News

Want to get involved with one of the most successful festivals in the Land of Oak & Iron? We are looking for volunteers for Chopwell WoodFest in July to help bring to life 500 years of authentic history, heroes and habitats and rekindle local passion for the area. The popular festival aims to bring the… Read more

Students at a north east college are doing their bit to preserve and restore the region’s natural, industrial and cultural heritage. Bricklaying and catering students from Gateshead College have been working on The Land of Oak & Iron, a conservation and restoration project covering 177 km2 of land surrounding the picturesque Derwent Valley. The bricklaying students… Read more

Meet local authors and even some French speaking puppets at the first ever Derwent Valley Literary Festival. This celebration of all things book related offers a unique opportunity to meet local authors, poets and playwrights who will be reading, performing and talking about their work. There will be a wide range of events taking place… Read more

A funding opportunity open to community, voluntary and not-for-profit groups in the Derwent Valley Partnership area only has a short time left for applications to be submitted. Grants which must be over £5,000 and are usually no more than about £9,000, are made to projects that address the three priorities of the Partnership. These are… Read more

Dramatic artists and consultants with a connection to Land of Oak & Iron, are being sought to create a new performance which will tell our story in a unique and creative way. The Land of Oak & Iron has a fascinating heritage which will inspire the script, bringing our stories of historical heroes and hidden… Read more

Woodlands are very important in the Land of Oak & Iron, they cover 13% of our landscape and provide a home to many different creatures. We have two Woodland Volunteer Teams that play a key role in looking after these habitats, one that covers the whole of our area led Peter Downes and another that… Read more

With so much on offer this summer, Land of Oak & Iron is the place to be. Unearth an ancient waggonway, get lost   in our beautiful countryside or immerse yourself in our fascinating heritage. This month’s newsletter is packed with ideas for great days out and ways to get involved in our heritage. Find… Read more

We’re calling for representatives from local special interest groups across our area to attend a special meeting, designed to create networking opportunities and encourage link-ups for you, where there is a joint purpose between different groups across the region. It’s called the Local Groups Forum and it was hugely successful last year.  For example, as… Read more

Fascinating stories of red snow, giants and the coke works with “jaws like a dragon” are being heard by volunteers capturing people’s memories of life in the Land of Oak & Iron. “It was horrible to look at and it smelled of rotten eggs. When it snowed, by tea time the snow would be red from… Read more

Do you have a local craft business? Or does your organisation showcase the heritage of the Land of Oak & Iron? Then why not get involved with one of the most successful events in the Land of Oak & Iron this summer. Chopwell WoodFest aims to bring the heritage of the area to life. This… Read more