A caring organisation, set up to connect businesses with good causes in a North East town, has reached “a proud milestone”.
Darlington Cares, a not-for-profit organisation hosted by Darlington Borough Council, was established in October 2012 to encourage corporate social responsibility among local employers.
And figures show it has now delivered more than 100,000 hours of volunteering since it was launched 14 years ago.
“It is a proud milestone because every one of those hours of volunteering has benefited Darlington and its people in a wide variety of ways,” said Darlington Cares Director, Seth Pearson.
In 2020, when the Covid pandemic struck, Darlington Cares, with the support of Darlington Building Society, Cummins Engines, and the borough council, was successful in bringing The Bread and Butter Thing charity to Darlington.
A volunteer in action after Darlington Cares brought The Bread and Butter Thing to Darlington
(Image: Chris Barron)
The Bread and Butter Thing was founded in Manchester to redistribute surplus food from supermarkets and suppliers to communities at a low cost. Thanks to Darlington Cares and its partners, Darlington became the first town outside of Manchester to become a base for the charity.
‘Pick, Pie and a Pint’ was another successful initiative, encouraging volunteers to take part in community litter picks before being rewarded with a pie and a pint at a local pub.
Volunteers gather ahead of one of the Pick, Pie and a Pint events in Darlington
(Image: Chris Barron)
Two of the volunteering during a Darlington Cares litter-pick
(Image: Chris Barron)
Last year alone, Darlington Cares delivered 11,096 hours of volunteering – the equivalent of seven full-time posts – across a range of initiatives.
A total of 1,920 voluntary hours were devoted to The School Uniform Exchange, which operates from a unit at the Beaumont Street entrance to Feethams Car Park in Darlington town centre. Last year, the service helped 5,000 families by handing out 13,000 items of uniform.
Volunteer Kay Sandham at The School Uniform Exchange
(Image: Peter Barron)
Darlington Cares delivered 3,651 hours of environmental work in 2025, the vast majority in local parks, with 642 hours spent on planting trees.
Darlington Building Society staff volunteering in North Lodge Park
(Image: Chris Barron)
A ‘Busy Readers’ scheme, in which volunteers work in schools to support literacy and numeracy, accounted for 3,425 hours.
Darlington Cares also runs a volunteer library book delivery service, providing 858 hours of volunteer time.
And it continues to support The Bread and Butter Thing, with 835 hours committed to the charity, as well as local food banks, during 2025.
“Darlington Cares is the envy of other local authorities and is a precious thing that should be celebrated and cherished,” added Mr Pearson.
“Our thanks go to those local employers who have played their part in the success story by enabling their employees to give their time to improve the local environment and enrich the lives of local people.”