Every year we work with our supporters to channel donations to small, local charities and individuals.
Whether grants are awarded to help those who are most vulnerable, improve health and wellbeing or keep communities safe, we make sure each donation makes a real difference to the lives of people across County Durham and Darlington.
We work hard to understand local need and to award grants that support enrich lives in communities – but none of this would be possible without the people and businesses who choose us for their charitable giving or who make regular donations.
£ 4,435,163
….awarded in grants
597
….groups supported
360
….individuals helped
£5,000,000
Good Health & Wellbeing, No Poverty
As well as being a human necessity, food has an amazing ability to bring people together, strengthen connections and enr…
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Refugees from across the world have come to the North East to create a new life for themselves and their families. Recen…
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While there are many people who might make excuses to avoid breaking a sweat, there are others for whom exercise is a vi…
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Many communities disproportionately impacted by the ongoing cost-of-living crisis are those whose history is built on he…
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Each year, the High Sheriff Youth Awards recognise some of the outstanding young people and projects in County Durham. L…
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Poverty Hurts: food and friendship in Ferryhill. A Ferryhill community is seeing a growing number of food bank referrals…
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Poverty Hurts: Easington Lane charity is beating heart of community. Many communities heavily affected by the cost-of-li…
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Poverty Hurts: East Durham charity provides bait for mates. A £2,000 grant from the Poverty Hurts Fund is helping Dawdo…
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Lifeline Community Action provides emergency aid to families and individuals in great need. Unfortunately, local need is…
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County Durham Community Foundation spends Friday night with the Purple Rose project in Stockton. Photos by Carl Joyce. …
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Tow Law generations celebrate Jubilee. In celebration of the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee, County Durham Community Fou…
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Local girl Grace goes for Gold. A Durham youngster has tumbled her way to a gold medal. Grace West, aged 11, won the top…
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Shildon Alive cooks up a storm. People have been learning to cook hot and nutritious meals, thanks to a practical grant …
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A boost to get Fighting Fit in Ferryhill. A small grant of £1008 has been awarded to Endeavour Woodcrafts to get fighti…
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“This is an amazing community. People are really generous.” A painting drawn by a volunteer summed up the project pe…
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New sails for local lad James. A YOUNG sportsman will compete in the RS Feva World Championships, backed by a grant from…
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Church project brings vital support to Easington. An Easington church project, helped by Foundation fund holder UMi, is …
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Seaham youngsters proud of #iwill project. Seaham youngsters have been raising awareness of LGBTQ+ issues by creating an…
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‘Lifeline’ for grieving children. County Durham Community Foundation has backed a local hospice with its out…
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EMG solicitors thrilled to help children walk and talk. Hundreds of local school children are being encouraged to get ac…
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Jack ‘wows’ through WorkFit project. Jack, 26, had wanted a job for a long time, but had only done voluntary…
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Local charity on track to deliver 10,000 food hampers this winter. To support local people this winter, please consider …
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Middlesbrough charity helps residents go from ‘plot to plate.’ Barefoot Kitchen has helped families grow the…
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Power of live music creates new memories for Houghton care home residents. Live music is bringing smiles, dancing and ha…
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Gateshead youngsters walk into wellbeing with new funding. A group that supports young adults has been awarded £5,000 t…
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Forest School helps Leadgate families thrive. Families placed under huge strain by school closures found some much-neede…
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Green-fingered volunteers create Hartlepool paradise. A gardening project is helping people in Hartlepool get green fing…
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EMG Solicitors visit Bowes Football Club. Through their EMG Community Fund, managed by County Durham Community Foundatio…
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A Brandon youth project is top of the class when it comes to helping young people. Brandon Carrside and Youth Project us…
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A wild welcome thanks to Foundation funding. Low Barnes Nature Reserve has created a warm welcome for the community as l…
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Charity Champ TEES recognised for work during pandemic. TEES Community Hub has been recognised for its outstanding eff…
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IWD Day with Lisa Shaw and Isabel Owens Please note, this interview talks about the effects of rape and sexual abuse and…
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Fighting poverty – with Linx Youth Project In February, we invited Sara Mirsalehi to talk to Peter Barron about Li…
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‘Blooming’ good idea to stop speeders wins PCVC support Villagers in Hunwick have come up with a bright and …
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Six find work through employment project Funding of up to £10,000 is still available from the ESF Community Grant Progr…
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Zero hunger with Little Chefs Big Chefs Back in 2019, the Foundation paid a visit to Little Chefs Big Chefs Cooking Work…
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Street swords stay sharp with help from the Community Foundation and Darlington Borough Council funding. A North East sp…
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Shildon Alive fights food insecurity A community project which served 17,000 meals to the community last summer is conti…
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Learning Curve Group support survivors of domestic abuse. Thanks to a £2,500 grant from the Learning Curve Group, Cornf…
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Auckland Youth and Community Centre Find out how one Bishop Auckland youth centre is tackling holiday hunger and Zoom fa…
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One young musician, Alice, explains how the arts – specifically Jack Drum Arts – opened a door to friendship, …
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This Remembrance Day, we turn the spotlight on a group that has gone the extra mile when it comes to supporting veterans…
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Helping Hartlepool families Though times are tough for Hartlepool families, one community centre is going all out to sup…
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Golden friendships at Durham boxing club Since 2013, County Durham Community Foundation has supported Brandon Boxing Clu…
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Neonatal support for North East families A North East charity has created a ground-breaking support pathway – the fir…
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A better future for Stanley A project to help people heal from the effects of Coronavirus is preparing to launch in the …
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Hartlepool centre brings a positive difference Ann Heaton and her team took on Kilmarnock Road Children and Young P…
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Life-saving mental health support for men in County Durham and Darlington. A life-saving CIC that supports men with thei…
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How it all began Hartlepool project rallies community. The Big League sprang into action when the pandemic struck. I…
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How it all began REfUSE started out in Chester-le-Street two years ago, with a mission to end shocking levels of fo…
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How it all began The Spectrum Spartans are the only rink hockey club in County Durham, with the next nearest offering in…
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A young carer has found support with her mental health through a surprising request. How it all began Isabelle* is 11-ye…
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A GATESHEAD project funded by a £10,000 Tampon Tax grant is helping North East women move beyond domestic abuse. The Em…
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THE strength of women in Stockton is celebrated in a new book. Thrive Teesside were awarded almost £10,000 of Tampon Ta…
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How it all began In the dark, drizzle and gloom, a young man carefully dribbles a football between plastic cones before …
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How it all began Formerly Newton Aycliffe Mind, the charity went solo in October 2015 under their new name – The H…
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How it all began Holly, who has been trampolining since the age of six is now jumping for joy after winning her first go…
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How it all began Val Hutchinson and her husband, Joe, founded the lively café for their son, John, and his best friend,…
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How it all began Little Chefs Big Chefs CIC was formed in May 2016 to encourage children and families to eat healthily b…
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How it all began PACT house, in Stanley, was set up to be a one-stop shop for local people looking for practical and emo…
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How it all began A project called ‘The Junk Fashion’ was setup for young people aged 10-20 to up-cycle waste materia…
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How it all began Bullion Hall wanted a hub and a safe place for the Syrian refugee households in their neighbourhood, no…
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How it all began The Wheels to Work project hires out scooters to individuals living in parts of County Durham who other…
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How it all began Tia never used to run as a child, as she had bad legs and had operations on them when she was eight. Wh…
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How it all began Tia lives in Darlington with her family and has attended The Rydal Academy since 2012. Tia has Cerebral…
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If U Care Share – suicide prevention How it all began Daniel O’Hare was 19 years old when he died by suicide. …
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How it all began Digital Voice for Communities are a CIC who operate across the North East offering a range of digital…
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How it all began This project addressed a need for more community activity in Dipton, a rural village that many remember…
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How it all began Hartlepool United Community Sports Foundation use the power of sport and the name of Hartlepool United …
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How it all began Durham Wildlife Trust manages 36 nature reserves from the Tees to the Tyne, encompassing ancient woodla…
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How it all began Brandon Table Tennis Club which was established in 2013, has grown and developed to the point that it n…
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How it all began As part of the rebuilding program Durham City Football Club announced that they have now adopted an exi…
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How it all began Jake was born with Lebers Congenital Amaurosis, which means he has virtually no sight in his right eye…
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How it all began South Park, in Darlington, is a beautiful Victorian Park on the A167 road heading south from the town c…
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How it all began Brandon is 15 years old, both his parents are disabled and his sister Lyndsey has profound cerebral p…
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Sadly, not all of our grant recipients are in a position to speak publicly about how our fantastic donors have helped th…
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Many of our supporters choose to donate through us anonymously, entrusting us to direct their giving on their behalf. Ev…
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A trio of Darlington friends have launched a project to try to ease the trauma of miscarriage. Abra Wood, Avryl Taylor a…
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County Durham Community Foundation