DECK the shrubs with bows and baubles is the order of the day from Teesdale Lions’ Club which is hoping residents will put on a good display for a Christmas tree trail.
The club usually organises a variety of events including a popular festive band concert as well as enchanting children with Santa’s Grotto. But this year those activities have had to be shelved.
However, to help a little bring festive cheers to Barnard Castle they have organised a Christmas tree trail, with lots of prizes up for grabs.
Sharon Walker, from Teesdale Lions, said: “We’re hoping to run the trail a little like the Teddy Bear hunt that was organised earlier in the year.
“But instead of putting a cuddly toy in the window, people can decorate a Christmas tree or create a display in their garden. If they then email us to let us know the street, we’ll put together a map so people can hunt out all the decorated trees.”
She added the displays need to be visible from the pavement.
Ms Walker said: “Lots of people are walking more now because of the lockdown and we thought the Christmas tree trail would just add a little more festive cheer to the streets and give everyone something different to look at.
“We’ve got lots of prizes. Connelly’s Toyshop has donated a £40 voucher and Morrisons has given us lots of things to create hampers. We will have three main prize winners for the best displays, but we have lots of smaller prizes to give out as well.”
The trail will run throughout December, but the winners will be announced on December 15. To be part, email Sharon Walker on
grahamwalker31@btinternet.com.
![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)
