The contribution Area Action Partnerships make to communities across County Durham has been recognised at a special event marking their tenth anniversary.

Since 2009, Durham County Council’s 14 Area Action Partnerships (AAP) have delivered more than 6,000 community projects, engaged with more than 30,000 people and have helped secured funding in excess of £100million.

Just as importantly, they have strengthened links with the towns and villages they serve, giving residents more say on how funding is spent, as well as the opportunity to volunteer as board members and further shape their local area.

At the event, AAP staff, board members, residents and community groups attended a celebration, supported by sponsors including Banks Group, Esh Group, Livin and Teescraft Engineering.

Each AAP had nominated a project they felt was “without equal” over the past ten years and awards were given out to representatives from the initiatives. From working with local pubs and cafes to provide meals in community venues to tackle social isolation in Weardale, to tackling plastic pollution in rural areas of East Durham, to establishing an advice hub in Stanley – the winning projects have helped improve the lives of people of all ages.

Cllr Brian Stephens, the council’s Cabinet member for neighbourhoods and local partnerships, said: “This event is about thanking everyone who has contributed to the success of AAPs over the last ten years and recognising the difference they have made to people’s lives.

“The projects highlighted demonstrate just how great an impact AAPs have. They empower communities to tackle the issues that matter to them, whether that be raising the aspirations of children and young people or providing social activities for older people.”

AAPs were set up in 2009 when Durham County Council became a unitary authority. Each board has 21 members with a variety of experiences and backgrounds, including seven public and seven partner representatives, six county councillors and one parish council representative.

Cllr Simon Henig, Leader of the council, said: “Helping to create strong and vibrant communities is a core function for local authorities, especially in times of austerity. Making this happen is not always easy but our 14 AAPs have a proven track record of success.

“Not only do they attract millions of pounds of funding for community projects but they offer practical advice and support to bring these ideas to life, as well as providing a forum for discussion. They have certainly lived up to the ‘action’ part of their name.”

The winning projects are:

• Derwent Valley AAP: Beat the Scammers – a project delivered by Age UK County Durham that protects elderly people from scam phone calls and emails, providing free call blockers and advice on what to look out for.

• Spennymoor AAP Sponsor a Grown Up – a project delivered by Success North East that engages young people and their adult relatives in physical activity together.

• Teesdale AAP and Teesdale YMCA: The Intergen Project – a project that sees young people and youth workers attend Manor House Care Home to enjoy craft activities together.

• Stanley AAP: Stanley Advice Centre – a community hub which is open five days per week and offers advice and support services from Durham Christian Partnership’s Durham Money Advice Centre and Food Bank, Citizen’s Advice County Durham and Durham County Council’s welfare rights team.

• Mid Durham AAP: The Intergenerational Project and Community Buildings Project – a combination of two different but complimentary projects. The Intergenerational Project is delivered by Age UK and brings young people and older people together. The Community Buildings Project has created four new community buildings and is being delivered in partnership with residents in Hamsteels, Burnhope, Meadowfield and Buttsfield.

• Durham City AAP: Cheesy Waffles Project – a project that provides activities for children, young people and young adults with additional needs.

• East Durham AAP: Welfare Champions – a project delivered by volunteers under the guidance of East Durham Trust to support people experiencing financial hardship.

• Chester-le-Street AAP: Market Activity Week – a project delivered by Chester-le-Street Neighbourhood Police Team which provides a free family focused summer event in the market place. The aim is to deliver community safety messages and to forge better relationships between uniformed services and young people.

• Great Aycliffe and Middridge AAP: Employability Skills Fund – a project managed by Bishop Auckland College that provides funding of up to £1,000 to support unemployed people aged 16 and over into employment. It also helps those on low wages or zero hour contracts to enhance their job prospects.

• Bishop Auckland and Shildon AAP: Crisis Intervention – a project delivered by Woodhouse Close Church and Community Centre that supports people in need to access food, furniture, mobile phones, heating, utilities and advice.

• East Durham Rural Corridor AAP: Plastic Fantastic? – a project delivered by Outdoor and Sustainability Education Specialists (OASES) that has been piloted in three schools in the AAP area. Children are given the opportunity to speak to older members of the community about life before single use plastic and are taught about the impact it has on towns and villages in the area.

• 4 Together Partnership: Days of our Lives – a project delivered by Enter CIC which provides social events for elderly members of the community, ranging from informal gatherings to large scale performances to commemorate the First World War.

• Weardale AAP: Wheels to Meals – a project delivered by Weardale Community Transport to tackle social isolation in rural areas. In winter months, cafes and pubs provide set price meals at community venues across the dale and residents are picked up from home and dropped off again after the meal.

• 3 Towns Partnership: The Victory Programme – a project delivered by the Salvation Army which teaches people how to prepare nutritious and affordable meals based on Second World War recipes. Advice is also given on household budgeting, as well as how to ‘dig for victory’ so people can grow their own food.

To find out more about Durham’s 14 AAPs visit www.durham.gov.uk/AAPs