THE closure of public buildings is a source of sadness and controversy across the country, and the small community of Startforth is no exception.

The former Startforth Morritt Primary School, overlooking beautiful Barnard Castle, closed in December 2016 amid a falling number of pupils and much grinding of local teeth to try to come up with a solution.

But whatever the rights and wrongs of the closure, the people of Startforth strike me as a shining example of how to respond in the right way. Volunteers have breathed new life into the old stone building by turning it into a community hub. A nursery has opened on the site and other activities include keep fit, yoga and a choir.

The purpose of my visit was to speak to the recently-launched Startforth Lunch Club, and what a pleasure it turned out to be because I love it when a community comes together and shows such initiative.

The lunch club was launched in September by parish councillor Debbie Herbert , along with Barbara Thompson, who has quite a history with the building. She was a pupil at the school going back to the early 1980s, became the school cook nine years ago, and now cooks for the lunch club.

So far, it has been a recipe for success. Initially, the idea was for the club to meet monthly but it now meets weekly and is buzzing with 55 regular members. They pay £5 for a two-course lunch, a speaker, and the chance to forge friendships.

“It’s a lovely building and we just wanted to do something to keep it alive,” said Debbie. “It’s a great way to combat loneliness.”

In between serving courses, Barbara added: “It’s really taken off with the numbers doubling our expectations so, hopefully, we can keep going.”

One of the diners was Michael Franklin, another ex-pupil at the school. So were his own children, his dad Lloyd – one of the last to escape Dunkirk during World War Two – and his grandad James “Wilf” Franklin.

“The building is part of the history of the village so it’s great that it’s being kept going,” said Michael.

The only funding comes from a raffle so anyone who can help support a great community initiative by donating prizes, or refreshments such as tea and coffee, should contact Debbie Herbert on 07904 193601.

IT was also a pleasure to speak to Coxhoe Ladies at the village hall last week.

The competition on the night was entitled “An old postcard” and it was won by Janet Lavery, who brought a delightful card inscribed with “Easter Greetings”.

The card was sent from France by a man called Jarvis “Dave” Lavery, from Ferryhill, to his sweetheart, Olga, shortly before he was trapped on the beach at Dunkirk in 1940. Mercifully, Dave was rescued by a fishing boat and he went on to marry Olga. They had two children, Shiela and Peter, who is Janet’s husband.

Enigmatically, the message Dave wrote to Olga is scribbled out so it remains a wartime secret.

“It’s a bit of a mystery but such a lovely thing to have,” said Janet.

HAUGHTON Methodist Church Cafe, on the road out of Darlington, is another admirable community hub, and it was buzzing on Friday when I called in for a cuppa, cheese scone, and chinwag with ward councillor Chris McEwan.

“Welcome to my office,” he said, before telling me it was my turn to pay, and proceeding to order TWO rounds of tea-cakes at 50p a throw.

“I normally have extra butter on my tea-cakes but, whatever you do, don’t tell my wife,” he said.

Have no fear councillor. Your secret’s safe with me.

AWAY from the grass roots and onto global matters, I don’t pretend to be clever enough to know the best response to what’s happening in Syria.

However, I can’t help thinking about time, as editor of The Northern Echo, Tony Blair’s local paper at the time, when I and my deputy, Chris Lloyd, were visited by a Cabinet member.

The purpose was to be briefed about the “unequivocal” intelligence that Saddam had weapons of mass destruction capable to striking at Britain within 45 minutes.

Whenever we’re presented with “intelligence” we should remember that he never did.

IF my memory serves me rightly, the ensuing war to oust Saddam meant I had to rush back to the office after speaking to the Coundon Society For The Prevention and Prosecution of Felons at Bishop Auckland Golf Club.

I was back at the same historical organisation on Friday night after a desperate last-minute plea from Dr Bob McManners to fill in for a guest speaker who’d had to cancel.

There wasn’t much time to prepare for the speech so Dr McManners, who’s at the heart of most of the good things happening in Bishop, advised: “You can speak about anything you like, as long as it’s loosely linked to felony.”

I always knew those stories about George Reynolds, safe-cracker turned millionaire Darlington Football Club chairman, would come in handy...