Kyle's Celebration of Stanley

Youth Social Action / Celebrating Stanley / September 1st, 2025

Kyle's Celebration of Stanley

I’ve learned about the West Stanley Pit disaster, including how many people were killed and what the witnesses said about it. I can’t imagine working in the mines—it was dark, cramped, and claustrophobic. I also found out that the person who made the first film for Universal Studios was actually from Stanley, which is something I’d never heard before.

I don’t think we celebrate Stanley’s history enough—nobody really talks about it, and that’s a shame.

It also feels like not many people in Stanley get along. I think we could improve that by having more community events that bring people together. Right now, there’s no football stadium, no cinema, and no local teams. We could really improve the town by using spaces like the site where the old school is being knocked down. Instead of just leaving it empty, we should rebuild and make the area somewhere people actually want to be. It would make a big difference to the way people feel about Stanley.

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“We could really improve the town by using spaces like the site where the old school is being knocked down.”

- Kyle Shields

Exercise, Health and Nutrition / March 22nd, 2024

Know Your Neighbourhood Project / March 22nd, 2024

Benfieldside Community Garden / March 22nd, 2024

Benfieldside Community Garden is on the Good to Grow Map!

Benfieldside Community Garden is now on the Good to Grow map - we are delighted to be part of the Good to Grow network, and look forward to being involved in their events!

Consett Heritage Project / March 13th, 2025

History of Consett Steelworks - Past and Present

Building Self-Belief presents our film about Consett Steelworks Past and Present. Go on a journey with Alan Swinburne and Peter Shaw as they talk you through how Consett used to look when the steelworks dominated the landscape, and compare it to how it looks in 2025. Thank you everyone who has supported the project, in particular the National Heritage Lottery for their generous grant.

Youth Social Action / September 1st, 2025

Celebrating Stanley / September 1st, 2025

James's Celebration of Stanley

James shares his views on how people from Stanley can achieve great things and reflects on future opportunities.