NE Charity Awards 2025, Maya Patterson
One of our fabulous volunteers, Maya Patterson achieved the Highly Commended Award at the NE Charity Awards in September 2025, for her voluntary work with Building Self-Belief CIO. She was recognised as a Young Charity Champion of the year for her major contribution to Building Self-Belief, in particular for her support with the youth clubs and at Benfieldside Community Garden. Well done Maya, this is very well deserved!
Environmental / September 27th, 2025
Our Awards / September 27th, 2025
Oxhill Nursery School Green Leaders Project
The ‘Oxhill Green Leaders’ project involved twenty five children from Oxhill Nursery School, in Stanley on a across the spring and summer of 2025.The sessions enabled the young people to become ‘Green Leaders’ and actively engage in ecology and sustainability based activities. We were also delighted that the success of the programme was recognised by the award of a Silver Medal from 'Northumbria in Bloom'.
Heritage / March 13th, 2025
Frank Matthews - Consett Heritage Project
Frank Matthews describes his working life at the steelworks and how useful the skills he developed at the Works were, when it came to finding work after the closure in 1980. Frank describes his adventurous working life abroad, but how Consett was always, and still is, in his heart.
Heritage / June 30th, 2026
'My Empty Heart'
This project was created to commemorate the 200th anniversary of the 1826 Stargate Pit Disaster near Ryton, Gateshead. In this poem, 15-year-old James Robson, this poem reflects on the hopes, dreams, and lost childhoods of the young boys who worked and died in the Stargate Pit Disaster.