Durham University there is no formal teaching at Durham colleges (with the exception of Cranmer Hall theological college within St John's), although colleges are active in research. The colleges dominate the residential, social, sporting, and pastoral functions within the university, and there is heavy student involvement in their operation. Formal dinners (known as "formals") are held at every college; gowns are worn to these events at just over half of the colleges. Gowns are not worn for formals at Collingwood, St Aidan's, St Cuthbert's, Hild Bede, Van Mildert, Stephenson or Ustinov. There is a great deal of intercollegiate rivalry, particularly in rowing
Holme St Cuthbert a civil parish, Holme St. Cuthbert has a parish council, which in 2018 consisted of seven members. Parish council meetings are generally held on the 3rd Wednesday of January, March, April, May, July, September and November. The Annual Parish Meeting is generally held on the 3rd Wednesday in May of each year, where the parish council report to the community. Since 2016, recorded minutes of parish council meetings have been available to all residents of the parish via their website. Holme St. Cuthbert parish council took a stand against plans by the British government to use west Cumbria as a