Current Initiatives

Supporting Our Farming Community

We are concerned about the high suicide rates and poor mental health in our farming community:  Farming has the highest suicide rates of any profession, while the North East has the highest numbers in the country. 

We want to be part of bringing change and enabling support for our farming community and have committed to supporting in the following ways, making partnerships with other organisations who also want to help positive change happen: 

  • Encourage people in the farming community to talk about their mental health.
  • Enable mental health training for those who live, work or interact with our Farmers, in the hope that by raising awareness and upskilling the network around the farming community, we will create a strong support network for them that will make a real difference and save lives. 
  • Enable opportunities for regular health checks and awareness raising to take place at Hexham Mart and Church and Community coffee/lunch venues… Continue Reading

Community Cuppa

Community Cuppa is a collaboration of local people & organisations providing a welcoming place for everyone in the community to meet, find support, friends, information & enjoy taking part in activities, over a cuppa!

As more organisations get involved it becomes a community hub for advice, sharing skills, experiences and resources.   
 
Community Cuppa takes place at Kielder Primary School and Nursery on the second Monday of the month from 2pm -4pm.  We have recently been pleased to welcome Rev Roberta who is leading a gentle Iona style worship from 1.30pm – 2pm.   Everyone is welcome.

Optional Activities you could join in with at  Community Cuppa in the first half of this year: 

Feb: Rounds Singing,  led by Roberta. 

March: Fragile Earth…our Sacred Space: story and crafts led by Frances and Jude. 

(no April meeting in the school hols!)… Continue Reading

Dementia Friends

CCP is on a mission to enable fantastic, useful support for people living with Dementia, their Carers  and Families across West Northumberland.  

We work in partnership with the Alzheimer’s Society,  The Chrysalis Club and The Blue Book.

74 people from across West Northumberland have successfully completed Dementia Friends training with us so far.

  • If you or your organisation, church or place of work would like to become a Dementia Friend, a Dementia Friendly Building or activity, we would love to help make it happen: just let us know.
  • The Blue Book is a summary of all the activities and support available for older people and is free of charge. If anyone would like a copy,  or multiple copies,  please click here:  Get your copy | The Blue Book (the-blue-book.org.uk)  or use The Blue Book link at the bottom of this page.
  • If you are already a Dementia Friend and would like to receive our… Continue Reading

Transport

The need for better access to Transport across West Northumberland is widely acknowledged. We set up West Northumberland Community Transport Network to enable discussions to take place to achieve a realistic understanding of where the gaps are, what is needed and by who, and discuss practical solutions.

Conversations are currently taking place with organisations, charities and members of the public, existing Community Transport providers of successful schemes in other parts of the North East, and with the national Community Transport Association.   

These early discussions indicate that a Community Transport Scheme across West Northumberland could be a way forward – especially in our rural and deep rural areas – enabling more people to participate in social opportunities in their communities, attend appointments, access vital public services and bridge divides. 

The Community Transport Association says:

Community transport provides flexible and accessible community-led solutions in response to unmet… Continue Reading

Sharing Our Wild Spiritual Spaces (SOWSS)

This wellbeing and sustainability initiative takes place at churches in rural and deep rural areas and is suitable for Everyone’s wellbeing and enjoyment:   it is especially aimed at disadvantaged communities and groups such as those for young people, refugees and those who would otherwise not get access to wild spaces, as well as for Visitors and Tourists.

Sharing Our Wild Spiritual Spaces encourages churches to develop and share their outdoor spaces with other groups, especially the disadvantaged, who might enjoy the tranquillity, beauty and nature. It is also a useful way to tidy churchyards and achieve other outdoor jobs that need doing!

The pilot took place at St Aidan’s Thorneyburn led by Churchwarden Caroline Waitt,  Lizzie Kathiravel led the Willow Weaving workshop and a super group of volunteers from churches across the area. Activities may include clearing a space ready for re-wilding, actual planting, scything, clearing paths, hands-on craft such as weaving or drawing or something for wildlife etc, doing jobs that… Continue Reading

Get Involved!

A charitable organisation is as strong as the community that holds it up. Together, we can do more than we can do alone. Let’s bring our abilities and passions together to effect real change.

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