Durham Miners' Association

A new film of the extraordinary poem 'Durham Beatitude' by William (Bill) Martin created for the return of the Durham Miners Gala and shown for the first time on the giant screen at the 2022 Big Meeting.

The poem mourns the victims of the 1951 Easington Disaster. The moving and powerful film combines its words, spoken by its author, with images of the Gala through the years.

This year’s Durham Miners Gala is set to be the biggest of modern times, with more banners and brass bands taking part than at any time since before the Miners’ Strike.

Huge crowds are expected when the Gala returns this Saturday (July 9) after a two-year hiatus due to the Covid 19 pandemic.

A nurse and a postal worker will top the list of speakers at this Saturday’s Durham Miners Gala.

The Gala returns after two years and is dedicated to all the keyworkers who risked their lives to keep society functioning during the Covid -19 pandemic.

Details of the cathedral service during this year’s Durham Miners Gala have been confirmed. 

Mick Lynch will address the crowds at the Durham Miners Gala. The RMT General Secretary has been added to the list of platform speakers, organisers Durham Miners Association (DMA) have announced.

Part of the parade at the Durham Miners Gala will take a new route this year due to redevelopment works in the city centre.

The Gala is due to return on Saturday 9 July after missing the last two years due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

Key workers will be centre stage when the Durham Miners Gala returns next month.

The Big Meeting is dedicated to those who risked their lives to keep society functioning during the Covid-19 pandemic.

Everyone at the DMA was greatly saddened to learn of the passing of Doreen Henderson. 

Doreen, who has died aged 94, was a legendary figure in folk music. The daughter of Jack Elliott, she was a member of the famous Elliott family of Birtley. 

The Durham Miners Gala will return this year, organisers have confirmed.

Hosted by the Durham Miners Association (DMA) since 1871, the Gala was cancelled for the last two years due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

The DMA has been working with the local authority, police and other partners to confirm arrangements for the safe return of the event, which is attended by more than 200,000 people from across the region and beyond. It now confirms that The Big Meeting, as it is popularly known, will return on Saturday 9 July 2022.

The words of the poet laureate exploring a hidden history of the Durham coalfield is among the highlights of this year’s BRASS Festival. 

Simon Armitage and his band LYR will premiere new music at Durham Cathedral inspired by the incredible story of Durham’s ‘Category D’ villages.

The work is the result of a commission for the festival in partnership with the Durham Miners Association (DMA) and the Redhills charity.