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Evenwood: the story so far

Jul 1, 2021

Photo © Trevor Littlewood (cc-by-sa/2.0)

When we started in Evenwood 3 years ago, we partnered with North Star Housing Association Community Connector and hit the streets for some consultation. We went door to door to get the residents comments and ideas. Although all the residents were keen to see something happen, they were hesitant about whether this would work.
We have come a long way in the time since Coral and Rachel hit the streets of Wellgarth. It has not always been easy but to see where we are now, it has always been worth it. Kate, our Community Development Worker has continued to work with Coral to see the development of the support on offer to the residents. Kate and the youth work team have been dleivering youth activities each week that has provided them with opportunties to come together.

Kate and Coral have worked tirelessly to ensure that all of the community work becomes sustainable for the benefit of the community. Through lockdown, North Star Housing provided the residents with laptops so that they could continue to meet online. Before the pandemic they had been working towards becoming a community association of their own accord. They have now achieved this, registering earlier in the year with a young chair, a secretary and a treasurer. Before the pandemic the group had worked hard to raise money for different community intiatives such as Christmas Lights for the village.

Words cannot describe the journey that the community have been on, one that continued through lockdown, one that will continue into the future. The Community House is not just for those of Wellgarth but one for the whole of Evenwood and we know that those that have set up and joined the Evenwood Community Association will safeguard it for the whole community.

If you would like more information about the amazing work carried out by YMCA Teesdale, please contact us here. if you wish to make a small donation and help us provide the resources we need to transform the lives of vulnerable young people, please donate here.