Young people in a County Durham village have been broadening their
horizons over the summer with the help of a local charity and backing
from the Banks Community Fund.
Durham Area Youth has been running a series of weekly activity sessions
during the school holidays which have given 11-16 year olds in West
Rainton a range of chances to try new activities which might otherwise
have been out of reach.
More than 20 young people have taken part in the sessions, which have
included climbing, go karting, axe throwing and visits to the Moor House
Adventure Centre near West Rainton.
A £1,920 grant from North East employer the Banks Group has helped the
charity cover the costs of putting on the different activities, with
many of the participants and their families already asking if the
sessions can be repeated next summer.
Durham Area Youth provides a range of services through the year to young
people aged 6-18 years in the areas of Pittington, Shadforth, Sherburn
Hill, Sherburn Village, West Rainton, Great Lumley and Bournmoor, and
works with around 300 young people every week.
It aims to encourage young people to develop social and lifelong skills,
to take advantage of new opportunities and to participate in positive
activities that will contribute to their personal, social and
educational development, so that they’re able to develop to their full
potential.
Hollie Jackson, lead youth worker at Durham Area Youth, says: “We saw a
particular need to give young people in West Rainton the opportunity to
benefit from trying something different this summer, rather than just
leaving them to be bored with nowhere to go and nothing to do.
“Our aim was to enable them to access engaging and enriching activities
and trips that would help them gain life skills while socialising with
other people, and we’re really pleased with how it’s turned out, how
engaged everyone has been and how different individuals have grown as
the weeks have gone by.
“The activities we’ve put on have really pushed our young people out of
their comfort zone while they were having fun with their friends and
have helped them learn new skills which we hope they’re going to take
forward with them.
“We’ve had lots of great feedback from our participants, as well as from
their families, and there’s already a lot of interest in what activities
might be available next summer.
“With a lot of project different costs to cover, this programme isn’t
something that we’d have been able to put on with the Banks Group’s
support and it’s really helped us to achieve a great deal over the
summer break.”
Banks Homes is currently building 150 high specification new homes at
its Cathedral Meadows development on Station Road in West Rainton, a
scheme which will also include a new play area, new landscaped areas and
new areas of public open space.
Kate Culverhouse, community relations manager at the Banks Group, adds:
“The commitment and creativity of Durham Area Youth makes such a
positive difference to the well-being of local young people, with the
opportunities they provide enabling each individual to grow and develop.
“Hearing how well this project has been received is extremely pleasing
and we’re very glad to have played our part in making it happen.”
Anyone from a community close to a Banks Group project who is interested
in applying for funding from the Banks Community Fund should contact the
company via the enquiry form on its website
(www.banksgroup.co.uk/contact-us/) to find out if their group or project
is eligible.
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