Community

Volunteer

The S&DR200 Festival will attract 1.5 million visitors from across the region, the UK, and the world.

We will work with an enthusiastic team of volunteers to make sure that all our visitors have an enjoyable, safe, and welcoming experience at all festival events.

It will be an opportunity for people from the region to:

• be part of this exciting programme of events
• learn new skills
• make new friends

In addition, we are working with partners to recruit volunteers to ensure our S&DR heritage and its preservation beyond our anniversary year in 2025.

Community grants

Thanks to the National Lottery Heritage Fund we have launched the S&DR 26 Miles Community Grant Scheme.

It is important that the voices and stories of people from the region are a part of the S&DR200 Festival, and we would love to see events taking place across County Durham and Tees Valley in 2025 and 2026. 

Communities local to the 26-mile S&DR route between Shildon and Stockton can apply for funds between £250 and £10,000 with £30,000 available for capital works projects. 

We welcome applications from all types of groups including community centres, parish councils, town councils and local businesses. Applications are for events, projects and capital works that celebrate the unique heritage of the area, whilst also fulfilling one of the following criteria: 

• fostering community engagement 
• nurturing wellbeing 
• creating volunteering opportunities 
• engaging learners with heritage 
• providing clear routes to employment through training