Rural Durham Community Research Network

Written By Liz Gray

Durham Community Action (DCA) and the Rural Design Centre (RDC) are working with Durham University (DU), Durham County Council, Point North, Insights North East and Newcastle University (NU) to develop a Community Research Network in rural County Durham. 

This is as part of UK Research and Innovation's national Community Research Network programme. 

What is Community Research? 

A community research network is a way of supporting local people to have an active role in research and to move away from academic research where communities sometimes feel they have been "done to". 

Members of communities and community organisations have a deep knowledge of their local areas, their assets and needs, and shared issues and problems. This isn’t always recognised and used. 

The Young Foundation was commissioned by UKRI to explore how communities can be more equitably involved in knowledge creation and has now awarded just under £1m to our project in County Durham.  

What will the Rural Durham Community Research Network Deliver? 

Working in Teesdale, Weardale and Derwent Valley, our project runs from Autumn 2024 for five years and aims to build research capacity and capability in rural communities to investigate local issues, be fully involved in setting research agendas, contributing their experiences, collecting relevant information, and influencing positive changes in policy and practice. The Community Research Network will explore barriers to accessing health and social care, a lack of opportunities for young people and access to critical public services.  

The community research network will support and influence decision making by bringing new evidence to light and providing insight that will  contribute to improvements in outcomes for people and rural communities in County Durham. 

Opportunities to be involved 

If you are community organisation within Teesdale, Weardale or Derwent Valley wanting to get involved in research to benefit your community, please get in touch! Please email Abby.Weatherill@durhamcommunityaction.org.uk.

You will be fully supported through the research process, from identifying what it is that you want to change, who, why and what you want to influence, what methodologies to use, how to collect and analyse  the data  through to reporting the findings of your research  There will be  funding available to support research participants throughout the process with further details to be disseminated to interested people and organisations in March 2025.   

Key Contacts 

Rural Design Centre – Project Managers 
Dr. Benjamin Fisher, Head of Projects 
ben.fisher@ruraldesigncentre.com 

Durham Community Action – Community Engagement Lead 
Abby Weatherall Volunteer Manager
Abby.Weatherill@durhamcommunityaction.org.uk

Project Partners  


Liz Gray
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