Durham Miners' Association

Unfurling a new Trimdon Grange Banner 19th July 1963. Left to right R. Beamson, Anthony Greathead, R. Bellas, J. Slater MP, J. Fletcher, R. Pratt, T. Bentham, Harold Wilson MP, K. Fairless, M. Pratt, T. Dalkin and J. Ford

The First World War was entering its second year of carnage when Anthony Greathead was born. He was in his last year at the junior school during the 1926 lockout and, in 1929, at the age of 14 he started work as a trapper boy, opening and closing the ventilation doors, at Deaf Hill colliery.

Jeremy Corbyn’s landslide election to the leadership of the Labour Party has shaken the political establishment of this country to its core. A hundred years on from the death of Keir Hardie, the Labour Party at last has another leader who believes in socialism. 

The Durham Miners’ Association is backing Jeremy Corbyn’s call for a million members of the Labour Party.

With nearly 200,000 people expected on the streets of Durham, next year’s Gala on 9 July 2016 will be a massive rallying point for the whole Labour movement – and the Durham Miners’ Association is determined to call on all those taking part in the Gala to join Labour.

On Friday and Saturday 23rd and 24th October, people from across the region joined in the celebrations to mark 100 years of the Miners’ Hall, Redhills Durham.

The annual service to commemorate the leader of the first mining trade union, the Northumberland and Durham Pitman’s Union formed by Thomas Hepburn in 1825 will be held in St. Mary’s Church, Heworth, Gateshead on Saturday 10^th October commencing at 11 a.m.

Yesterday’s magnificent 100,000 strong demonstration in Manchester shows that people will stand together in solidarity and oppose the Tory government’s plans to decimate our public services, our social security system and to attack trade union rights.

A film showing of the critically acclaimed Tony Benn: Will and Testament hosted by Durham Cathedral last year has raised £2,000 for the Durham Miners' Gala.

Congratulations and a massive thank you to Darren Meadows from Horden in County Durham who completed the Great North Run in 2 hours 45 minutes this weekend to raise funds for the Durham Miners' Gala.

The Durham Miners' Association congratulates Jeremy Corbyn for his landslide victory as Labour leader and sends him our very best wishes. His victory is a massive step forward in the fight against this Tory government's austerity agenda and in the struggle for social justice and peace.

Pictured: DMA President Alan Cummings and Darren Meadows

Later this month, 21 year old Darren Meadows from Horden in County Durham is helping to secure the future of the Big Meeting by taking part in the Great North Run to raise funds for Friends of Durham Miners' Gala.