What's going on in your community
September News
Garden Competition Winners
Throughout September our Tenant Involvement Team were tasked with selecting the Winners of our prestigious Garden Competition. This year we awarded prizes in the following categories:
- Best Scheme – Winner – Branksome Hall Drive
- Best Communal Area – Mrs. Carter, Bank Top
- Best Individual Garden – Mrs. Banner, Cockerton
- Special Recognition Award – Firthmoor Community Centre
The winners all showed tremendous dedication and creativity with their outside spaces and have been awarded vouchers of their choosing. The Garden Competition will return bigger and better than ever in 2025.
Darlington Xtra Podcasts
The latest housing podcast was released by Darlington Xtra in September. In the latest edition Adele and Julie from the Housing Options Team answered questions about rough sleepers in Darlington and where to seek support.
To listen to this podcast as well as previous podcasts, hit the link below:
Keep your eyes peeled for further additions in the future.
Macmillan Coffee Mornings
A number of schemes have been hosting coffee mornings in aid of the charity ‘Macmillan Cancer Research’.
To highlight a couple of schemes:
- Wesley Court raised an amazing £263.00 from a game of Bingo, Raffle and a Bake Sale – well done to all those involved.
- Branksome Hall Drive raised an outstanding £564.00 with a game’s afternoon and Hot Roast Beef Sandwiches - Thanks to all those who attended.
Not forgetting the Housing Team who raised £200.00 with a bake sale and dress down day.
Gas Safety Week
You may have noticed we highlighted Gas Safety Week [external link] across our Facebook page from 9th September.
Gas Safety is incredibly important in keeping you and your family safe in your home. Darlington Borough Council arrange your annual free of charge Gas Safety check by organising a qualified Gas Safe Engineer to attend your home.
As a Darlington Council Housing Tenant, if you need an emergency repair to your heating, or any other aspect of your home. You can call our 24-hour repairs line on 01325 405333.
Darlington is a safe place for you.
Refugee Week
17th - 23rd June was Refugee Week – the world’s largest Arts & Culture festival celebrating the contributions, creativity and resilience of Refugee’s and people seeking sanctuary The theme this year was ‘Our Home’.
To celebrate the occasion DBC Refugee Team hosted an event to celebrate at The Hullabaloo and wanted the event to be entertaining, productive and educational but also to display the amazing resources in Darlington and the support on offer. There was access to the amazing Hullabaloo sensory area, a fire engine for children to enjoy investigating, an amazing Ukrainian Orchestra; Kostia for people to enjoy, a wealth of agency stands offering practical advice, free services, events and guidance.
There was an amazing and poignant artwork display from Corporation Road School, a craft area, some amazing presentations from The Red Cross explaining all their services and how they assist people and the scale of their involvement all over the World.
There was a beautiful speech from Sasha; a Ukrainian lady who arrived to Darlington via the Homes for Ukraine Scheme and she spoke of the obstacles she was met with but more importantly how she dealt with them to become the amazing person that she is today.
She spoke of the supporting family she lives with, her skills she has shared by volunteering with the Learning & Skills team and how her move to the UK has shaped her growth not just as a Refugee but as a person making an appalling situation into a positive experience for herself and demonstrating the resilience of Refugee’s, Migrants and Asylum Seekers.
DBC also secured some amazing donations from staff from a donations box and a dress down day which allowed us to allow people to take items that a lot of people take for granted such as colouring pens, sanitary items, food, toiletries but some of the attendee’s would deem a ‘luxury item’ given the basic income they receive.
We also were kindly donated swimming vouchers from the Dolphin Centre and access to the new Hope Town facility.
We would like to thank the following agencies for their support and assistance:
- The Hullabaloo
- The Fire Service
- Move More
- Darlington Citizens Advice Bureau – displaying what amazing support they can offer
- Darlington Libraries
- Kostia – Ukrainian Orchestra
- Darlington DWP
- Dolphin Centre
- Triage
- Police
- Red Cross
- Corporation Road School & The Lingfield Trusts – especially to the Children who made the display and the two wonderful ladies who helped assemble it.
- Learning & Skills
- Darlington Connect
- Sasha Tsymbal – Our amazing speaker
- The events staff, hosts and catering team at the Hullabaloo and Dolphin Centre
Gathering at the Hullabaloo
The Refugee Support Team
Learning and Skills