Our Latest Insights
Here you can read the latest on news, events, stories, and blog posts.
Environmental / October 29th, 2026
Community Garden Halloween Event 2026
We had a spooktacular turn out for our Halloween Garden Event at Benfieldside Community Garden! Check out our fantastic event reel here.
Volunteering / Environmental / October 23rd, 2026
St Joseph's Eco Ambassador Programme
Take a look at our fabulous film about our Eco Ambassador Programme at St Joseph's Catholic Primary School in Stanley. What an absolutely amazing group of children! They were enthusiastic and fabulous throughout the whole programme. This film includes our work in the schoolyard to improve the whole school surroundings and our trips to collaborate and work in the extended community.
Environmental / Our Awards / September 21st, 2026
OUTSTANDING - Benfieldside Community Garden at the Northumbria in Bloom Awards
Building Self-Belief are absolutely delighted to be awarded the grade of OUTSTANDING by the judges at Northumbria in Bloom 2026. Achieving this at our first attempt is amazing and testament to the hard work from the community and volunteers. The following blog outlines the feedback from the judges and shows how far we have come.
Environmental / July 16th, 2026
St Joseph's Eco Ambassador Project
Our Eco Ambassadors from St Joseph's Catholic Primary School have been working on an Eco Tree Mural within their school grounds alongside our Eco Project with them. The children worked incredibly hard and we're so proud of the results!
Environmental / August 28th, 2026
Going Green Together Panel
Going Green Together is about bringing North East VCSE organisations together to share ideas, learn from each other and take practical environmental action with support along the way. We were delighted to be a part of their Environmental Panel.
Wellbeing / Environmental / July 13th, 2026
Social Impact of Benfieldside Community Garden
As part of our grant reporting process, we have to provide evidence of the impact of our work. Please see below, where the Headteacher of Benfieldside Primary School has outlined the variety of ways having access to Benfieldside Community Garden as a communty space has had a positive impact on the children and the staff of the school.
Environmental / June 29th, 2026
Benfieldside Community Garden Official Launch
Special moments from the official launch of Building Self Belief’s very own community garden, a project we’ve been developing and working towards over the past few years.
Environmental / June 3rd, 2026
Creating our Very own Fairy Garden
When we asked the children at our Children's Gardening Club, what they thought was missing from our community garden, the one thing they all really wanted was their very own Fary Garden. Take a look at our short film about the creation of the Benfieldside Fairy Garden, they have made a fabulous job of it!
Environmental / April 16th, 2026
Community Litter Pick Reel
As part of Durham County Council's Big Spring Clean Campaign, we collaborated on some Litter Pick Days involving the community around Consett!
Environmental / February 27th, 2026
Forest School Training
Thank you to the The National Lottery Community Fund for supporting our Outdoor First Aid course training for the community garden, and helping us prepare for Forest School.
Environmental / December 11th, 2025
Tow Law Eco Ambassadors Project Film & Booklet
Watch our Tow Law Eco Ambassadors Film of our 2 year project with Tow Law Millennium Primary School and Blessed John Duckett Catholic Primary School.
Environmental / December 17th, 2025
Benfieldside Community Garden Sensory Area Launch
A lovely day at Benfieldside Community Garden celebrating the launch of our new sensory area!A big thank you to Durham County Council Counillor's Terry and Kathryn Rooney for funding this area, your support is truly appreciated.We would also like to send our thanks to Benfieldside Primary School for joining us to celebrate.
Volunteering / Environmental / October 30th, 2025
Gardening Club Success
Our community garden has come such a long way, and we are absolutely delighted that we are now in a position to hold bigger and better events for our community. Our first Gardening Club has been a great success,
Environmental / October 16th, 2025
North Shields, Coastal Research and Sustainability Project
Take a look at the fabulous work of Year 5 and Year 6 of Christchurch Primary school, North Shields. They loved learning about the sea, the environment and they devised some fabulous ideas about how we can all work together to 'Save our Seas' in their very own Marine Manifest.
Environmental / 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'.
Environmental / September 8th, 2025
Benfieldside Garden's August Update
Here is our August update about the work at Benfieldside Community Garden. There is also another layer of compressed gravel to go into the paths! With thanks to the The National Lottery Community Fund RC North East & Cumbria Region for their kind support.