Thirteen teams up with MFC Foundation to support communities in Middlesbrough

This partnership builds on Thirteen’s recently released locality plans, which set out their five-year goals and objectives to empower communities across the Tees Valley and help them thrive. Part of these plans include working closely with residents in Middlesbrough to create meaningful and sustainable change in their local community.

Lyndsey Coe, community resilience manager at Thirteen, said: ‘We know there are a number of people in our communities that want to get involved and make a difference to where they live. Sometimes it just needs a little support to know where to start, offer the opportunity to link up with likeminded people or have access to funding to get a project off the ground.

“It’s been great to develop this project in partnership with MFC Foundation to offer this support within our communities in Middlesbrough. Through the project we are seeing a number of fantastic and sustainable community-led projects develop for the benefit of their area.”

Thirteen’s community resilience team will be working with MFC Foundation throughout August and September, to deliver a series of workshops and activities for residents in Middlesbrough. The workshops have been designed to help build confidence, develop key life skills and teach people about how to set up, plan and deliver an action project. There is also support available to help residents with the initial set up for their social action initiatives.

John Fothergill, operations manager at MFC Foundation said: "MFC Foundation are proud to work in partnership with Thirteen Group as we aim to use the power of the Middlesbrough Football Club badge to inspire local people to improve their life skills and enhance their area.

“Our tutors have provided weekly sessions in the Newport and North Ormesby areas, witnessing families engage in personal and community development. Its pleasing to report
that currently 83% of participants are showing an improvement in physical and mental wellbeing.

“It has been fantastic to see the group grow in confidence, and it's been a pleasure to support their social action projects based around community gardens and social media community watch schemes, which will hopefully be a real asset to their local areas."

The teams involved are already seeing positive action from the project. In North Ormesby the programme has led to the development of a growing space where the food will be donated to a local foodbank. The programme has also empowered local residents to take steps to create safer and more resilient neighbourhoods.

A local parent who has been involved in the workshops in North Ormesby said: "The project is a really great idea. It’s nice to socialise with other parents and then together create positive actions to solve local problems.”