Margaret Vaughan, Chief Operating Officer of CDCF says “The CIF fund has been a great example of partnership working to invest in the communities of Teesdale, Weardale and former coalfield areas of south west Durham. Through the CIF the Foundation has connected with groups who previously had not explored the potential that small grant funding could deliver to enhance and deepen their group activities.”
Northern Heartlands Community Initiative Fund
Through this small grants scheme, Northern Heartlands aimed to:
Watch this video to hear Northern Heartlands’ Director, Jill Cole, talk about the Community Initiative Fund and see some of the projects that received a grant.
Read more to find out about the wide variety of projects we have funded (all short reads, one to two minutes max).
This project engaged the Willington community in finding out what has shaped Willington into the town it is today
“If you Go Down to the Woods” was a piece of interactive professional outdoor theatre aimed at people of
Barningham Local History Group was founded in 2009 and since its inception has acquired a large archive of books,
This project is an extension of the project started in 2018 in Round Two of the Community Initiative Fund.
In the 1860s two boys were born two streets and fifteen months apart in Shildon. George Allan (the “Wizard)
The October 2019 Weardale WordFest aimed to be a celebration of local writing and writers also featuring illustration, photography,
This project created a giant advent calender in Bishop Auckland whereby 24 shops in the town “opened” a window
This project developed through a member of the community flash mob choir in the Durham tour of Beyond the
The aim of this project was to help the Women’s Banner Group (WBG) achieve one of their key objectives
The Society has served as a focal point for keepers and exhibitors of poultry and small animals in and
Agri[Culture], a project by Wideyed photography collective. Initiated in 2018, it documents eight annual agricultural shows within the
This project involves 4 ‘seasonal’ ceilidhs through 2019/2020. These public events are being held in community venues across the
This is an extension of Altogether Archaeology’s excavation at Holwick in 2018. They explored the cultural heritage of this
A multi-media arts project using the local landscape as inspiration for a range of creative activities with the Tow
As with the CIF Round One project, “Focus on our Native Wild Flowers”, schools and community members continue to
“Hidden Treasures” brings geo-caching to Evenwood offering a unique opportunity to explore its rich cultural history. The concept involves
This project, continuing until December 2019, is aimed at promoting the mental health and wellbeing in adults who feel
This project was a collaboration between three Youth Theatres from the Northern Heartlands area: Jackass (Crook), Turrets (Barnard Castle)
This Project engaged an artist to work with the Thornley Art Group to capture the history and beauty of
A project involving the local community in understanding and celebrating the heritage wealth of Evenwood and Ramshaw. Community groups
A project enabling local people to learn more about Teesdale’s heritage by using ceramics as the main medium for
Small groups were recruited from each of the four Northern Heartlands areas, working in teams to capture time lapses
The project’s objectives were to research, update and amalgamate information on local walks that has been produced in various
This project provided a programme of landscape exploration and related creative activity sessions for a small group of unemployed
Intertwining Our Threads engaged with people of all ages through a twelve month programme of workshops to create community-led
In the year of the 100th anniversary of the end of World War I, Highlights Contemporary Craft Tour addressed
This project formed part of the 2018 Highlights Contemporary Craft Tour and comprised a three day art exhibition, running
As part of the on-going revival of folk song and dance traditions in the Teesdale area, Music at the
This year long ‘Wild Flower’ project worked with schools, community members, conservationists and artists with the emphasis on local
The project focused on young people exploring the local landscape and heritage buildings with the young people learning about
At Home with Heritage was a cross-curricular project designed to enhance students’ education as well as their life experiences
The aim of the group is to promote awareness of the archaeological heritage of the North Pennines and the
TeesdaleArtNet, TAN, are a group of artists living or working in Teesdale, at different stages of their artistic careers,
Funding from the Northern Heartlands Community Initiative Fund has helped enable, particularly through supporting travel costs (often a barrier
Drama in the Dale staged a site-specific outdoor performance of Shakespeare’s comedy, As You Like It, in the unique
This project was the final phase of the Montalbo Community & School Train Garden. The project had been going