Celebrations are taking place across one County Durham town today, marking 75 years since it was created.
Newton Aycliffe was founded on this day in 1947, under the New Towns Act 1946, when then Minister for Town & Country Planning, Lewis Silkin, signed the designation order.
To mark the occasion, a special song has been written and recorded to celebrate the town’s past, present and future, with culture and community arts a key aspect of the county’s bid to be named UK City of Culture 2025.
Organised by Durham County Council in partnership with Greenfield Arts, the We Are All Together project includes members of the adult choir Harmony and students from Greenfield Community College, alongside north east musician Martin Longstaff.
Also known as The Lake Poets, Martin’s song Shipyards has been played over 30 million times on worldwide streaming platforms.
Martin said: “It has been fun to learn about the history and identity of a place close to home, which has played an important role in shaping our region. In particular, it has been a pleasure to work with people of different ages on a song about unity and aspirations for the future.”
To find out more about the project and listen to the song, visit: www.durham.gov.uk/article/24329/Community-arts-projects-and-commissions
Ed: 19th April 2022 was the 75th anniversary of the designation of the new town of Newton Aycliffe, more commonly known as ‘conception’; the ‘birth’ of the town, which most usually celebrate, will be 75 years after the first sod was cut which was in June 1948. The town will celebrate it’s 75th ‘birthday’ in June 2023 and many plans are already underway to mark this milestone.