REACH County Durham is a partnership between Durham County Council, Durham University and Durham Community Action to examine, through research, ways to tackle the unfair and avoidable differences in health experienced by communities in our area.

These “wider determinants of health” play a crucial role in shaping health outcomes for County Durham residents.

Loneliness and/or Social Isolation and Mental Health have been collaboratively identified as two priority areas.

We want to establish a SPRIG (Supporting Practice, Research and Innovation Group) for each of these two areas, providing an opportunity for cross-sector partners to ‘take the lanyards off.’ It will begin as a discussion group for members to discuss their experiences, concerns, research needs and interests in this field, as well as their expertise (this may be academic, policy, practice and/or lived experience).

You are invited to complete an Expression of Interest by 11.00am on Monday 11th May.

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 community involvement.

Listen to the REACH CISG podcast here

Durham County Council has launched a new project on the Let’s Talk County Durham platform called the Adult Care Service User Forum. 

People with experience of using Adult Social Care services, or unpaid carers, friends and family who support them, are warmly invited to join and help to shape services for the future.

Members will be able to take part in online general forum meetings, hosted by Michael Laing.

“Our service users and their families are experts in their own care. We want to go further than gathering feedback by involving them as valued partners in making our services better”

Michael Laing, Corporate Director of Adult Health Services

At these meetings, members will hear from people who are already influencing decisions by sharing their experiences, and explore how to work together more collaboratively.

Members will also find out about other involvement opportunities in the future. These could include face-to-face discussions, responding to surveys, helping to recruit senior posts, or volunteering to take part in co‑production projects, working alongside professionals.  

People who join the forum can do as much or as little as they choose - signing up just means they can be informed on what is available.

For more information and to sign up, please visit:

Let's Talk County Durham - Adult Social Care Forum or email asc.involvement@durham.gov.uk

Photograph courtesy of Durham County Council

Michelle Roberts, a Social Prescribing Link Worker based at Chastleton Medical Group (part of Durham West Primary Care Network), recently represented North East social prescribers at an event launching the National Academy for Social Prescribing (NASP) as a new WHO Collaborating Centre for Social Prescribing Policy and Development. 

Taking place on 26th March, Social Prescribing Day, at the House of Commons, the event marked the UK’s leadership role in advancing community‑based, preventative approaches to health and wellbeing.

You can read more about Michelle’s visit here:

House of Comms Event: WHO Collaboration with the Centre for Social Prescribing

Over 100 people gathered on Saturday 14th March to consider how they move ‘Beyond Foodbanks.’ 

The summit, jointly organised by Communities Together Durham and Food Durham, brought together over thirty different organisations from across the North East.

The Beyond Foodbanks project is working to alleviate the shame and stigma often associated with food insecurity and instead foster dignity, choice and empowerment with long-term, sustainable solutions which meet local needs.

At the Food Summit, fifteen workshops offered practical advice and next steps.  Different approaches to food provision, including pantries, community gardens and pay-as-you-feel cafes, demonstrated the opportunities available in the region.  In addition, the Summit helped local organisations in the North East to join a national conversation, with partners including Feeding Britain and Citizens UK.

Find out more:

Beyond Foodbanks Project

The move towards Neighbourhood Health continues to gain momentum, with the NHS Neighbourhood Health Framework and Neighbourhood Health Centre guidance both being published recently.

The VCSE is referenced as an essential partner within the guidance, and there is a clear opportunity (and need) for the sector to be built into the architecture of neighbourhood health, both strategically and operationally.

At DCA, we’re actively engaging in this work through various partnerships and hosted a Better Together Round Table for VCSE colleagues on Neighbourhood Health in February. 

We’re keen to hear how County Durham organisations are already engaged in neighbourhood health or how you’d like to be; email nicole.kirby@durhamcommunityaction.org.uk for discussion.

Pride in Place is a 10‑year, national government‑funded programme investing up to £20 million of investment and support over the next 10 years (from 2026) to 284 communities across the country to make long-term improvements. In Durham, £20million is being invested into four areas to help regenerate local neighbourhoods and strengthen local pride:

• Crook North/Tow Law
• Peterlee East
• Stanley South
• Spennymoor (this work began in 2024)

Each area is establishing a Neighbourhood Board comprised of people with a strong connection to the area and will be led by an independent chair to create a shared vision and long‑term Regeneration Plan reflecting the needs of that community.

For more information, visit the Let’s Talk County Durham website to see how you can get involved:

• Crook North and Tow Law Pride in Place
• Stanley South Pride in Place
• Peterlee East Pride in Place
• Spennymoor Pride in Place

This year, Mental Health Awareness Week runs from 11th to 17th May, focusing on promoting mental wellbeing, reducing stigma, and encouraging open conversations about mental health.

 It aims to educate the public, reduce stigma and highlight the importance of mental wellbeing across communities.

The theme for 2026 is ‘Action’, focusing on moving beyond awareness and encouraging practical actions that support good mental health – for yourself, for others, and for society as a whole. The campaign encourages checking in with someone to offer support, supporting workplace or school initiatives, and calling for meaningful action from organisations and decision-makers.

Popular activities during the week include Wear it Green Day, workplace wellbeing events, fundraising and social media campaigns using #MentalHealthAwarenessWeek and #TakeAction.

Find out more:

Mental Health Awareness Week | Mental Health Foundation

To recognise this important week, we spoke to Catherine Appleby, Beamish Museum's Health and Wellbeing Support Worker, about their heritage and health activities and events.

Llsten to the Mental Health Awareness Week Beamish Museum podcast here

Dementia Action Week takes place this year from 18th - 24th May to raise awareness, improve understanding, and encourage actions that support people living with dementia. 

Alzheimer's Society are encouraging people to join their Forget Me Not Appeal this year, where 'Every Forget Me Not tells a story ' and is 'a visible reminder that it will take a society to beat dementia.'

All aboard! In County Durham this year, we are hosting Memories on the Line, alongside Weardale Railway. We are inviting a limited number of people living with dementia to join us on board for scenic views, entertainment and afternoon tea. To be eligible, people must be accessing the Dementia Advice and Support Service. Please follow this link to make a referral.

Alzheimer’s Society, Beamish Museum and New College Durham are hosting a Memory Walk at Beamish Museum on Friday 22^nd May. For more information, please contact Claire Burnley: Claire.Burnley@alzheimers.org.uk

Look out across the North East and North Cumbria for a Sea of Blue; prominent landmarks, such as Durham Cathedral, Penshaw Monument and St. Mary’s Lighthouse, will be illuminated blue on Monday 18th May to start Dementia Action Week. If you have any connections to a landmark that would be willing to join in, please contact us on durhamandchester@alzheimers.org.uk.

Type 1 Kidz, an Investing in Children project, works with children and young people living with Type 1 Diabetes and their families in the North East and North Cumbria.

Type 1 Kidz are holding an Activity Day, in partnership with Together Type 1 and the The Children and Young People’s North East and North Cumbria Diabetes Network, and we would like to invite families living with Type 1 to join us on Tuesday 26th May from 11.00am - 3.00pm at Gateshead International Stadium to:

• Try a range of activities including badminton, football & group games
• Take part in workshops delivered by healthcare professionals
• Opportunities to speak to diabetes tech companies
• Meet other families living with Type 1 in the region

To sign up to this event or find out more information about other events please email type1kidz@investinginchilren.net, call 0191 3077030 or join the Facebook Group: ‘Type 1 Kidz Group (IiC)’

We Move Together is a county-wide campaign running from May to July that brings together themed awareness activities, including national campaign months, awareness weeks and community events.

The aim is to encourage more people across County Durham to move more, feel better and connect with others in ways that work for them.

The campaign builds on a wide year-round offer of physical activity across the county, using this period to raise awareness of existing opportunities, showcase local provision, and encourage people to try something new in a welcoming and supportive environment.

Working in partnership with local clubs, organisations and community partners, a range of accessible taster sessions and activities will be taking place across County Durham throughout the campaign.

Throughout the campaign, there will be updates on the Move County Durham Facebook page

You can also find out more about the campaign and upcoming activity on the We Move Together landing page:

Thrive Leisure - We Move Together

Carers Week 2026 takes place from the 8th to 14th June, offering an important opportunity to shine a light on the millions of unpaid Carers who support family members, friends, and neighbours every day.

This year’s theme focuses on Building Carer Friendly Communities.  This will highlight the impact carer-friendly communities can have in making a real and lasting difference to the lives of Carers everywhere.

Across the UK, Carers play a vital role in society, often balancing employment, education, and personal responsibilities alongside their caring duties. Yet many remain unseen and under-supported. Carers Week is a time to change that, to ensure carers are recognised not just in words, but through meaningful action.

Host Your Own Carers Week event to celebrate Carers Week 2026 between Monday 8th June and Sunday 14th June.

If you’d like to host a coffee morning or event, please complete this form:

Carers Week 2026, Monday 8th June - Sunday 14th June Building Carer Friendly Communities – Fill out the form, this will help Durham County Carers Support look at how they can support you with your event.

For more information on Carers Week, please visit the Durham County Carers Support website or their Facebook page.

Armed Forces Day takes place on the last Saturday in June, falling this year on 27th June, 

It is a chance to show support for the women and men who make up the Armed Forces community: from currently serving personnel to Service families, veterans and cadets.

It also marks the culmination of a week of celebrations, beginning on Monday June 22nd, when the public show their support and appreciation for the Armed Forces community. It also includes Reserves Day (24th June), which provides the country with an opportunity to recognise our Reserve Forces.

There are many ways for people, communities and organisations to show their support and get involved. Armed Forces Day have produced an interactive map to help find local events.

Showing support for the Armed Forces provides a much-valued morale boost for serving personnel, veterans and their families. You can find out more about what they are doing at home and around the world by visiting the official sites of the Royal Navy, British Army and Royal Air Force.

Although Armed Forces Day is not a charitable event, the Armed Forces have the support of several UK charities and many local events will offer opportunities to support them. 

Find out more about Armed Forces charities here

Healthwatch County Durham's Annual Event will take place on Thursday 9th July from 10.00am - 1.00pm at Bishop Auckland Football Club. 

You are invited to hear about their work over the past year, share your experiences to help improve local health and care services, and connect with their team and the community. A free lunch is included.

Find out more and book your place:

Healthwatch County Durham's Annual Event

The NHS Healthier Together app is a free tool designed to help parents and carers manage the health of children from birth to 18 years old.

It provides trusted medical advice, symptom checkers, and direct pathways to local NHS services.

You can download the app by searching 'Healthier Together' in the Apple App Store or Google Play Store. 

A new group has recently been set up to serve the wider Sedgefield area, focused on social events for men.

S.A.M.S is committed to providing an activity- focussed programme with men at the forefront.

The launch event invited potential members to have an input into the activity programme and the form of the group. Also present were individuals with skills and interests that could involve members.

Graham, leader of the steering group, said

“We have been encouraged by the level of interest in the group and are working to establish a varied programme attractive to a wide section of the community”.

He also referred to other initiatives in the area

“We do not see our group duplicating other groups, rather being complementary and becoming part of a larger network, achieving the maximum benefits for men in the community. We are greatly indebted to Sedgefield Development Trust, who have taken us under its wing as one of its projects.

Anyone interested in becoming involved, as a leader or participant, can contact Graham: sams@sedgefielddevelopmenttrust.co.uk.

Be is a charity, founded by trans people, for trans people.

Be has always believed in the importance of peer support and the provision of safe spaces that their community can gather in and express themselves.

As the community has grown, they have engaged with partners across the North East and are establishing themselves as a contributor to empowering trans lives on a national level.

Today they support trans lives, challenging discrimination and providing education, improving healthcare and social pathways and working with both regional and national partners to improve the provision of services and rights of Transgender, non-binary, and gender diverse people.

Be’s core event is their weekly meeting, which takes place every Tuesday from 6.00pm to 8.00pm at One Strawberry Lane in Newcastle. 

They welcome anyone who identifies as trans (including non-binary) or gender non-conforming, and those who are questioning their gender. Friends and family are also welcome to attend. The meeting is open to people from across the North East. Sessions are drop-in, so no appointment or referral is needed.

Find out more:

Be: Trans Support & Community

Croquet Durham is running free taster sessions every Saturday in May from 10.30am. 

Join them at Riverside Park in Chester-le-Street, behind the cafe and try croquet. It is a friendly game combining ball skills as well as tactics. It’s relatively easy to understand and is fun to play.

You do not need any special clothing, just some flat shoes or trainers.

Find out more:

Croquet Durham – Riverside Park, Chester-le-Street DH3 3PW

North East Young Dads and Lads (NEYDL) is built on a simple belief: supporting young dads benefits not only them, but also their children, families and communities. Their offer reflects this, providing a wide-ranging, responsive programme that meets dads where they are and helps them build confidence, stability and connection.

They offer:

• One to one support, building trusted relationships.
• Peer to peer support groups, bringing dads together to share experiences, feel less alone and build confidence.
• Opportunities for dads to spend positive time with their children. Including family days.
• Support for dads with education, employment and financial stability, from exploring training routes and job opportunities to building budgeting skills.
• Community engagement, raising awareness and ensure dads are recognised.
• Training for professionals.
• DigiDAD, digital learning platform, an accessible resource for young dads and professionals.
• DigiDAD Gaming adds highly moderated evening sessions where dads and families can connect in a familiar, engaging way.

NEYDL are working with the Best Start Family Hubs across County Durham. Providing support for young dads within universal and targeted services. By shaping and delivering hub activity, we keep fathers visible in early help systems and ensure their needs are considered, supporting more balanced and inclusive family support.

For more information, please contact Robert Oughton, Senior Young Dads Worker on 07742 520781, email robert@neydl.uk or visit the North East Young Dads and Lads website

Finding the right youth provision for children and young people can be challenging, particularly for children who find it difficult to manage in open youth sessions where there can be a lot of noise, large groups and less structure.

Chillax Wellbeing CREE at Spennymoor Youth and Community Centre offers weekly term-time youth sessions designed for children with lower levels of confidence, anxiety or some additional needs, where a more structured, smaller group allows the children we support to participate.

Thanks to DCC Public Health Cree funding, Chillax was the first recognised Cree specifically for children, and is delivered by the Spennymoor Youth and Community Association Youth Team and local artist Dawn Belshaw. Sessions support children aged between 7 and 12 or to suit ages according to need.

Activities include arts, crafts, gardening, film shows, treasure hunts, and board games.. Every session has a quiet space where those who might feel overwhelmed by a school day can chillax!

Chillax is held at Spennymoor Youth and Community Centre, during term time on Tuesdays from 3.30 - 5.00pm..

They welcome referrals and are happy to talk to parents, carers and children about the sessions, with a limited number of places currently available - please email michael@syaca.co.uk

The People’s Health Trust have announced a major new collaboration with the UK Government and leading men’s charity Movember, aiming to improve the health of underserved men and older boys in England.

Through this partnership, the Men’s Health Community Fund will invest at least £6.3 million in community and grassroots organisations working in the country’s most deprived areas, for men facing the worst health outcomes.

The Men’s Health Community Fund will support projects that help address the social and economic pressures driving poor health for men and older boys, during key moments of their lives such as the transition to fatherhood, job loss, or retirement, including challenges related to mental health, debt, housing, family relationships and income. 

The Fund will open for applications in summer 2026, with grants to be awarded later in the year.

Find out more here: 

The Men's Health Community Fund

The Department for Science, Innovation and Technology (DSIT) has launched a UK‑wide consultation to understand how children, young people and families can be better supported in a rapidly evolving online world. The work explores young people’s experiences across social media, gaming, emerging technologies and AI, and will inform future Government policy on online safety and digital wellbeing.

People across County Durham are invited to join local conversations about services and support regarding Dementia.

On 22nd April, partners from Durham County Council and the local NHS launched a conversation with the public. This is an opportunity for anyone to share their views and experiences regarding dementia support locally.

This is the first stage in a series of conversations about different parts of the services that are provided locally over the coming months.

Phase 1 – Preventing Well

The first stage of these conversations is focusing on prevention, early intervention and improving quality of life

You can find further information about this work and ways to participate on the Let's Talk County Durham website:

Working Together for People Living with Dementia

The deadline for the survey is Wednesday 17th June. 

NHS leaders in County Durham are looking at the services that are available for people when they have an urgent or emergency health need. 

They are asking for your help to directly inform any future decisions by reflecting on the real‑world experiences you have had. 

Staff and services across County Durham are already working together to help make sure they are meeting patients' needs effectively. 

However, they recognise that it is not always obvious to know where to go for treatment of an urgent / emergency health need that you may have.  

They want to understand people's views on the current way services are working and how to use/ access them, so they can improve for the future.

Find out more and complete the survey:

County Durham Urgent and Emergency Care Survey

The deadline for the survey is Wednesday 17th June.