Durham

Fishburn Youth & Community Centre

A long-term vision

Located in the former mining village of Fishburn, County Durham, Fishburn Youth & Community Centre has long served as a central hub for local residents. With a population of 2,500 who face a range of socioeconomic challenges, the hall has provided a wide range of activities and services, including a youth project, exercise classes, a repair hub, and community events.

However, with ageing infrastructure and a need to improve sustainability, a major renovation project was undertaken with support from the Community Spaces Partnership (CSP).

The hall’s management, led by Lynne, recognised the need for substantial investment to ensure long-term viability. A broader redevelopment project worth £250,000 was initiated, with £33,000 provided through the CSP. Key objectives included replacing the roof, upgrading heating systems, improving insulation, and enhancing facilities to increase accessibility and energy efficiency.

The hall, formerly a miners’ welfare hall, was transferred from Durham County Council to the community. The heating system, previously an outdated boiler house, was modernised with two suspended gas boilers, enabling independent heating for different buildings on the site. Further improvements included asbestos removal, new ceilings, and refurbishment of the toilet facilities, ensuring the hall could function as a comfortable and appealing venue for events and activities.

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Successes

Fishburn Village Hall also had prior experience of securing funding, with support from the National Lottery and the Local Area Action Partnership. Past projects included purchasing a van for a meal delivery service and funding for equipment and craft classes.

Beyond physical improvements, the project has fostered stronger community relationships. The hall now enjoys lasting partnerships with local tradespeople, Durham Community Action, and the National Lottery. The experience highlighted the importance of face-to-face engagement in funding applications, reinforcing the need for direct conversations with funders to streamline the process.

Future-proofing

Future-proofing has been a key focus, with LED lighting, low-flush toilets, and enhanced insulation reducing the building’s environmental impact. Further plans include the installation of solar panels through the CAIRN project, maximising the potential of the hall’s large roof space. Additionally, the management team is exploring new income streams, such as hosting a beer festival.

Challenges

Despite successes, several challenges arose. Securing landlord consent took over 11 months, with further delays in obtaining permissions for the new boiler. Additionally, finding reliable contractors proved difficult, as many took on more work than they could handle. Despite these hurdles, the commitment of the team ensured steady progress, and the contractors that did the work now have lasting relationships with the hall team.

Community benefits

The completed project has significantly improved the hall’s sustainability and usability. The new heating system provides better temperature control, reducing costs and making the space more comfortable for users, particularly older residents. The addition of a stainless-steel kitchen with a self-cleaning oven, a new bar and cellar, and improved insulation has transformed the hall into a more attractive venue for community events.

The hall is also home to a youth project for young people who are outside formal schooling.

How Durham Community Action helped

DCA supported the Fishburn team through a range of challenges, such as gaining landlord’s consent. The conversational approach meant that the funding panel could identify opportunities for the CSP to support a range of aspects within the broader Fishburn project.

DCA also identified a future opportunity for Fishburn to consider engaging with the CAIRN project to install PV panels on their large roof, in order to enhance sustainability and reduce electricity bills.

Lynne said:

“I went to a meeting only looking at insulation and got chatting about the broader project and the chair of the panel said 'well, why don’t we look at that?' [...] the boiler was crucial and the conversation was the key."

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