Briardale House are a not for profit organisation situated in the Cowpen ward of Blyth, Northumberland (NE24 5AN).
Since taking over the centre in April of 2019, we have transformed it into a welcoming, vibrant community hub and provide a wide range of activities, classes and safe spaces for a whole host of groups to meet.
We are a small yet dedicated team of local superheroes and we’d love to show you what we have to offer. Come along and say hi!
Our team is led by Candice and if she’s not in the main office, she’ll be buzzing about the centre making sure everyone is happy and all is running smoothly.
Our office assistant, Joy, is always here to welcome you with a friendly smile and always goes above & beyond to ensure your visit to Briardale House is a happy one and hassle free.
Meet our Facilities Manager, Stan, who not only makes sure that our building and gardens are safe and well maintained, but he also creates the most amazing pieces of woodcraft from his Woodcraft Wonders range. You can pop in to see Stan and share ideas with him any time, he loves a challenge!
Paul is Stan’s right hand man and has joined us specifically to support with our extensive outdoor redevelopment project. His practical skills are just as invaluable as his wicked sense of humour! He’s also a much loved Meals on Wheels driver, so if you see him out and about in our sunshine car, be sure to give him a wave.
Cheryl is our Kitchen Supervisor & chief cake maker! Cheryl can be found cooking up a storm and you’ll be sure to made feel welcome when she’s in! Our Wednesday Friendship Club attendees are also very lucky to Cheryl coordinating their activities and she goes above & beyond to make sure everyone feels part of the Briardale family.
Meet Jane, our little pocket rocket. Jane is not only one of our dedicated youth workers, but also part of our community cafe team and a general all rounder. So whether she’s making you a delicious home-cooked lunch, creating activities for the children or mopping the floor, you’ll have to be quick to see her before she’s away in a flash on to the next task!
Yvonne is the last piece of our kitchen puzzle and as well as preparing delicious meals, is also our Meals on Wheels driver, ensuring that local people receive a home-cooked meal with a smile and even a song!
Gemma is the other half of our youth team and she is great at planning fun & engaging events for our young people to enjoy.
Kacie has joined us as a youth mentor and works with our youth club gang to support activities with young people every week. Kacie hopes to become an Educational Psychologist and so we hope that the experience she gains with us will help her in the future.
Jack works with us when back from Uni and works right across the centre. You may see him in the office, in the kitchen or out in the gardens with Stan. He’s our, not so little, all-rounder!
We’re really lucky to have some wonderful volunteers here at Briardale House and we couldn’t do what we do, without their support. Without the support of volunteers, our garden would look like more of a jungle and the hard-work & expertise of Trev; Christian; Sophie & Gary. We also have our kitchen fairies, Darren, Christine & Sharon; our IT angel Steven, our youth club supporters, Jo & Carol; and Tony & Dave who will be using our minibus to take local people on little day trips. These guys all give their time selflessly to make a positive contribution to our team here at Briardale and to this community. We are blessed!
So here’s to those that give their time for the benefit of others.
