Hendon - Down Your Way

Join the Heritage Coast Partnership and the Fourteen Foundation for a Reach for the Beach Festival to be held from May 28 to June 5. A week of coastal themed activities, suitable for all the family is planned to take place over the half term school holidays. Learn about the coastline, find out why it's so special and become involved in looking after it. Creative Kites will be held at the old Hendon Library from 2pm-4pm on June 1 followed by kite flying in Backhouse Park.
By The Newsroom
Published 17th May 2016, 10:03 BST
Updated 17th May 2016, 11:06 BST

Donnison School Heritage and Education Centre is a unique attraction offering something for everyone in the heart of Old Sunderland. The school was established in 1778 for young girls through a provision made by Elizabeth Donnison in her will. An open day will be held on Saturday, May 28, from 10.30am to 4pm when there will be tours of the building and cream teas as well as guided walks of the surrounding area. There will also be an open day on Friday, June 3, from 10am-4pm. The open days offer a great chance to meet the staff and find out about school life in Victorian Sunderland.

Sunderland’s 600-year-old ship building and repairing heritage is celebrated and maintained by the enthusiastic volunteers at Sunderland Maritime Heritage Centre, 2 Church Street East. Go along and see the fantastic work going on to preserve the artifacts, documents, photos and skills of the shipyard workers that contributed to the growth of Sunderland. It is open Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays from 10am – 4pm.

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Sunderland Antiquarian Society’s next meeting at St George’s United Reformed Church, on the corner of Stockton Road and Belvedere Road, is tonight at 7pm. This will be the AGM followed by Behind the Lens, rare films and photographs of Old Sunderland, by Norman Kirtlan and Phil Curtis. There is a car park at Gorse Road (free from 6pm) and the Civic Centre car park is also close by.

Hendon History Group will meet on Thursday, May 26, at the Back on the Map Hub in Hendon’s former Carnagie Library, Villette Road, at 6.30pm. Speaker will be Sharon Vincent on St Ignatius War Memorial. Everyone is welcome.

The next Lovell Lecture at Donnison School will be on Monday, May 23, at 1pm. Speaker Jack Curtis will talk about Life on a ‘74’ in Nelson’s Navy. Entrance is £3, members £2.50, which includes refreshments.

Trinity Sunday Service at Holy Trinity Church, Sunderland Parish, on Saturday will take place at 3pm. Trinity Sunday falls one week after Pentecost Sunday and is the day set aside to honour the most fundamental of Christian beliefs – the Holy Trinity.

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Foyle Street Writers meet weekly in Sunderland City Library on a Thursday from 10am-noon. Members share ideas and support fellow creative writers. New members are welcome.

Sunderland Antiquarian Society Archives at the Sunderland Antiquarian and Heritage Centre, 6 Douro Terrace, are open for research on Wednesdays, Fridays and Saturdays from 9.30am-noon.