Durham, England

A ‘canny’ guess helped a Bishop Auckland youngster ride off with the top prize in a competition.
Alice Parsons correctly identified the exact number of cans in a glass tank to win a brand new BMX bike.
The 11-year-old entered the competition at the launch of the Environment Partnership in Millennium Place, Durham.
Almost 7,000 people attended the event, which saw partner organisations offering advice and information about their services.
Natalie Davies, Durham County Council civic pride officer, said: “The launch day was extremely successful with lots of people coming along to find out more about the partnership.
“We received hundreds of entries for the bike competition but Alice was the only one who correctly guessed that there were exactly 2,614 cans in the tank.”
The Environment Partnership aims to help and support residents right across the county make their communities greener and cleaner places to be.
The launch day also saw activities ranging from free dog microchipping to graffiti removal in the 14 Area Action Partnership locations around the county.
The prize presented to Alice was donated by Direct Car Parts, Framwellgate Moor.

A new handbook for council tenants in Durham city will feature the work of seven budding young artists.
Durham City Homes has recruited the help of local youngsters to add some colour to its new tenant’s handbook.
Children at schools and Sure Start centres in the city were challenged to come up with a design for the front cover and inside pages of the publication.
More than 70 entries were submitted but members of the organisation’s board and tenants’ panel have chosen six winning designs.
The winners were Dominic Ross, Harry Dowding and Elizabeth Griffiths, all 11, from Kelloe Primary School; Niall Fingleton, also 11, from Laurel Avenue Primary School; Kristian Ghiotti, 4, from Ushaw Moor Sure Start; and Harley Pallas, 2, and Archie Owens, 1, from Brandon Sure Start, who submitted a joint entry.
The youngsters were each awarded a £25 shopping voucher during a special presentation event at Durham Town Hall.

Budding Jamie Olivers are being invited to a cookery afternoon at Haswell Sure Start Centre.
Professional chefs are paying the centre a visit to teach little ones and their families how to cook good, nutritious meals.
Cheryl Convey, family support worker with Durham County Council’s Sure Start, said: “This session is a great opportunity for parents and their carers to learn how to cook healthy meals at home with the help and guidance of a professional chef.”
The session takes place on Wednesday, August 4 between 1.30pm and 3.00pm at the centre on Church Street and families from Haswell and South Hetton are invited to take part in an afternoon of experimenting with food and cookery.
The chefs are from Expo Chef, a company which helps children learn about the benefits of being healthy.

It may have been a Dirty Big Ride, but the verdict was it was a shining success and good clean family fun.
Hamsterley forest was awash with lycra at the weekend (Sunday June 29), as more than 80 people took to their bikes and made the first ever Durham Dirty Big Ride a big hit.
Entries were split between the family 10k ride and the much more testing 28k route. The longer course was specially developed for the more experienced mountain bikers and had some brand new trails that are part of the ‘red route’ – open for the first time for the event.
The event was organised by the partnership behind the highly successful Durham Big Ride, which is now in its fourth year.
Ride Director, Colin Wilkes was delighted: “The sun shone and the only thing that spoilt the whole day was the England result, later in the afternoon.  It’s the first time Durham Big Ride has been to Hamsterley but it will certainly not be last.  We are already talking to the Forestry Commission about a date for next year.”
Durham County Council’s Dave Wafer continues: “It was fantastic to see families enjoying good old fashioned fun in the country and for the more extreme enthusiasts the new red trail stretch proved an instant hit. This really was a great joint effort with help from the Hamsterley Trailblazers, British Cycling and the Forestry Commission.
“I am sure this event, just like the Big Ride in September, will go from strength to strength.”
Colin Wilkes continues: “We are now all working on making the next Durham Big Ride the best event around by making sure that families and experienced riders have a great day out in September.”
The Beast and Durham Big Ride launched at County Hall yesterday (June 29), with Durham’s Chief Constable, John Stoddart, becoming the first entrant to collect his starting number for the 50 mile Beast.

Babies and toddlers can strut their stuff at a new Baby Gym in County Durham.
Durham County Council’s Sure Start Children’s Centre in Haswell is starting the new, free group for babies and children up to two-years-old on Monday, August 2.
The Baby Gym caters for children who are lying down, crawling or just beginning to walk and develop their skills.
All toys provided are appropriate for the age group and include soft rattles, musical toys, baby books and soft play equipment,
They aim to encourage hand-eye co-ordination, motor skills and physical development.
Family support worker, Yvonne Glass, said:  “The Baby Gym is an excellent, new, stimulating play session for babies and toddlers which encourages lots of floor and physical play to help develop body co-ordination.
“Although parents, carers and their children can enjoy our Twinkle Tots sensory group for children up to 18-months-old and our Early Birds fun learning through play group for children aged up to five, we identified a gap in our service which is now filled by Baby Gym.”
The group runs every Monday from 9.45am to 11am.

A scheme to reduce the number of young people going into the criminal justice system has won national recognition.
Durham County Council’s Pre Reprimand Disposal (PRD) programme was runner up in the Children and Young People category of the Howard League Community Programmes Award 2010.
The awards aim to increase public protection by recognising outstanding community programmes that help to reduce the seriousness and frequency of re-offending.
PRD has been developed by County Durham Youth Offending Service (CDYOS), which is part of the county council’s Children and Young People’s Services, and Durham Constabulary.
It aims to reduce the number of first time entrants to the youth justice system and re-offending levels.
Young people who enter the criminal justice system for minor offences risk limiting their prospects of getting a job.
The PRD programme, which is voluntary, is offered to young people who commit their first offence to stop them going down the criminal record route.  PRD helps identify issues which may lead to offending and offers support to the young people and their families.
Project leader, Gill Eshelby, Head of County Durham Youth Offending Service, said: “It is fantastic to be recognised in a national award.  The success of the PRD is due to the creativity and commitment of partners in County Durham to work together to reduce youth crime.  We have already reduced first time entrants to the system by over 70 per cent.  The PRD is not only preventing offending – it’s preventing re-offending too.”
Please see http://www.howardleague.org/community-programmes-conference/ for more information.

A new game which gives young people the chance to find out what their future holds will tour Sedgefield this summer. 
Check It Out is an interactive game which explores feelings on issues such as bullying, sex, alcohol, healthy eating and relationships.
Aimed at 12-year-olds and above, the game has been designed and created by young people from the Sedgefield area who were inspired by the NHS lifecheckers web page www.mylifecheck.co.uk
It uses sound, light, film and graphics to look at the choices and decisions they have to make.
Durham County Council is supporting this Local Children’s Board project in partnership with County Durham and Darlington Primary Care Trust, Greenfield School Community and Arts College and arts organisation Metro-Boulot-Dodo.
The game will be available to play on the following dates:
Saturday August 7, Spennymoor Leisure Centre
Saturday August 14, Shildon Fun in the Park event
Saturday August 21, Chilton Gala Day
Saturday August 28 and Sunday August 29, Great Aycliffe Show.
The NHS lifecheckers website is aimed at 12 to 15-year-olds and explores the feelings associated with subjects such as bullying and offers practical advice.
For more information on the game, contact Greenfield Community and Arts Centre, on 01325 379 048 or email: info@greenfield-arts.co.uk