Banks Community Fund

27/04/2026

Amazing getting to meet the guys at the Rockets Community Foundation today!! Very thankful we’ve been able to help them with a grant and even more thankful I got to have a game of table tennis with the gang too 😅

At Teen Talk tonight, our young people picked up not one, but two valuable lessons…

First, they learned how to water plants (a proper life skill!), and then Jamilah gave them a real lesson on the table tennis table!

It was fantastic to welcome Banks Community Fund to our session this evening. Their support has been vital in funding our “Beyond The Classroom” project, helping us provide food and activities that build confidence, tackle social anxiety, and create positive experiences for the young people we work with.

Watch this space for the details on our next adventure all thanks to The Banks Group

24/04/2026

A fantastic Stockton charity is tackling male social isolation—one pie at a time 🥧

Starfish Services Limited has received a grant from the Banks Community Fund to support its Men’s Pie Club and “Place To Be” drop-in sessions.

These welcoming, peer-led groups provide a safe space for people facing loneliness and mental health challenges—offering everything from shared cooking to a simple cup of tea and conversation.

We’re proud to support initiatives that bring people together and make a real difference in local communities 💙

21/04/2026

🎶 A boost for creativity in Darlington…

Blackbird Creative Arts & Key Stage Door is helping young people reconnect with education through its Key Stage Door programme – offering dance, music and performance sessions for those struggling in mainstream school.

The programme has been able to invest in new instruments and equipment, giving students even more opportunities to learn, express themselves and build confidence.

The initiative is already making a real difference – helping young people feel more capable, creative and valued, while supporting their journey back into education.

30/03/2026

🐝🌸 Bringing bees, butterflies and the community together in Durham…

We’re proud to support The Sensory Place with a £2,000 grant from the Banks Community Fund for their Bees & Butterflies project.

Young people with disabilities will design and plant wildlife-friendly planters at Merryoaks Community Centre, helping to boost local biodiversity while building confidence through creativity.

Local residents are invited to get involved and even host a planter at home as they come into bloom this spring and summer 🌼

A brilliant project bringing people, nature and community together 💛

Find out more: https://eu1.hubs.ly/H0t43bD0

20/03/2026

Over 50 Easter eggs have been donated to ROC Group Charity, an incredible organisation providing vital respite support for families with children who have disabilities and life-limiting illnesses.

These donations will help them create Easter egg hunts that are fun, inclusive and enriching – ensuring every child can enjoy the experience of taking part, exploring, and going home with their very own Easter egg.

A huge shoutout to our amazing staff who made this possible with their generosity and kindness. Your contributions will help bring smiles to so many this Easter 💛

📷 L-R Katie from ROC Group, Megan from Catalyst Stockton, Kate from The Banks Group

27/02/2026

We love that we get to support so many wonderful projects/groups and charities with our Community Fund ☺️ & what's even better, is when we get to shout about said group/project in our press releases, & it shines an extra light on the incredible work you all do 🥰

Really lovely to hear that the , based in Fencehouses, have recruited three new members since a recent press release went out, about their grant from us to help purchase new equipment. This has given the Stick Makers more capacity to attract new people.

Happy Friday Everyone 🤩

26/02/2026

Our Community Relations Manager Kate aka had an epic time meeting the team in South Park Darlington Steam Academy American Football Club 🏉

Really glad we were able to support you all :) Good luck with the season

A MAJOR BOOST FOR THE STEAM ENGINE! 🚂🙏

We are absolutely thrilled to announce that Darlington Steam Academy has been successful in securing a generous grant award from The Banks Group.

Running a competitive American football programme requires significant resources, and as a community club, support like this is transformative.

This vital funding will go directly towards, purchasing a few more helmets, should pads and upskilling and training new coaches and subsidising some of the most vulnerable in our community with paying for BAFA memberships and some of the game jerseys and lowers.

This ensures we can continue to provide a safe, high-quality sports environment right here in Darlington.

We want to say a massive thank you to the team at The Banks Group for believing in what we are building and for their commitment to supporting local community initiatives.

Full story here: https://www.thenorthernecho.co.uk/news/25842494.darlington-steam-receive-2-000-grant-banks-group

Full Steam Ahead! 🚂💨

24/02/2026

We were really proud to support the this year 😊Especially as we celebrate our 50th Year and reconnect with so many groups we have supported over the years.

This year we sponsored 💫

Three incredible, shortlisted groups. Well done to South Moor Together , Just for Women Centre Stanley and Exmoor Pony Volunteer Wardens.

An impossible task trying to choose between them. as all making a huge difference in the local community!

Our Community Relations Manager Kate was delighted to present the award and announce the winners - Just for Women Centre Stanley🥳!! Congratulations on winning the Award for your Serenity Garden – A peaceful outdoor space designed for relaxation, therapy and connection with nature.

Delighted that South Moor Together and Exmoor Pony Volunteer Wardens were both awarded Highly Commended. Well deserved ☺️

20/02/2026

We’re proud to announce that we’ve gifted our former Bradley surface mine site in County Durham to Durham Wildlife Trust, where it will become a brand-new nature reserve – Billingside Meadows 🌿

The 21-hectare site, located between Leadgate and Dipton, has been fully restored and donated alongside a £127,000 fund to support its long-term management, with additional annual funding committed over the next seven years.

Durham Wildlife Trust will use conservation grazing, including Exmoor ponies and native cattle, to help create a rich habitat of grasslands and wetlands where wildlife can flourish and the community can enjoy accessible new walking routes.

We’re delighted to be continuing our long-standing partnership with Durham Wildlife Trust and to see this site begin its next chapter as a space for both nature and people.

19/02/2026

We’re proud to be supporting Darlington Steam with a £2,000 grant from the Banks Group Community Fund 🏈

The funding will help the club purchase new equipment for try-out sessions and invest in additional coach training — making it easier for more local young people to get involved in both full-contact and flag football.

Founded in 2013, Darlington Steam is the only American Football club between Newcastle and Leeds, with more than 55 junior players and multiple age-group teams. The club not only promotes fitness and teamwork, but also helps build confidence, focus and self-discipline among its players.

We’re delighted to back this fantastic community club as it continues to grow the game locally and create new opportunities for young people across Darlington and County Durham.