Durham Miners' Association

A special service at Durham Cathedral has celebrated the 150^th anniversary of the Durham Miners Gala.

The world’s greatest celebration of community, solidarity and working class life was first held in 1871.

Everyone at the Durham Miners Association (DMA) is deeply saddened to learn of the passing of Dick Quin, who served as secretary of the DMA Brass Band for more than three decades.

The 150th anniversary of the Durham Miners' Gala will be celebrated at a special service at Durham Cathedral.

Known as The Big Meeting, the annual celebration of community, solidarity and the coal mining heritage of County Durham was first held in 1871. The Miners Festival Service at Durham Cathedral has been part of every Gala since 1897.

The Durham Miners Association (DMA) Executive Committee is pleased to support Allen Young in the election for Mineworkers Pension Scheme (MPS) Trustee to represent North East and Overseas. Allen has a tremendous record of service as a trustee and gave evidence to the BEIS committee  which considered the appropriation of the surpluses accrued by the scheme.

Please read Allen's statement below.

Banners, brass band music, and poetry marked the 150 years to the day since the first Durham Miners Gala.

The first Gala was held in the amphitheatre at Wharton Park on 12 August 1871. Today, the Durham Miners Association (DMA) returned to the site a century and half later to honour the anniversary.

The DMA has said farewell to union and community stalwart Derek Sleightholme. 

The Durham Miners’ Association (DMA) has announced that next year’s Gala will be dedicated to all our key workers.

The Gala was due to be held today (Saturday 10 July) but was cancelled for the second year running due to the Covid-19 pandemic. This year is the 150th anniversary of the first Gala.

It is with immense sadness that we have learned of the death of Jean Lamb (pictured front row, right), a key member of the Miners Wives support group in Hetton and across Durham.

The Durham Miners Association has welcomed a parliamentary report calling for the return of at least £1.2 billion to the Mineworkers Pension Scheme (MPS).