COMMUNITIES are being invited to come together for a free festival in September.

The festival, taking place at Collingwood College, Durham City, will include workshops, entertainment, displays, activities, demonstrations, a creche, and lunch made from local produce.

It is aimed at offering groups the chance to share ideas, learn from each other and look at how communities can be sustained in the future. Workshops will tackle the issues of fundraising, marketing and publicity, waste recycling, conservation, as well as play areas and community parks.

The event, taking place on Saturday, September 28, from 10am to 4.30pm, follows the success of a similar festival organised by County Durham's Local Agenda 21 Community Action Forum, last year.

Connecting Communities was attended by 129 people, of which more than 100 represented 51 community groups. It is because of its success that the festival is being repeated.

Through a steering group of interested parties, it is planned that this year's event will cover a larger geographical area, and in the next few weeks, invitations to attend will be extended to groups between the rivers Tyne and Tees.

For details, call Nickie Gott on (07748) 983359 or Nigel Potter on (01388) 662666.