Exciting News about our Community Garden

Exercise, Health and Nutrition / Know Your Neighbourhood Project / Benfieldside Community Garden / October 13th, 2023

Exciting News about our Community Garden

Building Self-Belief are delighted to be a new member of the the Social Farms and Gardens. We are in the final stages of securing our 25 year lease in Benfieldside Community Garden. Once this has been confirmed, we are ready to get going on what will be a fabulous transformation.

We Need Your Help

As a project we will need as much support as possible from the community.  As a community garden we want to create a fabulous space that people of all ages can contribute to and enjoy. There will be planters for growing food, and wildflower areas, some mature trees are already there. What we want to d is involve the community on how we redesign the space.

What underpins our purpose is that it is well known that gardening is so good for our physical and our mental health. In our area, many people only have back yards, therefore to have access to a garden is a brilliant new addition to their lives.

Here are some of the benefits to being involved in community gardening:

  • Outdoor gardening can help your body fight disease
  • Regular gardening builds strength, promotes sleep and helps maintain a healthy body weight
  • Gardening can help protect your memory as you get older
  • Gardening is a mood booster
  • Gardening calms you after a stressful event
  • Community gardens foster a feelings of connectivity
  • Gardening can five you a feeling of empowerment


We are open to suggestions about how the space is used, we are also happy for people to give up as much time as they can afford to help us get this project off the ground. If you would like to volunteer in the garden for us, please get in touch.

Volunteer for us

Celebrating Stanley / December 16th, 2025

"Watching not Living" Poem - South Stanley Junior School

This poem was created by Mary and Amelia, Year 6 pupils at South Stanley Junior School as part of our 'Celebrating Stanley' project.

Youth Social Action / October 19th, 2023

Building Self-Belief Christmas Appeal 2023

At Building Self-Belief, we work with some of the most deprived and vulnerable children in the North East. Christmas 2023 is forecast to be one of the toughest for many years, and we would like to support as many young people as possible.We would be extremely grateful for any donation you can contribute to our Christmas appeal.Help us give our young people a happier Christmas this year!Thank you.

Know Your Neighbourhood Project / January 13th, 2025

Benfieldside Community Garden / January 13th, 2025

RHS School Gardening Awards Levels 1 & 2

We are proud to share that we have achieved both Level 1 and Level 2 of the RHS Campaign for School Gardening Awards for our work renovating Benfieldside Community Garden! We have received a variety of seeds to plant in the garden, a growing calendar and certificates. Thank you to all of our amazing volunteers who help to make this happen! Next step- Level 3!