Consett charity opens doors to new centre

A North East charity has opened a new hub to support local young people.

Building Self Belief, based in Consett, County Durham, has officially launched its new community centre on Steel Street in the town centre. 

The charity provides support to vulnerable young people through a range of activities, including wellbeing workshops, team-building sessions and mentoring programmes.

The transformation of the centre was made possible through £13,000 of funding from Karbon Homes’ Unlocking Social Value Fund. 

Contributions included £9000 from Karbon contractors Mitie Property Services and City Electrical Factors, supplemented with match-funding from Karbon. 

Mitie Property Services provided labour and materials to redecorate the building, while City Electrical Factors supplied and installed new lighting and electrical fittings.

The funding also helped Building Self Belief unlock further support from Durham County Council to replace the centre’s windows, completing the refurbishment.

Christine Thomas, chief executive of Building Self Belief, said: “The centre means we now have an identity and a consistent presence, putting us at the heart of the community. 

“We’ve been based in Consett since 2018 but not had a facility to bring people together in. 

“Having our own space will save us lots of time planning and means we can deliver more activity to develop intergenerational friendships in a safe, warm place. 

“The support we’ve received from Karbon and its partners has turned the dream of a new venue into reality. 

“The contractors have done a great job and it’s made a huge difference to us.

“It has given us a truly positive start to our work in our new building.” 

Karbon Homes has been a long-term partner of the charity, supporting multiple projects and services over the years. 

Alongside the renovation project Karbon has also been funding Building Self Belief’s ‘Celebrating Stanley’ project, which is exploring local heritage and identity. 

The project involves students, residents and stakeholders to capture the town’s history and create anthologies, podcasts and an interactive timeline to be shared in December 2025.

Paul Moralee, community investment manager at Karbon Homes, added: “Steel Street was identified as one of our key social value projects in the area as Building Self Belief has a great track record in delivering community projects and involving residents. 

“Having the centre in the heart of Consett is a great asset and will improve accessibility for residents of the area.   

“It’s fantastic to bring together our local partners to provide more community support to those in need. 

“Karbon owns and manages a high proportion of homes in the Consett and Stanley area, so many of our customers will hopefully benefit from the new facilities. 

“Building Self Belief have transformed many lives throughout our partnership and we are delighted to contribute to the important work they deliver.” 

Looking to promote your product/service to SME businesses in your region? Find out how Bdaily can help →