Historic venue strikes a chord for youth awards

A historic County Durham palace is set to host a special fundraising concert to support grassroots organisations helping young people across the region.

Auckland Palace in Bishop Auckland will welcome up to 110 guests on Thursday, November 12, for an evening of live music in aid of the High Sheriff’s Youth Awards.

The concert, held on behalf of the High Sheriff of Durham, Dr Arnab Basu MBE DL, will take place in St Peter’s Chapel, with wine and canapés served during the interval.

Sponsored by Bishop Auckland College, the event will also feature an auction to raise additional funds for the awards, which are facilitated by regional community foundation Point North.

Since 2012, the awards have supported more than 120 grassroots organisations and 46,000 young people across County Durham, Darlington, Hartlepool and Stockton.

Dr Basu, who is also chief executive and co-founder of Kromek Group, has made improving opportunities for disadvantaged young people, particularly those facing mental health challenges or at risk of becoming involved in crime, a priority during his year in office.

He said: “I’m very grateful to The Auckland Project for hosting this concert and helping us raise funds for the High Sheriff’s Youth Awards.

“During my year so far as High Sheriff, I’ve already had the opportunity to visit some remarkable organisations working with young people, often in communities facing considerable challenges.

“I’ve seen first-hand the difference that relatively modest amounts of funding can make to the work they do.

“The concert should be a very enjoyable evening in a wonderful setting, and I hope people will come along, support the event and help us to support more community organisations next year.”

A VIP wine-tasting experience, sponsored by Bishop Auckland Town Council, will also take place before the concert, hosted by Daniel Jonberger, owner of Crush Wine Bar and Norse.

Jane Ruffer, chief executive and co-founder of The Auckland Project, the regeneration charity behind Auckland Palace, added: “We are delighted to be welcoming guests to Auckland Palace for what promises to be a wonderful evening of music in support of such an important cause.

“Every young person deserves the opportunity to thrive, regardless of their background or circumstances, and the High Sheriff’s Youth Awards play a vital role in helping grassroots organisations make that possible.

“We are proud to support Dr Basu’s efforts to make a lasting difference to young people across our region and hope the concert will raise valuable funds for the organisations doing such remarkable work in our communities.”

Standard tickets cost £30, with VIP tickets priced at £50. Click here to find out more.

The concert forms part of The Auckland Project’s wider commitment to supporting local communities through culture, heritage and education, alongside its work to regenerate Bishop Auckland.

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