WEARDALE AAP SAYS GOODBYE
Weardale Area Action Partnership, AGM and Farewell Event
March 6 2025
By Angelina Maddison
YOUR Weardale Area Action Partnership held its last Board meeting last night with a good attendance. Reviewing the draft AGM report.
The event firstly looked at the activities undertaken in 2024/2025 Budget with the spread of funding across the Dale.
Projects like the Westgate kitchen refurbishment, supporting youth clubs in Frosterley and Westgate, and over the Summer a play area refurbishment programme will be undertaken with the flagship project being Frosterley having a play area designed by the children and residents, who choose what equipment would be a best fit for them, from a tender document.
The AGM report will be made available to any one who is interested so please drop us a message and we will ensure you receive a copy.
We looked back at the projects over the last 16 years, far to many to list individually and some of the beneficiaries of AAP funding spoke about their projects and what a difference the funding had made.
Projects for example like WordFest, Weardale Warblers, Wolsingham Wayfarers, Stanhope Silver Brass Band, Durham Dales Sports club. The refurbishment and support to community centres and buildings.
- Linda Pearson our rural CAB worker, has identified over 1.5million pounds for residents in Weardale from unclaimed benefits.
- The Weardale Way – investment to maintain the footpaths and signage to encourage visitors into Weardale.
- Muggleswick Champing Project – a project to sensitively enable a church to enable the community to worship and use the building for overnights stays for pilgrims and walkers on the Saints Trail.
- Supporting the Agricultural shows with funding to ensure all three show thrive going forward.
- Delivered a programme of community lead initiatives, with some Towns and Villages funding, an example of this was Ashcroft receiving an upgrade on their MUGA.
- During Covid we deliver over 1 tonne of food alongside educational activity packs to families in Weardale.
- Promoting Arts and crafts support cultural and heritage of Weardale. Supporting small groups to grow and established groups to flourish.
- Working with Killhope Mining Museum – with interpretation Boards, interactive displays and artists to give a special visitor experience.
- Support the Yurts in Killhope and the permanent display of the Weardale Tub, which the community of Weardale created glass panels.
- Training 6 sports apprentices, and 4 outdoor youth activities worker
- ManHealth – developing a pilot project to support the rural community for mens mental health and wellbeing.
- Support training for our farmers with courses they request working with our partners at UTASS.
- The Dale has become famous for its festival lights, the AAP have support the infrastructure to bring the community together to celebrate the festive period.
Part of the role of your AAP is to support and attract additional funding into Weardale, an example of this working with our Regeneration colleagues with the UKSPF fund. Which has enabled substantive refurbishment of community centres and community meeting spaces.
The Muggleswick Champing Project will be a phased project utilising a variety of funder, the team at Muggleswick invite you to look at the work that has been achieved with phase one.
There has been to many project to list, the AAP team and Board would like to thank them all for their hard work, and especially those volunteers who give up their time and expertise freely to support others.
Moving forward the AAP are transitioning to Local Networks, what this means to the community, your team will be out and about over the next few months, asking you what you would like to see developed. Once the information is collected it will be formulated by the Local Network Panel into a 4 year development plan.
The Local Network Panels will be made up of local people, agencies and elected members. Who will direct the work of the 4 year plan, and other relevant funding streams.
Contact if you would like more information.
Our chair Cllr Anita Savory summed up her thoughts & feelings in a verse which was appreciated by all those that attended.
WAP Poem – By Cllr Anita Savory
As we come to start anew
Let’s look back and review.
All the projects that have been
Considered, debated, decided, and seen.
Our projects big and small have been unique
And been worthy of some great critique
A Skatepark providing free family fun
Available. In all weathers and occasionally sun!
Fun with food distributed with discretion and care
Ensuring those in most need receive their fair share.
Caring for and sustaining our Village Halls
Windows and paint to brighten the walls
Mothers and Toddlers and Grannies too
Helping to relieve life’s stress when it’s a chew.
Promoting in school about consent
Ensuring students know the meaning and what is meant.
Preserving our heritage with Stanhope Silver Band
Playing music and entertaining all over the land.
Wolsingham Wayfarers a walking group
Walking fells and paths to restore and recoup.
Youth Clubs for our young at heart
All now thriving after a slow start.
Art groups providing extra love and support creating masterpieces to treasure
With tea and cake thrown in for good measure.
Little groups like the Clippy mat group at Wearhead
To Muggleswick Church where as well of worship they are trying champing instead.
Road safety and education ensuring the knowledge for the younger generation.
Information not found on a play station.
Providing a rural advice worker and a health and well being champ
Covering everything from benefits entitlement to cramp
Christmas parties for young and old and
Lots of volunteers worth their weight in gold
Major project such as Light up the Dale
Bringing in visitors by road and by rail.
There has of course been tears and tension
And laughter on many occasion
Too many times to mention
You as a Board should be very proud
You should be shouting very loud.
Then there is the team Angelina Fiona and Tracy
Whom are worthy of praise.
I have a plan is Angelina’s catchphrase
I hear Tracys words wherever we went
Please remember your money is spent
Fiona with her quiet gentle air
Saying can we get our WAP logo on there.
The AAP has served Weardale well
From the bottom of the dale to the top
Our work and enthusiasm did not stop.
As the new networks are put in place
Let’s face the future with a smile on our face.
The Weardale AAP has made a massive impact
That isn’t fiction or hearsay but 100per cent fact.
And now without further ado
I would just like to say an enormous thank you.
