bringing christmas magic to communities

Two community groups supported by believe housing have joined forces to make this festive season extra special for families in east County Durham. 

We Made It From Scratch Productions, a newly formed amateur dramatics group based in Wheatley Hill near Peterlee, is preparing to stage its first-ever show – Miss Midler’s Showcase: A Christmas Celebration and The Story of Chrissy Scrooge. 

The performances will take place over six dates at Wingate Community Centre, Greenhills Centre in Wheatley Hill, and Peterlee Methodist Church. 

The group launched in July with help from a £1,000 community grant from believe housing, which funded essential equipment to bring their vision to life. 

Although the drama group already has more than 20 members, aged eight to 78, staging a full pantomime alone was simply too big a task so soon. 

Fortunately, young people from STARS Community Learning CIC – also supported by a believe housing grant – were planning their own project to help local people who might face cost pressures or feel lonely at Christmas by providing a festive meal. 

Together, they created one special event: a cabaret dinner with a festive meal and a panto-style performance. Around 320 people are expected to enjoy the celebrations. 

Through fundraising activities, including singalongs and craft stalls, STARS members have raised enough to cover the food and subsidise about half the tickets. This means more families can join in who might not otherwise have been able to. 

The collaboration is also supporting three local venues and has received extra help, including a £1,000 donation from the Freemasons. 

Anne-Marie Parkin, Community Investment Team Leader at believe housing, said:
“It’s fantastic to see two groups we’ve supported working together to create something their community really needs.
“The theatre group is giving people in east Durham a creative outlet where they can grow in confidence, have fun, and make friends, while STARS is empowering young people to make a positive difference.
“By joining forces, they’re tackling isolation and cost pressures at Christmas while celebrating local talent and community spirit.
“This is exactly what our funding is about: improving lives and building stronger communities through collaboration.”