Introducing the development team
The development team at Communities Together Durham work alongside churches in Durham Diocese to challenge poverty and help local churches bring hope to their communities. After significant change in 2024, we are delighted to introduce the development team. Claire, Maddy and Janet work with churches across Durham Diocese.
Claire Estall
I’m Claire, working for CTD I aim to support parishes and churches to aid children and young people in a variety of contexts to help alleviate some day to day challenges they may be facing – this could be social isolation, IT/homework/education, uniform, cutting the cost of the school day e.g. prom and other school calendar events that bring costs. Alongside this I hope to build an initiative to amplify the “voice” of young people within our parishes which could give a focus for our parishes in how best to give support.
My other focus is food insecurity/security – I am investigating different models of how to deliver food provision to give our parishes and churches the best creative ideas on how to implement this. Please email me if I can help.
claire.estall@communitiestogetherdurham.org.uk
Maddy Fisher
I have worked on the CTD team since 2019, and have a background in Christian Community Work, mostly with church projects, and older people. I have really valued getting to know people in the diocese and seeing the passion and resilience of churches in getting alongside their communities. I have a particular interest in helping churches support people with mental health difficulties and dementia, and have recently been really pleased to see the growing confidence in churches in responding to these and other challenges. I believe churches can make a significant contribution to addressing health inequalities through projects like Parish Nursing, and I also look forward to working with more churches on financial inclusion and education.
maddy.fisher@communitiestogetherdurham.org.uk
Janet Dodson
My name is Janet and I grew up in South Tyneside but spent most of my adulthood living in the South of Scotland where I worked in criminal justice and mental health social work. I am a Methodist and volunteer at a community café in Stanhope and I also am a trustee of Waddington Street Centre, Durham. I have a particular interest in how we become resilient as people, and I believe that it is in wholehearted connection with one another that we can develop and grow. The Church is in a unique position within our communities to foster and encourage positive connection thereby reducing isolation and loneliness. I am passionate about the value that volunteering brings to both the volunteer and the organisation and I am excited about visiting Places of Welcome around the Diocese to see the good work emanating from within. I am also excited to support holiday clubs around Durham Diocese this year.
janet.dodson@communitiestogetherdurham.org.uk
Every church in Durham Diocese has a named link person within the development team. Over the next few months our team will be getting in touch with clergy and project leaders, but if we can help before then please get in touch with any of the team above, or email: