Durham Community Action

In this podcast, we speak to Jack Drum Arts and young researchers around their community research project focused on the role of heritage and the arts in strengthening rural communities. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

To reflect on Volunteers' Week 2026, we spoke to New College Durham and local VCSE organisations (Wheels2Work County Durham, Calm in East Durham CIC, The Wise Group and Durham County Carers Support) about how volunteering impacts them, the barriers to volunteering and what support they provide. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

To recognise Dementia Action Week (18th - 24th May 2026), we spoke to Beamish Museum's health and wellbeing support worker Catherine about their various dementia friendly activities. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

To recognise Mental Health Awareness Week (11th - 17th May), we spoke to Catherine Appleby, Beamish Museum’s Health and Wellbeing support worker about their heritage and health activities and events. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this podcast, we spoke to various members of the REACH Community Involvement Steering Group (CISG) about their experience of the workshops so far and expectations going forward. Through networking, learning opportunities and sharing knowledge and insight from sector colleagues, the CISG is being actively supported to be that critical friend to the REACH delivery team around all aspects of commu...

Village Halls Week 2026 focuses on the theme "Connecting communities to health and wellbeing". In this podcast, we spoke to Julie Gorman-Cliff, Wellbeing Coordinator at Burnhope Community Centre about how activities at their community building impacts the local community's health and wellbeing. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this audio case study, we spoke to Breathe Easy Darlington about how local funding opportunities made an impact on their charity. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This podcast celebrates 90 years of Durham Community Action and reflects on the history of County Durham and how our support has impacted community organisations. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Julie Englund, Durham Public Health Research and Evaluation Practitioner and Rio Floreza, Durham Community Action's Community Involvement Lead sit down together as operational team members for REACH (Research and Engagement across Communities for Health) County Durham to reflect on the project to date. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

As part of Safeguarding Adults Week 2025 we spoke to Lesley Jeavons, independent chair of the Durham Safeguarding Adults Partnership about safeguarding in County Durham, and also highlight the training and support we offer at Durham Community Action. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This podcast episode focuses on the Rural Durham Community Research Network. We chat to Jemma Austin, Research & Insight Project Lead at Durham Community Action about community research, the aims and objectives of the network and the work so far. We also spoke to community researchers Cath Robson from Weardale Together and Perry Gardner about the challenges rural communities face and how resea...

In this podcast, we spoke to our Rural Housing Enabler Susan Tron about rural housing in County Durham, including parish profiles, housing needs surveys and influencing housing development in your local area.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this podcast, we spoke to Professor Tony Chapman from Durham University about the Third Sector Trends study. The Third Sector Trends Study is a long-standing study of the voluntary, community and social enterprise (VCSE) sector and it aims to understand the different aspects of the VCSE sector’s structure and activity. Have your say in the study here: http://bit.ly/4luLxZZ Hosted on Acast. See...

We spoke to David Hall, trustee at Sherburn Hill Hub about how grant funding from the Community Spaces grant, a regional partnership funded by the National Lottery Community Fund helped improve their local community. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The role of a volunteer driver is a very rewarding position, providing transport for social journeys and health appointments for people in the local community but recruiting for the role can sometimes be challenging. To help create awareness about the role, we spoke to Jack Ball, Volunteer Officer at Supportive about the main challenges they face in recruiting volunteer drivers, the benefits of th...

Following the launch of a new toolkit to help trustees navigate legal issues about property, we spoke to Tom Wills from Sintons Solicitors about legal advice for community buildings. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This year's #VillageHallsWeek theme is celebrating, encouraging and supporting the efforts of volunteers who keep rural community buildings open. We spoke to community halls consultant Louise Beaton about her new book "Halls for All: A History of Village Halls" which highlights the crucial role village halls play in rural communities. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This podcast episode focuses on the County Durham Poverty Truth Commission. We chat to project coordinator Cathryn Gathercole and project worker Julie Gourley about the projects aims, what it has achieved so far and plans for the future. You can read Julie's blogs here: https://www.durhamcommunityaction.org.uk/poverty-truth-commission-journey-journal Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more...

We spoke to trustees at West Auckland Memorial Hall, Sharon and George, about how the community buildings energy efficiency grant helped to improve their building and the impact it has had for their local community. Through our ongoing support we have helped them identify sustainable energy efficiency measures and to secure necessary funding to make the memorial hall more energy efficient. Hosted...

This podcast episode celebrates Trustees' Week as we unite in celebrating, supporting and inspiring trustees' talents, viewpoints and experiences in County Durham. We chat to trustees at Howden-le-Wear Village Friends and Croxdale Community Association and discuss a typical trustee 'day in the life', what they have learned in their role and their advice for others looking to become a Trustee. Host...

For Keeping Your Child Safe in Sport Week 2024 (7th - 13th October), we spoke to Rowena Carr, Sport Welfare Coordinator at County Durham Sport about why creating awareness for child safety in sport is so important.   For more information visit:  https://www.nspcc.org.uk/keeping-children-safe/away-from-home/sports-clubs/ https://countydurhamsport.com/safeguarding/ Hosted on Acast. See aca...

This month’s podcast will discuss the development of a community research network in County Durham; which is a way of supporting local people to have an active role in research. Interviews include: DCA's Community Partnerships Manager, Fiona Christian, co-founder of the Centre for Social Justice and Community Action & Professor of Sociology at Durham University, Sarah Banks and artist and...

Durham Community Action was pleased to work alongside Social Prescribing Link Workers and local voluntary and community organisations to support the development of new social prescription activity in response to identified need. This was made possible by funding from the North East and North Cumbria Integrated Care Board. Thirteen new activities were developed. We talked to Gemma and Louise from B...

Durham Community Action was pleased to work alongside Social Prescribing Link Workers and local voluntary and community organisations to support the development of new social prescription activity in response to identified need. This was made possible by funding from the North East and North Cumbria Integrated Care Board. Thirteen new activities were developed. We talked to Natalie from Nuvowellbe...

Durham Community Action was pleased to work alongside Social Prescribing Link Workers and local voluntary and community organisations to support the development of new social prescription activity in response to identified need. This was made possible by funding from the North East and North Cumbria Integrated Care Board. Thirteen new activities were developed. We talked to Julie from Burnhope Com...