Celebrating and receiving recognition for our amazing work is always a privilege. We love sharing our success with our young people and other community groups within the local area. Thank you to our fabulous supporters, we look forward to even more success in the future!
Outstanding Level 5 Award from Northumbria in Bloom
We are absolutely delighted to have won an Outstanding Level 5 Award at the Northumbria In Bloom Awards for our work at Benfieldside Community Garden. Thank you to everyone who has supported us with this venture; our volunteers and funders. Such an award is a testament to how much we have worked together to achieve such prestigious recognition.
Highly Commended Young Charity Champion of the Year at the 2026 North East Charity Awards
We were delighted for our Young Trustee, Aimee Wager to be Highly Commended Young Charity Champion at the North East Charity Awards. Aimee has worked and volunteered tirelessly for the charity and fully deserves her success!
Highly Commended Corporate Charity Partnership of the Year at the 2026 North East Charity Awards
We're delighted to be Highly Commended at the North East Charity Awards for Corporate Charity Partnership with Karbon Homes. We have consistently worked positively alongside Karbon Homes to engage people in youth, heritage and environmental projects.
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Outstanding Contribution to the Workplace Award from Newcastle University to Aimee Wager
What a proud moment for us to see Aimee Wager, our work placement student from the 2024-25 academic year, win the prestigious Newcastle University 'Outstanding Contribution to the Workplace Award for her work with Building Self-Belief. It was thoroughly deserved and we are very proud of her.
Sophie's a Star
We’re delighted to celebrate Sophie, our Newcastle University work placement student, who received the Wellbeing Community Award at the University’s Celebrating Success Awards. A fantastic achievement and thoroughly deserved!
Congratulations to Serena
We’re incredibly proud of Serena, our University of Sunderland intern, for her achievements in her degree and the confidence she developed through her work placement with us.
Read Serena’s blog →
Working Towards our Investors in the Environment Award
We’re delighted to be working towards our Investors in the Environment Silver Award, building on our Bronze Award and continuing to strengthen our commitment to environmental sustainability.
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Red Kite Award for our CEO, Christine Thomas
We’re proud of our CEO, Christine Thomas, who received a Red Kite Award from Liz Twist MP in recognition of her contribution to the local community and her dedication to supporting others.
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NE Youth Impact Awards Winners Going Green of the Year and Trustee of the Year
We’re delighted to have won two awards at the 2025 NE Youth Impact Awards – Going Green of the Year for Benfieldside Community Garden and Trustee of the Year for our Chair, Dr Hugo Minney.
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Winners of the Young Charity Champions of the Year at the 2025 North East Charity Awards
We’re incredibly proud of our Kye’s Kick Off team, who won Young Charity Champions of the Year at the 2025 North East Charity Awards, recognising their dedication to honouring their friend Kye through their fundraising and community work.
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Role Models Recognised at the Durham Youth Awards
We’re proud of our volunteers Aimee and Eddie, who were recognised at the Durham Youth Awards for being positive role models and supporting young people through our youth clubs, community garden and trips.
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Winners of The Key Fund Special Recognition Award
We’re delighted to celebrate our Boldon School fundraising team, who received the Key Fund Special Recognition Award for their fantastic work supporting the Kye’s Kick Off event.
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High Sheriff Awards 2025
It was an absolute privilege to attend this year's High Sheriff Awards. It was even better to discover we had won. It is such an honour to get such recognition for our work with young people, and we are very grateful for the donation to the charity.
Volunteer of the Year Durham County Council Environment Awards
A huge congratulations to our volunteer Wendy Garland for winning the volunteer of the year award at this year's Durham County Council Environment Awards. Wendy is a fabulous support at Benefieldside Community Garden, and we could not have made the progress we have in the garden, without her contributions.
Newcastle University Community Outreach Award - Aimee Wager
We’re proud of Aimee Wager, who was shortlisted for the Newcastle University Community Impact Awards for her volunteering with our youth clubs, wellbeing and employability programmes, and Benfieldside Community Garden.
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County Durham Youth Council Awards for Tommy, Archie and Maya
We’re delighted to celebrate Archie, Tommy and Maya, who were recognised at the County Durham Youth Council Awards for their outstanding volunteering at Benfieldside Community Garden and across our youth and community programmes.
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NE Charity Awards 2025, Maya Patterson
We’re incredibly proud of Maya Patterson, who was Highly Commended as Young Charity Champion of the Year at the 2025 North East Charity Awards, recognising her outstanding volunteering with our youth clubs and Benfieldside Community Garden.
Watch Maya’s award film →
North East Youth Impact Awards
We’re delighted to celebrate Shauna, our Level 6 Community and Youth Work Apprentice, who won Youth Worker of the Year at the North East Youth Impact Awards, recognising her dedication to supporting young people.
Read Shauna’s blog →
Kew Gardens Environmental Leader Award - Shauna Nixon
We’re proud of Shauna Nixon for completing the Kew Young Environmental Leader Award, recognising her leadership, environmental work and the positive impact of her Grow Wild project in the community.
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RHS School Gardening Award Level 1
We’re delighted to have received the RHS School Gardening Award, Level 1, recognising our work at Benfieldside Community Garden and the fantastic contribution of our volunteers.
Join us at Benfieldside Community Garden →
Shortlisted for the Investors in the Environment Awards
Our CEO Christine Thomas was delighted to be invited to the Investors in the Environment Awards in Peterborough. Building Self-Belief were shortlisted for their Natural Environment Champion for our work at Benfieldside Community Garden, It was a fabulous event for networking and workshops.
High Sheriff Awards
In March 2023, we had the privilege of attending the Durham High Sheriff Awards in recognition of our outstanding achievements. We received an award of £2,000 for the work we do across our projects. A huge thank you to The Sir Tom Cowie Charitable Trust who doubled our total on the night!
It was wonderful to celebrate the success of our amazing youth programmes, alongside other community and voluntary groups across County Durham, Darlington, Hartlepool and Stockton all working to divert crime. This event would not have possible without the support of Sir James Knott Trust, The Banks Group, Darlington Building Society, UKSE, Durham Constabulary, Durham Police and Crime Commissioners Office and Durham Shopping Extravaganza.
RHS School Gardening Awards - Level 2
We’re delighted to have received the RHS School Gardening Award, Level 2, recognising our work at Benfieldside Community Garden and the contribution of our volunteers.
Read about the award →
Marsh Outstanding Volunteer Award Winner - Shauna Nixon
We’re incredibly proud of Shauna Nixon, who won the prestigious Marsh Outstanding Volunteer Award for her dedication to developing Benfieldside Community Garden and creating opportunities for young people to connect with nature.
Read Shauna’s story →
It's Official - Building Self-Belief are Investors in the Environment!
We’re delighted to have achieved the Investors in the Environment Bronze Award, recognising our commitment to putting environmental policies into practice across our organisation and embedding sustainability into our work.
Read our environmental blog →
Eco Ambassadors at North Durham Academy Win Environmental Award
We’re proud of our Eco Ambassadors at North Durham Academy, who were Highly Commended in the Environment Awards for their work on our A Greener Future for Stanley garden project.
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Sunderland Counselling Service Award
We were delighted to celebrate Sunderland Counselling Service’s 40th anniversary, reflecting on their journey and learning valuable lessons about growth, change and adapting within the charity sector.
Read the Sunderland Counselling Service story →
Cranfield Trust Award
We were delighted to receive the Masonic Charitable Foundation and Cranfield Trust Award, recognising the valuable expertise and support that has helped strengthen our organisation and ultimately benefit the young people we support.
Read the Cranfield Trust story →
North East Charity Awards
We’re proud to have been finalists in the 2023 North East Charity Awards for Outstanding Contribution to Social Change, recognising the impact of our Consett Youth Panel and their work across local community projects and events.
Read about the awards →