Two heartfelt ceremonies in Consett and Winlaton last weekend celebrated the extraordinary efforts of community members across the Blaydon and Consett constituency.
A Celebration of Local Champions
The Red Kite Awards, founded by Liz Twist MP, shine a spotlight on individuals and organisations who work tirelessly to support their communities. This year’s events took place at Citizens’ House in Consett and St Paul’s in Winlaton, drawing together a diverse group of local heroes and their supporters.
Recognising Grassroots Efforts
Among the recipients was Christine Thomas from Building Self Belief, a Consett-based organisation supporting vulnerable young people with life skills and confidence.
Christine shared:
“I’m absolutely delighted – I want to thank Lisa, who nominated us, as I was totally shocked! It’s been really lovely to spend the morning with people from the community. It’s a brilliant way for us to get recognition, because there are so many of us who work day in, day out, and quite often that recognition isn’t there.
“There’s been people here today who I didn’t know, so it’s been really useful to get together and hear about the work everyone has been doing and find ways of working together in future for the people of Consett and across to Blaydon.”
Other Award Winners
This year’s honourees included:
Moorside Baby Bank – offering essentials to families in need
Chopwell Scouts – engaging young people in skill-building and adventure
Consett Survivors of Bereavement by Suicide – providing critical peer support
A Legacy of Recognition
Originally launched during the pandemic in 2020 as the Angel Awards, the event began as a way to thank those who supported others through tough times. With recent boundary changes, the awards have been rebranded as the Red Kite Awards, inspired by the majestic birds of prey that soar over the Derwent Valley.
Words from Liz Twist MP
Liz Twist MP expressed her gratitude, stating:
“There are so many fantastic people and organisations right across our constituency who work so hard to make our communities what they are. I want to say a big thank you to all those who received awards this weekend and to those that nominated them. It is a privilege to represent these communities in parliament, and I’m proud to be able to recognise the efforts being made by local communities every day to keep us going strong.”
