Monday 26th January is often described as a difficult day of the year, with post-Christmas blues, dark nights and colder weather – but not at Greenfield! Greenfield Arts develops a range of programmes to enhance wellbeing, and we hope that “Winter in Bloom” will bring light and sparkle to the new year with a fabulous light installation, which has recently formed part of the Kew Gardens Winter Festival.
This year on 26th January the first of many events and activities celebrating the merger of Greenfield Community College to include a campus at Sunnydale in Shildon took place and we brought some light and sparkle to Shildon and Newton Aycliffe!
“Winter in Bloom” is an installation of lights from Kew Gardens, at Greenfield Community College’s two campuses. Activities and display will be mirrored at each site, including students at each campus in their development, creation and installation.
A number of groups from both campuses of the school were involved in creating additional work for the installation, working together to improve wellbeing and creating something to be proud of.
The groups include a men’s Cree group, art clubs for young people at both sites and other after school clubs. Their hard work will be showcased at the two campuses over the 2 weeks of “Winter in Bloom.”
In his speech to mark the switching on of the lights, Mr Priestley, Executive Head Teacher at Greenfield, said “January can be a difficult time of year but not at Greenfield. We have lots of exciting things going on and are looking forward to a bright future in Newton Aycliffe and Shildon.”
Greenfield Arts and Greenfield Community College would like to say a big thank you to all staff and students at Greenfield and members of the community who joined us and the Mayors of Newton Aycliffe and Shildon to switch on the lights at both campuses on Monday.
A special thank you to Richard Agar of Bravura, and Philip Clark one of our Cree volunteers for installing the trees and making sure everything worked on time – well done all!
You can see the installation at Newton Aycliffe campus during Arts Centre opening hours (Monday – Thursday 10am -9pm, Friday 10am -4pm), and those in Shildon after school hours if you are using the neighbouring leisure centre.

greenfield winter in bloom mayor

Executive Head Teacher David Priestley with the Mayor Wendy Hillary and her consort Jed