The Open Day was held this week at their Chilton premises. The Award winning scheme provides access for all to recycled and reused furniture and was originally purely run by volunteers founded by Chris Palmer of Newton Aycliffe.
It is now a frontline charity delivering County wide welfare assistance and concentrating on recycling, volunteering opportunities and skills training.
Changes over the last six months saw Chris Palmer take his well-deserved retirement and Ray Brown become Chairman of the Trustees. Steve Mitton as CEO oversees the headline commercial development of CDFHS, business, training and employment, ably backed by Lee Heightley looking after sales and day to day operations.
In conjunction with Durham County Council, Business Durham they have consolidated the warehousing into three units increasing the floor space to 18,297 sq. ft.
The turnover has grown steadily and to the end of March this year totalled £347,000. The first six months of this new financial year have seen deliveries of domestic goods alone top £100,000.
CDFHS are delivering Welfare Support now directly on behalf of Durham County Council, taking service to those needing the most support, who are pointed to us by a referral mechanism. Staff and work experience placements from a variety of providers grew to a high point of 75 in May.
Part of the strategy is to develop partnerships such as NE First Credit Union and Cornforth Partnership. Every penny of our turnover has to be accounted for and our financial management has been restructured to match and support aspirations and legal responsibilities.
CDFHS has a retail venue in Chester le Street and works with Steve Wright the owner of Silver Fox to introduce a dozen local unemployed to this new venture.
We have formed a close association with NE First Credit Union firstly to test the response to our joint service offering and we worked together in the shop environment and from later this year have agreed to have a permanent collection point at CDFHS which will allow staff, volunteers and customers to access affordable loans and encourage savings.
We started providing a range of bed and now assemble new-ones on site.
A new partnership has begun with Profound Services a leading edge traineeship with a fully fitted IT suite. It offers an exclusive development programme which includes the fantastic opportunity to gain experience in a fast paced, supportive environment within a variety of different roles including Warehousing, Logistics and Distribution, Customer Service and Joinery Furniture Restoration.
Trainees will gain employability and career development along with functional skills. It aims to inspire, lead and bring out the best in Trainees preparing them for the world of work.
