Bringing people together
We create opportunities for companionship, friendship and shared experiences.
OUR STORY / OUR PURPOSE
Built on local history.
Carried forward by our community.
We came together to protect an important community resource. Today, we continue to make space for friendship, learning and everyday community life in Wheatley Hill.
01 / WHO WE ARE
Local people.
A shared purpose.
We are Wheatley House Moving Forward, a registered charity dedicated to supporting community life in Wheatley Hill and the surrounding area.
Our organisation was established by residents who recognised how much Wheatley House meant to the people using it. When the building's future was threatened, local people chose to act together and protect it.
That determination continues to guide us. We make space for social activities, community organisations, family occasions, training and opportunities to connect across generations. Our work is rooted in the belief that a familiar, accessible local place can make everyday life more connected.
We want everyone who contacts us or takes part in our activities to feel welcome and respected. The people who use and support Wheatley House are central to its future.
02 / OUR HERITAGE
One place. Generations of stories.
Our story stretches from Wheatley Hill's mining heritage to a new chapter written by local residents. We care about where we came from and what we can build together.
- 1924
Our roots in the mining community
Wheatley House originally formed part of the Aged Miners Homes complex, which opened in 1924. We value that connection with the mining heritage and generations of family and community life in County Durham.
- 2011
Residents take action
When proposals to close Wheatley House put its future in doubt, local residents came together to form Wheatley House Moving Forward. Their shared aim was to protect the building and keep it available for the benefit of the community.
- 2014
A formally registered charity
Our charity was registered with the Charity Commission for England and Wales on 20 January 2014, under number 1155406. This gave our organisation a formal foundation for pursuing its charitable purposes.
- TODAY
Our next chapter
We continue to care for Wheatley House as a useful community resource, welcoming gatherings and looking for ways people can take part in local life. Our history matters because it reminds us what residents can achieve together.
03 / OUR MISSION
Keeping Wheatley Hill connected and moving forward.
Our mission is to preserve and develop Wheatley House as a welcoming community resource where people of different ages, backgrounds and circumstances can come together, build connections and participate in local life.
We work to encourage social interaction, recreation, education and community participation, while caring for a place that future generations can continue to use.
Encouraging participation
We support learning, activities and ways for people to take part in their community.
Protecting a shared resource
We look after Wheatley House so that it can continue to serve local people.
04 / OUR CHARITABLE PURPOSE
Putting public benefit
into local life.
Our charitable purposes guide how we care for Wheatley House and the opportunities we seek to support. They help us focus on the everyday needs of our community.
Community benefit
We encourage participation and help people organise activities, meet others and develop local relationships. A shared community venue creates room for cooperation and new ideas.
Education & training
We provide a setting for suitable workshops, meetings and learning opportunities where people can share knowledge and develop skills.
Prevention and relief of poverty
We recognise the challenges created by financial hardship and the value of accessible local resources that encourage inclusion and community participation.
Recreation & social life
We make room for activities that help people enjoy time together, maintain friendships and feel more connected.
05 / HOW WE WORK
Our values are
part of our everyday work.
We keep our community's interests at the centre of what we do, from the welcome we offer visitors to the way we think about Wheatley House's future.
Community first
We place local people and the wider benefit of the community at the heart of our decisions.
Inclusion & respect
We welcome people from different generations and backgrounds with dignity and understanding.
Friendship & connection
We value the conversations and relationships that can grow through shared activities.
Care & responsibility
We understand the importance of maintaining a useful community building for future generations.
Looking forward
We honour our history while staying open to ideas and opportunities that serve today's community.
More than a venue06 / A PLACE FOR OUR COMMUNITY
For everyday moments and special occasions.
For some visitors, Wheatley House means time with friends at a familiar social activity. For others, it provides room for a meeting, a training session or a family gathering.
Whatever the occasion, the value of the space comes from the people who use it. We want it to remain welcoming, practical and adaptable, with opportunities for residents and community organisations to bring their ideas to life.
07 / LOOKING AHEAD
Our next chapter belongs
to our community.
Wheatley House Moving Forward began because residents believed that an important local space deserved a future. That belief still inspires our work.
We will continue to care for this resource, encourage participation and welcome people who want to contribute. You can help by joining an activity, sharing a skill, organising a gathering or introducing somebody new to Wheatley House.
Be part of what happens next08 / BE PART OF OUR FUTURE
Our story keeps moving
forward with you.
Have an idea, want to take part or need information about Wheatley House? We would be pleased to hear from you.