Grant creates room for young Champions

A Darlington community project has expanded its facilities for young adults with learning difficulties following a second four-figure funding boost.

Five Acres Community Garden CIC has used a £2000 grant from County Durham-headquartered Banks Group’s community fund to create a new social enterprise hub at its Brafferton base.

The funding has helped refurbish and equip a portakabin that is now being used for digital design, product creation and enterprise activities.

More than 30 young adults, known by Five Acres as its ‘Champions’, are expected to benefit from the space, which aims to build digital skills, confidence and employability.

The hub will also allow participants to design and produce branded items including T-shirts and mugs, which can be sold through Five Acres’ shop to generate income for its work.

Funding covered flooring, painting and insulation, alongside specially selected tables and chairs and two laptops.

It is the second £2000 grant Five Acres has received from Banks, following support last year for woodworking equipment used to establish a workshop at Brafferton.

Charlotte Iceton, centre manager at Five Acres Community Garden, said: “Our Champions come from right across the North East, with the experiences we provide designed to help them develop practical social, independent living and employability skills, as well as greater confidence in themselves and their ability to succeed.

 “There aren’t many places where they can learn new skills at their own pace with the information and environment tailored specifically to their needs, so we’ve designed our new social enterprise hub with meeting these needs specifically in mind.

 “We’re providing our Champions with new opportunities to use technology to make things we can sell, which will help to raise vital funds for Five Acres and help them see what sorts of activities they enjoy and excel at.

“Having this new space will make a massive difference to the learning opportunities that our Champions can access and we’re grateful to Banks for helping us bring in the equipment that we needed to start to fully realise its potential.”

Founded by Debbie and Gavin Iceton in Newton Aycliffe in 2019, Five Acres was created in response to a decline in services available to young people with additional needs.

The organisation moved to Brafferton last spring, where activities now include cookery, gardening, animal care and arts and crafts.

Its longer-term aim is to develop an agricultural and horticultural centre where young adults can strengthen their social, independent living and employability skills.

Banks is currently proposing a development of up to 600 homes at Beaumont Hill, north of Darlington.

Kate Culverhouse, community relations manager at the Banks Group, whose community funds are independently managed by Point North, added: “The Five Acres team has turned a long-term vision into a brilliant facility for its young Champions and is giving them even more chances to enjoy developing new life and technical skills.”

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