The Teesside Charity, a registered charity dedicated to financially supporting community groups and charities based within Teesside, is proud to announce the expansion of its services to include Darlington, broadening its reach to serve the Tees Valley region.
This expansion marks a major milestone in The Teesside Charity’s mission to bridge the gap, providing social and economic opportunities that would not otherwise have existed in the area.
For 14 years, The Teesside Charity has provided a lifeline for young people, families, community groups, the homeless, those recovering from an addiction, the long-term unemployed, those living in poverty or living with a disability in Teesside.
“Expanding our work into Darlington and across the entire Tees Valley is an exciting new chapter for us as a charity rooted in the heart of this region. It means that we’re not just helping those lucky enough to live in a TS postcode, we’re helping all Teessiders. After all, we are The Teesside Charity, it’s natural that we should aim to help the whole region” said Harriet Spalding, chair of trustees.
“When I first became involved with the charity, I was blown away by the innate strength and resilience that runs throughout Teesside. Over that time, however, we have seen a growing need for accessible, local support that truly helps to tackle the challenges people face. By broadening our reach, we’re ensuring that no part of the region is left behind, that people living in the local authorities of Darlington, Stockton-on-Tees, Redcar and East Cleveland, Middlesbrough and Hartlepool can all benefit from the same level of connection and opportunity.”
Beginning in June 2025, The Teesside Charity will start accepting grant proposals and initiating partnerships with local organisations within the local authority of Darlington. With this expansion, the charity will now offer its full range of services, including funding schemes, caravan holidays, Teesside Hero Awards and the Christmas Toy Appeal to charities, not-for-profit organisations, CICs, CIOs and schools based within the local authority of Darlington, alongside continued support for communities within the local authority areas of Stockton-on-Tees, Redcar and East Cleveland, Middlesbrough and Hartlepool.
To help kick-start the expansion, The Teesside Charity has donated £500 to the King’s Church in Darlington. The King’s Church runs a referral-based food bank twice a week, on Mondays and Thursdays, for those experiencing hardship. They were nominated to receive the charity’s first grant by patron Baltic Apprenticeships who are based in Darlington.
Laura Jameson, senior safeguarding officer and IAG lead at Baltic Apprenticeships said: “We were honoured to nominate the King’s Church in Darlington for support through The Teesside Charity. During a recent visit, we saw first-hand the incredible impact the foodbank is having on the local community and how hard the staff and volunteers work to provide essential support. We´re proud to have been able to play a small part in enabling this work.
“As a Darlington-based business, we’re delighted to welcome The Teesside Charity to our local area. Having supported them for many years, we know first-hand what a fantastic job they do, so it´s amazing to see their funding now reaching charities on our doorstep. We´re excited to continue backing their brilliant efforts.”
Harriet added: “This expansion means stronger local networks and a louder voice for the communities we serve. Over the years, we´ve witnessed and experienced the incredible things that can happen when we reach out, help and connect to those in need. This move strengthens our mission to not just offer help, but to build lasting change in partnership with local people.”
Organisations interested in applying for funding or learning more about eligibility criteria are encouraged to contact [email protected].
