Benfieldside Community Garden

We are delighted to have secured a 25 year lease on a fabulous garden space in Benfieldside, Consett, an area previously identified by local residents as derelict. We are looking forward to all working together to transform this space into a fabulous community asset.

Our Community Garden

Building Self-Belief are delighted to be a new member of the the Social Farms and Gardens. Having secured our 25 year lease in Benfieldside Community Garden, we are ready to get going on what will be a fabulous transformation. To ensure we get the very best out of the space we are consulting:

- landscape gardeners

- tree surgeons

- the allotment community

- the local community

- young people in the area.

Our aim is to create the very best community garden!

Click here for our plans
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transformation of Benfieldside Community Garden

Our One Year Transformation of Benfieldside Community Garden

Take a look at our fabulous booklet that documents our transformation of Benfieldside Community Garden from November 2023 to November 2024. Discover the incredible journey of our community garden. This downloadable booklet captures a year's worth of growth, teamwork, and renewal. Download now and witness the power of community in action! 

There's still lots to do - exciting times ahead!

Read our booklet
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We're One of Starbuck's 100 New Nature Hubs!

Ready, steady, grow! We’re excited to announce that we are one of 100 community nature projects across England, Scotland and Wales to receive funding from The Nature Hubs Fund. Hubbub polling shows that three quarters of people (78%) feel better after spending time in nature. We want our community to benefit form such a brilliant initiative!

We’re excited to get growing so more people can connect with nature and enjoy its benefits #NatureHubs

Volunteer with us

Volunteer with us
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Keep up-to-date on the amazing progress of our community garden

Find out more

Investors in the Environment Bronze Award

We are delighted to have achieved our Investors in the Environment Bronze award,. This award is in recognition for our work at the office and at the garden. Our apprentice Shauna Nixon is our dedicated ‘Green Champion’ who will continue to  help Building Self-Belief work to increase sustainability across our programmes and office practices. We were also delighted to be invited to Peterborough for the annual awards, where Benfieldside Community Garden was shortlisted for the Best Natural Space - an amazing achievement in our first year!

Take a look at our fabulous booklet
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Our Events

Come and join us and either participate in our programmes, celebrate the successes of our young people or help us raise money to continue our work. We have something for everybody!  There is lots of research that proves being out in the fresh air gardening has a positive impact on mental health. Therefore what better way to celebrate the benefits of gardening than volunteering with us at Building Self-Belief's community garden. 

Our garden events
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Tommy and Archie

Our Awards

As Benfieldside Community Garden goes from strength to strength, we are absolutely delighted at the awards we are winning. We are so proud of our volunteers and their awards, we could not achieve what we do without your support. It is also fabulous to get recognition for our environmentally friendly approach to the redevelopment of the garden. There's still lots to do, and we can't wait to get started on the next phase! Here is a picture of Tommy and Archie winning their Young Superstars Awards at the Durham Youth Awards!

Our Awards
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Benfieldside Community Garden Transformation Part One

This film is an insight into how much we have achieved - and we are excited about the next phase of our Benfieldside Community Garden transformation!

Renovating the Giant's Foot

Easter was the perfect opportunity to encourage volunteers to come and help us at Benfieldside Community Garden. We were absolutely delighted to have over 45 volunteers of all ages over the tow days. Such events are a true testament to what can be achieved when we all work together. We had an egg hunt, used the Storytelling Corner, and most significantly, renovated the Giant’s Foot!

Read more here
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Community Meeting-Benfieldside Community Garden

Thank you to the many people who have supported our endeavour to create a fabulous Community Garden. Thank you for attending the meeting, the minutes can be found below.

Find out more
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Our Garden Volunteers

This project would not be possible without our amazing volunteers. These people are part of Consett's local community and are making what we do possible.

Meet our team
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Developing positive partnerships with other institutions is something we do exceptionally well. Without these partners, this project would not be possible

RHS Level 1
RHS Level 2
Archie and Tommy and their Durham Young Superstars Awards
Investors in the Environment Bronze Award
Kew Gardens Young Environmental Leader Award
B and Q Neighbourly
National Lottery
Save our Wild Isles
social farms and gardens
Starbucks Nature Hub

What a fantastic turn out 30+ children turned up for Halloween activities. They enjoyed pumpkin carving, sweet hunting, face painting and games. Well done to the volunteers, children and parents/carers for a fun filled afternoon 💀👻🎃

- Becca Garland

Another great afternoon. Kids loved it xx

- Christine Clarke

We had a fabulous & breezy afternoon at the community garden yesterday. The children played ‘garden bingo’ & worked really hard making lavender gift bags and orange bird feeders. See you again next week!

- Christine Thomas

Excellent!! well done boys super proud of you both Archie and Tommy winning their awards!

- Wendy Garland

I am so proud of what we have achieved over the past year in the garden. It was in such a state, it is great to see so many people enjoying the garden. We have had so many volunteers of all ages. I am looking forward to the future and even more events!

- Wendy Garland

Amazing work from all the children and volunteers today. Painting rocks, plant pots and re planting some beautiful flowers ☀️🪻🌼. The children really enjoyed themselves xx

- Becca Garland

Kids had a fabulous time this afternoon ivy been a busy little bee learning how to look after all the plants and Dougie just been Dougie ha x thanks again xx

- Christine Clarke

Another glorious sunny day ☀️ at the garden. The children enjoyed a scavenger hunt, garden games, decorating watering cans and watering the flowers. Well done to the children and volunteers for all the hard work in the heat xx

- Becca Garland