A wonderful new banner for Murton has been unfurled - 30 years on from the closure of the colliery.

The people of Murton turned out in force despite the awful weather to see the unfurling of the banner at The Glebe Centre on Saturday night. 

A group of volunteers who banded together to promote their mining heritage are preparing to unfurl a new banner for Murton (excerpt previewed above).

Elliot Dixon, Chris Nutton, Michael Rawlinson and Laura Dixon formed a new banner group to preserve the values of their community for a new generation.

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.

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.

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.

2021 is the 150th anniversary year of the Durham Miners' Gala.

First held in 1871, the Gala has been cancelled for the second year running due to the Covid-19 pandemic. To mark the anniversary, the Friends of Durham Miners' Gala release a new short film about the world's greatest celebration of community, solidarity and working-class life.

The Gala is due to return on Saturday 9 July 2022. Help ensure it returns bigger and better than ever before. Join our band of Marras here.

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.

Communities across County Durham will come together this summer to celebrate the 150th anniversary of the Durham Miners’ Gala.

First held in 1871, the Gala has been cancelled for the second year running due to the Covid-19 pandemic. The 2021 Gala was due to take place on Saturday 10 July.

Following the cancellation of the 2021 Durham Miners' Gala due to the Covid–19 pandemic, the 136th Big Meeting will now take place on Saturday 9 July 2022.

Durham Miners Association (DMA) Secretary Alan Mardghum set out the reasons for this year's cancellation in a letter to Gala partners and stakeholders. The text of the letter is published below.

Following the closure of Durham's collieries, the Gala has been funded by Marras - Friends of Durham Miners' Gala. Without the support of the Marras, the Gala could not happen in any year. Show your support for the Gala and ensure this great event returns bigger and better than ever in 2022.

Join the Marras here.

In the summer of 1963, the internationally renowned photographer Romano Cagnoni travelled to Durham to capture the Miners' Gala.

Regarded as one of the greatest photographers of the twentieth century, Cagnoni accompanied Harold Wilson as the new Labour leader travelled the country for his “People Matter” campaign.