A COMMUNITY-DRIVEN initiative to invest up to £20m and transform lives in the five most disadvantaged areas of Darlington is launched today (Friday, September 25).

Pride in Place is aimed at making a significant difference to the lives of people in Skerne Park, Red Hall, Bank Top, Northgate and Branksome, while also having an impact on the wider Darlington community.

The Government programme will see up to £5bn given to nearly 250 areas across the UK, with Darlington chosen to receive up to £20m over the next 10 years to make long-term improvements identified by people in local communities.

Chair of the Pride in Place Board, David Gartland, CEO and Principal of Darlington College, said: “This investment marks a significant opportunity to transform our town, enhance skills and inspire pride across the local community.”

As part of an ambitious Pride in Place regeneration plan, £5m has already been committed to supporting the building of a new STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) Centre at the Darlington Science Park.

The STEM Centre is now going through the planning process and the Pride in Place investment has unlocked a further £19m of funds from the Department for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade.

The centre will be managed by Darlington College, with the Pride in Place funding being used to help young people from disadvantaged communities into STEM careers.

“The regeneration plan is community-driven, achievable, and designed to benefit everyone who lives and works in Darlington,” added Mr Gartland.

An accessibility project has also been identified for Pride in Place support, with £750,000 being invested in installing dropped-kerbs on well-used routes to make it easier for those with mobility issues, including wheelchair-users, parents with pushchairs, and elderly people using walking aids.

A youth engagement project will also be delivered by the Darlington-based Tees Valley, YMCA, on behalf of the Darlington Youth Partnership.

Darlington MP Lola McEvoy said: “For years, decisions about our town have been made in Whitehall, but Pride in Place is about putting decision-making back into the hands of people in the local community.

“We are proud of our town, and it fully deserves this investment, but Pride in Place goes further than that – it is an opportunity to make sure local people have the resources to create the community facilities and environments they deserve, and to support them to live their best lives.”

Darlington Borough Council leader, Councillor Steve Harker said: “The £20m Pride in Place fund is a transformative opportunity for Darlington. Focusing on five areas within the town, Pride in Place will provide funding to improve local community facilities.

“Local communities themselves, not Whitehall or the Council, will have a big role in deciding how the funding is used. Community involvement will be key to the programme’s success in helping to address long-standing inequalities.” 

Seth Pearson, Director of Partnerships for Darlington Borough Council, added: “Pride in Place is hugely important because it is the communities themselves that will have the biggest say in how this Government money is spent. It is about putting power in the hands of local people, giving them ownership, and providing hope.”

The launch event takes place at Darlington College between 4.30pm and 5.45pm today (Friday, September 25) with a panel of board members answering questions about how Pride in Place will work and how local people can help shape the long-term benefits of the investment.