TEACHING assistants have gathered for a solidarity picnic in commemoration of the 145th Durham Miners’ Gala.

They met on Friday at Wharton Park in Durham, where the first ever ‘Big Meeting’ was held on August 12, 1871.

County Durham Teaching Assistants are currently in dispute with Durham County Council following the decision to sack and re-engage nearly 3,000 members of staff on inferior contracts with 23 per cent pay cuts for the vast majority.

They marched for the first time at last month’s gala, which attracted over 150,000 people and was hailed as the best-ever.

Event organiser and County Durham teaching assistant Lisa Turnbull said: “Many people across the county are now aware that teaching assistants are facing an unprecedented cut on their annual salary, which will push many into severe poverty and hardship.

“We were given special permission by the late Davy Hopper, who was a huge supporter of our campaign, to march for the first time in history at the Durham Miners’ Gala this year and we decided that it would be very fitting to hold a solidarity event on the same day and venue, where the very first Gala was held 145 years ago.”