Chance for Durham Miners' Gala visitors to enjoy afternoon tea with Dennis Skinner

Visitors to this year's Durham Miners' Gala are being given the chance to enjoy afternoon tea with one of the most famous faces in British politics.
Dennis Skinner at last year's gala.Dennis Skinner at last year's gala.
Dennis Skinner at last year's gala.

Tea with firebrand Labour MP Dennis Skinner is first prize in the City of Durham Labour Party's annual fundraising raffle.

One winner and their guest will join Mr Skinner at the County Hotel after the speeches at The Big Meeting on Saturday, July 14.

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Proceeds from the raffle will be divided equally between the local Labour Party, and the Marras – Friends of the Durham Miners’ Gala, which funds the Big Meeting.

City of Durham Labour Party chair Angela Hankin said: "I am really glad this raffle is offering visitors to the gala the opportunity to meet one of the big names behind the Big Meeting.

"At only £1, tickets are very affordable and we expect to pick up a lot of interest from the region and the country."

Former coal miner Mr Skinner is a long-time friend of the Durham Miners' Gala and will be speaking at the event again this year.

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Hannah Walter, the fundraising officer for the City of Durham Labour Party, said: “It’s fantastic that Dennis has agreed to be first prize in our raffle.

"It’s really important to us to be able to support the Marras in this way and we hope that Gala enthusiasts from the region and the country will be as excited as we are.”

Other raffle prizes include a cricket bat signed by the Durham County Cricket team, a Ben Stokes cricket shirt, champagne and whiskey.

Tickets for the raffle are being sold for £1 online and around Durham, with the winning number to be drawn and announced the night before the event.

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They can also be bought at Durham Miners Hall, in Redhills, Flass Street, Durham, or at https://cityofdurhamlabour.org.uk/raffle/

The Durham Miners' Gala was established in 1871, and The Big Meeting was historically paid for by the working miners of the Durham Coalfield.

It is now paid for by Marras - the Friends of the Durham Miners' Gala.