Exciting News about our Community Garden
Building Self-Belief are delighted to be a new member of the the Social Farms and Gardens. We are in the final stages of securing our 25 year lease in Benfieldside Community Garden. Once this has been confirmed, we are ready to get going on what will be a fabulous transformation.
We Need Your Help
As a project we will need as much support as possible from the community. As a community garden we want to create a fabulous space that people of all ages can contribute to and enjoy. There will be planters for growing food, and wildflower areas, some mature trees are already there. What we want to d is involve the community on how we redesign the space.
What underpins our purpose is that it is well known that gardening is so good for our physical and our mental health. In our area, many people only have back yards, therefore to have access to a garden is a brilliant new addition to their lives.
Here are some of the benefits to being involved in community gardening:
- Outdoor gardening can help your body fight disease
- Regular gardening builds strength, promotes sleep and helps maintain a healthy body weight
- Gardening can help protect your memory as you get older
- Gardening is a mood booster
- Gardening calms you after a stressful event
- Community gardens foster a feelings of connectivity
- Gardening can five you a feeling of empowerment
We are open to suggestions about how the space is used, we are also happy for people to give up as much time as they can afford to help us get this project off the ground. If you would like to volunteer in the garden for us, please get in touch.
Consett Heritage Project / December 4th, 2023
Sarah Envy - Consett Heritage Podcast
Sarah is Engagement Manager for The National Lottery Heritage Fund North. Until her involvement in our Consett Heritage Project, she was unaware that this area had such a significant industrial past, and that Consett steel was used in the construction of the Eiffel Tower! From photographs she has seen of the old Consett Ironworks, she now realises that you would have been able to see rows of machinery just over the horizon from the Reservoir, peeking over the ridge of the dam. She believes that we need to continue to provide opportunities to access such a significant part of Consett's heritage. She is particularly excited about the latest Heritage initiative that will truly put Co Durham on the cultural and heritage map!
Consett Heritage Project / October 11th, 2023
Peter Shaw 'Shawty' - Consett Heritage Podcast
Peter is 4th generation Consett Native (Delves to be Specific), his childhood was spent wandering the now desolate and empty railway lines before they were finally pulled up, playing in and around the remains of the then quiet monsters of industry before they were pulled down. It was his time spent in what was left of the steelworks that has led to a lifelong interest into the heritage of 'the works'.
Youth Social Action / July 2nd, 2025
Benfieldside Community Garden / July 2nd, 2025
Benfieldside Communty Garden's Early July Update
Here is Building Self-Belief's .July update about the work at Benfieldside Community Garden. The areas where the paths will be have been scraped out - and next week the 2000 blocks will be laid to edge the path... Take a look at the work so far!