Members
Our members are the heart and soul of our organisation. We currently have around 161 members.
Membership is free – but if you would like to make a contribution to be a member we would be delighted.
Being a member is not a requirement to take part in our activities, they are open to anybody who shares our vision and passion for Chopwell.
We would love for many more people to join and to get more involved in what we do in Chopwell.
Community Involvement and Consultation
We hold open meetings every 3 months, everyone is welcome to attend. Follow us on Facebook to be informed when and where these are held, we also use the page to regularly debate ideas and seek views of the community.
Awards success
We recently were awarded the prestigious Janette Kirton-Darling Memorial Prize at a ceremony at Newcastle Cathedral. This was for our grassroots community-led drive and determination to change the lives and life chances of people in our community.
We were also highly commended in two categories at the 2022 North East Charity Awards and received an Angel Award from our MP.
The full list of awards won by Chopwell Regeneration Group is:
- 2021 Bright Ideas in Health Awards: Award for “Making Healthier Happier Places and Spaces: Innovation in the Built Environment”
- 2022: National Rural Community Business Awards: Award for “Rural Vision Volunteering”.
- 2022: National Rural Community Business Awards: Award won by our volunteer, Emily Thompson: “Young Person Award”.
- 2022: North East Charity Awards: Highly commended in the “Uniquely North East Charity” category.
- 2022: North East Charity Awards: Our Chairman, Jodie Barwick-Bell was highly commended on the “Charity Champion of the Year” category.
- 2022: Winner- The Janette Kirton-Darling Memorial Prize. Awarded “For outstanding leadership, creativity and impact in developing effective means to #ShiftThePower”
- 2022: Angel Award presented to The Bank by Liz Twist MP
Projects and Grants Received
Since starting in April 2017 we have carried out the following significant projects:
- The Chopwell Community Orchard set-up with funding Greggs Charitable Trust.
- With funding from the National Lottery, support from Gateshead Council and a large number of volunteers we carried out a Brighten Up Chopwell month to try and brighten up our village by clearing rubbish, tidying up, fixing, painting and planting flowers and cherry trees.
- We raised funds to put Christmas lights up and down our village.
- The Ballinger Trust part-funded the development of this website.
- Land of Oak and Iron funded a training programme for two local unemployed people to learn to repair bikes.
- The Ballinger Trust funded 3 benches being installed after being refurbished by the Men’s Shed.
- With support from the Co-op community fund and land provided by The Chopwell Official’s Club a group of volunteers have created the Chopwell Community Allotment.
- With funding from the People’s Postcode Lottery we have installed signs in Chopwell Wood directing visitors to our village.
Community Events and Activities
Our volunteers run regular events across the year for the village to enjoy. These bring us together to have fun and get to know each other, and also raise money for us to reinvest in the village.
So far these have included Maker’s Markets, Chopwell Big Weekend, Pop-up restaurants, pizza and quiz nights, a jumble sale, a car boot sale and an auction as well as planting events and litter picks.
Please check out our Facebook page, the newsletter and this website for information on upcoming events.
What’s coming next?
Our 5 key priorities for the next 5 years are:
- Commence implementation of our housing strategy;
- Develop and begin implementation of the cycling hub concept for Chopwell;
- Develop our plans for the continued regeneration of Derwent Street;
- Continuing to improve The Bank’s long term sustainability by increasing income, widening its appeal and continuing to engage new residents; and
- Working with our partners in the Chopwell and Blackhall Mill Partnership to continue to develop relationships between all the local organisations, with a particular focus on improving the support for young people in our two villages.
How you can get involved
- Join us at our quarterly public meetings.
- Volunteer to help us deliver our activities. Even an hour or two can really make a difference.
- Become a member.
- Follow us on Facebook for regular news and updates on upcoming activities.
- Give us feedback on what we do, and ideas for new activities and projects.
- Join us at our events and activities. Everyone is very welcome, and you don’t need to be a member to join us. It’s a great way to make new friends and get to know your neighbours.
- If you enjoy an activity you would like to develop, and share with others in the village you could bring the idea to the public meetings or email us at team@chopwell.org. We would love to support you in developing your idea, and it could be a great way to share your passion with others.
- If you live in the village look out for our quarterly newsletter through your letterbox. It includes news about what we are doing, and also news from our partner groups in the village. If you don’t live here, we post the newsletter on the website too.
Legal Structure
We are a Charitable Incorporated Organisation, registered with the Charity Commission. All of our activity must be for the good of the community, and all funds raised must be used to meet our aims, and not to make profit for individual trustees or members.
The organisation was originally a Community Interest Company established on 31 May 2017 but on 15 May 2019 the organisation was converted into a Charitable Incorporated Organisation and so is now a registered charity (charity no. 1183436)
Chopwell Regeneration CIO (known as Chopwell Regeneration Group) has a board of Trustees, but it is also a member organisation and our members are involved in every key decision made.
Trustees (Our trustees are all volunteers and DO NOT receive any payment for their services):
- Jodie Barwick-Bell
- Jacqueline Quincey
- Mark Bell
- Tom Brazier
- John Coburn
- Laura Ferrie
- Marie Imlach
- Granville Wright
- Emma Hamilton
- Stacey Forster
- Robert Donaldson
The Chopwell and Blackhall Mill Partnership
Chopwell Regeneration Group know the importance of working together with other local organisations to help and support each other and share resources, news and events. In addition by jointly working on projects together we can accomplish more than by working in isolation. We have therefore worked with Chopwell Community Association, Blackhall Mill Community Association and the Friends of Chopwell Park to form the Chopwell and Blackhall Mill Partnership to formalise our support for each other and how we work together to benefit the community.
Policies
You can view our Policy documents by clicking the relevant links below:
Other policies are currently being updated and will be posted on the website within the next few weeks.
Subscribe to our mailing list
Subscribe to our monthly newsletters to receive details of upcoming events and latest news about what the Regeneration Group are doing in the village.
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