Winston Village Hall has recently been reaccredited with their Hallmark 1 accreditation by Durham Community Action.

Hallmark is a quality standard scheme for village halls and community buildings, and aims to support, establish and reward good practice and encourage improvement in established customs and procedures

Chair of Winston Village Hall, Julie Hall, said:

“This demonstrates that we’re doing all the right things, legally and with our policies. It’s been 13 years since we first received Hallmark, but in that time we’ve kept to the standards, so now having it reaccredited is just brilliant.”

Isla Ballard, Community Hubs Development Lead at Durham Community Action, said:

“We are delighted to award Winston Village Hall the Hallmark Level 1, 2 and 3 accreditation and would like to commend all committee members for their ongoing commitment and enthusiasm towards the Hallmark process. We fully appreciate the work that the committee put into this assessment, and we wish them all the best for the future and look forward to continuing to work with them.”

The Hallmark scheme has three elements, each lasting 3 years:

• Hallmark 1 - management and administration of the charity
• Hallmark 2 - health and safety, security and licences
• Hallmark 3 requires the hall to be working with the community and its users, including stallholders, marketing the hall and building its profile.

If you would like more information about Hallmark, please email info@durhamcommunityaction.org.uk or telephone 01388 742040.

The need for affordable housing in our rural communities remains as pressing as ever. While we welcome another year of Defra funding for the Rural Housing Enabler Programme, progress on the ground is still slow, with very few new rural sites coming forward. This highlights the ongoing challenge facing many villages, where local people are increasingly at risk of being priced out of the communities they know and love.

There are a number of barriers. Suitable land for development is often difficult to secure, and Housing Associations are working under significant regulatory pressure, focusing much of their effort on improving existing homes rather than building new ones in smaller, higher-cost rural areas.

Although rural housing needs can sometimes feel hidden, our ongoing work with residents and Housing Needs Surveys consistently shows that they are real. Young families, older residents and local workers are all affected when options are limited, and prices continue to rise.

Across County Durham’s rural communities, there are around 135 smaller villages with populations of less than 3000, and while Parish Councils and community leaders may not be able to deliver housing solutions on their own, they do have a vital role. By staying informed, understanding their communities’ needs and being ready to respond when opportunities arise, we can work together to ensure our rural communities remain vibrant, inclusive and sustainable for future generations.

Here at DCA, we’d be very happy to share our learning over the last two years, so please get in touch with Susan Tron, our Rural Housing Enabler, if you’d like to know more:

Email susan.tronMBE@durhamcommunityaction.org.uk or visit our webpage Meet Your Rural Housing Enabler

Public Electric Vehicle (EV) charging is typically delivered by commercial operators or local authorities in high-traffic locations, prioritising rapid charging, with profits often leaving the area. In contrast, community EV charging focuses on local benefit, installing charge points at trusted sites such as village halls and community centres, with income reinvested locally. 

The Rural Design Centre (RDC), in partnership with Durham Community Action (DCA), explored how the provision of community-led EV charging points across rural areas of County Durham could help address the limited infrastructure and lack of off-street parking risk that currently excludes rural residents from their transition to electric vehicles, resulting in five feasibility studies carried out in Teesdale.

Building on this early work, the Teesdale V2X project, led by RDC and supported by Charge My Street CIC, Cybermoor, and DCA, is now testing how a community-led charging model could work across five rural community hubs in Barnard Castle, Evenwood, Bowes, Toft Hill and Middleton-in-Teesdale; aiming to improve access, support local economies and ensure the benefits of low-carbon transport remain within communities. 

Read more:

Community vs Public EV Charging: What's the Difference?

The UK's copper landline network is being retired and moving to digital landlines, providing a safer, more reliable service ahead of the industry‑wide switchover in January 2027.

In the final year of the nationwide upgrade, BT is reminding customers that support is available and that failing to respond to messages may result in disruption to their phone or broadband services as the switchover deadline approaches.

You don't need to do anything until you're contacted directly by BT or your provider. Here are 4 simple things to know about the final phase of the switch:

• Respond promptly when contacted to avoid risk of disruption to your services
• Visit BT's Connected Together site for further information and support, including registering for extra support
• Call BT’s customer care team on 0330 1234 150 if you have questions or need help ahead of the switch
• Talk to a relative, friend, or neighbour who might benefit from knowing about the change

A sharing event for the South Durham Poverty Truth Commission is taking place on Thursday 4th June from 12.30 – 3.30pm at Shildon Methodist Church Hall.

People with lived experience of poverty in South Durham have been working together with decision makers over the last year to look at three priorities:

• Benefits and Disability
• Access to Healthcare
• Domestic Abuse

The sharing event is an opportunity to hear feedback on progress so far, and to look forward to the next steps.

This event is for those with an interest in poverty, community engagement, and voice.

Please register here:

South Durham Poverty Truth Commission Event

Volunteers' Week is an annual UK-wide campaign held during the first week of June each year to celebrate and recognise the contributions of volunteers.

We'd love to hear from you about any events or volunteering opportunities you have that we can promote during the campaign week. 

Please email details to: katie.baggott@durhamcommunityaction.org.uk

Are you a community energy group wanting to work with your local Council to get solar PV on your public buildings?

Funded by the Greater South East Net Zero Hub, Community Energy Pathways has been working with Dr Rachel Coxcoon from Climate Guide on a project to improve collaboration between community energy groups and local authorities.

This webinar, taking place on Thursday 28th May from 10.00 - 11.00am, will focus on the draft Guide to Community Solar on Council Assets which is due to be published in June.

Find out more and book your place:

Introduction to the Guide to Community Solar on Council Assets Webinar

In a volatile energy market shaped by ongoing geopolitical uncertainty, charities are under increasing pressure to manage costs effectively while avoiding unnecessary risk.

This free webinar, taking place on Thursday 11th June from 11.00am - 12.00noon and hosted by Ben Mason, will explore current energy market conditions and provide practical guidance on:

• Understanding recent energy market movements
• Reducing procurement risk in gas and electricity contracts
• The benefits of collective purchasing for charities
• Practical considerations when reviewing energy agreements

This session is particularly relevant for organisations looking to improve financial resilience and make more informed energy purchasing decisions.

Find out more:

Energy Market insights for Charities Webinar 

This Rathbones Charity Expert Series webinar will explore how charities can strengthen their financial resilience in the face of ongoing pressure and uncertainty.

Drawing on her extensive experience across the charitable and philanthropic landscape, Emma DeClosset, Chief Executive of UK Community Foundations, will share insights into how charities are adapting their funding strategies, reassessing risk, and planning for a more unpredictable future.

The session will focus on the practical realities facing charity leaders today: how to balance short‑term financial pressures with long‑term sustainability; how to think differently about income mix, reserves and endowments; and how governance, investment strategy and forward planning can support greater resilience.

The webinar takes place on Wednesday 17th June from 12.00 - 1.00pm.

Book your place here:

Resilience in the Future Funding Landscape

This revised online session delivered by Durham Community Action is aimed at individuals and groups from the voluntary, community and social enterprise (VCSE) sector, including charities and volunteer-led groups, who want to explore how to generate income through trading. 

It will support you to understand how charities can generate income through trading, and will cover the basics of charitable trading, the different types of trading, and how to decide if it is right for your organisation. The session will also include practical examples and key things to consider such as risk, tax and governance.

It will take place on Thursday 2nd July from 10.00 - 11.30am.

Book your place here:

Charities and Trading Online Workshop

A new Involving Young Volunteers online course has been designed for those working with volunteers or those looking to involve more young people. 

It offers practical guidance on understanding young people’s motivations and creating inclusive, youth-led opportunities, alongside tips on recruiting, supporting and recognising young volunteers.

The course is free and can be completed at any time through the Elements Training Portal, which is delivered by North Tyneside VODA, Connected Voice, Northumberland CVA, Community Action Northumberland, Durham Community Action, Inspire South Tyneside and Sunderland VSA, providing free, flexible learning for the VCSE sector.

Find out more about the Elements Training portal and how to access the course here

The Charity Commission has redesigned its guidance to help trustees identify and manage both financial conflicts (where a trustee or someone connected to them stands to gain money or other value) and conflicts of loyalty (where obligations to another person or organisation could influence a trustee’s judgement). 

Read more here:

Unmanaged conflicts of interest increase risk of financial abuse in charities, regulator warns

Point North are administering The Care Leavers Fund which provides grants to care leavers aged 18 to 25 to support with the cost of essentials and practical support that they would not ordinarily have access to.

Care leavers means young people who have left or are in the process of leaving the care system.

Applications must be made by an appropriate person who  will act as a referrer or sponsor. 

Grants are available up to £1,000.

Find out more: Care Leavers Fund (Individuals)

Henry Smith Foundation is opening four new funds between May and July, with a fifth following later in the year.

• Proud Homes — opened 6th May. Safe, inclusive homelessness services for LGBT+ young people.
• Early Years and Parenting — opens 3rd June. Parenting support built around trust, not judgment.
• Equity Justice — opens 24th June. Walking with racially minoritised young men through the justice system.
• Career Ready — opens July. Specialist job coaches for young people with learning disabilities.
• Core Memories — opens 2026. Grassroots youth organisations showing up before a crisis arrives. 

Find out more: Henry Smith Foundation

Local charities can apply for up to £2,500 from the Fat Beehive Foundation to support specific digital projects that improve reach, accessibility and impact.

This fund is focused entirely on digital development, an area that is often difficult to secure funding for.

The Foundation is particularly interested in supporting smaller or harder-to-fund organisations, including those working with disadvantaged young people, refugees or people involved in the criminal justice system.

What can be funded?

• Website development or redesign
• Online resources or digital content
• Accessibility improvements
• Digital tools or systems
• Digitising services

The fund is for one-off digital projects only, not general IT costs, equipment or salaries.

Applications are considered twice a year (April and October).
The next closing date is Wednesday 30th September.

Find out more: The Fat Beehive Foundation

The North East Combined Authority are currently running a short survey as part of the Safety of Women and Girls Study, which is looking at how safe women and girls feel when moving around the North East.

The findings will help build a clear evidence base to shape future action and improvements, including informing the Mayor’s Local Transport Plan and wider work to improve safety across the region.

Complete the survey here:

North East Combined Authority Women and Girls' Safety Survey

The deadline for responses is Friday 29th May.

Durham County Council's consultation and engagement platform, Let’s Talk County Durham, provides a space for people to be actively involved in local decision-making, deciding together what should happen.

By registering on the site, you can create your personalised account to make the most of its features and get alerts on subjects or geographical areas of interest to you.

Visit: www.letstalkcountydurham.co.uk