planted by the Trees for Cotherstone Group on land owned by Mr Lamb. It has the message: “He who laughs, lasts.”
![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)
