Secret band of workers who make the town look beautiful

A SECRET group of more than a dozen people are sacrificing their time to keep Barnard Castle looking attractive for residents and visitors.

Calling themselves “The Workers”, the group of about 15 people meet at least once a fortnight to spruce up gardens around the town.

They are co-ordinated by the town’s deputy mayor, Cllr Roger Peat, who said they help maintain Amen Corner, the flower beds alongside the cobbles on Market Place, the Remembrance Gardens, the town’s gateway gardens and Woodleigh.

Typically they put in about two hours’ work each time they go out.

Cllr Peat said: “If you get a good half a dozen people then it is amazing what you can get done.”

Recently The Workers tackled weeds along the hillside of The Demesnes where ten volunteers removed 17 dumpy bags of weeds in just two hours.

The work was done in anticipation of the town council taking over management of the Demesnes from Durham County Council, Cllr Peat said.

Last week they were active around Amen Corner, which has white roses to complement the Richard III memorial located there.

That work was followed by a spruce up outside the town council office at Woodleigh, on Scar Top.

Anyone interested in helping out can contact Cllr Peat by email on roger_peat@hotmail.co.uk.