NE Charity Awards 2025, Maya Patterson

Youth Social Action / Know Your Neighbourhood Project / Benfieldside Community Garden / January 8th, 2025

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!

Youth Social Action / December 6th, 2024

Aspirations and Future Planning / December 6th, 2024

Know Your Neighbourhood Project / December 6th, 2024

From Consett to Chan Yu

The premise of Know our Neighbourhood is to get people volunteering, not just to provide the activities themselves. We were delighted when Joe Farnsworth signed up a s a volunteer, Joe had recently graduated with a Cyber Security degree from the University of Newcastle and was looking for opportunities to extend his skills.

Exercise, Health and Nutrition / June 15th, 2026

Wellbeing and the Arts / June 15th, 2026

Stargate Pit Disaster, Crookhill Primary School / June 15th, 2026

'The Black Time Bomb'

This project was created to commemorate the 200th anniversary of the 1826 Stargate Pit Disaster near Ryton, Gateshead. This poem presents the mine as a terrifying monster, symbolising the fear, danger and destruction caused by the 1826 Stargate Pit Disaster, where 38 people lost their lives.

Consett Heritage Project / November 17th, 2023

Edwin Oxley - Consett Heritage Podcast

Edwin started as an apprentice at the Consett Steelworks in 1961, as a 15-year-old. Over time he developed a whole host of skills and describes the excellent training he received both at technical college in Consett and Gateshead, and on the jobs in the boiler shop, foundry, blast furnace, plate mills - amongst others. He worked in every department! Take a listen to his podcast which gives a fascinating insight into the opportunities made available to him and how this gave him a solid foundation for the rest of his working life. He also gives our young people some great advice!