EDT Annual Conference 2017

"the best conference yet!"

East Durham Trust would like to say a huge thank you to the more than 150 delegates that attended our Annual Conference on 5th October 2017 at East Durham College. Guests were treated to a look back at the last 10 years of East Durham Trust, three exciting Trust launches, a mystery special guest and speakers with a true passion for the sector.

​The day commenced with introductions from East Durham Trust Chair Alan Miller and CEO Malcolm Fallow, followed by a beautiful rendition of Cyndi Lauper's Time After Time by sensational East Durham College student Mollie and her band to accompany a look back at the work done by East Durham Trust over the last 10 years. This was followed by a rousing speech around justice in mining communities by Ian Lavery, MP for Wansbeck and Chair of the Labour Party UK and an informative presentation from Durham Universities Tony Chapman around trends in the voluntary and third sector. 

​After the speakers members and attendees were asked to reflect on the last ten years within East Durham and feedback to East Durham Trust about changes in the area and the services/support needed to tackle the problems that may arise in the next 10 years.

​Following the launch of East Durham Trust's new website and their crowdfunding campaign for new project 'The People's Takeaway', Malcolm Fallow announced that the afternoon would feature a number of celebrities including award winning local actor and comedian Dave Johns, best known for portraying Daniel Blake in Ken Loach's BAFTA award winning recent film and Olympian athlete Aly Dixon.

​The second half of the conference was opened by the fantastic Durham Voices of Recovery and Middlesbrough's Notes for Hopes, projects that support the recovery of those affected by drug and alcohol problems.

​Dave Johns was welcomed to the stage following a short introduction (including clips from the film!) to be asked questions by Brodie and Nadene, local aspiring actors who had recently had the fortune to meet Dave in Edinburgh after seeing his show I, Fillum Star at the Fringe Festival. The questions explored the effects of the film, changes to political climate and the rise of a now 62 year old to Hollywood stardom.

​Following Dave Johns we launched our Run East Durham Project, funded by County Durham Community Foundation with our running volunteer Albert Ellis. He's run every Great North Run since 1992 apart from the year he was fighting bowel cancer. He was welcomed to the College after a short run by local Olympian Aly Dixon who gave him a medal and officially launched the project with CDCF CEO Barbara Gubbins CBE DL and Annie Dolphin OBE from Active Durham.

​The Conference was closed by the two choirs and feedback was hugely positive from those that attended. Didn't get a chance to feedback about the conference?
Visit https://www.surveymonkey.co.uk/r/EDTConfEvaluation2017 and complete our survey.

​If you have any more in depth comments then please email Jess on jess.hunt@eastdurhamtrust.org.uk

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