Charity gets hands-on with funding boost

A County Durham mental health charity is getting more hands-on with its support after securing a second four-figure funding boost from a regional employer.

St Margaret’s Centre, based on Margery Lane in Durham City, has received £2000 from The Banks Group’s community fund to buy tools, materials and supplies for its woodwork and joinery workshops.

The charity provides a safe, therapeutic environment where people can build confidence, motivation and self-esteem while learning skills and meeting others.

Its woodworking sessions welcome everyone from complete beginners to experienced craftspeople, with tuition and guidance available for as long as participants require.

Items including bird tables, feeders, placemats and Christmas decorations are produced during the workshops and sold to generate income for the charity, while participants also undertake furniture restoration projects.

Founded in 1991, St Margaret’s supported more than 410 people during the past year, including 216 new referrals.

Almost 100 volunteers now work alongside its core team, with some former attendees going on to lead peer-led craft sessions themselves.

The centre also offers arts and crafts and gardening activities, alongside a community café where participants can gain hospitality experience and develop customer service skills.

People do not require a formal mental health diagnosis to access support, allowing St Margaret’s to provide early intervention where needed.

A dedicated support worker also assists with issues including housing, benefits, debt, relationships and healthy living.

Lisa Harrison, manager at the St Margaret’s Centre, said: “The services we provide are tailored to the needs of each individual, in terms of how long they access them, the sorts of things they do and the support they need to make the most of what we offer.

“Some of our joinery workshop participants have never done this sort of thing before, while others bring a lot of skills with them and particularly value the sort of camaraderie that they’d previously had with colleagues in the workplace.

“We see the difference these sessions make to the well-being and confidence of our service users, especially when participants go on to share their skills and learning as volunteers. 

“Demand for our support remains high, and it’s important that we maintain the quality of the services we provide to ensure they have the maximum possible positive impact.

“Banks’ continuing support in helping us cover our operating costs and making sure we have all the supplies we need to keep delivering these services plays an important role in achieving that objective.”

The latest award follows a previous £2000 Banks Community Fund grant in 2024, which supported materials and tuition for arts and crafts sessions including painting, calligraphy, clay modelling and fabric crafts.

Kate Culverhouse, community relations manager at the Banks Group, added: “The St Margaret’s team helps hundreds of local people when they need that help the most and in ways that enable their service users to become happier, healthier and more confident.

“We’re very pleased to be working with another amazing community organisation in our home city and to be helping St Margaret’s keep up with the demand for their support.”

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