Who we are

We are a community led body that came out of the 2008 Haydon Parish Plan and our role is to work in partnership with the Haydon Bridge Parish Council and other community organisations to take forward community development initiatives for Haydon Parish. The Trust is run entirely by volunteers, which means that all the funding we secure goes into the projects that we undertake. The Development Trust is a registered charity and a company limited by guarantee.

Our Objects

The objects of the Company and Charity are the promotion for the benefit of the public of urban and rural regeneration in areas of social and economic deprivation and in particular in Haydon Bridge and Haydon Parish, in the County of Northumberland (“the area of benefit”) by all or any of the following means:

    1. the relief of financial hardship;
    2. the advancement of education, training or retraining, particularly among unemployed people, and providing unemployed people with work experience;
    3. the provision of recreational facilities for the public at large or those who by reason of their youth, age, infirmity or disablement, financial hardship or social and economic circumstances, have need of such facilities;
    4. the maintenance, improvement or provision of public amenities;
    5. the preservation of buildings or sites of historical or architectural importance;
    6. the protection or conservation of the environment in particular, but not exclusively by advancing education in issues relating to climate change and environmental issues including the production of energy from renewable resources
    7. such other means as may from time to time be determined subject to the prior written consent of the Charity Commissioners for England and Wales.

Projects the Development Trust is working on

A summary of the initiatives the Development Trust is working on is provided below.

Over £80,000 capital funding was secured to upgrade the library in Haydon Bridge, which re-opened in May 2010 as a Community Library and Visitor Information Point and Internet Café for the benefit of both local people and visitors.

The library is run entirely by volunteers who receive training from the County Council to operate the library service and by tourism organisations to provide the Visitor Information Point service.

The Bridge received charitable grant funding in 2024 for further upgrade to make the building much more open and flexible to offer a wider range of services as a Community Hub.

The Bridge now provides for local residents:

  • Full Public Library service including childrens library, large print and audio books, and books online via the BorrowBox service
  • Reading activities such as summer reading club for children
  • Tourist Information
  • Local archive
  • Coffee and warm hub
  • Local activity groups such: as knit and natter
  • Computer use
  • Book and craft sales
  • Office services
  • Cycle hub
  • And more

The development of this website is also a project of the Development Trust and managed by it.

We have produced a range of local walks and cycling leaflets for local people and visitors, and Information is produced on local and other services and tourism attraction.

Support will also be provided to local tourism businesses such as accommodation providers as well as local shops and services to improve how we market local facilities and attractions to tourists.

The village gardening group – all volunteers – maintain a number of existing community garden areas in the village, for example on Church Street and opposite the Community Centre on Ratcliffe Road for the benefit. The group also undertake new gardening initiatives to enhance the look of the village, for example the beds at the train station and by the old Bridge on Ratcliffe Road.

If you would like to volunteer for the gardening group please contact Carole Price –
caroleannprice@hotmail.co.uk Mobile: 07939 202930

We run a luncheon club every Friday in the Community Centre

The Development Trust has taken the lead on many of the Community Actions in the Neighbourhood Plan

A successful village group bulk buying and delivery arrangement, initially instigated through the HBDT, is reducing the cost of purchase of fuel oils.

We are a community led body that works in partnership with the Haydon Bridge Parish Council to take forward community development initiatives for Haydon Parish. The Trust is run entirely by volunteers, which means that all the funding we secure goes into the projects that we undertake.

Board Members of the Development Trust, who all live in Haydon Parish are:

  • Mark I’anson (Chairman)
  • Will Rutherford (Vice Chairman)
  • Peter Fletcher (Company Secretary)
  • Esmond Faulks (Parish Council representative, Treasurer)
  • Jo Bates
  • Ian Foster
  • Phil Hartley
  • Kate Minto
  • Michael Sadgrove
  • Siobhan Stephenson
  • Henry Swaddle
  • Christina Taylor
  • Jo Thompson (Parish Council representative)

 

Please use the links below to access annual reports and accounts:

The 2023/2024 Accounts

The 2022/2023 Accounts

The 2021/2022 Accounts

The 2020/2021 Accounts

The 2019/2020 Accounts

The 2018/2019 Accounts

The 2017/2018 Accounts

Earlier reports available on request from admin@haydon-bridge.co.uk

HBDT Meetings Minutes

Write to the Secretary:
Haydon Development Trust
‘The Bridge’ Library
Church Street
Haydon Bridge
NE47 6JQ

Telephone 01434 688658
Email [IAN NEEDS TO SUPPLY EMAIL HERE]

Or come into ‘The Bridge’, our Community Library in Church Street, during opening hours to find out more.

    • Monday 09.00 – 12.00
    • Tuesday 13.00 – 16.00
    • Wednesday 13.00 – 16.00
    • Friday 16.00 – 18.00
    • Saturday 09.30 – 12.30

All residents of, and people working in Haydon Parish are eligible to become individual members of the Development Trust. If you want to become a member, download, print off and complete the Membership Form and send it in the post to the address quoted above.

[COULD THIS NOT BE CHANGED TO AN ONLINE FORM?]

Haydon Bridge Development Trust Minutes

Haydon Bridge Development Trust Accounts