Founded in 1995 as a Christian community, we began our journey with a simple mission: to listen, care, and respond to the needs of people across County Durham.
Our first project, the Listening Service at Durham Cathedral, launched in 1999 and laid the foundations for what would become a growing network of community support initiatives.
In 2011, we launched the County Durham Foodbank, marking a major step forward in our work to tackle poverty and hardship. In partnership with the Trussell Trust, our first foodbank distribution points opened in Chester-le-Street, Durham, and West Auckland. The following year, we expanded rapidly — opening nine new distribution centres across the county, including Stanley, Consett, Crook, and Dawdon.
Our growth continued in 2012 when two community projects were transferred to us from a Durham-based church: a charity shop and a small debt advisory service known as Durham Money Advice. Both were restructured and revitalized. The charity shop became the DCP Community Shop, now open five days a week and offering a wider range of goods, while the money advice service evolved into the County Durham Money Advice Centre, expanding its reach under new management.
Recognising that food hardship often goes hand-in-hand with energy poverty — the difficult “eat or heat” dilemma — we partnered with Npower and the National Energy Action (NEA) charity in 2015 to pioneer the Fuel Bank initiative. This groundbreaking project provided emergency fuel support for those in crisis, helping people keep their homes warm without sacrificing food. The pilot’s success led to its rollout on a national scale.
Today, our work continues to grow, driven by the same compassion and commitment that started it all — supporting communities across County Durham with dignity, hope, and practical help.