Shincliffe Parish Residents

08/06/2026

Durham Women Football Club can today confirm that the club is seeking offers for investment into or the complete purchase of the football club.

The club has been in prolonged talks with potential investors for several months but these have fallen away in recent weeks. Unfortunately, without this additional investment the club does not have sufficient funds to operate in a fully compliant way in the Barclays Women’s Super League 2 for the 2026/27 season.

We have today informed staff and players that unless a buyer or investor comes forward within the next 21 days, the club will have to cease operations at all levels.

This would bring to a close nearly 20 years of championing the development of women’s and girl’s football in the North East. The club was founded in 2007 as a single under-10 girls grassroots team, before expanding quickly and becoming major achievers in the game. Some players from that team remain members of our first-team squad today.

Durham were accepted into the WSL structure ahead of the 2014 season. Since then, the club have competed strongly in the second tier of elite women’s football – narrowly missing out on promotion on several occasions while reaching the FA Cup Quarter Final twice and the League Cup Quarter Final twice.

For a period, Durham were the only North East club playing in the WSL and were also the first club in the region to obtain a licence for a Professional Game Academy – which has continued to grow from strength-to-strength, with the club’s Under-16 and Under-21 teams both reaching national finals last season.

All of the above has been achieved without the backing of a men’s professional team – but the club’s current majority shareholders can no longer keep pace with the development of the women’s game.

The club needs to continue – and they are now seeking to pass this over to a party who can build on this legacy and realise the opportunities that the club has moving forward.

We would encourage all interested parties to register their interest as soon as practically possible by emailing [email protected].

07/06/2026

06/06/2026

From parish council planning committee meeting Thursday 4th June.

Whitwell acres housing development - excess of 500 comments, likely to go to planning committee for decision not just officer decision, which will probably not be until September. Recommend as many people as possible attend the meeting to show the strength of feeling. The public can speak if they wish but time will be very limited, and would need to request a slot. Aiming to have large photos (and video if possible) to show the land as productive agricultural, and also the extent of flooding. If anyone has good relevant photos please add them here. DCC’s rights of way team didn’t mention our footpaths proposal so the parish council will make a further objection on these grounds.

Grange estate housing development - the decision was not to object in principle, but to object on the grounds of traffic, ie the A177 cannot cope with the additional traffic that would result from the development.

No objection to the extension to Uplands, Hillcrest.

05/06/2026

A really big thank you to Milon and all his staff at Amaani at The Pump House for a fabulous fund raising event for St Mary’s Church Shincliffe Village.

Excellent food and service as always

04/06/2026

04/06/2026

Shincliffe Parish Council Planning Committee meeting tonight at 7pm.

31/05/2026

Want to have a fun trip to the beach and help the environment? Here are the June beach clean dates.

🌊Join us this June for a beach clean! 🌊

Marine pollution is one of the biggest threats to our oceans’ health - Come along to one of our upcoming beach clean events and help keep our coast litter-free!

**Please book a place and let us know you're coming along using the links below**

📅Sunday 7th June - World Ocean Day - Crimdon Beach
🎫https://shorturl.at/DmrIW
(*Parking passes provided to volunteers)

📅Thursday 11th June - Seaton Carew
🎫https://shorturl.at/wxBOK

📅Monday 15th June - Red Acre/Old Beach, Seaham
🎫https://shorturl.at/Y1JEq

📅Friday 26th June - Horden Beach
🎫https://shorturl.at/gwSQK

All equipment is supplied and everyone is welcome to join us - We hope to see you there!

Durham Wildlife Trust , Durham County Council